Audience: Tartaglia Childe

[probe]

Comments

[toyska]

[We Shall See.]

Well, I certainly won't say no to that. It's been a while since I was on my own.

[Give him a real sword and he'll Indulge all you want Lust how about that

But, hm! His smile doesn't change.]

I think this is a good opportunity to demonstrate that I can keep a secret.

[Since they warned him against blabbing about powers and all.]

[probe]

Flying solo's not so bad. It'll be kind of fun, I think. [you gotta earn it!!!

except hm. well!]

It's not really that we have to indulge or anything...just that we can if we want to! We're here, so if we feel like it, we're allowed to.

[toyska]

[Yeah, it'll be fine. Compared to the last time he had to do this, he's living in luxury.]

Mm, I see. [Interesting.] And what's your favorite way to indulge? If you'd like to share.

[probe]

I think I'm still deciding. There's a lot of ways to indulge and it gets boring to indulge the same way all the time...but some of my favorite ones don't really match with lust either. Like eating a whole pizza by myself, or playing video games all night long.

[hm.]

[toyska]

[Lust for pizza is totally valid.

And actually since mushroom pizza is a thing in Genshin--]

I don't know much about games, but I can probably make you a pizza, if you want. [It's not his specialty but it probably wouldn't be bad. Childe will gladly buy his way into favoritism.]

[probe]

[mmm....mushroom pizza...]

You mean it? [bribery, what bribery, just give lust the pizza.] You don't have to if you don't want to, I can just get it from the vending machine! But a homemade pizza sounds sooo good...

[toyska]

Of course. It's been some time since I had to, but I'm used to cooking for my family.

[(childe's sister voice) HE'S A GREAT HOUSEWIFE]

[probe]

[:o]

Did you have to do it often? What's your family like? [i'm so sorry childe just wants to win and lust is asking him basic bitch questions.]

[toyska]

[Who says this isn't winning?]

Mm, I haven't been home in a while, and Liyue has some fine restaurants. [His Zhongli dinner dates...] But yes, I help out my parents when I'm home.

[Which is like never because they don't like him but. He can cook. It's fine. He grins, resting a hand on his hip.]

It's quite a large one! I have six siblings. Three older, three younger. [Unless Genshin has ADDED MORE. GOD.] They're great kids. I'm very proud of them!

[probe]

[childe your zhongli!!! but lust seems to be hanging on to every word he's saying, letting the chair swivel side to side but mostly paying attention.]

That's so many...and you're right in the middle. It must've been kind of crazy growing up with that many people. Do you ever miss it? Being home.

[toyska]

[I just want you to know that the combination of Childe's honesty and his blatant lies is already exhausting me how do people braincell

BUT ANYWAY.]

Well, I was only there until I was around fourteen. But large families aren't unusual in a small village, like mine.

[Country boy Childe... not that he carries himself like one. He smiles, though.]

Of course! Once my business here is finished, I'd like to go see them, actually.

[probe]

[unrelated I just realized how tall childe actually is, god. anyway. sorry for your braincell but lust doesn't have a braincell which means they are taking all of this at face value.]

I hope you do. It'd be a nice reward once you get out of here and achieve your goals. A lot of people are focused on getting what they want and they should, but I think people should remember what happens after that, too. It'd save a lot of trouble.

[toyska]

[HE IS WHICH IS WHAT MAKES THE FACE GRABS SO FUNNY

But he is not lying about any of this! Congrats, Lust. Honestly, he'd much rather stay here and chat about his siblings than go bang people, but alas, he's a government-assigned slut.]

Trouble? How so?

[probe]

[stop the first time they were on someone's shoulders and this time i have no excuse. maybe they stood up in their chair. it's fine. lust would also be cool with childe hanging out and spending time with them but alas, sometimes you have to go out and bang.]

You know...like not knowing how to use whatever they earned, or not thinking about how it could really change their future. Maybe having a plan for afterwards isn't such a bad idea. That's all.

[toyska]

[Lust is doing their best.

But, ah, heh. Yeah, he can see that.]

Mm, I understand. [That certainly won't be the case with him, but he has a feeling he doesn't need to say that. Instead--] Are you all the ones who provide us with it?

[Power and strength, in his case.]

[probe]

[are they.]

That's not the real reason you're gonna make me a pizza, is it? [it's still just teasing, but also...slightly curious? maybe a little insecure? they just want to be Sure. if childe is being nice because he thinks they give them power and strength, then it's better to know ahead of time.]

[toyska]

No, not at all. [Can he not be nice AND bribe with pizza?] I only asked because if it is, I'd wondered if you'd ever refused to grant someone their wish.

[Or whatever they want to call it. If they think people wouldn't use it wisely, would they withhold it?]

[probe]

Oh. We're not really in a position to be judging what you guys want. [the back of their cloak shifts slightly.] It's all about earning it. Anything after that doesn't really affect us or anything.

[toyska]

I understand. [He nods, then smiles again.] In that case, it's very kind of you to worry about us like that.

[probe]

Well yeah...you guys still have lives and people and dreams to get back to. It'd be kind of mean not to care about you while you're here.

[toyska]

I'm guessing not all of you feel that way.

[Just. Judging by what Lust said before, and what he's heard.]

[probe]

Nope! [very easily said.] There's a lot of us that don't really care either way, but...[oh well.] I guess it's not that easy for me.

[toyska]

You've been here a long time, haven't you? [That's what the welcome app said, anyway.] So you must've seen a lot of people like us pass through this place.

[Have they cared about everyone, the whole time? Obviously "a long time" can mean anything, but it sounds like it would be... a lot. Especially given that Childe's just out here assuming everyone around him is as ruthless as he is; they're not the sorts of people one should get attached to.]

[probe]

Yeah. There've been...a lot of people that aren't here anymore. Some of them were really nice, too. [and now they're just sad.] I guess it's a little silly to really care about people you just met and won't know forever, but...it's okay.

[toyska]

[Well. He could say something like "you won't know anybody forever", but that's kind of mean for no reason, so he won't.

Besides, there's something else he's wondering.]

...Can I ask you something else? [He says that but he's gonna ask it anyway; he just means Lust doesn't need to answer.] The offer that I--well, we were made. Did you receive it once, too?