[what's kaeya even doing at this hour? lord. enjoying a drink while listening to one of his fellow vipers detail some exciting heist, surely, but—oho. casually, as though they're just two old pals:]
Now, now, Master Diluc. You'll need to be more specific.
[he has many games going on at once, you see... c'mon...]
[ the amulets are a double edged sword. he had assumed the conversation might be done without the instant feedback of some joke or another from Kaeya. but no, it's not. and he responds, keeping his tone even. ]
[near the marketplace, diluc says, and kaeya knows the marketplace of which diluc speaks. should he be grateful, for diluc to cross such a distance? should he be concerned? hmm.
...hmm. he shouldn't be, really—but he still finds his way to the bar, paying his tab even as he keeps his medallion close to his lips.]
I see. [kind of.] And are you finding everything you need?
[ not well, then. childe laughs softly to himself. ]
There's something for you at the fountain. East side, in the shadow of the trees.
Blue paper, red ribbon.
[ to his credit, he hadn't expended the (admittedly meager) resources it would have taken to find out where kaeya lays down to rest every night. that could be interpreted as childe respecting his boundaries.
then again, childe's currently situated in a tree with a direct line of sight to where he hopes kaeya will emerge to find the gift left for him (he's not about to let his presence ruin the honesty of kaeya's reaction). boundaries are only respected when they're trivial, it seems.
the package itself is wrapped rather beautifully, despite the impression of carelessness that childe gives off. it's a long, rectangular box wrapped in patterned red silk, the blue ribbon tied around the corners as embellishment. ]
[kaeya isn't sure what is more amusing, honestly: the idea of childe bothering to pick out a gift for him, or the idea of childe denying himself the satisfaction of seeing kaeya open said gift. kaeya doubts childe would ever do such a thing? not that he's known childe long; not that he knows childe well, but the man has showboat tendencies—and thus, if the man has carefully placed a gift in the center of the city, then then man is sure to keep an eye on it. he'll need to Know.]
Is that so? Then I suppose a trip to the fountain is in order.
Though I do enjoy gifts that are given in person.
Hypothetically speaking.
[haha! but with that said, kaeya is off—at his leisure, which is why it takes a bit for him to actually reach the fountain. it's all on purpose, of course. he's wondering just how patient childe will prove to be, especially as he picks up his gift, admires the oh-so neat packaging—and, after casting a look around the area, heads into a nearby tavern with it in tow. childe thought he had kaeya; kaeya is more than happy to prove him wrong, because listen: time is on kaeya's side. he's perfectly content to order a drink while waiting for childe's presence and/or a message, given that he did, in fact, think to bring his journal along...]
[ he waits, and he waits, and he waits. one might assume that someone of childe's obvious temperament lacks in patience — which is an astute perception. childe's impatient as hell, except when it comes to things worth waiting for.
that is to say, he's about to vibrate out of his skin. maybe he ought to have offered the gift in person, but then kaeya would have postured away all of his honesty. childe likes giving gifts — he likes seeing people's faces blossom in excitement and awe. it makes him feel powerful and purposeful, in ways that have nothing to do with violence.
and then kaeya swoops in and takes the damn package into the tavern.
okay. childe could try to find a vantage point inside the tavern itself, but that probably won't work. scratch that, no matter childe's caution, that definitely won't work. kaeya knows to watch for him, if he'd known enough to remove himself from childe's field of view.
he's too good, childe thinks, caught between annoyance and admiration. it would have been another thing entirely if kaeya just bent to his whims - childe might have grown tired of him by now, if so. instead --
childe shoves his journal somewhere into his satchel, and levers down the tree. he stalks into the tavern and makes a beeline to the table where kaeya has situated himself. a leaf is caught in his hair, belying his former hiding spot. ]
You robbed me of my entertainment this afternoon, so you're going to order me a drink.
[ childe announces as he drops into the seat beside kaeya's. not quite petulant, because he's still wearing that preternatural smile, but there's a restless energy to him that calls to mind the moment before a strike. his gaze drops to the package, still neatly wrapped, and then, pointedly, back up to kaeya's face. ]
[while kaeya waits for childe to make his presence known—because of course he will—kaeya imagines what, exactly, is in the long, relatively thin box taking up a majority of his small table. he has an idea, of course; he'd bet good money on it, but it's still fun to imagine what someone like childe could think to give to someone like him. what if childe wanted to threaten him? what if childe wanted to win him over? what if—
—well.
kaeya's only taken a sip of his drink by the time childe finds his way to the empty seat across from him—and it would be a lie to say that kaeya doesn't enjoy the sight. childe's frustration is palpable; it isn't so much in his expression as it is the rest of him, given the way he sits, strangely tense, at the very edge of his seat. kaeya, in comparison, is settled back in his? smiling over the lip of his glass while greedily soaking in every bit of this impromptu show, because he does so love being an annoyance.]
Did I, now? My sincerest apologies. I merely thought that you might like a better view.
[he doesn't bother to keep his amusement in check as he leans forward, first setting his drink atop then table, then setting an elbow beside it. to steady himself, you see, as he reaches out to pluck that leaf from childe's hair, making sure to smooth back what he can in the process.]
But if it isn't pleasing—
[then it's no skin off his back! or: he sits back in his chair, holding up the leaf—see, he was totally being legitimate—before using it to catch the bartender's ever-watchful eye. another drink, please.]
—you are free to climb back up your tree.
[he can put two and two together, childe! and he's even more amused by it, as evidenced by the way he waggles this leaf back and forth.]
[ see, childe's supposed to be the annoyance. that's the way the world works, kaeya, didn't you get the memo?
and it's not like childe's truly upset about being outplayed. not really. not over something so petty. kaeya hasn't deviated from his baseline of aloof playfulness he'd exhibited from the start, except for his jaunt into desperation when childe had attempted to kill him. this shouldn't surprise him.
but, alright, maybe childe did want the instant gratification of seeing kaeya's expression warm and sweeten. because of a gift from childe. maybe he'd wanted to bask in that warmth and sweetness for awhile. gift-giving is a self-indulgence in and of itself, after all, and this gift came with several: to please an interesting friend, of course, but also to remind kaeya how useful childe is. how thoughtful. how resourceful.
kaeya stealing the leaf from his hair doesn't help. no, not even the caress afterwards, as it calls to mind an attempt to smooth down ruffled feathers. in fact, he'd seen kaeya soothe their erstwhile mount in a similar manner.
(yes, he's a petty asshole.)
childe gives kaeya an abbreviated once-over, gaze flicking from face to chest, lingering, and then traveling slowly upwards again. an idle thought, divorced from the clumsy attempt at nonchalance: what sort of knight leaves so much skin bare? childe could kill him seventeen different ways solely targeting that ridiculous little chest window.
regardless. ]
The view is a bit better, I'll give you that.
[ childe grumbles, pointedly ignoring the leaf between kaeya's fingers. the thread of conversation lost as a server brings over his drink, which lightens his sulk. he doesn't yet bring the cup to his lips, as he's more interested in nudging the package in kaeya's direction. ]
[childe is always interesting; it's why kaeya's eye has a way of wandering back to him time and time again—but this, kaeya decides, is how he likes childe best? frustrated. just barely maintaining the veneer of civility. kaeya thinks of an incense-fueled childe driving him back, back, back, offering him no quarter, and wonders to what depths a sober childe would—will?—sink to. it isn't as though childe has anything to lose in this world, aside from his life.
how fun.
but kaeya is aware that he can only take this so far. everyone has their limits, and childe, it seems, is swiftly approaching his—hence kaeya's amused hum as he drops that leaf right into childe's untouched drink. a nice little garnish, floating atop the ice. please enjoy.]
Perhaps I was enjoying my view. But if you insist—
[then yes, sure, he will finally shift his attention to this gift? will pluck at the ribbons holding it closed, albeit so, so slowly. some people prefer to take their time unwrapping their gifts, and kaeya has no problem pretending to be one.]
Any hints?
[a last-ditch effort to further annoy childe, because as he carefully slides the ribbons off one corner, then the next—he can only stretch this out for another few seconds, sure, but oh, he's enjoying himself.]
[ meanwhile, childe finally takes a long draught from his glass, upending the entire thing down his throat. in fact, he makes a show of chewing the leaf and swallowing it.
why?
why do anything in life?
besides, eating a leaf is better than showing distaste by fishing it out and/or flicking it at kaeya. if he's going to use kaeya as a target, his projectile is going to be a lot more interesting than a leaf.
the alcohol is weak, kaeya is unruffled, and the sword is still hidden from view. childe drops his chin into his palm, attempting an unaffected air — he's a fair hand at deception, but today he's letting the loose ends of himself visibly fray. kaeya has that effect on him. the ability to worm under his skin.
because - a hint? fat chance. instead, childe snorts inelegantly and murmurs - ]
Remind me to wrap a lump of coal as a present for your birthday, whenever that might be.
[eating that leaf is—well! okay! it takes all types to make the world go round—and kaeya knows that he, himself, is bordering on obnoxious. it isn't as though childe needed to think of him? and yes, sure, there's a very real chance that he'll open this box to find that childe thinking of him may be... less than a good thing, but still: childe brought him something. childe deigned to join him in this tavern, if only to sit there and sulk, and he repaid such kindness by dropping a leaf in the man's drink.
...well. never let it be said that kaeya can't be kind.]
Luckily for us both, you just missed it.
[kind of. what is time? does kaeya's birthday line up with this world's calendar? a mystery—which kaeya pays little mind as he finally lifts the lid from this box. expectations: low. childe has no reason to go out of his way for anything, and yet:]
Oh.
[a (breathless?) noise of genuine appreciation as kaeya leans forward, getting a better look at the sword resting within the box. forged in this world, obviously; the ornamentation makes that more than clear, but above that, as kaeya just barely squints—]
Is that bone?
[he's running a finger down the blade as he awaits the answer.]
[ as kaeya finally - finally! - unwraps the gift, childe too cranes forward over the table, forgetting his ire and all discussions of birthdays and coal all at once.
because kaeya's reaction had been equivalent to a shout of surprise, had it come from anyone else. it isn't an actual shout of surprise, which would have stroked childe's ego to his satisfaction, but it's as close as someone like kaeya can manage.
he smiles, gaze drawing down to the sword as well. he reaches over, catching kaeya's wrist so he can lead his touch down the blade to the intricate knot of bone at the guard. the smith had done a remarkable job, really. ]
Better yet, it's dragon bone.
[ a beat, then - ]
Or "wyvern" bone, as they call the beasts around here. All the dragon bits minus the fire-breathing. That one nearly killed me about eight times over.
[ he sounds ... proud? go figure.
before he can go into the specifics of the fight (because kaeya's most definitely getting the play-by-play, there's no negotiation to be had), childe tilts his head up to look at kaeya - and then he interrupts himself with a laugh. ]
—Sir Kaeya, you appear to have fallen in love.
[ with the sword, for the record.
he looks very pleased with himself, lingering bitter leafy taste notwithstanding. ]
[let it be known that, were it anyone else catching kaeya's wrist, kaeya wouldn't hesitate to twist free—but it's both the way childe holds him (re: surprisingly gently) as it is the fact that childe brought him a dragon bone sword? or, correction: a wyvern bone sword. there is something special about that, to be sure—which is why kaeya allows childe to guide his fingers first down the length of the blade, and then right back up it. so this dragon-slash-wyvern almost (allegedly) killed childe, and yet childe kept at it...
...hmm.
of course such a claim appeals to kaeya's vanity; he'd like—love—to believe that he inspires such acts simply by existing, but the fact of the matter is this: childe is not just anyone? kaeya doubts that childe is easily enamored, which makes this gift as dangerous as it is lovely. childe could ask all manner of favors in return for such a gift; kaeya would deny the worst of them, of course, but he'd soon find himself between a rock and a hard place. a happy harbinger is better than an angry harbinger.
and yet.]
And if I have? [kaeya's fingers find their way back to the guard, tracing that bit of bone the smith chose to highlight. it is pleasing. every inch of this blade speaks to quality craftsmanship, hence kaeya's satisfied sigh.] It's a fine sword—as it should be, if you went through such trouble.
[on my behalf, too, his playful tone implies. oh, my. but after tracing the guard one last time, kaeya swiftly twists his wrist, fingers finding, and then curling about, childe's—all as he shifts his attention upward, finding, and then holding, childe's gaze. hey, hi, hello; enjoy this ever so slight smirk.]
Are you hoping that I'll want to put it to the test?
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voice;
[ blunt, annoyed. ]
What game are you playing at?
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Now, now, Master Diluc. You'll need to be more specific.
[he has many games going on at once, you see... c'mon...]
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Are you going to make me track you down myself?
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Would you? [hmm!] If there's something you need from me, you could simply ask.
[humble yaself a bit, maybe.]
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I'd think I could say the same after your drop in, you know.
[ aka, fine, he's going to find you. and show up at your door unannounced. he can be petty too. ]
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Oh? I wasn't aware I needed anything then, aside from a drink.
[or: maybe he was, like, curious about diluc's well-being, but like hell he's going to admit to it!]
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[ he hears the chuckle and resists the urge to call him out more directly. he's trying to be at least somewhat considerate here.
(nevermind that this essentially implies the same from Diluc) ]
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You've always had good taste.
[rich boy. but while diluc can take that as he pleases:]
So? What can I do for you? My time is valuable, you know.
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... I happened to be in the area. That's all.
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Is that so. [less of a question than a statement, but also:] And where are you, exactly?
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Near the marketplace.
[ aka: yes, he's in kiichpan. ]
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...hmm. he shouldn't be, really—but he still finds his way to the bar, paying his tab even as he keeps his medallion close to his lips.]
I see. [kind of.] And are you finding everything you need?
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perhaps this one...? ]
Mostly, yes.
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text. childe went to the dimitri school of flirtation apparently
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[so spill...]
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There's something for you at the fountain. East side, in the shadow of the trees.
Blue paper, red ribbon.
[ to his credit, he hadn't expended the (admittedly meager) resources it would have taken to find out where kaeya lays down to rest every night. that could be interpreted as childe respecting his boundaries.
then again, childe's currently situated in a tree with a direct line of sight to where he hopes kaeya will emerge to find the gift left for him (he's not about to let his presence ruin the honesty of kaeya's reaction). boundaries are only respected when they're trivial, it seems.
the package itself is wrapped rather beautifully, despite the impression of carelessness that childe gives off. it's a long, rectangular box wrapped in patterned red silk, the blue ribbon tied around the corners as embellishment. ]
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Is that so? Then I suppose a trip to the fountain is in order.
Though I do enjoy gifts that are given in person.
Hypothetically speaking.
[haha! but with that said, kaeya is off—at his leisure, which is why it takes a bit for him to actually reach the fountain. it's all on purpose, of course. he's wondering just how patient childe will prove to be, especially as he picks up his gift, admires the oh-so neat packaging—and, after casting a look around the area, heads into a nearby tavern with it in tow. childe thought he had kaeya; kaeya is more than happy to prove him wrong, because listen: time is on kaeya's side. he's perfectly content to order a drink while waiting for childe's presence and/or a message, given that he did, in fact, think to bring his journal along...]
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that is to say, he's about to vibrate out of his skin. maybe he ought to have offered the gift in person, but then kaeya would have postured away all of his honesty. childe likes giving gifts — he likes seeing people's faces blossom in excitement and awe. it makes him feel powerful and purposeful, in ways that have nothing to do with violence.
and then kaeya swoops in and takes the damn package into the tavern.
okay. childe could try to find a vantage point inside the tavern itself, but that probably won't work. scratch that, no matter childe's caution, that definitely won't work. kaeya knows to watch for him, if he'd known enough to remove himself from childe's field of view.
he's too good, childe thinks, caught between annoyance and admiration. it would have been another thing entirely if kaeya just bent to his whims - childe might have grown tired of him by now, if so. instead --
childe shoves his journal somewhere into his satchel, and levers down the tree. he stalks into the tavern and makes a beeline to the table where kaeya has situated himself. a leaf is caught in his hair, belying his former hiding spot. ]
You robbed me of my entertainment this afternoon, so you're going to order me a drink.
[ childe announces as he drops into the seat beside kaeya's. not quite petulant, because he's still wearing that preternatural smile, but there's a restless energy to him that calls to mind the moment before a strike. his gaze drops to the package, still neatly wrapped, and then, pointedly, back up to kaeya's face. ]
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—well.
kaeya's only taken a sip of his drink by the time childe finds his way to the empty seat across from him—and it would be a lie to say that kaeya doesn't enjoy the sight. childe's frustration is palpable; it isn't so much in his expression as it is the rest of him, given the way he sits, strangely tense, at the very edge of his seat. kaeya, in comparison, is settled back in his? smiling over the lip of his glass while greedily soaking in every bit of this impromptu show, because he does so love being an annoyance.]
Did I, now? My sincerest apologies. I merely thought that you might like a better view.
[he doesn't bother to keep his amusement in check as he leans forward, first setting his drink atop then table, then setting an elbow beside it. to steady himself, you see, as he reaches out to pluck that leaf from childe's hair, making sure to smooth back what he can in the process.]
But if it isn't pleasing—
[then it's no skin off his back! or: he sits back in his chair, holding up the leaf—see, he was totally being legitimate—before using it to catch the bartender's ever-watchful eye. another drink, please.]
—you are free to climb back up your tree.
[he can put two and two together, childe! and he's even more amused by it, as evidenced by the way he waggles this leaf back and forth.]
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and it's not like childe's truly upset about being outplayed. not really. not over something so petty. kaeya hasn't deviated from his baseline of aloof playfulness he'd exhibited from the start, except for his jaunt into desperation when childe had attempted to kill him. this shouldn't surprise him.
but, alright, maybe childe did want the instant gratification of seeing kaeya's expression warm and sweeten. because of a gift from childe. maybe he'd wanted to bask in that warmth and sweetness for awhile. gift-giving is a self-indulgence in and of itself, after all, and this gift came with several: to please an interesting friend, of course, but also to remind kaeya how useful childe is. how thoughtful. how resourceful.
kaeya stealing the leaf from his hair doesn't help. no, not even the caress afterwards, as it calls to mind an attempt to smooth down ruffled feathers. in fact, he'd seen kaeya soothe their erstwhile mount in a similar manner.
(yes, he's a petty asshole.)
childe gives kaeya an abbreviated once-over, gaze flicking from face to chest, lingering, and then traveling slowly upwards again. an idle thought, divorced from the clumsy attempt at nonchalance: what sort of knight leaves so much skin bare? childe could kill him seventeen different ways solely targeting that ridiculous little chest window.
regardless. ]
The view is a bit better, I'll give you that.
[ childe grumbles, pointedly ignoring the leaf between kaeya's fingers. the thread of conversation lost as a server brings over his drink, which lightens his sulk. he doesn't yet bring the cup to his lips, as he's more interested in nudging the package in kaeya's direction. ]
Now open it. Before I open it for you.
[ his impatience reaches critical levels. ]
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how fun.
but kaeya is aware that he can only take this so far. everyone has their limits, and childe, it seems, is swiftly approaching his—hence kaeya's amused hum as he drops that leaf right into childe's untouched drink. a nice little garnish, floating atop the ice. please enjoy.]
Perhaps I was enjoying my view. But if you insist—
[then yes, sure, he will finally shift his attention to this gift? will pluck at the ribbons holding it closed, albeit so, so slowly. some people prefer to take their time unwrapping their gifts, and kaeya has no problem pretending to be one.]
Any hints?
[a last-ditch effort to further annoy childe, because as he carefully slides the ribbons off one corner, then the next—he can only stretch this out for another few seconds, sure, but oh, he's enjoying himself.]
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why?
why do anything in life?
besides, eating a leaf is better than showing distaste by fishing it out and/or flicking it at kaeya. if he's going to use kaeya as a target, his projectile is going to be a lot more interesting than a leaf.
the alcohol is weak, kaeya is unruffled, and the sword is still hidden from view. childe drops his chin into his palm, attempting an unaffected air — he's a fair hand at deception, but today he's letting the loose ends of himself visibly fray. kaeya has that effect on him. the ability to worm under his skin.
because - a hint? fat chance. instead, childe snorts inelegantly and murmurs - ]
Remind me to wrap a lump of coal as a present for your birthday, whenever that might be.
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...well. never let it be said that kaeya can't be kind.]
Luckily for us both, you just missed it.
[kind of. what is time? does kaeya's birthday line up with this world's calendar? a mystery—which kaeya pays little mind as he finally lifts the lid from this box. expectations: low. childe has no reason to go out of his way for anything, and yet:]
Oh.
[a (breathless?) noise of genuine appreciation as kaeya leans forward, getting a better look at the sword resting within the box. forged in this world, obviously; the ornamentation makes that more than clear, but above that, as kaeya just barely squints—]
Is that bone?
[he's running a finger down the blade as he awaits the answer.]
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because kaeya's reaction had been equivalent to a shout of surprise, had it come from anyone else. it isn't an actual shout of surprise, which would have stroked childe's ego to his satisfaction, but it's as close as someone like kaeya can manage.
he smiles, gaze drawing down to the sword as well. he reaches over, catching kaeya's wrist so he can lead his touch down the blade to the intricate knot of bone at the guard. the smith had done a remarkable job, really. ]
Better yet, it's dragon bone.
[ a beat, then - ]
Or "wyvern" bone, as they call the beasts around here. All the dragon bits minus the fire-breathing. That one nearly killed me about eight times over.
[ he sounds ... proud? go figure.
before he can go into the specifics of the fight (because kaeya's most definitely getting the play-by-play, there's no negotiation to be had), childe tilts his head up to look at kaeya - and then he interrupts himself with a laugh. ]
—Sir Kaeya, you appear to have fallen in love.
[ with the sword, for the record.
he looks very pleased with himself, lingering bitter leafy taste notwithstanding. ]
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...hmm.
of course such a claim appeals to kaeya's vanity; he'd like—love—to believe that he inspires such acts simply by existing, but the fact of the matter is this: childe is not just anyone? kaeya doubts that childe is easily enamored, which makes this gift as dangerous as it is lovely. childe could ask all manner of favors in return for such a gift; kaeya would deny the worst of them, of course, but he'd soon find himself between a rock and a hard place. a happy harbinger is better than an angry harbinger.
and yet.]
And if I have? [kaeya's fingers find their way back to the guard, tracing that bit of bone the smith chose to highlight. it is pleasing. every inch of this blade speaks to quality craftsmanship, hence kaeya's satisfied sigh.] It's a fine sword—as it should be, if you went through such trouble.
[on my behalf, too, his playful tone implies. oh, my. but after tracing the guard one last time, kaeya swiftly twists his wrist, fingers finding, and then curling about, childe's—all as he shifts his attention upward, finding, and then holding, childe's gaze. hey, hi, hello; enjoy this ever so slight smirk.]
Are you hoping that I'll want to put it to the test?
[he isn't opposed.]
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