Chapter Text
AHEM. COUGH COUGH READ THIS. I WAS PLANNING TO DO CHAPTERS SWITCHING POVS BUT I GOT CARRIED AWAY WITH SETHOS.
Now, don’t get him wrong- in no way in hell did Fuhenyuushi ever, and he meant ever, want to occupy his time with a ‘fun’ activity such as a ’huge haunted maze’ . But, he had gotten dragged along with the band of (friends? Headaches?) whatever you call the rag-tag group that saved Sumeru. Yuushi had sworn up and down he wouldn’t go, but then Nahida swore up and down that it’d be a good experience and worth it.
So, Fuhenyuushi went.
The clearing around him was that of Monstadt’s open fields- the only place where a maze of that scale could take place. There was a stall and some tables, logs and tree stumps set up outside a wooden sign painted white that pointed to the entrance of the maze. It read ‘GO ON IN!’ in a red paint, quite obviously written by a young child. On said sign were drawings of abyss mages and spiders and cobwebs, all crudely drawn with the similar scribbling that decorated the words. Decorating the rest of the entrance were little cardboard cutouts of slimes and hilichurls scattered amongst the bushes, that, in the dimming light, gave the aura of a long-abandoned fair.
Around him sat the people he was forced to socialise with.
Alhaitham and Kaveh.. The two that he- and he was pretty sure everyone else- thought were married, Cyno and Tighnari with Collei and that newcomer, Sethos, and then Aether and him. Candace and Nilou with Dehya were turning up later, or something along the lines of that- he wasn’t paying attention when they were talking.
Currently everyone was sitting around the entrance, snacking, talking, or, in Alhaitham’s case, reading. Yuushi couldn’t blame the Scribe- that seemed a valuable way to occupy his mind at present. Cyno and Tighnari were over by a table, Cyno presumably cracking the worst jokes in Teyvat judging by the hanging head and exasperated expression that the Tighnarian wore. The latter was also seemingly packing pouches of provisions and medicine ‘just in case’ as he talked- rather, sighed. Collei was sitting across from her fathers, talking happily with Kaveh, who was standing over by said table. Alhaitham was sitting on the ground, reading, next to Aether, who sat on a tree stump and chatted with that detestable flying thing. And then there was Sethos, that little bee who darted in and out of the Akydemia and the forest in general, always on some mission or another. Truth be told, Yuushi hadn’t interacted much with the green-eyed stranger, and hadn’t any intention of doing so. All the same, he couldn’t help but notice a strange feeling like elation bubble away in the very back corners of his mind.
Huh.
Fuhenyuushi himself was sitting separate from the others, half-closed eyes and calm face betraying no emotion. His jointed fingers tapped on the wooden box he was using as a perch, playing a light rhythm unnoticed to most. Yuushi hummed delicately to himself as he watched the eve slowly shift the sky to a hazy purple, dusk falling.
Sethos, genuinely, felt quite stupid. He had, in less then a week, managed to develop the most prolific crush on a man he hardly knew. In fact, the subject of his admiration must be completely unfamiliar with the concept of love for the boy not to have noticed. In Sethos’ opinion, he was being quite obvious- blushing, buffering and spending way too much time staring.
The boy in question, was, of course, the illustrious Hat Guy.
Hat Guy. Sethos always thought he deserved a better name than that- something not so bland, something more elegant, poised, and all the more refined would suit the blue-clothed wanderer’s looks, and his personality, Sethos sighed internally.
Their entire group was at this haunted maze thing in Monstadt that Collei and Cyno apparently organised, and Sethos had agreed to go. His heart, of course, skipped a beat when he heard that a particular someone was going as well, as per request of the Dendro Archon.
Also, the Dendro Archon?
Sethos could only imagine what relationship Hat Guy had with Lord Kusanali. It was initially surprising to him, really, that Kusanali was so friendly. So, for ones who seemed polar opposites, Sethos wondered often about how the two became so seemingly close.
His legs swung over the edge as he thought, tapping the panes of the box he sat on. Sethos’ attention turned to a pretty thing in his peripheral- which was, once again, Hat Guy. Damn, why did that man have to be so delicately pretty?
The wanderer sat on a box, just like Sethos, with his eyes half-closed and a flawlessly tranquil expression on his face. The figure seemed perfectly framed against the dusky sky, elegant and graceful.
As Sethos said, pretty.
He was brought back to reality with a sharp jab from Paimon.
‘’Hey, mister, don’t go zoning out on us!’’ The sassy faery exclaimed in her high voice. He shook back to a decent mindframe.
‘’Sorry, Paimon, Aether, I got a little distracted.’’ He laughed a little, hoping to throw off the two travellers. Aether, however, just gave him a knowing smile. Sethos turned his gaze away, hoping to turn the discussion elsewhere.
‘’When did Dehya say her group was going to arrive?’’ He asked nonchalantly. Aether rolled his eyes.
‘’About 7pm,’’ he replied, ‘’ which is in about five minutes.’’
Sethos started, jumping off the ledge and brushing off his clothes. ‘’Will we head in immediately after that?’’
‘’Pretty much.’’ Aether said cheerily. ‘’Good idea to get everyone together- it would be nice to be prepared.’’ Sethos nodded, smiling.
‘’Alright! Everyone-’’ He faltered- he was still uncertain with this group. ‘’ Uh, Dehya’s gonna be here soon, so uhm, be ready?’’ Sethos winced. That was terrible. Usually he did well with people, but for the people present who knew details of his personal life, there wasn’t much room to brush mistakes and embarrassments off. Ah, well.
Sethos turned his eyes to the horizon, spotting a motley group half a kilometre away. Dehya, Nilou, and Candace- he recognised them- but there was another three with them, a lady about Dehya’s age, a blond-haired man who seemed tense and wore clothes more typical of indoor activity, and a shorter figure- a child- with vibrant red clothes.
Sethos pointed towards them. ‘’Uh, yeah- they’re here!’’ He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Archon-awful.
Aether jumped up, apparently recognising the rest. Alhaitham also got up, but with no regard to the newcomers. He held out a hand to Kaveh- still reading, Sethos realised- and helped the other man up. Cyno started, a look of recognition on his face, and dashed off for the group. That was the fastest Sethos had seen him go, of course, disregarding when he went looking for Tighnari during that thunderstorm. Tighnari groaned.
‘’I’m cursed to these jokes forever, aren’t I, Collei?’’ The girl gave her father a weak smile- almost a grimace- in return, mumbling ‘’We all are.’’
And then those two headed towards the group and it was just him and Hat Guy.
Him and Hat Guy.
Sethos sighed. Best make light of it.
‘’Well, they rushed off quickly, didn’t they?’’ He attempted, trying to keep a lighthearted tone.
‘’Yeah.’’ There came the deadpan response. Archons, he didn’t have much to work with here, did he?
‘’Uhh, well, are you looking forward to this?’’
‘’What?’’
‘’This- y’know, the maze.’’ Oh, stars, he was failing more than he was before.
‘’Oh. That. Not really,’’ The blue-haired man yawned, hopping down from his perch and stretching.
He’s quite flexible , remarked a little voice in Sethos’ head, and quite elegant too.
Sethos could feel his face flame. ‘’Shut.’’ he hissed, just under his breath.
‘’Shut what?’’
‘’Oh, nothing, ha……’’ He was terrible at this.
‘’They’re.. Um. Taking a while.’’
‘’Sure are.’’
He slumped in defeat. Man, he wanted to hear Hat Guy talk, but that man was as hard to crack as trishiraite.
Sethos glanced away from the horizon, sneaking a look at the hat the man was wearing. Archons above, as much as he loved the wearer, he also loved the hat. The details were perfectly crafted, superbly fine to the smallest level, and the designs embroidered and built into the ornament-like feature were almost as elegant as that who possessed it. Sethos longed to trace the graceful lotus curves, to redraw it and copy each and every angle. Even for one day.. He snapped out of a slight haze to find Hat Guy staring at him. His expression was one of a slightly amused, blunt caricature and his eyes creased faintly as he gazed towards Sethos.
Sethos blushed and turned away swiftly, burying his head in his hands. Embarrassed, to say the least.
‘’So-Sorry, I just find your hat quite cool..!’’
The man hummed, tilting his head to the side. Hat Guy tilted his head back and glanced to the others.
‘’They’re coming back.’’ His voice was light, and he said the words quietly. Something told Sethos that it was meaningful, yet he had no idea why. But lo and behold, back the people came. Cyno and Aether were chatting avidly with the two newcomers, and when they got close, called out.
‘’Ready? These guys are gonna man the exit!’’
Aether strode over and stood by the entrance, smiling.
‘’Don’t take forever!’’ Paimon’s impatient voice cut through the air.