[ It's hard to have a very large sense of self preservation when the things you start to let yourself care about keep getting pulled out from underneath you. Right now, Lumine is feeling reckless indeed--and it's about to really show. ]
And who is it that's always keeping me half in the dark, Caeli? Or should I say--Childe. Am I right?
It's not my responsibility to ensure you claw your way out of the darkness. You have the same tools as everybody else. You can do Lives and you can earn points and you can buy memories. What have you been doing with your time, exactly, hm? Nothing???
I know who I am. I've taken several memories by this point. [ he's not admitting shit and even if he did it wouldn't make much of a difference. ] What's your point?
Strange, that the knowledge that she was right gives her no sense of satisfaction. ]
So it's just a coincidence, then, that you happen to be a person who was up to no good back home--someone who explicitly told me I could count on to keep me safe here--who tried to kill me here too.
[ She laughs but it's a very bitter, jangly sound. Smileless. ]
I guess I should thank you. I was actually starting to believe you.
[ At least, if he was going to betray her, and hurt her, he did it fast. Before she actually might have started to really like him. So what if it means she's less certain than ever if she can trust anyone here? That's probably for the better, too. ]
[ sets a hand on her head and digs his fingers turned to claws in; holding it steady as he leans in. ] I might not be a good guy, Lumine, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of caring here or there. We might have had our differences, briefly, in Liyue, but that didn't stop me from occasionally looking out for you. And the same was true here, though, not going to lie, you're making me regret promising your brother anything.
And if you really think that I invited the three of you to that escape room to try to kill you, then I really am disappointed. [ squeezes. harder. ] I didn't plan for things to turn out like that. I wanted something fun, something distracting, but catching a break in hell when the chips are down really is pretty damn impossible. [ he straightens up and turns his back to her, starting to walk off. ] I like you, your brother, and Xiansheng, and I wouldn't have gone out of my way to be helpful in any capacity if that weren't true.
But go ahead, Lumine, and join the entirety of Teyvat in hating me. [ he had been heading to the kitchen, but decides to veer off track. ]
[ COOL, SOME MORE INJURIES... to add to the ones that she hasn't taken care of so far. Well, whatever. It's fine and whatever she doesn't care!! In fact she care so little she makes no attempt to stop him this time, or to argue, and instead retreats back into her room, slamming the door behind her and then sinking down to sit on the floor with her back to the wood behind her. ]
Now who's putting words in other peoples' mouths.
[ It turns out, though, it's even less satisfying arguing with empty air. ]
[ and he's just going to vanish from wild city for the remainder of the day. at the moment he's got no reason to be there and he's not interested in existing in a hostile environment, not when he's still struggling to cope with everything that's happened over the past few days. ]
[ at some point he returns, late, a bunch of store 'bought' ingredients in hand along with a bottle of liquor ( half empty ). time to prep food at midnight! ]
[ He probably expects that most of the unit will be gone to be by then, or at least not using the kitchen. That would be normal, anyway. And yet when he arrives home and makes his way to the kitchen, he'll hear the occasional sound of someone sniffling and, rounding the bend in the hall, find the lights on and the table occupied--by probably the last person he wants to see right now, a mountainous spread of library books (bookmarked and in a few cases open and dog-eared), and a literal box of wine. Her head is bent over one of them and she doesn't look up when he comes in. ]
[ kozuru aside she is at the top of his shit list. he just doesn't have the spoons to deal with her, so as soon as he notices that she's in the kitchen too he frowns, biting back a sigh. for a moment he stares at the book she's got her nose buried in, but she's thoroughly captivated, so maybe he can just make his snake and fuck off. ]
[ At the moment, it's Demonology. Sitting beside it, there's a copy of the King James Bible, also open though apparently not being read at this very second. Spread across the table but closed are Learning Japanese: Hiragana and Katakana; Guns, Germs, and Steel; Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan; several National Wildlife Federation Nature Guides; and Firearms: An Illustrated History.
She's not as captivated by the book as he thinks--she's tried reading the same paragraph five times now and still can't remember what it says. Most likely that's the wine. Although it could just also be how generally sad she feels. She is entirely aware that he's in the kitchen--but she doesn't have the energy for another fight right now. Her body hurts, her heart hurts.... everything just hurts.
In any case, there's plenty of reason for him to think if he comes in he can make his food unbothered, shit-list or not. ]
[ childe takes note of a couple of the books in passing... but 90% of them sound so dull. not wonder she's falling asleep at the wheel. he can smell the wine, but he's not blaming it. ]
[ it's clearly! the books!! ]
...you should be in bed. [ it's an off-hand comment made from the counter as he chops up a bunch of ingredients for the borscht he's decided to spontaneously make at the asscrack of night. he's not interested in another fight either, but he sincerely doubts she's going to put herself to bed, so perhaps a little nudge... and then he can have the kitchen to himself. ] It looks like you're only a few seconds from falling asleep.
[ She frowns, trying to think about what wine and milk will do together in her stomach. Surely not curdle? Does she even like milk? She can't remember having had it since she woke up. ]
I don't know. Probably shouldn't use a stove right now...
[ She might burn herself. Or the whole kitchen... ]
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childeishly) wrote2021-02-25 12:10 pm
Re: Day 374 or 375
And who is it that's always keeping me half in the dark, Caeli? Or should I say--Childe. Am I right?
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I know who I am. I've taken several memories by this point. [ he's not admitting shit and even if he did it wouldn't make much of a difference. ] What's your point?
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...
Strange, that the knowledge that she was right gives her no sense of satisfaction. ]
So it's just a coincidence, then, that you happen to be a person who was up to no good back home--someone who explicitly told me I could count on to keep me safe here--who tried to kill me here too.
[ She laughs but it's a very bitter, jangly sound. Smileless. ]
I guess I should thank you. I was actually starting to believe you.
[ At least, if he was going to betray her, and hurt her, he did it fast. Before she actually might have started to really like him. So what if it means she's less certain than ever if she can trust anyone here? That's probably for the better, too. ]
Re: Day 374 or 375
And if you really think that I invited the three of you to that escape room to try to kill you, then I really am disappointed. [ squeezes. harder. ] I didn't plan for things to turn out like that. I wanted something fun, something distracting, but catching a break in hell when the chips are down really is pretty damn impossible. [ he straightens up and turns his back to her, starting to walk off. ] I like you, your brother, and Xiansheng, and I wouldn't have gone out of my way to be helpful in any capacity if that weren't true.
But go ahead, Lumine, and join the entirety of Teyvat in hating me. [ he had been heading to the kitchen, but decides to veer off track. ]
Re: Day 374 or 375
Now who's putting words in other peoples' mouths.
[ It turns out, though, it's even less satisfying arguing with empty air. ]
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[ at some point he returns, late, a bunch of store 'bought' ingredients in hand along with a bottle of liquor ( half empty ). time to prep food at midnight! ]
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She's not as captivated by the book as he thinks--she's tried reading the same paragraph five times now and still can't remember what it says. Most likely that's the wine. Although it could just also be how generally sad she feels. She is entirely aware that he's in the kitchen--but she doesn't have the energy for another fight right now. Her body hurts, her heart hurts.... everything just hurts.
In any case, there's plenty of reason for him to think if he comes in he can make his food unbothered, shit-list or not. ]
Re: Day 374 or 375
[ it's clearly!
the books!! ]
...you should be in bed. [ it's an off-hand comment made from the counter as he chops up a bunch of ingredients for the borscht he's decided to spontaneously make at the asscrack of night. he's not interested in another fight either, but he sincerely doubts she's going to put herself to bed, so perhaps a little nudge... and then he can have the kitchen to himself. ] It looks like you're only a few seconds from falling asleep.
Re: Day 374 or 375
[ There's no bite to the response--if anything, she does genuinely sound sleepy--but just a sort of quiet assertiveness. ]
'll never understand this place if I... don't teach myself. I still have too many questions.
[ And there, it seems, is the answer to his question as to what she's been doing with all her time since she's been here. ]
Re: Day 374 or 375
I donât think youâll find the answers in those books. Perhaps a few scattered, but this place doesnât exactly follow a strict set of rules.
Go get some rest.
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... I can't sleep.
[ There's something embarrassed to the way that's mumbled out. ]
I might as well try to make myself useful.
[ Although he does have a good point that the alcohol was a bad idea.... she sags forward, resting her head against the open book. ]
I shouldn't have bought the wine.
Re: Day 374 or 375
But if you canât sleep, then how about some warm milk?
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I don't know. Probably shouldn't use a stove right now...
[ She might burn herself. Or the whole kitchen... ]
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[ probably not the best combo, but it miiiight help? ]
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Are the stoves here magic too?
[ #drunklogic ]
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Or you can just have some of the soup I'm making. That could probably help too. You shouldn't drink on an empty stomach.
Re: Day 374 or 375
[ Was that one of the things he promised her brother? Her brother.... ]
D'you think Aether's got food to eat?
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