Archive of Our Own

August sun in Natlan is bright and brutal, shining down on red soil cliffs, lush green fields, and the people of the nation who have long since grown used to the sweltering summer heat. 

It is refreshing that the Captain’s final resting place offers an icy reprieve. 

Traveler has visited him many times since the fateful encounter with the Ruler of Death that put Capitano to an endless slumber. He has stood in front of his throne with reverence and regret aching fresh in his heart. It feels improper to call it his grave, he isn’t truly dead after all, and will never have a grave, but what can it be called? A memorial, perhaps? Nothing is left to memory here, remembrance is redundant when you can just see him sitting there, his breath freezing in the cold air. 

So here the Traveler is again. Once again standing before the Captain, watching his chest rise and fall, as if waiting for him to make a move.  

“Paimon doesn't think she will ever get used to seeing him like this…” says Paimon quietly, as if afraid that raising her voice might awaken him from his sleep. 

Traveler nods silently. He sighs, then opens his bottomless adventurer bag and takes out a precious item wrapped in plain protective cloth, a recent gift from the Collective of the Plenty. 

“Finally, we got the last one,” Paimon says as she looks at the shiny black gem. 

Traveler nods as he unwraps the Blazing Flint Ore. It glints faintly in the daylight now, but once it is used it will produce something much brighter and prettier. Just like the other five of its kind the Traveler offered to the Captain. 

Traveler doesn't expect this to change anything. He doesn't have a particular reason as to why he does it either. It’s just that the first time he was gifted this ore by a tribe, the wound of what happened to Capitano was still fresh, and he wanted to do something for him. An offering. A tribute. A wish. Anything.  

He locks eyes with Paimon. “Ready?”

Paimon nods. “Let's do it.”

Traveler holds the ore with both hands in front of him and closes his eyes. As he opens them again, the ore lifts up into the air and bursts into swirls of dazzling golden flames, a current of frost rising up to curl around its blinding light. 

When it fades, their gazes fall to the Captain. 

Still breathing. Still motionless. 

“You know…” Paimon sniffles, her voice shaky, “Paimon thought that maybe… If we finished it, he might–”

A twitch, barely visible, on the Captain’s finger. 

Paimon falls quiet as they both stare at it. 

They wait, breaths held. For another movement, for a sign. Was it just a trick of light? 

A minute passes. It doesn't happen again. 

“Paimon thinks she has started seeing things,” Paimon mutters as she wipes her teary eyes. 

Traveler places a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Some things just don’t change, no matter how hard we wish for it.”

“You're right…” Paimon says, defeated, and waves goodbye at Capitano. “Bye for now, Captain. Rest well.”

With a last glance at him, they turn back and start heading out. 

Before they can take three steps, a loud grunt comes behind them. 

Paimon lets out a scream so loud and shrill it is certain to haunt the Traveler’s sleep for decades to come. 

When they turn around in alarm, what they see knocks the breath out of their lungs. 

Capitano is leaning forward in his seat, head inclined downwards. 

He grunts again as he holds his head, and that's when the situation dawns on the duo. They frantically run back to his side. 

“Captain! Are you okay?!” Paimon practically screams into the man’s ear, which elicits another pained sound from him. 

“Ah! So sorry!” Paimon says, failing to sound less loud. “But Paimon doesn't understand, how are you, um, alive?”

When Capitano speaks, he sounds disoriented. “¿Dónde estoy..?" ¹

Traveler and Paimon stop in their tracks. 

What? 

“What did you say, Captain?” Paimon asks, sending a worried look at the Traveler. 

Capitano finally lifts his head and looks at the Traveler, and visibly perks up where he’s sitting. 

“¡El hermano de la princesa! ¡Qué maravilloso es verte!” ² He exclaims in an excited tone they have never heard him use before as he gets up and wraps his arms around a confused traveler, giving him a big, tight hug. 

“Mmph?” Traveler manages to say, voice muffled, face pressed against Capitano's chest. 

“Captain?!” Paimon squeals, which turns his attention to her. He lets go of the almost suffocated Traveler and leans down to face Paimon. 

“¿Y quién es esta chiquita? ¡Qué bonita!” ³ He coos as he pinches her cheek affectionately. 

“Hey, Paimon is not a child, you know!” Paimon huffs as she swats his hand away. 

Capitano doesn't seem to take it to heart. He straightens and faces the Traveler. 

“¿Dónde están mis soldados? Tengo una misión de suma importancia. ¿Sabes dónde está el arconte de Natlan? Tengo que obtener el gnosis de pyro.” ⁴

The duo share a helpless, confused glance. Traveler shrugs. 

“Paimon doesn't completely understand him, but he talked about an important mission, right? He mentioned the archon and the pyro gnosis as well. Oh boy… Traveler, Paimon’s guess is that he still thinks he has to obtain the pyro gnosis!” Paimon says with despair, hands on her cheeks.

Traveler strokes his chin thoughtfully. “He must have forgotten that he doesn't need the gnosis to secure the ley lines anymore.”

“Maybe we can try to remind him?” Paimon offers, then turns to Capitano. “Captain, you don’t need the gnosis anymore, you already accomplished your mission, remember?”

Capitano doesn't seem to understand. 

“¿Qué?” ⁵

“Maybe we can try Ororon? They worked together, so maybe his name will trigger his memories!” Paimon offers. 

This time the Traveler asks him. “Do you remember Ororon, Captain?”

The name doesn't seem to have any effect on him. 

“¿Quién?” ⁶

“This isn’t working. We need help. Maybe we should get Mavuika to take a look at him.” Paimon muses. 

Traveler shakes his head. “I think we should keep him away from Mavuika, he might try to fight her to get the gnosis again.”

“Oh, yeah, you're right. Maybe Citlali knows something? If someone knows how to fix him, I bet it’s her.”

Traveler nods, then takes Capitano’s arm. “Come, Captain! We’re going to cure you, don’t you worry!”

“¿Vamos a encontrar el arconte?” ⁷

Paimon nods with an innocent smile. “Sure, of course, just follow us.”

“¡Excelente!” ⁸

***

They leave Ochkanatlan together and set out to find Citlali in the Masters of the Night Wind. It feels surreal to see the Captain like this, alive and well, his steps confident and his gait energetic. His ailment, whatever it actually is, seems small and easy to deal with now. The Captain endured so much for centuries and his mental fortitude never wavered, he will surely recover. He has to, right? 

Halfway through their journey, they find themselves forced to make a decision. 

“Traveler, we’re near the Fatui's main camp. What should we do, do we take him there?” Paimon whispers to the Traveler, the Captain following them behind. 

The Traveler hums, considering. “Maybe seeing his soldiers will jog his memory, but he might leave us and continue his plan too.”

“Hmm, you have a point, it’s a bit risky. What should we do?”

“I think we should trust him to follow us. He seems to trust us too,” Traveler says. “Besides, his soldiers deserve to know that he lives.”

“Okay then, let’s take him there.” Paimon agrees. 

They continue along the path that leads them to the Fatui camp. After his “death”, the Captain’s soldiers stayed in Natlan to help in the nation-wide rebuilding efforts. Now, as they approach, they can see recruits walking from tent to tent, talking in a corner with paperwork in hand, carrying supplies, hardworking as ever. As expected from the Captain’s own handpicked soldiers. 

When he sees his men, Capitano visibly brightens up, and with a fast pace the Traveler and Paimon try to keep up with, he strides into the camp. 

The first person to see them coming is the Captain’s trusted right hand man Tarko. His eyes widen like saucers and his face gets white as a sheet as he drops the stack of papers in his hands. 

“Captain?!” He exclaims, looking as if he has seen a ghost. 

Capitano walks up to him with eager steps. “¡Tarko, mi leal compañero! ¿Cómo estás?” ⁹ He says enthusiastically as he puts his hands on his shoulders and squeezes. 

“W-What..?” Tarko manages to say, flabbergasted, completely frozen in place. 

Before the duo can explain, another voice shouts. 

“Captain?! He’s here?!”

All of a sudden, chaos. Soldiers rush from different parts of the camp, the tent flaps open as confused soldiers go out, shouts ringing, items being dropped to the ground in shock. 

“Captain! It’s the Captain!”

“Is that really him?”

“He’s back! He came back to us!”

They all rush to Capitano's side, surrounding him. Numerous people start crying behind their masks. One trips on a dropped crate and falls. 

The Captain doesn't seem bothered by the attention. He claps them on the shoulders, and to the bewilderment of everyone present, chuckles. This out-of-character behaviour stuns a significant portion of the soldiers into silence. The ones who received the affectionate pats seem surprised yet happy. 

At that moment, it happens. 

The flap of a tent opens and Ororon comes out with a couple soldiers. Upon seeing the Captain, his face displays shock, disbelief almost, then he runs to him, the crowd making way to let him pass. 

“Captain!” He exclaims with sheer joy, his smile wide, his mismatched eyes bright with excitement, happiness, and an emotion too intense to describe. He smiles up at Capitano, and for a moment he looks otherworldly, with the sunset painting his cheeks a rosy pink, his soft hair free in the evening breeze. 

Capitano falls down to his knees. 

Before anyone has a chance to react, he reaches out and catches Ororon's hand in his own. 

“Mi floricita del desierto, yo nunca he visto la verdadera belleza hasta hoy,” ¹⁰ he says as he looks up at Ororon, his voice filled with fervent emotion. 

The soldiers gasp. The traveling duo gape. Ororon blushes bright pink. 

“Captain, are you alright?” He manages to ask, his joy quickly turning into confusion and concern. He doesn't pull his hand away. 

“We need to talk.” Traveler and Paimon pull Tarko and Ororon away –Capitano reaches after Ororon, heartbroken– and explain what happened at Ochkanatlan.

“I see… So he’s not himself,” Ororon says after they finish explaining. He seems… disappointed, somewhat. 

“We still don’t know why he acts and talks this way. He is very enthusiastic and, uh, how should Paimon put this,” she glances not-so-discreetly at Ororon, “passionate.”

“Can you sense what’s wrong with him, Ororon? Is there a spell you know that might cure him?” Tarko asks. 

“I didn’t sense anything wrong with his soul,” Ororon says. “Spells that affect the mind are difficult to pull off, so taking him to granny seems like a good idea.”

“In that case–”

Before Tarko can say another word, a hand yanks Ororon away. 

“Ah–?!”

Capitano pulls him away from the others, to the center of the clearing. Ororon looks at him, surprised. 

With a single, swift move, Capitano flings away his heavy coat. It can only be attributed to Capitano's sheer strength of will and presence, then, that a seductive guitar music starts playing from the unknown as he takes his stance, and in front of everyone in the camp, he starts to dance.  

And what a dance it is! His movements are strong yet graceful, his footwork lightning-fast with absolute precision as he clacks his heels to the beat of the music. He circles around a shell-shocked Ororon in what certainly is the most elegant and powerful seductive dance Teyvat has ever seen. His features are on full display; his long legs, broad shoulders, big thighs, all contributing to this visual feast of a performance. His long, beautiful hair sways with his moves as he twirls, adding to his already overwhelming allure. He looks masculine, yet flamboyant. He is absolutely bewitching.  

The moment he finishes his dance and the disembodied music stops, he pulls Ororon to himself and dips him like a lover. Gasps come from the crowd. 

“Venga conmigo, señor, le enseñaré las maravillas del Teyvat, y juntos con nuestro amor, vencemos la Celestia,” ¹¹ he says passionately as he pulls out a rose from Tsaritsa-knows-where. 

Ororon can only stare at him in awe, his whole face turned bright red like the tomatoes in his garden. 

Traveler comes to his rescue and pulls Ororon away from Capitano. 

“We don’t have time for this, Captain!” Paimon says, panicked. “You have a mission, remember? We need to find the Archon, let’s go!”

“Mi misión… Así es.” ¹² Capitano seems to agree, then reaches out to take Ororon's hand. “Vendrá conmigo, ¿verdad, señor?” ¹³

“I think he wants you to come,” Paimon explains with a stage whisper. 

Ororon looks conflicted, but nods at the Captain. “It’s better if I join you, it seems.”

Capitano seems happy with his decision. 

“Let's go then. Paimon hopes that we can find Citlali before the Captain plans your wedding. 

***

When they reach the Masters of the Night Wind, the sun has set. Despite the hour, the village looks as lively as it is during the day, betraying the tribe’s unusual sleeping habits. As they enter the village, they realize it’s impossible to keep a low profile. Even though most people haven’t seen Capitano before and don’t know who he is, the sight of this tall, faceless stranger in dark, foreign clothes attracts people's attention. Amid curious gazes and hushed whispers, they approach Citlali’s house. 

“By the way,” Ororon says to the duo, “I would appreciate it if you kept the Captain’s behaviour towards me a secret from Granny. Otherwise, she might kill me, or the Captain, or both of us. If that happens, please bury me in my garden, next to my plants. Also, take care of my aphids please. They need–”

“Woah, woah, woah! No need to go that far! We won’t tell her, promise,” Paimon reassures him. 

Ororon nods, then knocks on the door. 

Silence. 

He knocks again. “Granny, are you there?”

A clatter. “Ugh, coming, coming,” A familiar voice says from inside. 

Before long, the door creaks ajar. 

Traveler has the chance to see Citlali’s face, her tired eyes, and the fact that she has a blanket draped over her shoulders, before Citlali notices him. Her eyes widen and she slams the door shut. 

“Traveler?! Why are you– Ugh, Ororon! Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t alone?!”

“Sorry, Granny,” says Ororon, apologetic. “It’s not just the Traveler. The Captain is also here. We need your help.”

A beat. “The who?! Just– give me a second,” she says from the other side. 

After a minute of clattering and rustling sounds, Citlali finally opens the door. She looks tired, as if she has just woken up. The straight, red line on her cheek, most likely the imprint of a book she slept on, supports this theory. Her blanket is nowhere to be seen. 

She looks up at Capitano, her brows furrowing. “So it is true… Come in, all of you, and tell me everything.” She heads inside and gestures at them to follow her. 

They enter Citlali’s house –Capitano having to duck a significant amount to get past the doorway– and take a seat as Paimon tells her how their offerings brought Capitano back, how he doesn't seem to remember recent events and acts like a different person. She omits certain details as per Ororon's request. 

“I see…” Citlali says thoughtfully when Paimon finishes. “To be honest, I didn’t know the Blazing Flint Ore had the power to bypass the rules of the Ruler of Death. Is there any sign that his deal with Ronova has been broken?”

“I checked the ley lines on the way here, their condition is stable. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary,”  Ororon replies. 

“In that case, I will need to look into the history of the ore at a later time to figure out how it has that kind of power. Right now curing him should be our priority. Traveler, how would you describe his current behaviour?” 

“He is very earnest and enthusiastic. He trusted us very easily. He also, uh, his emotions seem very intense.”

“Is that all? It must have had clear outward behavioral signs for you to have noticed it.”

“Yeah, you could say that,” Paimon says as she looks everywhere in the room except Ororon.

“It is common for people who suffer memory loss to have behavioural changes. Although, paired with the different language, his case seems to be a unique one. Let’s start with preparing him a standard memory potion.” 

She gets up from her seat and walks up to a cabinet. “Ororon, prepare the cauldron, the small one,” she says as she starts rummaging through it and pulling out different ingredients. 

“Of course, Granny,” Ororon replies as he goes to the corner of the room and grabs it, then puts it on the stove. 

“Aphid wings, flame flower petals… Wait, am I out of spinel fruit?” She pulls out an empty jar. “For Archon’s sake, just when I need it, there's nothing left.”

“We have some, we can give it to you,” says Paimon cheerfully. “We are always prepared for stuff like these thanks to the Traveler’s special bag.”

“It won’t do,” sighs Citlali. “Too much elemental energy is bad for potions made to cure mental afflictions. Spinel fruit grows near liquid phlogiston, which fills it with excessive amounts of elemental energy. A special technique to extract the energy needs to be performed before picking the fruit from its stem.”

“I know how to do it, I can get you some tomorrow morning, Granny,” Ororon offers. 

“Now that's a good grandson for you!” Says Citlali, pleased. “I will make sure everything is ready for tomorrow. You should go rest, it's getting late.”

“Thank you Citlali, you're the best!” cheers Paimon. 

“I-It’s nothing..! Now leave me be!” She practically chases them out of her house. 

Outside, Capitano turns to them. “¿Pudimos encontrar el arconte?” ¹⁴

“No, Captain, tomorrow. It’s gotten late, it’s time to rest!” Paimon mimes sleeping with her hands. 

“Ah, entiendo,” ¹⁵ Capitano seems to understand. He turns to Ororon. “¿Lo veré mañana?” ¹⁶ He asks with hope in his voice. 

“Paimon thinks he wants to come with you tomorrow,” Paimon says. 

Ororon is unable to refuse him. “I… Fine, you can come,” he nods at him, then turns to the Traveler. “You will come too, right, Traveler?” he asks, the cry for help clear in his eyes. 

“We will be there,” Traveler nods. 

“We’re not going to let you deal with him by yourself, don’t you worry,” Paimon reassures him. 

“Thank you,” Ororon says earnestly. “I will crash at Granny’s place tonight, let’s meet at the Fatui camp tomorrow.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow!” Paimon waves at him. 

Seeing Paimon say her goodbye to Ororon, Capitano decides to say his own, reaching out to hold Ororon's hand. 

“Buenas noches, mi pajarito cantor. Esperaré para verlo como un hombre que se muere de sed espera la lluvia,” ¹⁷ he says, his voice low and smooth, and brings Ororon's hand to his mouth for a kiss. 

Ororon is stunned speechless, face beet red as he stares at his fingers disappearing beyond the darkness of Capitano's mask. 

Traveler and Paimon have to intervene. 

“Come on, Captain, we need to go, let the guy sleep a little,” Paimon says as they take his arms and lead him away. Capitano looks back at Ororon, only letting the duo drag him away after Ororon smiles and waves at him. 

When they are gone, Ororon's smile fades away to reveal the sorrow in his eyes. He looks up at the lovely, radiant full moon as if it could offer him guidance. He sighs, heavy and helpless, then goes back inside. 

***

The next morning, the Traveler and Paimon set out to meet Ororon and Capitano at the Fatui camp as planned. As they approach the camp, they see Ororon waiting for them near the end of the road, just outside the camp’s field of vision. His eye bags seem darker than usual, and he seems even more tired than yesterday night. 

“Morning, Ororon! Woah, you okay? You look like you haven’t slept a wink,” Paimon says, concerned. 

“Is it that obvious?” Ororon says, not even bothering to deny it. 

“Were you waiting for us here just now?” Traveler asks. 

Ororon nods. “I thought it would be better if I’m not, um, alone with him.”

“True… By the way, Ororon, if it makes you uncomfortable, why don’t you ask the Captain to stop? Paimon’s sure he would listen to you,” Paimon suggests. 

Ororon looks down, his eyes thoughtful. “Uncomfortable? No, that's not it. It’s just… I don't know what to do when he does things like that. I don't want to refuse him either because I… I don't want to break his heart.”

“You're such a softie, Ororon,” Paimon says affectionately. “You always think of others first. Sometimes it’s good to prioritize yourself, you know. Do what you really want to do. The Captain will surely understand when he’s back to normal.”

“What I really want, huh…” Ororon muses. “I wish I could.”

“¡Ah, estáis aquí!” ¹⁸

Capitano approaches them with a spring in his steps, clearly excited to see them. “Buenos días, ¿cómo estáis?” ¹⁹

His hands are behind him, obviously holding something. 

“Morning, Captain!” Paimon greets him. “What are you hiding, do you have a surprise for us?”

“Una sorpresa, sí,” ²⁰ he says, then gets down on one knee and presents what he has been hiding to Ororon: A bouquet of flowers. Not just any flowers, the duo notice as they take a closer look. The bouquet consists of blue and pink flowers, magenta and azure, to be precise. The exact shade of Ororon's eyes. 

“Quise preparar algo especial para usted,” ²¹ he says, voice soft, hopeful. 

Ororon looks taken aback, face flushed, but takes the flowers, holding them gently against his chest. “Thank you, they’re beautiful,” he says, smiling at him bashfully. 

“Paimon thinks we don’t talk enough about how smooth the Captain is. He’s got game.”  

“Even I’m tempted to take his hand and ride off into the sunset with him. Ororon is stronger than me, I would have passed out already if I were in his shoes,” Traveler confesses. 

“You guys aren’t helping,” Ororon says, distressed. 

“Alright, alright, let’s set off then. Lead the way, Ororon,” Paimon says. 

Ororon nods, then turns back to Capitano, who has stood back up in the meantime. “Come on, Captain, we’re leaving,” he says as he beckons him with his fingers. 

“Lo seguiría descalzo al infierno,” ²² Capitano says, as if swearing a solemn oath, then follows them eagerly. 

***

Ororon leads them to the skirts of the hills near Tecoloapan Bay. On the road, Capitano keeps offering beautiful flowers he sees on the road to Ororon, who dutifully adds them to his bouquet. At last, they reach the entrance of a cave system. 

“Huh, this cave isn’t on our map,” Paimon points out. 

Ororon seems distracted, looking at a group of Tepetlisaurs near the entrance. “It’s rare to see them this far west,” he says thoughtfully. 

“How do we enter without alerting them?” Paimon asks. 

“We could just run past them and hope they don’t follow us,” offers the Traveler. 

“That’s way too risky! Paimon thinks we need to distract them.”

“You could be our distraction, Paimon.”

“What do you want Paimon to do, dress in drag and do the hula?!”

“Permítanme,” ²³ says Capitano as he steps forward and approaches the Tepetlisaurs. 

“Oh no, what is he planning?” Paimon says, worried. 

When they see Capitano, the Tepetlisaurs get agitated by the presence of this stranger. One roars at him, as if telling him to step back. 

Capitano stops, then with the return of his disembodied background music, he starts to dance. His dazzling moves seem to catch the Saurians’ interest, and they gather around him to watch him intently. 

“Now is our chance!” Ororon says, and the trio sneak behind the distracted Saurians and enter the cave. 

Capitano finishes his dance, and takes a bow. The Tepetlisaurs wave their arms excitedly and make happy growls and roars. After waving his audience goodbye, Capitano joins the others in the cave. 

“You know, Paimon can get used to seeing him like this. If he still remembers how to dance when he’s back to normal, he could make some serious mora giving performances.”

“You need to appreciate art for what it is instead of thinking of mora, Paimon,” Traveler sighs. 

They walk deeper into the dim cave illuminated by glowing mushrooms and luminous plants. Before too long, they come across a narrow stream of liquid phlogiston, flowing sluggishly and painting the cave walls an orange hue. 

“Look! Paimon sees some spinel fruit there!” She points to a bush at the edge of the stream excitedly. 

Ororon approaches it, careful not to get too close to the lava. He reaches out his hand and closes his eyes. The fruits slowly lose their glow as their elemental energy gets sucked out. After that, he gathers the fruits with the help of the Traveler. 

At that moment, the cave shakes, dust falling from the ceiling. 

“What was that?!” Paimon squeaks. 

“This is the first time I’ve seen something like this here,” Ororon says. 

“The Tepetlisaurs… I think their digging shook the foundation of the cave. We should get out of here,” Traveler says. 

As if confirming his suspicion, the cave shakes again, stronger this time. 

“Run!” Traveler takes Paimon’s small hand in his and drags her with him as he starts to run, followed by Ororon and Capitano. As they run back, they hear the walls behind them collapsing. 

“We won’t make it! We won’t make it!” Paimon cries out. 

They can see the end of the tunnel. They are so close.  

That’s when it happens. 

The walls right above them collapse, right on top of Ororon and Capitano. At the last moment, Capitano pushes Ororon away. 

He gets buried by fallen rocks. 

Then all gets silent. The collapse ends. 

“Captain!”

They all rush to the rubble. Traveler uses his geo abilities to move the rocks aside until they see him. With great effort, they pull the unconscious Capitano out of the debris. 

“Captain! Wake up!” Paimon cries out, hovering above his head. 

“Is he okay? Traveler, how is he?” Ororon keeps asking frantically, desperate like they have never seen him. 

Traveler checks his breathing and heartbeat, pokes and prods at his body to find any broken bones. “You two, calm down, he’s not dead.” 

As he checks his head, his gloves come up bloody. 

“He’s hit his head. Ororon, take this rug and press it at his wound.” 

“Traveler, maybe we should take off his mask to see better,” Paimon suggests. 

Traveler nods and reaches out to his mask. 

At that moment, Capitano grunts. 

“Don’t touch my mask,” he mutters. 

“Captain!!!” All three yell at the same time. 

“Be quiet, please,” he says, voice pained.

“Sorry,” Paimon practically whispers. “But you’re finally back to normal! Paimon can’t believe all it took was a good whack at the head, if she knew it she would have done it yesterday!”

“What do you mean by ‘back to normal’?” Capitano asks. 

“Wait, you don’t remember?”

“I remember challenging Ronova, then guiding my soldiers’ souls to the ley lines. How… How am I here?”

“It’s a long story, Captain. Traveler, let’s take him out of the cave first.”

Traveler nods, helping Capitano up with Ororon's help, supporting him with his arms over their shoulders. Together, they get out of the cave and into the sunlight. 

“I can walk by myself, thank you.” Capitano says. “More importantly, how am I still alive?”

“Well, it all started with– Wait, where’s Ororon?”

They look around. Sure enough, he is nowhere to be seen. 

“Paimon thinks that he didn’t want to be here for this talk… Paimon doesn't blame him, it would be very awkward for him. Anyway, Captain, here is what happened…”

As Paimon explains, Capitano grows stiff, his hands clenched into fists. He doesn't even interrupt Paimon, just stands there and listens, silent as a stone. 

When she finishes, there is a deep, awful silence, only broken by the sound of the wind. 

“Traveler… Is this true?” he asks. 

“It is, Captain,” he confirms. 

Another beat. 

“I understand. Thank you for all the trouble you went through for my sake. Please excuse me, but I need to go now. Take care of yourselves.” He turns back and starts walking away. 

“Wait, where are you going?” Paimon calls out after him. 

“To my soldiers.”

“We could drop you off, you’re still injured,” Traveler offers. 

“No need. Besides, I… I need to think. By myself.”

“Ah, we understand. Bye, Captain!” Paimon waves at him. 

With a nod at them, Capitano walks away, disappearing around the corner. 

“Well, all’s well that ends well,” Paimon turns to the Traveler. “Leave it to the Captain to walk off getting buried by rocks. His bones must be made of steel. Besides, we didn’t even need to make him the memory potion, he just turned back to normal with a bonk in the noggin.”

“I’m glad it’s over now, but it must be very embarrassing for him,” Traveler says as they walk away together. “He tried to seduce Ororon in front of his entire platoon. They will always look at Capitano and remember that moment, I bet.”

“You're right, but Paimon doesn't think it’s a bad thing necessarily. He was so… macho, and charismatic. He expressed his emotions bravely and tried to win Ororon's love without shame and fear. His soldiers looked at him with awe and admiration, too. Paimon thinks their respect for him won’t decrease, quite the opposite, in fact.”

“You have a point. What I wonder is how this will affect his relationship with Ororon. There’s no ignoring this, I’m afraid. Sooner or later they have to talk it out.”

“Paimon will give you a secret: The Captain was so earnest and passionate that Paimon started rooting for him to get the guy.”

“Are you serious?”

“Well, yeah! They would be a cute couple! Just imagine: An immortal soldier weary from countless hardship and suffering, falling for the simple vegetable farmer who makes him enjoy life again!”

“I think you read too many light novels, Paimon.”

“Just you wait, Traveler. Next time we’re in Inazuma, Paimon’s gonna pitch this idea to Yae Publishing House. It will be a best seller for sure, and soon enough we’ll be swimming in mora!”

“Why do we always end up at mora talk?”

“All’s fair in a world made of mora, Traveler. Now, use that shiny mora of yours to buy Paimon some Volcano Cake, please?”

 ***

Ororon is tired. 

He waters his garden; first the lively carrots, then the humble radishes, then his vibrant tomato plants, and so on. He focuses on each and every plant, measuring the water carefully. Tries to keep his thoughts from straying there. He fails. 

It has been a couple days since the incident with Capitano. The moment he turned back to normal, Ororon fled the scene, unable to face him. He delivered the spinel fruits to Granny, explained the situation, then returned to his quiet cottage. He hasn’t visited the village since then. Hasn’t talked to anyone. Hasn’t slept a wink. 

How can he? The moment he lies down to sleep, memories of him rush to his mind, vibrant and tormenting. He tosses and turns, and can’t think of anything else other than how the Captain held him close, how he spoke to him with desire and passion in his voice, how he pressed his lips to his hand, devoted and yearning. All the while being out of his mind. 

How cruel fate is, to make a mockery of Ororon's deepest, most coveted desires. How devastating it is to be offered a love he would do anything to have, but in such a way that he can’t take it. 

Yes, Ororon loves the Captain. Loves his weary yet resilient soul, his chivalrous and noble demeanor, his devotion to his duty. Oh, what would he give to be the oasis in the desert of life that offers him respite and comfort. How would he love to see him smile, to be the cause of that smile. 

Yet his heart is selfish. Despite his ancient name Bidii, Devotion, he is unable to offer him the purest form of devotion, to love without asking for nothing in return. He yearns for reciprocity, to have a special place in the Captain’s heart. When he’s alone with his secret fantasies, he imagines how his touch would feel like, how it would feel to hold him and be held. Would he show him his face? Would he kiss him, if he asked? 

He knows he is being greedy. The Captain came back to life by a miracle, yet it’s still not enough for Ororon. He feels ashamed of himself, of his weak, eager heart. 

But can you blame him after everything that the Captain did? Who would be immune to his advances? Ororon did his best not to encourage him, but wasn’t strong enough to outright reject him. It’s true, Ororon secretly wanted him to continue, to experience what it would be like to be loved by him, even if it’s a lie. 

Now the Captain knows what he has done when he was not himself. He will think of it as a disgrace to his reputation, maybe even cut his ties with Ororon permanently. Or worse, he will come here and apologize for what he has done, and tell him he didn’t mean it and doesn't actually have feelings for him. Ororon would wither like a plant right then and there. 

“You look tired.”

Ororon jumps where he’s standing, dropping the empty bucket in his hands. 

“Captain?”

Here Capitano is, with his winter cloak he had discarded back on, holding a flower pot. Lilac-pink hydrangeas, swaying in the breeze. 

Ororon's treacherous heart leaps with hope. 

“What is this for?”

“It’s an apology gift,” Capitano says. 

Oh. 

The tiny hope in his heart shrivels up and dies. 

“I would like to apologize for what I did a few days ago,” Capitano starts. “In my unusual state, I put you on the spot in front of my soldiers, and acted impudently. It was never my intention to embarrass you.”

Ororon is quiet. He takes the flower pot without a word and puts it next to his four o’clock flowers. 

“No need for an apology, Captain. It’s all in the past now,” he says, heart heavy. 

Capitano stands there silently, watching Ororon. “That’s only half of the story,” he says softly. 

Ororon frowns. He has never heard him sound like this. Only a few days ago, when he was…

“What do you mean?”

Capitano looks at the flowers. “Traveler told me that I didn’t remember who you were, and that I… fell in love when I first saw you at the camp.”

He looks back at Ororon. “I disagree. The feelings were already there, I just needed to remember them.”

Ororon's heart skips a beat. “What..?

“I had feelings for you even before my death,” Capitano says, taking a step towards Ororon, voice gentle like never before. “At first, you were someone peculiar to me, a mystery to be solved. As we worked together and I got to know you, my curiosity turned to admiration, then to affection. I wanted your hand in mine, your eyes on me, your smile directed towards me. My selfish heart wanted you for myself. 

“I thought that after the incident the other day, you deserve to know. If you don’t feel the same, don’t hesitate to reject me. One word from you shall silence me on this subject forever.”

Ororon can only stare at him, mouth agape. This can’t be, there has to be a catch, a mistake… 

“Captain, I don't think you have recovered just yet, you don’t sound like yourself. Let me get you to Granny, she should know how to cure you,” he says as he walks past him, his eyes burning. 

Capitano catches his arm, not letting him leave. They are standing so close now, clothes nearly brushing. 

“Is it truly so hard to believe?” Capitano asks, sounding vulnerable, almost desperate. 

Ororon doesn't know. He can only stare up at Capitano, searching for the truth in the dark void of his mask. 

When he speaks, his voice is a small, fragile thing. “Do you mean it..?”

Capitano’s breath hitches, barely audible. His hand on Ororon's arm slowly slides down to hold his hand. 

“I do.” 

Ororon looks down as tears cloud his vision. “I thought I was the only one.”

Capitano reaches out and wipes his tears, careful with his clawed gauntlets. It is such a tender gesture, so full of affection and care, that Ororon can’t help himself. He wraps his arms around Capitano, fingers digging into his coat like anchors, and buries his face in the soft fur. 

Capitano is stiff for a moment, taken aback, but quickly gathers himself and hugs Ororon back, wrapping his arm around his waist and carding his fingers through his soft hair. 

“It’s alright now, don’t cry,” he says, quiet and soothing. 

Ororon nods, but keeps weeping anyway. Capitano pets his hair and lets him. 

They stay like that for a while, gently rocking back and forth. Then Ororon lets go of him, sniffing and drying his eyes. “Sorry, your fur is all wet now.”

Capitano chuckles softly –Ororon goes weak at the knees– and says “It’s no trouble, don’t worry about it.”

“In that case,” Ororon reaches for Capitano's hand, “would you like to plant the hydrangeas you brought to my garden with me?”

Capitano squeezes his hand, his big gauntlets practically swallowing Ororon's hand. “I would love to.”

Ororon smiles, bright and joyful, then drags Capitano after him to get his gardening supplies from his shed. 

He feels like he’s floating. They will have to talk more about what this means, what to do with this love they have found within each other, but that can wait. Right now, with Capitano’s hand in his, he knows that they can overcome any hardship in their way. 

Even if Granny kills him, we will die happy.