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

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

[Fontaine: The technological hub of Teyvat.

For as long as anyone can remember, the country of Fontaine has always been the innovative center for the continent. High speed rail was originated here, and now spans across the entirety of Teyvat and beyond. High rises and skyscrapers pepper the skyline, modern Victorian buildings supporting a gear-like aesthetic from an era gone by. A thousand years ago, it was a much different place, but now it thrives with the bright lights and bustle of its people. One can hear the occasional street performer playing for cash, as businessmen and tourists alike walk down narrow cobblestone streets. People are buried in their phones, some take pictures as they gawk at the sights of the city, but one young man in particular walks languidly down the street, enjoying the life around him. He's in no hurry to get where he's going, as he has plenty of time to get there, noting a deli across the street from where he is now that he'll have to try.

Unfortunately, he is on business, so that'll have to wait.

Never being one to be dressed completely formal, he wears a comfortable pair of slacks and dress shoes, with a collared shirt that isn't buttoned up all the way under a grey vest. Various pieces of metal are woven into the vest, notably a crest on his right shoulder with a chain attached to it that hangs under his arm to the back. On his belt lies a Vision, glowing blue with hydro. The young man always seems friendly and easy going, but what lies underneath is something that not many are allowed to know- the heir to the family business of a company who develops tech for various products is also the right hand man of the mafia that runs the city.

And, their true business behind the scenes; creating Delusions to sell on the black market.

Today is a day where some investigating has to be done, and he's headed to see an old friend of his, from university. One that he's sure can help him with this problem he has. Entering the building, he swings in quietly to give a polite wave and a smile to the only person there.

Someone who looked exactly like their brother, whom he can only assume is the twin sister he'd yet to meet that he'd heard about.]

Hello, I was wondering if Aether was in today? I had a...business proposal for him, and I'm sure that he'd love to hear it. Unless of course, you might be of assistance instead.

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[He's not sure what time it is when he finally wakes, finding himself in bed alone. She must have gotten up earlier than him again, stretching as he lays there for a moment before rolling out of bed. Ajax rubs his eyes as he wanders into the kitchen, the smell of coffee wafting out of it, pouring himself a cup and joining her at the table.]

Morning, [he says groggily, sipping slowly on it. The hot liquid is nice on his tongue, closing his eyes to savor it as he slowly wakes up.]

You know, I was thinking, it would be beneficial if we had our own little gym here in the teapot. Do you think Tubby could whip one up for us?

[That would make him happy, for sure. Then maybe he could con Aether and herself into training with him.]

[ lumine only looks up from her 2nd cup of coffee when ajax finally walks in, still looking half-asleep, making a beeline towards the coffee. she snorts in amusement, taking another sip of the warm liquid and closing her eyes. she needs another half cup, maybe, before she can be plucked out of her chair and made to do her work for the day. she can't deny, after all, that living in the teapot has made her a little too laid-back, and it's honestly disconcerting.

she opens her eyes, gaze flickering at ajax, when he mentions about the gym, though. would that help her get back to her routine, she wonders? maybe, but with how deeply peaceful their life is in this realm ... ]

Is this your way of saying that you're getting chubby? [ she takes another sip of coffee, close to finishing it off. ] You were feeling a little soft on the sides, you know.

[ she makes a show of pinching her waist, grinning at him over the rim of her cup. ]

I'm sure your mom will be glad to know you're getting bigger in size.

What's that supposed to mean, [he exclaims, sleepily sipping more coffee from his cup. Soft on the sides, he doubts that, she's just teasing him.]

I'm in peak physical condition. There isn't a scrap of fat on me.

[There is still that temptation to check for himself to make sure there is indeed, not any excess weight or anything. But he manages to stop himself from looking, to not give her the pleasure of knowing that she made him even think for a second that he might be gaining weight.]

I just want a place to keep training without having to leave the teapot. It would do you some good too. You should train with me.

[ she watches him from across the table to see if he'll actually check it out himself, but sadly, he doesn't. setting her cup down, lumine moves around the table, wrapping her arms around her neck as if seemingly hugging him—except she leans forward, her chin on his shoulder, as her hands snake down to his waist. ]

Hm, no scrap of fat, is it? [ her fingers start poking him on his sides, pinching and tugging the skin gently. ] Doesn't seem like it.

[ her hands trail up and around his waist and torso in search of wayward soft skin, poking and pinching. she was just joking when she mentioned that little comment, but she's getting amused now, especially when he seems half-asleep still and powerless to stop her. ]

Stop holding your breath, Ajax, [ she whispers right next to his ear. ] That's not playing fair.

[His mind really isn't catching up as she gets up from the table, taking another sip of his coffee, letting it warm him. Maybe he should have listened to her and worn a shirt-

Oh, but that's nice, how she wraps her arms around him, his head leaning back into her shoulder as he relaxes against her. He doesn't even mind how her hands wander downwards, save for when she starts poking him. Ajax has to fight back a shudder because it tickles a little, biting his lower lip and holding his breath so he doesn't accidentally giggle, and so she can't find any part that's all soft and squishy for her to play with.

Though he can't deny that once he starts getting used to her playing with his skin that it feels nice, letting his breath go when called out and glancing over to her as she searches him.]

I still don't know what you're talking about, [he protests, voice light with drowsiness and content with her hands on him, even if that last tiny pinch almost made him giggle with the sensation,] so what if a little of my skin is still pinchable, that's how it's supposed to be.

Hm, really? Are you sure?

[ lumine hums as she continues her exploration of his body, letting her fingers trail across his skin, tracing lines of defined muscle and scars that litter the surface. her lips skim the column of his neck, eyes training on what she's doing—only to pinch him when she catches him off-guard.

she grins when he whines like a child being shaken awake from a deep sleep. the giggle is also something she catches, realising that he must at least be ticklish to react that way. ]

Mm, maybe I was imagining someone else at night, after all, [ a light remark as she pulls away from him, satisfied. ] Definitely not you ...

[It's not difficult, catching him off-guard, quiet hums of content coming out of him as she searches him. Until suddenly, she pinches him again, eliciting a sharp exhale from Ajax, then a sigh of exasperation, though he does nothing to stop it. Even after she's finished, he can still feel those traces over his skin, tingling where her fingertips had touched, like a ghost that lingers over him.]

I think it's a simple case of misremembering on your part. You must have been tired.

[His expression is unapologetic as he takes another sip of his coffee. He'll gladly make her tired over and over again, no matter the method he chooses.]

Edited 2022-08-03 17:02 (UTC)

[ lumine walks over to her side of the table, picking up her cup and walking back to the carafe. she pours herself another half a cup, facing the counter kitchen as she takes a deep swig of the drink. that should be more than enough coffee, she thinks, to completely wake her up for the day. ]

Mm, it must be. One of my exes messaged me the other day, asking how I was.

[ since the attack on their building was all over the news, she's received several messages from close friends if she and aether were all right, messages of concern and assurance. and she would've replied to all of them if it weren't for the fact that they were in hiding and may be tracked.

it's just too risky to give their place away. ]

I suppose he was just that memorable.

[He turns ever so slightly, to shoot her a look- mentioning one of her exes doesn't bode well with him, especially since she's trying to make him jealous on purpose. But it's not as if Ajax hasn't already shown her that side of him, his expression darkening a little. He's jealous. He knows.]

Or perhaps, you just like making me jealous.

[Or he's sure she wouldn't mention it. He drinks a bit more of his coffee, deciding that it needs some cream or flavoring in it, getting up to take the cup over to the counter to fish some creamer out.]

But that's fine by me. I'll just have to work harder to make you forget all about him.

[The grin on his face as he looks down at his cup while mixing the creamer in nothing short of mischievous, his mind already starting to formulate a plan, and a backup plan, and another plan after that just to get what he wants.]

Me, make you jealous?

[ as if she'll deny that his jealousy streak isn't amusing.

still, lumine gives him a sideways glance as he stands next to her, an eyebrow arching at that accusation. as if she'd make him jealous deliberately. as if she'd try to push his buttons just to see his reaction to certain things. as if she's the type who would tease and edge people until they break.

(sure, maybe. a little bit.) ]

I don't have to do anything to make you jealous. You do it on your own without prompting.

[ to be fair, he was quick to react to the package sent to them last time, even if it was a complete trap—and now that she thinks about it, those guys in mondstadt during windblume. ]

[Now his coffee tastes much better, drinking a bit of it to see if he'd put enough creamer in. He turns to her, leaning against the counter, an amused expression on his face. Denying having to make him jealous, it's as if she acts like he doesn't know her well enough by now. He debates if two should play this game, but ultimately decides against it. Just because he can handle his jealousy without letting it hurt him doesn't mean she will, if she were that type of person. And he doesn't want to put her in a position to find out.]

Either way, now you have to deal with it, haha.

[Ajax steps over to her after setting his cup down, about to make her pay for all that teasing she did to him earlier and for the little comment about her ex-boyfriend. The payment, is (1) deep kiss, leaning down into her as he cups her cheek to administer something more greedy, jealousy burning through him as he kisses her.

That guy, whoever he is, she can forget about him. He's not important anymore and she's got Ajax right here in front of her to give her anything she wants.]

[ she's about to nudge him aside so she can rinse her cup when ajax pulls her to a kiss, one that consumes all her breath, her thoughts, her senses. it's so easy to drown when he's the culprit, easy to be swept away by the undercurrent of his demands. and lumine tries to break free, but it's clear what this is all about and what he's aiming for. there's just no escape—

except maybe when she reaches out and pinches his side so she can try to duck and slip out of his grasp when his attention is distracted for a moment. ]

Not if I had a choice in the matter.

[ lumine will try to bolt out of the kitchen, skidding on the paneled floor towards the entrance of the house. ]

[There's not an ounce of surprise on his part when she reaches in and pinches his side. It makes him laugh, breaking the kiss, eyes lighting up as she runs away from him.]

Oh no you don't!

[He takes off too, sprinting after her as she runs towards the front doors, his arms wrapping around her before she can get anywhere else and uses that momentum to spin her around a few times as he lifts her from the ground.]

Gotcha, you rascal! Haha, good try, but it wasn't good enough-!

Ajax!

[ lumine lets out a shriek when he catches her just before her hand could grab the door handle. squirming, she once more tries to escape his grasp to no avail when he starts spinning her in the air. all she can do is let ajax do what he wants, plotting instead to escape him once he puts her down. when he finally sets her back on the ground, she gives him a flat look, her lips pursed. ]

You do realise that Tubby's going to tattle to Aether about you taking advantage again.

[ she's caught her brother speaking to the adeptus a few times, after all, often asking about the previous residents of the teapot and what they were up to. lumine's pretty sure he knows all about the traveler and the harbinger's shenanigans at this point. ]

Hey, don't look at me like that.

[She was the one who started this, as far as he's concerned. Ajax can only laugh, feeling accomplished that he's squashed her escape for now. If she wants to run, she's free too, he'll catch up to her. His legs are long.]

I've already said it, I'm not taking advantage of anything. The only difference is that if Aether were here, I'd of put a shirt on and some sweatpants before going into the kitchen.

[And even then, shirt really not required. The next part he says a little louder, so Tubby can hear.]

Besides, I seem to remember a certain someone feeling me up in the kitchen, not the other way around.

[ omg!!

lumine quickly presses her hands over his mouth, eyes widening when he starts accusing her of feeling him up. how dare! when he was the one denying that he's getting chubby and she's simply out there to prove it to him that he is. it's not her fault that he assumed that she was fondling him and enjoyed it. ]

Please.

[ she rolls her eyes as she tries to duck and sidestep him again, letting her hands drop back to her side to head back to the kitchen and clean up. ]

That wasn't me feeling you up. If I was feeling you up, you'd know. If you even want, you can interview a few people on how I feel someone up.

[Ajax's eyes shine when she tries to hush him. But it's too late, he's positive that Tubby heard him, and if Aether is going to pry into their time here, then that's what he gets to hear.]

Well, I think I'd rather you just show me. Perhaps later, then.

[He lets her go, not stopping her on the way back to the kitchen, instead following her back in because he still has coffee to drink, and honestly, breakfast to make. Once they both arrive, Ajax steps back over to his cup that he left on the counter, drinking the rest and taking care of the cup.]

By the way, any preferences on what you want for breakfast? I'm not too picky about what I eat, so anything sounds good to me.

[ look, she trusts tubby. if she talks to her, the adeptus will understand. childe didn't seem very different in terms of his open affection towards the traveler, so this shouldn't be anything new to the bird outside. but still!! ]

Later's not going to happen, Ajax.

[ isn't he tired? he should be exhausted beyond reason from the events of the past few days to even want to do anything too tedious or tiresome. and she has work, too; they both have work that they've put off for nth days now.

in any case, lumine walks back into the kitchen to rinse her cup and start going through the fridge on what they can have for breakfast. she takes out an egg, debating if she should have an omelet or pancakes ... decisions, decisions. ]

I don't have any preference, either. As long as it's not another variation of salad.

[That's what she thinks, he says to himself. He takes out some cookware, debating himself on what to make. He's already made some breakfast things for her, maybe he should do something different this time.]

How about I make you some cheese pancakes? They're pretty popular in Snezhnaya. A lot of people will eat them with jam or honey. But really, you can put whatever you'd like on them. And, if you want eggs, I can make those too. Just tell me how you want them.

[Ingredients are already getting pulled out, but he stops to think for a second. Maybe cooking in boxers isn't a good idea.]

Think about it for a second. I'll be right back.

[He quickly pads out of the kitchen, and when he returns he'll have quickly put on some sweatpants and an old t-shirt.]

Cheese pancakes?

[ but even before she can ask further, he's gone, walking out of the kitchen as if he's suddenly changed his mind. lumine blinks and starts taking out bowls and a pan as well, the milk from inside the fridge ... she wonders if they should start grocery shopping for certain items.

ajax returns after a few minutes, finally in a shirt and sweatpants, the same articles of clothing he's declared would only be worn in aether's presence. she supposes that cooking in nothing but boxers is just a disaster waiting to happen. ]

And here I was wondering when I'd be forced to stop staring at your face. [ she hands him the bowl, the small bag of flour she managed to find sitting inside it. ] So, those cheese pancakes?

[He takes the bowl and the flour, smiling back at her. As if she'll ever be rid of him, really, but he won't say it out loud. Instead, it seems that she's settled on that, which is fine with him. It sounds good right now anyway, and it shouldn't take too long to make either.]

They're called syrniki back in Snezhnaya. Give me a little bit, I'll have them ready in no time. If you want to learn how to make them, I wouldn't mind teaching you. But I'll have you try them first.

[He gets to work immediately, making the batter from scratch and letting them form up in the pan. When all is said and done, he plates the food, bringing it over to the table, proud of his work. He'll get himself some jam and sour cream, adding it on top of his pancakes.]

Eat up. Add whatever you like to the top, I just prefer sour cream and jam. A lot of people use syrup too, if that's too strange for you.

[ sour cream and jam? on pancakes?

lumine peers at her plate, her brows furrowing at these things he calls pancakes. they're pretty tiny, smaller than the usual pancakes aether makes for her or the ones she's gotten back in mondstadt. but it's supposedly popular in snezhnaya, so maybe there's a reason why? then again, there are some weird food items that are also popular in snezhnaya.

she takes a bite, anyway, after smearing a bit of jam on it. for a moment, lumine chews thoughtfully, inwardly hating how good ajax is at cooking. he probably hung out for a long time with his mom in the kitchen, which only proves her point that he's a mommy's boy. ]

Mm, not bad, I guess, [ she pauses for a bit before adding, ] ... Jaxxie.

[Listen, he's just surprisingly domestic.

He looks even more proud at the compliment, but his face turns a little sour when she calls him by his mom's nickname for him. He takes a bite of his food, wishing that she'd never heard that nickname, but it's too late now. All he can do is come up with a nickname for her instead, and he'll clearly have to make it as cute as possible.]

Lumine...

[He says, closing his eyes. Ugh...]

Lyubov moya, I'd appreciate it if you left my mother's nickname back at home where it belongs.

[ lumine wrinkles her nose at that ... nickname? she's not sure, she'll have to ask aether who probably knows what that means. she knows she's heard it somewhere, but she can't remember where or when. this is certainly the first from ajax, so it can't have come from him. strange.

but she soldiers on, folding one of the pancakes in half and stuffing it in her mouth. her gaze flickers somewhere above ajax as if thinking, admiring the way the sunlight filters through the opaque glass of the kitchen. ]

Your mom didn't seem to mind that I was using it, [ once again, she pauses, taking another bite of the syrniki, licking the sweet fruity syrup of the jam from the corner of her lips. ] ... Jaxxie.

[ look, if she doesn't know the meaning of a word, it doesn't bother her. unlike him, who's obviously bothered by the nickname. ]

[Well, if that's how it's going to be.

He eats a bit more, deciding that two can really play at that game. She clearly doesn't know what the nickname he just gave her meant, given how she didn't get mad at him for saying it. That's fine. He'll abuse that along with something else while she doesn't know.]

Yes, but I do, Lumi, [he says, shaking his fork at her.] Now, if you don't mind, I don't want to be reminded of that childhood nickname anymore. Surely you can come up with your own pet name for me instead.

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