A/N
This chapter contains made up things that don't exist in the real genshin world and it is for the sake of the storyline. Furthermore, the timeline of some things mentioned is inaccurate to better aid the plot. I'm sorry if this disappoints or annoys some people but it was the only thing I could do to make the story work.
~~~
It had been 2 week since the incident at the ball and with help from Dottore's medicinal concoctions, my wound healed perfectly leaving only a scar. It didn't bother me all that much however, because it signified an important development in my life.
Dottore and I kept our relationship completely private and continued to live on as if everything were the way it was before. That's how it looked to the palace anyway. In the safety of our own space, we found comfort in each others touch.
Today the Tsaritsa had called us up for an important request.
"The next time we have nothing else to do, I'm going to design a lift for this damn place. Who thought it was a good idea to put the Queen's throne room at the highest point of the palace? Surely this is bad for my still healing body! Tell me there's another way to get up there," I whined as we approached the stairs.
"You're going to engineer a mechanical lift with what qualifications? Stop whining about it and suck it up. I've been climbing up these stairs for years," snapped Dottore.
As you can see, we were very much still the same duo who were always never in agreement.
"Ugh, have a heart," I muttered under my breath.
"I'll just take yours," he said seductively with a smile.
"Shut up," I replied with a chuckle as I attached my mask.
"Only for today, we can use a short distance portal. Your body still won't be prepared to take on so much pressure, we shouldn't push it," he compromised.
I stopped walking abruptly.
"You mean to tell me. That we could've used this portal thing every other time BUT WE DIDN'T?" I spat through gritted teeth.
"Calm down, Y/N, the portal was still in development before. You know, I was actually going to suggest using it when you were new here because the first prototypes sent the testers into the middle of the ocean and I wanted to see where it might send you," he chuckled.
"You are so cruel," I huffed as he pulled out a ring looking device.
Dottore threw it forward. A cloudy, stormy looking portal opened in front of us and if you looked hard enough you could make out the entrance to the throne room on the other side.
"Ladies first," Dottore said, extending his hand to aid me.
"I think not," I said before pushing him forward with me shortly after.
I expected some nausea from the idea I had of traveling through portals but it was a smooth ride. We did however scare the guards at the door who lifted their spears at us upon our arrival.
"Put those down you fools," snapped Dottore.
They flinched before looking at each other and allowing us passage into the room.
"Announcing Il Dottore and General Y/N L/N," bellowed the soldier.
The way the room hushed and the whispering began would never not be exceedingly uncomfortable. Gossip in this palace was a major issue.
The both of us knelt to one knee and bowed our heads as we awaited for the Tsaritsa's acknowledgment.
"Rise," she said simply. "You both know why you're here, yes? I have a special mission that I believe only the two of you can complete. You have more than proved your abilities to me so I'm entrusting this task to you."
Dottore and I glanced at each other curiously.
"Before I explain what I've called you here for, I must ask that you promise to keep this between only the two of you. This is a big project that must not be compromised. Furthermore, I'd like your word that you won't get... distracted, by each other perhaps, along the way. Can I trust you to do this?"
I grimaced at the embarrassing wording. Essentially, she was saying that we could only take on this project if we promised not to fool around with each other. Respectfully, kill me now.
I could feel Dottore tense a little at the awkwardness but we both pledged our promise to follow her orders.
"Adequate. Well then, allow me to explain. After you successfully engineered an army for me, I witnessed the length of which you two are able to go. I believe I can push that limit. And in order to test this hypothesis, I am asking you to create me a weapon," she paused. "This weapon must be worthy of only a god and will seal our victory against divinity. It must have the power to move mountains and control the sun. It must be extravagant, nothing the world has ever seen and it must be perfect. This weapon should have the power to split the oceans in two and bring the dead to life. And so as your Queen, I ask you to accept this challenge because I know for certain that you are more than capable."
The room was dead silent. I was still trying to catch up with what she asked us to do. Because what?
"Well?" Her voice boomed.
Suddenly, Dottore and I found ourselves bowing and muttering "As you wish, Your Highness." What other choice did we have? The archon clearly wasn't joking.
Once we were dismissed, we walked away from the throne room till we reached a corner and turned. The both of us stopped still in our tracks. I glanced up at him slowly as he did the same.
"You know that's-" I started.
"Impossible? Yes. I know," he finished.
An awkward silence fell over us.
"What are we going to do?"
"The only thing we can do," responded Dottore. "If we can't make it, we are going to have to find it."
My eyes widened. He was joking, right?
"You can't be serious. We both know nothing like that actually exists. She's asking the impossible from us! The most we can do is give her a wooden club that she can use to clobber the Sustainer," I whispered.
He sighed, removed his mask and rubbed his eyes. Dottore looked tired and zapped of energy. I wasn't really sure why that was, because he usually looked fine but today... Something wasn't right.
"Hey... Is everything ok?" I reached up and held his face in my hands.
"Everything's fine. Really. Sometimes, the pressure of sharing part of my soul with clones just... dries me out," he whispered back as his dull red eyes avoided my gaze.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. His arms slid around my waist reflexively. Dottore seemed to relax a little in my arms.
"Why don't you release them for now? You don't really need them at the moment, do you?" I asked, playing with his hair.
"It's not that simple-" he started, only pausing as we heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
Quickly, we separated from each other and his mask was back on in an instant. This had been happening a lot over the past week as we tried to hide from the public eye. As inconvenient as it was, it was actually very fun. A strange thrill came with sneaking around and passing each other flitting looks that can't be interpreted by other people.
When the maid walked by, she only saw two colleagues walking side by side with a good 5ft gap between them. She curtsied out of respect, completely unsuspecting. Whenever things like this happened, we usually ended up laughing at each other after someone had walked by. Today, Dottore didn't seem to have the energy. He looked paler than usual and my heart hurt at the sight of him. All I wanted to do was reach out and cradle him in my arms till he was all better.
"So what's our first move?"
"Library, of course," Dottore responded. "We can search through the weapons guide and research anything with the potential to meet the ridiculous requirements of this damn weapon."
I nodded and we arrived at the library ten minutes later.
Everytime I came here, I couldn't get over the overwhelmingly beautiful architecture and design. Once again, not a soul resided inside.
"I don't suppose you know where to find the weapons archive," I asked.
"I was hoping you did," he admitted.
"Tell me you're joking. We're going to be here for hours," I groaned.
At that, Dottore slipped his hand into mine and pulled me to him until we were chest to chest.
"I don't know, that sounds like a pretty neat arrangement," whispered Dottore beside my ear.
I could never get used to this side of him. My body reacted similarly every time, flustered and hypnotized by him. I loved it when he was like this. Physical touch was something I hadn't received much of growing up yet he was slowly filling up the gaping hole in my heart with his seductive eyes and tender touch.
I pulled off his mask and mine before giving him a small peck. There was no time to get distracted at the moment. We had more than enough time for this later. Still, I pocketed his mask so his face would be visible to me all the time. Pulling out of his arms, I dragged him behind me past the many bookshelves.
"Aw is that it?"
I chuckled. "We made a promise, Dottore. The faster we can get this done, the more time we'll have to ourselves, ok? Lets find this weapon archive."
Dottore caught up to me quickly and laced our fingers together with a nod. The action made my stomach do a flip and suddenly I felt motivated to find this weapon. After walking for what seemed like hours, we reached the actual end of the library where the weapons archive was oh so conveniently located. I'd be having a polite word with whoever designed the the library to be this way.
Truth be told, the trip to this section was ever so pleasant. Dottore and I talked about things unrelated to work and I felt relaxed and happy. It seemed to ease some of the tension in his shoulders and jaw. The redness in his eyes was still present but his expression was lighter, less burdened. I was relieved.
"You look through the books on the left, I'll look on the right. Grab anything that might be useful and we'll take a handful of books to look through on the desks over there. This is probably the most efficient method. Lets go," I said.
We began our search. Spines of all colours, shapes and size of books in various languages and fonts and depth extended as far as the eye could see. Back in this corner, the books were coated in dust, just moving past them sent a small waft of particles into the air. I decided to just go with whatever book I felt looked the most eye catching or informative rather than taking every one out to read the blurb and flick through.
Half an hour in and I was already bored to death.
"Tell me why we agreed to do this shit?" I asked out loud.
"Well that would be because if we didn't we probably would have received a harsh punishment for going against the crown or something of the sort," said Dottore as he rounded the corner, coming back into my aisle.
I sighed. "Found anything?"
"Nothing extraordinary. The majority of the books here detail legendary weapons that have only ever been mentioned in tales and myths. And the minority that do discuss real weapons are all average at best. To conclude, our efforts have been fruitless and we may as well go find the executioner to schedule a good old royal hanging," responded Dottore.
He came up behind me to study the books on the higher shelves I couldn't reach. I sighed again and leaned back against his hard chest. Tilting my head up, I watched his eyes flit from spine to spine and the muscles in his jaw tense with every movement. Pretty. What a good angle.
His ruby red eyes snapped down to meet my gaze and it was so hard not to see the evident exhaustion in his face. Dottore's arms wrapped around my waist and he angled his head down to place a gentle kiss on my lips.
"Dottore, lets head back for now ok? You need sleep," I whispered against his lips.
"No need, Y/N. I told you, this isn't out of the ordinary. Its the price I have to pay for the power I control. Don't worry yourself about it, hm?" He whispered back.
An ugly, knawing feeling chewed and chipped at my gut. As much as I trusted what he said, the lack of energy in him was stressing me out. I hated seeing him so zapped and restless. He'd slept well over the past week; I would know seeing as I basically moved into his chambers. I really hoped it wasn't any deeper than what he said it was.
I turned around to face him and brought his face down to mine, cupping his cheeks tenderly. A cute little blush had coloured the tip of his ears but he was as confident as ever as he moved his lips against mine. His hand slid tightly around my waist and before I knew it, my back was against the book shelf. My fingers were tangled in his hair and the kiss soon turned from slow and meaningful to quick and passionate. His tongue slipped past my lips and explored what was beyond them. My mind was blank and all I could allow myself to think of was the vivid feeling of his hands sliding down from my waist to around my thighs. As he lifted my legs and wrapped them around his waist, we broke apart to catch our breaths. I could still taste the familiar mint from him on my lips. Suddenly I felt a little shy.
"What if we get caught?" I grinned mischievously.
"Nothing a little deadly poison can't fix," Dottore muttered before his arms were around my waist holding me ever so close and his mouth was back on mine.
I smiled against his lips and in return a groan sounded from his throat. A sound that made my insides do backflips and my heart battering against my chest. His lips trailed down, leaving fluttery kisses along my jaw and down my neck. One hand cupped my cheek before tilting my head up, allowing Dottore to leave traces of his lips down my throat. I couldn't stifle the quiet moan that left my mouth.
My mind was in shambles and his touch was driving me crazy. I shivered as the hand that gripped my waist slid beneath my shirt and up my back. The feel of his bare hands on my skin was riveting. He unexpectedly bit down on the side of my neck causing me to squeak in surprise. He chuckled darkly at my reaction as his eyes connected with mine, glowing with desire. That would certainly leave a mark later.
Missing the feeling of his soft lips, he met me half way and we were back in rhythm. Just as I was undoing the buttons of his shirt, the euphoric moment was uninterrupted by a calling voice not so far away.
"Hey Dottore? General Y/N? Are you guys there?" Someone yelled.
Dottore and I pulled apart to stare at each other in alarm. We were breathing heavily and the danger of being caught any second was immense. I couldn't help but find it absolutely hilarious. I shut my eyes and bit my lip to stifle the laugh building in my throat. Dottore appeared to find it just as amusing as I did but well to keep it bottled. He slowly set me down, ensuring we didn't make any obvious sounds.
"Hellooo? Anyone there?" The voice I now recognised as Childe's echoed about.
That did it. The laugh fell past my lips but it only lasted a second before Dottore's hand gratefully covered my mouth. He was struggling himself to hold in his own laughter but he managed to put a finger to his lip to signify that I remain silent. I nodded after recovering and took a deep breath.
"You guys aren't making out somewhere here are you?" Childe yelled this shamelessly.
My jaw dropped open. Dottore rolled his eyes before I witnessed a scheme settle in his eyes. He glanced down at me quickly before pointing to the left where we could slip away from the slowly advancing Harbinger. I nodded, cautiously looking around the corner of the book shelf to scout out whether the coast was clear.
Taking Dottore's hand in mine, we prepared to slip away quietly when something caught my eye.
A book.
But this one was different. A feeling in my gut almost hypnotised me to reach out for it. The book was velvet green with a title embossed in gold that read "The God's Arsenal" and it was directly on the lowest shelf at the end. Dottore tugged at my arm to get me moving and a question was visible on his face with narrowed eyes.
Hastily, I grabbed the book and we took off. It was probably just as useless as the others but it wouldn't hurt to try. And besides, at least something would come out of our trip to here.
As we walked further and further, Childe's voice faded into oblivion, leaving him alone in the depth of the library. Upon nearing the exit, Dottore and I had naively believed we'd escaped the ginger boy but we couldn't be more wrong.
"There you are!" Childe beamed as he stepped out from behind a book case. That reminded me of the time the short Harbinger (who I now knew was Pulcinella) disappeared behind a bookshelf without a trace.
Dottore groaned, obviously feeling vexed with the Harbinger's presence. I wiped my expression clean and eyed the 11th with little regard.
"It's good to see the two of you too! I was sent by the Queen to check up on your progress because nobody had seen you for hours and she worried you might have eloped since she last saw you," said Childe. "Nice to know your still with us General Y/N. If he threatens to take you away, you let me know alright?"
"Your concern is appreciated, Lord Tartaglia. If that is all, then we'll be taking our leave. We have a new project to work on that needs our immediate attention," I responded with a bow.
"Wait, what are you going to tell Her Majesty?" Dottore was obviously suspicious of him.
"That you're working efficiently of course," he smirked, eyeing our linked hands.
Dottore's expression twisted into the darkest, most mortifyingly murderous expression I'd ever witnessed. Childe's eyes widened before he stumbled a little whilst taking a step back. His hands were up in front of him protectively.
"Really. In- In fact I'll tell her I haven't even seen you. Better?" He stuttered with a smile that faltered.
"Hm. Adequate," responded Dottore before sweeping past him, me swiftly behind him.
Once we were out, Dottore slowed down in consideration for my much shorter legs. His long strides were often tiring to keep up with.
"That meddling kid, one day I'll strap him to a surgical table and pluck out his teeth followed by snipping off his tongue," murmured Dottore.
"He's cute," I shrugged, earning me a glare from Dottore with a hint of jealousy. "I'm just saying, he seems like such a mischievous little boy. He's only a few years younger than me. I thought you Harbingers would treat him like a little brother but none of you seem to get along."
"There is nothing "cute" about that blabbermouth who can't keep his nose out of people's business. Not to mention his beyond irritating thirst for a fight 24/7," he rolled his eyes.
"Is there a reason for the dullness in his eyes?" I asked curiously.
"He fell into the Abyss when he was younger and it caused some psychological damage that led to him losing a part of himself back there. He surfaced with a new found power and large strength but it was at the cost of losing some of his humanity. They let me study him for a little bit but he was severely unresponsive and it bored me to death. One thing led to another and he was appointed as the 11th," shrugged Dottore.
That was unexpected. I can't imagine what goes on in Childe's head. Did that mean that the persona we see of him was just a facade or did he regain his personality after some form of therapy? Maybe I'd ask him some day if I ever got the chance.
Unfortunately at the moment, we had much more pressing matters to discuss.
"What have you got there?" Dottore nodded towards the green book in my hand.
I lifted it to reveal the cover and cursive title. It glinted in the light and the yellowing pages hinted at its old age.
"'The God's Arsenal'... I pray it isn't just a fictional tale or pure nonsense. This might be our only lead at the moment," he sighed.
I nodded in agreement as I flicked through the pages for some confirmation that it wasn't just a story. My curiosity peaked as weapons of all sorts of shapes and sizes listing many powers beneath them flickered by. The question was were they still in existence and was what the Tsaritsa had asked from us inside these pages?
We made our way to the lab which had become our second home at this point. Stepping into the familiar blue hued room with the lingering smell of chemicals and sterilised equipment put me in a good mood.
"You look through the book for now, love. It's not wise to push your body with too much work today. In the meantime, I want to experiment a little bit with your vision and some delusions. Would you be alright with that?" He asked holding my elbow as he led me to the messy table at the centre of the lab.
"Please be careful. I have already warned you how explosive it reacts to things. Promise you wont do anything stupid," I raised my eyebrows at him, sitting down at the desk.
"Depends on what your definition of stupid is really," he said, dipping his hand into my pocket to retrieve his mask.
"You know what? Just don't set the building on fire. That'll be enough," I rolled my eyes.
He stalked off with a new objective as I turned my attention to the book. I touched my lips subconsciously at the memory of what had happened moments before it caught my eye. Rubbing my eyes and lightly slapping my cheeks, my mind was cleared and all my focus was on the subject at hand. I could recall the memory of it all later.
Page by page, I was engulfed in the details this book held. Every weapon was unique and looked so badass, I was just itching to create something just like them. Furthermore, each weapon had information regarding the status of its location and condition at the bottom in small print. My heart sank slowly as I noticed the majority were either lost or destroyed. Many of these weapons were used in the Archon War by various gods which indicated why the book was named the way it was.
I wondered if anything the Tsaritsa had ever used was here. How old was this book that it could include such detail about weapons dating back to almost 1000 years ago? A few were even crafted in Khaenriah. This book was a treasure.
Time flew by yet I was enthralled by the contents. I could hear concerning explosions and crashes in the background; I couldn't help but grimace at every sound. Eventually, Dottore emerged from the testing room with singed sleeves, black scuff marks on the shirt beneath jacket he'd shed, and a line of black dirt on his cheek. In his hands, was a used fire extinguisher and a towel slung over his shoulder.
He was so adorable. I knew I'd fallen for him in the past week. I'd been pushing down my feelings for him before the ball but it was evident my body was attracted to him. It simply took my mind too long to catch up. Now, ordinary things I see remind me of him and I get excited at the thought of waking up to talk to him and see him. The idea of capturing the smiles and kisses and touches that were only for me and pocketing them away safely, made me giddy inside. When he looked at me, I felt special and seen and wanted. Dottore was the full package that I had never thought would replace the empty warehouse of emotions inside of me. The thought that one day he might leave me terrified me beyond anything else because I'd just got him. I wasn't ready to let go yet.
"What the bloody hell have you been doing in there?" I laughed.
"Doesn't matter," he said too quickly. "Have you found anything?"
Dottore threw the fire extinguisher into the testing room carelessly before coming over to sit opposite me. I watched him suspiciously but didn't press further into the matter.
"Nothing as of yet, but there still much left to read. Unfortunately, the weapons I've come across so far are not available for us at the present time. They all seem to have godly like power however," I explained.
Reaching for the towel on his shoulder, I cleaned off the streak of black on his cheek with an amused expression. Dottore sighed with exhaustion before using his arm to rest his chin on top of.
"What's this one?" He asked, pointing at the weapon on the next page that I'd yet to view.
"'The Silverwing Staff,'" I read aloud. "It says that its capable of opening dimensional space rifts and manipulating constellations that summon astral creatures to aid the user. 'Only a man with will power stronger than the pull of gravity can wield its might.' Sounds like something perfect for the Queen, don't you think?"
The diagram showed a staff made of two intertwining gold sticks that branched apart at the top to hold a stormy silver orb that floated in the middle. Two wings made of a greyish crystal were drawn on either side of the head of the staff and a beam coming off the top of it pointed at a crack in the page. It looked like a crack in the page but after running my hand over it, it was simply an illusive diagram.
"Where does it come from?" Dottore asked leaning forward.
"It says this weapon was originally supposed to be a gift to the original Cryo Archon from the lower gods as a sign of returning the love she spread through the land. Despite recieving the gift, she never made use of it in the Archon War and along the way it went missing. Supposedly stolen by someone during the war yet it went unnoticed for years as everyone was preoccupied with fighting for their lives. So it really is befitting for a Cryo Archon. Shame she never used it..." I trailed off as my gaze scanned the small print.
My eyes widened. I gasped out loud. Reaching for Dottore's hand, I gripped it tightly and met his eyes.
"What is it?" He asked with a frown.
"Dottore. This weapon isn't lost or broken. Its still intact! This is it! We've found it!" I shrieked.
Dottore's brows shot up in surprise. "Where is it??"
"It was recovered from a temple in Sumeru and was held in a museum there for centuries. Apparently it was stolen by mercenaries during the Cataclysm 500 years ago as they took the opportunity when the Archon wasn't looking. After that the weapon was bought and sold on the black market multiple times until the last buyer never sold it again..." I read. "That hardly matters though. All we need to do is find out who the current owner is and nab the weapon. Simple, right?"
I looked up to confirm Dottore's thoughts but he averted his gaze and rubbed his neck awkwardly.
"Dottore. What did you do?" I deadpanned.
"Hey! What makes you think I did something?" He said feeling accused.
"Your face betrays it all. Tell me what you did," I demanded with a raised brow.
"I... Might have... Set fire to a preciously preserved forest in Sumeru as an act of revenge for being expelled from the academy... Therefore, making me a wanted man with dozens of bounties on my head and an arrest warrant issued by the archon and the head sages themselves..."
I could only stare at him. I could hardly comprehend what he'd just said and I was already shaking my head with disappointment.
"How long ago was this?" I asked weakly. I pray it was too long ago that they might have forgotten.
"Um... A few months ago..." He responded.
Ah shit.
"Dottore..." I said in an obviously irritated tone.
"Y/N, come on. Anyone would have done the same thing if they were in my position! I was wrongly expelled. They are just way too sensitive. Ethical guidelines went out of fashion long ago," he attempted to justify his actions.
I ran a hand over my face, stopping to cover my mouth and contemplate what the fuck we were supposed to do now.
"Dottore. Ethical guidelines are not a piece of clothing to go out of fashion. And no, no one else would have set fire to a whole ancient forest to spite the sages for their 'poor decision' making as I assume you view it as. You are the craziest man I have ever met," I said, suddenly feeling a laugh bubble up in my throat.
Dottore looked a little guilty and ran a nervous hand through his hair, unsure what to say.
"You know what? Its fine! We only need one person to retrieve the weapon. I'll go by myself and take a squad of Fatui guards. Sound good? Good!" I smiled, still trying to wrap my head around the massive offense he executed against the nation of Sumeru.
"No. Absolutely not Y/N. No way am I letting you go alone all the way out there. Not while those black figures still haven't been identified. Your life is still constantly in imminent danger. This palace is the only place you will be safe. I refuse to let you jepordise your life for a stick that can create unicorns out of stars," stood Dottore abruptly. His voice was firm and his jaw was tense.
"I understand where you're coming from, but I don't trust anyone else to go. Besides, the archon entrusted us with this mission, not anyone else. Its supposed to be strictly secret. It has to be me. You can't go if everyone will be on the look out for you! You can't exactly blend into the crowd with that blue hair of yours," I explained, throwing my hands up in defeat.
Dottore looked away. A familiar expression that indicated he was scheming appeared on his face. Something flashed in his eyes.
"No, Dottore. No. Whatever it is you're thinking, its not a good idea. Anything that involves you going to Sumeru will end badly."
"Hear me out. Please?"
Their was a rough hint of desperation in his voice and I hated how fast I folded to his demands.
"Here's the plan. You and I will go to Sumeru in disguise as mercenaries. There's a number of reasons why this will work. First off, we won't be trailed by a Fatui squad for protection so we'll seem less suspicious. Secondly, mercenaries from Sumeru dress in garments that cover their faces and hair so we will blend in effortlessly. Furthermore, in the unlikely chance we get caught, the authorities can't do anything too bad for risk of compromising their relations with the Fatui and the queen who are both infamous in Teyvat for being ruthless and powerful. They're wise enough not to take such a huge risk so the most they'll do is create some sort of blockade or ask for compensation or just ban me from the nation. The consequences won't be that grave. Besides, if its all for the weapon Her Majesty wants, I'm sure she'll turn a blind eye! We just need to get in and out. Its basically fool proof," he said all in one breath.
He waited with bated breath for a response from me. I could only stare at him with a hugely skeptical expression and raised eyebrows.
"There are way too many holes in this plan. I don't think its worth the risk..." I admitted.
"Y/N, we weren't given a deadline. We have more than enough time to send out spies to retrieve all the information we need and create a solid, detailed plan. I'm a genius, something as easy as stealing a fairy wand is childs play. You're thinking about it too much!"
I bit my lip and considered it. There was a solid chance it could work but we'd have to find out who the owner is and guard rotations and so much more. It would need lots of research. After that we'd have to prepare for the trip; I'm still not fully healed from the events of the ball. That means that we'd have to take lots of time to prepare in advance but we can't be sure if the weapon can be so easily retrieved.
I sighed in defeat. "Ok. We'll do all the research and find out as much as we can about this godforsaken weapon. Then and only then will we decide where to go from there. I'm not in the right state for a trip like this just yet, remember? We need to take time to prepare. How does that sound?"
"Perfect. That's just what I wanted to hear. In the meantime, we'll inform the Tsaritsa of this new development to ensure we've made progress and have set our sights on a potential weapon," he said with a hint of excitement.
Dottore really seemed motivated to do this. It was very different from how it was this morning when we believed Her Majesty was asking the impossible. Now, despite the exhaustion edging his features, his eyes were brighter and more energised. I loved seeing him like this. I felt warmth blossom in my heart at the sight of him. As reluctant as I was to allow him to come, the feeling was overshadowed by his eagerness to execute this plan. I had a bad feeling about this trip but what other choice did we have?
A/N
I am currently leeching off Tesco's wifi because our wifi got cut off for three months which is why this chapter took so long to get out. Unfortunately, the release of chapters might be a bit slower in the coming days so please bare with me. This chapter hasn't been properly proof read and I apologize for any mistakes or rushed writing.
I was in fact taking a break because I burnt myself out after writing 24/7 for a good 4 days straight. But im back now!
In my break I actually came up with a great idea for a Scara X reader and then wrote the first chapter with over 7k words but it got deleted... So you can imagine what my motivation levels looked like. I think it was a sign to work on finishing this fic before I move onto the next though, so its alright.
Im excited to take Dottore and Y/N to Sumeru though hehe...
also for those of you that saw the messed up chapter i accidentally uploaded before this one, no you saw nothing :)