[ the flowers... that's right. the ones that are still alive are still in his room, in a glass jar in water. for the second time, he's affected by hikaru's kindness - and when she hugs him, he returns the favor, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tight.
(he couldn't, the week she was dying. she was so scared, and xie lian couldn't answer her prayers, couldn't take her pain, couldn't even hug her and comfort her - he could do nothing.)
there's quiet before he responds, really, just taking that in. ]
...It takes much more than that to break me, Miss Hikaru. I have seen much worse. [ THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF (EMOTIONAL) PAIN IS ZERO, XIE LIAN,
anyway. it was a little funny - the realm took many of xie lian's memories, comparatively more when it comes to other participants - but the tragedies that he experienced never left him. only the little successes did. only the important information, that he now holds onto tightly, clinging to every shred of hope he has.
but what he says is true. the world has broken xie lian once, to the point of almost no repair, and here, he still stands. ]
....It is the kindnesses of others that I have always been able to remember. Even when the ones from my own world disappeared along with my memories -- [ a festival with three thousand lanterns shining. a ride on an ox cart. his mother's smile. ] -- I had many little kindnesses shown to me that lit the way along the path to where we have arrived.
Kindnesses like yours. [ xie lian pulls back a little to look at her properly. his expression is soft, a little far away, but it's genuine, too, and he squeezes her shoulders. ] Thank you.
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(he couldn't, the week she was dying. she was so scared, and xie lian couldn't answer her prayers, couldn't take her pain, couldn't even hug her and comfort her - he could do nothing.)
there's quiet before he responds, really, just taking that in. ]
...It takes much more than that to break me, Miss Hikaru. I have seen much worse. [ THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF (EMOTIONAL) PAIN IS ZERO, XIE LIAN,
anyway. it was a little funny - the realm took many of xie lian's memories, comparatively more when it comes to other participants - but the tragedies that he experienced never left him. only the little successes did. only the important information, that he now holds onto tightly, clinging to every shred of hope he has.
but what he says is true. the world has broken xie lian once, to the point of almost no repair, and here, he still stands. ]
....It is the kindnesses of others that I have always been able to remember. Even when the ones from my own world disappeared along with my memories -- [ a festival with three thousand lanterns shining. a ride on an ox cart. his mother's smile. ] -- I had many little kindnesses shown to me that lit the way along the path to where we have arrived.
Kindnesses like yours. [ xie lian pulls back a little to look at her properly. his expression is soft, a little far away, but it's genuine, too, and he squeezes her shoulders. ] Thank you.