With A Heavy Heart

7.

Lumine forgot how nice it felt to have people worry about her.

Perhaps it's a sign of loneliness. Hearing the way Paimon transparent wings flutter rapidly, how she stumbles and falters upon words, how she hides her face in her neck, grabbing stray strands of hair with the action-it all spread warmth in her. It wasn't the kind of warmth she felt when she was about to dig her nails into someone else's neck-no, that's a different warmth, that's anger.

Pure-hot anger and fury cause her to always commit ruthless actions; Lumine blames it on the brutality and savagery that lays in her blood. Where it stays dormant and asleep until it spikes up again, and Lumine roars in rage. When that happens, the girl sees red. There aren't levels of her anger, only a switch in her head that gets off and on.

Her brother calls it her "Berserk-Mode". The kind of violence that's able to taint marble walls red and leave an unwavering fear in the eyes of others. The blonde knows that warmth, that anger, but it's not that violence that fuels her blood right now. Now, that's a different kind of warmth.

It's hard to explain it in her words. But she wants to describe and define it. The warmth. Lumine wants to catch that feeling in her chest and treasure it in a glass jar, so it wouldn't escape her again and leave her cold and bitter anew. The golden girl wraps her arms around the pixie and holds her closer to her chest, patting her windblown- hair and wiping her tears away. "What's wrong?"

Paimon gets irritated. "Wh-what's wrong? What's wrong? A-are you seriously asking me that?" The pixie hits her against the chest, but Lumine barely feels it. "P-Paimon thought you d-died!"

Lumine tilts her head to the side. "People don't normally die from that, Paimon."

"Ahh, they do actually," her second chimes in, voice dripping with honey, "When I saw you getting whisked away, I gave a little prayer in my head. That you're standing here before us is a miracle itself."

"...oh, is that so?"

The golden girl sometimes forgets how fragile the average human being is. She's not used to falling and getting scrapes on her knees, or burning skin when she gets too close to the fire. Even if her skin isn't as hard and her body not as robust anymore, she's still glad to see that a few of her advantages still prevailed.

There's a hint of amusement in his voice. "Yes, I'm afraid that the average citizens of Monstadt aren't made of such sturdy material and unruly like you." Lumine feels him lean closer, warm breath fanning her face. She stands her ground. "Not thanking your savior and not telling your name, didn't your parents teach you what manners are? From where do you come from?"

If Amber reminds her of the comfort and heat of a campfire, then Kaeya is like the unforgiving winter. She can feel where the energy is centered in his core, and with the help of her elemental sight, she sees a trail starting from his chest to his hip. That must be the vision.

On the way to Mondstadt, Amber was kind enough to explain some laws, customs, and patent information in the world of Treyvat. Under these things, visions were also heavily discussed. However, there are still some disagreements. For Amber, visions are gifts bestowed by gods that grant the user their elemental abilities. But for Lumine, visions only enforce the elemental abilities the user already has.

Like a wizard and his wand.

They are a tool for the user to get easier access to their core, and thus their elemental abilities. It has to be like that. If it weren't so, then why can she see and feel the coldness in his chest? As if someone stuck an ice spike right into his heart. It also explains more things than it probably should.

She has never been too fond of the cold.

Right before she has a chance to respond, her one true friend and savior in need speaks up. "Paimon has never met such a forward, annoying person like you! Back off before you gonna catch some hands!"

The man leans away from her face, however, he doesn't take Paimons words to the heart according to his chuckles and small laughs. "Excuse me, but I find it very hard to take you seriously. Your hands aren't even as big as half of my face. What makes you think that I-ouch!"

The pixie laughs in glee, "Haha, that's what happens if you don't listen, Eyepatch!"

Her line causes a lively dispute between the two. Petty insults get thrown every two seconds, and even an additional screech of frustration could be heard. This all happened more on Paimon's side, however, Lumine can hear the strain and not so subtly frustration in the young man's voice.

If she has to choose who would first lose their wits, it would be him even though she doesn't know him that well. Paimon may not be collected but she's persistent-the short time spent with her shows that much. Not even the most level-headed and patient man would win against that little spitfire. Besides, it's almost impossible to overhear that miniature crack in his voice.

The golden girl was about to lose herself in a long speech by Paimon about how the poor weather conditions reflect in the personalities of the men in the City of Freedom-and Lumine can't help but agree and nod her head uprightly-when she felt two hands upon her shoulders, causing her to stiffen.

But then the smell of candied apples and roasted almonds enters her nose, and Lumine relaxes. If it weren't for the amusing dispute between Paimon and the man, she would've long asked what happened to her brown-haired friend.

"A-are you hurt?" Her voice is shaky and unsteady-as if she had experienced the fright of her life.

The blonde girl shakes her head, feeling the relief rolling off of Amber. The brunette gives a little sigh and lets her head rest on Lumine's shoulder. They only knew each other for some hours, but it's clear that Amber was more than anxious. The outsider puts her hands on Amber's arms, trying to steady her and to support her weight. But as their skins touch, Lumine immediately frowns. She's so cold.

"Ahh," she breathes out, "thank Barbatos! The tornado took you right before I was able to give a wind-glider! This could've-"

"Amber, you're freezing," she frowns.

The brunette only cuddles herself closer in Lumine's embrace, her cold breath tickling her neck. "Not without reason. A certain Captain of mine covered me in ice to stick me to the ground. Fortunately, I have a Pyro Vision...but where is he, though?"

"I think Paimon has him enwrapped in a petty insult battle, somewhere behind us."

Amber lifts her head swiftly up at Lumine's words, wanting to observe the said dispute between a small fairy and the Calvary Captain of the Knights of Favonious. The sight has her grasping and holding her stomach, only being supported by the hands of Lumine. The outlander thinks about taking her blind off to see the apparently humorous view but decides against it. At least, she's able to hear the petty insults.

A screech of Paimon could be heard in the distance. They must've moved their dispute a few meters away. "You must think you're really smooth, huh? Catching her, leaning into her, and all that-this ain't a novel!"

"Oh, please, at least I was fast enough to react-"

"After thinking about leaving her to die-"

"This doesn't matter," he snaps.

Amber is still grasping onto Lumine, shoulder shaking with a few giggles escaping her every few seconds. Her laugh reminds Lumine of bells and chimes; there's a certain charm to it. "Haha, m-man, I have never seen Kaeya so o-out of control, haha, what a sight!"

Her comment only intensifies Lumine's need to see, but no, self-control. Her brother far outdoes her in that department, however, she can, at least, do that. The reason why she covers her eyes has something to do with their sensitivity, but also their intensity. And partly because of other reasons.

"Oh my, they're now hitting each other like two angry kittens!"

Self-control, she tells herself, self-control.