[Even if wrinkles appear on her face, he will still look at her with the same adoration. Then, he will tell himself that everything will be okay, while regretting deep in his heart that he can't grow old with her. In spite of everything, he will remain by her side as long as he can, as long as she wants to see him again. Maybe his journey will be completed sooner than later, so he can spend more time with her without leaving into the unknown.
He will tell her stories she hasn't heard before, stories forgotten by time, stories they both shared that he wishes to reminiscence about in the moment, stories she wishes to hear again.
The sad moments are such a distant future, he shouldn't... think so much about it.]
I'll try not to bore you with third and forth time, unless it's a story you really want to hear again.
Maybe my favourites will always be the adventures I experience with you.
You jest, you aren't supposed to tell fibs! Out of all your journeys, I wouldn't be surprised if your favorite is something you can't even tell me.
Now, I won't get jealous if there is.
( if things were different.
were furina smarter in the past, if she could have figured out how to prevent the primordial sea from overflowing to save fontaine then perhaps her immortality would remain in tact. unfortunately, that was never was focalor's plan to begin with, she had prepared for her death for many, many, many years and in exchange give furina what she never had.
humans and gods are afraid of the same thing: death.
when furina thinks about her time coming to an end, that any mishap could take her life, there is a part of her that grows disheartened. aether is special, despite all that he's been through, not one wrinkle has wormed its way onto his face. his expression are as clear as day, and if any sadness or thought blemishes it, they're nothing more than the clouds blocking out the sun that will shine brightly again.
he's special, he'll live so much longer, and furina knows she will have to accept that.
it's scary to know that she can die, that there will be a day she will not be with him anymore, that she has to cherish these moments like it's all that she has. squeeze them until she can feel her nails dig into the palm of her hands until she bleeds. that's how much she doesn't want to let him go. )
[There are days when he wishes he could take her hand and then pull her close into an embrace, as if to imprint her warmth into his memories, but then he blames himself for such a selfish thought. Do not pursue this feeling, it will only doom the both of them, as they can't be closer. They shouldn't be. The blond haired traveler is nothing but an alien in this world, meant to return to stars, meant to live far longer than anything else can survive.
And yet he can't stop his heart from longing and wishing. If only thing would have been different and he was born in Teyvat, if he was just a simple person. If he could grow old, if he didn't walk the path of seeking out gods and fighting the Abyss.
Ah, but then... maybe their fates would have never crossed.
And so, all is left for them are adventures, stories and memories.]
How could I ever lie to the wonderful Lady Furina?
You have nothing to be jealous about. From all the stories in my life, I like the stories with you the best.
One day we will both sit down near the fire and I will tell you anything you wish to know. No secrets, just for you.
[That's what his heart tells him to do and maybe, one day, it will really be possible, even if for a moment, for someone in this world to truly know him.]
( a bon fire is so ... normal, tame, something she's never experienced, and part of her can't help the small smile that pulls onto her features. )
Tell me, when we were in Poisson.
( that was ages ago now, her days as an actor, as acting archon, and oh, how she acted. though the traveler and his companion acted much better to put furina in that position that she found herself in. unraveled by their persistence, their pressing curiosity, the advantage they took of that lyney and lynette's magical box from one place to another. )
Was that something you liked? Those are one of our many stories.
( the entire world is a stage to aether as he's come from beyond the stars, from a place that not even furina could describe. he is only a spectator, she must remember that, he can only watch which makes him feel so distant at times. what could she be looking for with him, from him, when she knows her role is to dance and dance until he grows tired. though, furina thinks aether could never grow tired of her, but if the heavenly principles are against them.
it isn't hard to imagine. )
How did I look? I must have appeared pretty pathetic in front of you.
( why is she bringing up old memories? well, there one of the many. there are some things that she reflects back on, stories that she knows will he spoken about, and as a young woman she can't help but wonder what he thought of her. )
[The memory hits him, settling in with all the details as if he returned to that very scene. It's hard to believe how much time has passed since then and how much has happened, yet the memory remains fresh.
Was Furina thinking about it a lot? Was she regretting things said and done back then?]
You... looked lost to me. Like you wanted someone to hear you out, to see the real you, but you were afraid to trust.
[He keeps on telling himself that if he had known what she was going through, then maybe he could had handled it differently. But he had no way of knowing... She was so loyal to the god that entrusted her with the mission. So brave, despite the suffering she'd endured.]
Now I know you were doing your best. You sacrificed yourself for everyone else. You were strong and loyal...
[It's unfair that people like her are always the ones who have to suffer the most.]
I'm glad you don't have to do that anymore. That you can be yourself. You didn't deserve to suffer like that.
( truth is... furina was scared, worried that she couldn't find the solution to that looming terror. it did hurt to know the option used, but she would have never understood why time wasn't on her side. yes, neuvillette asked over and over again, but she couldn't explain. of course, the masses had doubted her, but she was trying so very hard to be the archon they saw her as.
and the people she trusted, those that she cared for had created a ploy against her. sometimes she thinks about it, and she reminds herself it wasn't out of ill-will, but still, she's sensitive, she still had feelings despite the immortal body at the time, and sometimes she wishes she could fret over those feelings than the ones where she knows that she will lose the traveler.
part of her wishes that his answer were more cruel, something she can reflect on, replace her sadness with something else to think about. however, the other is always so sweet, so honest, and despite her misgivings he's able to say something like this.
furina thinks she's going to miss him. she knows she will miss him so much, so, so much that death isn't as scary, but the thought of losing him feels worse. )
I am glad you understand how strong I was! I wouldn't have wanted to be anything less to you.
( why couldn't he have said something cruel, why couldn't he think less of her? this feeling in her chest that swells so tight that she might just choke... it never dislodges itself, remaining in place, and furina takes a deep breath. )
"To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering."
[At times he wishes he could control his own emotions better, that he could care less about everything and everyone around him. But that would've been wrong. He's grown to love this world and its people, he's grown to cherish each and every companion that aided him in his journey, no matter how briefly.
And Furina... She's so special to him right now that it hurts to think that one day he'll wake up and realize that she's nothing else but a memory nested deep in his heart. That they will not be able to see each other again, that he won't see her smile, her eyes, hear her voice.
All things must come to an end, he reminds himself.]
You will always be strong in my mind. But I wish that you won't have to suffer ever again. That you will only find happiness from now on.
( he really is too kind to her, more than most, and furina only chuckles as she figures that honesty probably isn't the best policy now. there's nothing aether has to say about this, he cares for many people and has kept up a decent relationship with those he knows.
the last thing she wants to be is a trauma on his mind when her time comes. )
Don't worry, I'm happy. Even though the past was a rocky start, and no matter how upset I was...
( it led to something between them and that's why she can't be entirely saddened by the outcome. )
Things are different now. Believe me, you're taking me out to find treasure, I can't say I expected that back then.
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