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[leaveofabsence]

[ The default voicemail message greets you. ]

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[leaveofabsence]

[ He shifts a little to try and make the two of the more comfortable. But also---

He puts an arm around Venti's waist to make sure he doesn't flop right out of this tree. ]

I suppose sometimes it is the little things.

[outofoffice]

[ He hums, a light and contented sound ]

Surely you're not counting yourself as a "little thing"?

[leaveofabsence]

No.

But lounging in a tree - even a foreign breed - far away from the congregation of people is a simple pleasure that we might have once taken for granted.

[outofoffice]

True enough.

That just means we should savor it for as long as possible, don't you think?

[leaveofabsence]

Yes.

[ And he shifts --- just a little --- to pull Venti more fully into his lap. ]

We should.

[outofoffice]

[ He settles there easily, a puzzle piece slotting into place for the first time in far too long. ]

Hehe . . . I like this new agreeable Morax.

[leaveofabsence]

Many people have found me agreeable before. This is not something new.

[outofoffice]

I see, I see -- you were merely holding out on me, specifically.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Huffs ]

Perhaps I was not the one being disagreeable in the first place.

[outofoffice]

Surely you're not accusing me? I'm always agreeable! To a fault, even!

[leaveofabsence]

Oh. Is that what this has been the whole time? Faulty agreeability?

[outofoffice]

. . .

[ Harrumphs and starts crawling his way out of Zhongli's lap ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He does not move to stop him but nor does he move himself so that Venti can return if he so wishes ]

I see you are not in the mood today.

What do you need exactly?

[outofoffice]

Someone to be nice to me!

[ PITY HIM PROPERLY ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He holds out his arms to Venti again ]

Come then.

Let me make it up to you.

[outofoffice]

[ He's WEAK, so of course he scoots right back over. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He pulls Venti back into his lap, one arm wrapped warmly around his waist.

And then begins to gently stroke his hair, humming something low under his breath. ]

[outofoffice]

[ Now these tactics are successful.

He immediately relaxes, constant tension seeping out in favor of slumping his full weight against Zhongli. Practically burrowing against him. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ It's simple enough for Zhongli to shift enough to shed his outer coat, draping it over him like a blanket even though he knows that Venti rarely uses one.

And then he leans back against the trunk of the tree, fingers still carding through his hair as he watches Venti finally unwind a little.</small. ]

[outofoffice]

[ It seems that the whole time, the secret was just for Morax to hold him! Weird.

After a while, he closes his eyes. ]

You have a nice voice, Morax.

[leaveofabsence]

Nice enough to soothe you to sleep? I think you're well overdue some rest.

[outofoffice]

[ Rumbling his disapproval at this idea. ]

If I'm asleep, I'm not spending time with you.

[leaveofabsence]

Ah? That's twice now. . .

Have I been neglecting you?

[outofoffice]

[ Craning his neck a bit to peer up at him ]

What? No . . .

You even wasted all that time following me around.

[leaveofabsence]

It was not a waste, Barbatos. I do not want to think about what might have happened if I had not been accompanying you when you encountered Hiroto.

But---

Spending time together in times of conflict and in times of peace are different experiences. And it is the latter that I am speaking of.