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Chapter Text

“OF ALL STHHE PEOPLE YOURE THE LASHT PERSHON I’D LIKE TO SHEE.”

The white-haired former archon sniveled through a stuffy and red nose as she weakly pointed at the fourth Fatui Harbinger standing in the door frame of her cramped bedroom. The Knave sighed.

Furina sat with her back against the headboard of the bed, propped up by more pillows than she could reasonably use in her tiny bed. The mid-day sun trickled through half-closed blinders and her head hurt. She had been bedridden for a week, and anyone who came to visit only did so once. Furina couldn’t complain, just because she wasn’t busy any longer didn’t mean that the world stopped.

Clorinde had been kind enough to drop off a care package, and Neuvilette had at least knocked on the door before leaving her some food nicer than just macaroni.

Not that she’d been able to drag herself out of bed more than once a day, if even that. While she didn’t miss the ginormous responsibilities of upholding a facade as the leader of a nation, she did miss the on-call melusine that could help her with even the smallest medical issue.

With whatever she was stuck sniveling from now, she’d need a team of the short-statured blue creatures to help her out. On top of the disaster that was her physical health, the only person to almost be successful in an attempt to kill her in the last one hundred years was now standing at the entrance to her bedroom. Furina moved her accusatory finger to blow her nose.

“I come bearing medicine,” Arlecchino said in her usual cold tone.

A shiver ran down Furina’s spine, but she wasn’t going to let the Fatui Harbinger get the upper hand that easily.

“Here to finish the job?” Furina accused through puffy eyes as she blew her nose.

Furina had known that whatever dynamic they’d had before as archon and mortal was gone since she no longer held the position, but she’d hoped she wouldn’t have to fall from grace this fast.

The Knave shook her head.

“You have it backwards. I’m here to mend things, Lady Furina,” The Knave explained.

Furina looked at the tall woman with incredulity.

“Mend what, exactly?” Furina allowed herself to ask out loud with a nasally huff.

No wonder mortals stayed inside while sick, this state of being was degrading.

“Our relationship. You’re no longer an archon, and had I known your true identity I would’ve never…” The Knave trailed off as she looked at the ground.

The implications hung in the air. Furina instinctively held her judging gaze, one she’d trained over centuries. Had the fourth Fatui Harbinger really come to apologize to her, or was this merely a trick by the Fatui to get closer to her?

“I didn’t know the Fatui bargained in medicine and aid,” Furina tried, unconvinced of The Knave’s motives.

“Then perhaps you were more blind to Poisson than I first thought,” The Knave fired back, now meeting the former archon’s gaze.

Furina felt a pang of guilt shoot through her heart. Her face didn’t waver, but her heart did.

“Is your sense of an olive branch accusations?” Furina said back, fighting not to tear up at the memories of her last visit to Poisson. Even though they’d been there to help the theatre troupe, it had just created even more painful and guilt-ridden memories.

“I was responding to the tone you were setting, Lady Furina,” The Knave replied coldly.

Furina couldn’t take it anymore, her head was pounding like seawater on the valve of Meripedes. She put her head to the wall and groaned.

“Fine, hand me the medicine, and please stop calling me lady. I’m just Miss Furina now.”

If The Knave was here to kill her so be it, it would be preferable to dealing with this headache any longer.

The Knave approached and sat down on the edge of Furina’s bed. Its small size meant that she could barely fit on it without touching Furina’s legs through the covers.

The paper bag rattled as she took out a bottle of white pills.

“This should help with the headaches and inflammatory symptoms, Miss Furina,” The Knave informed as she opened the bottle and picked up a pill.

She stretched out her hand to Furina while also grabbing the half-full glass of water on her small nightstand.

Furina tentatively took the pill while eyeing The Knave.

She didn’t trust her, but what choice did she have? She shakily took the glass of water.

Furina struggled to hold the glass in her weakened state.

The water threatened to spill all over her bed as The Knave’s quick reflexes reached out to grab the glass.

Furina flinched, her mind flashing back to the night of The Knave’s attack as she gasped. She felt her pulse starting to beat erratically as cold sweat rapidly formed on her back. She was back to that awful night. Memories of fear, pain, and failure all coursed through her in an instant.

“Stay back!” Furina blurted out while she flailed towards The Knave, unsure if she was speaking to the person in the present, or in the past. The scene kept flashing in front of her. The masked Harbinger threatening her life if she didn't hand over the gnosis, the scowl and disdain in her voice. The terrifying prospect of her life ending before she could fulfill mirror me's plan.

Furina felt her own breath growing shorter and faster with each moment.

Then, as if stepping into a warm sauna after taking a cold ice bath, she felt something gingerly setting down it's weight on her leg.

The Fatui Harbinger had hesitated before slowly putting a hand on Furina’s leg.

“Miss Furina, listen to my voice. Focus on the present. I am not here to hurt you.” Arlecchino’s voice had softened, if just for a sentence. The voice was different from that night, it didn’t sound like The Knave that had most of Fontaine at her fingertips, or like the one skulking in the night. It sounded like a caring an genuine person. The vivid images of the night Furina was attacked wavered and became unfocused as Arlecchino's voice broke through her terrifying visions.

For the first time since meeting her, Furina heard a person, not an evil schemer.

“It’s midday, you’re at your new home. You’re in bed and you’re sick.”

A minute of Arlecchino describing their surroundings eased Furina out of her flashback. Her back felt sticky from the sweat, and breaths still came in short, but her mind was returning to the present.

Furina stirred and batted against thin air as her eyes started to water, still unsure of where she was.

“No one is going to threaten you, Furina,” The Knave said softly. Furina blinked slowly, the world started to refocus. The images of her memories faded for the moment and she returned to the present.

“Take a deep breath,” Arlecchino instructed.

Without thinking, Furina followed the instructions and Arlecchino joined her in her deep breaths. After the third breath Furina could feel herself calming down, which meant the headache returned.

Her hair was even more ruffled than before her thrashing. She truly looked like shit, and somehow her previous assailant had also been the one to comfort her?

“How did you do that?” Furina asked.

“Many of my children at the House of the Hearth have had traumatic experiences. I know a few things that help ground them,” she stated matter-of-factly. As if knowing these things were as simple as knowing the sky was blue.

“I’m surprised you didn’t just tell them to toughen up,” Furina said quietly, still somewhat shocked from her flashback. They hadn’t come too often, and when they did it was mostly in her sleep.

“That’s no way to treat children, especially orphans. They have it tough enough as it is,” Arlecchino said with a flame of passion threatening to break out from under her cool exterior.

“You care a lot about them, don’t you?”

Furina didn’t mean to ask all these questions, it just helped her not think about the past.

“They mean everything to me,” Arlecchino said with a steadfast conviction Furina hadn’t seen The Knave show before.

The more she spoke, the more human she seemed, Furina observed.

Maybe there’s more to this Fatui than just deeds with ulterior motives? Furina thought.

Arlecchino was still holding the glass of water that she’d snatched away from spilling all over the bed, meanwhile Furina was clutching the oval-shaped pill.

Furina looked at it in her hand and then over at the glass.

“I could…” Arlecchino said, joining her in looking at the glass of water as she let her offer silently linger.

Furina wanted to protest. Being given medicine was one thing. Being helped with a flashback was another. Seeing the humanity of a Harbinger was a third thing, but she could not let a Fatui Harbinger help her down medicine.

Even if she was no longer pretending to be an archon she still had some dignity left to preserve. As if the divine itself was punishing her for her role in Focalor’s plan, she felt a sharp pain digging into her temple.

She clutched at her head and gritted her teeth. Arlecchino looked at her with concern.

“Miss Furina, are you having another flashback?” it sounded like genuine concern for a second.

The whole encounter had flipped Furina’s perception of the Knave upside down enough as it was, she couldn’t take this situation much longer. With a pained expression Furina looked at Arlecchino. She didn’t want to accept the help, she couldn’t be this weak.

“I won’t tell a soul, I promise,” Arlecchino said with a small smile.

There was… warmth in her eyes? Surely this was a trick, but perhaps that was the Fatui way. Play enough tricks that eventually the target will find a trick it is happy to have played on them, and maybe the trick Furina currently needed played on her was someone helping her through whatever illness was plaguing her.

Furina nodded in defeat with a sigh.

Carefully, Arlecchino took the pill from Furina and made an “aaah” sound while opening her own mouth to demonstrate.

Her droopy eyelids and neutral expression paired with opening her mouth is rather cute. The thought crossed Furina’s mind for a single moment before being aggressively shoved into the deepest recesses of her mind.

That was not a thought anyone should have about a Fatui Harbinger.

The next moment Furina mimicked Arlecchino and opened her mouth with an “aaah.” of her own. Arlecchino gently placed the pill on Furina’s tongue before carefully tilting her chin up with her long fingernail and putting the room temperature glass of water to Furina’s mouth.

Furina felt a shiver run down her spine, not out of fear, but something else.

She gulped down the medicine with the water. Hearing her swallow, Arlecchino pulled her hands and glass away from Furina.

Arlecchino’s guiding finger left a lingering feeling on her chin. Furina had read enough novels and seen enough mortals over the last 500 years to recognize that she was currently flustered, much to her own chagrin.

Even if it was just for show, Arlecchino’s caring side is-- Furina cut off her own train of thought.

No, Fatui Harbingers should not be the subject of such thoughts!

“See, that wasn’t so bad?” Arlecchino said warmly and Furina felt something in her stomach drop. Furina gave a small smile and nodded with a “mhm,” in hopes that the Knave hadn’t already noticed how flustered she was. Her red, flushed face could always be chalked up to her illness, right?

“Then let’s have you take the other medicine while we’re at it, it looks like your symptoms are flaring up,” Arlecchino said. Furina merely nodded, too afraid that her voice would come out weird or she’d say something that was bubbling in her subconscious.

The damned mid-day lighting filtering into her room didn’t help either. Arlecchino’s neatly groomed hair that split in black and white fell perfectly on her cold and sharp face.

The way her majestic, yet imposing arms moved as she picked out another medicinal container from the paper bag while the deep red crosses in her black eyes glistened in the light were captivating.

One of the containers was filled with some kind of fluid that Arlecchino quickly poured into a spoon, filling it to the brim. Once again Arlecchino made her “aaah” face, She looks so cute while doing that-- no, shut up and take your medicine Furina.

You are NOT thinking about her like that, she chastised herself as she mirrored the “aaah” of the Fatui Harbinger.

“Make sure to swallow it properly, I know it tastes bad but it will help you fight off the illness,” Arlecchino reassured as Furina scrunched her nose. The taste was indeed bad, and paired with the metal of the spoon it was even worse.

Squeezing her eyes shut she forced the liquid down before sticking out her tongue in disgust.

Arlecchino gave a quiet and low chuckle.

“Don’t laugh at me, I’m struggling over here!” Furina complained.

Arlecchino gave a small smile before reaching for the glass of water and offering it to Furina.

“Sorry, you just look so cute when you stick your tongue out,” she said. Furina could swear she heard her own brain short-circuit as she stared at Arlecchino. Their eyes met and Furina forgot to breathe for a second. She could feel herself getting lost in Arlecchino’s dark eyes as the seconds passed.

It should’ve been awkward, and it kind of was, but more importantly Furina felt like someone was looking at her as a person. Someone looked at her as Furina the human, nothing else.

Arlecchino tilted her head before asking:

“Something the matter, Miss Furina?”

“E-everything is fine, just the bad taste lingering,” Furina stuttered out as she weakly waved her hands to signal that she was totally fine.

“Some water should help with that.”

Furina nodded with fervor before craning her neck forward to meet the glass being moved towards her.

She gulped down the remaining liquid, washing away some of the bad taste before returning back to her sitting position in her bed.

She let out a sound of refreshed satisfaction as she finished the drink, keeping her eyes closed so as to not have to look the other woman in the eyes again. Eventually, she had to open her eyes again.

“Thank you,” Furina said as she all of a sudden found the small view of her window very exciting.

Arlecchino placed both containers of medicine on Furina’s nightstand and then slowly stood up.

“I am glad to get to repay the person who helped save the nation where my children reside, it is I who should be thanking you, Furina,” Arlecchino said as she dusted off her pants.

Furina looked at Arlecchino in shock.

“You’re thanking me?” she asked with a perplexed look. Her attempts at not meeting the other woman’s gaze quickly fell apart as Arlecchino turned to look down at her.

Furina had never been more self-conscious of how she looked until Arlecchino was towering over her.

“It is as I said. You gave 500 years of your life to save Fontaine. I am a Fontainian after all, and I would be foolish not to express my gratitude,” Arlecchino said warmly with a faint smile appearing on her lips.

Arlecchino is smiling, at me! Furina thought as she felt her cheeks once again flush.

Damn this human body.

“Well… you played your part in helping Fontaine too. Fatui or not I suppose I should thank you as well,” Furina said, hoping her voice wasn't trembling as much as her heart was.

Arlecchino slowly nodded in response as she held her warm gaze.

Thankfully for Furina's heart, that conversation ended as Arlecchino changed the subject.

“I was told to let you know that whatever it is you're sick with is highly contagious.

Clorinde has already been contained and is being cared for by the melusine doctors,” Arlecchino explained.

So thats why Clorinde hasn't visited for the last six days.

“But why are you here then?” She didn't mean to sound as concerned as she did.

Thankfully, Arlecchino didn't appear to make note of it, at the very least.

Why would a Harbinger risk illness just to visit me?

“I've been in Snezhnaya for long enough that my immune system is tempered. Whatever my body misses I can cause a localised heat flash to burn away with my pyro vision powers. Think of it like a mini-fever but far more effective, and able to kill any type of infection or virus,” The Knave simply explained.

Her face had returned to its usual wall of unreadability. Furina felt a small pang as she missed Arlecchino's smile.

You can't feel like that about a Fatui Harbinger.

The explanation seemed reasonable to Furina. She'd heard of pyro vision holders rarely getting sick. If Arlecchino’s reputation as the fourth Fatui Harbinger was to be believed, it didn't seem outside the realm of possibility that she would feel confident around a viral person.

“So unless I find another person with a pyro vision you're the only one who can visit me?” Furina sighed, hoping to conceal that small bit of excitement that stirred within her chest. Whether she was concealing it from herself or Arlecchino, she couldn't tell.

“The medicine I procured should be enough to last until you're better,” Arlecchino explained.

The tall woman looked back at Furina’s small kitchen with dishes stacked up over the last week.

“Unless you're completely opposed to it, I could come over to help you in your weakened state,” Arlecchino offered.

Her face held pity in it as her gaze travelled between the mess in the kitchen, the tissues littered on and around Furina’s nightstand, and the sniveling resident herself.

The offer hung in the air. Had Furina truly fallen so far that she was willing to accept pity-help from the Fatui...? Furina huffed internally. If she’d put on the greatest act in all of Fontaine for 500 years, she’d earned a little bit of pity. As a treat.

Like a dog being fed by a stranger for the first time she carefully scanned Arlecchino’s face. Other than the pity on it, the rest of her body gave away nothing. She missed having Monsieur Neuvillette around to lend his advice when needed. Perhaps accepting help from others was something he’d encourage.

After all, monsieur Neuvillette had never opposed Arlecchino as much as he’d merely been wary of her. As she held Arlecchino’s gaze, she slowly nodded.

“I’m not completely opposed to it,” she started to speak and for a second Furina could swear that something lit up in those dark red stars that rested in Arlecchino’s pupils.

Is Arlecchino happy that I accepted? Well, there’s a million reasons for that, she thought while continuing to speak.

“As you’ve seen. Keeping clean has been… challenging.” She winced at the admittance of the state of her apartment, but continued speaking.

“I would appreciate some help in that regard. When can I expect you next time?” Furina asked, realizing that a hint of excitement had slipped into her speech at the prospect of Arlecchino returning.

Yet again Arlecchino either ignored it or didn’t notice.

As she spoke she moved away from the door frame she was stood in and back into the bedroom. Furina felt her heart jump up into her throat.

“I should have some time tomorrow in the afternoon. I’ll bring some cleaning supplies. Do you have any preferences when it comes to food?” she asked matter-of-factly while
closing the last distance between the two.

“I… N- nothing in particular, I like things on the sweeter side if you must know,” Furina stammered, taken aback by Arlecchino's continuous generosity.

Being brought medicine was one thing, but food was a completely different aspect in Furina’s regard. It felt less formal, somehow.

“Then you should focus on resting and getting well,” Arlecchino motioned for Furina to slide down and properly lay down rather than sitting in her bed. Without thinking, Furina followed the Knave’s instructions and slid down fully beneath her sheets.

“Make sure to take the medicine one more time during the evening, three times total in a day, otherwise it won’t be as effective,” Arlecchino instructed.

Furina nodded in response. For a single moment Furina could’ve sworn she saw another smile on the Arlecchino's lips, but when she blinked to see it better she was back to her usual demeanour.

“Rest well, Furina, and I’ll see you tomorrow,” Arlecchino spoke softly as she tucked Furina in, making sure there were no gaps or openings for the white haired woman to get cold.

Furina felt her heart beat faster,this time not out of fear, as Arlecchino leaned over her to tuck in her bed sheets.

Her dark red lipstick shimmered in the sun peeking in and Furina swore she was about to have her heart jump out and start performing a ballet number.

Arlecchino finished tucking in the shorter woman before moving to shut the blinds and then exiting the apartment without another word.

Furina held her hands to her chest and started cursing.

Maybe the headache is preferable to whatever the hell my heart is doing!

Arlecchino

The mission had been simple, in theory.

Furina was sick and needed medicine, Arlecchino was the only one around that could safely deliver it to her without getting sick herself.

Drop off the medicine, give a pretense of being remorseful and gain Furina’s trust by continuously helping her through her time being sick.

Then afterwards she’d keep up the friendly charade to the point where she could gain the woman’s trust enough for her to talk about other people that would come to visit her and the conversations they’d have.

After all she’d been visited by many people of import since abdicating from her title as archon and leader of Fontaine.

The chief justice, the master duelist, the traveler, the president of Spina de Rosula, even the head of the Meripedes had visited her.

She was an easy way into knowing more about these people.

She would have dirt and knowledge on a lot of people merely by spending minimal time around Furina.

It would be valuable to the Tsaritsa as she enjoyed holding as many cards against people as possible.

To gain her trust, all Arlecchino had to do was make what seemed to be a wholehearted apology for the assassination attempt when she was to steal the gnosis she believed Furina was holding.

Arlecchino had meant to make a murder attempt on the hydro archon, not some poor girl pretending to be a god in Focalor’s place.

If anything, Arlecchino had an admiration for how she was able to deceive the heavenly principal and the rest of the world for 500 years.

Still, Arlecchino had not been remorseful for what she had done and she hoped Furina would believe her to be genuine in her apology.

Simple, that’s what it should’ve been.

Yet Arlecchino’s first day of implementing her plan had been anything but simple.

Where she’d expected a snooty and haughty nobleperson she’d instead found a wounded and exhausted human.

Compared to the act Furina had put on as Focalors, this was just a lost and defeated human trying to hang on to what little they had without the pretense of godhood.

Surely she didn’t admire Furina that much, Arlecchino thought as she made her way back to the House of the Hearth.

Yet she couldn’t get the mental image of Furina’s earnest surprise at Arlecchino giving her thanks.

She had meant to save her praise for the former archon until their second meeting, yet for some reason she couldn’t help but say it to her.

Was she actually feeling remorseful for attacking and traumatising the wrong target? The Knave shook her head.

There is no place for remorse in Fatui operations, she reminded herself.

Despite going off-script and having to help Furina out of a flashback, she’d still managed to start her plan to gain Furina’s trust.

The tightening of her heart whenever the mental image of Furina cutely opening her mouth was irrelevant, and Arlecchino did her best to immediately dismiss the feelings that came with it when it appeared.

It was much better to focus on what the former hydro archon might most enjoy for dinner.

The irony was completely lost on the fourth Fatui Harbinger as she started to mentally go through which of the finest of restaurants she would order from, and how best to satiate a sweet palate.

Chapter Text

Furina

Once Furina’s heart rate had slowed to a somewhat normal level, she’d quickly dozed off rather than tossing and turning for a few hours.

The medicine suppressing her pounding headaches made falling asleep far easier than in the past week.

She also found herself waking only a few times throughout the night, rather than it being an almost hourly occurrance.

The medicine really did help, she thought as she looked at the clock on her wall to the right of her.

She’d slept for almost ten hours.

She swatted to her right until she finally found the pull chain for the lamp on her nightstand.

The dull light came on with a click and illuminated her small tissue-filled room.

She picked up the novel she’d been enjoying before Arlecchino had barged into her little apartment to throw her already miserable week upside down.

I was alone with a Fatui Harbinger… And she comforted me? Her bewilderment echoed in her mind.

The entire encounter had been a rollercoaster of emotions, and somehow she’d asked that dangerous woman to come back for another visit.

While she couldn’t deny that Arlecchino had been very helpful, Fatui still carried a reputation of deception and hidden motives.

Furina had certainly enjoyed some aspects of Arlecchino’s presence, but she was still wary of the Harbinger’s true purpose.

As her mind raced with a myriad of considerations and questions she looked down to start reading the book in her hand when it hit her.

The book she’d been reading was one that had swept Fontaine over the last few months.

With the whole prophecy situation Furina hadn’t had time to read as much as she usually liked to.

While she enjoyed novels of all kinds, the currently popular book was none other than “Fifty Shadows of Silver”, a steamy romance novel about the president of The Steambird and a barista at the Café Lutece coming together and doing things that one usually does not openly admit to participating in.

Furina’s face reddened. As if I haven’t been humiliated enough, she thought as she shoved her head into the book hiding her face from the invisible force of the shame.

Had Arlecchino seen it? She’d already been a sniveling and disheveled mess, she didn’t need her to also know that she was reading something like “Fifty Shadows of Silver”.

Furina groaned.

She’d figured that Celestia would punish her for her compliance with Focalors’ plan, but this kind of punishment was truly evil.

She cursed quietly at the heaven above before begrudgingly continuing to read the accursed book currently in her hands.

--

Furina awoke to the smell of a warm meal wafting into her bedroom.

She slowly opened her eyes as she blinked with heavy eyelids.

Did I open my blinds last night? She wondered as she rolled over to be greeted by the afternoon sun shining into her bedroom.

Why did she hear the water running in the kitchen? Her eyes shot wide open as she quickly sat up in her bed and looked at the closed door only a meter from the foot of her bed.

She sat up too quickly and felt her still sick body protest.

She looked over at the nightstand.

Her glass was still half-full from drinking half when she took her nightly medicine as instructed, but there was a distinct lack of used tissue spread around and on the nightstand.

Had she cleaned in her sleep? Worried that she might’ve somehow left the tap on in her sleep she slowly shuffled out of bed and opened the door to her small kitchenette and combined living room.

As she opened the door she was met with the sight of Arlecchino washing her dishes. Her mouth fell agape at the scene.

“Wh-what’re you doing?” Furina stammered, the grogginess of sleep was completely washed away as Furina tried to find her footing.

“I told you yesterday that I’d be coming over to help, and I didn’t want to disturb you. I assumed you were aware of your snoring, Miss Furina,” The Knave said in her usual tone.

Furina looked between the back of Arlecchino’s head and her darkened hands putting away the last dish to dry and fell silent.

Having a mortal body was nice now that she didn’t have the weight of a nation on her shoulders, but maybe that was worth it to not have to bear the embarrassment of having a Fatui Harbinger hear you snore.

The Knave turned to face Furina and for a second she could’ve sworn that Arlecchino’s face flushed pink as she opened her mouth to speak before the color immediately disappeared into her usual cold skin.

“You’re not wearing much clothes, Miss Furina,” Arlecchino stated.

Furina looked down, whatever panic had started to leave her body as she settled into this odd domestic situation immediately came back with a vengeance.

She was only wearing undergarments in front of the fourth Fatui Harbinger!

Her face burned as she meekly tried to cover herself with her arms before stumbling around trying to retreat to her bedroom.

Her weakened body protested against her excursion, and she felt herself wobble as her vision became blurry.

She heard a faint gasp from the taller woman and a moment later Furina fell into Arlecchino’s arms.

The returning headache and tiredness in her body was in stark competition with her pounding heart.

Arlecchino held her carefully, as if handling a newborn chick. One arm was on the small of her back and the other against her shoulders.

“You should move carefully,” Arlecchino said, a faint concern similar to the one from yesterday making its way into her voice.

Furina released a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding as she opened her mouth to defend what little honor she had left.

Arlecchino steadied her hold and let out a “shhh”.

“You can chastise me later, right now we need to make sure you’re laying down. May I pick you up? I promise I won’t hurt you,” she said gingerly.

The masked person that had threatened her on that awful night was nowhere to be found in Arlecchino’s face.

She looked protective and caring, something Furina never thought she’d witness from the Fatui Harbinger in her lifetime.

She’s so close. Arlecchino’s face was just half a foot away from Furina’s.

The closeness felt tangible as she could see the dark red eyes glimmer in the afternoon sun.

She slowly nodded as she surrendered completely to gravity and Arlecchino hoisted her up into a bridal carry.

She slowly carried Furina back into her bedroom.

Arlecchino’s charred hands felt coarse yet comforting against Furina’s bare skin.

Her head lulled over and she met Arlecchino’s measured gaze as the tall woman looked upon her. She felt something tingle in her spine.

I should be having a flashback.

Yet nothing came. Her body was too tired to act upon the neurological misinterpretation of being threatened.

Arlecchino broke their eye contact first as she focused on not tripping over anything as they arrived at the side of Furina’s bed.

Carefully Furina was set down and Arlecchino gently tucked her in again.

Furina felt a faint fuzziness in her stomach, but her protesting body was too busy suffering for her to feel it any further.

“Nod or shake your head, don’t strain your voice. Have you taken your medicine today?” Alrecchino asked.

Furina slowly turned her head from side to side.

“Did you take it yesterday?” She continued to ask. Furina slowly nodded her head.

“Good girl,” Arlecchino said with a faint smile. What the fuck, Arlecchino.

Furina felt the fuzziness in her stomach spread to her chest as it threatened to overpower the haze of her sickness.

Arlecchino reached over to the nightstand and once again helped Furina take her medicine.

That same "aaah" face that Arlecchino so cutely made the day before once again blessed Furina’s retinas.

She complied and mirrored the movement as the thick, bad tasting syrup made its way into her mouth and down her throat.

She then took the white pill and was helped with drinking from a caring Arlecchino. As the water washed down her throat she could feel a small bit of strength return to her.

“Thank you, again,” Furina said quietly.

“It’s the least I can do for you,” Arlecchino said warmly.

It felt like the pretense of being a Fatui had worn off, and on her bed sat merely a caring Fontainian.

But she is still Fatui.

Furina tried weakly to scan for any malicious intent or body language that would reveal anything damning about The Knave.

“Even if you have ulterior motives, I still appreciate your kindness, Arlecchino,” Furina said as she felt the grasp of sleep encroaching on her consciousness.

For a moment Arlecchino looked guilty and her mouth opened to say something before closing again.

“I…” Arlecchino started. If she said anything else, Furina did not hear it as she drifted off to the realms of sleep.

Arlecchino

Whether Furina had heard her or not, she couldn’t telll.

The kind of faint snoring that Furina started making sometimes happened before people were fully asleep. She’d deal with it another day.

For now all she could do was heat the food she’d brought with her from Hotel Debord and leave it by Furina’s nightstand.

The woman was of no use to her if she starved to death. Dehydration wasn’t an option either.

She left two full glasses of water in case the former archon felt too ill to get out of bed.

Lastly, Arlecchino left a note. It took her four attempts and an equal amount of scrunched up notepaper for her to finally write a note she felt best befitting of what she was trying to convey.

With the nightstand filled to the brim with refreshments, food, and a note, Arlecchino left Furina’s apartment, once again picking the lock with her long nails to ensure that it was locked.

The asset had to be kept safe, lest her efforts be wasted.

The next two days were filled to the brim with work.

Between running The House of the Hearth and keeping up to date on what her Fatui operatives were doing, she barely had time for mental images of Furina cutely opening her mouth, or how she flailed around all flustered.

So cute.

She shook her head as she tried to focus on the paper in front of her.

I’m not going there until tomorrow, she isn’t relevant to think about.

Despite whatever relevance Arlecchino deemed Furina to have, it didn’t stop her mind from wandering to the white-haired woman.

A knock on the door to The Knave’s office offered her some respite from the intruding mental images.

“Come in,” she said as she looked at the paper in her hand once more.

In the time it took for the person to enter her office after announcing themselves, Arlecchino was at the very least allowed to finish the paragraph she’d been stuck on for the past fifteen minutes.

Lyney, one of her older children and successful magician as well as Fatui operative, entered her office.

His iconic hat sat atop his grey hair and serious expression.

“We have reports that Iudex Neuvillette has left another package outside of Lady Furina’s apartment,” he reported.

It’s just Miss Furina nowadays, Arlecchino mentally corrected, but outwardly merely nodded.

“We do not know what is in the package, would you like for us to inspect the contents or take it away?” he asked. Logically, Arlecchino knew that if the Iudex’s package did not reach Furina, Arlecchino would look better by comparison.

However, there was the risk that the Iudex would ask the former archon about the package, which would raise suspicion.

From her observations, the Iudex might just assume that Furina received the package and the risk might just be worth it.

But then Furina wouldn’t get the package with whatever the Iudex had brought her.

The kind voice within Arlecchino was reserved for her children.

She shook her head, both to clear her own thoughts, but also to let Lyney know that they should not interfere with the package.

“Is there any particular reason we shouldn’t at least investigate it?” Lyney asked, the young one’s curiosity getting the better of him.

“Are you questioning me?” The Knave asked half-teasingly, half-testing to see how confident Lyney had grown lately.

“I merely believe knowing as much about the situation as possible would be beneficial,” Lyney said.

There was a quiver of uncertainty in his voice, but he tried his best not to show it. Arlecchino felt proud of her child. He’d grown to be very capable indeed.

“I have the Furina situation under control on my own,” she informed Lyney.

“You mean operation Teardrop, I assume?” Lyney asked.

Shit.

They hadn’t referred to Furina by name when they started to plan the operation for Arlecchino to get on her good side in order to make sure their plans were properly concealed from any prying eyes.

“Correct. The plan is proceeding as planned. Continue to keep a watchful eye on the Waterdrop’s location and inform me of any unusual activities,” she commanded.

“Is there anything else you have to report?” she asked, not letting Lyney ask any more questions about her slip up.

She knew that he’d at the very least talk to his sister Lynette about it, which most likely meant that Freminet would know too. Her children knew how far to take their talking, she trusted them to contain it between themselves.

Ten minutes later Lyney had finished talking about his various activities and Arlecchino felt a small smile creep across her face.

She was proud of him and his exploits.

“Thank you Lyney, that’ll be all.”

Lyney nodded proudly and turned to leave. He stopped with one hand on the door, ready to push it open.

“Father?”

“Yes?”

“How do you know if you like someone?” he asked.

Arlecchino raised an eyebrow.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, there’s this one person…” Lyney trailed off.

“And you don’t know if you like them like that or not?” Arlecchino guided the conversation.

“Yes,” Lyney admitted sheepishly.

“Sometimes introspection is necessary. Sometimes it’s good to be honest with the person if you think they’re safe to be honest with. Otherwise spending more time with someone might help you more clearly understand if the feelings are platonic or not,” she said warmly.

Arlecchino enjoyed offering guidance when her children needed it.

While a younger Lyney was in need of discipline at times, nowadays he more often needed warmth and kindness.

That was something that Arlecchino was happy to provide, when appropriate.

“Thank you, Father, I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a small smile before exiting her office.

Arlecchino was left alone in her round and spacious office, her dark mahogany desk reflecting the last light of the day.

Her own words echoed in her mind.

Spend more time with them.

Surely she wasn’t… Arlecchino shook her head once more in hopes that her thoughts would leave her alone.

The shaking had the opposite effect and the dormant images of Furina surfaced once more.

She was going to see her again tomorrow.

Maybe her visit to the white-haired woman would quell her unwanted thoughts.

Just be honest, if they’re safe, her own words tormented her.

She remembered her words to Furina and she felt a pang of guilt shooting through her. For the first time in a long time she felt remorseful about something.

Yet here she was, scheming on how best to return to Furina after a two-day absence and the competition with whatever was in the package that the Iudex had sent her.

Arlecchino felt a surge of emotion flare up and the desire to slam her own desk rose.

She hadn’t contended with these types of feelings since… She shoved the memory down behind more images of Furina.

At least the former archon she could still talk to.

One last thought crossed her mind before she threw herself back into her work, the words she’d said to the exhausted and drowsy Furina.

I’m sorry Furina, I don’t want to deceive you.

Chapter Text

Furina

Furina stirred as the morning sun woke her. How long had she been sleeping?

She rolled over to see the empty plate from two days ago still laying on her nightstand.

The risotto from Hotel Debord’s kitchen was truly something else.

Over the past few days energy had been sparse, just making it from the bedroom to the kitchenette had been a challenge she seldom undertook.

Dragging herself from her bedroom to the kitchen was a momentous task for the sickened woman.

Her journey eventually ended in front of the fridge.

When she opened it, she found a second prepared meal that hadn’t been in her fridge before.

Her stomach did something akin to a somersault when she realized the extent of Arlecchino’s generosity.

Furina devoured the Coq au vin without grace, nor mercy. Another plate joined the slowly growing pile in the sink.

Arlecchino’s note had said that she would try to make time one day after her previous visit, but warned that she might not make it.

She had made it very clear however, that in two days time she was guaranteed to visit.

Furina found it cute and charming that the terrifying Arlecchino would put a sharp underline on the word ‘will’.

Furina hadn’t felt so cared for and seen since… Archons, she couldn’t recall it at all. With a weak smile on her face she took her medicine as instructed.

At least the strength to fill half a glass of water had been with her before retiring for the evening last night.

She’d also finished “Fifty Shadows of Silver”.

The book had been somewhat overhyped in Furina’s opinion, but it had been a good way of passing the time nonetheless.

Now she could finally put it in a far corner of her bookshelf and pick up something less risqué to read.

So far Arlecchino hadn’t commented on her book, but she’d also been busy holding Furina in her arms.

She held me!

Furina felt her cheeks fluster at the memory.

It was just out of kindness, I’m sure Arlecchino holds people all the time, she waved her hand dismissively at her own racing thoughts.

“It’s fine, I’ll just make sure I’ve eaten and be in good spirits when she arrives,” she said to no one in particular.

--

Furina sat on the green couch in her living space, reading the fifth chapter of “A Ballad of Cryo and Pyro” when she heard her door clicking.

She hadn’t reflected much on how Arlecchino had entered her apartment as she’d come in while Furina was asleep, but noticing it while awake made her realize that she really had no idea how the Fatui Harbinger had gained access to her apartment.

This time she’d already gotten dressed in her favourite shorts and a nice white blouse.

She wasn’t about to be half-naked in front of guests again anytime soon, unless that’s something she’d be interested in, her mind thought traitorously.

She waved her hand once more as she slowly approached the door.

Her body still felt sluggish from illness despite her mind’s anticipation of the guest about to arrive.

When she finally arrived she reached for the door handle, but it creaked open before Furina could reach the handle and her eyes met Arlecchino’s.

The split-haired woman looked like a hunched-over deer caught in headlights.

“It is rather unbecoming to break into a former Archon’s living space, you know?” Furina said, feeling like she had the upper hand in a conversation for the first time since she’d met the other woman.

“I…” Arlecchino stammered. She’s STAMMERING?! Furina put her hands on her hips and made her best accusatory face.

“You know, the court doesn’t look kindly upon lawbreakers,” she continued. Arlecchino cleared her throat and rose to her full height, and Furina instinctively took a step back.

“I thought you were still sleeping and didn’t want to disturb you,” she said.

Her usual tone was mostly back but a hint of a quiver was there. Did I fluster her?

“Well, since you’re being so considerate,” Furina said as she put one hand to her chin and stroked it dramatically while she made a mock sound of deep contemplation.

“I suppose I’ll waive these three infringements for now, next time you’ll just have to knock,” she said in the signature sing-song voice she’d used when masquerading as Focalors.

“I thank you for your mercy,” Arlecchino made a mock bow in return. Furina couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.

“You seem to be in better spirits.”

“Between your medicine and good company I’ve recovered somewhat. Cleaning is still kind of hard,” she admitted, throwing an embarrassed glance at the pile of plates that were just peeking up over the edge of her sink.

“You’ve been sick, of course keeping things tidy is difficult,” Arlecchino answered, her usual tone now back but with something of a relaxed warmth that hadn’t been there previously.

Furina walked weakly towards the kitchen, her pace slow and lethargic. Her mind might have returned for the most part, but her body was still catching up.

“May I help?” Arlecchino offered as she held out an upturned hand to Furina. She nodded. Arlecchino had already seen her in her most vulnerable state, at this point accepting help from her had no effect on her dignity.

Effortlessly, Arlecchino let Furina put some of her weight on her.

With Arlecchino’s support, Furina managed to make it to the couch without incident.

The couch was a deep green and made out of fine cypress wood.

To the right of the couch was the door to Furina’s bedroom, to the left was the kitchenette, and straight ahead was the hallway that led to the front door.

Other than a small dresser and a little coffee table, Furina had not had the energy to further decorate her apartment, despite living in it for more than a month and a half.

“From the way you’re acting I assume you’d rather sit out here and chat than be cooped up reading your novels or sleeping in your bedroom?” Arlecchino offered with a small smirk.

Furina felt a chill run down her spine and her face turn pale as she stopped dead in her tracks.

So she HAS seen the book.

“I have no judgement if you’re reading Fifty Shadows, I should just warn you that it’s rather mediocre,” she assured upon seeing Furina’s mortified expression.

“WAIT, so you’ve also read it?!” Furina exclaimed as Arlecchino gently sat her down on the couch. Arlecchino stayed towering over the laying woman with a perplexed expression.

“Why is that surprising?”

“I don’t know, I feel like you’d just be reading classics or history books. How do you make time to read something like Fifty Shadows of Silver while doing all of your evil scheming and conniving?” she asked.

For the first time in her life, Furina saw a look of hurt on Arlecchino’s face.

She realized the accusation she’d leveled at the other woman.

While the Fatui had a harsh and cruel reputation, Arlecchino had helped Poisson after the primordial seawater disaster, and she’d even played a role in helping set the final stage for saving Fontaine from disaster as well as expending Fatui resources to ensure that civilians didn’t drown.

“I didn’t mean…” Furina started, but Arlecchino had already turned and walked over to the dishes. Furina couldn’t see the other woman’s face as she turned on the faucet and started to clean the dishes from the past two days.

“I thought a former Archon would be reading something more critically acclaimed than such a simple book,” Arlecchino said, the warmth in her voice gone. Furina felt panic and anxiety spread throughout her body. She took a deep breath as she slowly sat up straight to look at Arlecchino properly. I didn’t mean it like that, she mewled internally. She had looked forward to Arlecchino coming over again, and now she’d already pushed her away!

“Hey Arle, I didn’t mean to accuse you like that.” Arlecchino snapped her head towards Furina with faintly furrowed brows. She opened her mouth and then closed it. Arlecchino exhaled, and then turned off the faucet. She turned fully towards Furina.

“Do you know why I admire you?” Arlecchino finally settled on saying. Furina’s head started to spin, and for once, not because of her sickness.

“You… admire me?” she whispered, as if afraid that the sound of her voice would break the tension her statement had created.

“It’s because you put on a show the likes of which no one had ever seen. You didn’t ask questions and merely hoped that Focalors had the best interests of the Fontainian people in mind. You could’ve walked away, but you were too kind, too selfless,” Arlecchino said with power in her voice, her usual cool demeanour flaking away with every word.

“I…”

“You know of the House of the Hearth, correct?” Furina merely nodded.

“I run that orphanage because if I don’t, no one else will. I helped Navia and her people because if I didn’t, who would? I helped the traveller and supported their plan because who else would? I thought that if anyone could understand me… It’d be someone like you,” a single tear fell from the corner of Arlecchino’s eye.

“But you just think I’m some evil scheming bastard, don’t you?” she said with a shaky voice.

Furina sat with her mouth agape. A million thoughts raced through her mind.

“If you want me to leave, I will,” she said quietly, another tear running down her cheek.

“I didn’t mean- I just know what-” no matter how Furina tried, she just couldn’t find a way to phrase it that didn’t just boil down to “but you work for the bad guys!”.

Arlecchino stood, arms limply at her sides as she looked at Furina.

For the first time since the flood, Furina’s words were failing her.

Where words fail, one turns to the simplest means of comfort, a quote from a long forgotten book echoed in her mind.

She slowly rose to her feet and wobbled towards Arlecchino.

Every step felt like trudging through thick mud. S

he fought against her heavy chest and gritted her teeth.

Each step was slowly and agonizing, as she closed the distance between herself and the puzzled Arlecchino.

Furina crashed into Arlecchino’s chest and hugged her as tightly as her weakened body allowed.

Arlecchino stood dumbfounded for several seconds.

Then, she slowly put her hands around Furina’s back and rested her cheek on top of the shorter woman’s head.

Furina felt another warm tear slowly drop down into her hair.

“Please show me the kindness you’ve showed the rest of Fontaine. Let me see how kind a Fatui can truly be,” Furina snivelled as her own tears started to form.

No one, bar perhaps Neuvillette, had seen all that she had done and admired it the way Arlecchino did.

Even if this was also part of whatever Arlecchino’s ploy was, then for the second time in her life she’d be happy to have walked into a trap.

She felt Arlecchino gingerly tightening her grip on her as the taller woman began to quietly sob.

“I promise to show you that I’m not some villain,” Arlecchino said through hitched breaths as she sobbed into Furina’s hair.

They stayed in each other’s arms, neither of them keeping track of time.

Neither of them breaking away.

Neither of them wanting the moment to end.

Eventually, Furina slowly started to let go. In return, Arlecchino gave her a light squeeze and Furina stayed in her embrace a little while longer.

She’d never imagined a Fatui Harbinger being one to cling onto a hug, especially with such vulnerable emotions on display.

Furina couldn’t complain and found herself comfortably nestled into the taller woman’s embrace.

Eventually, she made a second attempt to let go.

She needed to sit down soon or her body would surrender to gravity.

Arlecchino let Furina pull away without protest.

They locked eyes, and a small smile grew across Arlecchino’s lips.

Furina couldn’t help but to smile back as she motioned to the sofa.

“Would Lady Arlecchino prefer to sob in a former Archon’s couch instead?”

“Only if you refrain from the lady part,” she joked back. Her voice was warm once more, with snivels still escaping her.

“Hey, Arle, I’m seriously sorry for calling you evil. You’ve done great things for people, and I’d be remiss not to admire that myself,” she said as the pair sat down.

Arlecchino’s smile turned into one of guilt. She looked away.

Something was tugging at her mind, and Furina felt saddened to see Arlecchino in such a state.

“I…” Arlecchino trailed off. She wanted to say something, but she was stopping herself.

Furina felt a tug on her heartstrings.

“You can tell me, isn’t that what friends are for?” she said softly as she placed a hand on Arlecchino’s thigh.

The taller woman stirred as she looked up from the floor to meet Furina’s gaze. Archons, her eyes are beautiful.

They held each other’s gazes for a long time, neither one of them wanting the moment to end.

“You… You remind me of someone, someone that was good to me,” Arlecchino finally said. Realizing that now was not the time to push for more answers, Furina nodded.

“That’s very kind of you to say,” Furina said and Arlecchino gave her a weak smile in return.

I want to make you smile like that every day. The thought shot through Furina’s mind.

When had Arlecchino cast such a spell on her? Furina couldn’t explain it, but she was happy that Arlecchino was here now, and she wanted to savour the time they did have.

“It’s the truth.”

“And sometimes the truth can be very kind,” Furina said, returning the smile with a bigger one.

“Is that what you feel now, after your lie has been exposed?” Arlecchino asked.

Curiosity wasn’t something Furina had seen on Arlecchino’s face before, but it suited her.

“I would say so. The truth was kind in that it lifted the burden I’d been carrying all alone.”

“If you get to ask a question, do I get to ask you something personal too?” Furina asked, her eyes lighting up at the chance to actually get to know Arlecchino as more than just being a Fatui Harbinger, home-nurse, and cleaning help.

Arlecchino nodded.

“It would only be fair.”

“Why did you bring Lyney and Lynette into your orphanage?” Furina asked.

Arlecchino smiled at the mention of her children's names.

“They're the model orphans, as weird as it may sound,” Arlecchino started.

Furina furrowed her brow and cocked her head. Arlecchino raised a hand in response.

“Hear me out,” she said and Furina gave a slow and quiet nod.

“They are children of great and wondrous potential. They were doing well despite society casting them aside,” she continued, and Furina averted her guilt-filled gaze at the implication.

“It's not a criticism, Furina. Every nation has those who fall through the cracks. Although it's nice when a nation strives to drive that number towards zero,” she stated.

Furina looked up from the floor and met Arlecchino’s eyes.

“I'm sorry I couldn't do more.”

“There is more to a nation than just its leaders, but it is good when a leader takes responsibility,” Arlecchino said as her smile softened and grew.

Furina motioned for Arlecchino to continue.

“Their situation meant that they couldn't fully realise that potential, and it got them into bad situations. The day I saved Lynette from that awful baron was the start of a new journey for them. I want to give every orphan I can that same opportunity because I believe that they all have the potential of Lyney and Lynette. And they all deserve a chance to reach greatness,” she said passionately, almost standing up from the intensity of her own words.

The Knave was driven, but this type of passion was seldom on display.

It was akin to the speech Arlecchino gave Furina when she was still masquerading as Focalors and she was criticising her efforts to handle the coming prophecy.

It was similar in that it came from a place of caring and wanting to protect people, but this time she wasn't accusing Furina of anything.

Arlecchino was instead sharing her desire to help those she cared for, and Furina couldn’t deny that the positive passion looked good on her.

“That sounds like a very good cause,” Furina said with a warmth of her own creeping into her tone after staring into Arlecchino’s red eyes a little too long.

“How many children are at the house currently?” Furina quickly followed up.

“I thought you only got one question?”

“No no, you're right. I did spend 500 years being the Archon of Justice. Fair is fair and I suppose you shall ask me a question first?” Furina said in her haughty and ostentatious Focalors-voice.

Arlecchino laughed in response. Stop making me feel all fuzzy with that damn beautiful laugh of yours.

The two continued to talk for hours as they sat on Furina’s small couch.

The hours flew by as they talked about everything under the sun.

The conversations flowed more naturally than Furina had ever experienced before. Arlecchino could just understand her, and it was truly relaxing to get to just talk.

Furina loved having Clorinde over, but having to stop conversations mid-way through just to explain something that Clorinde had never heard about made for conversations that felt choppy.

Such choppiness never occurred with Arlecchino.

Furina hadn’t even noticed the descending sun until her growling stomach brought their talking to a momentary stop.

“The food!” Arlecchino exclaimed as she shot up from the couch and ran outside of Furina’s door.

She'd left the food she'd brought outside and with Furina catching her in the act of picking her lock she'd apparently completely forgotten to bring the white food bag inside.

“I didn’t know the Knave could forget things,” Furina said jokingly.

“And I didn’t know you took your role as ‘judge’ so seriously still,” Arlecchino shot back, a smile had become a mainstay on Arlecchino’s face over the last few hours.

“According to the judgement of the Oratrice Mechanique D’analyse Cardinal, your sentence is… To prepare me food!” Furina said as she blew her nose, the sickness still lingering in her body.

The food had gone cold as it stood outside of Furina’s door, but with careful application of her pyro powers, Arlecchino managed to heat the delicious-looking pasta to a warm and pleasant temperature.

“Have I served my sentence?” Arlecchino said as she put the plate of food down in front of Furina.

She responded with an excited nod.

Living alone for a month and a half certainly made Furina appreciate a well-cooked meal a lot more than she had ever done while posing as an archon.

Right before digging into her food, her centuries of manners activated like an auto-pilot and she looked to Arlecchino.

“Where’s your meal?” Furina asked as her head hovered over the fumes, cutlery inches away from digging into the perfectly cooked pasta and the sauce that coated it.

“I only brought a meal for you,” she replied calmly.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Fatui spend weeks without eating, a single afternoon won’t kill me,” she said with a shrug.

“Well, you’re my guest, and as a Fontainian you know what a proper host should do.”

“And with what are you going to feed me?” Arlecchino said, looking over at the fridge they both knew was empty, save for half a can of pickled onions.

“Get some silverware and come join me!” Furina said.

It was both a demand and invitation.

“But you’re sick, and need the energy more than I do,” Arlecchino said matter-of-factly. She wasn’t wrong, Furina could concede that much. However, that did not mean she’d budge. Furina fluttered her eyes, pouted her lips overdramatically, and put the back of her hand to her forehead.

“Doth the fourth Fatui Harbinger not wish to dine with a lowly civilian such as myself?” she said in a mock-dramatic voice.

Arlecchino blushed slightly as she gritted her teeth and looked away.

Do I make her flustered by doing this? Furina watched as Arlecchino stood torn between going to grab silverware of her own to dine with, or refuse Furina’s request to share the meal she’d deemed necessary for Furina to consume single-handedly.

Furina held her dramatic pose as she batted her eyelashes once more.

After a few long seconds, Arlecchino let out a low groan and went to grab a fork and spoon of her own.

“I assume your next move would’ve been to refuse to eat if I didn’t join?” Arlecchino said in defeat as she sat down with cutlery in hand.

Furina nodded triumphantly as she dug into her side of the pasta.

The warm smile returned to Arlecchino’s face, with a faint tint of red still on her face. Did I just convince THE Arlecchino to sit and share a meal with me?

Arlecchino spun a conservative amount of pasta onto her spoon and neatly ate it before asking:

“Furina, why have you started calling me Arle?” Furnina nearly choked on a large mouthful of creamy pasta as she looked upon Arlecchino with faintly reddened cheeks.

“Ifh youh doun’t wont me to, I’ll shtop,” she said hurriedly with half a mouthful still to chew.

“That’s not what I asked,” she said calmly. Arlecchino’s smile was widening as she teased Furina. Can you stop doing that, it’s beautiful.

“Well, saying your long full name seems so formal. I mean, it is beautiful and really rolls off the tongue, but I figure over a day’s worth of conversation it’ll save a bit of time… And it sounds kind of endearing,” the last part was said with a mumble.

“Would you mind repeating the last part, I didn’t quite catch that.”

“You heard me.”

“I don’t think I did, I was chewing the food you so kindly offered to share with me,” Arlecchino said as she tauntingly took another small bite of the pasta. Why are your lips beautiful too?!

“Arle sounds endearing when said, are you happy now?” Furina conceded as she tried to fight the blush spreading across the rest of her face, without any success.

“Very,” Arlecchino said as she finished chewing, her voice going down an octave to reach sultry levels Furina was not prepared for.

“But I’d prefer you save it for when it’s just us, I don’t think the rest of the world needs to start seeing me as too endearing,” Arlecchino said with a smile still on her face, but there was an undertone of vulnerability to it.

Arlecchino is allowing herself to be vulnerable with me?

Furina could, of course, tell others that she’d gotten away with using a cute nickname for Arlecchino, but that would break the trust she’d just gained.

The woman who held most of Fontaine at her fingertips had given Furina a small, but harsh, piece of information that she could use against Arlecchino.

With no intention of breaking her trust, Furina reassured Arlecchino with a nod of understanding.

“It’s just between us, and I won’t mention the crying either,” Furina said reassuringly.

She felt warm and fuzzy in a way she hadn’t ever felt before.

It was nice to feel trusted so deeply as a person, rather than someone holding an official position.

They looked at each other as Furina unceremoniously gulped down another way too large mouthful of pasta.

“Thank you, Furina,” Arle said, her body seeming more relaxed at the reassurance.

They continued to tenderly gaze at each other as Furina felt her own body getting more relaxed.

A moment later, Furina had to fight her own throat not to choke when Arlecchino reached her hand out to wipe away a rogue spot of sauce on her face.

The taller woman’s hand grazed against her cheek.

Arlecchino’s hand felt cold yet welcoming on Furina’s face.

She forced down the pasta in her mouth in an attempt not to choke while she watched Arlecchino lick the sauce off of her own thumb.

“Oh, and another thing, Furina,” Arlecchino started as she finished liberating her thumb from sauce.

Furina looked dumbfounded at her. Arlecchino’s tender voice filled her ears once more.

“You’re smiling like an idiot.”

Arlecchino

Arlecchino had spent another hour at Furina’s apartment after they’d finished eating.

In that time, Furina had only come close to choking twice.

Arlecchino felt a little bad about flustering Furina in the way she did.

She looks so cute when she’s stumbling all over herself.

Arlecchino was glad to have the cover of night, as well as knowledge of which route back to The House of the Hearth had the least amount of people on it.

The route ensured that no one spotted the lingering blush on her face as her cloak concealed most of it.

The weird warmth and calmness that Arlecchino had felt in Furina’s presence remained within her even after she’d left the small and sad apartment.

She even had to fight back a smile that threatened to return to her lips merely at the thought of the white-haired woman.

Without incident she was able to return to The House of the Hearth while masking her happy, lingering feelings for Furina.

It helped that she had her children to convert said happiness into pride and joy for them instead.

After her usual greetings to her children she made her way back towards her own quarters.

She’d been out three hours longer than she’d planned, which meant that she’d need to sacrific a few hours of sleep to catch up on paperwork.

It was nothing she couldn’t handle.

Good thing Furina made me eat something, she thought as fuzzy memories of the day surfaced in her mind.

She suppressed her own growing smile as a familiar voice called for her:

“Father, I would like to ask something, if you don’t mind?” Lyney had come out of his shared room and into the main hallway with a curious look on his face.

“Come in.” Arlecchino motioned for Lyney to follow her into her own quarters.

Lyney closed the door behind them as Arlecchino turned on the lights.

“Is Operation Teardrop going as planned? You were out much later than expected,” Lyney observed.

The only downside to raising highly competent children was that they picked up on things far too quickly.

“Didn’t I tell you that I have it handled myself?”

I know, but some of the children are already talking about what exactly it is you’re doing, to get close to Furina.”

“And you didn’t shut it down?” Arlecchino asked with a veiled accusation.

Lyney swallowed, realizing that Arlecchino knew he wasn’t innocent in all of this.

“I… I’ll make sure the other kids stop whispering, and definitely make sure any operatives that come through here know nothing of it!” he said as he basically flew out of Arlecchino’s modestly sized room.

The door slammed behind her child and Arlecchino was left with only the faint sound of Lyney’s footsteps dashing down the hallway.

She slowly made her way over to the desk and looked at the reports left on her table while she’d been away.

She sat down and started to flip through the papers. The reports held nothing unusual.

They’d tracked that the Kamisato twins had left the country, and were moving into other operatives’ domains as they made for Inazuma.

Arlecchino continued reading the goings-on of her operatives in the region.

Sometimes the truth can be very kind.

Furina’s voice echoed in Arle’s mind.

She gritted her teeth as she felt a surge of guilt run through her.

I don’t want to deceive you.

It was true that the primary motivator for Arlecchino’s coming to Furina the first time was furthering the Fatui’s reach and goals, but she wasn’t sure that was the case anymore.

I could be honest with her.

Furina had started to trust her, but they hadn’t talked about any of the people Furina knew.

Instead, they’d just talked for hours about their own thoughts and ideas.

They talked about everything from mundane things like foods, animals, and travel destinations, to what their favourite plays and authors were.

Arlecchino hadn’t found anyone else that could talk about literature in such an insightful yet fun way.

It was fascinating and intriguing to hear the perspective of a person with 500 years worth of reading to their name.

Arlecchino had found a place of leisure. All she had to do was clean a little and bring food; in return, she was given one of the most fulfilling conversationalists she’d ever encountered.

It isn’t too bad that she’s so incredibly pretty to look at either, a renegade thought shot through her mind.

She shook her head. Arlecchino needed to get the self-indulgent thoughts about Furina out of her mind.

Instead, she focused on the practical matter that plagued her.

On the one hand, if Arlecchino came clean she’d risk never getting to talk to Furina again as she’d throw her out and break all contact.

On the other hand, the longer she withheld her initial intention, the more she’d hurt Furina.

She’s been through enough, I don’t want to hurt her anymore than I already have.

Could Arlecchino be around Furina without having ulterior motives?

Would Furina still want her around, even if she revealed her initial intention?

Arlecchino threw the papers she was holding onto the desk in frustration.

She sighed and rubbed her temple. Who could she even talk to about this?

Why do I need to talk to someone to begin with? She growled internally.

The Knave didn’t have conflicts of interest. She served The House and the Tsaritsa, it was simple.

But Furina made things complicated, logistically and emotionally.

Running through her mental filing cabinet, Arlecchino sorted out who she could talk to about the situation.

Eventually she settled on a person, it wasn’t ideal but it was the option with the least amount of risk.

Tomorrow she’d go to them for advice, but for now she needed to sleep away all of those weird and vaguely familiar feelings stirring in her stomach and chest.

The only other person to make me feel this way was… She bit her tongue to distract herself.

She could not handle certain memories flooding back right now.

As Arlecchino went to bed and let the night sweep her away from consciousness, one sentence kept repeating in her mind.

Sometimes the truth can be very kind.

Chapter Text

Arlecchino

Arlecchino had woken to the sunrise with a head much clearer than the night before.

She only had time for one appointment outside of her set schedule, which meant that she would not be seeing her favourite person for another two days after all.

I have a favourite person?

Arlecchino didn’t deny her own thought, but was merely perplexed by it.

She’d made her way through the quiet early morning streets of Fontaine in order to get to the Palais Mermonia as soon as they opened.

Despite the fact that they were still learning about human emotions, Arlecchino could feel the Melusine working the morning shift eyeing her suspiciously as she made her way to the front desk.

Normally, one would have needed to wait a long time before being allowed into the inner chambers of Palais Mermonia, but being a Fatui Harbinger had its perks.

She was able to immediately make an appointment, and soon found herself outside the doors leading to the inner chambers.

Arlecchino knocked on the door and took a deep breath to steady herself.

Why am I nervous?

“Come in,” a deep voice said from behind the doors. The Knave walked inside with her usual calm yet commanding gait.

“Greetings, Iudex Neuvillette,” she said politely.

“The Knave, I did not expect to see you here. What is the purpose of your visit?” The Iudex had the same measured tone as always.

“I come with a… personal question.”

“Please, have a seat.” Neuvillette motioned towards the chair in front of his desk. Arlecchino took the seat. She’d pondered how, and what, exactly she was going to ask the Iudex. Eventually she’d settled on being as straightforward as a Fatui could be.

“It’s a question about Furina,” she began and Neuvillette furrowed his brow. His eyes were scanning her.

Had Furina told the Iudex of her attempt on the false Archon’s life?

Perhaps she had not told him before the flooding of Fontaine, but rather after it all went down. According to her reports, the two had spoken on occasion.

“Other than the unidentified illness, how has she been lately?” she asked, prodding to see how much the Iudex knew.

“I think you know better than I, seeing as you’re the one who’s been visiting her lately,” Neuvillette said in a neutral tone.

The one person in Fontaine she couldn’t read and it was him she’d gone to?

Arlecchino was already regretting her decision.

How did he know? It wasn’t surprising that Neuvillette had people keeping an eye on Furina, but she thought she’d slipped in unseen and that her operatives had blended in well enough while spying on the former Archon.

“I thought she might’ve corresponded with you, despite being stuck at home,” she countered.

“And why would I share this hypothetical correspondence with you?” Neuvillette asked without showing a hint of emotion.

Because I want to know that what I am about to say to Furina doesn’t ruin whatever connection we’ve built.

There was a long silence as Neuvillette’s question hung in the air.

“Because I don’t want to hurt her,” Arlecchino finally admitted.

There was a long pause between the two.

“I believe the accurate human saying would be ‘that ship has already sailed,’” Neuvillette eventually said.

Arlecchino wanted to groan. I know my past sins, and evidently so do you.

“Do you not believe in second chances?” Arlecchino said with a hint of frustration, despite her best intentions of remaining calm.

“Are you asking me as the Iudex or Neuvillette? I’ve found that you humans seem to make a distinction,” Neuvillette said matter-of-factly.

“As Neuvillette, seeing as this is a personal question,” Arlecchino said.

She hadn’t felt on the back foot like this for a long time, and she hated it.

Neuvillette stroked his chin while deep in thought.

“You’ve displayed both kind and unkind intent with most people you’ve interacted with. You’ve tried to hurt Lady Furina as well as damaged other people physically and mentally, allegedly.” He added the last word poignantly.

The Iudex had caught some of Arlecchino’s operatives in the act, but he’d never had the evidence to even accuse The Knave herself.

“Yet you’ve helped Fontaine in the most dire of hours, and now you’ve been tending to Lady Furina when no one else seems able to visit her without catching whatever malady plagues her,” Neuvillette finished.

Arlecchino felt like she was readying herself for a verdict.

“Withdraw your spies from her area, and enter only during daytime. If you can uphold my requirements, perhaps I will believe that you have good intentions with Furina… Otherwise, I might have to put the Marechaussee Phantom on higher alert than usual, due to suspect people in Furina’s area,” he said with clear intent.

Arlecchino felt a knot in her stomach.

So it really came down to this? Choosing between her original mission intended to please the Tsaritsa… Or making sure she didn’t hurt Furina anymore than she already had.

Arlecchino felt the knot tighten with each passing second.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she replied curtly as she wrestled with herself to not show any more of her internal turmoil to the Iudex.

Neuvillette nodded but said nothing.

She couldn’t stop herself from getting deeper into trouble.

“Neuvillette, do you think Furina is one to forgive?” she asked quietly.

The tall, white-haired man pondered for a moment.

“I think Lady Furina understands needing to confess one’s wrongdoings better than most. Do not let her exterior fool you, she has always been, and still is, very wise and considerate after everything she’s been through,” Neuvillette said in a sage-like tone.

Her exterior is currently blowing her nose with napkins I provided her, Arlecchino thought to herself, and I think I know more about how caring she is than you realize.

She let her inner monologue run as she nodded at Neuvillette’s statement.

“Thank you for your insight. I’ll consider your proposition in the hypothetical.”

“Then you would be wise to make sure that there are no Fatui around Lady Furina,” Neuvilette repeated pointedly.

"Do not worry Neuvillette, there are no Fatui near Furina other than me.”

“Close enough that you can forgo titles?” Neuvillette asked with a raised eyebrow.

Shit.

How long had she been slipping up? Arlecchino’s mind raced through the conversation.

The Iudex was perceptive, of course he’d catch on.

If their talk about forgiveness hadn’t made it abundantly clear, then surely her forgoing honorifics for the entire conversation would!

“I figured if we were talking as person to person, it would be odd to use a title for a person not present in this personal conversation?” Arlecchino countered, hoping to conceal her racing and frustrated thoughts.

Since when did The Knave start slipping up? Her mind mind chastised her.

Since Arlecchino started to get to know Furina. She shot back at herself.

“You raise an interesting point. I shall ponder this until we meet again,” Neuvillette said matter-of-factly, yet his eyes followed Arlecchino with scrutiny.

Being vague and staying out of legal trouble was difficult enough for Arlecchino.

Avoiding the implication that she’d grown somewhat fond of Furina was an added layer of complexity she did not appreciated.

Am I fond of Furina? she questioned internally as she made a short bow to Neuvillette.

“Then I shall see you another time, Neuvillette,” she said as she turned to leave the Iudex’s office.

“One more thing, Knave,” Neuvillette called out. Arlecchino stopped and turned to look over her shoulder.

Furina might no longer be posing as Focalors, but I still care a great deal about her. Under my watch she will not be harmed,” he stated with gravitas to his voice.

The implied threat hung in the air as the two looked at each other.

“I have hurt her enough as is, and I do not intend to extend her suffering. If possible, I’d even wish to do something on the contrary,” she said with what little vulnerability she could muster in front of the Iudex.

“I will hold you to that,” he replied. Arlecchino nodded before returning her gaze towards the doors leading out of the office.

I already promised to show her kindness, and I will not break that promise.

With heightened determination and the closest she could come to an understanding with Neuvillette, Arlecchino set off to do the rest of her day's business.

--

Throughout the day, Arlecchino wrestled with her mind to stop showing highlight reels of the cutest moments her photographic memory had captured of Furina.

A new task had been added to Arlecchino’s mental to-do list, and she was determined to see it through.

Furina

Arle wouldn’t be back until tomorrow and she was left to make do with the company of her books and water spirits she did not summon.

While powerful in a fight, her bulky companions were less equipped for household chores.

Besides, it took Furina more energy to summon her watery friends than to just get up and suffer the walk to the kitchenette area.

The medicine was clearly working as Furina found herself able to make the journey from bedroom to living area at least twice a day.

The afternoon was coming to a close just as she was finishing chapter thirteen of “A Ballad of Pyro and Cryo”.

Furina found herself wandering to the fridge.

Most likely, there would be only that same can, half full of pickled onions.

The first half had been lost in an unsuccessful attempt to cook something other than macaroni, much to her chagrin.

With a blanket wrapped around her, she shambled towards her sad and nearly empty fridge.

Upon opening the door she saw a brown paper container with a small note on it. With a furrowed brow Furina took the container out and read the note.

‘Hopefully you’ve eaten the pasta before you open this, someone going through sickness deserves something sweet. Especially if they’ve already expressed preference for said sweetness.’

- Arlecchino.

There was a heart drawn after her elegantly spelled name and Furina let out an audible gasp.

Her heart fluttered at the neatly written note and the little heart made her melt.

If this is a ploy, then I truly understand how she’s the fourth Harbinger. How can anyone resist such charm? Furina mused as she held the note in her hand.

She lifted the note to her face and gave it a whiff.

A faint tickle of rainbow rose reached her nose and her stomach felt like it attempted a somersault.

Archons, preserve me, she thought as the smell of rainbow roses reminded her of Arlecchino.

Underneath the scent of rainbow rose was that of some kind of pastry.

Reading over the note again she felt more emotions swell within her.

She’d remembered that Furina had a sweet tooth and made sure to bring not just dinner but dessert as well! Perhaps she’d even forgotten to bring this box inside too.

Arlecchino was too distracted by me to remember to bring me food. Is her plan really that elaborate or do I just make her flustered?

Her thoughts gnawed at her as she tried to figure out how to process her growing emotions about the Fatui Harbinger she found herself entangled with.

She set down the brown container on the counter and opened it.

A piece of strawberry shortcake sat neatly inside the box, slightly sagging from a night in the fridge, but Furina’s tired and growling stomach cared not for such details.

She started to down the delicious dessert without a second thought.

Undignified, she stood eating the cake out of the box over her kitchenette counter.

Would Arlecchino find this cute? She found herself wondering.

Part of her wanted to fight it, she knew she shouldn’t think about a Fatui Harbinger like that.

But she’s been nothing but nice to me, she wanted to argue with herself as cake and doubt mixed in her body.

Furina wanted to believe in the goodness of others, in the goodness of Arlecchino, but having spent 500 years as the Archon of Justice took a toll on her hope in humanity.

She felt her heart twist at the prospect that Arlecchino might not be the good person Furina had gotten the privilege of seeing.

She hasn’t done anything to harm me, nor broken my trust. If anything I’ve learned more about Arlecchino than she has about me, she pondered as the last of the cake was gulped down unceremoniously.

With none of the cake, nor her dignity, remaining, she threw the spoon in the sink and the box in the trash.

Furina fiddled with the note in her hand before neatly folding it up.

She shuffled back into her bedroom and carefully placed the note inside the drawer of her nightstand.

She flopped onto her bed and the large pile of soft pillows rustled as the bed shook for a moment.

Furina was slowly recovering her strength, but the illness still had its grip on her.

She pulled up her blanket and felt a pang of emptiness.

I wish Arlecchino was here to tuck me in, a forlorn thought crossed her mind

. The part of her that always wanted to fight whatever feelings were welling up was for once quiet.

Despite her internal alarms previously setting off and blaring at her to stay on guard, she felt longing for the woman that had visited her over the past week.

Furina found herself all alone in her bed, quietly wishing a certain split-haired and red-eyed individual was beside her.

Arlecchino

Arlecchino had just finished reading a report confirming that her operatives were staying clear of the area that Furina’s residence occupied, and was now busying herself by perusing the menus of various restaurants and cafés around the area.

She wasn’t seeing Furina until the next day, but the evening had only just begun and Arlecchino was no stranger to using today’s preparations to handle tomorrow’s challenges.

Even though getting food for Furina wasn’t exactly what Arlecchino would consider a challenge, she’d come to enjoy guessing what the former Archon would like to have brought home.

Seeing her cutely gulp down the food that she brought her was a joy Arlecchino only felt around her children, yet very different.

After some consideration, Arlecchino had finally settled on which restaurants she’d stop by before going to see Furina.

Satisfied with her planning, she started to get ready for bed.

Sometimes the truth can be very kind.

Furina’s words echoed in her mind as her thoughts went back to her conversation with Neuvillette the day before.

If anyone could understand me and accept a confession of guilt, it would be Furina.

Arlecchino knew that if she ever wanted to be truly close to Furina she needed to come clean about Operation Teardrop, and abandon said operation.

She’d already pulled away her operatives, as per Neuvillette’s requirement. However, the hardest part still remained.

I have to be honest.

Arlecchino could feel a tug on her heartstrings.

She’d already put Furina through enough, and now she might hurt her even more her even more.

She deserves better than to be used by someone else again.

The thought crossed her mind and she found that she had no intent of fighting it.

A secondary feeling was creeping up on her and slowly taking over whatever fuzzy feeling Furina’s existence gave her: fear.

Arlecchino was, for the first time in a long time, feeling fear. Fear of being honest, fear of no longer seeing Furina, fear of being vulnerable.

She had opened up a little to Furina, and she had received nothing but warmth in return.

She felt thankful that they were able to meet as Furina and Arle, rather than as Archon and Harbinger.

What little connection they had established meant a lot to her.

She hoped she could return the warmth Furina had given her. Giving her a few meals was one thing, but perhaps Arlecchino could make an even greater gesture. I’ll cook for her myself.

Arlecchino went to bed determined to see tomorrow’s plans through.

I’ll show you all of my kindness, Furina.

Chapter Text

Furina

Furina awoke feeling lighter than she had in the past two weeks.

The medicine had worked as intended, and on this fine morning, she had no issues beyond a slightly stuffy nose.

She slowly stretched her arms and sat up in her bed with a satisfied yawn.

She felt a pang of loneliness creep up on her.

Her bed still felt remarkably empty.

Not wanting to wake up on the sad side of bed, Furina tried thinking positively. After all, today was the day.

She’s finally coming over again! she squealed internally.

The one person she’d missed so dearly was finally going to show up again!

Furina read a few chapters of her book before taking her medicine, and subsequently shuffling out of bed.

Previously, she’d spent her days sitting in bed to recover, but as she was getting better, and knowing that Arlecchino was coming over, she finally had the opportunity to be properly dressed when Arlecchino was over.

First, Furina made sure to take a quick shower.

Despite being sick she’d managed to maintain her hygiene fairly well.

However, it had been two days since her last shower, and she wanted to smell nice for her expected company.

I can’t be outdone by that rainbow rose perfume again, she thought. Competition with a perfume was new to Furina, but so were most things with Arlecchino the past week.

Her bathroom was small, and the shower was tiny, but it was enough for Furina.

Despite barely being able to move her arms, she managed to clean herself up in just a few minutes.

After drying off, she shuffled over to the small closet in the hallway. In the closet hung what outfits she’d been able to fit in there, not a lot compared to the collection she had back at the Palais Mermonia.

It was one of the few things she missed about posing as Focalors. It had taken her two days to finalize which clothes she’d be bringing to her new abode.

Furina opened the sliding door on one side of the hallway.

She’d organised her closet by color, and couldn’t help but smile at what remained of her wondrous wardrobe.

The drawer lower down in the closet held clothes that she couldn’t hang.

While picking out underwear, she stopped for a moment. A set of black lace gleamed at her from the deep recesses of her drawer.

Would Arlecchino find that enticing? A conniving thought shot across her mind.

We are SO not there yet.

Yet, Furina allowed herself a single moment to have her mind go back to Arlecchino tilting her head up with a sharp fingernail.

She shook her head, trying to beat away the thoughts of Arlecchino like that.

Furina refocused herself and turned back to her drawer.

She had never understood people’s obsession with what others wore as undergarments, it seemed like no one but a persons own business.

The only situation it’d ever be relevant was if someone else was supposed to see them…

I’m in deep as it is. I do NOT need to think about her like that, she thought while putting on more societally ‘modest’ smallclothes.

From the coat hangers in her closet, she picked out a dark blue, flowing floral dress with puffy sleeves and light blue accents, and tied a black, silken ribbon around her waist.

One golden chain was draped over her shoulder, and another one went around her waist. She wore a neat, matching hat on her head.

It was fancy yet casual enough that she wouldn’t seem like she was trying too hard.

With her outfit put on, she shuffled over to her bathroom.

Furina was still sick and couldn’t apply too much makeup, but a light layer of foundation, a faint contour, and natural looking eyeshadow would do her appearance some good.

Once Furina was finished in the bathroom, she realized that every time Arlecchino had promised to come over she’d never specified a time.

It was currently eleven in the morning, and Furina found the prospect of waiting almost an entire day for Arlecchino to be excruciating.

Why can’t she just come over now?! she thought in frustration.

Had she really started to miss her so much that she couldn’t even contain herself a few hours?

It’s just because I’ve been locked in my house for nearly 2 weeks! she argued with herself.

Arlecchino was her only source of social interaction, it was only natural that she’d miss the one person she knew could safely come over.

Furina resigned herself to taking a seat on her sofa, and continued reading “A ballad of Pyro and Cryo” to make time pass a little faster.

After two painstaking hours of her mind battling between reading the lines of the long book, and thinking about Arlecchino, she finally heard shuffling outside of her door.

Approaching it, she heard three gentle knocks. Furina smiled to herself as she went to unlock the door.

Arlecchino

The door creaked open and Arlecchino’s usual cool and unreadable face quickly turned into one of surprise and amazement.

Her heart pounded against her ribcage, while she looked over the well dressed Furina.

I am so screwed, Arlecchino thought.

“M-miss Furina, you… You’re looking good,” she cleared her throat to try and hide her voice cracking for a moment.

Furina gave her a smile that threatened to turn into a smirk.

You dressed like that on purpose, Arlecchino thought accusingly.

She wasn’t complaining, it just made focusing on the task at hand much harder when Furina dressed like that!

“Thank you, as per usual you’re looking good too!” she said in a satisfied sing-song voice.

“Please, come in,” she continued, making a motion for Arlecchino to enter.

Arlecchino stepped inside and set down the two bags of groceries before taking off her shoes.

“First time you’re stepping in invited,” Furina teased and Arlecchino flinched guiltily.

“I thought the court had seen past my previous transgressions?” Arlecchino tried.

She felt the need to tide things over? It was a new feeling for Arlecchino, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

What she did know however, was that she wanted to apologize. Arlecchino had broken into her home, and now wanted to teasingly brush it aside?

She deserves better.

Arlecchino’s mind raced as she tried to think of the best way to apologize, but just as it threatened to kick into worry-overdrive, Furina’s playful and soothing voice washed over her:

“The court said that you’d be forgiven, not that the teasing would stop,” Furina beamed.

“Seriously, I am deeply sorry for breaking into your home. Regardless of intentions, it was unbecoming towards you,” Arlecchino said.

She felt her guilt spread to her face, and then to the rest of her body. She rubbed her arm, and found her eyes unable to meet the shorter woman’s gaze.

“Thank you, it’s nice to hear,” Furina said warmly as her smile grew.

Arlecchino’s gaze darted to meet Furina’s. A faint calm washed over the anxiousness spreading in her body.

She managed to relax herself somewhat before capturing a mental image of the other woman’s beautiful smile.

I would die protecting that smile of yours.

Arlecchino returned Furina’s smile as they made their way through the cramped hallway.

“What has the caring Arlecchino brought for me today?”

“An opportunity to watch me cook you a meal,” she responded while she started to take out various groceries and ingredients.

“You mean cook for us,” Furina corrected smugly while raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

Arlecchino nodded in agreement, and felt her own smile grow in response.

“I figured you’d say that, which is why I’ve brought enough ingredients to cook for the both of us, and leave you with some leftovers,” she said proudly.

She was quickly realizing how futile her attempts at concealing her happiness around Furina were becoming.

“Can I help with anything?” Furina asked while looking at Arlecchino unpacking the two large brown paper grocery bags she’d brought with her.

“You’re still sick, let me handle this. Please go sit down and continue resting,” Arlecchino said, earning her a groan from Furina.

“Fine, but you’ll at least have to keep the conversation going, I’ve been awfully bored without you,” she said with a sigh.

Has she been missing me? The thought shot across Arlecchino’s mind.

She felt a warmth in her chest at the idea of Furina thinking of her when she wasn’t there.

“How can I deny such a pretty lady such a fine request?” She joked with a charming smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Furina, who had settled down into her small, green, and comfortable couch, found herself blushing at the compliment.

Satisfied with her work, Arlecchino returned her focus to chopping up some onions.

“Y-you can’t just say that!” Furina stammered in protest as she averted her gaze.

“Would you prefer I hold off on the compliments then?”

“N-no… That’s not what I mean… I’m just not used to such personal and kind compliments,” she mumbled, each word quieter than the next.

Arlecchino was glad that being nice was what gave her an upper hand for once. It was one of the many things she enjoyed when she was around Furina.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to ease you into it,” Arlecchino said as she smiled tenderly back at Furina. The former Archon’s face reddened further as she tentatively met Arlecchino’s gaze with her own.

By the Tsaritsa, your eyes are so beautiful.

Arlecchino felt a tingle of heat on her own cheeks as she held Furina’s gaze a little too long.

Eventually, she was able to avert her own eyes from the enchanting woman on the couch and focus them back to the onions she was cutting.

You still need to tell her the truth, a voice in the back of her mind chastised.

“That’s kind of you,” Furina said softly, and Arlecchino could hear the smile on her lips without even looking at her. I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have.

“I promised to show you kindness, I am not one to break a promise,” she said, trying to conceal the doubt theat threatened to creep into her voice.

Furina made a sound Arlecchino could only describe as a quiet and happy squeal.

Arlecchino spent the next twenty minutes preparing food while she and Furina chatted away.

Furina had a lot of thoughts about the book she was currently reading, and Arlecchino was happy to listen and ask questions about it.

At some point, Arlecchino asked to borrow the blue apron hanging on the wall in the kitchenette, so as not to stain her grey coat.

Furina looked at her in a certain way after she’d put on the apron. It was a smile, but Arlecchino could also notice a hint of amusement.

She supposed that seeing a Fatui Harbinger in an apron was not a sight many folks would see in their lifetime.

I want you to see me in every kind of situation, Arlecchino thought as she looked at the smiling and bemused Furina.

Eventually the ingredients were prepared, and the stove heated.

Arlecchino started by frying the onions until they became golden before putting the chopped chicken into the frying pan.

Meanwhile, she made sure to pour the pasta into boiling water.

“Do you cook a lot at the orphanage?” Furina asked curiously as Arlecchino stirred the chicken while letting it mix with the onions.

“I don’t always have time, but when I do, the children seem to enjoy it,” Arlecchino stated with pride as her mind drifted to her children.

The image of them running around while Arlecchino tried to keep track of boiling water, and not letting anyone too young handle knives without her oversight, was something that brought her joy.

“You look good in an apron,” Furina said absentmindedly, and Arlecchino felt her heart shoot up in her throat.

She was glad that she was busy still stirring the chicken as it meant Furina couldn’t see the slight redness on her face.

“Of all the compliments I’ve ever received, that is one of the more unique ones,” she laughed, hoping it would conceal the slight tremble in her voice. No other person had ever made Arlecchino feel like this.

You need to tell her.

She bit down on her lip to try and distract herself from the mixture of joy and guilt that Furina’s presence currently gave her.

“Do you get a lot of compliments?” Furina asked excitedly.

The contrast between the person posing as Focalors, and the inquisitive girl sat on the small couch, only became more stark with each question Furina asked.

She seemed so genuine and kind, rather than a showboating, overconfident, and prissy leader.

She’s being genuine, why can’t you be? she chided herself mentally.

“Most of them are in hopes of tiding things over, or for personal gain. I’m not sure if those can be considered actual compliments…” she trailed off.

Then what does that make my initial apology? She questioned with an ache growing in her heart.

Insincere, her mind expertly replied back with a sting of poison furthering her ache.

“I am rather familiar with those types of compliments myself,” Furina said in her upbeat sing-song voice, accompanied by a chuckle that made Arlecchino’s heart flutter away the ache, even if only temporarily.

Arlecchino threw a hefty serving of pesto into the frying pan together with some cooking cream and started to stir it with the chicken and the onions. It was a good distraction from her racing mind.

“Did you ever get tired of the insincerity of those compliments?” Arlecchino used every last fiber of discipline within her body to not cringe at the irony of her own statement.

She was glad Furina couldn’t see her clenched jaw as she stirred the pot further.

“It just becomes a part of the position, and the role you play. If someone wants to fake a compliment in hopes of me helping them in whatever struggle they’re going through, I can’t fault them for trying,” Furina reflected with a melancholy tone to her voice.

“Did anyone ever truly hurt you that way?” Arlecchino asked, unsure if she was merely self-flagellating for her past sins, or wanted to untangle her own guilt in the moment.

Taking some pasta water, diluting it into the sauc, emptying the boiling pasta into the colander, drizzling it with some olive oil… Cooking was a good way to delay further introspection.

However, Furina’s reply made such introspection impossible to avoid.

“There’s a few that stuck with me. Some people said truly moving things that made me feel happy and appreciated. Sadly, when you know most people in the Court of Fontaine, you end up hearing whispers of how some people were merely trying to flatter me for their own gain,” Furina said.

Arlecchino was apparently not done torturing herself as she chanced a glance back at Furina.

The image of Furina staring off into the distance with a bittersweet smile and shimmering eyes would haunt Arlecchino’s conscience for days to come.

Having a photographic memory truly was both a blessing and a curse.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Arlecchino mumbled as she hoped to stir away her feelings into the mix of sauce, chicken, and onions.

“It’s alright. After all, I eventually ended up here!” Furina said, snapping out of her momentary melancholy.

Furina’s sincerity dug into Arlecchino’s guilty heart like the finest of Snezhnayan daggers.

Does she already know, is this her perfect vengeance? Arlecchino wondered as her bleeding heart seemed to scathe against the walls of her chest.

Trying to beat back the guilt, Arlecchino mixed in the pasta with the chicken and the sauce as she added spices. Perhaps the smell of nutmeg and thyme would magically take the guilt away.

“I am glad to hear that,” Arlecchino said as she fought against the tears starting to blur her vision.

The burning sensation of tears threatening to fall made her grit her teeth, determined not to let herself cry.

How can I do this to her? She deserves honesty.

She finished the dish as she listened to Furina, not daring to look at her.

“Seriously Arle, it’s been really nice having you over this past week. It almost feels a bit lonely when you’re not here…” Furina admitted, and Arlecchino almost spilled the finished dish as the words hit her like an aquabus travelling at full speed.

The mixture of guilt, joy, fuzziness, and a wide range of other emotions all competed for the top spot in Arlecchino’s mind and body. She felt the rest of the world go dark as her inner dialogue became a battlefield.

She missed me?

Tell her!

But what if I lose her?!

Then you deserve to lose her!

The loudness of her own thoughts was broken by a sentence not of her own making.

Sometimes the truth can be very kind. Furina’s words drowned out her other thoughts as the world came back into focus.

“-le, Arle are you alright?” Furina’s words pierced through to her.

Arlecchino blinked slowly in an attempt to regain her senses.

Slowly becoming aware of her surroundings, Arlecchino found herself propped up by a surprisingly strong Furina.

She had made her way over to Arlecchino, and had seemingly tried to keep her from falling by wrapping her arms around Arlecchino’s torso.

Furina’s embrace was comforting, and for a moment she allowed herself to forget about everything, and merely enjoy the feeling of Furina pushed against her.

“I’m… fine,” Arlecchino said quietly.

“You just blanked out and then started to wobble.” Furina explained with worry in her voice. She looked up at Arlecchino with concern and squeezed a little tighter.

Arlecchino felt her heart flutter. The accusatory voice in her head was quiet, for now.

“Then… Thank you… for catching me,” Arlecchino said in an almost sheepish manner, averting her gaze.

“You caught me once, it’s only just that I return the favor,” Furina replied cheekily.

Arlecchino couldn’t help it, her eyes drifted to Furina’s.

“I’m not foolish enough to argue about justice with someone so well versed in the matter,” Arlecchino joked back.

Her words earned her a chuckle in return, and she felt a smile return to her lips.

“Would you perhaps like to sit down? Furina offered, refusing to let go of the Fatui Harbinger despite the fact that the taller woman had clearly stabilized herself.

Knowing Furina, once she had set her sights on having Arlecchino do something, there was no room for argument.

“That sounds nice,” Arlecchino said warmly.

She deserves the world.

Furina didn’t let go of Arlecchino until she was sitting down.

With a satisfied nod, Furina walked over to prepare a serving of the pesto chicken that Arlecchino had just finished making before her momentary black-out.

Arlecchino’s inner etiquette wanted to insist on helping the still recovering, and somewhat slow-moving Furina with setting the table.

She knew that arguing with the white-haired woman, currently scurrying back and forth with silverware and bowls, would be futile.

Once the food was set up and served, Furina dramatically held up a finger.

“This wouldn’t be a proper Fontainian late lunch without one final bit of accoutrement,” she announced before shuffling over to one of her small cabinets while sniffling from a still irritated nose.

The contrast of a properly dressed Furina still struggling from illness was something that Arlecchino found equally as ridiculous as it was cute.

After a few moments of standing on her toes and making frustrated grunts, Furina managed to get down a bottle of red wine from the highest shelf in her cupboard.

With a victorious smile on her face, she took out two wine glasses and carried them to the table. She uncorked the bottle with proficiency, before pouring the pair a hefty glass each.

“If monsieur Arlecchino would like a refill, she need only ask,” Furina said in a mock fancy voice, trying to imitate a waiter.

Arlecchino chuckled as Furina plonked herself down on the couch next to the taller woman.

“What’s with the ‘monsieur’?” Arlecchino found herself asking without much thought.

“Well, you wouldn’t sob on my couch if I called you lady,” Furina said with a smug grin on her face.

By the Tsaritsa, she’s so cute.

“I think just ‘Arle’ works perfectly fine,” she smiled at Furina, who was smiling back.

They found themselves staring quietly at each other.

Neither knew for how long, neither wanted to break away.

Arlecchino felt her own heart melt from seeing Furina’s eyes shimmer in the afternoon sun shining in from the small window, behind the couch they were sat on.

Eventually, Arlecchino’s growling stomach broke the pair out of their trance. Furina cleared her throat, and looked at the food in front of them.

“This looks delicious,” Furina said with a small awkward laugh.

If she doesn’t want to address it, then neither shall I. Arlecchino thought.

“A chef improves with good company, and the complementing wine elevates this culinary experience,” Arlecchino spoke in a courtly manner.

Apparently, I speak in a more refined way when I want to change the subject, she observed as they both started to eat.

Luckily, Furina made a sound of utmost enjoyment as she bit into the chicken pesto pasta.

“Arle, this tastes even better than it looks!” she exclaimed.

Some of the light green sauce had already gotten on her face. Arlecchino smiled at the sight.

The image in front of her became part of the ever-growing collage of cute mental images she had been gathering of Furina.

“O’m gladh juu likhe ith!” She found herself so incredibly excited to reply that she completely forgot to finish chewing and swallowing her own bite of food.

“Didh theh ever sho refinegd Arleccshino jusht shpeak witsh foodh ien her moutgh?” Furina teased through her own mouthful.

“Says the former Archon with sauce on her face,” Arlecchino retorted with a laugh.

They both finished chewing through their shared giggling before bursting out laughing. Arlecchino could feel her cheeks ache as tears snuck out of the pair’s tear ducts.

They leaned into each other as they laughed. Furina was gasping for air as her arms found their way around Arlecchino’s waist.

The laughter in Arlecchino’s stomach mixed with warmth and excitement.

Once the two had calmed down from their laughing fit, they found themselves wrapped up in each other’s arms. Furina’s head nestled perfectly into Arlecchino’s neck, and her dress was scrunched up against the taller woman.

With their closeness, Arlecchino dared squeeze the shorter woman a little tighter.

Her squeeze was returned in equal force, and Arlecchino found herself to be the one smiling like an idiot.

“We should eat our food before it gets cold,” Arlecchino said to conceal how much she didn’t want for them to separate just yet.

“... You can just reheat it with your vision,” Furina said with a muffled voice as she spoke into the nape of Arlecchino’s neck. The vibration of her voice felt nice against Arlecchino’s clothed skin.

“If your stomach starts growling, you can’t charge me with anything,” Arlecchino softly said as she felt her body relax for the first time in… She couldn’t recall.

Arlecchino usually had a good sense of time. It was a necessary ability for any high-ranking member of the Fatui, but around Furina that ability seemed to cease functioning.

All that Arlecchino could think about was her own heart beating about as fast as Furina’s. Their breaths seemed soft and relaxed compared to their hearts.

Neither of them seemed to want to comment on it, but there was no way Furina hadn't noticed Arlecchino’s heart on the verge of bursting from her own chest.

Yet, the quiet sound of their breathing was enough for both of them. Eventually, it was Furina’s body that caved first and growled.

“I suppose that means time is up,” Arlecchino said, still holding softness in her voice.

“Five more minutes,” Furina said as she squeezed the taller woman.

Arlecchino found no desire to protest, and they stayed in each other’s embrace for another ten or so minutes.

Eventually the two sat back up, and Arlecchino reheated their food effortlessly.

In the meantime, Furina had picked up her glass of wine. When Arlecchino finished heating their food, she picked up her own glass to mirror Furina.

“To us!” Furina proclaimed.

“To us,” Arlecchino responded as their glasses clinked together with a resounding echo across the room.

They both took a hefty gulp before setting down their glasses.

As they ate, they were both catching each other’s glances.

Smiles were exchanged, and Arlecchino couldn’t help but wink at Furina at least twice. Both times earned Furina’s throat a near trip to cough town as she struggled to get her food into the correct orifice.

Furina was finished devouring her second portion by the time Arlecchino had finished her first.

Arlecchino was used to finishing her food last, but usually it was due to the table manners of her children, not someone who had lived for more than 500 years.

Regardless, Arle couldn’t help but find Furina’s uncouth antics endearing.

You have to tell her. You’re just making it worse the longer this goes on.

Apparently having a satisfied stomach was the requirement for her judgemental thoughts to return.

Sometimes the truth can be very kind.

Arlecchino took a deep breath.

Furina swallowed the last of her food, and looked at Arlecchino with a puzzled and food-covered face.

“Is something the matter, Arle?” she asked, clueless to the weight of what the other woman was about to reveal.

Clueless to how a singular sentence might completely change the course of whatever it was the two had going on between them.

Clueless to how it could possibly ruin everything.

“Furina, I need to be honest with you.”

Chapter Text

Furina

Furina’s heart was already racing. Shoving an unarchonly amount of food into her mouth apparently did not stop said racing.

She’d embraced Arle before, but this time it had felt even better, even safer!

When Arlecchino said that she wanted to be honest with Furina her mind flipped through about thirty different possibilities within the span of a second, her heart was beating faster and her face started to flush.

“V-very well, go on,” she offered curiously, trying to beat back the infatuated quiver that Arlecchino occasionally seemed to elicit whenever she visited.

“I had ulterior motives when I first came to visit you,” Arlecchino said gravely, cringing at her own confession.

Her eyes darted to the floor and the usually tall and imposing woman seemed to shrink where she sat.

Shame coated all of Arlecchino.

Out of the thirty possibilities Furina had expected, this is how seven of them started. Her heart sank. Like a block of cement plunging down towards the darkest depths of the ocean. Furina found it hard to breathe as her mind raced.

Ever since their first encounter in her new and small home she had always known that this was a possibility.

This is why you don’t get involved with the Fatui, her own mind scolded her.

But even so, she’s been so nice, a more fragile voice said.

She looked at the guilt-ridden Arlecchino and Furina felt a vortex of emotions surge within her.

She wanted to be angry and scream at the woman in front of her. She wanted to give Arlecchino a hug, they could both use it. She wanted to ask a million different questions but all that came out was a meek little sob.

Her chest tightened as the sob slowly turned into crying. A familiar voice broke through the sound of her sorrows.

“Furina, may I hug you?” Arlecchino asked. Furina didn’t seem to be the only one surprised as Arlecchino held a confused expression on her face.

“I… I would like some answers first,” Furina said in between hitched breaths.

Arlecchino nodded without looking up from the floor. There was a sadness across her face that made Furina’s heart break.

Is this also a trick? her wounded heart asked. She wanted to believe the woman in front of her, but she’d just confirmed the biggest reason why she shouldn’t.

“What was your primary reason for helping me through my sickness?” she asked as she stifled her crying. Her voice had turned cold and serious. She’d cried enough to last her an eternity; she could postpone some of it to get answers.

Arlecchino’s face looked like she wanted to plead her innocence. Her upturned eyebrows and sorrow-ridden eyes spoke a thousand words, yet she complied with Furina’s request.

“I thought that if I could get close to you I’d learn vital information and the secrets of the others that came to visit you,” she admitted without daring to look up from the floor.

Furina searched the Knave’s face for any kind of signs that she was lying or concealing information. Even through her sadness, she was hard to read.

“I came up with the idea after I had heard the rumors that you were bedridden. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to set such a plan in motion,” she continued.

Furina had heard a whole group of people explain their plan to expose her as a fake archon in front of an entire courtroom, yet hearing Arlecchino speak about this plan hurt far more. The tears threatened to well up again.

There was silence bar their breathing, but this time there was no comfort to be found in it. Arlecchino kept looking down, refusing to meet Furina’s wounded and devastated face.

For the first time since she’d seen Arlecchino in the door frame of her bedroom six days ago, Furina felt proper anger.

“You could at the very least look at me while explaining your vile ideas,” Furina said with a cold ferocity she hadn’t drawn upon since stepping away from the role of Focalors.

She heard a snivel from the sad-looking woman opposite her. Arlecchino carefully lifted her gaze. There were tears forming at the corner of her eyes and her breathing was ragged.

Arlecchino took a deep breath and steadied herself as she looked upon Furina. Slowly, and with several pauses, Arlecchino repeated herself word for word. Furina watched the taller woman wince multiple times as she explained her manipulative plan.

“I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to use my unique position to help you… If I was nice to you, just like I was in Poisson, I hoped it would gain me a similar type of trust that ensured I could acquire the gnosis without the use of force,” she continued. Even though it seemed to pain Arlecchino, she never once broke Furina’s stern gaze.

“And then what?” Furina asked harshly, unable to decide if she was going to scream at the Fatui or start crying again. She would give the Knave a few more words before delivering her verdict.

“We’d have nice conversations like the one two days ago. I didn’t expect our talks to be so expansive, and I didn’t think I’d enjo-,” She stopped herself and cleared her throat.

Furina wanted to protest and ask her to finish the sentence.

She’s enjoyed talking to me as well! a kind and traitorous voice said in her head.

She’s a scheming Fatui, I can’t stay in love with her! she yelled internally.

‘In love’, her own words echoed in her mind. Her train of thought was interrupted when Arlecchino continued.

“My apologies, I should not derail my explanation like that,” she said in an attempt to be formal, but it came out as a whimper. However, Arlecchino continued on while refusing to break eye contact.

“Eventually, I had planned that you’d either slip up or I’d ask leading questions to give me the information I sought. Perhaps there’s some big secret that Neuvillette would only tell someone like you. Maybe I could learn more about what the traveller intends to do or who they truly are? I was even hoping that maybe Navia would stop by at some point.” Arlecchino swallowed.

The implication that she wanted to spy on the very people she’d so “selflessly” helped just months ago was, on its own, enough to make Furina want to throw Arlecchino out of her apartment.

Yet the kindness within her burned with a question she’d had since Arlecchino started to explain herself.

“What. changed?” Each word slowly came out with a threatening tone, the quiver on Furina’s voice barely noticeable. The question had no time to hang in the air as Arlecchino answered immediately and without hesitation.

“You.” Furina felt the lump of concrete that was her heart slowly come undone and start beating with hope again.

“I…” Arlecchino started but saw that something had changed in Furina.

“Do you want me to continue or should I pause for a moment, I understand if it’s a lo-”

“Continue,” Furina cut her off. She needed to hear more.

Just to make sure that when I throw her out I have the full story available to me! she thought, trying to convince herself.

Arlecchino winced at being interrupted, like a hurt pet being scolded by its owner.

She looks pathetic, the anger within her said.

But she’s adorable like this.

“I wasn’t planning on apologizing to you until the second time I had gotten here… But something about seeing someone that I, despite my plan, held in such high regard be reduced to… that,” Arlecchino said as she motioned haplessly towards Furina’s bedroom.

Furina let out a single chuckle before snapping back to her piercing gaze. Arlecchino’s eyes shimmered for a moment at the chuckle before returning to her own sad and serious expression.

“I started to realize that you didn’t deserve to be part of some twisted ploy. Everything I’ve told you is true. I truly do admire you, and I couldn’t put you through it,” Arlecchino said, a hint of the conviction she had when talking about her children slipping through her voice and expression.

“I thought myself cold enough to ignore the empathy I reserve only for my children. Yet there you were, Fontaine’s biggest hero reduced to a sniveling sickling stuck in an apartment that could barely fit a small child! How could I treat you poorly? How was I supposed to lie to you and make you expose the friends you’ve made?”

New tears appeared on Arlecchino’s face, and her voice shook. Furina had a new myriad of questions appearing in her mind, but one rose above the rest:

“How am I supposed to trust anything you’re saying? What if this is an even greater ploy to forgo the secrets of my friends and instead learn something else to further your goals!” Furina accused with a wavering voice.

Arlecchino looked deep into Furina’s eyes. Her shoulders sagged and her mouth hung half agape as her lips started to quiver.

“I… I don’t know,” Arlecchino finally said after the longest five seconds of Furina’s life. Arlecchino shifted in her seat. For a split second her eyes darted to the door before they returned to a hurting Furina.

She wants to run away.

That could just be another trick!

Furina wanted to punch something, she wanted to scream and cry, she wanted to walk into her bedroom and sleep for 500 years.

For the first time in her existence she finally had the opportunity, time, and feelings to fall in love with someone, and what does she get? Twenty thousand extra layers of complicated on top of just having a relationship! Furina gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Arlecchino straightened her back as she tried to quell her own shivering and looked upon Furina.

She’s ready for me to just hit her… And I probably should. Furina felt adrenaline rush to her arms and legs as if readying to lunge at the woman in front of her… but she couldn’t.

As much as a part of Furina wanted to take 500 years of anger out on someone that had deceived her, she couldn’t. Furina felt herself deflate. Violence hadn’t been her answer in the past, and that was a part of her that she had no intention of ever changing.

“Did you really mean it? That you thought I was the only one who could understand you? That you truly wanted to show me kindness?” she asked between heavy breaths.

“Yes, oh Archons, yes. No one has so unintentionally dismantled me like you, Furina. I realized that if anyone could understand what it’s like to do what you have to do while being painted a villain it would be you! I know the pain that comes with putting up a charade that some will hate, and if you were suffering half as much as I… then I wanted to ensure that you were given the kindness and appreciation that those actions should garner!”

The tears were flowing like waterfalls from Arlecchino’s eyes, and her breathing was ragged while she was twisting uncomfortably in her seat. Despite it all, she refused to break eye contact.

Furina felt her insides twist and turn. You’re not making this any easier, Arle. I need to be able to hate you!

“A-ask Neuvillette, he told me to pull my people away from your area… Right, I had people keep an eye on your apartment… But only to ensure that no one with ill intent came to harm you! It would be a waste of my efforts if you were to perish… is what I thought when I initially gave the order! But Neuvillette asked me to stop, to prove that I was worthy of a second chance… I would do anything you ask of me,” Arlecchino sobbed and stumbled over her own words, stuttering and sniveling as she flailed her arms to try and make her case.

“You were spying on me?!” Furina exclaimed.

“Only who came and went, my operatives never looked inside!”

“That’s still incredibly shitty, Arle!” Furina growled with narrowed eyes.

“... I know,” she croaked out. The tears were in full force but Arlecchino still didn’t look away from Furina. The Fatui Harbinger’s hands clenched and unclenched.

“Are there any other secrets you’ve been keeping from me?!” Furina snarled in pained anger.

“Other than who you reminded me of, or the 78 other Fatui operations that I currently oversee in Fontaine? No,” she answered shakily through watery eyes. Furina crossed her arms and sighed.

Do I tell her to leave and never come back?

That’d be nice and smart.

What if she’s finally being honest?

That’d be so nice! I just want to go back to joking and talking and maybe…

SHE’S A FATUI HARBINGER!!!

And I am a former Archon who deserves something fucking nice for once!

“You spoke to Neuvillette?” Furina asked, hoping that if she asked more questions she’d find her own answer in due time.

“I… I didn’t know who to talk to once I realized the feelings I harbored for you. I thought that perhaps speaking to the Iudex would shed some light on the best course of action to… make things right,” Arlecchino explained.

She looked exhausted from the crying and had been reduced to a snieling mess with puffy red eyes.

“That’s why you pulled away your agents…” Furina filled in the last piece of the complicated puzzle she’d just had dropped on her. Arlecchino nodded.

“Part of me doesn’t like leaving someone I care so deeply about without my oversight. I mean- I kept them there until Neuvillette said something because I didn’t want you to-” Arlecchino interrupted herself with a deep sigh. “I know how violating that sounds,” she hiccuped in defeat.

“At least you recognize it,” Furina growled to conceal how her pounding and longing heart just wanted to embrace Arlecchino.

“I recognize that asking if you want me to leave could potentially be manipulative in this situation, but I… b- but I don’t know what else to tell you,” Arlecchino pleaded.

“There is one word you have yet to say that I really hoped you would have said by this point,” Furina admitted. Her softness betrayed her and slipped into her voice. Arlecchino’s eyes went wide as she realized what Furina was hinting at.

“How could I not have thought of it sooner!” she bemoaned herself in utter distress. A tiny part of Furina took joy in seeing a Fatui Harbinger so incredibly bent out of shape at their own mistake.

“Furina… I am so fucking sorry for the mess I’ve made. I never want to hurt you again and I want to make amends for all of my past transgressions to the best of my ability, even if that means never talking to, or seeing you again,” Arlecchino said with steadfast words. She was still breathing heavily but her determination had returned.

“Less words, less self-sacrificing, darling,” Furina said with a focused calm she had regained after seeing Arlecchino throwing her entire dignity at her.

“I am sorry,” Arlecchino said. Furina felt time stop. For once in her life, she held absolute power in a situation. She genuinely believed that if she told Arlecchino to never involve herself in Furina’s life ever again, she would comply.

You can end this here and be done with it.

No more of the Knave, no more “formerly tried to kill you but is now in your house”.

No more lies or tricks.

No more Arle…

Conflicting thoughts floated around in her mind and she felt light-headed.

“I… I need time to think,” Furina finally said as she laid down on her side of the couch with a sigh. Her feet were still on the ground, so as to not touch Arle on the other side of the couch.

“Do you need anythi-” Arlecchino interrupted herself.

“Sorry,” she whispered quietly as she shuffled further left on the couch, giving Furina almost enough space to put her feet up without touching Arlecchino.

Furina’s head was pounding and nausea was creeping in. The idea of making such a big decision felt too overwhelming.

It’s up to me, it’s MY turn to decide!

But what if I make the wrong call?

Then I’ll know that I’m truly human.

“Arlecchino…” Furina began meekly. Arlecchino looked at the shorter woman attentively.

“Can you get me a glass of water?” she groaned. Arlecchino made her way towards the sink. Every step was sluggish yet determined.

The noise of the faucet pounded on Furina’s mind, she felt her mind sting in response to the noise and she let out another groan while she put her hands over her ears.

Everything is so loud!

Arlecchino returned with the glass and set it down onto the table before shuffling back to her side of the couch. Furina sighed as she sat up.

“No no, help me drink,” Furina flapped her hand in the general direction of the glass. Arlecchino looked dumbfounded for several moments as she tried to process the request.

“I thought you said you’d do anything,” Furina teased, a small smile threatening to appear on her face.

She couldn’t help herself. If this was the last time she’d ever have the chance of getting so close to a Fatui Harbinger, she might as well savor it. Arlecchino looked concerned, but sild over to sit beside Furina as she took the glass and moved it towards her.

With confidence she hadn’t felt since winning the Furina Award, Furina gracefully motioned towards her chin.

“You’re missing a step, darling,” Furina said, a faint smirk creeping across her face. Obediently, Arlecchino took her free hand and used her index finger to tilt up Furina’s head.

The sensation of Arlecchino’s finger against her skin soothed Furina’s racing thoughts while the water flowed into her mouth.

She gulped down the entire glass and Arlecchino subsequently pulled away both glass and finger. Arlecchino’s touch lingered on her chin.

That felt good.

“Thank you,” Furina said almost nonchalantly. The headache was receding, and so was her nausea. Arlecchino sat silently beside her and glanced at Furina.

“What would you do if I told people about this?” Furina said with a haughty tone, trying her best to sound as devilish and conniving as possible. Arlecchino shrugged.

“Nothing. As long as you don’t come for The House or any of my children, I’d see it as non-divine punishment. Justice even, if you will,” Arlecchino’s voice was defeated and empty.

Either she was a better actor than Furina, or Furina might just have been Arlecchino’s Achilles’ heel.

Furina sighed, she couldn’t take it any more. Even if she knew a part of her wanted revenge, wanted to make Arlecchino spend a week begging and grovelling for forgiveness, the rest of her couldn’t bring herself to do it. She cared too much.

These damned wonderful human emotions.

Her heart had made up its decision when Arlecchino had said her simple “sorry”, but her scarred mind demanded more. She was tired of “analyzing” and “testing” where she had Arlecchino.

Furina knew what her heart longed for, and she was just as tired of seeing Arlecchino self-flagellate with her own punishing words as she was denying herself what she wanted.

“Arlecchino,” she said with a slight warmth returning to her voice. The taller woman met her gaze with hunched shoulders and tear streaks coating her face. Even her eyeliner and mascara were ruined.

“May I give you a hug?” Furina asked with new tears blurring her vision as she stretched her arms out.

Arlecchino

Arlecchino felt a new wave of dizzying emotions as she gave Furina a stunned and wide-eyed look.

“H-hug?” Arlecchino’s short-circuited brain responded as if trying to decipher a word she’d never heard before.

Moments before, she was made to obey every command that Furina had for her, something she’d gladly do if it meant that the person in front of her was happy.

It seemed like something in Furina had finally clicked. Furina had seemed… doubtful?

No, no, no. Furina had been torn.

Arlecchino could hardly fault her for that. She had not exactly put her in an easy position. The Uncertainty had turned into determination.

There she sat, arms stretched out towards her, the one person Arlecchino felt she could give herself fully to. Slowly, tentatively, Arlecchino entered Furina’s embrace and wrapped her arms over the white-haired woman’s shoulders.

She didn’t know what to feel. Arlecchino had, during her visit to Furina, gone through an entire range of emotions she had not experienced over the past ten years combined. The two sat intertwined in Furina’s tiny couch. The silence was broken when Furina said:

“You’re not hugging me like usual!” There was a half-serious pout on her face.

“D-do I even deserve to get to hug you?” Arlecchino said without thinking.

“Didn’t I tell you to dampen the self-sacrifice,” Furina scolded caringly, before continuing:

“Isn’t it up to the victim what the punishment for the perpetrator should be?”

“And… What is the punishment?”

“To show me kindness and honesty! You made a promise after all,” Furina said as hope filled her voice.

Arlecchino felt a new lump harden in her throat. A moment later, for the first time since early childhood, Arlecchino started to wail.

If anyone was stationed outside, they’d hear the unnatural sound of a Fatui Harbinger letting go of every barrier they’d spent a lifetime putting up.

Furina tightened her grip around Arlecchino’s lower back before having the other hand travel up and pat Arlecchino on the head. This only increased Arle’s need to wail, as every single conflicting feeling in her mind and body surfaced all at once.

Time seemed non-existent as Arlecchino wailed and wailed. Eventually, she realized that Furina was crying too. Arlecchino hugged her tighter as they both cried into each other’s embrace.

By the end of it they were both shuddering and sniveling as they shook against each other. Arlecchino felt her arms going slack as she fought against her own exhaustion.

I’m not letting go of you! she thought with an aching heart.

“A-Arle,” Furina asked as she looked at her once again, adjusting their embrace to be face to face. A faint smile played on her tear-stained lips.

“I don’t want you to go,” she continued softly.

“A-are you sure?” Arlecchino asked hesitantly. She knew that many decisions should not be made while being an emotional wreck, and she didn’t want Furina’s judgement to be clouded when choosing whether she wanted Alrecchino to stay or not.

“I am sure, Arle. And if by some un-miracle I wake up tomorrow and regret letting you stay, then I know you’ll respect that” she said, her smile growing with each word.

“Y-you trust me like that?” Arlecchino asked. It was as if Furina was letting go of her own final barriers. She seemed fearless and confident.

Confidence looks better on Furina than on “Focalors”, she thought.

For once, Arlecchino allowed her loving thought to exist. She even let it linger.

Furina nodded.

“I trust you enough that I am about to ask you something crazy,” Furina said, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight that had started to glisten into her’s living space.

Moonlight?! A pang of worry shot through Arlecchino.

How long have I been here?

“W-wait, I promised Iudex Neuvillette that I’d only visit you during daytime. I-I can’t break a promise, how are you going to trust me?” Arlecchino said as she felt distress overtaking her.

“Is it not I who should decide what you need to do to fully earn my trust?” Furina said as her smile continued to grow.

“If Neuvillette wants something clarified, tell him to come see me,” Furina continued, and Arlecchino breathed a sigh of relief at the reassuring words.

“Then I shall put my trust in you,” Arlecchino said. The distress washed away and was quickly replaced by an increasing heart rate.

Wait, What crazy thing is she about to ask? She pondered as she looked at Furina. It wasn’t until she noticed Furina’s own blush that she felt her own.

“I would like for you to spend the night here, with me,” Furina said warmly while fidgeting with her fingers as her face grew redder by the second. Arlecchino found herself dumb-founded for the third time today.

“Uhm…” was all she could muster as she looked at Furina. Their faces were close, and Furina had started to trace circles on Arlecchino’s shoulders.

The tracing was very relaxing, but made Arlecchino realize that Furina felt nervous about the question. Wishing to alleviate the person of her admiration from any unwanted feelings she quickly blurted out:

“Would we even fit in the bed together?” Furina looked at her with incredulity.

Wrong words Arle, fix it, you useless lesbian!

“W-what I’m trying to say is, are we really at the point where sleeping together is the next step?” she asked.

Really nice, just saying it outright. Smooth sailing Mx. Fourth Fatui Harbinger! Furina looked at Arlecchino. It was her turn to go wide-eyed.

“Oh! Oh, no, no, no, no, no!” Furina exclaimed as the color on her face became the equivalent of a tomato.

“I-I wanted cuddles and company… Perhaps some body heat, if you would. I had no intention of such… Skinship!” Furina rambled as she waved her hands in a desperate attempt to make the last two minutes disappear from existence.

Arlecchino on the other hand, felt warm and fuzzy.

Now this is the bumbling idiot that I fell in love with, Arlecchino thought as she pulled the tomato-looking woman into her embrace.

“I’d like for us to take the time we need for things,” Furina mumbled into the nape of Arlecchino’s neck.

“And nothing would bring me more joy than helping that become a reality,” Arlecchino said earnestly as she held Furina close. Furina squeezed back as she nestled into Arlecchino once more.

Moonlight was spilling into the apartment by the time the two broke away from each other.

Arlecchino felt her body immediately ache to embrace the shorter woman again, but her tired mind had a modicum of discipline left in it, which meant she refrained from throwing herself back into Furina’s arms.

“I suppose we should get ready for sleep,” Furina said, yawning. Arlecchino was exhausted and merely nodded.

I want to hug you again.

“I have a spare toothbrush,” Furina offered with a weak smile. Arlecchino assumed that her own eyes were as puffy and red, if not more, than Furina’s. She nodded again.

“Do you want me to take care of the dishes?” Arlecchino willed herself to ask as she looked at the nicely set table.

Would that count as a date? Arlecchino thought as she inspected the nicer than usual table cloth set on the table.

“Tomorrow,” was all that Furina could muster as the pair dragged themselves to the bathroom for the tiny bit of self-maintenance they had the energy for.

---

Eventually the two of them undressed down to their underwear. While Furina threw her clothes on the floor haphazardly, Arlecchino made a point of folding them neatly and putting them on Furina’s couch.

She noticed Furina stood in the doorframe between her kitchenette and bedroom staring, as if in a trance, at Arlecchino’s half-naked body.

“I’m not bothered by the staring, I’d just prefer you say something nice while you’re at it,” Arle teased. Furina gave a saliva-filled gasp.

“I wasn’t…” Furina trailed off as she started to stare again.

Good to know I won’t be the only useless one, Arlecchino mused to herself as she finished folding her clothes and turned to face the other woman.

“I thought we were done with lying,” Arlecchino joked. Furina was red once again, and Arlecchino couldn’t resist closing the distance between them and squeezing the flustered woman’s cheeks.

“Archons, you are so cute,” Arlecchino said out loud as she lovingly looked into Furina’s shimmering blue eyes.

Arlecchino’s actions did not help Furina’s blushing predicament, but the smile that Arle had come to adore appeared in between perturbed grunts.

“Unhand me, you hooligan!” Furina demanded as she flailed her arms. Arlecchino complied and let go of the shorter woman.

She felt her smile grow wider and wider as Furina jokingly shoved her shoulder against Arle’s chest.

“Furthermore, Arlecchino-” Furina began with a big smile on her face and Arlecchino looked with joy at the other woman.

“-You’re smiling like an idiot,” Furina teased.

It was Arlecchino’s turn to put on a performance. With a pretend shocked expression and the back of her hand to her forehead in the most offended voice she could muster, she whined:

“You would dare use my own words against me?”

Furina giggled at Arlecchino before wrapping herself around her. Their bare skin rubbed against each other and Arlecchino felt what little energy she had left in her fade away.

“Your skin feels nice,” Furina mumbled as she snuggled up against Arle. Arlecchino felt how her eyelids grew heavy and the inevitability of sleep rapidly encroached on her conscious.

“Bed,” was all a wobbly Arlecchino could mutter as she let gravity push her against Furina. With a yelp, Furina propped up the taller woman long enough for the pair to shuffle the short distance to the bed and tumble into it.

Arlecchino felt every muscle in her body untense for a moment. Just as sleep was about to take her, she heard faint grunts beside her.

“Arle, you gotta move. I’ll freeze to death without any covers!” Furina huffed.

Barely conscious, Arlecchino lifted herself up and pulled the covers across the occupants of the over-crowded bed. The cover barely encompassed the two, and Arlecchino felt her feet threatening to escape its protection. The cover was definitely designed for someone of a shorter stature than herself.

Arlecchino let out a small yelp of her own as Furina pulled her into an embrace.

“The covers are too small… We’ll have to be close if we want to stay warm,” Furina explained with only a small amount of embarrassment about her living situation.

“But I want to be held by you, Furina,” Arlecchino mumbled before sleep took her. In that moment, The tight squeeze Arle felt in response to her words said more than any verbal reply from Furina could convey.

With a smile on her face, the warm embrace of Furina made falling asleep easier than it had ever been for the constantly vigilant Arlecchino.

Chapter Text

Furina

Furina stirred as the faint ambiance of morning birds prickled at her ears. She felt warmer than usual. Morning drowsiness covered her like thick dew and she flopped over to the left. Usually, splaying herself across the bed helped her wake up, and wake up she certainly did. Her usual maneouver aided her, but something else proved far more effective in rousing her consciousness. 

“Ouch.”

Furina felt her body crash into another person and skin clash against skinn. Arle stirred awake with a confused look on her face that quickly softened as soon as she locked eyes with the former Archon tangled into her.

“I’m sorry, I forgot that you were here.”

“Do you usually flop around when you wake?”

“... That’s classified information!”

“Cute…” Arlecchino mumbled softly as she regarded Furina. 

Why is simply hearing her voice making me feel like there’s butterflies in my stomach?! Furina thought in flustered panic as she tried to untangle herself and sit up. She pulled the covers towards herself to conceal her half-naked form. In doing so, Arlecchino’s body became exposed to the temperate morning air.

“I thought we were supposed to share?” Arlecchino teased, and Furina felt her heartbeat quicken. 

“Then come and cozy up here!” Furina responded, hoping her exasperated wrods would conceal her embarrassment. Without complaint, Arle took a few pillows and propped herself up next to Furina. The taller woman looked down at her with a warm smile.

“Is that better?” 

“I find these conditions more acceptable.” 

“Would this further improve conditions??” Arlecchino asked, wrapping her arm around Furina and pulling her close. Furina let out a small gasp, her breath catching in her throat. Arlecchino’s skin was rough, but comfortable. Her chiseled body relaxed and let Furina sink into her.

Following a surprised and flustered gasp, Furina allowed herself to nuzzle into Arle’s embrace. Her head fit perfectly into the space under Arle’s strong jaw, like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle depicting the most beautiful of artworks.

“This is better…” Furina mumbled against Arlecchino’s skin. 

“And sorry for startling you. I’ve never shared a bed before,” she added, fidgeting with the fabric of Arlecchino’s undershirt.

“If being slapped awake bothered me, I would not have made it as far in life as I have,” Arlecchino chuckled. The vibrations against Furina’s skin felt like a massage relieving a thousand years worth of stress. It felt like nothing Furina had ever experienced before, and that chuckle, oh archons she wanted to feel that chuckle each and every day. Furina made an affirming sound as she put her arms around Arlecchino’s stomach. She feels so nice. The two stayed in each other’s embrace as the early morning sun continued to rise.

“This is even nicer than I imagined,” Furina let slip, absentmindedly.

“Indeed,” Arlecchino agreed quietly. Furina’s head snapped up.

“You thought about what it’d be like waking up next to me?”

“I… The thought might have crossed my mind.”

“Oh my, Arlecchino, isn’t that unbecoming of a Fatui?”

A wry smile appeared on Arle’s lips.

“Says the former Archon thinking about mornings with a Fatui,” Arlecchino teased back. They both laughed. Furina smiled as she felt Arle’s warm body against her own. It was a comforting closeness she had only read about in stories. Experiencing it first-hand was a type of magic that words on a page could never truly convey.

“What else did you imagine a morning with me would be like?” Furina asked inquisitively.

“Hmm, probably not much in the way of food. Maybe a few teasing sentences, which I have clearly already predicted accurately. Perhaps you’d ask me to read a little from one of your books. Lastly, we wouldn’t be getting out of bed for another hour or two. At least, if your self-discipline for getting out of bed is in any way correlated to your recent table manners.

Furina gave her a face of mock shock and exasperation.

“That’s a low blow!”

“So is hitting me while I’m asleep.”

“The upside of a small bed is that I can easily shove you out of it!” Furina threatened. Arlecchino made an upbeat humming noise.

“If you weren’t so sick, I’d consider taking you up on that challenge.”

“Once I’ve recovered you’re waking up on the floor for a week straight!”

“That’s not very Fontainian host-like of you,” Arlecchino teased back, a faint wave of redness appearing on her cheeks for a few moments. Furina felt a wave of fuzziness surge through her stomach. It’s like she remembers everything I say! a cheery voice squealed in her mind.

“I’ve been hosting for 500 years, and I’ll have you know that shoving rude guests out of your bed is a recurring trend” she joked. If she kept talking, surely Arle wouldn’t comment on the implication that she wanted Arlecchino to sleep over for a week straight.

I want her to stay here for an entire week? She mentally questioned herself before being pulled back into the moment by Arlecchino’s smooth and soft voice.

“Then I’ll just have to hold you close, so I don’t become a victim of this trend,” Arlecchino said softly as she pulled Furina in close. The two snickered at their silly exchange before locking eyes. Furina was gazing up at Arlecchino, and she looked back. The moment lasted longer than intended, but Furina felt every passing moment as her own heartbeast started to entwine with Arlecchino’s. She had no desire to break her gaze, and neither did Arle.

They were both basking in the momentary lull of their conversation, smiles growing wider in tandem with their heartbeats.

“You’re smiling like an idiot,” they said in unison. They joined each other in laughter, letting unspoken words hang innocently in the air.

I want to kiss her.

And I want to give you all the time I can. Arlecchino’s words played in her mind as a response.

To fight the bubbling feelings racing throughout her body, she asked: 

“Arle, your imagination appears quite accurate. How about you read something for me?”

“What shall I read, my dear hostess?” Arlecchino asked smoothly. Being referred to as “dear” made Furina inhale sharply, and a warmth on her cheeks started to creep in. Swallowing hard and hoping she wouldn’t have to explain to Arlecchino why that sentence had an effect on her, she turned to scan the bookshelf in her bedroom. Furina hummed as her eyes perused her impressive collection, hoping her own sounds would distract her from the warm and alluring gaze of Arlecchino.

“What about your favourite?” Arlecchino asked warmly.

“‘Sentiment and Logic!’”

“Isn’t that book over 200 years old at this point?”

“I remember when it was published, I suppose it has been longer than I realized…” Furina trailed off thoughtfully, a momentary reflection on the passage of time washing over her like a tide. Her voice took a more thoughtful tone as she continued to speak:

“Janice Austere was a phenomenal person who made the everyday person into a very sympathetic and relatable character. She allowed me a perspective into the lives of the women living under my rule.

Some of her insights guided both me and Neuvillette, we had an easier time understanding the goings-on of our citizens,” Furina finished explaining.

She hadn’t talked about “Sentiment and Logic” in years. Her scattered thoughts dissipated into the recessed of her mind as her razor sharp focus zeroed in on the book at hand. Complicated feelings for Arlecchino were important, but literature took precedence.

“I would love to hear you read it!” she exclaimed as excitement filled her. Furina had been completely missing the deep loving gaze that Arlecchino held on her until she finished rambling. She stopped dead in her tracks.

“Wh-what?” she asked as a blush bloomed across her face..

“You’re beautiful when you ramble so ardently,” Arlecchino said, completely mesmerized as her muscles relaxed and her upper body slumped slightly.

“I’ll look even more beautiful if you read it to me!” she tried to bargain, hoping that her continuously growing blush and darting gaze wouldn’t put her completely on the back-foot. 

Arle cleared her throat and tried to straighten her back, as if she hadn’t been completely suckered in by Furina’s nerdy and passionate charms.

“Only if you take your medicine first,” she said, fighting a small flush on her own face. Furina couldn’t help but give out a small giggle.

“Very well,” Furina said cheerfully, already flying out of bed and shuffling over to her bookshelf. She knew exactly where it was, and fished it out before returning back to the warm bed and snuggling up next to Arlecchino.

She gave the taller woman the book with earnest excitement she couldn’t recall when she had last felt.

“This is a first edition copy…” Arlecchino noted in amazement as she looked over the book. 

“Right, most people likely possess later editions,” Furina observed thoughtfully. The age of her book collection was something she seldom pondered. 

“You’ll have to excuse me if I get any of the older words wrong.”

“Then I’ll help you say them correctly!”

The few times she’d imagined sharing a bed, her mind had wandered to waking up and shuffling away to prepare food, or talking about some kind of boring nonsense like they always did in the popular plays. Furina had never imagined that she’d get to gush about books and have someone read them to her. 

Could this day get any better?

After taking her medicine, the next two hours were spent having Arlecchino reading out loud about the three sisters and their escapades, and how their lives are turned upside down after their dad passes. Furina smiled from ear to ear the entire time while cozied up against Arlecchino.

Every now and again, they had to stop as Furina explained a word or helped Arle pronounce it. Eventually the reading session was put to a halt by the growl of Furina’s stomach.

“Are there any leftovers from yesterday?”

“I think you ate most of it. I don’t think it’s enough for a brunch,” Arlecchino replied as she looked out the window. The sun was high and mid-day was growing ever closer. 

“Do you think you could…?” Furina started, hoping she could avoid outright asking Arlecchino to yet again acquire food for her.

“I’d be happy to. Anything in particular you’re craving?” Arlecchino filled in, sparing her the question.

“Some mushroom soup and garlic bread would be just perfect.”

“Mushroom soup and garlic bread it is, then.”

“I’ll set the table while you’re away, and don’t forget to grab some food for yourself as well!” Furina added, refusing to let Arle neglect herself as some kind of self-sacrifice.

“I’ll make sure to eat too, just don’t tire yourself out while I am gone."

“I feel fine!”

“I still hold the opinion that you should take it easy.”

“And I still hold the opinion that you need to go buy yourself some food!” Furina said back with a feigned huff. Arlecchino opened her mouth to argue, but it soon closed again. 

Do I make her hold her tongue? she pondered giddily.

The pair had a plan, and were about to proceed with said plan, when they stopped and looked at each other. Furina was still in Arlecchino’s arms.

“We should get moving,” Arlecchino noted.

“Agreed.”

Neither of them moved, and time passed silently as the two squeezed each other slightly tighter.

“I’ll let go, if you let go!” Furina said eventually. For the first time in her life, Furina witnessed a Fatui Harbinger pout. 

“But… I don’t want to let go,” Arlecchino conceded. 

“Would you rather I starve ?” Furina said dramatically.

“... No,” Arle sighed as her pout returned to a warm smile. 

Archons, she’s so cute! 

Five more minutes of holding each other close passed before the pair separated, and started to get ready for the day.

“Arle, do you want to help me pick an outfit?” Furina asked while making her way over to the wardrobe in the hallway.

“Aren’t you going to pick up the outfit from yesterday?” Arle asked, eyeing the splayed clothes on the floor of Furina’s bedroom. The former Archon gave her an unbothered shrug in return.

“I’ll deal with it later,” she said, waving a dismissive hand. Arlecchino tried to hide a muffled laugh in response, her knuckle covering her mouth.

“What?”

“You really are a mess.”

“Says the person who had a giant wail last night.”

“I have been outmanoeuvred,” Arlecchino said in pretended defeat as she stopped trying to conceal her laughter.

There’s that beautiful laugh of yours.

Eventually, after a longer than expected conversation about whether Furina fit better in dark blue or light blue when contrasted by a white accent color, Furina found herself dressed in a beautiful white dress with blue and black details as well as a blue underskirt and a black beret.

“You look wonderful, Furina,” Arlecchino said. Something about the simple compliment gave Furina’s cheeks a warm tint. Her eyes darted to the floor, hoping to escape Arlecchino’s caring gaze. Her escape was temporary, as a finger lifted her face up and she felt her stomach drop.

“I am serious, Furina. You look beautiful.” Arle spoke with conviction, similar to when she spoke of her good deeds. 

Determination also looks good on you, Furina noted while the warm tint exploded into a full on blush.

“Th-thank you, it means a lot coming from you,” she eventually stammered out as she met Arlecchino’s gaze. Now a faint redness appeared on the taller woman’s face.

I really DO make her flustered! Furina thought triumphantly.

“Then I’ll make sure to keep saying it,” Arlecchino said, and turned to leave for her food-oriented excursion.

“Don’t be a stranger!” Furina said while running up and hugging Arlecchino from behind. The words slipped out without prior thought, and Furina felt no need to correct her impulsiveness.

Arlecchino turned to face Furina while in the embrace.

“After yesterday, how could I ever be stranger to you?” she said before kissing the top of Furina’s head.

Furina froze, her brain trying to process what had just happened. 

“See you in a bit,” The Knave said with a smooth and confident smile as she exited Furina’s apartment.

Furina stood frozen in place, arms wrapped around an Arlecchino that was no longer in her grasp.

“She kissed me?” Furina mumbled in shock while the door closed with a soft “click”, and she was left alone in her hallway.

SHE KISSED ME!

Arlecchino

I KISSED HER?!

Arlecchino had kissed many people during various Fatui operations, but she’d never just cuddled with someone while staying the night.

Arlecchino’s mind had been racing all morning, but she didn’t want to let it show. Furina deserved, at the very least, one nice and trouble-free morning. It had all been so nice and soft that Arlecchino had lost herself in the moment and ended up kissing Furina’s head without much thought.

Why did you do that? Are we even at that stage? 

She just wanted cuddles. I’ll apologize immediately.

No, no, I’ll get her food first like a good part- She interrupted herself mid-thought.

What am I thinking?!

Arlecchino’s walking pace increased in tandem with her racing thoughts.

Just get the mushroom soup, and you’ll be fine, she chastised herself in hopes that the task at hand would distract her from worrying about the kiss, and its implications.

I shared a bed with her!

Because she was lonely… There’s nothing more to it!

I would beg to diff-

Her internal debate was interrupted as she bumped into another Fontainian passing by. The woman yelped as she realized who she had bumped into.

“The Knave, my apologies. I am oh, so sorry to bump into you like that!” a high pitched voice said. The pink-haired woman dressed in her red attire waved her hands in wide eyed panic.

“No trouble at all, Ms. Charlotte. I was not very aware of my surroundings,” Arlecchino reassured, unsure whether she was trying to calm down the eccentric journalist or herself.

“M-may I ask where you are going?” Charlotte asked, trying to seize her one opportunity to speak with the illusive Knave.

“You can find my contact details at The House of the Hearth. Go there if you have inquiries,” The Knave said in her usual cool and calculated tone. With a hurried nod, Charlotte scrambled away.

“Noted, thank you, Lady Knave,” she blurted out over her shoulder. Charlotte had been trying since forever to get an interview with Arlecchino. It had never come to fruition, and Arlecchino wasn’t about to let that change any time soon. Arlecchino found her work easier with all of Fontaine thinking her mysterious and unknowable. Well, at least most of Fontaine.

Focusing on the memories of sharing a warm and soft bed with Furina to distract herself from her racing heart and her panicked thoughts about the very same person, she found herself fighting off a smile as she arrived at Hotel Debord. 

It only took her a few minutes from entering until her order was done. The privilege of being a feared Fatui Harbinger with connections was that your order was sure to instantly be fulfilled, regardless of the usual wait times. Arlecchino took no joy in the unease she caused some of the staff, but she could not argue the efficiency of a terrifying reputation. 

On her way back to Furina, hefty bag of food in hand, she spotted a temporary sales stand of Leschots Clockwork Workshop . One of Leschots’ new hires was standing around, trying to intrigue potential customers. 

While passing it on her way to the restaurant, she hadn’t payed it much attention. However, upon a second passing, she saw a gramophone as one of the items advertised. Arlecchino knew both from general knowledge, and after talking extensively to her about it, that Furina was a connoisseur of good music. 

For a single moment, the image of the two women dancing in Furina’s small living room flashed across her mind. Arlecchino had a large amount of mora at her disposal. Buying a nice piece of equipment was nothing, even if it came from her personal fund.

It’s a good apology gift if she’s upset about the kiss, her mind enticed her, traitorously.

Trying to apologize with a gift is not becoming of someone wishing to foster a healthy relationship , Arle reminded herself. Still, the image of her and Furina joined together in a slow waltz kept replaying in her mind.

She made the purchase without paying much mind to the terrified new employee trying to keep her cool, as she sold the large mechanical record player to the Fatui Harbinger. 

The white-haired woman had caused another first for Arlecchino, impulse buying.

Arlecchino easily finished the last leg of her journey, carrying the gramophone with the food balanced on top. The scene turned a few heads, but they quickly looked away upon noticing who was carrying the heavy device.

She set her purchases down and knocked on Furina’s door. Doing some heavy lifting had helped calm her mind.

As the door opened, the thoughts of Furina that had been plaguing her returned in an instant.

----

“Hello,” said the shorter woman sheepishly, barely making eye contact with Arlecchino. 

“May I come in?” Arlecchino asked, hoping she was doing a better job than Furina at concealing her dishevelment from their previous interaction.

“Only if you tell me what you’ve got there...?” Furina said, sheepishness turning to perplexity.

“... Food?” Arlecchino asked matter-of-factly, trying to disguise her nervousness behind a serious façade. 

“Do you intend for us to eat an entire gramophone, and how did it even get here?!” Furina exclaimed.

“I carried it.”

“YOU CARRIED… AN ENTIRE GRAMOPHONE… OVER HERE???” 

“Is that upsetting to you? I can return it if you want me to.”

“No, that’s not… Ugh, just get it inside, you hot piece of muscle,” Furina said in frustration as she waved for Arlecchino to come inside. Did Furina just call me hot? Arlecchino had not felt so perplexed in a long time. 

Bending her knees, she picked the gramophone back up, and hauled it into the apartment.

After expertly taking off her shoes, she carried the gramophone and set it down in the undecorated corner of the kitchenette. Maybe I should’ve bought a table for it too , she noted as Furina had nowhere to put the device.

“What is it that is so bothersome about me bringing you a gramophone?” Arlecchino asked as she turned to Furina. The other woman rubbed her temple in response.

“Do you know how much one of those costs?!”

“Do you know how much mora I have?”

“I… yes well- most of the time people don’t single-handedly carry it home!”

“Most people aren’t the fourth most powerful Fatui Harbinger,” Arlecchino said nonchalantly.

“Weren’t people staring at you?!”

“Not more than usual,” she said with a shrug.

Furina stared at the woman with incredulity.

“First you kiss me for the first time, and then you come bearing a gramophone when you were just supposed to buy us food!”

Furina’s arms froze halfway raised in the air, her eyes were wide enough to clearly reflect Arlecchino’s own stunned face. They locked eyes. Furina had mentioned it. 

Shit, now we HAVE to talk about it.

Arlecchino felt new droplets of sweat appear on her forehead, and her heart had never in her life beaten as fast as it did in that moment.

They silently looked at each other. Neither wanting to be the first one to speak. Neither wishing to tread further forward. They could both pretend that nothing had happened, both of them were rather proficient at just that. 

This is our last chance to turn back.

Badum badum.

Please say something. 

Badum badum.

They stood still. Faint birdsong from outside trickled into the otherwise deafeningly silent room, yet Arlecchino could barely hear her own thoughts.

Badum badum.

This is how it ends.

Badum badum.

Furina could accept help and apologies from a Fatui Harbinger, but could she accept a kiss from one?

Badum badum.

Every moment felt like an hour, and every second felt like a day.

Badum badum.

Sometimes the truth can be very kind.

“I’m sorry, Furina,” Arlecchino began and Furina cocked her head in confusion, moving for the first time in what felt like a year.

“I said we were going to take it at whatever pace you needed. I believe my action might’ve been too forward and upsetting,” Arlecchino said, her gaze falling to the floor.

“Wh-what? I… Arle, no,” Furina stuttered out. “I… I’m honestly more upset that you beat me to it!” 

“You… want to kiss me?” Arlecchino said, dumbfounded.

“We’ve cuddled an entire night, which was nice in and of itself. But you also carried an entire gramophone all on your own! That act alone makes you very kissable!” Furina insisted as her cheeks slightly reddened. 

Arlecchino took the first step towards Furina. The shorter woman looked at her expectantly. Every movement lasted an eternity as it felt like Arlecchino was moving across a tar pit.

Finally, after a few seconds that felt like hours, she finally found herself holding Furina by her hips. They locked eyes. It was as if Furina was looking into her very soul, and with everything she’d revealed to Furina, she might as well have. 

She wanted to make things happen, but patiently waited for Furina to make a move. 

I made you a promise, and I’ll see it through. 

I’ll wait as long as you need me to.

Furina

She’d never kissed anyone before, not truly. In a stage play there was always a barrier, it was never real. 

After 500 years of pretense, Furina finally had a chance to experience it in earnest.

“I’m- I have only ever done this on stage,” Furina stammered out.

“I don’t care if you’ve kissed before or not, I only care that it is you,” Arlecchino said. The sun glistened in her red eyes, a contrasting red to the blush on her cheeks.

Furina felt tears of joy threatening to burst out from the corner of her eyes as they were mere centimeters from each other’s faces.

Arlecchino held her hands gently on Furina’s hips. 

She’s giving me space to take it at my pace, s he thought happily, before a more starved thought shot across her mind.

To hell with pacing, it’s my turn for a first!

Furina pulled Arle into her embrace with one hand and tilted her head down with the other. With cautioned grace, Furina stood up on her toes and slowly closed the final distance. 

Arlecchino’s lips were firm and welcoming. Furina felt the warmth in her stomach blossom before she pulled away. The satisfying smacking of separating lips momentarily broke the silence of the room. They smiled at each other, eyes glistening and hearts fluttering. 

The second kiss was cautious, soft, and caring. The warmth in Furina grew. The softness felt magical, comforting even.

They collided. Again, and again, longer and more lovingly. Furina’s hands found themselves travelling across Arlecchino’s body, squeezing and thumbing at her grey jacket. Eventually, Arlecchino picked Furina up by her thighs while in a deep kiss and Furina instinctively wrapped her legs around Arle.

Before moving the pair to the couch, Arlecchino went by and hit the gramophone with her hip and a song not unlike that of an alternate unisverse’s “Mascagni – Intermezzo“ started to play. Straddling the taller woman meant that Furina was for once at the same eye level as Arle.

“I believe it is not very lady-like of me to force a former archon to stand on her toes just to kiss,” Arlecchino said wryly. Furina laughed and rolled her eyes.

“Shut up and kiss m-” She could barely finish her sentence before their lips met again.

At first, Furina’s heart had felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. With each passing kiss, however, Furina felt herself fall into an almost trancelike rhythm. Each time one of them pulled away for air, the other only waited a few seconds before hungrily continuing to kiss the other.

Time and time again, they returned to kiss each other. Neither of them spoke. There was no need for words. Their strong grips and searching hands, finding both back and hair as well as on occasion intertwining with each other, did more than any talking ever could. 

Furina had no time to think. Her mind was empty as it floated on cloud nine, too far gone into the sensation of Arle to have the capacity, or the need to think. All she desired was to feel.

Their bodies were pushed tight against each other, as if they both longed to merge into a singular being.

At some point their tongues had started to seek each other out. Furina let Arlecchino guide her, as if they were dancing on the ballroom floor. No book had ever captured the sensation of it all, but it just felt right. Furina joined in and had started to push and pull as their tongues slid and interlocked with each other. A calm rhythm between the two had completely overtaken her. Nothing but the sensation of Arle was on her mind.

After twenty minutes that felt like two, the pair finally pulled away and looked at each other.

“Your theatre instructors should get a raise,” Arlecchino panted teasingly as love shimmered in her eyes.

“I suppose I should send my compensation to the Northland Bank,” Furina panted back.

“You know, I was never taught by the Fatui to kiss like this.”

“Did you just wake up and know how to do that ?!”

“I think you just bring out the best in me, Furina” Arlecchino said, her voice was warm and genuine, just like the loving embrace they were sharing. Despite how they’d just spent the last twenty minutes, Furina felt her stomach flutter at the sight of Arlecchino.

“I wanna kiss you again!” she giggled excitedly. 

Arlecchino chuckled, and Furina felt herself ascending to cloud ten.

“We should eat something first.”

“Are you disobeying a direct request from your former Archon?!” Furina tried in mock desperation. 

Arlecchino sighed lovingly. She gave Furina a drawn out kiss before lifting her effortlessly to the side and placing her on the couch. Upon separating from Arlecchino’s hips, Furina’s brain finally processed what had just happened.

I KISSED HER?! Like… MULTIPLE TIMES!

She finally started to feel her physical form again. It was as if every single atom in her body vibrated all at once. She wanted nothing more than to be lost in this very moment forever. It compared to nothing else. Feeling Arlecchino’s warm body so close to her own. The way her own thighs pushed against hers. Having had Arlecchino’s hands move across her back, snaking up to her neck like that, and playing with her hair. It was all magical . 

Furina looked at Arlecchino in shock as the taller woman stood up.

“We… kissed?” Furina asked. Her body was firing neurons she didn’t even know she had. As she looked up at the taller woman, she noticed that Arlecchino too, had a severe case of tomato facee.

“I… suppose we did,” she replied with bewilderment, as if the weight of the situation had just hit her as well. Both were unsure what to say next.

“I liked it,” Furina mumbled as she fiddled with her fingers.

“I did, too,” Arlecchino said reassuringly. They held each other’s gazes just like they’d done so many times before, but this time there was no second guessing it. They both knew how they felt, it was nice.

“Food first, then maybe we can have some more kisses?” Furina asked with a sheepish smile.

“Did I kiss you so silly that you’ll stop using starvation as a bargaining tool?”

“Don’t push your luck, Arle,” Furina giggled wryly. They were both grinning like idiots. 

“I’d like for the court to officially recognize that I will indeed agree to some more kisses,” Arlecchino said in a mock official voice. 

They both giggled and laughed while Arlecchino set out all of the food she’d bought. Furina had already unknowingly drooled a bit while kissing, and she wasn’t helped by her continued salivation at the sight of each dishArlecchino put on the table. Slices of freshly baked garlic bread were neatly divided between two smaller plates. Two large bowls were filled with mushroom soup. The grey liquid gently swirled and shook as Arlecchino put the bowls onto the table Furina had prepared.

Two fine and juicy slices of meat were placed on a third plate, their pinkish centre staring invitingly at a drooling Furina. Arlecchino took a seat next to her and the wonderful dishes sat in front of them.

“Droplet, you're drooling.” 

A low and soothing voice broke Furina's food induced trance. The combination of trying to slurp up the drool that still clung to her lip, and Arle's new and wonderful nickname, resulted in Furina violently starting to cough as her own saliva caught in her windpipe.

“Furina!” Arlecchino said in distress while reaching out for Furina's back. She desperately tried to wave away Arlecchino. This is not how I should be seen after my first kiss. After a few pats on her back, and Furina's face reddening for a reason that wasn't just Arlecchino for once, Furina recovered. 

Arlecchino looked at her with pity.

“I prefer when you choke on food,” she said empathetically.

“What?” Furina uttered quizzically as she wiped away small tears that had formed from her coughing fit. Arlecchino looked similarly shocked at her own statement.

“I meant…” the redness returned. 

I truly do make her flustered, Furina mused, desperately trying to find a victory within the loss of her final drops of dignity.

“I am trying to say that you look less distressed when almost choking on your food,” she laughed in embarrassment. 

Furina smiled as her choking pain faded.

“How kind of you.”

“I told you I'd show you all of my kindness.”

“And it is wonderful,” Furina replied softly. The two of them smiling at each other was becoming a very familiar scene, and Furina revelled in the comfort of it.

Arlecchino broke their silence by reaching out a hand to wipe away the last of Furina's drool with a napkin. Once her face had been wiped dry, Arlecchino folded away the wet napkin. She then gently took Furina's chin in her hand.

“An appetizer,” she said before giving Furina another long kiss. Furina closed her eyes as she lost herself in Arle’s soothing lips. The feeling of her steady hand against her own skin and the tantalizing hint of rainbow rose tickled her nose and made her fall deeper into the vast ocean that was their kiss.

Arlecchino’s other hand was steadied against Furina's hip. No novel had ever accurately described how safe one felt in a loving embrace. It was as if all of the worries of the world disappeared, all that mattered was the person in front of her. 

The sensation lasted only as long as the kiss. When Arlecchino pulled away, Furina made a whining noise, wishing to extend the sensation, extend her closeness with Arle.

“It wouldn’t be an appetizer if it left you filled,” Arlecchino teased. Furina wanted to say something, shoot back a snide comment, but she only found genuine longing. For the second time since the disaster in Fontaine, words were completely failing her. Just as before, Furina found comfort in the physical, and nestled into Arlecchino. Her action earned a small “oh” from Arlecchino, as the taller woman leaned into her.

“It’s just nice having found such a connection with a person,” Furina said. Since the first kiss, Her mind had abandoned its attempt at keeping up any sort of façade about her feelings. 

“I find myself in agreement, my Droplet,” Arlecchino said while giving Furina a squeeze. Their embrace tightened. Furina made a mental note of asking about the new nickname. She liked the sound of it. It made her feel precious and special, but as a person, not as a subject of worship.

Not wanting the moment to end, she snuggled deeper into Arlecchino’s embrace. They stayed together as the minutes passed. Eventually, Arlecchino tugged at the smaller woman.

“The food is going to get cold, and I promised this really kind woman I’d eat something.”

“I can’t believe you’re weaponizing your own well-being like this.”

“And you’re one to speak?” Arlecchino fired back. Furina couldn’t help but smile wider. She had been feeling warm and fuzzy for hours, but the feelings only intensified with each passing moment. 

For once, Furina was allowed to simply be happy. The two laughed and smiled. Their food had fallen to room temprature, but they payed it no mind as they finally started to gulp down their meals.

--

The afternoon sun shone into Furina’s living space as the pair finished eating. Furina had been done some time before Arlecchino, despite eating twice her servings. 

They followed it up with Arlecchino once again wiping away some rogue soup stains on Furina’s face, and promptly using the opportunity to grab Furina’s face in her hand, stealing a kiss from her lips.

The difference, this time, was that Furina didn’t need to keep her internal boiling to herself, and could find release in her racing thoughts through returning the kiss.

After recovering from the delicious food and once more finding themselves holding each other close, as if making up for lifetimes spent apart, Arlecchino spoke.

“Furina, I would like to dance with you.” 

Furina wiggled in excitement. The thought of dancing with Arlecchino had certainly crossed her mind, but she’d been too busy with everything else going on that even a giant gramophone wasn’t going to distract her from her crusade to kiss the taller woman. Her fingers dug into Arlecchino’s thighs as she gripped her tighter in excitement.

“I would very much like that, Arle,” she said while looking up at Arlecchino. Arlecchino nodded, and the pair rose from the couch to make their way over to the azosite gramophone. 

“You may choose the first song, seeing as I chose our dining music,” Arlecchino said. Part of Furina wanted to protest, but she did also have 500 years of consideration behind her choice, and she knew exactly what song she’d dance to.

With a spark and crackle from the gramophone, the tentative string sounds filled the small apartment. The song sounded much like another piece from another universe, “Valse Sentimentale, Op. 51, No. 6”.

Without thinking, Furina took Arlecchino by the waist and started to lead. As Arlecchino instinctively placed her ashen hand on Furina’s shoulder in response, she met Furina's gaze with surprise.

No one bar the Tsaritsa led The Knave in anything, much less in a dance. Thankfully, Furina wasn’t dancing with The Knave, she was dancing with Arlecchino. 

They fell into step immediately. The apartment was small, but with Furina’s lack of furnishing, and the fact that they had no other couples to contend with for their dance floor, the space was sufficient.

Thanks to the medicine Arlecchino had provided, as well as her presence, Furina felt  newfound strength and confidence rush through her body. It was unlike anything she had felt during her ailing weeks.

The illness became a distant memory, only kept in her mind as a reminder of how she’d found the woman she was currently dancing with.

Gliding across the wooden floor, and awkwardly stepping over the small rug under her coffee table made for a much less formal experience than anything the two were used to. Yet, the domestic calm that surrounded them was far more comfortable than any ballroom could ever be. 

As the music started to increase in tempo, Furina dared to spin the taller woman around. Without a single word Arlecchino perfectly twirled around. Arlecchino's well-disciplined body softened as it returned to Furina's steady hold.

“I can’t remember the last time someone led me.”

“I can’t remember someone ever being so in step with me,” Furina mused as she dared to twirl Arlecchino around a second time. The couple giggled. It would take both of them admitting to it for anyone to believe what was currently transpiring in the tiny apartment.

“Why Droplet?” Furina asked curiously as they danced their impeccable dance.

“You are nourishing, a small part in a larger body of water, yet beautiful and unique. Fragile, yet sturdy and determined.” 

Arlecchino’seyes shimmered in the afternoon light like two crimson butterflies dancing across the night’s sky. Furina felt a single tear of joy run down her cheek as her heart swelled from Arlecchino’s beautiful words. She squeezed Arlecchino hard as happiness flowed through her like the grandest waterfalls in all of Fontaine. 

“That’s the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Furina choked out as more tears threatened to fall from the corners of her eyes. Despite her welling emotions, she happily led the pair through the final parts of the dance. As the music faded they stood in the middle of Furina’s room, eyes glistening and hearts pounding. Furina held Arlecchino’s hand in hers. The silence was only broken by their faint breathing. It was intimate unlike any other moment they’d had. 

They let silence linger. Neither of them wished to break it, neither of them wanted to let go. There was a quiver on Arlecchino’s smiling lips. She seemingly couldn’t contain herself any longer, yet forming the words were difficult. Furina tilted her head with reassurance. She didn’t want to interrupt whatever Arle had on her mind, especially if it was going to be the words she hadn’t even realized she wanted Arle to say. She looked expectantly at her dance partner in their cherished silence.

“I… I-I am so happy that I have gotten to know you,” Arlecchino finally said, the words seemed loosely strung together with much effort, but her voice was full of sincerity.

“I am happy I met you, too,” Furina replied. She knew that Arlecchino understood how she felt. Even if their words were short and simple, the emotions behind them spoke a million more. 

With a scratch, the next song started playing from the gramophone. The sonorous strings of a violin echoed in the room. A soft piano started to accompany the violin as more and more instrument joined in. It was similar to the song of an otherworldly piece, “Massenet: Thaïs / Act 2, Méditation”. As the sound of music reverberated throughout the tiny apartment, the two immediately fell back into step.

This time, Arle took the lead, and Furina lowered her final guard. The last barrier between the two came undone. Letting Arlecchino feed her, give her medicine, see her emotionally vulnerable, they had all been steps toward allowing herself to trust.

She had, of course, been led in dance before, but to let someone lead her like this . It felt like she, for the first time in her life, was truly letting go. No status to jockey for, no duties to fulfil, simply losing herself in Arle’s confident hands. She let go of it all. Arlecchino took her across her tiny living space with a soft, yet firm, gait. 

Arlecchino moved deliberately and carefully to the song as she led the two slowly from side to side. Each foot placement practised a thousand times over, perhaps tens of thousands, for Furina. With each step came a beat of emotion. Furina once again found herself lost in those red eyes.

What had once been terrifying, now felt so familiar. A smile that had seemed devious, was now calming and welcoming. A body that had seemed so cold and rigid, now felt like safe harbor on a stormy night.

The feeling of each other, their breathing, their steps, the way each of their bodies shifted to accompany the other. The music swelled at times, Arlecchino picking up the pace for the moment, and then, each time the music slowed down, she gingerly spun Furina around and allowed the pair to fall into a calmer rhythm.

The contrast of the song perfectly reflected how Furina saw Arle: At times, intense and grand, yet there was this soft woman longing for someone to slip through her guard and dismantle her wholly. Furina couldn’t help but move in closer and lay her head in the crook of Arle’s neck. 

The taller woman didn’t protest, she merely adjusted how she held Furina as they continued to move. Despite their unorthodox configuration, the two moved in perfect harmony as they allowed the music to swell one last time before falling into its slow fade-out.

Furina barely registered the song ending as she felt herself being in an almost dreamlike state, until Arlecchino stopped moving. Breaking away felt difficult. Arlecchino’s touch lingered on her body as hundreds of years of discipline made her step away to bow as the song had ended. Arlecchino appeared to have a similar discipline as she effortlessly returned the bow. They both managed to crack a giggle at the ridiculousness of the situation before the next song started.

With a single crackle, the sound a melodic cello with a backing violin started to creep into their space, it was not much dissimilar to a song in another universe called “Heuberger: Der Opernball. Overture - Im Chambre Separée”.

Furina once again took the lead. Not out of desire to show status, or achieve any goald. Furina took the lead because it brought her joy to allow Arle the same feeling of releasing control she had given her. She wanted them to share the moment forever, no matter who was the twirler, and who was the twirlee. A single smile between them was all it took for the couple to fall into step with each other. Soft steps turning into sharp ones, bodies rigid in one moment, soft in the next. 

Furina could feel her dance partner’s fingers clench and unclench as they moved across the tiny space. As they moved close to where the kitchenette met the hallway, Furina fancied dipping Arle low and planting a quick kiss on her lips before pulling her back up again and continuing the dance. The redness that winked into existence on Arlecchino’s cheeks was proof enough that the move was appreciated. 

Despite the taller woman being caught off guard, she only faltered for a single step before falling back into perfect sync with Furina.

--

The two continued to dance as the sun started to set. Not even Celestia would ever truly know how many songs they danced to until they finally stopped. 

However, like all things, the afternoon had long been waning, and so had their time.

“Furina, I’ve had a wonderful time today. Comparing it to anything would be the one sin I do not intend to commit. However, I am afraid that our time for today has run out.”

“One more song?” Furina pleaded. A proper goodbye at this point would be perfect and picturesque, but Furina found herself wanting Arlecchino’s company rather than any other idyllic wish fulfilment.

“You’ve said that five times already.”

“I’ve only said it three times! You were the one to say “one more” at least once!” Furina protested with a half-serious pout.

“Then let's say four times and call it even. I really need to go, Furina, the children need me,” she said with a solemn look on her face. Her body seemed to slump at the thought of leaving Furina. 

“I suppose I can’t steal away their Father forever,” Furina chuckled.

“We’ll find a way to balance it all,” Arlecchino promised.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Furina said, longing and hope stirring both in her voice and heart.

“The dishe-” Arlecchino began, but Furina held up a finger. 

“I’ve danced off most of the final illness, and I think you kissed away the rest. I’ll handle it later,” Furina said, and Arle’s reply came in the form of her blushing once more. The soft smile plastered on her face blossomed into a simper.

Do you have to leave?

“You look so beautiful when you blush,” Furina said absentmindedly. They both froze for a moment, eyes wide and locked into a gaze with each other. Furina realized that she’d unlocked a new fear: what she thought, and what she said, had gotten mixed up.

“I… do?” Arlecchino asked, the statement not helping her blushing face.

“I wasn’t supposed to say that out loud!”

“Darling, we’ve been kissing on and off for the last four or so hours, I don’t think there’s anything embarrassing left to say.”

“Your burning tomato cheeks would beg to differ.”

“My body has not caught up to my mind’s understanding, it seems.” Arlecchino cleared her throat.

I truly do make her flustered, Furina reaffirmed for herself. This time however, it was not in an attempt to save her dignity, but rather infatuated excitement.

She felt the remaining tension in her well trained dancer body leave, and instead be replaced with softness. With a sigh, her shoulders and arms released the tension of the last 500 years, all thanks to the prospect of the beautiful woman in front of her. Arlecchino mirrored Furina’s sigh, the rare sight of the Fatui Harbinger’s perfect posture slacking in relaxation was picturesque to Furina.

Neither of them had had many opportunities to make close acquaintances with rest and relaxation throughout their lives, yet when around each other, serenity enraptured them.

“Then perhaps some time away is what it needs,” Furina joked bitter-sweetly as if her heart didn’t waver with each word. Arlecchino calmly put on her shoes before rising up to Furina’s face and giving her a final kiss for the day. Her lips were still firm, yet warm. The feeling of Arle lingered on Furina’s own lips as they regarded each other quietly.

Either of them could say it. They had already taken multiple huge steps during the day towards it, but despite letting their respective walls down, Furina felt the final bit of trepidation cling to her consciousness like the final step off of the edge before soaring through the air with a wind glider. One last hint of hesitation remained before she could dive into the chasm that was Arlecchino. 

“I-...” Arlecchino started to speak, then stopped herself. Neither of them looked away, but both wavered. The silence was warm, yet deafening.

“Today has been everything to me, my dear Arle. I think we can allow ourselves a small moment of cowardice after all this confidence,” she said lovingly, finding every word to perfectly describe their situation except those three words. A nod in agreement helped soothe what little doubt Furina had in her.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing you again,” Arle said warmly. 

The three unspoken words hung heavily above them. In a desperate attempt to divert her ailing heart, she cried out with all the enthusiasm she could muster:

“Then you won’t be gone for long!?”

“I just need to catch up on the work I missed, and make sure that the children are doing alright,” Arle said caringly. Furina nodded knowingly before giving one final hug goodbye. 

Their embrace lasted minutes. Once again, they found themselves unable to separate. Neither of them said anything, neither of them fought against it. Eventually, a deep sigh from Arle prompted the two to part, and Furina caught the longing look in Arlecchino’s eyes. She slowly put one hand on the door handle and pushed it down.

“See you soon, Arle.”

“See you soon, Droplet,” she replied as she pulled up her cloak and disappeared into the night. Furina only saw her for a moment, but the image of Arlecchino leaving her apartment would stay with her for hours. 

The image in her mind only changed when she finally drifted off to sleep, feeling like she was missing a part of herself in her way too big of a tiny bed.

I can’t wait to see you again , was the last thing the former Archon thought before drifting off to sleep.

For once, there were no nightmares, only a beautiful woman caringly dancing with Furina throughout her dreams. Yet, even with the picturesque ballroom of her dreams, Furina would’ve rather been awake with Arle in her tiny apartment.

Chapter Text

Arlecchino

The drawback of ignoring your busy Fatui schedule to spend two entire days with a former Archon who made your heart flutter from a mere thought, was the subsequent having to spend an entire evening running between all corners of the city to acquire updates and “correct mistakes” that had been made in your absence.

Once her many errands had been dealt with, Arlecchino could finally return to the House of the Hearth. She came home in the dead of night, her heart beating a little faster and she had the smallest of springs in her step as the image of Furina clung to her tired mind. In the midst of her dreamy thoughts, Arlecchino hoped, for the first time in her life, not to run into her pride and joy, Lyney. However, as she neared the door to her office at the end of the hallway, her mind already set on which reports to read first, an all-too familiar cough broke the silence.

“Father. It is good to see you, we’ve missed you,” Lyney said with a seemingly innocent, yet professional voice. She truly had trained him too well. He had learned exactly how to ask questions in order to get the answers he wanted, and now he was using those very tricks against her.

“I’ve missed you all, too,” The Knave replied coolly.

“Have you been out all night? Your cheeks look rosy,” Lyney observed. He knew damn well that it was the tail end of summer, not to mention that Arlecchino couldn’t get cold.

“Is there something you’d like to discuss? I do not wish to wake the others,” Arlecchino said, well aware of the stifled breathing of the other children hidden behind the door to Lyney and Lynette’s room. She would need to teach them to breathe quieter. She knew all of the children liked to congregate together when they “spied” on her. If nothing else, it was good practice for them. 

She felt a small sense of pride, as she could only hear five of them, a marked improvement from the last time the children pulled a stunt like this. Lyney grimaced, clearly disgruntled at The Knave seeing through his plan. 

You need to hide your emotions better than that, she thought before opening the door to her office.

“If you wouldn’t mind, since you have been gone for a while, a few questions have stacked up,” Lyney said with an embarrassed chuckle. Arlecchino motioned for Lyney to step inside. 

Before walking in herself, she threw a quick glance at the doorframe of Lyney and Lynette’s room. A single small gasp escaped one of the children. Satisfied, she turned to enter her office.

Arlecchino closed the door. Meanwhile, Lyney had already made his way to her mahogany desk and turned on the small lamp sat atop it.

“What is your question?” Arlecchino prompted, moving to take her seat at the desk. Lyney gulped before sitting down in the chair opposite Arlecchino.

“So I met that one person I was talking about previously,” Lyney began while fidgeting with his fingers. 

A distracting observation passed through her mind. Just like Furina does.

Arlecchino’s eyebrow quirked up. As a father, it was important for Arlecchino to support her children in their endeavours, even romantic ones.

“And they seemed interested in seeing me again. I’ve yet to confess my feelings, but I believe, judging by how they treat me, they might be reciprocated,” a rose-colored tint appeared on his cheeks as he spoke. Arlecchino allowed herself a small smile, if only for a moment.

“I am glad to hear that. I’ll make sure none of the operatives follow you on your next excursion. I expect that you can take care of yourself, should trouble arise,” Arlecchino noted proudly, fighting the urge to shower her prodigé in praise. 

“Thank you, Father,” Lyney said with a nod of respect.

“I do also have a question about that,” he paused, awaiting permission to proceed. Arlecchino motioned for him to continue speaking.

“How do you confess to someone… that you love them?” His words seemed genuine rather than prying.

How much have the operatives seen? Or have you lot skulked around where you shouldn’t? Arlecchino pondered internally, a mixture of joy and suspicion swirling around in her chest.

“You tell them your earnest feelings, granted that you trust them.”

“Just like that? There’s no secret trick, no way to make them more likely to return your feelings?”

“With true love, there is only trust and honesty,” Arlecchino replied, a faint softness slipping into her voice as her shoulders sagged, the images of being twirled by Furina dancing across her mind.

“It sounds like operation Teardrop is going well, then,” Lyney said offhandedly. The magician’s eyes immediately shot wide open.

At least he realizes his mistake.

“I already told you, the operation is called off. We are to avoid that area completely.”

“Everyone except you,” Lyney dared quietly, digging his heels into the mud rather than turning on them.

Arlecchino returned the question with a slightly squinted glare.

Perhaps the art of asking others about their love interests is something we have to refine, she thought, trying not to squeal at the idea that her and Furina might consider each other love interests.

“Do you have any further questions, Lyney?” She asked pointedly, hoping to redirect her attention to the boy in front of her, and ward off the simper threatening to spread across her lips.

“If not Teardrop, why is Charlotte currently writing about a Fatui Harbinger carrying a gramophone to Miss Furina’s house?”

“She’s writing what?!” The Knave snarled. She didn’t care what the press said about her, but she had barely had any time to consider the consequences for Furina if Arlecchino’s visits came into the public spotlight.

“We have operatives who could destroy the photos!” Lyney stressed, trying to amend his Father’s frustration. 

Arlecchino took a deep breath.

“Burn the photos, let her keep writing the article. Furina would be sad if I threatened someone who was just doing their job.” Arlecchino spoke matter-of-factly, yet she mentioned Furina by name once again. That single sentence revealed more than Lyney could have dreamed of.

“I shall make it so, Father. Wouldn’t want to make Lady Furina upset,” Lyney said, a sly smirk playing on his lips. 

Her slight irritation at the increasing number of people knowing about her visits to Furina was quelled by seeing Lyney recovering from his previous blunder. It brought her gratification, despite its detriment to the privacy of her own dealings. 

No matter how proud she was of Lyney, he still needed to learn to stand the icy silence that his teasing could let on. After a quietness that lasted long enough for Lyney’s fidgeting to return, Arlecchino spoke:

“Thank you Lyney, I hope you are discreet regarding the orders and information that I have given you.”

“Appropriate ears only, I know,” Lyney noted as he tried to hide the gleeful smile threatening to completely take over his face.

He’s lucky he’s good at what he does, and that he’s my child, Arle thought in exasperation.

Lyney was for sure a nosey bastard, but that’s what Arlecchino had raised him to be. She was proud to know that her children dared ask her questions about her whereabouts. After all, it took a lot of guts to ask a Fatui Harbinger where they chose to spend their night. 

Despite his endeavour to exit Arlecchino’s office quietly, and without evoking any more awkward glares, his jaunty movements and proud smile betrayed his façade one last time. Arlecchino had to fight back another smile.

He needs polish, but at least he is having fun.

As silence filled her room, she felt her body relax for a moment. Normally, not even times of solitude would allow her to relax. A Fatui Harbinger had to be ready at all times after all. However, Furina had given her a taste of what dropping that constant façade was like, and a growing part of her longed for more.

The lingering presence of Furina, if only as a phantom on her lips, was enough to allow her body momentary respite. The relaxation blossomed into joy as the comforting realisation that she could return to Furina whenever she desired settled into her mind. The ease she’d felt while in Furina’s embrace lingered for only a few seconds until the reality of paperwork pulled her back to the present. 

Her own desires needed to be put on pause, that was how it had always been, that was how it was always going to be. Despite it, that growing feeling of longing did not subside as it usually did. She pushed away the concern of her own beating heart to shift her focus back to the task at hand.

With a longing sigh, she dove into her work. The time she had lost, no, traded, for time spent with Furina could easily be gained back by losing a few hours of sleep.

She had organised for all of her operatives to write their reports in a particular way. Arlecchino could quickly parse what information was vital, and if any actions had to be taken in response.

Her eyes and hands moved rapidly from one report to the next. At times, she would proficiently jot down a sentence or two in response to the reports. 

The only other sound to penetrate her mind was the quiet shuffling and whispers from the nearby rooms of her children. She slotted their words into the back of her mind, the fact that she could hear them would be assessed later.

Despite her efficiency, an hour of focused work was all Arlecchino was allowed until her mind started to pick through the conversation with Lyney.

Once more, her own words came back to haunt her.

With true love, there is only trust and honesty.

She knew she wanted to say those damned three words to Furina, but if she allowed herself a moment of honesty, she knew there was also a part of her that was still hesitant. The implications of speaking it into the world, of the strain it might cause Furina if word got out that they were dat-

Was she going too far? Physical closeness was one thing, bawling your eyes out was clearly a second, but saying the words was such a monumental step that Arlecchino felt her body tense up like a tiger in a cage.

Sometimes the truth can be very kind. 

Just as they had done so many times before, Furina’s words once again crashed back over her, knocking her mind off balance. She felt her tensed up muscles waver at the echo of her words.

You look so beautiful when you blush, the Furina in her head continued as Arlecchino felt a faint warmth return to her cheeks.

“Curse you, you beautiful soul,” Arlecchino muttered as she tried her best to focus on the report in front of her.

“The only way I can see you again is by finishing this, so leave me alone for a moment,” she chastised the imaginary Furina. Despite her protests, mental Furina did not stop repeating her affectionate words. Arlecchino found herself slipping into an unproductive spiral as her desires clawed at her psyche.

I could just go see her. 

The thought took root in her mind before she could dismiss it. She tried desperately to cling to the present, and her overflowing desk.

Hopefully, she’s already asleep, she tried to reason with herself.

But what if she feels lonely… Her heart faultered at the thought of a sad and lonely Furina. 

She cursed her whirling thoughts, they only delayed her possibility to return to Furina. 

Even if it meant seeing her just one second earlier, Arlecchino would push herself to work even harder!

With newfound resolve, Arlecchino returned to the reports in front of her, despite the lingering memories of a certain woman’s soft lips against her own.

---

The next four days had The Knave knee-deep in work. Between catching up on paperwork, keeping 78 Fatui operations on track, and taking care of a bunch of actual children, Arlecchino had no time to dally. Especially not when said children were whispering among themselves about why their father had spent such a long time at a former Archon’s house.

Despite telling Lyney to quell the rumours, he had only lowered his voice further. She could hear everything going on in her house, and the curious speculation of one of her pride and joys was no different. She just hoped it wouldn’t spread outside of the house. 

During a rare, quiet moment to herself in her office, a rogue thought slipped into her mind:

What if Furina would like to go public with it all?  

Arle allowed herself a single minute of imagining an official announcement of their courting. The interview of them sitting together, cautiously holding hands. Then, the two of them sat in the finer seatings of the Opera Epiclese watching a play together, Furina unabashedly resting her head on Arle’s shoulder. Perhaps Neuvillette would invite them over for tea to ask Furina puzzled questions. Maybe Furina could even meet her children… A small smile appeared on her face as her mind’s eye blossomed a beautiful scene of Furina surrounded by what she was most proud of.

You kiss a girl once, and this is what happens?! Her own mind interrupted her day-dreaming with grating aggressiveness.

No wonder everything with Clervie went down the way it did, the merciless part of her mind continued. 

She felt her heartstrings tear and pull. The memory of her childhood… “best friend” immediately tore apart her joyous daydreaming. Arlecchino gritted her teeth and shook her head. Being apart from Furina had brought the return of her vicious inner voice, as well as the memories she fought so hard to repress. Arlecchino clenched her fist, threatening to crumple the report she was replying to.

The realization that the respite from her own critical thoughts had only lasted as long as Furina’s presence dawned upon her. She was so used to her own mind criticizing her, but now she had gotten a taste of what calmness was. The lack of Furina clearly had the harsher part of her mind revelling in her pain and longing.

Furina.

She was unknowingly the most soothing person Arlecchino had ever met, and even just thinking of it was intoxicating. She wanted to go back to the tiny apartment, but she would have no time between childcare, teaching her children to exchange information without even Arlecchino herself hearing it, and keeping her Fatui operatives in check. 

Normally, she would’ve happily sent an operative, preferably the non-prying Lynette, to deliver a letter letting Furina know that she missed her. However, as per her agreement with Neuvillette, she was the only one within her organisation allowed around Furina’s apartment.

Maybe if she’s feeling better, she could come over here, a kinder and more hopeful voice said.

And risk being seen with a Fatui? She’s smarter than that! the judgemental voice replied with lightning speed, quick to shut down such aspirations.

Despite lowering the barriers they’d kept between them and showing honesty to one another, Arle had only momentarily let slip from her mind that she was still Fatui. While she and Furina might be able to make things work in a relationship, forces beyond their control would make it difficult to maintain.

I… just want her to be happy, she pleaded with herself. The traumatising scenes of Clervie’s fate intertwining with Arlecchino holding Furina close was starting to become too much. 

Unworthy, the long since suppressed voice of “Mother” echoed in her mind, threatening to return in full force. The sound of paper crumpling echoed in her office as Arlecchino’s nostrils flared.

“You cannot make me kill her this time!” she growled in pained frustration. “Mother’s” faint chuckle echoed in her mind as she swiped at the air, hoping her hatred would drown out the heartbreaking memories.

I wanna kiss you again! The memory of Furina’s excited voice swatted away the painful past and Arlecchino’s tense and battle-ready body slumped. Languishing in her own pained memories wasn’t going to help her navigate whatever it was that Furina and her had going on. 

Arlecchino took deep breaths.

With each exhale, the memories of “Mother” and Clervie became more and more distant. Eventually, only Furina’s sweet words remained.

Abruptly, the raging internal struggle was interrupted as the door to her office flew open.

A winded and heaving Lyney stood in the entrance.

“Father, something has happened!” he panted. She raised a single eyebrow. Lyney always knocked before entering, even during times of crisis.

Something is off , she thought as she regarded Lyney with squinted eyes.

“You may speak,” she said in her usual tone, concealing the dread rapidly creeping up her spine. 

“It’s about Furina.”

Furina

Furina was finally feeling it. Breathing was easier, the ache in her body was gone, the heaviness and pain in her head felt like distant memories. The last vestiges of her sickness barely clung on to her, she had almost completely recovered!

With the gramophone playing the sweet melody of a Fontainian classic known as “Ondulations du rythme”, she practically danced the two steps between her fridge and stove. While she missed Arle dearly, she had gained a newfound enjoyment of cooking thanks to her visitor’s efforts. Cooking made Furina feel like Arle was never too far away. The ghost of her hands aiding and directing Furina in perfectly chopping the onions made it feel like she was right in the room with her.

Humming along to the tunes, she added salt to the boiling pasta water before stirring the pot of tomato sauce topped with basil. Arlecchino had bought her enough groceries to last a week. 

Furina had found an old cookbook in her vast literature collection, and she was passionately following the instructions, despite their outdated units of measurements and wording.

“I can’t wait to cook for you, Arle,” she mused to herself as she watched the pasta water start to boil. The recipe was a simple pasta dish, but Furina prided herself on how quickly she had taken to cooking, even though she would have preferred to have Arle present every time she prepared a meal.

I wish she was here for every meal? she pondered for a moment. Spending days in solitude had not bothered Furina previously, but loneliness had been far more ardeous ever since she first parted from Arle. Just when they had fallen into a comforting rhythm with each other, Arle’s obligations had pulled her away from Furina. 

The lack of her presence only accentuated how much Furina had come to enjoy the other woman’s company, and how much she missed it.

Eventually, dinner was ready, and she could at least feast on a lonesome bowl of pasta.

A chef improves with good company. Arlecchino’s words danced in her mind. While her company was sorely missed, her beautiful words had been a source of comfort ever since she had left Furina’s apartment. 

“She would be upset if I didn’t eat just because I miss her,” she mumbled to herself. The image of a chastising apron-clad Arle emerged in her mind. She felt a smile return to her face as she allowed her mind to wonder what dinner at The House of the Heart was like. Did Arle wear an apron there too? Did the children have specific seats? Did they all dine together or did they function on different sleep schedules?

She found herself forgetting to chew and swallow properly as she pondered what an evening at Arlecchino’s home would be like.

Halfway through her meal, and only having choked once, she heard footsteps outside her door. With furrowed brow and a mouthful of food, she looked at the time.

Seven o’clock, she thought as a surge of warmth shot through her.

Maybe she’s found a gap in her schedule! 

She flew out of her couch towards the door. A variety of greeting phrases and teasing remarks flew through her head as she considered what her first words to Arlecchino would be once she opened the door. Her smile had grown exponentially during the three seconds it took her to arrive at the front door. She heard rustling noises coming from behind it.

What silly thing did she bring this time? she thought joyously, throwing the gramophone on the floor a glance. 

Before putting her hand on the door handle, she hesitated. Furina was dressed in shorts and a camisole. It was hardly befitting the arrival of someone so special. Yet, if anyone was allowed to see her in such a casual and dishevelled getup, it was definitely Arlecchino. She giddily unlocked the door and dramatically threw it open.

“You know it’s bad to keep a lady waiti-” She stopped dead in her tracks.

A crouched figure in red, hooded robes and a bird-like, maroon colored mask looked up at Furina. They seemed perched over a package just outside of Furina’s apartment.

The mysterious individual grabbed the package in one hand and rose to their full length, towering a menacing two heads over Furina. She stood wide-eyed and frozen in place, a cold sense of dread quickly taking over.

Just like that night, Furina thought as her mind started to flash back. 

The pounding of her heart and the ringing in her ears all but drowned out any other noise.

“Stay inside if you know what’s good for you,” a gruff voice said, though barely audible to Furina. She stumbled backwards, away from the terrifying figure in front of her.

With growing panic, Furina let out a blood-curdling scream.

“STAY AWAY FROM ME!”

The masked person seemed to recoil for a moment before drawing a dagger that shimmered in the dull moonlight. He hunched over, but did not step forward.

“I suggest you quiet down, or this will turn messy,” they threatened through gritted teeth. In her panic, Furina caught on her own foot and crashed onto the hardwood floor. She started to sob as images of the attack she had suffered as an Archon intermingled with her perception of the present. She flailed helplessly for her Vision.

A surge of terror filled her as she realized that she’d left it in the bedroom, and the sword Neuvillette had promised to send her had never arrived. Her blood felt like it was boiling over, yet her skin was made of prickling ice.

She looked upon the masked figure through blurry eyes. One moment it looked like an ordinary Fatui agent, and in the next her mind conjured the image of a masked Arlecchino holding her at knife point. 

“Now keep quiet, and nothing bad will happen,” the figure said as it began slowly backing away from Furina, dagger in one hand, package in the other. Furina found herself hyperventilating.

Is this just an attempt to intimidate me? What is that package? Why is this person here? Why is this happening again?!

A million questions and thoughts intertwined with her traumatic memories as she trembled and spasmed. Stuck in her own personal spiraling hell, she barely noticed the crackle of a gunshot ringing out, followed by the sound of a pained yelp from her assailant.

She felt herself shaking against the floor. The clattering of something hitting the ground and the sound of hastened footsteps bounced faintly against the ringing in Furina’s ears.

“In the name of the Maison Gardiennage, stop right there!” 

Furina could barely hear the stern and unwavering voice over her own ailments. Her vision was getting darker by the second, and even the solid floor seemed distant from her own senses.

“After them!” was the last thing Furina heard before darkness completely enveloped her.

The clicking of boots approaching and Chevreuse calling out her name fell on deaf ears. Furina’s memories had already taken her somewhere much worse.

---

Darkness clarified into a familiar scene.

Illuminated by the pale moonlight, Furina found herself strolling along the quiet streets of Fontaine. The winding streets held benches and shrubbery, making the urban landscape feel alive. The crisp nighttime breeze that whistled between the surrounding houses tickled her skin and she took a deep breath. It had been a long day, spent overseeing the court of Fontaine, addressing the people, and so much paperwork. 

She heard meowing up ahead. Beneath a nearby bench, cautious golden eyes regarded her. Furina let out a small squeal as she scampered towards the creature. 

She loved finding cats out on her strolls. It was a much needed respite from posing as an Archon, and all that came with it. When she was around animals she didn’t need to be anyone but herself. Not wishing to squander the rare opportunity, Furina crouched down and cautiously smiled at it.

“Hi there, friend. Stalking the night, are you?” Furina giggled. The cat black furred cat meowed back at her as it’s ears twitched, before darting out from under the bench. 

“Hey, wait up!” she called out while trying to see where it went. Usually, cats enjoyed Furina’s presence. Her cautious demeanour always allowed the cats to make the final approach. Even cats she met for the first time didn’t go running away from her. 

Furina noticed the rustle of some nearby shrubbery. With a curious tilt of her head, she approached the source of the rustling. 

Furina only took a few steps before she heard hissing from the shrubbery before the black cat sprinted out and into a nearby alleyway.

Did I do something to evoke a hiss like that? she wondered as she felt disappointment and guilt creep up on her.

They are usually much friendlier to me… 

Furina needed only to ponder for another moment. She could sense something move behind her, and immediately turned around. 

She yelped. A tall figure, draped in a black cloak, with an equally dark mask covering their eyes, stood mere centimeters away from her. Behind the mask was a faint red shimmer. The figure grabbed her throat, hand rough against her jawbones. Their sharp nails dug into her, and spun her around before shoving her against the wall of the building behind them. No sooner had she caught the glint of moonlight in the edge of a sharp blade, than she could feel the dagger’s cold steel faintly pressed to her windpipe. 

The chill of the blade contrasted the heat of the hand grabbing her right above it. Furina gritted her teeth and winced from the impact. She dangled above the ground in the assailant’s forceful grip. Frozen in fear from the prickling sharpness of the dagger, her eyes darted around in panic as she tried to grasp the situation. 

“Hand over the gnosis, or it’s over for you, Focalors,” the tall figure said with cold and calculated vitriol. 

The dread only grew as her assailant spoke.

“I… I don’t-”

“Gnosis or your life ,” the masked assailant interrupted. 

Furina tried to make out an identity behind the mask, or perhaps a way to escape. As desperation crawled under her skin and seeped into her bones, her frozen body began to tremble. Her breathing rapidly quickened, every logical thought escaping her in favor of sheer survival.

“I don’t have it,” Furina whimpered, motes of water slowly forming into teardrops threatening to escape her eyes. 

The dagger pressed into her flesh. A single drop of blood rolled down her throat, boiling hot against her ice-cold skin. The pain was almost a welcome distraction. Her heart raced at the speed of an aquabus and her thoughts hurtled along with it, until finally, they came to a singular stop.

This is how I die. I am sorry, Mirror me, she thought as tears started to fall from her face, mirroring the faint trickle of blood from her wound.

“Empty. Your. Pockets,” the taller figure demanded, fazed by neither blood nor tears. Hate-filled, red eyes gleamed from behind the mask as the moonlight reflected in them. With unsteady hands, Furina dug through her pockets. Her watch, a letter from an old acquaintance, a scrunched-up receipt, a box of bandaids, and finally a blue handkerchief all fell to the ground. With every item, her assailant grew ever angrier. They growled at Furina and their grip on her hardened. 

“I- I promise you, whoever you are, I don’t have it!” Furina stammered. She was losing control, her body trembling more by the second. The threat of involuntarily piercing herself on the assailant’s blade was swiftly becoming a reality.

“Then where is it ?” the masked figure asked as they moved in on Furina, her hand started to close, lightly stifle Furina’s airflow.

Her hands instinctively tried to meekly pry away her assailant’s hand, all it did was earn her an irritated scoff.

The subdued, analytical part of her mind returned. Perhaps out of desperation, perhaps merely as a way to stop her trembling. Either way, It was enough to make her realise that the voice seemed familiar, somehow.

“P-please don’t kill me,” Furina whispered, as if speaking too loud would make her pleading less effective. Her throat pushed against the knife as she spoke, urging out more blood. The figure seemed to hesitate, pulling the dagger back ever so slightly.

“Are you even an Archon?” the figure asked as their brows furrowed. The venomous hatred was momentarily replaced by concern and puzzlement. It was caring yet curious, but the coldness was still there, as if ingrained into the assailant’s very soul. Finally, something clicked in Furina’s head. There was only one person she knew of who seemed to possess such a scar on their very being. 

It’s The Knave!

A new wave of panic crashed over her. She had heard the stories regarding what became of those who came in the way of the Fatui’s goals. Being killed by a Fatui Harbinger was a kinder fate than being captured by one. The cool night air seemed to disappear, replaced by an unbreathable vaccum as she started to hyperventilate. Perhaps it wasn’t too late for Furina to throw herself on the blade and spare herself whatever torture The Knave had in store for her. Whatever coherent train of thought she’d managed to gather, returned to a chaotic vortex of panic.

“I’m begging you, please don’t!” she pleaded desperately, a new kind of terror filling her voice.

“Tell me where it is, Furina , and I won’t have to hurt you,” she demanded, but somehow with a little less force than previously. It was as if The Knave knew something was wrong, but couldn’t put her finger on it.

Her crying became that of a waterfall, leaving her unable to produce words. This reaction caused great irritation in her assailant. The Knave’s grip on Furina’s throat tightened, nails digging into her as it reduced her wailing to choked out sobs.

“What is it that you’re not telling us? Is it really worth losing your own head?!”

The knife dug deeper into her throat. The pain shot through her and Furina let out a gurgled cry. The Knave’s words rung in her ears. 

I don’t want to die! she thought as she tried to claw at the muscled arm pinning her against the wall. 

“P-please,” she choked out. She had nothing to bargain with without ruining Mirror me’s long-standing plan. As much as she valued life, Mirror me’s goal, her goal, was more important. The Knave’s eyes flitted across Furina, as if looking for answers to questions yet spoken.

“Just tell me the truth,” The Knave said, almost like she was pleading with Furina. She tried to reply, but all she could muster were pitiful half-cries and pleas that would never befit an Archon. 

With a huff, The Knave moved her hand up to Furina’s jaw, tightening her grasp on it, but allowing the fake Archon to breathe. Furina’s chest heaved, almost forgetting about the knife, until The Knave tilted it slightly. Once again, the beautiful moonlight contrasted the deadly blade, reminding her that the air was but a necessary kindness to make her speak.

“There… There is nothing left to tell you. I don’t have the gnosis,” Furina managed through another bout of tears, fuelled by the air filling her lungs.

“If you are of no use to me, you will die.”

“W-wait, please don’t! I’ll give you anything I can! Mora, contacts, weapons?” Furina’s words were a jumbled mess as she put her hands together, a desperately pleading with seemingly no effect.

“Unless you tell me about the gnosis, your life is forfeit.”

More tears streamed down Furina’s face. She wanted to use her bargaining chip to save her own life, but she didn’t want to. She could tell The Knave the truth, but she couldn’t.

Not even her life was worth the knowledge that she had. She had suffered so long to hide it. If it ended this way, at least she would’ve kept her promise, at least she would have succeeded at something in life. 

The Knave’s eyes became slits as she pulled back her dagger, readying her coup de grâce to end Furina.

“Then you are ready to die like the rat you are?” The Knave asked coldly. 

She had cried her last tears, all that Furina could do was dry heave as her assailant readied herself. Her arms felt limp against the chokehold, and the dagger glistened at her menacingly. 

Furina felt the terror swell into a crescendo. She had tried to ready herself for death, but her skin prickled and her breath hitched. Furina was anything but ready. She wasn’t as courageous or strong as Mirror me or Neuvillette. 

Weak… the single word echoed in her mind against the sound of her jawbone slightly cracking from The Knave’s crushing grip. Her body was tense against the wall. A cold breeze grazed her stinging wound. If The Knave didn’t kill her here and now, then surely an even worse fate awaited her. 

She felt her entire body shudder and shake, trying one last time to break free. Despite it, she felt the rest of her body join her arms in going limp. No matter how much she struggled, she was powerless to change her fate. 

Powerless to stop The Knave from interfering in Mirror me’s plan. Powerless to protect herself and her people. In the end, she was but a failure, and now she would pay the ultimate price for it.

I am sorry, Mirror me. I am sorry, my people. 

I have failed you.  

--

Furina’s consciousness rushed back to the present. The dark of night basked in moonlight seemed almost identical to the night of The Knave’s attack, was she still there? She looked around in panic, eyes searching for The Fatui Harbinger, but she only found long purple hair dangled in front of her. Chevreuse was crouched over her as muffled voices in the distance bounce against the nearby houses.

She was laying on her apartment floor, at least it felt harsh and cold like it. Yet, her body was almost completely numb, and her mind had fallen into a deep fog.

“Furina? Furina, can you hear me?” a voice called out, dripping with concern. Furina tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn’t move, neither would her body. Her eyelids felt heavy as stone, the flashback sunk it’s teeth into her mind, dragging her back into unconsciousness.

--

The Knave was holding her blade steady, about to be the architect of Furina’s death. The memories flashed before her, out of order and muddy, like viewed through a smeared lens. The shining eyes of the cat in the bushes intertwined with the reflection on the knife, became the glowing moon, became the shape of The Knave’s hateful red eyes. 

Furina let out a bloodcurdling scream, unsure if she was reliving a memory or yelling into the void. One moment, her body was frozen in place, in the next she was flailing around trying to beat away the terrors of her vision.

As the disorganised memories kept flashing by, she eventually found herself at the end of the memory.

Instead of her throat meeting the knife, she was once more held in the firm grasp of The Knave.

She opened her eyes in a careful squint, as if opening them fully would somehow make things worse. The Knave rested the dagger mere millimeters away from her throat. Furina held her breath, uncertainty mixing with dread.

“This isn’t the behavior of an Archon…” Arlecchino mumbled, the previous concern slipping back into her voice. Furina dangled silently, daring to properly look upon The Knave. The woman in front of her looked puzzled as her eyes once again scanned Furina, more unspoken questions seemed to appear in Arlecchino’s mind. Slowly, she sheathed the dagger before letting go of Furina’s face. She tumbled to the ground, barely catching herself with her free hand, the other held against her wounded throat. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she relished in her newfound airflow. 

She looked upon The Knave with wide and quivering eyes. After a long and horrifying silence, Arlecchino finally spoke:

“If I kill you here, I will never know the extent of your lies, your treachery. Whatever it is that you hide, whoever you truly are, I will come to know. Even if you truly don’t know where the gnosis is, you are more valuable alive than dead. Mark my words: One day I will unravel you, and all of your divine falsehoods.” Every last word was laced with unbridled contempt that made Furina shudder in discomfort. She opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a pained whimper. 

The Knave gave her one last look of disdain, before disappearing into the darkness of the night.

With strained effort, Furina scrambled over to her discarded handkerchief. Trembling hands wrapped it sloppily around her wound. The bleeding was halted, but the pounding only grew more intense. 

The Palais Mermonia was still a few blocks away. Her body was spent and she couldn’t gather the energy to stand, let alone cry out for help. All Furina could do was crawl towards it.

“-rina? Furina, where are you?”

After that, everything was a haze. The only thing she could clearly remember was the first and only time she’d heard Neuvillette carry a voice of concern.

--

Furina opened her eyes. Her pulse was going through the roof and her head was about to burst from pain.

“Furina…” a familiarly confident and stoic voice slowly brought her back from the depths of her memories. White hair tickled Furina’s face as her blurry vision gave way to the rare sight of a concerned Neuvillette. He knelt over her, like an umbrella shielding her from the rain. 

“N-neuvillette?” she breathed.

The taller man nodded in response.

“Everything is going to be okay, you’re safe now,” he assured. “The assailant is gone, they won’t hurt you.”

“Wh- who was that?” Furina asked, dried tears clinging to her face like leeches.

Everything hurts.

“We don’t know yet, but Chevreuse and her operatives mentioned that they looked like Fatui…” He glanced at the closed front door of Furina’s apartment. The implication hung in the air. 

She could sense a hint of shame in Neuvillette’s voice. His jaw was more tense than usual, and his eyes squinted the way they did when a guilty verdict fell in court.

Could she have…? her words echoed through her pained mind. Furina wanted to sit up, to ask Neuvillette more about the situation, but she was all but glued to the floor. Reliving her memories had sapped her of all the strength she had gained over the last few days.

She wasn’t sick anymore, but with how drained her body was feeling, she might as well have been. As her mind spun, she noticed that Neuvillette’s hand hovered at a respectable distance from her shoulder.

“I don’t know too much about your current mental state, my lady, but I am unsure if it is the correct course of action for me to take,” Neuvillette said. His caring words soothed her, if only briefly, just as they had so many times before.

“Thank you for your caution, friend,” she murmured while forcing a faint smile on her face. 500 years of wearing a mask had given Furina an instinctive tendency to ease others, despite her own troubles. She wriggled a little, hoping to regain a sense of self as the pounding in her head refused to let up.

“A little bit of physical comfort would be beneficial,” she croaked through dried lips. Neuvillette complied, putting his firm hand gently on her shoulder.

Slowly, Furina felt her senses return to her, the present solidifying with each passing moment. She noted, now, that Neuvillette looked like a pensive mother bear, primed to strike at whatever threatened her cubs. He was turned to Furina with a look of concern in his eyes, but his expression gave way to suspicion whenever he glanced at the door. 

“Do you need anything else, lady Furina?” 

“Just… stay here,” she said quietly. Her voice was slowly returning to her, but a prickling pain reverberated when she spoke. Furina wanted water, and maybe a warm blanket, but the idea of Neuvillette leaving her side for even a moment was far worse of an option. As she regained consciousness, the looming question came rushing towards her like a charging boar.

Surely, it can’t have been her doing? she pleaded with herself, and her heart broke a little merely considering the possibility.

How would you know? She’s Fatui! the self-preserving part of her chastised. 

But she promised!

Since when did the promise of the Fatui mean anything?!

Finding no solace in arguing with herself, she turned to Neuvillette in hopes of finding comfort when her own mind refused it.

“Hey, Neuvi, what else do you know?” she asked. The burning in her throat dulled the ache of her heart, for but a moment.

“They seem to have taken the package I had left outside your door,” Neuvillette said. 

“What kind of package was it?”

“It was one of the care packages I’ve been sending you to aid in your illness. It had the stamp of the Palais Mermonia, like the rest of them,” he said matter-of-factly, as though describing the sky being blue. 

Furina looked at him with a stunned expression. A million more questions instantaneously appeared in her troubled mind.

“How long have you been sending them, how many?”

“One every three days or so, ever since I first heard of your sickness.”

“You’ve been… sending them for weeks…?” Neuvillette nodded. “I haven’t received any packages.”

They shared a look, and Furina’s eyes widened.

Could it really be…?

Furina had assumed that Neuvillette had been busy while she was sick, but he had apparently been sending packages for weeks, none of which Furina had received.

After only a few days of her fabricated loneliness, when Furina was alone and vulnerable, she had arrived.

“Is it possible that disrupting my aid to you was part of her plan?” Neuvillette asked. The words came out slowly, as if asking the question too quickly might worsen Furina’s condition. It was a reasonable question to ask, and yet, thinking about it made Furina squirm in discomfort. 

Furina opened her mouth. One part of her wanted to rush to Arle’s defense, the other wanted to persecute The Knave for her evil scheming right here and now. She wanted to lash out, to demand that Neuvillette send the entire Maison Gardiennage to track down both the thief and The Knave herself. Furina wanted to return to the courtroom once more just to throw them to the gallows.

It can’t be her! Furina’s physical pain had become minute compared to that of her heart. Once again, she turned to Neuvillette hoping for answers.

“Did the Garde find the perpetrator?” Furina whispered, afraid that if she spoke too loud she would start dry heaving. She had no tears left to cry, yet her heart demanded it.

“They… got away,” Neuvillette said. There as a rare hint of shame on his face as he averted his eyes from Furina. “I am sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” she replied earnestly.

“I wouldn’t be so quick to alleviate me of guilt, my lady. Had I been more stern and vigilant, perhaps she wouldn’t have gotten to you in the first place.”

Furina looked at Neuvillette with furrowed brows. Was Neuvillette suggesting that he had been too lenient towards The Knave? As far as Furina knew, he had kept a watchful eye on Arlecchino the whole time.

“I should have told her to not visit you at all. When she came to see me, it seemed as though she had an ulterior motive.” Neuvillette’s words were bitter, and his face was pulled taught in frustration.

“I didn’t think much of it at the time. The Fatui always have that air around them. It seems, however, that there was more to The Knave’s plans than just repentance.” He finished by casting a look at the door, and his jaw clenched.

Furina closed her eyes. Her head spun, her body ached. The part of her that longed for Arlecchino was hurting with every word Neuvillette spoke. She wanted to refute every statement he made. Yet, logicaly, she found no flaws in the Iudex’s reasoning.

This is what you get for indulging with the Fatui. Why couldn’t you fall for someone more reasonable? Her own mind chastised her.

I thought I could have something nice, just once!

And look where that got you.

Something in her snapped. She had spent the last 500 years serving everyone but herself. She had given everything to the people of Fontaine. She had toiled and suffered to give them a future. She had succeeded, at the cost of her own immortality. And now, the one time she tried to do something for herself? It immediately backfired, and put her and those she cared for in danger. She had had enough. She wouldn’t be used again, she wouldn’t be played like anyone’s marionette ever again.

Furina slowly opened her eyes. Hurt and sadness replaced by sheer anger. The pain was becoming background noise to the hatred she felt welling inside of her. She willed her body to sit up on the hardwood floor. Neuvillette looked at her, expectantly. Nostrils flared, hands curled into balls as she gritted her teeth and her eyes narrowed.

“I am going to-” She was interrupted by the front door being thrown open. 

Surrounded by yelling Garde clicking their muskets and pointing them towards her, a panting and distraught Arlecchino was basked in the shimmering moonlight. 

She wasn’t wearing her coat. Her shirt had rips and slashes across it, her face and pants looked no better. Blood was still slowly trickling down her open gashes across her body, and crimson stained her damaged clothing. Stood in place, muskets inches away from her face, she spoke a single, shaky word:

“Furina.”

Chapter Text

Arlecchino

Arlecchino was sprinting through the streets of Fontaine. Despite the agreement with Neuvillette, she posted agents just outside the designated area around Furina’s residence. Neuvillette was a competent man, but Arlecchino knew the weaknesses in his defense and surveillance. She had done her best to shore up those shortcomings while keeping to the letter of their agreement. After all, she had never been one to trust other organisations, especially when her own people always did it impeccably.

Lyney had informed Arlecchino that they had spotted a Fatui agent not registered under her command. The moment the words left his lips, Arlecchino dashed out of the open window and floated down to the streets, leaving only a gasp from her prodigy behind her.

The night felt too quiet, or perhaps it was her pounding heart that drowned it all out. Arlecchino’s feet barely touched the cobblestone street as she bounded for Furina’s apartment. 

The faint breeze on her face, the chirping of nocturnal birds and the soft sound of a cat’s paws, she filtered it all out in her search for the operative. All but the aching in her chest. 

As she neared the area of Furina’s residence, she heard a blood-curdling wail that ripped her heart in two. She pushed her legs till they burned like the forges of Meripedes, her form almost becoming incorporeal. 

Please be alright, please be alright, pleas-

A minute later, a crackling pang interrupted her worries, piercing through her deafening heartbeat. 

A gunshot!

Just as she was about to turn the last corner, the signature silhouette of a Fatui cloak shimmered in the moonlight as it disappeared into a distant alleyway. Gruff and disciplined voices, followed by scrambling boots, filled the street and made Arle stop dead in her tracks. The Garde was milling into the large street outside of Furina’s apartment. Two of them clumsily gave chase to the agent.

Not fast enough, Arlecchino observed.

The rest of the enforcement group, clad in navy blue, swarmed around the building in a far too predictable pattern. The only comfort to Arlecchino was the yelling of a certain purple-haired Garde.

She’s in good hands if Chevreuse is near. She was one of the few members of the Garde that Arlecchino had never successfully bribed.

It seemed that the Fatui agent had taken escape route 38: a good choice for escaping the Garde, a bad choice for escaping The Knave. 

Slipping between buildings, Arlecchino’s expertise made her practically invisible to the people scurrying about in their expertly trained response formation. 

She dared a glance through the open door to Furina’s apartment. She could see Furina’s chest rapidly rising and falling, her legs and arms shaking erratically, indicating that she was still alive. Arlecchino sucked in a concerned breath, far too loud for someone skulking the night.

Feelings have no place on the battlefield, a judgemental voice echoed in her mind. She paid it no attention. Feelings were the reason she was on this battlefield.

Seeing the person she cared for so dearly in utter distress twisted her heart into an unbearable pain that only vengeance could soothe.

“Once I have punished those who would dare lay a finger on you, I will return to you, my love,” she murmured to herself.

The form of the fourth Fatui Harbinger glistened red in the moonlight, her hands curled and twisted unnaturally as they formed into talons. Furina was in safe hands, her assailant was not. The blood of her prey betrayed them. It lingered in the air, beckoning Arlecchino to pursue.

The back alleys of Fontaine was like a maze unto itself, even more so under the cover of night. The Knave, however, held both the knowledge of Fatui operating procedures, as well as a city she had memorised since before her seventh birthday. Minutes later, she was silently jumping from rooftop to rooftop, in close pursuit of her mark. 

The agent appeared unaware of their true pursuer, only throwing glances behind them as they scrambled through the winding streets. Had they, for a single moment, turned their gaze to the sky, the gleam of crimson red would have made them freeze up like a blubberbeast caught in the headlights of an aquabus.

Where are you going, little rat? she thought, anger blossoming along the cold walls of discipline that had been beaten into her long ago. 

Her rage threatened to take over. Arlecchino gritted her teeth as she focused on the rhythmic beat of each of her footsteps. She needed to stay calm if she wished to avenge her Droplet, for now.

Fatui agents often worked alone. However, a decision the size of an attack on a former Archon would not be made without someone else pulling the strings. Arlecchino had quickly established that any Fatui business in Fontaine would go through her. No one had dared put it to the test, until tonight .

Like a musical performance reaching its chorus, her fury continued to build. It took her entire life of discipline not to pounce on the agent in that very moment, but her desire for righteous bloodshed had to wait, just like it always did. 

Her patience was rewarded. Her mark darted into an inconspicuous two-story residence. Even if Arlecchino had not seen the agent entering the small house, the blood trail left from their bullet wound would have given them away.

Sloppy .

She descended from the roof like an autumn leaf falling from its branch, landing right outside the door. 

Without hesitation, she reached for the door knob. Her claw-like nails turned it with pure malice, and it gave a perturbed click in response.

Not even locking the door. Do you have a death wish, rat?

With hatred oozing out of her every pore, she entered the building. Arlecchino was greeted by a dark and silent room, spare for the breathing of another person. 

No, it was the breathing of people . 

The agent that unknowingly led her to this place had not only signed their own death warrant when they approached Droplet’s house, but had now senselessly sentenced their co-conspiritors to the same fate. All bar perhaps one, depending on whether or not the last one alive talked.

She counted the quiet breaths of at least five agents before the first flash of pyro delusion energy appeared. She twirled to the left, gracefully avoiding a slash from an arm-mounted blade before ducking low for the attack of a second assailant. Her blood boiled. Patience had served its purpose, time for anger to take center stage.

Wordlessly, a single fiery, red wing blossomed from her back, and illuminated the room in a crimson glow. A matching scythe materialized in her right hand. The masks worn by the agents did little to hide their hesitation as realization dawned upon them. Had they not been taught to fear the wrath of the Fourth Fatui Harbinger?

It doesn’t matter. They came for my Droplet.

Two bright slashes illuminated the room. Two pained gasps rang out. Two of the assailing agents collapsed on the floor. The arm-blades of the three remaining pyro agents gleamed as they flew towards her. In her anger, Arlecchino had advanced too far and given her remaining opponents an opening. One blade cut across her arm, another slashed her face, and a third hit her leg as Arlecchino momentarily staggered back. 

Sharp pain shot through her, but it only fueled her. With one hand, she grabbed one of the agent’s armblades, letting it cut her hand as she twisted his arm. The sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the room bathed in crimson light. She raised her scythe to clash with the second agent’s flurry of attacks. Their rapid assault only drew them closer to giving Arlecchino an opening to strike them down. 

The agent backpedaled, and a third one managed to graze the side of Arlecchino’s stomach before she could spin around with a sweeping blow, forcing him to switch from offense to defense in an instant.

Anger makes you sloppy, a familiar, parental voice chastised her from beyond the grave. She quickly swatted the memory away. She did not need to hear from that person right now. 

With a huff, Arlecchino kneed the reeling agent with a broken arm before they could raise their second blade, sending them barrelling into the wall. In the blink of an eye, she spun around, and with a single swipe of her scythe, the agent that had just graced her was cut in twain. 

Another one of the agents shakily approached her, terror had taken hold of him. With what little courage he had left, he thrust his arm-blade towards her, but it only found its mark after being severed from his body. 

The sound of sizzling blood filled the room as the extreme heat cauterized the wound left by the dismemberment. The slight sting from her own injuries was drowned out by the sweet sound of the agent’s pained scream.

She grabbed the dismembered man’s remaining arm, her clawed nails digging into it. The Fatui agent, usually stoic and fueled by unbreakable devotion to the Tsaritsa, whimpered. 

Looking through the mask he wore, she saw pure fear in his eyes. Arlecchino let a small smile appear on her lips. As much as she was doing this for Furina, it was nice to spread a wing on occasion. 

“Whoever speaks first as to your intentions surrounding Furina, lives.” Her usual cold and formal voice filled the room. In the blood red light of her singular wing, she saw the two agents share a terrified look. The one in her grasp spoke first.

“We had simple instructions, we just had to-”

“TRAITOR!” the one with the broken arm shouted before rushing Arlecchino. A streak of red pyro energy trailed behind as they swung at her with their good arm. While holding the other agent in her grasp, Arlecchino sidestepped the attack, fast and smooth, as though rehearsing tango moves. A swift kick to their back followed by a bright slash of her blade brought an end to the agent’s life. 

A split second later, Arlecchino’s narrowed gaze was once again burning into the singular surviving agent.

“ Speak .”

“We received instructions from our region commander! We just had to intercept packages every three days or so, I don’t know more!” he sputtered out among rushed breaths. 

Arlecchino’s fiery wing flapped once, his eyes darting to it in panic. He squirmed in her grasp as his eyes turned towards the faint hum of her scythe. 

Finally, he met the cold and unreadable face of The Knave. All-encompassing horror shone clear as day in the man’s green eyes.

Arlecchino let the suffocating silence fill the room, red crosses burning into his soul. She had not yet heard enough, and would leave him in the excruciating noiselessness until she had. 

A mere second for Arlecchino, was an eternity for her prey. 

Despite having complete control of the situation, Arlecchino found each passing second her own hellish eternity. Her heart screamed for her to get back to Furina, but she needed more information. 

However, Arlecchino knew that all knowledge came with time, and in spite of her yearning heart, she was a patient woman.

Speak already, I want to see my… whatever we are! Her face betrayed none of her romantic longing as her nails pierced deeper into the flesh it grappled. 

Eventually, her victim’s fear and pain overpowered any remaining sense of loyalty. With a faint trickle of blood-stained tears rolling down his face, he resumed his desperate slurry of words.

“T-the commander has set up shop outside of Fontaine. Near the plains of Mont Esus East. That’s where we report back to. It’s where we’ve brought the packages we took. He didn’t tell us why, just that it had to be done quickly and quietly. We’re not allowed to know anything else. I swear!”

Few things are more fragile than those at the end of their lives… Her mind flashed back to that fateful night. Furina’s tear-stained face filled her mind’s eye, and she felt her heart twist. 

The tapestry of happy memories that Arlecchino had woven from every last laugh that Furina had blessed her with, it had excellently concealed her past sins against the woman she now cared for so dearly. Her mind became an inferno that burned and singed the tapestry to relentlessly reveal every minute detail of that night. Furina’s face plastered with fear. The faint trickle of blood contrasted against her moonlit skin. Her desperation had been so utterly human .  

In the firestorm of guilt, the agent’s masked face and Furina’s blurred into one. 

Arle clenched her jaw and tried to fight back her remorse. In the fire that raged in her mind’s eye, one thing, and one thing alone, rose above the ashes of her memories: 

Furina’s forgiving smile. 

It washed away her guilt, if only for a moment. It embraced her in a soothing wave Arlecchino could only describe as “home”. The flame in her heart fluttered and waned as the currents of happy memories washed away her remorse.

Arlecchino’s resistance was futile. Furina’s kindness disassembled every barrier Arlecchino had ever created to avoid this very situation. The losing battle came to a close as her flaming wing dissipated in tandem with her scythe.

She loosened her grip on the man, wet sounds of her nails exciting his arm followed by the thud of his body falling to the ground. Terror mixed with confusion as he craned his neck to look upon her. His lip quivered, searching for words that he could not seem to find.

She singed his bleeding shut with a flash of her own pyro powers as she regarded her last living victim. Arlecchino had gotten the information she needed, yet she still had to decide his fate.

Furina’s distraught crying mingled with her sweet laughter. Arlecchino’s guilty and joyous memories coalesced into one, there was only one choice she could allow herself to make. 

“Run, and never return to Fontaine, lest I find both you and your family, Ivanovei,” she said coldly, hoping the faint tremble in her voice went unnoticed. The agent scrambled to his feet and nodded with fervent understanding before dashing out of the carnage-filled room.

Letting him live was a risk, but her shameful memories had made her falter. 

She took a deep breath as she fought against the urge to cry. Despite her best efforts, a single tear formed in the corner of her eye.

“I am sorry, Furina,” she mumbled, hoping that the words would one day grant her forgiveness for what she had done to her. 

She is making you weak, a “motherly” echo rang out.

She is making me human, she bit back.

She seemed quite human when you attacked her, the cruel voice taunted back, and Arlecchino had to fight another tear threatening to stain her cheek.

The ghost of “Mother” had distracted her long enough. Arlecchino shook her head and let out an annoyed growl.

As the cruel voice dissipated, a new looming thought entered her mind.

What would Furina say if she knew of this…

Surely, she would judge Arlecchino for ending four lives partially on her behalf? It was technically self defense, but Furina might not see it that way.

Look what trouble you have caused, having me spare people…

Hopefully Furina would understand, if she ever found out.

Arlecchino returned to the task at hand, pushing away the growing guilt within her. She had let one of them go, that was enough of a liability for one night. The bodies strewn around her would cause trouble if left here, at worst risking a diplomatic incident between Snezhnaya and Fontaine.

Moments later, a small fire grew into a contained inferno that incinerated everything but the Fatui Harbinger in the room. All traces of the altercation were burned to cinders in a momentary roar of flames. 

She took one last look at the devastation around her, before exiting the ashy room.

It wasn’t until she felt the temperate night air on her wounded arms that she realized she had lost her jacket in the battle, most likely burned with the rest of the evidence. She didn’t have time to be annoyed at the idea of making an appointment with Chiori to tailor a new one, she needed to check on Furina.

She sprinted through the streets of Fontaine, each step making her wounds ache more and more. With Furina in mind, ignoring the pain was a trivial task.

It didn’t take long to reach Furina’s residence. From the rooftops, she descended, her hair fluttering in the wind before landing soundlessly in front of the door. She could have explained the situation to the Garde posted around the block, but her heart was bleeding, and her patience all but exhausted. 

There was a single moment of hesitation before she threw open the familiar front door to Furina’s apartment. Her heart trembled, fearing what she might see, and it sank as she opened the door to reveal Furina sat shaking in her hallway. Neuvillette was crouched next to her, with a protective hand on her shoulder that squeezed tighter at the sight of Arlecchino. He reminded her of a mother bear. Arle barely registered the clicking of muskets being cocked next to her head. Her gaze was fixated on the only person that mattered in all of this.

“Furina.”

Furina

Furina’s heart caught in her throat. She shot up at the sight of the woman in the doorway. One half wanted to jump up and throw herself into Arlecchino’s embrace, the other wanted to reach for the nearest sword and plunge it through her heart.

A million different words formed and dissolved within a single moment. Her heart ached, yet she felt her body burn with a fury that should be reserved for the Heavenly Principle. Furina’s lip quivered and her eyes glistened as she met the crimson crosses staring back at her. Arlecchino’s entire being permeated worry, yet she managed to speak first.

“Furina. Furina, I’ve dealt with him, he wasn’t one of my operatives!” Arlecchino explained through hurried breaths and a heaving chest. 

The multitude of screaming thoughts and emotions in her mind coalesced into a single pair of feelings: betrayal and hatred.

“And how the fuck do I know you’re telling the truth?!” Furina yelled as she started to cry. “All you’ve ever done is lie, and here is another convenient one for you to tell. Did you mean any of what you said?”

“I-”

“Don’t even try, Knave!” Furina screamed through wet sobs. “Just return to your kids and find someone else to manipulate. I’ve spent 500 years being someone else’s puppet. I sacrificed myself for my people, I’m not letting someone else sacrifice me for their selfish motives. Especially not if they use my fragile and smitten heart as a fucking lockpick. I thought I loved you.” 

Drool and snot and tears streamed down her face. Furina clenched her fists. She looked like a crouched tiger, ready to pounce on the taller woman if she didn’t leave.

Arlecchino stood stunned in the doorframe, breath caught in her throat. She slowly opened her mouth to speak.

“Please, I beg you, just lis-”

“The Knave,” Neuvillette interrupted, rising to his full height and putting himself between her and Furina. “You are being detained under suspicion of assault and theft. Please do not resist,” Neuvillette commanded with a pointed finger towards the tall woman. 

Through tears, Furina could see the Garde hesitantly readying themselves at the prospect of having to actually fight the fourth Fatui Harbinger. For a moment, Arlecchino tensed up, her eyes became slits focused only on Neuvillette as her jaw clenched and Furina felt the temperature around them rising. Her eyes darted to Furina, and she immediately deflated. Her shoulders slumped, the air cooled. With tears starting to fall from her face, and another glance at Furina, Arlecchino whispered:

“I surrender.”

Carefully, Chevreuse put Arlecchino in handcuffs while the rest of the Garde shakily held their muskets towards the tall and imposing woman.

Furina felt her entire body starting to shake again. The hate persisted, but so did whatever feelings she had developed. Her emotions warred violently against each other, and her body followed suit.

She wanted to say something, anything, but in the end, her anger was stronger.

Finally, someone actually gets their comeuppance for contributing to my misery.

The hatred dulled her pain, at least momentarily. The Garde started to take Arlecchino away, head hung low. A darkness, unlike anything Furina had ever seen before, clung to Arle’s face.

“If you need to go with them, I’ll be fine on my own,” Furina told Neuvillette with a tremble. The pain of speaking was once again a welcome respite from her aching heart.

“She might do something,” she added with a weak smile, hoping to convince the Iudex. Her efforts earned her a sigh in return. They both knew that Furina was right. If their suspicions about The Knave were true, then getting captured might be a part of her plan. 

“You are still a target,” Neuvillette said, solemnly.

“Then post some guards here,” she replied. Neuvillette was silent for a moment.

“She’s getting awaaay,” Furina said in a wet imitation of her sing-song Focalors voice. 

Neuvillette gave her a pitiful look. 

“I’ll be back in the morning, and this time I’ll bring a package, personally.”

Furina weakly hugged him, sobbing into his coat. He returned the hug, doing his best to give a caring embrace.

He doesn’t hug as well as she does , a rogue thought shot through her mind, and she felt herself spiral further. The pounding in her head had been suppressed by her anger, and as fury simmered down into sadness, nausea returned. 

Furina felt slow and stiff pats on her back. When they broke away from the hug, she whispered shakily: 

“Thank you.” Neuvillette tried his best to give her a reassuring smile.

“Still needs less teeth,” Furina chuckled, desperately trying to distract herself from the torment of her emotions.

“I still have much to learn from you,” Neuvillette said as he exited into the street cast in silver light. 

It was odd seeing the Iudex jog to catch up to the garde. Furina forced another chuckle. It died in her throat as her eyes caught on Arlecchino’s downtrodden face. With a growl she slammed the door shut. 

Through her tears and quivering hands, she double-checked that the door was properly locked.

“Never again,” she murmured to herself.

After drinking multiple glasses of water, she hobbled over to her bed and angrily threw herself onto it.

With her dry throat hydrated, she was left alone with the troubles of her soul. The moment she hit the mattress, every emotion she had experienced over the last hour came rushing over her in full force.

There was no one left to help divert her attention, and the wailing and crying demanded by her turmoil became a ceaseless tirade fettered by nothing. She punched and screamed into her pillow, hoping rage could keep sadness at bay. Yet, it only gave rise to a new concoction of warring emotions.

She cackled at herself. Had she truly believed that she could actually find someone to love? That anyone would truly love her ?

How could I, even for a second, believe she genuinely loved me?

She felt as though rosy thorns were growing around her heart, mercilessly piercing it. Joyous memories of Arlecchino played through her mind. The time they had spent together, the special bond they had developed so quickly. The idea that someone could sincerely understand her.

It had all seemed too good to be true.

Of course it was. All fairy tales are make-believe, after all, she thought, as the thorns dug deeper. Her hatred for Arlecchino and her desire to be in her embrace were one and the same.

Her bed felt uncomfortably empty. It had been shared by somone for but a single night, yet it already felt unfamiliar to be alone in it. 

She tried to kill you, why did you expect anything different this time? 

Because she saw me as a human… Or so I thought… 

She shivered and pulled another pillow into her arms. All she ever wanted was to be seen as a person. Nothing more, nothing less. 

With everything Arle had done, Furina had thought that she would finally be allowed to just be a person. Thoughts of Arlecchino perfectly using her deepest desires against her made the thorns violently pulsate. She thought she had finally been allowed her own happiness away from her identity as a “former Archon” and saviour of Fontaine. That she could just be the book-loving, musical enthusiast Furina that came out when no one was looking. 

That maybe, just maybe, someone could love her even without perfect table manners and etiquette. That she could have been loved, away from all the official business and balls, away from the courtroom and its dealings. 

Furina just wanted to be a person.

She played you perfectly…

Realizing how gullible she had been only made her wail louder. She was too hurt to try to justify The Fatui Harbinger’s behaviour anymore. She had given her a chance when she never should have in the first place. She had opened her heart to evil, and it had happily stepped in with a smile seeped in poison. She squeezed her puffy eyes shut even harder. Arlecchino’s warm and “loving” face flickered in front of her for a moment.

How could she keep up such an impeccable charade?

Her wailing hitched as drool stained the pillows she held to her chest. She could not understand. It was too painful, too much.

The thorns in her heart spread to the rest of her body. Soon enough, anguish encapsulated her entire being.

Her throat hurt, her mind hurt, her entire being, down to its core, hurt. 

Everything hurts.

She was immobilized. A million more conversations played out in her mind, between the part of her that wanted Arlecchino and the part that wanted to protect herself. 

Despite the deafening sounds of her warring mind and heart, she was alone.

Alone in a bed that was far too big for her soul, yet too small for anyone else to comfortably fit. 

She didn’t want to be alone, she was tired of being isolated. She was tired of everything .

Furina was spent, yet her broken spirit refused her sleep. In spite of her complete exhaustion, she cried and languished throughout the tormenting night. Only when the sun crept over the horizon did her body eventually give in. Mercifully, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Through the whirling storm of emotions that held onto her even in her final moments of consciousness, one feeling overcame them all:

Loneliness.

Chapter Text

Arlecchino

The worried looks exchanged between the guards escorting her barely registered. The clack of their boots against the cobblestone was drowned out by the beating of her own shattered heart. 

Her frazzled mind struggled to form a single coherent thought in the whirlwind that was the perfect memory of Furina’s enraged words. Eventually, her thoughts came to a halt, a single question louder than all others.

Furina had… loved me? 

She had loved Arlecchino. Not as a parent, not for being the perfect soldier or asset, she had loved her for simply being her . Arlecchino felt her heart twist and contort. The realisation wounded her very soul.

You lost her. Just like last time, a formless voice chastised, biting into her psyche. She tried desperately to focus on the stinging wound of her pierced hand, the gashes across her side, and the thrumbing ache in her shoulder, instead of the devastating pain of being sent away by Furina. At the very least, her physical pain was manageable. 

It was a futile attempt. A lifetime of planning schemes, long cons that stretched out for years, and plans within plans made her racing mind refuse to be quelled by a few bodily injuries.

Does she really think that I was behind that attack? 

I would neve-

Except the one time you did, s he corrected herself.

Her body was moving along with the Garde, while her mind was anything but present. She wanted to justify herself, needed to justify herself, to find a way to make Furina see that she was not the perpetrator… this time. Her mind came up empty. Perhaps, she had ruined all of this with her actions on that fateful night all those month ago. Was it over before it had even began?

Despite not being an Archon anymore, perhaps Furina still had some divine punishment to deliver. Arlecchino had expected castigation for her sins some day, but she had never imagined that it would take the form of such all-consuming grief. 

Perhaps this is what I deserve.

Her internal penance was cut short as someone joined the rest of her entourage. The person cleared their throat and she immediately recognized it. The prickling feeling of the stone-cold stare from the Iudex drilling into the back of her neck made her painfully aware of her own surroundings.

She was unsure whether to hate the Iudex for his constant judgement, or praise him for accidentally giving her respite from her own mind. Either way, Arlecchino started to analyse her surroundings. She was being let into a small, unassuming entryway with two guards posted in front the entrance to the underground prison beneath the Palais Mermonia. The metal gate creaked as it was quickly unlocked, and her entourage entered the narrow corridor beyond in single file.

The white marble tiles that lined the upper streets of Fontaine turned into dull grey stone as the fresh air became stale and dank. The muffled ambiance of the city slowly morphed into the distant dripping of stale water and the drab echoing of clacking service boots interspersed by the sluggish sound of Arlecchino’s heels dragging across the ground. Arlecchino knew that they must be on floor one out of six, the blueprints of this place long since burned into her mind.

Arlecchino was thankful for the tight space and lack of air. She finally had an excuse for her shortness of breath.

The distraction was temporary. Her picture-perfect memory of the blueprints meshed with the laughter of a white-haired woman. Loose bricks set by bribed guards were replaced by memories of warm blue eyes shimmering in the midday sun. Every contingency plan she had ever conceived of was cast to the wayside in favor of the distant sensation of Furina’s sheets wrapped around her, of Furina wrapped around her.

She was haunted by the ghost of joy and happiness, of safety .

All the power and knowledge that came with being a Fatui Harbinger was stripped away into nothingness in the face of losing Furina’s trust. She wanted to do something , yet her mind refused. She wanted to say something to Neuvillette, or perhaps even Chevreuse, but what good would it do? 

In the privacy of the tight formation, Arlecchino allowed a tear to streak down her face. Even a small mercy for herself felt undeserved in comparison to everything she had put Furina through, or to what she had failed to stop from happening.

They eventually reached a set of spiral staircases that led them down to a small intersection. They took a left through a narrow corridor, every wall the same as the last, at least to the untrained eye. The corridor had detention cells on both sides. They were all empty, as though mirroring Arleccchino’s heart.

The lack of other occupants in the cells seemed to correlate with the recent reports Arlecchino had been receiving. Following the flood, the people of Fontaine had been busy helping each other and uplifting one another, and crime had slumped to an all-time low.

Near the smallest of the available cells, the one she assumed she was destined for, a venomous but familiar voice seeped into her mind.

“If you’re ever captured, and you don’t manage to end yourself before then, do not talk until you are in the interrogation room.”

She shuddered at the memory of her “Mother”, and that of her fellow orphans who perished following that advice. The pain of her past was only overshadowed by the pain of the present.

Her previous comrades had been mourned long ago. Furina was a kind of casualty Arlecchino had only experienced once before. 

At least she is still alive…

Being shoved into the prison cell that somehow managed to fit a bed, though smaller even than Furina’s bedroom, made her ruefully aware of her body. Trudging through Snezhnayan snow storms for three days with minimal rest was nothing compared to the heartbreak she was experiencing. Even so, awkwardly slumping down on the cold hard “bed” that the cell provided, an exhaustion she long since thought beaten out of her washed over Arlecchino.

Her wounds hurt, her legs ached, and her muscles screamed for rest. Most of all, her heart begged for a moment away from the pain and hurt. That moment never came as even the darkest confines of Fontaine’s underground prison forced Arle to remember the one woman she could not handle losing.

“Questioning will begin tomorrow. I recommend you get some rest before then, Knave.” 

Neuvillette spoke coldly, a hint of vitriol seeping into his voice. She gave him a tired glance. For the second time since Arlecchino had first kissed Furina, she had no idea what expression she bore. Her perfectly controlled façade was faltering, and it just had to be in front of the very man that separated her from a third chance with Furina. 

Neuvillette’s greyish blue eyes held insults and anger unspoken as they twitched, piercing gaze held on her far longer than what was comfortable. She gave a tired huff before he turned on his heels and left her with the remaining Garde.

As silence befell Arlecchino, she felt the return of the venomous and judgemental voice linger at the edge of her mind. Light footsteps of a Melusine echoed closer and closer down the corridor, Arlecchino’s keen senses forcing her to focus outward rather than inwards. The creature came into sight as it paused outside of her cell.

“I was told there were wounds to attend to,” the short, blue creature said in a melodic and pleasant tone that matched its small and soft appearance.

Furina probably finds them cute, at least. I will have to ask her- she stopped herself halfway through the thought. In just a single moment of forgetfulness, she had slipped right back into her infatuation. 

The Melusine recoiled as she watched Arlecchino bite her own lip in frustration, drawing blood as punishment for dreamily thinking of Furina.

It was entirely possible, however, that Arle’s various gashes and cuts had caused the reaction. Either way, Arlecchino was too tired to care.

With a courteous greeting, and the watchful eye of the Garde, the Melusine was let into Arle’s cell before the door closed behind it. She barely met its eyes. Her body would recover on its own, but it would be less tiring to just let the creature tend to her than explain that she was fine .

As the Melusine started to bandage her, another rogue thought invaded her mind:

I would rather Furina tend my wounds.

Tears threatened to overtake her. She could not do this any longer. No matter what, her mind always circled back to that damned woman. That damned magical and enthralling woman, who seemed to make every problem Arlecchino had ever had disappear. Even if it was only a temporary spell that Furina’s presence cast, it was the most magical thing she had ever experienced.

The slight pressure of the Melusine pulling a bandage taught around her arm brought Arlecchino back from the musings of her lost girl… friend? Her date? They had not even gotten to have the “What are we?”-talk. Such talks was not the most exciting part of romance to Arle, but daydreaming about it had, nonetheless, kept her from finishing paperwork on several occasions.

Normally, Arlecchino would have huffed at the creature without a second thought, but Furina’s constant presence in her mind moved her to break such habits. There was a certain novelty in having your wounds cleaned and bandaged, even if she had the ability to regenerate them in mere hours.

“Thank you,” she mumbled, unsure whether the Garde was competent enough to pick up on it. One of Chevreuse’s eyebrows quirked, confirming that the sharpest of them had heard her.

“You’re welcome!” the short blue creature nodded enthusiastically before heading out of the cell. The Garde wasted no time locking the door the moment the Melusine was outside.

As its footsteps faded, her thoughts grew louder. Dreadful memories of “Mother” fought to break through the barrage of sweet and joyous memories that she had made with Furina. Arlecchino did not know which side was worse.

The memories interlaced, vying to be the first to break her. Regardless of which haunted her the most, memories of the short woman clad in deep blue eventually won.

A maelstrom of memories continued to flash by her, to twist into each other. Some were loud as a scream, others but a whisper. None were comprehensible. Yet, there was no pause to let her think clearly. Chaos reigned until a singular memory broke through the haze.

Sometimes, the truth can be very kind.  

The sentence sent Arlecchino reeling. She opened her eyes for the first time in what felt like an hour. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her body and mind as the seven words Furina had strung together kept repeating in her mind. 

I have the truth, a truth far kinder than Furina is letting herself see!

A few pieces of her broken heart fused back together, a tiny spark starting to grow in her chest. 

Hope.

The realization felt like breaking through the ocean’s surface, a deep breath of refreshing air giving her newfound strength. Arlecchino had not become the Fourth Fatui Harbinger by letting false accusations stop her. Ignoring her body’s screams for her to lay down and rest, her mind sprung into action.

She knew that the evidence needed to set her free rested within files that she had long since sent away to the Tsaritsa back in Snezhnaya. While in custody, she could not have classified Fatui files of her dealings in Fontaine sent to the House of the Hearth. Even if she was free, the Tsaritsa would never allow it.

Still, before being unceremoniously arrested, she had acquired a lead. She knew where one of them lurked. If she followed the strings of this marionette, the puppetmaster behind it all would soon be revealed. Arlecchino had agents- no, her own children , to investigate and reveal the truth.

Step one was to get Furina involved as quickly as possible. If she saw how hard Arlecchino would work and scheme just to see justice brought for Furina, perhaps she could also see that Arlecchino had nothing to do with any of this.

She winced at her own hypocrisy, convincing someone she was being honest by involving her in a scheme that involved lying, skirting the law, and layers of secrets. It was a long shot, dragging Furina into all of this. 

However, Arle thought that she deserved to be directly involved in her own vengeance. Perhaps, that was something she should have considered before giving chase to the agent…

The time for regrets was over. She needed a plan.

Scheming as always, an excellent method of showing somone how nice of a person you are, something in her mind taunted. Maybe she was right about you.

She shuddered, and another tear threatened to fall from the corner of her eye. She could not even formulate a proper plan without her guilt personifying into words.

But if she would just hear me out! she bargained.

Did she not make it abundantly clear that listening to you was the last thing she desired?

I just wish I could talk to her. Just one last time!

When has talking ever solved anything!? As if on cue, her mind flashed back to the day she lost Clervie. For a moment, her hands were stained with blood and she was back in that ruined dueling ring. Her breaths grew heavy and her mind spun.

Arlecchino clenched her fist and shook her head. She was not dealing with that. She willed away the worst day of her life, pushing it back to haunt her at any crucial moment that was not this one. In the same breath, she smothered the voices, letting them drown in her stirring subconscious.

Arlecchino was left with exhaustion and sadness, two feelings she was becoming far too tired of experiencing.

Her exhaustion did not stop her mind from wandering to the few other things that mattered in her life. She worried for her children, how they might think and feel about her absence. Surely, the news had already reached The House of the Hearth. Arlecchino could perfectly envision the anxious looks of each and every one of her children, memorized and captured in her mind’s eye.

She shuddered at the thoughts of gleaming eyes turning to Lyney and Lynette for guidance, of the pressure the twins were surely feeling. This was not how she had planned to thrust leadership upon them.

Not only had she failed as a potential girlfriend, she had failed as a father too.

The cold and hard bed she sat upon called to her, making alluring promises of removing her thoughts, if only temporarily within the realm of sleep.

Arlecchino found herself laying down in silent defeat. Surely, there was a plan to make, ideas to formulate, and a solution to find, but they would not come to her on this dreadful night.

The uncomfortable bed felt fitting for a failure such as herself. Arlecchino’s self-loathing past self, another part of her she thought died with “Mother”, returned and draped over the tiny spark of hope within her, as she spiraled deeper into despair.

For the first time in a long time, Arlecchino found herself curled up and snivelling, unsure what to do. There was no faint sound of children laughing and staying up past their bedtime. There was no sound of fellow Fatui standing watch in the dark night. There was no pretty blue-eyed person cuddled up next to her. 

With no energy left to spare, she could not hold back her feelings any longer. A waterfall of tears quickly stained her rough and uncomfortable pillow. Her hope was fast forgotten in the sea of sadness that she found herself wading through.

It was all too much, yet her mind refused her sleep. Perhaps as penance, perhaps merely from everything else that had shaped her into the wounded and scarred woman she was today. She had no way to tell, she had no energy left to care.

Arlecchino cried and snivelled into the morning hours. A long since repressed feeling surfaced: fear. She was afraid of what might happen to The House in her absence. If others within her organisation targeted Furina, was her orphanage truly protected under the Tsaritsa’s promise? Were her children truly safe?

She was afraid that she had lost the one person in all of Teyvat who could truly understand her, with perhaps no chance of getting her back. She was afraid that not having asked the Tsaritsa to put Furina under the same exclusion from Fatui involvement as her orphanage had seen Furina hurt in ways she never should have been. 

Images of her children raced past her, the memories of Furina whisked her away to pain she had not thought possible. Each memory felt like a dagger driven into her heart as she tossed and turned in the stiff bed. 

The tears would not stop. Not when the guards on duty rotated, not when Chevrause cast her a concerned look, not when the new guards gawked at the scene in front of them. She was stripped bare of her façade, of her walls. Worst of all, the one person she wanted to let in, the one person she had let in, hated her.

As a sun that Arlecchino could not see rose higher and higher, sleep finally took her.

---

Arlecchino awoke to rapping on the iron bars of her cell. The numbing stiffness of her bed was nothing compared to how empty it felt.

I wish she were here…

“Knave. You are to be interrogated,” one of the guards announced, a tremble in his voice, despite his attempt to exude authority.

She stifled the urge to start crying all over again by letting out a small groan and rolling out of bed. In spite of being cuffed and injured, her movement was barely impeded. One guard opened the cell and the other four shakily readied themselves. Fear and uncertainty permeating their eyes.

Regardless if you are ready or not, If I wanted you dead, you already would be, she thought in annoyance.

Sleep had only fouled her mood, and a small part of her wanted to break out in this very moment. It would be easy to dispatch the guards surrounding her. They had no effective way of inhibiting her pyro powers. Thanks to her curse, she could call on her powers even bereft of her vision.

It would be so easy… 

This is why she thinks you are behind the attack. You are a killer , an opposing voice cut in. Perhaps she is right to push you away!

I am trying to do things right this time. I am employing minimal violence because of… her? She had not gotten the proper time to reflect on her growing softness due to Furina.

Is four dead Fatui agents minimal violence?! some reasonable part of her brain yelled. Arle could only mentally shrug. 

Under normal circumstances, it would have been five, she corrected herself. As the garde guided her out of her confinement, her focus returned outward.

As much as she despised how her own mind tormented her, it was something she had grown used to. The constant pestering was but another buzzing in her mind. 

Except when I am with her…

Arlecchino sighed. The guards tensing up and looking at her wide-eyed made her painfully aware of how most people perceived her, of how Furina probably saw her.

After all, they were right to be cautious of her. She would have been just as wary had she been in their shoes.

“I have no intention of harming you, I am merely in a bad mood,” Arlecchino said coldly. None of them responded, but one of the younger looking guards seemed to give a small sigh of relief.

Why am I reassuring my captors? A part of her growled. Had she really become so soft that she cared about worrying useless strangers around her?

She makes you care , a kinder voice tried to comfort her, one belonging to a person she never could forget, no matter how much the memories hurt.

Last time I cared this much, I lost it all, I lost you, Arle responded. Memories of her childhood “best friend” resurfacing now was anything but helpful, especially not when her own mind started to use her voice against Arlecchino.

Maybe this is your chance to do things the right way? Clervie continued cheerily, in the sweet tone of hers. Her vision blurred, and she felt herself falter. Her legs buckled as the past overwhelmed her. One moment she was wobbling, the next she crashed into the cold and damp stone wall. She leaned into it, bracing herself against it as her breath became rugged and short. Her escort scrambled to draw their weapons. She shot them a tired look and two of them recoiled instantly. Arlecchino sighed, cearly, she was giving off murderous intent rather than an atmosphere of mourning. 

“This time, I’ll make it right,” Arlecchino mumbled, whether to herself or the memory of Clervie, she did not know. She straightened herself up and cleared her throat. Arlecchino’s vision finally refocused as Clervie’s voice seemed to leave her alone, for now.

“My apologies, it is unbecoming of me to stumble,” she said, hoping that the lingering tremble in her voice escaped their notice.

The guards escorting her quietly and pensively continued to lead her past the intersecting corridors and towards the interrogation room. Arle barely registered that some of them still had their weapons drawn. 

Winding through a few more corridors, she eventually found herself stood outside a thick metal door. As it creaked open, a suffocatingly small room lit by a single candle was revealed. There was a small stone table where her manacles could attach to the top. Behind it sat a stern Neuvillette. Arlecchino was let in and sat down without protest as the guard attached her manacles to the table, placing her hands in front of her, rather than behind her back.

“You can leave us,” Neuvillette commanded. The guards quickly filed out and closed the door, leaving them alone. 

Arlecchino was not sure whether the room lacked oxygen, or it was her own ragged breathing that made it hard to breathe. Perhaps, it was Neuvillette’s dimly lit face staring her down that was causing it. 

Usually, when The Knave approached the Iudex, she always held more cards. This time, Arlecchino had no such advantage. She was holding on to a single thread of hope, and Neuvillette held a guillotine over it.

I will make it right, for the both of us. 

Perhaps the lack of air was making her delirious. Since when did she speak to Clervie as if she was still here? Had finding love again made some nascent part of her mind come alive? It mattered not. She had a soured Iudex to approach, and her only tool was a hastily concocted plan made out of twisting heart ache and desperate hope. 

“Iudex Neuvillette.”

“Knave.”

“What exactly am I accused of?”

“I’ll be asking the questions.”

“I have a right to know,” Arlecchino said pointedly, trying to lean back in her chair despite her restraints. Neuvillette held up a commanding hand.

“In due time, I will inform you.”

Arlecchino raised an eyebrow, trying her best to look calm and collected, despite the fact that her eyes were still puffy from the previous night, her heart felt like it was contorting around her throat, and she was actively swatting away memories of Furina to focus on what the Iudex, and more importantly, what she was saying. Not to mention that her hair was completely dishevelled, and her ripped clothes were stained with dried blood. 

“Where were you last night?”

“At home, until I… It came to my attention that there was an unsanctioned Fatui Operative within Fontaine. Thus, I went to investigate,” Arlecchino replied. While she was not lying, she did not want to volunteer any more information to the Iudex than necessary. Neuvillette only fit into her plan when there was no other possible option . Her whereabouts last night was not one such piece of the puzzle.

“So you went after this ‘unsanctioned Fatui’ during the night?”

“Correct.”

“And what did you find on your nighttime excursion?” Neuvillette asked. Arlecchino’s mind flashed back to her bloody confrontation with the operatives. Their yelps of pain echoed in her mind. There was no remorse to be found. She only felt a surge of anger at the thought that they would dare go after Furina, even if it was just simple theft.

Silence filled the room as she let her boiling blood settle while considering just how much she should reveal to Neuvillette. You cannot just tell the chief justice that you ended four lives within his nation, even if you were doing it out of love, even if it was technically somewhat self-defence. Surely, someone like Neuvillette would not understand the concept of killing for those you loved and cared for. However, if she said nothing, her alibi would not account for the state in which she showed up. 

“I want to speak with Furina,” she said, hoping that perhaps a night’s rest could convince the person she loved to just listen to her.

I just need her to hear me out once. If she still wants nothing to do with me, I shall honor her wish.

Swaying between desperation and determination was something Arlecchino had done in her past, but never since becoming a Harbinger.

Perhaps, she really is changing me…

“I do not believe Lady Furina has any interest in speaking with you, ever again .”

Hearing the words her mind had repeated all night from Neuvillette’s lips made them all the more real, all the more painful. Her chest tightened as her heart bled. Without wounds to indulge her self-flaggelation, she fumbled for a way to distract herself from her ailing feelings. Her breathing only grew more ragged before a warm memory of Furina pulling her into a tight hug seared across her mind’s eye.

She took a deep and shuddered breath, trying to steady herself as she Ignored the Iudex’s burning eyes upon her. Another soothing memory appeared, Furina’s gufaw at one of Arle’s quips as she held a fork full of spaghetti. Arle steadied herself, full of determination. Her face hardened as she fought back a growing smile. 

She fixed her eyes on Neuvillette. When Arlecchino set out to do something, she radiated something that would be best described as “murderous intent”, regardless of her motive.

“I want her as my civilian contact. As a Fontainian, it is my legal right to request one,” she said coldly.

“Usually, people request someone they know will show up,” Neuvillette countered, unmoved by her demeanour. The walls seemed to close in on them. Despite the table separating them, it felt as if they were mere millimeters apart. With each passing second, the air grew thicker. The candle flame flickered, but Arlecchino did not falter, at least not visibly. She tried to ignore the way her stomach clenched at the reminder of Furina’s words, of what she thought of her. Neuvillette’s accusation threatened to sever her thread of hope.

“And if she refuses, I can ask for someone else,” Arlecchino offered in return. A hint of irritation snuck its way into the back of her mind. The idea that Neuvillette was trying to use common intimidation tactics on someone like her, as if she was not fully aware of her legal rights, was cause for taking offence.

“You should tell me what happened. It would give you better chances of speaking with Lady Furina,” he replied coolly. His disdain for her seeping through his stoic demenaour, at least as much disdain as Monsieur Neuvillette was capable of showing. 

Arlecchino’s jaw tensed as she pondered her options. She was avoiding his direct questions, partially to make sure she would not be locked up any longer than necessary, and partially out of loyalty to the House and the Fatui. Neuvillette could not know about the full extent of the Fatui’s unsanctioned presence in the city, nor of her own actions. Yet, if it could help her explain herself, if it could give her another chance with Furina?

The two options tore at her very being. Honesty towards someone she did not trust, or another layer of deception, in the hopes that it would turn out well in the long run.

Arlecchino hated gambling when outcomes were uncertain. Perhaps, she could find another option? It would, however, come with its own cost. 

The last vestiges of her cold barriers once again crumbled because of Furina. With a deep sigh, Arlecchino turned to something else she hated, even if indirectly: pleading .

“I know you do not believe me, but I was not behind this. I know that if I get to talk to Furina for just a moment, all of this can be cleared up,” Arlecchino tried. Her heart tightened at how heavy Furina’s name felt on her lips.

“Tell me, and I can tell Lady Furina.”

“And what guarantee do I have that you won’t just use it against me, without telling her?”

“You have no guarantee, not that such things seem to hold much value to you,” Neuvillette said pointedly. Normally, such accusations bounced right off The Knave, but the implication that Arlecchino had broken her promise to Neuvillette made every pore of her body hurt. She averted her gaze in frustration.

BUT I DID NOT BREAK IT! she wanted to scream at him. She had done everything to stay true to their agreement. Worse yet: had she ignored Neuvillette’s request, she could have caught the thief before he threatened Furina.

Sadness was mixing with anger, a dangerous combination when trying to navigate someone like the Iudex. She took a quiet breath. Even if both the Iudex and Furina had given up on her, she had not given up on Furina.

“Just… Ask if she will be my civilian contact. If not, I know who I will ask for next,” she said with a heavy sigh. The idea that Furina would be able to formally reject her one last time, through someone else, forced her to clench her fists, lest they start shaking uncontrollably.

“Knowing how she will respond, who is your second choice?” he asked. Arlecchino felt her heart sink further.

“Navia,” she replied curtly, only a slight tremble in her voice. It was becoming harder and harder to keep her composure in front of the iron wall that was Nevuillette, yet, he was her only reasonable ticket to Furina. Despite clenching her fist, it started to shake. The dreadful finality of completely losing Furina felt more real with each silent second that passed. She missed her children, she wanted to hug Furina, she wanted all of this to be over.

When the Iudex took a moment to respond, she dared to raise her unfocused gaze. Much to her surprise, she found a somewhat wide-eyed Neuvillette.

“Navia?” he repeated, puzzlement slipping into his voice. 

She nodded, a sliver of hope fighting against the dread.

“Very well. You will be kept here until your contact arrives, or until eight hours have passed. If your contact does not appear, you will be placed back in holding until we can provide a legal expert to represent you in your coming trial. Do you understand these terms?” he asked, his voice returning to its usual formality.

“Yes,” she responded, desperately trying to keep her usual tone. She was thankful a lower register made it easier to hide her unease.

Neuvillette stood up and made his way to the door. Before opening it, he turned to Arlecchino.

“You know, honesty could help you more than you think,” he said. Arlecchino did not bother to look back as she clenched her jaw and said nothing.

Furina said it better.

The sounds of the guards entering the room to keep watch, and of Neuvillette leaving, were drowned out by Furina’s words echoing in her mind.

Sometimes, the truth can be very kind.

Remembering was too much, hearing Furina’s voice even in her mind was too much. It was all too much. As she started to cry again, all she could think was:

I am so sorry, Furina, for everything.

Furina

Furina awoke at noon the next day. She felt lethargic, despite having slept for what seemed like days. She sat up slowly, and an instinctive yawn made her stretch her arms out. Letting her body relax, her limbs dropped back onto the soft fabric. She froze, about to apologise for hitting someone.

Reality set in. There was no one for her to accidentally bump into. No one to make her flustered before comforting her in a warm embrace. No one to make her apartment finally feel like home.

Memories of the previous night crashed over her like a flood. She shook her head, refusing her thoughts from spiraling any deeper.

Finally, she had freed herself from the shackles of love. Today was the start of a new chapter!

“No more Arle… cchino, no more heartbreak and betrayal. Today I get to spend time with my lovely friend Neuvillette,” she said out loud, hoping that speaking it into words would somehow make her pain and anger dissipate.

Despite basking in the warm midday sun, her bed felt cold and empty. Her body tensed from frustration. Every second spent awake was more painful than the last, sorrow creeping across her mind and heart. Her throat seized up, and her chest tightened. The tendrils of sadness sunk deeper, snaking across every pained artery, across every hurtful memory that still clung to her mind.

Trying to shake her mental torment, Furina’s gaze wandered to her bookshelf, and then to her nightstand. “Sentiment and Logic” lay open on her nightstand, as though staring at her. A bookmark with a rainbow rose motif stuck out from one of the pages. Furina choked back a few tears. 

She could not start the day by crying, not today, not after everything she had been through.

She took a deep breath before throwing herself out of bed. The room held too many fresh memories, maybe if she was fast enough, they could not catch her. She left the empty bed behind, and with it, the phantom image of a black and white haired woman cuddled up next to her.

The intricate process of putting on her signature “Furina de Fontaine outfit” was one she had done for hundreds of years, long before she came into the picture. Each bow tied neatly and to perfection. Her shirt arms cuffed in a style not seen for at least 150 years. Her chains and golden accessories spaced out perfectly to achieve the golden ratio.

The perfect distraction.

The problem with knowingly distracting yourself, was that your mind could always trace the reason for your actions back to the very thing you were trying to distract yourself from.

A cold glass of water was refreshing, but it was far too easy for Furina’s mind to bring about the ghost of a certain someone’s finger tilting her chin up. 

Even her kitchenette was becoming all too familiar, in the worst way possible. 

The couch, which had previously only hosted a few guests after she first moved in, had become a centrepiece during their time together. Her heart skipped a beat as her mind jumped back to the sensation of Arlecchino’s lips against hers. Furina drew a short breath, then shook her head, hoping to rid herself of the intimate and comfortable feelings welling inside of her. 

When calm mundanity would not work, she turned to a far more potent emotion: anger.

She allowed the bubbling feeling of rage to grow as she thought of the betrayal. She had let someone in, finally let someone in. What did she get in return? Nothing but a broken heart.

Even worse, she had even revealed her plans during their second encounter. What was it she had read, in that one book? “The easiest way to steal a man’s wallet is to tell him you’re going to steal his watch.” She could not believe she fell for such a simple trick. Arlecch- Her plan had been in plain sight from the very beginning, yet this entire tragedy had played out all the same.

Her tired arms flexed as she clutched the glass in her hand. She wanted to throw it, she wanted to scream, she wanted revenge .

Furina paused for a moment, letting her arms fall down slack against her sides. As satisfying as shattering the glass might feel, it would do her no good. She hated cleaning enough as it was, having to clean because of The Knave would be far too grave a punishment.

Her discipline and self-control were further tested as her gaze fell upon the gramophone. A lavish gift, delivered in the most extravagant of ways. It had seemed so genuinely thoughtful and kind, yet it had all been to serve a sinister purpose. 

The contrast between the two sides, between Arle and The Knave, was like night and day. One was thoughtful and caring, the other scheming and cruel. Those sides being able to live within the same person must have been one of the many aspects that fostered Focalors’ fascination with humanity in the first place.

Granted that she even is human.

She felt like the person most similar to me, someone that finally understood me, another voice pleaded. 

Unless that understanding was all an act?

What part of humanity is not an act? a third, sadder opinion bubbled up from within.

The part that tells the unabashed truth, the pleading voice responded. 

Furina bit her cheek, almost hard enough to draw blood. The multitude of emotions and perspectives was not helping her keep it together. Shakily, she chugged the last swig of water before slamming the glass down on the counter. 

Holding on to something as breakable as she was, it only risked furthering her suffering. 

Slowly, she started to pace around the room.

Arle had denied her the packages from Neuvillette, yet she had prepared medicine for her?

If she wanted an opportunity to get in Furina’s good graces, would it not be smarter to withhold the medicine, or give her a lower dose? She would have had more time alone with Furina, without anyone else being able to interfere with her plan.

Why am I poking holes in that witch’s plans?

Because if I understand it, I can get over it.

Or am I just being naïve?

Her pace quickened in tandem with her racing thoughts. There was something that did not add up, or perhaps, those traitorous feelings of love were keeping her from thinking clearly?

Love. A word that had blissfully lingered on her lips a mere day ago, it was now like acid singing her tongue. 

Love. Surely, it had made her momentarily blind to the treachery of the Fatui. 

Love. It had rendered 500 years of barriers and defences, built to prevent this very thing from happening, useless. 

With a defeated sigh, Furina’s pacing slowed lethargically to a stop, too tired to even drag her feet across her kitchenette.

Her conflicting feelings were coalescing into a singular one. One she was all too familiar with: 

Sadness. 

Had it all been lies, or was there at least a bittersweet kernel of truth to those honeyed words of Arlecchino’s? Had her lies come so easily because they held some truth to them, or had her truths come so easily because they held lies? 

Furina was snapped out of her distraught spiraling as she heard a noise outside her door. Remembering the events of last night, she instinctively put her hand on the vision hanging from her waist. 

Her sight blurred as her mind threatened a flashback. Her breath quickened and her head started to spin. Last night’s attack and The Knave’s attempt on her life blurred together as she wobbled forward. The walls themselves felt like they were closing in on her. With an unsteady arm, she leaned against the wobbly cream color of her corridor, unsure if she would find purchase, but desperate for anything sturdy that was not the floor. 

Furina’s skin prickled. A shiver ran down her spine. Memories and reality shifted and overlapped each other. One second, she was in her apartment, the other, she was back in the streets of Fontaine, piercing red crosses glaring at her as they shimmered hatefully in the moonlight. With a heavy grunt, she pushed off from what she hoped was her corridor wall and continued wobbling towards the door. 

“Who is it?” she said with a voice far shakier than she had hoped.

“It is Neuvillette.” The response was almost instant. His voice felt grounding, a point in reality to latch on to.

Is it really him? she thought, hope and doubt mixing in her tightening chest. Hydro resonance powering up, Furina readied herself to release a wave of energy through her trembling hand. She had not felt this unseasy since the days following the very night that was haunting her.

Carefully, she cracked the door open. A surge of relief rushed through her body when she laid eyes on her tall confidant, standing outside her apartment. The past slowly drifted away as the present clarified into solid colors and her sight started to clear up. The afternoon air tickled her skin, and a breath of anything that was not her stale apartment felt like a lifebuoy in a lightless ocean.

“Neuvillette!” she exclaimed happily, hoping she dispelled her elemental powers quickly enough for him not to notice. The expression of pity on Neuvillette’s face told her that she was not.

The pounding in her head subsided, and the final blurriness that lingered in the corners of her vision dissipated, letting her properly take in the sight of Neuvillette. He was clad in his usual getup. The contrast between the past, traumatising night, and the mundanity of Neuvillette, was like seeing a lighthouse in a stormy night. He was a beacon of normalcy in a vortex of uncertainty.

“I return, as promised,” Neuvillette said with a bow before picking up a large basket next to him. Furina looked over, and saw a variety of fruits and other groceries, as well as a handwritten note. Neuvillette’s soothing voice pushed away the last vestiges of spiraling panic as a small smile spread across Furina’s face.

“This looks wonderful!”

“I hope it is to your liking, it is mostly fruits I remember you eating back when you were still an Archon, as well as ingredients for a few meals.”

“Thank you so much, Neuvi!” Furina said in delight and hugged him. Neuvillette smiled, this time with slightly less teeth, and they headed inside. 

Neuvi’s presence made Furina’s entire body relax. Her arms fell slack and her steps no longer felt like wading through a Sumeran tar pit.

For the first time in twenty-four hours, Furina’s inner turmoil was quiet, and she was happy to pounce on an opportunity for respite.

They spent the next twenty minutes unpacking the groceries and casually chatting. As much as they both wanted to talk about what had happened, Furina guessed that Neuvillette enjoyed having a moment’s pause just as much as she did. 

It was nice, not having to grapple with, and worry about, whatever the hell The Knave had been up to lately. For a little while, Furina could go back in time, to the many days she had spent in the Palais Mermonia with Neuvillette, Furina chatting away while signing paperwork, Neuvillette reading and simultaneously listening to the babbling of the, at the time, “Hydro Archon”. 

Furina comfortably sank into the couch while Neuvillette busied himself cutting up some apple slices.

The couch feels so much larger when she’s not around , a rogue thought interrupted her comfort.

Maybe because it is not occupied by a liar! she retorted as she huffed at her own mind.

“Is something the matter, Lady Furina?” Neuvillette asked, a hint of concern slipping into his voice. 

She shook her head slowly.

“No, no, I’m just recovering from yesterday,” she said solemnly. She probably looked sadder than she meant to, and Neuvillette gave her a worried look.

It was Neuvillette’s turn to sigh.

“About yesterday,” he began, and Furina felt a gloomy frown spread across her face. Neuvillette took the plate of apple slices and joined her on the couch. “I began interrogating The Knave this morning.”

“I assume she hasn’t said a word,” Furina said, rolling her eyes. 

Furina was painfully aware that she was avoiding her name. It made the conversation hurt less. At least, that is what she told herself. 

Neuvillette stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“All she said was that she only went out because she heard of an ‘unsanctioned Fatui operative.’”

“Convenient cover story,” Furina snorted. Neuvillette nodded before letting out another sigh.

“I asked her if she found anything on this ‘operative’, but she said she will only talk to you… as her civilian contact.” Neuvillette winced as he spoke, bracing himself for whatever reaction his words might evoke.

Something started to simmer deep within Furina. Not only had The Knave snuck past her emotional walls to destroy her from the inside, she also had the ability to make Furina throw away all sense of calm and patience she had paintstakingly learned over the last 500 years. 

The simmer turned into a boil, the tranquility that Neuvillette’s presence had given her rapidly being replaced by sheer rage. She clenched her teeth as she felt her hands balled into fists and her breaths become quicker and shorter. The couch underneath her squeaked in protest as she flew out of her seat and threw an apple slice on the ground.

“I JUST TOLD HER TO LEAVE ME ALONE, AND THE FIRST THING SHE DOES IS TRY TO ROPE ME BACK INTO THIS?!” she screamed as she started to pace aggressively.

“I WON’T FALL FOR HER LIES AGAIN, YOU CAN TELL HER THAT SHE CAN ROT IN A CELL FOR ALL I CARE. I REFUSE HER REQUEST.” 

Her throat felt taught, her lungs empty, and spit flew from her mouth as her anger built towards its crescendo. Furina’s eyes were wide open and in her periphery she saw Neuvillette recoil. He had seen her upset and scared, but never before enraged . 500 years of keeping it together were falling apart, and it felt good.

“DOES SHE HAVE NO RESPECT FOR ME? FIRST BETRAYAL, AND NOW PESTERING! WHY CAN’T SHE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?!” she screeched, before stopping in place and turning towards Neuvillette, her wrathful gaze fixed on him.

“Let the record show that I will refuse any, and all , future requests made by The Knave!” she spat sharply, as if angrily addressing a jury. Bar every law and peacekeeper in Fontaine, there was little stopping Furina from storming down to whatever pathetic cell Arlecchino was stuck in and stabbing her in the heart. 

Would it make the awful anger and hurt go away? Probably not, but it would be the thing closest to Furina’s anguish that The Knave could experience. The urgent need to break something returned to her. Sadly, the only reasonable thing that came to mind was The Knave’s skull. 

Furina let out an ear-piercing scream that bounced against the walls of her kitchenette. Neuvillette did not flinch this time, but gave her a sympathetic look.

“I am sorry to put this on you, Furina. I understand that you are going through a lot,” he paused, searching for the right words. “I will make sure the records are clear, and I will inform The Knave of you… denying her request,” he said diplomatically.

Can you tell her to fuck off while you’re at it? she thought. To Neuvillette, she merely nodded. Her anger still burned hot.

“What do you think, Neuvi?” she snarled and crossed her arms, foot aggressively tapping the ground. Despite her best efforts, Furina still had to wince at how harsh it came out. If Neuvillette felt that the harshness was pointed towards him, he did not show it.

“She is a Fatui, and the evidence is stacked against her. She is currently the prime suspect for the thefts, and yesterday’s incident. If she could procure evidence proving otherwise, the situation would be different. So far, she has failed to do so, and does not appear to be working to change that,” he said in his usual analytical tone, but his eyes shimmered with understanding.

“If she is innocent, why not just present us with the evidence? It only makes her look worse!”

“While I would personally agree, as the Iudex, I must see to it that she is given a fair chance to procure a defence that would acquit her before we put her on trial,” he said apologetically.

“I wish we could at least throw her in jail for emotional damages done to me.”

“We could get you a lawyer if you want to press charges,” Neuvillette offered.

“We both know I do not have a good case to stand on, as nice as it would be.”

“Perhaps Liyue or Sumeru have different laws regarding emotional damages?”

“For a Iudex, you are being quite conniving,” Furina noted with a raised eyebrow, faint amusement crawling its way into her voice.

“I would travel all of Teyvat if it meant alleviating even the smallest amount of your pain,” Neuvillette reassured with another attempt at a smile. Furina could not help but giggle.

“I would rather you put that awful Harbinger to justice here than travel the world on my behalf,” she said as she felt a smile growing on her own face. The anger was still present, but she was not alone in it, and that comfort was invaluable.

Neuvillette nodded.

“I have heard that good food can help soothe a broken heart. Now, unless you wish to toss the rest of the appie slicies, I would suggest having some,” he offered, stoic as ever. 

Hearing Neuvillette use their silly nickname for apple slices momentarily shocked her out of her bubbling anger.

She sighed and shook her head before making her way back to the couch and plonking herself down. She quickly shoved two, comically large, appie slicies into her mouth.

“Haven’th hearthd youo call them ‘appie shlichies’ forj overh a chundred yearsh.”

“It fell out of fashion,” he responded nonchalantly. Despite everything, Furina could not stop herself from laughing at her deadpan friend.

“I can’t believe you remember that, it was such a silly nickname!” she chortled before downing another “slicie” unceremoniously.

“I remember how amusing you found it, a memory I simply cannot discard,” he said kindly as he took a slice for himself, delicately biting off a reasonable amount and chewing it properly.

For a moment, time stood still, their chewing the only sound interrupting the silence. It was only interrupted momentarily by Furina choking on another far too large “appie slicie”. 

As her stomach filled, the anger subsided. Eventually, Neuvillette got up to cut two more apples.

“You really do not have to.”

“You did not have to give up 500 years of existence for Fontaine. Now, allow me to make you more appie slicies,” Neuvillette retorted thoughtfully. Furina shrugged, finding no point arguing. She slumped back into the rustic couch and just breathed. The steady rhythm of the knife hitting the cutting board was perfect for Furina to zone out and let her body relax. It was nice to merely exist, if just for a few minutes. 

She snapped back to reality when Neuvillette set down another plate. His kindness invited a pleasant warmth into her chest, and she her smile grew further.

“If you need anything else, please let me know.”

“I… I’ll try,” she said apprehensively. She had spent 500 years not asking for help, and before Arle came into the picture she had not known how to…

She shook her head, the anger that refused to disappear threatened to return. She bit down hard on one of the “slicies”, imagining severing one of The Knave’s fingers from her hand. An awfully brutal image, but it did help stifle another bout of rage.

“I apologise if that request upsets you.”

“No, no. It is not upsetting, it is very kind. I just… started thinking of her again,” she said as she chomped down the rest of The Knave’s finger. Neuvillette did not press further, instead he gave her an understanding nod.

“I have been told that heartbreak does not heal quickly for humans.”

“You could say that again,” she grumbled. “I really thought I… I really thought we loved each other,” she let slip, before she could catch herself.

She hated to admit it.

She hated that she had admitted it to her! 

She hated her.

“Shows me what a fool I was. Letting my heart get the better of me.” 

The anger was back to a simmer, but she knew that if she let it cool completely, there was a waterfall of sadness waiting to drown her.

“I think Focalors would have been happy that you can feel all of this, even if the feelings are far from desirable,” Neuvillette noted. 

Furina felt a lump in her throat. The two of them had barely talked about Focalors since the flood. The idea that she would be proud of whatever this mess was made Furina happy, yet her fate tinged that happiness with a bitter melancholy.

“I guess she would,” Furina conceded, but her shoulders sagged. Her stewing pot of anger stopped bubbling when she thought about the loss of Focalors. 

“I am sure of it,” he reassured. His words drew back Furina’s wandering gaze.

“Really?” she asked quietly. 

Neuvillette nodded, and a small smile appeared on his lips. Furina felt tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. 

“Would a hug be of help?”

A quiet whimper and a nod was all he needed to embrace her. Neuvillette held her close, and Furina allowed herself to quietly sob into Neuvi’s shoulder. His embrace was stoic, yet steadfast and safe. It was a part of the comfort that had been a permanent presence throughout her time as an Archon. 

“Thank you, for always being here for me,” Furina said shakily.

“I could say the same to you, Furina,” Neuvi replied. Furina looked up at him. She couldn’t recall the last time he had dropped the title like that. He was one of the only two people she never corrected when calling her “lady”. It was one of the few parts of her past that she let linger in the present.

“You didn’t say ‘lady’,” she murmured in surprise.

“Can a dragon not be a little sentimental?” he chuckled, and Furina burrowed her face into his shoulder as she giggled.

“I’ll allow it, this one time,” she said jokingly, earning a chuckle out of Neuvillette.

Minutes passed before they broke away from the embrace. 

Furina’s heart and lungs still felt heavy, her stomach remained knotted and taught, but with Neuvillette’s support, it was at least manageable. They finished the remaining “appie slicies” before Neuvi finally rose from the couch.

“I think I have stalled The Knave long enough. I must pay Navia a visit,” Neuvillette stated apologetically.

“Thank you, for making sure I am okay, or, well, as okay as I can be,” she said with a laugh she hoped would quell his worries. Neuvillette’s caring expression lingered, and Furina knew it was a bigger tell as to his emotions than words could ever be. 

They made their way to the door. Neuvillette stopped to put on his shoes, and exited.

She watched him leave, lingering in her door frame. As long as she could see him, she did not need to cry. Eventually, he turned the corner, and was out of Furina’s sight.

She sighed as she closed and locked her door. 

With Neuvillette gone, the tears came quickly. Racing thoughts attacked her, as if sensing the return of her loneliness. With a shiver, she hobbled back to her kitchenette and grabbed a tub of ice cream. Neuvillette must have been reading The Steambird. A recent advice column on getting through a bad breakup had suggested ice cream for comfort. With tub and spoon in hand, Furina made her way to her bed. If she was going to be miserable, she could at least be physically somewhat comfortable. The moment she splayed herself onto her bed, Furina’s thoughts clarified into questions.

Why would she ask for me? Why not get one of her children, or her operatives? Could she not just fabricate ANY kind of alibi? Why am I still getting dragged into this?

The lack of answers gnawed at her, drowning out her sobs. Each cold scoop of ice cream offered a momentary interlude. Brainfreeze was the perfect distraction from thinking . 

Why me? 

Despite only having been awake for a few hours, exhaustion was rolling over her like a thick fog. 

I fulfilled the prophecy, I did my duty. Why is this happening to me? 

Why can I not be allowed peace?

The ice cream would not last forever. This, and Neuvillette’s other kind gestures, were the only solace in her lonesome sorrow. Through the freezing comfort of ice cream, one question rose above the rest:

When do I get my happy ending?

Chapter Text

Arlecchino

Seven hours had passed since Neuvillette left her. Perhaps, the Iudex always stalled as long as possible before letting a high profile suspect, such as Arlecchino herself, meet with their civilian contact.

Or maybe he’s really trying to get Furina to come see me! the hopeful sucker within her thought.

She wanted nothing more than to see Furina and explain herself. Yet, the sensible part of her knew that Neuvillette’s absence was far more likely an indication of her rejection.

It had taken hours for her to stop crying. Chevreuse had been kind enough to offer to comb Arlecchino’s hair and give her a leftover cloak to drape over herself. She had tentatively accepted the combing, but denied the coat. It was an oddly nice gesture, and despite everything, it felt nice to have one part of her be presentable. 

I just want to see her again, she thought as she adjusted herself in the uncomfortable chair. The guards threw her another glance. She was used to being stared at, but not stares from people exasperated at seeing her cry for hours on end. 

Once this was all over, she would ask Lyney to recommend her a waterproof eyeliner. 

Furina would look pretty in blue eyeliner.

She looks pretty all the time, she scoffed back at herself. 

Images of Furina had come and gone over the hours passed. She had hoped that with each crashing wave of memories against her ailing heart, her pain would ebb. Much to her continuous dismay, time only had the opposite effect. 

Confinement seemed to bring about a special kind of torturous yearning. When work had kept her away from Furina, it had been a comfort that she always could go visit her. Now, she had no control over when she would see her next, if she would see her again ever.

Just as another surge of memories was about to flood Arlecchino’s mind, the door to the interrogation room flew open.

A blonde woman wearing an intricate dress walked in. Arlecchino immediately recognized it. The bodice was a combination of dark blue, black, and gold, fine details matching her dress strewn about: Golden clasps and threads, finely detailed helms and jewelry to match. The yellow lining of her tailcoat flowed graciously with every clack of her black heels.

“Thank you for your service. You can leave us now!” she told the guards with a courteous smile, prompting them to step out before they closed the door behind her. 

Navia confidently strode past the Fourth Fatui Harbinger, not giving her more than a glance out the corner of her eye until she had graciously sat down in the chair opposite her. She fixed her gaze on Arlecchino.

Like two lakes reflecting moonlight in the dark of night, Navia’s bright blue eyes shimmered in the dim, almost burnt out, candlelight. Arlecchino certainly understood the aesthetic appeal of Navia, but seeing her like this made sense of Clorinde stumbling over her words whenever the two were around each other.

“Are you still relying on your past generosity to Poisson, or is there perhaps a different angle?” she asked, her smile turning curious. 

“I have requested your presence… for a personal matter. I have a favour to ask of you.” Arlecchino spoke slowly, hoping the tremble from her strained throat would not undermine her. She had been too busy falling into despair to realise how nervous the situation made her. After all, The Knave did not ask personal favours, but apparently , Arlecchino did . 

“So you’ve asked for Navia, not the president?” Navia clarified, cocking her head to one side. 

Arlecchino nodded. She knew she was taking a huge risk, asking Navia for help, but she had determined that she was her best option if she wanted to regain Furina’s trust. 

She took a deep breath and readied herself.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“Neuvillette and Furina believe that I’ve orchestrated an operation to deny Furina Neuvillette’s aid during her illness. I would have accomplished this by intercepting the care packages he sent to her, and then provided the solution to her ailment myself.” She made sure to keep her eyes on Navia, not wavering as she spoke of her sins never commited. “All of this so I could get on her good side, and learn what she knows of other important figures.” 

She paused, shifting one leg over the other, letting Navia process the information presented.

“Only half of that is true,” she finished with a heavy sigh. It was difficult to ignore the churning in her stomach upon hearing her evil deeds against Furina out of her own mouth. 

“Which half? The one where you committed the heinous crime of mail fraud, or the one where you emotionally manipulated a vulnerable woman for your own gain?” she asked nonchalantly, letting Arlecchino’s confession uncomfortably seep into her every pore.

Arlecchino had to fight back the growing lump in her throat before she could reply. The momentary silence was as painful as it was deafening.

“The latter… Or, well… that was the original idea,” she began, wincing as the truth left her lips. “Once I got to know Furina as a person, not as… the act she had put, I realised that she deserved none of what I had planned.” 

Arlecchino felt a smile on her lips. Her heart fluttered at the memory of first treating Furina. Furina had been stripped bare, and all Arlecchino could see was genuine and pure beauty.

“She deserved better than being deceived and used again,” she finished, averting her gaze. 

Her body stung with shame and her arms prickled. A part of her already regretted going through with this. The prickle continued down her legs. She wanted to be anywhere but here, she wanted to go back to Furina’s home.

Confessing her devious plan to Furina had been hard enough, but she had at least given her the comfort of forgiveness.

Saying it out loud a second time only made the sprouting guilt dig its roots further into Arlecchino’s ailing heart.

“So you’re telling me that you scrapped your entire evil scheme… because you realised that you liked a girl?”

“I stopped my evil scheme before I realised that I liked her like that,” Arlecchino reflexively corrected. Her cheeks reddened slightly as Navia’s signature ear to ear smile appeared on her face.

“So the rumours are true!” Navia exclaimed, eyes brightening. Arlecchino’s head snapped back to Navia and her eyes narrowed in tandem with her nails scraping against the stone table, but she remained silent.

“And you’re not denying it!” Navia teased mercilessly, unfazed by the cold stare of the Fatui Harbinger.

“Are you going somewhere with this?” Arlecchino asked, exasperation threatening to break through her cold demeanour as she willed the rosiness on her cheeks to disappear.

“As the president of the Spina di Rosula, it is important that I know as much as possible. Especially before I get involved. I’m sure you understand,” Navia said with a devilish wink. 

Arlecchino let out a small sigh as she slowly tapped her fingers against the table in frustration. If letting Navia relish in having the upper hand was what it took for her plan to succeed, then so be it. 

Anything for you, Furina.

Navia played with one of her curls as she examined the Fatui Harbinger in front of her.

“Alright, so you cancelled your evil scheme because you do at least somewhat care about people, especially a pretty lady such as Miss Furina.”

“I am the father of multiple children.”

“Whom you train to do your literal dirty work.”

Arlecchino leaned in close to Navia, meeting her mischievous blue eyes with her own simmering red crosses as the rattling of chains echoed against the damp walls.

“You try running an orphanage, and I’d love to hear about a better way of raising your children to have discipline and creativity,” Arlecchino replied sharply. 

Navia was allowed to push a lot of buttons, her plan almost hinged on it, but her parenthood was not one of them. She had much preferred Navia when she had a village to save and was desperate for aid. It was far better than whatever this was.

“If Clorinde and I ever decide to start a family, you’ll be the first person I go to for advice,” Navia replied, her smile somehow growing wider as she raised a defiant eyebrow.

Arlecchino leaned back and cleared her throat. Exchanging snide remarks would not expedite her reunion with Furina.

“My current predicament renders me unable to acquire the evidence I need myself, but I know how to procure it. I just need someone outside of the Fatui who can help bring some bad people to justice.” 

Navia’s face turned serious, although the mischievous glint in her eyes remained.

“And why should I do it?”

“You’re competent and capable, and you know when to keep quiet,” Arlecchino stated, genuinely. 

“Sounds like the way you would describe most of your agents,” Navia replied as she inspected her nails, not letting Arlecchino’s flattery move her an inch.

“You’re smart, Navia, you do not squander good opportunities,” Arlecchino continued.  Despite her cool and serious tone, her heart was beating faster by the second. She was not getting through to her, and her nervousness only worsened for it. Arlecchino’s implied offer, that of a favour with a Fatui Harbinger, earned her no more than a quiet tilt of Navia’s head.

Arlecchino had expected the president to jump at an opportunity to work with her again. Unlike the last time they cooperated, Navia was ruthless and calculating, unaccounted for in Arlecchino’s plan.

Seldom could someone turn silence against The Knave. Perhaps, it was another weakness exclusive to Arlecchino. She sighed, knowing that what she was about to say was far removed from anything she had ever done before.

“You, if anyone, can understand my predicament with Furina,” she added, and saw Navia’s eyebrows quirk at her explanation. Sharing her affectionate feelings was not something Arlecchino had ever been in the business of doing. It had always kept her safe before, kept her safe, but times were different now.

“What makes you say that?”

“Do you not think Clorinde would fight the Heavenly Principles itself just for another dinner date with you? Just to see you one more time? Just to hear you laugh?” Arlecchino asked, her eyes glistening in the candlelight. 

“Of course, but she only…” the rest of the sentence died in Navia’s throat.

“Killed your father?” Arlecchino finished for her, and Navia deflated. Blue eyes found the floor at the mention of the painful past. Arlecchino clenched her jaw as the rest of her body tensed up. 

Did I push too far?

Navia's cheerful exterior peeled away to reveal something softer, something vulnerable. She was fumbling for the right words, and Arle had no intention of wasting such an opening.

“Arlecchino I-”

“I don’t know what it’s like to be on your end of this…” Arlecchino interjected, motioning aimlessly with her hands, as though trying to pull the right words from the stuffy air around them. Navia’s unfocused gaze sharpened as it shot from the floor to Arlecchino. A Wordless threat hung on her lips as she waited for Arle to finish. “... this relationship dynamic, but from my side, the side that holds guilt… I wake every day and regret what I did to Furina,” she admitted. Navia gave a small tilt of her head again.

At least she is still here…

“I do not know Clorinde on a personal level, but I would imagine she has, or at least had, a similar struggle to mine,” Arlecchino pressed on, trying her best to ignore the choking roots of guilt entangling her entire chest.

“You don’t know her like I do,” Navia said defensively, frustration coating her words.

“And I don’t claim to. I’m just trying to make you understand where I am coming from,” Arlecchino explained, her expression softened. It had begun happening a lot with Furina, the mask of a lifetime slowly slipping away. Even the mere mention of her was enough for Arlecchino’s perfectly built defenses to falter.

Honesty makes you weak. The words of “Mother” returned to haunt her.

Sometimes, the truth can be very kind, a far more welcome voice interjected. Arle had to bite back a smile at the thought of Furina confronting the demon of her past.

Maybe she could have saved Clervie? 

It was an awful thought that she had absolutely no time to consider. She forced it into the far recesses of her mind, another thought stowed away to be confronted by at another untimely moment.

“I do not know anyone else who could understand what it is like to have permanently hurt the woman you love the absolute most in the world,” she said, conviction and pain filling her voice as she kept fighting against the suffocating guilt.

Navia did not reply, seemingly turning over Arlecchino’s words in her mind. The look on her face was one Arlecchino could not discern. 

Was she seeing Arlecchino in a different light? Was she trying to parse whether she was being honest or not? Was she thinking of how she would regain the upper hand in their conversation?

The silence was once again killing her. Arlecchino’s tapping returned. This time, not with rhythmic frustration, but rather, with anxious discord. 

She has the perfect opportunity to walk away right now and expose me, much to her own benefit . 

“You actually love her?” Navia asked finally. Her voice was softer, more careful this time. It was like she was talking to someone fragile, not a Fatui Harbinger.

“Yes, a thousand times yes . She means the world to me. I would do anything for her!” she exclaimed. Her heart pounded against the roots constricting it, like a cage too small for its captive.

“It is easy to say, harder to do . ”

“What more do I need to do to prove it?!” Arlecchino cried out as she rose from her seat. Her heartbeat was almost loud enough to drown out the rattle of her restraints as she struggled against them. She drew heavy breaths as she stared down Navia. She was hunched over and restrained, her tattered visage akin to a wild animal rather than a refined Fatui Harbinger. “Do you not think I would relish the chance to fight, to make a daring escape from the Iudex and his guard? Do you not think I could have used various means to get out of here long ago?” She barely registered how Navia recoiled, nor how she instinctively reached for the axe at her side. 

“I could find my own damn exculpatory evidence if I truly desired! Do you not think I’m tempted to leave a trail of ash wherever I walk?” Arlecchino continued, her gaze now boring into the blonde woman’s eyes. Navia was holding her breath, frozen in place. Last night’s emotions were bubbling over and Arlecchino was tired of no one believing her. Tired of putting herself out there and only getting suspicion in return. It was all too much, all spilling out, with none of the control she so desperately had trained all of her life to have.

“However, I choose not to. Because Furina makes me want to do better. Because I want to show her, and everyone around her, that I am not the monster people think I am.”

The image of Navia started to blur. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. 

Navia finally let go of the breath she was holding, coming out of a momentary stupor.

“Arlecchino…” she mumbled. When Arlecchino blinked away the rogue tears, she was met with wide shimmering eyes, and a mouth that hung slightly agape. The only other person to ever regard her with such pity was Furina. Remembering Furina consoling her only spurred on more tears. This time, she was ready. Arle wiped them away to the tune of her chains rattling.

Sympathy lingered on Navia’s face, but she tensed up as she looked over Arlecchino. It seemed like her mind had finally reminded her that she was talking to a Fatui Harbinger.

For once, I am being genuine. Please, believe me.

“That’s all well and good, but why ask for me specifically? I am sure you know other people with heartstrings to pull at.”

Arlecchino recoiled, shoulders rising as she averted her eyes. The implication that she only asked for Navia to manipulate her stung, though it was nought but a drop of pain in the ocean of her despair. 

“Because you are the only person I could think of who would help me, who would understand me.”

It’s not technically manipulation if you are earnestly asking for help, right?

Any trace of sympathy on her face disappeared as Navia crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. She let silence dominate the conversation, not willing to give Arlecchino an inch without an offer of a hundred miles.

I need your help, why can you not trust me? What must I say to make you realise that I only have good intentions?

“If Clorinde asked me for help in any matter pertaining to you, would you not wish that I should aid her to the best of my ability? What if it was Poisson again?”

“You got a Gnosis out of Poisson.”

“But if it was Clorinde I would gain nothing!”

“So helping Poisson was only to get your hands on the Gnosis!” Navia snarled, rising from her chair to stare daggers down at the hunched over Arlecchino.

“Would it be so bad if I wanted to help you and further my own goals?” Arlecchino admitted. Hurt and anger mixed as the prickling grew into a burning sensation that spread across her body. She had to bite her tongue to prevent her flaring emotions from summoning her pyro powers and melting her restraints. 

“Let me ask you this,” Navia began through gritted teeth. “Are you here purely out of the goodness of your own heart?”

Navia’s nostrils flared.

“If you found my aid to Poisson lacking in any way, I would happily offer you and your people more.”

Again, she was being earnest, and again she was suspected to have any motive other than wanting to reconcile with the person she loved. Perhaps, she had built too good of a persona as The Knave.

Navia opened her mouth, then hesitated. Slowly, it closed again. She furrowed her brows and started to stroke her chin. This time, the silence did not seem like an attempt to gain the upper hand, rather needed for Navia to gather herself.

“You would offer Poisson further aid?” she asked finally, an expectant glimmer in her eyes.

“When I told you I was asking a favor, It was with full intent to return it.”

Navia took a deep breath before sitting back down.

“This may all be part of some twisted game, but if Poisson can benefit from it, I will hear you out.”

A tear rolled down Arlecchino’s chin as she felt a tiny seedling of hope start to grow against the tangle of guilt suffocating her heart. The heat in her arms dissipated and she felt her muscles relax for the first time since setting her foot in the dungeon.

Arlecchino slowly returned to her seat, joining Navia at the stone table.

“Navia, I will show you and anyone else that Furina means the world to me. That is my only ulterior motive in helping Poisson this time,” she said, faint warmth creeping into her voice.

A small smile appeared on Navia’s lips as she narrowed her gleaming eyes in a way that was both mischievous and sympathetic, like a cat preparing for tomfoolery.

“Let’s put that to the test. You said a favor. How about you owe me three? One of them for Poisson, the other two I can call in whenever I want?” 

“Deal,” Arlecchino replied, faster than she could think. She hadn’t sounded this desperate since… the duel . An image of Clervie flashed before her, the roots of guilt tightened.

It’s not your fault.

The voice was a distant echo, tinged with a kindness Peruere could never forget. It made her heart feel lighter, the choking feeling pushed back by a long lost sweetness.

Navia’s voice prevented Arlecchino from diving any deeper into the recesses of her mind.

“Either you are a better actress than Miss Furina herself, or you really are desperate,” Navia noted playfully and leaned forward. Somehow, a teasing Navia was better than an infuriated one. Arlecchino slotted that information into her mental dossier on the blonde. Some instincts never left her, even when completely heartbroken.

Arlecchino sighed and rolled her eyes, a smile returning to her face as her back-and-forth teasing with Furina sprung to mind.

“I truly would do anything for her,” Arlecchino repeated dreamily. Her tone caught her off-guard just as much as it did Navia. The president of the Spina Di Rosula gave her an empathic smile as her eyes softened.

“Clorinde told me something similar,” she mumbled, a hint of red on her cheeks.

Arlecchino perked up, cast out of her dreamy haze. A part of her wanted to offer Navia more favours in exchange for learning everything about how Navia and Clorinde worked through their grievances and became the happy couple that they were. However, none of Navia’s probably wonderfully romantic tips would matter if Furina would not speak to her.

“I would love to hear all about it… Once this is all behind us,” Arlecchino noted curiously. The sudden burst of friendliness was not something she had planned. Then again, this whole situation was the most unplanned thing she had done possibly ever.

The seemingly genuine curiosity coming from The Fatui Harbinger prompted Navia’s smile to grow wider.

“I hope that doesn’t count as one of my favors?” she teased, and Arlecchino could not help the chuckle that escaped her. Laughter helped ease her tense body, and the seedling of hope began to sprout its wishful stalks. Not enough to uproot the guilt, but enough to make breathing feel like a viable task.

Arlecchino shook her head as the smile on her face grew in tandem with Navia’s.

“Then I assume The Great Fatui Harbinger has a plan?” Navia said in a mock proper tone. Something she could only describe as sweetness bubbled in Arlecchino’s heart. She had always found Navia naïve and bothersome, yet here she was, laughing. Was she… warming up to the idea of Navia’s unapologetic and bubbly personality?

Perhaps, a personality like this one required oneself to let down one’s own walls, at least little, or perhaps, she was just glad to finally have an ally.

Maybe, just maybe , attempting to make a friend down the road was not all bad. But such frivolous thoughts, however enjoyable, would have to wait.

“The plan is as follows,” Arlecchino began, and Navia regarded her expectantly as she leaned in closer. Navia’s warm smile turned into a conniving and determined smirk while Arlecchino’s disappeared into a slit. Two of Fontaine’s most cunning schemers were now working together, and the stale air around them seemed to charge with crackling energy as Arlecchino spoke, lowering her voice.

“Go to The House of The Hearth. Find Lyney and Lynette. Tell them that “Father is out of the nest”. They need to find Mr. Ivanovei’s commander. He is the one who organised and sanctioned the thefts,” she explained. Navia gave her an understanding nod.

“You couldn’t call your children here, it might tip off the commander and spook him.”

“Correct,” Arlecchino replied. She saw Navia clench her jaw and narrow her eyes as she acquired a new target for her hatred.

“Lynette needs to track down the correct encampment. You will need to acquire his logs, one way or another. They will detail their dealings in Fontaine, which will show that I am innocent in the ploy that the Iudex and Furina suspect me of,” she finished, only a slight tremble slipping into her voice. Arlecchino had given more mission briefings than she could count, yet, this one made her more nervous than sending a child on their first solo mission. 

Adding insult to injury, speaking Furina’s name still made the vines and roots tighten into a pain no blade could ever elicit.

“So it’s just Furina between you two, dropping titles and all,” Navia said, breaking her serious demeanour for a moment. Much akin to Lyney, Arlecchino noted. Navia chuckled in amusement when she saw Arlecchino blush at her remark.

If Navia finds success with such impudent behaviour, Lyney will be an even better successor than expected… she noted. Hopeful thoughts of Lyney made the sprout in her heart grow even more.

Navia cleared her throat, returning them to the situation at hand.

“I assume this is a time-sensitive matter. We’ll need me to move swiftly and covertly?” Arlecchino nodded. Navia’s ability to ride the line between businesswoman, and puckish rogue, continued to impress Arlecchino. 

“You should pretend to reject my offer. The Fatui commander could have spies within the Garde,” she instructed. Navia nodded wordlessly. The Fatui having spies in the Garde was not a secret Arlecchino let leave lightly, especially not considering she was talking to the girlfriend of the Champion Duelist. Still, should any of her own insiders get caught, that would merely be necessary pruning of unskilled operatives.

“I’ll go see them immediately,” Navia whispered back, eyes ablaze. Navia’s words made rainbow roses of hope blossom in her chest. She could finally take her first full breath of air since entering the stuffy interrogation room. 

Navia cracked her knuckles and stretched her arms in preparation. Until now, it had escaped Arlecchino just how well-built the woman opposite her was. With a slight flex of her muscled arm as she opened and closed her hand, she nodded to Arlecchino, and Arle nodded back.

A loud smack echoed against the stone walls as Navia slapped Arlecchino across the face. The pain stung more than any of the cuts she had received last night. Whether that was an impressive feat, or further disappointment towards The Fatui agents, she had no time to ponder.

“YOU STAY AWAY FROM MISS FURINA, YOU FATUI CRETIN! I’LL NEVER MAKE A DEAL WITH YOU. NEVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN, YOU MONSTER!” Navia aggressively flew out of her chair, winked at Arlecchino, stormed out, and slammed the door shut.

“Inform Monsieur Neuvillette that I will NOT be her civilian contact.  She can find another pawn to do her publicity work!” 

Arlecchino could barely hear Navia’s muffled yelling through the door. It felt reassuring to know how hard it was to eavesdrop on anything said within the room. Never before had she been so thankful for Fontainian prison architecture.

The guards bumbled into the interrogation room, their looks of bewilderment growing to exasperation when they looked upon Arlecchino. The slap must have left a visible mark. Most people in Teyvat would never dream of laying a finger on a Fatui Harbinger, much less slap one.

Thanking her internal discipline, Arlecchino started to sniffle. What she wanted to do was cheer with joy and throw a lavish party in Navia’s honor, but for now, she had to be patient. Happiness and hope coursed through her shaking body, a masquerade of sorrow playing out in front of the guards. 

Navia had been convincing, and if Arlecchino hoped to outsmart the puppetmaster that had, to some extent, put her in this predicament, she needed to play her part too. 

Tapping into the heartache of the last twenty-four hours was not very difficult. Her sniffling quickly turned into actual crying as she let the scene of a hurt and angry Furina yelling at her play in her mind. 

Everything could wait, as long as it was for her.

Eventually, the guards closed the door and returned to their stations outside. She was alone once again, yet, the familiar feelings of sorrow and despair were nowhere to be found.

As her eight hours passed, Neuvillette did not come back. Arlecchino surmised that Navia’s façade was holding up well, another small check on her list of comforts. It was a necessary deception of one of Furina’s closest friends. Hopefully, they would one day see eye to eye.

Instead of Neuvillette, a few of the Garde entered the interrogation room. She hung her head low and let somber feelings coat her exterior while the guards detached her shackles from the table and led her back to the cell. 

The Knave felt that far too many people had seen her crying lately, but for the sake of acquitting her of crimes against Furina, Arlecchino would happily let all of Fontaine watch her weep.

As she sat back on the cold, sorry excuse for a bed of her prison cell, she triumphantly held on to the hope that Navia had brought her.

“I am not losing you, Furina,” she mumbled to herself.

She had done everything she could. Now, patience was her only virtue.

Her own voice and Clervie’s coalesced into one:

This time, it will be different . 

She had gambled her future with Furina, her own reputation and freedom as the wager, on a a woman previously deceived and used by her at the center of it. 

Oh Furina, what mess would I not get into just to see you again?

Navia

Navia took a deep breath of evening air when she exited the underground prison beneath the Palais Mermonia. The refreshing smell of sea water was perfectly complemented by the setting sun casting its warm glow over Fontaine. The soft chirping of birds and the pitter-patter of critters scurrying about in the nearby hedges reminded her of Poisson, familiar and calm. She relished the feeling of the light breeze tugging on her hat and dress.

She suppressed the upwards tug at her lips. After all, she still had a show to put on.

Wasting no more time drinking in the soothing scene, she growled and balled her hands into fists. She turned to one of the members of the Garde stationed at the dungeon entrance with fury in her eyes.

“Can you believe that woman?! She has the GALL to ask for me as her civil contact. I never want to speak to her ever again!” she spat out, and both Gardes recoiled at her display.

“Uhm… I…”

“Don’t bother. I do not need your opinion,” she growled before storming off. She felt the Gardes exchange glances as she fought back another smile.

It’s been a little too long since I pulled something like this.

Memories of her latest misdirection came to her. 

It was when we tricked Miss Furina…

Being reminded of her lack of apology to Furina made a bullet of guilt lodge itself in her chest. 

Bailing her totally-not-girlfriend out of prison is probably a good start, right?

Her focus returned to the task at hand. She had a plan to execute, and failing was not on her agenda. Navia stomped away from the Palais Mermonia, her heels clicking violently against the marble stairs as she descended towards the main streets of Fontaine. Coming to a landing, she rudely pushed two well-clad passersby apart. They spun around to complain, mouths agape.

“Stay out of my way, I am in no mood to be impeded,” she said sharply. Navia did not have time to witness their stunned silence as she continued acting out her enraged jaunt.

While Navia would never openly admit it, Arlecchino had played her heartstrings perfectly. She could still picture the first meal she had shared with Clorinde after they made up: the warm light perfectly reflected in her mesmerizing eyes, reassuring and heart-melting words leaving her beautiful lips. Navia had long been smitten, but hearing Clorinde speak at length about duelling techniques and about her adventures in the roleplaying game “Marechausse Hunter” had solidified how wonderful and passionate a woman she was.

If she hadn’t known better, Navia would have walked all the way to The House of the Hearth sighing dreamily. She missed her girlfriend so much. 

To Navia’s dismay, Clorinde had been sick with the same thing Furina had until yesterday. Being separated from her beloved over the past few weeks had been excruciating. However, it had been worth the wait. The first thing Clorinde did once cleared from the Melusines’ care was rush over to Poisson with a bouquet of flowers followed by a heartfelt speech detailing just how dearly she had missed Navia.

A few kisses and a shared meal later, they had both been dragged away by their respective duties. Clorinde was holding a late-night bootcamp to catch the new recruits up to speed. 

Navia only despised her lavishly large bed when she wasn’t sharing it with her dear duelist. Arlecchino’s impromptu cry for help would at least keep her away from another agonizing night of trying to fall asleep in complete luxury, without Clorinde.

She would probably have to tell her girlfriend about the possibility of one, or several, Fatui insiders in the Garde…

Cuddles first, then I will tell my her . She decided.

My girlfriend, she thought. Warmth swelled in her stomach, and a pleasant buzz rung out through her arms and legs.

Navia never really got tired of letting that word flow through her mind and cross her lips.

Focus, we’re on unofficial business! she reminded herself. 

Her helping someone like The Knave seemed bizarre. Accepting help when her town and organisation needed it the most was one thing. Willingly going along with a plan as, allegedly, a personal favor to The Knave was something completely different.

Would it be so bad if I wanted to help you and further my own goals? The Knave’s words repeated in her mind. Whether she was being genuine, Navia did not know. Did her actions in Poisson mirror that of her relationship with Furina. There was no doubt in her mind that Arlecchino clearly loved Furina, but was she also hoping to gain something by having a relationship with her? Was her original scheme, the one she had confessed to planning out before even going to Furina’s home, still in play some how?

The situation with The Knave and Poisson had made Navia view her in a surprisingly positive light, but learning she had used it to get the Gnosis from Neuvillette had shifted it into one of suspicion and doubt.

Arlecchino had not denied that part of helping Navia and her people was to further her own goals. Yet, she had also seemed sincere in wanting to help and proving that she was not all bad. The flooding of Poisson had shown that there was kindness in the heart of the fourth Fatui Harbinger, and perhaps a certain former Archon was teaching her not to fear it.

If Arlecchino has the audacity to claim that her love for Furina compares to Clorinde’s love for me… I’ll have to put that to the test.

The first part of that test would take place here: The House of the Hearth.

She was still striding forwards when her knuckle started rapping on the sleek-looking dark wooden door.

“Navia?” a puzzled voice said. Lyney had opened the door. His brows were furrowed as he scanned the unexpected visitor.

“I DEMAND TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE IN HERE, WHAT THE KNAVE DID IS UNACCEPTABLE!” she yelled. One could never be sure that they were not being watched, despite no Gardes being visible in the vicinity.

She shoved her way inside, Lyney staggering back as she headed for the stairs behind him. Navia barely had time to take in the room as she ascended the elegant stairs, made out of the same wood as the door. Some kind of dark red metal laced the railing she used for momentum to heave herself upwards. The velvet carpet softened the sound of her heels. Soon, she found herself at the beginning of a long corridor. Lyney hurried to close the door before running after her.

She scanned her surroundings. Four doors, two on each side of the wall, adorned with beautiful silver patterns. For a moment, she stood mesmerised by them, until she noticed the door at the far end of the hallway. A swirly, four-winged emblem in dark red, surrounded by silver that matched the other doors, stared back at her. 

She felt uneasy, reminded of just who she had decided to work with.

“Navia, wait, what’s going on?” Lyney called, halfway up the stairs. Shaking off her momentary hesitation, Navia dashed for the closest room and threw open the door.

Four bunk beds with green covers lined two sides of the room, and matching dark, wooden nightstands and chests of drawers filled out the rest of the walls. On the far end of the spacious room was a window with drawn, green curtains. 

Navia knew that she had entered a Fatui orphanage, but she had not expected the scene before her. Nine children were huddled around Lynette, who sat on one of the beds, reading them a children’s book in the light of one small candle. Lynette wore a dark dress with turquoise accents, and met Navia with her usual expressionless face. Despite it, the twitch of her grey cat-like ear that matched her hair, and the way her tail slowly swayed behind her, was surely an indicator of some kind of emotion. At least for someone that knew her better than Navia did. It was all surprisingly mundane and calm for the orphanage known for producing the Fatui’s youngest, most dangerous, operatives.

“Miss Navia, what are you doing here?” she asked, monotone as ever. Navia opened her mouth, then closed it again. Ten sets of young, illuminated eyes regarded her. Navia had too many things to comment on for any of it to manifest into words.

“I am looking for you and your brother,” she finally managed. The children turned and looked at Lynette. Although confused, they seemed to trust and respect her on a level that Navia had hardly encountered anywhere but within her own closest circles.

“Well, you certainly found us,” Lyney joked between shallow puffs of air, placing himself next to Navia and leaning against the door frame. 

Navia looked at him, her mouth a barely visible split. Instantly, his windedness dissipated as light blue met steady violet. 

“Father has left the nest,” she said sternly, hoping she had remembered the phrase correctly. 

Lyney quickly glanced at Lynette before looking back at Navia.

“Come with us.” 

His playful demeanour had turned serious. Lynette whispered something to the children and they scattered to their own rooms before Navia had a chance to react.

The twins led her into their room, the one on the left, closest to The Knave’s office.

“What happened, and how do you know of Father’s whereabouts?” Lyney asked, both accusatory and concerned.

“She… asked for me,” Navia said, surprised to see concern so clearly displayed on a Fatui operative’s face. “As her civilian contact. She’s currently detained, suspected of stealing from Miss Furina, and of attempting to attack her last night.”

The statement garnered another shared look between the twins.

“That doesn’t make sense,” said Lyney as he scratched the side of his head, wracking his brain to understand the situation.

“Why not?” Navia knew that she should be focused on giving the twins the necessary information, but one did not keep their position as president of the Spina di Rosula without trying to dig deeper when presented with the opportunity.

“Well…” Lyney started, regarding Navia cautiously. 

Navia had to fight back a curious smile, seeing the young man hesitate. It was rather nice to be the one holding all the cards against The Fatui, again .

“Lately, father has been…” he paused for a moment, while Navia continued struggling to conceal her curiosity by keeping her eyebrows in check.

While her brother tried to find the right words, Lynette was studying Navia. She had been analysed a million times before, and found keeping others in the dark as natural as breathing. Still, she could not shake the feeling that Lynette saw through part of her façade.

“If it helps: The more I know of the situation, the more I can aid you. We both want the same thing,” Navia said. It wasn’t technically a lie, it just wasn’t the whole truth. Lynette seemed unconvinced, but didn’t push back. 

Progress .

“Father has been spending quite some time at Miss Furina’s place lately. We all have our theories as to why, but with how she’s been acting about the whole situation, it seems highly unlikely she would attack and steal from Miss Furina. At least, ever since-” Lynette cleared her throat loudly, cutting Lyney’s ramblings short.

“I believe Navia has been given more than enough context, dear brother,” she cut in pointedly. 

Lyney gave his sister a sheepish smile before turning back to Navia.

“Right,” he said with a chuckle, “it seems I got carried away. I assume Father has a plan?” he asked. 

Clearly, the older twin was just as invested in whatever was going on between Arlecchino and Miss Furina as the rest of Fontaine. 

Stifling her triumphant smile, Navia proceeded to explain Arlecchino’s plan to her children. Lynette was grabbing her gear before Navia had finished, and Lyney was dashing out of the room the moment she mentioned Mr. Ivanovei’s commander. In seven short minutes, the twins were fully prepared and had a destination in mind.

“We can handle this on our own, if you would prefer to stay out of Fatui dealings,” Lynette offered, the guise of kindness a familiar sight for the president of the Spina di Rosula.

Navia chuckled. She had saved Fontaine with these two, yet one of them was still trying to keep Navia at arm’s length. It was truly commendable. How she found a way to be diplomatic yet calculating, it fascinated her. Every interaction with Lynette made her understand better why Arlecchino favored her just as much as her brother.

“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think your father would be too pleased if I left the two of you to do all of the work,” she said, smiling. Lyney nodded fervently, and his shoulders relaxed. Trust came far easier for Lyney than it did Lynette, another intriguing contrast between the two. 

“Miss Navia, we’ll be taking the secret exit,” Lyney said, walking past her and taking a right turn at the bottom of the stairs. Navia caught the chastising look from Lynette, as well as Lyney’s pleading glance back. 

The reluctant cat and the excitable dog, she observed as Lyney led them through a series of winding corridors on the ground floor before they exited out into what seemed to be one of the many dark and abandoned sewage tunnels of Fontaine. 

The smell of stale water and mold permeated her nose. While unpleasant, it was not unfamiliar to her. The dank air and the water droplets falling from a crack somewhere above the pitch-black tunnel was an oddly comforting feeling to Navia.

Lyney lit a hooded lantern, illuminating the rock walls of the circular tunnel.

Navia rolled her tongue, trying not to let out an impressive whistle. During her time as president, she had made efforts to map out the entire city of Fontaine, but every so often she still found spots she had missed. The tunnel leading to The House of the Hearth was one such white spot.

Lyney, seemingly unbothered, or just putting up a very well-practiced façade, effortlessly led the trio through twisting paths and winding steps. As they moved over the cold stone floors and past the stagnant water pools of the sewers, Lyney explained that Father’s intel was correct. 

Ivanovei’s commander was a Fatui Commander known as “Crimson”. While not officially under Dottore’s command, it was an open secret that Crimson carried out his will without question. He would most likely not possess any evidence tying back to The Doctor, but certainly something that would make it apparent that his orders did not come from The Knave. 

According to their findings, this “Crimson” had set up camp in Mont Esus East, it followed an old Fatui routine, one used before the previous Knave had seen The Fatui’s presence              legitimized within the Court of Fontaine.

Navia wanted to prod them for more information about the inner workings of the Fatui, but Lynette’s sharp gaze and lowered ears signaled for her to not push her luck. She was already making out like a bandit, getting three favors from a Fatui Harbinger. Interrogating a favored child of The Knave would do her no good now.

Perhaps, she should focus some of her intel-gathering on who the next power couple of Fontaine would be? So far, it had been very beneficial to be in the eye of the storm that was the former Archon and her lovestruck Harbinger…

Eventually, they exited the tunnels north of The Court of Fontaine. The fresh smell of grass and pine coming from the lush, green hills of Fontaine was a pleasant change from the acquired smell of the sewers. Navia took a deep breath, enjoying the birdsong here, distinct from the birds residing in the city center. In the distance, she could hear seagulls and crashing ocean waves. Such sounds were like music to someone from Poisson.  

The moment they stepped outside, Lynette’s nose scrunched up. She sniffed twice, before briskly heading north. Lyney had found an old document on the commander they sought, and it had not taken long for Lynette to find an item with his scent among Arlecchino’s things. While it was odd, it was far from the weirdest thing Navia had encountered in her days as the president of the Spina di Rosula.

“She always does this,” Lyney mumbled and Navia could not help but chuckle as they followed the feline twin.

The journey would take them the remaining daylight hours, and perhaps a few hours into night. They had all seemingly come to a silent agreement to see their task finished by the next dawn.

The soft grass compressing under each step of Navia’s shoes felt reassuring. As nice as the streets of Fontaine were, walking on earth always grounded her in ways stone roads never could.

As they journeyed northward, Lynette’s distance from the other two grew, and Navia found her curiosity getting the better of her.

“So, you said that you all had different theories of why your father has been spending more time at Miss Furina’s place. What’s your theory?” she asked innocently. 

Her reputation might precede her, but she had always found that the desire to speculate about others was a force that seldom met its match. Lyney opened and closed his mouth. His eyes traced the ground and his jaw shifted as he weighed his next words carefully.

“I’ll answer that if you answer a question first,” he finally offered, meeting her eyes with a coy smile on his lips. “What did Father offer you in return for doing this?”

“Merely that she’d owe me a favor or two,” Navia said nonchalantly, as if commenting on the color of the sky, rather than bragging about the prospect of having Fatui favors in her back pocket.

“Father never deals in vague terms. How many favors?” Lyney shot back.

There’s that prodigal shrewdness he’s known for .

“Three. Does she usually hand out that amount?” she asked, once again feigning innocence. Lyney going wide-eyed at her response told her more than she could have ever asked for.

He is still in training after all, she mused. Lyney cleared his throat and tried to refocus his gaze, allowing his face to regain its usual friendly demeanour.

“I don’t keep track, but I would say anyone should be happy to have three favors from a Harbinger,” he laughed graciously while flashing a practiced smile.

“Then I assume I should feel honored that The Knave chose me for a task worthy of three favors?” Navia replied, returning the smile.

“Now, now,” Lyney chided. “If I answered that, you would be getting two questions for the price of one. That hardly seems fair?” he said with a wink. 

Navia gave a genuine and hearty laugh. It was oddly refreshing to be around someone so clearly on guard, yet displaying no signs of hostility. 

“Then I’ll ask my question properly this time: What is your theory about Arlecchino and Miss Furina?” she asked. Navia felt her shoe meet the hard gravel of the uphill road they had come to. When the cloud of dust they kicked up cleared, she saw Lyney’s eyes glow with excitement. Navia was certain that this was not the first time he had discussed the matter.

“Hmm, Father speaks of Miss Furina with a kind of adoration and reverence I’ve only ever heard when she speaks about us children, or The Tsaritsa,” he began thoughtfully, stroking his chin as his eyes fell on the ground. “It is, however, laced with something different. It is a gentleness I have never seen before, and it is reflecting in her. The mere mention of her name makes Father’s shoulders sag, and her eyes shimmer in a way that I would almost dare say would be that of someone in love.” 

He sighed dreamily before continuing:

“Perhaps I am merely projecting my own feelings for a certain person, but I am my father’s son, and looking for similarities is probably not a fool’s errand in this situation.” 

A slight blush crept up Lyney’s face, realizing how much he had just shared.

Navia pondered whether to tease the young Fatui about disseminating his own lovestruck longing. After all, It wasn’t hard for her to guess who had the magician smitten. In the end, she decided against it. Better not prod the wolf’s pups too much. Instead, she gave Lyney an affirmative hum and a friendly smile. Navia was genuinely thankful for the information he had shared, even though all it really did was confirm her suspicions. 

The only thing a woman of Arlecchino’s stature would get imprisoned for was someone, or something, she cared very deeply for. Part of her wanted to ask if the twins thought their father would go to prison for their sake as well, but it was a question she thought best left unasked, for the time being.

Despite hearing Lyney’s speculations, she wasn’t convinced of Arlecchino’s true motives. It had all happened rather fast. In just a few weeks, one of Fontaine’s coldest women is swooning over the remnants of a god? In addition, as Arlecchino herself admitted, Furina was in good standing with some of Fontaine’s most important players.

On the other hand, there were too many weak links for it to seem like a proper Fatui operation, one such link being Navia herself. She could have easily used the information Arlecchino volunteered to further her own goals. There was none of the months worth of set-up their plans usually had. It lacked the calculated and precise movements that normally surrounded The Fatui. Even the original plan seemed like something set up out of a sudden desire for something, rather than a ploy for power. It was all too sloppy, too sudden, and most of all, too risky.

Other weak links included Neuvillette, the prison, just showing emotion towards Furina in general. It all seemed counter-intuitive to everything The Knave had worked to build. Even if she was faking her feelings for Furina, the display she put on still made her seem to be at the mercy of the other woman, something Navia had thought impossible for someone like The Knave. Either she was committing the perfect crime, making herself seem as un-Fatui-like as possible, or she really was putting all her cards on the table in a desperate attempt for one last chance with the person she loved.

Love can change you for the better, Clorinde’s wise and firm words echoed in her mind.

The varying facts and discrepancies gave Navia pause. Lyney’s perspective tipped the scales in favor of Arlecchino being honest, while The Fatui being The Fatui tipped it back against her. 

“Do you have any theories of your own?” Lyney asked, snapping Navia out of her ruminations. The silence had him squirming, the redness on his face only growing while he scratched the back of his neck. She filed away his apparent unease into the back of her mind. Just because she hoped to never have to use every tell and leverage against someone, didn’t mean that she would ignore or forget such information when she came upon it. However, she did not wish her current ally any discomfort, and gladly indulged him.

“Having spoken to Arlecchino myself, I see the validity of your theory. Most evidence would point to a conclusion similar to yours.” Her usual cheery tone faded away and took on a more analytical note as she met Lyney’s curious gaze with a raised eyebrow. “It’s just….” 

She paused, words lingering pensively in her throat as she deliberated how honest she should be, speaking with a Fatui operative . 

A newfound respect bloomed for Lyney. His eyes, shining like a puppy wanting a treat, were very hard to say no to. Exactly how a certain blonde she knew had been so clearly charmed by the dashing magician was becoming more apparent with each passing moment. Navia sighed and smiled apologetically, knowing what she was about to say.

“Well, remember that the last time The House helped me, it served to gain your Father a Gnosis. Her track record is… far from clean” she finished, letting her accusation hang in the air. 

She bore no ill will towards The House, but it was difficult for her to show Lyney any kind of honesty without also admitting her wariness. 

“Do you think others see me the way you view my father?” Lyney asked, a bit too quickly. 

Navia forced her eyes not to shoot wide open. The candor was surprising, and unlike any of his associates. Not only did he seem to have feelings for someone, but was also insecure about his connections affecting his success in that endeavour. 

“That depends on who. The average Fontainian would do well to regard you with suspicion,” Navia mused, and the way Lyney’s face dropped would have left a weaker woman heartbroken. “But if you have worked together in the past, perhaps you have established trust in that endeavour, especially if you haven’t broken it yet.” 

A smirk was working its way across her lips as she scanned Lyney’s face. While Navia was no romantic expert, she prided herself on how well everything worked between her and Clorinde, despite the universe seemingly conspiring to keep them apart.

“They… We’ve stood side by side in the face of disaster. And the closest thing to betrayal was a lie by omission, early in our… friendship,” he said bashfully.

“And have you apologized since?” Navia asked. 

Lyney nodded before breaking away from Navia’s piercing blue eyes. The slight tremble in his hands seemed to steady when he looked at Lynette. The bond between siblings was something Navia only knew second-hand, but the comfort it brought was very clear to her.

“They’ve accepted my apology, and we’ve even gone on what I think was a date? We had coffee together at Café Lutece,” he said tentatively, scanning the road and the darkening sky, as though seeking the answer in the scenery around them.

Like father, like son.

“Anything can be a date as long as you both think it is,” Navia said cheerily, eager to encourage romance wherever she found it.

Perhaps that is part of why I am going along with all of this?

“Well, we never said it was a date.”

“But did you consider it one?”

“If they did, I would too,” he said, defensively hiking his shoulders up. Unspoken feelings hung about him like a wet rag. Navia gave him a big smile and sighed.

I truly am a sucker for a good romance.

“Then maybe the next step is to ask if they consider it a date?” Navia offered. 

Hopefully, she could have an agent or two tail Lyney on his next date, for the good of The Spina, of course, not to sate her personal curiosity. She would never use her resources for a personal matter.

“That sounds terrifying,” Lyney said, chuckling.

“Says the son of The Knave.”

“Talking to Father is easier than confessing my love for someone”

“I suppose she must have a soft side, especially around Miss Furina,” she said, making a smooching face.

“Do you always speak this frivolously about powerful people you help out?”

“I am the president of the Spina Di Rosula. What’s the point if I can’t be a little cheeky to a scary Harbinger,” she laughed while wiggling her fingers and making ghost noises. 

Lyney’s anxious demeanour broke into a smile as he turned to look at Navia. No longer blushing, and this new smile seemed less rehearsed. It was softer, relaxed rather than sharp. It suited him, made him look cute. Or as cute as Navia could find any man…

“I think I’m starting to see why Father chose you for this mission, after all,” Lyney joked back, arms folded behind his head.

“Do you mean to say you didn’t immediately trust my capabilities?”

“Only a fool bases their trust on what is at their doorstep.” Lyney dropped his voice an octave, trying to mimic the raspy drawl of his father. “One must carefully examine the abilities of one’s allies before trusting them.” He finished his imitation of Arlecchino by interlocking his fingers and putting them under his chin. 

Navia felt her smirk turn into a smile. It was always refreshing to know that the people she had to be wary of were amusing, at least.

Night fell as they trudged on. While Navia and Lyney had to rely on what little light the environment provided, Lynette’s feline eyes thrived in the dark. As they stuck close to their silent wayfinder, the banter between Lyney and Navia subsided to let Lynette focus on navigating.

Trekking through the rolling hills and mountains north of central Fontaine, they eventually came across smoke in the distance. The trio readied themselves as they crept closer to the burning campfire. Navia couldn’t discern whether the hand signals that Lyney and Lynette used were Fatui, House of the Hearth, or their own creation. She made a mental note to one day learn the hand signals of at least the Fatui.

The camp lay nestled between a set of boulders, off the beaten path continuing north. Further beyond the camp was a ruined building that resembled a colosseum. Trees concealed most of the encampment, but two shadows were cast against the muddy ground. A light breeze tugged at Navia skirt, brushing against her skin as it whistled through the trees. She took a deep breath. Always being prepared for a fight was just one of many aspects of being the president of the Spina Di Rosula. She felt her senses sharpening when she scanned the dark surroundings. The faint shuffle of birds preparing to rest, the scuttle of squirrels darting through the grass, the distant crackling of the fire.

Lynette paused in front of one of the larger rocks overlooking the camp. She turned to face her two companions, piercing violet eyes gleaming at them in the night.

She pointed at them, and then up at the rock. While the other signs eluded her, these directions were clear. Lyney and Navia climbed up. The vantage point gave them a clear view of the camp below them, letting them study their targets before springing into action. The moment Lyney had nodded affirmation, Lynette disappeared into thin air, swallowed by the night.

Lyney leaned in close to Navia, his voice but a whisper:

“It might be better if you talk to them. If father’s suspicions are correct, they won’t take kindly to one of The Knave’s own appearing in their camp,” he whispered. 

Navia cocked her head and furrowed her brows.

“And how would my appearance be any better?”

“The odds aren’t great, but Lynette and I will be ready,” he affirmed. 

Navia bit her tongue. This was not the scenario she had imagined. She would be outnumbered four to one if the twins turned on her. On the other hand, they had no reason to turn on her while Navia was still a useful ally to The House, and her going missing having been last seen aggressively knocking on their door would do them no good. 

She searched Lyney’s face in the dim light, looking for signs of betrayal or apprehension in his serious expression. Lyney noticed her hesitation and sighed, his face softening.

“I see how this looks… I wish there was something I could offer to reassure you,” he said sorrowfully.

“Confirm to me whom you like,” Navia said, grinning to conceal her wariness. Lyney cocked his head.

“Really?” he hissed quietly. 

Navia gave him an innocent shrug as her heart started pounding. If she was going to spring a trap, she was at least going to have fun doing it. Lyney shifted his jaw, pondering the offer. Seconds crept by, and it seemed like minutes before Lyney spoke.

“It’s… The Traveller,” he conceded. 

The ardor of their earlier conversation was back. Either Navia had completely misjudged Lyney’s capacity for lying, or she did actually have two allies in the shadows. Either way, she felt a little better about what she was about to do.

With a teasing wink to the magician, Navia stood up and jumped down into the Fatui encampment. Hearing Lyney gasp when she leapt from their hiding spot further soothed her nerves.

The two Fatui around the campfire grunted and spun around to see Navia, just landed.

“Hello there,” she said cheerily, frills and puffy armbands billowing in the wind. 

Her heart beat even faster, fear replaced by excitement. Her legs buzzed from the impact of her landing, adrenaline starting to course through them.

The taller Fatui, clad in light blue, grabbed his firearm instinctively. The mask he wore distorted his grunts and growls, making them sound metallic. The other Fatui wore a purple hood, and a skintight bodysuit clung to her slender frame. Red eyes crackled with energy as she looked Navia up and down tentatively. Their surprise was another comfort to her. She relaxed and regarded the two with an innocent smile. 

The Fatui agents stood in silence, anticipation hanging in the air. Navia sighed. These Fatui lacked the courtesy of their Fontainian counterparts.

“I am looking for Commander Crimson,” Navia said with a lilt to her voice, her characteristic demeanour on full display.

From one of the two tents in the clearing came a third Fatui, a man dressed in red regalia and a sinister, bird-like mask. He sneered as he gave Navia a once over.

“That would be me,” he stated with a shrill voice. Navia put a hand on her hip, shifting her weight and raising an eyebrow. “Why have you come here?”

“I have come to bargain with you.”

“And what is it you wish to barter with?” 

The orange glow behind the slits in his mask narrowed.

“You hand over all documents currently in your possession, and I will let you leave Fontaine in one piece,” said Navia, and the blue Fatui chortled.

“And why would we do that?” he growled, amused. 

His comment earned him what Navia assumed to be a stern look from Crimson.

“We have every right to travel these roads, and we bear no ill intent,” the red Fatui said, unflinching in his feigned innocence.

“Perhaps you have every right according to the Fontainian government. Sadly for you, I am anything but the government,” Navia taunted, the buzz of excitement spreading to her arms.

“We will burn the papers if you make a move,” Crimson threatened.

“So you do have damning papers,” Navia confirmed excitedly. The exhilarating rush of baiting someone into giving up more than they intended had few equals.

“I am sure the Garde would love to hear all about it,” Navia continued. 

The agent in purple took a step towards her, thunder crackling from her hands.

“Perhaps we need to convince you to reconsider.” Her voice was distorted and alluring. 

“Persuade me,” Navia replied. 

She had no intent of accepting the meager bribe — three personal favors from a Harbinger was hard to outbid after all. However, she was curious to hear just what they might offer. A small gust blew through the camp, making their clothes flutter dramatically. Was it nature creating ironic suspense, or was one of the Fatui secretly wielding an anemo delusion?

“You leave with your life.” 

One of Crimson’s arm blades shimmered in the light of the fire. A smile crept up Navia’s face. She had not gotten to stretch her fighting legs in a while. The threat made her sigh happily.

As long as they attack me first, most things I do will be acting in self-defence, she reminded herself before returning to her regularly scheduled teasing. As much as she wanted to escalate, using her words was a wiser choice.

“That’s an interesting offer you put on the table…” Navia started, one arm over her chest supporting the other, mockingly stroking her chin.

“But is my life really worth not reading these fascinating Fatui documents?” she pestered while starting pace back and forth. “I mean, what if they hold the secret to eternal life? Maybe they tell of the rumoured sky of Teyvat? Oh, or maybe it’s saucy pictures of The Tsaritsa? Aren’t those things worth risking your life for?” 

She knew her taunting was working when annoyed Fatui grunts filled her ears.

“Perhaps you’re right. Maybe I should just go tell the Garde about your secret little get-together. I am sure it is all well documented, and that armed Snezhnayians are sanctioned to be here.”

Excitement bubbled in her stomach. She really had missed spending time in the field. It certainly beat dull meetings and endlessly listening to business propositions.

“Cease your walking! One more step and it is over for you, Lady ,” the man toting the gun growled.

“Is that a threat?” Navia asked and batted her eyelashes.

“It’s about to become one,” Commander Crimson spat as he started walking towards her.

Soft thuds rang out as the Fatui commander’s heavy boots meet the dirt. Navia could count each step without even looking. The agent moved quickly, but his anger made him stomp too hard. He would be easy to topple, if need be. Her blood was boiling to a crescendo, anticipation mixing with excitement. The only thing that could make this moment better would be if she was accompanied by this one really cool tune she knew (that, coincidentally, sounded eerily similar to Mick Gordon’s “the only thing they fear is you”). Sighing, she let the opening riffs play in her mind as the angry steps neared her.

The Fatui agent roared and swung at Navia. She heard the whoosh of the blade piercing the air as she quickly hopped out of the way. Avoiding the swing, her hands made quick work of unsheathing her golden battleaxe. The loud crash of metal against metal rang out when Navia parried the follow-up blow.

A tinge of electricity filled the air and Navia instinctively jumped to the side, unmarred by the muddy ground. A split second later she felt the air heat up as a crackling bolt of lightning struck the rock behind her, scattering a spray of sizzling pebbles.

“Is that what you Fatui call an attack?” she laughed, and the purple Fatui mage scowled. 

Her heart was pounding, her muscles pulsated. Her hands became one with the handle of Verdict. The weapon was finely balanced and she could feel how each of her minute and detailed adjustments shifted the weight of it. Navia tightened her grip and twisted her weapon, making an underhand swing in tandem with a step forward, letting her momentum aim her strike toward the red agent. The agent had no time to dodge, and a second clang rang out. The feedback of force rushing into Navia's arms sent a surge of dopamine buzzing through her entire body, and her smile grew. Watching her opponent tumble to the ground from the impact only added to her satisfaction.

Navia used the momentum to continue forward, her prone opponent becoming the perfect springboard for a leap towards the ice-wielding, light blue Fatui. The wind whistled in her ears and she arched her back to raise her axe high above her head. The Fatui started to pull the trigger on his freezing firearm, but the click never came. Something whistled by, louder than the wind, and two arrows sank into his chest. He staggered back, giving Navia the opening she needed. Her quiet thanks to Lyney was drowned out by the sound of Verdict cleaving the Fatui’s gun-wielding hand from his arm. Her axe sliced through him like butter, his flesh and bone little resistance to her superior strength. 

The scream of pain almost overpowered the sizzling of her third opponent charging another lightning bolt. She locked eyes with the mage at the last possible moment. She tensed her legs while remaining crouched over from her swing, ready to duck away.

A green shadow sank a sword into the electro-mage’s shoulder. Her lightning fizzled out, the crackling was replaced by the wet sound of flesh and a second scream joined the cacophony of harrowing pain. 

Lynette flickered into sight for a moment, before pulling her sword out and narrowly dodging a burst of retaliatory lightning.

The red commander grunted, forcing Navia’s attention back to him.

“For… The Tsaritsa, for The Doctor…” he wheezed as a fiery blade flew roaring into the walls of the tent, immediately engulfing it in flames. Navia felt her stomach drop and her eyes go wide. The excitement and buzz were quickly replaced by horror and panic. Her mental backing track turned into distressed drumming of her racing heart as the adrenaline rapidly drained.

“The documents!” she cried out, hearing a gasp from Lyney perched high on the rock above. The magician let loose another two arrows, hitting the Fatui mage and giving Navia a clear line to the growing inferno.

She couldn’t let those documents burn. She couldn’t lose her favors. She couldn’t let Arlecchino lose her chance with Furina! 

Navia felt the tendrils of heat hit her as she dashed for the tent. Bracing herself to enter, she had only one thought:

I truly am a sucker for a good romance.

Chapter Text

Furina

Furina stirred. She was not awake, nor was she asleep. Her mind trapped between the two states. Unable to rest and recover, unable to find respite from her racing thoughts and battling feelings, unable to tear herself from the torment that was her conciousness.

Her body was a hot, sticky mess, and yet, the moment a single toe escaped the confines of her covers it felt like dipping it in the coldest lakes of Snezhnaya. Her throat burned from crying, her chest contorted in sorrow, and her heart bled, pulsating in pain. What few thoughts she could conjure evaporated in the throes of her physical overstimulation. 

She tossed and turned, her arm crashing into the wall behind her bed. The sharp pain a faint  distraction from her turmoil, barely enough to wake her from her torturous half-slumber.

She sat up, each thought louder than the last. Recent memories intermingled with ancient experiences as they all formed into one heavy knot in her chest. Her head spun as her eyelids fluttered lethargically, the darkness of nothing a far greater danger than anything her eyes could perceive. Furina was on the precipice of another flashback, she needed to ground herself, anything to focus on, anything that would not force her to look deeper into the memories assaulting her mind.

Her bedroom was basked in moonlight, and the stars shone dimly in the night sky. It could have been a serene and beautiful scene, had the twinkling stars not been another reminder of shining red crosses looking at her as if she was the most important person in all of Teyvat.

Important…

That was one of the many wonderful feelings that Arlecchino had evoked. Her racing mind quieted. Arlecchino had made Furina feel important for who she was, rather than what she was. She had shown what love could look like, by taking care of her through her sickness, cooking and shopping for her when she could not. Arlecchino had gone above and beyond, indulging in her interests through discussions and jokes, adding insightful thoughts and commentary about reading and history. She even had opinions about fashion despite wearing the same damn outfit every day. The memory of Arle standing outside her door lugging an entire gramophone flashed by. The phantom presence of the device on the other side of the wall felt like vacant eyes staring through her soul.

But she is an evil Fatui! some self-preserving part of her reminded her. 

One that would not hesitate to use your trust against you, it continued. Furina gritted her teeth. She was on the precipice of falling into both sadness and anger, wanting neither. 

Furina cast her eyes to the moon high above, hoping that some magical being would descend down and sweep away the terrors of her mind.

Perhaps, Focalors’ true curse was setting me free. The thought had no time to fester as the ghost of Neuvillette sighed in her mind. She nodded, agreeing with the imaginary version of the Hydro Sovereign in her head.

That is too cruel a verdict for her. It is The Knave who has caused me suffering, not my humanity.

Thinking on her own had its perks, but there was a distinct lack of something .

A conversational partner would be nice.

A conversational partner that would understand all of me… The thought felt like a whisper, as if thinking it any louder would invite the feelings she wished so deeply to be rid of. 

Her arms and legs began buzzing as her vision grew blurry with tears, while the churning feeling of unease and rage mixed in the pit of her stomach. The unwanted emotions threatened to overtake her, and she found herself clamoring to a trick she thought long abandoned.

“ I kissed a Harbinger and lived to tell the tale!? would have been a hit series for the Yae Publishing House,” Furina joked out loud, ignoring the shakiness in her voice. She rewarded her own efforts with a weak snicker.

“Not a bad joke for a former Archon,” she said in her sing song “Focalors” voice. Another giggle. The laughter loosened her remaining resolve, inviting a cascade of sickeningly sweet thoughts.

What if there was nothing more than just that to it? What if she just wanted to see you smile, to see you laugh?

She felt her stomach twist, knotting itself further into a tangle of overbearing emotion. Anger contorted into sadness. The buzzing sensation in her limbs turned into a numb aching that had nowhere to go. At the same time, her own thoughts were much too kind for someone like The Knave. Yet, they lingered, inviting a spark of want that made everything worse.

The bed feels lonely, she thought as she pulled a pillow close to her chest. Somehow, her cozy and welcoming apartment had become a prison of memories. The book reading, the long conversations about everything and nothing, the home-cooked meals, the laughter. She felt the smallest of smiles creep up on her lips as her mind flipped through the far too pleasant memories.

“Not again…” she sniffled as tears overtook her. The pain of not knowing whether any of it had been genuine or not was too much. The only warmth Furina could cling to was the tears now streaking her face.

A knock on the apartment door. Furina froze, giving way to a deafening silence.

Sadness dissipated into fear. A million possibilities ran through her mind, few of them pleasant, even fewer desirable. She swallowed, trying to hold back her racing heart as she wiped away the tears.

Carefully, she slid out of bed, shuddering at the loss of heat from the covers. She grabbed her vision from the nightstand, and her sword tucked inbetween whatever books she could not fit onto her shelf from out under the bed. She clipped the vision to her white tank top, stained by both sweat and tears, as she twirled the sword in her hand. The weight still felt unfamiliar, her now mortal body far less built to handle it. 

She opened her bedroom door and headed for the hallway, not bothering to grab the pants haphazardly tossed on the floor. Whoever had the audacity to knock on her door in the dead of night would have to deal with a half-naked, emotionally devastated, Furina de Fontaine. 

She carefully approached the door, hydro energy charged and blade raised. It was not a routine she was proud of, but anything was favorable to last night’s incident.

“Who is it?” she called out hoarsely, her dry throat burning in protest. A moment of silence passed as she heard rustling followed by a familiar clearing of the throat.

“It is Clorinde,” a serious and matter-of-factly voice stated.

“Is it now…” Furina croaked suspiciously.

“Furina, I came as soon as I heard what happened. I am sorry I could not attend you sooner,” the voice on the other side blurted out apologetically. 

Apologizing when it is not even your fault? That’s definitely Clorinde, she thought as her lips weakly tugged upwards.

With sword still in hand, Furina unlocked the door and carefully pushed it open.

There she stood, dark purple hair tied into a low pony tail with her signature purple bicorne atop it. A dark dress ending at her thighs with long sleeves accentuated by white gloves and a purple cape billowing behind her. The golden details on her shoulders and chest gleamed in the moonlight, a knightly touch that perfectly matched the Champion Duelist.

Clorinde’s usually cool demeanour was gone, replaced by raised eyebrows above wide, purple eyes that looked Furina up and down as her mouth went slightly agape. Seeing Furina like this was a first for her, and she lacked the tact to hide it. A sigh escaped the duelist, a silent “oh dear.”

While the pity would normally be awful, Furina was desperate for any sympathy, anything to cling to that was not whatever whirlwind of despair that lurked in the rafters of her mind. Even more so if that sympathy came from one of her two most trusted— and in truth only, confidants. 

“I am not sure if you are currently dressed in the right attire for a late night duel, my lady,” Clorinde said with earnest concern.

Furina gave a weak chuckle as her smile grew, and the taller woman cocked her head. Even at the worst of times, Clorinde could always bring her joy, whether intended or not. 

“I do not seek a duel, I have merely been given reason to exercise additional caution,” Furina explained, motioning for Clorinde to enter.

With a simple “oh,” Clorinde stepped inside.

“I’m glad to see you recovering so well after getting…” Furina started to make circular gestures with her hand towards herself. “Whatever it is I gave you.”

Clorinde nodded, clearly holding no malice towards her infectee.

“I am thankful for the anonymous donation of medicine I received, I believe it expedited my recovery,” she said, the concern in her voice was gone. Clorinde’s stoic cadence brought a sense of normalcy to Furina. However, the loss of the emotion in Clorinde’s voice chafed against her heart. It was nice having someone around that could let their walls down, even if just a little. She shoved away the thought, choosing instead to focus on the conversation.

“Anonymous donations?”

“The melusine attending me said that a secret donor had given them medicine addressed to me, after extensive testing they deemed it safe for me to take,” she stated matter-of-factly. Furina squinted at her.

“No markings whatsoever?”

“None.”

Furina let out a contemplative hum as she furrowed her brow while Clorinde closed, and locked, the door.

After removing her shoes, they both went to the kitchenette and Furina put her sword away on the barren kitchen counter.

“Something is bothering you, my lady.”

“Why would someone give you medicine without taking credit for it? With my own situation in mind, suspicion is a greater asset than I would prefer,” Furina explained, her mind already starting to race before she could finish speaking. Arlecchino had given her medicine for the same illness. It would only be natural to connect the two occurrences.

But why would she remain anonymous about it? Would it not benefit her to tell me? Is this also part of her great plan to… whatever it is she is trying to accomplish?

Furina did not know what she hated the most; the fact that The Knave had used her, or the fact that she could not discern her true motives.

“I have only heard snippets. I am sorry I did not come sooner,” Clorinde said, once again apologising when she did not have to.

Furina shook her head, her momentary frown returning to a smile.

“No need to apologise. I did not even know that you had gotten well,” Furina affirmed. 

“I was discharged from sickbed yesterday— two days ago by now,” Clorinde corrected as she looked out the window framing a small piece of moonlit Fontaine.

“And you are already here to check in on me!” Furina observed with a lilt. Despite being the one in distress, she could not help her past, the burning urge to comfort her former subject a thorn lodged deep in her soul.

“Where do you keep your tea bags?” Clorinde asked, promptly dodging Furina’s compliment as she opened each of her cupboards, unsuccessful in her search. Clorinde clearly doing everything she could to not take one of Furina’s many compliments was an all too familiar dance.

“It’s behind the cloves of garlic, Arlecchino put them there becau-” she stopped herself mid sentence, refusing to finish it. The buzzing in her arms returned in tandem with the twisting and writhing of her heart. Every breath was heavier than the last. It was a single memory, but a single memory was the gateway into a hundred more. Furina clenched her jaw and balled up her fists. She did not wish to miss that monster as badly as she did.

I do not miss her! She desperately argued with herself.

Clorinde fished out two tea bags before turning to Furina. She hated how she could see Clorinde deduce every single emotion running through her, piecing together the puzzle that was the last few weeks of Furina’s life with three quick flicks of her eyes. Clorinde opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Furina bit her cheek as she fought back another wave of tears. She had cried enough to last another life time, she did not need to do it in front of Clorinde as well.

“Why not tell me about it over tea? Just because you are no longer my Archon, does not mean I do not wish to lend you an ear, my dear friend,” Clorinde said. 

Before Furina could reply, Clorinde was already filling the kettle and putting it to boil. Clorinde’s words felt like a warm blanket cast over her, soothing her warring emotions and calming the aching in her limbs as it pushed away the tears. None of her feelings were truly gone, but having most of them shoved back into the recesses of her mind was preferable to the alternative. 

The idea that she even had friends was still incredibly conceptual to her. Clorinde had no reason to be doing any of this, she gained nothing from it. Yet, here she stood, spending a late night at Furina’s claustrophobic apartment just to console and comfort her.

As much as Clorinde tried to avoid Furina’s compliments, Furina was barely any different. Receiving Clorinde’s kindness and generosity felt overwhelming, terrifying almost. It was a kind of treatment she would only really get from Neuvi and Arl-

It was nice knowing that the monster she had let inside her walls was not her only ticket to caring companionship. 

The idea that through all of this, she would still have Neuvi and Clorinde by her side, made her ailments subside. For now, she was in safe hands.

“It is a long story. Are you sure you are ready to bear it all?” Furina asked lightly, her throat still begging for the water slowly being boiled. 

“Listening to you is no burden at all,” she affirmed.

“Clorinde…” she murmured softly, a million praises lingering on her tongue unspoken.

“Do you have blankets? Navia usually says blankets make emotional talks easier.”

Navia, of course! She finally gave Clorinde the words and space to express herself, Furina mused as she walked over to her closet and pulled out two deep blue felt blankets from the stack packed tightly into the storage space. The fuzziness was a nice change from her sweaty bedsheets.

Clorinde had always had a big heart. However, since getting together with Navia, she had become far more articulate of her thoughts and feelings. 

Furina always knew just how much Clorinde cared for her, it was through her actions, not words, that that reassurance came. Even now, such acts were on full display. Yet, it was comforting to have Clorinde’s efforts complemented by kind and affirming words. 

Furina had not thought much of what people said to her until recently. Posing as an Archon forced you to tune out both compliments and criticisms, leaving little room for appreciating heartfelt words. That was at least until she started seeing Arlecchino…

I miss her voi- she stopped herself, tightening the grip on the blankets as the return of her loomed in her minds horizon.

“Is everything okay?” a hand on her shoulder stopped her spiraling. 

“I am sorry, I just…” she trailed off, unsure where to begin. Everything was still too much. A light squeeze gave her the courage to do one of the scariest things someone like her could possibly do. Accepting the help offered to her.

“If you do not mind listening, perhaps it is indeed a good idea to tell you about the last few weeks. If nothing else but to help me process this whole mess I am in… “ Furina said before quietly adding, “and some tea would be nice too, if you do not mind.”

Rationalising Clorinde’s help made it somewhat easier to accept, but every fiber of her being still squirmed at the prospect that she was asking anything of the woman who had loyally stood by her side for so long. 

“Of course, my friend,” Clorinde said with a nod.

Clorinde assembled one cup of honey-filled black tea with a single sugar cube and a lemon slice, just how Furina liked it, and one cup for herself. With her best attempt at a smile, Clorinde sat the white cup with blue details down on a small plate in front of a cozied up Furina, before joining her friend with her own teacup, containing none of her friend’s preferred sugary additions.

“Very well, Furina. Tell me everything.”

Clorinde’s voice made whatever creeping unease that remained within her disappear. While it still felt like she was intruding by asking Clorinde to listen to her speak for however long retelling the story would take, she tried to find solace in the fact that Clorinde had repeatedly made it clear that she wanted to listen to her.

Furina took a deep breath before launching into retelling everything that had happened. 

Focusing on accurately recounting the events helped keep her thoughts and feelings at bay. Despite her attempts at objectivity, some weak part of her omitted anything The Knave had told her about her children, or The House of the Hearth. She hoped that they had no involvement in The Knave’s dastardly scheme, and a promise was a promise.

Talking about her experiences out loud was cahtartic. It made everything seem less daunting, less all consuming. Even though Furina found herself relaxing in Clorinde’s presence, each retold memory tugged at a different heartstring, threatening to send her back into the despair she was so desperately running from. 

Furina refused to falter. If someone like Clorinde chose to stick around at a time like this, they deserved the full story. She refused to let her ailing heart prevent her from sharing her experiences with her friend .

---

“I am so sorry to hear all of that,” Clorinde said once Furina had caught her fully up to speed. There was a sadness filling her voice that Furina had only heard once before. Furina tried her best not to think of how much the moon had moved since she started telling the story, surely she had not taken that long to recount everything?

“Thank you, it’s just a lot…” she trailed off. The soothing tea had only made her more aware of how exhausted her body was. The perfect memories she had recounted were painfully tainted by the present.

It really had been the perfect love story…  

Too perfect, she interjected as adrenaline teetered into her arms again. The temptation to throw something, or start pacing, or do anything but just sit with all these emotions was all too tantalizing.

“I understand you, Furina. After all, you actually had a private waltz with a Fatui Harbinger, bossed her around, and shared a bed with her,” Clorinde said, earnest fascination piercing through her stoic demeanour. Instead of lashing out, or giving in to anger, Furina found herself slipping into a habit she thought as abandoned as her godhood:

“Of all my achievements, those are not the ones I hope the history books will remember.”

Deflection .

“I will remember you for being Fontaine’s hero and great leader, giving up everything to save our nation,” Clorinde replied warmly, staunchly repelling her friend’s despair.

Arle said it better, some love-torn part of her noted, fighting against the hatred she harbored for the Fatui Harbinger. Her heart contorted with longing, her own body refusing her the wrath she desired. Why did everyone praise her for her actions after The Knave had already poisoned such words?

“That’s what she said when she first wormed her way into my heart,” Furina admitted as she cast a forlorn glance towards her bedroom, choking up at the bittersweet remembrance. 

When her eyes returned to Clorinde’s, there was only pity in them. Her entire body went taut, and her eyes narrowed. A red tint seeping into the corners of her eyes as her breathing grew more ragged. Thesame  pity she had clung to now cut deeper than any dagger. The infantilization felt even more demeaning once she had recounted everything. It almost stung as deep as The Knave’s betrayal, almost .

Anger pulsed like hot fire through her entire body, each breath excruciating as oxygen itself felt like gasoline coating her innards.

Furina had been the voluntary victim for 500 years, she had been pitied once her suffering was over, once she had already been betrayed and hurt and lied to by everyone she thought she held dear. The memories of her trial flashed before her eyes. She had willingly put herself in that trial, willingly sacrificed herself for the good of everyone but herself. Yet, being the unwilling victim for just a day, seemed a fate far worse. 

Martyrdom was easy compared to heartbreak.

“Not you too! Stop looking at me like that!” she screamed, her throat strained and her lungs burning as an undignified droplet of spit escaped her mouth. Clorinde recoiled and her eyes widened. “Neuvi already pitied me to Inazuma and back. I’d like to be treated as anything but a pathetic victim right now!”

The hurt in Clorinde’s eyes gave Furina a moment of pause, wincing at her own misdirected anger as she searched through the red haze for the right words. Clorinde cleared her throat and adjusted her posture. 

“What do you need right now, my lady?” Clorinde asked with calm candor, her voice like a spear through Furina’s wrath. She wished she could hate Clorinde just a little bit, it would at least keep her fury from slowly peeling away, revealing underneath the lurking sadness far greater than any other emotion.

Arlecchino, a traitorous part of her mind called. She wanted her touch, her words, her laugh. Even if none of it was true, a part of her wanted it all, wanted everything Arlecchino could offer her, everything she had offered her. 

She really has her talons in you , some cruel, yet protective, part of her snarled. Furina started to shake, the sadness rolling over as she felt her exhausted body become lethargic. The tears she had been fighting back were becoming too powerful, or perhaps, she was becoming too weak. 

“I just need a hug,” Furina snivelled, tears blurring her vision.

You ruled a nation and put on the greatest façade ever seen, now you can’t even keep away from the one person that will be your undoing? Maybe her requesting you as her civilian contact was more fitting than you realised. The voice that had so staunchly tried to keep her safe was quickly morphing into one of self-deprication. Perhaps, that voice had always been one and the same? 

She felt her heart pound against her ever-tightening chest. Each breath came with laboured effort, each blink as heavy as a boulder, each involuntary shudder like climbing a mountain.

It was all too much, all too overwhelming. She finally gave in to what her anger had been trying to keep away all this time. Her heart burst in tandem with her tears.

Clorinde pulled her close, stripping away what little resilience sleep had granted her against the onslaught of anguish. Furina wailed into her friend’s stiff and proper clothing, staining her white blouse as tears and snot mixed at the base of her chin. 

Clorinde was warm and soft, her muscled stomach a pleasant surface for her own tired body laying flush against it. Clorinde’s strong arms held her tight as Furina’s snuggly wrapped around Clorinde. She clung close, letting the tears run free as she shook violently. 

The more she cried, the more she became aware of how familiar the hug felt.

Arlecchino’s warm smile was transposed by the masked Knave making an attempt on her life. The very woman who had shown her a new side to life, had also been the one to almost take it all away, twice. That was, assuming her suspicions were correct…

Am I even jumping to the right conclusions? 

Does that even matter? 

Am I just being naïve?

Am I just being safe?

The one question that had been silently plaguing her, shoved into the depths of her mind, came crashing into the spotlight.

Can you even date someone who has tried to kill you?

But she has shown so much kindness!

And look where that kindness ended. Look at what she has done to you.

Her pounding heart grew louder.

But things are different this time.

Different how? She. Is. Still. Fatui. They only change for their own benefit.

What if my love benefits her? What if my love is actually worth something?!

That worked out great during your trial…

Her breathing grew more rapid and Clorinde tightened her embrace, squeezing Furina harder. The weight grounded her, an anchor in her sea of turmoil. She felt her breath steady as the pressure on her chest became more physical than mental. The squeezing finally  snapped Furina out of her thoughts, making her keenly aware of the imposition she was putting her friend in.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled against the fabric, a lifetime of serving her nation once again rearing its head. Clorinde gave a reassuring hum as she slowly stroked Furina’s back. The taller woman’s hand was somewhat stiff, but compared to her past efforts, it was a marked improvement.

“I have other shirts at home. Besides, it is Navia’s wash week anyway,” she said with a consoling chuckle.

Navia.

Had she forgotten to include the part where Neuvi told her who Arle- The Knave’s second choice was?

With slow and pained effort, Furina sat up and grabbed a napkin to dry the worst trails of her crying on Clorinde’s blouse. When she had accomplished satisfactory dryness, she turned over to rest the back of her head in the crook of Clorinde’s neck. Until told otherwise, she was fully intending on embracing Clorinde’s physical support. Clorinde wrapped her hands around Furina’s stomach. 

The comforting cradle of muscular arms around her reminded Furina of Arlecchino’s embrace. Entwined hands danced in her mind’s eye as her current comfort interposed on the bittersweet memories of the past. In Clorinde’s comforting presence, such remembrance was almost pleasant, almost .

More tears quietly rolled down her cheeks as an empty pit formed in her stomach. Whether the sadness stemmed from losing Arle, or her betrayal, she could not tell. 

“Do you know where Navia currently is?” she asked nasally as Clorinde picked up another napkin to offer her. She blew her nose, loud and crass, without regard for her former regal status.

“Probably out doing business I would rather she not,” she said, tone warm with love and admiration.

“The Knave asked for her presence yesterday.”

“She what?!” Clorinde exclaimed with ferocity.

Furina nodded slowly, a twisted kind of satisfaction zapping her ailing heart at seeing someone else upset about someone they cared so deeply about.

I don’t care about her anymore, she tried to convince herself, not wishing to confront her own spiteful side.

“What does The Knave want with my girlfriend?” Clorinde snarled, her grip around Furina tightening.

“She asked for her as her civilian contact.”

“And she said no, right?” Clorinde asked desperately. Clorinde was now holding her tight enough to elicit a small coughing sound from Furina. The taller woman winced and softened her grip as she gave Furina an apologetic look. The momentary physical pain was almost a comfortable replacement for her heartache, almost .

“I do not know. Last I heard, Neuvillette was going to go ask her,” Furina said apologetically.

“Navia is smart enough not to get roped into a Harbinger’s schemes, surely she would no-” Clorinde stopped herself. 

Of course Navia would be smart enough to see through it.

The pain was already too much, everything was already too much. Clorinde’s words, a soothing comfort, turned into sharp thorns that only accentuated her in-escapable emotions. Her embrace was not enough, her friendship and comfort could not contend with the sorrow and anger that struggled for dominance within her body and mind. 

Every last emotion came crashing down and threw her into nothingness. She fell slack from complete exhaustion, left with a single emotion:

Despair.

“I didn’t mean-” Clorinde began before biting her own tongue.

Furina’s ears started to ring, a new heaviness setting into her chest, her head feeling light, yet made of concrete all the same. The entire room was spinning, everything turning into a blur.

Navia is smart, unlike you, who simply fell for all of your “friends’” little ploy to betray you.

The ringing grew louder.

Everyone she had considered close over the last few years had all turned against her in her hour of need, when she needed everyone the most they had all left her alone, crying.

None of them have apologised, except… The ringing grew even louder, Furina felt a small nugget of thankfulness at not having to hear her name.

Clorinde’s voice became a distant murmur as Furina was back in the Opera Epiclese. She felt the blinding brightness of the stage lights before they dimmed, revealing all those she had trusted most, bombarding her with questions about her goals and motives. The trial itself flashed before her eyes until she was stood in front of the bowl of primordial sea water. The rest of her memory was a turbid haze until the Oratrice rung out its sentence.

The slow flooding of the Opera as she sat alone, water filling up her doomed and empty court. Past and present forming into a suffocating sludge.

The steady and measured rhythmic squeezing of Clorinde brought her back. 

She blinked slowly. The dark sludge clarifying into the cold moonlight of the present.

“Furina, are you alright?” Clorinde called out in distress. Through pained effort, Furina’s head lulled over to face her former bodyguard. 

“I…” she began, but stopped as her mind worked overtime. That question, thinking about it in the most literal sense. Was she alright? Had she ever been alright?

She had not been alright when Focalors first put her on her divine mission of saving Fontaine. She had not been alright when her friends turned on her and she almost lost Fontaine. She had not been alright when Neuvillette decided on her new residence. She had not been alright when Arlecchino first visited her while sick. She had not been alright when the woman she thought she loved had betrayed her. 

She finally wanted to cry, but there were no tears left to shed.

She was on the precipice of a revelation, like standing behind the great valves of Meripedes, waiting for the sea water to crush her.

“I don’t think I’ve been alright in a long time,” she whispered. Clorinde gave an empathic squeeze as she rested her chin on top of Furina’s head. She felt Clorinde open her mouth, then closing it again, and it came to her.

The valves opened, and a flood of understanding washed over Furina, a single line of thought dominating all others. It was not a pretty thought, or a happy one, but if she did not speak it now, fear would forever seal it away. 

“Do you think you’ve had a say in how your life turned out?” Furina asked hoarsely.

“I…” Clorinde started, but trailed off. The question demanding her full attention, and careful consideration, as her eyes scanned the window above them. 

“The only choice I’ve ever made was between yes or no,” Furina started, every strained word like it was spoken through water-filled lungs. Clorinde’s gaze turned from the moonlit window down to Furina who locked eyes with the Gramophone sat across the room. 

“I’ve only ever been able to say yes or no to questions, that’s what’s determined my whole life,” she continued to explain. The heaviness only grew as the water spread to the rest of her body, every muscle tensing and refusing to continue, but she couldn’t stop. The valves had been opened, and there was no resealing it, even if it would drown her.

“What do you mean?” Clorinde whispered, seemingly afraid that anything louder would unbalance the contemplative woman in her grasp.

“When Focalors presented me with my humanity, she was kind enough to give me a choice of saving Fontaine or not, but she never gave me a chance to do anything else. By the time my duties had been fulfilled, Neuvillette took it upon himself to be a… guardian of sorts. The only decision I made regarding this very apartment was whether I wanted it or not,” she sighed as she looked around. Memories of Arlecchino were still far too strongly engraved in this place for her to find comfort anywhere but in Clorinde’s embrace.

“When we saved Fontaine, my final part to play was but a puppet for the rest of you, a scapegoat for the Heavenly Principle to be deceived by. That time, I didn’t even get to have a “yes or no choice”…” she said, her voice trembling as the waters from the valve threatened to break every bone in her body.

“I am so sorry, Furina,” Clorinde mumbled. Furina could only shake her head.

“I will ask for a proper apology some other time… If I ever find it pertinent for myself,” she said, unsure exactly who the words were directed. The taller woman gave her a small squeeze of acknowledgement.

“I could only say yes or no to Arlecchino’s aid when she broke into my apartment,” Furina continued. Her voice steadied, determination and frustration worming their way into it as she felt the numbness in her body start to dissipate, the waters slowly subsiding as clarity overtook her. She sat up straight, Clorinde’s arms still tentatively around her.

“I could only say yes or no as to whether I wanted to listen to The Knave,” she turned distraught to Clorinde.

“I never get to shape my own destiny, Clorinde. I am but a passenger in my own fucking life!” she exclaimed as she felt her heart twist and struggle against the waters of the vault, it was not just losing Arlecchino, but the thrumming and deafening sadness built up over the last 500 years. It was a sorrow unlike any other that bloomed from the waters, like thorny bushes replacing the flooding across her entire body. She could not cry, but her body ached with the pain of a hundred lifetimes.

“I didn’t even get to choose how the one that broke my heart was handled,” she said as she started to shake frantically.

“Furina…”

“Just… I just wish, for fucking once in my life, I could get to make one choice completely on my own!”

“What do you want that choice to be, Furina?” Clorinde asked. Her stomach dropped at the logical next step of her demand. She would have to ask herself a question more terrifying than the idea of failure, of one that had not crossed her mind in centuries:

What do I want?

It felt like a guillotine cutting her clean in twain. The question tore open every long forgotten wound, every barrier raised to keep her safe, it was a devastation that rippled through her very soul.

The last time I wanted something… flashes of dashing black and grey danced across her mind. Their hands entwined as they crossed the floor, music filling the very room she now sat in. Memories of shared food, of quiet moments, of kisses and cuddles, of endless hours of talking and understanding, of love .

She shook her head trying to dismiss the obvious answer incessantly clawing at her mind.

“I want peace, I want safety, I want to be seen for who I am. I want someone to do things for me , not for “Lady Furina”, not for “the former Archon”, I want someone who does things for Furina . I want someone that gives me just as much as I gave Fontaine!”

Another flash of black and grey, this time sheepishly scratching the back of her head as she delivered a gramophone to Furina’s door. The thorns recoiled, the warmth of her memories burning them away, a glimmer of peace on her mind’s horizon.

The image twisted, a blood-stained and distraught looking Arlecchino stood on her doorstep, muskets pointed towards her concerned face.

“I want that hag dead!” she snarled, trying to ignore how the warmth in her heart singed painfully at her hateful statement.

“Furina.” 

Clorinde’s firm voice made her stop in her tracks. Furina looked at Clorinde, steadfast purple meeting her own distraught blue. A momentary silence befell them. Perhaps, it was not too late to close the valve after all?

“Remember what you told me?” Clorinde asked. Furina’s lip joined the rest of her body in its trembling. She was already on the precipice of spiralling further, of retreating back and sealing the unsealable. She could not handle another blunder from Clorinde. Frantically, she reached for what had kept her safe for as long as she could remember.

“I have said far too many things over the past 500 years to remember most of it,” she said haughtily in a quivering attempt at her sing song Focalors voice.

““A second chance never given, is an opportunity lost”.” 

The words made Furina’s eyes go wide. She knew exactly when she had said those words. Clorinde had confided in her about her feelings for Navia. She had been inconsolable from the fact that the woman who meant everything to her never wished to speak to her ever again. 

Furina had lent Clorinde an ear, and her wisdom. She had told Clorinde that if she patiently waited for a second chance, one she was sure Navia would be wise enough to give her, everything would work out. 

With her own experiences under her belt, she was beginning to question the validity of her own advice. Despite her own doubts, the possibility that not all was lost cast a light onto her heart that made it jut every which way at what Clorinde was implying.

I want to believe…

“This would be a third chance,” Furina corrected, cutting off her own thoughts, unwilling to invite another chance of heartbreak into her home.

“I would argue that so is mine.”

“But you only killed her father!” 

“And then I stalked her against her own wishes for two years.”

“It was her father’s dying wish!”

“But it was not her wish… not at the time, at least. I was the one that heavily broke her boundary. It would have easily been my second, and rightfully, final, strike,” Clorinde corrected. Furina did not want to hear it. She did not want to hear what was so obviously staring her in the face. She did not want to admit that all she needed to do was reach out and grasp it.

She clenched and unclenched her jaw. Her heart wanted to explore more of Clorinde’s implication, explore what Furina wanted. Furina’s mind, however, wanted to keep her safe, keep her away from the risk and the pain of another heartbreak, from the risk that Arlecchino could be everything she believed The Knave to be. Her head pounded just as heavily as her heart did. Furina’s eyes searched the room, finding only sweet, warm memories until her gaze landed on her apartment door. The door that kept her from the outside, that had failed to keep out the Fatui thief, that had failed to keep out Arlecchino.

“Clorinde,” she began, Clorinde’s gaze never wavered as Furina found her way back to it. She nodded, letting Furina speak her mind without interruption. 

“I don’t know what to do.” 

The words hung heavy in the air. The woman Furina had pretended to be for 500 years was completely undone, stripped away, and all that remained was a mere mortal. One who had no idea what they wanted from all of this, one that was so aimless. What was even the point of it all?

”I am scared.”

“What scares you, my friend?” Clorinde offered.

A single word that had encapsulated her entire existence was now threatening to overtake her, again .

“Sadness.”

“Then, perhaps, you pursue what you want, even if it scares you?” Clorinde said gently, a calloused, yet soft, hand on Furina’s shoulder.

Something stirred within Furina’s ailing heart, and quickly spread to her blaring mind.

Hope . 

The very same feeling that had carried her through those awful 500 years. That very same feeling that had seen her persevere everything had come before this. It permeated her once the rain had cleared, once the prophecy was behind them, once Fontaine had survived the catastrophe. It was a feeling born out of both analysis and heart, a feeling that had kept her going for so many years. Her heart and mind came together as one, and everything clarified into a resolute direction.

She did not need vengeance against The Knave. 

She needed answers from Arlecchino .

“I want all the information before I make my final decision,” Furina proclaimed. Clorinde gave her a perplexed look. “That’s what I want. I want to make a fully informed decision, one where I get to ask all the questions! One where I get the final say!” she exclaimed as she shot up from the couch, practically bouncing on the spot. Her shoulders and chest relaxed as a wave of excited relief rolled over her. The aching and tightness loosened. The surging wrath in her arms and legs transformed into an eager itch. The peace on her horizon warmed her body, no more floods, no more thorns, just her own body and mind. Sadness and anger could wait, Furina was finally choosing her own destiny!

“What… information, exactly?”

“The truth, pried right from Arlecchino’s mouth!” she exclaimed cheerfully, beaming at Clorinde. “If there is to even be an attempt at a third chance, I wish to know everything!”

“How do you intend to acquire such information?”

“She is imprisoned, no? We go over and interrogate her!”

“Will they allow such actions?”

“I do not think Neuvillette would stop me,” Furina said confidently.

“Furina, I fully support this endeavour, but would some more sleep not ensure that you ask all of the right questions?” Clorinde tried to appeal to Furina’s newfound zeal, eyes darting to the door as if she was half expecting the shorter woman to dash out in only her underwear and shirt. Furina paused with one foot up on the couch in a heroic pose, imitating great leaders such as herself.

She let out a sigh as she looked down at Clorinde, knowing that she was right, yet not wishing to utter the words. The itch did not leave her, merely turning into a barely contained simmer. 

Furina smiled at the comedy of her situation. She was finally getting into the driver’s seat of this aquabus called “life,” and now she had to wait? 

In all fairness, any good captain would listen to the rest of her crew’s advice, she reasoned with herself.

“I shall brew some more tea, do you need anything else in order to sleep well?” Clorinde offered as she rose from the couch. 

“If it is not too much to ask, would you mind staying the night? These last few have been…”

This time, the guilt-ridden squirming from imposing any sort of request upon Clorinde felt less overbearing.

“Of course, my lady,” Clorinde responded without hesitation, sparing Furina from detailing any more of her nightly heartbroken ailments. Furina stepped down from the couch and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself from her own excitement.

“Then, I have one more request…” Furina said sheepishly as she fidgeted with her fingers. Without the constant presence of anger and sadness, embarrassment settled in.

“Anything for you, Furina,” Clorinde said warmly. Furina felt her heart flutter with excitement. Despite not being the target of her wrath, Clorinde had clearly become privy to the fact Furina appreciated being seen as more of a person, and less as a lady.

“Would you mind changing my bedsheets? I think I sweated through them before you got here…” she said with a faint flush on her face. Back when Furina was still an Archon, she would have called on a maid for such a menial task. The Champion Duelist was far too dignified to do such a thing. However, in Furina’s apartment, her home , they held the blessing of being friends, equals. Clorinde smiled at her, unbothered by the request.

“As I told you before, it is Navia’s wash week, I have the spare time for a few chores.”

Once Clorinde changed Furina’s bedsheets, and they had both enjoyed another calming cup of tea, Furina checked in one last time if Clorinde was sure she did not want to take the bed. It would not be the first time Furina slept on the couch rather than the bed. 

“I am the one staying over, regardless of your request, I would have happily done so either way. Your good night’s sleep seems far more prudent with tomorrow in mind, “ Clorinde reassured before hugging Furina good night. 

She hugs better than Neuvi, but not Arle, a wistful voice noted in the back of her mind. Her heart gave a rogue flutter at the thought of Arle.

But at least Clorinde makes us feel safer! Another argued.

And she didn’t? The first one countered, the voice held a pleading tinge as it tugged on Furina’s heartstrings. Clorinde’s comforting squeeze dissipated the voices before the two separated.

Furina felt herself drift up into Celestia itself as she crawled under fresh covers and puffy pillows. The bed was still too big, but the fresh and puffy fluff around her was soothing enough to give her peace. Knowing that Clorinde was on the other side of her door was an old comfort she had not realised just how much she had missed. It was nice having someone strong and capable resting under the same roof as herself.

The battle between hope and suspicion raged in the back of her mind, and yet, her determination demanded she listen to her exhausted body. She sank down under the covers. The night’s revelations were only buds she had just planted. Further rumination and reflection would come, but not today. The time for thinking was over, and the time for action was just about to begin.

Her smile grew. She was finally taking matters into her own hands. Finally making her own decisions. Finally getting to be the one asking the questions. Finally being able to say something other than yes or no. She rolled over and hugged her pillow tight.

No matter what, I will make my own decision, my own destiny.

Tiredness fought against excitement, neither wishing to yield, both equally important. Eventually, sleep started to enshroud a slightly less sad Furina. In her final moments, before surrendering completely to her tired body and mind, Furina felt at peace.

If I will not be granted one, I shall make my own happy ending.

Chapter Text

Navia 

Navia roared as she dashed towards the raging inferno engulfing the documents. She had gotten burned over smaller things, mostly her first attempts at baking macarons, which meant that a quest based on a criminal’s love for someone else, would appropriately involve more severe burns. 

She was a sucker for a good romance, after all.

“Navia, wait!” A cool voice pierced through the chaos around her. Her head snapped towards the direction of the voice. Lynette was waving some papers in her hand.

“I got them!” she called out.

That little trickster.

The documents were secured, but a quick scan of the battlefield made Navia ruefully aware that the Fatui mage was stood back up in the distance, too far away for Navia to act, groaning and trying to summon her crackling powers that lit up the darkness around her. The Pyro agent with the silhouette of his bird-like mask lit by the still burning tent had his back against the dirt, straining to get up, and the-

The large and wheezing blue-clad Fatui swung at her with his one remaining arm. Crystalized ice shards coated his gauntlet and Navia heaved up her axe to block it. The impact sent her staggering back with gritted teeth. Sizzling and sparking sounds snarled at her in the distance. She instinctively called upon her geo vision, an orange shield forming around her as she quickly holstered her axe and spun around, unfolding her umbrella just in time to absorb the crackling lightning surging towards her.

Her shield flickered and dissipated while three more arrows wizzed past Navia, sinking into the larger Fatui with a wet, squelching sounds. She turned back towards her imposing foe, dropping to one knee, steadying herself as she pulled on the handle. The mechanical clicking sound of her gunbrella absorbing elemental residue, infusing the rocks within it, made Navia grin gleefully.

“From the Spina with love!” Navia yelled cheerily as she pulled the trigger. Her gunbrella crackled and flashed in the dead of night with a loud bang, elemental sharpnel digging into the one armed Fatui, sending him flying away before crashing into the ground with a loud thud. Navia took no time to confirm if her opponent was out of commission, the third Fatui agent descending upon her with a strained roar. Lynette appeared right in front of Navia, graciously deflecting his strikes. The elegant swordplay of the catgirl tugged Navia’s lips further upwards. She could only marvel at the young prodigy for a single moment, her attention snapped back to her remaining opponent.

She cocked her gunbrella once more, Navia had a clear line towards the Fatui mage. Elemental energy surged into the gunbrella, and she couldn’t help the hearty laugh that escaped her as she felt the cogs and gears turn within her thrumming weapon. The whirring sounds of cogs sending another spike of adrenaline into her muscles. She lined up the shot, her finger itching to pull the trigger, the purple clad Fatui shakily preparing another attack as she stood in her sights. 

The mage had been doomed the moment Navia took aim. Her gunbrella roared as Navia’s finger tensed around the trigger. She staggered back from the recoil, ears ringing from the deafening sound. The shrapnel immediately tearing through the Fatui, leaving naught but torn sinew and bone behind. Navia didn’t wait for the body to hit the ground, she tossed her gunbrella to the side and unsheathed her now geo infused axe. Trusting Lynette’s awareness, she swung recklessky for the last standing opponent. 

Axe met armblade with a loud clang. The Fatui agent grunted as he shuffled back. A single glance towards each other was all the two women needed as they sprinted towards the flat-footed agent. Lynette ducked off to his right, running faster than the agent could move, while Navia charged headlong towards him. Verdict’s handle strained against her hands as she swung it over her head, fighting off gravity’s desire to bring it down prematurely.

Two more steps covered the final distance before Navia relented, letting the weight of Verdict crash down towards him. He tried to sidestep the blow, but Navia twisted her wrist, letting the pursuit of her axe successfully find its target, forcing him to block her heavy blows.

With a growl, the Fatui agent threw out three burning blades, spinning around him like stars orbiting a sun, ready to burn and cut Navia at a moments notice. Reacting immediately, Navia slammed Verdict into the ground, summoning another shield of geo energy around her, deflecting the blades, their new trajectory leaving an opening in the agent’s defenses.

With the agent focused on her, Lynette could freely, gracefully soar through the sky, jumping over his blade and slashing his pyro delusion clipped to his belt. Her sword continued its arc, piercing his flesh and cutting deeply into his leg.

The agent let out an agonized cry as he fell to one knee along with his clattering, longer fiery blades. Navia wasted no time rushing forward and kneeing the agent’s face with all of her might. A gurgling cacophony of pain and crunching bones joined the thud of the agent hitting the ground.

The world stilled for a moment, Navia’s ears still ringing from the blasts of her own weapon. She could barely make out the faint panting of Lynette as they scanned their surroundings. Once no danger was detected, their eyes found their fellow archer atop his vantage point. A single nod between the twins seemed to convey a myriad of words. Lynette wordlessly walked over to the bodies while Lyney slid down, kicking off from the rock and approaching his sister and ally.

“I doubt either of those two survived your shots,” Lyney huffed, warily eyeing the two mutilated Fatui agents. “Glad you’re on our side,” he said with an appreciative tilt of his hat. With a green flash, Lynette appeared next to Navia.

“Both lack a pulse, they are properly dealt with,” Lynette confirmed, voice monotone as always. Navia cracked her knuckles and stretched her neck. 

“All in a night’s work. Lynette, you have the documents?” she asked nonchalantly. An affirmitive nod answered her question. Navia felt her satisfied grin widen. “Then what are we to do about this “Crimson” guy?” she asked playfully. 

Lynette held her usual unfazed expression. Lyney, however, looked shocked, mouth agape at Navia’s carefree attitude. She had just ended two lives, after all. 

His mouth opened and closed, repeatedly trying to find how to start a sentence. Despite his best efforts, no words found him as he looked wide eyed between the bodies, and a smiling Navia. Eventually, his shoulders slacked and he surrendered to the silence. Navia would be a liar by omission if she didn’t admit to finding shocking a Fatui, even if just a “trainee”, a little amusing. Actually, It was incredibly amusing, if she was being completely honest.

With one twin temporarily out of commission, Navia turned her smile back to Lynette.

“Both Lyney and I would be violating at least a dozen Fatui rules if we were to end him right now,” Lynette stated matter-of-factly. 

Navia raised an eyebrow. She would be the one to take the lead in deciding the awful Fatui’s fate, she would be the one to avenge Furina. One of Lynette’s ears perked up as she regarded her cautiously. Navia’s face must have betrayed her, the adrenaline coursing through her body leaving her giddy at the prospect of what was to come.

She dramatically dragged her axe through the damp mud, throwing Lynette a casual, reassuring glance as she did. It only earned her crossed arms and a searching squint.

She crouched down next to the disoriented Fatui Commander, cocking her head before violently ripping off his mask. Behind the intimidating visage was a dishevelled face with pricklings of a scruffy beard and a broken nose. His brown eyes weakly flickered open to meet fiery blues. His jaw was dislocated, with clear bruising on most of his face as sweat and blood mixed all over it. She grabbed him by what could only be describe as a sad excuse for hair, at least by Fontainian standards. A pained groan escaped him as she forced his head upwards.

“What single reason do I have to keep you alive?” Navia asked, her cheery voice still intact, an undertone of fury and hatred lingering just underneath the surface. Out of the corner of her eye, Navia saw Lyney take a step back at the display, eyes wide, body tense.

“None, I have failed the Tsaritsa, I deserve this,” he gurgled weakly through his mutilated mouth. Navia felt her blood lit afire, the mere thought that this man thought his punishment fitting was an infuriating prospect. Navia rose from her crouch, forcing him to join her. He huffed while stumbling to his feet, Navia quickly shifting her grip to rest against his throat as she leaned in closer, squinting at him. She twirled Verdict dramatically in her other hand before letting one side of the blade cleave into the mud, her hand still resting on the handle after it made a poignant squelch. 

Her ears were no longer ringing from the blasts, but rather her boiling blood.

“Do you really think The Spina Di Rosula would give you a clean death? Do you really think things just end here?” she spat, void of cheer, filled with rage. He gasped, eyes widening.

“Y-you’re the- the president?” he asked, panic filling his voice. 

Slowly, Navia nodded.

“You messed with the one person that has sacrificed the most for all of Fontaine. Without her, we would all be dead, and you dare think of interferring with her deliveries… and her love life. Do you know what I could put you through?!” she growled through gritted teeth, voice drenched in venom as the grip around his throat tightened. Her muscles felt free, like they had been aching for an outlet. The burning, joyous exhilaration coursing through her made the blood dripping onto her hand feel cold in comparison. 

“I—” Navia slammed his head into the ground, leaving whatever excuse— or cry for mercy, an unspoken and bloody splatter on the dirt he belonged in. The sickening crack of bones echoed throughout the darkness of the camp, a reminder, and warning, to anyone who might make the mistake of crossing the Spina Di Rosula.

Lyney took another step away. 

Lynette took a step forward.

“Please… I’ll do anything, just don’t take me to Poisson,” he whispered through ragged breaths. 

Navia felt no need to suppress the smile that returned to her lips. To most people, Poisson was a quaint little seaside town. To anyone stalking the underbelly of Teyvat, it was where bad people disappeared, never to be seen again. 

She pressed the man further into the ground, feeling his windpipe strain against her hand. The strangled gurgle in his throat tickled the skin of her tightening palm, sending an intoxicating tingle down her spine.

“Lynette, give me a blank piece of paper and quill,” she ordered. “It should be in my bag.”

Wordlessly, the catgirl quickly acquired the materials and presented them to her. She jerked her head towards the sniveling man. Lynette nodded in acknowledgement.

“You have until you run out of air to write a confession letter exposing your crimes, and absolving The Knave of any involvement in your malevolent schemes,” she explained, cheer and anger mixing into one. The man sucked in a breath, choking on his own blood and saliva as he shook violently, the premium of air running even drier. His eyes darting between Navia, and Lynette stretching out a quill towards him.

Navia began putting further pressure around the Fatui man’s throat.

Flailing helplessly, the man took the quill from Lynette while she held the paper up for him to quickly start scribbling on. The desperate sound of quill against parchment was like music to Navia’s ears.

He had hurt Furina, and Navia could never inflict enough pain and suffering to compensate for that. And yet, she could certainly try. 

The choking sounds of the wide eyed Fatui was a type of catharsis Navia could not find anywhere else. While not her most satisfying torture session, Navia still relished in the karma catching up to the man in front of her. She glanced over at Lynette who had shifted to stand crouched behind him, carefully reading over the man’s shoulder, ensuring that there was no attempt at deceit.

Forty-five seconds passed, and the sound of writing became weaker. Navia had to admit, that if nothing else, The Fatui were a tenacious bunch.

“He has at most twenty seconds left,” Lynette observed.

“Then he better pick up the pace,” Navia taunted nonchalantly, the scribbling intensifying at her words.

“I’m not sure if he’ll make it.”

“Shame, I hear Poisson is especially terrible this time of year…”

The next fifteen seconds were filled exclusively with the sound of choking, gurgling, and hurried scrawling. What little parts of the agent’s face that was still unmarred by blood, had turned a deep, purple shade. 

“He won’t make it,” Lynette repeated.

“Signature, now!” Navia demanded, tightening her grip. 

He made a flourish towards the bottom of the paper. With mere moments left, Navia let go, and his head lolled back against the dirt. His chest rose and fell in pained succession as he gasped for air.

“How much did we get?” Navia asked without looking up, casually wiping her gloved hand on the agent’s cloak.

“We’re only missing three words at the end,” Lynette replied. Her tone as cold as ever, but her eyes were glistening. They held emotions Navia was oft regarded with; reverence and admiration.

Navia only needed to raise her hand ever so slightly for the agent’s eyes to go wide and claw weakly towards the paper Lynette was holding. Lynette held the paper in front of the man once more. His hand steadied, quickly jotting down the words before letting his fractured head thud back into the dirt.

“There, that… should cover… everything,” he wheezed. Navia took the letter and read it over. While it didn’t expose which harbinger he served, it gave enough information and details that it would hypothetically absolve Arlecchino of any wrongdoings. Navia rolled up the paper and put it into her bag. 

Lynette quietly held out the quill towards Navia.

“Keep it. Let it be a fun memorabilia,” she laughed, unfazed by the brutalised man wheezing right underneath her. Lynette merely nodded and put the quill in her own bag.

“I assume your father has already taught you what comes next?” Navia asked Lynette. At the opportunity to show off her own expertise, Lynette rolled back her shoulders and cleared her throat.

“He has become obsolete,” she observed. Navia nodded. “I still cannot alter him from his current state of living, yet he knows far too much,” Lynette continued. 

Navia once again nodded, her smirk turning into a smile while her heart gave way to an odd emotion, one she seldom experienced, pride for someone other than Clorinde, or herself . Lynette was by no means a product of her own, however, the way she seemed to look up to Navia made the whole prospect of a family together with Clorinde not feel as alien as she had previously thought.

“You have your expected reward from Father, yet you lose nothing if he lives. You have put me and Lyney at a disadvantage, bargaining-wise,” she finished. Navia lifted her axe onto her shoulder, and gave a final nod to Lynette. 

“Arlecchino trained you well, it seems you don’t need me to explain your predicament,” she began, putting her free hand on her hip. “While I don’t intend to drive as hard a bargain with you two as I did your father, I still wish for…” her hand left her hip to make circles, mirroring Arlecchino’s motion from the prison cell. It really was a good way of finding the right words.“… something.” 

She really could not demand much from these two, they had been incredibly helpful, and they were really starting to grow on her. If nothing else, she would set a clear precedent for what they could expect from the president of the Spina Di Rosula going forward.

“A single favor from the both of you, and I will make sure this problem disappears forever,” Navia offered.

Lynette hesitantly looked to her brother for any kind of insight into the situation. He currently stood a good distance behind Navia. She couldn’t see his face, but whatever Lyney was signing to her did nothing to aid Lynette’s decision making. She sighed as she returned to Navia’s gaze. Lynette searched Navia’s expression, her eyes inspecting every last pore on her face, seemingly to find an opening for a more satisfactory deal. Navia, however, refused to give Lynette even an inch, or a millimeter for that matter.

If you want to earn favor with The Spina di Rosula, you gotta work hard for it, she mused internally.

On the one hand; if Lynette demanded too much, as she herself had pointed out, Navia could merely reject the offer and let the Fatui Commander walk away. He knew that the twins, and by extension, The House of the Hearth, had broken whatever code the Fatui held. That would cause far more trouble than owing Navia a favor. 

On the other hand; if Lynette did not try to downsize the deal, Navia would hold both of them somewhat in the palm of her hand, at least for the time being. Neither were favorable situations for the two, and yet, Lynette was forced to strike a balance in order to escape their predicament.

Whichever will it be, pup of the wolf?

“Navia, while we have helped you out of our own interest, without us, your chance of winning this battle, and acquiring the documents, decreases drastically. Furthermore, I still possess the documents Father has demanded that you deliver. Documents you would not possess without me, or my tracking,” Lynette reasoned coldly.

“We can size it down to only me owing you a favor, and we will hand you the documents, but you will… handle the problem that is laid out in front of us,” Lyney added. 

Perhaps Lynette was far harder to read than Navia had first thought, the two seemed more coordinated than what Lynette’s annoyed appearance had indicated. She spun around melodramatically to meet Lyney’s determined gaze, her fluttering dress a glittering phantom of embers in the dim light of the smoldering tent.

“You offer a compelling argument, but I find a favor from the both of you far more advantageous. While it is true that I could not have acquired the documents without your help, you lacked a proper distraction, or someone to handle these three up front,” Navia countered, tilting her head towards the two dead, one half-dead, Fatui. She wasn’t bringing out her big guns, those had already been used on their father. However, she still wanted to give them somewhat of a diplomatic challenge.

“We can always return with the evidence to Father, and she can deal with this rogue commander herself,” Lynette pressed.

“Father reaaally doesn’t like when people fail to fulfill their promises,” Lyney added with a coy smirk, and a casual shrug. “C’mon Navia, you already have Father’s deal, it does not behove you to push your luck even further,” he coaxed. Navia raised an eyebrow. She would have happily given the twins their initial offer, but the way Lyney was punching above his weight… she simply could not allow it, he clearly needed some more humbling.

“Very well, since Lynette has done more than her fair share, how about you, Lyney? Why don’t you offer me two favors?” she offered with a shrug of her own. In the corner of her eye, catching Lynette’s ear twitching once, accompanied by an ever so slight upwards curl of her lips, told her that she had struck gold. 

“You know what…” the monotone sister began, a surprising hint of mischeviousness in her voice. Navia turned back to Lynette. “...That sounds like a rather reasonable deal to me.”

“Lynette!” Lyney whined, not too dissimilar from a dog left out in the rain.

“So, we have a deal then?” Navia asked cheerily.

“Only if you do your part first,” Lynette replied.

“Acceptable terms. It is a pleasure doing business with you,” she said, reaching her hand out towards Lynette. She threw a quick glance behind her, catching an exasperated Lyney with his jaw agape. 

Siblings, a double edged sword in every way, Navia observed.

Lynette’s grip was firm and determined as they shook hands. Considering her feats in combat, Navia reasoned that there was more muscle to her than her outfit let on.

“I… fine , but I think telling you about my feelings should earn me at least one favor repaid,” Lyney tried as the two women finished shaking hands.

“You told her ?!” Lynette asked, voice rising. Her uncharacteristic outburst only earned her an apologetic shrug from her twin.

“Nope, that was to earn my trust,” Navia said with a wink, before turning to the barely breathing pile of flesh and bones that was the Fatui commander.

Lyney, suddenly reminded of the situation at hand, took two steps back from her, once again putting a comfortable distance between himself and The Spina Di Rosula.

Lynette was standing close to the commander, observing Navia’s next moves with bated breath.

Navia tightened her grip around Verdict, taking some of the weight off of her shoulder as her muscles roared back to life at the effort. Her mind and body demanded justice for her friend, and she would not stop until it was served. His weak breathing could barely be heard over the faint crackling of the immolated tent as she looked down at him. Someone so damaging and scheming, reduced to misery and suffering. It was not the justice that the Iudex, or the state, encouraged, but that was why Navia was glad to be running her own show. The people deserved to hold some power over what happens to the type of scoundrels that would go after someone as wonderful and dedicated as Furina.

In a situation like this one, Navia considered herself a fair representative of the people, even if just for those living in Poisson. Her people still held resentment towards Furina, but if they knew the truth, or at least as much truth as Navia had been given, they would surely understand why Furina had done did what she did. With all that she had sacrificed, she deserved the reverence of her people now more than ever. None should dare lay a finger on Fontaine’s very own saviour. 

Navia’s smile stretched from ear to ear. She was finally starting to understand why Arlecchino did all of this. Someone who had given her people everything; given them safety, given them a saviour, given them a life after prophecy. Someone who had sacrificed so much , who had given everything and then some, deserved love and normalcy. 

Did it really take someone who had gone through 500 years of torment for Arlecchino to finally let her barriers down? Considering her own predicament with Clorinde, that idea no longer seemed as outlandish as when she had first entered the Palais Mermonia dungeon. 

I really am a sucker for a good romance.

Her muscles tensed, and her axe rose high above her head, the glistening gold of her weapon shimmering in the dying light of the crackling flames. Everything went silent, as if the world itself held its breath for what was next to come.

The Fatui weakly craned his neck up towards Navia. The zealous penance disappearing from his face as innevitability hung over him. Every decision he had ever made, forced or not, was flashing before his eyes.

“This is what happens to people who cross Furina.”

With judge, jury, and executioner all present; 

Verdict fell upon the Fatui Commander.

Chapter Text

Arlecchino

The rasping sound of baton against the bars “confining” Arlecchino to her cold, damp cell woke The Fourth Fatui Harbinger from her uneasy sleep. She let out a groan, barely wanting to open her tired eyes. The only thing willing them upwards was the sucker within her, hoping, praying , to find a white haired woman cuddled up next to her, blue heterochromatic eyes gazing lovingly at her.

The stiff bed she rolled out of quickly dashed any such hopes. The physical ache from her bad night’s sleep was nothing compared to the unrelenting lack of Furina. She stood, suppressing a pained huff of longing. The handcuffs keeping her arms behind her back was a useless excuse of a distraction.

The guard’s pensive stances and worried looks let Arlecchino know that her “entourage” had rotated while she slept. This set of guards had not yet developed the same calm around The Knave as the previous one. She could hardly blame them, none would be wise to trust her, regardless of how much they saw her cry…

Harshness will not help you here, Clervie’s kind voice rang through her mind. A bittersweet smile danced across her lips, the memories of her childhood best friend like a tiny grotto, nestled away from the cold, whistling winds of a dark shore. The guard shakily opening her cell must have interpreted it as a sign of ill intentions.

“You need not be afraid, I am merely reminiscing,” Arlecchino assured. Confusion joined the cohort of emotions splayed across her “captors’” faces. Arlecchino allowed herself to chuckle at the ridiculousness of it all. They recoiled, clearly not sharing her amused sentiment. If she was going to give her all for Furina, she could at least do it with a smile. 

Granted that I even get a chance to see her…  

Her stomach knotted at the thought of never seeing Furina again. The idea of losing her evoked an emotion she thought long gone, one she thought completely locked away. 

Fear. 

Despite her stomach, even the slightest sliver of a memory, the tiniest glimpse of white hair, the faintest echo of laughter that could warm even the coldest of Snezhnayan nights, was enough to send her mind reeling. Each and every memory, its own microcosm of joy, of a peace unknown to Arlecchino until it was slipping away from her.

She took a deep breath, sighing heavily. If nothing else, she would do her best to get one last chance with Furina, one last chance to make her happy, one last chance to mend the irreparable damage she had caused, even if it meant never speaking to her ever again.

The world around her became dull, mind zeroing in on the one thing that mattered. Her thoughts only held pretty blues and heartfelt, joyous laughter. The dim light of the stuffy corridors disappeared, as did the shared looks of concern between the guards, the rhythmic clacking of boots against stone, the distant dripping of water. Everything but Furina turned into irrelevant nothingness.

Even a bad night’s rest was enough to solidify the plan in her mind. She simply needed Navia to return— exempting evidence in hand, and the next step of her foolhardy plan could continue. 

Arlecchino would present the evidence, hopefully they would let her go without too much of a fuss, then, she would head straight to Furina’s home.

Should I pick up some flowers on the way? 

Or is that too much? Maybe hold back on the romance? Trust first, perhaps then there can be love…

She shook her head, details could always be ironed out later. 

Once she got to Furina, she would explain the situation, maybe admit the whole “killing in self defence”-thing, and hope Furina would not immediately throw her out head first. Maybe Furina would demand Arlecchino leave Fontaine forever, something she would happily comply with, if that was Furina’s wish. She was even considering leading with that suggestion herself.

Perhaps, Furina would rather Neuvillette hunt her down and deliver justice. Or maybe, she would take Arlecchino to court and use her private admission of guilt against her. 

Far worse— and rightfully so, she might simply have more choice words for Arlecchino akin to those last spoken between them. That was, assuming Furina would even hear her out in the first place. 

Arlecchino found her thoughts coalesce into the worst case scenarios at the speed of light.

One step at a time might be a better approach, she tried, hoping to calm herself. It was a small kindness, one not usually granted to her. Surprisingly, there was no venomous voice to push against it.

Self-loathing will not get Furina back, she argued with the newfound silence in her mind. The sudden quietness felt eerie compared to the usual buzz. Without the retorts, the memories, the self-hatred and the guilt, there were no longer any voices to drown out the wailing of her aching heart. Nor did it distract from her trembling legs, or the involuntary twitch in her eyes as her neck strained with each breath from an ill night of sleep. The moisture in the air clung to her senses; an itch unscractchable. Her heart started to race faster, and her chest tightened. The creeping fear of losing Furina, forever , impossible to swat away.

Everything was becoming too much.

Feeling your emotions was somehow worse when there was no voice but your own to drown them out. She squirmed against her restraints, chewing on her lip to not feel . If “Mother”’s voice was to torment her, now would be the time. But instead of haunting memories, droplets of sweat streaked down her already overstiumlated body, heating up by the second.

Her breathing grew ragged, shakier and panicked, trembling eyes found her as the entourage around Arlecchino scrambled for their weapons.

“You are not my obstacle,” she began coldly. The guards blinked, frozen in place. “Now, can we keep moving? The interrogation will not happen by just standing around,” she pressed, refusing to let her inner turmoil find her throat. As if commanded, the guards scrambled to move along, meekly pushing The Knave forwards, seemingly terrified that the slightest mistake would send her over the edge. 

It was nice to direct her distressed emotions elsewhere, even if she had to terrorize some poor guards in the process. After all, being able to command a room she was the “prisoner” of held its own cruel satisfaction. 

Is this the person Furina deserves? A cautious voice asked, breaking through her internal silence. It was the voice that cared, that wanted what was best for Furina, that wanted what Furina wanted. 

No matter how torturous the other fragments of her mind were, that voice, was the most painful of them all.

“If you would not mind,” Arlecchino added awkwardly, following a far too long silence. She tried to ignore the perplexed looks of her escort.

I will be better, for her.

If that is even what she wants… It dawned on her that Furina had not even once asked Arlecchino to better herself. She had fully accepted her just as she was. The need for some kind of mercy, or kindness, was one she had assumed without a single word— nor action, from Furina.

Perhaps what she wanted from you would be clearer if you admitted your wrongdoings, she chastised herself. If “Mother” was not going to punish her, someone had to. 

The sadness of her observation was not lost on Arlecchino. She immediately tossed the thought far into the recesses of her own mind. It was an observation that could come back to hurt and sadden her on a less important day.

But, that is what I am going to tell her… eventually, she winced, afraid of how Furina might respond to her confession. 

Arle found it humorous, in the most awful of ways, that she could not even recall the age at which she had lost count of how many lives she had taken, nor how many lethal missions she had returned from. Yet, it was admitting a relatively minor kill count to someone she genuinely cared for that felt like scaling the highest peaks of Dragonspine. 

It was not imprisonment she feared, but rather, it was the fact that she could lose someone she loved . Unlike with Clervie, where “Mother” was ultimately at fault, she could only blame herself if she was never to see Furina again. Her heart twisted with fear, demanding to burst and run away forever. She could not tell which loss would leave the deepest scar, nor did she want to compare the two, and yet, her mind was already racing with a thousand different sentences, all competing to be the first to break her.

She gritted her teeth and clung to the seed of hope deeply nestled beneath the thorns of despair, rooted firmly in her chest. All she could do was hope that her hastily concocted plan would work, hope that Furina would listen to her one last time, hope that Furina could love Arlecchino despite who she was.

Or maybe even because of who I am, that sucker of a voice returned once more. Arle chuckled softly at her own naïvité. It was the same naïveté that had led her to take over The House of the Hearth. The same naïvité that had made her ignore the doomed fate of her first love. The same naïvité that had gotten her into this mess in the first place.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt as she came face to face with the reinforced door of the interrogation room.  Her mind desperately wanted to go in a thousand different directions, but one was louder, kinder than the rest:

Furina, I will give you my everything, whatever it takes, whoever I have to repeatedly be interrogated by, however many days I must toil in here. I will make it right.

She had a plan, she had hope, and most importantly, she had love. The stage was set, and her final act was about to begin.

The door opened soundlessly. The meticulous upkeep of such a wretched dungeon was— despite everything, impressive. Looking inside, the small table had a new candle on it, and somehow, the air did not feel as stale as the day before.

She looked beyond the candle, and Arlecchino’s heart threatened to escape her body as it shot into her throat. The sight of wonderful white hair adorned by a beautifully blue hat made her heart sing through the thorns.

“Furina!” Arlecchino gasped excitedly, her mind unable to stop her mouth. Every stiff bone in her body became liquid lava at the sight, warmth and relief washing over her nervous system, soothing it like a hot bath on a winter day—

“Silence, Knave.”

Her body froze over, as if she was back in the cold, lonely mountains of Snezhnaya. The lump in her throat solidified when she saw Furina’s expression. She looked stern, discerning, as if dissecting every last microscopic movement that Arlecchino made. She could not help but swallow hard, an unfamiliar tremor in her hand as she realized: she did not hold a single card in her hand. 

Despite the stiffening cold encapsulating her, another bout of sweat prickled her skin. Her eyes darted to Neuvillette, stood behind Furina, before settling back to the set of piercing heterochromatic blue that was staring her down. Invisible roots spread from her chest, thorny and suffocating as they found her throat. The seedling of hope was squeezed tight, becoming naught but a whisper. Arlecchino choked on nothing but the sight in front of her.

Her own heart was once again about to be laid bare in front of Furina, but this time, the shorter woman’s eyes held no sympathy, no love . 

Sat on the other side of the table was not the Furina that Arlecchino had come to know over the past few weeks. Instead, it was the strong and unyielding soul that had taken the mantle of Focalors and defied all odds as she stood stalwart in the face of The Heavenly Principles. 

Her legs weakened, threatening to give in at a moments notice. Despite her fears, despite her utter lack of control, she was in complete awe of the many sides of Furina. Even when filled with disdain, Furina truly was beautiful in every sense of the word. 

She had to do this right, for the both of them.

With a small nod, Arlecchino stepped inside and sat down. The guard next to her shakily switched her shackles around to let her hands lay on the table. The rattling of chains did little to drown out her rapidly pounding heart. Leaving quickly, the guard closed the door behind them.

Silence hung over the room like a thick mist charged with electro energy, as if sound itself had disappeared, breathable air nowhere to be found. Arle held her breath, afraid that Furina’s eyes alone would make the static in the air burst into a thousand lightning bolts.

Furina could lay claim to be the fourth person in history to ever make Arlecchino go completely silent, an achievement many would covet for a lifetime. She joined the short list of Clervie, “Mother”, and finally, The Tsaritsa. However, she did not seem intent to savor— nor care for, such a moment. 

Arlecchino needed to busy her racing mind. Her eyes flicked around desperately for anything that was not the woman she loved. Eventually, they settled on meeting Neuvillette’s piercing gaze.

Personally, she could have done without Neuvillette’s presence, but if that was what it took to get a final shot at explaining everything, so be it. The mischievous part of her mind wanted to taunt The Hydro Sovereign about Furina being down here, despite his protests. However, Arlecchino had never been more thankful for her own well trained tact.

Furina began to speak, and Arlecchino bit into her lip, hard. It took Arlecchino’s entire lifetime of discipline not to immediately confess every last sin and crime she had ever committed at the mere sound of Furina’s enchanting voice. 

Despite the temptations to speak out, to profess her love right then and there, to let everyone know that she would do anything for the woman sat opposite of her, she remained silent. She was intent on letting the woman she had scarred say whatever it was that she intended to say, no matter how much it might hurt, no matter if it would be the final time she spoke to Furina.

Arlecchino would get her chance to explain herself, in due time… she hoped. After all;

Sometimes, the truth can be very kind.

Furina

Furina tried her best not to let her eyes light up at the way Arlecchino yelled out her name. She tried her best not to reach out for those shackled hands laid out on the table in front of her and caress them softly. She tried her best not to immediately ask if she was alright, if she was hurting, if she needed anything. 

Arlecchino’s clothes were still torn, unchanged and unattended since last she saw her. There was a faint scar across her face that almost seemed to pulsate, sending an uncomfortable static down Furina’s spine. And the bags under her eyes, oh the bags under her eyes did nothing to help the eyeliner staining her cheeks. 

Her only saving grace was the well kept hair, and determined red eyes. For a moment, every memory of those beautiful red crosses gazing at her lovingly flashed through her mind.

Furina bit her tongue.

If i am going to find out the truth and make my own decision, I have to be analytical… right?  

She squinted at Arlecchino, trying her best to look harsh and cold, hoping that the tremble on her lips would not reach her words.

“Am I correct in assuming that you are colluding with Navia?” she began firmly. If The Knave was going to involve her friends, she wanted to know why.

Arlecchino’s eyes darted everywhere but at the two people observing her. It was as if she was searching for a satisfactory answer. Was it to find a good excuse? Was she perhaps looking for the right words to explain herself? Was this merely another part of her long running plan?

“I…” Arlecchino began, but stopped herself as she locked eyes with Furina. Furina jutted her head forward in accusation, and The Knave’s eyes broke away.

“Well?” Furina pushed, trying to stoke the anger in her heart currently being muffled by the sad and distraught sight in front of her.

“I wanted to show you that I can work with people that matter to you. I wanted to show you that even when I work in the shadows, I can… be open with you,” she explained hesitantly, voice hoarse and dehydrated. 

“So, if I would have accepted your request, you would have told me the same thing you told Navia?” she dared ask, pensively tilting her head.

Arlecchino cleared her throat, swallowing heavily in a miserable attempt at making speaking easier.

“I am not sure how I can prove that statement, but you are correct. I would have given you the same information that I gave Miss Navia,” Arlecchino admitted. It was hard to ignore the warm feeling in her chest at the idea that even when imprisoned, she still went to Furina first.

“Why Navia?” Furina pressed, hoping to push back the warmth singeing away her analysis.

“Navia is not a member of the Garde. She would not tip off any potential insiders.”

“Are you saying there are insiders in the Garde?!” Neuvillette interjected. The simmering anger in Furina’s stomach took center stage, finally finding a target to latch on to.

“Monsieur Neuvillette, this is my interrogation,” Furina replied as her head snapped towards the taller man. Neuvilette averted his gaze and cleared his throat.

“My apologies, my lady,” he said as his eyes returned to The Knave. Furina followed his gaze, and was met with Arlecchino raising an eyebrow at Neuvillette. There was clear intent as the corner of The Knave’s mouth curled slightly upwards.

Whatever comment lay on Arlecchino’s tongue remained unspoken. The smile immediately disappeared as her complete attention returned to Furina. The same serious and ardent expression she had worn when first confessing her feelings to Furina on full display. 

Furina could feel the expression pierce her walls, threatening to cool her anger back into the tingling warmth Arlecchino had made her intimately familiar with. Furina bit her tongue, hoping to stoke the heat back into a flame of hurt and anger.

“As Monsieur Neuvillette said, are you, The Knave, implying that there is an insider?” Furina asked. Speaking was a lot easier than feeling .

“If Richardsson could stay hidden for multiple years, I do not exactly have the highest of hopes for your internal investigations, nor for your vetting process,” Arlecchino explained. Furina felt the warmth morph into anger, the tingling turned into lightning. That smug “know it all” demeanour that had tormented her while still an Archon reared its ugly head. 

“What. Does. That. Mean?” Furina spat. She was tired of people playing around as if they always had the upper hand. For all of Arlecchino’s charms, The Knave’s arrogance was horribly infuriating.

Arlecchino’s eyebrows rose as she straightened her back.

“Did you never hear his accent slip?” Arlecchino asked earnestly, surprise coating her face. To Furina, however, it was an act of sheer mockery. 

“I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHO YOU SPEAK OF. IF YOU ARE SO PROUD OF SNEAKING IN AN INSIDER UNDECTED, WHY TELL?!” Furina screamed as her fists crashed into the stone table. Last night’s epiphany only made her anger grow hotter. She had come down here to get answers, to finally take control, and now Arlecchino had the gall to sit in chains, pretending like she held any cards in her hand.

Arlecchino’s face fell as a small frown danced across her lips. Her shimmering eyes looked to the damp stone wall before finding the table they were sat at far more interesting. When Furina had first imagined a candlelit table between them, it had been far more romantic than this. 

“I am sorry, Furina. I did not me-”

“That’s Miss Furina to you,” Neuvillette interjected. Furina turned to him once more with furrowed brows, inferno raging in her eyes. This time, he returned it sternly. Their conversation in preparation for the interrogation echoed in the back of her mind.

One of Neuvillette’s many concerns was how personal Furina’s relation to Arlecchino was. Their weeks spent together could muddy any confession or evidence they got from Arlecchino. Furina, however, was not interested in judicial justice.. 

For once, she was allowing herself to be here to gather her own answers, not for the sake— nor in the service, of anyone else. Neuvillette’s concerns would normally take precedent over her personal ones, but not on this day. 

Today, she refused to continue serving a nation that had long since exhausted its right to ask anything of her. And yet, here she was, being asked to play but another game of political cat and mouse.

Hearing Arlecchino use her name without a title threatened to return that loving warmth only Arlecchino could evoke. However, Neuvillette was right. It was far better for Arle— The Knave, to address Furina properly, rather than speak to her casually. 

It will keep me objective, she reasoned, trying hard not to think about the protesting contortions of her heart.

“While I prefer the Iudex not interrupt me,” she began pointedly. “He does have a point. You would do well to address me properly,” Furina finished, eyeing The Knave. The taller woman’s eyes continued eluding Furina’s gaze. Furina noted a slight tremble in her hand, only noticeable when The Knave momentarily stopped thumbing over her own hand.

“I am Sorry, Miss Furina. I did not mean to insult you,” she said. There was a trained, apologetic tone to her voice. It did not sound sincere, it did not sound like Arlecchino. Furina hated how her stomach churned and twisted at the attempted court-like apology. She clearly meant to apologise, but it sounded more like a noble at a ball, rather than the person who had brought her groceries and medicine for weeks on end.

“Back to the topic at hand,” Furina forced herself to say, shoving away the faint waves of empathy grazing the shores of her heart.

“Why tell us?” she asked, her burning accusation broken by a hint of earnest curiosity.

“Because…” Arlecchino took a deep breath, meeting Furina’s fiery gaze. “From the moment I came to an agreement with Neuvillette, one which I, in hindsight, recognize is incredibly demeaning to you, Miss Furina; I realized that it would be insincere to keep an insider here, while agreeing to keep my operatives away from your home,” she explained. 

The admittance of how hurtful it had been that the two struck a deal about Furina without her consent, or knowledge, made the warm feelings come flooding back, like crashing waves washing over sandy shores. The feelings engulfed her body, making her arms relax and her shoulders sag. Furina raised her eyebrows, fighting the smile that threatened to overtake her lips.

She’s admitting her wrongdoings!

And what if that is just part of her plan?

“Am I understanding you correctly, Knave, that you willingly recalled your insider within The Garde because… you wanted to honor an agreement for my sake?” Furina asked, hoping that she sounded far more critical than she felt.

Arlecchino nodded.

“My only regret is… had I kept him around, I might have been able to stop the attempted robbery, before it could cause you any distress” she said emphatically, glaring at Neuvillette.

When her gaze returned to Furina, it softened. Furina felt her insides melt at the protective and caring gesture. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe, she felt like someone’s number one priority. The warmth spread to her heart and chest, thrumming pleasantly throughout her body. 

Arlecchino was admitting to her faults, she wanted to have done more, to have protected her !

Furina wanted to believe the person in front of her, but she felt the tingle in her spine return. The same tingle she had felt on that fateful night when the cat dashed away and The Knave had made her attempt…

“You still have not answered why you choose Navia as your second option.”

Arlecchino shot up at the question, as if being asked about something you knew way too much about, a feeling Furina was intimately familiar with. Arlecchino rolled back her shoulders and cleared her throat before interlacing her fingers and tilting her head slightly downward.

“If one person can go undetected within an organisation, then the possibility of others doing so increases,” Arlecchino explained, the hoarseness dissipating with each word spoken.

However, Furina could not help but notice that Arlecchino’s hands were trembling even more than before, as if worried— or anxious, before her chin came down to rest on top of them, stifling the shaking. 

“If I ask for one of my children, the possibility of a Fatui insider catching wind of my plans increases exponentially. If I ask a garde, or someone affiliated with them, they might let the insider know about my intentions through reports, or other avenues…”

“And Navia’s only tie with the Garde is Clorinde.” Furina finished for her. Arlecchino nodded.

“Correct, Miss Furina. Furthermore, I have previously worked with Navia, and she has been most efficient in everything she does,” she said with a hint of reverence. Had Navia really earned Arlecchino’s respect? Had it not just been a ploy to gain The Gnosis?

“I was also aware that she would not have time to tell Clorinde of her plans, meaning that the only point of failure, in that regard, was out of the equation,” Arlecchino added. The very same drawl that she usually spoke with when she first conversed with Furina— while she still posed as Focalors, had returned. Her mind seemed more focused on explaining her plan than on sounding empathic. Her heart faltered as the hairs on her neck stood up straight. Yet, it wasn’t the terrible memories that made her heart sink, it was hearing her own name addressed properly, rather than warmly. It felt wrong. 

The wrongness turned into something else as Arlecchino continued to speak. She truly was laying out her convoluted plan in plain sight. She was trying oh-so hard to honor Furina’s wish of being respectful about using her title. Despite it all, she would still have to cross reference what she was saying with Navia, but if all of it was true…

Perhaps she is telling the truth!

Naïvité comes befor— her mind tried to warn, but Furina was already pressing on.

“It sounds like your entire plan is banking on Navia agreeing, but Neuvillette said that Navia rejected your offer. Therefore, there is more to this plan,” Furina remarked with curiosity. In return, Arlecchino’s eyes sparkled as she regarded Furina, her mouth quirking slightly upwards. She had that same look of admiration as when she had first told Furina of the respect she held for her.

It didn’t last, The Fatui Harbinger shook her head and returned to her neutral expression, seemingly fighting back a soft and vulnerable exhale. Furina felt her heart twist at losing the wonderful sight of an admiring Arle. Her feelings demanded more, while her need for answers was grateful for the respite from such distractions.

“Remember my concern of another insider?” Arle offered with a slight tilt of her head. Furina nodded intently, trying to ignore how her stomach made a somersault at Arle’s cute cat-like behaviour.

“If Navia agreed to be my civilian contact, more eyes would be on her. She would be unable to move as freely as I hope she currently is,” Arlecchino admitted.

Furina hated how logical, yet complex, Arlecchino’s plan was.

Wait, why is she doing all of this? Who, or what, could possibly warrant all this secrecy? She felt confusion morph into anger. The pleasant water on the shore of her heart recoiled, frustration turning it into cold brine.

“This sure is an explanation, but why do you suspect another insider in the first place? I thought this attack was merely the work of a single, as you called it, “unsanctioned Fatui Operative”?”

Arlecchino sighed as her eyes darted to Neuvillette, and then back to Furina. She hesitated, sucking on her lip as she considered her next words carefully.

There’s that calculated hesitation again!

“I… I came across intel that implicated a Fatui commander not belonging to me. From what I gathered he—”

“Specify.”

“Huh?” Arlecchino blurted out, low eyelids rising in tandem with her eyebrows, interrupting her cool demeanour, face frozen in confusion.

Furina felt her frustrations boil over. Arlecchino had been so diligent about her openness, only to suddenly skim past obviously important details. This all pointed towards the conclusion she absolutely did not want to come to.

She might just really be playing at some kind of complex long con!

“SPECIFY HOW YOU “CAME ACROSS INTEL.” I AM DONE PLAYING THESE VAGUE GAMES AND AWFUL ALLUSIONS! I DID THAT FOR FIVE HUNDRED YEARS. I JUST WANT SOME STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWERS!” Furina yelled in frustration as she pounded her fists against the table. She hated not only Arlecchino’s veiled words, but her own admission too. She finally had the upper hand, finally had Arlecchino on the ropes, and now her emotions had revealed her hand. She hated Arlecchino, hated her own feelings, hated all of this! 

Her arms and legs started to buzz, competing starkly with the remaining warmth in her chest. She wanted to scream more; it felt good to just let it out, not holding in that awful simmer for the sake of someone else.

Arlecchino deflated, the faint flutterings of a hopeful smile turning into a saddened and empathic frown.

“Furina…” she mumbled softly. Those damned crosses softened with a warmth that had only been absent from Furina’s life for two days, yet the sight only made her realize just how much she already missed them. 

One of her folded over hands instinctively started to reach out towards Furina before stopping, hand stuck mid movement, trembling. Furina felt a small lump form in her throat. The kindness, the desire to accommodate Furina, the understanding that she knew Arle held within her … The lump stayed, despite her best attempt to subtly swallow it as she ignored her racing heart.

“It’s Miss Furina,” she tried to muster, her eyebrows forced together to fight her own exterior from softening at the gesture. Arlecchino tried her best to pull her face taut, returning her hand to rest atop the other. She took a deep, steadying breath before speaking.

“I pursued your intruder while The Garde was busy… securing the premises,” she said diplomatically, seemingly leaving out any further commentary she might have about them. 

“As I trailed him, he escaped to a hid—”

The door flew open as a distressed voice called out;

“Ma’am, this is a restricted area and an ongoing interrogation, you cannot enter!” 

Navia barreled inside, heaving from exertion while holding a stack of papers high above her head. A guard appeared behind her, worry splayed across his face.

“Lady Navia, I must ask that you immediately vacate the premises, or we will use force to remove you!” he tried desperately, without success, to sound authoritative.

“I… I have the evidence!” Navia proclaimed in-between breaths as she doubled over, papers still held high. Furina looked confused between Navia, the guard, Neuvillette, and finally, Arlecchino. She hated how her heart jumped at the sight of Arlecchino’s eyes lighting up as she looked at the papers in Navia’s hand. The smallest of smiles started to take form on Arlecchino’s lips as she sucked in what Furina could only view as a hopeful breath.

She could have rehearsed that.

But she looks so happy!

Furina held up a hand at the Garde.

“If Lady Navia purports to possessing relevant evidence, she may leave it to Iudex Neuvillette for review. Now, leave us,” Furina commanded. Despite no longer holding any official authority, the guard immediately followed Furinas orders, closing the door behind him.

Neuvilette strode over as a beaming Navia handed him the papers.

“Here you go, Monsieur Iudex,” she said cheerily. Everyone in the room picked up on the faintly taunting nature of her intonation, yet no one had the time— nor interest, to comment on it.

“I wish to see too,” Furina said before Neuvillette could go into what Furina had named “detective mode”. Back in the day, when they still worked together, Neuvillette would grab documents and skim over them in seconds, while Furina had to take minutes— if not hours, to go over the same information. This time, however, Furina had no interest in such nostalgic indulgences.

Neuvillette threw a suspicious glance at Arlecchino, walking the two steps needed to return to Furina’s side, before setting down the papers in front of her. Furina threw her own glance at the duo across the table. Navia was still catching her breath, neck craned up to scan the room, seemingly trying to discern what the situation was like. 

Meanwhile, Arle’s small smile quickly disappeared under Furina’s scrutiny, The Fatui Harbinger cleared her throat and tried her best to return to her neutral demeanour. Despite her best efforts, Furina could still catch a slight glimmer in those beautiful red crosses.

Either you are the best actor in all of Fontaine, or your exterior is not all it is cracked up to be, Furina huffed internally.

She shook her head, trying to rid herself of warm memories as she turned her attention to the documents. The first few papers seemed to be reports, it detailed a certain “Commander Crimson”’s arrival, and his subsequent journey through Fontaine.

“I never sanctioned this…” Neuvillette mumbled.

“That’s what I said!” Navia exclaimed. The other three looked at the blonde, eyebrows raised. She sucked in a breath and raised her hands, as if saying “oops, bad timing.”

Saving Navia’s comment for later, Furina returned to the documents at hand.

According to the logs of the documents, and the notes about “the Doctor’s orders”, it really did seem like an unsanctioned Fatui operation had been going on within Fontaine.

Furina continued to read it. There was an entry spanning back only a few weeks that spoke of “The former Archon is receiving packages, take and inspect them. There could be valuable correspondence or intel within them.” Another entry spoke of the perplextion about the contents of said packages. Food and groceries, the report speculated that perhaps it was some kind of coded message. Furina could not help but giggle.

“Did they really think you were sending me coded messages with apples and oranges?” Furina snorted to herself. Neuvillette gave a small chuckle in return, and Furina looked up at him. There was the smallest hint of a smile on his face, and for a moment, Furina felt herself relax. 

It all seemed so silly. In their world, kindness could not be the sole explanation, there always had to be another motive behind it. She felt the curious gaze of the woman opposite her. For a moment, she considered playfully asking Arlecchino if sending coded messages via groceries was a common Fatui tactic. A flickering memory of their back and forth teasing reared its ugly head.

She bit her tongue.

No time for playful distractions.

The next report spoke of “The Knave has been seen around the former Hydro Archon’s residence, we must investigate further.” Her heart jumped. There it was. Why would another Fatui operative speak of Arlecchino’s movements like that if they were associated? It explained everything!

Seems a little too convenient, she tried to tell herself, fighting the urge to immediately bombard the two women with a myriad of questions.

Instead, she continued reading the reports.

The packages have Iudex Neuvillette as the sender, yet, it is only The Knave who has been seen entering the former Archon’s residence. Perhaps, she has thrown in her lot with the Fontainian’s. Esteemed Doctor, will this information be of interest to you? After all, The Tsaritsa would surely not approve of a Harbinger colluding with a former Archon.

“Did they… think we were working together?” Furina asked with a puzzled look as she tore her eyes from the papers, meeting Arlecchino’s shimmering, expectant gaze. Arle’s hands started to scratch at each other, another possible anxious tick, or merely deception . The Fourth Fatui Harbinger was taking deep breaths, seemingly trying to steady herself while unsuccessfully staving off a smile. The hopefulness permeating her face might as well have been a billboard with bright lights saying “I am so happy you are reading this”. 

Arlecchino shrugged sheepishly. 

It was the cutest thing Furina had seen all day.

No time for distractions! she tried desperately, pleading with her fluttering heart.

“This is the first time I see these papers. I have, as I hope you will believe, not read them myself,” Arlecchino said softly. The voice that had become so familiar in Furina’s home returned, and she had to fight back yet another smile. She wanted Arle to continue talking, to sound so earnest and honest. It suited her even better than her usual cool and calculated exterior. Furina crossed her arms, hoping that it would keep her heart from shooting out of her chest.

“If you have never seen them before, how did Navia acquire them?” Furina inquired, attempting to find an accusing and suspicious pitch, rather than the hopeful one bouncing off of the claustrophobic walls.

“How much can I say?” Navia asked as she looked at Arlecchino with a smile. Arlecchino motioned with an upturned and shaky hand towards Furina and Neuvillette.

“Please, Navia. Speak as freely as you would like. I have nothing to conceal from Fur- Miss Furina,” Arlecchino’s unsteady demeanour broke further, she sucked in a breath and winced at nearly forgoing Furina’s title. 

She is trying so hard to be proper and respectful! Furina thought, fighting the urge to sigh dreamily. While respecting one’s title was common Fontainian courtesy, the way Arle struggled— but still tried, was almost endearing to Furina, almost .

Navia smiled at Arlecchino before meeting Furina’s attempt at a stern gaze.

“Well, your girlfr- Arlecchino here, told me to contact her wonderful children. She only had a name to go on, but let me tell you guys,” Navia said brightly as she clasped her hands together, bouncing her gaze between the cocked heads of Furina and Neuvillette. “Those Fatui kids really know how to track someone down. Arlecchino was sure that if we found this “Crimson” person, we would find evidence that proved her innocence,” Navia explained excitedly.

“Correct me if I am wrong, but you two pretended that you rejected Arle- The Knave’s request for you as a civilian contact after she explained her plan to you,” Furina asked rhetorically. They both nodded, almost in unison, both in their own excited way.

“Well, all Arlecchino here really told me was that she needed Crimson’s documents, and that her kids could help me find them.”

“You are missing the part where you haggled me for three personal favors,” Arlecchino chimed in casually, the small smile returning to her face. She quirked an eyebrow while leaning back in her chair to tease Navia. The blonde chuckled in return as the two women shared a knowing look.

“That’s what you get for pulling on my heartstrings,” Navia shot back, and Arlecchino gave a half-hearted shrug in return. As she watched the two, Furina felt a pang of something she could barely describe. It was the same feeling she felt while watching everyone else in the ball have a dance partner, herself stuck on some balcony observing everything from a distance. It was the emotion that had finally been satisfied when Arlecchino had hauled an entire gramophone into her home and danced with her across her tiny kitchenette.

Why was Arlecchino and Navia quipping between each other? That was her’s and Arle’s thing! 

Her eyes became slits as Furina de Fontaine recognized what that awful, gnawing feeling in her chest was:

Jealousy.

Before Furina could spiral further, Arle turned to Furina, placing her arms on the table with a shameless smile now spreading on her face. She leaned forward, close enough for Furina to catch the faintest whiff of rainbow rose, covered by sweat and dried blood. The smell itself threatened to send her down a joyous, all encompassing spiral. The addition of Arle regarding her with the same wonder and amazement she had done so many times before did nothing to stop the barrage of joy from pounding on the dam keeping her own emotions at bay.

“What can I say, I am desperate,” she mused warmly with a delicate exhale. The earnest softness was there, just like the time they had finally started kissing each other. Just like the time Arlecchino had seen Furina undress before going to bed. Just like the time Furina had talked about “Logic and Sentiment” for hours on end before getting her to read it. Furina felt as if her heart was going to explode. That damned look was going to ruin everything Furina had come into this interrogation room to do. Despite her analytical brain screaming at her to stop, to run away, Furina wanted nothing more than to pull Arle close and never let her go.

What I want… she thought before tearing herself away from those dangerously tantalizing crosses.

“Arlecchino promised you favors in exchange for you assisting her children in tracking down this “Commander Crimson”, correct?” Furina asked, and Navia nodded.

“That was the agreement.”

Would Arlecchino really indebt herself to Navia just to show me she can work with her?

“How did you find him?” Furina questioned. Her heart screamed for her to drop all of this and just drag Arlecchino out of here and back to her apartment. However, her mind demanded to be given every last answer under the false sun.

Navia looked at Arlecchino once more, checking to see how much she could divulge.

“This would be new to me as well. Please, Navia, feel free to disclose anything and everything,” Arle turned to Furina, the warmth in her eyes melting the cold walls she so desperately clung to. “Miss Furina is not the only one tired of allusions and hidden motives,” she tried. It was a spoken olive branch from the woman with a million rumors, and twice as many horror stories about her. And yet, Furina could only describe her with one word.

Home.

Her heart tore at her ribcage, demanding to be placed in the safety of Arle’s hands. Outwardly, Furina ignored Arlecchino’s comment and cocked her head at Navia, encouraging her to tell her story.

She began recounting her hurried walk over to the House of the Hearth, including her dramatics to throw any observers off of her trail. She emoted and moved with big motions as she told the story. Navia was nothing if not indulgent. She told of her encounter with the twins, the odd scene with Lynette and the other children. Something stirred within Furina at the mention of the The House of the Hearth.

How would everything work out if we… what would her children think of me? Would Arle want me to live with her? 

Furina bit her tongue, desperately trying to shift her focus to Navia narrating her quippy exchanges with Lyney. Navia contrasted the loud and ostentatious eccentricities of Lyney, with the quiet and methodical antics of his twin. 

However, Furina could not stop herself from stealing a glance at Arlecchino. She was turned completely towards Navia, listening intently to her story. Arle’s smile grew with each mention of her children. It was a different kind of smile compared to how she looked at Furina. There was still love, but rather than holding reverence and admiration, it was prideful and approving.

That kind of smile suits you just as well as when you smile at me.

Her heart twisted into a knot, entangled by sadness. She had spent the last two days convincing herself that Arlecchino was a villain, but seeing her like this… It was a stark and painful reminder of just how much warmth and happiness she had brought into Furina’s life.

What if it is all a ploy?

What if it is not?

As her mind bickered, she missed a few parts of the testimony. At least, until Navia made a bad imitation of Lyney discussing their strategy for approaching the rogue Fatui. Arlecchino scrunched her nose at it, but said nothing.

Cute.

“And then, as I sauntered back and forth, the bastard attacked me!”

“You seemed to be provoking him,” Neuvillette pointed out.

“Is taunting someone, or suggesting you report them for a crime, a crime in and of itself?” 

“It is not…” Neuvillette said coldly, the two millimeter downturn of his left eyebrow a clear tell that Neuvi was frustrated at Navia’s tiptoeing around legalities. Unless incredibly clear intent could be established, proving, at least legally, that someone was guilty of instigation, was incredibly difficult.

Navia continued to describe her battle with the Fatui, clearly not elaborating on the post-battle status of her opponents. Arle nodded along, seemingly satisfied at her children’s performance. Eventually, Navia came to the end of the battle, and her questioning of the commander. When she recounted her phrase of “this is what happens to people who mess with Furina!”, Furina could not stop herself from interjecting.

“Did you… did you really say that?” she asked. The sharpness in her voice was gone, only hopeful curiosity remained.

Navia stopped in her expressive tracks, hands dramatically frozen in the air before her wrists went limp and she resembled a two-legged dinosaur caught in headlights.

“Of course! You’re my friend, and if anyone messes with you, they’re in big trouble,” she said with a joyfull huff, crossing her arms before throwing a light hearted, yet pointed, look down at the woman next to her. In turn, the chained woman met Navia’s gaze head on. Unbreaking, unwavering, Arlecchino refused to shrink from the implication until she turned to Furina, a silent request to speak.

Suppressing a squeal, Furina sighed and gave a rolling motion with her hand.

“What do you wish to say, Arl- Knave.”

“I am glad to see that you have such protective friends, Miss Furina. I hope they continue to hold me accountable, regardless of today’s outcome,” she said, professionalism coating her tone, despite how earnest the implication seemed. Furina hated how there were layers between the Arle of her home, and the Arle currently chained to the table.

It is a good distance, it helps discern truth from falsehood.

I am tired of distance.

“Noted. But please, try to stay on topic,” Furina tried her best to sound cold, but it came out closer to a plea. 

“Of course. My apologies, Miss Furina.”

Navia finished recounting how the agent had written down his own testimony. She explained that she had threatened to leak his failures to the Tsaritsa if he did not comply. Furina found herself impressed that Navia could think so quickly on her feet with all the adrenaline of battle still coursing through her. 

Navia concluded her tale by briefly describing how she did not bother checking on the Fatui, and instead rushed back to Fontaine, pushing past several guards to get into the very room she now stood in. Furina gave one last glance at Arlecchino before returning to the documents in front of her. She would surely have to ask Navia about more details some other time.

The rest of the documents held little new information. It merely described how the Fatui kept waiting for gaps in the Garde’s schedules to steal the packages, how they tried their best to keep an eye on the House of the Hearth without alerting Arlecchino. The only new piece of information was the establishing of a hideout within Fontaine. It would be a forward operating base to make intel gathering easier.

“A base right in the heart of Fontaine…” Neuvillette mumbled as he stroked his chin, furrowing his brows. “I am ashamed that I let something like that slip under my nose,” he said with a sigh, throwing Furina a, by Neuvillette’s standards, apologetic look. She pondered whether to console him or not. After all, Neuvillette had been awfully busy, and these Fatui seemingly escaped even The Knave’s notice. Furina concluded that it was not fair, nor right, that Neuvillette take all the blame for such a thing happening.

“You have been swamped with other work ever since the flooding, it is not your sole responsibility,” Furina reassured confidently. It felt good to give measured and thoughtful comfort, rather than letting her people-pleasing instincts move her into immediate action. Neuvillette gave her a, less than usual, toothy smile at the words. 

While turning back to look at the few remaining documents, Furina caught Arle shifting in her chair. Her warm eyes held something else as she opened and closed her mouth while the stroking of her hand quickened.

There was something Arle was not telling her, or was it something she was not telling them ? Her red crosses kept flicking over towards Neuvillette. Previously, she had only been giving him glances, but now, her gaze held longer.

Furina felt a plan start to hatch in the back of her mind, another type of investigation to conduct. It was a plan best saved for after they had clarified as much as possible about the documents.

Furina put aside the papers about the Fatui base, assuming that Neuvi would put the address mentioned to memory. Whatever alias the Fatui had used, it would be investigated further by him and The Garde.

Only a few more pages remained, one of them stuck out like a sore thumb. Unlike the rest of the documents, It was crumpled and roughly handled, the writing uneven and frantic. Furina threw a glance at Neuvillette and was met with a low hum.

“Navia, do you know why this paper is…” Furina motioned in the air, trying to grasp the words from the stale air of the room. The only thing that truly caught her eye was the one person that made her turn cold as ice, and melt away all the same; “... as fucked up as Arlecchino looks?” she finally finished as the words came to her. Navia chuckled at the jab, and Arle had to fight back her own chortle by hiding it behind her fist.

Memories of their playful quips, heart-warming and hilarious, surged into her mind. Arlecchino was not the only one trying to suppress a smile at the table by the time Navia replied.

“Commander Crimson was kind enough to provide me with a written confession, despite his dishevelled state,” Navia answered nonchalantly. Furina furrowed her brows as she looked between Navia and the paper.

“Lady Furina, may I ask a question to Miss Navia?” Neuvillette requested with a tentative look, one much akin to a curious cat quietly waiting to be fed. Furina sighed, at least he was asking this time.

“Go ahead.”

“Miss Navia, was the writer under duress when this note was written?”

Navia put a hand to her chin and squinted as she let out a long, humming sound. Furina could appreciate some good theatrics to clearly stall for time.

“Let me answer with a question,” she said as she turned to Arlecchino. “Knave Arlecchino-”

“That is not how my name works,” Arlecchino interrupted with a raised eyebrow. Furina could read the quiet exasperation on Arle’s face from a mile away. It did not really matter to Arle, but Furina and her had found common ground in that correct things should be— well, correct. “Right should be right,” was a roughly translated Snezhnayan saying Arlecchino had taught her, and Furina had quickly become very fond of it. The more she thought about it, the more helpless Furina became in stopping the ghost of a smile from appearing on her face.

“So, which one should I use then?” Navia asked with a smirk. Arlecchino could only roll her eyes as she turned to Furina.

“Apologies, Miss Furina. I do not mean to derail the conversation.”

“No, no, please. Answer Miss Navia’s question,” Furina said as the unseen smile turned into a visible smirk. Arle raised her other eyebrow and tilted her head slightly downwards, her eyes silently asking “are you serious right now?”. Furina only raised her eyebrows and cocked her head in return. With a sigh, Arle turned back to Navia.

“You can address me as either The Knave, or Arlecchino. One is a title, the other a name. If you wish to be proper, Fourth Fatui Harbinger Arlecchino will do,” she said with a hint of vexation.

“Very well, Fourth Fatui Harbinger Arlecchino. Would you say that Fatui operatives are ever under duress?” Navia asked. Furina noticed, while fighting off her own threats of giggling, Arle’s eyes narrowing, before widening knowingly at Navia.

“No, Miss Navia. Fatui operatives are never under duress,” she replied cooly.

“Can we really trust her? She is the suspect.” Neuvillette pointed out. 

“Do you have any other available Fatui to answer our burning questions?” Navia asked dramatically, her smirk growing wider. 

Nevuillette fell silent as he eyed Navia, seemingly trying to find an answer somewhere on her playful demeanour.

Furina felt something flutter through her rapidly beating heart, the idea lurking in the back of her mind shooting right into her frontal lobe. 

“I suppose Miss Navia has a point,” Furina chimed in. “Who else can give us an account on Fatui behaviour if not one of their Harbingers?” Furina asked rhetorically.

Arlecchino let a smile slip as she bowed her head graciously.

“Thank you, Miss Furina.”

Miss Furina. 

It sounded so wrong, so ill, so unnatural coming from Arlecchino’s mouth. She wanted this all to be over, to just make up her mind. She was tired of sitting around in the worlds most uncomfortable chair, tired of the stuffy air, of seeing Arlecchino in cuffs, of not getting to talk to her alone.

Her tenacity was wilting, her goal of objectivity slipping away. She turned to the only objective course of action, the documents. She inspected the written confession, a faint smell of ash lingering on the crumpled paper, and she was fairly certain there was spots of blood on it.

The confession spoke of Commander Crimson having sanctioned the entire Fontaine operation on his own, about how he was responsible for targeting Furina, and later Arlecchino, with his operatives. He was the man who had ordered the stealing and spying. It was an admission of guilt, naming him as the sole perpatratory. Curiously, and damningly, there was no mention of any other Harbinger in the letter. Considering Navia’s recountings, Furina assumed that Crimson was trying to cover up for his true master. From what Furina had learned about the Fatui, any admission pointing to whoever Crimson truly served would most likely see the people he cared for severely punished.

The writing became more frantic as it went on, finally ending in the words;

“I would never serve someone like The Knave, she is a fool who puts her own sympathies ahead of Fatui interests. I would rather die than ever heed her command,” Furina read aloud as she looked to Arlecchino. The chained woman returned a puzzled frown. “You sure do not seem popular with this individual.”

Arlecchino shrugged while her eyes searched the table for words, her hand stroking her chin as she— seemingly absentmindedly, let out a contemplative hum.

She looks so cute when she is bewildered.

“I… I had barely even heard of Commander Crimson until recently. I only kept him on file for the purpose of archiving. I had no idea he had such anger directed towards me and my goals,” she said calmly. There was something incredibly alluring about the way Arlecchino seemed unbothered by the harsh words. It was a skill Furina knew all too well how much effort it took to cultivate.

“You watched him write this, Miss Navia?” Furina said, trying to direct her thoughts towards anything but Arlecchino.

“Correct.”

It was all overwhelming. The puzzle pieces were slowly fitting together, yet uncertainty permeated the incomplete picture. 

Her internal back and forth, keeping up the charade of harshness to not let Arle know how truly conflicted she was, trying to keep all the evidence at the front of her mind, it was all wearing her down bit by bit.

As the room quieted, tiredness finally washed over Furina. She wanted to rest her mind, her body, and most importantly, her soul. She sighed, unable to stop herself from leaning against her chair, head lolling back as she let gravity bring it along. The ceiling occupied her entire vision. It was bland, even the “patterns” in the confining stones above her were boring to look at while her mind continued to race.

Navia’s evidence and testimony was actively absolving Arlecchino of any involvement, and they had nothing that disproved or went against it. Furthermore, Arlecchino had cooperated and not put up a single fuss about being locked up, or answering most of their questions. 

With Arlecchino momentarily out of sight, the questions that would be the hardest to ask— and most likely the hardest to answer, resurfaced.

How did she get her intel? How did she come to know about Commander Crimson’s involvement? What happened to the Fatui operative after he tried to steal my package?

Every dodged question had been done so with a glance at Neuvi.

Furina had options, a choice that was completely her own choice to make. The tingling of her own destiny buzzed in her fingertips, her stomach churned anxiously and her heart battled between fear, and love .

She could demand that Arlecchino show her love for Furina, and speak on how she acquired said intel in front of the three of them, regardless of how hesitant she might be to do so. 

She could also just walk away. After all, she had no obligation to see this whole interrogation through. No more heartbreak, no more conflicting feelings for a Fatui Harbinger, no more veiled implications. 

No more Arle…

Or , she could ask Neuvillette to let her go. Then, once she had a moment of privacy with Arle, she would hopefully be more comfortable telling the truth, and nothing but the truth. Especially, if it could otherwise implicate her…

Why are we showing her any kind of grace?!

Because she has been trying so hard to accommodate us! 

And what if that too is an act?

Then… If nothing else, she will hopefully keep that act up once this is all over. 

A small thorn dug itself into Furina’s heart. She wanted nothing more than to be hopeful, but part of her hurting self was afraid. Furina was so afraid that everything was a perfectly crafted act. Despite everything Arlecchino had done, it was not outside the realm of possibility that a Fatui Harbinger could play the role of a loving woman for a few weeks.

How long do we hold on to distrust once it has proven fruitless? A kinder voice asked. It sounded familiar, and wise. It almost sounded like… Focalors.

Furina took a deep breath, letting her body slip down the uncomfortable stone chair. She hated that this was the moment she had built towards. She hated that she had braced herself to make her own choices, only to be overcome with an amount of analysis paralysis that made every one of her toughest court cases combined over the last 500 years pale in comparison. 

She hated how difficult it was to create her own happiness. 

It was not until she sat back up and cleared her throat that she realized how quiet the room had gotten. Everyone seemed to be expectantly awaiting her, and only her. Not because she was Furina de Fontaine, not because she held a position of power, but because everyone in the room had proclaimed to care about her . A faint warmth crept it’s way into her stomach and spread to her chest, much unlike anything she had felt before. It was the feeling of knowing that people cared enough about her to give her the space she so desperately needed.

Sadly, it only made the weight of her decision far heavier. 

Having Arlecchino elaborate on her dodged questions would surely give clarity to the situation, would help Furina make an objective choice. It would make it easier to be done with all of this, one way or another…

She felt the warmth dissipate into a small, fearful pit in her stomach. Just as the familiar warmth was about to disappear forever, her heart caught it, growing a new flame of hope. 

But what if it is something only I should hear… 

Furina knew what she was about to do was irrational, and yet, it was the choice she wanted to make.

With a grunt, she straightened her back, meeting Arlecchino’s gaze. Her eyes were as beautiful as they were hesitant. Arle’s hands lay on the table in front of her, her head slightly craned forward as she seemingly held her breath without knowing it. Her entire body was tense.

She is uncertain, she is scared.

Furina took a deep breath as the sight in front of her made her heart melt. Arle, The Fourth Fatui Harbinger, was scared and uncertain about Furina’s choice. Her melting heart beat faster by the second, and she swore the rest of the room could hear it.

“Do you have anything to add to Miss Navia’s account?” Furina asked. Her feelings betrayed her, the words sounding far kinder than intended.

Arle seemed to finally release the breath she was holding as her eyes scanned her surroundings. Her hand instinctively rose to stroke her chin, the rattling of chains felt like a whisper compared to Furina’s roaring emotions. The quiet moment before Arlecchino spoke felt like it’s own eternity, another lifetime passing by.

“I swear that in all of this, I have done nothing to hurt you. I can only hope that the evidence provided is enough to allow you to make whatever decision feels right to you ,” Arlecchino finally said, softness slipping into her well trained and usually cool tone. Furina’s heart joined the murmuring chains as all she could hear was Arle’s loving words. Her shoulders sagged with a faint sigh, obvious smile spreading to her lips. The warmth that never truly left her swelled into a crescendo.

She is what you want, a kind voice called out.

And sometimes, what we want, is what will destroy us. 

Despite that, Focalors pursued it, why can I not do the same?

“Do you have anything to add, Miss Navia?” Furina asked, swallowing back the flood of emotions threatening to overtake her.

Navia looked to Arle, and The Fatui Harbinger only shook her head.

“Seems I haven’t forgotten anything!” she beamed, her smile unwavering despite the tension.

Finally, Furina turned to Neuvillette.

“Thank you for letting me lead this, do you have anything to add, Monsieur Neuvillette?”

Neuvi let out a hum as he eyed Arlecchino. Furina felt the logical part of her brain take over.

Please Neuvi, say something to stop me from doing this, she pleaded internally. It truly was as if she was in two minds about it all. The logical part of her saw no reason to let Arle go before asking her remaining questions, but another part of her, the protective and loving side, wanted nothing more than to just to talk to Arle all by herself. Furina balled her hands into fists, letting her nails dig into her palms while biting her tongue. Perhaps, a little bit of pain would convince her to be reasonable in all of this.

Since when has love ever been reasonable?

“I cannot find that there is anything to contradict the evidence given, and as the lead interrogator, I believe that you will know when all questions necessary have been exhausted,” he said, his stoic demeanour unwavering, despite his own clear distrust.

Not even Neuvi is stopping me from making my own decision! she exclaimed in equal parts excitement— equal parts fear. Obviously, The Hydro Sovereign had a plethora of questions left to ask The Fatui Harbinger, but true to his word, he let Furina take full charge. 

“Thank you, Iudex Neuvillette,” Furina began, her smile momentarily turning towards him before her focus returned to Arlecchino.

“With the evidence presented, I find no reason to continue the interrogation, nor hold the suspect in custody. Arlecchino, you are free to go,” she said in her best attempt at an official-sounding voice. However, she knew her lips and eyes had already betrayed her, especially when Arle’s eyes lit up at the statement, a small gasp escaping her. Whatever “logical” dam had been holding back every last emotion threatening to overtake her since the moment she laid eyes on Arle’s beautiful smile, was starting to break. She felt every crack form along the dam as she excitedly rose from her chair, legs roaring to be freed from their stillness.

“I can escort The Knave out of the premises, unless you would like to do it yourself, Lady Furina,” Nevuillette offered, clearly catching on to what Furina was doing. A small blush snuck it’s way onto her cheeks as she cleared her throat.

“With all the trouble we have put her through,” Furina began, holding her gaze steady with Arlecchino’s. “I think it only fair that I escort her out myself.”

She saw Navia lean over and whisper something in Arle’s ear, making The Harbinger blush. Arle quickly whispered something back, and the jealousy returned with a pang.

What could she possibly whisper to elicit a blush from Arle?! She growled internally.

Arle averted her gaze from a discerning Furina, clearing her throat.

“I assume The Iudex and The president will find another way out of here?” she asked, voice faltering ever so slightly.

“I shall escort Miss Navia out of here, and take it as an opportunity to remind her not to barge into an ongoing interrogation,” he said pointedly. Navia gave an unbothered laugh in return.

“I am sure that will be most enlightening, Monsieur Neuvillette.”

Furina fetched the guards who quickly entered and unlocked Arle’s restraints. While she could barely contain herself from getting out of the stuffy dungeon, Neuvi’s discerning gaze needed not be seen in order to be felt. Despite allowing Furina to follow her own path, he was noticeably concerned. A concern clearly shared by the guards as they recoiled at Arle rising from her seat and stretching her neck and arms.

“I assume I am not allowed to linger, and shall be escorted away immediately. After all, you would not wish for a Fatui Harbinger to roam here freely?” Arlecchino asked, mostly directed towards Neuvillette. The tall man looked to Furina who cleared her throat and put on her best official sounding voice.

“Of course, some precautions must always be taken, please, come with me, Arlecchino,” she said as she instinctively grabbed Arle’s arm, dragging her out of the suffocating prison.

A small giggle was her parting gift from Navia as they scurried down the dim hallway.

“You know your way through here?” Arle dared to ask, the growing blush on her face not unnoticed by Furina.