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"pictures?" he asks, sounding almost like he doesn't know what a kamera is. which, of course kaminari KNOWS what one is; he owns one himself ― but the thought of snapping pictures of bastet hadn't actually occured to him.
"she...well. she's a cat. black, sleek, and if i catch cyno trying to play genius invokation with her again, i'm mixing up his cardbacks."
"What a lovely name! Do you...do you happen to have taken any pictures of her? What's her personality like?"
@oficeandwind
"it was never personal," kami mutters. he's STILL keeping people at arm's length. either people want to try to win him over, or want to kick him down and scorn him for the things he's done. it's always a toss up as to what kind of encounter he'll face, and it's easier to keep everyone at bay, rather than put himself through more misery.
"if you're interested, i could continue that tradition with you." it's a joke, mostly. he's still vastly guarded against the knave, not trusting her intentions, or even KNOWING what she wants this time around. he vaguely remembers that she hails from fontaine initially. he remembers when she was given the title of harbinger for...he can't be bothered to try and remember what happened back then. something about an orphanage, that's all he cares to know.
"i've been well." there's a shift in his tone now. straightening up a little, though letting his arms fall from their crossed position. he's not sure if he's relaxing, or throwing up his mental walls anymore. he's never been good with small talk, especially with his former colleagues. he recognizes she's being GENUINE, but with her internal whims ever a mystery with him, kaminari isn't sure if she's trying to milk him for information, or if she's trying to offer an olive branch. either prospect still terrifies him.
"...i've seen better days," he continues. if arlecchino is going to be civil, then kami supposes he can play along for now. she's not yet fishing for private information, or prying too deep into what he's learned since switching allegiances. as long as this conversation stays surface level, he supposes he can return the 'kindness'. "being tortured by dottore had its downsides." he looks sideways at her.
"―and yourself?"
She lets a slow breath escape her. « Still guarded, I see. » Her voice lacks its usual sharp edge, and instead carries a tone of quiet curiosity.
One thing for certain is that even despite his departure — he was being the same level of standoffish as she remembers, but there's something different to the way he carries his words now. There is a bite to them, but a more reserved bite. She remembers a time when he’d revel in being contrarian, pushing back against everyone’s expectations just for the thrill of it. He was always the one to provoke, to stir things up just to see how far he could push the boundaries. Now, though, he seemed more… restrained.
Her head turns slightly so that her eyes may lower and meet with his own (though that hat certainly made it more difficult for eye contact). « You were always a bit of an enigma, » she says, the faintest of smiles ghosting her face. « Even when you were The Balladeer, you kept everyone at arm's length, didn’t you? » There’s no malice in her words, just a strange sense of... nostalgia. She crosses her arms, though not in a threatening display, simply more out of habit than anything else.
Her gaze returns to the fountain for a short moment, if only to carefully think of her following choice of words. Upon doing so, her eyes fall back onto him.
« Have you been well? » Her tone now shifts from that previous curiosity, now genuine — unusually warm for the person she is. « I have no reason to be offended if my harmless question comes as a surprise. I've never bothered to ask you that before, after all. »
"uh huh," chongyun says absently, leading the way to the body of water. "i'll just tell my whole body not to succumb to human limitations. even though i'm human." there's an upward curl of their lips that ren can't see, as chongyun's back is to him.
they also pause here, standing still for a moment to allow ren to catch up. "hey ren? i have another question." the conversation is changed, dropped for something much more DEVIOUS. the smirk on chongyun's face grows wider as they snatch ren's wrist firmly, using their free hand to casually drop their claymore on the ground.
"remind me again, what does water smell like?"
chongyun charges forward, lunging into the water and dragging ren with him.
there's a brief pause, a moment of consideration — the wanderer's face is so expressive that it's clear the instant the grin's intention CLICKS. features settle into a playful look accordingly; head tipping back, one thin brow arching. ❝ in that case, maybe you should just CHOOSE not to be poisoned next time. ❞ ren tells them, tone dismissive to the point of clear parody. ❝ surely you can do that, can't you? stop being and susceptible to deadly substances —change starts with YOU. ❞
a joke, obviously. he isn't so oblivious about the finer intricacies of human bodies — quite the OPPOSITE. still, it can be fun to play the out of touch immortal from time to time. ( it feels like a jab at his past self. )
he follows their gaze towards the water, eyes bright with poorly concealed curiosity. ❝ dinner and a show? interesting. ❞ ren certainly isn't complaining — for once. he's never required food to survive, never felt the gnawing of hunger in the pit of his nonexistent stomach, but he's still acquired a peculiar fondness for FISH nonetheless. ❝ knock yourself out. i'll be the judge of your culinary prowess — just don't expect me to hand over any bonus points out of pity. ❞
"you―" kami growls when cyno walks off. kaminari knows he's meant to follow, but he's doing so with aggravation. he's huffing and muttering to himself under his breath. while NORMALLY, kami would find cyno's puns hilarious (or as hilarious as they can be without actually making him laugh), he's not in the mood for it now. kami's mind is still distracted on trying to learn about stoats and how to actually care for them.
"you're officially banned from telling jokes," kami retorts. he has zero actual authority to carry out such a punishment, and even nahida would overrule him; she'd probably even go the extra mile and order cyno to annoy kami in every manner the general finds fitting. "i have... i can get tighnari on my side. banned."
"Maybe they enjoy a healthy breakfast, like fruit jam on a slice of stoat-sted bread."
Immediate. Spontaneous. Absolutely lethal. Was that a cold chill breezing through the room just now?
"I'm talking about toasted bread, of course. But stoat and toast sound quite similar. You served me that joke on a silver platter." Cyno took a moment to huff a chuckle under his breath, before walking off, ready to get a move on. He was on a mission, after all.
the explosion almost sends chongyun spinning, being launched away. he barely clings onto the bank though, digging his fingers into the roots hidden beneath for some sort of grip. if ren wants to use his vision for these shenanigans, chongyun can use theirs too.
they freeze whatever bits of water they can, more to shield chongyun from any further chaos in the water. by the time things start settling, chongyun can see that ren is already standing ashore, dry. there's a brief scowl on chongyun's face; THEY'RE covered in mud and still soaking wet.
they're practically CRAWLING out of the water now, brushing mud off their clothes and flicking it toward the ground. "you asshole," chongyun whines, though his tone is lighthearted. "what if i'd gone over a...a waterfall or something?"
there is no waterfall near this body of water. it's JUST a lake.
still, he's sitting down, and taking his jacket off to ring it out, maybe rinse it off again. "admittedly, i think i did have that coming. i forgot how strong your anemo is." they grin up at ren though. "i'd do it again in a heartbeat though."
this time, his guard is up — and so when the exorcist scoops up a handful of muck mumbling vaguely about such filthy things ( wet dirt ) ren already knows what they're planning. ❝ chongyun. ❞ he lurches away, but his flowy attire is entirely SATURATED and it's difficult to maneuver with even a modicum of his usual fluidity. hands raise defensively, and there's a curious cocktail of rage and genuine fear painting itself across the wanderer's countenance. ❝ don't you dare. ❞ no. no. no. ❝ IF YOU GET MY CLOTHES DIRTY, I WILL KILL YOU. ❞
regrettably, chongyun does dare. ren shrieks in a manner he will absolutely REFUSE to acknowledge later and responds in kind. a flick of the wrist, a burst of anemo striking the water — and the small pond EXPLODES as if a particularly large stone has been dropped in its center. now they're even more drenched than before; that's just great.
... it's strange. he feels almost normal right now.
dropping that thought as though it were a hot coal, ren rises to his feet and stomps out of the water. he spreads his arms and looks down at his clothes, wrinkling his nose at the sight of them — though another gust of wind seemingly repels the moisture, scattering countless shimmering droplets every which way. ( suspiciously, the majority fly in chongyun's direction. )
"And when's the last time you slept?" (for Chongyun)
What's he supposed to tell Hu Tao? They're not used to being confronted so directly over what should have been obvious from the beginning ― even if Chongyun would rather they never said anything.
"Uh." Chongyun blinks slowly at her, before lifting a hand and glancing downward, to PHYSICALLY count his fingers. "Two...nights ago?" Two days, really, as Chongyun has the unfortunate habit of working through the night. "I napped," he continues to explain, hastily. "Please don't yell at me, I know this is a terrible habit. People just keep commissioning me, and I hate to let them down."
Chongyun makes a mental note to sleep later, or at least take an extended nap. He has a feeling that if not Hu Tao, then Xingqiu definitely would.
there are TWO THINGS that stand out to chongyun: first, that ren knows the dendro archon, and is seemingly on good terms with her. second, that ren...doesn't have experience with his anemo? chongyun is confused. he'd known ren for a long time now, and never once considered where he'd come from.
"you...you're friends with lord kusanali?" chongyun asks. he'd never thought to ask ren anything personal before, but perhaps that should have happened long ago. "which means you come from sumeru, right?" their gaze drifts down to the vision on ren's chest, head tilting slightly to the side. for the moment, chongyun forgets they're covered in mud.
"...how long have you had it?" chongyun's had his cryo for so long now, years. being without it makes him feel almost naked. he can't even remember a time where it wasn't around.
❝ hmm? ❞ he purposefully doesn't look at them — pretending instead to be far more preoccupied with the state of his clothes. his very dry, very spotless clothes. ( he can only imagine what ENVY the exorcist must feel! ) ❝ i would have caught you. ❞ the wanderer replies, as if the answer should have been OBVIOUS. well — isn't it? chongyun is one of the few people he truly likes, one of the few people he genuinely considers a FRIEND. admitting as much outright isn't always easy, however; particularly not when the conversation at hand is so light and unserious. ❝ after all, lord kusanali would be upset if i let an innocent human perish under my watch ... and i really don't want to get another LECTURE. ❞ ren turns just enough for chongyun to catch a glimpse of the little smile playing upon his lips; clearly he's only kidding.
attention then flicks to his hand. ❝ i'm trying to get better at controlling it ... but admittedly, doing so can be easier said than done. ❞ RAW POWER isn't an issue — rather, it's attempting to tame that which embodies freedom itself to bend to his will. it can be hard to done it down, pull his punches — in a manner of speaking. ❝ comparatively, i've barely had much time to learn how to use anemo at all. ❞ whereas he has centuries' worth of experience wielding electro ...
turning around, ren shoots him another smile — this one blatantly unapologetic in how insincere it is. ❝ enough about that. ❞ enough about that. ❝ didn't you promise me a meal? ❞
chongyun almost feels bad for prying now. even if the information was GIVEN so unintentionally and effortlessly, chongyun can sense the discomfort rolling off of ren in waves. for a moment there's a shared sense of awkwardness coming from both of them, leaving them in a near silence.
chongyun doesn't like not knowing things about their friends, but they like even less that friends aren't comfortable SHARING things about their lives either. for example, chongyun isn't about to just up and talk about how he knows ren is from inazuma initially (it's all over the clothing). chongyun's brain is currently trying to figure out WHAT he can touch up on that won't send ren screaming the opposite direction.
"your relationship with lord kusanali ― it sounds like my partnership with adeptus xiao." that's a safe topic to start with. xiao, while chongyun has a great deal of respect for the adeptus, it's always been clear that xiao and chongyun have a master/protege type relationship, with chongyun learning everything he can from the ancient being (though their bond is closer than what ren's describing with the dendro archon).
"i can't say i have that much experience with gods, though i like to think xiao comes close." he offers a warm smile, hoping to ease the tension a little more, or lull ren back into a sense of comfort. it's not like chongyun WANTS to hurt him. and yet― gaze is drifting back down to the anemo vision. chongyun's own fingers grasp their cryo vision, tracing fingers around the metal holding the vision in place.
"if i asked you how you got it, is that a taboo topic? or is it safer to ask what powers you've learned to wield with it?"
❝ ... ❞ the wanderer pauses — standing motionless with his mouth half-open as if frozen solid in the midst of a response. it takes his mind a few moments to catch up with reality, and he realizes he's made a MISTAKE. ( a slip of the tongue. ) ren so fiercely guards his secrets that it oft becomes difficult to keep track of who knows what — little scraps of truth are most frequently pried unwillingly from him through inconvenient circumstance or in bite-sized pieces meant to gauge the trustworthiness of some opposing party. he revealed his inhuman nature to chongyun willingly for PRECISELY that reason, and they did take it better than most, though the prospect of talking about his personal life at length does still inspire some degree of ANXIETY.
he enjoys this. ( perhaps selfishly. ) the friendship they have feels easy, effortless — and there is a part of him that resists the idea of introducing anything that might change it. ( ren wonders if he gets that from his MOTHER. )
❝ i live in sumeru. ❞ the wanderer says aloud. ❝ ... as much as you could say i live anywhere at all. ❞ which is to say, in the same manner a stray cat might be described as living in a particular building or alleyway it just so happens to occasionally loiter around more than anywhere else. ❝ i wasn't made there — i'm just a student of the akademiya ... and as far as lord kusanali is concerned, it would be more accurate to describe her as a boss or supervisor. ❞ calling her a FRIEND ... well, there is a part of him that begrudgingly admits there may be a grain of truth to that — though it feels a bit embarrassing admitting as much. ❝ let's just say i have more personal experience with gods than the average human could ever claim to. ❞ a huff punctuates the statement; it's clear he doesn't necessarily think of that as a good thing.
fingertips then trace the outermost edge of his vision carefully. ren wrinkles his nose in thought. ❝ it should be nearly two years by now. ❞ so long but so little.
Chongyun probably shouldn't have insinuated she'd yell. He's used to getting on the wrong side of people though, or perhaps that's just his own perception of the world. Hu Tao is really easy-going on a good day, and at worst, she expresses disappointment. Time to trip over his words, on TOP of being tired.
"Not yell, exactly," Chongyun tries to explain. "Maybe that'd be more Xingqiu? I don't know anymore. I just know I feel guilty when I push myself. I know I shouldn't? But sometimes I forget."
He pauses to wipe his mouth. Not that he's doing anything gross, but his mouth feels dry, and Chongyun wonders if he's thirsty. No, he DEFINITELY is. It's been over an hour since he had a drink, and he can feel slightly shaky.
Chongyun also feels the yang energy pulsing dully in the back of his mind. It's suppressed for now, but it probably won't be forever. "I'll take a break, I promise. I just need to get something to eat, and then I'll probably go take a nap just outside the city, where it's grassy and cool."
He should probably go sleep in his own bed, but ― the thought of getting under his bedding and getting unnecessarily warm doesn't sound appealing to him.
"Thanks, Hu Tao." He offers her a smile. "I'm glad you understand me better than others."
@oficeandwind / Chongyun (cont.) "I napped," he continues to explain, hastily. "Please don't yell at me, I know this is a terrible habit. People just keep commissioning me, and I hate to let them down." Chongyun makes a mental note to sleep later, or at least take an extended nap. He has a feeling that if not Hu Tao, then Xingqiu definitely would.
Sure it was on a whim that she wanted to visit the exorcist. After all, Chongyun was a close friend. It was upon arriving she noticed those signs. Dark circles under the eyes. A hasty, jitteriness in his mannerisms. The slow finger counting. Hu Tao scrunched up her face slightly knowing very well how exhausting insomnia could be. She saw it in her clients who experienced restlessness nights due to either a haunting or unpleasant nightmares.
"Two nights???" while her voice didn't exactly raise, there was a hint of concern from the funeral director. Her expression soon softened and she let out a sigh. "Aiyaaa…What makes you think I'm going to yell at you?" she asked. The question almost sounding rhetorical.
With that Hu Tao took a spot to sit beside him. In truth, she had been feeling tired herself. The idea of not wanting to let others down was too relatable. "I would be an absolute hypocrite if I told you to stop staying up so late at night. But still, you should at least give yourself a break once in a while. Those commissions can wait, right?"
Actually Hu Tao knew that it wasn't too easy to solve. She could sense his yang energy had just crashed or was about to. "I do understand your work is important, Chongyun. But you can do it effectively if you push yourself too much"
YOU RECEIVED A COMMON CHEST!
If opened, one may find this chest full of Red Wolfhooks. Is this why such berries in this color is rarely seen in the forest?
usually when chongyun finds a chest somewhere in the wild, it's filled with older weapons and artifacts they can make use of. things to store around their home, to clean up and maybe sell to blacksmiths. useful things.
wolfhooks are far less useful; chongyun isn't even sure they remember what one tastes like. they know wolfhooks are medicinal in some form, but perhaps that can be useful for whenever chongyun is making up a first aid kit for whenever he's on the go.
RED wolfhooks, on the other hand ― chongyun has never seen one before. granted, he doesn't spend a whole lot of time near wolvendom in the first place, knowing this place isn't exactly the friendliest for humans. but red wolfhooks? red?
curiosity drives them. they're taking a small knife out of their pouch, and using said blade to cut into the berry for taste. it doesn't taste bad, but it's not chongyun's favorite natural flavor.
come to think of it, perhaps they can give these to bartenders for drinks, right? getting back to his feet, chongyun grabs as many wolfhooks as he possibly can carry in his arms, before turning to head back for mondstadt. maybe diluc or diona would enjoy these.
@grislyintentions | FROM
DO YOU WISH TO BE RECOGNIZED?
kami is running the words over and over in his mind, frozen in place. he's not sure if his anger is stronger than his confusion ― he figured ei never would have forgotten who he is. it doesn't matter how much time has passed, she should still ―
UGH.
there's also mild despair broiling just underneath his anger. a grief he can't put to words. he DESPISES her, loathes her actions, and yet, in this exact moment of reunion, she's claiming she knows nothing about him. NOT NOTHING ― ei can still feel that same energy that never once left him. that same, irritation, stupid electro energy.
he can feel it coursing through his body, and kami can feel it stinging the back of his neck, itching in a way that can't be scratched or eased. it's ever the painful reminder that he'll ALWAYS belong to her in some fashion.
"your energy feels familiar," kami mocks quietly, low enough that he hopes she can't hear. then, he raises his voice. "i'm your so―" no. she would not care about, nor recognize the concept of family. that's a concept he himself had conjured up in his long sleep. when she abandoned him.
"―i'm your first creation. before the raiden shogun you so kindly kept after my failure."
it's as though ren guessed his very thoughts ― because ren flying away is exactly what chongyun is fearing. the reassurance is at least helpful, if not wholly reassuring. they almost say something there, but chongyun instead settles back, resting their claymore over their jacket and still picking mud off their skin.
there are moments where chongyun pauses, like the revelation that ren is actually much, MUCH older than chongyun had originally thought. ren certainly looks to be around chongyun's age, give or take a few years. but isn't that the point of him being a nonhuman entity? that he's supposed to look one way forever?
"you sound really hard on yourself," chongyun says, not sure how to broach this topic. he almost doesn't want to KNOW what sins ren committed in the past. he can guess from the way ren sounds and even looks, that it's definitely not a topic to push on. chongyun is going to give the puppet his space to come forward in his own time ― maybe chongyun needs to earn more trust.
"i don't know what's so terrible in your past, and maybe i'm better off not knowing. but i'm glad you're finding redemption, and i'm glad your vision is helping you stay on that road." TRULY chongyun has no right to judge. they themself have committed many sins of their own, just by virtue of protecting their clan. chongyun's hands certainly are not bloodless by any means, though that probably also gives them both something else to bond over.
"would you believe it's the talk of liyue that i could have had a pyro vision instead?" chongyun isn't exactly THRILLED to open up about himself. it's always awkward, trying to find interesting facts about himself that would hold someone's interest. but conversation with ren always seemed to flow in ways chongyun never experienced with others.
"i believe it was my resolve to become the greatest exorcist that granted my my cryo vision. but the rumors around the city are that i could have had a pyro vision instead, because of my goals. i'm still not sure how that would work with my yang energy." he flicks more mud off his face. it's starting to dry up a touch, leaving chongyun feeling itchy.
"i'd be yang drunk forever, if that were the case."
he can understand chongyun's intention, even if they're trying to be subtle about it. comparing the two relationships is something of a mercy; it means ren doesn't have to delve into detail he isn't exactly COMFORTABLE with. ( he can simply use the adeptus as an example and leave it as that. ) ❝ i suppose it does. ❞ the wanderer says aloud. he isn't picky; he'll take the out that his companion so generously OFFERS to him. it's easier than giving context — for that would necessitate elaborating on the balladeer's aspirations of divinity and the disservice he very nearly inflicted upon sumeru and its people. he wonders if chongyun would judge him for that. he wouldn't blame him even if he did; he's a good person — and it's only natural for anyone with a coherent grasp of basic MORALITY to find his past actions abhorrent.
❝ you can ask. ❞ about his vision, that is. a faint sigh punctuates the statement, however. ❝ i'm not going to fly away like a frightened bird if you say something i don't like. it's just a little tricky to EXPLAIN ... ❞ what does he tell them? how much context does he give? after a moment of consideration, ren says, ❝ i've lived in this world for nearly five hundred years... sooner or later, everyone makes mistakes — but even in that time, i've still made ... an inordinate amount. ❞ to put it lightly. he glances at the water, meeting the eyes of his own reflection. the mirrored gaze feels accusatory — probably what he deserves. ❝ i thought if i had never been born, i could at least spare all of the innocent people who suffered as a result of my very existence ... as it turns out, fate isn't nearly that easy to fool. ❞ eyes narrow, and he looks away.
❝ ... to make a long story short, finding purpose through accepting my sins is how i ended up with this. ❞ hand raises to the gem; it thrums with faint light, as if responding to the wanderer's touch. ( not unlike a HEARTBEAT. )
❝ what about you? ❞
" ... would you like to try some? It is a special tea I brew when peaceful sleep eludes me. " Kazuha gestures towards the fresh, steaming brew with a gentle smile. " Most may find it a touch too bitter, but the flavor, I find, helps draw forth the benefits even more. " // to Kami!
Kami still isn't sure why Kaedahara is being nice to him. He's not sure why he feels so suspicious, either. It's not like the wanderer to lift a finger against others, Kaminari knows that much.
The offer of tea is too tempting to pass up though. He sniffs the air, leaning forward just a touch to get a better glimpse of the liquid that smells so good, in spite of all his misgivings.
"You do know I don't need to sleep, right?" It's all Kami really has to offer for now. "But yes, I would like some." He stops there, trying to figure out where their bond is actually going. This could very well be a spark of friendship, even if Kami is still partially cautious around Kaedahara. Maybe a little less.
"...thank you. For the tea." Maybe also thanks for Kazuha actually showing him kindness in a world that still despises him. No smile is offered, no softer expression. Kami is still very guarded, but he can accept this much. That, and it's not like he never sleeps at all. Sometimes, he does indulge in the occasional nap.
"Oh!" Chongyun's eyes widen at the mention of his popsicles. He'd completely forgotten about them ― they're probably all a melted mess right now. Quickly, he's bending over to rummage through his pouch, and in dismay, finds that he'd guessed correctly. "They melted," he tells her dramatically. It IS dramatic, considering how tired Chongyun is right now. It's never a huge deal in the first place, but in Chongyun's current state, it's easier to play around a little more for those sympathy points.
"I'll come with you. I'm not so far gone that I can't walk." They're taking their pouch off their waist and holding it in their hands. With the liner inside, Chongyun isn't worried about the contents inside leaking, but it's still better to keep it off their clothing just in case. "What are you thinking as far as food?" They're even tipping it over to let the liquid inside spill out.
If they can avoid Wanmin Restaurant, Chongyun will be pleased. He's only eaten Xiangling's cooking a handful of times; he knows her pechant for creating spicy dishes. Chongyun is too tired to play 'guess the outcome' where anything outside his comfort zone and yang energy is concerned. "Maybe rice? Pork fried rice. Fish." They're definitely hungry. As if the naming of food isn't enough, Chongyun's stomach grumbles. "―I haven't eaten for a few hours, either," they admit. "Not that I haven't had food, I mean. I ate fruit and nuts, mostly."
He moves closer to her, wearing a more genuine smile. Feeling slightly more awake than before, too. "You are being a good friend. Thank you for helping, Hu Tao, I appreciate it."
Fortunately an expression of disappointment from the funeral director was never with ill-intentions. Most of the time it was merely a firm request for the other to take better care of themselves. "As much as I would love the support for my business...." her voice trailed off slightly before she tch'd out a short laugh.
"Funny enough the Yuheng herself was going through her own bouts of insomnia a few months ago. And mostly for the very same reason. Overwork."
Regardless, she knew Chongyun wasn't doing any of this on purpose. More that it was a difficult habit to get over. She took pushed herself, even taking on jobs that she could have just handed to her undertakers.
It seemed that the pure yang energy was both a curse and gift. That's how she interpreted as. As for herself, while it wasn't exactly pure she did display qualities of having the contrasting yin. Usually she could go with the flow and be open to any changes. However, when it was too much she became more lethargic and often isolated herself.
She turned to the exorcist "Oh? Did you run out of those popsicles you usually carry around?" She had noticed the signs of both thirst and hunger. She made a soft hum. Liyue was mostly known for its spicy dishes. Or at least ones that were cooked hot. Still, she wasn't just going to sit there and do nothing about this.
"I can go find ya something..." His next compliment might have caught her off guard for a moment. She breathed out a small smile in return. Her hand moved to scratch absentmindedly at the back of her head. "Aiyaaa...isn't that what a friend is for? ~"
It had been an instinctive reaction for the traveler to seek the closest form of shelter as a sudden downpour began to fall from dark clouds that had appeared with little warning. Unfortunately for Kaminari, said 'shelter' had been the wide hat that the puppet so loved to wear. As Aether practically stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the wanderer, he gave Kami a sheepish grin, golden eyes somewhat pleading.
"I don't suppose I could convince you to share?" He knows what he's requesting is akin to asking Paimon to share her favorite food, but he can't help but hope that Kami might take some pity on him in the midst of this bit of bad weather.
If not - well, Aether would just have to make a run for it and hope he could find an alternative before he got TOO soaked.
he's not sure why the traveler enjoys his hat so much. for that matter, kami can't understand why ANYONE finds his hat so fascinating. surely they've all seen equally decorated hats? humans. they have strange fascinations with even stranger trinkets.
well, aether isn't exactly a human, but he still mingles among them well enough to PASS for one. kami offers himself no such similar luxuries. THOUGH, it's also probably why he feels a little more comfortable around aether. kami can relate to him just a touch more. not that kami feels comfortable overall ― the traveler is still a cautionary tale, a living reminder that kami still has a lot of amends to make. aether is wholly GOOD, someone kami could never fully be, or even WANTS to be.
the strange companionship they formed is nice though. if only that annoying floating creature calling herself paimon didn't try to insult him every two words. her lack of presence would make aether even more tolerable.
"you have the audacity," kami chides, no actual scorn in his words. "to try and cozy up to me, JUST to use my hat." TSK. with anyone else, the answer would be a hard no, and he'd get some mild amusement in watching them run for shelter. but perhaps because aether's been kind enough to him in the past, there's no real harm in returning the favor, even just a tiny one.
"fine, but only until it stops raining."
kaminari takes the hat off his head, and rests it atop aether's head. "also, if you even look like you're about to take off with it, i am revoking all hat privileges forever."
@windsfavored | because we can never have enough threads
going to mt. tianheng from liyue harbor isn't a long walk, and while there are ruins nearby, it's still away enough from people that chongyun deems it relatively safe. there are a number of people chongyun could have asked for this, various people he knows from both liyue and from different nations, but he'd come to ren for one specific purpose:
chongyun wants to test the nature of sheer elemental energy in his own training. that is, chongyun wants to see how he can handle anemo against his own abilities, limiting the use of physical weapons. there is another twist to this particular training plan that he hadn't told ren about.
it's revealed with the blindfold chongyun is pulling out of their pocket. they stare at it for a moment, running their thumb along the grey cloth, almost uncertain with what they're about to do.
"i want you to attack me," chongyun says, that uncertainty coming across in their voice. "using your vision. i want to cut off my sight so i can use my own abilities, both elemental and innate, to try and block the attacks." he COULD back out of this, and they could just do a normal training session. that's the thing though, chongyun's DONE all that before. his eyes are already very sharp and can spot danger. his weakness lies in the fact that he hasn't honed his other senses very well ― how is he supposed to get better if he relies solely on what he knows forever?
slowly, they raise the blindfold up and begin tying it around their eyes. "i don't care what methods you use. don't give me warnings, just do what... comes naturally, i guess."
"ah, the teahouse!" chongyun's head lifts up with widened eyes. he LOVES the teahouse ― how he'd completely forgotten about it in his state is beyond him. the atmosphere is infinitely more calming than most other locations in liyue. while still bustling with activity, chongyun still enjoys the stories; they distract him from everything happening elsewhere in the city. plus, the staff there had always taken care to cater to his needs by often serving him lukewarm at best tea. "the teahouse is a good idea. maybe we'll hear a story while we're there."
"i also like the thought of grilled tiger fish." chongyun nods, the thought of food doing more to perk them up than anything else had previously. the nap is still on the table, but hu tao is doing an excellent job of reminding chongyun about all their options. how is it that they've lived here all their life and still struggle to remember even the most basic commodities? too much time outside the harbor, that's for certain.
"and for the record―" chongyun lifts a finger, tilting his head at hu tao. "my yang energy isn't taking control right now. i'm too tired for that." he stops advancing when he sees the expression on her face. the blush. part of chongyun feels bad, like maybe he'd overdone it a touch, but then again, maybe she's not used to receiving such compliments. especially from him.
chongyun really should be nicer to his friends, shouldn't he?
"i meant what i said," chongyun says, feeling awkward now. they're rubbing at the back of their neck, glancing downward briefly. but movement catches their eye, and chongyun is glancing back up in her direction. hu tao is smiling and reaching her own hand out. "oh!" the grin is back on their face, and they clasp her hand.
"i meant what i said," they repeat. "you are a good friend to me. but uh. ah ― i'm hungry. we should get going."
"Melted??" Oh she was indeed perplexed at this outcome. She leaned over examining the contents of his pouch. Or rather what was left but the watery remnants of a few popsicle sticks. "And here I was thinking you used some of your cryo vision to keep them cool somehow." That was totally how it was done, right? Unless there was another way..
The funeral director made a thoughtful hum to herself. "Actually when we needed to keep things cool at the funeral parlor we often used mistflowers." It wasn't much of a suggestion but it was better than none at all. Regardless, Chongyun was certainly being successful in garnishing sympathy points from her.
"Ah! Are you sure you can walk?" she asked once he had made the offer to tag along. Sure he claimed he wasn't 'too far gone', but in a profession such as hers it was always a habit to not take any slight ailment too lightly.
"I think it would be best to find something nearby," she paused placing her hand under her chin as she tried to recall the various restaurants as well as keeping in mind of the exorcist's favorites.
"There's that place over by Second Life that does sell grilled tiger fish. Not much places to sit nearby. Sooo the next bet would be Heyu Teahouse. Their food is still the warmer side but it won't be spicy like at Wanmin. I admit I like going there cause I can always catch one of Yunjin's performances from time to time . What do you think?~"
Just near the end of her informative ramble about food she had noticed Chongyun had moved closer to her. This was pleasantly different than what she was use to. Most would have done the opposite and edged away from the funeral director. There was an attempt to hide to pink shade that cascaded over her cheeks.
"Aiyaaa. I don't know if that's just the over abundance of yang energy talking or not...but really it's the least I can do," she remarked with a returned smile. With that she slowly stood up more extending out her hand toward Chongyun.
@kaehdeh | FROM
chongyun stares at the tea in front of him for a moment, before using his cryo to chill it further. not that the tea isn't appreciated; chongyun is almost jealous that kazuha can have the tea freshly hot. he's certain it tastes better that way.
the almond tofu is still delicious though ― chongyun really enjoys the taste of that.
"i almost always have the dark circles," chongyun says lightly. he has the feeling that kazuha is going to insist on rest though, and chongyun really doesn't mind listening. kazuha is a well seasoned wanderer, and has probably seen tiredness of all types. if he says something, chongyun is not going to argue the point. "i don't get sleep much these days, but that's partially my fault."
sort of. chongyun has so many requests for help, their head is often spinning. at least this time around, they have a few days of freedom to do whatever they wish.
"and yeah ― i've been to sumeru a few times. i traveled to inazuma once, though i didn't stay long. for the most part i try to stick around liyue and mondstadt. i'd like to travel more though."
"Hey! What's that on your hand?" And thisnwolf boy decides to just appear out of the blue, bear the young exorcist.
chongyun nearly jumps back, started by the appearance of this wolf boy. their hand is on their claymore before they can regain their composure, but chongyun is already fixing their behavior and letting go of the weapon. "oh, my apologies!"
they give razor a hasty but polite bow. "you startled me." even now, chongyun's gaze is darting around, as if expecting more danger. though, given that they're in slightly dangerous territory within mondstadt, chongyun should expect it anyway.
@roleplay-abiogenesis2 | for cyno, because chongyun x cyno feels <3
"― if you could just let me, UGH!" chongyun can be heard complaining just outside the akademiya. it's already a warm day, and he's not above dumping the last of his water over his head to cool off. if only the guards would actually let him INSIDE the building! that cooler air would definitely help. "i'm here to see cyno!"
"the general mahamatra?" one of the guards asks. they look at each other with matching frowns, before the vocal one turns back to chongyun. "i'm sorry, but no one sees the general mahamatra. he's a very busy and important man."
"i know!" chongyun tries to peer around the guard to get a peek inside. "we're friends, please!" he even goes as far as to wave his hand when he THINKS he's spotted cyno just inside. "cyno! please help, they won't let me in!"
"hold on!" the guard moves his staff to block chongyun's path. "we can't just let anyone inside to harass the general! we're going to need proof of friendship!"
chongyun groans, dragging a hand down his face. "i promise, we're friends. we've met before! he'll even vouch for me!"