Steve Jobs
Died of ligma
The bridge between the Earth and the Heavens
Zhou Rui Xi
Rui Xi blinked, her head beginning to wonder whether one of the servants slipped something in her drink earlier. She could have sworn she saw the rat host, but when she turned around there was only Akane admiring her outfit.
"Thank you, your own hanfu suits you well," she nodded. She bid the Akane adieu, opting to grab another glass of champagne once a waiter swung by. Like every other flute, the drink came and went in seconds, the bubbles leaving little more than a fizzle on her tongue.
All the money in the world and you can't even afford a proper bar?
The house's financial backing always mystified her because the servants didn't appear to have any lives outside of the compound nor did they monetize the hosts' or god's existence. She had a hard time believing that donations could keep them afloat but supposed that piety had no limits. In another life she could have started her own cult based upon the Dragon zodiac and buy a mansion that rivaled their home, but she refused to debase herself so freely.
Instead, she watched Akane approach the stage with a small set of cards and take the microphone to deliver the most generic, milquetoast, and utterly servant-serving speech to date. For the average audience member, Akane's charisma would be more than enough to carry the dull speech, but the more perceptive members would see the grip she had on her note cards, the glossy eyed stare, and the hitch of her breath before she finished speaking.
The words "harmony" and "longevity" didn't belong in the same realm as the zodiac community. They were a dysfunctional lot held together by a supernatural tie and false god. Normally vicious laughter would have bubbled at the back of her throat (just as it did during her speech eleven years ago), but she saw no such humor in Akane's face. Though the two were never close, they respected each other's work ethic. Playing the part of innocence was no easy feat so for those who knew her, the cracks were obvious.
Rui Xi stood from her table and walked past the stage with little regard for the guests who waved to her.
"Rui Xi you're not supposed to be back he-"
"I don't need your permission servant," the host replied upon seeing a plain-robed man at the entrance.
"Don't you dare ruin this evening," he sneered, grabbing her wrist.
"I'm simply here to check on my fellow host," Rui Xi asked, leaning down to meet his eyes. "we wouldn't want anything to happen so close to the end of the ceremony."
Jerking her arm away, she pushed past the lowly man and began looking around the hall for any sign of the rabbit host. Beyond the din of the party the area was surprisingly quiet and most of the rooms locked or empty. It made it easy for Rui Xi to hone in on the quiet, erratic breaths coming from the bathroom.
"Akane?" Rui Xi whispered, giving three prompt knocks, "Akane, are you okay?"
"Thank you, your own hanfu suits you well," she nodded. She bid the Akane adieu, opting to grab another glass of champagne once a waiter swung by. Like every other flute, the drink came and went in seconds, the bubbles leaving little more than a fizzle on her tongue.
All the money in the world and you can't even afford a proper bar?
The house's financial backing always mystified her because the servants didn't appear to have any lives outside of the compound nor did they monetize the hosts' or god's existence. She had a hard time believing that donations could keep them afloat but supposed that piety had no limits. In another life she could have started her own cult based upon the Dragon zodiac and buy a mansion that rivaled their home, but she refused to debase herself so freely.
Instead, she watched Akane approach the stage with a small set of cards and take the microphone to deliver the most generic, milquetoast, and utterly servant-serving speech to date. For the average audience member, Akane's charisma would be more than enough to carry the dull speech, but the more perceptive members would see the grip she had on her note cards, the glossy eyed stare, and the hitch of her breath before she finished speaking.
The words "harmony" and "longevity" didn't belong in the same realm as the zodiac community. They were a dysfunctional lot held together by a supernatural tie and false god. Normally vicious laughter would have bubbled at the back of her throat (just as it did during her speech eleven years ago), but she saw no such humor in Akane's face. Though the two were never close, they respected each other's work ethic. Playing the part of innocence was no easy feat so for those who knew her, the cracks were obvious.
Rui Xi stood from her table and walked past the stage with little regard for the guests who waved to her.
"Rui Xi you're not supposed to be back he-"
"I don't need your permission servant," the host replied upon seeing a plain-robed man at the entrance.
"Don't you dare ruin this evening," he sneered, grabbing her wrist.
"I'm simply here to check on my fellow host," Rui Xi asked, leaning down to meet his eyes. "we wouldn't want anything to happen so close to the end of the ceremony."
Jerking her arm away, she pushed past the lowly man and began looking around the hall for any sign of the rabbit host. Beyond the din of the party the area was surprisingly quiet and most of the rooms locked or empty. It made it easy for Rui Xi to hone in on the quiet, erratic breaths coming from the bathroom.
"Akane?" Rui Xi whispered, giving three prompt knocks, "Akane, are you okay?"
mood | Life's a bitch
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location | Zodiac Compound
outfit | Red, Floral Qipao
tag | Akane
leviohsa
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