[But why were the circumstances mysterious? She couldn't ask? This Akechi he shouldn't intimidate too much wouldn't answer? Nevermind that the last question she asks falls just under having all his tendons broken for its ability to inspire dread, or maybe that's just a twinge of sense memory. Like hell 'his lotus' does. And yet.
The circumstances may not be so mysterious after all, is the bitter and shocking takeaway.]
[A lie, like an alibi? Or just the kind of thing that seems endemic here? If she doesn't even want him intimidated, she surely wouldn't even imply the former. Then again, she may well be beyond caring overmuch at this point, to do any such calculations, and underneath all his ragged fear and too-familiar frustration he can recognize she doesn't owe him anything here. To say nothing of how little she owes Li Lianhua. He should probably take this as a courtesy, and not antagonism, despite himself.
Even his real subordinates couldn't quite be threatened into working miracles, after all. And the only truth he knows is which of the two is more likely to be dishonest, regardless of what she knows of the boy.]
[A debt is the last thing she wants to be owed right now, whether he means it or not. Does she care whether Li Lianhua was hiding healing abilities? Not really. She files the information away that Akechi might have been truthful, but otherwise she has too much else on her mind.]
[A second later, she changes it.]
Actually, if you see Black Cat while you're out, let me know. His house was empty when I went to check on him. I can't find him anywhere.
[Not nearly the whole truth of the situation, but it's as much as she can explain.]
[She really must be out of sorts. He would be more curious about the specifics, if things were less dire on his side of things. What he even hopes to do, what he thinks he can hold onto tooth and nail just with his applied presence (and none of the ability that used to go with it) is not a consideration. Just the insistence that this time will be different (he always wants it to be different). Whatever wounds or disruptions she's holding will have to remain her own affair. He is distantly surprised to find himself not unregretful.
Her second message only confirms there's something off, something significant. A missing Cat would explain some of it, maybe all? How could he know. Of course he means it. Being reassuring is unfortunately not his purview, even at better times than these.]
He seems cunning enough to stay hidden, but I'll keep my eyes open.
He could stand to be less cunning right now. Or more.
[Not enough to hide from her... or enough that she hadn't found him to begin with. She still isn't sure how that happened. She was barely conscious of her actions, and her memory of it is likewise blurry and fading. She only remembers teeth and fur, thorns and blood... And then very suddenly, him.]
[She really shouldn't say more than that right now. She just needs to focus on finding Cat. And Di Feisheng will have his own bundle to take care of. She shouldn't keep him.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
The circumstances may not be so mysterious after all, is the bitter and shocking takeaway.]
Not here, he doesn't. Tell me or don't.
no subject
The boy said he used healing abilities, then collapsed. I took it as a lie. If anyone would know the truth of it, it would be you.
Regardless, he was nearly dead when I arrived. I didn't demand unnecessary details.
no subject
Even his real subordinates couldn't quite be threatened into working miracles, after all. And the only truth he knows is which of the two is more likely to be dishonest, regardless of what she knows of the boy.]
I'm in your debt. It may not have been a lie.
no subject
[A debt is the last thing she wants to be owed right now, whether he means it or not. Does she care whether Li Lianhua was hiding healing abilities? Not really. She files the information away that Akechi might have been truthful, but otherwise she has too much else on her mind.]
[A second later, she changes it.]
Actually, if you see Black Cat while you're out, let me know. His house was empty when I went to check on him. I can't find him anywhere.
[Not nearly the whole truth of the situation, but it's as much as she can explain.]
no subject
Her second message only confirms there's something off, something significant. A missing Cat would explain some of it, maybe all? How could he know.
Of course he means it.Being reassuring is unfortunately not his purview, even at better times than these.]He seems cunning enough to stay hidden, but I'll keep my eyes open.
no subject
[Not enough to hide from her... or enough that she hadn't found him to begin with. She still isn't sure how that happened. She was barely conscious of her actions, and her memory of it is likewise blurry and fading. She only remembers teeth and fur, thorns and blood... And then very suddenly, him.]
[She really shouldn't say more than that right now. She just needs to focus on finding Cat. And Di Feisheng will have his own bundle to take care of. She shouldn't keep him.]
Thank you. For keeping an eye out. Take care.