‘please join me’ - dottore x traveller!reader
The catastrophe in Nod-Krai was over. You and Paimon, now with more time to relax, revisit Mondstadt to clear your minds and rest. But someone seems to be waiting for you in Starsnatch Cliff… with a goal.
This fic is based off of the lovely work of @varvarabonecarver found here! Please go support them and their art, they’re so incredible and I’m very grateful they gave me permission to base my fic off of this work.
tags: traveller!reader (no pronouns used), angst no comfort, post-6.3/Luna 4 event, Dottore is desperate (and needs a hug), set in Mondstadt, Paimon appearance, dottore cries, seriously he needs a hug I need to give him a smooch and a roof over his head
For all of the time you’d been away, the lush air of Mondstadt hadn’t changed a bit.
A temporary break in your journey before venturing to Snezhnaya, Paimon had said to you. After all, the chaos of Nod-Krai was only now settling, and you both felt it appropriate to rewind, get back into the natural rhythm and beat of life.
You had established a temporary camp site on the base of Starsnatch Cliff, the familiar ache in your heart of looking at the beach below mellowing both you and your companion out. “We’ve come so far, Traveller! It feels like only yesterday that we first walked on the coast together…”, Paimon mused, nostalgia flooding both of your systems as you sat on the soft grass, the fresh breeze wafting through your camp - like a warm cooked meal; hearty, comforting, home.
It was late afternoon. The sun was getting lower on the horizon, softening the grass into a warm orange hue. “Lunch is making me sleepy, so I’m gonna take a nap. Don’t worry, though. I’ll be awake by dinner time!”, Paimon exclaimed, eyes drowsily glimmering with the thought of another one of your delicious dishes. She settled in the tent. You were now alone.
You supposed she would be fine if you left her there for a moment, just enough time to wander to the peak of the cliff. The climb wasn’t as arduous as it last was, a testament to the strength accumulated over your story. Ah, how time passed, flowing almost without you at times. You sat on the edge, eyes shut, listening to the crash and rocking of waves against the rocks beneath you. It would be nice to—
“It’s been a while, Traveller.”
No. It can’t be, that voice-
You snapped your head in the direction of the voice. It was coming from behind you. He was behind you.
“I have my ways. Besides, didn’t I tell you previously that I prefer to flee rather than surrender? Surely you don’t think I would simply let you and your comrades send me into oblivion so easily?”
That familiar knot of terror twisted in your stomach. Why was he here? Better yet, how did he know you were here? Wait, what about Paimon? Is she-
“Before you ask, your little flying friend is safe. She is still sound asleep in your camp.”
It seems he has some lines he won’t cross, at least.
“How did you figure out where I am?”
“Obtaining information about your whereabouts is hardly difficult — you’re a celebrity, a hero of all nations. And with everyone believing I am dead, disguising myself poses less of a risk than usual. Of course, I won’t be telling you my exact methods.” He smirked, although there was something… off about it. It could’ve been wider, baring more teeth, baring more confidence… but there was none of that. It seemed more subdued than you knew him for.
You stood up to meet his… mask. “What do you want from me?”. Surely, he couldn’t still be on about-
“I would like to offer you, once again, a place by my side.”
“After all that you’ve done, what makes you think I’ll accept your offer?”, you snarled the words, anger bubbling over.
“I can still be of use to you. I may not be able to show myself to the public eye, but I can work behind the scenes. Provide you resources, information, details you would otherwise go to the moon and back for if not for me.”
“And what would you want in return? You’re hardly one to do favours without reciprocity.”
He hummed. There was a strain to it, like he was holding something back.
“Simply… companionship.” He began stepping closer, closing the protective distance you had created. “You’re a capable fighter, but also intelligent, knowledgeable - in other words, you can keep up with me. I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to have someone like you walking alongside me again.”
You drew your breath in, shaky, barely restrained. “Someone like you doesn’t seek people out for things like that. You manipulate them, bleed them dry until there’s nothing left of the person they were before. You’re a monster, Dottore. I can’t put it in any other way.”
“Do you really see me that way?”
While you couldn’t see his eyes, his lips had formed a mild, almost missable frown. He couldn’t be hurt by your words, surely? He deserved them, he probably anticipated them, so how could he be?
He sighed. There was something weary in his breath now.
“Of course you do. And why wouldn’t you? You’ve been the victim of my most consuming experiments yet, the culmination of my life’s work. You’ve seen me at my ‘best’, the pinnacle of my existence. And you worked together, with your… friends, to bring me down from glory. Pulling me from my pedestal like the very moon you brought down upon me.”
“But tell me, Traveller, have you ever heard my side of the story? You were gracious enough to hear Columbina’s. You listened to her, even consoled her — despite her being a former Harbinger. Couldn’t you do the same for me?”
His voice continued to hold the same edge it always did, but something was crumbling beneath. He seemed obsessed with having you to himself before, but now… it might have been closer to desperation.
You pondered his words. Even if he told you his side, it was unwise to believe him. Like a siren draws its prey in using illusory song, he would pull you in, only to drown you once you were within his grasp.
But what if this was his attempt at redemption? What if there was a part of him that held… remorse? If that was even possible for him. You wouldn’t know unless you heard it yourself.
“I’m… ready to listen to your story.”
He perked up. Clearly, he was anticipating you to snap back at him, storm off, slap him, something along those lines. Finally. Finally, he could let you in.
The moon was now rising in the sky, looming, watching, as he spoke of his past.
It wasn’t like what you had expected at all. Naturally, a man like him could not have been born evil, no matter how unbelievable that seemed. The recount he gave you was agonising; neglect, alienation, pitchforks, fire, scrutiny, all in a viscous cycle that never ended. And it was still going.
“I-“, there were no real words to express your emotions. You knew you were angry, yes. But at who? Him? Or the people that made him, the people who turned him away when he was still a child, innocent and afraid? A pang of sympathy leapt through you, lodging itself in your throat. Damn it all.
“See Traveller, I do not want to be your enemy. I could help you truly reunite your brother, your family. Or, better still, I could be your family. I understand you, I know how and what you think. This rotten world has never been home for you. It hasn’t been mine either. It never has. But I,” he drew even closer. You could almost feel his warmth. “…I could be your home. I could help you in ways no one else can. You know that there isn’t a single other person in Teyvat who could truly say they understand your circumstances, or resonate with your pain. Except me. I’m certain you can believe that.”
You averted your gaze to the ground. He was right. You knew he was right, and you hated it, more than anything.
“If you wish to reject me, then fine. You know now that I am familiar with it. But…”
“…Know that you would send me deeper into ruin. Deeper into my own soul, my interminable suffering. I cannot dull these memories alone. That is why I had my segments carry the burden. But they are gone. You, Traveller, are my final hope. So please…”
He opened his arms, almost as though he were expecting a hug. Now looking at his face, bathed in the moon’s watchful glow, you noticed tears cascading down his face, flowing to his jaw.
The wind seemed to pause, as though time itself had come to a still. He was crying. The Il Dottore, the Heretic, the Trilunar God… Zandik, as he was once known, was crying before you, arms outstretched, expecting your embrace. Somewhere in your mind, you knew it could be a farce. A trick to get your sympathy, your affection. But you also knew a man like him could not be vulnerable without being genuine.
It took much effort to convince yourself that walking away was the best decision. Amidst the white grass, the cecilias, the minty freshness of the Mondstadt air, you had denied Dottore his one lasting wish. You walked right past him, down to your camp, not looking back. You paused while he was still within ear’s reach, so you could say,
“You deserved better than this world, Zandik.”
