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modern au shenanigans!!
[ from here.
zhongli will be happy to know that things are, in fact, hygienic. save perhaps for the dirty dishes. like as not her trash needs to go out, also..
nevertheless! she knows very well that he is teasing, but she falls for the fake guilt trip regardless, quickly taking the few steps between them to throw herself against his back, her arms winding tight around his middle, and as she presses her face into his coat, she smiles. he feels warm and familiar, and already she is so thankful that he agreed to see her tonight, despite his rather considerable workload. ]
Please. Don't think you're getting out of this so easily!
[ how long has it been since last she'd been able to see him, anyway? they keep in contact daily, but they're both so damnably busy that it's difficult to find the time, despite the fact that they live in the same city. the end of semester crunch is quite brutal. lumine laughs, light and musical, and she would hook her chin over his shoulder if not for their substantial difference in height - instead she nudges her nose to his shoulderblade. he agreed to keep her company tonight, there's nothing he could say or do to get himself out of it, now! her voice softens. ]
No matter how cute you are when you pout. Are you upset that I greeted the food before you?
[ she's just so hungry. ]
zhongli will be happy to know that things are, in fact, hygienic. save perhaps for the dirty dishes. like as not her trash needs to go out, also..
nevertheless! she knows very well that he is teasing, but she falls for the fake guilt trip regardless, quickly taking the few steps between them to throw herself against his back, her arms winding tight around his middle, and as she presses her face into his coat, she smiles. he feels warm and familiar, and already she is so thankful that he agreed to see her tonight, despite his rather considerable workload. ]
Please. Don't think you're getting out of this so easily!
[ how long has it been since last she'd been able to see him, anyway? they keep in contact daily, but they're both so damnably busy that it's difficult to find the time, despite the fact that they live in the same city. the end of semester crunch is quite brutal. lumine laughs, light and musical, and she would hook her chin over his shoulder if not for their substantial difference in height - instead she nudges her nose to his shoulderblade. he agreed to keep her company tonight, there's nothing he could say or do to get himself out of it, now! her voice softens. ]
No matter how cute you are when you pout. Are you upset that I greeted the food before you?
[ she's just so hungry. ]
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ah. so he hadn't been wrong.
in just a few years, lumine and zhongli fashioned a close friendship that seemed built on a lifetime of acquaintanceship. zhongli is already innately observant; before his thesis grew from a nibbling goldfish to the great and gulping koi it was, he learned to recognize the cues in her slightest movements—the flitting of her gaze, the nervous tapping of her fingers, her sudden departures. when she was under duress, zhongli was the one who simply appeared at her side with the perfect cup of tea, a warm and thoughtful pastry, and a humble request to enjoy a promenade on the campus grounds with her.
zhongli's emotions were always measured and uncomplicated, and while lumine could be guarded, she was always more expressive and alive. for him, it was easy to notice when she lost her luster.
leaving the plastic bag and it's contents behind on the table, zhongli pushes himself to stand and watches after lumine as she retreats into the kitchen. he quietly follows behind her, crossing his arms over his chest.
he leans his shoulder against the doorframe to the kitchen, watching her intently but not without care. ]
Will you tell me what happened?
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It's -
[ nothing, she wants to say, but instead she only hesitates.
zhongli knows her only too well, and she knows that he will not pry if she stands firm, but he will still be watching her with those eyes that she will crumple beneath each and every time. it's not that she doesn't trust him, she trusts him with her very life, but lumine isn't always the most forthcoming of people where her more tender emotions are involved. she'd much rather brush it off, get to eating and drinking, and be done with it. anything else feels like an insult to her pride and strength.
she sighs. ]
It's just.. my brother.
[ she finally concedes, her fingers tightening around the plates, her amber gaze turned pointedly away. ]
I found him.
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when she says it, those molten eyes go wide and his arms come uncrossed. he stares quietly, carefully arranging his words, and then he strides over to her silently.
with both hands, he carefully takes the ends of the plates in her grip. there's gentle encouragement to give them to him, let someone else bear the weight for now. she can resist, of course.
he watches her with a measured gaze, not overly concerned or surprised. he simply listens, already assessing what she might need from him. ]
How?
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The.. posters, if you would believe it.
[ it should be well known to zhongli by now that aether is the very reason she came to study in this city to begin with - she sought to further her education, of course, but she could have done that anywhere. her brother was here, or at the very least.. all leads had pointed in the direction of liyue harbor.
so she had followed him, and built for herself a life here, though as time passed and the leads grew cold, lumine was more and more assured that she would never find him, that her search was pointless.
until it wasn't. ]
He.. um. He didn't..
[ gods, she can't even put it into words. shame washes over her, and she releases her hold on the plates, looking pointedly away from zhongli's gentle, knowing gaze. he always sees right through her. it isn't as if she does not trust him, she trusts him with anything, with everything, but admitting aloud that her brother refused her is painful, shameful. ]
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he stands tall again, setting his eyes on lumine's whether or not she returned his gaze. his hold is gentle and firm, his thumb brushing soothingly over her skin. she was among a friend who cared deeply for her.
softly: ] You don't have to say more if you'd prefer not to.
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his gentle words and the warmth of his hand threaten to undo her, and lumine feels hot tears prick her eyes - she blinks them away rapidly, and takes a deep breath. there are few things she dislikes more than feeling weak and pitiful. ]
It's all right. He just.. didn't want to come home. That's all.
[ that's all, as if those words hadn't broken her heart in two, as if aether's uncharacteristically cold demeanor hadn't torn her apart. another deep breath, and she rests her hand over his own, lacing their fingers together. he was meant to be here to enjoy a fine night of food and drink together, not for her to spill her weary pain onto. ]
Let's eat. The food is going to get cold.
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of course she would want to convince zhongli that she was all right, and also herself that the pain wasn't so great. that's all. the finality of it breaks zhongli's heart, though he knows it isn't true.
his fingers unravel from hers, only for him to slide and fold his arms gently around her shoulders. he steps forward and draws her to his chest, ducking his head down to her hair. for her, this hug is the first of its kind. it feels necessary. ]
I'm sorry for what's happened. If you should ever want to talk in detail or tell someone your feelings, know that I will always lend a listening ear. ...I'm glad to be here with you. We'll enjoy ourselves tonight.
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zhongli has always been far too perceptive for his own good, and lumine far too expressive. her body language alone always gives her away, and while she might be able to fool others, there is no fooling zhongli. his eyes see past her skin and straight into her heart and mind. he's always been this way.
and his arms - his arms feel so warm..
tears fill her eyes, and lumine turns her face against his chest, squeezing her stinging eyes shut, both hands coming to bunch up in his shirt. he's so steady, solid as a mountain and just as unflappable, solemn and kind and impenetrable. how does he manage to be so good, so strong? she'll never understand. ]
Yeah..
[ her voice is tearful, quiet, but there's an underline of gratitude that runs strong. sniffling, she exhales a shuddering breath against him. ]
I'm glad you're here, too. Thank you.
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when she grasps his shirt and squeezes, zhongli's grip slowly tightens around her. she was strong, yet she seems so narrow as she pushes her forehead against him. he waits, raising his hand to settle it against the back of her hair. her words are watery, her sniffs sharp and staccato. he can feel some hot tears seeping into his shirt; he ignores it.
a moment of quiet, and then zhongli gently takes her by the shoulders. he draws away from her, enough to offer a warm smile. he could say more about the aether situation. that can be saved for another, less fragile time. ]
Allow me to bring the plates and silverware. You can take a seat.
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swallowing thickly, lumine scrubs at her red-rimmed eyes with both hands, her face flushed and puffy. she feels silly.. but comfortable. his gaze is heavy, but she knows there is no judgment in it. ]
All right.
[ she doesn't fight it, even though she kind of wants to. he wants to be of assistance, and far be it for her to deny him the chance. she knows how it feels to see someone you care for in pain, how helpless it can feel. so lumine leaves him to it, offering a weak smile before she brushes past him and moves back into the living area, to the sofa, where she can take a few moments to collect herself. ]
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he follows after her shortly, silverware and wine opener stacked on the plates. two wine glasses are held carefully in one hand, crossed at the necks. a paper towel is folded between two of his fingers, which he offers to her before sitting down. ]
For your eyes. I'll open the wine for us. Would you like to watch something as we eat?
( which we can time skip through till we get to the drinking! unless you wanna play it out! )
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the food is, of course, delicious, and its fine taste combined with even better company has her smiling again in no time. thoughts of her brother still dance at the back of her mind, but that is nothing new, lumine has experience with pushing them into the dark corners of her mind, to be addressed at a later time. tonight, she simply wants to enjoy zhongli's company over fine food, and a few episodes of the new girl. they sample one another's meals, enjoy two glasses of wine, and it isn't long before she is laughing with him, the mood bright and easy once more. having him over was an excellent idea.
and then, of course, it comes time for the laundry!
which is far less exciting in general, but made much more fun with company and good drink. lumine brings out the first big basket, setting it onto the floor beside the sofa, and they get started, folding it into little piles on the coffee table. of course it is not long before they encounter the correct criteria. ]
Inside-out sock!
[ she takes a healthy gulp of wine. ]
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it's both sweet and sullen, though zhongli makes no show of it. not for now. maybe when they're deeper into the evening, when their drunkenness ebbs and the velvet dark of night reaches into them and coaxes out their secrets. what would she tell him? and what might he admit to?
instead he smiles, jokes, discusses, clears the table, uncorks more wine. the buzz of the wine gently creeps into his temples; the alcohol content is heavy, even for him.
anyway, it's laundry time. (thankfully her unmentionables were already picked out of her laundry and placed in an opaque mesh bag, which she'd already deposited in her room.) zhongli smiles and takes a long, steady drink of his wine. he's getting a little more reckless with how he tips back his glass. is it even safe to drink red wine when you're doing laundry? probably not.
zhongli slips out a pair of shorts from the basket. he searches the pockets, as he's done with each pair of pants he's brought out, and he pulls out a dollar bill folded into fourths and a stick of chapstick. he leaves them in his palm, looking back to lumine with a smile. ]
I believe that two drinks are in order.
[ they may just barely make it to the end of the basket, but who knows. he lays the items on the coffee table. ]
I remember how you would sometimes search your pockets and always manage to draw something from them that you'd forgotten about. I wonder if I should have brought an extra bottle for tonight.
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Oh! I was looking for that..
[ like any other respectable person, lumine can't hold on to a tube of chapstick to save her life, and now that it has gone through both the washer and the dryer cycles, well.. like as not, it is doomed. she'll have to buy yet another stick. lifting it from the table, she uncaps the tube to find only a sticky, gummy, cherry scented mess inside. lumine sticks out her lower lip.
but then she laughs. her face is warm from the wine in her belly. ]
It might be for the best that you didn't, but I have a backup bottle in the fridge.
[ it's hardly the quality he would likely desire, certainly not so good as what he has brought -
but where are those who share the memory- but it shall certainly get the job done. once you're in your cups, lower quality alcohol tends to go down more easily, and lumine is at least one-and-a-half sheets to the wind at this point. her head feels comfortably fuzzy, she laughs often and easily, and thoughts of her brother are at a minimum; they can't hurt her, not right now, not when she has a healthy buzz and the best company she could ask for.plucking out a camisole, she begins to fold it, but her hands are definitely a little clumsier than usual. ]
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zhongli's smile grows during the chapstick debacle. she's so cute.
she's right about the wine quality. at least zhongli might not mention that it's up to par out of sheer politeness to her. beggars can't be choosers, and zhongli doesn't get drunk often. he would only do so with someone he trusted—and more for the sake of comradery than anything else. she won't be getting drunk alone tonight.
zhongli takes his two long drinks and then carefully, slowly rests his glass back on his coaster. he watches the staggering lumine struggling with the camisole, and with a fond look in his eye, he walks over to her. ]
Here.
[ he leans down and, gently knocking his shoulders to hers, he reaches for her hands. he picks the camisole from her fingertips, palms resting on her knuckles, and he gently draws it away.
there's a gentle warmth where they briefly touched. her hands are soft. ]
I wonder about your alleged victory in this game. You know that I drink wine often.
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lumine watches in muted curiosity when zhongli stands and approaches, gently taking the camisole from her hands, and she can only laugh. ]
Hey.. I can do it!
[ she's just a little clumsy, that's all. but her smile is alive with warm fondness when she looks up toward him, and it is a smile that reaches her eyes, lighting them up with appreciation. his presence is more of a comfort than she could possibly give words to, it quiets the deep worry in her heart; he certainly cannot solve her myriad problems - and she would not want him to - but his gentle care helps to heal her wounds nonetheless. ]
-- and like I said! So long as I don't black out, I'll consider it a win, right? Just having you here is a win.
[ reaching upward, lumine snags his wrist to tug him onto the sofa beside her, coiling both of her arms around one of his and leaning her weight into his side. he's warm, and smells good, earthy and clean and familiar. lumine's voice lowers, softens, her head coming to rest against his upper arm. ]
.. really. I'm glad you came.
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his smile falls away from the surprise, the camisole still caught in his hand. he looks over to her at his side, wrapped tightly around his arm with her warm cheek on his shoulder.
her hands are chilled from the wine. he acts on his inclination to raise his free hand and place it over one of hers. his hand is large and warm, showing only a strip of skin on her wrist and her fingertips.
he realizes too late that this might be too tender, but for an indescribable reason, he doesn't pull it away. he only watches her thoughtfully, his mouth drawn into a soft line. ]
I am glad to be here with you.
[ he speaks softly. maybe he shouldn't say this, but his lips have loosened. ]
I did not want for you to be alone tonight.
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lumine is an affectionate person by nature, though only with those she is closest to. it is not like her to reach to touch those she does not know well, but with zhongli it is easy, she cares for him, she trusts him, though the wine is certainly making her bolder, more open. it does not help that he makes it so easy, with his gentle smiles and calm demeanor, with his tender touch and sweet, quiet words.
something flutters behind her ribs, and lumine smiles against his sleeve. ]
That's very sweet of you.
[ to say that he has been her rock since she arrived in the city would be an understatement. since the moment they met they have gotten along, and she has leaned on him more than she would like to admit. he was the first person to whom she opened up about her brother, the only person she trusts enough to spill her heart to, his presence has been steady in her life, even if they do not often get to spend time together. it doesn't matter. the time they do have is always worthwhile. ]
If I'm honest, I didn't want to be alone, either.
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that same creature flits beneath his ribs, a butterfly leaving glittering golden traces behind it. he watches her smiling, and he quietly regrets how small she is compared to him. he would rest his head on her hair if he could.
his thumb gently glides on the side of her hand, over and over. he lets the camisole go free between them, and it slides from the couch and onto the ground. his smile ebbs away. ]
If you ever need company, [ he says without really thinking deeply about it, not regretting it, because it just feels right— ] I will come to you if you ask for me, no matter the circumstance.
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but then, that's nothing new, is it? this dance is nothing new, is it?
they have been navigating this strange relationship for a long time, never quite pushing past friendship, flirting with something more yet never taking the plunge. it would be a lie for lumine to say she had never thought about it. how could she not? he's handsome, elegant, and more than that he is patient and kind - there is much to love about him - and lumine has never been particularly shy when it comes to pursuing those she is attracted to.
yet she hesitates, with him. what they have is already so good, she does not want to take the risk that might ruin what they are. she does not want to lose him. ]
Please. I would keep you all to myself if that were true.
[ she would have him over every day, every night, if she could, if only to savor his company. lifting her head from his arm at last, lumine chances a look into his face, her bright eyes searching, a smile curving her mouth. ]
But.. I appreciate it. I hope you know that I would do the same, right?
looks at all my typos in my last tag and spits blood
he's reminded of this when she looks up at him, eyes refracting the light from the window, smile wide and only for him. she's caring and bold, intelligent and kind and even-tempered, the perfect melding of optimism and realism in tense situations. and she's arrestingly beautiful. there was a time when zhongli was convinced that her heart belonged elsewhere; she'd surprisingly, unthinkably turned down the foreigner's advances for unconvincing reasons.
he holds her fingers a little more tightly, staring down silently to those amber eyes. what was worth losing this? how does one survive without the sun?
those two last hits of alcohol finally reach him, leaving him heady and wavering in his resolve. what if that sun isn't eclipsed? what if it burns even brighter for him, and he is the lotus always rising to meet it?
he slips his fingers from between hers, reaching instead to push the hair from her face, his fingertips trailing to her neck. he's still unsmiling, softly focused on her eyes. he murmurs: ]
If I were to keep you to myself, would you allow me that?
LMAO NO gently wipes ur mouth.. fwiw i didn't even notice them!!
something warm tightens around her heart like a fist, her belly roiling with apprehension and anticipation both; that he could possibly return her attraction is not a thought that she has ever entertained. zhongli seems to be everything she is not - patient, steady, wise.. lumine feels like an absolute mess of a human being in comparison with how put together he always seems to be, solid as stone and just as reliable. she'd felt fortunate enough that he wanted even to be her friend.
but she's experienced enough to translate the meaning behind his words, behind his golden eyes, and the touch that glides down her neck. lumine tenses nearly imperceptibly, her eyes flickering as they search his own. briefly, her gaze falls to his mouth, and she leans forward instinctively before meeting his eyes again. ]
You..
[ she starts, then stops, her face flushing hot where it was already warm from drink. her hold on his arm loosens, both hands fluttering to rest upon his chest, her touch soft, but bold, as her fingers slip up to touch his jaw. his skin feels so warm beneath her fingertips. they've been physically close before, and each time had lit a little spark in her breast, but this is.. this is different. her throat is running dry, yet lumine smiles, her eyelids lowering, softening her gaze. ]
You're not going to regret asking me that tomorrow, are you?
😭 i'm glad
she blushes hard, lets him go, but those hands find their way even closer to him. he turns his body to hers, his eyes never leaving her face. those sliding hands leave shivering warmth trailing behind them, tightening his throat, up to where they finally rest on his jaw. she gently coaxes him to stay—never forcing, allowing him to withdraw—but the hope in her eyes anchors him down.
she feels the same as he does. it shouldn't be so unbelievable, knowing how long they've skirted around the other, how all the pieces were slotting into place. he loves that small smile and meets it with his own, his eyes half-lidded. there's a pleasant light-headedness, but he isn't unconscious of what's happening. he's always wanted this, and only now feels safe in taking it.
(is this a good idea while she's so emotionally vulnerable? probably not at all. he should know better.)
his hands hesitantly reach for her: one brushes his fingers at her sides before he rests his palm on the small of her back. the other curls his finger under her chin, holding it upwards to meet him. ]
Never. [ he murmurs again, only half-knowing. he softens his mouth before craning his head and kissing her deeply. ]
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but then his mouth finds hers, and it all melts away.
she's thought about this before. about what it might be like to kiss him. all the times he has ever held her, all the times they have been close yet not close enough - and sometimes when she is alone, smiling at a message she received from him. sometimes, too, when she has trouble sleeping and she wonders what he might be doing, if he's burning the midnight oil with his studies, or lying awake just like her. each time she had driven the thought from her mind, save for a few, special times when she would entertain it, nurse it, allow herself the privilege of imagining it.
now, she does not have to imagine it. his mouth is over hers, warm and soft and welcoming, and a soft, plaintive sound moves in her throat before lumine's lips part over his own, her head tilting just so, until their mouths slot together perfectly. her hands rise a little higher so she can clasp to his jaw more securely, holding him to her as if she never wants for him to stop. he tastes good, like warmth and wine. the kiss breaks, but only for the moment, her lips still brushing his as she speaks. ]
You had better mean that.
[ even if he doesn't..
even if he doesn't, she thinks it will still have been worth it to kiss him, to feel this close to him, if only for one night. she was a fool to think that anything could come between them - even were he to think differently in the morning, she's sure that their friendship would persevere. nudging forward, she finds his mouth again. ]
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that small hum on her lips is a tether, shuddering through his body, drawing him towards her. his skin is warm under her hands, and her lips are impossibly soft as they close and open and drag against his. he leans forward to meet them preemptively, kissing softly and quickly like he couldn't resist, because he can't. there's the tang of wine, the sweetness of their dessert, the clean taste of water, all of them hers.
she murmurs, and they kiss again, and it sends a flurry of feeling under his ribs. the hand beneath her chin slides over her cheek, fingertips sieved into her hair, thumb following the curve of her face. he draws the kiss out, savoring her taste and the feeling of her lips. when it finally, inevitably breaks, he resists the urge to to start it all over again. he pulls back to look at her, his eyes half-lidded, darkened, full of affection. ]
Perhaps... [ he swallows, searching her eyes. he can't help but be half-conscious of this. the pad of his thumb touches the edge of her lip. ] Perhaps I should have waited for a better time.
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