Chapter Text
Kinich!” Paimon shouted, reaching out in an attempt to catch his attention as he gracefully maneuvered through the air toward them. His movement was so smooth and effortless that it seemed as though his feet never touched the ground, a sight both mesmerizing and impressive. When he finally landed, Lumine gave him a nod of approval. The weather was perfect for them to go on adventure. But Lumine wasn't expecting to see Kinich so soon after their departure. The world truly is small no matter how big it is.
"I’d love to have your skills, Kinich,” she remarked. “They’d be incredibly useful for exploring mountains and traveling to high places.”
"Teaching you isn’t as simple as just asking," Kinich replied, retracting his rope-like elemental powers with ease. Lumine was just mesmerized, because imagine the possibilities she could do if she did have that skill. Hers was just, suitable for killing and killing. Kinich then, glanced casually at Paimon.
“Is something wrong, Paimon? Do you need assistance?”
“No, I was just calling out because it’s been days since we last saw you. It’s a welcome change from seeing Lumine every day.” Paimon made her comment with a playful tone, glancing at Lumine, who looked visibly offended. It was exactly the reaction Paimon had anticipated. Regardless, she was just having some fun and not taking things too seriously.
“Hey!”
“Just kidding! Of course, I’ll always like you,” Paimon said with a grin, crossing her arms.
“Just remember your role as an emergency food if needed,” Lumine teased back.
“Hey!” Lumine chimed in with a laugh, clearly enjoying her chance to retort at the flying creature.
“You two make quite the interesting pair,” Kinich remarked, glancing at the small green dragon that had been babbling nonsensically for a while. No one paid it much attention; they were used to its antics. “As for ours, well—” He paused, looking at the dragon. “They’re rather conceited and narcissistic.”
“Hey, don’t think I didn’t hear that! How rude!” Ajaw began, attempting to assert his presence. But before he could finish, he suddenly found himself soaring through the sky, propelled towards an uncertain destination, possibly to Khaenriah. Lumine was momentarily stunned by the spectacle but quickly regained her composure. She could never quite get used to these things. From her perspective, the scene was both comical and absurd—a narcissistic, chattering dragon and a poker-faced Kinich. If she were to rephrase Kinich’s earlier comment, it seemed clear they were certainly more remarkable duos than herself and Paimon. Atleast her and Paimon do have similarities when it comes to attitude and humor.
“Lumine?” Kinich called softly, pulling her out of her thoughts. Lumine blinked, surprised by the gentle tone. She glanced around, realizing Paimon was nowhere to be seen. She must have retreated to her usual void, where she disappears to whenever needed. Paimon must have gave them time for themselves to talk. But what exactly?
"Oh- Kinich..?" Well hot damn, nice one Lumine, you truly did made such an amazing conversation starter. Way to go, 5 star, pose 2-
“Yes?” Kinich replied. Lumine was puzzled when Kinich gradually lowered his voice even more and began to scan the area with sudden alertness. Confused, she then felt a chilling sense of murderous intent coming from somewhere—underground or from the sky. She couldn’t pinpoint the exact location. It struck her that Kinich’s sixth sense was sharper than her own, and she felt a pang of shame as a seasoned traveler for being so slow to realize the danger they were in. Or perhaps something distracted her? She shook off of that dangerous thought and concentated on the problem at hand.
Oh, so that's why Paimon poofed into oblivion.
Kinich quickly vanished from her side, maneuvering through the air to kick an Abyss Herald from behind. The strike had little effect unto the Abyss Herald, causing the Abyss Herald to stagger slightly but remain unfazed.
“Aye, that felt like a bug bite—powerful but not enough to bring me down,” the Abyss Herald quipped in a comically casual tone. “I’m here for Miss Lumine, not you, Mr. Cold-Stone Face.” Lumine wondered if she’d heard that correctly. Because I'm sorry what? Lumine once again shook her head and calmly faced the Herald. There's always trouble when these things pops out of nowhere. She took a stance, ready to fight the Abyss Herald. Kinich as well did the same.
I mean, who wouldn't. There's danger in front of them. It's a good thing Kinich is powerful enough to take him on.
"No, that wasn't even my full strength." Kinich replied.
“Alright, alright, whatever,” the Abyss Herald said dismissively which irked the heck out of Kinich because he would never let anyone disrespect him like that. But he let it slide, after all, the Abyss Herald is gonna eat his words after. “Anyway, Miss Lumine, your brother—” Lumine’s ears perked up at the mention of Aether. “—left me a message for you.” Now of all times? Why would he look for her. And using an Abyss Herald at that. Clearing his throat, he tried to mimic Aether’s voice.
“Lumine, I’ll see you when the time is right. But for now, explore Teyvat, uncover its history, and learn the stories of its people. Thus, you will remember the day we finally met and talk." Remember the day we finally what?
"What?"
“Yes—well, that’s what the message said,” he stammered. “You can’t expect me to rephrase his Highness’s message, can you? If I had a choice, I’d have refused, but I can’t, given that your brother is stronger than I am.” He kept babbling on, unaware that Kinich was preparing to strike him. At the last moment, he managed to dodge just in time.
“That was rude, I was still talking, but anyway-” the Abyss Herald said with a hint of annoyance before opening a portal and giving Lumine a casual salute. Lumine just watched, unsure on what to do. She didn’t want to make a scene since the Herald hadn’t harmed her and was merely delivering a cryptic message. What did Aether mean by remembering the day they finally met and talked?
Meanwhile, Kinich was fuming, still trying to attack the Abyss Herald. But before he could really get into it, the Herald vanished without much trouble. Kinich turned to Lumine with a look of disapproval, clearly expecting an explanation from her, as she was just standing there. Lumine sighed.
"I clearly need some sort of enlightenment. What did he mean by that Lumine?"
“Well, to make a long story short, I’m traveling around Teyvat to find my brother and get some answers, because he is kind of connected to the Abyss." Lumine began, clearly reluctant to share too much. “I’ve lost most of my memories, and right now, my brother is occupied with something I don’t fully understand. That’s about all I can tell you for now.” Kinich’s suspicion grew, but Lumine quickly interrupted his thoughts.
“Look, you can trust me. I really don’t know what my brother is up to or what his goals are. I just want answers because—” She hesitated, gathering her courage. “—I’ve felt so lonely since I arrived in Teyvat. I don’t belong here. As an outlander, this place was confusing at first. Thankfully, Paimon was there to guide me, so I never felt completely alone.”
Lumine avoided Kinich’s gaze, focusing instead on two Tepetlisaurus playing nearby, lost in their own world. Though she often felt a pang of loneliness when reflecting on the past, she knew those times were long gone. Now, there was no room for sadness; she had to make the most of her journey. Along the way, she had met many wonderful and kind people who had helped her and given her the courage to become who she is today.
“Also, traveling and meeting so many people is quite fun. Not to brag, but my name’s become pretty well-known because of my deeds,” Lumine said with a snicker, nudging Kinich, who was listening intently. He didn’t shy away or break eye contact, which made Lumine fumble just a bit. “A-Anyway, that’s all I can tell you for now. I hope I wasn’t talking too much. That’s usually Paimon’s job.”
Kinich shrugged. “No, you’re fine, and—” He glanced to his left and saw Paimon finally reappearing after what felt like ages. Lumine felt a bit relieved seeing Paimon’s annoyed face, clearly overheard their conversation. “—I trust you, don’t worry. The little Tepetlisaurus you had with you is proof of your good nature. These Saurians don’t trust easily.” Lumine nodded thankfully before going into a full blown argument with Paimon.
Kinich folded his arms as Paimon started grumbling about what Lumine had said. Lumine shot back, reminding Paimon about their disappearance when the Abyss Herald showed up and not warning them. Paimon sheepishly laughed, a little bit sorry.
As they continued discussing Aether's message, Kinich couldn’t help but fixate on Lumine. Though he remained a little bit suspicious, he was captivated by her heroic deeds. He had heard about her achievements but pretended not to know. To his surprise, she was even more impressive than the rumors suggested—strong, brave, and undeniably beautiful. Despite his stoic demeanor, he kept his admiration hidden, shifting his weight from side to side, lost in his own thoughts. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice Lumine had quietly moved beside him, watching him silently. This caused Kinich to flinch slightly, though it was subtle enough that Lumine didn’t catch on.
“I didn’t call you because you seemed deep in thought, so I waited for you to notice me. Did I scare you?” Lumine asked with a soft chuckle.
"Actually, no, you didn’t," Kinich said. "But hey, are you heading somewhere? Is there anything I can help with?"
"Well, I could use a change of scenery. I need to clear my head," Lumine said as she hurried off. Lately, she’d been plagued by confusing feelings she couldn’t quite understand. She wasn’t the romantic type and hadn’t had much time for love with everything she’d been through—love, tragedy, sadness, betrayal, human trafficking, and more. Her experiences had left her with a heavy heart, full of hatred and despair rather than romance. Sure, she loved her friends and appreciated those who had helped her, but it was all platonic. There were some people who flirted with her, but it didn’t go beyond that. She felt awkward about it but brushed it off because she was focused on finding her brother.
Kinich was also unsure of his feelings. He considered Mualani a friend and saw Kachina as the sister he never had, but he wasn’t ready for anything beyond that. He was trying to brush off the unsettling incident with the Abyss Herald. It wasn’t new to him, but it wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on — especially with Lumine here.
Still, he couldn’t help but find these new feelings oddly pleasant. He felt okay, even if it was a bit strange.
"Lumine?"
"Yes, Kinich?"
"Your hand?" Lumine tilted her head, curious about what he wanted. She looked down and saw him offering his hand to her. She blinked, then placed her hand in his having this urge to just - go for it.
In that moment, Lumine felt a surprising urge to let Kinich lead her to wherever he wanted. And she allowed it. But strange, was that a small smile she saw on his face?