Archive of Our Own ^beta

'I should have expected the neon pink truck,' Kai sighed, grabbing his suitcase. 'And yet... why am I surprised?'

'You can walk,' Qíng Tiān smiled, opening the car with a beep.

'I never said I didn't like it,' Kai said, beginning to load up the boot. 'But for some reason I didn't think you would actually have a neon pink jeep. I know you wanted one as a child but that is very different to actually doing it.'

'My dear sister, why do you have a sign saying "I get more pussy than the animal shelter" hanging from your rear view mirror?' 

'Because when I got this car it was factually accurate,' She grabbed the sign and shoved it into the glove box. 'I was having a bit of a slut phase. You know how it is.'

'Yes but...' Kai trailed off as Irene arched a brow. 'I never broadcasted that with a sign.'

'I named my first car the bang bus so I can't judge,' Kai choked on his breath as Irene shrugged. 

'Oh my god,' Catherine slid further down her seat. 'You didn't.'

'I was at university, I was young, reckless and definitely having a slut phase. It is what it is.'

'I should say,' Kai smiled. 'We picked Irene up from drinks with colleagues celebrating a completed assignment. At a bar. She's drunk.' 

'Tipsy.'

'What kind of car was the bang bus?'

'It was a yellow Volkswagen beetle. And I did not get more pussy than an animal shelter that way.' 

'Could you please stop saying that?' Vale muttered. 'Why would you be so obscene about one of these death cans?'

'There is nothing obscene about the word pussy,' Irene said. 

'Yeah! It's just a cat! Kai, don't roll your eyes at me. What was your first car?'

'Well, I had a motorbike first.'

'Ahh... drowning in cats?'

'Cats and... uh... cockerels?'

'Dearest sister,' Kai said slowly as Irene laughed. 'Why does your marked parking spot say Pussy mobile?'

'Because i wasnt allowed to paint it to say Fag waggon.'

'Could shorten that to Faggon. It's catchier,' Catherine said. Kai looked like he was about to have a fit. 

'Did you ever try...' Catherine looked at her shoes. 'I don't know. To be a bit more like that?' 

'Like what?'

'Like them. All happy and confident discussing things,' She didn't look up from her feet. 'You know. Be more normal,' She had been thinking about it the whole time they had been in the neon pink jeep. 

'Yes, I tried. Not to be confident or find that sort of thing enjoyable but because it was, still is, expected that I settle down and produce an heir,' He said. 'Which naturally involves that sort of thing.'

'But?'

'But I was trying to change myself for people who have opinions of me that would not change of me regardless of if I took a wife and produced children. Opinions and judgements that did not match my own thinking.'

'So it wasn't worth it.'

'No one who makes you feel like you have to change is worth it,' He said. 'No matter how they make you feel in the moment.' 

'Right. That sounds right.'

'Do you want to change?'

'No.'

'Then what are you scared of? Does Qíng Tiān want you to change?' Catherine looked shocked and offended.

'No! She would never!' 

'Then what is the worry?'

'She would never right now, but what about...'

'If she changes her mind?' Catherine nodded. 'Well. These things do happen. People change over time and we can't do anything to avoid that. We cannot change people and they cannot change us.'

'I know, I know. Just...'

'Look. The difference between someone who cares and respects you and someone who doesn't is communication. If she changes her mind then that is okay in the same way that if you do, that is also okay. But if she respects you, she will tell you and you will talk about it and decide from there, just like I did with Irene and-' Catherine's eyes went wide. 'I thought you knew.'

'No! Oh my gosh! You and Irene? Does Kai know?'

'Yes. He does? Irene said she would tell you,' He sighed. 'She called it a throuple?' Catherine punched his arm. 

'And Kai too?' She hissed. 'This is so much better than my thing!' 

'Back to your thing,' He sighed. 'If your relationship ends because in months or years one of you decides that something about it is no longer working, that is okay. There are ways to work around that or it is okay to say you have enjoyed your time and that you are ready to move on.'

'Right. Thank you,' She smiled slightly. 'Really. Irene listens but it is nice to have someone who gets it.'

'I am glad that I can help.'