★Twisted Wishes★ | Genshin x Twisted Wonderland

💛Kokomi x Leona💛

Scenario: Kokomi is visiting Savanaclaw to gather data for Azul.

The sun hung high in the sky, beating down on the savanna. After months of living in cool, damp Octavinelle, Kokomi wasn't used to such a sweltering atmosphere.

"I can't do this anymore," she thought to herself, brushing sweat off her forehead, and looked around for some shade. Luckily, there was a small grove of trees nearby.

As she walked over, Kokomi spotted a pair of fluffy brown ears poking out from behind one of the tree trunks. "Ah! Gorou! Is that you?" She hadn't seen her friend in ages, since he'd been sorted into Heartslabyul instead of Octavinelle.

The figure behind the tree stretched, revealing arms far more muscular than Gorou's, and turned to face Kokomi with a smirk. "Oh? What's this? I wake up and find a little fish trespassing in my territory," Leona Kingscholar said. "Well, I normally prefer to eat land-dwellers, but seafood will do as well, I guess."

Being the former tactician of an army, Kokomi would not be that easily intimidated. "With all due respect, Kingscholar, I'm not trespassing. I'm merely here to collect some data for Azul." She stood her ground, refusing to back up even when Leona walked so close that Kokomi could smell his musky scent.

Leona eyed her for a few seconds. When it became apparent that she wasn't scared, he laughed. "A member of Octavinelle with actual guts. I never thought I'd see the day—if it were Azul in your place, he'd be halfway across the savanna by now."

Kokomi suppressed a smile. "Our dorm leader has his weaknesses," she agreed.

Leona studied her face. "You're that book girl, aren't you? Not the idol—the one who always stays in the back of the Mostro Lounge."

Half-amused, half-offended, Kokomi said, "Yes, that's me. Book girl."

"Hey, you've got a book with you right now. Can't say it's not an accurate nickname," Leona countered, pointing at the thick volume tucked under Kokomi's arm.

Feeling a little self-conscious, Kokomi said, "I'll have you know it's really very interesting, if you give it a try. It's called 'A Legend of Sword,' and it's helped me a lot as tactician." She held the book up to show Leona. "See? Those are the main characters on the cover."

"You don't say? Sounds fascinating. Let me borrow that." Without waiting for an answer, Leona swiped the book from Kokomi and took off running.

With a muffled curse, Kokomi darted after him, but she, along with half the school, was no match for Leona when it came to athletics. She chased him all across the savanna, nearly tripping over her long priestess robes.

Sweat poured down her face, and her sides ached as though she'd been shot by a hilichurl arrow. Kokomi didn't like losing, but as tactician, she knew when it was time to raise the flag of surrender. "Okay! You... win!" she panted at Leona's distant figure.

Upon hearing this, he finally stopped running, and with a smug expression on his face returned the book to Kokomi. "Here you go. That was a nice jog, wasn't it?"

Kokomi gaped at him in disbelief. He'd barely broken a sweat, and here she was breathing like a fish out of water.

Speaking of water...

"Is there—any water—around—here?" Kokomi gasped, thirst winning out over pride. "It's really... too hot here in Savanaclaw. You should... install an air conditioner. Outdoors."

To his credit, Leona refrained from making any witty remarks at her discomfort, though his eyes shone with amusement as he led Kokomi to a nearby lake. "Here you go, book girl."

"Thank the archons, except the Electro Archon because we're technically still at war with her," Kokomi said. Energy renewed at the refreshing sight, she climbed onto a nearby rock and dove into the lake. As the cool, familiar caress of water flooded her senses, she sighed in relief.

She surfaced, feeling much better, and saw Leona still standing stiffly at the edge of the lake. "Why don't you join me?" she invited. "It feels amazing!" In the safety of the water, her shyness seemed to diminish.

"Nah. I'd rather not have to change my clothes again." Despite his show of bravado, Kokomi caught a flash of nervousness in Leona's eyes and knew she'd found his weakness.

"What's the matter? Can't you swim?" Kokomi asked in mock concern, knowing the answer already.

Leona flicked his eyes to the ground. "Unlike some people, I prefer to keep my feet on solid ground."

"I could teach you," Kokomi offered.

"Thanks, but no thanks. And I'll be going now. The life of a dorm leader is busy."

Oh? So you're going to try and run away? Well, unfortunately for you... retreat isn't an option at this point. "Look who's scared now," Kokomi taunted. She knew she had his forces surrounded. Now to go in for the winning strike.

Leona paused mid-step. "What did you say?"

"I said, look at the mighty leader of Savanaclaw. Top player in Magishift, running away with his tail between his legs." Kokomi wiggled two of her fingers to demonstrate running away. "More like a cat than a lion, really. A little scaredy-cat fleeing a bath."

Leona's eyes blazed as he took slow steps towards the lake. "Call me a coward again."

"Gladly." Eyes sparkling, Kokomi said, "My army's faced Lavender Melons with more courage than you. At least the Lavender Melons didn't whine like you."

That did the trick. Baring his teeth, Leona charged and cannoned head-first into the water. A moment later, he surfaced with a gasp, limbs flailing. "Ack! Help! Can't—swim!"

Kokomi shook her head, amused, and swam over to help him float. The difference between Leona on land and Leona in the water really was stark—he was shivering like a newborn kitten.

"Don't struggle," she instructed, placing a hand on his tense shoulder. "Relax your body. Imagine you're a leaf floating on the water."

It took a while for Kokomi to teach Leona how to swim properly. His technique was still rusty—he appeared to be doing a bizarre cross between a doggy paddle and a freestyle—but at least he wouldn't drown.

"Now it's time to get revenge for what you said earlier." Leona shook out his mane of long brown hair and grinned at Kokomi. "Watch out, herbivore. I'm coming for you!"

"You can try." To Kokomi's surprise, he didn't try to swim towards her. Instead, he splashed her with a wave of water. If she hadn't been doused from head to toe already, she would have been drenched.

Then she saw her book, which lay facedown on the shore of the lake. Water slicked the cover and made the pages stick to one another.

"Oh, now you're going to get it!"

"Going to send your forces after me, Grand Tactician?" Leona teased, treading water.

In response, Kokomi flung herself at him and tackled him underwater in a wrestling match that turned gradually into an embrace. Before she knew it, their lips met. Bubbles floated to the surface.

Blossom: *gasp* What happened next? I'll leave the rest up to your imagination. Have a lollipop 🍭, and don't forget to vote!