Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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The first letter comes in the middle of the night, when Miss Lisa and him were caught up in the middle of a lesson.

It was dark out, raindrops pelting against the darkened windows of the Library, the warm silent glow of wax candles gently lighting the walls. It's stuffy, and not at all like the wilderness that Razor is used to, but he supposes it's better than getting drenched.

"You're getting closer," Lisa mused beside him, sipping her tea as she slumped back against her seat. "Try again."

Razor adjusted his grip on the feathered quill as he bit his lip, staring quizzically at the parchment scattered around the wooden table. Their lesson was stretching on longer than anticipated, nightfall having long already come as they kept the library warmly lit with Lisa's candles.

Originally, he only planned to visit the city for a few hours, hoping to buy a few sewn furs for the spring pups back in Wolvendum. Their fur was still too thin to fight off against the low temperatures of Mondstadt's winters, leaving them vulnerable. Even if they were still caught in the early winds of autumn, it was never too early to prepare. Just a simple in and out.

His plans were altered, however, when Miss Lisa had appeared out of thin air in front of him and plucked him off the cobblestone streets without much of a fuss, chatting about insisting on a 'delayed lesson' he had to make-up.

(He had panicked for a long second, having sworn he'd finished all their previous work. When he was about to voice his worries, he heard her push away piles of work and new assignments from guards with the excuse of 'teaching her student', with Lisa having sent him a silent wink.

Razor bit his tongue.)

Razor had entertained the idea of calling it quits a few times now; not because the material was too difficult to handle ( he's been getting better at his spelling nowadays ), but he feared he was breaching Lisa's sleep and peace by extending his stay. He's never had a problem with the unsightly heavy bags that hung under his eyes, but the thought of him being to blame for Lisa developing them? It left a sour taste in his mouth.

The Librarian had given him one of her amused smiles when he'd voiced his concern, like she knew something Razor didn't.

"Don't worry so much about something so small." Lisa grinned, "Do you really think I'm not capable enough to take care of myself?"

Razor flushed red, embarrassment clinging to him at his thoughtless comment. Lisa was definitely the strongest person he knew! He'd never think otherwise!! "That's-! No, I- I would never-!"

His helpless stammering was cut short by a proper huff of laughter from his teacher, mostly confusion flooding him as she carted a gentle hand through his wild grey hair.

"I'm joking, Razor. I know you're just worried about me," she clarified, straightening herself back up as she went back to her tea. "I've definitely stayed up longer than this. If you want to haggle someone to get some proper rest tonight, you're odds are better spent on Jean."

Razor huffed. Lisa, as smart and kind as she was, made him feel like a bit of a dummy sometimes.

Inked letters stare back at him, the word 'Onikobuta' loud and clear on his tongue yet shaky on his gloved hands. Did it have two Ns? An H? Some words had it, even though they didn't sound like it.

It was drizzling outside the library, specks of droplets streaming down the library windows. The wood in the room felt humid and heavily scented, but not overbearing enough to force Razor to escape. At least, not yet. He bounced his leg uneasily, hands twitching. 'Only four more words-'

Razor jumped a foot in the air when a knock rang out from the library door, Razor clattering his quill against the table with a yelp. Lisa blinked and cast a glance over her shoulder.

"Miss Lisa?" A muffled voice calls, sounding like one of the guards, "Are you in there? We received something here addressed to you."

Lisa sighs longingly, seeming to lament the call of her work. She sets her tea cup, scrapping her chair as she heaves herself to her feet. She pats his shoulder once before taking her leave, heels clacking against the wooden planks of the floor.

The man knocks again, voice louder, "Miss Lisa, it's Ronna from the new recruits, I- ah -"

She cuts off his words as she swings open the door, wood creaking as its hinges pull. She faces the man with a blinding smile, "Why hello dear." She hums,  "Pray tell, what new assignment could be so urgent that you had to disturb me so late into the night? I thought it was protocol to save such things for actual work hours."

Her smile and disposition betrays nothing, but Razor can smell her lilac scent sour at the added workload after office hours. The once calming smell sits stiff and heavy in his lungs, making him shift in his seat uncomfortably.

"Ah-! A-Apologies, Miss Lisa! I never wished to cause you a disturbance so late in the might," The guard flushed, patting himself down before fishing something from his pocket, extending his hand with a parcel, "-However, this letter arrived at the Southern Gate, and it was addressed to you. I took it upon myself to deliver it as soon as possible, just in case it was an urgent matter." 

Lisa's sour scent mellows at that, her displeasure melting as she sighed again. "I suppose it is protocol." She murmurs, her voice tired but appeased. She plucks the letter from his gloved hands, giving the address a once over as curiosity pricks in her scent.

As she turns over the letter, spotting something on its front, and immediately scoffs. Her scent plagues back into displeasure, almost annoyance. She sighs roughly, grasping at the door's golden doorknob.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, Miss Lisa. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for anym-"

She shuts the door before she allows him to finish, muttering under her breath, earlier relaxed mood clearly soured. Razor peeked at the Librarian, legs and knees tucked under him as she returned beside him. Lisa notices his gaze, and the pinched scowl on her face immediately loosens as she peers into his red eyes. Her scent lulls slightly, but her discontent was still tangible.

"Is something wrong, wolf cub?" She pries gently, striding beside him. Razor glances at the floorboards, avoiding his teacher's peering vermillion eyes. With how perceptive she always was, he was certain she could probably read his thoughts if she wanted to.

Razor fidgets with his hands, gaze peeled onto his hands. "You are upset." He says truthfully, lifting his head as he gazes back up. tilting his head, "Why? Did... man… say something bad to you?"

If the guard even said one mean thing to Lisa to her face, he'd be hearing from Razor personally. It wouldn't be much, seeing how skittish he is under any confrontations, but it was worth a try. Maybe he should ask the Captain to teach him curse words…

Lisa smiles gently, "No he didn't, Razor." She chuckles, weary and amused, "He just disturbed me with a letter I didn't want. He also interrupted our lesson, which was rude." she explains simply.

Razor nodded, understanding dawning on him. It makes sense Lisa would be upset. You should never interrupt someone when they're doing something, especially so late.

Maybe that's why those hunters have always tried shooting arrows at him when he interrupts their hunting. But if that was the punishment for it, then why didn't Lisa shoot the guard? Should Razor do it for her? No…Lisa could have definitely done it herself. She's much stronger than him.

Razor, in the middle of his confusion, turns his bewildered gaze towards the other. "How did… the letter annoy you?" She didn't even open it…

Lisa hums thoughtfully, returning to the seat beside him as she slides the letter towards him. He faces the parchment and gazes down at it with curious eyes; it's perfectly folded and yellowish in its tint, the scent of exotic floral nature brimming from it. A green wax seal frames the letters opening, royal looking designs printed across it.

Lisa leans forward, "That," she taps of the seal, indicating the elegant design pasted against it, "-is the symbol of the place I used to study in Sumeru."

Razor balks a little at that. A letter from Lisa's school? In Sumeru?  He's never heard his teacher mention the country outside of their lessons, let alone her having visited it. 

Confusion gnaws at him, his question remaining unanswered. "But… Why does it make you unhappy? Do they... want you to go back?" He knows others like Bennett, Fishl, and Klee hate school lessons with teachers like Lisa, even if Razor personally enjoys it a lot. Maybe Lisa hates school as well, just like his friends. It'd be weird if a teacher hated school though, but he supposes there have been stranger occurrences happen...

"Yes, in a way," Lisa admits, readjusting herself, "You see Razor, I used to attend a place in Sumeru called the Sumeru Akademiya. It's one of the highest prestige schools in Teyvat and is the origin place of some of the biggest inventors of out time."

'Wow ,' he thought, amazement sparkling in his eyes, 'Teacher probably knows everything in the world.'

"-It all probably sounds very prestigious," she hums, "but there are some… downsides."

"What are they?" Razor tilts his head, utterly confused as he frowns. School was hard, yes, but great. Why would Miss Lisa not like it?

Lisa smiles, but her faraway eyes look slightly annoyed. "Smart people can be very insufferable, Razor," she hums, "And most people from the Akademiya definitely fit that bill."

"B-But! You're not in-suff-er-a-ble, Miss Lisa!" He replies immediately, careful to properly pronounce the mouthful of a word. Nailed it.

Lisa laughs good-naturedly, "I didn’t think I was, but now that I'm thinking about it, maybe some people might see it that way." she shrugs, "-sometimes, people like you for no good reason Razor. It happens."

Razor pouts, gritting his teeth at her words. He tries to continue, "Teacher Lisa is kind. Kind to me, who is strange and not as smart." He says truthfully, the desire to fully present his real feelings shoving against his frustration at not finding the proper words. "Miss Lisa teaches me many things! And Razor is very happy because of it. Teacher not bad!" He stresses.

Lisa tries to hide an amused laugh, looking fondly as she tries to stifle her smile behind her porcelain cup. A small puff of frustration bubbles under his skin, sinking into his bones as he sees he's not exactly being taken seriously by the older lady. A pout tugs at his lips, but it and his tangled emotions disappear when he's suddenly encompassed in a warm hug. He goes rigid, not quite knowing what to do.

"Oh Razor, you're far too sweet." She fawns, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Like I said, I don't truly think that of myself. It was just a joke."

Ah. A joke. 

Razor flushes bright red down to his neck as he bows his head, lips pressed into a wobble as he grimaced. He's never been good at understanding them, let alone identifying them. Even after Miss Lisa said it was a joke, he still can't tell what was funny about it.

Lisa pats his head softly, murmuring a fond "We'll work on it wolf cub. Don't worry."

Razor nods and sniffs, eyes cast down to his shoes. 

Lisa pats his back, nudging him away from the table, "how about you stay for the night, hm? I have an extra room down the hall just for these occasions. I know you're probably used to walking around in the dark, but probably not in the city," she bent slightly towards the table, neatly bunching his papers into a single pile, "-I wouldn't want you getting lost out there so late."

Razor worried his lip, shifting his weight against his feet. He'd hate to cause Lisa anymore trouble than he already had, keeping her up to this hour. He'd also love to get back to Wolvendom as soon as he could; as much as he'd grown to appreciate Mondstadt as a whole, the stuffy buildings and hundreds of scents were starting to overload his senses.

Lisa, like the mind reader she is, takes one look into his eyes and seems to pick up on his mood almost immediately. She crouched down slightly, expression open with an easy smile as she spoke softly. The scent of sweet apples enveloped him, and Razor felt his worried and tense muscles relax as he instinctively inclined his head towards her.

"How about this: You promise to stay the night, in a proper bed, and I'll make sure to get you those blankets you were asking about before you leave,” she grinned, tilting her head as her emerald eyes stared into his own. “I'll even see if I can get a hold of Bennett so he can escort you back himself. Now that sounds like a pretty great deal, right?"

Razor's head perked up at the mention of his friend, excitement bubbling up in him at the thought of seeing him again. It'd been a long while since they last met, too busy nowadays thanks to the responsibility saddled by the Adventurers Guild. He’d definitely stop by and visit him more often, if it wasn’t for a few of the members being less than pleased with his company.

Razor nodded, “Yes. I will stay then,” he said, solidifying his decision. Lisa didn’t seem to mind him overstaying his welcome for a few hours, so he was fine with it. Guessing by the broad white smile, Lisa must have felt the same way. “What are you… going to do with the letter?” he inquired.

Lisa hummed and inclined her head, glancing back at the letter where she’d left it. “I’ll probably read through it, just in case,” she sighed, “-Though if it’s just another insistence on me helping them with some ‘project’ I have no responsibility in, I’ll just throw it in the fire.” she reasoned with a shrug.

Razor nodded, pretending to understand her reaction.

—

The second letter arrives a week later, in the early afternoon hours of Jean's office. 

Miss Lisa had situated herself on the Dandelion Knight's desk as she helped 'proofread' some of her paperwork (he suspects it’s just an attempt to get away from her own work again) while Razor busied himself in organizing the bookshelves in the office, a simple task but ne he enjoyed. Bright light pours in from the clear blue skies outside, and Razor laments the wasted sunny day spent inside.

Lisa must have made another one of her jokes, because halfway through their laughter they get cut off by a knock at the door.

"Excuse me, Master Jean? Have you seen-" a lady with brown hair walks in, clad in shiny iron armor, blinking in surprise as she spots the Librarian sitting on the edge of the desk, "-Ah! Miss Lisa! I've been looking for you!"

Lisa simply smiles politely, beckoning the young guard over, "Lieutenant Lucy, why hello there. To what do I owe you the pleasure of your visit?"

The guard struts towards her, barely glancing at Razor when she fishes out an envelope. "This came in addressed to you from the Southern Gate. It came in just a few hours ago."

Lisa's scent is just as unreadable as her face when she plucks the letter from the woman's hand. The guard takes a step away to take her leave, Lisa holds up a gloved hand in signal for the other to stop. Confusion taints the guard's scent, unsure of her higher up's desire to keep her there.

"Uh...Miss Lisa?" She questions, "I need to return to my station. Is there anything-"

"Just a minute," Lisa says simply, before snagging Jean's letter opener and releasing the folded parchment from the envelope. She unfolds the yellowish parchment with indecipherable eyes.

She scans the two pages folded neatly with a cheery, eyes glazing over the papers with focused eyes. When Lisa finishes reading, she folds the papers again and tucks them neatly back in the envelope. She reaches it back out to the guard with a pleasant smile.

"Burn it," she commands simply, smiling.

"M-Miss Lisa-!" The guard balks, absolutely bewildered at the command. "Are… are you certain?"

Lisa hums, fox-like smile stretched over her face, "Quite, actually. I'm sure I won't need to ask again, will I?"

The guard lets out a small 'eep!', letting out a strangled " No Miss !" before grabbing the extended letter, doing a panicked salute, and quite literally bolting it out of the room. Razor watched with raised brows, equally bewildered as he was surprised. Guards usually never run off like that. Was she scared of something?

"Hey," Jean murmurs sternly beside the Librarian, raising an eyebrow as she sets her quilled pen down, "Don't you think that was a little harsh?"

Lisa let's out a long sigh, the bitterness in her scent melting off her as the intensity of her smile waned, "Probably," she murmurs, closing her eyes as if to regain her peace, "I'm sure she'll be alright though. Lieutenants should come to expect a slight upset when their superior's decisions are questioned. And besides…" Lisa's eyebrows pinch, resting her hand on her head, "-at some point or another, that Akademiya has to get the memo at some point. They just can't take a no can they…"

—

Razor isn’t around when the third letter is delivered, but based off the things he's heard, he’s glad he wasn’t.

He hears it from Bennett, who seems to have a surprising penmanship towards gossip. They’re both out in a forest clearing, free of thorns and bushes as light filter’s from the tree’s overhang. 

They’re tasked with skinning the boar they’d caught earlier for themselves and his Lupical. Unfortunately, hairless meat is a luxury only saved for humans with thumbs, so Razor makes sure to thoroughly scrape off the pig’s short brown fur with his crude dagger. 

Two old and large female wolves loiter around them, idly sunbathing beside them while one of their litter of pups play around them. They were probably here with the intent supervise their impromptu get together-seeing as Bennet’s visits had the tendency in ending in flames-but it seemed like their idle chatter and work led them to ultimately deciding the situation was harmless.

“Oh man, you should have seen the look on her face!” Bennett declared, paying no mind to the small gray pups attempting to scale his back as he moved his arms in an animated fashion, “I mean, I wasn’t there either- but! Devin described it in enough detail that it almost felt like I was there! Apparently she looked at the letter the same way Master Diluc looks at Captain Kaeya when he's really drunk, which is definitely saying something. She practically chewed him out int the middle of the whole unit!”

Razor hums, not taking his eyes off of the thin strip of skinned fur in front of him. “Miss Lisa has… much upset with letters.” he confirms, softly swatting at a pup who tried taking a bite out of the severed tendon he was working on. It sneezes, changing its attention to chew on the leather of his gloves, which he allows without complaint. It pricks a bit, but they're teething so it's expected.

“I’ll say. She sounded upset.” Bennett chattered, digging back in with his pocket knife, “Apparently she didn’t even bother reading it. She was all like, “ You give me another one of these again, and I'll fry all of your nerves in your brain! ” Like, who knew she could be so scary!” he shivered, huffing, “Glad I’m not on her bad side, at least. It must be scary having her as a teacher”

“Hn- no, it’s-” Razor furrowed his brows at that. It sounded like a bit of an ‘oh-ver-ex-a-dur-a-tion’ to Razor, but he knows Miss Lisa could be terrifying if angered, so maybe it wasn't. It mostly only happens when she’s going over a list of people who borrowed books and never returned them, her overpowering floral scent invading his senses with such an all-encompassing intensity it makes him gag. 

He wouldn’t judge anyone for being scared of her if they got on her bad side. 

“Lisa is very kind. Patient and… loving. Never threatened Razor to… remove nerves, even when I make mistakes,” he clarifies, because it kinda feels like he has to defend her honor here against his friend's claims. Miss Lisa probably has her cons, but she’s definitely  not a bad person. He thinks he wouldn’t prefer any other mentor over her.

Bennett hums thoughtfully, clutching his chin with a contemplative look on his face, before smiling broadly, “That’s good to hear then! I’m glad she treats you right! I was worried I’d have to give her a piece of my mind if that wasn’t the case-”

His words are cut off by a distant thrum of thunder, startling the pups into crying as they run back to their mothers. 

The sky was perfectly blue and clear, not a single cloud in sight.

Their eyes met again, his burgundy red ones crinkling into a half grin as he let out a sheepish laugh. “O-on second thought, I think I'll just take your word for it,” he chuckles half-heartedly, tone slightly nervous.

Razor chooses to remain silent.

—

The fourth letter, strangely enough, is received by him.

A group of knights had spotted him taking a stroll around the headquarters, taking in the dandelion scented breezes passing through the trees. His sensitive ears picked up the distant sounds of hasty words- almost like a panicked argument. 

“-Nono- you don’t understand- I can’t deliver this-! S-she’ll fire me!”

“-Well I did it last time! If I do it again, she’ll start associating my face with them!”

“-Why don’t we just cut our losses and throw the damn thing away? She won’t read it anyways-”

“-You idiot! That’s not how it works; if we’re even suspected of tampering or destroying personal mail, we’ll be fired!”

“-Fired if we do, fired if we don’t… I’m too young to die though…-”

He approached the group of three-two men and one woman-with the full intention of moving along in silence. It wasn’t his business to get involved in other’s affairs, even if he wanted to help. Plus, adults had the tendency to not take too kindly whenever he did offer. It was an unfortunate result of his wild reputation, but he could live with it.

That’s why it was so strange to be called out.

“Hey kid!” one of the male voices called, “Hey- wait- are you Lisa’s student?”

Razor swiveled his head up, almost tripping over his own feet as he suddenly stopped. “Oh-” he mumbled, forcing his voice to be louder, “Yes. I-i am... her student.”

Had that been correct? He hadn’t said anything wrong, right? He’s not as bumbling over his words as he once was, but it’d still be quite shameful to embarrass himself to new people. 

Razor tensed up as the group seemed to teleport in front of him, swarming around him too suddenly. Their smiles attempted to appear genuine and kind, but he could smell the extent of their frantic nervousness wafting from them in waves.

“Oh, thank Barbatos- I mean! We were just looking for you!!” The man beamed as he laughed sheepishly, before suddenly shoving a pristine envelope onto his hands, “-This came into the mail for your teacher. We were going to deliver it to her, but we just couldn’t find her. Give it to her for us, will you?” he asked with a sweet tone, edging on pleading.

“I- uh-” he stuttered awkwardly, feeling cornered between the guards' pleading scents and impatient eyes. Should he say yes? It doesn’t really feel like he has a choice though, and their overpowering emotionally-fueled scents were starting to make him feel woozy.

Apparently, he didn't even have to give a proper answer. The brunette man ruffled his hair playfully, his nervous scent suddenly spiking into an easier smoother smell of relief.

“Atta boy. Thanks a ton.” he said genuinely. Just as suddenly as they appeared, the trio of guards seemed to disappear. 

Razor was left alone, standing in the middle of the walkway at a loss of what to do. They had left him as suddenly as they met him. Did they even know his name? He certainly can't remember theirs.

He feels... bad, but he can’t really pinpoint why. A strange emotion encircles him, his throat closing painfully as he gulped. Eventually, his legs carry him back to the Library, where Lisa was restocking the oil in the lamps. She looks focused, lips thinned as she worked the stained copper in her hands.

Her focused eyes brightened as she noticed his presence, turning to face him. “Back so soon, Razor? Did you forget something- oh.” she must have seen something swimming in his eyes, striding towards him and kneeling on the floor slowly to look him in the eyes, “-Oh dear, are you alright? What’s wrong sweetheart?”

Razor sniffed, suddenly feeling far too foreign in his own skin and clothes. His hands shook with sudden tremors, teeth grinding together in an attempt to not cry. What was even happening to him? Nothing had even happened, and yet he couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach, as if something had invaded all his senses and sent them into alarm. Lightning Fang stirs inside him, the wolf spirit roused alongside the upheaval of his emotions. He hears himself distantly whimper.

She took off her oil stained gloves and grazed her fingernails along his cheek, as if uncertain she could touch him right now. 

She was giving him an out, in case the contact was too much.

He raised a shaky hand and wrapped it around her outstretched wrist, placing it against his cheek fully. Razor’s misty eyes closed as he leaned into her touch, his expression etching itself into a pained grimace. He sniffs loudly as he shivers, but besides that, doesn't make a sound.

‘Her knees must have hurt from kneeling of wood ’, his brain points out. It’s supposed to invoke a sense of guilt, he guesses, but the sentiment barely changes anything in his foggy mind. 

“It’s alright.” Lisa whispered, stroking her thumb as she caught a silent tear. “-it’s alright honey. Just let it all out, nice and easy.” She idly combed her other hand through his loose bangs, leaning over and pressing a kiss on his forehead as she heard him sniffle wetly. He kept his hand clutched against hers, squeezing it rhythmically as his emotions got the better of him. 

Same as her teaching, her comfort was gentle yet equally effective. He has to wonder how many others Lisa must have comforted in their lowest for her to be so good at it. Aside from Jean and maybe Mister Kaeya, Lisa always seemed all alone.

As minutes passed, his silent sniffles and tremors eased to a slow stop, leaving his bones and muscles exhausted and his eyes half-lidded and red. When he meets Lisa’s eyes again, her lips ease into a smile in spite of her pinched brows.

“Are you feeling better, wolf cub?” she inquired softly, her sweet lilac scent blanketing him. He lets go of her wrist slowly and nods shakily, not trusting his voice to not crack like porcelain. 

She smiled comfortingly, removing her left hand from patting and moving her right to sit on his shoulder. “Do you mind telling me what happened? I promise I won’t judge, okay?”

He wondered how much of a sad sight he must have looked to her, a teenage boy crying because of something he doesn't even know. 

Nothing at all-no bruise, no wound, not even an insult-had been thrown his way. There was no good reason for this reaction, and Razor feels nothing but shame at his display. He wants to tear his reddened eyes away from her and never dare look at her again, to save her from the annoying burden he must be.

“I-” he tries, voice strained and stretched into an ugly sound. He swallows, his throat dry and raw, “n-nothing really h-happened” he admits, eyes downcasted as his voice wavers, “I-i’m sorry.” What will she think of him, to know his tears were cried over nothing? To know her comfort was wasted?

Will she think he’s hysterical? It’s not like Lisa to make such a harsh judgment, so he hopes she doesn’t. He doesn’t want Lisa to think that about him. 

“Alright,” Lisa hums contemplative, smiling kindly while her eyes are unreadable. “Now, I will always trust that your words Razor, but I hope you don’t fault me for finding that hard to believe.” she says softly, and Razor melts into himself. What was he supposed to say? Does she not believe him?

When he doesn’t respond, the Librarian shifts in place, seeming to take another approach. “Did something happen when you left?”

He only managed to let out a strangled gargle, nose flaring. 

She tried again. “Did someone talk to you after you left?”

He blinked owlishly for a moment, turning his gaze down towards the wooden floor. He nodded.

Lisa hummed, a frown dawning her face while her posture stayed the same as she contemplated her answer. The only change present was the hitch in brewing anger in Lisa’s scent, lilacs smelling a hint too intense for it to be normal.

“Who was it, Razor? Anyone I know?” Even though her questions were light and easy-going, he could hear the hidden threat in her tone. It didn’t seem directed to him, her eyes looking off, as if stuck in some morbid contemplation. A wave of uneasiness drenched over him, and he shivered.

Razor pressed his lips together, unsure if he should really be saying something, “Guards.”

Lisa’s brows furrowed, confusion filtering through her contemplation and anger. “Guards? As in someone from the Knights?” confusion is swapped with visible anger, the rare kind she doesn’t bother to mask from him as she frowns, “Razor, this is serious. If someone’s said something to you again, they need to be-”

Razor, finding his throat too constricted and tight to let words out, suddenly remembers what’s still tucked into his pocket. He fishes it out with shaky fingers, and raises it for Lisa to see. Her eyes spark with recognition, tilting her head as she takes the letter from his hand.

“A letter? How did you even get…” her words trail off, eyes looking off as a sudden understanding seems to dawn on her. She thins out her lips and makes no visible facial change, moving to calmly tilt the letter in her hands, but Razor can smell the white hot anger that courses through her. He panics.

“They wanted me to give you the letter,” he tries, attempting to explain it away, “They were not mean at all. Nothing bad happened, Razor just… just reacted. For some reason.” he prays that it’s enough for Lisa to understand, to know no one had hurt him on purpose. It was no one but himself who was to blame.

Lisa doesn’t respond though, darkened eyes flipping over the letter in her hands as she seems to ponder something. “Well, you didn't seem all that happy to have it, were you?" she hums, "-Did you say yes to taking it? Or did they pressure you into it?”

“I-” he strangles out, voice caught. He never said yes in the first place, actually. But that didn’t mean they pressured him into it, did it? No, that can’t be it. They just asked him for a favor, is all.

Despite his own rationalizations, he finds himself unable to voice them, shifting his feet uncomfortably as he chokes on his words. His lack of an answer seems to be enough of one for Lisa.

She hums, scary face vanishing as she smiled broadly, patting his head. “Well, that's unfortunate. You wouldn’t have happened to catch their names, did you? Don’t worry if you didn’t, I have other means at my disposal.” she says simply, and the implications of her words definitely don't sit right on his shoulders.

“No, I uh-” Razor shakes his head,” You’re not… going to do anything, right?”

Lisa smiles, amused, “You’re saying it like I’m going to hurt someone. Do you really think I’m that callous?” at the rapid shake of his head, Lisa hums.

She laughs then, the sound scarier than any mitachurl roar he’s heard, “To think they’d start harping an unwilling child into doing their job because they were too scared to face me.” she grins, “I suppose it is my fault, in part. My previous reactions must have scared them. Poor angels,” she murmurs, sounding not too entirely genuine. Hope flashes through him, nonetheless.

“Nothing will happen to them, right? It is not their fault,” Razor insists, because she has to know that. It was a simple mistake, he makes those all the time. But Lisa just closes her eyes and smiles.

“Oh, they most certainly will,” Lisa responds easily, “Even if their act wasn’t malicious, it’s a serious misconduct to ask a civilian to handle private paperwork. Leaks of private information are very serious, especially to something like the Knights of Favonius. People could get hurt.”

Razor bit his tongue, glancing away. Miss Lisa’s words rang true in his ears as his panic settled into something close to disappointment. Even if he wanted to defend the guards, he can see how something like that would cause issues. He still feels bad though, for putting them in that position in the first place.

“And besides-” Lisa hummed, “I don’t take too kindly to people who are willing to take advantage of a child, especially if they are my student.” 

She passes a hand through his silver hair, and he blinks in surprise when Lisa suddenly pulls him into a hug. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that Razor. You deserve better than that,” she murmurs gently, sounding much more genuine now, "If anything like that happens again, please tell me Wolfie. You know I hate seeing you cry." 

Even if her words make him feel shaky and vulnerable, it brings him an odd sense of warm comfort. He burrows his face in her neckline, wrapping a small hand against her upper back. Tension eases away from his shoulders as he sighs into her warmth. He feels better, at least.

—

The final letter arrives a week later.

Razor grinds his foot against the training grounds asphalt, electro sparks flinging from the grip on his claymore. Bennett coats the training dummy in pyro with a long slash of his sword, ducking and rolling away in a heap of dust.

"Now, Razor!" Bennett calls.

He grits his teeth and launches himself forward, the scent of ozone filling the air as he calls upon Lightning Fang's power reserve. The wolf spirit sparks under his skin, adrenaline rushing through him as the spirit hears his call.

An electro claw materializes in his hand, slashing the Pyro infused dummy. A small explosion occurs when the Overload is triggered, sending him back flying on his feet as the dummy disintegrates. The smell of burning ash and ozone reek in the air as their victory prevails.

He hears Bennett hollar excitedly, grinning as he comes up beside him. "That was awesome!! Just a few more times and I bet we’ll be able to use it on a real hilitchurl camp!” he grinned, “Think Lightning would be up for a go now?”

Razor shared a tentative smile, the boy's excitement rubbing off on him. He brought a hand up to his chest, feeling the wolf spirit stir with anticipation and happiness. Just when he was about to nod in response, a small blur bounded up to them.

“Bennett! Razor!” he heard a high-pitch voice call out, before suddenly feeling a force crash against his leg. Razor barely caught himself before he fell, a bright and wide-eyed Klee not seeming to notice, “ -Was that explosion made by you guys?! How did you make it so big? Did you use your own Dodoco?” she gasped, eyes sparkling, “You guys neeeeed to tell Klee how you made your bombs! You just have to! Brother Albedo always says it’s best to learn from your elders.”

Bennett laughed awkwardly, scratching his head, “I think Master Albedo would actually kill us.” he murmured sheepishly.

Klee waved off his concerns, “Yeah, maybe, but it’s whatever! Plus- I think Miss Lisa wouldn’t let Razor get hurt so he’s fine. Sorry Bennett.”

“We did not use explosions,” Razor clarifies, feeling a panic bubble at the pair’s words. “Only visions. Fire and lightning alone are strong, but together, stronger.”

Klee blinks up at him, tilting her head curiously, “Fire and lighting…?”

Bennett smiles smugly, “Yup! We didn’t actually use any explosions.” he grinned, placing his elbow against Razor’s shoulder, “It was all just some top-notch Pyro-and-Electro business!! Me and Razor here are just practicing our combos we can use.”

Klee’s eyes sparkle with understanding, “Ohhh! I see! So you just mixed electro and pyro to get a big ‘Blam!’ instead of just a ‘puff! ’- that makes sense!” she suddenly snatches Razor’s gloved hand, eyes sparkling mischievously, “Hey wolfie! Next time I make a batch of bombs, can you help me with them pleeeasseee?”

Razor balks slightly, shifting himself back at the sudden proposition, “I- uh-”

Bennett luckily steps up however, pouting as he wraps an arm around Razor’s free one and pressing himself against him, “Hey! Razor’s my Electro partner-in-crime!” he states resolutely, frowning expressively, “Plus, you’ll just get him in trouble for roping him into your schemes.”

Razor’s eyes widen at the statement, completely forgetting about just what Klee does with her bombs aside from fish-blasting. Plus- facing the wrath of Master Jean or Albedo of all people? He’d still like to live long enough to finish his lesson on Enkayonomia.

By some miracle-a blessing from the Anemo Archon himself-a new voice suits in the two Pyro user’s bickering.

“Ah- hello? Sorry to interrupt you all- ah! My deepest apologies.”

A head of purplish gray hair-not too dissimilar to his own-approaches the group from one of the Headquarters large wooden doors. Noelle smiles kindly, yet sheepishly pinches her brows in apology as she stops short in front of them.

Apparently, thanks to the previous incident, Noelle is stationed to handle Lisa's correspondence personally now. The maid had passed her selection trials a few weeks ago, officiating her place in the Knights. Her first assignment would be small for the sake of easing her into her duties, so it makes sense for the delivery of correspondence to be one of her tasks. He’s seen her come and go a few times now.

Bennett’s expression lightens, unraveling his hold from the other as his attention turns to their new acquaintance. “Oh, hey Noelle! How have you been?” he asks, sunlight beaming off him. Noelle smiles kindly.

“I’ve been well, thank you.” she bows slightly, “I was wondering if you’d do me another favor, Bennett.”

“A favor?” Klee echos, turning to stare at the white haired boy with a raised brow. Even Razor tilts his head, curiosity picking his interest at just what the other meant. Bennett’s pasture green eyes flash with understanding, “Ah! Another one so soon?”

She reaches into a satchel attached to her bag, fishing for something, “-Yes, I’m afraid they're as persistent as ever.” She eventually hauls out a familiar beige envelope, a green wax emblem stamped across it; A letter from the Akademiya.

“I’m still hesitant on throwing them in the Knight’s fireplaces, so I apologize for asking you of this again.” She extends her armored hand forward, “-But would you do me the honor of burning this?”

Bennett grins, flashing a thumbs up as he reaches for the sword on his belt, “Sure thing Noelle! If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s setting stuff on fire!”

Just as his sword was sheathed, pyro infusing it as he aimed back, his fiery slash barely missed the small gloved fingers that snatched the letter at the last second. “Hey-! What are you-!” Klee rolls a few meters, stopping short as she stands back up with the letter in her hands.

“Got it!” Klee cheers, carefully blowing on the burning corner of the envelope. The small fire flickers and dies, a slight waft of burning cabbage invading his senses before leaving a simple charred stain on its edge. Her relieved expression turns into a pout as she faces them again.

“ What is wrong with you two! ” she huffs, “You’re not supposed to burn Knight mail! It’s verryyy important paperstuff! Klee always gets put on timeout whenever she burns mail by accident,” She closes her eyes and puffs her chest with pride, “ I just saved your butts. ”

The trio exchange awkward glances, Noelle taking prerogative as she steps forward, “Um, Klee? Even though you are very right with that assertion, I’m afraid Miss Lisa asked to have this letter burned.”

Klee’s pride ebbs away into confusion, turning over the letter to gaze at it like a puzzle. “Miss Lisa… asked to burn it?” she gawks slightly, burning curiosity suddenly beaming in her eyes. “Is it dangerous?” she pondered.

“Just a letter Klee,” Noelle explains, hoping to sate the girl’s wonder. “Their invitations from Miss Lisa’s old school, I think. They’ve been trying to contact her for awhile, but at some point she’s just requested to burn all correspondence.”

“Really?” If anything, the reply brightens her curiosity, She runs a hand along the wax emblem. “Do you know what it says?”

The maid shakes her head, slightly stumped, “Um- well, no one is privy to that information as far as I’m aware. Correspondence isn’t allowed to be seen by staff.” She glances towards Bennett, who just shrugs. When they glance at Razor, he blinks and shakes his head.

“Then-” Klee drawls, balancing herself on the balls of her feet, “- can we read it? Please? ”

Noelle goes ghostly pale, her soul leaving her body at the mere suggestion, “What?! Klee- that’s- No, most definitely not!! ” she blurted out.

Klee’s mischievous and pleading gaze melts into a pout, hugging the letter towards her chest, “But you were going to burn it anyway! Why does it matter?”

“It’s for the sake of confidentiality, Klee,” Noelle says, exasperated, “Even if we’re about to destroy it, the correspondence between the higher ranks of the Knights is sacred and mustn’t be viewed by anyone else’s eyes.”

“Um.” Klee said, “What’s ‘con-fi-den-tial-li-ty’? ”

Noelle sighs and places her hands over her face, clearly distressed at the situation she’s been put in. He thinks he hears her pray to Barbatos.

Razor leans towards Bennett's side and, in a hushed whisper, asks the boy a curt, “ What does that word mean? ” The boy lets out an unfounded snort.

Klee pouts again, before extending her arms out with an excited manner, as if showing off the letter, “Besides- aren’t you guys curious? Miss Lisa isn’t usually mean and grumpy like Master Jean, so it must have been bad if she wanted to go so far as to burn someone’s letter.”

Despite Klee’s childish tone, as if she were trying to convince them into stealing candy, some of her words do ring true. Razor’s thought about it a few times, thinking of what the Akademiya could possibly be asking for for Miss Lisa to get so agitated. 

He likes to think he knows Lisa pretty well. Being her official student of more than a full year now, there's a certain threshold Lisa has to the things that could anger her. It’s a small and short list, but apparently the Akademiya has made itself snug and cozy by now.

“Y’know, maybe we should let her,” Bennett suggests, arms hooked over the back of his head, “I mean, what is Klee of all people gonna do with the information? Plus, we’re gonna burn the letter anyhow. If we make her pinky swear, it should be alright, right?”

“Bennett-!”

Noelle doesn’t get to finish, cut off by Klee, reading out the letters' contents. The unsealed envelope sits discarded at her feet.

‘Dearest High Sorceress of Sumeru Akademiya,’ Klee starts, voice loud and projecting.

‘We hope this letter finds you well, and we hope you can stop discarding them after this one; our continued insistence lay fruitful in only a dent in our paper supply. Nevertheless, we continue our efforts in hopes of a change of heart; this is a tes- tes…’ -oh, Klee doesn’t know this word.” she mumbles to herself.

She approaches Razor, tugging on his pant leg while extending the letter. Razor takes it and bores his eyes at the cursive.

“Uh…” he strangles, squinting his eyes on the page. Razor glances at the page, it’s small cursive words looking completely illegible to him.

Silence stretches along through the air before Razor, with a ducked head, shamefully passes the letter on to its next recipient. Bennett takes the page, patting him once on the back, before clearing his throat.

“-This is a testament to how important our goal is.’ he continues, ‘The Akademiya has been preparing for a crucial project that is set to start in less than a few years, time constraints finally easing now that more material has been aquired.

The results of such a project could lead to world changing results, and change the way of all forms of life in Teyvat for the better. Sadly, sharing such result goals and further information is strictly prohibited from being written in correspondence. We will have to ask you for a physical meeting for a proper exchange to occur. Nevertheless, for this project, the Sages require the highest minds available in Teyvat to achieve this goal. 

Your contribution is essential for the success of this project, Highest Sorceress. We recognized your status within retirement and will respect your quota. However, we-once again-ask you to make an exception for this event. Details, once again, shall be given once a physical meeting is scheduled. Should you accept this request from us, we…’ 

Bennett trails off suddenly, a look of concern and confusion coating his expression as he continues to read on his own. “This is…”  he mumbles, eyes widened as his brows furrowed. Razor, Klee, and even Noelle huddle around the boy, trying to take a peak at the paper. Klee grabs the edge of his shirt, shaking it as she yells, “ what does it say?! ”

Bennett gets his bearings again, continuing in a lower voice, ‘ ...Should you accept this request from us, we at the Akademiya promise to investigate a possible cure to your fatal curse. ’

Silence rings upon the group.

“Fatal… curse?” Razor’s voice is silent and plunged in quiet horror. He's read about those things, a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment. The letter’s words make no sense at all though; Lisa’s never said or mentioned anything about having a curse. If she had been cursed, wouldn't it be obvious. He knows off of his own friend's horrified expressions that it certainly wasn't common knowledge to them.

There's just no way, no possible logical way. She’s powerful and strong and smart and normal , how could she be cursed?!

Is… is Miss Lisa going to die?

“You okay there?” he hears Bennett ask, a warm hand placed against his shoulder. Razor doesn’t know.

“This is… rather serious.” Noelle assesses a grim look in her eyes as she looks over the letter, “I can only assume this is the very reason she wanted the letters burned instead of simply thrown away; to prevent anyone from learning of this… weakness.”

“Which means Miss Lisa definitely has to go!” Klee suddenly springs up, hands animated as she asserts. “No- she has to go! Not only does her school need her for a super-duper important project, but if she does, then she won't be cursed anymore! Problem solved!”

“Maybe…” Bennett ponders, hand on his chin, “But it’s probably not that simple, is it? There’s a reason Miss Lisa hasn’t taken up this offer, and it has to have been a good one, y’know? They were so insistent in sending so many letters; if Miss Lisa thought they could help, she would have agreed already.”

Silence permits the group, a solemn unsureness on what to do. There’s a persistent ache in his lungs now, his throat tightened so hard he’d thought he’d choke.

He thinks of Miss Lisa, and the very first night he’d encountered her. He had snuck into the city, soaked to the absolute bone in search of food in the midst of human’s over-hunting boars. When she found him scrounging around abandoned stalls, she had scared him half to death when she tried to approach further. 

She must have figured out what he wanted though, because she came back with a sack full of skinned meat. He remembers it so clearly, the awe and the confusion, because all humans had ever done to him was shoot and throw things at him. Never… never anything like this .

He remembers their first lesson, and how disastrously it had gone. Razor had never held a pen before, and he ended up knocking over the inkwell all over Captain Kaeya’s dress shirt. He had been so ashamed, covering his hands over his face, all the while Miss Lisa had howled with laughter as she tried to sooth and reassure him that ‘it’s fine Razor, come here-’ .

He remembers how easily she took up soothing him out of his episodes, how careful she has been on not invading his space without his explicit permission. 

He knows the ingrained lilac smell that follows her everywhere, the scent known to him almost as closely as his own Lupicals. It never fails to relax him, and it makes him wonder just why his heart feels so full whenever she gazes at him with pride and fondness. He always wants to be the best, to do some good with his ‘potential’, even if it’s just for her sake. All for Lisa.

He thinks of Lisa, bruised and bloodied and unmoving, the same exact way his Lupical had looked that rainy day, the day the world surged with lightning all around him. The thought terrifies him more than any human words could explain.

He can’t… he can’t let that happen. He can’t…lose anyone else.

He thinks of Miss Lisa, and everything she’s ever done for him, and comes to a decision. He urges himself forward and extends his hand towards Noelle.

“Letter,” he says simply, emotions heavy in his tongue. “Give it. I will… ask Miss Lisa to… reconsider.”

“Oh,” Noelle breathes, oddly stumped. She stares down at the letter, before giving it to him without a fuss. “Good luck,” is all she says, and Razor nods. He doesn’t stay any longer than that.

Razor finds the Librarian in her sanctuary, reclined on a chair as she peacefully reads a thick book. She turned towards him at the sound of the door opening, eyes crinkling in fondness as she realized who he was.

“Hello Razor,” she grinned, the image of her bright and warm smile strikes his heart “-I thought you were out with Bennett today. Did he hurt himself again?” she shook her head, exasperated as she stood and closed her book, “-that boy is going to get himself in trouble one of these days. He’s very lucky to have a friend looking out for him. Here, I’ll go contact Barbara-”

“Is it true?” he asks, and he can hear the emotion weigh in his voice. Lisa pauses suddenly, fixing him a proper and unreadable stare.

“What’s true, wolf cub?” she asks in a hushed voice, eyebrows drawing together. She stands fully, holding out a hand towards him, “Razor, what’s wrong?”

“Are you… really cursed?” he asks, voice small. He doesn’t want to believe it, he doesn’t want to be true. He’s heard of what happens to cursed people from books and rumors, how they cost people their lives and sanity. Lisa is poised and kind and normal, so why-

Lisa’s eyes widen a fraction, and even though she schools her expression almost immediately, he can smell the scent of panic wafting from her. It’s enough of an answer for him.

“...Who told you that?” she asks gently, voice normal and natural. She tilts her head, faux amusement masked over her expression, “-was it Bennett? He must have caught some rumor from the Adventurer’s Guild is all; you know how they are.” It's true, the Guild has always had a local crowd. Maybe he would have believed her, if the evidence didn't sit heavy in his hands.

Razor doesn’t really know why, but he just feels so tired . The bags under his eyes hang heavy and his body feels like it’s had a few of its strings plucked, hanging haphazardly as exhaustion pulls at him. He doesn’t remember the days feeling so tiring.

He lets out a long sigh, raising the letter to look at it again. He focuses, the black splotches of letters and loops forming barely coherent words. “-the Akademiya… promise to inv…investigate a …possible cure” he swallows roughly, hand shaking slightly, “to your fatal curse.”

Silence permits through the air, and Razor drops his arm back to his side, crinkling the paper as his lips pull up into a wobbly frown. He manages to meet his teacher’s forest-green eyes, and her grimace isn't too dissimilar to a kid who got caught with her hands in a cookie jar. Her expression cracks when she sees his watery eyes.

“Are…” he manages, voice breaking, “Are you going to die, Miss Lisa?”

Something weird dances across Lisa's face, but it looks ugly and wrong wrongwrong on her-

“Oh Razor,” she breathes between a sad sigh, “Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

Before he can really realize it, he’s tumbled into the Librarian’s hold, winding tight arms around the taller’s middle as he tucks himself against her. The sadness that grapples him now is so unlike anything he’s felt before; it’s all-encompassing and almost viscous, managing to alert Lightning Fang into whining alongside himself. He's sure if he were alone right now, the wolf spirit would be more than willing to materialize beside him and comfort him.

The sudden grief wracks him in waves, heavy tears straining from his eyes. He’s usually a silent crier, having learned to keep quiet back when he was living out in the wild, but perhaps Lisa’s influence has worked a little too well, because now his sobs are loud and uncontrolled. It’s muffled against the older's clothing, but his bawling makes his body tremor like a wet dog. He feels so pathetic.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Lisa says, still managing to try to comfort him, even when she knows she’s going to die. The word ‘fatal’ echoes in his head like a church bell. “It’s alright now, it’s okay.”

Eventually, after what feels like forever, his cries taper off into whimpers and whines, his frame still shaking and glued against the other. He basks in the scent of lilac, having to grapple with the new possibility of one day waking without it. She peels himself from him but keeps her hands on his arms and shoulder, before kneeling in front of him with a sheepish look in her eyes.

“Feel better?” she attempts, softly. Razor sniffs, before shakily nodding. He hates crying, how vulnerable it makes him feel, but the only good thing about them is that he usually feels better afterwards. 

“I want you to listen to me Razor, and I want you to listen well." she says softly, brushing loose hair from his face, "-we're born, we live, and then we die.” she says simply. “There's really no changing that; some of us live longer than others and that's okay." she insists comfortingly, but he only feels more saddened. "It's up to us to make sure we live as much of a fulfilling life as we can."

"B-but-! I don't want you to die!" Razor cries, globs of tears streaking his face, "You're not… you can't. They- the letter said they would help.  C-can't they do something?"

“Razor-” she sounds exasperated and sad, like she’s about to tell him that horrible ‘that’s just not how things are’ phrase she loves to use so much, when reality feels so unescapable. He feels his heart jump to his throat, suddenly feeling panicked and desperate.

"Please… please go. Let them help." he sniffs, the words tumbling out of him like an unclogged waterfall, "Please- I- I-"

"-I can’t lose you too Miss Lisa." He begs, tightening his hold over the other’s outstretched hands. He must look ad bad as he feels, because Lisa's expression looks all but shattered at his pain.

"Oh wolf cub…" She sighs, leaning forward to press her lips against the crown of his head. The action is soft and gentle, and Razor feels himself crack all over again. She cards a hand through the lockes of his hair, staying beside him as he cried for a few minutes.

Silence stretches out as time passes, only the sound of Razor’s sniffling and small cries accompanying them. The sunset’s light filters through the Library’s windows, illuminating both of them like a stage light. Lisa's face is pensive as she looks down at the crumpled form of her student, lost in thought.

Eventually, after a minute or so, Lisa lets out a very long sigh and pats him on the head.

“ Alright ,” she whispers, voice accepting and tired, “Alright, I’ll go.”

Razor turns his head up, sniffing as he peers into her drained eyes. “Really?” she sounds… unhappy with the admittance, but logically this is the best outcome for Lisa. Her school won’t let anything else happen to her now that she’s agreed to work with them, right? She can finally get the help she needs...

Should he still apologize? It feels like he twisted her arm in this, and it makes him feel boneless yet uncomfortable

Lisa, ever the mind-reader, stifles his worries with a pat on the head. “Yes, I believe I will. It’s about time I stop hiding my head in the sand with these matters- the Akademiya clearly requires my expertise and won’t stop bothering me until they get it. And with a place so full of old and spoiled geezers, they probably won’t give up bothering me until they do so. An endless supply of letters, can you imagine that?” she grins, seemingly amused with her own words as she revitalized a little. 

He nods, because that would be silly, wouldn't it? Despite the worst of his worries abating slightly, Razor still can’t help but feel a grimace tug at him, “Are you sure? I don’t want to make you go-”

Lisa smiles then, smirking slyly, “And who says you’re making me? Are you saying I can’t make these types of decisions on my own?”

Like a splash of cold water, Razor straightens himself immediately and stutters out a quick, “N-no mam’!” the instinctual urge to be polite crushing any lingering doubts immediately. Lisa smiles brightly, looking all too pleased with his change in demeanor.

“That’s good to hear then.” she nods, satisfied. “Anyhow, I’ll be sure to pen my response to the Akademiya by tonight so it can be delivered as soon as next morning. Be sure to pack your belongings by the end of the week. If we’re lucky, Master Jean can have a few guards escort us to Stone Gate.”

“Huh-!” Razor gapes, wondering if he’s misheard something, “-we?!”

Lisa flashes him an easy smile, “Of course wolf cub; did you really think I was about to travel all the way to Sumeru without taking my prized and honorable student? It would be such a waste of a lesson.” she laments, before brightening as she contemplated out loud. “We can cover Sumeru’s expansive botany and ecosystems, have you sample some of the local cuisine- ah! I can show you all the old spots I used to hang out in back when I was still a student! A walk down memory lane- maybe I can even get you to meet some of my old classmates- archons they’d adore you-”

Razor doesn’t know whether he wants to feel beet-red embarrassment at the overzealous honorifics, or vaguely ill at the thought of Lisa telling all her old classmates using such a description in front of him. It’s intimidating but very exciting- Lisa’s past has always been such a mystery, and now he gets the chance to relive it himself?

Sumeru.  

Lisa wants him to go to Sumeru with him. Razor never thought he’d leave Mondstadt’s forests, let alone the country as a whole.

It’s… exciting. Very exciting. And even though they’re really only going for Lisa’s sake, it’s a big comfort to know she’ll be getting help by the end of all this.

—

Lisa waves her student off not too long after, watching with a smile as she sees him bound off the Favonious property, no doubt on his way to Wolvendom for the night. 

As soon as the Headquarters doors close shut, Lisa turns and presses her back against it, hiding her face in between her gloved hands as she lets out a long and tired sigh. She feels utterly drained, her exhaustion surfacing in full now that her student is gone and she doesn't have to pretend in front of him.

“Today was not supposed to go like this,” she laments to herself, closing her eyes briefly. She wishes she were in bed now, in her night clothes, with an unfinished book in one hand and her herbal tea in the other. That was how she was supposed to be spending her retirement.

Lisa brings the letter Razor had given her back to her eye-level, gazing at it numbly. Useless pleasantries and saccharine-coated pleas stare back at her in their full glory. Razor idly noted it smelled strange when his friend attempted to burn it, per her instructions. She wonders if they’d really stoop that low…

Small electro sparks dance across her fingertips, burning the edge of the letter in a small graze. The smell of pungent rot immediately invades her nostrils, and she has to cover her nose with one hand while stomping out the flamed letter.

Methyl mercaptans. A toxic substance but harmless in small quantities. Yet, it remains extremely flammable, known to trigger an extremely foul smell once burned.

It dawns on her that they must have realized what she was doing, burning her correspondence as to leave no trace. How they know she’s been doing this, she has no idea. Maybe they psycho-analyzed her? But the documentation on her must be years old at this point…

It’s not that they’ve hurt her, per say, but they’re subtly dragging in a threat against her: she has to pay attention to them and she will.

It greatly unnerves her, which is exactly what they must have wanted. 

Archons, she needs some tea.

She ultimately hauls herself up against the door, making her way back to her office among deserted corridors. The sunset’s prime has long passed, painting the sky a trail of purples and pinks in its wake.

At least they’ll stop sending those pesky letters now.

Such a mess.

It just goes to show, she guesses, just how inescapable the Akademiya's clutch truly is.

It’s a low blow, for them to use her curse as a bargaining chip. Perhaps it’s not the worst thing they could have exploited; those old geezers must have been getting impatient with her lack of reply and sought out to twist her arms into submission. To think Razor thought he was pressuring her into going back…

Gods, Razor . What would they do if they knew about him?

To know that Lisa Minci- High Sorceress of Sumeru Akademiya and proven ‘Brightest Mind’ the school has housed -has taken on a new pupil?

They’ll use whatever loophole or moronic fine-print rule to assure he’ll be in their attendance. They’ll look at him not as his own, wonderful self, but as Lisa’s fabled protégé; their next long-awaited academic messiah.

She thinks about Razor- unique and extraordinary the way he is -and just what the Akademiya's ruthless environment would do to him. 

She swallows thickly, feeling ill. 

No matter what she does, she can’t let something like that happen to Razor. 

She has to be careful about this.

Lisa grits her teeth, clearing overdue library payments off her desk with a huff. ‘She’ll get to them later’ she thinks idly, setting out a fresh inkwell and parchment. She sits herself down on her seat, her oil lamp’s light shining off her quill. She hovers a hand over a blank page.

‘Good Evening Highest Sages,’

Lisa blots the cursive words down, the gesture practiced and easy.

She stares at it, mind humming yet far too quiet. Her quill hovers over the paper, unmoving.

After three long minutes pass, she sets her quill down with a frustrated sigh. The paper remains blank.

Archons, she doesn’t want to do this. She's unsure how to make her first move; she’s let the sages play on her chessboard for far too long and now she doesn’t know what strategy to take. She’s rusty now from inaction, and now she has to pay the price.

Just then, a thought passes through her mind. She blinks slightly, eyes widening as an idea dawned upon her.

Just because she has to contact the Akademiya doesn’t mean she has to wrangle the sages, does she? There were no explicit return instructions provided on this copy of the letter, and there is no verifiable proof that she'd read the previously mailed letters. It’s her words against theirs.

She crumbles the paper in front of her, uncaringly throwing it aside. If she successfully dodges this bullet, she dodges the whole entire fight.

 She grabs a new and blank page, sporting a small grin as the pen dances across the page.

‘ Dearest General Mahamatra, leader of the Matra,’

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Chapter Text

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Cyno has a soft spot for kids.

As a fully developed adult, it's his moral duty to care for them. They're blunt to a fault, their minds untainted with the cruel indifference of life, leaving the blissful and innocent. They're reliant on adults to provide for their needs, so it should be their responsibility to do just that.

If a small child tries to pickpocket him in the streets of Port Ormos rather than an adult, he'll simply request for his property back and let the child off with a light warning, instead of leaving them with a broken nose.

If a teen is found breaking into the Akademia on a dare by their rowdy friends, he'll escort the teen out himself and let them off with a long and boring 'it's-bad-to-break-into-private-property' lecture to boot, instead of arresting them on the spot and charging them with an aggravated misdemeanor.

If a researcher he is tasked with punishing is on the more youthful side, he is more likely to enact a slightly, more merciful punishment.

It's not much, granted ( Cyno, for all things he is, is good at his job. He'd never let something like emotions hinder it ), but it's something.

It feels as natural as breathing, really, to couch down beside a lone crying child and ask them where their parents are. Sumeru city is large and grand, filled to the brim with busy people, so a child being separated from their parents isn't as uncommon as one might think. The first few times he did it, back when he was still in training underneath a Matra, he's had the consistent reaction of bewilderment and surprise from his peers- as if they were surprised to see the silent and snide trainee from the desert turn into a gentle soul at the drop of a hat.

"You never told me you were good with kids," Alhaitham-his stupid blockhead of a group partner-had commented beside him. Cyno pries himself from the sidewalk's floor, where he'd crouched down to let a small teary-eyed girl run back off with her parents. He doesn't meet his classmate's bored yet curious stare, instead watching the girl's heartfelt reunion with her mom and dad. Her parents wiped her tears with bright grins, despite being water-eyed themselves. The scent of joy burned against his nose.

"You never asked," he bit back, back to his usual disrespectful self. He refuses to say anything else.

Despite years having passed since then, many in the city of Sumeru seemed to all but reject the likelihood of such a statement. He hasn't had much of a chance to deal with 'low priority' citizen issues such as that surrounding kids, so most people weren't even privy to a sliver of his secluded nature. When he'd kept aiding and interacting with kids after getting promoted, the Akademiya officials had written him a formal letter kindly requesting he cease his behavior now that he 'had a reputation to uphold'. He reluctantly followed their orders.

The General Mahamatra, after all, was nothing more than a cold and distant sanction of judgement, a well-oiled machine for the Akademiya that simply seemed incapable of much emotion, let alone 'love'. His acquired reputation among anxious scholars paired with his harshly cold and stoic exterior, he's garnered a certain deadly silent and animalistic prestige among all others. Even if they weren't at the other end of his blade, many were too fearful to even talk to him in fear of being treated the same way his enemies were.

And as much as he accepts the burden to continue to uphold that kind of fear in the general public (it proved very useful when interrogating researchers suspected of plagiarism ), it irritates him to see the spark of terror in innocents who pass him. 

Especially children.

It's the only time his instincts rage at him outside of battle; they claw and scratch at his brain in irritation and order him to 'fix it' and it makes him twist his brows into a scowl, further scaring whatever poor kid had the misfortune of standing before him. 

Before he can ever get an apology out, the child often runs off in tears, presumably back to their mother, and leaving Cyno alone again. 

To know that he'd gone from in a matter of years truly allows things to fall into perspective. It leaves him hollow and emptied, like a long-forgotten connection to something vital-something important-and natural had rotted and snapped of for the sake of his burden. To protect, he knows he must be fearsome- but that is very different from being feared by all.

It leaves him angry .

To smell the scent of uncertainty and confusion in a child is one thing, but to feel and breath their smell of terror is another. To watch them run from him is another.

It's his obligation, as a protector, to drive away all those emotions and cherish what that is meant to be cherished. And for him to go against it is unnatural and dishonorable on a foundational basis.

Children are meant to be protected and cherished. That is his duty.

That is why he helped Collei oh so long ago.

He had acquired the ranking of a Matra, relatively unknown to most aside from 'the boy from the desert', when he received a request from an retired older classmate of his. He'd gotten along with Lisa, surprisingly, but because she was a few years her senior, she graduated early on in his schooling. And after the... 'incident', she'd all but packed her bags and left Sumeru without a word. When she randomly requested aid for an 'ill child' that 'needed a medecine of his expertise', he cleared a week from his schedule and set out to Mondstadt.

Collei's fear, as he came to see, was very different from what he'd gotten used to seeing. It was profounder, larger than that of the spark he had adapted to identifying in children; a deep hole of empty and vast misery and rot set itself in her heart. Her eyes held no spark of hope, even when she seemed to express a clear desire to love life. Her scent was that of vanilla extract, but it sit stale and overpowered by the burnt sap and ash that clung to her.

Cyno would have known he'd helped her, even if Mondstadt's Knights hadn't requested it of him.

It had been on a whim, albeit miscalculated, for him to take Collei under his wing so readily. After the whole ritual was over and done with, he'd offered to take her with him back to Sumeru. She was originally birthed from the country, after all. It'd only be reasonable to take her back now that she was better, right?

Ironically enough, sealing a dead God's power was the easy part.

Originally, he planned to return Collei back to her biological family once the coast was clear of any Fatui. Collei had asserted she didn't really remember anything or anyone past the Fatui when probed, leaving Cyno to sniff out the trail himself. In the meantime, he allowed her to take up his bedroom in the Akademiya (one he rarely used anyways). 

He only planned to house the girl for a week or so at most. Even if he was a high scholar and highly respected, there were certain restrictions even he had to adhere to. Plus, even if he really liked kids, he wasn't by any means a proper caretaker. They required a lot of care and investment, Collei especially so (given her circumstances), and Cyno simply wasn't in the proper position to give it to her.

His search ended in a house burnt to the ground, not even days old, with the foul stench of ash and burnt flesh invading his senses. The scent of firewater and heavy snow seemed to linger, even after heavy showers of rain had controlled the spread of rain.

Cyno doesn't know exactly what happened that day, but his best guess was that the Fatui had caught wind of Collei's escape and returned to her family in hopes she'd come back. 

When the results were, seemingly, not what they desired, they covered their own tracks by burning all the evidence. That included witnesses and past ties as well.

Despicable. Something to be expected from the Fatui, unfortunately.

With the death of Collei's remaining family, Cyno was at a slight loss at what to do. He could only keep a child hidden in his study for so long before someone noticed, even if a few of his peers did stick out their necks to help the girl out. The first thought he had was to leave her at a registered orphanage, the standard protocol insisted in these situations. 

The idea was quickly scrapped. Perhaps Sumeru's foster system had improved leaps and bounds since Cyno was almost stuck in there, but he's certainly not willing to bet his money on it.

The system in Sumeru was anything but leisurely; he doesn't want to move Collei from one hell to another.

The second idea was to return Collei to the Knights of Favonius. She'd be properly protected there and she was already plenty comfortable with a few of its members, especially the Outrider. And despite distance and time taking a small toll to reach, It'd be a place she'd be familiar with. Something essential a girl like Collei needed in the wake of a tragedy. 

He ultimately scrapped it as well, with a well of frustration. Collei's last known location to the Fatui was in Mondstadt, and while he's sure the Knights could be a force to be reckoned with, it was still far too risky. And even if he's sure Collei wouldn't mind the idea, it's a lot of responsibility to push onto someone else on such short notice. Based on the state of things he saw when he got there, they probably had their plates just as full as he does now.

Ultimately, after a lot of thought and dead ends, one avenue was opened itself. 

With a long drawn-out sigh, in his cluttered study with a single candle on, he wrote an old friend a letter.

Tighnari, for all his sass and stubbornness, was a blessing. He held a certain standard and sense of responsibility in all his decisions, a quality that was all too lacking in most these days. His morals and tenacity were things set in stone, a quality he'd come to respect all the way back in their student days. Even when he graduated early and became a forest watcher, and their relationship strayed with distance, Cyno still made sure to hold the man in high regard.

He received a letter back almost the day after, the penned words scribbled with loose dots of ink blotting the page, as if written in a hurry. Even if his words were written, Cyno was shocked to find the delight clearly expressed in Tighnari's sentences. He'd gotten a full-blown written lecture on not writing to him sooner, and 'making him wait' in his words. In the first time in likely years, a small smile tugged on his face.

Past the formalities and a few threats to his life due to a few jokes in his previous correspondence, Cyno felt relief slam into him at the written acceptance to his proposal of having Collei emitted in as a trainee forest ranger.

"Of course the first thing you write to me about is helping a little girl. You never do change, do you General? Usually I'd be more reserved with allowing trainees in so late into the spring, but based of the story you told me, I'll have them overseen. What I'm saying is that you're in luck: there are a few new spots..."

After everything was said and done, Cyno breathed a long sigh as he leaned back in his chair and eased himself to relax.

His hair is in likely disarray, the bags under his eyes are more visible, and he's two weeks behind on his paperwork, but it had been worth it.

He'd kept the kid safe. 

Safe from falling back into the jaws of a predator, tainted by the claws of a monster- free to live out her life the way it should: free and cared for.

It all felt like it'd come to accumulation, a sense of finality stirring something happy in him. Collei had been slung over Tighnari's shoulder, half asleep and comfortable in the taller's hold-

-and all he saw was a small head of short grey hair and red eyes staring back at him.

Fear and confusion clung to his scent, tears streaming down his eyes as he was led away in a stranger's hold. Cyno unconsciously held his hand out, panicked words barely catching in his throat as he caught himself.

"Don't! Get away from him!" He'd thundered, high-pitched voice feral and cracking with panic. He grit his teeth as his face was pressed onto the ground, fear spreading through his bloodied body as it fought against sedation.

"GET AWAY! GIVE HIM BACK- PLEASE! HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!" he cried, "Y-YOU CAN'T...d-do... this-"  he whimpered, coughing harshly as he gasps in smoke and ash. The smell of burnt flesh sat heavy in his lungs, the ringing in his ears settling in as his vision blurred-

The image fades suddenly, crackling like electro and ozone, and Cyno is left alone in the darkness of night, heaving in unsteady breathes. 

All alone again.

He grips the front of his cloak, white-knuckled and shaking as he tries his best to regain his unsteady heartbeat. He feels vaguely ill, shame and pain singing his veins like coursing fire and hot oil.

'Collei is safe' he repeats to himself 'she's safe and you made sure of that. She'll be loved and cared for now, and you helped do that.'

His breathing comes easier as minutes pass, even if his nerves are still frayed. He has to remind himself what this was all for, and that at the end of it all, a child has been saved. He's sure Tighnari won't push for something to say something she's not comfortable with nor judge her for whatever she does say; just as he had done with him years ago.

If he failed at being a proper older brother, he hopes he gives all the little siblings he helps a chance his own never got.

—

Present Day- Avidiya Forest

"- FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU AND ALL THOSE DAMNED HIGH SAGES AT THE AKADEMIYA, NONE OF YOU IDIOTS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF MY WORK- THIS COULD SAVE LOST MINDS- LET GO OF ME-!"

Cyno sighs, staring blankly at the Rainforest’s overhanging tree canopy. The man's insults fall to deaf ears, the General far too used to them to even register them. He focuses instead on the soft glow of sunlight that filters from above, a stark contrast to the harsh beats of the desert’s sun. It’s nice.

It's also the third Sunday in a row he's apprehended a Amurta student. It's fractionally amusing, he supposes, that he'll be arresting them in the heart of the rainforest of Sumeru.

At least he'll be able to stop by and see Tighnari after he's done here. Collei too, if she isn't busy with schoolwork.

"Stop whining," Cyno commands, sporting an irritated scowl, "If you had any ounce of dignity, you'd cease this moronic behavior and accept your fate, instead of trying to run away again," Cyno says easily, tightening his hold on the man's bound hands as he struggles against him. He supposes it's a scholar's nature, to struggle so ferociously against the judgement laid upon their life's work. He would respect their fighting spirit if it weren't for the fact that they had to break the Akademiya's rules in order to achieve it.

"You Matra think you're so above us actual scholars," the man manages to grit out, bravado proud and tone fierce as if he wasn't being pressed against the dirt, "-You prevent us from letting us explore the full potential of this world. Theses rules were made to cage us- to make us into sheep- "

Archons, they all sounded just as mad as the scholars back in Aaru Village. So deep that they have fallen into the trenches of their false reasons and excuses, the reality of their situation seems to all but escape them. A pity, maybe, to have such a bright yet enclosed mind. Oh well.

"Let's go." he says suddenly, barley paying mind to the way the man sputters as he’s heaved upwards with a single hand.

Cyno all but drags the man as he continues the trek back to civilization, that being Gandharva Ville. In spite of being bruised and battered from their earlier scuffle (he hadn't managed to lay a single scratch on him), the man continues to sing his insults loud and clear. He's seemed to have realized that he’s failed to break the Matra’s hold on him, so even as he's dragged and scrapped upon loose foliage, he's cursing like a sailor until his voice goes hoarse from the strain.

After a short walk, they make it to the first paved streets of town. It was mostly filled with passerby merchants, considering it was the first connection to human life between Liyue and Sumeru city. Cyno heaves the man forward, onto his feet fully, before nudging him forward with the end of his polearm.

"Walk." he orders, watching as his face glanced back at him in exasperated bewilderment, "-you do know how to do that, right? If you really insist on it, I'm more than fine dragging you kicking and screaming, but I thought this would save us both the commotion."

He hears the man mutter an agitated 'unbelievable' before doing as the General ordered, walking forward with a slight limp on his right side. Cyno said nothing about the man's comment as he walked in close behind him.

The truth is, he understands on a certain level why Gandharva Ville would be the place Tighnari chose a career residing in; the deep enrooted connection the place has with the rainforest is visible in just the way it's built around it. It's shaded by larger trunks of trees from above and emits a fresh and crisp quality of air. Even though Cyno's quite adapt in traversing all manners of terrain, he's quite familiar with Tighnari's sensitivity to the elements: Gandharva Ville seems just right.

Past the small sea of merchants and citizens, he's able to smell out his two colleagues stationed near the entrance waiting for him, talking freely with one another. They're fashioned in their decorated robes. He used to wear one similar, with ears stitched onto it's hood. Since his promotion, he's been prohibited from wearing anything that'll cover his uniform while out on work hours. He'd never known why that is.

His colleagues seem to take notice of him once he's in their range, their idle chatter melting with their now serious and rigid posture. When they get close enough, the man yelps as Cyno kicks in the back of his knee, forcing him into a kneel. "Thank you General, we'll take it from here." one of them says, while the other gets to work patting down the man for his contraband and personal items.

He nods, “Take him back to the city,” Cyno orders, “He’ll likely be charged under misuse of deceased remains, misuse of Academic funding, intruding in and committing obstruction of protected property, and the like. But they’ll be filed in-” 

“ -Misuse of funds?! ” the man interrupts, positively seething beside him, “-I’ll have you know, I’ve sunk in my entire family’s fortune on this investment! I’m far brighter than filing a loan from the Akademiya, knowing you Matra-”

It seems even Cyno’s well of patience, at some point or another, has to run out. Maybe knowing what the man had done was cutting at the edges of his usually controlled nerves. Irritation snaps a tense line in his psyche, and Cyno barley suppresses a guttural growl as he grabs the back of the scholar’s head. The man yelps as he’s yanked back by his hair, words dying in his throat.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop talking?” Cyno voices against his ear, an eerie calm tone brewing with malice bites under his skin.

“You best cooperate now; as of now, you are at my mercy. ” 

He can hear the rapid stream of blood around the man’s throat, fear suddenly plunging into his scent. The man meekly nods, trembling lips shut so tightly as if he were scared to make a single sound. Cyno lets up his hold, and the man almost stumbles with how quick he was to put space between them. He glances back at him, fear-stricken eyes gazing into his storming red ones.

“Keep him in the Holding Cells.” he instructs, voice resembling his more normal one. “Have someone back in headquarters to officially file the charges before locking him up.”

The duo lets out a hushed and synchronized “Yes General,” before taking the man from his grip, wrapping two arms around his elbows. He watches them walk away, the man seeming to have lost his will to struggle. Perhaps he’s unsettled it out of him.

It’s only then that he registers the multiple stares planted against him, citizens and Forest Watchers alike gaze at him like he’d just unsheathed his weapon and made threats against an innocent’s life. The scent of fright and apprehension clouds the air around him like a veil, and his nose twitches in disgust.

They look at him like a monster.

“-omeone get that boy down! He’s killed-”

“-one stay back!...Markings of an electro-”

"-e boy!... Hold your fire! It...child in it's ar-"

“-ay they forgive us ...Forsaken the Scarlet-”

“-ould have never…such a good kid-”

Whispers of the past stride against his ears, and Cyno's shoulders hunch forward as he tugs the headgear down to cover his face. Electro sparks fly through the spaces between his fingers, his instincts clawing and tearing art his skin, begging to enter a Pactsworn Pathclearer. The distant feeling of fire licks against his exposed heels, the familiar scents of burnt sap and ash burning against his senses. He lets out a long, controlled exhale, feeling far too old to be letting his emotions assault his senses like this. He combats the unruly spirit's desires easily, shoving the hissing wolf back under his skin.

The tense moment ends when he catches the sound of a unique set of footsteps, a head of black hair suddenly stepping in front of him with a light frown. “Alright, show's over people.” Tighnari commands, “-Forest Rangers, you best get moving. Daylight’s burning here and unless your content to stay a few hours extra, I suggest you get back to you schedules.”

His words of command immediately garner a reaction from the crowd, the surrounding onlookers jumping back into their routine as idle chatter picks back up again with hesitancy. Tighnari huffs as his ear flicks in irritation, the fur on his tail rising and falling in irritation before turning to him, taking in his appearance properly.

The familiar sight of his lover’s face is like cool salve to the fire in his veins, drinking in the sight of the other’s familiar appearance. While he's ogling, Tighnari's face is sharp and focused on his own, analyzing his features for something. Apparently, whatever he finds upsets him, because his face morphs into a light and pinched frown.

“You’re tense,” the Forest Watcher observes idly, voice clear “Come on, let me brew you something.”

Cyno nods tiredly, forcing himself to unclench his teeth and loosen his tense muscles as he followed the other man.  

He leads him back to the familiar sight of his home, small and tucked away from the main streets of the village. The space occupies itself with the heavy and fermented scent of moss and nilotpala lotus, along with the cluttered messes of multiple half-finished projects strewn about the place. If he weren't feeling so foreign to his own skin, maybe he's make a joke about that.

Tighnari gets to work filling a pot with water, careful to adjust the heat from the hearth underneath until it brings the water to a boil. "Didn't know you'd be in Gandharva Ville." he finally says, breaking the silence that hung above them, "Though, as much as I may be hopeful, I doubt this is a surprise visit." he finished, carefully extracting overnight-soaked herms from a special woven basket. 

Cyno huffs lightly, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorway, "I had runaway that I've been chasing for the past week or so, suspected of trying to use fermented bones of mad scholars to try to grow fruit's that would combat the effects of Irumsel." he thought back again and all they're collected evidence: the missing files, the abandoned stations with half grounded-up bones. It's a pretty disturbing case they've only seen in a few months now, being the whole reason why two extra Matras had been assigned with him. "In the end I pinned him down to Avidiya Forest, but by then I didn't have time to write anything to you."

Recognition phases through the man, eyes widening slightly, "Oh wow. I heard about that actually, but I thought it was just another rumor made by the locals. Scary what some people do," his voice changes into a more curious one, questioning him, "-how come you're telling me this though? Whenever I asked for all your other 'assignments', you shut up as if the High Sages are listening in on you."

"The incident did technically happen at the door of your establishment," he responds easily, ignoring the man's slight against him, "-since the Forest Watchers are acknowledged as an official connected entity in Sumeru, you're liable to full disclosure should an incident happen in your base of operations." The rule was originally submitted in because of a paranoia for further legal suites filed against them by afflicted establishments thanks to previous Matra.

Apparently a lawyer hailing from Liyue had wiped the floor so effectively against the Akademiya officials, they got PTSD and passed close to seven new rules just because of it.

"Mmm, smart," Tighnari responds, turning to him to flash him a smirk, "-you should have more 'incidents' happen at my doorstep then. You'll have dinner here and a good story to tell me and Collei."

Cyno hums, bemused, "What,  are my letters not enough anymore?"

He means it in jest, sensing the teasing tone from the other, but he must have said something wrong when he notices his smile loose a little bit of his shine. Tighnari's eyes flicker away, clearing his throat in a refusal to answer. His silence is answer enough, however, and Cyno feels his mood sour all over again.

“So,” he hums, “-mind telling me why you had to scare the daylights out of half my coworkers?”

Cyno flicks his gaze to the ground, lips thinned into a frown. “It… was not my intention. I was simply doing my job, and I happened to have an audience,” he tries to clarify, voice hushed, “I’m sorry.”

Tighnari’s ears flick, humming in acknowledgement as he ducked to check the brew’s temperature. “Don’t apologize,” he says easily, “While I may be more… ‘familiar’ with the ways of the Matra, what I’m more concerned with is whatever impression you must have left on everyone else. The smell of silent fear was so potent, I could smell it from halfway across the village. It got me scared that something bad actually happened.” He half laughs.

Cyno sighs, and he feels far too tired for how early in the day it is. “Yes,” he mutters, “ I smelled it too.” It'd be hard not to, when it becomes so all-encompassing.

Even with his back facing him, he can tell Tighnari lulls into a contemplative silence, slowing as his outstretched hand gave pause. A second passes before he grabs two cups from his desk. “It… must have been upsetting. Being judged like that.” he admits silently, and Cyno has to wonder how many years it took Tighnari to memorize all his stupid doubts. “They shouldn’t have done that.”

He feels uncomfortable, skirting the edges of the dead elephant in the room. Ever since he grew up, he's never been a man for much emotional expression, so saying how he feels is always a battle he's not nearly enough skilled for. But Tighnari just always makes him feel so much, forcing him to look his own thoughts in the eyes, and fight them instead of fleeing.

Tighnari is a caring man, but he's also frustratingly stubborn. It's just something else special about the man that he loves.

“I… appreciate the sentiment,” Cyno admits, clearing his throat, “But it’s not a problem I face anymore. Having a reputation like mine is… mostly useful. I don’t care what strangers think of me.” he tries to explain. "Not anymore, at least."

Tighnari hums before turning back towards him, gaze soft and light as his pine eyes peered into his own. “You’re not a monster, Cyno.” he states confidently, yet uncharacteristically soft in tone, “-you do know that, right?”

Cyno swallows, his throat suddenly tight. 

It's a past insecurity, one that's followed him for most of his life- and one Tighnari probably knows like the back of his own hand at this point. He's over it, past that fear of judgment now that he lives enacting beside it. He’s accepted it by now; to fight against it now is to fight against his own nature.

And yet, he can't say it out loud. The most he manages is a hummed nod.

Tighnari sighs, but voices no complaint about his lack of answer, which is a win. He passes the other a porcelain cup, freshly brewed herbal tea, the scent heavy as it wafts through the small hut. Cyno takes it, murmuring a small “thank you” before pressing the cup against his lips.

Heavy silence clogs around them, save for the muffled life of the village passed the closed door. He wonders how far the incident must have gotten now, through word of mouth alone. He has high hopes that the newspapers will focus more on the man's awful misdeeds than his own frightful behavior. It could get back here too if it's fast enough, reaching the edges of-

“Stop that,” a familiar voice cuts in, along with a nudge pressed against his knee, “You’re thinking too loud.”

Cyno doesn’t comment on the other’s words, but he does come back to reality with a darkened look. He crosses his arms, expression unreadable and he contemplates silently, "Collei didn't… see that, right?" He asks, voice small.

Tighnari hums before shaking his head, leaning forward as the locks of his hair fall alongside his face, "No, I sent her out on patrol with a few other Forest Watchers to go forage for herbs. Something about needing starshrooms," the man hushes himself then with a small pout, as if contemplating something. 

Eventually, he finds his words again, "She's been asking a lot about you, you know? How you've been and asking when you're stopping by. I'm sure she'd be ecstatic to see you."

Cyno hums in consideration. It's been three months, two weeks, and five days since he last had an extended stay in Ghangaria Ville. He's stopped by a few times on the off occasion work coincides with his route (like now). 

Maybe he should finally use some of those vacation days he's stockpiled through the years. He's rarely spent any because-quite honestly-he doesn't like the still and quiet and ever so lonely pace his days go about without the distraction of his duties. 

The silence lets his mind wander, far off into the dark and forgotten corners of his mind. 

It never ends well.

He thinks of waking up besides Tighnari again, warmth and softness enveloped in soft sheets as he holds another in an embrace. He thinks of preparing dinner with Collei, teaching her any new recipe he'd picked up on his travels.

He thinks he wouldn’t mind it at all.

Cyno uncrosses his arms, adjusting his jackal head garment as he gave the Forest Watcher a soft look, "I'll think about it." He says gently, before elbowing him lightly, “I might have to wait a bit though, I don’t know how your Forest Watchers will feel about me moving in for a week after ‘scaring the daylights’ out of them.”

Tighnari scoffs, waving his hand dismissively as he sips his tea, “As if,” he scoffs, “If my Forest Watchers are more scared of a little General running around the place than a Rishboland Tiger, I’ll have to start reconsidering some positions.

Cyno raised his brow at the fox, amusement dancing on his lips. “Are you saying I’m not that scary?” 

“Positively," Tighnari affirmed confidently, sounding all too sure of himself, “-I’d sooner be afraid of a limping fungi before being scared of you. Once people stop mistaking your emotional constipation for coldness, you may have to consider switching career paths.” he teased lightly.

"Nonsense," Cyno dismisses, matching him with his own teasing tone, "I'd still be capable of intimidating others. Do you truly doubt my skills?"

Tighnari crosses his arms, leaning into the other’s space, "Of course, my mistake. I forgot you could still make enough jokes to get them to agree on assisted suicide."

Maybe it was just the way he’d said it, or the way he playfully knocked at his headgear that he found so amusing. Somehow, even though it’s a very clear slight against him and makes no real sense, Cyno lets out a half choked bark of a laugh at the other’s comment. 

It’s pitifully small and barely resembles a coherent laugh, but the fox beside him seems to instantly recognize it based off of the completely stunned look on his face. His expression looks so out of sorts that it only adds to his amusement, Cyno leaning forward with a small smile as he pressed a gentle thumb across the other’s soft cheek.

“You wound me, Hayati,” he mutters, carding a gentle hand through the others soft locks. He watched in pure enjoyment as the other sputtered in place, sporting fiery deep red blush that covered everything above his neck. He covers his face with gloved hands as his long ears move to press against his head.

“Ugh- shut up. Shut up- ” he grumbles, and Cyno feels his lips tug into a full smile. “You’re insufferable . Over ten years out of your school robes and you still act like some enamored fool.”

Maybe because he was still, in fact, an enamored fool. “Yet you love me all the same,” Cyno hums, stating it like a fact. His amusement is short lived, his small smile slipping off his face as earlier doubts surface from the depths of his mind. Being around Tighnari was like a breath of fresh air, as clean and pure as the air in the rainforests.

And with the way Tighnari’s eyes crinkled at the edges, Cyno would have to worry about finding the strength to leave again. His expression is all too soft and warm, and Cyno can't stop himself from leaning in-

“General!” a voice called out from the outside, and Cyno awkwardly fumbles to get some as much distance from the Forest Watcher as fast a she can. They're not exactly public, considering Cyno's lifestyles and the sort of problems it could bring to Tighnari's door. A cloaked man stumbles in not a moment later.

“General- ah!” Cyno turned to face a Matra coworker, his golden badge signaling he came from the city. He was huffing and red faced from exertion, panting harshly, “-Apologies for the intrusion. I -huff- wanted to reach you before you left-”

“What is it,” Cyno interrupted. He's slightly peeved that someone's intruded his and Tighnari's time together, but there's nothing to be done now. The man nodded rapidly, eager to get out of his hair, before shoving a parcel into his hands. An unassuming letter stares back at him, a shiny purple wax seal shining back at him.

“A letter came in from the Higher Ups, specifically addressed to you. Apparently the wax seal is enchanted to only open for your eyes.” he explains, and Cyno feels pooling dread, “They’ve made it apparent that you must relay the information in the letter as soon as you open it.”

“‘ Enchanted ’?” Tighnari cuts in, frowning. If it’s unsealed, does that mean it hasn’t been tested? Is he at risk here? “Any provisions he should be made aware of? How do we even know if it’s safe?”

The man shakes his head. “No sir, the Higher Ups seemed much more concerned with the contents of the letter than its potential lethality.”

“Is that so?” he mumbled, turning the letter over. If the High Sages of the Akademiya didn’t so much as give the prospect of danger in a letter addressed to a General, then he can only assume they must know the sender and determine a low risk of tampering. He’ll have to place his faith in them, an action as easy as breathing.

The Sages of the Akademiya were well-taught, scholarly individuals. They wouldn’t be so high-ranking if they did a job half-way through.

He turns to Tighnari, and gestures towards the letter, "I'm sorry, I need to-"

The fox cuts in, waving a dismissive hand, "-It's fine, there's a private two doors down. You can read it in there," he places his arms on his hip, a sharp squinted look coating his face, "-but if you're not back here fast enough, I'm coming in there you didn't get poisoned or something." Cyno nods appreciatively, his lips tugging upwards slightly. 

He dismissed the Matra away, careful to sneak away into one of the visiting rooms Gangardah Ville housed unnoticed. Once inside, he easily peeled off the wax seal off the envelope, purple sparks shining off the broken seal.

A distant yet strangely familiar scent of lilacs and sweet apples danced against his nose as he fished the letter out, undoing the neat folding to gaze at the penned calligraphy.

‘Dearest General Mahamatra, leader of the Matra,

Hello Cyno! It’s been ages since I last wrote to you, hm? How’s that cauliflower I sent you? We worked so hard to grow it in our garden, I really hope it’s ripened right about now. It'd be a dear shame to hear it spoiled.

Anyhow! My retirement has been great! Working non-stop sounds tiring to me, but knowing you, I guess you’ve always had a knack for masochism, huh? Not surprised to be honest. Just thinking about how much you must exhaust yourself everyday breaks my heart. You know what they say, a dog walks a long road alone.

How about this: I get you drinks and you can tell me all about it! It’s probably been a good long while since you’ve hung out with a friend at a bar, considering you don’t have many. A solid for a solid, right?

Sincerely with lots of love, 

High Sorceress Lisa.’

Hm.

O-kay.

"What the hell."

Cyno retreads it twice, thrice at some point, and it still makes no sense. Clearly it's an encoded message, but for what? And why?

He hasn't heard from Lisa since the day he performed that sealing-spell on Collei, which was a full seven years ago. He doubts he's had a proper conversation with the lady since before her retirement; why the sudden contact?

Based on what he's read, it sounds like she hasn't changed a bit. Would it really kill her to not insult him if she's really asking for his help with something? 

Cyno lets out a long-suffering sigh.

Sundays are the worst.

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Chapter Text

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Lisa and Razor leave the gates of Mondstadt's city without much furor, given they left at the crack of dawn. 

It was early enough in the day that the sun had yet to fully rise, leaving half the sky painted in a faint dark blue while light shone just past the horizon line of trees and mountains. The scent of dandelions followed the light breeze of the land, a slight chill following it's winds.

Razor, as he stands in front of a loaded wagon, wonders just how much he’ll miss it.

Bennett and Fischl see him off excitedly, the former not bothering to hold himself back from giving tight watery-eyed hugs, yelling exclamations of "Don't adventure too much without me!" with glassy eyes. Lisa has to politely pry Bennett off him, smiling politely and talking about how it'll 'only be a week' as the teary boy hangs in her grasp. Fischl, with her usual lustrous style, bids him farewell… he thinks.

"Many good tidings come hither and fro on this perilous path from which you cross upon," she exclaimed, shaking his hand with unwarranted vigor, "May the raven's eye reveal things yet unhidden! Farewell, lupine-whisperer!"

"Uh- Thank you…?" He stutters out, baffled.

Nonetheless, he mirrored his friend's energy with his own, trying his best not to get too emotional. He agreed to go, and this was just a ritual he forgot about: saying goodbye.

He's not too experienced in those. Maybe that's why it hurts a little bit.

Past that, there was a sort of restless feeling jumping around inside his chest, anxiety and excitement mingling so much he couldn't tell the difference. Would Sumeru be as big as Lisa’s books have said? Did they have wolves there too?? Are they super-smart wolves??? He's never left the safety of Mondstadt's normalcy before, so maybe they wouldn't judge him too harshly over there. 

In spite of his questions, he holds himself in place and makes sure not to get carried away. Razor made sure to wrap both his friends in one big last 'goodbye' hug, ignoring both their squawking as he manhandled them and how his eyes had misted over slightly. He waved at them from the carriage the whole time, all the way until he couldn’t see them anymore.

Lightning Fang consoles him when he slumps in his seat afterwards, the wolf patting his head before disintegrating as soon as he came. He sighed tiredly, looking out at the departing scenery. 

They reached Stone Gate by sunset with the accompanying Knights, just as Lisa had requested. Before they reached Sumeru, they had to travel through Liyue's well-worn roads through dusk and dawn. Mountains -higher than any he's ever seen- peaked in the horizon and touched the clouds in the sky surrounded them; the scent of fresh rain rain and silk flowers carried in its winds. He asked questions the whole way there, eyes sparkling as every new thing caught his eye.

In spite of the sheer volume of the questions, Lisa made sure to answer every question with a smile.

They mostly traveled through horse-drawn carriages, man-drawn carriages (How does that even work?? ), and by foot on the off occasion. Lisa left him in charge of carrying most of the heavy luggage, along with combating any monsters or hilichurls they encountered on the road, and Razor couldn't help but feel honored at the trust she had in his battle prowess to take on a threat alone.

It made him feel competent, even when she pretended to casually read and appear impassive while he fought. No matter how she tried to cover it, he could always feel that eagle's eye trained on him- in the off-chance she needed to jump in. 

Their journey lasts a whole two days and nights of constant travel, only stopping for occasional food and rest in roadside villages. The residents were kind and slightly distrusting, but Lisa's polite charm easily won them over. The Chasm was by far the most difficult in getting through, with its treacherous terrain and hard-to-follow signs. They were lucky enough to have merchant's road guiding a directed flow of traffic, alongside plenty of other caravans.

Finally, after a long journey, they reach the outskirts of Sumeru. The scent eases it's shift from Liyue's pungent silk smell to a gentle smell of a waterfall and wildlife. He can hear the chirps and the croaks of forest animals alongside the merchant's conversations beside him, as if both man and animal converged together to have a chat side-by-side.

The village they reach was unlike anything he'd ever seen. Nothing at all like the stone, man-made structures of Mondstadt.

The buildings and structures were built all around the environment and the trees, as if created with the purpose of creating and living in the structures around nature rather than disturbing it. 'Gandharva Ville' a sign read, and a renewed excitement pounds at his heart. Razor's eyes were wide like an owls, an unidentifiable feeling swelling in his heart.

"Knew you'd like it here," his Teacher's voice interjected suddenly, smug and teasing. His smile turned sheepish as he glanced at her, before shyly nodding his head.

"It is… nice." He admitted, flushing slightly. "It smells of forest and flowers, very calm. No overpowering smell or sounds of humans… very different from home." He hummed, feeling strangely relaxed for staying Ina foreign place. He wonders when he started considering the city his home, rather than Wolvendum. "Where to now? Are we going to your school now?"

Lisa hummed as she considered his words, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Now? Well, it's probably too early to head out just yet.” she reasoned, “We're still technically in what’s considered the outskirts of Sumeru, and 'my' school is in the heart of it: Sumeru City."

"Sumeru City…" he echoed thoughtfully. It must have been a big and important place, if it got to include its own country's name in it. "Will we… go there tonight then?" He wasn’t exactly itching to see such a place (he’s already plenty overwhelmed as is), but the faster Miss Lisa could do whatever that letter wanted her to do, the quicker help would get to her. The sooner, the better.

Lisa smiled gently, though the light behind it didn’t seem to reach her eyes. "You sure are eager to go, huh?" She chuckled lightly, "Let's see how things work out today, shall we? We'll be staying in Sumeru for a week or so, so there's no rush."

"Oh," Razor said dumbly, before nodding. "Okay." 

If Lisa recommends for them to take their time, then he trusts her. She squeezed his shoulder once, patting his head as she went to turn away from him. "Come along then. If I am correct, an old friend of mine lives around here nowadays." Lisa smiles excitedly, "I'm dying to see him again- and something tells me you'll like him a lot too wolfie."

"Ah!" He gapes, hurling to keep up with her long strides. Newfound panic picks at his mind. "- Please don't die! You said you wouldn't!"

"It's just an expression dear," she clarifies easily.

—

They pass through the bustling streets of Gandharva Ville, Razor keeping a firm grip on the loose fabric of his teacher's coat end with the hopes of not getting lost. It's a particular habit he picked up and never seemed to let up once he did. He kept his head ducked away from the passersby, eyes locked onto a sea of shoes that stepped besides him. Was it always this busy here?

He pauses short when Lisa stops in front of him, barely able to stop himself from crashing into the Librarian’s back. Razor peeks over her shoulder, spotting a short olive skinned lady dressed like a decorated green adventurer standing besides a billboard, hair tied and clipboard in hand. She smelled like soap.

"Hello dear, is this the Forest Ranger's communal building?" Lisa asks, voice nice and polite. The lady jumps in place, as if not expecting anyone to talk to her.

She recovers quickly. "Yes! Are you here to file a report? Submissions are open until sundown, written or verbal."

Lisa waves her hand, dismissive, "Something like that," she says instead, "-I'd like to have an arranged meeting with the Forest Watcher Tighnari. Is he here by chance?"

"Master Tighnari, you say?" The girl questions, her bubbly tone suddenly unsure. She flips through a clipboard with a pensive look, as if pondering her own words, "I don't know Miss. Master Tighnari is a very busy man and he can be quite… difficult to conduct dealings with. I can get you a meeting with another high-ranking Forest Watcher if you’d like!" she suggests, smiling brightly.

"That's alright dear," she waves off dismissively, grinning, "An unstoppable force can only do so much against an immovable object."

"Ah." The Ranger nodded, seemingly at a loss for words. She fished out a decorated pen, scratching the surface of a paper as the brunette held the clipboard close, "Alright then, if you insist,” she jots some stuff down, hand scribbling quickly as she tilted her head at the paper “-You’ll have to show me your qualifications though. What name should I put you under?"

"Lisa Minci."

And suddenly, something changed.

The rapid scratching came to a sudden halt, the girl blinking owlishly at her paper as a strange confusion crossed her eyes. She raised a disbelieving brow at Lisa. "Minci" she echoed, slightly apprehensive, "As in… Highest Sorceress Lisa Minci? Author of 'The Arcane: Illuminated ' volumes?!"

"The one and only dear." Lisa laughed good naturedly, though she subtly shuffled a step or two in front of Razor. He grimaced, trying not to get her hair in his mouth.

"Oh my Archons." The Forest Ranger breathed, disbelief melting into a stunned mortified look, " OhmyArchonsI'msosorry !! I can't believe I was asking for the Highest Sorceress for her qualifications-" She bowed low, her whole upper body bent down as she gripped her clipboard with white knuckles, "- Please forgive me!! "

"Aw, don't sweat it dear." Lisa eased, her scent mellowing uneasily despite physically retaining her usual teasing bravado. "You were just doing your job. It's a mark of excellence to insist on protocol while on duty."

The girl sprang right back up, her eyes now sparkling with awe and shock, "T-thank you, Highest Sorceress! It means a lot, coming from you," She stuttered out, "I studied for a few semesters in the Akademiya, you see. I swear, your books were the only reason I passed most of my classes," she laughed breathlessly, fidgeting with her pen.

"Really?" Lisa said, her tone covering surprise, "Well, I'm glad the fruits of my labor wasn't wasted. To know my legacy lies in the next generation of procrastinators." She placed a hand over her chest, smiling, "-how it warms my heart."

The girl barked out a laugh and a snort, nodding and wringing her hands as if she had too much pent energy. She cleared her throat and straightened, as if trying to settle herself down. "I'll put you on the list, Sorceress Minci. But uh-" she stuttered slightly, before extending a small journal to his teacher, "-could you uh- please sign this for me? O-only if you want to, that is!!"

Lisa sighed, easing down as she took the leather-bound journal with a smile, "I'd be honored to,".

—

"-Why was the lady so happy when she heard your name?" Razor questioned as they walked side-by-side, once again clutching the loose fabric on the back of Lisa's dress. He should really stop doing that sooner or later, even if Lisa didn't seem to mind. Confusion pulled his face into a light frown. "She was cautious when she first saw us… but completely changed emotions when your name was said. If she was your friend, why did she only recognize a name?"

"Well," Lisa started, flattening the creases along the front of her dress. "I used to publish books back when I lived here, and author's didn't put faces to their works for a while. That girl was what is called a fan of mine, so not necessarily my friend." she muttered then, "Seems like my name is as recognizable as ever..."

"Oh," Razor said, stunned, understanding clearing his confusions. It's only then that a realization dawns on him:

Lisa is... really beloved.

Well, it's not like Razor doesn't love Lisa-he loves her with most of his pitiful heart- but in a broader sense, her reach stretches much farther than he thought. With how close and approachable Lisa let herself be with Razor, he never really realized that Miss Lisa was considered a legend to others until he saw it for himself. 

Razor knew that she wrote books, yes, but he never really understood the scope of it. Sure, the Knights of Favonious respected her, but he'd never smelled unadulterated giddy joy waft from their scents the way that girl had. And if what l Lisa had said was true, then there's bound to be many many others who'd give the same reactions.

A lot of people must wish they got the chance to meet Lisa…

It… kind of makes him feel bad. To know he of all people got to see Lisa so often. Once or twice a week a year ago, but now he practically lives under her care. To have the privilege of being taught under her, to have her smiles and wisdoms directed at him at any point of the day.

Did he really deserve this?

He should… probably just stop thinking about it.

Razor silently lets go of Lisa's dress end, tugging down the front of his hood to hide his grimace.

They reach the end of the marked walkway, a large section of tightly-constructed wooden buildings bunched together. There were people loitering around and moving about, most of them dressed in a specific uniform. he trails behind Lisa as she enters a smaller one, careful to not hit himself over the doorway's tree palms.

It's small and roomy on the inside, a single large wicker table in the far-off center surrounded by similar stools. 

"Ah, it's so lovely and open in here. Nothing at all like Mondstadt's stuffy buildings," Lisa set her luggage on the table, turning to inspect the terrariums that decorated the walls and ceilings. "Maybe I should bring a note or two from the Kshahrewar branch back home with us, maybe then they'd be more open to making rooms as depressing as Diluc's love life.

"Is that... allowed?" He thought Lisa's school was supposed to be super secure and tight-lipped about stuff. He doesn't think they'd appreciate copycats very much.

"Probably not," Lisa smiles, winking, "But! They can't expel me anymore, can they? And I am here on the Akademiya's insistence; it's the least they could give me for my time here."

"But they'll be giving you a cure, won't they?" Razor inquires, wondering if the older had already forgotten. He smiles a bit, finding it silly that his own teacher had forgotten the whole point that they were here already. She must have gotten too excited.

Lisa's figure wanes a bit in shine, her carefree smile twitching in place. "Ah, of course," she mumbles, looking off to the side, "thank you for reminding me Razor." she says gently, patting his head once. He frowns a bit, but says nothing. Was the curse still a heavy subject for her? Gah! Stupid Razor- stupid-!

His inner frustration is cut short by a poke to his cheek, his teacher grinning at him. "I'm going to ask around where the showers are, okay? We've been on the road for a bit- it'd do us some good." he runs a hand through his tufts of hair, "You stay here and decompress a bit, okay?"

Panic grips him for a second. "-B-but! What if- what if your friend comes and- and you are not here?" he's really not looking get stuck in some awkward conversation with one of Lisa's old friends. The idea of them not knowing about Razor and demanding to know what he was doing here was... very off-putting.

Instead, Lisa smiles cheekily. "Oh, don't worry about that Razor. The meeting isn't scheduled until an hour or two from now, so there's no need to worry about it." she grins knowingly, "I'm sure you'll be fine, right?"

"Ah." Razor stuttered, gritting his teeth together before nodding. "Yes, just... do not take long." he pleads.

Lisa's eyes wrinkle at the corner as she smiles and nods, before leaving back the way they had came. He's left alone there now, alone with nothing but a room full of terrariums and his own thoughts. He sighs.

Now what should he do? Lisa had said to 'decompress' a little, but he wasn't brave enough to really ask her what that might have meant. His legs are sore from walking, but he doesn't really feel like indulging in the stiff rigidness of a chair. So instead, he slides down and sits cross-legged on the floor, expectantly looking at the doorway. He'll just wait for Lisa like this, relaxed and off his feet. His legs do ache from walking so much for so long, so maybe a break would do him some good.

Minutes pass and Razor rests his hand against his cheek, idly taking in all the new smells all around him. It was slightly disorientating, taking in so much new stuff in the span of a few days. He likes to think he's gotten pretty far into the normalcy of it though; one year earlier and he would have called it quits all the way back in Liyue's ports. Maybe even one day, he won't be so affected by them anymore, like Miss Lisa or Bennett. 

His temporary peace is replaced with slight confusion though, when he notices a particular pair of footsteps had stopped right in front of the hut he was in. They simply stood still in the middle of the walkway, and Razor furrows his brows a little at that.

His confusion shifts to strangled alarm, however, when the set of footsteps starts again, but now it was towards him.

"Cyno?" a voice calls, the person's tone slightly baffled, "Cyno, is that you? I can smell you in there!"

Razor panics immediately, his heart hammering in his chest. What should he do? Should he respond back? Say they were mistaking him for someone else he doesn't know? Maybe he should just make a break for it; indulge in this fight or flight instead of talking with someone new (it seemed like a reasonable enough reaction). Lisa would be upset though- wait, had he said he smelled him-?

" I thought you said you'd be in town by now!" A male voice called from outside, and he sounded much closer now. The scent of flowers and morning dew wafting alongside them, his tone sounding exasperated, scolding almost. " Didn't you say an old classmate of yours wanted to meet up today? I swear, if you're just trying to avoid someone without saying anything again, I'll be dragging you by your ears to-"

The man finally entered the small entrance, he stopped short as his eyes caught Razor’s own. 

"Oh," the man breathed, utterly stunned. "You're not Cyno."

Razor nods awkwardly, pretty certain that wasn’t his name. 

The man had short black hair, with strangely specific tufts dyed bright green around his face. He was short but clearly an adult, judging from that worn face and in-charge demeaner he possessed. Most surprising of all, the man had two long pointed ears standing at attention on his head, longer than any he'd ever seen in his life. Razors eyes would sparkled then, if not for the strange look the man was giving him.

Should he tell him to leave? That would probably be rude, but still. He's a little uncomfortable, but maybe that was to be expected. With the way this stranger is looking at him, eyes boring into his own- as if he were a puzzle to decipher -he doesn't really know what to think.

"No he is not," a voice called out from behind the man, startling both as she easily slid past what Razor could only assume was one of the Forest Rangers. A warm hand is suddenly placed on his shoulders, his teacher's voice resounding clearly, "-fortunately for me and the world at large, Razor is not at all like Cyno either."

The man crosses his arms, his attention now shifting to Lisa. His eyes sharpen slightly, vague recognition crossing his eyes as he raises a brow. "You… seem familiar, Miss. Have we met before by chance?" 

Lisa smiles in amusement, cheeky as she fixes her hat back a bit. "Aw, come on now, Kitsy, you remember me. Do the requirements of a Forest Watcher suddenly include memory loss?"

At the sound of the distinct nickname, the man's eyes are blown wide and has to take a physical step back. " Lisa ?! Oh Archons- it's been ages since we've last seen each other! You smell so different now! How have you been?"

Lisa shrugs, smiling now full and pleasant, "I've been fine, thank you. I guess living in the land of Winds for a few years now does that to you. That, or smelling all those poisonous mushrooms finally made you nose-blind." She grins, "-or are those ears big enough to do the job for you?"

The man glowers, ears twitching with irritation. "Nevermind, I take it back." He drawls, bored with his ears pinned back, "-Seeing you has ruined my day four times over. I can already feel my hair graying over.” He grumbles, scratching his hair as he grimaces, “-you’ll be giving me just as many gray hairs as Collei regularly does from the stress alone. I swear, just yesterday I felt three sprout right out of my head after she stayed out five hours past her designated patrol schedule.”

“Wow,” Lisa chuckled, “Never imagined her to be such an eager student,” she grinned, turning to Razor before she tousled his mop of silver hair. “ -sounds like some other student I know. Remember when you’d stay up multiple nights trying to make those hashbrowns?” she says wistfully, and Razor can't help but feel a dark dread form at her tone.

Flashes of golden brown buzz against his eyes, the distant smell of potatoes and pride overridden by the deep embarrassment heating his face. “Please,” Razor groans, covering his whole face with both his gloved hands, “Speak no more.” His pleas fall on deaf ears.

“Oh wolfie, you know I’m just teasing!” Even with his eyes covered, it was all too easy to imagine the unabashed smile Lisa definitely sported. She rubbed his back, leaning towards Tighnari, “He spent two full days trying to master cooking a dish I taught him. Even when I insisted on him taking a break until the next week, he just wouldn’t listen! Which is very strange, considering Razor’s always been such a good boy. Though, I guess he was just too excited to make me proud."

By the end of her spiel, Razor can feel his own face hot with warmth. He's probably beet red. "Lisaaa" he groans.

"Aw, don't look so upset wolfie," she grinned, looking not at all remorseful, "you know it's my job to give you a proper introduction to my friends."

"-Speaking of which," the man turned back to Razor, and he resisted the urge to hide his face, "-I think an actual proper introduction is due here. Just who might this be?"

She gestures beside herself, nudging Razor forward a step or two. He tries not to pout.

"Tighnari, I'd like you to meet my student, Razor. He's probably the sweetest boy you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting," she preened openly, and Razor blushed all the way down to his neck. There was just no end to this, was there? "-he's also just starting proper schooling this year, so please don't mind any of his quirks." She explained simply.

She passed an idle hand over the back of his long hair, undoing a few stray knots. "Razor, this is Tighnari, an old classmate of mine from back when I studied in the Akademiya. He might look and sound a bit scary, but I promise you, he's all-bark-no-bite." She patted his arm, "Tighnari's got a good head on his shoulders too, so you can trust him."

"Ah," Razor breathes, confusion irking his senses, "But… wasn't your name…'Kitsy'?" 

At his words, the man scowls. His expression tugs into one of exasperation and annoyance, eyebrows pinched together. He crosses his arms and flushes red, ears twitching, " No, it most certainly isn't. It's an insult, if anything."

"A-ah! Really ?!" Razor panics, regret welling up in his veins. Just one conversation with a Sumeru local and he's already managed to insult someone! "I-i'm so sorry!"

Lisa laughs then, much to Razor's dismay. Amusement dances on her eyes as she bends her head down beside his own. "Don't take his words to heart, Razor. 'Kitsy' is just a nickname I came up with when we were younger. You know how I call you 'wolfcub' ?" Razor nods. "-well, it's similar to that. Young foxes are called 'kits' , and our part Valuka Shuna friend here certainly whines like one."

"You're dead to me Lisa."

Ah. That made sense then, to be called after what you cry like. Lupical cry by howling at the moon, and Razor howls whenever Lightning Fang manifests his teeth and claws. 

Is that why she calls Master Jean 'Deer' ?? Does she sound like one too? He's never seen Jean cry before, so he can't really know...

"Aside from that," Tighnari suddenly calls out, attention focused back on him, "How's being Lisa's student treating you so far? Has she taught you anything worthwhile, or has she just been milling about as she always does?"

"So rude," he hears Lisa murmur, but he smells no actual offense in her scent.

Razor shakes his head, shuffling his feet in place, "Um, well- Miss Lisa has been very kind to me. She uh- she is very patient and understanding. She taught me how to wield lighting- and how to read and cook good!" He professes, his praises sparking him further as he manages a small toothy smile, "She is the best teacher. I am… very lucky to have her. Very lucky to be her student."

Throughout their whole conversation, Lisa's scent had kept its usual lilac scent, soft and pleasant even after all of the Fox man's insults(?). So Razor can't help but feel a bit panicked when he feels it fluctuate so suddenly at his words. He turns to glance at the Librarian, who has a distant look in her eyes as she gawks down at him.

He felt concern pull his face into a remorseful frown as a myriad of 'was I not supposed to say that?' and 'I'm sorry' s stand ready on the tip of his tongue, though it never comes.

"Oh wolfie-" she lets out a breathy laugh, and before he can even get a word out, he's encased in Teyvat's tightest hug. He yelps slightly, arms flailing uselessly as he tries his best to peel himself from the giggling Librainian. "-you really know how to talk your way into an lady's heart, you know that? Archons, you are just too precious-"

"Miss Lisa," he grumbled, bemoaning the other’s words. He loves Lisa with all his heart, really, but sometimes he can’t stand when she feels like coddling him to this extent. It's so embarrassing

Tighnari nods slowly, eyebrows raised slightly, "Well, that's quite a raving review." He drawls, "I think you might just manage to rival how Collei talks about Amber. Get her started, and she'll talk about that Knight like she's Teyvat's first archon."

"Awh, you poor thing," Lisa pouts attempting to pat the man's long ear before he swats her away with a grimace. "-to suffer at the hands of your own prepubescent daughter's endless praises of another parental figure. Jealousy can kill, you know."

"I am not jealous," he insists, looking particularly peeved. "And I am not Collei's father! I am her teacher , and she is my student . And as her teacher, I treat her with all the respect and guidance required of a proper adult."

"Is this 'proper adult' the same one that keep purposely drugging his own water supply for two full semesters?"

" It was to build immunity !" He hisses, cheeks tinged red, "-and to study the eventual results, of course. My thesis paper was the first hint of pure originality that class had had in years." He boasts proudly.

"Boasting about accomplishments from seventeen years ago? That's quite sad, actually."

" Ugh, you-! " Tighnari shakes his head, and Razor thinks he kind of resembles a dog then, his face melting from irritation to a sort of disbelief. 

"Archons- it feels like I'm right back in the Akademiya, getting all my buttons pushed by you guys. Haven't felt this young in ages."

" Aw, you missed meeee ," Lisa drawls, sporting a large dopey grin as she pokes one of his cheeks. He swatted her hand, but didn't return back to grimacing. Instead, he sighed.

"I suppose I did," he comments lightly, before sighing and clearing his throat. "-And as entertaining as irritating me may be, I still have a few questions I’d like to clear up.” 

He turns to the librarian, face serious yet mostly just curious as he looks up at her, “Lisa, what are you doing back in Sumeru?” Tighnari asks, bewildered, “Last I heard, you were off enjoying retirement over in the City of Winds. Did you have a change of heart? Planning on picking your publishing again?”

Lisa hums, straightening slightly. “No, not likely at least.” she grins, “-I’m actually planning on meeting an old friend of mine from the Akademiya in regards to some letters I received. You may know him,” she smiles widely, teasing and cunning. Tighnari’s ears sit higher on his head, brows raised.

“You’re the one that Cyno talked about,” Tighnari simply stated, as if simply stating fact. He crossed his arms, mirroring the Librarian’s wide grin with his own smaller one. “And you didn’t bother to invite me? And you talk about being impolite.”

“It’s only business, unfortunately.” She dismisses easily, “I’d be happy to head out with you some other day though.” Lisa grins good-naturedly, placing a hand on Razor’s shoulder, “We’ll be staying in Sumeru for likely a week or so; I thought since we were already going through the hassle of getting here, we could make it a trip out of it. Plenty of new lessons just waiting to be learned.”

“That sounds like a nice refresher.” Tighnari hums, a fond smile on his face. “Do you want to plan a get-together with some others back from the Akademiya? Cyno might not like Alhaitham being there, but I know he’ll say yes if he hears I’m coming along.”

Lisa hums, contemplative. “Maybe,” Lisa eventually decides, an unreadable look in her eyes as her tone turns, “I’d be nice to see everyone again, but truly It’ll all depend on how tonight goes.

Tighnari’s smile wanes slightly, settling into something a bit more serious. “Right,” he decides, waving his hands around, “I’m above prying, but just so you know: if you need help with anything, I’d be more than happy to help.”

Lisa smiled, softer than her usual ones. “Thank you, Tighnari.” she breathed. Razor couldn’t help but notice just how… at peace Lisa seemed around the other. Lisa seemed much happier talking to the fox man than she ever did with most of the Knights, her scent airy and soft; only vaguely similar to when she’d be talking to Razor. 

He has to wonder… has Lisa missed Sumeru? Did she have to leave all her friends here to go to Mondstadt? Razor feels ill, imagining leaving Bennett and Fishcl in another country forever. 

Is that how Miss Lisa feels? 

That's… horrible.

"Actually-" Lisa perks up, "I'd like to cash in on that favor right now, if you don't mind,". 

She nudges Razor forward, the boy suddenly bewildered as he's made part of the conversation again. "You see, Razor here isn't very fond of places full of noise and people. I'd like to bring him into the city once he's a little more used to Sumeru's environments and smells, so-"

"-You want him to stay here for the night?" Tighnari finishes for her, crossing his arms as he tilts his head slightly. Razor tries not to squirm as the other’s peculiar eyes bore into him again. Why is it so intense??

"Sharp as ever," Lisa grins, patting Razor's head softly. Lilacs press against his back, and he wills himself not to be so uncomfortable.

The fox man nods eventually, mind decided. "Yes, he can stay here for the night. In fact, we happen to have a spare room from one of our recently retired Forest Ranger. You two can stay there if you'd like."

"Oh, Tighnari, we couldn't possibly-"

"I insist." The Forest Watcher says resolutely, confident as if he'd already made his mind up. 

He meets Razor's eyes again, but they don't dig into his soul the way they had previously; it's softer, sincere. "-trust me. As someone else with high senses, I know what it feels like being put in a new environment. I want Razor to feel comfortable here in Sumeru." 

Razor flushes slightly, glancing away in embarrassment. He's barely met the man, and he's already done something so considerate. Not at all like Mondstadt…

"That's very considerate of you Tighnari. We both appreciate this very much," she says sincerely.

"You said you just started schooling this year, right?" At his nod, Tighnari hums, "Well, you'll probably be at the same level as Collei, my own trainee. She'll keep you company if you'd like. She's a big fan of the Knights too, so I'm sure you'll get along. She'll keep you good company, if you'd like."

As he mulls over the man's words, Lisa turns and gets down on one knee, Razor turning to look at her with wide eyes. "Razor, I'll be leaving to do some very important work later today in the city. I know it might be scary being on your own, but I promise you you'll be in good hands."

The idea of Lisa leaving now… isn't very appealing, to be honest. Lisa may know Sumeru like an old home, but it's still very new to Razor. He doesn't know what kind of customs he should or shouldn't follow, nor any real idea on where he is. But…

"Very important work… is it… thing from letter?" He questions hopefully. 

Lisa smiles, though her scent fluctuates in intensity for a split-second. He shrugs it off as a mistake on his part. "Yes, it is."

And, really, that's all he needs. "Okay," he decides, and he manages his own determined smile, "Then I will stay. Even if this place is new and… int-i-mi-dating, I will be brave. This is important, I understand, so you must go."

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Chapter Text

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

"Why do you stand like that?"

"Like what?" Razor asked, genuinely confused on what the other was on about. He looked down at his feet, only to find normal pairs of scuffed boots staring back at him.

Collei, unlike him, is a very obvious resident of Sumeru. The scent of peaches and herbs wafts from her like the forests around her. She's short and dressed in browns, thunderous purple eyes that held faint sparks of light. She smelled like burnt sap and peaches.

Collei had been plain faced but polite when she'd returned from her patrols and formally met him. Tighnari had taken the initiative and made introductions for the two of them, smiling lightly as he ruffled the irked girl's hair. She had said hello and cordially shaken his hand, but as soon as Tighnari and Miss Lisa had taken their leave to catch up inside one of the residential buildings, the greenette had almost immediately turned cold and silent.

Her question on his posture had actually been the first thing she'd said since the other two left five minutes ago. She had busied herself with carving a small stake while he had floundered in the silence.

"You look like you're about to… I don't know, take off running." She grumbles, tilting her head as she dragged the small blade across the wood. It looked like an odd-shaped rabbit, Collei idly brushing off wood shavings with her thumb. "Plan some sort of escape from this conversation? If you wanna leave so bad you can, you know?" The other scoffs.

Razor feels like there's more to what the other means, but he can’t for the life of himself decipher it. While it's true that Razor's never been particularly eager to make friends out of strangers the way Bennett could, it's mostly been because of his status as a chronic outcast. 

However-with the way Collei stares daggers at him- it almost gives him the impression that she's waiting for him to do something. Had he already done something wrong? She seems upset so maybe... 

"I'm… not?" Razor clarified, tilting his head, "I'm trying to talk to you. Why would I run?"

Collei stays silent as her hands pause, the scowl in her face softening slightly. But she just shakes her head and scoffs, staring daggers at the small wooden figure in her hands, "I know you're here just because Lisa and Master Tighnari want you to be friends with me. Well news flash-” Collei looks over at him, a single brow raised, “-you don’t have to! Hasn’t your mom ever taught you to not give into peer pressure?”

“No,” he says simply, tilting his head a bit, “I never met her.”

“That-” Collei says, seemingly stumped by his words as she tears her eyes from him. She glances back at her carving, idly picking at it. “That... sucks I guess.”

Razor glances away as well, staring at the paved dirt under his shoes. “Yeah,” he murmurs, “I guess.”

Razor has read a lot on what parents are supposed to be like. They're a place of warmth and understanding, even if the relationship between their kids could get tumultuous from time to time. He’s read stories of resolute and unshakable love parents have for their kids; how they’re willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of their kids- even their own lives.

While he hadn't been too surprised to learn people could possess such protective emotions to the point of self-sacrifice (his Lupical had given up their lives for him in a heartbeat-as much as he wishes they hadn't), he couldn't help but wonder if his human parents had felt such emotions.

(Razor had been left behind in the nook of a forest, away from any resemblance of a warm embrace. That, he accepts, is enough of an answer to his stupid question.)

The other’s spikey demeanor immediately falters, pure shock and bewilderment crossing the girl’s face over any hostility. She stares at him as if he'd grown a second head. Did he say something wrong??

An uncomfortable silence surrounds the two, and Razor has no idea on what to do. From the impression he's gotten from most people, filling silence is usually the standard for holding conversations.

Collie lets out a very long drawn-out sigh, “Look,” she starts, "You seem like a nice kid, and it doesn’t seem like you want any problems with me, right?” at Razor’s enthusiastic rapid nodding, she continues, "-So I'll make this easy for the both of us.”

“You-” she gestures towards him, “can run off and do whatever you want, and I’ll be staying here to hold down the fort. If either Master Tighnari or Lisa come by and ask questions, I’ll vouch for the both of us and say we got along splendidly.”

Razor’s brows furrow, “Why would you say that?” He doesn't want to leave- does she want him to leave? Had he done something wrong?? 

Collei shrugs. “Why wouldn’t I?” she says it like it’s obvious, “It’s a win-win situation. We don’t have to pretend like we get along and Master Tighnari and Lisa are none the wiser. 

“Why wouldn’t we get along?-”

“BECAUSE NO ONE GETS ALONG WITH ME!” Collei suddenly fumes, agitated as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “ Archons, are you- ” she grits her teeth, as if physically restraining sharp words from escaping her mouth. “ What I am trying to say is that I’m probably not who you want to associate yourself with. So I’m saving both of us- mostly you -trouble by ending this here. Got it?” 

Razor’s first immediate instinct is to bow his head as low as it can go and apologize (sorrysorrysorry) for whatever he must have angered her with. He’s never been good at handling people’s disdain, especially when it’s directed towards him in any way. It makes his throat close up painfully and makes his arms tremble, the undeniable emotions of FaliureFaliureImSorryIDidntKnow plunge right through him like a claymore.

But the thing is… none of this makes sense. He’s quite used to people expressing the desire to remove themselves from his company, looking with vaguely hidden confusion and silent disgust at his odd behavior. Razor gets it; not everyone is comfortable with the strange way he acts nor are they willing to see past it. He understands the sentiment, even if he doesn’t like it.

But this… with the way Collei is acting... it’s like she wants him to treat her like that. Like she's excepting him to do it, to scorn her and try to politely run away from her. Collei has been angry and brash right now, sure, but she hasn’t done anything wrong to him! 

Confusion outweighs the urge to run. Curiosity-the search for an answer-seals his fate.

“No! I-I don’t get it!” Razor pipes up, still perplexed, “Why do you want me to run away from you? To treat you like that? That is mean- a-and wrong! No one should be treated like that.” he finishes resolutely.  If Collei feels even an inkling to the scornful shame he feels when he drives people away, then he knows he can't leave.

“Gee, really?” Collei laughs with a scoff, “Thanks brainiac. Glad I could have your guidance on that point.”

Razor’s face twists into a grimace, scent bittering as he feels himself grind his teeth together. He’s used to Miss Lisa’s teasing words, ones that sometimes edge on a bit mean even if he knows they are jokes. Collei’s words are sharp and cruel in comparison, like sandpaper. 

It hurts his feelings a bit, but he doesn’t stop.

“You are not making sense! Please, explain it to me! Tell me I am wrong!”

“Really now? You need me to explain why you should stay away from me?" she bites, "Weren’t you supposed to be super smart or something? Lisa’s own hand-picked student ?” she scowls, baring her teeth to him, “Stop acting so innocent; I don’t need to ‘explain’ anything to you! If you really just can’t accept my easy solution to all this, then fine!”

With thunder in her eyes, she gets up from the crate she was sitting, delicately placing the half-carved rabbit back on the box. She doesn't let go of the pocket knife.

“I’m not against driving you out either .” she says simply.

Lightning Fang rumbles a reverberating growl from within him, as if sensing the threat, letting his power trickle through their barrier and electro sparks zap through between his fingers. He panics a bit, feeling the worst case scenario steadily approaching. The absolute last thing he needs right now is to end up fighting Lisa’s friend’s student, the one he was supposed to be befriending.  

What would they think of him, once they see Lightning Fang? Would they call him an uncontrollable beast, like the rest of them?

Shootshootshoot he needs to fix this!!

“I don’t want to fight you!” Razor pleads, taking a step back against the coarse dirt. Collei matches it with a step forward. “-I want to talk to you, not run away! Do you hate my company? Is that it?” it’d make a lot more sense if that was the reason, even if it seemed improbable.

Predictably, the Forest Ranger looks baffled at his sudden comment, “What? No! I- Shut up!” Collei bristles, eyes wild, “-Stop pretending you care so damn much! Stop acting like you- you-!”

“Like I what??”

"-Like you to be friends with a freak like me !" Collei shouts with a sudden burst, scowl twisting her face into a pinched frown. The bloodlust emanating from her melts into something less potent, faltering as an angered sadness seeps through her pores. Her eyes are glassy now, and she roughly digs her bandaged knuckles into her eye sockets.

"I don't want your pity," she sniffs, lips tugged into a grimace, "-I'm sick of it. You don't need to try to be nice to 'that weird girl with Elezar' just because your damn teacher asked you to. I don't need your stupid 'friendhsip' ! You-! You-"

She took in a shaky breath, gritting her teeth, "I'm- Just… leave me alone." She sniffs.

Silence permeates the air, and all Razor can do is rigidly stare at the teary-eyed girl. 

Razor… was left at a loss at what to do. He's never been in a situation like this before, facing a person with such a hostile mentality. It intimidates him a bit, and if he didn't feel like a fish out of water before, he certainly feels like one now.

He wonders if he should follow the girl’s pleas and leave her be.

He doesn't want to, of course. There's a reverberating wrongness at the idea of leaving her like this-curled up and crying-but what else can he do? He's at all equipped to get past Collei's hostility, nor does he even know where to begin when it comes to comforting someone.

He should respect her boundaries and give her the space she wants, to let her destress on her own.

It's the right thing to do. 

...

Although…

"Haven't you heard?" A shopkeeper from around the corner had whispered, "There's a strange boy seen near Wolvendum. I've heard the Knights are considering him letting him re-enter human life here in Mondstadt."

"What?! As in- the boy whose kept Springvale's hunting gig's down?" another salesman whispered, "They should put him in jail for illegal overhunting, if anything. At least then he wouldn't be causing us any trouble."

In a sense… 

"Are you really gonna let that little thief walk free after what he did to our farms? Our sheep?!"  A hunter yelled, yelling obscenities at him as he burrowed deeper into the blanket a Knight had given him. "That wolf-raised freak should be indebted to us for not killing him sooner, that bastard!"

…the situation seems a little too close to home.

Razor doesn't know a whole lot about Collei or what kinds of things she's gone through, but from what his brain can piece together, she seems like she's not very used to other people being nice to her. 

In all his previous friendships, Razor had sort of been… 'adopted' , in a sense. People had come into his life willingly and welcomed him of their own volition, eager and happy to have him beside them. Bennett had met him once and promptly exclaimed that they were going to 'be partners for life!' . Fischl's impression had been slightly harder to decipher, but she continued to come back for him so it must have been fine.

And there's Miss Lisa, of course. Jean, Klee, Master Diluc, and many many more.

He probably wouldn't have made it so far, if it hadn't been for them. His Lupical.

And… maybe Collei didn't get that same privilege as him; didn't get the same opportunity. 

It was all a draw of the raffle, and Razor…

just got really lucky.

And, maybe, the world hasn't been as nice to Collei as it had been to him.

He can smell a deep, rotting scent of sadness eating the girl from the inside. It wasn't so clear before, but now-as she sits curled into herself-the smell wafts from her in waves. 

And it's then that he realizes that he cannot leave her now, even if he wanted to. Collei deserved to have someone there to help her pick herself back up. 

So, with a puff of determined air, he slowly approached Collei's hunched figure. He kneeled down painstakingly slowly, still a bit hesitant that she'd bite his hand off.

She glared her red-rimmed eyes at him, before pausing as she noticed his outstretched hand. In it, a crumpled flower laid in his gloved hand. 

"Take it," he insisted. Collei looks at him a little bit like he's crazy, but begrudgingly sighs and delicately takes the small stem from his hands. He shuffles to lay on his knees, scuffing the bottom of his pants with loose dirt and makes himself comfortable. 

"You will have to forgive me," he said in a small voice, watching as Collei idly inspected the flower in her hands. She flicked her violet eyes up to meet his own red ones. He moved his to stare at the ground. "I am not… very good at this. At… friends." He reasons, "At… all people… actually. I am known for… bad first impressions."

His voice cracks and pitters, his throat raw and scratchy from delicate emotions. He prays his words make sense to her.

He perks up, "But! I- I want to try. Because… I know what it is like… to be a uh…" he bit his lip, wondering if he was really using the right word, "' freak .'"

"Really." Collei voiced, her voice no longer so hoarse and gravely. She sounded tired and mildly disbelieving, but mostly just surprised. Curious, even. He nodded up and down rapidly.

"Klee, she was my first friend." He started slowly, picking at the tattered edge of his gloves. It's a bad habit. "I was not raised like… normal human. I was raised by Lupical, out in forest. Far away from cities, from people." 

He let out a rare and weird, cracked laugh, "She had burned down a lot of forest land. Lupical was scared of her. I was scared of her, even when she is this tall." He gestured up to the height that Collei was crouched at, earning a snort from the other. Razor grinned a little, his hands shaking with nervousness.

"So to say sorry-'' he gestured to the crumpled flower in Collei's outstretched hand, "she gave me a flower. Like this one."

Collei hummed lightly, staring back down at the flower as it twirled in her hands. "Huh," she pondered simply, as if her mind were elsewhere. Razor prays his words are getting across understandably.

"I learned to forgive, and to… befriend." He explained, "After Klee came many others: Lisa, Bennett, Amber, Jean. Most had thought… bad, scary things of me before meeting. But after meeting… after forgiving… they became my Lupical."

Collei stays silent for a moment, before looking into his own eyes again. Razor wills himself not to look away.

"Even Amber?" She asks, voice small. He gets the impression that this is deeper than he could possibly know. Razor fiddles with the tassels around his neck scarf.

"She had come to… Wolvendum to investigate complaints from Avent- Adventurers Guild ," he corrects himself, letting out a nervous laugh, "-she had been wary at first, and I had been… not very nice either." 

He waves his hand dismissively, panicking a bit as he sees something break in the girl's gaze, "- b-but !! It's okay! She is very nice to me now, very kind. She apologized very long time ago." He scratches his head, "That is a… lot more forgiving than most others do. Many still think I am… not normal."

He knows that for a fact. He'll take Amber's awkward idle conversations and clunky laughs over the glares of the Adventurer’s Guild members any day.

Collei says nothing for a bit, before she starts picking at the skin around her nails. They look abused and bandaged. "That… sounds like it sucks. A lot." She mumbles. "I'm sorry." 

"It's fine," Razor dismisses, relief easing the tension on his shoulders, "You learn to live and... appreciate the good things. Like friends and Lupical. It is important to stay happy, in spite of many troubles of others." He thinks of Lisa and Bennett, of Lupical and fresh hash browns, of sunny afternoons and dandelion breeze, and he knows everything will be okay.

Collei lets out a small 'huh' at his words, relaxing in place as she held her legs to herself a little more loosely. Her face was less tense, the scowl that had previously etched in her face replaced by a softer, more curious look. "That... sounded smart. Guess you really are Lisa's kid huh?" she grins a little at him, tired but amused a slight bit.

He did it ! He comforted someone properly!! At least, he thinks he did. Collei looks more at peace now, eyes far away as if pondering his words. Archons could he melt with relief right now. If a fight really had broken out because of him, he wouldn't know what he would have done. His legs feel a little bit like jelly actually, but he's more than happy to just sit and embrace this new peaceful atmosphere.

Unsurprisingly, it doesn't last. "This is in terrible condition by the way," Collei states bluntly, voice returning back to its usual edge. She waves the flower back in front of his face, it's petals halved and wrinkled. "I mean, were you keeping it safe under your shoe or something?"

"In my pocket." He clarifies. Collei stares at him flatly, looking utterly unsurprised.

Razor flushes a bit under her scrutiny. "I was not… not planning on giving it to someone."

"So you were just carrying around a flower in your pocket for the sake of it?" She recites carefully as she raises an eyebrow. Razor pouts a little.

"First time far from home," he reasons softly, shuffling in place. "Wanted… to have the scent of home. With me." 

Collei's next witty remark, ready at the edge of her tongue, seemed to die on her lips. She looks down at the pitiful white flower in her hand, before reaching it back out towards Razor.

"Take it back," Collei sighs, her request seeming much more like a demand. Razor squawks at her.

"W-what! No!" He retorts, "It's for you!"

"Well I don't want it!" Collei pushes back, taking a step forward as Razor steps back, "Not if it's your reminder of home! It's all crushed up; I'll just throw it out by the end of today anyways!"

"It's a sign of friendship! Our friendship! And-" he barely dodges the girl's luge towards him. He feels adrenaline rush through him, as if he's avoiding a predator's attacks. "-forgiveness!! Love and forgiveness!" 

"-that's stupid! Celias don't even represent frienship; they represent freedom! That's why their Mondstadt's national flower idiot!" She holds out the flower towards him, gaze intense and dark and extremely scary . Razor can feel his fight or flight instincts kick in. "I've already been really mean to you, so I don't deserve this! So take. It. Back ."

"No! Does not matter if you don't think you deserve it because I want you to have it!" Razor shakes his head, half scared that Collei was going to snap the flower with how tightly she was holding the stem- and half scared she was going to end up snapping his neck. "-And-! It's not the flower that is love! It is the- uh… 'ges-ture' ! You can not return it now; that would defeat its purpose!"

Frustration finally seems to win out, and Collei groans loudly with a hiss. "Fine. Fine! Fucking- I'll keep the damn flower." 

And-strangely enough-flushes a bright red as she scowls. "In fact, I- I'm gonna press it and make it into a bookmark! So I can accurately display how much this means to me!" She yells out shakily. "THANK YOU!"

"YOU ARE WELCOME!" he yells back. "I AM HAPPY YOU LIKED IT!"

"I DO! AND IM SORRY FOR BEING MEAN!" she shouts back, "SOMETIMES I FEEL TOO MUCH AND I GET CARRIED AWAY!"

"ITS OKAY! WHY ARE WE STILL YELLING?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Razor was a little confused at what exactly to feel, but… he thinks he feels happy. So he grins crookedly, letting the warmth pitter at his chest as he lets out a wheeze of a laugh.

—

"Looks like they're getting along." Lisa observes, at ease as she watches a stone faced Collei chatter away to an attentive Razor, seemingly enraptured by whatever the other was saying. They're sprawled alongside the edge of a baron traveling cart.

It was the cusp of sundown, the afternoon's spotless blue melting into pink and yellowish hue, leaving the land to be painted in a darkened hue. The towering trees of Sumeru let their leaves rustle against each other as the breeze sways their branches. It's peaceful.

"That's a relief," Tighnari sighed with crossed arms, watching with eased eyes as Collei talked animatedly. "I was half nervous Collei would end up instigating another scuffle."

"Really?" Lisa speculated, casting an eye towards him, "I thought you said she'd keep him good company?"

The Forest Watcher just shrugs, sighing. "It's hit or miss but… it has a tendency to miss. Collei is a sweet girl-don't get me wrong-but… she's had some trouble accustoming socially. She's not very trusting of adults, outside of me and Cyno, let alone anyone around her age range."

"She thinks very poorly of herself, despite her superficial bite," he says softly, Lisa looking at him from the corner of her eye, "So she believes any attempts to befriend her are riddled with ulterior motives." 

"Same as before then." Lisa laments soundly, humming, "I guess it really shouldn't be too surprising… she's still so young and she's gone through so much. That would take a toll on anyone."

"She's making progress, at least." Tighnari responds with a sigh, staring with a proud smile as he watches his student attempt to cover their laughing. "From the impression I got from Razor, he seems to be a good match for Collei. Silent, yet respectful and attentive."

" Tighnari, " Lisa whispered, scandalously. "You're not trying to pair off your own student so soon! And trust me- as much as I like you and Cyno, I'm not sure Razor's ready to deal with the world of 'in-laws' just yet."

"What-! No, Collei is-!" he growls, batting the taller's hands away as she grins mischievously. "-you are! Beyond frustrating!! I already regret being so generous with your housing. I should have let you live with the Sumpter Beasts."

"Aww don't be like that Kitsy~. Razor's never been interested in that kind of stuff anyways." she grins, relaxing back to her side of the porch. "Besides, Cyno might not be too happy with Collei having a boyfriend without doing a triple-checked background check on Razor." She laughs, amused at her own joke.

"Yeah…Cyno…" Tighnari murmurs, eyes far away as if his thoughts were elsewhere. There was a small frown plastered on the Forest Watchers face, jaw tense as he stared at Collei and Razor.

After a while of indulging in shared silence, aside from bird chirping, Tighnari reluctantly breaks it.

"Hey Lisa?" Tighnari asked, voice small.

"Hm?"

"Where is… Razor from?"

Lisa huffs, swinging her feet in place. "Well, he's from Mondstadt's forest as far as I'm aware. He was raised by wolves until he was taken in by the Acting Grand Sage in the earlier days, and me past his absence."

"And this Acting Grand Sage… simply found him?"

She shrugs, "He was raised by wolves beforehand and afterward, so I'm assuming he was just the first connection to humanity."

"Okay," the Valuka Shuna sighs , "yeah… that- that makes sense." He murmurs, more to himself. It's only then that Lisa notices how fidgety the other had become.

"Something to say Nari?"

"No." He says too quickly. 

Lisa lets out a breathy laugh, seemingly unphased. "You sure? Is there something-?"

"Has Razor- argh " Tighnari groans, frustration blooming as he shuffles in place, scrubbing his face, "nevermind nevermind, I'm overthinking things-stupidstupid-"

Lisa huffs, a small frown tugging at her face as she crosses her arms. "Tighnari, what in the world are you going on about?-"

" -hasRazoralwaysbeenhisname ?"

"English, brainiac." Lisa mutters, flicking his forehead, the other thrown for a loop at the sudden whiplash.

Tighnari rubs at the spot, frustrated, "You said your master was 'the first link to humanity' as far as you're aware. Right? Did Varka give him is name as well? Has Razor… always been his name?"

"What are you getting at, Tighnari?" Lisa probed speculatively, crossing her arms with small frown on her face. "And what does Razor's name have to do with any of this?"

Tighnari opens his mouth, letting out a choked sound, before closing his jaw with a click. He casts another glance of to the pair and clears his throat.

"I don't think you should tell Cyno about Razor." He says soundly, a bit suddenly, "For his sake"

Lisa laughs a bit at the absurdity, "And why might that be?" 

"Cyno, he's-" he sighed, rubbing his face up and down, "he has… a sort of soft spot for kids."

Lisa hummed, idly recalling some old rumors she had heard while she was still attending the Akademiya- how a young boy from the desert had almost ripped another boy's throat out after picking on some of the younger students. "Isn't that a good thing, in Razor's case? For the Mahamatra be fond of children, which-of course-Razor is?"

Tighnari shook his head, "You don't understand, Lisa." He highlights softly, "I don't know how much you really know about him, but Cyno is a… very complicated person. He may not look it, but he has certain… triggers."

"Oh? And what may those be?" Lisa inquired, raising a brow towards the smaller man.

He couldn't meet her eyes, uneasily fidgeting with his gloves. "Shouldn' say..." he mumbled. Lisa rolled her eyes.

"Aw Kitsy, I just wanna knowwwww," she whines petulantly, not missing the way the Forest Watcher's ears flick back in frustration, "If there is something out there that really sets of Cyno, then as his friend- I should definitely know to steer clear of it. Especially if it involves Razor in some way."

Despite her petulant behavior, Lisa knows her argument is fairly solid and built upon fact. Lisa should know- if not to sate her curiosity then for Cyno's sake the next time they meet face to face (that being tonight, of course). Truly, Tighnari hates Lisa's insufferably clever mind.

"Okay- okay fine, I'll tell you." he sighs, a little irritated. He turns to her, eyes sharp and grave, "-but you have to swear to me that what I say now, you do not repeat to anyone."

"Relax Kitsy, my lips are sealed." she grins like a teenager. Tighnari's scowl deepens.

"I'm being serious Lisa," he warns, voice lacking any humor. Lisa sighs.

"Always so serious," she mutters petulantly with a huff, before meeting the mans tapetum lucidum eyes, her expression earnest, "You can trust me Tighnari. I won't tell a soul."

Tighnari sighs heavily but seems to accept the others words, facing away from her now as he begins to recount old memories.

"I met Cyno out on one my very first big Akademiya projects, when I got seperated from the rest of the Amurata students. Teen me was out in the desert, busy getting completely lost, when a young Cyno found and helped me." he smiled a bit, as if remembering something deeply amusing, "He was a completely different guy back then: some happy-go-lucky desert kid with a pep in his step. You wouldn't believe they were the same person if... if..." 

Tighnari cleared his throat, "He had very little to his name, from what I could tell, but he did have… someone. Someone important he was caring for."

Lisa tilts her head, humming, "A child, I'm guessing?"

"A brother," Tighnari clarified, sighing, "I don't know whole lot but still, I'll try my best to keep it short:"

"Cyno loved him dearly; I'm pretty sure he was the only thing he really cared about actually. He used to be a big chatterbox; endlessly talking about him and his family. And one day… a tragedy happened." He sighed sadly.

"Cyno's never liked talking about himself, and no matter how patient and how much I've pried he's never mentioned what happened that night. All I know is that I found Cyno behind a cell the day afterwards, three murder charges to his name, a vision, and no brother in sight."

"It was only due to my pleading, on behalf of the Akademiya, that his life had been spared." he expounds, his eyes serious yet saddened as he stared away from Lisa's gaze, "And… he became almost like a new person. Colder, harsher… sadder. I can only assume that his brother, that night, had…"

"Died?" Lisa suggested softly.

Tighnari just sighs, sounding deflated, "Cyno's… never really recovered. He's gotten better over the years, of course, but it hasn't been easy; still gets his episodes and all."

Lisa hums softly, "I can imagine." She sighs, "There is far too much tragedy in Teyvat, and it's quite unfortunate it's happened to befall on its youngest ones. Cyno, I presume, is another one of it's victims it seems."

Tighnari groans lowly, furiously scratching at the back of his head. "I've said too much," he grumbles.

"On the contrary, I don't think you've said enough," Lisa hums, idly adjusting her gloves, "Knowing Cyno, he would have let himself get struck by lightning five times over before he tells me what his favorite color is. Personally, I think you're doing him a big favor."

"Maybe," he murmured. "His healing has… been a process. Cyno's always been an extremely rational person, clear minded and focused… but I suspect his trauma gets the better of him once children are involved."

"One time, Collei's Elezar had it's first flare up since she's been brought here. It wasn’t anything serious, truly, but as soon as Cyno had caught wind of her fainting, he spiraled." he mumbled, "Rushed all the way from the city and… just sat beside her for hours. Could barley get him to eat and he was…"

"-Acting crazy?" Lisa suggested, to which Tighnari scowled at her like she'd just dumped a bucket of water on his head.

"Quiet." He corrected. "He was… dead silent. Wouldn't talk to me or... anyone," He echoed again softly, voice lacking it's bite now. 

"Sounds like he shouldn't be acquainted with kids at all, if this is his reaction," Lisa mused kindly, factually. It sounds a bit harsh, perhaps, but Tighnari knows her statement comes from a place of concern.

At her words, Tighnari sadly nodded. "It'd be for the best, truthfully, but Cyno has always been too tenacious for that." He turned to glance at Lisa, "And Cyno's come a long way, healed as much as he can. I fear meeting Razor… will possibly set him off again."

"But just meeting him? I understand a hurt child, but just Razor himself?" Lisa reminded him, still perplexed at the seeming overreaction. "You still haven't explained to me what this all has to do with him. Care to elaborate?"

Tighnari glanced away, breathing in through his nose. Lisa angled her head slightly.

"Does this have to do with mistaking him with Cyno?" She whispered. The Valuka Shuna grimaced, grumbling a small 'shouldn't say this' before speaking.

"Razor… gives me this… horrible sense of deja vu." Tighnari voices, and strangely enough, he truly sounded disturbed. His eyes were fixed squarely on Razor, who was blissfully grinning at something Collei just said. His smile is a little wobbly around the edges, as if unused to smiling.

"As a Valuka Shuna, there are often emotions or senses I experience that I cannot put to words, and there is just... something about Razor that I cannot explain..." he trails off to a whisper.

"Tighanri," Lisa askes suddenly, her tone completely serious as she inquires, "Do you believe Razor is connected to Cyno's brother?"

"I believe he'll mistake Razor for him," he clarifies soundly, "-and... I'm nervous as to the kind of reaction he'll have once that happens."

"Are Razor and Cyno's brother really that undistinguishable?"

Tighnari couldn't meet her eyes. Instead he gritted his teeth, jaw tense as his ears twitched backwards.

"I don't know," he whispered, "It's been a long time since he's passed. Anything is possible."

"Anything is possible" Lisa echoes, humming. "And this sense of yours? This... Deja Vu? What is it telling you now?"

Tighnari's eyes squint at the edges, his tail lashing behind him as he keeps his arms crossed. A storm brews inside of himself.

"...realistically, it's... extremely unlikely, probably completely impossible, but..."

They both stare on as the two kids break out in loud laughter again, the Forest Ranger lightly shoving away the boys arm as they both cackle into the setting sky.

"I just don't know." he murmurs, defeated.

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All art by me^^

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Chapter Text

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Lisa had left a bit ago without much furor, aside from her usual song and dance of peppering him with kisses and tight hugs. He'd usually extract himself from such attention after a few seconds or so, unused to such a bombardment of physical contact, but he lets the Librarian do as she pleased on this occasion. Despite his brave face, he is a bit nervous about being left alone in a foreign land, and he suspects Lisa-for as fearless and nonchalant as she is-probably needs the reassurance of his presence as well.

"Oh Wolfie, you're so big and brave," she sniffles dramatically, pressing another big kiss on the crown of his head as theatrical tears glisten in her eyes, "Ah, remember back when you were so nervous about going around Mondstadt's streets and venues? Now look at you, all grown up and taking on Sumeru all on your own!" She tightens her snake hug, Razor wheezing helplessly in her hold, "Oh, I feel so old now- ah, when did my little boy get so big?" She laments sadly, running her delicate hands through his wild mane.

"Lisaaa," he whines sheepishly, flushed red with embarrassment. He wouldn't mind the emotional sendoff so much if he couldn't hear Collei snickering over his shoulder.

After Lisa's theatrics pass and she leaves the Village, Tighnari gives him a concise run down of where the basic necessities are in Gandharva Ville, adding in a polite "If you need anything, don't be scared to ask. I'm always available to either of you two." He'd blushed and thanked him, before promptly being whisked off his feet by Collei and given a personal tour of the girl's room. It's not very spacious but it's filled with knick-knacks and filled with soft edges. It feels comfortable; very lived in.

"Here, you just press very gently and roll your wrist and-"

"Ah!"

A choppy strip of wood shed off the block, the piece thick with jagged edges. It lands in the middle of Collei's bed sheets, the space between Razor and Collei from where they sit- shoeless and comfortable. 

He furrows his brow at the loose wedge, scrutinizing the uneven wedge it'd left in the block. It looks less of a strip and more of a… full chunk of wood. He’s no wood carver, but something tells him it probably shouldn’t look like that.

Collei grins in amusement, taking the blade and wood from his hands, "Good start, but you might have put too much strength behind it. I said gently, didn’t I?" 

Razor flushes a bit in embarrassment, chewing on his lip a bit. "The trick is to go smooth and slowly, only catching the surface." Collei carefully positions the metal blade on the block, extending it towards a peering Razor. "You press lightly and-"

Just like that, a long rolled up thin stretch of wood glides off the other's knife, shedding itself to leave a smooth and unblemished path. " -tada! " She cheered.

Razor gawked a bit, carefully taking back the block from the other's hand. All things considered, he's not all too surprised Collei is so artistically gifted. She’s probably set to become one of those super smart scholars Miss Lisa mentioned. Maybe she'll be just as smart as Miss Lisa one day too...

"You're amazing," he murmured, gazing back at the precise price of wood shedding. If he didn't know any better, he'd say a sword had cut it instead of a knife.

" Archons , are all Mondstadters so easily impressed or something?" Despite her grumpy scowl, Collei had a bright red flush glowing on her face. "Besides, this isn't even that impressive carving-wise. I'm still considered beginner status. You should see Ammu Kaveh's stuff, now that's some impressive carving. He mostly does paintings and sketches, but he told me he picked up carving back in his schooling years- said something about how you can ‘never be too talented-"

Collei proceeds to go on a tirade about sculptures and art in Sumeru, including animated gestures and very vivid anecdotes about some man named Kaveh, probably a family friend of sorts. He tries to pay attention, really-Collei seems particularly passionate about the topic-but his attention strays faster than expected. 

Maybe being friends with a chatterbox like Bennett did have its downsides- learning to stray away from endless words. Instead, his attention is enraptured back into the block in his hands, wondering if this was really the stuff they made to use… well, everything as far as he knew. Stairs, floorboards, wagons- it's crazy to think that the ancient towering trees of Wolvendum could be used to make something like this. He doesn't really know how to feel about it.

" So… rough," he murmured, running his thumb against the wood's surface. He imagined carvings would feel a bit smoother.

"-Did you even hear anything I said?" Collei questioned, expression deadpanned and unamused. Razor sweated a bit.

"Ah! Uh-" he gurgled, tongue caught in his own mouth, "...yes?" He boldly lied.

Luckily, while he expected the girl's wrath, all she did was sigh and grumble a sharp and annoyed 'boys' under he breath. She turned back to him, revealing a small red cloth, clumping around a vaguely square shape.

"It's rough cus you have to rub sandpaper on a carving once you're done." She reached back and brought back a fabric-covered-block. She unraveled it, the surface looking grainy and brown. 

Razor hummed, considering her words carefully. He curiously reached out for the smaller block, before it was snatched away before he could grab it.

" Hey hey! I just said you can't use it unless you're finished carving!" Collei admonished the boy, who wilted a bit under her words. "You need to decide what you're gonna carve first!"

"Carve??" He echoed dumbly, before turning slightly panicked as he realized what she wanted him to do. "B-but! I can't carve! I'm bad at it!" 

He gestures to the chuck of crudely cut bark, as if it was evidence of his lack of talent. Collei just scoffs, crossing her arms. "So what? Everyone is always bad at something they've never done before. Like what Master Tighnari says- ‘Practice makes perfect’. Here, c'mon!" 

"But-" he starts the complaint, but clamps his mouth as Collei stares him down with her sharp gaze. He sighs, defeated as he sinks into the other’s sheets, wondering if he really has an out in this situation. Is he too pliant? Diona once mentioned something about "growing a spine sooner or later," but it mostly just confused him. He already has a spine?? Why would he need a second one?

As if sensing his defeat, Collei comfort him with a pat to his arm, as if feeling a tinge bad. "You'll do fine, alright? I promise you won't regret it," she grins cheekily, "I'll sketch out the guidelines if you're that nervous about it. Can’t say I’m the best artist out there, but it’s important to give it a shot, right?" 

He huffs a bit but ultimately gives a nod, admittedly feeling a bit better at his new friend's assurance. Collei carefully pries the wooden block from his hands and gets up, fishing out a small charcoal pencil from her decorated desk on the other side of the room. She shoots a grin back at him.

“So,” she plops on her wooden chair, scraping it against the floorboards until it sits right beside the bed beside him, "-You got anything in mind?"

He barely has to think about it, smiling a bit as he answers her.

"A wolf." He says simply. Even if the idea of carving seems intimidating, the thought of having a small wooden reminder of his Lupical warms his heart and chest with affection. He'll display it on his desk back at the Knight's headquarters, out for everyone to admire and see.

Collei hums and considers his words, leaning back as she contemplates her words, "A wolf, huh? I'm more used to drawing smaller animals but… I guess I could give it a try." She mumbles under her breath, before she suddenly scowls in frustration, something dawning on her, "- Ah! but I don't have a reference!"

Razor cocks his head, a bit confused. What's a reference? "Can't you… do it from memory?" he tries to suggest, hoping to ease the other's worry. Then again, maybe Razor's asking too much of her. He’s very sure of what a wolf looks like-how big they are, their sharp eyes, long snouts, bushy tails-seeing as he grew up alongside them. Drawing them though? It’d probably be a lot harder.

But all Collei does is sigh at his suggestion, "I could, but it's not like wolves are native to Sumeru. Been a while since I saw one myself." She grumbles, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Ah, what to do, what to do..." she trails off, stuck in her own mind. 

Razor mimics her puzzled state, unsure of what to say or suggest. Should he assure her that’d he’d be fine without a proper sketching out? He’s certain it’d turn out pretty choppy either way-his hands aren’t very used to the stabilization that comes with writing, let alone doing art-but Collei looked pretty set on helping him with this. It’d be rude to call her off now, wouldn't it?

If Collei really needs an image of a wolf... then....!

Just like that, a lightbulb flicks on in his head. 

"Lighting Fang," he calls breathlessly, out into the open air. He feels the wolf spirit perk up from his half-sleep state, hearing the call of his name. "Come out. I need you." he echoes soundly.

Meanwhile, Collei just stares at him, looking positively baffled at the confusing string of words. "Are you talking to yourself or some-"

Collei's words are cut off as Lighting Fang materializes behind him in a silent burst of electro, the tall and imposing wolf spirit suddenly appearing and towering over his back. His eyes are alight with power and electricity, figure burning and pulsing with pure electro. The scent of ozone permeates through the air from him; it's comfortable and familiar. Collei squawks in surprise, almost falling over her chair at the towering figure's sudden appearance.

He feels the wolf spirit rigid and tense behind him, claws extended out and sparks buzzing off him as if expecting a threat. Ah. He probably thinks I called him for a fight. It's not like he calls him very often to be here physically.

Razor reaches up, the wolf spirit staring down at him with a questioning tilt to his head. Razor touches the edges of his long claws, running his palm against the sharp surface apologetically. 

SorrySincerityEverythingAllRightWantedYouHere

He lets the emotion travel through their bond without words, the wolf spirit immediately untensing as it lets out an long animalistic huff. He crosses his long muscular arms in what could be assumed a pout, a spark of half-hearted annoyance flickering through his scent.

AnnoyanceAnxiousnessYouScaredMe

Ah, now he feels a pretty bad. Lightning Fang probably doesn't appreciate the false alarm, given he places a lot of trust in Razor to call him at appropriate times. Plus the natural worry the spirit harbors for him, given he always seems to get dragged into trouble. He'll make it up to him with a good hunt.

Collei seems less concerned with the spirit's annoyance, given the fact that she's fully gaping at him, eyes wide and jaw practically on the floor. She's quick to jump into action though, fumbling as she materializes her wooden bow, drawing it towards the wolf spirit. "Wha- what the hell Razor ?! Get the hell out of there!" 

He tilts his head, confused as to the girl's sudden urgent tone. Was there danger nearby? "Run… away? Why would I?"

"Why w-! Why would you?!" She balks incredulously, backing up as she wildly gestures her bow towards a tranquil Lighting Fang, "- are you suicidal or something?!  that's a malevolent spirit!! I-it's dangerous and- I'll call Tighnari, alright? Everything's gonna be alright- Try to stay put- Oh gods -"

It dawns on him then, the reason for Collei's sudden and unfounded panic- she was scared of Lightning Fang. He really should have clues in faster, seeing as the spirit's appearance and existence has always been the cause for ire and frights to those who didn’t know him. Lightning Fang’s oppressive presence was very useful for combat, but not so much in any other situation. It actually probably sent her mind into overdrive, urging her instincts to enter fight or flight.  Maybe he should have warned her…

"Lighting Fang is not dangerous." He asserts, more trying to placate the other than refute her (incorrect) statement. Razor reaches up and beckons the wolf spirit closer, tussling the fur beside his head once he was in reach. "He's my friend! He is a wolf spirit, you can use him as a- uh reffe- hm. Re-fe-rence." he corrects himself, smiling a toothy grin.

Collei stares at him like he's grown a second head. He cocks his head a bit, still confused. He explained who Lightning Fang was? Why wasn't she calming down? Did he explain it badly?

Collei watches the wolf spirit attentively with her limbs locked in place, as if waiting for it to break out into a impending violent fit. Unfortunately for her, her prediction doesn’t come true; all she gets is a wolf spirit practically wagging it’s tail at the boy’s coddling.

"You mean- that thing -" She starts slowly once again, raising a shaky finger up to a yawning Lightning Fang, "-isn't… making you want to… hurt people? Do… bad things? You know... like a normal spirit?" Her voice tremors strangely, eyes glossed over in an unreadable expression. She looks as if she wasn't really looking at Lightning Fang then. 

"Of course not," he says easily, a bit stunned at the very thought of it. A mindless rage- it sounds terrifying. Lightning Fang has always respected his boundaries; he was a malevolent yet kind spirit, and was frightened by glass windows. As long as he wasn't provoked, he wouldn't hurt a fly.

He needs to calm her down, get her to understand. All that Lightning Fang had ever done was help Razor. Every Treasure Hoarder and slime hurt was by Razor's command, with his permission. Sure, Lightning Fang was prone to being territorial and over-protective, but that doesn't make him some- some monster!

Still, there is a hesitancy in Collei's eyes, a guarded way she positions herself to half face away from the two. He sighs and gestures to her to come closer, knowing what has to be done.

"Come here. Say hi."

"No," Collei responds, almost immediately.

She remains stubbornly in place, gripping her wooden bow like a lifeline. The scent of Burnt Sap overpowers the softer scent of peaches.

Razor tries again. "Just trust me," he pleads softly, "Lighting Fang is wary of new people. Let him greet you properly.” 

He nudges Lightning Fang’s head a bit lower, the wolf spirit only huffing a bit as Razor wraps his full arm around his furry neck. He can feel the electricity coming off of the spirit, strands of silver hair standing up in the air. “Here, I’ll hold him still, so do not be scared. He is nice." Lightning Fang didn't need to be restrained to be unmoving, but it was mostly just for Collei's sake.

The restrained position seems to ease Collei’s fear a small bit, urging the girl to take a step or two closer. She still looks and smells anxious, but she eventually eases her way to slowly stopping in front of the 'subdued' wolf.

Only a small handful of people have gotten to officially meet Lightning Fang this way, seeing as he doesn’t usually like to make his presence known. Lisa actually almost getting into a physical altercation with him because of ‘clashing natures’. He’s pretty confident Lightning Fang will like Collei though, seeing that she isn’t an adult. 

He reaches out to her with his free hand, leaving it out in the air. Collei hesitates for a long moment, and Razor almost believes she isn’t going to, but his fears are abated when she lets her bandaged hand rest in his palm. He carefully guides her hand towards the spirits snout, fingers jumping as a small spark of electro zaps at her fingertips.

Eventually though, after enough coaxing, Collei’s fear is replaced with awe as Lightning Fang pushes his face into her hand, enjoying the gentle scratches behind the ears. 

“This is… so cool ,” Collei breathes, tension finally fully dissipating as she sits on the edge of the bed, “It feels just like normal fur too!” she observes in surprise.

Now bringing up her second hand to rub under his jaw, her green hair starts to stand up like a porcupine. The spirit lets out a long, pleased rumble at the gentle loving attention.

PleasedEnjoymentHappiness

Razor laughs lightly, endlessly amused. He’ll never fully admit it, but Lightning Fang always loved getting pets like any other wolf. Usually he’s too stubborn and territorial to let anyone aside Razor touch him, but with proper coaxing he’ll be more than happy to indulge in a pet or two from a friend. Adults are a little harder for him to trust, judging off of the physical altercation that almost happened when Lisa tried to coddle him the same way she does with Razor.

“What’s so funny?” Collei asks, though there’s no bite in her tone. She sounds a little curious, still too focused on petting the spirit than to look up at him.

“Nothing bad,” he grins, shaking his head a bit, “Lightning Fang just likes you a lot. Won’t say it though.”

He hears the spirit chuff lowly, idly tapping at the back of his head with one of his clawed hands. He doesn’t do much else though, so he must not be bothered all that much.

Collei blinks at him then, violet eyes wide, “You can talk to him?" she balks with stars in her eyes, before looking down at Lightning Fang once more. “Hey! My name is Collei.” she greets, grinning as she scratches his dopey face, “Are you a good boy? Whose a good boy?"

A tongue lolls out of the wolf's mouth, not looking up from where he's getting scratched, showing no sign he had heard her. It is, admittedly, adorable.

"Oh. He can't understand you very well." he decides to clarify, regretting it a bit as he spots Collei's face filter through a quick shock-then-disappointed expression.

Collei furrows her brows then, seemingly a little confused. "But then... how can you talk to him? Does he understand English?" she asks.

He sheepishly scratches his head. “Ah. A little,” he admits, “But not very much. Lightning Fang talks through emotions, not words. 

"Oh," Collei hums, understanding clear in her eyes as she nods, "So you can't have any conversations with him? Ask him what his favorite food is? His favorite hobby?"

Razor considers her words, but honestly doubts there are answers to either of them. Spirits don't really have favorite foods or hobbies; they don't work like humans on a basic level. Lightning Fang tends to come and go by his own means, only coming out on occasion when summoned by Razor himself. "It's complicated." he decides on saying, "he can talk though emotions. If he senses you're happy, then he'll respond in kind. Unfortunately... I do not think he has a favorite anything."

"Aw," Collei mumbles, petting the spirit with a small pout, "That sucks, I would have loved to cook some meat for him or something."

"Meat??" Razor gasps, already feeling his mouth water as his eyes sparkle at the prospect of eating his favorite food. Collei snorts ungracefully, lightly shoving his arm in jest.

Eventually, Lightning Fang extracts himself from his hold, Collei bringing her hands back to herself. She’s left with a small smile, a curious shine in her eyes. “I’ve never met a friendly spirit before." she murmurs, letting out a long retired sigh, "I'm glad I've been proven wrong, at least."

A comfortable silence falls between them now, Collei falling back into the rhematic motions of drawing, fully focused on the task at hand. Razor busies himself by picking at the tattered edge of his glove, noting he'll probably have to change the bandages around his hands by sunrise tomorrow. Lisa should be back by then, right? She can help him get the one's by his back.

Ah, but she might be busy with the whole curse healing. In the furor of all the action and excitement that came with arriving at Sumeru, he had almost forgotten the whole reason they were both in the country in the first place. He feels a bit ashamed for forgetting so soon, but vows to help Lisa in any way he can. It might end up being a very taxing process for Lisa physically, and she never ever likes showing any weaknesses in front of him.

It's a bit frustrating, but it just means he'll really have to step up in his efforts to help. He'll make sure she eats her three meals a day and drinks plenty of water!

It's the least he could do for her.

He decides not to think about it anymore, instead suddenly recalling one of Collei's earlier statements and frowning a bit. He bites his lip, a little hesitant to hear a real answer to it.

"Hey Collei?" he calls out.

"Hm?"

"Are there… really no wolves in Sumeru?" He asks. Does that mean there are no super smart wolves here?? 

"No-pe." She says, popping the 'p' in the word, and he feels a tinge of disappointment make him pout. "We get tigers and Sumpter Beasts, but no wolves." She waves a dismissive hand, "You could count Cyno, I guess, but that might earn you a few missing teeth if you say it to his face."

"Sounds scary," he murmured, shivering a bit at the promised threat. It's the second time he's heard the name mentioned, though he thinks he may be getting a clearer picture as Collei talks about him. From what he's guessing, this Cyno person seems like a pretty scary person.

He has to wonder if he'll meet him during his stay. I don't want to lose any teeth…

Collei barks out a laugh though, seemingly unphased, "Yeah, but that's just what he wants you to think." She grins in amusement, idly sketching out a wolf's hind legs, "Cyno's a General back from the Akademiya- Lisa and Tighnari's former school. He's looked at like he's some big scary guy, but he's actually probably the world's biggest sweetheart."

"...Sweetheart?" Razor echoed, puzzled.

Collei smiled fondly, "Yep. When you look at him, you wouldn't guess he can make the Teyvat's meanest Tahchin or that he loves playing TCG, this dumb card game he's tried to get Master Tighnari on for months now. Always gets the stupidest grins when you get him started about whatever strategy he's gone for that round."

She shakes her head, "Swear he probably gets more joy out of that damn card game than visiting me or Master." She teases. The words are a little downtrodden to Razor, but he can’t sense or hear any bitterness in Collei or her tone.

"Ah." He asses finally, "That is an… over- over-egx- ah… hm." Razor furrows his brows in frustration, grinding his teeth together. He hasn't even been talking that much! Why is he stumbling over his words now??

"An over-exaggeration?" Collei finishes for him, tone non-judgmental. At Razor's flushed nod, Collei clicks her tongue.

"Hey. Don't worry about it." She assures him, smiling a bit, "Not like I got any room to judge. I can't write for the life of me!"

"Really?" Razor questions, eyes wide and shocked. Most kids his age are… fluent in literature in comparison to Razor's own. Collei has to be the first one he’s met that can’t write well.

"Yep. I uh… wasn't brought up traditionally." Collei laughs anxiously, her smile twitching as an unknown emotion passes through her face. Her scent sours a small bit, burnt sap posing against its softer peach counterpart. 

Razor's mood hollows a bit, suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable. Should he try to comfort her? Ask her what happened? Or would that upset her more?

If Razor were Collei and he was upset about something, he wouldn't like anyone prying him for an answer. Mostly because his speech impediment prevents him from getting much out- but also because he wishes to refrain from burdening others with his business. In spite of Collei's spiky attitude, he senses there's probably something very… scared in her.

"I was raised by wolves." He says suddenly, unprovoked. Collei's shaky expression drops into a puzzled, baffled form, wholly unprepared for the statement.

He decides to go about it the same way he had earlier: Give a little now, and hope for a little back. It worked the last time, didn't it?

"I do not… know how old I was… when I was taken in," he continues slowly, "but it must have been early… I do not remember my human mom and dad." 

His emotions must reach Lightning Fang- either through his bond with the spirit or through the shift in his scent in the open- because he feels the wolf spirit bends down and nuzzles his large snout against Razor's wild bed of hair. He whines a bit, the animal sound distorted through thunder and ozone.

ReassuranceComfortEverythingAllRight?

In lieu of a response, he raises his hand and pats the wolf's snout. The wolf chuffs snorts a bit, but does move his snout away from the small pressure.

"I do not know how to talk and read right," he admits flatly, and only now does his gaze and voice waver. "It's… embarrassing." He admits with a mutter.

"It is," Collei murmurs, sighing. She seems to catch up to herself, sitting up and frantically waving her hands, "-I MEAN! I get how it feels-! Uh- stupidstupid -" 

And Razor laughs a bit, the sound broken and scratchy, as if his throat was completely unused to the sound. It’s ugly and wholly unhuman, a true representation of just what he is. But, for once, he can’t find it in himself to care. 

“It’s fine,” he placates, still smiling. “I understand what you said. I’m learning… that is what is most important. Learning, and improving." she clarifies, resting his head on his knees.

"And do ever feel bad..." Collei bites her lip, as if hesitant to let the question fall off her lips. "y'know? Like it feels like you're wasting Lisa's resources? Being her student? I know I do." she mutters the last part, furrowing her brows.

Razor's heart drops a bit at the question; at having his biggest doubts so plainly sit out in the open. The question has lived so freely in his head that... he just never considered anyone else asking him. In a way, he doesn't really know how to respond. He doesn't know how to answer it himself, really.

"I think," he murmurs slowly, "I am very grateful to Lisa. And I love her a lot. Very very much."

He has thought before, of calling Lisa his mother.

It's a thought that made him feel incredibly guilty, seeing as he did have a real human mom out there. Someone who had given life to him, someone who had given him the privilege of living. And even if she had abandoned him given him up to nature, it was still a betrayal in it's own right.

He'd never want to do that to her, because even after everything, he would give anything to meet her. To love her, like all those books said he should. 

"But... I know I hold Lisa back," he thinks back on the fan Lisa had met, of all the respect she got from the Knights, "-She deserves more from me... more than I can give her."

“Huh.” Collei huffs, leaning back on her chair, fully stumped. "Took the words right out of my mouth," she murmurs soundly, eyes trained away from Razor's own.

After a small pause of silence, Collei lets out a small snort.

“Who would have guessed,” she remarks faintly, sounding a little amused.

“Guessed… what?” he asks.

Collei just smiles, grinning stiltedly. “That the High Sorceress and the Botanical Prodigy of The Akademiya would both take on no-good understudies.”

Collei snickers to herself joyously as she got busy with sketching again, sounding a bit like a fox. Razor gives a sheepish laugh back, not really knowing what the other was on about. What was an understudy, anyway? Oh well, he wasn’t going to interrupt Collei’s good mood with his useless questions anyhow.

He lets the quiet between them continue, comfortable to let silence take its course. He’s never been much of a good talker anyway- the break from speech is nice. Though, something Collei had mentioned before nags at his brain again, 

“Hey Collei?”

“Hm?”

“You remember… the man you mentioned? Earlier?” he tries, rhythmically twisting the bedsheets in his grip.

Collei hums, “You mean Cyno?” she questions, still too focused to look up at him, “ “What about him?”

He nods up and down, before fidgeting with his hands, “Is he… going to come here?” he tries slowly, hoping his hesitant nervousness doesn’t show in his voice. Collei gives him a questioning glance.

“Yeah? I mean-” she starts, idly scratching at her head, “-he’s decided to take a few vacation days off to stay here in Gangardah Ville, mostly cus Master Tighnari harassed him into it.” She cocks her head slightly, “Why do you ask?”

“Um!” He almost yelps, suddenly sheepishly looking away, “N-no reason…”

Collei stares at him. Something flashes across her face, and something seems to dawn on her.

“You-” she breaks out into a delighted grin, and oharchons- “I didn’t make you all scared with all that talk, did I?”

“No!” he declared, only half-lying, "I mean- ah- you did- but! Then you talked about him... made him sound like... an important person! I don't want to make a... uh- bad first impression...”

At that, Collei really seems to lose it, throwing herself backwards for a loud and boisterous laugh. Lightning Fang casts her a questioning look, ears flicking up at the sudden burst of laughter.

UnstableConfusedIsSheOkay? Razor can only give a confused shrug.

"Ah- I'msorryI'msorry! It's just-" she cackles, tears in her eyes, "You're worried about you making a bad first Impression when Cyno's the one you're meeting? Archons, that is a first in history-"

She swings her legs forward, Razor jumping a bit as Collei suddenly appears right in front of him. "Listen Razor: Don't you worry about a thing! If it makes you feel better, Cyno's just at terrible at bad first Impressions. Probably worse actually!" she grins, utterly amused with the whole situation.

"I um...." he fumbles, unsure of how to respond, "okay?"

Collei shakes her head, "Point is, there's nothing to be afraid of. If Cyno didn't want to like you, then he won't. Think of it like Tighnari! You did a good enough job befriending him! Plus, Cyno is friends with Miss Lisa. She'll give you a natural in! There's no reason for him not to like you!"

Razor hums, seeing the rationality behind the thought. "I... guess that makes sense." he murmurs. "Hope he's nice."

"He is, just has his own way of showing it," Collei explains, tone softening as she stares back at the wooden block in her lap, "He may not look it, but he's… probably one of the most caring adults I've ever met. A big old Softie, really," She says softly, eyes crinkled at the edges, "I owe him everything."

Collei's scent is sweet and light, the softest he's smelled it from knowing her. She looks more at ease now, stormy thunderous eyes looking brighter. This Cyno person must truly mean a lot to her, if simply mentioning him gets this much of a reaction out of her.

"Mister Tighnari confused me for him." He confesses flatly, hoping that by maintaining this line of questioning, if it'll keep Collei happy. His words earn him a confused look from Collei.

"Really? Master Tighnari confused you for Cyno?" She asked incredulously, "You sure? That's like- impossible."

Razor nods, watching curiously as the other seems stumpted. Eventually, she just sighs.

"Guess he really is getting rusty… or maybe it was just an in-the-moment-thing." She murmurs, glancing back at him, "Though- I guess you could kinda see why: Lightish hair, red eyes,... weird wolf thing going on."

"Wolves are cool," he says resolutely, if not a bit defensively. If this Cyno person liked wolves, then he definitely was fine in his books. Maybe he'd like to talk to him about his Lupical…

"Bunnies are better," Collei says offhandedly, dismissing his words as she returned to her work. He wonders if he should tell her he's eaten a rabbit with his bare hands before.

—

Tighnari knows a lot of people.

It's not too surprising as it seems, considering his connections running all the way back into the Akademiya. Kaveh and Alhaitham are the easiest to reach out to, considering their lower profile presences in Sumeru City (Ignoring the occasional fan Kaveh runs into from time to time). Alhaitham may still work directly with the Akademiya's facilities, but his position as the scribe is low enough not to draw many eyes. Kaveh is a little harder, considering his well-built reputation, but generally easy to get to since-as a freelance architect-he receives mail directly. In the off chance is mail is stuffed fully, he can always just address it to Alhaitham so he can pass the message over. Y'know... considering they ARE married and live together.

Others like Madam Faruzan and Cyno, however, aren't as easily reachable given they're high-ranking continued connection with the Akademiya. Faruzan with her position as a highly-trusted professor and Cyno as-of course-their very own General Mahamatra. He's lucky Cyno's developed a routine of stopping by Gandharva Ville every month or so. If he didn't, he'd be scared that their relationship would be considered more as 'romantical pen-pals' than lovers.

In spite of all this-all this hassle and headache-he still cherishes all his friends deeply.

Which is why he's even willing to consider doing this.

Lisa had left only an hour or so ago, likely meaning she's close to reaching the city borders. She'd left after giving Collei and himself a polite goodbye and spoiling her lovely student with hugs and kisses, the poor boy baring the ministrations down with only one or two complaints. Collei had quickly whisked away Razor to her room once the Librarian had left, prattling on about wood carving or the like.

What she did forget however, as he's come to find out

was

her

fucking

purse.

It's purple and small, engraved with a design likely befitting Mondstadt's culture. She'd left it right beside her discarded luggage, likely forgotten in the beginnings of unpacking. He had gone in her room to drop off a few sanitary items he knew she's need, and found it sitting unassumingly on top of her untouched bedsheets.

Now, something important to know about Lisa is that a) she's never been one to hold off on spending her money freely (something about living life to it's fullest) and b) she used to challenge Alhaitham to drinking contests after finals weeks back in the Akademiya. Alhaitham- who has the alcohol tolerance of three Sumpter Beasts combined. The lady can drink, is what he means to say. And if she's going to be meeting up with Cyno at a bar, he is not about too let her leave a hole the size of a crater in his bank account.

He doesn't like the idea of intruding on whatever meetup Cyno and Lisa have planned, seeing as it did seem business-related, but his sense of responsibility wins out. Maybe if he gets there fast enough, he'll give it back without raising a fuss between the two. Just in and out.

He's already halfway done tugging his boots on, weaving the laces together tightly, when he finally makes up his mind. It's a mostly clear shot to the city from Gandarda Ville, following the merchant's path, but it's still a ways away. He feels a little hesitant, given he's supposed to be watching over Collei and Razor right now, but it shouldn't hurt anyone if he hurries along. 

" Collei, Razor ?" He calls, walking towards Collei's room, "I'm gonna be heading out for a bit, alright? Shouldn't be gone for long. If you need anything, ask-"

His words die in his throat as he steps into the room, his spine going rigid and his senses immediately flying into a frenzy. His fur stands on it's ends, his breath suddenly caught in his throat.

He finds three figures in the room instead of two.

Razor sits on Collei's unmade bed while Collei herself sits on her chair, a half-made carving in her hand, while both stare at him like deer caught in headlights. Above Razor towers a large, wholly imposing figure of a translucent body. It looks half-man half-doggish and completely inhuman. Icy fear shoots through his veins, and all he can do is stare, stock and frozen in place. The smell of despotic ozone stifles his senses like cotton to water, and he can't focus-

"Uh- Master Tighnari?" he hears Collei call out, voice noticeably hesitant, "Are you alright?"

He finally registers Collei now standing beside him, unharmed- thankKusanali -but a little worried. He shuffles to plant himself in front of Collei, his student crying out a in surprise at the sudden move. He summons Hunter's Path forward, feeling the bow materialize in his gloved hand. The Forest Watcher keeps his gaze plane and even, ignoring the thumping of his heart. He feels his tail bristle, ears swiveling back.

"I'm fine Collei," he responds sharply, keeping his eyes on the spirit, "Who is this?"

He feels the wolf(?)'s eyes white eyes bore into him, arms uncrossing as it hunches itself over Razor's figure, as if shielding him from Tighnari's eyes. Has it taken Razor hostage? Is it using him as a vessel, like Collei with the dead God's spirit? They both looked plenty relaxed when he came in, but he can't know for sure. Lisa's gonna skin him if something happens to Razor...

"Ah!" Razor blinks, voice chipper and seemingly completely unbothered by the spirit invading his personal space. "This is Lightning Fang. Collei needed a wolf to draw, so I gave her one. He is a spirit; my friend."

Okay, that explanation didn't make much sense. "Hm." is all he says, keeping his tapetum lucidum eyes fixed on the others. He didn't have the privilege for asking for more about the situation when he was caught in a stare down with the possible remaining soul of a god.

Tighnari curses himself, realizing Cyno's the only person he knows that knows how to seal the remnants of a God's soul. Is it even a dead God?? It certainly feels imposing enough, though it hasn't made a move to claw off his face yet. Instead, it's ears are pinned back and snout twisted in a half snarl. His teeth show slightly, letting out a low, thunderous string of growls. 

The stench of mixed ozone and spices is so strangely familiar, enough that he has to wonder if the spirit is native to Sumeru. There's a strange tang in it, as if a whiff of it's air leaves him with a mouthful of sand-

it's all so... strangely familiar.

The fear. The scent. There are big differences between them of course- Sacred Rite was unequivocally a violent being while Lightning Fang... seemed more restrained. 

"Razor," he suddenly voices out, hoping his voice didn't sound shaky with anticipation, "How did you get this... 'Lightning Fang'?"

The boy tilts his head, confused, "I... what?"

"When you received your vision," it's a stretch it's a stretch it's so unlikely and improbable but- "-did it happen when something bad happened?"

He feels bad for probing the young boy so suddenly, but he needs an answer to this question. He didn't take many spirit related courses back at the Akademiya, but he does know that spirits that manifest in traumatizing situations are very different from ones who intrude on a body that isn't there. Pair that with the similar scents then... then-

"Oh," Razor says, deflating as his eyes cast away, likely remembering something bad. "Lightning Fang... he came when the Abyss hurt me and my Lupical. Both of us fought them off, and he protected me." He idly pats his friend's hand, a bit of the spirit's tension shaking off from his shoulders, "I was very sad but... I was just glad to have Lightning Fang with me."

"Razor..." he hears Collei lament behind him, sympathetic to his sudden admission. He barley registers it as he feels his throat fall to the pit of his stomach.

"Ha..." Tighnari's shoulder's spasm before they sag, the clarification finally dawning on him. Oh Archons, what should he do? He... he has to tell Cyno, doesn't he? Ah, but he has to be careful about it; springing this up on him would probably just met with denial. And he doesn't blame him- he'd only recently accepted his brother's likely demise. The prospect of accepting any information against it would just feel like a step backwards in his healing. Fucking- Archons-

"Master Tighnari...?" Collei tries again, and this time the Forest Watcher turns to her. He smiles kindly at her, mood seemingly completely shifting on it's head.

"Collei, I need to go, okay?" he hopes his impatience to leave isn't as visible as he feels it to be, softly patting her shoulder, "-Lisa left her purse, so I need to go out and return it. You two- erm, three be good now, alright?"

"Oh wait-" she barley catches him speedily walking out of the room, almost ready to break out into a run, "-Master Tighnari! Can me and Razor still go out on a walk? I wanna show him around the forest-" 

"-YesYesDon'tstayouttoolate!" he shouts back, voice distant, "Iloveyoubyeeeee".

He leaves behind a slightly stunned Razor and Collei, the latter scratching her head at her Master's strange behavior. "What's his problem?" she murmured.

"Did he not like Lightning Fang?" Razor asks, voice a little sad and disappointed. Lightning Fang lets out a chuff in annoyance, crossing his arms as he closes his eyes. 

IrritationAnnoyanceDidNotLikeHimEither.

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Chapter Text

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Even while cloaked in early night's darkness, the Avidiya Forest was lit up with growth and life. The buzz of insects and humdrum of animal life creates a symphony of harmony unlike anything he's ever heard.

Razor openly gawks at the rainforest's unadulterated beauty, untouched and unfragmented by human hands. The trees that surround them are as thick as humans are tall, stretching as far as the eye can see. The canopies cover the branches, the shadows of the night and forest hiding where the trees end.

If he knew any better, he'd say the trees never had a top. They just stretched and stretched up, until they touched the sky. These trees- they have to be... at least five years old, right?

"Wow," he breathes, any other intelligible words escaping him as he feels as if his brain had fried. Collei hums a tune and walks ahead of him, barley glancing around and seemingly unbothered by the sheer marvel of nature that surrounds her. Only the bioluminescence of plants lights their path now, street lights left behind back at at village.

"Pretty, isn't it?" She says casually, "They don't have any trees like this back in Mondstadt, I'll tell you."

"You've been to Mondstadt?" Razor questions as he turns back to her, and Collei grins.

"Course I have- how else would I know Amber and Lisa if I didn't?" She kicked a rock, idly twirling what looked to be a carved boomerang, "-Unless anythings' changed since last time I was there, it was all just smooth baby hills. Sumeru's environments on the other hand-"

"-Aren't as friendly?" Razor guessed, the other nodding at his answer.

"You could say that, if you count man-eating plants as unfriendly..." she swayed in place, before suddenly turning around so she could face him, grinning as she stuffed her hand in her bag. "Here! Catch!"

Razor watched as the Forest Ranger tossed something out of her bag, stumbling forward in surprise as he managed to grab the item before it fell. It smelled like greenery and leaves, its shape odd and fruit-like, but not quite...

"Fungus?" He guessed. It looked a little bit like the mushrooms they'd find growing around Mondstadt's porches and buildings, but it looked significantly smaller and was oddly star-shaped. 

"Atta boy!" She snapped her fingers, smirking as she took out another slightly-smaller version of the mushroom from the same bag, "-these little guys are known as Starshrooms, only naturally native to Sumeru. They're considered invasive and rare anywhere else, but super common here."

He hummed in acknowledgement, tilting his head a bit. His reaction is mostly flat on the outside, but you could see the spark of curiosity flashing through his eyes as he inspected the fungi more closely. It was strength that he frowned, sniffing it slightly as mirth crossed his features.

"Is this…" he murmured, "why does it smell…"

"You could already tell, huh?" Collei huffed, seemingly surprised at his quick deduction, before crossing her arms. "-Well, I guess it's in your blood, being an electro vision holder and all. Not all that impressive …" She muttered with a pout. 

"-Anyways, these Starshrooms are set apart by one thing and one thing only: they're activated ." She plucks the mushroom easily from his grip, returning it to the safety of her back. "Unlike their normal counterpart, activated Starshrooms are highly sought after and are considered rare. You need to electrocute a starshroom to activate it, which is pretty hard if you don't fancy getting struck by lightning."

"So you want to… collect these mushrooms?" He asked, face pulled into a sheepish look as confusion plagued him, "I thought we were just out on a walk."

"Well… we technically are." She clarified, "-but! we could also be doing this ! Being productive with our time! Even if I am still a kid, I should be pulling my weight as a soon-to-be official Forest Ranger! It's my future job!"

Razor vaguely recalls some old texts back in Lisa's library, reading something about children and unpaid labor… but he can’t seem to recall it…

"Oh. Good luck then," he says instead, nodding as he tries to muster a small encouraging smile. If Collei really had her heart set on using their outing as a way to get forward in her training, then who was he to stop her? He doesn’t understand the mentality very well himself, seeing as it was an hour or two past dusk and far too late to do any work, but he decides not to scrutinize it out of respect for Collei. That’s the nicer thing to do, right?

Besides, It sort of reminded him a bit of another workaholic Ranger, always excusing herself in a flurry of sheepish smiles and apologies as she moved on to another self-assigned duty. Ah, he wonders what Amber’s reaction will be once he tells her about Collei and him being friends. Even if they were never that close, he’s sure that she’d be happy-

Before he could walk away any further, lost in his own thoughts, he feels a sudden tug at the back of his collar, yelping as he stumbled in place. 

“Hey! Where are you going?!” Collie singsongs, crossing her arms with a raised brow, “- don't go off walking away on your own like that! You’ll get lost! Avidya forest is big and easy to get lost in if you don’t know the proper routes!” she scolded angrily, 

“Sorry…” he murmured, glancing away as he lightly rubbed at his neck. ‘She’s strong…’ he thinks mournfully, lamenting the stretched fabric of his dear scarf. 

Collei scoffs impatiently as she crosses her arms, but turns to look at him with earnest eyes. "It's fine, doesn't matter." She glances up at the canopy of trees above them, clicking her tongue, "We better get started though; we shouldn't stay out past midnight, or Master Tighnari's gonna have my head."

"Uh… I-" he blanched, tongue tied as he shook his head, "- we ?"

Collei looks him dead in the eyes, utterly unamused as she places her hands on her thighs; Razor squirms uncomfortably under her stare. 

"Did you even listen to what I just said? Or are you hard of hearing?" Collei snarled, and Razor simply gazed at her with a choked expression. Hard…of hearing?? What in the world did that even mean??? Sturdy ears????

"Y…yes?" He guessed, hoping his assumption was right. Lisa had always said his senses in general had been above the expected average out of most his age, even a lot of adults. It was one of his most prized features. 

He can't tell if his assumption was right or wrong though, seeing as his answer has only earned him a blank unamused stare and a long drawn out sigh from the shorter, shaking her head as she pinches her nose bridge. 

"Okay. Okay ," she sighs, seeming to simply decide to let go of whatever frustration brewed in her, "Here, I'll make it plane and simple: I need electro-charged mushrooms to make herbs. I've been harassing Cyno into helping me for the past few days he's been here, seeing as any other option involves me getting struck by lighting."

"-Unfortunately for me , he had to go into the city tonight for some business stuff or whatever- probably just used it as an excuse to buy more weekly TCG cards from Pascado's market." she grumbled under her breath, her scent fluctuating with a touch of frustration. "Currently-without counting Miss Lisa-Cyno's really the only well-known electro vision holder in Sumeru."

"Fortunately for me though," he leans forward and pokes at his chest, "-there's another electro user in town, and if he's willing to be just so charitable into helping me-"

"You want me to take his place?" he finished for her, earning him a affirmative nod.

"If you don't wanna do it, you don't have to," Collei admitted with a mutter, looking away, suddenly bashful as she kicked a small pebble on the forest floor, "-but... y'know. I'd be a big help if you did. Just saying..." she pouted. 

Razor huffed, more amused than anything. If Collei really wanted his help, she could have just asked outright!

"I don't mind helping," he said firmly, pulling his mouth back into a thin determined line. "Lightning, I know it best... I can definitely help." It's 

Collei lets out a short 'pfftt-' under her breath, trying to cover her amused grin with her hand. "That sounded so corny." she laughed at his expense, but he could smell the faint airy, peachy relief wafting from her person. At least she's happy...

"Now c'mon!" Collei yelled, grabbing his wrist suddenly and tugging him down the path, squawking at  what seemed to be a display of unexpected strength, "Moonlight's burning out here! Let's go already!"

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Fourteen Years Ago- Somewhere in the Desert

"One hundred nighty-eight... One hundred nighty-nine... two hundred." 

A small boy, no older than fifteen, exclaiming silently as he placed the last coin of Mora on the merchant's wooden crate of a table. The boy sighed in relief, grateful the payment just barley made it. The sun beat down harshly on his fabric covered back, making the bundle tied to his chest feel like a furnace.

"S' quite impressive," the old merchant gruffed out, moving to pocket the pouch of Mora, "-that a street kid like you actually knows how to count to two hundred." Not even middle-class women were taught how to read or write around these parts, let alone children.

The boy seethed, pouting, "I'm not a street kid mister," He warned sternly, eyes sharp and threatening. It would have probably made the man uncomfortable, if the boy wasn't barley five feet tall. 

"I got it, I got it," he muttered, cycling through the steaming food in his stand, "-which one you want?"

"Two beef one's," the boy gestures, inching closer to the fragrant Shawarma's that had been sizzling and out on display. It was like it was being held over his head, like bait on a fish hook, simply calling his name and torturing his empty stomach.

"Two hundred for one," the old vendor clarified, causing the boy to openly gawk.

"Just for one?! You're pulling my teeth- yesterday it was only one hundred each!" he gaped in disbelief, anger stinging through him. The man just shrugged.

"Well now it's two hundred," he deadpanned back, face stony and cold, "Look, you buy it or you don't. If you aren't gonna get anything, I suggest you take your company somewhere else."

The boy muttered a phrase or two under his breath before snatching a singular Shawarma from the man's hold, walking off from the vendor with his face twisted into a scowl. When he was far enough, he found an small wooden stairwell and sat on it's lowest step, letting out a long, tired sigh.

Busy crowds of people passed by, some on or walking beside Desert Sumpterbeasts and other's covered in hoods and fabrics, shielding them from the harsh sun. Specks of green clothing stood out harshly against the sandy environment, naturally making the Akademiya students stand out against the crowd.

"Gods dammit," he muttered under his breath, still feeling sour by the blatant ripoff. "Fucking scholars... fucking price gouging..." 

He had the right to be a little upset, okay? It was only because of all those damned the Sumeru Scholars coming around for their 'yearly projects' in the desert that the prices in the market were so high. Merchants and vendors alike try to take advantage of their naivety in the effort to steal as much Mora from them as possible. It was almost like a yearly tradition, taking advantage of the foreigners was almost like its own holiday.

Most of the locals are unaffected, seeing as they're mostly well-known and respected adults and mercenaries alike, but Cyno's still a 'kid' in their eyes, in spite of being a fifteen years old now. He's fair game, as far as he knows.

His agitated train of thought is cut off by a sudden shuffle by his front, the blanket tied to his chest suddenly squirming with movement. Cyno huffed in amusement, carefully untying the top of the blanket. A small head of silver hair popped up suddenly, scarlet eyes to match his own blinking up at him. 

"Hey Lyco," he mumbled, lips suddenly pulling into an involuntary grin at the sight of his baby brother, "Had a nice nap? Wasn't too hot in there, right?"  He checked him over delicately, wiping off the smear of drool around his chin.

Instead of using words-or generally acknowledging anything he had said-Lyco stretched his limbs out and gave a wide sleepy yawn, digging his fist into his eye socket. Cyno huffed a bit, moving to gently pry the boy's hands from digging into his eye so roughly. 

Well, it's not like he would except an answer anyways. In spite of Lyco's budding age, he hasn't picked up talking yet; a babble here and there, but nothing notable aside that. He'd go as far as to say he rarely ever makes a sound. He'd asked his Ummi about it once, out of worry, but she had simply laughed and said that some babies just took longer to talk.

The toddler scrunched up his nose and sneezed, small muscles twitching in displeasure. He grinned a bit.

"What? Does the Shawarma smell spicy to you?" he asked with a small laugh, untying the brown blanket around his neck. Already one and a half and he's still so small- Cyno can only hope it's just some inherited trait instead of some issue with malnutrition. His parents weren't all that tall, so it has to be normal, right?

It wasn't until the realization passed through his head that his smile gave pause, falling completely before returning, faded and not as wide.

"Ah, I smelled upset to you, didn't I?" he realized with a mumble, "Did that wake you up? I'm sorry."

Predictably, Lyco said nothing, instead staring up at him with knowing eyes. Even if he couldn't talk, he could definitely already start smelling things like Cyno. The older sighed, resisting the urge to smooth over his stressed features.

"Some visitors are coming by the village, and it's messed with the food," he admits, placing his hand on his brother's head and gently rubbing at his soft features, "-but it's okay, alright? Big brother's gonna get both of us through this, and everything will be alright once Ummi and Abbi come back from their trip."

He can only hope it doesn't come down to stealing. He'll do it if he has to- but if he's caught, the Corps of Thirty will probably cut off his fingers as punishment. Desert Code and all that.

Cyno hummed, setting the Shawarma open on his lap, leaning out one arm to pull the toddler right up against him, "Here, let's split it like this, so we can both eat from it!"

It wasn't enough- it wasn't nearly enough for the both of them, but it'd have to do. Naturally, he'd give Lyco most of it, at least more than half- Archons forbid is he gonna let his baby brother starve on purpose. Cyno will just have to barley cut it again today, probably find some thrown out food or something.

"Think m' gonna be heading off into the desert again today," he muttered, savoring the chunk of meat he threw in his mouth, "-hopefully we can find any Scarabs that could sell. See if we can get a bigger meal tomorrow, hm?" he asserted hopefully.

In spite of his prospective words, Cyno doesn't have a whole lot of confidence he'll find anything worthwhile. The summer heat was especially harsh at this point and he was still felt weak from yesterday's empty stomach. It wasn't like there was much else he could do though...

"Let's hope Ummi and Abbi are close to coming back, yeah?" he said brightly, hoping their parent's adventure was close to finishing. "Who knows, maybe they'll finally bring a few of your own toys now, yeah?" he suggested, grinning down at his brother. He ate messily and uncoordinatedly, but with a ferociousness of one of the stray dogs milling around the town, not knowing when it's next meal would be.  

His smile fell a bit.

Gently, he slowly leaned forward and carefully combed his fingers through the smaller's hair, knots and loose hair coming undone. Lyco hummed silently as he finally slowed his chewing, leaning his head into the older's calloused hand. A small smile tugged onto Cyno's lips.

"You're hair's tangled again," he hummed, the smaller simply squinting up at him with big red doe eyes, "-don't worry. I'll comb it out for you when we get home, okay?"

—

Cyno has never thought his life to be particularly important.

His Ummi and Abbi are adventure junkies who were completely fine with leaving him and his brother alone for weeks on end, leaving them to fend for themselves. They're aware enough to leave them some Mora before they depart, but it's usually never enough to last longer that a week or so.

He had to pull his weight to put food in their mouths during those long few weeks, often trekking the desert to scavenge and sell whatever he comes across. It's not the most efficient way to get money, sure, but there's not a lot of jobs out there that allow him to have Lyco wrapped around his chest at all times. Leaving him at home-in his crib-isn't an option either. 

So here he is, willingly trekking the desert almost every other day on some of the hottest days of the month.

Some would call it foolish- a death wish, even. But Cyno knows his limits, knows the desert's landscape like the back of his hand at this point. He comes out and searches because he's confident he's not going to get himself hurt.

So finding someone else out here, by their lonesome, was certainly an unexpected surprise.

Cyno hadn't even spotted them-the flat planes of sandy hills allow people to see miles ahead-instead, he had heard a faint, almost echoing sound. He'd been hesitant to even approach the noise, tightening a hand around the bundle Lyco was wrapped in around his front, shielding him from the blowing sands, but the distinct smell of a destress urged him forward.

"Hey-" a voice suddenly called, far younger than he'd been excepting, "-hey! is someone up there?!"

"Stop yelling," he hissed, sensitive ears making him wince. He could hear shuffling noises from inside the darkened crevice, likely looking up at him.

"Oh thank Archons- I thought I was a goner for sure!" the man sheepishly laughed, relief wafting from him in waves. He couldn't see all that well down it, but he could make out

"What are you doing here?" he probed, "-And why in the world would 

"Well, incase you can't tell-" sounds of shifting rung from the hole, "-I'm stuck; I didn't choose to be here. I was far too curious about the desert and it's biodiversity, and I- ha... wanted to explore some of it to gander at it's ecosystem. Didn't except to get lost though..."

"Sounds tough," Cyno murmurs, letting out a long sigh but gets on his knees, carefully removing his supplies and Lyco's bundle to rest on the soft sand, unwilling to have him near in case of an accident. He might not be the most generous of persons, but he's not cruel enough to leave the man to the jaws of dehydration. Or starvation. Or heatstroke. Whatever came first, he supposed.

He bends down and lays himself flat against the sand, wincing as the exposed parts of his body burned against the scorching sands. Unlike the heels of his feet, his nerves haven't been burned off from constantly walking over the scorching sands of the desert. He haphazardly extends his right arm down the hole, gripping onto the rough edges of the rocky crevice with the other. "Grab on," he demands.

The man didn't need to be told twice, apparently. "Ah, thank you so much," He eagerly clutched his extended hand, gripping it tightly as he began to haul him up, "-seriously. Please, let me treat you to something when I make it back to my temporary residence. It's the least I could do."

He grunted in acknowledgement, ignoring the jump in his heart at the prospect of getting more food. "that's very kind of you sir," he responded politely, idly noting just how strangely soft the man's palms were. It was a little strange... considering no one from the desert... had... soft hands...

Wait a second.

"You're... new to the desert?" he asked, shifting in place, "or uh, 'temporary re-sidence' was it..." With the way this guy was talking, using words like 'biodi-whatsitsname' and 'eco-whatever', he has a sneaking suspicion that-

Finally, he was able to drag the man fully out of the hole. Cyno tried very fiercely to try to mask his horror.

A boy, no taller than him, climbed out with a sigh of relief. He had pale flushed skin, rich black hair that reflected blue under the sun's light, with two large pink ears sagging atop his head. His eyes reflected strangely against the light, crinkled up in relief, the scent of a strange foreign flower overwhelming him,-

-and the easily recognizable uniform of a scholar, albeit a bit tattered.

"Oh, yes! I'm a new scholar from the Akademiya; I'm studying under Amurta right now and this is my first project." he responded happily, dusting off his gown. He looked a bit scuffed up in general, actually, "goodness it is hot out here. What were you even doing out here? Were you traveling across-"

"I'm leaving, actually" Cyno responds blankly. "right now. Goodbye."

"Wait- what?!" the man- scholar almost screams, "Hey hey! Wait up- did I say something wrong?! Do you not want a meal now?!"

His stomach flips sadly at the notion of skipping a meal so kindly offered to him, but his pride wins out, "Keep your food. I don't associate with Akademiya students."

Realization seems to cross the mans expression, crossing his arms as his face steels, "Oh I see what this is," he almost hisses, "-and what gives you the right to judge me so, hm? Why do you decide I'm a bad person just because I don't hail from here."

"I don't need to explain myself to you," he says simply, barely keeping the bitterness from his tone as he turns away. "I've helped you already. I'm done here."

"Hey- wait-!" the scholar seems to panic a bit, following him as he returns to his stuff,"-y-you can't leave me alone out here!" he protested, "I don't know the way back!"

"Not my problem," he says soundly, already rearranging his stuff in preparation to leave. If he were any less of a man (and a bit more spiteful) he would have dropped the scholar back into the hole the moment he recognized that green uniform. "Aren't you some academic genius? Figure it out yourself."

"Why you-!"  the man hissed in frustration, before exhaling loudly and pinning his ears back. "-Fine. I get it. You're not obligated to help me, and I thank you for getting me out of that hole," he pinched the bridge of his nose, "-at least let me see a map? please? So I can find my own way back."

Cyno grinds his teeth as he stuffs a compass back in his pocket, silently contemplating. Ire and spite bite at his shins and urge him to refuse, to let the feeble scholar fend for himself, and yet...

"My backpack." he mumbles, refusing to look his way, "Inside. Swipe anything and I cut your fingers off."

"Thank you," he hears the man sigh in relief, already bending down to rifle through his pile of haphazardly thrown stuff, "And don't worry, I'm smarter than be willing to steal from- ow!"

Cyno turns sharply at the boy's outcry, eyes widening in shock. Lyco's blanket had seemingly come undone, catching and tugging down at the unsuspecting fox's ear. He looked up at the man's ears and tail in fascination and wonder, eyes sparkling in curiosity.

"Ah-! Hey hey, let go-!" the scholar yelped, holding his hands up with a grimace but hesitating on actually touching him. Cyno races over and scoops up Lyco's blanket along with him, effectively peeling the boy from him.

"Lyco!" he reprimands lightly, adjusting him in his arms. The small toddler still has his hands extended towards the Sumerian scholar, babbling unintelligibly as his eyes sparkle with intrigue.

"Sure is feisty, huh?" the man tries to laugh sheepishly, grimacing as he pats down the pulled tip of his ear. "Not the first time it's happened, but it still hurts..."

"He likes dogs." Cyno replies evenly, trying not to panic as he carefully looks over the smaller boy for any signs of injury. He seems completely unscathed, smiling toothlessly as he lets out a high pitched 'Mmmmh!'.

Cyno sighs quietly, relieved. He should have been more careful. Archons knows what he'd do if Lyco got hurt out here...

The scholar crosses his arms, huffing indignantly, "I'm a fox, actually-" he responds evenly, before his eyes widen, "Wait waitwait- a child? Out here?" he asks, bewildered as the realization comes to him, "why in the world would you be carrying a child out here?!"

"None of your business," he bites back, immediately defensive. He gets up and straps Lyco back to his chest, starting to walk back in the other direction he had come from, "Now go home. Or wherever you came from. You've bothered me enough."

"Ah!- Hey wait!" the scholar scrambles after him, tripping on the sand a bit as he catches up to him. "Okay okay, I'm sorry for probing about your life- but you haven't let me look at your map! Please sir!"

Cyno barley resists the urge to roll his eyes, but pauses in his trek nonetheless with a sigh. He opens the side of his bag and stuffs his hand into it, haphazardly shoving it into the man's hands. "Hurry up," he demands simply, adjusting Lyco against his chest. The toddler seemed restless now after getting so much excitement, refusing to sit still as he attempted to reach for the scholar again.

Cyno clicked his tongue and snaked his hand in his back, taking out a three carved bones tied together by twine; an old toy of his passed down to Lyco. He gently shakes it in front of the baby, effectively stealing his attention onto the trinket as he made a small-fisted grab for it. He brought the toy up to his mouth, teething at it with vigor as he calmed against him. Cyno hummed with satisfaction, passing a gentle hand through the boy's silver lockes.

"You're a natural," the scholar stated then, Cyno whipping his head up to him as he glared, "how old is he? Is he yours?"

"I'm sixteen," he snarls, aforenoted at the assertion. Did people from the rainforest just think desert boys just went off and got people pregnant like- like animals?!

The scholar throws his hands up in mock surrender, sheepishly laughing, "Ah- sorry sorry! You just look really old for your age, I thought you were nineteen or something! Honest!"

Cyno scoffed but back down, untensing as he stuffed his hands in his pocket. Here he was, wasting his time in the middle of the desert-emptyhanded, no scarabs in sight-with some scholar that's begging for his help. What a joke.

"I'm fifteen-"

"Are you done?" Cyno cuts in, leveling the boy a stare. Bravely, the man doesn't seem to wither under his harsh stare, simply staring back with a hum. 

"Yes, but..." he turns the map, signaling a finger towards the red circles scribed into the parchment, "-may I know what this is exactly?"

Cyno sighed but relented; the boy was already wasting his time, why not indulge his curiosity? "It's where I know scarabs reside," he says simply, "they're rare bugs that sell for a lot; I was supposed to be getting some today but... I got a bit caught up with something..."

Instead of looking any way guilty, the boy just blinked, before something dawned on his face. "Oh," he said simply digging into his own bag, "-you mean these?"

And just like that, he removes his hand to show a brown beetle-like bug, it's patterns on it's back and sandstone scent uncanny to that of a scarab. Cyno's eyes widen like saucers, carefully taking the bug as it was offered to him.

"What-" he said, stuck in disbelief, "-how did you even-?!"

"They had a very peculiar scent, and I found this one down there," the man says simply, before shrugging, "didn't realize they were so sought after."

Cyno smiles then, almost laughing at the sheer craziness of it all, "Their scents- how did you manage to notice it through the sand?!"

"What? Was it supposed to be hard to spot?" he asks genuinely, "I was going to put them in a proper terrarium when I got back, probably bring it back with me to my dorm, but if you really need it, I can get more for you."

"Really?" Cyno asks, incredulity plaguing his scent. Could... could this guys really do that? Just find them like that?

He nodded, head cocking to the side, "On two conditions,"  he says simply, "One: you help me get back to the village. And two-"

He leans forward, grinning, "-you help me complete my project here in the desert."

"Seriously?" he almost balks, shaking his head a bit, "Sorry scholar, but I'm not exactly a shining boy genius like you. I can't even read or write, only count-"

"Great!" he grins, "-then I can teach you while were at it! And don't worry about it; I'm just studying things like culture and nature in the desert. Stuff like constellations and animals, easy word of mouth stuff."

"Still..." he murmurs, suddenly feeling sheepish, "-are you certain about this-?"

"I'll pay for your meals if you say yes-"

"Deal." Cyno said quickly, not missing a beat. The scholar smiled, extending a hand towards him.

"My name is Tighnari," he exclaimed politely. Cyno took his hand, shaking it confidently.

"Cyno," he responded. 

This 'Tighnari' grinned in satisfaction, "It's nice to be working with you then, Cyno. I hope we can get along well."

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Present Day- Sumeru City (22:30)

Cyno walked through the busy streets of Sumeru, the nightlife buzzing as vendors tried to sell the last of their wears for the today. There's dense crowds of people milling about the streets, most likely coming to or out of a tavern; other's getting ready for their long upcoming night shifts.

It's plenty dark out already, the sky loosing it's final blue shades before it sinks into the inky black night sky. He maintains a slow yet steady pace, steering clear of the more populated sides of the street.

Eventually, his feet come to a stop beneath him as he makes it to his destination. Above him hung a creaking wooden sign, carved painted letters lit up by the streetlight:

‘Puspa Cafe’

It's new and refurbished, quaint but well-beloved among the Sumeru population. It used to be a popular tavern a lot of scholars frequented, given it's discount granted to students. Lisa and Kaveh would always throw the largest 'get-together's there, coercing their juniors into tagging along.

It's old name? 'A Lone Dog'.

He entered in quietly, the sound of a bell chime ringing as the door closed behind him. It was moderately, seeing as the Cafe always sold alcoholic drinks past working hours for most. The atmosphere was jovial and light-hearted and warm, a stark contrast to his stone-faced self. 

He didn't stay idle for long though- not when he caught a flash of purple off the corner of his eye and the distant smell of lavenders.

Cyno approached slowly, observing the other hum merrily as she sipped on a glass of wine, seemingly enjoying herself. A small woven backet of bread stood untouched in the middle of the table. Cyno said nothing as he moved to take his seat, his old acquaintance making no show of acknowledging his presence.

Finally, after a prolonged sip of red wine, Lisa took in his appearance and smiled gingerly. 

"Hello Cyno," she greeted happily, looking just as young as he'd previously seen her, "You're looking well. I hope you don't mind me getting started, hm?"

"Lisa," he acknowledged with a nod, "-And I don't mind. I already ate." He glanced silently at the already three large bottles of empty wine on the table. 

"You're such a dear," she chuckled, “But you know, for being such a hopeless romantic, you sure do like to keep a lady waiting,” Lisa hummed, waving around her almost empty cup of red wine. 

“I’m not a ‘hopeless romantic’,” Cyno refuted flatly, “Nor do I like ladies.”

Lisa sighed, “Oh, I know.” she mused, “But you are hopeless. So chronically unromantic- I truly do wonder how Tighnari fell for you in the first place.”

Neither do I, he thinks. It’d taken a solid fifteen years for them to officially start dating; how Tighnari had the patience to wait for him was a very real mystery. He doesn’t want to give Lisa the satisfaction of his admittance though, so he simply sits and crosses his arms.

“Let it be said that I would apologize for my tardiness, in the case that I was actually late ,” he shoots back, cocking his head to the side, “I can only guess you got here an hour or so earlier than me for the sake of getting plastered as fast as possible, correct?”

“Aw , that is quite a cruel assumption Cyno,” Lisa pouted, unapologetically finishing the wine in her cup and proceeding to refill it, “-has time aged your sense of respect? What if I had just been feeling a little stressed is all? Where’s your regard for your seniors?”

He fights a twitch of his eye, “Stop talking like that,” he says simply, “It makes you sound like Kaveh.” It’s not that he doesn’t like Kaveh- he’s miles more tolerable than his forsakened mountain of a husband, but the very thought of Lisa taking up his touchy personality makes him almost physically ill. Having one Kaveh around is definitely enough...

“It does? Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve heard of him- last I heard of him was when he was announced to be the leading architect behind the Palace of Alcazarzaray.” She grins brightly, and Cyno can almost feel the sense of proudness emanating from her. “Ah I knew that boy would do amazing things one day. How is he?"

"Fine, I believe," he says evenly, "I haven't gotten the chance to talk to him in a while, so I wouldn't know for certain." He may be on vacation time right now, but his usual working hours usually almost peeked around thirteen hours per day, not accounting for any overtime. It was a little difficult, planning meet-ups around such a demanding schedule.

"Ah, well it's a great thing I'm here then!" Lisa cheered happily, "I was thinking about having all of us a small get-together again. You know, just like old times! I'm dying to know what you've all been up to as of late."

"That sounds like a nice idea," he admits with a small smile. 

"Well," Lisa sighs peacefully, smoothing out the fabric around her front, "-that's enough with the pleasantries, I suppose. You turned in the letter I sent you to your superiors, correct?"

Cyno tries not to balk in surprise.

"Yes," he confirms, a little stunned as to the other's knowledge of his own protocol. "How-"

"Perfect," she hums lightly, a smile dancing on her lips. "That means they'll be wanting a report on what exactly happens here tonight as well; what we talk about, perhaps any new projects I've been taking on in Mondstadt that they'd be curious about, anything. Though, it'll be a little disappointing to them once they know all I've been doing as of late is drinking tea and getting mad at my employees."

"Lisa?" he questions, failing to follow her train of thought exactly. He doesn't get a good feeling from this.

"So," she says, setting down her pint of wine, seemingly ignoring his plea for clarification, "-here's what's gonna happen. You'll be telling your 'friends' at the Akademiya all about tonight, and about how the great High Sorceress whined on and on about her recent failings as a person and how she's fallen into the troughs of addiction -"

"Lisa," he voices, "What is the meaning-"

"-Ah ah ah." She chides softly, gesturing towards her lip, "You haven't even let me finish General. Isn't it rude to cut a lady off?"

A series of small quiet taps from the other's heel resounding quietly against his leg. He picks them up easily, and the code encrypted in the pauses and thirteen taps make him freeze up.

'K-E-E-P S-T-I-L-L'

'W-A-T-C-H-I-N-G U-S'

Horror settles over his shoulders, pressing against him as he forces himself not to react outwardly. He keeps his eyes still and his face slack, but feels his heart start to thump rythmatically.

Cyno ducks his head slightly, inclining his hair to cover his eyes to shadow the glint in his red eyes. He chances a glance across the tables around them, coworkers and friends loudly conversing and laughing without a care in the world, but he can’t spot anyone who'd he'd assume would be listening in on them. The warm and lively atmosphere of the bar now sits uncomfortably in his gut, no longer feeling at ease.

"Lisa," he asks, voice steady, "what is going on?"

Lisa hums, suddenly appearing loose and carefree again as she swishes the vibrant wine in her glass. "Why, whatever do you mean, General? I'm just an old retired geezer who's badgered an old antisocial friend of hers out for a few drinks. Nothing else."

"Can they hear us?" He asks, because he needs to be certain of this. 

"No." Lisa says with conviction, and Cyno lets a slight bit of tension ebb away from his shoulders. "-I'm most certain of that. It would be hard for an Akademiya member to get close enough to overhear anything, given the fact that the General Mahamatra is well-known for his unbeatable senses. Looking, however, is fine."

"The Akademiya-? ! Why would they be watching you?" He asked, extremely confused and exasperated.

Lisa places her chin between her fingers as she hums contemplatively. "Why wouldn't they, really? However-disregarding the letters I kept burning from them-having the High Sorceress meeting with the General Mahamatra so suddenly must be quite a nerve-wracking situation for them, right?"

"Lisa." he demands now, voice clear and stern, "tell me what's going on. What are you trying to rope me into?"

Her reaction to his words is unexpected, the Favonious Librarian turning her eyes downward and pinching her lip, as if perhaps feeling a slight bit of guilt. "I-... I apologize, Cyno. I never meant to keep anything from you maliciously." She sighs, running a gloved hand over the side of her face, and the gesture of clear stress quells his anger into a hushed simmering. 

"I just… need to say this right. To explain it properly for you to understand. You might hear things that'll upset you, but you must swear to me that everything that I say tonight will stay here."

His heart hammers against his chest, guilt piercing through him. "Lisa…" Cyno sighs, tone serious, "You know that I cannot promise this. If the Akademiya really is involved, I- as the General Matra- must see to it that-"

"Then I am not asking you as a General Mahamatra, Cyno," she all but pleads, and it catches him significantly off guard. He's never… heard her sound like this. "-I'm asking you as a friend . Anything you don't want to do, you don't have to, but I request of you to simply hear me out ."

Cyno digs his nails into the meat of his palms, biting his tongue as his emotions toil away inside him. 

"Fine," he admits, sighing frustratingly as he combs a hand through the strands of his white hair, "- fine . I'll hear what you have to say." 

"Thank you," Lisa replies, her words soft and sincere. "Truly, I am."

Cyno sighs, leaning back as he crosses his arms. "Just… explain what's going on already. What do you need from me?"

Cyno doesn't really know just what Lisa wants or has done, but he has a few guesses. None of them are particularly favorable, but they are probable realities nonetheless, and he cannot exclude them as much as he wishes to.

Of all the things he expects Lisa to say, however, he does not-in a million years-expect the Librarian to say what she says:

"I need you to ruin my reputation for me."

Cyno blinks for a second, then for five, before balking at her openly as he hisses a simple "what? "

Lisa sighs, tapping her drums against the table. "Let me lay it out," she interjects, "The Knight's of Favonius' Librarian is simply so unhappy and guilt-ridden at the state of her life because of the unfortunate luck with being forced to retire early. In her sadness, she attempts to cheer herself up by contacting an old friend of hers for a night out for drinks."

"-However, she acts and talks so unprofessionally to the General about her state of affairs that he is appalled and reports it immediately to the higher ups. They are disappointed, of course, but not too surprised. It's made clear that she has passed the prime of her life. Her previously published work continues to be respected and highly prided, but she is no longer viewed as a viable scholar that could aid in much work for the Akademiya nowadays- meaning she is also no longer contacted for the sake of furthering research."

"So…" Cyno drawls, raising his brow, "You want me to lie to the High Sages… for the sake of ruining your image and get the Sages off your back?" 

This discussion, this situation- it all seems so fucking insane. Why any scholar-especially one as renowned as Lisa-would want to purposely tarnish their name is implausible to reason. It's as good as a death sentence. 

Lisa simply nods, smiling good-naturedly as if she hadn't just asked for reputation-suicide. "That's exactly what I want you to do, yes." Her eyes crinkle, as if conveying a silent 'atta boy'.

"But why?" He asks incredulously, far too baffled to even consider the repercussions of such a ploy. Some scholars from the Akademiya would kill to have the kind of notoriety the High Sorceress had earned herself. Even years into her retirement, Lisa is regarded as one of Sumeru's most ingenious scholars in the past two hundred years. That's almost half as long as Lesser Lord Kusanali has been around!

Lisa huffs out a short sigh, and it's only then does he notice the tendrils of deep exhaustion seep into her demeanor. Her shoulders remain stressed and tense, even as she takes another sip of her wine.

"Please refrain from judging me for my words, General," she sighs, "-but the Akademiya is… a very imperious power, if you haven't noticed. It commands you to dedicate your life, your blood, and your whole self for the sake of its progression. It's an innocent darkness that can drag you down without realizing it. Like an army, a king does not think twice about what his soldier's lives must be like back at home." she mutters with irritation, "The only thing they wish to see is how fast they can kill a man when commanded to."

"When I left the Akademiya… I truly did not know what to do with myself." She laments softly with a plastered smile, refusing to look him in the eyes as she trained them to her lap, "-I had tied myself so closely to my work, my accomplishments that when I had to step down… I felt as though my life had been wasted. All of my wishes and dreams… simply gone."

Her melancholic expression lit up slightly, her smile slightly more genuine as it eased on her face. "But as time passed, more experiences opened my eyes. I got to see the small, domestic parts of life that I would have never gotten the chance to experience."

"I got to know and love the people around me without restraint, and… I had never felt quite as free as I had then." She grins widely, "I think I learned far more about myself than I ever would have if I stayed in the Akademiya. And for that, I'm beyond grateful."

Cyno nodded, and it's only then that he can't help but feel as though he's staring at the Librarian through the other side of the glass. He wonders if things would have gone differently in his life, if he would have gotten the chance to be in Lisa's shoes now: failing in fulfilling the great potential of the Akademiya… yet ultimately… happy. 

A small longing tugs at his chest, an unknown, unidentifiable emotion filling him. Images flash in his head of a young Collei, bashfully showing him a jagged wood carving rabbit she made. She was always so shy at the end of the day, even when she acted like a spitfire. She had flushed a bright red when he fervently praised her work.

He imagines a young teen Tighnari, teaching a skittish white-haired desert boy how to read and write  in the middle of a barren, dusty living room. In return, the white-haired boy points out the constellations and gleefully tells him of their tales, bright-eyed yet hushed as he tries not to disturb the toddler swaddled on his side. 

He imagines Tighnari and Collei, as they are now, greeting him as their smiles warming him like sunlight. Full and bright.

He imagines a small boy, a choppy silver head of hair and bright large red eyes peering up at him as he watched his brother cry silently, staring forlornly at the front door that had long since been closed. The older stubbornly wipes his tears, inhaling and exhaling sharply, before he turns to face the boy with a broad and rejuvenated smile.

"Alright Lyco, sunlight's burning here so no more standing around! Let's get to work, alright?"

Cyno's grip tightened on the fabric of his pants, knuckles whitening with force. He feels lightheaded.

'No use in thinking such things'.

The past is in the past, and his decisions have already been made. The gods have dealt him this fate for a reason, and all things considered, things could be much worse. He's lucky to be here, alive and healthy in spite of all the odds.

And Cyno makes due with this. He has to.

"I'm happy to hear that you've found peace," Cyno voices with a sigh, sincerity present in his tone. It's the least Lisa deserved, really, after all she's gone through. "-But I still fail to see what exactly this has to do with ruining your reputation. I mean, just why do you want to do all this in the first place? To go to such an extent?"

Lisa hums, seeming to expect the question. "You remember the letters I mentioned? The one's that I was receiving from the Akademiya?"

"The ones you admitted to burning ?" He drawls, completely unimpressed. If Lisa hadn't retired and professionally disassociated herself from the Akademiya on a professional standard, her actions could actually technically still count as a crime.

"Correct! Those." She says all too happily. Quickly, though, her expression flickers with an unreadable, more serious emotion, leaning forward against her elbows. "I'm going to pass you a small piece of paper. I need you to electrocute it for a second and hold it up to your nose."

She slid over her hand, pretending to grab a salt shaker before slipping a small piece of parchment from between her fingers. Cyno raised an eyebrow, but carefully took the piece nonetheless.

He did as she instructed, and sent sparks of Electro dancing across his fingers. The paper singed around the edges, and he delicately held up the paper against his nose.

The Mahamatra immediately started coughing roughly, the sudden overwhelming scent of rot and garlic fraying his nerves. He doubled over slightly on the table, hands gripping the edge of the cloth as he hacked loudly. The Librarian leaned over to pat him on the back, pretending as if he had just choked on something.

As the coughing ebbs away, a realization bubbles through him as his voice goes shaky, "That- that was-"

Lisa hums silently, nodding. "Poison." She stated simply. "The Akademiya, somehow, had figured that I was burning their correspondence on their project invites. Maybe after a good batch of ten letters, they had to resort to unwarranted methods." Her voice seemed slightly dark yet unreadable. "My student's friends almost burned the letter on my orders. Nothing too bad would have happened, granted the small quantity, but…"

Lisa's words trail off, but Cyno still nods in understanding. Dread toils in his gut, at the prospect of having anyone poisoned on the Akademiya's orders, especially children.

" I understand," he confirms with a long sigh. Cyno clenches his teeth, understanding the older’s sentiments a little bit more clearly. Lisa was a hardened lady- not easily driven into action by fear or intimidation- but this...

"Do you really?" Lisa hums, cocking her head to the side with a curious probing gaze, "Then you must know why they would do such a barbaric thing in the first place."

Cyno, eyeing the paper's ashened remains scattered on the table, stays silent. He doesn't want to say it- doesn't want to believe it.

Lisa doesn’t wait for a response. She leans forward a bit, mutedly speaking by his ear, "It was to send a message to me; for me to know that I cannot ignore them anymore."

Cyno can't help but feel the hair on the back of his neck stand, a sense of coiling dread sinking on his shoulders. The Akademiya has used such methods on a few select occasions, but… to use it on a well respected scholar such as the High Sorceress ?

"You…" Cyno says, his voice lost in his sound reaction, "-you are certain of this?"

Lisa pressed her mouth into a thin line, "I give you my word, Cyno. I wouldn't lie about something like this," She hails, and Cyno can smell the true sincerity in her lilac scent. He sighs, ducking his head as he passes a rough hand over it. What were they thinking?

"I acknowledge their reaction… was woefully unwarranted, and that it is in your prerogative to not listen to their wishes now that you are retired," he sighs and meets her gaze, still hesitant on prodding her for answers, "But why not just accept their proposal in the first place, even just for a single visit? I truly doubt your 'accident' impaired your skills as a scholar. Why not just give them what they want and be done with it?"

"It's very simple actually," she hums, sipping her wine, "You give an inch, they take a mile. Who knows what kind of other things they would have been able to coerce me into doing after I had given into their pleas. It's called the 'foot-in-the-door' method."

"Besides" she sighs, "I didn't want to give the satisfaction of scaring me into doing anything. The only reason I am even here is... well..." Lisa seems to mull something over, gazing at nothing in particular as she shrugged, "-it's for my student's sake. His peace of mind, at least."

The air around Lisa changes, as if the immediate thoughts following his question had loosened some of the tension in her shoulders. She leans towards him, as if preparing herself. 

"Cyno," she sighs, tiredly, "I'm trusting you, right now, to not say anything about this to anyone- it's not something illegal stop looking at me like that ."

Cyno mentally rolls his eyes but relents, taking the emotional tone in her voice as evidence enough of her statement being true. "My lips are sealed." He condemns assuredly. Lisa nods, appreciably. 

"For the past year or so…I have taken a student under my wing." Lisa admits, and he catches her fidgeting with her nails. Lisa-Highest Sorceress of Sumeru- fidgeting . "Only recently have I decided to take him in as my protégé. Officially, that is; he'll carry my credentials, if he so wishes to."

"Oh," Cyno says, unexpectedly stunned. He feels a bit of relief seep through him, thankful her admittance would be to something actually illegal.

"...Congratulations." He asserts, though he can tell from her scent that she's still worried. "And is this… a bad thing?"

"No, of course not, it's-" she breathes in slowly, expelling the air harshly. "It's completely great, actually. But- don't you understand the kind of notoriety that comes with a scholar picking up a student like this? Especially, oh I don't know- one with a reputation like my own?"

Cyno doesn't bat an eye, humming plainly as he assesses her question. "I'd imagine the Akademiya would be quick to invite said students to their roster, based on their teacher's notoriety alone. It's quite common for it to happen, actually." 

It's fairly common for big figures in the Sumeru community to have their children attending the Akademiya, seeing as the school is much more lenient with acceptance if it means having another renowned scholar's next of kin continue their legacy. It's not a rule that Cyno favors very much, seeing as anyone had the potential to succeed through the Akademiya's doors, but he can’t do much about it past personal ire.

"That's exactly my point," Lisa says resolutely, as if Cyno's own point can answer his questions. "I'm not letting an institution pressure my own disciple into joining their school just because of his connection to me. He still has so much left to learn, he's still so behind..."

"Again, how is this a negative?" He questioned, genuinely confused, "If anything, having access to the facilities in the Akademiya could prove beneficial, especially if he is-as you say-'behind' in any way." Sure, the Akademiya had it's batch of faults and struggles, but it provided a lot of great opportunities to some who may not have formally had any. It has plenty of pros, if you can handle the workload.

Lisa, however, clearly disagrees with him as she sported a look of disbelief. "Cyno," she breathes, "I simply cannot comprehend how you yet still idolize that place as if it has not stripped you of who you are."

He crosses his arms, feeling slightly uncomfortable and a little inflamed. Lisa doesn’t know much about his origins, so the words obviously aren't supposed to be as harsh as they are, but her words remain accusatory.

"Watch your words," he warns, but sighs tiredly as he sags in his seat. He accepts it, how this is just something they'll never see eye-to-eye on. "The Akademiya may have a… strict code of conduct, but is well respected for its values and advancement in technology in Sumeru. Being in its admittance role is an honor for many, a great opportunity for most."

"The Akademiya's system has lead to multiple suicides on record Cyno ," she states factually and, in spite of the strained stony look she sports, there's a strange look of horror in her eyes, "Every year, at least two lives-on average-are snuffed out because of the kind of sickening environment the Akademiya promotes. And for what?"

"Lisa," he warns, voice turning stern, unwilling to start this conversation. He doesn't like it any better, the cracks that run through the Akademiya's sturdy structure, but it's unrealistic to blame it on a malevolent desire. He really doesn't want to talk about this...

Lisa smiles then, jaw tense and smile strained. "Aw, my apologies. That was supposed to be a secret, wasn't it? All tidy and covered up under a dirty, dirty rug." She grinds her teeth together, practically inhaling a heavy mouthful of wine. Despite her smile, the pungent scent of unrestrained anger wafts from the other.

"I do wonder-" she continues, "were they even properly grieved? So many nameless unmarked graves, and for what? For what, Cyno?"

"The dogs of Sages in the Akademiya are chasing their own tails in their endless search for wisdom, all while killing innocent lives while at it." She states coldly, "It'll only be a matter of time before those high and mighty sages learn exactly what price of knowledge they've been missing:"

"There are no achievements left to reach, with the state of that school. 'Wisdom' is dead and they've created a mindless factory for men who cannot escape their mortality."

"How can you say that?" he breathes, far too stunned with shock to let anger take control of him. "Your words defy the whole purpose of the Akademiya- the defiling of the God of Wisom's truths."

" The God of Wisdom is dead, Cyno ." Lisa states simply, factually. "Has been dead for a very long time, and the one that was supposed to take her place has been failed by the very institution made to follow her. The Akademiya has done nothing for its Archon, other than willingly kill their own children."

Frustration hounds at his nerves, and he can feel Sacred Rite perk up at the tumultuous state of his emotions. He needs to calm himself down before this goes any further.

"You're drunk Lisa." He decides then, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. "And you're taking out your ire on me."

"Am I now?" Lisa scoffs tensely, taking another sip of her wine. How many bottles has she had already? "Please, you know me better than that."

"Do I now?" He shoots back, mocking her own words, "Because I can't place your instigatory words on any other scale. I- Why even bring this up? What is the point "

Lisa roughly places her wine glass down, fury burning in her eyes.

"I bring this up because I refuse to have my child be pressured into becoming something he is not." she spits, "I refuse to let them willingly break him down to his smallest core and throw away the pieces once they realize they simply can't remold him into their desired image. I refuse to let them have him- I won't- I won't let them-"

Lisa seems to suddenly stop her ravings with a breathless shaky inhale, leaning back and pressing her face fully against both of her gloved hands. 

And Cyno... is more stunned than he is upset. He always thought of Lisa as infallible, untouchable, with her mask of a smile and her unbothered attitude. Even after the most brutal of midterms and criticisms, she always wore a winning smile afterwards.

Now... now she looked as if she might start crying. 

"General," she breathes gently, voice much softer than before, "My boy… his situation is very special. He hasn't had a… traditional upbringing like most, and is delayed in what many would consider academic concepts." She explained, "He isn't fit for a traditional education, let alone such an advanced one like the Akademiya. If he's forcefully emitted into the school... Archons, it won't lead to anything good..."

"I did not take on my pupil because he is the smartest in the room. I did not take him under my wing because he could make sense of the math behind constellation-tracking. I did not take him in because I wished to 'continue my legacy' in any meaningful way past sentimentality".

"-I chose him because he is bright . He breathes life into everything he does, and he's determined to experience life in spite of the challenges he faces." She looks down at the table, a fond look in her eyes even as her eyes are glassy. "Razor is just about the sweetest boy I've ever met. He deserves the best out there in Teyvat, so I'll make sure to give that to him."

It's surprising, just how earnest Lisa is being. Cyno's been acquainted with Lisa for far too many years now, and he's never seen her look so passionate about anything, let alone another person. When she talks about this 'Razor' boy, it's like the shine in her eyes is reinvigorated with affection- with love.

"...You care about him a lot," Cyno observes softly, peering into her sullen eyes. Her shaky smile breaks out into a full grin, eyes scrunching up with joy at the mere mention of her affection for him. If a stray tear escapes her eye, he pretends he doesn't see it.

"I love this boy with all of my heart," she whispers, voice true and heavy with emotion, "-and I'd rather tarnish everything I've ever achieved and done for Sumeru ten times over than have him hunted down by the Akademiya for the rest of his life."

"That's..." he starts silently, a little dumfounded, "quite the statement Lisa." Not only is it a statement, seeing as she's trying to get him to help her do just that. It's a promise, if anything.

It makes him wonder... if he had the very same chance... would he do the same?

For Tighnari and Collei? Would he throw everything he's worked so hard to build here in Sumeru... all for their sake?

...Would he do it for him?

He lets out a sigh. A very long sigh, sagging back into his chair.

Before he can come up with any sort of cohesive response to that, Lisa speaks up first.

"I'm sorry," she murmurs with sincerity, the admission soft and apologetic, "-for burdening you with this, Cyno. I was at my wits end and couldn't find any other convenient avenue to tackle this matter excluding you." she looks away, not meeting his eyes, "I shouldn't have said those things. Even if I did mean it, I know you aren't in any position to do much about it."

Cyno shakes his head. For as much as he detests debates and arguments (Alhaitham was hell incarnate to collaborate with back in debate classes), he understands Lisa doesn't engage in it voluntarily out of some sick sense of amusement. It's clear, from the pinched in her brows and the sunkenness of her face that she's been having a rough time as of late.

Lisa had always been more than happy to help him back whenever he faced issues integrating into the Akademiya's structure, even when he tried to push her back. She's been a massive crutch in his time; it's only right to return the favor.

"It's quite alright," he replies softly, "The Sages in the Akademiya can be relentless when they want to be; I understand it's likely very frustrating. " he placated. Archons did he know that fact best.

"Thank you," Lisa says sincerely, and Cyno tries to will away the smile the wants to creep up on his face.

"So," he sighs, "What do you want me to say, exactly?"

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

"Hey Razor," Collei suddenly inquires, still busy plucking mushrooms and tossing them to him, "Earlier you said something about being raised by a 'Lupical'. Might just be a cultural thing but… what is that?"

Razor raised a brow and tilted his head, catching the plant with ease before giving it a light shock, tossing into his bag, "my Lupical?" He echoed.

"Yeah," she confirmed, before glancing back at him with what could be assumed to be sudden apprehension, "It's fine If you don't wanna talk about it, or whatever-"

"No," he rejected, shaking his head with an unstifled twitchy grin. "It is fine." He must have come off as standoffish and rigid at the mention of his Lupical, seemingly upset at the prodding. He was just a little surprised is all.

"My Lupical is my family," he started, idly shocking another mushroom that was passed to him, "They raised me when I was left in a forest. When I was just a… small human. Gave me food and protected me."

"That's a weird way of describing adoptive parents," Collei mumbled, before a look of confusion crossed her features. "Wait a second, I thought Lisa was your- I mean, uh- it just came across that-" 

"Miss Lisa is not my mother," he clarifies factually, sighing a bit, "-and Lupical are not human family either."

Collei furrowed her brows again, pouting in confusion. "Then what are they?"

He shrugs, "Wolves."

"Oh, okay," Collei nods, turning back to continue before she suddenly spun towards him, "Wait waitwait- you can't just drop that on me!" She almost yells, "Wolves? You were raised by wolves ?!"

Razor looks away, suddenly bashful under all this new scrutinization. "Uhm… yes." he admits, shifting in place, "N-not until I met Varka did I even talk to humans."

"Dude!!" She gawked openly, sparkles in her eyes, " That's so hard-core! And- and it makes a lot of things make sense, right? I mean duh of course you wouldn't know how to talk or write until you were older- that's a hell of a lot cooler explanation than being the sick kid."

She shuffled closer, clearly interested in the sudden revelation, "Did any of them have names? How did you even communicate with them?"

Razor suppresses a wince at the sudden onslaught of questions, fidgeting nervously as he avoids eye contact. "There's uh… wolves don't go by… names. We- they talk through scent, that is how they know each other."

Sure there was Andirus, maybe, but obviously he'd be an exception. He didn't even talk human speech most of the time either way, not unless there were outsiders visiting. He favored wolf language naturally, and so had Razor.

He really misses him, actually. They're a little estranged nowadays, seeing as their fight hadn't been all that long ago now, but he'll never forget the gentle kindness and protectiveness he had shown Razor all while growing up. 

Razor hopes he's doing well.

"Wow, that must have been so awesome!" Collei gushes, grinning, "You're so lucky! I wish I had been raised by wolves! Sure, I'd never trade Master Tighnari and Cyno for anything, but gods does being raised wild and free sound so much more liberating than being cooped up in some cramped lab-"

Collei's words trail away from him, losing his train of thought as his face twists into a small frown. 

Has he been lucky?

Razor thinks he's mostly fine with who he is today. He may not be smart like Miss Lisa or as friendly as Miss Amber, but he's not running around hurting people or doing bad things, so that has to count for something. He's lucky to be here, lucky to have been given the chance to be a 'good person'.

But… had it truly been worth all the anguish that made who he is today? 

Both his human and lupine family had forsaken him, in one way or another. His human family abandoned him-a say to his true worth in the world, to be undeserving of even a chance-and when one had been given to him by his Lupical, it had been them had had to suffer the consequences of caring for him.

The simple truth is that… If Razor hadn't been there, no one would have died.

When he had heard of Lisa's curse, he had quietly wondered if happiness was just not made to stay with him.

Maybe he was cursed too.

Maybe I am a monster.

Maybe death simply just hung around him like a cloud, touching and infecting anything beside him. Maybe everyone he loved was destined to die- everyone who had been charitable enough to give him a chance would pay the ultimate price.

If Miss Lisa could die one day, then what about Mister Kaeya? Bennett and Fischl? Klee? 

Horror grips him like a shackle, and he vaguely feels lightheaded. He thinks he's going to be sick. He feels Lightning Fang whine into their bond, clearly noting his sudden distress. He attempts to breath in steadily, calming himself before the spirit materializes fully from the worry alone. In and out, in and out...

"Uh, hey man," a sudden hand was placed against his shoulder, making Razor jump a full foot in the air, "You doing alright there?"

He whips his head around to find Collei, brows furrowed in confusion and a small bit of concern. Razor untenses slowly, hands shaking a small bit.

"Hmh?" he lets out a strangled hum instead of anything coherent, words suddenly failing him.

"I asked if you were alright, you looked kinda freaked out. Sorta just froze up there," Collei murmured, before grabbing his wrist and guiding him towards the side of the path, "-here, lets stop for a moment, okay?"

"I'm fine," he says with conviction, resisting a small bit to the movement. He doesn't feel all too comfortable relaying just what his thoughts had consisted of earlier; he's been getting along with Collei so far, he doesn't want to weird her out already with his... unfortunate thoughts. Ah... what a downer he was... thinking such things when he was supposed to be having a good time...

"I'm sure you are," Collei hums back, not at all bothered by his stern tone, "-but it's good to take a break anyhow. You've been doing all the shocking out of the two of us, so it's only fair to stop for a minute or two." 

Razor tries not to flush out of the sheer consideration from the other. He doubts she's see it, seeing at the only thing lighting their way now was the bioluminescence around the forest floor and trees. There's a thin layer of water that they're wading through, but it's not enough to make either of them worry. It's very peaceful here, out in the remoteness of the rainforest.

Even if he knows he would have gone with Lisa to the city if she had insisted, he's definitely glad to be out here instead.

"I really don't need breaks," he attempts to say, feeling the small pinpricks of aftershocks between his gloved fingers, "Lightning comes very easily to me."

"You sure?" Collei tries, raising a speculative brow, "You've been at it for a while now. I know small shocks probably aren't a whole big whoop, but you still need to lay it off sometimes."

Razor groans silently, murmuring a huffed "Sound like Miss Lisa...". He doesn't really mean it-Miss Lisa and Collei are two extremely different ladies-but seeing Collei so worried about him only makes him more uncomfortable. Maybe getting a small rise out of her will make the atmosphere more normal.

And react she did. He can almost see the vein that starts to protrude from her forehead, the wave of irritation twisting her face into a scowl. "Hey! I'm trying to be nice here you jackass!!" she snarls, and Razor tries-and fails-to hide the wobbly grin that plasters on his face.

She makes an aforenoted sound, before grabbing his shoulders and violently shaking him. "YOU WANNA MESS WITH ME, PUNK?! STOP SMILING YOU DAMNED IDIOT- I'LL BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW! SEE IF YOUR DAMN LIGHTNING DOES YOU ANY GOOD THEN!"

Much to Collei's ire, Razor sputters into a choked laugh he attempts to cover up. His body shakes as he heaves, putting his hands up in mock surrender. "Ha- Okay! Sorry- so sorry- hah-" he grins in amusement. If he hadn't already known most of Collei's threats now were just her ways of expressing her emotions, he surely would be cowering in place. "Didn't mean it," he grinned.

Collei huffed in irritation, crossing her arms with irritation, "Yeah, you better have not," she growled, "I'm nothing like that witch Lisa- always so unapproachable and high and mighty- if you compare me to any adult, at least say Master Tighnari! He's reasonable and level-headed, but he doesn't let people push him around."

"Why him?" he questions, not bothering to fight Collei on her thoughts of Miss Lisa. 'High and Mighty'? Well... she is very tall for a lady. "Fox Master... he seems a lot scarier..."

"Scary?" Collei echoes with a wide grin, disbelieving, "Scary? You sure we're talking about the same guy? Y'know the guy with the most cuddliest ears in the world?" Her eyes widen momentarily, as if coming to some realization, before leaning with curious eyes, "Hey! You were raised by wolves! And he's pretty close to one, right? How come you don't like him? Is it some 'territory' thing?"

"Ah...n-no," he murmured sheepishly, looking away a bit. Wolves and foxes aren't natural predators, after all. "Just... haven't gotten to know him. Met him only today."

Collei makes a dismissive sound, "Well you met me today, right?" 

"'s not the same," he admitted, crossing his arms worth a pout. Collei was brash but expressive and easy to talk to, once you got past her initial walls. Tighnari was a big highly respected man, coming from the same place that Lisa had. He was an adult anyways, he has to respect him like one (which is precisely why he hadn't asked to pet his ears, as tempting as it was).

"Well, I'm flattered I guess, that you're somehow more scared of the friendly Forest Watcher than the girl that has literally threatened to fight you." she hummed in amusement, crossing her arms as she grinned smugly. Razor was about to combat that, to say that Tighnari has sufficiently intimidated him with a stare down the first time they met-

-when something... suddenly felt... off.

Razor turns his head to glance around the near forest, not being able to spot anything through the darkness. He couldn't help but notice that the animals had turned eerily quiet now- no bugs or animals chirping anymore. Just leaves rustling against each other and water flowing downstream.

He feels like someone is watching him.

"Collei," he calls suddenly, glancing over his shoulder nervously, "Is… this place safe?"

"Unfortunately," Collei grumbles with a scoff, seemingly completely unbothered, "This is my everyday patrol route: safe and 'baby-proof'. Pretty sure Master Tighnari would ground me till I'm twenty if I wandered off it, especially at night." He can hear the roll of her eyes in her tone, nonchalant and clearly at home. Still, her confidence fails to sate his sense of paranoia. 

"Are… you sure?" He questions sheepishly, shuffling his feet nervously and glancing back at Collei. She finally raises her head and meets his eyes, face morphing down into a confused frown.

"Yeah," she stated flatly, a little bit more serious now, "Rishboland Tiger territory is more down south from here, but... that's about it..." She murmurs, word's trailing off.

She inches closer to him, tilting her head as if to inspect him. Razor tries to school his expression and reign himself in-he really does-but his senses are writhing under his skin. Telling him to... do something.

Runrunrun-

He can't even pinpoint where it's coming from, where this... gaze is. It feels like nowhere is safe right now, like the forest all around him is alive and closing in-

"Uh… everything okay man?" Collei asks, tone mostly confused but now edges on concern. Guilt pangs through his chest, feeling bad for worrying her so suddenly. He must look like a mess in her eyes, abruptly getting spooked out of the blue for no discernable reason. He breathes in and out, forcing his nerves to calm.

It's realistically nothing, probably a weasel or the like. If Collei says there's really nothing to worry about, then there probably isn't. Razor's just overreacting again; nothing out of the usual.

He's about to bow his head and apologize, to explain that sometimes his heightened senses simply go haywire without any good reason, before his senses suddenly scream at him to run, to getoutofthewaygetdown-

Razor lunges forward suddenly, grabbing a bewildered Collei by the shoulders and forcing her downwards. A sharp wind grazes over the hair on his back, followed by the sound of wood crudely snapping.

"Wha- Razor!! Let go of…" Collei's burst of angered panic dies in her throat as soon as he rolls off her form, gasping in horror as her eyes trained on something behind him. Razor glances behind him.

A small, pyro-filled slash cut through the tree, leaving a deep smokey slash etched deep into the bark. 

It's aligned perfectly with where Collei and Razor's heads had been.

Horror coils fiercely inside him, breath stuttering in his throat as dread fills him. Lightning Fang growls thunderously within him, making the hair at the back of his neck stand on end.

Someone is here.

A twig snaps.

Someone's trying to kill us.

Newfound, real panic is what sets him into motion. Razor scrambles to his feet, kicking up the dirt around him as he feels his claymore materialize in his hands, heavy and ready. Lightning Fang stirs within him, inching closer and closer to materializing.

Collei seems to jump into action once he moves, muttering a panicked 's-shit!' under her breath as she materializes her own bow. 

They rush a few steps away from the tree, pressing their backs against each other as they stared out into the darkened abyss of the forest. He held his claymore against him defensively, Collei drawing her bow back with shaky but focused fingers. They breathe heavily against each other, anxiety swimming beneath their focused gazes.

A pause gave way, peaceful silence filling the air.

After a short moment, a whip of the breeze was heard-

"Shit!-" Collei screamed shoving Razor against from her, "-Move!!"  

A sudden slash of electro cut through where they had been, erupting a blazing fire from the path of the weapon. Heat burned the edges of his skin, Razor scrambling to roll away and regrip his weapon, before he could feel his eyes widen at what he saw.

Collei and Razor both stared in disbelief and abject horror, the lightning finally providing enough light to light up most of the area around them, revealing two more towering figures emerging from the tree line.

Under her breath, Collei muttered a single, shaky word:

"Eremites."

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Chapter Text

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Razor has never considered himself an expert in combat.

To be fair, he never considered himself an expert in anything in general. He always striked too harshly, too widely at his targets. His blade was far too heavy for his lithe figure, especially before he started eating proper meals, and basically carries him along for the ride for every swing and strike he takes.

Varka helped him a bit in his posturing and strikes, when he was still around. Miss Lisa taught him a lot more afterward, but it was geared more towards wielding electro than using a claymore. Master Diluc offered to help but… frankly, Razor was still very terrified of him. He didn't want to make an even bigger fool of himself than his few interactions with Captain Kaeya.

He's decent. And it's enough to get by; to defend himself and his loved ones from monsters. 

However, never once had he considered what it'd be like to fight blind. Nor the sheer terror that accompanied it.

In the depths of the rainforest, the dim lighting of bioluminescence and moonlight filtered through the trees can only Illuminate so much. The darkness seeps into his bones, tightening his clammy hands around the hilt of his blade. Swinging his claymore at his target blindly isn't an option anymore, not when he can't even see them. Silence permeates through the clearing, only hearing his shaky breathing and heart thumping in his ears.

Stillness, then -

His senses flare up again and he barley dodges another surprise slash of pyro, skidding across the shallow water covering the forest floor as fire brushes the edges of his hair. The fire dims as soon as it comes, plunging him back into darkness. Razor straightens back up almost immediately, fearing another attack while he was down. He gasped with the effort to keep up, his chest rising and lowering rapidly. It feels like an endless barrage; hit, dodge, hit. Razor can barely dodges their attack, let alone hit them back. They come out of nowhere, no predictable pattern on where or when they strike, keeping him on his toes. 

He feels like a predator's prey, being pushed into a corner ever so slightly.

Momentary flashes of light from the attacks is all he gets, lighting up the figures of his attackers for only a sparse few seconds. He almost wishes he couldn't see them, though. He can barely make out much, but it seemed like all three of the figures are covered in bandages and grabs, looking double his height and weight and looking more like towering statues than anything human. They look faceless and unidentifiable-like monsters-serving only to drive his panic further.

His senses work on overdrive to try to make up for his blindness, smell and hearing doubled in the effort to try to pinpoint where exactly they stand from him. It's probably been the only thing keeping him on his feet for so long, sustaining only flesh wounds. 

There are more important things to consider.

Through the initial attack that separated them, he lost sight of Collei. He can still smell and hear her, thankfully- her constant cursing an unexpected beacon in the middle of this disaster. Her scent was irritated and strong as he could hear her fight ferociously, dendro infused attacks marking her shadowed path of rampage. Like their attackers, he only sees the occasional bright spark of dendro flash coming from her.

Their separation was probably intentional, seeing as whenever he attempted to make a break for it towards her, he was met with a rapid slash from that same direction, keeping him corralled to his side of the clearing. Cornered- no where to run. He can only pray that Collei is fairing better than him, but he doesn't have much confidence. She doesn't have his senses, his nose- how much longer until their defenses break?

Apparently, the answer is not long at all. Suddenly, he hears a slash and a heavy thump- followed by a harsh yelp of ‘shit-!! ’ before a more vocal struggle ensues. He hears and feels the way the water sloshes violently farther from him, making his heart jump to his throat. What's happening?! He can't see anything- is she hurt?

“Collei!” he yells, a fresh wave of panic hitting him. The outcry doesn't go unnoticed, alerting his position to his attacker. He barely manages to throw himself down and dodge another projectile thrown at him, a geo construct forming where his head had been, the rough stone tearing a jagged gash across his elbow.  He hisses in pain and stumbles, barely catching himself before he face planted into the thin layer of lake water. His gloves, pants and shoes soak through with icy water, earning a gritted shiver from him.

Razor was running on fumes by now, exhaustion starting to weigh him down along with his heavy clothes. He grimaced to where the jagged geo construct lay embedded into the ground, shivering at the thought of what would've happened if he had been any slower to move.

He had to get up, get out getout-

He was about to throw himself up and back into the fray before arrows of dendro embed themselves near him, forming small green seed-like constructs to form along the water. He half stumbles away from them, mostly out of adrenaline and fearing they were aimed at his shows, but a loud strained voice calls out from the darkness. 

“ FUCKING-! DENDRO CORES-!! ” she yelled through gritted teeth, somewhere farther in the distance, “ USE- ARCHONS FUCK- LIGHTNING FANG!! ”

His puzzlement clears over as silent clarity dawns on him, on what exactly he's standing over. They glow softly, looking exactly like the ones drawn into Lisa’s books after a bit more inspection. If their power really is what he’s heard off of, then he can’t risk being brazen. He’s far too close and far too soaked to use lightning safely (it's the whole reason he'd been avoiding using Lightning Fang) now but-

It’s now or never!

Lightning Fang finally bursts from under his skin, materializing with a thunderous howl. Lighting immediately lights up the area like a beacon, branches of electro touching down on the shallow layer of water under him.

Sparks fly against the dendro constructs, and everything explodes around him like green fireworks. Hyperbloom shots pellet in the air like arrows, imbedding themselves under flesh in an explosion of hydro and dendro. Screams and howls of pain ring out through the forest clearing like a sickening chorus, barring down the unfiltered pain of dozens of activated dendro cores. He stifles down the sudden thought of Collei, and the likely chance he’s hit her too.

Razor grits his own teeth, sucking in air as torrents of electricity zap through his water soaked boots. For as effective as the elemental reaction had been in his favor, the pain in his own soaked legs and hands is blinding. He may not have been hit with hyper blooms, but there had been a reason he had been avoiding summoning Lightning Fang or even using any electro at all: The forest floor was covered in water.

His soaked clothing- especially his boots send volt of electricity through him. It feels like a burning chemical burn, and he barely stifles the scream of agony retching from his throat. Was this what it was like to be struck by lightning? Miss Lisa had strictly advised him to never use his electro in bodies of water, and to get out of them as soon as possible if he did. Would she scold him when he got back to the safety of her presence? Oh, he hates getting scolded... 

Eventually, the flurry comes to a stop. No more dendro cores activate, leaving stifled groans of pain in its warpath. Lightning Fang remains above him, hunched over him like a Grotesque statue, lighting up the area with snarls and growls that thunder through the forest. It’s only through their bond that he can truly feel the visceral anger the spirit exudes. His presence quickly breaks through the deluge of pain his attackers were under.

"It's here! " One of the men shouts, almost as if he’d been dreading this, "On your guards! "

"Get the syringe ready ” another calls out, “-and someone restrain that damn girl already! "

Razor's eyes shoot wide, attention snapping back up as his exhaustion and pain is momentarily forgotten. He takes a shaky step forward, catching the sight of Collei’s arms being yanked behind her back unkindly, earning a pained yelp from the girl as she struggled with gritted teeth against the pin. Anxiety shoots up to his throat, and Razor takes a unconscious step forward to her side.

"Collei-! "

Something suddenly slams against the side of his head, a sickening crack cut off by dead silence.

Everything goes black.

—

Fourteen Years Ago- Somewhere in the Desert

"A-and the King… ord… ordered his men to- to the ga- gates of Ay- Ayak-" he scowled, letting out a frustrated sigh, "Archons, this cannot be a real word…"

“Come on, try again.” the other encourages without looking up, nose deep in his own book. “It’s pronounced ‘Aykhanoum’.”

“Ay- Aya- Ay-Khanoum,” Cyno echoes.

“You’re saying it wrong,” Tighnari hums, " 'Aykhanoum'. No pauses."

“How am I saying it wrong??” Cyno accuses with frustration, tugging at his hair, “It's Ay-Khanoum. If anything, you’re saying it wrong.”

“Alright then-” The scholar sighs, setting down his book and turning to glance over where Lyco was, animatedly playing with his set of blocks. His movements are uncoordinated and unpracticed, but are much more lively and full of energy than they were a month ago. He looked healthier too.

“Hey Lyco,” Tighnari calls out, “Bite on your toy if I’m right.”

Lyco gurgles, barely passing the man a glance before he shoved the toy’s dull edge into his mouth, biting at it enthusiastically. 

“See?” Tighnari turned back to face him, smug smirk tugging at his lips. “Lyco agrees with me.”

“He’s teething,” Cyno says defensively, crossing his arms as annoyance plagues him, “And stop trying to use him against me! He’s not your scapegoat.” 

Tighnari grinned but waved him off dismissively, opening his book again. “Less talking, more reading.” he ordered plainly.

Cyno tsked but readjusted himself on his living room's rug, dust floating around them as the sunset’s rays streamed through the uncovered window. The tattered book stares up mockingly at him, still dusty from where they had been sitting in his old room. It had been an old children’s book his Ummi used to read to him to sleep, back when his parent’s ‘extravagant lifestyle’ wasn’t set in full motion. 

It was a ‘simple’ and ‘easy’ text to read, perfectly fitting the criteria Tighnari had recommended he start with. Opposite to him, the scholar himself was knee-deep in a pile of old thick books. Cyno had fished them out of Abi’s study as a surprise, silently amused by the scholar’s enthusiastic grin once he presented them.

Now though, it can help but make him feel a bit embarrassed. Here this scholar was reading his parents thick memoirs like it was nothing while here he was, struggling to get through a children’s book on his own.

Never had he thought… studying could be so… boring!

At his long groan of defeat, Tighnari simply turns a page and sighs, "I thought you said you knew that story," he glanced up to look at the old tattered children's book, "Why would it be so hard to connect the word with the letters?"

Cyno huffed, running a finger over the faded parchment. "Probably because I haven't been read it in ten years," he drawled gruffly, "It's been a while since then, and I haven't exactly had a kid's story in the forefront of my mind since then."

"Well, do you think there are any stories out there that you do know? I'm not very familiar with desert stories," at the other boy's resounding shake of his head, the scholar simply sighed, "Well, we can always just try something else. Learning isn't linear so we could always just find something that's easier."

"How about you read some of these memoirs with me," he suggested, eyes brightening in delight as he gestured back to the book, "-you're father was truly an extraordinary traveler, I can give him that. I can definitely see him publishing a book with this kind of material."

Cyno didn't respond but did roll his eyes, the other boy catching it with an affronted gasp. "I'm serious! Take this one!" he gestured towards the page he left on, "I'm not done yet, but apparently he had been on the first ever expedition team down in the chasm, accompanied only by this fellow 'Varka' in hopes of-"

"-in hopes of mapping out the entirety of it, but most of the crew ended up getting slaughtered by old monsters," Cyno finished for him, flipping the page dismissively in his own, "you think I don't know how these stories end?"

The dig was all too worth it, getting to see the boy's expression. "I can't believe you!" he growled in outrage, "I just said I hadn't finished it! Would it have killed you to keep it to yourself- oh stop smiling like that!" he squawked, leaning over and smacking the boy's arm with the edge of a thinner book. Cyno laughed evilly then, not minding the boy's out of character roughhousing as he batted him back. Scuffling like this makes the boy seem much more his age, less of prim and proper scholar from the forest.

The scuffle suddenly ends when Tighnari freezes up, stopping halfway between another smack. Cyno's about to prod him into getting uppity again, but the scholar moves to lean around his shoulder. Cyno raised a questioning brow and leaned over as well, eyes widening when he spotted a small Lyco tugging at the back of the scholar's tail. His eyes were watery, lips trembling as he squeezed the fur in his grip.

"Lyco!" he yelps in shock, immediately moving past the scholar and rushes beside the small toddler. He ignored the way his knees burned against the rug, getting on all fours to be eye-level with the boy.

"Hey hey hey- what's wrong buddy?"  he asked anxiously, gently wiping one of the boy's tears away. The toddler sniffled a small bit, latching onto the older boy's calloused fingers as he attempted to wipe away stray tears. The toddler snuffled against him, hiccupping a small bit but otherwise staying quiet. Always so quiet.

"He probably thought we were actually fighting," Tighnari assessed then, sounding remorseful, "Must have scared him a bit..."

Cyno thinned his lips, brows furrowing together as the realization settled. He moved down to scoop Lyco up, the toddler naturally latching onto him as he roughly grasped onto the front of his worn shirt. His cinnamon scent withered with distress, even if his silent cries failed to truly show it. 

"Hey little guy, I'm just fine, see?" he insisted in a soft voice, swaying in place as he let the boy press his face against his shoulder. It'll probably be uncomfortably damp by the time he cries himself out, but this was blearily a hundred times more important. "Not a single scratch on me. I'm tough as nails, remember?"

"Here, look-" he lowered himself to sit beside the stumped scholar. Tighnari moved away with a jolt, clearly shocked that Cyno allowed him to stand so close to Lyco-let alone while he was so upset. They may have become hesitantly close acquaintances over the long month they've known each other-warming up to each other steadily-but Cyno was still very guarded and reluctant to let the scholar anywhere near the boy.

He carefully peeled the boy away from his chest, setting him down on his lap as he nudged closer to Tighnari. Cyno caught him by complete surprise when he twined his free hand into his, showing of their clasped fingers."-Look, see? We're all friends here, so we don't hurt each other."

'Are we???' the scholar mouthed, his jaw slack with surprise at the boy's admission. That earned him a withering glare, prompting him to shut his mouth with an audible click. Looks like he just has to play along.

"I- t-that's right! No fighting here!" he laughed awkwardly, voice failing as it came off sheepish. It seemed like just enough though, as Lyco uncurled a bit and seemed less hesitant of nearing Tighnari. His small nose was still a little flushed and he still sniffled softly, but his large peering eyes looked less scared and more just unsure.

Cyno cards a gentle hand through the boy's short silver hair, much fluffier and nicer than it was before. He leans down and gives the crown of hair a small peck. "How about this?  As an apology for making you upset, we'll read you a nice bedtime story. Does that sound good to you?"

The last stray tears are rubbed off the small child's face, seemingly having calmed now that he was situated against his brother's comforting frame. Cyno takes the steadying mood and scent as enough of a conformation, picking back up the children's book as he returned where he left off. He adjusts to fully sit cross-legged, straightening up as he gently maneuvers Lyco to sit comfortably on his lap. Tighnari cocked his head a bit.

"But- I thought you couldn't read this?" Tighnari questioned, recalling the boy's earlier complaints.

"Nope," he replied back mutedly, grinning as he already knew what to do, "-but I am a class-master at making stuff up. Watch and learn Nari."

He opened to a random page, completely skipping past the blocks of text he should have been reading. He doesn't exactly remember the specifics of his old book, but he did know it had to do with the dessert's old gods, deities, and myths. He's pretty sure there's supposed to be some morale lesson by the end of it, but he's not in this to actually read this thing. He'll go over it later, 

"You see that person Lyco?" There on the page sat the cartoonist drawing of an old ornamented priest, a decorated helmet resting above him with two long peculiar ears standing atop of them. Lyco's eyes immediately light up, and Cyno grins triumphantly. Called it.

"Yeah, those are some pretty weird ears. Kinda makes him look like a dog, doesn't it?" he points out, tracing an olive-skinned finger over the worn pages. 'No offense' he mouthed to Tighnari offhandedly, earning him a roll of his eyes.

"Well, he's actually the desert's biggest hero. He runs around and helps out all the desert people who are cold or hungry- and he's super strong too!! He beats up bad guys all the time; like evil merchants and debt collectors. That helmet he got was actually a gift a village made as a thank you!"

Lyco leans forward, slapping a small hand in the middle of the page where the drawn figure was. He let out an excited babble, clearly delighted at the depiction. He grinned and finally glanced back at Tighnari, who wore his own fond smile as he saw the child's tugging at the pages. He nudged his foot against his knee, catching his own peculiar eyes in his own. He gestured his free hand forward, motioning him to speak up, much to his chagrin.

"A-and-! Uh- He likes... he always makes sure to tell the village kids to eat their greens!" he suddenly piked up, nodding to himself, "-and to keep a low-calcium diet. And to stay away from too many carbohydrates!"

"What! No way!" Cyno objected, regretting thinking the walking encyclopedia could actually add anything useful, "-The Desert Hero wouldn't know that- he's too busy saving people to know that."

"Well, he should," he insisted calmly, humming, "Knowledge is a very important strength too! What if he got caught in a puzzle? Or his arch-nemesis kidnapped his girlfriend and had to find out where he kept her?  He'd have to know a lot to answer those questions."

"I guess," Cyno begrudgingly admitted, stumped, "But then who would the Desert Hero's arch-nemesis be?"

Tighnari shrugged, then grinned coyly, "The Rainforest Savior?"

Cyno sputtered in shock, before splitting out into a full-teethed, "Yeah! Now you're getting it! But it should be something like 'The Rainforest Killer' or something- just to make it sound evil."

"Why does he have to be 'evil'? Can't they just be rivals or something?

"What! But that defeats the whole point of an arch-nemesis! You're overcomplicating it-"

They keep bickering and end up forgetting to read out a proper story to the toddler. The small boy doesn't seem to mind, instead settling back against the familiar warmth of his brother's chest and the harmonic sound of his beating heart, content to simply enjoy their company.

Maybe one of these days, Cyno'll muster the courage to ask Tighnari to tell him the book’s real story. Maybe one day he'll be taught enough to read it to Lyco himself.

But for now…

He glanced down at the gleeful bundle of joy, opening his mouth to let out a half-toothed squeak of a yawn. He digs a small fist into his eye, rubbing his drowsiness away as he rests his head further into Cyno’s chest.

His heart warms, worries far far away now.

…for now, this is enough.

—

Present Day- Avidiya Rainforest (24:45)

Razor comes back to consciousness in stages. His head thrums with a heavy persistent pain and her body feels like it'd been turned inside out, a loud ringing persisting through his ears. 

"...-LET GO OF ME-…-LL KILL YOU FUCKERS-...-AID LET GO!-..."

"...easier than I...more of a fight..."

"...your blessings...he's been known to...ow no mercy..."

"...-UPID IDITOS-...-NOT WHO YOU THINK-..."

"...by surprise...plenty hurt...ot the vile ready?..."

It's all a catharsis of noise and sensations pressing into his ears, all muffled under that grating ringing in his ears. Something felt wrong on a base level, like his sense of balance was all skewed and his world was left upside down. Everything felt far away and numb, the idle warmth on his face the only thing he could really register.

Razor is lying on his back, chest heaving up and down with the effort to keep breathing. His head is lolled to the side, eyes unfocused as it stares into the boot of his presumed attackers. Pinpricks of stinging pain ring from his right ear-where he's been hit he figures-but it feels faraway and more like pins and needles. He must have gotten pretty hurt...

He manages to catch the roaring growls coming from Light Fang's bond, weak and recharging from his previous burst. When he seems to notice the fray of consciousness coming back to Razor, he jumps up to start whining against his bond.

GetupRunFightRunRunRun-

Even though he tries his best to listen to him, the pleas slip into white noise as another wave of ringing muffles the sound. He has to get up- where was Collei? She was yelling- is she alright??

He attempted to peel his eyes open, to where all the yelling and talking was coming from, but immediately regretted doing so as pain crashed along with it. The rest of his sensations coming back screaming in agony, his body far too warm and his hands and legs twitching from the electric burns. Razor tries to keep still and slow his breath, hoping for the pain to stop being so all-consuming. He tries to look around, perhaps at the faces of his attackers, but it proves too difficult when the edges of his vision strain and blur their figures.

Eventually, after enough slow labored breathing, the ringing subsides a small bit. All of his senses feel completely off kilter, like his world is a little skewed, but he still manages to catch a conversation happening around him.

"-ure did put up a hell of a fight. Guess we couldn't catch him by surprise."

"No such thing," another voice refuted, "-both had been fighting defensively for most of the duration of the fight. Surprising on the target's side, but I was excepting the girl to take off and run. Would have been smarter anyhow-"

"I'LL KILL YOU FUCKERS-" he hears Collei seethe, struggling against something, "RIP YOUR GOD DAMN HEAD OFF YOUR SHOULDERS-"

"According to the client's papers," the man above him continues, unbothered by the shouting, "-the General Mahamatra is known for fighting back quite ferociously. We're quite lucky to have managed to come out with this much." He hears a stretch and a groan above him, hissing silently in pain.

To be fair, even before his ears started ringing, the conversation they'd been having ever since he'd been restrained had made zero sense to him. He's never exactly been the brightest, but he had no clue as to where to start here, or even attempt to make sense as to the reasons why they attacked him so viciously. At least he knows Collei is in better shape than he is. He lets out a small sigh of relief, thankful he'd gotten the worst of it instead of her. 

And the man's wounds- was that why it smelled so metallic? With the way the overwhelming scent was starting press against his nerves, he would have assumed it to be closer? Did he really hurt him that badly??

"Besides that-," the man continues, "Someone has to set the girl up. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can risk interference."

Another huffed in protest, "Not me," he said, "I got two girls her age back home. Didn't come here to hurt no kids."

"Idder, what about you?" 

"I'll do it," he responded curtly, sounding like he was rummaging for something.

"YOU! AHG - GET AWAY FROM ME-AH! DON'T TOUCH-" He hears a muffled scuffle, Razor's throat closing up as he hears Collei's acidic language cut off with a yelp and a scream. The scent of metallic sand dunes, wood ashes, and burned herbs graze against his nose, and he fights against the sudden urge to throw up right then and there.

"Shouldn't we have done the General first? He's the bigger risk to us if he decides to wake up."

"Wake up? Look at this guy," he feels the nudge of a boot poking at his head, "-and tell me he's gonna jump up and start swinging again. He looks halfway to death already."

"Well he better not be," a farther voice replies gruffly, "client's gonna have our head if we don't frame this right. A single mistake and the Corps of Thirty'll will sense something shady."

"Oh really? And hitting the guy hard enough to rip half of his ear off doesn't count as a 'single mistake'?" he scoffs, "Besides, client said not to worry about that. He has some connections over in the Akademiya. We could do this job as sloppy as we wanna and it'd still get covered up..."

Were... were they talking about him? Was- did they rip his ear off?? His fingers twitch with the urge to raise his hand up and check, but it's like his body refuses to listen to him. The pain was everywhere-arms, legs, head-and completely all consuming like a blinding fire. He couldn't focus on any place at once and- he- was his ear really ripped off????

His distant thoughts come to a stumbling halt as he feels a large hand close around his throat. It constricts his airway without warning, making him gag on nothing as his eyes widen in fear. Fight or flight kicks in, the last of his adrenaline setting him off as he struggles against the hold, kicking his legs and roughly shoving himself off of the man.

Miraculously, his sudden retaliation must have been unexpected enough that the man's hold actually falters, letting him go and stumble onto his side. Lightning Fang barks, pressings ferociously against the barrier that separates him from materializing. He hears his mantra, the chorus of runrunrunrun that comes from the sprit, imploring and practically begging. With the urgency in mind and the split-second opening he has to use, he gets on his shaky feet and attempts to take off, running on nothing but instinct as he ignores the protest from his screaming muscles and wounds.

"-Shit! He's still running!" one of the men yells, "-Someone get him down! If he makes it out of here alive, we're dead-!"

He doesn't get far- only a few feet before the edge of his hair is caught and yanked back with the force of a bulldozer, whiplash making him sputter. He yelps as the world slams back into him, head crashing face-first back against the hard dirt as a flurry of unforgiving hands lock and pin him back down. Razor yells out a cry as a foot slams hard enough on his pinned elbow to earn a loud 'pop' as a fresh wave of pain accompanies it.  A whirl of curses and exclamations ring out as he fights against their hold, growling and gasping as his wounds on his hands and legs are aggravated against the unforgiving earth.

"No- no no-" he begged, panicked struggle renewed as he's pinned like a butterfly. Razor gasps out a cry, tremoring as he's pressed so tightly against the ground, muting his struggles. It feels as if they'd dropped a whole tree against his back, gagging as air struggled to reach his airways. 

He tremors and shakes like a soaked dog, fear gripping him so tightly that he thinks he'll pass out from how lightheaded he is. Razor feels hands move to grasp at the side of his head, yelping as he feels his wounded ear aggravate painfully against he ground. Horror seizes him as a calloused hand clamps against his neck, holding him in place as he attempts to squirm away.

"Stab it into him, don't go slow- make sure it looks rushed and sloppy-"

"Stop- stop stop-!" He pleads, voice strained as panic grapples him.

"-Hold him down!!!"

Razor throws his head back and screams, slack jawed and wide eyed as he feels a fisted grip stab metal into his skin, the recoil . The worst comes quickly afterwards, as he feels liquid fire forced down into his veins. He wails out gasps of pain as the agony under his skin blazes through, chest rising and falling rapidly as tears hang like droplets from his eyelids. Lightning Fang mirrors his pained cries, roaring and screeching unstable enough to will sparks of electricity to flash between his fingers. While pain in his head felt low and pulsing, this new pain was real and whole and completely agonizing- gods please make it stop, make it stop-

"Hah- ah-" he quivers out, pain far too blinding for him even form proper words. Fear and shock tear into him so savagely that he retches off of the sickness of it alone, gagging on his own metallic spit. The ringing in his ears takes over like a blanket, growing louder as the pulsing of his head presses his brain against his skull. It's all so loud but distant now, the pain and the men and the hurt- all starting to recede as shadows crawl around the edge of his vision. He feels removed now- a little weightless even, as if he was watching himself from the third perspective.

Oh.

Is...

Is he dying? 

Is he going to die here?

No... no, this- that can't be it... right?

There's so many things he hasn't done yet. 

He hasn't finished all of Lisa's lessons yet, or gotten to attend her and Jean's wedding yet.

He hasn't gotten to have as many adventures with his friends as he'd like, nor has he been able to meet all of Lisa's Sumeru friends.

He hasn't learned anything about his human family yet. He hasn't gotten to ask why they left him, a good reason as to why he'd been discarded.

Razor hasn't stopped being a burden yet- hasn't gotten the chance to make up for all the trouble he's cause-

He doesn't want it to end here, on the cold bloodied dirt ground, surrounded by unfamiliar scents and none of his Lupical.

He doesn't want to die here, so early- so young-

This-

Please- this... this can't be it...

What'll happen to Lightning Fang if he goes? Does the spirit disappear too? Forever??  That's not- that's not fair-

Where's Lisa? Where's Bennett and Fishcl and Klee- is he all alone here? Does he really not get to talk to them after this? No more adventures? No more of Lisa's lessons or training spars? No more hugs or meat or gentle comforting words? Is that all??

It's not fair- there's so much left to do...

Please...

It takes him minutes at a time for him to recover, breathing haggard and frame twitching. He can feel the way his heart races in his chest, beating as if he'd run a marathon. He only notices another presence as a shadow hovers right above his head, kneeling down as it peers closer. A hand tugs away at his disorderly hair, tilting his chin up as he barley manages any strength to fight against it.

"-hat's good now... just stay nice and pliant... it's almost all over now..."

The hushed words are a unexpected and soft, so opposed to the violent assault he had just been subjected to. Maybe his mind is just too broken, too disorderly to be scared anymore, so instead he lets out a drained sigh and goes lax against the opposing hands. 

Razor's eyelids flutter shut, mostly against his will. His muscles tense and untense, exhaustion pulling him down like lead in water. Surprisingly, he feels fine. Relaxed even. Like he's being tucked into his bed after a long tiring adventure... so so tiring...

"Lisa..." he murmurs unconsciously, scarred hand grasping onto nothing. No one is there anymore.

All alone now...

Cold metal pierces the skin of his exposed upper arm, dragging the blade through bleeding flesh.

His screams go unheard.

.

.

.

—

Present Day- Sumeru City (23:41)

Lisa and Cyno end their discussion without much furor, surprisingly enough considering their eventful discussion. When it comes time to pay for their (Lisa's) fill, the Librarian pats her pockets down and blinks, before smiling sheepishly. Cyno just sighs and fishes out his own wallet, grimacing at the lengthy tab as he calculated the total. Seriously?! Nine-thousand Mora just for six wine bottles? Archons above- is this what being in Alhaitham's shoes was like? What kind of wage was that bastard making...

"Aw, is that supposed to be you?" Lisa grinned curiously, spotting a small drawn image of a young boy in his beat-up wallet as he fished out his mora. The parchment was folded around the edges, soft graphite faded with age. "I didn't know it was a thing to keep baby pictures in your wallet here. It's very cute."

Cyno clenches his jaw and shuts his wallet, hiding the drawn portrait away from prying eyes. He stomps out the wave of irritation that comes over him, Sacred Rite growling aggressively at the Librarian's blissfully ignorant questions.

They thanked their waitress and left soon after, departing from the tavern as they peacefully walked down the street, away from the café. He doesn't feel or smell anyone trailing them, so he can only hope whoever had been stalking their reunion had hightailed it out of there as soon as he paid the bill. The taverns have seemed to fill up now that night has properly swung around, cheering and lively streets as drinks are passed around. It's warm and more crowded, the night market fully settling in for another fruitful night. Is the Zubayr Theater open? Maybe he has time to stop by and say hello to Nilou...

Lisa and Cyno are partaking in idle chatter when he suddenly grows quiet. Cyno smells him before he sees him, the scent of nilotpala lotuses gazing his nose among the labyrinth of smells in Sumeru City. His head shoot up like a bloodhouds, looking expectantly down the street in a little bit of disbelief. Lisa's curious question dies in her throat as a familiar fox-like figure comes stomping around the corner. His furrowed and stressed features brighten as soon as he spots the two of them, bounding up straight towards them.

"Hi there-" Tighnari stops short right in front of them, bending a bit as he huffs in clear exhaustion, "-ha- am I-huff- interrupting anything?"

"Tighnari!" Lisa sing-songs happily, clearly not expecting the Forest Ranger's appearance, "What a lovely surprise! No, you're not interrupting anything. We were just about ready to head out and call it a night, weren't we Cyno?"

Cyno nods, still and a little dumbfounded that his boyfriend was suddenly just here. Not that he was protesting or anything, of course- but he hadn't even told the Forest Watcher who he was meeting, let alone who exactly he was meeting. He doesn't seem all too surprised about seeing Lisa here- in spite of her last appearance in Sumeru being a little over six years ago. Had they met before she got here? 

Tighnari, seemingly completely unbothered or too tired to care, is still catching his breath as he approaches Cyno. He reaches out and gives the General a forehead nudge against his shoulder, muttering a quick 'hi honey' before moving to approach Lisa again. Cyno inspects the floor very quizzically, ignoring the small flush of red dusting his face. 'He would have kissed me if we weren't in public...' he almost pouts.

Clearly, Lisa the bewitched isn't given the same greeting, as an ticked off Forest Watcher pokes at the very angrily.

"That is the last time-" he huffs, still red from the presumed run, "-that I try to make it to the heart of Sumeru City on the Akademiya's post-finals week. Do you have any idea how many taverns I had to comb through before I found you two?! How many drunkards I had to ward off?! I almost got wine spilled onto fur!"

"Oh, you poor thing," Lisa coos, patting his shoulder none too kindly, "-were you that upset about us going out on our own little date? I pinkie promise I'm not at all interested in Cyno that way at all. Heaven's forbid- I think I'd rather cut my hair short than go out with him like that!"

"Charmer," Cyno mutters bitterly, not at all surprised at her scathing remarks.

"Gha- Shut it Lisa! You're literally only interested in women!" Tighnari shakes his head vigorously, as if catching himself, "-I'm getting sidetracked! I came here because you forgot this back in your room." 

He emphasized the small purple object in his hand, shoving it into the taller's hands. Lisa gazes down curiously at the item, before her eyes dazzle in recognition. "My purse!" she gasped, seemingly touched at his thoughtfulness, "Oh Kitsy, did you really come all the way up here in the city-leaving your daughter and my boy unsupervised-just to run on over give me this?"

Tighnari scowled, clearly not having it. "Don't you start making digs at me Librarian. Collei's perfectly capable of taking care of herself for an hour or two; I just hope you have as much faith in Razor as you said I should. Unless-of course-you weren't being honest with me."

Something strange crosses the Forest Watcher's expression then, his grimace faltering with nervousness as he shifts his feet under him. His scent changes a bit too, but it's gone before Cyno could I identify what it was. The General thins his lips, nudging himself to stand closer to the Valuka Shuna's side.

"My my Nari, what's got you so crossed? Have you not eaten anything yet? I'm sure we can treat you to some skewers 

Tighnari scoffs, shaking his head, "No thank you. I'm vegetarian, remember? Have been all my life?"

"Ah, how could I have forgotten! I'm just a poor old Librarian nowadays, in no shape to be relied upon. You know how it is," she dismisses easily, all too happy with herself. 

Tighnari just rolls his eyes at the excuse, fuming a bit, "And don't say 'treat' me- you'd just make me pay for it! Wait a second-" 

"Goodness," he breathes suddenly, turning to Cyno as his eyes sill with dread and apprehension, "Don't tell me you paid already-"

"I paid already." Cyno finishes flatly, already guessing where his upset was coming from. The mournful grimace that it earns from the Forest Watcher hurts to see.

"Aw don't be like that Kitsy," Lisa consoled with a wide grin, softly patting his back, "It's not like I left my wallet on purpose in some attempt to get you closer to bankruptcy. By the time I noticed that I didn't have it I was already seated in my table and-"

"-and decided to order wine to your heart's content?" Cyno finishes for her, connecting the pieces with a scowl. Lisa flashes him a picture-perfect smile, completely unbothered.

"Nature works in mysterious ways..." Lisa murmurs wistfully. Archons, this lady...

"Alright, that's enough out of you now," Tighnari scowls expressively, sighing tiredly, "You two said you were done here, right? That means we can start heading back right?"

Cyno's eyes widen, suddenly remembering his promise he'd made to the girl. "I forgot," he admitted, suddenly breathless, " I got so caught up with tonight's business that it completely crossed my mind-"

Of course. He remembers how this morning during breakfast-when he'd announced his scheduled trip to Sumeru City to meet with Lisa-Collei had accepted his departure but looked a little saddened at the news. He thought it was just because he was tackling work when he was supposed to be on vacation with them, the natural disappointment that always comes when he has to leave. Gods- she must be so upset with him- 

"Hey hey hey- stop getting ahead of yourself," Tighnari placated, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as he sensed his quiet distress, "Collei's old enough to understand how important work is for you, she's a big girl now. 

"But... I promised-" he murmured guiltily. They already spend so little time together due to his schedule...what sort of a mentor was he...

"And that's okay," he soothed, "You can say sorry and plan something else to make it up to her later. Take her out for lunch or something.

"You two are such dads," Lisa suddenly coos, immediately breaking the soft moment as both scowl at her. "Aw, don't look like that! It's a compliment, really. If it's worth anything, I think both of you are wonderful parents. I'm glad Collei has you two."

Tighnari huffed but broke out into a small smile and Cyno sheepishly scratched at his hair, glancing away sheepishly. The relationship he had wasn't defined by them by any traditional standards-Collei calls them both by their first names and titles since day one-and none of the three of them have had a problem with it. He already found it strange that his relationship with Tighnari was simply defined as 'boyfriends' when it feels like it's so much more than that, like his love for him wasn't able to be properly defined as anything words could say.

It feels a bit silly, but to have someone else define it for them makes him feel a little paranoid.

By calling it what it is, it makes it all the more real. It makes it feasible and genuine.

All the more easy to loose.

"Wait-" Cyno starts, suddenly wanting to move away from his earlier line of thinking, "-Lisa's coming with us? Is she staying in Gangharda Ville??"

"Oh don't look so surprised," Lisa bats at him playfully, grinning, "In case you were wondering, we met each other just this morning when I came into Sumeru's gates. Tighnari here was kind enough to lend me a spare room of his for the duration of my stay. And you know what that means! You get to see me every. single. day!" She cheers happily, playfully poking at Cyno's forehead with a broad smile.

"Archons smite me down," Cyno murmurs, shivering with dread at the foreseeable never-ending stream of teasing to come. Dark times lie ahead...

"Maybe I should start reconsidering the offer..." Tighnari suggests with a thoughtful expression, dropping it as a grin breaks out against his face as he spots the way Lisa huffs.

"Nope! No taking it back anymore! Tonight, I'll be sleeping like a sumpterbeast in hibernation!" She calls as she turns her back, already heading down the road back towards the long path home. Cyno shakes his head but can't stop the small smile that tugs up against his lips, begrudgingly entertained by his old friend's antics. He glances over at his boyfriend's face, who is equally bemused by the witch's refreshing attitude.

"All these years and she still hasn't changed a bit," Tighnari sighs fondly, the duo finally starting to trail the Librarian's tracks. "Still so bold even at her age."

"You talk as if you're older than her," Cyno factually points out, amusement dancing on his lip as he watches the man wave a dismissive hand at him.

"Can't help it when every 'adult' around me has to be held by the hand." he sighs dramatically, stressfully plucking at the fur around the base of his ears, "-Seriously, these new batch of Rangers has me working overtime. Starting to loose a little bit of faith in the next generation."

"Well, then it's a good thing they still have you around to boss them around," he smiles quietly, matching the man's calm stride, "-besides, you can rest easy knowing Collei's gonna take over one day. She's got an eagle's eye

"Yeah, let's just hope she doesn't start a fight on her first day," he retorts with a chuckle, "Gosh, now I really do feel old. It feels like just yesterday I got a shy bandaged up girl mysteriously dropped off at my porch without any papers to her name. Now look at her...all grown up now and making friends..."

"Collei made a new friend?" Cyno blurted out beside him, seemingly a little surprised. He could feel a twitch of his lips, as if smile was fighting it's way onto his face. "Have I met them?"

Collei has been struggling befriending anyone her age for as long as she's been here, so hearing she made a new friend is a big relief. Tighnari looks like he's about to tell him-

When that same expression from earlier comes back, something unspoken that he rembers making him open and close his mouth without a sound

"No, you haven't," he says simply, waving his hand dismissively. "He's a good kid though, tagged along with Lisa. He's familiar with the Knights back in Mondstadt and he seemed pretty determined to befriend her, so I have high hopes for them."

"Sounds like quite the character," Cyno lets out a small huff-like chuckle, "What's his name? Are they from Sumeru or Mondstadt? How old are they?-"

" Stop that ." Tighnari interrupts, lightly smacking the Matra's arm. "You're digging for information again, General . Weren’t you supposed to be on a vacation?"

A small bit of shame runs through him, mourning the scolding use of his official work title Tighnari used whenever he stepped out of line. Cyno mumbles a quiet 'apologies' under his breath, looking down at the ground like a scolded child. Tighnari sighs, casting a quick glance around them as they walked before leaning in to peck a kiss on the General’s cheek.

"Don't worry," he murmurs, smiling at the reddened face of the other man, "happens to the best of us."

Cyno mumbles something under his breath but doesn't say anything else, letting them both walk in silence as they make their way out of the heart of Sumeru. Once they reach the main gates back onto the merchant's path, Tighnari tugs Cyno back beside him before he can make a move to rejoin Lisa's side. Cyno looks back at him, slowing his pace as he looks at him expectantly. 

"Hey," Tighnari says in a murmur, suddenly a bit nervous, "There's something I need to talk to you about later."

"Is everything alright?" Cyno asked immediately, inclined his head to hear the other better. He hated 'later' talks, since they usually only ever had them when they needed to discuss something bad.

"No, nothing serious- ah, well, it is kind of serious," Tighnari says sheepishly, ears pulling back a small bit. "But it's not anything bad, okay?"

"Did I do something wrong?" He inquires, suddenly feeling paranoid at his boyfriend's attitude. Tighnari does seem bothered by something, but none of it is directed to or from him. Still, Cyno's not really the socially brightest of the bunch, and he's made plenty of mistakes in the past thanks to it. Maybe he did something wrong earlier...

"What- no, of course not!" Tighnari says with alarmed eyes, finally looking him in the eyes. As if sensing his distressing train of thought, Tighnari reaches forward and grabs his palm, encasing the bare skin between two soft gloved hands.

"You're perfect," He insists, dipping his head to lay a small kiss on his palm, earning him an embarrassed flush in return, "Nothing's wrong with you, so don't start running off into your own head, okay? I still need you right beside me."

Cyno lets out a long sigh, reveling in the heat of the other’s touch. His heart thumps happily at the embarrassingly romantic words, suddenly feeling silly for even worrying about anything. Cyno fights against the urge to dip the other into a kiss.

He thinks he feels Sacred Rite give a spirit equivalent of a gag.

"I'll always be with you," Cyno promises instead, linking his fingers into the other's hold. He thinks he spots the Valuka Shuna's tail wagging happily, scent airy and light.

Tighnari smiles warmly at that, 

Even when Cyno turns to face him fully, he refuses to meet his eyes, "-I'll talk to you about it later, okay?"

"Hey!" a voice ahead of them calls out, causing both of them to snap their heads back forwards. When had they both stopped walking? "You two lovebirds coming or what?"

Tighnari casts him a sheepish smile, before moving forward in a small jog to catch up with the Librarian. Cyno sighed to himself, shaking off the uneasy feeling encasing his heart, before moving to catch up with the pair.

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Chapter Text

«────── « ◈ » ──────»

Gandharva Ville's street lamps were shining an amber glow when they arrived, the village settling down for a long night of work and patrolling. In comparison to the day work, the Forest Ranger's night shifts tended to be slower and more relaxed, mirroring the streets devoid of day workers or others running errands.

The only ones passing through the streets at this hour were merchant carts travelling cross-continental and the Forest Ranger's switching in for night shifts. The lack of taverns and large-scale housing made the sleepy town much more of a landmark than anything else; perfect for being settled in the middle of the forest. Lisa, Cyno, and Tighnari passed through without much fanfare, only earning a few glances and acknowledgements from the other Rangers along the way.

"Well, I need a shower," Lisa declares, completely unprompted as she usually does, "-and to do my skincare routine. Oh Barbatos- the rainforest's humidity is gonna mess up my hair isn't it? I just got it done too..." she laments with an pout. 

"Some proper sleep is probably what you should be asking for," Cyno pipes up with a drawl, keeping up beside the taller women, "You look like you haven't slept in a full week."

The Librarian just hums at Cyno's remark, "Well, that's not too far off the mark," Lisa grins, flashing her perfect white teeth foxily, "I mean, I did just arrive to Sumeru today. It's a much longer journey crossing a quarter of the continent than it is strolling through a desert," she waves a dismissive hand at him, "You wouldn't get it."

"Strolling through merchant paths sounds like a daydream compared to crossing the untamed planes of the desert," Cyno shoots back coolly, stony face betraying nothing. His scent, however, sours with the smell of irritation, "-but I understand why you refrain from doing so. Wouldn't want you chipping a nail, now would we?"

"-Kaveh left some products here last time he stayed over," Tighnari pipes up helpfully behind them, disbanding the terse back-and-forth with his off-handed comment. "-I was waiting for our next game night to give it to him, but I'm sure he won't mind."

Lisa turns to face the Forest Watcher, placing hands on her hips expectantly. "Oh? Are you sure? Last time I asked to borrow his haircare products, he was very clear about the strain it'd put in his wallet." She hummed, recalling the blonde's indignant reply easily even after so many years.

Tighnari sighed, cocking his head and looking up at her with a small smirk, "Well, last time you saw him, he didn't have a rich husband he could drag around to buy things for him. So no, I don't think it's too much off his shoulder."

"-Wait, what?!" Lisa's brows shoot upwards in shock, face slack at the Valuka Shuna's casual comment. The expression looks comically unnatural on Lisa, who is usually sporting something along the lines of a teasing smile. "He got married?! And he didn't invite me?! We used to be best friends!"

"Don't feel too bad about it," Cyno cuts in with a tired voice, sighing as if the very topic of their marriage weighs and drains him of joy, "-he did it in secret; files only. Said it was 'too embarrassing' to have had it declared so openly to the public, considering his shiny reputation."

"It was 'Embarrassing' to him?" she echoed, completely perplexed, "-a wedding?! But Kaveh loved romance! He was always talking about wanting to personally design the gazebo he wanted to be married under! He wouldn't... wait... wait, it's not-"

"-She's catching on," Tighnari murmurs under his breath ad he nudges Cyno's side, observing the way her eyes seem to widen with the cold truth of her realization, "-aaand there it is-" 

"Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness- did he really marry Al Haitham??" Lisa said aghast, as if the prospect wasn't mathematically possible, "-I... no that can't be right. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Al Haitham's company and brilliant mind but... really?"

"Some people are just made for each other, I guess," Cyno drawled under his breath, the hushed words only caught by the Valuka Shuna's sensitive ears. It earned him a swift elbow to his side, silently admonishing his jab.

Lisa seems to collect herself easily once she gets over the initial shock, huffing out a sigh as she flattened out the wrinkles in her front, "Well, I won't judge Kaveh's decision. He's a grown man and can look out for himself; if he decided this was a good decision, then it must have been so. Who knows, maybe Al Haitham really is an amazing non-judgmental man now-"

"-I can assure you he isn't-" 

"-Butttt," Lisa continues bubbly, ignoring Cyno's irate cut-throat assertion, "-I do know that I would have made an excellent maid of honor. Someone around here has to have the taste to help with decorations," she declares as if fact, huffing in annoyance. "-Well, it's nothing off my back. Guess he'll make it up to me by being my best man at my wedding instead."

Cyno huffed at the taller's comment, crossing his arms as he scowled crossly. "You're picking him as your best man over the only one here whose actually kept contact with you?"

Lisa blinked as she registered the man's words, pausing momentarily before a full wide smile slowly overtook her face. Cyno almost immediately regretted saying anything, shifting in place as he sweat dropped.

A teasing smile dotted on her face as she swayed in place with joy. "Awwww, is someone jealous?" she laughed, moving forward to pinch his cheek. He batted away her hand with a growl, the librarian taking no offense to his expected aggression as she just giggled with amusement.

"No," he argued simply, his irritation coming off more petulantly than he would have liked. He moved to frown down at the floor, scowling, "-I'm just saying that it makes no logical sense is all."

"Wow. 'Logical sense' Cyno. Pulling out all the stops on this one," she-taking advantage of his lowered vision-suddenly grabbed the tip of his jackal helmet and tipped it back, making the General stumble back and scramble to keep it from falling back off his head.

"-don't take it personally, alright? Razor's a bit fainthearted, and I don't want my ringbearer spooked off the alter. Knowing you, you'll space out during the vows and have the most terrifying flat-face you can manage on yourself." She laughed a wickedly perfect chuckle, covering her stretched smile with a gloved hand. "Besides, if not Kaveh then I'd definitely pick Kitsy here. Social events have never been the Mahamatra's style anyways, right?"

The General Mahamatra flushed furiously, grumbling to himself as he adjusted the decorative helmet back over his front. Lisa openly laughed at his miserable look, while his own partner seemed to be biting back the urge to grin openly as his ears flickered. Gods, I'm surrounded by two foxes now.

"We'll have plenty of time to talk it over during the week," Tighnari said placatingly, stopping the librarian from spewing any further insults. He's about to praise whatever gods gave him the gift of having such a savior of a partner before he sees him turning to Cyno, a spark of slyness in his eyes. Oh no. "What do you think about inviting Al Haitham and Kaveh over this week to host game night instead of going to the tavern? You could talk over wedding plans then-"

"No," he said immediately, crossing his arms as he fumed silently, "Frankly, I don't think one tavern has enough wine to bear the brunt of Lisa's and Kaveh's wine addiction combined, let alone our alcohol cabinets." he stayed quiet, before silently adding, "-and I don't want Al Haitham in my house."

"Technically it's my house," Tighnari rebutted easily, crossing his arms as he refused to let up. "-Are you going to go against the host's judgement? That seems a little unfair, General Mahamatra."

And that's when Cyno remembers something very very crucial: Inviting Lisa into your life is like inviting in a vampire. They'll drink all your wine and slowly infect those you love most. She's a not just a bad influence... she's a monster... Nari would never do this to him...

As Cyno hangs his head in a cloud of depression, Lisa seems to let up as her focus drifts off. "Speaking of my little ringbearer-" Lisa hums, swaying back and forth as she leans back, glancing around the street with expectant eyes, "-where is he? I was half expecting him to be waiting by the Village's gate for us to return."

"Collei asked if she could go out mushroom-gathering with him in place of Cyno, who usually goes with her," Tighnari explained, spotting the dejected look pulling at the General's face from his peripheral, "-maybe they haven't gotten back yet. Here, let me ask."

"Hey Hanza!" Tighnari calls to an younger Forest Ranger, one who had been loitering nearby with another two rangers, "-Have you happened to see Forest Ranger Collei? She went out with her friend on her patrol route and was supposed to be back before nightfall."

"Ah-" the lady seemed a little caught off guard, "-I haven't seen her, no. It seems like she has yet to return." The Forest Ranger awkwardly scratched behind their head nervously. "I apologize. I should have kept a better eye out for her."

"It's alright." Tighnari sighed blearily, pinching his nose bridge as if expecting this. "Collei's not the type to be off-schedule, so I don't blame you for not noticing. She probably just got carried away with her new friend." He lamented, not bringing himself to be too upset about it. If Collei was happy and having fun, then it really wasn't a problem. "Lisa, you and I can go fetch Razor and Collei. I could give you some basic directions too, in case you're thinking about walking out there with your student at any point-"

"-uh- I uh... apologize for eavesdropping-" the black-haired Ranger spoke up, approaching the trio from behind Hanza. The two Forest Rangers behind her nudged her forward as they whispered excitedly, expectant as she gathered her bearings again and turning to Lisa. "-but uh... your name is Lisa, right? You wouldn't... happen to be... Lisa Minci... would you?" she voiced out hopefully.

Lisa's eyebrows rose a small bit, before her natural foxy grin snaked it's way back onto her lips. "Ah, maybe I am. Are you familiar with my work by chance?"

"Oh yes-! Earlier today, my friend Mahare said she met you down by the bulletin board! Said you gave her an autograph and everything! And umh- we uh-"

"-We're super big fans of yours, Mrs. Minci!" a male Forest Ranger bleated excitedly, stars in his eyes, "-The Arcane: Illuminated ' volumes carried all of our thesis's back in the Akademiya!"

"I specifically adored your own personal notes about your processes," a shy, shorter ranger spoke up, "All those passive-aggressive comments really humanized you and set you apart from all those other books we were required to read."

Lisa's raises a brow, "'Required' you say? Ah, I seem to have forgotten the Akademiya make it a course novel..." she hums unreadably.

"Yeah, but only the first two volumes! I think they should have added the rest though, the fourth entry was hands-down the best."

"To be frank, I wish we'd replaced the other novels required with the rest of the series. Reading 'The Logistics of Humanity's Seven Rules' was such a bore" the girl grumbles.

"-Unnecessary too!"

The black haired girl inches closer, bowing her head a small bit, "Oh Mrs. Minci, please spare us a moment of your time to sign our autographs! You were a very important figure back in my Akademiya enrollment and I know you're busy right now but-"

"Don't worry, don't worry-" Lisa placates the excited group, grinning kindly, "-Of course I'll sign any autographs you ask of me. I'd be more than happy to discuss things over about my books as well, seeing as you're all so passionate about my old work. Talking with like-minded geniuses is always a pleasure, isn't it?"

At the resounding cheers and exclamations of joy, Lisa turns to Tighnari with a satisfied catty grin, seemingly pleased with the praise, "Apologies Tighnari. It seems I'll be a bit preoccupied placating all these wonderful fans of mine. When you return with Razor, holler me over so I can assure him that I didn't spontaneously disappear while in the city. Ciao Ciao~"

As the Librarian was dragged away to a more suitable spot for the fanfare, Tighnari scoffed and crossed his arms. "What an ego-trip. That kind of worshipped reputation is what kills people, you know?"

Cyno awkwardly looked away, coughing into her hands. "Maybe," he muttered unreadably.

The Valuka Shuna sighed, scratching at his head, "I can only pray Collei doesn't pick up any bad habits from her. Lisa's probably the only female role model she has, aside from Amber. And maybe Kaveh." he murmured. Two out of three of those left much to be desired...

"Amber has them beat," Cyno says confidently, crossing his arms, "You gonna scold her for staying past the curfew? Or should I?"

Tighnari wilts at the suggestion, thinning his lips in distaste. "Do you mind taking this one?" he requests, tone almost pleading. "Not anything big this time around, luckily. I'm just worried she'll start to begrudge me sooner or later."

"I doubt it," Cyno soothed easily, smiling as he patted his shoulder. He finds it a little amusing, how Tighnari worries so much over Collei's regular happenings. "Combativeness just means she's comfortable talking with you. Besides, Collei's sharp. She'll understand"

"Yeah," Tighnari grumbles, sighing before breaking out into an amused smirk, "Smarter than we ever were. Remember when we were around her age? The kind of things we did?"

A small smile plays on his lips as he reminisces, crossing his arms as he looks far too fondly at the Forest Watcher. "By 'we' I'm assuming you're referring to yourself, seeing it was me dragging you out of trouble at every turn of the corner."

"Don't say it like that," Tighnari whines with a grimace, face beet red and sheepish. "I was young and eager to learn, alright? Not my fault those mausoleums were surrounded by monsters."

"Eager to get eaten alive," he corrects under his breath, earning him a playful shove against his shoulder. It's so unexpected that it actually makes him snort and bark out a laugh, loud and hyena-like. Several night shift Forest Rangers loitering around give him a passing glance, the outburst abruptly breaking the street's silence.

He slaps a hand over his mouth and but somehow it doesn't stifle his stupid dopey smile. Ah. Curse Tighnari and his penmanship for breaking his carefully-crafted mask. He tugs this head gear down, attempting to reign himself in

"Hey hey hey-" Tighnari catches his attention, gloved fingers intertwining against his as he attempts to pull the jackal-helmet back up, revealing his bright ruby eyes. "Don't stop" 

Cyno flushes like an inexperienced teen at the man's simple ask, finding himself far too undeserving of the way Tighnari stares at him, full of awe and wonder. Like he's something precious, a treasure to be appreciated and adorned. "Nari," he pleads, voice strained and rough as he glanced around, "You're Rangers are watching."

"Then let them see," the Valuka Shuna simply responded. Cyno swallowed thickly, suddenly finding the tension stifling. While Cyno would love to stare adoringly at Tighnari's face all day (it helps that Tighnari's face is definitely one of his favorite things in general), he can't risk Tighnari's name being tied to his own with rumors and whispers. The Akademiya's never too far behind him, even when he's on the other side of the country. Who knows what they'd do if they found their companionship a 'detriment' to his work...

He's about to shift and duck away, to turn and spare him from the blinding lights of the sun, when his brain promptly fries when Tighnari leans up to carefully adjust the helmet adorned over his head. When Tighnari deems the helmet fixed enough-tucking strands of white hair under it as well-he backs away and gives him a smile tender enough to make him lightheaded.

"I love it when you smile," Tighnari explains simply with a knowing smile, as if unable to further put his love into words, "I wish you'd do it more."

Ah.

It's official.

Cyno is insufferingly whipped for this man. He's gonna make him regret asking Cyno to help him on that stupid project all those years ago.

The sweet moment trails off as Tighnari moves away and gathers his bearings again, stretching as he smoothes over all the wrinkles along his front. Cyno doesn't take his eyes off him for a second, face straining from the prolonged goofy smile tugged up his lips. He knows, deep down, that Tighnari's most probably the only person in Teyvat allowed to make him act like some love-striken fool, feeling no shame in it either. Tighnari's always allowed to be his exception.

"Alright," he huffs with energy again, facing him again as he touching his forearm in passing, "You stay here with Lisa, alright? Make sure she doesn't start brainwashing them or something. I'll go fetch Razor and Collei." he pats him once before turning away from him.

But when he started to walk away, towards the paved entrance of the forest, he noticed the General’s presence had not yet left him. Cyno was following close behind him, silent but trailing him closely. Tighnari sends him a questioning look, raising a brow.

"What are you doing?" Tighnari asked, more confused than upset. 

Cyno tilts his head, brows furrowing. "I'm coming with you," Cyno said simply, like it was obvious. Tighnari's ear twitched, suddenly panicking a small bit.

Maybe he shouldn't have smothered Cyno with so much love so suddenly; knowing him, the General will probably be willing to follow him along for hours like a lost puppy. 

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" he glowered, shaking his head firmly, "-I don't need any help. Just stay here."

"I want to see Collei," Cyno admits simply, "-say I'm sorry while I'm at it."

Tighnari sighs, feeling like he's already had this conversation before. "For the last time, Collei's not upset with you Cyno. She was more than happy to go with her new friend in stead. If she hears you saying sorry like this, then she'll feel bad for making you feel so guilty." he points out rather logically, knowing his student well enough to gouge her reaction.

That sentiment actually does seem to get through to Cyno, making him glance down with furrowed brows as he pondered over his statement. "Alright," his expression steels with determination, seeming to have come to a decision, "-Then instead of apologizing, I'll just say hello and tell her I missed her. Maybe even introduce myself to her new friend while I'm there." 

Tighnari stifled the urge to face-palm. Nevermind, he made it worse.

For as much as Tighnari trusts Cyno-as his partner and as a General-he cannot risk him meeting Razor so unexpectedly, without any prior warning. He should bring it up gently, maybe right before they're both going to bed. Who knows what kind of scene he'd make if he just randomly came upon Razor all on his own.

Tighnari likes to believe he's stable enough to handle meeting Razor, but...

...he remembers what he looked like, the look in his eyes once they told him of Lyco's absence, the anger and greif unlike anything he's never seen before. He remembers the heartbreak in his teen eyes as he was brought back from an episode, where he'd held a coworker's child hostage, previously convinced it was Lyco. He was so silent for days afterwards...

"You can't come," he says a little unthinkingly, trying to stuff as much finality as he can. He knows he's at the shorter-end of this discussion, probably seeming a little unexplainably unreasonable, but he knows the responsibility of Cyno's psyche lays in his hands now. 

It'll happen eventually at least, seeing as Lisa and Razor will be staying in Gandharva Ville for the duration of their stay, but still- Tighnari's about as cautious as they come and he'd rather not confront any 'unexpected issues'. Cyno's insistence certainly isn't helping though. 

At his words, the Mahamatra furrowed his brows lightly, his expression more like a pout that an actual frown. "Why not?" He asked-almost whined even, clearly unhappy with the other's combativeness. In this state, you wouldn't assume this puppy-eyed General possessed enough strength to tear into ten men.

Archons.

"Because-" his voice fails him, making him shut his mouth quite stupidly. He thins his lips and lowers his head a small bit, trying to think it over.

Would it... really be so bad?

This isn't some false alarm Tighnari has to ease Cyno out of believing, dealing with the depressing aftermath of a silent Cyno. This was very real. Cyno might even be upset with him keeping this to himself, for not telling him sooner. Communication has always been incredibly important in their relationship, Cyno's incapability of lying certainly helping it on that aspect. But what of Tighnari?

Should he just... let the two meet themselves?

No warning, no control of environment or circumstances...

just... let it play out?

Maybe Tighnari's gotten too ahead of himself on this one. Cyno has already admitted-in the warmth of their bed, dead of night where no one else sees them-that he'd prayed for the day he'd see his brother again every night while he attended the Akademiya. He's been looking forward to this day for years and here Tighnari was, trying to stifle it out of fear and uncertainty. 

"...You really want to go?" Tighnari asked, voice small as he peered into the other's eye.

Cyno tilts his head and gives a small smile, staring at him as if the very sight of Tighnari brought him endless joy. "Of course," he answers easily, like it's even a question, "-anywhere you go, I'll follow."

Ugh. Cheesy. What a cheesy bastard.

"Okay," Tighnari eventually decides, voice small. He nods a bit, more to himself that to the other, "Okay, I'll- um. Be careful, okay? Don't strain yourself out there."

Cyno's not a dumb, oblivious fool, so he must've noticed the peculiar way he was talking. Still, he seems to let him get away with it, indulging in his words.

"I'll be completely fine out there," He says, with all the confidence in the world, "Afterall, you'll be there with me, right?"

What a smooth talker. Tighnari wants to tear his hair out.

—

.

.

.

"Would Collei's friend happen to be Lisa's student?"

Tighnari blinked, glancing behind him. "Yes," he says curiously, "How did you know?"

The man just shrugged, minding his steps over a set of jagged pebbles, "I'm the General of the Mahamatra. Piecing things together is part of my job description. Lisa gave me the go ahead to meet him after our discussion though, so it's alright."

"Really?" Tighnari asked, raising a brow, "What kind of discussion did you two even have to concern yourself with Razor?" He has a hard time imagining it was an crucial part of the 'work-related' aspects of their meeting, but he's still curious enough to inquire.

"Classified. How come you're so against me meeting this 'Razor'?" Cyno attempted to pry, seeming to change the topic, "I know I'm not that good at first impressions, but I can promise you I'm at least semi-competent when I'm off work mode."

"Like you're ever off 'work-mode'" Tighnari huffed under his breath, ears twitching nervously, "And I'm not 'against' you, Cyno. I'm just being precautious-"

"Do you think I'll scare him?" the General suddenly pondered, brows furrowing at the prospect. Lisa had mentioned earlier in passing that he was 'faint-hearted'. "I can use a few jokes to break the ice then, make the atmosphere light-"

"-Cyno, I can say with my full chest and heart that even if you were scary-which you are not, as I've previously stated-you would downright terrify anyone if you came up to them in the middle of the night and started listing off bad jokes like a spell-caster," Tighnari paced forward in a hunch, frame shivering at the imaginary scenario in his head. 

Cyno grunted, seeming to think over the Forest Watcher's less-than-stellar response. "-Then what should I do? First it's 'Lisa's student' and now it's 'Collei's first friend'. I have to make a good impression." He agonized, and Tighnari was actually surprised to have sensed some real frustration coming from the man. Leave it to Cyno to stress out more over meeting a teenage boy than some of the Akademiya's highest officials.

Tighnari sighed loudly, face pulling into a grimace. "I don't know Cyno. If you were going to stress out so much about your approach, then maybe you should have stayed with Lisa to think it over." He glowered to himself. Well, it's too late now. At least here in the heart of Avidiya Forest, Cyno could make whatever kind of display without fearing word getting back to the Akademiya. Tighnari loves and respects his Forest Rangers, but goodness could they gossip.

He can rein in Cyno with soft touches and the like should he get out of hand by chance, which may be very likely, actually. The less prying eyes, the better.

Oh god wait- how is he going to explain the spirit?! 

Before he could freak out over that issue, Cyno decided at that moment to make a pause, latching onto Tighnari's shoulder as he stopped short along the paved dirt. Tighnari gave him a cautious and confused glance over the shoulder, heart skipping a beat when he noticed the horrified expression on the General's face. 

"Cyno?" he asked, panicked confusion lacing his tone, "-Cyno, what- what happened-?"

"-I know why you're so nervous about this," he breathed out, voice thick and ghostly. The Forest Watcher suddenly froze up in place, tail bushing out with fright as his ears pinned back against his head. Did- Did he find out?! Was he scared?! Oh gods, he wasn't at all ready for this- He was expecting panicked denial or some overwhelmed display of joy- not fear! Did Razor's spirit do this?! Could he sense it all the way out here-?!

"-this 'Razor'..." he backed up a step, fearful crimson eyes boring into his soul, "...don't tell me Collei likes him?"

Ah.

Nevermind. False alarm. He forgot how Cyno's one-track paranoid mind made him rule out more logical reasoning. 

Tighnari almost breathed out a sigh of relief, surprisingly almost making him let out a bit of sheepish laughter. He observed the way the man started rigidly pacing back and forth, looking not too far off what one may look like if you told them the world was ending.

"-Oh Archons, I never thought this day would come. Maybe I should have expected this- she is around that age where most girls start liking boys, right? B-but she's still so young! Fifteen! She's fifteen years old!! When I was that age, I was too busy breaking people's noses and being angry all the time to even think about dating-"

"-Oh trust me, I'm well aware." Tighnari drawled in a grumble, easily recalling all his failed attempts to catch the boy's romantic attention. Years worth of courting gifts... all down the drain. His wallet still cries to this day. Cyno-ever the attentive partner-doesn't seem to catch his woes as he spirals further into his own personal panic.

"And I understood her! Collei is- was a lot like me back when I was little; always upset and angry at the world. She made sense to me! And now she's gone on and- oh, what if she starts avoiding me too? First it's avoidance, then it's resentment I tell you- what if she starts partying too? Staying out late and being under the influence? What if she'll stop asking to do things with me-"

He suddenly halts his frenzied pacing, sweat dropping as he grappled Tighnari's shoulders and shook him a bit. "-What if she starts to call me 'Old Man'?!?!"

It takes every bone in his body to stop himself from laughing at his partner's despair. "-Alright, alright, enough of that." Tighnari placates in a light voice, grabbing onto the man's wrists and carefully peeling him off. Cyno glanced down at his hands, pained and nervous. "-You're overthinking this Cyno, to the extreme actually. Collei makes one friend and you've gone off the deep end; I'd hate to see how you'll react when Collei does actually start dating someone."

The General seemed to let out more steadying breaths, moving to slowly clutch one of his gloved hands as the alarm started to fade from his eyes. "So... she's not... dating that boy?"

An amused grin broke out across the fox's face, seemingly finding the prospect implausibly ridiculous. "Cyno. There's a reason that Collei has doesn't like romance, and that's because romance requires you actually like other people. I'm pretty sure she's allergic to romance anyways, seeing as she's always fake throwing-up when she sees us kiss."

Cyno glances away with an embarrassed tint to his cheeks, seeming to resist the urge to pout. Still, he glances back at Tighnari with expectant eyes, "So... that's a no then, right?"

Tighanri resists the urge to roll his eyes, shaking his head as he hums in restrained amusement. Just how paranoid was he? "No Cyno, Collei isn't dating anyone. And I'm quite certain she'd come to us first for advice if she ever did concern herself with dating."

Cyno relaxes with relief but grimaces at his comment, detesting the made up scenario, "I hope not." he murmurs, "Just because I'm marginally better than Alhaitham doesn't mean I'd do a good job at explaining it."

"Hm. Debatable. 'Marginally' might be a little too insulting to you," Tighnari says curtly, shooting him a teasing smile as he took in clear delight at making fun of his friend's expense. Cyno huffs out what resembles a breathy laugh, fully relaxing thanks to the satirizing of the Scribe. Nothing brought him more joy than doing just that, actually.

The Forest Watcher opens his mouth again and is about to speak-likely about to make fun of the Scribe further-before his mouth gapes open as nothing comes out. Instead he stays silent, shutting his jaw with a click as his eyes widen a small bit. His long ears swivel to the side of his head, alert as if he'd caught something.

Cyno's easygoing disposition slowly melts away, growing weary as he observes the the Valuka Shuna's growing alertness as he turns back down the pathway, pitch black aside from the sparse luminescent plant life and moonlight. Tighnari's sense of hearing was objectively better than his own, but still- he doesn't catch any noises or smells, nothing notable to notice.

No sounds at all, in fact, not even any wildlife.

Now that he stops to process it... is the forest... supposed to be this quiet?

His patience runs out when he observes the man's expression morphs into something paler, more horrified. He reaches forward and grapples the man's wrists, worryingly not getting any kind of outward reaction from the man. As if he had been too focused on something else. The Valuka Shuna shakes his head, lips thinning as his expression steeled.

" Shh ," he hushed quietly, brows furrowed as his ears flicked, " I think I hear something wrong… lets get closer"

Cyno nodded and followed the other’s slowed steps, keeping quiet in spite of the questions stuck in his throat. They pace a meter or two ahead, before Tighnari stops him again. 

"Is Collei alright?" He asked with a frown, ignoring the concern suddenly knowing at the back of his head. Confusion turned into alarm as a distant scent caught his nose.

This time, Cyno's nose flares as he can make out an irritating scent in the air past the natural scents of nature. His heart drops almost to his stomach.

Metallic red permeates the air like a flare. 

Blood.

"Nari-" he says shakily, grasping the back of the other’s shoulder. His hand clutches around nothing, his weapon itching to materialize in his palm. "Nari, I- we have to go in- what if it's-"

"No," The Forest Watcher's eyes are wide, coated in some sort of realization. Cyno sends him a confused glance, before rearing back in widened eyes as the Forest Watch summoned Hunter's Path from thin air, expression serious and unreadable as he pulled the string taunt.

"What are you doing?!" Cyno yells in a whisper, tightening his hand against the other’s tense shoulder, "-What if you hit Collei?! Nari-!"

"Stop talking." His ears pin pack against his head, eyes sharp and staring into the darkness ahead. Within it, he catches the quick murmurs of a distant, hushed conversation.

"-hat Adahara guy really wasn't bluffing. Whatever this stuff is, it works quick." A man's voice calls, muffled with distance, "How long will it take? Two, three hours?"

"Possibly, but it'll likely be less considering the state he's in," a gruffer man replies, "And yeah, well, unless he was trying to get us and himself killed, I doubt he would have lied. Here, help me drag him ove-"

"I hear talking," Tighnari replies in a hushed voice, "Someone's still out here,"

Tighnari-without any further warning-lets go of the taut string, his dendro arrows shooting out into the darkness like bullets.

A widening of eyes crossed both of their features as a loud man's pained yell rang out from the darkness, several distant exclamations and curses following after. Cyno rears beside him, a darkened panicked look glazing over his eyes as he summons his polearm in his grip unconsciously.

" That's not -" Tighnari straightens as he takes an involuntary step back, horror reflecting off his distinct eyes. 

"They- Cyno-" 

He begs.

"-Rush ."

And like a flip being switched, Cyno follows the practiced command word without a second thought. Sacred Rite preens in approval and excitement at the release of his chains, electric claws seething over the General’s own hands. His bones creak and bend as the transformation takes holder, blinding pain forgotten as Sacred Rite's presence overwhelms his senses, his mortal body bending against the oppressive will of a god.

It's a bit of a blur, as it always is when Pactsworn Pathclearer is set in, his senses dulled as the spirit takes control of him. Sacred Rite takes uses his body and uses it to expunge it's own due diligence, face foreign and no longer his to command.

The ancient spirit shoves his consciousness to the back of his mind before his body is even done transforming, impatience winning out as he takes off before his bones are even done bending. He eagerly breaks through his skin with a howl, reins and chains finally loose and free.

Coarse bloodlust fills his veins like liquid fire, burning everything in his path. He can smell the foreign scent coming from the three intruders, harsh and grating and utterly inexcusable in Sacred Rite's mind.

It's enough of a reason to start tearing.

They don't expect him, when he charges into them from the dark like a bullet. He hears the ripping of flesh under his fingers, distorted screams ringing through his ears like a far away church bell. 

Sacred Rite greedily strikes and tears into all the figures-like a child that can't decide what candy he wants from the store-before he seems to settle on one target: the most injured one. Like a lion going for a fawn instead of a buck. The scripture claws catch past the man's clothing, tearing long red gashes embedded into the man's flesh. He thinks he hears screaming. He can't tell past the roaring in his ears. 

Suddenly-when he's just one strike away from mauling the man like a chew toy-something catches against Sacred Rite's sensitive nose. He rears back onto his hind legs, as if scalded, stumbling back and moving to clutch his head. He howls in pain, sharp claws digging into the materialized head hard enough to hurt himself. 

That smell, that smell- what was that smell?!

His foot catches the larger end of a root, falling backwards against the dirt as his hold falters over Cyno's body. His prey takes advantage of his broken focus and makes a run for it, adrenaline ignoring the limp as it scrambles into the safety of the darkness. Sacred Rite growls thunderously, clearly displeased, but his form was far too unsteady to do anything about it now. 

Pactsworn Pathclear ends as fast as it begins, electro claws and head dematerializing as the spirit struggles against the chains dragging him back down his soul. Cyno's body convulses against the floor, coughing roughly and painfully as his bones are set back in their proper place. His body rings out in pain, groaning lowly as he idly recalled the spirit's out-of-character breakdown. Even now, as his elemental energy was all spent and needed to regenerate, he can feel the Spirit's deep upset through their bond. Something bad must've set him off...

It takes a moment for reality to set back in, his senses coming back to him at a snail's pace. When his vision stops seeing double and the vague sense of sickness leaves him, he spots Tighnari's figure huddled around the center of the clearing. His eyes glance down, eyes widening as he recognizes the familiar crumpled figure laying in the shallow end of water. 

"Collei?" He breathes, eyes widening as panic lodges into his throat, " Collei! "

He staggers to his feet and races to her side, practically throws himself to the ground beside her crumpled form. He barely catches himself from stumbling onto his side, hands balancing himself against the dirt. She looks haggard and soaked to the bone, bruised and cut all over as her face is twisted into a pained grimace.

Cyno may not know or understand what's happened yet in the midst of chaos, but the deep almost animalistic instinct to protectprotectprotect beat into his mind like a drum.

Without much thought, he moves to press his fingers against the open expanse of her neck, the itching urge to just feel her heartbeat winning over him. His hand is stopped midair, Tighnari's hand whipping up and wrapping around his wrist, forcefully keeping his hand in place. In his panic, Cyno almost lets out a growl at the brazen action, but stifles it upon seeing the other's pained look.

"Don't touch her," he commands sternly, staring down Cyno's pleading look, "We don't want to set her off- she might not be here right now," Tighanri informs curtly, expression steeling itself as he crouches beside her. The Forest Watcher kneels on his knees, forcing his heartbeat to steady.

"Nari-" He almost begs, breath shallow. Guilt ebbs at Tighnari's resolve at hearing his panic, but he has to prioritize his student's psyche over Cynos right now.

"Keep your distance Cyno, I'm serious. You're covered in blood," he says sternly, shifting his attention back to Collei. Cyno feels the stab of hurt plunge into his chest, but nonetheless sorrowfully listens to his partner and gives them the proper distance.

Tighnari lets out a shaky sigh, shaking his head as he tries to clear the distractions from his mind. His attention is drawn back to the greenette splayed along the ground, swallowing thickly as he observed the battered state she was in. He can clear that mess up later.

"Collei?" he calls, carefully leaning in with a gentle prod, "-Collei, can you hear me?"

Like a flip being switched, the proximity of his voice is immediately is met with a weak outlash, water splashing as she spasms. "Hg- Don't touch me- stop it-" She's breathless and trembling violently, digging into her own palms with white knuckles, as if the very sound of another's voice is enough to send her back into a panicked state.

Her normal ferocious and lively attitude is gone, having been reduced to a crumpled scared child. He can smell the coat of iron plastered against her, sensitive ears picking up just how hard her heart is beating against her chest.

"Collei," he says, softer this time, "-Collei, it's me, Tighnari."

"Hng-" She chokes on her own words, furrowed eyes glazed as her chest heaves up and down with force. "-Master…?"

He breathes a sigh of relief. "Yes, yes it's me sweetheart," he confirms, tentatively pressing his fingers against her bloodied knuckles. Her fingers twitch violently-as if fighting the instinct to buck him off immediately- but shakily moves to grasp onto his gloved hands with a vice-grip.

"I'm going to check you for any injuries now, Collei. Tell me if you want me to stop, okay?" He wishes he could comfort her first, maybe ask what happened too, but he can't risk delaying aid if she's received any injuries. A proper explanation will simply have to wait, favorably when she's out of here safe and sound.

It takes a moment for the girl to register his question, eventually managing out a shaken quivering nod after a long delay. Tighnari gives a small squeeze to her frail hand and gets to work looking her over, careful not to prod her in fear of her reaction. Collei's come a very long way healing-wise, but the consequences on- whatever happened here makes him fear what kind of toll it'd take on her.

He tries his best not to show it-with a reassuring smile and tender words-but his bitter scent and violent tail swishing gives him away.

Tighnari is terrified . Collei might complain about being treated differently because of her Elezar, huffed whines at the safer patrol routes and pleas against a mandatory curfew so early into the evening, but Tighnari shakes off her grievances easily knowing it's for her own safety. It could simply take one wrong fight, one wrong injury to make the illness flare up again.

And predictably, he already spots the black scales doting around her neck, leaving the area red and inflamed. Luckily to his relief, that seems like the extent of physical injuries- aside from the bloodied nose general scuffs and scratches. He finds her pocketknife laid beside her hand, almost completely coated in blood that was not her own. She must have been so scared...

The most concerning (and strange) thing he does find is a vial tucked into her palm, one he had to wrestle to get out of Collei's white-knuckled grip. It was small and unassuming, clearly having come from the Forest Ranger's own supply based off it's distinct design. What it was doing here with Collei, who wasn't officially adorned with her own personal trainee supply pack yet, was very strange. He tucks it into one of his pockets, deciding to look into it later. 

Though, something still seems wrong…

"Collei, can you look at me?" Tighnari asks, moving to fish out his pocket flashlight. Collei stretches her back unnaturally, humming out a short groan. Her injuries may not have been severe as he feared, but her behavior was clearly concerning.

"No, I- ha-" She murmurs, eyes glassy and unfocused, "I can't- can't- hurts-"

"I know, I know sweetheart," he grabs her chin gently, flashing the small light onto her face. A choked sound makes her way past her lips, grimacing tightly at the brightness as she cried out. Tighnari frowns and tenses his jaw, observing the other's eyes.

Her pupils were uneven, one distinctly smaller than the other. Her eyelids flutter wildly, moving to turn away from the flashlight.

"Ugh, bright -" She hisses and snaps her head back with force, suddenly breathless, "-don't- can't, I can't…"

"Cyno, I think she has a concussion," he says loudly in hopes of having the other hear him, eyes still trained on his student as she struggles. Tighnari can only hope it's mild, though her constant tremoring isn't giving him hope. It might just be her Elezar causing her shaking, but he can't give any clear explination for her spasming muscles. Was it a brain bleed? Possible seizure? "I think we should head back as soon as we can, Lisa's still waiting for us and Razor…"

His words trail off, and it's only when silence meets his words that he has to glance around, finding no one around. His own words register in his ears, eyes widening as as he feels himself pale in horror. Dread scorns him.

"Collei," he says breathlessly, voice urgent, turning back to face her and clasping her hand, " Collei, where's Razor ?"

A vague look of recognition finally crosses the girl's face, unfocused eyes widening. He can smell the panic spike in her already unsteady scent.

"Razor," she gasps, chest heaving, "Razor , he's- they're doing something- he's hurt- I-"

Only a few meters from them, a rustling sound is heard. Tighnari turns to shine his flashlight over noise, catching the gold shiny edges of Cyno's bloodied Mahamatra uniform as he roughly shoves aside the foliage of some bushes. Tighnari frowns and flashes the light down to whatever's caught the General's ire. 

He feels his face go slack with shock. Two familiar boots point upwards, blackened and stained with black. They sat hidden in a large patch of grass, the ground stained with marks as if he'd been dragged there.

.

.

.

—

Five Years Ago- Somewhere in Avidiya Forest 

Cyno's always thought Tighnari's residential house was unfairly comfortable. Apparently it had belonged to his old mentor and his family, before they had left to live in Liyue. It's stuffy and crowded in a way that felt homely, the distant chattering between Collei and Tighnari and the sounds and smells of cooking pulling it all together in a neat domestic bow. He can hear the sounds of a ten-year-old Collei complaining about having to use a stepping stool and Tighnari batting the larger knives away from her. 

Cyno should feel comfortable now, at ease and untensed after weeks of being on edge while surrounded by those he loves the most. He should be in there helping them, making Collei frustrated with his jokes or cooking the meat so that his vegetarian boyfriend didn't have to.

He should be there.

But he can’t. He simply can't.

Not tonight.

Because today's an important day.

It's September 9th.

An important day.

Each year today-like clockwork-he's inattentive and easily distracted, a far cry from the constantly alert state he usually functions at every day without fail. He makes simple rookie mistakes and becomes all quiet, no bad jokes to be found. The Akademiya officials must have caught onto this phenomenon at some point, because he's given a leave of absence each time the date comes around.

It's a strangely generous and kind thing of them to do, even when he knows it's mostly because they don't want him doing his work sloppily. He's grateful, either way. 

The ticking of the old grandfather clock echoes along the darkened living room, the only sound in the room apart from his steady breathing. The windows let in faint moonlight, but otherwise left the room in blueish darkness. He sits on the edge of a small bench, his helmet resting beside him.

The only thing emitting light was the offering table he sat in front of, warm light from the wax candles emitting softly. He tries not to think about it, the red haze- the smell… the smell of rotten burning and the echoes of crying, and the deafening ringing in his ears that overshadows the sounds of domesticity-

"-Hey," a voice interrupted, the ringing suddenly ending as he's pulled from his thoughts. Cyno snapped around in panic, eyes widened before calming down once he realized it was only Tighnari. Unlike Cyno (whose still in his work uniform), the Forest Watcher is dressed in comfortable loose clothing, holding two separate plates in his hands. He smiles gently, a small bit of sympathy pulling at his expression.

Cyno lets out a long sigh through his nose but doesn't answer, can't answer. As his heightened heart rate eases into a calm from the earlier flash of memories, that melancholic emotion attempts to blanket him again. His eyes are far away and dull, not particularly staring at anything.

A small knowing sigh comes from behind him-mood unreadable-before silent footsteps patter against the wooden floor, stopping right behind him.

Clawed hands silently place a full plate of food beside him on the bench, Cyno idly glancing at the steaming Samosa. 

A small appetizer, light and easy to get down. Cyno's heart squeezes at the man's forethought. It's smells fresh and delicious, as is everything Tighnari makes.

"Here," Tighnari murmured, shuffling beside, "I made a plate for him too, if that's alright."

The Forest Watcher leaned forward and gently placed a bowl of fresh peaches, careful not to disturb the flowers that rested on the altar. Something sad flashes across Cyno's eyes, but it's gone as soon as it comes. Tighnari maneuvers himself to stand behind Cyno, careful to keep a respectful distance, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Cyno hums, finally moving for the first time in a few hours to gently place a hand over his. They intertwine their fingers, silent and 

The Kyphi smoldered silently, filling the air with a unique earthy scent. The incense was unique and rare enough for it to be easily replicated, and when it was, the results were specific enough for bootlegs to be unmatchable to the original. He has to get it from Aaru Village itself, a full day journey to and back.

He's made it around six times now, always around early autumn. The vendors more often recognize him nowadays. 

He wished they didn't.

"Thank you," Cyno murmured sincerely, his voice sounding rough and uncomfortably raw. It's probably the first words he's spoken in a few long hours. It grinds against his ears.

"It's no problem at all," Tighnari insists, humming lightly, "Dinner's almost done by the way, but you can stay here if you want." He smoothes over the fabric on Cyno's shoulder, and he has to resist leaning into it. "I'll leave your portion by the stove, if you think you'll be here for a few more hours."

Cyno says nothing, staring at the candlelight flickering on the table. Freshly-picked flowers lay alongside the tablecloth, white petals reflecting off the orange light. 

He wishes flowers didn't die once they were picked. They looked so beautiful, full of life and color.

How ironic, that they are used so commonly around death. He wished they didn't.

"Did you know," he starts, voice slow, "-that in the Desert, it's believed that death was not the end of life, but only the beginning of the next phase in an individual's eternal journey." "They get to go onto an paradise-The Field of Reeds-where everything which had been lost at death was returned and one would truly live happily ever after."

Tighnari hums, rubbing a padded thumb over Cyno's index finger. "No," he admits, "I did not know that, but it sounds strangely comforting."

Cyno nods absent mindedly, the silence stretching between them. "It's very important to people from the Desert, but I'm scared that... I've forsaken my family from entering the Field of Reeds."

At that, Tighnari frowns. "Why would you think that?"

Cyno stares unblinkingly, eyes far away and haunted. "When you die, it's extremally important for ones body to be whole in desert culture. It's why a lot of people don't opt for limb amputation, even if it'd save their life. My parent's bodies were burned upon death- the biggest dishonor one can do on another person. And Lyco..."

He clears his throat, staving off the emotion in his voice, "-if he... if he really is gone....I'll never get to make him a proper mortuary ritual. Even if he is safe and sound somewhere... neither he nor anyone else will know what to do for him afterwards. He'll be all alone out there, no one to guide his soul to paradise."

And how ironic it is? To have been the cause for his family's demise when he valued honor so highly. He'd fought so viciously against fate-each and everyday-just to give Lyco a chance at a better life. Who would have guessed he'd mess up so badly he condemned him in his next one?

It's so cruel. It's so so cruel it still makes him want to cry.

"I'm sorry Cyno," Tighnari murmurs quietly, soothing him, "No one deserves to live with that kind of guilt. I hope you forgive yourself one day."

Cyno thins his lips, shoulders slumping. He's grateful Tighnari's way of comforting was built in reality, no false promises or denials of his feelings. It feels attainable, almost, but still so far away. How could he even begin to forgive himself after everything that's happened-

"Master Tighnari?" a small voice asked from the doorway, nervous and hesitant, "-Is Mister Cyno okay? Is he not going to eat with us?"

Tighnari turns to see Collei peeking through the doorway, tenacious and brash attitude muffled from hesitancy and obvious concern.

Tighnari gently speaks, "Everything's okay Collei, Cyno's just feeling a little sick today. Put the Koshary in the fridge and start getting ready for bed, okay?"

He could hear the soft padding of her barefoot feet as she walked away, down the hall to her room.  Tighnari sighed, carding a gentle hand through his hair. 

"I'll talk to her," Tighnari whispers soundly, leaning down to softly kiss the side of his temple.

Cyno sighs, finally feeling a bit of the tension in his shoulders ease for the first time that day. Here, in the small pocket of the world where he and Tighnari resided, he could forget about everything that's haunted him. Here, he was safe.

"I think," Cyno starts again suddenly, voice hesitant, "-I think I'm going to guard him tonight."

He expects Tighnari to be upset with him, to sigh and to gently scold him for losing out on sleep when he already has such a demanding schedule. It’s the middle of the work week, afterall. But Tighnari, like the saint he is, simply nods and accepts his decision without a word. He leans down to give Cyno a gentle kiss against his temple.

"Alright," he sighs, "just try to catch some sleep when morning comes, before you head out to work." The Forest Watcher suggests, humming.

Cyno makes a noise of agreement, fully knowing he can't promise him anything. He has to start heading out before dawn to make his way back to the city by morning.

He feels terrible, not spending this sparse time he has off work with Tighnari or Collei on this occasion, but…

He looks back at the temporary memorial, knowing it'll be torn down by the end of the week again. 

Cyno sighs.

Tighnari leaves without a sound, slinking away to give him some proper privacy. He loves Tighnari with all his heart, but he's thankful the man gives him so much space these days. 

He returns back to his 

Cyno idly tears into the Samosas, unthinking eating two of them as he slowly chews them. He's not even hungry, but he hasn't eaten anything since this morning so he should have at least something in his stomach right now.

He finishes two of them in total, before going to tear up the remaining three into bite-sized pieces. 

The General grabs the porcelain and reaches over, placing the plate right besides a framed drawing. The parchment was faded and yellowed, graphite smudged around the edges. 

The drawing was an old mockup of Lyco, taken shortly after Cyno's arrest and detainment. An old mockup artist had sat in on the other side of the table, sketching away as Cyno described his little brother's appearance. the handcuffs around his wrist felt a lot more weighty, once he started talking about him. When the man had finished and showed him for confirmation, he swallowed his tears and nodded.

Kaveh had once seen the state the drawing had been and offered to do a new, longer-lasting drawing considering the parchment aging. No questions or prodding either. Just a knowing, sympathetic smile and an offer. It was then he promptly decided that Kaveh was definitely a thousand times better than his grey-haired counterpart.

Cyno appreciated the offer, but he had ultimately politely refused him. 

(Because the truth is, Cyno is terrified of the possibility that when Kaveh will sit him down and ask for the boy's features, no words will come from his mouth.)

He's perfectly alright with the original drawing he had received all those years ago, the one officially used in his missing posters. It serves it's purpose and resembles him just fine. He has a smaller copy of it I'm his wallet, one he acquired before the Akademiya refused his requests to print anymore copies.

(Cyno is terrified he has forgotten what his boy looks like. The reality is far too terrifying to even consider speculating.)

Silver hair, darker than his. Red eyes lighter- no, darker? Darker than his. Peachy skin, lighter than his own, big like a does. A bright smile, toothy and charming in it's own way.

Please please please give him back. Give him back to me.

Sacred Rite is usually a restless spirit, constantly scratching at the edges of his humanity in an attempt to seep through. Whenever he does attempt to converse with him, it's usually fruitless as all the spirit seems to think about is justice and enacting said justice (by ripping his enemies apart). They've never seen eye to eye, leaving it to be a constant struggle and tug of war for control.

Today, the spirit is quiet, not even attempting to rile him up in spite of his fragile mood. Sometimes, he even thinks he hears a long, distorted whimper coming from their bond, though it's likely just his ears playing tricks on him.

He sighs, too tired to think anymore.

"Happy Birthday Lyco," he eventually manages out. Silence meets him, no one there to thank him.

His staff materializes in his hand, clanking against the wooden flooring quite loudly. Cyno prepares for a long night, knowing he'd be restless anywhere but here.

—

Cyno is the General Mahamatra, leader of the Matra. He has seen a lot of horrible things in his days as a Matra, working in the underbelly of Sumeru staining his psyche with the unimaginable. The scene, in theory, shouldn't shake him as badly as it does. But the smell... oh Archons the smell...

Cyno dives to crouch besides the stilled body, scrambling to perch beside the boy. He was cloaked in a thick layer of darkness, but the filtered moonlights through the canopies shined a dull blue against dark patches around the boy’s clothing and skin. He knows it’s all probably blood- the smell of it made him nauseous-but the sheer amount of it all over made it seem unbelievable.

The General presses a calloused finger against the pale expanse of his skin, his heart dropping to his stomach when he feels nothing beat against it.

No.

Cyno adjusts to a more lowered kneel, practically throwing his decorative helmet off his head as white lockes spilled over his face. He dug his palms into the dirt, pressing his face against the boy’s chest.

Silence meets his well-trained ears. Despite the boy's warmth, he hears nothing.

No.

NononononoNONO NO-

Cyno lets out a subhuman sound, vaguely sounding like a frustrated panicked whine, as he moves back to latch onto the boy’s upper body. He drags the limp body out of the foliage and into the clearing of the path, wanting to get a better look at the situation. He works through a flurry of limbs and blood, small, tiny hands tugging at his hair. 

His breath goes cold.

Cyno wishes he stayed ignorant.

Here, out in the open, the moonlight does nothing to shield the boy’s injuries. They’re extensive and almost never-ending, shallow skin-deep cuts clawed tens of times over any exposed patch of skin, too calculated and deliberate to have been an accident. His hair was mangled and wild, crudely draping over the expanse of bruises and cuts. 

The boy’s young face was limp, coated in bruises and cuts all around. His jaw hung open, slack, as his muscles lacked the energy to shut it again. The old brown fabric stained with the liquid, worn bones tied around his neck, in place of a necklace. 

The resounding sound of familiarity rings in his ears loud enough to hurt. It's like opening a present full of rotten bones.

The innocent scent of cinnamon was watery and barely noticeable, the stench of crude iron purging it's soothing air.

Ah.

Was this…

…real?

He screams.

They resounds through the forest, loud and a roar of a cry, ingraining his voice along the walls. What he feels is indescribable, like he's experiencing every emotion all at once to their maximum capacity. It feels horrible, like his mind is on the verge of shutting down- the kind of horrible you could only dream of. There are tears- he thinks. He can't tell. He doesn't want to tell anymore.

He screams until his throat hurts. He'll scream until his vocal cords give out. Sacred Rite thrashes in agony, his bond forcing him to feel everything the other does.

“-no! Cyno!” A distant voice called, sounding panicked and worried. 

ScaredWorriedWakeUpPleading

It’s his last ditch effort, hoping for any form of response as he tries to communicate through his scent. Cyno remembers he at least understood that much, right? He knows he can hear him, so why- why isn’t he responding-

“-yno! Cyno- stop!” a voice pleas.

Cyno wasn’t in the proper headspace to recognize the voice, malignant thoughts swirling together as unfocused shock coated his brain like crude oil. It sounded distant and muffled, the ringing in his ears drowning it out. This isn’t real… is it?

His agonizing yells turned into broken sobs, eyes wide and unseeing as he tremored like an earthquake. When had he last cried like this? 

“He’s- he’s not-” Cyno murmurs out in a broken strained voice, not particularly talking to anyone. He's glassy eyed, hands tremoring violently as he smoothed a stray lock from the boy’s bruised face. He felt so light against his grip, like he was one bad move from slipping through his fingers. “I can’t find a heartbeat- I-”

Cyno does a full body jump when he feels the boy in his arms suddenly groan, chest expanding with air like it’s his first breath before deflating again as he lets out a long devastating whine.

Hurts

It’s all the small boy manages back, scent weak and frail and barley registering over the thunderous storm brewing inside him. He almost misses it in the buzz of his ears, but when he recognizes it, his violent intent almost immediately comes to a sudden halt. 

But it’s enough. Far more than enough. 

His eyes widen as his mouth stays agape, sobs ceasing at the shock he felt. He slowly placed a hand on the boy's chest, shaking as he felt the lingering warmth under his fingers.

“Lyco,” he breathes out, breathless.

Still here.

Elation and terror, visceral and potent, floods through him as a shaky sigh leaves him. Cyno doesn’t think he’s ever felt so relieved as he does now, frantically hiking up the boy- his brother upwards to lay more comfortably against him. His heart smashes against his rib cage over and over again- his hands shaking as he tries to keep steady.

" Lyco," he echoes, cupping the smaller boy's face in his hands. He doesn't sound like himself. "Lyco LycoLyco -" His voice teeters on a shaky, raw sound unlike anything he's ever heard before as he chanted.

Cyno was in no state to even begin with the logistics of this, of how any of this was even possible. How was Lyco here-in Avidiya Forest- right under his nose? How had he missed this? Who left him here?? Archons- he thought- he thought he was dead-

The voice speaks again, the worried tone much closer now, “Cyno, let me see him, I need to check-”

“ NO!! ” He yells almost immediately, renewed panic bursting out through his veins like fire at the neared contact. The mere idea of anyone else’s bloodied hands around the curled fragile body against his chest enough to send him into a frenzy. He throws an arm over the boy’s chest and shifts him to better half-lay along Cyno’s waist. He's careful to comb his scarred hands under the boy's bloodied hair and head, supporting it gently-

-"One under his head, and the other under his body," Ummi's voice advised gently, helping to position his small hands to hold the swaddled baby properly. It looks small and runty against his chest, and a young Cyno has to wonder if he looked this frail as a newborn. "Be gentle with him, okay? There's a lot of bad things that could hurt him, so it's your duty to protect him"-

Sacred Rite throws himself against the barrier keeping him from materializing, snarling as the inner chains struggle against the violent force of his thrashing. Cyno feels off kilter, like he's been waterboarded into ice-cold water and then dropped into a steaming bath afterwards. Terror grapples him like talons, and Cyno's eyes glaze over with something animalistic.

It smells like ash and fire.

Cyno looks at nothing, face darkened and haunted.

“No no no- I can’t- ” he babbles out incoherently, eyes wild and hand shaking as he suppresses a shiver. He has to get the  “ I won’t let you- not again, not again- ”

“Cyno-”

“-STAY AWAY!” he barks loudly, fear driving his urge to intimidate. He has to rush- has to start tearing and ripping apart limbs and spilling blood or he'll fail again. He'll fail and those bastards will finish the job, will spill his boy's scarlet red blood right in front of him and mock his weakness- his failings as they thoughtlessly tear apart the innocent and send his body towards ash and fire; again they'll do it again-

"The injustice of it all..." a thunderous voice calls from inside him, ethereal like a god's strength. It sounds like a war cry. "I cannot stand it..."

He has to kill him... he just got him back, he won't let anyone hurt him like this again...

Sacred Rite growls thunderously against his body, and-for once in their time conjoined together-Cyno snarls dangerously alongside it. The chains holding down the spirit start to give and bend, groaning as the fermented spell's seal wains in its defenses. He wants to move, to tear out the threat's vulnerable jugular and just tear tear tear-

.

.

.

But he can't.

A small instinctual part of him cries out, unwilling to sink into the depths of depravity even when he was on the cusp of loosing himself. Maybe it was the way his hands refused to move from where they had cradled Lyco, safe and protected now that he was back in his arms. Maybe it was something else.

He tucks the boy’s bloodied face into the crook of his neck, gently patting his hair in spite of the electro claws begging to materialize over his fingers. 

-And it's only when he suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder does he register the person's presence again. His first urge is to wrestle against their grip and fight back, the terror of having anyone else near him or Lyco sending him into a defensive stance. The scent of ash and red haze filtered through his mind, the shouting of distant soldiers and crackle of fire haunting him like he was right back in the fray of it.

Sacred Rite buzzes against his nerves, louder and more unstable than he’s ever heard him. Cyno snarls and bares his teeth but stays still, refusing to transform in fear of hurting the boy further but unwilling to let him go yet. He won’t lose his grip again, not this time-

Right before he tears out the jugular of whoever dared touch him, the hand on his shoulder moves to firmly grab his chin and move his gaze upwards, the movement more gentle than he'd expected. A deafening growl escapes him at the close contact, snarling brazenly before his twisted expression falls slack as he spots the familiar set of tapetum lucidum eyes.

CalmSafePleadingControlYourself  

-a new scent, one of nilotpala lotuses and calming rain, cut through the harsh smell of ozone and iron that had fringed his senses. It’s like a bucket of ice is dunked over his head. 

"...-no. Cyno-..!"

The tension in his body unraveled a small bit against his will, his mind unwillingly heading to the calming familiar smell. The world grows quieter, his heart slowing its rapid fire thumping. His wild eyes stop dilating into pinpricks, feral snarl melted into a gaping look as his focus came back to him slowly.

" Hayati ..?" He murmurs, unreadable emotion laced in his voice. Cyno's own voice sounds far away and gravely. His drumming heart is frantic in his ears, fear and trepidation leaking from his scent like a faucet. Was that really Tighnari? Oh gods, had he really almost... almost...

"There you are," the Forest Watcher breathes, plastering on a kind smile for him. It's only now that he notices Collei's unconscious figure hanging off his back, her grimaced face tucked into the crook of his neck. "I need you to come back to me, okay? Razor is in rough shape, so we need to get him help as soon as possible."

“'Razor?'” he echoes numbly, confusion furrowing his brows. He’s heard the name before in passing but… this isn’t- this clearly isn’t-

Cyno breath hitches, his arms shaking again. Tighnari probably has no idea- he must be acting so irrationally, probably thought it was just another really bad episode- "Tighnari… this-" he cracks, "this is- he's- Lyco - he's here -" Cyno stutters out, looking back down at the boy cradled in his arms. The joy and relief he feels is utterly ruined at the state he was in.

He expects Tighnari to softly rebut him, to let him down easy again like all those other times he'd been sucked back under his delusions. But- no, this is different. This is completely different- there's no doubt about it- he has to see that, right? He can't go through this another time, please-

Instead of refusing him though as he fears he would, Tighnari just nods gravely. "I know, I know he is." He nudges him forward, gently grabbing his elbows and guiding him up, careful to keep his hands away from Lyco, "-But we can deal with that later. We need to get him some help."

Cyno gulped, forcing his violent trembling in his hands to cease. He breathed in shakily, softly looking back down at the grimacing boy in his arms. He could see it now, the slow breaths escaping his bloodied mouth as his face was decorated with bruises and cuts. Oh, what have they done to you…

He sucked in a shaky breath, steadying himself as he managed a shaky nod. Right. They… Lyco needs help. Collei too. This is a moment of crisis; he cannot afford to slip away now and let his emotions get the best of him. In spite of feeling like he's rooted to the spot in the ground, chained to the soil and earth, he forces his feet to. 

He took a deep breath and pulled Lyco firmly against his chest, scooping up his legs as he cradled him as gently as he could. The boy's limp head lolled against his shoulder, letting out a small puff of air weakly. Cyno grits his teeth and resists the urge to cling onto him any tighter.

Tighnari placed a hand against his shoulder, urging him to snap back tot he task at hand. With a final pained glance at him, Cyno sniffs wetly and nods his head.

"Okay-" He started breathlessly, adjusting the unconscious boy in his arms as he shifted, "Okay, lets go."

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