リオセスリさんの好きなとこ！！！！！！！！

𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐒'  𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄   :                               the  lone  three  -  headed  hound  clutches  his  timepiece  in  idle  .  a  rather  intricate  contrivance  ,  that  the  warden  ,  deduced  ,  could  be  beyond  the  crafted  callouses  of  men  that  oft  work  with  gears  &  mechanical  technicalities  in  the  production  zone  .  such  fine  detail  inlay  in  florid  patterns  &  sensual  curves  that  act  like  stringent  veins  along  the  device  that  ticked  softly  in  his  clutches  .  it  was  like  a  timeless  vintage  item  ,  so  rare  ,  so  pure  ,  so  aged  since  its  adolescence  .  a  rustic  silver  ,  naught  without  scratches  from  wear  &  time  ,  &  fluid  feel  held  between  his  fingers  .  it  fit  in  palm  perfectly  . 

                     wriothesley  nitpicked  his  brain  ,  wracked  with  untold  strife  .  one  might  ask  if  it  held  sentimental  value  .  it  did  .  although  the  time  stamped  upon  the  small  object  itself  was  wrong  &  the  warden  didn't  bother  to  recount  to  change  it  ,  it  was  an  item  wriothesley  didn't  use  as  intended  .  exposed  thumb  drags  in  rhythmic  circles  along  the  florid  edges  ,  uncharacteristically  abashed  .  icey  glazed  eyes  flit  up  towards  his  cup  of  tea  ,  the  liquid  left  untouched  ,  left  undrank  .  left  without  value  .  so  much  for  an  afternoon  tea  ...  self  expression  was  a  dire  extremity  to  him  .  the  memories  that  are  stapling  away  the  grievances  of  pestered  sponsors  ,  meetings  ,  pricings  ,  manual  toiling  ,  are  swept  away  beneath  the  endless  series  of  ticks  .

                                  alas  ,  does  he  stew  in  these  seemingly  nocturnal  emotions  &  enrapturing  funnels  of  adolescent  memory  .  sitting  before  an  arching  &  narrow  window  ,  seated  upon  a  stool  that  gave  his  rather  short  stature  leverage  of  view  .  a  young  boy  with  tousled  black  hair  ,  seated  atop  within  his  own  thoughts  .  just  as  he  persists  in  the  now  .  a  small  &  eloquent  bedroom  ,  horses  depicted  prancing  across  an  endless  sea  of  grass  within  an  oil  painting  .  bears  &  other  stuffed  toys  sit  atop  his  bed  ,  that  were  neatly  done  .  as  expected  of  a  finely  raised  child  .  in  small  hands  were  held  a  much  mightier  &  lively  timepiece  ,  a  fresh  coat  of  a  hearty  lubricant  –  a  wax  –  that  made  the  iron  capture  the  eyes  of  the  exquisite  .  a  gift  given  to  him  by  his  mother  .  a  woman  who  did  not  marry  into  a  family  .  a  woman  that  endorsed  her  goals  to  the  fullest  extent  .  &  thus  placed  it  into  the  hands  of  her  orphan  son  .  it  rained  ...  &  the  young  boy  could  only  look  on  with  a  poised  expression  .  he  wasn't  sad  it  was  raining  .  yes ,  the  rain  was  his  friend  .  they  shared  a  kinship  of  silence  ,  but  expressive  in  the  act  .

                          a  timid  voice  interrupts  his  trance  &  does  the  warden  reply  with  a  belated  sigh  .  "  i  assume  it's  about  management  regulations  ?  i'm  certain  i've  reimbursed  the  section  in  regards  to  the  falsifying  of  data  &  productivity  .  "  he  opens  ,  confiscating  the  timepiece  beneath  the  lapel  of  his  waistcoat  .

don't say a word .

don't leave me here .

meet me at our spot tonight .

follow me and stay close .

don't beg , it's pathetic .

can you ( tie / zip ) this for me ?

stop lying to me . tell me what you did .

put that down , you don't know what it ( is / does ) .

get out of my sight .

stop pretending you know what's going on .

find a first-aid kit . quickly !

don't get yourself killed .

leave them to me , just go .

just admit that you love me .

just admit that you hate me .

come here , let me look at you .

( name ) , don't make me do this .

drop your ( weapon ) .

stay here and wait for my signal .

don't just sit there , move .

take this and run , don't let anyone have it .

pretend you're my ( partner / girlfriend / boyfriend ) .

don't look , you'll give us away .

don't say another word .

stop pretending like you care .

go make sure the coast is clear .

take this with you . it's a good luck charm .

don't tell anyone about this .

if anybody asks about today , lie .

stop looking at me like that .

tell me you love me .

just kiss me , already .

keep your eyes on the road .

stop crying and calm down .

come with me . there's so much we could do .

wear the ( dress / tie / item ) i gave you tonight .

show me how you like to be touched .

hold my hand .

kiss me , make it look real .

look at me . how many fingers am i holding up ?

will you marry me ?

just slow down for a minute . what's going on ?

take a deep breath , you need to calm down .

get out of here , ( name ) !

draw your weapon .

go rest . i'm not asking .

take a step back .

give me a straight answer .

be polite to our guests .

look me in the eye and say that again .

put your feelings aside for a moment .

keep close to me .

here , let me see that .

look up at the sky .

get out of here , i don't want to see you right now .

stand up , this isn't over yet .

close your eyes and count to ten .

smile for the camera !

keep your head down .

( name ) , let me past .

listen carefully to what i'm about to say .

don't just stare , come in .

stop laughing , this isn't funny .

take this and hide it .

don't make a sound .

put your hands up .

quit causing problems everywhere you go .

just admit that you don't know what you're doing .

stop right there , i mean it .

don't say that name aloud .

just trust me , okay ?

stop acting so childish .

call the police . now .

tell me you love me , even if it's not real .

take a good hard look .

stop the car , ( name ) .

don't make eye contact .

stay out of trouble .

just do it already , we've waited long enough .

hold me tight , and never let me go .

finish what you started .

tell me what you know .

just stay away from me .

turn around . slowly .

don't be scared .

put it down before somebody gets hurt .

stop pretending , i'm tired of the pretending .

grab me my ( item ) , will you ?

don't make assumptions .

put this over it to stop the bleeding .

get to safety !

wipe that look off your face .

secure the area .

keep an eye on them .

look at yourself in the mirror .

run . run and don't stop .

◈ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐔𝐊𝐄 [ ; ] 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 .                                 wriothesley  began  his  career  of  fighting  prematurely  in  his  sentence  ,  committing  murder  on  the  people  he  thought  were  the  best  parents  he  could  ever  ask  for  .  being  as  young  as  sixteen  ,  the  young  wriothesley  received  his  glass  encased  vision  ,  trying  to  hide  his  favoring  of  the  gods  by  celestia  .  at  the  time  ,  he  had  no  fighting  experience  [  ;  ]  but  found  he  had  a  painful  lust  for  the  thrill  of  hammering  down  his  fists  .  they  were  concussive  ,  without  skill  &  experience  ,  his  skin  ripped  around  the  balls  of  his  knuckles  until  they  bled  .  this  only  would  be  further  influenced  by  the  sight  of  a  vision  ,  that  he  has  long  hid  from  other  inmates  &  staff  of  the  fortress  .  he’s  never  once  used  the  vision  ,  fearful  of  drawing  attention  to  himself  ,  otherwise  he  began  his  influence  in  the  penkration  ring  .  having  the  opportunity  to  combat  against  men  as  old  as  him  – &  on  some  instances  –  the  manipulation  of  binary  code  of  fortress  personnel  gardemecks  .  

                                although  having  a  vision  that  tactfully  would  have  helped  improve  stamina  &  elemental  comprehension  of  his  less  savory  fights  ,  wriothesley  never  once  used  it  for  combat  in  the  ring  .  resulting  in  obtaining  various  scars  over  the  period  of  his  teenage  years  ,  in  some  cases  so  lethal  the  infirmary  advised  him  to  wear  bandaging  until  the  scars  have  properly  healed  .  

wriothesley  had  gotten  nicked  in  the  face  once  or  twice  ,  resulting  in  the  scarring  over  his  nose  &  left  eyebrow  &  cheekbone  .  clutching  onto  his  treasured  belongings  [  ;  ]  vision  ,  wolf  pelt  ,  &  rustic  timepiece  ,  the  young  cerberus  became  a  revered  young  man  underwater  .  nobody  daren’t  touch  or  steal  his  items  while  he  slept  ,  nobody  daren’t  question  what  his  crime  got  him  there  in  the  first  place  —  lest  at  such  a  young  age  compared  to  many  of  his  peers  .

                                for  various  years  serving  his  sentence  ,  wriothesley  has  dedicated  himself  to  learning  how  to  survive  in  the  fortress  as  opposed  to  the  streets  .  while  indeed  he  had  a  bed  ,  a  roof  over  his  head  ,  the  satisfactory  of  getting  a  warm  meal  to  quell  the  rumbling  of  his  stomach  ,  the  fortress  at  the  time  was  more  harsh  .  so  he  had  to  get  into  shape  quickly  ,  mentally  &  physically  .  eating  habits  have  also  changed  ,  his  stomach  being  accustomed  to  one  meal  a  day  ,  or  the  alcohol  he  could  obtain  from  hidden  sources  of  the  fortress  to  keep  him  warm  if  the  pipes  ran  cold  at  night  .

the traveler had told xiao of their adventures in fontaine--from the prophecy that was said to be slowly coming true (a prophecy that seemed too cruel of a punishment for an entire nation, but xiao has seen nations fall in similar ways-), to their meeting with a harbinger, to losing a harbinger who may have fallen into the primordial sea, which the fortress that the man before him ran seated right atop the opening of the deadly waters. it fascinated xiao as well as brought him this overbearing, existential sense of dread for what was to come.

xiao takes a sip of his tea, still watching wriothesley carefully. he is not sizing him up in any way--rather, he's just curious about him, wanting to get to know him based on observation. the duke seems like a man that holds his cards close to his chest, not revealing them until he feels as if it is necessary for the 'game' to continue. whatever the 'game' is, xiao is unsure, and will probably remain unsure for a time.

"there is no need to use such honorifics for me." the adeptus holds his cup with both hands, gloves fingers wrapped carefully around the delicate ceramic of the vessel. "just call me xiao. and you are correct that i did not spend much time around mortals--that is, until the 77th head of the wangsheng funeral parlor decided to hassle me into spending time with her. the traveler came soon after that, and i have been spending more time around mortals than i have in the past." another tiny sip of tea. "i am still hesitant, sometimes."

𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘  𝐏𝐔𝐓  .                                wriothesley  picked  his  cards  as  if  he  were  the  dealer  in  a  judiciary  damnation  [  ;  ]  the  palais  mermonia  was  merely  the  support  in  his  avid  endeavor  .  while  the  overworld  proffered  wrists  pliable  for  the  few  sinners  that  roots  like  weed  [  ;  ]  to  which  his  own  padded  claws  at  to  reap  .  scratch  &  claw  .  dig  &  dig  deep  .  but  this  wasn’t  the  time  ,  he  had  already  offered  quite  a  bit  of  information  [  ;  ]  although  in  small  doses  ,  it  was  for  free  .  the  duke  laps  the  edge  of  his  tongue  against  the  eloquent  rim  of  his  teacup  ,  his  icy  stare  keeping  a  steady  hold  on  the  thin  irises  that  equally  measured  him  .  there  it  was  again  …  that  stare  .  "  hm  …  "

a  groveled  hum  growls  through  the  hollow  depths  of  his  throat  ,  his  jugular  bobbing  as  he  swallowed  the  remaining  of  the  tea  with  fluid  bobble.  his  wolven  brooch  glimmered  atop  his  wrists  ,  his  dull  colored  fingernails  hollowing  inwards  ,  following  the  veins  that  encroach  down  beneath  the  black  leather  gloves  .  the  chains  would  click  against  the  polished  glass  ,  he  tests  the  vibration  with  silent  observation  . 

"  oh  ,  come  now  .  "  the  maned  warden  articulates  with  his  teeth  as  he  lowers  the  emptied  cup  now  ,  still  keeping  it  close  to  his  palm  .  "  even  the  elusive  adepti  aren’t  immune  to  the  unyielding  expectations  of  those  who  see  them  as  omniscient?  my  ,  perhaps  i  should  entertain  the  notion  of  a  steambird  exclusive  —  liyue’s  finest  ,  peeled  back  through  the  lens  of  clientele  whispers  .  that  might  be  quite  the  spectacle  ,  wouldn’t  you  say?  "

               ❝   word   of   advice   :   don’t   break   the   law   .   hmm   ,   is   there   anything   else   ?   oh   ,   yeah   …   seriously   ,   don’t   break   the   law   .   ❞

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after pausing for a moment, xiao pours himself a cup of tea, considering that there is another cup on the table before them, set there haphazardly by someone that he did not fully observe. the tea is a blend that he is familiar with purely due to zhongli's influence, and one that he's drunk before. while bitter, it is not too bitter, allowing him to be able to take small sips without the aid of sugar.

observation has always been a key part of being a yaksha--in years past, during wars that would alter the very landscape of liyue, the yakshas would observe enemies from afar before deciding on their course of action. depending on what they saw, they would perform a silent execution, or a fiery blaze, or even block off the enemies' path so that they could not harm innocents. it also allowed them to pick out whether or not a potential ally was an assassin in disguise, keen eyes discerning whether or not there were hidden weapons.

now, xiao's observation is not as focused towards those purposes as in the past. of course, he used his eagle eyes to pick out enemies from afar and decide his course of action, but now--now he uses them when meeting people that have a friendly interest in him. he's used those observations to conclude that the young son of the commerce guild would often prank the exorcist that seemed to have a hero-worship directed towards xiao, and more recently to discern whether or not a young girl with cat ears and a tail was feeling due to the minute movements that a feline often makes.

"  𝐍𝐎  𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆  .                                you  could  say  my  relationship  with  the  traveler  thus  far  has  been  within  the  mannerisms  of  approaching  a  highly  centralized  situation  with  the  utmost  caution  &  clarity  of  recent  events  .  strictly  on  matters  of  business  tying  to  my  turf  ,  the  fortress  of  meropide  ,  with  my  fullest  attention  .  "  sure  ,  the  warden  typically  handed  the  brunt  of  his  workload  off  on  others  who  happen  to  already  be  well  -  versed  with  the  situation  .  it  was  wriothesley  that  would  see  it  to  the  end  [  ;  ]  interfere  if  safety  was  put  on  the  line  .  be  it  by-standing  inmates  or  the  fortress  itself  .  wriothesley  was  a  curious  type  ,  but  the  duke  forwent  answers  .

                                he  would  be  pleased  when  his  intuition  proved  truth  when  it  was  time  for  intervention  [  ;  ]  imperative  wriothesley  acted  quickly  to  thrust  claws  into  the  arteries  of  potential  evidence  ,  gouging  out  sufficient  information  .  no  matter  if  the  duke  would  be  perceived  as  the  aggressor  ,  bringer  of  conflict  ,  or  mere  bastion  against  specific  goals  beneficial  to  what  may  appear  just  cause  to  the  good  guys  .  even  if  it  meant  keeping  those  who  are  held  dear  under  his  watchful  eyes  ,  withheld  until  all  has  been  spilt  .  

                                the  land  of  sinners  couldn’t  even  amount  to  fitting  the  descriptor  of  the  fortress  .  it  was  a  land  of  the  depraved  [  ;  ]  the  damned  [  ;  ]  the  exiled  .  a  makeshift  womb  to  rehabilitate  all  who  desire  rebirth  .  

legs shake, and without realising it, for a split second, his mind blanks from exhaustion and he falls back. snapping back into reality, albeit breathless from the blip of the brain activity, neuvillette looks up a little to see the concerned expression of the wriothesley. though the gaze was blurry and disorientated as he comes to fully, there was no denying that the other's speed and desperation to ensure the safety of the iudex was paramount in his movements and orders.

"...duke..?" he breathed out, trying to adjust his posture given how he knew moving post semi-fainting was never a wise move. leaving himself at the mercy and guide of wriothesley - more so to make sure he did not lose his sanity - and his men, the hydro dragon looks down and sighs a little bit. this was... not how he predicted sealing off the primodial sea would end.

𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍  𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒  𝐈𝐍  𝐇𝐈𝐒  𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐓  .                                an  unfaltering  wave  of  just  concern  .  wriothesley  didn’t  appear  to  be  convinced  [  ;  ]  not  in  the  slightest  .  recovery  of  this  magnitude  cannot  be  so  easily  shaken  off  ,  unless  the  warden  gravely  underestimated  the  iudex’s  abilities  ,  which  he  surmised  he  hasn’t  .  neuvillette  is  an  extraordinary  man  with  impeccable  knowledge  of  justice  &  fortitude  .  if  the  judiciary  would  come  in  physical  form  [  ;  ]  it  would  be  neuvillette  . 

                                "  i’m  surprised  you’re  more  concerned  about  keeping  public  face  as  opposed  to  seeking  adequate  attention  ,  iudex  .  i  would  be  applauding  your  valiant  efforts  had  i  not  been  condemned  to  my  position  as  warden  of  this  fine  establishment  .  as  administrator  of  the  fortress  ,  completely  autonomous  from  fontainian  interference  ,  &  on  account  of  our  relationship  being  strictly  on  lines  of  providing  resources  [  ;  ]  no  one  will  say  a  word  .  "

                                so  rest  assured  ,  chief  justice  ,  wriothesley  would  dare  a  soul  to  utter  a  word  of  wrong  .  this  was  a  land  of  sinners  [  ;  ]  as  such  ,  no  one  daren’t  ever  cast  judgment  onto  another  ,  everyone  was  guilty  &  are  learning  to  rehabilitate  their  rebirth  .  many  unfiltered  propaganda  started  to  surface  on  the  buds  of  his  tongue  ,  &  wriothesley  chose  to  withhold  on  account  of  maintaining  his  professionalism  .  he  surrounds  neuvillette’s  arm  around  his  neck  &  over  his  shoulder  ,  lagging  an  appendage  to  allow  the  chief  justice  to  hold  onto  the  last  ounce  of  pride  that  stubbornly  refuses  to  be  discarded  .

                                "  if  it  really  ails  you  that  much  ,  i  will  accommodate  a  path  that  doesn’t  directly  lead  into  the  administrative  area  &  dormitories  ,  rather  ,  a  short  -  cut  to  the  infirmary  .  sigewinne  should  already  be  expecting  your  visit  .  "  the  hollow  &  gigantic  pipes  would  vary  in  direction  ,  one  could  easily  get  lost  if  you  weren’t  a  crime  born  citizen  of  the  fortress  .