After pouring tea for everyone, Thoma blew off the steam from one cup and handed it to me.

"Careful, it's hot," he warned.

It was hot, yes, but I enjoyed the warmth that spread to my fingertips. I couldn't imagine how painful it would be to spill some on myself accidentally and winced when thinking of how Vlad got soaked in it.

Childe set down his cup of tea rather loudly. "If Vlad ever bothers you again, let me know. Snezhnayan blood or not, I don't have the care or patience to hold back against someone like him."

"It was the first time we'd ever spoken. There was no reason for him to be so inappropriate. I think there's something else going on with him." I pressed my lips together. "You know, I overheard Cici and Cicin talking before getting here. It sounded like they were planning something, and Vlad is a part of it."

I looked across the table at my friends. Before, Signora was a problem handled by Childe and Kaeya. Diluc had involvement too, though that was of his own accord. Thoma learned the truth later, but the rest of my friends had no idea Signora targeted me.

I already felt guilty for keeping my powers a secret from them. It was necessary to limit the number of people who knew just in case—say—Bennett let the secret slip with his bad luck. Still, they deserved to know about Signora potentially coming back as a threat. For now, she was only after Kaeya and Childe, but what if that changed?

Xiangling threw some popcorn in her mouth. One of the pieces had completely missed, but she paid no attention to it. "They're working together? Why?"

"First, we need to backtrack to when Signora was still here. Childe and Thoma already know this, but I'll catch you guys up."

It was surprising how easily the details from that time came to me. So much had happened since then, but Signora's hatred of me, the trap she set, and the expulsion that followed were somehow just as impactful as the Abyss Order's threats of kidnapping and power snatching.

Amber and Xiangling's eyes widened as I went on, and Bennett's mouth flapped open with each bombshell I dropped. I kept my voice low in case anyone nearby overheard, but everyone had leaned in close enough that hearing wasn't a problem. Their reactions mirrored how I felt while retelling the story—lots of surprise and anger. Amber looked like she wanted to jump in with her own thoughts more than once, but her lips remained fiercely pressed together.

My heart raced as I relived the experience through my words. A bit of foolishness for falling for Signora's tricks. Fear—I really thought she was going to kill me. Relief that she didn't succeed. Satisfaction when it came to her getting caught. Awe when talking about Childe and Kaeya's plan and skimming over how Diluc executed his own version of justice.

"That's just about it. And now it looks like Signora getting expelled didn't remove her from our lives for good," I sighed. "Thoma, I know you hoped that she'd reflect on her actions and maybe become a better person one day, but that isn't the case."

There was a lot of information for them to process, but none of my friends looked angry over being kept in the dark. My tea had cooled significantly, and I drank the rest while keeping an eye on their reactions.

Thoma had reached over to refill his cup, but he paused with a rueful smile. "At the time, I didn't know enough about her character to say for certain Signora was a lost cause. Unfortunately, it's pretty obvious that she's set on carrying a grudge."

"I can't believe this," Amber pouted. "This whole time, you were the one who Signora attacked. I had no idea! How did you manage to hide that from me?"

I shrugged. "The Sakoku Order was still in effect back then. A lot of the stuff that I—we—did weren't exactly according to the rules, so we had to keep quiet about everything. I'm sorry. It's been a while since then, and I should have told you guys sooner."

Xiangling held up a hand. "You don't have to worry. I remember that night like it was yesterday."

"You do?" I blinked, surprised.

"Of course," she nodded energetically. "I was sneaking all kinds of foodstuffs up into my room, remember? Both you and Childe saw me and didn't say a word—didn't even question it too much. I was really worried about what you might think of me after that, but you clearly had bigger things on your mind."

"I remember worrying that people would accuse me of being the mysterious Pyro attacker at the docks," Bennett shuddered. "That never ended up happening because, well, everyone knows I don't have that kind of skill to pull it off."

"Not yet, you don't," Childe said. "Don't give up just yet, buddy."

"What exactly are you trying to encourage?" I asked.

"I'm just inspiring some confidence." Childe shrugged with a mischievous smirk. "Large-scale destruction may seem like a bad thing, but I think it can be a true demonstration of someone's potential."

He had a point.

Amber tapped a hand on the table. "Wait a minute, what do Cici, Cicin, and Vlad have to do with Signora?"

Right, back to the point.

"Xiangling and I were shaking the hedges for their secrets before we got here—long story. I heard Cici and Cicin whispering while I was hidden. They knew about Vlad trying to annoy Childe, and they talked about Signora expecting results."

"Only Signora would come up with an idea so torturous," Childe grumbled. "Seriously, a naive, wide-eyed recruit following me around like a lost puppy? Pure evil."

"They also mentioned sneaking around, and I saw it for myself," I added. "Cicin was leaving Kaeya's room at night when he wasn't even there. She looked super proud of herself, too. Before, Kaeya and I had no idea what she could be up to, but now it's obvious Signora ordered it."

Childe frowned. "Hang on, you saw Cicin leave Kaeya's room? When was this?"

"It was last ni—yesterday," I amended.

Hopefully, he didn't read between the lines.

"And you didn't show up for breakfast today." He read between them anyway. "Here I thought you slept in after a late night of studying or doing extra research in the library. This whole time it was you and Kaeya together."

The popcorn munching started again, and captivated looks from both Amber and Xiangling told me they wouldn't jump in to change the subject.

I cleared my throat as casually as possible. "Not like that. We were too preoccupied with the whole Cicin mystery to…"

Childe angled his chair to face me. "To what? What would have happened if Cicin wasn't there?"

"We were going to talk about things."

I couldn't openly say that I wanted to hear Kaeya's opinion on our Domain research—not in front of everyone. There was that, and the real reason.

I was with Kaeya last night because I wanted to see him. I wanted to right what had been wrong. Childe wouldn't understand that because he didn't know the full story. If he did know what happened…how would he react?

Amber failed at hiding a giggle and quickly focused on the popcorn bowl when I shot her a warning look.

"That late at night?" Thoma asked in disbelief before lowering his gaze to stare at the tea. He almost looked…discouraged.

A pang hit my heart, and I suddenly forgot how to speak. I expected Childe's jealousy and was even prepared for it. Going back and forth with him was easy, and I already sensed him ready with a snappy response.

Thoma was different.

Childe actively went for what he wanted, but Thoma waited patiently on the side. He was quietly supportive and didn't stand against what I wanted—even if what I wanted pulled me away from him. Was that what he thought was happening now?

"I'm sure it must have been important," Thoma said softly. "We should respect your privacy."

"Right," Childe's jaw ticked. "I can see how Lumine would want to keep that private."

"Are you guys working on a top-secret student council project?" Bennett asked innocently.

I snapped my fingers at that. "Exactly, Bennett gets it. Top-secret. Student council. Capiche?"

"I'll think about it." Childe acknowledged the code with a tilt of his head, though he didn't seem too convinced.

"At least, that was the plan before Cicin's activities drew our attention. I overheard the Twin Mages say that Signora told them to sneak around. Vlad was assigned to Childe, and there's one other person involved in all of this. Problem is, I never got a name. They said he was 'The Weasel.'"

Bennett gasped. "They trained an animal to do their dirty work? As expected from a villain's secret mission."

An actual weasel wasn't what I had in mind, but the idea was worth considering.

"It could also be a person," Thoma stated the more obvious answer. "I doubt this weasel guy is a real threat, but not knowing who he is could be a problem. Lu, do you know what his role is?"

I shook my head. "I didn't catch much on him—only that the Twin Mages didn't think he would succeed."

"Let's bet on that and keep our eyes open for anything suspicious," Childe said. "There isn't any evidence of this quite yet, but I think Signora is after you."

"Me?" I gulped.

It made sense. I was technically the reason why she got expelled. Maybe Childe and Kaeya were being investigated because they had a hand in thwarting her plans. Still, I felt safe knowing Signora herself wasn't anywhere on the island. Dealing with her goons was manageable with my people on my side.

"We should tell Diluc and Kaeya about this too," Amber said. "They helped with the Signora stuff last time, right?"

Childe crossed his arms. "I'll find Kaeya."

He sounded determined to speak with Kaeya for more than just the Signora update.

"It might be better if I—"

"Or would you rather I inform Diluc?" Childe interrupted me. "I'll be sure to pass on all the information. Everything he needs to know. Wouldn't that be productive?"

Damn him for being so clever. The relationship Diluc had with Kaeya would only worsen with Childe's bad intentions. Though, it was only a matter of time before they reached an agreement in the face of, well, me. That was a moment I didn't want to be provoked prematurely.

"Fine," I chirped, angling myself away from Childe instead of resorting to physical retaliation. "But be nice."

"I only have so much niceness to go around, girlie," he hummed. "I'm sure our pirate boy can fend for himself."

I ignored him, distracting myself by refilling everyone's cups with more tea. I took my time doing so, careful not to spill while also being aware of how Childe's attention never left me. Bennett started to list all the locations where weasels could hide, but it was hard to pay attention. Even when Amber and Xiangling joined, pulling out a sheet of paper to take notes, I couldn't bring myself to contribute while Thoma quietly drank his tea. Too quietly.

There was too much to be said, and too many people around to hear it.

The business I had with Kaeya was just that—between him and me—but not really. This wasn't business. It was a relationship. One that involved Thoma and Childe. One that involved Diluc. I knew that they understood and willingly decided to be a part of my life in this way, but that didn't mean it was easy for them. Did I really deserve their love and support after causing this strife?

The green tea had lost its flavor.

A queasy bundle in my stomach made me restless, and I found myself standing up.

"Oh, are you grabbing seconds?" Xiangling asked.

"I…" I held my breath, practicing the right words to say in my head. "I need to go."

Thoma looked at me with confusion. "Where?"

"The Visionless table."

I surprised myself with that. There hadn't been a destination in mind.

"To talk with Ellin," I tacked on belatedly. "Vlad mentioned her a couple of times. I'm going to see if she might know anything. We're friends, so she won't be suspicious."

Bennett gave me a quick thumbs up while Amber and Xiangling nodded their heads approvingly. I couldn't bring myself to wait for Childe or Thoma's responses. The bundle in my stomach only grew antsier when I dared to look their way. So instead, I swiftly left my seat and made a direct line for the Visionless table.

Thoma's lingering confusion and Childe's watchful gaze felt heavy on my shoulders. There was a tightness in my throat that I forced myself to swallow down. It found a home deep within my heart. Before reaching the Visionless table, I plastered a smile on my face that I knew wouldn't fool the people behind me.

"Lumine, what are you doing here?" Ellin pushed away her plate of food when I arrived.

There were plenty of open seats at the table. This section just had Ellin, Huffman, and Timaeus. Timaeus was distracted by a thick alchemy book, and Huffman waved at me—unable to speak through his mouthful of dinner. I sat by Ellin and shrugged lightly.

"I just came around to talk. It's been a while since I sat here with you guys."

She pursed her lips. "It has. You've been busy off with your Vision friends. What's it like over there? Do you talk about the elements every waking moment of your lives?"

"Hey now," I frowned. "We talk about normal school and life things just like you. Why the attitude?"

"She's jealous," Timaeus said, his nose still stuck in the reading.

Ellin jolted. "Timaeus!"

"Is that true?" I looked between them.

Her eyes darted around the table for a moment before she sighed. "I mean, I guess I am. I know it's silly of me to expect that you only hang out with us because we're all Visionless. It's just…you look like you have a lot more fun with them."

Now that she brought it up, I realized that I really had been sitting with only the Pyro table from the moment it became available to me. Ellin had offered to study and practice training together a few times, but the timing was never right for me. Training my elemental powers and cranking out extra research had taken priority.

"I know they're just words, but we said us Visionless would stick together," Ellin said. "I get that you're busy and don't have the time to chat. What I'm more worried about is what happened with Vlad."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the mention of his name. "You saw that, huh? He had it coming."

"No," she drew back. "Vlad is quiet and keeps to himself most of the time, but he's also kind. He recently talked about being inspired by you and wanting to grow stronger with advice from someone like Tartaglia. Instead, he was attacked and pushed away. And you just…let it happen."

He'd been lying to her. I wanted to debunk the fake, friendly Vlad, but there was no way I could prove to Ellin he was actually working for Signora. Ellin had been out of earshot when Vlad revealed his true self, or at least, a version of himself that would accelerate Signora's plan.

"It's hard to explain, but Vlad was up to no good. I know Childe reacted rather harshly, and I would have intervened if Vlad didn't deserve it. I still have a moral compass, Ellin."

"She does," Huffman cut in. "Remember I told you how she saved me from that fall last week? Not only that, but Lumine worked with me to get back into the sky all while giving me advice on how to approach Amber."

Ellin rubbed her temple with a budding frown. "How could I forget? You bring up that rescue every day, and Amber's name comes up twice as much."

"Really?" my eyebrow quirked.

"Really," Timaeus murmured, flipping a page. "It was a day full of heavy winds."

"The skies promising a storm," Ellin continued. "Huffman desperately wanted to glide alongside the uncrowned gliding champion of Celestia Academy. Only then could he—"

"Profess his undying love in a great spectacle," both Ellin and Timaeus said together.

Huffman openly balked. "Wha—how did you guys synchronize so well? You knew exactly what I was going to say, too."

"Like I said, every. Single. Day." Ellin smiled despite her annoyed tone. "I'd honestly be surprised if Amber hasn't figured it out by now."

I held back a snort. Amber was well aware of his feelings.

"She will soon enough," Huffman said excitedly. "Once she receives my gift, the only thing left is to wait for a response."

"You sent her a gift?" Surprise lifted my spirits, and I let myself latch onto the topic. "What is it?"

Huffman nervously pulled at his collar, and Ellin gave me a tired look. Even Timaeus looked up from his book to nod encouragingly at his friend.

"Go on," Timaeus said. "Ask her."

I looked around. "Ask who?"

"Hey Lumine," Huffman reached into his bag and pulled out an extravagant box that was half the size of Timaeus' book. It was made from a silvery material and tied in a thick, crimson bow. "Would you mind giving this to Amber for me?"

"No," I said instantly. "You're more than capable of giving that to her yourself."

Amber would freak out if Huffman presented something so lavish to her. She wouldn't know what to do with it, poor girl. Confessing his feelings to her was one thing, but showering her with random gifts? I wouldn't be a part of that.

He held the box out to me. "Please?"

"No."

"Lumine," Ellin looked like she was about to bang her head on the table. "The sooner he gets rid of the gift, the sooner he'll stop talking about it—I hope. Can you do this favor and take me out of my misery? We're friends, right?"

After barely seeing eye-to-eye on the Vlad situation, denying Ellin now would further convince her that I didn't care. If I could get in her good graces again, she might tell me more about Vlad.

Huffman batted his eyes at me. He probably meant to come off as too helpless to reject, but it only made me want to abandon the idea of delivering the gift even more. For the sake of Ellin…

"Alright," I held out a reluctant hand. "I'll give it to her."

Huffman carefully dropped the box in my hands. It was a lot lighter than I expected.

"You're a godsend, Lumine. I can't thank you enough. Don't give it to her just yet, though. I'm not sure if I'll survive being in the same room as her when she opens the gift. I'll let you know when the right moment comes," he rambled. "I feel like I'm about to explode from excitement and anxiety. I really hope she likes it. Do you think she'll like it?"

I shrugged. "Depends on what it is."

"You can take a peek." Huffman gestured to the box in my hands. "The bow doesn't actually tie anything—it's decoration."

I was more wary than curious, but I lifted the corner of the box to look inside.

It was a necklace made from jade—not nearly as gaudy or extravagant as the box, but it looked very expensive. Amber would never accept something like this. Not only did she have different feelings, but the green clashed with her preferred color palette. I kept any signs of these thoughts off my face and placed the lid back on the box.

"Phew, boy am I so relieved to finally get that thing off of my hands." Huffman relaxed in his seat. "Carrying it with me all this time was so draining. I could barely focus on anything else."

"We know," Ellin sighed.

I stuffed the box into my bag. "You owe me one, Huffman."

"I know, I know. But I don't have much to offer."

Or so he thought.

"Don't worry about it," I assured him. "Let's spend the rest of our time catching up on old news. I must have gotten the wrong impression on Vlad. This was my first time meeting with him, and I don't remember him being here when I used to sit with you guys. When did he start showing up?"

"Vlad?" Huffman scratched his neck. "Um, he's been here for a while."

Ellin cut in. "Not really. I've gotten to know him a few times before because we share some classes, but Vlad only started sitting by our group…what was it? About a week ago? Could be more, could be less, but he hasn't been here that long."

"Oh really?" Huffman chuckled. "I guess I was so wrapped up in this gift thing that I didn't notice. Again, I'll let you know when to give it to her."

"Got it," I nodded.

"Hopefully, no one steals it."

"I'll put it in a safe place."

"I would be so bummed if it went missing. Keep it close with you."

"Will do. Don't make me hang onto it for too long, though. You'll need to get over the nerves eventually."

"You're the best, Lumine. I don't know what I would do without…"

His face paled suddenly, jaw slackening. Huffman looked away from me. No, not away, behind me. The snap of Timaeus shutting his book prompted me to turn around and see who it was. Who could be so intimidating to pull Timaeus from the world of alchemy?

Childe.

It was no question that he'd come for me, but his attention was directed elsewhere. Huffman appeared to be trapped by Childe's impassive gaze, but he was released the moment Childe's head dropped to look down—not at me—at my bag. The bag containing a flashy gift box meant for Amber.

He'd seen our exchange.

"How can we help you?" Ellin managed to say with only a slight stutter. "Just so you know, we won't let you bend and break us with your scare tactics."

"I'm sorry!" Huffman hung his head.

"What are you apologizing for?" she whispered sharply.

"I don't know," Huffman rushed out. "I just figured if I said sorry now, the issue would be resolved, and I'd live to see tomorrow."

His quick thinking was admirable, but the same couldn't be said for his dignity. Lucky for Huffman, and much to my surprise, Childe didn't seem upset. He ignored Huffman and Ellin completely, looking only at me with an unreadable expression.

"Allow me to interrupt," he said. "I need Lumine for something important, so I'll be taking her away now."

"But I was just—" getting into the Vlad investigation. No matter. There would be more opportunities to ask about him later. I doubted anyone was comfortable speaking with Childe here anyway. "What is it?"

"Follow me and find out." He bent down to pick up my bag.

I tried to grab it before he did, but Childe was quick. Huffman visibly panicked, though there was no reason for Childe to mess with a gift for Amber. I opened my mouth to say just that, but he was already walking away with my stuff.

"Sorry about him," I mumbled and stepped out of my seat. "Talk to you later."

Childe walked past the Pyro table—my friends had already left, and the uncomfortable guilt in my stomach returned when I saw Thoma's empty seat—and he made it to the door just as I caught up. I reached for my bag, but Childe held it away.

"That's mine."

He opened the door. "Come again?"

"The bag, Childe. Give it."

"Not even a 'please'?"

"I'm already asking nicely." I side-stepped him, but he was quick to switch hands. "Oh come on, if it's the gift you're worried about, it's for Amber. Huffman wanted me to pass it on to her because he's too scared."

"Sure he is," Childe hummed, holding my bag at an arm's length. "Tell me, Lumi. Besides innocent sleepovers and meaningless gift exchanges, is there anything else I need to take care of?"

He veered onto a different path, taking us away from both the dorms and the library.

I huffed. "No."

"Good."

"Because they're not things that need to be handled by you."

"I disagree."

"Where are you going?" I scanned the area.

We'd reached the main quad, and only a few students dared to stay out in the night's chill. Childe seemed unbothered by the weather and more concerned with me.

"Where do you think?"

The teleport waypoint. It was the only valid destination in this part of campus. A trip to the port town wasn't in my plans for the night, and I certainly didn't have the time to do so. Childe's bold strides left no room for argument, and I couldn't just let him carry on with my belongings.

"Fishing?" I guessed.

That's what we did last time we teleported to town alone. The conditions then versus now were largely different. It was a simpler time. Fishing now didn't make any sense, but I could hardly tell what he was thinking at the moment.

We reached the edge of the fountain.

"You could say that, but not for fish."

I paused. "What else would we be fishing for?"

"Clues."