Chapter Text
It’s been a few months since Durin moved to Mondstadt and got a human body. Wanderer didn’t want to admit it…but he missed the little dragon. They wrote to each other often and Durin tried to draw Kasacchi a self portrait, but he still couldn’t really tell what the dragon looked like in his new form. One day, Durin wrote about the Windblume festival and how it was coming up soon. He begged and pleaded for Kasacchi to come visit as he really wanted to spend the holiday with him. Wanderer attempted to sound laid back and nonchalant, like it would be a hassle to travel all the way to Mondstadt, but that he would anyway. In reality, it seemed like it would be a nice break from the Akademiya. So about a week later, he packed up some bags and headed to The City of Freedom.
The last time he was in Mondstadt, he still called himself The Balladeer. So he notices lots have changed as he walks along the bridge to the city, including decorations for the festival. Durin told him he’d been staying in the Knights of Favonius headquarters, so that’s where he headed first. When he enters the city, he spots a few people he recognizes, like that one boisterous mage. They obviously don’t remember him but he keeps his head down anyway. That is until someone practically attacks him and almost tackles him to the ground in a hug. Wanderer is too busy catching his footing that he doesn’t realize who it is until a scaly tail wraps around his leg.
“Durin! Calm down. I nearly fell over…”
He says with a huff, but he’s not actually angry, and Durin knows he’s always acting.
“Sorry Kasacchi! I was just so excited to see you!!”
The dragon exclaims, squeezing a little bit tighter. His wings even flutter ever so subtly. After a few more moments, he finally pulls away. But his tail stays wrapped around Wanderer’s leg for a little longer. It seems like Durin doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.
“Well look at you…you’re almost human now.”
Wanderer says with a grin, looking him up and down. He looks exactly like a human, if you ignore the horns, wings, and tail.
“Heh, isn’t it awesome!”
He exclaims, spinning around so Kasacchi can get a good look at him.
“Do you like all the Windblume decorations? I helped the knights put them up! Albedo said it would make the citizens trust me more.”
“Hm? They seem decent to me.”
Wanderer says as he glances around the townscape, looking around at all the banners, flowers, and balloons.
Durin looks a little dejected at his nonchalant reply, but he tries to brush it off and move on.
“Just- decent…? Uh, nevermind! You can stay in my room at the Favonius headquarters, no need to buy a hotel room.”
He says, grabbing Kasacchi’s hand and tugging him down the street. Wanderer rolls his eyes but lets himself get dragged along by the excitable dragon.
“What did you bring with you?”
Durin asks as Wanderer puts some of his stuff down.
“Just necessities and a few things for a paper I’m working on.”
He explains, setting his Akademiya bag on Durin’s desk like he owns the place. Of course, the dragon doesn’t mind, Kasacchi can do whatever he wants.
“You have to do work? I thought we could go to the festival tomorrow as a da-te.”
Durin asks, stuttering slightly, he didn’t actually mean to say that last part out loud. So he swallows hard as he waits for a response.
“What?”
Wanderer says, not looking back at Durin yet.
“Did you say a date?”
He quirks his eyebrow, glancing down at the desk.
“Uh yeah…isn’t that what humans call it when you spend time with your- friend?”
The dragon asks, playing dumb. He can’t help but tuck his tail between his legs a little from nerves and hope Kasacchi doesn’t notice.
Wanderer rolls his eyes, even though Durin can’t see them.
“No. A ‘date’ has a romantic connotation, like what you’d do with a lover. We would just be hanging out.”
“Ohh sorry, I didn’t know.”
He says, holding back a sigh of relief. He’s glad he got away with it.
“I just hope you haven’t gone around saying that to people. It would lead to a lot of misunderstandings…”
Wanderer says with a sigh, finally turning back around to face Durin.
“Huh? Oh, no! I haven’t.”
The dragon explains, nodding quickly.
“Good. Anyway, I need to finish this Vahumana essay. I can probably hang out with you tomorrow though.”
He says, sitting down at Durin’s desk and pulling out a few books and papers.
Durin tries to hold back a pout at Kasacchi’s words, but he can’t help but feel ignored.
“Okay…um…do you want me to leave? So you can work?”
He asks, holding his hands together behind his back.
“You can stay. I don’t get distracted easily.”
He says with a quiet hum, jotting a few notes down.
Durin beams at the answer. He grabs a storytale to entertain himself before plopping down on his bed to read, just enjoying Kasacchi’s company after spending so long apart.
A few hours later, Wanderer finally finishes his paper and stretches back in the desk chair before packing his work up. Durin, of course, immediately notices and sits upright, closing his book. He watches Kasacchi stretch and clean up, before speaking up.
“What do you want to do now?”
He asks, putting his book on his bedside table.
“Now? It’s late. I was going to go to bed.”
Wanderer says, a bit confused on what Durin had in mind. He quirks his eyebrow as he looks at the dragon.
“Oh…so we can’t hang out any more today?”
Durin asks, giving Kasacchi subtle puppy dog eyes.
“You are so needy. I’m sleeping with you- er- in your room and you’re still complaining about not spending enough time with me?”
Wanderer says sarcastically. He didn’t think of the innuendo until after he said it, so he just hopes Durin doesn’t know what it means in that context. He brushes it off and attempts to act like he didn’t say anything.
Durin can’t help but get embarrassed when Kasacchi says that. He’s been reading some books with…questionable content for his maturity level, so he knows what it means.
“Sorry…I didn't mean to complain. I just missed you!”
He says after he cleared his throat, trying his best to play dumb.
Wanderer rolls his eyes for what feels like the hundredth time this trip, but he can’t help a small smile at Durin’s reaction.
“It’s fine. You should still get ready for bed though.”
He says as he walks back over to his bag, preparing a few things for bed.
Durin follows suit and starts to get ready, taking off his shoes and jacket. Meanwhile, Wanderer strips off his kimono, shoes, and a few accessories, leaving him in his compression shirt and his shorts. When Durin notices, he stares a little, unable to help himself. His tail even starts to slowly wag behind him, much to his dismay. He quickly gets into bed and pulls the cover over himself, trying to hide his energetic tail. Unfortunately, Kasacchi can still clearly make out the motion from under the comforter.
“Someone’s excited.”
He says simply as he climbs into the opposite side of Durin’s bed.
“I- huh? No! It just…does it sometimes…randomly!!”
The dragon tries to explain. Wanderer doesn’t quite believe him, but drops it anyway.
“Hmm, whatever. I’m going to bed.”
He says with a short snicker. They both face away from each other as they start to relax.
Wanderer wakes up first, he always does. He doesn’t need much rest as a puppet so he rarely sleeps for more than a few hours each night. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that Durin is snuggled up to him. His tail wrapped around his waist. Their legs tangled together. One of his wings loosely draped over his side. Durin’s head and arms even tucked against Kasacchi’s chest. Wanderer takes a minute to just admire the sleeping dragon, he’s quite adorable, childish even. He cautiously reaches up to play with his hair, careful not to wake him. Wanderer decides to just let him sleep till he wakes up on his own; they can go to the festival later.
Eventually, Durin stirs awake and once he realizes what position he’s in, he bolts up and scrambles away, sitting on the other end of the bed.
“I’m sorry Kasacchi!! I didn’t mean to! I was asleep!”
Durin exclaims, shaking his head and waving his hands. His tail tucked under his legs.
“It’s alright, I didn’t mind.”
Wanderer says with a quiet sigh. He rolls his eyes and smiles just barely as he sits up himself.
Durin stares in disbelief for a moment, before letting out a breath of relief.
“Oh…that's good. I thought you’d be mad at me, or think it’s weird.”
He says, fiddling with his fingers a little.
“You overthink too much. I thought it was cute.”
Wanderer says simply, before getting out of bed and fixing his hair.
“Cute…?”
Durin mumbles silently. He can’t tell what Kasacchi means by that. Does he like him back? Maybe he can ask at the festival today…
Wanderer starts to get dressed and ready for the day. He begins to do his eyeliner in the mirror as he asks Durin a question.
“So you wrote to me a little about Windblume, but what exactly do you want to do today?”
He hums, focusing intently on his makeup.
“Oh! Right! The festival!”
Durin exclaims as he gets up himself, finding his clothes for the day.
“Well there are shops…and food…and lots of games!”
He had mentioned the flower tradition in his letters, but he’s still debating on whether or not he wants to give a Windblume to Kasacchi, so he leaves it out for now.
“Ah…sounds- interesting.”
Wanderer says, not actually that impressed. He had been to a lot of festivals like this over his many, many, many years in Inazuma, and he got a bit sick of them. But he wants to make Durin happy, so he’ll go.
“Really?! I’m glad you think so! I’ve never been to a Windblume and the Traveler tells me it’ll be really fun.”
Durin says, not picking up on Kasacchi’s unenthusiasm.
“Hm? Lumine is in Mondstadt?”
He asks, pausing his makeup and glancing back at Durin.
“Yeah! Maybe we’ll run into her while we’re exploring the festival.”
The dragon says with a smile as he finishes getting ready for the day. Wanderer still has to add a bit more to his eye makeup, but eventually he’s ready as well.
“Kasacchi! Look, you can pop the balloons! Do you want to play with me?”
Durin exclaims, tugging on his arm.
As the two finish playing, a certain blonde adventurer overhears them and tries to start up a conversation.
“Hi Durin! Hello Kasacchi!”
Lumine greets with a smile.
But before Durin can say hello back, Wanderer replies as he crosses his arms.
“Don’t call me that.”
He says sternly.
“Oh…but Durin just called you that?”
She asks as she raises an eyebrow, a bit confused.
“And? Don’t call me that. You can call me the name you gave me.”
He says, not letting up his tone.
“Uhm, alright.”
She says with a shrug, brushing it off as one of his trauma responses.
The three of them get lunch together at one of the festival stands before Lumine has to go do some commissions. Afterwards, Durin and Wanderer explore some of the shops. As they walk the streets, Durin keeps seeing couples giving each other different flowers as Windblumes and he can’t help but feel a bit upset it wasn’t him and Kasacchi exchanging them. He tries to brush it off and continue enjoying the festival.
“Look at this trinket! It reminds me of you.”
Durin explains as he walks up to a stand. He points out a wooden carving of a cat with a feather around its neck.
“Why? Cause its collar looks like my vision?”
Kasacchi asks, putting a hand under the metal feather hanging off of his vision.
“And you act like a cat!”
The dragon says with a beaming smile.
“Right…”
Wanderer says with an eyeroll and a tiny smile.
“Do you want it? I’ll get it for you! Master Jean gives me an allowance.”
He asks, picking up the miniature sculpture and holding it up to Kasacchi.
“No, I’m not very materialistic.”
He hums before continuing on.
Durin puts the carving down and runs to catch up with him. As they walk along the streets he tries to think of a way to show Kasacchi his affection and appreciation, but he doesn’t want Durin to buy anything for him, and he doesn’t think he’s the most touchy person. He thinks back to the Windblume tradition and decides to get a flower for Kasacchi…and maybe tell him how he feels. But he’ll have to find time to get away and prepare.
After they explore the rest of the festival it’s about dinner time, so Wanderer asks about any more plans.
“Did you want to get dinner now? Lumine said Good Hunter was pretty good.”
He asks, looking ahead of him.
Durin glances at his feet as they walk, trying to find a way to say this.
“Uhm…I’m alright- I have to help Captain Kaeya with something…”
He mumbles, a little nervous about lying to Kasacchi.
“Really? But you were so excited for Windblume, couldn’t you tell him no?”
Wanderer asks, glancing over at Durin.
“Ah- no…? He said it was important…I don’t know what it is though.”
He says, swallowing nervously and rubbing the back of his neck.
“Hm, whatever. I’ll go by myself.”
Wanderer hums, waving Durin off as he heads to the restaurant.
“I’ll be done at 8pm! Can you meet me by the fountain?”
Durin calls, hoping that will give him enough time to prepare.
“I guess.”
He calls back, before disappearing behind another building.
Durin immediately starts scrambling, he’s got an hour and a half to buy a Windblume and figure out what he’s going to say to Kasacchi. The first thing he does is bolt to Flora’s shop, trying to make sure Kasacchi can’t see him down the road.
“Flora!! I need a Windblume! What flower should I pick!?”
He exclaims, a bit out of breath as he approaches the flower stand.
“Woah, hello. Take a deep breath first…”
She says with a little laugh, putting her hands up in mock defense.
“Who are you giving it to?”
She asks with a finger to her chin.
“I’m not telling you! I just need a Windblume…”
He says, looking down at his boots.
“Pfft- okay…well I’d personally pick a Windwheel Aster. I think they’re the most fun.”
She snickers, trying to find a nice one in her collection.
Durin thinks about it for a minute and mumbles to himself.
“No…I don’t think he’d like red…”
“No red? Hm…maybe a Cecilia then?
Flora asks, picking out a pristine one.
“Yes! Yes yes yes! That’s perfect!”
He exclaims, holding his hands together in front of him.
“How much is it?”
“Just take it. As thank you for setting up our festival this year.”
She says with a smile, handing the flower to the excitable dragon.
“Thank you Flora!! You’re the best!”
He calls as he heads off to his next location.
The only person Durin can think of that could help him express his feelings, would be the flirtatious librarian, Lisa. He always sees her complimenting and teasing Jean, with all the confidence in the world! But he has to hurry, he wouldn’t want to make Kasacchi wait for him!
The dragon bursts into the library, hoping Lisa is still there even though it’s late. He finds her asleep at her desk, a pile of books by her side.
“Lisa! I need your help, please wake up!”
He almost whines, tapping her shoulder anxiously.
“Huh? Wha…? Oh, hello cutie…”
She says sleepily. She sits up with a yawn, stretching a bit.
“Did you need help finding a book?”
“No no! I need help telling Kasa- uh- someone…how I feel!”
Durin huffs, almost slipping up and revealing his little secret.
Lisa laughs, she knows exactly who he’s talking about, he’s only been talking about how Wanderer is coming to visit nonstop for the past month. But she refrains from teasing him this time.
“Well, I see you already have a Windblume, that’s a very good start.”
She hums, gesturing to the flower in his hand. Durin nods with a smile, proud that he did something right.
“You just need to be honest, but also throw in a few compliments to him- ahem- them.”
She says, trying to play dumb to save the dragon some embarrassment.
Durin looks down at his boots with a red face, he knows he’s been caught.
“Do you think he’d like me back?”
He asks after a few moments, fiddling with his fingers as he keeps his head down.
“Hm…I’ve never met the guy, so I don’t know. He sounds like he cares about you though.”
She says, smiling at Durin’s flushed face.
Lisa gives the dragon a few more pointers and tries to calm his nerves. Eventually it’s getting close to 8pm, so Durin thanks the librarian and heads to the fountain.
When he arrives, Kasacchi is already waiting for him, since the restaurant was so close. He hides the Windblume behind his back as he approaches.
“Hi Kasacchi…sorry for making you wait.”
Durin says. He has a hard time making eye contact.
“It’s fine. Was that Captain being annoying or something?”
He asks sarcastically. He gives the dragon a funny look because he can tell there’s something behind his back.
“Uh- yeah, haha. Very talkative.”
He swallows hard, taking a deep breath before continuing.
“So uhm, Kasacchi…”
“What?”
Wanderer quirks his eyebrow.
Durin holds out the Cecilia, finally looking Kasacchi in the eyes.
“I was just thinking about how cool you are- and…uhm since the Windblume festival is all about…showing your affection for your loved ones…I just thought- maybe- I’d- uhm, tell you…that I really like you. Love you, maybe. And I was wondering…if you’d be my- mate…er-! I mean boyfriend! That’s what humans call it…”
He explains nervously, the whole time he’s fiddling with the petals of the flower, his eyes are darting around anxiously, and he’s rocking back and forth on his heels. He shakes his head in embarrassment when he accidentally asks him to be his ‘mate’.
Kasacchi lets him finish, staring at him blankly as he speaks, but he can’t help but snicker once he’s done with his confession.
“Pfft- mate? You’re not serious, are you? Did Albedo tell you this would be funny?”
He asks in disbelief, trying not to laugh too hard.
Durin’s face drops at his response, his arm with the Windblume falling back down to his side.
“W-what? No…I’m being serious…”
He mumbles, he can feel his eyes start to glaze over, but he refuses to actually cry.
“…Really?”
The puppet asks after a moment, trying to read his body language. Once he sees that Durin is about to cry, he immediately regrets laughing.
“Kasacchi…I really like you…I want to be with you.”
He says, dejected. He rubs one of his eyes to try and prevent a tear from falling.
“Durin. I’m 500 years old. You- you don’t even know how old you are! You’re practically a child compared to me…you don’t even know what you’re feeling.”
Kasacchi says, crossing his arms with a sigh. He tries to be responsible and brush him off the right way.
“No I’m not! I’m old enough! And I do know what I’m feeling…I’ve read it in plenty of books to understand!”
He exclaims, tossing the Cecilia on the ground.
“Calm down, there’s no need to get worked up. I still enjoy your company and…care about you. But I’m not going to be your boyfriend.”
He explains, holding his hands up in mock defense when Durin gets upset.
“Why? Do you not like me? What can I do to get you to be my mate- boyfriend??”
He huffs, showing how childish he is.
“It’s not about any of that. You’re just too young for me. There’s a maturity difference.”
He says awkwardly, trying his best to explain.
“I can be mature! Trust me I’ll learn! Please give me a chance…”
Durin pleads, holding his hands together in front of him and taking a step closer.
Kasacchi retreats a step back.
“No.”
He crosses his arms again.
“Go find someone your own age.”
“I don’t like any of them! They’re only good as friends. I don’t want Bennett or Fischl to be my mate!”
Durin cries, his tail flicking back and forth behind him.
“You’re my favorite person ever! Doesn’t that mean you’re supposed to be my lover? I don’t understand human social rules…”
He groans, mumbling the last part mostly to himself.
“I- uh, sometimes? But Durin can you just relax? We can figure this out if you stop yelling in the middle of the city.”
Wanderer sighs, waving one of his hands to the side. In a way physically brushing Durin’s confession off.
“I’m just your best friend. That is what you’re feeling.”
He hums with a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to have patience.
Durin sputters and his tail twitches behind him, clearly upset, but he can’t think of anything else to say to Kasacchi to prove his point. He doesn’t want to seem childish in front of him, so he tries to calm down.
“I just…want to spend time with you.”
“Don’t whine, I’ll still spend time with you dumbass, just not…romantically.”
Wanderer says with a scoff. He’s honestly confused where all this affection is coming from. Durin just seemed kind of like a pupil to him.
Durin pouts, but nods and accepts Kasacchi’s terms after a few moments.
“Okay…but I still know what I feel.”
He says to act confident, puffing out his chest ever so slightly.
“Whatever you say.”
The puppet says sarcastically.
Durin picks up the Cecilia he tossed on the ground and tries to fix its petals. Then, he holds it out to Kasacchi again. He rolls his eyes but takes the Windblume with a scoff. The two then head back to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters for the night. The walk is quiet. Durin feels rejected but he’s trying to act tough. Wanderer hasn’t felt this awkward in hundreds of years. Neither of them want to talk about it.