seasonsrpg | 🔥 Permanent Catch-All 🔥

[It seems he's not the only person who's interested in what might happen at this peculiar bridge once the clock strikes noon.

Tartaglia has always admired the snowy landscape of the winter segment and Frostreign- it reminds him very much of his motherland that lies so far away from him- so when the chance to have an excuse to go out to the winter segment arose, he took it. Clad in the large, pure white Harbinger coat he'd arrived in the day he'd been taken from Teyvat and placed inside that void of snow before learning the truth of this world, he wanders out past the Forest of Spirits to finally come to the bridge that supposedly had its own supernatural properties. It's getting close to the allotted time, stepping onto the bridge to meet the person who already stands there, for what he assumes is to investigate the same thing he is.

Except, it surprises him to who it is, someone he recognizes immediately. The Fatui had records on him, the man who'd ripped through their ranks years ago, slaughtering their soldiers. Someone he's always wanted to cross blades with, and the sight of him on the bridge already gets Childe's blood pumping with excitement.]

Well, well...

[He says, approaching Diluc with caution, yet seeming completely relaxed on the surface.]

If I had known you were here, I'd of introduced myself to you much sooner. Diluc Ragnvindr, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[When it comes right down to it... he's really only here for the payment. Diluc's overall feelings towards this world are still extremely chilly and this seemed like a fairly easy commission to make some quick coin from. He made sure to dress warmly himself, and his vivid hair is loose for once for the added protection and warmth it supplies to his ears in this frigid environment.

He knows that someone is going to join him... though he could not have anticipated who that someone would be.]

... The pleasure is entirely yours.

[His voice could compete with the air around them for chill as he looks the approaching Harbinger up and down. It had only taken him a moment to place the face and realise just who he's stuck fulfilling this commission with. Diluc exhales a soft sigh and turns away, loosely folding his arms.]

I could have contentedly gone for far longer without being introduced to you, Tartaglia. Let us do what we need to do here, then you can get out of my sight.

[Kaeya was honestly at the end of his rope. For however long it had been since that thunderstorm, Kaeya and Diluc had been working on his issues with his magic. A month? Over a month? He had lost track as his frustrations continued to mount. Logically, he knew he had nothing to be afraid of. He could make fire harmless, according to other summer holders, which meant he could make a pyro sword similar to his cryo sword and not burn himself.

And yet...]

Tch-!

[His Vision was still preventing him from doing more than holding onto a flame for a few seconds. If he was really irritated, then it wouldn't happen at all. Which was weird given he learned that summer was also fueled by anger and passion. There had to be more that was blocking him than just his Vision. All he was doing was just tiring himself out.]

This is getting ridiculous.

[As promised by them both they had been trying to work through Kaeya's problems, but it seems that the trauma response blocking him from using the abilities he has been given here runs far more deeply than either of them had first suspected.

Diluc knows he can't teach Kaeya conventionally - the magic he's trying to use isn't like that which would be granted by a Vision - so instead he had settled on trying to get around the self-defense reaction that he has every time he attempts to do anything with fire. It's... been slow going, and after over a month the two of them seem to have made very little progress.]

We can take a break.

[He sighs softly and flops back against the couch cushions, glancing at the other man's back for a moment and then reaching over to plant his hand flat against it. Hopefully it would help give him back some of the energy he's using up trying to solve this.]

Frustration could be as much of a roadblock as anything else at this point.

[Kaeya remained pensive, elbows on his knees and his chin propped up but his fists. It was simply not a good feeling that he was his own wall in this whole thing. He really did want to get over this... trauma. But it was so much more deeply rooted, something that he largely didn't want to accept.

He suspected that was partly the issue here but simply telling himself that everything would be fine if he plays with fire was not going to cut it. He started a little when he suddenly felt the weight of Diluc's hand on his back. He relaxed and sighed, his shoulders releasing the tension as he dropped his hands.]

Sorry. I just... [He took a deep breath.] I just wish I could understand all this better.

I know.

[And it's a private matter, too. Something that they can't exactly share with others to get their thoughts on. Well, they could in theory, but what happened that night is a difficult subject for them to talk about even between themselves let alone with anyone else.

He rubs his thumb lightly back and forth against Kaeya's back for a moment. These kinds of casual touches have become commonplace - a way to make sure Kaeya gets the physical contact he needs while they work on this.

After a minute Diluc drops his hand and sits up to lean forwards instead. He extends one hand, palm upwards, and summons a small ball of fire into it. The flame wriggles and writhes into the shape of a bird in flight - one that looks much more like Diluc's falcon Aqila than anything else.

It swoops between his fingers as he watches it thoughtfully.]

I can't help but wonder if we might be looking at this in the wrong way.

[He was grateful for the casual touches, even if he hardly said as much. They were needed for practical reasons, but they were starting to become somewhat of a comfort for Kaeya even after these frustrating sessions. When Diluc stopped and pulled his hand back, Kaeya felt a little bereft without the familiar warmth there. But he said nothing and turned his head.

His eye followed the movements of the miniature firebird. It was an unconscious thing, following it closely. But he heard Diluc's words and with a bit of effort, looking at the other man.]

How so?

[Slight apprehension aside, he knew Diluc wouldn't burn anything with it and it was really pretty to watch the little show of the bird.]

Edited 2023-04-15 22:57 (UTC)

[He shakes his head a little at first while he watches the tiny firebird floating about. It 'lands' near the tip of one of his fingers, ruffling up its tiny flame wings and swaying its tail.

There is far more to be done with the elemental power of Visions that simply wielding them in battle. Diluc learned that early on, being given one at such a young age. Of course he had known that it was a serious responsibility, but at the same time... he had taught himself tricks like this one.]

I have an idea.

[Diluc moves off the couch to perch on the coffee table in front of Kaeya instead. He takes both of the younger man's hands and cups his own beneath them, holding them side by side.]

Close your eyes, and try to summon the fire between your hands. Make sure you keep your eyes closed, don't open them until I tell you, even if you feel your Cryo trying to take over.

[It still isn't the same between them as it was, but it's better... and one thing has always been certain - Diluc isn't going to let him come to harm.]

[Kaeya found himself following Diluc as he moved, eye slightly wide in curiosity as to what this idea could be. He would take anything at this point.

Of course, that didn't stop the slightly confused noise he made when Diluc took his hands and held them side by side. He listened and looked a bit doubtful at the suggestion. But, he didn't really have any other ideas.]

Alright.

[He took a deep breath and as he let it out, he closed his eyes. Then, rather than summoning the fire like he normally did with just one hand and a snap of his fingers, Kaeya willed it into existence. He at least knew how to do that much. After all, the issue was keeping the flame once it was summoned. It was blue and warm, but the color had nothing to do with the temperature.

It was a struggle to keep his eyes closed, especially when he did feel the cooling effect that came with his Cryo. But he continued to try and will it away, even with his eyes closed and struggling to keep the flame going at the same time.]

Good, keep it just like that.

[Along with the faint and harmless warmth of the fire in his hands, there is a second kind of gentle heat alongside it. Just as harmless, kept under full control by Diluc's own will.

Subtly, carefully, he pushes the encroaching Cryo back with the power of his own Vision. It's a soft thing that Kaeya might not even notice, but its effects are visible, which is why Diluc told him to close his eyes. Bright curls of Pyro energy lick warmly against the edges of the ice, wisping it away and protecting the fragile blue flame in Kaeya's cupped palms.]

That's it... you're doing it.

[With a little help... but it's the most they've managed so far!]

[It was encouraging that it appeared the flame was still going. It was so tempting to open his eye, to see for himself. The warm from the flame seemed to be spreading to his palms, and he felt the Cryo be pushed back. He was certain that wasn't his own doing, though. He had no idea how to do that.

He suspected that Diluc had a hand in whatever was going on. Still, all he truly felt was that his hands were warmer than he expected, so it would need to be something he would ask once he was able to open his eye. In the meantime, he focused on the flame between his hands. And noted the Cryo. The way it was still trying to move forward but could not, but it felt like the attempts were weakening. As though it were beginning to realize that the flame was not hurting Kaeya.]

Diluc...?

[Kaeya couldn't keep silent, but he did keep his eye closed.]

[He's so careful about it. Never so warm that he risks alarming the other man or making it obvious what he's doing, never so warm that he pushes the encroaching chill back too quickly. It's a simple warming of the edges, a soft furling curl of orange energy against the ice, and he keeps his full attention on it.]

Mm... what is it?

[A quick glance up tells him that Kaeya still has his eyes closed. Good. Diluc smiles a little to himself.]

You're doing great, it's still there.

[Knowing it was truly still there was a bit of a relief to Kaeya, that the warmth he felt at the palm of his hands was still his own and not something Diluc was tricking him into feeling. Besides, it was very nice. He had always known that fire was never only a dangerous thing. That there was good in it too.

When they were kids, Diluc showed Kaeya his fun tricks all the time. The little firebird being one of them. The memory brought a different kind of warmth to him, in his chest rather than his hands. He shook his head faintly, relaxing a bit more.]

Nevermind.

[It felt a bit like an eternity. But with Diluc's constant touch keeping his energy in check and the warm gently keeping the Cryo at bay, it eventually faded away. Leaving only warmth, only the blue flame. Untouched and unfettered. It even grew a little. A little rounder, a little more solid (as solid as fire can be, anyway).]

...I don't feel it anymore. My Vision.

[Can he open his eyes now? Can he confirm the hope in his heart?]

[Now that he's doing it he doesn't know why he didn't try it before. Doing something like this had felt too direct and - in the beginning at least - a breach of that still fragile trust between them. The last time Diluc had used his Vision against Kaeya in any way was not a pleasant one, after all.

With how long they have been working on this, this really was close to an act of desperation and nothing more. He hadn't actually thought that it would work. The whole time, he had expected the ice to suddenly overtake everything and fight against him.

Slowly, Diluc lowers his hands from beneath Kaeya's and leaves them there with that little blue flame nestled between the palms. It looks stronger now, he thinks.]

You can look now. It should be fine.

[Honestly, it probably would have. The month of encouragement and training, despite the frustrations, likely helped soothe his temperament, however subconsciously, against fire in a way to more readily accept the outside warmth that had come from the cause of trauma. The ice had wanted to overtake, but it reacted in kind to the amount of Pyro seeping in. No need to burst when the "fire" was nothing more than a gentle heat and not a firey phoenix.

Act of desperation or not, it was the last push Kaeya needed to finally break down the proverbial wall.

Kaeya blinked his eye open, vision focusing on Diluc's face for a moment before looking down. He saw the flame and his eyebrow rose, mouth dropping open slightly. It wasn't going away. And his Vision continued to remain dormant. He chanced at fueling it a little more. He widened the gap between his palms a bit, allowing for more room for the flame to grow. So far, so good. But he did not want to overdo it, so Kaeya refrained from making it any bigger.

Of course, Kaeya was unknowingly smiling very brightly. All teeth and flushed cheeks as he played around with the ball of flame, even brushing his hand through it. He felt the heat, but it didn't burn. He really could make it harmless!]

I did it. [He laughed.] I did it!

[Truth be told he hadn't been sure how he would feel if Kaeya finally succeeded, either with or without his help. He's relieved, happy for him, but what he doesn't expect to feel is the intense surge of pride that pushes up into his chest alongside everything else. How long has it been... since he last felt proud of Kaeya like this?

He keeps his attention on the fire too, until he feels the other man's eyes on him. Diluc looks up to be met with that dazzling smile and feels something in his ribcage lurch suddenly, his pulse spiking a moment later and a faint heat rising up to his face.

Outwardly he doesn't lose his cool. He smiles in return and claps Kaeya gently on the arm, nodding his encouragement.]

Knew you could.

[No need to boast of his own part in it. If Kaeya wants to ask what he did then he will - the point is that it worked.]

I think this calls for a small celebration. Drink? I have some wine.

H-Huh?

[Kaeya was not sure why he sounded surprised at the suggestion. Enough that the fireball eventually dissipated and he only pouted at himself. But with this newfound confidence, he took a moment to bring it back. Mostly as a test to himself that this wasn't a fluke. But it stayed once again.

He sighed in relief.]

Er, yes, please. I'm surprised you have some. You hate the stuff.

[He chooses to ignore the condescending tone of the red-haired man, as much as he'd like to just take offense to it and start a fight right here, right now. But he'd like to also see what the deal with this bridge was, so best not to burn it and the possible one he might be able to build here with Diluc as well. He's been curious about this man for a long time now...]

That's no way to greet someone. We'll be working together for this, and you just want to dismiss me out of hand like that? How unfair, hahaha.

[But there's no time like the present as they say, and Tartaglia checks his phone- it's almost time.]

Aren't you the least bit excited to see what will happen? Any minute now and this bridge is supposed to light up like a beacon- it's probably better if you can trust that I'll have your back when it comes.

[Absolutely using the word 'trust' here loosely, almost as if he's mocking him.]

Tch, just because I don't drink it doesn't mean that I hate it.

[He pats Kaeya's arm again and pushes himself up, shaking off that strange feeling in his chest as he makes his way to the kitchen and pulls a bottle of red wine from a cupboard. Taking two glasses down he fills both of them half way, then heads back and hands one over to Kaeya. He holds his own glass up.]

Cheers.

[Surely it could only get better from here. With that first hurdle overcome... and now Diluc knows what to do if Kaeya starts to struggle again.]

[Lumine seemed like a relatively safe bet for this. She already knows so much about him anyway, he trusts her, and he has faith in her ability to work alongside him to deal with anything that might happen should things take a more dangerous turn.

He tugs his scarf up a little closer to his chin while he waits at one side of the bridge, watching people going by. It's chilly in the winter segment and he occasionally spies a snowflake or two drifting through the sky as if it might begin snowing in earnest any moment. Weather like this always reminds him of Snezhnaya. A beautiful place by all accounts even if his memories of being there are not all that pleasant at all.

Diluc puffs out a sigh, his breath crisping into a frosty cloud in front of his face, and then he catches sight of a familiar head of golden hair out of the corner of his eye.]

Ah, Lumine, there you are.

[There's a smile for her, always, and a gentle warmth in his voice that is not heard by many.]

Are you ready to go, or do we need to get anything first?

[ She shakes her head no. ]

I'm good. I hope you weren't waiting for me too long. I would have been here sooner, but I had a last-minute delivery.

[ She should probably be dressed in something warmer, but there wasn't really time to change. Besides--if she could manage Dragonspine's chill in just her dress, she could manage this, too. ]

How about you, are you ready?

[Kaeya made a face at Diluc's back. Well, he certainly had him fooled with all the lack of drinking anything alcoholic. But he settled and waited patiently for the glass of wine.

He smelled nice once he had the glass. He raised it.]

Cheers.

[Well, he was not at all surprised that the quality was good. Of course Diluc would know where to find a good quality brand. He hummed in contentment.]

This is good. I could probably use this one in the fruity skewers.

Mm, I'm ready.

[He arrived ready and from there it was just a matter of waiting for Lumine to arrive while he fought against the instinct to regret all of his life choices at this point. Diluc would readily admit that he resents needing to do things like this when he in no way asked to be here at all, but he can also acknowledge that that is just his bitterness at having been dragged here talking.

Still not over it, sorry not sorry.]

And I wasn't waiting for too long. I can still feel my fingers and toes. [He shoots her a faint smile.] It sounds like you're keeping busy, as usual.

You can have the rest of the bottle. By the time I get around to it the wine will have soured.

[Of course, he planned to give the rest of it to Kaeya anyway... One way or another he wasn't going to finish drinking it himself. He takes a small sip of the glass' contents and swallows without making a face at it, then exhales a soft sigh.]

I wonder what Adelinde would make of all this.

[Just what 'all this' is should be obvious, but in case it's not...]

I suppose she'd be proud we'd finally stopped arguing.

I don't.

[Trust? A Harbinger? Not likely. Trust that he'd stab him in the back as soon as he turned it, perhaps. Tartaglia sure puts up a good front - that carefree, innocent facade might fool anyone who didn't know who he really is - but Diluc isn't going to let his guard down for a second as long as they're in the same place.]

And don't expect me to have yours either.

[It does sound very much like he'd let the other man fall off the bridge if it came to it. Or get eaten by something.]

I'll co-operate with you as much as I have to for this, but nothing more than that.

🔥 Permanent Catch-All 🔥

Bridge of the Lost quest

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for Lumine (@glidinglight) | Bridge of the Lost

Re: for Lumine (@glidinglight) | Bridge of the Lost

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