|| Requested by i0x_9i ||
||dainsleif x m!reader||
please read the a/n down below, it's really important and it's regarding the genshin merch I'm making!
also, know that nothing here is based on real genshin facts nor theories. I really just shitted some things out from my ass and made a fanfic out of it.
[Legend of the saints tear]
Although Dainsleif claims that he's able to remember the events of thousands of years ago, and that he has 'knowledge of fate', a portion of his memories had been blank.
He is the embodiment of mystery, but this missing past of his was more mysterious.
Dainsleif often recalls a person in his dreams, even when he's just spacing out. Although he can't make out his face, he doubts he'd be able to even if he sees it. The image was far to foreign for him.
He didn't let such things bother him at first, but after months of this nonsense, he finally had enough.
"You want to commission me?" Y/n took a sip of his beer. Angels share was busy like always. Two men sat down by the corner on the second floor. "Just know I won't be accepting money for this."
Dainsleif frowned, "Then what is it you want? You don't seem like the type to do things to your disadvantage."
"Have you heard about the legend of the saints tear?"
Y/n leaned his head on his arm. If Dainsleif didn't know any better, he'd think the man in front of him was drunk based on his cat-like smile.
The legend of the saints tear. It is known all across Teyvat, though the origin of that legend is unknown. It tells the story of an age before archons, and where the Gods pass their messages through chosen people called saints. One day, a saint went against Gods wishes and angered the God he served. The God cursed him and locked his divine powers and memories, then banished the saint from the temple. But those memories couldn't just disappear into nothing, therefore the God stored it inside a tear shaped gem and sealed it deep inside a cave.
the old legend was now passed around as a children's bedtime story, though a bit frightening in the eyes of a child.
"I help you find this person in your memories, you help me find the saints tear, deal?"
Dainsleif watched the outstretched hand. "deal."
~~~~
The land of Mondstadt has many ruins. It would've been hard to find a specific one, but not for Dainsleif.
not long after they set out, the two have already found the deserted ruins.
Y/n looked out towards the sea from the edge of the cliff. After confirming the location, they split up, picking apart the rubble and searched each corner.
Y/n was about to move locations when he spotted a specific brick on the wall. It was then he realized the gap on each sides of the brick. It wasn't a large gap so it was easily looked over, however it was enough for an adults finger to slip through.
Y/n yanked the brick out of it spot, revealing a dilapidated notebook inside. Not only was the leather cover far from recovery, there was but a single yellow paper inside what was supposed to be a book.
there was no hesitation when he grabbed to book from its place.
"What did you find?"
Y/n's gut nearly launched 600 meters into the distance, but he didn't show it in his face. "do you usually come out of nowhere?"
Dainsleifs uninterested face practically screamed, 'it is of no concern to you.'
'...how can a man be so beautiful?' the thought entered his brain unwillingly. He felt his neck starting to strain trying to meet the others eyes so he started walking away.
"I found a book, if you can still call it that."
"a diary?"
"not sure but most likely."
Dainsleif nodded. "It's our only lead."
y/n started reading the only page in that book. As for Dainsleif, he followed suit, reading from over y/n's shoulder.
y/n felt wronged in some type of way.
'That damned God awful Archon of insight or whatever they called him! Let his head get impaled on sticks!'
Y/n strayed, 'now that's one hell of a starter.'
'How dare they make unreasonable demands? They do not rule the land of Khaenri'ah, how could they try to barge in here? Fuck negotiations, he wants to rule over us because he can't use his insight anymore! The people of Khaenri'ah aren't stupid, we do not want a brainless full above us.'
the rest of the entry was gone, however the small parts on top was enough for them.
"Who is this archon of insight? I've never heard of him." Y/n looked at at Dainsleif who's head still peaked over y/ns shoulder. It was then he realized the distance between the two was almost nonexistent. Y/n took a few steps away.
"I've heard of him." Dainsleif answered.
"Really? from where?"
"From my dream."
y/n thought, 'how reliable.'
But despite y/n's reluctance, he followed to wherever it was the tall man in front of him was walking to.
It was dusk when they arrived at the edge of Liyue. The loud splashing from the waterfall entered both their ears. Next to the waterfall was a cave hidden behind growing vines.
Y/n questioned how a God that supposedly wanted to take over Khaenri'ah had a shrine in Liyue, and how a diary belonging to a person from Khaenri'ah made it all the way to Monstatd. He didn't voice his questions though and entered the ruined cave. The entrance was already half broken, they had to bend down to enter the cave.
Due to the lack of sunlight, the cave was supposed to be dark. However it wasn't completely pitch black and y/n could see the entirety of the room. It looked like any other shrine. a statue of the God and a worshiping table in front of it, along with some incense sticks and a tattered red carpet underneath them. Except, the head of the statue was gone with only the broken parts of it littering the ground as proof it ever existed.
Y/n felt his foot knocking into something on the ground and reflexively looked down at the ground. The eyes of the head was staring up at him. Y/n pursed his lips and moved away.
"Is it here?"
Dainsleif silently nodded, disrespectfully climbing up the statue.
"..." Y/n looked away and pretended to be uninvolved.
not a long time after, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Thanks to their height difference, Y/n had to strain his neck just to look at Dainsleif's face.
In his hand was a spell book. It was a bit dusty, but otherwise perfectly intact. However...
"why would an archon need a spellbook?"
It was one about transforming things into objects.
Dainsleif's cold eyes stared at Y/n for a few seconds before turning around towards the statues head again.
"The artifact you're looking for is inside."
Indeed it was. Placed in the statues chest, it was like a heart.
Y/n's fingertips barely touched it when a blinding white light covered his eyes. It was impossible to keep his eyes open, and he blinked several times after being able to regain his vision.
"......." the tear shaped artifact that was in front of him was now gone.
Y/n considered kicking this statue several times and changing the rice inside the holder bowl into water.
Before y/n could give the statue a piece of his mind, he caught Dainsleif staring at him from afar. His furrowed brows are visible.
"Dainsleif?"
"you," He cut him off quickly. "You are from Khaenri'ah?"
It was Y/n's turn to frown. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Then where are you from?"
"I was born and raised in Mondstatd." Y/n's answer was without hesitation, and Dainsleif almost believed him.
"That's impossible." he mumbled.
'ha? Is he telling me my memories are wrong now?' Y/n held himself back from frowning even more.
"That's impossible," the tall man in front of him repeated, this time his voice was without a hint of doubt. "The person I'm searching for. It's you."
When that bright light disappeared, Dainsleif could clearly see his face in his memories. It was like being able to open a locked chest.
The image of the young man sitting in the middle of a flower field... There was a lot more of these romantic images that he can suddenly remember, Dainsleif was unsure how to handle them.
Blinking, Y/n managed to stumble out, "ha?"
"It seems my memories came back to me, however yours didn't. We still have a long way to go then."
"So you got your end of the deal. Fuck- wait what did you say?" Y/n was so confused he hadn't processed Dainsleifs full sentence.
"I won't force you, however aren't you curious?" truthfully, Dainsleif just didn't want to suffer with these confusing feelings alone and wanted to drag the person in front of him into the mess. It was a petty thing to think about, however he felt like the way he is acting now is natural only with Y/n.
"...Then I'll have to stick with you longer." Y/n wasn't seriously pondering over the matter and had his answer.
The archon of freedom walked towards the ruined walls, seeing the opened hole on the wall. "It seems they've found eachother." he hummed. It wasn't hard for him to do an old friend a favor. He couldn't get directly involved and could only depend on the flow of fate. "I hope this is enough to fulfill your wishes, Saint Y/n"
While humming he stopped in his tracks and looked up at the clear sky, "oh, but he's not actually a saint huh?"
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hello sorry what happened?
anyway, about the genshin merch, I'll just make a new chapter for it so everyone can see it. Check it out loves