Chapter Text
Time moves at a strange pace when you live as long as I do. When I was mortal, I did not think much of time and how limited it would be for me. I never thought about the end, only the present, only what was right in front of me. Well, not always. There were times when the past lingered too closely, and I could still feel its breath on my nape as it clung to my shoulders, weighing me down. And then I met Dawn, and I felt the past release me from its clutches, too weak to hold on as Dawn tugged me forward into a new life. Dawn was my present and my future, and with him I forgot that one day I would die. I forgot that, to him, our time together would be but a brief blip in his eternal life, even though he would be the center of mine.
One would think now that I’ve returned with a lifespan that will stretch on for eons that I’d be even less worried about my future. Perhaps that would be the case if I had gone my whole life thinking Dawn was nothing but a dream. But he wasn’t a dream. I could still feel his hand in mine, I could still feel the softness of his leg as it brushed against me when we sat too close together, I could feel his arms around me when he held me while I slept, his breath in my hair, the low timber of his voice when he’d murmur quietly beside me the longer we talked into the night. And his eyes. I saw them when I closed mine, watching me with an ancient sadness, and pity. Pity because he knew he had to hurt me. Regret because he didn’t want to. Guilt because he wanted to stay. Those eyes, holding so many unspoken things were just as endless as the inky blue skies they mirror, and I drowned in them, their depths consuming me whole until I couldn't breathe, until I woke up gasping from another nightmare.
I used to look forward to sleeping. I’d spend my day tending to the plants at the garden shop, lost in the flickering dreams of my past life, enamored by the boy that haunted my sleep, and his damn midnight blue eyes. I’d throw myself into bed with a smile, eager to see him again. But now? Now that he was real, and now that he was gone, I no longer had those dreams. They stopped entirely. It was as though he took them with him when he drifted away from me on that ferry. He took my dreams, he took my heart, he took a part of me I didn’t think I could live without. It was the most painful outcome of all this. To find out Dawn was real, that he existed in this world, in this timeline with me, but not only could I not have him, I was no longer permitted to even dream of him. And so, I was left with nothing but nightmares. Nightmares of an endless sea in which I drifted alone, with no stars in the sky, no wind, and the sun never rose, dawn never came.
I tried to write to Dawn as soon as he left. I intended to write to him every day in the hopes that my words would bring him back. Surely, the right string of words could convince him to leave his husband for me… But the words never came to me. I scribbled out, Dear Dawn , but nothing else followed. Maybe I wasn’t the Kazuha he once fell in love with. Once upon a time, Kazuha was capable of writing moving love letters full of yearning that kept Dawn barely satiated until they were reunited. Now, I couldn’t even come up with a single sentence, instead choking on that yearning, letting it consume me. What was wrong with me? There were no words to describe the emptiness I felt, the chasm that had opened up inside me when Dawn left, the uneasy anxiousness that pressed into me as I attempted to go about my life without him. I had nothing romantic to say to him. I had no way to express my love for him without appearing like a desperate man clinging to something that no longer belonged to me.
The days slipped past me like mist, barely touching me, hardly registering in my mind that time was passing by at all. I was static. Stuck in that moment when I realized Dawn wasn’t going to stay, that I couldn’t keep him, that no amount of love shared between us was enough for us to be together. Despite that, I never missed work. Somehow, I’d get out of bed, dress, and walk down to the shop. Tend to the plants, pruning, watering, wishing someone would do the same to me so I could shed away the layer of static that prickled at my skin, a constant reminder that something was wrong. That something was missing. That I wasn’t whole. That the love of my life was on the other side of the world, holding someone else’s hand, smiling at someone else’s words, leaning in to kiss someone else’s lips.
When I wasn’t at work, I’d sit quietly in my living room, staring out the window, watching the sun slowly sink over the horizon. My hand would idly pet Yugure’s fur until he’d stretch and slink out the window to hunt, leaving me alone in my quiet apartment with nothing but my tortuous thoughts to keep me company. I would sit in the dark, watching the moon creep across the sky, shifting from a rusty orange at dusk to an almost opalescent white past midnight, wondering if Dawn was looking up at it too, if it was reflecting in his eyes, if he was thinking of me. And then I’d reluctantly climb into bed, staring at the empty space beside me until I’d fall back into one of my nightmares.
Back when Dawn only existed in my dreams, I’d sometimes wake from a distant memory of us making love, and my body would ache for him. It was easy to pleasure myself at that time, to close my eyes and lose myself in the fantasies that my dreams provided me. I couldn’t do that anymore. I couldn’t even think of the few moments we held each other without it stirring something inside me. But it wasn’t a good feeling, it wasn't exciting or wistful or innocent. My arousal was mingled with frustration, loneliness, and longing. I wouldn’t touch myself, it was useless. Instead, I’d bury my face into my pillow, hugging it tight to my chest as if that would somehow slow down the steady collapse of my heart. And I rocked my hips against my mattress. Slowly, grinding my hardness into the fabric without any real drive to finish. I never reached completion anymore, always stopping when I felt pathetic enough to give up.
Was life easier before I knew Dawn was real? Would I be happier living in ignorance of his existence? No, I don’t think so. Something was always missing in my life. The only difference is now I knew what it was. It was better to feel that way, I think. In a twisted way, I found comfort in the dull pain creeping in my chest. It was a reminder that I was alive. That there was beauty in the world worth chasing. That love and happiness were a delicacy I must treasure, but also work for and pursue. I had lived for a few centuries, yes, but for a yokai like me my life had only just begun. I was not going to spend eternity alone. I was not going to live without him.
I finally made my decision the day I received a letter from Dawn. I knew it would come eventually, I almost dreaded it, but seeing the graceful loops of his handwriting made him real again . A delicious reminder that his brief stay in my home had not been another dream.
Dear Kazuha,
It’s strange writing your name out like that. I never thought I’d be writing to you again, and I can’t help but laugh about the absurdity of it. Anyway. I’m writing to you to give you an update on the illustrations Albedo is doing for your poetry book. They’re coming along really well! I included some copies of his sketches. Let me know what you think.
Honestly, that’s all I can think of when it comes to any formal updates. And I probably could have emailed this to you but I really felt like writing was more our style. Don’t you think? Like old times? It’s a little weird, isn’t it? I remember being so miserable it made me sick when you left me in Liyue, and your letters were my only lifeline. I remember it like it was yesterday. Lately, a lot of old memories have flooded back like that. So vivid, I lose hours in the day reminiscing. I thought these memories had faded away for good, but turns out they were just waiting dormant all this time and you’ve reignited them.
I don’t really know what else to say. I feel like I’m writing just for the sake of it, just because I want an excuse to write to you, just because I miss talking to you. And truthfully, I thought you would have written to me by now. I don’t know why, I feel stupid admitting that. I wonder if you’re angry at me, and if you are, I deserve it. I told you I’d like us to remain friends, but you don’t owe me that. I guess I just thought, because of what you said to me when I left, that you’d do something drastic by now. You must have come to your senses and realized I’m not worth the effort. And you’re right, I’m not.
Despite this, I hope you won’t mind if I write to you a little more. I’m in a strange place right now, and I don’t have anyone else to talk to. Except maybe Nahida, but I know she’ll just tell me what she thinks I want to hear. Things have been different ever since I returned to Mondstadt. And it doesn’t necessarily have to do with you. We have a couple of visitors and it’s weird. I suddenly don’t feel like this is my home anymore. I walk into a room, and I feel like I’m intruding. I hear whispered conversations that suddenly go silent when I come near. In the past, I would have been more frank with how much this bothers me, but I don’t even think it does bother me. I don’t know how to describe this feeling, maybe because if I admit it, I’ll feel guilty. But I can admit it to you, can’t I? There’s something changing here, and I have no desire to stop it. Instead, I’m curious to see where it goes. And I can’t help but think that the eventual outcome will leave me relieved.
I’m sorry. I know I’m being vague, and I know you don’t care about any of this. You don’t even have to respond to it. You don’t even have to write back. Feel free to email Albedo directly about the sketches if you’d rather avoid communicating with me. If you go that route, I’ll understand that you’d rather not hear from me anymore, and I’ll respect that. I do hope you write back, though. I miss your letters. I miss you.
Your selfish friend,
Dawn
If there was one thing I wouldn’t tolerate, it was when someone misunderstood me, when they had a preconceived notion of me, a false idea of me or my motives in their head. After reading that letter, I couldn’t believe that Dawn was under the impression that I wanted nothing to do with him. I wanted EVERYTHING to do with him. I was suffocating without him, completely losing my sense of self because of how strongly I yearned for him. So, I knew I had to do something. I had to stop wallowing. I had to stop feeling sorry for myself. I had to go out there, keep my promise, and win Dawn back.
I probably should have written back, but I wasn’t thinking straight. Dawn’s letter had lit a scalding fire beneath me, and I leapt straight into action. I had no idea what to pack. I thought of the memories I had of my former life and realized there wasn’t much I really needed. The clothes on my back and a small pack with bare essentials seemed to be enough. In a rush that left my boss with a million questions, I told her I would not be returning for a while. I left my window cracked so that Yugure could come and go as he pleased, but as I hurried out towards the ferries at the pier, he followed me at my heels.
“I don’t think you can come with me,” I told him, but I don’t think he cared; perhaps he was just as determined to see Dawn again as I was.
Together, we took the ferry to Narukami island, nerves and excitement spreading to every nerve in my body like leaves rushing down river with a turbulent current. In almost no time, we reached the island and I quickly made my way through the busy streets. In all my time in Inazuma, I usually avoided Inazuma City. It was too loud for my tastes. Yugure gleefully wove in and out between the legs of Inazumans, sometimes disappearing from my sight only to appear again, happily rubbing his body against my leg to remind me that he was still near. I got a bit lost a couple times when I reached the airport, but at last I found myself at the main desk.
“I’d like to purchase a ticket for Mondstadt, please,” I said proudly once I got to the front of the line.
“For what date?” The young woman asked, not even looking up from the screen in front of her.
“Today,” I smiled, stupidly excited.
At this she did raise her gaze from the computer to regard me with disbelief.
“We don’t have any tickets to Mondstadt for today,” she said.
“Oh, well how about tomorrow? I’m sure I can stay in the city for a night,” I said with a shrug.
“Sir, we don’t have any available flights to Mondstadt for at least two weeks.”
“Ah,” I felt my face get warm with embarrassment. “Maybe I should have called ahead before coming here… Well. Alright. I can wait a week.”
“Great,” she said emotionlessly. “One ticket for a non-stop flight to Mondstadt two weeks from now, that’ll be 50,000 Mora.”
“Ah…”
I shuffled my feet, accidently nudging Yugure, causing him to leap onto the counter and earn a look of disgust from the ticket lady.
“I do hope you know there is a ‘no pets’ policy for all our flights,” she said.
Not nearly enough mora, and I couldn’t even bring Yugure. Even if I worked every day during those two weeks, I wouldn’t make enough for a ticket in time.
“On second thought, I think I’ll have to come back another day to purchase that ticket,” I said apologetically. “Thank you for all your help, and I apologize for wasting your time.”
“Next.”
Yugure followed close behind as I left the airport in shame. I didn’t want to go back home, but it seemed like the only logical thing to do. What a fool I was to run out the door without thinking about what I was doing, without taking the time to plan anything out. Why couldn’t I fly in the skies on my own, fueled by the burning desire to see Dawn again? Having to depend on mundane forms of travel and Mora of all things was frustrating. I wandered aimlessly through the city as I thought of my next move, occasionally taking side streets and back alleys to avoid the bustle of the city.
As the roads became dirt paths, and the urban sounds faded into tranquil melodies of the country, my mind cleared. Ritou was not too far from where I was, and the idea of possibly finding a ship that would accept my meager savings reignited my determination to leave Inazuma that very day. Upon reaching Ritou, I was greeted with the salty scent of the open sea, beckoning me forward. Living on the islands, I was familiar with the calming ocean breeze gently blowing past me every day, and I loved spending lazy afternoons at the beach, letting the sun warm my skin, and my lungs fill with that crisp scent of blue waters. But this was different. Perhaps because this shore was a gateway to shores beyond the islands I was so accustomed to. It wasn’t the scent of the waves passing from island to island. These waves came from distant lands, carrying with them fragments of a whole other world I had yet to explore in this new life of mine.
“Excuse me,” I said timidly to a wrinkly merchant. “You wouldn’t happen to know of any ships that are headed towards Mondstadt, do you?”
“Mondstadt, eh?” The old merchant dropped a crate he was holding with a groan, and his spine audibly cracked as he straightened his back to look over his shoulder towards the docks. “I just got this shipment from old Captain Russel. Think he came from Liyue, and Mondstadt might be his next stop. He’s right over there.”
I looked in the direction that the old man pointed towards and spotted a large, bearded man shouting at his men to get back aboard his ship. I uttered a quick thanks to the old man and hurried over to Captain Russel, rummaging in my pockets for the small amount of Mora I had on me. At first, he waved his hand at me, not wanting me to waste his time. I offered all the Mora I had, and it at least made him pause to hear me out. After promising that I wouldn’t just take up space, that I would do anything he needed to earn my keep, he begrudgingly gave in. I think having Yugure might have helped too, the captain kept petting his ears while I pleaded my case.
The moment I stepped onto the ship, it was like traveling through time. A similar, nostalgic sensation overcame me when I first saw Dawn standing there in the back room of the garden shop. As if centuries had melted away and I was once more walking down the same path I did in my old life. I didn’t feel directionless. I didn’t feel out of place. I didn’t feel like I was just watching time pass me by, waiting for something meaningful to happen. I was doing exactly what I was always meant to.
The anchor rose from the water, its enormous chain creaking as it coiled back onto the ship. The sails spread like the wings of a dove, embracing the wind. And that very wind blew through my hair, caressing my skin. I closed my eyes as we set sail, the sunlight blooming into red through my eyelids, smiling with tranquil bliss. It didn’t feel like I was leaving my home behind at all but rather being welcomed to a place I always belonged. Time meant nothing. Five hundred years. Past, present, and future, it was all the same to me. I was the same man I had been all those years ago. Maybe not a samurai anymore, but still a poet, still a wanderer letting my heart lead me. I was Kaedehara Kazuha, and I was going to get my husband back.
During the long weeks at sea, the other sailors would tease and laugh at me. Not because I didn’t know what I was doing, but because I was so enthusiastic to learn and help in any way I could. My palms became raw with blisters, my muscles ached from the labor, and my face was badly sunburned. I relearned how to wrap my hands with bandages to protect them, took time to stretch and meditate to heal my body, and got into the habit of wearing a straw hat to shield my face from the sun. The blisters turned into calluses, I was stronger, hardened, and after the sunburn peeled off my skin, a patch of freckles appeared on my cheeks. Eventually, I could look into my dirty mirror and swear there was a different person staring back at me. Yet this face was no stranger. I felt more like myself than I had been since I was reborn.
At night, when I had my chance to rest, I would find myself lying upon the waxed bow of the ship, watching the stars twinkling above me, with Yugure curled up on my chest. Sometimes I’d trick myself into thinking I could make out Dawn’s face in the violet stardust that spilled across the sky. Letting my eyes fall closed, I’d feel the wind whisper past me, over my skin, through my hair, and when I was sure I was alone, I’d let it bristle through the fur of my tails and ears.
During my journey over the sea, I had a lot of time to contemplate my existence, of my past life, of this life, and of the life I was searching for. When I lost myself in the gentle symphonies of the wind, I was reminded of my past life, how I embraced freedom in every sense of the word, but that I had to learn harsh lessons to truly embrace it. Was I free now? When I was a human, I was forced to leave my home and then was forced to leave my homeland. Now, I had no reason to leave, and I stayed there stagnant for centuries. Boarding this ship was not a path that was forced upon me, but the path I took because I was free to do whatever I wanted, to chase whatever calling I heard carried over the clouds. And it was his voice that called to me. All around me, and within me, Dawn was on the edge of the horizon.
We arrived on Mondstadt’s shores in the middle of a storm in the late hours of the night. I shouted my thanks to the captain as I disembarked. He and the other sailors slapped my back, I could see their lips moving as they wished me luck and bid farewell, but the thunder drowned out their voices. My hat was secure on my head, but it did nothing to keep me dry. I kept Yugure safe in my bag, but I was soaked to the bone as I walked up the cobbled path that I was told would take me to the City of Mondstadt. Traveling in the dark through sheets of heavy rain made me lose my sense of direction, but I didn’t mind. I was excited to be somewhere new, and Mondstadt was a beautiful place to get lost in. The grassy hills glistened with the raindrops, shimmering like waves. And the sound of the rain landing upon the lake was a soothing melody, accompanying me as I followed the edge of the water until I spotted the inviting lights of the city up ahead.
I was close to Dawn, I could feel it, like a current of electricity buzzing in the air that had nothing to do with the lightning. I imagined him suddenly appearing in the path before me, that he somehow felt me near and ventured out into the rain to see if I was really there. But I was letting my heart get away from me, creating unrealistic fantasies. Once I was past the city’s stone walls, I smiled happily as I gazed up in wonder at the quaint little buildings, covered in vines, and breathed in the warm scent of meat simmering nearby. I was suddenly painfully aware of how wet, cold, hungry, and tired I was. Following my nose and the sounds of boisterous laughter and clinking glass, I arrived at a pub that doubled as an Inn.
“Good evening,” I greeted the bartender, relieved to be out of the rain. “Do you have any available rooms for the night?”
“Sure, I’ve got a room. It’ll be 100 Mora.”
“Perfect, I’ll take it.”
I exchanged the Mora for a key and quickly walked up the wooden stairs to the rooms above. A few of the patrons eyed me curiously, and I got the impression that everyone knew each other around here, so an unfamiliar face stood out. Yugure immediately jumped from my bag and burrowed under the sheets of the bed when I reached the room. After drying off and changing into fresh, warm clothes, I returned to the pub and ordered a glass of wine and a hot meal to warm the rest of my body with. Most of the tables were full except for one near the back where a lone young man sat by himself.
“Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?” I asked.
The young man raised his face, clearly drunk from his unfocused gaze. Despite being inebriated, he seemed harmless and even well put together. His clothes were foreign to me, but elegant, and his long blond hair was woven neatly into a beautiful braid.
“Go ahead,” he waved at the empty chair opposite him.
“Thank you. I’m Kazuha, by the way.”
“Aether,” he pointed at himself.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aether.”
He nodded silently, watching as I dug into my food.
“Hungry, huh?” He asked with a smirk.
“Very,” I grinned, careful not to let any food slip out. “I walked for hours to get here and haven’t had a meal.”
Aether nodded once more, taking a sip of wine. I could feel his gaze taking note of my foreign clothes and patiently waited for the question.
“Kazuha...”
I paused mid bite to look at him. His golden eyes were suddenly sharp, and he leaned closer to get a better look at me.
“Have we met before?” He asked.
“I don’t think so,” I shook my head slowly.
“Your name sounds familiar,” he said quietly. “You’re Inazuman, right?”
“Yes.”
It seemed as though it frustrated him that he couldn’t figure out who I reminded him of, and he took another swig of wine, draining his glass. I couldn’t help but notice the bottle he had next to him was almost empty.
“Well, what brings you to Mondstadt, Kazuha?” Aether asked.
“I’m hoping to find someone,” I answered vaguely.
“Who?”
I hesitated, put off slightly by how intrusive his questions were. Normally, I’d be happy to speak of Dawn and my purpose of coming there, but something about Aether made it so I didn’t really want to tell him everything.
“An old friend.”
“I’d be careful doing that,” Aether was looking down, fumbling with the end of his braid, but I could still see him roll his eyes. “I don’t think this is the best place to reunite with old friends. The past is unforgiving.”
“I’m well aware of that,” I chuckled quietly, taking a sip of my own wine. “And yet, it hasn’t stopped me.”
Aether didn’t seem to hear me; he stared silently at nothing, his gaze unfocused as his mind drifted to something only he could see.
“Did you come here looking for an old friend, too?” I asked curiously.
Aether slowly turned his gaze to me, the warm lights of the tavern refracting in the golds of his eyes. It was my turn to feel as though I knew Aether from somewhere. His eyes felt older than mine, and I could almost see them filled with tears, anger, and happiness in one of my distant and fleeting memories.
“I did,” he answered.
“Who?”
I doubted he’d answer me, or that he’d give me an answer as vague as the one I gave him, but he surprised me.
“The love of my life.”
The sounds of the tavern muffled in my ears as Aether’s words hung between us like a thread snaking between our chests.
“So am I,” I said with a smile, and lifted my glass for a toast. “May we win over the hearts of our true loves.”
For a moment, Aether looked at me like I was insane, then let out a chuckle of disbelief, refilled his glass with the last of his wine and raised it.
“May we win over their hearts,” Aether smiled, though it didn’t appear that he had any confidence in the declaration.
I took a swig of my drink, relieved that I had improved the mood of my drink mate.
“I’m going to guess you haven’t had any luck,” I said curiously. “Seeing as you’re here alone drinking yourself into a stupor.”
“I really don’t think there’s any luck left. I’ve thrown away every chance I’ve ever had,” Aether grimaced. “I think it’s too late.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Kazuha... What would you do if you came all this way to find the person you’re looking for is already married?” Aether asked blankly.
My smile slid off my face and I took a moment to prepare my answer.
“As a matter of fact,” I said slowly, avoiding Aether’s gaze. “I happen to know he is married.”
My cheeks were suddenly warm from how Aether gaped at me in shock.
“He’s married? You know he’s married, and you still came all this way?”
“I’m not going to let that stop me,” I tried to muster up a hopeful smile. “I know it sounds unrealistic and selfish, but my heart can’t be wrong about this. He... He’s with the wrong person. I know he is.”
This wasn’t the first time I said this out loud to anyone. There were a few crewmates on the ship that heard the full story, and they all shook their heads, wished me luck, but I knew they thought I was wasting my time. Aether, however, had a different expression fixed upon his stunned face, as if something inside him suddenly sparked to life. He blinked a few times, leaned back on his chair, and then looked around the tavern like he was seeing it for the first time.
“Huh...” he said softly. “He’s with the wrong person...”
A nervous laugh fell from my lips at an unnaturally high pitch. I was just so surprised to come across someone who understood how I felt without reminding me of how shameful and selfish my wishes were.
“You know, that’s exactly how I feel,” Aether said, his eyes clearer, sobered up. “He’s with the wrong person. For the love of all the gods that walk on this planet, he and I had something that no one else could ever replicate. Centuries of pining but being just out of reach to truly solidify our bond. He’s not with Dawn because Dawn is the right person for him. He’s with Dawn because I wasn’t there. But I’m here now—”
“I’m sorry,” I interrupted him, my throat suddenly dry and a tremor causing my hand to shake. “Did you say ‘Dawn?’”
“What? Yes, Dawn,” Aether said his name as if it tasted terrible in his mouth. “That’s who Albedo is married to. Albedo is who I’m here for. Albedo is the whole reason—”
“Wait a minute,” I held my hands up to slow him down, while my heart hammered in my chest. “Dawn... Dawn is my... He’s who I’m...”
Why couldn’t I speak? I was flustered and stammering like a fool, but somehow Aether understood. His eyes couldn’t widen any further, but he pointed at me with his mouth hanging open.
“Kazuha!” He nearly shouted.
“Y-yes?”
“You’re Kazuha - I knew your name sounded familiar - but wait, how are you alive? How are you here ?”
“It’s a bit of a long story...”
“But I can’t believe it! You’re alive! Does Dawn know that you’re alive?”
“Yes,” I frowned and dropped my gaze to my hands. “He knows.”
“And he still came back to Albedo?” There was an edge of anger in Aether’s tone.
“He did,” I nodded solemnly. “And I don’t blame him, I mean. My sudden reappearance was unexpected, and he can’t just up and leave this whole life he’s built just for me.”
“Clearly you don’t really feel that way,” Aether scoffed. “You just told me that you came all this way because you know in your heart that Dawn is with the wrong man. Well, you’re right! He is! And you’ve got to do something about it! We both do!”
Aether suddenly lunged forward and grasped me by the shoulders. I was so alarmed, I knocked my drink over trying to push him off.
“What is wrong with—”
“We need to go now,” Aether looked insane. “Right now. We need to go see them.”
“Now, h-hold on,” I stammered, leaning away from him. “It’s the middle of the night!”
“You’re right,” Aether let go and sat back in his seat, but his expression was intense and wild. “We should go first thing in the morning.”
I felt a bit breathless, and my mind was racing faster than I could speak. Was it fate that brought us to this pub, something larger than both of us that led me to sit beside him? Aether had a connection to what I was after. Our ultimate goals aligned like the stars. Maybe I hadn’t realized that I had that manic look in my eye too. It was sobering to see it reflected back at me. However, I needed to calm down before we got too carried away. If I really wanted to win Dawn back, I needed to go about it rationally.
“Aether, I’ll go with you in the morning,” I said slowly. “But I hope you’re not under the impression that I am going to barge in there, scoop Dawn into my arms while you twirl Albedo around and everything will fall perfectly into place. This is delicate. We won’t have any more chances.”
“So how exactly were you planning to do it?”
“Well…”
A smile lit upon my face as I plunged into my plan. During my journey sailing across the sea, I had all the time I needed to dream up how I’d steal Dawn’s heart. We spoke until just before the sun rose, and Aether clung to my every word.