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Illuga finds her just as Ineffa leaves their shared sitting space, with a nice view of Hisi Island on a hill that surrounds the workshop, her 'instinct module' making her eyes suddenly change color every second, stating that Aino must have touched their household's krumkake stock before the next dessert-handling schedule.
Jahoda just hummed as the robot dashed through the sky downward toward their genius troublemaker, seemingly content not to understand the technicalities of why Aino put an instinct module on Ineffa, or how she even made it in the first place. Her hum turned to a key of confusion, though, when Ineffa twirled around the sky to go back from where they were, just so the robot could steal a kiss from Jahoda's lips, to which she swatted all over Ineffa's general direction, to which the robot just smiled before dutifully going back to Aino and see just what tomfoolery she was up to now.
When Jahoda heard a low whistle from behind her, her fingers twitched to summon her bow, or even her Anemo if she heard another noise from that annoying source.
Unfortunately, Illuga talked, "I wish Lohen could fly like that."
Jahoda turned to where Illuga was currently taking Ineffa's seat on the log beside her, giving him a pointed look, "You're such a weirdo."
Illuga hummed, as if he hadn't heard her, "That'd make the distance easier to cope with, wouldn’t it? Anyway, darlingest sister. Do you know Bielov?"
At that, Jahoda let out a groan, rubbing her face all over and pulling her beanie free from her unruly hair, throwing it towards Illuga's face, to which the latter just laughed at her antics. The fucking nerve of his, "Of course he'd track me down just for this. Some brother you are!"
He laughed, holding her beanie in his hands, and promptly placed it on his head. Jahoda's hands twitched again, for her weapon or Anemo, she wasn't sure. Either Illuga doesn't see the apparent murderous intent painted on her face, or he just decided to ignore it, like always, "What? This isn't bonding enough for you? We're looking at a very nice view together, in my truthful, honest opinion."
"Kuutar, hold me the fuck back," Jahoda muttered, staring at the grass as if they were the ones at fault, then stared at Illuga how she normally would: with that tired, so-done-of-you face that would only come out if your brother was the Nightmare Oriole's captain. Some nightmare he is, alright, "Shut up, literally shut up right now and tell me why I should know Bielov of all people."
Illuga harrumphed, to which Jahoda looked at him more bewildered by the second, "He's getting on my fucking nerves." He kicked loose pebbles out towards the cliff, some of them clanking on the metal surface below.
Jahoda had to voice her bewilderment in a slightly higher tone, "And why would he be?! Ah," she tutted him at the end, pushing a pointed finger between them, "This is about Lohen."
"Of course it's about Lohen," Illuga replied, all incredulously, "Why is it not about Lohen?"
Her eye twitched, hearing that from him as she stared at him with a tired look, "Stop being so fucking obsessed in front of me. It's giving me the heebie-jeebies."
Illuga just rolled his eyes at that, the name of the random dude now apparently reminding him of his annoyance, "Not my fault that dolboyob doesn't keep his hands to himself."
Immediately, even before Illuga finished speaking, Jahoda was screaming somewhere between the lines of amusement and disbelief, "Woah! You kiss Lohen with that mouth?!"
"He likes it that way," Illuga said, now using her shoulder as an armrest, "So? Do you know this fuckass Bielov?"
"I'm completely going to ignore all the things I shouldn't know between you and Lohen," she said as she pushes his stupidly heavy arm from her shoulder. Does fighting the Wild Hunt really give him all this muscle with little brain to control it? "Yeah, I know this fuckass Bielov. What do you wanna do, tie him up and throw him over a horde of radiant beasts or something?"
"Huh," Illuga said, actually considering it, to her disdain, because that's a lot of work, "I like that idea more."
"Never should've said something," Jahoda said through her gritted teeth, "Well? You're gonna tell me why I'm gonna do this or not?"
"He looked at Lohen funny," was all Illuga said, as if that was reason enough. Jahoda doesn't even know just where Lohen and this random dude crossed paths.
"Uh-huh," she said, losing faith in her brother day by day, "And you know this because...?"
"I saw that asshole going near him when he went to Nasha Town days ago, duh," he replied dryly.
Jahoda groaned, now standing up, leaving Illuga on the log alone. She had a mind to kick it towards the cliff, but she held herself back. Instead, she stretched and screamed simultaneously, for her sake.
Illuga, the annoying itch beneath her skin that she just couldn't get rid of, even if she wanted to, gave her a radiant smile. "Thanks, Yoda."
Jahoda rolled her eyes, trying so hard to hide the smile creeping to her face, "Whatever. Leave it to me to do your dirty work, wouldn’t want your clean as fuck captain reputation to be stained right now."
The most annoying ratnik that Jahoda had ever met (and she had met all of them, alright) just laughed, already turning to stand up beside her and aiming to rest his arms on her shoulder.
Jahoda pushed him away with all her might, the unsuspecting Illuga screaming with shock as he was greeted with a bush, a rush of kuuhenki flowing outwards as he fell.
"No!" Jahoda immediately shouted as soon as she saw the person opening the Curatorium's door, the chime above it ringing like a bell. Ashru, from his comfortable sleeping spot atop the counter, woke with a start.
"Okay, rude," was Illuga said as a greeting, "I haven't even said anything yet."
"Bracing for the worst," Jahoda said behind the counter, trying to reach Ashru, who was just beginning to fall asleep again, "Which poor person would you wanna torture this time?"
As Illuga walked towards the counter, he leaned on it with one hand and raised the other with a closed fist, one finger raised as he lists down whatever he thought was necessary, "Okay, one: they deserve it so bad it pains me when they just walk freely thinking they can just do whatever the hell they want. Second: you know Langemak?"
Jahoda groans the annoyance out of her, "Gee, stupid me for thinking you just have a short list of people who provoked you." She pets Ashru, who was now on her lap, ignoring the two siblings as he continued sleeping. She's jealous of the cat; he doesn't have to deal with this mess of a ratnik in front of her.
"Do I need to eat Lohen's face out in the middle of Nasha Town for these dumb fucks to stop fishing him like he's some commodity? Seriously!" Illuga exclaimed, slamming a fist on the counter with a controlled bout of anger, yet the displays on top still jolted with the movement.
At that sudden noise, Jahoda heard yet another door open, this time with a much smoother sound, as if it were one of those sliding types.
"Oh? What's this?" Nefer said, her honeyed voice laced with amusement, "It's been a long time since I last heard you talk like that, Illuga."
Great. Stupid Illuga's sorry ass just had to reach her boss's ears. Jahoda just groaned, "Honestly, Boss Nef, he's being mild this time. Which is a first."
Nefer chuckled at that, to Illuga's sputtering, "What? I'm literally the kindest person you will ever meet." He looked at where Nefer stood just a few feet away from the door of her room, arms across her chest and an amused smile forming on her face, "Good afternoon, Boss Nefer, it's also been a while."
Nefer laughed at that, much to Jahoda's disbelief and Illuga's pride, happily blowing his head out of proportion.
"Well," Nefer said after some time, a smile now fixed on her, "What's this about Langemak I've heard?"
Illuga started, now seemingly, just a tinge bit shy, "Oh, well, it's nothing—"
Jahoda beat him to it, "He wants me to beat Langemak's ass, probably because he looked at Lohen wrong."
"Yoda!" Illuga quickly exclaimed, his gloved hand pulling her beanie down towards her face, to which she pushed him away with a grunt.
"What? It's true!" Jahoda said triumphantly to a loser ratnik. She fixes her beanie on top of her head and sticks out her tongue toward him, to which he reciprocates.
They heard a clap and found Nefer with both her hands intertwined and resting her cheek on them, her head tilted, "Aw. I just love a family bonding like that."
She dropped her hands to her sides and walked towards the counter, behind which Jahoda peacefully sat in a chair, unmoving because Ashru was using her as a human pillow.
At the sight of her beloved cat, Nefer cooed once more, "Let me get Ashru off of you so you can do whatever with that Fontainian engineer."
Jahoda just stared as Nefer carefully handled Ashru so that she was carrying him by his but with her other hand supporting the cat's back, and Ashru just purred and burrowed deeper into her embrace.
Nefer smiled at Ashru before looking at a dumbfounded Jahoda, and she raised an eyebrow, "Well? Go on. Off. Shoo."
Jahoda's eyes were just one step towards the look of disbelief, "What? You're supporting his decisions?"
"As long as it's not the Curatorium doing it, then why not?" Nefer smiled, turning her back to the siblings to sit on the comfortable sofa they had. She sat with a satisfying groan.
Illuga, who was smiling the entire time, was now smiling wider at what was basically a go-signal from Jahoda's boss. Technically, he didn't need Miss Nefer's approval, but it might as well have been a blessing in his eyes, "Thanks, Boss!"
Nefer gave him one more smile, "Bye."
He knows an obvious dismissal when he sees one. At that, he grabs Jahoda's arm just across the counter and pulls her just so she'd stand, and then guides her around the counter so they'd stand face to face and see just how tired Jahoda was of his shit.
Illuga just laughed at her, which earned him an eyeroll. "Come on!"
He pulled an unwilling Jahoda out towards the Curatorium.
Aino heard a knock before the rest of them could. She looks at the door of her house, confused, "Huh? There's someone out the door..."
She twisted her head back to their busy kitchen counter when she heard the measuring cup that Jahoda was holding be banged back towards the table. Aino hoped that it wouldn't break, or they'll have to scrap this batch of krumkake...
"Ineffa," Jahoda said quickly, almost in a panic, "Can you scan and tell us who it is?"
Ineffa dutifully nodded, "Okay." And then her eyes glowed a bright blue.
Aino poked a slightly panicking Jahoda on her exposed side, "You're acting weird, big sis."
"Haha," was all Jahoda's reply to her, messing up her cute, volume-y pink hair, to which she raised her hand towards with a huff, "I have no idea what you mean, Aino."
She was a bit concerned when Ineffa's eyes stopped glowing; Jahoda's neck moved way too fast to look at the robot.
"It appears to be Captain Illuga outside," Ineffa concluded, "He must be looking for you, Jahoda."
Jahoda groaned, raising her hands up as if in surrender as she walked towards the main door and opened it with much more force than necessary, and then pulled an unsuspecting Illuga inside.
"What is it this time!" She exclaimed as she shook him by his shoulders, "Curb your stupid jealousy and let me live in peace!"
Illuga took this shaking in stride as he lolls his head back and forth with a laugh, to Jahoda's greatest annoyance.
She can't let this shit slide. She stopped shaking him and punched him on his shoulders, though she knew it did more harm to her knuckles than to him.
Still, it didn't stop Illuga from being all dramatic, clutching his shoulders with a frown, "Ow? Can't I just see what my sister is up to?"
"Shut up," Jahoda rolled her eyes, arms crossed against her chest, "Stop tracking me! Can't you just beat people up on your own?!"
"Why are you beating people up, big brother Illuga?" Aino asked from the kitchen counter, now sitting on a high stool, busying herself with the krumkake batch they're making, "We're making krumkake! D'ya wanna help us?"
Illuga shook his head when Aino gave him a goofy smile. Honestly, if Aino wasn't giving him those lectures, she was a treat to be with. "How could I possibly refuse my krumkake boss? Let me at it!"
Aino giggled before she passed the bowl she had just before, "Here! Why are you beating other people up?" Now that Illuga was beside him, she asked again.
Jahoda promptly returned to the kitchen table to help with their baking, with Ineffa instructing her to turn the oven on. She moves yet again to do so.
Illuga huffs a laugh at Aino's question, "It's nothing serious. Bad guys are surrounding Lohen, and I just wanna help."
"Stop lying to Aino!" He heard Jahoda shouting from where the oven was, a few steps away from the counter.
"In actuality, Captain Illuga isn't lying," Ineffa voiced out, still busy whisking another bowl with her hand-slash-whisk, "His heartbeat is normal, and he is not sweating; a typical sign of dishonest actions."
"See?" Illuga said to a Jahoda who was now back at the counter, grabbing a sifter that still held unsifted cocoa powder. She practically glared at him as she shook the sifter.
"Don't let it fool you, Ineffa," Jahoda said, to which the robot stopped whisking and looked at her, "He's a psychopath."
Ineffa hummed, "Understood. Adding that to my database."
"Now that's a big, bold lie," Illuga pointed a chocolate-covered spatula at her face, and she just smiled.
"Why? Afraid of the truth?" Jahoda cackled as she continued to do whatever else was left for their krumkake to come to life.
"D'you wanna borrow knuckle duckle?" Aino asked beside him, to Jahoda's shock, "I can lend it to you!"
"Really!" Illuga exclaimed, his excitement practically bleeding out from his eyes, his smile wider and much sharper. He patted Aino on top of her head and planted a kiss there, to which Aino laughed at the display, "Well, let's cook these krumkakes first before sending knuckle duckle to a mission."
"'Kay!" Aino said, the thought of eating freshly made krumkake enough to satisfy her until the end of the week, which is later, "Come on, Ineffa! Let's bake these krumkakes!"
Lohen had just finished fighting off Wild Hunt remnants on the northern shores of Piramida, and now that he's visited all their hotspots and decimated them swiftly, he's so bored. Bored out of his wits, he's going to be insane by the end of the day, and Varka would just have to deal with an insane knight for a vice-captain.
Even worse, he can't even visit his birdie! Well, yeah, they just saw each other just hours ago when they woke up, but still.
Should he trek Kipumaki Cliff? The thought is so alluring to Lohen, but with how long he had been walking around the northern island of Nod Krai, even he's starting to get tired; so much for an unflappable mortal trait. Ugh.
Given that there are no more remnants of enemies or beasts on this beach, Lohen just decided to walk around until he could reach the port and call it a day from there. At least with that long of a walk, he'd be able to think of more creative ways to train his knights at the Keep.
He didn't even bother dematerializing his polearm; he just let its sharp tip drag from behind him, creating imperfect lines on the dark sands, its sound a satisfying white noise.
Lohen hummed. Now that he's calmed down a bit, this is actually nice. Even with the sun out and the clouds not big enough to cover it, its shine doesn't bite him like the rays at, say, Natlan do, what with the biting cold of winter acting as a blanket against the heat. The waters here are calm, the waves breaking even before they've reached the shores. The waters here are a bit clearer, unlike the waters from the Pillar of Embla, or any other place on that side, really. Is it because of more abyssal filth to be found there? He quirked up at that thought.
When a huge shadow looms over him, he looks up to his right and sees Piramida in all its glory. He'd been excited to see the towering fortress for the first time, and it still hadn't lost its flair until now. He sees that one of its lifts is being used, and if he squints, he can see a bunch of lightkeepers ascending, probably finishing their patrol for the day. With his white and blue uniform amidst this dark sand beach, Lohen is sure that they could see him from the lift, probably talking about that deranged knight sighted near the beaches of Piramida, and he snorted at the thought.
Well, what else? The skies are a light blue, but Lohen doubts that it would stay the same for long; he guesses it's near sunset by now. If not, then it would come eventually.
Should he traipse around Nasha Town again? Granted, there's Piramida, but Lohen could sometimes find a merchant selling Mondstadt food somewhere in that metal hunk of a town, or even interesting finds like a Fontainian musket with its price half-marked just for him, though Lohen's calling on that bullshit. Maybe the thing was broken, but eh. Sometimes, he'd see those groups of fighters who were begging for a spar just before he could enter Nasha Town, and who was he not to accept a piece of candy being taunted in front of him?
But going to Nasha Town would mean having to wait for a boat, and then going through millions of Fatui strongholds before he could even see a shadow of that town.
Oh, it's just so tempting.
But back on his last visit to the town, the merchant stalls that he'd been frequently visiting had been eyeing him warily, almost as if he'd done something to them. What nonsense, why would Lohen play with them? But then again, the merchant who's been selling those Mondsadt delicacies has closed shop until further notice, and the one who had Fontainian muskets and tech had given him a full price for all his wares.
What did he even do? It's not like they're the Wild Hunt that he's been decimating out in the Nod Kraian terrain.
And! He also doesn't even see that group of fighters near the outskirts of Nasha Town anymore. Probably already moved to another place to beg a spare with. A shame, Lohen could have a spar with them, since his birdie is too stingy with it. It's not as if he's easily broken like some glass; he's easily broken like any mortal would be when faced with someone like Rerir.
Ugh. Lohen rolled his eyes at that thought, as if he could also roll it away from his Archons forbid brain.
He's about to play with his polearm and twirl it around the air when he hears voices just up ahead, making him stop in his tracks.
"...What should I even...with...on Lohen..."
Oh?
He knows that voice, even if he's flung to any random place on Teyvat. Hell, he'd know Illuga's voice even if his mind was riddled with the Abyss coaxing him. His voice could've easily saved him from those tempting thoughts, but that's water under the bridge.
Now, though, Lohen leans against the huge boulder before peeking out to see just who Illuga was talking to about him.
In all honesty, he wasn't surprised to see him with Jahoda, and are those...bottles between them?
He looks back at the sun just to see if it's still up in the sky and, yeah. Just what are these two up to, day drinking at a remote place like this? And why wasn't he invited?!
Well, granted, he couldn't even stomach the Firewater that the siblings adore with all their remaining functioning liver, but still. It's the thought that counts.
He hears them clearly now at this distance, and could easily hear Jahoda's yells of disbelief, "You want me to do what now? After everything else?"
"You're right," he heard Illuga reply, along with a clank of the bottles they have, "Maybe I shouldn't have let you do that. Durov was the only one who sold Mondstadt food there. Maybe Lohen was buying from him."
Jahoda scoffed, "'Maybe'? Cut the crap, you've been stalking him every time he goes to Nasha Town."
Lohen can't help the warmth that's settling just below his stomach.
"I have to, okay!" Illuga exclaimed, bringing his unfinished bottle up as he surrendered in defending himself, "The first time someone hit on him was a mistake people could easily make with how pretty he is—"
Lohen actually cannot believe what he is hearing right now; it's making him giddy and rapidly losing his composure.
"—but three times?! That's a habit!" Illuga ended his tirade with an angry chug of whatever was left in his bottle before he slammed it onto the rock with a dull thud, tipping to its side due to the unbalanced surface, happily clinking with the rest of the finished bottles.
"I should've pinned Lohen down on the plaza grounds when everyone was there during Moon-Prayer Night," Illuga grumbled, moving just beyond where he can see from his hiding spot to grab something. Knowing these two, it's probably another bottle.
A hiss of an opened metal cap told him that it was true.
"Hey," Jahoda said, and Lohen could see her stealing the newly opened bottle from Illuga's hand to take a swig of it, "Get checked, okay? I'm gonna drag your ass to Lady Lauma. Make her bless you or something."
Before he'd laugh away his location from both of them, he'd already started walking from behind them, the green foliage now far away as the ground rapidly embraced the hard stone underneath.
Even with both their backs turned against him, it wouldn’t have been this easy to sneak up on them, but seeing as Illuga was busy wallowing and Jahoda was dead tired of him doing so, Lohen had to swallow his laugh.
Illuga first saw the bottles' frost on their surfaces before he could turn to look at his back, his face morphing into a panicked state, "Yebat—!"
A cold palm rested on his shoulder, and with just his poor excuse of a sweater and his tight black shirt, he could easily feel Lohen's Cryo on him. Jahoda shrieked at the sudden cold from behind them, and panicked as well when she saw who it was.
"Lohen!" She stammered, "What brings you here—"
The knight cracked out a laugh, having the most entertainment he had for the day, "Don't let Lady Lauma check him, Yoda! This is way too funny!"
Illuga just groaned at that, covering his face with both his hands, even though he's holding a bottle with another.
Lohen tutted at that before he grabbed the bottle from his hand and sat beside Illuga, looking at the Cryo he activated just behind this rock, which jutted just a bit from land, the water between still frozen. He looks at Jahoda's tired face and decides that he's having the time of his life.
"So!" Lohen exclaimed, giving the now-infused Cryo bottle to Jahoda as a peace offering before looking at Illuga, who was pointedly not looking at him, deeming the stone beneath them much more entertaining, "You're the reason why the merchants at Nasha Town are giving me the full price of their wares now? Aw, birdie!"
He hugged the now rapidly reddening ratnik by his side, to which Jahoda blissfully ignored, the much more chilly Firewater having her attention.
Having looked at Illuga's face with his eyes looking over anywhere but his, he pouted, "Come on, Schatzi! I think it's sweet and not very obsessive of you!"
He earned two different reactions from that: Jahoda had to stop drinking from the bottle to bark out a laugh, while Illuga groaned and leaned his head on Lohen's waiting shoulder. He smiled as he caressed Illuga's soft locks.
Lohen hummed, "So that guy selling muskets—"
"Yes," Illuga said through gritted teeth, not allowing him to finish the sentence.
He doesn't give up, "And that group begging for spars—"
"So full of themselves," Illuga muttered, "But their leader irked me the most."
"Aw," Lohen said, completely teasing the already given up captain on his arms, "The one hitting on me?"
"Yes!" At that, Illuga sat up straight again, angrily pointing towards his chest plate, "You're too pretty, zaya!"
"Reminder that I'm still here!" Jahoda stressed, while grabbing another bottle from a crate next to her and throwing it towards him, which he easily caught with one hand. So that's where they carried them, "Please Cryo-fy that bottle for my sake. This stupid starshiy brat hasn't let me rest for a whole week now."
Lohen laughed at the thought of Illuga hounding Jahoda down every chance he gets, just because of some random dude apparently hitting on him. He shook his head at the thought, "Well, pass the crate here then. I'd have to chill all those bottles for you."
"Yes!" Jahoda exclaimed, out of joy this time, and slid the crate between their tiny circle, the crate creating heavy noise as it was dragged from rugged stone.
"And since he won't tell you," Jahoda added, the promise of colder drinks fueling her to talk further, "He tracked me down three times this week to make me do whatever the hell he wants on those three dudes! Like seriously!"
"It was that serious!" Illuga fought back while grabbing the almost-empty bottle from Jahoda's grip. "Give me that." He drank what's left of it in one go.
Lohen laughed once more at his birdie's actions. He's so endeared by the sheer amount of possessiveness radiating off of him that he wants more of it. "Well, what did he make you do to them? I wanna know!"
"No!" Illuga exclaimed, moving forward to physically shut Jahoda up, but Lohen was faster. He hugged Illuga from behind, one arm across his chest and the other slinking around his neck. Illuga might as well have screamed in hopes of being free from his grasp.
It only made Lohen laugh further and tighten his grip, and Jahoda much more focused in regaling him with what she deems to be 'three of Illuga's most stupid decisions he's ever made', the bottle now resting on a nearly flat surface in front of them, her hands more animated as Illuga's struggles in his grip fueling her to be more dramatic, more and more.
When Starshyna Nikita was promptly informed of a sudden noise the ratniki had heard from the beaches, even though they were situated this far up, it was cause for concern.
It was a talent of his to move at a hurried pace without alerting anyone to danger, as he briskly made it to the hidden path just back of Piramida, and he let out a sigh of relief to know it wasn't anything worth worrying about. No sudden Wild Hunt appearances or the usual scuffle of various treasure-hoarder factions.
He was glad that the afternoon sun was still shining upon this land to have blessed him with the view of his daughter and a knight from a foreign land ganging up against his son.
He shook his head, affection slowly blooming on his chest like a lantern spreading its light against the Abyssal fog.
He prays to whoever would listen to him, God or Archon alike, to continue giving his children the happiness they both deserve. As he turns to return to Mead Hall, he sees the moon's silhouette basking in the clear skies, a chilly breeze guiding his path.