vergeltung | 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭

[ This time, his words are met with a glare on Eula's part— although if he looks, he'll see it's not one of anger so much as it is one of warning. She is, after all, trying to toe that line, fearing that if she kisses him again, she won't be able to unentangle herself from him at all before the blizzard ends.

(And would that really be such a terrible thing? something in her wonders, even as she tries to crowd it out.)

The truth is, it was enjoyable being in that moment, as he said. It would be far too easy to let herself melt back into that moment—

And despite the glare, she nods. ]

It was.

[ It's practically a whisper, her eyes drifting to his lips again, and for a moment perhaps there's something soft and vulnerable in her gaze before it freezes, a last-ditch stubbornness finding her and taking hold and her eyes moving up to his instead.

Melting would be dangerous. ]

Tell me not to do it again.

[ It's said in the same tone she would speak to anyone, something clipped and cool— and yet there are chips in it, cracks where if he's looking, he can easily see through the intent of her words to see this for what it is: words spurred on by the knowledge that if they keep talking and acting the way they do, she might find it hard to hold herself back. ]

And if I don't?

(He's not going to stop her. As much as his brain may scream at him to stop he truthfully is at a point he's unable to stop himself. Even if he had tried to resist, tried to make himself say to stop due to his more 'logical' side he just couldn't. He's only staring at her.

Entangling in her... he's truthfully though it's unseen anxious about it. Entangling meant eventually they wouldn't be able to keep holding themselves back as much as they were now.

The blizzard is one thing.

Losing himself completely to a woman with her water and frost like beauty is certainly another as he holds steadfast despite himself.

He's not going to tell her to not do again.)

... I don't think I can tell you to stop without lying to myself or you.

(Even with that admission it's obvious to him; they've lost, they can try and say otherwise but they've truly lost to this. There's no return, there's no going back, not since the first kiss. He highly doubts that he'd be able to stop himself or the thoughts from building.

There's no chance of escape for either of them in what may perhaps turn into a dance of their own kind.)

If you don't...

[ She shouldn't be as surprised as she is by the response. After all, at this point it's clear that he wants this just as much as she does, that he's struggling with it too, that he's being forced to hold himself back just as much as she is.

Maybe she should threaten with vengeance or something, says that small, insistent part of her brain that's still intent on defending her. Start a long feud on account of him not saying the words that she's decided for him that he should say.

Except really, she can't.

There's no vengeance to be sought over something like this, not even in that abstract way in which she often defends herself.

Eula's eyes drift to his lips again. And this time, it's her turn to reach up, to cup his face in one of her hand, her gloved thumb trailing absently across the skin. Her throat feels strangely dry. She swallows against it, as if that will somehow help. ]

I'm not sure I can either.

[ This time, her kiss is a breath more insistent, less of a melt into him and more of a press, the hand at his face trailing up into his hair. ]

(The way she kissed him this time was more a surprise, more in the way that she's crashed into his lips in a sense. His own felt likely more... desperate a little, with the way the heats coming off him, off his lips at that from his resonance traveling upward and growing hotter from the contact.

He would have thought that he was going to deal with her growing upset by how she made it sound yet... neither of them could stop lying to themselves in the end.

He couldn't bring himself to lie to her despite that part of him that was pushing for him to retreat from this. Saying that he shouldn't accept this; that he's not meant to have it to begin with no matter how hard he pushes, he tries yet it was all silent.

His own arms around her tightening just a little, resting on her back no less with him being thankful he didn't remove his gloves when showing her what his own revenge's costs were. It probably would have made it worse feeling the direct heat of them on her skin.

Even if he's certain that likely still won't help much with how far they're falling down.)

[ The desperation in his kiss is as obvious as that in hers, although where his is burning like fire, hers is muted by the cold, a strange contrast in that even as she allows herself to give into it, there's something restrained about her— although perhaps that's less the cold and more the small part of her that is still fighting against this for any number of unrelated reasons.

Yet regardless of that fight her mind is blissfully silent, the space reserved for worry taken instead by their embrace and their kiss as her tongue laps at his lower lip, inviting and seeking all at once, her gloved fingers soft against his scalp as they draw mindless patterns into his skin—

And unlike him there's a part of her regretting the gloves, wanting to pause and remove them so that there's one less barrier between them

(when her thoughts are clear once more she'll be mortified)

but it's too much effort to pull away for anything more than the short, harsh breaths for air against his lips before she dives in again.

Where she was teetering at the edge before, she's now half off the ledge, the protests in her mind largely forgotten in favor of investigating that exact feeling that she knows they both want to explore. ]

(The desperation, the way his heat is consuming him with her ice, he couldn't bring himself to dare think of much else. As thankful as he was to not be not be touching her bare back earlier, it seemed he changed his mind too in the end. Even if it wasn't long before his hands took their spot back up on it after haphazardly removing them. Though well taken care of, they likely felt rough in a sense from years spent training and working at his hardest with his own sword.

He'll likely awkwardly apologize for this later, but, in the moment it was different as his thoughts slowly begin to travel toward only her now. His lips parting before and after they catch their breath though briefly at the feeling of her tongue likely near demanding it earlier.

He's not use to this like Kaeya due to it being really his first in general.

But it isn't hard to pick up on what feels good, what might perhaps feel good for her too by gauging her reactions. He's not going to be far behind her at this rate off the ledge; by this point he couldn't even hear his estranged brothers 'voice' telling him how to go about any of it. He's on his own.

... hopefully he doesn't make many mistakes.)

[ At least for now, she doesn't realize that he's entirely new to this (and not just in the same sense that she is). After all, where confidence lacks, desperation makes up for it, and he responds so naturally to her movements as well as making movements of his own— like the sudden press of warm hands at the bare part of her back, for example.

(...Is it just her, or are they under the leather strap that winds around her bust?)

Of course, it does nothing to calm her, only serving to inspire the sudden coil of heat in her stomach, the fluttering, too-fast beat of her heart, and she breaks the link of their lips to press kisses along his jaw and over his throat, dotting over the skin in a haphazard pattern. And as she does this, she can't help herself from mimicking his movement, somehow continuing the pattern of kisses as she removes her hand from his hair.

It's a bit of a struggle— underscored by the soft breath of chuckled laughter over his larynx— to remove her gloves when her arms are around him and she can't see them, but after a few moments she manages, bringing her hand back to his hair, and now he'll be able to feel the surprising softness of her fingers, the trimmed points of her nails as they brush lightly over his scalp. ]

(Ironically for this being completely new territory for him beyond her own experiences, the desperation aside, he does have some manner of confidence despite himself. He hates to admit it but Kaeya is the best when it comes to explaining these things and his brother did take time to drill back into him all manner of things to remember with things best left in the bedroom; though part of it was to prepare him in the event someone were to try sleeping with him.

Whether it be out of love or an attempt to take his head, that was the intent. So he knows plenty, but, it might not completely make up for his inexperience even as his head goes back somewhat at the feeling of her breath, her lips, and her laughter along his neck.

The sensitivity of it is going to be noticed now, he realizes. Unlike earlier where it was an accident in which she hadn't noticed, this time it's different as his heart was pounding just about out his chest.

He's already down to just the vest and dress shirt he wears outside of his trousers and boots from what he began to remember, somehow he's wondering how long before he can bring himself to speak and to tell her. Especially since at the moment he couldn't so much as breathe out a word much less think properly long enough to dare manage any of it.

If anything it's a wonder he manages to keep himself to slightly harsher breathing with where she is.

Though, that didn't stop him from noting that her hands are much more softer than he'd have originally thought in comparison to his own which had their own set of small scars and calluses trailing about them even with how cared for they are.)

[ When Diluc's head tilts back, there's a surprised lift of her brows, a smile that he'll feel against the skin and for a moment she pulls back enough to look up at him, silently observing the look on his face; and, feeling the strength of the heartbeat against her own chest, she brings her free hand between them, splaying it over his heart through the material of his vest.

A sensitive spot, hm? She'll keep that in mind.

For now, she lowers her lips back to his neck, strokes of tongue and gentle scrapes of teeth as she explores the skin, trying to find whichever part of it is weakest to the feel of her mouth, so that she can focus her kisses there; the hand on his chest moves to the fastening buttons on his vest, fingers flicking idly at the them as if to undo them without much urgency— although after a moment, the other slides down from the caresses against his scalp to join it.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, there's a question: is removing clothing, in this situation, really a good idea? And yet, all she can think about is the fact that she wants to be able to press her hands against his bare skin, the same way his hands burn hot against her back.

(The secret to her soft hands is gloves.

...And maybe some creams.) ]

(The heat from him only seems to rise whenever he feels her manage to find his most sensitive spot along his neck. His breathing gets somewhat harsher at the feeling, a feeling that his body is burning and she's the only one capable of easing the flames licking at him from just about all over with her ice.

His resonance being this active is telling enough on terms of his pleasure from it.

Though he has a sudden feeling she's going to be utilizing this new found knowledge of his body a lot.

With the heat rising from him he hadn't noticed that soon enough his scarred flesh would be exposed to her very eyes in its earnest. He only knew that he felt too hot, hot enough he's certain that he's going lightheaded almost like he's been drinking the very same drinks he's served his patrons for the evening.

It's not a feeling he's use to even as it surges across his body, his pounding heart in response to her wanting to see his bare flesh.

Gods he's certain at this rate he might melt through the cave with the fever pitch he's reaching.)

[ Between the harsh sound of his breath and the pulsing, rising heat emanating from his body, Eula can't help but look up, her own cheeks flushed and a small smile on her face, to see the expression on his—

Although when she does, she pauses in the deft unbuttoning of his vest, drawing back from his neck just enough that her own shuddered breaths aren't gusting cool breath over such a sensitive area of his skin.

His face looks... he looks overwhelmed, almost drunk.

(It's frighteningly attractive on him, and it's enough to send an imperceptible shudder of pleasure through her, knowing that with little more than kisses she can inspire such a look on him. And yet—) ]

...Are you okay?

[ Perhaps it's a weird question to ask when her mouth has just attacked his throat enough to possibly leave a mark telling the tale, but there's a nagging feeling that makes her hesitate, a nagging feeling that for once isn't her own stubborn anxiety or anything along those lines, but rather something borne of genuine concern. ]

My resonance... though I... didn't expect it to flare like this... for being an actual first...

(He's apologetic in that regard too, though he near didn't want to stop it's obvious that pushing now he's not certain how it might go. His bodies on fire, unbearable so, in a way that he feels only she can put it out even as he slowly takes deep breaths. Kaeya's explanations didn't involve his resonance factoring in which Diluc had started to wonder if that was due to not knowing just what it might do.

He can reach a fever pitch from pleasure, huh...? Though he didn't necessarily mind her learning he's a completely virgin. The explanations aside.)

... though you can probably blame Kaeya for me not knowing about this... if you feel like choking him further... he did force me to sit through explanations so I know what to do despite it... just nothing about my resonance being capable of doing this.

(The joke obviously was meant to ease any anxiety, though he's half serious that she can just as easily go after his estranged brother. The difficult part would be cooling. But, with this she does know that he does want to go further down with her anyway.

Over the edge, but perhaps not there even as his scarlet eyes close for a time. He's trying to get the fever to ease just enough, to not make her any uncomfortable.)

[ She nods her understanding— with the way he's been able to warm her up with his Pyro resonance alone, it's not entirely a surprise that his body may overheat in much the same way as hers sometimes feels too cold. Maybe it's something she can help fix, although given their current predicament it might be just as easy as pulling back for just a moment and allowing the frigid air to—

Wait.

Her eyes widen even as his close. Surely he didn't mean— She just assumed he meant a first like it was for her, but—

Oh, this is horribly, terribly bad.

It's all Eula can do to keep her expression calm and without panic as she lets go abruptly of the buttons on his shirt, hands coming up to cup the sides of his face, her skin cool against the heat of his. ]

Diluc. [ She hates how sweet his name tastes in her mouth, despite the cold anxiety quickly pooling in her stomach to replace the heat of her attraction. ] Have you never been with anyone before?

[ She's furious with herself. She should have clarified what his words meant before she allowed herself to melt into him in a place so terribly inappropriate for something like this. She just assumed— and how could she not? If it weren't staring her in the face as a distinct probability, she would have laughed at the idea that Mondstadt's most eligible bachelor would be a virgin.

...And yet, with everything they've talked about this evening, would it really be a surprise? ]

... ironic, right? I drove myself into the ground instead... Mondstadt's most eligible bachelor drove himself into the ground instead chasing Fatui and the Abyss... fighting, hunting, capturing, torturing, and bribing... but I don't blame you for not knowing...

(He's certain if he didn't have a talk with his brother later that Eula might if he were to pull anything like this again just about. He did sigh about it, leaning into her cool hands which seems to be helping to ease it more involving his heat. The fever pitch is bad enough were he a normal person that he likely would have passed out; thankfully he seemed to be okay regardless.

But, that didn't stop him from placing one of his hands over hers.

Really he was more worried he might accidentally do something wrong in its entirety due to knowing that Kaeya did often times mess with him for his own amusement in general.

It's part of why he can't quite blame her for not thinking of the possibility he had drove himself that hard into the ground; to ignore everything for what he felt was necessary.)

... though... Eula... this isn't to say that I don't want to also... just... perhaps not here...

Really I don't blame you for not thinking of it... I'm confident I'm not a lost cause... even if it was Kaeya explaining it... he just so happened to leave out the overheating... and the effects my resonance may perhaps have...

(At the very least he's not going to hide that from her given their mutual attraction. His heat would take time to ease but it's likely a good thing they both noticed that he grew too hot for his own good there.

He did have a feeling the heat would have gone down there as they went further once it had someone else to spread to; yet he isn't going to push his luck explaining that knowing he just overheated a bit too much.)

[ The smile she offers is soft, laced with the understanding of what it means to give yourself over to a mission, and yet at the same time a little wistful, although even if he tracks that expression on her face she's unlikely to open up about it, even with what he's just shared with her.

It is, however, enough to inspire her toward being gentler with this situation than she might otherwise— Eula Lawrence might not be exactly the most given over to sentiment, but her own first time was unpleasant enough that she'd never wish for his to be anything other than positive.

She leans close to him, presses a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, a tender movement entirely unlike anything even she imagined herself ever doing... and yet here she is, pulling back to offer him that same smile once more. ]

I know. Here would be— [ She pauses, shakes her head. ] I'm confident you're not a lost cause too, you know. But this isn't the right place or time.

[ A thought surfaces, small but ugly: will it ever be the right place or time? He could do so much better than the eldest daughter of the disgraced Lawrence clan...

She snuffs it, not wanting the distress to show on her face, focusing herself and all her thoughts back on him, and when she speaks she tries to keep her voice as cool and detached as possible, although if he looks, he'll probably see the gentle caring reflected in her eyes despite her best attempts. ]

Are you okay like this? Or do you need me to put more space between us?

... ironically it's helping...

(Which isn't a lie. Truthfully he has no intention of changing his mind if she did ever ask if he might due to the ugly thoughts floating around though he didn't realize what she was thinking currently. Diluc Ragnvindr never was the type to abandon or leave people easily unless something in itself triggers it like with his disowning of his brother; he only could just for now hope there was time found.

Then again, he's certain something might come up in some form given midnight rendezvous in the Angel's Share would also get him a glare since that's truly something only Kaeya would suggest. For the time being he's just smiling, if only a little.

He did partly want to keep going but even he knows that it's... not really the best place.

It's why Diluc didn't comment on her showing care for him too. Some things are not easy to let go of, even he knows that much with the way his actions can come off across. Though it didn't stop him from still being surprised by this chain of events.)

So I should be fine without distance... but... who knows... maybe a reason or two might come up for you to see me at the Winery for a better opening...

(Not that he's suggesting she lie or anything. But he does know that Kaeya sneaks off there at times too despite Diluc not enjoying it.)

[ She's happy, she realizes vaguely, that he finds the closeness helpful and doesn't want her to pull away. And it's easy to tell herself that that comes from the fact that any separation between the two of them would be chased by freezing cold that on her own she has no way of dealing with. But there's at least a small part of her too— a big part, if she allows herself to be even slightly honest— that doesn't want to separate from him either, not because of the cold, but because—

Well, the why of it doesn't matter. What matters is that this is nice.

There's still a warm coil in her stomach, a want to press forward, but now that she understands the truth of what this would be for him, it's as if a cold wall of ice has been slammed between them. Not against her, but by her. It's weird, but there's a part of her that feels protective somehow, even though realistically she has no right.

Still, her fingers stay on his face, gently brushing over the skin.

(And later she'll wonder why it wasn't easier to back away.) ]

A reason or two, hm? [ There's a hint of playful to her smile. ] I'm sure I can think of something.

... heh, I look forward to it. I'll be sure to greet you personally whenever you do arrive, you are my guest after all.

(And more by that smile on his own lips. Though it's unsaid on that part which he hopes is obvious knowing earlier happened. The urge to press forward may perhaps still remain but he's not paying it any heed at the moment; with him being in need to cool off her resonance does wonders for that... another reason why he's trusting her even with the blizzard going on outside of their 'shelter' for the time being.

It is nice, not even he'd dispute this.

Regardless of it, he's not necessarily minding since he wouldn't want to near burn her from the fever pitch he was rising to by circumstance. Perhaps something he had no right to worry about knowing she's capable of protecting herself normally but, he wouldn't want to do that to her no matter his current state.

Her cool touch is really doing wonders anyway for him who is often times has his blood run hot in comparison. That and he's not minding she may want to use it to warm up with more too.)

[ There's a pause, and her smile grows, a hint of a smirk in it— although there's nothing unkind about it, still just tinged with that playfulness that seems to be growing as they lie here like this. Maybe they can't get too physical, but— flirting's okay, right?

(Who even is she right now, a small part of her brain wonders. Flirting is not something Eula does, even if she knows she's capable of it. And yet here she is. Apparently this evening is revealing a lot of things about her... to her.) ]

How exactly do you plan to greet me personally, then? [ It's all she can do to bite off the "Master Diluc" that wants to slip out at the end of it, which is mortifying. But she manages, for now. ] I'm interested to hear how the master [ whoops ] of the Dawn Winery treats his guests.

[ One hand trails down from the side of his face, moving to brush gently over the place she was kissing on his neck.

She wants him to calm down and relax, of course, she doesn't want to push him over that line tonight... but is it a terrible sin to want to keep him just a little heated? ]

(Flirting isn't something he's bad at, truthfully he's had time to perfect that with how he can talk and charm whenever he's willing to put himself out there. Though even this is coming off as something new to Diluc of all people as really that part that had been screaming at him earlier to back down was confused. Normally this didn't come out of him but it is now by how he's responding.

She's different. It's enough to keep his attention fully too knowing he already had crossed the line with her; once that was done it's guaranteed he'll never take his eyes off her again.

Even if he didn't say that part yet. Trust issues are... certainly interesting with these feelings he's having at the moment.)

Hmm? Guests like you do deserve special treatment, though from me you'd be getting treated in a way nobody else has experienced. (He didn't cringe this time since their tones were different. So that's getting a pass.) So I'll make sure to pull out all the stops to make it memorable...

(His heat though going down at a decent pace did seem to rise again, there's thoughts floating around and that rather sensitive point on his neck being brushed up against isn't helping either.

She's getting her wish in that regard knowing that there's no chance of him holding it back fully no matter how much he may try to ease up on it a little.)

... obviously I can think of a few ways for that too. (That sounded like a promise from him just about by his tone, the first one he made in awhile by how he turns to kiss her other hand despite his lips still being searing hot.)

Ah, really?

[ She feels the build of the heat under her fingers, and the fire in his lips when he kisses the skin of her hand, and it's tempting— oh so tempting— to ask him to tell her more, give details for her ears and her alone of what exactly those "few ways" of making her greeting memorable might be—

But for now at least she holds herself back. As much as she's curious, as much as she wants to know the thoughts in his mind, ~~as much as she wants to make sure she stays in his head past this one night,~~ she told him she'd do the right thing by him, didn't she? Eula Lawrence may be many different things to many different people, but she'll never let anyone say she's not a woman of her word. The heat she's generating just by keeping her fingers at the sensitive spot of his throat is enough to keep her happy, really. ]

Then I look forward to it.

[ Mentally, she's already trying to figure out some kind of excuse that would give her a reason to see him, would take her to the winery when usually her missions have her going further afield. It would have to be important enough that she could make the excuse of not sending Kaeya, and yet not critical in a way that would get the Cavalry Captain asking questions...

Damnit. This might not be easy. ]

(She wouldn't need to do much to keep her in his head by this point with how he's reacting. His few ideas likely would have surprised people who know him and his brother if he said them, enough that they'd wonder if Kaeya had somehow possessed him with how serious his tone would be about it. Then again it's not abnormal for him to have rubbed off on Diluc in some form with or without their relationship being as it once was.

It isn't too hard to think even if her fingers are rubbing against that certain spot on his throat; he actually thinks there's a mark or two along it from when she was all over it but that's easily hid for the time being. For once they leave since he knows that it might take a bit for him to see her again.

He's going to get anxious from the wait but he is patient enough for it no matter how he may act.)

Then I'll welcome you at any time you please.

(... that likely sounds as if it has a double meaning, but, it's rarer to see him acting this way. Newer actually. So can he really be blamed for having just a little of Kaeya's own attitude showing with how serious he is about this?

Probably not, but still.)

Good. I will certainly take you up on that hospitality at my earliest convenience.

[ He's not the only one anxious at the idea of the wait. She herself is trying to think of a way not only to get there at all, but to get there sooner, because—

She sighs, trying not to focus too much on it.

(Despite the fact that it's taking up every sensible thought she has left.)

Gentle, she lifts her fingers from his skin, placing them on his shoulder instead; her eyes drift past him to the cave mouth, the blizzard still howling outside. ]

Perhaps... we should try to sleep? [ She doesn't want to, isn't even sure she can, but— ] Or you should, at least. I think my allotted time has passed. I don't mind keeping watch.

[ She'll be a bear tomorrow regardless at this rate, but if Diluc can at least get some sleep, she figures that's a good thing. Considering he for his part has kept her alive, getting him through the night well-rested is something she can do at least.

The other alternative is continuing to flirt with him like this, and that just might get torturous. ]

... I'm not sure if I can in the end.

(Though unsaid, the thoughts were enough to also keep him awake and make it much more difficult. His heats thankfully gone down to being at a more manageable level but that doesn't change the fact that even if he did close his eyes the temptation and the thoughts being there wouldn't help.

But... he did want to give it a small attempt first since he knows that he'll need his energy and stamina in good form for his 'workout'.

Perhaps it's why he did for the time being close his eyes.)

If I can't sleep then, we can probably figure out something.

(Something to pass the time since he's certain morning isn't too far away by now; the blizzard itself though howling did seem as if it had eased a bit but not enough to make a noticeable dent.

Flirting or not, it didn't help his eyes would linger on her lips either during their conversation earlier.)

[ She's glad that he closes his eyes despite the words he speaks, because a flush of color races up her cheeks, a heartbeat or two skips in the too-fast rhythm in her chest, a slowly-loosening knot in her stomach tightening within the same moment. Her fingers tense against the fabric of his vest.

The argument could be made that "something" doesn't mean what it sounds like it means, but with the heat that he's still giving off— no longer scorching, but hotter than it was even in the first moment that he sat with her— there's no doubt in her mind that he does mean it that way.

She nods, even though his eyes are closed. When she speaks, her voice is strained, and this time not from the anxious thoughts racing around her head, but from the effort to keep herself from pouncing on him like a cat in heat. ]

Yes... Of course. Try to rest, and if it doesn't work— well, I'm here.

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