Chapter Text
The walk was bearable, but very nerve wracking. Kazuha had to lean on the stone walls of Narukami’s peak every once in a while. His breath would catch, and he’d be able to pull himself back up. The true savior that helped him make it to the top was Lumine holding his hand and pushing back his self-doubt.
The higher they climbed, the more the wind had picked up. Her scent has swept around him and practically wilted the flowers from within. It brought back life to his eyes, just as long as the Anemo Archon had blessed the winds around them. If the air became still, then so would Kazuha’s breath. Shortening breaths that tasted like iron and bile.
Once at the top, both party members were able to look at the marvelous scope that was Inazuma. In the distance they could see the glow around Tartarasuna and it’s dangerous furnace. There were the bones of Orobashi far in the distance that lay waste in the split island of Yashiori. And far off, clouds spun round with the promise of the danger of storm and excitement of Seirai. Watatsumi was very distant, but with the leading of a bandaged finger, Kazuha was able to point out the sight of the resistance. Hopefully Lumine would be able to find her way there soon and seek help to fight the Shogun and her Vision Hunt Decree.
But that was far from Kazuha’s mind at the moment. Here at the shrine, he could have his greatest wish granted, or perhaps denied. Leading her deep into the shrine grounds, the pair were ignored by pilgrims and shrine maidens. This place was a place of peace on Inazuma. Even if Kazuha was a person of interest, there would be no point in taking him away if he was in a place that was considered sacred.
“Gods, this place is absolutely beautiful. There are so few places in Teyvat that I have seen that are like this. Or as high as this.” Lumine sighed out as she gazed up at the Sacred Sakura. “And I’ve been in some high places, mind you.”
“Oh really? Give me an example or two.” Kazuha had purred out as he kept his crimson gaze solely on her.
“Well, for example.” She pointed behind them and was able to make out the distant shape of Dragonspine with its glowing spire floating high above its peak. “There. Dragonspine is rather cold, but once you go with some pyro users, it’s honestly not that bad.”
She let a giggle leave her voice. “Honestly I thought we were going to die a few times on that mountain, it was so cold. But Bennett and Diluc were really adamant to get to the top. Poor Bennett though. When we were inside it’s cavern… Well, let’s just say we all didn’t expect that many icicles to fall down.” Her laugh was contagious, but it was hard for Kazuha to laugh along with all these men's names being dropped from her lips.
Lumine then let her finger glide over to Liyue, where a lone island floated above the lofty peaks of Juyun Karst. “And over there… Is the adeptal home of Moon Carver.” Her voice became deep when she spoke the name of the legendary adeptabeast. “Getting up there wasn’t simple, but with some help from local adepti like Ganyu and Xiao, I was able to see the beauty of the Sea of Clouds.” She sighed as if lost deep in thought. “When I say you could glide forever there- I mean you really can just glide forever there. You would honestly have such a fun time gliding from mountain peak to mountain peak picking flowers.”
The way Lumine talked so fondly of the past two locations she has visited on her travels almost made it seem like there was little to no trouble in her life. No thoughts of the Abyss, or her lost sibling within it. She was simply thinking about the beauty of this world, and the splendors within it, along with those she has traveled with.
Smiling, Kazuha reached out to grab the finger that pointed at each high peak that graced the sky, and then pulled it toward themselves. “And now, what about here? With me?” He asked very calmly.
“Well…” Lumine’s voice almost trailed off as she gazed around the scenery. The clear blue water that sat beneath the shrine, to the redwood that built each little temple on top of the peak. Then her eyes laid back upon the large Sacred Sakura. It’s form is never intimidating, but rather glorious with it’s gaze. A soft breeze came through and allowed sakura petals to drift slowly down through the courtyard, and the air smelt of spring. Then a smile came over her pink lips.
“I think this is very beautiful. Up here, the air isn’t cold like on Dragonspine. Although I could see all of Mondstat and a little bit of Liyue from up there, from up here I can still see the beauty of all of Narukami Island.” She then looked at some sakura petals that landed on top of Kazuha’s platinum locks, and let out another soft laugh.
“And here, there are trees and air that smells crisp. On the Adeptal home in Liyue, all the trees would be below along with the scent of anything. The most you could smell would be the wood that built that ancient structure, along with the scent of old parchment and tea that lingered. And honestly, that’s not a bad smell at all.” She looked down where the water babbled and then back to Kazuha. “This isn’t a bad smell either. But I have to ask you one thing.”
This wasn’t expected, but Kazuha wasn’t someone who would deny her anything if she were to ask it. “What is your question, Lumine?”
“Why out of all the places I have been to in Teyvat… whenever I’m with you- you smell like my home?” Lumine’s gaze became a bit serious at that moment. Her eyes no longer filled with laughter but curiosity. This question must have lingered in her mind for a while now.
Of course, it must be because of the flowers that seemed so foreign. The flowers Kazuha had never seen. The ones that only sat in Lumine’s hair and decorated her beautiful face. The flowers that poisoned his insides with jealousy and desire. But how should he answer this to the girl he wanted to confess in hopes of ridding these flora?
“I have an answer for you, but I’m not sure you want to really know dear Lumine.” Kazuha’s voice hitched with panic. It was a warning not to delve deeper into this topic. Her eyes betrayed her, and he could tell she still had focused on it. If he knew the answer, then why hide it?
“But Kazuha, if you know, why would you keep it a secret? Aren’t we traveling together?”
Please don’t say it.
“Why wouldn’t you be able to tell me unless…”
Please Lumine, anything but that-
“You didn’t care about me?”
“No! That’s not it. That is not it at all Lumine. I could never not care about you. In fact, I brought you up here to tell you something important to me, and maybe it will answer this question.”
Lumine seemed confused then. He grabbed her hand tightly and led her around to the side of the shrine where they could gaze into the clear water and sit in the shade on cool blue grass. This is what he wanted, and it had to be now because the flowers were beginning to really hurt.
“What is it you have to say Kazuha? Because right now I’m really starting to be annoyed with this behavior of yours.” Lumine pulled her knees to her chin and looked away from him.
Was it just Kazuha, or were the clouds beginning to darken? He couldn’t smell the crisp air any longer, but he could taste the iron on his tongue. It was getting harder to speak. “I-I… I’m sorry I need to.” He coughed and then tried to reach out to her, where she denied his touch.
“I’m just annoyed that you brought me all the way up here and can’t answer a small question. I understand that Zhongli can’t say anything about my brother to me because of a contract, but no one was asking you to sign something like that.” Her eyes looked puffy and agitated. He made a mistake.
“Lumine I… I never” A harder cough. “I never meant it that way, I promise. I just am afr-”
“Afraid? Afraid of what? What are you afraid to tell me? You have nothing to do with Khaenri'ah, so why hide anything about that place. You smell like my home. The place I was raised at with my twin brother! I ask you why, and you say you know but can’t tell me! Why can’t I trust anyone I meet?” She stands up with a frustrated sigh. “Sorry Kazuha, I’m just not in the mood to listen to any more excuses about not being able to tell me anything. For once I just want someone to tell me the bleeding truth.”
Just as she was about to walk away, she noticed something very wrong with Kazuha’s complexion. Even more worrying, he was coughing a bit too hard at this one juncture, she thought he was hacking up a lung. In the distance, she could hear rain coming. If she left him here now she would be leaving him to the elements and he would very much catch a cold.
As much as she wanted to just go away to make a point and go cool off, she really couldn’t bare the idea of Kazuha being sick. She got back down on her knees and noticed Kazuha’s hands trying to cover his mouth as his eyes were filled with tears. Had she hurt his feelings?
“Hey… Uhm… I didn’t… I wasn’t implying that… How do I say angry without saying angry?” She stumbled with her words until she noticed he took his bandaged hand away from his lips.
“W-What’s…” She reached out and his mouth slowly unhinged allowing a large amount of Viatrix flowers to flow freely out. All white petals stained with blood, and covered with what looked like bile and saliva. Lumine couldn’t help but fall back and gasp at this sight. Whatever came out as a solid was nothing but her home world's flowers, and whatever came out that looked like liquid appeared like a red poison.
One by one, each flower fell into the water beside them and shed away the bodily fluids from within Kazuha, and began to light up their ethereal color. Some purple, some green, and then the teal ones seemed to glow the most. “Of course…” She hummed out as she reached for the largest teal one in the pond. “This is… the flower I wore when I had the powers of anemo…”
Her shocked eyes gazed at his lips when they closed. It seemed he had emptied whatever he had out. And he nodded very slowly at her as tears began to leak down his eyes. “I’m… Sorry Lumine… “
“What is this? Why are my flowers coming out of you like this?” She held a few more that had fallen into the pond.
“It’s because.” He coughed and a few droplets of blood along with rain fell onto him. “I…. love… you.” With a smile, a small dribble of blood fell down his chin, and he had fallen over into the pond with the flowers encircling him.
Lumine had no words once she heard his confession. He loved her? She dropped the flowers in her grasp and noticed how each seemed to crumble away like dust in the wind. The smile still on his lips, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping. Lumine’s body had refused to move as only her eyes would look at his frozen frame. The rain was now falling ever more frantically, and she could hear Kazuha’s voice in her head. But it wasn’t coming from his lips now- there was nothing coming from his lips.
“N-No please…” She pulled him up frantically and put her ear to his chest, hoping to hear the sound of a heartbeat. There was barely any movement or sign of his chest rising or falling. “Kazuha no, you can’t do this to me. Not after you say something like that.” She cupped his cheek and wiped his hair from his face.
The rain fell upon the pair and Lumine could feel her tears begin to build. She thought she was done crying for others. She would only save these tears for her brother, but now they came fresh as the rain and fell down onto Kazuha’s cheeks.
“I’m… Sorry Kazuha… I didn’t know... “ Lumine laid her head between Kazuha’s neck and cried out. “Why do you act so noble? Why can’t you just tell someone what’s happening? If you need help just… just….” Her breath hitched as she had realized what she was about to say. “You bastard…. Making me realize my own needs. But more than ever, right now I need you.”
She pulled herself up and looked at the sleeping image of Kazuha. “I need you Kazuha. How else am I going to make my journey through Teyvat without someone who makes me realize these things. Damn you for doing this to me... “ She sighed and began to get closer to his lips. “At least you should have stayed long enough to let me tell you…” And she laid her lips over his- kissing him tenderly.
The kiss was warm, and like a prayer. Like two hands that would be placed together to ask their god for something, this was two lips sealing themselves to others in a sacred wish. Lumine could feel a fire in her stomach and her head became light. When she pulled away, she gazed at him once again. “I love you too…”
Laying her head over his chest, she continued to sob in the rain a bit more until the rain began to let up. It was simple dry sobs at this point. Lumine thought to herself as the rain started to clear -
Should I carry on his legacy and find a way to reawaken both his friends, and Kazuha’s vision?
-as she was about to lift up her head and wipe her eyes, a hand was placed over her wet locks and kept her still. Then she could hear it. A heart beat in the chest that she laid on top of.
“Please… Let me cherish this moment a bit more before we have to get up.” Kazuha sighed.
Lumine huffed heavily and knocked his arm out of the way before she pulled him into a large kiss. His eyes were wide open as she kissed him deeply. His hands didn’t know where to move except to finally wrap around her and offer her comfort. When she pulled away, Lumine carried a smile that would fit perfectly on a bride for her wedding day.
Kazuha gave her a curious smile and soft chuckle. “What happened? All I remember was our argument?”
“Don’t worry about it… I forgive you.” She kissed him again and this time Kazuha sighed deeply into it. His stomach felt empty. He could breathe the air around him, and hear the cranes that were far away on the shore of Ritou. His senses finally returned, and he felt alive once again. When they parted, Kazuha wiped the final tears that clung to her eyes.
“I’m glad… Well, I guess we should probably go and dry off our clothes before we catch a cold.”
“Why are you playing this off as if you didn’t just have a mountain of flowers come out of your gut? You died!”
He scratched his chin very innocently and smiled. “Did I? Well… That’s a story for you I should explain on our way to your tea pot Lumine. I do believe you have a change of clothes in there and a better bed suited for two?” His smile became a bit more charming at that moment and made Lumine blush heavily.
“Y-You… “ She stood up aggressively and Kazuha could only smile at how cute she looked. “You need to take things one step at a time buster!”
As Kazuha stood up, he reached for her hips and pulled her back into him. Their wet clothes sloshing against one another as he pressed himself close to her. “Yes, but it’s rather cold now, is it not? Wouldn’t it be best for us to go and dry ourselves off after a nice bath? It would be hard to see the Raiden Shogun with a cold.” He leaned in close to her ear and sighed, sending a heavy chill down her back. “I’m a man who loves a woman, how can you blame me when she kisses me after all this time I have longed for her lips on mine. All I have had inside me was cowardice to face you with these feelings, and that is what created those flowers. I had fear that you would never love me.”
Pulling his head back he smiled at her. “But now I know… You share the same feelings, and in doing so you have saved my life.” Leaning forward he kissed the top of her head lightly before cooly whispering out - “Now I have found my home and pray you have found yours with me as well.”
Lumine’s face was crimson red as he said this, and she simply nodded. “You need to turn down the charm levels sometimes.”
“Or else?” Kazuha challenged.
“Flowers will start coming out of your mouth.” Lumine giggled before kissing his chin lightly. “Alright… We’re not going to get any dryer by just standing here in front of all these people in our wet clothes. It really is best we go.”
Lumine placed her Adeptal tea pot in front of them and then gestured to Kazuha. “It’s simple really. All you have to do is-” Before she could finish she pushed him into the kettle and laughed to herself before she went in to join him.
Finally Lumine had found a home within someone like her. A wanderer like herself, and someone with care and love that filled their heart. She knew that Kazuha was powerful, but here he would be willing to do anything for her for the sake of love. There had to be a line in the sand eventually though. She refused to let something like that happen to her brother, but here is Kazuha in a state almost like death, and she revives him with love.
As much as that may be a true happy ending to Lumine, she can’t help but wonder if that is the end of where it begins? How many more will there be? Does love truly mean putting someone else before yourself? Shaking her head as she stood outside her mansion, she smiled at Kazuha, leading him inside toward the bathhouse.
For now, she wished to focus solely on what she has discovered with Kazuha today. Love can be dangerous enough to kill, but it’s also perfectly beautiful once found. A divine symbolism of union between people whether it's familial, or romantic. Her broken heart had been mended, but now she wished to cultivate it in the home that Kazuha promised within himself.