#interdarshan competition

[rouguang]

the more we see of haitham and kaveh the more obvious it is that haitham loves him deeply and just wants him to stop self-sabotaging. if only kaveh were able to see that his home is already full of love, but he just thinks of himself as pathetic and burdensome and can't see it. if he could see it and accept it, i think he wouldn't be running away, but there's a block of communication both because haitham is so blunt and bluntness makes kaveh feel worse ,since he doesn't want to confront hard questions, and also kaveh is too overcome by guilt he can't make decisions that benefit him and inconvenience others in the process, even when they want him to do it

[asteriusart]

A hell of my own design

[kirinfishace]

I love that this new event further solidifies Nahida as Wanderer’s new parent. Auntie behavior lmao

[empyrangel]

Finally got around to doing the new event and I gotta say it’s pretty good. Have a few thoughts about it.

Very Kaveh centered (almost like a Kaveh story quest) of course and I think he deserved it. I think it was executed very well. Alhaitham is important to anything Kaveh related, they’re a package deal, and his parts seemed pretty good too. Even though Kaveh was the main character I think they did a good job of incorporating most of the other Sumeru characters.

Layla had a nice arc and it was good seeing her interactions with the other characters like Tighnari.

Tighnari and Cyno didn’t have a huge role, but I think the screen time they did have was sufficient. They had some nice scenes and got just as much attention as they needed, especially considering that they were already significant characters in the last event.

Faruzan was great as always. Loved her dynamic with Kaveh! Seeing her appreciate someone instead of always looking down on everyone was refreshing. Their interactions might have been the best part of the event.

Wanderer had a nice role. Enigmatic background work suits him. The reveal at the end about him having been entered into the championship by Nahida was anticlimactic and underwhelming since that was already obvious from the beginning, especially since he even told us she was the one who enrolled him in Vahumana. The concept of him being sentenced to something like that as like community service or something is kinda funny. But also imagine being a top Vahumana scholar and you’re favored to be picked to represent your darshan in the championship and then Lesser Lord Kusanali herself picks some stranger who wrote a few essays and on top of that he doesn’t even try at all until the final round. Your darshan would be a laughing stock and have the worst performance of any darshan in any championship ever. Vahumana must be in shambles right now.

As for Nahida herself, I think only including her at the very end was a good move. Everything even remotely Sumeru related for the past like 8-9 months has been about her. This event can stand to not be about her. She fulfilled her purpose and her inclusion didn’t feel forced or contrived, that’s good enough.

Dehya and Candace didn’t have a lot of screen time but I think it worked for them. Their purpose was casual appearances as tourists in Sumeru city and to advance the plot line about the eremite assassins. While I inwardly wish that Candace had been there more, I understand that this wasn’t about her and she didn’t need more screen time than she got. Fingers crossed she’s the next four star to get a hangout event so she can finally get more attention.

Dori also had a minor role, one which was mostly confined to side quests. Still, I think it went pretty well. Her purpose was to introduce information which would give us context about the main plot line of the event. I’d say that was executed good enough. My only criticism would be that her giving us free information multiple times felt contrived and out of character, but it’s such a trivial detail that I guess it doesn’t matter.

Collei and Nilou are where you can tell that they really just tried to squeeze every playable Sumeru character into this event no matter how it turned out.

Collei was there for two seconds no joke. I thought for sure that she would come back to help Tighnari in the other two rounds but that didn’t happen. She was so insignificant that I almost forgot she was even in the event at all. I don’t feel too sorry for her though, and I don’t really care much about this because Collei hogged over half of the screentime in the last Mondstadt event and I think she deserves a taste of her own medicine.

But Nilou. Oh Nilou. They did her dirty. They did her so dirty. I came into this event thinking that surely they’d half-ass it and only portray her as this shallow, ditzy, nice girl- I really didn’t expect much for her, but I still did not expect that they simply wouldn’t portray her at all. Genuine question; Why the hell was she even there? She did absolutely nothing. She had like three lines and two of them were like “let me go get the paper for the lots” or something. All of the commentary and announcer stuff (and literally anything else) that she could have done was done by Alhaitham. If one announcer was all they needed then why pretend that Nilou has any business being there, she was just there for no reason. If she’s not needed then don’t give me false hope just to not incorporate her into the event at all, what a waste. I heard that Alhaitham and Nilou were going to interact and I was excited to see their dynamic. I think he acknowledged her maybe once and that’s it. They could’ve had their conflicting personalities be used as a source of comedy, or as foils to one another. So much potential and nothing came of it. Giving Nilou literally anything to do wouldn’t have distracted from the rest of the event in the slightest. I’m so disappointed at that.

[shaydraplays]

Someone who doesn't play genshin impact, explain this screenshot

[kaeyachi]

I just finished the interdarshan competition event!

SPOILERS BELOW!

you have been warned :)

additional warning:

tw: suicide mention- Please note that it was directly stated by a character during the event

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I'm so happy my babygirl Architect Kaveh won!! GOOD FOR HIM!!!!!!! LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOO

I can understand why he would rather donate said money though. I was worried the diadem could corrupt people and we'd have to attack him for a moment there...

I'm not sure about other cultures outside of asia, but where I'm from, money gathered from negative sources ( in this case, said studies caused the researcher pain and suffering which at the end caused the researcher to...well... unalive himself) would only make you miserable should you take it for yourself, and the best course of action is always to donate it or spread that wealth around to counteract that negative energy. Niceties and strong belief in justice aside, everyone who knows him could not see Kaveh ever agreeing to using said money.

Bless Cyno for insisting on paying Kaveh for the limited edition card. He managed to convince Kaveh to take it! GET THAT MONEY SIR.

Perfect representation of how hobbyists are a bit hard to understand from other people's perspectives. We see Cyno explaining that he works hard and earns up that money and that he really wants it and would willingly pay a large sum for it. He knows Kaveh doesn't understand that card's worth, and thus, he insisted on paying, despite Kaveh not seeing the worth of said item. I'm imagining the total estimate of Cyno's entire card collection at the moment... if one (1) limited edition card is worth 1 million mora......and he has a ton of it according to Kaveh...... s i r!

Ah, well, it makes him happy, and he seems to have more than enough funds!

Is it a translation issue or does Kaveh have large bills to pay? Kaveh said that the 1 million mora is enough for him to pay his bills for that month and treat Cyno, Tighnari, and Collei to 1 dinner... he also mentions that he already has it budgeted... 1 million mora is a lot so I'm hoping the rest actually goes to his savings or at the very least a portion of his debt.

Quick rundown for the rest of the dialogue post competition!

Dehya and Candace not wanting to do what Faruzan thinks is fashion. Nilou is nice to help balance the 2 different generations out (thanks Nilou). Also, Faruzan also got herself a student! Good for her!

Layla getting hyped up by her fellow darshans in rtawahist was so nice. She's getting treated to a meal! They did not let her bring herself down, we gotta stan them for doing that.

Dinner with Cyno, Tighnari, Collei, and Kaveh definitely gave us nice information. Tighnari cares a lot for Kaveh ( we could tell from voicelines before, but its really nice to see). In fact, having Tighnari be the first to raise concerns for Kaveh during the final round was so nice, and we also find out that Cyno and Tighnari frequently treat Kaveh as well. We also find out that Kaveh can't stop talking about Alhaitham in those said frequent dinners lmao. Alhaitham truly does live rent-free in Kaveh's mind (in our hearts according to Cyno, but Alhaitham isn't dead yet Cyno omg stop talking about others like they're dead)

Cute information about home life for Kaveh and Alhaitham shows how they care for the other. Alhaitham knowing Kaveh would bring him the leftovers and Alhaitham figuring out that Kaveh's father and Sachin met long ago and informing Kaveh about it was very nice to see. They seem to have a thing where they dole out backhanded compliments to the other. I can see why everyone would find this amusing.

Speaking of Sachin having met Kaveh's dad... the butterfly effect of that happening which led to Kaveh's father's death, to Kaveh's misfortunes in life, to the diadem ending up with Kaveh at the end, making him win this year's interdarshan championship was *chefs kiss*. It's like a story has come full circle. You could make a movie out of this plot.

Auntie Nahida signing up nephew hat guy to literally everything just to get him to interact with others is hilarious. We now have Wanderer as a college student. Wonderful (he's having fun hehe).

All in all, I enjoyed this event! I feel like the actual finals felt a bit rushed to compensate for the dialogue post championship though. I think I want to see more of them competing.

I found it a bit weird as to how out of all the contestants, only Tighnari was left to ask about Kaveh's well-being at the end. Where were the others? And at the awards ceremony, only Cyno was there...

Other than that, the 3 days of this event has been incredibly fun and I've learned so much about our Sumeru characters. Sumeru is so wonderful, I'm gonna miss it when we leave for Fontaine *sobs*

[shmoo92]

Freedom of Information

After a long day of playing master of ceremonies for the Interdarshan competition, Alhaitham unlocks the door to his people-free oasis, lets himself in, closes the door, and exhales.

“If I ever meet my former self,” greets Nahida, “I will smack her.”

Alhaitham opts to leave his hearing aids in.

“If my former self, oh, I don’t know, left any information about holes

in the sky or reflections or anything like that—“ She huffs.

Alhaitham … can’t recall anything significant about the sky, holes or otherwise. He switches gears and mentally walks through the gala, pausing by the astrology booth but that doesn’t sit right.

He asks, “did you attend the gala today?”

Nahida blinks at him.

“While I don’t dare call myself the most observant human in all of Teyvat I would like to think that if the sky tore open I would have noticed.”

Owlishly, Nahida says, “The sky’s already been torn open. It’s been like that for weeks.”

“Is it a small tear?”

“By the seven, absolutely not. You can see it for kilometers.”

“Is the tear at all related to the competition?”

“Why would it be related to the competition? It’s out in the desert.”

It clicks. “You didn’t attend the gala today.”

“No … I did not.” She cringes. “That information would have been best offered at the beginning of this conversation.”

“We got there in the end.”

[noumios]

i know no one is normal about the kavetham content but we need to address alhaitham saying "... do tell" at kaveh's rambling, asking questions, being interested.

and it is something stupid and unimportant, the wine cyno's group was drinking. it doesn't matter, they both know, but he's willing to ignore his book entirely for idle chatter with kaveh. he's asking kaveh to say more, and on top of it all he says it in that lilting, almost teasing way of his. i can't with him and his kaveh simping this scene. they didn't need to animate him looking at kaveh while reading, they didn't need to animate their smiles, they didn't need alhaitham to respond to every single thing kaveh says making it abundantly clear kaveh is way more interesting to him than his book, they didnt need to and YET

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

no thoughts just comparing the deliberate parallels between the concerned comments layla, faruzan and paimon make to kaveh which are used to contextualise alhaitham’s comments to kaveh during a parade of providence

In the desert, layla who previously had issues with dealing with anxieties, received dubious advice from kaveh about equating worries to that of a sickness for that which is no cure, therefore you have to let its run its course

Layla reveals that this advice isn’t suitable for her, since the cause for her anxiety was solely because she didn’t have a clear goal for herself. She states that therefore, if this advice is something kaveh adheres to, then this is ultimately worse for him, as kaveh claims to have a set goal - as in, he wants to win the interdarshan chanpionship.

She notes that kaveh seems conflicted, and that this could stem from some inner sadness which he suppresses with a façade of happiness.

This points to kaveh’s internal conflict being between that of his guilt complex brought about by his perceived involvement in his father’s passing, and his genuine desire to help others at the cost of himself. Kaveh cannot balance the two in ways that will allow him to prioritise his own needs and desires

Kaveh’s internal conflict is pointed out later on in the same quest by Faruzan, who highlights kaveh’s title as a genius being incongruous with his problem solving abilities after kaveh passes out in the desert due to giving his food and water to the disturbed foxes and going out of his way to lead them to safety, putting himself at risk and jeopardising his place in the competition

However, Kaveh states that his title of a genius has nothing to do with this situation, and although he admits it wasn’t the most practical solution, it was dually his conscience that ultimately caused him to act and perceivably the guilt that would come from not attempting to help

After the second round comes to a close and faruzan inadvertently informs alhaitham of kaveh’s “tribulations”, the player gets to hear alhaitham’s reactions to kaveh’s decision through kaveh, as kaveh and alhaitham have discussed the events in the desert offscreen

Paimon points out that this is definitely ‘something’ alhaitham would say due to the blunt manner of speaking and the dryness of his words - this contextualises how kaveh receives them, as personal goading

When looking past this and focussing on alhaitham’s actual words, the real meaning can be found, and it is even a point in this scene that paimon offers the exact same comments, drawing direct parallels between her and alhaitham’s words, and therefore establishing the same concerns

Alhaitham points out kaveh’s unreliable problem solving abilities being incongruous with his title as a senior - directly paralleling faruzan’s comments in which she highlighted how kaveh’s decision making abilities were at odds with his title as a genius

As well as this, alhaitham alludes to kaveh’s guilt complex being the reason why he exerts himself for others at his own expense - which is a point that the traveller and paimon directly follow up on

Kaveh responds to their questioning amicably despite the sensitive nature of the conversation, just as he did when faruzan pointed out kaveh’s problematical decision making, and this is because of their apparent concern rather than actively seeking offence, with paimon protesting when kaveh asks: “don’t tell me you think i have serious personality flaws, too?” With the ‘too’ clearly referencing alhaitham and the conversation the two had prior to the traveller and paimon turning up

Kaveh can understand the concern in others’ words when they question his problem solving skills and the sense of his inner conflict stemming from guilt, however, when alhaitham makes the same comments, kaveh sees this as a form on animosity and personal critique

Because of alhaitham’s manner of communication and kaveh’s apparent distrust of alhaitham, the two cannot reach a mutual understanding - despite alhaitham expressing the same concerns as three separate characters within this quest

It is telling then that when kaveh gleans an otherwise unseen meaning in alhaitham’s words is when alhaitham changes his method of communication and directly, and intimately, addresses kaveh by using a script that only the two are privy to

Kaveh still doesn’t wholly understand alhaitham’s meaning, but the switch up in communication method is enough for kaveh to question alhaitham’s sincerity and not attribute it to alhaitham mocking him

Kaveh continues questioning the cause for this throughout the remainder of the event, being seen to question why alhaitham left the notes for him and whether if it was a coincidence or not. He concludes that it wasn’t a coincidence and then states “then…”, inferably questioning why alhaitham left the notes for him and what the meaning of his words were, in a script only kaveh would understand. Additionally, kaveh mentions wanting to ask alhaitham what the meaning of his notes were when at dinner after the closing of the interdarshan championship, as the uncertain meaning of his words has seemingly left a profound effect on him

Alhaitham changing his manner of communication, which kaveh usually perceives as negative, causes kaveh to question alhaitham’s sincerity, and therefore causes doubt in whether alhaitham is patronising him or not. This in turn can cast obscurity over kaveh’s assertion that alhaitham holds “disdain” for him due to Alhaitham’s expression of concern which kaveh cannot perceive due to the abrasiveness of his words. Alhaitham conveying his concern in a roundabout way only allows for kaveh to misinterpret him, which kaveh perceives as “disdain”.

A parade of providence establishes the cause for the rift in alhaitham and kaveh’s relationship mainly to be perpetual misunderstanding in communication, and sets out to propose a solution being that a change of communication.

By using a language that only the two of them know shows that for kaveh to fully understand his meaning, alhaitham must meet kaveh on his own terms when it comes to communication - the two must be on equal and frank level. this could allow a potential rebuilding of intimacy the two once shared when initially learning the language, and thus overcome the idea of “mutual disdain” which kaveh asserts due to his fundamental misunderstanding of alhaitham which alhaitham seems to reinforce with his typical language

(Update: For more analyses like this, the essay this is taken from is now uploaded! It can be accessed here and here as as a pdf <3)

[pearl-blue-musings]

Wine night YES!!!! Ohhh hohohohohooo do I have a nice one!!! Academic rivals that are working on the same lecture, they can't stand one another despite admitting that MAYBE they're not AS BAD as they think they are. At the library they both find themselves reaching for the same book. Banter wars! Sass!! And.....pent up stress that leads to...oh!!! Thank goodness NO ONE comes back here Q.Q

Oooooo!!!!!! Oh man the set up for this is so so so real!! I hope you’re okay with genshin impact!!

You rub at your elbow when the book you were reaching for falls to the ground. You go to pick it up, ignoring the hat clad scholar scoffing at you. Of all the people to run into at this time of night in the house of daena…

“Tch, don’t tell me you’re actually gonna read this? Looks like someone is finally using their brain here.” Of course, it had to be him. The newest Vahumana scholar and representative from the InterDarshan Competition who just so happens to be the Lesser Lord’s ward. Ever since he joined, he’s given you unnecessary academic competition and it’s been driving you insane. Every time you’ve written a research article, he’s always the first to pick it apart.

You snatch the book off the ground before he has a chance to reach it. “Are you done? Is this what you have to do to make up for your lack of height? Be an absolute dick? Your little mommy can’t swoop in all the time and bail you out.” You cross your arms indignantly and smirk at him in front of the bookcase. Wanderer, or Hat Guy as you’ve called him, clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes. He tries to get past you to look for another collection of records nearby. Finally having enough of his shit, you stop him and get in his way. A deep sigh escapes his lips and he pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Get the fuck out of my way.”

“No.”

“Do you plan on obstructing my research more by being a nuisance?”

“Hmm,” you hum, “you know all about that don’t you? Always having something snarky to say to everything I publish!”

He crosses his arm and flicks his hat. “I wouldn’t do that if you knew what the hell you were talking about. If you did better research, I wouldn’t have to correct you.”

That strikes a nerve.

He tries to push pass you but you hold firm. Getting more irritated by the second, he grabs your shoulders and pushes you against the bookshelf. His nose brushes against yours as he breathes angrily above you. “You,” he seethes out, “are getting in my way and on my last nerve. Now for the last fucking time, move.”

For some reason, your heart is beating out of your chest with how close he is. You dart your eyes away from his intense stare briefly. “No.”

“Fuckin…”

He leans in to kiss you, pressing his body close to yours as the kiss deepens. You tilt your head to the side as all of your unsaid emotions are coming front and center. One hand is firmly on your hip while his other is above you, you think, holding onto the bookshelf. He bites at your lip possessively and hums into your mouth. The kiss ends suddenly and you flutter your eyes open. Just what the hell was that? You’re not sure but maybe-

“Got my book.”

You blink dumbfoundedly as he has the book he needs in one hand, smirking at your expression as he drags his thumb over his lip.

“Thanks for getting in my way,” he rumbles out, “you should do it more often.”

Elle’s Wine Night anything goes!!

[rouguang]

i really like how nahida’s reaction to sachin’s research is an exemplifier of how alhaitham and kaveh together are strongest. they balance each other out and with their shared perspectives achieve the most wisdom. alhaitham and kaveh both acknowledge the merit of sachin’s research, but alhaitham does not think locking it away is necessary since it is a form of research that will certainly be revisited (he is the voice of practicality and reality) while kaveh believes that even if there is merit to research the impact of said research on the collective good is more important than any correctness it possesses. together they can acknowledge the wisdom of the other even while not personally agreeing. and nahida acknowledges the wisdom in both of their views when she speaks to the traveler in aaru village. together they balance each other out, and together they reach a higher level of wisdom so much so that a god of wisdom holds similar sentiments. pretty impressive

[genshin-side-piece]

Re: Kaveh and Alhaitham's Darling

Warnings: Minors DNI, 18+, Yandere themes, Yandere Behavior, Sexual Themes (No Actual Sex), Power Imbalance, Dubious Consent, Forced Consent, Dark themes, gn reader, My bad writing, Anything Else I Missed

A/N: I'm not putting this under a cut, if that's an issue, please let me know.

I've always found Kaveh and Alhaitham's relationship to be very odd. I know Alhaitham's intention is to save/protect Kaveh from himself. He does so by providing a safe place for Kaveh to go, but I can't help but see a darker side to it. There's a financial control aspect that just feels weird, especially after the Interdarshan Championship story. I know Alhaitham wasn't manipulating the competition to force Kaveh to lose, but there were moments where you wondered. (At least I did.)

What if Kaveh had darling first? I'll leave it to the imagination on how they got there, but when he bankrupts himself, he panics. It's not just him he has to worry about, but his darling as well. The situation is just complicated enough to where he can't set them free. Debt is bad, but the Matra are worse. The last place he wants to end up is jail. When Alhaitham makes the offer of moving in to Kaveh, he has little choice to not only tell Alhaitham the truth, but show him as well.  The journey to wherever Darling is stashed is tense and the initial meeting is awkward, but Alhaitham is surprisingly undeterred. His goal is to help his ex-friend. He views darling as an opportunity to curb Kaveh's more undesirable behaviors. All Alhaitham needs is a little luck and he's set.

The terms of the rental agreement change. Kaveh is more or less forced to put Darling up as collateral to Alhaitham when they move in. The control over their care and darling themself goes solely to Alhaitham. From there on out, Kaveh's access to his Darling is determined by Alhaitham's mood. If the scribe feels his roommate has done well lately, then it won't hurt to let Kaveh have some time with them. If not, well, I suppose Kaveh will have to spend another night on the porch while Alhaitham f*cks Darling so hard all of Sumeru will hear their cries of passion before he's through.

[dinoshimaaa]

had a little brainrot about something. you know how in the interdarshan competition event happening later in the update, wanderer will most likely be representing the vahumana darshan which specialises in history and social sciences? makes me think…

hear me out, history major!kuni who doesn’t really have a lot of friends and sits by himself in the lecture hall, but nevertheless gets good grades for all his assignments.

history major!kuni who just shrugs when you ask for his secrets on how to score in quizzes and assignments and probably just goes “just study it’s not that hard”.

history major!kuni who acts nonchalant about his major but is secretly a huge history geek.

history major!kuni who, upon seeing some online user misunderstand the history of a certain time period in inazuma, is quick to berate them by typing out a 5 page long essay as to why the user is invalid and therefore he should cease to exist, under the reddit username u/TheBalladeer6.

history major!kuni who studies alone in cafes and libraries, so no one ever notices the subtle sparkle in his eyes whenever he does research on a certain historical era he’s particularly interested in.

history major!kuni who is secretly (would never admit it to anyone) very passionate about history and its people’s impact on today.

history major!kuni who flawlessly recited the entire history of tatarasuna in detail while drunk on firewater. (thank you, ajax.)

history major!kuni who buys little keychains and enamel pins of historically significant places, some of which are souvenirs he bought overseas.

history major!kuni who travels overseas not to sightsee or to eat local food, but to read up on the history of the places he visits, sometimes coming back with a whole ass completed report that no one asked him to do.

history major!kuni whose mother is the ceo of a famous fashion brand, and occasionally requests for her son’s help in modelling for her company. (kuni adrien agreste era?)

history major!kuni whose mother, raiden ei, does not want him to follow strictly in her footsteps and wishes for him to choose his own path, but he misunderstands this as her neglecting him throughout his childhood.

history major!kuni who has many private consultations with professor nahida, the peculiar child-looking professor who hides an astounding amount of wisdom behind her big doe eyes.

history major!kuni who doesn’t even need professor nahida’s help in academics, and only spends time with her because of her comforting presence (again, would never admit this to anyone).

history major!kuni who, when comfortable with someone, would talk their ear off about a random history topic unprompted. any time, any day.

history major!kuni who only shrugs it off if you compliment “oh wow, you’re so good at history!” but goes stunned in admiration when you add on to his history ramblings.

history major!kuni who drags friends and close ones to museum outings together, but is slick about it so you don’t make fun of his geekery.

“hey, some rando asked me out on sunday and i don’t want to ruin my image by rejecting her upfront, so go to the museum with me sunday morning so i can tell her i’m busy.” “sure, kuni, sure… definitely not because you wanted to see the new exhibit on fontaine’s olden technology, no?” “pfft, what? of course not.”

history major!kuni who can go into heavy detail, and will, in a history topic if you expressed curiosity in it.

history major!kuni who only lends his history notes to close friends and people he thinks are passionate about history enough and hence deserve to see his (totally not) high quality, organised, 37-hour-long-preparation notes.

history major!kuni who thinks of travelling around the world (he has the money) or being a museum curator after he graduates.

[daniellelocklyn]

Vahumana Wanderer x Amurta Fem! Reader

This idea is from wiki (Vahumana darshan) : A popular topic among Vahumana students is Time-Sensitive Commodities, or TSC. Their research and advice on this topic has helped fruit and vegetable sellers at the Grand Bazaar prevent waste and save Mora. They have worked alongside Amurta scholars to design products related to food preservation and overfishing.

You were not a very brilliant student among others in darshan amurta. You were not interested in human biology and focused on plant biology, only a few took interest on your studies about fruits and vegetables. This made you upset sometimes, people always look down on your research just because they thought it's not as helpful as human body biology researches for the society. You wish one day you can prove how your study can also be helpful for the society, because well, we consume fruits and vegetables everyday, so why are their study are not appreciated as much. 

You managed to continue your reasearch about plantation, post harvest, and waste management on fruits and vegetables farming. One day, you were overly happy when your senior called you out for helping a Time-Sensitive Commodity (TSC) research along with darshan Vahumana students. These reasearch is going to solve problems for fruit and vegetable sellers at the Grand Bazaar event, to help them save more Mora and produce less waste. 

You were told to be working on the fruit and vegetable waste management along with a Vahumana student. He introduced himself as the Wanderer, you thought his name was the Hat Guy because the host introduced him as that during the Interdarshan Competition. During your first meeting, some of the Vahumana students warned you about Wanderer's bratty behaviour, honestly you didn't really care, all you care about is this project and how you will prove to the world that your studies all this time are important. 

You never really talked to the Wanderer unless it's about the project, it's true that sometimes he said mean things, but that doesn't bother you. During weekly project meeting, you were always charmed by how the Wanderer managed to explain well in each presentation and answer hard questions effortlessly. Working with him made you feel motivated. Because the Wanderer was very passionate about this project, you as his project partner starting to work harder, you spend most of your days in the Bazaar or in your lab doing reasearch and spend your evening reading tons of books and journals in the library. 

This morning you were busy collecting datas around the Bazaar, asking few seller about how they treated their wastes, you were too focused on writing until you, not realizing you hit someone's back. "I'm sorry Sir, I didn't watch my step" You immediately apologize. "Ah so here you are, I've been searching for you in this endless Bazaar" It's the Wanderer, what a coincidence. He drag you along to a small food stall at the Bazaar. "Eat" He said, you gave him a confused look. "Tch, you're so troublesome, just pick what you want to eat, I'll pay and no, you can't eat salad, you must eat carbohydrate" You still in confusion, like how did he know you were on a diet, in the end you pick a stir fry noodle. You ate together in the stall with the Wanderer quietly, since this is your first time spending time with him outside of the project. The first bite of the noodle made you realized you haven't really eat well lately, all those research and projects somehow never made you feel hungry, and mysteriously your partner knows this. "Listen, I know you were busy in your lab or in the library, but you still need to take care of yourself properly, it frustrated me really, this project will mean nothing if you get sick or something" You were shocked after he scolded you. You smiled and thanked him for his reminder and treating you food, "I'll repay you" You said. "Don't bother too, just take care of yourself"

 After that day, you and the Wanderer somehow starts to meet each other often outside the project, either it's just a stroll or study together in the library. As you observed, the Wanderer never really care about the other as much as he cares for you, this thought made you blushed sometimes, but you never really asked the reason to the Wanderer, probably you just don't know much yet about him, you thought, and of course why would someone as popular as him has a crush on an ordinary scholar like you. As you want this project to be a big success, you told yourself to have these thoughts about the Wanderer, and stay focus on the project instead. 

After a few months, the project finally comes to an end. You were very happy on the output, your research was finally helpful for the society, plus your studies has gained a lot of attention. The end of the project made your thoughts about the Wanderer came back, you'll missed the days you spend together with the Wanderer. As the project were considered a big success, a farewell party was held as a congratulatory event for both darshans. You can't seem to focus on the event, you were busy on your own thought while stealing glances at the Wanderer. Of course the Wanderer noticed these glances from you. At the end of the event, he take your wrist "You know, I think you have to stop stealing glances" You apologize for making him uncomfortable "You can look at me directly now... But only if you wanna be my girlfriend, sadly I don't take no as an answer" He planted a small kiss on your hands. You still can proceed what happened and start pinching your own cheeks "Am I drunk right now?" You blinked your eyes a few times, because dang the Wanderer just told you to be his girlfriend. He chuckles "Took you long enough to get it huh? All these months I've tried to give you a hint" Ah, so all that caring gestures were a hint for his feelings? How stupid are you, but you're still happy you finally dated the person who's been filling your mind. This project was such a blessing, you finally get the validation you deserve and you get a bonus, a boyfriend. 

[zzz1gzag]

Safe to say, the interdarshan competition was a success :]

[pocket-luv101]

Letters Buried in the Sand // CynoNari

Fandom: Genshin Impact Ship: CynoNari

Summary: Cyno has always been careful to keep his relationship with Tighnari a secret. He didn’t want his enemies to target his loved ones. At the Inter Darshan Championship, people start to notice how close they are. (CynoNari, 3.6 Event spoilers, Interdarshan Championship Day 2)

“How are you feeling, Nari? Do you need another glass of water?” Cyno asked him. The second round of the Inter Darshan Championship was held in the desert. While Tighnari insisted that he felt fine, Cyno still worried for him. The heat affected Tighnari more than other people due to how dark his fur was. He did his best to care for him and help him feel comfortable.

“That’s the fourth time you’ve asked that question. My answer hasn’t changed. The nights here are cooler and I can recover enough to make the journey back to the rainforest tomorrow morning.” Aaru Village gave the contestants a room to stay the night of the competition. Cyno and Tighnari offered to share a room so they could save space for others. While they wanted to be considerate guests, the main reason they shared a room was because they could be alone together.

Cyno sat on the bed with Tighnari laying his head on his lap. As he brushed oil into his tail, he purred contently. He allowed people to pet his fur but to have someone brush it was more intimate. They started dating after he graduated from the Akademiya and only a few people knew. Tighnari wished that they could indulge in moments like this more often. They both had busy jobs.

Moreover, they decided to keep their relationship a secret. While it was difficult at times, they both agreed that it was for the best. The General Mahamatra had many enemies who would target the people he loved. Tighnari wasn’t afraid of the risks until Cyno brought Collei to Avidya Forest. He saw her as their daughter and couldn’t stand the thought of someone hurting her.

“You still have a few more days left in your vacation. You can stay in Avidya Forest for the remainder. Collei has missed you. She even said that it’s more fun to play Genius Invokation TCG with you than me. She wasn’t rude but it still stung. At least she’s more vocal with her feelings and what she wants.” Tighnari’s voice was filled with pride. He wasn’t very competitive in TCG the way Cyno was and he only learned the game to play with him and Collei.

While he was truthful that Collei would be happy to have Cyno stay a few nights, Tighnari had his own reason to invite him. He simply wanted to spend time with him—even a few more days. He nestled his cheek against his leg and closed his eyes. Cyno’s presence made him feel relaxed and safe and the combination almost lulled him to sleep. There was still one more thing on his mind though.

“Do you think people will suspect anything after your victory speech? You mentioned me.” He was resting in Aaru Village throughout most of the competition but Kaveh told him about his speech afterwards. Even though Tighnari pretended to laugh along with Kaveh at the time, a knot of worry formed in his stomach.

“I said it was from a novel and I doubt people will look into it too much.” He reassured him. Tighnari could easily imagine the stern expression Cyno had when he stood on stage. His love for card games and heroes were unexpected but twice as endearing to Tighnari. He could see a different side to him that others didn’t. Cyno’s hand moved from his tail to stroke his ear. He leaned down and whispered: “I meant every word I said.”

“I know. You’re not the type to lie.” It would’ve been better for their secret if Cyno hadn’t searched for him during the leyline hunt. Yet, Tighnari couldn’t deny that it made him happy. Without opening his eyes, Tighnari raised his hand and rested it against Cyno’s cheek. He gently guided their faces closer until he could feel his breath against his lips. “I love you.”

Tighnari felt  Cyno run his fingers through his tail and warm shivers followed his touch. “Where do animals go when they lose their tail? A re-tail store.”

“Dear Archons, did you have to ruin the moment with a pun like that, Cyno? I don’t want you to mention my tail in any of your jokes from now on.” Tighnari sat up and curled his tail around himself. The anger in his voice only lasted for a moment before laughter bubbled out of him. His jokes could be terrible but they still made him reluctantly smile. “If you’re finished playing with my tail, let’s go to sleep.”

“Playing with your tail? Are you accusing your attentive lover of something when he only wanted to help you care for your tail?” Tighnari only needed to point at the empty oil jar to counter his argument. Cyno had initially offered to brush the oil into his fur to be helpful. Eventually, he lost himself in the moment until he was merely petting his tail.

Tighnari didn’t mind and honestly enjoyed it. After he placed the jar aside, he sat next to Cyno and grinned up at him. He pressed a quick kiss onto his neck. “Thank you, Cyno. You should go to sleep first. I’m going to collect a few desert plants to make more oils and ointment.”

“Are you certain you don’t want me to go with you?” Cyno stood instinctively. With Tighnari still on his lap, he wrapped his arm around his waist to keep him from falling. He knew how dangerous the desert was and he wasn’t comfortable with Tighnari leaving alone. Aaru Village was a safe place but there were small fractions that still didn’t accept the Dendro Archon. Setaria and Rahman had done their best to help but change took time.

“There’s no need to worry that the heat will make me faint. The desert is cooler during the night and I won’t go far from the village. I rarely have the opportunity to collect herbs from the desert so I want to take advantage of it. I can’t keep burdening you by asking you to bring them back from your excursions.” Tighnari kissed him and stopped him from protesting further. “I promise that I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Okay, be careful.” Cyno took his hand and squeezed it tenderly. He decided to trust Tighnari’s judgement and strength. “Take your bow with you and call me if you need help. I’ll be able to hear.”

“I didn’t know that you were also a Valuka Shuna and you can hear such long distances.” Tighnari chuckled and wiggled his ears. Then, he picked up his bow resting on the table with Cyno’s staff. He started to walk out the door but he stopped in the doorway. He looked over his shoulder to Cyno and whispered so only he could hear him. “The nights here are cold. Will you warm me up when I get back?”

Cyno decided to stay awake and wait for Tighnari’s return. The promise behind Tighnari’s parting words and teasing smile made him too impatient to sleep. He didn’t know how long he would spend picking plants so he went to the kitchen. The Village Chief was generous and told his guests that they could use his kitchen if they were hungry. He could prepare a small midnight meal for them to share once they were alone in their room.

As he approached the entryway, he heard people from within the room. He recognized Dehya and Kaveh’s voices even before he entered. Cyno almost laughed when Kaveh made another complaint about his roommate. “Alhaitham packed a hundred books in his luggage. Our house is already cluttered with them and I didn’t want our stay here to be like that. It’s impossible for him to read them all during the trip so why bring so many?”

“Whenever we’re all around a table, Kaveh, you like to bring up Alhaitham. I have a joke that’s quite fitting for such a situation. Alhaitham is—” Cyno wasn’t able to finish his joke before Kaveh groaned and slumped onto the table. Dehya patted Kaveh’s back but it was clear from her expression that she was struggling to hold back her laughter.

“Don’t mock Kaveh, Cyno. You’re his friend and you should have more empathy for him. Give him some advice on how to deal with Alhaitham. He didn’t like my suggestion to have a drink with him and then fight it out. It’s how my crew deals with disagreements. Though, that might not work for lover’s quarrels like theirs.”

“Alhaitham and I are not lovers!” He denied but the bright blush on his face hinted to a deeper truth. They weren’t a couple but Kaveh wondered what could’ve been if they hadn’t collaborated on that project. Why did I have to fall in love with that emotionless idiot? I don’t care if he’s the Acting Sage, he’s an idiot.

“I can’t give you advice on how to deal with Alhaitham when you’ve known him longer than me.” Cyno joined their small circle around the table. Dehya pushed the plate of baklava towards him and he ate one. He watched Kaveh in the corner of his eyes and recognized the longing that he once felt. He reasoned that Kaveh wasn’t upset with the heavy books but how Alhaitham would read instead of speaking with him about their unspoken issues. “Some issues should be faced directly, Kaveh.”

“But you should have some relationship advice since you’re with Tighnari.” Dehya’s words almost made him choke on his baklava. He had been careful to keep his relationship a secret yet she mentioned it so casually. How long had she known? Did other people know? Cyno looked between Dehya and Kaveh.

“Tighnari and I are just friends!” Each time Cyno denied his relationship with Tighnari, a bitter taste entered his mouth. If only he could freely express how much he loved Tighnari. He reminded himself that the secrecy was to protect him and Collei. He had never been a good liar but he tried to hide his panic. His fingers tightened around his cup and it threatened to shatter. “Did something make you think otherwise?”

“I suspected that you two were lovers from my first conversation with Tighnari. Neither of you two mentioned it but it’s easy to see. Even Layla mentioned it when she told me that you came back to check on him.” Dehya explained. She was confused by Cyno’s behaviour and how stiff his shoulders were. While he outwardly looked calm, a thousand thoughts were clearing storming in his mind.

“He trusted you when you mentioned my name. I investigated the sages after he asked me to. Aren’t those things that friends will do for each other?” Cyno listed all of the explanations he had prepared for when people suspected he had feelings for Tighnari. “I entrusted him with Collei and that’s why I visit him so often. He’s different from other scholars and he’s the best person to raise her. Tighnari is knowledgeable but not arrogant. Someone as kind, brilliant and strong.”

How can I not fall in love with someone like that? Cyno thought and bit his lip.

“It’s how you two look at each other when you think no one can see you.” Kaveh said. Since he was sensitive to other people’s emotions, he could see that Cyno was struggling with his own lie. “You can tell us. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Tighnari is one of the best things that has happened to me. My job is a burden for him and Collei. Please, keep this between us.” Cyno thought that more people learning their secret would fill him with dread. However, he felt a strange sense of relief and freedom.

Cyno heard someone frantically run down the hall and he instinctively knew that something was wrong. Rahman entered the kitchen. “Dehya, where’s Candace? We spotted suspicious men outside of the village and followed them. Then, he heard the sound of a struggle. I had a few of my men follow them while I came to report this to Candace.”

Rahman was barely able to finish his explanation before Cyno jumped to his feet and ran outside.

“Tell us where the General Mahamatra keeps the weapon that he confiscated from the Eremites.” The man roared the question but Tighnari didn’t flinch back from him. He gripped his bow tightly behind him. He wore a mercenary uniform so someone likely hired him to collect information from Cyno. If only he also brought his mines that could disoriented them and allow him to escape. Focusing on that wouldn’t help him and it was better to think of how to defeat the Eremite.

“Why would you assume that the General Mahamatra would tell a scholar such sensitive information? You’re wasting your time and mine.” Tighnari snapped back. He subtly glanced to the Statue of the Seven a mile away from them and debated whether he could outrun and mercenary. On the other hand, it was dangerous to lead the man into the village. It would be better to defeat him now.

With that decided, he tapped his finger on his bow and a dendro arrow formed against the shaft. He kept his weapon out of the man’s sight and waited for his chance to strike him. The man grabbed a fistful of Tighnari’s shirt and shoved him against the mountain wall. The rocky surface made him wince in pain but he didn’t drop his arrow. Tighnari met his glare with one of his own. “Hurting me won’t change my answer. Are you too prideful to admit you’re wrong or do I need to repeat the same thing twenty times for you to understand?”

“Don’t talk down to me.” He drew his sword and held it dangerously close to Tighnari. “Even if you don’t know where the weapons are, the General Mahamatra will tell us in exchange for your life. He’ll give us a lot more for love’s safe return. Though, we don’t need to feed a hostage so keep that smart mouth of yours shut.”

For the first time that night, Tighnari felt a chill run through him. The man continued: “When we heard that the General Mahamatra would visit Aaru Village, we had our mercenaries follow him. Our first plan was to capture him but then we saw you. You’re a much easier target.”

“You’re not prideful or simpleminded. You’re just a dimwit. What makes you think I’ll let you hurt Cyno or be anywhere near him?” Tighnari sneered at him. He stabbed the arrow into the Eremite’s hand and then shoved him away from him. He dodged his sword swing and dropped to the ground. As he rolled across the dirt, he nocked a new arrow against his bow.

He aimed his arrow at the man’s feet. The array of dendro energy that shot from his arrow disorientated the man and threw him off balance. Tighnari swung his bow as hard as he could to knock the man unconscious. While he fell to the ground with a loud thud, he didn’t turn his back to him. He kept his bow string drawn as he walked backwards. Once he had enough distance between him and he felt certain he wouldn’t follow him, he could go back to Cyno.

“Tighnari!” Cyno’s voice pulled his focus away from the man. The adrenaline rushing through his blood vanished and relief replaced it. Tighnari turned towards Cyno but he felt his arms around him before he saw him. He hugged him with one arm and pointed his spear at the man with his free hand. “Thank the Archons, you’re safe. If he hurt you…”

“It’s okay, Cyno.” He whispered and placed his hand on his cheek. That touch was all he needed to reassure him that he was safe. “Though, I’m glad that you’re here. You can restrain him while I make a vine from my vision to tie him up. We should bring him back to the village for questioning. He mentioned something about the Matra and weapons.”

He started to pull away until Cyno tightened his arms around him. He didn’t tell him directly but Tighnari could read his thoughts. The Eremite’s reason for targeting him caused a heavy weight to settle in his consciousness. Tighnari returned his embrace and stroked his hair. “I love you, Cyno.”

The distinctive snap of a bow broke through the moment and Cyno instinctively held Tighnari closer to protect him. He didn’t know where the arrow’s origin was from so he quickly stepped to the side to evade it. The arrow passed them and his eyes followed its path to another Eremite hiding in the shadows. He had been so focused on Tighnari that he hadn’t noticed it at first.

Behind them, Collei called out: “I saw Cyno running out of the house. I thought something was wrong so I followed him. What are rogue Eremites doing so close to the village?”

Tighnari slipped out of Cyno’s arms and he walked to Collei. He patted her head and said, “Your aim has gotten better. These men appear to be searching for weapons the Matra took from them. We don’t know if there’s more so you shouldn’t go back to the village alone.”

“It’s safer for you to stay with us.” Cyno agreed. “We’ll protect you.”

“It looks like we had the same idea.” Tighnari said when he found Cyno sitting on the stairway in front of the chief’s home later that night. He only needed to glance at his spear resting against his shoulder to know that Cyno planned to guard the house in case more Eremites came. “You didn’t invite me on your little night patrol. If you did, I would’ve bought blankets and coffee. You’ll have to settle for my tail.”

He lowered himself into the spot beside him and curled his tail around Cyno’s waist. The villagers should all be asleep at such a late hour but Tighnari scanned the houses for anyone who could be watching them. Then, he rested his head against his strong shoulder. Cyno was silent but a hundred, loud worries must be passing through his mind.

“We haven’t been hiding our relationship as well as we hoped. Dehya and Kaveh knew even without us telling them. Then, that Eremite tried to kidnap you. I arrested him and his group so I can keep them from spreading rumours about you. However, that might only be a temporary solution.” Cyno groaned and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

“Maybe we shouldn’t keep it a secret any longer.”

“What?” Cyno looked down at Tighnari and saw determination in his expression. They both knew the risks of revealing the truth and discussed it many times. The list of reasons became caught in Cyno’s throat when he looked into his forest green eyes.

“I was mainly concerned that enemies of the Matra would target Collei. She’s much stronger now and her Eleazar has been cured. I don’t want to treat her or our relationship like a burden when you’re both important to me. Of course, I don’t want to announce it to the world with a parade. We can start with a few friends.” Tighnari took Cyno’s weapon and moved it aside so he could sit on his lap. “Admittedly, I’m selfish because I want to say ‘I love you’ in front of people.”

“I love you too,” Cyno whispered the confession. The words could only be heard by the moon but he wondered if the day would come when it wasn’t a secret.