[for the first time in so long, thoma has a day off to enjoy the party of inazuman delegates and mondstadt citizens, one held in the adventurer's guild that anyone can simply join in for fun (because the fatui is still hogging the goth grand hotel... poor old man goth). he doesn't know what to do with himself! except he does have an idea of what to do, because he's in mondstadt after so long, and he's rather sure that the chief allowed him to have this break because of that. of course, he did work hard to set this party up, cooking and whatnot.
he appreciates being able to do this, mingle with people, especially people he thinks he remembers from his childhood. acting grandmaster jean, of course, he knew from back then, and chatted with while setting up the gathering and even when they first arrived. cavalry captain kaeya, the same. eula lawrence... well, it's a surprise that she's a captain for the knights too, and he does give her a wide berth when he sees her show up.
however, there's a certain face that he's not expecting to show up, and when they do, thoma pauses, a glass of the grape juice in hand, before he grabs another to wander over.]
Oh! Young Master Diluc, is that you?
Hello-- it's been a while, hasn't it? [the traveler certainly never talked about him when they chatted about mondstadt and how everyone was doing, so thoma was wondering... it seems he's matured quite a bit from the bright-eyed child with dreams of joining the knights, hasn't he? he's even wearing so much black, how dashing and cool.]
[Diplomacy is a necessary duty of his family and one Jean asked him to take tonight. He would have had to come anyway as a representative of the guilds. But he appreciates her seeking better relations between the factions within Mondstadt.
And lost in thought as others speak around him he almost misses Thoma approach. His eyes widen slightly as he tilts his head slightly. He is slightly shorter than his father in his prime. His hair is longer and thicker, like his mother’s. He blinks, still processing the title.
Then his eyes sharpen as memories hit him.] Ah, yes it has been.
I hope you have been well and are enjoying your return to Mondstadt. How long are you staying?
Heheh. I'm certainly relishing my time here-- and the Commissioner has even allowed me this day off for the banquet. I'm hoping he'll let me have a little more.
[then he offers the extra glass of grape juice to diluc. of course, he's unsure of what the man prefers, but it might be a bit strange to offer someone wine while he drinks juice, himself. and if it turns out that diluc prefers some alcohol in his system, then he'll just eat the embarrassment.]
We're scheduled to be here for two weeks, enough time for a good exchange with the Acting Grand Master and the rest of Mondstadt, but hopefully not enough for trouble to brew at home. [inazuma, home. it's home to him now, even if mondstadt holds a special place in his heart, still.]
How have you been all these years? [cant help but notice that he didn't come with kaeya-- they used to be inseparable.]
[He glances at the offered glass. It looks and smells like grape juice. His shoulders relax a little as he takes it and he sips. He doesn’t notice an embarrassed Sucrose get led out of view by a calm Albedo.
He hasn’t seen Thoma since…better times.] I’ve been. Events went in…unexpected ways but Mondstadt endures. The Acting Grand Master asked me to be here but, I would have been attending anyway as a representative of the Guilds Council.
This is important event and we won’t shirk out duty or place in it. [He takes another sip and raises an eyebrow. It tastes the same and yet there’s a little more bite. He decides to ignore it for now.] And I do hope you get the time to just enjoy Mondstadt as it is today. It has shifted a little but not by much.
[He allows himself a small smile. He was always serious as a boy but he actually smiled a lot before. Not anymore. Never again, is his thought.]
The amount of free time I'll have in the coming days depends entirely on what Milord needs from me. [ayato did bring some others for the delegation, people who are totally not shuumatsuban in disguise, and he can use them for more covert operations if needed. thoma on the other hand attends to his needs in his usual fashion.]
Not that I mind, this is quite the important event for both our nations.
[and he raises his glass in a quick toast before drinking from it. mondstadt grapes seem to have changed-- or perhaps their juice-making process has.]
Anything to your liking around here? Oh! Have you sampled the food yet? [half inazuman cuisine, half mond, thoma and the other cooks definitely worked hard to put food on the table. he's particularly proud of the gyoza. and the milk tea that ayato absolutely needed to have.]
Yes, I particularly liked the Lotus flower crisps. And the gyoza and milk tea. Exquisite flavors. [A well kept secret is his slight sweet tooth. Kaeya hasn’t spilled it because he knows better.
Because he could tell on what Captain Kaeya doesn’t like. He can imagine the look on his face at the return fire. Right now he takes another sip and his smile turns to a pleasant, more real one. He feels a little warm but it’s fine. He still doesn’t notice Albedo as he returns and settles so he can observe the entire room.]
The juice was quite wonderful as well. I’m curious what the lavender melon itself looks like. And how it grows.
[thoma doesn't actually know who albedo is-- he's been given a brief introduction to the man during this gathering, but even as a knight, he was never around when ayato and thoma were discussing plans with jean... and thoma is certain he wasn't around when he still lived in mondstadt. albedo unsettles him a little-- must be that default expression of his.
thoma stretches, and settles in a chair, pulling one up for diluc as well.]
Just about the same size as a sunsettia, but with more of an even shape. Despite the name, it's actually brighter-colored than lavender.
Shame I couldn't bring any with me from Inazuma, but any ingredients I brought wouldn't have survived the trip, except for the rice, so I had to make do with what Mondstadt had. A shame too, the rice cake soup would have been elevated with some of the melon.
So, it grows on trees? [Diluc asks before he thanks Thoma for the chair and settles into it. He crosses one leg over the other. Light sips of the juice make him feel a little more...warm. He merely nods once to show he's paying attention. He oddly considers pulling the tie out of his hair.
He doesn't do it and kicks the need to relax to silence.]
But, that is a shame. However, should these talks go well, and there's no reason to believe they won't. I do intend to continue them and visit should we agree on such a thing. I might be able to sample the soup in all it's glory some day. Was the Mondstadt cuisine and drinks to your liking? The apple cider?
Ah... I missed Mondstadt cuisine. [thoma has to chuckle again. his tone is full of nostalgia, and relief. this brings back a lot of memories, and he missed home. he even visited his mother, spent a while with her.]
I never touched the cider though, I don't drink alcohol at all.
[then he grins sheepishly-- he knows this is practically unheard of for a mondstadter.]
[Diluc’s smiles back at him with a little spark in his red eyes. He seems to relax a little more like a cat letting someone see them but not yet touch.] The cider isn’t alcoholic. I don’t drink either. When I…came back and assumed my place as head of my house, I made a number of non-alcoholic beverages. That was one of them.
[He glances around and finds Jean watching him with a funny expression on her face. Odd. He discounts it as he finds what he’s looking for. He points to a card by the small cask of apple cider.] See the small mark of a Phoenix on the Dawn winery card? That means it’s non-alcoholic.
Sadly I couldn’t make anything with the Valberries in time. But perhaps another day I can treat you to such a thing.
[realization doesn't come quickly to thoma right now, unusual because he tends to pick up on such things quite easily. still, slowly but surely, it does.]
... Oh!
Young Master Diluc... [thoma leans in, and starts using a softer, conspiratorial voice so no one who may be eavesdropping can hear.] Do you not like alcohol either?
[Diluc leans in as well, seemingly not bothered by the closeness. His voice is just as low, in a practiced way.] I don’t. I don’t like how it feels or what it does to my senses. I can’t afford it.
Aha... I understand that. [thoma gives a sage nod. it's so rare to find a kindred spirit, and in the city where everyone drinks so casually. of course he can see the irony of the winemaker's own scion being the one who hates wine... but diluc is still a kindred spirit.]
But also it just... feels terrible even when it's out of your system.
Maybe I'll try your apple cider, give me a moment... [he stands, but is a bit wobbly on his feet, like his body has gone to sleep in the time that he was sitting.]
[Diluc stands up and offers his arm. He is wobbling a bit on his own feet. But he braces himself with the training of a knight ready to withstand a charge.]
Yes, it does. Hangovers are awful. I don’t understand why anyone inflicts it on themselves.
[He tsks as he glances around once, locating the apple cider. He could pour it for Thoma.]
Ah... Young Master Diluc is too kind. [usually he would protest, but he takes up the offered arm the way one would a lover, and already some one comes towards them. one of the shuumatsuban in plainclothes, pretending to be one of ayato's aids rather than a ninja.
sir, perhaps you two should take this elsewhere. and thoma, unused to being addressed as sir, but accepting this is the treatment he's getting from shinobi, nods and blinks.]
[His head feels funny. He recognizes something is off.] ...Taking this somewhere else would be a good idea.
[He draws himself up and shoves aside his worries. Diluc is replaced with Lord Ragvindr. He gestures with one hand to a knight on watch.] Inform the Acting Grand Master I'm escorting one of the dignitaries to a sitting room. Inform Elzer, he speaks for the Winery while I'm not present.
[The knight has to stop themselves from saluting as Diluc gently draws Thoma away towards the back of the building.] Let's go get some fresh air. I know which room has the best breeze. I'll introduce you to the cider later.
[Out of sight, he doesn't notice the concerned looks tossed at his back.]
Oh, you're too kind, Young Master Diluc. [still cheerful, still calling diluc the wrong title. even after people call him master and lord, thoma still knows him as the bright-eyed, eager little boy who was going to go places.
he manages to carry himself enough that he's not stumbling around like a fool, though he really does need diluc's help for navigation, when the building is wholly unfamiliar to him.
thoma also tries to help diluc best as he can, throwing an arm around the shorter man's waist.]
If there's anything I can help you with though, don't hesitate to ask.
[Diluc focuses on getting them to the sitting room. The halls are quiet. Everyone is at the party. He hears a knight at the door to where the party is being held and a smooth voice answer.
Kaeya. The party will be fine. Kaeya has too many threads around his fingers to allow it to fail. Back to business. He finds the door and fumbles with it.] Lean on me.
[He is used to doing things himself. He is the lord who is ahead of all the people. Riding forward. Fighting groups of foes. He takes a moment to pull open the door.]
Oh, don't worry about me. My legs are still working perfectly! [thoma's speech is a little more drawling than usual because of how much he's drunk, but he can still indeed walk as he claims.
he's cheerful as they go along, even if he does momentarily squint at the person at the door, the voice is slightly familiar but he can't put a finger on it yet, before he turns his attention back onto diluc, squeezing the man by the waist. wow, his body is pretty hard, and that's definitely not all muscle. in fact, he feels more like a board.]
You're pretty stiff, Young Master Diluc. It's like you haven't relaxed in a long time!
Perhaps I could help out with that. I bet you work as hard as the commissioner-- he often looks to me for some relaxation when he has a moment to himself. [in more ways than one.]
[The remark catches Diluc off guard. He looks at him in surprise. He misses Kaeya leaning out of the door to stare at both of them before he resumes his conversation with the knight on door duty.
Diluc's addled mind says the first thing that comes to mind.] I don't relax. I've never relaxed even when I was heir.
[Well, the later was half true. Kaeya kept dragging him off to things. The fact of the matter is he doesn't relax. He barely has downtime as it is.]
Speaking from expi-- experience, people who under a lot of pressure all the time break easily when something hits them hard enough. [maybe thoma fumbled the delivery and his metaphor there, but surely his meaning wasn't lost in translation.
he leans less on diluc as they shuffle into the sitting room, then takes the man by the elbow to guide him to the plush sofa.]
You should sit, I'll go see if they have some tea and water here. You'd benefit from that!
So would you. [Diluc says but his mind is working. Thoma isn’t the first to say it. Kaeya keeps telling him the same thing. Grand Master Varka said it in his own way.
He could explain away their concern. But Thoma hasn’t seen him since he was younger. He sits on the sofa.] If you ask the knight they can point you to what you need. Jean and Kaeya are making sure guests are well tended to.
[thoma chuckles, just before he peeks out of the door again and has a very cordial conversation with a passing knight, full of smiles, chuckles and even a bit of reminiscing, because indeed, thoma remembers them too. he has always been a friendly guy, inazuma can't take that away from him. eventually, he manages to get the knight to ferry him some tea leaves and a pot of hot water, and thoma is humming an inazuman song under his breath as he makes his way back to diluc.
he sets the tray down, and pours diluc a cup, steeping the tea. even in his half-drunken state, his body still knows the motions, and he still remembers how to pour a mondstadt cup, from when the master asked him to make something not from inazuma.]
Milk. [He has given up on correcting Thoma. And he's too foggy-minded to say why he tried at all. His father...
Diluc works his coat off and folds it, laying it at his side. It's too warm in this room. Or maybe it's just him. He hadn't relaxed in years. He won't after this day if he has anything to say about it.
It's easy to survive as a lone man. He rolls his shoulders and settles in like a bartender about to mix a drink.] What about you?
Ahah... I don't put anything into my tea anymore. [a soft chuckle.] No one does that in Inazuma for their teas. But since this is Mondstadt tea...
I usually drink with just a bit of milk.
[but first! thoma adds milk to diluc's cup and offers it up to him, hand still around the little cup of milk that he'll be adding to his tea soon. he really didn't think diluc was going to pour him anything, he just thought the man was making conversation.]
[Diluc looks at their cups. He reaches out to gently take the cup of milk. It feels like electricity runs through him when their hands brush. He almost pulls away.
But determined he takes the cup and moves like a bartender. He remembers however vaguely how much milk to add to thoma’s tea.
He sets the cup down and watches him like an owl perched in a tree. As if he were to take flight at any time.
He takes a spoon and gently stirs his own tea and offers another spoon to Thoma.]
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he appreciates being able to do this, mingle with people, especially people he thinks he remembers from his childhood. acting grandmaster jean, of course, he knew from back then, and chatted with while setting up the gathering and even when they first arrived. cavalry captain kaeya, the same. eula lawrence... well, it's a surprise that she's a captain for the knights too, and he does give her a wide berth when he sees her show up.
however, there's a certain face that he's not expecting to show up, and when they do, thoma pauses, a glass of the grape juice in hand, before he grabs another to wander over.]
Oh! Young Master Diluc, is that you?
Hello-- it's been a while, hasn't it? [the traveler certainly never talked about him when they chatted about mondstadt and how everyone was doing, so thoma was wondering... it seems he's matured quite a bit from the bright-eyed child with dreams of joining the knights, hasn't he? he's even wearing so much black, how dashing and cool.]
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And lost in thought as others speak around him he almost misses Thoma approach. His eyes widen slightly as he tilts his head slightly. He is slightly shorter than his father in his prime. His hair is longer and thicker, like his mother’s. He blinks, still processing the title.
Then his eyes sharpen as memories hit him.] Ah, yes it has been.
I hope you have been well and are enjoying your return to Mondstadt. How long are you staying?
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[then he offers the extra glass of grape juice to diluc. of course, he's unsure of what the man prefers, but it might be a bit strange to offer someone wine while he drinks juice, himself. and if it turns out that diluc prefers some alcohol in his system, then he'll just eat the embarrassment.]
We're scheduled to be here for two weeks, enough time for a good exchange with the Acting Grand Master and the rest of Mondstadt, but hopefully not enough for trouble to brew at home. [inazuma, home. it's home to him now, even if mondstadt holds a special place in his heart, still.]
How have you been all these years? [cant help but notice that he didn't come with kaeya-- they used to be inseparable.]
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He hasn’t seen Thoma since…better times.] I’ve been. Events went in…unexpected ways but Mondstadt endures. The Acting Grand Master asked me to be here but, I would have been attending anyway as a representative of the Guilds Council.
This is important event and we won’t shirk out duty or place in it. [He takes another sip and raises an eyebrow. It tastes the same and yet there’s a little more bite. He decides to ignore it for now.] And I do hope you get the time to just enjoy Mondstadt as it is today. It has shifted a little but not by much.
[He allows himself a small smile. He was always serious as a boy but he actually smiled a lot before. Not anymore. Never again, is his thought.]
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Not that I mind, this is quite the important event for both our nations.
[and he raises his glass in a quick toast before drinking from it. mondstadt grapes seem to have changed-- or perhaps their juice-making process has.]
Anything to your liking around here? Oh! Have you sampled the food yet? [half inazuman cuisine, half mond, thoma and the other cooks definitely worked hard to put food on the table. he's particularly proud of the gyoza. and the milk tea that ayato absolutely needed to have.]
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Because he could tell on what Captain Kaeya doesn’t like. He can imagine the look on his face at the return fire. Right now he takes another sip and his smile turns to a pleasant, more real one. He feels a little warm but it’s fine. He still doesn’t notice Albedo as he returns and settles so he can observe the entire room.]
The juice was quite wonderful as well. I’m curious what the lavender melon itself looks like. And how it grows.
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thoma stretches, and settles in a chair, pulling one up for diluc as well.]
Just about the same size as a sunsettia, but with more of an even shape. Despite the name, it's actually brighter-colored than lavender.
Shame I couldn't bring any with me from Inazuma, but any ingredients I brought wouldn't have survived the trip, except for the rice, so I had to make do with what Mondstadt had. A shame too, the rice cake soup would have been elevated with some of the melon.
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He doesn't do it and kicks the need to relax to silence.]
But, that is a shame. However, should these talks go well, and there's no reason to believe they won't. I do intend to continue them and visit should we agree on such a thing. I might be able to sample the soup in all it's glory some day. Was the Mondstadt cuisine and drinks to your liking? The apple cider?
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I never touched the cider though, I don't drink alcohol at all.
[then he grins sheepishly-- he knows this is practically unheard of for a mondstadter.]
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[He glances around and finds Jean watching him with a funny expression on her face. Odd. He discounts it as he finds what he’s looking for. He points to a card by the small cask of apple cider.] See the small mark of a Phoenix on the Dawn winery card? That means it’s non-alcoholic.
Sadly I couldn’t make anything with the Valberries in time. But perhaps another day I can treat you to such a thing.
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... Oh!
Young Master Diluc... [thoma leans in, and starts using a softer, conspiratorial voice so no one who may be eavesdropping can hear.] Do you not like alcohol either?
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There is too much work that needs doing.
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But also it just... feels terrible even when it's out of your system.
Maybe I'll try your apple cider, give me a moment... [he stands, but is a bit wobbly on his feet, like his body has gone to sleep in the time that he was sitting.]
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Yes, it does. Hangovers are awful. I don’t understand why anyone inflicts it on themselves.
[He tsks as he glances around once, locating the apple cider. He could pour it for Thoma.]
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sir, perhaps you two should take this elsewhere. and thoma, unused to being addressed as sir, but accepting this is the treatment he's getting from shinobi, nods and blinks.]
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[He draws himself up and shoves aside his worries. Diluc is replaced with Lord Ragvindr. He gestures with one hand to a knight on watch.] Inform the Acting Grand Master I'm escorting one of the dignitaries to a sitting room. Inform Elzer, he speaks for the Winery while I'm not present.
[The knight has to stop themselves from saluting as Diluc gently draws Thoma away towards the back of the building.] Let's go get some fresh air. I know which room has the best breeze. I'll introduce you to the cider later.
[Out of sight, he doesn't notice the concerned looks tossed at his back.]
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he manages to carry himself enough that he's not stumbling around like a fool, though he really does need diluc's help for navigation, when the building is wholly unfamiliar to him.
thoma also tries to help diluc best as he can, throwing an arm around the shorter man's waist.]
If there's anything I can help you with though, don't hesitate to ask.
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Kaeya. The party will be fine. Kaeya has too many threads around his fingers to allow it to fail. Back to business. He finds the door and fumbles with it.] Lean on me.
[He is used to doing things himself. He is the lord who is ahead of all the people. Riding forward. Fighting groups of foes. He takes a moment to pull open the door.]
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he's cheerful as they go along, even if he does momentarily squint at the person at the door, the voice is slightly familiar but he can't put a finger on it yet, before he turns his attention back onto diluc, squeezing the man by the waist. wow, his body is pretty hard, and that's definitely not all muscle. in fact, he feels more like a board.]
You're pretty stiff, Young Master Diluc. It's like you haven't relaxed in a long time!
Perhaps I could help out with that. I bet you work as hard as the commissioner-- he often looks to me for some relaxation when he has a moment to himself. [in more ways than one.]
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Diluc's addled mind says the first thing that comes to mind.] I don't relax. I've never relaxed even when I was heir.
[Well, the later was half true. Kaeya kept dragging him off to things. The fact of the matter is he doesn't relax. He barely has downtime as it is.]
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Speaking from expi-- experience, people who under a lot of pressure all the time break easily when something hits them hard enough. [maybe thoma fumbled the delivery and his metaphor there, but surely his meaning wasn't lost in translation.
he leans less on diluc as they shuffle into the sitting room, then takes the man by the elbow to guide him to the plush sofa.]
You should sit, I'll go see if they have some tea and water here. You'd benefit from that!
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He could explain away their concern. But Thoma hasn’t seen him since he was younger. He sits on the sofa.] If you ask the knight they can point you to what you need. Jean and Kaeya are making sure guests are well tended to.
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he sets the tray down, and pours diluc a cup, steeping the tea. even in his half-drunken state, his body still knows the motions, and he still remembers how to pour a mondstadt cup, from when the master asked him to make something not from inazuma.]
Do you prefer sugar or milk, Young Master?
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Diluc works his coat off and folds it, laying it at his side. It's too warm in this room. Or maybe it's just him. He hadn't relaxed in years. He won't after this day if he has anything to say about it.
It's easy to survive as a lone man. He rolls his shoulders and settles in like a bartender about to mix a drink.] What about you?
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I usually drink with just a bit of milk.
[but first! thoma adds milk to diluc's cup and offers it up to him, hand still around the little cup of milk that he'll be adding to his tea soon. he really didn't think diluc was going to pour him anything, he just thought the man was making conversation.]
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But determined he takes the cup and moves like a bartender. He remembers however vaguely how much milk to add to thoma’s tea.
He sets the cup down and watches him like an owl perched in a tree. As if he were to take flight at any time.
He takes a spoon and gently stirs his own tea and offers another spoon to Thoma.]
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diluc is warm-- perhaps even moreso than thoma, even if they both carry pyro visions. that's a sign of diluc's power, isn't it?]
And you're quite warm, as well. How dreamy!
[thoma takes up his cup after a quick stir, and sips slowly.]