blood spilt brides.

It's a long, uncomfortable silence as Aesop waits for an answer, for any sort of idea. And then Mengyan doesn't even know. The correction comes in quickly, but it doesn't erase the doubt, the fear that he's too far to be saved, too far to be able to reach people the way he always wanted to.

"...I hope there isn't. I've only worked in permanence, so... working with those who... don't... require irreversible choices is certainly new. Maybe it's easier, but... it also means they'll remember if I get it wrong." He can sort of see where it would help to take some time before deciding. And yet, he isn't sure he'd make the right choice however long he waited. He isn't sure he won't accidentally throw it all away.

Finally, Mengyan gives Aesop a smile. It's kind of awkward, and to be honest, she's still feeling a bit uncertain about all this, but at least it feels like this conversation's going in the right direction.

And really... Mengyan's never considered herself the type who's super kind and empathetic, or anything like that. It's not something she really likes about in herself, but she's not super ashamed of it either. But ever since she met Xuanfeng and Ziyi... maybe she's started to change a little - and that's not such a bad thing. She's not going to discard all of her suspicions and trust Aesop just like that, but now that the tension of the conversation has cooled off a little, it suddenly feels more obvious that he really doesn't mean any harm. Or at least that he's deeply troubled himself...

"I think everyone gets things wrong sometimes." Mengyan says. She throws the opinion out there with a voice that sounds confident, but truth be told, she's a little more hesitant to speak than she seems. There's always something a bit intimidating to her about trying to give support to someone, especially someone she doesn't really know, but... she's not the type to give up just because something's a little scary.

"We're all only human, right? Expecting to never mess up is kind of ridiculous." As always, her words are bluntly delivered, but genuinely meant. "But messing up once doesn't mean you can't try again. Anyway... I'm sure Xuanfeng would appreciate having a friend like you."

Wow, that's not what she'd expected she'd be saying at the start of this conversation! But Mengyan doesn't regret it. Although she doesn't expect she'd say what she ends up saying next.

My goat nie moli 💅💕

So assistance would be required. He hoped not to talk about the full story, as to why he would be needing to discuss matters. Perhaps someone else experienced in these things would know how to handle and work through them.

Yueyao's teeth click together, discomfort stirring in her mind - yet along with it comes a sense of understanding as well. For someone who's hearing things that aren't there, Edgar seems rather lucid and in-touch with reality, but all sorts of people can suffer from hallucinations - and that doesn't mean he's suffering any less. Now, she feels foolish and a little guilty for assuming he was approaching her as someone who can "see ghosts."

Yueyao always tries not to get too attached to her patients, and Edgar isn't one of them, but... a situation like this can't help but move her to sympathy. Maybe that's only because she understands what it's like, but still. She's also curious about the decision that Edgar feels he has to make, one that he's carefully talking around explaining, though she thinks that pushing him on it wouldn't be the best approach to take.

"Well, I'm not your psychiatrist, so I can't give you any kind of official advice, but..." she starts; sounding just as professional as before, but with a slightly more open countenance nonetheless. "Have you ever sought any kind of treatment before? I take medication to manage my symptoms, but there are other things that can help - like getting more sleep. It all depends on what's causing your hallucinations."

With that in mind, Edgar's on the right track with trying to get help by talking to someone, but he didn't come to see her in an official capacity today. Maybe he's in some kind of hurry?

"....I... yes. I do. I always have..." He manages to speak his answer, resolutely, confidently, even if his voice is hoarse, even if he can only speak barely above a whisper. After all, that is the one truth that binds him, the one truth that he knows of himself. He wants to help. Everything else is him desperately searching for a way to make that happen, desperately searching for someone to give him a direction to go, a way to let him be useful.

"Well..."

Sheesh... he's asking her? Once again, Mengyan's heart twists with sympathy, to the point where it's almost painful. But alongside that sympathy is an anxiety sitting heavy in her gut, starting to rise... because Mengyan knows she's no good at this kind of thing.

How is she supposed to help Aesop, when she barely knows how to connect with others herself? To Mengyan, that sort of thing has always been just out of reach. Fear of hurting, and fear of being hurt... she always expected people to let her down, so she never bothered to open her heart to those she was sure would betray her in the end.

There are exceptions, like Yuanfeng and Ziyi. But has she ever really been what one would call a good friend to them? Until this moment, she'd never allowed herself to dwell much on it, but that insecurity is coming to bite at her now - one she hadn't even been aware she really had.

"I... don't know." she admits, immediately feeling foolish for saying it. A part of her frustratedly wants to whine, to ask why he wants her to tell him, of all people - but she holds it back. It's just a childish impulse.

"But you don't have to know right away! As long as you're here, you can spend as much time as you need to figuring it out. There's no rush, right?" There. That feels fair to her, though who knows if Aesop will see it in the same way. Suddenly, she bites her lip, knowing what she wants to add but feeling reluctant to say it - with hands on hips that are tense, betraying her hesitation. Yet... she can't just leave him like this...