threebetrayals | Inbox for Songerein

[There's some part of him that has to celebrate being invited into Wanderer's home, but- Time and place. Heizou just nods and does as he's told, not wanting to exacerbate the state he's in with too much of his usual teasing.]

I'll make you the most straightforward, bitter tea possible. As long as you take nice, deep breaths, pet your cat, and tell me everything you're feeling right now. I want you to let it out and talk it through with me. Okay?

[Well he'll certainly pet his cat.]

What makes you think I'm the sort to talk about my emotions?

[Heizou just smiles serenely, putting on the kettle and sitting back while it starts to heat up some water.]

You're not, but I think it might help. Alternately you're welcome to beat me up, but then you wouldn't be able to pet Arashi~

[A Look.]

If I wanted to beat you up, we'd do it outside. [. . .] I need to keep the place intact now that Buer is here.

[He meets that Look with his smile, completely undeterred by it.] I wouldn't fight back, if it helped you. We'd keep the mess to a minimum that way.

[That's fine, right? It's a totally normal thing to offer.]

--Ah, but you're right. I did run into Nahida as well... Is she staying here with you?

[He shrugs.]

Probably. [Has he even offered, explicitly? He should may be do that.] I do work for her, after all.

[Heizou tilts his head slightly while he looks at him.]

...You haven't actually told her she can, have you?

[Wanderer does not deign to answer as he grabs his journal to leave her a note.]

[A grin spreads across his face. Cute.]

For someone who prefers speaking so directly, you're not much of an open communicator~

Shut up.

[It's been a Time for him, okay?]

She may not even take me up on it.

[He tilts his head curiously, just before straightening up to check on the kettle.]

No? What makes you say that?

[He shrugs.]

Because she's allowed to?

In that case, she's also allowed to say 'yes'~

[Just gonna pour the hot water into a cup now and let the leaves steep for a while.]

Do you have a preference either way?

If she says no, I'll have to check on her daily. [He wouldn't have to, but he'd do it anyway.] If she says yes, I'll need to take the second floor so Venti's refusal to use a door doesn't disturb her.

[Heizou smiles fondly, leaning forward on the table while he watches Wanderer.]

"Have to"? My goodness, you truly think highly of her, don't you~?

She's the only archon I respect even slightly.

[So.]

Oh? So how would you describe your thoughts on Venti?

Irrelevant, since I never met him back in Teyvat.

[An artful dodge! Hopefully!]

[Heizou just. Raises an eyebrow at him, lips pursed in amusement.

That was a terrible attempt at a dodge, Wanderer.]

What? [ . . . ] Don't let it steep too long.

[He lets out a little chuckle, sliding the teacup over toward Wanderer so he can have it whenever he wants.]

I never met any of the archons in person before I ended up here, you know. So that's been... interesting.

Realized they're all disasters, yet?

Well, that's hardly surprising to me~

I guess what I'm saying is that I hadn't exactly formed an opinion about any of them until after meeting them here... So however you feel about Venti isn't as irrelevant as you claim.

And my opinion of him was the same as it was for every archon: useless. Therefore, it's irrelevant.

[Never mind that he said "was" the same. Not "is".]

[Oh, he's noting that. He's noting that heavily.

It makes him smile a little.]

...Would you feel better if he could be here right now?

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