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Furina was tired, oh so tired.
Why, no, really, why? Why did it all have to go to hell? Everything was fine, she was ruling Fontaine, Neuvillette was always there for her, and all in all, nothing could go wrong!
Then the cracks began to form. When the knave attacked her that night, she truly feared for her life unlike anything before. Then the traveler and his little pixie appeared one day, subsequently embarrassing her at the trial against Lyney. Those were only minor cracks, but when the primordial water outburst in Poisson? That was a big crack. She realized the prophecy was close. Too close. Then she was played a fool, put into that magic box, put on trial, and pronounced guilty.
Should she have taken the traveler’s offer? Maybe. She didn’t care now. Furina walked down the path to the opera eclipse. There were few passerby’s, most of whom sent her scowls or whispered rude remarks to her
They’re allowed to say that… Furina thought to herself But soon, they won’t have to worry about me anymore….no one will…
Furina walked faster, she tried to act like the scowls or insults didn’t hurt, but they really did, she could feel the tears threatening to break from her eyes. But to her, her emotions didn’t matter anymore. This would be for the best, right? Right.
She walked behind the opera eclipse, the gushing waterfalls were something she occasionally enjoyed viewing whenever she wasn’t being watched like a piece of prey. She enjoyed those times. But they were over now.
Furina looked over the ledge, the height would kill her when she impacted with the water. This was it….it can finally end. 500 years, 500 years of suffering, agony, sorrow, tears…can finally come to an end.
So she put one foot over the edge.
It’s going to be over It’s going to be over It’s going to be over it’s going to be-
“Furina?”
Furina froze, that was Aether’s voice. What was he doing here…at this hour? She turned around slowly
“O-oh! W-why hello Traveller and Paimon…Ehehe” Furina responded. Her voice cracked slightly, but she tried her best to keep her facade on “beautiful night…isn’t it?”
“Paimon thinks so, yeah!” The little fairy spoke, cheerfully, oblivious to what Furina it attempting. “Paimon thinks Fontaine looks so pretty at night with all the light and stuff!” Paimon said cheerfully.
“Ehehe…I concur Paimon, Fontaine is spectacular…isn’t it?” Furina says, she’s going along with anything Paimon says in order to keep the conversation going.
“I’m just sure you two are quite busy! You two should…uhm…go check out all of Fontaine’s local cafe’s, yes! That!” Furina’s voice breaks again
“Paimon thinks you’re acting a little strange, is something wrong Furina?” The Fairy questioned Furina
“W-whatever could you mean?! I-I’m perfectly fine!” Furina stuttered. She was trying hard not to make it obvious, but it was hard not to tell something was wrong. She was shifting her weight too much, her eyes darted all over the place, and her mouth quivered ever so slightly
“Paimon Doesn’t- “ Aether cuts off Paimon “Paimon, I need to talk to Furina in private, go to the teapot. I’ll be there soon.”
“What?! Whatever!!! You’re giving Paimon all the food she wants tomorrow” Paimon playfully hits his head, to which Aether chuckles at. Paimon pulls out the teapot and vanishes into it.
Furina looks at the floor, Aether stares at her. The gushing sounds of the water is loud.
“Furina…” Aether starts
“Just….dont.” Furina says. Furina’s eyes watered. She turned her head away slightly. Her hands clenched together “I…I can’t. I can’t do
It anymore Aether…I just….”
“Furina…please. You and I both know this won’t solve anything! Think of-“
“THINK OF WHO? NAVIA HATES ME! CLORINDE WONT SPEAK TO ME! EVEN NEUVILLETTE REFUSES TO HELP ME!” Furina outbursts, she couldn’t contain it. Tears streamed down her face as she yelled. Everyone she had close to her before left her. “IM USLESS! WORTHLESS! I’M-…I’m…..nothing.” Furina fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands. She cried hard, very hard, her hat falling off to the side
Aether eyes softened, he walked slowly to Furina, kneeling beside her, he put a hand on her Shoulder. “Furina…I know things are hard. And…I know you’re hurting the most. But throwing away your life won’t solve anything…it’ll just make things worse.” Aether says firmly. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and caressed her hair. “Even if you think there’s no one out there who will care for you…I will.”
Furina remained silent as she was pulled into the embrace. She would’ve killed to be held by someone, anyone before this. But did she really want this now?
Yes. She still did.
Furina wrapped her arms around Aether tightly, and spoke quietly, “Do…you mean it?” She really wanted him to say yes, to have someone genuinely care for her, to have someone who could soften the blows that have been dealt to her if even a little bit.
“Of course I do.” Furina looked into Aether’s eyes. No malice, no lies, only truth. Even despite their less than stellar first meeting, even after the trial against the magicians, even after everything, he still cared for her. With this revelation, any emotional defenses Furina had broke immediately.
Furina began to sob, and sob, and sob. She buried her head into Aether’s chest, and tightened her arms around him like her life depended on it. In truth, it technically had. If Aether and Paimon hadn’t of randomly decided to walk to where Furina was, Furina would’ve jumped. No body would likely be found. She would have just disappeared to the public eye.
As Furina clung to Aether, he gently rubbed circles on her back in order to comfort her. He knew she needed time to just cry, so he gave her that. After a few minutes, Furina settled down a little, and looked up at Aether.
“I….I….Thank you” she barely managed to get out without sniffling. “I don’t know…what to say”
“You don’t have to say anything, just know I’m here for you.” Aether said gently, as he helped her up to her feet, holding her hand in his gently “Why don’t I bring you home, ok?” Aether wanted to make sure she got home fine. Fearing what people may do if they saw her walking alone
“I-I…don’t have anywhere to stay” Furina said as she wiped the last of her tears away and put her hat back on “I had been given a place by Neuvillette…but the apartment manager refused to give me the room…a-and when I went to tell Neuvillette h-he…told me I was on my own.”
Aether for his part raised his eyes in surprise, he knew people were rather disappointed in their former archon, but to deny her a home was rather extreme, and for Neuvillette himself to deny helping her was odd indeed, He’d have to talk to him about that. “Well…why don’t I bring you to my place?”
“A-re you sure?!…I don’t…wanna be a burden anymore..” Furina said weakly, she really didn’t want to burden Aether. Did she really deserve it after all?
“Furina…look at me” Aether cupped her cheek in his hand, causing her to jump slightly, but she quickly settled into his touch “I need you to know you aren’t a burden. I know it’s going to be hard, and I know your brain will be screaming at you to tell you that you’re a burden or your useless, but just know, you’re far from it, ok?” Aether squeezed her hand.
“Ok…ok.” Furina nodded slowly “I’ll…work on it.” Furina smiled at him, a genuine smile, not a facade or fake smile, a real smile. Her face turned beet red when she remembered Aether’s hand was still on her cheek “Y-you can let go now…”
Aether in turn went red too, retracting his hand and turning his head away “s-sorry…guess I got carried away…” Aether took out the serenity teapot, and grabbed Furina’s hand, and took them in.
================================================================ 3 days later…
“Paimon’s glad you’re settling in with us now! A lot of people come and go in here but no one’s ever stayed for real!” Paimon said as she munched on her fisherman’s toast
“Don’t speak with your mouth open Paimon!” Aether called from the kitchen as he washed dishes, to which Paimon stuck her tongue out at him playfully.
Furina giggled at the two’s banter. She was enjoying some eggs and bacon Aether had made for her. Slowly but surely, Aether had made her more comfortable in the Serenitea teapot. She had even met a few of his friends earlier.
Furina looked in the direction of the kitchen, her eyes falling on aether. It was odd to think just three days ago, she was willing to throw away her life entirely, were it not for him. Watching Aether’s daily life was…definitely not what she expected. Watching him run around between nations on the fly, helping anyone he could, it was…a lot.
Although the sight of Paimon sleeping on his chest as he slept on the couch was a very endearing sight...Maybe one day it would be her instead of Paimon-
Where did that come from? Furina thought to herself, blushing even at the thought of it.
“Hey, we’re going to Liyue for commissions, do you wanna come?” Aether asked, walking over to her, offering his hand to her
Furina looked at his hand for a moment, then nodded her head and stood up, taking his hand in hers “I’d love to~”
The two smiled at each other as they walked out the front door, hand in hand.
“Hey! Don’t leave Paimon! Im still eating!!”