🌊

[childeishly]

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

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

Comments

[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.

[sangreine]

[ A glance at Caeli. Is she really having this conversation? Evidently drunkenness + wanting Venti to be happy makes her do odd things ]

I mean -- you know him better than anyone. He's playful, adventurous. You might not satisfy his need for your attention entirely, but for a little while you can at least make him very happy. I know it's hard to change things when you've known someone for so long [ she pauses because huh it feels like she knows that better than she should ] but new things can help that. If you're willing to laugh at yourself over it, it's fun.

He's Venti so he's not going to admit it easily, but you have an advantage I don't. [ She won't outright say "Venti loves you more than anyone" but hopefully that's clear enough, she feels bad enough for getting into this here as it is. ]

If you show him that he's a priority, give him all your attention for a while, he'll respond. He sa-- [ oops wait no ] I'm sure of it.

1/2

[leaveofabsence]

[ He is very quiet as he absorbs all of this information, cupping a chin in one hand. ]

I see.

Perhaps in my overly cautious nature to not encroach on his domain, especially here of all places, I have been negligent in other ways.

[leaveofabsence]

Thank you, Alizarin. I will take your words under close advisement.

[sangreine]

[ She looks incredibly confused ]

Encroach? Surely you can't think he wants to be without you if there was another option.

[ She doesn't say it aloud, but some of the reason she spends so much time with Venti is that he's been lonely so often and she doesn't want that for him. But Zhongli must know that? ]

[ She's not judging or anything, though. She has enough trouble trying to split her time between Doctor and her other partners and not neglect anyone (and she fails often enough). ]