Genshin Oneshots [ch x ch]

🌻Karkata🏜

“No, Karkata, put that down!” Collei overheard from inside her master’s tent. Ever since Tighnari came back from his and the traveler’s investigation with the mechanical crab, it would not stop terrorizing Ghandharvaville. It didn’t mean it, of course, and the locals were still trying to understand that, but it would take some getting used to its high energy in such a mellow forest village.

“Umm… Master Tighnari?” Collei said, almost too quietly to hear by the human ear.

“Ah, Collei!” The forest ranger greeted as she cautiously stepped into the tent. “Do me a favor and hold this, will you?” he asked, leaning around the crab to hold a piece of metal towards her. As soon as she took it, the machine spun around and chirped at her, patiently bouncing on its arms. Although she was pretty terrified at first upon its arrival, Collei had started to find Karkata was quite well-behaved, and simply a giant mechanical puppy-crab.

“Hehe, hello, Karkata. Are you being good for master Tighnari today?” she asked.

“Kulilu?”

“No it is not,” Tighnari said, patting his arm on top of the machine’s head plate. “It’s been running off with all sorts of things. Which reminds me, could you go over to Nasrin’s place and return this for me?” Collei was handed another metal object, this time in the form of a simple gardening spade. “And you,” he turned to Karkata, “no more taking things.” The crab sank to the floor with a low chirp. 

“Hm?” he hummed suddenly, looking towards the tent entrance. “I hear Cyno coming.”

“We haven’t told him about Karkata! He won’t attack it, will he?” Collei asked in a panic. Tighnari paused in thought.

“You may be right. Alright. Quick, we have to get it to hide until we can explain. Into your shell, now, Karkata. We don’t want you-”

“COLLEI, TIGHNARI!” A familiar voice yelled before the aforementioned Cyno showed up on cue to draw his weapon. “GET AWAY FROM THAT THING!” he roared, attempting to lunge forward past the two and jab at poor Karkata with his spear. Although Collei was successfully shoved out of the tent, Tighnari caught him and blockaded him from reaching it. Karkata cowered against the tent’s wall and immediately boxed itself up.

“What are you doing?!” Cyno shouted at Tighnari, “That thing is going to strike!”

“Cyno, calm down, it’s fine!” Tighnari shouted back, struggling to keep the general in place, “drop you weapon, now!” he ordered as the man tried to wriggle himself out of his grasp.

“Are you crazy?!”

“You’re the one acting crazy! Drop your weapon in my lab, right now!” Defeated, Cyno stepped back, not wanting to face Tighnari’s angry side. Collei snuck back into the tent and knelt beside the trembling box. Cyno flinched forwards instinctively before she herself held her hand out to stop him. 

“It’s okay! Karkata is friendly!”

“You’ve named the monster?” Cyno raised his eyebrow.

“It already had a name before we found it,” Tighnari explained and gestured for him to give him his spear. 

“Why-”

“No weapons in my lab. Hand it over,” the forest watcher ordered, this time with a threatening smile. Cyno complied and gave up his halberd with a grumble. “Alright," the forest watcher continued, "Great first introduction. Karkata, come on out.” The box trembled even more as it tried to peek through its plates. “Come on now, no one will hurt you.” The crab slowly reappeared and started bouncing idly again, scuttling towards Tighnari for safety. 

“I don’t like that it’s that close to you right now,” Cyno growled. The ranger laughed and patted Karkata’s head.

“Why? Jealous?” Tighnari joked with a smug look.

“I’m serious-”

“I know you are. But look around. It’s not attacking anyone, is it?”

“No…” Cyno said quietly, embarrassed to have to answer such a stupid question. “But-”

“Ah, ah,” he shushed, “You see, Karkata here belongs to an old friend of mine. It poses no threat to us. In fact, you’re scaring it- back off, would you?” Cyno, still dumbfounded, attempted another refusal. 

“I don’t care if it isn’t hurting you now. I do care that it can and probably will."

“I know, I know. But I highly doubt that it’s even capable. Besides, do you really think I would give it a chance to?”

“Um, I’m going to go and return this now,” Collei chimed in, slipping out of the tent with the shovel in hand. Karkata sidled anxiously until Tighnari opened a path for it to follow. “Aw, Karkata, do you want to go apologize?” Collei asked. 

“Kolu…” it nodded, turning back for Tighnari's approval. 

"Alright, go on," he sighed, shooing it off. As soon as the two men were alone, Cyno turned with a serious look.

"I know, I know, deadly robot" Tighnari said before the general could speak. "But look. This machine, it's fascinating! It's almost as if it were acting on feelings rather than programming."

"Nari, I know research is important to you, but you cannot trust that thing. If you let your guard down-" he was interrupted by his weapon being tossed back into his hands.

"You're so stubborn sometimes that I worry, you know," the forest watcher said, sitting atop a cluttered table.

"It seems I'm the only one worrying about this."

"It seems so." Although he was mostly only poking fun, Tighnari recognized the clear anxiety the situation put his friend in. He hopped off the table and approached him, bumping their elbows together. 

"Hey, I get it. I was suspicious at first too. But you know I can handle this." His voice softened, "Don't be so worried, okay?" Cyno hung his head to face the ground. 

"I trust you," he said, "But-" he was interrupted by a finger on his lips. 

"So trust me," Tighnari smiled, moving his other hand to rest on the general's cheek. "And maybe I'll lay off your case about all your dangerous desert missions. Okay?" he said quietly. Cyno looked up to meet his eyes, leaning into his touch.

"I do trust you," he paused, "But I want to stay here for a couple of days to make sure it won't hurt you," he said, bringing his hand up to cover Tighnari's. "Please," he added. Tighnari let out a long sigh, taking his hand back.

"Alright, ya big worrywart. It's not like I'd say no anyway," he said, hopping off the table and brushing his tail past him as he walked towards the exit.

Cyno smiled, dropping his weapon. He then followed after him, catching him in a hug from behind just before he could get away, resting his head on his shoulder

"I know you're strong. I just want to make sure you don't get hurt. Ever…" he whispered, holding him tighter.

"I know," Tighnari replied softly, placing his hands on Cyno's arms that wrapped around his waist. "It's okay. You think I'm content watching you waltz off to battle in the desert all the time?" he chuckled. "I'm scared too. Not because you're incapable, but because I never know what could go wrong." Cyno took a long breath, taking in Tighnari's comforting scent. 

"I know," he said. "But know that…" he turned his head to look at him, still resting on his shoulder. "I'll never 'desert' you."

Tighnari's face instantly snapped into one of annoyance, his ears folding backwards.

"Do you get i-"

"You're sleeping outside tonight."

________

heh  ⸜( ´ ꒳ ' )⸝

I'm not even kidding these two are so canonically in love despite localization it's not even funny 😭 They're so sweet fr fr