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[outofoffice]

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[leaveofabsence]

[ Cool.

Cool cool cool.

Have said Exuvia (completely unbothered by this turn of events) flop down next to where Venti was and just continue to stare at him.

Also.

Venti's phone dings. ]

[outofoffice]

[ To the Exuvia, as he picks himself up from under the guitar: ]

At least make some noise or something, geez!! I nearly--

[ DING ]

Huh?

[ Well. He does in fact have his phone on his person, so he pulls it out. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ The Exuvia just keeps staring at him. ]

Glaze Lily: I have located you.
Glaze Lily: Do not move.
Glaze Lily: Especially not to be contradictory.

[outofoffice]

[ He responds verbally. To the dragon.

Surely that works, right? ]

Is this come kind of ambush?! I wasn't even doing anything wrong this time! And I'm totally sober!!!

[leaveofabsence]

[ It chuffs at him.

I don't know what else you expected. ]

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And I was just having a musical breakthrough, too!

[ FLOPPING AGAINST EXUVIA

And going back to guitar strumming. Spoilers, he mastered the instrument already. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ Well the Exuvia will be thrilled to be a very quiet and still audience until Zhongli manages to make his way to where Venti was practicing.

Do you know how many train lines it took to get here?

Of course, Venti does. ]

Perhaps I should look into acquiring a vehicle now that D.Va is gone...

[outofoffice]

Hehehe . . . flying would be faster! Walking is so slow.

[ Turning his head against the Exuvia to peer at Zhongli as he approaches ]

Hello, Morax. Look what I got! [ A strum ] I've been composing all kinds of new songs!

[leaveofabsence]

[ It disappears in a swirl of golden sparkles; its task completed.

And Zhongli moves to sit next to Venti, setting a woven basket complete with lid into the space between them. ]

Dare I ask what kind of songs?

[outofoffice]

[ Sitting up straight now that his dragon body pillow is gone. ]

All kinds!

[ Some of them rude.

He did get blown up twice. ]

Maybe you'll get to hear them someday if I can work out all the knots~

[leaveofabsence]

Interesting. I did not know that you had an aversion to playing unfinished pieces.

But if I could pull you away from your practice for a short time...

[outofoffice]

Awww . . . okay, since it's you!

[ Carefully setting the guitar aside ]

Here for contract things~~?

[leaveofabsence]

I said I would seek you out and thus I have. I am told this is a promise - which has less weight than a contract. But if you wish to consider that as part of the contract, that is up to you.

[outofoffice]

I hate the contract, so nope.

--Not that first one I duped you into. That one's funny.

[leaveofabsence]

. . .

Why do you hate it? I thought that is what you wanted from me.

1/2

[outofoffice]

What? I--

[outofoffice]

[ Gods. Ok. ]

Morax . . .

Have I ended up making demands of you? That was never my intention.

[leaveofabsence]

No. I wanted to be a better friend to you, and you told me one way to achieve that would be to think more on how my actions would affect you.

That is not the first time I have been given such advice.

[outofoffice]

. . . Okay.

Well -- promises are fine. But contracts are really terrible for this, y'know?

[leaveofabsence]

I'm afraid I do not understand. They set the proper expectations of each party, do they not?

[outofoffice]

[ Fwumping over so that he's leaning against Zhongli's shoulder, fingers picking out invisible guitar strings. ]

How to explain . . .

Well, consider this specific scenario: you always go with your unit or Caeli after bad games, right? This is expected behavior, nothing out of the ordinary. It's what you wish to do.

Ah, but then you say -- there's a contract. "I must go to Barbatos to fulfill my contractual obligations otherwise I'll have to wrath myself!"

[ Complete with mimicked Morax-voice, yes. ]

The first feels like a choice, borne from the deepest desires in your heart. The second feels like financial reports and treaties, a chore to be completed out of obligation and then set aside, so that you can return to those desires.

Does that make sense?

[leaveofabsence]

[ He drapes an arm casually over Venti's waist. ]

Hmmm. Yes, there is a certain amount of logic to that.

But also I also only take on contracts that have a high priority to myself personally. And desires can quickly get muddled into the wrong course of action.

But if you wish for me to follow the same path using promises instead - then I shall do so.

[outofoffice]

Yes, that's exactly what I want.

You have to make me feel special from the deepest desires in your heart~~

[ This is a joke, Morax, don't make another contract out of it-- ]

[leaveofabsence]

I see.

[ And he digs into his basket to pull out a bottle of Osmanthus wine before holding it out to Venti. ]

Then I hope this will be a good start to fulfilling that request.

1/2

[outofoffice]

[ Taking it on reflex ]

Ah . . .