"Lupical," the wolf boy tugs on the flounce of Lumine's wearied gear, draping over her legs whilst she sits hugging her knees. Her hunching back grows, as would Razor's concern for her, unwavering. He shifts his attention to her face, slowly and quietly asks, "You... okay?" careful and fondly waiting for her answer as he notices Lumine's eyes break into soft shine, his mind burning this image of her in a solemn luster, as if the only person in the world right now, the only being that matters to him most at that moment, was Lumine, and her alone.
Lumine hitches her breath, quickly clenching the fist hidden from Razor's view, but the boy wouldn't have noticed it even as she tries to hide, for his entirety is glued to the girl in front of him, brilliantly shining in his life even as Lumine is slowly losing her own will and spark.
It was the second time that Razor asked such a question today.
The first time was after a hilichurl fight.
No, wait. During.
Razor has been Lumine's traveling companion for a couple of days now. She left her floating friend in Mondstadt for a good while to gather materials. Razor remembers this since he asked, but he feels Lumine would still have given him the information, regardless. She cares like that, saving Razor the difficulty of formulating the question himself.
He knows the extent of his comrade's strength, a little habitual observation he picked up as a wolf pup. Razor remembers her coming to his aid, memory as clear as day, for the one time he fights for his place in the wolves, battling Andrius of all beings. Lumine didn't have to go through such lengths and involve herself in the matter, but her heart speaks foremost in everything; This, Razor felt in her actions and in the few words they exchanged the first time. Even having met Razor for a short period, Razor sensed he meant something to Lumine, and Razor would never forget this golden-eyed girl not hesitating to head first in combat, bold and brilliantly clawing her way out of the battle, essentially making Andrius bend a knee and listen to what they have to say.
Thus, Razor is confident that hilichurls are short-work for his Lupical. "Lumine. Strong. Arms light, but sharp claws. Like Razor," he proudly claims.
So why… why couldn't Lumine react to the blazing Mitachurl right behind her? If it weren't for Razor's lightning-speed use of his vision, he — He couldn't even imagine.
Did something distract her? No, Razor would have noticed it, too. He caught Lumine in his arms in the nick of time just as the monster bashed its axe into the ground, shaking the earth as flames arose from its weapon twice the size of his lupical. To flee was his immediate reflex, panning his eyes to Lumine's face as he switched his hold from her arms to the crown of her head.
"Lupical! Okay?" Panic hurling from his chest when Lumine didn't move an inch in his soft hold, yet his brows burrowing further into his forehead as his eyes meet the dull and dead in Lumine's pair.
Ever since his vision manifested, Razor had the luxury to not feel scared. Leaving his wolf pack is a frightening thought, but somehow he managed knowing he's not alone in the wild.
Yet, seeing Lumine in that dim light, petrified him.
In the time that Lumine asked for his company, Razor already knew something was off, especially in the quiet they share before and after meals.
He had traveled with Lumine before, and she would radiate cozy warmth, like basking directly in the sunlight, as if this was second-nature to her. Even if her flying lupical was asleep, Lumine would bother Razor with her presence, not that Razor minds. Even in the dark of the forest shadows, the comfort of being with her illuminates the place, outglowing the fireflies in the trees and even the lights twinkling deeply in the night skies.
He likes the quiet of the forest, away from the hustle of the town and its folk, and he likes the quiet he spends with Lumine the most. But even if she drags her to Mondstadt for a meal, or a tour, or to hang out, he doesn't mind. He knows he's safe, and Lumine's voice is so calming that he forgets everyone else around him. To Razor who doesn't like the city, he doesn't hate the lights that the streets radiate at night. "Like lights in sky," they were to Razor, and lately his favorite spot to view them is through Lumine's golden eyes.
The blonde is, to him, the sun incarnate, so for Lumine to reflect coldness when Razor is expecting kindliness took the boy aback. It wasn't like Lumine to be like.. this, and this uncertainty was throwing him off, leaving a pang in his heart he didn't expect he could feel.
That is why, later on that same day, Razor waited for the moment when they sat beside each other again, after a meal, relinquishing both the food and the quiet of their surroundings. Save that, this quiet has made Razor troubled for the girl.
"Lupical, you… okay?"
It was the second time Razor asked this question today.
'Have I been too obvious?' She had almost chuckled out-loud without thinking, not even sparing a glance at the other. It wasn't like her to make people worry, let alone Razor of all people. Often, she had a twin to pour her heart out when the going gets rough, and while she doesn't mind a floating travel companion, she misses the safety of her soul twin. The fact that Lumine does not know how long she's been asleep ever since they got separated is another matter that keeps her up at night, and coming to terms with that separation isn't exactly helping her heart; No matter how long she's known Paimon, or anybody really, not a body can replace the void Aether left, and the journey she is taking to find him is slowly taking a toll on her, bit by bit.
She knows that, although Razor finds it most difficult to speak, he would speak up nonetheless, had it been about his hunger, or a squirrel dashing for its life, or of the lights he favours so much. Another thing she finds amusing: how deeply Razor is sensitive to everyone around him. Human speech may be a confusing array of sound to him, but he feels. Even as one says they're happy, tone-wise he could tell they're not, and Razor hates when humans do this, she could tell by the worsening state of his face mirroring what must have been what the other is truly feeling. It was… cute, in a way.
Yet now, it has caught her red-handed, the masks she keeps layering in these past few days, Lumine can't say she's as amused.
But before she could turn to face Razor, the boy stands from his place, patting his pants and behind for any residue of dirt. "Stay," he commands Lumine, "I hunt." And before she could retort and process Razor's figure getting smaller, running in the distance and the fact that they just had lunch, her companion had already disappeared deep into the forest.
If she's being completely honest with herself, she's just… tired. Of talking, and walking, getting around places and — traveling, in essence. This world may be full of wonder and unsolved mysteries, unlike the worlds she has been to, but this is the only world she has scoured without Aether. She couldn't bring herself to enjoy the luxuries Teyvat has to offer, and in everything she indulges, no matter lanterns or windblumes could be, Aether could have been here with her. Aether should have been there with her.
Leaving Paimon in Mondstadt under Noelle's care is a good choice, nothing a handful of food bribery couldn't handle, but the fairy insists she bring someone else to keep in touch with while she gathers materials she needs for her weapons, Lumine's bold excuse to be alone.
That's when Razor came in.
To cut it short, Razor simply agreed to accompany Lumine's expedition. So much for plans, she ponders.
But now that she's actually left alone, her mind goes blank. All this time, with Razor, she's been thinking deeply almost every time she could. Embarrassingly, even in the middle of a hilichurl raid. She thought she could bring comfort to herself if she cries, and as the opportunity presents itself for her, she couldn't do it. As she was alone, she felt even more lonely. And, as much as it pains her to admit, Lumine's still so immature with coming to terms with her feelings by herself. She realized that she's been too dependent on whomever she's with that she let herself be true to the very bits of her soul, suppression not being her field of expertise.
She thinks of how painstakingly obvious she must have been for Razor to ask her wellness out of the blue, what must've been days of mustering courage for himself to bring that question up. She's been holed up by herself way too long that she forgets that sometimes it's okay to let other people in too, even if it's not someone she's more used to being with. Kindness is a thing natural for Lumine, but when it's kindness that shines back to her, she shies away.
With guilt in her heart, she awaits for the wolf boy's return. In the meantime, of letting several more thoughts run through her mind, she slowly lulled herself to sleep.
A little later, the wolf boy comes back with some cuts of boar on his back, proud and eager to show to his… friend. Lumine chuckles at this, Razor's eyes beaming proudly at the prize he'd gotten away with. As he puts the game to the ground, Razor stops Lumine from reaching to help, a reflex to the kind of help people expect her to have. "I cook for you," he says with the utmost responsibility in his eyes. "Lupical sick. Lupical rest. You must!"
For a brief moment, Lumine lets herself bask in that gentle kindness before snapping back with that smile she puts on to the many strangers she encounters every day, reaffirming that she's 'perfectly healthy'. She explains, yet Razor tuts her shut, not allowing any more excuses. "Lupical look healthy but lupical heart not well," this stopped Lumine in her tracks. Razor whines lowly, and slowly reaches the center of Lumine's chest, feeling the erratic tempo of her heartbeat. "Lupical's heart. Is sad. Razor can tell."
The silence that followed was deafening, save for the slow throb extending into Razor's veins. He unfurls his hand and looks away in consciousness. When he looks back at Lumine, her eyelids brim with tears, yet it could not fall. He continues, not knowing the few words he chooses to say mellows the spirit of this weary traveler. "Lupical does everything for Razor. Razor very happy. Now, Razor care for Lupical so lupical join hunt soon."
Lumine finally stifles a cry, desperately clinging to the last of her remaining strength. She wipes her eyes yet strong, shaky arms wrapped around her head in an embrace, the thought of a shelter in Razor's clutch engages her to drop every bit of pride she used to have.
He didn't know exactly what to do, but the distress in Lumine hands grasping for his cloth, the hitching of her breath, the wetness of her face…
It went on, for a little longer than she intended.
He never looked away from Lumine, taking all the sadness in. He felt the intensity of her grief, being away with family for so long that you wouldn't know if they're still alive, and in a way he could feel that the heavy atmosphere surrounding his lupical was slowly fading. Lumine grows quiet as she steadies her breathing and finally looks up to Razor, smiling ever sadly, but pure and genuine. Though his brows knit in worry, he feels he doesn't need to anymore; It was genuine, her smile.
"You rest more. Okay? I cook, you eat."
"Alright, alright," she giggles from her seat, wiping the snot with her active arm.
Lumine sighs, exasperated, tired yet warm, as a familial heartbeat soars in her lungs once more.