#mallohen

Weaknesses are a thing Mallory knows well. She has many, and they make themselves known often. One that hadn't been so dangerous or life ruining until recently was her weakness for a pretty face.

But the only true constant in life is change, isn't it?

When Inazuma finally lifted the Sakoku Decree that had kept her stranded for so long, she was as quick as the lightning that kept her from trying her luck at swimming out to take the chance to leave. It's ironic, what with how eager she'd been to come to the land of eternity at the start. She'd certainly become more worldly in her travels, but she'd like to give herself enough credit that she could have learned the lesson of "The grass isn't always greener" without being trapped in a foreign nation for 2+ years. That's just excessive. A lot of her time in Inazuma was blurry for some reason, but when she heard about the Vision Hunt Decree and the effects those who had their visions seized experienced, she chalked it up to that. She knew she'd been there and drawing at least, because she had the artwork to show for it. She'd certainly found one hell of a subject to be her muse during her time in Inazuma, if only she could remember more. But what's done is done.

Her boat had docked in Liyue, and her best route (as advised by those much more competent with maps and travel than her) was to go through Mondstadt's Dornman Port to reach Fontaine with the least amount of headache.

What ironic phrasing, considering what pulled her from being so lost in thought was a bonk to the top of her head. One she would've second-guessed even happened when her eyes adjusted to the charming and put-together looking knight in front of her—if not for the pain.

"Welcome to Mondstadt, stranger! Couldn't help but notice you stalking—oh, sorry, 'following' me for the last few minutes. If you need assistance from the Knights of Favonius, you should direct your questions to Headquarters, 'kay?"

Oh.

She'd gotten lost in thought and hadn't actually asked yet. Shit, let's see if we can salvage this.

"M-My bad!" A nervous giggle left her that made her feel embarrassingly like a schoolgirl, so much so that she was too preoccupied with that thought to consider how shifty she looked. She really was a sucker for a pretty face. Seeing those eyes straight on now was—Wait, no, focus! "I just, um..."

With a flick of the wrist that was probably too sudden a movement to make with someone she just met—much less a trained soldier and knight—she summoned up her tablet, her go-to as both a weapon and drawing implement. Without giving anything away in his expression beyond the briefest flicker of his eyes over her form, the young man standing opposite her reached for something behind his back with hands far more deft than her own, causing her to quickly leave said tablet to float beside her in favor of a panicked waving of her hands to placate his suspicions. "Hold on! I only wanted to ask if I could draw you!"

He didn't acknowledge her words, or say anything really, only cocking his head slightly without breaking eye contact with her. Has he even blinked? Archons, with eyes that pretty would she even want him to? If she hadn't been so preoccupied with just how immaculately that beauty mark sat just below his right eye she might have noticed sooner that he'd already taken hold of her tablet and begun helping himself to viewing its contents.

"Looks to me like you've already started. What, couldn't help yourself?" Something was tugging at the corner of his mouth. If she weren't so busy flustering and blustering she might have realized it was a smirk.

"H-Hold on!? Who said you could look through that?! Y'know it's rude to look through an artist's—"

"Well, an unknown suspicious person was tailing me, and then she pulled out an unknown device in the middle of Dornman port. As a knight, I have a duty to conduct an inspection and make sure you weren't trying anything stupid, don't you think?" Fuck. That is how it looked, isn't it? But now, with her desperately flailing for her tablet as he held it just out of reach, holding her back via his free hand over her face with an effortlessness that was honestly humiliating, it felt like this was the worse look. And the worst was yet to come: her arms falling limp and expression like that of a kicked puppy. It didn't even seem to earn her any pity as he paid her no mind, flipping through her work like it was his to begin with. "Hmm. Not bad, Mallory."

Before her mind processed her shock to register that of course he now knows her name, she signs her work, whatever expression she'd made in that split second of fear was enough to spark laughter. Maybe a flicker of something else as well, but the sharp laughter took center stage. Either his hand had gripped her head too tightly or she was feeling the humiliation, because her face BURNED.

"Ugh, whatever! If the answer's no just say that! I just like to draw what's eye-catching to me, my work turns out better when I'm inspired! I'm bored here, alright, Ser?"

Whether it was bemusement, genuine surprise, or an act of mercy to let her realize her mistake of mouthing off like that, he simply released her and her property for the moment without a word. For the moment, at least.

"... 'Bored'?"

"Bored."

"Most visitors love the dandelion wine."

"I don't drink."

"Meh, fair enough. I mostly stick to combat to pass the time myself..."

"I'm not really a fighter."

He scoffed. "Yeah, it shows."

"You—!"

"So, guest of Mondstadt, what do you normally do with your time?"

"I mean, I draw. And... I dunno, I like messing with people, but I don't know anybody here so it's not like I can just–"

"Me, then."

"Huh?"

His smile was as enigmatic—that is to say, 'fucking baffling'—as this whole interaction. He looked so smug, so unbothered. Before speaking to him she'd found that to be a point of attractiveness, yet it was getting on her nerves now that it was pointed at her. She took note of how adept he was at quickly turning a sweet spot into a sore one.

Oh dear, you don't know the half of it.

"Play your tricks on me, little devil." He flicked the pair of horns on her head, "As long as you don't mind me playing my own on you in return. Fair's fair, after all. Right?" He stepped closer, if she hadn't noticed his cryo vision when she was walking behind him earlier she wouldn't have anything else to blame the sudden shiver down her spine on. His voice was all but a whisper, ghosting across her ear with a lilt that was deceptively sweet:

"I get bored too, so I'm game if you are."

In the time it took her to blink, he'd returned his posture and distance from her to the respectable and proper amount one would expect of a knight, as if the previous moment was something she'd imagined. She may not drink, but she could certainly get drunk on whatever was wrong with him—or with her—that drew her in. That'll be her excuse for what was honestly, probably a very foolish decision on her part.

"I'm not here for that long anyway, so sure. Screw it. Do your worst." She stuck her tongue out at him, blissfully unaware of what havoc she just invited. It was kind of cute, like a bunny rabbit standing mere centimeters from the jaws of a waiting bear trap. "You didn't answer me about if I could draw you or not. You don't have to just stand still or anything, just go about your–"

"Hm? Yeah, whatever. No objections." Seriously, have some sense of danger. She didn't really seem to sense any in front of her, though. "If you decide to drop by, tell the other knights you're looking for Vice Captain Lohen. I mean, assuming I don't find you first."

But why would she? I mean, come on, he's a knight. Most of these guys have been so straight-edge... no, maybe on-edge is more like it. Little did she know she was talking to the reason for that. The wickedness in his grin, excitement in his eyes... any of these really should have clued her in; but Mallory has many weaknesses, and a pretty face is one of them.