Pairing: Jeht x fem!reader
Genere: fluff, angst [just a little]
Sinopsis: it's the day before your loves goes on a mission with a certain Traveler
A/N: I'm screaming, I'm crying, I'm foaming at the mouth. No fics for Jeht?? Now I'm sad. So, I haven't yet completed the whole world quest, but something tells me it will end in heartbreak and I'm SCARED. Sumeru is soo well written i want to scream, aaand Jeht is a lesbian cutie. Obviously I want Jeht for myself, but if I can't have her, please HoYo make Jehtlumi canon.
Marvelous rays of golden sunlight drape over the river's quiet waters, smearing its hue into the tents perched into both of its muddy shores. Lazy spinocrocodiles lay atop of the rocks, their scales glistening of red and ashes. Men and women of the tribe rest too, some beneath the comfort of palm tree shades and others strolling aimlessly. There is a certain tranquility in the air you haven't felt since joining the Tanit, a sort of peace found in the middle of the chaos, the constant uncertainty that dangles over all of your heads.
You can finally see why Jeht likes it here, even though you are both outsiders of some sort; you, more so, being a runaway from Sumeru city. Maybe you are all a big family after all. That thought makes you smile ever so slightly.
Jeht lays at your side, both outside your shared tent, not more than a few scraps of fabric and sturdy wood, with your eyes on the river and, occasionally, on each other. Your lover's golden eyes are as gentle as the setting sun, and so are her lips as she kisses your knuckles.
"Tomorrow I'll set off" she murmurs, still holding your hand between hers.
You know, you've seen the blonde Traveller and her fairy companion, Jeht's precious friend of whom you've heard nothing but honey - sweet praise. Truth be told, those words rarely extend to the flying thing though she quite reminds you of a little sister you once had. You don't really think about those things these days so you shake your thoughts away and bring her hands onto your own mouth, kissing her metal gloved fingers in exchange.
"I know" it's your only response, but on the inside you scream. Why? Aren't I enough for her? That foreigner is surely better, being such a legend. Why is Jeht setting herself up for danger again? Surely she will come home safe, right?
That night you sleep in each other's arms a last time, her body encasing you and her skin, warm and soft, keeping you company throughout the sleepless night. The chilling air pierces through the tent at times and wails as you snuggle closer to Jeht beneath the dusty blanket.
Jeht sometimes mumbles, calling out for something you can't quite make out until the first lights announce the start of another day: "don't... Dad... come... don't go... not there... back". As her words grow in intensity you shake her awake and kiss her good morning while her eyes still try to focus.
After a breakfast made up of dates and Fatteh, you are finally left alone. She fixes a strand of your dark hair behind your ear.
"Don't miss me too much" she murmurs, her forehead against yours.
"I'll just worry sick" Jeht attempts a half smile "be safe."
Now your lips are on her lips and her hands caress the back of your neck with such tenderness that, for a split second, you think you might melt from her touch. That kiss says more than the little words you've managed to spit out. I love you. I know you have to leave, but come back, don't you leave me too. And from her, wait here. Don't risk anything, be safe, be strong for me. I'll come back for you, I promise.
The kiss breaks as a high pitched voice calls for her: "Jeht, we are ready to go!!"; it's the Traveler and her little companion.
You look at her and she looks at you before heading away. She'll come back, you tell yourself but can't help but wonder as every time she ventures away from the tribe.
Is the love of two runaway girls stronger than the desert's deadly embrace?
summary: After everything that has happened, you can't just let Jeht walk away. Reader is not the Traveller.
Jeht is canonically a lesbian, this traveller in this specific story is Aether (for the in-game ending, since Jeht has a crush on Lumine (and sees Aether as a friend only) and the reader might not stand a chance there... although Jeht has two hands, anyway-). Reader is written intended to be AFAB/female/sapphic/it's not super specific but this fic is sapphic intended.
warnings: talks of blood, injuries, death, murder, genocide (the tanit)
The blood was beginning to dry onto your skin. Jeht told Paimon to hide, to not ruin her white clothes, while she, Aether and you were left to deal with the incoming attack. Jeht and Aether took down most of them, seeing how you were holding back, but you didn't think they'd... the entire Tanit, the believers of the long deceased Goddess of Flowers, Nabu Malikata, were all gone.
The sun's rays on your skin shifted from a comforting warmth to a painful burn, your eyes glassy as Jeht embraced Aether first, fighting back her own tears as she moved to embrace you next.
For a moment, your arms were frozen, but as she began to pull away, you forced them to move, holding her close. You could still hear Tadhla's voice as she chose to die by Aether's blade. Even as you cried, catching her body before she hit the ground, begging for her to hold on. Liloupar's words had you sobbing. Tadhla had chosen to die as a friend to you both, rather than live as a falcon, hunting Aether by order of her father.
Aether hadn't even blinked when he saw you holding Tadhla's feather in your hands that night, staring at it, then the stars above, as if you were hoping she was up there. He only shushed Paimon from saying anything, watching you worriedly as you rolled over onto your side to hide your sobs.
Dehya and Candace had warned you before that the desert was cruel, but you hadn't truly realised how much, until now.
Jeht pulled away, getting ready to embark on her journey. Whatever she said, you couldn't hear her, not even as Aether offered you a cloth to wash the dried blood from your skin.
It was only when Jeht began to depart from your group that you snapped.
"May we meet again under a lovelier sun..." she spoke, while Aether and Paimon spotted Benben emerging from the ruined camp, you raced forwards.
"No!" your broken cry making the eremite girl stop in her tracks, but she didn't turn around, only looking down as you tripped over your own feet in your frenzy.
"Please-" Jeht struggled, it was taking all of her to walk away from the only people in the world she had left who she could trust.
"No, I can't let you go. Not like this- that woman sent word of your betrayal to every nearby eremite, you have no supplies, your weapon is broken- I am not letting you walk to your death, Jeht!" you begged, almost dropping to your knees out of desperation as Jeht's eye covering was beginning to be soaked in tears.
"Aether's journey is not over yet-"
"I'm not saying you eventually travel with us to Fontaine, you're free to choose but right now, please just come to the teapot with us so you can heal your wounds and figure out your next move, please. But, if you don't want to..." you let out a sigh, wiping at your face hurriedly.
Jeht remained still, watching you as you scrambled to get something out of your bag, "at least take this with you, it's a realm dispatch item, you can use it to come to the Serenitea Pot whenever you want. So you will always have a safe place to stay, and you will always have us to help you if you need it."
Remaining still, you held out the token like you were trying not to spook a timid baby animal, watching as Jeht slowly reached out and took it.
"Thank you..." the girl whispered, unable to stop herself as she lunged forwards to embrace you again.
Aether and Paimon exchanged glances, only nodding as Benben whirred quietly, hurrying over as Jeht eventually pushed you away, no longer holding back her tears as she left. Benben hurried after her with not even a beep to the three of you.
"Whoever is the deity of death in this world, you may have taken Tadhla, but you can't have Jeht. Not yet. It is not her time... let her rest with her parents one day in peace." You whispered to yourself, tears dripping down your face onto the golden sands.
"Come on, let's head going back to Aaru Village." Aether's hand rested on your shoulder, encouraging you to get up and head the other way to where Jeht had gone further into the desert. Her footsteps in the sand eventually fading with the wind.
"We'll see Jeht again you two, don't worry!" Paimon tried to be cheerful, but neither you or Aether spoke for the entire way back.
"Did something happen while you were in the desert?" Candace enquired much later, as she found you sitting outside the Village Chef's House, staring into space with a feather in your hands.
"It's not a threat to the village. It was... all resolved." Your voice barely audible but the Guardian of Aaru Village's ears picked it up.
"My concern is with you, are you alright?" Candace gently brushed a stray tear from your cheek, resting her hand on your cheek to comfort you.
"You and Dehya were right. The desert is cruel." Pulling your knees to your chest as you fought back the memories from those quests, unable to share with Candace anything that had happened.
It hadn't been long, but you still worried for Jeht. Deep down, you knew, if anything happened to her, you might not even find out. She would just be another body lost to the sands.
You were nervous the first few times you went back to the Serenitea Pot, hoping Jeht would be there but she never was. You spent a lot of time in the room you'd turned into a library, collating all the information that you and Aether had gathered on your journey. Every book, every note, every scroll, every map you could find.
It didn't get many visitors, especially after Aether made you shove a mattress in there to sleep, but you didn't think anyone would join you during the night. Only if Aether had a unusually bad nightmare would he wake you up, or Paimon would, if she wanted breakfast...
A tired whine escaped your lips as the mattress sank next to you, barely opening your eyes but you could recognise that scent anywhere. The scent of spices that was so familiar to you when you hugged her.
"Jeht?" you whispered into the darkness, reaching out into the dark. She placed her weapon down carefully, still on guard as Benben's glow illuminated the room, allowing you to see her. Her golden eyes looking at so you tenderly, making your heart skip a beat.
"You're okay?" you held your breath as you awaited her response.
"I'm okay." She whispered, reaching out to stroke her fingers against your cheek.
"Please don't be gone when I wake up..." you wished as Jeht shuffled closer again, Benben settling down on the floor nearby, its glow turning off as it went into its own version of a slumber.
"I'm not going anywhere." Jeht answered, her hand moving to rest over where your heart was, feeling it beat under her palm to soothe her fight or flight mode screaming at her. Despite the unfamiliarity with this realm, she knew you were there, and she had to see you.
Your hand rested over her's as you laid on your back, your head turned towards her as you closed your eyes. Jeht was here, safe. You could finally rest your worried mind and heart.
Your skin was soft, your heartbeat soothing as she continued to watch over you through the darkness of the room. She couldn't see much of it when she walked in, immediately heading over to see you, to see if you were okay.
It hurt her a lot to walk away from you, but the desert was cruel. Fortunately for you both, the realm in the Serenitea Pot had a much lovelier sun.
