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[childeishly]

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day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[childeishly]

[ scaramouche had invited childe ( and zhongli ) to baritones following five and emet's departure. all three of them had been at the graduation, so it hadn't been hard for childe to find and invite him over too. he's keeping it together, but that's mostly because he's feeling so unbelievably numb. zhongli and scaramouche aside, five and hades had been the most important people to him throughout his stay here... and now they're both gone. ]

[ yeah yeah,
visiting... but it's not the same thing. ]

[ there's a maelstrom of emotions building beneath that thick blanket of numb, but when it'll reach its limit, who knows. for now, childe's just taken a seat on the floor of whatever room they're occupying, one leg drawn up to his chest so he can rest his chin on his knee and stare into the void. ]

What a day.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[abovefate]

[ he's not doing well either given that cosmo also fucked off right behind Emet, but hey. He's trying his best. He will also have lead them both to the garden Childe gifted to him ]

Mmm. Maybe we can just sleep the rest of it away.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[childeishly]

[ he half wishes they had gone to wild city, because at least he has a fighting simulator there and he wouldn't feel bad about trashing the place when he inevitably snaps, but he'll just have to keep a lid on everything until he goes back home. that shouldn't be too hard... probably. ]

I don't think one afternoon is going to be enough to shake these feelings.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[abovefate]

I'm already done shaking them.

[ HE IS NOT ]

Is there something you'd like to do to help with them?

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[childeishly]

If that damn room upgrade I had put in for over a month ago would get approved I would say there, but... [ he grits his teeth, clearly unable to keep all of his agitation from seeping out. ] No. I don't know what I want to do. I'm sure I shouldn't sit here and stew, but I can't think of anything else... [ fishing. ice fishing. he should clear his head. ]

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[abovefate]

... Mm. Baritones is going to feel lonely for a while, so I wanted to keep you here.

Is there nothing we can do in this room?

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[childeishly]

...you did lose a lot of people recently. I can stay for a few nights. I just need to pop back over to Wild City, so I don't go grey. [ ... ] We could play a game. [ what game, he has no idea, but there isn't much to be done in here. not that he can think of anyway. ] Would you want to do that?

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[abovefate]

It's just me and Yvette now.

A game is fine.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[leaveofabsence]

[ Zhongli follows into the garden a few minutes later as he's bringing in a basket of things he ordered in case they do hole up in here for a while. The majority of it is water, a variety of Inazuma style snacks, and firewater and sake even though Scara could supply. It's probably best that neither of them have to do anything right now.

Scara also gets a blanket set down next to him ]

A rest might help with the initial shock if there is nothing pressing to be dealt with.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[abovefate]

I'm not shocked. If anything everything that happened was entirely predictable.

[ and he looks extra grumpy now, thinking about it. But he'll take the blanket and hog it for himself immediately ]

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[leaveofabsence]

[ Pours out a cup of warm sake and sets it next to him. He pours some of the coffee from the graduation for himself ]

Do you think they were ready to leave?

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[abovefate]

They left, so they probably were. But how infuriating ... leaving Yvette behind like this.

[ going to take that cup and down it IMMEDIATELY ]

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[leaveofabsence]

[ It just magically gets refilled as if Zhongli has had a lot of practice doing this with another drunk old mangod. ]

It is alright for you to also be upset that they left as well.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[leaveofabsence]

[ Zhongli comes to drape a blanket over his shoulders before sitting next to him, wrapping one arm around him ]

Partings are never easy even if you know you will see them again.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[childeishly]

[ childe kind of low-key hates that he changed his animal, if only for the fact that he can't turn into a fox, climb into zhongli's lap, and continue talking. he'll just have to stay himself for now. ]

Even though I knew it was coming I still wasn't fully prepared.

But I don't know. Nothing in this place is certain. It's just like... It's just like when they took you away.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[leaveofabsence]

[ After a few moments of deliberation, Zhongli pulls Childe into his lap anyway, stroking his hair as if he were a fox. Which-- well, he is in some ways. His tall many-tailed fox. ]

It is not quite the same, is it? As graduates, they'll have much greater freedom than I did as part of the production. Though I know that is not the same as having them where you may visit them on a moment's notice.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[childeishly]

[ childe goes into his lap easily. he lays his head on his chest and listens to the steady thrum of his heart as he's petted. ] ...no, but it's not like I can pop over whenever I feel like it, and even if they say they'll visit who knows if they'll have the time or be able to when they finally do. I'm sure the rules of that hell change on a whim. [ he sighs. ] I... hnf, I just... I'm happy for them, I am, I... [ just grumbles. ]

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[leaveofabsence]

[ Adjusts the blankets so they are wrapped around the both of them and the petting can continue. ]

You can be happy for them and sad for yourself at the same time. Those feelings are not mutually exclusive. Nor do they have to be rational.

I know you know they both will miss you terribly.

Re: day 512, @BARiTONES - post graduation

[childeishly]

[ going too attempt to use his foot to drag the fire water bottle zhongli got for him over. being sober is being sad, and he doesn't want to be sad. ] ...well, I am sad, sad and annoyed. And this just has me thinking about when one of us graduates. I don't want to go without either of you and I don't want to be left behind a second time. [ but let's not even go there. he manages to get it close enough that he can snatch it up. ] You bought it, Xiansheng, so you get first sip. That's tradition. [ or something. ]

it's time for monopoly.

[childeishly]

[ he sets the board down and moves the 'bank' off to the side and then starts staring down the pieces. wtf. ] ...these don't feel very monopoly. [ yes, he's using that as a noun, verb, basically everything at this point. he's buzzed, so everything is monopoly. ] I'm picking the battleship. [ going to quickly take it before anybody else gets any ideas. clearly it's the most coveted piece. ]

[ sets it down on go and looks to scaramouche. ] ...what now. Ptichka, you read the rules, don't we get money? Here, Xiansheng. [ going to pass off the pieces for zhongli to select one. ]

[ should prob. have a posting order for this. ]

Re: it's time for monopoly.

[abovefate]

[ he has read the rules but did he retain anything? NO ]

You - you don't get money for anything. But I get money for every piece you put on the board.

Re: it's time for monopoly.

[leaveofabsence]

[ He self-assigns Scaramouche the hat and himself the wheelbarrow while they are in discussion. He was gonna give Childe the warship but it looks like he already has that in hand. ]

Oh.

Are you the government in this scenario?

[ Has yet to read the rules ]

Re: it's time for monopoly.

[childeishly]

What, no, I at least know that’s *not* how it works. [ he’s going to reach across and try to snatch the instructions from Scaramouche. ]

We have to hop around the board and buy property and try to make everybody else lose all their money. That’s how you win, a hostile monopoly takeover. [ he has little idea what he’s talking about. ]

Re: it's time for monopoly.

[abovefate]

Why can't I be the government? Zhongli is asking. I should be the goverment.

Re: it's time for monopoly.

[leaveofabsence]

A fair question. If you are to also play the role of the "bank" then surely there needs to be regulations in place.