Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You, Paimon and Aether are on a boat that’s bringing you to Fontaine. You used the free time to think about what to do and about your situation.

Your boyfriend lost his sibling a while ago and since then he’s been on a mission to find her. He fought monsters, people, Archons, and robotic machines. He solved all the problems the other regions had. He travelled across 4 regions just to reunite with his sibling, but alas, Lumine is still somewhere out in Teyvat. He met her once, but she just got away from him again. He was called a hero, but deep down you both knew he never wanted to be one. He just wanted to live a good life with you, Lumine and Paimon.

He has to fight monsters on a daily basis, but the most difficult fights for him were Scaramouche, Raiden, Childe and Signora. Hell, to fight Scaramouche he went against a giant robot that shot laser beams, Raiden is a fucking archon, Childe and his delusion plus his Foul Legacy form gave him quite the trouble, and Aether almost both froze and burned to death. Other two honourable mentions are Stormterror and Azhdaha.

Still, it was clear as day he was exhausted. Hell, even Paimon could tell, and she was usually obvious to basically anything that involved a social interaction. Like every time she asked someone about their trauma while they were clearly shaken. Yeah. The same Paimon could tell Aether was exhausted. Clearly, there was something VERY wrong.

At the beginning, when you first met, you had your doubts on Paimon. Her patterns seemed too similar to the unknown goddess that attacked you, but you tried not to think too much about it, hoping you were just looking too much into it. Even if you insulted her or called her emergency food you still got somewhat attached to her, and it would break you if she was actually evil.

You were now traveling towards the 5th region, hoping that your fate would be different. Deep down you knew that Aether's journey would end only when he saw all the regions, just like Lumine said. You hadn't been there to hear her specific words, but she apparently said that she had lots of time to spare and she’d wait until Aether’s journey would come to an end. Even so, he was too stubborn to just stop looking for her, and well, he cared a lot about her, he wouldn't just give her up like that.

Come to an end… What does that even mean…? Does she mean when we’ll visit all the regions? But if so, What’s so special about the regions? Is there something we must see? At least, that's what Lumine said when we found her. Of course, she said that then disappeared through a portal again. You were sitting on the couch thinking, still wondering and pondering, when Paimon arrived.

"Hey you look lost in thought, can Paimon ask what’s bothering you?" She asked, her high pitched voice snapping you out of your thoughts quickly.
"Well I was just thinking… I think Aether is too selfless. I mean, nothing wrong with being kind but… He travelled all around 4 regions and still hasn’t found his sibling, but he continues on as always… Of course, she means a lot to him but still… I think he should take a break. Plus he’s doing too much work for others, he just won’t stop to take a break.” You rambled on, muttering your concerns, crossing your arms, your brows furrowing in a frown.
Paimon nods in agreement, her expression growing a little more concerned too.

"Paimon agrees, he was much happier when we first met..." She comments, her voice growing softer, and a bit more quiet too.
"Right? That’s what I’m saying… I feel bad for him, but I’m actually quite angry as well. How is it possible that he has to help everybody for little to no information in exchange? Like, none at all? And how come, that the only people that know something either can’t or won’t reveal anything!" You say, your tone growing more hostile, and a little more angry too. You were upset, you just wanted to see the person you cherished be happy and well rested.

You let out a small, defeated sigh. You really wish you could do more for him, but you’re no fighter. You can defend yourself with a weapon, more or less, but you were not even close to his level. You could only do so much as patch him up when he got injured and comfort him when he felt particularly sad or defeated.
"He barely has any time to eat or sleep, and never stops to rest a bit with us. I just… miss him. I guess. It may be a little selfish but…”

You were talking, rambling on about how you felt bad for him and his fate, but as you continued, you slowly noticed the fact that Paimon was looking behind your back more often as you went on. Suspicious, you stopped rambling and looked at her with your head tilted.
"Paimon, is there something behind my back?"
"O-oh what? NO, no don’t worry, please continue" She answered, stuttering. Her lying skills are truly horrible, that much is clear. You felt a small smirk make its way on your lips, amused.
"Oh yeah? Nothing at all?" You ask sarcastically, your head tilting a little, crossing your arms and raising your eyebrow.

She nodded and you continued reluctantly, but whatever she was looking at clearly understood that they were busted and sat beside you on the couch. It was Aether, who woke up from his nap seemingly not too long ago. His hair was all messy, his eyes slightly unfocused and his body still had some marks of the blankets where he wrapped them more tightly around himself.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" You asked softly, concern overshadowing the embarrassment of him hearing your little ramble session.
"Better" He answers, still looking tired and disheveled
"That’s great. Do you want some breakfast? I can bring it to you in bed.” You say, gently brushing his hair out his adorable sleepy face, a small, tender smile subconsciously appearing on your lips.
"Thank you very much, I’d appreciate it”. He answers softly, his tone still a little groggy.

No more words were needed between you two, he sleepily went back to bed, and you got up to make some breakfast. You prepared a tray of food, putting on some biscuits with a glass of water. You would have made tea, but you were afraid it would spill and make a mess. When you got back, he was sitting in bed, with the blanket. Even though you usually liked it when he was in that state, sleepy and a little clingy, you still felt a little sad to see him so exhausted, even after such a long rest.

Still, you enjoyed the moment for now, mostly focusing on taking care of him and getting some attention too. After all, it was in peaceful moments like these that you were reminded how much you missed and craved his touch.

"Here you go, love…" You said as you lay the tray on his legs carefully.
“Should I get something else for you?” You also added, being mindful to ask if he was fine with some biscuits or wanted something else for breakfast.
"No, it’s ok, I like it." He says, shaking his head. He wasn’t picky at all with food. On his adventures, he had to eat whatever he could, which oftentimes wasn’t exactly a five star meal. Biscuits and water seemed to him like a nice meal enough.
He rested his head on your shoulder as he started eating his food. He could already feel his eyes drooping again.

"You know, I missed this." You say, with a hint of melancholy in your tone. You didn’t mean anything bad, nor want to insinuate he was neglecting you, but it probably came across that way.
"I know, I’m sorry." He says softly, his eyes slowly filling with guilt. Sometimes he failed to realise that, while looking for what he lost, by looking at the past, he cast aside who was with him now, forgetting the present in favour of the past.
"No, no, it’s not your fault! I was just… thinking out loud" You say, shaking your head, trying to reassure him. You genuinely meant no harm, and surely didn’t want to guilt trip him!
"No, you’re right. It has indeed been a while. Do you… wanna catch up a little?” He asks, his tone growing softer and a little more guilty, finishing his breakfast and slowly snuggling up on your chest, wanting to feel your warmth.
You put your head on his. It had been a while since you rested like that, and you had missed it a lot.

"How much information did you gain about your sister?" You ask to make small talk, a little hopeful to be getting closer to the truth. After all, now not many more regions were missing before the journey would come to a close.
"Not much… I now know that she’s working with the abyss… But that’s just about it.” He said, his tone growing immediately more weary. Noticing the topic brought him discomfort, you dropped it as quickly as you brought it up.
"Maybe Fontaine’s Archon will know something... Let’s keep hoping!" You say, putting an end to the topic, gently caressing his head, which was now buried deeper in your chest in an attempt at hiding what you could assume was sadness or grief.
He nods, happily dropping the subject too, not too keen on talking about his slow and painfully long search for information.
"Yeah. I hope that too.” He says, his voice quieter than usual, both the result of the fact it was muffled and that he didn’t wanna keep talking.

You take the empty tray and take it in the kitchen, not wanting anything, like crumbs or worse, the glass, to drop, then get back to the bedroom. You were a little surprised at the speed in which he got back down in bed, laying under the covers again. You went in to kiss his forehead, then started to leave, assuming he wanted some more rest. To your surprise, though, he gently tugged at your arm, looking at you with such cute puppy eyes that you couldn't resist.

"Stay" He simply says, his tone firm and yet so pleading and gentle.
"Ah, of course.” You answered, letting out a soft huff, a smile gracing your lips. It was… super cute and endearing to see him act that way.

You lay back down with him, getting under the warm blankets and letting out a pleased sigh. He took you in his arms, spooning you. One of his arms wrapped around your waist, and the other went to support your head and bring it closer to his chest.
He was content and warm like that. He felt his worries momentarily melting away while holding you, as if your presence brought him comfort. Though the fear of losing you was still there, he let himself relax a little more. You snuggled close to him and looked up at him, taking in his features.

He looks so different since when you started your journey. He has many scars all across his body now. Even though you liked to kiss them all when he felt self conscious, you still wanted him to feel comfortable in his own skin. He's become way more wary, always on guard for any enemies. One of the consequences of this is that he also became a very light sleeper. Any sound woke him up and had him instinctively reaching for his sword. You feel bad for him, but can't really do much more than staying with him for the night. You offered your presence and comfort, and tried being as supportive as you could.

"Goodnight Aether. Sleep well." You say softly, your voice soothing him even more, lulling him into a state of sleepiness.
"Goodnight" He answers as he keeps you close, his eyes finally drooping and closing again. You felt him relax, and you knew he fell asleep. Maybe, in the comfort of your arms, he would sleep better. You could only do so much but hold out hope.

Chapter Text

FIRST HEADCANON= Bickering (Kaveh)
The first time Kaveh told you he loved you wasn’t actually a romantic and lovely moment, under the rain or with any other clichè way, in fact, it was quite the opposite… Not what you would have expected maybe, but not necessarily unpleasant.
“I TOLD YOU!! Stop calling me an Abyss mage! I AM NOT THAT SHORT!” You were shouting, your tone heated, but not truly angry, just playfully loud.
He was just laughing at you, showing no real reaction other than amusement. As soon as you realised your guilt tripping wouldn’t really work on him, you crossed your arms and rolled your eyes.
“I hate you so much… You’re so mean…” You mutter, sniffling purposefully, still trying to guilt trip him somewhat.
“Aw come on, we both know you love me, dearest.” He said, a smirk on his face as he finally stopped laughing at last.
You froze up, your face slowly gaining a pinkish tint. You felt your cheeks burning, and you already knew that if you looked in the mirror, you’d be tomato red.
“Huh?” You managed to say, snapping out of it, covering your face quickly, looking away, letting your eyes drift somewhere, anywhere, else.
Much to your dismay, he chuckled again, then, finally, he got close to you, and… And…?
He grabbed your chin, his gaze growing softer. Though the hint of mischief and playfulness was still in his eyes, they still somewhat seemed tender and caring. You shared a look, a dumb smile spreading on both your lips.
You blushed and leaned in, almost as if pulled by an invisible string. You were a little worried he’d pull away just to tease you a little, but luckily, you didn’t have to wait a lot before having your kiss reciprocated by him quickly.
“I love you too…” You said, still a little bashful, but calmer, and way less stunned than before. You could basically feel his smirk as you look away again, but you paid it no mind, you were content.

SECOND HEADCANON= Tired (Kaveh)
When Kaveh came back home after dealing with a difficult client, or was just tired in general, he would always avoid bickering. He didn’t feel like teasing, when he could just soak in your comforting body warmth. He’d usually just drag you to the bedroom or living room to lay down with you and rest his head on your chest.
I feel like he usually prefers the bed, where he can get under the blankets, grab your waist and just hold you close to him, or the opposite too, if he so wished. He definitely likes to have his head caressed, and even if he puts a good amount of effort in doing his hair, styling it and all, he’d gladly let you mess it up if it means to be comforted and held.
He likes to just complain, but he doesn’t want the solution to his problems. A client is being too rude? Of course, you can’t tell him to stick up for himself, that would just make it worse, he’d answer. He doesn’t like a design he made? Of course he won't start over, what kind of suggestion even is that?! It was just better to listen to his problems and let him vent. After all, once in a while, everyone needs to be heard.

THIRD HEADCANON= terrible jokes in a terrible time (Cyno)
For whatever reason today, you seemed more grumpy than usual. He didn’t know why yet, but he was determined to at least make you feel better, no? What kind of boyfriend would Cyno be if he let his dear partner stay sad?
So, when he got to you while you had some free time, he sat next to you, a lazy smirk on his face as he spoke up first: “Why are koalas not considered mammals?”
You're a little surprised, after all, you were preeeetty sure Koalas were indeed mammals. You spoke up, your tone holding puzzlement in it. “I… think they are though? If I had to throw in a guess… mh… Because they are considered to be marsupials, a side category that isn’t considered as mammals, maybe?” You tell him, forgetting about the cramps plaguing you for a little while, his presence providing a much needed distraction.
He looks at you for a moment, then goes: “Cool guess… but, alas, you’re wrong. No, it’s because they don’t have the right koal-ification” he says, then shaking his head.
You could tell he was trying to seem somewhat offended, though clearly failing, so you played along for a small while.
“Ah, yes, of course. How could I not know that?” You say sarcastically, gently nudging his arm. As you payed along, you failed to realise that you weren’t feeling so bad anymore. Whether mental or physical, you paid no mind to your discomfort anymore, letting him soothe it.

FOURTH HEADCANON=my joke made you laugh?! (Cyno)
If Cyno manages to get a small laugh out of you with one of his jokes he’ll repeat that joke as long as you laugh at it. No matter if he finds the joke funny or not. If you liked it, he’ll happily repeat himself for as long as you like.
He loves to make you laugh and never loses the occasion to. Whether with his jokes, mannerisms, or whatnot. He liked hearing your warm laugh, he liked seeing your gentle smile, it put him at ease.

FIFTH HEADCANON= his siblings (childe)
Childe is very fond of his siblings and wants approval from them too. If his siblings don’t like you, he’ll go out of his way to set up some hang outs, make you give them gifts or really do anything he can to have his relationship approved by his siblings too.
He wants both you and his siblings to get along, and if your relationship is very serious, he struggles a lot to choose. He doesn’t want to choose, he loves you both dearly, which is why he’d much prefer it if you easily got along.
If you’re good with children, and/or easily gain the graces of his siblings, he’ll be overjoyed, spoiling both you and them with affection. His heart swells at the sight of you and them playing together, he feels pride in seeing the thing he cherishes most get along.
However, if you’re a little more wary of children for whatever reason, he’ll take it slower. Of course, he still wants you and his sibling to get along, but the older ones understand your predicament, and don’t blame you either, while the youngest ones manage to drag you into some of their games, which, in the end, will help you get closer to them.
Luckily enough his siblings understand that he should build his own relationships as well, so they’ll mostly approve of anyone, unless this person behaves cruelly or acts mean.

SIXTH HEADCANON= the wind, in its harshness and gentle breeze. (Venti)
When Venti is with you, a soft and warm wind will spread all across Mondstadt. That shows that the god of freedom is happy to be with the one he loves. He likes clinging onto you, he likes cuddling, and he loves just being around you. Most of the time, you can be around him, and the weather will be clear and sunny.
If, however, you argue or you leave because somebody calls you to do something, the wind will turn cold and strong, sign that the Archon isn’t very happy with the current situation. As much as he always lets you go, not forcing you down with him, valuing freedom, he always makes sure to be vocal about his annoyance with you leaving. The sky will become cloudy, sometimes even stormy, and will clear only once you show him you’re safe and happy.

SEVENTH HEADCANON= Social interaction? Never heard of that before. (Xiao)
As we all know Xiao hates social interaction, he never needed it and nor did he seek for some. In the past, he had friends, of course, but after their tragic end, he became even more reserved than he was before.
For this reason, he doesn’t like to cuddle very much, nor really appreciates physical touch. The first time you brought it up, he didn’t even really take it into consideration that it would be something that would happen in a relationship, but with time, he got used to it, and now, he even comes to you sometimes. Shyly and slowly, he’ll learn to finally open up and ask a little more.

Chapter Text

You were travelling when you came across Cloud Retainer. You chatted for a while, about her and your whereabouts, then you decided to bring up one thing that was bothering you for a while now.

"Hey Cloud Retainer, has Zhongli ever been close to somebody?” You asked, your tone a little bashful as you look away.
“Why does one ask?” She replied, looking at you curiously. In her bird form, she couldn't really express many emotions, but it was clear she was interested, and a little teasing.

“Curiosity… I guess. He doesn't seem too keen on talking to me, even though I helped literally save the country…” You answer, crossing your arms, almost as to shield yourself from her implied accusation of you finding some interest in him.

She looked at you, thinking about something then started to speak. Her tone wasn't as self assured as it usually was, so you could tell she wasn't really sure whether to say it or not.

"There was this girl, Guizhong, she was a dear friend of mine and Morax. She was very kind and wise, but she lacked power, so she worked with the more powerful Morax to rule the Guili Assembly together. Guizhong had a talent in mechanics: the Guizhong Ballista was one of her most impressive works, built with the help of the adepti and chosen to be superior of my own machine by Morax. During her life, she got close to Morax. During their first meeting, it was very obvious how excited she was when she gifted him the stone dumbbell that would symbolise their pledge, and many texts about the Guili Assembly reference their bond. Guizhong and Morax were very close, and it’s highly likely that they had a deeper relationship than only friends. The two ruled over the same area, and even their first meeting was sweet. The two first met in Dihua Marsh, in a garden of glaze lilies. Her final words were about Zhongli not having to solve the puzzle that she had given him when they met." She explained to you, going on a little monologue.

You took a second to take in what Cloud Retainer just said. It was a lot to take in, both because of the lengthy sentence and because it hurt to hear so. What did you have that she didn't? She helped him, you helped him. Well, maybe that was a bit shallow to look at it that way, but…

So, Cloud Retainer thinks that they could have had a deeper relationship as well huh. You've heard some people gossiping, saying how they thought her and him were dating, but you never really wanted to believe it. Or well, you at least hoped he moved on from that.

You've never really even thought of why you feel so jealous, but you thought it was just because he never really paid any mind to you. Only now you're slowly realising.

You're realising you fell deep for this man and want to spend your days with him. The only problem is that you're leaving for Inazuma tomorrow. You're realising you'll never really have him by your side.

Even if you, hypothetically, did manage to actually get with him, you still valued your sibling more, and your search had to now go on. As smitten as you could be, your sibling still held the priority and utmost importance, especially after acting all cryptic last time you saw them.

"Are you ok?" Cloud retainer asks, snapping you out of your flow of thought.
"Yes, of course… It's just that… tomorrow I'm leaving for Inazuma. I’m just thoughtful." You answer, giving her a sad smile. Even if she was a little eccentric, you’d still miss her.
"Of course, come visit as soon as you can!" Cloud retainer says, slightly sad that you're leaving. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy your company.

She answers, only to be met with a lie. You probably won't come back, and even if you will, it will take some time before you manage to get some free time off. Also, you’d probably need some time to shake the embarrassment if you carried on with your plans you had in mind.

You were hoping to be able to see Zhongli just once more, to give him your last greetings, just… if not romantically, at least give him a friendly greeting out of politeness?

You went back to your temporary apartment and started packing all your things. You’d be leaving soon in the morning, and would have no time to pack if you stayed out late tonight.

Clothes... you looked in your closet. You folded and packed all the clothes. Check.
A hair tie... I'll probably need more than one knowing myself... three hair ties were hanging on your wrist. Check. I guess.
Shoes... you looked in your bag again. Check. You had one pair on and the other packed.
Your weapon... You gazed around the room. “Where is my weapon…?!” You think, not seeing it anywhere around.

You slightly panicked. You quickly ran across the room finding it safe and sound under the bed. Right. You completely forgot you put it there for it not to be stolen. Oh well, it's with you now, it's all that matters.

My sketch materials like paint and brushes... all packed. Wouldn't want to forget that after all the mora you spent on it. You noticed the Liyue sketch laying in the corner of the room. A sudden wave of sadness hit you. The sights around the region were truly magnificent, but you couldn't bring the painting with you… who to leave it to? A person immediately came to mind.

That was one of your last drawings you made before having the good news. Your sibling could be in Inazuma. A person similar to them was spotted fighting the Shogun, and you knew for a fact that would be them. Who else would be crazy enough to challenge the Shogun if not them?

You stared blankly at the painting for a minute. You decided to wrap it up and put a little bow on it, meaning for it to be a parting gift. You were sure he had seen the sights of his region many times, but you hoped he’d cherish it a little more. Maybe it would remind him of you.

Hoping to catch him somewhere around, you strolled around the Harbor, knowing he liked to mingle with the people to see how they were doing, especially now after the stunt he decided to pull off, with his fake death and all…

Luckily for you, you spotted his tall frame walking around, checking out the stalls. You went up to him, smiling and tapping his shoulder.
“Hey, hey there! Has something caught your eye?” You spoke up, looking at him with the friendliest smile you could muster up without looking too awkward.
“Ah, hello there, traveler. No, I have not yet set my sights on anything specific yet.” He started, with that silky smooth voice of his you’d love to listen to while trying to fall asleep. “What are you doing here?” He asked, his tone not lacking a hint of curiosity.

“I’m… just taking a small walk. Trying to find a good place to eat in, you know… I’m trying to make the best of my last day here.” You say, trying to appear as casual as you can while dropping the fact that you wouldn't be around the next day.
“Ah, you’re leaving already? Then, may I recommend a good place to eat in? I often times find myself dining there too.” He commented. You didn’t miss the small hint of surprise in his eyes, but he hid it well.

He casually walked with you while making some small talk, taking you to that place he mentioned he really liked. There seemed to be storytelling, and even live entertainment sometimes? It sure sounded like a fancy place… that he didn’t really seem to afford. But oh well. You were sure Hu Tao or Childe had his expenses somewhat covered.

You two sat down at a table, sitting in front of each other. While he seemed calm, your heart was racing, and you actively avoided his gaze when you could. Either pretending to look at the surroundings or to listen to the story that was actively being told. You would have much preferred to gaze in his eyes and get lost in them, but you also wanted to avoid being too awkward if you ever met again.

As you ate, he did make some conversation, to his credit. You were glad that he didn’t at least seem to be completely avoiding you like the plague.

“So, you’re leaving tomorrow? I wish you the best of luck in your journey to find your sibling.” He commented while you were eating. You chewed on the bit you currently had in hand and nodded as he spoke.
“Yeah, I am. And, thank you.” You said, offering him a small smile. You already tried asking him if he knew about your sibling among other things. But of course, it wasn’t as easy as you wished. While he did know something, he swore to someone, Archons knows who, that he wouldn’t speak.

After another little while of relatively comfortable yet slightly tense silence, you diverted the conversation somewhere less “confidential”.
“You were right, this is a really beautiful place. And the food is delicious. If I ever have to stop by to eat in Liyue, I’ll make sure to come here again.” You said, genuinely meaning it. The atmosphere waa cosy, and the food was delicious while also being nutritious.
“I’m glad you find this place enjoyable.” He said, growing a little more comfortable. Clearly, he felt at least a little guilty that he couldn’t tell you anything, and he was glad you decided to move on from the topic.

“Do come back.” He said, his voice oddly… caring?
“If I’ll have some time, I’ll make sure to.” You answered, your gaze softening a little. And though he didn’t seem to feel anything for you, that moment seemed to hold a little something, a little hope.

Unluckily, your moment was cut short. You seemed to have been chatting for a while, as it was now pretty late. He stood up, and as sad as you were to lose that small spark between you two, you followed suit soon after. You grabbed your bag and offered to pay for the bill. As much as he tried to pay, his resistance wasn’t very fierce, and he gave in.

“Thank you. I will make sure to repay you, once you come back.” He said, a small smile spreading on his lips. You nodded and quickly looked away, feeling your cheeks heat up a little.
“Ah, no need. Take this as a… friendly gesture.” You said, brushing him off quickly. You didn’t do this to have him feel indebted or whatever.

“Goodbye, then, traveler.” He said, his voice quieting a little. You were about to tell him goodbye before you remembered about the painting in your bag.
“Ah! Umh… I got something for you…” You say, handing him the neatly packed painting, offering him a small, slightly embarrassed smile. “I can’t carry it around everywhere but I didn’t want to throw it out so… Hope you like it…!” You mutter, looking down at your shoes for a second before looking at him.

“It’s… beautiful. I truly appreciate it. I will make sure to treasure it.” He said, his eyes showing clear appreciation. It was the first time in the whole night you saw him display such evident emotions. Did your painting hit home perhaps?
“I’m glad you like it. Umh.. I’ll go now. See you… eventually?” You said, looking at him, almost like a small promise.
‘We’ll see each other right?’ That’s what your eyes seemed to be saying.

“Yes. See you again, traveler.” He answered, nodding, reciprocating your promise. That gave you a small spark of hope. Slim, but it was there. Not long after, though, he left with your painting in hand, taking with him the chance to confess, or really do whatever. You wanted to reach out to him, take his hand, stop him, but you just watched as his frame retreated in the streets, leaving you planted in the ground, alone.

You headed back to your apartment, thoroughly checking your bag before nodding in approval. Everything was there, your weapon, your supplies, your clothes and your shoes. You had enough mora to buy anything you needed on the road too, but you made sure to have the essentials.

You got in bed, laying down on the slightly uncomfortable and just a little too thin mattress you learnt to get used to. Even though it gave some difficulties at the beginning, you surprised yourself, thinking how you’d miss the uncomfortable feeling as you went along.

You slowly fell in an agitated sleep, dreaming about Zhongli, your sibling, the Shobun, and whatever difficulties could lie ahead. When you woke up, drenched in sweat, you took a second to compose yourself. That second turned in hours, though, and soon you realised you were about to be late for the sail.

You rushed to get ready, putting on clothes, your shoes and fixing up your appearance to seem at least a little less disheveled. You then grabbed everything and got on your way, walking at a pretty fast pace. You didn’t want to run, but you didn’t want to lose the ship either.

Luckily, you arrived at the dock on time, as the sailors were still loading the cargo on the ship. You quickly got on, letting out a soft, relieved breath. You looked back at the Harbor, letting a bittersweet smile tug at your lips. You hoped to spot a certain person walking around, but to your dismay, you didn’t see anyone.

Beidou, the captain of the ship, noticed you and called you out on it, putting a teasing edge in her words.
“Hey, you gon’ stare for much longer?” She said, a smirk on her lips, trying to ease up the tension she sensed in you.
You just smiled and gave her a small nod, getting farther from the edge and retreating back inside the cabin she had offered you.

You spared a last glance, and before leaving, you could swear you saw him, walking, but when you took a step forward, he disappeared, as if he was never there. Your mind must have been playing tricks on you. You heard another voice, this time a male one, ring out.

“Looking for someone?” The unknown voice said. As you turned around, you saw a guy, who didn’t look much older than you. He had white hair, with a streak of red in it. It was tied in a ponytail. He had an Anemo vision, and he seemed like an Inazuman. Or at least, his attire and sword screamed Inazuma.
“Ah, no. Just… reminiscing. I’ll miss this place.” You mutter, rubbing your eyes. Maybe it was your lack of sleep playing pranks on you.

“Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale…” The stranger pointed out. Maybe you looked worse than you thought you did, or maybe he could just read people well.
In any case, you nodded and gave him a half-hearted smile.
“Yeah, just a little dizzy I guess. Nothing serious.” You answered, offering him a nod, looking back at him, studying his features more.
He hesitantly nodded, still not very convinced and very able to tell something was wrong, but to avoid asking something too personal, he just avoided prying.
“Call me if you need anything.” He simply said, flashing you a smile before walking off, disappearing as quickly as he arrived.

You’re left there to wonder who that was. A wanderer? A samurai? Maybe you’ll ask Beidou later. After all, if he’s travelling with her, he has to be somewhat trustworthy. She doesn’t just let anyone get on her ships.

As you arrive in Inazuma’s docks, you get down the ship and look around, feeling now scared and not sure on where to go. You were super determined earlier, you wanted to find your sibling as soon as possible as you heard they had been spotted, but you didn’t really think this through, like, at all.

You remember that the guy you met before told you he could help if you needed it, but you also see a boy with green eyes and light orange nearby. Both seem friendly and approachable, but you’re unsure who to go with. The guy on the ship seems the safest, since Beidou let him get on, but can you overcome your shyness and ask him for help?

On the other hand, the other stranger was surely Inazuman, seeing his attire, and also judging by the fact that Inazuma was in lockdown and he was already there. The chances of him knowing how to show you around were high, but you didn’t have the guarantee that he was a trustworthy person.

You weren’t really sure on what to do, but you had to decide quickly, before the ship sailed again. Beidou had other things to do, and that list didn’t have “wait until you pick” as one of its chores to do. So, with newfound resolve, you approached one of the two guys.

Chapter Text

You decided not to trust strangers, and went back on the ship, looking for that boy. Even though you were a little shy, you still preferred having to feel a little embarrassed than potentially get killed or worse.

You found him sitting on the ledge of the ship, so you went over to him. Even if a little unsure, you needed someone to keep you out of trouble with the authorities, especially now, that the vision hunt decree was on, and that the regulations and taxes were stricter than ever.
“Hey… umh…” You hesitantly start, fiddling with your fingers, shifting your weight from one foot to the other.
He looks at you for a second, then smiles. He probably could tell you had something to ask out, so he patiently waited for you to say it.
“Oh hello again, did you need something?” He asks, still smiling. He seemed almost glad you went up to him, like he was waiting for you to.

You took a deep breath, then nodded. You swallowed your embarrassment and looked at him.
“Umh… yeah, actually. I’ve never been to Inazuma before, and don’t know how to orient myself but… I’d bet that right now, the locals have other matters on their hands.” You started, sighing. You were sure that you’d be mocked or scammed if you asked around for help.
“You look Inazuman. And correct me if I’m wrong but… If you are, would you mind showing me around a bit?” You finally asked. As much as you were dying to get a chance at reuniting with your sibling, you also wanted to be able to have an escape route planned if something went wrong.

He looks at you, and for a second you’re scared he’ll reject you, but then he smiles and nods.
“Of course. Though now is not the time for sightseeing… I can help you get used to the new surroundings.” He answered, with a calm tone, soothing away your nerves. Your fear or being rejected was tossed on the side, relief replacing it.
“Thank you very much.” You say, giving him a genuine, happy smile.

As you smile, he gets off from the ledge he was sitting on and looks at you with a questioning gaze.
“I never caught your name” He says, tilting his head curiously. Even though he just asked for your name, the way he did it made sudden butterflies appear in your stomach.
“It’s Y/N. What’s yours?” You answer, your cheeks gaining just the slight tint of pink.
“ Mine’s Kazuha.” He answers, nodding. He made a mental note to remember that name well. He felt like he’d have more to do with you than just being your guide.

You both get off the ship, and you spare a last glance at it as it sails towards somewhere else, leaving you behind. Now, you were really on your own. If you got in trouble, you had no way of getting away from the country.

He speaks up again
“Is there anything in particular you need to see?” He asks, wanting to plan out a route to allow you to see most of the city.
“Ah… yes. The statue of the seven? I have to pass by there too.” You say, as you try to recall the rumors you heard. You knew that your sibling had fought the Shogun and got struck down, but managed to run away thanks to a stranger, who looked oddly like the one you saw at the port, if you went off only by the description.
You saw him tense up, and your brows furrowed. Had something happened to it? Or something happened close to it?

“Something wrong…?” You ask softly, as you place one hand on his shoulder.
He shakes his head, gulping, then giving you a half-hearted smile. He became paler, something clearly troubled him, but he seemed not too keen on talking about it.
“Ah, just… memories.” He vaguely answered, shaking his head again. When you resumed walking, you noticed him walking a little closer, as if trying to keep you… safe?

You both continue walking, your concern growing, but not wanting to pry too much in personal matters, you just eyed him, checking up on him every once in a while. Unluckily, you got to Inazuma at night, as your sail got delayed by a storm, meaning you also had to find a place to stay in for the night. At least you had him, who knew how to move around easily, as he found you a cheap but good tavern to stay at.

You got only one room for the sake of saving your limited amount of mora, just in time to realise the owner must have thought you were a couple, as he assigned you a king sized bed.
“Ah… should we tell the owner that… umh…” You started, looking at him. Even if you let your guard down around him, it didn't mean he wasn’t basically still a stranger to you.
“No. He’ll make us pay more for the trouble. I can sleep on the couch.” Kazuha answered, shaking his head. Apparently, in Inazuma, especially in rough times like these, everyone used excuses to gain a little more.

“Are you sure…? It doesn’t look too comfortable.” You said, looking at him with a hint of compassion. Still, he seemed resilient, and so, after a lot of insisting on his part, you ended up taking the bed. You did some bedtime tasks, like brushing teeth and getting in comfortable clothes, and then you got in your own places for the night. Everything seemed to be going well… until late at night.

You woke up to the sound of tossing and turning, and, fearing someone broke in, you quickly grabbed your weapon and snuck in the living room… just to find no one there. Apart from Kazuha, there wasn’t anyone else, meaning the noise had to be coming from him. You walked towards him, setting your weapon down. He seemed to be having some sort of nightmare, as his forehead had a thin layer of sweat.
You tried shaking him, and you tried waking him, but it didn’t seem to work well. And when you did manage to get him up, he showed no sign or real consciousness. Probably shook by the nightmare, he clung onto you, quietly but repetitively saying “Stay”.

At that point, you could only do much as to lead him back to the bed and lay him down, then being dragged down with him. Even though you were a little wary, not wanting to lay down with someone you met just the day before, you didn’t have much of a choice, as his grip was strong, even in his sleep. You tried waking him up, gently shaking his shoulder, but he just let out a not very happy grunt and held on tighter.

You gave up the idea of personal space with a sigh, and slowly adjusted in his grip to avoid being crushed by his grip. The more you moved, the more he tightened his grip. He kind of reminded you of a Boa constrictor. You opted not to move around too much, and just allowed him to… well, you weren’t really sure either. Cling on you? Comfort himself? After all, you did notice earlier in the day how he seemed tense as you mentioned the Shogun. Did something happen related to her?

The night went on relatively nicely from then on. His grip loosened as you stayed put, and his nightmares seemed to be gone for the time being. You slowly fell asleep, and ended up waking up after him, as there was no sight of him still in bed. You wondered if you’d ever talk about it again, but for the time being, you were more focused on getting ready for the day. You had a lot of things to do today.

You brushed your hair, washed your face, put on some stretchy clothes, just in case you had to do some fighting, and finally got out of the bathroom, but not before checking yourself in the mirror one last time to make sure everything was right.

Kazuha was in the kitchen, making some breakfast. You went up to him, but he spoke up first, offering you a smile as he saw you awake.
“Ah, good morning. I was just making breakfast. We’re going out today, right?” He said casually, as if he forgot the night before, and also forgot waking up next to you in bed. Nonetheless, you nodded, sitting down at the table.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind. I’d like to get familiar with the close surroundings.” You nodded, confirming the plans for the day.

“We better be careful. There’s a revolution going on now. Though we aren’t active participants, the guards are still more wary.” He said. Looking at you as he puts two plates of a somewhat basic breakfast down, one for you, and one for him.
“Yes, I’ve heard. The rebellion against the Vision Hunt Decree, right?” You said, nodding. You did indeed know there were rebels fighting. It was hard to miss, especially after the rebellion was turning into a civil war.

You spent the rest of the breakfast eating in silence, both of you thinking on how to avoid the main areas of conflict. At least you guessed this would be a way to get an escape route planned out too. After all, what way was better than actually practising it?

As you both got ready to head out, though, he spoke again. He was more tentative, almost looking a little awkward.
“And… uh… sorry for yesterday. I had a pretty bad nightmare” He said, almost seeming to blush a little out of embarrassment.
“Oh, it’s… not a problem. I didn’t mind, I… could tell you were troubled.” You say, blushing a little too, looking away. You didn’t want to seem too ‘happy’ that you cuddled, but you didn’t want him to feel awkward for it.
“Right, then… let’s go.” He said, nodding and getting out of the room you rented.

You paid the fee for the room and thanked the tavern keeper, then got on your way.

“So, what are we doing today?” You asked, realising you didn’t really have any plans, and had to trust him to lead you around.
“I was planning on showing you around a little. We’ll have to lay low, but it’s not like walking around has been banned all together.” He said, walking towards the city. It made sense. Getting familiar with the city layout would be the best way to know where to go. Even though you wouldn't have the same knowledge the guards had in case of a chase, you’d at least know how to avoid dead ends.

You followed him, keeping your keen eye on everything that could help you remember the streets. A peculiar shop, a weird sign, a nice statue, anything memorable. You and Kazuha chatted as you went, passing off on the common eye as just normal passerby.

“You… wanna talk about the nightmare?” You asked, looking at him with mild concern. After all he did for you, you guessed you could consider him a friend?
“Ah well… It’s… a friend of mine.” He started, a little unsure if he should be saying that.
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t wanna.” You said, shaking your head. You didn’t want ro force him to open up.
“No, it’s not a problem… umh… he tried to challenge the Shogun. Wanted to know if he could withstand a blow from her blade.” He said, his tone sad and mourning. You could tell that death still hurt him.

A beat of silence passed between you two. He turned to look at you, feeling like he overshared, and you offered him a sad smile.
“My condolences.” You said, your tone compassionate. You put a hand on his shoulder and gently brought him in a tender hug, trying to offer your comfort.
“Thank you. It… was hard.” He said, letting out a soft, quiet sigh. Not wanting to push further, you offered him to do something else. Lunch time seemed to be approaching, based on the growling in your stomach, and so you offered to go eat something.

He nodded, and you ended up in a small yet cozy restaurant. It was far from the city center. Here you shouldn't have any problems with the guards, and you should be able to speak freely.

“What are you getting? I’m not very accustomed to Inazuman food. Anything you’d recommend?” You asked, making some conversation, taking his mind off the previous, hurtful topic.
“Ah, well, for you I’d recommend Unagi Chazuke. As for me, I’ll get Dry-Braised Salted Fish.” He said, offering you a calm smile.
“Thanks! I guess I’ll get that!” You said, deciding to trust the impression he had of you to try to figure out what he thought you’d eat.

When the food came, you both ate your dish. Yours wasn’t bad, you liked it, and by the looks of it, his was good too. You ate and chatted for a while, talking about whatever. Finally, he asked the question he had been meaning to ask for a while.

“What brought you here anyways? In Inazuma, I mean” He asked, resting his head on his hand, tilting it curiously.
“Ah. My sibling. They have been spotted fighting the Shogun some weeks ago, and I was hoping to see them again. Rumors have it they survived.” You say, sighing. At least your sibling did end up running away from their encounter with the shogun, unlike his friend.
“I see. Then, I hope we’ll find them.” He says, nodding. Possibly alive. You wanted to see them again, after all.

After chatting in the restaurant, you went back to trying to find both information on your sibling and a way to get to them. After having familiarized with the city, your next goal was to avoid suspicion while looking for a now wanted criminal. It was a… hard task, but you could manage, surely.

Kazuha stayed always close to you, and so the days passed. You were trying to investigate, buying the newspaper for any mention of them, trying to turn to info dealers and whoever could help. Alas, time was ticking, and you still found close to nothing. All of this while the war at the borders between the commision and the reels was getting so much worse.

The newspapers, while reporting nothing of your sibling’s whereabouts, always made sure to write about how many losses both sides were suffering. The rebels had vision holding warriors, ready to fight for their Visions, and the commission had soldiers that seemed eager to prove their loyalty to the Shogun. Also stronger thanks to the power of Delusions, the outcome seemed unpredictable.

You and Kazuha found yourselves most of the time in each other’s company, and you learnt to go to each other for comfort. In rough times like these, you felt hopeless, but he was always there to lift you back up. For that you were grateful.

You rented an apartment, knowing you’d be staying in Inazuma for more than a few nights. Not wanting to pay for a tavern room, which was way more expensive than normal rent, you got an apartment together. In the newfound privacy and comfort of the apartment, you could finally both spend some nice time with him and do your research on your sibling.

“I’m so tired. I just wanna see them again.” You say, putting your head in the crook of his neck like you grew used to in the past months. You weren’t exactly dating, but the warmth he provided in the nights when everything seemed to be freezing around you helped to push through.
“I know. We’ll get to them. I promise.” He said, caressing your head while holding you in his lap. It was like time slowed, you felt a pull towards him, specifically his lips.

You slowly cupped his cheek, caressing it with your thumb. You took your head off his shoulder and looked in his eyes. They seemed sparkling with life. You smiled softly, leaning closer. Your lips were so close, only a few inches apart.
“Promise?” You muttered, looking up in his eyes and then down at his lips. You let out a small, shaky breath, wishing to close the distance between you two.
“Y-yes. I promise…” He said, his voice unusually quiet, as he too looked down at your lips. That was all the confirmation you needed to dive right in.

Your lips worked against his, and his hands went to find their place on your waist. The kiss grew heated, he slipped a hand under your shirt, his lips slowly trailing down to your neck. You wrapped your hands around his neck, you looked at each other and smiled.

While you were about to take things a step forward, a sudden commotion could be heard clearly outside. People were shouting, cheering and booing at the same time. You glanced at Kazuha, and you both immediately sprung in action. The people of Inazuma were always calm, they never shouted this much. If there was so much noise, there was something big going down.

Only having time to put shoes on and grab your respective weapons, you got out. You both fixed your clothes quickly, rushing out. The noise was coming from near the statue of the seven, where ceremonies were usually held. With only one look of concern, you rushed over too.

When you first arrived, it looked like a protest of some kind, a rebellion from inside the city, but as you got closer, the motivation why the people were screaming, some in terror, some in delight, came very clear in front of your eyes.

The Shogun was definitely mad, for whatever reason. Electro was zapping everywhere around the zone, even endangering civilians. The sky became cloudy, and a suffocating aura of fear clouded the area. The air was full of tension.

Silence. Suddenly, all that was heard was silence.

From the temple, emerged someone. Your sibling. Your eyes lit up with joy. After months of crying, mourning and searching. Finally. At last. You were reunited once again. You and them. Two halves whole again.

While there were some soldiers and rebels around, you didn’t pay it much mind. Maybe, in hindsight, you should have, as it was indeed a rare and weird sight. The Vision hunt decree was still on going, which meant so was the rebellion. So why weren’t the two sides fighting? But that all passed your mind, the joy of seeing your sibling again too strong to pay it mind.

You ran towards them, already imagining the hug you’d give them. The crowd, however, was very dense and packed together. It took you a lot of strength just to push your way through, muttering apologies here and there. You ran, and you ran…

Only to be held back by a strong force on your wrist. You were tugged back and held firmly in someone’s arms, which you recognised to be Kazuha’s, after recognising the familiar smell that accompanied your not so lonely nights.

You looked at him, rage burning in your eyes. How dare he stop you from going to your beloved sibling?
“Let go! I have to see them!” You said, your voice barely audible over the collective gasp that erupted by the crowd. You looked back.

Sometimes, you wished you didn’t. You wish you didn’t see the moment in which the Shogun appeared. Her presence, even if fleeting, brought you an emotional scar you’d forever carry.

A divine arm slashed down, hitting your sibling. It cut through them like butter. The divine blade came from what appeared to be a space rift, or whatever, you weren’t focused on that. What you did focus on, though, was the body of your now lifeless sibling falling on the ground with a thud.

The guards were quick to resume the fighting there and then, not even minding the civilians. Chaos broke out. The civilians ran away from the scene and the fight, while the rebels tried to push away the guards. Now, the atmosphere was very different from earlier. The tomb silence was replaced by grunts, the sound of metal scraping against metal and the screams of civilians.

In between the chaos, you stood. Frozen. Your face pale.

You ran to your sibling, going unnoticed by the guards, who had bigger fish to fry. You ran, and ran. You hoped it was all a dream. You hoped to be wrong.

“Please, please, please, PLEASE” You were saying under your breath. You were panicking, your heart was racing. You felt like it could burst out your chest. You thought you could die right there and then.

Kazuha followed you closely. He was scared too, yes, but for another reason. He lost one person to the Shogun’s blade. He wouldn't lose you too. He couldn’t afford it. So he ran with you, trying to keep you safe.

You fell to your knees, close to your sibling’s body. They were breathing. They are alive. They’re alive, they’re alive-!

“Stay with me…! Please…” You say weakly. The adrenaline rush slowly wore off, your eyes tearing up with bitterness. Just when you think you found them, they go away again. This time, though, you’ll never see them again. You won’t be able to hold out hope. To search for them.
Your sibling opens their eyes weakly and gives you the best smile they can. Their hand trembles as they lift it to cup your cheek.
“I’m… sorry. I didn't manage to…” They try to say, their sentence halted by them coughing up some blood. You knew right there and then. They were gone.

You held onto them like they were your only anchor in the stormy sea. You held on their dying body, feeling your legs giving out, trembling. You were overwhelmed with emotion.
“No, no, no, don’t do this to me! PLEASE! You have to stay…” You say, sobbing. You felt the weight of the world crushing you down. As you sobbed, you let out blood curlding screams, which went lost in the wind and the sound of the current battle being fought between the rebels and the guards.

“I… love you” They only managed to say, before their eyes lost the spark.

You hold onto them, burying your face in their chest as you feel their body go limp in your very arms, feeling the life of your lifelong companion fading away.
“No, no, no…” You say in a whisper, sobbing like a little child. Your heart felt heavy, your chest felt compressed, you couldn't breathe. You could only cry.

Kazuha finally caught up with you, feeling relief when he saw you still alive. And even though he understood and sympathised with your pain, there was a war going on not so far from you. And if he couldn't save the lives already lost, like the ones of your sibling and his friend, he’d at least save yours.
“Y/N…” He says softly, his heart racing, eager to drag you away from this dangerous place.

You continue holding on your sibling’s cold body as you cry in agony. You couldn’t let them go… Not now… You still had so many things to do together. You still had to see the sights of the world like you promised. You still had to travel together.

“It’s not fair…” You whisper, as that’s the loudest you can speak now, crying and holding on to their limp body.
“I know, I know it’s not. But we have to get out of here.” Kazuha says, as he crouches next to you and wraps you in a tight hug. He then picked you up, not caring about the blood staining his clothes.

You didn’t answer back. He guessed you were going in some kind of shock reaction, but he didn’t have much time to stay there and ponder. You had to get away. He carried you away from the heat of battle back to the outskirts of the city, where your apartment was.

You hug back and hold onto him, crying on his shoulder, your grip on him tight, almost painful.
“Just when I manage to find them… I-” Your voice cracks and continue sobbing, taking sharp and curt breaths, unable to stop crying.
He softly caresses your back the best he can, holding you close while carrying you away. He used back alleys, avoiding people, knowing your blood soaked shirt would draw too much attention.
“I know all too well how it feels” He says, his tone dripping with sadness, both for you and his old friend.

Just when you think you got your sibling back, they’re snatched from you. And now, their corpse will be left to rot like all the other bodies of the soldiers deceased in the civil war.
When you got to the apartment, he gently put you on the couch. You just curled up. He let out a soft, gentle sigh.
“I know it hurts.” He says softly, gently cupping your cheek.

Your heart shatters even more as you hear those words, and continue crying, even harder than before. You felt like the whole world was against you, and you had nowhere to go. You just wanted to save your sibling. You just wanted to see them live.

“Come. Let’s get you a bath and new clothes.” He said, looking at your blood soaked clothes. You just nodded, going in the bathroom. He followed, wanting to help you bathe. You took your clothes off while he prepared a bath. You wiped your eyes, letting out a very heavy sigh. You managed to stop crying, but the grief was still there.

He gently wiped your face, and led you to the bath. When you got in, the water was cold, and you were about to tell him that when the blood immediately soaked the water, dirtying it. He knew that would happen, so he put the cold water to cleanse you, then he emptied the bath, and then finally filled it with warm water.

You soaked in it, closing your eyes, sighing. He helped you, cleaning your body and hair. And you just let him. You didn’t have any complaints anyways, his touch was tender and gentle. He handled you with grace, cleaning you thoroughly yet softly.

When you were done, you stepped out of the tub, and he put on you a towel. You were too tired to feel embarrassed to be taken care of. He dried your hair with gentleness, always being mindful not to pull on your hair, and then he finally got you in bed.

He helped you put on some clothes and finally laid you down. He laid right next to you, cradling you in his arms. He knew how it felt to lose someone so dear, it happened to him too, and he just wished to comfort and help you get through it too.

When the adrenaline finally fully wore off, you realised how actually tired you were. The shock, the intense emotions, and the loss of someone truly exhausted you. He gently kissed your forehead, then smiled softly, as if to give you the go ahead to sleep.

It was as if a switch flipped. Suddenly, you felt your body heavy, your eyelids drooping quickly. From here now on, it would be hard to digest the loss of someone so important, but he planned to stay by your side and help you through it.

And so, in his warm and comforting grip, helped by the fact you were fully exhausted, you fell asleep, holding out hope for the future.

Chapter Text

Being indecisive and hesitant, however, led to the ship sailing away, and leaving you with only one option. Well, there went nothing. You needed a guide in this damned place, and your only one just sailed off.

You went up to the stranger, speaking up with a very uncertain tone of voice.
“Excuse me, sir…? I am looking for-” You didn’t even get a chance to finish your sentence, two guards popped up out of nowhere and started running towards you.

You were taken aback, and mildly scared, but the stranger you went up to was more looking… terrified.
“Shit-! Come with me! We don’t have time-” He said, suddenly grabbing your hand and being dragged along while he ran away. Without any other option, you followed him. After all, if the guards caught up with you, they still wouldn't let you off the hook. Whoever this was, it looked like he had a bounty on his head. You’d be framed as an accomplice.

He took you through some alleys which looked less than tempting to go in, and dragged you all the way over to some weird looking… Tea place? You left the guards behind a while ago, but never stopped running. Finally, you reached the safe place. You got in, and he shut the door. You just realised you got in a random house with a complete stranger, and you froze.

He seemed to notice your unease, so he offered you an awkward smile. He seemed oddly sweet, even if he seemed like someone wanted by the way he ran from the guards. He raised a hand, and you flinched for a second before realising he was waving at you
“I owe you an introduction, don’t I?” He said, chuckling awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

“Yes… you kinda do… umh, where are we?” You asked, on guard. Though you found him to seem particularly sweet, he was still being hunted down by the guards. Whatever that meant, you still had to figure out.
“Well, I’m Thoma. And this is Komore Teahouse!” He said, flashing you a friendly smile. When he raised the conditions in which you met weren’t exactly friendly, he corrected his mistake.

“Ah, you must be wary. Well, you don’t have to worry. I won’t hurt you. As for the guards chasing us, yes I am wanted but… it’s just because I rebelled against the Vision Hunt Decree, and got labeled as an ‘enemy to eternity’...” He explained in a few words, simple and concise. At least you couldn't hold that against him. He seemed to be honest? Not that you could judge so easily. You were not swayed by simple words, not yet at least.
“Really? That… must be rough. May I know what happened?” You asked. Funny enough, he fit the description of the gut who was spotted with your sibling. If he truly was him, maybe he had any way to know where they were…!

“Umh… I guess it’s pretty public, but yes, I can tell you. I was caught as a vision holder, and was to have my vision taken away. A brave soul jumped in to help me, grabbing my vision and handing it back. They went toe to toe with the Shogun herself! They got pretty roughed up, but we managed to get them out of there in time!” He explained, seeming to hold this brave warrior with great admiration in his heart. You could feel your heart skip a beat. Was it your sibling, truly?
“Where is this warrior now?” You asked, eager to know if it was your sibling or not.

“They went on the front lines, on Watatsumi island. They’re helping the rebellion, why?” He explained, curious. You seemed eager to see that person, and considering they were a great asset to the rebellion. He didn’t consider the option of you being an undercover agent when he got you away from the guards, but he was just now realising he may have made a big mistake.
“I wanna meet them. Is there a problem…?” You say, still wary too. You wanted to know what he’d answer and if he was wary too or not. There were a lot of factors that had to be kept in mind, and you were a little skeptical, but very eager to see this person. To check if they were your sibling.

“Ah… I’m not too sure about that. I might have to ask lady Ayaka for approval before anything. I can get you a meeting with her.” He said thoughtfully. While you seemed a capable fighter and reliable ally if you proved yourself, you still had to gain their trust, which was a thing that didn’t come easy.
“Lady Ayaka…? Who’s that?” You asked. While it was unwise to show yourself too naive and lost, you still wanted to know what you were getting into before agreeing to anything.
“You don’t know who she is? You must not be from here then…” He muttered, shaking his head. He decided, just for the benefit of the doubt, to give you some basic info.

“She is in charge of the internal and external affairs of the Kamisato Clan and is the younger sister of Kamisato Ayato. Dignified, and noble, Lady Ayaka has earned the title Shirasagi Himegimi and is considered a model of perfection in Inazuma.” He explained, looking out for your reaction.
You had heard of that… Kamisato Clan before. It seemed pretty important in Inazuma. And, apparently, powerful enough to let the youngest run a rebellion on the sidelines. You sighed. The only way was forward now, it looked like. You couldn’t go back in the open anyways, now that the guards had seen you with a wanted criminal.

“I see. Then, is she available? I’d like to meet her as soon as possible.” You said, nodding. You were now sparked with a newfound fire. A lead to follow. It had been surprisingly easy, you quite literally bumped into your lead.
“Ah, she’ll be available tomorrow, at 9:00 am at the earliest. I’m afraid today is a busy day. In the meanwhile, as an… apology, we can offer you some accommodation.” He answered. He had a hidden motive to offer you a room, which was to keep you under their gaze. After all, no one promised you wouldn't snitch, so keeping a keen eye on you seemed like the best move to make here.
“I see. I guess I can stay here for today… Not that I’d have anywhere else anyways.” You said, muttering with bitterness the last part.

The rest of the day went ahead quickly. You got shown around and you got your room. He asked if he should help you do any kind of task, but you refused. You had no need for a servant like royalty, and you would rather not have him too close in case he tried anything funny. This whole thing was still very much suspicious.

He did come to find you a handful times, though you couldn't figure out why just yet. One time he came to check up on you, another time he came to tell you that dinner was in an hour, and then he also came in to escort you to the dinner table.

The table itself was quite pretty, set with some pretty decorations, and the food looked even more appealing. There were different kinds of dishes, some from Inazuma, some from Mondstadt and some even from Fontaine. You looked at him quizzically. You sure couldn't finish all the food, and it didn't look like anyone else was joining you two today.

You assumed it was out of wariness that he didn't allow the other servants to dine with you two, as you didn't really give him any reason to neither trust nor suspect you. Still, you didn't mind. Having a one on one with him could help you squeeze some more information out of the man. Anything that would give you a lead to follow was good enough.

“Ah, that's... A lot of food.” You say, looking at the fancy dining table. You sat down nonetheless, but you didn't serve yourself yet, not knowing if there was someone else that needed to get to you before you could eat, not knowing the rules.

“We didn’t know what you liked, so we got various different foods for you to try.” He said, a little sheepish. At least, even if they had other motives to go and check up on you, they still nonetheless treated you like a guest and were honorable. They treated you relatively well.
“Ah, thank you. It’s considerate of you. Is there anyone else joining us today?” You asked, wanting to know if you could serve yourself. You were used to waiting until everyone got to the table before eating.
“No, it’s just us. I do hope it isn’t a problem?” He answered, sitting down himself.
“No problem at all.”

As you both were finally seated, you started serving yourself with whatever plate seemed the most delicious and suitable to your taste. He seemed to take it into account, as he keenly glanced at you and what you took to eat. Although it was a little awkward at first, eating in silence and all, you found a topic that you could bring up without seeming suspicious or too interested in business and their affairs.

“How long has the rebellion been going on?” You asked, taking a bite out of your food. You looked at him curiously, wanting to know more about the rebellion too. If you couldn’t directly ask about the warrior, who could have easily been your sibling, you at least could ask about general topics.
“Ah well, I’d say… about two years now.” He vaguely answered, not giving you any more info than what you asked for.

Two years? That means that the Decree started before you woke up, even before you and your sibling got here. Though you didn’t think you had anything that you had to do to help, you could guess it was why your sibling decided to leave you there and not take you with them. If they moved to Inazuma immediately, they most likely went to Liyue to have access to the biggest port, and must have snuck on illegally, like you.

And, seeing as the rumors, which now were most likely true, which said your sibling fought the Shogun, you could assume that they joined the rebellion. They had this weird fixation on going against the divine since you got injured in that encounter. You assumed it was to ‘avenge’ you. In any case, you were starting to connect the dots.

“I see. Thank you…” You say, looking down at your plate. You wanted to make conversation, but you didn’t know what to say, really.

“You never told me your name.” He said suddenly. Your eyes widened a little bit. Of course you seemed suspicious! It seemed like you had something to hide. You chuckled softly, smiling a little.
“Ah, you are right indeed. I’m y/n. Sorry for not saying it earlier… Was that why you struggled to address me?” You said, now remembering that every time he called out to you, he never said your name. Well, you just realised why.

He blushed a little, seemingly embarrassed by the fact that he didn’t ask your name before. You couldn't help but chuckle again. Now that he knew your name, he seemed more at ease. Probably, he had names of dangerous people memorised. Seeing as you weren’t one of those, he seemed less worried about you doing something bad.

“Ah, sorry for that…” He muttered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, looking away. Huh…? He suddenly became much shyer. Or was it just your perception? No matter. You offered him a calm smile and shook your head.
“It’s no problem, don’t worry.” You reassured him, shaking your head. You didn’t mind it, plus it was kind of adorable.

The rest of the dinner went on surprisingly better. He seemed slightly more chatty and more willing to engage. He was still wary, you could tell, but less than before. Was he that tense earlier just because he didn’t know your name? Well, it mattered not. Dinner soon came to a close, and you both looked at each other. You wanted to ask him to stay some more. To ask him for info and some company.

After all you woke up alone, in an unknown land, injured and in the care of a stranger you had to leave behind. Of course you craved for some affection and human companionship. It was a normal reaction. The fact that you found him attractive and kind didn’t help for sure.

Luckily, he spared you the trouble of having to ask him to stay some more, as he offered it himself.
“Would you want me to accompany you back to your room?” He said, offering you a smile, extending his arm for you to take. Your eyes lit up, and you accepted his arm, hooking it with your own.
“That would be much appreciated. Thank you.” You say, your voice becoming gradually softer.

You walked in silence, your arms intertwined, your steps synchronised. You felt much more at ease after that dinner, as he seemed more at ease too. He probably was starting to realise you didn’t pose much of a threat. You dared to try and sneak a glance at him, only to realise he was already looking at you. Instead of turning away, though, he smiled again.

You felt yourself blush, and you couldn’t do anything else than to offer him a warm but slightly embarrassed smile. You couldn't keep count of how many times you blushed that evening, and you weren't sure if it was a good or bad thing.

“May I ask why you are looking for the warrior? Even though they are somewhat of an important figure who sparked rebel souls, I doubt you want to join in a rebellion of a country you just arrived to.” He commented, his grip on your arm ever so subtle tightening. You had to say, for someone who outwardly looked kind and almost naive to an extent, his intuition was really good. He was smarter than he seemed.

“Ah well…” You started, unsure whether to tell him or not. You weren’t sure if to trust him 100%, but the closeness, his smooth tone and his gentle words led you to making a choice you weren’t sure if you’d regret later down the line.
“I think they might be my sibling. We parted ways some time ago, but they left so suddenly, and now I just… wanna see them again.” You said, explaining your situation in a relatively vague way.

He seemed a little taken aback by this at first, but he either had a really good poker face or he recovered quickly.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you’ll find them soon.” He said, a hint of genuine sympathy and compassion in his tone. You were now more aware than ever of your closeness. His arm and yours touching, leaving a lingering tingling sensation where your skin made contact. Was he feeling it too? You wondered.

“Thank you.” You answered back, nodding. You got just a little closer to him while you walked, taking great comfort in his presence. Even if not your most trusted person, you were both willing to get close to him and just take comfort in his closeness.

When you got to the entrance of your room, neither of you really moved to step away from the other. Instead, his hand went to find yours. Just when he made sure he still had your touch with him, only then did he smile at you, waiting for you to enter. Clearly, he was hoping you’d let him stay some more.

“Shall I help you do anything? Prepare a bath, change, brush your hair…” He said, his tone calm, yet betraying a hint of something else in it too, like he was fighting the urge to just grab you for himself. You noticed that just when you two were alone in a private space, and you finally realised how good of a poker face he could truly keep on.

You blushed a little more. Even though you suspected he did help in these ways the Lady Akaya he mentioned earlier, you could see it in his eyes, that small glint of desire. You did not know whether he held that with the other woman too, but for now, you just knew his eyes were on you only, and that was what mattered.

“I mean, if you want to… I don’t wanna keep you too long, though.” You said. Little did you know that, while you went to check yourself in the mirror, he already got some nightwear for you to sleep in. He smiled and gently slid the first layer of clothes you had on off your shoulders.
“Of course. I don’t mind lending you a hand.” He said, a soft smile on his face. He was close, almost too close. Not that you minded, no, but you could feel his breath hitting your now bare shoulder. It was making your face heat up.

In front of the mirror, you could see his expression. It was soft, and yet it still held that dangerous glint that could turn into anything really quickly. Still, his self control was better than yours apparently, because after letting his lips ghost over your shoulder, not kissing them by just a few inches, he slid the nightwear on you, always making sure to be extra touchy but still very much avoidant to go too far and make you uncomfortable.

“You said you’d brush my hair…? Would you mind that?” You said, playing with your fingers. You always loved when people played with your hair, it felt nice, and, considering you cared a moderate lot about your hair, it felt like an intimate gesture, shared with usually trusted people.

He let out a soft chuckle and nodded. He had you sit on the bed for comfort, to which you happily obliged, sitting down in a comfortable position. He sat behind you, gently starting to brush your hair, being careful not to hurt you or pull on it. He did this for Ayaka several times, and his hands grew used to being careful over time.

With you, though, it was another story. While he did care for Ayaka too, he saw her as something like his little sister, not someone attractive to him. You were different. His touch with you was different from the touch with her. With you, it was more daring, but also more intimate. He knew better than to get too close to Ayaka, but you were finally deemed safe to get close to.

He went on for a while, a smile on his face the whole way through. When you were about to doze off, he stopped. He put the brush aside, earning a small, displeased hum from you, and instead, he stood up. For a second you were afraid he’d leave. Even though you knew he’d have to go eventually, this still felt too early. Well, much to your pleasant surprise, he just put the brush away and got back close to you.

“I think you should sleep.” He said, gently pushing you down to lay in bed. “Remember your meeting with Lady Ayaka tomorrow.” He said, offering you a small smile. You were about to reach out to him, to tell him to stay, before he sat in the bed next to where you were laying.
“I’ll keep you company a little more, if you don’t mind. I… like your presence.” He commented, surely taking you by surprise. However, you had no complaints. Even though you wished you stayed awake a little more, to chat with him, you still fell into a calm sleep.

The next day, you found yourself a little disappointed to be woken up by someone shaking you instead of the warm light in your face, but you still opened your eyes nonetheless. Thoma was already up, and he was trying to get you up as well. You felt, just for a moment, like a princess that had to be woken to go to a ball, or whatever. You let out a tired groan, sighing.

“Come on, it’s 7:30 am. This leaves you with just enough time to get ready and eat some breakfast before heading to the meeting with Lady Ayaka. I’d advise you to get up.” He said, his tone holding some amusement and mirth in it, a wide smile on his face, almost as if he found waking you up to be such a funny task.

You still got up, though, rubbing your eyes. One thing you immediately noticed was just how much clingier he became with you. You didn’t know if acts of service were his love language, but it sure looked like it. He was almost rushing from one place to the other, first getting you some proper clothes, then getting you the brush to detangle your hair and then, when he was finally done, just clinging onto you seemed to satisfy him too.

“Are you… ok?” You asked, a little skeptical yet amused. It seemed as if the night before truly changed your dynamic and the trust he put in you. Maybe he found you pretty from the beginning, but was too wary to trust you.
“Mh-mh. More than ok now.” He said, hugging you from behind, letting his face rest on your neck. Even though the clinginess caught you off guard and unprepared, you still found no problem in letting him cling onto you.

You were… confused, for sure, but enjoyed the touch nonetheless. You let him pamper you a little, still also doing your own things, not wanting to seem like a complete burden. Even though he told you he could handle it, you still pressed on, getting dressed by yourself, gently pushing him away for the time being.

As you finally got ready to head to breakfast, it was 8:00 am. You sat down, close to each other, still alone. You wondered why no one was joining you two, so you asked, curious.
“Is no one joining us again? Where are they?”
“No, no one’s joining us. They are… more wary than me, I guess. They prefer to keep their distance from you” He answered, as if it didn’t matter. As if no one else but him should matter.

“I see. So, why are you not wary too?” You asked, putting the emphasis on the word ‘you’. After all, after the first, so very awkward, day, he seemed much more open and happy to the prospect of staying with you all of the sudden. You wanted to know why.
“Me? Ah well… You intrigue me?” He said, blushing, as if caught doing something he shouldn't be doing. He didn’t seem to have an answer ready, so you dropped the matter for the time being, not wanting to embarrass him any further.

Breakfast went by quickly after that, you two chatted a little, but he spent most of his time either resting his head on your shoulder or wrapping his hand around your waist. He seemed to forget his breakfast when you were there. You had to remind him several times to eat and not stare at you.

Finally, it came time to meet that ‘Lady Ayaka’ he mentioned the day earlier. Luckily, you didn’t have to wait much for an audience. You didn’t care if it was because you got to her residence through less than common means, making her naturally more wary or because she just wanted to meet you. You were able to speak with her, and that’s all it mattered.

Thoma led you in a room. There was a small table in the middle of it, and there was a young looking lady already sitting there. She had a small frame, but her aura was of power and knowledge. Although her voice was polite and kind, you could still feel the underlying authority it always carried, as if she had heavy burdens to carry from a young age like this.

“Ah, here you are. Please, do sit down. We have a few things to talk about.” She said, offering you a composed smile. You did as she asked, while Thoma seemed to hesitate. You assumed it was because she didn’t tell him to sit down too. Could whatever she wanted to say confidential between the two of you? You didn’t think so. She nodded to give Thoma the approval to sit down.

“So. I’ve been informed you got here in a rush. And that you have some questions to ask. Yes?” She said, her poise and lack of true emotion impressive in your eyes.
“Ah yes. I have just a few questions, truly. May I?” You asked, noticing the tension in Thoma’s shoulders. You assumed it was because she was his superior, but you still kept on guard too.
She just nodded, giving you the go ahead.

“I’ve been informed that there has been a warrior that joined your ranks recently, yes? A very capable one too.” You started, waiting for her reaction. When she nodded, you dropped the question. “May I know their name?” You said, hoping she wouldn't put up a fight.
“Well, please understand that the identity of our soldiers is best hidden. We wouldn't want to get them in trouble, no?” She answered.

Whether she was sly or annoying was truly a debate in your head. Still, you could deduct some key information from her statement. One, her ‘soldiers’ were what you could assume to be rebels. Two, she was still rightfully wary. Three, she thought you could be an undercover agent. With this info, you had to work your way in her graces.

“Ah, of course, my lady, it makes sense. I am asking because I want to meet this soldier, you see. Is it possible to?” You asked, looking at her with apparently innocent eyes, still hoping there was any chance. If you could get to this soldier, they could prove to be your sibling.
“I… assume it is. Though, they are on Watatsumi island right now. Mh… Thoma. May I ask you to accompany them?” She said, seemingly thinking quickly. And well, her reasoning made relatively sense. He could keep an eye on you while she pretended to care about your well being. As for why she accepted so quickly? Maybe they needed backup desperately.

“Of course, Lady Ayaka.” He simply said, nodding. Of course, you didn’t expect him to deny after all. You glanced at him, giving him a small nod and a slight smile. Soon after, she dismissed you, declaring you not a threat. You were free to lounge around, still staying hidden of course. You became wanted as soon as you ran away from the guards after all. You knew that well.

You both walked out the room, and he brought you to your room. He made himself home, sitting down on the bed. You chuckled a little and sat next to him. He glanced at you, noticing your questioning gaze.
“What is it?” He asked, his tone questioning but light.
“Mh… Nothing much. How come… you accepted Ayaka’s proposal so quickly?” You asked, trying to really gauge why he suddenly became so comfortable around you. Or was it all really just pretend to get you to lower your guard?

“To keep you safe on your travels, of course. The way to Watatsumi island isn’t exactly… safe. It’s impossible to go completely by foot, and even if, there are too many guards. We’ll go by ship, but it still will take a while.” He explained, his tone growing somber. Noticing it was best to move on from that topic for the time being, you instead asked another question.
“So when will we leave?”

He stopped to think, then shrugged. He was fine with whatever, but seeing how eager you seemed to meet with the warrior, he decided that it was best not to postpone for too long.
“We can depart tomorrow. The boat should be ready by then. We’ll take a small and agile one, to avoid suspicions.” He explained to you. You wondered how much it would take to get there, but you weren’t able to give it an accurate guess, as you weren’t familiar with the territory.

As for the rest, you spent the rest of the day planning out the safest routes to take and possible variables to look out for. You decided how many supplies to bring along and what clothes were better suited to wear. He gave you a quick course on how to steer a ship, in the case you needed it, but he said it was only in case of an emergency, as he and the captain of the ship were more suited for it.

You ate dinner together and finally went back to the room. He followed you around, seeming somewhat of a dog. He didn’t leave your side, always seemed to be happy to chat with you if you spoke up first and he helped you around, showing you the way when you didn’t know it. As night approached, he got in your room again, a calm smile on his face. At that point in the day, you gave up on trying to understand why he was being so clingy and accepted it.

“Are you staying?” You asked, looking at him, changing into night clothes again. He went up to you, taking your clothes off your hands and folding them neatly for your use the next day.
“Yes…? Unless it’s a problem?” He said, looking hopeful. Though still a little wary, his soft and pleading gaze broke through your defences rather quickly, and you caved in, shaking your head.
“No problem with me.” You said, finishing your night routine with his eyes on you.

When you finally got in bed, he wasted no time to get ready too and follow you. You got under the blankets of the bed and let out a soft sigh. You were exhausted, and you couldn't wait to rest. The day had been stressful for you, and you were happy to finally get a chance to relax and sleep. He got in the bed with you, and you just let your head lay on his chest, your weary eyes closing by themselves.

He held you close, his hand on your waist. The other one was gently caressing your hair, brushing it out your face and tucking it behind your ear. You could feel your consciousness slip away slowly, letting your body be embraced in the warmth of his hug, letting his soothing caress help you fall asleep.

As the next day rolled around, you once again got woken up by Thoma gently shaking you awake. He was trying to be as gentle as he could, but you were still tired and upset to be woken up anyways. You let out a soft but annoyed groan, and you heard back a soft chuckle. You were about to shoot a glare at the intruder when he gently picked you up. You immediately snapped out your sleepy haze and let out a surprised noise.

“Huh…?!” You said, surprised and caught off guard. You held onto him as he brought you to the bathroom where you left the earlier day’s clothes.
“Come on now. Weren’t you the one eager to depart?” He teased, chuckling. You crossed your arms, slightly annoyed. He ruffled your hair and helped you get dressed, setting you down.

“I can handle myself, you know…” You muttered, looking away, slightly embarrassed. He simply chuckled and shook his head, as if you said something funny.
“I know you can.” He said, his tone soft. He seemed to just want to help you because he could. You sighed and let him, shrugging. You did your normal morning routine and let him help you with it, letting him pass you things and helping you handle tasks.

“Wasn’t that easier?” He said, smiling. To you, it didn’t matter if he was there or not, but to him it seemed really important, so you went along with it, nodding and offering him a small smile.
“Yeah. I guess so.” You said, matching his soft tone, offering him a smile in return.

You both walked to get some breakfast before finally leaving. You assumed the trip would take some days, so you almost choked on your food when Thoma said to prepare for two weeks of travel by boat. He chuckled at your reaction, seeming amused. You glared at him playfully, earning another chuckle.
“Surprised? I guess you haven’t seen an Inazuman map?” he said, as if it was obvious the trip would have taken long. You scoffed and looked away, a small hint of pink on your cheeks.

Breakfast didn’t take that long after that, and soon, you were ready to set off. You got your things and supplies and finally sailed onto the ship. The crew was small, a chef, a captain and you two. You guessed that it was for both the fact that you were currently wanted and that if you did end up betraying them, you’d take down as few people as possible.

As you finally set off, your heart was pounding with anticipation. The wind messed up your hair, and you felt tender hands fix it for you.
“Excited? Your eyes are basically glowing” He said, chuckling softly. He could see the trepidation behind your eyes, your pupils were wide and your eyebrows raised. Your body language as a whole gave off a vibe of both excitement and nervousness.
“Yeah… You can say I am.” you said, clearing your throat, nodding. Not even you knew whether you should be anxious or happy.

He looked at you with a small hint of concern, but he didn’t press on with his questions. Instead, he happily provided you with the distraction you clearly needed.
“You know, I found out we’ll be sharing a room” He said, sighing as if it was something to be upset about. You hummed, then calmly shrugged.
“As if it has never happened before” You answered, a hint of sass in your voice. A cheesy smirk was on your lips as you struggled not to laugh at your own joke.

Thoma seemed a little taken aback and flustered, he looked away from you a red tint spreading all around his cheeks, reaching to his ears. It was almost as if he was ashamed of his previous forwardness now.
“Ah, yes. You are quite right…” He muttered, looking away. You just chuckled and looked out at the sea, looking at the land slowly drift away from you.

Finally, after a while, you reached the desired location. As soon as you got off, you noticed a lot of guards around. Rebels, you could assume. Some seemed more capable than others, yet you still didn’t see the person you were looking for. You let Thoma lead you in the center of the island, heading towards its leader. You saw a beautiful woman waiting for you. Her features seem delicate and sweet, yet you immediately understood she was the general of the rebel army. She introduced herself as Kokomi, and treated you with welcome regard.

As soon as you mentioned your sibling, she nodded, telling you what had happened in your absence.
“Ah, yes. Your sibling is quite the fighter. They’ve been helping us a lot. I’ve personally assigned them to lead a quarter of our forces.” She briefly explained, noticing your ever growing impatience to meet your sibling again. She led you to a cabin, knocking on the door. You felt tense, on edge. Before the door opened, you felt a gentle hand grasp yours, squeezing it reassuringly. You looked at him, and he just silently smiled back with a nod. Like a promise. Whatever happens, I’m next to you, his gaze seemed to say.

So, with that reassurance in mind, you felt your soul a little lighter. The door finally opened, and you found your sibling in front of you, surprised yet glad to see you doing well. And, at last, with a hug and a teary-eyed reunion, you finally finished your journey. From now on, it didn’t matter where fate would take you, you’d never be alone again.

Chapter Text

You were dating the infamous Scaramouche. Some people thought you were crazy, others thought he was forcing you. After all, why would anyone want to be with such an aggressive and cruel man? Well, he always had treated you well, as well as he could manage, and now no one questioned your relationship anymore.

After he tried becoming a god and got defeated, he tried to erase himself from everyone’s memory. And he would have succeeded if it wasn’t for you and Nahida remembering him. You asked if he wanted to regain his memories, he agreed, and then he was back to his normal, abrasive self.

But at least, now he remembered you again too. Free from the burden of his past role as a Harbinger, now he could start over. The world had forgotten him, but he hadn’t forgotten what he had done. He was slowly learning to let go. He didn’t ignore his past, of course he just… learnt to live with it.

He changed his name, wanting to distance himself from the past and start over. To some, he was Hat Guy, to you? Just Wanderer. Weird name for some maybe, but you just accepted it as his growth and shrugged it off. It didn’t matter what name he had in the end.

He finally started paying more attention to you too. You two had started traveling around together, sightseeing, checking out different regions and cultures. He got far away from his past, and slowly managed to become a better person. You went to Fontaine and Natlan at first, just visiting to have fun, and then slowly expanded to the rest of the regions, yet still avoiding Snezhnaya and Inazuma.

You went through a lot together. One time, you had gotten in a fight with some monsters and gotten a few cuts.
“Let me.” You said, noticing he had a few cuts on his body. His clothes were a bit torn, considering the fight had been pretty rough on both of you.
“I’m fine.” He answered, muttering, his voice low. He looked away, seemingly bashful. The tip of his ears seemed to grow a bit red. You chuckled, shaking your head and ruffling his hair.
“You’re not. Look” you said, grabbing his arm, pointing at a cut he had.

“Come on. Let me.” You then said, gently helping him patch himself up. You stopped wondering how he could bleed but not have to breathe a while ago, and now you just accepted those facts without questioning it too much. You cleaned his cuts and wrapped bandages around the wounds. They weren’t too bad, just a few superficial cuts which shouldn’t take too long to heal.
“Thanks…” he said, sheepish, almost blushing. He looked at the bandage, your touch leaving a trail of warmth as it left his arm, wishing it would stay there a little longer.

Another time, you were chatting about whatever, walking around in a small forest that was just outside the city you were staying at for the moment. His arm was resting around your waist, and you were walking side by side. Then, suddenly, a drop of rain fell on your cheek. You flinched, blinking for a second, then you raised your hand to wipe off the drop before another hit your arm.

“Huh…? It’s raining?” You said, looking up to the sky. The clouds were starting to cover the sky, and just by looking up, you could realise it really was about to rain. You sighed, looking around quickly for any shelter.
“Damn it…” You muttered, pressing yourself more against him, then realising something.

“Does your hat function as an umbrella too?” You asked, tapping on the hat carefully to see if it could actually shield you. While it had some fabric pieces, it seemed decently sturdy. Maybe it wasn’t waterproof, but it would be enough to give you temporary shelter until you found something to get under.

“What? You wanna use my hat as an umbrella?” He said, almost seeming baffled and surprised, looking at you sideways, a slight slither of judgement in his eyes.
“Yeah, well… temporarily!” You answered, shrugging. You pressed yourself close to him, wrapping your hands around his waist, making sure your body was under his hat’s protection. You just heard him sigh and shake his head.

“...Fine.” He then finally said, picking you up, holding you in his arms. He carried you in a way so that you’d be able to stay under the hat and not get soaked by the rain. You looked for shelter just like he did, looking around for anything to get under. Anything could go, a cave, cabin, tavern… Getting to the city would probably take too long, but finding shelter in this forest would be equally as hard.

In the end, you two ended up back at the tavern you were staying at, soaked and laughing. When you got inside your room, you took a nice shower and dried up, sitting down on the bed.
“Urgh, why did it have to rain!” You said, sighing. Though, just by looking at him, you felt laughter bubble up in your throat. He looked like a wet kitten, his hair messy and still damp. He was scowling at your laughter, knowing it was because of his appearance.

“Shut up.” He said, scowling and crossing his arms, looking away from you. You chuckled and ruffled his hair, making it even more messy. He tried fighting your hand away, yet you just laughed and smiled at him, making his heart feel lighter. He stopped scowling, then just leaning against your shoulder. You stopped chuckling after a while, now just letting him lean on you, quietly enjoying the moment of peace.

The next day, you made it a point to buy an umbrella at the first shop you found, making sure to then carry it around.

Chapter Text

When you first arrived in Mondstadt you had no mora, no place to stay whatsoever and just the clothes you had on, which wouldn’t be suited for both winter and summer. You had no idea of what to do and where to go. All you could remember was losing your sibling to a god and being thrown down here, on a beach, with nowhere to go. You were alright with just a temporary shelter to at least pass the night unharmed, but finding that proved to be a lot more difficult than you first imagined. The surroundings were quite empty, being simple woods and lakes.

Finally, after a bit of walking, you found something that looked like a camp. There were some monsters around it, though, and you could only hope whoever had settled down in the camp was still alive. You didn’t have any guide that could help you out, so you were left to fend for yourself in an unknown world full of dangers.

You had also found a statue earlier, and it seemed to be giving you some powers. Still, they weren’t anything quite special yet. Its power only allowed you to make small bursts of air and something like a miniature tornado. Which sounded a lot cooler than what it really was.

You had little information about this world, but you knew that there were monsters, like those slimy balls you had seen before, the human-like monster you took down to be able to settle in the camp and a huge ass dragon that soared the sky not too long ago. So yeah, this world wasn’t, by any means, harmless. It seemed quite dangerous, and you doubted you had seen everything it had to offer.

“It’s cold… What do I do now? I lost my sibling; I am in a completely unknown world with just this thing here…” You mumbled to yourself, feeling pathetically hopeless. It felt like everything was out to get you. You had arrived in this world with a sword, a dull blade worth almost nothing other than giving you some sense of security.

You grabbed the leftover wood and food the monsters had left behind. The already lit fire was relatively easy to keep alive, as long as you fed it more wood, and the food seemed actually… comestible? After all, it was simple meat cooked on a stick above fire. Not the most gourmet meal, but it was already there and it was all you could do before night actually fell. So, you ate quietly, just thinking on how to get out of this sticky situation.

You slowly fell asleep to the sound of the night, feeling the exhaustion of the day catching up to you in the end. You planned on staying up until you could to keep guard, unluckily though, you felt your eyes close a lot sooner than you would have liked. It would have been better to sleep in the day and stay awake in the night, which brought more danger.

You woke up slumped over yourself, your back aching from the position you slept in. You groaned, rubbing your eyes, still somewhat sleepy. However, you felt as if something was off. You weren’t alone anymore.

Suddenly, you felt the ground shake. Your sleepiness immediately wore off, and you found your body reacting to the sound, going in fight or flight mode. You didn’t have anything to grab, so you just sprung to your feet and looked around for any weapon other than your dull blade. Unluckily, there wasn’t much else other than sticks and rocks.

You got up and snuck in the opposite direction of where the sound was coming from. You definitely weren’t ready to face whatever was making the ground SHAKE in combat. Not in a thousand years! While you wished you were an overpowered isakai character, you weren’t anything out of the ordinary, nor in fighting or athleticism.

You managed to catch a glimpse of the monsters as you tried sneaking away, they were huge and had manes like a lion. They seemed to be a bigger version of the monsters you had fought yesterday, the ones with the masks. While you could take two or three of the small kind, these just seemed impossible to beat.

The unfortunate thing is that they noticed you. You stepped on a stick, making it crack. You started running, but unluckily they were faster than you. One managed to catch you by your throat, lifting you up, almost seizing you up. You managed to use your sword to cut the wrist of the monster enough for it to let go, but another used the log it was holding to hit you on your side, throwing you against a tree.

It hurt so, so much. You wheezed, the air being knocked out of your lungs. You could tell you probably cracked or broke a few ribs, it hurt to even breathe. Tears made your eyes sting, and you felt like your whole body was on fire. Were you about to die, just after getting in this world too? Was this the end?

Out of nowhere, a stranger killed both monsters surrounding you with one hit, summoning a fire bird which looked… beautiful. A phoenix maybe? For a split second, you felt the pain disappear, mesmerized by the sight. Then, as the phoenix disappeared, much to your disappointment, you felt your eyelids grow heavy again. You cursed to yourself before losing consciousness, the world around you fading to black. The last thing you saw was a flash of red coming to help you.

You woke up again in a house you didn’t recognise. It was warmer inside, and it felt cosier, safer. Yet, even if the atmosphere was calm, your heart rate shot up. Where were you? Was this the afterlife or what? You sat up quickly, but winched as your ribs gave you a painful reminder of what had happened just the day before.

“You’re up.” The red haired man you caught a glimpse of before passing out said. He was… stunning. His gaze was stern and didn’t give out any emotion other than a slight concern for your well being. He seemed kinda intimidating and bored too, like he didn’t really want to be here.

“I… am. Where am I?” You then asked, your voice raspy. Odd. You didn’t remember screaming at all, yet your throat felt itchy and uncomfortable. You tried clearing it, yet all it did was make it drier. He then wordlessly pointed to the glass of water positioned next to you, on the nightstand. You felt a bit sheepish for not seeing it earlier.
“You’re at the Dawn winery. Where I live.” The stranger replied, his tone calm yet emotionless. You realised you officially weren’t dead, so he must be the one who rescued you. You hurried to look at him and offer him somewhat of a strained smile.
“Ah, thanks. For saving me.” You said, trying to keep your face pleasant without scowling from the pain that your ribs were giving you.

“Lay back down. Your ribs are badly bruised.” He said, his gaze hardening a little, like he was scolding you for trying to push your luck again. The fact that you hadn’t broken anything was a miracle out of itself, he didn’t even know how you pulled it off. Alas, nor your arm, nor ribs suffered any grave or, worse, permanent damage.
“Right… Thanks for the clothes too.” You said, noticing you were in warm and clean clothes. You surely were grateful for this.

“Mh.” He simply hummed, looking away. As silence fell in the room, you finally sipped a bit more on our water, slowly gulping down the whole glass. You then sat it back down, glancing at him, almost wondering what to do next.
“Do you have anywhere to stay?” He then asked, looking back at you, his gaze neutral again.

“Ah… not really. No.” You answered, a little ashamed. While you knew you had been thrown into this world without warning, you didn’t really want him to think you were completely useless and penniless. While the assumption itself wasn’t actually wrong, you didn’t want to start on the wrong foot with a complete stranger, the only one you could hope would set you up with some connections maybe.

“Then… you can stay here for now. When you recover, we’ll talk about where to send you.” He then said, curtly nodding and then leaving the room. You felt your heart drop. While you were glad you had somewhere to stay at for now, this didn’t resolve the problem in the long run. Then again, the stranger is already nice enough to let you stay here for a while.

With time, as you slowly recovered from the beating you had received, you learnt to get to know him a little better. While, yes, he was quite aloof, he wasn’t cold by any means. He could be sarcastic, cheeky and cutting if he wanted to. Even if he was mostly neutral, that didn’t mean he didn’t have opinions of his own.

You learnt his name. Diluc. He was the owner of a wine company, could you call it that?, and he also owned a tavern further inside the city. The tavern was called “Angel’s Share”, and it was quite famous in the city, which you learnt was called Mondstadt. You also got to know about visions and what the statue you resonated with was. He briefly explained who the god of the city was and who the knights protecting the city were, but he seemed quite brief with those explanations. You didn’t press for further details.

Finally, the days in which you were able to just live here without paying anything back finished. And so, you got ready to face the conversation. Where would you go from now on? Could you find a job to keep income while trying to find your sibling, or would you have to give up? But are you really willing to give up on them?

“So, I see you’ve healed quite well.” He noted one day, kick starting the conversation. You took a deep breath, already having rehearsed the conversation in your mind. You had to convince him to help, after all.
“I have. I was wondering… Do you know anyone that’s looking for an employee?” You asked, going straight to the important part of the conversation.
“Mh… I’d be willing to have you as an employee for my tavern.” He then said, taking you off guard. In your different scenarios, he never really said something like this.

“That would surely be lovely.” You said, already hoping he'd just accept you as an employee.
“I sure hope you can be trustworthy. Your behaviour in your stay here has been satisfactory so far.” He said, nodding, as if you completed a test. Suddenly, you felt grateful you had always been polite with him, even when it wasn’t really needed. So, at last, you had found a job rather quickly… Yet, what about the house? Could you afford to take out a loan?

“I’ll let you stay here longer. I do recall you saying you had nowhere to go, yes?” He then said, almost as if reading your thoughts. You nodded, feeling an intense sense of relief at his words. While the guilt of giving up on finding your sibling was there, you first wanted to have some money, before going on a journey. It was most logical.

So, you ended up working for Diluc. You were a bartender, just keeping the bar and serving clients. It wasn’t hard overall. While it wasn’t easy at first, thanks to Diluc’s calm and slow guidance, you could feel yourself getting the gist of it.

In the time working with him, you also got closer to the man. He opened up, very slowly, talking a bit about his past, small memories here and there, nothing worth of note usually, a summer day out, or the first taste of wine he had ever gotten. For you, however, it was a huge step in gaining his trust. Months went on, he offered you small bits of information and you offered a listening ear.

You ended up learning about the city, called Mondstadt, then he told you about how visions work and about the god Mondstadt worshipped. It didn’t matter a lot to you, but it was, alas, a way to gain some info about this world you were thrown into.

So finally, you managed to settle down. You lived with Diluc, helping out at the tavern and working for him, and it was… pleasant. He never acted out of line, generally keeping his calm around you. You slowly got used to his presence and even learnt to treasure it. When he was around, the work day was usually calmer and went by way smoother. It seemed as if his intimidating appearance didn’t scare only you off at first sight.

You shared your spaces, finding yourself reading with him in your free time more often than not. If it wasn’t reading sometimes it was chatting, other times it was just sharing a moment of quiet peace together. He brought you on walks sometimes, acting a bit like a guide and protector, keeping monsters away and showing you the points of interest.

You could remember one specific time which really stuck with you too. You had been walking for over an hour now, and while your stamina was getting better, it still could use a bit of work. You had asked for him to take a break since your feet were hurting, so you both stopped under the shade of a tree, catching your breath.

“Here. Take this.” He said, offering you a bottle of water. He had remembered to bring one even for you? How sweet. You couldn’t help but to be a little flattered, your cheeks heating up. What made you happy wasn’t necessarily the action of giving you a bottle of water, but the thought that was put behind it.
“Thanks.” You then answered, showing your gratitude with a warm smile.

“Are you hot?” You then asked, noticing his cheeks were a bit flushed. The summer was slowly approaching, and the days were warming up. While you knew he was used to fire and hot temperatures, you still worried a little.
“Umh… Just a little.” He answered, his cheeks growing even warmer. You hummed, taking a sip of your water, letting out a quiet, content sigh. The break was really needed.

After resting for a little, you had started moving again, planning on heading back, yet he beat you to it. You both stood up, but soon later, he scooped you up from the ground, carrying you in his arms. Now, it was your turn to flush, looking at him with wide eyes.
“You said your feet were hurting, did you not?” He answered your questioning look with another question, even though you could tell it was more of a rhetorical one this time.
“Yeah…” you said, looking away yet wrapping your arms around his neck for stability.

The trip back was uneventful, just like the whole day, and yet you kept that moment close to your heart. It really meant a lot to you, seeing him a bit more vulnerable than usual, initiating contact himself.

You didn’t talk a lot about that in the following days, but what you did notice was him acting a little clingier. When reading a book together, considering he read a little faster than you, he always spent the leftover time looking at you. He grew to love your focused expression, how you then looked up at him to turn the page when you were done.

You noticed you always ended up almost cuddled up together when he closed the book, signalling the end of that reading session for the day. You also noticed he took more shifts at the Angel’s Share too, even if he didn’t really need to. And, casually, those shifts always coincided with yours.

When you had spare time at the tavern, if the shift was slow, he taught you some tricks and shortcuts for you to be more efficient easily. You couldn't lie, you enjoyed the attention he gave you.

The tavern had some regular clients which were quite friendly. The one who was at the tavern for most of the time was this bard named Venti, but there was also a cavalry captain whose name is Kaeya and a nun, Rosaria, visiting. You found their company refreshing, even though it was funny to see a cavalry captain with no horses and a nun getting drunk.

“Could you handle table 4, please?” You heard a colleague call out to you. You felt a tray be put in your hands, and you snapped out of your thoughts. You recalled her words quickly, blinking a few times. She said table 4, right? I assume this is for them…

You looked around, checking to see where table 4 was. You had lost yourself in your thoughts and reminiscing. When you saw the table, however, you realised why your coworker didn’t want anything to do with it. It was a group of rowdy, clearly already drunk, men who were making quite the ruckus. You felt an uncomfortable feeling creep up your throat.

Usually, intimidated by Diluc’s presence, crowds like these didn’t show up here, which made this a rare occurrence. Maybe they were new to the city and just heard this was the most popular tavern, or maybe they wanted to outright provoke the owner. Unluckily, he had left for a couple of hours to go take care of a commission, so you were all that was left to take care of this group of men.

While walking towards them, you felt the dread settle in. The acceptance of the fact that you were doomed to have an uncomfortable encounter. You finally reached their table, trying to catch their attention to serve them their drinks. You had to try a few times, clearing your throat and trying to call out a weak “Sorry” before one of them turned to you, giving you a nasty look before noticing you had their drinks.

“Ah, the hottie from before, where is she? She was serving us.” One of the older men grunted, slurring over his words like a pig, almost spitting out half of the saliva he had in his mouth.
“She’s… serving another table for now.” You said, trying to give out a good excuse other than “She didn’t wanna serve you because you’re pigs”.

“Whaaaat? No way she’s serving someone else. We even said we’d give her a good tip, if you know what I mean” Another man, who seemed younger, slurred out, his voice raising. Was he making sure to be as annoying as possible on purpose, or was this just his personality regularly?
“I do not, sir. Now, who ordered the Dandelion wine?” You said, trying to rope in the conversation, trying to just put down the orders and leave them once more, at least until Diluc showed up again. You made a mental note never to take other’s tables off their hands.

“Urgh, who cares! Your voice is annoying. Where’s the other server?” The old man from earlier spoke up, almost knocking himself out in the process, his head falling dangerously low before picking himself up again, almost like he was about to doze off.
“Like I said-” You tried again before getting cut off by a short man butting in the conversation with an annoyingly screeching voice.
“Stop being so rude.” The man spoke, and for just a split second, you regretted ever badmouthing the man just because he was short and had an annoying voice.

“This one’s just as young and pretty.” He then added, shattering any hope you had left in humanity. You could feel your stomach turning uncomfortably, especially since the short man stood up. You put the tray on the table, just meaning to head off after putting the tray down, not even serving them, yet you were stopped by another, taller, man who got right behind you.

“You’re right. This bitch doesn’t look half bad.” The tall man spoke. He grabbed your wrist from behind, yanking you close, pressed against the man’s chest. You could feel bile bubbling up in your throat, and you felt like you needed to throw up. There was an uncomfortable feeling of disgust rooted deep in your gut, and you felt your throat closing up on itself. You were just about to try and tug yourself free, but the man’s grip tightened.

Just before getting groped by the two men, a figure cut in, instead bringing you close to himself. While you felt dread run cold in your veins, your body relaxed immediately after recognising the cologne of the person holding you right now. You looked up in immense relief, seeing Diluc’s face in your vision. You could almost jump out of joy right now.

“I have to request you to leave.” Diluc finally said after a beat of stunned silence, his tone cold and threatening. It felt like the room suddenly got 10 degrees colder, the tension was high, and you felt like it could be cut with a knife. Still, you didn’t mind that. Just the fact that you were now safe made you feel relieved and a little calmer. Your heart was racing, and you still could feel the bile in your throat, but the feeling of disgust was slowly easing away, leaving space for the warmth Diluc’s presence brought to you.

“Uhh, mate listen, we weren’t…” The old man started, trying to amend their wrongdoings by blatantly lying. Luckily for you, Diluc doesn’t take any shit from them, and kicks them out without any regret. You clung on him for as long as he let you while he kept holding your waist reassuringly, his thumb slowly caressing your side, his way of trying to comfort you. He seemed pissed off at them and concerned for you, keeping you by his side and letting you feel safe in his presence.

He then led you to a private room in which you could both catch your breath and freshen up. You sat down on the bed, sighing. It seemed as if it was just an empty room which clients would have used otherwise.
“Are you alright? Did they do anything?” He asked you, sitting next to you, looking out for you. You laid your head on his shoulder and looked down. He was surprised at first, but he let you lean on his shoulder, even wrapping an arm around you.
“I’m… alright, I guess. They didn’t do anything, just being rude.” You answered, the ugly feeling in your gut swirling once more just by recounting the experience, feeling uncomfortable once again.

You sat together for a little while, just quietly trying to recall your thoughts. You looked at his other hand, which was resting on the bed and let your own hand slide on the sheets to grasp his. You looked up at him, expecting some kind of comfort or sweet words which never came. It was just his way of doing things. He shielded you, checked on you, all things to show he cared, but didn’t go further than what he thought was a boundary.

“What happens to them now?” You asked, breaking the silence. It was slowly feeling uncomfortable, the oppressing weight of silence. He tilted his gaze toward you.
“What do you want to see happen?” He asked back, raising an eyebrow. A report was going to be handed to the knights for sure, but he was trying to gauge if something more had to be done, maybe like personally looking for those guys.
“I… guess I don’t want them to harass anyone else?” You said, unsure for yourself. While nothing bad happened specifically to you, it was clear those men didn’t plan on stopping the cat-calling, especially since you were alone and they had a group.

“Do you want to get home? We’ll have someone cover your shift.” He then said, his hand brushing out of your face some stray locks of hair. You closed your eyes for a second, then looking at the ground and nodding.
“Would it be selfish of me?” You said, unsure. After all, while your coworker had given you the order, and basically set you up to be harassed in her place, it was also true that nobody really wanted to be harassed, no matter the gender or age. Leaving now would be leaving your colleague alone?
“I can give you the opportunity for a break, if you wish.” He then said, really leaving the decision to you. You pondered for a good minute, then finally gave in the exhaustion of the day.

“Yeah. I do.” You said, standing up from the bed, rubbing your eyes. A good break was what you needed after today. You’d spring up in no time tomorrow, you promised yourself, but today could be left to resting. He stood up right after you, his hand ending up on your waist again. He meant it as a reassuring and comforting gesture, so you let him lead you, letting yourself sink in your thoughts once again, spacing out as he led you. Noticing this, he seemed to get an idea.

He must have assumed you were tired, maybe that you were feeling sick after that incident, because he decided to pick you up. It was the second time he had decided to scoop you up in his arms, the first being that walk. This time, though, you were less surprised about it. You simply wrapped your arms around his neck and leaned your head on his shoulder, your eyes slowly closing against your will. His warmth was comforting and reassuring, it lulled you in a sense of security and safety, just what you needed after such a shitty experience.

He carried you all the way back, not uttering a word. He didn’t tell you to say thank you, nor blame you for what happened or your wishes to go back home, he just carried you in his arms, his grip gentle and calm. You stayed leaning onto him like a lifeline, your body heavy and tired. After the burst of adrenaline you had felt, the exhaustion of the moment came crashing down on you.

When you got home, he let you down, putting you down in your room, but you stopped him, tugging on his sleeve.
“Can we read a bit together?” You asked, not wanting him to leave just yet, still craving for the sweet comfort his presence brought to you.
“...Sure.” He answered, his gaze softening a little, his shoulders easing in relief. He left you some ime to change in more comfortable clothes, going to change for himself too.

Once he was finished, you were sitting under the comfort of the blankets, a book in hand, opened to the page where you had left off last time. He was hesitant at first, not really knowing if he should tuck himself in too, but then you patted the spot beside yourself, and he decided to give in for today. He sat beside you, getting under the sheets too, grabbing the book from your hands gently.

You laid your head on his shoulder, meaning to read at least a few pages, yet unable to keep focus. Your eyes felt tired and heavy. He seemed to notice this, because he put aside the book not long after starting to read, laying you down on the bed. However, that night, you were particularly keen on not letting him go, since you grabbed his hand, asking for him not to go wordlessly.

So, you ended up laying side to side, hugged in a gentle and comforting embrace. You buried your face in his chest, seeking the warmth his arms provided. To comfort you, he ran his hand in your hair, and suddenly felt really glad you couldn't see his face like this. His cheeks felt warm and flushed, your proximity flustering him a little. He wasn’t embarrassed, he’d never be embarrassed to hold you, it just felt a little sudden.

You ended up falling asleep soon after, your eyes finally able to get some well deserved rest. He stayed in the night, always keeping by your side and holding you, making sure you weren’t having nightmares or having trouble sleeping.

In the end, everything felt resolved, like it fell in the right pieces and they all fit together well, leading up to this point. He was more than happy to hold you through the night.

Chapter Text

As soon as you woke up you felt a burning feeling in your stomach. It gnawed at your insides and bubbled up to your throat, threatening to spill over. You had to sit up and swallow, trying to not gag and throw up as a first thing in the morning. Your body was burning and it felt like it was actively rebelling against you. You had to force your body to get up, your muscles feeling weak and sore.

You opened the cupboard, searching for some medicine to help you through the day. Unluckily, much to your disappointment and despair, you found no medicine, and remembered you had finished it the last time you had been sick. You had told yourself you’d buy it when heading in the city, but then, as the procrastinator you are, you put the task off until you forgot. Now it was coming back to bite you in the ass, though.

“Oh my fucking archons…” You muttered to yourself, trying to hype yourself up and blow some steam off. Verbalising your anger always helped to calm it down a little, especially when swearing like a sailor.

Luckily, at least, you didn’t live far from the Bubu pharmacy, so you grabbed your jacket and, after getting dressed, you headed out. You brushed your hair and fixed your appearance a little before heading out though, not wanting to look completely wrecked, which you were.

You knew it wasn’t a problem going at whatever hour it was, you’ve known Baizhu for quite a while now, and you knew it wouldn’t be a problem going to his shop, even if it was a little early. It was morning, and the shop was surely closed, but you knew he was already setting up to open, so he’d be there. He always liked being there a little earlier.

The walk there was awful, your body felt both on fire yet wrecked by shivers. It was a really uncomfortable feeling, considering you felt cold and hot at the same time. Your mind felt a little hazy too, like it was struggling to form a coherent thought. You overall felt really sick.

“Hey.” You greeted Baizhu, entering the shop quietly, your body language closed off and tired. You could only assume what it looked like to others, considering you felt yourself dragging your body forward.
“Hello [name], you look… umh…” He commented, concern thinly veiled in his gaze. You noticed his snake, Changsheng, wasn’t around. It felt weird, considering she usually was wrapped around his neck, ready to snark any rude customer.

“Don’t mention it. I need some… painkillers. I guess. Something for a fever too.” You said, rubbing your eyes. You didn’t really need something specific, considering so far, this was just an annoying fever. It should be gone in something like, in the worst case scenario, a week. Unless it turned out to be something else, which would be quite the hindrance for your job as an adventurer. You wouldn't be able to get your daily commissions done. You had a few savings, and surely you could go on without working for a week, but it still made you a bit nervous, to be sick like this.

He nodded and went to fetch the medicine. You waited there, almost dozing off on your feet. When he came back and put the medicine on the counter for you to take, he eyed you suspiciously. You had a knack for hiding your illness until it was unbearable and impossible to cure without heavy dosages of medicine. Just the fact that you came to pick up medicine, and before opening hours too, meant this was already pretty bad.

You handed him the money and thanked him, offering him a weak and half-assed smile. You were just about to go home when you suddenly felt weak and collapsed on your knees. Your vision blurred and you started seeing dots of light all around, covering your vision. You couldn’t escape them, not even when closing your eyes. Steady hands cupped your face and grabbed you, stabilising you. He didn’t force you to stand back up, though.

“Are you alright?!” He exclaimed, crouching to your side. You felt your head lull like dead weight, struggling to stay up straight. Just the slightest movement made you nauseous, giving you quite the headache too.
“No… not at all, actually.” You admitted, trying to swallow the saliva slowly forming in your mouth. This was your body’s way of protecting the mouth from the acid in your stomach, the problem is that it was a clear sign that you were about to throw up.

“Let’s get you laid down mh? Archons, you’re burning.” He said, helping you on your feet, basically carrying your slumping body to the back of the store. Just behind it were his personal quarters, in which he helped you get into. Qiqi was also there, sitting next to the table, sipping on her coconut milk, with Changsheng looking over her. He laid you down in his bed before anything else.

“Why is that girl here…?” Qiqi asked with her flat tone, apparently not remembering you. However, you found it hard to hold it against her when you knew she needed a list of tasks just to remember what to do every day. Changsheng seemed mixed between concerned and curious. After all, the snake, just like its owner, had known you for a while. While she liked to be snarky, you also had gotten to the point of being used to it.
“She’s feeling sick, so she’ll be staying here for a little. Do you remember her, Qiqi?” He said, heading to grab a cold cloth to put on your forehead. You got comfortable, your sight fuzzy and offuscated. You sighed, looking at Baizhu, feeling relieved you had such a nice and capable friend. You followed him with your gaze, looking at him pace back and fourth, grabbing medicine and preparing you something to eat to stomach it.

You rubbed your eyes, sighing. As soon as you gave away any sign of discomfort, he was by your side, sitting next to you, looking at your face. You tried mustering up a small smile, but he shook his head.
“You don’t have to act ok.” He said, then putting his hand on your forehead, checking again for fever. He frowned, clearly not content with your state. You almost felt bad, having him fuss and worry like this over little old you. But, one thing you couldn't lie to yourself about, was the fact that his care and concern actually felt good, it was like someone cared.

“I don’t… Who is she?” The little girl answered, walking over to the bed you were laying on. She looked at your face, tilting her head. You looked back at Qiqi, offering her a small smile, even if you felt disoriented and out of place. Her face remained impassive, without any recognition of you or your face.
“This is my dear friend, [Name].” He answered, removing his hand from your forehead and instead replacing it with the cloth he had prepared. You felt a little warmer, yet this time it wasn’t because of the fever.

“Your dear friend, huh?” You teased, chuckling a little, then clearing your dry throat, feeling your eyes water. Seeing this, even if Qiqi didn’t recognise you, she wordlessly headed to the table she was sitting at earlier, grabbing her cup of milk and offering it to you, an innocent expression on her face. You could feel your heart warming a little with affection, finding the action endearing. Even though she had forgotten who you were, it seemed as if, subconsciously, she still felt a connection.

Baizhu, if bothered by your tease, didn’t show it, turning away instead, heading to grab some water. You felt disappointment at seeing him go, but you had bigger fish to fry other than crushing on your friend and doctor. You looked at Qiqi, shaking your head, thanking her.

“That’s really kind of you, Qiqi, but it’s better for me to drink water for now. It’s better for my illness.” You said, gently patting her head, sitting up, trying to stay a bit more up straight. She didn’t seem dejected by your rejection, nodding and sipping on the drink herself. Changsheng slid around Baizhu’s neck, getting back to her usual place.

“Am I done babysitting kids, Baizhu?” She asked, tilting her head. Apparently, by her words, Baizhu had told her to look after Qiqi for a little while he was in the process of doing his normal, opening tasks. You smiled at the thought, and wondered if the two could stay apart. As long as Baizhu didn’t have to heal anyone, could it be alright?
“Mh… would you mind taking Qiqi for a walk while I tend to [Name]?” He then said, putting Changsheng down, around Qiqi’s neck instead. The snake, as annoyed as she may have been, didn’t comment, just shooting a conspiratory look at Baizhu. You were sure that if she could smirk, she would be right now.

Qiqi and Changsheng left, accompanied by another little girl who you recognised to be Yaoyao. Qiqi seemed to be friends with her, since she remembered the other kid. In any case, their voices were drowned out by the sound of Baizhu’s own, concerned voice.
“Why are you sitting up?” He asked, sitting right behind you, just in case you fell and he had to catch you.

“Drink this.” He then said, scooting closer, looking at you and bringing a glass of water to your lips. You felt weak, almost too weak to grasp the glass of water, and your body felt heavy, like it didn’t want to move on its own. He noticed this and huffed, pressing the glass of water to your lips, tilting it slightly, letting the water fall in your lips. You drank a little before humming, a sign he had to pull away.

He placed the glass on the nightstand with a soft sigh. Your cheeks felt flushed after what had just happened. While he hadn’t meant for it to be, your mind went in the gutter, your breathing a bit heavier. You looked down at the floor as he grabbed a tray with food and medicine for you to take. He placed it on your lap, sitting again next to you. He kept a close eye on you, not wanting to see you faint and make a mess.

You sighed, not feeling hungry at all. The problem was that if you took the medicine without eating, your stomach would feel a lot worse. You forced your muscles to move with an important struggle, bringing the food to your lips. You nibbled on it, grumbling on how you didn’t feel hungry at all. He glared at you, however, leaving you no room for any disobedience.

You closed your eyes for a second.

“Do I have to feed you?” He asked, his tone a mix between teasing and genuinely concerned. Your eyes shot open immediately, your face heating up with embarrassment.
“Urgh, no need.” You then answered, looking at the tray in front of you, eating the food with quite the effort. He seemed satisfied when you finally finished the breakfast he laid out for you, almost like he was relieved to see you getting the right nutrition.

“Take the medicine and then lay back down. Your fever should be gone in no time.” He said, gently taking you by your shoulders, taking the medicine and bringing it to your mouth. You took one look at it and immediately shook your head. You hated taking pills. Bitter and bad tasting medicine was alright, but pills? Never. You still weren’t able to swallow them without almost throwing up and gagging.

“Archons… don’t you have something else?" You muttered, in the hopes he’d answer yes. When he shook his head with an apologetic gaze, you sighed. Since you struggled taking pills, your strategy usually was to break and crunch the medicine until it was powder, swallowing it with water and then taking a shot of lemon juice to get rid of the taste on your tongue. Pills taken like that seriously tasted like licking a wall, but it was the best strategy you had.

So, you asked him to fetch a piece of lemon for you. You felt a bit embarrassed, but you really wanted the fever gone. So, when he came back with what you needed, you took a deep breath and drank the pill down with water. Your expression morphed in a frown, drinking a bit of the lemon juice for the taste to be gone, replaced by the acid taste of lemon. You then sighed, shaking your head, drinking the rest of the water.

“There. Was it that horrible?” He said, gently ruffling your hair, offering you a smile. You shot him a half-assed glare, then sighed, feeling weak once again. Noticing this, he gently pushed you down to lay back down. While you wanted to oppose him, maybe stay awake a little more with him, keeping him company until opening, your body really seemed to hate you today. You just let yourself be placed back down in the bed.

“It was.” You said, looking at him. You could only imagine how pitiful you looked right now. Your body felt like it was on fire, and you felt weak. Yet, he wasn’t put off by your weakness, he just patted your head once more, sitting beside you until you fell asleep. You wondered if this was a treatment he gave to all his patients, but you already knew the answer. Of course not. You had always been special.

You woke up hours later, feeling a whole lot better. You sat up, looking around. While his scent lingered on the sheets and surroundings, he was nowhere to be found. The bed was cold, though, so you assumed he left as soon as you fell asleep. In your heart, you had hoped he’d stay with you, but then again, he can’t put his work aside.

You decided to get up, feeling your back drenched with sweat. Probably it was the fever. Considering you didn’t feel it anymore, you assumed you had sweated it out. You looked around in Baizhu’s room, and noticed he had left some clothes for you on the table. You picked them up with a smile on your face and headed to the bathroom. You were quite careful with everything around you, trying to leave behind as little of a mess as possible.

Finally, when you were done with your shower, you felt way better. The sticky sensation of the sweat was gone, replaced by a feel of being clean and refreshed. Not bothering to dry your hair, you just threw the clothes he had prepared on and walked to where he should be. You got out of his quarters and went to his shop, considering it was quite close. When you walked in, you noticed he was behind the counter, nobody was inside yet.

When he saw you, his eyes visibly brightened, a smile on his face. Changsheng was still away with Qiqi, by the looks of it, considering she wasn’t around his neck. You walked over to the counter, a smile on your own lips.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, tilting his head a little, his gaze holding both endearment and concern in it. He pressed a hand to your forehead once again, but this time his expression seemed to be a whole lot more relieved. Clearly the fever was gone, and so was the nausea.
“Better. Thanks to you.” You said, chuckling, teasing him a little, yet also making it clear that you were grateful he let you rest for today.

“I’m glad. You should dry your hair, though.” He then said, running his hand through it, feeling the dampness of it. He shook his head, almost like a silent reprimand. You just shrugged, offering him a mischievous smile.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” You said, smirking, aiming to get a rise out of him.
“Says the person who was so sick they slept through the whole evening.” He then scolded you, gently flicking your forehead. You raised a hand to it, rubbing the place which had been hit with a playful glare, however you couldn't really deny his statement.

“Whatever…” You muttered, looking at him sideways, pretending to be mad. He just chuckled, shaking his head and turning back to working. He had already prepared a chair for you to sit in, close to the counter. You settled down on it, looking at him working. In the day, he got a variety of clients, but none of them had really bad problems that you could detect.

When he was done working, you started complaining about the fact that you hadn’t moved in so long, and so he took you on a walk. The shop was closed anyway, and Qiqi and Changsheng were still out, so it was best to go look for them. Baizhu said that Qiqi had mentioned going to the harbor today, so you went to check there. It was also around dinnertime, so you opted to buy something to eat out, since your stomach was starting to grumble.

“Ohh, look at that stand! The food looks delicious!” You said, pointing at a stand selling different types of food. However, you got distracted by a stall selling some cool jewellery, and completely neglected your stomach, instead heading to check out what the vendor was selling. You were so engrossed in your new found interest that you completely lost Baizhu.

When you looked up again, your heart sank. You didn’t see him anywhere. While you obviously knew your way back, you also didn’t want to lose him. After all, this was meant to be a nice walk with him. And then, suddenly, you felt a calm and warm voice behind you, making you flinch and turn around rather quickly, making your head spin. A steady hand grasped your waist, keeping you stable on your feet.

“Slow down. I’m right here.” Baizhu spoke, his other hand holding the food from the stand you had seen before, making your stomach growl. It was clear the vendor recognised Baizhu, but she didn’t say anything, just shooting you a conspiratory look, the second one Baizhu had received today. And while you didn’t understand what the vendor and Changsheng had meant to hint at, Baizhu sure did, his cheeks growing warmer.

“Here. For you.” He then said, giving you the food he got you. You smiled warmly, your mood clearing again, forgetting the small scare of earlier, looking at him happily, taking the food from his hands with a joyful thanks. He smiled, this time keeping an arm around your waist just to make sure you didn’t run off again, walking away from the jewellery stand, getting back on the original goal of finding Qiqi and Changsheng. You chatted along the way, both keeping a keen eye out for anything similar to a zombie girl with a snake.

After a while, you found the two sitting on the edge of a dock, looking up at the starry sky.
“Here you are. Yaoyao left?” Baizhu said, sitting next to Qiqi, looking back at you, smiling and patting the spot next to himself. You smiled and sat next to him, looking at his hand and gently taking it.
“Yes… She had to eat dinner.” Qiqi said, still looking at the stars. Changsheng looked at your intertwined hands, then her eyes narrowed. Was this another of her signature conspiratory looks you were receiving today?

“Have you eaten?” You then asked. You knew she usually ate, just like she liked drinking coconut milk. She nodded, looking at you now.
“Yes. I brought some food at a stall… but I can’t remember which one.” She said, looking at the food in your hands, then looking at Baizhu.

You nodded, smiling, eating your own food, happily munching on it, your appetite growing the more you ate. The food was truly good, and the fact that you had only eaten breakfast didn’t help. You stayed sitting for a while, just silently looking at the stars peacefully. You even leaned your head on Baizhu’s shoulder and felt his head resting on top of yours. It was peaceful and it made you feel warm inside.

You then walked back all together, going on your different ways once you reached your house. Baizhu sent Qiqi and Changsheng off, staying behind just for a little, enough to say goodbye. He looked at you and smiled, bringing you in a gentle hug. While taken aback, you didn’t fight it, hugging him back happily, savouring the touch.

“Come visit more often, even if you’re not sick, won’t you?” He said, looking down at you, kissing your forehead gently. Just that left you speechless and flustered. You gulped and nodded, offering him a smile, hoping the dark of the night was covering your blushing. However, seeing how he was smiling widely, you doubted your fluster was being hidden very well.
“I will.” You then said, your tone gentle, matching his.

“That’s good to hear.” He said, smiling. He hugged you for a little longer, then eventually let go, much to your dismay. He waved and started walking off, making sure you got inside safely. When he regrouped with Qiqi and Changsheng, the former was already asleep in her bed. The cunning snake, however, had a feeling something went down in her absence.

“Did you make out with [Name]?” Changsheng asked, her eyes glimmering with mischievousness, and once again, for the third time in the night, Baizhu felt like the snake would be smirking if she could be, right now.
“No. I didn’t” He answered, even though he had wished to do so. “Maybe I will someday, and won’t tell you.” He then added, just to rile up the snake and make her doubt his words.
“What? Don’t you dare!” Changsheng said, wrapping around Baizhu’s neck once more, her eyes narrowed threateningly. “I’ll choke you.” She then added. Much to her dismay, her complaints were only met with a chuckle before being brushed off.

Who knew, maybe one day your relationship would evolve to the point of being able to make out, like Changsheng said. He surely hoped that day would come.

Chapter Text

One time you were wandering in Inazuma city, just looking at the shops and food stalls, trying to see if anything caught your eye but instead found Gorou and the traveller talking with… Yae Miko?! You knew your boyfriend enough to know that he absolutely despised the fox woman. So why was he with her? You saw him blushing in embarrassment, his tail between his legs.

She was nice if you didn’t mind her love for teasing people. She was cunning and able to spot somebody’s weak points and use those to her advantage. In Gorou’s particular case, she totally knew his weakness was his tail. Just hearing a few words of the conversation allowed you to understand that Yae was indeed teasing Gorou about how he kept his tail. While she bragged about how her tail was silky smooth, you saw the general’s cheeks grow warmer and warmer.

You decided to walk up to them, sighing softly. When Yae Miko saw you, she chuckled, her gaze conspiratory for some reason.

“Maybe you should let your partner take care of your tail instead.” She then said, catching all three of you completely off guard. While you were stunned, she took the opportunity to slip away, her lips curled up in a sly smirk, chuckling to herself. You then sighed, shaking your head.
“What was she talking about?” You asked, crossing your arms, looking back at the two idiots that were still stunned.

“Umh… nothing.” Gorou tried, aiming to hide his flustered state, definitely failing.
“Ah, you know.” The traveller said, shrugging their shoulders, almost as if they were on some kind of joke along with Gorou. You crossed your arms, shooting the two a glare.
“Nothing? So why did Yae mention tails?” You said, taking advantage of the little information you had to tease the two little liars for a bit.

You saw the general flinch, a shiver running up his spine. His ears lowered in embarrassment, his lips pressing in a thin line, his tail swooshing low.
“You heard that, huh…” He said, his face closer to a tomato rather than his actual skin color. The sight was kinda adorable, you couldn’t lie.

“Yeah, I did. Whatever, it was nothing, right?" You said, shrugging. If he wanted to keep it a secret, after all, it was his own wishes you’d respect, the only thing is that Paimon, in her naivety, didn’t really pick up on social cues, like always, and so she popped up.
“Yae Miko was teasing Gorou because he daydreams about someone grooming his tail! And something about hugging his tail to sleep! Paimon heard it!” She piped up, catching you off guard. A smirk popped up on your face, slowly turning to face the now desperate Gorou. He looked like he wanted to bury himself in the ground.

“Ah, really now?” You said with a smirk, looking at him. The traveller chuckled like a naughty kid would do when they’re caught doing something bad.
“Ah, sorry general.” The traveller said, shutting up the floating fairy. The two decided to leave the place, probably deciding to leave the poor general alone with you to have some time to recover from the embarrassment.

You watched them leave silently, leaving your boyfriend a second to calm down, considering his face was completely red.

“You know, you don’t need to hide that from me.” You said, your back still turned on him. You heard his tail swooshing from one side to the other, and suddenly, two arms wrapped around you. You smiled, chuckling softly. His head rested on your shoulder, his cheeks still red.
“Yeah…?” He asked, almost as if he was hopeful that you’d actually groom his tail. It was reserved to only people he trusted, and you were one of them.
“Yeah.” You said, turning to him, offering him a smile.

He seemed to perk up happily, his ears raising and his tail wagging. You chuckled at the adorable show of affection, patting his head and turning around to face him. His arms wrapped around your waist, while yours wrapped around his neck. When you realised you still were in public, and very close to Yae Miko’s shrine, you took Gorou’s hand and led him around.

You saw a few shops, lingering around a shop for haircare products. Under the guise of you looking for some good oils, you asked the clerk for any good products for shiny and silky hair. Of course, you were actually asking for Gorou, meaning to groom his tail once you got back home, but the general public didn’t need to know that. You got some products he paid for, since he picked up on what you were doing. His cheeks were a bit flushed, but his tail was happy, and his ears were perking up once more.

To hang out, you headed back to your house, setting the products down. He was looking at you with excitement. The rebellion ended, thanks to the traveller, so he definitely had more time on his hands. That meant he could stay with you, maybe even hang out for the night. He settled on your bed, waiting for you, wondering what you would do.

“Let’s go to the bathroom, mh?” You said, chuckling. You meant to give him a full experience, and he could probably use a wash anyways. It was best to be clean before doing a hair routine, how different could hair of a tail be?
“Mh, yeah!” He said, standing up happily, following you like a loyal dog, his tail basically sweeping the floor by how fast it was going.

You got inside and decided to just fill a bucket of water, since it would be easier to wash his tail like that. A bit like when you had to wash your hair but didn’t have the time to step in the shower so you just used the sink.

The water was perfectly warm, not scalding and not cold. Firstly, you washed his tail, making sure to be gentle and careful. You used both shampoo and conditioner, making sure not to be too right with the fur. He didn’t seem annoyed, nor did he flinch, so you assumed it was alright to continue.

You then dried the tail, leaving it just damp enough. He leaned back on you, leaning his head on your shoulder, making you giggle.
“Stop it, I can’t see your tail.” You said, chuckling quietly, ruffling his hair.
“Mh… but it’s so relaxing” He said, closing his eyes. You rolled your eyes playfully, adjusting enough to see his tail and keep on pampering him.

You grabbed a hair brush and the products you brought from the store. You started slowly detangling his tail, your touch gentle and careful. The products smelled good and they were just subtle enough not to disturb his heightened sense of smell. He tried keeping his tail as still as possible, but you noticed it always wagged a little, at least showing he was happy.

You then brushed his tail, slowly taking care of the tangled fur. It wasn’t matted, nor messy enough to make the detangling process a pain, just mildly inconveniencing. At the end, your wrists were hurting, but his fur was perfectly shiny and detangled. He finally turned around, offering you a wide smile. He hugged you, almost knocking you off your feet. You laughed softly and wrapped your arms around him, keeping him steady where he was.

“There we go. All finished. What do you think?” You asked, looking at him. He smiled and pressed a kiss on your cheek, his expression satisfied and happy. Clearly, you had done a good job.

“I think you’re the best!” He answered, nuzzling on your chest, relishing in your warmth. You smiled and patted his head, nodding.
“Yeah, I could get used to that” You then said, running your hand in his hair, sighing softly, content.

“Let’s get in bed, mh?” You muttered, checking the time. When you met him, you were strolling right after eating, and since he hadn’t mentioned being hungry, you assumed he had eaten.
“Hold up, you’ve already had dinner, right?” You asked, making sure you weren’t starving him. He chuckled at your concern but nodded.
“Yeah. But, can you do that to my ears too?” He asked, giving you the cutest puppy eyes you had ever seen. How could you not cave in at such a cute stare?

“Sure.” You answered, smiling. You cupped his face, letting him rest it on your chest as you worked on his ears. It took way less than his tail, since the fur on his ears was a whole lot shorter than the one on his tail. You massaged his ears, noticing his eyes were closed in pure bliss. You were sure that if he was a cat, he would be purring right now.

When you finally finished, he opened his eyes lazily, smiling. He nuzzled closer to you, his grip tightening on you.
“Come on, it’s late.” You said quietly, just enough to be heard. He smiled and got up, picking you up in the process. He was small but by no means weak. You chuckled as he brought you away, putting you down only when you got to the bed.
“Mh, I’m tired.” He muttered, agreeing with your statement. He laid down in bed with you, once again clinging to you. Not that you minded, in fact, you loved his clinginess.

You laid together, the quiet of the night enveloping you both. The only noises to be heard were the sounds of your breathing and the eventual noises of the street. Other than that, it was quiet, and calm. You fell asleep in each other’s arms, letting the night lull you in a calm rest.

Chapter Text

You’ve been dating Kinich for a while now, and you’ve gotten to know him well.

He’s a saurian hunter, but it’s not necessarily a cruel profession. Some saurians are just too aggressive for their own good, even for their kind and the safety of other humans. He’s got an annoying companion, Ajaw, who’s always giving his opinion and boasting about how he’s the “Almighty Dragonlord, K’uhul Ajaw” and whatever. That companion of his seems quite fond of you, though, and never bothers you personally when he talks… so it’s a start with him.

Kinich is a calm guy, usually aloof but also kind. He’s skilled in climbing and swinging from tree to tree. He basically used Ajaw as a grappling hook. But the passion for extreme sports also came with a whole lot of drawbacks, like the worry he might not return one day. Ajaw would be quite satisfied if Kinich died, since he’d be able to take over the young man’s body, but you’d be a whole lot less pleased.

So, when you got the news that Kinich was attacked by a flying saurian and fell, you felt your heart drop, assuming the worst.

You got to the clinic, tears in your eyes, thinking you’d see a dying Kinich, but he turned out to be relatively fine. As fine as a person who took a dive without a parachute can be. You wanted to scold him, to shout how reckless he was, but when he turned to look at you, seeing you come in, all your words died on your tongue.

His eyes immediately lit up when you showed up in the doorframe and you felt your shoulders slump in relief. There he was, with a broken arm and some scratches on his face. You were so, so relieved. He was alive and… not as hurt as you assumed he’d be. You rushed to his side, hugging him tightly. He sighed softly in contentment, closing his eyes in your embrace, raising his healthy arm to wrap it around your shoulders, leaning on you.

“Urgh, gross! You should pay attention to me instead!” Spoke an irritating voice. The pixelated dragon came up to rest on your shoulder, pressing in the crook of your neck, looking at you expectantly, like he assumed you’d be rewarding him.
“You know, I saved your dear Kinich over here. I used my body as a landing platform! I want a reward, human!” Ajaw then said, bragging about something you’d never heard mentioned before. Ajaw saving Kinich, instead of letting him die? Was this the same Ajaw you knew?

Kinich sighed heavily, yet nodded, confirming the dragon’s words.
“He did save me. Whining on about how I had to be grateful and how he was doing this just for your approval. In his words, I quote, ‘The Almighty Dragonlord, K’uhul Ajaw reduced to saving some random brat?! [Name] better be proud!” He said, shrugging.

“Huh… I mean… Thanks, Ajaw.” You said, shocked yet relieved. You were just glad Kinich was alive. Yet, to the dragon, your thanks wasn’t enough. He frowned, crossing his arms and stomping his little feet on your shoulder, clearly demanding more. You sighed, chuckling quietly.

“Why, thank you, your highness, Almighty Dragonlord K’uhul Ajaw.” You said, your tone teasing and playful, trying to remember the full (self assigned) title of this little creature before bringing the dragon to your lips and pressing a kiss on his head.
“R-right! Yes! Bow down to me!” Ajaw answered, his initial shock and flusteredness replaced by a smug grin as you kissed his head. He floated all around the room, boasting how he was the best and unbeatable.

The little creature flew over your heads, laughing like a maniac and making quite the ruckus. You sat on Kinich’s bed, settling down next to him. He wrapped his healthy arm around your waist, his gaze gentle and loving. He had missed you, the feeling of your warmth next to him and the comfort your presence brought him. In the raging storm that was his world, you were the little ray of sunshine that came thought from the dense tempest clouds.

Not enough to completely make the storm go away, but enough to give the weary traveller a slither of hope, a small hint that maybe the future doesn’t reserve only tempest and struggles.

To Ajaw, instead, you were like a brand new shining toy. He was fascinated in you, and wished to be the only one playing with you. The odd attraction he felt for you didn’t go much deeper from just seeing you and thinking you were beautiful, but to be fair, Ajaw thought of himself as above everyone, it was hard to make him fall in love with somebody else than himself.

“Does the arm hurt a lot?” You asked, looking out for your lover, looking at his injured arm. It was already put in a cast, and you hoped it would heal well. You took a good look at the scratches on his face too. They had been cleaned by the staff, and didn’t seem bad. He was being held here one day because he hit his head, and the medics feared a concussion. Other than that, they had quelled your fears, saying how he was fine and awake, able to hold conversations.

“Mh… a little, it only hurts a lot if someone bumps into it.” He answered, offering you a smile. He seemed calm and truthful, so you didn’t doubt his words. He usually tried hiding his pain, if he could, so you had the right to be a bit skeptical. Alas, for now he didn’t show any signs of active discomfort, so you could relax for a little. You’d be extra careful around him, to avoid bumping in his arm. You’d also probably have to keep Ajaw away from Kinich, since the dragon could make it his goal to hurt your boyfriend more.

He saved him, yes, but that didn’t mean Ajaw was suddenly benevolent. He probably saved Kinich on a whim, wanting to hear your approval, this didn’t mean he’d do it again if it came down to it. Plus, if Ajaw took over Kinich’s body he’d be objectively closer to you, as a human.

You tried coming up with a plan, wondering how you’d be able to keep the little pest away.
“Do you want me to take Ajaw with me for a bit?” You asked, unable to keep your concern for Kinich out of your tone.
“I guess you could but-” He started, about to express his concern, thinking Ajaw was a bit too much to handle for someone who wasn’t used to it.

The pixelated dragon then stopped floating around, suddenly getting close to you two, still giggling with that raspy tone of his.
“You’re taking me in? But like this your dear Kinich won’t be able to use my power.” Ajaw noted, seeming quite happy at the thought of leaving Kinich defenseless. Still, you did think it was for the best, to keep your boyfriend safe.

“Don’t put yourself in danger, mh? I’ll keep him just for a little.” You said, gently pressing a kiss on Kinich’s head, then ruffling his hair affectionately.
“Sure.” He said, smiling a little. He could use a break from Ajaw’s restless pestering and he assumed it wouldn’t be that bad of an idea to give him to somebody that could handle him, especially since the dragon seemed to favour you the most.

Just then, a nurse came in, telling you politely that the visit hours were over, and that you had to leave. You nodded, getting off the bed and calling Ajaw to you. The dragon happily followed, enjoying the attention. He strived to have you by his side and have your approval, so he didn’t complain at all when you called him back.

You said goodbye to Kinich, kissing him tenderly.
“You get discharged tomorrow, right?” You asked before leaving, trying to make it as quick as possible, not wanting to keep the poor nurse waiting too long.
“Yeah. As long as I’m alright.” He said, nodding. You smiled and nodded too, waving at him before turning around.

You also smiled at the nurse, smiling apologetically, not wanting to waste time. You knew the struggles of customer service, you couldn’t even begin to fathom how bad being a nurse was. So, you gave a hushed apology and headed off, meaning to go home. Ajaw followed happily, perching himself on your shoulder, letting you carry him.

When you got home, it was kinda late, and you were hungry. You started cooking something for yourself, but Ajaw butted in, as always. He poked your cheek, floating around your head, giggling and bothering you.
“You cooking for us?” He said, floating around, checking what you were doing.
“Us? Mh, no, I’m cooking for myself.” You said, throwing the dragon a side-eye, slightly offended he’d assume you were cooking for him too.

“Huh?! Don’t you know it’s an HONOR to cook for me?!” Ajaw complained, stomping his foot on your head, trying to irritate you. While he sought your approval, it seemed as if he’d never let his ego go.
“I ain’t cooking for anyone else but me. Unless you help, and we cook together.” You said, glaring at him. You’d cook double only if you were double the people in the kitchen.
“If you mess up on purpose, you’re done for.” You then added, pointing an accusing finger at the dagon, crossing your arms.

Ajaw whined, grumbling and frowning, but he ended up doing a good job. You cooked a simple dish, nothing too crazy, especially since it would be hard to get the dragon to suddenly be a culinary chef, but it came out good, and you were pretty proud.

You sat down to eat, and you noticed that even with company, it was pretty quiet. The wanna be king didn’t speak up, busy eating his food. It was a weird sight, being around Ajaw yet not having him actually talk your ear off. It almost felt like something was wrong, but it was hard to believe.

So, you finished your dinner and washed the dishes, drying them and putting them away in the cupboard. You then headed to the bathroom to change into better suitable clothing for sleeping. You did your night routine, getting all ready for bed. When you were done, you went to look for Ajaw. You did wonder why he was so quiet all the sudden.

You found him on the table, looking asleep. While the floating mass of pixels could be quite annoying from time to time, you found this particular act quite adorable. You walked up to the sleeping menace and picked him up. You realised you could hold him like a stuffed animal.

You walked to bed, entering your room and curling up on your side, holding Ajaw to your chest, keeping him close like an emotional support plushie. You closed your eyes, slowly falling asleep, wondering how Kinich was, and hoping he’d be alright so that he could be discharged soon.

The next day, when you woke up, you felt a squirming thing under you, the muffled cries of the little dragon still loud under your body. When you awoke, finally fully conscious, you realised you were laying right on top of Ajaw, basically crushing him. You giggled, rolling off of the poor pancake.

“You!!! How dare you crush me, the-” He started, his tone loud and offended, like you hadn’t cuddled him to sleep last night.
“Yes, yes, the Almighty Dragonlord K’uhul Ajaw, we know.” You interrupted, rolling your eyes, sighing. You sat up on your bed, stretching your arms over your head, groaning. You slept well, all things considered, you felt pretty satisfied.

“Come on. I’ve gotta do my commissions for the day.” You said, getting up from the bed, sighing. You rubbed your eyes, getting up, starting to walk towards the kitchen, only to be stopped by the dragon, who once again perched himself on your shoulder, grumbling about how you were rising way too early, even though it was 11 am.

You saw Ajaw as something like a smarter house pet, if you had to give him a description. He seemed to be really looking forward to your approval, and you liked being the only one privileged with the ability to have him calm down.

“You wanna snack?” You said, just picking up a fruit, then waiting for the mass of pixels to answer. He nodded and grabbed a fruit too, starting to munch on it. You patted his head and hummed, smiling. You found him quite cute, if he chose not to act too spoiled. You could get used to him, it wouldn’t be too bad to be around him for a few days.

You both ate your fruit as you walked to Katheryne, asking her any commissions to take on. You had three, to wipe out some monsters out in the wild, to help a travelling merchant carry his stuff and checking out a few reports in the area, which said there was an injured yet aggressive saurian. They all seemed easy, apart from the last one. You really hoped the saurian wouldn’t attack you.

After finishing the daily commissions with Ajaw, getting him to help with the saurian and monsters, you finally had free time. You decided to grab some lunch before finally heading to visit Kinich, hoping to get him out of the clinic. You went back home, washing yourself off and dressing in less sporty and more comfortable clothes. Finally, you could relax.

“What do you wanna eat, Ajaw?” You asked, humming in thought. He seemed to already have thought about it, because he immediately answered.
“Steak.” He said, once again finding his place on your shoulder, yet already thinking he’d be cooking again, a nice development from yesterday. You sighed, hoping you wouldn’t mess up.

You two finally got to work, doing the best you could. You didn’t grill the steak, not really having the time nor will power to get down to grilling, but there were other ways, so you didn’t despair. Ajaw helped give you tools and prepared the side dish, meanwhile you handled the steak. It was a nice compromise that led you to a good meal.

“Well. It’s time to tease your efforts. Go on, dig in.” You said, a smile on your face, nodding. He did as you said, tentatively taking a bite out of the meat. His eyes then lit up, though he didn’t mean for them to. You knew he didn’t want to admit that the fruits of his efforts were actually paying off, since he still believed he was a god that had to be served, but you saw it in his eyes.
“It’s passable. Good work, mortal.” He acknowledged with a grumpy pout on his face. You chuckled, smiling, feeling slightly smug at the fact he was finally caving in.

You had known the dragon for long, as long as you had known Kinich, and you never seemed to be able to get him to do something on his own. So, for you, this was a good step forward.
“I find it delicious!” You then said, crossing your arms, shooting the dragon a glare. He glared back until you sighed, rolling your eyes and flicking Ajaw on the head.

When you were finally done eating, you washed the dishes once again, yet this time the grump actually came to help, helping you finish your tasks. You were oddly pleased, finding his help refreshing. When you were finally done, you dried the plates and put them back in the cupboard, then finally having some time to visit Kinich.

You headed back to the clinic, meaning to see if Kinich could be discharged. Luckily, everything was alright, so, when you went inside, you saw him already waiting for you.
“Hey. How are you?” You asked, your tone softening at the sight of him, approaching him and pressing a kiss on his forehead, smiling at him.
“I’m fine. I was waiting for you. The nurses told me I was fine, so I decided to wait until you came to visit. They said it was fine.” He explained, offering you a small smile.

“So, you’re free to go?” You asked, tilting your head a bit.
“Yeah.” He answered, nodding. You sighed in relief, smiling happily. At least, even in his fall, he didn’t get concussed, nor did he suffer permanent damage. That was a relief.

You then helped Kinich to get ready, gathering his stuff that he had around and finally exiting the clinic, greeting the nurses and thanking them for their services.

“How are you feeling?” You asked once again, looking at him, pressing yourself on his side, the one with the healthy arm.
“I hope you’re feeling like shit!” Ajaw chimed in, making both of you roll your eyes subtly and giggle between each other in understanding. The dragon wasn’t too pleased about that, however, making it a point to be more annoying. He got on your shoulder, then stomping on it, complaining your ear off.

“How dare you roll your eyes at-” He started, screaming with his usual screeching tone, quite the contrast from the way he behaved with you in the past day.
Kinich just swatted away the dragon from your ear, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and taking you closer in a protective manner. He kissed your temple before glaring at the annoying mass of pixels, threatening him silently.

He could stand being annoyed by Ajaw, and he had learnt to tune his annoying comments out, but he still didn’t want him to come and annoy you. The dragon seemed to get the message for now, oddly obedient. You found it weird how he obeyed Kinich, but you had missed the actual glare your boyfriend shot his companion. It was enough to make even Ajaw’s blood freeze in his veins.

“Anyways…” You said, clearing your throat. Kinich’s attention was immediately on you, his gaze softening, looking at you with affection. He nodded for you to go on, smiling.
“You know, your friends have been concerned about you” You said, having received a letter from both Kachina and Mualani. They said they knew he was resting in a clinic and reached out to you, asking if you could arrange for them to meet up with him, since the clinic didn’t accept letters.

“Mh, really?” He said, tilting his head. It was usual for them to worry too much for him, especially Kachina.
“Yeah. They sent me a letter.” You said, nodding. In the text of the letter, the two seemed concerned about his health.
“Do you wanna go check on them? They’re together at this hour, training, I think.” You asked, tilting your head a bit, looking at him. That was when you noticed he didn’t have his normal headband.
“Yeah, let’s.” Kinich agreed, nodding. He did want to calm Mualani and Kachina’s worries.

“Your hair is all over your face.” You then noted, chuckling. You reached up to brush his hair out of his face, smiling warmly at his slowly flushing face.
“I didn’t manage to tie it with a broken arm…” He muttered, embarrassed by your laughter yet finding it endearing at the same time.

“Let me.” You said, shaking your head amusedly, putting out your hand, waiting for him to hand over his headband. He did as you asked, placing it in your hands, sighing softly in defeat, looking away. You walked behind him, fixing his hair and putting his headband back on, kissing the back of his neck once you were done. He shivered at the touch of your lips and looked back at you.

“Stop making that face…” He muttered, noticing your smug and mischievous smirk, blushing even more.
“What face?” You said, your smirk widening a bit more, getting back under his arm, chuckling and looking at him with a fond gaze. He shook his head, ruffling your hair playfully, a slightly exasperated look in his eyes.

You led him to Mualani and Kachina, the two perking up immediately at the sight of their friend. They rushed up to you both, showering Kinich with questions and reprimands along the lines of:
“You should have been more careful!”
“Are you alright??”
“What happened?”
“You idiot!”

He sighed and raised his healthy hand up as a sign of surrender, sighing softly, shooting you a pleading look.
“He’s alright. The medics said he didn’t have any permanent damage.” You said, stepping in, reassuring the two, offering them a calming smile.
“What about Ajaw?” Mualani asked, knowing the little pest would probably try to make Kinich’s situation as unbearable as possible.

“I’m keeping the idiot under my roof for now.” You said, sighing softly. In all honesty, Ajaw had been giving you less problems than expected. Be it because he was a sucker for your approval- for some reason- or because he wanted you to think highly of him, it all worked out to your advantage in the end.

“Are you? Isn't Ajaw kind of a pain in the ass to handle?” Kachina asked, her brows farrowing in concern for you, tugging at your sleeve.
“I mean… I've been through worse.” You answered, shaking your head. To an outsider, being with Ajaw was probably the worst ever situation, but you didn't think it was so bad- as long as he behaved that is.

Ajaw was still nowhere to be seen, apparently he had given up on being seen for a while.

You chatted with the two girls for a bit more, reassuring them everything was alright and promising them Kinich would be taken care of. Then, you two headed off on your own way. You meant to visit Kinich’s house, just to make sure he wasn’t straining himself too much. That was when Ajaw finally showed up again, floating on your shoulder once again, this time just settling down, not making a fuss.

It was around 4 in the evening, so you and Kinich decided to take time for yourselves, talking to each other about whatever was happening in your lives, then just hanging around each other. You started reading the book you had been putting off for long, and he studied something about saurian behaviours. Odd choice of reading, but you didn’t judge it too hard.

Finally, as you two started getting hungry, you closed your book and headed to cook something. Ajaw joined you as usual these days, staying on your shoulder calmly- which was odd even for him- preparing himself for another round of cooking.

“Woah… Are my eyes seeing right?” Kinich said, approaching the kitchen too. He meant to help as well as he could but he noticed someone else beat him to it already.
“Mh?” You asked, turning back to look at your boyfriend, tilting your head questioningly.
“I wish you were blind!” Ajaw chimed in, glaring at Kinich, passing you a tool as to prove himself worthy and better to you.

“Ajaw.” You scolded, taking the tool and putting it aside, not needing it for the simple dish you were making. You started preparing the ingredients needed, but you had to admit to yourself, you were growing kinda tired of cooking everyday. You could use to go to a restaurant or something else other than cooking for yourself. You had never been a fan of cooking anyways.
“Urgh.” The dragon answered, rolling his eyes but otherwise not rebelling.

Kinich watched with wide eyes as you two cooked, making sure to look particularly hard at Ajaw, making sure he didn’t poison his own share of the dish you were making. Alas, nothing suspicious came of your boyfriend’s thorough inspection, so he let himself breathe a sigh of relief. No homicide attempts for today.

You three ate together, Kinich and Ajaw being oddly civil. You chatted with both, just trying to keep the conversation calm. When you finished all your food, you went to clean up the dishes and put them back away, tidying up. When you were finally done, Kinich came up behind you, hugging your waist.

“Wanna stay tonight?” He asked, a slight frown on his face, wishing for you to stay with him.
“Sure.” You answered, smiling at him.

You two then did your bed routines and got to bed. When you went to settle down, Ajaw popped up once again, settling down in your arms.
“Huh…?” Kinich said, looking at Ajaw, sitting back up, making you slide off his chest. You had been resting your head on it before Ajaw popped up.

“Get off!” Kinich said, glaring at the dragon, pulling you closer to himself.
“Never!” Ajaw answered, glaring back at your boyfriend, pressing himself closer. You sighed softly, poking Ajaw on the head, teasing him a bit.

Kinich sighed and laid back down, taking a deep breath, making his chest rise. You laughed, adjusting to be more comfortable. You held Ajaw in your arms, just like a plushie, and Kinich held you to his chest, his grip gentle yet also firm. You closed your eyes, satisfied.

You fell asleep comfortably, feeling warm and comfortable. You wouldn’t change this for anything in the world.