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She hated today. The crippling weight of the memories, too fresh, too present with her on the shore near the harbor.
Cold water lapped at her bare calves, a kiss from a distant shore on the other side of the continent. Fontaine’s coast was all pleasant beach towns with the occasional chateau overlooking the coastline. But here, the harbor sat low at the base of striking mountains and in the distance was not nothingness, but rather the distant island of Inazuma. Morning had yet to truly come. The sun sat low on the horizon, casting a pink and orange glow onto the sea, and washing the tall buildings in a beautiful array of jewel tones.
The pain au chocolat , warm and flakey in her hand, tasted like dust . It stayed in her hand, abandoned in its careful wrapping, her labor now worthless. For all of Liyue’s offerings, there were no bakeries that offered Fontaine specialties and she spent a decent wage to make a batch.
She needed to eat. Even if she had the day off, she needed to at least feed herself.
Karina took a bite, the fragile layers melting in her mouth along with the chocolate. Butter, sugar, egg, and the meditative patience of creating numerous layers. Less like dust. But still not as delicious as…
She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly incredibly dry, as if the dough was sand and not flour and sugar.
It was as close to Tamsen’s baking as she would ever get.
The bell tolled the hour as the docksmen got to work and in the sound of the morning, Karina hadn’t heard soft footsteps in the sand until the slight splash of water startled her. She jumped, visibly bothered, her body assessing a threat until otherwise proven.
“It wasn’t my intention to scare you,” her intruder said. “You looked a bit...dazed.”
Green eyes blinked until her brain caught up with her. What was Zhongli doing here? Karina looked back at where she left her things only to find his jacket neatly folded on the rock besides hers, his shoes tucked next to hers. He stood beside her with pant legs carefully folded up to avoid the waves, white tie fluttering in the wind in time with his long hair.
“Just...memories,” Karina said quietly, looking down at the rest of her chocolate croissant. “Some days are easier than others. It’s...not one of those days.”
Zhongli hummed thoughtfully but said nothing. Instead, he let the silence sit and eventually meld with the tide, relaxing instead of unpleasant. He was one of the few that, while he enjoyed talking, also knew the value of stillness, of silence. So many assumed silence was an absence that needed to be filled.
When in reality, it was just as important as the words one carefully chose.
Karina tore off a piece of the pastry as she watched a crew load up a ship and held it out. When he didn’t take it, she looked over to find him looking at it curiously.
“It’s a Fontaine specialty,” she said softly. “ Pain au chocolat . A breakfast pastry with chocolate in it.”
He rolled the words over his tongue and she felt a pang run through her at hearing someone else speak in her mother language.
“But it’s just sugar. How is that a meal that will sustain you throughout the morning?”
“People eat it with other breakfast foods, but some prefer to just have a pastry and coffee. Most snack a lot, too, throughout the day.”
Zhongli took the proffered piece of pastry and she watched him take a careful bite, and then another. His eyes widened ever so slightly and she knew he’d reached the chocolate. That was always the best part.
“You made this?”
Karina nodded before holding out another piece of the pastry.
“I made a whole batch. I can bring some to the Parlor tomorrow if you like them.”
“That would be...quite lovely,” Zhongli’s fingers brushed hers, accepting her offer and the second piece. “Come to think of it, I might have a type of tea that goes with these. We can experiment together.”
“Sounds perfect,” she murmured, trying to ignore the way her fingers seemed to burn where they touched one another.
The waves continued to lap at her legs as they stayed there, comfortable in the silence and the machinations of the morning around them. He didn’t ask and he didn’t pry, not even when she closed her eyes and let stray hot tears streak her cheeks before they dropped into the ocean. Their hands eventually found one another’s and it took her another moment to realize his hands were bare, not covered with his usual gloves. Her mind quieted and she gave a gentle squeeze, unable to speak at just what this meant to her. Karina’s heart skipped when she received a careful but steady squeeze in return. So much in a single touch.
And for a moment, an anchor of understanding. One she wasn’t ready to let go of just yet.