Flowers Of White

Evernight

Lumine walked up the stairs, everyone else was still at the campsite they made close to the library. Insisting to go on her own, everyone planned to have a suitable place to read and see what to do next.

I'm bound by contract

I arrived too late

"But what about you..?" Lumine looked down, her hand a few inches away from changing the sky. The thought striking her like lighting, how she asked the Archons she knew. Yet, she didn't ask the one she was closest to...

What about Venti?
He said he wasn't hiding anything
Can I really believe him?
What if he doesn't want to say?
Would he lie to me?
Stop talking like that, I need to ask first
If he loves you, then he'd say the truth
No. No pinning it on him. If I love him, I'll trust him and hear him out. The others had reasons too, it's possible he has a reason as well

The sky grew dim and the flowers glowed in a soft blue tone. "Another time, not now"

"Hey guys! Lumine's back!"

Venti waved as Lumine saw them in view and stopped a moment before rushing over. "Whoa... Uh what did you guys do?"

Paimon was exhausted, as she kept ahold of a small ladle. "Thank goodness you're back, Paimon couldn't take another minute here with them! Shenhe keeps trying to add random bits of plants in the pot and Zhongli is asking for tea that we don't have!" Lumine scoffed "Alright alright, Zhongli the materials to make tea right now aren't on our disposal. Shenhe, we tend to have separate bowls, so for yours we can put an herb in"

Zhongli closed his eyes "Alright, next time I suppose when we go to Liyue"

"I merely presumed it a custom considering that is what I eat"

"That's alright Shenhe, but for the sake of Paimon's sanity, Paimon wishes you said something first before trying to shove plants in. Where did you even get it?"

Shenhe pointed to the ground, the glowing blue plants. "Those looked powerful, I thought it could enhance our abilities as we go through"
"Hold on, you're telling Paimon... that you found those on the ground?!"
"The reasoning sounds solid"
"Tone-Deaf Bard which side are you on?"
Venti shrugged and Paimon handed the ladle to Lumine. "Here, your cooking is better than Paimon's that's for sure"
.

As the pot simmered, Lumine watched the bubbling as the party behind her spoke of many things. Some caught her attention, but not enough to keep her in the conversation.
"Are you alright?"
"Huh? Oh Shenhe, yes I'm well. I hope the others aren't too much?"
"That Bard tends to be loud, but he's nice to you and as such I'm fine. As for the Wansheng Funeral Parlor Assistant... he's very knowledgeable, yet you seem to have no issue with him. And Paimon is a reason I met you, I enjoy her company as well. You are my friend, or so that's what I hear people call others, I can tell you don't look so good. Is something on your mind?"
"I had wanted to ask Ninnguang if she knew anything about my brother. She shot down my question before I even uttered a word, I wonder... if I wasted that opportunity on false hope"
"I do not think you did, it's difficult not knowing the answer to something you want so desperately, to learn how to find something you've been looking for and for so long as well"
"Is that how you feel?"
"...I think so"
"Thank you Shenhe, for talking to me. Now let's get to eating, do you actually want herbs in your food?"
"...No"