[As Diluc moves to kneel in front of her, Lumine's hand finds the ground where he had been, anchored there to support her as she shifts into a bit more of an open pose. She'd been closed off, curled up the way she was, and with Diluc in front of her now she shifts, knees rested at an angle before her.
In letting herself be emotionally open, Lumine's surprise rises beyond her sadness at the revelation. Of all the developments she expected, that hadn't been one she'd thought of...but even so the surprise gives way to the warmest smile she could manage, given her current emotional state.]
You have been? Diluc I'm so happy for the two of you. I...honestly... I always hoped you could find someone who would support you... and I'm glad to hear it's Kaeya.
[The honesty of her words is clear even through the veil of sadness that covered her. She'd been worried about both of them, really, but especially about Diluc. She had no doubt he could shoulder the responsibilities he had...but she always wished there was someone there to maybe carry it with him.]
If you're really sure it won't be a problem then... then yes...please...I would love to stay with the two of you for a little while.
[Perhaps it was fortunate that she hadn't unpacked her clothing or anything since arriving. She didn't have anything extra to pack that way.]
[The easy acceptance has him flushing slightly again, glancing away from her as he clears his throat. He nods, grateful to not be pressed for more details at the moment, and he pushes himself up to his feet.]
You can come back with me now, then, if you want to. Just bring what you need for the night, and we can come back here in the morning for the rest of your things.
[Despite the awkwardness of the overall situation he still manages to keep his composure, offering his hand down to help her up off the floor. With how upset she is, there's no chance that he would consider leaving her alone after already offering to have her stay with him.]
I left Kaeya in bed, but he probably woke up when I left... [... Ehem.
He's never going to get used to being open about his relationships.]
A... anyway, we have a guest room made up for visitors, so there's a place for you. Shall we go?
[Lumine takes a moment to wipe away her tears, though she knew still more would likely fall, before she accepts the hand to help her to her feet. Her limbs are just a little stiff from how long she was curled up on the floor, so she takes a moment to stretch her legs as she focuses her eyes on the floor.]
Everything I have is still in my bag, I haven't really unpacked much of anything since I arrived. I guess it's lucky I hadn't gotten around to it yet.
[She's still trying to smile, even though Diluc had already seen her tears, as she goes to retrieve her bag from the foot of her bed. Is she smiling for him or for herself, she wonders...she honestly isn't sure at this point. Her voice still trembles softly with each word.]
I'm ready to go whenever you are. [She wouldn't bring up Kaeya, not with Diluc seeming a bit flustered over the topic.]
[He doesn't make mention of her crying directly for the take of her dignity, and offers to take her bag from her without assuming she would need - or want - him to carry it. If she does let him take it he will do so and then make a gesture for the door for her to lead the way out.
The walk back to the house where he and Kaeya live is not a terribly long one from the site of the refugee apartments where Lumine was staying. While they walk Diluc does not force any uncharacteristic small talk, but he puts his arm around Lumine when he considers she might be chilly and keeps half an eye on her for any further signs that she's feeling distressed.]
Shall I make you a drink while you get settled? [He asks her when they finally start to draw near to the house.] Warm milk and honey, or a hot chocolate? [The latter is a personal favourite... the former is Kaeya's favourite. He doesn't really mind which one she picks, though.]
[Lumine hadn't intended to ask Diluc to carry anything for her, but when he offers she does hand the bag over as if it's reflex. She pauses only a moment to lock the door to her apartment behind them before following along at Diluc's side.
Her arms, wrapped around herself at the base of her ribs, are a little tense as they walk, almost as if she's holding everything together simply by her willpower and the strength of her arms. She does lean slightly into Diluc once he puts his arm around her, shoulders at least relaxing a little bit from the contact and proximity.]
Oh um... if it wouldn't be any trouble. [She pauses a moment, considering the options presented to her. She had asked him about alcohol at first, but hadn't expected any when she'd been invited to his house. Honestly she was fine with that...and she hums softly in consideration. When she does answer, her voice is quiet, as if she's trying to hide that it's still a little unsteady.] Hot chocolate sounds nice.
[There is alcohol in the house - Kaeya lives there after all, and Venti is a frequent visitor - but Diluc does not partake in it and he thinks that right now, with Lumine's emotional fragility and the late hour, drinking would not be the best of ideas.
But he smiles a little when she makes her choice, nodding once in acknowledgement.]
You know... when I was a child, Adelinde would have to deal with Kaeya and I arguing over which drink we would have before bed. [He doesn't think he has ever spoken much about his childhood to Aether, so it stands to reason that the same would go for Lumine if she had walked his path.]
Hot chocolate was always my favourite. [He wonders if she knows he likes sweet things.] Kaeya preferred milk and honey. I would usually win the argument.
[Lumine feels her expression soften into a small smile as Diluc talks about himself and Kaeya as children, filling her in on parts of his life she'd never heard about before.]
Did you argue every night? [It would make sense to her if they did, really. None of the arguments would be big ones she was sure, but they were both strong willed and that probably meant they were both so cute as children.
Hearing that Diluc usually won, though, is enough to draw the smallest laugh from her. The sound isn't as bright as she often tried to be...but it was clear that she had attained at least a small measure of stability. Honestly, she was sure the company was helping more than she could express...so maybe she wouldn't talk about that just yet.] Usually huh? That means Kaeya probably won a couple times. It wasn't your favorite, but does that mean you also enjoyed milk and honey?
[To be fair, he and Kaeya had barely argued at all when they were young. Diluc had been so thrilled at the prospect of a playmate that he had accepted the younger boy immediately and the two of them had been all but inseparable until... that night.
It's easier to divert his thoughts from that night than it used to be.
Their steps echo softly around them in the quiet, empty street and Diluc keeps a keen eye out for trouble, as he always does, though he isn't really expecting any. Between the two of them he imagines they could take on anything in any case.]
I let him win sometimes. [There's another of those smiles, small but warm, and he shakes his head.] I can tell you more about how we were growing up, if you're curious to know.
[She does hesitate just a little when Diluc offers to tell her more about their childhood. They had never gotten so close as to speak about that back in Teyvat, and Diluc certainly didn't owe her the familiarity here when he knew her brother instead of her... but he had offered. She wanted to get closer to the people she considered friends again...she wanted that so badly.
There's a slight worried quality to her voice that she mostly manages to hide as she speaks up again.] I'd like that, if you don't mind.
[That was the big part of it though, wasn't it? If Diluc didn't mind. She was still in a considerable amount of pain that she'd done incredibly well hiding before reaching out to Diluc tonight. She sort of felt like...like something of a bother, really. She'd troubled him at this hour of the night and for all she was grasping at the stability his presence offered...she likely had a bit more crying ahead of her before she fell asleep that night.]
[It had always been hard to talk about it because of his strained relationship with Kaeya, but that is a thing of the past now. Thinking about how they were as children is no longer tainted with the way they had parted on Diluc's eighteenth birthday, and he shakes his head when she answers him.]
I don't mind.
[Silently he gestures ahead of them, pointing out a house set a little ways back from the road. There's a large maple tree in the front garden, showing over the wall.] I'm sure you've heard me say before that I don't like to keep things that I have no use for. [The reason he had sharply given to Kaeya for the way he had sold off their childhood home and so many of Crepus' possessions... and a not so subtle dig into his abandonment of their brotherhood.
Harsh. Unnecessarily harsh. But he was so stubborn, especially with his grudges.]
But memories are not so easily put aside. I spent ten years of my life almost inseparable from Kaeya, though I never fully realised how much of a shadow I cast over him.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-05-08 01:52 am (UTC)In letting herself be emotionally open, Lumine's surprise rises beyond her sadness at the revelation. Of all the developments she expected, that hadn't been one she'd thought of...but even so the surprise gives way to the warmest smile she could manage, given her current emotional state.]
You have been? Diluc I'm so happy for the two of you. I...honestly... I always hoped you could find someone who would support you... and I'm glad to hear it's Kaeya.
[The honesty of her words is clear even through the veil of sadness that covered her. She'd been worried about both of them, really, but especially about Diluc. She had no doubt he could shoulder the responsibilities he had...but she always wished there was someone there to maybe carry it with him.]
If you're really sure it won't be a problem then... then yes...please...I would love to stay with the two of you for a little while.
[Perhaps it was fortunate that she hadn't unpacked her clothing or anything since arriving. She didn't have anything extra to pack that way.]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-08 02:27 pm (UTC)You can come back with me now, then, if you want to. Just bring what you need for the night, and we can come back here in the morning for the rest of your things.
[Despite the awkwardness of the overall situation he still manages to keep his composure, offering his hand down to help her up off the floor. With how upset she is, there's no chance that he would consider leaving her alone after already offering to have her stay with him.]
I left Kaeya in bed, but he probably woke up when I left... [... Ehem.
He's never going to get used to being open about his relationships.]
A... anyway, we have a guest room made up for visitors, so there's a place for you. Shall we go?
no subject
Date: 2022-05-09 10:29 am (UTC)Everything I have is still in my bag, I haven't really unpacked much of anything since I arrived. I guess it's lucky I hadn't gotten around to it yet.
[She's still trying to smile, even though Diluc had already seen her tears, as she goes to retrieve her bag from the foot of her bed. Is she smiling for him or for herself, she wonders...she honestly isn't sure at this point. Her voice still trembles softly with each word.]
I'm ready to go whenever you are. [She wouldn't bring up Kaeya, not with Diluc seeming a bit flustered over the topic.]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-12 09:23 pm (UTC)The walk back to the house where he and Kaeya live is not a terribly long one from the site of the refugee apartments where Lumine was staying. While they walk Diluc does not force any uncharacteristic small talk, but he puts his arm around Lumine when he considers she might be chilly and keeps half an eye on her for any further signs that she's feeling distressed.]
Shall I make you a drink while you get settled? [He asks her when they finally start to draw near to the house.] Warm milk and honey, or a hot chocolate? [The latter is a personal favourite... the former is Kaeya's favourite. He doesn't really mind which one she picks, though.]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-13 10:37 am (UTC)Her arms, wrapped around herself at the base of her ribs, are a little tense as they walk, almost as if she's holding everything together simply by her willpower and the strength of her arms. She does lean slightly into Diluc once he puts his arm around her, shoulders at least relaxing a little bit from the contact and proximity.]
Oh um... if it wouldn't be any trouble. [She pauses a moment, considering the options presented to her. She had asked him about alcohol at first, but hadn't expected any when she'd been invited to his house. Honestly she was fine with that...and she hums softly in consideration. When she does answer, her voice is quiet, as if she's trying to hide that it's still a little unsteady.] Hot chocolate sounds nice.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-14 09:53 pm (UTC)But he smiles a little when she makes her choice, nodding once in acknowledgement.]
You know... when I was a child, Adelinde would have to deal with Kaeya and I arguing over which drink we would have before bed. [He doesn't think he has ever spoken much about his childhood to Aether, so it stands to reason that the same would go for Lumine if she had walked his path.]
Hot chocolate was always my favourite. [He wonders if she knows he likes sweet things.] Kaeya preferred milk and honey. I would usually win the argument.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-15 12:24 pm (UTC)Did you argue every night? [It would make sense to her if they did, really. None of the arguments would be big ones she was sure, but they were both strong willed and that probably meant they were both so cute as children.
Hearing that Diluc usually won, though, is enough to draw the smallest laugh from her. The sound isn't as bright as she often tried to be...but it was clear that she had attained at least a small measure of stability. Honestly, she was sure the company was helping more than she could express...so maybe she wouldn't talk about that just yet.] Usually huh? That means Kaeya probably won a couple times. It wasn't your favorite, but does that mean you also enjoyed milk and honey?
no subject
Date: 2022-05-18 07:08 pm (UTC)[To be fair, he and Kaeya had barely argued at all when they were young. Diluc had been so thrilled at the prospect of a playmate that he had accepted the younger boy immediately and the two of them had been all but inseparable until... that night.
It's easier to divert his thoughts from that night than it used to be.
Their steps echo softly around them in the quiet, empty street and Diluc keeps a keen eye out for trouble, as he always does, though he isn't really expecting any. Between the two of them he imagines they could take on anything in any case.]
I let him win sometimes. [There's another of those smiles, small but warm, and he shakes his head.] I can tell you more about how we were growing up, if you're curious to know.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-23 11:35 am (UTC)There's a slight worried quality to her voice that she mostly manages to hide as she speaks up again.] I'd like that, if you don't mind.
[That was the big part of it though, wasn't it? If Diluc didn't mind. She was still in a considerable amount of pain that she'd done incredibly well hiding before reaching out to Diluc tonight. She sort of felt like...like something of a bother, really. She'd troubled him at this hour of the night and for all she was grasping at the stability his presence offered...she likely had a bit more crying ahead of her before she fell asleep that night.]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-26 04:26 pm (UTC)I don't mind.
[Silently he gestures ahead of them, pointing out a house set a little ways back from the road. There's a large maple tree in the front garden, showing over the wall.] I'm sure you've heard me say before that I don't like to keep things that I have no use for. [The reason he had sharply given to Kaeya for the way he had sold off their childhood home and so many of Crepus' possessions... and a not so subtle dig into his abandonment of their brotherhood.
Harsh. Unnecessarily harsh. But he was so stubborn, especially with his grudges.]
But memories are not so easily put aside. I spent ten years of my life almost inseparable from Kaeya, though I never fully realised how much of a shadow I cast over him.