Chapter Text
Sandrone should consider a career change and become a fortune-teller, because restless was the only word that could adequately describe her last six months.
Between her efforts to prevent the news from spreading—so that, at the very least, the yokais of Inazuma wouldn’t get wind of the Moon Goddess’s pregnancy—her search for a competent doctor who met all of Sandrone’s requirements, and bending over backward to satisfy all of Columbina’s every whim, Sandrone hadn’t had a single second to herself.
Even now, she was about to make sure that some children of the Frostmoon Scions, who were a little too curious for her liking, behave themselves. Lately, the baby had been quite active, and the children had taken an interest in it. The little girl was even poking on Columbina’s round belly.
“Hey, you two!” Sandrone grumbled from the entrance of Silvermoon Hall as she approached, her fists clenched on her hips. “She needs some rest. Don’t be a pain!”
Both children jumped, the little girl finally letting the stomach in peace.
“Ah! It’s the mean old lady from the Fatui!” the boy exclaimed. “Quick, we have to get out of here!”
He hurriedly grabbed his sister by the wrist and ran toward the exit of the flower-filled cave, picking up speed to pass Sandrone. Excuse her?? She couldn’t possibly look a day over thirty. How rude! Ugh whatever. Sandrone joined Columbina and sat down next to her on the moon-shaped rock.
Probably sensing Sandrone’s inner mechanism starting to overheat, Columbina said in a gentle voice, “It’s okay Sandrone, they’re just children, they mean no harm.”
Sandrone looked at Columbina. “Kids or not, they are still exhausting to no end. You don’t have to give in to all their whims.”
“Just like you don’t have to do that for mines, but you always find a way, because it makes you happy,” said Columbina, smirking.
“I’m not–”
“And besides,” the goddess continued, as if Sandrone’s voice were nothing more than background noise, “I couldn’t refuse such a politely made request; they’re so curious about the baby, who could blame them?”
Sandrone.
She totally could and would.
Columbina was about 38 weeks pregnant. Sure, she was all smiles and endlessly patient during the day, but at night, the constant tossing and turning in Sandrone’s bed told a whole different story. Seriously. Why was Columbina always so forgiving toward others, SHE was the one pregnant, SHE had all rights to just say “No”! Why was this two letter word such a hard thing to–
“Sandrone?” an innocent voice interrupted. “Do you want to touch it, too?”
Oh.
Sandrone must have been staring at Columbina's stomach without even realizing it. Damn her and the entire Guillotin lineage.
“No, Columbina, don’t lump me in with those stupid brats!” Sandrone retorted, crossing her arms and looking away, her chin held high.
“But this might be your last chance, you know” the woman insisted, sounding as though Sandrone was missing out on an incredible discount or something. Just from the tone of her voice, it was obvious that Columbina couldn’t help but let the corners of her mouth turn up.
Suddenly, without her consent (it had always been without her consent for the past six months), Sandrone's right hand got kidnapped.
“H-hey! Don't–”
But then, a bump.
Sandrone’s internal mechanisms skipped a cycle. Her eyes widened.
Columbina froze as well.
They waited, taking great care to hold their breath so as not to startle the little creature.
Then, as if to assert her importance, the baby kicked again, more alive.
“Have you picked out a name yet?” Sandrone’s voice was wrapped in a rare gentleness, the same one that softened her face.
Columbina shook her head, her eyes lost in the moment.
“Mhm. I want to see her first, so I can find a name that suits her perfectly.”
“You’re the only parent,” Sandrone reminded, even though her mathematical mind still refused to see the logic in it, “surely she’ll be a carbon copy of you”.
Columbina giggled.
“You're right. But her name is what will connect her to this world and the people within it... It will be all that is intangible — their friendship, love, and support — manifested for the world to see. I want to meet her before choosing.”
Sandrone was about to ask her if she had any options in mind when Columbina's stomach tensed beneath her palm.
…
Sandrone's eyes slowly shifted to gaze at Columbina, who wore the most Columbina-esque expression, eternally oblivious.
“Columbina… what was that…?” Sandrone wasn’t even sure she wanted to know. Because if it was what she thought it was…
“Hmm? A contraction, probably. They’ve gotten a little stronger over time.”
Columbina was truly the only one capable of making Sandrone lose her entire vocabulary just by being herself. The Harbinger closed her eyes, painfully pursing her lips inward. She took a long breath. She had to. Then, she looked at the goddess, braced for the worst.
“And… How long have you been feeling this way?”
The girl, whose gaze hadn’t strayed from Sandrone’s since the beginning of their conversation, suddenly became deeply interested in her fingers, which were intertwining aimlessly.
“Columbina…” Sandrone slowly articulated through clenched teeth.
“Since this afternoon… after you came back with a sandwich…”
Sandrone finished making the sandwiches at 11:32 a.m. She gave one to Columbina at 12:14 p.m.
Now, it was 5:43 p.m.
Columbina had been in labor for nearly 6 hours. Without anyone knowing.
Sandrone heard her teeth grinding.
“You didn't tell anyone.”
“The contractions were just a little uncomfortable. I thought I could wait a bit before telling you. Sigewinne had said that many women go through the early stages of labor at home anyway.”
Right.
It made sense. Sandrone’s logical module agreed as well.
Not her emotional one.
How could Columbina have done that? There were so many unknown variables, and yet…
“You're stupid,” Sandrone muttered through clenched teeth.
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
"Nothing.” she replied, her tone flat. She stood up. “I’ll get Sigewinne, you j-just make sure to go to Lauma’s place as soon as possible. And don't get lost in a bush!”
Sandrone walked away without looking back, quickening her pace. Perhaps walking away would help ease the growing unease she felt in her chest.
Archons.
Sandrone threw the papers she was holding onto her desk. Some fell to the floor. Too bad. She grumbled, letting her head fall back against the back of her chair. She stared at the pipes on the ceiling, her gaze unfocused.
This was now the fourth time she had reread the same line. But why? Everything was in order.
Sandrone had verified that Columbina had indeed teleported to Lauma’s residence, where she would give birth; she had made sure that the melusine nurse had all the necessary equipment; and she had gaslighted the members of the Frost Moons Scions into believing that nothing out of the ordinary was happening at their priestess’s residence.
Columbina did ask her to stay. But she refused. It wasn't her place. And besides, she had more important things to attend to. The resigned silence following her, she’ll admit, rather dry answer somehow annoyed her more than a reply filled with teasing would have. But whatever, she did have work to finish that required her full attention.
But it had been more than two hours since she had left Hiisi Island, and she was still just as annoyed for reasons she couldn’t quite pinpoint—which annoyed her even more—and unable to do anything but reread the same lines over and over, try to rein in her thoughts as they took on a life of their own without asking her permission, and start writing her report all over again from the beginning.
Sandrone wished her brain to be able to convince her heart that work had to be done. Unfortunately, she knew her logical side had never been very good at that.
Was it because of Columbina earlier? Maybe, but at the same time, Columbina has always been a bit of a daydreamer. Honestly, Sandrone had even dared to hope that becoming a mother would keep her mind from wandering off to the moon—even if just a tiny bit.
But no. Obviously not.
It was only because Sandrone realized that Columbina didn't know she couldn't drink alcohol during pregnancy that she learned the other woman hadn't yet found anyone to monitor her pregnancy.
Two weeks after finding out about the baby.
After that, she was the one who had to personally sift through the Adventurers' Guild records before finding Sigewinne.
The one who made sure Columbina ate a more balanced diet than just two measly bites of bread a day.
The one who reminded her every month that her follow-up appointment was coming up.
And now, she was the one who had warned the nurse that Columbina was in labor. Not the labouring woman in question.
SHE!
ARGHHHH!!! Columbina wouldn't die if she took that more seriously, would she!?? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! This woman was so stup–
“Sandrone.”
The puppet felt her insides short-circuit. She fell out of her chair. The side of her head hit the floor. Curse it!
“Oh, Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.”
“Why are you here?!” Sandrone yelled, still on the flor, forgetting the pain of her fall.
Columbina was sitting on what had, over the years, become her side of Sandrone's bed. She was wearing a nightgown similar to the one she used to have in Snezhnaya.
“Sigewinne comes to see me from time to time, but I feel a bit lonely. And since you didn't want to stay, I came instead.”
Probably noting Sandrone’s face aggravating by the second, she added, “Oh, and don't worry—my last contraction ended just before I teleported. I should be good for the next 15 minutes or so.”
Sandrone stood up, leaning on the armrest of her chair, without looking at the woman in front of her.
“Sandrone?” Columbina called, her head slightly tilting, a taint of concern in her voice. “You seem off a little. What's the matter?”
The Marionette looked at Columbina, whose eyebrows were arched in subtle concern. She clasped her mechanical hands.
Right.
That was it. Sandrone was certain of it now. Of the reason for her irritation, which had been gradually building ever since she left the cave.
It came from the way Columbina looked at her, worried about everything but herself. From the lightheartedness with which the goddess viewed her situation, even though things should have weighed more heavily on her. From her ignorance of the risks.
Enough.
Columbina leaned forward slightly, beginning to get out of bed.
“Sandrone—”
“Go back to Lauma’s place. Now.”
“But it’s so lonely—”
“I don't CARE! You shouldn't be here, Columbina! Everything can go wrong, and you-” Sandrone finally looked Columbina in the eyes. “You’re there, not caring enough to simply stay in a room! You can’t be so stupid! Th-Think about the baby!”
And you. Especially you.
Sandrone’s breathing was harsh, loud, jerky.
When Columbina’s usual cue to deliver a response that would have finished off what was left of the puppet’s sanity came, silence took over instead. Her teasing expression was probably gone. Sandrone didn’t dare to check.
“Damn it”, she thought, cringing at the violence of her words. She should’ve known better than yelling her concerns at Columbina.
They were stupid.
Stupid and irrational.
Columbina was a god. She literally had authority over the four primordial concepts that ruled Teyvat. Surely childbirth wouldn’t do anything, surely—
Sandrone was brought back to the present by Columbina's warm hands, which rested on her cheeks. She tilted Sandrone's head, enough to make their eyes meet.
“I didn’t want to scare you. I just missed you.”
Columbina’s lilac irises were slightly darting, trying to read Sandrone’s face. The latter looked away with a groan. That wasn’t a good enough reason.
Then, Sandrone felt Columbina's arms wrap around her. The puppet tensed, but Columbina didn't stop. She closed the distance as much as her round belly would allow, her chin resting on Sandrone's shoulder. She started to caress her back mindlessly.
“I am the Tri-Lunar Moon Goddess,” she murmured.
What was that again?
“Since I’ve returned, thanks to you, I feel better than ever… And the baby will likely inherit my powers."
“I know that, Columbina” Sandrone replied. What a poor attempt to sound nonchalant.
“Mhm, but it never hurts to get a reminder.” Columbina replied, leaning slightly more toward Sandrone.
Sandrone mentally thanked the dove for having the tact not to point out the unevenness in her voice. She had always found it weird that Columbina, despite being usually as socially dense as a 5 year old child, was always so attentive to the marionette’s state of mind, as if Columbina had access to Sandrone’s instruction manual. How Annoying.
Columbina stepped away from her, finally letting her breath.
“Everything will be fine,” she said, her voice regaining its lighthearted tone. “Besides, you’ll be right by my side.”
“Oh, don’t push your luck,” Sandrone said before turning her back on Columbina, arms crossed.
“...You…really don't want to?”
Columbina’s voice hid a small disapointment, one that didn’t dare to make itself too obvious.
That move should have been banned. What a cheater. Columbina had always been that way, whether during Moon Prayer Night or today. And Sandrone never said a word.
She exaggerated a sigh.
“You’re really impossible.”