Childe: FatuiTech's most recent promotion into the board of directors, sometimes referred to as the Harbingers by the employees.
Columbina: Chief operating officer of FatuiTech. She's infamous for her unconventional methods of problem solving within the company.
Pantalone: Chief financial officer and has accumulated an enormous sum of wealth outside of the company. Operates a bank under a different name.
Scaramouche: Recently quit after a certain lawsuit. No longer wants to be associate with the company.
Sandrone: Chief technology officer though notoriously hard to get along with. Do not contact her for IT support under any circumstance. Contact Columbina if it's an emergency.
Teyvat Today: The nation's number one news source, now on Twitter!
People aren't always as they seem, but even the words directly from one's subconscious don't paint a picture bright enough to understand someone and the entirety of their complexity.
Real Time
12:04 P.M.
Tuesday
He was sitting on a stone bench by the fountain, poised and elegant, lost in thought. He always carried himself with a certain dignity, and even from afar you could tell he was ethereal. Indeed, it was Dottore, the man you fell in love with at first lecture.
You chuckled bitterly to yourself, knowing it was an odd pairing. Dottore was endlessly fascinated by biomechanics and the potential of the human body. He was well versed in many different fields of science despite not being much older than yourself. He was a genius. He was incredible. And you were majoring in creative writing. He'd revolutionize the world some day; you were sure about that.
There were thousands of possibilities, millions of outcomes, and the only one you could think of was ending your relations with Dottore here. You didn't want to, but you were beginning to feel as though you'd never be good enough for someone like him. He wouldn't explicitly state it, but maybe that's why he didn't look at you the same way. Maybe he couldn't even fathom the possibility.
Your thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of his voice, deep and inquisitive, "You're here, Y/n."
As you awkwardly sat down beside him, you mumbled, "Yeah."
"Speak up, now, there's no need to be shy."
"What am I supposed to say?"
He hummed, "What ever it is that's weighing on your mind."
You hesitated, to which he ubruptly flicked your forehead.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"You took too long to answer."
You rolled your eyes, "I was collecting my thoughts."
"On the contrary, the look on your face suggests you were spiraling."
"Are you a mind reader now?"
"Perhaps just for you."
Your heart stopped, just for a moment such that you couldn't breathe nor look away from him.
He said, "Your thoughts show on your face like an open book. Is that common for creative writing majors?"
Oh, was that what he meant? You had to admit you were a little disappointed.
"No, I don't believe so," you said, sighing. "But enough about me. You said you'd tell me what's going on with FatuiTech."
"As you're aware, the company is undergoing a lawsuit. One of my, let's say duller colleagues, did not go through the proper procedures before distributing an experimental pharmaceutical. In case you're wondering, it's the same one that was recalled last year because it didn't meet administrative approval."
"Were you involved?"
"As if I'd be so foolish to allow that to happen. It was under a completely different department, but legally it doesn't matter; the whole company is liable."
"That's a relief to hear. I'm glad you weren't a part of it. It was all over the news the side-effects people were experiencing."
"Yes, it's been quite troublesome for the rest of us."
"You're not off the hook yet."
"What do you mean."
You huffed, "If the explanation was that simple why didn't you tell me from the beginning. You took such a needlesly roundabout route like you always do. What if I had decided not to hear you out and simply declared you complicit."
"I prefer not to associate myself with people who make quick assumptions without thoroughly thinking it through. Those people are prone to folly."
For the first time he seemed to really ponder your question. You were so used to quick and shrewd responses that his sudden rumination threw you off balance.
"People aren't test subjects, and everyone can be foolish from time to time. Would you care if we stopped talking with one another because of something that could've easily been clarified?" It was a genuine question on your part.
After a while, he lifted his head out of thought, "I suppose I'd be disappointed if that were to occur."
"Oh," you couldn't help the dejection forming in your throat.
"You know, Y/n, you always point out perspectives I hadn't considered. Perhaps because our fields of study are vastly different, but you understand things that I don't."
You laughed, "Is that why you keep me around?"
Dottore lifted your chin with his index finger and thumb, and you quickly found yourself locked in his gaze. His eyes, ruby as sunset, a twinkling horizon, were staring past your complexion to something deeper. Your face began to flush, but his remained completely passive.
"If you were my pet I wouldn't have asked for you to listen to what I had to say."
One need only ask, except when the questioned becomes suspicious of the questioning.
Real-time
9:04 P.M.
Friday
"You know, Yae Miko," Venti said, face flushed with laughter. "You're such a great friend."
"This is about the vodka, isn't it?" said Yae Miko. She turned towards the now-empty bottle, marvel in the sigh that followed.
"Come on, Venti appreciates you for more than just what you can offer," Nilou laughed.
"Perhaps next time I should bring some more, considering how long it took you guys to drink it all," Yae Miko clicked her tongue.
You chimed in, "Definitely! And next time we should try this new mix I found on Pinterest."
"Y/n, I've been meaning to ask you," said Cyno, who was sitting on your right.
"Yeah?"
"Why are your Pinterest boards always filled with motivational quotes when you're the least motiva—" Cyno was suddenly cut off by Venti's exclamation.
"Let's play never have I ever!"
"That could be fun," Yanfei said.
You were all sitting around Nilou's coffee table, some on the floor and others comfortably settled on the couch. Nilou had volunteered her apartment for the party, and since she lived off campus it was convenient for the others.
As you took the last sip from your glass, knocking sounded from the door. Nilou excused herself to go check it out and you followed after, already presuming the visitor. Nilou peeked through the eyehole before opening the door, and just as you thought it was Dottore.
"I'm glad you could make it, Dottore," Nilou said.
"Thank you for extending an invitation my way; I brought something for the party," he said.
It was obvious from the shape in his bag that he brought alcohol. You must have been staring too long, for he wordlessly handed you the bag and entered the apartment, Nilou following behind him.
You peeked into the bag. It was rum. You giggled to yourself as you set it back into the bag—exquisite taste as always.
"Oh, Y/n there you are! Come on we're about to start," said Venti.
You suddenly had an idea, "Dottore brought rum. Whoever 'has' drinks. "
* * *
"Your turn, Dottore." Yanfei said.
He thought for a moment, "I have never told a professor the reason I didn't turn in an assignment was because there was a spider on my laptop."
"You know the point of the game is to get others to drink, right?" Venti said.
Dottore chuckled, "There is one person who has."
You averted your eyes as you took your shot. "It was a really big spider."
"Why didn't you just ask someone to kill it?" asked Cyno.
"I couldn't!"
"Why?"
"I had tabs open!"
"I have a good idea: let's look through Y/n's search history," Venti grinned as he stood up from his spot on the couch. You bolted up immediately and he gave chase, the two of you ending up somewhere outside.
Nilou glanced at Yanfei who remained completely nonchalantly. Nilou didn't know how she did it; she felt like a nervous wreck! Now was the perfect opportunity to see the real Dottore, but she didn't know if she could muster the courage to probe him.
Luckily, Yanfei spoke first, "This is my first time meeting you, Dottore. My name is Yanfei, and I'm an attorney here in Liyue."
"I know who you are. You're quite accomplished for having only recently graduated."
"You flatter me, though you have no room to speak."
He laughed, "Yes, well I do suppose that's true."
"I've met you before but I never got to ask. What do you do?" Nilou asked.
"I'm a researcher, though at the moment I'm conducting clinical trials," said Dottore.
Yanfei prompted, "What are you researching?"
"I'm afraid the research can't be made public yet," he explained. Nilou wondered if by 'can't be made public' he really meant 'nothing you should know.'
"You guys are asking Dottore a lot of questions," Cyno pointed out. Yae Miko simply sipped on some water.
Nilou was hesitant, but Yanfei didn't back down, "I just wanted to know more about him since he's dating Y/n."
Nilou almost choked while Cyno jumped to his feet, exclaiming, "They're dating?"
"We are not," Dottore said, now eyeing Yanfei.
Yanfei sheepishly giggled, "My bad I really thought you two were." She shot her eyes over to Nilou who understood immediately.
"Venti and I kind of figured the same thing, but we probably should have asked."
"Do consider your presumptions next time."
Yae Miko spoke up, "It's only natural to make that assumption, is it not? None of us knew you before tonight, and even then you really only spoke to Y/n."
"I suppose you could view it that way from your perspective," he acknowledged.
"Right," Yanfei said. "Well, then, let us continue the game."
