starry, starry night | genshin impact

kazuha : omamori

[ sfw ; kazuha x merchant!reader ]

...

It's not often that you catch the outlander from Captain Beidou's ship, but when you do, you always find yourself a little more flustered than you should be.

You usually carry on with work at the market without catching wind of his name even once. Though the mysterious addition to the Crux Fleet frequents the shopping district whenever their ship docks at the harbor, even the nosiest of merchants have only known him as: that kind Inazuman fellow. Because that's what he is—a boy who smiles the same way a gentle wind makes leaves dance in the fall.

Being an outlander and all, you expected someone like him to be a bit more callous, a bit more secretive. But that kind Inazuman fellow walks the streets of the harbor city, shopping for his crewmates' rations with the charisma of a long-time native. And, to your surprise, he always pays your humble little booth a quick visit.

Admittedly, your business isn't much—just a sideline to help fund your ailing mother's exorbitant medical bills. It's tucked in the furthest corner of the quad, away from the congestion of market-goers in the middle of the wharf. Charms and divinations aren't even essential to a sailor's life at sea, but the boy with ruby red eyes offers his patronage every chance he gets, regardless.

And you're not about to deny that you appreciate the consistency.

Word of the Crux's return after a week-long voyage spreads like wildfire across the baywalk, and you've rearranged the handmade amulets out on display for the third time in the span of five minutes. To any regular, you would look like nothing but a fidgeting mess behind your own crafted merchandise, but it isn't one of those debt-mongering Fatui that left you so restless.

Today, that kind Inazuman fellow flashes you that same, lopsided smile—powder white hair swaying slightly in the breeze as he approaches your stall. He seems to be carrying more bags than usual, but you elect not to pry and instead, address him with a sunny smile and an equally sunny greeting.

"We're headed south for a while," he tells you, gentle fingers probing one of your incandescence charms. "What would you recommend I take with us for the trip?"

"South...? You're headed to Inazuma?" you wonder somewhat mindlessly, and when he stiffens at the question, you sputter out a string of apologies just as quickly as you spoke. He laughs, but the sound of it is all sorts of uneasy.

"It's not a homecoming, if that's what you're thinking," he informs you somberly, gaze flickering to meet yours. "Someone...needs my help. And the the Captain seems pretty sold on the idea of offering him assistance, too."

You spare him a nod, curious but resigned. It's not your place to pry for the reason behind the Crux Fleet's next voyage—even if it obviously unnerves him to return to his homeland. The person before you is an outlander who's seen more than you can ever hope to witness, and you're merely one of many who try to make a living out of the trade. Your paths just happened to intersect at this point in time, and you're not so deluded to think it could turn into something more.

But even with the assortment of warding talismans and safety charms you've put up for sale, none of them seem fit to give as a parting gift.

Emboldened, you ask, "When are you leaving?"

He arches an eyebrow and says that they'll depart tomorrow at the crack of dawn. The information alarms you a little, and you begin mentally calculating how long it's going to take for you to pull off what you're plotting. Thankfully, he seems clueless to your motives, and merely cranes his head at your contemplation.