YOU COME BACK FROM TRAVELING WITH A SLIME.
Cyno, al haitham, tighnari, Kaveh.
CYNO.
When you leave sumeru, it involves visiting your family back in mondstadt. You offer to take Cyno with you so that he can meet your brothers—Diluc and Kaeya but he declines your Invite repetitively; stating that evil never rests or something like that. After packing a small suitcase, you kissed your lover a temporary good-bye and turned to leave.
You were gone for a few weeks although if you ask Cyno, he'll dramatically say you've been gone for months—too which tighnari can only roll his eyes at cyno's dramatic statement and continue working. Cyno couldn't help the overwhelming sense of loneliness that loomed over his head like a thundering cloud. To not have you at his side 24/7 like usual felt unrealistic in a sort of derogatory way.
He's much more negatively expressive with the way he succumbs to irritation and anger. Honestly, he didn't wanna sound like an a-hole, but did your family members really mean that much to you? He mentally kicks himself when he realizes that even dared to consider that thought. Of course they were important! They were your family.
These depressive antics go on for the entire 2 weeks you're gone, until he receives a letter from you stating that you'd be back in sumeru by tonight. He's absolutely jumping with joy—well, on the inside.
On the outside, he's as stoic as ever while scanning your letter over and over again to make sure that this is actually your letter and not some sort of trickery from tighnari so Cyno will finally shut up about you. He decides it is yours, since your handwriting is charmingly distinguishable.
The hours are passing so slow and dull. For the first time in a while, Cyno doesn't want to be hunting down lawbreakers and degenerates. Right now, he wants nothing but to sit at port ormos and wait for your longly yearned arrival.
After what felt like an eternity of solitary from you—finally, finally. He stands at port ormos, greeted by the exalted and long awaited sight of you, jumping off the boat. You immediately notice him and with that sweet smile of yours, you wave, greeting him as you approach. "I'm home!" You cheered, tackling him into a tight hug. He doesn't hesitate to hug you back, tightly.
The two of you share a long silence, melting into each other's presence. "Oh, I brought something special back!" you smile, removing yourself from the hug to Cyno's dismay.
You take off your bag and turn to lean down. After a few seconds of awaited silence, you turn back and face Cyno with a smile, while tightly holding your gift.
Cyno pauses, his eyes narrowing at the sight before him, a sudden strike of panic corroding his body as he sees a monster—more specifically, a small hydro slime sitting comfortably in your embrace. In an instant he's summoning his spear. "[name]. Why do you have that?" He asked, pointing his spear at it, warningly.
You gasp, turning away from Cyno's spear. "Cyno, put your weapon away! don't hurt her!" you whined, squeezing the hydro smile close to your chest.
"Release it. Now." He demanded. You felt a shudder creep up your spine at the authoritative tone that Cyno had injected into his words—if you were any less rebellious than you are then you'd definitely would've released the small creature without any questions.
"No! We're keeping it!" You rebel, definitely.
Either of you weren't aware of the huge commotion that you were causing—with you holding a chaotic slimy entity and the general mahamantra Cyno holding his spear in his hand while pointing it at you and the small creature in your grasp. You both were racking up quite an audience.
Even worse, al haitham was there with a smirk of amused mock on his lips. He couldn't wait to bring this up the next time Cyno decided to mess with him.
ALHAITHAM.
You were partners with Kaveh in terms of architecture. You and Kaveh had graduated from the akademia around the same time. You'd agreed that you'd go traveling and the two of you would split the cost. Admittedly, Al haitham wasn't very fond of you traveling with Kaveh but he also wasn't a fan of traveling himself, especially so far away. So, begrudgingly he let you leave with Kaveh.
You weren't gone for very long. only a short span of 2 days. Unlike Cyno, Al haitham wasn't wallowing in his sadness after your decision to travel away. Although he does miss you, not enough to let it affect his mood and he's smart enough to know that you'll return home very soon.
When that time occurs, Al haitham begrudgingly greets Kaveh who has a mocking grin that tells him something he doesn't like is about to happen. "What are you smiling at?" Al haitham scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the blonde.
Without a response, Kaveh stepped sideways revealing you standing in the doorway, holding some sort of blobby item. Silence filling the house as al haitham realizes what it is your attempting to bring into his house. He cannot afford to explain how disappointed he is in you, so the man settled for a deadpan stare.
You take him on, giving a stare that's almost equally as powerful. almost.
"But haitham-" "Get it out of my house." He interrupts your very poor attempt to convince him into letting you keep a slime as a pet. You didn't have a chance to finish your statement but al haitham knows you well enough to know it was gonna be poor.
"Mean! it'll be cold and lonely out there!" You pleaded, sadly. You glance down at the dendro slime that pliantly sits in your arms. "as it should be. We're not keeping a slime in our- excuse me, my house." Al haitham deadpans.
"I say that we keep it." Kaveh exclaimed, forcing himself into the conversation. "Why is that? Don't you know that keeping you is already a hassle for me?" Alhaitham replied, rebuking his statement. "What!" Kaveh scowls.
"Not to mention that your opinion isn't valued until you give me the mora that I'm owed." Alhaitham scoffed, narrowing his eyes at Kaveh. "You!- that's completely irrelevant!" Kaveh exclaimed, irritably.
There they go, arguing as usual. Although their arguments are usually unnecessary and annoying, it gives you the chance to sneak your new slime into the house so you'll let it slide this time.
TIGHNARI.
He told you to not touch anything. Begging, pleading, was literal seconds away from falling to his knees and nearly crying for you not to try and take anything home with you during your forest patrols, and explained in explicit and deep detail why you couldn't. You promised that you'd behave and not touch anything while patrolling the forest with the other forest rangers. You absolutely liar, you.
Oh, what the fuck. Tighnari stood there at the front door of your shared home, watching you use a cryo slime as a beanbag chair, too which the slime didn't mind too much or probably wasn't self-aware enough to realize it was being used as a chair.
Tighnari didn't care. "Please tell me that isn't a real slime currently sitting in our home." He sighed, throwing his bag down.
"Yep! I've adopted a slime baby!" You squealed, excitedly. "I know you told me not to grab anything from the forest, but I saw it just sitting there by itself and-" "Nevermind, I've heard enough." Tighnari interrupted you, raising his hand.
"In most cases, I'd scold you about your awful immaturity and eagerly obscene choices. But, I'm far too tired." He grunted, flickering his left ear in hidden annoyance.
"Wait, wait. so.. does that mean?" You sat up in excitement at what tighnari was implying, paying no attention to the way the slime squished around beneath you. "Yes, I'm raising the white flag on this one." Tighnari admitted, blankly.
To describe yourself as excited was a major underestimation, you were practically jumping with joy at this suspiciously quick defeat from Tighnari; which weren't common in the slightest. Eyes full of determination, you turn to your lover. “I promise to take care of it, you won't regret this!” you promised.
“I highly doubt that, have fun.” tighnari turned away to sit at his desk. Well, at least you're happy. Maybe it'll keep you occupied so he can get some work done without distractions.
As long as you're happy, he's happy. (not entirely, but he finds himself struggling to say no to you, today.)
KAVEH.
Kaveh had been struggling on a recent architectural commission. You and him were partners in that field, which he was glad for. You'd often help him make the more difficult decisions and also reign him in when he started to go over his budget, an example like now where he can't tell which dye to use for the windows. You would be a wonderful help if you weren't late today.
Kaveh was kneeled next to the chosen spot for the construction, blueprints scoured before him. His eyes crinkled in a way that could give glimpse to the fact he was struggling on how to make this work without blowing his mora as usual. “This is taking forever, I'll just—”
“Kaveh!” ah. There you are. Merely seconds from him making the decision himself, how convenient.
Kaveh sits up, catching the attention of mehtrek beside him. “Great! you're a little late but it's fine. I need help deciding on—” He gradually trails off when he sees you bounding towards him, holding what believes to be a… slime?
He mounts to his feet in disbelief and meets you in the middle. “[Name]! What are you doing with.. why do you have a slime in your arms?!” He exclaimed, ruby gaze settling on the jiggling geo slime held tight in your arms.
“It's a.. long story?” You reply, unsure how to explain that it had accidentally imprinted on you and it wouldn't stop following you.
“what— we don't have time for—” Kaveh shook his head, not even sure how to reply to this situation. Kaveh had always been an empathetic soul, but he wasn't entirely sure about this. “You don't intend to bring that home do you? I mean.. !!” Kaveh sighed.
“Alhaitham isn't gonna let you, and we don't have the funds to take care of it!” Kaveh exclaimed, glancing at the way the slime blinked up at him, undoubtedly not understanding a single word that he's saying.
“C'mon, it's a geo slime in sumeru!” You countered, looking down at the peaceful creature. You weren't sure if it was actually able to survive in this nation but really wanted to take it home.
But you were also aware that Alhaitham definitely didn't plan on letting you keep it, not without a serious argument behind why he should let you. “I know that it isn't normal to keep slimes but I can't let it just.. I mean, look at it!” You held it up a bit. “Cmon, Kav..” you plead.
Kaveh felt a sense of conflict. After a few seconds of thought, he sighs in defeat. “Fine. I guess it can come with us.. but don't expect me to vouch for it, if Alhaitham says no.” He was absolutely going to vouch for it.
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