"Can you tell Paimon more about your sister?" the floating being that he had fished out asked with all too innocent and childlike eyes.
The Traveler chuckled teasingly and tenderly, "Sometimes, you remind me of her but only sometimes."
His golden eyes that showed divinity and humanity as one flickered to the welcoming moon at the sky. Sparkling like the stars above, these eyes froze his companion with their intensity despite not being their focus.
"Kind. If there's one word to describe her, it's kindness," his smile, soft and sad as ever, was painfully beautiful. "Even when you're the cruelest person in the universe, she'll smile at you and do everything to save you."
"If you'll let her, she'll choose you against all odds."
Paimon watched as the creature that was neither human nor god closed his eyes, resembling those lost souls that she had only been told about.
She knew little of the world, being born recently when the moon bloomed in its fullest and she wandered aimlessly until she found the Traveler. But she noticed enough.
She noticed how he never uttered the name of his sibling as if it was too sacred to speak of. She noticed the way he moved awkwardly, especially in battles, like he was just getting used to his body. She noticed the terrified trembles he tried to hide from the world whenever he slept.
She noticed it all and knew that he needed help. He needed guidance.
...Paimon thought that it's enough reason to stay.
And Paimon stares wide-eyed and shaking as familiar yet not similar eyes glance at them with coldness she never thought to see within those golden eyes.
The person blocking their path, standing beside the Abyss Herald that they had been chasing, is that sister. The Traveler's beloved sister, the very precious person that the Traveler has been searching for all these past months that he and Paimon have been traveling.
That same person, who the Traveler recalls fondly and longingly to be the kindest person they know.
The very same person, who is currently breaking the Traveler.
"Aether," that isn't the name Paimon knows of but this cold and cruel Abyss Princess looks at the Traveler and there's no misconnection as to who she's talking about.
The Traveler looks desperate, something Paimon has never seen before in him and it breaks something inside of the small-fairy being. The Traveler isn't supposed to look so brokenhearted from the reunion he has been searching for.
Kindness, she remembers the Traveler describe his twin as such but Paimon thinks that his sister is cruel. She's too cruel to the Traveler and despite not knowing her enough, Paimon thinks that she hates her already.
Even with all the information they are gathering and messing up, the little guide knows that no matter what, she can't forgive this Lumine for hurting the Traveler like this.
Paimon floats over to her companion after everything is said and done. She watches the light in their eyes dimmed and darkened with grief. "Traveler, don't be discouraged!" she says and tries her best to be comforting.
She doesn't try to say the name that that person has uttered. For Paimon, the Traveler is the Traveler. Aether may be the name that the twin knows him of but during these past months of traveling together, he is the Traveler. That is who he right now.
The Traveler tries to smile back for Paimon's efforts but the sadness in his golden eyes do not fade.
At times like this, Paimon thinks, she wishes to have a body that can pull the Traveler into a hug.
So, she does the best thing possible option: guiding him.
"Let's go!"
To Mondstadt and Liyue, where those he has met will provide him the comfort he needs and deserves.
A/N: Considering as I haven't done the Liyue story yet, I haven't actually done the quest yet. I just watched in youtube and the one I saw is with Aether as Traveler so yeah, he's the Traveler here (despite mine being Lumine). I wanted a Paimon-centric because in this quest, Paimon is pretty comforting so props to her!
I have gone and fell into the rabbithole of Genshin Impact. I've been playing since last month and I'm kinda slow and not good at the game yet, but I am very inspired to write in this fandom! My tumblr and twitter is even filled with my thoughts and ideas for Genshin Impact. If anyone is curious or wants to read more, my account name is lazycatmeowsalot or LittleBlackCa19!