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

[ oh ... so he stays in his family home, then. so why are they on their way to his brother's place instead of said home? lumine decides not to ask in case he sees this as another opportunity to make fun of her. clearly, asking rational questions is prohibited in this car. ]

Childe, huh ...

[ she wonders if the harbinger has some kind of monument in this city. a memorial of sorts for one of the cryo archon's general. she supposes that if there is, then ajax would've realised since young that they look alike. ]

I wonder where he used to live in the city ...

I'm not sure myself. I never got the chance to look into it too far. Wherever it is, I'm sure it's long gone by now.

[He pulls up to a fairly nice ocean front house, except it's in more of a Snezhnayan style that's built to survive a harsh winter rather than a sunny warm climate. He climbs out of the car, to walk with Lumine up to the front door to knock on it a few times, waiting for his brother to answer. He's sure he's home- he knew they were coming.]

Let's have a nice rest of our day now though. I think I'm starting to feel the wear of the day's excitement taking its toll on me. Maybe we should have stopped to get some warm drinks on the way, haha.

[ if this was liyue or inazuma, having an ocean front house would've made sense. but when you live near a half-frozen sea, it doesn't seem as enticing or encouraging. especially when the chilly air blows over them the moment they step out of the car, lumine shivering under her coat as she bows her head to shield her face from the stinging wind.

she quickly follows ajax, using him as a shield from the snezhnayan breeze, shifting her weight from one foot to another. if she stays still for too long, she has a feeling that she'll freeze in place. lumine is about to say something, opening her mouth, when the door swings open to let them in.

a part of her expected someone exactly like ajax; she did hear that the volkov family has very similar features. instead: ]

Aether? [ she blinks at her twin brother in surprise, smiling at her widely while glaring at ajax. for a moment, lumine forgets about the cold. ] ... What are you doing here?

[ i came to visit a friend, lu. ]

[He too, is surprised when the door opens and it's Aether standing there, not his brother. He can hear Anatoli in the background, shuffling over archon knows what. Probably cleaning something up, if he didn't know any better.]

Ah! I had a feeling you'd show up somewhere, Aether, it's good to see you didn't disappoint.

[He begins to walk inside, clapping his friend on the shoulder and smiling. It doesn't matter that he's here, what he was trying to hide is already done and over with. Now they can all hang out and have a good time, hopefully.]

Hey, Anatoli! Aren't you going to come greet your little brother?

[Hold on a second! I'm getting you both something to drink!]

And here I thought you were doing an emergency clean up. Miracles do happen, after all.

[Ajax teases his brother, who comes out with a few cups. The younger son waves for the twins to come join them, now standing next to his brother, who sports the same messy hair only in blonde, with blue eyes with a face that was similar to Ajax's own. Ajax is taller by a few inches, but it may seem that their entire family might be on the tall side.]

Lumine, this is Anatoli. He's the only one of us that stayed back in Snezhnaya after our parents made the move to Fontaine.

[The older brother puts their cups down on the coffee table, to offer a hand to Lumine. It's nice to finally get to meet you, I've known Aether for forever, but never got the chance to meet you.]

[ lumine's just as surprised as well, knowing her brother's dislike towards snezhnaya's cold weather. the mere fact that he's here means that he really wants to make a point. not that it matters, since it's clear that that one morning he caught them together is a momentary lapse in judgment. still, it's nice to have aether around, if only because it'll keep her from having to deal with both volkovs. that, and ...

what's wrong, lu? you look like we haven't seen each other in a long time.

the other lumine hasn't seen her twin in a long time, and she wonders if that's the overwhelming feeling she has when looking at him. she sighs, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead against aether's. her twin cups her face, his fingers warm against her frozen cheeks. ]

I'm just tired, that's all, and you're a sight for sore eyes after spending the morning with Ajax.

[ aether snorts before he ushers her inside, closing the door behind her to keep the cold out. it's obvious her brother is very much at home here.

weird, because ajax's brother seems like the last person aether would hang out with. the exact same face, exact same eyes—but a little more rugged, she thinks. he seems like the kind of guy who would butter you up in a bar and then steal your wallet without you knowing. ajax has the same look, except he'd probably shank you afterward.

... her twin definitely has weird friends. she offers a polite smile, shuffling after aether to the sofa. ]

It's nice to meet you, too.

[C'mon, we've been waiting for you guys. Come sit.

Anatoli flops right down, much to Ajax's amusement. He's always been completely comfortable in front of anyone he meets, and he didn't even wait for his guests to sit first. But that's his brother, over relaxed about everything. Maybe this is why he never got into the family business, where people are strung a little tight sometimes. It doesn't suit him, he thinks.]

Sorry to keep you waiting. We were just trying to get the most out of our day before having to return home.

[He finally sits himself once the twins have as well, reaching out and giving Lumine her the glass. They're both warm, and he can smell that it's hot chocolate. But he can also smell the bourbon in it, smiling. Ah, that's his brother. He takes a deep swig of it, enjoying the hot of the drink on his tongue and down his throat.]

Ah, this is good, Anatoli. Just the way dedushka used to make it. Aether, he gave you some too, right? We can't have a proper get together if not everyone gets to partake. Lumine, try it, it's an old recipe that our grandfather used to make for the family before he passed.

[Aether, I can get you another glass if you want.]

You should, [he says to Aether,] for old time's sake. Plus, you know what we can play in twenty minutes or so.

Edited 2022-06-04 01:59 (UTC)

[ lumine can also smell the bourbon in the hot chocolate, wondering if she'll come out of this situation a drunken mess again like their time in mondstadt. still, she accepts the cup, letting the heat of the china warm her fingers, and takes a sip of the sweet-smelling liquid, a little surprised by how nice it tastes.

... and how the faint shot of bourbon burns her throat. ]

In twenty minutes? [ she looks up from her cup and glances around the three men in the living room. her own brother is busy drinking his hot chocolate, looking like a very satisfied and content cat.

mm, yeah. we used to play this card game back in uni whenever we would come by morepesok. i wouldn't recommend you joining, lu.

lumine wrinkles her nose at that, frowning. ]

Why? Why wouldn't I join too? [ aether glances at her before he looks back up at ajax, sending him a warning glare. we don't want people taking advantage of you, that's why. ] What?

[Ajax rolls his eyes, and Anatoli instantly understands what's going on here. But the older brother keeps his mouth shut, silently laughing to himself. Oh, okay. That's what this was all about. He thought it was strange that Aether showed up out of the blue like this, despite the fact that he was more than happy to see an old friend.

Lumine, don't mind him. He's just sore I beat him last time and made him chug an entire glass of fire-water I poured out for him. Didn't think you'd still hold a grudge over that, Aether.

Ajax looks over to his brother, grinning. What a sly guy. He'll remember to treat his brother to something good later.]

It's a slap game, Lumine. We'll start playing and I'll explain how the game works to you as we go. And if you want to play, you can find an opportunity and slap in, since you're never really "out", you're just looking for another opportunity to get back in the game. It'll make sense once we start, it's quite fun. It's even more fun when Anatoli is too drunk to realize the difference between a spade and a club.

[He gives his brother a wink, before completely finishing off his glass. It would be a good night, he's sure of it.]

[ pretty sure you're remembering it wrong, anatoli.

lumine throws a glance between the two bickering men, not wanting to jump in the crossfire. if it's a game, then she's pretty sure aether's competitive streak had been stoked, hence his reaction. and with bourbon going around—and possibly fire-water later on—her brother is going to be a drunken, babbling mess in the middle of this supposed game.

she rolls her eyes when aether starts going on about getting his revenge against the two volkovs and how ajax's hand will come out bloody this time around, taking another sip of the hot chocolate. ]

Aether, calm down. It hasn't even started yet, whatever it is.

[ i swear to the archons, lu. don't join. i still need your hands to sign a few paperwork when we get back home. another eyeroll and a huge sigh under her breath. and this is aether not drunk yet ... ]

You can sign it yourself, you know.

[You tell 'em, Lumine. Anatoli grins, getting up himself to refill his own glass, and Ajax waves his and hands it off to his brother to take as well. It's never been hard to get carried away drinking the spiked hot chocolate, especially on cold Snezhnayan nights.]

You never know, [he says, turning to Aether,] she could have the strongest slap game out of all of us. Far be it from any of us to deny her that chance.

[He looks over to Lumine now, giving her a wink. He'd love to see her beat all of them, even though he wouldn't hold back during the game to try to win.]

A few more glasses should be plenty to ensure we have the best time we can. Drink up, so I can show all of you how much I've improved my skills since last we played.

[Anatoli comes back just as he's saying his last sentence, the same mischievous grin on his own face.

Oh, my dear brother, you won't have it so easy. I've been practicing with the guys down at the wharf. You don't stand a chance. Lumine, play with us. You seem like the kind of person who would enjoy it.]

[ aether, too, asks for his third glass, and lumine can tell that her twin is slowly heading towards tipsyville; after all, she's feeling the warmth of the alcohol slowly settling in, letting her relax. which is probably what the two brothers are hoping to achieve before they start the game. she supposes that it'll make a hilarious competition later on when all of them are drunk from the hot chocolate that anatoli is serving them. ]

I don't want any complaints from crybabies tonight, then.

[ ajax should know how hard she hits, and if this is all about slapping, well ... honestly, though, the matching smiles on both ajax and anatoli's faces are unsettling, which probably means this is not going to end well tonight.

lu, are you sure about this? you can still back out. she ignores him, shrugging. ]

What does the winner get?

[Ajax brings a thumb up to his chin. What could the winner get? He'll have to think about that for a moment...]

Well, usually we just play for bragging rights, but I don't see why we can't up the ante here a little bit. I guess the winner could get Anatoli's finest bottle of fire-water as a prize. You don't mind, do you?

[He knows how his brother loves his fire-water, hoping to get a little rise out of him, and it certainly does.

Then what would I win, since the fire-water is already mine? He says indignantly to Ajax, folding his arms over his chest.]

Hahaha! I'll buy you another one, how does that sound? Of the same brand and everything. Maybe even a little something extra for being so kind to allow us to have this little get together in your home.

[Alright, but I'm expecting nothing less than the best.]

Big words for a man who hasn't won yet. How does that sound to the two of you? Snezhnayan fire-water is of two minds- either it's no better than a wharf-worker's waste, or it's the perfect combination of smooth and strong. He happens to prefer the latter.

[ lumine shrugs again. she's not playing for bragging rights; she's in business management, after all. she has to get something worthwhile out of this game if she's going to join. a bottle of fire-water, though ... her gaze flickers at her brother, the edge of her cup lingering near her lips. she doesn't know if that's the best prize to give her twin if he does win.

... if being the operative word here.

she gives it a beat, looking thoughtful as she takes a sip of the hot chocolate. a moment later, she's setting her cup down, looking like she's about to organise a takeover. ]

I'm not really into drinking, so how about if I win, you three owe me a favour each for a rainy day?

[ aether immediately shifts his gaze away, mirroring her expression earlier. nope, saying yes to that is going to be a disaster of a prize. he knows his twin sister well, even in the throes of tipsiness. ]

Unless you're not confident enough to win, of course.

Sometimes, [he looks over to Lumine,] people try to make deals that need to have the fine print read before agreeing to them.

[He's not dumb. He knows exactly where this is going, and he too, does business. Anatoli shuts his mouth, because he's going to let his brother handle this one.]

I wouldn't mind, but these favors need to be reasonable. So that means we get to have a say in it, without having to blindly accept any favor you ask of us.

[Don't worry boys, he's got your backs. She's a sneaky one too, he's learning.]

[ lumine purses her lips at his response, folding her hands on her lap. how sly, to throw that back at her. ]

I won't ask you to murder someone for me, Ajax. Even if I know you'll enjoy it.

[ her lips pull to a sharp smile, vicious at the corners. she's unwilling to concede here if they're trying to convince her to join. and he should at least know by now how stubborn she is. perhaps even more than her twin brother. ]

You can talk to me about the conditions of whatever I ask of you, but you can't say no. It's a favour owed, after all.

Oh ho, that's a trap. You know it, I know it, and the rest of us know it.

[Still having to agree is dangerous, and he's not about to fall for it. He folds his arms over his chest, sinking back into the couch.]

You never sign a contract that you don't know the specific details of. Besides, we can still play with three players, if that doesn't suit you.

[Leaning forward, he drinks deeply from his glass again. Man, did he miss Anatoli's hot chocolate. It always hits the spot.]

What do you say, boys? I'm not the only one here, after all. You can speak up.

Then you three can play together.

[ as if her twin brother would say something in the midst of all of this, aether pretending that the cup of hot chocolate in his hand is the most interesting drink he's ever had since forever. he may be the more forward twin, but he's certainly more conflict-avoidant than her. lumine shrugs once more, reaching out for her cup on the table again. ]

Pick battles that you can win, after all. That's a good strategy in life.

[ lumine gets up from the couch, her hot chocolate in hand, and starts towards the door. she takes her coat and scarf from the rack, pulling them over her shoulders and around her neck. ]

I'm taking a walk around the city, Ae. I'll see you guys later.

Hahaha, alright. [He gives her a wave, watching her walk out the front door. Once she's gone, he turns his gaze back toward Anatoli and Aether, grinning.]

She'll be gone for fifteen minutes tops. She was having problems with the cold while we were downtown this afternoon, so I don't imagine that walk is going to take long. It's already started to get colder.

[He finishes off his glass, getting up to get some more.]

Let's start, she can join in once she's back anyway. C'mon, the kitchen table is better for this anyway.

[ fifteen minutes, he says. and yet, the fifteen-minute mark passes, and lumine has not returned and tracked snow all over anatoli's floors. aether glances at his watch, drinking from his fifth—or is it sixth?—cup of hot chocolate, before his gaze flickers outside the window.

fifteen minutes? are you sure?

his sister can probably handle whatever's thrown her way, though he is a little worried, especially after the incident in fontaine. he's pretty sure she was badly shaken at the time when she'd returned home with that wound on her neck.

did you see her carrying her vision today? ]

No, [he admits, he hadn't seen her wearing her vision. Not that she needs it anymore, but he won't say that out loud.]

She doesn't seem the type to get lost, but she does seem the type to be stubborn about this, and would stay outside even if she were freezing just to prove a point.

[He looks over to Aether, his eyes asking if he was wrong about that. He's pretty sure he isn't, and he wonders if she's just standing outside the front door waiting for them to go out to find her.]

Give it another ten minutes or so. If she's not back by then, we can go look for her.

[ an additional ten minutes is ample time for lumine to return, her cheeks red from the cold outside. still, it doesn't seem like she's too fussed, especially when there's a huge grin on her face as she's waving at someone outside the door, a muffled voice heard responding to her. ]

—really nice meeting you. Thanks again!

[ she pats the snow from her shoulders before she steps inside, looking like she's enjoyed herself despite the freezing cold. the cup she's brought with her is empty, frost and ice having formed on its surface.

aether walks out to meet her, frowning as he presses his hands on her cheeks. they're cold to touch, like she's turned into ice during her walk. where have you been? it's freezing cold outside. ]

I went on a walk, met someone, and then came back. What?

[Ajax and Anatoli walk out to see her return, and they both decide it's probably just best to let Aether handle this one...he's the protective brother after all. Though Ajax is impressed, she actually lasted longer than he thought she would. Perhaps it was because of absorbing the cryo element...?]

Hey, Anatoli, we've got some hot chocolate left, right? Would you grab her a cup to warm her hands on?

[Yeah, I'll be right back. He disappears briefly into the kitchen, returning with a cup and coming up to Lumine.

Looks like you handled Snezhnayan weather like a champ. Here. He hands her the cup once she's gotten her boots and coat off.]

[ lumine momentarily tunes out aether as he starts babbling about her safety and wandering around an unfamiliar city in the cold, deciding that her brother is well and truly in his cups, thanks to the hot chocolate he's been plied with. she shrugs off her coat just as her brother takes one of her hands, rubbing it between his.

your hands feel like ice, lu. she rolls her eyes. please, she can still handle the cold better than him. ]

Thanks, [ she offers a faint smile to anatoli, accepting the mug with her other hand. ] You don't feel the cold that much when you're walking and talking with someone, I think.

[ she turns back to her brother, looking at her like she's just gone insane. ] Don't worry, Ae. They just helped me get back here, nothing terrible.

[Oh boy, if Aether isn't stopped, she might not hear the end of it. Ajax steps forward, to clap a hand on Aether's shoulder.]

Hey now, you're not stalling because you know you're going to lose all your cards, now are you? I can tell you're getting nervous.

[His eyes flash, challenging Aether to break his finger during this match- it's not over and Aether is winning.

Yeah, c'mon, I can tell your reaction time is slowing. I'm going to take your whole pile.]

Ah, see, Anatoli wants a piece of the action too. Don't keep him waiting.

Go on. Go win that bottle of fire-water you won't be able to drink anyway.

[ lumine sends an earnest look and smile towards aether's way, giving him a slight nod. his worry is unsurprising; she did manage to give him the shock of a lifetime a few weeks ago. her brother gives it a beat, squeezing her hand gently, before he lets it go.

you're such a sore loser, volkov. no wonder you quickly folded when my sister challenged you.

she doesn't say anything to that, shifting her gaze at anywhere but ajax, as she takes a seat on the sofa. she leans back against the cushion, cradling the warm cup in her hands, and closes her eyes. ]

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