#roc writes

“Dain!” You cried gleefully, nuzzling into his chest affectionately as he caged your body in a loving embrace. “Welcome to the waking world, at last. I missed you so.” And in truth, he missed you too. So so much. However…

“We did not expect you back so soon, their majesties will be pleased. Though, is everything alright in Teyvat?” A wondrously brilliant glimmer overtook your eyes as your hand wrapped around his own and guided him out of his bed. You led Dainsleif to sit on a stool in front of his vanity, facing the mirror as you picked up a brush and dutifully combed the knots out of his hair. He could remember the first time you did this to him, practically begging him to let you do this, do anything for that matter as a display of affection. Only after serious convincing did he allow you to lift a finger in his name, but now he could never think of another way to go about your shared morning rituals. It was comforting, intimate, absolutely divine.

“That is precisely what I wish to speak to you about! My Moonlight, I found the most beautiful little city in the middle of a lake that is blessed by fair winds and kind people. I set up Waypoints nearby before racing back home to you and to Khaenri’ah.” Dainsleif’s lips quirked upwards at his partner’s enthusiasm, you always were fascinated by the world of Teyvat above. Perfect, considering your position in the Eclipse Dynasty required frequent travel to all corners of the world. And the city you mentioned…

“This city you found, is it perhaps Mondstadt, the city of freedom?” Recognition swirled in your eyes before you nodded quickly.

“That’s the one! Have you ever been?” You always asked this, curious and awestruck. And he always felt guilty when he shook his head in response. The act of saying no to you, in any capacity, seemed to feel almost wrong.

“I know of only what I have been told by their majesties and what I have read in the royal archives.” He looked into the mirror to gaze fondly at your reflection. You stopped brushing his hair to smile back at him.

“Then we will go together! The Mondstadt waypoints are charged and ready for travel, and it is your day off, correct?” You pleaded silently at his mirror image, puppy-dog eyes pulling out all the stops you could think of.

“Starlight… You know that I do not have the privilege to have a day to myself.” You huffed, putting down the brush on the vanity.

“Then I as the right hand of their majesties hereby decree Dainsleif, the Twilight Sword of the Eclipse Dynasty, dedicate all of his time on this day, the day I returned from my overworldly duties, to be my personal escort around our beloved city of Khaenri’ah! Besides, I have already spoken to her highness to recruit your services for the day and she agreed.” You dropped your professional royal servant voice at the final statement and shot a smile at your love, who wondered why he even questioned your carefully structured plans for today in the first place. He stood up from his stool and guided you to sit down next, wherein he took the brush he always used for your hair and began to straighten your own knotted locks with the same care you gave him moments ago. It was unspoken tradition to alternate like this, and you melted into his touch.

“If this is by your decree, then you must don your official garb, my love.” You crossed your arms and whined indignantly while pouting at Dainsleif’s face in the mirror. It seems, he has won this battle. He could not help but smile affectionately as he pressed a kiss into your hair and hear your garbled response. “We must make it official after all.”

~*~

While getting you into your official attire had always been a mission of its own, he unfailingly believed it only made you all the more breathtaking to behold. It was a modest set of clothes save for its lack of sleeves. This, however, was intentional. And while you wore everything without much a fuss, Dainsleif could never get you to wear the shoes that came with it. It was stifling, you had once said, before meeting him one-on-one and he had always wondered why. It was a secret you revealed in your own time, and he has never questioned it since. When both of you stepped outside the safety and intimacy of his quarters, everyone took note.

“The Heart of Daybreak has returned! They’re back!” It was still early but even still those that were out and about and living their day-to-day lives stopped to greet the one they called Daybreak, and Dainsleif was ready to redirect the gathering crowd when he felt you stiffen beside him. You loved your people, but he knew that sometimes large and growing crowds unnerved you. He lowered his defensive posture when you subtly squeezed his hand behind your garments and allowed you to interact with them.

“We missed you so much!”

“How is the surface? Are they really as kind as you say?”

“Will you tell us more stories of your travels?”

“There is a gargantuan package by the plaza, more supplies from the surface? We will be able to stock our shops for many moons to come thanks to your tireless endeavors!” It was mostly the children who spoke over one another, seeking to give and receive affection. You were something of a hero to them all, bringing them all manner of trinkets and treats on top of your usual deliveries to Khaenri’ah, they adored you. Yet you straightened up as Dainsleif stood beside you. You were asked a question, and he always brought you back to the present when you needed it. You nodded once.

“Yes, that is correct. We should all hurry to the plaza before the goods we imported go to waste, shouldn’t we?” You directed the question playfully to the children, who cheered and scrambled ahead, leading you by wrapping their little hands around your wrists. And Dainsleif watched, as he always did, unable to tear his eyes away from you when the runes on your exposed arms flickered to life in a brilliant amber light. He remembered the day he first met you, and the events that led up to that fateful meeting.

The people of Khaenri’ah worked to be as powerful and independent as they could be in a country without an Archon, and so the royal families poured all they could onto creating what they needed. An army of automatons, a way to create life from just the essence of the earth below and the stars above, and living keys to activate these creations. All of this, in the name of progress and protection of the people. For years the most proficient practitioners of Khemia were commissioned to create these powerful keys, creatures that could live and breathe like humans but would not erode with time. Beings that could learn and experience emotion and strategy in order to plan the best ways to retaliate should war ever break loose. Dainsleif was already the sword of the royal family when the renown alchemist Gold stepped foot into their majesties’ royal chamber. Behind them was a dim-eyed individual wearing nothing but torn rags. ‘Homunculus’ is what Gold called it. A creature made from soil and stardust. There were faded white runes almost etched into the skin of two flimsy arms that could not be hidden by the rags. His ocean eyes met with dull and faded amber, contained and muted much like the person before him. Though when you stared back at him, your eyes flared to life with what looked like speckled stars in your irises that chased his gaze like stars chased the moon. Since then, he had never left your side.

Dainsleif had many reservations when he first met you, something created by Gold who was an individual he already disliked for their feverish ambitions and morally questionable methods of experimentation. Not only that, but it was you and you alone who commanded the automatons you affectionately referred to as ‘Graders.’ On a whim alone you could destroy half of the country, and the royal family knew this. So you were raised by the Eclipse Dynasty to be loyal to Khaenri’ah and not to your creator, he was the equivalent of your retainer upon that first meeting. And he treated you as such. Yet… somewhere along the line that professional relationship had dissolved. He would oft wonder how that happened but now, as he watched your favorite Grader approach you with relatively careful steps he can list but a few reasons why.

“Leaf!” You called, and Dainsleif still found your attempt at subtlety amusing. Though he could never call you out on it, nor would he want to. The sound of your voice was one reason. ‘Leaf’ extended a long arm to you, offering a beautiful crystal flower that you took in your hands and gently tucked behind your ear. Your kindness to even that which cannot feel was another.

“Thank you. Now, can you help me unpack this for the citizens?” At the request, both your runes and the Grader’s flickered in sync for a moment and the automaton’s hand came to rest on the ground before you. You hopped on without hesitation and allowed it to place you on its shoulder before it began to tear open the packages which you brought underground with your own strength. You looked back to him and blessed him with a smile, lingering for a moment before you turned back to face the others that had gathered with similar delight. That was his third reason. The biggest reason, perhaps, was how whenever you wanted to go exploring, he was always your first and only option.

“Are you ready, Moonlight?” You looked so giddy standing beside the sheer cliff that led you both to the surface. A powerful wind current that was used for gas exchange between the surface and the underground country was the only obstacle in the way. You, however, had a way around this. Dainsleif nodded, affectionately clasping your hand in his own. You almost opted to go home and just relish in his presence the rest of the day, but you wanted to share the experience of exploring Mondstadt together.

“With you? Always, Starlight.” You wrapped your arms around him once for a tight embrace which he returned instantly, pressing his face into the crick of your neck. There was an excited and quick sort of giggle that erupted from your mouth.

“Alright. Hold onto me. Count down from three?” Both of you counted down together.

Three. Dainsleif adjusted his position to wrap around under your arms, he faced the current.

Two. He felt something strong wrap around his waist, tufted at the end. Your muscles braced for what came next.

One. You both leaped into the wind current and he managed to look back at you just as he watched your arms transfigured before his very eyes. Feathers burst forth from your skin, taking on the colors of their home. Feathers glistened like starlight under the low light of their home and the current led you both to the surface. In moments like these as a transfigured tail wrapped around him to safe him should his grip slip and as your unique wings took the wind seamlessly underneath them, he remembered another thing he loved about you. Such a blatant disregard for Gold’s ambitions and principles, wanting to protect the country you both belonged to. You were no mindless creature. You had a curiosity for the world, and followed your own ambitions to explore it.

"Dandelion, Dandelion, ride the wind to a faraway land," The story began, as it always did, and the memories of your favorite story flooded back once you turned the page. It was evening in Windrise, underneath the titanic oak tree the people of Mondstadt associated The Falcon of the East with. Its broad leaves had become something of a comfort for you whenever your travels brought you back to your first home, where you had awoken in Teyvat. You paused from rereading the anthology clutched in your hands to laugh. No, calling Mondstadt your first home would be doing it a great injustice. It has, and always will be, your only home. It sounded ironic, calling this place your home when Barbatos himself declared this the city of freedom and never remained so rooted to one spot, one home. Or that’s how you saw it, anyway. You called this your home, but it and your entire life remained a constant and forever.

What would he think, you wondered to yourself. Actually, he would have just teased you, the answer was clear as the stars above Teyvat. Barbatos… Venti seemed to have no greater pleasure in this world than popping as many of your veins as possible in a single sitting. You loved that though. No matter how turned around the Anemo Archon made you, how many jabs and jokes were played at your expense, they always seemed so soft and playful. He would sound of the softest wind-chimes whenever he laughed and you could never stay upset. And if you had the right mind to jab back at him his laughter only grew before both of you ended up in a fit of laughter. It reminded you of your sibling that still evades you no matter how far and wide you search for them. That is why you were here, underneath the tree and down on your luck. Zhongli may be a retired Archon, but even he couldn’t make the search instant and you understood that. His connections asked you to wait for more information, and thus you found yourself back in Windrise with a copy of your favorite book at your side.

“The Fox in the Dandelion Sea? How odd, I never considered that your type of read.” Lisa murmured one day while she approached your table with two plates of food. It was return day for the books lent out of the library, and she somehow always managed to rope you into tagging along. It was her turn to pay and you had taken to reading your book in the time you were apart. The witch eyed the leather binding, worn in places along the spine where you rested your palm against, but the foiled pages within were kept in immaculate condition. “But I can tell it is very beloved. That’s so hard to find these days.” You finally snapped yourself out of the passage you were reading to eye a beaming Lisa.

“Ah… about that, interesting story…” You trailed off, feeling a heat rise to your cheeks as your fingers drew anxious circles into the leather. Lisa immediately cooed and plopped down onto her chair beside you. There was no way out of this now. “It was a gift. Or, almost. A friend of mine showed me around the city one night. He kept raving about how he thought of me when recalling this story, but it just made me angry at first.” Lisa quirked her head to one side, almost frowning.

“Oh?”

“I skimmed the last book before reading the first ten. The ending left a sour taste in my mouth.” There was a resigned sound coming from your friend and you shook your head quickly. “I gave it a shot, nonetheless. And it changed everything entirely for me. The story is beautiful, and bittersweet. It’s hard for two worlds to collide, I mean just look at me. Mondstadt is what I know and love, no matter how much I travel it feels… strange to be away from home.”

You smiled softly as you came back to the present. Visiting past memories that are full of happiness and friendship is what you did most days. Everyone has a life, people they care about, and your life was pulled from normalcy, thrown off course, and shattered all your preconceptions. When you were with friends, that truth was easy to hide. When everyone was off with their responsibilities, the truth came crashing down onto you. And you felt much too imposing to ask to tag along. You sighed softly, looking at the spaces in between each leaf that hung above you as they rustled in the breeze. At least the wind was always there for you. Closing your eyes, you nearly fell asleep underneath the massive oak, but that was nothing new. You spent more time here than your own room offered to you by the Knights of Favonius during your stay.

“…?” You opened your eyes as something distinctly sounded like a voice with no words, finding a small wind sprite directly above you. You had spent many nights under this tree, but never have you seen this one. You offered a small smile.

“Hello there, I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.” You spoke softly. The sprite floated upside-down, watching you with two small pinpricks of eyes. Something about the carefree floating spirit just made you laugh softly. “But it is lovely to meet you.” Satisfied, the sprite flitted down to sit on the book at your lap. “Ah! You’re wondering what I’m reading? It’s my favorite book, The Fox in the Dandelion Sea.” To clear the way for you, the sprite switched positions to rest atop your shoulder. It tilted its head just a bit and you were reminded of Lisa in that gesture.

“You want me to read to you? I…” A moment of pause came from you and you swallowed thickly. “I… I can’t. I’m sorry. The only person I’ve read to before, you see, showed this to me in the first place. And the night before I left to travel across Teyvat, I read the first chapter aloud…” Unable to control the sudden pain you felt in your chest and eyes, you clutched the fabric of your clothes and stop thinking about the book’s history. “I never saw them again and… I’m afraid someone else will leave if I dare utter another word aloud.” The first droplets of tears collided onto the parchment and you quickly closed the book shut before your unplanned show of Hydro could damage anything. The sprite’s little feathers drooped at those words, eyes looking down. The wind that had been quiet shook awake once again, lifting the droplets of tears into the air. You inhaled deeply.

“The wind amongst the branches feels good, I love the way it smells… That’s what we say when we’re down on our luck, right?” You spoke to the wind, wondering if it would carry those tears to Venti in some poetic manner. You wanted both for it to happen and not. Clutching the book close to your chest, you pulled your knees up to lean against. “I miss you so much Venti… Had I been born a fox, I could transform into a dandelion and float to you. I just want to see you.” The ground you were staring at stopped shifting, the wind had stopped. And then it suddenly blew harder than it had ever before. You could hear it howling against your eardrums, deafening, frigid, and powerful. You had closed your eyes, hugging your precious book close, the only physical memory you had of Venti. You could handle the sorrow of the universe, but not the possibility of losing him.

It was then that something squeezed your shoulders, urging you to open your eyes. Bright cerulean ones blinked back at you, braids that ended in an ombre blue dancing wildly around them. Your eyes welled up in more tears.