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renshukaku · 23 days ago

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Trade of Truths

CHARACTERS ✦ Wanderer x Reader

SYNOPSIS ✦ You’re top of your class, and he’s the infuriating rival who always sits too close. But when a dream from Lesser Lord Kusanali and a shared project lead you to Vanarana, quiet moments begin to say what words never could. In a world of logic and lectures, you’re both about to learn that some of the strongest connections are the ones never spoken aloud.

AUTHOR'S NOTES ✦ Requested by Anonymous! Thank you for being my first request. I tried my best to make this as fluffy as possible. I had so much fun writing the scene in Vanarana as well as what happened after!

CONTENT ✦ Akademiya!AU, Rivals-to-More, Wingmen!Aranara

You are one of Sumeru Akademiya's top students. Pumping out essays left and right, acing your classes, and impressing your seniors, you were every one of your juniors' role model.

"I wanna be like them one day, Armin!" you once heard a child say as you were taking a walk around the Akademiya's grounds.

"Tch, brats these days," you heard a voice before dismissing it. The guy wearing that ridiculously large hat probably said it, judging by the tone of his voice. You always recognized that voice everywhere, even if you didn't want to.

After a hearty meal from Lambad's Tavern, you decide to head to the Akademiya's library to finish your recent essay. While sleeping soundly amidst the quietness of the House of Daena, you received a peculiar message in the form of a dream from Lesser Lord Kusanali herself.

Wait, Lesser Lord Kusanali?

You scrunch your eyes as you take in the surreal dreamscape. You found yourself in a field of glowing Padisarahs under a twilight sky. Your eyes saw Nahida's small figure sat on a swing adorned with flowers, gently cuddling a chubby leaf-like creature in her arms.

"You can see them too," she said with a smile. You nodded immediately as you slowly took a step forward.

"Why did you... bring me here?" you asked as you took a seat on the fluffy grass. On cue, more leaf-like creatures appeared behind rocks and trees, staring at you with their beady eyes.

"Dreams are curious things, aren't they?" Nahida smiled at you as she let the leaf-like creature she was holding plop itself on your lap.

"They show us what we overlook while awake... like how someone's gaze lingers just a bit too long, or how their footsteps always seem to follow yours."

You tilt your head at your god's confusing words. You berate yourself for being such a smart student, yet dumb enough to understand her words. The leaf-life creature on your lap perks up and shakes, almost like it was giggling at what your god said.

"Blue Nara!" it hopped as your eyes widened at its words.

"What do you mean?" you ask with a small frown.

“You've noticed him too, haven't you? That boy who finds every excuse to sit beside you, even when there are empty seats all around.”

You feel your face heat up as your mind overthinks, "T-That guy with the large hat?"

No, that can't be. We're rivals!

“He’s been waiting for a reason. And maybe… you’ve been waiting for one too," she giggled as she tilts her head, Padisarahs gently glowing around her like stars.

"I heard there's a project in Vahumana. I'm sure it's a simple task, but even simple things bloom when shared with the right person. Why not ask him to join you? For the sake of 'academics,' of course," she smiled knowingly as she gazed at the green crystalflies surrounding the area.

"Time spent together, even under the guise of work… has a way of revealing the truth hidden between pages and glances," she whispered. Yet, you heard her. You clutch the leaf-like creature in your arms, and it let out a yelp.

"Go on. Walk beside him. Let the story write itself."

That wore the words you last heard as your dream faded with a gust of warm wind, carrying the faint scent of Sumeru Roses and the soft echo of your god's laughter.

"Okay, I got this," you whisper to yourself as a form of motivation. You clutch your books tighter as you caught the sight two Aranaras in your field of vision.

They were jumping fiercely in support of you, their leaf headdresses swaying gently with the wind. Althought they were incredibly scared of humans, they took their time to leave Vanarana and support you in your mission.

"Hey, Hat Guy!" you flinch as the guy you were planning to talk to suddenly got pulled into another conversation with Chandra.

"Did you return the books to their rightful places last night in the library? Sorry, you had to do it for me. Katayoun would berate me again. You were kinda loitering around and staring at—" he was cut off with Hat Guy harshly shushing him with a scowl.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Do whatever you want," he rolled his plum eyes as he dismissed his classmate. My brother in Buer, did he really have to out him like that? He wasn't totally staring at your sleeping figure while he was loitering around the House of Daena.

"Thanks again, Hat Guy!"

Do they never stop with that nickname? The Wanderer scowls at Chandra's retreating figure before peeking a glance at your direction.

Wait, are you looking at him?

Your eyes widened as you let out a small gasp, turning your head to the opposite direction to see people walking past you. Steeling yourself of your nerves, you turned your head to his direction once more. You saw him still staring at you with wide eyes.

"No way," he whispered to himself as he saw your figure walking towards his direction, clutching a book tightly to your chest.

"Hi," you smiled softly as a form of greeting. You've read in romance books from Fontaine that this is not how you greet your rivals! However, you're trying to be nice and forming a friendship with him doesn't sound so bad, minus that snarky attitude of his.

He stared at you, confusion swirling in his eyes. He felt heat surging through his body. If he thought even further, maybe he can hear the rattling of his heart.

You coughed into your fist as you felt heat rush to your cheeks, "Do you want to work together for Sage Prema's project? I heard from the others that you didn't have a partner yet, so I figured I'd ask you to be mine."

"Be mine?" he raised an eyebrow as a small smirk surfaced.

"I-I didn't mean it like that!" you spat out a flurry of reasons to which he laughed at.

"Suit yourself," he smirked as he crossed his hands over his chest. Maybe life at the Akademiya wouldn't be so bad. Well, he did say that when he sat beside you on the first day of classes, but whatever.

"Since we both have equal rankings in class, I'm sure Sage Prema would approve of our work the moment it hits her table," you giggled as you already planned out the topic of your research.

The Unspoken Language of Bonds: A Historical and Linguistic Study on Nonverbal Communication in Ancient Sumeru.

"It's perfect, right?" you smiled as you felt the lingering heat of the the setting sun caress your face.

He clicked his tongue, "If perfection includes squinting into the sun while scribbling notes, then sure. Truly idyllic."

But even as he said it, his eyes didn’t leave your face. "Still, I don’t mind this. With you," he whispered as he saw you write into a small notebook.

He swiped the notepad from your hands before you could say anything, pretending he hadn’t said it at all.

The light filtering through the canopy of leaves above was white and bright, dancing softly on the forest floor as you tugged at his sleeve.

"We've been writing for hours. Come on, let's take a little break. Vanarana’s not going to run away. I know you see them too," you giggled as you closed your notebook shut.

He looked at you with that usual stare of his, the one that always felt like it was two seconds away from a sigh.

"You call this a break?" he asked, glancing around the foliage. "We've just changed locations. You're still working."

You adjusted the strap of your satchel and gave him a sideways look, "Of course I am. The Aranara's communication methods are invaluable to our project."

He clicked his tongue, "You’re insufferable."

"No, I'm thorough. You're just annoyed I'm three pages ahead of you."

That shut him up. For now at least. But you caught the way he followed you anyway. He was one step behind, his hat tilted just enough to hide the small smile he tried to suppress.

The soft hum of Vanarana surrounded you. Its glowing leaves, the chittering Aranara, and the scent of dew-drenched moss clouded your surroundings. You both stood in the middle of a clearing, notebooks half-filled, when a small Aranara situated on a rock tugged at your sleeve.

"Nara curious, yes? Nara wants to learn about saying things without saying?" the Aranara tilted its head, leafy ears swaying as it held a permanent smile.

You nodded, "Mhm, for our research."

It clapped its tiny hands, "Then come! Join Trade of Truths! Very old game. You trade heart things. Not with words. With something real."

Your companion raised an eyebrow, "You dragged me all the way here for charades?"

"Not charades," the Aranara corrected seriously, its small arms crossed.

"Feelings are truths. Memory are thoughts. You give one. You get one. But no words, no lies," another one spoke up.

Despite himself, he followed. He thought to himself that he was intrigued, or maybe just bored enough to humor you.

You both sat close at opposite sides of a small clearing surrounded by water while the Aranara gathered around like tiny judges. One of them placed a flat stone slab between you.

"One thing from inside," it whispered. "Show it. Share it. Trade it."

You went first. You plucked a fallen flower near your side of the log—a beautiful Padisarah—and gently placed it on the stone. You smiled at him, then touched your chest lightly, then tapped the flower again. A simple gesture.

This reminds me of someone important.

His expression didn’t change much. He let out a scoff, but his gaze lingered.

Then it was his turn.

He hesitated. Then, without looking at you, he pulled a piece of chalk from his bag and drew something on the stone slab with short, swift strokes. When he finished, he pushed it toward the center and leaned back like it meant nothing.

You leaned in.

It was a sketch, crude but clear, of two stick figures sitting under a tree. One had hair like yours. The other wore a hat, slightly too big.

Your heart paused.

"It's just something I saw in a dream,” he said suddenly, unknowingly breaking the rules of the game. “Don't overthink it.”

One Aranara tutted, "Words are cheating, Hat Nara. But... we forgive. Because it's sweet. And because Pretty Nara likes it."

Another Aranara giggled, circling around him, "First time Hat Nara gives a truth. Lucky Nara, you are."

He swatted gently at them, grumbling. "This is stupid."

But when he glanced back at you, the usual edge in his gaze had dulled for just a moment. He didn't say anything, but his fingers lingered on the edge of the slab, where your flower had rested.

That evening, you sat back under the boughs of a tree in Vanarana, scribbling notes by starlight while he rested nearby. He had his eyes closed, pretending not to watch you from behind his large hat.

In your journal, you wrote:

The Aranara's "Trade of Truths" presents a fascinating example of symbolic emotional exchange. By removing verbal language, they foster honesty through actions, objects, and gestures. It is truly an ancient tradition that still reveals modern hearts.

And below that, in the margin—barely visible:

Earlier in the game... I think he meant me.

Your pen hovered over the paper, then froze as his voice broke the silence, "What’re you writing now?"

You flinched. The notebook snapped shut in your hands before you could stop yourself. He raised an eyebrow lazily, but his tone held no heat, "Must be something important if you’re guarding it like classified research."

"Just reflections," you said quickly, tucking the journal into your bag. "You're not the only one working on this project, dummy."

He smirked before sticking his tongue out, "I’m not the one looking suspicious, dummy"

You made a face and leaned forward to poke the fire with a stick, letting the sparks crackle upward. When you settled back, he was suddenly beside you. No comment, no warning. He was just there, close enough that his presence changed the air.

You blinked at him, surprised. Yet, he didn’t look at you. He just stared into the fire for a while before speaking.

"You’ve been nodding off for the past ten minutes," he said quietly, almost offhand. Then, without asking, he reached out and gently guided your head toward him. You stiffened as your cheek rested against his shoulder, your breath catching in your chest.

His hat sat abandoned nearby, for once out of the way. You could feel the quiet hum of energy beneath his skin. It wasn't warmth, not the body heat of a human's. However, his presence was steady and still.

You didn’t dare move. And he didn't either. And just beyond the reach of the firelight, hidden among the flowering bushes, tiny eyes gleamed in the dark.

Three Aranara peeked out, round and happy. One clutched a flower in both hands, holding it like a plush toy as they watched.

"They are... touching," one whispered with awe.

"Like in old stories. The soft kind. Not battle kind."

"Hat Nara never lets anyone near him. Not even the Lord of Verdure!" another added, eyes sparkling. "He lets them!"

"Shhh!" the third hissed. "Fire scary, but this... is better than fruit dream!"

They didn't dare come close, trembling slightly at the fire's edge. Yet, they didn't look away. You heard none of it—but he did.

His gaze flicked to the shadows where he knew they were hiding. He gave the faintest sigh. And though he didn't speak, you felt the barest shift of his head, just enough to rest it lightly against yours.

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