✵ [Jan Catchall] Hope is not pretending that troubles don't exist.

[phoenixblessed]

⌛ Who: Diluc Ragnvindr (phoenixblessed), Red Wine, (judgementor), Vennessa (vennessa), Thanatos (inevitablerest) & Raphael (cupiditasmedendi) & you perhaps.
⌛ What: General prompts, TDM stuff, & closed prompts for January. Drop me a prompt to answer if you like!
⌛ When: Through January
⌛ Where: Noted in threads
⌛ Warnings: Will be marked when they are needed

---

✵ Diluc Ragnvindr
  +

✵ Red Wine
  +

✵ Thanatos
  +

✵ Vennessa
  +

✵ Raphael
  +

Comments

[phoenixblessed]

[Diluc's knees feel like they might buckle under him as he steps quickly after the other man, barely remembering to grab his scarf before he does. He ignores the curious stares that follow them, gives a distracted wave to the staff as they watch him leave, and the cool air that hits him when he walks out of the door does absolutely nothing to help the warmth suffusing his entire body.

Shaken out of whatever impulse had brought that action on, the next natural progression of emotions begins to set in. The pit of his stomach clenches as panic knots with confusion and self-loathing and burns a tight sensation in the back of his throat.

Diluc does not kiss people for no reason. He isn't the kind of person to use his body in that way. He doesn't do it for no reason, so why would he--...

They make it a few metres from the door and he's reaching for Childe's arm again, still not understanding why (why, why, why--!) he would want to. There was nothing in the tea, he doesn't use the drugs on offer in Nippon, so this... it must just be him.

Them.

He holds on to Childe's arm so lightly. There's no need for him to be rough for the man to know how strong he is - he already knows.]

I don't-- [Diluc's words stumble over themselves.] You can ignore that-- that that ever happened. If... if--

[acutabove]

[ The air outside is blessedly breezy enough that it does wonders to cool the heat under his skin, injects some sense of normalcy back into his racing thoughts and quells the surging tide of desire and want that's making a mess of all his emotions. Even with the lingering presence of Diluc's mouth against his like an echo, Childe still takes a deep, steadying breath in once he's outside and exhales it, slowly, willing his body to calm down so as not to make walking an issue.

He's not entirely sure where they're going, or if they're going together at all. Diluc's presence is heralded by the sound of the door chiming open and closing, and once they make their way comfortably enough away from the shop that they can rule out that it's something in the air making them act this way towards one another, Childe feels the anticipation in his stomach and give way to something softer.

He had said he'd liked him. Apparently he hadn't realized how much.

The Harbinger means to say as much when he feels Diluc's hand on his arm, pulling on it, and he turns to regard the redhead beside him and the look on his face. His gaze wanders over Diluc's features, the expression he wears and he thinks, if the other man wanted to forget then he'd be fine with it. They might have to avoid each other for a long while after this, but that's okay.

It's probably the high of their kiss that has him laughing almost giddily, shaking his head and reaching out to gently press a hand over Diluc's chest. And then over to his shoulder, gripping at his arm in turn and kneading at it reassuringly. ]

I like you, Diluc. [ It's said so openly, honestly, there isn't room left for him to doubt. ] It's okay. It's okay. Whatever you want.

[phoenixblessed]

[As for Diluc, going from actively disliking the man to... whatever he feels about him now had apparently snuck up on him so thoroughly that he hadn't realised it fully until now. It had always made sense in his mind for him to hate Childe, to hate everything he represented (and he still hates that, honestly), but this is something that doesn't come to him easily. He had been willing to try, to be civil, maybe even something that could be interpreted as friendly...

He is going to have to have a long period of introspection after this.

His heart jumps against the touch to his chest, a glance going across to the hand placed on his shoulder and he looks up with a soft, uncertain frown.]

Whatever I want?

[What does he want when it comes to Childe? He thought he knew, but the last ten minutes have forced a dramatic reset of how he sees their entire relationship and he can still feel the tingle of the man's mouth on his. He had done that. That had been his decision. A choice.

Is it okay?]

I-I think I... [Maybe it wouldn't be too surprising if he bolted right now, but his feet feel rooted into place. He reaches up, clasping his hand over the one on his shoulder, holding it there.] I think... I would like... [He speaks carefully, as if to keep things he doesn't want to say from launching themselves out of the chaotic swirl of his thoughts.]

To spend some time with you.

[acutabove]

[ Now that he has some inkling as to what their relationship is, it's easier to fall back into old habits. The confidence comes readily to him, and while it wasn't hard to present himself with the self-assuredness he'd become known for, not knowing whatever was going on between him and Diluc had made him hesitate - understandably so. As much as he enjoyed doing as he pleased on any given day he had stakes in this, as well. Diluc had seen probably more of him than anyone else had, more of his past than he'd let anyone be privy to. It wasn't all of it, and there were parts of him that people that weren't Diluc knew about, but it was enough to gently nudge the redhead into his affections.

He can still feel the running undercurrent of heat beneath his skin, still feel the way his stomach tightens with desire, with feeling the other man's grip over him. There's a warmth emanating from the redhead that he can't quite escape, and he realizes after a moment or two that he doesn't really want to.

So he lets Diluc catch him, lets him hold his hand, for a moment. When the redhead speaks he listens, head inclined a bit, and then nods. The flicker of shyness in his own gaze is quick and fleeting for anyone not really looking for it, and after the silence lingers between them, broken up only by the waves crashing on a distant shore and the rolling peals of thunder, he speaks. ]

Do you want me to walk you home?

[phoenixblessed]

I...

[Oh, by the gods, he's going to have to explain this to Kaeya isn't he. If he's lucky the man will just find it funny. He'll probably just find it funny.

Diluc straightens his shoulders - a subtle motion - as he lifts his hand from the one clasped there and lets his arms drop to his sides. He feels... defeated, in a way, though that is probably a ridiculous way to feel or in the very least an entirely inappropriate one. Of all people, it had to be--

Ah, well... it could have been worse.

He closes his eyes for a moment and takes a breath. Tries to calm the buzzing under his skin and the way his heart is racing, how his stomach is still churning in a nauseating mix of excitement and disgust at the way his arousal had so immediately spiked from something so simple as a kiss.]

All right.

[It's easier to go by train - not far, but quicker - but on foot it isn't outside of a reasonable distance. Diluc tends to prefer to walk anyway, with the weird things that can happen on the trains sometimes.]

It's this way.

sticks a bow on this

[acutabove]

[ With Diluc's nod in acceptance, Childe feels a little more of the anxieties he hadn't known he had ease away. The smile he leverages in the other man's direction is his usual soft, warm ones, unmistakably affectionate and a little playful. He'll drop his arm before turning in the direction the man indicated and even goes so far as to give him a little bump with his shoulder before he sets off.

While Diluc may have hangups about having people walk behind him, it's apparent Childe doesn't have any such qualms. The pace he sets is quick, but not too brisk, his long legs taking him to their destination in ambling strides while he looks over his shoulder every so often to make sure Diluc is following behind. The conversation is light, hardly there but Childe doesn't leave them in silence the whole time; he fills it with chattering about the weather, the storm and pointing out the different shops and the wildlife they might spot along the way to offer his input.

And if he happens to bump shoulders with Diluc more than usual, if he happens to look at him, lingering, furtive glances that blossom into wide, beaming smiles - then that's fine, too. ]