[ It's fine. She can make time for a Lan Wangji in these unexpected times. It's not a complete and total surprise she was elected, but her hopes were places elsewhere. ]
Thank you. I'll do my best to keep things in order, but I had hoped someone else would win.
[ And not because it's responsibilities she'd rather not have. ]
[ Overthrow a sour grape, Lan Wangji. That's the only option.
At his question, she looks a little contrite. ]
My brother. He's considerate, but I also hoped beingin a position like this would give him some resilience.
[ aka give him a backbone. A spine. Something to make him stop agreeing to let everyone poke and prod at him. Give him more responsibilities so he wouldn't be able to be experimented on as often. ]
Just like Wen Ning probably wouldn't either. Honestly, he can't picture Wen Ning being successful in a position of power, but he knows better than to say that out loud. And besides, maybe he's wrong. He doesn't know Wen Ning particularly well, after all. Assumptions are impolite.
[ Do any of the elected want to be in charge, though....
Shinobu knows Wen Ning would struggle. The point is to rise above it. It's not something he has to do alone. It's not something any of them have to do alone. Leadership should delegate to do work properly and not overburden themselves.
Work smart and hard, emphasis on the smart. ]
I'll delegate. I don't plan on doing everything alone.
[NO DON'T DO THAT he'll be too distracted by Wei Wuxian to ever get anything done]
You command respect. [It's an observation, but also a compliment. Most of the nice stuff he says is based on things he considers factual.] Iris and Elizabeth will be glad to help you.
[He'd offer his own support but he has his hands full just TA-ing for Hua Cheng and being on the Discipline Committee, honestly.]
[ Yeah, but then, it'd give Shinobu a reason to murder Lan Wangji. People who get too distracted because they're horny deserve a twenty four hour death.
She smiles. She interprets as something close to a compliment from him. ]
Iris has already offered her help. But if I can't get my own roommate to respect me, do I have a chance at the entire dorm?
[ She's mostly joking. She knows most people do respect her. It's just Sasuke who's Sasuke. ]
[HE'D BEEN COMPLETELY SERIOUS and he seems a little bit startled by her laughter, which probably just makes it funnier tbh. He softens after a second, though; it's good to see her amused, even if he knows it hasn't eased the stress of responsibilities.
He nods slightly, accepting the... compliment(??). THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, or so the common folk say.]
I do not wish to keep you. [She's busy, he's sure. He just came to congratulate her.] Please let me know if I may be of assistance.
[He voted for Jiang Cheng, but he's well aware that Jiang Cheng's people skills are just as bad as his own, so.]
[ She knows he was completely serious. That's what made it more funny for Shionbu. His frank and brutal honesty came through like a fresh breeze and cleared some of her frustrations. She's never felt not justified about her feelings, but to know someone else shares them... It's nice. ]
Please try to keep your killing of Wei Wuxian to a minimum even if he deserves it. Can you do that?
[Somewhere in this AU land, Lan Xichen is just glad his brother has friends, even if they enable him like this.
And oh look, there go his ears... turning red, because he can't blush like a normal human being.]
I will... endeavor to exercise better self-restraint. [Which means he'll try, but he can't make any promises, because neither he nor Wei Wuxian know how to flirt normally.]
[It's true. Sometimes these things just need to be said.]
Mm. [He's not going to argue with something factually true. He hesitates, then; it's only because it's Shinobu that he admits--] He-- challenges me.
[In good ways, with his brilliant and unorthodox mind, with his fighting, as living proof that the workings of the world are not set in black and white stone, as he'd once believed. But also in... other ways, that he wouldn't know how to talk about even if he wanted to try.
...and also just in typical ways because Wei Wuxian is truly Too Much and never knows when to stop.]
[ Although she has a feeling he won't. He won't try because he won't want to. His feelings are as clear as day even if he's terrible at expressing them. Shinobu thinks they're both stupid about it and could do with not subjecting everyone around them with that stupidity, but she doesn't care enough to push them in the right direction.
Knowing them, they'd take the momentum of the push and do a 180, and she'll want to murder them both. ]
[She is absolutely right!! At least he isn't even going to pretend. He's still doing his best to be honest, especially with the few people he truly enjoys talking to.]
I still believe he is capable of learning self-control. [TRULY... THIS OPTIMISM...] Perhaps he will learn from your example.
[Since they're fellow dorm heads now, and everything.]
[SHINOBU NO... Lan Wangji presses his lips together, but he can't hide the flash of amusement in his eyes. It's as good as laughing outright, when it comes to him.]
Even Elizabeth was reformed eventually. [Was she though]
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Thank you. I'll do my best to keep things in order, but I had hoped someone else would win.
[ And not because it's responsibilities she'd rather not have. ]
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(He's a little jealous, but only a little. It's not like he'd campaigned at all.)]
May I ask who you voted for?
[It doesn't really matter now, but he's curious who she would've chosen. She usually makes sound decisions about these things.]
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At his question, she looks a little contrite. ]
My brother. He's considerate, but I also hoped beingin a position like this would give him some resilience.
[ aka give him a backbone. A spine. Something to make him stop agreeing to let everyone poke and prod at him. Give him more responsibilities so he wouldn't be able to be experimented on as often. ]
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Just like Wen Ning probably wouldn't either. Honestly, he can't picture Wen Ning being successful in a position of power, but he knows better than to say that out loud. And besides, maybe he's wrong. He doesn't know Wen Ning particularly well, after all. Assumptions are impolite.
So instead, he says--]
Perhaps you can enlist his help with your duties.
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Shinobu knows Wen Ning would struggle. The point is to rise above it. It's not something he has to do alone. It's not something any of them have to do alone. Leadership should delegate to do work properly and not overburden themselves.
Work smart and hard, emphasis on the smart. ]
I'll delegate. I don't plan on doing everything alone.
[ Whatever responsibilities a Dorm Head has. ]
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He can find no flaw in her words, and he nods to acknowledge them. He would likely have planned to do the same, if he'd been in charge.]
I believe you will be successful.
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Thank you for your confidence. I am but one girl in a crowd of assassins.
[ She's not trying to downplay her abilities. She is simply aware that some people are just. A Lot. ]
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You command respect. [It's an observation, but also a compliment. Most of the nice stuff he says is based on things he considers factual.] Iris and Elizabeth will be glad to help you.
[He'd offer his own support but he has his hands full just TA-ing for Hua Cheng and being on the Discipline Committee, honestly.]
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She smiles. She interprets as something close to a compliment from him. ]
Iris has already offered her help. But if I can't get my own roommate to respect me, do I have a chance at the entire dorm?
[ She's mostly joking. She knows most people do respect her. It's just Sasuke who's Sasuke. ]
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[Wow Lan Wangji tell us how you really feel]
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I am, as always, grateful for your honest assessments. It is one of your best qualities.
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He nods slightly, accepting the... compliment(??). THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, or so the common folk say.]
I do not wish to keep you. [She's busy, he's sure. He just came to congratulate her.] Please let me know if I may be of assistance.
[He voted for Jiang Cheng, but he's well aware that Jiang Cheng's people skills are just as bad as his own, so.]
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Please try to keep your killing of Wei Wuxian to a minimum even if he deserves it. Can you do that?
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And oh look, there go his ears... turning red, because he can't blush like a normal human being.]
I will... endeavor to exercise better self-restraint. [Which means he'll try, but he can't make any promises, because neither he nor Wei Wuxian know how to flirt normally.]
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She's too observant not to see his ears go red, and she only smiles in response. ]
I believe your actions will better speak to your attempts. Some moderation is healthy.
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I am aware. [HE KNOWS... god does he know. If only he wasn't so easily riled up by Wei Wuxian specifically.] I will try not to hinder his duties.
[smashcut to this saturday]
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(From a girl who can be pretty petty.) ]
I know your intentions are generally good, at the heart. You have more restraint than he does in any case.
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Mm. [He's not going to argue with something factually true. He hesitates, then; it's only because it's Shinobu that he admits--] He-- challenges me.
[In good ways, with his brilliant and unorthodox mind, with his fighting, as living proof that the workings of the world are not set in black and white stone, as he'd once believed. But also in... other ways, that he wouldn't know how to talk about even if he wanted to try.
...and also just in typical ways because Wei Wuxian is truly Too Much and never knows when to stop.]
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[ Although she has a feeling he won't. He won't try because he won't want to. His feelings are as clear as day even if he's terrible at expressing them. Shinobu thinks they're both stupid about it and could do with not subjecting everyone around them with that stupidity, but she doesn't care enough to push them in the right direction.
Knowing them, they'd take the momentum of the push and do a 180, and she'll want to murder them both. ]
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I still believe he is capable of learning self-control. [TRULY... THIS OPTIMISM...] Perhaps he will learn from your example.
[Since they're fellow dorm heads now, and everything.]
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[ That's how much she believes that will happen.
No optimism here. ]
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Even Elizabeth was reformed eventually. [Was she though]
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[ So that's a point against that argument even if Elizabeth wasn't too unlike Wei Wuxian once upon a time.
Also, how reformed is she? ]
And I don't think he has any intentions of following Elizabeth's path.
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Most likely not.
[He's not sure he minds. But it isn't like he doesn't get where she's coming from, either.]
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You wouldn't care to change that part of him.
[ For as much as he tries to stab Wei Wuxian, she can tell.
But is there anyone who can't? ]
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