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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]

[ Well Zhongli is going to order a bunch more wine then, just to be sure. He looks up from his usual spending of Childe's money to think over Alazarin's proposal. ]

That seems like a fair agreement to help offset his unfamiliarity with the game.

But then are we folded into drawing cards as well. It seems one-sided to have you two be the only one initiating public displays of affection.

[sangreine]

Public-- [ wincing a bit and glancing over at Doctor and hoping he didn't hear that or he'll be blushing too much to do anything else. Thinking about it that way just sounds like something Doctor wouldn't much like. ]

Far be it for me to tell you what to display and when! So that's fine.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Catching that wince and glancing over at Doctor ]

Do you think he would be uncomfortable with it?

[sangreine]

Not with you doing as you like. He'd probably find it sweet. But he prefers to [ she pauses, trying to be delicate ] keep private things private. He doesn't even kiss me in front of others.

[ It's clear that she finds this adorable ]

[leaveofabsence]

Ah, I see. Well I'm sure we will make sure to accommodate his comfort levels. Or distract him appropriately so he does not have to see.

[sangreine]

Don't worry about it, really, Doctor doesn't expect others to adjust to his standards. Neither of us mind if you and Caeli get friendly, and I suspect you won't be given all that much choice in the matter.

[ Well and truly she doesn't care. Enjoy your PDA, she'd do the same if Doctor wanted to. ]

[leaveofabsence]

Oh? And what is that supposed to mean?

[sangreine]

He's looking for any excuse to start being all over you. It's obvious, even if he hadn't basically said so.

After a game like that, who couldn't use a little comfort?

[leaveofabsence]

[ The wheels in his head start almost visibly turning. Hmmmm... ]

I see.

Thank you, Alizarin, for pointing that out to me.

I will make sure that he is properly comforted.

[sangreine]

No problem. I'm sure he's in good hands. [ lol ]

We all have our comfort rituals after bad games, don't we. More than one, in my case, which makes me luckier than most. One day Venti's going to have better things to do, so I figure I'd better take advantage while I can.

[leaveofabsence]

. . .

I do not think Venti's measures such things in those terms.

Though the risk of him falling into a sleep that he does not wake up from for a long time is a real possibility.

[sangreine]

Yeah, that makes two of us. I'm just glad he'll have his memories on the other side, when I first heard that he does that my heart stopped.

I'm sure he'd cope with it better than I do, but it's not something I'd wish on anyone. Especially now that I can feel it coming.

[leaveofabsence]

He copes in the same way that you do, focusing on others instead of himself. Another similarity.

Alizarin. He is not going to find better things to do.

[sangreine]

[ She looks confused for a flash. There's a lot of things brought to mind by that phrasing, particularly from right before she went into the chains, but she's sure she must be misunderstanding and/or overly sensitive just now. ]

I'm not sure I'm following.

[leaveofabsence]

You use phrases such as "better things to do" and "take advantage" as if spending time together is somehow an inferior option.

And I am saying that a spirit of freedom, Venti goes exactly where he wants to go and does what he wants to do.

[sangreine]

[ All the things she could say would definitely start down a path of how much she hates herself, and she doesn't want to do that right now (also, this is possibly the worst moment in history to try and talk her out of it, so there's no point). ]

I don't want to hurt him, is all, and forgetting him will do that. But he's as stubborn as they come and insists he wants me around, so if that's his choice then I can't say no. I really shouldn't have gotten so wrapped around his finger.

[leaveofabsence]

Yes, well---

[ As being perhaps the only being alive that has forged the God of Contract's signature and has lived to tell the tale... ]

He does have that effect on people.

[sangreine]

He should come with a warning label. Several.

[leaveofabsence]

I suppose we only have ourselves to blame when he turns out to be exactly as he says he is.

[sangreine]

It's nice that he's honest. Even if I still worry about him more than he probably likes.

[ There's flattering worrying and obnoxious worrying and she can veer into the latter, especially after what Venti said to her while she was poisoned. ]

[leaveofabsence]

I would not worry about that. I do not think there is an upper bound on the attention one can lavish on Venti.

[sangreine]

-- oh. That's a relief.

[ She wonders about that, even if Zhongli doubtless knows better. ]

[leaveofabsence]

Though if you do manage to find an upper bound, I would be greatly interested in knowing what that is.

For a fair price, of course.

[sangreine]

[ smiling, that's actually really cute, except ]

I wouldn't sell out Venti, even about something simple. Not for any price, not even to you. [ 100% loyalty here ]

On the bright side, finding out could be a fun process. I wouldn't want to deprive you of it.

[leaveofabsence]

That is what I've been told. And yet I am no closer to an answer and I am still uncertain about what the fun aspect of such a journey is.