gacharolls | >> 010

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>> 010 | oh, worm

[ It's been a few days since he'd arrived in Liyue proper and the jet lag was only now just starting to wear off. A few days and he'd managed to become familiar enough with the terrain to be able to map out any viable escape routes, discover that he does not have much of a spice tolerance and that also, the man known as "Rex Lapis" was much more of a common face in the streets than he'd imagined him to be.

At first he'd thought he might have been mistaken, that the intel he'd received was wrong in some way. With nothing but a brief description (height, weight, hair color, eye color - and really, couldn't they have come up with a better term than "cor lapis gold"?) and a semi-blurry photograph taken from the side, Childe imagined he would have to scour Liyue for at least a good week or two before he found his target. The people of this fair city didn't seem to want to deviate from their traditional norms and they all seemed to dress the same way, too, making it hard to pick any one apart in a sea of browns and blacks and golds with the occasional vibrant but respectful color thrown into the mix.

Finding "Rex Lapis" would be a chore in itself, never mind going along with the Tsaritsa-sanctioned mission he had been assigned to kill the man. He wouldn't be surprised if he didn't see Snezhnayan shores for a month or two. The harbor city wasn't exactly small, after all, and from what he could see of the photograph the man looked like every other Liyuen walking about.

Imagine his surprise when said man was spotted immediately, perusing the market at his leisure and appraising each individual valuable when it was showcased to him by a hungry-looking merchant. Childe didn't have much of an eye for antiques so they all looked the same to him; nondescript and useless, no real worth in them aside from what they could be melted into. Rex Lapis seemed to have taken fault with literally every item shown to him for over an hour, and in the end had left the stall empty-handed with a fuming, exasperated worker glaring after him.

The man's schedule was easy enough to pick apart after that. Childe had spent the entirety of the first day tailing him and working out his walking path, following him at a leisurely distance and acting every bit like an enamored tourist so taken with Liyue's sights and sounds that lingering in any one place didn't seem too out of the ordinary. Rex would go from one building to another, hitting up all the merchant stalls in-between, always alone, never once breaking his poised, methodical stride. The fact that no one else seemed to be wary or suspicious of him - which, shouldn't they be, given he was effectively the ruling head of his "family"? - Childe was starting to wonder if maybe his intel had been incorrect.

By the third day he'd set up something of a base of operations in one of the buildings that he'd seen Rex meander in and out of. It was a modestly large hotel, boasting the sort of Liyuen-style decoration that a connoisseur of the East would lose themselves in. The architecture and paintings within were distinctly in the same style as the rest of the city, immortalizing Liyue's cultural arts with every brush stroke, ever swath of paint. The people at the lobby were certainly cordial enough and, despite the backwater-country vibes the interior gave off, it was clear they were relatively up to date and rather technologically savvy, the staff able to reserve him a room for a few weeks in a matter of moments after a few swipes on their touchpads.

It might have seemed foolish to book a room in the same building that he planned to trail and potentially murder Rex Lapis in, but Childe had confidence in spades. He knew the best ways to escape the country and, barring that, it wasn't as though there weren't Fatui already infiltrating the city. The element of danger was what made it most exciting, after all.

A few days turned into a little under a week, and then a little over a week, and eventually the time came for Childe to make his move. As much as he had no issues with killing an innocent man, if word that he did got to Rex Lapis himself it wouldn't make finding him any easier. He was pretty sure the man he'd been tailing had to have been him. He looked like the one in the photograph, after all... but then, also, he wasn't entirely sure. He certainly didn't look like the mean-mugging head of a mafia family.

So Childe decides that it would be best to give him a little test of sorts.

It's around seven at night, when the lights of the city have started to flicker to light. The people on the streets are making their way home after a long day's work, threading around each other and making idle chatter in the form of greetings and farewells. Nothing more than that, since everyone has somewhere they need to be.

Childe's target is among them, his height and distinct strides making him stick out like a sore thumb. The man navigates through the crowds easily, smoothly, and were Childe not as good as he was at general reconnaissance work - thanks to his training when he was a grunt in the Fatui - he probably would have lost him minutes ago. Admittedly, there is something about this man that just screams of a higher plane of existence, he thinks, but it's not something he can actually place his finger on.

His chance to strike comes when the man takes a sudden turn into a darkened alley - a usual for him, Childe had learned, but only on certain days. He waits a few moments outside the entrance before stepping in after him, and their footsteps echo hollowly on the high walls around them as the other continues to walk, purposefully, like he hadn't just heard Childe coming in after him.

Yeah, there was no way this was Rex Lapis. Childe reasons this to himself even as he's pulling his Tokarev out from its holster at his side. He fits the silencer into the weapon with a click that seems to ring throughout the area, and he's quick to lift it up and point it at the man in front of him once they've reached a far enough distance from the streets. ]

You're a brave man, you know.

[ He's taken care to dress casually, forgoing his usual suit and vest in favor of slim-fitting jeans and a hoodie. To anyone else he would probably look like a kid attempting a robbery; to Rex, he's not quite sure. Even Childe knows from his reputation among the lower recruits that he's something of a sight on the battlefield. There's particular rumors swirling about his eyes and their hue directly correlating to all the murders he's committed.

Childe's arm never wavers, and his gaze fixates on the man's back as he speaks again, a little louder. ]

Empty your pockets.

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[ What a strange turn of events this is. Rex's expression hardens, perhaps suspiciously.

with good reason, of course, unbeknownst to Childe. ]

It seems you have a great many wants from me, far more than I of you. She must spoil you so.

Now, what do you plan to do if I were to give you "Zhongli?"

Not kill him, for one.

[ is he getting distracted from their supposed fight? perhaps. he's seemingly forgotten that they were negotiating Rex Lapis's prize should he win their bout, and not adding onto Childe's own. ]

Does it matter? If he's mine, he's mine, and you don't have to worry about him anymore.

[ he stares at Childe in silence for what seems like an eternity before closing his eyes a moment to further consider. ]

You have a conflict of interests with your wants. It is impossible to both kill me and have Zhongli. You must choose one.

[ at first he's a little confused, but then it dawns on him that Zhongli probably already has his fate laid out before him. if Rex Lapis died, Zhongli would have to assume his position. keeping it in the family or something.

if Childe took Zhongli back with him to Snezhnaya... then what? he really isn't thinking this through.

all this for some grade-A ass. ]

I knew you were lying to me. [ is what he eventually settles with, with the barest intimation of a smile. ] I won't go home to the Tsaritsa without fulfilling my mission, however. So we're at something of a stalemate.

The rest of the world sees us as one person, not two. It would serve you well to start doing the same.

Then you have chosen. It is of no matter on the stalemate. You may continue to try until you die of old age to fulfill your mission, if you so desire. It makes little difference to me so long as I am not otherwise occupied. Do not get in my way.

Edited (screams) 2022-01-08 05:52 (UTC)

[ but you're not the same person, is what he wants to say. Zhongli was leagues cuter than Rex Lapis, which was surprising given the nature of their relationship. it was the truth, though. ]

Maybe the people in Liyue do, but not in Snezhnaya. And in Snezhnaya I was ordered to kill Rex Lapis, not Zhongli.

[ that's as much an invitation as any, he knows, as well as an insult. he feels a muscle in his jaw clench and his fists curl tighter where they're braced before his face.

the man is slender, but he can see traces of muscles here and there. it would be wise not to underestimate him. ]

Don't worry. I'll make this quick. [ is all he says, and then he lunges, pulling his hand back in a wide, sweeping arc - before suddenly feinting to the side and dropping down, bracing his upper torso against the floor and kicking up. ]

[ Absolutely no one in Snezhnaya would believe him if he attempted to preach they were different, but there's no point as Childe is already making his move. The way Rex reacts is not of someone seeking to truly retaliate in a fight. It's also not what a normal human would do or should be possible. Childe's kick doesn't get far as something hard stops his leg dead in its movements at its shin—the bottom of Rex Lapis's foot.

When had he moved? How was he able to stop such momentum without throwing himself off balance? None of it makes sense.

It's impossible by human standards. ]

...And yet, it will not nearly be quick enough for your sake. [ he says cooly, eyelashes hooding gold eyes as he stares down at Childe. It's impossible for Childe to push him off, but Rex seems to only be applying the pressure necessary to keep him from moving, not attempting to actually hurt him.

With a push against Childe's leg (again, funny, he doesn't seem to weigh all that much despite being able to provide such counterforce,) Rex hops back to make space between them. ] You are fast and strong, but it will not help you here.

[ the surprise registers openly on his face, his mouth even opening in a little "o" at how easily his blow is able to be deflected. it wasn't the most creative feint, but it was something that was seldom predicted, less so from a man who hadn't had a chance to see much of his battle abilities in person.

admittedly, it's kinda hot. the fact that Rex Lapis is so strong excites him in a way that few can, the promise of a fight too tantalizing to pass up.

the fact that he can't even begin to push him away is just the cherry on top. Rex Lapis has power, and not the kind that comes with the application of a drug that robs him of all his senses. he's got the kind of strength that Childe can really let loose against. ]

Is that supposed to deter me? [ he knows that his gun is within reach, knows he could potentially end it here and now with one quick motion - but he doesn't go for it right now. instead, he straightens, bouncing from foot to foot, shifting his center of gravity as though unsure to determine how to come at him next. glancing down, Childe gauges the distance between the pair of them, how many feet of space he has to close - and comes to a decision.

when he lunges at him, this time, it's a clean, open rush; he swings, relying on the strength of his upper body, aiming a powerful right hook at Rex Lapis's head in a gestures that's as much to test his reflexes as it is to attack. ]

[ what an interesting answer... it's enough to stir the rather lazy and unwilling desire to fight in him that has been dormant for some time. it's yet to move from its slumber, still, but is slowly inching into full consciousness.

Considering last time, Zhongli is familiar enough to be particularly alert for any targeting to his face or head even if he didn't have such reflexes. This time he moves, ducking under the hook off to the side while simultaneously grabbing Childe's fist so he's able to twist himself behind the other and capture his arm between them. Since Childe lunged, Rex actually grabs him around the waist with his free arm to halt his momentum and yank him back against him (to prevent breaking his arm, actually, but Childe doesn't need to know the reasons.) Leaning in from behind, his breath is hot and wet as he speaks against the other's ear thoughtfully. ] You are the type to get off on spilling blood, it seems. Pain and pleasure can have the same effect on you, no?

Perhaps I understand better why she sent you. [ perhaps she wants her Harbinger preoccupied for a while but not bored out of his mind. He's not her babysitter, though, honestly. ]

[ like before Rex is quick, and if Childe didn't know any better the way his voice stutters in his throat at the way he's manhandled so easily is less out of irritation and more out of surprise. Rex's body is a firm, solid weight against his back and while at first it's jarring to have someone put him in this position, the fact that he looks just like Zhongli is not doing his traitorous dick any favors.

the strain this puts on his arm is just enough to keep him from making doe eyes at the other man - but not enough to keep the goosebumps from rising along his skin at the breath over his ear - and in retaliation, he only lets out a high, airy little laugh. there's other attacks he could use, especially with his legs free, but there's something almost too-familiar about the mafia head that keeps him from lashing out like he's been trained to do. ]

Is that so? What, because you think I'm some kind of masochist?

[ he flexes his hand and his arm to test the give - and then, apparently unsatisfied with what he finds, he braces his legs on the ground and shoves back, pressing the full length of his back up against Rex's front and pushing to try and throw the man off balance. ]

[ Rex Lapis smiles a mean little smile at the question but doesn't answer. He feels the push, of course, but he braces himself against the ground in equal measure to prevent Childe from being able to shake him off. In response, his hold around the other's waist only tightens possessively. Without a word, he dips his head from being against the Harbinger's ear to open his mouth and use his teeth to bite down at the jugular vein in Childe's neck, hard enough to leave marks but not break skin, curious as to what kind of reaction he'll get. ]

[ perhaps he should have been more surprised the man does not budge even with Childe’s own weight thrown into the attack. he doesn’t honestly believe Rex will kill him, especially since he’s been given ample opportunity to do so and still let him live.

scarcely does that thought cross his mind before he suddenly feels teeth biting into his neck, and the act is so out of left field, so unexpected his reaction is pure and unfiltered and raw.

immediately his entire body stiffens, back arhing and legs kicking out, his other hand making a valiant attempt to fist in Rex’s hair and shove him away. his voice stutters out of him in a breathy noise that sounds suspiciously like a groan and he hisses out a swear in his mother tongue. ]

What the fuck are you doing?!

[ that's not the reaction he was expecting. he's a little surprised by the sound, though, enough that he lets his hair get grabbed and shoved back. Unfortunately he doesn't let go of Childe's arm still and uses it to rather viciously yank the other up against his desk and pin him down against it. His free hand comes to push against Childe's shoulder to keep him face first against the desk as he gives a small huff over Childe's outburst. There's only one of them in charge of how this is going and it's not the Snezhnayan. ]

I was curious if you would feel any fear from it. [ he wouldn't have been surprised if he were even though the other seems to be lacking a healthy amount of it for his own good. He's going to pay Childe back now by grabbing at his hair and pulling his head back even as he leans in, a slight hiss to his words. ]

Shall I bite again? Harder?

[ the hard wood presses unforgivingly against his thighs as he goes down over it, feeling the true strength of Rex Lapis behind the gesture even while the man goes to great lengths to keep him pinned down. whatever he's going to say gets pushed out of him in a rush of breath, his brows knit together, entire body going tense and rigid at the treatment like he expects Rex to kill him right here and now.

he was curious if he would feel fear? over what, being cannibalized?? ]

You must not -- fuck -- [ he gasps out, biting out the words around the pain lancing through his head. a grunt of sharp, harsh Snezhnayan follows immediately after and he scowls, twisting as much as he's allowed in order to glare back at the other man. ]

You must have a pretty tame idea of what fear is. [ he tests the give against his hand, twisting it in Rex Lapis's grip before bracing himself and pushing back, wriggling his backside in an attempt to get out of the other man's hold. ]

Unless you intend to make it hurt, don't bother.

[ He mostly ignores Childe's words, only reacting in terms of when he struggles that he can't budge. Without warning (or much consideration) he leans down to sink his teeth into the junction of Childe's shoulder and neck, this time enough to be able to draw blood.

It'll hurt, to say the least, even though he's biting through the fabric collar of the other's clothing. ]

[ immediately Childe goes rigid, the sharp puncture of teeth bringing with it the sensation of pain along all his nerve endings - along with something hotter, more intense that suffuses heat just under his skin. whatever he's going to say next stutters out of him in a groan that twists into something high and breathy, and he his legs instinctively spread to better accommodate the other male pressed up against his backside. ]

F-- [ he swears out in more Snezhnayan, the tones clipped and sharp and gasped. his leg kicks out behind him and he starts bucking back anew to try and get him off, hissing in obvious discomfort. ]

Off--- get off!!

[ he can kick and scream all he wants, it doesn't make a difference. It's not as if Childe gave him a choice as to whether or not he was okay with being shot in the head or not, why should he expect anything related to what he already has withheld? Someone needs discipline.

He is loud, though, and not in a very fascinating way (at least for the most part) and Rex Lapis removes his teeth to raise his head up and stare down at the other. Afterall, he hasn't let go of the grip on his hair in the slightest. There's a momentary look of almost ... soft exasperation before it disappears to be replaced by the cold demeanor once more, him speaking much softer than his expression would indicate. ]

You still do not comprehend your situation. Is your denial that strong?

[ Without letting Childe answer, he's leaning in to kiss the other, and force his mouth open in the process to shove his tongue down the other's throat—literally. Childe will certainly notice there's something inhuman about the other's tongue. The way it feels, and...well, it must be longer, right? It doesn't hurt, despite the grip on his hair painfully tight, as the overall kiss is rather gentle save for the initial forcing his mouth open. ]

[ with the way he's positioned it's hard to put up any kind of mounting protest, hard to get any kind of traction with which to fight back. the kiss is... unexpected, but there's been something simmering under his skin, some dark desire of his that had perhaps hoped, or maybe even signaled to the other man that he wanted it. the air was charged enough between them with violence that it was easy to flip it over to desire, and Childe was feeling the effects of it on himself too strongly to ignore.

he does manage to let out a muffled whine in indignation, scraping teeth roughly over Rex Lapis's lower lip with full intent to bite before there's suddenly something invading his mouth, too thick and too strong for him to fight back. he recognizes it as a tongue, but it's -- larger, so much so, and as it makes quick work of plunging in, delving deep and further to start exploring his throat he finds his breath stuttering out of his him and his hips bucking back instinctively for more.

it isn't as though he has very depraved tastes. in certain missions he was expected to put out a little to seduce some powerful figurehead - usually a woman, since Scaramouche took care of the men with certain youthful inclinations - and a few kisses here and there was nothing. sex was nothing, a transaction in the purest sense of the word, and until he'd met Zhongli he'd thought that's all there was to it.

it's probably because his current captor has such a striking resemblance to the man he'd spent the better part of last night ravishing that his body responds appropriately; he can even imagine that they taste the same, even though he's pretty sure they don't, and after enduring several long, agonizing moments of feeling his mouth and throat get violated Childe keens, voice raw and wrecked and muffled around the girth in his mouth, and rocks his hips back against the weight pressed along his backside. ]

[ it's more instinctive than he cares to admit that has him responding by grinding himself against the other's ass with Childe bucking his hips back against him like that. It's tempting.

Of course... sex is not an option. He doesn't trust himself enough, especially with him unaware just how aggressive Childe will get. Even though he recalls last night quite well, it was completely different to the situation now.

His tongue retreats before he pulls himself back and breaks the kiss finally. Admittedly, he was hoping to get the point across that he isn't human and Tartaglia should be concerned. Apparently all he did was turn the other on. He wonders why? He doubts it has anything to do with strange kinks that he might have, so ...

Without a word he lets go of Childe and steps back to allow him the ability to move freely. Rex moves around the desk to sit back in his chair and just stares at the young assassin. ]

[ the grind against his backside presses all the hard parts of Rex right where he wants him, and the sharp, raw ache that throbs through his body would be more alarming if he didn't want it so bad. it's just because he looks just like Zhongli, he reasons, that Childe feels for him like this.

never mind the fact that that would only be a viable excuse if he was more inclined to crowd the other man against the desk and bend him over, like how he'd bent Zhongli over in the shower before rutting into him like an animal.

mercifully, the man is pulling his tongue out of his mouth sooner rather than later, and Childe is left to try and wrangle his thoughts into some semblance of normalcy without the oppressive weight of Rex on his back or the heady scent of his cologne. he breathes out long and deep, willing his body to relax, for his legs to stop their trembling before he's able to push himself up and look over at where the man's sitting. ]

... you're a real piece of work, you know that?

... You are also... "a piece of work." [ Rex Lapis seems incredibly calm for what just transpired, so much that he moves to pick up his phone. He pauses, however, tilting his head quizzically as to why Childe is not already gone. ] Leave.

[ Before he can say more, however, the phone rings. He blinks before answering it, speaking liyuen before he huffs, a slight crease of annoyance crossing his features before he changes to snezhnayan. ] I don't want it. Come retrieve it immediately.

[ the ringing of the phone makes him jump, less so because it was overtly loud and more because it was something he hadn't expected. as Rex Lapis answers the phone with a commanded "leave", Childe considers letting things go in favor of going to go and take care of his newfound problem.

but then the man starts speaking Snezhnayan, and he thinks he knows who is on the other line - or at the very least, he has an idea of it. he watches, dumbstruck, as the mafia head takes up conversation in his mother tongue, and he's actually so impressed that he finds it a much harder endeavor to get rid of his "little" problem.

so he makes no secret of listening, sitting himself on the edge of the other man's desk and staring at him. ]

[ Rex Lapis is silent as he listens to the other end of the phone, staring at Childe who is somehow doing the exact opposite of what he told him a moment ago.

How unsurprising. Eventually he closes his eyes whether to avoid staring at Childe or in exasperation of him being there or perhaps the conversation he is currently on the receiving end of, all with little to be said from his own. He doesn't seem to answer anything beyond yes or no questions, but eventually he will speak at length again. ]

The product reacted very strangely. I do not believe they are in an acceptable satisfactory state to be successfully marketed even underground. Number eleven did not fare well under the influences. Anyone unused to such things will react that much worse. To me, it was decently calming. Nevertheless, if I have everyone who is exposed to it react the same way as this Fatuus, then my tolerance level will not matter.

... Back to my original concern. I do not wish to house your assassin for long. Make arrangements to pick him up or I will drag him back to Snezhnaya myself. You do not want me in Snezhnaya. I am very busy and such a would be extremely inconvenient to me.

[ somehow, he's pretty sure that Rex is talking about him. in front of him. if the language wasn't a dead giveaway, the way the other didn't look at him cemented his suspicions.

his gaze narrows further and he leans in, staring the Liyuen in the face and trying to will him to open his eyes and look at him. he doesn't speak - certain that if he knows who the other person is on the other end of the line, that it'll be as good as axing his own mission - and instead fixes the other man with a baleful, glowering look.

for good measure he reaches out, pushing on his chair to see if that little jostling will get him to open his eyes. ]

[ Rex Lapis opens his eyes to stare straight at Childe. Despite the close proximity, he seems unbothered by the personal space intrusion. That or he finds the situation being regarded over the phone as more important than making space between them.

Really, though, what nerve. This may be about Childe, but it's not his business. It could have been, if he wasn't such a stubborn brat and just accepted the offer to be sent home, but he didn't. ]

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