Rainy day out

2. Saying Farewell

You've decided to leave and take Wanderer with you for the day.

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"We don't have much going on. You crossed my mind so I thought we'd pay you a visit," Lumine says earnestly, "It's good to see you're adapting well. In that case, we'll leave you in peace so you can focus."

"It's alright, I'm exceptional at multitasking," Nahida reassures as she shakes both her hands in refusal, "Please, you've just gotten here. What kind of a host would I be if I didn't properly greet my guests? Please as Sumeru's heroes, I'd hate to see you think of yourself as a bother."

"It's okay," Paimon chips in, "We just wanted to check in on you and make sure you were doing alright. It's going to be a while before we leave Sumeru so there'll be plenty of time we can come to visit once things have died down."

Silence creeps into the room as Nahida's brain halts to a stop as if something was jammed between the cogs. Debating against the voice in the back of her mind and Lumine's advice, she was momentarily at a loss for words; a rare occasion. It's not nice to turn away guests, especially after when they took the trouble to visit her in such problematic weather.

"You're a good friend to us and good friends can rely on one another for help so please don't be shy to lean on us when you need it," Lumine insists, "We have no doubt you can handle it alone but just because you can doesn't always mean you should. Lean on us a little longer if that's need be."

"That's wise, as anyone would expect from the first sage," she smiles, giving in quickly for arguing was pointless. The two renowned adventures show great determination and would take a lot to be convinced otherwise, "I suppose it's pointless for me to try and persuade you. Your stay was short, but it means the world to me. Next time you visit, I'll improve my baking skills and make you more snacks. Here, you can keep the rest of the ajilenakh nuts. They're awesome for on-the-go, kind of like a fancy trail mix."

Nahida places the jar into Lumine's bag before zipping it close, "There we go, you're good to go."

Getting the whole jar, Paimon couldn't be more enthusiastic.

"Do you suppose you could let us?" Lumine pauses as she scrambles to search for the right term. Babysit came to mind instantly but there surely had to be a more neutral term. Knowing Wanderer's tendency to quibble over every small thing, he would absolutely conjure a sardonic or witty remark with that foul mouth of his. No matter what form he took, Balladeer, Wanderer, or even the Shouki no Kami, he was easy to rile up if you knew what to say. Provokes were a little too effective on him and his attitude was a pitfall but now that they're allies, it couldn't hurt to put in some effort to get on his good side. Team coordination is the backbone of any traveling group. After little contemplation, Lumine settles with borrow. "Do you suppose you could let us borrow Wanderer for the day?  He already promised to help with a commission when it was issued a while back."

Technically she had active commission but the idea of actually doing it was out of sight and out of mind. She had planned to delay it as the thought of completing it in such troublesome weather sounds like misery. Nahida gave an acknowledging look right away, delighted as a child unraveling presents on Christmas day. Maybe her understanding was a side-effect of telepathic communication. It's that or she was secretly mind-reading Lumine but then again, Nahida had promised not to pry into others' privacy without reason. She puts great effort to explain that she respects privacy and boundaries. Nahida wouldn't pry into a friend out of curiosity alone so it was more likely to be the first option. If she promises something, you could expect her to hold her word.

"Hmm well, as Sumeru's hero and my good friend, I don't have the heart to say no. Like a bumbling honeybee, I will eventually pay you back, the flowers, back for nourishing my growth," She beams with a knowing wink, "Take him. He's all yours for the day."