Work Text:
Lumine was shaken awake from a good night's sleep by not one, but two pairs of hands.
"Traveler! Traveler, wake up!" Paimon exclaimed.
"The winter market opens today!" chirped Teucer, bouncing excitedly at the foot of her bed. "Big brother said we have to go early so we can get the best gifts and treats!"
Groaning, she cracked one eye open to find the window covered with frost. The sun wasn’t even up yet. She pulled the covers over her head and mumbled something about "five more minutes”, but the boy was relentless.
"Come on! Big brother is already up and making breakfast. He said if you don't hurry, he’ll eat all your syrniki!"
With a resigned sigh, Lumine sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Teucer’s infectious excitement was enough to coax her out of the warm cocoon of blankets. She quickly dressed in the warmest clothes she was given—layers upon layers of wool and fur—before padding down the creaky wooden stairs to the kitchen.
The smell of freshly made syrniki greeted her, fried pancakes rich with vanilla and honey. Ajax stood at the stove flipping the pancakes, while Teucer sat at the table drumming his fingers.
"Finally awake, I see," Ajax said, setting a plate of syrniki, sliced fruit, and sausages in front of her. "Eat up. The market waits for no one. Oh, and you might want this.” He slid a hot cup of coffee beside the plate.
“Thank you.” Lumine wrapped her hands around the ceramic, heat seeping into her cold fingers. She took a sip, the bitter coffee chasing away the last remnants of sleep, and dug into her plate of food. "So what happens at this winter market?" she asked between bites.
Ajax leaned against the counter. "It's a tradition here in Snezhnaya—every year when winter starts, merchants from all over Teyvat gather to sell their wares. There's food, handcrafted toys, warm clothes, and if you're lucky, you might even find some rare trinkets from distant lands."
Teucer's eyes lit up. "Also there's hot cocoa! And roasted chestnuts! And honey cakes! And—"
"And there's chocolates!" Ajax finished for him with a fond smile. "Yes, yes, we know. You've been talking about them for the past week."
“I love chocolate!”
“I do too, Teucer,” Lumine said. “How about I get some for you?”
Teucer beamed at her, nearly about to burst with excitement. "Really? Can we get the ones shaped like Rimehorn Deer? Those are the best!"
"We'll see what they have," Ajax said, ruffling his little brother's hair. "But first, we need to make sure the Traveler eats and doesn't freeze before we even get there."
Lumine couldn't help but smile at the boy's enthusiasm as she continued eating her breakfast. The syrniki were perfectly light and fluffy, the honey adding a touch of sweetness that complemented the tangy farmer’s cheese. The sausage was savory and perfectly seasoned, still warm enough to chase away the morning chill. Paimon floated nearby, helping herself to her own generous portion while chattering to Teucer about all the things she wanted to see at the market.
“You liked the sausage?” Ajax asked, to which she nodded. “Good. It’s a traditional smoked sausage. I thought you might appreciate a proper Snezhnayan breakfast before braving the cold."
“Could Paimon get some of this sausage at the market?” The pixie chimed.
"Of course," he replied with a chuckle. "There are vendors selling all kinds of sausages and meats at the market. I'll make sure we stop by the best butcher stall. They smoke theirs with cherry wood, and it gives the meat an incredible flavor."
Paimon's eyes sparkled. "Ooh, Paimon can't wait!"
While her companion and the Harbinger chatted about food, Lumine finished the last of hers, feeling considerably more awake than she did twenty minutes ago.
She stood and stretched out the stiffness from sleep, then helped Paimon secure her tiny red scarf—a gift to her from Teucer that the floating companion wore with pride. Ajax gathered their market basket and checked that Teucer had his mittens before fastening his cloak.
“Oh, here.” Ajax took out a cloak made of thick wool lined with fur. "It's going to be colder than you think out there," he warned. She watched as he draped it over her shoulders. “This is one of my older sisters’ cloaks. You can wear it while you’re here.”
The fabric was thick and soft, and already its warmth was enveloping her. “Thanks, Ajax.”
He gave a small smile, adjusting the hood so it sat properly on her head. His fingers lingered for just a moment before he pulled away, clearing his throat and turning his attention back to Teucer, who was halfway out the door.
Their breath formed small clouds of mist as their boots crunched on snow, making their way toward the bustling heart of Snezhnograd.
The early morning streets were still quiet, with only a few other early risers making their way through the snow-dusted lanes. Lanterns hung from every lamppost, their warm golden light cast across cobblestones blanketed in white. In the distance, faint sounds of the market coming to life could be heard; vendors called out their wares and wooden carts clattered around while being set up, smattered with the excited chatter of Snezhnayans and other Teyvat citizens eager to shop.
As they rounded the corner into the main square, the winter market spread out before them in its glory. Dozens of colorful stalls lined the wide plaza, their canvas awnings dusted with snow and decorated with evergreen boughs and ribbons. The air was thick with the many mingling scents of cinnamon, roasted nuts, cherry wood, and mulled wine. Everywhere Lumine looked, there were people bundled in furs and scarves, laughing with merchants, cheeks flushed with cold and excitement.
Teucer immediately broke away from them, darting toward a stall displaying an array of carved and brightly painted wooden toys. Ajax called after him halfheartedly but made no real effort to chase him down—the boy knew these markets well enough, and his brother's watchful eye was never far.
"Where should we start?" Lumine asked, taking in the overwhelming array of stalls.
"Anywhere you like," Ajax said. "Though I'd recommend the spice merchant near the center—they have imports from Sumeru that you won't find anywhere else in Snezhnaya. And the glassblower always has something interesting."
Paimon tugged on Lumine's sleeve, pointing excitedly at a stall where steam rose in fragrant clouds. "Look, look! Hot cocoa!"
"You want some?" Lumine asked.
"Yes please!"
They made their way through the growing crowd toward the beverage stall, where Ajax talked in Snezhnayan with a cheerful old woman with rosy cheeks, who nodded eagerly and ladled thick, creamy cocoa into wooden mugs for the three of them.
"Good, isn't it?" Ajax said, watching her take her first sip. The drink was rich and sweet, with a hint of cinnamon and another warming spice that Lumine couldn't quite place. "The recipe's been in that woman's family for generations. She makes it only during the winter."
"It's delicious," Lumine agreed, the drink's warmth spreading through her chest. Even Paimon was delighted with her own miniature cup.
They wandered from stall to stall, Ajax pointing out his favorites while Teucer periodically reappeared to show them his discoveries—a wooden toy soldier, a small brass compass, a music box that played a tinkling melody when wound. The Harbinger indulged his brother's excitement, purchasing a few small trinkets when the boy’s attention was elsewhere and tucking them into the basket.
At an Inazuman textile merchant's stall, Lumine found herself drawn to a display of patterned fabrics, intricate and beautiful. She ran her fingers over one particular scarf—deep blue with silver thread woven across the fabric.
"That one suits you," Ajax said, appearing at her shoulder. Before she could protest, he'd already handed a pouch of Mora to the merchant and was draping the scarf around her neck, his fingers deft as he arranged it properly. "Consider it a thank you."
"Ajax, you didn't have to—"
"I know," he interrupted. That smile he wore was equal parts warm and dangerous. "But I wanted to."
The moment stretched between them, the noise of the market fading slightly, until Teucer's voice cut through: "Big brother! Big brother! They have the Rimehorn Deer chocolates!"
Ajax chuckled, the spell broken, and gestured for her to follow as Teucer practically dragged them toward the confectionery stall. The display was impressive—rows upon rows of handcrafted chocolates in various shapes and sizes, from simple squares to elaborate designs of snowflakes, stars, and yes, Rimehorn Deer.
The chocolatier, an elderly man with spectacles perched on his nose, smiled warmly at Teucer's enthusiasm. "Ah, the young master returns! I saved some of the Rimehorn Deer chocolates just for you."
"Really?" Teucer's eyes went wide with wonder.
"Really." The man pulled out a small box wrapped in red ribbon. "I remember how much you liked them last year."
Ajax paid for the chocolates, along with a few additional boxes—one he discreetly handed to Lumine when Teucer wasn't looking. She opened it to find an assortment of dark chocolates filled with various flavors: cherry, orange, and what looked like a mint creme.
"For later," he said, his ocean-blue eyes meeting hers. "When you need something sweet after a long day of commissions."
"You're surprisingly thoughtful for a Harbinger," she teased.
He chuckled. "That's what my subordinates always tell me."
Paimon floated between them, eyeing the chocolates with obvious interest. "Does Paimon get one now?"
Lumine laughed and opened the box, letting her companion select a piece. The pixie chose a chocolate filled with a red cherry, and popped it into her mouth with a satisfied hum.
They continued through the market, the morning sun breaking through the clouds and illuminating everything in a soft, golden light that made the snow sparkle. At the spice merchant Ajax had mentioned, Lumine purchased small pouches of saffron and cardamom, thinking of the meals she could prepare during her travels. The merchant, a Sumeru native with warm brown skin and knowing eyes, threw in a complimentary vanilla bean "for the pretty lady traveling with the Harbinger."
Ajax raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing, though Lumine caught the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth—amusement, perhaps. Or something else entirely.
At the glassblower's stall, they perused delicate ornaments that caught and refracted the light in mesmerizing patterns. Teucer was transfixed by a glass sparrow with wings that seemed to shimmer and refract the light. Once Teucer ran off again, Ajax bought it without hesitation, carefully wrapping it before placing it in their basket.
As the morning became late, the market grew more crowded. The press of bodies in a small space made the cold air feel warmer with shared body heat. Musicians had set up near the center of the square, playing traditional Snezhnayan folk songs on balalaikas and reed clarinets. Some people had begun to dance, their laughter ringing out across the plaza.
Teucer tugged on Ajax's cloak. "Can we get the roasted chestnuts now? Please?"
"Alright, alright," Ajax relented, steering them toward a vendor whose stall was wrapped in aromatic smoke. He got three cones of chestnuts and passed one to her. The chestnuts were hot enough that Lumine had to juggle hers between her hands to avoid burning her fingers.
They found a relatively quiet spot near the edge of the market to rest, sitting on a low stone wall that bordered the square. Teucer sat between them, munching on his chestnuts while watching the dancers with wide-eyed fascination.
"Thank you for bringing me here," Lumine said, peeling a chestnut. "This is... nice. Different from the constant fighting and quests."
"You're always welcome here anytime, Traveler. Snezhnaya may be cold, but it has its warmth. You just have to know where to look."
His hand rested on the wall between them, close enough that Lumine could feel his pinkie finger against hers. She didn't pull it away.
"Big brother," Teucer said suddenly, looking up at them with innocence, "are you and the Traveler going to dance like those people?"
Ajax nearly choked on his chestnut, while heat rushed to her cheeks.
"I—we—that's not—" Ajax stammered.
Paimon giggled, clearly enjoying the Harbinger's discomfort. "Ooh, Paimon thinks that's a great idea!"
"Paimon," Lumine muttered under her breath.
Ajax recovered first, standing and offering his hand, characteristic confidence returning to his features. "Well, if my brother insists," he said, tone light but his eyes holding a challenge. "What do you say, Traveler? One dance?"
Lumine hesitated, acutely aware of Teucer's expectant gaze and Paimon's barely suppressed glee. The music swirled around them, a lively tune. She looked at Ajax's outstretched hand, then back at his face.
"Fine. Just one," she said, placing her hand in his.
His fingers closed around hers, warm in spite of the cold, and he led her toward the open space where others were already spinning and laughing. The crowd seemed to part for them naturally—whether out of recognition of the Harbinger or simply the flow of the dance, Lumine couldn't tell.
Ajax placed his other hand at her waist, and she rested hers on his shoulder, suddenly very aware of how close they were standing. "Fair warning," he murmured, leaning in so only she could hear, "I'm actually quite good at this."
"Is there anything you're not good at?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Staying out of trouble," he admitted with a grin.
"Evidently." And then they were moving.
He hadn't been lying. Ajax guided her through the steps with practiced ease, and despite her initial uncertainty, Lumine followed his lead. The world shrunk to the space between them—the warmth of his hand at her waist, the sound of his breath mingling with hers in the cold air, the way his eyes never left her face.
The music swelled, and he spun her outward before pulling her back, closer than before. Around them, other dancers whirled past in a blur of color and motion, but Lumine only had eyes for the man holding her. In this moment, he wasn't Tartaglia, the Eleventh Harbinger. He was just Ajax, the boy who bought his brother chocolates and glass birds for his mother, who made sure she had a warm cloak and remembered how she took her tea.
"You're quiet," he observed, his voice soft beneath the music.
"Just thinking," she replied.
"About?"
"About how strange this is. How strange we are."
"Strange how?" His thumb traced a small circle against her waist, the gesture so subtle she almost missed it.
"We've fought each other. We're supposed to be on opposite sides. And yet here we are, dancing at a winter market like—"
"Like what?" he prompted when she trailed off.
"Like normal people," she finished quietly. "Like we could be anyone. Anything other than what we are."
Something shifted in his expression—a vulnerability she'd only glimpsed once or twice before. "Would you want that?" he asked. "To be anyone else?"
The question hung between them, weighted with implications neither of them were quite ready to voice. Before Lumine could answer, the music shifted to a slower tempo, and Ajax adjusted their position accordingly, drawing her incrementally closer.
"Sometimes," she admitted finally. "Sometimes I think about what it would be like to not always be searching, fighting, collecting commissions. To just... be."
"And other times?"
"Other times I remember that this is who I am. Who I have to be, to find my brother." She looked up at him, studying the planes of his face, the way the winter sun caught in his hair. "What about you? Do you ever wish you could be someone else?"
Ajax was quiet for a long moment, the only sound between them the crunch of snow beneath their feet and the distant melody of balalaikas. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "Every day. And never."
It was the most honest answer he'd ever given her, and it struck something deep in her chest—a recognition of the weight they both carried, the masks they both wore.
The song ended, but neither of them moved to step apart immediately. They stood there in the middle of the square, surrounded by strangers and noise and life, yet somehow entirely alone in their shared moment of understanding.
"Big brother! That was amazing!" Teucer's voice broke the spell, and they separated, the careful distance returning between them.
Ajax cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair. "We should probably get Teucer some lunch," he said, his voice returning to its usual casual tone, though something in his eyes remained vulnerable, open.
"Probably," Lumine agreed, but she was smiling as she followed him back toward where Teucer and Paimon waited.
Paimon wore a knowing expression that promised future teasing, but for once, she kept her comments to herself, merely floating along beside them as they made their way toward the food vendors.
The winter market continued around them, full of the warmth from life and laughter, and for just a little while longer, Lumine let herself be part of it—not the Traveler on an endless quest, but simply a girl at a market, walking beside someone who made her feel like maybe, just maybe, she could have both the journey and moments like these.
They found a small tavern on the edge of the market square, its windows frosted over but glowing warmly from within. The proprietor, a round-faced woman with flour dusted across her apron, greeted Ajax with obvious familiarity.
"Lord Harbinger! And with guests, I see." She beamed at Teucer, then at Lumine with barely concealed curiosity. "Come in, come in! I have fresh piroshki just out of the oven."
Inside, the tavern was cozy and warm, filled with the scent of baking bread and roasted meats. They claimed a table near the hearth, where the fire crackled cheerfully. Teucer immediately launched into an animated retelling of their morning adventures, his words tumbling over each other in his excitement.
Ajax ordered for all of them—piroshki filled with cabbage and mushrooms, bowls of borscht topped with a dollop of thick smetana, and for Teucer, a plate of blini with berry preserves. When the food arrived, steaming and fragrant, Lumine realized how hungry she'd actually been.
"This is delicious," she said after her first bite of piroshki, the pastry flaky and the filling perfectly seasoned.
"Madame Volkov's cooking is legendary in Snezhnaya," Ajax said, taking a spoonful of his borscht. "I've been coming here since I was younger than Teucer."
"Before you became a Harbinger?" Lumine asked, genuinely curious about this glimpse into his past.
He nodded, something wistful crossing his features. "Back when things were... simpler. When the most complicated thing in my life was convincing my parents to let me stay out past dark."
Teucer was too absorbed in his blini to notice the shift in conversation, and Paimon had discovered a plate of honey cakes that the proprietor had brought over, "for the little one."
"Do you miss it?" Lumine asked quietly.
Ajax met her eyes across the table, the firelight casting dancing shadows across his face. "Sometimes. But then I remember that if I hadn't fallen into the Abyss and joined the Fatui, if I had stayed here in Snezhnaya, I never would have met you."
The words hung between them, vulnerable and honest in a way that made Lumine's heart skip. Before she could formulate a response, Teucer looked up, berry preserves smeared across his chin.
"Can we go back to the market after lunch? I want to see the ice sculptures!"
Ajax laughed. "Of course. We still have the whole afternoon ahead of us."
As Lumine watched him with his brother, genuine affection and care seeping into every gesture, she found that strangeness wasn't such a bad thing after all. Maybe it was what she wanted.