eggbowl | In my blood...

[ah, there it is. Dohalim lets out a sharp "hah" as he pulls Zhongli's arms back just a little more. if he were in a normal state of mind, he'd be worried about pulling too hard and hurting the other but right now... right now he just looks so pretty. it's a miracle Dohalim hasn't come just yet, especially with how hot and tight Zhongli is around his cock.

which is why, as he presses in again and pulls Zhongli back even more, he stops for a moment, chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. hair sticks to his forehead as his bangs fall over his eyes; he tosses his head to the side to shake the locks from view, albeit with futility]

Please what...? Tell me... What you want, Zhongli. Go on...

[he won't move until the deity tells him. he can't just give him what he wants without asking, first, after all. but ah... hearing that desperation in Zhongli's voice... like music to his ears. it's so much nicer to hear that tone from someone who is usually so proper and decorous]

Put that vernacular to good use.

[abruptly, everything stops. he should have expected it, of course - this is his punishment, after all - but ah, it's so hard to take. he can feel how Dohalim throbs inside him, feel how he throbs in turn, arms burning with the pressure on his shoulders. sweat sticks hair to his face too, a scattered mess around his skin as he's left panting and almost whining.]

Dohalim... nngh... [if he tilted his head, he thinks he could probably see the man. could lean back a little and ease the ache on his muscles, if he really wanted to. and yet... yet he allows this, almost basking in the cruel ache of it.] I want... haaah... I want release...

[not nearly as vulgar as he could be, but it's easy to shy back from it a little for now. letting go, for someone like him, isn't at all a simple task, and this probably isn't the right way to reach it. but really, he's so close and his body aches so much, what else can he do? and if it pleases Dohalim, then... ah...]

I want... to feel you filling me up. [his hips shift, a little squirming to try desperately to get some of the sensation he needs so badly.] Don't-- don't stop. Please.

[he stands still for a moment more, waiting for those words, and giving himself a moment to catch his breath and calm himself down a bit so he can keep going. he doesn't expect Zhongli to be so crude in his words, but just hearing him pleading is enough to pull a grin on his face. the way his body shifts impatiently is almost intoxicating, and Dohalim finds himself staying still for longer than intended, just to watch him. but he does eventually lean in to gently press an uncharacteristically soft kiss on Zhongli's shoulder before muttering in his ear]

Since you've asked so nicely...

[straightening back up, Dohalim pulls out almost completely, hissing out a breath at the sudden cold air on his cock, before thrusting back in, swift and hard. just once, to feel the now easier glide of his cock against hot walls squeezing around him. it feels so nice, especially now that the corruption has taken its hold completely, for the time being. but it's a brief moment of pause before Dohalim sets a pace again, as unrelentless as before. heavy breaths break the sound of skin slapping against skin, with interjected groans from Dohalim himself. he's close, and really, he shouldn't care of Zhongli does cum or not, but he supposes that he's taken his punishment so well that he could give him this reprieve]

[the wait is agony, after he's been so good. after he's given in so fully, for the moment. Dohalim is so still behind him, thick but not enough like this, and he can feel his cheeks heat up at the soft kiss to his shoulder. that... he didn't expect. is it a little bit of the other Dohalim, or just a circumstance of getting what he wants? it's hard to tell.]

Ah... haah...

[Dohalim nearly pulls out and the deity trembles beneath him, aching for the feeling of fullness in a way he hadn't expected. such a small thing, and yet it has such a profound effect... if not half as profound as the way he thrusts back in. deep, hard, and it pulls a sharp cry from Zhongli. ah, ah, that's... wonderful, isn't it? unrelated to their bond, unrelated to the circumstances, and if he just ignores that it's so very easy to fall into the pleasure.

his body trembles as his orgasm approaches, drawn ever closer by the relentless pace and the sound of Dohalim above him. behind him. he's starting to lose track of positioning altogether, really, hands curling and uncurling, curling again to dig nails into his palms for lack of anywhere else to put them. it's a little bit thrilling to be held fast like this, too... as the final bit of resistance and concentration break, Zhongli devolves into moans and gasps of the other's name, filled with that same hopeless desperation until his orgasm finally hits. and when that does, cum splattering the sheets as his whole body tightens, trembling and squeezing down on the invading cock like it means to coax him to his own end.

ah, this is going to be such a confusing mess later, isn't it?]

[hearing Zhongli speak his name in such a manner, with such desperation in it is enough for Dohalim to topple over that edge, into his own pleasure. the tightness around his cock urges him towards an orgasm; one final push in and he cums. he lets go of Zhongli's wrists to wrap his arms around his chest, pulling the deity flush against his chest to make sure that every drop of his spend is pumped into him. ragged breaths puff against Zhongli's shoulder as Dohalim presses his face against it, cut between small moans. at some point does he lean forward, taking Zhongli down with him as he moves to lie down on his bed; as he does so, he finally slips out of him. it's a bit of an awkward landing, but he manages to get them there in the end, despite their legs dangling off the edge. there's a blissfulness in the haze, and for a moment, there's no corruption, no strain on the bond between himself and the other, just... peace.

but that doesn't last long at all as clarity soon comes to him, and without the influence of corruption, what dawns on Dohalim almost makes him sick. he pulls himself away from Zhongli as he recoils, as everything catches up to him. everything he'd done here. how could he have done this, how could he have let this happen? a tremble makes its way up his spine as he tries to push away the images, the memory of imposing himself onto Zhongli, forcing his way into him--]

I-I'm sorry--

[he needs to leave. he's a monster. he... how could he have done this? Zhongli had shown him nothing but kindness and warmth and this is... this is how he repays him...]

[arms wrap around his chest and it's a relief, really - freedom for his arms as Dohalim cums inside him. it feels good, a relief he didn't know he needed as hot spend fills him. as the other pulls him along afterward, Zhongli lets himself collapse onto the bed, legs hanging off but otherwise just... sated. it'll start to hurt again soon, he knows.

between the bruises and the ache of strained muscle, he'll be in a fair bit of pain, even. still... in some way, was it not worth it? if it had been slightly different circumstances, if they had gotten to this point naturally, maybe that would be best, but...]

Ah... it's alright-

[it's a concerted effort to sit up, inhaling a sharp breath as he works to turn toward Dohalim. with the corruption at rest, it's easy to wrap his own astral energy around their bond, to share warmth with him.]

Are you alright? [as far as he understands it, there's a real risk of injury when... well, jamming it in the way he had. his body is fine, and it will heal quickly, but Dohalim... and beyond that, the amount of guilt for being unable to stop it from happening could be doing anything to the young man, really.]

[for once, he resists that warmth, tries to deflect it in their bond. he doesn't deserve it, he doesn't deserve to be cared for, to be shown kindness when all he's brought is more pain. it's not alright; nothing about this is alright. how could he say so when he'd forcefully imposed himself onto the deity, and for what? for control? to quell the corruption inside of him? why did he not fight it...

so engrossed in his own mind, Dohalim barely notices Zhongli moving, and the question asked gets him to look up at him. whatever pain he's in, if any, his body hasn't registered it yet; the emotional shock of what he'd done still gripping him tightly. breathing is hard, all of a sudden, as his chest heaves, as he tries to gulp in air. there's real fear in his eyes, true terror for what he'd done, not unlike when Zhongli found him just days prior.

he doesn't answer the question. he's not alright, this he knows. he hasn't been alright, not since the corruption had made itself known. even if nothing sexual had transpired between them, Dohalim could have... he nearly strangled the deity, he wanted to see him struggle until he couldn't anymore. to watch as life slowly faded from those golden eyes. he'd taken a back seat to his own body, autonomy lost as the corruption took over. and he knows it's going to keep doing this, too... how much more will Zhongli endure... how much more is he willing to endure...

Dohalim notices the bruises forming against Zhongli's pale skin; with an indigo glow of his eyes, he raises his hands to cast a healing arte, focused on taking away the pain. on fixing him. on fixing this, somehow.. he's panicking on the inside, as Zhongli could probably feel as it vibrates against their bond, like faint tremors as Dohalim threatens to crumble]

[the healing arte flows through him and Zhongli shifts with a little more purpose. he's a mess, he knows, but he just can't let it be.]

... Dohalim...

[voice quiet, he shifts to pull the young man to him directly. it's not really a request, nor does he intend to allow himself to be stopped. he's not good at this, and yet... maybe more than ever, he wants to.]

Just breathe. I'm alright. You wouldn't have done anything to truly hurt me. And what happened... that wasn't your fault. Not to me.

[his voice is warm and soothing, and he knows it's not ideal. being in this room alone must be a problem, but he doesn't want to rush anything. as for the corruption... he suspects, after that maneuver, that there's something to it. a balance that can be stricken between them. and if he can do that, can share in it... then maybe that, too, will help to postpone any rash decisions on stopping the redhead.]

[how could he say that he's alright? none of this is alright. as much as he tries to push Zhongli away, as much as he tries to get himself away from him, all Dohalim can do is fall into his arms. he doesn't move to embrace Zhongli back, however, choosing to try to close himself off. his lungs burn from the forceful breathing he can't seem to calm down; it's making him lightheaded. and with the deity's arms around him, it only makes him feel claustrophobic. but he doesn't try to push himself away again, however, opting in to press the crown of his head against Zhongli's chest. maybe if he doesn't look at him, then he can... figure this out.

eyes squeeze closed as he brings his hands up to the other's shoulders, holding onto them with a shaky grip. he casts another healing arte, as if to try to fix the root of the problem; maybe if he heals Zhongli completely, then it'll take one thing off his guilty conscious. he can't fix death, but at least this... physically... he can]

Please... Please, just let me go. I... I am beyond help... I can't...

... you aren't beyond help, and I will not let you go.

[Zhongli's words aren't forceful, but they're certainly definitive. He can understand, of course. Wise he did must feel completely irrevocable, given moral standpoints and their general relationship, but still.]

I'm not asking you to accept this as fact while you're not ready to... but I say it so that you can hear it. You're not beyond help. The fact that you care now tells me that - and it tells me that you aren't so far gone that you've lost it all.

It isn't easy, learning to coexist with whatever your past is. It isn't easy to live with a circumstance like yours. Don't carry that weight alone.

[He doesn't hold Dohalim tightly - if the man wants freedom, he'll give it after that moment. Even as hands grip his shoulders, working to heal Zhongli's injuries, his expression doesn't change. It isn't pity, nor fear or disgust. It's sympathy and understanding, in more ways than his words could ever convey.]

But... moving forward, if you need something of me, you need only ask. If those whispers take you again, don't keep that fact silent.

Not yet...

[but how much longer does he have? how much longer can he keep his own mind before the corruption takes over completely? the near loss of his own mind and control is enough to fuel more of that panic, which only makes him tremble more. he tries to focus on healing Zhongli, but even then, that starts to waver.

but as the deity keeps talking, his deep, smooth voice starts to soothe him. he doesn't understand why Zhongli wants to help him so much. he doesn't understand how the deity, who should be angry at him than anything, who should shun him away from doing something so unspeakable, can be so kind to him, still. it hurts his heart knowing that he'll keep hurting Zhongli if this keeps going, if they let this keep going.

and yet, as he tentatively reaches out to their bond, he searches for that warmth, to let it engulf him. it's selfish... selfish to want it, especially after... but...

he keeps casting healing artes, to give himself something to focus on. even once Zhongli's injuries are completely healed, Dohalim keeps casting, not knowing what else to do. he feels so lost right now; he's spiraling, and he isn't sure how to pull himself out of it. at least with healing Zhongli, that's something he can control. the uncertainty of when the corruption will take hold again shakes him so deeply, it terrifies him, and even with their contract, Dohalim is scared that he'll break it and hurt someone else. but that contract, that bond, he clings to it as soon as he takes hold, letting the warmth surround him]

Please... Please don't let it claim me...

[most of it, Zhongli has no choice but to let Dohalim with through himself. He can only be here, solid and warm, as a beacon of truth and the fact that Dohalim isn't alone. Even now, in the wake of everything...

As his body mends and those spells continue, he reaches for Dohalim's hands to pull them away. His own hands cover them, drawn together to warm.]

I will not allow it. [lifting his hands, he places them to his chest, to give him something to focus on. Zhongli's heartbeat is steady, as resonant as their bond.] I promised, didn't I? You will not lose me. There are many things it appears I missed, but... you needn't worry about that. I believe I understand a little more, now.

[Dohalim focuses on the gentle beat of resonance in their bond, as well as the subtle heartbeat in Zhongli's chest. like the pulse of the earth beneath his feet whenever he's outside the walls of Viscint. the familiar feeling soothes him as he starts to relax, hunched shoulders slumping as he leans heavily against the other. he doesn't look up just yet, his eyes shut as he tries to even out his breathing. hands twist to clasp around Zhongli's, the tremble in his fingers still apparent. he's still terrified. scared of what he might do. scared for the deity, scared if the corruption within himself will taint their bond completely... he's already had to try to keep it at bay enough that it didn't completely tangle itself to their connection, but how much longer would he be able to keep it away?

he casts another healing arte. he's not sure if Zhongli's wounds are completely healed or not, but he wants to make sure. is he expending more energy than he should? probably. but this is the least he could do. whatever physical injuries Zhongli had sustained were by his hand, so he has to fix it. at least he has the ability to do so. though... using so much of it in such a small span of time, with high emotions running rampant in his mind, Dohalim does get a little lightheaded, but he presses on]

What do you understand?

[the question is a genuinely curious one, with no condescending malice behind it]

[Zhongli gives a squeeze to the other's shoulders as that healing energy continues to wash over him, a reminder to stop. to tell him that he's fine, really. he can't stand watching him in this panic, pressing on despite any exhaustion he must feel.]

Ah... just... more of what you require. [one arm rises to cradle Dohalim's body against his own.] I regret to say I hadn't realised how much of an effect it was having on you, in the times when I was gone. After all, I promised not to leave you alone, didn't I?

[even for the sake of chasing a lead, he shouldn't have been gone so long. he should have realised sooner that Dohalim was fighting so hard against his own mind, against the part of him that wanted cruelty and violence. as he leans in, the deity allows himself to press his lips faintly to the crown of the other man's head.]

I doubt my understanding is perfect by any means, but... I do hope to offer you more, moving forward.

You offer enough. More than, if I may be honest.

[and yet, he continues to take more of it. he continues to demand of it. Zhongli had only been away for a handful of hours; if he can't stand being away from him for a period of time, then he may as well take away all autonomy the deity has. and that isn't fair. none of this is fair. but he can't help but want to keep him close, no matter what... the idea of being separated from Zhongli makes his heart pound in his chest as coldness spreads from the pit of his stomach throughout his body. he can feel the corruption want to pick at that anxiety; despite his exhaustion, he tries to push it down. he's already put Zhongli through enough to last him a lifetime, probably, he doesn't need to again.

so he concentrates on putting out another arte, despite the squeeze of his shoulders. the kiss at the top of his head does give him pause for just a moment, confused at the gentle gesture. he can feel a slight flush on his face, but he perishes the thought quickly. he continues on, healing Zhongli. to maybe put at ease some of this guilt...]

... Dohalim.

[there's a soft sigh there, and Zhongli shifts to lean back. the expression he levels on the Renan is full of concern.]

I'm fine. I don't hurt anymore. You're going to harm yourself... I don't want to see you hurt. [it's... slow. agonisingly slow, as something chips away at the veil of earth always covering his emotions. even now, Zhongli can barely grasp the finer details of his own thoughts regarding the other man.] ... Look at me... if you would. Just for a moment.

[he doesn't know if it will help. he doesn't know if he's misread something, either, or if it won't cause more problems than it solves. still, within his own tumultuous heart, maybe it's worth it. for once, maybe if he relaxes just a little of his stern distance...]

[Dohalim considers it for a moment, as he keeps casting. does he deserve to look at Zhongli in the eye? he doesn't think so. he's trapped in a loop of guilt, this much he knows, but he doesn't even try to break free from it. though the corruption is ever present now, it doesn't do much except softly pluck at that guilt, serving more as a reminder that it's there, than acting upon it.

but he does will himself to look up, the indigo of the so called bright eyes fading back into amber, truly revealing more raw feelings. eyes are half lidded, slightly unfocused from heavy emotions and exhaustion, tired eyelids fluttering closed as he lets himself sink into it. perhaps he'd just noticed now, but he's just so tired, but then again, hasn't he always been?]

I just... Want to make sure...

[there's a slight tremble in his voice as he falls into that exhaustion, slumping in Zhongli's arm. perhaps... he'd pushed himself too much, but still... that tremble makes its way to his very bones, burrowing deep into them, and soon, he's shaking like a quivering leaf threatening to fall from a tree branch]

I've hurt you... I wanted to make sure I fixed it...

I know. [His voice is soft, gentle. With Dohalim looking up, Zhongli can lean in, fingers sliding along his jaw to cradle his face.] It's how you are, after all.

[murmuring those words, he presses his lips to Dohalim's, nothing at all like anything earlier. Warm and soft, full of emotion.]

You would give up all of yourself to help others, and I... selfishly, I don't want to see that. [His words ghost across the Renan's lips, mouth barely pulled far enough to speak them. They're just the surface, scraped clean off the covering of earth and debris, but they're a start.] I don't want to watch, helplessly, while you fall into despair you don't deserve. I'll stay close, as long as you need. Even when you have to give in for a time, nothing that happens will change that.

[even in his exhaustion, it's hard to ignore that kiss, so soft and delicate in and of itself, yet so full of emotion. emotion Zhongli should not have for someone who'd hurt him so; Dohalim's own feelings and emotions bubble and well up inside him. he's... not sure what those feelings are, but they're just as warm as the arm around him, as warm as the golden gaze on him. he doesn't know where they stem from; surely he doesn't have feelings for the deity, right? if he did, he would have tried harder to keep himself from hurting him, and yet...]

Why...

[fingers slip between their lips as Dohalim brushes them against his own, as if to feel the lingering warmth on them, before letting his hand drop. if and when he gives into the corruption... he doesn't want Zhongli around for that. he doesn't want the deity to have to go through that again, over and over. Dohalim doesn't want to sit in the back seat as he tries to claw his way back up to the surface. he doesn't want to sit and watch and feel himself hurting this person. Zhongli may have accepted it as something that may happen again in the future, but Dohalim...

perhaps he'd misinterpreted, when they forged their contract. he thought he was the one who would be held close on a leash, but it turns out, he's the one holding it. he's not sure he likes it. to be the one in control of Zhongli's freedom, or lack thereof... and yet, he wants to tighten his hold on it, to pull the deity close to him, to make sure he doesn't leave his sights. he doesn't want to be, but he can't help but... want to keep him close, with possessive need]

I don't... Want to hurt you again.

Why? I have no reasonable answer for that. Why does a seed choose to endure the harshest clime? Why do beautiful, pure rocks form only under the most unlikely circumstances?

[He does this simply because it's how he feels, after all. Because he could never stand idly by while the world wore Dohalim down... it should have dawned on him earlier, truthfully. When he'd created that contract so easily, signing himself away to his man's side...

The Renan speaks of not wanting to hurt him, and the deity smiles faintly. His to explain... well, it'll make sense or it won't.]

You haven't hurt me, Dohalim. Not truly. [another kiss, and he urges the man to sprawl onto the bed with him. The mess has largely settled, and there's a faintly unpleasant feeling clinging to his thigh, but he can bathe later.] Rather... if it was something I truly didn't want, I would have stopped it. I didn't... dislike the pain, not really.

[is that true? In retrospect, he thinks so. He'd been overwhelmed by it all, and it certainly hadn't been painless, but... hadn't he enjoyed it? The stain on the edge of the blanket speaks to that, and the fact that he's so close now, wanting to feel the Renan nearby even more is... well, undeniable.]

It's alright if you're afraid of it still. I accept it, as it's still a part of you. Is that amenable?

[He'll have to work slowly, true, but... he doesn't think the corruption is so deeply intwined in Dohalim after all. He thinks... just maybe, the man is a little selfish, a little possessive, and he can't yet separate the difference between feelings that make him feel guilty and the slow twist of something sinister. Eventually, that will shift a little more, and he already knows this isn't healthy, but Zhongli... can't bring himself to care.

It doesn't help matters that it seems the poor man hasn't been shown much in the way of true kindness.]

[while he doesn't show it, every kiss incites just a little bit of panic in him. panic over feelings and emotions that should not be there in light of everything that had transpired. panic over things that have not yet happened, of things that have a real possibility of happening. panic over the fact that he wanted to cause pain, that he wanted to push the deity to the brink of death. panic over the fact that Dohalim could easily succumb to the corruption, to that darkness and madness in him, and Zhongli would be at the epicentre for when he does.

but every kiss only gets Dohalim to want more of them. he wants that warmth, he wants that comfort, that kindness. he wants to feel wanted, despite his future, despite the pain he can bring, despite what he could do to Zhongli again. what he undeniably will do. he wants that closeness, to forget for a moment that he's losing himself slowly.

he doesn't resist when Zhongli pulls him down onto his bed, but instead curls up into him, face buried into his chest. he's so warm... how could someone with such warmth want to help? how could someone with such warmth risk themselves to do so? how could someone with such warmth accept all of this so easily? how could someone with such warmth want to share it with him?

perhaps it's selfish to take it, but Dohalim so desperately wants to. it's not something he'd willing to let himself have; he had his friends in Lenegis, but... the warmth he received from that was so short lived, it seemed, especially after... he supposes the darkness had started to fester before that, though. just laying in wake, waiting for the moment to strike, but the warmth... there was some, when he was with them. when things were better, when the four of them could lose themselves in their music]

I am sure that... Even if I say no, you would not accept that. The corruption... It's not only it I fear, but what I could do to you, too. I wanted... I wanted to see how close to the brink of death I could push you towards. I wanted to keep squeezing your neck until all breath ceased. I wanted to hurt you. Do you not see that...?

Of course I see it.

[as always, Zhongli chooses not to shy away from the facts, the reality of it all. while there's quite the number of secrets he kept - and continues to keep, for now - he doesn't like lying. and moreover, Dohalim doesn't need it. he deserves comfort and understanding, yes, but not to the point of delusion.

like this, this acceptance. he can put it all in his actions, dismissing the idea that it'll change anything without dismissing the possibility that something would happen. that's more than just getting lost in the depths of everything, he thinks.]

I would have been fine, even had you continued. And had you lost control to the point that my life was in danger... well, I would have stopped you. You need only trust me that I have enough power for that - and no matter how deep the corruption goes, I will be fine. We will be fine. There is... much that I don't have the words for, but this much I am certain of.

[his arms slip around Dohalim's waist, keeping him close. it's such a comforting place for him, too - giving all of the things he would have given that other side, if he'd simply asked. but if this is their back and forth, that's fine too. he can handle that.]

I don't intend to let myself become something you could ever regret.

We...

[since when have they become "we"? since they forged their contract with each other? or had it been before that? Zhongli was a man shrouded in mystery ever since he'd arrived in Dohalim's court, and even before that, he isn't sure if he'd walked among Viscint's citizens. perhaps, then, he had denied whatever attachments he had for Zhongli, both in part of Kelzalik's warnings of getting close to a stranger, and their social standing.

both regrets, now that he thinks about it.

but feeling the strong arm around him pull him close, Dohalim sinks into it, and into the idea of "we". the idea of the both of them... could he allow himself such a thing? he still doesn't understand why the deity would want to...

Dohalim pulls his head back to glance up at Zhongli. eyes still tired, halflidded, but more present than they have been for... well the last few days, really. in them, no madness, no corruption behind soft amber, just... Dohalim]

[it's a relief to see it, honestly. Zhongli's smile is small, as it always is, somehow mysterious despite everything. for now... for now, this is fine.]

Rest, for now. We can speak in the morning... and... take care of the rest of this as well.

[the mess in particular, and the inevitable need they'll have for a bath after it. and if he's honest, even if Dohalim hadn't practically exhausted himself, Zhongli would like to rest after all that. the pain may be gone, but it doesn't change the exertion.]

[rest and sleep is something else Dohalim is worried about, more for the nightmares that would no doubt plague him, as well as the worry that he'll wake up without Zhongli in his bed with him. it's a worry that he tries to push down, a tentative arm coming up to wrap itself around Zhongli's waist, mirroring him, to help tuck the thoughts away. he had said he won't leave. Dohalim just... has to trust him on that.

the days following have been... better than they have been. not one hundred percent, and there are still moments where Dohalim has to take pause, as those whispers are heard in the back of his head, reaching for him in an unending bid to snatch him back into the darkness. some moments are harder than others, but not hard enough that he warrants a need for Zhongli's help. instead, he would throw himself into his work, working on the state of affairs of Viscint and the rest of Elde Menancia. the mundanity helps, at least.

but when there's that slip that he can't seem to get himself out of, that's when he seeks the other man's help. a façade to hide how he truly is feeling, to keep up appearances around those who don't know what lies in the deep. there's the slightest hint of a tremble in his voice, but he manages to hide most of what he's feeling. to Zhongli, however, he can probably feel that tug in their bond, one that only pulls harder when Dohalim sees him. but even then, he doesn't ask for help, outright. not in public, not when there are others who can hear him]

Would you... Join me for tea?

[a small request, one that seems inconsequential to anyone would be eavesdropping. but Dohalim hopes Zhongli catches the hint]

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