Archive of Our Own ^beta

“We’ll be back in a few days. Sit tight until then.”

“But I want to go with you guys!”

It was nearing nightfall when the Forest Rangers received a call about a dangerous withering zone located in one of Sumeru’s desert oases. Being the lead forest ranger, Tighnari had to leave urgently to sort out the issue. Cyno also tagged along to ensure safety protocols were followed for the mission.

“We’ll be back in a few weeks. Just sit tight and don’t cause trouble.” Tighnari’s ear twitched in irritation when Collei shook her head.

“At least let me run the usual errands in the forest. I can at least do that much!” Tighnari sighed as he knelt down to Collei’s level. He carefully placed a hand over her shoulder and looked into her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Collei, but I can’t let you do that. You’re too young to run the errands yourself plus you’re still learning how to write the reports. You’ll be better off with Kaveh and Alhaitham where I know you’ll be safe.”

Cyno crept up behind Tighnari, pulling his arm away from Collei.

“We need to leave now. Intel says there’s already been one casualty.” Tighnari nodded as he gave Collei one last hug before trailing after Cyno.

From afar, the General Mahamatra waved goodbye to Collei. She tried not to let a tear slip as they left. She hadn’t been without Cyno or her Master for longer than an afternoon. She hardly knew anything about Kaveh and Alhaitham besides the fact they were old classmates.

Collei wiped her eyes before turning around to face her hosts at the entrance to a house in the Sumeru city center.

Kaveh smiled at her in an understanding manner but Alhaitham was as stoic as ever.

“Come on, Collei. We have some leftovers for you.” Collei didn’t say anything as she was invited in by Kaveh who proposed all sorts of fun activities together. Normally, Collei would’ve been thrilled by the idea but the only thing going through her mind right now is if Cyno and her Master would be okay.

The mission they were on seemed really dangerous. They were traveling miles away from where she was staying. Would she even be able to send a letter to them in the following weeks? Will she even see them again?

Collei bit back a sob as Kaveh placed a plate of Fatteh in front of her. She looked at the dish in amazement for a moment, taking in a mini sculpture of the Palace of Alcazarzaray. Kaveh chuckled at the way her eyes lit up.

“This used to be a dish my Father would make for me when I was a young boy. Archons, this dish is what led me to my vision believe it or not.” The dish in front of her looked so pretty that she didn’t even want to break it. “Go ahead and eat. My cooking might not be as great as Tighnari’s but it’ll do.”

Collei nodded as she chipped off a piece of the roof and began digging into the food. It was definitely flavourful but not too spicy. She gave a small smile to its maker.

“This is a lot better than having mushrooms all the time.” Kaveh beamed in delight.

Pretty soon, only a few pita chips remained on the plate in front of her which Kaveh was happy to eat himself. The sun outside had set long ago and Collei wondered if Cyno and her Master would be okay traveling in the dark.

They’d taken a small group of Matra and forest rangers with them as well as Amir’s hunting dogs but this didn’t sate her worry in the slightest.

Kaveh snapped her out of her thoughts with a cough.

“Come join us in the living room before bed. I’ll be serving tea pretty soon.” Collei got up from her seat, being sure to thank Kaveh again for the food.

When she entered the living room, Alhaitham was sitting on the couch with a book. She sat beside him, wanting to try and read the title of the book he had as discreetly as possible. She couldn’t help her curiosity. As soon as she was able to begin reading a few words, her desire to read everything in sight was overwhelming.

She squinted as she made out some of the words in the book. She had trouble with the first two but was able to make out the last few words consisting of in the runic language.

“I know its not especially interesting but I’m merely reviewing some of the concepts for an upcoming project.” Alhaitham shut his book closed and gazed at her. Collei shyly looked away, embarrassed at having been caught.

“S-sorry, I was just trying to read…the title.” Collei felt ashamed at the fact that she couldn’t fully read it but she didn’t have time to dwell on it because Kaveh was walking in with a full tray of tea.

Her body moved before her mind could catch up and she found herself placing the tea and sugar neatly on the table.

“Well thank you so much, Collei. Tighnari hadn’t mentioned how well-mannered you are!” She smiled sheepishly at the praise.

“I-it's no big deal, I do this all the time at Home.” Home How long has it been since she’s been able to use that word? She hadn’t been staying with Tighnari that long but already, she’d grown so attached to the place and the people in Ghandarva ville that it was her home.

“Such an ambitious little helper! I wish my Junior had been more like that when we were younger. He’s had his nose stuck in a book from the moment he could walk, I can promise you that!” Kaveh griped as he sipped his tea. Alhaitham rolled his eyes as he set his book down.

“That isn’t possible and you know it. I only started reading at the age of three.”

“And you think that’s normal?”

“What can I say? I’ve always enjoyed reading. Perhaps you should do it sometime. You may actually gain some perspective.” He dipped a biscuit in his tea as Kaveh’s face soured. The blonde rolled his eyes before turning to Collei.

“Just ignore him, Collei. Now, you’ll be with us here for a while. Is there anything we can do to make things more comfortable for you?”

Collei shook her head as she eyed the plate of biscuits. It was a little too far out of her reach and she felt a little embarrassed about asking for them like some child. Alhaitham caught her gaze and she looked away.

“Take it.” He held out the biscuits to her. She thankfully went to take one. “Take all of it. Archons know Kaveh needs to cut down on his sugar.”

“Excuse me, my sugar levels happen to be perfectly fine!”

“With the amount of energy you exhibit on a day-to-day basis, I’d check into the Bimartsan for an examination.”

“Well, at least I’m not a walking corpse!”

“With how stiff your joints are, you might as well be.”

Collei’s head turned side to side as she watched the two argue without a break. It was an entertaining show as she drank her tea. There were no biscuits left on the plate that evening.

With their teacups empty and Kaveh nodding off against Alhaitham’s shoulder, Collei knew it would only be a matter of time until sleeping arrangements were made. This is what she was dreading most.

Alhaitham gently shook Kaveh awake and led him to his own room before returning to the sitting room where Collei tightly grasped the teacup in her hand as if it was the only doorway back to Ghandarva ville. She didn’t look up as the Scribe stepped in front of her. He held out a hand so she gave up her teacup but he merely swept it to the side.

“You’re young and you need sleep,” he reasoned. Collei sighed but grasped onto Alhaitham’s hand as he led her to the room where Kaveh would be sound asleep. Confused, she tugged on Alhaitham’s hand.

“We’ll wake him up,” she whispered quietly. The Scribe just chuckled as he shook his head.

“Not even a rampant Sumpter beast could wake Kaveh up now. He’s been anticipating your visit since the Matra sent word of you coming here and has been busy cleaning and organizing everything in this house.”

Collei was a little surprised to hear that. She didn’t think anyone would go so far for her but then again, Kaveh would. He was the type of person that would give up his last bit of food and water to a pack of desert foxes despite being starving and dehydrated himself.

She admired Kaveh’s selflessness but couldn’t mirror it. Since she was a child, she’d only ever selfishly protected her own body and mind as much as she could. It was the only way she could’ve ever survived. The first time she looked out for someone else though, she’d earned her dendro vision.

When they entered the room, Collei was surprised to see Kaveh taking up a makeshift bed on the floor. Cushions, pillows, and blankets surrounded his slim frame dressed in nothing but a loose t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

Alhaitham strode over to his closet and began pulling out blankets and pillows before dropping them on the bed. The Scribe then handed her a familiar weather-worn bag.

It was Tighnari’s bag that he’d received as a gift from Cyno for his birthday. He’d used it every day since. She opened it to reveal some of her personal belongings. Her clothes, a Casket of Tomes, and even Cullein-Anbar lay inside of it.

The effect was instantaneous. Her eyes welled up with tears as she realized her Master and Cyno had packed this bag for her. She’d been too rattled by the abrupt mission to even think about taking any of her personal items. Everything in the bag was packed with care and consideration for her. They even remembered to include her preferred quill when writing letters.

“You can get changed in Kaveh’s room. It’s right next door.” Collei nodded her head as she clutched the bag to her chest and made her way to the other room.

Kaveh’s room was fairly neat and tidy with only a couple of rolled-up blueprints on his desk. The bed was made and the curtains were left slightly ajar. She closed them before changing into her night clothes.

She wondered why the three of them would be sleeping in the same room when the guest room was readily available. Had Tighnari or Cyno told them of her night terrors? Hearing the unmistakable sound of a match being struck, she figured that was the case.

It was warm in Sumeru recently so she wore similar attire to Kaveh, shorts that fell to her knees and a simple shirt.

As she opened her bag to place her day clothes inside, her eyes landed on a black garment. Pulling it from the bag, she stared at the violet highlights and gold work realizing it was Cyno’s Mahamatra cloak. Two jackal ears popped out of the top of the cloak. She smiled as she ran her fingers over them. She brought the cloak to her face and caught a whiff of the soft linen scent and desert air she’d grown used to.

Cyno had worn this cloak the first time they’d met. He was scary and intimidating then. For months, seeing him made bad memories resurface but eventually, that changed with Genius Invokation TCG. Now, memories of him were filled with bad jokes and laughter.

Deciding to give in to her inner child, she wrapped the cloak around herself, straightening up the ears at the top. She glanced at herself in Kaveh’s full-length mirror (because of course, a man of such style would have one) and giggled at the reflection that met her.

When she quietly went back to Alhaitham’s room, a soft light emitted from the edges of the door. She opened it to see Kaveh was still fast asleep on the floor and Alhaitham was sitting beside him, a book in his lap. It seems he’d changed into a loose shirt and pants. His soundproof earpieces were set to the side.

“I hope you don’t mind the light, I like to read before bed.” Collei nodded her head as she went to crawl onto the bed which had been fitted with a fresh set of sheets.

The light in the rooms was dim but comforting. Before her eyes slipped closed, she prayed to the Dendro Archon to chase away the nightmares, and come the following morning, she would find her prayers had been answered.

The following days played out in a similar fashion. They’d spend much of it completing their respective tasks. Kaveh would meet his clients and Alhaitham stayed at home transcribing runes and documents. Such was the work of the Akademiya’s Scribe.

Kaveh’s old room had basically become Collei’s in the short span of time she was there. The Architect was happy to offer her his work desk for writing letters while he spread out his blueprints in the sitting room.

It was a little boring without any forest ranger trainee duties to attend to but she took it easy. She’d made adjustments to Cullein-Anbar, helped Kaveh with chores, and wrote letters to Amber and Tighnari. She didn’t know when she’d be able to send them though. She’d already burdened Alhaitham enough with the cost of food and living expenses. Delivering letters wasn’t a necessity so asking for mora was pointless.

Today, Collei was organizing one of the many bookshelves in the house. Kaveh had practically begged her to do so since Alhaitham had no system of organization whatsoever. She eagerly accepted the task, happy to help.

While Alhaitham claimed he didn’t read difficult and abstruse books for the purpose of confusing others, Collei found that remark hard to believe. Each book he owned delved into ancient languages, runes, politics, and so on and so forth. Everything he had seemed to be an incredibly dull read she just couldn’t understand. The books had words she’d never heard and in that moment, Collei dearly missed her collection of Inazuman light novels at home.

Collei reached for a worn photo book. Kaveh had given her specific instructions on how to organize the shelves based on their topics. This book didn’t seem to have a title though.

She opened the book and was surprised to see a picture of a young boy dressed in the Akademiya’s uniform. He appeared to be pouting, grey hair a mess as he looked at the Kamera. Beside him was a woman whose eyes gave way to her old age. She looked beautiful in the photo as she smiled.

Collei turned the page to reveal the same little boy with his nose stuck in a book. Beside it was an image of another boy with blonde hair smiling brightly. The next page had photos of some older men, all cradling small children.

One man stuck out to her the most, a Valuka Shuna with long green hair holding a young boy with matching ears in a dark green-black color. She gasped in recognition. This book wasn’t from the House of Daena nor was it from any seller in Sumeru. It was a photo album and she was gazing at a photo of her Master as a young boy.

She couldn’t help but fawn at her Master’s chubby cheeks and small tail. His ears were downturned in the picture as he stuck out his tongue toward a small boy with red eyes and white hair. This boy shared a look of nonchalance that could only belong to Cyno.

She smiled down at the photo album, running her fingers along the page.

“That was taken when we were barely toddlers.” Collei jumped at Alhaitham’s voice. He was leaning against the doorframe, gazing at Collei. “Turn to the next page,” was all he said. Collei did so and saw a photo of a young Kaveh around 5 years old pouting at Alhaitham who was holding a book. She looked up at Alhaitham for an explanation. He gestured to the couch where they both took a seat and he placed the album across their laps.

“Kaveh was always desperate for attention and would often cry when I refused to give him any. Thinking about it now, not much has changed.” Collei giggled but she couldn’t disagree. Just yesterday, Kaveh was complaining about how Alhaitham was always in his Office and never around to critique his submission forms.

Alhaitham showed Collei various pictures, explaining each one. She saw images of Kaveh who would either be smiling brightly or crying sadly. Alhaitham made the same face in every photo and she had to hold herself back from commenting on it. Cyno’s hair seemed to always be a little on the wild side in every image he was in and Tighnari’s ears and tail always appeared as a blur. There was no doubt both were twitching and wagging in happiness as he was typically smiling in each picture.

Collei watched as these four important people in her life grew up. They went from toddlers to adults in a matter of a few pages but each one held so much she could never understand. It made her feel a little lonely.

Her family, when she did have one, never had such keepsakes. She doesn’t know what she looked like as a child but it couldn’t have been a pretty sight. Her hair was always in a state, bandages covered her from head to toe, and she could never bring herself to smile.

As they were nearing the end of the album, her eyes landed on a small girl with light green hair and magenta eyes. It was an image of her wearing Cyno’s cloak. The garment pooled over her figure and was clearly far too big. Tighnari was smiling beside her while Cyno’s thumb covered part of the Kamera’s lens.

Alhaitham turned the page and all she saw were images of herself. Photos she wasn’t even aware had been taken.

There was a photo of her clinging on to Tighnari’s tail in her sleep and another one with her wearing Cyno’s Jackal headdress which fell over her eyes. Alhaitham was in one of the photos as well, shushing the Kamera as Collei slept on his cloak. Kaveh seemed to be gifting an early model of Cullein-Anbar in the last one. Her back was turned to the Kamera, clinging onto Tighnari’s glove.

“Here.” Alhaitham handed her a tissue. She was confused at first until she felt a wetness against her cheeks. She quickly wiped away the fallen tears, a little embarrassed about crying over something so small. “We took these when you were still new to Sumeru. We had to take them in secret in case you got scared of the Kamera’s flash but we wanted to remember these moments somehow.” Collei closed the book, running her hand over the spine.

“Thank you.”

“Hey! I brought food and drinks!!” Collei was startled as Kaveh swung open the front entrance of the house to which Alhaitham grumbled.

“I’m afraid we won’t be having a quiet evening any longer.” She smiled brightly at Kaveh who returned the expression.

“So then…I told th-the uh…”

“The Herbad?”

“Yeah! I told him to stick it up his-” Alhaitham clasped a hand over Kaveh’s mouth.

“I think it's time for bed, Kaveh.” Kaveh protested as his Junior lifted him up into a bridal carry, taking him to the room where Kaveh was carefully placed onto the makeshift bed. He still had an empty wine bottle in his arms but when Alhaitham tried to take it, he began screeching like a banshee. Alhaitham sighed as he returned to where Collei was standing with her cup of Padisarah pudding.

“G’ night Haitham and Collei!” Kaveh muttered before passing out on the floor.

“Are you tired?” Collei shook her head. “Me neither. Let’s go back to the sitting room. I want to read a few chapters before tomorrow.”

In true Alhaitham fashion, he took a seat and pulled out his book without another word. Collei grabbed Tighnari’s bag full of her belongings and began pulling out her items to write another letter. She wanted to write one to Cyno this time. She’d already written ones for Amber and Tighnari in the few days she’d been there.

She started off her letter with the usual inquiries one would find in a letter to a loved one but stumbled when she couldn’t quite get the spelling for Genius Invokation TCG correct. She wanted to thank him for including it in her little care package.

Collei must’ve been airing out her frustrations with the word quite loudly because Alhaitham was putting down his book.

“Do you need help?” She considered it before finally giving in and handing her letter to the Scribe. “Is it okay for me to read it?” she nodded her head.

“I-I don’t know how to spell Genius Invokation TCG,” she explained. Alhaitham handed the paper back to her. He asked for some parchment paper which she handed over and began writing the long and confusing word out for her reference. She thanked him before returning to her letter. A few minutes later, Alhaitham spoke again.

“Why do you not refer to Cyno as Dad or Father?” Collei bristled at the question, completely caught off-guard by it. “I couldn’t help but notice you address him by his full title in the letter. “Don’t you think that’s a bit too formal for your legal guardian?”

Collei glanced at the top of her paper. To General Mahamatra Cyno. She’d used that phrase for all of her letters for about a year now. Was it that odd?

“Well, don’t you think addressing him as my Fa- as a parent is too informal? I’ve only known him for a year plus I only see him on occasion.” Collei hoped Alhaitham’s prying questions would stop but the Scribe seemed set on an interrogation that night.

“Then what of Tighnari? You refer to him as Master though you see him every day?”

“I-I doubt they’d want me to call them like that. They’re…not my…f-family.” Alhaitham hummed as he picked his book back up.

“It’s a shame you don’t see them that way. Perspective, it's more meaningful than memories at times.”

Collei didn’t really understand what he meant by that. She chose to continue writing the letter, ignoring the greeting deemed too formal by the Scribe.

The following day was Kaveh’s turn to purchase groceries. He asked Collei to tag along and she was all too eager to join him. Being cooped in the house, although beautiful and well-organized, wasn’t something she was used to as a trainee forest ranger.

“Alhaitham, we’re leaving!”

“Don’t use my mora!” Kaveh scoffed as he set down a brown leather wallet. He turned to Collei who was dutifully holding onto a set of keys with a lion charm.

“Alright Collei, let’s go!”

Kaveh was brimming with energy the entire time they spent outside. Collei wasn’t really used to the bustle of Sumeru City and kept losing herself in the crowd. Eventually, Kaveh tied a sash between their wrists.

“I know you don’t like being touched more than necessary so this should be a sufficient substitute for holding hands.” She was grateful to him for considering her and followed him down the beaten path to a bunch of food vendors.

The food smelled delicious and was vastly different from the mushroom platters she was used to. One food in particular caught her eye, a jalebi that she’d only had the opportunity to eat once but she remembered it being sweet and delicious.

“Do you want it?” Kaveh asked.

“N-no, I was just looking at it.”

“Are you sure? It's really no trouble!” but she shook her head. Unable to sway her, Kaveh took her to the clothing district where colorful fabrics and eye-catching jewelry were on display.

“Oh, this necklace would match your earrings perfectly!” Kaveh exclaimed. “Let me buy it for you!” but Collei rejected his offer. It went like that for a little while.

Kaveh would pick up an assortment of items, dresses, jackets, bracelets, bangles, and even a small cake but Collei just shook her head.

In the end, Kaveh went home with groceries and groceries only. While the Architect was a little depressed at his unsuccessful attempt to spend more of Alhaitham’s (“borrowed”) money, Collei was glad she didn’t burden her temporary caretakers any further.

When they returned, she ate, bathed, and went to sleep soundly.

“Did you not buy anything for Collei?” Alhaitham asked over a book. Kaveh sighed as he tugged clips from his hair. They were in the sitting room sharing a drink late at night.

“I tried my best but she didn’t want anything. I thought about just buying her something out of the blue but it would be pointless if she didn’t like it, right?”

“Hmm.”

Monsoon season arrived the following week and everyone figured it would be best to stay at home. Much like a flower with no sun, Kaveh wilted as the rain poured down. Alhaitham was the same as always and the only difference the rain made to Collei was that she couldn’t go outside to attend shopping trips with Kaveh. Thankfully, Alhaitham let her check on the little birdhouse she had made for a few minutes.

She’d recently found a very rare and endangered bird. Taking care of it was a small task but it made her feel a little like she was at home. After checking on the bird and its eggs, she went back to the house where Kaveh was waiting for her with a towel to dry her hair.

Currently, they were in the sitting room after having just finished their evening cups of tea. Alhaitham was (to no one’s surprise) reading a book. Kaveh was practically laying on top of him as he pulled another card from his deck.

“With this card, my Legendary Qilin deals 3 damage and so now your Wandering Samurai is out of the game!”

Collei sighed as she lost a round of Genius Invokation TCG. She and Kaveh had been playing the game for most of the day with her winning 13 rounds and Kaveh 4. It turns out, Kaveh had exceptionally bad luck with…everything.

“Great job, Kaveh. Now try to win with more than 2 hp on your last remaining card.” Kaveh muttered a curse as he sat up in his seat, leaning away from Alhaitham.

“I’m bored! Can’t we just step out to the city square for just an hour?” Alhaitham turned another page of his book.

“You get sick within 2 minutes of standing in the rain. You’re not leaving this house until the rain has stopped.” Kaveh groaned as he returned to using Alhaitham’s shoulder as a headrest.

Collei took the blonde’s reluctance as a sign to begin packing away her cards. She placed them all carefully into the Casket of Tomes.

“You know, it's incredible Cyno let you have that. He usually never goes anywhere without it.” Kaveh gestured towards the Casket of Tomes. “Even when we were in the Akademiya, he carried it with him to every class.” Collei couldn’t help but be curious.

“What was he like?” Kaveh grinned.

“He hasn’t changed one bit. Well, the terrible jokes are a fairly new development but he’d always been addicted to TCG. He’s always been overprotective when it comes to Tighnari too and—Kaveh raised a hand to his chin in thought— Oh Haitham, what else was he like.”

“He still glares at me every time I walk into the room as if I’ve defaced his favorite card back.” They all collectively chuckled.

“I can’t blame him, Haitham. You’re not an easy person to get along with.”

“And yet you stick to me like a hydro slime to a lake.”

“Well, someone had to! I sacrificed myself to save everyone from the torture of befriending you.” Collei giggled at the insult and they both smiled at her. “Tighnari was very similar to how you are now, Collei. He was tenacious and determined.” She frowned.

“I-I’m nothing like Master Tighnari. He’s so smart and I can’t even read or write properly.”

“That isn’t your fault, Collei. Also, being literate isn’t a show of intelligence. You’re a very resourceful girl not to mention you’re very helpful and a joy to have around.”

Collei couldn’t really bring herself to believe what Kaveh was saying. Surely, he was just being nice like he always was. She stood up from her seat.

“I-I’m tired so I think I’ll go to sleep early.” She made her way to the room without glancing at the two adults again.

Collei didn’t think she’d ever be able to get to sleep as she pondered the number of differences there were between her and everyone else. She struggled to read books that were meant for children and she was always so forgetful about things. She’d even forgotten to pack her own bag and came here with no supplies.

To her, it just seemed like everyone else was always doing things for her. They were always supporting her, caring for her, even feeding her. She might’ve just been a teenager but don’t most teenagers know to take care of themselves? She knew for sure they didn’t need a light on to sleep at night.

Without Alhaitham there to read his book, the room was dark since there was no reason for her to waste a wax candle simply because the dark was scary. Collei listened to the sound of rain patter against the window and her eyes grew heavy. She succumbed to old memories and a cruel twist of fate.

“H-Haitham! Get a towel!” Kaveh yelled as he clutched Collei to his chest. He’d come to check on her about an hour after she’d gone to sleep only to find her trembling with a fever. “Archons, I shouldn’t have let her go outside!”

Alhaitham came back with a towel which Kaveh used to wipe up some of the sweat. The sheets were practically soaked with it and Collei herself seemed to be experiencing some sort of nightmare.

Her breath quickened, her heart beating too fast in her chest and her eyes were fluttering.

“She’s too hot, take her cardigan off.” Kaveh followed Alhaitham’s instructions as he carefully removed her outwear so she was only left in her shirt and pants. Alhaitham placed his hand on her forehead, smoothing her hair back to try and calm her down.

The gesture helped a little. Her breathing slowed for a few minutes before she was clutching tightly onto Kaveh’s shirt. Her eyes opened with tears spilling from them as she looked around the room wildly.

“Mama! Ma-” She stumbled as she tried to break out of Kaveh’s hold. She pushed him away as hard as she could and bolted towards the open door.

Alhaitham acted quickly, blocking her from escaping as he wrapped his arms around her tiny, trembling body. She tried to fight him off all while screaming for parents that were long gone.

“Collei, it’s okay. You’re safe.” Alhaitham held onto her until she calmed down, sobbing into his chest as he stroked her back. Kaveh joined them to sweep her hair away from her face but she kept her eyes closed, too afraid of what she might see. The architect felt his heart crumble as he gazed at the little girl who’d suffered far too much.

The following morning was eerily quiet. Collei’s fever broke in the middle of the night after she’d fallen asleep against Alhaitham’s chest. She still felt weak and stayed in bed all day as a result.

Kaveh had his plans spread across the floor while Alhaitham sat at the end of the bed, leaning up against the wall to read his book.

She’d been sleeping off her illness but once it hit midday, she found it difficult to sleep any longer.

“Would you like something to eat?” Alhaitham asked. She shook her head.

“How about playing a game? You feel up for that?” Kaveh inquired. Again, she rejected the offer.

The only thing on Collei’s mind was how Cyno would make her a cup of hot cocoa from Mondstadt. He’d even add a cinnamon stick to it before giving it to her. Tighnari would always roll his eyes and yell at Cyno for using up all the cinnamon sticks he used to make curry but they all knew he didn’t really mean it.

Tighnari would read to her until she fell asleep when she was unwell. Cyno would test out some of his new jokes until she needed tea to soothe her hoarse throat. Tighnari would bring out a book filled with pictures for her to look at…but neither of them was here to comfort her. She was with Alhaitham and Kaveh for the time being and while she appreciated them immensely, she also felt like she burdened them far too much.

Alhaitham went out into the pouring rain in the middle of the night just to pick up medicine for the Bimartsan. She didn’t even have a way to pay him back. She just felt so useless and bothersome. If Cyno and Tighnari weren’t their friends, Collei wouldn’t matter to them. It was as simple as that.

“Collei, would you like some more tea?” Kaveh asked. She shook her head before turning to the wall and begging herself to go back to sleep. She couldn’t bring herself to deal with the tension in the room.

Alhaitham and Kaveh looked at each other, mentally communicating who would begin the investigation. As per usual, Kaveh lost to those startling eyes.

“Collei, do you want to talk about what happened last night?” No Answer. “We want to help you, but we don’t know how. Could you please talk to us?”

“I wish…you’d stop.” Her voice was muffled by her arms.

“Pardon.” Collei raised her head.

“I wish you’d stop helping me because of how useless I am. I-I can’t do anything right and I’m sorry I can’t help you with anything. I—her voice cracked— I hate being like this.”

Collei dove her head into her arms so she didn’t have to see the expressions of the people around her. When she’d exhibited similar behaviors towards her family, they’d roll their eyes and brush off what she said as if it was meaningless. Looking back now, perhaps her family was correct.

When she heard quiet sniffles, Collei looked up to see Kaveh.

“I’m sorry,” he said. She looked at him utterly confused.

“Y-you didn’t-”

“I should’ve known how hard this would be for you. I should’ve told you it was okay to ask for things and be selfish. Collei, you’re a child. W-we don’t expect anything of you!” Collei laughed hysterically.

“That doesn’t make any sense. I eat your food and take up space so I need to repay you.”

“Repay who?” Alhaitham questioned. “Definitely not me. I don’t need payments made by a child. Collei. We brought you into our home because its what we wanted. We’ve known Tighnari and Cyno all our lives but we never really had the chance to get to know you.”

Collei couldn’t bring herself to speak upon hearing that declaration. If she could speak, what would she even say?

Alhaitham reached out to Collei. He lay his palm open on the bed. She stared for a moment before placing her hand on top of his. He clung onto it and shifted so she’d be looking directly at him.

As always, his eyes were unwavering with such dedication that only a fool would doubt his words.

“When we heard what happened, Cyno suggested having you stay at the Bimartsan or an Inn but nobody wanted that for you. I suggested you stay with me and Kaveh until they came back. Perhaps…our reasons were selfish—he peered at Kaveh— but we wanted to get to know the little girl that finally brought our friends together after years of needless pining. Kaveh chuckled.

“Collei, you are our savior, truly. We didn’t even get around to telling you all of the awful poetry Cyno wrote for Tighnari. I had to steal the papers in his sleep and burn them, they were that awful!”

Collei couldn’t stop the smile from appearing on her face. Cyno was capable of very poor poetry so the story wasn’t entirely unbelievable.

“Amazingly,” Kaveh continued. “Tighnari’s pining was worse. What was it he used to do, Haitham?” Alhaitham showed a rare smirk as he conjured up the memory.

“He would leave little love letters meant for Cyno with flowers that had some sort of meaning behind them. I think when you spelled out the flowers on a piece of paper, they would form his name but Cyno, for some reason, thought the flowers were poisonous and had it submitted for examination.”

Kaveh chortled at the memory, drying his tears instantly. They both glanced at Collei.

“Just like Cyno and Tighnari are, we couldn’t be happier to have you be part of our little family.” She paused looking up as he spoke that foreign, forbidden word.

“F-family?”

“Mmhmm! Alhaitham showed you our family photo album didn’t he? If Tighnari and Cyno are your parents…I guess that would make us your Uncles! Does…that sound okay to you?”

Collei's breath hitched before she broke out into a sob. A family! She had a family!! All this time, she'd assumed everyone was being nice to her out of pity. They were doing it because they cared?

Collei's breath heaved so Alhaitham pulled her toward him into a hug. Kaveh was quick to join, laying on top them which started a fit of giggles. He sighed as he brushed her hair out of the way.

"We're so glad to have you with us so please don't feel like you've burdened us somehow."

"Precisely, if anyone's a burden on my wallet, it's Kaveh," Alhaitham added. Obviously, Kaveh disagreed which brought on another tennis battle between the two. Still feeling sick, Collei just watched the two go at each other's throats until the exhaustion from crying caught up to her and she fell asleep against Alhaitham and Kaveh.

After their talk, things began looking up for the three of them in the following two weeks.

Kaveh's project ended successfully so he was free to lounge around at home and continue his shopping sprees. Collei herself was happy to join him and no longer stopped him from buying her new clothes (with Alhaitham's money of course). Alhaitham, of course, didn't change. He was still the introverted homebody he'd always been though perhaps now, he was a little lax about his wallet and couldn't say no as soon as Collei's name was brought up.

Alhaitham still spent much of his day in his at-home office except now, the door was always left open for a visitor or two.

Collei stood outside of that door now clutching a bundle of letters meant for Amber Cyno, and of course, Tighnari. She rapped at the door and waited for the confirmation to walk in.

Alhaitham never kept her waiting long unlike Kaveh. At times, he'd even approach the door and smile slightly at Collei as he welcomed her in. That was one of those times.

He sat and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

"Is there something on your mind, Collei?" She shifted her feet, nervous and a little ashamed to ask but she shook away that feeling and held up the letters.

"I'd like to deliver these letters but I don't have the mora for postage. Would you possibly-"

"Absolutely. How many letters do you have?"

"Three."

Alhaitham took the letters before pulling out a drawer filled with envelopes and stamps.

"Kaveh should be preparing lunch soon. You can go help him, I'll make sure these are taken care of." Collei thanked him as she left the office.

Alhaitham carefully placed each letter into an envelope. He hadn't meant to look but one of the letters slipped from his grasp. He took notice of the scribbled words at the top that were replaced with one word, Dad.

He smiled as he packed up and stamped each of the letters before placing them on his desk and getting up to go help prepare lunch.

It had been about 6 weeks since Collei started living with Kaveh and Alhaitham. She'd enjoyed it a lot even if she was depressed at first. Kaveh was always kind to her, sneaking her food while Alhaitham tended to splurge money on her. She owned 8 new outfits, a new purse, and a bunch of jewelry and accessories.

Of course, she tried to reject the gifts but that was a little hard to do when they were sitting on the nightstand when she awoke in the morning.

She made sure to thank the two of them as much as she could by helping out around the house and crafting cards and trinkets for them. As soon as she returned to Ghandarva Ville, she swore she'd buy them a proper gift with the mora she'd left behind.

If the letter Kaveh read to them at Breakfast was true, then Collei should be able to finally reunite with Cyno and Tighnari sometime today or tomorrow. She was brimming with excitement at the thought.

That morning, she wore one of the new outfits she'd gotten. A forest green dress with brown trim and gold details. She wore gold earrings similar to Kaveh's and a new bracelet she'd received from Alhaitham as well.

All afternoon, she waited excitedly in the sitting room, glancing at the front door every few minutes.

“They might not arrive until tomorrow, Collei,” Alhaitham warned but that did nothing to stop her restlessness. Kaveh made her some tea and only then did she feel her anxiety and stress settle in.

Would Tighnari and Cyno be upset that she’d caused so much trouble for their friends? What if they never let her visit again? Would Alhaitham and Kaveh still want her to see them after this ended? Kaveh interrupted her thoughts.

“Collei sweetie, it's almost midnight. Why don’t you hurry up along to bed?” Kaveh suggested. She reluctantly dragged her feet to the room and settled into bed after changing into her night clothes.

As she was dragging a thin blanket up to her chest, Alhaitham and Kaveh walked in sharing a nervous gaze. Well…Kaveh looked nervous and Alhaitham was as indifferent as ever when he addressed Collei.

“I know you were excited to see them today but they got held up with some legal issues. I’m sure they’ll arrive soon.”

“When?” she couldn’t stop the whining undertone in her voice and hated herself for it.

“I don’t know. Hopefully soon. Get some sleep.” Collei turned to her side to face the wall and listened to the sound of Alhaitham lighting a candle before exiting the room with Kaveh trailing behind him.

Collei awoke with the first streams of sunlight. Peering down at the floor, she could see Alhaitham and Kaveh were both still asleep. Kaveh took up most of the room while Alhaitham was pushed against the closet and yet, their hands were linked together.

She quietly got up from her bed, reached for her clothes, and stepped out to change.

Deep down, she’d hoped she’d see Tighnari and Cyno sleeping on the couch to surprise her but that wasn’t the case. The house was empty aside from Kaveh, Alhaitham, and herself.

She changed in Kaveh’s bedroom before sitting down on the couch. She wore the same outfit she did yesterday, not really having the heart to search through her bags for anything else to wear.

Collei picked up a book placed on the table. It was a light novel Alhaitham had given her. She’d finished reading it not too long ago but found herself skimming the pages again. She didn’t feel much like reading but didn’t know what else to do.

“You’re up early.” Collei glanced at Alhaitham who was leaning against the doorframe. He must’ve gotten dressed as he was wearing his usual ensemble save for the cloak. His hair was still mussed from sleep though, a long chunk of it sticking out from his head. “Something on your mind?” the Scribe inquired.

“I miss them.”

“I know.”

They didn’t share any other words. Alhaitham took off to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of cut-up fruit for Collei. Eventually, Kaveh rose from his sleep and went to join them. The house was quiet but peaceful.

She visited the bird in the backyard only to find its nest empty. It must’ve left once the rains had stopped.

Inside, Kaveh was chewing his fingernail as he addressed his Junior. “What do we do, Haitham? She’s hardly said a word today.”

“We do nothing. This situation is up to our friends to fix.”

Kaveh wanted to argue but he couldn’t. Alhaitham was right. As much as he wanted to see Collei smiling, the only thing that would get her to smile at this point was seeing her adoptive parents again.

“Maybe, I should make her favorite food for lunch?”

“It’s worth a shot but something tells me she won’t be hungry today as well.” Kaveh groaned as he sat beside his Junior, leaning on his shoulder.

“I hate seeing her so depressed like this. I wish Cyno and Tighnari would come back sooner…but…at the same time, I want to keep Collei around for longer so I don’t want them to come back today or tomorrow.” He sat up and looked directly at Alhaitham. “Is that selfish?” Alhaitham smiled.

“It is but I agree.”

“Ugh, I’ve spent so long living with you that I’m turning into you! Where’s Tighnari when you need him?”

“Behind you if you used your eyes once in a while, Kaveh.”

Kaveh jumped from his seat, separating himself from Alhaitham as if they’d been doing something unsightly.

“W-when-”

“A few minutes ago. Alhaitham let us in but I guess you were unaware. Anyway, where’s our child?”

Flabbergasted, Kaveh pointed to the back garden where the door was left ajar.

“Good to see you again, Kaveh,” Cyno said as he rushed past him. Kaveh watched as Tighnari and Cyno opened the back door in disbelief before turning to Alhaitham.

“You could’ve told me!”

“Or I could’ve allowed you to make a fool of yourself resulting in not only my but our friends' amusement as well.”

“Ugh! YOU-”

“Do you think she’ll be upset with us?” Cyno asked hesitantly. “We couldn’t exchange many words before we left. Perhaps she no longer wishes to see us?” Tighnari’s tail twitched.

Though the thought did cross his mind, he knew that confronting and apologizing to Collei was the right course of action. Each day spent without seeing her was filled with concern and worry that was only mildly soothed by the letters they’d received.

“If she was upset, she wouldn’t have sent those letters.” Tighnari didn’t know if those words were meant for Cyno or himself.

“Perhaps it was just a cruel prank Alhaitham played on us. She’s never called me Dad before. I’m sure with his skill, he could easily forge Collei’s handwriting.” Not for the first time, Tighnari wished Cyno would stop talking.

Nothing had made him happier than the moment he opened his letter to see it was addressed to Papa. Embarrassingly, he ended up squealing in delight before shedding a tear. He’d missed Collei so much while they were apart.

Trekking through the various regions of Sumeru to clear up a withering zone had not been a fun experience. The only thing that kept him going in the harsh desert sun was Collei’s hairpiece she’d left behind.

“Whether what she wrote in those letters was true or not, we should still see her. It doesn’t matter what she calls us. She’ll always be our Collei, Cyno.” He mustered such surety in his voice that there was little room for any objection. Tighnari took a deep breath and opened the door to the back garden.

It was like a scene from his dreams because the Dendro Lord knows Collei had been invading his dreams a lot lately. He saw her trying on Cyno’s headdress and making a mess in the kitchen. Whenever he woke up and didn’t find Collei curled up against his tail, he felt an ache within himself.

That ache healed in the form of tears upon seeing Collei. She had her back turned to him and was examining a birdhouse. She must’ve grown taller in the weeks he wasn’t around and her hair had definitely grown a tad longer as well.

He stood there, silently staring for what felt like an eternity spilling over with happiness. Cyno was more or less in the same state. He felt Cyno’s hand on his shoulder, leaning on him for support.

They gazed at their little girl in disbelief, waiting for the moment she’d realize and look towards them and when it happened, her tears mirrored theirs.

Tighnari outstretched his arms as Collei ran over to them. He fell backward onto Cyno as Collei collided with him in a hug. She’d never initiated physical contact like this before and everyone was shocked but relieved and happy.

“P-Papa, I-I missed you!” she said in between tears. Tighnari laughed as he stroked her hair back. She said it, she finally said it. After months of caring and hoping, she finally acknowledged him as her parent.

“Make room for me too!” Cyno wailed. He all but lifted Collei away from Tighnari’s hug to deliver an embrace of his own. She happily dove into it and his headdress ended up falling to the ground.

“I'm so sorry we were gone for so long. We missed you so much, Collei. Tighnari cried every day.”

“I did not!” Tighnari said as he wiped away his tears.

The two of them chuckled at the Valuka Shuna who groaned before pulling them both into another hug. A family hug, Collei told herself. Her Dads had finally come home.

From the entrance to the backyard, Kaveh smiled at the trio fondly.

“I wish we could have something like that.”

“We?” Alhaitham asked with a suggestive undertone to his voice.

“N-nevermind what I said. We should get started on dinner. They’ll probably be out there for a while.”

Alhaitham followed the blonde into the kitchen, taking note of the blush staining his neck.

“So, you imbeciles got my daughter sick, failed to properly oversee her meals, and then thought purchasing her a wardrobe of new clothes would somehow resolve your numerous transgressions?” Cyno spat out.

He sat at the kitchen table between Collei and Tighnari who were happily eating their dinner. Kaveh and Alhaitham sat across from them with their own portions of food. Although, Kaveh was looking a little green from Cyno’s harsh tone.

“I-It wasn’t like that Cyno, I swear! I know it sounds bad when you say it like that but I promise, we took good care of her—he turned to the girl in question—didn’t we Collei?” Collei narrowed her eyes at the blonde.

“You cursed in front of me.”

“YOU DID WHAT????”

Alhaitham, Tighnari, and Collei struggled to hold Cyno back as he attempted to decapitate the broke Architect with a dinner plate.