"I don't like hurting rats. ....I would've died at least ten times if I hadn't, and I - learned how to do it in a way that hurt my head less? But it's still hurting them and I hope I never ever have to again." 

He looks thoughtfully at Lan Xichen. "Is there - any way to make my aura cleaner sooner? I don't like it, that people keep assuming I'm fine with murdering them, and then they - don't trust me even when I really want to try to help them not die..." 

His voice comes out a bit tight and choked; he hadn't fully realized how distressed he was about this, to - not be seen as he really is. It feels a bit like he's lying to them? Which is probably stupid, he's not doing it on purpose and it - does mean something, that he was willing to pull mana from mundane humans in a bad enough situation, he bets Sophie or Daria wouldn't ever have done that. (And so they'd be dead. And probably will end up dead. And that makes his chest clench as well, but it's so hard to help people protect themselves if they don't want his help...) 

"There are cleansing spells but they're quite expensive. Slow way is going to be better, I think, since you're not enclaver."

Nod. 

"Could I - is there any way I could do lookout duty to trade for clothes? Even just to borrow for a bit? I–" He gestures vaguely at his current clothing, which is very mismatched and ill-fitting and also displays some mysterious stains and noticeably smells like a garbage dump. "Apparently it - matters what you wear, to make a good first impression on people. A girl offered to make me clothes as a trade for watching her back on a supply run but she needs a couple of weeks." 

"Would Song Lan's extras fit?" he asks Meng Yao in Mandarin.

"They'll be baggy but Nie Huaisang could take them in."

"Does he have thread? --Of course he has thread. Why am I even asking." In English: "Yes. You can do one lookout shift for maintenance, alchemy, or artificing for anyone in the Shanghai enclave in exchange for one item of clothing, tailored, and the leftover fabric."

"Generous," Meng Yao says in Mandarin.

"Well, we can't have him running around looking like a disgrace to the Shanghai enclave."

"Okay. ....Are maintenance shifts during classes? I don't really want to miss classes, I'm already going to be behind because I haven't ever gone to school. I...could maybe try to take the same classes as some of your students who need protection?" 

It has not occurred to Masozi, at this point, that offering to take classes in a language he does not yet speak is, perhaps, what is generally considered a completely insane plan. From his current point of view, it can't be that hard? 

"Maintenance shifts are during classes. Taking class in language you don't speak seems difficult? Some people in Shanghai enclave take classes in English, this could be arranged."

"Okay. Um, how does it - work, if I want to try to take classes at the same time as them when we don't know the schedules until tomorrow?" 

"I send someone tomorrow to collect everyone's schedules and give them to you, and you can request that Scholomance give you classes you want."

"Okay! Thank you! ...I can do a lookout duty tomorrow if it's not at the same time as any classes. If people want to work in the lab or the shop in the evening, or something." 

"I don't think so this early on, but I ask. --Masozi, I would like you to take a truth potion. Meng Yao put a drop of it on your tongue and then you can only say true things. I ask you whether things you've said so far are true, whether you intend harm to Shanghai enclave, and whether you intend to use malia in the future. It wear off in five minutes. I ask you no questions other than those three and you be silent until it wears off." 

WOW that's a real thing that's amazing and incredibly and Masozi is so incredibly relieved. He desperately wants there to be a way that people can trust him. He's tired of not that. 

"Yes! I will do that!" 

Meng Yao takes out an eyedropper, gestures for Masozi to stick his tongue out, and drops a drop of the potion on his tongue.

That's - wow - that's very strange. He...it's not that his lips freeze if he tries to lie, it's that he - can't even think of any lies, it's like his mind slides away from even making the most tentative of plans in that direction. 

"I didn't–" 

He stops. 

"...I only said one thing that was - not a lie but it wasn't everything? My affinity....isn't just mals and feeling their minds. I can for people to. But I don't want to do things to people's minds if they're my allies, that wouldn't be..." Shrug. He's not sure what the word is. "I think everything else I said was completely true. I don't want to harm anyone in the Shanghai enclave - or anyone else in the school either! - I want to help people survive, even the ones who aren't careful enough yet, so they have time to learn. I..." He frowns, thinking. "I intend to not even use bugs for malia for a few weeks, but if it gets as dangerous here as it was in Malawi then I might not have a choice anymore, if I want to save other people too. I don't intend to take malia from people ever and I don't have rats or anything so I don't see how I'd do that either." 

Lan Xichen waits until the potion has worn off and then says, "Hm. That affinity could be more useful, unfortunately, right now that duplicates me and Meng Yao. But expanding it to mals is very useful."

"That's why I tried to do it! I'd be dead if I hadn't figured it out. And maybe I can get better spells for it from the school." 

"I recommend that. --This is advantage of being fair and reliable as leader. If I say 'this is truth potion and I ask you three things,' you trust me, because I am sort of person who is worthy of trust. I could have poisoned you for being maleficer, or questioned you in more depth."

Shrug. "I didn't think you would poison me even if you were - lying about that. Because I'm useful to you." 

"Brave of you."

Shrug. "If I wasn't brave I'd be dead." 

"Anything else you wish to discuss?"

"I don't think so right now. ...Oh, I did tell Wei Wuxian I could help guard the library spot from mals? But I don't know when people will be there."