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Damselette’s day came to an abrupt end when she fell over during her talk with the Knave. Before the Knave could catch her, Marionette was already there holding Damselette in her arms. Marionette clicks her tongue.
“How’d you get here so fast?” The Knave straightened herself back up.
Marionette ignores the question and stares at the girl in her arms. The raven-haired maiden in her arms has a pale complexion. Her breathing was becoming ragged. Her face was bright red from the heat that was coming off her entire body.
The Knave chuckles and crosses her arms. “A workshop isn’t the best place to nurse someone.” Marionette scoffs and starts walking towards the Palace. “The best cure for a cold is to give it to someone else!” The Knave yells at Marionette as she continues to get further and further away.
Damselette’s mind is in a constant flux of being conscious and not. With how warm her body was getting, she craved the cool sensation near her; she reached out and wraped her arms around the coolness. Marionette paused in her step as Damselette wrapped her arms around Marionette’s neck and started to lay her head on her chest.
“Such a troublesome girl…” Marionette whispers as she continues down the hall.
Lately Marionette has noticed something off with Damselette. At first it was her lack of noise she would make when she invaded Marionette’s workshop. Then it was the lack of her presence within her workshop. Eventually, Damselette started to avoid Marionette all together. Marionette was fine with it in the beginning of it. A moment of peace she thought. But as time progressed, Marionette never realized when she let the little bird into the cage, that is her heart. A project Marionette started that could be seen as an obsession at this point. Making a sensor to watch for any fluctuations within Damselette’s ‘energy’ levels. Marionette still had no idea what to call it yet.
Fatui members would stand to the side watching the bizarre sight pass them in the halls. The recluse Seventh Harbinger is carrying a hot faced Third Harbinger in her arms like a princess. As she passed some members, they would whisper to one another.
“That was Mistress Marionette correct? Not one of her creations?”
“Yeah… Is the world going to end?”
A hush comes from the other member. “Don’t say that! Maybe we’ll get very lucky today instead.”
Marionette shakes her head trying to tune out the whispers around her. Damselette shuffled in Marionette’s arms to find a more comfortable position.
Marionette turns a corner, and an excited voice calls out to her from behind. “Marionette! I was wondering if-“ The voice catches up to her, and they stop in their tracks. “Oh! Is that Damselette? Is she okay?”
Marionette turned around to see a carrot haired man leaning down to get a closer look in front of her.
“She will be fine. What did you need Childe?”
Childe chuckles and crosses his arms. “Well… Nothing now, I’ll just ask The Captain for my favor.”
“What favor?” A voice comes from behind Childe.
“Ah! Captain! Don’t scare me like that!”
A tall man in a helmet that hides his face, yet the long black hair flows out of it with no problem. “Marionette… It’s rare for you to be walking around the halls.” He looks at Damselette in her arms. “I take it’s because of-“
Marionette interrupts him. “Captain. It seems that Childe needs some sort of entertainment for the day. As you can see,” Damselette struggles to pull herself up to Marionette’s neck. Marionette pulls her up, so she has an easier time getting closer. “I have… business to attend to at the moment so I must take my leave.”
The Captain stares at the pair for a moment. “I understand. I’ll take care of Childe for the day while you take care of Damselette.”
“Wait I never-“ Marionette starts but is cut off by Childe.
“Oh, then I guess the tea party is canceled?” A scowl appears on Marionette’s face as she gives him a curt nod. Childe puts his hands on the back of his head. “Looks like you’re stuck babysitting me today, Captain.”
The Captain continues to stare at the pair. Marionette starts to shuffle slightly under his intense gaze. “Marionette. The best way to cure a cold is-“
“Letting someone else get it right? The Knave already told me.”
“… It’s to show the person love, no matter where it comes from.”
Marionette’s sensors started to warn her that her face was getting too warm. "Love?! What is he talking about?! How can such an illogical thing cure-"
Her thoughts are cut short as Childe whistles. “Smooth Captain, smooth.”
“Come Childe.” The Captain turns and starts walking away. Childe chuckles and waves goodbye to the pair before following The Captain like a duckling. Marionette scoffs at them and starts walking down the hall opposite of them.
Marionette stops in front of Pulonia as he opens the door for her into a bedroom. A plain one. Marionette places Damselette onto the bed.
“Mhm…” Damselette doesn’t let go of Marionette.
“Ha… You’re more trouble than you’re worth.” Marionette softly grabs Damselette arms and pulls them off her. Once freed from the grasps, Marionette pulls the blanket over Damselette.
Marionette stares at the girl on her bed. Her red face, her ebony hair, her uneasy breathing, the sweat that is forming from her heated body. Marionette takes off her right glove and places her bare hand on top of Damselette’s head.
“I take my eyes off you just for a bit and you’re already making a scene.” She brings her hand down and starts caressing Damselette’s cheek. “What am I ever to do…” A soft sigh comes from Marionette. She grabs her glove and puts it back on. She gets up and grabs an empty bowl from her kitchen. She fills it with cool water and grabs a small towel on her way back to her bed. Placing the bowl and towel on the nightstand near her bed, she sits on the bed as she continues to stare at the girl under her covers.
“Sandrone…?” Damselette slowly opens her eyes.
Sandrone gets up and starts wetting the towel. “Keep your eyes closed if you know what’s good for you.”
A weak giggle comes in response. Sandrone finishes wringing out the water from the towel and places the cool towel on Damselette’s forehead. Sandrome slowly starts to run her fingers through Damselette's bangs. A smile forms on Damselette's lips.
“How did you-“
“That’s not of your concern.” Sandrone brought a chair near the bed and crossed her legs. She opened the book that appeared in her hands.
Another giggle comes from Damselette before she coughed. “Thank you…” She gets out of her mouth before falling into a rhythmic breathing.
Sandrone stared at the girl for a long time. Repeating those words over and over again in her head. “Thank you? What’s there to thank?” Sandrone closes her eyes and views the data that appears in her mental space. “Her ‘energy’ levels are starting to stabilize but far from normal levels. Could she not see how bad she had gotten? She could have asked for some help from someone! The Knave or the Fair Lady would have gladly helped her…” The thought of that irritated Sandrone. “Never mind, she shouldn’t ask them for help. She could have just asked me! Why is does she not understand to take care of herself first before others… This girl can be such a pain sometimes…” Sandrone opens her eyes as Damselette grabs the hem of Sandrone’s sleeve. The expression Damselette had one that Sandrone never seen her wear before.
“Sandrone… Thanks…”
Sandrone slowly strokes Damselette’s hair with her free hand. All the thoughts in her head disappeared. “You don’t have to thank me so much…”
Damselette shuffles under the covers. “What a weird dream…” She turns her head towards the noise near her. “Is it still going…?” Damselette tried to make out what she was seeing with kuuvahki but she didn’t want to believe it. “This has to be a dream. Even if I was feeling a little unwell… It should have just passed like always if I kept it in. Even Arlecchino and Rosalyne didn’t notice anything different. How did Sandrone…”
Sandrone was at her stove slowly stirring a simmering pot. She pulls the ladle out and pours a small amount into a thin sauce dish. She blows softly on it before taking a sip. “Hm… Maybe I should ask Balladeer for more ingredients later.” She places the sauce dish down and grabs a small bowl next to her. Slowly, Sandrone pours the thick yellow liquid into the bowl. She places a small amount of dark green pieces on top. She then grabs a small bottle of an amber liquid next to the stove and drizzles it on top before turning around.
“If you were awake, you could have said something you know.” Sandrone looks at Damselette with a scowl.
“I didn’t-“ Damselette starts coughing as she sits up in bed. The towel on her forehead sliding down to her lap.
Sandrone clicks her tongue as she quickly moves to the bedside. She hurried places the bowl on the nightstand and grabs the traditional teacup from the nightstand. “Drink this.”
Damslette weakly grabs the teacup with both her hands and brings it to her mouth. Letting the green liquid slowly enter her mouth. It was surprisingly sweet and went down smoothly. It quickly stopped her coughing.
“I made sure to put extra milk and sugar for you.” Sandrone grabs the towel off Damselette’s lap and places it to the side.
Damselette finishes the tea and smiles at Sandrone. “The dream you is always so nice to me.”
“Dream?” A scowl reappears on Sandrone’s face as she takes the empty cup from Damselette’s hands. She places it on the nightstand and takes a seat in the chair next to the bed.
Damselette giggles. “With how you aren’t shooing me away at the moment and how soft you’re treating me. What else could it be?”
Sandrone sighs. “Just an airheaded girl that didn’t realize she’s sick.”
“… I’m sick?” Damselette tilts her head slightly to the left with a look of innocence.
Sandrone closes her eyes and gives a curt nod. A slew of data appears on the back of her eyelids. “Your energy levels are more stable compared to before. Still, below normal but it should be fine as you continue to rest.” She opens her eyes to find Damselette in front of her face. The girl’s eyes were closed but Sandrone’s sensors were warning her of something else. “Wha-!”
“Sandrone… I’m hungry.”
Sandrone softly pushes Damselette away from her face and calmly grabs the bowl from the nightstand. “I made something different than usual. I’ve been told by… someone that it is good for colds.” She grabs the spoon and scoops up some of the yellow liquid, softly blowing on it to cool it down. “Here.” She brings the spoon close to Damselette’s mouth. Damselette happily opens her mouth as the spoon comes closer. Sandrone slowly pulls the spoon out and places it back in the bowl. “It’s called zosui. A traditional rice porridge from Inazuma. I added a couple of eggs to it to give it some extra taste.”
“It’s so soft…I didn’t take you for one to make such a traditional Inazuma dish.” Damselette had no problem chewing and swallowing the food.
“It was all just an experiment is all. Don’t think too deeply about it.” Sandrone gets another spoonful ready.
“How did you get the rice for this?” Damselette smirks and opens her mouth.
Sandrone puts another spoonful into the open mouth. “Balladeer owes me a few favors is all.”
“The green salty pieces?”
“They call it ‘Nori’. It’s dried seaweed. Another Inazuma staple.”
Damselette tilted her head again. “We can eat weeds from the sea?”
Sandrone annoyingly shoves another spoonful into Damselette’s mouth. “All I need to know is if it’s edible. Is it?”
Damselette takes a moment to ponder on the mouthful she has in her mouth and smiles.
Sandrone breathes a sigh of relief. “Good. Here, lets finish it before you go back to resting.” Sandrone continued to feed Damselette the rest of the bowl in silence.
Once finished, Sandrone gets up and takes all the empty cups and dishes to the sink in the kitchen. She turns the dial and the faucet starts spewing water, she grabs a sponge and pours some soap on it before she starts scrubbing the dishes.
Damselette watches Sandrone’s back from the bed. She pulls her knees up to her chest, pulling the blanket up with her. “I don’t want to wake up from this dream… If it is one. There is a way I could test to truly find out.”
Sandrone finishes washing the dishes and wipes her hands dry. She starts to hum a soft tune, that is all too familiar to Damselette, as she prepares two cups of tea. Damselette joins in, humming a tune that harmonizes with Sandrone’s. Together, the quiet lamplit room filled with sounds of a broken song that are mixed into a soft melody. Sandrone sets the tray of pastries and a pair of teacups down on the nightstand as she takes her seat.
“I didn’t know you remembered my song.” Damselette giggles happily.
“I hear it near every day; it would be amiss if it wasn’t ingrained in my modules.” Sandrone sighs as she grabs a teacup and hands it to Damselette.
Damselette stretched her arms and legs before taking the teacup in both hands.
“There’s a handle on this teacup; you don’t need to-“ Sandrone clicks her tongue as Damselette brings the teacup to her mouth and takes a sip. “or you could do that still…” Sandrone grabs her teacup handle and takes a sip herself. She stares at the girl. Damselette was clearly getting better than hours ago. Her complexion was brighter, her movements weren’t as slow, yet her face still had a slight redness to it. Sandrone put her cup down and took off her right glove.
“Sandrone?” Damselette looked up from the teacup at the hand approaching her.
Sandrone placed her right hand on Damselette’s forehead. The coolness from Sandrone’s touch sent a shiver through Damselette. It was like Sandrone was slowly draining the heat from her forehead. Damselette placed the half-empty teacup back on the tray.
“Hm… You’re still a little too warm. I’ll adjust the roo-“ Damselette softly wraps her hand around Sandrone’s right wrist. “… What are you doing?” Sandrone glared at the maiden. Damselette pulls Sandrone’s wrist away from her so she can lay her cheek onto Sandrone’s right palm. Sandrone flinched at the action but she had no reason to pull away or fight back.
“Mhm… I like this better.” Damselette gives Sandrone a warm smile. “Sandrone…”
Sandrone flinches at the call of her name. Damselette gives the look of a warm innocent maiden, yet her tone sent chills down Sandrone’s body. It was cold and distant, as if she was trying to keep her emotions behind a lock.
“I still don’t know if this is a dream or not…”
“This again? How often do you dream of me?”
Damselette is silent for a moment before she pushed her cheek deeper into Sandrone’s hand. “Ever since I started to notice these feelings…”
Sandrone stiffened and thought. “Feelings?”
“So… To prove that this isn’t a dream, can you do me a favor Sandrone?”
Sandrone’s eyes showed a glint of hesitation. “… What is it?”
“Say my name.” Damselette opened her eyes to see that Sandrone’s face had become a deep crimson.
Sandrone turned her head quickly to the side when she noticed the lilac eyes staring at her, raising her left hand to cover her mouth. “H-huh?! W-why would I do that?!?” She couldn’t hide the panicked embarrassment in her voice. Her core started to pace faster as all the heat raced to her face.
“We’ve known each other for three years now. You still haven’t said it yet. No matter how nice the dream you is.” Damselette let go of Sandrone’s wrist and leans closer to Sandrone. The blanket falling down from her. “You still never say my name no matter what…” Damselette trails off.
Sandrone turns her head back and catches a glance at the look on Damselette’s face. A lonely expression. The heat from Sandrone’s dissipates. The air around her shifts. She slowly traces Damselette’s lips with her right thumb. Her eyes locked onto Damselette’s.
Damselette couldn’t read the oceans that were staring at her. She couldn’t understand the change that happened occurred within Sandrone to make her do such an action. To make Sandrone change her mood so fast. Damselette gets another shiver as the cool touch sucks away more of her heat. Her face only grows hotter from Sandrone’s touch.
“… Don’t show me that expression,”
“Wha-“
“The world won’t break if you want to be selfish.”
Damselette couldn’t stand looking at Sandrone anymore and turned her head to the side. Sandrone sighs as she lets go of Damselette and stands up.
“Sandr-“
Sandrone puts her hands on Damselette’s shoulders and pushes her down onto the bed.
“A sick patient should rest. Not worry about useless things.”
Sandrone’s eyes were still unreadable to Damselette. Normally, Sandrone would be harsh and cold to everyone, even Damselette. Damselette could read the emotions in Sandrone’s eyes normally. If that failed, she was able to read the kuuvahki around her.
This time it was all too different. Her mind was still too jumbled by this “sickness”. Her eyes couldn’t focus on anything other than the girl on top of her. Staring directly back into the deep ocean only showed her darkness this time. There was nothing she could read behind it. All of this was so different from how everything normally is, the heat coming to her face only intensified at that thought.
As Damselette sinks into the bed, Sandrone pushes the blanket aside and leans close to Damselette’s left ear. Sandrone softly blows against Damselette’s ear, sending an unwanted shiver down the maiden as the heat of her body intensifies.
“I will grant you anything as long as you ask, Columbina.” Sandrone leans back up and gives the blushing maiden a grin. “As long as you don’t get in my way.”
Columbina couldn’t contain the feelings her chest anymore and pulls Sandrone back down into bed with her and wraps her arms around her waist.
“… Again.” Columbina voice barely makes it out of her mouth. She shoves her face into Sandrone’s collarbone to hide the embarrassment she’s feeling. “It’s just my name… My name… Why is it so different from Sandrone…”
Sandrone whispered closely and slowly to Columbina’s ear. “Co-lum-bi-na.” She made sure to gently enunciate her name.
Columbina’s grip tightens around Sandrone’s waist with each part of her name that came from Sandrone’s mouth into her ear. “Again…”
“Co-“ Sandrone wrapped her arms around Columbina’s waist. “Lum-“ She holds the girl tighter. “Bi-“ A soft peck on her ear. “Na”. The maiden in her arms all but melts into Sandrone’s hold. A soft chuckle comes from Sandrone. “No more for now, your temperature has been skyrocketing again.”
“Can we-“
The blanket comes up and covers them both with the help of Pulonia. “Come, lets rest.” Columbina happily cuddles into Sandrone’s chest. Sandrone runs her fingers through the girl’s hair as her breathing went into a steady rhythm. “Truly… Such a pain to deal with.” Sandrone whispers as she closes her eyes listening to the maiden in her arms.
Sandrone set a plate of cookies and pastries on the table and took a seat next to Columbina.
“We’re so happy to be able to see you again Columbina.” Arlecchino takes a sip of her tea.
“She means," Rosalyne elbows Arlecchino with a smile, "we’re happy you have gotten healthier compared to before.”
“Thank you! I’m also happy to be able to have tea with you all again.” Columbina beams as a cookie is put into her mouth by Sandrone’s hand.
The two look at each other in amusement from the action they are witnessing. Sandrone stays quiet, ignoring their curious stares.
“Sandrone! These are delicious! Better than usual.” Columbina couldn’t help but smile at the doll. Sandrone pats the girl’s head and gives her another cookie.
“I’m surprised you didn’t get sick yourself Sandrone.” Arlecchino smirks.
“How would I get sick? Columbina makes sense because she still has a human-like body. I’m a doll.” Sandrone huffs at an illogical conclusion.
“Hah that’s very true! She is-“ Arlecchino raises her eyebrow. “Wait Sandrone did you just-“
“I never thought you could get another ‘sickness’ of some kind.” Rosalyne smirks from her teacup.
Sandrone softly kicks Rosalyne under the table as her face warms up. Arlecchino and Rosalyne laugh at the sight of Sandrone. Columbina innocently tilts her head to the side with another cookie in her mouth.