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Ever since Lumine had been gifted the teapot from madam Ping in Liyue, she only had two ideas in mind. She wanted to get to decorating it as soon as possible to feel more at home and to invite some of her friends over from time to time.
She was known in already two nations as “the Traveller”, which meant that she wasn’t supposed to have a house. A house was something permanent, something you couldn’t move with you as you could a tent, and she couldn’t afford to have that. A teapot, though, was easy to transport from one place to another. No one would think anything of a traveller owning a teapot, surely.
And what if this teapot held a house inside of it? What if she desperately wanted a place to call home ever since her brother was taken away from her?
Before landing in Teyvat, it had always been the two of them against the rest of the universe. As they travelled from world to world, they were each other’s only constant and she was fine with that. As long as Aether was next to her, she didn’t need anything else. To her, home meant her brother, no matter where they were. He brought her all the feelings of warmth, safety and comfort a house provided to other people.
But now he was gone and her powers had been taken from her by some Unknown Goddess that no one had ever heard of. Her only source of comfort was missing and she spent all her time looking for him, looking to get that back.
Though she had to admit, she hadn’t made much progress on that part and her need for something to call home only grew bigger. She had Paimon with her, a new constant, but it never felt the same. She had loved Mondstadt and Liyue but couldn’t stay, couldn’t call those two nations home either.
So she turned to what other people called home: four walls and a roof above her head. When she first visited the teapot, she had to admit it felt… underwhelming. She had been expected a lot more from what people were always so happy to return to after a long, exhausting day. Toby promised it would feel more welcoming once she added some furniture but during the first night, sleeping on the wooden floor didn’t feel much different from sleeping on the side of the road and she woke up with a light backpain, as she always did.
The very next day, Lumine asked Toby what materials she would need to build everything and with all of it written on a paper, she wandered around Liyue, looking for certain types of trees. Paimon was floating next to her, filling the silence with idle chit-chat Lumine couldn’t focus on.
- Shouldn’t we be looking for a way to get in Inazuma? The Pixie asked.
- There are still many parts of Liyue we haven’t explored; Lumine retorted. I’d rather try my hand there than try to sneak in a nation like Inazuma.
- That makes sense, but this doesn’t look like exploring to Paimon.
- You are right; Lumine smiled despite herself. I’m trying to make the teapot a little more welcoming, starting with a bed. It’s been ages since I’ve slept in a real bed…
- Paimon didn’t think you were bothered by this! Sorry for not asking.
- It’s fine. I guess having your own pocket world would come in handy at times, huh.
- That’s true! Paimon always sleeps well!
Lumine shook her head to hide her smile. Paimon was very talkative and sometimes quite childish. It was what made Paimon Paimon, her cute travel guide and only companion. Though it was also the reason she felt the need for a material home in the first place; Paimon couldn’t fully understand her pain and that made her attempts at being comforting fall short each time. Still, a Paimon was better than no Paimon.
Lumine spent the entire day searching throughout Liyue, only to find out that some of the materials she needed could only be found in Mondstadt. She gave what she had to Toby, who was able to make a cooking stove and a table, but still no bed. Lumine groaned as she tried to move what little furniture she had around.
The teapot was just so… empty. There were so many unused space and rooms that she didn’t know what to do. Where should the kitchen be? Should the big middle room be used as a dining area or a living room? All those questions felt futile in light of what little she owned at the moment but asking herself that now made her feel a little better, reminding her that it wouldn’t always be that way.
And though it wasn’t anywhere close to finished, she already felt the smallest amount of comfort and safety from this place. When she had first entered the teapot, Toby had offered her a choice between two different styles of houses and scenery. The first one was located in mountains not unlike the ones in Liyue and the house in the first island was meant to give off the idea that she was in said nation. Just the sight of those mountain islands floating in the void made Lumine’s heart ache. She couldn’t help thinking about how much she would love to fly between them if only she still had her wings.
For that reason alone, she would have chosen the second option, though she had to admit the mountains were beautiful. But it didn’t quite rival with the sight of a typical Mondstadt house built close to a beach. Mondstadt held a special place in her heart for reasons that were very personal and Aether and her had always loved traveling to a beach whenever they had the chance. This was perfect. She wondered if the teapot would still function outside of Teyvat. If it did, she’d be sure to take it with her when she’d leave with her brother.
She finally decided on a floorplan and moved her furniture to match it. After how much effort she put into it due to the table being heavy, she expected having finished to be a little more rewarding. But all her eyes landed on was an empty room with a pretty but very empty table. She cursed herself for not thinking to make chairs to go along with it. That was the moment Paimon chose to appear next to her. Her eyes trailed over the room, a look of pity and an attempt at a smile on her face.
- Well… We have to start somewhere! Paimon tried to cheer her up. Paimon’s sure that one day, this lonely table will be a part of something big!
- Here’s to hoping that day comes sooner rather than later; Lumine sighed, grabbing and lifting an imaginary glass in the air.
- Well, we could start now! The Pixie offered. You still have some leftover materials, right? Paimon thinks this table is missing something important so maybe we could ask Toby to make it for us before you head to bed!
- If you’re talking about chairs, the leftovers we have won’t be enough for even one; Lumine replied with a defeated sigh.
- No, Paimon was thinking of decorations!
- I don’t think that’s a priority here.
As a matter of fact, decorations were what Lumine had planned on adding last to this place. While they would play the biggest part in making this house turn into a home, she would rather have a bed than a couple of paintings on a wall.
- Even though, it has to be done at some point! We have some materials we aren’t going to use on anything, so Paimon was thinking of making a small something to put in the middle of the table!
- In the middle? Lumine repeated, unsure.
- Yes! It’s common in Teyvat for people to have something on their table, just to make it pretty! It can be a flower vase, or a candlestick!
Lumine searched through her inventory for something she would like to have on her table. The idea didn’t seem so farfetched to her but she would never have thought of it on her own. To her, meals were a time of peace, when she could share her cooking with Aether and talk about what they had done this day. So she supposed something soothing like a flower would suit her taste better than a candlestick, though light would be needed eventually.
- I think I might have something; she whispered as her hand caught on soft petals.
She went to Toby to ask for a vase and provided the blue dye and clay needed. She watched the bird shape them into a graceful, single flower vase. Paimon looked over her shoulder out of curiosity but still couldn’t figure out what was going through her head. Lumine took the vase back to the table and placed it right in the middle. It still felt incredibly empty, but not as lonely anymore.
When she thought of Mondstadt, there were some things she immediately associated with it. One of those was a flower whose scent she greatly appreciated. It brought her some peace of mind whenever she smelled it, no matter what the context was. Since the house reminded her of Mondstadt, she thought she might as well make it more like the nation by adding in small details that made her like it so much.
And so, under Paimon’s watchful gaze, she placed a single Cecilia in the vase. A soft smile formed on her face while Paimon frowned in confusion.
- Paimon thought you liked Windwheel Asters the best!
- I do like them a lot, but Cecilias are…
Paimon was right, they weren’t her favourite flowers. There was someone else who appreciated the flowers and what they represented way more than she did, and perhaps she placed this flower there because of this someone. She knew that was the reason she did it anyway, but Paimon might not have reached that conclusion just yet. For some reason, she didn’t want her to, but didn’t like lying to her friend over something so petty.
- They just felt right; she concluded.
And she went to sleep on the floor in a much better mood, the scent of Cecilia bringing her thoughts and her dreams toward the nation on wind and songs.
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The teapot was really starting to come along ever since Paimon had taken to making decorations with whatever materials they had left at the end of each day. Now their table had chairs, a flowerpot and a painting of the setting sun adorned the wall behind it. Sunsets always made Lumine feel more peaceful and having so many soothing things in one place warmed her heart.
She was still working to get a bed but since Paimon insisted she made a carpet, sleeping on the floor was slightly more bearable. She even had a few shelves just waiting to be filled with books. She had collected so many during her travels, she just needed to take the time to arrange them. She was tired from walking all day but maybe today could be the day she took that time.
- Do you like reading? Paimon asked as she placed the first book on the shelves.
- I enjoy reading a book from time to time; Lumine nodded. You know how before, no matter the weather, we were always on the road?
- Don’t remind Paimon! Getting all soaked is awful! The only reason Paimon put up with it was to show solidarity!
- Now that we have the teapot, if the weather gets too bad, we could just spend the day here and wait it out! That’s where the books will come in handy.
- That’s a wonderful idea! Count Paimon in!
Lumine’s smile only grew larger. Having Paimon with her sure felt nice. Even when they were bickering, she enjoyed talking with her friend.
- What order are you going to put them in? Title? Author? Colour?
- I was going to go with title but now that you mention it, colour sounds nice; Lumine mused. Less practical but surely more fun and prettier.
- Then let Paimon do it! Paimon’ll make a rainbow!
- Sure, why not; Lumine shrugged.
She handed all of her books to the pixie and watched her struggle to lift them to the shelves. She managed to put five on them before giving up and flying back to her own pocket dimension. Lumine finished her work, leaving a few spaces in between some of the books. Once she was done, she took a few steps back to admire her work. It still felt like something was missing, but she felt ready to collapse and decided to take care of it the next day.
- Why did you leave holes in them? Paimon complained the next morning, stomping her foot in the air. It’s ruining the vibe!
- Let me finish before you start changing everything! And let me eat breakfast first.
- Fine! Paimon won’t touch anything as long as you cook for Paimon!
The pixie always felt the need to “trick her into cooking for her”, as if she wouldn’t have done it otherwise. Lumine enjoyed cooking because it took her mind off of more pressing matters, her focus turned entirely to the food. But what she enjoyed even more than that was sharing the food she made. Bringing a smile to others’ faces never failed to brighten her day. Before landing in Teyvat, she had only ever cooked for her brother. Seeing as so many people enjoyed her cooking now always filled her with pride.
She cooked a lot more than two portions, knowing just how hungry Paimon could get in the morning, and watched the pixie devour her plate in under two minutes. After that, Paimon floated behind her at a slower pace than usual, not really paying attention to anything other than the lingering taste of her breakfast on her tongue.
She asked Toby for another vase and a photo frame. She then printed an image out of her Kamera. Now, the holes she left were filled with a single Windwheel Aster and a photography of her, Kaeya, Lisa, Venti, Amber, Diluc, Barbara and Jean at the party organised for the latter. She had very fond memories of that day and now that it was immortalised on her shelf, she knew she would never forget about it. Paimon peeked over her shoulder and pretended to pout.
- Ok, it looks fine. You can keep it if you want.
After that, they both left the teapot. Lumine had a long day ahead of her and the earlier she started, the sooner she would get it done. Going from the salt filled air of the teapot to the much colder air of Liyue left her disoriented for a moment.
- Where are we going today? Paimon wondered.
- Hopefully we can reach Dawn Winery before it gets dark.
- Wait, so we’re going back to Mondstadt? Paimon thought you wanted to look for your brother in Liyue!
- And I still do, but it’s difficult without any leads; Lumine sighed. And I really want to have a bed.
She had other reasons for wanting to go back to Mondstadt, but what she had told Paimon sounded convincing enough since the pixie left her alone after that. And so they walked, collecting resources from the side of the road as they went. Lumine still felt somewhat sleepy but the promise of the lush green hills of Mondstadt kept her going.
Soon enough, they were crossing the border and stepping into the very first nation of Teyvat Lumine had wandered into. Her adventures in Liyue had been quite the ride and she was left drained of all her fighting spirit, so much so that no amount of sleep could convince her to get back to work. Mondstadt sounded like the perfect place to truly rest at.
- How long has it been since we were last here? Paimon asked. It feels like it was forever ago!
- I get that. Liyue was a handful to deal with, wasn’t it?
- Yeah! But Paimon’s glad we saved the day in the end. And now we’re no longer criminals!
- I’d hope so, since we did nothing wrong to begin with; Lumine groaned.
Being held responsible for Morax’ death left a sour taste in her mouth, but she didn’t hold it against Ningguang. They needed to pin the crime on somebody while they figured out who really did it, and it just so happened that an outlander was the perfect person for that. As Paimon said, everything worked out in the end so she didn’t have to worry about it any longer.
- What’s the first thing you’d like to do when we reach Mondstadt? Paimon asked.
- Visit everyone and collect tons of wood, I guess. Though my arms are starting to hurt like crazy.
- Well yeah. Only you would think hitting trees with a sword is a good idea. That’s why the axe was invented, you know?
- Then I guess the first person I’ll pay a visit to will be Wagner to ask for one of those; Lumine sighed.
They didn’t reach the city before the next day but on that night, they slept near Dawn Winery. While Diluc was apparently out on business no one would tell her anything about, it was obvious something was wrong. The air was thick with nervousness and the maids always looked around their shoulders as they went about their day. Even Paimon felt the strange atmosphere.
- Paimon doesn’t understand why everyone’s so tense! Dawn Winery is a good place to work at, isn’t it?
- I would think so; Lumine agreed. Surely they aren’t worried because Diluc’s gone, right? It’s not unusual for him to go to the city.
She stopped asking about Diluc and asked about the nervousness instead. There again, the answers were evasive. As the Honorary Knight, she expected people to trust her a little more and felt her frustration grow. Paimon managed to calm her down and they resigned themselves to wait and ask in the city.
The same heavy atmosphere had taken over Springvale as well. Most of the hunters were home, even during the busier hours of the day. Lumine couldn’t help but frown. She noted that she had been attacked by more Hilichurls on her way to the city and she was afraid she was starting to understand.
- What is the Abyss order up to? She muttered.
As she had expected, many of the knights were missing from the city. The air was heavy in Mondstadt as well and she felt a shiver run down her spine at the sight. Mondstadt was the city of wind and songs, not silence and worry. She had seen this once when Dvalin was still known as Stormterror and she had hoped it would never happen again. So much for resting in Mondstadt then.
The first place she went to were the knights’ headquarters. There, she found Jean buried under a huge pile of paperwork, dark purple bags under her eyes. She was signing the bottom of a page but her hand wouldn’t stop trembling. Those were clear signs of exhaustion; she was sure of it.
- Master Jean? She called, gently pushing the door open a little more. What’s going on, here?
- Honorary Knight! Jean shot up in her seat. Your timing is impeccable.
- Has the Abyss order been causing trouble, lately?
- Now more than ever; Jean nodded. Since their plan with Dvalin failed, they have been getting more reckless, like they have nothing to lose anymore. I’ve been forced to send knights all over the place to clear out camps but there are so many… It feels like they called for Hilichurls from other nations as well!
- That sounds terrible! Paimon shouted. Is there anything we can do to help? How are things going so far?
- Some knights are more efficient than others, as you can imagine; Jean sighed. Kaeya and Amber are working together and are making quick work of the more worrying camps, but they can’t be everywhere at once. I think things are going rather well for us, but communications are hardly getting through.
- What do communications have to do with anything? Paimon wondered.
- More than you’d think. I asked the knights to send me reports of their progress every day, but I haven’t received even half of them. Without them, I have no way to know if someone got hurt, which camps have been taken care of and whether or not Hilichurls are starting to move towards Mondstadt again.
- So you think that things are going well because you haven’t received any bad news, but you can’t be sure. Did Paimon get that right?
- Exactly; Jean nodded. I feel bad for asking you this after all you’ve already done for us, but would you mind helping us one more time? I have a map with the camps we located marked on it. The ones I know are no longer a threat are crossed out. Would you… mind taking care of the others? Of course, because of the lack of communication, you might find some of them already cleared out, but…
- I’ll take care of it, Jean; Lumine promised, taking the map from her hands. Please don’t forget to take care of yourself. You are looking a lot worse for wear than last time I had to step in. Now’s not the time to pass out.
- I’ll keep that in mind. Oh, another thing! Some vision bearers have come to help as well so you might run into them. Lisa and Albedo offered to help, for example. As to where they are now… I’m afraid I don’t know.
- Let’s hope my reports will get through.
Lumine knew they wouldn’t. She would need someone to carry her letters back and there was no way she would find someone to do that out in the wild, especially with how dangerous things had gotten. From what she could tell, most of the knights went to report on their progress once the mission was over and they were back in Mondstadt even on regular missions.
She left Jean’s office and finally took a glance at the map. She felt her jaw drop. If the camps were represented by the red dots, then there were a lot more than she remembered seeing in Mondstadt. Paimon looked over her shoulder and turned pale.
- That’s… way too much for us to deal with! The pixie yelled. What are we going to do?
- Remember that we’re not alone on this. We’ll do our part and trust that the others will do the same. If we’re lucky, this should be over by the end of the month.
So much for finishing to decorate her teapot and finding new leads on her brother.
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Lumine had made her way to Starsnatch Cliff and was currently right below that, at the Thousand Winds Temple. It had taken her over a week to get there and she had encountered six camps on her way. The only positive thing that came out of this disaster was that she had her fighting spirit back, thanks to the urgency of the situation.
She hadn’t seen anyone on her way there since it wasn’t really a priority for anyone. After all, Starsnatch Cliff was one of the most deserted places in Mondstadt; the knights were more likely to take care of places like the forest near Springvale or the area around the camp set at the bottom of Dragonspine.
As things were now, she was spying on yet another camp. To think that Hilichurls settled so close to the ruins made her stomach twist because she knew many adventurers came and went there, looking for treasures. This camp was larger than the other ones she dealt with.
- There’s an Abyss mage in this one; Paimon whispered, her voice trembling a little.
- And a fire one at that; Lumine said through greeted teeth. Those are not my favourites.
- What are we going to do?
Lumine looked down at her wrist. They were glowing yellow from Geo energy. She hadn’t had the time to touch a statue since coming to Mondstadt and hadn’t switched back to her Anemo powers. She liked her Geo powers and could fight decently with them, but Anemo came more naturally to her. She’d have to make due.
- What can we do other than charge in and hope for the best?
- That sounds like a good way to get killed to Paimon.
Lumine ignored her remark and got up, already running in. Her sword appeared in her hand and she gathered Geo energy in her hand, ready to drop a huge stone on the Abyss mage’s head. She knew it wouldn’t break his shield, far from it, but it was as good as it was going to get.
- Traveller! Paimon shouted behind her. Why do you never listen to Paimon?
Lumine blocked out the noise to focus entirely on the fight. She counted at least six Hilichurls fighters, four shooters of different elements and two grenadiers, or slime throwers as she liked to call them. On top of that, there was a hydro samachurl and a dendro one standing behind the others. She’d need to get to the hydro one first or the never-ending healing would be the end of her. Unfortunately, standing between her and the samachurls stood a mitachurl brandishing an axe. Saying she was outnumbered, even with her powers, would sound like a very bad attempt at a joke.
She decided to forgo her plan of dropping a stone and used up more of her energy to change the topography around her. She stomped her foot on the ground and large spikes came out of it, pushing her enemies back. It bought her some time to think but didn’t change the fact that she was surrounded.
She brought her sword down on a Hilichurl fighter’s neck. The enemy collapsed to the ground but another one was standing behind him and almost hit Lumine’s shoulder. She was lucky for her reflexes as she ducked away from the hit. Still fifteen more enemies to go.
She killed another one without getting hit but the next one managed to hit her side. She pushed through the pain and finished him off but she couldn’t hide the grimace on her face. There were vines all around her, limiting her movements, and she had to keep watch of the shooters. She had tried to drop a stone on them but the hydro samachurl had healed them until all the damage she did was undone. She had only killed three and most of her enemies hadn’t attacked her yet. What would she do if all of them decided to strike at once?
She blocked a Hilichurl’s mace with her sword, only aggravating the pain in her side, and had to put a lot of effort to push it back. Once that was done, she tried to kill it but her hit lacked strength and she missed. The Hilichurl didn’t lose time in raising his weapon again and Lumine’s mind starting rushing to think of a plan not to get hurt.
- Time for take-off! Came a voice behind her.
A spiral of wind took form in front of her, sucking the Hilichurls inside of it. She planted her feet strongly in the ground not to get sucked in as well. One of the grenadiers had an electro slime in his hands and the wind dispersed the electro element, taking the characteristic purple colour. The pyro mage was standing too close to it and its shield was quickly destroyed by all the small explosions the two elements caused. Lumine dropped a large rock on the mitachurl, an arrow flew above her head, and the camp was taken care of.
- Venti! She called, a huge smile on her face as she turned to him.
- Fancy meeting you here, Traveller; the bard greeted her, his bow disappearing as he waved.
- Traveller! Paimon panicked, flying over. Are you ok? Are you hurt? Do you need to rest?
- I’m mostly fine but I will need some rest; Lumine tried to reassure the pixie. Do you think we still have some of that ointment Ganyu gave us? I’m definitely going to have a bruise tomorrow.
- But you’re not bleeding, right? Paimon wanted to make sure.
- No, I’m not; Lumine promised. Look! White dress is still white!
- Thank goodness; the pixie sighed in relief. But you can never do that again! You scared Paimon to death when you charged in!
- I’m with her on that one; Venti chimed in, walking over to them. Ever since the Abyss has started causing trouble, most knights have started working in groups, just in case. And those of us who work alone just write down the position of the biggest camps and let the others deal with it.
- I’ll keep that in mind.
- What were you doing here anyway, tone deaf bard? Paimon wondered. Paimon’s glad you helped of course, but you’re usually singing in Mondstadt or getting drunk at the tavern.
- I’m helping with clearing out the camps, of course! Venti replied with the smile Lumine had gotten used to seeing on his face. After all, protecting Mondstadt is part of the job description.
Paimon and Lumine both knew he wasn’t referring to his job as a bard. Lumine felt embarrassed that she had needed saving as she was used to fighting her battles alone in Teyvat and managing just fine. Though now that she thought about it, she did have help for the major ones and before Teyvat, she was always with her brother. Perhaps she should find someone to accompany her in her next travels but that would take a lot of convincing.
The blush on her cheeks wasn’t coming from embarrassment alone and her heart fluttered in her chest now that she was standing so close to Venti. It had been a while since she’d seen him last and his smile was something she had missed dearly. That didn’t compare to how much she had missed his eyes and the colour of them though.
- Well you’re doing a terrible job at it; Paimon crossed her arms over her chest. Paimon’s glad you’re the only Archon who’s so weak, otherwise Teyvat would be doomed.
- Hey! Venti complained. I didn’t do so bad just now, did I?
- That’s… true; Paimon reluctantly agreed. Consider it as you making up to Mondstadt for the disaster you were during the whole Dvalin incident.
Lumine mentally cursed Paimon for being so straightforward. Objectively, she knew Paimon was right, Venti wasn’t the most suited to protect the nation. But she wanted no one to tell him because she felt her heart break a little as Venti’s expression turned into something sadder.
She knew Paimon and the bard could never get along. Though it had turned into a more friendly banter over time, they couldn’t stop arguing. Lumine had never asked for the feelings she had for Venti but now that they were there, she couldn’t help wishing for more than the friendship they had and Paimon wasn’t making it easy.
- Thanks for stepping in; she said to change the subject.
- Of course, it’s no trouble! He smiled and oh boy did she love that smile. You said you needed rest, right? I’m afraid the ruins of the temple aren’t the best place for that as of now. Did you have anywhere in mind?
Lumine had two things in mind when she got the teapot: decorating it and inviting friends. She was starting the first thing on this list and could do the second one now.
- I’ll show you, look! She said as she took the teapot out of her inventory.
She set it in front of her and grabbed Venti’s wrist, placing his hand on the teapot. When she was sure he was teleported inside, she did the same thing. Entering the teapot always made her a little nauseous, but that had started to fade since she was beginning to get used to it.
- Adepti magic, I see! Venti noted, seemingly unbothered by the sickness he should have felt. That’s quite impressive. I should have expected you to make such powerful friends in Liyue though.
Guess he’s so used to getting drunk that he doesn’t even feel dizzy anymore. Or maybe that’s because he’s an Archon.
- It’s not much yet! She explained to crush his expectations. The house was already there and I’m still working on furnishing it.
- Well, it’s certainly something already. I’m glad to see that my favourite disciple chose to live in a house that looks a lot like those in Mondstadt!
There was that smile again. If Lumine hadn’t been red before, she certainly was now. She still wasn’t used to Venti calling her his disciple but him adding “favourite” to it… That was aiming straight for her heart and she could only hope he did it on purpose.
The first thing the bard seemed to notice as they stepped in was the Cecilia on the table. His smile grew even bigger and Lumine’s cheeks grew even redder. She felt as though Venti had just stumbled upon her diary what with how much of a personal meaning that flower had. Paimon zipped in front of her, eyes darting between her and Venti, and Lumine got the feeling that she finally understood.
- Paimon’ll go check for that ointment, be right back; the pixie said before disappearing into another room.
Lumine didn’t know whether she appreciate being given her space or if she would rather not be alone with Venti. Only the stars knew how much she had wished for a moment like that but now, she felt like she was walking on eggshells. She was so afraid of making a fool of herself that she didn’t dare to move.
- With how nice the place feels already, I can only imagine how it will be when it’ll be finished! Venti cheered. And the Cecilia is a nice bonus.
- I like the smell of it; she said without second thought.
- It does smell nice, doesn’t it?
Thankfully, Venti doesn’t seem to realise the Cecilias on his hat are the only reason she even knew what the flower smelled like before putting it down in the vase. He looks around the room once more and Lumine feels somewhat ashamed of her house. She wanted to call it home so badly ever since she got it that she thought of inviting her friends over from the moment she put the table and chairs down, thinking it would be enough. Now, looking at how sparsely furnished it was, she was afraid Venti would think less of her for some reason.
- You have a lot of books! The bard noted. I’m guessing resting means ‘lying in bed reading a book’, huh? That certainly works.
- Yeah, about that… She muttered, feeling her cheeks grow even redder. I haven’t collected the materials needed to make a bed, yet. Toby, the Adepti that’s been helping me out since I got the teapot, says that I need a certain type of wood I can only get in Mondstadt. I was planning on gathering some but then I agreed to help the knights and…
- Please don’t tell me you’re sleeping on the floor; Venti demanded.
- On the carpet; her voice broke on the last word and if she could die from embarrassment, she would be six feet under already.
Venti’s expression turned serious and he seemed lost in thoughts for a moment. Lumine was starting to doubt inviting him was a good idea. Then again, she wasn’t about to leave him out of the teapot after just meeting with him for the first time in months.
- Tell you what; I’ll go look for your materials and ask Toby to make you a bed. In the meantime, try not to move around too much, alright?
- No, I can’t possibly ask you to do that! Lumine shook her head quickly. It’s hardly the time to go chopping down wood anyway!
- Well I’m not letting you sleep on the floor; Venti crossed his arms over his chest, pouting.
- Says the one who always sleeps outside!
- Touché, but still. I can come back in the teapot even after I leave, right? I promise I’ll be back as soon as possible.
- Yes, but still… I feel bad for asking that of you. Plus, you won’t getting anywhere with that bow of yours!
- How about you lend me your sword, then? You shouldn’t need it, unless there are monsters lurking around here. And besides! You’ve done so much for me and Mondstadt already, it’s only right that I help you out!
She was left out of arguments and could only sigh in defeat. She handed Venti her sword, made him promise he’d be careful and gave him the paper she had written the list of materials needed on. When Paimon came back, she looked around in surprise. She flew over to Lumine and put the ointment on the table, taking her place at Lumine’s side as if it were second nature.
- Where did tone deaf bard go?
- He insisted on getting me wood for a bed; she sighed. Thank you for that; she added, lifting the fabric of her dress to treat her already forming bruise.
- Huh. Paimon didn’t have him pegged as the helpful type.
Venti came back inside about four hours later. Lumine would be lying if she said that she hadn’t been worried and she hoped her sigh of relief went unnoticed. The bard struggled to keep the doors open and even more so to push the bed inside. As the god of wind, he was extraordinarily light and he didn’t have much going on for him in terms of muscle. Lumine had also struggled to push the table inside, and she was stronger than him. She stood up to help, only to be pushed back down by the musician. She kept it a secret that she planned on having her room on the first floor and pretended that the space near the front door was made for it. Venti squinted his eyes suspiciously but did as he was asked.
After a few painful minutes, the doors were closed and the bed was finally there. Lumine laid on it experimentally and felt a huge smile tug at her lips.
- So that’s how it feels to sleep in a bed! It’s been so long, I completely forgot!
Paimon flew over and laid down next to her. The pixie rolled on her side, then on the other, giggling like a small child. Venti watched from the side, smiling softly at them.
- Well, mister bard; Lumine teased. A song would be nice to celebrate, wouldn’t it?
She hadn’t expected him to actually take out his lyre, nor had she planned for him to sit on the side of the bed. She felt the mattress dip and blushed, suddenly very glad Venti couldn’t see her face from where he was sitting. Her left leg was so close to him, they were almost touching. Venti paid it no thought and started playing. It was a song she hadn’t heard before, a very peaceful one, and she hadn’t realised how tired she was until her eyes started to close on their own.
Her sleep addled mind noticed how red the skin on Venti’s hands looked. Maybe that was why he was sitting with his back turned to her, so she wouldn’t notice. She supposed that collecting wood with a sword, for someone who wasn’t used to that weapon, was bound to leave a mark.
The next morning, she woke up to the smell of apples and something slightly burnt. She sat up only to lay back down as pain flared up from her bruised side. It didn’t take a genius to tell what was going on, so she waited and pretended to be surprised when Venti brought her a slice of apple pie.
- Actually, it’s supposed to be a cake; he pouted after she tanked him. But as you can probably tell, baking isn’t my strong suit and I have no idea how to make this thing look like a cake.
- Did you use any baking powder? That’s the only way for your cake to raise in the oven.
- Noted, I’ll try that next time.
This whole scene looked so domestic, she wondered what it would feel like to make this place not only her home, but theirs. She shoved that thought back to where it came from because she knew it could never happen. Yes, she now had a house and yes, she had made plenty of friends already, but she was still a traveller and travellers were there and then gone. Relationships were off limit. That saved her the trouble of endlessly wondering whether or not Venti liked her back, at least.
She ate in silence, careful not to wake up Paimon who was still asleep next to her. Once she was done, Venti took her plate back to the kitchen and helped her walk outside. She was careful not to lean too much of her weight on him but the pain was worse than the day before and she couldn’t stop herself from hissing at each step. And to think that she had planned on getting back to work as soon as she woke up…
They sat on the beach and watched the sunrise, still without a word, both just appreciating the other’s presence. When the silence dragged on a little too long, Lumine decided to fill it with small talk; better that than nothing.
- Where did you sleep, last night? I know you like sleeping in trees and I still don’t have any here; she gestured to the grass growing around the house.
- Well… The carpet was more comfortable than expected; Venti scratched the back of his head, sign that he was embarrassed.
Lumine’s cheeks instantly went bright red at the thought of Venti sleeping in the same room as her without her knowing. She suddenly felt very self-conscious about a lot of things. Did she snore? Aether kept telling her that she never snored but leave it to her brother to lie to protect her feelings. She hadn’t moved around too much, had she? Did she end up in a weird position?
But none of those questions left her lips and she hummed to acknowledge what Venti had said. She could wonder how it would be like all she wanted; she clearly wasn’t ready for a relationship.
Embarrassment made Lumine’s mind go blank and the chit-chat ended there. The silence was now making both of them very uncomfortable, so Venti took his lyre out once again, and she listened to him play until Paimon woke up and dragged them both back inside.
---------
Lumine had been a little too optimistic when she said the Abyss order could be dealt with by the end of the month. She took two more days to rest before going back to clearing camps, with Venti’s help this time, and it took them a whole week to free both Starsnatch Cliff and the Thousand Winds Temple. Lumine then decided to report to Jean on her progress, hoping she’d get an updated version of her map as not to lose time going to already cleared camps.
Unfortunately, Venti didn’t accompany her back to Mondstadt, saying he’d rather stay out in the wild just in case they missed some lost Hilichurls. Lumine felt a pang of disappointment in her chest but tried not to let it show.
It took her another three days to walk back to Mondstadt and Jean looked just about ready to cry when she opened the door. The Acting Grand Master scolded her for not sending anything during all the time she was away and in return, Lumine reprimanded her for not taking care of herself properly while she was gone.
After helping Jean with a few reports, they managed to make an almost fully reliable updated version of Lumine’s map, showing how much progress had been made. Jean informed her that Albedo, Sucrose and Lisa were more likely to be at Dragonspine. The Hilichurls there weren’t a direct menace to Mondstadt as they rarely left the mountain, but Jean insisted that they took care of it just in case the Abyss decided to call them into battle. Kaeya and Amber were apparently almost done with Stormterror’s lair when they sent their last report, leaving Lumine with Cape Oath. She had to suppress a groan as it was far from the city and promised Jean she would take care of it.
And so the next three weeks were spent travelling, helping out adventurers who had wandered where they shouldn’t have, gathering some more materials when she could and of course, causing a Hilichurl massacre.
By the time the whole incident was considered closed, Lumine had finally moved her bed into the room she wanted as her bedroom, made herself a bedside table, built a fireplace for maximum cosiness and put another Cecilia in a vase.
Lumine and Paimon had a gigantic smile on their faces as they approached Mondstadt’s gates once more, already hearing the sound of laughter and cheer. The city was finally back to normal and they were both hoping to celebrate their victory at Angel’s Share with all of their friends.
The Honorary Knight was once again the talk of the town, as Kaeya wouldn’t stop telling her about in that teasing tone of his. Lumine hadn’t done any of this for the fame, of course, but the recognition put a smile on her face. Nothing compared to the relief that came with knowing that Mondstadt was now safe.
Three days after she was back, she received an invitation from Diluc to come to the tavern that night and she couldn’t hide her excitement for the rest of the day. As expected, all her friends were there. There was even more food than at Jean’s party, and more guests too. Lumine jumped at the occasion to greet Albedo and Sucrose.
At some point during all her catching up, Venti had climbed on a table, a glass of wine in hand, and Lumine could only pray that he wasn’t already drunk.
- Who’s ready to party all night? He yelled/asked.
Amber and Paimon, who had been eyeing the buffet for some time, cheered and rushed to the food right after. Diluc rolled his eyes but she saw the smallest hint of a smile on his face. After defeating the Abyss one more time, all the vision bearers in Mondstadt met in the same tavern to share a night together… Yeah, this promised to be fun.