chi xiao

NOSHEATH. Independent Ch’en RP blog for Arknights. Very low activity. Runs mainly on queue. Updated to Global + CN spoilers tagged & labeled. Canon divergence marked by Verses. Selective. OC friendly. Written by Coffee.

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NOTE: to avoid spoilers, block the following tags:

💥 ┊ ❝ BIRTH OF TRAGEDY › CH.07 ❞ — 。IC

💥 ┊ ❝ ROARING FLARE › CH.08 ❞ — 。IC

💥 ┊ ❝ BEYOND HERE › CH.BH ❞ — 。IC

💥 ┊ ❝ DOSSOLES HOLIDAY › CH.DH ❞ — 。IC

Flickering back and forth, Ch'en's tail is very whip-like. It's perfect for keeping balance in high speeds like she always had, yet she's staying in place at this very moment. So, just why is her tail wagging so quickly?

Blame Shirayuki and that message from 'home.'

bold what applies - italicize sometimes - (*) equals fight hc some day.   repost,  don’t reblog.

fights honorably  /   fights dirty

prefers close - quarters   /   prefers range

chats during   /   goes silent

low pain tolerance   /   high pain tolerance

attacks in bursts   /   attacks steadily

goes for the kill  /   aims to disarm   /   fights defensively   /   strikes first

is provoked easily   /   provokes their opponent   /   teases

gets visibly frustrated   /   shouts while attacking

uses strategy /   focuses on the battle   /   experiences conflicting thoughts during battle

rushes in recklessly   /   tries to read their opponent before engaging

fights wildly   / fights calmly (*)   /   fights apathetically   /   fights with anger  /   fights with excitement

fights because they have to /   fights because they want to

fights without regard to wounds /   runs away when wounded   /   hides wounds   / takes a blow to protect another

prefers a blade   /  prefers a gun   /   prefers hand to hand combat (*)  /   prefers a bow   /   prefers a shield   /   prefers a personalized weapon   /   prefers magic, alchemy or spells

their greatest weakness is physical   /   their greatest weakness is mental   /   their greatest weakness is emotional

transforms for battle  /   fights as they appear

relies on strength   /   doubts their strength   /   relies on speed

uses everything they have /   proceeds with caution  /   hides their full potential

exhausts quickly   /  has high stamina (*)

behaves arrogantly   /   brags after landing a hit   /   belittles their abilities

uses psychological tactics   /   uses brute strength

avoids civilians /   strikes down civilians

damages surroundings (*)   /   avoids damaging surroundings

signature fighting style   /   makes it up as they go

mastered skill - set  /   learning their skill - set

fancy footwork /   sloppy footwork (*)

messy fighter (*)  /   elegant fighter

accepts defeat  /   refuses defeat   /   begs for mercy

compliments their opponent   /   insults their opponent

uses unnecessary movements   /   moves efficiently /   barely moves

prefers to dodge   /   prefers to block

defends their blindside   /   has no blindside   /   leaves blindsides vulnerable

uses all available advantages   /   strictly uses one main method

plays around   /   holds back   /   fights ruthlessly   /   shows mercy

waits for an opponent to be ready (*)  /  strikes when opponent isn’t ready

fears death   /   fears pain   /   fears killing

has ptsd  /   avoids fighting

has lost a fight /   has won a fight

has killed   /   refuses to kill

as a torrent of bullets flew above their heads , ch'en clicked her tongue. they were pinned down. their only exit had been blocked , debris from the last explosion collapsed right before it.

briefly , as she placed her hand on chi xiao , she wondered if she could simply run through them with her arts , making use of her enhanced speed to evade any and all attacks , but it would leave the medic on their own. could she guarantee her distraction would be enough to draw the attention of all their enemies? it would be worth trying , better than having them close in on them as they lingered here.

she lifted her hand off chi xiao , knowing it was a foolish notion to try. this wasn't the kind of battle that would wet its teeth , so it wouldn't've listened. then , she placed her hand on one of the raythen swords instead.

letting out a sigh , she looked over to the liberian medic.

cheeks flushed , the battered lung looked up at riptide , calluses hands curled into fists by her sides. ruby irises fierce as the heat against her cheeks. she could bearly move , the danger from last night's mission having taken its toll. the bandages across her waist strained against the stress, threatening to rip.

"n-no!"

another very characteristic huff , ever followed by another harmless insult.

"idiot."

she didn't move any further - she couldn't.

with his hands at either side of her head , and his legs over her own. it's difficult to keep still as it was to move. the air between them was still , yet ever charged. the sounds of their breathing was all that could be heard.

ch'en was the first to pull away , turning her gaze to the wall. the knotted brow more for her pride than the excitement boiling beneath. the heat gone for her cheeks , only kept at her ears.

A simple black vase stands behind the tickets and blades... It's empty. There is no card to indicate the sender.

...Rather, the sharp tapping of footsteps behind her leads to one (1) hornless Lung sauntering his way inside. He's holding an unmarked sky-blue envelope in one hand and a viscaria in the other.

"Happy birthday, you dumb dragon. What do you think? It took forever to find enough sea glass to use to make those." Grinning, he tosses the card past her to land on the desk before holding the flower out, petals forward.

"More importantly..."

"Would you like to dance this weekend?"

although her tail twitches at the sound , ch'en doesn't look up from her work. it's another report detailing down to the last expenditure of of her last mission. it's a successful one , just like any other, or she wouldn't have made it back so soon. one might say she's got back so early, even if she's still stuck in her office a few hours later again with that pile of never ending work.

what catches her eye are the movements leading between the papers before the report she's working on and - were those toy swords? ( she moves them aside to pick up the oddly thick paper beneath. ) tickets?

who -

the door hisses open , and , even before that stupid lung made his way into the room , she recognizes him. everything clicking in , just like the way his steps sharply tap against the floor.

the tickets are set back down just in time for her to catch the letter before it settles on the desk.

lips curl into a frown , more so due to how long it taken her to notice , and the odd realization that her heart's not on edge , as though she's long grown accustomed to his interruptions , even when they've both been gone for some time.

"idiot."

the little wrinkle on her brow furrows at the silly greeting before she looks back at the letter , and then the flowers in his hand. she doesn't reach for the flowers. thanks to auntie's teachings , she knows just exactly what these means , and judging by that stupid smirk of his , she knows he does too.

only pride keeps her from letting that super annoyed furrow from leaving , knowing her ' annoyed ' expression has changed into something far more forced than intended. because she's definitely not amused at his overreaction to a silly little day in the middle of summer.

"it's something, i guess, but you didn't have to get me anything."

even now , she lets out a little huff , so very obviously not touched in the slightest , knowing how difficult it must be to find enough shards just matching the same colors and - she doesn't even want to remark on the professional craftsmanship. just where in the world does he get the time to do silly things like this?

"anyways..."

she stands , placing a hand on her sword as she moves away from her desk. then , she pushes the flowers back to him , the forced expression gone , replaced with a sharp grin.

"you can keep that, but we can dance."

His tail lashes.  He dares her to blink. Silently. Subliminally.