insurmountable | i'm dragging a heart that weighs a ton / holding out for not just anyone

[He leads her over to it, and lets her press her hand against the statue first. The sudden wind startles him, and the statue itself swirls in a flash of white light that spirals upwards at her touch. Ajax's eyes widen, the sight sobering him for a moment. He'd forgotten about the vision, that Childe's Lumine could wield multiple elements, gaining their power by touching a statue.

Her laughter brings him back to, and he stumbles as he tries to catch her as she falls. He's far too drunk to get to her in time, her head hitting the pillar as she slumps to the ground. Whispers of people around him fill his ears, worrying about Lumine, and wondering what that light was. He looks around frantically, smiling sheepishly towards those who stare and quickly pick her up in his arms. He quickly checks her head- it's just a small bump there- before thinking of how to get out of there, quickly.]

I've got her, don't worry-!

[He says, hurrying off of the statue's base before running as fast as he can without tripping back to Mondstadt.

Ajax takes the shuttle, arriving closer to the Grand Goth Hotel than had he walked back with her. He looks down at her unconscious form, feeling bad about the whole ordeal. She looks so peaceful, passed out, sighing as he takes her up to his room. He has no idea where she's staying while she's here, but they can figure that out after she wakes up.

Entering his room, he lies her down on the couch of the suite he'd booked for the trip, being careful with her head as he lies her down. She might get sick, so he finds an ice bucket for her to puke in if she does, bringing it to the table next to the couch. Ajax gives her a few light shakes, softly calling to her.]

Lumine...Lumine...hey, wake up. Lumine...

[ it isn't the first time she's had a vivid dream as of late. it seems to be a recurring thing since meeting ajax, since getting involved with him. but while the dream lumine finds herself in is vivid, the faces clear and recognisable, everything else isn't and it quickly dissipates from her mind when she's roused awake.

lumine slowly sits up, her head throbbing for some reason as wine and alcohol slosh inside of her, eyes barely open. her mouth feels dry, her tongue thick and she wonders if she's still in a dream. it does feel like it, after all, everything around her bright and hazy, with only one clear face hovering over her.

she smiles at his concerned expression, laughing in amusement at how unlike him to be so dour and stern. ]

Archons, are you always this so serious? [ her hand brushes against his jaw, fingers cupping his cheek. ] I should be the one upset at you with everything you've done.

[ conning her into breaking into someone's property, involving her brother in their family business, almost getting her killed—but then, lumine finds herself drawn into him anyway. she leans in closer, closing her eyes. ]

Aether's going to be mad at you if he finds out ... [ she whispers before she presses her lips against his. ]

You..hit your head...

[He says until she cuts him off, her hand cupping around his cheek. Ajax's eyes widen, surprised at the gesture, face flushing even brighter than what the alcohol had already done to it. He's not prepared for her advance, not thinking she'd be so forward with him. His arms unconsciously snake around her, her eyes mesmerizing him in his drunken state, unable to protest or tear himself away. He stares back, breathing in heavily as her head moves in, heart pounding.

And then, she takes him in, his eyes closing as her lips connect with his. His mind blanks, and all that exists in the moment is her body against his, his hands gliding over her as he deepens the kiss, connected to her in every way. He begins to take her shirt off, lost under the power of her caress, wanting more from this. He didn't begin this night out with her with any intentions, but now that they were here, he can feel her desire driving his own forward.]

[ lumine is just as lost as him in the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pulls him closer, fingers sinking into his hair. she's reminded of the other lumine, of the dreams that plagued her lately, of her conflicted feelings towards childe, and she wonders if she too has succumbed to it. allowed herself to be swept and influenced by her counterpart.

but she finds that it's a little difficult to think about it at that moment, ajax's hands chasing away every single thought she has in her mind. his fingers leave a trail of heat along her skin as he pushes her shirt off her shoulders, her body pressing itself against his touch. she can taste the dandelion wine on his lips and tongue mixed with his own.

there's something else nagging at her, however, and lumine briefly pulls away from their kiss. she's as intoxicated as ever, maybe even more, as she stares at his face and takes note of the flush on his cheeks. ]

Ajax ...

[ she shifts closer once more, eager to continue what they've started—before feelings of nausea bulldoze through conflicted feelings of affection, bile rising up her throat and out her mouth instead of words of intimacy.

and to his misfortune as well, lumine passes out once more, head leaning on his shoulder. ]

[The break in their kiss pulls a whine out from him, not done yet and not wanting to let her lips leave his own. He stares back at her, her name a breath on his lips, leaning in to meet her.]

Lumine...

[He hears it. He can hear the bubble of vomit coming, and he instinctively pulls back as she throws up all over his hoodie, the smell of dandelion wine coating the food they'd had before heading out to the bar. He looks down in disgust as she passes out, her bare skin pressing into him, and also, the mess she's just made on him. It makes him gag, the stench filling his nostrils, as he fights down the urge to throw up himself.

Oh fucking no, she did not just do this.]

Okay.

[He will not let her stay passed out, no way. He can't take care of this with her asleep on him, so he begins shaking her and calling to her once more.]

Lumine. Babe, you have to wake up. Lumine. Lumine. Wake up, I'm not taking care of this with you passed out on me. Babe. Lumine.

[ her name stirs her up once more, lumine blinking blearily at ajax as he shakes her awake. she tries to push him away, a little bit annoyed by the sudden disturbance of her sleep. it doesn't also help that her head is still throbbing from pain and there's a terrible stench surrounding her. ]

What? I want to sleep, [ she grumbles, leaning her head against him again. ] Ajax, you stink.

[ did she notice that he's sitting in a mess that she's made just a few minutes ago? not really. it's hard to think when you're drunk and in the middle of a weird dream/delusion/haze. ]

[The audacity of this woman.

He pulls a face when she tells him that he stinks, even though this is completely her fault that there's vomit all over him.]

The only reason I stink is because you threw up all over me. And, you're lying in it.

[He grabs her shoulders, pushing her away from him.]

Do not fall back asleep now. Look.

[It's all over him, it's all over her, and he needs her help to take care of this. He sighs- she's wasted, and maybe perhaps he shouldn't of bought that bottle of wine to take with them to Windrise...]

[ the push surprises her, wakes her up completely, and lumine stares at him, affronted. she doesn't completely acknowledge what he says, still feeling dizzy and disconcerted by this entire situation, before she gets up wordlessly from the couch. it's also only there that she realises that her shirt is gone, the cool air in the room sending goosebumps across her skin.

still, she doesn't say anything to ajax, simply grabbing her blouse and storming off to the bathroom. fine, she ... did vomit all over herself. and ajax. she can acknowledge that much now.

which is why she quickly sheds off her clothes, leaving them on the floor of the bathroom like a snake shedding its skin, and turns on the shower. it takes a while before the water warms up enough that it's soothing on the skin ... and lulling her sleep.

so much so that she doesn't step out of the bathroom even after 20 minutes, 30 minutes ... 45 minutes .... ]

[He doesn't get why she's getting mad at him, she's the one who threw up. He didn't drink so much that he got sick, though had he kept going he might of. He watches her go, sighing as the last view he has is her back, it's too bad he hadn't gotten to her bra before she threw up on him...

Shaking his head, he's careful to take his hoodie off, throwing it in the sink of the kitchen that was a part of the suite he'd booked for the festival. The shirt underneath is stripped too, and he tries to rinse out the vomit the best he can. He manages to get most of it off, keeping himself from gagging any more.

He changes into some pajamas, only consisting of a pair of sweatpants for the time being. He still feels like he should shower himself, but at least the puke didn't get on him, just his hoodie...

It's been a while though, the shower still on even after 45 minutes. He's been getting steadily worried about her, and walks over to knock on the door.]

Hey, Lumine, are you alright in there?

[No answer.]

Lumine?

[No answer, still.]

I'm going to come in, okay? Even if you're naked!

[No answer again. He frowns, forming a small pin-like object from his vision, the hydro in it glistening as he sticks it into the small hole in the front of the doorknob. He's grateful these knobs have a safeguard in them in case someone gets locked in, and it's a matter of seconds before he's inside the bathroom.]

Lumine? Answer me, okay?

[But when she doesn't, he pulls the curtain on the shower back- she's passed out on the floor. He gazes down on her for a moment too long, admiring all her curves, just as Childe had when they'd had their last night together before Lumine had left him for Fontaine.

Ajax shakes his head, trying to snap himself out of it, before reaching in and turning the water off. Waking her up sounds like a bad idea right about now though...

He puts the curtain back in place, sits on the floor next to the tub and reaches his hand inside to shake her awake once more.]

Lumine. Wake up...

[ lumine wakes up for the third time that evening, shivering from the cold brought about by the water drying on her skin. it has a more sobering effect on her, flinching when she presses against the ice-cold porcelain of the tub. the only warm sensation she feels is the hand on her shoulder, trying to shake her awake.

ajax's hand. right. where was she again? ]

I'm awake, [ she groans, pushing his hand away and out of the vicinity of the tub, tugging the curtain back in its place. her head hurts, though, like she's just run headlong into a truck, and it's more than enough for the dizzy spell to remain. ]

Can you pass my clothes, please? Or the towel? Whichever is closest.

[Getting up, he grabs a towel for her to start and hands it through the curtain. Unsure if she's just going to pass out again, he waits for a second to talk.]

You know, you passed out in here for quite a while. You really are a master at making me worry.

[He looks at the clothes, her blouse was fine but her skirt...]

Hey, I'll be right back with some pants for you to wear. I don't think you'll want to put your skirt back on.

[It's also covered in vomit.]

[ lumine wordlessly takes the towel in her hands and starts wiping herself down, trying to ignore the fact that he might have seen her naked. not that it should matter since their counterparts have had sex and they were practically in the passenger seat in that dream, but it's still mortifying to think of the possibility.

she wraps herself up in the towel, walking over to the sink. her face still holds traces of her drunkenness earlier, her cheeks still flushed with colour but a little paler now.

what has even happened? and where is she? where did ajax bring her?

thinking too hard on it is just making her head hurt, lumine leaning against the cool surface of the glass to soothe the weird bump on her head. a moment later, she's cupping some water from the sink with her hands, rinsing her mouth with it. ]

I'm not drinking ever again ...

[He returns as she's talking to herself, setting the extra pair of sweatpants on the counter.]

Hahaha, yes, I don't think I'll let you drink that much again. It's been quite an adventure since you hit your head on the Statue of the Seven.

[It'll be a night to remember, for sure. It's not ending quite the way he'd of liked when she started kissing him like that, but the fact that she's okay now is more important to him.]

How do you feel? Probably sicker than a dog, I imagine.

[ sicker than a dog is the understatement of the century. and she hit her head on the statue of the seven? what?

there are some vague traces of their time earlier that evening: drinking at angel's share, walking across the bridge, taking a picture ... a picture she'll have to bury somewhere in her phone, to be hopefully forgotten forever. and something else, an incident on the couch in this room ...

she takes the sweatpants, slipping into them and pulling them up under the towel. it's easy enough for her, used to getting dressed in front of her twin brother. ]

Where am I? Is this the Grand Goth?

[ archons forbid they're staying in the same hotel as they did in wangshuu. what a problem that's going to be again. ]

Edited 2022-05-18 04:25 (UTC)

It is, [he answers, wondering why she's asked.]

Seems that you've at least got your wits about you now. Do you also have a room here?

[He, of course, is unaware that this might be a problem, because he doesn't know what kind of crazy stalker her brother is.]

[ pls, aether is not a crazy stalker. he's a very normal, protective brother. ]

I do ...

[ lumine moves towards her other clothes, wrinkling her nose at the smell. her blouse, at least, survived, unscathed. but she's pretty sure why that is. her underwear, on the other hand, especially her bra ... well, if she's in the hotel, she can easily just return to her room surreptitiously. ]

... I should probably go back to my room.

Before you do, I need to make sure of something.

[He's still a little worried. She's passed out on him three times now, he doesn't know what state she's in, or how sick she actually is. He walks up to her gently grabbing her chin so he can take a look at her.]

Let me take a look. [It's hard for him to focus too, because he's still drunk, but.] Your eyes are still pretty dilated, how is your stomach feeling? Do you still feel nauseous?

[ her face flushes even more when he suddenly takes her chin, his blue eyes unfocused while searching her expression. lumine lowers her gaze almost immediately when he points it out, biting her lip. ]

My head hurts, but I'm fine.

[ nauseous, a little. but she thinks she's drained her stomach of whatever they've eaten earlier that night. ]

... Don't worry.

Haha, easier said than done. If you feel like you may throw up again, you should tell me, and you should stay here. I'd feel pretty bad if something happened to you, and you've already passed out on me three times.

[The concern doesn't leave his eyes, but he certainly isn't going to stop her if she wants to go. Even if he wishes she would stay. He's just offering because he's worried- and because it would give her an excuse to spend the rest of the night with him.]

You could use the bed. I don't mind sleeping on the couch.

[ lumine can't tell if she's still drunk. a part of her seems to indicate that she still is, her consciousness a mess of thoughts and memories. like someone has just shoved her brain into a blender and then placed it back in her brain. another part of her is starting to sober up, recalling certain instances, reminders ...

there's a rejection prepared on the tip of her tongue, purposefully worded. she doesn't want to impose, for one. for another, the last thing she wants is for them to have another ridiculous vision. ]

The bed is big enough for the both of us ... [ she averts her gaze again, frowning. ] Do you have a shirt I can use instead?

I do indeed. One moment.

[He leaves, walking into the bedroom and rooting around in his suitcase for a spare shirt he'd packed just in case. Returning, he hands it to her, a soft worn v-neck that he generally wears around the house.]

I don't mind if you want to share the bed either. Actually, now that I think about it, that might be for the best in case you throw up in your sleep. If you're not opposed, that sounds like a good plan.

[He turns, to walk out so she can have some privacy to put her shirt on. All that's on his mind now is curling up with her in bed and finally getting some rest after the last hour of dealing with vomit and worrying about her. The world still spins a little whenever he turns his head, but once he's lying down, he's sure he'll be able to fall asleep, especially with her there.]

I'll be out here, just let me know what you decide.

[ she doesn't stop him from leaving, only waits until he's gone before she takes off the towel and pulls his shirt over his head. it's a lot bigger on her, the collar dipping a little low on her chest.

still, it's better than wearing her clothes, her blouse wrinkled beyond belief and her skirt a complete mess. lumine runs it under the sink, washing it with the complimentary bar soap from the hotel. she'll have to request for room service to have it laundered tomorrow.

it's several minutes later when she finally steps out of the bathroom, glancing around the room. ]

Where's my phone? I need to text Aether.

[ it's a little late already, but she did promise her twin she'll be regularly in touch with him while she's in mondstadt. he's probably worried already, waiting for her call or message. ]

[Looking up from his own phone, which he'd been browsing through social media as he waited for her, he glances around the room. He has no idea where her phone is.]

I put your purse on the table in front of the couch. If there's where you kept it, it should be in there.

[He doesn't ask why or what she needs to text Aether about, because it's really none of his business, returning to scrolling mindlessly through posts that don't matter much to him on his phone.]

[ she easily finds her purse, her phone safely tucked away inside of it. and of course, the first thing that greets lumine is their photo together, taken near the statue of the seven right before her unfortunate concussion. unfortunate indeed, she thinks, since she barely recalls anything during that time.

in any case, lumine momentarily perches herself on the edge of the couch, her hands and attention preoccupied with sending a message to aether. she can almost see her brother flinch at her text, always averted to being called out.

sorry i didn't message you. got caught up in something. thanks for ratting me out on ajax.

betrayed by her own twin. unbelievable. ]

I'll ... go to bed. [ she's exhausted beyond belief, her head feeling like it's been swimming in syrup. the bump doesn't help either. ] There's no point staying up late, I think.

Edited 2022-05-18 15:08 (UTC)

[He turns his phone off, standing up and stretching. The effects of the alcohol are starting to make him tired too, finding that it's becoming increasingly harder to keep his eyes open now that he'd been able to relax for a few minutes or so.]

Good idea. I'm getting sleepy myself.

[He stops to look at her, his eyes trailing downwards all the way to her feet. Ajax giggles at her, though it probably wouldn't be as funny had he been sober.]

My pants on you are comically long. Hahaha...

[Hopefully she doesn't trip on them, he thinks, amused. He begins walking into the bedroom, gesturing for her to follow.]

Let's get some rest, shall we?

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