Work Text:
Lohen offers a hand to Illuga who is crouches low and breathing heavily. The lightkeeper takes it and groans as he's pulled to his feet.
"Let's go another round!" Lohen laughs. "I'll even show you my knife skills."
"N-No thanks. I think I'm done," Illuga pants. "Besides, we've been going at this for a long time."
"Awww, but I'm just getting started," the knight pouts.
Illuga's stomach growls loudly, putting any plans of more sparring on hold. The lightkeeper blushes and holds an arm over his middle, but Lohen ignores his embarrassment and pulls hil away from the training grounds.
"Since you're in Mondstadt for the time being, I say you come meet my family."
"Your family?" Illuga asks.
"Yeah. Mom, Pops, and my kid sister."
Illuga imagines a crazed household full of knives and butchered animals. A child playing on the rug with a crossbow instead of dolls. He gulps at the thought of meeting his boyfriend's parents.
"What if—"
"Don't even entertain the idea. They'll love you! Besides they'll probably say some stupid stuff about you leveling me out or something." Lohen guffaws at the thought. "As if!"
"O-Okay," Illuga stutters, allowing himself to be dragged along the path.
As the city of Mondstadt fades away, opening up to the countryside, Illuga takes in the fields of wildflowers and singing birds. He forgets that Lohen was raised in such a beautiful place sometimes. The guy has such a knack for killing it's almost as if he was from Nod Krai himself.
They approach a cottage, its outer stone sun-bleached and the roof a little sunken in places. Smoke rises from the chimney and a pie rests in the kitchen window to cool. Illuga thinks it looks quaint and pleasant, but he's sure what awaits him inside is a monstrosity.
Lohen smiles over his shoulder at Illuga before knocking twice and then barging through the front door.
"I'm baaaack," Lohen calls, "And I brought company!"
Footsteps race down the stairs and a little girl wearing a bright yellow dress launches herself at the two men.
"Big brother!"
Lohen catches her in his arms with ease and they both laugh as he spins her around in a circle before placing her on the her feet and patting her head.
"Illuga, this is my sister, Augusta."
"Augie!" she corrects, hands on her hips.
Lohen rolls his eyes and pushes past her, beckoning for Illuga to follow. The lightkeeper looks around and sees… a normal house. Pictures line the walls in frames and fresh flower bouquets sit in vases on every surface. The house smells wonderful with the scent of cooking meats and sweet pies. Illuga's stomach grumbles again.
"Mama! Lohen brought a boy home!" Augie shouts, skipping ahead toward the kitchen.
"Is that so?" a soft feminine voice asks from around the corner.
As Lohen and Illuga enter the kitchen, Illuga prepares himself to meet an intense woman. Maybe stout and commanding. There's no way Lohen became the way he is without being rebellious against his strict parents.
But what he finds, is a tall, slim woman with the same color hair as Lohen, cascading down her back in a thick braid. She wears a pink apron over her cream colored dress and no shoes at all.
"Welcome home, love," she smiles so brightly and warmly, Illuga's heart skips a beat. She's beautiful and lovely and he just… doesn't understand. "And hello to you, too. Let me guess! You're that lightkeeper Lohen is always going on about."
"Stop it," Lohen says, nearly snapping the words.
"Oh look, he's embarrassed. How cute!" Lohen's mother chuckles and pinches his cheek.
"H-How?" Illuga lets the word slip from his lips. "You're so… normal."
Instead of being insulted, she waves off the comment with a laugh. "Oh, I get that all the time! Come, sit at the table and I'll get you a plate. I'm sure my boy ran you ragged today."
"Where's Pops?" Lohen asks, peering out the kitchen doorway.
"Oh, he'll be home soon."
Ah, that must be it, Illuga thinks. Lohen's father will be a crazed hunter or something. An adventurer with a knack for killing. That's where Lohen gets it from.
The family gathers around the dining table, and Lohen's mother adds a chair right beside her son for Illuga. Lohen grabs his thigh beneath the table and the lightkeeper jolts.
"They're unbearable, aren't they?" The knight sighs.
"I think they're pleasant. I'm just confused."
"About what?"
Before Illuga can voice his concerns, the front door opens and a burly man walks in. He has dark hair and a thick beard. A crossbow sits against his back and a hunting knife is strapped to his waist. Illuga settles, thinking he understands, but then the man opens his mouth and he's confused once more.
"I'm home, my beautiful family! Oh and my son has graced me with a visit! Who is this?"
"Hello Sir, I'm Illuga, a lightkeeper from Nod Krai."
"Ahhhh, the infamous boyfriend!" Lohen's father laughs and leans in close to his wife. "He's a cutie. No wonder Lohen took a liking to him."
"Oh my Gods, would you shut up!" Lohen shouts, stabbing the table with a steak knife.
"Oh, we're just so happy for you, dear." Lohen's mother says with a wide smile.
Lohen rolls his eyes and gives a look to Illuga that shows he's exasperated with the way his family is acting. Illuga can't help it. He bursts into laughter.
"This is ridiculous! I can't believe— oh my goodness!"
The family falls silent, all eyes on Illuga.
"Is something the matter, dear?" Lohen's mother asks.
"You're all… you're all so nice!" Illuga looks at Lohen, then, a strange expression on his face. "How the hell did you turn into a maniac?"
The entire family laughs and Lohen grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Oh, Lohen has always been like that," his father says. "Never wanted to play with toys, only weapons. Took him out hunting for the first time when he was four and that was it. All he wanted to do was hunt. By the time he was eight, he killed his first hillichurl and the rest is history."
"Lohen keeps us safe!" Augie announces. "He's the best knight ever!"
"He's a good boy really. And you must know that if you spend time with him, right?" Lohen's mother asks.
Illuga softens as he looks at his boyfriend. Despite all the fighting and the crazed comments. The biting and stabbing and punching. He really is a good person. He may have a different code of ethics than Illuga, but he cares for the people around him. Even as they sit at the table about to enjoy a perfectly normal meal with his family, Illuga knows this is what Lohen fights to protect every day.
"Yeah," Illuga says softly. "I know."
He leans his head on Lohen's shoulder and everyone swoons. Lohen tries not to fidget too much as he wraps an arm around Illuga's shoulders and pulls him in closer.
"I guess I'll keep him around for a little while longer."
Illuga laughs at that and kisses Lohen's cheek. His boyfriend is a real mystery, but at least his family is nice.