[For all Varka presents himself as a laid back, leisurely type, he is a skilled military leader, first and foremost. And though he has allowed himself a bit of time at the tavern after dark, the bulk of his days are spent trekking around the perimeter of the little village he's found himself in. He takes note of different buildings, of the faces that come and go. Every now and again, he takes the time to dip into the more public spaces. He's tried good food. He's pet tiny bunnies, and he's even been challenged by a particularly enthusiastic man with fiery hair.
Today, though, he discovers something new: the Archives. From there, it doesn't take long to stumble on something even more interesting than their surroundings. It's history, critical information that might yet give both himself and Nicole a leg up on their current situation. Others had been more than willing to provide information, Varka had deliberately held back when speaking of the more divine aspects of their home.
After all, he couldn't be too sure they were entirely free of the grasp of the heavens.
Books were a different story, though. And after soliciting a handful from the spirit tending to the place, he returns to the inn with a healthy stack.
Unfortunately, with his hands full, it does mean that he has to nudge Nicole's door with his boot. He keeps the touch relatively light, so he doesn't startle her. And when that fails to reassure him, he adds:]
[ Ultimately, she has found herself in a similar predicament. Most of her waking hours—and a significant portion of what should have been sleeping hours—have been allocated to understanding their predicament.
A sizable fraction of that has been dedicated to her magic. In a way, it was similar to starting from square one on the day of her creation: though they were all born with innate power, the ability to wield it effectively had come with time, as all things did. Having grown used to being able to call upon it with ease, though, was certainly complicating the relearning process.
Still. She could feel it in the air, here. Whatever had been circumventing and silencing their power was waning. The Elements were a bubbling brook eroding a stone wrought dam inch by painstaking inch and, surely, if she reached for them consistently they…
It is that which her mind is focused on when there is a sound at her door. She doesn’t startle, but her focus is subverted; her irritation is temporary, biting at her ankles, and subsides for the most part at the sound of Varka's voice. Suspicion replaces it instead.
It’s that suspicion which has her cracking the door open rather than opening it fully. She sticks her head out into the sliver. ]
[Varka huffs, the reluctance rankling him in only the most lighthearted ways. He shifts a hand, balancing the stack of four hefty books in one and motioning to his trove with the other. The weight is hardly a bother.]
I know you're probably just as curious as I am about what's happening here. So I figured you might appreciate a little history lesson.
[The stack tries to slide, and he quickly stumbles to put his hand on the top of the pile to keep it steady. After a few harrowing seconds, it seems to settle, and he flashes her a grin through the doorway.]
Can I come in, or not? [He pauses for a second, then adds:] I'm not expecting you to do all the work. We can split it down the middle.
[Reading isn't his favorite hobby by any means but... if it means getting to the bottom of their predicament, he'll just have to bite the bullet.]
[ Oh. Had Varka gone out of his way to track down books? Perhaps she should have spent more time exploring the actual town rather than staying indoors as much as she had been.
Nicole opens the door fully. After warring with the idea, she reaches out mentally to attempt to utilize her magic to move some of the books indoors telepathically. Though she is able to grab far less of them that she would ideally be able to, when she turns round and moves back into the room with at least a handful of books she counts it as a small victory. ]
I'm sorry. I’ve been trying to get a handle on the thread of magic that I can feel here for days. It’s left me more than a little on edge. Where did you find these?
[While the lightening of his load is appreciated, he's far more pleased with the fact that Nicole manages it at all. He watches her effort with an approving look, and doesn't realize he might have been caught in the act until Nicole turns her gaze back on him.]
Oh, uh - [He tries to lift a hand to scratch at the back of his head, only to nearly upend the remaining books. He scrambles to avoid disaster yet again, muttering to himself all the while.]
Just - you know - [A book slides to the floor, and he swears he sees a corner dent. He's almost certain the spirit in the Archives will have his head for that, but he'll deal with that later.]
Archives! There's an archive building further into town. A whole history of this place. Figured the best way to figure out what's happening now would be cracking open a few books and seeing what came before.
[And there he goes, beaming again. He's allowed to be proud of himself too, thank you.]
[ While it takes both effort and concentration to maintain her hold on the books, she does still manage to turn round enough to catch Varka staring at her. The crux of the issue in this is that she does not realize why he is smiling at her. Her curiosity turns to mild bafflement when Varka has to scramble to try and catch the books he abruptly spills onto the floor.
She is about to suggest she move the remainder of the books so that they might emerge unscathed when Varka gathers them back up again. She looks between him and his stack with enough bewilderment to say what she has not: are you good? What’s going on here?
Regardless… she sets her pile down on the bed. ]
Oh, I see! That was some good thinking. It might be able to tell us something about what swept us up here. I have to think that… there are divinities outside of our known ones at work here.
[Varka sees a distraction and gladly takes it, perking up at the very chance to start babbling. He's done some footwork, you see. Please praise him for that.]
You might not be wrong about that. We walked into the middle of a whole cosmic battlefield, it seems like. [Once his books are safely deposited on the table, allows his body to lean against it. His arms fold over his chest, the picture of being right at home.
Never mind the fact that it's Nicole's room that he finds himself in.]
From what I've figured out, we've got two goddesses on our side — the sun and the moon. We've also got one running around in the woods. Or maybe he is the woods? Either way, he's bad news. And part of the reason we're here.
[A hand lifts, scratching behind his head.]
Real unfriendly type, it seems like. Last month, he tasked the residents with killing each other in order to glean enough power to fix the sky.
[ If Nicole is disquieted by the familiarity with which Varka takes up space within her room it does not show on her face. This was a temporary lodging at best and thus barely registered as a private space in her mind. If they were tethered here for long enough, she would have more than enough time to formulate proper lodgings… if their abilities ever truly returned, that is.
The information that Varka provides is meaningful, and helps fill in at least a portion of the gaps of her understanding. With the presence of external deities confirmed, a part of her mind strays to the possibility of an existence free of the thumb of the Heavenly Principles. Could it truly be possible? What all-encompassing effect might that have on her existence?
Dangerously, a single question ekes its way out of the entangled ones: could she be free of her species' curse, here? Would the powers that be here override those that had kept her shackled?
Nicole blinks away the thought physically, instead picking up one of the books she had set down. Her hand lightly, curiously, caresses the cover. These books were old, if the state of them was any indication: this lent itself to the idea that his town was far more long-lived than she might have initially thought given the buildings they had initially encountered. She taps her fingers against the spine. ]
I see. Two benevolent entities, and one with more of a mind for cruel entertainment. I must admit – I don't exactly relish the idea of being caught in the midst of another divine power struggle. Though, at the moment, there's little to be done about that now. There are parts we must play, it seems!
[ She looks to Varka, in all his mortal glory, with a narrow-eyed look. They had only just departed from a realm in which he had been forced to give his all—and then some—to grapple against the machinations of a man-seeking-divinity. She wonders what his thoughts were on the matter. Was he tired with being dragged about by the fickle hand of fate? Had he even stopped to think about it?
As a man of action, perhaps he had chosen to immerse himself in doing rather than contemplating. Some might yield to the despair of their circumstances otherwise. ]
[Both of them see fit to fall into silence, it seems. There is plenty he could say, but for the time being, he keeps those thoughts tucked away. He's had more time to consider this information — the least he can do is grant Nicole a few moments to do the same. Besides, while he wouldn't discredit himself by saying he was "unintelligent," he wouldn't be wrong to call Nicole the brains of their operation, either. That was what happened when you were a many thousand year old angel.
So, while she ponders, his gaze wanders. He studies her room — not so dissimilar to his own in structure, maybe, but that's not what he's after. He seeks out what little personal touches she might have applied to the space, whether her bed was regularly made, if she cared for her dishes, all of that. Despite having worked so closely together for a handful of months, it felt like he knew little about her.
Hell, he hadn't even been to the cottage he'd heard rumor of.
Still, once she begins speaking, his attention snaps back to her. And as she turns the question back to him, Varka finds himself straightening up.]
Well, can't say it's the first time I've been thrust into someone else's conflict. [He says it with a note of mirth.] Part of being a knight is being there for the people that need it, though. It's why I helped out Columbina back home, and why I'll help out here. Might not have been my choice to get dragged into this mess, but I can decide what I do from here on out.
[He can't fathom sitting idly by. Not if there was a chance people could get hurt. And especially not when sitting still leads to him worrying about Mondstadt. Bad things tended to happen when he was away like this.
Crepus. Dvalin. What else could be taken from him next...? He shakes his head, pulling himself from his thoughts.]
Not that I'll blame you if you want to take a step back. I imagine this all strikes a bit too close to home for you, huh?
[ The state of the room is far more pared down than she normally would have liked a living area to be. There were remarkably few personal affects. If this were her home back in Teyvat, she might have at least dappled the space with small statues… but without her abilities and the proper materials, sculpting was regrettably beyond her current capabilities. In terms of the actual space: the bed was partially made, with a corner of the blankets skewed just enough to imply that she had been recently laying down. Her dishes were clean and stacked neatly, though in such a way as to suggest that they had not been recently used.
Perhaps predictably, Varka's thoughts on the matter trend more towards the logistical than the personal. It is ironic, then, that he references her personal feelings on the matter.
Folding her hands in her lap, Nicole levels Varka with an unreadable look. Though there is a hint of her seemingly ever-present smile, it is thin enough at the edges that it is quick to fall away once she exhales. ]
In more ways than one, my assistance in this regard is more or less assured. My personal involvement makes the whole thing rather compulsory, as I'm sure you can imagine. In another way…
[ Angling her head, she lowers her gaze to the cover of the book in her lap. ]
That we could be stolen away so easily suggests a vulnerability in the borders between worlds that prompts me to act.As a product of the divine, there are intrinsic rules threaded into our existence. Though that divinity lapsed into silence a long time ago, those rules still exist. That it is the act of a deity outside of the ones we know is, additionally, an insult. That compels me to act. So act I will.
[ She does manage a smile, though it is a hint sardonic. ]
Unless you would begrudge my participation, Knight of Boreas?
[Dimly, Varka finds himself wondering if Nicole needs to eat. He's seen her drink tea, of course, but it's hard to tell if that's a voluntary gesture, one of based off of necessity. Should he be offering her breakfast in the morning? Dragging a bowl of stew back from the tavern?
Mentally, he chides himself for growing so attached — for allowing desire to creep in despite its forbidden nature. He overrides that concern by reminding himself that Nicole is part of his pack now — it's his duty to look after her, that's all.
Turning his attention to the matter at hand, he finds his lips pressing into a frown, while his gaze flickers to somewhere beyond the ceiling. He knows what's on his mind borders on hypocritical, considering everything, but that doesn't keep him from opening his mouth:]
Alright, that's what on duty Nicole thinks. But if you ask me, the eyes of the heavens seem like they can't really reach us here. Celestia isn't hanging in the sky these days, as I'm sure you've noticed.
[He pauses, before allowing his gaze to fall to her. When he speaks this time, it's in a far softer tone.]
Don't get me wrong. I feel better with you at my side than when you aren't, Nicole Reeyn. But I gotta know: when was the last time someone asked you what you wanted?
[ Completely unaware of Varka's internal struggle, Nicole occupies herself in the lapse of silence by finally flipping the book in her lap open. It might be considered rude for most to begin poring over a book while in the presence of others, but Varka had brought these here specifically for them to perform comprehensive research on the setting. Surely it wouldn't hurt for her to begin in the midst of their discussion.
Her eyes lift when he addresses her. They don't remain rooted to him for long. She drops them back down to the book and reads and rereads the same page—which contains only the title of the book—a dozen times over before she even begins to contemplate what he's proposing.
It is a dangerous question. Nicole's preferred form had remained intact, by her measure, for this long as a direct result of her lack of purpose. To extrapolate from that and deduce that her lack of desire had assisted in this endeavor was to properly utilize the information she had on hand. To dwell overmuch on a question that she had long evaded on the off-chance that this realm might be safe from the reach of the Heavenly Principles…
Does Varka know what he is asking, truly? Asking about her whims was one thing, but wants? ]
Never. Not in any seriousness, anyway. And that was likely for the best.
[As her words give way to silence in kind, Varka cannot help but wonder if she recognizes how similar they are. Duty had kept them in motion, away from the things that they might have loved. And yet of the two, Varka knows that his existence has been far more blessed comparatively. After all, he'd at least had the luxury of choice. His path had only been set because of love.
What did Nicole have? The thought alone makes his heart ache.]
It can't have been easy. [Though his tone was already soft, it pitches lower still.] You've lived a long time without being able to have much say. Coming from the land of freedom, it sounds more than miserable.
[But maybe this isn't a topic to be dwelled on. As nice as it might be to believe that they were free from the shackles of the heavens, they couldn't necessarily prove it, right?
Unless...
A dangerous idea flits through Varka's mind. The room they're in is small, but he finds himself taking as many steps away from Nicole as he can. The result is him being rammed into the corner as he turns his gaze skyward.]
What do you think, Naberius? Does not being able to make a choice sound like an absolutely miserable life? Bet you'd ask Ronova to put you to death, huh? All that time spent alone — bet it'd make Istaroth go mad, yeah?
And uh - [He squints, before adding:] Asmoday, you can come too, I guess.
[With his speech concluded, he looks "skyward." If he's going to get smote for this, at least he'll face it head on.]
[ The last thing a creature of her status wished for was pity. Surely Varka knew this. That an attempt to empathize with her plight would be borderline impossible given sheer gap in their understanding of their existence. This was not to discredit Varka: it was simply logical to think and be assured of the fact that a human could scarcely understand what existence was like as an angel, just as she could scarcely begin to understand the nuances of existence as a human. They were incredibly different beings. This was not a negative thing.
Was she miserable? That was difficult to quantify. She wasn't sure she had ever dwelled on it for particularly long. Had she even conceptualized that she could? Why would it matter, ultimately?
She is so engrossed in her own thoughts that she nearly does not notice that Varka has backed himself into the corner. At first, she is simply confused. When the first syllables of a Shade's name leaves his lips, she is stricken with trepidation so powerful that it feels as though she has stepped onto the highest peaks of Dragonspine's mountains.
And then he continues. He continues to speak their names. The fear—if one could ultimately call it that—takes on a different form. Bafflement. Then, fury, of a shape that she is scarcely felt in a thousand years. To invoke those names with nary a thought to the consequences – or perhaps he was banking on foolish mortal hope, vying to show the full colors of his bravery to grant her some unbidden boon.
Nicole may only have fragments of her magic, but she is entirely capable still. She closes the distance between them and sweeps up onto her toes to grab Varka roughly enough round the jaw that her nails bite into skin. Uncaring of whether he protests, she is quick to haul him down to her level so she can stare into his eyes with enough ire that the very air around them seems to heat. ]
Enough. You play a fool's game for little meaningful reward.
[Varka doesn't have the time to celebrate his apparently victory. The barest vestiges of a smug smile form on his lips, only to die as his entire top half is tugged downward. His jaw stings as those nails prick at him, but he does not complain. He doesn't even so much as wince, instead opting to hold her gaze with as much determination as he can muster.
Speaking is a bit difficult, considering the position they're in. Still, he forces himself to move around her hand, in order to say what needs to be said.]
No meaningful reward? Freedom is the greatest reward of all. [Only now do his lips curl into a defiant sort of smile.] And I'd say I won it, fair and square. If the heavens were watching, I'd be smoke on the ground, Nicole.
[The smile sobers into something far more somber and serious.]
So. With all of that out of the way... What do you want from this place?
Freedom for whom? This is a tale as old as time. A creature who has known nothing but servitude has its bonds broken by one well-meaning. It either knows naught what to do with its newfound freedom and languishes in the agony of a thousandfold indecisions, or becomes so blissfully used to an existence unfettered that the moment it is shackled again it simply loses the will. Which is a crueler picture?
[ Nicole does not think of herself as pitiable. She has designed the entire basis of her existence around a rule set that Varka threatens to upend out of his own good intention. It was one thing to take subtle advantage of a lapse in surveillance in the interim. It was another thing to wholly accept this as safe, only to ultimately have it stolen away again when they returned to Teyvat.
Because surely that was the intent. They were not remaining here. Why grow comfortable with a short-lived lie? ]
You would like to return, wouldn’t you? Then it would be far simpler to accept that this place, and its allowances, are temporary. You have as kind a heart as any, stalwart knight, but this a wicked knife to twist.
[Despite his attempt at honeyed words and a hard won gamble, his efforts have borne little fruit. Now, the further he gets away from his frenzied efforts, he realizes his mistake. One of the first things Varka learned as a wandering knight was that it was difficult to understand others on first brush. The cultures of the seven nations were as varied as the elements they served. It was far too easy to try and apply Mondstadt logic, even if Fontanians believed something different.
The same could be said here. He'd valued freedom for his entire life, had fought for it tooth and claw since the day he knew he wanted to be a knight. But in his desperate attempt to apply that freedom, he had forgotten to ask if Nicole even wanted it.
He understands her logic, but only as she speaks it. Of course he wanted to go home, just as she did. There was too much left undone. But he had not stopped to consider just how deep the wound might run, were she to taste freedom before returning.
His squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, shame prickling at his chest. His head bows, and a sigh leaves him.]
You're right. At the very least... this isn't my battle to pick.
[Much as he might like to say that even a taste of Freedom was worth it, that was only because of his own upbringing. And those beliefs had nothing on thousands of years of truth.]
[ This close, it is remarkably easy to track the way realization and understanding blooms in achingly close company to regret in Varka. This was one of Varka's charming traits, to Nicole: he was unabashed in his pursuit of what he considered both good and righteous, even at cost to himself. She had seen it with how he had chosen to shirk the chance at glory in Mondstadt to travel to Nod-Krai.
She sees it now, in how he had risked life and limb to assure her of a tether snapped. A true resident of Mondstadt, through and through. Valuing freedom above all else and eager to spread its beautiful, chaotic virtues to others.
When Nicole touches his jaw a second time, it is with gentle fingers. ]
You are incredibly quick to lambast yourself, Varka.
[ She sighs lightly. ]
I would never have thought you’d be so quick to fold to scolding, of all things. Let me ask you this, to return the favor: if you wanted to teach someone the beauty of freedom, where would you start?
[This will prove to be the first of many times in which Varka displays just how touchstarved he is. He leans his head into her touch without so much as thinking about it, keeping his gaze steady with her own. It's a relief that she chooses not to punish him, that she does not hold his zeal against him. Above all, he does not want anything to come between their tentative friendship.]
Every now and again, I get it through my head that some people might know better than me. [He speaks through a rueful smile, the edges of which manage to turn up the corners of his eyes. Regret might pour through him, but it is not a lasting thing. He will take this lesson and apply it forward, just as he has many times before.]
If it were me... I'd start small. Little choices for myself, rather than others. Choosing to keep making your tea, rather than jumping in to help someone cook dinner. Having a glass of wine in your room, rather than joining everyone else in the lobby.
[ Nicole's first use of her newfound free will is… this, apparently! Since Varka does not appear to be uncomfortable with the touch, she uses the opportunity to simply explore. There is a sensation underneath her fingertips that she is unfamiliar with when she ghosts them further up Varka's jaw. Facial hair? Her mind supplies. She turns one hand over to rub her knuckles along the pronounced line of his chin, then traces his jawline up towards his ear.
To most, it would likely be considered an intimate gesture. To her, it is largely a curious one. Not that she is blind to the implications, of course. Even if she is not human, it does not mean she does not know what humans do. It had been the very reason her species was cursed, after all. ]
Every now and again.
[ It's repeated with enough warmth to imply she's forgiven his faux pas relatively quickly. If it had turned out poorly… she would assuredly have been slower to do so. Invoking the names of the Shades to prove a point… he was a foolhardy fool, that was certain. ]
Hmmm. I suppose it does. [ Evidently, she is going to continue to use her autonomy to pet Varka. She traces her fingers over the lowest point of his sideburns, marveling idly in the difference in texture between where his hair was longer and where it was shorter. It, too, was also far softer than the stubble on his face. ]
[The sudden shift in mood feels like dizzying one. Or maybe it's the blood rushing to his head as those fingers stroke over his skin. Her skin is incredibly soft, especially compared to his own rough-hewn touch. Backed into a corner as he is, there is little be done as far as ducking away goes. But even as his mind thinks to duck away, to not push too far too fast, his body acquiesces to the the touch, head tilting into the gesture all the further.
There were disadvantages to being a wolf knight, apparently; the dog traits ran deep.]
Nicole - [His tone is meant to be chiding, perhaps even intending to caution her. Instead, it comes out as little more than a sigh.
She wants to use her freedom. He can think of at least one way to put it to use. But that is particularly dangerous, sinister thought that will only get them both into trouble. Tasting freedom was one thing. Varka has a feeling if he indulged in this matter, the consequences would be far reaching.
They'd have to go home one day. Something like this could surely never be.
His eyes slide shut, body once again betraying him. His mind scrambles as he threatens to fall further under the spell the witch surely weaves. Thin magic be damned, this must surely be some sort of enchantment.]
How about - saying to hell with staying inside and researching. Should... go outside. [His eyes crack open, gripping this thin thread of salvation.] There's a cafe I think you might like, in fact. We should -
[The longer he speaks, the more clear his head feels. He needs to act, needs to get out of the literal and figurative corner that he's in. And most importantly, he needs to get his body back under control.
Those three thoughts singularly drive him forward. He reaches forward, grabbing hold of Nicole by the hips and lifting her up. He turns around, switching their positions as fast as he can, before his body can betray him once again and allow those hands to wander.
[ …Even with her relative inexperience in the matters of the heart, it would be impossible to ignore how the atmosphere has shifted. There is an expression on Varka's face that she cannot quite put her finger on: he seems both trapped and exactly where he wants to be, if the way he leans into her hands is any indication.
For no apparent reason, the sighing sound of his voice sends a shiver up her spine. There is an urge to press her luck. To deduce what exactly has the Knight of Boreas sighing so. Varka is a mystery she longs to unravel on a multilayered level.
The air seems simultaneously warm and stolen away, as if their breathing in this scant distance was consuming every iota of available oxygen. Idly, she wonders why. Was it the proximity? Was it this simmering sense of anticipation? Varka's eyes slip shut and, ridiculously, Nicole feels an impulsion stronger than any she has had in a long while to lean in closer. To put her nose alongside his… to note how he might react when he opened his eyes again…
She does not do that. In fact, she's so transfixed that she hardly even registers that he is saying anything at all. The only thing, hilariously, that only evokes a reaction beyond her slowly blinking at him is when he grabs her by the hips.
It is both a blessing a curse that she can only communicate telepathically, because it ultimately means that her girlish yelp is reserved for Varka's mind alone. Her face blazes with startled heat when she finds her back against the wall, hands lifted, body language startled. She looks at him wide-eyed and struggles for all of twenty seconds to grasp what, exactly, has just happened.
Eh? Why? Wasn't he just talking about going outside? She has read about these types of scenarios before. Had she pushed him to the limit? Was this going to be one of those scandalous moments? Any sense of propriety or logic has completely departed this angel's mind, thanks Varka. ]
…Um. [ Intelligent! Good work, Nicole. We are firing on all cylinders. ] ...You are gripping me rather hard, Mr. Varka.
[This - might not be helping matters, actually. Though the yelp makes him feel guilty and should serve as cold water to douse the flame beginning to roar within his chest, the effect is short lived. Nicole is a picture like this, face red, hands up high, and her eyes directly on him.
His heart thunders within his chest, surely loud enough for Nicole to hear. One thing is clear — if he does not leave now, he will not leave period. This, too, is a danger.]
Dessert. Dessert from the cafe. That's what you need.
[He steps back, taking far too long to stare at his hands. He can still feel the fabric of her clothes beneath his touch, to say nothing of the warmth hinted at below. His mind tries to treacherously drift toward something else, but he shoves the thought away as fast as he can.]
I'll be back!
[Without another word, he tears from the room. Yes, the door slams behind him, and yes, he's sprinting faster than he might have when pursued by Jean. Don't worry about it.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-05 07:07 am (UTC)Today, though, he discovers something new: the Archives. From there, it doesn't take long to stumble on something even more interesting than their surroundings. It's history, critical information that might yet give both himself and Nicole a leg up on their current situation. Others had been more than willing to provide information, Varka had deliberately held back when speaking of the more divine aspects of their home.
After all, he couldn't be too sure they were entirely free of the grasp of the heavens.
Books were a different story, though. And after soliciting a handful from the spirit tending to the place, he returns to the inn with a healthy stack.
Unfortunately, with his hands full, it does mean that he has to nudge Nicole's door with his boot. He keeps the touch relatively light, so he doesn't startle her. And when that fails to reassure him, he adds:]
Hey, it's me! Got a surprise for you.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-05 07:58 am (UTC)A sizable fraction of that has been dedicated to her magic. In a way, it was similar to starting from square one on the day of her creation: though they were all born with innate power, the ability to wield it effectively had come with time, as all things did. Having grown used to being able to call upon it with ease, though, was certainly complicating the relearning process.
Still. She could feel it in the air, here. Whatever had been circumventing and silencing their power was waning. The Elements were a bubbling brook eroding a stone wrought dam inch by painstaking inch and, surely, if she reached for them consistently they…
It is that which her mind is focused on when there is a sound at her door. She doesn’t startle, but her focus is subverted; her irritation is temporary, biting at her ankles, and subsides for the most part at the sound of Varka's voice. Suspicion replaces it instead.
It’s that suspicion which has her cracking the door open rather than opening it fully. She sticks her head out into the sliver. ]
A surprise?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-05 08:06 am (UTC)I know you're probably just as curious as I am about what's happening here. So I figured you might appreciate a little history lesson.
[The stack tries to slide, and he quickly stumbles to put his hand on the top of the pile to keep it steady. After a few harrowing seconds, it seems to settle, and he flashes her a grin through the doorway.]
Can I come in, or not? [He pauses for a second, then adds:] I'm not expecting you to do all the work. We can split it down the middle.
[Reading isn't his favorite hobby by any means but... if it means getting to the bottom of their predicament, he'll just have to bite the bullet.]
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-05 08:21 am (UTC)Nicole opens the door fully. After warring with the idea, she reaches out mentally to attempt to utilize her magic to move some of the books indoors telepathically. Though she is able to grab far less of them that she would ideally be able to, when she turns round and moves back into the room with at least a handful of books she counts it as a small victory. ]
I'm sorry. I’ve been trying to get a handle on the thread of magic that I can feel here for days. It’s left me more than a little on edge. Where did you find these?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-05 08:28 am (UTC)Oh, uh - [He tries to lift a hand to scratch at the back of his head, only to nearly upend the remaining books. He scrambles to avoid disaster yet again, muttering to himself all the while.]
Just - you know - [A book slides to the floor, and he swears he sees a corner dent. He's almost certain the spirit in the Archives will have his head for that, but he'll deal with that later.]
Archives! There's an archive building further into town. A whole history of this place. Figured the best way to figure out what's happening now would be cracking open a few books and seeing what came before.
[And there he goes, beaming again. He's allowed to be proud of himself too, thank you.]
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-06 09:08 pm (UTC)She is about to suggest she move the remainder of the books so that they might emerge unscathed when Varka gathers them back up again. She looks between him and his stack with enough bewilderment to say what she has not: are you good? What’s going on here?
Regardless… she sets her pile down on the bed. ]
Oh, I see! That was some good thinking. It might be able to tell us something about what swept us up here. I have to think that… there are divinities outside of our known ones at work here.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-06 09:52 pm (UTC)You might not be wrong about that. We walked into the middle of a whole cosmic battlefield, it seems like. [Once his books are safely deposited on the table, allows his body to lean against it. His arms fold over his chest, the picture of being right at home.
Never mind the fact that it's Nicole's room that he finds himself in.]
From what I've figured out, we've got two goddesses on our side — the sun and the moon. We've also got one running around in the woods. Or maybe he is the woods? Either way, he's bad news. And part of the reason we're here.
[A hand lifts, scratching behind his head.]
Real unfriendly type, it seems like. Last month, he tasked the residents with killing each other in order to glean enough power to fix the sky.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-08 04:03 am (UTC)The information that Varka provides is meaningful, and helps fill in at least a portion of the gaps of her understanding. With the presence of external deities confirmed, a part of her mind strays to the possibility of an existence free of the thumb of the Heavenly Principles. Could it truly be possible? What all-encompassing effect might that have on her existence?
Dangerously, a single question ekes its way out of the entangled ones: could she be free of her species' curse, here? Would the powers that be here override those that had kept her shackled?
Nicole blinks away the thought physically, instead picking up one of the books she had set down. Her hand lightly, curiously, caresses the cover. These books were old, if the state of them was any indication: this lent itself to the idea that his town was far more long-lived than she might have initially thought given the buildings they had initially encountered. She taps her fingers against the spine. ]
I see. Two benevolent entities, and one with more of a mind for cruel entertainment. I must admit – I don't exactly relish the idea of being caught in the midst of another divine power struggle. Though, at the moment, there's little to be done about that now. There are parts we must play, it seems!
[ She looks to Varka, in all his mortal glory, with a narrow-eyed look. They had only just departed from a realm in which he had been forced to give his all—and then some—to grapple against the machinations of a man-seeking-divinity. She wonders what his thoughts were on the matter. Was he tired with being dragged about by the fickle hand of fate? Had he even stopped to think about it?
As a man of action, perhaps he had chosen to immerse himself in doing rather than contemplating. Some might yield to the despair of their circumstances otherwise. ]
What do you make of all of this?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-08 04:25 am (UTC)So, while she ponders, his gaze wanders. He studies her room — not so dissimilar to his own in structure, maybe, but that's not what he's after. He seeks out what little personal touches she might have applied to the space, whether her bed was regularly made, if she cared for her dishes, all of that. Despite having worked so closely together for a handful of months, it felt like he knew little about her.
Hell, he hadn't even been to the cottage he'd heard rumor of.
Still, once she begins speaking, his attention snaps back to her. And as she turns the question back to him, Varka finds himself straightening up.]
Well, can't say it's the first time I've been thrust into someone else's conflict. [He says it with a note of mirth.] Part of being a knight is being there for the people that need it, though. It's why I helped out Columbina back home, and why I'll help out here. Might not have been my choice to get dragged into this mess, but I can decide what I do from here on out.
[He can't fathom sitting idly by. Not if there was a chance people could get hurt. And especially not when sitting still leads to him worrying about Mondstadt. Bad things tended to happen when he was away like this.
Crepus. Dvalin. What else could be taken from him next...? He shakes his head, pulling himself from his thoughts.]
Not that I'll blame you if you want to take a step back. I imagine this all strikes a bit too close to home for you, huh?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-08 07:06 am (UTC)Perhaps predictably, Varka's thoughts on the matter trend more towards the logistical than the personal. It is ironic, then, that he references her personal feelings on the matter.
Folding her hands in her lap, Nicole levels Varka with an unreadable look. Though there is a hint of her seemingly ever-present smile, it is thin enough at the edges that it is quick to fall away once she exhales. ]
In more ways than one, my assistance in this regard is more or less assured. My personal involvement makes the whole thing rather compulsory, as I'm sure you can imagine. In another way…
[ Angling her head, she lowers her gaze to the cover of the book in her lap. ]
That we could be stolen away so easily suggests a vulnerability in the borders between worlds that prompts me to act.As a product of the divine, there are intrinsic rules threaded into our existence. Though that divinity lapsed into silence a long time ago, those rules still exist. That it is the act of a deity outside of the ones we know is, additionally, an insult. That compels me to act. So act I will.
[ She does manage a smile, though it is a hint sardonic. ]
Unless you would begrudge my participation, Knight of Boreas?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-08 02:37 pm (UTC)Mentally, he chides himself for growing so attached — for allowing desire to creep in despite its forbidden nature. He overrides that concern by reminding himself that Nicole is part of his pack now — it's his duty to look after her, that's all.
Turning his attention to the matter at hand, he finds his lips pressing into a frown, while his gaze flickers to somewhere beyond the ceiling. He knows what's on his mind borders on hypocritical, considering everything, but that doesn't keep him from opening his mouth:]
Alright, that's what on duty Nicole thinks. But if you ask me, the eyes of the heavens seem like they can't really reach us here. Celestia isn't hanging in the sky these days, as I'm sure you've noticed.
[He pauses, before allowing his gaze to fall to her. When he speaks this time, it's in a far softer tone.]
Don't get me wrong. I feel better with you at my side than when you aren't, Nicole Reeyn. But I gotta know: when was the last time someone asked you what you wanted?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 03:14 am (UTC)Her eyes lift when he addresses her. They don't remain rooted to him for long. She drops them back down to the book and reads and rereads the same page—which contains only the title of the book—a dozen times over before she even begins to contemplate what he's proposing.
It is a dangerous question. Nicole's preferred form had remained intact, by her measure, for this long as a direct result of her lack of purpose. To extrapolate from that and deduce that her lack of desire had assisted in this endeavor was to properly utilize the information she had on hand. To dwell overmuch on a question that she had long evaded on the off-chance that this realm might be safe from the reach of the Heavenly Principles…
Does Varka know what he is asking, truly? Asking about her whims was one thing, but wants? ]
Never. Not in any seriousness, anyway. And that was likely for the best.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 03:49 am (UTC)[As her words give way to silence in kind, Varka cannot help but wonder if she recognizes how similar they are. Duty had kept them in motion, away from the things that they might have loved. And yet of the two, Varka knows that his existence has been far more blessed comparatively. After all, he'd at least had the luxury of choice. His path had only been set because of love.
What did Nicole have? The thought alone makes his heart ache.]
It can't have been easy. [Though his tone was already soft, it pitches lower still.] You've lived a long time without being able to have much say. Coming from the land of freedom, it sounds more than miserable.
[But maybe this isn't a topic to be dwelled on. As nice as it might be to believe that they were free from the shackles of the heavens, they couldn't necessarily prove it, right?
Unless...
A dangerous idea flits through Varka's mind. The room they're in is small, but he finds himself taking as many steps away from Nicole as he can. The result is him being rammed into the corner as he turns his gaze skyward.]
What do you think, Naberius? Does not being able to make a choice sound like an absolutely miserable life? Bet you'd ask Ronova to put you to death, huh? All that time spent alone — bet it'd make Istaroth go mad, yeah?
And uh - [He squints, before adding:] Asmoday, you can come too, I guess.
[With his speech concluded, he looks "skyward." If he's going to get smote for this, at least he'll face it head on.]
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 04:13 am (UTC)Was she miserable? That was difficult to quantify. She wasn't sure she had ever dwelled on it for particularly long. Had she even conceptualized that she could? Why would it matter, ultimately?
She is so engrossed in her own thoughts that she nearly does not notice that Varka has backed himself into the corner. At first, she is simply confused. When the first syllables of a Shade's name leaves his lips, she is stricken with trepidation so powerful that it feels as though she has stepped onto the highest peaks of Dragonspine's mountains.
And then he continues. He continues to speak their names. The fear—if one could ultimately call it that—takes on a different form. Bafflement. Then, fury, of a shape that she is scarcely felt in a thousand years. To invoke those names with nary a thought to the consequences – or perhaps he was banking on foolish mortal hope, vying to show the full colors of his bravery to grant her some unbidden boon.
Nicole may only have fragments of her magic, but she is entirely capable still. She closes the distance between them and sweeps up onto her toes to grab Varka roughly enough round the jaw that her nails bite into skin. Uncaring of whether he protests, she is quick to haul him down to her level so she can stare into his eyes with enough ire that the very air around them seems to heat. ]
Enough. You play a fool's game for little meaningful reward.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 04:28 am (UTC)Speaking is a bit difficult, considering the position they're in. Still, he forces himself to move around her hand, in order to say what needs to be said.]
No meaningful reward? Freedom is the greatest reward of all. [Only now do his lips curl into a defiant sort of smile.] And I'd say I won it, fair and square. If the heavens were watching, I'd be smoke on the ground, Nicole.
[The smile sobers into something far more somber and serious.]
So. With all of that out of the way... What do you want from this place?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 05:00 am (UTC)[ Nicole does not think of herself as pitiable. She has designed the entire basis of her existence around a rule set that Varka threatens to upend out of his own good intention. It was one thing to take subtle advantage of a lapse in surveillance in the interim. It was another thing to wholly accept this as safe, only to ultimately have it stolen away again when they returned to Teyvat.
Because surely that was the intent. They were not remaining here. Why grow comfortable with a short-lived lie? ]
You would like to return, wouldn’t you? Then it would be far simpler to accept that this place, and its allowances, are temporary. You have as kind a heart as any, stalwart knight, but this a wicked knife to twist.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 05:12 am (UTC)The same could be said here. He'd valued freedom for his entire life, had fought for it tooth and claw since the day he knew he wanted to be a knight. But in his desperate attempt to apply that freedom, he had forgotten to ask if Nicole even wanted it.
He understands her logic, but only as she speaks it. Of course he wanted to go home, just as she did. There was too much left undone. But he had not stopped to consider just how deep the wound might run, were she to taste freedom before returning.
His squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, shame prickling at his chest. His head bows, and a sigh leaves him.]
You're right. At the very least... this isn't my battle to pick.
[Much as he might like to say that even a taste of Freedom was worth it, that was only because of his own upbringing. And those beliefs had nothing on thousands of years of truth.]
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 05:30 am (UTC)She sees it now, in how he had risked life and limb to assure her of a tether snapped. A true resident of Mondstadt, through and through. Valuing freedom above all else and eager to spread its beautiful, chaotic virtues to others.
When Nicole touches his jaw a second time, it is with gentle fingers. ]
You are incredibly quick to lambast yourself, Varka.
[ She sighs lightly. ]
I would never have thought you’d be so quick to fold to scolding, of all things. Let me ask you this, to return the favor: if you wanted to teach someone the beauty of freedom, where would you start?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 05:41 am (UTC)Every now and again, I get it through my head that some people might know better than me. [He speaks through a rueful smile, the edges of which manage to turn up the corners of his eyes. Regret might pour through him, but it is not a lasting thing. He will take this lesson and apply it forward, just as he has many times before.]
If it were me... I'd start small. Little choices for myself, rather than others. Choosing to keep making your tea, rather than jumping in to help someone cook dinner. Having a glass of wine in your room, rather than joining everyone else in the lobby.
Make sense?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 02:47 pm (UTC)To most, it would likely be considered an intimate gesture. To her, it is largely a curious one. Not that she is blind to the implications, of course. Even if she is not human, it does not mean she does not know what humans do. It had been the very reason her species was cursed, after all. ]
Every now and again.
[ It's repeated with enough warmth to imply she's forgiven his faux pas relatively quickly. If it had turned out poorly… she would assuredly have been slower to do so. Invoking the names of the Shades to prove a point… he was a foolhardy fool, that was certain. ]
Hmmm. I suppose it does. [ Evidently, she is going to continue to use her autonomy to pet Varka. She traces her fingers over the lowest point of his sideburns, marveling idly in the difference in texture between where his hair was longer and where it was shorter. It, too, was also far softer than the stubble on his face. ]
What else?
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 05:05 pm (UTC)There were disadvantages to being a wolf knight, apparently; the dog traits ran deep.]
Nicole - [His tone is meant to be chiding, perhaps even intending to caution her. Instead, it comes out as little more than a sigh.
She wants to use her freedom. He can think of at least one way to put it to use. But that is particularly dangerous, sinister thought that will only get them both into trouble. Tasting freedom was one thing. Varka has a feeling if he indulged in this matter, the consequences would be far reaching.
They'd have to go home one day. Something like this could surely never be.
His eyes slide shut, body once again betraying him. His mind scrambles as he threatens to fall further under the spell the witch surely weaves. Thin magic be damned, this must surely be some sort of enchantment.]
How about - saying to hell with staying inside and researching. Should... go outside. [His eyes crack open, gripping this thin thread of salvation.] There's a cafe I think you might like, in fact. We should -
[The longer he speaks, the more clear his head feels. He needs to act, needs to get out of the literal and figurative corner that he's in. And most importantly, he needs to get his body back under control.
Those three thoughts singularly drive him forward. He reaches forward, grabbing hold of Nicole by the hips and lifting her up. He turns around, switching their positions as fast as he can, before his body can betray him once again and allow those hands to wander.
At least like this, he can breathe better.]
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 05:46 pm (UTC)For no apparent reason, the sighing sound of his voice sends a shiver up her spine. There is an urge to press her luck. To deduce what exactly has the Knight of Boreas sighing so. Varka is a mystery she longs to unravel on a multilayered level.
The air seems simultaneously warm and stolen away, as if their breathing in this scant distance was consuming every iota of available oxygen. Idly, she wonders why. Was it the proximity? Was it this simmering sense of anticipation? Varka's eyes slip shut and, ridiculously, Nicole feels an impulsion stronger than any she has had in a long while to lean in closer. To put her nose alongside his… to note how he might react when he opened his eyes again…
She does not do that. In fact, she's so transfixed that she hardly even registers that he is saying anything at all. The only thing, hilariously, that only evokes a reaction beyond her slowly blinking at him is when he grabs her by the hips.
It is both a blessing a curse that she can only communicate telepathically, because it ultimately means that her girlish yelp is reserved for Varka's mind alone. Her face blazes with startled heat when she finds her back against the wall, hands lifted, body language startled. She looks at him wide-eyed and struggles for all of twenty seconds to grasp what, exactly, has just happened.
Eh? Why? Wasn't he just talking about going outside? She has read about these types of scenarios before. Had she pushed him to the limit? Was this going to be one of those scandalous moments? Any sense of propriety or logic has completely departed this angel's mind, thanks Varka. ]
…Um. [ Intelligent! Good work, Nicole. We are firing on all cylinders. ] ...You are gripping me rather hard, Mr. Varka.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-09 06:07 pm (UTC)His heart thunders within his chest, surely loud enough for Nicole to hear. One thing is clear — if he does not leave now, he will not leave period. This, too, is a danger.]
Dessert. Dessert from the cafe. That's what you need.
[He steps back, taking far too long to stare at his hands. He can still feel the fabric of her clothes beneath his touch, to say nothing of the warmth hinted at below. His mind tries to treacherously drift toward something else, but he shoves the thought away as fast as he can.]
I'll be back!
[Without another word, he tears from the room. Yes, the door slams behind him, and yes, he's sprinting faster than he might have when pursued by Jean. Don't worry about it.]
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-16 05:11 am (UTC)Man, if only there were someone who loved to help humanity out available right now. My goblet is empty and I'm out of nuts.
[Translation: he misses Nicole and feels like bothering her.]
(no subject)
Date: 2026-03-16 05:15 am (UTC)If you are drinking from a goblet, I can only imagine that you are sat at the local bar. Can the bartender not refill it?