Meeting the Parents

  "Are you excited to go back to Mond?" Erika asked.

F/N rolled her eyes, "Hardly."

Maddie threw an arm around F/N and ruffled her hair, "Nah- nonsense, I know you can't wait to go back!"

F/N tried to pat her off but she was helpless.

  "Let's go," Scaramouche pulled F/N'sdress and they began walking. 

The three other women were talking amongst themselves. 

  "You think Diluc still works in the tavern?" Maddie asked, "I seriously need to get some drinks from him."

  "Maddie-" Erika chuckled, "you should know how bad overdrinking is."

  "Hahah- don't be silly!" Maddie laughed, "I'll be fine- N/N will help me if I get drunk- right?"

  "Of course Maddie," F/N smiled and waved her hand.

  At night they were a little past the Snezhnayan border into Fontaine and they set up camp. F/N tried to grab something from her bag, but she noticed a flutter of paper from her eyes. It fell in the middle of them and she gasped and grabbed it, pressing it to her chest.

  "What- was that?" Signora asked.

  "No! Nothing!" she wailed.

Erika and Maddie smirked and crossed their arms.

  "It's a picture of her when she was a kid," Erika said, "carries it with her when she travels."

  "She's in her outfit from the church," Maddie added.

  "You two traitors!" F/N cried.

They laughed.

  "The church?" Childe asked.

  "Her mother was a priestess, and her father is part of the Knights of Favonius," Maddie said, "so her mother put her in the care of the nuns in the church."

  "Your dad was a Knight of Favonius?" Scaramouche asked, "Then how in the archon's fuck did you end up working for the Fatui?"

  "Mondstadt preaches freedom," she rubbed her arm, "my father taught me about the outside nations, and Snezhnaya being the most militarily advanced nation, and I knew I had to see it for myself. That angered my mother greatly, saying I would be sinful and betray Barbatos. My mother stressed becoming a nun more and more, and then I just kind of- I don't know- ran away? But not really, since I wanted to become a nurse so badly, I made a deal with my mom to go to Sumeru. So I did- I told her I'd learn about religion and the importance of loyalty to the archons, and I lied and trained to become a nurse, and I haven't gone home since. Since Sumeru was a boarding school, my mother thought I'd be well educated."

  "She dragged me along with her," Maddie leaned on her, "'cuz she was an itty-bitty shy little thing."

  "Maddie!" F/N huffed.

  "I met them in the Academia years later," Erika chuckled, "Maddie in class and F/N in the military service we did together."

F/N looked at the picture on her chest and looked at it. She folded it and put it in her chest pocket. 

  "Whatever," she looked to the side, "let's go to sleep."

  They did and Scaramouche held F/N close to him. They continued walking in the morning and reached Mondstadt in a week. F/N grabbed her bag and the others watched her gulp.

  "Don't be a pussy- come on," Scaramouche said.

She didn't move and she looked at her shoes, "I can't. I can't go back."

  "Of course you can," Maddie picked her up and F/N wailed.

  "Ma-Mad-Maddie!" F/N cried, "please! Mercy!"

  "Mercy my ass- you need to face your trauma!" she said and the others followed her F/N whimpered, trying to reach for Scaramouche who smirked. Maddie set her down in front of the gates and the two Knights saluted.

  "Welcome back Miss. L/N," they bowed and she nodded.

  "Right- thank you," she waved awkwardly. They walked in and she was messing with her fingers. 

  She looked around, trying to avoid the sight of anyone she might've known. The Harbingers noticed how tense she was, and how Erika and Maddie were practically dragging her.

  "Is- is that?" a blonde and a maroon-haired woman asked at the same time.

  "F/N?!" the blonde exclaimed and she froze in her spot, she tried to run away, but Maddie kept her back and placed a hard hand on her head.

  "Hey, there Barbs! Rosa!" she waved.

  "My lord!" Barbara grabbed F/N's hand, "F/N it's been so long- have you finally come back from your studies abroad?"

F/N was awkward, and her face was tomato red, "not quite Barbara."

  "Hey there F/N," Rosaria waved, "it's nice to see you well after you left."

  "Yeah- likewise," F/N said, "I've got to go."

  Everyone looked at her and she quickly strutted to the corner of the town. Erika and Maddie shook it off and talked to the nuns and the soldiers and other Harbingers went to the hotel to get settled, Scaramouche was looking for F/N and found her sitting in the grass.

  "F/N?" he asked.

  "I don't wanna be here," she said muffled.

  "You have to reconcile with your past," he said and crouched in front of her and she picked her head up.

  "Scara- everyone wants me to be a nun," she said, "how am I supposed to tell them I'm a doctor for the Fatui."

  "Like the way you did now," he smiled, "trust me- I'll be with you every second of the day."

She smiled, "Thanks Scara."

  "Of course dumb-dumb," he shook her knee, "now come on."

He held his hand out and she took it and they walked around, Signora, Childe, Erika, and Maddie catching up with them.

  "Let's go say hi to your mom and dad," Maddie said.

  "Let's wait-" F/N said, "I'm not quite ready to tackle them."

  "Oh- alrighty~" Maddie smiled.

  "Barbara told me you came back," she heard a smooth voice behind her, she saw Jean and Kaeya.

  "Jean? Kaeya?" she asked, "wow- you two- it's been so long."

  "Miss. L/N," Jean shook her hand, "it's an honour to see you again after almost ten years."

  "No- honour's all mine, and please call me F/N," she said, "it's weird when you call me that."

  "But I couldn't," Jean shook her head, "you might not be a Knight, but your father is, and he's Varka's deputy."

  "Yes- but still," F/N turned red.

  "Aw- Jean- you're embarrassing our dear F/N," Kaeya cooed, "look- she's all red."

  "And you haven't changed a bit," Maddie punched him in the shoulder, "always teasing N/N- seriously!"

  "Where have you been? Surely you've found work after the Academia," Jean said.

F/N rubbed her neck and looked away, "Yeah- about that, um- I'm a doctor now, for the Fatui."

They blinked and looked at the three people behind her with smirks and crossed arms.

  "Seriously?" Kaeya laughed, "That's a funny joke."

  "No- I'm being serious!" F/N shook her head, "I'm a doctor!"

  "Hahaha!" Kaeya laughed, Maddie elbowed him in the gut and smiled, "Ow!"

  "Yeah- my little F/N works for the Fatui now!" she said proudly, "as a doctor!"

  "I'm happy for you," Jean smiled, "it seems like you really enjoy what you do."

  "I do!" she cheered, "seriously!"

  "That's good to hear," Jean said.

The large church bells tolled and Jean looked at F/N, "Your mother misses you, you know."

  "I couldn't possibly face her after what I did," F/N said.

  "I'm sure she'd be happy to see you back, and safe," Erika said, "they've been missing their daughter for ten years without an explanation."

  "This is peer pressure and guilt-tripping," F/N frowned.

  "Come on- we wanna see Mama and Papa L/N!" Childe joked.

  "We were going there to pray right now too," Jean said.

They went up and stood in front of the church.

  "Remember," Maddie smiled, "silence, and respect."

  The Harbingers nodded and there was a bowl of holy water and they eached placed their fingers in it and placed their fingertips together. They walked down the aisle and in the front saw a woman with long, probably uncut for decades, grey hair, her eyes a beautiful crystal blue. Her head was adorned with a black bonnet and her dress modest, her shoes shining from the back. Beside her was a tall, muscular man with fur acting as a cape, a geo vision dangling from the chain keeping the cape together, he had white hair and purple eyes, so cold they could freeze water. His clothing was extravagant, but he seemed like a kind heart. F/N stopped and the Harbingers looked at her.

  "Mama," she whispered, "Papa."

  She covered her mouth and the two turned to them and saw their daughter. Breaking church rules they ran to her and embraced her, clutching her in their arms, lifting her up and spinning her and her mother placed kisses all over her cheeks.

  "F/N- Mein gott," she brought her to her chest, "you're all grown up! My baby."

Her father ruffled her hair and smiled, "It's good to see you back my little sweet berry."

She embraced them and Maddie and Erika were clutching their hands.

  "Oh my! Someone take a picture of this!" Maddie smiled.

  Childe was in awe of her mother, she had to be in her forties, yet she was a stunning woman. Signora was awed at her father, his age should've shown on his face, but he was like a king, his face and body in peak condition.

  "How was Sumeru?" her mother asked and F/N smiled.

  "It was wonderful, I made many friends and learned a lot," she nodded.

  "Good," her mother rubbed the back of her head, "are these your friends?"

  "Yeah," F/N smiled, "you know Maddie, this is Erika, Signora, Childe, and Scaramouche."

Her mother was glad to see them, but as if her father knew, he frowned and narrowed his eyes at the Harbingers.

  "I have to tell the Priest!" she exclaimed and ran off.

Her father nodded and placed a hand on F/N's shoulder, looming over her.

  "Harbingers- in the church?" he asked, "how- ironic."

  "Papa," F/N said, "I have to tell you something."

  "What is it?"

  "I went to Sumeru to study medicine," she said.

  "Oh- I know that," he said.

She gasped, but then gulped, "and I moved to Snezhnaya, and became a doctor for the Fatui."

Her father sighed and covered his mouth, "If your mother heard you- even Barbatos couldn't help you. But- as I've said, you are a Mondstadter, if joining the Fatui is what you wanted to do- I have no objection. You are free to do what you want."

  "Thanks, Papa," she smiled.

  "Of course kid," he smiled, "just- figure out how to tell your mom, I will not stand to hear another rant from her."

He chuckled and so did she, "say Maddie- how are you- I haven't seen you in a bit."

  "I'm great," she lifted a thumb.

He looked at the Harbingers and smiled, they were surprised and he nodded.

  "I don't know what my daughter sees in the Fatui," he said, "but- if she came from Snezhnaya safely to Mond with you all then I owe you gratitude. My name is D/N L/N, assistant deputy to Grand Master Varka. My wife, who so hurriedly left, is M/N L/N, Priestess of the Church of Favonius."

  "You might not trust us- and we might be natural born enemies," Scaramouche walked to him, "but- we treat members of the Fatui, like her, with care. You needn't worry about her safety."

D/N smiled, "I wish I could easily take your word, but forgive me if I have my reservations."

  "Forgive and forget," he waved it off.

  "See- See!" M/N came back with the Priest by her side.

  "Priest Pegg," F/N hugged him and the Priest hugged back.

  "Oh dear child!" he made a dramatic gesture, "today is truly blessed to have you back!"

F/N nodded and Scaramouche noticed how she had slowly been shuffling back.

  "F/N- we're going," he said, "you'll meet us at the inn, right?"

  "Yeah," she nodded.

  They left and she turned back to the people of the church. Erika and Maddie left too, M/N and  sitting on the bench near the large statue.

  "So- are you ready to come back?" M/N placed a hand on F/N's leg.

  "Mama," she looked down, "actually- I have to tell you something."

  "Go ahead child, you can confess to me," she said.

  "I became a doctor," F/N said and her mother almost had a heart attack.

  "F/N!" her mother exclaimed.

  "And I joined the Fatui as a doctor," she said.

  "F/N L/N!" her mother yelled, "I did not raise you in the holy Church of Favonius to join some back street Snezhnayan gang."

  "Mama-" F/N said, "please, you know how much I've wanted to do this, become a nurse, help people like you do."

  "But- F/N," her mother said, "they're evil."

  "I know," F/N nodded, "but- I fell in love with a Harbinger."

Her mother almost fainted, "you're joking, right?"

F/N shook her head and her mother covered her forehead, "where did I go wrong, my child?"

  "You didn't go wrong," F/N reassured, "I just- I wanted this life, and I truly love him, and he loves me."

  "Nonsense," she exclaimed, "no Harbinger is able to love!"

F/N shook her head, "give him a chance."

  "I will not invite a criminal into the home I work hard to keep pure," she said.

  "Please," F/N clasped her hands, "give him a chance, please."

M/N shook her head, "Fine, he will come over for dinner."

F/N nodded and smiled, "Thank you, Mama."

F/N hugged her mother and kissed her cheek, "of course my child."

F/N got up and went to the hotel and closed the doors behind her.

  "So- little happy family back together?" Scaramouche asked as he was playing cards with Childe and Signora.

  "Dude- your mom," Childe whistled, "piping hot."

  "I've got to admit- your father as well," Signora tutted, "they've aged well."

  "Those are my parents," she whimpered, "anyway- Scara?"

  "Speak."

  "My mom invited you for dinner tonight," she said and Scaramouche spit out his drink on a soldier and looked at her.

  "Seriously?" he asked.

  "Seriously," she said.

  "I have to act nice ?" he hissed.

  "Yes," she nodded.

He tossed his winning hand down and got up, " fine ."

She smiled, "Thanks Scara."

  "Yeah fuck outta here with your 'thanks'," he hissed and she tilted her head.

They left and he had his arms crossed, "I'll make it up to you- I'm sorry."

He looked at her and sighed, "No- no need- you don't need to say sorry. Or make it up to me."

She grabbed his hand and leaned into his arm, "They'll love you."

  "Both of them hate me for what I do," he said.

She squeezed his hand, "I don't care- I love you."

He smiled, "Love you too."

She grinned and they reached her house, she knocked and her mother answered.

  "F/N- sweetheart, come in," her mother hugged her and she frowned at Scaramouche.

F/N looked at her mother and squeezed her arm.

  "Welcome-"

  "Scaramouche, or Ballader, whichever you fancy more," he smiled.

Her mother was shocked to see such a smile adorn the face of a criminal, but F/N smiled too.

  "Come sit down, we'll have drinks soon," she said, "my husband should be done with the soups, and the fowl is almost ready."

  "Sounds wonderful," Scaramouche smiled, "I hope you weren't too pressed on time."

  "Oh- of course not," she waved it off, "being prepared for guests is what we do best."

Scaramouche smiled.

  "Say- what would you like to drink Scaramouche?" her father asked.

  "Do you have sake?"

  "No."

  "Firewater?" 

  "We have a little left," her father grinned.

  "I'll take it," Scaramouche said, "thank you."

M/N and D/N were in the kitchen, "he's so nice."

They whispered and Scaramouche grinned, "They were easy to win over."

  "Win over?" F/N asked.

He looked at her and squeezed her thigh, "When I marry your dumb ass."

She blinked and he turned back and intertwined his fingers and took the drink and smiled as he drank it. She was red.

  "Here is the soup," her mother placed the pot down and D/N was handing out the soup.

  Before Scara lifted his spoon, F/N squeezed his thigh and he looked at her and she intertwined her fingers. He sighed and nodded. They all intertwined their hands and her mother hummed.

  "Thank you Barbatos for allowing us to host such a fruitful dinner," she smiled, "and thank you for bringing back my daughter safe and sound."

They began eating, Scaramouche tasting the similarity between F/N's soup and her mother's. 

  "This is wonderful," Scaramouche smiles, "it reminds me of the soup F/N makes."

  "Does it now?" her mother had a small smile, "I'm glad a piece of my education followed her."

  F/N looked to the side, not quite sure how to carry a conversation, F/N being a doctor with stories that would make her mother pray the upcoming vomit away, and Scaramouche and D/N whose occupations are contradictory enough for them not to discuss themselves.

  "What kind of things did you do after the Academia?" her father asked.

  "I stayed in Sumeru for a bit," she said, "just to get a grip on where to go, then Maddie, Erika, and I went to Snezhnaya and we got accepted as nurses in the capitol hospital. I worked with a wonderful doctor, and I've helped save many lives.:

  "That sounds wonderful," D/N shook her hand.

M/N brought out the main dish, there was a soft chatter.

  "What about you Scaramouche?" her father asked.

He looked up and blinked, "sorry?"

  "What brought you Snezhnaya?" he asked, "you don't look like a Snezhnaya native?"

  He swirled his cup and shook his head, "I'm from Inazuma actually- my... mother worked in Tenshukaku with the Raiden Shogun, very closely. I simply didn't want to continue her work, so I left and wandered around the Islands. I learned many martial arts and blade works, along with how to craft weapons from my old friend. Then I met a Harbinger, and he offered me to join the Fatui. Seeing as I had nothing better to do- I did. He greatly underestimated my strength, considering I became the sixth Harbinger."

  F/N smiled and grinned, nodding in acceptance. They continued talking, her parents more comfortable around him already. F/N was helping clean up with her mother, and D/N and Scaramouche remained at the table. Whilst F/N was carrying the stacks of plates she bumped into a dresser, Scaramouche saw it dropping. He shot his hand out, and everyone turned to him, but he seemed to be focused on not letting the vase hit the ground. They looked at him and he lifted his hand and set it straight on the drawer.

  "Be careful F/N- you could have hurt yourself," he said and she nodded.

  "Right- thank you," she smiled.

  "Anyway- yeah- I completely agree with you," Scaramouche nodded, "Liyue is one of the hardest terrains."

F/N went to the kitchen and M/N smiled.

  "What is it, Mama?"

  "I didn't want to believe it," she looked at F/N, "but- he does love you, a lot."

F/N nodded, "right? I love him very much too."

Once they were done, a heavy rain and wind were whistling past the windows.

  "Why don't you two stay here tonight?" D/N asked, "You will get ill if you go out now."

F/N looked at Scara.

  "Thank you very much," he bowed his head, "I'm fearful I might be overstaying my visit."

  "Nonsense," M/N smiled, "getting sick is not worth it- stay here."

Scaramouche smiled, "thank you very much."

  "I'll show you my room," F/N called him.

  He followed her and walked into her room. A white-framed bed was in the centre of the room, two bedside tables, a desk and a comedically large chair for a child were tucked below it. Above her were strings with small lights and she blushed.

  "I- sorry- the last time I was here I was 10," she whispered.

  "No- it's cute," he said and pinched her cheek, "just like you."

She turned even more red and he looked around, "this is a very cozy room."

  "Thank you," she said.

He looked at her dresser and saw pictures of her as a child and her with Maddie clinging to her and Barbara beside her.

  "Wow," he picked up the picture and she looked over his arm.

  "This was me, Maddie, and Barbara-" she pointed, "our first communion."

  "Y'know," he patted the picture with the back of his hand and looked at her, "while you were doing this- I was working my ass of in Snezhnaya as a soldier."

  "Well- it doesn't count!" she pouted.

He smiled, "I suppose I can't compare my life to yours."

He smirked and nodded, "Let's go to bed, I can see the tired in your eyes."

  He rubbed his thumb over her eyes and she smiled. They both lay under the blanket and she lay on his chest, he was rubbing her back and kissing her head. The storm had her fist clenched on his clothing, but he smiled, turning to her and pulling her in his chest, humming a gentle song to her, her hand unclenching and relaxing against him. He had another one of those dreams, the ones that felt so real, his childhood spent staring into the purple storm brewing on the horizon. Whenever he wanted to know, and he asked multiple times, it was brushed off as simply "being for your own safety". He leaned on the railing, night after night, his face red and covered in dried tears from his terrors. He knew he was reliving it, he felt the breeze carry his braided hair behind him. Wafting it like a flag of disappointment. His eyes would narrow, only to let it fall into his crossed arms, sobbing again, pulling himself to the floor, covering his face whilst he cried. Silence. He never heard anything of positivity. His powers were extorted for the safety of the nation. Ei cooed him, condescendingly. He overlooked the people, he always wondered why they all looked so glum, although he was pulled away from them. His fingers tried to hold on, but his creator was stronger than him forcing him away.

  "But- why are they so sad?" he asked, "did we do something? How can I help ?"

  "You can help by stopping your insolent crying!" she yelled and snapped at him. 

His face froze in a gasp and she narrowed her eyes, "You make me yell at you- it is simply your own fault."

He nodded, "I'm sorry."

  She was pulling him back to his room, he sat on his futon. The blanket over him. His eyes shone to keep a light. His hand twists the knob to the music box. He heard the gears turning and the top popped open, a wonderfully beautiful woman, with grey hair and blue-purple eye, spinning in an outfit of a dancer from Inazuma. His eyes were locked on her face. Her face seemed so life-like. Almost as if- she was right there, under the blankets with him. Yet, the past him, felt a tug, finding her luscious grey hair swaying behind her beautiful. Her eyes were stunning jewels. The blanket ripped off of him and he gasped.

  "Wake up sleepy head~!" F/N pinched his cheeks and he groaned.

  He looked at her, his dream weird to him. He remembered the tune the music box sang, but was the figure truly F/N? Couldn't be! He was barely a century old, F/N wasn't even a thought for Celestia yet. He looked at her and she waved her hand over his eyes.

  "Scara~?" she asked.

He sighed and looked up at her and she gasped as he pulled her in for a hug. 

  "I love you too Scara," she patted his back.

  "F/N-"

  "Hm?"

  "Never mind," he shook his head and caressed her cheek.

  "No- tell me!" she smiled, "c'mon, please~"

  "Don't laugh- otherwise I'm kicking your ass!" he hissed.