#genshin ficlet

[minhxiao]

from wangshu inn to the fleuve cendre xiao/aether | rating: G | 1.6k words Xiao reads of Aether's journey in Fontaine in The Steambird. He realizes that in Aether's absence, he's picked up the habit of collecting little pieces of him everywhere he goes.

Adeptus Xiao never used to keep track of the days of the week, but now he knows that it is a Sunday. 

And it is precisely because it’s a Sunday that he now stands before Verr Goldet’s desk, arms crossed and waiting at the earliest sliver of dawn.

“Morning, Adeptus Xiao,” Xiao can’t understand the hidden meaning in Verr’s smile, but lately he’s been wondering if she’s teasing him. “The courier came early today.” 

Xiao knows. He had heard him arrive just ten minutes ago to deliver the mail at the foot of the Inn. 

“Paper?” Xiao tries not to look too impatient. Wei meows and nudges her head along Xiao’s wrist and this time, he doesn’t flinch. 

Verr flashes him that unknowable smile again. She slides the freshly pressed newspaper across the counter before hiding a yawn with her palm. 

“Looks like he’s solved some cold case this time after getting roped into standing trial for that Fatui member,” Verr mumbles. “But well… that’s Aether for you.” 

Xiao snatches the latest edition of The Steambird from the counter, the paper crinkling in his hands. 

Washed Up Mysteries Brought to Light: Spina di Rosula Brings the Longstanding Serial Disappearances Case to a Close

 Golden Haired Traveler Unearths Key Evidence Amidst Trial

Xiao quickly skims the front page and that ever present anxiety in his chest loosens just a fraction. He releases his grip on the paper.

He’s alright. 

When Xiao turns the page, his eyes widen. The Steambird always included photos in their features, but every so often, when Aether did something big enough to make the headlines, they would sometimes include a photo of him. 

And this one did. 

It was a clandestine, but striking picture of him standing inside a large courthouse, speaking to a man sitting upon a high dais. Aether appears to be in the middle of a speech, his arm raised upright as he holds some kind of book in his left hand. His face looks uncharacteristically grave.

Even through the photo, Xiao catches the tired line of his body, the hard set of his brow. The adeptus’ heart aches with a restless worry. 

He stares at the photo long enough to bore holes in the paper. Verr clears her throat. 

“Was he injured?” Xiao asks bluntly because he can’t be bothered to slowly read through the flowery, sensationalist paragraphs right now. He would, later. He would read them over and over again until he’s committed the series of events to memory. But at present, Aether’s safety is his most immediate, pressing concern.

“I don’t believe so,” Verr blinks at him slowly. “All they said was that he rushed into the Opera House to deliver the key piece of evidence against the criminal behind this case. It was… really harrowing stuff.” 

Xiao frowns slightly at the ambiguous answer. He knows by now that the papers only cover the most noteworthy and relevant details to the story. But any number of unknown and unseen dangers could have happened behind the scenes. 

Xiao exhales through his nose. There is so much he may never know about Aether and his own lack of knowledge frustrates him.

“What is Spina di… Rosula?” Xiao points to the words. Verr peers over the counter.

“Hmm, like an organization of private investigators. They were the ones that Aether was working with on this case.”

“He is safe with them?” Xiao’s brows furrow. Verr’s expression softens into something unreadable as she gives a gentle sigh. 

He knows exactly what Verr is going to say but he wants to hear it again anyway.

“Aether is a very capable traveler, Xiao,” Verr says, as if she hasn’t told him this ever since he started reading the paper. “You don’t need to worry about him.” 

“… Right,” Xiao folds the paper neatly under his arm and nods to Verr. 

“Thank you, Verr,'' he turns to leave, but this time, Verr calls out to him before he can disappear.

Her voice is hesitant, “You could write to him, you know.” 

Xiao pauses, turning slowly. “Write?” 

Ver nods. “A letter. In the mail. I know he’d appreciate it.” 

The adeptus actually considers it, for the briefest of moments, before he gives a small scoff. How would you send a letter to someone without a home? And what could Xiao possibly tell Aether that would be of value to him in his journeys in distant, foreign lands?

Writing a letter would be useless. Xiao would hate to distract him from his duties. 

“No need.” 

***

Xiao is aware that he never used to be like this.  

He never read newspapers. He couldn’t have cared less about current affairs or the latest fashion trends in other nations. Up until a week ago, he didn’t even know the meaning of things like “pressing charges” or “court cases.” 

But now as he unfurls the latest Steambird in his chambers alongside his copy of the Updated Teyvat Idioms Dictionary, he wonders if his behavior is perhaps more than a mere idle fixation on Aether’s whereabouts and safety. 

In his chambers sits a stack of various newspaper cut-outs forming a timeline of Aether’s journey across Teyvat from the time that he first stepped foot off Liyue. Everything from the grandiose to the mundane― the traveler seemed to make headlines wherever he went, not that Xiao was particularly surprised. 

“... evidence dismantled the defendant's prior defense…” Xiao mumbles to himself. 

Once he’s finished thoroughly reading the article, he reads it again, then crosses his arms deep in thought. A sharp pang of admiration and pride warms his chest, alongside an uncomfortable, aching kind of pain. 

He picks up the page with Aether’s photo on it. 

It’s been two seasons since Xiao’s last seen him in person at the last Lantern Rite.

Before the traveler, Xiao never thought about things like seasons and dates and couriers and newspapers.

But he has never felt the pull of time and distance so strongly as when Aether leaves him. He finds his mind drifting in between his duties, conjuring up images of him meeting new people, seeing new sights. 

What is he doing right now? Xiao would wonder in the morning. Has he rested well? 

Is anything troubling him? At noon. Has he eaten? Is he safe? In the uneasy quiet of the night. 

Xiao would sometimes even find himself staring at the sunset and imagining Aether is watching the very same one, in some city far out of his reach. It seems that every waking hour, Aether finds his way into Xiao’s thoughts but all that he’s left with are scattered newspaper cutouts and stolen, eavesdropped conversations from passersby. 

Verr voice echoes in his head. You could write to him. 

If he wishes to hear from me, he’d call, a small part of Xiao thinks firmly. 

But Aether rarely calls Xiao’s name. 

“I don’t want to use you in that way… You are more to me than just a weapon, Xiao,” Aether had said. 

Xiao hadn’t understood it at the time, but now he’s deduced that Aether merely doesn’t want to trouble him―although that doesn’t make his absence feel any less total. 

All he can do is wait. And perhaps it is this waiting, though unbearably heavy at times, that has also colored Xiao’s world with meaning. Each day is now filled with the possibility of him everywhere and Xiao finds himself watching for a speck of gold in the distance.

He only wishes he were able to make sense of the strong tug inside his chest that threatens to steal his breath every time he sees Aether’s photo. Or the steady ache he feels when he sifts through his memories of Aether one by one like precious stones.

 It wasn’t pain, but the ghost of it. He sets the photo of Aether aside and turns away, feeling the feeling right now, in every pulse of his heart. 

Perhaps he should write a letter. Perhaps he shouldn’t. 

Regardless, until he sees him again, Xiao would wait. Someone like him had nothing but time, after all. 

***

The next morning, Verr Goldet spots a sheet of paper on her desk, the page filled top to bottom with loose handwriting. A letter, she realizes. For the Traveler.

Of course Adeptus Xiao would have no concept of secrecy and had simply left the open letter on her desk with the trust that she would send it to the right place. Verr smiles a little to herself, scanning briefly over the letter. She wonders how many tries it had taken the adeptus to write it properly before settling on the one before her now. 

It reads as follows: 

Aether,

I read of your deeds in Fontaine. 

Once, you referred to myself and my fellow Yaksha as “heroes” but to me, there seems no one else more fitting for such a title than you. You are admirable, honorable, and above all, kind. 

Lately I have taken to reading “The Steambird.” This is how I have come to know about your actions in other nations. I hope you do not mind.  As you know, engaging in mortal pastimes is new to me, but I have found the activity to be rewarding if only because it has made me feel a little closer to you. 

Although, I think that… I would much prefer hearing these stories from your own lips, in your own voice. 

I know well that you are adept and capable of fending for yourself but I still worry about the dangers you face. You have a habit of intentionally putting yourself in harm’s way. The stories in the paper can only tell me so much. Tell me that you are alright. 

And… if you have the time, I would love enjoy your company. Come and tell me about your time in Fontaine, I will listen. 

If you don’t have the time… I will wait.

Xiao

[cocrante]

note: this is just a draft of a fanfiction that I hope to publish someday.

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

I can't stop thinking about the modern au where Haitham is invited to Kaveh's house to pose for him. He is initially embarrassed, feeling quite uncomfortable because he's at the painter's house who had depicted him naked months ago, and now he's even getting paid to pose, although Kaveh assured him that if he didn't feel like it, he could stay dressed, as all he cared about were his melancholic eyes. Terribly captivating and as dramatic as they were, one could easily drown in those green irises.

So, Haitham settles down where Kaveh instructs him, trying to put him at ease during the portrait, engaging in conversation and asking questions, smiling kindly at every response he gives. As the days go by, Haitham becomes increasingly attached to Kaveh, to the point of being irresistibly drawn to him. Kaveh is a handsome man, amiable and charming in his gestures and speech. Every movement he makes seems like a performance or a dance, and for Haitham, just feasting his eyes on that sight would be enough to intoxicate him with Kaveh's presence. As the days pass, Haitham finds himself visiting Kaveh's house more and more often, sometimes to pose and sometimes for

Eccetera, eccetera... :)

[slimepuparibaba]

Stars and Asters: Chapter 1.0 - "How to Train Your Drunk Bards' Dragon" Act 1... or something

Ari's Braindead Notes:

guys i know liyue was included in patch 1.0 okay but listen cut me some slack im literally covering all of mondstadt in this fucking chapter kJHAKLDFHAKLJDFHL

also yes characters interacting time, this will be a lot more fun for me

we do be skipping around to get to the more interesting points

if u wanna like make this fully fledged by all means have at it or like do anything with it i rlly dont care plz just end my misery i am like at my computer dying, wondering what ive done with my life

this is so unserious ok im so not sorry

anyway

without further ado:

CHAPTER 1.0 ACT 1: WHO'S READY FOR SOME MOTHA-FLIPPIN TUTORIALS?!

[WORD COUNT: 8.2k words (i am... so sorry)]

Areas of Genshin canon covered: Beginning of Game to End of Four Temples of Mondstadt

&lt;prev> <masterlist> <next>

Ah, Teyvat. Beautiful, innit? Amazing world full of--

Oh shit, nope, wait. Nevermind. Wake up, bitches, time to run, because the Cataclysm (chat noir??) happened.

So we introduce our two heroes, Aether and Lumine. They wanna escape Teyvat, and then Miss Totally Not Kiana The Unknown God, Asmoday (we think that's her name) shows up, forbidding the Travelers from escaping.

Fun Fact: That Unknown God? That's our corrupted God Program right there, taking the form of the most powerful entity in the world at present to exert control. So far, nothing's gone wrong. Haha. Haha.

Hah.

Anyway, Aether and Lumine decide to fight her, flying towards her, and then just as they dive up and are about to strike, the Unknown God freezes Lumine first.

Panicking, Aether calls out to Lumine before diving at the Unknown God. Yup. Aether is the prota--

Nope. Wait. Hold on. Wh... What's happening with Lumine's prison?

Suddenly, something LITERALLY NO ONE SEES COMING, Lumine breaks out, and through some unknown ability, is able to teleport RIGHT BEHIND THE UNKNOWN GOD, THIS CLOSE to getting a headshot.

Panicked, the Unknown God instead freezes Aether. Lumine calls out his name, then goes to strike again, only to be frozen second, crying out for the Unknown God to give Aether back.

Lumine, in the World System's eyes, has now been fully registered as the Traveler. While Aether, registered as the Abyss Prince.

So, fun fact: according to the "original world seed", that wasn't supposed to happen. Aether was supposed to be the protagonist, not Lumine. Like... something was wrong.

And the God Program? Was pissed.

She kept demanding that the World System reset. Again and again, but the World System refused. The only way the World System would reset was if the God Program reset with it.

God Program: Everything went wrong... you were supposed to be the Abyss Monarch, not your brother...! God Program: No matter... I can simply restart-- World System: Failed to execute deletion due to preexisting condition. God Program: ...Condition? What condition?! The condition claimed that her brother remain the protagonist. If she fails that condition-- World System: Teyvat ver. 5410010 World Console Rule No. 1 - The twin who is first reduced to nothing via the Unknown God is embedded with the Abyssal Monarch spirit data, whereas the leftover twin is embedded with the Traveler Twin spirit data. God Program: But resetting is the only way to get the story to work-- World System: Teyvat ver. 5410010 World Console Rule No. 1 Clause 1 - Once the Traveler and Abyssal Twins have been decided, this decision is permanent and no resetting is allowed. The only options include: deletion of the world console and the Overseer, continue with the storyline. God Program: ...That little bitch... God Program: Show me her data. Now.

The World System pulls up Lumine's data, and something of note is... different about her.

Avatar Name: Female Traveler Nickname: Lumine Model Type: Girl Weapon Type: Sword Element: Changeable Special Condition: Carrier of the Charitas Gene

For simplicity's sake, I'm not gonna explain what the Charitas Gene is. But the God Program is definitely not happy about it, far as I can tell.

(eyo ma'am we get it, youre miguel o'hara but a bitch goddamn--)

And so, Lumine falls asleep for 500 years. And now, we reach Mondstadt's beach, where she talks to Paimon and recaps her on everything that happened.

Paimon is also a literal fish out of water (get it? Because. Because she was fished out? ...okay, I'll see myself out--)

The two became close friends over the past two months and Paimon decides that their first stop should be Mondstadt! Which is. Literally right there. (like c'mon guys, it took you this long to figure it out?)

Also because I like showcasing character moments, please enjoy the two's banter. Please. They're actual sisters.

Lumine: You know... I never really understood how you could've nearly drowned. Paimon: What do you mean by that? Lumine: Oh, nothing... Lumine: I mean, you could've just flown out of the water. Paimon: Hey! J-Just so you know, there's LOTS of other animals that can fly, but they ended up drowning too!  Lumine: That's because their wings got damaged and they couldn't fly out the water. And, as far as I'm aware, Paimon? You don't have wings. Paimon: (unconvincingly) W-well... u-uh... it was... Paimon's legs! Yeah, her legs! They were super sore! Lumine: (chuckling) Mhm. Sure, they were.

The two head over to the first Statue of the Seven they find, and Paimon catches Lumine up on some of the "lore" of the world--about the Archons, about the elements, the statues. And then, immediately, Paimon just. Tells Lumine to touch the statue.

Paimon: Hey, maybe you should try touching it! Lumine: Uh, what-- Paimon: You heard Paimon! Touch the statue and pray to it! Lumine: Those are two entirely different things--

And so, Lumine resonates with Anemo...

...and accidentally windblades herself backwards onto the ground.

Paimon reveals that Lumine was likely blessed with Barbatos' blessing, the Anemo Archon, and that Mondstadt City would gladly welcome her in (to Lumine's confusion, because that's like calling the capital of England "England City", but whatever--)

Before they can decide to move there, gigantic-ass dragon flies over. The two go to check it out and see a green bard (we know it's Venti, this is very much obvious by now) talking to a dragon.

As the two peek in, Paimon accidentally floats too close, losing balance and bumping into Lumine, who creates a large blast of Anemo energy, startling the dragon.

The dragon flies off and Venti disappears. When they go to search for it, they find a red teardrop and have. No clue what to do with it. Lumine holds it in her hand.

Lumine: Huh... never seen anything like this before. Paimon: Paimon hasn't either! She can't tell what it is, but looks like we'll just have to take it with us! Lumine: You're saying we have to hold this the entire way? It's not like I have a bag or anything... Paimon: U-uh, m-maybe we...

The crystal randomly dissipates while the two ponder and Lumine and Paimon scream.

Lumine: T-THE CRYSTAL?! Paimon: WHERE'D IT GO?! WHERE'D IT GO?! Lumine: DON'T ASK ME! I WAS JUST HOLDING IT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN--

The crystal reappears in Lumine's held out hands. Paimon and Lumine scream again, Lumine falling backwards as it hovers.

Lumine: It just... a-appeared again. Paimon: M-maybe... perhaps... Paimon: Oh! Maybe you have a psychic storage space that you learned about from another world!

Half-right. It's the World System working in the "game inventory" mechanic.

Lumine: Yeah, no, I don't think that's it.

It's kinda that.

Anyway, Lumine tests it again, concentrating carefully, only for it to dissipate into thin air. She stares at her palms and--yeah, no, it's definitely gone now.

Paimon: And now it's gone again! Lumine: Seems like along with my Anemo prowess, I can summon items and store them at well... Paimon: So it IS a psychic storage space... Lumine: I'd like to think of it as a virtual inventory. Paimon: Haaah, well, if that's really what you think, then Paimon won't correct you...

Virtual Inventory now introduced as an actual living breathing mechanic that Lumine can utilize as hammer space, they trek to the Whispering Woods, where they meet Amber, who is all like "hey you kinda sus"

Paimon and Lumine give Amber some sas, hilarity ensuing

Amber: You don't look like citizens of Mondstadt. Explain yourselves! Paimon: WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ILLEGAL! Lumine: (internally) Only criminals say that kind of thing...?! Lumine: Sorry, ignore her. She's not good under pressure. I'm Lumine, and that's Paimon. We're really not looking for any trouble. Amber: Hmm... Lumine and Paimon, huh? Doesn't sound like any local names to me. Lumine: (internally) Not wrong... Amber: Well, other than your odd clothing style, you're clear, Lumine. Lumine and Paimon: (internally) Like your clothing is anymore conventional?!

No more time for chit chat, girls, because we got an issue with Hilichurs! Lumine feels like she can hear some sort of "Amber has joined your party" ringing in the back of her head, but she shakes it off as something she thought of herself.

So they find a Hilichurl Camp, and here is where we immediately start deviating.

Paimon: Whoa…! An entire Hilichurl Camp! Lumine: A Hili-what? Amber: Those. Hilichurls.

Amber points to the Hilichurls eating and dancing around a fire. Some are sharpening their axes, others stringing their bows.

Lumine: ...they look... kinda cute. Amber: Yeah, they seem cute, but they can get aggressive to people like you and me. They're too close to the city, so my task this time is to clear out their camp. Lumine: Wait, why can't we just say 'hi' and ask them politely to leave? Amber: B-Because they don't speak our language--wait, Traveler? Where are you going?!

Lumine then decides it's a smart idea to walk up to one of the hilichurls who's happily eating a Sunsettia. She kneels down and tries to talk to them.

Lumine: Um... Hi there, little fella. Hilichurl: ...? Ya!

The Hilichurl stands up, grabbing the club next to him and ready to hit Lumine. He drops his Sunsettia on the ground, but Lumine holds out her arm as if trying to show she means no harm.

Lumine: H-hey, no... uh... no fight! Paimon: Lumine, they won't listen! Hilichurls aren't-- Lumine: Shh, I think I'm making progress...!

Though she struggles, she tries to reason with the Hilichurl and hands it the Sunsettia, hoping to reason.

Lumine: Here… go on, take it.

The Hilichurl looks at her hand, then to the others in his group. They too seem puzzled, but do nothing. Finally, the Hilichurl takes the Sunsettia into his palms and stares at Lumine, before dancing a bit.

Paimon: …h-he… he seems happy…! Hilichurl: Valo valo! Ya mi tomo!

A flash of recognition appears in Lumine's eyes, as if she understands what the Hilichurl is saying. This shouldn't be normal, but she knows anyway. So, she continues conversing.

Lumine: You're welcome. Hey, do you think you can move the camp a little farther into the forest? Hilichurl: Dala? Lumine: Mm… mostly because the other people might be too scared of you, so they'll try and attack. Hilichurl: Mm…

The Hilichurl turns to his friends and starts speaking, Lumine understanding that he's requesting to move the camp farther from the city. After a bit, he returns to conversing with Lumine. Paimon and Amber look from afar in bewilderment.

Amber (shouting): What did he say? Lumine (shouting): He said that they were told to be stationed here by someone, but since I asked nicely, they'll move!

The Hilichurls seem happy that they were able to communicate, and suddenly, the one friendly Hilichurl runs over to the inside of the main hut, motioning Lumine to come over.

Lumine follows, and in front of the Friendly Hilichurl is a small, common chest. Lumine, in shock, looks at him as if affirming what the Hilichurl is offering. He nods in response, and Lumine opens it. Inside, however, is something uncommon…

Inside of the chest is a sword and a bow. The sword is glowing brightly with an aqua-green hue, while the bow seems to have the same sigil that Amber wears on her outrider outfit.

The Hilichurls wave goodbye to the trio as Lumine hands the bow over to Amber, keeping the sword in her grasp. Paimon and Amber are both astonished, as the Hilichurls fulfill their promise and start to move out further into the forest.

Amber: …How… did you do that? Paimon: Paimon's never seen someone interact with Hilichurls like that before… Lumine: Wait, really? No one's asked nicely? Amber: I mean, we've tried, but they couldn't understand us. It usually led to them getting upset and lashing out at us, so whenever they see a person, they strike first on reflex. Lumine: Well… that one Hilichurl said he'd try putting in a good word for me with the other tribes. So, maybe the issue's solved? Paimon: You understood Hilichurlian! That's amazing! Lumine: Just a bit. I'm more surprised he understood me. He seems like a sweet guy--seems like he's the youngest of the group. Amber: All that information from a single exchange with a Hilichurl… Ella Musk would be impressed…

Aside from me restraining myself from wishing Ella Musk's name was changed, the group then realizes that Amber gained a Favonius Warbow. And, for some reason... Luine has the Aquila Favonia?

No one really knows why, but anyway, the group heads back to Mondstadt. Amber catches 'em up: Stormterror is a big dragon that brings gigantic storms whenever he's near, and so Mondstadt's in a tight spot. The Knights of Favonius also have to deal with Hilichurls moving closer and closer into the city, but Lumine realizes something.

Lumine (internally): It doesn't add up... the Hilichurl I talked to said they were told to be stationed there, like they were told by a tactician. Not to mention the person in green who talked to the dragon… something's not right.

Detective Lumine, who decided to turn into Rosa from Tears of Themis for a good bit, then goes with Paimon and Amber to Mondstadt.

They take a tour around the city, which is pretty empty, and learn about what Mondstadt is like. Lumine makes mental note to never indulge in any of the taverns because she apparently might get too caught up in taste-testing wine to the point where she'll become flat-out drunk. Sasuga Traveler.

And then, Lumine is given a Wind Glider by Amber. She glides around, and suddenly, when she lands, the wind glider dissipates. Amber explains this to Lumine. More mechanics.

Amber: Wow, you did pretty well! And it seems like the Wind Glider recognized you as it's owner. Paimon: "Recognized"? What's that mean? Amber: : Some of the items in this world have a will imbedded in them, like my new bow! Amber summons the bow in her hands, which seems to come out of nowhere. This surprises Paimon and Lumine. Amber: See, if an item recognizes you as it's owner and synchronizes with you, you can summon it at will! Practically appears and disappears when you ask it to. Cool trick, right? Paimon: So that's what it is! Amber: Though it's a bit strange. Usually, only Vision holders can achieve this, but… as far as I can see, you don't have a Vision, Traveler. Lumine: …a Vision? Amber: Yeah. A Vision! You see, a Vision is--!

Woops, sorry walking exposition, but we got a dragon to deal with! A tornado begins to form--multiple tornadoes in fact, and as Amber and Paimon run away, Lumine gets Dorothy'd up into the air. Paimon and Amber try to hold her down, but nope.

But, with Venti's help, Lumine remains stable. She's instructed by Venti to "deal with Dvalin".

Venti: You're doing great! Keep it up! Lumine: It'd be nice if you could've introduced yourself before you put me in this situation! Venti: You really want an introduction at a time like this?! Mondstadt needs your help! Lumine: Okay, but when this is all over, I EXPECT answers!

On the ground, Paimon is watching worriedly for Lumine and is this close to flying in, but Amber is busy evacuating citizens.

Amber: Paimon, there's some citizens trying to seek shelter! We have to help! Paimon: B-but…! But what about--? Amber (serious): I know you're worried about your partner, but she looks like she can fend off Mondstadt against the dragon. Right now, these innocent people can't. I need your help.

Paimon seems unsure, looking back up at the sky for Lumine. Amber again asks, but this time, it comes out more as a plea.

Amber: Please…

Paimon then looks at Amber, nodding. Amber runs off, trying to help out innocents. Paimon hesitates, looking up at the sky one last time.

Paimon: …please be okay, Lumine…!

She then flies off in Amber's direction, assisting as best as she can.

Meanwhile, there's this guy... a guy with an eyepatch awtching from afar. He's doing that "cool guy" pose, leaning against the support beam of a building. Congratulations--we've met Kaeya.

Kaeya: So, an Outlander has come to save us from the big, scary dragon. How amusing…

Lisa, who is actually doing work for once, scolds Kaeya as she escorts a woman and her child to safety

Lisa: Kaeya! A little bit of help would be appreciated. Kaeya: Right. Sorry. Got distracted by the light show.  Lisa: Kaeya, not now! Kaeya: Alright, alright. I'm coming. No need to worry so much, Lisa.

While he's busy, though, he still is thinking heavily about that person in the sky... wondering about something. But, oh well, whatever.

After some time passes, Lumine successfully shoos Dvalin away and lands on the ground, where Paimon tearfully hugs Lumine tightly, glad she's okay.

Anyway, then Kaeya comes up

Kaeya (clapping): Well, well, well. You've actually got the power to go up against the dragon... Lumine: ? Kaeya: Are you perhaps a new ally... Kaeya: Or a new storm? Lumine and Paimon (staring): ... Paimon (whispering): Is he really a Knight? Lumine (whispering): No, I think he's a pirate. Kaeya (surprised): Huh. That's. Not the reaction I was expecting.

Anyway, we're introduced to Kaeya and the group heads to the Knights of Favonius, where they meet Jean and Lisa and basically go over how fucked the shit is.

Jean: So that's the situation. Stormterror's power sources must be cut off, and we need your help. I promise, we will help you seek out your brother. Lisa: Mhm. That's right, cuties! Lumine: ... Lumine: Okay so... stop THAT. Lisa: Hm? Lumine: And also, how... many Temples are we dealing with? Kaeya: Three of the Four Temples. Lumine: ... Lumine: I'm sorry, what happened to the fourth? Paimon: is it the rule of threes? Lumine: This sounds like the rule of threes. Amber: What are you guys even saying? Kaeya (snickering): Pffft... finally, my kind of crowd. Amber: No. Stop Do not.

So with that out of the way, Lisa and Kaeya join the party and embark on the quest to the Three Temples--I mean, Three of the Four Temples.

No, Paimon, Lumine, and Kaeya will NOT stop joking about it.

Lumine: But if the fourth temple is off-limits, shouldn't you just call it the three temples? Lisa: Well, you see, it's because-- Paimon: Yeah! If you keep saying it's dangerous but it still exists, then people who would want to visit the Temples would try to find the fourth anyway! Because completionism! Kaeya: Ah, see, I brought up that same point as well, but the Acting Grandmaster said otherwise. Amber: Listen, we're visiting THREE TEMPLES. Okay? Just three! No more! Paimon: No four. Lumine: What a bore. Kaeya: Such a chore. Amber: And no rhyming games! Kaeya: What a... Paimon, Lumine, and Kaeya: Shame? Lisa (sighs): A long errand this will be, won't it, Amber? Amber: You're telling me...

I'm not going to go over the stupid Temples, okay? Like. Literally no one remembers them. I'm skipping them. Shush. This is my fic, I do what I want.

Most you'll get is tidbits of what happens in each one.

First up we have the Temple of the Falcon, where we see Amber in action. And, um...

Amber: Oh no, Hilichurls! Lisa: Quickly, we must defeat them! Kaeya: Right. Amber: Oh, there's explosive barrels over there! Maybe if I throw Baron Bunny over-- Lumine: Oh, hey! Is that you, little guy? Friendly Hilichurl (from before): Tomo! Kaeya, Lisa, and Amber: ... All three: What? Lumine: Sorry for intruding. Were you guys stationed here too? Friendly Hilichurl: Dada. Dala si? Lumine: Oh, some friends of mine. Hey, listen, do you know where some sort of... draconic power is? Friendly Hilichurl: Da! Zido, zido! Paimon: Wow, Lumine, your Hilichurlian is really helpful! Lumine: I know, right? Kinda glad about that. Kaeya: ... Kaeya: S... she speaks... Amber: Yup. Lisa: And she negotiated with... Amber: Mhm. Kaeya: ... Kaeya: That's... a new one...

--yeah, so I lied. Remember how Lumine communicated with the Hilichurls earlier? Yeah, it makes things significantly easier for them.

They take out a Dragon's Breath, move onto the next Temple. Here, Lumine learns about Visions... and the group also tries to avoid every single sexual innuendo Lisa makes.

Lisa: So as you can see, when enemies are Wet, I can easily handle them via chain lightning, as they become electro-charged. Lumine: ... Paimon: ... Lia: The electrical discharge caused by friction is only a little less shocking than love at first sight. Lumine, covering Paimon's ears: Paimon, you're too young to hear this. Paimon, covering her eyes: Paimon is too Paimon to see this. Kaeya: Lisa, maybe cut down on the adult erotica you read? Amber: KAEYA! Kaeya, covering Lumine's ears: What? Just sayin'. Not in front of the children. Lumine: I AM 5'2", THAT IS LIKE AVERAGE HEIGHT FOR A FEMALE ADULT! Kaeya: Sure, kiddo. Lumine, squirming: HANDS OFF, HANDS OFF--!

Lisa also gets a new weapon here, but that's neither really here or there. I'm not gonna mention much about weapons, guys, unless the character is like super important.

Anyway, two out of the four three temples left! Kaeya's turn! And. Um. Well.

Kaeya: Luckily, the Hilichurls weren't so much as a problem this time... Kaeya, turning to Lumine, swinging around his new sword he just got cuz he wants to look like a badass: So. You said they were stationed here? Lumine: Yup. That's what they told me. They typically want to be as far out from humans or human-traveled locations as much as possible so they can live peacefully, but they only ever approach if stationed there. Kaeya: Interesting... Then perhaps. Kaeya, to the Hydro Abyss Mage behind him: YOU were behind this! Hydro Abyss Mage: Gohus, Chiso Vo--

And then a gigantic ass flaming claymore bursts in, hitting the Hydro Abyss Mage.

Hydro Abyss Mage: GAH-- Kaeya: ..well, well, look who it is. Diluc: Knights of Favonius. Always so inefficient. Kaeya: Agree to disagree. But, since you got involved, this should be more interesti-- Amber: KAEYA, DILUC, I GET THAT YOU'RE BICKERING, BUT THE THING ISN'T GONE! Kaeya and Diluc: ?! Lisa, busy electrocuting it: Master Diluc, may we remind you the basics of elemental resonation and why fire doesn't work effectively on water? Diluc: ... Kaeya: ...

Kaeya proceeds to freeze the Hydro Abyss Mage.

Diluc: ... Kaeya: So. 'Inefficient', you said? Diluc: ...tch.

Diluc leaves, while Lumine and Paimon just stare.

Lumine: ...was he... trying to be cool? Paimon: That was... the worst first imperssion ever. Kaeya: Pfft. Yup. Knew I liked you two.

So anyhow and anyway, the group returns to Mondstadt and updates Jean on everything, with Lumine and Paimon learning the Fourth Temple was actually Dvalin's. Insert an "ooooooh" here.

Well, actually, before they update Jean, they see her arguing with Fatui diplomats on things.

Jean: That was the Fatui... from Snezhnaya. Lumine: Actually, it's pronounced "Fah-twee". Jean: ...what? Lumine: You're pronouncing it like pah-tooey, like when someone expectorates. Lumine: Anyway, continue. Jean: Oh... kay...? Paimon: Wait, so the Fatui wanted to kill Stormterror? Kaeya: To be fair, the Cryo Archon and the Fatui have always coveted the other Archons' powers... Lumine: Okay, but why? Kaeya: Beats me. Paimon: Aren't you a Knight? Shouldn't you know more about politics? Kaeya: Aren't you the "number one traveling companion"? Shouldn't YOU know more about Teyvat in general? Paimon: D'oh...

Lisa and Jean then take a look at the red crystal, amused by it. They claim that it's impure, and surprising that Lumine isn't affected by it. Then, she is honored with the title.

Jean: Now then, Traveler... The Knights of Favonius have another favor to ask of you. Lumine: You can just call me Lumine... no need to call me Trave-- Jean: Please accept the title of Honorary Knight... and the gratitude of the Acting Grand Master! Lumine: Aaaaand a new title. Awesome. Paimon: Wow, look at that, Lumine! The Honorary Knight of Favonius! Kaeya: And now you're subject to being called Honorary Knight to the end of your days. Lumine: Haha, very funny.

The group disperses, going their seperate ways, only for Lumine and Paimon to ask for lodging! W-well, except, um...

Paimon: Paimon can't BELIEVE it! The Fatui took ALL THE ROOM IN THE GOETHE HOTEL?! Lumine: And to think it's the only hotel in Mondstadt... for the supposed capital of the place, you'd think there'd be more. Paimon: Urgh... those Fatui! And Paimon could've ordered food service. Lumine: Ah, so YOUR main complaint was food service. Paimon: W-well, who are we supposed to call here? Captain Eyepatch?! Lumine: Or Noelle. Apparently she's like the maid here? Paimon: Yeah, but... Paimon would feel bad asking her for room service... Lumine: (laughs) Paimon: So, Amber said that our room was... this one, right?

Lumine and Paimon arrive at their temporary lodging--the Knights of Favonius HQ. Well, specifically, the area where the Knights who live in the HQ stay. Thankfully, there were open spaces due to a large majority of the soldiers being gone with the actual Grandmaster of the Knights.

When Paimon and Lumine open the room, they find it's... pretty quaint. They get a decent view, a comfy bed. Though, there is a LOT of Favonius paraphernalia--from the books, to the carpet. Even the curtains and...

Lumine: Huh. Didn't know that had Favonius-branded napkins. Paimon: And lamps. Lumine: ...interesting...

Lumine and Paimon take the chance to settle down, sitting back and getting comfy.

Paimon: Lumine, you sure are getting comfortable with the Teyvatan language, though! Those two months of practicing were worth it, weren't they? Lumine: I also had to relearn how to walk again... you know, they never talk about how over five hundred years of sleeping can seriously affect your ability to move. Paimon: Mhm! But it was all worth it in the end!

As Lumine and Paimon lie down on their bed, Lumine looks up at the ceiling. It's getting dark out... they've been busy all day. Talk about an action-packed first day properly interacting with Teyvatan locals.

Lumine: ...it's only been a day, huh? Paimon: ... Paimon: Lumine? Lumine: Hm? Paimon: Are you... sad?

Paimon turns around, looking up at Lumine. She's worried.

Paimon: Do you think the Anemo Archon is the one that took your brother? Lumine: ...no. Far from it. If the statue is anything like the god that took him from me? Definitely not her. Paimon: Do you think he'd at least know her? Lumine: Well... I guess we could ask. Paimon: ...Paimon's sorry. Lumine: Hm? For what?

Paimon grows quiet, then whimpers.

Paimon: ...if Paimon could remember, Paimon would tell you, but...

When Lumine found Paimon, Paimon commented that there were things she did and didn't remember.

Lumine: Well, you seemed to remember some things as we made our way here, right? Paimon: Right, but... it only happened when Paimon saw them. It was like Paimon couldn't remember until she had to remember. Lumine: ...then, when the time comes, you'll remember. I know it. Paimon: ...mn. Paimon hopes so.

Paimon lets out a big yawn, and Lumine smiles gently. For the past two months, it's just been her and Paimon against the world. They've practically become inseperable. Attached to the hip.

Lumine: Tired? Paimon: Mn... Lumine: Go to sleep then, Paimon. It's been a long day.

Lumine stands up, gently tucking Paimon into bed. However, Paimon calls out to Lumine.

Paimon: Lumine, what about you? Aren't you sleepy? Lumine: I'll head to bed in a bit. Just want to do some reading practice before anything.

Lumine stands up, grabbing some books from the shelves. With a stack of them in her arms, she makes her way to the bed, flipping through each of them vigorously.

Clues about her brother's whereabouts. Myths about that Unknown God. An unknown location. She'd accept anything at this point.

Book after book, page after page... the light in the room stayed on throughout the night. It was as if hours passed. And yet, nothing.

No mentions of a blond-haired Traveler in search of his sister. No Unknown Gods with flowing white hair that claimed to be the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. It was all simply tales of Mondstadt, or fairy tales about some oddities.

Lumine's eyes began to droop... she was getting sleepier by the moment. Until finally, the weary girl dozed off.

The first night without her brother. How sad... how unfortunate.

As Lumine dozes off to sleep, she hears a voice resounding... and suddenly, her surroundings change, and she begins to dream.

Once upon a time, there was a one-eyed peacock...

"He came from a long line of creatures that lived in a forest made by their own kind. They despised the gods that lived up above them in the sky, and wished to rule themselves. For they were the superior. That was their belief."

"But the gods were angered by these creatures. How dare they overstep such boundaries set in place? How dare these creatures be greedy and take life into their own hands? In anger, the gods set the creature-made forest ablaze."

"It was Hell on earth. Many cried, many screamed. Beings of shadow emerged from the depths, consuming everyone in it's wake... it was a disaster. No... it was a Cataclysm."

"Despite it being 500 years ago, the one-eyed peacock shared his ancestor's legacy. For his bloodline had been cursed by the gods. What that curse was, he would never say. But all he knew was this: his father had sent him to hide in a beautiful kingdom of dandelions, in hopes that one day, it would perish."

"The peacock, in truth, held a dark secret. His beautiful feathers were nothing but shards of ice. In truth, his true body was afflicted, tainted by his ancestors. And he had to bear that curse for as long as he lived."

"The peacock made his way into the hearts of the Dandelion Kingdom, and soon, he was taken in by an owl and his owlet. The young peacock and owlet grew close, standing side by side, learning and growing together."

"For once, the peacock wondered, 'Is this okay?'. He asked himself, 'could I live like this? Could I spend my days in this Kingdom of Dandelions?' He was comfortable, he was happy... perhaps, he thought, this could be his new home. Perhaps his curse didn't need to be his truth."

"...but the Gods forbade it."

"These Gods weren't the same ones who cursed the peacock's bloodline, not the ones who lived in the clouds. No, they were the ones who determined everyone's fate. The Gods, in their anger, were unsatisfied with the peacock's conclusion."

"You are cursed forevermore. It is your destiny."

"To prove their point, the Gods sent down a 'curse' that tore apart the owl that took the peacock in. Ripping him apart, limb from limb, pucking his feathers until nothing was left, but a mere husk. By the time that the peacock and owlet arrived, it was too late... the owl was no longer himself."

"The owlet watched in horror, his father growing mad and losing himself. No matter what the owlet did, he could only do one last thing:"

"The peacock watched as the owlet cried, curling up against his father's corpse, his beak and talons stained with blood. It had to be him that ended his father's life."

"This was the Gods answer... the peacock understood. There was no father here, no family here. The only thing left was his curse."

"For the first time, the peacock shed his icy feathers, revealing to the blood-stained owlet the truth. In tears, the owlet grew furious--how could the peacock have lied to him? The peacock, this entire time... was he glad that his father died?"

"The owlet clawed at the peacock, and in return, the peacock fought back. It was no longer a friendly duel between brothers. It was a falling out. They fought, and fought, and fought. But what the owlet didn't see were the peacock's tears."

"Ever since that day, the peacock understood. He must never shed his feathers, for he must keep the truth hidden within. The Gods have willed it so. It is, after all, his destiny, to lie."

"He cannot live a happy life in the Dandelion Kingdom. He cannot trust anyone, not even himself."

"And so, the peacock accepted his destiny, doing as the Gods instructed, until his body froze him to the bone, and he took his final breath, cold. Alone. Just as he had been since the beginning."

Lumine immediately bolted up out of bed, her head pounding, ears ringing. What was that dream...? No, really, what WAS that dream?

She looked at Paimon, who was sleeping soundly next to her. A dream about a peacock, an owlet, a dead owl... it was all so vivid, so terrifying, so...

...sad.

Lumine sat up in bed, taking in everything. What sort of dream was that? It was bizarre.

As she felt around for the lamp, her hand rested on a small book. A book she most likely was about to read before falling asleep.

The girl looked outside. Still dark out. Not only that, but her head still ached from such an odd dream--or would it be more appropriate to call it a nightmare?

Either way, she resolved to read the book and find a glass of water. Perhaps that would make it easier on her.

Lumine carefully crept out of the room, ensuring Paimon was fast asleep, before wandering the HQ. It was eerily dead silent in the middle of the night.

She looked around for the kitchen, trying not to make a sound, until at last she found the tap. Setting her book aside and grabbing a glass, she poured herself a drink--

???: "Teyvatan History 101", eh? Lumine: AH!

Nearly spilling her water, Lumine panicked, turning around. Standing there, carrying a lamp, was none other than Kaeya Alberich, dressed down into something she could only assume was his nightwear.

Kaeya: Snooping around in the middle of the night, little miss? Lumine: You scared the heck out of me...! Jeez...! Kaeya: Haha, sorry. Couldn't help myself.

As Kaeya laughed, Lumine held her hand up to her forehead before drinking her glass. Her brows were furrowed, and she seemed to be shaking a bit. At that, Kaeya decided to inquire.

Kaeya: ...hey. Couldn't sleep?

Lumine turned, then looked up at Kaeya.

Kaeya: What? Friend can't ask a friend how she's doing? Lumine: ...we're friends? Kaeya: I'm hurt, Miss Honorary Knight... are you suggesting we aren't?

Lumine laughs at that, before leaning against the counter, sipping her water. Kaeya joins her, leaning against the counter as well. The two are side by side in the quiet of the night.

Lumine: I, uh... yeah. Had a nightmare. Kaeya: Oh? Do tell. Lumine: I just... don't know how to make heads or tails of it? Kaeya: Surprise me. Not only am I devilishly good-looking, but I'm also an expert at interpreting dreams. Lumine: Pfft, that's a lie. Kaeya: You won't know until you try.

The two laugh a bit, until the mood seems to shift in a more... somber way.

Lumine: I, um... I guess I should start by saying I typically don't have nightmares. Kaeya: No? Lumine: Yeah... Aether and I always made sure that we were both at least in the same vicinity when we fell asleep so, I... guess he was like my nightmare repellent. It's... been happening for the past few months. Kaeya: ... Kaeya: I see.

There's a silence in the air, only for Kaeya to try and continue the conversation.

Kaeya: So. You and your brother were close? Lumine: Yeah. Well, are... Lumine: ...hopefully that's the right tense. Kaeya: Hey. I'm sure he's out there. Just gotta look for him is all. I'm sure he's trying to find you too, right? Lumine, quietly: Yeah. I... I hope so too.

Lumine looks into the water in her glass, before she begins to talk about her dream.

Lumine: ...the dream I had this time though was different from most of the other nightmares I've had. Kaeya: Hm? Like what? Lumine: In the past, it was... always about Aether leaving me. Leaving me behind, not letting me follow him, and in the end, I'd end up all alone in a vast, empty void. Lumine: But this one was... about a one-eyed peacock.

When that was mentioned, Kaeya's eye widened.

Kaeya: ...one-eyed... peacock? Lumine: Mhm. Again, a really weird dream, but-- Kaeya: What happened to it? Lumine: Huh? Kaeya: ...t... the peacock, I mean. Did... something happen?

Kaeya hastily tried to correct himself. Lumine couldn't tell if it was the dim lighting or not, but his eye seemed to dart around, refusing to make eye contact with her. Despite this, she continued.

Lumine: Yeah, um... so, the peacock was cursed by the Gods. Something about his bloodline being cursed by defying the creatures that lived in the clouds? It's really confusing. Kaeya: And then? Lumine: Well...

Lumine recounted the story, trying to piece together what she could recall.

Lumine: ...he was accepted into the Dandelion Kingdom. Well, more like sent to infiltrate it by his father to see it's downfall or... something. And he was adopted by an owl and his son. Kaeya: ...

Kaeya grew unexpectedly quiet at this. It was almost uncharacteristic for him.

Lumine: ...Kaeya? Kaeya: Continue.

When he realized how off he sounded, he corrected himself.

Kaeya: Sorry, sorry. I, um... tired. Lumine: O-okay... Lumine: ...well, as time passed, the peacock came to love it in the Dandelion Kingdom, but he questioned if it was alright to stay there or if he had to do what he was "destined" to do. Then, when he hesitated, the Gods got angry. The owl that took care of the peacock went made and his owlet had to be the one to kill him. And the peacock... just watched. Like he was being told "you have to do what you were destined to do now, there is no second option".

Kaeya's hands were shaking, though Lumine couldn't notice it. As if he was reliving a bad memory. A bad dream.

Lumine: ...the peacock decided to try and tell the owlet. I guess he felt bad and at least wanted to put all cards on the table. Shed his feathers, showed the truth and... they fought. And the peacock just... lied for the rest of his life, not questioning his destiny. Kaeya: ...what... happened at the end of the dream? Was... that all?

Lumine grew quiet, before whispering. Ah, so this is why he reacted this way...

Lumine: ...the peacock froze to death.

Kaeya's face darkened. It was like he was hoping for a happier ending deep down, but he knew that it wouldn't end that way.

A few seconds pass, before Lumine draws a conclusion.

Lumine: I don't... want to make assumptions but, I'm guessing from your reaction that... Kaeya: ...that the peacock was me as a kid?

Lumine looked up at Kaeya, who avoided her eyes.

Kaeya: Yeah. From a kid to my teens. Lumine: Then... that owlet was-- Kaeya: The owl was a man named Crepus Ragvindr. And the owlet? His son... Diluc Ragvindr. Lumine: The one who appeared at the Temple of the Wolf? Kaeya: That's right. He and I were close once. But, like you said. I wavered. Instead of being next to him when he had to kill his dad, end Crepus' misery, I just. Watched. Accepted that this was my fate as a descendant of Khaenri'ah.

At that, Lumine became curious.

Lumine: ...Khaenri'ah? Kaeya: An ancient nation made by humans. All Teyvatan nations have been established and run by the Archons, except for Khaenri'ah. Celestia, the big guys up above, hated that. They... wiped out everything. Lumine: I... I-I'm sorry, I-- Kaeya: Don't be. It was centuries ago. Nothing to do with me. Kaeya: Or... well, you know.

Yet another silence between them, only for Kaeya to suddenly chuckle sadly.

Kaeya: Haaah, why... why am I telling you this? Makes no sense. Lumine: Hm? Kaeya: I mean... think about it. We just met today, and suddenly, I'm telling you a secret that I only told one other person, and said person now hates me. I... I must've gone mad.

Kaeya ran his fingers through his hair, continuing to smile sadly.

Kaeya: Ah... that's fine. Just one more person to despise m-- Lumine: I don't despise you.

Kaeya froze in his place. Did... his ears decieve him?

He turned to Lumine, in shock.

Kaeya: What... did you just... Lumine: Why would I hate you for the sins of your father?

The man continued to stare at Lumine, who seemed completely serious. She said it so... matter-of-factly. Was something wrong in her head?

Surely. Surely something was wrong with her. After all, he's a sleeper agent, meant to wait there and watch as Mondstandt burned. So why? Why was she...?

Lumine: If anything, I hate the Gods. Kaeya: ...the... the Gods? Lumine: Mhm. The ones that said that you have to follow your destiny. It's obvious you love Mondstandt, right?

"Obvious"? Please, what does this girl know? Only a day and she's making assumptions on his character.

How could he love Mondstadt when he was to be there someday and watch it all crumble? It was his destiny, his God-given destiny. Written in the stars, unchangeable.

Kaeya: I... hah. I live here, obviously, so-- Lumine: But you love it's people. Kaeya: ... Lumine: I don't know why I got that dream, or why it was so close to your truth. But... what I do know is that every time I saw that peacock, I didn't feel angry. I felt... sad. Lumine: His dad abandoned him to make him fulfill revenge for something that he wasn't involved in, he found a family that was immediately ripped away because he wasn't following his destiny, and he just decides that he has to lie all the time until the day he ends up dying. Lumine: That's such a lonely existence... I couldn't hate a poor creature like that. Lumine: I couldn't hate you like that.

She looks up at Kaeya innocently. Something within Kaeya stirs--it's like she's staring straight into his soul, dissecting everything about him. As she continues to speak, he can't deny her. Like she speaks the truth.

Lumine: If that dream is your reality, then I can't be mad at you. Instead, I'd just be sad. Sad that you wanted to try and be your own person but instead felt like you had to live up to what someone in your past did. That's all, really. Lumine: ...in a way, the Gods never really gave you a chance to grieve at all. Because 'destiny' was more important than you were to them. Lumine: At least, that's just what I'm th--

As Lumine looks up, a strange sight is before her. Kaeya is paralyzed, staring at the ground... and for a moment, she swears she could see something trailing down his cheeks.

A teardrop. A small, tiny teardrop.

Kaeya had lost everything. He didn't want to admit that, but he did. There was nothing for him.

His birth father left him to carry his ancestors' burden. His foster father died in front of his eyes. His best friend, brother, despised him. All the while, he lost the ability to feel like "himself".

He's a liar. A hollow, empty liar.

And instead of falling for his bluff, Lumine, this random stranger from who knows where, shattered that bluff on day one.

Impressive. Scarily impressive. To the point that Kaeya actually felt terrified.

Kaeya: ...hah. Wow. Are... a-are you a therapist? You really should try getting into that. You're, um. You're a very good listene--

Immediately, Lumine sets down her water and hugs Kaeya tightly. She's a lot shorter than him, so her head barely reaches up to his chest, but... for some reason, it's not cold. It's... warm.

Is this a hug?

What kind of hug is it?

A hug of passion and desire?

No. No, Kaeya can tell it isn't... it's too different from that.

A genuine hug from someone that's worried?

...there's no way it could be that, could it?

Lumine: ...you can grieve now. Kaeya: ... Lumine: ...it's long overdue by now, isn't it? I won't get mad at you, so... Lumine: ...I lost something too. We can both grieve together.

...this girl was something else. That much, Kaeya understood.

His hands twitched, not knowing what to do, only to loosely reciprocate the hug. Suddenly, his head moved lower, resting atop hers...

...and tears began to flow.

He choked it back as best he could--oh, how hard he tried. He clenched his teeth, his fists tightening, but he couldn't.

Was this his true feelings? He didn't know. He thought he repressed it a long, long time ago.

But for some reason, Lumine simply saying that she would grieve with him... felt comforting.

Kaeya: ...haha. F-fuck... this is... the worst first impression I've ever made on someone. Lumine, also tearing up: Don't worry. I won't tell. It'll be our little secret.

The two continue to hug, tears flowing. Yet, it felt... freeing. Rejuvenating.

As he wept, as his soul began to thaw, Kaeya asked one question to Lumine. As if seeking this answer his entire life.

Kaeya: Hey, kid? Lumine: Hm? Kaeya: If... if I said I don't want to see Mondstadt suffer... is that okay?

When she heard that question, Lumine squeezed him tighter, nodding.

Lumine: Yes. It has always been okay since the very start.

Someone had listened to him. Someone had listened to his truth... and, for once, someone told him... it was all okay.

Was that all he wished for? A gentle voice to tell him he could do as he wished, feel as he wished?

Was all he wanted an affirmation that... perhaps he could have happiness?

Maybe. Maybe that was all he wanted ever since he was abandoned those years ago. Ever since he was a kid.

And now, finally, someone found him trapped in the ice and helped him break free.

It was almost as if he was reborn anew...

As their tears dried, Kaeya and Lumine took the time to get some fresh air outside of the headquarters. They began to chat over mundane things to ease themselves of the pain. Perhaps it was the stars in the sky, or maybe about some passing cat. Whatever it was, they were at peace.

Then, Kaeya brought up a question.

Kaeya: So. You said you were grieving too. You... were talking about your brother, right? Lumine: Mn. I... don't feel the same without him, so. Kaeya: Right, right. Gotcha.

For a few seconds, there was yet another silence. But then, Kaeya began to speak once more.

Kaeya: ...Diluc was like my brother too. Lumine: Really? Kaeya: Yup. My best friend, my brother-in-arms... but I, um... Kaeya, looking down: I guess I just didn't get the chance to grieve that fact that we couldn't go back to that after he found out the truth. Lumine: ...hey, I'm sure that when the time comes, you could potentially go back to that. Right? Kaeya: ... Kaeya: Pfft. Optimistic, aren't you? Lumine: Haha, I try.

The two chuckle, before looking up at the stars in the night sky. The way they twinkle, the way the clouds roll through the dark indigo hue...

Kaeya: ...what if we try and fill the brother-shaped gap we both have? Lumine: Hm?

Lumine looks up, interested at Kaeya's query. Noticing her puzzled look, he laughs and reiterates.

Kaeya: I mean... you're missing a brother. I'm also just realizing I'm missing a brother. Why don't we both miss a brother together? A pair of siblings without their sibling.

The girl stares at him, then looks down, humming to herself with a smile on her face.

Lumine: So... it's like you'd be my brother and I'd be your sister? Kaeya: Well, if you'll have me. Just know though that, since you know the truth now, I'm not going to go easy on you. Lumine: Haha, wouldn't dream of it.

Right as she says that, she then gets another idea. Her voice has a hint of sincerity to it, a soft look in her eyes.

Lumine: And if you ever go back on your word about "wanting to keep Mondstadt safe", I'll be there personally to punch you back to reality.

Kaeya's stunned at this. To think, instead of being hated, instead, she says she'd be there personally to ensure it wouldn't happen... what an interesting girl.

His lips curl into a smile, and he holds out his hand in front of Lumine.

Kaeya: Sounds like a deal then, little miss Honorary Knight.

Lumine stares at the hand, then up at Kaeya, only to return the smile, firmly shaking his hand.

Lumine: It's my pleasure, Captain Eyepatch. Kaeya: Captain Eyepatch? Lumine: It's the ugly nickname Paimon gave you. Kaeya: Hm... Captain Eyepatch. Hey, maybe I should make that my new working title now that I have no cavalry to captain. Lumine: That... (laughs) that was terrible. Kaeya: You laughed. Lumine: I laughed because it was bad. Kaeya: Aww, come on. Admit it. Lumine: Hahaha!

Their laughter echoed throughout the night. The stars in the night sky shone brightly, the moon watching over the City of Mondstadt. That day, an unbreakable bond was forged.

...and that day, the wheels of fate began to turn.

Kaeya has now joined Lumine's team.

================

jesus christ holy shit holy fuck we're done so some lil notes here before we end it off. yes, this is how the fic is gonna look. im so sorry but also i like character dialogue so much. the way they interact helps them grow more naturally, and the way they talk gives you insight as to how theyre changing and how they act and just. AGH. love dialogue. hate descriptions. cant do that. yuck. also some non-story-relevant plot points (like the goddamn temples like srsly no one remembers those) will be skipped in the future, cuz fetch quests are both tedious to play and tedious to write. only major story events will be recorded. also no kaeya and lumine are not romantically attracted guys just cuz two people stand next to each other doesnt mean theyll kiss, they are like brother and sister. theyre besties. shush. lumines husband will show up to save his girlie in liyue okay this was genuinely a lot more fun than i thought it would be but also this was rlly fucking long im so fucking sorry anyway KLSDJHAFKLJHKL thats all i got for u

&lt;prev> <masterlist> <next>

[archonsbane]

AND I TRY TO TALK REFINED

The one time Il Dottore speaks to you in another language, the one time he speaks to someone else in another language, and the one time you give him a taste of his own medicine.

pairing. dottore x reader

tags & content warnings. gn!reader. reader is the tsaritsa's child. reader is referred to by they/them. there's one (1) mildly suggestive sentence (and it's in a different language lol).

word count. 2.9k

author's note. so. i'm back from the dead. i have two fics for pantalone and one for diluc, around 8k+ words. (none of them are finished LMFAO) but of course i drop everything for this stupid ass man. the reader here is my tsaritsa’schild!reader, though this takes place before beauty is terror. this is set in the early days of their relationship and the start of dottore’s involvement in the fatui. reader's backstory is also implied here, but not outright stated. also i got inspiration from @fatuismooches lovely headcanons, though i strayed a bit far HAHA. thank you for letting me write this! and thank you to my two lovely delulu friends (you know who you are) bc i suddenly got into the mood to write because of them.  also, what is heavily implied to be the script of khaenri'ah in-game is based on latin, so i headcanon that latin is the language of khaenri'ah. also i had to sneak in a tsh reference lmfao it was too perfect not to. i promise i don't include it in all my fics it just so happens to be perfect for certain situations huhu. also i hope you guys catch all the little details i put in! reader and dottore have always been like this lol the title is from 'talk' by hozier.

You are undoubtedly the worst teacher Dottore has ever had, bar none. 

Flighty, distracted, and prone to seamlessly maneuvering to an entirely different topic without blinking an eye, leaving him dumbfounded. Your teaching sessions, if they could be called that, are filled with constant interrogations of his life and large infusions of food. Half the time you aren’t even teaching him, you’re simply rambling about whatever it is you ramble about (he’s learned to tune you out, partly because he doesn’t care and partly because he can’t understand what you’re saying). He is truly reconsidering forgoing learning Snezhnayan — at the pace you're going, he might as well take his chances and learn by himself.  

“But Mother said,” you remind him, petulantly, like a small child. Yes, the Tsaritsa commanded him to learn Snezhnayan, and commanded you to teach him, but he is greatly tempted to ask her to send another teacher. It has only been two weeks since your lessons begun and he might truly go mad. Sometimes he thinks this might be the worst thing a divine being has ever inflicted on him.

In truth, he already knows Snezhnayan, but only enough to hold a polite conversation. It is his least favorite of the languages he learned from his teachers in the Akademiya, and anyway, he never quite had a deftness for tongues. He is always most at home working with his hands, destroying and creating physical matter, covered in dust and soot, cracking open the world’s secrets like an egg. But the Tsartisa willed him to learn, and he is nothing if not a scholar. 

“But Mother said,” he mocks, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. He’s learned that you have no convictions about his personality. If anything, you seemed to embrace it. Whereas he dons a respectful — as respectful as he can conjure, anyways �� mask with the Jester and the Tsaritsa, it’s… looser, with you. Still, he is careful not to cross the line. He is only allowed this because he amuses you. You've been treating him like some sort of pet to be played with whenever you desire since his coming here. “Your mother also said to teach me how to speak Snezhnayan, but this is the third time you’ve called for snacks in three hours.” 

You flash a lazy glare at him and go back to eating your beloved pastilas. “You require a tremendous amount of effort to teach.” You’ve switched back to speaking the common tongue, obviously for his sake. “You’re a horrible student.” 

“You’re a horrible teacher!” 

You sniff and take another bite of your pastry. “You’re just really bad at learning.” 

For that, you get a glance heavenward. He is tempted to simply throttle you and be done with it. Treason seems like a fair price to pay for shutting you up. But he considers his options and decides that he would rather not be on the receiving end of your mother’s wrath — it’s too fucking cold here already. Still, greatly offended by this statement, he vents out his anger by cursing at you.

In the language of Sumeru. 

He does not really think of it; his use of his mother tongue has greatly decreased since coming here, but even then, it simply rolls off his tongue as naturally as water flows from a river's mouth.

Your brows shoot up. You open your mouth, pause, and for a moment he fears he is in danger of being exiled or thrown in the dungeon. But then you cock your head to the side. “What does that mean?” You ask. 

An idea unravels in his mind, sparkling with mischief. “It means you’re bad at teaching.” 

You frown. “For some reason, I feel like you’re lying.” 

He curses at you again. Your frown deepens. There is something so satisfying about the way those frustrated lines burrow into your face. When he does it a third time, you actually put down the pastila. 

“What does it mean?” You demand. “You aren’t saying anything bad, are you?” 

It means you’re an insufferable little bastard of mean intelligence and he hopes you fall into a ditch, so yes, he definitely is saying something bad. “It means you’re the most gorgeous, most wonderful person in the world,” he says, sarcasm dripping from the syllables. When you look genuinely taken aback, he lets out a cruel, derisive scoff. “It means you should trust me more.” 

“That seems like a horrible idea.” 

He shrugs and reaches over to take one of the pastilas, light pink with a white, foamy top, vaguely aware that another one of your language lessons has gone considerably off course. Perhaps that was too light a description. It shot in one direction and came speeding back the other way. “Suit yourself, Your Imperial Highness.” 

You smack his hand away, gently. Almost too gently. “Those are mine.” 

He eats it, anyway, and learns many new colorful Snezhnayan curses for it, though he detects no real annoyance in your voice. You ring for another batch of desserts. He counts it as a successful lesson. 

He continues speaking in Sumerian when you're near. It’s the greatest of treasures, seeing you frown and demand to know what he had just uttered in your presence. Sometimes he just says the first phrase that enters his head, most times he insults you and relishes in your clueless blinking. You can't do the same to him — he's been picking up on Snezhnayan at an exponential pace, and he's made sure to memorize all of the insults and swears first. Obviously. It’s his talent for machinations that he prides himself on, but lately, he’s been deriving vicious pleasure from the fact he can speak twenty languages, though it never mattered much to him before. It’s a good, safe outlet for his annoyance whenever you’re near, which you seem to always be, nowadays. 

Even outside the language ‘lessons’ (the word lessons being used extremely lightly) you seem to trail him wherever he goes. Ambushing him in the halls, materializing in the laboratory, and in general trailing him like some attention-starved puppy. He resents it, resents the stars that float through your eyes whenever he enters your view, resents the way you immediately disengage from whatever it was that you were doing to attach yourself to him, all smiles. 

He actively avoids you, but somehow you keep running into him. On purpose or accidentally, he has no idea. He suspects it is the former.

Today is one of those days. You’re by his side, again, chatting happily about… something. He’s trying to tune you out, focusing on the long walk back to his laboratories after a meeting with the Tsaritsa. He needs to do something about that, it’s woefully inconvenient to have to walk a mile every time she calls on him. Some sort of contraption that could go up and down easily would be of great use, and he wouldn’t have to climb so many fucking stairs.

Then — it happens. In your excitement, you bump into some government official accompanied by another, what his role is Dottore does not know and does not care to, but he must be quite high up if he allows himself to glare at you for an instant before it disappears into a cool stare. Or maybe he just has a lot of gall.

"Oh, my apologies sir," you murmur, ducking your head. 

"Quite alright, Your Highness," he says smoothly, "have a good day." He turns his back and starts to mutter to his companion, their heads bent together, completely unaware that with your godly senses and his recent enhancements to his body, you both can hear every word.

"How clumsy," the first man tuts, "what does their mother teach them? She's been too soft on them."

"She lets them run amok doing whatever they please. The other day, they—"

"—yes, I heard. Look at those clothes, aren't they too plain for the heir?"

His companion makes an agreeing noise. "And the company they keep… " 

Dottore doesn't particularly care about what other people think of him, and perhaps if it was only the last sentence that had been uttered he wouldn't have said a word, but the tirade of their complaints makes irritation, absurdly, flare inside him. He whips his head back to their retreating figures, and you throw him a glaring warning, so he clenches his jaw and stays where he is. He isn't one to do nothing, however. 

“Kol khara,” he says to them, viciously. Eat shit. He hears you stifle a sound that might be a laugh and briefly wonders why exactly you would laugh. 

The men turn back around. “Excuse me?” The first one says. 

“Nothing,” he says, curtly, his eyes like sharp daggers, “go on." They throw each other confused glances but say nothing further, going further down the hall until he can no longer see their backs. You both stay in the middle of the now-empty hallway, staring silently off into the distance.

You’ve never been able to contain your curiosity for long. After a good minute of silence, you turn inquisitive eyes on him. He’s been expecting your question.

"What did you say?" You ask.

He shrugs; makes a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Nothing."

You narrow your eyes. "I know it isn't nothing. It was something bad, right? You've said it to me before.” Clever you, he thinks briefly. Nothing gets past you. When he stays enclosed in icy silence, you press on further, “I won’t be mad. It doesn’t bother me — I think it’s funny. Just tell me.” He has no idea why you would ever think it’s funny. Nonetheless, he stays silent. 

You try again. “Tell me.” 

“No.” 

“Please?” 

“No.” 

“Tell me,” you say again, but this time you slip into the voice of the noble, unshakeable heir to Winter. The two words are a command, and they leave no room for argument. He must follow. 

He sighs and runs a hand down his face. “It means I want them to eat shit.” 

A moment of silence passes and Dottore wonders if he should start running. Then, you start to laugh. A small laugh, so small he almost thinks he could cup it in his hands and never let it go. But he recognizes it as different from the laughs you’ve given him before. This one is warm and sweet, conjured from the belly upwards. Summer in a sound. 

He tries very hard not to smile when he says, “you aren’t mad?” 

“No,” you say, still laughing, “I suppose I do deserve it.” He silently agrees. “Anyways, after coming to my defense, I forgive you.” 

He snarls, that sudden irritation reviving itself. “I wasn’t coming to your defense.” 

You shrug, not looking bothered at all. “Fine. Defending yourself and by extension — and complete coincidence — me.” 

He decides it is best not to argue, and listens quietly as you walk with him back to his laboratory, chatting happily away once more. If you notice that over the next few days, his outbursts toward you decrease, you say nothing of it. And if you notice he is insulting other people more in other languages, seemingly for the sole purpose of making you laugh, you say nothing of it, too. 

You’re speaking Sumerian. 

Fluent Sumerian. Rapid-fire Sumerian, without blinking or stumbling over your words. Clean, pure Sumerian, speaking everything with the perfect enunciation of a noble. You don’t notice him behind you, utterly bemused, as you speak to a foreign dignitary from his homeland. The First drags him out of the underground labs from time to time in order to socialize and familiarize himself with the political atmosphere, but Dottore lets you do all the work for him. You engage in polite small talk, though delivered with much more enthusiasm than necessary. But the words are barely intelligible in his head. It isn’t possible that you’ve learned how to speak fluent Sumerian in such a short about of time. He will begrudgingly admit your brightness, small as it is, but even he cannot master a language within a few months. Which means there must only be one conclusion. 

When you notice him, your face morphs into one of surprised panic. Oh. He’s sure his fury is plain to see. It’s at that precise moment the dignitary — Dottore does not see the point in blessings but, Archons bless her — chooses to excuse herself, leaving you open and without a proper excuse to escape with. 

“You can speak Sumerian,” he says, plainly, having immediately taken the empty spot at your side. You take  cautious, half-step backwards. 

You look both amused and slightly abashed. 

He grits his teeth. “For how long?” 

“... since I was five." A pause. You look thoughtful. "Actually, it was your Greater Lord Rukkhadevata who first taught me."

This new piece of information surprises him so much that the flames of his anger are snuffed out, if only for a second. Then they come back raging, and he cannot contain it.

"You knew what I was saying this entire time!" He rages, jabbing an accusing finger at you. You cringe away. "You could understand all of it!"

"Not all of it—" When you see the exasperation that crosses his face, you smile. "Alright. Most of it." 

You begin to walk away, but he furiously follows you. "You lied to me!"

"You were cursing me to my face. I think it's a fair exchange." You shrug with one shoulder, eyes sparkling with mischief. "It was funny, anyway. Your cluelessness, that is." And then, "you should know, now that you know — I can speak the main languages of each nation." 

"I can too," he says haughtily, raising his chin up at you. 

"Really?" You laugh. "Cubitum eamus?"

"What?"

"Nothing." 

"What does that mean?" He demands, only half aware he's repeating the interaction you once had over a plate of pink and white sweets. He's never heard a language sounding quite like that. Perhaps it could be a dialect, but it doesn't sound similar to any currently existing language. "What language is that?"

You deliver your coup de grâce with such smooth smugness on your face. "It's Khaenri'ahn." The dead language. 

He blinks. Opens his mouth dumbly. And lunges.

As he chases you through the halls, your laughter floats warm and clear in the frigid winter air. You easily outpace him, but perhaps out of pity, you let him catch you and drag you to — well, he doesn't exactly know where he's going, only that he does not want to let you escape his rage. You thrash in his arms like a trapped animal, still controlled by a laughing fit all the while. 

"I hate you," he grumbles later, when you've calmed him with a slice of strawberry cheesecake from the kitchens. He's still quite angry, but not angry enough to not accept your peace offering. "You're horrible."

"So are you." 

A pause, then, "Teach me Khaenri'ahn," he says, leaning forward, a bright idea sparking in his chest. "There's so many texts I have yet to decipher — you have no idea the knowledge I can grasp if you teach me." He thinks of the old Ruin Golems in Sumeru. How hard it was to learn how to control them! But with your help, with your knowledge, he could crack the world open like an egg and watch its secrets spill like yolk. 

"I thought I was a bad teacher."

"Bad is better than none at all."

The utterly offended look that flashes on your face teases a grin from his mouth. "You're horrible."

"So are you."

He thinks he sees the corner of your mouth involuntarily curl upward. You twirl your fork in your fingers, humming thoughtfully. "Why should I?" 

"... For the pleasure of contributing to my research?" The look you give him tells him you're not at all convinced. He continues, "My research that is so very essential to the success of this nation?"

You scoff, but you cannot deny it. He would not be alive if he wasn't useful to Snezhnaya.

"You'll owe me," you tell him. 

He shrugs. "There's worse things in the world. Let's start."

It startles you somewhat. "What, now?"

"Yes, now. Unless you have other things to do?" 

You don't. Your language lessons with him already ended when he reached an acceptable mastery over Snezhnayan according to your mother, and he knows that though you have a schedule (mysterious and utterly incomprehensible though it is — not even he has been able to figure it out), you'd drop everything in an instant if something else interests you. Your other engagements are often boring things, too, and the only duty you ever truly commit to are the strange missions your mother sends you on, ones that could go for months on end. He's fairly certain you'll acquiesce to his request.

You pretend to consider it, before shrugging with hardwon carelessness and saying, "Fine."

You're exactly the same. Flighty, distracted, and prone to seamlessly maneuvering to an entirely different topic without blinking an eye. Half the cheesecake is eaten before you even start on the alphabet, and the journey to that is filled with endless detours that consist of bickering, fighting over the (large) cake, and kicking each other like children under his work table. His intelligence is insulted more times in half an hour than in his entire years of study at the Akademiya.

Dottore decides, with solid determination, after eating the last slice of cake, finally learning the pronunciation of the vowels and consonants, and being on the receiving end of an onslaught of Khaeri’ahn curses he truly cannot understand — which is horribly ironic considering the past few weeks — that he might as well beg the Jester for lessons instead, and no one can do a damn thing about it. He tells this to you, chin up, resolute and unwavering in his declaration. 

He never does get around to doing that. 

[suguren]

just the lonley talking again

albedo x reader

word #; 1.82k

warnings; rushed, angst, major character death i think... albedo is an asshole here :pp pre sucrose

a/n; i wrote this at likeee 3 am sooo bare with me it's not the best...

art creds; azhiichigo on twt

albedo always struggled to understand human emotions. how they felt and why they felt certain things. why did it make them upset if it rained? it'll pass. why did they care if their loved ones passed? it was inevitable, they all do eventually.

happiness, sadness, anger, and especially love were difficult for him to wrap his head around. what was the point of it all?

maybe it was the way you would smile at him so affectionately when delivering the needed ingredients for his next experiment, your hands lingering on his for a second longer than needed when you passed them to him. setting the pinecones and what-not onto his desk ever so gently with that lovely grin on your lips. you never hesitated to lend an extra hand when he was conducting his experiments; you were always so happy to help. even if it wore you out, no matter what you'd come back even better than ever like you always do. why did you care so much? you'd go through extreme lengths to help him out when he could easily do it himself in a shorter amount of time. when he would ask you upfront, you'd just shrug and tell him,

"because i want to."

why? wouldn't it be inconvenient for you? you're straining yourself on purpose simply because you 'want to. it didn't make sense to him whatsoever.

so, when he's been failing his recent experiments, working consistently 24/7 to try to figure out where it all went wrong. you can tell he's stressed out. he'd have noticeable eyebags, sighing constantly, and his cold fingers were always combing through his blond locks nearly taking his ponytail out with each time; you thought it would be a good idea to get him a gift.

you wanted to give him a gift that would be memorable. nothing too extravagant, just something to remind him of you. you've known him for long enough, surely it'll be easy to get him something that'll last help him feel better. you tried so hard, traveled so far, going from mondstadt to inazuma. unfortunately it was harder than you thought it would be. what do you get the man who can make whatever he wanted when he wanted? somthing rare of course! something that you could only make yourself...

a ballad, and a bouquet. not just any bouquet however, a bouquet of materials that living beings dropped when they're destroyed.you contained all of them in a small box, carrying it with you as you traveled through teyvat. It took a while longer than you thought, but when you finally finished, you headed back home and decided to assemble it in your room.

you climbed the icy slopes of dragonspine, the cool air nipping at your skin like pins and needles. your hands were stiff and numb, your legs shook and trembled with every step you took in the deep snow. but it was all worth it, every last second was worth it. he was worth everything. you panted softly, your breath spreading small puffs through the thick air.

"care to tell me where you disappeared off to?"

he worked so diligently, no doubt that he forgot to take care of his own needs. his hair was completely disheveled and his skin pale as ever. he looked beyond frustrated, the tips of his fingers were red and from your point of you, there were small blisters growing. your voice strained from your harsh and hazardous efforts to get to his lab.

"a-lbedo..."

the sudden break of your voice pierced through the air like a gunshot, it made him shudder and he took in a deep breath, his tone not nearly as calm and patient as you were used to. he looked in your direction, his eyes glaring through yours as if you spat in his face.

guilt rose in your throat like a mint in a coke. you hadn't realized how he felt without any assistance, how long have you been gone exactly? maybe a few days at most... maybe longer? what does it matter anyway, you're here now and isn't that what mattered the most?

your head hung low as you stared at the stone ground, a few snowflakes danced inside and disappeared from the heat. you walked slowly towards him and nudged the bouquet towards him, a tense grin tugging on the corner of your lips. "i got you a gift, to help you feel better, i know you've been really stressed lately and i wanted to cheer you up."

a smile, a thank you, or even a pat on the back would have sufficed. but instead he snatched the bouquet from your hands and disassembled it, he didn't hesitate to rip off the ribbons you oh so carefully tied on. he spared no glance to the letter you placed inside to give him motivation. he dissected your hard work in ten times the

speed it took you to assemble it.

"this will do, you can leave."

your eyes stared deeply into the nape of his neck, watching as his blond hair ghosted over his pale skin, searching for an explanation, a symbol of gratitude, anything that showed you that he was at least thankful for your efforts. but nothing met your inarticulate expression. so you did as he had asked you to, walking out of the lab with tears threatening to slip through your eyelashes.

you had stomped through the snow, tripping over your feet every now and then, the hot liquid evidence of your emotions blurring your vision. your jaw trembled and clacked, you were unable to feel a single bone in your body. has dragonspine always been this cold? were the winds ever as harsh as they were now? wait, where are you? this wasn't the path from albedos lab. realization struck you like a lighting bolt to a steel rod.

you were lost in a blizzard.

you were too far from albedo to call for him, your voice was too weak anyway, hell nearly everything was weak. there's no going back, no going further. you were stuck here. and unfortunately, this would be where you rest for eternity. the wind blew harder with every second, at some point, pushing your stiff and cold body into the snow. maybe if you weren't so weak and useless, you would've gotten out of here by now. maybe if you tried harder to please him, tried harder to help him.

maybe in another life.

[peonysgreenhouse]

hunt you down. (arlecchino x reader)

summary: you should've known she would find you here. (gn!reader x arlecchino, possessive arle)

forest ranger log #176

tonight, all is quiet. which frightens me a little, not even the chirping on insects can be heard from my post. i have patrolled the entire perimeter, and nothing seems out of place, but i can’t help but worry…

your seelie illuminates your notebook. it was the only source of light besides the few stars that were able to peek through the jungle canopy. the camp was not too far back, and though you had another hour until your shift ended, you feel it would be best to return. the silence of the forest told you all you needed to know.

tighnari has always taught you to trust your instincts, after all.

you knew the way back to your post well by now; it took longer in the dark but the uneasiness building in your chest quickens your usual pace.

and then the sound of footsteps breaks the quiet. heavy and slow, whoever it was that was behind you wanted you to know they were there. you clutch the hilt of your sword tight.

“found you.” the voice whispers, so close to your ear you could feel their breath. you draw your sword, reeling back and nearly tripping over the roots of a tree. she laughs, and it’s then you knew exactly who you were dealing with.

“arlecchino.” you breathe out, hands trembling as you hold your sword out in front of you.

“did you really think you could hide from me, dove?” you shiver at her low voice.

you couldn’t fight her. the battle would be lost before you made your first swing. running was not an option either, she would find you wherever you went. she steps forward, pushing close enough to where the only thing between you two was your sword.

in the dim glow of your seelie, she’s as handsome as death itself. the knave grips your chin in one hand, making sure you would not run.

perhaps a few years ago you would be happy to see your old lover so suddenly, but now you knew the cruelty she was capable of. in that time, you’ve pondered over the relationship you both once had.

were you a mere trophy for her to possess? something pretty she could dangle over the other harbingers heads? a perfect doll for her to marionette?

“the tsaritsa will not miss me.” you clench your teeth, trying your best to not fold underneath her. “i was easily replaced.”

you’re still not sure. you knew you loved her but…

“the tsaritsa…” the barely contained rage in her eyes bubbles over, and her grip on your chin tightens just enough to hurt. “for you to even mention another when i came all the way here to retrieve you.”

“you do not belong to the fatui, nor the tsaritsa. you belong to me.”

[chisel-light-mirror]

honestly i don't think that haitham really argues that much naturally with kaveh.

sure, he has a lot of confidence in himself, and yes he's very smart and doesn't fail to point out how others are wrong. but he doesn't seem like the type of person who would willingly argue with others when he deems other people's interactions rarely useful to him.

haitham is about efficiency. haitham is not about caring about other people's opinions, even if they are extremely incorrect.

given the light of the leaks, this only furthers my opinions about this, that haitham argues with kaveh not because they don't see eye to eye (kaveh is one of the few people who haitham deems his equal. there is no doubt in his eyes that kaveh is a smart and capable person, even if they have different thought patterns and ways of dealing with things.) but because kaveh rarely has an outlet for letting out his negative emotions.

kaveh bottles up all his feelings, thinking that no one around him should see him when he's upset or angry, but it only makes it worse. having an outlet is better for him, especially when he can't find one normally, his friends too emotionally far from him due to his trauma, and no family around him.

and thus, haitham purposely starting an argument, over something tiny and miniscule he really doesn't care about, stinging only enough to where kaveh is biting back, all his suppressed emotions surging forth and snapping at full force, because where else is he going to put these emotions?

haitham doesn't care. honestly, he's glad to see that the faux happy architect is finally showing his emotions, and knows him well enough that he's not serious about what he's saying when his feathers are ruffled up, just upset and hurt from literally everything other than this tiny disagreement.

and, yeah, kaveh feels horrible for fighting with haitham like that, getting flashbacks from when he had that awful fight that almost (?) made their friendship entirely break apart, but haitham, unlike that time, is pretending like nothing happened. in fact, he even silently makes coffee for him the next morning, leaving a baffled kaveh standing in the kitchen, wondering when haitham had memorized exactly how he likes his morning coffee.

and it happens again, this time over kaveh going to the bar again, just outside the door, haitham biting one of his sore spots, and then kaveh nipping back just as hard, except it rolls off of haitham like oil in water.

it isn't until months later that people have commented on how often he bickers with his (ex?) friend that he realizes what haitham is subtly doing.

at this point, it's second nature for them to bicker over tiny things, like who did the dishes last or who left a stray book where, but surprisingly, sometimes kaveh stops for a second when he realizes that haitham is leading the conversation where he wants it to go, egging kaveh to snap and bite back, and feels a rush of warmth into his chest.

after every morning they had a disagreement, there's a mug of coffee on the table waiting for kaveh. it has to be for kaveh, because haitham only drinks tea.

kaveh wonders how long it's been since someone has genuinely cared about him in a way like this, so quietly yet powerfully.

the next morning he finds his favorite pastry sitting next to his coffee mug.

[siennaditbot]

Never forget that Sethos CANONICALLY has "unforgettable green eyes".

[marragurl]

ICE UMBRELLA

LISTEN. TO. ME.

ICE

UMBRELLA

WRIOTHESLEY MAKING AN ICE UMBRELLA FOR NEUVILLETTE

SHUT UP - NO - I CAN’T -

This thought just hit me and I am writing this out of pure mania at like 2 am

We all know that the rain brings comfort to Neuvillette but is also a metaphor for his emotions yea? And everyone and their great-grandmother knows about the Umbrella Scene™ between Wriolette, I DON’T NEED TO EXPLAIN IT AGAIN-

SO PICTURE THIS

Pre- or Post- relationship, doesn’t matter, but Wriothesley knows about Neuviellete’s relationship with the rain, and how he can be found standing in it after long, difficult days in the court, but never really finds the rain itself to be a bother.

Now, he came up to see Neuvillete a bit last minute, a bit of a spontaneous choice for that day. He gets to the Opera Epiclese to try and catch Neuvillette after work before he heads back to his office. However, he’s not there, even though Wriothesley knows that the day’s trial has long gone overtime and it is nighttime already.

And then suddenly, it starts raining outside.

Aight, Wriothesley knows the drill by now, and he’s ready to get his umbrella and go out to find Neuvillette - except, drat.

He forgot it.

He can see Neuvillette’s silhouette in the dark outside, he knows where to look after so many times of this happening.

But Wriothesley didn’t get to his current position of power without some creativity on his end, a forgotten umbrella wasn’t about to stop him from reaching Neuvillette.

Cut to Neuvillette just outside in the rain, lost in his thoughts. It was a long hard trial, another gruesome showing of humanity, and he’s just trying to get his bearings under the rain.

He’s lost in thought enough to not hear the heavy boots coming up behind him, but not enough that he isn’t brought back to reality once he realizes he can’t feel the rain anymore.

It’s familiar to him, he’s gotten used to Wriothesley finding him in the rain and providing shelter with an umbrella. He finds comfort in the action, and so he turns around to once again politely thank him, even if he was perfectly fine in the rain unlike humans. He stops though when he sees Wriothesley holding what seems like a frozen handle of ice.

He follows it up only to see the thinnest layer of ice connecting it and forming a delicate canopy over the pair.

He can see the faint swirls of frost patterns at the top, as well as still see the raindrops forming and sliding off the edges.

A beautiful umbrella made of ice is above them, sheltering them from the rain yet still allowing Neuvillette to enjoy the weather.

The rain clouds cover just enough of the sky for it to be dark while they also stand quite away from the Opera to be out of the light. It’s not the same sort of privacy as Wriothesley’s usual dark umbrella, but there’s something enchanting in being able to see the rain from above as light bits of snow fall off from the edges of the umbrella, surrounding them in a different barrier from the outside world.

They spend a while in comfortable silence under the umbrella, taking in the sound of nature as the rest of the world seems to fall away.

Idk wtf just happened. I blinked and suddenly this was all written.

I JUST WANTED TO RANT ABOUT HOW PRETTY AND THOUGHTFUL IT WOULD BE IF WRIOTHESLEY ACTUALLY USED HIS POWERS FOR A PRETTY ICE UMBRELLA, I DIDN’T MEAN TO WRITE A FICLET!!

I guess if we’re here-

I just like the idea of Wriothesley still wanting to keep Neuvillette company in the rain, but he’s still a human who can catch a cold under the rain. But he also knows Neuvillette likes the rain and the cold, so he makes an umbrella made of thin ice, so it still allows Neuvillette to feel the cold and see the rain while keeping Wriothesley dry (AND I’M A SUCKER FOR WATER AND ICE PAIRS USING THEIR POWERS TOGETHER. NEUVI AND WRIO DANCING ON WATER WHILE WRIO MAKES ICE FLOORS AND NEUVI MAKES PRETTY WATER MOVES AROUND THEM??? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS)

Give me Wriothesley and Neuvillette using their powers to be thoughtful of each other while still keeping their boundaries, give me loving verbal AND non-verbal communication showing how well they know and care for each other!

[frankenjoly]

Long overdue

haikaveh + things you said after you kissed me

“I had been wanting to do that for a long time now.” Al-Haitham said when the kiss ended, and despite those words being delivered in the same tone of certainty that was basically a default for him, Kaveh felt his cheeks heating up a little.

Which was funny, actually.

“Then why didn’t you say something sooner?” There was a smidge of indignation in the way he asked, but the real source of Kaveh’s current frustration was himself.

How come that he hadn’t noticed anything sooner, given how they had known each other for several years at that point? How come that he had refused to see it, to put it more accurately, adamant on thinking his roommate now also boyfriend barely tolerated him at most on good days… and even wondering if he wouldn’t downright despise him on the worst ones? How come that, even when every single one of their shared friends had tried to nudge him in the right direction while being anything but subtle, it had still taken Kaveh so long anyway?

“Man… Tighnari’s going to give me his biggest ‘told you’ ever.” He said almost immediately and, instead of replying to anything (or using words at all), Al-Haitham let out a brief snort.

Not that long ago, Kaveh would have scrunched his nose at the gesture. But, right then? He couldn’t help but giggle.

(Also on ao3.)

[yllirya]

of Wriothesley's wordless love

Before they are together and even after, there are many things that Wriothesley does - and he only thinks that Neuvillette doesn't notice. The Judge appreciates the signs of his affection deeply.

When they hug or pull the other into a passing embrace, often, Wriothesley is not letting go in time.

There's one moment when he's still holding him - and how could Neuvillette not notice? Even if he extends his embrace, Wriothesley lets him go just that one moment later.

The Duke has dry but good humour that is saved for selected ears. Neuvillette takes a notion of how Wriothesley looks his way - secretively - every time he says something funny. As if his reaction would matter the most, even if someone else is present too.

It's not apparent at first, but Wriothesley leaves many open questions that can prompt Neuvillette to say something small about himself. He never has to. But the option is offered and if he shares even a small detail, Wriothesley always listens and reacts.

Neuvillette learns of small things Wriothesley does - mundane and easy yet it affects him in a positive way. It's the small motions and actions of care the Duke commits as if they'd be the most natural things to do. For him, maybe, these are.

It wasn't said between them how Neuvillette likes gentle fingers brushing through his hair and petting the back of his head at one specific spot. But Wriothesley knows where and how to touch him - let it be kind affection or something more.

When they are together at night, in the other's embrace, and the Duke does something Neuvillette likes but has never told him, he whispers, "I love you too."

It takes one moment for Wriothesley before he smiles and kisses him with the same affection that is in his actions.

[cocrante]

Imagining Kaveh gliding on the ice while Haitham stood still, watching him dance as if it were the first time he had ever seen him. The movements were smooth and graceful, taking up the entire rink. He moved swiftly, making his legs dance, and just when Haitham least expected it, Kaveh leaped into the air with a breath-taking jump, twirling mid-air and seamlessly returning to skating continuing his dance

[leifyposting]

Kaeya stops before the threshold of the studio, just outside the cone of diffused light that falls across the floorboards. 

Within the room, bathed in the luminous gold of the late afternoon sun, Jean picks out a tentative tune on her guitar. 

Jean has terrible posture when she plays acoustic. When she’s at the keyboard, she stands tall and straight, shoulders back, poised enough to make even the most difficult riffs look like nothing more than Hot Cross Buns. 

But here, perched on a stool in the middle of her sun-drenched studio, she curls almost protectively over her guitar where it rests on her lap. The fingers that cradle the neck of the instrument press chords into its wooden body with all the skill of a trained musician and all the tenderness of a lover. 

The tune she’s picking out isn’t one Kaeya has heard before. It’s a little bluesy, a little folksy, almost enough country in it to put the taste of campfire smoke at the back of his throat. As he watches, she strums a chord, hums thoughtfully, and plays the same chord with a minor seventh. The halfway unfinished sound shivers through the space, bringing with it a sweetly melancholic dissonance. 

Jean dips her head as her eyes skim over the frets. Soft curls of golden hair, loosed from her ponytail, fall over her jawline, and she doesn’t bother to sweep them away. 

From this angle, Kaeya can’t see the stormy blue-grey of her eyes: only the feathered line of her eyelashes against her cheek and the delicate bow of her parted lips. 

But he doesn’t need to see her eyes to recognize the tender, tentative look on her face — because she looks at him like that sometimes too. 

Jean’s first love is the piano: with its cool, shining keys that give under her outstretched fingers; the tinkling laughter of its high notes and the low rumble of its low ones; the notes that stretch into the silence, drawn out by the pressure of her foot on the pedal, long after her fingers have lifted off the keys. 

Her second love is the guitar: the electric, which she plays in concert, and its clear, singing reverb; the bass, with its deep, understated warmth, long since given over to Kaeya onstage; and the homey, woody acoustic, only played here, in the privacy of her own apartment. 

Kaeya is not a stupid man, as much as he sometimes pretends to be. He is under no illusions regarding his ability to replace either her first love or her second. 

But sometimes — when she looks at him with that muted fondness in the line of her mouth, or when she falls asleep on his shoulder on the drive back to their tour bus, or when she laughs, bright and breathless and unselfconscious in the adrenaline-fueled haze of a concert — he wonders if she would let him be her third. 

Jean strums a final chord and holds it, head bowed, fingers still and steady on the frets, letting the sound echo through the studio until the greedy, silent air swallows it whole. 

[alieinthemorning]

Relinquish in Your Love [Diluc Ragnvindr]

Content: Diluc Story Spoilers (Minor), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert

Pronouns: None

Reblogs: Let me know that you enjoy my work and want to see more, so don’t forget to like and reblog (and comment in the tags. I love seeing people’s rambles in the tags)!

This work’s concepts, plot and original characters are my own which means I do not allow any sort of creative theft nor do I allow my work to be entered into any sort of A.I. bots. Thank you for respecting my space and boundaries.

He usually kept busy on this day.

Busy and away.

To not be bothered by those around him.

But you knew the truth.

The pain he re-lived on this day.

How fresh it laid in his mind.

So, he needed to get away.

Take that energy and expel it.

So, when he came home to you.

He could fall into your arms,

relinquish in your love,

and finally

Let go.

“Welcome home, my sweet.” You took his face in your hands.

He closed his eyes.

“Please don’t hide from me, my love.” You brushed the skin under his eyes.

Slowly he opened those eyes that were usually a sunset on the peak of a mountain, but now they set upon the waves of an ocean.

You wiped the tears that broke past the shore.

“I love you, you know.” You pulled him into you, letting him abandon a bit of his weight onto you.

“I know.” He sniffled,

“Forever and always.”

Oh, look! Another work that either wasn't posted or disappeared into the ether! This was his first birthday fic I ever did, I believe.

Ko-Fi | Commission | Masterlist

[addictofanimation]

It's All Over, Isn't It...? (Pokémon x Genshin Impact AU)

All Kaeya could do was sit by the large Statue of the Seven, leaning against the side as he stared at what was once his home. His eye throbbed as if to remind him of what happened not even an hour ago.

He can still see the anger on Diluc's face, feel the humid heat of the flames that swelled around his blade as it refused to let the rain put it out. He wondered if Diluc would ever come to regret what he did tonight. Kaeya certainly didn't want him to. He had forgiven Diluc even as blood ran down his face and the heat threatened to seal his eyelids together. He was lucky it hadn't damaged his actual eye.

He knew it was all over. Things would never be the same again. And Kaeya had been the one to ruin it with his own hands. He had expected Diluc's anger but had somehow overlooked that it was possible Diluc would attack him. Now he was left homeless with not a shoulder to lean on.

Well, he had someone.

The rustle of leaves behind him barely made Kaeya stir. Whether it was his helper or an enemy come to kill him, he really could have cared less at the moment. However, he found himself tensing when he heard something that sounded like sniffing.

Please be a Hilichurl, please be a Hilichurl, please...

It seemed that Barbatos saw fit to torture him because something touched his thigh and it was most certainly not a Hilichurl. It felt relatively soft and more like a paw. Kaeya barely managed to open his good eye to look before he was met with the sight of a Rockruff looking at him curiously.

To Kaeya, it might as well have been snarling and growling.

With a yelp, Kaeya shoved the young Pokemon away, causing it to let out a yelp of its own. A part of Kaeya twinged at the cry, but a louder and more irrational part of him was too scared to really register the feeling. He scrambled backward, as if doing it enough would make him fuse with the statue behind him and disappear.

The Rockruff whimpered as it hurried to get its paws underneath it again. It looked at Kaeya as if he was going to attack it, lowering itself to the ground and backing away as it whimpered frightfully. If Kaeya hadn't been so terrified, he would have felt awful.

Suddenly, the Rockruff was lifted into the air. When Kaeya looked at who had lifted it, he found himself calming considerably at the familiar figure.

Armarouge.

Armarouge was his brother's partner Pokemon and had been by his side ever since it was a little Charcadet. Diluc had raised Charcadet with the utmost care and attention. When Diluc had to battle Varka to enter the knights, the two had been able to barely scrape by with a victory and it had evolved pretty much as soon as the battle had been over and they had been proclaimed the winners.

It was a proud day in the Ragnvindr household.

Until Diluc had tossed away Armarouge's Poke Ball and had disowned it.

Because it had defended him that night.

Another source of Kaeya's guilt.

Armarouge appeared to be telling the little Pokemon something because it went from looking frightened to somehow apologetic. When Armarouge sat it down onto the ground, it gave him a look and a little yip before running off into the bushes once more.

Now that the Pokemon was gone, Kaeya found his heart rate slowing down and air making its way back into his lungs. But once the attack had passed, he couldn't help but berate himself.

He and Diluc had been working on his fear of Pokemon after a particularly harrowing encounter with their father's Talonflame in the living room. Pokemon were allowed to roam free on Dawn Winery property and little Kaeya had the scare of a lifetime when he had come downstairs from his new room to find the large Pokemon on a perch near the fireplace.

Crepus had also put in the effort to help by introducing him to baby Pokemon first, including some of his Talonflame's recently hatched Fletchings. He had even later gifted one to Diluc to help Kaeya get used to Pokemon other than Diluc's Charcadet being around. After years, it had appeared that all of their hard work was finally working. There had even been talk of getting Kaeya his own partner once he was ready.

He had almost been there, no longer cringing away from Pokemon or having a heart attack at the sight of one. He has been able to hold some of them too.

Now it was like all of that progress had backtracked.

He didn't understand how this could have happened!

As he spiraled downward, he felt himself being shifted but didn't put up a fight. He allowed himself to be moved until he found himself settled against Armarouge. He couldn't be more thankful that his fear of Pokemon had somehow not affected how safe he felt around Armarouge. He would have completely broken if he had become scared of the Pokemon who had helped protect him from childhood.

But that didn't stop the frustrated and sorrowful tears from running down his face. For who knew how long, Kaeya stayed against Armarouge as he wailed, the events of tonight seeming to finally catch up with him.

It was all over.

[peonysgreenhouse]

presentable. (kaveh x reader)

summary: you help kaveh do his hair after he oversleeps.

tags: kaveh x gn!reader, just fluff!

You find him fast asleep at his architect's desk, neck craned at such an uncomfortable angle you wonder how long he had been awake before drifting off.

"Kaveh." You call, quietly, as not to startle him awake. When he doesn't stir, you creep closer, putting a hand on his shoulder and gently shaking him. "Kaveh, you have a meeting soon, you need to wake up."

When he wakes, he does so slowly, the middle of his sketch paper sticking to his cheek as he raises his head from the desk. He groans, blinking slowly against the light from the window, then tilts his head towards you.

Kaveh's face scrunches up when he does so, and it seems he notices two things at once. One, that his choice of nap location has smudged his precious work, and two that he now has a horrible pain in his neck. He groans once again and stands up, huffing.

"I can't believe I fell asleep like this!" He throws up his arms and starts rifling through his clothing chest. "I don't even remember being tired, it's like I finished the working drawings and then I passed out."

You look down at the top sheet and see what looks to be a floor plan, with lots of text in the margins and mathematic symbols you don't quite understand. It gives you a headache just looking at it.

"This is for the lighthouse renovations, right?"

"Right." He answers, shucking off his old shirt and putting a new one on. He shakes out his hair, and then turns to you. "Do you know what time it is? It's not past midday, is it?"

You figure you shouldn't mention how some of the graphite from his paper had imprinted on his cheek. "Ah, well, it's just a little past twelve."

Kaveh curses, striding angrily across the room into the bathroom, angrily muttering to himself. He curses again when he sees his reflection, and starts scrubbing at his face.

"I can do your hair, if you want." You offer, trying to keep him from catastrophizing further. Kaveh continues scrubbing until the pencil markings rub off onto his hands, then leans against the sink.

"...That would be nice." He says, quietly. "I'm already going to be late, might as well be presentable."

You laugh to yourself; you think that sleep-ruffled Kaveh was still more handsome than anyone else in Teyvat. You grab his wrist and tug him back to his architect desk so he could sit, and work on taking out the feathers, the hairpins, the braids in his hair.

Kaveh looks over his working drawings one last time, content to let you brush out his hair with your fingers. He tries not to shiver when you scratch lightly against his scalp.

"Do you want me to style it like you usually do?" You ask, starting to separate the strands for a braid.

Kaveh shrugs. "Whatever looks best. I trust you."

"So I can put it up?"

"Of course." Kaveh takes your hand and brings it up to his lips, kissing your knuckles softly. "Like I said, I trust you."

Your heart flutters at his honesty; you feel you might never get used to it. You braid the small section you had started on and gather his hair into a ponytail. His hair had gotten long since you last messed with it.

You tie it off with a hairband, and move around him to brush his bangs out of his eyes. His cheeks pink at the contact.

"Handsome, as always." You say, content, as you stick his feather behind his ear. "You ready to go now?"

"I've decided that I need to change one little thing." He leans back in his chair, tilting his head back to look at you. Kaveh winces as it pulls the strain from earlier.

"Kaveh, you're already late." You playfully chide.

"I know, I know." He leans forward, grabbing a pencil and tapping it to his lips. "But I'm telling you this is going to be worth the extra minutes. If my employer is passionate about this project, they'll understand."

You sigh. You know in your heart that his employer would most likely not understand, but you couldn't tell him that. You can't help but admire his never-ending optimism for hoping that one day, he'd meet an employer who cared for the art of architecture as much as he did.

"I'll come and drag you out in fifteen, then, alright?"

Kaveh is already so engrossed in his work that you're sure he doesn't hear you. You shake your head, laughing, placing a quick kiss to his hair before leaving him to his work.

You said fifteen, but you'd give him twenty. Art can't be rushed but sometimes it needs to be nudged gently towards the finish line.