"Which one do you like?"
You looked at the different flavors of ice cream.
You didn't know what any of them tasted like.
You pointed to a random flavor.
"That one will be fine."
Furina nodded and told the worker what you both wanted.
You looked back down at the different flavors of ice cream. Some looked gross, some looked good. It was hard to tell what they even tasted like, even though they were labeled.
It seemed like each of their flavors were the opposite from what they tasted like, judging from their shade of color.
"Here you go!"
The worker handed you a small cup of ice cream.
Instead of getting a cup, Furina got a cone instead.
"Thank you."
"Fontaine is having a festival soon, so there are a bunch of stands around! We should go check them out."
You nodded as you tasted your ice cream.
It was pretty good.
Not too sweet or annoying. It was great.
-
"Hey, we should go watch a performance! I heard that Lyney and his assistant are doing a performance at the Hotel Debord."
"Sure. Where is that located?"
"Just down the street!"
Furina let go of your hand and walked to a nearby billboard, containing a bunch of different flyers.
She picked up a flyer labeled, "Lyney and Lynette's Magic Show" and handed it to you. You read the details.
"It would also be my chance to apologize."
You looked up from the paper curiously.
"Apologize?"
Furina nodded as the familiar expression you knew too well appeared. Guilt.
"I did accuse him of a crime he didn't do and even almost got him and his sister, Lynette, in jail.."
"..."
Your lips parted slightly as you were trying to find the right words to say, but before you could get anything out, Furina gasped.
"Oh my! Y/N, why didn't you tell me you were promoting Chiori's shop!?"
Furina excitedly took a flyer off the billboard and held it up. Below the writing on the flyer were pictures of you, wearing Chiori's creations.
"Oh, I forgot about that."
You scratched your head as you watched Furina bounce around with the paper in her hands.
"Well, next time, make sure you tell me!"
-
You felt for the ring in your pocket, making sure that it was there.
You sighed out in relief when you realized it was still there.
Furina lightly squeezed your hand as she admired the decor that was in front of the building.
She hasn't watched a show in a while. Maybe seeing one would bring back the good memories.
Walking into the building where Lyney and Lynette's performance would take place, Furina couldn't help but peak up at you.
It was hard to believe what was actually happening right now. Her? On a date??
The Furina from a year ago would've never believed that she actually found someone she was willing to spend her time with.
Sometimes, she wishes she could've met you sooner. Maybe all the suffering she had to endure for all those years would've been nonexistent if you were by her side.
"Furina?"
"Oh, yes?"
"..."
"I-..."
People walked by as you and Furina admired each other.
You opened your mouth to say something but closed it.
Furina noticed a small blush that coated your cheeks as you looked away.
"I-it's nothing.."
Seeing you flustered like this made Furina giggle a little.
"Okay! Let's go in before the show starts."
You nodded, and you both walked in together.
-
"Hey, traveler! Do you think Y/n seems to be more in the clouds lately?"
Aether set down his fork and looked at Paimon curiously.
"What do you mean? Isn't he always like that?"
Paimon shook her head as she set her giant waffle down.
"No! He's beyond the clouds! Paimon is really worried about him. He's always spacing out now!"
Aether's face softened. Even Paimon noticed something was up.
"I'm not sure.."
Aether looked down at his food.
It was strange, but you somehow reminded him of Lumine.
Seeing you like this also made him worried. Paimon too.
Aether knew the day when he would have to let you go would come eventually.
"Also, he forgot to make Paimon French Toast this morning!"
Aether rolled his eyes.
-
"Woww, that show was amazing! No matter how many times I see the same trick, I'll never not-be amazed!"
"Yes, it was interesting to watch."
It was now around lunchtime, meaning that you were both starting to get hungry.
You and Furina looked for a nearby fast food spot and ordered some food.
Only after about twenty minutes, your food arrived.
You dipped your fry in ketchup while Furina happily ate her burger.
Through her chewing, she told you about different performances she saw in the past.
"Yeah, so I never really liked the ending! Anyway, what about you? What form of entertainment do you usually like?"
"Me? Oh, well...I don't really find a lot of things entertaining."
"Aw, really? Well, we can look for more things around town to have fun with! I've also been shopping more often and bought a lot of new things, but eventually, I realized that I didn't need all the stuff I bought, so I donated it."
You listened to Furina's rambling and occasionally nodded. You loved listening to her.
Was it bold to say that you found her entertaining?
'Why are you wasting your time like this?? Hmph, unacceptable!!'
You sat up straight when you suddenly heard a voice.
Familiar.. That demanding voice sounded very familiar.
Who did it belong to?
Where did the voice come from??
Furina continued to ramble and didn't seem to notice your sudden shock or hear the sound.
Your eyes moved around the fast food place as you tried to see if you were actually hallucinating or not.
'K-haen'
''Khaenri-'
'-Khaenri'ah h-has been destroyed a-and-'
Your eyes widened, and you suddenly got up from your seat. Furina stopped rambling and looked up at you to see what was up.
"Y/n?"
"Let's go for a walk."
You quickly walked out of the restaurant while Furina quickly followed.
"Oh.. okay."
Maybe being in that place was making you hallucinate.
"Did you not like the food? We could go somewhere else if you want."
You shook your head and held Furina's hand.
"No, it was good. I just needed some fresh air."
".."
Furina worriedly smiled, seemingly forgetting the distressed state you were in a moment ago.
-
"Aww, look at that slime!"
Furina watched from afar as a baby hydro slime slowly dragged itself along the dirt.
You watched as it moved towards a family of slimes.
"It's so adorable. It even has a family!"
Furina swung her legs back and forth while her three vision pets played around in the grass.
You both were currently sitting on a giant rock on a hill, watching the creatures that roamed Teyvat from down below.
"Teyvat is so different now.."
Furina nodded and leaned her head on your shoulder.
"Yes, you're right! I guess that's what happens when time flies by."
You put your hand over Furina's.
Confess.
Confess..
Confess...!
"Hey, when do you think he's going to pop out the question?"
Navia and her bodyguards sat in the far left of you and Furina in a bush while Charlotte took pictures.
"Who knows. He's probably nervous."
Clorinde nodded while the bodyguards nervously looked at Navia.
"Uhm, should we be here..?"
Charlotte held up her camera and took another photo.
"Of course!"
"Too bad Lynette couldn't make it. Her and her brother have been very busy lately."
Chiori went deep in her thoughts as she stared thoughtfully at you and Furina.
"I hope he'll be okay on his own.."
"Don't worry."
Everyone turned to Clorinde when she suddenly spoke.
"I trust that he'll be fine."
Charlotte and Navia smiled while Chiori playfully shook her head.
"I hope so."
"Scoot over, Paimon wants to see too!"
"!!!"
Everyone froze when they realized that more people came to join the party. Aether and Paimon..
"Why are you two here!?"
"Paimon was worried about Y/n, so we both decided to come here."
Aether kneeled down, but unfortunately, there wasn't enough room for seven people.
"Ouch! You stepped on my foot."
"Lady Navia, your clothes are getting dirty!"
*Click* *Click*
"Shh! Quiet!"
"Sorry!"
"Paimon can't see!"
"But you can just fly.."
"..."
"..."
"Flying is very tiring! You don't understand!!"
Paimon stopped her foot in the air while Aether put a hand on his head, clearly exhausted.
You and Furina heard all the commotion in the back but continued to stare at the slimes.
"Just what are they doing over there...?"
Furina grew embarrassed as she tried to ignore all the bickering in the background.
"Who knows.. Maybe we should go back to town. It would be harder for them to follow us there."
-
"This tastes great!"
Furina picked at the cotton candy and took a big bite. You didn't really want any, so you only bought one for Furina.
Luckily, you both were able to lose the group of seven, but you knew Navia was probably using her bodyguards to find you both.
"Do you want some?"
Furina held the cotton candy towards your mouth.
"No, i'm good."
'Y/n, pick up your claymore. Stop wasting time!!'
"..."
You looked at the ground when you suddenly heard the familiar voice again. Of course...
Seeing how you looked a little sad, Furina looked at the cotton candy and then at you.
Was it her..? Was she being a bit too pushy???
Noticing that Furina backed away a little, you immediately grew apologetic.
You didn't know what you did, but you didn't mean to!
Walking closer to the former archon, you lowered your head and took a bite of the cotton candy.
It surely was something you'd never eaten before. What an odd texture.
"It's very sugary."
Seeing your face scrunch up at the sweetness, Furina laughed.
"You're right!"
-
'You must know why I'm so hard on you, don't you, Y/n?'
You laid in a pile of snow, watching as the snow slowly fell.
Your hands were scratched up, your lip was bloodied, and your face was bruised.
If it wasn't for you blinking occasionally, "she" would've assumed that you were already dead.
But she knew that wasn't possible. You can't die.
'Y/n, answer my question. You know I don't like it when you ignore me.'
You weren't.
You really weren't.
It just hurt to speak.
'I...don't..'
Your master sighed she sheathed her sword.
'Now that khaenri'ah has been destroyed, I'm afraid that we now no longer have anywhere to go. It would be risky for us to build another nation without a God, especially now that the Heavenly Principles are watching.'
You forced yourself to look up at the taller woman.
Cold as always.
You never knew if she actually cared about you. She always fed herself first and put you through gruesome training. Maybe she was looking for someone to use as a disciple.
Or she was using you because she knew about your real form.. You never knew.
Despite knowing this, you followed her. Everywhere.
Up the tallest mountains and down to the deepest caves, like a little duckling following their mother.
She had white hair. White as snow.
You clenched your fists as you stared back up at her.
You wouldn't dare say you hate her out loud, but it was weird. Did you despise her or not..?
'Y/n, I'm going away for a while. While you wait for me to return, you could go take cover in that cave over there.'
Your master pointed to a nearby cave, and you stared at her with wide eyes.
It was scary being alone in a world you were just born in.
You didn't want to be alone.
You didn't want to be alone..
You didn't want to be alone...
Yet, without question, you waited for her to come back.
She never did.
-
"Y/n, please slow down!!"
"..."
This world was so scary. Full of secrets even your master couldn't uncover.
Furina tried to catch up as you quickly navigated through the different streets. People watched as Furina chased after you, begging for you to slow down.
Something was wrong, and she knew it.
She followed you out of town and suddenly grabbed onto your arm.
It was dark outside. Aether will probably start looking for the both of you soon.
Furina started to overthink when you stopped walking and looked down at the ground.
'Don't leave.'
'Don't leave.'
"Did something happen? What's going on??"
"..."
Furina tried to look at your face, but your back was facing towards her, preventing her from seeing any hints about what suddenly made your mood swing.
"Furina."
Furina got quiet when she heard the quietness in your voice.
She never heard you sound so...quiet before.
You slowly turned your head, and Furina's eyes softened.
She knew it.
Something was not right.
It was also suddenly more cold than she remembered.
No.
It was freezing.
A cold snowflake made contact with Furina's nose, but that was the least of her concerns.
Tears streamed down your face as snow slowly started to fall.
"...I'm scared."