digitizedsouls | (psl) (post-songerein) while I close my eyes, be my nightfire

[ placeholder for the 'I found you' thread when they're reunited. ♥ ]

[To say that things have changed drastically since Ori's arrival in Teyvat would be an understatement. These past few months has been one challenge after another, from sorting through his own feelings and increasingly less-muddled memories, to figuring out how this all slots into his life in Teyvat, to helping Ori settle into a world that is largely alien to her, to deciding what (and how much) to tell others, to traveling to Inazuma and reuniting with Thoma, to negotiating the terms and boundaries of a long distance relationship with their sunlight, whose heart belongs in Inazuma despite his Mondstadter heritage.

All said and done, Diluc's exhausted.

It's been more than worth it.

For now, Ori is staying in a cottage on the outskirts of the winery. Having her own place away from the manor's staff makes her feel most comfortable, and Diluc can hardly begrudge her that. Besides, he equally appreciates the privacy they have when he goes to visit her there--which is as often as his harried schedule allows. Sometimes more often, if he sacrifices a bit of sleep.

Today, however, he has some actual free time. So here he is, knocking gently at her cottage door while holding a bundle of flowers and a basket with some lunch inside.]

Starlight? It's me.

[ Oriphi, meanwhile, has approached this all in much the same way an adventurer would: by trying to poke her nose around wherever she can. It is a strange thing, indeed, to traverse into an entirely different world entirely, but not too unlike crossing into other Planes; or perhaps that's the reasoning that she's decided on, to help her sort through her own feelings and memories.

She has been all too happy to let Diluc take the lead in these turbulent times, of course. He's the one with with knowledge (and influence) here, and in the meantime she's done her best not to attract too much attention as they work on settling her down in Mondstadt and take some time to travel to Inazuma to work things out with Thoma. It's a bit of a blessing that it wasn't long ago that a different, otherworldly Traveler began making her way across Teyvat, so Ori has for the most part been met with similar reactions.

For now, at least, she hasn't tried to ask about missing children or dungeons to crawl in or cursed artifacts to recover. She's largely kept to herself in the interest of ensuring this transition goes smoothly for Diluc and Thoma's sakes, too. But it does mean that she instead focuses her efforts on learning about the local wildlife and flora of Teyvat - of Mondstadt, in particular, simply by virtue of her location.

So when she answers the door for Diluc, she is wearing an apron covered in dirt, her hands gloved, and a trowel in one, hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. ]

...Moonlight!

[ Her gaze immediately flits down to the flowers and basket in his arms.

...She forgot that he would be free, today. ]

Ah... I... I'm in the middle of something, but it shouldn't take too long. Would you like to wait inside?

[ Silly question, of course he would. As if either of them would turn down any opportunity to be in each other's presence, after everything... ]

[Eventually, Diluc will point Ori in the direction of the Adventurer's Guild. It would be a good fit for her, given her background and experience, and if there are missing children or dungeons or cursed artifacts, the Guild would know of it first. For now, however, his primary concern is making sure his beloved is settled and comfortable.

Her disheveled appearance when she answers the door doesn't faze him at all. She's every bit as beautiful when she's working as when she's doing anything else. Moreso, in some ways.

With a warm smile, he leans in and steals a quick kiss.]

Take as long as you need--I'll unpack lunch, so it'll be ready when you're finished.

[ Their time apart hasn't changed how absolutely smitten they are for each other; Ori knows that Diluc would never mind her emerging as disheveled as she is, but she appreciates it all the same. Naturally, he kisses him back and resists the urge to wrap her arms around him. There will be plenty of time for that later.

For now, she steps aside after they pull away to let him in, and closes the door afterwards. The cottage is a quaint little thing, and that suits Ori just as well. There's just enough room for a cozy little bed, a cozy little kitchen, a separate little room for a cozy little bath, and the humble beginnings of what will likely end up becoming an indoor jungle in a matter of days. ]

It's so sweet of you to bring lunch, darling. What's on the menu?

[ Said as she makes her way over to a desk that she's been using half as a study and half as a potting table and goes back to transplanting some lamp grass cuttings she's taken. ]

[There's a part of Diluc that's surprised this cottage hasn't become an indoor jungle already, although he supposes she needs a bit of time to acclimate to the local flora before she feels confident in doing so. Given the state of her desk, it seems that she's well on her way to it.]

It's nothing, but thank you. I brought sandwiches, a salad, some fruit, and grape juice.

[After a pause he adds:]

Adelinde talked me out of making Pile 'Em Up. She said it wouldn't travel well between the manor and your cottage.

[Does he sound sheepish? Only a little.]

[ If he checks back in around 48 hours, it will likely be an indoor jungle by then. Were Oriphi a more thorough, methodical, scientific sort, she might take her time and see how the flora here grows, unassisted. Perhaps at some point she might still conduct that exercise.

But at the moment? Everything is so new and exciting, she can't help but want to use her magic to help things a long a little bit. Most exciting of all, of course, is the fact that she's here, in a quaint little cottage with one of the loves of her life, whom she met in a dream but who now stands here with her, real. She can't help but glance over at him with a smile and keep her gaze on Diluc even while her hands are busy with the plants. ]

Well, I trust anything that Adelinde says, of course! But I think that means you'll have to make it next time I come up to the manor.

[ Which, truthfully, would be in... A few hours, at the very least. ]

But that all sounds perfect, for lunch. Say, do you want to help me with this for a moment?

(psl) (post-songerein) while I close my eyes, be my nightfire

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