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[ ............ ]

I'm just going to start singing, and if you do something violent to stop me, I'll know which it was.

[ Takes Venti's face in his hands a second time and gives him another look.

Though this one is followed by a touch to a inked flower on Venti's skin there. And then a real flower braided into his hair here. And one by one he categorizes all the marks and gifts that SensitIV! gave him while he was asleep. ]

[ TRULY INSCRUTABLE, THAT MORAX!

He hums in amusement before inspiration strikes, and he sings a Mondstadt lullaby -- light and airy, just like its city. It goes through all of Mondstadt's wildflowers, perhaps as a way of teaching children to remember them all. ]

[ Ah.

Then Zhongli will busy himself brushing his fingertips against any flower that Venti happens to name throughout the course of the song.

Is this something about Windblumes? ... Probably. ]

[ Probably.

And once he works his way through the song, he adlibs a Liyue version to the same melody. And as expected, he knows a shocking amount about Liyue's wildflowers. ]

[ Ah, well.

Since Venti probably has no Liyue flowers on his person that means Zhongli's hands can be content to draw circles in the small of his back while he plays. ]

[ He leans back a bit and tapers to a stop only after exhausting every bloom he can think of. ]

Well? Was it accurate?

[ Well, he can't really voice his opinion, so--- takes one of Venti's hands in his and turns it palm up. ]

[ Oooo, the Morax is communicating. Allowing this. ]

[ Zhongli traces the outline of Liyue flowers against his palm.

First a silk flower near the base.

A qingxin across the center.

And a sprawling glaze lily whose petals dip over into the base of his fingers. ]

Hehe . . .

Say, Morax -- have you by any chance taken up painting in recent years?

[ He raises one eyebrow at Venti---

As he writes his adepti name across his palm with the wide swipes of someone practiced in calligraphy. ]

Well then . . . until your voice returns, perhaps you could turn to the arts to express yourself. I could play for you while you do, if you like.

[ He considers this for a moment before taking out his phone, one arm still wrapped around Venti, and tossing some items into the cart without checking the price. All high quality of course. ]

[ Snooping, of course.

Can you afford it, Zhongli? ]

[ He actually can because he never pays attention to points but it is going to put a sizable dent in his bank account.

Offers the phone for Venti to also pick anything he would like (as long as it is in good taste). ]