Past Lives || Dottore

37

Y/n sighed. She had no energy to figure out whatever antics Dottore had in his head. She knew it was something along the lines of homicide, since that was his usual nature, so she made sure to make a mental note for when they get back to get a subject ready for him.

He hummed softly, a tune she wished she knew. To her, it seemed like he was humming a tune of his past, long forgotten, only remembered by him and him only. Or maybe he was making up a tune to pass the time, but who knew?

"Are you making it a goal to meet every harbinger tonight?" His hold on her waist tightened. This told her that he was somewhat angry.

 She felt her heart beating loudly in her chest, and her body was acutely aware of his fingers messing with the fabric of her dress, almost purposefully brushing his fingertips against her waist.

"M-maybe." She cleared her throat. "Yes, I am. I just want to meet two more, then we can leave- if that's alright with you, of course."

Dottore chuckled. "Yes, that's alright. Which harbingers have you met so far?"

"Childe, Arlecchino, Pulcinella, Pantalone, Sandrone." She listed them off using her fingers, which was the only way she could keep track of them. She met more people than she would've liked, but these people for useful to her, so, doing this is almost like a necessity.

He nodded slowly. "The last four people you need to meet is Columbina, La Signora, Scaramouche and Pierro. Columbina doesn't really like these types of parties, and Pierro is exempt from going to these because of the amount of work he has to do. Signora is in Mondstadt, and Scaramouche is off in Inazuma for personal matters."

"I see." Her fingers twisted the ring she wore around her finger, thinking. She sighed, resting her head on Dottore's chest. "Can you tell me about them?"

"I'm afraid I'll only tell you the bad things about Columbina, and Pierro will bet my ass if I talk bad about him." His fingers rubbed against her waist, the contact sending shivers up her spine. "I don't care for Signora, and Scaramouche is simply a brat."

"So Pierro is the first harbinger?"

He hummed a response. "He can also be called the director, depends on who you go to. Columbina is the 3rd harbinger, but I will leave the rest of the information I know for when they decide to show up at my house and intrude on my life."

Y/n chuckled. "If it's okay, I will move them away from the house, into town."

His grip tightened on her waist. Too far. He isn't quite over the incident.

...

That's okay. She didn't expect him to be.

"You can come with, or one of your clones." She felt her voice begin to trail off, and she decided to just stay quiet. He was silent for a moment.

"I'll come with." His voice was different, and she didn't like it. He was angry, and sad.

She took his hand from her waist and knitted their fingers together. He froze, his grip tight in hers. She brushed her thumb against his softly, feeling the callous on his hands. Slowly, he began to relax.

"I won't leave you again." She murmured. "I refuse to."

Y/n lifted his hand and kissed the top of it gently, feeling his hand stiff once again.

"I know." He whispered; his voice so silent she almost couldn't hear. She stopped herself from looking up at him when he said that, so she instead smiled softly at the ground.

The sound of a champagne getting hit by a knife rang throughout the ballroom. The room grew quiet immediately, the eyes of each and every person on the Tsaritsa. She stood with an aura that exuded royalty, power.

Her face was soft, her eyes drifting on the crowd. They landed on Dottore and Y/n. A small smile grew on her face when she saw their intertwined hands.

"Thank you for coming to this to party, I am pleased to see familiar and unfamiliar faces in the crowd." Her smile grew wide. "For those who didn't know, this party is celebrating La Signora's success on retrieving the Ameno Archon's Gnosis."

The crowd erupted in cheers. Y/n jumped at the sudden sound, and Dottore was quick to cover her ears. He glared at the people around them, scaring them into silence. 

Tsaritsa waited for silence, the only being that of footsteps entering the ballroom. It was Pulcinella, dragging Tartaglia by the ear. He let go and bowed deeply to Her Majesty, his co-worker doing the same.

"And now, I will announce those planned for Liyue and Inazuma."

The room was tense. Everyone was wanting to know who would be released, which harbinger would be chosen to retrieve the gnosis from the archons.

"For Liyue," She paused, looking around the room at the harbingers present. "Tartaglia."

The people around Tartaglia slapped him on the back, cheering loudly. The rest of the crowd clapped, a few whistles ringing throughout the crowd.

Slowly, the crowd went quiet again, and everyone was waiting for the next one.

"For Inazuma, La Signora." The crowd didn't go as crazy, mostly likely because they were confused. "Due to her performance in Mondstadt, she was given Inazuma. She is effective at her drop, and I know that we will get news of her collecting the gnosis soon."

Dottore removed his hand from Y/n's ears, putting them back on her waist.

"What did I miss?" She whispered. "I couldn't quite hear everything."

"Tartaglia has been dispatched to Liyue for the Geo Archon's Gnosis, and La Signora has been dispatched to Inazuma for the Electro Archon's Gnosis." He was quick to reply, removing one of his hands from her waist to her hand. He liked holding her hand, apparently. It was soothing to him.

She squeezed his hand. "I see. I will have to give Tartaglia my congratulations when I get the chance." Dottore stayed silent.

"Tartaglia will be dispatched once La Signora has returned to Snezhnaya, and another party shall be hosted for her return." The Tsaritsa's smile faded away. "And with that, I announce that this party is coming to a close. Thank you once again for coming, and I will make sure your rides home tonight is safe."

Some people in the crowd chuckled, and soon the ballroom was empty of the commoners. Only the Tsaritsa, Y/n, and the harbingers remained.

"It has been a pleasure to meet all of you, Lord Harbingers." She bowed deeply, a beaming smile on her face. 

"It has been a pleasure meeting you, Y/n." Tartaglia was quick to reply. "The offer I made is still on the table of course, though it'll might have to wait until I come back."

She chuckled. "Of course."

"That goes for you as well, my dear." Dottore shot a glare towards Pantalone. The banker brushed off the glare, having already grown used to such glares.

Arlecchino, Sandrone, and Pulcinella only nodded. Sandrone being the only one to give a smile. The information she had given Y/n was more than she had planned, but it was enough to plant a seed in her mind.

Soon, she will come to realize what exactly she has.