.

.

.

You

"Chongyun... Is it... That one?"

You pointed at the uneven-haired one.

You

"No, no... Chongyun's a guy name."

.

"I think."

???

"Haha! They think you're a girl, Xingqiu!"

Xinqiu

"Nothing new."

You

"That's a guy?!"

"So... You're Xingqiu..."

"The one pointing his claymore at me is Chongyun."

"Correct?"

Chongyun

"And what?"

You

"You guys are just very... Unrecognizable to me."

Then again, I'm only used to those who reside in Inazuma. They're new to me. 

You

"So... How are you guys planning to split the money?"

"Five-hundred-million mora divided by four..."

"Blah, blah, blah. I can't do math."

???

"We're not doing this for the money. We're doing this because you're a threat to the entirety of Teyvat!"

You

"Fucking ironic."

if u guys understand the joke you're a real one 🫰

???

"Hu Tao, I told you it wouldn't work on them."

Hu Tao

"Well, it was a good try at least."

"Look, it took out the Inazuman!"

You

"What's in the gas anyway? It smells... Sweet."

Chongyun

"Of course it does. Hu Tao made it."

"Gas is cleared. Xinyan, take the masks."

You

"Okay then..."

"So... I'm just gonna take my very friendly Inazuman friend and walk away."

.

.

.

Hu Tao

"No, you're not!"

Hu Tao threw her spear filled with pyro energy right at your head. You successfully dodged, and set Thoma down on the ground gently behind you. 

Xinyan

"Some locals in Liyue told us they spotted you and some other tall blonde man. They'll notify the police back in Inazuma as soon as possible!"

Xingqui

"You're a threat to the entirety of this world, and we just... Can't have that."

You

"Sooo intimidating."

You said, with sarcasm.

Foolishly, all four decided to attack simultaneously.

In the blink of an eye, each person's weapon was now facing towards them instead of you. Without any time to process things, they found themselves with their own weapons impaling them straight through their bodies.

Aside from Xingqui.

.

.

.

Xingqiu

"... Chongyun?"

You

"Don't worry, you're little boyfriend's still alive. I avoided their vital organs. Just slap a bandaid on it, maybe add some ice, and everything will be..."

"Just fine."

Xingqiu stood there with trembling hands, causing him to drop his sword on the floor.

You heard the loud, echoey clang of the noise it made. It rang through the whole area.

You

"How does Liyue see me?"

"A threat, right?"

"Oh, that's right — the entire world sees me as one."

"Teyvat sees me as a threat. Is that right?"

Xingqiu was keeping his distance from you out of fear.

You crouched down and picked up the sword he dropped. 

Xingqiu stood still, staring right at your terrifying expression. The smell of metallic blood mixed with just a sprinkle of the remaining sweet-scented gas filled the air — he couldn't escape it. In the corner of his eyes, he could see his friends drowning in their own pool of blood, impaled by the very weapons that were meant to keep them alive.

He was absolutely fucking terrified.

You took a good look and Xingqiu, encircling him for a good minute. You then lifted the sword, holding it to his neck.

You

"I don't like you. I don't like your friends either, but they can live." 

You could hear him internally weeping, his heartbeat pounding.

.

.

.

Thoma

"Y/N, stop!"

You

"... Hm?"

You turned around and saw Thoma finally awake, still lying on the floor. He was paralyzed.

You

"But they're a threat to my mental and physical wellbeing."

You said, sarcastically, trying to reference the words Xingqiu said about you.

Thoma

"They're only kids!"

"I know they tried to hurt you, but they're just trying to keep their nation safe..."

You

"Keeping their nation safe..."

A long moment of silence passed, and then you angrily threw Xingqiu's sword to the ground.

You

"People like you make me feel like absolute shit."

You said to XIngqiu, right in his face. You then walked past him and continued walking.

Thoma

"Wh... Y/N, get back here and help them!"

You

"Do I have to?"

"I didn't even hit the good spots. They'll live."

You told him, your back facing him as you continued to walk away.

Thoma

"We can't just leave them here... He can't take care of them all on his own."

You

"Then you stay. I'm going for the gem."

Thoma

"Y/N, wait! How do I find you?!"

You

"I dunno."

"By chance."

Thoma

"Hey!"

Thoma frustratedly scratched his head and aided Xingqiu's friends as quickly as possible. 

.

.

.

-A FEW HOURS LATER, THE CHASM, UNDERGROUND MINES-

Thoma waited in that same area by a pile of boulders, allowing Xingqiu's friends to rest on his sleeping bag after Thoma bandaged them all up. 

During these few hours, the two who were still conscious, Thoma and Xingqiu, didn't say a word to each other.

Until now.

Xingqiu

"Why..."

Thoma

"?"

Xingqiu

"Why are you working with someone like that?..."

Thoma

"I uh..."

"I made a deal. A deal I can't break."

"They have something valuable of mine. I broke something valuable to them."

"That's why... I'm down here with them searching for this special gem. It was the main article of their necklace... So, I'm getting it back for them in exchange for what they took from me."

Xingqiu

"They're-"

Thoma

"Before you uhm..."

Thoma cut him off very quickly. 

Thoma

"Before you start shit-talking, Y/N's... complicated. Many find it hard to understand that."

Xingqiu

"... Complicated?..."

"Complicated?!"

"They almost killed all my friends! I could've lost them today if you weren't here!"

He started freaking out.

Thoma

"Woah- Calm down!"

"... I'm just saying, they're not who you think they are."

Xingqiu

"What type of... Brainwashing shit is this?..."

"Y/N's done something bad to your mind, I'm telling you."

Thoma sighed.

Thoma

When will Y/N be back?... Are they even coming back?... Did they find the gem?...

Just as your whereabouts entered Thoma's head, you appeared before him.

Thoma

"Y/N!"

You

"Mmh... Ugh! No fucking luck!"

You grumbled and then yelled out of frustration. You were covered in an immense amount of blood, some of it your own, most of it belonged to others. 

Thoma worriedly looked at you. Xingqiu just looked at you with fear, scooching just a little closer beside Thoma for protection. 

You frustratedly put your hands on your face and wiped all the blood, leaving a smeared red stain. 

Thoma

"Y/N, it's alright! There's more places to look-"

You

"I've searched everywhere. Fucking everywhere! All those fucking annoying bounty hunters — dead, and for what?! This was our only good lead, and it's not even fucking here!"

Exhausted, you fell to your knees and just...

Cried.

You

"That fucking necklace... was all I had left of her."

You said to yourself, quietly.

Thoma

"Oh..."

Thoma got up and approached you.

He crouched in front of you as your head was looking down.

Thoma

"Y/N."

You

"Just fucking take it back."

You untightened Thoma's bracelet from your wrist and gave it to him. 

You

"Sorry... It's kind of... Severely blood-stained."

Thoma

"No, no... Keep it. I'm going to find this gem."

You

"There is no gem..."

Thoma

"You don't know that for sure."

You heavily inhaled and exhaled.

.

.

.

You

"Can we go home?"

Thoma

"Of course we can."

Thoma said, with absolutely no hesitation.