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Lumine groaned as she dragged herself across the green plains of Mondstadt, her entire body was aching and sore. She had spent the entire day clearing out monster camps for the knights, which wouldn’t have been so terrible if she hadn’t done the exact same thing the previous day. …And the day before that.
She did the best she could to get back to her campsite without collapsing. Once she did arrive, she saw her sweet companion Paimon cooking dinner (which smelled amazing).
Lumine wasted no time, falling to the ground and wrapping her tired body in her blanket.
“Lumine? Are you alright?” Paimon asked, floating over.
Lumine didn’t say anything, only groaned and shook her head no.
“Oh… was it commissions again? You know, Paimon thinks that you should take a break! Maybe that will help you!”
Lumine only glared at Paimon. She didn’t want to be mad at her, but it was hard to not be. She didn’t have the weight of an entire world on her shoulders. Paimon didn’t have expectations that needed to be met like she did. She didn’t have multiple Nations that counted on her to solve all of their problems.
Lumine sat up and ran her hands through her hair.
“If only it was that easy, Paimon.” She muttered, “But I can’t. I can’t take breaks when the world keeps trying to end every time I set foot in another nation! I mean, this entire time, I’ve had to deal with dragons, mythical beasts, conscious monstrous plants- hell, even an entire organization of fuckers on magical steroids! It seems like everyday new problems turn their ugly heads and decide to make my life hell!”
She stood up, pacing now, trying to keep herself calm, “I mean- on top of all of that I’ve also been looking for my brother! But the one time that I see him, he leaves me! Gone! And I’ve done all of this work, and gone through so many challenges, just for a little bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, he might appear again- he might magically show up and apologize to me for leaving me in this stupid, fucking mess!”
She cried, feeling all of her pent-up emotions start to boil over.
“So yes, Paimon, I wish- I wish so much- that I could just have a break! For one day! Just be left alone, and not have to worry about stupid commissions, or stupid hilichurls, or anything else!” She yelled, not realizing just how mad she was.
The overflow of emotions caused a whirlwind of anemo energy to be dispersed. Paimon even had to hang on to the cooking pot just to not get blown away.
Lumine cried, clutching her ribs as she fell to the ground.
“I’m tired, Paimon… I’m so so tired…” She whispered, as her friend floated closer.
Paimon felt weary, a bit scared, even.
“Okay, yeah… yeah, Paimon understands…” She comforted the blonde, helping her sit down properly.
“Paimon will take care of cleaning up, okay? Do you want some dinner before bed? Paimon made Sweet Madame~” She smiled, hoping to entice the girl.
Lumine felt her lips tug upwards as she sniffled and wiped her tears.
“I would like some, yeah.” She muttered, her voice low and hoarse.
“Coming right up!” Paimon giggled, floating over to the cooking pot.
Lumine felt the wind start to blow a bit more, but it was comforting, not harsh.
Paimon came back over with a nice warm plate of Sweet Madame, which also tasted delicious.
“Thank you, Paimon.” Lumine said as her friend took her empty dish.
“Of course! Now, you get some rest!” Paimon told her.
So Lumine tried to.
She tried to let herself not worry about work, or worries, or people who may need help. She tried to calm herself down enough to sleep. She really did try… It just didn’t seem to work very well.
She had a nightmare, one of her brother.
He was asking her why she wasn’t doing more to find him.
“I tried!” She yelled, “I’ve been trying!”
“Not hard enough,”Aether muttered, turning away.
“Wait! Aether! Please, don't leave me! Not again- not again!” She yelled, attempting to chase after him.
His figure faded into the nothingness that surrounded them.
“Aether!” She cried.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I look for you, I’ll keep looking.”
Paimon heard the sleepy muttering of her friend.
Another nightmare.
Paimon floated closer to her, hugging and repositioning her blanket to cover her.
That was when she heard a certain whistling in the wind.
“Lumine~ Paimon~”
Paimon groaned and went to speak to this sneaky figure.
The next morning, Lumine awoke with a groan of pain.
“Paimon… remind me to rent a house in Mondstadt later today… I can’t take sleeping on the ground anymore…” She muttered, rubbing her eyes.
She was calm, till she didn’t hear a response.
“Paimon?” She asked, looking around, more alert now.
Still nothing, and her dear traveling companion was nowhere to be seen.
“Paimon~ Where are you?” Lumine asked, getting up from her small makeshift bed.
She searched around the camp, behind the trees and bushes, even in their food supply where she may or may not have found the girl sleeping before. There was nothing, no trace of her.
Lumine started to shake.
“Paimon?? Come on, this isn't funny!” She called out, starting to make her way around the perimeter of the camp, looking for any trace of Paimon.
She felt her breath become quick and shallow.
“PAIMON!!” She yelled, feeling her heart beat faster.
She wouldn’t just leave me, right? She’d tell me where she was going. She can’t leave me. Not her too.
Her mind raced till she saw the floating sparkles behind some trees.
“Paimon!” She exclaimed, running towards it.
As she turned the corner of trees, there she was.
“Oh Archons, here you are!” Lumine shouted, hugging her friend.
“Eek!” Paimon cried, freezing mid-air.
“I'm so glad you're okay! You scared me, I thought you were gone, I mean- I couldn't find you at camp and when I called you, you didn’t answer!” Lumine explained, her voice shaking. “I even had a nightmare, so when I woke up and was alone, I could only think that maybe… you had… I- I don’t know… left me too…”
“Oh- Paimons sorry… Paimon didn’t mean for you to get scared or sad! Here, let’s go back to camp and get some breakfast, and maybe that can help cheer you up!”
Lumine let out a heavy sigh, let go of Paimon, and nodded, “Yeah, that might help…”
So, they made their way back to their small campsite, and Paimon began to make breakfast. Lumine sat silently, her mind wandering. All she could seem to think about was her nightmare. Her brother, angry and cold. That wasn’t the Aether she remembered. She was scared that that version of him was the only one that remained in this world.
“Uh, Lumine? You alright?” Paimons voice took place of her frightful thoughts.
“Hm? Sorry, I must’ve been… zoning out… Yes?” She asked, lifting her head to meet the gaze of her friend.
“It’s alright! Paimon was just asking if you wanted some salt on your “Adventurers Breakfast”!” Paimon restated.
“Oh, yes please.” Lumine said, then was handing the now salted egg, bacon, and sausage sandwich, “Thank you very much.”
“Of course! Now, eat up, Paimon has a surprise that she wants to show you!” Paimon smiled.
“Oh?” Lumine asked, “Is that what you were doing this morning? Getting something set up?”
“Kinda… but you gotta hurry up and eat! Paimon can’t wait to show you-“
The wind then started to blow a bit harsher.
“Ah! Um- Right! Can’t tell you the surprise, because then there won’t be one!” Paimon seemed a bit weary and shaken.
“Right…” Lumine smiled, a bit suspicious.
She then took the time to finish her breakfast, and they were on their way.
“So, where are you taking me today, oh great Travel Guide?” Lumine grinned as she looked at her friend.
“To the top of Starsnatch Cliff, my dear traveler!” Paimon said, her voice mimicking that of someone regal.
Lumine laughed as they hiked up to the peak of the mountain, yet she still could not free her mind of her dread inducing thoughts.
You should be working to find him. She told herself.
Yet did he not leave me alone? Twice? Maybe I deserve a break.
But you know he’s angry with you. Maybe if you had tried a bit harder, he would’ve stayed-
“Lumine~ You’re doing it again~” Paimon said in a sing-song tone.
“Right- sorry-“ She wiped her eyes and rubbed her face.
“…I’m glad that we’re doing this. You’re getting the break you deserve.” Paimon said quietly.
Lumine looked at her, warmth in her eyes.
“Yeah, me too.” She agreed.
The two then reached the top of the cliff.
“You stay here! Paimon will be right back!” Paimon smiled, floating off behind her.
“It’s so pretty…” Lumine smiled, talking to herself to keep her mind focused on the world in front of her, “And calming.”
She admired the view.
“The sun and the clouds…. The ocean and its waves…”
“I’d say the breeze is pretty great too.” She heard a familiar and sweet voice behind her.
She laid back on the grass and looked up, her windborne bard looking right back at her.
“Why hello Venti~ I suppose this was Paimons plan?” She asked with a smug smile.
“Maybeeee~ But~ I can’t just come and visit my favorite person in all of Teyvat~?” He asked, going to lay down beside her.
“I guess you can. I’m certainly not going to stop you.” She turned to look over to him.
They looked into each other's eyes, their noses close together. The world seemed still and silent as they did.
Lumine sighed and sat up, propping herself with her arms.
“I wish I could enjoy this to its fullest…” She muttered, the wind picking up ever so slightly, just enough to graze her skin with a soft touch.
“Why can’t you?” Venti asked softly.
“I…” She faltered, looking down at the rocks below, “I’ve been having… nightmares,” She looked back and down at the bard, “…about my brother.”
He sat up, his hand placed softly on hers, showing that he was listening.
“I feel like I can’t… do anything, without thinking of him first. If it’s not helping the people of these nations, or tracking him down, I feel guilty doing it. Now, I mean- I can’t even sleep without him telling me that I’m not doing enough…”
Her head fell, and the tears she was holding back threatened to fall.
“I try to keep telling myself that he’s the one that left, but that’s not working… I miss him…” Her tear-blurred eyes looked over to her friend, "I miss my brother…”
She sniffled, wiping her eyes.
“Sorry… I’m supposed to be enjoying this…” She apologized, looking back to the ocean.
“Hey… look at me.” Venti said softly, holding her hand tighter.
She did, sparing no moment to be lost in his eyes.
“You’re doing your best. Maybe your best isn’t what the people of these nations think is good, but it’s what you can give them. So what if your brother in your head thinks you’re not good enough. You’ve got plenty of real, non-dream people that think you’re more than enough. Spectacular. Enchanting… Inspiring…” His voice trailed as he spoke.
“Haha, yeah… I guess I do…” She looked away bashfully, blushing.
Despite this, Venti still couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He moved his hand, tucking her hair behind her ear and plucking a Cecilia to put neatly into it.
“It goes nicely with the other.” Venti smiled, “And maybe I also think you look good with it, but that’s just a bonus.”
Lumine smiled, picking some grass and sprinkling it on his head.
“It goes great with the green of your hat.” She smirked, “And maybe I too think you look good with it… but hey, that’s just a bonus…” She giggled.
Venti felt his face get hot.
How could she get any cuter?
He smiled at her, but not only with love and admiration, but also like she was the only thing in the entirety of Teyvat that mattered.
She took another moment to take in the breeze and atmosphere.
“Thank you for planning this with Paimon… I didn’t think she could rope you in so easily.” She said.
“Hm?” Venti hummed.
“This break.” Lumine said, “Paimon planned it and invited you to come cheer me up, right?” She asked.
“No, actually, I planned it.” Venti said.
“How did you know that I needed a break?” Lumine questioned.
“You wished on a dandelion. You wished you could get a break from everything. Commissions, pressures of daily life… people’s expectations of you… I heard it all, and you sounded quite distressed… Was it not on purpose?” He asked her.
Lumine thought back to her outburst from the previous day. A large amount of wind did flow around her as she vented… was that how…?
“No… it wasn’t… but I’m glad that it happened…” She said, leaning into him.
Venti was surprised, but knew she was probably tired.
“Yeah… same. I’m glad you liked this.” He said.
“I honestly didn’t know what to expect when Paimon led me up here. Maybe a picnic or something. But this… this is wonderful.” She murmured.
Venti played with her hair a bit, listening to her voice as it entranced him.
They sat there for a while, and as the sky turned from its blues to oranges and pinks, Venti held the blond girl with care and comfort.
“You deserve all of this and so much more. This is the freedom you deserve. Freedom from all of life’s pressures and challenges.” He told her.
She looked up at him, their eyes locking and expressing so much that words could never think of.
“You sweet little bard… you are my freedom…”