outdistanced | turbo heaven 🌼 maomao

Not right now.
I'm at the cave, if you wanted to come.

[ cave would probably be a good distraction ]

will head over

[ to the cave... ]

[ well. i don't know if it's a good distraction, because right now he's sitting in the garden area of a small village, legs hanging off one of the terrace sides. ]

...Hey.

[ thankfully she may not have been shown this garden. however, she is thinking of him because he did take her here to show off his real form. ]

Hello... Where is this?

Zhongli said it was called "Qingce Village."

[ which he has to pronounce slowly to try and get it right. it's still not perfect. ]

He wanted to show me the flowers here, before. Something about how we have some things in common, but not everything.

[ he'll get there

her expression does change for a moment. looks like there won't be a distraction from him here. ]

What did you have in common?

He knew daphne flowers - and lotus, and regular lilies. Not the ones here. [ the glaze lilies. ] I've heard a few stories of dragons like his world has, but not many. Just a couple Iris knew when we were kids.

[ but he saw that look, so. ]

...We can change it, if you want.

[ she shakes her head ]

I will admit, it is a little difficult. However, flowers are much easier to think about.

[ makes a small sound of agreement. ]

I really don't know much about flowers, but it felt like both Zhongli and Elysia both wanted me to learn for some reason or another.

It may be because it was something in common. Flowers can be quite useful as well. [ she may be the only one to think like that ]

Maybe. [ raises eyebrow. ] Because of medicine?

They can be used in medicine, in teas, or even make a room look nicer. Even the toxic ones have their uses.

You never struck me as someone interested in bouquets.

Floral arrangements were popular in the palace and the brothel.

That doesn't mean you had to care about them. You'd be more interested in how they could be used in other ways, right?

[ just judging from how she's acted before. ]

...Show me something from your home? You don't talk about it much.

That is true. They are useful. They also make my big sisters happy when they receive them.

[ which may have played a part.

she thinks for a moment before slowly changing the scenery to one of a bustling street. There's vendors, restaurants, and brothels lining the streets. ]

[ he is just going to keep his eyes away from the brothels he can't handle that on a good day let alone right now. but the rest... ]

So this is where you're from. [ it's nothing like he could have imagined. ] Do you miss it?

I don't know if I would say I miss the place.

I do worry about my old man and if he's taking care of himself.

While we've been here, you mean? Or did you move away? You mentioned a palace...

A bit of both. He's getting there in age and he doesn't enforce a price for his services.

...I thought everything cost money outside, though.

It does. He's just too kind to ask for it.

I was sending him money from my paycheck... [ she's here though ] I know Granny won't let him starve.

That sounds frustrating. Even if it's out of kindness...

So you have to get back to help him, is that it?

It is. He's been through so much in life that I wish he would be a bit more greedy. However, it's because of that kindness he took me in in the first place.

I would like to get back to help him.

Well... here's hoping we can both get out of this okay, somehow. We can't just leave them waiting on us forever, right?

[ he offers a smile. it's faint, and doesn't reach his eyes, but they need to remind themselves of the goal once in a while. maybe it will help to try. elysia and zhongli would probably want to them to, anyway. ]

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apoisoncary - 2025-03-08 16:13 (UTC) - Expand

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outdistanced - 2025-03-08 16:21 (UTC) - Expand