Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationships:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2026-06-09
Words:
664
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
2
Kudos:
36
Bookmarks:
2
Hits:
265

Would I Be Me Without You?

Summary:

Nod-Krai's Moon Goddess is elsewhere in Teyvat, visiting a large ashy tree stump in Sumeru. But for what purpose?

Notes:

Lullaby of the New Moon (III): Petala Ceciderunt

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

“So this is where you rest...”

It was a rather peaceful night in Teyvat. It was quite a special sort of peace. Weeks prior, a grave danger threatened all life on Teyvat. So to say the peace was rewarding would be an understatement.

And while most were indeed at peace, one was not. Or perhaps she was. Well, she was relieved; there no longer was any danger. Yet simultaneously she felt a little struck with grief, indescribably so. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it. The flowers back in Silvermoon Hall weren’t red, but certainly weren’t blue.

“I admittedly cannot find the words. Nor the feeling to describe my feeling.”

Five hundred years ago, a dove was born amongst a crowd of deer. They were ravenous for the most part. They were herbivores, yet despite that, the dove could feel itself being devoured whole. Such hunger. Such glutton. Such greed.
The dove eventually learnt to fly, and when it did, it flew away. Looking back only with disdain. The dove flew and flew, until it found itself before a grand taiga with a grander tree. There was a rather indescribable animal who hosted the tree. This animal granted the dove a home it claimed it could call home. Of course, where else could the dove fly but to somewhere reasonable?
So it did, and as it did, as it began to settle, as it began to accustom itself—

“You must be the Third, are you not?”...

...“That was how we met. Objectively, I should say that I regret that moment; to wish to go back, and never have gone through with you. Yet...” She paused and circled the area, gazing into the distance, and back at the ground. “...I cannot fully say so without lying.”
“I thought that by going here I would find an answer... I’ve only found more questions.”

“It is no surprise that I...” She held her tongue, thinking if the word was appropriate. “...dis... like... you. You made a fool of me by promising something I wanted, yet falling into the same cycle I escaped from; you attempted to usurp my power twice; you hurt many innocents, and many of my loved ones in the process.”
“You’re a horrible individual, to say.”

She stood still, silently contemplating what to say next.

“Arlecchino told me that I mustn't reject who I am, especially not the negativities of what made me, me. I did not fully understand her philosophy, until you died.”
“For the longest time, I have only considered and gazed upon the good that made me, me. Yet as I look back, I cannot help but wonder, would I still be who I am if not for your actions too?”

She sighed heavily.

“I would have never left the Fatui. I would have never jumped in the Moon Gate. The True Moon would have stayed far beyond the False Sky. My fate... I would have died a slow and painful death out of rejection.”
“But I avoided all of these because of you, did I not?”

She held her hands close to her heart. She slowly walked to the stump, and sat by it.

“You’re still a very horrible person. But you’ve heard that a lot — perhaps for your whole life — haven’t you? Maybe it should be that way, maybe it will be that way.”
“But for now... maybe perhaps for now... it shan’t be.”

She was feeling the grass nearby. It was comforting. She laid down. When she did, she saw a little striped gecko come out of seemingly nowhere.
“Oh. Hello little friend. Did you wish to rest too?”
It walked to her cautiously before laying down near her. She smiled briefly. She circled the grass with an index finger.

“I... I’ll miss you. Just a small, small bit. I hope you’re at peace wherever you may be.”

As she began to fall asleep, she thought of showing him how much better she’d gotten at controlling Kuuvakhi.

Notes:

this is my first time writing these characters. apologies if they dont sound as canon