[Ah. He jolts at the touch of a finger on his bottom lip, but blessedly, it brings him back to reality... just enough to take her hand and follow her lead out of the hot tub. Thank gods.]
So you admit you were aiming to make me suffer? [kaeya, you did this to your own dumb ass,] I wouldn't have taken you for a sadist.
[Case in point: he doesn't think twice about letting her lead, so when that decision backfires and he's abruptly hauled into the pool alongside her, he's full of regret?! Oh, wow. He's never experienced a system shock quite like this, coming up for air with his breaths seizing in his throat and his eyes blown wide. Shock is a rare look on Kaeya, so take it in while you can, Wave.]
To suffer? Not quite. But to see how far you'd go to not admit to bluffing? That, I'd do.
And this-- [And yep, this is where the both of them end up in the pool, Kaeya dragged after Wave as she abruptly jumps. It's cold, it's fucking cold, and she yelps as she goes under--but then she's laughing as she resurfaces, adrenaline racing through her veins.
Seeing Kaeya's shocked expression just sets her laughing harder, even as she starts pushing for the side of the pool.]
How do you feel now?
[She's planning on jumping right back into the jacuzzi, but she's not so sure that Kaeya will want to follow suit.]
[Ah... Saw through him all along, did she? Honestly, Kaeya is surprised. Pleasantly so. It isn't often someone catches onto his nonsense, much less as easily as Wave had, but then again? Perhaps he wasn't subtle with his hot tub hatred. A bit of both, most likely.
Once the shock wears off, he's back in a smile, following Wave to the edge of the pool but remaining in the water for now. The cold really does suit him much better, arms folded and draped on the tile separating the pool from the hot tub.]
In a word? Enlivened. [Oh, but not by the pool or the system shock granted to him by it. His eyes are squarely on Wave.] I've never met a woman so bold as to call me out, catch me off-guard, and dunk me in a cold pool of water all at the same time. I'm not even mad.
[Look, when you spend as much time with Ailanne as she has, catching on to nonsense becomes second nature. The man speaks bullshit so fluently that even if (when) he'd tell her the truth, it was still couched in deflection and bluffs. Wave can't help but laugh, hoisting herself up and out of the pool now that she's sure she doesn't need to worry about him.
Thankfully the jacuzzi isn't too far away, so it's easy enough to retreat back to it, the hot water tingling on her skin as it chases the cold away.]
I knew you could handle it. [She's matching him, similarly folding her arms and resting them on the tile.] You seem to me like the kind of guy that doesn't back down from a challenge.
[Which is absolutely a positive, in her book. She knows she's got a reckless streak, and anyone who wants to flirt with her had better be able to keep up.]
Besides, it felt good, right? Once you get over the initial shock.
[Now he's the one being read like a book, but she's right, isn't she? He shrugs, pulls on one of those smarmy grins, but he doesn't hide from the truth. Not this time.]
You can't win if you don't try. Who knows? Maybe the hot tub could have awoken some hidden love of the heat within me.
[He snorts a laugh because yeah, right. As if. Reaching over, the tucks a stray hair back behind Wave's ear and smiles wider.]
It did. Thank you for the new experience. Still, it did distract me from something important— the matter of your not wanting to go home. What's all this about other worlds?
[Oh? The very idea of undoing such a thing is intriguing. Kaeya can only imagine what hell his own world would become if that were possible, but anyway...]
Of course. I can't promise it'll be in a timely manner, what with all the work I've got waiting for me back home, but it will happen. [His smile tips askew.] Unless you're offering to assist me with my fieldwork?
[Hm. Kaeya's smile pulls wider and he huffs out a lilting laugh.]
Who knows? If you can carry a cup of hot coffee up to the summit of a frozen mountain, you might just have what it takes to become a knight. [Alright, more realistically:] A drink at the bar would do nicely too. Would you do me the honor? There isn't a bar in Mondstadt I haven't visited.
[Is. Is this really something to brag about, sir.... Wave pretends to think about it for a moment, but really the answer is a simple one.]
It's been a long time since I've gone to a proper bar. [Something something dens of iniquity, something something about good women not going to such places... she did say antiquated.] The honor would be all mine, dear knight.
[What can he say? He's well connected! At the heart of Mondstadt is its liquor industry and blah blah blah, he's an alcoholic. Can't really deny that, but he's functional, at the very least. Anyway!]
Then when all is said and done here, do pay me a visit. I'll ensure the trip is well worth the wait.
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So you admit you were aiming to make me suffer? [kaeya, you did this to your own dumb ass,] I wouldn't have taken you for a sadist.
[Case in point: he doesn't think twice about letting her lead, so when that decision backfires and he's abruptly hauled into the pool alongside her, he's full of regret?! Oh, wow. He's never experienced a system shock quite like this, coming up for air with his breaths seizing in his throat and his eyes blown wide. Shock is a rare look on Kaeya, so take it in while you can, Wave.]
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And this-- [And yep, this is where the both of them end up in the pool, Kaeya dragged after Wave as she abruptly jumps. It's cold, it's fucking cold, and she yelps as she goes under--but then she's laughing as she resurfaces, adrenaline racing through her veins.
Seeing Kaeya's shocked expression just sets her laughing harder, even as she starts pushing for the side of the pool.]
How do you feel now?
[She's planning on jumping right back into the jacuzzi, but she's not so sure that Kaeya will want to follow suit.]
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Once the shock wears off, he's back in a smile, following Wave to the edge of the pool but remaining in the water for now. The cold really does suit him much better, arms folded and draped on the tile separating the pool from the hot tub.]
In a word? Enlivened. [Oh, but not by the pool or the system shock granted to him by it. His eyes are squarely on Wave.] I've never met a woman so bold as to call me out, catch me off-guard, and dunk me in a cold pool of water all at the same time. I'm not even mad.
[Obviously not. He's rather intrigued, actually.]
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Thankfully the jacuzzi isn't too far away, so it's easy enough to retreat back to it, the hot water tingling on her skin as it chases the cold away.]
I knew you could handle it. [She's matching him, similarly folding her arms and resting them on the tile.] You seem to me like the kind of guy that doesn't back down from a challenge.
[Which is absolutely a positive, in her book. She knows she's got a reckless streak, and anyone who wants to flirt with her had better be able to keep up.]
Besides, it felt good, right? Once you get over the initial shock.
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You can't win if you don't try. Who knows? Maybe the hot tub could have awoken some hidden love of the heat within me.
[He snorts a laugh because yeah, right. As if. Reaching over, the tucks a stray hair back behind Wave's ear and smiles wider.]
It did. Thank you for the new experience. Still, it did distract me from something important— the matter of your not wanting to go home. What's all this about other worlds?
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Oh--my world was destroyed a few years back.
[JUST... TOSSING THAT OUT THERE, BLASÉ AS CAN BE. She shrugs, expression unconcerned.]
Coriolis wasn't the only one--there were a lot of worlds that were lost back then. Those of us who survived all got to know one another.
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You say it so nonchalantly. With no place to call home, you have the freedom to go wherever you want. That's not too bad.
[Spoken just as blasé, because in a manner of speaking? Kaeya's been there.]
You're welcome to swing by my world and stay as long as you like. My door's always open.
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[Do you ever get a taste of freedom and then you lose it and your hands get smacked for daring to have it in the first place...]
But this time is different. I don't think we're going to wake up one morning and find ourselves back at home with no warning.
So maybe I'll take you up on that offer, as long as you're promising to show me around while I'm there.
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Of course. I can't promise it'll be in a timely manner, what with all the work I've got waiting for me back home, but it will happen. [His smile tips askew.] Unless you're offering to assist me with my fieldwork?
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That all depends. You're not going to try to send me on any coffee runs, are you?
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Who knows? If you can carry a cup of hot coffee up to the summit of a frozen mountain, you might just have what it takes to become a knight. [Alright, more realistically:] A drink at the bar would do nicely too. Would you do me the honor? There isn't a bar in Mondstadt I haven't visited.
[he shouldn't be so proud of this]
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It's been a long time since I've gone to a proper bar. [Something something dens of iniquity, something something about good women not going to such places... she did say antiquated.] The honor would be all mine, dear knight.
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Then when all is said and done here, do pay me a visit. I'll ensure the trip is well worth the wait.