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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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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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when he breaks the kiss and pulls away lumine's chin tips instinctively forward as if to follow him, searching for more, and when her golden eyes flutter open again her pupils are blown wide and dark. her lips tingle with the remaining sensations, remembering the touch of his mouth. ]
A better time?
[ lumine's brows lift higher, and she peers back into his face with mild surprise.
is it because they've been drinking? because she'd been feeling sad? perhaps both of these things? she can't help but wonder if perhaps he thinks he is taking advantage of the timing; it's just like zhongli to care so deeply. it's one of the things she loves most about him. gently, lumine brushes the dark hair from his striking eyes, her thumb coasting over the fine rise of his cheekbone before her arms both lift to slip over his shoulders, a smile curving her mouth as she shakes her head. ]
I hope you're not having regrets.
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yet the touch of her hand is gentle and sweet, pushing the hair from his eyes (though it will inevitably fall in front of them again, with how he leans down to meet her) and smoothing over his cheek. her arms come around his shoulders again and lock him in place, a reassuring weight. she smiles up at him, and despite the heaviness of the conversation, he can't help the thin smile on his lips. she's so cute. ]
My only regret is that I acted on my feelings while drinking, and while you're in a volatile state. You deserve more than a drunken confession.
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part of her can't entirely blame him. neither of them are entirely sober, and perhaps lumine may be feeling a little extra needy tonight, what with the unfortunate news surrounding her brother, but it's not as if her feelings are anything new. she's nurtured them for some time now, and perhaps the drink has made her more bold, but this is not some thoughtless fling cooked up in the heat of the moment and brought on by wine. she suspects the same for him, especially given his choice of words. ]
I'd argue that you deserve better too, you know.
[ it's not as if she's any more sober than he is, after all, but lumine is not so drunk as to not know what she's doing, and with whom she is doing it. she's comfortably tipsy, yes, feeling warm and giddy, but she's in full possession of her faculties. ]
For what it's worth, and if it makes you feel any better, I'm glad you did it.
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here she is now, smiling, holding him, telling him she's glad. his head is light from the wine and his heart full and heavy in his chest, beating incessantly towards her. he doesn't regret this—not in this moment, not for the blissful, affectionate look like the one she offers to him. it's a look he's always wanted. ]
You are more than I deserve.
[ he says it quietly, tucking her hair behind her ear. in his tipsiness, he has half a mind to pull her up onto his lap, relieve the ache in his back, and kiss her breathless. it sounds as if she might let him. ]
It's my hope as well that you won't awaken and regret this tomorrow. ...And if you don't, then I will have to accept how I wasted so much time withholding my feelings for you. I'm not certain which would be worse to endure.
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[ if anything, she hardly deserves him. zhongli is an incredible man, smart and strong and wise beyond his years, with a great, gentle heart full of kindness. lumine is only a girl, silly and reckless, with a messy life and a chaotic streak. she's unbelievably fortunate that he would return her feelings. it still feels dizzying, like a dream.
he hardly has to make the choice to kiss her breathless, for lumine is boldly leaning forward again to seek his mouth with hers, her arms around his shoulders tightening so she can pull nearer to him. she speaks only between long kisses. ]
Silly man.. you talk like this is the worst thing that could happen to you.
[ a light laugh bubbles up against his lips, and lumine slips one hand into zhongli's dark hair, drawing her fingernails against his scalp as she shifts to face him more fully. her free hand moves to his shoulder, leveraging her weight to press him back and down into the comfortable sofa, if he'll allow it. ]
I won't regret it. You don't know how long I've wanted this.
[ longer than she wants to admit, for how foolish she feels for having held back at all. ]
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despite his spoken reservations, zhongli doesn't resist her heavy kisses. he breathes in sharply the moment she presses their mouths together, the sweetness shuddering through him. he tilts his head and, unable to pull away, he answers every kiss, brows knitted in his effort. her laugh is a clear bell in his ears, buzzing against his lips, and he can't help smiling.
the drag of her fingers in his hair nearly reads as wanting. she pushes him down slowly and his body obliges, sliding his legs onto the couch as he turns to lie down. his gaze flickers to hers, half-lidded and darkened as desire pulses in his body. he knows what happens when someone's lowered against a couch. he hadn't imagined this happening so soon, but does he mind? she wanted this for so long, she says. he feels heady with affection and wine. she could do anything to him.
his hands rest on her thighs before he can think to move them elsewhere. his bright, amber eyes search her face, curtained by her pale, yellow hair. ]
Then I will regret all of that time wasted while I wanted you just as much. I can only hope to make up for it.
[ one of his hands slides up to her side, fingertips dipping beneath her shirt to smooth over her skin. soft and lithe, as he had expected. ]
You are so beautiful. [ he murmurs, suggesting that he thought this exact phrase thousands of times before. and he did. he cranes his head forward to kiss her again, closing her lips between his. ]
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when you think about something for so long, that thing begins to feel both close and distant at once, like an old memory it can dance out of your grip like flowing grains of sand. it becomes a strange, idealized thing that can feel unattainable, a dream that will turn to smoke once you grab for it.
but this is real. he is real, and here, beneath her hands. the taste of his mouth is still on her lips. it isn't a dream or a silly fantasy - he feels for her the same things she has felt for him for so very long; it's enough to make her heart tighten painfully behind her ribs. he says such sweet, impossible words that lumine cannot help but laugh, the sound like a breath between their mouths. they might be half-drunk, silly with wine, but that does not make this any less real or valid. her feelings for him will not burn away with the alcohol.
zhongli is so tall he takes up nearly all of the sofa, but lumine is thankfully smaller - there is more than enough room for her to settle herself comfortably in his lap. her knees press to either sides of his hips as she leans down and into him, her arms coiling around his shoulders, her head tilting to once more capture that perfect angle to slot their mouths together.
there are a hundred things she wants to say, all of the things she has held behind her teeth for so long - but rather than speak them she says them instead with the roll of her body, and her slim fingers slipping into his dark hair. she says them with her teeth sinking gently into the tender flesh of his lower lip. she says them in the way she breathes, low and rough between warm, deep kisses. he's flooding her senses, until all she can feel and smell and taste is him. ]
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