#rew2025

[/start image id:

the image is of a contrapuntal poem meaning two poems written side by side which can be read separately as two poems or together as one poem.

the first stanza of the poem on the right side reads: blood lingering, clinging there sweet metallic a hopeless surrender sparks of pain, pressed against a painted edge of

the second stanza reads: your surrender shapes you into a man pain builds you let me hurt you you are my shadow I carve you on your knees open yourself to me

the third stanza reads: be my sword— please something to me

the first stanza of the poem on the left side reads: knelt a blossom along nerve edges bright bright bright collapsed, face pressed onto dirty boots sweet release

the second stanza reads: your pain builds me into a man arrogance shapes you into something beyond me I crave a kneeling figure of a long line of pain on all fours panting

the third stanza reads: no I will not be anything to you

together, the first stanzas of the two poems read: blood knelt lingering, clinging there a blossom along nerve edges sweet metallic bright bright bright a hopeless surrender collapsed, face pressed onto sparks of pain, pressed dirty boots against a painted edge of sweet release

together, the second stanzas of the two poems read: your surrender your pain shapes you builds me into a man into a man pain builds you arrogance shapes you let me hurt you into something beyond me you are my shadow I crave I carve a kneeling figure of you a long line of pain on your knees on all fours open yourself to me panting

together, the third stanzas of the two poems read: be my sword— no please I will not be something to me anything to you

the poem ends with the title in bold which says "but still you grin on bloodied knees."

/end image id]

taglist: @divorce-enjoyer, @parakeetlover3

“Watch yourself.” Esen leans forward to scowl at Xu Da, Ouyang hissing in irritation at being jostled. “Don’t talk to my brother like that.”

“Guys,” Zhu sighs as Xu Da arches a pointed, disbelieving eyebrow that has Esen’s shoulders bunching in irritation. “This is only going to take thirty minutes, tops. Can we just table the whole statue thing until—”

“Of course you’re fine tabling other people’s concerns,” Baoxiang sniffs, like he didn’t say yesterday that he appreciated her ability to get things done and be direct.

“Maybe think of others for once,” Esen grumbles, glowering when Xu Da snorts. “What? What.

“You’re one to say that,” Ouyang says not at all under his breath, eyes snapping challenge when Esen twists to stare at him baffled, like he’s daring Esen to look away from him.

Zhu sighs, and pours herself more tea.

“What? What does that mean?”

Baoxiang sniffs, nose in the air.

“What does that mean?”

Xu Da leans forward, elbows on the table. “Look, man—”

Esen doesn’t even look at him. “You’re all—” he flings a hand toward Xu Da, Zhu ducking again. “When he—!”

Xu Da huffs in amusement. “When I what?”

Esen glowers at him. “When you monopolize everyone’s time!”

“What! I don’t—”

“You can’t say I—that’s inconsiderate, not—”

Zhu snorts into her tea. “Anyone appreciate the irony?” she glances the table crowded with folders and files and unused pens. “Anyone?”

“I don’t monopolize,” Xu Da is protesting, stung.

“No, you just need to be the center of everyone’s attention,” Baoxiang says snidely, making a show of examining his nails.

Ouyang scoffs. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

“Hey,” Esen frowns, “We talked about this, growing up Dad didn’t give him the same—”

“Oh, so I’m a charity case now?” Baoxiang snarls, fists white-knuckled at his sides.

“That’s not—” Esen lets out an aggravated noise. “You’re doing that on purpose, you know what I mean! You’re trying to misunderstand!”

Baoxiang’s eyes narrow. “Well maybe you should know what you mean before you speak.”

“What? I just said—”

“So then other people don’t have to know for you,” Xu Da rolls his eyes.

Esen stares, indignant. “What’s that mean!”

Ouyang slams his phone down. “Really?”

“Maybe Ouyang can tell you,” Baoxiang suggests, simpering sweet.

“Maybe shove it up your ass, Bao Bun,” Ouyang immediately snarls, swinging from biting Esen’s head off to snapping in his defense in a way that spells at least ten more minutes before they can all settle enough to agree on logistics.

“More tea, Yingzi?” Zhu sighs as the screaming and shouting and assertive speaking starts to rise from all sides of the table.

“Please,” Ma murmurs, head demurely bowed and eyes downcast, her bangs curtaining her face.  

“Here you are, sweet thing,” Zhu says, reaching for the pot. “Can you imagine if they actually talked this out for real?”

“How drunk was I?”

Ma hums neutrally.

“How drunk was I?”

“Maybe we should also have proxy arguments over jade figurines that stand in for our boundaries and personal respect and every argument we’ve ever had since childhood,” Zhu jokes as she sets the cup in front of Ma. “That would be a real way to get things done, huh?”

“Indeed,” Ma murmurs, sipping tea.

“Of course you’d say alcohol was an excuse for—”

“Well I don’t hear you saying you have a problem when he—"

“And not even a good figurine, right?” Zhu teases, wiggling her eyebrows. “What did you call it? Cheap gift shop…” Zhu trails off as…

Ma flicks her a look through her bangs. “Cheap gift shop dreck masquerading as art and pretending not to be blatant phallic compensating?” Which…

“…Yeah,” Zhu says.

Ma sips her tea, lips curling into a smirk.

“Yingzi,” Zhu says, put out as she realizes the reason this entire logistics meeting is entirely off the rails is… “Yingzi,” she says again, delighted. “You—?”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Ma murmurs, taking another sip and settling in as if to watch the show. “I don’t have any use for phallic compensating.”

“Wow,” Zhu says after a moment, considering a moment before scooting her chair over and getting comfortable alongside her, grinning at Ouyang’s slashing, distasteful look. “Maybe you should run the meeting next time.”