𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 ━ ✦ st. serpent & lacke

[st. serpent]

x
❝ 𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓇢𓆸 ─

location de lalune estate, water garden // mood excited // tag(s) kento, evelynn

looking at kento as the red and orange lights from the lanterns overhead coloured his pale skin a warm, cozy tinge made olivier's chest soften. he was no longer looking at the lanterns swaying buoyantly around him, he was fully absorbed at gazing at kento's face lighting up at the spectacle before them. how lucky he was, olivier thought, to love someone who had been there with him since they both knew nothing else about the world, someone who never cared of his money and last name, someone who he would do anything for with no regrets

realising he had been staring at kento for a tad bit too long, olivier cleared his throat awkwardly, both embarrassed and entertained by the fact that he just now realised how much he could love someone. straightening his back, olivier hugged kento from behind, resting his chin on kento's delicate hair

olivier caught kento mumbling under his breath about his parents, a touchy subject that to this day, olivier knew little of. he did made a few attempts to have kento open up and tell him about them and their relatives, but kento had been evasive about it. olivier had never blame him for this, though, if he himself considered it a sensitive topic then it must be equally as or more tender for kento. as such, olivier stayed silent, not wanting to let out the wrong words and just hoping that his presence was enough of a distraction for kento, at least for now

kento must've realised what he said and quickly dismissed his mentioning of his parents, instead teasing olivier about his welcome home party. "i promise you it's not gonna be a big deal" olivier laughed gently, hugging kento tighter "we're just saying hi to my uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces... oh! and you're gonna meet my mom for the first time too then!" olivier said, swaying around in place while still draped around kento. as the ship finally docked into place, olivier could see his evening carriage waiting for him and kento, an opulent wagon of ebony wood pulled by two white horses amongst the crowd of liyue citizens still waving and cheering for them

"you should go change," olivier said, finally letting go of his embrace on kento and planting a small kiss on his cheek "you could wear the stuff i got you from inazuma if you like!" as kento hurried into the ship, olivier fixed his earrings, straightened his suit, and turned back to the crowd. he knew that his family brought many a fortune to the liyue locals, but he had never really grasp at the magnitude of his family's impact on their day-to-day lives. he could only endeavour that what he had been doing, and the things he plan on carrying out in the future, would not tarnish the legacy of the de lalune family name. these people would soon depend on olivier too, and admittedly, although he was intimidated by this notion, he was above all else, hopeful

as kento reappeared onto the ship's dock (and after olivier showered him with kisses and commented a thousand time about how cute he looked, much to kento's dismay), the pair started into the awaiting carriage after greeting and thanking the crowd who was clamouring for their arrival. as soon as the two got into the carriage, olivier popped his head through the open window and shouted at the masses outside "right after this, please come to my house! we welcome all of you there!"

the trip to the de lalune estate was brief, and before they both realised, the carriage had stopped at the estate's main courtyard, a circular clearing surrounded by cherry blossom trees adorned with bright lanterns, all facing directly to the tall, open doors of the de lalune mansion. immediately, the buzzing, electrifying atmosphere of the party swayed olivier into movement, the music echoing just inside seemingly pulling him directly outside of the carriage. without thinking twice, olivier grabbed kento's hand and practically trotted into the mansion's open doors, like two wooden arms welcoming the former back home "c'mon, you have to meet my family!"

after shaking hands and exchanging greetings with those who weren't drunk enough to realise that olivier had just got home, olivier brought kento to meet his relatives. he had no problem introducing kento as his boyfriend, and likewise, his uncles, aunts, and cousins gave all the warmest response to this revelation (most of them commenting how cute kento was). realising that he had been pulling kento around ever since they got here, from the lounge, the library, the sun room, and now the water garden, olivier stopped by the nearest drinks station and handed kento a tall glass of orange blossom iced tea. "i'm so sorry, i got way too excited" olivier sighed with a small smile before taking a glass for himself, almost downing it in a single swing. composing himself, olivier looked at kento delicately and, out of habit, caressed his hair and ears "thank you for being here, truly. i just really appreciate that, after all we've been through, you-"

two barks interrupted olivier's words, and almost instantly, two large, rushing masses of black fur leapt at olivier, almost knocking him off his feet. "jun! jie! oh i've missed you!" olivier exclaimed, finally registering that it was her mom's beloved dogs that came after him. olivier kneeled down and petted the chow chows on their fluffy heads as they circled around him with wagged tails, clearly overjoyed at finally meeting olivier. "ah sorry kento, this is jun and this is jie," olivier said, looking up at kento and beckoning him to pet the dogs which were now laying down on their backs on the stone floor. "these lovely little boys are my mom's. oh! speaking of which, we gotta say hi to her soon..."

as if on command, the familiar clack of high heels reverberated throughout the garden, signalling the arrival of a tall, slender, opulent woman who emerged from the crowd behind kento and olivier, bathed in the moonlight that lit her authoritative entrance

"oh jun, jie, i never knew you boys miss olivier that much! how precious..."

❝ 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓃦 ─

location de lalune estate, water garden // mood happy, calm // tag(s) olivier, kento

"ah evie! you just missed him, i think he's heading to the garden" said one of her brothers. with a quick thanks, evelynn made her way through the crowd. ever since she made her arrival known to the party, evelynn was, unfortunately, stuck for a good forty-five minutes discussing with pascal, an ambassador of fontaine, who came to the party to discuss one of evelynn's recent exports venture that she arranged. although pascal came bearing good news, evelynn could not help but curse under her breath for the fact that she could use that time to meet olivier earlier, especially upon learning that he was bringing a special friend here today

inside the mansion was crowded, sure, but outside in the water garden was even more so, to such an extent that evelynn could barely see olivier's silver-haired head in between the sea of attendants (she did see a peculiar pair of rabbit ears popping up in the garden...). jun and jie, however, picked up olivier's scent in an instant and started sniffing the wooden floor of the bridge that lead to the garden, their tails wagging faster and faster. with an endearing smile, evelynn bent down at her dogs "do you boys mind showing me where olivier is?"

with olivier's name mentioned, jun and jie barked in unison and rushed through the crowd. following their excited barks, evelynn stopped just behind two figures, one familiar, and the other... not so much. jun and jie had made a success of their mission, for before her was olivier, as safe and healthy as on the day she last saw him, much to evelynn's relief

"oh jun, jie, i never knew you boys miss olivier that much! how precious..." evelynn laughed, instantly prompting olivier to turn his head sharply at the source of her voice before he immediately trotted toward her with jun and jie by his sides, excitedly hugging evelynn in a warm embrace. finally, after months of disconnectedness and longing for each others' safety, mother and son have finally reunited

"oh welcome home darling, how have you been? and is this a new outfit you have on?" evelynn said as both olivier and her broke their mutual hugs. "how do i look? i hope you don't mind getting overshadowed!" olivier laughed in response, evelynn rolled her eyes jokingly "oh please, you're handsome but not that handsome"

not long after the two exchanged some brief, jocular updates on their lives, evelynn's snake-like eyes drifted away from olivier to a short, brown-haired figure behind her son. ah, the owner of the rabbit ears she saw earlier. "ollie, is this that friend of yours uncle pritz told me?" evelynn inquired, still keeping her eyes at kento. olivier's face, which was already beaming with excitement, became even brighter upon realising that evelynn was referring to kento. he then turned to the latter, who was still holding the glass of iced tea he had given him prior. "ah that's right! mom, this is kento! he's from liyue too. i told you about him remember? the one who made that amazing fish soup we ate last spring?"

as olivier gently pulled kento by his hand closer toward evelynn, the taller woman delivered the yokai with a prudent smile and extended her manicured hand for a handshake. although she knew that olivier had a few romantic swings in the past, he had never really introduced any of his partners to her before. as such, evelynn did not really know how she must react in this situation, and instead, stuck to the usual persona she used upon meeting new people. "ah kento, i'm evelynn, it's very nice to meet you. and yes, i remember your delightful soup" the kaiyang chuckled politely, the small smile on her face sustained and her handshake gentle, yet noticeably firm "i'm sorry i couldn't make it earlier to see you, but how are you enjoying the festivities so far? i hope it is to your liking"

[lacke]

xx

𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 (𝐬𝐨̀𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐢𝐮)

location: de lalune estate, water gardenxx feeling: increasingly anxious xx tags: olivier, evelynn

admittedly, despite wanting to support olivier and the party, kento was continuously uncomfortable. it was nobodies fault - first he changed into an outfit that olivier had graciously purchased for him during their time in inzauma. it was different than what kento usually donned - it was a fusion of western-style attire with parts of samurai armor. it had a decorative dark blue and black cropped jacket over a black shirt. the buttoned cuffs of his gold-trimmed kote-like sleeves stick out more than he'd like. he donned some black, somewhat baggy pants with an intricate dark blue fabric tied around his waist, the fabric dancing around one of his legs. he wore some boot laced shin guards and tabi shoes. while he was grateful for the attire, he couldn't help but feel as though he were going to stick out at the party (albeit it deep down inside, he knew he would be fine!)

the next thing he knew, olivier introduced him to his uncles, aunts and cousins, all of whom seemed to be excited not only of their friendship and achievements, but their relationship as well. after shaking each hand, kento made sure to bow to oliviers family - something not custom in liyue specifically, but he grew up with the custom nonetheless. shortly after, olivier pulled him through nearly every spacious room within the mansion, finally stopping in the water garden. olivier handed kento an orange blossom iced tea, and kento eagerly took a sip as olivier explained his excitement. kento couldn't help but chuckle at the boys apology, waving it off dismissively with one hand. the man in front of him practically chugged his tea, and before he knew it, stepped up to kento, gently caressed his ears and hair. kento closed his eyes as olivier began to speak, savoring the moment. his ears suddenly swiveled as loud pawsteps sounded down the hall, and kento turned his head to spot two large chow chows rushing towards them. kento took a step back, before grinning as olivier got 'viciously' attacked.

"jun and jie are nice names," kento mentioned, also kneeling down besides olivier. "they seem like sweet guys," he murmured as he reached out his hands to pet the dogs in front of him. as he pet their stomachs, their tails wagged aggressively, causing kento to laugh under his breath. he turned to look at olivier as he began to mention his mother, but before he could finish, the womans arrival was signified by the echoing steps left in her wake. immediately kento stood up and turned to face her, clutching the drink in his hand as not to spill it. olivier immediately took to his mother, wrapping her in a warm embrace. kento watched quietly as the two conversed, wondering if he was making it awkward by just standing there - should he leave while they caught up? before he could decide, the mother and son turned to him, and kento had to force himself to look evelynn in the eyes. she was of great renowned, the wealthiest woman in all of tevyat. and to make it even more intimidating, she was now his boyfriends mother. as olivier pulled him closer to the pair and evelynn reached out, kento eagerly - yet gently - took her hand in his and shook it, listening to her greeting. after they had pulled away from the handshake, kento fell into a deep bow.

as he stood up, he made an effort to hide his anxiety behind a small smile. "it is very nice to meet you. and please, you can call me sòng kiu if you prefer. and yes, everything here is wonderful. it was very gracious of you to throw such a wonderful party." he said genuinely, dipping his head in thanks once more. "did you two wish to catch up? i have no problem leaving for a few," he said earnestly, wanting to make sure he wouldn't get in the way of them reconciling. olivier began to insist on kento staying, but kento shook his head with a smile. "go on, i'll be fine." he murmured to his partner, before looking at the kaiyang, and once again, falling into a deep bow. "it was so nice to meet you. i hope we can catch up again soon." he mentioned, before turning around and drifting off into the crowd, taking another sip of his drink. he reached the edge of the garden, and his ears began to fall towards the back of his head. watching everyone around him, meeting oliviers wonderful family - it was great and all, but nobody here was familiar to him. that was, until a voice called out to him from behind.

"sòng kiu?"

xx

𝐜𝐡𝐞́𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚́𝐢

location: de lalune estatexx feeling: confused xx tags: olivier, evelynn, kento

bái immediately perked up at the prospect of a party at the de lalune estate. not only would he potentially get to make some great acquantinces with hopeful customers, but he would also be able to meet up with sòng kiu after a long time apart. what he was going to say to the man... he was unsure. but he felt as though he needed to meet him. once olivier and sòng kiu had arrived at the mansion, bái followed behind them as best he could, dodging and weaving through the large crowds. he watched as olivier introduced sòng kiu to his relatives, and introduced sòng kiu as his... boyfriend? bái furrowed his eyebrows, quickly following behind them once more, looking for any moment to sneak in and strike up a conversation.

he watched in awe as the kaiyang appeared - a woman he had admired for the entirety of his life. she held so much power in her hands - she could practically control whatever she wanted, even in other nations! he watched finally as the youkai departed the woman and her son, and immediately hopped on the opportunity. he followed sòng kiu to the edge of the courtyard, before slowing down. "sòng kiu?" he called, and watched as the mans ears perked up and he turned to look over his shoulder. upon making eye contact, bái smiled widely, hoping it was a convincingly happy smile. sòng kiu on the other hand had a mix of emotions thrown upon his face. "it's been a long time," bái mentioned, stepping closer to the man. "chéng bái, hello," sòng kiu breathed, the ears on his head falling back.

"i had no clue that you were accompanying the legendary de lalune son on the journey across the seas," he started, glancing back towards olivier and his mother. "and i never would've guess that you tied down the ever so fickle olivier." he jested, looking back to sòng kiu, whos horrific facial expression was betraying the portrayal he was trying to upkeep. "so, where is your vision?" bái continued, stepping even closer to sòng kiu, closing in within an arms reach. he watched the shorter man shake his head. "straight and to the point i see. it's like you haven't changed at all." bái sharply inhaled before quickly reaching forward and grabbing kento by the wrist. "come introduce me to your partner! i want to know all about him!" he exclaimed, before sharply pulling kento back towards olivier and his mother. without a second thought, he approached the pair, tightening his grip on sòng kiu's wrist. "good evening! i was just talking to sòng kiu here and wanted to come introduce myself to you both. i'm an old friend of his. my name is chéng bái, and i work for the sword and strongbox secure transport agency!"

[st. serpent]

x
❝ 𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓇢𓆸 ─

location de lalune estate, water garden // mood indecisive, uneasy // tag(s) evelynn, chéng bái

kento had bowed down to take his leave, despite olivier’s gentle protests. as he glanced at the former leaving to the edge of water garden nearby the lotus pool, olivier hoped that kento’s initial reaction of his mom wasn’t all that bad. the way that kento’s ears ever so slightly stiffened up upon sighting evelynn, olivier could feel the slight tension of anxiety from kento, even if his words did not show it. being the kaiyang of the liyue qixing and all may contribute to the intimidating image that evelynn had been described as, but to olivier of course, she was just his mom. when kento’s figure disappeared between the masses of dresses and suits, olivier returned his eyes to evelynn, who had shed the smile she gave to kento and was now wearing a rather placid face, unperturbed and poised. despite this, olivier knew what evelynn was thinking

“i know what you’re going to say,” olivier sighed “this is the first time i’ve ever introduced you to a boyfriend. so i’d appreciate it if you could warm up a bit you know? shake loose all that corporate killer image for kento? please?” he continued, clutching evelynn’s hands in his and looking up at her. evelynn laughed in response (corporate killer? well, it has a nice ring to it at least), dismissing what olivier said and holding his hands tighter

“i don’t want you getting hurt in the end. that's all” evelynn said, sighing. olivier slightly furrowed his eyebrows at his mother’s statement. “when all is said and done, are you sure sòng kiu is who you need? both now and later?” evelynn said. when it comes down to it, olivier had never really thought about the future with kento, he was just so happy and preoccupied with what had been going on with him that such a thought never crossed his mind. olivier knew that since evelynn remembered kento’s name, her question held genuine weight. he had to take what his mother said seriously

seeing olivier furrow his eyebrows even tighter as he dove deep in his thought, evelynn smiled discreetly. “you never do things half-heartedly, so i know that you really do love him. but my dear you have to realise,” with her index finger, evelynn slightly lifted olivier’s chin, both of their emerald eyes locking into one another. “sòng kiu is an outsider. is he anything like us?”

although evelynn’s words were whispered, they were as sharp as ever. olivier knew that evelynn was not talking about the money, family, or networks that kento had. all of that was typical, every day matters that evelynn could care less of. she meant something intangible, something immaterial but ever-present. indeed, she questioned the worthiness of kento holding the de lalune name, and any of the expectations associated thereto. olivier relaxed his face, turning quite despondent at this subject, partly because of what evelynn said, but mostly because he never even thought about this ever since he fell for kento

was he selfish for wanting kento by his side without paying regard to what that would actually mean to the latter? was he so short-sighted to think that everything would go easy for kento if they end up together forever? was evelynn right to doubt kento as someone who could muster the hopes and prestige of the de lalune legacy? a million questions bounced within olivier’s head, each casting a long shadow of doubt within his entire body. the words in his head muffled so many of the sound around him that olivier barely noticed kento returning to his vicinity with someone else, a tall figure who made himself known with barely any sense of diffidence. in an instant, both evelynn and olivier dismissed their conversation and in unison, placed their usual formal personas. jun and jie, too, primed their positions, sitting directly in front of olivier and evelynn, creating space between the two and the red-haired man who had kento by his wrist

olivier attempted to extend a polite greeting at the stranger, but his words were immediately interrupted by the man’s, who introduced himself as chéng bái. olivier could not help but widen his eyes when bái said that he was a friend of kento, for all he knew, kento never mentioned anything about him to olivier. the silver-haired man, despite his welcoming exterior, felt a small tug of sadness pooling within him. did kento not trust him enough to divulge something as mundane as a friend from the past?

as soon as he felt his usual smile dropping at his thoughts, olivier stretched his lips to his usual civilised smile. “good evening chéng bái, i’m olivier and this is my mom, evelynn” olivier said, gesturing at evelynn who smiled a similar one as olivier. “we’re so glad to have a friend of kento here,” he laughed half-heartedly “i’ve been dragging him around all night, i suppose he could use a familiar face around here!”

even olivier himself couldn’t believe the words he said, but he remained resolute on keeping the polite smile on his face. he made sure, however, to not allow himself a single glance on kento’s face, as olivier feared that his facade would collapse in just one swift blow if he had to look at what expression that kento was wearing right now

❝ 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓃦 ─

location de lalune estate, water garden // mood concerned, intrigued // tag(s) olivier, chéng bái, kento

evelynn's initial impression on kento was not ideal, to say the least. she had spent years reading through people, and so it only took minutes for her thoughts to draw a conclusion on the yokai. he was a foreigner. not because he did not grew up as privileged and as wealthy as olivier, but because kento was not someone who knew the extent and the gravity of what olivier's going to inherit in the future, let alone someone who knew of what evelynn and the entirety of the de lalune family had built and sustained for decades on end. what good would it do for her son if his partner, the one person he envisaged spending the rest of his life with, had no due regard to the sacrifices evelynn, her family, and her husband have made to ensure that olivier could become the person he was today?

to evelynn, kento was, like many of those around her, an outsider. and she knew exactly what to do when an outsider had entered her barracks

olivier seemed to have inherited evelynn's sharpness, as he immediately called evelynn out for the expression she had on her face once kento was out of sight. her smiling lips had returned to its usual poised position, perhaps a bit too quickly. olivier clutched her hands softly, asking evelynn to be more welcoming to kento by shedding her "corporate killer" image, rousing a genuine laugh from the kaiyang. evelynn knew, however, that this entire ordeal should not be taken lightly. looking around her to ensure that no one was close enough to eavesdrop, evelynn asked a simple yet poignant question to olivier: "are you sure sòng kiu is who you need? both now and later?"

just as she expected, olivier became lost for words at her query. the way that he immediately wrinkled his eyebrows reminded evelynn of how her husband used to do the same thing when he was in deep thought, as such, evelynn knew that olivier took her words in its fullest magnitude. it was a question that evelynn thought she knew the answer to ever since she had laid her eyes on kento for the first time. and so, after sighing at the sight of olivier processing his thoughts, evelynn lifted her son's chin up ever so slightly and whispered to him "you never do things half-heartedly, so i know that you really do love him. but my dear you have to realise, sòng kiu is an outsider. is he anything like us?"

as olivier kept his silence, evelynn could see from her peripheral side that kento was now returning back to the two, yet, he is now not alone. as kento and the man who had him by his wrist drew closer, evelynn whispered to olivier "you'll have time to think about this later, your little bunny's back"

the scarlet-haired man who was practically dragging kento toward evelynn and olivier unabashedly introduced himself as chéng bái, a guard of the sword and strongbox secure transport agency. ah, so that was why he looked quite familiar to evelynn, she must have seen him a few times when she arranged her cargo shipments on-site. indeed, ever since evelynn inaugurated and expanded her exports business in liyue, she had relied on the dutiful services rendered by the guards of the transport agency. in fact, even before she became part of the liyue qixing, evelynn's company, de lalune pacific and its subsidiaries, constitute the agency's wealthiest patrons. now, under the oversight of evelynn, the waijiao hall of the eight trades had consistently outsourced guards from the sword and strongbox secure transport agency on their day-to-day operations

"it's always a pleasure to meet someone from the agency, they've been a good partner of mine ever since i settled in liyue" evelynn smiled. although she kept her eyes on bái, evelynn slipped a few glances on olivier and quickly caught the slightest look of unease on his face before it dissipated behind his warm smile. this prompted evelynn to take a glimpse at kento, whose face was twisted in a similarly complicated expression, albeit more apparent than olivier's. from these observations, evelynn instantly knew that whatever it was that kento had with bái, it was something that olivier himself was not made privy of. as such, evelynn took the liberty to the question that she knew olivier had been biting his tongue for from asking

"what a wonderful coincidence to have a friend of sòng kiu tonight! so have you known each other for long?"

[lacke]

xx

𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 (𝐬𝐨̀𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐢𝐮)

location: de lalune estate, water gardenxx feeling: wants to pass away tbh xx tags: olivier, evelynn, chéng bái

from the moment he set his eyes on chéng bái, everything seemed to start spinning. "chéng bái, hello," he murmured, taking a step back, his ears immediately falling back. bái wasted no time in sauntering up to kento, making exclamations that he never would've thought that kento would be one to quell the war, but not only that, also win oliviers heart. the two comments made kento look away, shame washing over him. bái was probably right in insinuating that he didn't really deserve either of those, but kento did his best to push the thought out of his mind. "so, where is your vision?" bái demanded, taking another step closer. kento kept himself from flinching, and he glanced up at bái. "straight and to the point i see. it's like you haven't changed at all." he placed his hands behind his back in a weak effort to conceal the bracelet his vision was stowed in. suddenly, bái grabbed his wrist so tightly, kento had to bite his tongue. "come introduce me to your partner! i want to know all about him!" bái practically yelped, before wheeling off with kento. bái wasted no time in introducing himself, and kento looked to his partner, eyes pleading to get kento away from the man with an iron grip on his wrist. but, olivier didn't even look to kento. kento quickly cast a look to the kaiyang, who looked pleasantly surprised, but there was a flicker of something in her gaze. kento finally cast a look to bái as the kaiyang inquired of their relationship, and everything around him seemed to go black.

kento, who was 20 at the time and under the watchful eyes of his parents, stepped out of the shop as the moon had risen, taking in the fresh air. stretching with his arms above his head, kento closed his eyes and stood on his tiptoes - the much needed relief washing over his body. one of his ears turned before he could, hearing someone approach from behind. "you there!" a man said, and kento turned to spot a stranger, yet someone he had recognized from the restaurant. "hey, what can i do for you?" kento inquired with a tilt of his head. "you served me earlier, and your food was astounding. i'm chéng bái, a guard for the sword and strongbox agency." he extended a hand and kento gently grasped it. "i'm sòng kiu." bái smiled widely at him, before bashidly looking away. "i know this is a weird request but when you're free one night... can you teach me some recipes? i need some for when i'm on the road."

it was an unusually busy season, with most of kentos friends being out of town or pre-occupied with their own work - including olivier, so kento was pretty desperate for some sort of attention. it became easy to let bái in. he adored kentos cooking while kento enjoyed bái's story of his travels. the two grew closer - admittedly closer than kento would have liked...

kento snapped out of it, abruptly pulling his hand away from bái. "please excuse me." kento forced himself to quickly bow before turning tail and whisking away from the group. he traveled through the crowd, beelining towards the exit. once outside, he reached up and untied his hair, welcoming the feeling of it falling past his shoulders. he had nearly gotten to the end of the de lalune estate when he heard the sound of rapid footsteps behind him. "i'm fine, olivier. go ahead and enjoy the rest of your time." he stated, not needing to turn around to know who had approached.

xx

𝐜𝐡𝐞́𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚́𝐢

location: de lalune estatexx feeling: chaotic xx tags: olivier, evelynn, sòng kiu

not caring if kiu wanted to answer the kaiyang, bái took it upon himself to do the honors. he widely smiled, taking a quick, almost longing glance at kiu. "we met almost... four years ago? he served me some food at his parents restaurant and i just had to get the recipe." bái cooed, looking back to the kaiyang and olivier. for a brief moment he saw the mans façade disappear, his polite smile ever so slightly dipping down into a frown. somehow this brought him... joy? "kiu, why don't you tell me how you met mr. olivier?" he asked, peering to the youkai. kiu's gaze had became fixed in front of him, and apparently wasn't paying attention. once he got no answer, bái turned his gaze to olivier. "seems like he got stage fright!" bái claimed, laughing. "instead, would you mind gracing me with the tale of your meeting?"

olivier nodded and began to recount the story for bái. the friendship - no, the relationship between them seemed earnest. they had known one another since practically childhood, and they had, quite literally, been through hell and back together. bái nodded along with the story, but suddenly kiu excused himself, tearing his arm away from bái's grip and bowing. bái smirked at the odd tradition, before watching him dart away. "seems rather rude if you ask me." bái huffed, turning back to the de lalune family. olivier politely excused himself, walking briskly after kiu. he then turned his gaze back to the kaiyang, and dipped his head. "i'm sorry if i've made a rucus of things. i suppose i got too excited." he paused, before looking back at her. "if you ever need anything from the sword and strongbox transport agency, please don't hesitate to let me know personally!"

[st. serpent]

x
❝ 𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓇢𓆸 ─

location de lalune estate, greenhouse // mood concerned // tag(s) kento

olivier had to swallow every bit of bái's words as if they were as hard as stones. although evelynn and bái conversed rather amicably, their voices were just white noise to the man, he was too distracted by that same question flooding his mind: did kento not trust olivier enough that he can't even tell him something as simple as an old friend? olivier tried to give kento the benefit of the doubt as he answered bái's inquiry on how the two met, the words that flowed out of olivier's mouth were a stream of consciousness, however earnest. olivier told of how he first met kento in chihu rock, how he immediately touched his ears, and how the two have stuck with each other ever since. despite this, olivier saved not even the slightest glance at kento's face, but he knew how his ears drooped ever so slightly that kento had never wish to be in this situation in the first place

almost immediately after olivier finished his story, kento snapped his wrists away from bái's grip and bowed to the group, taking a sudden leave. "seems rather rude if you ask me" bái had said, olivier could not help but narrow his eyes at the former's flippant response as kento's small figure disappeared into the masses, his quaint footsteps inundated and silenced by the music echoing from inside the mansion. olivier took a quick glance at evelynn, who reacted minimally, if at all, at kento's apparent distress

“i'll catch up with you later if that's okay” olivier whispered to evelynn, the latter nodding gently in response. “i've to check him up for a minute. bái, it was lovely meeting you” olivier said softly, a simple, silk-wrapped lie. without a second to spare, olivier jogged to the direction where kento headed, jun and jie barking at him in slight distress of his departure. the silver-haired man manoeuvred away from attendants busy with their drinks and gossips, before finally catching up to kento nearby the wooden gate to olivier's greenhouse, right at the edge of the estate, free from all the guests and noise

“i'm fine, olivier. go ahead and enjoy the rest of your time” kento said, still with his back turned away from olivier. “don't.” olivier snapped sternly and immediately after kento had finished his words. looking at how kento's ears suddenly stiffened at his austere voice, olivier realised instantly how assertive he was and immediately regretted his approach. sighing, olivier quietly walked closer to kento, resting his gloved hand on the yokai's shoulder, warmth spreading through the fabric. it wasn't kento's familiar warmth that olivier had come to grew comfortable with, however. it was tense, fragile. a weak flicker of a flame breathing its last wisps of smoke

“you wouldn't leave like that for no reason” olivier said, much gentler this time. the breeze carrying his soft voice, but returning not with even a single response from kento. “why didn't you tell me about him, kento?” finally, the question that gnawed at olivier's heart ever since bái made himself known made its way onto olivier's mouth and into the nightly air. to be fair, it was more of a plea than a question, but olivier didn't mind, that haunting weight had been released from his shoulders regardless

however, as still as the silver moon hanging overhead, kento persisted in his silence, and olivier felt his heart sinking deeper. releasing his gentle grip away from kento's shoulder and taking a step back, olivier hung his head low. “i'm very sorry, i... i shouldn't have brought you here” olivier sighed, now, he was not expecting any response. maybe the answer to his question was simple enough, olivier thought, maybe he simply wasn't someone kento would put his trust on after all

❝ 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓃦 ─

location de lalune estate, water garden // mood intrigued, petty // tag(s) olivier, chéng bái

maybe the common person may not realise it, but evelynn knew olivier better than anyone else. and so, despite how his answer to bái's question sounded calm, gentle, and amicable, she knew that olivier dreaded the fact that he had to tell such a story to the scarlet-haired man. she had to commend her son though, for hiding such a feeling so well in quick, clean manner. that meant evelynn had taught olivier well; never let your guard down, no matter what

as evelynn listened to olivier's encounter with kento, she could not help but feel a slight bit of regret within her. a feeling she rarely experienced. it's true that ever since he was a child, evelynn spared a fairly small part of her time to olivier's life, instead investing it on meetings, power lunches, and business trips. she didn't even know anything about the life that olivier shared with kento ever since the two were children, living innocently without a care in the world

but she knew that without all of those late night hours of work, olivier would not become the man he was today. and that was enough of a reason for evelynn to dispel all those pooling feeling of guilt away from her core

kento had suddenly taken his leave, and shortly thereafter olivier looked up at her to be excused from the current conversation. evelynn nodded kindly at her son, "go ahead dear, i'll meet you tomorrow for breakfast" she said in response. with this. oliver followed suit in a silent jog toward where kento was headed. now just with the company of bái, evelynn chuckled politely at the man's apology and waved it off nonchalantly "it's perfectly fine, i'm glad to have you in our hospitality". with kento and olivier now beyond her vicinity, evelynn saw an opportunity to her ever-cunning mind. although she already knew how she felt about kento, it would not hurt to know just a little more about him would it? exactly how did a simple commoner, someone who evelynn wouldn't even spare remembrance to under ordinary circumstances, managed to strike olivier's heart?

"actually chéng bái, if it's not too much of an imposition to you, i'd like to ask you something" evelynn said, stepping closer to the guard, her deep red lips curling into a sly smile. almost as if they knew that their mistress had taken a more serious approach, jun and jie circled away from evelynn and sat assertively behind bái, nudging him closer to evelynn "would you mind telling more about this... rabbit friend of yours?"

[lacke]

xx

𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 (𝐬𝐨̀𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐢𝐮)

location: de lalune estate, greenhousexx feeling: guilty xx tags: olivier

"don't." olivier snapped, and kento's immediate reaction was to tense up. the man walked up behind him, gently resting a hand on kentos shoulder - a feeling he had come to relish. but, in this instance, a feeling of dread and regret washed over him. "you wouldn't leave like that for no reason." oliviers voice was gentle this time, but kento still couldn't bring himself to turn and look at him. "why didn't you tell me about him, kento?" olivier asked earnestly, sounding almost as if it were a plea. kento pursed his lips, biting down on them, truly trying to figure out his next steps. he desperately wanted to recount everything to olivier, but he wasn't sure if now, in the middle of their welcome home party, was the right time. oliviers hand lifted from his shoulder, and kento heard him take a few steps back. "i'm very sorry, i... i shouldn't have brought you here." the man sounded defeated, and kentos ears finally laid back against his head.

he turned to face olivier, a pain piercing his heart as he saw the mans head hanging low. kento let out a sigh, stepping closer to the man. "it's nothing you did olivier. don't apologize." he reached forward and gently cusped oliviers chin in his hands, raising his head up. "truthfully, the things that transpired between him and i were nothing but hurt and regret." he said quietly, before shaking his head. "i feel as though telling you now, tonight, would ruin your night, and i truly want you to have a good time." he said sincerely, gently rubbing his thumb upon the mans chin. "i am the one who should be apologizing. in truth, coming here and meeting everyone has been wonderful. your family is very nice." he finally pulled his hand away. "it was just... a lot. but it's in no way your fault, so please don't think that. i'm just not used to such large events, yet. and chéng bái truly threw me for a loop."

kento paused before slowly putting his arms out and stepping towards olivier, sliding his arms under his partners, and pressing his head against oliviers shoulder. "i love you olivier, and i'm very sorry for how i acted." he murmured, letting out a small breath of relief as the man returned the gesture, his arms wrapping securely around kento. "we can go back inside, if you'd like?" he asked, casting a glance up at olivier. "i'll be okay. i just needed a breather." he admitted. "unless there was more you wanted to talk about? how are you doing?" he asked quietly, reaching up and pressing a gentle kiss to oliviers cheek.

xx

𝐜𝐡𝐞́𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚́𝐢

location: de lalune estatexx feeling: uneasy, curiousxx tags: evelynn

much to his surprise, the kaiyang waved off his apology, and bái offered a smile. suddenly though, the woman stepped towards him, a somewhat suspicious smile. bái was a bit taken aback, but stood his guard nonetheless, maintaining eye contact with the woman in front of him. she asked if he wouldn't mind telling her more about sòng kiu, and bái nodded curtly, deftly taking notice of the two dogs who had moved directly behind him.

"outside of me meeting him initially, i know that he owns a food stall in the harbor. i believe its called 'red lantern'? as far as i know, the sòng family came over from inazuma and started the food stall. sòng kiu told me he started working there at a young age, and word traveled recently that him and his family got very ill, and his parents passed so he inherited the stall. it's pretty popular - i think as the years have gone on they deliver food to most places in liyue." bái tilted his head, trying to recall any important details. "in terms of him as a person... when i first met him he was pretty upbeat, but i sense that has changed. he had a really strong work ethic back then, usually working from first morning light until after the moon had risen." he paused, before uneasily looking back at the woman. "that's honestly all i know about him... i think. unless there might be something more specific that you wanted to know?" he inquired. why was she asking about him? dare he ask her himself?

[st. serpent]

x
❝ 𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓇢𓆸 ─

location de lalune estate, greenhouse // mood relieved // tag(s) kento

truthfully, kento's words did little to numb the hole that had emerged in olivier's chest, but it was not until the former pulled himself onto olivier for a warm hug that the man knew what kento said was genuine, that when kento said what he was feeling right now wasn't olivier's fault, he really did mean it. that small, instant embrace was enough to dispel any shadows of doubt from olivier's buzzing mind, and in his relief, olivier subconsciously returned the hug, wrapping his arms on kento's back and pressing the yokai's torso closer to his, as if in a moment, kento would just disappear into the flurry of cherry blossom leaves around them that swing and dance in the nightly wind. and slowly, a noticeable warm smile crept up on olivier's face

"unless there was more you wanted to talk about? how are you doing?"

to his embarrassment, olivier was so relieved that kento was doing fine that a full three seconds must have passed since kento asked that innocent question. noticing that he had been smiling like a fool for a bit too long, olivier cleared his throat awkwardly and averted his gaze to the surrounding trees almost in an attempt to hide the blush that had already coloured his pale cheeks pink. "u-uh, well. i know all of this has been overwhelming to you," olivier stuttered, eyes still dashing around the wooded surroundings yet still keeping his arms in a tight hug around kento "if you want you can stay the night you know?" finally mustering the courage to look down into kento's eyes, olivier then heard a burst of laughter rang from the faraway crowd, then a crash from what seemed to be a drunken person having just a bit too much wine. olivier groaned jokingly, well, maybe this isn't the right night to ask kento to stay over. "or well, i don't mind escorting you back home, just say the word" olivier said, tucking a stray hair from kento's locks behind his ear and planting a gentle kiss on kento's forehead

"if it's any other night, i really won't let you go you know" olivier laughed, tightening his hug on kento and swinging him off his feet. kento was always a particularly private person, and maybe tonight or tomorrow's not the time where kento would find it in him to grant olivier the privilege to know more about what really happened between him and bái. but for now, olivier wouldn't mind, because even though it may take many a night, olivier knew that when that day would finally come, kento would see olivier as someone deserving of his trust

❝ 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓃦 ─

location de lalune estate, water garden // mood intrigued, petty // tag(s) chéng bái

evelynn listened to bái's words earnestly, taking in every piece of information the man had given her so effortlessly and compartmentalised it into mental boxes in her mind, categorising them based on usefulness and throwing away those she found immaterial. ever since bái had made himself known as someone from kento's past, evelynn knew he would make a great asset in her game plan, especially since it seemed that kento was overtly reluctant on being around the red-haired guard

"... unless there might be something more specific that you wanted to know?"

evelynn's eyes seem to glimmer at this question, as if bái had given her a bejewelled gift. evelynn chuckled in a sly manner, taking at the opportunity at bái's open-ended question. "well forgive my imposition, but since you asked my dear," evelynn let out a sigh, jun and jie now circling back toward their mistress' sides. "you seem to know very much about sòng kiu, so now i'd like to ask about you..." evelynn crossed her arms and redirected her piercing green eyes, which were staring lovingly at her chow chows, into bái's. "who were you to sòng kiu?" evelynn's words, although classically whispered, were as cold, precise, and sharp as ever, to such an extent that it did not sound like a question. it was a demand. as evelynn would teach olivier, when one needed information, one would not simply ask. they would demand, order, push, and if necessary, fight for it

"if you see a bright future ahead of you, trust i'd make it shine like a thousand stars. or, i could just erase all of it" evelynn snickered, laughed even "so i would appreciate if you are honest with me, bái"

[lacke]

xx

𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 (𝐬𝐨̀𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐢𝐮)

location: de lalune estate, greenhousexx feeling: guilty xx tags: olivier

after the question left his lips, the silence from olivier caused kentos heart to race. he peered up at his partner, and upon noticing the goofy smile on his face, kento relaxed. kento kept his eyes on the mans face as he quickly averted his gaze and began stumbling over his words. "u-uh, well. i now all of this has been overwhelming to you..." he trailed off for a moment, and kento tilted his head. "if you want you can stay the night you know?" the offer took kento by surprise, and his ears stuck straight up. he opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the loud laugh and a crash followed immediately after. "or well, i don't mind escorting you back home, just say the word." olivier finished, and kento couldn't help but let out a chuckle, heat spreading across his nose and to his cheeks as olivier gently pushed a strand of hair behind his ear. "if it's any other night, i really won't let you go you know," olivier laughed, before suddenly tightening his hold on kento, sweeping him off his feet.

"olivier!" kento cried before letting out a laugh, tightening his hold on the man as he was set back down. he pulled a bit away from olivier, and playfully tapped him on the chest. "give me a heads up next time, will you?" he asked playfully, before lowering his arms and taking oliviers hand in his. "spending the night with you sounds great." he murmured, glancing at their hands before turning his gaze up to olivier. "or should i say... it'd be a privilege." he teased, before glancing back towards the estate. "did you want to finish out the party?" he asked, glancing back to see olivier shake his head. instead, without a word, olivier gently tugged him in a different direction, back towards the estate, but completely avoiding the main building all together.

despite having known olivier since childhood, kento had never really stepped foot on the de lalune estate - give or take a few visits to oliviers greenhouse. as the walked past the main event, kento took it all in. the estate was huge - as expected. kento couldn't imagine what it was like to live here. as kento trotted slightly behind olivier, he cleared his throat. "olivier, how often are you here alone?" he asked, looking back ahead of him. "it's such a big place... does your mom stay here often or is she usually gone?" the questions were mostly to gauge how he could handle living in such and expansive lot, but kento would save those questions for a later time.

xx

𝐜𝐡𝐞́𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚́𝐢

location: de lalune estatexx feeling: uneasy, curiousxx tags: evelynn

"well forgive my imposition, but since you asked my dear... you seem to know very much about sòng kiu, so now i'd like to ask about you... who were you to sòng kiu?" bái didn't dare take his gaze off of her, but internally the question surprised him. well, it was more of a demanding question rather than an optional one, and who was bái to refuse an answer? as he quickly mulled over an answer, she began to speak again, even letting out a laugh. "if you see a bright future ahead of you, trust i'd make it shine like a thousand stars. or, i could just erase all of it. so i would appreciate if you are honest with me, bái."

admittedly, bái was almost at a loss for words. the kaiyang had slyly implied that she could end his career, something that bái was not too eager to have happen. but... what was he to kento? a stranger turned friend? a passing... lover? the thought made him cringe. he thought it was a fleeting thought back then, but admittedly, seeing the man all these years later made him question if it really was a passing thought."well, i suppose you could say that we had a short-lived... experimental relationship," bái answered earnestly. it still felt foreign to him, ever having a relationship with the youkai, no matter how brief and miniscule. "long story short, i would consider it nothing more than a summer fling." bái dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. he dared look back at the woman in front of him. "may i ask what you plan to do with this information?" he inquired, crossing his arms across his chest.

[st. serpent]

x
❝ 𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓇢𓆸 ─

location de lalune estate, east wing // mood tired, happy // tag(s) kento

before olivier himself realised it, he had dragged kento to the east wing of the de lalune estate, or specifically his side of the mansion that evelynn had made sure to the house staffs that it would be off limits to any and all guests attending the party. the east wing retained the traditional yet modern aesthetic of liyue architecture shared by the rest of the de lalune estate, but with blatant touches of olivier's artistic liberty. unlike the warm, deep red wooden walls and frames that predominate the many chambers in the central building of the estate, the walls of the east wing were adorned with textured sage green wallpaper with ornate floral patterns, interrupted in even intervals with pillars of dark brown wood that reach to the high ceilings. the long halls were either accompanied with large hexagonal windows, or paintings of olivier and his family when he was younger (some that olivier, in his embarrassment, tried distracting kento from looking at them too much)

kento and olivier eventually found themselves at the lounge room, a circular chamber adorned with many cushioned seats, packed bookshelves, and an opulent yet lonely wooden table at the centre, facing away from the grand doors to olivier's bedroom. although this room was intended to be a lounge, olivier had made it his home office for the time being, explaining why he was suddenly overly conscious about the piles of books, scripts, and scrolls lying haphazardly on the table. before olivier could make up an excuse for the mess, kento interrupted his nervous glances on the table

"olivier, how often are you here alone? it's such a big place... does your mom stay here often or is she usually gone?" kento asked, to which olivier responded with a small chuckle. "no she doesn't come around that often, even when i was a kid. and even more so now that i'm handling most of her business in liyue" olivier said lightly. indeed, although he had acknowledge the fact that evelynn was relatively absent in most of olivier's childhood, it didn't seem to hurt him to say it as much as it did years ago. "even when she's here we rarely meet, she's either in the jade chamber or somewhere in her part of the estate, right out there in the north wing" olivier continued as he pointed out on one of the lounge's window. "it's a bit lonely sometimes, but that could change with you around" olivier smiled, pressing a gentle hand on kento's cheek. before he could lean down and plant a kiss on the yokai's lips however, olivier was suddenly reminded of the mess he had left on the table that was sitting front and centre on the room

"ah sorry kento, i kind of made this place my private office. so i think the last time i left i didn't have time to, you know, clean up" with a nervous cough, olivier shifted through his paperwork and books, shuffling toward the bookshelves and back to the table. "you can go ahead and take a bath if you want! just go into my room and take the door to the right. i'll join you soon if you want" olivier laughed, sending kento a playful wink as he slid one of the many books he had in hand into its designated space in the bookshelf

❝ 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲 ─── 𓃦 ─

location de lalune estate, water garden // mood intrigued, petty // tag(s) chéng bái

"well, i suppose you could say that we had a short-lived... experimental relationship,"

that was enough to strike the match that would start the burning fire of opportunity within evelynn's core, so much so that one may even see the scheming glint behind the woman's snake-like eyes as bái said those sacred, string of words, her scarlet lips curling into a sly smile. evelynn nodded earnestly as bái continued and attempted to make light of whatever romantic flame that did spark between him and kento. all of the chess pieces are fighting and falling right into place in the kaiyang's ever-cunning mind, and evelynn had found the perfect pawn to fell the queen

as bái finished his answer to evelynn's question, he delivered one back to the kaiyang herself, questioning her intention to the information that bái had provided her regarding himself and kento. evelynn thinly smiled at the man before her, assessing his expression and finding it safe to just come out clean with what had been playing in her mind ever since she heard and saw bái's proud introduction. after all, was there to be any problem she could not curb in any bizarre event where bái would then divulge to kento what evelynn was planning?

"well i'll not mince my words. i do not like sòng kiu. and olivier's too lovestruck to see why" evelynn sighed, shrugging her shoulders while wearing a disappointed yet coy expression. "although i myself can't do much about them, now i know someone who can." she continued, now shooting a sharp glare at bái to make sure that he really knew what evelynn meant. bái was that "someone". he was the chaotic agent. the fire which shall lure kento with its warmth. and the very same fire that would burn down and smoke out everything there was between him and olivier

"if you're up for a little chaos, you'll be graciously compensated. provided that you manage to do well, of course" evelynn said "imagine a higher rank in the agency. maybe knight commander? or perhaps, even a place in the jade chamber? what do you say, bái?"