[ we are... somewhere in the neighborhood? the gazebo, maybe, so that zhongli's easy to find for those that are coming and going through all of, well. this. there's a light, golden glow coming from his hands - and as part of his hands, as well - as he can be found manipulating geo energy quietly. his emotions are still distant enough to not really be there, but his thoughts are filled with shapes, and brief blips of peoples' words or faces as he works.
a bottle of osmanthus wine sits next to him, but no glass. so he's probably just been drinking from it directly while doing his task at the moment. on his lap is a velvet-lined box, with a few things in the bottom of it already. what they are isn't immediately apparent, but they're the same color as whatever is in his hands right now.
without looking up right away: ] The final day comes tomorrow. How are you feeling about it?
[ the light fades, and he deposits his work into the box - then looks up at lucas, offering him a small, fond smile. a little sad around the edges, but... still there for lucas. might be the last time they see each other, and he will miss him so sorely. he knows it. ]
[It's fine he'll die so early and be here to greet everyone else if/when they eventually kick it and want to come back to Heaven...
But it is quite sad, partings like this. And there's a little bit of that sadness in his smile and in his emotions, too, even though the majority is just warmth and fondness. He tries to hold onto the positives, even here and now; he approaches with that in mind.]
...It's a little bit hard to really visualize, I think. After so long together in such harrowing circumstances, it's going to feel strange not to see anyone, especially on that first day back, I think.
[ i'm going to come into your home and kill you and pixi both ]
... I was thinking similarly. Two months is not much time at all, and yet it felt like such eternity, after everything. [ he looks up at him from his seat, scanning his face and taking in those emotions coming off of him.
what will life be like, to not have lucas proust in it? will he be safe? will he and his sister be alright? and what of how ill he was, at the end of his life, before arriving here? will yves and adolphe be able to do anything for him, going back? ] I will not ask if you won't be returning; I know that you have your sister waiting for you, and that is not someone to be parted with so easily.
[WHY ME I'M JUST A LITTLE GUY you can kill pixi though
Lucas just offers a small smile at that. There's a little thread of curiosity as he looks toward whatever Zhongli had been working on, but his attention after that fixes back on Zhongli himself.]
Yes... The idea of leaving her behind if I have the chance to return to her side is one that I just can't tolerate, really. You'll be returning to your own home as well, I assume?
I will be, yes, although if Hawke will be returning to Liyue with me I'll be looking into getting him connections with the people of Teyvat, so that he might figure out portals, from the ones that he is familiar with. We have some means of teleportation and in-world portals, but nothing for other worlds.
[ tilting his head slightly, as he regards him. ] ... should any of us manage to make a breakthrough, would you consider leaving? If you could take her with you.
Lucas looks slightly interested, but in like, a passingly curious way because he has a lot of shit to figure out at home and would not allow anyone to come to Arpechele for their own good regardless. Not until a lot of change happened. But:]
I do hope that it works out for everyone, then. I know that Hawke was hoping to find a new home for himself, regardless of the rest... [As for the question, there's a bit of a pause.]
...I have quite a lot of things back home that I need to handle. But should I be able to, and should someone succeed in this breakthrough, then I would consider leaving. Though at that point, our home might finally become more bearable regardless.
Truthfully, I'm uncertain of what will come of it. It's not something I've ever been familiar with - but there are many who could use the possibility, whether it is to escape a cruel fate they've resigned themselves to, or to see their loved ones more freely.
[ too many damn crosscanon ships happened and zhongli is so, so sad for all of them. and all of the people walking right back into their deaths, or their gilded birdcages. but... he nods at the answer, unsurprised. ]
I hope that Arpechele sees progress and light, in these coming days. The three of you will have quite a lot of work ahead of you, but... you are all as hard-working as ever. I would only hope for your safety. [ and health. ]
With that in mind... I've been working on something for everyone, and I would like you to take one back to Nadia, as well.
I do think that the opportunity will be cherished by many, and appreciated.
[Regardless of who does or doesn't actually use it, having it there at some point in the future will be nice. A good way of tiding some over until they all fckin die and go back to Heaven about it.]
Thank you for that, as well. A little hard work is nothing that can't be handled, at least. [A little quirk of a smile! He's used to overcoming trials.
As do I. But I will not get too hopeful, as I don't want to disappoint others, no matter how many of us decide to work on the idea.
[ it's a tossup on when he's going to die for real, frankly, considering he's so long-lived - and he also might not even come back to heaven, with the way teyvat is. he'd kind of like to see everyone again???
anyways he sifts through his box, until he comes away with two charms made of pure cor lapis. both are bracelets, made of red chord - but one has soft green threads woven into it, and the other threads of the same gentle pink of nadia's ribbon. ]
Protective charms - but more literally. I can only imbue them with so much power, truthfully, but they will provide you with a shield once, should you need it. And knowing that you cherish your sister as you do... I knew that if I gave it to you, and only you, you would wind up passing it on to her.
[Not wanting to let anyone down or get anyone's hopes up. ALSO GOD DIE AND COME TO THE COOL HEAVEN YOU LIL SHIT. Breaks Zhongli out of Teyvat jail.
But Lucas looks at the charms with a little bit of surprise, and as the explanation is given, there's something so warm and touched in the vibes. Because Zhongli is super right, Lucas would absolutely grant his one protection from a god to Nadia, since that's really all he's done his wholeass life. There's a sort of quiet awe, regardless. Even if Zhongli is not a god in the exact sense that Lucas is used to, being a retiree and all, there's still a sort of inclination toward reverence that he holds for god-like beings in general that tends to show through in moments like this - where he has something to be incredibly grateful for.]
...It's... alright? If we take them...?
[HE'S SO TOUCHED HONESTLY a blessing from a god is genuinely enough to drive his ass to tears, often. Fortunately not yet.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wk 7; endgame
a bottle of osmanthus wine sits next to him, but no glass. so he's probably just been drinking from it directly while doing his task at the moment. on his lap is a velvet-lined box, with a few things in the bottom of it already. what they are isn't immediately apparent, but they're the same color as whatever is in his hands right now.
without looking up right away: ] The final day comes tomorrow. How are you feeling about it?
[ the light fades, and he deposits his work into the box - then looks up at lucas, offering him a small, fond smile. a little sad around the edges, but... still there for lucas. might be the last time they see each other, and he will miss him so sorely. he knows it. ]
no subject
But it is quite sad, partings like this. And there's a little bit of that sadness in his smile and in his emotions, too, even though the majority is just warmth and fondness. He tries to hold onto the positives, even here and now; he approaches with that in mind.]
...It's a little bit hard to really visualize, I think. After so long together in such harrowing circumstances, it's going to feel strange not to see anyone, especially on that first day back, I think.
no subject
... I was thinking similarly. Two months is not much time at all, and yet it felt like such eternity, after everything. [ he looks up at him from his seat, scanning his face and taking in those emotions coming off of him.
what will life be like, to not have lucas proust in it? will he be safe? will he and his sister be alright? and what of how ill he was, at the end of his life, before arriving here? will yves and adolphe be able to do anything for him, going back? ] I will not ask if you won't be returning; I know that you have your sister waiting for you, and that is not someone to be parted with so easily.
no subject
Lucas just offers a small smile at that. There's a little thread of curiosity as he looks toward whatever Zhongli had been working on, but his attention after that fixes back on Zhongli himself.]
Yes... The idea of leaving her behind if I have the chance to return to her side is one that I just can't tolerate, really. You'll be returning to your own home as well, I assume?
no subject
I will be, yes, although if Hawke will be returning to Liyue with me I'll be looking into getting him connections with the people of Teyvat, so that he might figure out portals, from the ones that he is familiar with. We have some means of teleportation and in-world portals, but nothing for other worlds.
[ tilting his head slightly, as he regards him. ] ... should any of us manage to make a breakthrough, would you consider leaving? If you could take her with you.
no subject
Lucas looks slightly interested, but in like, a passingly curious way because he has a lot of shit to figure out at home and would not allow anyone to come to Arpechele for their own good regardless. Not until a lot of change happened. But:]
I do hope that it works out for everyone, then. I know that Hawke was hoping to find a new home for himself, regardless of the rest... [As for the question, there's a bit of a pause.]
...I have quite a lot of things back home that I need to handle. But should I be able to, and should someone succeed in this breakthrough, then I would consider leaving. Though at that point, our home might finally become more bearable regardless.
no subject
[ too many damn crosscanon ships happened and zhongli is so, so sad for all of them. and all of the people walking right back into their deaths, or their gilded birdcages. but... he nods at the answer, unsurprised. ]
I hope that Arpechele sees progress and light, in these coming days. The three of you will have quite a lot of work ahead of you, but... you are all as hard-working as ever. I would only hope for your safety. [ and health. ]
With that in mind... I've been working on something for everyone, and I would like you to take one back to Nadia, as well.
no subject
[Regardless of who does or doesn't actually use it, having it there at some point in the future will be nice. A good way of tiding some over until they all fckin die and go back to Heaven about it.]
Thank you for that, as well. A little hard work is nothing that can't be handled, at least. [A little quirk of a smile! He's used to overcoming trials.
But there's some curiosity again.]
Oh? What are you working on?
no subject
[ it's a tossup on when he's going to die for real, frankly, considering he's so long-lived - and he also might not even come back to heaven, with the way teyvat is. he'd kind of like to see everyone again???
anyways he sifts through his box, until he comes away with two charms made of pure cor lapis. both are bracelets, made of red chord - but one has soft green threads woven into it, and the other threads of the same gentle pink of nadia's ribbon. ]
Protective charms - but more literally. I can only imbue them with so much power, truthfully, but they will provide you with a shield once, should you need it. And knowing that you cherish your sister as you do... I knew that if I gave it to you, and only you, you would wind up passing it on to her.
no subject
[Not wanting to let anyone down or get anyone's hopes up. ALSO GOD DIE AND COME TO THE COOL HEAVEN YOU LIL SHIT. Breaks Zhongli out of Teyvat jail.
But Lucas looks at the charms with a little bit of surprise, and as the explanation is given, there's something so warm and touched in the vibes. Because Zhongli is super right, Lucas would absolutely grant his one protection from a god to Nadia, since that's really all he's done his wholeass life. There's a sort of quiet awe, regardless. Even if Zhongli is not a god in the exact sense that Lucas is used to, being a retiree and all, there's still a sort of inclination toward reverence that he holds for god-like beings in general that tends to show through in moments like this - where he has something to be incredibly grateful for.]
...It's... alright? If we take them...?
[HE'S SO TOUCHED HONESTLY a blessing from a god is genuinely enough to drive his ass to tears, often. Fortunately not yet.]