Imeeji: IC Continuations

[leaveofabsence]

Includes:

Day 415: Monster Bingo

Comments

[outofoffice]

[ Closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh ]

And if it's people rather than places?

[leaveofabsence]

You do not have to limit yourself to either one or the other. You can find comfort in both.

[outofoffice]

Hehe . . . that's fair. I never thought about it like that.

[ He climbs out of the water (a touch reluctantly) because being in Zhongli's lap feels more appealing ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He raises an eyebrow but says nothing as Venti deposits himself in his lap. Doesn't a siren want to be near the water?

And without further discussion, he simply slips forward so that both of them are at least waist deep in the bath. ]

I find that hard to imagine.

[outofoffice]

[ Descending back into the water does earn a pleased trill from somewhere in his chest, but from the arms that wrap around Zhongli's neck, it seems being close it still the #1 priority. ]

I'm full of mysteries, you know!

Shall I sing for you~?

[leaveofabsence]

[ There's a bit of a pout as he lifts his tail out of the water, the fluff now water-logged and four times the weight. Oops. He forgot all about that. He flops it over the lip of the bath with a heavy splat as he readjusts himself. ]

Only if it's tasteful.

[outofoffice]

[ Stifling a giggle at the sad plop of that tail. ]

Don't worry, don't worry.

[ His fingers travel up into Zhongli's hair as he leans in close, right by Zhongli's ear. The song has no words to speak of, so Zhongli needn't worry about Venti's tasteless humor -- instead it's a vocal hymn, clear and otherworldly. The sort that raises goosebumps, like someone massaging the tension from your mind, shooting tingles down your spine.

His fingers gently pull the clasp from Zhongli's hair as the song echoes around the bathroom. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ Zhongli stills when Venti starts singing, eyes going slightly glassy as the magic of a siren's voice lures him in, caressing his mind in all the right places so that it calms down. So that for this brief moment of time, the weight of 6,000 years of decisions and consequences does not weigh in the back of his thoughts.

There is nothing outside of this room.

This bath.

His most long-lived confidant humming in his ear.

Nothing but this song... ]

[outofoffice]

[ Ahhhh . . . if only his music could be so effective normally. Perhaps then he'd actually have some way to help.

He pulls Zhongli deeper into the water, settling against the edge of the bath and dragging Zhongli in so that his back is against Venti's chest, and he needn't even worry about floating by his own power. Continuing to card his fingers through increasingly wet hair.

(No wonder sirens can so easily drown people.)

And after a while, begins weaving in familiar melodies -- of Liyue of old and Liyue of new, whatever drifts into his mind first. ]