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GOD I LOVE LAUMA SO MUCHHHHHHHHH SHE MAKES ME BELIEVE

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chasca, from the flower-feather clan 𓆰

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r u alive👀

somehow, hello

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oui oui i love cheese

cheese is nice

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Through the Silent Frostbound Night

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SHADES OF THE PRIMORDIAL ONE

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Skirk and mavuika doodles

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Aaaaah, I see you are a person of culture as well! 🥰

So, I was trying to think of something to req before dropping the MerMay one... but I couldn't think of anything, plus May is less than ten days away, so I've decided to say screw it and just get right to the Mermaids!!!

Took some time figuring out who was gonna be the muse of this req, but I've been feeling the pull towards Clorinde. Might start out a bit angsty, but it gets better!

Clorinde's out in the wilderness, taking some time to herself, maybe doing some training to hone her skills, when she hears a cry. Not a call for help per say, but definitely the sound of someone in distress, and so decides to investigate, coming across the reader tangled up in some kind of net, and seemingly injured, especially around her tail.

After calming Mermaid!Reader down and convincing her that she wasn't their to hurt her, Clorinde cuts her free, and not wanting to just leave her where she is, in her condition, sneakily brings her back to her place so that she can patch her up and look over her while she recovers.

Yours truly,

X Anon!

The blessing of a day off work.| Clorinde x Fem!Mermaid!Reader

Hello X Anon!! Thank you so much once again for the great request. I added a couple details too, that I thought would fit well and make things more interesting. I'm super excited to write this and hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do!<33

Content: Mermaid reader, mentions of injuries/blood, slight angst, wlw, sfw

Reader has she/her pronouns and is afab.

((Not proofread))

Clorinde rarely ever had day's off from work.

There was always something to do, something to fight, something to take care of. Her life was never quiet and calm, the hectic chaos always following her around one way or another. But she wasn't the one to ever complain. Taking everything in elegant stride, she easily completed every task, no matter the difficulty.

But today... well, today was the one calm day she did allow herself. Not necessarily completely by choice, but after some pressure from her higher ups to take a well-deserved break, she decided that it wouldn't hurt.

That's how she ended up calmly walking alongside the shore near the sleeping city she called her home, the moon brightly lighting up the way before her.

Clorinde had no real destination in mind. This was just her way of winding down, as she thought of what to do tomorrow. It was always so hard to figure out an activity if it didn't revolve around work or direct orders. Should she maybe just sleep in? Ah, no, she needs to stay disciplined. What about training then? That sounded more enjoyable... but was that really a break from work then? Not necessarily... Should she maybe just take another walk at noon around the bustling city instead? Or perhaps visit one of her friends? Although... they could be busy with their own line of work and she wasn't the one to ever get in the way of that.

Hm.

This was hard.

Sighing to herself, she came to a stop, conflicted eyes finding the stars that spread out across the nightsky beautifully. She needed to learn how to live in the moment. But it was hard, when all she was used to was the chaos of other people's worries and wrongs. It was always this way and yet... her discipline hid a restlessness in her that she couldn't shake no matter how many years passed.

This is why she hated taking day's off... these thoughts were really pointless.

Shaking her head idly to herself, she figured it was time to go home, when she suddenly heard it. A small, frail noise, that sounded like the cry of a wounded animal. Her hand came down to rest on the hilt of her sword, knowing that poachers enjoyed to crawl around the shadows at this time of the early morning hours. But she wasn't afraid, if anything only concerned for the poor animal that may have gotten hurt.

And so, the woman carefully made her way towards the noise, eyes narrowed in distrust at anything that moved. The sound seemed to come from behind a large rock formation, hidden away from plain sight, which forced her to lean over it with slight difficulty. What she saw left her in awe.

There, weakly attempting to flee a tight fishing net, was a... Mermaid? Is that what you would call a half human, half fish? Well, it's the best thing her mind could come up with, as she stared at her in absolute confusion. This is definitely a first. Despite everything the woman had seen before, unnatural and natural alike, it never crossed her mind that mermaids could exist. They were simply creatures from legends and old folklore to her, even with the existence of dragons and Melusines.

Clorinde only snapped out of it, when the mermaid let out a frightened yelp at the sight of her, eyes wide in terror. Said woman was quick to raise her hands in response, hoping it would signal that she was no threat. "Hey... don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you..." Clorinde's eyes trailed to your clearly injured tail, the blood dying the water around you read. It seemed like you were attacked, potentially by the poachers she suspected to be around earlier. Had they attempted to capture you? Seemed likely, from the net that wrapped itself around your frail form in a tangled mess.

You pushed your body closer to the rock you were trapped against, as you curled yourself away from her. You were shaking and trembling, clearly horrified by her mere existence. This made Clorinde wonder if you even understood what she was saying.

Probably not.

Now that she finally had recovered from the shock of seeing you, she was able to somewhat think analytically again. The first things she definitely had to do, was take care of your wound and free you from the net. Sighing, she slowly kneeled close enough to you to grab the net, uncaring of the water that drenched her uniforms tights and skirt. "I'm just going to cut the rope so I can take of your wound, alright? You'll bleed out otherwise." Again, no verbal, human response, except for a scared and pained whimper.

Would it really be that unbelievable, that mermaids couldn't speak human languages? No. But it definitely made things harder.

Reaching for a simple dagger on her hip, she held it out for you to see, eyes locked onto yours with a comforting glint in them. "I'm going to use this now. Just hold still, so you don't get injured further." When she lowered the blade and began cutting off the rope, you seemed to slowly relax under her focused gaze. "Good job." She hummed, hoping you can understand the praise in her voice at least. By the time she had finally finished cutting away the last of the net, you were just calmly staring at her, albeit with a heavy breath. Most likely from the pain of your injury.

Taking off her jacket, she ripped off a part of her white sleeved dress-shirt underneath, as she needed something to stop the bleeding. You flinched, when her fingers touched the beautiful scales of your tail, small chirp like sounds escaping your lips. Is that how you communicated? It sounded foreign and odd, but then again, your existence was bizarre enough as is. "I have to stop the bleeding. It might sting, but you'll be okay." Clorinde hummed, as she slowly and carefully began to wrap the fabric around the injury. It would definitely need better medical attention later... which means that can't let you go back into the ocean like this. You wouldn't survive the night at this rate... and the poachers may still be out there looking for you.

So... she needs to take you home with her. That was the only realistic solution she could come up with, mainly because there was no way she could explain your existence to anyone without sounding crazy... and because she felt like she owed it to you, after you've given her your trust. She could only imagine how scary it must've been to be taken care of by a strange human... but at least it was her and no one else, she supposed with a tired sigh.

Chaos really did follow her everywhere. But the hardest part of this task hadn't been completed yet. How was she supposed to smuggle in an entire mythical creature? For most, this may have been an impossible challenge, but Clorinde knew her way around the City perfectly even in the dead of night.

Sitting up, she looked around, eyes finding the glimmering surface of the ocean further away. Did you have family members? Would they be looking for you? If she was able to heal you fast enough, she hoped to release you back to them soon... if you even had anyone else in this vast body of water.

"... I have to take you back with me, so you need to stay quiet... Oh." You had fallen asleep from the exhaustion, leaving Clorinde to ponder on her own. "That makes things easier, I guess." She muttered, as she placed her jacket over your damp shoulders and carefully picked you up with ease.

She was holding a real life mermaid... was she dreaming? Or was she losing it from the lack of breaks from work? Archons know. But she was quick to make her way back to her home, before dawn arrived, lest guards caught her with you out here.

Where does one place a slumbering mermaid in their home?

A question one would expect from a children's book was now her reality, as she successfully made it back home with you and now stood in her living room, dumbfounded. Her eyes slowly drifted to her bathroom door, the first rays of the morning sun near blinding her, when she entered the room in uncertainty.

In the bathtub, ofcourse.

Trying her best to not wake you up, she placed you in the white tub and carefully filled it with some lukewarm water. You seemed to breathe air well enough at least... but all fish need water somehow, right?

As she began tending to your wound with more suitable supplies at hand, she attempted to plan out her next moves. Did she need to tell anyone about you? Some help would definitely go a long way, but the last thing she wanted was for someone to disturb you or worse... experiment on you. Not that she believed that mad scientists were running around Fountain, but she'd rather not anyone get their hands on you further than she has. As much as she didn't want to, she saw you the same way one would see an endangered species.

The stool she sat on wobbled a little as she wiped down the injury and began bandaging it tightly to stop it from bleeding any further.

Ofcourse, she could maybe only get some people involved. People she trusted. People she considered her friends. Especially seeing as she only had one day off. This one day being today too. She wouldn't be able to take care of you fully on the days afterwards and she doubted you'd be able to survive on your own like this. You can't even get up and walk to get some food... which now begged another question...

What do mermaids even eat?

Fish food ofcourse, haha!

A terrible joke, and yet she could hear her old friend Wriothesley grinning widely at it in triumph as she rolled her eyes. That wasn't a helpful thought either... was it even right to treat you like a goldfish? Or were you just as human as she was? Completely unsure if your mental capacity, she decided to leave that to be a problem for later.

Since you were sleeping for now, she decided to rest herself. Clorinde could figure everything out further later, when she wasn't so terribly exhausted.

... Splash... Splash...

Groaning quietly, the navy haired woman rolled over in her bed, eyes cracking open as they found her turned off alarm clock.

9:34 am.

... Splash... Splash...

Just what was that sound? Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes, as she tried to make sense of it. Deciding to investigate, albeit practically still half asleep, she uncharacteristically stumbled to the source of it. Carefully pushing the bathroom door open, she immideatly sobered up from her previous slumber, when she saw your wide, curious eyes stare back at her.

"Ah... yeah... I remember now." She muttered in disbelief whilst leaning against the doorway. You were actually real... so she wasn't going crazy AND she wasn't dreaming? She couldn't find any relief in even that now.

"... Good morning. Are you feeling any better?" She asked, as she cautiously approached you, hoping to not scare you that way. Her eyes looked over the bandages on your tail and was quick to change it for new ones, whilst you let her with a tilt of your head. At least you weren't scared anymore, she figured with a sigh once she was done.

A grumble suddenly escaped from your stomach however, and you didn't need to use words to tell her that you were hungry... but once again, she had to wonder what you could even eat. "Wait here, okay?" That felt silly to say, she realised whilst she made her way to the kitchen. It's not like you could... walk out of here.

Opening her freezer and fridge, she began scouring for something you could potentially eat. A couple frozen fish and some fruits and vegetables she cut up for you. She went off of assumptions alone with this, hoping your diet wasn't any different from a normal humans at least. And when she presented her options to you, she luckily seemed to be in the right, as you happily ate away, leaving her hunched over on the stool, watching you.

Your chirping indicated that you were satisfied. That was good to know. But... what now? Wait until the injury was fully healed? No... she definitely needed to call someone for help with you... and yet who would be suitab for it? She was unsure and decided to think about it later.

For now, she decided to ponder of more simple things. Things that may seem insignificant and yet... it humanized you in her mind easier. "Do you have a name?" She asked, although she knew you couldn't really answer her even if you did have one. "... My name is Clorinde." She continued, yet sighed as you tilted your head at her. Talking to you was pointless and yet she couldn't help it. Shaking her head, she was about to get up and leave, when she heard your soft voice speak up next to her.

"Cl... Clor..." Sitting up in surprise, she watched your confused face attempt to pronounce her name "Clori...nnnn...de? Clor... inde?" Not exactly. But it was still fascinating to hear. You were able to speak after all, albeit with extreme difficulty. Speaking and speaking however and you were just attempting to say her name. "... Yeah, Clorinde. My name is Clorinde." She repeated, the ghost of a smile on her lips. You grinned widely, a happy chirp leaving you in triumph as you continued to eat as though nothing happened. As if you hadn't just achieved something she didn't think you ever could.

The day was getting weirder and weirder to say the least.

But there was still one thing she had to do, before she got ready to go and call one of her friends for help. Clorinde was determined to give you a name at least.

"... I guess (Y/N) will do for now."

When you gave her another happy chirp and grin, she considered that task completed successfully.

And now onto the next... She truly could never have a peaceful day off now could she...?

[hunters-vigil]

heyoooo i know you put out a ”Her Champion” episode recently but i was wondering what your upload shedule was for that series? ik it probably doesnt have one rn n that the ther series is probably your priority but just curious?

hello there! oooh good question! Sorry it took me so long to answer.

Well... i find the 'Her Champion' series a little harder to write since I didn't pull for Kinich and have struggled to write his character (and he's kinda a key character in the series) but my upload schedule usually consists of: 1) when i have a chapter that I like and can upload, 2) the chapter i'm uploading isn't the final one (so to avoid more burnout), and 3) when i'm not exhausted and having joint pain💀 which isn't helpful at all but the entire reason that 'The Archon's Baby' has been posted more is that I found it easier to write and wrote more for it.

However, I do have at least one unposted chapter of 'Her Champion' that I'll look over to post hopefully soon! Thank you for your enquiry anon!

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sorry for the vagueness! i love mavuika and i've been really wanting to talk about her with fellow fans but i've been struggling to find them haha. no worries if you're not comfortable with that though.

sorry I needed the clarity😅 but we can talk if you want (and you're not a minor, I'm 24 so...). Either way, I also love Mavuika too, and I'm nervous rn because they've just replaced Kinich's English VA and I know some characters/English VA's are safe, but... *fear*

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would you be okay with someone dming you to talk about mavuika?

if that someone is not a minor (my age is in my bio), and isn't just going to hate on mavuika, maybe. i'm a little awkward so to save you from my awkwardness: alternate options include sending anon messages or commenting as a guest on my ao3 stories, i'm a bit more interactive there too (I ramble a lot on ao3 compared to on tumblr tbh - find ao3 here).

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Her Champion - Mavuika x Kinich's older sister!Reader - Part Five

First Part Previous Part Next Parts on Ao3

request: do you think maybe you can do another one which talks about how the reader is Kinich’s older sister and having an affair with Mavuika?

Warnings: mentions of death and Ajaw taking Kinich's body like a skin when he dies, mentions of past fighting. R is written to be not interested in men~ R is not kind to herself. Swearing too.

Fic under the cut, don't repost my stuff on other platforms, i have ao3 which my fics are also available on (and I'm way more expressive there). AO3 here.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"What's wrong?" Kinich found you sitting near the growing sweetflowers, which had been flattened by you tackling Chasca into the ground. Another thing you needed to make right…

"Where can I find Chasca?"

"Are you going to tackle her again and flatten more of our crops? Maybe don't aim for the berries, neither of us will hear the end of it from Ajaw." Kinich deadpanned, watching your face melt into disgust.

"That almighty headache gives me enough shit as it is, and he plans on using your dead body as a skin- you're not allowed to die before me, you hear me?"

"Tell that to our enemies." Kinich huffed, "Chasca is a peacekeeper from the Flower-Feather Clan, you've fought besides her before, but I know you get tunnel vision while fighting against the abyss."

"Right… don't wait up for me." You declared, Kinich nodding as he headed out in the other direction.

Your destination was Quahuacan Cliff, while Kinich headed in the direction of Toyac Springs. Probably for a job for Mualani or something.

///

It was a long walk, especially when you wanted to avoid the stadium, and any sound of an engine revving nearby. Mavuika would need to wait, you needed to make things right with Chasca first. That was the order. Chasca and then Mavuika.

The first person you came across on your path stared at you with an expression you couldn't quite figure out. Luckily for them, they lowered their weapon after you raised yours, staring them down as their eyes landed on your cryo vision.

Avoiding the Masters of the Night-Wind like a plague, you kept heading towards the north until you began to spot hot air balloons in the distance. Qucusaurs flew overhead with their riders eyeing you carefully as you made your way towards their tribe. Glancing up at them, you let your weapon fade into sparkles and disappear… getting into a fight was probably the last thing you needed, even if it drew Chasca out, it's more people to make things even with after.

The bright blue sky was always a familiar sight, qucusaurs continuing to fly about as you glanced up, taking caution in case of that flying gun appearing above your head again…

You usually avoided the tribes unless you really had to go, usually it just meant trying to find Kinich or looking for Xilonen for your weapon repair, but you hadn't done that for a while… you probably should go to the Children of Echoes soon-

"Hi, can I help you with something?" someone called out, having been watching you observing her tribe for a while now, "You're from the Scions of the Canopy, right? I'm Chuychu, are you sick? I don't see any saurians with you for Ifa-"

"Chasca." You cut to the chase, watching as the girl let out a sigh, rolling her eyes.

"Ugh, what did my sister do now?"

"Your sister? She didn't do anything, it was my fault." You stated but the green-eyed girl didn't seem to believe you.

"Can I ask what happened exactly?"

"I'm…" a sigh escaped your lips, "Kinich's sister. Chasca turned up on her flying gun, looking for him at our home, I… felt threatened, and the end result was her being tackled into the plot of growing sweetflowers in our garden."

"You tackled my sister into- but you're not injured?"

"She let me, there was no hostility in her eyes. Even when…" you shivered, ignoring Chuychu's stare as you looked to the side, "is Chasca around? I need to make it right, I owe her that."

"You don't owe me anything. You can consider us even." Chasca cut in, jumping down from wherever she had been eavesdropping on your conversation with her younger sister.

"No-" you began, but Chasca shook her head.

"The Archon came by and explained what happened. We're even, clean slate, don't worry about it."

"Why would the Archon-" Chuychu began, but you were staring at the floor with a frown on your face, your fists clenching and unclenching as you let out a cold breath.

"Uh-"

"I apologise for my hostility and my poor reaction to your arrival at my home when trying to find my brother. It will not happen again. I can only hope that you can forgive me. I will now take my leave." You sounded almost robotic, Chuychu glancing at Chasca when she heard the weirdness of your tone. Her sister only raised an eyebrow however, shaking her head with a sigh. You were a strange one.

"Farewell, Chasca. Chuychu, nice to meet you." You nodded to each of them before turning on your heel and walking away.

"Did she forget we've met before?" Chuychu whispered to her sister, who huffed quietly.

"It seems so, and it confirms what the Archon said." Chasca brushed it off, deciding to walk away again, much to Chuychu's confusion.

"You really not going to tell me what the Archon told you?"

///

Mavuika spoke to Chasca. Mavuika spoke to Chasca before you could make it right. Now everything feels weird. It's not like you can talk to Kinich about it either, he's busy doing whatever he does. He's with his friends.

You don't have those. You haven't had those since before-

Just thinking about your parents puts a sour taste in your mouth, shaking your head as if it would shake the thoughts from your mind. Now what? How could you face Mavuika after all of this?

Running your hands down your face, you tried to wipe the image of Mavuika's face from your mind. Why was she haunting your thoughts too much?

[hunters-vigil]

The Archon's Baby - Chapter 25 - You Never Know Who Is Listening.

First Chapter Previous Chapter future chapters on ao3 here

Warnings: pregnant!reader, pregnancy symptoms, mention of dead bodies, brief derogratory language.

Fic under the cut, don't repost my stuff on other platforms, i have ao3. Reader is not the traveller. Reader's adoptive sisters are Chasca and Chuychu.

"Oh hey, it's you! How are you doing with... everything?" Paimon floated over with a grin, quickly correcting herself from asking about your pregnancy in public, directly anyway. Although your bump wasn't exactly easy to hide anymore...

"We're okay, how have you two been? I met Nepecha by the way, thank you for all you did in saving her with Xilonen. " You asked, giving the Traveller a grateful look as they'd given Paimon a deadpan expression to watch her words, "oh... also something about aphids, Xilonen mentioned that too?"

"We're okay, we're just preparing to head to Sumeru! It's Nahida, Lesser Lord Kusanali's birthday, so we're going to help with the Sabzeruz Festival and celebrate with everyone!" Paimon explained, gesturing to the supplies that the two had been buying in the stadium.

"Ah, that's the festival with the carriage and sweets are thrown, right? How about you two take some of this for the Dendro Archon, you probably have loads in your bag already, but this chocolate tastes really good, and if Kusanali has a sweet tooth, I think she'll like it." You led the two over to a stall, ignoring what was on display in favour of talking to the owner, who nodded and revealed the specific chocolates from nearby.

"Wait, Paimon has never seen these ones before!" Paimon's eyes glowed as you passed the chocolates to the Traveller, passing the stall owner some mora before they could.

"They're really good, I've been craving a lot so I've cornered the market down here on it all, there's some stuff from other nations here too, but not a lot-"

"We'll bring you back some candies from Sumeru as a thank you." The Traveller beamed, tucking the chocolates away into their bag before Paimon could eat them, much to her pouting.

"Paimon, Golden Outlander, here." You held out two chocolates, one for each of them.

"Ooh so yummy! Wait, Paimon wants to know why you call the Traveller that, you never call them Traveller?" Paimon ate the chocolate quickly, floating closer to you as you hummed.

"Because I think people should be calling you by your name, not that moniker. Although you don't always respond to the name you've given people either... it's whatever, probably safer for you with how Celestia can be. You two travel safely to Sumeru okay?" you smiled softly, ignoring the confusion on Paimon's face and the relief on the Golden Outlander's, who smiled back at you, waving as the two headed out of the stadium, and soon, out of Natlan.

///

It had been a week of rebuilding, with the Traveller and Paimon out of the picture recovering and enjoying the Sabzerus Festival. Mavuika was all over the place, hoping on Flamestrider as she went to check on each individual tribe's recovery. The losses were piling up, while Kinich was trying to help identify bodies, you were trying to coordinate the supply shipments from the stadium, but you were struggling.

"You think because you're allegedly having the Archon's baby that you can take charge here?"

Your eyes widened at the insinuation, holding onto the clipboard you'd been reading to try figure out what supplies were to be sent where.

"What in the abyss are you trying to suggest?" you glared, folding your arms at the man, clipboard by your side. It was one of the two who spoke blasphemy about Kachina and Mavuika during the last Pilgrimmage.

"Oh please, why would a God ever have a baby with you? You're not even a warrior. You're just a whore that the Archon took pity on." His name didn't matter to you, his words shouldn't matter either, but instead, your breath hitched, frozen in place as everyone around you went eerily quiet.

"Archon?" his voice trembled, the God of War's stare laced with ice and solemnity. Her heels were the only thing heard as she walked over, not saying a word as the man trembled. "Archon, I, uh..."

Forcing his gaze away from the intensity of Haborym's, he looked at you, before he ran, leaving everyone to stare as Mavuika's gaze followed him out of sight.

"Is that really how people see me-" you began to question, your eyes glassing over with tears, but a loud thud caught your attention. Turning on your heel to hurry towards the sound, Mavuika gently placed her hand on her shoulder to stop you.

"That isn't worth your attention." Her cold stare was long gone, but her professionalism lingered as she took the clipboard from your hands, glancing over it, "Iansan has volunteered a caravan to transport these supplies. You organised everyone here well, despite his insults."

A shaky sigh escaped your lips, wishing Mavuika could do more than stand by you in this moment, but being able to bask in the presence of Natlan's undying sun, the love of your life, was enough. You needed to get used to not relying on Mavuika, especially after her impending death.

"I'm sorry..." your gaze remained on the floor, looking over your bump as Mavuika and yourself headed back to the Speaker's Chamber.

"Why are you apologising? You were the one who was insulted."

"But, his words weren't entirely wrong. You're an Archon, and as much as I emphasise you are more than that, everyone else sees you as the Pyro Archon, the God of War. Not the God of Love or Marriage, so getting tangled up with me- I was barely a warrior before, I'm someone who never even participated in the Pilgrimmage because I didn't want to ruin Chasca's winning streak by being on her team... and I- I never wanted to distract you and ruin your 500 year goal to end this millenia long war, Mavuika." Turning on your heel, you were about to walk out, hoping that a supply caravan would be heading towards your tribe so you could give Mavuika space.

"You could never ruin it. As the Archon, I'm great at problem-solving, but often, people just want companionship. I wasn't able to provide this for anyone when I returned, but you provided it to me in a way that felt warm, a kindred spirit of fire, who loves to explore and find out everything. I know you were caught sneaking to Ochkanatlan multiple times, and I know how much you care, for me, the plan, for Natlan. You gave me more than enough motivation to complete my plan, by giving me a close connection in this time... something I didn't have 500 years ago. I may have been your first love, but you are mine too..." Mavuika's face burned at that reminder, watching as you turned around to listen.

You had not believed her about that confession, at first. She could have anyone in Natlan that she wanted after all. Mavuika knew how to kiss better than you did, but the way she froze up, hair lighting up and her jaw hanging open the first time the two of you were intimate... it was like Mavuika had always put her duty to her nation before her own needs, until that moment anyway.

"I told you before, I regret nothing we have done, I will always love you, even in death. I will always love our children too. Please let them know that-" Mavuika was cut off as you frowned, your hand immediately going to your bump as your Archon froze in fear, "are you alright? Is it the twins?"

"Give me your hand." You removed her glove carefully, bringing her bare hand over your bump to feel what you just felt. Mavuika's eyes widened at the feeling, the movement of one of the twins felt beneath her palm, "they're kicking... I spoke to my ma-mother before, she said that I'd feel them moving but this, they're kicking, Mavuika. I think they heard you." Mavuika removed her other glove with her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears as you brought her other hand to where you were guessing the other twin was kicking too, hoping it was them and not the other foot of twin A.

"They, they can hear me?" to anyone else, Mavuika would sound uncharacteristically shy, but you knew sides to her that she kept hidden because of the war. Mavuika pushed away any ideas of love, companionship, because it didn't matter if the war was still going... but now? Mavuika's sun eyes were glassy, almost glowing with emotion as she let out a breath.

"They can hear you, hear their mother." You moved your hand, reaching up to cup her cheek. There was no option to hide her emotion with her sunglasses this time.

"I love you," Mavuika closed her eyes momentarily, leaning into your touch, before shifting and dropping to her knees, "I love you two too," she spoke directly to your bump, not seeing how you flustered at her on her knees in front of you. She was too distracted by grinning goofily at your bump, how the twins were kicking her palms through your belly.

You were lucky nobody was about to walk into the Speaker's Chamber and witness this... Chasca would probably tackle Mavuika, and neither you or Chuychu could physically stop her now.

///

"Hey, can we talk?" Chasca knocked on the door to the Speaker's Chamber, getting no response as she headed inside, looking for who she was after. The staff had told her you and Mavuika were there but, was anyone around?

[hunters-vigil]

Happy Birthday Xilonen

Summary: heading to the Children of Echoes to deliver a birthday gift, you run into more than you bargained for. Set after Natlan's Archon Quest + Yae Miko's story quest.

Fic under the cut, don't repost my stuff on other platforms, i have ao3. Reader is not the traveller.

You hear them before Xilonen's workshop is even in view, heading down the steps into the Children of Echoes with a little bounce in your step.

"Xilonen? Are you here?"

"I really hope you're not trying to sneak forging commissions in with your birthday wishes." You raised an eyebrow, spotting Nepecha watching through a gap in the window.

"Wha- uh, we were just hoping to wish Xilonen a happy birthday." The attempted-forging comissioner froze up at the sight of you.

"Xilonen's long gone by now. Probably gone to take a birthday nap up a tree somewhere. She deserves a relaxing day without having to think about forging comissions piling up, don't you think?" folding your arms, you waited for them to challenge your statement.

Instead, they walked away with a reluctant nod, your gaze following them as they walked out of sight.

"Thanks for that, I appreciate it. There's no way I'm accepting any more orders today." Xilonen stated as she stepped out of where she had been hiding, letting out a tired yawn at the idea of any more forging comissions.

"Of course. It's your birthday. Wait, did you say any *more* orders today? Xilonen-" the blacksmith was quick to place a finger on your lips, quietening you immediately.

"I know, I know, it's just... I'll get them done, eventually. Ugh, some of them are just so exhausting, they never know what they really want..." Xilonen sighed, reminding you of why she came up with the comission forms in the first place.

"You should get away from here before anyone else turns up. Nepecha, you too." You softly smiled as Nepecha slipped out of her hiding spot, waving at you shyly as she took to her usual spot behind Xilonen.

"Hmm, yeah, probably should." Xilonen gently rested her hand on Nepecha's head, "so, what are you up to? Any plans for today? I thought you'd be in Inazuma or whatever, with the Traveller and Paimon."

"Fontaine, and no. I wanted to return to Natlan early and give you this, and I brought a little something from Inazuma for Nepecha too."

Xilonen raised an eyebrow as you pulled something from out of nowhere, revealing a gift bag for her.

"Happy birthday Xilonen. I hope you like it." Handing it over, you watched as she debated removing the colourful tissues, before looking up to meet your eyes.

"How about we go for a walk and I open this after?" Xilonen asked, grateful as you nodded and offered Nepecha her present.

"Thank you!" the young girl beamed as you explained that they were Inazuman sweet treats, nibbling on one of the tricolor dango carefully, her other hand holding Xilonen's as the three of you headed up the stairs out of the Children of Echoes.

Eventually the three of you settled on a spot away from prying eyes, Nepecha now sat with the soft toy resembling a pink kitsune in her arms. No doubt, if Yae Miko knew, her lightning would strike you down... however you also bought a copy of The Miraculous Adventures of the Traveler from her publishing house, so maybe she'll tone it down slightly.

"Where did you find this?" Xilonen quietly asked as she found the most important part of your gift to her.

A red crystalline stone, rich in iron, seemingly red through oxygenation, just holding it provides a strange warm relief that Xilonen can't place.

"A rare vein. Like the crimson agate of Dragonspine. Supposed to improve vitality, I guess. I read once that the Lavawalker made a circlet out of crimson agate, strong enough to withstand the heat of the Mare Jivari. So... make something out of it if you want, but keep it for yourself, please."

Xilonen's arm was warm as she wrapped it around your shoulder, pulling you into a side hug.

"Thank you." She whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head the moment you were distracted by Nepecha asking you a question about Mondstadt's dragon, Dvalin.

This would be a birthday she would never forget... despite her wish to forget Mavuika's antics, since the Archon and her friend, had been strangely away all day... ugh she'd probably find out later what Mavuika had been up to.

/// Descender R twist ///

Upon further inspection of the red stone you gave her, Xilonen's eyes widened, watching as it almost felt like it was beating in her hand, an unsettling feeling washing over her that reminded her of you, that feeling she got when she first met you, and how Citlali reacted to you, and the Traveller. Whatever you had done to this crimson agate, was something otherworldly, yet, it didn't seem like you had bad intentions for her. The look in your eyes was either heavily masked, or genuine... Xilonen could recall the look on your face when she had completed making your friend's ancient name. How you fawned over her, like she was made of glass...

You knew what price she had paid.

The price of some of her lifespan, to protect the ancient name as it grew...

And you gifted her it back without hesitation.

Just who were you, really?

[hunters-vigil]

Happy Birthday, Xilonen!

Phew! I managed to dodge my forging commissions for the day. Let's call it a little birthday perk.

And it's the perfect chance for me to show you a little something. The kind of music that'll set the crowd on fire, no phlogiston required—

Hmm? It's crumbling the Saurus Crackers in your pocket? Yeah, that's exactly the kinda beat I'm looking for.

C'mon, don't just stand there, come dance...

You don't know how? Just go with the flow, I'll take care of the rest. With me handling the music, I guarantee everyone's gonna have a great time.

Me? I'm as happy as I can be, as long as I don't have to work.

[hunters-vigil]

The Archon's Baby - Chapter 24 - Nepecha

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Warnings: pregnant!reader, discussion of pregnancy symptoms, spoilers for after Xilonen's tribal quest.

Fic under the cut, don't repost my stuff on other platforms, i have ao3. Reader is not the traveller. Reader's adoptive sisters are Chasca and Chuychu.

"Xilonen! The Archon's here to see you!" Pacal called out as he spotted Mavuika at Xilonen's workshop, while you took a seat to take a breather.

"Wha- I wasn't expecting you to respond to my letter by turning up today, wait, is- are you doing okay? Do you need anything?" Xilonen looked between her archon standing in front of her, and you, sat at the side, resting.

"I'm fine, just taking a minute, we tried to take a smoother route but it was longer... We would have been here sooner but, it's safer if I'm not on the back of Flamestrider, or squeezing myself on the back I should say. Mavuika wanted to borrow a cart to pull me on since she started worrying about my joints, ugh, embarrassing. I was able to walk far better before..." you side-eyed Mavuika who cleared her throat, heat rising to her face at your smirk.

"Okay... well, whatever is about to come out of your mouth needs to be child friendly." Xilonen cut in, confusing you both as she moved her arm, revealing a small girl hiding behind her.

"Did you and Chasca-" you began, but Xilonen shushed you with a look that led you to fall quiet.

"This is Nepecha. I'm looking after her after some events happened within the tribe, you're probably already aware. Nepecha, these are my friends, Mavuika, and her girlfriend..." Xilonen introduced you both, gently kneading at the girl's ears to calm her. The young girl's eyes trailing from Mavuika, to you, and then your bump, before hiding behind Xilonen again.

"Hi Nepecha, it's nice to meet you." Mavuika crouched down to her level, but Nepecha continued to hide, muttering something into Xilonen's leg.

"You're the Archon."

"I am, but I'm also Xilonen's friend, and I'd like to be your friend too, if that's okay?" Mavuika quietly asked, turning her head as she realised Nepecha was looking over her shoulder, at you.

"You okay?" Xilonen frowned as she followed the other two's gaze.

"Just warm. I'll be okay." You nodded, smiling gratefully as Xilonen disappeared to get you a bottle of water, Nepecha following her.

Mavuika looked at you worriedly, shuffling over a stool so you could put your feet up, "did I push you too far by having us walk here instead of finding a travelling caravan?"

"I'm seventeen weeks pregnant, babe. These symptoms are only going to get worse later on, but the morning sickness is gone, and I'm kind of hungry."

"It is close to dinner time." Mavuika acknowledged, turning her head as Nepecha appeared, holding out the bottle of water for you.

"Thank you, Nepecha." You smiled, taking a sip as a sigh of relief escaped your lips.

Xilonen lingered as Nepecha stood near you two, avoiding looking at you both as she played with her hands, "Nepecha wanted to ask you something, while I go sort some food, hmm, Mavuika, can you come help me with that? I need advice on what pregnant people can eat..."

"Oh?" you raised an eyebrow, "Nepecha, are you okay with hanging out with me for a bit?" the young girl looked up to meet your eyes, before they lingered on your bump again.

"Are you wondering what's going on with my belly?" you figured out, your eyes widening as Mavuika and Xilonen headed to order food from nearby, leaving you to hope you didn't have to explain in any detail.

"Um so..." you began, taking another sip of water to try calm down, while Nepecha took a seat near you, "so remember when Xilonen said I'm Mavuika's girlfriend? Well... when two adults love each other a lot romantically, sometimes a blessing is given to them, and that blessing results in a baby. In my case, I have two babies growing in my belly. Twins."

Nepecha nodded along, not saying much as you continued to sip the water, eventually finishing it.

"They're both about the size of a pomegranate at the moment."

"How big is a pomegranate?" Nepecha looked confusedly at you, watching you blink at her, thinking of a reply.

"Uhh, why don't you go ask Xilonen if she has any pomegranates in her kitchen?" you suggested, the girl leaving with a nod. "Oh, archons, I have no idea how to talk to children..."

"You seemed to do quite well there."

Turning your head, you pouted to acknowledge who had overheard you muttering to yourself.

"I left Xilonen to explain pomegranates to Nepecha. You should have seen the look on her face when she asked, and the look on Nepecha's face when she saw the fruits." Mavuika chuckled as she explained herself, grabbing a stool to sit next to you.

"I panicked, I was trying to avoid scaring her with one of those talks." You huffed, but your frustration faded as your lover reached over, taking your hand in hers, her thumb drawing patterns on your knuckles, "do you think..."

Mavuika quirked a bow, waiting for you to finish.

"Do you think we could work on something when we get back? The Traveller may or may have not have brought it from Liyue to give to you. I asked a while ago, they came back with it so fast that for a moment, I thought they teleported across nations." You explained, Mavuika's eyes lighting up in intrigue at the mention of something new from Liyue that you had asked the Traveller to bring.

"And what is this something that you asked the Traveller to bring?" Mavuika's voice laced with amusement, leaning closer to try to fluster you.

"It's a limited edition new version of that chess game that I'm hoping won't be rated poorly by you. But, if you want to try play against yourself, our favourite golden outlander brought me a copy of some folklore about Chenyu Vale too, so while you look hot focussing on your game, I can read a new book and appreciate you."

"I look hot focussing on games?" the knowing look in Mavuika's eyes had you rolling yours.

"You look hot all the time, and not just because you're the Pyro Archon..." you trailed off as Xilonen and Nepecha returned with the food order, getting distracted by the food as you were reminded of your hunger. You didn't see how Mavuika's hair fluttered with flames for a second, your words flustering her.

///

"Has Chasca met her yet?" you quietly asked, brushing a piece of Nepecha's hair behind her ear as she slept, resting against Xilonen's side, almost in her lap. Dinner had been a little while ago, leaving the young girl to grow tired and find refuge in her guardian.

"Hm, she came by earlier, to get some adjustments on soulsniper, oh, and an update on the progress for Chuychu's prosthetic. Honestly, I thought your sisters would have told you about that," Xilonen quietly explained, her gaze on the sleeping child, while Mavuika's gaze shifted to you, holding you a little closer in her lap, much to your argument that she'd be uncomfortable. "I'm looking into her family records in the tribe, she, um, doesn't remember anything from her past besides her name. But, her future is whatever she wants it to be."

"Well, she told me she wants to become a name engraver like you when she grows up." Mavuika smiled softly, teasing Xilonen, who immediately looked at you with a deadpan expression.

"Yeah, I can see why you two are made for each other." Xilonen huffed, if she could facepalm she would, "all this teasing is giving me a headache. How did nobody realise you two were dating sooner? Pff, you two weren't exactly, uh, hiding it."

You only hummed at that, deciding to avoid answering by turning to press your face into Mavuika's neck. Any and all answers you gave could be echoed to your sisters, and they already had enough reasons to chew Mavuika out.

"Gone shy now, have we?" Mavuika pressed her lips to your forehead, "A lot of the time we spent together was either at night undisturbed under the stars, or could be seen by others as her escorting me. Her thirst for knowledge and passion for recovering lost history led to investigating a lot of ruins and solving puzzles. Plus, she had some good insight into some budgets and rebuilding projects." She explained, her fingers drawing patterns on your skin, goosebumps dancing across the surface as you felt your face grow warm.

"However, the rest I would like to keep private, and I think my love would agree, based on how warm her face is against my neck-" Mavuika cut herself off with a squeak she hid as a cough, trying to ignore how you had pressed your lips against her neck in appreciation of what she had said.

"Hm, yeah, good idea. I'm going to put Nepecha to bed." Xilonen cradled the sleeping girl in her arms, taking her inside with a soft smile.

"As much as I enjoy talking with Xilonen, there is nothing I'd enjoy more right now than to hold you in my arms in our bed." Mavuika admitted, noticing you hiding a yawn behind your hand, and how you nodded in agreement.

That night was spent with you two tangled together, Mavuika inhaling your scent and keeping you close, while you held her as close as you could, despite the pillows to support your body. One of her hands laid on your bump protectively, the other resting on your side as your forehead rested near her clavicle. She would never forget these moments, even in the limited time she had left.