I don't have a wife or anything. But....I'd do anything for Domi. For Vanitas. I'd want to fight for them, too.
[He can at least admit that much. Because he has stepped in front of Vanitas enough times to protect the other from getting attacked or hurt. Taking the hit in his stead, given that he has his vampiric strength to be able to take it. And that Domi is a childhood friend, the only one left of the twins he so adored.]
You must love them. {His life hasn't had much love in it, but it has been there. Tantai Jin isn't going to take any of it for granted - especially the long-enduring love of his wife.}
Domi's practically like family. Her grandfather took me in when I was little. And Vanitas....I met more recently.
[Domi was akin to a childhood friend. A sister, almost. Given that he's oblivious to her feelings for him. Vanitas was....more complicated. They've kissed here, to try and imprint and see if that would stop the torture earlier. But otherwise that had been it between them, given Vanitas's relationship with Vincent, and with Jeanne back home, whatever was going on there.]
But I will. I'll get back. At least, get Vanitas back home, more importantly.
You have...family. {He never has, truly, outside of Li Susu - and that relationship has always been a mixture of agony and love. Tantai Jin isn't sure how to be part of a family, but it seems nice.}
Won't he want you to follow him? If you don't, he will mourn. So will Domi.
Of a sort. Not any that I'm related to by blood, but. My Teacher took me in, as I said. He taught and raised me, at times alongside Domi when she'd visit from the de Sade estate.
[But, well. The de Sades were as close as he had left to family, now. His lips purse, and he glances to the side at the question, remembering their immediate arguments upon arrival.]
Vanitas needs to get back to help the curse bearers. He's the one with the ability to free them. Not me. So....if only one of us is able to. I'd rather he return.
Blood means little. {His father had rejected him at birth, choosing to name him after ashes when his mother died in labor. Then, later, his elder brother had tried to kill him in order to obtain the throne left by their father.}
You exist. There is a reason for you to return. You may not have found it yet, but it too exists.
I don't have any biological family left. My clan was killed when I was little.
[Not everyone was so keen on the particular ability the Archivistes have, of seeing someone's memories the first time they feed from someone. The potential there seemed to scare others more than anything else. He's still not sure how or why he himself managed to survive. But he had, thanks to the kindness of an old human couple who took him in. And his Teacher.]
It isn't like I don't want to see Domi again. To get home. I just -- if only one of us can. I'd rather Vanitas. That's all.
Killed by who? Have you gotten justice? {Justice and revenge often overlap for him, but he is learning the difference. Since he differed greatly from his brother - thanks to his mother (and the fact that Tantai Jin had been raised in another kingdom) - it wasn't agonizing to face him in battle. It actually felt good to exterminate him.
But that's dangerous. He knows that now.}
I understand. I just don't think you will be forced to make that choice.
I was too young to remember. I just know the rest of my family, my clan, were killed. I'm the only one left.
[To his knowledge, anyway. He's just tried to make the best of things since, with his 'grandparents' and then later, his Teacher and Dominique and Louis. Finding a new family of sorts with her. That she was like a sister to him, oblivious to her feelings towards him on his end.]
I hope not. Ideally, we'd get to go back together.
There must be traces. {But he is the sort that would hunt. Not everyone shares that trait - thank goodness. Tantai Jin is the sort that never forgets a slight, though he has risen against his pettier nature in the last handful of centuries.}
We were brought here; the path is open. It will remain open until we are returned. I believe time was altered to transport us and keep us.
Likely, it was multiple attackers. Probably because of our ability to see memories when we feed. I'm not sure why I was spared, but I don't really remember it.
[And he hasn't particularly felt the need to question it. To ask. It seems obvious enough that it isn't likely he would survive if he were to try to avenge his clan, his family, given that it was likely multiple assailants. Most of the rest of the vampires are likely involved, for all he knows. So there doesn't seem to be a point. As much as part of him is upset and does wish he had a more regular family and upbringing.]
{He can think of many reasons to face them, to end it, but it is Noé's choice in the end. Tantai Jin is the Devil Fetus for a reason. He is a very flawed man and that's not on accident!}
What's it like to see memories? Are they usually worth seeing?
It depends on the memories, I guess. I can sort of control it more. I mean. If I want to see something specific, but. It isn't always the pleasant ones.
[He admits, considering. The memories he had seen from Vincent. From Jean-Jacques. From Amelia....]
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voice
Date: 2025-12-08 08:49 am (UTC)[He can at least admit that much. Because he has stepped in front of Vanitas enough times to protect the other from getting attacked or hurt. Taking the hit in his stead, given that he has his vampiric strength to be able to take it. And that Domi is a childhood friend, the only one left of the twins he so adored.]
voice
Date: 2025-12-09 04:47 am (UTC)We have to return to them.
voice
Date: 2025-12-09 10:36 am (UTC)[Domi was akin to a childhood friend. A sister, almost. Given that he's oblivious to her feelings for him. Vanitas was....more complicated. They've kissed here, to try and imprint and see if that would stop the torture earlier. But otherwise that had been it between them, given Vanitas's relationship with Vincent, and with Jeanne back home, whatever was going on there.]
But I will. I'll get back. At least, get Vanitas back home, more importantly.
voice
Date: 2025-12-10 03:06 am (UTC)Won't he want you to follow him? If you don't, he will mourn. So will Domi.
voice
Date: 2025-12-10 03:47 am (UTC)[But, well. The de Sades were as close as he had left to family, now. His lips purse, and he glances to the side at the question, remembering their immediate arguments upon arrival.]
Vanitas needs to get back to help the curse bearers. He's the one with the ability to free them. Not me. So....if only one of us is able to. I'd rather he return.
voice
Date: 2025-12-10 04:48 am (UTC)You exist. There is a reason for you to return. You may not have found it yet, but it too exists.
voice
Date: 2025-12-10 04:59 am (UTC)[Not everyone was so keen on the particular ability the Archivistes have, of seeing someone's memories the first time they feed from someone. The potential there seemed to scare others more than anything else. He's still not sure how or why he himself managed to survive. But he had, thanks to the kindness of an old human couple who took him in. And his Teacher.]
It isn't like I don't want to see Domi again. To get home. I just -- if only one of us can. I'd rather Vanitas. That's all.
voice
Date: 2025-12-23 03:42 am (UTC)But that's dangerous. He knows that now.}
I understand. I just don't think you will be forced to make that choice.
voice
Date: 2025-12-23 04:04 am (UTC)[To his knowledge, anyway. He's just tried to make the best of things since, with his 'grandparents' and then later, his Teacher and Dominique and Louis. Finding a new family of sorts with her. That she was like a sister to him, oblivious to her feelings towards him on his end.]
I hope not. Ideally, we'd get to go back together.
voice
Date: 2025-12-24 02:28 am (UTC)We were brought here; the path is open. It will remain open until we are returned. I believe time was altered to transport us and keep us.
voice
Date: 2025-12-24 04:14 am (UTC)[And he hasn't particularly felt the need to question it. To ask. It seems obvious enough that it isn't likely he would survive if he were to try to avenge his clan, his family, given that it was likely multiple assailants. Most of the rest of the vampires are likely involved, for all he knows. So there doesn't seem to be a point. As much as part of him is upset and does wish he had a more regular family and upbringing.]
Hm. I guess so.
voice
Date: 2025-12-24 04:34 am (UTC)What's it like to see memories? Are they usually worth seeing?
voice
Date: 2025-12-24 07:16 am (UTC)[He admits, considering. The memories he had seen from Vincent. From Jean-Jacques. From Amelia....]