#dynamic luminance

[baeshijima]

u know what would be a cool genshin fic idea? isekai/transmigrated reader, but instead of appearing within the general timeline, you come into the genshin world 500 years prior to the start of the storyline in khaenri'ah.

honestly it could be either a little before the cataclysm, giving enough time to delve into some relationship building + explore some world building with characters like dainsleif, traveller's sibling (which would probably be lumine bc i actually do like her as abyss sibling & aether as traveller), and npcs like halfdan (still crying over him to this day ;w;) and possibly the khaenri'ahn royal guards (assuming you either join them or have a good enough relationship with them), OR it could be you appear during the crisis, completely and utterly lost as to why you were brought amidst the chaos and bloodshed as you watch everything you barely knew about this nation crumble before your very eyes.

either route will still result in reader's existential crises and constant "why am i here? just to suffer?" monologues because really, who would be fine after going through that after coming from /our/ world? and not to mention you've had to endure the next 500 years wandering with no real set path because you don't know this world— this era of teyvat or of genshin. you're merely stuck, unable to die, and forced to live a life of uncertainty with no clear direction for you to go to.

despite it all, you've at least been able to see dain during this course. while your meetings pass far too quickly for your lonesome, and his solemn demeanour is something you're yet to be accustomed to after having been with him before the fall of khaenri'ah (assuming it's the route where you appear before the cataclysm), you're glad to see a familiar face every now and then. after the messy departure with the lumine who left for the abyss order, you've come to appreciate his quiet presence more and more each time.

and then you decide it might be time to settle. you soon realise it's difficult to do so when your lifespan has become far more than that of a human's — of a mortal's — and so you find yourself becoming used to staying in one place for a few years before setting off for the next. rinse and repeat. over and over. it's come to a point where you've witnessed the nations undergo various changes each time you visit. you know change is inevitable, and yet your heart stings each time you witness it; a testament to how the world is ever-changing, yet you're stuck in place as a bystander.

one thing you're grateful for, however, are the bonds you've established amid your back-and-forth over the centuries. from archons like zhongli and venti to long-life beings such as neuvillette and the adepti to regular mortals who have showed you kindness as if one of their own... you've grown to cherish those memories, often reminiscing them when the nights get too long and surroundings too quiet. it was difficult at first, and still is, but you've become used to the inevitable change and the passing of those you once knew.

and after 500 years, you find yourself face-to-face with one you haven't seen since before you appeared in this world; the protagonist of this world, and the one you eventually join in hopes of finally finding a means to an end, aether.

little side notes/extras:

from /our/ world, you would probably know the storyline from up to around current (5.0) or maybe a little after the fontaine aq conclusion. it gives a lot to work with, but you definitely won't remember a lot of the lore after so long other than some main events, especially since most of your knowledge is pretty irrelevant for the next 500 years,,,

i think it would be cool if you had an inteyvat on your person as a little homage of khaenri'ah, which may or may not invoke some opinions from certain characters (*cough* aether immediately being reminded of lumine and having an existential crisis *cough*)

post-cataclysm you would go through a, uhm, long phase of helplessness, wondering why you were even brought to this world so far back if you couldn't even make any contributions. it does eventually morph into a resolution to do what you can to help those you come across if it's within your capabilities, but the nightmares and helplessness come back every now and then as a reminder for what you can't do :D yippee :D

honestly i'm on the fence whether you would have a vision or some other type of abilities (think on the similar lines of aether/lumine's and dain's), but i think having some type of purification mechanic would be a must in your arsenal !! would definitely lead to some moments between you and characters like dain or zhongli who suffer from the erosion as you give them a slight reprieve from what rages within and corrodes them

a little self indulgent, but i'd like to think your first /proper/ meeting with zhongli happens during a lantern rite festival, wherein you're admiring the lanterns in the sky after making a wish of your own and he comes up from behind with "they're beautiful, wouldn't you say so?" and !!

also as for love interests, as much as i would love for human/mortal characters, a part of me feels like this story would be better suited for the immortal/long-life characters as love interests?? idk i feel like considering that 500 years is, well, a long time, the bonds you would have with them compared to characters like, say, alhaitham or diluc would be way too different ?? though i would definitely still add them as love interest bc i am a sucker for so many of the human characters ;w; it would also add to the angst and hurt/comfort ahahha...

anyway thank you for reading this massive brain dump of a fic bc i absolutely would put this as a long term project, and if u made it this far then i would like to say that dain solos—

[starscr0ss]

they share 1 braincell

[spoiledmilks]

Sure he’s a powerful god but he becomes boyfailure in presence of lumine

[scifur]

[crows-of-buckets]

Thinking about ragbros and their direct parallel to the twins. The traveler who is widely considered a hero and spends their days protecting teyvat and their sibling who is leading the abyss who seeks to destroy that. Yeah that's a direct parallel to diluc being the protector of mondstat while kaeya is a descendant of the abyss orders founder. Like. Do you think after the traveler finds out about kaeya and Diluc's past they're just. Absolutely floored by how similar they are? And hoyo wants us to be normal about this???

[generalsdiary]

LUMINE BRAIDS AETHER'S HAIR IT IS CANON

AND HE PUTS FLOWERS IN HER HAIR

[nocherrybombs]

It's Nice to Upgrade Every Now and Then

Paimon: Something about you feels off recently, but Paimon can't put her finger on it. Have you lost weight?

Lumine: When would I have had the opportunity to lose weight? We both eat our own body mass in sticky honey roast and fried radish balls every night.

Paimon: Oh yeah. Mmm, sticky honey roast... hey, wait, don't change the subject! There's definitely something weird going on with you!

Lumine: Sure. Whatever you say, Paimon. Let me know if you figure out what it is. I'll be over here sharpening my sword.

Paimon: See, that's what Paimon is talking about! Paimon has never seen you sharpen your sword before. Actually, now that Paimon thinks about it, your sword looks really different. What happened to it?

Lumine: Oh, this? It's a Prototype Rancour. I found a blueprint a while back, and since we're going to be in Natlan for a few more months I decided to commission the blacksmith to forge it for me.

Paimon: Prototype Rancour? We got that blueprint from the Adventurer's Guild four years ago. Why in the world did you wait until now to forge it?

Lumine: My other sword is perfectly serviceable, and I didn't want to spend the mora.

Paimon: Traveler, your other sword is a blunt chunk of scrap metal with a handle. Paimon thought you were only using it because you were uncomfortable with cutting things!

Lumine: Why would I be uncomfortable with cutting things?

Paimon: Paimon doesn't know, she thought that maybe it was a phobia or something! Does this mean that for the past four years, you've been using a worn-out dull blade to fight literal gods for no reason?!

Lumine: It's gotten us this far, hasn't it?

Paimon: Okay, that's true, but don't you think that fighting Dvalin... and Childe... and the Hypostases, the Regisvines, Osial, Beisht, Azhdaha, Apep, La Signora - wow, we really do fight a lot, don't we? - the Golden Wolflord, the Raiden Shogun, the Shouki no Kami, the All-Devouring Narwhal, the Knave, and all those hilichurls and abyss monsters would have been a lot easier if you were using a proper weapon?

Lumine: Hmm... yeah, probably. Oh well, can't do anything about it now.

Paimon: Paimon swears you're going to be the death of her, Traveler.

[aeroburning]

The Hunter Trio in Action

When writing this I tried to image the ‘Double Attack’ mechanic, but portray it narratively, while also blending in a hostage type scenario. I thought it turned out cool.

[aroacenezhaanddainsleif]

Dain: please send in literally anybody else for interrogating me. please.

Abyss Sibling, watching as Enjou explains the 5 different ways to conjugate one extremely obscure verb in the language of Byukuyakoku to Dain:

AS: no ♥️

[volivolition]

Out of curiosity, who do you headcanon of the skills for encyclopedia to be friends with? Of course I am an encyc and percy friendship truther but I'm very curious to hear yours 👀

YOU'RE SO REAL FOR THIS, i love ency-percy friendship <3 you also already have ency-logic buddies and i think they fit so well <33

ency's dynamic with many skills tends to be "talks a lot and [x]'' so it's mostly just who's willing to listen or talk back!! i feel as though many of the skills are relatively friendly to him, but he's not very popular by any means :0 some just don't have the patience for him unfortunately </3

💙 INTELLECTS

Logic considers him a close confidant, and the right hand man of the intellect squad (Logic obviously considers himself de facto leader of his sub-unit) he's a little wordy, but he gets the job done.

Rhetoric thinks conversations with him are riveting (<- good at backing up his facts!) they talk in a way that you'd think is disrupting to each other (constant rebuttals, footnotes, interrupting??), but to them, it's simply the optimal way of discussion for their purposes.

if you get them on the right topic (usually art history related), ency and Conceptualization can talk the entire day away together!

💜 PSYCHES

Volition considers him trustworthy (klaasje conversation quote:"VOLITION - You can trust Pillar-Bookhead, by the way. As far as I can tell, he's not singing to her tune… the *only* one besides me.") and would be very willing to listen to him talk!

Empathy is fond in his passion for his subjects, and gets carried away with him in his excitement when he infodumps!! this is literally the plot of their chapter in Swept Up hjgklj they are good friends (lovers, even. factsfeelings shippers where u at!!)

❤️ PHYSIQUES

ency and Electrochemistry can talk brain things together when echem's in that kind of mood!! they used to talk neurology and brain chemistry together a lot more, but conversations started dropping later on in life

on late nights, ency will find Shivers on the fringe of the headspace. ency will tell her fun facts he knows about the world, about revachol in specific usually. shivers is always delighted, to listen, to be known, to be loved. it's silly, because ency will factually explain an event that occurred, and shivers will nod and then proceed to poetically provide a first hand account of the same event, and ency will update his notes with rapt fascination. its really sweet.. <33

💛 MOTORICS

Hand/Eye Coordination is usually willing to hear him out, and he helps reorganize the headspace library when ency needs a hand (HEH.)

Perception, obviously :] they have a game they play, where Perception will state something it senses ("PERCEPTION (Sight) - You watch the traffic light flicker from yellow to red.") and points at Ency, and once Ency notices his cue, he immediately responds with a related fun fact ("ENCYCLOPEDIA - The standard duration of an average traffic light cycle can range between 60 and 120 seconds.") it's just a silly game on how fast they can do it, in the time between percy's detail and ency's fact :3 trivia speedrun!!!

Interfacing is aplatonic in my headcanons, but encyclopedia's kinda the only guy who can keep up with mechanical mumbo jumbo, so even if interfacing doesn't consider them friends, they still get along really well!! No one knows what they're fucking talking about. hjglkj

Composure is also a listener type!! i think at one point early on, ency was talking about something, paused, and went "…do you actually want to hear this? you look bored?" and composure went "No, no, I promise this is interesting, it's just that my resting face looks like this -> 😐 constantly. keep talking." and ency goes ":] ok!"

these are the skills i can justifiably reason a dynamic with ency!! though im sure there could be others <33 thank you for the ask cedar~!!! :D

[avemstella]

I want Furina and Venti interactions sooooo bad. They can gush about their dragons and music and overthrowing the heavens together.

[alchemania]

Snow White Dove, Blood Stained Wings.

(Or, the Traveler has a harrowing encounter which leaves her reeling.)

There is a shivering blob of white amongst the snow of Dragonspine, and as Lumine draws closer, jet black hair accented by hot pink stands out in sharp contrast.

Oh. That's a body.

“Hello?” the blonde called, kneeling down and ignoring how the cold bit into her legs. “Can you hear me?” No answer, so she shook the smaller person a little roughly, causing a pair of snow white wings to pop up and flitter rapidly as they jolted awake. Lumine screamed and leaned back, trying to avoid getting walloped in the face, and watched as the other person hissed and grabbed their right wing- now that the Traveler looked closer, it was moving oddly …was it broken? “Here, let me help you up. There's a church down in the city,” and strong hands lift the other person out of the snow - now that she can see the face, it seems to be another young lady, and her cheeks and nose are rosy from the chill.

“..thank you,” the girl manages, leaning all her weight on the Traveler. “You are too kind..”

It doesn't take too long to get to the church, taking the teleporters. The petite young lady is tucked into a bed and told to rest, and after ensuring she'll be alright, Lumine makes way to go.

“..it seems the rumors were true, you really will help just about anyone.. I wonder if one day, that will be your downfall..”

Lumine stopped in her tracks, looking to the inhabitant in the bed in her peripheral vision. She looked so small, the blankets covering her up about to her chin, but the room suddenly felt very, veryyyyy cold.

“..what do you mean by that,” she hears herself say, by some miracle.

“Oh…don't pay me any attention,” the raven haired girl placated, waving a hand weakly. “Simply thinking aloud..”.

“..who are you,” Lumine demanded, turning fully around to face the bed as her expression hardened.

“Does that matter..? Would you have left me alone on that mountain to die if you didn't like the answer?”

Silence.

“.. I don't mean you any harm, Traveler, or the people of Mondstadt, if that's what you're worried about," was the quiet reply after a long moment. "I swear it. But I'm aware you do not like the people I work with very much, and so I deemed it best to keep my mouth shut until you offered me assistance.”

“The folks you work with,” Lumine repeated almost dumbly, looking more and more rattled by the moment.

“You got one of my coworkers killed back in Inazuma. Does that ring any bells???”

Lumine can't breathe.

“You're a Harbinger?”

Rapidly, she goes down the list in her mind. Signora was dead, and she'd already met Arlecchino, so this had to be either Sandrone or Columbina.

“Which one?” she barely manages.

“The Damsel,” the girl replies easily, eyes finally opening - they're a beautiful magenta, almost mesmerizing. “Nice to meet you, Traveler. You don't have to be afraid. Like I said, I have no desire to harm you, or anyone here. It's a little disheartening to think you may have simply abandoned me if you knew who I was beforehand….. but at least that's not what happened, no? I don't know why you're so flustered, Master Childe speaks so highly of you -”

“He's NOT my friend!”

There go the wings again, slightly.

“.. we're not all horrible people, you know. Not all of us had a choice in this.”

Lumine thinks of the twins, and Freminet.

Columbina looks sad now, genuinely so.

“...Why can't you understand that?”

“Well, sorry for being a little on edge, considering some of your coworkers have tried to KILL me -”

“But I'm not them. I already said I have no interest in harming you. Do you think that I'm lying?”

Silence, painful.

“Perhaps if you stopped looking at us through your black and white lens, you'll see that we, and you, are much closer to grey than you'd like to admit -”

The door slams, the sound resounding. Lumine is gone.

Columbina closes her eyes, sighing.

“...well. You can't fault a girl for trying.”

She steeples her hands over her chest then, expression thoughtful. “The heart that forever bleeds will one day cease to beat. . I wonder if she will realize that before it's too late. I surely hope so.”

And the Harbinger slept.

[siomaoart]

no hesitation?

[glacialswordsman]

[i-woke-up-at-4am-for-this]

The Flames of Forgotten Bonds

Summary: Ororon always felt out of place in Natlan, as though he lacked the sense of purpose everyone around him seemed to have. But when he meets Capitano and joins him in the fight to save Natlan from the Abyss, a new path unfolds before him. Though the Pyro Archon’s plan ultimately saved the nation, for now, something deeper is stirring within Ororon. He begins to question the truth about his past, the identity of the parents who supposedly abandoned him when he was too young to survive on his own. Could there be more to the story than what he's been told?

Ao3 link

Prologue

Chapter 1: Embers in the Wind

⚠️ Warning ⚠️ Contains 5.1 Archon Quest Spoilers!!

Ororon lived a quiet life, far removed from the bustling tribal lands of Natlan. His humble farm sat on the outskirts, nestled between jagged cliffs and scorched plains. 

Tending to vegetables and caring for stray animals was how he passed the days, his seclusion comforting in a world that had once cast him aside.

Ororon, a member of the Masters of the Night-Wind, wasn’t like the others. Though part of the tribe, he had always felt like an outsider, his soul marked by a curse they feared, something broken that only he carried.

His memories of childhood were fragmented. He knew little of his parents, only that they had abandoned him when he was very young. Ororon had been raised by the tribe, but they never truly welcomed him—just tolerated him. 

It was a life of survival, not connection, and it wasn’t until the chaos of the Abyss war descended upon Natlan that everything changed.

That day remained vivid in his mind, like an ember burning in the wind, threatening to catch fire.

It had all started with the war, the Abyss tearing through Natlan’s heart. Flames engulfed entire villages, devouring homes and lives. The Pyro Archon, Mavuika, fought valiantly alongside her people. It wasn’t just her—every tribe member, the Traveler, even the Saurians fought side by side, trying to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves.  But it wasn’t enough. The Abyss forces were relentless, and Natlan was on the verge of collapse. That’s when��they arrived—the Fatui.

Under the command of the First Harbinger, Capitano, the Fatui intervened. For the first time, they weren’t seen as enemies, but as saviors. Their sheer power turned the tide, pushing back the Abyss forces and saving Natlan from total destruction. Capitano led the charge. His every movement commanded respect, even from those who despised the Fatui.

For most, Capitano was a symbol of mystery and fear, his origins unknown, his intentions unclear. But not for Ororon. There was something familiar about the Harbinger that he couldn’t shake. 

It wasn’t just that Capitano had saved Natlan—it was deeper, something unspoken that tugged at Ororon’s soul.

Even now, as Ororon worked the soil, the memories played over in his mind. He had witnessed the battle between Mavuika and Capitano firsthand. Hidden in the shadows, no one had noticed his presence in the stadium. 

The two clashed with the ferocity of gods, their weapons colliding in a storm of fire and steel. Mavuika's claymore blazed with her elemental might, while Capitano's sword danced with precision and unyielding strength. The fight had been a spectacle, but it was the final blow that had shaken Ororon to his core.

The Pyro Archon and the Captain had drawn their fists, unleashing a punch that sent shockwaves across the battlefield. The ground trembled, and the force of their strike triggered an explosion that nearly tore the stadium apart. Amid the chaos, Capitano had fallen to his knees, his chest aflame. Ororon could see it—the Harbinger, once so untouchable, was burning.

Without thinking, Ororon had acted. Before the dust could settle, before Mavuika could deliver the final blow, Ororon rushed into the smoke. He wasn’t sure why—perhaps it was his long-held dream of becoming a hero for Natlan. Or perhaps, it was something else entirely. All he knew was that in that moment, he had to save Capitano.

That day changed everything. The Captain had survived, thanks to Ororon’s intervention, but the questions in Ororon’s heart remained unanswered. Why had he risked his life to save a Fatui? Was it truly out of his desire to protect Natlan, or was there something more to his connection with Capitano?

Ororon shook his head, trying to focus on the task at hand, yet the doubt gnawed at him. Capitano was an enigma—stronger than anyone Ororon had ever encountered, yet there was a softness in his actions that didn’t match the ruthless reputation of the Fatui. Even Mavuika, who had once fought Capitano as if they were mortal enemies, had grown to respect him after the Abyss war.

Ororon’s uncertainty lingered, gnawing at him like a persistent shadow. Capitano’s true motivations were still a mystery. Did he help Natlan out of mere duty as a Fatui Harbinger, or was there something more hidden beneath the surface? 

Ororon couldn’t shake the feeling that Capitano’s arrival in Natlan wasn’t just a coincidence. There was always more to the Fatui than met the eye, and Ororon couldn’t help but wonder if this was another one of their intricate, unseen schemes.

The wind stirred gently, bringing with it the scent of the earth and the fading warmth of the day. Ororon’s eyes narrowed as he replayed every interaction with Capitano in his mind, searching for any overlooked detail, any clue that might unravel the puzzle. He clenched his fists lightly, feeling the rough dirt under his fingernails, grounding himself in the present.

The skies over Natlan were tinged with deep crimson as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the rugged terrain. Ororon stood outside his small, rustic house—a simple structure made of dark wood and stone—gazing out at the distant mountain range. 

His hands, still lightly caked with soil from tending to the small vegetable garden beside his home, now felt heavier with the weight of uncertainty. Though his surroundings were peaceful, his thoughts were caught in a storm of doubt, tangled in the recent events that refused to leave his mind.

The eerie quiet was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps. Lumine, the Traveler, and Paimon made their way up the dirt path leading to his house, the cool evening breeze fluttering their clothes. Paimon, as usual, was the first to speak, her chipper voice carrying over the gentle rustling of leaves.

"Hello, Ororon! We came here to visit you!" Paimon called out, waving energetically as they neared.

Ororon turned, his expression softening as he noticed them. "Oh, hello, you two. What brings you here?" he asked, wiping his hands on his trousers before offering a polite smile.

Lumine stepped forward, balancing a small bundle wrapped in cloth. "We just dropped by after visiting Citlali," she said, handing over the bundle. "She asked us to deliver these fish to you. She said you need to eat more after the big fight with the Abyss."

Paimon floated closer, nodding sagely. "Paimon thinks she could’ve brought them herself, but Paimon guesses she’s still mad at you, Ororon," she chimed in with a playful grin.

Ororon let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Oh, do not worry about that. I'll pay her a visit later. Thank you both for bringing these." He paused for a moment, glancing at the sky, which was now a deep orange. 

"You must be tired after all that's happened. Would you like to stay a while? I can offer some tea... and I’ve made a vegetable stew from the garden." He gestured toward the modest table inside the house. "It’s getting dark. You can rest here if you’d like."

Paimon’s eyes lit up immediately. "Stew? Paimon could use a break and some good food!" she exclaimed, already drifting toward the house in anticipation.

Lumine, on the other hand, gave Paimon a sideways glance but smiled softly at Ororon. "We probably do need to rest for a bit," she admitted. "It’s been a long day."

The inside of Ororon’s house was cozy, a single room adorned with simple furniture and various trinkets from Natlan. The stew was already bubbling gently over the fire, its savory aroma filling the air. They sat around the small wooden table, sharing a quiet meal, the tension of recent battles melting away in the warmth of the hearth.

As they ate, Paimon predictably devoured her portion in record time and soon curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Lumine couldn’t help but smile at the sight, but when she glanced back at Ororon, she noticed his gaze had drifted away, as if he were lost in another world entirely. 

His eyes were distant, unfocused, as he stared out the window at the encroaching night.

Lumine leaned forward, her voice soft. "Are you okay, Ororon?"

Ororon blinked, pulling himself out of his reverie. "Ah, I’m sorry," he said quietly. "I didn’t mean to zone out. Everything just... it came all at once."

He looked down at his hands, which were still resting on the table, his voice taking on a more reflective tone. "I’m grateful for my role in this fight, but..." He trailed off, searching for the right words. "There’s still something missing. I feel... incomplete."

Lumine’s gaze softened, sensing the weight behind his words. "I understand. It’s not easy feeling like there’s something unresolved."

Ororon hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I’ve been thinking... I overheard you speaking once about your brother," he said, looking up at her with curiosity. "Do you ever miss him?"

Lumine’s expression shifted, a small shadow passing over her face. "Every moment," she admitted quietly. "He’s the only one I have left."

Ororon seemed to ponder her words, his brow furrowing slightly. "It must be hard," he said softly. "To have someone so important to you, and to be separated from them."

"It is," Lumine replied. "But I keep moving forward, hoping that one day I’ll find him again." Her thoughts drifted momentarily to Aether, wondering where he was and what he was doing. She felt a mix of worry and hope, praying that he was safe, even if he might be walking a path that led him away from her. 

"I believe that, no matter how lost he may seem now, he will find his way back to the right path."

Ororon nodded, his gaze drifting once more. "I don’t have any memories of my parents," he confessed after a long pause. "The tribe says I was abandoned by them... and though the people here, and especially Granny, have taken care of me since I was a child, there’s always been a part of me that wonders who my parents were." He sighed, leaning back slightly in his chair. "What kind of people they were... why they left me behind."

Lumine stayed quiet for a moment, listening to him. She understood that kind of longing, the ache of not knowing, of wondering if the past held answers to questions that still haunted you. "Sometimes," she began thoughtfully, "the truth about the past can be painful, but it’s also what shapes us."

"Sometimes I wonder if they were even good people. If they cared about me at all. And then other times, I think maybe they had no choice... Maybe they did it to protect me." His eyes flickered with uncertainty. "But I’ll never know for sure, will I?"

Lumine gave a thoughtful hum, acknowledging his words. "Whatever the reason, you’re here now. And you’ve already made a difference."

Ororon looked at her, his expression softening slightly. "I appreciate that," he murmured. "But there’s still a part of me that feels like I need to find those answers. Like I can’t move forward without them."

"I get that," Lumine said with a small nod. "But you don’t have to face it alone, you know. You have people who care about you." She thought of Citlali, who might grumble and act as if she wanted to smack him every chance she got, but the truth was that her care for Ororon ran deep. "Citlali cares about you, even if she pretends otherwise. Don’t abandon her. You’re important to her, just like Aether is to me."

The corners of Ororon’s mouth turned up in a faint smile, though a lingering sadness remained in his eyes.

At that moment, Paimon stirred on the couch, muttering incoherently about food. "Mmm... chocolate cake…. with frosting…. and sprinkles…" she mumbled dreamily, eliciting a chuckle from both Ororon and Lumine.

Lumine leaned back, grinning. "See? Family isn’t just about blood. Look at Paimon. She may not be related to me, but I consider her part of my family, just as you are now to Citlali."

Ororon let out a soft laugh, the weight of their conversation momentarily lifted. "Maybe that’s true," he said, feeling the warmth of their companionship.

The quiet between them stretched out, the weight of their shared experiences settling in. Outside, the night had fully fallen, and the stars began to twinkle above the vast plains of Natlan.

"Thank you," Ororon said softly, breaking the silence. "For listening."

Lumine smiled warmly. "Anytime."

They both sat in the soft glow of the firelight, the quiet comfort of companionship filling the small house. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it the weight of untold stories and unanswered questions.

But for now, at least, there was peace.

[just-someone-online]

I'm having trouble fully articulating this (Which has been a very frustrating trend recently) but I sometimes think about how Hikari and Ha-chan would have interacted.