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“Sleep well?” Lohen called out from behind him, tone cheerful as ever. Mika didn’t respond.
Their meeting with the rest of the Knights was early in the morning so that they could “take advantage of the daylight.” In short, multiple hordes of hilichurls, samachurls, and mitchurls were launching a semi-organized attack to attempt an invasion of Mondstadt and Springvale.
“I suspect abyssal influence,” Mika had stated as he guided the captains of each faction through his findings. “This is clearly an attempt to overwhelm us, likely to infiltrate the city while we’re distracted.”
“Any idea what they want with Mondstadt?” Amber asked, seemingly unfazed by the incoming attack.
Mika bit back a yawn, racking his brain for an answer he hadn’t had the time nor energy to consider yet.
“My guess is Klee,” Jean spoke casually. “They likely want negotiating leverage with the Hexenzirkel. We’ve seen this in the past from the Abyss Order, but it looks like they finally figured out she’s more than just a little kid.”
“Well, our goodwill with the mages comes with risks, can’t be helped,” Varka laughed, equally unfazed by the situation.
“Durin and I can stay with Klee,” Albedo chimed in. Mika nodded.
“There are five different points of attack, each with about seven waves of enemies ranging from slimes to multiple Lawachurls,” Mika paused, struggling to find the words.
His mind went blank, brain foggy from the minuscule amount of sleep he’d managed to get. His heart sped up in a sudden rush of adrenaline. He’d come up with a plan of attack, but had forgotten it completely.
He looked up to see the careful stares of his colleagues, their attention fixed on him.
“And, um-“ he started, voice suddenly shaky, before being cut off by the 5th company’s current vice captain.
“Ah, I see where you were going with this,” Lohen exclaimed cheerfully. One glance down at the paper and he recognized what Mika’s plan had been. He’d noted the main element each of the attacking parties would use, likely to coordinate with the vision bearers to get this done as quickly as possible.
Mika stared blankly as Lohen explained what each of Mika’s notes meant and what he usually had in mind while writing them.
“-and the whispering woods front will have mostly abyss mages, probably pyro and electro due to the amount of cryo users they set up in Springvale and Cider Lake. Our best bet in the woods is cryo and hydro users-“
Mika’s shoulders dropped in relief at hearing his plan recited flawlessly. The other was spot on. No surprise there; Lohen had a habit of swapping their notebooks out, copying all of Mika’s notes, and swapping them back before running off to handle it all.
It was only a suspicion Mika had, but by now he was fairly confident.
A couple of minutes later, each group was heading off to a different corner of Mondstadt.
“Mika-?”
“Huh?!” He jumped at a sudden poke of his forehead, registering earl grey hair and striking red eyes.
“I asked if you slept well, but I think I’ve got my answer. I’ve been calling your name for a few minutes now~” Lohen sing-songed, eyes crinkling. Mika finally realized he was getting teased.
Lohen’s smile faded at the lack of reaction. Usually, Mika was apologizing profusely by now, but all he got in response was a blank stare.
“Mika, how much sleep did you get last night?”
Mika sighed again. “I’m not sure, the sun was rising by the time I’d finished scouting. But Eula trusted I’d get it done before the meeting today, so I had little choice.”
“Geez, that gives you less than an hour.”
“Mhm.”
A beat of silence.
“Dude, go home.”
“Can’t,” Mika yawned. “I’m not a well-seasoned surveyor yet, but I know this is part of the job. This is on me for taking too long. I can’t get complacent.”
Lohen thought for a second before calling out to Eula and Skeiron, who were currently leading them into battle.
“You guys go ahead, I’m going to drop off Mika! He’s running on 30 minutes of sleep!”
“Make sure he gets home safe,” Eula called out, “I keep telling him to stop sacrificing sleep, but he just doesn’t listen!” She spoke, exasperated. Mika was so scared of being a burden that he’d rather pass out from exhaustion. He was strong and reliable, but still had a long way to go, she mused to herself.
“No, no, I’m fine-“ Mika stuttered out, but he was no match for Lohen’s strength, especially not in this state.
“Mika,” Lohen warned, holding his wrist a little tighter. The surveyor faltered, letting himself be dragged home.
“You live in the opposite part of town, right? My house is closer, you can rest there.”
“Lohen, I couldn’t-“
Finally, Lohen looked back. Mika had expected an angry or frustrated look. He knew the other had a nearly untamable blood thirst, after all. But instead, he received a visibly worried response, and his heart stopped for a second.
“How often do you do this? How are you supposed to take care of the knight’s reconnaissance if you can barely keep your eyes open in meetings?”
Mika’s lips pursed into a straight line. “I didn’t have a choice. Eula was surveying Dragonspine, and that’s how she noticed the hoards of monsters gathering. She had to keep watch from above in case I missed something! I was the only one she managed to reach and warn, I couldn’t just say no!”
“You could’ve brought me with you! We could’ve gotten the job done thrice as fast,” Lohen glared. “You can barely stand. How the hell were you going to fight?”
“Oh, that’s rich, coming from you,” Mika snapped back. He regretted the words as soon as they left him, but couldn’t bring himself to care. Lohen always had that effect on him.
“If I asked for your help, you would’ve tried to take everything down yourself! Why would anyone tell you anything-“ it was only then that he realized he was leaning completely on Lohen, and would’ve collapsed if the other wasn’t supporting him. He pushed himself off, mind rushing with a million thoughts he couldn’t make sense of.
“I’m sorry you’re stuck helping me instead of on the front line,” Mika said, suddenly sounding a lot more defeated.
He heard the vice captain breathe in and out before taking his hand and walking them back to his home.
It was cozy and quaint, like most homes in Mondstadt. He was led through a corridor and into a room with a bed, a workbench, some bookshelves, and a locked cabinet. Weapons and explosives of some sort, Mika guessed. The other was always coming up with new and creative ways to bring everyone around him to their knees.
Overall, it was tidier than he’d imagined. He smiled a bit at how fake-offended Lohen would be at that comment.
“Here’s a blanket,” Lohen said, voice quiet.
“Are you sure?” Mika asked, guilt written all over his own face. Lohen rolled his eyes but stepped forward, wrapping the blanket around Mika before lightly pushing him towards the bed.
It was soft. And the temperature of the room was nice and cool. Mika stared blankly forward as he sat on the bed, watching Lohen leave and come back with a glass of water.
“Drink up, then go to sleep. I gotta go back and help the others, you just. Yeah. I’ll see you around,” he
stumbled over his words before grabbing his spear, dagger, and running out the door.
Mika looked down at the glass of water and gulped it down. He didn’t remember the last time he’d drunk water, and he wasn’t conscious for long enough to find out. He was out like a light before his head hit the pillow.
~~
When his eyes opened again, the first thing he noticed was that the sun was setting. How long was he out for?
He quickly pushed himself off the bed and looked around, earlier events coming back to him. He’d been as useful as a paperweight during the attack, and he dared call himself a Knight of-
“Well, well. I was scared I’d have to sleep on the couch tonight,” Mika heard someone say behind him. Right, he was in Lohen’s home.
He turned around and made eye contact with the other boy, who was currently making some sort of explosive. There were a couple of books to his left and a cup of tea to his right. He was in a loose black shirt, and his hair was ruffled, but he’d kept his gloves on while working.
“Do you feel any better?” The voice called out again, this time softer. Mika realized he’d been staring, and quickly looked away.
“Yep, tons better, thanks to you. How did the counterattack go?”
“Without a hitch, thanks to you,” he mirrored, walking over to him and handing him a warm cup of tea. Mika took it gratefully.
“Your notes on the terrain were perfect, and you got every single batch of monsters. Even the smaller groups that were scattered around were waiting for everyone to be distracted. Without you, we would’ve been toast,” he rambled, taking a seat next to Mika on the bed.
“It’s thanks to you they were able to make heads or tails of what I wrote. You saved my life back in that meeting.”
Lohen let himself lean back, laughing without a care. “I could tell you were blanking out. Seriously, next time just ask for help,” he nudged Mika with his elbow, “I promise not to kill everything myself as long as you promise to get more than two hours of sleep per night~” he smiled, holding out his pinky finger.
Mika giggled and took it in his own, “I promise. But I should really go back home now, Huffman’s probably worried. Sorry for staying on your bed all day.”
“Don’t worry, you’re welcome in it anytime,” Lohen teased, gracefully crossing his legs like he imagined prostitutes did in Fontaine. Mika chuckled and began to head off, hand lingering over the doorknob.
“Lohen, have you had dinner yet?” He asked from the front door, and Lohen poked his head from the hallway.
“Is that an offer I hear?” He asked excitedly.
“It is. As a thank you and also an apology. I’m not the best cook, but knowing you, you haven’t had a vegetable in at least a week,” Mika joked as he walked towards the kitchen, leaning against the counter.
“It hurts that you think so low of me, Mika,” Lohen feigned offense, ignoring the fact that Mika was completely correct. “You can apologize by making something spicy.”
“Spicy, huh? I’ll do what I can,” Mika spoke softly, clearly amused by the request.
“Anything I can do?” He suddenly heard from next to him as he scanned the fridge. Mika shoved a couple of carrots, onions, and some garlic into Lohen’s grasp.
“Cut these, I’m making Goulash.”
Lohen smiled and got to work.
It was a nice atmosphere. It was early January, and the wind carried a crisp chill with it at all times, but especially at night. Lohen had only gotten back from the knight's headquarters recently, and he could still feel the chill work its way out of his neck and fingertips. A harsh contrast to the present scene.
He listened absently as Mika lit a fire and set chilled meat out to defrost, working quickly and efficiently. He slow-boiled various cut-up vegetables Lohen handed him as he prepared the broth. Eventually, he took over for the vice captain, knife skills damn near on par with Lohen’s as he cut up potatoes and an assortment of lettuce and cabbage.
“You’re good with a knife,” he noted absently.
Mika spared him a glance, smiling. “You’ve never had to feed a group of drunken knights, have you?”
“Do they make you do the cooking?” Lohen asked, smirking as he watched Mika work confidently. It was a good look on him.
“We all alternate. Everyone eventually got pretty good at cooking since we all offer constructive criticism after every dish.”
Lohen hummed in acknowledgement. “Your cooking must be the best one, then.”
“What makes you say that?”
Lohen shrugged. “You take criticism in stride. You’re precise and thorough in everything you do. I figured those were good qualities for cooking,” he paused, looking up at Mika, who was watching him back. “Rare qualities, might I add. Especially in Mond.”
“Compliments from you make me uneasy,” the blonde joked half-heartedly. In reality, he considered Lohen one of his closest friends.
Maybe because they were the same age, or because they were usually the only sober ones in the knight’s friendlier gatherings. Over time, they’d found a rare comfort with the other; Lohen was such an extreme character that Mika’s stress over putting up appearances basically dissolved when around him.
Meanwhile, Lohen saw himself in Mika. They were more similar than most people would think; they both worked solo from the shadows and supported their teams from behind. They didn’t expect recognition, didn’t seek reward. Highly skilled in their respective fields but with an immovable desire to improve. To be faster, better, more efficient, no matter the cost, all for their own personal reasons.
As he watched Mika cut up the meat and add seasonings to the broth, he wondered what Mika would be like if he let himself indulge more.
“What do you like the most about reconnaissance work?” Lohen heard himself ask.
Mika looked up from where he was dicing Jueyun chilis. “Always knowing my opponent's next move. Staying two steps ahead where no one expects it… It’s a rewarding feeling.”
“Two steps ahead, huh? Careful, maybe I already put that to the test.”
“Feel free to try,” Mika replied calmly, completely unaffected by the threat.
“And that doesn’t make you nervous? I could’ve coated my knife in poison before cutting up the food, you know. You’d be none the wiser when you took the first bite,” Lohen smiled, eyes crinkling. “By then, it’d be too late. Doesn’t that scare you?”
“I was watching you, I know it’s safe,” Mika replied softly, finally putting a lid over the soup to let it simmer.
“Oh? So you don’t trust me?” Lohen sounded delighted, but why he did was anyone’s guess
Mika chuckled, shaking his head no. “I just wanted to see your cooking skills. I was pleasantly surprised when you smashed the garlic before peeling it.”
Lohen rolled his eyes. “You’re mocking me. That’s garlic 101.”
“You’d be surprised. Next time, cut the root off, then smash it.”
“Yes, chef, sorry, chef,” Lohen quipped as he gave Mika a lazy hand salute.
~~
“Mika, I’m not joking, please open a restaurant,” Lohen spoke urgently through a bite of food, at least having the decency to cover his mouth while he did.
“I’m glad you liked it!” Mika laughed, finally reenergized after twenty-something hours without solid food.
“Liked it? I’m forcing you to join the 5th company. You’re good with a crossbow, you’ll fit right in.”
“Sure, if you promise to take over reconnaissance work.”
“Hah! Absolutely not. I don’t know how you do it; if my job was to look at monsters but not fight them, I’d go insane.”
“You’re halfway there anyway, you’ll live,” Mika teased, kicking him lightly under the table. Lohen kicked back.
“No clue what you mean. I’ve done nothing but be a courageous and efficient knight.”
“I must’ve missed the part of training that tells us to avoid anesthetics because we should ‘savor the pain.’”
“Would you let that go-“
“I had to stitch your forearm closed, and you watched. The entire time.”
The memory was burned into his brain. Back when he’d just met Lohen and before he knew how far he’d go with Mika’s intel to test his strength. A pack of wolves had been ravaged by abyssal energy and were lashing out at everything they saw, even each other. The blood and cannibalism were too much for Mika to watch, so he had underestimated the number of them.
By twelve.
Lohen had listened to the warning and not batted an eye. He’d shown up without his spear, only a dagger, to “test himself.” The second Mika realized Lohen was missing, he ran to Wolvendom and helped Lohen finish them off. Luckily, neither of them had suffered a serious injury.
“What the hell were you thinking?!”
Lohen shrugged. “Your intelligence is usually spot on. I can see why this was a bit uncomfortable for you, though, so I don’t blame you.”
Mika just gave the new recruit a horrified (and very concerned) stare before shaking his head, scanning Lohen for injuries.
“I’m fine. One of them got a lucky scratch in, though. Thankfully, not a bite. I don’t really want abyssal rabies.”
“Let me see the cut. I rushed over but brought some materials with me— Lohen, that is NOT a scratch!!”
“Oh,” Lohen said, looking down. It was a relatively deep cut, deep enough to warrant stitches. It was maybe three inches long, and all he could do was stare in awe at how different the texture between his upper and inner layers of skin looked. Mika rushed to flush out the wound and disinfect it, hands steady as he threaded a suture needle and took out a driver alongside some topical anesthetic.
“I’m gonna numb the area, so it might feel a bit warm for a second,” Mika informed, before his wrist was stopped.
“Don’t waste it, I have a high pain tolerance. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? You’ll feel the needle going into your skin, and the thread getting pulled through it.”
Lohen licked his lips, gaze suddenly glazed over. “Yep, go for it.”
He watched, transfixed, as the same open gash on his forearm became thinner and thinner. He could feel every time the needle pierced his skin, just to be dragged out again.
His breath hitched, the pain constantly sending quick, sharp signals down his spine. He had lied; his pain tolerance was garbage. Better than before, but still relatively low. He felt every sharp prick and savored each one, his nerves on fire as the string would pull on the inside of his skin before being tugged shut, doubling the numbing pain. He shifted where he sat.
“You do this often?” Lohen asked, throat dry. He cursed his unsteady voice.
“Happens pretty often on the field. Usually animal bites or… miscalculations with weapons.”
Lohen hummed as Mika cut the last suture. He looked at the work with approval.
“Not bad, map boy.”
“Mika. And I’m just glad you’re okay. But please, don’t do that again— just ask for help next time. We have plenty of capable fighters among our ranks.”
“You say that like I needed help. I had it handled! As I said, it was a lucky shot.”
Mika sighed and forced Lohen to come back with him to Mondstadt.
“Just promise you won’t tell anyone about this, okay? I don’t need them thinking I’m gonna get hurt often.”
Mika looked at him in disapproval but nodded. Lohen was somehow able to hide the injury and keep it from reopening until it healed.
~~
“Good times,” Lohen spoke lightly, as if looking back at the memory fondly.
“Not for me! I was worried sick that I’d led you to your death right after meeting you.”
“Aw, don’t think of it that way. You became my favorite person in the Knights after that~.”
“So that’s all I am to you? A walking quest board?” Mika tried to sound hurt, but he clearly didn’t manage very well. Lohen just smiled at him, one of the rare ones that lacked malicious intent.
“Not anymore. Now I know how cool a person you are. I’m lucky to call you a fri-“ he cut himself off, smile dropping. “This is pretty spicy. I’m gonna go get water, you want some?”
The other nodded and thanked him, watching the slightly shorter boy walk away.
Mika wasn’t stupid. His job was to watch body language, find patterns, and predict actions. Usually from quite a few feet away. Most people were an open book to him, though he had no intention of letting that be known.
Lohen was one of the more difficult cases. He was just as good at reading people, if not better. He himself was often at the receiving end of those watchful, sadistically analytical eyes. It made it all the harder to read him.
But over time and through quiet observation, he’d pinned down a couple of key traits; some were obvious, like the sadomasochism and physical inability to do idle tasks.
Some took longer, like the way he’d smile when he was proud of someone. Or how he’s surprisingly patient and considerate with more introverted people.
Or that look he only gave Mika— a soft, gentle thing. The one he’d quickly correct by making some excuse and leaving. It happened every time he got too close to the surveyor, like that gentle warmth and closeness physically burned him. Lately, it was happening more and more. Mika had a theory he wanted to test.
“Here,” Lohen said, voice quiet. Mika ignored the glass and locked eyes with the other young knight, sitting up and drinking up how Lohen’s breath hitched. Mika stepped closer, and the other stepped back, suddenly tense.
“Everything alright?” the knight spoke, suddenly alert and confused.
Mika slowly reached out towards the other’s cheek, aiming to cup the boy’s face in his hand. Mika watched as various emotions ran through Lohen’s gaze— confusion, surprise, a furrow of his eyebrows, before finally leaning into the touch.
Mika made a quick swiping motion with his thumb before sitting back down and taking the water. He fought back a laugh at Lohen’s dumbfounded expression.
“Sorry, you had a small smudge on your cheek. It’s gone now.”
“Oh. Thank you.”
Interesting. Lohen usually saw right through his omissions of truth, but seemed not to question his excuse here in the slightest.
~~
“I’ll do the dishes. Are you heading back home soon?” Lohen asked, looking a lot more collected than he had a few minutes prior.
“I should, huh? It’s getting pretty late. Too bad I’m not the slightest bit tired.”
Lohen thought for a minute before smirking a bit to himself.
“Why don’t we do something to burn off that stamina then?”
Mika felt his cheeks flush at the suggestion and quickly looked back at the other, making sure he’d heard that right. “What?”
“Fight me,” Lohen said simply, drying off his hands. Ah, of course. Looks like he’d caught on to what Mika had done and was getting payback. The blonde couldn’t help but smile.
“I’ll lose in a fight. How about something a bit different?”
Lohen’s interest was suddenly piqued.
“What did you have in mind?”
“A game of hide and seek. In the whispering woods. But I have to catch you, not just find you,” Mika suggested excitedly. It was something he and Huffman often played as kids, and it was part of why he was so quick at surveying terrain.
Plus, he was relatively sure Lohen enjoyed getting chased just as much as he enjoyed chasing others.
He watched as Lohen’s expression became one of pure delight.
“Let’s head off then.”
~~
It started simple enough. He’d given Lohen a head start of two minutes and was right on his tail; broken branches, pushed-down grass, and his general understanding of how the other thought were making his role significantly easier.
He walked quietly, admiring the glow of lamp grass and moonlight as he took in every sound. Wind blowing, water splashing, squirrels climbing—
He registered the sound of a tree branch cracking and immediately looked up at where it came from, and a single leaf falling told him what he needed to know.
Target acquired. Mika chuckled as he easily rerouted his path. A thump from a few feet away told him Lohen had changed strategies and was now running. Luckily, he knew this footpath like the back of his hand.
He rushed off to the side, knowing where the underbrush became thicker and what the optimal path to his target's destination would be.
Lohen felt this was too easy. As far as he could tell, he had lost Mika through the more crowded parts of the forest, but he still felt uneasy. He kept himself alert, listening for any noise that could possibly be a person.
And the next second, he was pinned to the ground, head smashing into the soft grass.
“Gotcha~” Mika teased, clearly happy with his catch. He’d managed to climb onto a tree and throw a rock to Lohen’s left, giving him the split second he needed to lunge in and keep him down.
The vice captain's reflexes kicked in, using his legs to hook one of Mika’s and set him off balance, quickly flipping their positions and holding a dagger to his throat. Mika stared up, eyes wide, before shooting Lohen a playfully questioning look.
“I don't think that was part of the deal.”
Lohen’s brain finally caught up to his body, and he put the blade away, smiling back.
"Looks like I won.”
“Right,” Mika scoffed. “Pretty sure I had you pinned first.”
“Sure, but in a real fight, you’d be the one bleeding out right now.”
Mika laughed, lighthearted as ever, before Lohen helped him up. They did a couple more rounds before deeming themselves tired enough to go back to Lohen's now familiar home.
~~
They stood side by side, staring out at falling snow. It had only started once they got back, and Lohen suggested he stay until it cleared up, which usually took a few minutes at most. It wasn't nearly a blizzard, but it was still very pretty to look at. He enjoyed the contrast it provided to the inside of Lohen's home, which now had a crackling fireplace painting the room behind them in warm yellows and oranges.
Mika spared the occasional glance at Lohen, who was staring outside, a happy and relaxed look painting his features. Mika felt he was bearing witness to something sacred.
Without thinking, he reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind the knight's ear. He watched in silence as Lohen relaxed into the touch but looked at him in confusion.
“Sorry,” Mika noted casually, "It looked uncomfortable." Lohen stayed fixed in place.
“Oh.”
“What's wrong?” The blonde asked innocently, his fingertips tracing between surprisingly soft, blueish hair, stopping at his nape. He decided to ignore how those crimson eyes stared right at him, questioning. “Does this bother you?” He tried.
“What are you doing?” The question came, sharp and guarded.
Mika bit the inside of his cheek, equally unsure. But he did know a few things.
His initial distaste for Lohen’s unpredictability had become a mutual protectiveness. He was no longer easily flustered by his teasing, instead lowering his guard and joking back.
He’d stopped trying to hide around him, finding himself accepted in full for who he was; awkward, anxious, stubborn— but also methodical. Patient. Brave. Kind. All the words Lohen had used to describe him, seeing things Mika didn’t even see in himself.
He was treated as an equal— maybe that’s what it came down to. Regardless of the reason, he’d had the urge to tear down Lohen’s layers, one by one, carefully and lovingly. To offer him the same respite from the world’s watchful gaze. He’d had said urge for a while, clawing at the back of his brain whenever he’d watch Lohen hum a tune as he made them both tea, or when he’d spot him by Adorno’s grave, or when he’d pass out little treats to kids around town while he thought no one was looking.
It was a desire he kept tucked away, but the lazy lighting and sound of crisp wind outside were spinning his common sense into cotton. The small home was coated in warm light, the flickering flames softening Lohen’s usually sharp features as his face slowly flushed the longer Mika watched him.
Lohen felt like caged prey, frozen in wait until his captor decided what to do with him. And then, Mika finally moved.
“You’re so warm,” the blonde stated, giggling slightly. Lohen barely heard him, transfixed on how if he moved forward, their noses would touch.
The knight swallowed, staring in awe as Mika looked at him with those eyes. Eyes so blue and innocent-looking and warm that he should have to pay to receive the look he was receiving right now. Calm, content, like the bearer was exactly where he wanted to be.
Lohen’s fingers trembled as he made the subtle movement to reach out and just do something—
And then he was getting... hugged?
“Thank you,” the cartographer mumbled against his neck.
“I haven’t done anything,” Lohen managed to answer without jumping out the nearest window.
“You have. You’ve never doubted me, and I never felt like I had to prove myself to you. You’re patient with me.”
Lohen snapped out of whatever haze he was in and wrapped his arms around the other, firm and steady. “Your skills and hard work speak for themselves. Mika, we’ve been over this—“
Mika held him a little tighter, and Lohen’s heart sped up impossibly more. He was sure Mika could tell how unsteady his breathing was. Everything felt so impossibly gentle yet overwhelming; it simply wasn’t the world Lohen was used to.
He let himself melt against the other, willing himself to remain upright.
“What am I to you?” Mika questioned calmly, playing with the bottom hem of the other’s shirt. “A friend? A coworker? Somewhere in the middle?”
Lohen hid in the crook of the other’s neck. Being the same height had its advantages, he supposed. Like right now, he could avoid the question by pretending he’d heard nothing.
“I consider you a close friend, you know? Probably my best one. You don’t have to like me that much, but--“
Mika’s voice caught in his throat as he felt the other’s warm breath loom over his neck before planting a gentle kiss, as if Lohen was afraid he’d shatter upon contact.
When Mika didn’t immediately push him away, Lohen tucked himself closer into the embrace and continued trailing slow kisses up the other’s neck, reaching behind his ear before pulling away and dotting his cheeks with pecks.
Mika couldn’t help the smile that broke out, laughing in delight. Lohen, encouraged, continued to plant quick kisses on the other's forehead, cheekbones, temple, before Mika finally pushed him away, getting ticklish.
“Alright, alright! But that wasn’t exactly an answer,” Mika teased, cupping the other’s cheek and melting at the sight of Lohen tilting his head into it, albeit with an unimpressed stare.
“How was that not obvious? You’re really going to make me say it?”
“Indulge me?”
Lohen groaned and went back to hiding in the crook between Mika’s neck and shoulder, mumbling something under his breath.
“What was that?” The blonde teased, running his fingers through Lohen’s ruffled hair.
“I’m going to chain you to a tree in Dragonspine.”
Mika’s response was to kiss his temple gently before lightly pushing him off, forcing eye contact. They both simultaneously got the urge to melt into puddles at the sight of the other’s flushed face. Each quickly looked away bashfully, but their hands remained linked, Lohen glancing in stunned silence as Mika gently held his hand. Like he was something to be cherished. This could not possibly be real. It could not possibly be happening to him, of all people.
“Do you want to stay the night?” The vice captain said before he could think about it. Was that too much too fast? They’d camped out together before, both with others and alone. But this was a huge leap in closeness; he had to make sure Mika was comfortable. “If you want. O-or I could walk you home?”
Did he just stutter? Either way, Mika’s lack of response made him wish those wolves would come back and finish him off.
“Um, could you walk me home, if it’s not too much trouble? Mika managed to say before collecting himself. “I want to stay, it’s just Huffman hasn’t heard from me all day, and I don’t want to worry him. And also I’ve probably seriously overstayed my welcome—“
“No, not at all!” Lohen cut in before cursing himself internally. “I mean, I like it when you stay. But your brother’s probably worried, and the snow's cleared up so… I’ll walk you. Happy to! Yep.”
He watched in awe as Mika laughed, eyes crinkling and cheeks flushed because of him. Suddenly, his lack of experience in this area didn’t seem so bad.
“Thank you. I’ll go grab my jacket!”
~~
It was a chilly night, and the wind was blowing significantly rougher than usual. Lohen internally damned Barbatos, but quickly took it back as Mika shyly traced his hand with his own, and suddenly they were walking through Mondstadt, hand in hand.
Lohen didn’t care how people felt about him, but the fact that Mika was willing to be seen with him like this-- his head spun as if he’d just had his skull bashed in, but with much less blood and nausea.
“I set out for an expedition in three days,” Mika mentioned as they walked. “Albedo asked me to transport a message to Sucrose since she’s in Dragonspine right now and he's busy with paperwork.”
Lohen hummed in acknowledgment. “I was tasked with investigating an area with high treasure hoarder activity near Dadaupa Gorge. I set off in two days.”
“Then, if you don’t mind… could I visit again tomorrow? I-I could help you pack!”
Lohen chuckled, holding the other’s hand a little tighter. “No need. But I would like it if you came over again. I’ll cook this time.”
“Yeah, like I’d trust anything you make,” Mika nudged him playfully, recalling all the times Lohen had attempted to poison Varka. And everyone else. Including Mika.
Lohen sighed in disappointment. “You’re too cautious, Mika, it’s no fun.”
“Really? Maybe you’re just losing your touch~” the surveyor teased, poking at his cheek. Lohen’s eyes looked down at him, suddenly sharp.
“Careful there, birdie,” Lohen smiled, hand suddenly tugging at Mika’s hair to force eye contact. “It almost sounds like you want me to make you beg.”
“You’ll have to catch me off guard first, captain,” Mika spoke, voice light but steady. Lohen looked down to see a crossbow pointed straight at his neck, loaded but not yet drawn. Crimson eyes darted back up to meet blue, his expression shocked, then delighted. He let go of Mika’s hair and went back to holding his hand.
“It really is always the quiet ones.”
~~
"You were staying with WHO?!!!??! UNCONSCIOUS??!!!" Huffman screamed in horror as Mika explained his recent whereabouts. All the blonde could do was sigh.