Water's Serenity (Furina X Fem Reader)

Chapter 4: Fragility

That was definitely Furina, there was no doubt about that. But she couldn't understand why the Hydro archon was weeping silently while staring at her reflection at the lake. Y/n never thought that even Focalors can break down like this in such vulnerable state.

While Furina was looking at her reflection, she was blaming herself for putting on this mask every day. She told herself that this charade made her tired and that she was already fed up with it.

Y/n was shocked to hear such words coming from the Hydro Archon since she was acting so unlike her character. It's as if the true form of Furina is the one that is being revealed from inside.

Y/n tried her best to hear what she was saying while trying to be as silent as possible. The sight of the Hydro Archon being so full of sorrow and at the same time being so critical of herself, made her worried if it would have any effects on Furina's mentality.

It seemed like Furina was still blaming herself over and over again, but her tone of voice was still quiet. Maybe she didn't want anyone to see her at this state.

"Just how much longer..?"

What Furina said made Y/n feel so worried for the Hydro Archon.

Y/n tried her best to stay unnoticed while hearing more of the Hydro Archon's self-criticizing. Her words were more heartbreaking than she expected.

She was saying that her facade had reached its limits and that she could no longer endure it. But the thing that worried Y/n the most is that Furina's mind might be slowly getting broken or even cracked, which might lead to her making bad decisions. The more she kept listening to Focalors's words, the more worried she felt about her state.

"She said that her facade has reached its limits, it means she is close to breaking down." Y/n whispered to herself.

But if Furina continues to blame herself at this pace, she will break down mentally— which is a terrifying fact. As Y/n kept on listening to her words, she was starting to get a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, yet it seems like Furina was not aware of anyone listening to her tears in the dark as it was getting a little hard to watch.

"Should I..." Y/n paused then shaking her head.

"No, perhaps this isn't my place to question an Archon about their mentality when I, myself is beginning to get corrupted by our karma as well." Y/n thought to herself.

Y/n didn't want to disturb Focalors while she was breaking down mentally because she knows that her, as a yaksha, will have no right to ask the Hydro Archon anything like "What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't interfere... But if the Hydro Archon continues to be like this..."

Y/n then looked at Furina's figure, this was not how she expected Focalors to be like, perhaps this was what Morax implying to her that maybe the real her was the one in the shadow of her elegant mask.

As Y/n can no longer watch the Archon in this state, she thinks of a plan before executing it.

"I didn't expect that I will find the goddess of hydro weeping here alone in the wilderness during my patrol." Y/n said while leaning her body to a tree behind the bushes.

The Hydro Archon was then surprised to hear a voice coming from the shadows as she quickly wipes her tears away.

"Oh, it's you... I did not expect to see you here, I… didn't even know anyone was walking around this area."

As Focalors looked back, she seemed like her usual self— looking more composed and elegant. But it was clear that she was using her mask to cover up her tear-stained face from Y/n; Focalors was just pretending not to be bothered by the fact that Y/n was there to see her at such state.

"...You're still keeping that mask of indifference even after I just saw you in that kind of vulnerability?" The yaksha asked, tilting her head a little.

However, Furina just laughs at her comment as though she finds it amusing.

"You have no right to asked an Archon like that, if we're currently in Fontaine, you'd be might as well locked up as a prisoner in the Fortress of Meropide."

The Hydro Archon's attitude switched back to her usual bratty side once Y/n said something about her vulnerable state of mind. This was what Y/n expected from Focalors, her bratty mask was back to cover up the tears that were flowing down her cheeks in secret.

"...Goddess... I didn't mean to pry, and us yaksha usually tend to mind our own business, however, it's not in our nature to watch and just do nothing when someone needs our help or assistance–"

"I do not need your help or assistance. I am an Archon, how could you possibly help me after all? It's just my silly mood, I was just being too thoughtful about one thing and it caused me to break down for a bit that's all there is to it."

The Hydro Archon's denial made it harder to understand her situation. She was still trying to convince the yaksha that everything is fine with her.

Y/n only furrowed her eyebrows and was about to say something more, but her eyes darted directly to an incoming projectile that was close to hitting the Hydro Archon, but Y/n managed to intercept it and destroy it with her polearm.

Furina couldn't believe how skilled Y/n was at defending the attack from the projectile. Focalors's eyes widened when she saw her fast reaction, even if Y/n was part of the yaksha group, this was a surprising sight for the Hydro Archon.

"We're not safe here. Quick, follow me!"

Y/n didn't think twice but to grabbed Furina's arm and dragged her along to go elsewhere, but she did not complain and decided to trust Y/n's judgement as Focalors followed her lead.

While dragging the Hydro archon, Y/n made it just in time before some arrows hits the location they were previously at.

As Y/n was now heading towards a much more safer location, the Hydro Archon tried to look at her a few times while being dragged along. It's as if Furina expects something from her, but the time and place were not suitable for the topic yet.

They both continued running until Y/n saw a group of corrupted monsters ambushed her from above the trees so she quickly unsheathed her polearm again before using her elemental energy to fend off.

Furina was impressed to see Y/n's skill with the polearm and how successfully she have been killing the monsters attacking the both of them; the skill and battle instincts Y/n have is similar to all the other yaksha's.

After Y/n dealt with all the monsters, she and Furina were able to continue with their escape. Although more corrupted monsters surrounds the both of them again. If Y/n was alone, she could've escape them with ease, but since the Hydro Archon was with her, she have no choice but to go for the offense.

Her combat skills were being tested by the monsters that tried to ambush them both. The numbers of the monsters kept increasing during the battle and most of them focused on Y/n, ignoring the Hydro Archon, which made her have to put in even more effort to repel the monsters.

Y/n could tell that the Hydro Archon was not happy about this situation as well, but she couldn't stop the monsters from going at you full swing.

"Whatever you do, don't do anything reckless like running away." Y/n said to Furina almost in a commanding tone before putting her yaksha mask on her face and rushed towards the monsters.

Furina did not seem like she would even try to run away and abandon Y/n. She knew that Y/n will able to repel the monsters on her own.

However, in order to avoid any accidents, Furina told her to be careful while she was rushing towards the monsters to fight them. While Y/n was doing her best to protect the goddess, the Hydro Archon's eyes were set on Y/n the entire time.