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[empyrean_mirror]

EMPYREAN REFLECTION

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EMPYREAN STAIRWAY

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username: paradisaea

"This is Kaveh. I can't answer right now, but please leave a message!"

NAV ALHAITHAM CODE IMAGE

Comments

[empyrean_mirror]

[...wait no hold on he needs to actually stop strangling Alhaitham to address that.]

What? No, it doesn't cause any of those, who lied to you?

It's just...a natural urge. Most people feel it after puberty. It's best done in private, for what I hope are obvious reasons, and it's not like it's...something you need to do if it's uncomfortable, but it won't make you sick or insane or offend the gods or whatever other nonsense.

[indispensable]

[Yeah Alhaitham also kind of needed a moment there because what.]

The people who told you that are either doing it themselves anyway, or are simply deep in denial.

[Sherlock's world is so weird.]

[astudyinviolet]

It's in every medical journal or book. They've done studies and research for ages. I've never seen or heard mention of self pollution in any other way.

[ What are they talking about? ]

[empyrean_mirror]

Medical science often takes a backseat to moral bias. There is nothing about expelling mostly salt water from your body that's going to cause symptoms like that.

[astudyinviolet]

... This is closer to inverts being considered damned or sinners than actual science... isn't it?

[ Comparing it to the unjust society views on those who like the same sex makes some sense as shocking as this information is to him. ]

[empyrean_mirror]

I'm not sure what you mean by invert but I suspect the answer is yes.

[Kaveh's going to start flipping tables if you tell him about that, Sherlock, tread carefully.]

[astudyinviolet]

Besides uranians, most of the other names I've heard for them--us are less than kind.

[ Don't flip any tables that have something of value on them.... ]

[empyrean_mirror]

"us?"

Mister Holmes, surely you're not implying that people attracted to the same sex are considered sinful in your world?

vaguely here

[indispensable]

[Alhaitham doesn't say anything but the Look he'd been giving Kaveh earlier has now transformed into something closer to a frown.

... Alhaitham hates to say it, but he has a fairly good idea on what the answer here is. So he's already trying to think of what to do next before the proverbial hell breaks loose.]

[astudyinviolet]

And illegal with a sentence of no less than ten years in penal servitude if convicted.

[ So about figuring out those rifts... Steal Sherlock and his dear John to Teyvat please. ]

briefly voice

[empyrean_mirror]

[Unfortunately, the voice function turns on when kaveh fumbles his phone in sheer fury. the phone will need to be rescued very shortly because--]

A PRISON SENTENCE?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME--

[the recording cuts off because kaveh wound up to chuck his phone and then maybe stomp around the house in a fury, Alhaitham please rescue the shellphone.]

[astudyinviolet]

[ That didn't sound good at all. ]

[indispensable]

[Alhaitham does indeed intercept Kaveh from throwing the phone mostly because they just had to replace his phone and its not going to be a good look on them if they break the other so soon.

Anyway, Alhaitham will be using his husband's phone now while the other continues to stomp about.]

If that is what your world's sciences have led to, then I would be the first to disagree on the fundamentals.

[Even though Alhaitham is sounding... okay in text he is anything but too. Even Azar at his worst wasn't this distasteful about things like these, which kind of says a bit of what Alhaitham thinks of Sherlock's world (and government) right now.]

[astudyinviolet]

That part, at least, is less scientifically argued and argued more on the basis of morality and religion.

It used to be worse before I was born.

[indispensable]

[Well, at least this explains a fair chunk of why Sherlock is the way that he is. Not that this is anything particularly pleasant to realize.]

I suppose the gods of your world function differently from ours—but I've always held the belief that gods are not as omnipotent as people worship them as, and are just as capable as making wrong decisions and choices.

As for morals—it is harder to speak of objectively, but all I can say is that I know I will do anything for Kaveh, because I love him and I chose him, just as how he has chosen me, and I will never make light of what that means for the both of us.

[And Alhaitham will fight even the gods themselves if that is what he has to do to keep Kaveh by his side.]

[astudyinviolet]

I doubt any god had a say in these views. Just men. And men I know how to stop or avoid more than any god.

I would sacrifice myself for John's sake. He's a good man. If nothing else, I know that.

[ It doesn't feel like much in the greater scope of things in his world. Sherlock doesn't even know if there will ever be anything beyond friendship between them, given Sherlock will forget all this. However, Sherlock would make himself bait for the horrors so that John could be the hero he knows he is and hopefully survive. ]

I did not intend for my questions to cause Mr. Kaveh such anger. Will he be all right?

[indispensable]

[Alhaitham isn't a stranger to the concept of people twisting the desires of a god in order to misuse it—Azar had more or less done as much, after all. But it is a little different, he supposes, when said god is somebody who you know does exist, and with historical evidence to show as proof. Even before he knew Nahida as a person, she was still somebody that still existed in Sumeru's history. Sherlock's case, he surmises, is not as straightforward.]

Kaveh will be fine. [He answers that question first, at least. Considering what they've just learned, its almost admirable that Kaveh has kept himself to fuming, but he supposes its not like there's nothing else one can do about... this.]

I suppose its fortunate that despite such... existing criticism, you are willing to accept different perspectives. It says more about your character than the ones who refuse to see otherwise.

[Alhaitham is... being generous with his word choice here, simply because escalating this does nobody any good. It's not like they can just go to the world that Sherlock comes from and stage a coup.]

[astudyinviolet]

I was always an outsider, the nuisance, the freak growing up. No matter what, my views were different. I saw things and thought in ways they did not.

[ And thus he had to learn to survive and never to be accepted despite longing for a companion, knowing in his soul that he was never meant to be alone... but was. ]

[indispensable]

[For better or worse Alhaitham isn't a stranger to those monikers that Sherlock had just used. His fellow peers had constantly thrown those terms at him when he was a student in the Akademiya—he supposes the only difference is that he never really felt bothered by them. He understood why they called him such things, and so it never concerned him. The only it truly was when Kaveh allowed himself to be swayed by it in his anger, on that one night when things fell apart between them. But even that too is now a thing of the past for him.]

Uniqueness is just as much of an asset as any other trait that exists. [He says it easily enough on his end. For Alhaitham, he knows that nothing he do or say will change the minds of others that are already set in their prejudices, so he sees no point in sparing the effort. Its not needed anyway for the peaceful life that he seeks.] Everyone has always been different from each other, and thinking otherwise is only an exercise in foolishness.

voice

[empyrean_mirror]

[Kaveh is still audibly stomping about the house--those tile floors pick up the thud well--but Mehrak is recording his response because he HAS to say something.]

Sherlock, love is not a sin. It never has been, and never will be.

[Even knowing the stories of love that turns to tragedy--Kaveh is firm in this. Love, itself, is not the problem. And if to love is to be damned, then he will walk proudly into hell.]

Truth be told, lust really isn't either. The evils people do in the name it are about power and greed, not the base urge to copulate. The shame these so-called scientists want you to feel is simply in the name of control.

[astudyinviolet]

[ Sherlock runs a hand through his hair. This is all sobering to think of. He could listen to all of this, take it to heart, but there is still a major problem with it all. ]

I suppose one benefit to forgetting everything when I go home is that I will not know of my feelings. I won't know what it is like to live in a world like this and thus won't let slip my nature to anyone who would otherwise do us harm.

That does not solve my current predicament, however. I have seen a few cafes on Ocard. Perhaps I need to not sleep a few days.

[ Time to be over-caffeinated again? ]

[indispensable]

[Alhaitham sends a brief glance over to Kaveh when the architect speaks up. While there is nothing about what Kaveh has said that he disagrees with, a part of him does wonder if stating any of that will be of any use at all in this situation, since it is fairly clear that Sherlock doesn't have a problem with his feelings, as it were.

...and it doesn't take long for his hunch to be proven right, given what Sherlock responds with, and Alhaitham can't quite stop himself from making a face as he reads the words himself (Mehrak reading it out in the background for Kaveh to hear doesn't make things any better either).]

Just because something is forgotten does not mean it is not there. You know better than most about how harmful ignorance can be, even if it is unintended.

[Sherlock can't see it, of course, but Kaveh would be able to notice the distasteful curl that's come onto Alhaitham's lip. Despite the newfound understanding of Sherlock's predicament, there's no way he can approve of what the detective is trying to do now.]

[empyrean_mirror]

[Kaveh hisses a bit, frustrated and angry. It's not Sherlock's fault. It isn't. But.]

First of all, we're looking for a solution to the forgetting, so don't go passively accepting this world's violation of our memories just yet.

[Deep breath, Kaveh. Deeeeep breath.]

Second, it won't make it go away. If you find these dreams truly distressing, and don't want to simply take care of the physical urge, the dragons may be able to help you. Do not just stop sleeping.

[astudyinviolet]

[ Alhaitham doesn't realize how on the nose his statement is. Cordona is proof of that. Besides, wasn't he only into his second month into this world when he realized his softer feelings toward his dear doctor? Had such thoughts been buried that deeply in reality? ]

I would not say the dreams are truly distressing as he is quite kind... but even if I knew how to take care of the physical urge, it's a violation of his character to use his image in that manner, is it not?

[ Sherlock, this is John "of three continents" Watson who has said he's there to be used. He'd probably be flattered. ]

[indispensable]

You're asking if there is anything wrong with deriving pleasure and satisfaction from the image of a person who has clearly given you a sense of belonging and appreciation?

[Alhaitham may be a bit biased here himself, suffice to say.]