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Chapter Text

“All people from Fontaine are born with sin that cannot be absolved; one day, the waters of Fontaine will rise and the sinful people will all be dissolved into the waters, and only the Hydro Archon will remain, weeping on her throne- only then will the sins of the people be washed away…”

…

“The Hydro Archon guilty, to be sentenced via the death sentence.” Neuvilette’s sharp, piercing voice echoes throughout the chambers of the Opera Epiclese, eliciting a shocked silence from the crowd below. 

The Hydro Archon, or at least that's what she calls herself, sits alone, unmoving, and weeping on her throne. The verdict doesn’t matter to her anymore, not even the death sentence. She failed the one task she was given, to act as a god in the true archon’s place so they can save the people of Fontaine. Her failure will result in the deaths of thousands. 

Furina's sobs grow louder as she breaks more and more whilst the people debate her sentence below her. She isn't listening, she doesn't care, she knows what's going to happen. It's just a waiting game. 

An imposing sound from the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale followed by an unstable glow brings furina back to reality. her heart sinks ever further as she knows it can only mean one thing. 

“The Oratrice is attempting to carry out the death sentence!” Neuvillette panics, frantically looking up at furina.

Five minutes ago, Furina had welcomed death and even found herself wishing for it, but now she is utterly terrified. Her heart is racing and her breathing is growing frantic. She finds herself unable to move as her nails dig into her arms creating a sharp pain as she hugs herself in fear. 

Seconds turn into minutes as the sound and glow of the Oratrice becomes more and more unstable. She takes rapid breaths in and out, her body flushing with heat. Furina has begun to feel faint wetness on her fingertips but she pushes down even harder, uncaring to the pain as she needs to ground herself somehow. A few more seconds pass and she can't take it, she feels like she is going to pass out. 

Suddenly furina finds herself on stage, faint music playing from the speakers overhead. Furina breathes in and out as she looks around, trying to figure out what is going on and why she is here. 

Her thoughts are cut short as a voice begins to echo through the theater halls, making her jump. “Scene one, Before a Mirror, Furina.” She looks around, attempting to find the source of the voice but alas the stage is empty, all but for a lone full body mirror placed center stage.

Furina slowly makes her way to the mirror, her heart racing. She reaches the mirror and stands in front of it, staring at the woman looking back at her. Her eyes widen as she recognizes the one before her as someone other than herself. The woman is someone who she's only seen once before, 500 years ago when she was still just an ordinary girl. 

She slowly starts to extend her hand out forwards, quietly speaking, her voice no louder than a whisper. “Mirror me…” Her hand reaches the mirror, her bloodied fingertips gently gracing the glass before her.

As her fingers connect with the mirror, an overwhelming sensation envelopes her as if she has started to be sucked inside of it. In a matter of seconds, all 500 years masquerading as Archon play out before her, forcing her to live through all her traumas once again.

As the years replay, Furina's heart rate becomes rapid, feeling as if all the walls around her have begun to close in. The closer they come, the harder it is for her to breathe. Furina starts gasping for air, her throat closing, feeling as if she is drowning.

Closer and closer the walls come as Furina’s panic intensifies. She can't take it, her emotions are overwhelming her to a point where she has begun to lose sense of reality. Furina’s gasps for air become faster and more desperate as she cries out, begging for anybody to help her. Her cries continue as the walls close in on her, beginning to crush her. 

Furina screams and cries in agony, expecting her bones to shatter, but nothing comes of it. Instead, she opens her eyes, coming face to face with a cold reality which leaves her wishing she was instead crushed between the walls of her own despair. 

Furina stares emotionlessly down from her throne at a flooded Opera Epiclese, feeling the water brush against her feet. Her worst fear has come true, the prophecy was right.

Seconds pass and Furina stays still in her throne, her whole body shaking in shock as she is unable to move. She continues to stare down at the water, her mind racing and trying to figure out what she could have done differently to save Fontaine. I tried everything, everything! Furina pleads in her mind, but in the end Fontaine is gone, and so are its people. 

Alongside her despair, Furina’s mind has become flooded with other emotions such as self-hatred, anger and relief… Relief?... Why- Why do I feel relief!? I failed and killed everyone, why am I relieved by this!? WHAT IS THERE TO- nails once again dig into skin, halting her thoughts.

With deep, shaky breaths, Furina finally brings herself to stand up from her throne. Her legs wobble beneath her as she lifts her body, eventually bringing herself to her feet. She slowly makes her way to the railing, each step splashing against the water. 

Furina is barely able to keep herself upright as she takes slow steps forward towards the edge of the balcony. Before long, her hands grace the railing and she puts most of her weight onto it, looking out into the theater below her. She prays to see the same filled seats as before during her trial, but to no one's surprise, all she sees is water. Water which has risen to the balcony she stands on, water that splashes against the railing, fighting its way in.

For a few moments Furina remains still, unmoving as she basks in the ruins of what once was her favorite place in Fontaine. She finds it fitting how the only place she has found happiness is also the place where she finally breaks, shattering into too many pieces to fix. So many people… So many dead… Furina finally begins to cry, crying harder than she ever has before. She begs, pleads, and screams to no avail, praying for someone, something to make things better. The pain… All 500 years of trauma finally catch up to her as she falls to the floor, curling herself into a ball, shielding herself from the harsh reality of the world, or now lack thereof. 

The halls of the Opera Epiclese echo with cries of despair and desperation, broken by the occasional scream of a woman who has finally lost everything, a woman who has lost her meaning, a woman fallen into disrepair, wishing she too, washed away in the tides just like the people of Fontaine whom she failed. 

Furina’s mind screams at her, telling her that she deserves this, antagonizing and berating her. Her cries have stopped but only due to a lack of tears left to cry. I deserve this… I failed them… I deserve this. She weakly pushes her hand into her head as an all so familiar thought that has plagued Furina's mind for the past 500 years resurfaces. A thought of life and death.

In Furina’s mind it has been quite simple; She had lived because she had to. She needed to play her role flawlessly in order to save the people of Fontaine, but now it felt as if it was all for nothing. Her role has concluded and she has failed, prompting her reason for living to dissipate. 

A pained cry escapes Furina’s lips as her mind clicks. I could drown; throw myself off the balcony. Furina takes a few ragged breaths in and out as the thought swims in her mind, bringing her peace. She takes a deep breath out as she slowly begins to stand herself up, wanting to take one last look at the water beneath her. 

Furina grips onto the railing, pulling herself up. Her head rises above the railing and her eyes go wide, her breath hitching. The water, where is it? She stands in shock, looking down at the theater, the water nowhere to be seen as if it had all dissipated in an instant as she laid on the floor in tears. 

Furina’s breathing quickens as she looks around, trying to make sense of the situation below her. To Furina's surprise, other than shock, her first emotion wasn't relief or hope. Instead, it was anger. Moments ago, Furina had only wanted one thing, to let herself fall into the water, releasing herself from 500 years of agony. She was so close… So close to finally having peace… So close to finally putting an end to her constant suffering. But like everything else in her life, it was taken away from her, ripped straight out of her hands.

Furina’s voice shakes as she quietly speaks aloud, “Why can't I have anything?... Why can't I have just one simple request?” She begs for an answer but as normal, she is answered by nothing but silence.

After a few seconds, furina lets out a small chuckle mixed with a sob as she starts to make her way towards the stairs of her theater booth and down to the main hall. She slowly takes each step one at a time, her feet squelching into the damp carpet below her.

Eventually she reaches the main theater and turns to her left, walking through the door and into the entrance hall. Before long, Furina is met with the front door of the Opera Epiclese. She stops before it, terrified of what she might see if she steps outside. 

After a few seconds of deep breaths, she slowly steps forward, the automatic door opening before her. Her eyes widen as she slowly steps outside of the building, taking in the destroyed trees and lightpoles scattered around the walkway. Among the rubble and most importantly of all, she sees people... alive and unharmed people. 

Furina stands in shock, her whole body trembling as she falls to her knees. She speaks aloud, her voice no louder than a whisper as emotions once again flood her mind. “The prophecy… was wrong?” She moves herself to a seated position on the ground as she begins to laugh and cry, overwhelmed with countless emotions.

They’re alive… They're alive… She repeats the same two words over and over in her head as she succumbs to exhaustion, slowly slumping to the ground below her. Before long, silence overcomes furina as she fades into unconsciousness, calmness enveloping her.

Chapter Text

Furina wakes up to the sounds of raindrops pattering against the roof of her personal quarters in the high tower of the Palais Mermonia. Pattering is an understatement, it is pouring. She looks around the room, trying to figure out how she got here and what's going on. Soon she realizes that she is in her bedroom, in her bed, and tucked under the covers. How did I…? She lifts off her blanket and sits up, once again looking around her room which feels so familiar yet different as if it belongs to someone else. 

Her heart sinks as she remembers the day's events and how she was exposed in a long, humiliating, and traumatizing trial. Her mind goes back to Clorinde, the woman whom she trusted the most, drawing her blade against her. She remembers letting her guard down for the first time in her life in front of the traveler, only to be tricked onto the stage. She remembers Neuvilette, the man she looked up to the most, betraying her trust and commanding the trial. Lastly, her mind jumps the more… traumatizing events, but she manages to fight the thoughts away, a talent she learned hundreds of years ago which she believes is how she’s made it this far.

She sighs as she slowly tries to lift herself from the bed, her legs shaking beneath her. She slowly starts to exit her room but finds herself standing in front of her mirror, her mouth agape as she takes in just how awful she looks. Her hair and clothes are disheveled, makeup is smeared down her face, eyes are still red and puffy from crying, and most importantly, her hat is missing. She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding in as she slowly exits her room to clean herself up in the bathroom. Instead, she freezes in her tracks as she sees a familiar woman sitting on her couch, lost in thought, looking out the window into the night sky.

“Clorinde?...” Her voice is quiet and raspy, having lost it from screaming and crying hours before. 

She quickly whips her head over at furina, speaking in a relieved voice, “Furina!” she stands herself up from the couch and begins walking over to her. “How are you feeling?” her voice is full of concern. 

“Uhm…” Furina slowly takes a step back as she looks up at Clorinde with fearful eyes, the image of her holding her sword to her burnt into her head.

Clorinde stops in her tracks, furrowing her eyebrows and tilting her head as she looks down at the small, broken girl before her. 

“I- uhm…” Furina scratches the back of her neck nervously as she takes another step back from Clorinde. I trust her… I trust her… Furina repeats the same phrase in her head, trying to convince herself. She held her sword at me because she had to… she didn't want to hurt me… right?  A hot flush envelopes Furina as she tries to snap herself out of it, her heartrate quickening. 

Furina looks down at her shaking hands then back up at Clorinde who has noticed her shaking. Concerned, Clorinde reaches out, taking another step forward. A mistake. 

“Stay away from me!” Furina jumps back, yelling out in a scared voice, looking at Clorinde with a terrified expression.

“Furina, I-” Clorinde quickly backs away, her eyes wide in shock as she puts her arm down. “I’m not going to hurt you, I would never!” Her voice is serious, masking all kinds of emotions which are stirring inside her. She curses herself for making Furina scared of her. It is the last thing she wanted.

“You- I don't know that! I- I trusted you!” Furina cries out, now fully backed against the wall. “You were my bodyguard, how could you-” tears start to fall as Furina chokes on her words. “How could you hold your sword to the person you're supposed to protect?!” By now Furina’s breathing is rapid, feeling as if she is unable to get a proper amount of air into her lungs. 

Clorinde stares at Furina in silence, carefully calculating her words. One wrong word could break her, she needs to be careful. “Furina, listen to me. I did what I thought was best for the people of Fontaine. I did not know of your situation, nobody did. Never would have I thought this would happen. I-” Clorinde sighs, her words trailing off as she looks down. She takes a deep breath out, trying to contain her ever growing emotions.

After a few seconds, Clorinde takes a deep breath as she continues to talk, staring into blue heterochromatic eyes, staring back at her in fear. “Look, when I found you, you were passed out outside of the Opera Epiclese.” she sighs, “You were barely lucid when I brought you back here. …you fell asleep immediately, the second I helped you into your bed. That was seven hours ago.” 

“Seven hours?...” Furina’s voice breaks as she stares down at the ground. She falls silent for a few seconds before speaking back up. “Clorinde… what happened?” Her eyes stay locked onto the ground, not daring to look up at the woman in front of her. So many emotions are swirling around Furina's head. She doesn't know if she wants to scream at Clorinde or hug her.

Clorinde sighs as she begins to slowly speak, trying her best to keep her voice calm and steady. “Well, the water rose… then it receded. I don’t know the details yet, but I believe Neuvillette somehow managed to break the prophecy.”

The room falls silent before furina quietly speaks, her voice slightly calmer than before. “Okay, that's… That's good. And nobody got hurt?” She finally looks up at Clorinde, noticing a slight falter in her expression after she asks her question. 

Over her 500 years playing archon, Furina has become quite good at noticing the smaller details in people's expressions. After all, reading people’s true intentions was fundamental to her act as to not be exposed.

Clorinde hesitates, her mind racing as she debates what to say. There were casualties but she can’t just tell Furina that. But the thought of telling a lie of this scale to one of the people she cares about the most… doesn’t sit right with her even though Furina did it to her for years. She takes a deep breath, starting to speak but is immediately cut off.

“You hesitated....” Furia’s voice breaks as tears begin to fall once again. “I already know the answer.” Furina puts her hand over her mouth as she slowly slides herself down the wall behind her, crying heavily. “I killed them… I killed them!” She frantically looks up at Clorinde, looking as if she is begging her to make it better. She quickly looks back down at the ground.

Clorinde’s chin quivers as she struggles to hold back her own tears. Seeing furina in this state is beyond heartbreaking to her. Never would she have thought somebody as outgoing and flamboyant as Furina would fall so low. She carefully bends down on one knee, lowering herself to Furina’s level. She makes sure to keep distance from her as to not scare her once again.

“Furina it isn’t your fault, the prophecy was inevitable. it was always going to play out this way no matter what you did. She gives Furina a small sad smirk as tears start to lightly fall. “I know it hurts, furina, I know. In my line of work I have watched many people die, as well as taken the lives of too many to count. It… doesn't feel good. It is a burden I will have to carry for the rest of my life.”

Furina stays silent and unmoving, continuing to stare down at the ground between them. Clorinde can't even tell if she is listening

“May I come closer?” Clorinde asks, wiping her tears. Her heartrate begins to speed up ever so slightly as she waits for the girl's response, praying she said the right thing. Clorinde may be good at many things, but she feels talking isn't one of them. Comforting people has always been a struggle for her, having become desensitized from her line of work.

Seconds pass, feeling like hours as she patiently waits for Furina's response, starting to think that she wasn't listening. As she is about to speak, she hears a faint noise of agreement from Furina and lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding in.

“Mhmm…” Furina slowly scoots over, making room for Clorinde to sit beside her against the wall. Furina finally looks up at Clorinde as she waits for her to sit next to her. Instead, she is met with the sight of Clorinde’s tears. Her eyes widen as she quietly speaks, her voice no louder than a whisper. “You’re… crying?” Furina has barely ever seen Clorinde show emotion, so to see her go as far as cry comes as a big shock to her.

Clorinde smirks at Furina with a slight chuckle as she moves over to Furina and sits to her left, their shoulders touching. Clorinde breathes out and takes off her hat, looking over at Furina. She speaks in a gentle, comforting voice, a twinge of sadness present. “You weren't wearing your hat when I found you, so you can wear mine for now until you get yours back.” She gently places her hat on Furina’s head, smiling down at her.

Furina slowly lifts her head up, turning to face clorinde. For the first time since the trial, a genuine smile appears on her lips. “Thank you…”

Clorinde chuckles, “It’s the least I could do.”

Furina gently lays her head down on Clorinde's shoulder, desperate for comfort and clinging to the only thing she can. Clorinde responds by wrapping her arm around her and holding her tight.

“It’s okay, Furina. I’m right here, you're okay.” Clorinde continues to gently speak to Furina as if she is comforting a small child, which seems to be helping Furina a lot. Clorinde thinks to herself, her heart breaking as she comes to the realization that this may be the first time that Furina has let her guard down in front of someone, showing her true self.

…

Time passes and both women have calmed down for the most part. Eventually, Clorinde removes her arm from furina and looks over at the small girl who has now taken her head off of Clorinde’s shoulder. Clorinde gently speaks to Furina before standing up. “Furina, do you think we can clean you up a bit? She looks down at her. waiting for an answer.

After a few seconds, Furina responds, her voice quiet as she slowly stands herself up. “Okay… that's… probably a good idea.” She sadly smiles and chuckles at Clorinde before speaking in a self-deprecating tone. “I know I look awful.” She wipes her eyes, smearing her makeup even more.

Clorinde gives furina a pained smile before changing the subject as to stop furina from saying more. “Let’s get you to the bathroom, okay?”

Furina nods at Clorinde before following her to the bathroom. Once they step inside, Clorinde instructs Furina to sit down on the toilet seat as she looks around for makeup wipes. Furina silently abides and sits herself down, waiting for Clorinde.

Before long, Clorinde finds a small packet of wipes and takes one out. “I’m going to wipe off your makeup for you now, okay?” Her voice is full of care for the fragile woman in front of her.

“Okay..”

Clorinde begins to wipe the makeup off Furina’s face, her touch gentle and precise. “They we go, you're looking better already.” She smiles at Furina, tossing the now blackened wipes into the bin beside her. 

“Thank you.” Furina smiles up at Clorinde, her face full of pain.

“Of course.” Clorinde smiles back, her heart once again breaking for the poor girl in front of her. 

After a couple seconds, Clorinde asks Furina another question. “Do you think you have the energy to shower or bathe? I think it would be good for you.” She looks down at furina.

Furina thinks for a few seconds before nodding. “I think, yeah. I'd like to take a bath if that's okay” She speaks with slightly more confidence than before, feeling a little better.

“Of course.” Clorinde smiles at her, happy that she has a bit more energy. “I’ll run you a bath then if you just want to wait there.” She steps over to the bathtub beside them and runs the water. 

While she waits for it to heat up, she decides to fetch Furina a change of clothes. “I’ll be right back, okay? I’m going to fetch something for you to change into.

Furina nods, “okay.”

Clorinde quickly walks out of the bathroom and into Furina’s bedroom, walking over to her drawer. She quickly picks out a change of clothes that look comfy before walking back over to Furina who is still sitting patiently in the bathroom, staring blankly at the wall. 

“Hey, im back” She smirks at her, placing the clothes down by the sink. 

Furina doesn't respond, her gaze remaining fixed on the wall in front of her.

“Furina?” She gently speaks her name outloud again but there is no answer. “Furina!” She slightly raises her voice, trying to get her attention.

Furina jumps, her head whipping over at Clorinde with an ever so slight face of fear. “Oh, hi, sorry I spaced out.” She speaks, her voice lacking the energy it did just minutes ago.

“I placed your clothes by the sink, alright?” Clorinde grabs a towel and places it by the bathtub.

Furina hums in understanding, watching Clorinde as she prepares her bath. She watches as Clorinde takes off a glove and tests the water.

“Is it ready” Furina quietly asks, 

“Yes, just one second.” Clorinde looks around the bathtub, making sure all proper toiletries are in place. Shampoo, Conditioner, body wash- Her eyes stop as she looks down at Furina’s shaving razor, contemplating if she would go as far as to use it to hurt herself. She glances back at Furina who is once again staring down at the ground, before quickly swiping the razor from the tub and putting it in her coat pocket, just to be safe. While Clorinde doesn't believe that Furina would use it on herself, she realizes that she never actually knew the person who Furina truly is. So in reality, she has no clue if furina would use it in that way or not.

Clorinde closes her eyes and lets out a deep breath before turning around to Furina and walking over to her. “Your bath is all set so I’ll leave you in here for now, okay? Just shout if you need me.”

Furina nods, not bothering to look up at Clorinde. “Okay… thank you”

“No problem.” She smiles at Furina before walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. Just seconds after, her mind begins to race, swimming with emotions of every type. Sadness, betrayal, anger, loss… She tries to push these thoughts away as she has a bigger problem at hand but fails to do so. Clorinde presses her hand into her face before walking over to the couch and sitting herself down, tearing up.

…

In the bathroom, Furina remains sitting on the toilet seat, staring at the water in the bath as an image of a flooded Opera Epiclese fades into her mind. She slowly stands up and walks over to the tub, kneeling down in front of it and placing her hand in the water, swishing her hand around in it.

After a few moments she sighs and stands herself up before starting to undress. She takes off Clorinde’s hat and places it by her change of clothes before starting to strip down, piece by piece, throwing her clothes onto the ground. Once she is out of her clothes, she gently steps into the bath and lowers herself down into it, her heart racing. The last time she wanted a bath was when she was about to drown herself in the flooded Opera Epiclese. 

She finally sits herself down in the tub, her heart racing even faster along with her breathing. She gently begins to wash herself, trying to push away the terrifying images and bad thoughts that plague her mind but fails to do so. As she is scrubbing her head with shampoo, an overwhelming sense of dread overcomes her as she finally succumbs to her panic. 

Before Furina can think, her head is submerged in the water in a desperate attempt to escape from her surroundings. The feeling of being fully submerged helps, but comes with one big problem that she can not ignore. A lack of oxygen. She tries to keep herself under the water as long as she can, ignoring the feeling in her lungs, but eventually can't hold it any longer. She quickly lifts her head from the water, taking a loud gasp for air.

She quickly turns to the door, her heart dropping as she knows Clorinde probably heard her. She starts to cough, trying to play it off so Clorinde doesn't get concerned, but her efforts are in vain.

Three quiet knocks are heard on the bathroom door, followed by Clorinde’s voice. “Furina are you okay in there?”

“Uhm, yes!” She coughs again.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah!”

A few seconds of silence pass before Clorinde speaks, “Alright, just remember I'm right out here if you need me. I- just know I don't mind helping you if you need.”

“Oh, I- I’m okay!” She looks down at her shaking hands, obviously not okay. Help would be nice, but she is nowhere near ready for that kind of vulnerability. Breaking down in front of Clorinde was already way more than she bargained for. Furina sighs as she reaches for the shampoo bottle, picking it up and continuing to wash herself.

Over the next twenty or so minutes, Furina manages to slowly finish cleaning herself off. She stands up from the bath and begins to drain it before drying herself off. She puts on her change of clothes, wraps her towel around her hair, and tries to place Clorinde's hat on top but it falls off. She sighs to herself, I don't know why I expected that to work. She reaches down and picks up the hat before opening the door and stepping out of the bathroom.

“Hey…” She spots Clorinde sitting on the couch, her back facing her. “Are you okay?”

Clorinde quickly wipes her eyes before turning around to face Furina. “Yeah, just… long day.” She smirks at her.

Furina nods before stating the obvious, trying to make light of the situation “Yeah, me too.”

Clorinde looks at her, quietly chuckling. After a few seconds she speaks, a slight bit of concern in her voice. “Are you feeling any better?”

“Uhm, maybe…? I- I’m not sure.” She pauses, “everything's just kind of a blur right now.” She slowly speaks, nervously scratching her neck.

“Well at least you're not feeling worse.” Clorinde smiles at her, standing up. “Can I make you something to eat? 

“Oh uhm yes, that would be nice.” Furina slowly makes her way to the couch, stepping past Clorinde and placing the hat down on the table. “Can you make macaroni please?” She speaks with a sense of hope in her voice.

Clorinde smiles at the girl, knowing full well just how much she likes macaroni. “Of course you may, well as long as you have the stuff here to make it.” she chuckles.

…

Some time passes and Clorinde returns to the couch, placing a bowl of macaroni down in front of furina who immediately grabs it and starts scoffing it down. No more than two minutes pass and Furina has already finished her bowl, placing it back down on the table. Clorinde simply stares at her in shock, in awe at the sheer speed Furina has eaten her food.

The two talk for a few more hours until it is a good bit past midnight. Eventually, the day’s exhaustion catches up to Furina even though she's already slept for seven hours. Before long, she finds herself in bed, Clorinde tucking her in. The two bid each other farewell and Clorinde leaves the room, closing the door behind her. 

Minutes pass and Furina has already fallen asleep, her quiet snores now mixing with the sound of rain outside. 

Chapter Text

3 weeks later

Furina is laid in her bed unmoving as she has for the past few days, only getting up for the bathroom and such. Showering, eating, drinking, all basic necessities have been a struggle for her after coming to reality with everything that has happened in the past weeks.

A few days after the trial, she quickly moved out of the Palais Mermonia and into a small apartment in the Court of Fontaine, across from the blacksmith. With Clorinde’s help, the move was quite easy as she did all the heavy lifting since Furina lacked the energy or motivation to move anything but herself.

The first couple of days after the move were okay as she had managed to push her thoughts into the back of her head, instead focusing on the freeing feeling of finally living by herself and being unbound of the chains of playing Archon, but it was unlasting. The first time she left her apartment, she was met with cold stares and ridicule from the people of Fontaine who have grown to resent her after the trial. She was berated and followed through the streets, blamed for the deaths of many, the damages from the flood, and seemingly every bad thing that has happened in the past 500 years.

Since then, Furina has locked herself away, doing her best to isolate herself and sever every relationship she had as she felt so unbelievably undeserving. The only person remaining somewhat in contact with her is Clorinde, but even she has stopped reaching out as often as the last few times she stopped by, her visits ended with both of them in tears after intense arguments of Furina’s own creation in an attempt to push her away. 

And it worked. For the past week Furina has laid alone in her bedroom unable to cry as she has run out of tears. Her days consist of sleeping and berating herself for her past actions. At most, she gets out of her bed a few times a day, only to use the bathroom and eat/drink when she absolutely has to, but even that is too much for her to handle. Maybe if she gives up on eating and drinking entirely, she wouldn't need to get up for the bathroom? It seems like a worthy consideration. 

It is nearing two weeks since Furina’s last shower and she hates herself for it. Her hair is matted and she stinks, a byproduct of not taking care of herself. She sighs, cursing herself in her head before slowly attempting to sit herself to go shower, but instead, she falls back down as she is too weak to get up. For Archon's sake… She tries again, putting more effort in before successfully sitting up. 

Furina looks around the room, examining the state it is in. There is a dirty pile of clothes in the corner, an overflowing trash can full of tissues from her constant crying, closed blinds to stop the sunlight from getting in, and most concerning of all, a small knife on her bedside table that she considered using on herself after the pain got too much. Luckily, it never saw any use as she was too scared.

Her eyes linger on the blade for a few seconds before she eventually scoots herself to the edge of the bed, readying herself to stand. She slowly pushes herself off the bed but once again falls back due to unexpected dizziness. Emotions begin to swell up in her head as she hates herself for being unable to simply stand herself up due to her own self-negligence. Fuck you, I hate you I hate you! Furina curses in her head before grunting in annoyance and trying again, this time her anger being the motivation for her to stand.

Once standing, she balances herself by putting one hand on her bed and the other on the wall as her room starts to spin. She starts taking small steps one at a time as she makes her way to her drawer where all of her clean clothes are stored. She grabs onto the drawer for support and opens it up, revealing nothing inside as everything is dirty. She sighs, looking down at herself and examining her outfit. It’s been maybe four days since she’s changed? Maybe she can power though in this outfit until she can get to the laundromat. Ugh, but then she’d have to leave her apartment. She would wash her clothes herself but she lacks proper cleaning supplies, let alone the motivation to actually do so. Whatever, these clothes’ll have to work.

She makes her way to the bathroom before reaching into a cabinet and grabbing a towel, luckily having a clean one. She drapes it over the shower curtain and turns on the water before beginning to undress herself, placing her old clothes on the side of the sink. 

Once the water is heated up, she steps inside and stands in the water, the warmness enveloping her, bringing her long needed comfort. Slowly, she cleans herself, taking all the time she needs as fast movements make her feel dizzy. After thirty minutes or so, she can barely stand anymore. She quickly finishes up and steps out of the shower before drying herself off and wrapping a towel around herself before stepping out of the bathroom. 

Over the next hour, Furina takes a break, sitting down on her couch before making herself something to eat as her stomach has been screaming at her to do so for the past day or two. After finishing her food, she places her dirty plate in the ever growing pile in the sink before grabbing a basket and placing her dirty clothes inside, well at least all that fit. She places it by the door before going back to her couch and taking another break as all her energy has been expelled. 

Her anxiety begins to spike as she thinks about having to go out to the laundromat as the last time she went out, it ended with her racing back to her apartment in tears, unable to handle the wrath of the people of Fontaine. 

Twenty minutes pass and she finally stands herself up and grabs her keys before walking to her door and picking up the basket. She slowly opens it and steps outside, locking the door behind her. She slowly walks herself down the stairs to the front door and opens it, leaving the building.

Within seconds she already feels the cold, harsh gazes of the people who once worshiped her, now replaced with cold hatred and betrayal. She tries her best to dissociate and quickly walk to the laundromat, her eyes locked on the ground the entire time. 

What was really a five minute walk, felt like hours as she finally steps into the laundromat. She makes her way to a machine and sets her basket down beside it before reaching into her pocket, taking out a couple coins of mora to slip into the washer.

As she slides the coins into the machine, her mind comes to an awful realization which completely went over her head before. She’s going to have to wait for a while for her things to wash. Her heart begins to race as she opens the door, beginning to pile her clothes inside. Eventually she closes the door before taking a deep breath and turning on the machine, selecting the quickest option. Now all she has to do is wait.

25 minutes then probably another 20 or so to dry, okay… that should be doable. She breathes out and looks around, checking to see if anybody has noticed her yet. Luckily, this doesn't seem to be the case. Furina begins to walk to the bathroom, figuring she can just hide out in there until she has to switch her clothes over.

She opens the door and then steps inside a stall, closing the door behind her and sitting down on the toilet seat. She lifts up her arm and takes a look at her watch. 8:15pm… I’ll leave at 8:35pm . As she waits, her mind begins to wander as usual. She thinks about all the friends she has lost as well as all the trauma she has gone through. Even though she has been fighting these thoughts constantly, they still manage to make her cry. 

She wipes her eyes as time comes to pass. She gently opens the door and steps out of the stall and comes face to face with a woman washing her hands.

“Furina!?” The woman stares at her, a look of anger and sadness growing on her face. “Furina, how could you… my son drowned slowly and in pain, trapped under fallen rubble during the flood. It’s all your fault, how could you!” She pleads to Furina with ever growing anger in her voice as a tear falls.

Furina’s heart beats faster along with her breathing. She stares at the woman with scared and nervous eyes before speaking, her voice shaking. “I- I’m sorry… I- I know I failed you- no, everyone…” She looks down, “I’m terribly sorry for your loss, ma’am. I promise you I did everything I could…”

The woman's brows furrow in anger as she raises her voice at the fragile girl before her. “Did you!? You weren't even the archon, all you were was just a faker who was drunk on her own power! All you will ever be is a fraud, Furina. The death sentence wasn't even enough for your crimes and yet you walk. You disgust me.” She spits at Furina before storming out of the bathroom, cursing under her breath and leaving Furina alone, shaking and staring at the ground.

Tears quickly begin to swell in Furina’s eyes as she locks herself back in the cramped stall she’s spent the last half hour inside. Fuck you! She slams her hands harshly into her face before crying into them, failing to keep herself quiet. Furina berates herself in her head, cursing herself for everything she has ever done. Saying she hates herself would be an understatement, she despises herself. 

She wipes her tears as she looks down at her watch, noticing 15 minutes have passed. After stopping her tears, she once again steps out of the bathroom, her heart stopping as once again somebody is in the bathroom, washing their hands. Luckily, the person doesn't turn around, letting Furina slip out of the bathroom as her mind begins to race. What if she thinks I used the bathroom and didn't wash my hands!? She probably thinks I'm disgusting… Her chin begins to quiver as she makes her way to her laundry machine and opens it up. She quickly packs her clean yet soaked clothes into her basket, deciding to just let them air dry as she can't stomach being out for any longer.

Eventually she makes her way out of the laundromat, Just 5 minutes and I’ll be home. She takes a deep breath, then I can sink into my bed and forget about everything. She decides to walk through alleyways to get home faster and keep herself hidden, but this was a mistake. After a minute or so passes, she hears a man's voice call out from behind her and her heart stops.

“Furina!?” He shouts, his voice full of ill intent.

Furina doesn't turn around and pretends she doesn't hear him. Her heart races and her body begins to heat up, feeling as if something bad is about to happen.

“Hey, turn around, now!” He calls out once again.

Furina responds by speeding up her pace, an awful decision as it confirms to the man that she is in fact, Furina.

“Oh don't you try to run away from me!” He speeds up his pace, catching up to her and grabbing onto her shoulder, spinning her around. As a result, her laundry basket falls to the ground, dirtying her clothes once again. 

“There you are…” He stares down at the small girl with a terrifying smirk on his face.

She looks up at the man in fear, her whole body shaking. “W- what do you want?...”

“What do I want!? I want you to pay for what you did! You walking free after receiving the death penalty is a slap in the face to all the people Fontaine who were affected by your inactions as an archon! You did nothing as so many people lost their lives, families and homes! Nothing!”

“I-” Furina tries to speak but he cuts her off.

“You what!? Don’t give me the ‘I tried excuse,’ You had five hundred years!”

The conversation feels ever so familiar to the one twenty or so minutes ago, except this one… she can tell it's not going to end well. Her body trembles more and more as she frantically looks around for anybody that could help her but nobody is there. She parts her lips to speak but nothing comes out.

He shoves her into the wall before yelling, “SAY SOMETHING!” 

Furina grunts as her body hits the wall, tears starting to stream down her face. “Please stop…” 

“Like hell I will!” He speaks with malice as he pushes onto her shoulders, pinning her to the wall. “I’m going to ask you a question and youre going to answer it or you will fucking regret it.” 

Furina’s breath hitches at the man's words. His tone is beyond terrifying and she fears for her life. Well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he kills her… ugh, she doesn't know. Her mind is too much of a mess for this.

Furina responds to the man, barely able to form words, “o- oak- okay…” By now tears are pouring down her face. 

“Why didn't you do anything!?” He stares down at Furina in anger

“I- I tried…” She quietly speaks

Smack!

Furina cries out in pain as the man's hand slams into her cheek. Her fear now turning into full blown panic

“I said not to give me the ‘I tried’ bullshit! Now speak, girl! Why didn't you do anything!” 

Furina tries to respond but she chokes on her tears. She swallows hard before trying to speak once again, “I couldn't!" 

“Why!?”

“I- I’m just a human, I’m- I’m powerless!” She tries to escape but the man pushes her harder into wall, resulting in a pained grunt escaping from Furina’s lips

“Yeah I can see.” he moves his arm to furina’s neck, “What’s stopping me from carrying out your death sentence right here, right now?”

Furina’s heart skips a beat. She must admit, the thought of being killed was… tempting, but not like this. If she dies, she wants it to be on her own terms, not some man in the street.

“Please… don't" Her voice is quiet and strained as she struggles to speak due to the man's grip around her throat

“Oh don't you tell me what to do.” he smirks at furina with a devilish expression.

Once again, Furina frantically looks around desperately before a last ditch idea comes to her mind. She takes a deep breath and drives her knee upwards, slamming it into the man's crotch with a loud grunt.

The man yelps in pain and lets go of Furina, falling to the ground and Furina takes this chance to run away. She doesn't want to go home, she wants to get out of Fontaine or at least the city. She can't handle it, she needs to go away. She just wants to fade out of existence, never to see the light again, she doesn't deserve it. She doesn't deserve anything. 

As she runs, voices call out to her, only making her speed up her pace.

“My wife is dead because of you!”

“I lost everything to the flood!”

”You killed my pets!”

Furina runs and runs, finding herself walking along the aquabus track that leads past Poisson and to Fontaine’s southmost port. She walks for what feels like hours until she reaches a tunnel where the bridge is close enough to the ground for her to step off. 

She walks through the wilderness of Fontaine, finding herself near Poisson. The emptiness inside Furina is overwhelming and she can't handle it. She desperately needs an out, a way to escape. 

Furina slowly makes her way past multiple ruined buildings and damages from the flood, only worsening her mental state. I don't deserve to be free, I don't deserve anything. Furina finds herself climbing up a small mountain as she walks down the path. Once she reaches the peak of the mountain, she deviates from the path and walks towards the edge, the cold, undeserving feeling taking over.

Furina reaches the edge and looks down, a longing feeling enveloping her. The drop is definitely far enough to kill her if she so pleases… The back of her mind calls to her, begging and yearning for her to take the plunge. It would be so easy, so so easy. Furina considers her options as she continues to stare emptily at the ground at least 50 feet below her. She tries to sit down on the edge but is too scared to do so. Instead, she sits a few feet away. 

A war rages on in Furina’s mind, each side fighting for why or why not she should jump, and one side seems to be winning. She wants to jump and end her suffering so badly, but there is one main thing stopping her. Fear. 

Why is she so scared? It's what she wants, it's what she's always wanted for the past hundreds of years and now she finally has the chance, so why, why is she scared. She has nothing going for her, what does she have to lose? She thinks and thinks but nothing comes to mind, not a single thing. She truly has nothing.

This is the best option . She stands up, her legs trembling beneath her with immense fear. She breathes in and out as she steps towards the edge, once again looking down. This is her last chance. Her last chance to walk away from the cliff and go home, but no. This is it, she has to. She can finally be free.

Furina takes a deep breath as she reaches the edge. 

I’m free

She leans forwards-

“Furina!” A terrifyingly familiar voice calls out from behind.

Furina gasps and moves herself away from the ledge, turning around. Her heart stops as her mismatched blue eyes meet red crosses. “Knave!?”

Chapter Text

Shaky breaths escape Furina’s lips as her feet near the cliffside, inch by inch drawing closer. As she reaches the edge, everything begins to blur and distort around her until all that’s left is the drop. She looks down, trying to calm her breathing, as she already knows her decision. Just one movement, and that's it; the never-ending play she's been forced to take part in finally comes to yet another dramatic finish.

Furina takes in one last shaking breath as a lone tear falls, dripping down her face. She doesn't truly want to die, but everything seems so distant, so impossible. It’s like trying to solve a jigsaw, but half the pieces are missing and the rest are sitting on fire, burning to ashes. Furina breathes out as a feeling of calmness starts to overcome her, just like it did in the flooded Opera Epicelese, too, after she made up her mind. Except this time, there's nothing to stop her, nothing that can stop her.

As the sense of calmness fully envelops Furina, she begins to lean forward from the cliff, the same two words echoing in her mind.

I’m free. 

…

“Furina!” A voice calls out from behind her, followed by a snapping sound.

What!?

A sense of warmth and another snap leaves Furina lying on the ground, unharmed. She frantically looks around, confused as she tries to figure out what happened. 

“Hello?...” Furina speaks out quietly, not even sure if she’s alive.

As Furina looks around, her eyes land on a terrifying familiar figure. A woman in a white suit with blackened hands staring back at her as two blood-red wings slowly dissipate into her back, their glow slowly fading. To Furina’s surprise, the woman's face is full of shock and confusion, a stark contrast from the piercing, threatening gaze from their past interactions. She also looks like she is in pain?

“Furina, what were you doing!?” The woman speaks, her voice surprisingly concerned.
Were those wings? Furina thinks to herself before speaking, “Knave…?” Furina continues to stare at her, her voice quiet and weak. “What are you doing?...”

“What do you mean, 'what am I doing!?” The woman barks at her before taking a deep breath. “Furina, what the hell was that!?” The past gentleness in the woman's voice is gone, instead replaced by shock and anger as she stares down at the small, frail woman on the ground.

Furina doesn't speak; instead, choosing to stare at the woman in silence. Furina breathes in and out, trying to calm herself the best she can. I shouldn't be here. I don’t understand . 

Eventually she takes another deep breath and shakily speaks, desperate to get an answer to the main burning question in her mind. “Am I alive?” She stares up at the Harbinger with eyes full of desperation.

The woman stares back at Furina, her anger fading as she looks down at her. “Yes, Furina, you are alive.” She speaks in a calm voice as she kneels down beside the small girl in front of her.

Furina subconsciously flinches as the woman steps closer, flashing back to the night the Harbinger held a blade to her throat. As the memory runs rampant in her head, it is cut off by a thought. Why am I scared…? So what if she's just here to finish the job? It's what I want. …right? 

The harbinger freezes in place when Furina flinches, not wanting to make the situation worse. “Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.” She calmly speaks before moving herself away and once again kneeling down.

What? …Why is she being nice?

Silence falls between the two as Furina is too shocked to utter a word. Eventually, The Harbinger speaks, requesting an answer to the single most important question there is right now.

“Furina, can you please tell me what you were doing?” The Harbinger speaks swiftly and seriously, reminiscent of her past meetings with Furina when she was still the Archon. As she continues to speak, her voice begins to fall into a sadder and more questioning tone as she already knows what she saw. “...and why?”

“...I” Furina can't bring herself to speak. She knows The Knave knows exactly what she was doing, so why is she even asking? Furthermore, this is the last thing Furina wants to talk about. …ever. 

The two stare at each other in silence until Furina’s mind slowly begins to take over her. She continues to look into the Harbinger's eyes, letting her anger and rage envelop her. Why did she have to save me? Can I just please have one thing? PLEASE!? Adding onto the anger, her previous sadness also begins to overcome her, and she can't handle it. 

To the Harbinger’s surprise, a faint laugh begins to exit Furina's lips, slowly growing louder and louder. For the first time in a long time, she has no clue what to do. She’s never seen someone so… broken?

The harbingers' thoughts are cut short as Furina breaks and begins to cry out. “Oh, this is incredible! Archons forbid I have just ONE thing, right!? I’ve gone through five hundred years of torture, DON’T I FUCKING DESERVE IT!?” Sobs begin to escape Furina’s lips as she continues to speak, her voice quieter than before. “Why can’t I just be free… I’m so tired, so so tired.” Furina begins to cry harder, bringing her hands to her face and scratching her nails down.

As her emotions run rampant, Furina looks back up at the Harbinger and screams at her, her voice seething with rage. “WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SAVE ME!?” Furina starts to cry hysterically, slamming her hands back into her face and crying into them. 

The Harbinger is stunned. She was already clueless before, but now she is miles out of her league. Her mouth sits agape and her eyes wide as she stares at the girl. Should she talk to her, hug her, wait for her to stop? She has no idea. 

To make matters worse, the Harbinger has never been good when it comes to emotional topics such as this. She prefers to stay calm, cold, and emotionless, but this is not a situation where she can act normally. Delicacy is needed; it is fundamental.

Finally, she takes a deep breath and readies herself to talk. She speaks in a calm and serious voice, trying to get Furina’s attention. “Furina, can you please look at me?”

Furina doesn't react as she continues to cry into her hands, as expected. The girl sounds so lost and broken, as if five hundred years of tears are flooding through her. Even to the harbinger, Furina’s cries resonate, causing a pang of sadness and guilt in her chest.

She sighs, “Furina, please.”

Nothing.

Eventually, she stops trying to get her attention and stands up, debating what to do. She takes a deep breath and slowly walks towards Furina. “I’m going to come closer to you, okay?” Her voice is soft and gentle. 

One again, the girl remains silent.

She reaches Furina and sits down on the ground beside her, before sticking out her arm to place on her shoulder, but stopping halfway, opting to put her back arm down so as to not cause her more panic.

Seconds pass and the Harbinger continues to stare at Furina silently before finally speaking out once again. “Furina, I ne-”

“What do you want…” Furina speaks, her voice quiet as a whisper as she cuts the harbinger off.

The Harbinger sits in silence, carefully selecting her words before speaking, “I would like to help you.” She pauses, “If you would let me.”

“Why… out of anybody, why would you want to help me ?” Furina speaks with her head still in her hands, surprisingly sounding more grumpy than anything, as if her breakdown mere seconds ago never happened.

Arlecchino thinks, taking a deep breath. “Furina, you-” she breathes out, “You tried to end your own life, Furina. Nobody deserves a fate so cruel; to be driven to such lengths.”

“Big words from someone who kills for a living.” Furina shrugs as she talks, trying her best to push the Harbinger away like everybody else in her life.

The Harbinger stays put as she stares down at the broken girl, not knowing what to say. The girl is right; killing comes with the role of Harbinger. It is an unavoidable fact.

“That is different, Furina.” She responds in a calm tone, a contrast to how she is feeling inside, where she is fighting, unknowing of what to do or say. “I only take the lives of those who are deserving.” 

Furina raises her voice and speaks fast, her anger growing. “Is that why you tried to kill me then? Well, if I'm so deserving, why don't you just let me throw myself off the cliff again, or better yet, you just take your scythe and-”

“Furina, STOP IT.” The harbinger bites, her words ripping through furina and bringing her voice to a halt. 

Silence falls between the two before the Harbinger speaks once again, her voice coming out more desperate-sounding than she had wished. “Why are you doing this?”

Long moments of silence pass, and by now Furina is crying heavily. She tries to speak, but her words instead come out as choked sobs. “I… I…” She breathes in and out, trying to calm herself enough to speak, but her breathing remains rapid. 

Eventually Furina barely manages to choke out the words, “It’s just so pointless.” 

The Harbinger stares at the broken girl, waiting for her to continue.

“I don't… I…” Furina wipes her eyes. “I’ve run out of reasons to stay. My role as Archon is over. I have no friends, the city hates me…” She pauses before looking up at the Harbinger. “I have nothing, Knave.” Her breathing remains erratic as tears fall, but she manages to keep herself stable enough to talk the best she can.

“Call me Peruere,” the Harbinger speaks, her voice gentle and soft.

“Peruere?”

“Yes.”

“Why…?”

“I…” Why did she tell Furina to call her that? She sighs before parting her lips and attempting to speak in a comforting tone, trying to hide the confusion in her voice. “It’s what my friends call me.”

“But I’m not your friend.”

“Well, what matters now is that I treat you as a friend, yes?” She pauses, “So please, call me Peruere for at least the time being, okay?” The Harginger can't believe what she is saying. 

She watches as Furina nods before sighing and continuing to speak, struggling to comfort and help the girl. “I… understand your reasoning, Miss Furina. But if you truly have nothing, doesn't that leave you with more to gain?” She looks into the girl's eyes.

Furina remains silent so Peruere continues, “Think about relationships you could build, trust you can mend, a lifetime of memories sat ready and waiting to be created. Furina, the last 500 years may have been hell for you, but you are finally free, released from the bindings of Archonhood. You're free to do as you please without worrying about exposing your secret. Doesn't that sound tempting?” She pleads.

“Yes… It does, but-”

Arlecchino shakes her head as she speaks, cutting Furina off with her voice a bit more stern. “No. No buts, Furina.” She looks at her with serious eyes.

“No, I- every time I have left my apartment I have been followed around and yelled at through the streets.” She pauses, “Today it turned physical, so I just ran. I ran until I found myself here.” She places her hands on the ground. “How do I start anew if I can't even leave my house, Knave! ” She cries out, looking into her eyes with desperation before quickly correcting herself. “Uh- Peruere.”

This takes Peruere by surprise. She knew the people of Fontaine had a tendency to be harsh, but this makes her blood boil. “I see…” She continues, anger rising in her voice. “And Neuvilette hasn't done anything about it? Clorinde?”

“I- I don't think they know.” She takes a deep breath. “I’ve… I have only left my apartment twice since I moved in three weeks ago.” She pauses, “I, uhm, also severed all of my relationships out of desperation. I fought with Clorinde at every chance I could and screamed at Neuvillette that I wanted nothing to do with him anymore.” She takes in a shaky breath before speaking once again, her voice almost as quiet as a whisper. “I’m so fucking stupid…” She begins to cry once again. 

Peruere remains silent for a few seconds as she takes in everything Furina had said. She is shocked at Furina's actions, as just a month ago, when she was still the archon, Furina would have never acted like this. It just seemed so out of character… but maybe Peruere just never knew her.

“I understand.” She nods as she takes a few seconds to gather her thoughts. “Lashing out is quite common when under emotional distress. I’ve seen it a few times in some of my orphans.” She reaches her arm out to touch Furina’s shoulder, but once again stops before she makes contact. “I’m going to talk to Neuvilette about addressing the people's cruelty towards you, okay? ...and if he doesn't do anything, I'll take matters into my own hands.” Her tone is bitter and full of hatred towards the people of Fontaine.

“Okay…” Furina speaks, her voice quiet and trembling.

Peruere lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding and lets her hand make contact. Furina agreed, and that means she's willing to give life another chance. 

“Thank you.” Peruere removes her hand and places it in her lap, staring at them. Since when was she shaking? Thoughts begin to pour into her mind, but she pushes them away, instead focusing her attention back to Furina.

“Are you… Feeling any better?” Her tone is full of uncharacteristic care.

“Uhm, a little, I guess.” She looks back up at Peruere.

“That's good, I’m… I’m proud of you.” Arlecchino sighs at her words, beyond confused at her actions.

Her words make Furina’s expression turn to confusion, the question of Peruere’s uncharacteristic actions unable to be pushed down any longer. “Why are you acting like this? Helping me, caring… I thought you hated me. Why do you care if I live or die?” Her voice comes out more as a plea than a question.

Peruere sits in silence as she truly doesn't know how to answer. Eventually, more seconds pass as she tries to figure out her words, feeling as if Furina’s gaze is piercing into her soul. She doesn't know why, but she feels comfortable showing vulnerability to the girl, since it could help her. 

So she does. “Well, I suppose I know what it feels like to contemplate death.” She pauses, “It is a feeling that I would wish upon nobody. The loss, the feeling as if nothing is worth living for… It is terrible.” She looks into Furina's eyes, sighing. “Just… I don't want to see you suffer, Furina. You’ve led such a long and torturous life that now all you deserve is happiness, not this… not any of this.” Sadness rings in her voice as she is unable to keep her mask on any longer.

Furina stares at Peruere, her mouth agape. Never would she think that a Harbinger would have felt the same emotions as her, let alone be able to sympathize with her. The feeling is… oddly comforting. 

“How did you deal with the feelings, Peruere?” She looks up at her with desperation and an ounce of hope in her eyes.

“Well, I guess I never truly did. In all honesty, I only live out of spite and the need to care for my children.” Peruere speaks, feeling water starting to build up in her eyes.

“Oh…” Furina looks down, disappointed. 

“Even though my reasoning is simple, it still keeps me alive. So please, I need you to find meaning of your own, okay?” She looks down at Furina, having asked one of the most pivotal questions of the night.

“I’ll try,” Furina speaks with a small bit of determination in her voice, hidden by her sadness. 

“Thank you so much, Furina.” She lets out a deep breath as her heart finally stops racing.

Between the two, silence falls, each second growing longer and longer. Eventually, Furina speaks up, changing the topic with questions of her own.

“Peruere, when I… jumped, how did you save me? One second I was in the air and the next I was lying on the ground here, unharmed.”

Peruere thinks to herself before answering carefully so as to not reveal too much information about herself. “To put things vaguely, I am able to instantly transfer myself to another location if necessary by expelling a small bit of life force.”

“Oh…” Furina looks at her in shock. “So to save me, you sacrificed time off of your life?” Her voice trembles slightly, her mind filling with guilt. 

“Not exactly. I do not wish to give out such information, but you have my word that it does not take time off of my life.” Peruere feels slightly guilty as she isn't technically lying, but she definitely isn't telling the truth.

“Okay, so… is that why you looked like you were in pain when I first saw you?” She speaks quietly, seemingly worried about her.

Peruere nods, “Yes, it is. To again put things vaguely, the pain can be quite excruciating, But it doesnt last.”

“Oh… I- I’m sorry…” Furina looks down.

“You have nothing to feel sorry for, okay? You have my word.” She looks down at Furina with a worried expression, not wanting her to get more upset once again.

After a few seconds, Furina quietly speaks, “Okay…” 

A few more seconds pass, then Furina looks back up at Peruere and moves onto her final question. “How did you happen to be here to save me? …Were you following me?” She speaks with caution in her voice.

“No, I was simply exiting Poisson, and as I began my walk back to Fontaine, I saw somebody standing on the cliff and got a bad feeling about it. Luckily, I made it up here in time to save you.” She speaks in a calm tone.

“So it was all just chance?” Her voice trembles as she realizes just how small the odds were that she was saved.

“Yes, I suppose it was.” She nods. “I’m glad I was here to help you, Furina.” She gives her a small smile.

After a few seconds, Furina returns Peruere’s smile before she speaks. “Me too.”

Seemingly on cue, faint droplets of water begin to tap against both women, followed by a soft breeze picking up in the wind. Peruere looks over at Furina and stands herself up, brushing off her clothes. 

“Well, I suppose it's about time to get going then. May I help you up?” She extends her arm to Furina.

Furina stares at it for a few seconds before hesitantly grabbing on and pulling herself up as well. Once up, she stares at Peruere awkwardly, not knowing how to continue.

“Uhm, what now?” Her voice is quiet.

Peruere looks down at her, thinking to herself. She doesn't necessarily trust Furina to be alone, nor does she feel safe with the idea. After a few seconds of intense thinking, she finally speaks up in a hesitant tone.

“I would like to invite you to stay at the House of the Hearth for at least a few days until I am confident that you can be alone. I understand if you do not wish to accept, nor will I try to convince you. The choice is yours.” She looks down at Furina with a solemn expression, awaiting her response. 

Out of all the shocking things the Harbinger has done or said in the past half hour, this takes the cake. It’s just so out of character. Furina breathes in and out as she looks at her with wide eyes, thinking hard about her question. 

There has to be an ulterior motive, right? Her mind races trying to find the slightest bit of ill intention, but everything comes back clean. It seems like an actual invitation. Fuck… there's no way in hell I'm actually considering this! Nonono, this is insane! She tried to kill me mere months ago! She tried to KILL me! How in the world would I feel safe living with her!? There's no way I ca- 

“I accept.” 

WHAT!?

…

The walk back to the House of the Hearth was uneventful and full of empty conversation for the most part. One thing of note, though, was a small trick Peruere showed Furina with her pyro vision where, in a snap of her fingers, Furina was no longer wet from the rain and was surrounded with warmth as the falling water droplets around her turned to steam. To Furina’s surprise, Perere's small action of care resulted in a small flutter inside her heart.

The two eventually reach the House of the Hearth and stop in the doorway as Peruere reaches for her keys. By this point, Furina’s nerves are about to jump out of her as she imagines everything that could happen inside.

What if the Knav- ugh, Peruere, only brought me here to harm me!? Oh, Archons, why did I believe her!? Her breathing quickens ever so slightly as she begins to think. Lyney… he's here, right? It was his idea to bring me on trial. How could I ever look at him! I don't WANT to look at him!  

Furina turns around, trying to gauge if she could successfully escape in time before Peruere leads her inside, but it is too late. The door opens and she motions for Furina to walk in. 

Furina begrudgingly starts to step forward into the building, feeling Peruire walking in and beginning to close the door behind her. As she listens to the door close, one last thought appears in her mind.

I’m so going to die.

…

As Peruere leads Furina to the main room, Furina is surprised by just how normal it seems. It’s just an ordinary house… Well, the decor could do with an update and the walls could be repainted, but apart from that- 

Perueres' voice cuts her thoughts short as they enter the living room and she speaks to one of her children. 

“Lyney…” Peruere speaks.

Fuck!

“Furina is going to be staying with us for the time being. Can you please get a room ready for her?”

Furina stares down at the ground, averting her gaze, but she can tell that Lyney is staring right at her. She can feel his gaze piercing into her soul. Why him! Why now!  

After a few seconds, Lyney responds, a sense of confusion prevalent in his voice. “I… yes, father.” 

“Also, don't tell anybody else about this, okay?”

“Yes, father!” He turns and swiftly begins walking away to sort out Furina’s future room.

Furina stays staring down at the ground, listening as the sounds of his feet tapping against the ground become quieter, signaling that he is far enough away for her to look up. As she lifts her head, she comes face to face with Peruere, who is staring down at her. HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN-

“Not comfortable around people anymore, I see? …or is it just Lyney?” She tilts her head, speaking in a questioning tone.

“Uhm…” Furina stammers her words

Damn her! She nervously scratches the back of her neck and anxiously takes a few steps back, giving herself some personal space before speaking in a quiet and unsure tone.  “Most people, I think… I- Maybe Lyney more than others? No, he and the traveler.” She sighs, “I- I don't know.”

“I do understand that it was he who led the so-called magic act that brought you to the Opera Epiclese along with her who led you into the trap, so I understand your discomfort,” Peruere speaks calmly.

“I… It’s not just them. There were a lot of people involved.” She takes a deep breath and continues, “A lot of people whom I’ll never be able to look at the same again...” By now, the little energy she had left in her voice has dissipated, instead being replaced by her usual sadness. “I do not wish to talk about this anymore if that's okay…”

“Of course.” Peruere takes a few steps away from the doorway and more into the living area before making her way towards a set of chairs in the corner. “Here, take a seat with me while we wait.” She sits down and motions to a soft chair across from her.

Furina follows and sits down, putting one leg over the other and setting her hands down in her lap. Within seconds, her body succumbs to exhaustion as she realizes just how tired she is. The time that she has been out of her house today is by far more than she had been out in the past three weeks combined. 

Furina feels herself begin to slump over and jolts herself back up, resulting in Peruere’s gaze turning her direction.

“Tired?”

“Y- yes, very.” She gives a slight smirk, trying to mask just how just exhausted she is.

“Well, we’ll get you into bed soon once your room is ready. Then you can go to sleep for the night. How's that sound?” 

Furina nods slowly, speaking in a quiet voice, “Very nice….”

A minute or two later, Lyney walks back into the room, his gaze meeting Furina, who quickly breaks it by once again looking down at the ground.

“The room is ready, Father.”

“Peruere stands up, reaching for Furina’s arm. “Good, thank you. That is all I will ask of you tonight.” 

“Thank you, father.” He bows his head.

Furina reaches for Perueres' arm and grabs onto it, letting her pull her up out of the chair. Once up, she closely follows behind her, making sure not to look at Lyney as she moves past him. 

Seconds later, Furina is led into the room and then onto the bed, which she sinks right into. This bed is by far a huge jump in quality compared to the tiny one in her apartment, and Furina immediately falls in love with it. This is the comfiest thing I've ever laid on, it's incredible! Oh, if I just had my Blubberbeast plushie… She longingly looks around for the plush, which is obviously not there. 

After a few seconds, the sound of a closing door brings her back to reality. She looks up and watches as Peruere makes her way back to her from the door, taking off her jacket and placing it on top of the cabinet in the process. 

Furina’s eyes are quick to gravitate to Peruere’s now exposed arms, which take her by surprise. At first, she notices how the darkness of her hands isn't just located there, but also travels up to her elbows. After that, she notices her tattoos, then… her muscles. 

Oh Archons, her arms…  

Furina quickly snaps out of her trance as she notices she is being stared at. She quickly speaks up, in an attempt to shatter the growing awkwardness between them. “I… can’t thank you enough for this, Peruere.” She gives her a small smile. “I just… never expected you, out of anyone, to be so kind to me.” She looks down, unable to hold Perueres' gaze any longer.

“You're welcome, Furina. It is truly the least I could do for you.” She pauses, “I would like to stay at chat for longer, but I fear sleep would be in your best interest, okay?” 

“Mhmm… okay.” She nods her head.

“Alright, my room is beside yours and to the right. Just knock on my door if you need anything, okay? No matter the time.” She speaks to Furina as if she is talking to a small child. It is oddly comforting.

“Okay,” Furina speaks quietly as she looks back up at the tall, muscular woman in front of her.

“I’ll talk to you in the morning, Furina. Goodnight.” Peruere walks over and grabs her jacket before snapping her finger, resulting in all the candles in the room going out in an instant.

Woah …

“Goodnight…” Furina watches as the door opens and Perueres's silhouette disappears as the door closes.

Furina is now left all alone, just like she has been for the past three weeks, except this time… she is comfortable. She feels determined and hopeful for a better future with the help of not ‘The Knave,’ but Peruere. …A name which she finds oddly adorable. 

Within minutes, faint snores fill the room as Furina lies under her covers, peacefully asleep.

Chapter Text

knock knock knock

…

knock knock

…

Furina’s bedroom door slowly creaks open, and in peaks the head of a woman who Furina would call an enemy just one day ago, but now? …she doesn't know. The woman is known as The Knave, the Fourth Fatui Harbinger. But come yesterday, Furina knows her as Peruere. 

She slowly steps inside, tray in hand, and places it down on a small table by the door before snapping her fingers, igniting small flames atop scattered candles within the room. Carefully, she picks the tray back up and walks it over to Furina’s bedside table before placing it down once again. On the tray sits a generous breakfast consisting of toast, pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs, and bacon. Plentiful, yes, but well needed for the frail girl lying asleep in the bed. 

After a few seconds, Peruere quietly makes her way to a small chair and sits down as her eyes once again land on the small girl in bed. She begins to examine her, taking in just how peaceful she looks as she lies asleep. If only she remained this peaceful when she was awake… She sighs as she ponders her thoughts, wondering what she could do to help the poor girl. 

I definitely want her to stay here for at least a few more nights until she can be trusted not to do anything regrettable to herself. Also, she needs to start taking better care of herself, as she seems quite skinny and looks as if she hasn't showered in at least a week. Ugh, how could somebody so high and mighty be reduced to a mere shell of this caliber in just three weeks? 

She sighs, The people… These despicable Fontainians… How dare they just up and throw away the woman who went through 500 years of non-stop torture on their behalf so they could continue to live? Despicable... And Neuvilette… How dare he let Furina be antagonized and beaten in the streets? Or Clorinde, if only she had stayed with Furina instead of tucking tail and running away, maybe Furina wouldn't have tried to-

She cuts off her thoughts with a deep breath as her cursed arms begin to flare up in pain, her anger beginning to overtake her. This damned curse of hers… it can be useful at times, but now? A hindrance. 

She breathes out, wincing and biting her bottom lip in pain before it slowly begins to dissipate, slowly fading away. Though she wishes Furina would wake up, a pro to being alone is that she doesn't need to mask her pain. 

After a few seconds, her gaze returns to Furina as she realizes waiting here is hopeless. The girl will most likely sleep for a while longer. Peruere sighs and stands up from her chair before walking to the door and slipping out of the room. She turns right in the hall and begins her walk to Lyney and Lynette's room. 

A few seconds pass, and she arrives at the door. She lifts her hand and knocks three times before Lyney's voice calls out from inside, welcoming her in.

“Come in!” 

She slowly opens the door and steps inside. To the left of the room, Lyney sits on his bed, staring at his Father, wondering what the cause is for her visit. In the right of the room, sits another bed where Lyney’s twin sister, Lynette, lies asleep peacefully, tucked fully under her covers except for her tail, which wags slowly back and forth as she sleeps. 

Peruere steps forward, resting her gaze on Lyney’s before giving him his first order of the day. 

“I will be leaving the Hearth to have a chat with Monsieur Neuvilette, and would like you to keep an eye on Furina whilst I am out, understood?” Her voice is calm, yet commanding. 

“She is currently asleep, so it should be an easy task.”

Instead of responding immediately, Lyney stares at his father with a confused face, not understanding what is going on and why Furina is even here in the first place.

“Of course, Father. But if I may ask, what is Miss Furina doing here to begin with? It was under my understanding that the two of you weren't on good terms.” He speaks carefully, dragging out his words nervously as he waits for his father's response.

A few seconds of silence pass before she speaks up, careful not to reveal too much information about Furina. “No, we are not on the best of terms, but she requires assistance as she is not well enough to be on her own currently.”

Lyney stares up at her, contemplating his words before responding in a softer tone. “Oh, so I assume her situation is quite bad then…?”

“Yes, it is.” 

She takes a deep breath before continuing to speak in a more bitter tone. “Maybe next time you’ll think before performing another ‘magic trick’ of the sort that landed Furina in this condition in the first place.” She stops herself from continuing.

Silence befalls the two as Lyney looks up at her with eyes full of guilt. She can tell he feels awful for his leading role in Furina’s downfall, but she can tell he most likely still believes what he did was right. To be fair, Peruere does believe Furina’s secret should have come to light, just not in such a humiliating and irresponsible act. It should have been done delicately, out of care for the late Archon. 

A few more agonizing seconds of silence pass before Lyney speaks up, his voice quiet. “I’m sorry, Father.” 

Peruere sighs and turns to the door, beginning to walk out before speaking one last time. 

“I left her breakfast on her bedside table. Do be gentle with her and let her continue to rest after eating. I'll be back in roughly an hour.” She pauses, “And don't speak to her of anything to do with her time as archon. You may also tell Lynette and Freminet about her being here, but nobody else.”

The door opens, then closes as Peruere exits the room and makes her way out of the House of the Hearth, beginning her trek to the Palais Mermonia, keen to lay into Neuvilette no matter the situation. She doesn't have a meeting scheduled, but she is sure he will speak to her as Furina is the topic.

The walk is uneventful as normal, helped due to the fact that people tend to steer clear of her and don't dare to speak to her. She does have quite the reputation after all. During her walk, she attempts to contemplate what she will say to Neuvillette, but she feels lost. She never comes to meetings unprepared, so why now, why couldn't this have waited? Perhaps it's anger driving her to his office, or perhaps it's… care. 

Eventually, she arrives at the Palais Mermonia and opens its large, heavy doors before stepping inside. As she walks, she notices that even after three weeks since the trial and flood, the hall still seems to be in quite a chaotic state and filled to the brim with citizens and employees, which is a good thing. It means Peruere can slip into Neuvilette's office with less of a fuss from the Melusine employees. 

Swiftly, she makes her way to the office door and prepares to step inside, but is instead stopped in her tracks as an employee she recognizes as Sedene calls out to her.

“Uh, ma’am! Do you have an appointment?” 

Peruere sighs and curses in her head before turning and slowly walking up to the desk, which Sedene is standing behind. She reaches the counter and speaks, “No, I do not, but I must speak to him about an important and delicate matter. So if you would please let me in, it would be greatly appreciated.”

The Melusine takes a few seconds to think before breathing out and responding to Peruere’s request. “I understand… I will check if he’s busy.” 

Peruere watches as Sedene steps away from the counter and walks towards the office doors, and steps inside. 

As she waits, her mind begins to wander back to the night before, when she was with Furina on the cliffside. Just the thought of how close Furina was to losing her life makes her heart ache and churn at the thought of losing her. 

Just then, her thoughts freeze as a question pops into her mind. Just why does she care so much about this stubborn, egotistical, bratty woman known as Furina? It just doesn’t make sense, they’re complete opposites! Her mind races trying to find an answer, but everything comes up blank.

Peruere sighs and looks up as the doors to Neuvilette's office open and Sedene walks out, looking for her. Once their eyes meet, Sedene calls out, “You may go in.” 

Peruere breathes out in relief and nods, stepping forward towards the towering office doors. She stops to thank Sedene, then walks inside. 

Behind her, the doors close with a thud, vibrating the ground below her. She looks ahead and notices not only Neuvilette, but also Clorinde, both staring at her with a piercing gaze.

As she makes her way to his desk, she takes a deep breath in and, as normal, masks all of her emotions so as not to involve her own feelings in matters discussed, so the meeting can focus solely on Furina’s wellbeing. 

Reaching Neuvilette’s desk, Peruere breathes out as she pulls out a chair and takes a seat. 

“Miss Knave, I must admit it is quite unlike you to call a meeting so abruptly, so I assume you must have an important matter to discuss?” Neuvilette’s voice remains as stoic and commanding as ever, yet is plagued with a sadness that only someone with observational skills such as Peruere could pick up. She could use this to her advantage.

He continues to speak, “So to what may I owe the pleasure?”

Peruere puts one leg over the other and begins tapping her fingers in her lap, glancing at Clorinde, who is standing in the back right corner of the room, her gaze locked onto her. 

Peruere looks away and back to Neuvilette before carefully going over ways to begin her conversation in her head. She had planned to only speak to Neuvilette, but Clorinde being here means she can take out two birds with one stone; she just has to be extra cautious. 

Peruere takes a deep breath, leaning back in her chair, and begins to speak, greeting each figure separately. “Monsieur, Champion Dualist.” She nods her head a single time to each.

“The topic I wish to discuss relates to Miss Furina and her well-being after the trial, as it seems both of you are doing a poor job of keeping an eye on her.”

Peruere watches their expressions, gauging their reactions before they even speak. She patiently watches as Neuvilette’s face grows in concern, and Clorinde’s in anger, just as she expected. 

Neuvilette sits up in his chair, parting his lips to speak, but is instead cut off by Clorinde as she takes a few steps forward, speaking up in a threatening tone.

“Why?” Her voice pierces through the air, slicing its way into Peruere. She seems suspicious, as if she is already accusing her of doing something to Furina.

Peruere tilts her head and looks up, unfazed at the dualist before turning back to Neuvilette a few moments later, expecting him to speak.

Seconds pass, and the room remains silent, the air uncomfortably tense. She had thought Neuvilette would stop Clorinde, but it appears not. 

“Answer her,” Neuvilette speaks in a cold, commanding tone, breaking the silence.

Moments pass, and Peruere sighs and sits up in her chair, the situation being more tense than she had expected. She turns to Clorinde and speaks, her voice emotionless. “Clorinde, you were Miss Furina’s bodyguard whilst she was the Archon, but what about now? Are the two of you not friends?”

Clorinde stares at Peruere with a confused expression. “I don't see what this has to do with-”

“Please answer my question,” Peruere cuts her off, not wanting to derail the conversation so quickly.

Clorinde sighs and responds in an annoyed tone, “Yes, we are friends.”

Perure stays silent for a few seconds, contemplating Clorinde's answer. “...and you two are on good terms?” She asks, already knowing the answer.

“I-” Clorinde breathes out, “No, we are not.”

Peruere turns her head to Neuvilette before asking the same question, once again already knowing the answer. “What about you, Monsieur?

Neuvilette responds quietly, shaking his head. “No.”

Peruere breaths out, “Interesting.”

Now she has them right where she wants them; all that's left is for her to play her cards right.

“So it is my understanding that the two people closest to Furina aren't speaking to her currently. Given her current state, don't you think that is quite unacceptable? Do you even know where she is? Hell, if she’s even alive!?” She scoffs, looking at both people in disgust.

The room falls silent as guilt overcomes both Neuvilette and Clorinde, before being broken by a soft pattering of raindrops splashing against the window.

Neuvilette finally speaks, his voice lower than before. “Both Clorinde and I came to an agreement that she needed time alone, as both of our past meetings with her were less than pleasant.”

Peruere scoffs once again, “Did either of you even bother to keep an eye on her?”

Neuvilette sighs, “Since the flood, I have not had people spare to keep an eye on her, so no, I have not.

“And you!?” Peruere looks over at Clorinde, her anger growing.

She stays silent for a few seconds before answering in a bitter tone, “No.”

Peruere laughs, the sheer incompetence of the two being a surprise to her. Her laughter results in both people staring at her in confusion, not knowing what to do. 

Once she finally calms down, her voice becomes bitter and hate-fueled. “You two are pathetic. Lady Furina has been harassed and beaten in the streets, and you two haven't done anything about it. 

At her words, both Clorinde and Neuvilette’s expressions turn to shock.

“I would also like to state that due to your negligence, Furina’s mental state has done nothing but deteriorate to the point where she has ended up in MY care.” She pauses as a burning sensation begins to flare up in her arms as a result of her anger. 

She breathes out, pushing the pain down before continuing to speak, no longer hiding her emotions. “I want you to think about that. Think about just how dire you have let her situation become.” She stands up from her chair and glares at the two before turning to the door and beginning to walk.

“You two are damn lucky she’s alive.” She snaps her fingers, and the doors fly open. She exits the room, leaving Clorinde and Neuvilette in shock, hopefully having gotten her message. She didn't intend to be so cruel, but she has no regrets.

The pain in her arms begins to fade as she walks out of the Opera Epiclese and into the now pouring rain, smirking as the water droplets splash against her. 

She has succeeded.

Chapter Text

Atop a cliff, towering over Fontaine, stands Furina. Wind clashes against her body as she stares down into the endless abyss below her. Time begins to slow and distort as her body starts moving forward on its own, making its way off the edge. She tries to stop, but it doesn't respond to her calling; she is trapped.

Slowly, she feels herself become weightless as her body cuts through the air, tumbling rapidly into the void. She tries to scream, but as before, she is unable to utter a sound. Everfalling, the wind rips against her body as she begins picking up speed. 

Please… I don't want to die…

Seconds pass, and the fog begins to unveil, revealing a deep ocean beneath her. Just a few more seconds and everything comes to an end.

5… 

No!

4… 

3… 

NO!!!

2…

1…

“PLEASE!” Furina cries out as she jolts up her bed, a cold sweat enveloping her. She breathes in and out rapidly, frantically looking around the unfamiliar room.

Where am I!?

“Nononono, please…” Another dream, it has to be. Where else could she be? Tears begin to form in her eyes as she continues to whip her head around the room.

“Miss Furina?” A voice calls out from the corner of her room, making her jump and yelp at the same time.

“Please don’t hurt me!!” She cries out before she can think, her tears beginning to fall as she curls herself into a ball and looks into the corner, spotting a familiar figure.

Lyney?... Why?... 

Memories of last night begin to flood into Furina’s mind as she remembers what happened. 

She tried to… fall, and then The Knave- no, Peruere rescued her and brought her home with her. 

Why…

Her thoughts are cut off as Lyney speaks again, his voice now full of concern.

“Miss Furina, are you okay?” He begins standing up from his chair.

Lyney…  

She watches him as all the dots finally connect within her head.

“Lyney?” She continues to stare at him as he reaches her bed, looking down at her.

“It’s okay, Furina, you’re safe.” He speaks in a calming voice, taking a seat on her bed.

“Father is not here currently, but she left you some breakfast.” He motions to the tray of food sitting on Furina’s bedside table

Furina takes a deep breath as her expression calms, realizing she is okay. After a few seconds, she speaks in a quiet tone, her voice shaking ever so slightly. “When will she be back?” she glances at the tray of food beside her.

Lyney glances over to the grandfather clock, which is standing against the wall to Furina’s right. “Father said she would be roughly an hour, and that was thirty minutes ago.” He looks back at Furina.

“Okay…” She looks over to the clock as well. It is 11:30 in the morning. “Do you know where she went?” She looks up at him.

“Yes, she had a meeting.”

Furina nods as she turns her head back to the food tray and reaches for a glass of orange juice.

“Would you like me to heat up to food for you, Miss Furina?”

She takes a sip from the cup, softly humming in delight as a wave of refreshment overcomes her. It’s been weeks since she’s had something so sweet. “Just call me Furina, please. There's no need for formalities.” She places down the cup. “As for the food, it is okay, I don’t need it heated.” Truthfully, she doesn't even want to eat at all. 

Lyney nods, “Okay… Furina.”

She stays silent for a few seconds, thinking to herself before looking up at Lyney and speaking quietly, “Do you think I could have some time to myself to eat?”

Lyney ponders his thoughts for a few moments. His father told him to keep an eye on her, but he doesn't want to make her uncomfortable. After a few seconds, he reluctantly obliges.

“Of course.” He stands up and makes his way to the door. “I’ll be back soon, but if you need me before, mine and Lynette’s room is two to the right.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Lyney opens the door and steps out, shutting it behind him. Furina listens as his footsteps slowly grow quieter until they eventually fully dissipate.

Slowly, she turns her head to the tray of food to her left and stares at it, considering eating it just to make Peruere happy. She can’t stomach eating, but also can't stomach disappointing her, just like everybody else in her life. 

She sighs and reaches out, picking up the tray and bringing it to her lap. There's so much food… Moments pass, and she continues to stare at the food blankly. I need to eat, I need to make Peruere happy . She slowly grabs a piece of toast, brings it to her mouth, and takes a bite before swallowing. Okay… not so bad . She takes another bite, then another.

Before long, Furina has eaten the toast and eggs, having dipped her toast in them. After a few sips of her orange juice, she starts on the pancakes and hashbrowns, humming in delight as the soft texture of the pancakes melts in her mouth. Oh, how long it's been since she’s had a meal made with care.

Some more time passes, and she finishes her breakfast, having left the bacon as she doesn't like the texture. She picks up the tray and places it back on the table before moving to the edge of the bed, feeling refreshed. 

Furina stands up and heads to the bathroom, which is connected to the room. After doing her business, she returns and makes her way to a small bookshelf that is sitting against the back wall. She looks through the books, and to her surprise, finds something she hasn't read. 

Over the past 500 years, she has read pretty much every book she could find, so finding something new is an absolute delight to her. She picks it up and heads back to the bed, lying back down. She makes herself comfortable and opens it up before beginning to read.

Eventually, she is interrupted by a knock on her door. Her heart begins to race as she doesn't know who it is; she can't just stay silent; she needs to say something.

“Come in…” Her voice is quiet and nervous.

The door opens, and in walks Lyney, resulting in Furina letting out a breath of relief.

“I see you've eaten your food,” he smiles at her as he steps towards her.

“Yes, it was quite good, thank you.” She closes her book and places it on her lap, giving him her attention. 

“Do you need anything?” He picks up the food tray, looking at Furina.

“Uhm…” She thinks to herself. She kind of wants more orange juice, but doesn't want to be a burden to him. But oh, how good it tasted… After a few moments of careful deliberation, she responds, “No, I’m okay, thank you.”

He nods, “Of course.”

Maybe next time…

“Alright, well, I will leave you be once again. I’ll let father know to come right in when she’s back, okay?”

“Okay.” She smiles at him before he turns around and exits the room, leaving her alone once again.

Furina stares at the now closed door longingly as she waits for Peruere’s return. She doesn't know what to say to her, but she is thankful. She is also dying to learn more about this side of Peruere, compared to her more unsavory bits. She is still in a bit of shock at how she has been treated by her, but it is quite comforting. 

After a minute or two, Furina is taken out of her thoughts by the sound of intense rain, splashing against her window. She turns around to face it and stares outside, admiring the rain from afar. It has rained so much these past weeks… I hope Neuvilette is okay. She sadly turns her gaze back down to her book and slowly opens it back up and finding where she left off. 

To Furina, the story is nothing special, and the characters are bland, but it's something to read nonetheless. After a while, she sighs and closes the book, leaning back into bed. She gently taps her hands against her thighs as she looks around the room, taking it in since she’ll probably be here for a few days at least. She always thought the House of the Hearth would be dark and brooding inside, but in reality, it is quite homely and comforting. The walls are dark green, blending well with the older style decor made from dark, brown stained wood. 

Soon enough, her mind turns to Peruere as she begins to ponder how she feels about her. To be honest, she is utterly terrifying, but after the past day, also charming and sweet. Her mind clashes as she tries to figure out how she truly feels about her situation.

Peruere tried to kill her just a few months ago, and Lyney played a huge part in her trial, both contributing to her long list of traumas, and now she's living with them. Is she truly safe?

Her thoughts run short as soft knocks beat against her door, signaling another visitor. Just as last time, her heart begins to race as she quietly speaks out, just loud enough to be heard on the other end of the door. “Come in…”

Furina waits anxiously as the door opens and breathes out in relief as Peruere reveals herself in the doorframe before stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

“Miss Furina, you're finally awake.” She smiles, her voice is gentle and soothing as she makes her way to Furina’s bed.

Furina sits up and nods her head, speaking in a quiet voice, “Yeah, I’ve been up for twenty or so minutes.” She pauses, “Uhm, thank you so much for the breakfast, it was really good.” She attempts to smile at her.

“Excellent, I’m glad you liked it. May I sit down?” She motions to the edge of her bed.

Funa nods, “Mhmm.”

Peruere takes a seat and turns her gaze to Furina, speaking calmly. “I had a chat with Neuvilette and Clorinde, and I believe I got my message across to them. Hopefully, Neuvilette can help change the public perception of you.” She breathes in, “As for Clorinde, I did not intend to meet with her, but as she was already in the office, I confronted her about her lack of action when it came to looking after you in your time of need.”

Furina’s eyes widen, and her heart begins to race. “Did you tell Clorinde I’m here?”

“I mentioned that you're under my care, yes.”

She begins to scratch at her arms anxiously, “Did she say anything about coming here to see me? I- I don't want to talk to her right now.” 

“She did not, no, but I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to visit. Would you like me to turn her down if so?” She tilts her head, concern in her voice.

“Oh, uhm…” She averts her gaze. Why is she so kind?... After a few moments, she finally responds, faking confidence. “No, that won't be necessary.”

“Are you sure?” Peruere tilts her head.

Furina nods

“Okay.”

Silence falls between the two before Peruere speaks up, asking Furina a question. “Would you like to take a shower? There should be some spare clothes in the drawers for you.”

Furina doesn't respond.

“Furina?” Peruere speaks in a louder tone, trying to gain her attention.

“Oh, uhm, yes?” Furina looks up at her, having not listened to Perueres' previous question. Furina’s mind is racing out of control at the thought of Clorinde paying her a visit, as there would be no way to avoid speaking of heavy topics which she is not ready for. Clorinde definitely knows something happened… please don't be disappointed… her breathing begins to pick up.

“Furina, please.”

“Sorry!” She quickly meets Perueres' gaze.

Peruere breathes out, “Are you okay, Furina?”

“I- no, how could I!” Furina cries out, her emotions getting the best of her. “I almost died yesterday, then my almost killer saved me and took me to her home, now I have to worry about Clorinde most likely knowing I did something bad, and then reliving that trauma, I-” she trails off as the reality of her situation finally starts to sink in. 

Furina speaks quietly as tears start to fall from her eyes, “I… I shouldn't be alive.” Her breathing starts to become erratic as her heart rate quickens. “I should be dead!” She frantically looks up at Peruere.

“But you’re here now, aren't you?” Peruere tilts her head as she speaks.

“Am I?!” She cries out.

“Of course you are.”

“I…” Furina trails off as she begins to return to reality.

She wipes her eyes, “I'm sorry, I… I know I am,” she looks down, “just everything feels so numb.” She looks up at Peruere, meeting her gaze, but promptly breaks it. “I was fine when I woke up, but now I just don’t feel like me.” She takes a shaky breath in, “...Well, I guess I never did, but…” she trails off. 

Peruere nods her head, “I understand, Furina.” She pauses, “That numb feeling is a natural response after experiencing something traumatic.” She stares down at her, her expression sincere.

Furina stares at the ground before speaking quietly, her voice shaking. “Just how much is enough?” Tears pat against her thighs, “My whole life… 500 years, has just been one long thread of traumas, never ending.” She looks up at Peruere, “and don't forget, you're to blame for some of them.” She looks away as her expression saddens even more.

Guiltridden, Peruere stays silent and ponders her words. After a few seconds, she speaks, her voice quieter than before. “Furina, Im so sorry.” She pauses, “Please understand that my past actions towards you weren't done out of hatred or-”

“I know,” Furina cuts her off, her voice growing quieter, “I know…” She looks up, “But it still happened. You held a blade to my throat and- and threatened to kill me, Knave!” She looks away before crying out, “I couldn't sleep for days- no, weeks, months!!”

Being called by her title causes a falter in Peruere’s expression, and she remains silent. She caused irreparable damage to Furina, and the self-guilt and shame is overwhelming. She doesn't know what to say, what words could possibly convey her feelings. 

“Furina, I…” She can’t bring herself to speak; she has no words. She stares at the ground, too full of shame to look Furina in the eyes. Why does she feel like this? This has never happened before.

Both women remain in silence for what feels like hours, neither knowing what to say. The only noises heard are the soft ticking of the clock and the heavy rain that clashes against the window.

Finally breaking the silence, Furina finally speaks. “Peruere, please look at me,” She calls out to her, slight calmness returning in her voice.

Peruere slowly lifts her head to Furina’s, their eyes meeting. For a few seconds, they just stare at each other, a mutual calm coming over them.

Furina breaks the silence and speaks slowly, not even sure of her own words. “Months ago, you tried to take my life… but now, you’re the reason I’m alive.” She pauses, nervously scratching her arm,  “You saved me, Peruere, and because of that,” She takes a deep breath, “I’m willing to give you a second chance.” She stops before speaking once again, “…I think.” She looks down, her hands shaking.

Once again, the room falls into silence. Peruere slightly averts her gaze in shock, now even more lost with her words. Would Furina really forgive her just like that? She takes a shaky breath. Does she truly want to be forgiven?

No. She is far undeserving. The damage done far outweighs what could be forgiven; it could never be undone. She takes another shaking breath and slowly looks back up at Furina, her eyes widening as she sees that Furina is already staring at her.

Peruere finally speaks, her voice shaking ever so slightly. “Furina, I am far undeserving-”

“Peruere, please don’t,” she cuts her off.

Peruere stops talking, her mouth left slightly agape. She stares at Furina anxiously, awaiting her words. Why can’t she stop shaking? What happened? These emotions she's feeling are beyond foreign to her. She has spent her past years trying to be as stoic and emotionless as possible, so why now must she falter?  

“I know you don’t think you are deserving, Peruere.” She pauses, choosing her words, “and I… I’m not completely sure if you are either…” She averts her gaze.

A dagger to the chest; Peruere looks down.

“But still, I want to forgive you.” She takes a deep breath, “As I said before, you saved my life, Peruere.” She speaks in a sad tone, a small smile appearing on her face.

A few moments pass, and Peruere nods her head, looking back up. She doesn't speak immediately as she can’t bring herself to. She is so far out of her league and most surprisingly of all, scared.

Finally, she brings herself to speak, her words slow and sad. “At least can you let me earn it?” She places her hand over the other, trying to calm her shaking. 

“You already have,” Furina smirks sadly at her.

Peruere remains silent, her gaze not leaving Furina’s. Furina examines her sad expression, taking in the unfamiliar sight. Even though she is silent, her face speaks a thousand words as if she is begging her. 

“...okay,” Furina speaks quietly, looking away out of instinct.

“Thank you.” Peruere’s voice shakes as she speaks, along with her hands. 

“Uhm, there are clothes in the drawers if you would like to shower.” She motions to the drawer by the bathroom door, barely able to keep her hand steady.

Furina notices just how badly Peruere is shaking, and her mouth opens in shock. She wants to bring it up, but decides against it as she can tell Peruere desperately wants to change the conversation.

Furina nods and speaks quietly, “Alright…” She begins to scoot herself to the edge of the bed.

Peruere watches as Furina moves herself over. Once she reaches the edge, she speaks, her voice quiet. “I will let you shower now.” She stands up. “I’ll be back in half an hour, okay?” She doesn't dare look at her.

Furina nods, standing up as well. “Okay…” She doesn't look to Peruere either. Though they came to an agreement, the air is still tense and uncomfortable. “I’ll see you then.” She looks up at her before looking away once again.

Peruere nods and makes her way to the door, taking one last look at Furina and leaving. She closes the door quietly and turns left down the hall before stepping into her office. Once inside, she takes a deep breath and looks down at her trembling hands, cursing herself as she does so. Eventually, she makes her way to her desk and takes a seat, before staring blankly into the room.

Why does she feel like this? Her emotions are overwhelming. This shouldn't be happening. She breaths out a shaky breath and rests her head in her hands, her emotions only getting worse since she’s alone and no longer needs to hide them. 

For the first time in what seems like years, tears begin to well up in her eyes before gradually beginning to fall. She drives her nails into her forehead as her quiet sobs begin to fill up the room.

Chapter Text

After having a long chat about their past together, Peruere and Furina bid farewell to each other. Furina watches as Peruere gets up from her bed and heads towards the door. As she walks, Furina subconsciously lowers her gaze, surprising even herself. Furina! 

Once Peruere has left the room, Furina pulls herself back together and thinks back to her mentioning that there are supplies for her to shower, so that's exactly what she plans to do. 

After a few minutes of procrastination, Furina stands herself up and makes her way over to the drawer to the right of her bed and opens it, browsing through the assortment of clothes inside. 

Eventually, her gaze lands on an oversized white shirt and a pair of black shorts, along with some undergarments. While they aren't her typical style, they look comfortable enough and will have to make do. She takes the clothes and heads to the bathroom, placing them down on the counter.

After a few moments to make herself familiar with the shower, she turns on the water before beginning to undress. Eventually, she steps in and begins to wash herself, making sure to take her time, as for the first time in a while, she has the motivation to give herself proper care.

Once she finishes up, she dries herself off and puts on her new clothes, which are more comfortable than she thought they’d be. She makes her way to the mirror and stares at herself, studying her every aspect and taking in just how different she looks compared to three weeks ago. She has grown skinny, weak, and her eyes look void of life. 

She sighs and reaches for a toothbrush, which seems to have been placed by the sink, just for her. It’s been weeks since she last brushed, and she hates herself for it, but again, she might as well take advantage of this newly found motivation, even if it probably won't last long.

She turns on the sink and wets the toothbrush before applying toothpaste and wetting it again. As she brushes, she makes sure to count how many times she brushes each side, so as to give each side its fair share of cleanliness. Her whole life, she has been quite specific with how she brushes, and this is no different. 

After two minutes pass, she spits out the toothpaste, which is stained red with blood. She sighs, cursing herself for not taking proper care of her body, and puts the toothbrush away before stepping out of the room. She makes her way back to her bed and lies down, wrapping herself in the covers.

Furina lies on her back with her arm over her eyes as she begins to think about what would happen if/when Clorinde tries to visit her. She knows the conversation would be serious and emotional, and that she probably couldn't handle it right now. She already had one talk of the sort with Peruere, which she wasn't prepared for, so the thought of another one is exhausting and terrifying.

After careful deliberation, she decides that if Clorinde does visit, she is going to be completely honest, no matter how emotional or hurtful her words may be. She just doesn't have the energy to hide or sugarcoat things. Plus, Chloride is whom she considers her best friend, even if they're on bad terms, so hiding something this serious from her doesn't feel right, even though she did it to her for years.

…

Before Furina showered, Peruere said she’d be back in thirty minutes, and by now, about that much time has about passed. She groans, looking back from the clock and reaches for her book, aiming to kill the remaining time until she returns. 

As she reads, her last interaction with Peruere begins to replay in her mind, slowly taking up more and more of her focus until it is all she can think about. She takes a deep breath out, trying to suppress her growing anxiety as her heartbeat quickens in her chest.

She’s never seen Peruere so emotional, so lost and distraught. It was like seeing a different person entirely, someone so caring and full of emotion, it's so uncharacteristic. Why could she possibly want? It has to be something, right? She's probably just using me, just like everyone else in my life. Her hand anxiously begins to scratch at her arm as her worries grow stronger. She’s manipulating me… An expression of sadness grows on her face as she looks down, realizing all this was too good to be true. Why would someone even care about her in the first place? 

As she stares down blankly, her mind pauses. No… She furrows her eyebrows. That can’t possibly be it! She quickly sits up and puts down her book before grabbing a pillow and placing it on her lap, wrapping her arms around it. Stupid Furina! She looks up. She looked so scared yesterday, like the thought of me dying was terrifying to her. But why? She taps her fingers against her pillow, and today! She pauses , she met with Neuvillette and Clorinde on my behalf, seemingly only to help me! And our conversation… I've never seen her so full of emotion and remorse; it was like she was begging for my forgiveness! A smirk begins to grow on her face. Maybe she does care! She pauses, Ugh, but why!? I just can't figure it out! Furina sighs. Yesterday she let herself be vulnerable and told me she can sympathize with my pain, at least the dying part… She curls her legs to her chest and hugs the pillow, breathing out. Just what has she been through…

All sorts of scenarios run rampant in Furina’s mind, yet each one of them comes to a dead end. Ugh, she's practically a ghost! I don't know a thing about her! She grunts in annoyance and leans back onto the bed, lying back down in frustration. After staring at the ceiling for a few seconds, she huffs and turns her head to the clock. Ugh, she should have been back twenty minutes ago! 

Furina sits herself back up and returns the pillow to the head of her bed neatly. She scoots herself to the edge and stands up before making her way to the door. Might as well go explore… She reaches for the doorknob and lets her hand rest on it for a few seconds before opening the door. She peeks out of the room, making sure nobody else is there, then steps out once the coast is clear. It’s not like she’s not allowed out; she would just prefer not to talk to anybody but Peruere for now. 

She closes the door behind her and notices a small label on it. “Guest room one…” She whispers to herself before patting her hands anxiously on her thighs and turning around, making a left and heading towards the main room, making sure to read the labels on each door on her way there. “Heloir… Foltz…” She stops in her tracks, spotting a door labeled ‘Father’s Office.’ She stands in front of it, staring at the sign, debating whether or not she should knock. Peruere’s probably in there, and she is late, so… She slowly lifts her hand and taps gently against the door in a short rhythm, ‘Tap, tap tap, tap, tap,’ and waits for an answer.

Seconds pass, and her heart has begun to speed up in her chest. As she is about to walk away, a voice which Furina immediately identifies as Peruere’s echoes through the door.

“Come in.”

Furina lets out a deep breath and slowly opens the door before peeking inside, resulting in a surprised look from Peruere. She slowly makes her way into the room and closes the door behind her.

“Are you okay, Miss Furina?”

Furia stares at her awkwardly for a few seconds before speaking, her voice weak. “Just Furina, please. And uhm, yes, I’m okay.” She steps forward into the room and makes her way slowly to the desk. “You said you’d be back in thirty minutes, almost an hour ago, so I came looking…” She gently tugs at her hair.

“Oh, uhm, yes.” Peruere sits up in her chair. “I got caught up in work, pardon me for the delay.” She pauses, “Tell me, did the shower fit all of your needs? I’d be happy to get you anything you may require.”

“Yes, it was okay.” She speaks quietly and sits down in a chair across from Peruere. She takes a deep breath and returns her gaze to her before attempting to make conversation. “So… what kind of work were you caught up in?”

Peruere looks at her for a few seconds before speaking, “I am sorry, Furina, but that information is confidential.” She pauses, “Just… Fatui matters.” She leans against her desk.

“Oh… sorry.” She looks down.

Peruere stares at her for a few moments, debating what to say. “What about your room? Does that too meet all your needs?”

Furina nods, “Yes.” 

“Good, so all is well then?”

Furina nods and looks up at her, “I wanted to ask you something, Peruere.”

She tilts her head, “Oh? Well, do speak, I’d be happy to provide you with an answer.”

“Okay, uh…” Furina’s voice is quiet and slightly shaky, “After you saved me, you said that you also know how it feels to uhm… contemplate uh…” She looks down, trailing off and beginning to fidget with her hands.

Peruere stares at her for a few seconds, not too keen on expressing vulnerabilities. “I believe I did, yes.” She clears her throat.

Furina slowly looks up at her before speaking quietly, “Why?”

Seconds pass, and Peruere remains silent. Furina looks down at her hands and notices her finger slowly tapping against her desk. Is she nervous? 

After a few moments, Furina brings herself to speak up. “I- I didn't mean to overstep.” Her hands begin to shake ever so slightly.

Peruere speaks, “You did not overstep, it is okay. It is natural to want answers, no? She takes a deep breath before continuing to speak, providing Furina with her answer. “Due to past events of mine, I have lost most of my reasons to stay.” She stops, “And as time goes on, you would think it’d get easier, but… It doesn't.” Her expression falters as she lets out her breath, “All the reasons I find nowadays are just reasons to go, so I try not to dwell on them.” She crosses her arms.

Furina stares at Peruere with her mouth agape. Never would she have thought she would share something so deeply personal to her. She tries to speak, but no words come out.

“I assume my answer was sufficient?” She tilts her head to the side, waiting for Furina to answer.

Furina nods, staying silent. 

A few seconds pass, and Furina forces herself to speak, “Uhm…” She looks up at Peruere nervously, “I…” A few moments pass before she forces herself to speak once again. “Thank you.” She averts her gaze for a few moments before looking back up at Peruere. As she looks into her eyes, she can finally see a deeper sadness behind her cold, dead stare. Maybe they are quite similar after all.

…

Lying in her bed, having just eaten dinner, Furina is exhausted. She has done more in one day than she has in weeks, even if it was just the bare minimum. Dinner was really good too; it consisted of Furina’s favorite pasta dish and an assortment of baked goods Peruere picked up for her, as well as a limited slice of cake from the Hotel Debord. She never realized just how much she missed food, especially the baked variety. 

She stares at the ceiling, lying on her back and smiling as her mind goes over the day. She is definitely the happiest she’s felt in weeks. Who knew being taken care of by the enemy was such a good feeling? 

During the day, she also got to properly meet the children of the Hearth. The young ones were eager to see and play with her, but the older ones were more confused than anything, though they seemed to enjoy her presence. The best thing of all was that she could just be herself and not have to hide behind one of her many masks. 

Furina’s thoughts continue to swim happily in her mind over the next few minutes, but eventually a knock on her door takes her out of it.  She looks down and to the door, sitting herself up. “Come in!” 

After a few moments, the door slowly opens, and a small boy appears in the frame. Furina looks down to meet his gaze and smiles, Fuck! What’s his name!? 

The boy looks at Furina and smiles back before speaking. “Hello Furina, Miss Clorinde is here to see you.”

Furina’s smile instantly fades. It's not that she doesn't want to see her, it's just that she’s had so many serious and emotional conversations today that she just can't handle another one, ugh, they're so draining.

“Okay, let her in.” She nods at the kid and returns his smile, though this time it is fake. 

The boy steps away from the door, in into frame steps Clorinde, who stops in her tracks to look at her. Furina can barely see her, but she can tell that she is in a rough state. She is also holding her hat in her hands, which is uncommon for her.

“Hello, Clorinde.” She speaks quietly before patting her bed in front of her, signaling Clorinde to come in and sit. Okay, just like I said earlier. No hiding or sugarcoating anything.

A second or two come to pass, and Clorinde steps into the room, closing the door behind her, all while staying silent.

Furina watches as she slowly makes her way to the bed and takes a seat, not even looking at her. After a few moments, she places her hat down on the bed and slowly turns her head to face Furina.

Furina’s eyes widen in shock as her gaze meets Clorinde’s. She looks like she’s been crying for hours…

“Hi… Furina.” She chokes on her words, as if she’s desperately trying not to break.

Furina looks down at Clorinde’s shaking hands and then back up to meet her gaze. She places a sad smile on her lips and speaks. “Hello…”

The room falls into silence for a few long, tense seconds until, eventually, finding her voice, Clorinde begins to speak, trying to hide the shakiness in her voice. “I was going to come sooner, but Navia wouldn't let me, I-” She looks down, having trailed off. A few moments pass and she continues to speak, “She doesn't know I’m here.” She looks up to face Furina as a small, sad smile begins to grow on her lips.

Furina chuckles, speaking quietly, “I didn't take you as the rebellious type.”

Clorinde returns her faint laugh, “Me neither.”

The two stare at each other for a few short seconds before Clorinde’s lips begin to tremble. She looks down as tears begin to well up in her eyes and picks up her hat, squeezing it harshly in her hands. Before long, the tense silence is broken by Clorinde’s breathing, which has now become erratic. Slowly, she turns her gaze back to Furina’s as tears begin to pour down her face. She speaks quietly as her voice breaks. “I needed to see you.” She looks back down as her cries become louder.

Across from Clorinde, Furina stares at her with a sad, guilty expression. She is beyond uncomfortable and unknowing of what to say or do. Seeing Clorinde in this state hurts more than she could have imagined. I’m so sorry… She speaks in her head, not daring to outload at this moment. She needs to let Clorinde have all the time she needs.

“I should have been there, I’m so sorry!” Clorinde cries out, her voice breaking even more as her cries grow louder. 

Furina gives her a sad smile as she continues to stare at her. 

“I failed you, Furina.” She tries to breathe in but chokes on her breath. 

“Please take deep breaths…” Furina speaks quietly, trying to be comforting.

A few moments pass, and Clorinde has begun trying to take her advice. She breaths in and out, choking on her tears as she does so. Before long, Clorinde’s tears have stopped, and she stares at Furina in silence.

She continues to breathe in and out, trying to gain control of herself. After a few moments, she speaks slowly, her voice no longer shaking as much. “Furina, please, I need to know…” She pauses.

Furina closes her eyes and breaths out, preparing herself for the question. She knows exactly what Clorinde is going to ask; all that's left is a few short moments. Okay, Furina, just like you said. No sugarcoating, no hiding. By now, Clorinde’s entire body is shaking, and Furina can practically hear her heartbeat. 

Furina takes one last deep breath in as Clorinde begins to continue, her voice back to shaking as it was before, if not worse. She seems terrified.

“Furina…” She chokes on her words, “Did you try to take your own life?” She stares at Furina with eyes full of guilt, fear, and sadness as she waits for her answer.

Seconds pass, and Furina too begins to shake as she thinks back to last night. She doesn't want to tell Clorinde, as she is terrified of her reaction, but she knows she has to.

More time passes, and Clorinde’s expression continues to drop as she begins to realize Furina’s answer. “Furina?...” She shakily breaths out as she stares at her in fear. “Please…” 

Tears begin to well up in Furina’s eyes as she begins to fully realize the severity of the situation. How do you tell your best friend that you tried to kill yourself? Tears begin to fall from her eyes as she slowly begins to nod her head up and down, not daring to speak.

For a few seconds, it seems like Clorinde is unfazed by her answer, but before long, she quietly speaks before breaking down into sobs. “Thank you.”

Furina wipes her eyes as she continues to cry softly, a contrast to Clorinde’s eventual wailing. She stares at the dualist before slowly beginning to scoot herself closer to her and wrapping her arms around her tightly. 

Quietly, Furina speaks into her ear, attempting to comfort her. “I’m still here… I’m alive.” Furina’s efforts are in vain, and Clorinde’s cries become even louder. She has never seen Clorinde like this or anywhere near the sort.

Furina begins to slowly run her hand through Clorinde’s hair, once again trying to be of comfort, and this time it seems to help. 

Slowly, Clorinde’s cries begin to slow before eventually coming to a halt. She breaks out of Furina’s hug and turns herself around before hugging her tightly, terrified of letting her go. “I’m so happy you're here.” She squeezes Furina even tighter.

Furina hugs her back as tightly as she can and sadly smiles at Clorinde, “I’m happy I'm here too.” A lone tear falls from her eyes as she lays her head on Clorinde’s shoulder.

…

Time comes to pass, and the two have spent their time talking about life and whatnot, just making normal conversation like everything is fine, which is relieving to Furina. To be fair, her whole interaction with Clorinde went a lot better than she expected.

More time passes, and Clorinde has begun to steer the conversation back to more serious topics as she aims to touch up on Furina’s current living situation. She sits herself up straight and looks down at Furina before speaking in a calmer and more collected tone. “Do you feel safe living here, Furina? It was under my assumption that you and the Knave weren't on good terms, no?” She pauses, “I just would have thought that this would be the last place you’d want to be.”

Furina stays silent for a few seconds as she decides what to say. To be fair, she expected this topic to come up eventually; she just wishes she had put more thought into it beforehand. “I feel safe here, yes.” She pauses and looks up to meet Clorinde’s gaze. “This is actually the most comfortable I’ve felt in a long time.” A faint smile appears on her face.

Clorinde stares at her for a few moments before nodding her head, “That's good, I’m happy for you.” She pauses, “Though I must ask, how did you end up here in the first place?”

“Oh, uhm, Peruere is the one who saved me. She asked if I would come and stay with her until I'm better, and I took her up on the offer.” She smiles at Clorinde as she thinks about just how kind Peruere has been to her. It’s only been a day, and yet she feels fully comfortable around her and even enjoys her company, if not looks forward to it. She wouldn't mind staying here forever.

Clorinde nods her head, finding Furina’s answer sufficient. She takes a few moments before speaking up in a questioning tone. “Peruere?”

“Oh, Uhm! The Knave, yes.”

“Ah, okay. And you two are alright? She tilts her head.

“Mhmm,” She nods her head, “Yes, she’s been very friendly and caring.” She pauses, “It is very comforting to see this side of her.” She smiles.

“Alright.” Clorinde smiles and nods, “I’m happy to see that you’re doing okay now, Furina.” She takes a few moments before continuing to speak. “I just wanted to apologize again for not being there for you. If I knew-”

“It's okay, Clorinde.” Furina cuts her off, “I’m still here and I’m safe. What's in the past is in the past.” She stops to smile at her before continuing. “What matters is that you're here now. Plus, I wasn't that nice to be around those weeks ago, so I understand why you decided to give me space.” 

In truth, Furina is quite upset with her for leaving, but she wouldn't dare show it. She could never imagine leaving somebody who was in such a dire state. She doesn't hold a grudge against her, but she definitely lost respect.

Clorinde smiles but takes her time to answer. Furina can tell she feels guilty, but doesn't expect Clorinde to act upon it; she’s just not the type. 

Eventually, Clorinde starts to stand herself up and looks down at Furina. “I should probably get going now…” She chuckles, “Either Navia’s getting worried or on her way over here to give me an earful.” She smiles. “I’m really glad we got to talk, Furina.”

She stares up at her, returning her smile, “Me too.” 

Clorinde begins to make her way to the door before turning around, “You're welcome to come by for dinner whenever you want, just send a letter so we can make a date, okay?” 

“Of course!”

The two stare at each other for a few moments before Clorinde breaks the silence. “Goodbye, Furina.” 

“Bye Clorinde!” 

The two exchange smiles before Clorinde leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

Furina’s gaze remains fixed on the door while she lets out a deep breath she's been holding in since Clorindes' arrival. After a few moments, she wraps herself up in her blanket and lies down, keen to go to sleep after this ever-exhausting day and not think about it anymore. She is so tired. 

Within minutes, the room goes silent as faint snores escape Furina’s lips as she falls into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter Text

It’s been almost a week since Furina arrived at the House of the Hearth, and she couldn't be happier. The past days have been lovely and full of bonding with the members of the Hearth, especially Peruere, whom she managed to do the impossible and befriend. 

This week has been her best in a long time, and she is keen to keep it this way. She has made sure to spend time every day with the children, cook dinner occasionally, and even go so far as to help Peruere with her work, who was quite reluctant at first but has seemed to let up.

…

In Perueres' office, Furina sits across from her, scanning a document, checking for mistakes, and ensuring it's okay to send out. Peruere, on the other hand, is filling out more documents at lightning speed and placing them in Furina’s pile, trying to finish up quickly so she can relax.

“Hey, make sure to take your time, so it’s less work for me,” Furina teases Peruere before looking back down to her document and continuing to read over it, soon taking a second to quietly chuckle as Peruere lets out an exaggerated scoff.

Just like the last one, the page is exceptional. She places it in a small basket before reaching over and sliding another document to herself, and then begins to read it. As she reaches the end, she spots a small punctuation error and sticks her hand out to Peruere, humming and motioning for her to hand her quill over. 

“Hmm?” Peruere glances over and gently places it in her hand.

Furina takes the quill and turns her document over, sliding it over to Peruere. She presses her finger down onto it and looks up at her, speaking in a gentle, guiding tone. “Make sure you’re using Periods, Peruere. Look, this sentence runs on without stop.” She wags her finger before taking the quill and dotting down a period.

“You speak to me like I'm a small child, Furina.” Peruere smirks and tilts her head.

“Well, maybe stop making silly mistakes then, and I’ll treat you like the grown woman you are!” She hands back the quill and places the now fixed paper in her basket

“Tell me, how many mistakes have I made today?”

“Uhm…” Furina takes a few moments to think to herself. “Just that one, but I’m keeping count!” She smiles gleefully at her, loving the position she’s in.

Perure scofs, “Come on, is this really that necessary then?”

“Well, if you want to remain such a high-class, professional diplomat, then yes!” She pauses, “These papers should be spotless!”

Perere's gaze rests on Furina's for a few moments as she lets out a soft laugh, then sighs. “Yes, ma’am,” she smirks before getting back to work.

Furina stares at her, smiling, and looks down as a hint of red engulfs her face. She absolutely adores the banter between them, and even just being around her is enough to brighten up her day.

Document after document, they continue to power through their work until Peruere slides over the final page to Furina. 

“Alright, this is the last of them,” Peruere puts away her quill and leans back in her chair.

Furina quickly scans over it and places it into the basket, completing the stack of papers. She lets out a long sigh as she, too, leans back in her chair. She breaths in and turns her gaze to Peruere. “Sooo, what now?” She pats her hands against her thighs.

“Uhm,” Peruere glances over at the clock and back to Furina, “I was thinking you and I could go out for dinner tonight.” She pauses, “As long as you're feeling up to it.” Her voice is soft and gentle.

Moments pass, and Furina stays silent as her head begins to reace. The thought of going out is terrifying after her experience last time at the laundromat. “Uhm…” She begins to scratch at her arm.

Peruere, noticing her uneasiness, continues to speak. “It’s been almost a week since you’ve been out, so I feel it would be beneficial for you. I will be there too, if that's any comfort.”

Furina thinks long and hard, trying to come up with any excuse she can to avoid going. “But I don't have any money…”

“That is perfectly fine, I was planning to treat you anyway,” A smirk grows between her lips.

“Oh…” She looks down.

Ughhhh, I have to accept this, don't I…

Seconds pass, and the room is silent. Furina stays staring down at her thighs, while Perueres' gaze remains fixed on her.

“Furina?”

“Oh! Uhm, sorry…” She quickly looks back up, “We can go… but I’m ordering the most expensive thing I can!”

Peruere chuckles, “That is perfectly fine. I always treat my guests~” Her voice twangs with a hint of playfulness.

“Ah-” Furina’s eyes go wide, and her cheeks immediately flush with redness. She quickly hides her face as her thoughts begin to run rampant. Archons, her voice! Why is she speaking like that!?

As Furina’s mind goes crazy, Peruere stares at her with a smug, if not proud expression. In truth, she didn't mean to speak in that tone, but Fuina’s reaction has made it worth it.

Fuck I’ve been silent for too long, I need to say something before she gets suspicious! She quickly looks up and tries to speak, but her words come out faster than she can talk. “Yes! Uhm, thank you! When are we leaving!?” She awkwardly smiles.

Peruere can’t help but laugh at Furina’s frantic attempt to seem unfazed. “We can leave whenever you wish.” A small smile grows on her face.

“Oh, uhm, okay.” Furina turns her head to the clock and then back, “Can we leave in an hour or so?” Her voice returns to its previous nervousness.

“Of course.” Peruere nods.

…

As time passes, Furina begins to get herself ready, putting in extra effort into dressing herself up and making sure she looks the best she can. After taking an embarrassingly long time to pick her outfit, she settles on a fancy white top, a dark blue jacket, and a scarf for her top, then pairs it with black high-waisted shorts and knee-high tights for her bottom. Lastly, to top everything off, she ties a bright blue bow in her hair.

Furina heads to the mirror and inspects herself, ensuring she meets her own high standards. Once she fixes her hair and gets the all clear, she exits her room and makes her way to Peruere’s.

Once she reaches her door, she knocks in her usual rhythm and waits for a response. She waits patiently as she listens to the sounds of fumbling from inside. What is she doing? As seconds pass, her patience eventually starts to dwindle, and she calls out through the door, “Peruere, it’s me, can I come in?”

“One moment!”

“Okay!” Furina waits anxiously on the other side of the door, gently running her nails up and down her arm.

After a few more seconds, Perueres' voice returns from inside her room. “Okay, you can come in!”

 A smile grows on Furina’s face, and she steps in, closing the door behind her. “Hello!”

Peruere turns to look at her and stops once she sees her. A second passes before she speaks, “Well, you look quite nice.” She smiles, “If I had known you were dressing up, I would have put more effort into my appearance.”

Peruere’s compliment takes Furina by surprise, eliciting a slight blush on her face. “Th- Thank you!” Calm yourself, Furina. “There's no need for dressing up, you already look lovely.” 

Peruere smiles and speaks, her voice calm, “Why, thank you, Furina.” She crosses her arms, “Now, to what may I own the pleasure?

“Oh, I was wondering if I could borrow your makeup? Mine is still at my apartment.” She pauses, “I was also wondering if I could stop there on the way back to pick up some things, if that's okay?”

“Of course, you can borrow mine, though the selection may be a bit sparse.” She motions to a small table with a mirror and chair. “And yes, we can stop at your apartment on the way back if you wish.”

“Thank you so much,” she says as she makes her way over and takes a seat. 

Furina examines the contents on the table, sorting things into collections of what she can and cannot use. “Ugh, I haven't done makeup in weeks.” She sighs.

“I can do it for you if you want.” She makes her way to the table. 

“Oh, uhm,” is she really offering..? “You can try if you want, just know I'm quite picky with my designs.” She smirks

“Alright then, let’s see…” She kneels down and reaches for the foundation. She gently lifts it to Furina’s face and examines it. “I think our skin tones are close enough to match.” She reaches for her arm, “Here, give me your arm for a second.”

Furina obliges and lifts her arm, only for it to be taken by Peruere. She gently squeezes out a small dab and spreads it on Furina’s arm, checking if it matches.

“Ah, perfect.” She takes out a makeup wipe and removes it from her arm.

After discarding the wipe, she turns back to Furina, “Alright, now look at me.” 

Furina follows her command and turns her direction. “Be gentle, please, I’m delicate.” Furina smirks before continuing, “Also!” She points her finger into the air, “Don’t go stabbing me with one of your knife-like nails!” Her finger moves in a downward motion until it is directed at Perueres' face. “I mean, seriously! I don't know how you're not constantly hurting yourself with them!” She closes her eyes as Peruere starts applying foundation.

“Years of practice, I suppose.” Peruere softly chuckles.

“Yeah, but why?” She opens her eyes.

Peruere stops, “They come in surprisingly useful.” She lays down the foundation and grabs the brush. 

Furina tilts her head, insinuating Peruere to continue.

She sighs, “Work reasons, mainly. They make good use whenever I’m unarmed or if I need to make a quick threat,” She pauses to focus, “I suppose they also come in useful when I need to open things.”

“Ah, I see…” Furina opens her eyes to look at Peruere, “When you say unarmed, do you mean you’ve used them to fight?” 

Peruere nods, “A couple times, yes.” 

“Oh…” Her gaze lowers to meet Perueres' nails. They look even more terrifying now… 

“...and you're sure you won't accidentally nick me with them?” Furina falters as she looks back up at Peruere.

She smiles, “Of course, like I said, I’ve had my fair share of practice.”

…

The walk to the restaurant went by much more smoothly than she expected, though that was mainly due to Peruere's help. She noticed that people tend to steer clear of her, which made it a lot easier. Furina also noticed that Peruere was shooting dirty looks at anybody who dared to look at her. Light rain also trickled against the street, giving Furina the opportunity to share an umbrella with Peruere. 

During the walk, the thought of how the media may react to her being with Peruere struck her head on. Sure, she’s not the archon anymore, but she is still quite the icon, and that may mean she could be due for yet another scandal. Ugh, she’ll deal with that when she has to. Tonight is about her and Peruere, and she is keen to keep it about just that.

The two arrived at The Hotel Debord, which was a pleasant surprise to Furina. It was always her favorite place to eat when she was archon; she was practically there every day. She even had her own table with the best window view in the building. It’s been over a month now since she was last here; hopefully, they still serve her favorites.

…

When Furina said she was going to order the most expensive thing on the menu, she was not lying. Before her lies a generous amount of dishes, consisting of sweets, baked goods, her favorite pastas, and much more. Peruere, on the other hand, has ordered a petite fillet mignon, which came with vegetables and a baked potato.

Furina takes no time to start digging in, leaving little room for conversation. Peruere stares at her with wide eyes, the sheer ravenousness of Furina’s eating taking her by surprise. She didn't know someone could eat with such vigor. 

As time goes by, Peruere has long finished her meal and has begun reading a copy of the Steambird’s latest issue. It finally looks like Neuvillette has gotten around to making a statement about Furina’s mistreatment; better late than never. It also seems that the repairs have about finished up in the central city, so things should be returning to normal soon. 

One by one, the plates stack up as Furina begins to finish up her meal. They’ve been here for almost an hour and barely spoke at all. Peruere intended to have an important talk with Furina; in fact, it was the main reason she asked her to come here. 

“I think I’m done!” Furina slides a plate to Peruere, “Do you want the rest of this cake? I would have it but I overate…” She pats her stomach.

“No, that is okay. I have had my required amount of calories.” She takes the plate and adds it to the stack.

“But surely you can make an exception for today~” She takes back the plate and moves it in front of Peruere. “Come on, it's excellent! It would be sad for it to go to waste!” She motions towards the cake excitedly.

Peruere lets out an exaggerated sigh before picking up a fork, “Fine, but I’ll be making this my cheat day.” 

Furina giggles as she waits for Peruere to take her first bite. 

Peruere picks up a small piece and puts it in her mouth, letting the flavors swim around. “Yes, I admit it is quite good.” She puts down the fork.

“Is that it!?” Furina picks the fork back up and places it in Perueres' hand. “Come on, you deserve it!”

A faint chuckle escapes her lips, “You are unrelenting, Furina.” She smirks as she stabs another piece of cake. 

“So I’ve been told.” She smiles back.

Bite after bite, Peruere works on the cake, making sure to take her time. Each bite she takes, Furina’s gaze follows her every movement. Perhaps it's because she wants a bit for herself, or maybe it's just because she adores her. 

“Peruere, can I have a bite?” She looks up with hope in her eyes.

Peruere pauses to look at her, “Didn’t you say you couldn't eat anymore?” She tilts her head.

“Yeah, but I…” She trails off, “Just one bite?” An exaggerated smile grows between her lips.

She sighs, “Fine, but just one.” She stabs a piece of cake and moves the fork towards Furina to feed it to her.

A look of confusion grows on Furina’s face as she stares down the fork, then back up to Peruere. This is… interesting? She slowly opens her mouth and leans forward, closing it as the fork enters and exits.

“Th- thank you…” Furina looks down, hiding her blush.

“My pleasure.” She pauses before lowering her voice, “Are you okay?”

“Oh, yes, I am!” She looks back up. “I thought my foot hit something on the floor.” Her nails begin to move up and down her arm. “I was just checking…”

“I see,” She pierces the last bit of cake and moves the plate to the side. After finishing the bite, she puts down her fork and speaks. “I wanted to ask you something, Furina.” She looks at her, her voice more serious than before.

Furina turns her gaze to her as her heart starts to beat slightly faster. “Alright…”

“Tell me, it has been slightly over a week since we stood on the cliff,” She pauses, “I wanted to ask how you are feeling now after staying at the Hearth this past week.” She keeps her voice gentle and delicate.

“Oh… uhm,” She lowers her gaze as she thinks to herself, “I’ve been feeling a lot better.” She looks back up, “I think the best I’ve had in a long time.” Her nails begin to slowly run up and down her arm. “It’s been really lovely. I no longer need to hide behind a mask; I can just be myself and feel cared for as I am.” She looks down, “I just… It feels incredible to be treated as an ordinary girl, not a god.” A small smile appears on her face.

“Good… that is precisely what I want for you.” She returns her smile before lowering it, “And comfort-wise? I know the Fatui, especially I personally, have been a source of trauma for you in the past… So I just want to make sure you feel safe, Furina.”

“I…” She trails off as she thinks long and hard to herself, “It’s been difficult, but yes, I do feel safe.” She looks up, “You, as well as your children, have shown me comfort and care like no other this past week.” She pauses, “I really like this side of you, Peruere.” She smiles as emotions begin to stir within her.

She stays silent for a few moments, “That makes me really happy, Furina. Thank you.” A smirk grows between her lips.

Furina reaches forward, laying her arm on the table before Peruere. “I’m ready to call you a friend, if that’s okay with you.”

Peruere’s smile grows, “Of course, I’d be honored to.” She reaches out and places her hand on Furina’s. She moves her gaze up to Furina’s and speaks, solidifying their friendship. “Friends.”

Furina returns her smile as her heart begins to melt in her chest, “Friends…”

…

“So… since we’re friends, does that mean I get to hug you!?” Furina sits herself down, happily on her bed. Please, I am so touch starved.

Peruere chuckles, “Moving a little quick there are we?” She makes her way over and takes a seat next to Furina before turning her gaze to her. “I’d be honored.”

A squeak of happiness escapes Furina’s lips as she wraps her arms around Peruere.

“Come on, are you not going to hug me back!?” She buries her head into her shoulder. 

Peruere sighs, “Fine,” and gently wraps her arms around Furina. “I must admit, I do not hug very often,” She chuckles.

“I can tell, hug me tighter!” A pause, “Okay, not that tightly, I still feel sick, remember!?” Thank you…

A light breath of air escapes Peruere as she ends the hug, “You’re lucky I have this much patience with you, Furina.” She smirks. “Not many others have the pleasure.”

“Yeah?” She sits up, speaking with a wide grin, “What makes me so special then!?” 

“Uhm…” The room falls into silence as Peruere fails to find her words. Seconds pass, and her gaze has lowered from Furina’s and down to the bed. “I…” A few more moments pass, and she looks back up before finally speaking, her voice quieter and less confident than before. “Well… I suppose it’s that I’ve never met someone the likes of you.” She pauses, placing her hand on her thigh and tapping her finger, taking a deep breath, “You’re unique- special, and most importantly… a pleasure to be around.” Her gaze lowers back to the ground. “You’re just- You’re someone I’ve grown to care for a lot, in such a short amount of time.” She looks down at Furina’s mouth, which is sitting agape.

Furina tries to speak, but no words come out. She is beyond shocked; there's no way she could ever find her words after a statement like that. So, she resorts to actions instead of words, which she has read can speak even louder. 

Tightly, her arms return around Peruere as her emotions begin to run rampant. 

Peruere chuckles as she slowly moves her arms to hug her back.

The room remains silent, but for the beating of two hearts, embracing each other and swimming with feelings. The moment is pure and unbreakable, as their unimaginable bond becomes solidified. 

“Thank you… Peruere.” Furina moves her head back to face her, all whilst keeping herself wrapped around her. “Today was wonderful, so much better than I could have imagined.” She lays her head back down on her shoulder. 

“Of course, Furina.” She gently rubs her back, as if she is consoling a small child. “I agree, today was wonderful.” She pauses, “I do hope we can do this again.”

“Me too…” 

I love you.

Chapter Text

The flames of the Hearth burn bright as a faint smell of embers fills the main room of the Hotel Bouffes d ete. In the room, Furina, Peruere, Lyney, and Lynette sit in a circle surrounding a small board game. The group stares down intently as the dice escape Lyney’s hands, falling onto the table below. 

“Nine!” Lyney exclaims as he excitedly moves his piece along the board, his expression soon faltering.

“You owe me 250 mora,” Lynette speaks in a soft monotone voice as she stares down Lyney, whose piece has landed on a property of hers.

“Seriously!?” He sighs, “I don't have that kind of money, I just purchased an exquisite hotel, you know!” 

Lynette’s expression remains stoic as ever as she repeats her previous sentence. “250 Mora.”

Lyney sighs, reaching for his money and beginning to count it. “100… 200… 220…” He looks up, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “It appears I’m 30 short, haha.” 

“I can give you a loan if you need, Lyney.” Furina’s soft voice echoes from the other side of the table with a smile, resulting in the room looking at her. Her gaze lowers as she watches Lyney reach towards Lynette’s mora and take some for himself. She puts her hand over her mouth, hiding a soft chuckle.

“No, no, I have excellent negotiation skills, Furina.” He turns his head back to Lynette before snapping his fingers, making the newly found mora appear in his hand. 

With a smirk, he puts it into his pile and slides it to Lynette. “Will this cover it?” He stares at her with a face full of pride.

A few seconds pass as Lynette counts the money before sighing. “You're still 10 short, Lyney.”

His eyes go wide, “What!? But I- I could have sworn I took-“

“Took?” Lynette glares

“Uhm…” Lyney's eyes manage to grow even wider, “T- took from my secret stash, of course! Haha, what, do you think I would go as low as to steal!? Well, Lynette, you must be mistaken!”

“Lyney, I watched you steal her money,” Furina speaks in an amused tone. 

“I did too.” Peruere joins in.

Furina looks up at her and smiles before turning back to Lyney. “I thought magicians were supposed to be known for their sleight of hand?”

“Well, yes, but-“ Lyney fumbles to speak before Lynette extends her arm in front of him and opens her hand, making him go quiet.

“Give me my mora back, including what you owe me. You’re bankrupt.” Her voice remains emotionless as she continues to glare at him.

Lyney sighs, putting his hands up, “Fine, I lose!” He picks up the mora and extends his hand to Lynettes, before flicking his wrist, making the mora disappear. 

Lynette's gaze moves up to his hat, then in one swift motion, she flicks it off his head, taking her mora back, which was hidden under.

“I knew you were up to something when you wore your hat to the table. You’re not as slick as you think you are, brother.” She returns the mora neatly back into her pile. 

“Well, I’ll be off then, I guess.” Lyney stands up, “I'll be in our room practicing our next magic act,” he smirks at Lynette before turning his gaze to Furina and Peruere across the table. 

“Thank you for finding the time to play with us, Father.” He smirks, “You too, Furina.”

“Of course! Furina smiles up at Lyney.”

“You know, Father, you’ve loosened up quite a bit since Furina arrived.” He looks down, deviously smirking at Lynette.

“You know, Lynette and I have been talking, and we would like to ask…” 

Peruere tilts her head in anticipation as Furina looks down, knowing where this is heading.

“Are the two of you…?” 

Pereure furrows her eyebrows, tilting her head more to the side. “Are we…?” 

“A couple, he means.” Lynette buts in.

For a few moments, the room remains silent, all for the fire crackling in the hearth. 

“I- I know you've said you're not interested in romance, father, but-“

“We are not,” Perueres speaks in a calm tone before looking down at Furina, whose face is as red as a tomato.

Noticing Furina’s embarrassment, Lyney continues, “Are you sure?”

Peruere looks up at Lyney, then back down to Furina before speaking in a quiet tone to her. “Is everything okay, Furina?” 

“Y-Yes, I just-“ For a few moments, her eyes lock with Peruere’s, but she quickly snaps out of it.

“No, no, it's nothing like that!” she waves her arms in the air, frantically speaking. “We’ve just spent a lot of time together recently, so we’ve grown close, is all!” 

The silence in the room turns awkward as Lyney looks over at Lynette with a knowing smirk. “Maybe we should give them some alone time to… figure things out?” 

Lynette stares at him for a few moments before looking down. “But I was winning…” 

Lyney chuckles, “Come on, you can continue the game another time!

A second or two come to pass before Lynette grumbles and stands up. “Fine, but you’re treating me to dessert tomorrow.” She huffs and exits the room, making sure to bump into him on the way out dramatically.

“Well, I shall leave you two lovebirds in peace.” He bows, tipping his hat, “Au revoir!” He, too, leaves the room.

After the two are long gone, Peruere sighs. “Those two can be insufferable sometimes.”

“Aww, they're just having fun.” Furina looks up at Peruere, letting out a deep breath as the redness in her cheeks begins to fade.

After a slight pause, she continues to speak. “That was really awkward…” She looks down as she feels her cheeks warm once again.

“I didn't think so.” Peruere speaks as she begins packing up the board game, “It was natural for them to be curious, as we have been spending quite a lot of time together.”

“I guess…” She looks back up and begins to help.

The two work in silence as they continue to pack everything away. Before long, it is placed neatly in its box and put away inside a drawer full of games.

Eventually, the two make their way to the living room and sit down on couches that sit across from each other. Furina has a book in her hand, while Peruere has the day's Steambird issue. 

“Uhm, Peruere?”

Peruere looks up from her paper and to Furina, folding it neatly in her lap, waiting for her to continue.

“Lyney mentioned that you were never interested in romance?” She pauses, “I just thought you didn't because of your line of work.”

Peruere takes a few moments to find her words, but eventually responds. “Yes, it was never something I was particularly interested in.” 

“But why?” Furina asks, almost pleading.

Peruere sighs, taking a few seconds as past memories come to mind, “In my experience, love only brings pain and despair.” She lets out a deep breath

“Oh…” Furina stops, realizing she hit a sensitive topic. “Uhm…” She perks up, speaking with high energy to catch Peruere’s attention. “I was never that interested in it either.” She pauses to think, “Well, actually, I was, but I couldn't, due to the whole pretending to be an Archon situation.” 

Peruere smiles, “You speak as if that is a common occurrence."

“Well, it was for me!” She chuckles as her eyes meet Perueres. 

Their eyes linger on each other, locked in place for all of a few seconds before it is broken by Peruere. “Well, now that you're no longer the Archon, have you considered partaking in romance?”

Furina gathers her thoughts, “Uhm, yes, but there are a few problems.” She sticks a finger up, “One, is that I am quite the celebrity in Fontaine, so I doubt I could find anyone that is truly in it just for me. And two,” She adds another finger, “I have not the faintest clue on where to actually begin.” She puts her hand down and sighs, “All my knowledge is from books, films, and gossip I've heard over the years.” She looks down sadly. 

“Yes, that does seem like quite the problem,” she begins to tap her fingers on the armrest, “I cannot say I could be of much help.” She quietly chuckles. 

Furina nods, “Yeah… I figured such.” She sighs.

As time passes, Furina begins to think about what Peruere meant about love only bringing pain. She wants so badly to bring it up, but can tell it’s a sensitive topic. Surely we’re close enough, right?… 

Some more time passes as she continues to fight in her head, but eventually gives in. “Peruere, what did you mean by love only bringing pain and despair?” She pauses, “You said ‘In my experience,’ so I assume-“

“It is nothing.” She stops to take a deep breath, “Just past matters that no longer have reasoning to be brought up. It would be best to just let it rest.”

Furina looks down, “Okay… but-“ She stops, “I just barely know anything about you.” 

The room falls silent as Peruere seems to be lost, heavy in thought. Each second that passes, Furina seems to be growing more and more tense and is about to speak up, but is interrupted by Peruere.

“Yes, I…” She looks up, “I apologize for being so shut-in, Furina. I've just… I haven’t been this close to someone in a long, long time, so I find it quite difficult to open up.”

Furina has to take a few seconds to process what was said, but eventually responds. “Well, I mean, you have told me some things…”

“Yes, but only when it was necessary to help you.”

“Oh…” Furina can’t help but feel slightly hurt.

Peruere lets out a deep breath, “Listen, I will let you ask me three questions, and I will answer them. After that, I assure you that I will try to be more open to you.

Furina looks up, taking a few moments before speaking in a lower tone and nodding her head. “Alright.” She pauses, “Do I ask them now?”

“Uhm, no. I would like to go to my office or your room for some privacy,” she begins, standing herself up.

“My room, please.” She, too, gets up.

The two make their way to Furina’s room and both take a seat on the bed. Furina is sat criss-cross in the middle, and Peruere is on the edge with her legs hanging off. The air between them is silent and the slightest bit awkward as Furina tries to come up with her questions. She only has three chances to learn anything she wants about the harbinger, so she needs to make it count.

“Uhm…” Furina speaks up, “I have my first question ready, I think.”

Peruere turns to face her, “Please go ahead.”

Furina tilts her head as she begins speaking in a gentle, caring tone. “What was your life like when you were a child?” 

Peruere sits still, “To be honest, I was expecting your questions to be more specific.”  She sighs, “But that is on me; I should have been more careful with my words.” She smiles at her before clearing her throat. “Well, to answer your question, it is not a happy story.”

“Yeah, I uhm… kind of assumed.” Furina sadly smirks.

She sadly chuckles, “Well, I guess it formed me into the woman I am today.” She sets her hands down on her lap, “I grew up in the old House of the Hearth, which was located further north of here.” She pauses, “But it was nothing like how this building here is now.” She stops for a few seconds to think before continuing, “From the outside, it was meant to seem like we were all just a happy family of mismatched children, but in reality, it was no better than hell itself.” She sighs, letting out a deep breath of air. “Do pardon any emotions I may exhume, these memories have been locked away for quite a while.”

Furina nods, “Okay, just… take your time. don't force yourself to say anything you don't want to either.” She stares at Peruere with a soft expression. 

As Furina waits for her to speak, the sound of a ticking clock is all that remains. Time passes, but Peruere doesn’t utter a single word. Furina has become tense as the silence is terrifying. 

She breathes out, not being able to take it anymore. Taking one last breath, she quietly speaks. “Peruere?…”

“Oh! Apologies.” Peruere snaps back to reality and softly chuckles, “I seem to be struggling a bit more than I imagined.” 

Furina frowns, “It's okay…” She looks at her for a few seconds before scooting over and reaching out her hand.

“Hand.” She declares.

Peruere looks at her with a confused expression before gently placing her hand in hers.

“There you go…” Furina places her other hand on top and looks up at her. “Peruere, you’re doing really well. I know opening up isn’t something you normally do, so I'm very proud of you.” 

Peruere stares at her for a few seconds before smiling, "Thank you, Furina. That-“ She breathes out, “I really do appreciate it.” A soft hint of red forms on her cheeks.

“Of course.” She removes her hand and pats Perueres's shoulder before scooting back to her original spot. “Alright, you may continue if you want, but we can also talk about anything else. It’s up to you.” 

Peruere takes a few seconds to herself before speaking. “I think I can continue.”

Furina nods, “Okay, just take your time.”

She takes a deep breath, “Keeping it vague, the House was nothing but a front, a game to fight for who becomes king. From a young age, we were taught to fight, steal from, and kill each other like it was normal.” She stops.

“One by one, we would lose members as they were either killed or gravely injured, then sent off to be experimented on. After my tenth year there, the game came to a conclusion as the final girl, other than myself, fell from my blade.” Peruere pauses as a pang of hurt flashes upon her face. “The girl's name was Clervie. I was going to let her kill me, but she ended up throwing herself onto my blade. 

Furina stares with a shocked expression, “Why… why were you going to let her kill you?” 

Peruere looks up, “Is that your second question?”

“What! I- That's not fair!” Furina pleads. 

Peruere tilts her head.

“Oka,y fine, yes it is.” Furina begrudgingly agrees.

“The reason I was going to let her kill me was simple. I couldn't bring myself to kill her.”

Furina furrows her eyebrows, “How come?”

Once again, Peruere tilts her head. “Is that your final-“

“Yes!” Fuina calls out in mock annoyance.

“I couldn't kill her because I cared too much. Well, in reality, she was the only person I cared about, not even myself.” She stops, thinking back to earlier. “Remember earlier when you asked why I said love only ends in pain?” Her lip begins to tremble ever so slightly, “That is why.”

The room falls into silence as Furina stares at Peruere with sad eyes. Before long, she speaks with a quiet, gentle voice, “You loved her…” 

“Yes…” She lets a deep breath out before continuing, her voice beginning to crack. “Our love is the reason I'm alive and she's not.” She drives a nail into her thigh, “The guilt eats me alive every day, every hour.” She breaths in and out, her breathing slowly growing more unstable. 

A few seconds pass, and she finally breaks. “Fuck!” She cries, covering her eyes with her hand before slowly dragging it down as tears start to fall. 

Furina's eyes widen in shock before quickly reacting. “Hey… I’m right here.” Furina scoots back over and gently wraps her arms around her.

Peruere immediately embraces the hug before beginning to sob into her shoulder, as she finally faces years of locked-away memories. 

It is now, Furina finally realizes just how much Peruere was hiding behind her facade. In reality, she is nothing but a broken girl, just like her.

Time passes as Furina continues to hold her, quietly trying to soothe her. Before long, Peruere slowly breaks out of the hug and wipes her eyes. 

Furina looks up at her with a soft expression and gently places her hand on her thigh.

Peruere breathes out, “I'm so sorry you had to see that.” She pauses, “I- those memories have been locked away for a long time.” She wipes her face once again.

Furina continues to stare at her, taking in her never-before-seen, disheveled expression. Her cheeks and eyes are red, her hair is messy, and her makeup is ruined all over her face.

“Peruere, it's okay. You don't need to be sorry, I promise.” She shakes her head, “You're allowed to face these memories, and I'm so happy you did. I… I imagine that must have been a huge weight off your chest.”

Peruere places her hand on Furina’s before slowly nodding. “It was.”

“Just please know that I'm always here for you, okay? I know we've only been friends for two weeks, but I'm serious.” She removes her hand.

“Thank you.” Peruere looks down, “I really appreciate you being here, Furina. I… I haven't felt this close to someone since- since her.”

Furina slowly nods as their eyes linger on each other's. “I haven't felt this close to someone either…” 

Moments pass, and Peruere breaks eye contact. “I uhm, I should get going to bed now.”

Furina looks at her with a sad expression, “Are you sure?”

Peruere doesn't answer right away, and Furina takes it as a sign. “You're welcome to stay in here tonight if you want to.”

Peruere looks at her before softly chuckling, “What, like a sleepover?”

Furina nods.

After some deliberation, a soft smile grows on Peruere’s face. "I'd like that.” She pauses, “Just… let me go change into my sleepware.”

Furina returns her smile, “Okay, I’ll do the same.”

Peruere turns and makes her way to the door before stopping as she reaches for the handle. She turns around, “I should probably clean myself up before going out. I don't want the children to see me like this.” She makes her way to Furina’s bathroom. 

Furina chuckles, “Yeah, that's probably a good idea.” She gets up off her bed and follows behind Peruere. “Why don't you let me clean you up?” 

“You clean me up?” Peruere turns around, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Yeah! Come on, it's the least I can do!” She smiles at her.

Perere's eyes lighten up as Furina smiles, and after soft consideration, accepts. “Very well, do as you please.” She takes a seat. 

“Thank you.” Furina takes a soft face towel and wets it under the sink before making her way to Peruere and softly cleaning off her face. 

A few silent moments pass, and eventually, she finishes. “All done!” She backs away and places the towel down on the sink. “Feeling better?”

Peruere looks up at her, a small hint of red on her cheeks, “Yes, actually.” She smiles and stands up before checking herself in the mirror. “Thank you, Furina.”

“It's no problem!” She makes her way out of the bathroom and plops herself onto the bed. “Now go get yourself changed, okay?” 

She steps out behind her, “Yes, ma’am.” She bows and begins making her way to the door.

Furina laughs at her bow, “You fool!” She covers her mouth as she continues to laugh. 

Peruere turns to smile at her. “Be back soon.” She exits the room.

As the door closes behind her, a huge smile grows on Furina’s face. She’s so adorable… A few seconds pass, and Furina pats her thighs before getting up off her bed. 

She makes her way to her drawers and takes out her nightly light blue sleepgown. Making her way to the bathroom, she strips off her clothes and drapes her nightgown overhead, before checking herself out in the mirror. She examines her skin, eyes, teeth, and brows. You’re looking better now, Furina. She sadly smiles at herself before picking up her toothbrush. Once she finishes up, she reaches down and grabs her discarded clothes before exiting the room.

She makes her way to the hamper beside her door and opens it before jumping up in shock as the door opens beside her. She yelps and stumbles back as she sees a terrifying figure in the doorway.

The Knave, the fourth Fatui Harbinger, towers over her, her silhouette illuminated in the darkness of the room. In her right hand, she holds a small, bloodied blade. She reaches out towards the small, terrified girl as she raises the blade, readying herself to attack.

Furina breaths out in fear as she stares up at her, unable to move.

“Furina?”

Snap!

“Furina?” Peruere places her water bottle down on top of the shelves to her right, as she reaches out.

“Wha… Peruere?” She stares at the woman before her, taking in her every aspect as the night she held a blade to her throat replays in her mind. She takes a step back, “Sorry…” 

“Are you okay?” Peruere takes a step forward.

“Yes!” She reaches out her hand, motioning for Peruere to stop.  “Ye- yes…” She breaths out as she backs up to her bed, “Just… give me a moment.” She takes a seat. 

Peruere untenses her shoulders and frowns. “May I come in?”

Furina looks up and stares for a few seconds before quietly nodding and placing her hand on the bed next to her. 

Peruere closes the door and slowly makes her way inside, careful not to scare her. She eventually reaches the bed and gently takes a seat where Furina had marked for her. She reaches out her arm towards her, but stops halfway before putting it back down. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Uhm…” Furina stares at the ground under her, her mind lost in thought. “That’s never happened before. I- I flashed back to the night you- you tried to kill me…” her voice breaks.

Peruere nods, “I understand.” She reaches her hand back out and places it on Furina's shoulder. 

“I was… so scared.” She curls over as she begins to cry. 

An immense feeling of guilt is swift to overpower Peruere. She doesn’t regret what she did, but either way, the guilt is indescribable. She continues to watch over Furina, not daring to move. She wants to speak, but feels too lost. It would have been different if she herself weren't the one who gave her the trauma.

She needs to say something. “It's okay, Furina,” she says softly, “I'm right here.” She starts to move her hand left and right on Furina's shoulder in an attempt to comfort.

“I- yes, exactly!” Furina cries out, "You're right here!” She frantically turns to Peruere.

She nods, removing her hand. “I know.” 

A few moments pass, and Furina groans, pushing her hands into her face. “I'm so sorry, I- fuck!” She takes a deep breath, “You just broke down to me and now I'm doing this!” Her hands move back up to her face, pulling at her hair.

“Furina, that is nothing to feel sorry for. You have trauma, you can't help that.” She speaks slowly, consoling her.

“You, but-“

“No buts.” She moves her hand over Furina’s mouth.

Furing sighs and looks down, “I'm okay now.”

“Are you sure?”

She nods, “Mhmm.”

“Okay, very well.” She pauses, “Do you still want to do the sleepover?”

Furina once again nods, humming in agreement. “Mhmm.”

“Alright.” Peruere stands up and grabs her water bottle from the shelf before making her way back to the bed. “Alright Furina, which side do you prefer?”

Her head shoots up and turns to face Peruere, “We’re sleeping together!?” Her face flushes with red.

“Oh, that is what I assumed.” She tilts her head,  “It would be beneficial to us both.” 

“Beneficial!?” Furina furrows her eyebrows. Don't panic. 

“Yes, we would both be warm and comfortable. Hopefully, it could bring you comfort as well.” 

“W- why comfort!?” Furina cries out.

“Well, when sad, being with someone brings comfort. For example, I accepted this sleepover for that reason, myself.”

“Oh, well-“ Furina once again blushes. “Okay then.” She moves herself onto it fully. “I want the left.”

“Very well.” Peruere moves herself to her side.

As the two sit next to wait in their designated spots, Furina’s heart is racing. We're sleeping together… What do I- What do I do!? She looks over at Peruere. Do I get close to her or keep my distance? Her face flushes red as other thoughts come to mind. Okay, I'll just… be normal. 

Peruere, on the other side, has begun making her way under the covers, so Furina decides to follow along. The two have to scoot closer so the blanket fits, but apart from that, all is fine.

Before long, they are fully situated beside each other. Peruere lies on her back, and Furina is curled up on her right side, facing away. 

“I would like to thank you again for earlier, Furina.” Peruere pauses, “I hope you understand how much it meant to me. I hope you understand how much you do, too.

Once again, Furina blushes, “Yes, of course! I- I'm always here to comfort you, so please don’t be shy. Also, I don't want you wearing one of your masks around me either! I just want you, okay?”

She takes a few seconds to respond. “Of course, Furina.”

“Good.” Furina takes a few seconds, “Goodnight~”

Peruere smiles, “Goodnight, Furina.”