vergeltung | 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭

[ As usual, she listens in silence, although the second Diluc mentions Donna's name, she feels her blood turn to ice. She knows the girl in question, and has more than once heard her mention her present companion to anyone who'll listen. Of course, she didn't realize that it was to the point that she would watch him each night, and the thought sends an angry chill down her spine, the fingers of the hand still at her side clenching into a fist. ]

I know who you mean. [ Her voice is cold to the point of perhaps being frightening— she has certainly sent men running with less of it leeching into her words— but hopefully he can tell it's not directed at him. ] Although truthfully she sounds more like a stalker than an admirer.

[ And with that, she falls silent for a moment, uncurling her fingers from her Vision, unclenching the other hand, pressing a hand to her chest and just lying there for a few long moments, trying to calm the sudden wave of ice that is trying to claim her.

(Strangely, unlike the blizzard raging around the cave, this ice doesn't feel cold— although she knows it is. There's a moment, a vague thought flitting across her mind, that wonders if he feels it from her the same way she felt the heat from him; that thought is enough to help her stabilize it, her stubbornness simply not allowing her to kill him with the cold after he's worked so hard to protect her from it.)

Another moment or two of silence, and then she speaks, her voice quiet, bitter: ]

I don't like it.

(He's quiet, listening, and did in fact notice the ice resonating off her whenever she starts to show her own agitation at this string of thoughts and by her tone too. Though he isn't going to press too much on it he did start to wonder how much the two of them were prone to ignoring.

His body says everything really.

Getting him to admit this is another story however that he will not be doing yet. That needed more time to begin with anyway as he finds himself starting to have his mind trail back into things he chalked up as his own loneliness and the cold stirring things he has long since thought he buried.

The cold in the brief time from her resonance did cause his body to shudder just a bit before it settles once more from his own resonance shielding him as if he were in need of protection. Regardless... he's not certain where to go with any of this.

All of it is far too new, far too unusual to him.)

... I didn't like what I pictured from Kaeya either.

(Though his own admission was quiet too. His decision to not move is more for both of their sake due to not wanting to dare cross unnecessary boundaries this suddenly despite what they've found out about themselves.

This really isn't what he expected to happen as his tension starts to ease more; he can relax for now until he thinks he may have to do something she'd hate.)

R— Right.

[ It's rare for Eula to stumble over her words, especially something as simple as a confirmation; right now, however, she's in completely new territory— as if she hasn't been all along. From the moment he found her in this Barbatos-damned cave, she's been on the defensive, and yet somehow even if her worst nightmares she doesn't think that she could have conjured something as complicated and uncomfortable as this.

Even a one-sided attraction would be better than this. Rejection, after all, is something she knows how to deal with. But this... ]

I... [ and she's glad he can't see her face right now; there's heat in her cheeks again, her discomfort written clearly over her expression as she tries to think of how to say what's on her mind ] I suppose I... I'm not entirely sure what I am meant to do with this information.

[ From Eula, it's a big admission, even when compared to the one made mere moments before about her dislike of Donna's advances toward Diluc. Attraction and jealousy are one thing. (And she's still not entirely convinced that the cold isn't helping her toward them.) Weakness, though, is entirely another. And this— not knowing what to do, being unsure of herself— this is a weakness.

For a single, wild moment, she almost wishes the stupid Traveler were here— or even Amber. Both of them always know exactly what to say when she's in a bind like this... and while she may curse them to Celestia and back for it, right now she thinks she could really use the help. ]

(If there's one thing Diluc is mindful of it's also really to know when he has to be careful. As she is now, he's not being the least bit forceful in any of his realizations, his questions, and really the way he's speaking to her. This was new to him too. That was the unsaid part for now as he wonders what exactly could be done in response to their accidental self discoveries.

Obviously he isn't going to pressure her either.

But he somehow just knows that part of his mind was not fueled by freezing cold; it was there right in front of him and as much as he hates it... he isn't the type to dislike someone over their family reputation much less their own unless they were connected to the Fatui. Something which made him sigh.

He's better off being honest with her.)

Ironically it's new to me... funny, right? The uncrowned monarch hasn't done any of this before nor has he admitted to such things before. (Yet he also knows boundaries well. The two of them have some form of set boundaries; something they haven't pushed too far despite their current state.)

... Eula, I'll at least say that I'm not going to force you, contrary to now also with the cold, into situations such as this. I said already I am the type of person who is all-or-nothing, if the line gets crossed I want it to be of your choice and something you won't regret.

(And he is quite serious despite his blushing cheeks in saying this too.)

[ If she were being honest with herself, Eula would probably recognize too that this feeling is not one pushed on by the cold, or by the position in which they find themselves. The problem, of course, is that being honest with herself means being vulnerable, and she's done just about enough of that tonight for a lifetime. While Diluc at least can be honest with himself, and recognize that being honest with her in turn makes more sense, she has the struggle of opening up to herself first and foremost.

Still, his words make her smile, even if the expression is somewhat strained. ]

If you were anything like Alberich, I'd find it funny. But despite your status... well, we have made it more than clear this evening that we are not our status, haven't we?

[ And while the deeper emotions in her psyche will be much tougher for him to reach with words alone, what he said now does gain an honest response from her, even if it's far from the whole story: ]

...It's probably less of a surprise that it is much the same for me. [ There have been a few encounters, certainly, the outcome of too many ales and angry words with another bar patron turning later into something heated, physical, regretted immediately in the moments after. But there's been nothing like this, nothing warm and almost gentle, nothing she feels like she could trust even without a vow of secrecy keeping their lips sealed.

She sighs. Something she won't regret, hm? ]

I... At least for now, I can't say I'll regret being here with you like this, Ragnvindr.

(Even with earning her honesty at this extent, he doesn't mind that thankfully. With him being something of a gentleman he prefers to truthfully not behave in a certain way; though he's certain that Kaeya might be there saying they made some form of progress in their current encounter. Likely attempting to search for a drink in his pack to go with the 'mood' before being silenced.

He sighs though it sounds more relieved at hearing she doesn't regret it.

He won't force her honesty or her to be completely open with him if she does choose to cross the line. Even Diluc recognizes that he himself is just as difficult on that front to deal with as he lays there, the positive is his vision at least has some form of telltale signs that he's capable however of being upfront with these things when he must.

Being confronted by it always isn't the best of feelings for him and yet...)

... I don't regret it either in the end, despite a lot of this being... foreign I guess we can say. (And he does know how ironic it is from her comment about his status and his own earlier one. Then again it's more a relief neither of them are truly their status no matter how they're looked at in the eyes of the populace.)

And... if you do desire to step further as I said, it's our own privacy to begin with.

(Vow of secrecy or not, he is a very private person after all with these things. Betraying trust like that never sat well with him either; it's why he would prefer her own comfort in these decisions. Not spurred on due to things.

That and really he thinks despite their reputations that people don't have to know unless she wants them to know, unless he wants them to know no less. Something else Kaeya would likely be 'proud' of that Diluc is doing... though Diluc feels a migraine a little imagining him saying that he's glad the knight turned vigilante is growing up.

... he'll just the next time he sees him cut him off early.)

[ Once again, he's met with silence, the moment stretching as her brain works slowly through the words he's spoken, and she's glad that they're not facing each other because once again a flush of heat works its way up her cheeks. Her mouth feels dry, and she swallows against it, her arms folding protectively over her chest.

If she desires... but what about him? He said he wouldn't push anything on her, but at the same time, that tells her absolutely nothing of what he wants.

And part of her wants to know... even if the other part hesitates at making her vulnerable. He said "all or nothing". If they cross any kind of line here, there's no coming back from that. No backing out when it gets too ~~scary~~ ~~real~~

"irritating" is the world she settles on in her own mind, even as an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach tells her the truth of it.

But in the end, the curiosity wins out, even as her arms fold tighter into themselves, as her throat catches over the words. ]

What about you? [ There's both relief and regret once the question is out— (only it's not regret, it's that same anxious fear that keeps her from speaking out most of the time)— but she presses forward: ] You talk about what I want, and yet you've said nothing of what you do.

[ If she were anyone else, perhaps one of his many admirers, she'd have picked up on the clues he's giving her through his words alone. But she's not someone else— she's Eula. And she has a feeling even as she asks that Amber would be slapping her head in frustration... but still, she needs to know for sure. ]

... Eula, I was saying that I desire for you to do this at your own pace and adding that I have no desire to push or make you move faster than you want to.

(Really he's not certain how else he can spell this out, in words anyway. If he had let himself act on his feelings that were screaming at him he'd have honestly kissed her at this rate. Something which he's reluctant to admit. She might not enjoy this coming out his mouth so bluntly but there didn't seem to be much choice.

Perhaps that's why with him bracing himself again he came to a decision on that part of it.)

If it wasn't for me wanting your comfort over my own, if we were both different people perhaps than we were currently I can admit that I'd have honestly kissed you by now if that says anything.

(By his tone this was by no means easy to admit either. Kaeya would be thrilled, pushing these answers out of Diluc is always entertaining to him much to the scarlet haired 'monarchs' dismay toward his brothers attitude on these things.

He's redder than he'd like to be about it, his temperature rises once more only to be pushed downward for her sake as it attempts to react to his embarrassment and more at the thought of it. He's certain that he may be heading toward her wrath which is why he's attempting to always prepare for these things to backfire.

After his fight with Kaeya... he's certain that he doesn't want to cause another incident like that by clashing with her whether it be intentional or not.)

[ For a single moment, her brain tries to do its normal thing: take the words he's just said and try to twist them, turn them into something that gives her permission to push him away, to declare vengeance, to put a sharp and sudden stop to all of this before it can go further.

And for a moment, it's almost easy— if we were both different people, he says, and she starts to bristle, the indignant words already finding purchase in her brain—

But his tone stops her flat, as does the way that his temperature soars momentarily at her back, even as she feels the chill of ice-cold fear take a grip of her stomach. His tone, his temperature, both make his meaning all too clear even if her brain tries to twist the words, tries to make her think he's wishing she were someone else despite all evidence to the contrary.

Her breathing is short, all of a sudden, and her heart feels like it's going a thousand miles a minute— and this time there's no point in trying to tell herself it's from the physical needs of her body; she knows why it's happening even before she can try to convince herself otherwise. ]

I. [ She gets as far as the pronoun before she snaps her lips shut, her eyes closing in mortification. A breath, a few breaths, and she summons the courage back to continue: ] I've been thinking about the same thing. For... for a while.

(That... was not what he expected. The tension once more fading though he's not moving yet; he did tell her himself that he would not do so unless she wills it. It's why he waits since this is suppose to be done at a pace she wishes for instead of a complete rush. His eyes are trying not to leave staring off straight ahead to take chance to look back at her to make sure she was okay.

He doesn't want her to feel need to rush as he's said.

That's why he dare thinks that Kaeya would be encouraging him further to speak onward, to stop holding it all in if he's sworn to secrecy in the end. Though secrecy from Diluc is as a good as assured knowing just how he is.

His own heart is pounding too, thundering just about as he attempts to make himself calm down. If he over does it... it'd be as good as hurting them both in the end which is another reason why he was not certain if he should have said it.

He can consider this as a fortunate moment by the grace of some other Archon knowing Barbatos or rather Venti, would be too amused by their antics.)

... even now it's still hitting.

(Yet he will not let himself do anything she does not want unless she says something first. He told her that after all when he went to warm her.)

[ He's met with another sharp inhale, Eula's eyes snapping shut again in response to his further admission even as they start to creep open in the wake of hers. Honestly... honestly, it's still hitting her too. As much as she might try to tell herself it's the cold, or the unusual closeness, or any of those things, even lying back to back with him like this she can't ignore the insistence of it. ]

...Yes. Me too.

[ Her voice is quiet, as shaky as her breath feels as it whistles between her lips in soft clouds of heat against the cold night. Her arms tighten against her chest, the pressure there now feeling like she's wearing a corset or something similar, constricting her already-too-short breath still further.

Perhaps unhealthy, but the only way she feels like she can stay grounded right now between the bitter, insistence of her icy thoughts and the desperation in her heart to let herself be washed away in the water of her feelings.

She's silent for a little longer. ]

Perhaps... it would make for a reasonable test, I think.

[ She cringes the moment the words escape her, but the truth of them remains in the air, floating on the other side of him, staring her in the face; her brain and heart alike pushing a last-ditch effort at her to convince her one way or the other. Whether it's just the cold, or something realer than that... ]

...

(He's considering it. She isn't wrong about it even as he tries to pretend that he's not in need of these things usually whilst driving himself to the brink of being unable to think or quite honestly stop himself from collapsing in some form from how much he pushes himself. It's why he doesn't do anything to take the chance by force even as he hesitated a little in shifting around for her.

The hesitation came from his mind arguing once more with him even as he for now just lays there this time again facing her. Even if it's her back. His cheeks were reddened enough that to others this would be quite the surprise to see from someone like Diluc.

He might be silent but it's what he told her he'd do. Though his intentions are to be gentle about it instead of haphazardly rushing forward into these things with her being uncertain herself.

That and... he does have the feeling the thoughts won't stop either way.)

I did say that I won't do anything unless you want me to...

(So the choice is up to her since it's clear by his tone and the fact he turned to face her that he's willing to do this. Even if he thinks this won't stop the thoughts or really what this may perhaps be turning into.)

[ Once again she's met with a strange combination of feelings. For one, there's the mixed anticipation and fear that comes with the movement behind her, the movement of the shared bedroll as Diluc turns to face her back.

For the other, of course, there's the irritation.

At him, again, rather than herself. (Which is something of a relief in its own way.)

Yes, he did say that— but didn't her words just now make her own feelings on the matter clear? He says he doesn't want to push anything, and yet at this rate he's going to force her to say it directly—

Now, he's deserving of the most serious vengeance she can possibly dream up.

It's for that reason that Eula is scowling when she turns to face him once more, the expression so intensely unimpressed that it's no doubt the first thing he'll notice about her— although a marked second is the heightened color of her cheeks, the way her eyes refuse to quite meet his. ]

Surely I've already made my wants on the matter quite clear...

[ Her tone starts sharp, attempting anger— by the end of it, she just sounds vulnerable, weak.

Ugh. ]

(An apologetic glance was given in response to her tone and irritation. Though he sighs about it, were this Kaeya he'd definitely have forced her to say more than just that though he's not necessarily as focused on it. He by no means has experience and if she looked closely he also wasn't trying to look her in the eye either despite himself. Really, the picture of a man who many held up so high was deteriorating into simply someone who forced himself into this state too.

But that is at least him attempting to ease the tension even if he realizes it was a poor attempt at it by how he's trying to pull himself together enough. All of which isn't easy for him to do currently; he told himself he's prepared for it yet now he thinks he overstepped his boundaries by making her irritated unintentionally.

At the very least she's not attempting to slay him where he lays at, so that's a considerable improvement to his thoughts earlier.

He just has to pull himself together enough for this... which is easier said than done.)

... right, my apologies.

(Though he did manage to finally make himself look at her, the tensions back, Kaeya's voice in the back of his mind is telling him that there's an art to this too though Diluc himself would rather experience it without being given long-winded and poetic explanations on how to go about kissing a woman.

Gods above he feels as if he's going to either die after this or be fine after this only to wake up somewhere that is not the winery later on in the week surrounded by whopperflowers without a weapon and in his night clothes.)

[ For as much as she can't bring herself to look properly at him, she can sense that he's not looking at her either; she's sure that if he were, she'd feel it, the way she feels it when eyes are on her as she walks through Mondstadt's cobbled streets. Between that, and the tension in his voice, she feels herself tense a little, her breath stuttered and short.

Gods, if Amber was here, she'd laugh right now. She's reasonably confident that only she could make kissing an attractive man look like the hardest thing in the known universe. And despite herself, she feels the color start to creep up her cheeks once more, especially once she feels his eyes actually on her—

(surely, she tells herself, that's ridiculous; one cannot truly feel a gaze, it's just that in the case of the Mondstadters, she knows it's there)

—Her own gaze shifts, a forced movement up into his face, and her stomach knots to find the scarlet of his eyes looking right back at her.

There's a sudden, strange urge to greet him. She bites it back. ]

You don't have to apologize.

[ They're both woefully out of their depth, after all. ]

(His eyes weren't filled with scorn, irritation, or really the mean spirited attitude that others in Mondstadt hold toward her. They only burned as harsh scarlet flames with a hint of it easing just enough; Diluc isn't certain how this will go truly.

He can still hear Kaeya nagging him despite his not being there saying that Eula is a fine choice for someone like him while attempting to push him into moving finally. His voice saying really this isn't as difficult as they're making it.

Woefully out of depth or not, one of them has to make the first move.

Were this one of those romance novels he can vaguely remember seeing Jean read in his younger years the scene would likely be different for the two of them. Words likely exchanged in a heated attempt of hiding themselves until they could no longer do so even as he takes a deep breath and eases his nerves first.

Since he doubts she would want to move first...)

... at the very least nobody will know.

(He makes it instead for her, leaning forward into a gentle yet likely warmer than expected kiss from his part. It's... not what he expected, on terms of his first, yet it all fell silent.

His thoughts, his tension, every part of him yelling prior to this to turn back due to not wanting to experience more heartbreak in his life.)

[ She has no idea what he's thinking in the moments leading up to the one where he leans in to kiss her, but he's almost correct in his thinking.

It's not so much that she doesn't want to make the first move— in fact, later on she'll berate herself for it, mock herself internally for freezing up like an embarrassed maiden— no pun intended. The truth of it is that she simply can't; rather, she finds herself just staring at him, looking at the burning red of his eyes and the tension in his jaw until he makes the move for both of them, his lips touching hers, gentle and warm.

There's a soft, surprised sound despite herself, her eyes sink shut, and in the next moment is silence, blessed and calm. For the first time in a long time, the thoughts and worries that cage her heart off like ice are gone, silenced by the warmth of his flame.

(She barely even hears the whistling cold winds of the blizzard outside, anymore.)

It's hardly something she recognizes right away; rather, she finds herself melting into him without a second thought, her body seeking naturally to close the gap between them, her hands lifting to his arms, her lips parting to his as she returns the kiss.

She's been kissed before, but it's never felt like this. ]

(It's more difficult to remind himself to not do anything more than this with the feeling washing over them.

He holds her again, melting himself as he wonders idly to himself if she's always felt this soft in his arms but that's a thought he is going to thankfully avoid voicing. He'd prefer to not have his earlier one of waking up without a weapon come true given circumstances at the moment.

It's not easy to pull away.

He can barely think beyond this moment; a feeling that his stomach near knotted over in creeping realization that the feelings were very real. Diluc can feel his heart tightening, burning, screaming as if it does not want to be broken once more to pieces in this moment.

He near forgets to breathe when he pulls away just enough though he's still near her lips, to let them recover for the time being. Any further and this evening would have more than secrets but now that the lines been crossed by them both...

He only hopes she does not have regrets even if part of him wants to kiss her again like that. The thought being of course ignored, for now, even if he's not certain she'd want to do it again so suddenly.)

[ It's over practically as soon as it starts; it lasts long enough only for her to feel his arms move to hold her, only for cold air to fill the space between their lips in the next moment, even as he hovers close. Her eyes blink back open, pupils blown wider than normal, something confused and unsure in her expression for a moment—

It's just like that that all the insecurities come rushing back in, flooding her with discomfort, and it's all she can do not to pull away further, put space between them once more like a shield of ice.

This whole thing may have just been a colossal mistake.

It would be one thing if he were someone she met after hours in one of the bars, both a little too drunk, both passionate with anger. Moments like those are made for regret, practically shimmering with it before they even start; feelings are given a wide berth, and at the end of the day what she gets from it is exactly what she expects.

No one has to get hurt.

But right now, the painful squeeze of her heart says otherwise. Whatever stupid, unfair sway he has over the women of Mondstadt, it's somehow caught her too. And that— that can't end well, no matter which way she looks at it.

Her eyes train onto the space just under the set of his jaw as she tries to keep her breathing steady. ]

... I don't... think this was just caused by the cold... or the loneliness...

(His voice was quieter than his usual attitude, the blunt edge gone, he's trying not to let it show that his own heart is panicking. His head is screaming too, by the look in his eyes it's all but hurting him to know that all of it ran deeper than he ever had realized. He's trying to hold strong.

But they did cross the line.

There's no returning, no running, no hiding from it after he realized that kiss was... truly something he never once felt would be magical. He hates being sappy about it but there was passion in it, there wasn't anger but feelings he thought was long since gone.

It's... truthfully enough to make him close his eyes, his vulnerability threatening to peek out and managing to much to his dismay. He didn't want it to but the tiredness from all of his fears being proven right has gotten far too much for him to handle.

He didn't want her to be like those women who eyed him as if he's a prize even if she may perhaps feel the same as him. Something he hopes won't change, fears will happen possibly too leaving him back alone at any point he feels an attraction.)

I... I'll stay silent like I said... (Though unsaid, there's a silent apology there knowing she dislikes the way his suitors would flirt and stare at him. The way Donna would sit there and wait for him too and speak as if he were to fall for her.)

[ In one breath, he tells her his answer: whatever this is, it's not the cold. It's not the loneliness. It's the same answer as hers, a realization that leaves her gut twisting in anxiety, leaves her heart pounding in her chest— something he can probably feel with how close they are once more.

And then, in the next: he swears once more to stay silent. Which—

For the first time since this all started, Eula realizes that she doesn't understand.

Of course, it makes sense. It's what they agreed on, after all. It's not like either of them wants this getting out to the public. She agrees with that. She wants that for herself, too. Whatever this is, it's complicated enough without other people trying to peer in.

And yet—

All or nothing, he said.

It can't be "all". Because of her reputation, of course, but also because of his— because of their need for themselves and for each other to keep this secret.

What does that make it, then?

Nothing. ]

R-Right. [ It's as much of an agreement as she can manage right now, not only to his confession, but to his promise. ] Me too.

[ Eula feels like she's going to be sick. ]

But... if I'm honest despite the vow... I don't think I can stop feeling this way... your reputation never once mattered to me and... it's leaning toward all for me despite myself. I don't...

(His words fell short, he's trying to not let all of it out. He doesn't want her to learn the truth of his alter ego but there's some manner of reluctance in his choices now. She's managed to enter too far for him to dare consider it. It's why he with a shaky breath makes a decision; he has no choice for part of it.)

... Eula... I... I'm going to tell you something that only Kaeya knows. Show it to be more specific, even if I couldn't be completely open on all of it and my goal... but it's something nobody else has seen.

(And perhaps a sign of how serious he is about it being toward all for him.

He's reluctant in releasing her, with him shuffling to remove what looked to be his coat knowing the temperatures were going to be worse on him. Once he does, he lays there with what looks to be scars in his arms. Nasty looking, almost as if he had been on the end of Fatui weaponry which all headed down his arms.

He didn't want to be this vulnerable again, he did not. It's why he looks almost as if he desires to crawl into a hole just by showing her part of what near killed him previously.)

... during my travels I've come across Fatui and the Order often. At the time I was fighting Fatui to be more specific and near died for that since I was alone. I can't tell you the exact time frame but, I can safely tell you that part of what drives me is wanting to get rid of them.

It's not just over my father, but I want to see the Fatui more importantly burn. The Abyss Order included.

(The heat to his tone, the way his eyes sparked into vicious flames suddenly like earlier. He's always thought of this and to tell her, to show her now, is part of his attraction as foolish as it is for him to do so.

With a heavy sigh, he cannot help but wonder if she might find him crazy.)

... if you're wanting it to be all with me despite our secrecy, there's a possibility you may find me more hurt, more injured, more scarred as it goes on.

(Though unsaid, there is also the possibility of his death too.)

[ And just like that, the world gets turned on its head.

She's so busy being lost in her own thoughts that she barely registers what he's said until he's pulling away, and then the disappointment and regret is crowding too loud over everything, swarming her, paralyzing—

It took her all of two seconds to drive him away—

Except he's shuffling to remove his coat, the bare skin of his forearms revealed despite the bite of the cold, and he looks uncomfortable for more than just that; honestly, he looks like she feels most of the time, like he wants to disappear. A feeling that, as her eyes trail over the vicious scars cut into his skin, she understands, even as her eyes widen in shock.

Weakness.

To be showing her this, he has to—

A deep breath, her brain slowly catching up on the words spoken before he moved: ...don't think I can stop...leaning toward all for me...something only Kaeya knows.

Another vicious churn in her stomach, another knot tied and tested, her eyes trailing in silence over the scars before they look back up at him, searching the red flames of anger in his. The Fatui... the Abyss...

Vengeance.

It's a lot to take in, and far more than she can possibly speak to, more than she has any chance of finding words for. While he surely hasn't revealed everything to her, just as he said, enough of his personal mission has become so suddenly clear that his pain, his divorce from the Knights, his aloofness all in one moment make sense to her. ]

Diluc.

[ His name sounds strange, foreign on the tongue of someone used to calling him by his surname alone, and where teasing him over his famous nickname may have made her cringe, this only makes the knot of anxiety in her stomach tighten still more, stuns her lips back into silence so that when she reaches gloved hands to his forearms once more, landing this time on bare skin, there's nothing else to say.

Instead, she closes the gap between them once more, her mouth seeking his in a kiss surprisingly gentle. ]

(He waits. He waits to hear he's insane, that he's lost his mind, that he shouldn't go to these extremes knowing that it can end him as easily before he reaches what he's after. There's anxiety knotting up in his own stomach too despite how he carries himself as he waits to let her lash out in whatever fashion she's going to choose.

But she didn't.

Instead he was met with her staring, her eyes on his arms then his own eyes. Though he hates being this vulnerable he's confused what it is she may perhaps be thinking.

It's only furthered when she says his actual name; her hands resting on his arms as he wonders just what he's about to be faced with. It was in fact strange to him too to hear her use his first name after she had consistently used his last name... but what caught him off guard most was what she did after.

His brain took a moment to register it, Eula Lawrence of all people kissed him. Though like earlier it all fell back to silence, his thoughts, his anxiety, and his worries now quiet as he responds in kind. Another warm kiss. The likes of which they melted into earlier.

Gods he hopes that they at least can control themselves enough in this cave if anything.)

[ Just like before, Eula finds it's so easy to fall into it, to melt in close to him once more, only this time her arms actually lift and encircle him, a sigh on her lips as they part into the kiss, her heart hammering in her chest. And she doesn't want to pull away; she wants to press closer, to indulge more, to continue the strange, not-unpleasant feeling twisting in her stomach, to keep the insistent thoughts in her head silent the way they are now—

But that's selfish, isn't it? This is about more than just her. Although admittedly, there's a hint of dread at separating from him because then she'll have to explain why she kissed him again, won't she?

Or maybe she can just...

It's reluctantly that she pulls back from the kiss, and as he did earlier she can't bring herself to pull away entirely, hovering close to him still, her breath short and warm against his lips. ]

I will not be the person who tells you not to chase after the vengeance you seek. [ Her eyes remain on his face, but her hands drop back to the scars on his arms, gloved fingers tracing over the lines from memory alone. She doesn't even realize that she's tracing their exact path, or that she's somehow committed the image of his arms to her mind. ]

But I can demand that you look after yourself. If you allow yourself to be further hurt, it is my vengeance you will need to worry yourself with.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject