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[bringingdowndisaster]

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[Voice]

[zichen]

Xue Yang! I've... I've got the cats and the snake. I let our bird out of his cage. But -

Where are you? [Soaked and cradling some miserably wet animals, Zichen is sitting in a quickly fashioned - and small - boat.]

Re: [Voice]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang is stuck inside the ship, but has found an air pocket. His hands are trembling a bit as he lifts the communicator to speak. This is reminding him a little too much of that horrible death river. ]

A-Lan! I-I'm in the ship! Where are you?

[Voice]

[zichen]

I'm coming! Tell me where you are and I will get you out.

[He is already leaping onto the ship, Fuxue drawn to make the job of extracting Xue Yang easier.]

Re: [Voice]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang looks around himself. ]

U-Um... I was in one of the cabins, but I'm not completely sure where I am now. I found an air pocket...

[Voice]

[zichen]

Then you are near the bottom of the ship. Do you have Jiangzai with you?

[Judging by how the ship is sitting, he has maybe...two decks...to search. He finds an opening and jumps back into the dark corridors.]

Re: [Voice]

[bringingdowndisaster]

Y-Yeah, I do.

[ The water is up to his neck, but hearing Song Lan's voice is making him feel calmer. He knows his husband will come for him. ]

[Voice] -> [Action]

[zichen]

Good. Fuxue can pinpoint you for me. [Since the sword spirits don't need oxygen to speak to one another. Zichen ends up having to swim to the right cabin, but his powerful kicks and the fact that he doesn't need oxygen either make it a much simpler task. He breaks open the door and then chooses the most effective way for them to get out:

Combining the strength of their swords, his arm wrapped around Xue Yang's waist, he blasts through the wood separating them from the outside air.]

Cover your face!

[Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang lets out a relieved sigh when Song Lan comes for him. He wraps his arms around his husband's neck and nods, hiding his face against his shoulder. ]

[Action]

[zichen]

[Wood cracks and falls into the water around them. Once the hole is big enough, Zichen pulls them up and then out with one arm. Slowly, but surely, they eventually are able to climb onto the hull of the ship and into the open air.]

Breathe, A-Yang.

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang takes a deep breath and holds it as they go under the surface of the water. When they finally breach the surface, he gasps and clings on tighter to Song Lan. ]

F-Fuck. This stupid place is gonna make me hate water...

[Action]

[zichen]

[Zichen laughs softly, sadly and embraces Xue Yang tightly.]

Don't think about it. [He lifts them off of the hull, leaping gracefully back into his little boat.] Someone came all this way to see you, love.

[The black snake is scared and huddled in one corner, eyes wide.]

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang shudders and curls up against Song Lan's chest. ]

You saved me again. [ He smiles and nuzzles into his husband's neck. He looks up when they get back into the boat, expression softening. He reaches out to pick up the little snake. ]

Aiya, poor thing... Are the cats here too?

[Action]

[zichen]

[Zichen kisses the side of his head and feels his chest, finally, relax.]

That was too close.

[But, once again, he is grateful for the added strength his form gives him. He too pets over the little serpent, speaking to her softly.]

They are on the island. Trevor is watching them. He managed to save his kitten, so Muyang and Xiuying have company.

[As he begins to row them back to shore, he adds, sadly:]

I had to let our finch fly away on his own. I don't know if we will see him again.

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang lets the frightened little snake curl around his shoulders as he gently strokes over her scales. ]

Oh, that's good. I was worried about them. Maybe we should've left them on the Barge...

[ He lightly wraps his arms around Song Lan's middle so as to not impede his rowing too much. ]

That was probably for the best... poor thing. I hope he'll fly somewhere nice.

[Action]

[zichen]

[The snake clings to him, tucking her little face against his warm neck.]

I'm not sure when or if we will return to the Barge.

[Thus why he made the decision to carry the animals with them this time.]

He came from me; I hope he can find others like himself in the wild. If not, we will be camping on the island. He will see us there.

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang frowns a little. ]

Mm... that's a good point. Damn, I did think that a simple vacation sounded too good to be true.

[ He huffs a little. Why can't they ever have nice things? ]

Mm, I hope so.

[Action]

[zichen]

Trust nothing on the Barge. [Zichen smiles faintly at his lover.] Are you hurt? I will help you heal on the beach.

[His rowing quickens and he looks around them, always vigilant.]

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang shakes his head. ]

No, I'm fine. [ He shivers a bit. ] Just... shaken up, I guess. I couldn't help but to think about that fucking death river...

[Action]

[zichen]

I know. [Zichen had been thinking about it too.] I almost...

[...left Xue Yang to drown again.]

...I'm sorry. I should have looked for you immediately, but the cats...

[There are claw marks on his face and arms to tell that story.]

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang breaks into a smile and hugs Song Lan tight around the waist. ]

Shh. The cats were more vulnerable. I would've been mad if you let them drown to come save me! I probably would've been able to get myself out eventually. I was just panicking a bit.

[ He presses a kiss to Song Lan's shoulder. ]

[Action]

[zichen]

[Zichen nuzzles the side of Xue Yang's head and kisses his brow.]

They were practically howling when it happened. I cushioned them with my body and they were clinging to me the whole time. Poor Muyang was shaking.

[He had focused on getting them to dry land and then...]

I felt sick when you weren't there. I rowed back as fast as I could.

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

I'm glad you were there. I don't want to think about what would've happened to them if you hadn't been...

[ He nuzzles against Song Lan's shoulder. ]

I knew you'd come for me. My husband.

[Action]

[zichen]

They would've been hurt. Possibly incapacitated.

[And then they would've drowned. What a fate for sweet animals!]

Always. [He won't leave Xue Yang to face danger alone.]

She's much calmer now that you're here.

[He motions at the snake and then rows the boat right onto the beach. He isn't taking any chances. Muyang comes running up to them with Xiuying in tow, yowling his woes.]

Re: [Action]

[bringingdowndisaster]

[ Xue Yang nods, shuddering at the thought. He's grown quite attached to the cats and he doesn't know if the Barge's revival thing works on animals... or if it would even work at all under these circumstances.

He smiles at the cats once they reach the island. ]

Awww... poor babies. [ He strips out of his soaked robes and lays them out on the beach to dry, leaving himself in his pants. He then kneels down to welcome the poor cats close for reassuring cuddles. ]

[Action]

[zichen]

[Zichen feels likewise. Their animals depend on them and one wrong decision could mean losing them. He frankly sees them as children - just with furry coats, feathers or scales.]

Muyang, you are going to alert everyone to our presence. [He takes off his robes too, wearing only his trousers as he tries to gather materials for a fire.

The cats hurry into Xue Yang's arms, Xiuying's meows sweet and high-pitched as she noses Xue Yang's cheek.]

He's alright.