CALL ME OUT

[circuitice]

this post for CMO for kaeya. new threads and TLs to go here

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[circuitice]

He left again.

[ he swirls his drink, as his eye takes in the stillness from Diluc. And so, he offers with a light lilt in his voice, ]

Relax.

[hotcall]

... you know who your father was.

[circuitice]

Yes.

But I don't think we should waste anymore breath on him.

[ he reaches out across the table, and places his hand over Diluc's, to pull the conversation back in the direction he prefers. To connect with him before this goes in a direction he doesn't want.

He keeps his touch light, his fingertips barely pressing against his skin. ]

The night's young, and it's too early for dark feelings.

[hotcall]

[ the cool tips of kaeya's fingers barely skim diluc's. diluc, who has always run warm, stills beneath its touch. nostalgia is the bane of reason. diluc has had no defense for it; diluc has never had enough reason. but the kaeya of tonight glitters like something in snowfall, and diluc hands allow him to do as he pleases - but no more than so.

he shakes his head. ]

You won't speak of him, then.

[ like a burning brand; diluc has never once not cut to the heart of things. not in the dark. ]

[circuitice]

No.

Not now.

[ he says, taking stock of the reaction. Diluc-- doesn't flinch away from him. and so, he takes another drink, another bit to dull the senses, and does not move his hand. ]

I hope it won't bother you.

[ his finger draws along the back of his hand, his touch still light. he would never trap him, if he wanted to get away. ]

[hotcall]

And this?

[ his gaze dips, first to their hands, and then up to kaeya's face. the level heat of diluc's eyes: ]

Do you hope this, too, won't bother me?

[circuitice]

Does it? You're free to pull away from me, of course.

[ Diluc was the opposite of a romantic.

sometimes, cutting to the heart of things ruined the fun of the chase, and yet--

he meets Diluc's fire with his deep blue, unafraid of his ultimate answer.

and yet, terrified at the same time. ]

[hotcall]

[ it is not the first time that diluc has been flirted with. it won't be the last. being in a certain strata of society means existing in what is essentially a vat of snakes - it's not the existence of desire that is the issue, but the intention. what intention would a childhood friend from fifteen years ago have to place his hand over his? diluc looks.

there is something kaeya wants. diluc does not know what it is, yet. diluc holds kaeya's gaze. ]

We played a game much like this when were younger. I believe the game was called 'chicken'. [ diluc's eyebrow quirks. slowly, diluc's wrist turns. his palm faces kaeya's, his fingers slide into his valleys. ] Was I ever the first to turn away?

[circuitice]

[ a game of chicken? It’s Kaeya’s turn to quirk his eyebrow. He stills as he considers this idea. It’s… interesting. Is that what he wants?

And he lets a lazy smile cross his face. It’s— probably about the best he could hope for. And so, he plays along. ]

We’re not children anymore. And I’m braver than I used to be, you know.

[ he considers the man across from him. Perhaps Diluc is also more reckless than he used to be. The type of person who refuses to be reigned in, even if it would be best for him. After all, they are near strangers.

He lets his hand curl over the other’s, his gentle stroking stilled. ]

I might just finally be able to beat you at a game like this.

[hotcall]

[ they are not children anymore. it had been diluc who had first called it a game. kaeya's stroke stills, and diluc considers the night and the implications, the secrets and the dark. he concludes: kaeya is no longer the child he once knew. it is too soon to know how diluc ought to feel about it.

there is a cant of his head. and then, deliberately, diluc allows his hand to retreat from beneath kaeya's. his serving knife carves through the pizza; he slides a slice onto kaeya's waiting plate. ]

Your pizza. After a night of drinking, you must be hungry.

[circuitice]

Mm, starving, now that I think about it.

[ he withdraws, and Kaeya's smile grows animated, and yet still, betraying no thought beneath his mask. But once he has the pizza, he pulls the plate close. his glass is half empty, and he really shouldn't be rude.

And so he's quiet as he takes his first bite. ]

[hotcall]

[ kaeya smiles. diluc frowns. but the lilt of his lips have always been so. he takes a slice of the pizza for himself; knife and fork, and the ginger pickings of a late-night meal. it's good, in the way that cafe food is good. he doesn't dislike it. it is, however, hardly his focus of the night.

that kaeya has appeared now, of all times. diluc has not considered the timing. he had been focused on the why, not the when.

he is the first to break the silence: ]

Where do you live, now?

[circuitice]

[ a knife and fork… oh, Diluc. Kaeya picks up the pizza with his hands and takes a bite. ]

Why, do you want me to take you home~?

[ but he is still going to judge him for his inability to eat pizza. It’s distracted him from the seriousness of the conversation, and provided some levity. ]

[hotcall]

[ wow!!! don't Perceive him, this is clearly how you eat pizza when you have no friends to tell you how to do it otherwise ok. ]

I was going to offer to drop you off, actually. I'm assuming you don't live in the vicinity?

[ never hunt near your burrow and all that. ]

[circuitice]

... Diluc, please put down the fork and the knife. It's completely distracting.

[hotcall]

[ a beat. ]

What.

[circuitice]

Surely you know how to eat pizza.

[ he says with his pizza in his hand.

People could start staring. ]

[hotcall]

I do. [ says he, still holding his knife and fork with that little square of pizza on the end of it. ] I happen to be consuming some.

[ behold, moving that fork to his mouth... and eating it!! this is surely how people do it. ]

[circuitice]

So, you don't.

[ he sighs, over dramatic, as he takes his next bite, putting the pizza down to consider. ]

I see.

[ and then a soft smile as he rests his cheek in the palm of his hand, folding his other arm over. ]

Anyway, what were you asking again?

[hotcall]

[ - hang on, ok. hang on. diluc stares.

slowly, he puts down his fork and knife. the dim light glints with the motion of his sleeves as he retreats to his side of the table. and then, equally slowly, he picks up the rest of his slice of pizza with his hands. the dough is oily. the toppings precarious. but it is what it is - it's not as if he hasn't had worse. diluc takes a bite of his portion of pizza, and then, without quite looking away, chews.

there. his answer. happy? ]

[circuitice]

[ hold please, he bursts out laughing ]

[hotcall]

[ WOW.

diluc is absolutely going to clutch his slice of pizza with Dignity for a good, long minute. that's right, get it out of your system. ]

Kaeya, what.

[ what!! ]

[circuitice]

[ please, please. but he straightens and clears his throat, taking the wine in hand to help calm himself down ]

That was cute. And, I've been proven wrong. Thank you for that.

[ he knows he's being brattish, but he can't help it. there's just something about the other-- he clears his throat and puts the wine glass down. ]

You wanted to give me a ride home?

[hotcall]

[ the laughter lingers in the air. diluc looks. kaeya laughs in a way entirely unfamiliar to the schema that diluc has put together of a childhood friend lost. he laughs with the very edge of hoarfrost nipping at his heels, like a precipice waiting to be crossed. he laughs like the very edge of the world.

diluc breathes out. he does not, in fact, put down his pizza. ]

Perhaps this is my impetus to rethink that. [ but he's eating anyway, another prim bite that does little to dent the size of the slice. ] You have not mentioned where it is you lived, in any case.

[circuitice]

Mm.

[ he considers that. Seeing where he lives would be-- he doesn't want to think about it so much. What would Diluc think of him? Here, in this cozy place, it was easier for him to look more whole than he was.

maybe even feel more whole.

What would he think if he took him home? or to the place he lived. it was hard to call it a home, as it were. he looks at him, letting his thoughts idle for a second too long (or was it an eternity? no, it must have only been a second, or he would have received another one of those mysterious looks.) and clears his throat. ]

I'll take the escort on one condition.