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Lumine would like to consider herself as someone with a lot of patience. It is a trait that one needs to have when for millennia they have done nothing but travel between worlds.
Sometimes the distance between the worlds is enormous, and it takes years of travel to arrive at the next one, and on occasions, it is unknown when you will find the next world. Years of nothing but the darkness of space, sometimes with not even the stars, can make one lose their head.
So yes, patience, it was a trait that both her brother and she had to acquire, because the only option left was madness.
And even once down in the worlds that patience, was still a vital part to ensure their survival, sometimes it would be in the little things like hunting for some beast, waiting for the stars or planets to align, and being able to witness a once-in a century event, and in others, it was a matter of life and death, some worlds weren’t kind to beings like them, and once they arrived they had to hide, lay down and wait until they could make their daring escape.
Patience, at this point in her life, was a virtue that Lumine was confident she possessed and was amongst her more reliable ones.
And yet.
“I swear to all the stars above that if you don’t put that brush down, leave your office and go home, I will drag you there myself, and I assure you that I will do my best to ensure that it is the worst experience that you have lived in your whole life. ”
In front of her, the old dragon just uses his free hand to hide his mouth in an attempt to pretend that his chuckle is a cough. To the enormous satisfaction of Lumine his fake cough does nothing more than aggravate his already hurt throat and now the real coughs begin.
For some seconds the only sound is that of his raspy and wet cough, Lumine honestly wants to feel bad, but considering that he had it coming she can’t bring herself to currently take mercy on him.
Saying nothing but making sure that in her eyes he finds nothing else but judgment, she waits until his coughing has stopped.
The office falls into a silence that none of them bother to break, Zhongli because his bad attempt at a lie was uncovered in a way that doesn’t allow him to create a veil over it, and Lumine, because she’s currently too busy trying to decipher, is the sounds that she’s hearing behind the closed door are the attempts of Hu Tao to drop by and listen on their conversation.
In a different situation, she would’ve been pissed at whoever was trying to spy on her, but right now the presence of the Funeral Director is a nice reminder that she’s not alone, and so, there would be witnesses if she was to kill Zhongli.
And being accused of killing Rex Lapis for a second time, (and this time being actually guilty,) is not something she is looking forward.
“How had you put it this morning when you were leaving? That yes, you were sick but it wasn’t anything serious? Or it was something like, yes I’m sick but there’s no reason to fuss over it?”
On his seat Zhongli squirms and avoids her stare feigning interest in one of the paperweights, there’s a red tint now taking over his face, both a combination of embarrassment and the fever that he’s dealing with.
It’s almost the afternoon and while it’s a miracle that his fever hasn’t gotten worse Lumine knows that by the way Zhongli has been pushing himself it’s just a matter of time.
“Oh right! I might be a teeny tiny bit sick but it’s fine, that’s what you told me!”
Zhongli just groans and hides his face between his hands, outside the office, Lumine hears Hu Tao trying to hide her laugh.
“Seeing as to how the situation has ended, I think it should be better to simply admit the truth.”
Zhongli’s face leaves it hiding place between his hands, and he starts to pick up and accommodate the documents and papers that he has on his desk.
“While I wasn’t lying earlier, saying that my ailment was a minor one, I must admit that now it has become something more…”
Strong? Present? Vigorous? Notorious? Undeniable? Which one will he use Lumine wonders, now that the options are many.
“…evident. And I know realize…”
That I was an idiot? A fool? And absolute rockhead? And hey I was wrong you were right, I should have listened to you from the beginning.
“… that I was underestimating how bad I truly was.”
Stupid draconic pride, of course, he would never admit to being wrong when it comes to the little and dumb things. Still, at least he admitted it.
“Well, it should be in our best interest to take you home before you do actually get worse.” And at least once they’re back home, she can drive into him how much of an idiot he was being, and to let him get some rest and allow him to get well, also, of course.
Leaving everything in order and ready to be used for the next time he comes, Zhongli stands and walks toward her. Up close she can see better the flush on his face, it would be better to hurry now before it gets worse.
Locking arms and walking together they leave the room, outside director Hu does her best to pretend in being busy with another thing.
“I’m stealing your consultant.”
“Don’t return him until he’s better.”
“That was the plan.”
Resigned, Zhongli just sighs, outside the sun is shining strongly, the streets are full of sound and life.
It takes them a while, that with the needing of avoiding and having to maneuver all the people in the out.
By the time they arrive Zhongli is getting worse and now comes the hard part of looking after him.
But Lumine has the feeling that in the end it won’t take that much of her.
After all, patience is one of her many virtues.