[ something a little worse than reflex: the deliberate weight of his gaze, lingering on the gleaming curve of childe's lip; the way his hand turns at a side, as if he might reach up to test it. ]
You are too kind.
[ it isn't, after all, as if he doesn't know childe's reputation. from a fatui agent, it'd be a warning. from childe, it feels nearly like a grace note: the invitation of a man who'd look upon the throne of a god and only think to drown it.
the underlying demand's unmistakable, too -- but that's less of interest. childe'll have as strong a response as he can bear. all things in balance.
a stele shocks out of the floor, gold pulsing through the shadows like an open, molten vein. the house groans with the resonance, marble jittering like bone. he doesn't spare a moment for the echoes to settle. in a heartbeat, zhongli's lunging towards him, shields thrumming and his spear twisting up towards childe's throat as the distance between them empties out -
- to pin his collar to the stele.
close quarters, as promised -- and it's only fair. neither of them's taken it seriously so far. ]
no subject
You are too kind.
[ it isn't, after all, as if he doesn't know childe's reputation. from a fatui agent, it'd be a warning. from childe, it feels nearly like a grace note: the invitation of a man who'd look upon the throne of a god and only think to drown it.
the underlying demand's unmistakable, too -- but that's less of interest. childe'll have as strong a response as he can bear. all things in balance.
a stele shocks out of the floor, gold pulsing through the shadows like an open, molten vein. the house groans with the resonance, marble jittering like bone. he doesn't spare a moment for the echoes to settle. in a heartbeat, zhongli's lunging towards him, shields thrumming and his spear twisting up towards childe's throat as the distance between them empties out -
- to pin his collar to the stele.
close quarters, as promised -- and it's only fair. neither of them's taken it seriously so far. ]