Work Text:
"I wanted to thank you."
Amber turned around, choosing to partly abandon her task of fixing her recently damaged glider. Seriously, it's not her fault that pyro doesn't mix well with wood and cloth, the explosive barrels that the hilichurls seem to adore don't help the situation. "What for?"
"What not for?" Collei replied, tone attempting to be teasing, but leaning more into nervous. She shrugged her shoulders, hands raising to grasp her upper arms in a self-soothing gesture. "I mean... you did so much for me."
Amber lightly laughed at that, a bright smile on her face, a sight Collei thinks of every time she is reminded of her practically-sister. She shuffled some bits and pieces around, readjusting the bent 'feathers' more properly. "You deserve it." It isn't the first time Amber said that to her, but Collei is still stuck on those words, unable to ask why.
How can she say it so casually? Why do those 3 words always leave her mouth whenever Collei doubts, whenever she thinks she isn't worth the praise or admiration, whenever everything just seems too good to be true? You deserve it. Like it's that simple.
She watched Amber work meticulously, the ins-and-outs of every part of her glider deeply engraved in her memory. How many times has she broken it? Collei remembers asking her once, and getting an embarrassed "lots." as an answer, without much elaboration.
The way she seems to perfect her craft is something that will seemingly forever tug at the envious side of Collei's mind. How are you so flawless? She wants to ask, but the words never come. How do you have this effortless way in which you just function?
"I don't-" Collei is snapped out of her trance. "-know why you insist on constantly thanking me. I wasn't the only one who helped you, you know?"
"But you were the only one that mattered."
It came out of Collei's mouth faster than her thoughts could catch up. She would have laughed at herself for such a cliché line, had it not been for the fact that she would have looked insane, and the weird feeling spreading over her whole body.
Amber fully turned around now, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow in genuine confusion. "What do you mean by that?" She tilted her head, eyes drifting as she lost herself in thought. "It was the others that directly resolved the fatui issues, and sealed that God power in you. I only kept you company while you stayed here in Mondstadt."
"Well... yeah, exactly," Collei mumbled, playing with her fingers. "You were there, which is something many others can't claim. I appreciate you not abandoning me, despite my... behaviour towards everyone at the time."
Amber just shrugged. "You were going through a tough time. I could tell something was wrong the moment we spoke, but also, I knew we would get along once I got past the tall wall you put up. You just needed some time, and that rough exterior melted away!" How does she say it like it's so easy?
"You stuck around." Collei argued back. Unsure why, but having this, almost primal, urge to convince Amber of just how much she helped. "That's something you were the first person to do. You saw everything I've done, everything I am, and you stayed despite it. Even my parents didn't-"
"Collei-"
"It's the truth. They... wouldn't want me back, even if I were to find them, if they are still alive even. Look at me, at who I am. Illiterate teenager who struggles to navigate social interaction. I'm not... a daughter they most likely, no, most definitely wished they had. I'm not... a daughter anyone would want." She took a step back as Amber took one forward. Amber immediately stepped back again, and Collei wanted to point to that and say 'See, you're one of the only ones willing to step back.' but she only bit her lip.
"You're perfect," Amber said firmly, hands on her hips as she looked Collei straight on. "You made yourself that way. I didn't do anything." Collei shook her head. "Seriously. You're all the way over in Sumeru, how can I take so much credit for your hard work?" Amber tried to add a lighter, more joking tone to her words, but ultimately, it fell on serious.
"It's because of you," Collei answered, eyes drifting towards the various bookshelves around them. "You... I was a terrible person before." She sighed and raised her hand up to keep the other from interrupting. "I was. Like it or not, I was. You helped me realise that there's no more reason to be stuck in survival mode, to be wary of every person who dares to come closer than a few meters."
Amber shook her head, a gentle smile on her face. "I still can't take all the credit-"
"There's no one else." The monotony in her voice surprised even Collei herself. "Sure, they all helped, but they didn't see me as me, they saw me as an issue to be resolved first, a person second. I still appreciate them but... Well, I only felt like I wasn't insane when I was with you. You made it feel simple."
"Simple?" Amber took a step forward, and this time, Collei didn't move back. "What did I make simple?" One more step, and this time Collei hesitated, shifting her feet. Amber waited.
"Being." Collei said, unable to express more than that, because there was just too much, and even the word 'everything' seemed to fall short on that front. "It's nice to just exist and not be stressed about your every word or action. That's why I love seeing and talking to you."
Amber reached her hand out, and Collei refused the offered hug. She instead reached her arm out with the pinky finger outstretched, and Amber smiled that same bright smile she always does, and intertwined hers with Collei's.
"Best friends forever?"
"You deserve it."