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Now that things have settled down, with Adorno's funeral going as smoothly as the gentle breeze, not too cold nor too warm for his visitors to mourn, Lohen is facing his punishment for his accomplice with Theodore.
Since his activity is mostly out in the field to hunt monsters and jump into any fight he finds interesting to play, the Favonius' higher rankers thought the most suitable one would be house arrest. With the help of their capable alchemist, they successfully put up a sigil against his quarter's door, a seal to prevent him from exiting. As for his commodities, everything has been arranged to deliver by any of the knights.
There is a few times he got caught trying to leave. Of course, a scolding is lectured to no end, despite Lohen's inattentiveness and letting the words travel through his ears never to latch onto his mind. Annoyed by the strictness, as well as the failure of getting caught, he decided to listen for once. And there he stays, silent and idle in the abode of his own.
It's been raining these few days. The trickling sounds of the pouring waters do calm his nerves a bit. Though he couldn't say the same for his mind. Sitting in one place has never been his strongest suit. He craves movement. He yearns action. He wants to leave.
And the voice whispering in his head isn't giving him a relief ever since he returned from the funeral. Ursa's offer, Rerir's taunt, Adorno's forgiveness. Everything is a mess. It mixed and jumbles his emotions haywired on what to place on his face. What expression should he put out at the moment? Happy that he won against Ursa's cunning offer? Resent how mortally weak he is and how factually correct that statement is? Sad that the only person to ever accept him as is has gone?
And so, his face remain blank. Unable to discern exactly how he felt or want to feel, his crimson iris glued to the rainy scenery of the outdoor. A human such as him should have shed a tear or two by now. But shedding tear is a sign of weakness, and being strong is the only thing vital for him. Amidst the confusion of his internal struggle, a knock on the door caught his attention.
If it's one of the knights, he would have known by their footsteps. Lighter ones for Kaeya, heavy ones for Varka, and cluttering ones for Mika. But this one hardly has any sound, let alone a slight noise. It's almost like a ghost has come to pay a visit. Fighting an airy entity isn't that fun, he can't land a hit. Regardless, he opens the door. Who knows, maybe the curse from this stray ghost would prove to rid him of his boredom.
The bubblegum he was chewing and blow into a bubble burst. His entire body became rigid. The person right before him is someone he didn't expect to come.
"You're...one of the Lightkeepers." Lohen staggered as he stepped back, "You're...Flins."
"That is correct, sir Lohen. Pardon my intrusion." Flins bowed slightly as show of courtesy. "I have come here in favor of the Grandmaster. I hope my visit doesn't make you apprehensive in some ways."
Varka must have sent a letter to him, requesting for his assistance back in Mondstadt. This guys does share some bond with the Grandmaster through their drinking nights and route planning between the two factions. Perhaps they're repaying each other's debt. Still, that doesn't explain why he called upon someone in another region, let alone having absolutely no connection to him in any form, to come here and visit him during house arrest. Is this his punishment? What is Varka thinking?
Just as he wondered, a familiar envelope is presented to him. "If you're curious, I don't mind you reading the letter Varka has sent me. Everything is explained in here quite well."
Lohen took it in a snap, "I don't know what your deal is. But I'm not letting you do as you please."
"May I at least come in?" Flins remained gentle, "The heavy rain isn't going to stop anytime soon and I'd rather stay warm and dry rather than embrace the waters to froze me in cold."
Lohen clicked his tongue, "Fine. I only permit it because Varka summon you."
As Flins enter his room, the Vice Captain reads the letter he snacthed. It's Varka's handwriting, no doubt. So there's no lie there. As for the reason he's here, it almost made Lohen laugh out loud.
Varka has made a request to Flins, as a fae, an immortal, and a friend to come help their confined 5th Company Vice Captain on the recent event that has transpired. His hidden agenda under a knight's mantle, and his loss of a dearest soul. He wants Lohen to face the consequences of his actions the way he finds inconvenience the most, facing his inner feelings.
That's hilarious, he turned out fine whether he's emoting or not. Being normal is so last season anyway. Who wants to be subpar in a world where Archons, dragons, and adepti exist? Humans around him aren't exactly normal either, especially Varka with his Boreas's soul. And now, this weird fae is entering his circle uninvited.
Well, Varka invited him but Lohen's definitely don't welcome it!
"Allow me to grace my condolences for your loss." Flins placed his hand on his chest, "I can feel how affected you are by their death. I wish I could comfort you in ways where you find solace."
"Cut the crap." Lohen smirked, "You're only here because Varka told you so. You really don't have to come and pretend you care."
"I do care." This caught Lohen's attention that he turned with widen eyes, "Everyone back at Piramida even wrote mourning letters to express their support of your sorrow. If you'd like to read them, I have them here packed and sealed."
"That's really unnecessary." Lohen expressed disgust, though weakly. "You're just adding to the mess. Don't tell me you wrote a letter too?"
"No. Unfortunately not." Flins shook his head, "I was told to do something quite drastic for two strangers such as us."
Lohen raised an eyebrow, "And that is?"
There's no answer. Without a reply, Flins comes closer and closer towards the Vice Captain. His smile still there. His eyes glimmers the same. His steps inching them nearer. Lohen instinctively pulls back, reversing in pace to keep their gaps as is. Knowing from the letter that this guy is a fae, who knows what tricks is he plotting under his sleeves.
Though he would welcome them anytime, the fact that he can't leave his room with futher repercussions from the knights make it hard to jump out the window. If there isn't, he would have done so hours ago.
Lohen hits the wall and he can't back up anymore. Flins is getting closer the more seconds ticking. What will happen? What is he going to do?
Just as his heart starts palpitating faster than normal, he is pulled into a hug. The embrace was firm, tight that he can feel every curves and texture on Flins' clothes. The sudden gesture confuses Lohen, he was caught completely off guard. He tries to free himself but a fae's strength is stronger than he thought.. In the moment he's squirming to free, the warmth is slithering all over insisting him to stay. It's hypnotizing, but he knows losing to this is the same as giving up.
Being weak to something as simple as a hug. An inferior being that depends on trivial things to keep him alive. Mortals that indulge in affectionate act that indicates their dependability on simple desire. He can't give in!
"Ah, it finally came out." Flins said gently, "Your tears."
Hearing this, Lohen finally realized the water that flows down his face. It showers his cheeks as heavy as the rain outside. The dripping tears ended up damping the other's coat.
This is so unfair. It's enough that an immortal mock him of his mortality, but to have him be comforted by the same being in his worst time? Life has a way to write the most unfunny jokes. As an act of revenge, Lohen dive his face deeper into Flins' clothes and aggressively smear every drops to stain. He wept and cries, drowned by the clattering drops of the rain. They stay as is, until no more sobs can be played under the gloomy, cloudy rain.
***
"So this is Illuga's." Lohen said as he opened another letter.
"Yes." Flins replied as he let Lohen leaned on him, "He's the most anxious of your well-being, considering he acknowledged your effort in eradicating the Wild Hunts back in Nod Krai."
After his sessions of raining tears and sorrowful drops, Lohen wanted to distract himself with the letters Flins said to have brought for him. They sat on the bed as they go through them one by one. From familiar names to stranger's, the vice captain reads them word per word. It helps to soothe the jerking from his crying earlier, and it clears his mind from things he didn't want to think about right now, so this is doable.
Besides, he doesn't feel like shooing him away after all that. One thing for sure he's definitely going to tattletale his break down to Varka, and he sure as hell doesn't want him to do that right after making a mess out of him. He can't be embarrassed without having a card or two as payback.
Added to that, being with him is...sort of calming. He can't explain it, maybe it's because he's a fae. Just like how Seele leads adventurer to treasure, perhaps he's a fae that provides warmth. Not in the tingly sense of way, even though he definitely does feel them and tries to denies it, but a literal raise of temperature in the room. It's raining still so it's bound to be cold. But not a shiver make his spine tingles of a frost. He remains toasty, like a firpelace has spawn into his room. Lohen can't help but indulge in the coziness of it all.
"Another heartfelt letter..." Lohen's voice trailed off, simultaneously leaned further down to lie on Flins' lap. "He sure wrote a long one."
"Our captain has a bright heart and wish to be the lantern in your darkest moment." Flins said as he brushes Lohen's hair. He comtinues on when a protest hasn't been sounded. "I, too, share the same sentiment as an acquaintance."
"I don't believe it." Lohen scoffed, "You don't even wrote one."
"I don't need to when I can just tell you right now."
With this, Lohen immediately tries to get up and leave. Again, he's being held down by a fae's overpowering grip. It really pisses him off how nonchalant this lightkeeper is, putting a smile too as he pinned the Vice Captain down that his position doesn't even budge. Lohen gives up in the end, all strength left him from the struggle to run.
"Let me tell you what I would write, sir Lohen." Flins said, eyes directly stare at the other's red sea. "I would write that you are one of the strongest human I've ever met ever since my reawakening. Despite your recklessness and devotion to the thrill of a battle, your attentiveness to the safety of your subordinates are commendable. Like an arrow that passed through the wind striking the enemies heedless, the sharp spearhead you wield sends a potent poison that render them restless. You run into danger head on because there's a desire to protect everyone from one that can harm them, perhaps one that has harm you in the past and wish to never be inflicted again."
"Are you seriously just giving me...compliments?" Lohen was confused, "What's the deal?"
"Nothing much. It's my genuine feeling that I wanted to have you hear." Flins remain smiling, "I take heed of your pursuit in strength, and I see the reason behind such desire. As an immortal, I can proudly say that I am elated to see a mortal as brilliant as you still remain on earth, as it shows that mortals are the prove that they'll always go beyond what they're made for, and will always reach further than the limit their body can hold." Flins continue patting Lohen's head, "They can mold themselves into anything with the power in their hand and forge their own chosen fate. You are a magnificent being in the eyes of an immortal fae such as I, so please don't fret on what you haven't achieved. For I believe the time will come, and this is just another beginning of a wonderful end."
Flins's face are covered by gloved hands. Dark colored palm disrupt his view of Lohen who's still on his laps. Such a reaction is oddly fascinating to him. Curious, he parts them. Strangely enough it wasn't that hard to pry open, and what he sees stretched his smile a little longer.
With face as red as the crimson reflecting in his eyes, Lohen struggles to speak. He even averts his gaze, feeling trapped under Flins's gaze. "...I get it. Just shut up already."
"I'm afraid I'm not done yet." Flins grasped both of Lohen's wrist and pushed them down, letting the clear shot of his face be in full view. "I still have my duty to ensure you truly understand what I'm trying to convey."
"I get it! I get it!" Lohen attempted to free himself, "Now let me go! I yield! I yield!"
"I think I will need to lay out the facts one more time." Flins smile curved a little mischievously.
"You're actually enjoying this, aren't you?!" Lohen protested. "Aarggh! I'm telling on you to Varka!"
"Gladly."