Archive of Our Own

There was a myth amongst myths in Liyue Harbor. 

A purple glaze lily—rarest among all the flowers of the world. A treasure kept close by the goddess of dust. A long-lost proof of her devotion and love, whether it may be for Morax or her people, it once existed in physical form rather than a memory. 

But now, it was hearsay. 

Lumine had known of it. She didn’t try to find it, but she liked the idea of flowers as a symbol of unspoken emotions. It spanned across time. Unaffected by change. It was like her. 

World after world, she had seen many things. And amidst everything temporary, her only reason for staying in Teyvat was to look for that sole permanency in her life—her brother, Aether. She would think of him all of the time. She would question him most of the time. And never did she hate him throughout the times he had hidden more things from her than she’d thought. 

A frown settled on her face as she ate jade parcels by the harbor, remembering she had no leads to said brother. Paimon went looking around for further delicacies.

“You’re looking older by the minute.” Her frown got deeper. She didn’t want to see him. 

The harbinger greeted her with that smug smirk she would always see before she beat him up in their numerous spars. 

“Tartaglia.” She returned the sentiment. 

He shook, waving a hand dismissively as he was completely unaffected by the title. “Nonsense, girlie.” Lumine wanted to punch him. He knew how to tick her off. “We’re way past titles. Call me ‘Childe’.” 

“It suits you,” she deadpanned, and he beamed at it until he realized it was far from a compliment. 

“What brings you back to Liyue? Did you actually miss me?” 

Lumine wondered if he was the embodiment of everything that annoyed her or if he was simply trying to tick her off like he usually did. “I’m here to visit my friends in the area.” 

“Oh,” he spoke, a smile forming through his lips, “well, let’s not waste time. Come with me, Comrade, I’ll show you something pretty cool.” 

Did he just actually assume they were friends? 

Lumine followed him nonetheless. They were walking and walking with the Snezhnayan native babbling all the time. He was talkative. He was resolved with his dreams. He was someone who reminded her of who she once was when she started her journey. It was hundreds of years ago. 

“Ah, we’re here.” 

Lumine raised her eyes to an old painting. “Purple Glaze Lilies?” 

“I talked to the old folks around Qingyun Peak. They’re sure it’s real.” Childe sounded a hundred percent confident about it. “Besides strength, I’ll be the one to find this ancient relic and leave my mark on the world.” 

“That’s… I didn’t expect that from you. Usually, you’d say you’ll defeat the strongest person there is.” 

He grinned, visibly amused. “There are a lot of ways to conquer the world. Why would I limit myself to only one?” 

It sounded bizarre, yet Lumine took his words seriously. He wasn’t the type to lie except for the safety and innocence of his younger siblings. “How old are you again?” She asked out of curiosity. 

That day, she learned he was nineteen—bordering realizations of reality and wishful dreams, and whenever someone would ask Lumine how old she was, she would say she was also nineteen. 

It didn’t matter what age she would tell them, the concept of time was pointless for her. 

It had been a while since the last time she saw the Harbinger. 

He was doing errands for himself. She was doing chores for the Akademiya. 

He looked different. A tad taller with longer hair. Clothes adjusted to the climate of Sumeru. Still a smirk on his mouth the moment he saw her from the tumbling weeds of the desert. “Comrade!” 

Lumine hoped there was a sudden underground cave she stepped on. Alas, there was none. 

Paimon, however, was energetic to see him. They were in dire need of directions. 

He ran to where she was, a childlike grin on his face. “It’s nice to see a familiar face in this endless desert. I haven’t seen you in ages!” For Lumine, it felt like she saw him just yesterday. “What brings you here?” 

Sighing as there was no way out of this small talk, Lumine explained her current commission with the Akademiya and General Mahamatra. Childe, on the other hand, told her he was there for leisure. 

“They say an eternal oasis is hidden within the heart of the desert. I’m here to see it for myself.” Childe took a map from his satchel, showing where the supposed area was. “No one had been there for a long time. If I get lucky, maybe a purple glaze lily is there.” 

Lumine analyzed his bright expression, quite impressed he was still on his personal mission for that mythical flower. “Isn’t that supposed to be in Liyue?” 

He shrugged, returning the parchment to his bag. “Sumeru is home to almost every vegetation in Teyvat. It’s a good idea to stop by. Strong people here and there. Besides—,” he met her eyes, “coming here made me see you again. Come, I challenge you to a spar.” 

It ended up with his defeat once more, but he didn’t take it badly. It meant there were stronger people than him. It gave him more reason to grow and live.  

“Don’t die on me just yet, Comrade.” That was how he said farewell. 

As soon as they separated, Lumine would get a commission from a newfound friend named Jeht and she would discover the eternal oasis frozen in time with her own eyes. It was beautiful as he said. It was breathtaking. And once more, it reminded her of herself. Unchanging.

“Ah, how old are you again, Lumine?” Jeht asked her as she set down her parents’ memento. 

She told her she was nineteen, recalling that Childe was twenty-two. 

Respecting her friend’s space, Lumine looked around for a particular flower. But, despite all the beauty of this oasis, she didn’t see any purple glaze lily. 

The next time she saw the Harbinger, they were in a death match. 

It was during the battle she realized that he was a friend. She unconsciously regarded him as one because it wouldn’t hurt this badly to fight against him if it wasn’t so. Her chest wouldn’t ache like this. Yet they were separated by principles—not beliefs, as they stood on different sides of the story. 

Lumine and her heroic deeds across nations. Childe and his affiliation with an international military organization. 

At least, they both disliked Fatui’s antagonistic nature by default. 

The latter fell on his knees, bow disregarded on the ground as it broke into pieces against her sword. “Huff… you really outdid yourself this time,” Childe spoke through breaths, “go on, finish it.” Finish me.

Lumine shook, sheathing her sword back. 

Childe took offense. 

“I’m not even worthy of death, am I?” Sarcasm dripped out of his mouth for his failure in his mission as a harbinger—his failure to the commands of the Tsaritsa. Before he wallowed himself in unfounded self-pity, Lumine bent down to meet his gaze on the cold icy floors of Snezhnaya. 

“I’m going to defeat the Tsaritsa,” she stated without an ounce of hesitancy, “and Teucer needs his older brother. Your family needs you, Ajax.” Her words sunk unto him, speaking from her life experiences as she was still on her journey to find her lone family. This was merely a stopping point for her. 

Her mouth opened once more.  “You’re more than your duty as a soldier.”

Childe stilled, finally looking into her eyes. The corners of his lips lifted into a small smile, “Comrade—no, Lumine,” It was the first time she heard him say her name, “I haven’t found… the purple glaze lily.” 

She showed him a rare open-mouthed smile. “Guess that’s another reason for you to go on, right?” 

“I have yet to defeat you too.” He laughed softly.

By the next second, he lost consciousness as he fell onto her. Lumine caught him in her arms, placing him somewhere away from direct conflict. 

She didn’t say it, but he was heavier than she’d thought. He was at the peak of his height. Hair cut similarly to his old hairstyle when he was nineteen but with more fringes. He wore a fluffy coat due to the negative climate. He was unlike her. Changing.

Lumine used to forget the number of years, but she started to count lately. 

Giving him one last look before she continued her way, she surmised he was twenty-five. She was still nineteen. 

Heavy as the sensation of her upcoming battles, Lumine charged into the depths of the enemy territory. 

Time passed once more, and she saw Ajax while she was at Cape Oath. 

He wasn’t Childe. He wasn’t Tartaglia. He was simply Ajax as the Fatui was no more, and he was just living like he used to—traveling without the badge of a soldier. 

Truthfully, she envied him. He had enough wealth that he didn’t need to work until the end of his days. 

End of his days. 

She frowned. 

“Lumine, you’re bound to get wrinkles.” Ajax greeted her as he settled down beside her on top of the slope. He was lying. Nothing changed about her throughout the years. Not her looks. Not her personality. 

“Pray to tell, what are you doing in Mondstadt?” She ignored his jest, yet remained in her spot as she felt the flutters of his cape against her arm. 

Ajax propped an arm on the grassy meadow. “I heard you’re here, so I came to see you.” As simple as that. 

Lumine turned to him, surprised both by his blatant honesty and reason. 

He seemed entertained by her genuine reaction to that, a smirk on his mouth that made her frown once more. “What are your plans? I don’t see your floaty friend with you.” 

“Paimon’s at the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. She’s their official mascot for now.” 

Ajax snickered at that. He didn’t bother to hide it. “So, you’re not traveling anymore?” 

“I still am,” Lumine responded, picking up a nearby Cecilia flower, “I’m looking for my brother. I won’t leave until I get reunited with him. I just figured I should give Paimon some rest. She can join me anytime.” 

“Ah,” he realized, “I sometimes forget you’re not from here.” His tone dropped a little. Lumine didn’t know if she should pay attention to it or not. Nonetheless, he returned to his usual self. “Say, how about we travel together?” 

“What.” It came out as a reaction rather than a question. 

“Come on, I can keep you on your toes with a spar here and there. Plus, I’m strong. I don’t need protection. And—” he grinned as he usually did, “—whatever will you lose? Maybe I can have better chances of finding that purple glaze lily with two people than just by myself.”

Lumine tried not to smile. She was failing at it. “So basically, you’re exploiting me for your own merit?” 

“I’m not going to deny that but feel free to exploit me as well. I’m aware of your current finances.” 

People had told her that the former harbinger was a looker. She didn’t believe it back then. Not even after a few years passed. Yet, right now, under the moonlight, as he gave her a rather charming smile with a failed attempt to look convincing, Lumine thought he was a bit attractive. A bit. 

With this chance, she found herself with a new traveling companion. Lumine still counted the years, yet Ajax confirmed his age of twenty-eight for document purposes when they crossed borders between nations. 

Lumine hesitated, but she still said she was nineteen. 

“You’re still that, aren’t you?” 

Lumine looked up from her breakfast at the Wangshu Inn lobby, a mouthful as she internally asked him what was he talking about. 

Ajax lifted his spoon, a teasing smile on his lips, “A girlie.” 

She stomped on his foot under the table. It was something he winced at. 

Observing him—glaring at him rather, Lumine pondered if this man had any plans on settling down. He was a family man, yes, but he told her he had no plans on staying in Snezhnaya at least for the next few years. She didn’t know the number of those years. 

“Ah, traveler,” the Conquerer of Demons noticed them as he returned from one of his endless missions, his eyes narrowed a tad slightly on Ajax, “and the Fatui Harbinger.” 

Ajax was aware of who he was. “Former. The whole Fatui thing ended ages ago.” 

Xiao blinked, acknowledging the time difference. “Ah, you’re right. I forget the concept of time for mortals.” Lumine cut through the conversation with a casual greeting, and though she tried to ignore it, she could feel Ajax’s lingering gaze on the latter. 

After exchanging pleasantries, she had to ask. “What was that?” 

“What was what?” 

“That look on the Yaksha,” she clarified, scooping a spoonful of jelly for her dessert. 

Ajax sighed, leaning his cheek to his palm. “It’s not like I see two long living beings talking to each other every day. You can’t blame me. It’s simply a wonder how long you’ve guys lived.” 

Lumine furrowed her brows. Was he actually sulking about longevity?  

“Just imagine all the fights we could do if I lived longer.” 

“I’d rather not endure your annoyance for eternity.” 

“Did you just wish me dead?” 

“I didn’t say that.” 

She wrinkled her nose, regretting that she was a tad worried about him in the first place—unaware of his small smile as she relished herself on different treats from his pockets. 

Nonetheless, it was the first time Ajax voiced his curiosity about lifespans. It bothered her, somewhat, because this alienated restlessness within her bubbled whenever she would count more years they traveled together, only to consider lesser years to go for him. 

“Hooo? Don’t tell me you’re actually concerned for me?” Ajax still had that smirk on his face. Lumine cursed how that never changed. 

“Are you sure about that? I’m more worried about your journey for that purple glaze lily. We’re always hitting dead ends.” 

“Nonsense, Lumine,” he dismissed her with a wave just like how he did back then, “we have a lot of time on our hands. There’s no point in rushing greatness.” 

Her chest tightened. Was it? 

Lumine got better at hiding her reactions. Her face remained placid as she finished her treat.

Her mind would wander to the fact that Ajax was thirty, while she—she was still the same as he used to be back when he was nineteen. 

By the rest of her days, Lumine no longer said she was nineteen. 

Lumine had known more about her traveling companion the longer she stayed with him. 

Ajax was indeed strong. He could stand his ground against the toughest opponents. Sometimes, he would shield her from ambushes. None of the years that had passed dwindled his sense of adventure. He was lively. He was spirited. And once more, it reminded her of things she wasn’t. 

Like always, Ajax changed as another year passed. 

Lumine knew so because she was so used to her unchanging self that his existence affected her more than she expected him to. There was a point where she regretted choosing him as a traveling companion because her chest would feel heavier whenever she would see bartenders swooning at him or clients pushing themselves at him. 

But she was irritated by the fact he still wanted to travel with her, turning down every offer other people would throw at him—whether it was an offer for marriage or mercenary. It just meant he would stay longer with her and she would get this prolonged unspeakable ache in her chest. 

However, she questioned herself more because she would feel a bit better whenever he returned to her. Lumine couldn’t understand herself.  

“Should I shave my beard? Hmm… but it’s kinda cool having one. I look strong.” Ajax had a hand under his chin, eyes on hers as they stayed under a makeshift tent in the rain. 

“Did you just admit you need to appear strong? I didn’t expect the lack of confidence.” She pointed out, face deadpanned on the road as droplets from her hair fell onto her cheeks. 

Ajax wiped it nonchalantly with his thumb, causing her to flinch from his touch. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He tilted his head, genuinely worried about how she was faring. “Are you… with a fever?”

Too close. He’s too close. Lumine had her attention on the ground, away from his as she pleaded to the archons—or at least to Venti if he would listen to her right now, that he wouldn’t see the rising color on her cheeks. 

She didn’t know what was wrong with her. She was never conscious of him. She had never been like this to anyone before. 

Ajax was having none of it. He placed his hands on both of her cheeks, forcing her to meet his gaze. Eyes serious. He would do what he would always do to his siblings, pressing his forehead against theirs to check their temperature. And he did just that but to Lumine. 

She was completely frozen—merely blinking at him as he closed the distance between them. 

“Hmm… you’re temperature is okay. But—” He paused, realizing what he had just done. She could practically feel his warm breath fanning her lips.

Lumine wanted someone to come out and save her from this awkward predicament. She didn’t know what was weirder, her rising flushness or the reality that Ajax wasn’t moving away from her. 

Eyes half-lidded, he spoke of her name with a tone he hadn’t used before. 

“Lumine—”

“Oh! Young lady, you’re gonna get drenched there!” A passing old woman called out to them with an umbrella, causing her to promptly shove him away to the empty barrels. “Come, warm yourself up here. Be sure to bring your older brother with you too.” 

They both went rigid. 

Bizarrely, Lumine found herself in a fit of laughter, forgetting the situation altogether. “Thank you, Ma’am! We’ll be there.” Her eyes slid down to a dumbfounded Ajax. “Well, I did say I was looking for my sibling.” 

“Ha. Ha. You’re hundreds of years older than me, but I never called you grandma.” 

Ajax found himself stuffed in a barrel with a seething Lumine marching over to the house. 

Starting from then on, Ajax, at his thirty-first of age, kept his face clean from any beard, and people would no longer assume he was old enough to be her brother. 

Lumine continued her travels with Ajax. Still, she counted the time she had with him, unwittingly counting what was left as well. 

He was still the Ajax she met back in Liyue, yet at the same time, he was different—not in appearances, but in something else. She couldn’t put it into words. She just knew his treatment of her had changed. 

He was more… aware of her? She asked herself this many times. 

They still sparred and engaged in battles with the same respect for each other’s capabilities, but Ajax would treat her more like a lady when they were outside battles. He would give her a helping hand whenever they went down narrow mountain paths in search of the fabled purple glaze lily—arm around her waist as it lingered subtlety. He would be considerate of taking turns being the lookout—always taking the night watch so she could catch some sleep before he did. And, he was… protective. 

There was a time when a relentless mercenary was following them—her to be exact, from one town to another. Ajax had enough of pretending as he shot an arrow at the man’s hiding place. 

“Stalking my partner here won’t do you any good,” he spoke, amusement on his face, “want to talk to her? You better be sure you’re strong enough, buddy.” 

A few minutes later, the man slumped on the ground, unconscious. 

“Was that necessary?” Lumine asked, poking the guy with a stick to make sure he was still alive. 

Ajax shrugged, “That’s how I deal with those who do the same thing for my sister.” 

“But I’m not your sister.” 

He smiled, all too aware of it. “Yeah, you’re not. But if they’re not strong enough for me, you might just accidentally kill them—” 

Lumine threw the stick at him, cursing at how her heartbeat quickened for the wrong reason. It would be useless against Ajax as he caught it with ease, his genuine laughter playing along through her ears as they continued their journey. 

Ajax was thirty-two. 

Lumine didn't answer whenever someone asked her about her years.

Lumine had met his family once. Teucer, that is. 

Presently, they were at Snezhnaya as Ajax said he wanted to see how they were faring. She didn’t mind stopping by. She minded the ungodly climate. 

As Lumine met each member of Ajax's eventful big family, she couldn’t help but smile as she observed their encounters. Ajax was loved. Ajax was missed. It was something she didn’t have. Lumine wouldn’t want to hold it against him so she was truly okay with staying in Snezhnaya for a longer period of time. 

“You have your own house?” She spoke in bewilderment, gaping at the rather decent home and heating feature of Ajax’s abode. “How come you never told me?” 

“I’m always out of town to even remember I have one,” a chuckle passed through his lips, “you can stay in the bedroom. I don’t mind taking the couch.” 

She nodded, amazed that he had an inkling of taste in interior design. His home didn’t give off his vibe as everything was neat and a bit luxurious. Lumine surmised his parents must’ve put things together instead of him. 

Lumine made herself comfortable while Ajax took his time meeting his parents on the next street. Her thoughts wandered to what should she give them. It was customary to give souvenirs and Ajax filled that role already, but she wanted to give something herself. 

So, Lumine prepared a delicious serving of Adeptus Temptation. It was her best dish so far and it was great for the cold climate of Snezhnaya. 

After cooking and packing it in a pot, Lumine went to his family’s home, stopping shortly by the front door as she overheard them. 

“Ajax, shouldn’t you be settling down now? You’re already thirty-five years old.” His mom—Lumine guessed to be his mom, worriedly inquired of him. “Even Teucer is married now… How about this Lumine you mentioned in your letters?” 

“Mother, you know my passion for adventures. I can’t sit still in just one place.” He sounded carefree. “As for Lumine, uhm, she’s my traveling partner. I hope you don’t say anything that might make her uncomfortable—especially those letters.”

Lumine found herself intruding. She wanted to go back and pretend she didn’t hear anything. 

Before she could make a step back, the door swung open from the inside. Teucer, who was about to go out, blinked at Lumine who was awkwardly holding a pot of freshly cooked lunch for them. 

“Sister Lumine…?” Teucer appeared confused—mostly because of her appearance that remained as it was throughout the years while he—he was a full-grown adult now. 

“Hi, Teucer.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you’d cook for us,” Ajax was unfazed, grabbing the pot with an appreciative smile, “Thanks, Lumine.” 

Lumine didn’t know what to feel. Ajax seemed pleased as he introduced her to his folks quite proudly, telling stories of their adventures over lunchtime. However, she would feel restless—conscious of her ever-so-permanent youthful look. While she was welcomed quite warmly, they couldn’t help but ask— 

“Dear, aren’t your parents worried about you adventuring at a young age?” 

“Pardon?” She asked, caught off guard by the question. 

“Oh, it’s just—Ajax mentioned you frequently in his letters throughout the years. I think he was still nineteen when he met you in Liyue. You must’ve been significantly younger back then.” His mother looked at her in amazement. 

Lumine didn’t know what to say—tongue-tied for once, but she gathered her thoughts quickly. “Thank you for worrying about me. I’m alright. I’ve been like this for a rather long time.” 

His mother looked at her like she couldn’t understand. 

Teucer pointed it out for her. “You didn’t age at all, Sister Lumine! That’s kinda cool.” 

Lumine felt another heavy sensation on her chest as Ajax’s mother finally understood—gaze on her son as Ajax met hers in an unspoken conversation. “Hmm… so you haven’t beaten up a kid, Ajax?” Oh. 

He spewed out the soup he was drinking. “What? Why would I do that?” 

“Dear, I didn’t really expect to meet someone like Lumine. It’s just a relief to know my son isn’t beating up kids.” 

Unexpectedly, just like his family, they were open-minded. Too open-minded. Lumine was getting worried about what she deemed unlikely. 

Attached. 

She was getting attached the longer she stayed. 

Excusing herself after the meal, she walked back to Ajax’s home with a newfound dilemma. When she arrived, Lumine roughly pulled the scarf from her neck, hanging it over the coat rack. 

“Lumine,” She was unaware that he followed her, “are you alright? You suddenly—” 

“I’m alright, Ajax.” Cutting him off, Lumine was beyond exhausted with herself. “Your family missed you. Why don’t you stay here for a while?” 

“That’s—” 

She didn’t let him talk. “Your mom is also worried for you. Maybe it is time for you to settle down and get married.” Lumine disliked how she was acting. She disliked how she was feeling. She disliked how this affected her. His affairs were unrelated to her altogether. She shouldn’t care who he marries. 

“I’m not getting married, Lumine.” 

“I know. I’m telling you that you should.” 

“Let me correct you with that—I don’t want to get married to any imaginary person you have in mind.” 

Lumine took off her hair tie—her locks falling to her waist. She kept her hair long for the last few years. “Your future wife could probably just be on another street and you won’t meet her because you’re too busy fighting off monsters.” 

“It’s alright. I’m not looking for one.” Ajax met her line of sight, azure-colored irises on her golden ones. His patience for her improved throughout the years and their usual bicker upgraded to whoever managed to keep the other struck in silence.

Lumine realized she was in love with this man, and she wasn’t supposed to be in the first place. 

She needed to get away from him. 

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll go off on my own tonight.” 

“Come again? I can’t hear the last words you said.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t follow me, Ajax.” 

“Did you say follow me? Well, if you insist, what else can I do but say—” 

Lumine clicked her tongue. “Archons’ sake! You’re so annoying. What are you? In love with me or something?” 

“—Yes,” then he paused as the question sank unto him, “to the both of that.” 

She kept speaking, “And are you even sure this purple glaze lily really exists? You’ve been looking for it for more than a decade. I swear, the next time you’re making me climb up Qingyun Peak—” 

Ajax kept quiet, arm propped up on the kitchen counter with a fleeting smile on his lips. He leaned unto his palm as he kept his gaze on hers. 

“—Don’t get me started with you picking fights at every possible opponent you see. I—”

Lumine finally met his stare. It finally clicked for her. 

His smile just got a tad bigger in comparison. 

“You did not just confess to me with a simple yes.”  

He acted like he’d thought about it seriously. “My bad. Let me redo it.” 

“No, you’re trying to get into my head.” She shook, moving away as the kitchen island was the sole thing that separated them from each other. 

“That depends. Is it working?” Ajax moved closer. 

“No. You’re miserably failing.” He wasn’t.

Soon, they were running in circles around the kitchen island like magnets of the same side negating each other. Whenever Ajax tried to go in the other direction, Lumine would shift as well. Eventually, he managed to block her way as he slid across the table in one swift move. 

He stood in front of her. “There’s only one reason why you’re evading me like this.” 

Her eyes squinted. “And what would that be?” 

“You’re in love with me, aren’t you?” 

Lumine knew he was confident. She just didn’t know he was this confident. It was downright shameless.

“Wow, you’re not embarrassed saying that out loud?” 

“A little bit, but you’re the only one here and I’m technically in love with you too—” Lumine stomped on his foot. 

“What do you mean, too? Since when did I confirm this with you?” 

His brows furrowed at the hit. “You didn’t deny it.” 

She pursed her lips. “I’m denying it now.” 

“No, I’m rejecting your delayed rejection.” This man was driving her crazy. Ajax smiled at her lack of initiative to run away this time. “Alright, I get it. I came off too strong on you—”

She tsked. 

“—And you obviously couldn’t handle it.”

Lumine wanted to roll her eyes at the back of her skull. “Please. I’m not affected by you in the tiniest bit.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah.” She had to repeat it. “Yeah, I’m sure.” 

“So if I kiss you right now, you won’t feel anything?” 

“Yeah.” Her mouth was faster than her brain. She regretted answering halfheartedly. 

“Okay. Let’s find out, shall we?” 

Without hesitancy, he slid an arm around her back, bringing her closer to him. Lumine was fighting herself not to give any kind of reaction as he had a hand under her chin, raising her head to look at him. Contrary to the usual playfulness in his eyes, Ajax looked sincere—serious as he reassured her he wouldn’t do anything more than a liplock. 

He angled his head to hers, pressing his lips to her soft ones. It was careful—considerate, even. 

And it made Lumine fail. Her hands unknowingly went to his arms, achingly drawing upwards to his shoulders as he took that as a sign to continue deeper. 

He lifted his hand to her locks, cradling the back of her head. Before he knew it, she was kissing him back with the same fervor—eyes closed as she lost herself in him. Their noses bumped lightly, making her slant her head to reach him better, mouth parted to give him further access. Whether it was because of her eagerness or lack of height, Lumine’s hands went to the back of his neck—a fleeting touch that had him smiling into the kiss, his teeth grazing her bottom lip.

It was purely addicting, Lumine thought. The boundaries they set up between each other came crashing down because of a childish banter masquerading their true emotions. At least that was what applied to her. 

Ajax had been honest. He always chose not to lie to her. 

She felt his tongue brush on her lips, and before she could even respond to his mischievousness, the arm that held her back trekked down on her thighs, hoisting her up onto the kitchen island to sit on. Caught off guard with a gasp, Lumine surrendered as he kissed her deeply. This time, it was her facing down at him. 

She tugged his hair softly, eliciting a groan from his throat as he gripped her leg.

Archons, Lumine forewarned the dangerous borders they were crossing right now. 

Soon, she pulled away, eyes still closed as she tried to recollect herself. Their foreheads were touching, and she could hear a chuckle passing through his lips. 

“You sure you didn’t feel anything? Because I did.” 

Lumine couldn’t find a reason to glare at him. He was totally and utterly correct. 

He knew she felt the same way for him, but she didn’t say it herself. 

Ajax was thirty-five when she first kissed him. Lumine’s age didn’t matter. Only his.  

“So, this purple glaze lily,” Lumine started as they hitchhiked to a passing cargo to Fontaine, “what are you going to do with it when you find it?” 

He thought about it for a while, head leaned unto her shoulder as his irises mirrored the sky. “Definitely bragging rights. However, I think it’s better if I just put it in our living room. The goddess of dust blessing our humble home.” 

“You just want it… for display?” All these efforts for home decoration. 

“Every treasure found would eventually be a display,” Ajax countered, “It’s not about how useful it would be. It’s about the meaning behind it and the effort it took us to find it.” 

“If I didn’t know any better, you’re just using an excuse to spend time with me.” 

He laughed, “I mean, I used to. Now, I don’t need one.” 

Lumine still counted the years they were together. She pieced through after their argument turned unexpected confession that Ajax liked her more than she expected—no, he loved her beyond years back when she considered him a nuisance. 

He was just better at hiding it. She was otherwise. 

Lumine was so used to her unchanging heart that the novel feelings of love swept her into a storm. 

The wagon dropped them off in front of an old abandoned church of the previous Hydro Archon. Saying their thanks with a few thousand mora, they both looked at the debris with unspoken connected thoughts. 

“Say, do you want to get married?” Ajax brought it up. 

“I recall you said you’re not the marrying type,” she jabbed at him. He turned down all invitations extended to him. 

“To others? I’m not.” He turned to her, his signature smirk playing on his lips. “To you? Definitely.” 

Lumine fought the rising blush. Why was she feeling this giddy for this human? 

“Do you have any rings?” 

Ajax stared at her. 

“Dude.” 

“You did not just call me dude.” He laughed heartily, infecting her with her own share of glee. 

His eyes went to a small toy stand by the street. There were a bunch of teenagers managing it with Fontaine’s latest inventions displayed. “Wait for me here.” 

Lumine watched as he ran to the stall, greeting the natives with a cheerful smile as he pointed across the displays. Fondly, she regarded him as quite the happy soul. She had lived long enough to see all types of people, yet he was always warm and fuzzy even in the toughest of times. Ajax always had a reason to smile.  

He wasn’t fazed by strong people. He didn’t care about winning and losing. He only cared about the process of everything. He only cared about the important things. 

“Alright. I think we’re all set.” 

Ajax returned to her side with two plastic rings on a small pouch and a bunch of small robots—a monkey, an oceanid robot, and a nutcracker. There was also a Fontaine native following close by.

Lumine understood the rings. She didn’t understand the toys. 

“I can’t believe you proposed nonchalantly with plastic rings…” 

“Let’s hire a smithy for a better one in Inazuma. You’re still in touch with Kaedahara Kazuha, right?” 

She nodded. 

“And these are?” She pointed, referring to the toys. 

“Our witnesses,” he said as a matter of fact. 

Lumine didn’t know if he was adorable or not. Everything about his actions was spontaneous. 

“When these toys break, we’ll have no witnesses left.” 

Ajax cleared his throat, introducing the Fontaine native who was tending to the store. “This is Herschel. He’ll officiate the wedding. He’s our other witness.” 

Lumine shook in amusement. He probably bribed the store owner with a lot of mora for this. 

“Alright. Let’s get married.” 

Beneath the forgotten church at the rural side of Fontaine, Ajax and Lumine shared their impromptu vows in their sudden marriage ceremony with a teenager for a wedding officiator and a couple of toys as their guests. 

They signed a newly printed marriage certificate. 

Ajax filled in his age. He was thirty-eight. 

Lumine left hers empty. 

Whenever people asked them about their relationship, they would say they were husband and wife. 

Because they were husband and wife. 

But people felt they were either joking or lying. 

Ajax appeared too old for Lumine. Neither of them cared for what they would think. 

“Reach for my hand,” Ajax offered to her as they climbed Wuwang Hill. Lumine took it instantly. 

They were checking for clues of the fabled purple glaze lily. It remained their goal despite the numerous dead ends they faced. It was a reason to pass the time and travel together. Ajax knew Lumine wasn’t the type to tie her down in one place. He wasn’t either. So, they needed this reason. 

They were on top of the hill with a picnic basket. Ajax told her adventurers couldn’t function with an empty stomach. “A picnic date in Wuwang Hill… how original of you,” she stated, settling the blanket in place. 

“Pretty neat, isn’t it? We don’t even need candlelight because of all the floating spirits here.” 

Lumine snorted. He had a knack for looking at the brighter side of everything. 

They had a humble feast as they continued to share stories—packed sandwiches, fruit, and beef skewers with a bottle of champagne. It was mostly Lumine who did the storytelling than him. He had told her most, if not all, of his life. And she has yet to tell the complete story of hers. 

“I’m curious,” Ajax licked his fingers clean from the sandwich he just ate, “were you married before?” 

Lumine looked at him incredulously, “You just ask this now?” 

“It's not that significant of a question,” he shrugged, leaning back to the tree trunk, “I never really thought of it before.” 

“What if I were married before?” 

He smiled. “Your previous spouse is probably one of those floating spirits over there—,” he pointed behind her, “—jealous that I get to eat your Katsu Sandwich while all they get is air.” 

Lumine found herself laughing. “Jeez, how disrespectful can you be?” 

“I won the lottery with a young wife. What can I say?” 

Ah, Aeons. She loved him so much. 

“I wasn’t married to anyone else but you,” she honestly spoke, attention on the carved opal that shared the same hues as her husband's eyes on her wedding ring. Kazuha did great work on this. 

Ajax shifted closely to her, catching her lips in a longing kiss. 

“I really did win the lottery.” 

Lumine kissed him once more, then leaned to his shoulder in respite. “How about you? Married anyone before me?” 

“You do know I met you when I was nineteen.” 

“So? You could’ve married someone before you were nineteen.” 

“That would be irresponsible of me.” His tone was laced with amusement. “I didn’t think I would even marry. I just really want to fight strong people.” 

“You still do.” 

“That I am.” 

He reached out for her hand, intertwining their fingers in a tender grasp as she felt his lips on the crown of her hair. 

Lumine relished these kinds of days. She enjoyed this normalcy while carrying the thought that her brother might be experiencing the same thing. Nonetheless, she would still look for him along their travels while searching for Ajax’s purple glaze lily. 

“What’s going on in your mind?” She breathed as she buried herself in the crook of his neck. 

“I was imagining miniature versions of us running along this slope while we eat.”

Lumine frowned. “Do you not have a concept of safety? Why would you bring our hypothetical children to Wuwang Hill?” 

“They’ll be safe. We’re here to look after them.” 

Her heart ached a little at his admittance. They had been married for years but they never had a child. It wasn’t as if they didn’t try. They did. They checked it with Baizhu and they were both healthy individuals. It just didn’t have any bearings unlike for the rest of the married couples in Teyvat. 

Ajax sensed her worries, his arm raised as he brushed his fingers to her hair. 

“We’re okay, Lumine. I’m a very happy man.” 

She believed him to be. She just wished there was one more person to share that happiness with. 

“Happy Birthday, Ajax,” She whispered along his skin, and he pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. 

Ajax was forty-five. 

Lumine kept counting. 

Rarely did the former Harbinger fall unto battle—instances numbered within one hand, yet there was a time he had a critical injury and Lumine had to bring him all the way from the shores of Tsurumi Island to Inazuma City. 

She wanted to request the shogun to place hospitals on every island under her jurisdiction. 

“I’m okay, Lumine,” Ajax assured her albeit pointlessly as Lumine glared at him from the side of the hospital bed. 

“You are not okay. I told you to wait for me but you rushed yourself in front of the Golden Wolflord. Alone. With no heals with you nor food.” 

“I’m still alive, see?” His wounds were already healed due to his impeccable build and fighting prowess. 

“It’s not the physical injuries I’m worried about. It’s. Your. Brain.” 

Kujou Sara knocked on the door, letting them know she was just there. A tengu lived longer than a human. Still, they aged. She appeared to be a woman in her early 30s despite the reality she was a few decades older than Ajax. 

“Your husband is okay, Lumine.” Said husband smirked at his wife in confidence. “But he has to stay in bed for at least five days.” 

“Three days?” Ajax suggested.

“Since when was this negotiable?” Kujou Sara raised a brow at him, shutting down any funny ideas. “What were you doing on Tsurumi Island? There were no commissions posted there and if there were, we would’ve posted an emergency station.”

“Your sense of emergency is limited,” Lumine sighed, taking a seat. “Anyone can go in and out there. I’ve seen the dangers of it myself. Can you relay it to Ei? The shogun only monitors three out of six islands. I find it alarming.” 

Kujou Sara didn’t like how it sounded, but Lumine had a point. They were out of touch for islands further away from Inazuma save for Watatsumi. “I’ll be sure to let her know.” 

After checking Ajax’s current status, Kujou Sara left. 

Apparently, there were unique perches on Tsurumi Island that could only bloom their leaves after a particular ritual. Ajax and Lumine thought it was worth the shot to check it out for any leads to the purple glaze lily. 

“I miss Ice Fishing,” Ajax spoke his thoughts out loud. 

“The last time I went close to such a task, I had to fish out a fully grown man who looked like my husband when he got thrown to the waters by a monster.” 

He shut up. 

Lumine crossed her arms around her chest, another passing sigh escaped her lips. She didn’t say it, yet she wondered how long they could keep this adventuring up. Ajax was strong. He still is. But he is a human, and human life flickered sensitively across time. 

“I apologize,” he angled his outstretched palm, waiting for her hand, “I made you worry.” 

Lumine caved in, meeting his hand in a tender grasp. “Will we ever get to see this purple glaze lily you’ve been venturing for your whole life?” 

Whole life. A human life expectancy. 

“Who knows?” 

Her gaze flattened. 

“I’ve fought a lot of strong people along the way. I conquered trials after trials that I wouldn’t mind if I don’t get to see it in my life.” 

Lumine stilled. 

“You have a higher chance of encountering it than I do,” Ajax stated the truth in plain sight. Nonchalant and unperturbed. “I’m satisfied with my life, Lumine.”

She groaned. “Why are you talking as if you’re dying? Did the Wolflord hit you with its tail too hard?” 

“I’m being romantic.” 

“By telling me I’m gonna outlive you and be alone as a widowed woman?” 

“That wasn’t what I was trying to say.” Ajax sighed, “Look, let’s give this search a few more years, then let’s settle back home.” 

Lumine blinked in surprise. 

“We haven’t hung those masks you bought from the last Irodori Festival.” Ajax smiled. “You have a lot of instruments too. Why have I never heard you play it?” 

“Because we leave the moment we drop our things off.” 

“Then let’s stay the next time.” 

Lumine’s attention lingered on their connected hands. His palms were calloused—a bit wrinkly, yet still carried the same warmth they had as they held hers throughout the years. 

“Okay.” 

Ajax was fifty-five. 

Lumine smiled softly, cherishing the remaining years.

Out of the numerous lands they have been on, Ajax particularly liked climbing the steep mountain trails of Qingyun Peak. She lost count of the times they had been at the Cloud Retainer’s small floating island. 

Carefully, Lumine reached out for his arm as Ajax took a big step toward the makeshift abode. 

“This place never changes,” he smiled as he took in the forgotten books and scrolls. They were probably the only people who ever came to this place. 

Lumine observed him as he tried to place the parchments back into place. The wind must have blown it off considering they were this high up. 

Ajax with gray hair was just as attractive as Ajax with ginger locks. 

The sense of adventure still burned brightly behind his sky-colored eyes, yet his body wasn’t as strong as it was in his prime. Years and years of using his Foul Legacy Transformation had long-lasting repercussions on his body that he only felt when he reached his sixties. The delusion that required him as a Harbinger was a bad reinforcer of it. 

“Here, take a seat.” Ajax gestured her over to the neatly arranged stone chair. He did this all the time.

“Always the gentleman.” 

“Of course, I always keep my ways.” 

They shared a comfortable silence as they observed the skies. There wasn’t much to look at over the endless clouds, yet they knew there was everything beneath it. 

“Whenever I’m here, I really feel like I’ve conquered the world. Don’t you think so?” The words passed through him so naturally. It spoke of time. It spoke of experiences. It spoke of wisdom gained through the multiple battles he had. 

Lumine smiled softly. “We made quite the reputation ourselves.” 

They were known as legendary adventurers who left only unparalleled feats of success. 

It wasn’t always a success, but Ajax would tell her otherwise. 

“I haven’t seen the purple glaze lily.” 

“Should I pluck out a regular one and paint it purple?” 

Ajax laughed, a tad raspy yet joyous. “That’s actually not a bad idea. We can display it on our house and tell everyone we saw it while drinking tea or something.” 

His gaze went unto hers—the wrinkles on his eyes carried a sense of longing and fulfillment. Lumine had loved the way he looked at her throughout the years. 

“Ajax, let’s go home.”

Earnest and Sincere. 

He told her they would retire—him, specifically. And he knew she couldn’t have said it at a more perfect time. 

Gently, his fingers brushed her cheek, tucking back the long golden locks that he was vividly fond of behind her ears. 

“Yeah, let’s go home.” 

Ajax was sixty-five when he retired. 

Lumine promised to stay with him. 

Truth be told, Ice Fishing really was fun. 

Lumine found out new things about Ajax during the remainder of the years of their stay in Snezhnaya. He taught her Ice Fishing while she taught him farming. He was quite dedicated to it despite the harsh climate, setting up a greenhouse for the villagers to spare themselves from hunger with carefully planted crops. 

“It’s a new way of conquering Snezhnaya.” Or so he said. 

Sometimes, she would play serene music from the various instruments she collected through the nations and they would slowly dance as he hummed the tune she previously played for him. Lumine would laugh whenever he missed a note. 

Ajax would simply smile and then ask her for another dance. 

There were instances when Teucer’s grandchildren would visit them. Ajax was sure to play with all of them as they ran along the piles of snow—either throwing snowballs or making snowmen. And Lumine would shoot them a smile that meant otherwise, prompting them to run back inside the house and warm themselves around the fire pit. 

Ajax would show one memorable souvenir of their travels to the kids within each visit, telling the story behind it alongside their adventure. 

“Lumine, I wonder what purple glaze lilies really look like.” 

She raised her head from her chair, attention moving away from the novel Xingqiu—Zhenyu wrote. “Well, it’s just glaze lilies, but purple.”

“It’s bound to be something special,” Ajax had a close-eyed smile, breathing softly on their bed. “All rare things are special.” 

Lumine tilted her head at that—mirroring the expression he had. “Maybe it wasn’t real.” 

“Oh, it’s real alright.” 

“How can you say so?” 

“Do you remember what it meant?” Ajax questioned. 

She did. “It’s Guizhong’s proof of love and devotion—either for her people or for Morax. Or possibly, both.” 

“Do you think such a thing wasn’t real?” 

Her lips parted slightly in surprise. He looked at her like it meant everything to him. “It’s… real.” 

Ajax breathed deeply, his arms laid comfortably on the blanket she personally made for him. “Maybe there isn’t a physical form, but it’s definitely real. I’m looking at my personal purple glaze lily right now.” 

Lumine stifled a laugh. He still had a way with words. 

Her glee resounded to the warmth of their bedroom. It was something unchanging and Ajax liked that it never got affected by time. 

“Lumine, thank you for loving me.” 

She never directly said it, but he felt it. 

Lumine reached for his hand, pressing her lips at the back of it. 

“I will always love you, Ajax.” 

As he would usually do, he smiled at her honest feelings. 

Ajax last opened his eyes at the age of eighty. 

Lumine stopped counting. 

Lumine was confident with maintaining her emotions. That was how she carried herself as the people in her life ran to give her a consoling hug. 

Some maintained their youthful appearance. Some aged over the years. Some were no longer with them. 

Lumine remembered every single one of them. Ajax taught her the value of a life’s memories. 

Zhongli visited her one time in her humble abode, and she took the opportunity to ask about the mythical flower. 

“Hmm, I didn’t think the former Harbinger was interested in that flower. It’s no surprise you haven’t seen it. It’s something that seeks you instead of it being sought upon.” 

Lumine tried to understand it to no avail. 

A couple of months after, Lumine left the home she shared with Ajax, giving it back to his family’s descendants. 

She traveled again to resume her primary goal—her brother. She didn’t have proof but she knew he was still alive.

Although it wasn’t the first time she traveled alone, it felt painstakingly different from when she was with Ajax. It felt quiet.

It felt… lonely. 

The thoughts of him were always with her as she trekked to areas where she used to be with him. It brought her back to Qingyun Peak. 

Lumine skipped to the rocks as she reached the makeshift shrine. Everything was blown out of order once more due to the windy nights of Liyue. 

Just like Ajax would clean up for the two of them, Lumine did the same.

She picked up the fallen parchment and stacked it up based on its size and shape. They were here several times enough for her to memorize all of the books and articles in the area. However, something was out of place. 

Lumine reached over to a sealed envelope that was stuck between the pages of an old book. It looked new compared to everything here. 

She flipped it on its back, eyes widening at the penmanship she knew all too well. To my Lumine.  

Her hands shook, intricately opening the seal as she was wary of tearing it up. When she successfully opened it, her eyes read over his words again and again. 

To my Lumine, 

     I hope this finds you well if it ever does. I only had to thank the responsibilities forced upon me back when I was a Harbinger because I was never the writing type. I prefer using my fists for talking, but that doesn’t really apply to you. I would be the one beaten up instead. 

     I was kidding. Please don’t frown. 

     I wrote this carrying the thought that you might never get to read it as I hid it in Qingyun Peak. You hated climbing here but you always do for me. You see, I’m quite a selfish man. Even beyond death, I still want you to remember me. So, if you happen to be reading this now, then that only means you remembered me — no matter how long it took you to get here. I really am lucky to have you. Even if you don’t see this and a random adventurer does, they will know of us and nothing else matters. 

     My time with you was perfectly spent in happiness. You had a lot of reasons to leave and continue your journey, yet you stayed with me. You tried to leave at one point, so I had to toughen it up to be with you. 

     I might just be a point in your endless years, but you were everything in mine. I hope you carry this thought with you that you once had a handsome husband who loved you and conquered the world. It does suck a bit that I wasn’t able to see any purple glaze lilies, but being with you felt like I accomplished my goal too. 

     Lastly, if you end up marrying someone else, please don’t eat at Wuwang Hill. I might be one of the poor souls who get nothing but air while you guys eat good food. It’s petty, I know. 

     I genuinely hope you get to go on more adventures. I finished mine with flying colors. 

Lovingly yours from your handsome husband,

Ajax 

Tears flowed from her eyes to her cheek. Lumine held the piece of paper against her chest as the emotions she had piled up toppled down in one huge crash. Her cries of grief and longing were for none to hear but the skies of Teyvat. 

She missed him deeply. Everything about him will always be with her. 

Lumine started counting once more. 

There used to be a myth amongst myths in Liyue Harbor. 

A purple glaze lily—rarest among all the flowers of the world. A treasure kept close by the goddess of dust. A long-lost proof of her devotion and love, whether it may be for Morax or her people, it existed in physical form, lost in the flow of time, and existed once more only to be found in one place. 

It was no longer a myth as it was the truth. 

Lumine liked the idea of flowers as a symbol of unspoken emotions. It spanned across time. Unaffected by change. It was like her. It was like Ajax. 

Her long golden locks swayed against the memorial of him, carrying a tender smile on her lips as she spoke to him through her thoughts. 

Ajax, who had never seen purple glaze lilies, was now surrounded by it as the mythical flower naturally grew in his resting place. No matter how many times people take from it, it will always grow. 

It was a tad sensitive, withering the moment you took it out from the ground. 

However, out of all the flowers taken away, one remained alive and blooming. One that was on Lumine’s hair. A purple glaze lily and an Inteyvat. It was both of who she was. 

World after world, she had seen many things. And amidst everything temporary, her reason for visiting Teyvat never changed as she would always go to one place. To Ajax. 

“Lumine, how was it?” Aether waved at her from the lower slope of Snezhnaya’s mountain. 

She rested her forehead on his stone, bidding farewell once more with a grateful smile. “I’ll return with more stories for you, Ajax.” 

Soon, she left with her brother to go to another world, carrying a purple glaze lily with her.