[Date time approaches, but Kaeya's still... somewhat confident that Wave will come up with some excuse or another to dodge their little jacuzzi adventure. Regardless, Kaeya can't turn up emptyhanded and make it painfully obvious that he's not too hot on the jacuzzi after all, so he's picked out an appropriate swimsuit for the occasion and slipped it on under his usual attire. Yes, he unironically likes it, and no, he won't humor any complaints about it.
Knocking on Wave's door, he eagerly awaits her excuse. Please... Please make an excuse to blow off this bet date.]
[Perhaps unfortunately for Kaeya, Wave's not about to back down. In fact, when he knocks at her door, he'll find that she's completely prepared for their excursion to the jacuzzi, a towel draped around her shoulders.]
Hey, Kaeya. I wasn't sure you'd make it.
[ :) In case he thought there was any chance of him getting out of this.]
[Frankly, Kaeya has no worldly idea what a lifeguard is but he's now been made painfully aware that they're very, very sexy. Time to bring this concept back to Mondstadt and make some serious bank.
He'll strip down into his beautiful mankini when the time comes, but for now, he eases into a smile and offers Wave an arm to hold onto.]
Shall we? [Don't sass him, lady! You'll only make him like you more.] I make good on my promises, Wave. I won't have you doubting me so easily.
[It's so hard not to laugh, this entire situation is so ridiculous--if you'd told her a week ago that she'd be going on a sort of date that she's not even sure is real or not with a random guy she met in a bar while wearing next to nothing as part of a multi-world dating game, and that the biggest reason she's here is because he was flirting so hard that someone needed to do something about it....
Well. She's got no regrets. The smile Wave shoots Kaeya is very real as she slips her arm into his.]
That's good to know... not everybody can be so upstanding.
I've had far too many men in my life make promises they didn't intend on keeping.
[So when you're walking arm-in-arm with a man, there exists a certain measure of space one must keep for propriety's sake.
We're ignoring that. Wave's not walking right up alongside him by any means, but there's definitely a lack of attention to such things that might show that she's completely comfortable with this situation.]
[You're taking one for the team here, Wave. Someone needs to go on this kinda date with Kaeya, no? Who knows what trouble he'd get up to if Wave hadn't come along to wrangle him in...
...Or something like that. He's a troublemaker through and through, but he's adept at keeping the worst of his behavior under wraps, walking them down to the pool at a casual gait. No need to rush, right? They've got all night.]
Oh? That's a shame, really. A woman like you has no need of men who can't stick to their word, so consider your days of settling over.
[Bold words for someone scared of a hot tub. Oh, and it's worth noting that Kaeya is unusually cool to the touch. Weird? Telling?? Maybe both!]
[Said like she won't enable the hell out of him to cause trouble. But hey, that's a discovery for down the line! Right now they can keep walking down toward the exit, and honestly him being cool to the touch isn't a downside here. It's been kind of chilly overall, right? Or maybe he hasn't figured out the AC yet, there are explanations! (Though "magic" is absolutely an explanation here; Wave's far from unfamiliar, even if her own world works differently.
But honestly, this is so bold a claim that Wave can't help but laugh, eyebrows lifting slightly as she glances to him.]
That's a bold claim to make this early on. Careful, I might start calling you my knight in shining armor if you keep that up.
[She won't. Probably. But the point is there!]
You're right about one thing, though--I'm done settling for things like that. Shall we take the stairs?
[She's letting Kaeya lead, but this is one point where she's going to be a little bit insistent, tugging his arm that way. No elevators, thx!!]
[There's a reason Kaeya makes so few promises— he's wont to do as he pleases, too comfortable to lie and deceive, so he has to keep what few promises he does make. That hardly redeems him, but it's a start, no?
As for the stairs...? Kaeya chuckles, imagining she has some reservations with the elevator. Stairs it is, then, but acquiescing won't keep him from teasing her as they make their way down.]
Not a fan of the elevator? [Kaeya isn't either, but he's not about to admit he trapped himself in it for a good ten minutes while figuring the damn thing out.] If it gives you any trouble, just give me a call. On my honor as a knight, I won't let that dastardly elevator lay a single finger on you.
[WELL. For how little time they've all had to get to know one another, that party could be considered a rousing success. More than that, it was fun, fun in a way Wave hasn't seen in a long time. But eventually people start trickling out, and eventually Kaeya and Wave are alone on his balcony.
Wave's lost her hat somewhere along the way (probably left in the lounge), but otherwise she's still dressed in the ringmaster costume because I think it's funny. She's sniped one of the bottles of rum from the party, setting it down next to her as she looks up to Kaeya and smiles.]
I don't know about you, but I can't say I have any regrets in coming here so far. That was a good party.
[And in spite of the bad memories she'd inadvertently brought up, she hopes he had fun as well.]
[Rousing indeed... quite a bit more than most parties Kaeya has attended in his life. Many of them were work functions and thus called for the requisite amount of stiff formalities and left little room for letting loose and truly indulging.
By contrast, this party has been quite liberating. He doesn't even mind leaving such a fun affair if only because Wave has blessed him with her continued company, sipping rum on the rocks while they take in the late evening view from his balcony.
He's left the devil horns on, but he's done away with his jacket and shirt, finding them much too oppressively stuffy to wear for a single moment longer. He hadn't hesitated to strip out of it, really, recalling quite distinctly how Wave's eyes poured over him by the poolside. More of a good thing never hurts.]
Indeed, and it was all the better with the life of the party leading the way. [He's referring to Wave, of course, bumping her shoulder with his own.] I must say, you doled out some pretty brazen dares. Did the atmosphere loosen you up a bit?
[On the one hand, Kaeya being shirtless is always a welcome sight. On the other, now that the party has died down a bit and she's had a bit of time to regain a little bit more sobriety, there's a part of her that wants to hide her face in her hands for a bit and scream because wow that sure was a lot of being absolutely shameless!
But Kaeya's not about to judge her, she thinks, and she'll be ready to face whatever comes from tonight in the morning. So she laughs, setting down her drink for a moment to slip the jacket from her shoulders (no use in scratching up his bare skin with sequins, right?) before nudging him back with bared arm.]
For a long time I've watched other people give out dares like that, but I always had to watch what I did or said, if I played at all. [Taking a sip of her rum.] But I'm not worrying about that sort of thing anymore.
Besides, we're all here for a good time, right? I figured if anyone had a problem with a dare, they'd say something about it. ...or up the ante. You and Sylvain certainly decided to make it a show.
[Not that she's complaining in the slightest, damn.]
[Kaeya has some small regrets of his own, but only small ones! After all, he's content in the knowledge that when it's time to head home, no one who knows of his mischief and misdeeds will be following him there. That's what allows him to simultaneously be on his best and worst behavior, so with that considered, he doesn't mind acting out a bit.
Although... yes, there was that dare and all the chaos it wrought. You just had to go there, didn't you, Wave? Huffing, more amused than anything, Kaeya leans down and brushes her shoulder with a kiss.]
Such a bold dare deserves to be fulfilled with vigor. Ah, but you're not jealous, are you? If that's the case, you're welcome to drink the wine from my mouth as well.
[Those fingers make him want to act out, but when haven't they? That's been a constant in the short time they've been acquainted, the fact that he never fails to goosebump beneath her touch. By now, she knows the nature of his powers, so it's not as if he can blame the cold no matter how brisk it gets.
Perhaps honestly truly is the best policy, if only in a limited capacity. Kaeya's realizing that now, so struck by Wave's admittance that he can't help but fess up.]
Ah, but then I'd have to share you. Hm... You're a naughty girl, Wave... more than I'd given you credit for, but you're always finding ways to surprise me.
[And make him jealous, apparently. That's a hard achievement to unlock, and yet here they are. Kaeya's palm brackets the wall, setting his drink aside to catch her by the chin, ensure she's looking at nothing and no one else.]
I ought to punish you for thinking such brazen thoughts.
[Well, there's no way that Wave and Zola were going to amount to anything beyond shenanigans (not that she'd expected or even hoped for otherwise!), so it's not long after Kaeya texts her that Wave's headed toward his room, knocking on the door. She's still wearing mostly the same thing she was earlier in the evening, though she's slipped on a pair of short shorts beneath the sweater and swapped out the boots for a pair of cozy thigh-high socks instead.]
Kaeya?
[And on the door opening, assuming there's no shenanigans going on inside the room that would render this completely implausible:]
I'm a little surprised. I thought you'd be spending time with Rene this evening.
[No shenanigans are happening here! Kaeya greets Wave at the door and ushers her inside. He's acclimated to a more comfortable manner of dress when sequestered to his room, donning a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. It still feels strange being this underdressed, but Justy is right: sweatpants are amazing.]
Unfortunately, I think Rene has had enough of me for one evening. For what it's worth, we did have an enjoyable date. How did yours go?
[Discovering new cozy clothes designed for comfort as a ye olde... I love this for them]
You didn't push him too hard, did you? I'm trying to get him out of his shell; the last thing I need is you chasing him back in. [But it's paired with a smile; she doesn't think Kaeya would intentionally make Rene pull back, not here. He might tease and push at his boundaries, but Rene's a good kid guy. She can't imagine him driving Kaeya to be cruel.]
Mine went okay. It wasn't anything special, but we worked pretty well together during the game.
[Ah... Rene did manage to strike too close to the heart on a couple of occasions, but Kaeya didn't react too terribly, so he thinks. Ushering Wave over to the bed, he sits himself down and motions for her to join him. Just sitting around! No intention of misbehaving tonight.]
Lend me your lap, Wave. [Lap pillow! Lap pillow!!] I'll tell you all about the torture I put little Rene through.
[Yes, Rene is older than him, and no, he's never going to acknowledge that.]
[If he didn't do claim her lap first, she was going to sit on his, so. Yeah, she'll definitely follow him over to the bed, settling down so she can lean back against the headboard. Once he's settled in, she's going to start carding her fingers through his hair. She likes physical touch, okay!!]
Oh, no. [A laugh.] How bad were you?
[Look, Rene's older than she is too, but... nah. He's a kid.]
[Oh, Kaeya is the last person you'll catch complaining about having his hair played with. He loves it, humming out his approval while he recalls the terrible deeds he inflicted upon Rene earlier.]
I embarrassed him a couple of times and must've gotten on his nerves a fair deal too... but it seems someone coached him on how to handle me. Unlike before, he caught his tongue before he could lash me with it. I was quite impressed!
[Kaeya's a mainstay in Wave's room just as she is in his, but he's been doing whatever he can to drag himself out of his little mopey depression den. It isn't uncommon for him to show up unannounced — he's yet to fully get the hang of phones — and he does so with his trusty comfort blanket wrapped around his shoulders and fuzzy cat socks on his feet. So comfy, Nya~]
Oh, Miss Wave~ Be a dear and let me in.
[Kaeya hasn't been feeling too well lately, which... is unfortunately common knowledge, but there are few he will disclose the details of his personal problems with. Wave is one of them. He's not quite ready to talk about the elephant in the room that is his divorce arc with Fai, but... more personal matters, perhaps. In either case, he's feeling a bit sentimental and figures he ought to return the favor and share a few of his sob stories with Wave.]
[What a mess of a man... but that's okay, she apparently likes messy bitches. So Kaeya's welcome whenever he wants, even if she is begging for him to learn to use his phone to text... pls... but that's neither here nor there; today, she's opening the door for him and laughing when she notices the socks on his feet.]
I got a pair of those too. I was thinking about doing something a little dumber for that task this week, though...
[Once she's shut the door behind him, she's going to go rummage through the stuff she was gifted last week, coming up after a moment with two pairs of matching pajamas.]
They came together, so I think they're meant to be shared.
[Go on, Kaeya... you know you want the pumpkin pajamas...!!]
[Oh, these pajamas...?! They're... incredibly silly, but that's not going to stop Kaeya from taking his pair and sizing it up. He's worn worse, and these do look rather comfy even if they're quite the eye sore.]
It does match with the theme, doesn't it? Alright.
[Wave's seen him partially to fully naked many times, so Kaeya has no problem stripping down in front of her and pulling on those pajamas. Wow, he looks. Stupid. Who could've guessed?]
Well? Please don't hold your applause. I know I look dashing.
[They're so silly, so tacky, and she honestly loves them for those exact reasons. They're hilariously awful, and lords, his hair alongside the bright orange and sorry, Kaeya, she's laughing, even though she's also applauding him.]
The highest of fashion. They should be putting you on the covers of those magazines in the lounge.
[She'll similarly change into her own set of pjs, just as unconcerned with her modesty in front of him, before coming over to him and hooking an arm around his waist.]
So what's going on? Just wanted to hang out? [Or... how u doin' sir, it's been an emotional few days.]
[It's absolutely been a tire fire of a week, but damn, Wave. You're just gonna make him unload like that, huh??
Returning the gesture, he holds Wave about the waist before picking her up and hauling her into bed with him. Hers is comfier than most, but only when she's in it with him.]
Oh, Wave... Always so quick to get to the heart of the matter. As you might suspect, I've been feeling a bit under the weather.
[To be fair, when does she not cut to the heart of a matter when it's something that needs discussing? But he gets another laugh as he lifts her, and once they've made it to the bed Wave won't hesitate to curl up close with him.]
If you don't want me to ask, you should've distracted me first.
But yes, I'd guessed as much when I saw your new cape. It looks cozy.
jacuzzis featuring regret
Knocking on Wave's door, he eagerly awaits her excuse. Please... Please make an excuse to blow off this
betdate.]no subject
Hey, Kaeya. I wasn't sure you'd make it.
[ :) In case he thought there was any chance of him getting out of this.]
no subject
He'll strip down into his beautiful mankini when the time comes, but for now, he eases into a smile and offers Wave an arm to hold onto.]
Shall we? [Don't sass him, lady! You'll only make him like you more.] I make good on my promises, Wave. I won't have you doubting me so easily.
[There's... still time to back out...!!]
no subject
Well. She's got no regrets. The smile Wave shoots Kaeya is very real as she slips her arm into his.]
That's good to know... not everybody can be so upstanding.
I've had far too many men in my life make promises they didn't intend on keeping.
[So when you're walking arm-in-arm with a man, there exists a certain measure of space one must keep for propriety's sake.
We're ignoring that. Wave's not walking right up alongside him by any means, but there's definitely a lack of attention to such things that might show that she's completely comfortable with this situation.]
no subject
...Or something like that. He's a troublemaker through and through, but he's adept at keeping the worst of his behavior under wraps, walking them down to the pool at a casual gait. No need to rush, right? They've got all night.]
Oh? That's a shame, really. A woman like you has no need of men who can't stick to their word, so consider your days of settling over.
[Bold words for someone scared of a hot tub. Oh, and it's worth noting that Kaeya is unusually cool to the touch. Weird? Telling?? Maybe both!]
no subject
But honestly, this is so bold a claim that Wave can't help but laugh, eyebrows lifting slightly as she glances to him.]
That's a bold claim to make this early on. Careful, I might start calling you my knight in shining armor if you keep that up.
[She won't. Probably. But the point is there!]
You're right about one thing, though--I'm done settling for things like that. Shall we take the stairs?
[She's letting Kaeya lead, but this is one point where she's going to be a little bit insistent, tugging his arm that way. No elevators, thx!!]
no subject
As for the stairs...? Kaeya chuckles, imagining she has some reservations with the elevator. Stairs it is, then, but acquiescing won't keep him from teasing her as they make their way down.]
Not a fan of the elevator? [Kaeya isn't either, but he's not about to admit he trapped himself in it for a good ten minutes while figuring the damn thing out.] If it gives you any trouble, just give me a call. On my honor as a knight, I won't let that dastardly elevator lay a single finger on you.
[Yes. Its dastardly elevator fingers.]
(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)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
post-party undoings
Wave's lost her hat somewhere along the way (probably left in the lounge), but otherwise she's still dressed in the ringmaster costume because I think it's funny. She's sniped one of the bottles of rum from the party, setting it down next to her as she looks up to Kaeya and smiles.]
I don't know about you, but I can't say I have any regrets in coming here so far. That was a good party.
[And in spite of the bad memories she'd inadvertently brought up, she hopes he had fun as well.]
no subject
By contrast, this party has been quite liberating. He doesn't even mind leaving such a fun affair if only because Wave has blessed him with her continued company, sipping rum on the rocks while they take in the late evening view from his balcony.
He's left the devil horns on, but he's done away with his jacket and shirt, finding them much too oppressively stuffy to wear for a single moment longer. He hadn't hesitated to strip out of it, really, recalling quite distinctly how Wave's eyes poured over him by the poolside. More of a good thing never hurts.]
Indeed, and it was all the better with the life of the party leading the way. [He's referring to Wave, of course, bumping her shoulder with his own.] I must say, you doled out some pretty brazen dares. Did the atmosphere loosen you up a bit?
no subject
But Kaeya's not about to judge her, she thinks, and she'll be ready to face whatever comes from tonight in the morning. So she laughs, setting down her drink for a moment to slip the jacket from her shoulders (no use in scratching up his bare skin with sequins, right?) before nudging him back with bared arm.]
For a long time I've watched other people give out dares like that, but I always had to watch what I did or said, if I played at all. [Taking a sip of her rum.] But I'm not worrying about that sort of thing anymore.
Besides, we're all here for a good time, right? I figured if anyone had a problem with a dare, they'd say something about it. ...or up the ante. You and Sylvain certainly decided to make it a show.
[Not that she's complaining in the slightest, damn.]
no subject
Although... yes, there was that dare and all the chaos it wrought. You just had to go there, didn't you, Wave? Huffing, more amused than anything, Kaeya leans down and brushes her shoulder with a kiss.]
Such a bold dare deserves to be fulfilled with vigor. Ah, but you're not jealous, are you? If that's the case, you're welcome to drink the wine from my mouth as well.
[But he'd much rather drink it from hers.]
no subject
You're going to make me admit to something I probably shouldn't.
"Jealousy" might not be the right word for it. If anything, I was thinking about how much I might want to be between the two of you in that moment.
[She's 100% going to blame admitting this on all the alcohol, but... she also probably won't deny, either.]
no subject
Perhaps honestly truly is the best policy, if only in a limited capacity. Kaeya's realizing that now, so struck by Wave's admittance that he can't help but fess up.]
Ah, but then I'd have to share you. Hm... You're a naughty girl, Wave... more than I'd given you credit for, but you're always finding ways to surprise me.
[And make him jealous, apparently. That's a hard achievement to unlock, and yet here they are. Kaeya's palm brackets the wall, setting his drink aside to catch her by the chin, ensure she's looking at nothing and no one else.]
I ought to punish you for thinking such brazen thoughts.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
post w2 date!
Kaeya?
[And on the door opening, assuming there's no shenanigans going on inside the room that would render this completely implausible:]
I'm a little surprised. I thought you'd be spending time with Rene this evening.
no subject
Unfortunately, I think Rene has had enough of me for one evening. For what it's worth, we did have an enjoyable date. How did yours go?
no subject
You didn't push him too hard, did you? I'm trying to get him out of his shell; the last thing I need is you chasing him back in. [But it's paired with a smile; she doesn't think Kaeya would intentionally make Rene pull back, not here. He might tease and push at his boundaries, but Rene's a good
kidguy. She can't imagine him driving Kaeya to be cruel.]Mine went okay. It wasn't anything special, but we worked pretty well together during the game.
no subject
Lend me your lap, Wave. [Lap pillow! Lap pillow!!] I'll tell you all about the torture I put little Rene through.
[Yes, Rene is older than him, and no, he's never going to acknowledge that.]
no subject
Oh, no. [A laugh.] How bad were you?
[Look, Rene's older than she is too, but... nah. He's a kid.]
no subject
I embarrassed him a couple of times and must've gotten on his nerves a fair deal too... but it seems someone coached him on how to handle me. Unlike before, he caught his tongue before he could lash me with it. I was quite impressed!
(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)
1/2
(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)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
early-week secret sharing
Oh, Miss Wave~ Be a dear and let me in.
[Kaeya hasn't been feeling too well lately, which... is unfortunately common knowledge, but there are few he will disclose the details of his personal problems with. Wave is one of them. He's not quite ready to talk about the elephant in the room that is his divorce arc with Fai, but... more personal matters, perhaps. In either case, he's feeling a bit sentimental and figures he ought to return the favor and share a few of his sob stories with Wave.]
no subject
I got a pair of those too. I was thinking about doing something a little dumber for that task this week, though...
[Once she's shut the door behind him, she's going to go rummage through the stuff she was gifted last week, coming up after a moment with two pairs of matching pajamas.]
They came together, so I think they're meant to be shared.
[Go on, Kaeya... you know you want the pumpkin pajamas...!!]
no subject
It does match with the theme, doesn't it? Alright.
[Wave's seen him partially to fully naked many times, so Kaeya has no problem stripping down in front of her and pulling on those pajamas. Wow, he looks. Stupid. Who could've guessed?]
Well? Please don't hold your applause. I know I look dashing.
no subject
The highest of fashion. They should be putting you on the covers of those magazines in the lounge.
[She'll similarly change into her own set of pjs, just as unconcerned with her modesty in front of him, before coming over to him and hooking an arm around his waist.]
So what's going on? Just wanted to hang out? [Or... how u doin' sir, it's been an emotional few days.]
no subject
Returning the gesture, he holds Wave about the waist before picking her up and hauling her into bed with him. Hers is comfier than most, but only when she's in it with him.]
Oh, Wave... Always so quick to get to the heart of the matter. As you might suspect, I've been feeling a bit under the weather.
no subject
If you don't want me to ask, you should've distracted me first.
But yes, I'd guessed as much when I saw your new cape. It looks cozy.
(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)
(no subject)