You'll never know, dear, how much I love you.

by rellentlessly

Summary:

The Tsaritsa gives the Fatui's Second and Ninth Harbingers an order neither of them can refuse: raise a four-year-old girl until she is old enough to become a valuable asset.

Zandik, naturally, was useless. One evening, after the little girl had been crying for the last 30 minutes, he calmly suggested sedatives.

Pantalone glared at him, almost throwing a ledger at his head.

Unfortunately, some people only realize how deeply they love someone when they're already running out of time.

Dottore slams the table at the Harbingers' meeting, tilting his head at the knave. "And why must we do this for you?" He asked angrily while tapping the documents on the table repeatedly.

Arlecchino, unbothered by his tantrums, drank her tea gently. "The Tsaritsa deemed it necessary to place the child in your care. For your information, I was against it as well. After all, I'm the head of the House of the Hearth. Why would I let a mere researcher handle a kid?" She says, placing her tea on the table before standing up.

Dottore fumes with anger, wanting to strangle the fellow harbinger. This damn cocky woman! But before he could lash out again, he felt someone tug at his coat gently.

"Which means," The man spoke. "Her Majesty sees the little girl as a valuable asset that we could use in the future?" Asked the Regrator. His eyes were closed, and there was a faint smile on his lips, which was his default expression at this point. Neither the 2nd nor the 4th harbinger could ever read what was on his mind.

Arlecchino nodded to his inquiry, still sighing. "As much as I want to object, I respect her majesty's decisions and orders. I will drop the child off at your shared facilities soon." With that, she gathered the documents she had brought, turned on her heel, and walked out of the meeting room without waiting for either of them to respond.

"That damn lesbian!" Dottore snorted, talking about Arlecchino behind her back. He sat down in frustration, his head hurting. Everyone knows that he has test subjects that are children, so why on earth would the Cryo Archon give him and Feofan this mission?!

Feofan chuckled beside him and was as immovable as always. "I must say, I'm looking forward to this." He said, studying the little girl's profile. 4-year-old, brown-haired Liyuean angel named Heian.

Heian means darkness. Pantalone studied the little girl's name, frowning a little in confusion. In Liyue, names hold so much meaning. For a little girl to be named Heian, the 9th harbinger was somewhat unsettled.

Based on her description alone, which Dottore was now also reading, he knew the girl was going to be a handful. He sighed and stood up, getting a sharp headache.

That same day, the Regrator had his men fix the facilities to empty a storage room and turn it into a bedroom for the little girl. The men under the Doctor were in charge of buying supplies and food.

"Sir," One man bowed down. "Have you forgotten to order elixirs?" He asked, confused as to why the ominous Zandik was not ordering to buy harmful stuff to give the child.

Dottore snaps. "Idiots, I'm not harming this one yet." He says, looking away, seriously having no idea how to care for a child.

That was how they spent the day preparing. By nightfall, a sealed letter bearing the Tsaritsa’s insignia arrived, containing the detailed instructions.

You are to care for this child until she grows up enough to be a valuable asset to me. No further explanation is needed. Remember, nurture the child and raise her as your own. Do not hurt her.

Dottore crumpled the paper as soon as Feofan finished reading it and threw it in the trash bin.

"She's acting as if she's asking us to raise a damn cat!" Zandik complained. Somewhere down the hall, workers were still assembling furniture for a child neither of them had met.

Unlike Feofan, who's still a proud diplomat, Dottore is known to disobey the Cryo Archon on his own whims. What makes this ice god believe he'd follow her instructions?!

Whatever. The fuck with it.

After a while, they were now alone. Their men had retreated to their dorms. Feofan lit a cigarette as he went to the balcony, staring at the night sky.

Dottore followed him a few moments later. He did not say anything at first. Instead, he stepped behind Pantalone and rested his head against the back of his neck. The gesture was so familiar that Pantalone barely reacted, only lifting his cigarette away from him so the smoke would not drift too close.

Actually, Pantalone had a hint why the Tsaritsa would trust them with this mission.

He and Dottore had gone back and forth, pushing and pulling, and were between lovers and comrades.

Dottore insisted that he was incapable of love, that such a thing was merely a weakness people used to justify irrational decisions. Pantalone, on the other hand, had never cared much for the distinction. He adored the man anyway, even when Dottore was cunning.

This is how they would spend their moments alone. Despite not having a proper label, the two cared for each other like crazy. They were practically doing everything boyfriends would do, except they don't vocally say it. The Cryo Archon sees them often and probably came to this conclusion as well, so now that she needs two figures to raise a child, she chose these two out of curiosity to see if they could handle it.

Dottore wrapped an arm around Pantalone's waist, kissing his nape. "You think we can handle it?" He asked, his tone uncharacteristically soft.

"Why not?" Pantalone turned around and took another hit from his cigarette. "I'm sure the smartest of all Teyvat can handle a mere child." He said, chuckling gently.

The doctor let out another sigh. "You know it's different this time. I'm not allowed to hurt her, and I'm supposed to nurture her. I'm not capable of that." He says in frustration.

Feofan held the other's chin and put his cigarette on the tray, then kissed him. It was not a gentle peck a lover would give, but a hungry kiss that could only happen between two people who lust over each other.

He seemed to tell the man that he's capable of caring for him; why would an innocent child be any different?

"Eugh, tastes like cigarettes," Dottore muttered, but also pulled the other's waist to deepen the kiss.

This was how it always was with these two. Both didn't know how it started, but both were honest in their sexual needs. And who else could they do this with when they only have each other?

That was a bold ass lie.

As Pantalone moaned when Dottore fucked him recklessly into the bed, he knew that he had all the resources in the entirety of Teyvat to buy all the people he wanted to bed. But he doesn't.

Instead, he switched their positions and made Dottore taste his own medicine when he dicked him down.

The next morning came, and the two lay naked on their bed. The first one to wake up was Feofan, who felt his body aching. He woke up from a noise that was their doorbell.

Dottore, beside him, slept soundly, his face so peaceful that you could never guess that the same man was capable of such crime and atrocities. "Falling in love with me again?" He said as he opened his eyes, sensing that the other man was studying him.

Pantalone let out a weak laugh. "I'd rather join Tartaglia in falling into the abyss than fall in love with you."

Dottore stretched in bed before finally reacting to that noisy bell.

It was Arlecchino's frantic ding-dong-ing that woke the two up. Wearing his pajamas again, the Regrator went out to greet her.

When he opened the gate, the first thing he saw was not the Knave but the little girl on her arms, reaching for the doorbell and playing with it.

"Good morning." Said the woman. "I trust that you two have prepared everything already?" She asked, still worried about the little sweetheart.

Before Pantalone could answer, the child looked up at him with wide, curious eyes. She studied him for only a moment before reaching both arms toward him without hesitation.

Feofan reached out naturally, carrying the little girl. She was so light, so fragile that it made him shiver.

The sweet Arlecchino gently caresses Heian's cheeks. "Run to me if they hurt you, hmn?" She says, as if a 4-year-old would understand her.

They then returned to their facilities, the child in Pantalone's arms, excited because the facility looked like a huge playground. She jumped down from his hold and immediately ran around in excitement.

Dottore, still half-naked, saw this sight and felt nauseous.

Feofan laughed gently and rolled his eyes. "Stop being dramatic." He went to the running child and made her sit down on his lap on the old couch. "Heian." He spoke gently. "From now on, you'll be with us. I'm Pantalone, and this is Dottore."

The sweet child tilted her head. "Papa?" She asked Pantalone.

Arlecchino closed her eyes briefly, as though she had expected this exact disaster. “She has a habit of assigning names to people she feels comfortable with,” she explained.

Pantalone looked down at the little girl. “I see.”

Zandik laughed but stopped himself when the child pointed at him. "Other Papa?" In a tone so innocent, so devoid of hurt.

It was now Feofan's time to laugh. Dottore was so pissed off, rushing to them on the couch and sitting beside them. "Am not!" He said to the child, his brutish demeanor scaring the little girl.

Pantalone gasped and shielded Heian. "This mean, ugly, Other Papa!" He mocked Dottore and laughed as he cooed at the girl. "Don't listen to him, angel. He wasn't loved as a child." He said, earning a playful hit from Dottore.

He scolded the doctor again. "Hey, no violence in front of our daughter." He said, and the doctor was so confused as to why and how the 9th harbinger snapped to his role so fast.

The little girl absolutely loved Pantalone. In her eyes, he was a nice, kind papa who'd always play with her and kiss her boo-boos goodbye.

When she looked at her scary, Other Papa, she frowned again. In her eyes, he was a scary monster who forced the kind Papa to be with him.

Which was partially true if you think about it.

Dottore sighed. "Just don't let her run unsupervised. It's dangerous; I might accidentally inject her with something that'll make her quiet forever.

Feofan sighed at the morbid threat, pulling the child to his chest. "Don't worry, Heian, you have me, the kind and nice papa."

Dottore just stood up as the two played. Pantalone settled Heian down in the living room with paper, crayons, and a small stack of coloring books, which the servants had purchased the day before.

When the little girl fell asleep while coloring, Feofan brushed her hair behind her ear gently. "Why would someone like you be named after darkness?"

He carried the little girl and placed her on the couch, getting a blanket to tuck her in. He marched back to Dottore's office and lit up a cigarette.

"You think there's something hidden about her?" Asked Dottore.

Pantalone had come to him to discuss what he thinks about Heian, telling him that he has a gut feeling that something was overlooked.

Dottore studied her documents again, not wanting to shrug off the other man's observations. However, he noticed that the man was worried. "You seem rather invested in this one. Don't tell me you've already fallen into her charms."

Pantalone put the cigarette down on the tray and lit another one. "As if I'd ever."

When they came back to the living room, the little girl had woken up and was crying gently. She hugged her knees as she cried, her sobs not too loud.

The two panicked and came to her aid. Tsaritsa's rule of not hurting her—are they going to break it already?!

Heian raised her head when she felt a warm hand on her head. "Papa?" She asked and cried more when she saw Pantalone. She then went to his arms, nuzzling on his chest. Heian sniffed and rubbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. “I woke up, and nobody was there,” she mumbled.

When her cries smoothed out, Dottore sighed. "Kids are so annoying. Why do we need to be with this unruly girl all the time?"

The first few months were a disaster.

Dottore discovered very quickly that children possessed an unnatural talent for finding danger. If there were a staircase, Heian would attempt to throw herself down it. If there were a high place, she would climb it. It was annoying and distracting him from his work.

The little girl also cried when her favorite spoon disappeared, cried when she woke up from a nightmare, and could not remember what frightened her. Her sobs were not irritating because they were loud, but were irritating because the two genuinely didn't know what to do.

Zandik, naturally, was useless. His proposed solutions ranged from absurd to concerning. One evening, after Heian had been crying for the last 30 minutes, he calmly suggested sedatives.

Pantalone almost threw a ledger at his head.

Every time frustration threatened to boil over, every time one of them questioned why they were continuing this absurd arrangement, the answer remained the same. It's because failure is not an option because of their damn pride as harbingers.

They can't imagine how cocky the Knave will be if she learns that two men can't handle a single child when she's handling thousands of them.

A few weeks later, Dottore walked into his lab to discover that several pages of his important research notes had been covered in childish drawings. Dottore then glared at Feofan with enough hostility to start a war.

Before the Regrator could say that it's just a paper and that he always has backups, Dottore spoke again. "It's still bothersome to try and find it, don't you think?" He said angrily, slamming the documents on the table.

That same evening, they ate dinner in complete silence while Heian chatted endlessly about subjects neither man understood nor cared about. The little girl seemed entirely unaware that both of her guardians were hanging on to their patience by a thread.

But that was not the case. Children are surprisingly good at noticing when they're unwanted. They don't always understand why, but they understand the feeling.

Pantalone didn't even tuck her in that night, too tired of doing so. What he didn't know was that Heian spent the whole night crying herself to sleep, asking herself what she did wrong this time. Maybe if she weren't so cheeky, her papas wouldn't be mad at her. That's why she decided that starting tomorrow, she would behave.

The first thing she didn't do the next morning was wander into Dottore's office. Zandik was quite shocked but was happy. Thank the heavenly principles she's not here to bother him with questions today. This means he can wrap up his work more easily.

Feofan thought nothing of it. Little children are moody and would always go into this silent mode. What he noticed, though, was that meals had become strangely quiet. Normally, Heian would spend dinner talking about anything that crossed her mind.

Now that she was eating between the two men, she didn't even complain about the vegetables. She quietly ate it all and went to her room.

Pantalone wiped the corner of his lips gently, looking at Heian, who was heading back into her room. "Little Hei-hei, would you like a bedtime story tonight?" He asked gently, testing if he could make it up to the obviously upset girl.

The little girl shook her head. "No, Papa… It's okay. Good night."

Dottore chuckled in front of him. "Rejected by a little child?"

Feofan felt something heavy in his chest. She had never said no to bedtime stories, no matter how upset she was. Is she just getting more mature?

And so at first, both Harbingers considered it a blessing. They got to do their own work while Heian behaved, so no one had to worry about her.

But just two days later, Heian was eating much less than before. She pushed the food away and sluggishly went back to her room. She hadn't talked to anyone nor even played by herself.

Pantalone's maternal instincts, if he had any, were in chaos. Something was definitely wrong. He kicked the bottom of Dottore's chair, telling him to pay attention. "Don't you think we should check up on her?" Asked Feofan.

The doctor continued to eat his steak, rolling his eyes. "She's just being dramatic."

Pantalone shook it off, taking another bite of his food before he heard a pained cry coming from Heian's bedroom. Both of them were startled by the sudden noise from the girl who hadn't let out a sound in 2 days.

Pantalone stood up so fast, running to her room and opening it without further ado.

There she was on the floor before the door, crying and holding her stomach in severe pain. She whimpered in agony, her small sobs breaking something in Feofan.

Within 5 seconds of seeing the girl, Dottore snapped into action. "Appendicitis." Said the doctor in horror and realization. He scooted Pantalone away gently and carried the little girl, striding so fast back to his office. While he was carrying her, he realized that the little girl was having a terrible fever.

Feofan was pacing back and forth as Zandik studied the little girl's condition. He heard him murmur a curse, clicking his tongue and frantically readying his tools for surgery.

"It ruptured yesterday, and she did not tell us," Dottore says as a matter of clinical fact, making Feofan's stomach twist with guilt. Is she gonna be okay? Will she die from this? If only they hadn't been cruel, maybe the little girl would be honest about how she feels.

Pantalone grunts as he lights his cigarette, not realizing how much anxiety he has over a little girl.

The doctor moved fast; thankfully, this was just a removal and not something more meticulous. "Calm down, she'll be okay." He assured Pantalone.

That calmed his nerves. Dottore was the craziest doctor in the universe, after all. Highlighting the word crazy.

After the surgery, Heian slept peacefully in her bedroom, an IV line already running steadily.

Pantalone and Dottore were watching her, waiting for her to wake up. Feofan broke the silence, still a little shaken up. "She almost died because of our negligence." He said, truly realizing once more that children are fleeting butterflies who can easily get hurt.

The doctor was still quiet, and the Regrator couldn't decipher what he was thinking about because he was wearing his mask. "Something is strange with her." He reveals. But before he could continue, Heian moved.

Finally, Heian opened her eyes weakly. She scanned the room, trying to sit up.

Pantalone rushed to her and gently pushed her back down. "Don't move too much; the stitches will open up."

Dottore joined them, speaking gently. "It will take 4-6 weeks for it to truly heal. Until then, you're not allowed to move too much or lift heavy stuff."

The little girl nodded and gently smiled, confusing the two. Shouldn't she be mad at her useless papas for letting this happen? But instead, she smiled as she looked up. "I'm happy… I thought Papa and Other Papa wouldn't care, so I did not say anything."

Pantalone felt as if he had been punched in the stomach again. He knew that sentiment all too well and understood why the little girl wouldn't say anything. At the same time, he didn't want this to happen again. So with a soft tone, he held the young girl's face. "We're sorry."

Dottore was appalled at the sight of the Regrator, who was apologizing. He was so uncharacteristically honest, and the doctor knew that the black-haired fiend was starting to open up to the little girl.

"As an apology, after you're all better, we're going to a fun place," Pantalone said, caressing her hair carefully.

Heian smiled even more and nodded.

When they went out to give her some peace, Dottore looked like he wanted to question the banker. But the man immediately went back to his own respective room, probably thinking about the course of his actions.

A month passed quickly, and although she didn't return to her schedule-ruining hobby yet, the light in her eyes returned.

"Papa, papa!!!" The girl knocked loudly on their room door at night.

Zandik was a heavy sleeper, not bothered by the knocking, but Feofan was not, and was instead woken up startled by the noise.

He opened the lamp beside their bed and went to the door to open it. The little Heian was sniffing, her eyes red from tears. She looked so scared and little, and it tugged at his heartstrings unconsciously.

"Papa." She teared up. "Scared... monster under my bed.. I don't want to go back there. Please?" The little girl wouldn't even sleep alone, and that should've annoyed the Regrator, who valued his personal space. Instead, he pulled the child in his arms and carried her gently to their bed.

Heian was satisfied with this and stopped crying. Now, with both papas beside her, she had nothing to be afraid of.

Pantalone could remember holding the little girl close to his chest before he had fallen asleep.

…

"Euurheegh..?!" Jolted Dottore, who flinched when he saw a little girl beside him early in the morning.

Feofan kicked him gently, half-asleep. "Don't wake up the child."

The 2nd harbinger had so many questions, not knowing where to start. Just six months ago, this same banker was talking about not being emotionally involved with the little girl. Now, he's so bad at disciplining the child, letting her do whatever, and giving in to her whims.

It is not easy to get the Regrator like this. Maybe that's why the Tsaritsa sent her to them, so that she'd wrap them both under her fingers. Dottore felt a shiver and told himself that he ought to be more careful.

When the little girl woke up to eat lunch, Pantalone smiled at her. "Heian, do you want to go out?" Asked the same banker who told everyone not to waste funds on leisure.

The little girl nodded and jumped up and down with excitement. "Will other Papa come with us?" She asked, running to Dottore and messing with his nearby equipment.

The doctor gasped and ran after her, lifting her with one hand to stop her from pressing buttons. "I am not your Papa, and how many times have I told you not to play with my stuff?!"

He put her down before Feofan.

The sweetheart smiled. "Will we have an adventure, Papa?" Her eyes blinked cutely, as if trying to charm him into giving her the biggest and funnest vacation ever.

Pantalone nodded, carrying her. "Yes, I did, and your other-ugly-mean-boring papa is coming with us."

The doctor looked back so fast, his face full of question marks. Why would he need to be with them in this play-pretend family vacation?!

Well, all his tantrums were thrown out the window because he could never not hear Feofan's wishes.

So now, they went to a nice place in Liyue. That was the plan, but actually, Pantalone was trying to investigate something in the Northland bank, which is why he chose Liyue as their destination.

Thank goodness little kids are easy to impress; just a private pool was enough to keep her distracted. He told Dottore to make sure the little girl was attended to, to which the blue-haired bastard objected.

"Hey, Feofan, don't leave me with this brat! Hey—" Pantalone shuts the door and walks away.

Heian, in her swimsuit, happily played on the side of the pool. "Other Papa, swim with me...!!" She said excitedly, splashing the water gently.

"Not your Papa," he said as a matter of fact. "Also, not swimming," Zandik said as he sat down before the pool with a book.

Well, the room wasn't too bad. Maybe he'll swim once Feofan returns.

The little girl pouted and continued to play with the water when she suddenly lost her balance. "A-ah!!" She shouted in panic as she fell into the deep pool.

The doctor stood up, placed his book on the ground, and ran to the pool. "Hey, brat, don't joke now!" He said to the little girl who was thrashing her arms.

Heian flapped her arms clumsily, struggling to stay afloat and sinking further.

Fuck, she really can't swim. Dottore ran and jumped into the pool, pulling Heian to the surface and helping her breathe.

The little girl was teary-eyed and clung to him, breathing heavily. This was his second time carrying her, and he couldn't help but realize again how fragile she really was.

Dottore's mask was removed because he jumped into the pool, so he sighed and removed his layers, leaving only a thin inner shirt.

The little Heian looked up at him. "Other Papa, swim?" She asked cutely.

Dottore let out a sigh as he nodded. "I'm here now; what other choice do I have?" He said, removing all his accessories and putting them on the side of the pool. He then swam back to the shallow part of the pool, where Heian could stand up.

Heian, as if she had not almost drowned, played again happily. She was splashing around and laughing happily. "Other Papa—"

"Why do you call me that?" Asked Dottore. "Does that make four-eyes freak your first papa? Is he the better papa? Why am I the other papa?" The doctor asked curiously.

The little girl thought carefully, racking her small brain. "Because I have two papas." Well, of course. The most obvious answer.

She splashed her way back to Dottore. "The teacher told me that a family has a mama and a papa." She says and tilts her head. "But the nice pretty lady who gave me a toy said that I'll have two papas instead." She explains cutely, trying her best.

That can't be. Dottore thought to himself. The term 'Other Papa' is hurting his ears whenever he hears it. "Give me something else then. What about Lord Dottore?" He says, smiling cheekily.

Heian shook her head, as if not finding him amusing. "Other papa is other papa."

Dottore is annoyed. He doesn't want to be under that cocky banker who only knows how to handle money. Why would that massive smoking machine be a child's favorite over him?!

"Dada?" Heian tested that nickname on her tongue. When she saw that the man did not object, she happily chanted it. "Dada, dada..! I now have Papa and Dada!"

Dottore didn't know how to feel. He claimed not to be pleased, not noticing that he had smiled at the little girl.

On the other hand, Feofan was spying on his own fatuus, trying to find out if they were doing something illegal. A mole had told him that one of his employees was stealing money for their own gain.

He carefully checked the records of the CCTV while reviewing the account statements to ensure they were accurate. He spent a whole day before he found out who was doing it.

The man who had been stealing was a wise and honest man. At least, that's what Pantalone thought. This employee had been working under him for a long time already, so learning the truth was a little confusing for the Regrator.

Calling the man up to his office, Pantalone talked to him alone. "You know what this is about, am I right?"

The man knelt immediately, tearing up silently. "I'm sorry, my lord."

Feofan walked towards him gently, lighting up another cigarette. "Why would you do this, Mr. Liu? You are not the type of person who'd do this." After all, he had seen this man grow up.

"I did it for my son, sire." He said apologetically.

The Regrator knew he was telling the truth. He had someone run background checks on the current employees to know what happened, and he was just asking now to know if he'll tell the truth or deny it.

The man bowed down, as if waiting for the click of Pantalone's gun. After all, betrayal inside the Fatui is punishable by death.

But the click of the gun didn't follow. When he looked up, he saw Pantalone writing a check. The 9th harbinger handed the check down, making Liu look up in sudden shock.

"Sir—"

"Enough." He said. "Consider this as a thanks from me to your family, who have been serving me for a long time." He says. "Go home to your son and make sure he gets the cure he needs. Do not show your face to me ever again."

Mr. Liu gasped in shock and cried, bowing down again. "The amount you're giving is more than enough… I cannot possibly pay this back. Thank you, sire. Thank you."

Feofan walked back, putting his gun back in his canister. He walked back to the hotel where the two were staying, lighting another smoke.

He didn't know why he did that either. But when he heard the man being so truthful about his son, all he could think about was what if he were in that position instead and he had no money at all to help his daughter.

Pantalone laughed bitterly. This had never happened before. Why should he care if Mr. Liu's son dies? His fuck buddy had made numerous children suffer, and he never once stopped him.

He eventually reached the hotel room where they stayed and was shocked by the scene. He walked towards the two, studying the little girl worriedly. "What happened?!"

The doctor shushed him. "What do you mean? 'What happened?' She has fallen asleep, you worrywart." He whispered back.

Pantalone sighed in relief, happy that Dottore hadn't done anything reckless yet.

After putting the sleeping angel on the bed, Feofan chuckled. "Matching pajamas, hmn? Someone got close while I was away."

Dottore groaned in response. "That little demon dragged me to explore the festivities with her and forced me to buy matching pajamas. She threw a tantrum when I didn't want to buy them! What have you been teaching this brat?!" He ranted, showing off his pajamas that had a teddy bear pattern in it.

"Oh, please. Let my sweet angel be spoiled; it's not like his best papa is poor." Feofan flexed, earning an eyeroll from the doctor.

Pantalone looked at the pool before looking back at Dottore, who seemed to have read his mind. "No, no. I already went in with Heian." Dottore said, trying to escape.

"Stop being a baby, the water is warm." Said Feofan, who took his clothes off and went into the pool.

Skinny dipping? Well, that's okay too. Dottore removed his clothes and joined Feofan, going into the pool again.

This made Pantalone relax, his stress being washed away by the warm water. He kept thinking about how soft he had become, even putting himself in the shoes of other people now.

"Something disturbing happened, am I wrong?" Asked the ever-so-smart Dottore.

Pantalone sighed as he rested his head on the hard, cold tile. "It's nothing." He denied, feeling the other's hand on his stomach. Dottore had hugged him from behind. He leaned back on the doctor's shoulder, letting him distract him from his thoughts.

The naughty doctor's hand found his softening cock and stroked it to life gently. "You're afraid that you're getting attached to her," Dottore said, his stroking a little faster.

"Hmm." Feofan hummed, gasping at the feel of the other's soft yet rough, wet hand. He wrapped an arm around the other's neck, pulling him down into a kiss. This is what he needs now, a distraction from his dilemma.

Dottore's tongue sought Feofan's, pulling the other's hip and making him feel his hardness coming to life.

Pantalone rubbed his ass against the Doctor's member, as if telling him to take what's already his.

He didn't need to say it twice. Dottore bent him against the tiles, holding his hips up and fucking him underwater. It's sloppier than usual, as they can't control the rhythm as freely as they do on land, but damn it still feels hot as hell.

"How many siblings should we give our daughter?" Dottore asked naughtily, his thrusts getting firm despite the water resistance.

"Enough to outnumber the House of the Hearth so that the Knave stops being so cocky." Pantalone moaned back.

The two laughed warmly as they continued the pace, before Feofan tightened up, hips stuttering as he released.

Dottore pulled Feofan to stability, breathless. They stayed like that for a moment before the doctor pulled out to swim around.

Feofan returned to his tile-laying shenanigans as the doctor swam around. While he was lying down, he saw a huge teddy bear plushie beside Heian.

He looked at Dottore, raising an eyebrow. "How was the father-daughter bonding?"

The doctor drowned for a little before resurfacing, chuckling awkwardly. "She wanted it."

Pantalone sighed. "Did she really, or were you showing off?" He teased the doctor. It's no harm at all; he's even happy that they are getting along.

Dottore laughed, just reflecting how childish he must've been with Heian earlier. "Oh, also." He remembered. "She wants to light up a lantern. I told her we could do it now without you, but she insisted you come." Dottore sighs. "Will you be available tomorrow?"

Pantalone chuckled softly and nodded. "I could never say no to that sweet angel."

The doctor gets out of the pool. "Am tired, let's rinse up."

Rinsing up must've meant something else nowadays. After all, as soon as they entered the bathroom, Dottore pulled the black-haired man to kiss him.

Feofan held his waist and returned the kiss sweetly. "So much for rinsing the chlorine off." He said as he pressed Dottore against the wall of the bathroom, crowding him in the cramped space.

It was more difficult to move here than usual, as the two were used to having so much space when doing the act. However, they literally just can't do it in the bed where Heian and her cute teddy bear were sleeping.

"Make do with it." Whispered Pantalone as he entered the doctor, fucking him against the wall quite relentlessly.

…

When they were done with their antics, both went to the bed where Heian was sleeping. Dottore seemed to have remembered something suddenly. "I forgot to tell you… Ever since she got Appendicitis, I'm starting to suspect she has a curse."

Is that a forgettable topic?! Pantalone angrily thought, wanting to bash the other's head. "A curse? What makes you think that?" He asked while pulling Heian into a sleepy hug.

Dottore sighed. "When I was performing surgery on her, every tool of mine was malfunctioning." He says. "And a while ago, I saw a black figure pull her foot, causing her to suddenly drown in the pool."

"She drowned?!" Feofan asked angrily, with Dottore holding his mouth shut to shut him up.

Heian moved and nuzzled her head on Pantalone's chest.

Dottore talked again, even quieter this time. "I saved her before she could drown. However, I'm curious about what this curse is. For now, let's just do whatever we're doing while I'm trying to uncover this."

Fortunately, no one is better than Il Dottore at doing that, so Pantalone was somehow relieved, letting his eyes rest.

The next day was free since the issue at the Northland Bank had been resolved. The morning started with Heian rolling in the sheets, then jumping to wake up her two groggy fathers.

"Brat, I'm still sleepy." Groaned Dottore, who pulled the sheets back to hide himself.

Heian tilted her head. "But today is family day because Papa isn't busy, right, Dada?" She asked, and that pulled Pantalone from his drowsiness.

The banker sat down in surprise, looking at Heian, who was extra clingy to her 'Dada' early in the morning. "Heian, why is this man Dada? Other Papa is better." Pantalone asked.

If Dottore wasn't sleepy as hell right now, he would've thrown a pillow right at the Regrator's face.

The little sunshine chuckled. "Because Dada said he doesn't want to lose to Papa. But.. I love Papa, and I love Dada." She explained seriously, tugging the heartstrings of Pantalone a little.

I can't believe someone as bright as this little sweetheart could be named after darkness. Feofan thought before he reached for her gently, tucking her messy hair behind her ear. "Heian."

The little girl removed herself from Zandik's back and tilted her head at him.

"Do you have any idea what your name means?" He asked mindlessly, probably still half-asleep. Why would a 4-year-old be aware of what the meaning of her name is—

"Darkness." She said, her energy fading a little.

Feofan was even more confused at this. He gently pulled Heian to his lap and waited for her to continue.

"Mama…" The little girl struggled to speak, as if the memory hurt her. "Mama said I only bring darkness to her world. When she was pregnant with me, her life was ruined." She said, getting teary-eyed from telling the story.

She continued. "My mama was a very beautiful and nice lady, but while having me, nothing ever good happened again." She tears up. "She named me Heian because she believed the bad luck all started with me."

Abusive mothers and their lack of common sense. Pantalone's jaw clenched while he listened, not knowing why he was getting so pissed when he was not even biologically related to her.

Before he could wipe her tears away, the doctor's hand beat him to it. "You never had the chance to prove yourself to her," Dottore said while wiping her tears away with his big, cold hand. The same doctor who had hurt numerous children before with his godforsaken experiments. Maybe some parts of her story reminded Zandik of how he was also rejected.

Heian smiled gently. "It's okay, Papa, Dada."

It is not. Pantalone and Dottore thought at the same time. For a little child to think that she was something like a bad omen, for her to have such bad memories linked to her name, they both knew they had to do something.

"Heian, would you like a new name?" Asked Feofan, who played with her hair unconsciously.

The little girl gasped from excitement, immediately nodding her head. She would do anything for a new name, especially one from her kind papas. Heian then jumped up and down on their bed, giving Zandik an early headache.

They pushed the name-making contest aside to have a blast. Today was 'family day' as per Heian, after all.

So after dragging Dottore out of bed, they went to eat in a fancy restaurant nearby.

Heian was eating clumsily, and Pantalone chuckled at the sight. He then pulled a tissue and wiped her cheeks gently. "Eat slowly, Heian." Said Feofan, earning an earnest nod from the sweet girl.

This was how it always was when they ate together. Pantalone would sometimes hand-feed the little girl and would be careful about her preferences. If something was too salty or sour, and her favorite vegetables were broccoli, Pantalone had taken notes unconsciously.

Zandik had noticed this too, although he didn't nitpick. After all, isn't this exactly what the Tsaritsa wanted? For them to nurture the girl as their own? He then bit the braised pork and shook his head, signalling Feofan not to put some on her plate because it was too peppery for her.

Even Dottore had unconsciously taken notes about it. While mentally scolding the Regrator for his growing attachment to the little girl, he never realized that he also was, in his own unique way.

"Papas, where do we play after?!" Asked Heian, who was ready to run off and jump everywhere.

They spent the rest of the afternoon looking around, buying stuff, mostly for Heian. They also went on a panda sighting, which made the little girl so happy.

It was a strange sight for other people. The notorious harbingers hanging around with a little girl? Had the girl been kidnapped?

The fatuus scattered in the area were also amused at the sight of the 2nd and 9th harbinger walking around with a little girl. The little girl was also in Dottore's arms, as she'd get tired of walking longer distances.

They looked like a married domestic couple.

The two heard whispers from the distracted fatuus, and they both ignored it. Seriously, from how suspicious they were, it's not a shocker that the rumors are spreading the way they spread legs for each other.

When they returned to the city of Liyue, it was already evening.

Heian ran to the lantern store, pointing at a beautifully shaped lantern that caught her eye. "Papa..! It's beautiful…!" She said as she paid the old vendor with the money her papa gave her.

Skipping back to Pantalone, she flexed her lantern. "Papa, the nice grandpa said that whatever wish I write in this lantern, it will come true…!" She handed him the lantern for him to help her write. "Eh, but where is Dada?"

The Regrator looked around and pointed to a nearby meat bun store, where Dottore could be seen buying some. "You must be hungry from playing around. I must say, seeing him before a meat buns stall is rather odd and funny." He said as he lit his 31st smoke of the day.

Heian chuckled. "Then, can Papa write my wish so that the gods will understand the writing and grant it?" She asked innocently.

And who is Pantalone, 9th of the Fatui Harbingers, the richest man in the whole world, to say no to such a simple wish?

He sat down, borrowed a marker from the lantern stall, and waited for her to say her wish. Little Heian seemed to think really hard, as if not wanting to waste her wish.

After a moment, the doctor had also returned with some steaming meat buns.

"Ah!" She smiled. "I wish that my Papas and I stay together forever."

Both Pantalone and Dottore were silent.

Such a genuine wish from a little girl, but at the same time, they didn't know if they could do that. She's only in this play-pretend family because the Cryo Archon wanted her as an asset, and both knew that once she was old enough, she would be forced to leave.

They could not tell her that. Could not tell the little angel that everything is fake. They were not her parents, and they wouldn't be unless it was a strict order, and it would benefit them as well.

As those thoughts circled both of their heads, Feofan spoke before thinking.

"Yangguang."

Heian was confused, and so was Zandik.

"It means sunshine." He explained.

Dottore gave him a 'so what?' look before he realized he didn't elaborate further.

"Heian, can your name be Yangguang instead?"

…

…!

Heian, now Yangguang, jumped so happily until she was weary. It was such a beautiful name with a beautiful meaning. So much better than her original name. She isn't darkness anymore; she's finally the light.

A smile formed on Pantalone's face, and he felt Dottore gasp. He opened his eyes and looked at him in confusion.

The doctor leaned down. "Now that's a genuine smile I haven't seen in a hundred years."

Pantalone rolled his eyes. Was this doctor just as dramatic as always; wasn't he always smiling at this point? "This isn't about me. You okay with the word Yangguang?" He asked.

Dottore nodded, offering a meat bun to him. "It has a nice ring to it, and the meaning is okay. If it satisfies the Liyuean, I have no right to object."

Dramatic. Pantalone thought before poking the hot meat bun. He softly blew on it before it was cold enough for Yangguang.

The little angel ate happily, humming and celebrating.

When they made their way to the pier, the energetic little sunbeam was asking almost everyone what their name was and what the meaning was. She would happily tell people that she's named Yangguang, named after the sunshine.

It was finally the main event. The actual lantern rite.

Zandik carries her as Feofan lights the lantern and hands it to her.

She looked at the two. "Let's set it off together so that it's a powerful wish!" She says, because in her logic, three people hoping for one wish would be stronger than one.

They put one hand each as they made the lantern float.

I wish that my papas and I stay together, forever.

Little did the three know, they really did have that same wish deep in their hearts.

After watching the fireworks, Yangguang fell asleep in Dottore's arms. The two walked back to their hotel room in silence, the noise from them being Pantalone's huffs from smoking or Dottore's excessive sighing.

They went back to Snezhnaya after that night.

Yangguang puts her souvenirs in her bedroom, happily arranging them and tucking the teddy bear plush the doctor had won for her.

They went back to their routine, wherein the doctor is busy with his research, and the banker is busy reviewing and approving documents.

Yangguang was still very much a handful, but they didn't mind. This is better than her falling silent again and not telling them what's wrong.

Right now, the Regrator had made the mistake of buying Yangguang a glitter set. Their facilities are full of sparkly bright pink dust.

The Doctor came to him, annoyed. "Hey, Feofan, get her out of my place! She's spreading this disgusting unicorn sanded puke everywhere, and it'll ruin my tools."

Pantalone chuckled before talking. "What can I say? My little fairy needs her pixie dust." He said, referencing the movie Tinker Bell. He had seen the film 400 times by then because Yangguang was currently obsessed with fairy movies, and he had no choice but to sit with her.

It wasn't only him but also Dottore. It was partly his fault for having this glitter storm in his office. When he had the option to make the little girl scram out, he didn't. Instead, he made her a little table beside his where she could scribble away.

"We'll have to discipline her or else she's going to grow up to be a terrible person like you," Pantalone says, gasping playfully.

Dottore acted offended. "However you may put it, the little girl is too annoying." He says.

"Must be your genes." Said Feofan, who rolled his eyes and lit up a cigarette.

So their mundane days continued, and the two had become more patient with Yangguang.

The Tsaritsa rings them once in a while to ask about the well-being of their 'daughter'. Pantalone told her how she's bothersome and annoying, but they're doing well with the mission.

"A kindergarten?" Asked Feofan. Yes, he knew what that was. What he didn't know was why the Cryo archon would suggest it. The Fatui has a private institution for children under the organization, after all.

The lady just laughed elegantly. "It's more fun." As if that was a plausible explanation. "She'll learn to interact with other normal kids." She continued.

Normal? Isn't she here under their care because she was supposed to be a special asset?

Shrugging the ice queen off, Pantalone read the flyers handed to him by his men. A normal kindergarten, huh? But that would mean they'd have to interact with citizens who have nothing to do with the organization. Why would Her Majesty even suggest this?

Whatever. He took the flyers and went to Dottore's office. After knocking, he saw a man cuffed into Dottore's 'patient' chair.

The Regrator just walked past the crying man, cigarette in his mouth. He took a long, slow drag from his cigarette before speaking. "Ms. Anastasya is suggesting we enroll her in a normal school. What do you think?"

The doctor injected something into the whimpering man as he replied. "Does she want Yangguang to have an actual social circle so that it will be easier to infiltrate society?"

Could be. Yes, she could be thinking of that. Now, Pantalone's even more convinced. "Then I'll find a private school that has a good environment." He says, reading through the pamphlets.

Dottore sets his notes containing his findings on the nearby desk.

The man was still writhing in his seat, wanting to escape the laboratory.

"Hmn, I like this one," Zandik said, pointing at a prestigious school known for having only the rich of the rich.

Feofan thought carefully. If the other kids there are mean because of their titles, he definitely wouldn't want his little angel to be bullied. Who knew having a daughter meant being so overprotective? He laughed at himself before sighing. "I'll ask Yangguang about it and call the school if she likes it."

"Yes… yes..!" The little girl covered in pink glitter nodded and hugged Feofan. "I want to go to school!!! The teacher at the nice lady's house told me about school. I can play with other kids… Yangguang will make the best of friends!" She squealed happily.

Oh, right. She had a private teacher during her time at the House of Hearth.

Pantalone then rang the school, using a nice tone to talk. "Hi, yes. I'm inquiring about your kindergarten. What is the process of enrollment?" He asked.

The lady on the phone answered gently. "Good afternoon, sir. We require an interview first for both the child and the parents. Once you're accepted, we'll send you further details."

Feofan's eyebrows scrunched a bit. What the hell is this nursery, Sumeru's Akademiya? Although Dottore would've loved it if Yangguang studied there.

So here they were the next day, sitting before the principal, who was shivering and bowing down. "I didn't know they would be Mr. Pantalone and Mr. Dottore! She whispered angrily to her secretary.

"Hello, hello." The lady's smile trembled with fear. "We'll conduct the interview now." She read the question for the child. "What is your name and age, little miss?"

Yangguang was so excited, wanting to answer correctly. "I'm Yangguang!!! I'm 4 ywearth old!"

Feofan chuckled gently while caressing her hair.

The lady smiled, losing some of her fear. Pantalone smiled sweetly at the little girl, so that should mean that the girl is really well taken care of.

"For the parents then… How would you describe your child's strengths and weaknesses?" The interviewer asked.

Feofan thought for a moment. What even would be the strengths of a clumsy, cheeky little girl?

Dottore spoke suddenly. "She turns the house upside down, ruins my peace, and throws a fit when things don't go her way." He said, feeling Pantalone hit his chair to signal him to shut the fuck up.

He continued anyway. "But even I have to acknowledge that she's intelligent and makes Feofan happy."

Pantalone stared in delighted shock at Il Dottore. The asshole who keeps on pretending to be unaffected. He didn't know when it started. Was it a sudden switch-up or a gradual process?

Pantalone had hints from their Liyue trip that Zandik truly had opened up to her. But now he has confirmed it; even a heartless monster like Dottore can be tamed.

"Yangguang, do you love your papas?" Asked the teacher for the last question, to which their daughter answered with a loud 'Mhm!'

The lady then handed them more information, like what books to buy and where to get her uniform sewn.

While Dottore was reading the infographic, Pantalone spoke. "Ah, Ms. Alekseeva. Can I have a little request?"

Like a gun was on her head, she nodded in panic.

The Regrator smiled. "Please don't let who we are affect her learning. If she does something wrong, tell us, and let her be friends with the other kids."

He really has gone soft.

The ride back home was quiet. The little angel had fallen asleep in Pantalone's lap.

As he looked down, he thought. 'Will it be okay to indulge in this moment a little more? Is it right to be enjoying his role as the 'papa' of Yangguang?' Ever since the lantern rite, where she wished for their family to stay together for eternity, Pantalone had told himself to act the part for the little girl. It seems like even Dottore is doing so.

So without thinking too much, Feofan spoke. "Do you think we can handle normalcy?"

Silence.

"Maybe that'd be a great problem statement for new research," Zandik says, knowing deep down that he had also accepted the girl as he accepted Feofan into his life.

When their eyes met, a silent agreement was formed. To embrace her as much as they could. Maybe for Yangguang, they could really just be two normal men who were her parents.

Soon, Christmas came. Families would celebrate this, but the two never paid attention before this. So when they heard that parents made efforts during that time of the year, they told their men to buy supplies and decorate the facilities for the little girl.

Pantalone slouched on the couch, a cigarette in his left hand and vodka in the other.

Dottore was still holding a funny-looking sock while looking at the other harbinger. "I have nicotine in my office if you'd like a snack with those." He joked.

"I prefer Heroin." Pantalone joked back.

Yangguang came home from school, looking around her home happily. "Papas, it's so nice…!" She exclaimed.

That brought a gentle smile to the two freaks' faces.

She skipped her way to them. "Papa, Dada, my classmate said that good kids receive gifts from Santa. Is… is that true?!" She asked happily.

Dottore was about to shut her innocent fantasies down until Pantalone shoved his vodka into his mouth. "Yes, sweetheart. He's an old man who flies around the whole world to give gifts to nice children." Feofan said.

That made the little sunbeam even more excited, sitting down to do her assignments. Yangguang, since her first day in school, was praised by her teachers for being so smart, friendly, and kind. Hard to believe that she's under the Doctor and Regrator.

Once she was asleep, the two were having wine in Dottore's office. They were discussing the leads they have about Yangguang's curse.

"Truth is, I can make my men sneak into the archives section of the Akademiya and read everything for me, but I don't trust them that much," Zandik revealed, sipping his wine.

Pantalone nodded. "You'll be away for a while then. What should I do if her curse acts up?" He asked.

He saw Dottore stomach something before finally grunting. "My segments."

Oh.

That was a good solution, actually. Who else is as good as Dottore when it comes to this? His other selves, of course.

For those who don't know, the different segments of Dottore were not clones in the traditional sense but fragments of himself taken from various points in his life. Through the madman's research, he had preserved versions of his mind and personality from different ages, allowing them to exist independently.

Some were younger, more impulsive, and driven by curiosity, while others were older and colder. Though they shared the same origins, years of separate experiences had shaped them into distinct individuals with their own thoughts and preferences.

The reason why Dottore never let his segments interact with Yangguang was that he knew them too well. The last thing he wanted was to have them skin her alive or find out what her curse was by dismembering her.

"I already told them to only approach once you initiate the contact. They are not allowed to harm her, but please, still keep an eye on them. They listen to you more than they do to me." The doctor said, sighing.

And so, Dottore readied to go out for a secret expedition back to Sumeru.

Yangguang ran to the door. "Dada will come back, right?" She asked.

Pantalone waited on the couch, as long business travels weren't new to them. For the little girl, though, it was the month of Christmas and her first time experiencing her Dada on a secret mission.

Dottore nodded. "Don't be pathetic, brat. I'll be back before you know it." He reassured the kid. "While I'm gone, behave and listen to Feofan." How domestic. Now he's acting like she's his actual daughter.

The little girl smiled. "Mhm! We'll make snowmen with Papa once you're home."

Home. The word rang in the doctor's head. She is right; this is his home.

After caressing little Yangguang's head, Dottore left.

It was not necessarily quieter when he left, as the laboratories continued operating. However, she already missed him. So he went to her Papa, who was reading on the couch, and sat on his lap. "Will Santa bring Dada home earlier if I wish for that instead of toys?"

Pantalone thanked the archons that Yangguang wasn't their biological daughter; if she were, she wouldn't be this much of an angel. He fixed her hair gently. "Do not worry, he'll do his best to come back before Christmas." An odd sentence.

The Pantalone of before didn't care if Zandik went on a long research trip. He has his own life, and he couldn't care less how the doctor would waste it. Now, he's here with Yangguang, hoping that he returns home soon and safely.

It was too easy for Dottore to infiltrate the archive section of the Akademiya. What was hard, however, was reading through thousands and thousands of books, hoping to find something about the curse in Yangguang's body.

While he was scanning through the research section, he couldn't help but think about Feofan. Based on his recent studies, he calculated that soon, Yangguang would fall ill again. That's why he suggested getting his segments involved. However, if it's just minor, like a knee scrape, the banker can probably handle it.

The doctor couldn't help but feel the irony, laughing at him. He was supposed to be the one injecting god remains and all kinds of curses into little children, not researching how to remove them.

Dottore was correct about Yangguang falling ill again.

Yangguang found herself growing tired far more quickly than usual. Climbing stairs left her mildly winded, and walking through the larger sections of the facility made her chest feel heavy. When she played with her classmates, she'd easily be out of breath.

Her teacher, Ms. Alekseeva, called Pantalone. "Hi, yes. Good morning, Mr. Pantalone. I would like to talk to you about a concern regarding Yangguang's health."

Pantalone put the documents he had been signing down. "I'll be on my way." He knew better than to ignore early symptoms, so he went to the school immediately.

Before he went to the teacher, he saw Yangguang, just watching the other kids in the playground. The sight brought a frown upon his face, and he went to the teacher's office.

Ms. Alekseeva was waiting for him. When she saw him, she stood up and offered him to sit down.

"What is your concern regarding her, Ms.?" Asked Pantalone politely.

The teacher breathed deeply before talking. "Recently, Yangguang has been struggling to do basic tasks without getting tired. Even morning exercises, when she used to lead her classmates before." She said sadly. "We're worried but didn't want to do a check-up without the parents' consent." She explained.

Pantalone stared at the huge window where he could see Yangguang just smiling at the other kids. His heart ached at the sight.

"...your concern is very much appreciated." He said, standing up. "I'll have our doctors look into her."

Pantalone then walked to the playground, where Yangguang saw her. Her exhaustion vanished immediately when she saw that her papa was personally fetching her from school. "Papa..!" The little girl shouted happily, running into his arms.

Pantalone caught her and carried her. "Take it slow, sweetheart." He said, his eyes full of worry despite his smile.

When they returned home, he rang the segments straight away.

Within 10 minutes, several versions of Zandik had gathered inside the medical wing of the facility, each carrying varying levels of annoyance at being interrupted. However, the moment they saw Pantalone's expression, the complaints died before they could fully form.

Yangguang looked confused and thrilled at seeing the segments. "Eh? Dada's family?" She asked, earning mixed reactions from the crowd.

Pantalone chuckled gently. "Mhm, let's just say they are."

"How long has this been happening?" Segment 25 asked without preamble. He came near Yangguang and spoke again, "Yangguang," he said gently. "How long have you been feeling this way?"

When she hesitated, Pantalone's stomach dropped. It was the same hesitation she had shown before the appendicitis.

"A little while," she answered quietly, feeling guilty.

"How long is a little while?" Asked 25.

Yangguang fiddled with the hem of her sleeve before answering. "Before Dada went away for work…"

The room fell silent. Dottore had been gone for two weeks already. Pantalone felt his blood run cold, so much frustration coming all at once.

Twenty-Five rubbed a hand over his temple before stepping forward. "Let's start the scans." His voice was calm, but there was an edge beneath it. The segments moved fast, making their way to the laboratory.

At the examination chair, Yangguang sat down. The others were scattered to not crowd her.

Segment 25 reached for his stethoscope and listened carefully to her lungs. At first, he remained silent, then his brow furrowed. He adjusted the position and listened again. This time, his expression darkened. "Take a deep breath for me."

Yangguang obeyed. Halfway through the inhale, she began coughing.

When the doctor asked her again, the same thing happened. By the time the coughing stopped, tears had gathered at the corners of her eyes from the effort.

Pantalone can't watch this. He doesn't know why it's affecting him so much. Yangguang is not even his biological daughter! But when she saw her small body struggling to take a deep breath, he felt his eyes moisten.

Seeing the genuine distress on Feofan's face, the other segments couldn't stay still anymore. Segment 18 stepped forward and checked her temperature while Segment 8 reviewed her medical records. Segment 25 measured her oxygen levels, although he already had a few guesses based on the symptoms.

Yangguang was nervous that she was in trouble again. She could also feel that Feofan had become sad because of this, so she got even more guilty.

When the results came out, Segment 25 frowned.

Dottore, still in the archives section of the Akademiya, stumbled upon a book with no title. Usually, he would skip these kinds of books because they were a waste of time, but when he saw this particular book, he had a gut feeling.

He scanned the contents. Poison, ancient curses, and finally, a log. There he saw Yangguang's birth name, Heian Wang. He read the research notes more carefully.

Apparently, the experiment was done while her mother, Li Xiang Wang, was still pregnant. It was to know if the curse was sealed on a pregnant woman instead, would it escape as easily?

But before they could finish the experiment, it looks like the lab rat had run away before giving birth.

Based on what he's reading, the curse slowly ruins the holder's life. In Heian's case, her internals. The only way to seal it forever was to find someone who loves the holder and offer their life instead as a sacrifice.

They can't do that.

Dottore couldn't help but think about a loophole. If he replaces all of her organs with those of another healthy child, would it work? If not, then he'll resort to machinery. Everything will be okay.

Taking some books with him, he began his journey back to Snezhnaya.

The sight that welcomed him wasn't the warm, smiling sunshine that was Yangguang, but the quiet and sterile facility.

He made his way to his laboratory to find what was happening, but when he saw his segments in the hallway, he grimaced. That only meant that Pantalone couldn't handle whatever was happening to Yangguang alone. His walk turned into a stride before he eventually ran.

Inside, Yangguang lay asleep on one of the medical beds. Her complexion was pale beneath the warm lighting of the room. Thin tubes connected her to monitoring equipment, and a mask rested over her nose and mouth to assist her breathing. Beside her sat Pantalone, who looked as though he had not slept properly in days.

Dottore took everything in before looking at Segment 25. "What happened?"

"Respiratory failure. Something is interfering with organ development," Twenty-Five said quietly. "Specifically, the lungs. 8 is saying that the little girl must've been carrying a curse within her. Are you aware of this?"

Il Dottore nodded and finally relayed his findings at Sumeru.

Feofan gasped and stood up. "I'll do it! I fit the checklist, don't I?" he said casually, as if sacrificing his life for a girl whom he had been with for less than a year isn't a grand claim.

As if Zandik would ever fucking let that happen. He has been supplying the Regrator with immortality elixirs for hundreds of years. What sane mind would think he'd be okay with the proposition the other harbinger was suggesting?

He glanced at Yangguang before speaking again. "I'll find a way. I'm thinking of finding another healthy child to take her organs and give them to Yangguang." He revealed.

Yangguang was woken up by the noise, smiling weakly when she saw Dottore. "Dada… you're home… Play… snow?"

Dottore felt something he had never felt in his whole existence, or so he claimed to never feel anymore. Sadness.

Feofan tried to smile for her. "Get well soon, sunshine. Santa will drop your presents soon." Pantalone said, sitting down beside her. A tear fell down his cheek, and then another.

Dottore didn't wipe them off; instead, he hit his head gently with her lab results. "Are you underestimating me? She'll be okay."

Feofan sniffs. "Sorry, she was so excited about Christmas, and I'm at fault." He said while wiping his tears away. "Once this is done… I'll quit smoking."

…

…?

…?!

Dottore stood up immediately, holding Feofan's forehead to check for fever. When there was nothing, he put his stethoscope to his heart.

Pantalone pushed him away in annoyance. "I'm not sick. I just think that my immoderate smoking must've played a part in her lung problem."

True enough, Yangguang was still a growing girl, and being around a smoker is really bad for her health. But promising to quit his one true love was an amazing feat for the banker. In fact, Dottore found it more believable that the other harbinger could easily create an economic system where humanity no longer depends on the gods than believe he'd quit smoking. If you told him about this 300 years ago, he'd laugh at you and dissect your brain to study how someone would even think of that.

Insanity aside, that would require so much from the doctor. The withdrawal from his smoking addiction would be a huge mess, and Zandik has to monitor him while also monitoring Yangguang. Urgh, this is not even a real family. Why should he do so much?

Thankfully, his segments were cooperating because it involved their beloved Pantalone.

The week after they started finding a way, Yangguang was finally a little stronger. She'd walk around the facilities, dragging her oxygen around. She was so interested in Segment 8 because in her eyes, he was a big brother.

The cold eight couldn't care less about her. He was a childish genius who was only interested in the curse inside her.

The sight of the color returning to her cheeks relieved Feofan a bit. She seemed to be having fun, and even Dottore wasn't panicking, so why should he? "Merry Christmas, angel." He leaned down to Yangguang and smiled.

The little girl smiled widely. "Merry Christmas, Papa!" She said, running to the Christmas tree while dragging her oxygen.

Pantalone had half a mind to tell her to take it easy, but it didn't look like it was hurting her, so he just let it happen.

The little girl sat on the floor, waiting for someone to emerge.

Finally, the celebrity came out of the medical wing. Dottore, his mask removed, was massaging his temple. Must be another migraine.

"Dada! I'm about to open gifts… watch me!!" She says happily.

Dottore's aura lightened a bit when he saw this and sat on the couch facing the Christmas tree.

The cute sweetheart opened her gifts, gasping in excitement with every present. Dresses from the Cryo Archon, toys from the Knave, and finally, the presents Pantalone and Dottore got for her.

The sheer size of Pantalone's gift was absurd. Even Dottore found himself raising an eyebrow at the sight of it. The thing was enormous, taking up a significant portion of the living room. For a normal child, it was practically the size of a bunk bed. Only Pantalone could look at something that outrageously large and consider it an appropriate Christmas present.

Yangguang wasted no time tearing through the wrapping paper. When the contents were revealed, a delighted squeal escaped her. "It's... It's a dollhouse!" she exclaimed, immediately circling the structure in awe.

Every room was furnished, every tiny detail meticulously crafted. Her eyes sparkled as she ran her hands along the miniature furniture before throwing herself at Pantalone. "Thank you so much, Papa!"

Pantalone was satisfied with her reaction, smiling proudly. He looked back at Dottore, as if daring him to try to beat that gift.

The final present sat quietly beneath the tree. Compared to the extravagant dollhouse, Dottore's gift looked almost modest. Yangguang carefully opened the box and pulled out a beautifully crafted mechanical bird. When she saw it, she was fascinated and confused. It was a pretty mechanical bird, but was it a toy or a figurine?

The doctor stood up and flicked the switch on the mechanical bird, which started flying around. Yangguang gasped from extreme excitement.

It soared above the Christmas tree, dipped between pieces of furniture, and landed briefly on her shoulder before taking flight again. For several seconds, she simply stared in amazement before breaking into laughter and chasing after it as it flew around the room.

"It recognizes your voice too." The doctor flexed. "It can bring you small things," he explained. "Books, toys you have misplaced, and also find me and Pantalone when you're having trouble locating us."

Yangguang nodded happily. "I love it, Dada! Thank you so much...!" She said, then reached up and gently pulled him down by the sleeve so she could press a small kiss against his cheek.

Dottore was dumbfounded.

Feofan teased him to hell. "Someone is stunned."

They then ate together for Christmas and watched a movie afterwards.

Dottore was exhausted from all the research he had been doing ever since he left for Sumeru. Ever since that day, he hasn't rested and would sleep for an hour a day. That's why, while watching on the sofa, he fell asleep.

Pantalone chuckled gently when the two both fell asleep. He first carried Yangguang back to the laboratory where 18 was waiting. The segments had agreed to take shifts when it came to watching her through the night until they found a solution. It would be easier to guard her against the curse like this.

Feofan tucked the little girl into the patient's bed. "Sleep tight, sunshine." He said before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Segment 18 felt a shiver. Feofan was never this touchy, even to them. He must work harder to take care of Yangguang, he thought to himself.

Pantalone walked towards Eighteen. "Merry Christmas." He said, holding the other's chin and kissing his forehead. He laughed gently at the other's dumbfounded expression afterwards.

He then went back to the couch to try to pull Dottore to their bedroom. Fuckdamn, this man is heavy. "Come on," he said. "Sleep on a proper bed just tonight."

Dottore finally stirred awake. "I can't… there's work to do…" He tried to stay awake.

He didn't win, though, as Pantalone assisted him to their bedroom forcefully.

"Feofan, how is your withdrawal?" Asked Dottore, returning from the dream realm.

A few days without cigarettes was actually killing the 9th harbinger. "Hell." He replied as he joined the doctor in bed.

Dottore laughed. "Try finding a substitute then. Blow something else?" He said suggestively.

…

"Mhm, mind your teeth, Feofan." Moaned Dottore, eyes half open from pleasure. He held the other's head firmly, guiding him to take more of him.

Pantalone listened, using his tongue more to swirl on the other's member. It wasn't enough for him. He wanted to make sure that the doctor would exhaust himself so much he'd sleep and finally rest for once.

So unbeknownst to Dottore, Feofan lubed his fingers and inserted one into his ass.

Dottore threw his head back, hips stuttering. The dynamics immediately reversed, with him losing some of his grip on the other's hair.

The dual sensation was killing him. He needed this so, so much. He needed to calm down before returning to his research. "Feofan... enough..." Dottore gasped, though his actions betrayed his words. Instead of pushing him away, he arched his pelvis forward, meeting the increased pressure with a desperate hunger.

Pantalone laughed in amusement before inserting another finger, thrusting it rhythmically.

The dual sensation hit Dottore like a physical blow, a sudden, overwhelming expansion that forced a strangled cry from his lips. The sensation of Pantalone’s mouth, hot and demanding, was joined by the slick, invasive intrusion of a finger stretching him open. "Arrogant bastard," Dottore managed to choke out, though the insult lacked any real malice.

When Dottore came all over himself, Pantalone smirked in boastfulness.

Dottore was panting, his chest heaving, his eyes hooded and dark with a lingering, feverish intensity. He pulled Pantalone back toward him, his grip tightening on the Regrator's wrist. "Fuck me until I fall asleep," he commanded breathlessly. "Don't stop even if I do."

Feofan chuckled and turns him around harshly.

Pantalone didn't offer the gentle lulls of a lover; he drove into Dottore with a steady, punishing cadence. Each thrust was deep and firm to keep Dottore pinned to the edge of consciousness.

Zandik let out sleepy moans, on the edge of falling asleep as he came pathetically.

Pantalone collapsed again beside him, pulling him to kiss him sloppily. "Go to sleep, Dottore." He said between kisses.

Before the doctor could pass out entirely, his hand drifted downward. His fingers, weak and uncoordinated, curled around Pantalone’s waist, pulling the Regrator flush against his side.

Pantalone chuckled gently, holding the sleeping man's face. "How clingy." He then scooted closer to Dottore and slept.

After a month, they finally found a perfect girl to steal organs from. Twenty-five studies the unknowing girl, nodding to Dottore. "She is very suitable."

Finally, they could test their hypothesis. Will replacing the organs somehow be overlooked by the curse?

The little girl they had kidnapped had no idea what was about to happen. With the drug Il Dottore injected into her, she barely remembered who she was and why she was here.

Naturally, she was afraid. The laboratory had a negative aura, and the blue-haired men studying her looked so scary.

Pantalone was leaning on Dottore's desk, reading the notes the doctor had written. It was explaining and calculating everything for a safe transfer.

Segment 25 was with Dottore, discussing the roles and going through the process plan one more time.

Since everyone was busy, they didn't realize that Yangguang had sneaked into the lab, staring at the little girl on the patient chair.

"You… sick too?" She asked gently, worriedly.

The three present in the lab were startled, approaching the little sunshine to try to get her to go back to the living room.

But Yangguang ignored them as she held the other kid's hand. "Don't worry, my Dada is the best doctor in the whole wide world! He will cure you just like he'll cure me."

The little girl who was tied down to the patient chair felt relieved, and the three saw it.

Fuck.

Dottore knew he was a monster. A selfish, ruthless bastard who'll do everything to get what he wants. Right now, that is another child's organs. He doesn't feel any remorse for the subjects he's hurting, nor does he feel guilt afterwards.

But right now, for the first time in forever, he was second-guessing.

Feofan didn't know what to do as well. Part of him wanted to relieve the child of her suffering and find another way to save his daughter. But his selfish desires said otherwise.

Both honestly didn't know what to do.

Feofan could only offer an apology in his mind. My sweet Yangguang, we're sorry if we're not the best parents you think we are.

Twenty-five started preparing his tools as Eight escorted Yangguang out of the medical wing.

The little girl cuffed to the chair wasn't trembling anymore. She was relieved to see a small girl like her walking with oxygen attached to her. That must mean that this is really a hospital and these doctors will cure her.

She didn't fight back when Dottore injected her with Anesthesia.

Feofan couldn't take it anymore so he walked out of the lab. This was too hard to deal with, and he was dying to have one smoke. But he had committed so many sins against Yangguang that he reminded himself of why he quit in the first place.

Just a little while after, it was Yangguang's turn. Eighteen prepared her by injecting her with the stuff needed to be injected before surgery and made her settle down on a bed before bringing her to the research lab.

And so they took the unknowing girl's lungs and successfully transferred them to Yangguang.

The first thing Yangguang saw when she opened her eyes was Feofan, who was holding her hand. She looked beside her, looking for the little girl who was also there before her surgery. "Papa… is she okay?" Asked Yangguang worriedly.

Pantalone nodded, lying through his teeth. "Mhm. Her parents fetched her just a while ago."

Yangguang smiled weakly, then realized something. She found it so much easier to breathe now. There was no oxygen physically attached to her! "I knew it..! Dada is amazing." She said in awe, breathing in so much air.

The Regrator still felt very guilty about lying and taking another child's joy. But he'll become the monster he is if it means that Yangguang is okay.

The segments were having a meeting right now, talking about the next course of action to prevent panic in the future. Eight proposed that they build a series of mechanical organs so that they won't need to find a new child every time it happens.

"Indeed, it would be smart if we develop something like that as soon as now," Forty-five said, already thinking of prototypes.

Her recovery was fast thanks to her doctors, so soon, Yangguang went back to her easy-going, kindergarten life.

Her classmates were happy to see her back, and she was stronger than before! Now, she can run and play with the other kids and never get tired.

The two also tried to move on. What's done is done. They cannot bring back a dead child into life nor regret stealing her organs for the betterment of their own.

So now, a month after the surgery, they were watching a play. This wasn't the usual theatrics they attended. Those were for entertainment. This was for their daughter.

Yangguang had a solo part in the choir, which was all they looked forward to today. They were basically snoring when their child wasn't on the stage, and would be so noisily proud when she was instead.

What a strange sight. The crowd must've thought. Two men happily watching a kid's play. Scary because of the rumors that they play a part in the disappearance of children with no background. Well, they were right, but that is another issue.

Since they were calling Yangguang their daughter, the crowd raised an eyebrow at them. Is this for publicity to make the harbingers look human? The two couldn't escape the homophobic looks as well.

For fuck's sake. They've committed more gruesome crimes than homosexuality.

When Yangguang got off the stage and went to them, she smiled happily. "Did you see me, Papa, Dada?" She asked smugly.

Feofan let out a chuckle and wiped her sweat carefully. "Yes, we did. You were singing so well." He said while Dottore nodded.

It was funny, looking back. Neither he nor Il Dottore ever expected to be in this place unless they had some hidden agenda. So, it has been almost a year since everything changed.

"Papas, can I have a birthday party with my friends?"

Ah. Ah..?! Her birthday is coming, and her two fathers forgot.

Thankfully, this was easier to handle as money isn't a problem. Pantalone racked his brain and pulled Yangguang to his lap. "I could rent a whole hotel so that your friends can bring their family and swim with you. How is that?"

Always so grand and showy. Dottore thought.

The little sunshine nodded happily. "Yes! Can… Can I invite a lot of friends then?" Asked the little girl happily.

"Bring the whole class." Said the Regrator.

Yangguang happily hopped off his lap. "O-okay! I'll go back to them right now, papas!"

She skipped her way backstage, probably telling her friends about her upcoming birthday party.

Dottore was already lost in thought, probably thinking about what the hell he could give this kid when there's limited time to do something complicated. Any other way, he leaned into Pantalone. "Won't it cause a scene if we do this suddenly?" He says, worrying about something unnecessary.

Pantalone rolls his eyes. "It'll be fine, I'll even invite the other harbingers."

Now that's what's worrying. Dottore was never good at interacting with people that weren't Pantalone. He was already dreading the fake formalities. "So it's a publicity stunt then."

Feofan nodded. It was a good reason, actually. They could show the other parents or people attending that the organization is just a normal political party with no illegal backgrounds. Words spread easily, not to mention that only the rich could study in that school.

The next day, Pantalone was busy with the preparations. Everything went smoothly because money solves everything, so he had time to personally prepare his present for her.

The segments were still rummaging in the facilities, all with separate roles in the making of the mechanical organs.

The next week came earlier than expected. Thankfully, they were well prepared. Yangguang was bound to have a blast today.

She was woken up by Pantalone, who kissed her cheek. "Happy Birthday." He said gently. "We prepared so much for you today, so have fun, hmn?"

"Good morning, Papa…" Yangguang said as she rubbed her eyes. She already had a wide smile, jumping to hug Feofan.

"Ah—before anything else," Pantalone said, pulling a box from his pocket. "This is my gift to you."

It was a beautiful box, and when Yangguang opened it, she gasped softly. "Like… like in the princess movies!" She exclaimed. "Thank you, Papa!"

Pantalone's gift was a very beautiful necklace. The little girl was always so thankful, so giving her gifts was so entertaining.

Dottore, late to the party, comes in as well. "Ahrg, you came before me, you sneaky—" He says before sitting beside the banker.

He handed the little girl a pair of delicate silver earrings with tiny blue crystals that matched the necklace Feofan got her.

Yangguang giggled. "They're so pretty, Dada!"

"They're not only for decoration," Dottore replied immediately. "The crystals contain a resonance filter. They'll reduce unnecessary environmental noise while preserving conversational frequencies." He explained.

The little girl looked at him with confusion, not understanding his lengthy description.

Dottore sighed the sigh of a man surrounded by idiots. "They make loud noises quieter." He said.

Her face lit up instantly. Every time they walked through a noisy place, her small hand would tighten around Pantalone's. She never complained about it, but they somehow knew.

Yangguang thought no one had noticed, but her dada did. She truly has the best papas in the world!

She then ate breakfast, hugged and kissed Dottore's segments on the cheek one by one before going to the closet to change into her birthday dress.

"Ehrg, saliva…" Eight whined behind her back, wiping his cheek.

The other segments didn't mind the affection, but couldn't help but feel strange about it.

Finally, her classmates were waiting in the lobby, their parents even more excited than their kids. It was the grandest hotel in Snezhnaya, after all.

Pantalone greeted them while Dottore made his way to their private room.

The kids showered Yangguang with gifts and congratulatory messages, and the little sunshine was so happy.

Seeing this brought a smile to Feofan's face. The other moms gushed at how the Regrator was handsome when he smiled, earning a scowl from their husbands.

"Angel." Pantalone went to Yangguang. "Let them settle into their rooms first and go for a swim once you've changed clothes, okay? Papa will be busy arranging your party." He said gently.

What an amazing dad. The other parents collectively thought.

So after wearing her tankini, the little girl jumped into the kids' pool happily.

Since Pantalone was busy with the arrangements, Dottore was the one looking out for her. The 2nd harbinger, sitting in a random poolside chair, eyes all on Yangguang. For those who knew Dottore, this was too creepy. What if he kidnaps the other children after?

Speak of the Devil, someone who knew the true doctor came.

"Alright, go on, swim. I'll join shortly after." Someone said, and the doctor recognized that annoying voice.

The handsome man looked around the pool and seemed surprised by his appearance. "Eh? What are you doing here?" Asked Tartaglia.

The doctor let out a sigh and an eyeroll, wanting to pretend he heard nothing. How out of the loop is the 11th harbinger that he doesn't know that Yangguang was his adopted daughter right now?!

The little girl came out of the pool and went to Dottore. "Dada, dada's friend?" She asked and smiled.

'Dada?! Who the fuck have you impregnated now?!' Tartaglia's expression seemed to say.

'Pantalone.' Dottore seemed to answer.

Once the kids, Yangguang and Childe's siblings, met each other, the little sunshine invited them to play with her in the pool.

Tartaglia sat beside Dottore, speaking nonstop about stuff the doctor had no interest in. He started ignoring him from his second sentence, focusing entirely on Yangguang.

When it was almost evening, Pantalone got Yangguang out of the pool to have her prepare for the birthday event.

He was about to call the maids when the little girl held his hand. "Papa… I want Papa and Dada to help me instead." She said with a soft smile.

This dangerous little girl knew that he couldn't say no to that.

So after washing the chlorine off, Pantalone made her wear a bathrobe. She then sat before the vanity, eyes full of excitement at having her Papa fix her hair.

Feofan started with the basics, using a blower to dry her hair. "Is it too hot, love?" He said before he could think about it.

Love. Love?

He blushed hard when Dottore looked at him from the bed, woken up by the affectionate tone.

Yangguang shook her head. "No, it's okay!" She said happily.

Once her hair was all dry, he combed it carefully. Feofan couldn't help but enjoy it, thinking maybe he'll do this for her sometimes when she goes to school.

Dottore was jealous of the fun the two were having and joined in. "This looks easy, I'll help." He volunteered, getting the makeup kit.

As he did his best, Yangguang was genuinely thrilled with the attention she was getting from the two people she loves the most.

"Ah, Halloween?" The girl reacted when she saw her hair and makeup. She laughed while the two suffered from shame.

Zandik got a makeup wipe and gently wiped the monstrous art he had done on his child's face. Feofan, on the other hand, brushed her again.

They decided to have a quick review with a magazine they found nearby and switched roles. Pantalone did her makeup while Dottore did her hair.

"Wow!" The little girl gasps as she twirls her gown around after the successful hair and makeup. "Papa, dada, what do I look like?" She asked expectantly.

'Our daughter.' The thought just came to their minds, but they did not say it. "You look beautiful, Yangguang." Said Pantalone.

Indeed, she looked pretty. Both harbingers thought. But it was not because of her expensive dress or her makeup that made her pretty. It was that beautiful, wide smile.

Feofan wanted to smoke, overwhelmed by the emotions he was feeling. There is no banquet that doesn't end, after all. He knew that one day, maybe she would grow differently and come to hate them once she knew the truth.

When that day comes, Feofan only hoped that she'd grow into a strong, brave woman. He did not care if she ditches them for good.

So the birthday event started. There was dancing, a magic show for the kids, and a buffet for everyone.

"I'm glad to see her well. So you two can raise a kid, after all." Said Arlecchino.

Pantalone's sentiments vanished instantly as he wore a proud expression. "Of course, it was all too easy." He smiled.

The other harbingers were in their own circles, some drinking wine and some drinking tea.

It was Tartaglia who was having fun with the kids, with Yangguang already calling him her favorite uncle.

Back at their table, since Dottore was talking with the Tsaritsa in her private room, the air wasn't awkward yet. Sandrone had a plate full of desserts given to Columbina, who wasn't even a harbinger anymore.

"Oh, that is strange." The 7th Fatui harbinger said. "Usually, I'd dread being near you because you reek of cigarettes." The girl said casually.

The Regrator sighed. "I quit two months ago. Can't be smoking around a growing child, can I?"

The table went silent, as if there was nothing as shocking as that statement. They were right; there really was nothing.

Oh, maybe something can top that up. Pantalone thought to himself. That would be Dottore admitting that, after all, he's still a human with his feelings. Now that's a feat bigger than his smoke-quitting.

When the event was done, the kids swam again while the adults socialized. Dottore was alone after talking to the Cryo Archon, as if in a sour mood.

Pantalone didn't mind it at first. Zandik always falls into this anti-socializing mode when there are too many people.

However, Yangguang looked sad when she couldn't see him. She went to Pantalone, tugging his sleeve gently. "Papa, where is Dada?"

He couldn't have his little girl be sad on her day, so he took a towel and wrapped it around her to keep her warm and carried her. They went back to the hotel to look for Dottore.

It was a huge place, and at first, Feofan didn't know where to look for him. But suddenly, he heard piano playing, and he knew that's where he was.

It was a beautiful tune, even Yangguang thought. It sounded like a lullaby, something she had heard before in the hallways of their facilities.

When Pantalone entered, there Dottore was, playing the grand piano.

The little girl ran to him, happily. "Dada, what are you doing?" She asked excitedly.

The troubled expression disappeared from Dottore's face when he saw Yangguang. He carried her to sit on his lap, feeling a shiver. "You're freezing." He chuckled weakly.

The doctor then played the tune again.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.

He did not sing the lyrics, but Feofan knew them by heart. He stood in place, his heart trembling as tears fell down his cheeks. Dottore played the tune so soulfully, so sadly, as if it wasn't a lullaby.

Pantalone realized that he lied earlier. He did not want Yangguang to ditch them once she's big. He wanted to be in her life for as long as he could. A part of him wished that she'd understand that it was out of love when they stole someone's future for her.

The two did not know that he was crying, so he walked away quietly to gather himself while the two continued playing the piano.

"Dada, will you teach me how to play the piano and this song once we go home?" Asked the fascinated girl.

The doctor smiled, leaning in to pull her against him gently. "If I'm not too busy."

The birthday event came to an end.

Yangguang fell asleep on their bed with a smile on her face. So exhausted from all the swimming and dancing.

Feofan and Zandik drank Vodka on the floor, both deep in thought.

"Could someone be a bad person but a good parent?" Asked the tipsy banker.

The man beside Pantalone leaned his head on his shoulder, shaking his head. "I think to be a good parent, you have to be a good person first," Dottore said drunkenly.

Both sighed in unison.

"But still… maybe it is possible if we want it enough," Feofan said before falling asleep on Zandik's head.

A year had passed by after that.

So many things had happened within another year. Yangguang was taught by Dottore to play the piano, and now she has recitals as well.

Pantalone became more present in her life, now personally tending to her before she goes to school.

Their family keeps getting stronger since the two decided to stop worrying about the future.

This year, the 6th-year-old Yangguang wanted a family trip as a birthday present.

That's why they went to Mondstadt, where the people looked at them with even more judgment. Unlike Liyue, where the two are known as diplomats, they are known here for the mess they caused in the neighboring countries.

Still, it wasn't about them. It was about Yangguang, who loved the hell out of dandelions. "Dada, can we grow these in our home, please?" She said with her sparkly, begging eyes.

The doctor thought about it carefully. It seemed impossible, but he could create a barrier that would protect the dandelion from dying in the snow. Anything for his daughter.

That's how domestic their life has become.

If only it could last forever.

One thing after another, Yangguang had gone missing.

It all happened so fast. She had come home from school quieter than usual. She then walked through the halls of the facility without running towards Pantalone or calling for Dottore.

Apparently, a new classmate of hers said that her fathers are evil. Of course, that made her upset. In her eyes, her papas are her heroes, the people she loves the most in the world.

That's why when another kid told her that they're evil, she did not believe them. It was just out of curiosity that she asked why.

"Your papas harm people! You're their daughter, so you're disgusting as well!" The kid spat on her.

Yangguang had cried in the school bathroom afterward, though she had wiped her face before the teacher found her. My Papa and Dada are not mean. They're very nice! She had thought desperately.

When she came home, she decided she would ask Dottore herself. She needed him to tell her that the other child was lying. She needed him to laugh and say that people simply did not understand him, that he had never hurt anyone who did not deserve it, that he cared about her and Pantalone more than anything else in the world.

It's just so bad timing that Dottore was in one of his moods. After the little girl asked what her Dada truly felt for her, the stupid man answered incorrectly.

"I don't feel anything. I do not hate you, but at the same time, I don't like you. I never feel anything." Dottore says.

…

"So now he's back in his research lab, not knowing that the little girl had run away." Segment Eight recaps and then goes back to whatever he was doing.

This is bad. Feofan thought the obvious. She was a frail girl who was alone out there in this Snezhnayan weather.

He did not know who he wanted to blame more. The child at school who had filled Yangguang’s head with cruel words, or Dottore, who had looked directly at her wounded expression and answered with the one thing she had been terrified to hear. It did not matter; his daughter was out there!

He ran to the doctor's office, opening it without knocking.

Dottore was there, visibly annoyed at being distracted. "What is it now?"

Feofan wanted to slap him. "She ran away."

For a moment, Dottore did not react. His gaze returned to the notes in front of him, his pen continuing its slow movement across the page. “She will return when she is hungry,” he said flatly.

This monster.

Pantalone's ears rang when he heard this. He could feel his hands shaking at his sides, though he did not know whether it was from rage or fear. “So none of us ever mattered to you,” he said quietly.

Dottore’s pen stopped.

The truth was, it was exactly the opposite of that that was making him act up. He was afraid because he realized how much the child was affecting him. So in search of a way to withdraw emotionally, he had to hurt her.

Pantalone did not wait for an answer. He turned and left the laboratory, already calling for guards and every available agent in the facility to begin searching the streets. He would search every alley in the city if he had to. He would tear Snezhnaya apart with his bare hands if it meant finding her before the cold did.

When Feofan went away to frantically look for her, Dottore remained sitting in his lab. He stared at the unfinished line on the paper in front of him, unable to make himself write another word. He told himself that this was necessary.

Yangguang had become too important. She had begun to affect his decisions, disrupt his work, and make him hesitate in ways he had spent his entire life training himself not to. If he allowed himself to care too much, then she would become another weakness someone could use against him. If he stood up now and let himself be affected, then all of his efforts would be for nothing.

Then suddenly, the radio he was listening to played a familiar lullaby.

You are my sunshine.

The chair scraped sharply against the floor as Dottore stood, breathing heavily. He can't do it. Can't pretend he doesn't give a fuck anymore.

The moment Feofan said that she had run away, it hurt his stomach, and he felt nauseous. He had spent the last week secretly preparing the abandoned courtyard behind the facility for her. He had carefully cultivated a small garden of dandelions beneath an artificial sun, adjusting the warmth and light until the flowers could survive Snezhnaya’s cold. He was so excited to show it to her, if it wasn't for his stupid pride.

Where would she go? Where would a child so small run off to?

Suddenly, he remembered that he had installed a location tracker on his Christmas present to Yangguang before. That's it! He could find her with that.

He rushed to the monitoring system and activated the tracker with shaking hands. For several seconds, the screen remained dark before a small point of light appeared on the map. After locating her exact coordinates, he set off alone.

The mountains?! Dottore's heart trembled. That's the worst place to ever be in Snezhnaya, especially now that there's a blizzard.

Dottore lunged and ran desperately. The wind struck him the moment he stepped outside, violently enough to force his head down. The thought of Yangguang alone and shivering was stronger than any blizzard. As long as he has his Pyro delusion, it will be okay. As long as Pantalone finds them before his delusion wears off.

He just needs to hope that she has found shelter.

Do not die on us, Yangguang. You still have your recital next week, and we promised to build snowmen with you. I also promised you would see the first real flowers bloom beneath the artificial sun. I finished the dandelion garden you wanted so bad.

His vision blurred.

Please, be safe. Dottore prayed. He sniffed, not remembering the last time he was so terribly afraid.

The blizzard was so strong that it froze his tears immediately. Thankfully, his mask acted like goggles.

He didn't know what to do if he found her and she was gone. What would Feofan say? How would he feel?

He pushed harder through the storm, following the small, blinking point on the tracker as though it were the last light left in the world.

Pantalone, on the other hand, was using his men and other people to look for Yanguang. He promised everyone helping that he would reward them well, but to please help him find his daughter.

The words left him without hesitation. Yangguang was not an asset assigned to them by the Tsaritsa. She was not a burden, a mission, or a child who happened to be living beneath their roof. She was their daughter, and she was alone in a blizzard somewhere out here.

He felt somewhat guilty of telling Dottore off earlier. He was just scared and wasn't thinking straight. Of course, he didn't have to force the doctor to actually feel something for them.

He ought to apologize to him later.

The deeper Dottore ventured into the mountains, the more wrong everything felt.

His Pyro Delusion burned hotter beneath his skin as he climbed higher into the mountains. The warmth protected him from the cold, but it came at a cost. He could feel his heart hammering painfully against his ribs. Heat flooded his veins until it bordered on agony.

He was the 2nd Fatui Harbinger, but he also wasn't the strongest man alive. He was losing the battle against nature and his body.

Suddenly, the ground gave way, and Dottore barely had time to register the crack beneath his boots before the snow collapsed under him. Something sharp, hidden beneath the snow, tore through the side of his coat and buried itself just below his ribs. The pain was immediate and blinding. The doctor let out a cry of pain.

He should have gone back. He should have called for reinforcements. A sensible person would have treated the wound before continuing into a mountain storm. Dottore had spent his entire life believing himself to be more sensible than most people.

But Yangguang was so close. He had to choose between himself and her.

He pushed himself off the ground and forced himself to stand. Pain tore through his side so sharply that his vision went white around the edges, but he locked his jaw and kept moving.

The tracker in his hand blinked weakly through the snow, leading him around a ridge. With his remaining strength, he finally located the girl. She was alive, trembling and pale, but breathing.

Dottore forgot his injuries for a moment, running towards her and wrapping his coat around her, which was soaked in blood.

Yangguang looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes. The moment she recognized him, her face crumpled. “I’m scared,” she cried, pressing herself against his chest.

I am, too. Zandik thought. "Don't be," Dottore said. "I'm here."

Dottore held her tighter, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other kept the coat closed around her. He could feel how cold she was through her clothes. He could feel the weak tremors running through her body.

The doctor reached for his Pyro delusion again. It spread through his body in a violent rush, far more than he should have used with an open wound. Fire pulsed beneath his skin, warming the space around them until the snow at his knees began to melt.

Yangguang’s trembling eased slightly as warmth seeped through the coat and into her cold hands. "I'm sorry…" She apologizes.

Dottore held her in that moment, and maybe finally understood the pain he had inflicted on the innocent children. With every person he had hurt before because of his experiments, there must have been someone who cared for them as he cared for Yangguang. This must be karma.

Dottore lowered his head until his cheek rested against her hair. His eyes burned, though he did not know whether it was from the Pyro burning through his body, or the tears he refused to let fall again. "Don't apologize." He said apologetically. "It was me who wronged you and everyone else."

“Dada?” Yangguang whispered. She clutched his shirt tighter. “Are you hurt?”

Dottore felt the Pyro Delusion draining his life force. He breathed heavily in pain, tightening his hug on Yangguang. "Me and your Papa are not the best people in the world. In fact, I must be the worst one to ever live…" He said weakly. "But everything we've shown you is real." He smiled gently.

It was getting colder because the blizzard was getting stronger, while his delusion weakened.

It was all up to Feofan now. Please find our daughter, he thought desperately. Please come before I cannot keep her warm anymore.

Yangguang heard a quiet song from her Dada. She looked up at him weakly before nuzzling her head on his neck again.

A familiar melody drifted into his thoughts, the one he taught Yangguang on the piano.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray." He smiled weakly, smoothing out the fear from the little girl. "You'll never know, dear, how much I love you."

He remembered everything from the start. When he met her, when she called her 'Other Papa.' Their trip to Liyue, Mondstadt, and her two swimming parties. Her choirs and recitals, the first time she kissed his cheek, and when he fixed her hair during her birthday. Dottore's eyes burned so weakly, not having the strength to finish the song.

If I'm so lucky to meet you again in my next life, I'll plant dandelions for you again.

Please don't take my sunshine away.

Before he could sing the last line, he braced for impact, shielding Yangguang with all that he was before his Pyro Delusion turned gray.

The little girl didn't understand what was happening. Maybe her Dada had fallen asleep from soreness. What she knows, though, is that she's safe as long as he's here. "I love you, Dada." She says.

Still on his lap, she nuzzled him harder, closing her eyes as well.

Pantalone felt a sudden chill he could not explain. His chest hurt so badly that he had to hold onto it, struggling to breathe. He looked toward the mountains beyond the city, where the blizzard had turned everything white.

"The mountains." He said with horrifying certainty.

With shortness of breath, he ran with all his might. "Prepare a search party. Now. Bring ropes, flashlights, medical supplies, anything that can withstand the storm.” His words came too quickly in panic.

One of the soldiers lowered his head. “Lord Harbinger,” he said carefully, “the blizzard has worsened. The mountain paths are dangerous, and there could be an avalanche. We cannot send men up there without risking an avalanche.”

Feofan was losing his edge, commanding them even harder. "I'll double whatever the reward is… triple it! Just please bring her back safely to me." His voice shook with desperation.

The soldier’s expression did not change. “With respect, sir, Mora will not stop the mountain from falling.”

Pantalone knew that. He wished he didn't. Mora was supposed to be the answer to everything.

If no one will, I will. Feofan thought. His coat was not made for climbing mountains. His hands were not trained to dig through snow or survive an avalanche, but he did not care.

Several men stepped forward at once, trying to stop him, but he shoved past them. What part of his daughter was out there that they did not understand?!

Few followed Pantalone, those who were not afraid of dying. They believed that if they died here, the 9th harbinger would still compensate their families.

He didn't have a Pyro delusion like Dottore, but he did have vials that he could drink to sustain him.

And so he made his way to the mountains. The journey was miserable. Snow reached past his ankles, and the wind bit through his coat no matter how tightly he wrapped it around himself.

More than once, he nearly lost his footing on the icy slopes. His lungs burned from the cold air, and his legs ached from forcing himself higher and higher into the storm.

But through it all, he persevered. "Yangguang!" He shouted, his voice already hoarse from calling her name over and over again.

Only the cold wind answered him.

The blizzard swallowed every sound. It buried the paths beneath fresh snow and made the mountains look endless. Pantalone could barely see a few steps ahead, but he kept moving. His men stayed close behind him, catching his arm whenever he slipped and forcing him to stop for a few seconds whenever the wind became too strong.

Two hours later, one of them spotted something struggling in the snow. Pantalone thought it was an animal, then he saw the small metal wings twitching weakly beneath the ice. It was a mechanical bird that was almost broken. That's… That's her toy from Dottore! Her smart girl must've thrown it somewhere easily to spot so that we can search the nearby shelters!

With a dangerous flicker of hope, he stood again.

It didn't last long. What greeted him wasn't Yangguang being tucked in a shelter.

It was blood seeping through the snow, Dottore still and unmoving. His body was completely still, his white coat stained dark with blood. He was curled tightly around something beneath him, his arms wrapped protectively around the coat as though he had refused to let go until the very end.

Feofan felt his knees weaken, his eyes wide open. It was still afternoon, so the light was hurting his very sensitive eyes.

But that didn't compare to the sight he was seeing.

Pantalone let out an anguished cry, sobbing as he crawled towards his family.

When he held Dottore's face, it was too cold. Feofan kissed his face apologetically, tears falling mercilessly. "Please." Pantalone cried. He didn't even know that the doctor ran to find Yangguang as well.

Still in denial, he pecked the doctor's frozen lips. “I am sorry,” he whispered against his skin. “I am sorry. I should not have left you alone. I should not have said those things. Zandik, stop screwing around. Please wake up.”

His lips trembled as he looked down, praying that this was all just a bad nightmare.

With trembling hands, Pantalone pulled back the bloodstained coat. Yangguang lay beneath it as though she were just sleeping.

But her frozen eyelashes and lips said otherwise. Her small body was still tucked against Dottore’s chest, protected from the snow by his arms and the warmth he had given her.

Pantalone stared at her for one horrible second before pulling her into his arms. "Yangguang,” he sobbed. “Love, wake up. Papa is here.”

He held both of them close, Yangguang against his chest and one hand still holding Dottore’s face.

But neither of them ever woke up again.

It was Feofan who wished he woke up from this nightmare instead.

Pantalone sobbed until his body shook, holding his family in the snow while the world kept moving as though it had not just taken everything from him.

He did not know what happened afterwards, did not know how he returned safely to their facilities. He could've sworn that he let himself succumb to the storm there as well.

When he opened his eyes, Dottore's segments were around him, monitoring his condition.

"Hey, he's awake." 18 said as they crowded him.

The banker didn't want to ask about Yangguang and Dottore, as he already knew the answer. Instead, he teared up silently, alarming the segments.

"Hey, you lousy doctor, have you really stabilized him?" Asked Segment 45.

Eighteen approached the Regrator, talking gently. "Don't be so sad, Feofan. You still have us. If you so want a daughter, we'll have 8 here dressed as one."

Segment Eight reacted loudly. "What the fuck? Do you want me to skin you alive?"

Twenty-five pushed the two aside to check up on his condition.

Feofan talked gently. "Bring me a smoke."

They looked at him, unsurprised, but still worried. 45 brought him a pack of cigarettes.

He took a long drag, inhaling before shaking again from despair. He couldn't stop crying, thought he'd never stop crying.

For so many nights after that, Pantalone couldn't sleep alone in their massive bedroom. He'd dreamt of Yangguang, waking up subconsciously when he was supposed to wake her up for school. Sometimes, it was Dottore who haunted his dreams.

Most often, he'd pull one or two of the segments into their bed just so he didn't feel too lonely.

It still wasn't enough to try and move on.

Even after a year had passed by, Feofan couldn't stop mourning. It was just getting worse as time passed by.

He wouldn't attend anything anymore and would be forced to be fed by the other segments.

He stopped drinking the immortality elixir Dottore had provided for him, and his smoking addiction got so much worse.

He'd spend most of his time in the garden, sitting by the artificial sun and the dandelions. After all, the two were buried there.

When his time comes, he wishes to be buried beside them too. Maybe they'll be together again if they're buried together.

One day, while he was dusting Yangguang's room, he found something lodged in her notebooks. A bank statement? Did he accidentally leave this here?

But when he read the contents of it, he realized it wasn't his but Dottore's.

Feofan's eyes blurred again, and his hand flew to his mouth to stop himself from crying too loudly.

Every salary, the doctor had put 10% into a separate bank.

Upon seeing it, Pantalone felt nauseous. The first money deposited was titled: "For Yangguang's education. Some of them were for her gifts, allowance once she grows up, and other finances that she'll need.

He had made a separate account for savings for Yangguang, even if Pantalone was the richest man in Teyvat.

Dottore loved her in his own way.

Pantalone felt dizzy, clutching the bank statement against his chest, mourning the two he had loved the most a little more today.

He walked back to the garden, getting an immortality elixir on the table.

Twenty-five was half relieved and half confused. Is the Regrator actually about to move on?

But when Feofan was alone in the dandelion garden, he lit up his cigarette and poured the elixir on the dandelions.

While he did, the second part of the song Dottore had played on the piano replayed in his mind for some reason.

The other night, dear, as I was sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms. When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken.

So, I hung my head and cried.

Feofan lay down between the two graves. He closed his eyes, and for one desperate moment, he allowed himself to pretend that the warmth surrounding him was not the artificial sun, but Yangguang curled against one side of him and Dottore resting silently against the other.

He spoke as he always did whenever he visited them, as if the two could hear him.

"Your segments are a mess, Zandik," he said with a weak chuckle. "They're driving everyone insane. But right now, they're the only reason I haven't completely lost my mind."

His smile faded as quickly as it came.

He sighed deeply and caressed the grass above Dottore's grave, just like he did to the other's back while he was still alive. "No one mourned you. It's because of your nasty attitude, don't you think?" He laughed bitterly.

He could imagine the doctor rolling his eyes at him, telling him he does not care about the others.

He turned to Yangguang's graveside, closing his eyes. "I… I saw a friend of yours yesterday, sunshine. She's taller than you now. I couldn't help but think you'd be that tall if you were still here." He said gently, tearing up again.

He could picture Yangguang's little, soft hands reaching out to his face to wipe his tears away.

"You two! Do you know how lonely I am right now?!" His rant was only answered by the soft whistle of the wind. Feofan then hit his palm on his forehead as he cried weakly.

He kept thinking about what the two were doing right now. Are the two having fun? Is Dottore taking care of Yangguang? Is the necklace he gave her still with her in the afterlife?

He remembered their night at the Lantern Rite, and laughed bitterly again. He realized that some wishes are granted only after they're no longer worth having.

Yangguang, my love. Maybe the gods had granted your wish, after all. Just not in this life. I'm just late.

After a moment of silence, Feofan spoke again. "Don't let heaven take you so far away that I can't find you. I'll be there too; I'll come home too."

I love you both, dearly and endlessly.

I always will.

As though somewhere beyond a place he could not yet reach, a little girl was laughing with an insufferable doctor while she dragged him by the hand toward another field of dandelions.