( imeeji ) ic inbox

[outofoffice]

Comments

[leaveofabsence]

Hmmmm. Wonder about what?

[outofoffice]

[ Leaning up to press their lips together. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He makes a soft surprised sound at that. Clearly Venti caught him off guard.

But he's not pulling away ]

[outofoffice]

[ Pulling away after a lengthy moment ]



Have I done that before?

1/2

[leaveofabsence]

Yes. But I was very drunk last time.

[leaveofabsence]

Might I try again?

More... properly this time.

[outofoffice]

[ Thoughtful: ]

Yes.

[leaveofabsence]

[ He frames Venti's face carefully in between both hands, looking equally thoughtful, before he leans up to kiss him. Perhaps a little bit chaste but with a warmth and softness that does not come easily to someone attuned with the earth. And the delicacy of exploring something precious for the first time. ]

[outofoffice]

[ Venti pauses with a little exhale -- surprised, maybe -- before pressing closer and kissing back, his fingers slowly curling in the front of Zhongli's dress shirt. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He does not hurry the kiss. Quite the opposite, in fact. It seems that Zhongli would prefer to savor the inside of Venti's mouth like a fine wine - licking into each crevice and mapping out each inch of that sweet wet warm.

When he does finally pull away it's with a teasing nip to Venti's lower lip.

Just enough to leave a white mark across the pink flesh but without breaking the skin. ]

[outofoffice]

[ Venti blinks at him a few times once they pull apart, expression flickering a little.

Eventually, with the detached interest of an observer rather than a participant: ]

Just now, I actually felt something . . .

1/2

[leaveofabsence]

[ What did Venti say just now---




Oh.

Oh.

Honest Venti is extremely dangerous and should be handled with caution. ]

[leaveofabsence]

I did, too.

I felt how very fond I am of you.

[outofoffice]

[ Tilting his head, considering ]

Hmm . . . perhaps that's what it was.

This must be a testament to how important you are.

[leaveofabsence]

We've seen a lot together, you and I. Naturally there would be a closeness on shared experiences alone.

[outofoffice]

[ A thoughtful hum. Patchwork memory being what it is . . . ]

Is that all it is?

[leaveofabsence]

No. There is more. But I do not think it is fair or appropriate to discuss with you in such a state as what that "more" is has never been well defined.

Just -- you have been there since nearly the beginning.

And I hope to see you at the end of this journey as well.

[outofoffice]

I probably wouldn't get it right now anyway . . .

[ Under normal circumstances it would sound self-deprecating rather than matter-of-fact ]

Perhaps within a few days we'll know how realistic your hopes are.