idolpro | POST-ROUND 1 MINGLE

POST-ROUND 1 MINGLE

[ Once the decisions have been made, everyone is ushered—though those gentle tugs—out their respective mud rooms into the courtyard. An impossibly tall and incredibly dense garden hedge divides one half of the courtyard away—moreover, it increasingly gets taller when climbed, preventing its residents from escaping their slice of the courtyard. From beyond, idols can hear the distant sounds of something rumbling—perhaps it's the ground shaking. . .

The roster is visible on a large screen, though as time progresses, certain names are blacked out. . . ]

[ Mouths and Hands will be able to transform into monsters at-will, though Hands are much more diminutive and Mouths have supernatural abilities at their disposal. Moreover, unit abilities are on. ]

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[ Zhongli stares (as he always does) at the monstrous form of Foul Legacy, the abyssal energy making him want to gag with his own celestial senses heightened. But still not quite strong enough as he is now to avoid the blow as he is slammed into the opposite wall enough to make his teeth rattle and taste blood.

Ah. He is so mortal now.

In the face of what he needs to do.

As he rises, his henshin covers his own form like a second skin, white and gold. ]

You use so freely that which hurts you.

For what? Power? Pride?

It is not your blows that do the breaking.

[ childe floats closer to zhongli with a laugh. ] Putting all the blame on me for the use of this form right now? I couldn't do it without a little... help. [ a dark and sinister laugh, one that distorts at the end. ] If not for the death of the heart I wouldn't be able to change. [ but his lips curl into a smirk at the follow-up questions, a swift strike sending a torrent of hydro at zhongli to slash him. ] You know the answer. [ that last bit he chooses to ignore, teleporting to his side and grabbing at his hair to yank his head back. ] I should devour you right here, right now, ...make you truly mine.

I do not blame you for the existence of that form. But I will never condone your usage of it.

That is not where your true strength lies.

[ He grits his teeth as his hair is pulled back, attempting to twist his neck so he can at least get a better glimpse of Childe's face. To look him in that one clear orb. ]

I am already yours.

Why do you want for that which you already have?

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree...

[ childe takes a moment to admire zhongli since he's so close.
W H Y N O T . ]

[ don't @ him. ]

[ he brings his other clawed hand to his face, removing the mask, so they can catch each other's eyes properly... but he can't resist leaning in and licking zhongli's cheek with that loooong tongue of his. ]

Feelings this intense don't have to make sense. [ how about a little nibble..? ]

[ Zhongli does not struggle as Childe's teeth dig into flesh. In fact, he finds it preferable to the wet drag of his too-long tongue across his cheek. A texture and sensation he'd rather not be experiencing.

Too far gone then?

For both of them.

He cannot afford to make the same mistake as last time - trying to reason with someone lost in their own mind. There is more at stake here than just himself. More people Childe could regret hurting than just the Travelers. Or at least - that is the rhetoric that Zhongli uses to justify himself. ]

They rarely do.

So please---

[ And as Childe is distracted in his feasting, the shimmer of gold appears again - spear in hand as Zhongli swipes cleanly against Childe's polearm. Angry and determined enough to cleave the shaft in two. And swift enough to drive it into his chest before it can fizzle out into drops of water and crackles of static. ]

Allow yourself this moment of calm.

[ as childe feasts on zhongli he doesn't feel his hunger let up in the slightest. it's frustrating! and just drives him to sink his teeth in deeper and rip at his flesh faster, stuffing himself in a futile attempt to fill the swirling void that's in his stomach. he ignores him, brushing off the words, because he's only got one thing on his mind: feeding. ]

[ all of that comes to a halt as things just suddenly... become cold. his grip on zhongli lets up as he slumps backward, becoming ( literal ) dead weight. he blinks, confused, glassy eyes turning to look toward zhongli. ]

...for me, there is no calm. [ a choked out laugh as the rest of his life leaves him. ]

[ He catches him -- or as best he can considering their current size difference. Muscles strain as he sinks to his knees, pulling Childe's head into his lap so he can brush back his hair and wipe the blood off his face.

He only succeeds in streaking more red across both. ]

Something I will endeavor harder to bring you then.

[ A hand smooths over his eyes to close them. ]

I am sorry.

[ to his credit he's dead for a few minutes! but then things get real interesting and he feels himself jolt back to life. the void he had been staring into dissolves and he finds himself instantly blinded by the bright lights of the lobby. his clawed hand twitches and then shoots up, grabbing at zhongli. ]

Are you sorry I didn't stay down? [ a dark laugh. ]

[ His is grabbed and pulled toward Childe, toppled over from his position. And while he is clearly shocked, there is also a sort of fondness there - as he reaches up to pet the wrist twisted in his clothes. ]

No.

The worst outcome is the one where you never open your eyes.

But I had not expected it to be so soon. Ah, a different strategy may be required.

[ don't be soft !!! there's a bit of hesitation at that, but then childe's attempting to throw zhongli off, so he can get up. ] Better think of a Plan B fast.

[ He lands in an ungraceful heap, huffing out a unamused sound. ]

Thinking quickly on my feet has never been a strong point.

[ As such, Zhongli rises to a crouching position and launches himself at Childe, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and legs around his waist. ]

Stay.

[ childe laughs as soon as he's tackled, his armor screeching as it glides across the tile. he bumps into the wall and tries to flip them, grabbing for zhongli's hands to pin them high above his head. ]

No, you.

[ As a simple mortal instead of just parading around as one - he cannot offer much resistance to being grabbed. To do otherwise, would mean letting go of his other grip on Childe.

And so he twists his back into a more comfortable position, hooking one ankle over the other to tighten the grip with his legs. ]

I am staying.

I am not going anywhere.

...so are you saying that I'm stuck with a handsome leech until the end of the intermission?

I do believe that according to the contract you proposed with me, you are stuck with me until forever.

[ kisses him. ]

[ Oh.

Oh!

Well it's certainly not unwelcome as evident how Zhongli lets up a little on the wrestling death grip in favor of a more elegant twine around Childe. Fingertips still claw at the hands grabbing his wrists in a quiet entreaty to be released.

But otherwise---

Otherwise he can work with this. Zhongli smiles as he breathes against Childe's lips. ]

You seem surprised.

Perhaps you did not pay attention to the finer details of the agreement.

[ childe doesn't release him. he keeps a firm hold on zhongli as he assaults his mouth with half a dozen kisses. ] I just... didn't expect you to bring that up. [ he takes both of zhongli's wrists in one claw, so he can move the other to his chest and, more specifically, his heart. ] You're mine, Xiansheng... and I'm yours.

I love you.

Edited 2022-03-24 17:59 (UTC)

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POST-ROUND 1 MINGLE

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