[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img]
[h1]Andre Makoumbou[/h1][/center]
[right][b]Mentions[/b]: Henri Han
[code]November 2nd, 11:35am.
Linqian’s House[/code][/right][hr]
A loud ringing cut through the sound of water splashing in the sink, washing off the remnant bubbles on a pan. Linqian glanced at the clock on the wall with a frown. Ah. It was that time already.

Another piercing ring drilled into Linqian’s head. She scowled, and leaned back to yell, [color=CD5C5C]"yeah, yeah, I’m coming, calm down a fucking minute!"[/color] 

Quickly finishing off the washing, she put the pan to dry at the side. 

After the halloween festival, talking to Sloane and then nearly dying, she’d asked Andre to come round. She had stuff she needed to discuss with him… Not that she wanted to, but she had to. He was the only person she could trust with this.

Sighing, Linqian opened the door to let him in.

“Linqian, you brat,” Andre cuffed her over the head immediately, before pushing past her and into the house. “Invite me round then leave me waiting outside. You can’t even use getting dressed as an excuse.”

He hit Linqian with a discerning stare, and she just rolled her eyes. She was in her home clothes - an oversized blue hoodie and black leggings. She wore a pair of [url=https://i.imgur.com/fvlm0M3.jpeg]thin frame, square glasses[/url]. Normally she'd dress up for anyone coming round, at minimum putting in her contacts, but Andre had known her since she was a kid. There was no need to bother for him. He’d seen her when she was a little nightmare traipsing mud all through her parents’ kitchen. 

[color=CD5C5C]"Hello to you too. I was cleaning up,"[/color] she said, ushering him into the kitchen. [color=CD5C5C]"You know how much of a mess teen boys make."[/color] 

“I do,” Andre snorted with a half smile. He looked around the otherwise empty kitchen. "Speaking of, where's Henri?"

[color=CD5C5C]"Out with some friends he met at the festival, I think. He was a little vague about it... Saved me having to kick him out for an hour."[/color]

"Ay, annoying kid wouldn't shut up if he was around," Andre laughed. Linqian smiled slightly at that.

[color=CD5C5C]"Have a seat and help yourself,"[/color] Linqian gestured to the small table. There was a selection of fruit, and a bowl of mikate - Congolese beignets - with a little jar of peanut butter beside them.

"Just what do you want to talk about that you're tryna butter me up with food?" Andre looked at all the snacks with suspicion, then back at her with a raised eyebrow. After a moment of silence he sat down and helped herself.

Linqian stayed standing, busying herself with getting them both a glass of water and making coffee. Her thoughts were a tangled mess. She didn't want to have this talk. It felt vulnerable, and she hated that. But she had to. [color=CD5C5C]Just think about the practical side to it.[/color]

Eventually, she sat down opposite him, putting down a mug in front of them both.

"So, what is it?" Andre asked gruffly. His expression was more serious than normal, but Linqian had known him long enough to read the concern in his eyes. It just made her more uncomfortable.

[color=CD5C5C]"It's about future plans, and Henri."[/color] Linqian frowned, fingers finding the wedding rings and beginning to fiddle with them. It was about Henri, but it was also more than that. How did she even begin to explain everything to him? About how there was a very real risk of her dying, and that she wanted something in place for her little brother yet was too stubborn to accept help for them while she was still alive? Fuck. She hated this. [color=CD5C5C]"You remember the coven I joined with Jinhai, after our parents died?"[/color]

"I do. Sycamore Tree, was it?"

[color=CD5C5C]"Yeah, that."[/color] Linqian sighed, agitatedly shifting in the uncomfortable seat. The cold bands of metal underneath her fingers was a small comfort in all of this, but the feeling of two just reminded her of everything she'd lost. First it had been a memento of her parents shared with Jinhai, now it was a shared memento of him and them. [color=CD5C5C]"There's something- someone- killing us all. It's... He's what- fuck- murdered Jinhai. He got a lot of us. He could get me next."[/color]

Andre frowned, brow furrowing. "You're in danger too? Why didn't you tell me before? I could help."

[color=CD5C5C]"I'm not looking for help with the killer,"[/color] Linqian shook her head. [color=CD5C5C]"I just want to make sure Henri will be alright if I die. I don't have anyone else to ask."[/color]

"You know you can always ask me for anything."

Linqian let out a sigh of relief. [color=CD5C5C]"Thank you. I need plans in place for if I die and I know that you'll look after Henri... That's all that matters."[/color]

"Of course, but..." Andre narrowed his eyes at her. It was a discerning look he used when he thought someone was lying to him, trying to dig deeper. She'd never broken under it, but she'd watched it work on his sons. Now she felt him trying to pick his way deeper, worry clear behind his searching gaze. "I can't just move past the risk of you dying. You doing anything about it?"

[color=CD5C5C]”The coven's back together and we're trying to figure it out.”[/color]

"Any progress?"

[color=CD5C5C]”No.”[/color]

"Then I can't just let it go. You can't be so relaxed about this, Linqian. Your life is at risk. Don't pretend it's nothing, I won't let you. We're going to talk about it."

[color=CD5C5C]”There's nothing to talk about, Andre. I understand the danger, I'm not fucking stupid. ”[/color]

"Do you really? Or are you just pretending you have everything under control?"

[color=CD5C5C]"Look, Andre,"[/color] Linqian looked away so he wouldn't see the despair in her eyes. It was so deep rooted now, hopelessness filling her every waking hour. She'd lost everything but her younger brother. Without him she wouldn't even be able to continue. She'd accepted that she had no future. She sacrificed it ten years ago to keep her family afloat, with the hope that Jinhai would do the same for her later on down the line. That hope had died with him. Nothing would give that back to her. No amount of money, or revenge would give it back- give him back to her. [color=CD5C5C]"I only care about Henri's future. He's the only reason I can keep going. So no, I don't have it under fucking control, but if I die, I die. I don't want him to go through that. I'll do everything so he doesn't have to. But I won't pretend to care beyond him. It's just how it is. It's all for him."[/color]

She spoke bluntly, as if she wasn't speaking about her own hypothetical death. For her, the fear of it came from only one thing - the fear of leaving Henri alone in a cruel world he wasn't prepared for. It made her feel very little beyond that. Perhaps death would be a relief. What was there to her life beyond work and stress? The small moments of joy, perhaps, but they were few and far between. 

She wanted to be able to live for herself - to move on and meet someone, to start her own family. But was that really possible? Who would be able to tolerate her and all her baggage? Would she even be a good mother? And even if she was able to do that, there'd still be that gaping hole in her life where Jinhai should be. 

Sloane's words, and the near death experience with Vashti (whose hands she would honestly, gladly die under), had shown her that she needed a plan in place for him. To make sure he would be taken care of if- no, when- she died.

"Alright." Andre gave her a scrutinising look, but she'd already returned to her normal neutrally grumpy expression. She could see concern written clearly across his face, but thankfully he knew that pressing her would just cause her to shut him out completely. It saved her the hassle of doing that. She'd already said more about herself and how she was feeling than she wanted to. "What do you need me to do?"

[color=CD5C5C]"Look after Henri if I die. Help him sell the house and all of my things so that he has some money to survive in. Help him find somewhere else to stay, or let him move in with you for a while. Be there for him when he's grieving. Be the uncle he sees you have, because he won't have anyone else."[/color]

And that was what pained her most about her possible death, and why she kept on going through the hopeless slog that was her life. She wanted to give him a future, and just seeing his smile was enough to make it all worth it. She didn't want him to go through the pain of losing someone else when he'd already lost everyone but her. 

It was why she’d try to survive, to the best of her abilities. But there was only so much she could do.

[color=CD5C5C]"He'll need a lot of support for a long time. I want him to live a good life and to be happy even without me... I've been working this hard so he doesn't have to. If you could support him in finishing his degree as well I'd appreciate it. I've been trying to put money aside for it but..."[/color] Linqian frowned. She didn't like talking about her money situation with anyone outside of Jinhai. Some people in the coven had already found out, but that was barely scratching the surface. A job that barely covered the bills, her brother's private student loans for two degrees, credit card debt that she could barely keep up with the interest of and… the loans she’d taken out for someone she still couldn’t think about without struggling to breath. The inheritance she'd leave him would be worse than nothing. [color=CD5C5C]"There's a lot of debt. I'm trying my best to pay them off, but it's difficult. Any money I put aside for him will probably be used to pay them off if I die before I pay them off... I might be able to with my other job, but I don't know. It's unreliable. I'll try my hardest so its not a burden on him."[/color]

In a short period of time Linqian had earned more from Edict than she normally did in a month of work. But it wasn't stable. Money came with useful information only, and she wasn't naive enough to truly believe Edict would keep her around once she stopped providing that. She'd try her best to make herself invaluable until at least her debts were paid, through any means, but she couldn't rely on it.

[color=CD5C5C]"I might try get another job to help with everything. We’ll see."[/color] Linqian shrugged. [color=CD5C5C]"I just need to know that someone will look after Henri when I'm gone. I don't want him to end up like me, I want him to have a good life even if I'm not there to provide it. I need him to have someone who will be there for him. Can you do that?"[/color] 

“Of course I can,” Andre nodded, tone gruff. He was trying to hold back his emotions, she could tell. Succeeding, just like she always did, with just a slight crack. "You're both like family to me. [i]If[/i] it happens, I'll look after him. I can also see if anyone I know is hiring. Maybe a job more suited to your skills, in a kitchen. There might be someone else who’ll pay you better. I would if I could."

[color=CD5C5C]"It's fine,"[/color] Linqian shrugged. [color=CD5C5C]"I was able to move back so easily because of this job. But any help with finding another… would be appreciated."[/color]

“I’ll try. There’s other ways I can help, too, right now. I can help a bit with the debts, or if you want to sell the house.”

Linqian gritted her teeth, shaking her head. She just couldn’t accept help like that. She’d taken Sloane’s offer for Jinhai’s funeral, but she accept money from people for anything else. It wouldn’t be right (it would make her a [color=CD5C5C]failure[/color]). [color=CD5C5C]"I'm not accepting anything unless you’re paying me."[/color]

“Fine,” Andre sighed. “I heard you're gonna pay for Henri to see a shrink. He seemed to be really considering it. Let me pay for that. Don’t protest, it’s for him, you can at least accept that.”

Linqian had opened her mouth to say no, closing it again with a frown. Then she nodded. 

"You should see a therapist too, if you can,” Andre continued. “I can recommend one-"

[color=CD5C5C]"I'm not seeing a cult therapist."[/color]

"I wasn't going to recommend one from the temple," Andre chuckled. "She's unaffiliated with any group, and knows about the paranormal. "

[color=CD5C5C]"I'll think about it,"[/color] Linqian lied. She wouldn't even consider it. She didn't have the time or money, nor did she want to talk to someone about all the issues she'd buried inside. A therapist couldn't bring Jinhai back. They’d just take more money that she didn’t have for issues that couldn’t be solved. 

Silence fell between them. Linqian had said everything she needed to say. Andre had agreed to look after Henri if she died, and in the process of getting that agreement she’d let slip a lot more than she’d planned to. 

"You know I'm here for you, Linqian." Andre broke the silence. He shook his head, rueful smile playing on his lips. "Not as your boss, but as your mom's friend. You don't have to see me as an uncle like Henri, but just remember you can rely on me. You and Jinhai were always too independent for your own good. Marie always worried about it, but I promised her I'd watch out for you all. So if there's anything [i]you[/i] need, just tell me."

[color=CD5C5C]”Mom liked that we were independent,”[/color] Linqian laughed lightly, trying to ignore the stab of pain it caused her. Of course she knew her mom had worried about them. She was always busy when they were children, both her and their dad, but she made time for them. Linqian hadn’t appreciated it then. Then, she died before she truly could. [color=CD5C5C]It’s only when you lose something that you realise it's worth… “I know. I’m already relying on you. This is for me, not just Henri.”[/color] 

She knew it wasn’t what Andre meant. That he wanted her to go to him for the things that affected only her, the problems she sheltered her brother from. But her independence was more than something she’d grown up with - it was a survival mechanism to keep her family afloat. The last time she’d truly relied on someone, she’d nearly lost everything. She was still carrying the scars, even if none showed on her body. 

Andre wasn’t the same, but it wasn’t as simple as knowing that.

“Fine. You know where to find me, anyway.” Andre stood up, thankfully realising the conversation was over before Linqian had to awkwardly suggest he leave. “Anything else? Want a lift to work?”

[color=CD5C5C]”Hours before I need to be in? I’m good,”[/color] Linqian rolled her eyes, standing up and rolling her tense shoulders. They felt slightly lighter after the talk. One, tiny rock had been pushed off. It was a start.

There wasn’t anything said between them as she walked with him to the door, simple goodbyes since she’d see him later anyway. Then he was gone.

The door closed behind him, and Linqian was left alone in a painfully quiet house. It hadn't been so noticeable the last week, with Henri making a major effort to fill up the empty space everyone left behind by being incredibly loud and annoying. That only made the silence more palatable now. She'd grown used to someone being around again. 

Though Henri alone would never replace what they'd both lost. 

Fingers once again finding the wedding bands, Linqian found herself drifting towards the living room. The sofa was covered in blankets and clothes Henri had left everywhere, dirty mugs and plates on the coffee table in front of it. She ignored the mess and moved towards the corner of the room. Numbly, she knelt down on the floor.
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[center][hider=River, Soen][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pia38yQwVJY&ab_channel=SoenOfficial[/youtube] [/hider][/center]
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In front of her was a small shrine she'd set up on a cupboard. Nothing fancy, just somewhere she could sit when she wanted to... Remember. They’d had one at their apartment too. At the centre was a family picture. Her parents stood in the centre with a six year old Henri in front of them, wide grin on his lips, and fourteen year old versions of her and Jinhai at each side. To the left of it were pictures of her parents - a faded picture of them on their wedding day, a photo just a few months before they died, individual pictures. Her and Jinhai had found them over the years as they went through old photo albums and belongings. The right side was slightly more sparse. There was a picture of Jinhai during his graduation, looking especially handsome. Another that Linqian had taken of him during the last Lunar New Year, when he'd tried to help her make dumplings. He'd been awful at it and ended up with flour all over his hands and face. She snapped a shot of him laughing, flour coating his nose and cheeks. Before it had been something to tease him with, now it was nothing more than a memory of how good things had been.

Linqian sighed softly, and lit an incense stick. A soft, wooden smell with hints of spices filled the space as it started to burn. She wrinkled her nose. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I'm going to be able to hold a funeral for you soon,”[/color] she started, speaking softly. She spoke in English rather than Chinese, as if that would detach her from the situation - make it as if she wasn't talking to the only person she could ever share everything with, who was no longer there. But as soon as the words came out she wanted to take them back. This was the first time she'd talked to Jinhai since he passed and it... Didn't seem right. She did it occasionally to her parents, but they'd been gone for years. And it had taken years to get to that point. 

Yet she was already able to talk to the Jinhai that wasn't there anymore. Had she accepted it already and started to move on? No. Maybe it was because she hadn't accepted it, and hoped he'd respond. 

Linqian shook her head. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I've met with everyone again to try and find the fucker that killed you. If you were here you'd be so pissed at me.”[/color] If he was there, she wouldn't be back in this fucking city. [color=CD5C5C]”I'm working for Greyson now. Don't really have a choice. You didn't exactly leave me much and the debts are going away. He’s not so bad. Legit business now. You’d still hate him, but that doesn’t matter, does it? Nobody's really changed. Drake's still reckless enough to punch Sloane, Sloane's still a stuck up bitch- Well. She is paying for your funeral. I suppose I have to give her some credit. It’s something. More than I could do.”[/color]

Sometimes, she just wanted to give up. To go somewhere alone and wait for Father Wolf to get her too. But she couldn’t. She had to keep suffering through the coven members she disliked, so that Jinhai would at least be avenged. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I fought with Evelynn. She said- fuck, I can’t repeat it. It was horrible. Fuck, what I said wasn’t great, but I was pissed and coming down off a Greyson high- yeah, I know, bad fucking decision. I can hear you judging from beyond. But fuck… she went too far. Fucking bitch. I should’ve slapped her again. I will when I see her again. ”[/color] 

Linqian laughed, a joyless sound. [color=CD5C5C]”But you know, it's not the same without you there. I keep waiting for you to hold me back, or argue with me because I'm hanging out with someone you don't like. You never do. It's fucking weird. The same but really not the same. We haven't made any progress, either, cause everyone keeps fighting. I'm part of the problem, I know, but fuck... it's so hard to hold myself back without you. I just feel so angry all the time. More than before. Like I’m constantly at my breaking point.”[/color]

She sighed, glancing over at the picture of Jinhai when he graduated. All she could see was how he'd looked when he died. His lifeless eyes, staring vacantly at the sofa he'd convinced her to get, lips slightly parted in a dying cry. Blood all over his crisp white shirt, staining his limp hands where they tried to staunch the flow. The pained expression that hadn't quite disappeared. The more she looked at the picture the clearer the memory got. 

Linqian forcefully tore her gaze away, eyes fluttering closed as she took a deep breath. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I wish it had been me,”[/color] Linqian whispered, forcefully holding back the tears threatening to fall. She knew that if she started she wouldn't stop and she didn't have time for that. [color=CD5C5C]”It should have been. Nobody would miss me like this. I can tell they all think so too...”[/color]

She bit her lip, looking up to the ceiling as her eyes heated up. A single tear spilled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away, pressing her hands against her eyes before more could escape. A few deep breaths, and she was able to stop herself from crying. 

[color=CD5C5C]”You would have handled everything so much better. I don't know what to do. I can barely keep us housed, and I don't know how to comfort Yi-er. I'm so tired. I wish I could just stop, but I can't. I don’t have time to stop. But it'll be fine, don't worry. I'll make sure Yi-er's able to make it on his own and then look after myself. I'm even trying to quit smoking! Uh, yeah, I know I'd cut down a lot before, but it's been a lot. I don't need you judging from the grave. It's your fault that I'm even like this, so save it.”[/color]

Linqian’s lips curved up into a weak smile, clouded eyes moving back to the pictures of her brother as he’d been in life. Bright, vivid, unfairly smart. He’d had so much ahead of him. So much potential. He deserved so much more. She- she didn’t deserve it nearly as much.

[color=CD5C5C]”I-”[/color] I miss you. She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud. That made it feel too real. Just talking to him, she could pretend he was talking back. But not for that. [color=CD5C5C]”I'll talk to you again later. Work calls.”[/color]

She reached over, lowering just the temperature of her fingers and covering the burning tip of the incense stick. The sharp sting barely helped her ignore the heaviness in her heart.

It would be fine. Even if it wasn’t, she had no choice but to be fine.
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[right][b]Interactions[/b]: Britney [@Punished GN], Ken [@AtomicEmperor], Aryin [@NoriWasHere]
[code]November 3rd.
Kari Wilson’s House[/code][/right][hr]
Linqian was in a bad fucking mood today.

She had a horrible dream that woke her up hours before she needed to be awake. Then, there was a fucking meeting, so she had to switch her work shifts - thankfully Andre was a lot more willing to work that out for her since their talk yesterday. It was a little better if she thought of this as work too… But Henri had been acting weird that morning too. He asked to talk tomorrow, and wouldn’t spit out whatever was bothering him no matter how much she prodded. So now she was fucking worried about him too.

So she’d driven to the meeting location via a shop, picking up another packet of cigarettes because she needed [i]something[/i] to get through this. She smoked one on the rest of the drive, and immediately pulled out another when she found somewhere to park. There was no need to rush… After all, they’d fucked around so long during the last few meetings. She wasn’t enough of a dick to smoke around non-smokers, so she was doing it before she got there.

Cigarette in one hand, she reached behind her back to double check the pistol she’d brought along. It was the same one Edict had give her a few days ago, and she figured she might need it. She’d picked up a belt holster for it, placed at the right back hand side of her waist. Her clothes were picked to work with it - waist high black shorts with a dark belt around them, holster placed at the back. The black, high necked sleeveless top she wore was tucked in at the front but left loose at the back to help cover the gun. Over it all was her usual fleece jacket, left open at the front but long enough at the back to cover everything (slightly longer than her shorts). Her long legs were exposed to the cool air, but she wasn’t particularly bothered. It was easy to warm herself back up if she needed to.

The walk was a bit longer than she’d wanted, enough that she totally could’ve had another cigarette, but being outside was nice. Maybe. It gave Linqian time to sort through her thoughts a bit before having to deal with the group. She turned up just a bit before Auri started talking, spotting Britney and immediately making her way towards her. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Hey,”[/color] Linqian said quietly, squatting down beside her rather than trying to squeeze on the rock, not particularly paying attention to whoever else turned up. She just didn’t have the energy. It was hard enough to keep up with what Auri was saying.

The dead Kari wasn’t their Kari… So like a Kari from a different dimension? That shit had been beyond Linqian ten years ago, and was just as beyond her now. She’d let Jinhai understand it and fill her in on the important shit, and ignored it otherwise. [color=CD5C5C]But he’s not here to help anymore.[/color] Without him, she had nothing to contribute to the conversation. 

[quote=Auri]"... Lyss was murdered by Father Wolf during the Halloween Festival."[/quote]
[color=CD5C5C]Shit.[/color] Linqian covered her eyes, feeling almost nothing at all. Just an empty numbness that came along with the grief she was already feeling. Lyss had been someone Linqian was alright with, an almost friend, now another victim. Another death added to a list she hadn’t even started to process. So she did what she’d been doing best and embraced the lack of feeling, pushing it deep down.

A voice she recognised easily, but hadn’t heard in years, broke the silence that had fallen over everyone. Linqian’s head snapped up, sharp eyes finding Aryin. Linqian’s expression worsened, mind flashing back to two days ago… When she’d opened the selfie Aryin sent after being thrown across half the city by George. A selfie and message Linqian had replied to.

Then been left on read. 

She was momentarily distracted by Ken jumping off the roof, dressed like he’d stepped right back out of ancient Japan- of course. Linqian hadn’t seen him in a long time and while they hadn’t been super tight, they were friendly enough. Along with Jinhai, she’d helped him get over those culture differences all those years ago - somewhat similar to what she’d been through herself six years prior. Jinhai had kept in touch with him, and Linqian somewhat through him.

[color=CD5C5C]”Nice outfit, Ken,”[/color] Linqian teased lightheartedly, standing up. She stretched out her arms, crossing one over her chest while hooking the other over it, as if getting ready for a fight. [color=CD5C5C]”I really hope chainmail is effective against guns, cause that’s what we keep coming up against.”[/color] 

With him offering to find the key, whatever method he had for that, there was no need to worry about getting in. That meant Linqian could focus on more important things. Namely, the bone she had to pick.

[color=CD5C5C]”Oy, asshole!”[/color] Linqian gestured to Aryin, beginning to walk towards her. Her expression was difficult to read - signature scowl on soft pink lips, eyes narrowed in possible anger, but not as explosive as normal. But she was still approaching Aryin with clearly violent intent. [color=CD5C5C]”Who do you think you are, showing you’re fucking face here like its nothing? You send me that fucking picture, show me your whole ass chest - which looked fucking amazing, by the way - then leave me on fucking read for two days? Then you show up here like its fucking nothing, you fucking bitch, I swear to fuck, you. Have not. Fucking. Changed. You fucking hoe.”[/color]

Linqian had closed the gap between them now, concentrating on increasing the temperature of just one until it was as hot as boiling water. Then she shot out her right fist, visibly glowing orange strong punch going straight for Aryin’s right breast. 

[color=CD5C5C]That’ll fucking show her.[/color]