[THERE'S NONE... it is just regular ol' Childe, though he drops his hand once he pulls back. He shakes his head.]
I meant everything I said before. I don't expect anything from you that you can't give. [Essek truly deserves a desperate yearner who will chase him to the ends of the earth, but Childe is too practical for that.] But I didn't want you to think that I'd only do that if I was cursed.
[HE REALLY DOESN'T THINK THIS IS NEWS but. Y'know. He is also not a romantically messy person and sees no reason not to be clear about these things.
Do you think about how he's going to be in love with Jacopo like two hours after this. I do]
[I have been thinking about it since it happened when so was busy touching grass.
The way this is absolutely news to him because he is stupid.
At first, Essek is shy. He watches Childe's face without interrupting, waiting for the other shoe to fall somehow. He doesn't mind the reason. It's simple and with that simplicity, a kind of honesty he appreciates.
Not really thinking of it too deeply like he's used to, he leans in to return the kiss. Just one short, hilariously chaste thing. He gives both Childe and his own self some room afterward.]
[Go back to your grass. ALSO WHY IS THIS NEWS TO HIM WHEN HE NEARLY CHOKED ON AN APPLE AND DIED YESTERDAY OVER YOUR DAMN NIPPLES YOU STUPID ELF!!!!
Childe is also stupid, though, because he is not expecting any sort of return gesture... perhaps he does not know shit about fuck, despite acting like he does. Much to consider.]
[SOMETIMES YOU ARE ALSO STUPID, AND SO MANY PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF YOUR TOES AND YOUR PIERCINGS THAT YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING MADE FUN OF AGAIN!!
Essek REALLY doesn't know shit about fuck! Magic? Dunamancy? Being a traitorous former antagonist? Okay, fine. He's amazing. Friendship? LOVE? Stupid as sin.]
With me.
[You damn idiot. Don't just kiss people then not even think about the future.]
[Sometimes you are just two kinda-evil peas in an idiot pod. That was the true meaning of all the pea mail...
AND STOP LISTEN. What if that's exactly what he did.]
Nothing. [Didn't I just say that?] Do I seem like the type of person who'd ask you to wait around for a dead man? I know you have people waiting for you.
[Maybe if he were going home to Teyvat, it would be a different story--he really does think Essek would thrive with all the different types of knowledge and power he could gain there. But he's hardly going to bring that up when he has no idea how long it'll take to get home. What if he really does have a thousand years of suffering to look forward to? It would be incredibly stupid to make someone else deal with that just because they had one nice dinner. Especially when the first thing Childe would do upon leaving hell is go home and see his family, every time.]
I can't give you the time you need. [He is so dead. Dead a hundred times over. Dead FOREVER maybe.] ...I guess I just wanted you to know that I would, if I could.
[And that he wasn't just soup-brained, even though he will be soup-brained again so soon. Absolute hilarity.]
[There is such a jumble of thoughts happening in his brain that the only thing expelled is a sort of chaotic squiggle of process. Sounds kinda like bees.
His eyes do a search around the middle distance off to the side, and then he realizes he is unfocusing, so he refocuses his attention on Childe again and smiles very small.]
It's alright, I understand. [About the dead man thing.] Thank you.
I appreciate your honesty.
[He also has his own things he needs to get done first, and he may also end up a dead man, actually, so he gets it.]
Perhaps if Lucien destroys us terribly, I will see you again in this... Hell.
[That is a place he definitely would be going, he thinks.]
[NOT THE THOUGHT BEES. He's not entirely sure why, but that small smile makes him feel a little bad--as if he gave a wrong answer, even though that would be impossible. But nothing he can say or do will change reality. It is what it is.
So he leaves it be, and instead grins at Essek.]
I think you'll like it much better than here, if you do. I'll introduce you to Miss Wednesday and everything. [Even though Essek would get bullied to the ends of the earth in hell because everyone there is so annoying and insane. But honestly this cast also skews kind of annoying and insane so maybe it's not that different.]
And we're not out of here just yet, so if there's anything you want in the meantime...
[He lifts a shoulder in a light shrug, which is not romantic at all, but listen. He's doing his best to leave the ball in Essek's court, especially when he's still kind of surprised that this--whatever undefined potential "this" it is--ever got beyond a throwaway comment a few weeks ago.
It is thoughtshare, though, so Essek can have a few glimpses of potential date imaginings, as a treat. Surprisingly few of them involve fighting, though not zero, of course. He's still himself.]
[HELP. HE'D GET SO BULLIED. He and Wednesday would probably get along nicely actually. That's so terrible.
The bees brain relaxes slightly, mostly because Childe is an idiot and it's amusing. Not these THOUGHTSHARES. THEY ARE SO STUPID, WHY. Not some of them still being about fighting. Okay!!]
...I may take you up on something a little later. I would like to... get stronger, I think, however I can. So when I go back...
[Well, he won't get slapped like a gnat.]
Anyway. [He slowly gets to his feet, gives an awkwardly polite smile that only half makes it.] I am going to go... [He realizes he does not have or know a single thing he wants to really do to tack onto this, and the long hang of it makes him flounder a bit.]
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no subject
I meant everything I said before. I don't expect anything from you that you can't give. [Essek truly deserves a desperate yearner who will chase him to the ends of the earth, but Childe is too practical for that.] But I didn't want you to think that I'd only do that if I was cursed.
[HE REALLY DOESN'T THINK THIS IS NEWS but. Y'know. He is also not a romantically messy person and sees no reason not to be clear about these things.
Do you think about how he's going to be in love with Jacopo like two hours after this. I do]
no subject
The way this is absolutely news to him because he is stupid.
At first, Essek is shy. He watches Childe's face without interrupting, waiting for the other shoe to fall somehow. He doesn't mind the reason. It's simple and with that simplicity, a kind of honesty he appreciates.
Not really thinking of it too deeply like he's used to, he leans in to return the kiss. Just one short, hilariously chaste thing. He gives both Childe and his own self some room afterward.]
What exactly are you looking for... with this?
no subject
Childe is also stupid, though, because he is not expecting any sort of return gesture... perhaps he does not know shit about fuck, despite acting like he does. Much to consider.]
With what, exactly?
no subject
Essek REALLY doesn't know shit about fuck! Magic? Dunamancy? Being a traitorous former antagonist? Okay, fine. He's amazing. Friendship? LOVE? Stupid as sin.]
With me.
[You damn idiot. Don't just kiss people then not even think about the future.]
What exactly are you looking for... with me?
no subject
AND STOP LISTEN. What if that's exactly what he did.]
Nothing. [Didn't I just say that?] Do I seem like the type of person who'd ask you to wait around for a dead man? I know you have people waiting for you.
[Maybe if he were going home to Teyvat, it would be a different story--he really does think Essek would thrive with all the different types of knowledge and power he could gain there. But he's hardly going to bring that up when he has no idea how long it'll take to get home. What if he really does have a thousand years of suffering to look forward to? It would be incredibly stupid to make someone else deal with that just because they had one nice dinner. Especially when the first thing Childe would do upon leaving hell is go home and see his family, every time.]
I can't give you the time you need. [He is so dead. Dead a hundred times over. Dead FOREVER maybe.] ...I guess I just wanted you to know that I would, if I could.
[And that he wasn't just soup-brained, even though he will be soup-brained again so soon. Absolute hilarity.]
no subject
His eyes do a search around the middle distance off to the side, and then he realizes he is unfocusing, so he refocuses his attention on Childe again and smiles very small.]
It's alright, I understand. [About the dead man thing.] Thank you.
I appreciate your honesty.
[He also has his own things he needs to get done first, and he may also end up a dead man, actually, so he gets it.]
Perhaps if Lucien destroys us terribly, I will see you again in this... Hell.
[That is a place he definitely would be going, he thinks.]
no subject
So he leaves it be, and instead grins at Essek.]
I think you'll like it much better than here, if you do. I'll introduce you to Miss Wednesday and everything. [Even though Essek would get bullied to the ends of the earth in hell because everyone there is so annoying and insane. But honestly this cast also skews kind of annoying and insane so maybe it's not that different.]
And we're not out of here just yet, so if there's anything you want in the meantime...
[He lifts a shoulder in a light shrug, which is not romantic at all, but listen. He's doing his best to leave the ball in Essek's court, especially when he's still kind of surprised that this--whatever undefined potential "this" it is--ever got beyond a throwaway comment a few weeks ago.
It is thoughtshare, though, so Essek can have a few glimpses of potential date imaginings, as a treat. Surprisingly few of them involve fighting, though not zero, of course. He's still himself.]
no subject
The bees brain relaxes slightly, mostly because Childe is an idiot and it's amusing. Not these THOUGHTSHARES. THEY ARE SO STUPID, WHY. Not some of them still being about fighting. Okay!!]
...I may take you up on something a little later. I would like to... get stronger, I think, however I can. So when I go back...
[Well, he won't get slapped like a gnat.]
Anyway. [He slowly gets to his feet, gives an awkwardly polite smile that only half makes it.] I am going to go... [He realizes he does not have or know a single thing he wants to really do to tack onto this, and the long hang of it makes him flounder a bit.]
--I just need some time to myself.
no subject
Alright.
[Assumes that this was a gentle rejection for more dates and goes off to fall in love with Jacopo for 12 hours I guess. Good talk!!!!]