Chapter Text
Lin sighs a few times like her heart beating so fast. Wearing the uniform, she paces her room, almost more panicked than Ayaka herself when Lumine is not on her side while Lin's lips keep mumbles about something with different tones and hand gestures, even her expression. But in the end, she is still nervous as hell.
"Fuc—okay! No more curses, Lin. Just breathe…" She stops, takes a deep breath and exhales slowly after she gains her momentary peace. "You can do it, you can do it…"
To be honest, the more she keeps reassuring herself, the more she feels anxiety even close to her. But when Lin stares at the arch mirror, she decides to walk closer and stand right in front of it. She smiles softly when there are so many wonderful memories in the past week in her room, starting from her sadness, anger, begs, joy until the miracle, this room is actually the one who witnesses her every day.
Lin wets her lower lip, looking at her entire body reflected in the standing arch mirror with a nervous gaze while her mind suddenly thinks about the bad things and more 'what-if'. She even squeezes her skirt again but Lin hurriedly takes off her hand from her skirt harshly, feeling mad at herself for being like a scaredy-cat.
"No, no, no! I can do it!" She assures again, facing herself in the mirror with determination. She takes a deep breath again and nods. "Okay, aunt Lumine is going to see me. I must do this. Alright, checking time."
Lin stares at her feet. "Shoes are on. Check."
Then move up. "Skirt? Oh." She strokes her skirt, trying to smooth out the slightly shabby folds. "Check."
More seeing up, Lin touches her blazer. "Blazer and necktie on. I swear I'm not going to throw you guys again. Huh."
"Hair?" Then after her golden eyes look at her hair from the mirror, she frowns a bit at the right side of her hair, only some of it but it's perfectly white. Lin plays with those white hair, feeling uneasy. "I wonder if people look at this badly…" she mumbles under her breath again before she lets out another defeated sigh. "Nevermind. I'm ugly anyway. Hair check."
"Now the most important thing. My notes." Lin says solemnly like her life depends on a mere paper. She rummages through the pocket inside her blazer and lets out almost a crumpled paper. Lin opens it and nods satisfyingly. "Notes check."
However, when she stares too much at her own notes, at how she already remembers all inside of it but she is still unsure of everything, Lin's face looks so helpless again. "Maybe… I'll try to practice again."
Yeah. It's a good idea.
Lin straightens her body, raises her chin, eyes perfectly see her reflection in the mirror and clears her throat. "H-hello, my name is—"
"—Liiiiinnnnn!!! Where are you! I need to go back to the office after I drive you to school! Let's go!"
The girl jolts when she hears her aunt's voice outside her room. She hurriedly shakes her head, slightly groans, puts her important piece of paper back inside her blazer and walks towards the bed to grab her bag. And before she leaves, her golden eyes watch an unmoving framed photo on her messy desk. Lin smiles again and walks to see the old photo or her parents plus Lumine that she secretly takes from the wooden cabinet below, a kind of charm that Lin thinks can help her to throw away her uneasiness if she looks at the portrait of both Xiao and Aether.
Surprisingly, it actually works.
What a shame because she can't take it with her to school, huh?
Lin lets out a soft snort and watches the innocent photo with a soothing look. She smiles at them.
"Mom, dad. I'm going right now. Please wish me luck."
"Liiiiiinnnnnnnnnn!!!"
The girl groans irritatingly and turns back to walk outside. "I'm coming! I'm coming!"
.
.
.
"To my father and my mother."
.
.
.
The school festival is always filled with joy.
Everyone smiles, laughs and the entire school is amazingly decorated. Each class represents their own ideas; a maid cafe, haunted house, a photography place et cetera. While inside is packed with various types of classes, outside is the place of all scrumptious delicacies. Some balloons are placed in some places along with many decorations on the entire walls, welcome banners, loud music, too, joins merrily.
Students are allowed to use free clothes. There are some of them who wear kimonos, dresses, or even cosplay. Lumine and Thoma, on the other hand, just wear their formal work outfit but they blend in, sinking into the happiness of many people. Some of the students greet them happily, or ask them to join their class, and also promote their product. Some boys even dare to ask Lumine to take a photo together while Thoma doesn't understand why his hand now is full of flowers and food.
Walking in the corridor packed with decorations and people, Thoma chuckles at himself. "I don't even know why I can be here but I'm glad I got free food."
Lumine snorts. "Your welcome, dear friend. That’s me who secretly dragged you here after I drive Lin here. And bless those two Kamisato anyway.”
"Still, this sure makes me want to stay young again. But in Mondstadt they don't even have all of this." Thoma says amusingly while his emerald eyes sweep the entire place and smile at everyone who is looking at him. In the end he frowns why those girls are always hysterical behind. Thoma looks at Lumine next to him in worry. "Do you think I did something?"
"For being handsome, yes." Lumine replies with a laugh.
Thoma looks confused. "But I have Ayato. He is even more handsome and pretty, too."
The blond woman winces at him. "Seriously?"
"Yeah! Wish he could be with me right now!" Thoma grins sweetly and he stops to take another flower a little girl gives to him again.
"Well, I'm sorry I'm with you!" Lumine places her arms in front of her chest, looking slightly annoyed at her best friend who is now surrounded by some girls that think he is kind of an actor or model. Lumine shrugs nonchalantly at him. But when she stares at a watch on her wrist, she is almost surprised at the time. "Oh, it's time! I don't want to miss Lin's performance. Thoma, I need to—wait, where are you going!"
Thoma laughs awkwardly at Lumine while those girls now pull his hand to invite him to their class, which he can't refuse.
"What the hell!"
On the other side, backstage is pretty chaotic.
When everybody looks so worried and keeps pacing around to prepare everything, nobody even notices that Lin is standing there confusedly to see her classmates' mess before coming to the stage. Yoimiya, her teacher, is there to give all her students instruction while Lin's golden eyes wander to each person busy with their own job. She can see those actors are trying to fix their costumes and reading loudly their scripts to keep practicing, while the other is preparing some sort of the properties. Some of them are shouting at each other, a sound of falling stuff joins—which makes Lin jolts—and another angry voice comes. Yoimiya claps her hands over and over again to keep her students calm, only a few minutes before the performance starts.
"Where's my script!"
"Everybody! Silence!"
"Oooh, I'm so scared!"
"Who puts the rocks? Where is it? Where!"
"I LEFT MY SHOES AT HOME!"
"Everybody! Please!"
"I need to remember all of this! Would you mind shutting your mouth!"
"DOG! DOG! WHERE ARE YOU!"
"Which music do I need to play after Lindsey comes to rescue the princess? I forgot! I forgot! Help! Yoimiya-sensei!"
"Over here! Somebody help me!"
Lin blinks a few times after she observes much at her classmates' chaos and sweeps her gaze again to find the source of the voice asking for help. There, coming from the opposite direction where Lin was standing, she could see a girl painstakingly trying to lift a hand-made tree made from boxes bigger than her body. Instinctively urged to help her, Lin rushes to the girl and she hurriedly holds the tree to balance its body.
"Oh, thank you!" The girl says with relief without knowing it was Lin who helped her because her face is covered by the tree trunk. So they both just walk together carefully to place the property in its place before she notices the one who helps her is Lin after she puts down the tree.
Lin smiles proudly at her. "You're welcome!"
But the girl makes a face, staring at Lin half shocked. "What are you doing here?"
The question is surprisingly even more effective than Yoimiya's shout to silence those students. With the same feeling as before when everyone is watching Lin in total displeasure of her existence, the girl gulps heavily. "I uh… trying to help?"
"Hey!" Fubuki shouts far from Lin's place, near the stage and she is seriously pretty with that red-haired wig and Lindsey's adventure outfit plus makeup. But then Fubuki glared at the girl next to Lin. "That outsider just helped you."
Lin looks dumbfounded at first before she smiles happily at Fubuki and nods, not knowing if all her classmates are now looking at her weirdly and the tree girl is totally speechless.
Fubuki lets out a satisfied grin. "Now back to my makeup."
"That's right! More hands the better!" Yoimiya claps her hand excitedly after all of that mess, suddenly blinking to Lin– which the latter doesn’t exactly know what it means–then continues, facing all of her students again. "If we succeed on the stage, we will have a party with fireworks!"
"Uhh… I don't think that's a good idea."
"Three more minutes!" The stage crew states, giving the information to Lin's classmates to be ready while the MC on the stage is already looking forward to them.
"Alright, everybody! Eyes on me!" Yoimiya exclaims again with an enthusiastic smile on her lips and places her hands on her slim waist. "Stay calm, alright? We will succeed in this performance no matter what! Try to remember your job and keep counting on each other! I know all of you will make it!"
Yoimiya gives her last speech, which doesn't completely make the anxiety of her students less, then she finally leaves them from backstage and decides to see their performance from the audience seat for better sight.
After Yoimiya left, the backstage in chaos again and the class leader barely have any idea to calm them again because he, too, stressfully is busy with those properties. Only a few minutes closer to the performance and…
"E-everyone!"
To their shock, all of them are now staring at Lin who now just dares to speak and successfully brings the mess into a perfect silence because everyone is looking at her in half shock and bewilderment.
Lin is looking at Fubuki–when the girl immediately understands–before she lets out her own full of determined smile. "You can do it!"
There's a stillness. They don't even know how to react properly to Lin's words when they no longer see her as a nuisance anymore because indeed, nothing is wrong.
Nor for Lin herself or her speech…
"And the time has come! Ladies and gentlemen! We present to you the great play stage of the most popular book on Teyvat! Lindsey's Journey is here! Give a round of applause!"
While a sound of excited applause is everywhere, echoing through the entire auditorium, Lumine and Thoma are still trying to find their seat, barging in among the rows of people sitting.
"Excuse me. Coming through." Lumine says politely, half bowing to everyone who she just passed by before she finally found two empty seats in the middle of the auditorium and immediately sits, so is Thoma.
"Phew! I'm glad it hasn't started yet!" Thoma says with a chuckle, but Lumine glared at him.
"If I'm late to see this then I will kill you! My sacrifice means nothing!"
Thoma laughs. "You won't kill me! If I die then Ayato will be sad, and if Ayato is sad, Ayaka will be sad too then she will hate you."
She hisses. "I'm not even serious."
"But really," The blond man handed Lumine a small bag of cookies he merely got for free with a sweet smile on his charming face. "I'm happy you went with Ayaka. She is crazy for you."
"Yeah, about that…" Lumine's gaze turns into a great concern when half of herself is surprised to even accept Ayaka. Those golden eyes stare at Thoma in dismay. "You know, I'm like… 35 and she is still 29! Don't you think I look like a criminal or something?"
Thoma laughs, but keeps lowering his voice to not speak that loud when the lights in the auditorium are off, only the stage is on. Still, Lumine can see his smiling face. "I'm 34 and Ayato is 31. What's the problem? Nothing matters anymore in love. Besides, you're hot."
Lumine's brows up. "I what?"
"You're hot."
"Oh." Lumine answers simply before she lets out a nonchalant shrug and eyes facing back to the stage innocently. She takes the cookies from Thoma's hand. "I'm hot."
The stage changes its light from blue to bright yellow, a bird chirping music just starts when suddenly the main character arrives on the stage, looking so delighted. Fubuki is doing her best now.
"Wow! She is pretty, right?" Thoma whispers at Lumine. "Her expression is so good."
"Yeah! Don't forget to look at everything. Tell me if Lin is on the stage!" Lumine whispers back.
The audience watches Fubuki in awe when she is really into Lindsey's character for being so brave until the scene where she meets the abandoned dog comes. The music changes to entertain the audience at the time when the dog arrives. While everyone is laughing at a boy who is simply just wearing a dog costume and barking dumbly, Lumine stares at the stage with an incredulous look.
"That fat boy is the dog?! Oh, poor my brother!"
Thoma burst out a laugh. "He will love it!"
"Oh, I'm not sure!"
Another change on the stage, now Lindsey and the dog come to a great palace when everyone looking enthusiastically at other casts joins in. There's a scene where everybody starts singing together with the king, queen as well as the princess, however, Lumine frowns at the number of people on the stage but her niece is still not there.
"Did you see Lin?" Lumine whispers at Thoma who seems just enjoying what he sees.
But the man shakes her head, emerald eyes transfixed on the stage. "Nope. Maybe she is the tree girl? I don't know."
"What a disgrace!" Lumine groans.
The next scene where the lights on the stage get darker before it shows that the place is in a gloomy forest and Lindsey seems in trouble until she and her dog are fighting a bad guy who just kidnaps the princess together. The music changes into a thrilling one where Lindsey is still fighting with her sword but those guys in tree costumes around her are singing something about bravery and winning in the background, yet Lumine's uneasiness grows bigger as she expects that the story is already at the climax.
Seriously, the play stage is really good but her eyes keep looking at Lin though the girl is probably still behind the curtains.
"Thoma, Lin—"
"No! Don't kill her! Dog! Dog! Save her!" Thoma apparently got carried away so that makes Lumine look at him sadly. With a heavy heart, she tries to face the stage once more.
Even in the last scene where Fubuki is holding the dog boy's hand at the victory and the entire cast from the beginning until the end are singing happily on the stage, Lumine completely realizes if her niece barely even steps on the stage at all…
"Great seven archons! What an amazing story! Perhaps I will buy that book and give it to Ayato too—wait, did he already have the book? Oh, god I forgot. Nevermind. Lumine I—" Thoma immediately shut his mouth when after he glances at the woman next to him, Lumine looks so heartbroken and Thoma suddenly remembers something. "Oh, god! Lin! Right, Lin! I got carried away, Lumi, I'm so sorry!"
Lumine shakes her head weakly, eyes glance down. The disappointment on her face somehow hurts Thoma. "No, it's alright. I just… I don't know, Thoma." She says exasperatedly. "Let's go back."
When the play stage is done, Shouta is apparently already waiting next to those two MCs. He looks so impatient, resting both arms in front of his chest with an annoyed face and tapping his feet half anxiously, waiting for the right time to come. However, when he sees the stage is clear and those two MCs are about to enter again, Shouta immediately grabs the mic on one of them’s hands.
"Give it to me! You guys wait here!"
A great shock comes from those two MCs and the vice president walks into the stage in so much unexpectedness even from the student audience or the stage crew and everyone on backstage. But Shouta, surprisingly, joins the stage with pride.
"My! My! What a great story with the amazing talents of students! Do we all just agree if the play stage is just really, really, good? And also the main character Lindsey already brings you such bravery and looks how pretty she is!"
Fubuki, who was once kind of shocked when Shouta suddenly appeared on the stage, now filled in so much happiness that she could faint anytime. She is fanning her face with her fingers in pleasure, almost hysterical. "Oh my god! Did he just call me pretty? Oh! I can't do this! Oh, god! Oh, god! I CAN'T!"
Shouta's voice through the mic brings everyone in the entire auditorium to stare at him before he continues with a grin. "Ladies and gentlemen, kindly vote for class 2-1 for the best performance on this joyful day! But before we move to the next performance, there is one more thing from the same class that will just tell you about something interesting!"
The backstage behind is in chaos, the audience is looking at each other, some trying to guess and the other students in the entire auditorium seem confused. Lumine, who is about to stand, frowns immediately at the stage and sits down again. Her heart is beating so fast when Shouta mentions another performance which actually kind of gives her hope, but somehow it also turns into another fear because what she thinks inside her mind is just her niece.
Shouta can see those two MCs on his left side looking so frustrated while the other stage crew and some teacher giving him the same signal to hurriedly leave the stage. But when his dark eyes glance on his right side, he smiles at Fubuki who stands next to the stage with a meaningful look while the latter is just as he expected pretty confused. The boy just hoping that Fubuki understands his gaze, a code to do something.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Shouta speaks again and those stage crews seem defeated, immediately facepalmed. Shouta grins widely to the entire audience in front of him. "I present you, the girl!"
Everyone frowns at the name and the chaos in the backstage slowly fades, turning into such bewilderment because the name is not on the list.
To their wondering, a dark-haired girl walking through her classmates' shock and Fubuki's eyes widen when Lin comes from the shadows to step in on the stage before finally she stands up stiffly in the middle while holding a piece of shabby paper, surprising enough for the crew stage when they just withdraw their intention to punch Shouta after the boy stays in backstage again because now everyone's eyes focused on Lin.
Lumine's golden eyes widened at her niece's sudden appearance. "What is she doing?!"
Thoma shakes his head. "I-I don't know!"
Lin gulps heavily at how she realizes if her body starts to tremble, cold sweat drops from her temple and damn, it feels like the world is watching her right now. The yellowish light shining bright above, her eyes watching the hundreds of murmured audience in front of her scared to death. She squeezes her skirt in fear, mouth stutters as she tries to let out any voice. Her feet are like noodles and Lin really wants to cry.
'W-what s-should I do? Wha-what should I-I do?'
Those words keep repeating again and again inside Lin's head. Her heart is pounding so fast like it almost jumps down from her body. But when she glances to see Shouta on her left side, the boy nods at her and Lin can read his lips gesture saying: 'you can do it.'
Lin closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and lets all her courage replace her fear. This is the earnest thing she wants to do so Lin nods at herself before those golden eyes open again.
"H-hello! My name is Lin." The sound the of mic ringing echoes through the entire auditorium when the girl finally states her name. Lin waits for the right timing before she speaks again, "And I am—"
"Outsider!"
Another shout comes from the audience, cutting off Lin's speech when she barely says the complete sentence. Lin looks kind of surprised at the unexpectedness, but the shout eventually gets more and more, calling her outsider, shouting at each other, bustling, booing loudly, hateful tones everywhere and some even swearing at her to die on the spot.
"Get out!"
"You are an outsider!"
"You don't deserve to be here!"
"Stupid outsider!"
"Just leave us!"
"Move! Get out!"
"Let's turn to the next performance!"
"Ugly outsider!"
"Go! Go!"
While Shouta is madly trying to hold the stage crew from coming up to the stage to get rid of Lin—so is Fubuki, who is already irritatingly slamming down her wig and telling her classmates to shut up—, Lumine shakes her head in fear when she can't believe to what sees from the entire audience towards her lovely niece. She just remembers, suddenly, at every begs Lin did in the morning to stop going to school, to every nag she told her to stop complaining, to the same sad expression Lin always makes, even like on stage right now. It hurts. It hurts Lumine so much like her heart is crushed by her own hand at how oblivious she is when her niece is always tormented.
Tears slip down from Lumine's eyes while she keeps shaking her head at her best friend with that painful look. "T-Thoma I c-can't! Thoma I-I can't! What did she do? What did she do until everyone hated her!"
Thoma bits his lips but he, too, shakes his head in despair between those booing sounds of people. "Lumi, I-I don't—"
The middle-aged woman hurriedly stands up. "I need to do something!"
"Lumi! Wait, no!"
But Lumine glared at him. "She is my daughter!"
Perhaps no one even noticed that Lin on the stage is smiling right now. The tension kind of let her down but she already expects it will be like this. However, between the mad and chaos, the girl suddenly taps the stand mic and it makes another ringing sound echoing through the entire auditorium, bringing back silence as well as eyes on her. Lumine stares back at Lin again before Thoma pulls her hand to sit down.
Lin brings her lips closer to the mic, lets out a soft snort. "Seriously guys, I'm not done."
Shouta sighs in relief just after Lin speaks again, even when so many people in backstage scowl at him.
Lin takes a deep breath to make her shoulders firm. Still holding the paper, she continues with sparkling, determined golden eyes. "Let me introduce myself again. My name is Lin and, well yes, I am an outsider."
'Mom, dad, I wish you two were here with me and things could be easier…'
Some slight boos come again but Lin keeps going. "Some of you might know me because I'm an outsider and you guys hate me because of that. But I'm not mad. I'm just a little bit… lost, because I do hate myself."
Lumine closes her lips tightly while she can feel tremor on her hand, chest feels so packed with uneasiness but Thoma holds her with a sweet smile. "It's alright."
'But I know fate has chosen a different way for us.'
Lin continues. "Just you know, I'm an orphan girl who barely knows how it feels to have a parent. People do a lot of terrible things to me and the world is just completely unfair. I once hoped to be an adult already then go somewhere outside the world to find my own happiness. But there's also the time that I just really need someone to be with me, it's actually my parents."
Fubuki can feel those eyes watching her in an accusing look. Dear gods, her classmates are so annoying.
She frowns. "What? I already got the punch. What are you guys' problems?"
'I'm sorry I called you disgusting, mom. And hope that Thoma is my real dad. But you two had put so much faith in me and I love you both so much…'
Lin continues, "Until someday, I learned such a beautiful and also heartbreaking truth about my parents." Lin gasps because suddenly her breath gets heavier then she blinks to read her notes, calming her mind. It’s not about the goodbye, how she was born or how they died anymore. It’s about to keep moving forward.
'And I'm sorry, I'm not Lindsey who can do everything. I'm just an orphan girl who is trying her best even right now.'
After settling down herself, those golden eyes watch those people with so much pride. "I was born from a male omega. To the prettiest man with the gentlest personality that I have ever known. He is my mom. And my dad is simply just another beta guy with a special power but also awkward sometimes. They both fall in love at first sight, in a funny way." She chuckles when a bright memory pops inside her mind about Aether telling her his love story with Xiao. Everything is just… bliss. "See? I'm a miracle. And I can guarantee none of you ever feel the same as me."
Lin can hear people murmuring again when she speaks about the male omega. Some of them are looking at her in disgust, shocked, some even looking at her in awe at knowing how amazing she is, just like Shouta.
"Wow. The world is beyond imagination." He blinks at the girl in astonishment before he smirks triumphantly at those stage crews. "Hah! Shame on you, people! She is my friend!"
'Mom, dad. So many people are looking at me right now…'
"My dad is from Liyue and my mom is from Mondstadt. Liyue is a big land and it's an important place when it comes to business because Teyvat largest market harbor is there. Almost similar to Inazuma, Liyue is also surrounded by so many towering mountains and hills with beautiful sceneries. While Mondstadt is…" Lin's golden eyes grow softer at how she perfectly remembers Aether's story about his homeland. "It's just… as pretty as Liyue. There are so many greens outside the city, forests and lakes. The people are mostly friendly and wine is a must. Everyone is welcome in Mondstadt. It's the land of freedom after all."
It's not only Lumine who cries right now because Thoma watches Lin in an unreadable expression between longing, unexpected and simply just happy to Lin when the girl also mentioned his homeland, the same as Lumine. Those glazy emerald eyes looking at Lin proudly but his genuine smile still lingers there.
'They hate me. They don't even like me. But among those people, aunt Lumine is watching me. She is here with me. I hope that... I'm not let her down.'
Lumine sobs. "Oh, Lin…"
"Don't cry, Lumi. You must look at her until the end." Thoma chuckles.
'To be honest, I'm really scared. I'm afraid that people will even hate me after this…'
"Alas, my parents died because they protected me, sacrificing their life for me. And just you know it's really devastating. I'm not gonna lie. But then I realize I have someone that is also important. She is so close to me, always stays with me, gives me everything and is the one who raised me ever since I came to Inazuma when I was just a baby. She is such an amazing woman that I'm so proud to have her as my only family. She is my auntie who is just the same outsider as me but the world needs to understand how incredible she is!"
"T-T-Thoma I-I can't—" Lumine sobs so hard that she even closes her mouth with her hands when those tears profusely come down washing her cheeks. Her back is trembling, her golden eyes watching her niece being so brave and how she notices if Lin is just the same as her brother to not give up, and her lips… couldn't even say anything because the word 'proud' is not even close to describing her feelings.
Lumine closes her eyes as she imagines how her brother would see this. 'Aether, Xiao, look. Your daughter is here. She is… amazing.'
'But hey…'
Lin watches those people brimming with ambition and pride. "And I, even my aunt, are just normal people like you guys here. Maybe I'm an outsider. True. But the word doesn't even fit me, just because my parents are not Inazuman and the truth is, I'm not even officially stepping my feet outside this land. I was here when I barely could speak or walk or understand my sorrowful life. And I was here even before I knew the reality about my parents and all. I grew up here, just like the rest of you. I live here with my auntie who tried so hard to provide me with everything. Inazuma is just home."
'I'm glad I did this.'
There are no loud boos, hateful tones anymore but just sort of a great realization, a complete speechless, a guilt, a friend, tears, proud smiles and Lin, standing in front of everyone being a spotlight never feels that her heart is so light that she can smile for the first time among those people.
Lin nods to herself. "So let me introduce myself again." She says, eyes sweeping over her classmates, the audience, the stranger, and she finally can say this proudly, "My name is Lin. And this is the place where I belong…"
A stillness comes, but Lin already bows politely for those who are already watching her until the end before she hears an applaud coming from her left side. Lin straightens her body again and watches Shouta grinning at her in surprise, then from her right side, Fubuki smiles, giving another applause and Lin's glazy golden eyes watch back to the audience who joins the rhyme until the entire auditorium is filled with people's clapping their hands together.
Lin watches everyone clapping, shouting her name in joy in complete disbelief because this is her first time to finally let people acknowledge her. Even Lumine is giving her her best standing applause together with Thoma. But before Lin can react at how happy she is, between those clapping sounds and shouts, her ears are ringing, deafening everything until she can feel someone calling her name so dear…
"I love you, Lin."
Lin's golden eyes brimming with tears, mouth slightly open in shock, lips trembling, she even squeezes her paper just because she can hear her dad's voice so clear, thinking how delusional she is but it's real. Something from her heart, a desire, a hope telling her to feel more. And when Lin stares at her surroundings, her eyes stop at the end of the auditorium in the highest place where no seat is there, simply just a way to the exit door, Lin's tears come down uncontrollably at the sight because there stand her two important people in her life that now holding each other, smiling proudly at her…
"We will always, watching you."
"A-ah, uuuu...! Uuuu…!" Lin's throat tightens at how she cries so hard when she also hears Aether wasn't lying at his words. It's just gentle voices that Lin simply never forgets. She covers her face with the paper that she holds. She embraces those overflowing tears with pride, with no regret but happiness. She finally did it, the way Aether told her to prove that she is worthy on her way in front of so many people.
'Because you two are watching me after all.'
And that girl isn't an outsider anymore but just a family, the one who shares the same pain and joy like the rest of humans. She is the daughter of two wonderful people that will always stay by her side. She is Xiao and Aether's great treasure in their hearts.
Her name is Lin.
'I love you guys so much.'
—Lin
Aether watches the baby in his arms delightfully. A fresh smell of morn is there. Birds chirping, singing them a joy lullaby, the ray of sun chimes in from the window, washing his face and his long, golden hair almost as bright as the sun itself. He sits in the bed along with a dark-haired man next to him who shares the same gaze as him.
Aether glances to see his beloved with a smile. "Where's Lumine?"
"She is sleeping in the next room. She stayed up all night to watch her."
"And I guess you are here with me. Right?" Aether gives a soft chuckle.
Xiao doesn't answer immediately but Aether can see a painful look in his eyes. Xiao nods weakly before he hides his face in Aether's crook, both hands embracing him gently. He inhales the smells of his dearest that bring him a sudden heal, sweeping away his anxiety and fear after remembering that painful day when he gave birth. He still can hear Aether’s scream, calling his name loudly: ‘Xiao, I can’t do this. It hurt so much!’ but in the end, he knows everything is fine now because Aether is here with him. He still looks perfectly dazzling.
A sniffle comes out. "I'm glad… you're still alive…"
Aether titles his head to him, gently rubbing it to the dark-haired man and whispers softly, "It's alright. I'm here, Xiao. Always…"
There's a slight moan escapes from the baby's tiny mouth. Both Xiao and Aether glances to see their innocent daughter while the golden one immediately remembers something.
"That's right. I wonder, what is this baby's name? I haven't thought about it. I'm always scared if something bad happens but…" Aether smiles again. "It's fine." He says, then glances to see his husband again. "Any idea, Xiao?"
Xiao looks kind of surprised but he realizes he just doesn't want to break Aether's joy even if he doesn't want to answer it. So his amber eyes stare at the baby and think of any possible name.
"What about… Radial Sun—"
"No."
Xiao's brows scrunch up. Thinking again. "Aether… junior?"
"..."
"..."
Aether wants to cry. "God, no!"
"Sorry."
The blond sighs heavily, looking pleadingly at Xiao. "You know you can just think about a normal name."
"Okay, okay." Xiao replies, takes a deep breath, eyes facing earnestly at Aether, giving a momentary silence before he speaks, "Elizabeth?"
Those golden eyes squint, face completely flat. "Whose name is that?"
Xiao shrugs innocently. "I don't know. People said. From Fontaine? Perhaps from another world?"
Aether pouts, looking at the Adepti tiredly. "Xiao, I love you but no."
Surprisingly, Xiao still has more ideas of names. He stares at his beloved, almost with sparkling eyes. "How about Barbara? She could be an idol just like her!"
"Wha—I don't want her to be an idol! That's too much! I want her to have a normal life!"
This time, Xiao is speechless. "...Sorry."
Aether lets out another sigh before he brings his eyes to see his daughter in his arms again. She is so tiny, so cute and pure. Her hands clenched into tiny fists and swaying into uneven directions. The more he sees, the more he obviously realizes she just looks like him and Xiao. Aether couldn't help but smile genuinely at his baby.
Xiao makes a soft snort when he also stares at his daughter. "Maybe… you can think as simply as something that you like."
"Well, I like you. And I can't name her Xiao either." Aether replies with chuckles.
Xiao almost blushed. "Thank you but I mean something like your favorite book."
"Well, I do love my book—wait," a pause. Those golden eyes widen at a great realization, the smile grows bigger and Xiao loves to see his gleaming face. "Lindsey! Xiao, it's Lindsey!"
A surprise comes from those amber eyes as Xiao feels so silly to not even think that close. But then he let out another helpless smile. "Isn't that too obvious?"
The blond pouts. "Then what? Should I add something like Lindsey Elizabeth? Lindsey Elizabeth Barbara? Seriously, Xiao. You can't even think of one good name. I will use that and I am persistent."
Xiao blinks a few times before his head even comprehends all the names from what he said until the last one Aether spoke. So… which one?
"So what is her name?" Xiao asks, his eyes lay on those golden eyes half confused.
"It's Lin." Aether finally says, looking at his husband meaningfully.
"Lin?" Xiao rhymes the name again, yet a sudden joy hits his heart when he thinks that the name fits perfectly to his daughter, like it is also filled with beauty and hope. Xiao gives an accepting nod, eyes grow softer. "It's a good name…"
Xiao, Aether, and Lin…
"It's settled, right?" The blond chuckles before he finally shifts to make his position facing the sun from the window that shines even brighter at three of them before looking at his beloved daughter blissfully and he attentively, slightly raises his baby with a beautiful smile on his face.
To all the legends, the heaven Celestia above, even the power that Xiao bestowed from the divine Lord Morax wasn't the greatest miracle. For Xiao and Aether, they understand more than anyone if a miracle is actually really close to them...
"Hello, world. Her name is Lin. She is the world's greatest miracle."
.
.
.
[END]