#perfumednightingale

Nozomi said:  "If living as your shadow means keeping myself and others from harm's way then I'll have to take my chances."

“You’re completely right. People outside Luoyang aren’t yet used to people with different physical traits as theirs. We might not know what kind of rumors or events might occur if you stand out.”

After brushing Nozomi’s hair, she brought out the thin silver hairband that she bought for her days ago. “However, I’m not forbidding you to want to feel beautiful from time to time. Just stay close to me and I’ll take care of you while you try to find your way back home.”

Nozomi tensed slightly at Yueliang’s mention of the word home. What was it but a word whose meaning was as distant as the time from whence she had came? Just as quick as her muscles tensed, their tenacity slackened together with the futile droop of her shoulders. “I’m sorry, I tinkered too much.” 

The apprehensive girl’s eyes hesitantly shifted to rest upon Yueliang, a small curtain of her short, green hair concealed some portions of her otherwise still wary gaze. It was not a long time that she had thrown herself into the senkaimon and evidently landed rather roughly in the company of the noble Yueliang. 

For each “⭐️” I get, I’ll write a headcanon about our muses.

Nozomi gradually warms up to Yueliang and staying in the noblewoman’s abode as a servant, thinking that no one would pursue her in a land so distant and a time so far-flung.  To fit in a little better with the people of the time, Nozomi attempted to grow her hair longer, however hiding its highly distinct color proved to be nearly impossible in a place where long and natural black hair was the norm. 

{ Send me “hot or not” + a character for both mun and muse to honestly tell you if they find that character attractive }

((Yueliang is gorgeous, so yeah, I do find her attractive!))

"I would be lying if I said Lady Yueliang is not beautiful."

Nozomi stared wide-eyed at the mysterious gateway that stood open before her. Another senkaimon? She thought to herself. It was highly unusual to come across a natural senkaimon that was situated so close to the city and riverbank. Did her captor return? Fear was laced in the sweat that trickled down the side of her face. An aberration of sorts? The girl held her arm defensively, she felt herself become tense. 

Its rich, yellow gleam enticed her and pulled her towards it. Before she knew it, she was already taking furtive steps, inching closer and closer to the opened portal and its hypnotizing hum. Nozomi felt no familiar spiritual pressure, not from any Soul Reaper or Hollow yet something was strange about the gate. The pressure that emitted from it told of some other great and mystical forces, those of which she felt not the least bit familiar with.

Nozomi sensed no malice within the yellow void before her, only mystery and strangely, peace. Reluctantly, she reached out, her digits closed the distance between her and the gate. The moment her fingers touched the light, she felt the presence of the otherworldly force guide her entry and in a matter of seconds, the gate closed behind her. 

The young woman felt herself floating through an endless course of realms, all going by in a dizzying flash of bright yellow streaks. One moment, she saw vague structures and the next, nothing but the golden flashes. She began to panic, but found herself immobile, lost to the whims of the force that governed the gate through which she passed. This was not the Precipice World and certainly not Soul Society. Wherever she was being taken, she had no clue.

Then a blinding light flashed before her eyes. Nozomi felt herself fall, everything was a blur, she tumbled roughly on patches of grass. The ethereal feeling of the gateway was all but gone and not long after, her consciousness, too, left like a bird startled from its perch. 

It was a cold night, the sound of rain pattered on the tiles and wood boards beyond, gradually escalating into rapid downpour as if the heavens escalated in its mourning. The place had a depressing air to it as if it did not receive even a single ray of the sun’s radiance in who knows how long. 

It has been nearly a year since Lingqi last set foot in Yueliang’s residence. She set out on a mission which she kept from her mistress, hoping that Yueliang would not get caught in her personal fray. In hindsight, it was a foolish mission. Reckless and vain. Lingqi was griped with bitterness and embarrassment at her failures to herself and Yueliang. Upon arriving at the gates, Lingqi was barred entry from the attending servants. They were wary of her and she understood. She did not carry the proud air that she was reputed to have, rather, she stood as a downcast, lonesome spectre of one who was not expected to return; if she was not finally permitted entrance from within then she would have had to live in her own futility without hope of resolve. 

Lingqi kept her gaze drooped when she was, at last, with Yueliang. The warrior’s hair covered her ears and reached down past half of her nape. If she did not push her fringe aside then it would have practically covered her amber eyes with only slits and small gaps between silver strands to allow sight; Lingqi’s hair had grown longer than she was accustomed to. If she was thankful for one thing, it was that her curtain of silver hair covered the shame in her eyes, but that did not protect her from the weight of Yueliang’s presence.

           He looks down at their hands, squeezing his fingers around her palm. She is right—there are other things that he will need to do that day, responsibilities that he cannot brush aside. For perhaps the first time, he wishes that he had just a little bit of Zhao’s noncommittal bearing—just enough for him to say  ❛  Damn it all ❜   and stay, but he does not. Cannot.

           ❛❛ Very well. You will be closely attended to while I am gone, ❜❜   he promises. Before he stands to leave, he kisses her brow, and places a warmer blanket over her lap to keep her warm.  ❛❛ I’ll be back soon. ❜❜  

______________________________________________________________