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Exhaling, Dorian looked down at his watch. He waited for Sucrose on the land bridge leading out of Sumeru City. The two of them, plus Dorian’s younger fraternal twin, Albedo, were studying abroad at the Akademiya for a year. Sumeru roses bobbed in the breeze. Below a stream ran its course. As far as the eye could see were rolling hills and dense swathes of the rainforest.
Dorian’s phone buzzed. He pulled out a red phone with a Dodoco pattern; Alice, his adoptive mother had invented it, dubbing it the Dodocommunication device. She had sent a picture of Klee hugging Citrinitas, Dorian’s whopperflower. Alice texted, “Don’t worry! They’re doing well. Oh, and good luck on your date with Sucrose!!!”
Dorian scowled. He texted back, “How do you know?”
“Your mother is psychic.”
Dorian narrowed his eyes. Albedo told her.
“Also, having your brother Albedo make the food for your picnic is a deviously BRILLIANT idea! Especially given you burn everything, even water. So, hey, there’s no shame if you don’t tell Sucrose the truth about who made it!”
Groaning, Dorian held his head.
“Just make sure you don’t do anything too rash, young man, and startle her. And don’t stay out too late! Tell me how everything goes. If you don’t, I’ll just ask Albedo~ <3.”
“Archons, Mom…” Exhaling, Dorian jabbed his thumbs at the screen, typing out a reply.
“Dorian? Dorian!”
He jumped. Sucrose was standing before him, head tilted to the side. The stream’s gurgling had masked the sound of her approach. She and Dorian wore the green and white robes with a hat of the Akademiya researcher uniform. The sunlight hit Sucrose just right, setting her minty green hair and rosy cheeks aglow. “Sorry I was late. I was finishing up a paper for upperclassmen Tighnari. Are you okay, Dorian?”
“Y-yeah, I’m fine!” Face red, Dorian cleared his throat. Smiled. “You ready to go?”
Sucrose clapped her hands. “I’m ready for today’s adventure. Let’s go research Sumeru’s fauna!”
Right, yes… That’s all we’re doing.
Dorian and Sucrose wandered through the rainforest west of the city. Lily pads a hundred times the height of an adult rose up, blocking out the sun. Green fireflies and crystalflies. Shroomboars rooted in the dirt. Dusk birds flew through the air, shrieking. Bugs hummed. Dorian’s indigo shirt clung to him thanks to the humid air.
Sucrose stooped down by a padisarah. “I wonder if it’s possible to breed a purple strand of padisarahs, just like the legend.”
“Perhaps not with Sumeru’s conditions, or surely someone would have created it by now, but maybe the corruption on Dragonspine could mutate it purple. I’ll mail some to back home.” Dorian knelt down beside her and, picking the flower and roots, stored it in a sample bag from his messenger bag.
“Have you ever heard of the Aranara? People call them forest spirits, but I wonder if their true origins are mutated vegetables who became sentient.”
Dorian raised a brow. “Do you realize what you just said?”
“I just! Citrinitas isn’t that categorically different!”
“Citrinitas isn’t a vegetable. He’s a whopperflower. Maybe that’s what I should tell Klee next time. If she doesn’t eat her vegetables, they just might become sentient.”
“Ugh, you…!” Huffing, Sucrose turned away, her cheeks puffed out and red.
Dorian chuckled. She’s so cute. She’s always made that face at me ever since we were kids. Like me roping her into collecting every stray cat in Mondstadt for the Cat’s Tail, or when we make a book fort in Lisa’s library. Sucrose… Sucrose has always been by my side.
Dorian envisioned confessing his feelings to her. Shrinking back, Sucrose grimaced. “What made you think I ever liked you?”
Biting his lip, Dorian glanced at Sucrose. Some distance away, Sucrose was on her hands and knees, studying a mushroom up close, muttering to herself. I should be satisfied being in her company. I don’t want to spoil what we have. Besides, she could be interested in someone else. Dorian stilled. Wait, could she be…?
“Oh, Tighnari!”
Chest tight, Dorian looked up. Tighnari was standing further down the path, bow in hand. Sucrose hopped to her feet and rushed towards him. “Upperclassman Tighnari! It’s good to see you. Who would have thought, given the vastness of the rainforest. But let me guess, you’re on a forest ranger mission, aren’t you?”
“You got me,” nodded Tighnari, dematerializing his bow.
Sucrose laughed. “But you have so many papers to write and experiments to conduct! You have to take breaks sometimes. I don’t want you to collapse.”
Tighnari laid a hand on the stalk of a giant lily pad. “I’ll be fine. I’m more concerned about the preservation of this section of the rainforest. This area isn’t well-traveled so there may be areas of withering left unchecked. Only those with Visions can eradicate them so it’s my natural duty to.”
Gasping, Sucrose clasped her hands. “You’re so selfless and brave…”
Dorian gagged.
“What are you doing here in the forest, Sucrose?”
“Oh, I was just jotting notes and recording observations on the local fauna. A-and maybe hunting for signs of Aranara. Do you want to come along with us?”
“That would probably be for the best, traveling in numbers through the rainforest. Especially if we might encounter withering zones. Wait, ‘us’…?” Tighnari looked up to see Dorian glaring daggers at him. “Uhh… On second thought, maybe—”
“Great!” Sucrose squeezed Tighnari’s hand with both of hers. “Let’s get going then. Dorian has a picnic packed and we haven’t discovered much yet so we could really use your expertise on botany, Tighnari…”
Scowling, Dorian followed them, being sure to keep his distance.
The trio found a patch of land rising out of a creek to hold their picnic. A thatch-roofed house behind them lay abandoned. Cliffs and giant lily pads surrounded them. Herons sipped from the creek. Thankfully, the air was cooler by the water.
Shaking his head, Tighnari bit into his almond tofu. “…I told her that the next time she ate another poisonous flower she might not make it. I don’t know what else to tell people to get them to listen.”
Sucrose wrung her hands in her lap. “If you’re going to traverse the forest, at the very least you should come prepared.”
“Exactly! But apparently the Avidya Forest Survival Guide is too thick for people to sit down and read, even if it may be a life-or-death situation. You know, I was wondering if I should make a trifold which summarizes all the pertinent information.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea! I’m sure the Akademiya will fund it, especially since it’s for public health and safety.”
“Yes, but there’s such a large volume of information that’s important. What species do you think I should include?”
“O-oh, um, definitely Sweetwater mushrooms and…”
Dorian sat a small distance away, chewing on a sandwich. Eyes narrowed, he tore off bits and shoved them into his mouth. We were supposed to go exploring together. Have a picnic. Scowling, Dorian regarded Tighnari smiling and nodding to Sucrose. Dorian lobbed a piece of sandwich at his head. Be alone. It missed. The two continued their conversation unaware.
Smirking, Dorian tore off more pieces and hurled them in Tighnari’s direction. I created a music playlist to dance to. Toss. Have our first kiss to. Throw. Stargaze. But you…!
Glaring, Tighnari raised his fist and caught a sandwich bit midair. “Enough! I didn’t realize you had the manners of a Shroomboar.”
Sucrose gasped. “Dorian, please! How many times have I told you to be nicer to others?”
Never breaking Tighnari’s eye contact, Dorian shoved the rest of his sandwich in his mouth. Chewed with deliberateness. Swallowed. Dorian made a circle motion around his face with an index finger. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not my brother. I have browner hair, bluer eyes, and rounded, not as sharp angles. You know, overall much hotter than him?”
Tighnari’s ear twitched. “Yes, I can see how annoyed your expression is. I only stayed because Sucrose insisted and wasn’t going to refuse Albedo’s food, food that you’re wasting with your antics.” Huffing, Tighnari rose. “Well, if I remain here any longer, Dorian’s skin will turn green from jealousy.”
“J-jealousy?” wondered Sucrose. Dorian flinched.
Tighnari continued with, “Thank you for the company, but I shall be off now. I’ll see you at the Akademiya, Sucrose.”
“W-wait, Tighnari!”
Tighnari waved before heading deeper into the forest.
Exhaling, Sucrose let her outstretched hand drop. She frowned at Dorian. “Why would you do that? What did he mean by jealousy?”
Arms crossed, Dorian looked away. “What do you think of Tighnari?”
“H-huh? Um, I greatly admire his knowledge and experience regarding botany. And he seems so wise in human relations as well. There’s so much I can learn from him.”
Dorian turned to Sucrose, gaze boring into her. “And what about me?”
Sucrose blinked. Realization dawned in her eyes. “Dorian, I…” Exhaling, she looked away, gazing out at the forest scenery. “Do you remember when we were kids? Always up to something silly or getting into trouble. Albedo wanted nothing to do with it, and neither did I, but I couldn’t bear the thought of you getting hurt while doing something dangerous alone. We took off all the papers on Jean’s desk and buried them because we thought then she would have time to play with us. Or when we climbed onstage during one of Barbara’s shows to be her backup dancers. Or the time we snuck around Dawn Winery to see if Diluc was a vampire. Once Klee was born and got her Vision, matters turned more destructive. But all these adventures…” Hand to her chest, Sucrose gazed at Dorian, her amber eyes melting like honey. “They mean everything to me. In fact, the reason I came to Sumeru to study was because I couldn’t bear the thought of being away from you. I’m not as strong of an alchemist like you or Albedo, so I studied really hard and pushed myself with experiments so the Akademiya would accept me.” Head bowed, Sucrose balled her dress. “I didn’t want our adventures to ever stop. Because for me being by your side is paradise.”
Eyes wide, Dorian stared, his lips parted. Dorian moved to her side. Lifted up her chin with a hand. Teary-eyed, Sucrose smiled up at him. Dorian pressed his lips to hers.
That night, Sucrose and Dorian slow danced together. Eyes closed, Dorian held her close. Breathed in the smell of grass. Tighnari’s bluntness gave me the impetus to ask Sucrose about how she felt. Maybe Tighnari isn’t that bad of a guy after all.
The bushes rustled with Aranara who sang and danced along with them.