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[childeishly]

Who: Wild City & Guests
Where: Wild City
When: Day 503/4

[ so the game hadn't been that bad, right..? ]

Comments

[leaveofabsence]

[ Looks at the bottle, back to Caeli and then the bottle again. ]

Should at least one of us try to stay relatively sober? If so, the one who was not at the game seems the best candidate for such a task.

[childeishly]

[ blink blink. ]

[ joins him in looking at the bottle a couple of times. ]

...

[ is this a trick question. ]

Nnnnnyyynnnnyesso? [ he's not sure how he's supposed to answer, so he goes for a mix of both. ] If you don't mind, although... I hope you take a few small drinks. You don't have to go crazy, but... [ he leans in to peck his cheek. ] At least share a drink with me.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Zhongli huffs a laugh at the peck. ]

Of course, I will share a drink with you. And of your beloved fire water.

Shall we do so to start the evening?

[childeishly]

I think that would be the perfect start. Let me grab a couple of shot glasses... [ he goes behind the bar to grab a few, setting them down to pour the fire water in. he would have considered a regular glass, but he wants to respect zhongli's wishes, and a shot is fine. the stuff IS a lot. ]

[ he picks them both up, offering one to zhongli. ] Ya lyublyu vas, Zhongli.

[leaveofabsence]

I love you as well, Childe. Please enjoy yourself thoroughly tonight.

[ And then with a clink, he downs the whole shot (with a minimal wince).

Whew.

Fire Water is---



Yeah. It's something. ]

[childeishly]

I'm sure I will. I have you, I have good company, and I have good liquor. Not much else I really need... [ it's definitely going to be a good night. he downs the shot with ease, giving zhongli another cheek kiss. ]

We're going to be starting our game soon. You're going to watch me win, right? [ oozes all the confidence in the world~ ]

[leaveofabsence]

I am going to watch you compete and support your victory.

If it was an assured win, you wouldn't be enjoying yourself, yes?

[ But before Childe can refute, Zhongli places a light kiss on his lips. Shhh, don't think about it too hard. ]

Do have fun.

[childeishly]

[ the kiss shuts him up and makes him lose his train of thought, so good job zhongli. ] I know I'll have fun. But before we begin... [ he produces the king of spades. ] Ah, look what I happen to have... I think I'm entitled to another kiss.

[leaveofabsence]

Oh?

Do you want to give this one or shall I?

[childeishly]

[ going to answer with a kiss. ] I drew the card - I give the kiss. [ smiles. ] You're welcome to draw a card too, Xiansheng... but a numbered card means shots~ Do you really want to gamble?

[leaveofabsence]

[ Looks at the deck of cards and then the bottle on the table ]

And it has to be fire water?

[childeishly]

Numbered cards are fire water. Face cards are wine. The ace is a one... and you can drink whatever you like for that.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Holds his hand out to draw from the deck of cards. There's a 23% of getting a face card.

Surely, he will not have to drink too much before he finds one.




Surely... ]

[childeishly]

[ he keeps the deck in his hand, thumb on the back of the stack, so zhongli can draw each card one by one. ] Have at it, Xiansheng.

[ 23% of getting a face card...
but the numbered cards... there are a ton more and anything above 3... oof, and that's a hefty percentage. you, my friend, have a made a grave mistake. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[

Welp.

Goes to fetch a shot glass and the latest opened bottle. ]

[childeishly]

[ goes to the corner and takes a seat, dragging a small table over to set the deck down... and the inevitable shot glass and bottle of fire water. sitting is going to be safe anyway. ]

[ going to draw his own card while zhongli's on his way back... and flips it around so he can see: ]

]

[ laughs. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ Has Childe ever seen Zhongli pout? Well, now he has.

As he's making a face through the third shot. ]

You look so pleased with yourself.

[childeishly]

[ THIS IS MY PLEASED WITH MYSELF FACE. ]

I am. If only I had drawn first. Pity.

Four more to go, Xiansheng. [ going to pour himself a shot of wine and lift it in toast. ] To you... and all your drinks. [ drinks it easily. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He finishes the next few shots only to draw the next card.



He sighs.

This is what Childe must feel when he tries to uses chopsticks. ]

[childeishly]

[ and before zhongli can get started on the drinks childe is going to reach over and snatch his collar, yanking him into a kiss. ] I needed to fulfill the other part of my card.

You know, Xiansheng, at this rate I think you'll get drunk before me. [ he plucks the card out of his hand. ] You don't have to do this you know. [ he slides the bottle of wine over. ] I want you to have a good time.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Hey! He makes an aborted for the stolen card, slumping over the table between them. ]

Ah---

Childe.

I already agreed to the rules of the game.

[ He has to drink for the drawn card. To do otherwise would be like breaking a contract ]

[childeishly]

[ he returns the card. ] We finish this turn and that's it. [ zhongli had two real bad draws and he feels bad that he didn't want to get drunk in the first place. at least the buzz will help, but... he's not looking to see him hunched over a toilet later. ] Fair?

[leaveofabsence]

[ His brow pinches in deep thought for a moment and he simply just pours eight shots worth of fire water into whatever glass is closest. ]

But then I will not have drawn the card which allows me to be the initiator of the kiss.

[childeishly]

You don't need a card to initiate a kiss with me, Xiansheng. You can do that whenever you like. [ leans in. ] Even right now.

[leaveofabsence]

[ He blinks. Slowly. Owlishly.

The first moments of this conversation replaying slowly in his mind like sticky molasses.

But the rules---

Without another word, he drinks the eight shots at once before the glass rolls off the table onto the floor... somewhere---

Blinking at Childe, eyes more than a little unfocused. ]

Then why are there rules?