video; un: X_GoldenSword_X

[orchidingold]

WHO: Jin Ling and the network at large
WHERE: Zodiac.
WHEN: Feb. 9
WHAT: help my dog is not allowed in this motel room.
WARNINGS: some level of trauma. incoming MDZS cast feelings explosion, likely going to bring up family estrangement at least, will update if anything changes.

[The video turns on to a young man, slightly underfed, in clothes clearly hemmed in and altered to fit his slighter frame. Just in view at the bottom of the screen is the top of a shih-tzu's head.]

Well, I can't get this stupid app off my phone, so I might as well: anybody here know any place that lets you bring your dog in with you? The motel's not gonna let me bring Sunny in even though she's housebroken and well-trained and wearing a diaper, the assholes.

It better be a cheap place, too! I just got here, I'm still looking for a job.

[The dog barks, and Jin Ling's stormy face immediately softens as he glances down at the dog.]

Yeah, no, I know. Don't worry, I'll get us somewhere nice. [Pat pat.] Good girl.

Oh, and: best pet stores in the city? Cheap's not an option there, my dog deserves the best.

Comments

[orchidingold]

Yes! They should! Who's the one paying them to stay in one of their crappy rooms, huh?! [Kid, you pickpocketed a man's wallet for that cash, and also, the man has a point.] And she is little, she couldn't do that much damage!

[Silence.]

So why the hell did you leave in the first place, huh? You cut everyone off, you made Mom cry. What did you even do? Did you get in trouble with the mob or something? [It used to be the leading theory between him and his friends on sleepovers: that Uncle Ying had gotten into witness protection, for some opaque reason they could only guess at.

It used to be a funny joke. Jin Ling's not laughing anymore.]

...if you tell me why you left I'll tell you what I'm researching and why.

[conseqweinces]

I dunno about that! The tiny dogs are the most violent, you know!

[Littler animals are so small because they're closer to hell after all.

As for Jin Ling's follow up question, there's silence on his end as well. He's not going to like the answer. He's not going to like the fact that Wei Wuxian didn't leave so much as he was enough of an asshole that everyone in his life cut him off. It's not that complicated at all.

Wei Wuxian was selfish.

But this isn't something to be told here.]

Meet with your jiujiu first so he can take you somewhere safe and help you settle.

[He was putting this off, though. It's true that over the phone isn't a place to say... anything. But he was also putting this off to not have to face it right now. He... he needed to figure things out.]

[orchidingold]

Sunny wouldn't, she's a good girl! She's never trashed any of the places we stayed in, not once.

[Because you don't stay long enough for her to really get started on trashing the place.]

Ugh. Fine. [He crosses his arms with a great big huff, even as Casper sighs in great resignation.] But this isn't over, Uncle Ying! You're gonna tell me what happened one way or another.

...she really misses you.

[conseqweinces]

...

[Wei Wuxian disconnected the call with that. There's just as much Jin Ling is hiding and his stomach twisted. He was worried. If he was at home, he shouldn't have needed to hitchhike like Wei Wuxian did.

"She really misses you", he said.]

Haha... God only knows why.

[Just muttered to himself. That's a disaster to contend with after his nephew was with someone who will protect him well.

After not too long, that someone will receive a text.]