*Disclaimer* - I do not own the copyright or characters to Genshin Impact
*A/N* - Hey there, thanks for checking this story out. On the cusp of going through update 4.3 and completing Navia's quest, this story started swirling around in my head. Navia has seriously been a joy to see involved in the story and her appearance is honestly dare I say one of the best. Fontaine has been an amazing and successful sequel to Sumeru which has gotten my praise several times. Not to mention Navia's quest which essentially got this story rolling. Either way, thanks for stopping by and checking this out. I hope you'll enjoy the chapter.
The sound of creaking footsteps could be heard echoing inside Poisson's walls. With Poisson currently going through a period of construction efforts due to all the events that had happened within the past couple of weeks, everyone's attention was on the middle-aged man who was running throughout the place. The tapping sound of footsteps was also getting louder and closer until…
"Boss! Are you here? Boss?"
Turning her head to the side and brushing some of her blonde hair to the side, the current President of Spina di Rosula, Navia, looked as attentive as one could be. She was also standing at the top of the organization's headquarters located on the top deck of a docked ship with other members seemingly casually discussing something.
"Oh? Is everything alright?"
A look of slight concern was visible on the young president's face.
Rushing up to her and leaning forward to catch his breath, the man who now had the appearance of a mail courier reached into a messenger bag hanging at his side.
"It's… finally… *pant* here… your… *pant* package… Boss…"
Handing her a somewhat large box, the expression on Navia's face jumped from calm to utter excitement. The smile on her face was so infectious that others watching her reaction couldn't help but smile as well.
"Thank you! Thank you! This got here a lot sooner than I expected."
One of the members then spoke up.
"Well, that's to be expected. When you put in your… request… the photography company was more than delighted to help. After all, Boss, you did help their youngest daughter find the parasol that she lost."
A sly smile appeared on Navia's face as she extended out her hand to summon her own parasol.
"How could I not help? Being a parasol user myself, I don't know what I'd use if I didn't have it by my side. Besides, that's not even considering that I've implemented it into my combat style."
Murmurs around the ship could be heard as everyone seemingly agreed with the president's take. The sequence of seeing Navia fight off goons with her parasol which had a gun implemented into it played out throughout the Spina members' heads.
"Putting that aside, your request also included the traveler. I doubt anymore needs to be said."
Extravagantly, a bright smile appeared on the blonde's face as she brought one hand up to her hip and the other to wander by her side. The mere mention of her *partner* brought the girl joy.
But… it also brought on a warm feeling growing within her chest. The thumping of her heart was starting to speed up and she could hear it loud and clear.
"I do have to thank you all for what you did for me. Regarding the drawing and statue, I mean."
Nods of appreciation were given all around the ship.
"But of course, Boss! How could we not?"
"You've done so much for not only us but for everyone in Fontaine."
"Let's not forget that you were front and stage during the prophecy. You deserve to have dozens of statues around the city!"
"Yeah! You deserve it!"
Soon enough, more comments were said aloud about how Navia should be better appreciated. This resulted in the blonde-haired girl donning a bright red blush across her cheeks and waving her gloved hand in the air to casually dismiss the embarrassed feeling.
"Y-You're taking it too far! One statue of me is enough. Besides, I am still somewhat unsure what to think about it. Granted, I humbly accept all your feelings and can't wait for the day that it'll be completed. However, I don't think my heart could take another statue of myself" Navia explained with a respectable yet abashed voice.
Plus, the blush on her face was becoming more apparent.
Some of the older members of Spina di Rosula couldn't help but chuckle at Navia's expression. To see the young boss from a young age to now witnessing her become a proud, upstanding president and woman… warmed their hearts. Along with the fact that it was obvious where her heart radiated. She tended to wear her feelings on her sleeve. Especially when a certain blonde-haired traveler was anywhere nearby.
"You're too modest, Boss. But it's what makes you, well, you."
The mood amongst the group was ever positive and resulted in one other member getting curious to ask about the package in Navia's hands now.
"Hey, Boss, how did the gift turn out?"
Shifting her gaze over to the member who now handed her the packaged gift, Navia then set out to carefully open it. Upon complete unwrapping, she now closely held the two framed pictures causing her cheeks to flame up again. The picture inside the frame was one that she would forever cherish.
"It… It turned out perfect."
Smiles were all around at seeing the president's gift come out as a success. The pictures that she spoke of in high regard were the pictures taken the day that she asked Aether to help her model for the statue of her parents. A variety of poses were done which she had loved doing along with seeing her partner act out with her.
"That's good to hear. The pictures taken were at a pretty good angle of capturing you and the traveler" one of the members spoke up.
"Let's not forget, it showed our boss in high spirits."
"Oh, come now. What's with all the sudden praise?" Navia commented while glancing at everyone.
Chuckles were starting to spread across the ship. Everyone had a positive smile on their face and some of the other girls couldn't help but share the happy moment being presented by their boss.
"Well, I think I speak for everyone when I say that… we understand quite clearly your intention behind the picture. It isn't every day that somebody requests a gift in this format" Florent said while crossing his arms and smirking slightly.
This got a reaction from Navia as she widened her eyes and stared right at her friend.
"Wait? What do you- "
"It's clear as day Miss Navia!" a young girl by the name of Adele said.
The young girl was also standing right next to her mother and had a bright smile on her face.
"You like the traveler!"
Once again, the young president's face had reached a tone of red that was darker than what he already was.
"W-Well, of course, I like the traveler!" Navia brushed some hair out of the way before continuing to speak. "He's my most trusted partner. We've encountered many dangerous tasks and helped so many people. I trust him and Paimon a great deal."
"We know that. But that's not what I mean!" Adele replied cutely.
The girl's mother, Ms. Coralie, simply let out a shrug and sigh before shaking her head.
"I'm sorry for Adele's reaction. She happened to come across a romance novel and- "
"And that's why I know exactly how Miss Navia is feeling. She really likes the traveler!"
Left with a young girl speaking nothing but the truth, Navia did her best to remain stoic. However, under the guise of everyone seemingly agreeing with the young girl's words, she couldn't help but fight a losing battle.
"I-I… "
"Hahaha! Ok, ok. I think that's enough of teasing the Boss. She's already got plenty of things on her plate. The most important being finding the one who will be receiving her gift" Florent responded for all to hear.
At this point, most of the Spina di Rosula members started going back to their business while a few others stayed behind. Adele quickly waved at Navia before giving her a thumbs up right before leaving with her mother who politely bowed her head. Such a simple gesture spoke a few words.
Those words are: sorry, tidings, and good luck.
Sorting her feelings out on the spot, Navia then took a deep breath before addressing Florent who stood there with a smug look.
"Got your head screwed on now, Boss?"
Taking a second to gather her thoughts and inner strength, Navia now sported a confident and elegantly positive expression on her face. She was now on a mission. A mission that she would not fail.
"Yep! I'm back to my senses."
"Good. Now comes the hard part."
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Navia asked with a curious look on her face.
Allowing for a brief sigh to escape his lips, Florent held an amused look on his face, "How exactly are you going to find your dear partner?"
Right then, sitting at a small table not that far away from Navia and Florent were two Spina di Rosula members who were watching the conversation play out. They hadn't said anything this whole time and simply watched their Boss and her blushing reaction regarding the traveler. Alas, hearing that the hard part was coming up for locating the blonde-haired boy… they felt the urge to speak up in a panicked manner.
"U-Uh Boss…"
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Need I remind you of what happened the last time you… uh… tried to find the traveler…" one of the two members said in a worried tone.
The incident that the two Spina di Rosula members were referring to was a sequence of events that transpired some time ago where they were being led by Navia to find Aether and hand him an invitation. The quest to do so had led them to traverse all around the city and even get them into tricky situations that they'd never experienced before. Hence, hearing Navia getting ready to find the traveler caused them to feel anxious.
Processing what the member said, the blonde-haired president took on a thinking pose and rattled her brain around this problem.
'That is true. We did tend to cover a lot of ground the last time we went looking for Aether. Hmmm… perhaps I should take a more tactful approach to finding him this time. Let's see… knowing him, he is either out doing commissions, enjoying lunch at one of the restaurants, out shopping, or…'
With her thoughts scattered, Navia did have one other idea for where her dear partner might be. Inside her dress pocket lay a special object that Aether had given to her personally. This object was called a Realm Dispatch key which allowed her to visit his home inside a teapot. Initially, she was taken aback by such an idea but after visiting the comfortable home herself, she was in utter amazement at the magical wonder that her partner had come across. Perhaps he would be there, and she could make a surprise appearance. Making his heart jump at the sight of her…
Shaking her head, the President of Spina di Rosula now had a game plan.
"Alright! I've got an idea."
Silent sighs of worry could be heard from her supporting members.
"I take it you narrowed down your search" Florent commented.
"Indeed! And I'll be taking this one all by myself."
A sigh of relief could be heard coming from one of the Spina members as he lifted his hat off his head and wiped his forehead. The sense of anxiety on his face disappeared now.
"Well then, I won't hold you any longer. Best get to it, Boss. Find your man. Ahahahaha."
Before Navia could retort, Florent was already taking his leave off the ship and heading back to work. This left Navia to stand there with a significant blush on her face. The other members also appeared to busy themselves with any kind of work to stay out of the girl's line of sight.
Noticing this obvious action, the President of Spina di Rosula grabbed her present for her dear partner and set out to complete a heartfelt delivery. There were a few places that she had in mind for where she could find Aether. She would just need to get started.
"Where are you at my dear partner?"
Meanwhile, standing in a long line of people buying desserts
"Ugh… how long has it been? Paimon is starting to lose track of time."
The small fairy girl commented while shaking her head with a tired expression.
"It hasn't been… ok, maybe it has been a fat minute. But don't think of it like that. Think of all the sweets you'll be able to enjoy while relaxing in the Teapot after this."
The blonde-haired boy said to her while holding what appeared to be several boxes that contained desserts. To give a better idea of what was happening, the traveling duo were waiting in line at a sweet bakery where a special limited treat was being distributed. Alas, after retrieving the sweets that caught their eyes, they were now stuck waiting in an extremely long line to pay for their treats.
In addition, they recognized a few faces while standing around and waiting in line. For instance, they saw Lynette and Lyney taking a stroll along the street and briefly talked to them. The twins' input on the special sweets just caused the wait to be even more worth it. Their talk lasted quite a bit before the two parted ways and went back to their day.
Not long after, Aether and Paimon happened to see a familiar face with several bags in her hands. A certain… ex-Archon who had a bright smile on her face.
Furina was on her way home and managed to get noticed by Paimon calling out to her. This resulted in her spending a moment to chat with the two of them and get her input on these special sweets. According to her, they were a treat that you should try once in your life. Especially since the treats only came around once a year and were treated as a spectacle that many could miss by not knowing about it.
This elicited a brief but cheerful conversation between the three which also included Paimon salivating at the thought of digging into the desserts. However, at the behest of Aether's words, he managed to get her to wait just a bit longer. The floating companion had a heartening look in her eyes. Followed by one who would not give up so easily.
After catching up for a bit longer, Furina excused herself as she remembered that she was carrying groceries that were prone to melting. Soon enough, Aether and Paimon were now at the very front of the line and in the process of paying for their sweets.
"Oooooh! Paimon can't wait to dig into those delicious sweets! Ahhh… which one would be the best to eat first?"
Aether couldn't help but shake his head at his dear companion. She was always hungry for food. He started to wonder if there was ever a time that Paimon couldn't eat anymore. Perhaps he and the world would never know…
"You know, I don't think there's ever been a time where you've been full."
"Hey! That's not true at all! Remember when Kaveh treated us? Paimon can already remember how she was feeling. Teehee! That was a good time!"
A content smile appeared on Aether's face at the memory, "Yeah, that was a good time. Next time we're in Sumeru we will have to take him out to eat. Maybe see if we can get the others as well?"
Paimon found this idea to be a great one and it showed by how she seemed to bob her head and crown up and down.
"Yep! Paimon thinks that would be a great idea!" She then took on a thinking pose while floating in the air. "We could even invite the others to join us again."
"Let's not forget our friends who didn't show up."
"Right! Paimon remembers the group was us, Kaveh, Collei, Cyno, and Tighnari."
"Mm-hm. Alhaitham didn't show up. Neither did pfft… "Aether chuckled to himself now as he recalled their Anemo vision-wielding friend. "Hat guy."
"Haha! Don't remind Paimon about his name. Paimon still can't believe the judges called him by that name."
"I'm sure he's fine with it. Besides, he's probably either out wandering the world or with Nahida. We should invite those two as well to our dinner plan."
"Uh-huh! Paimon likes that idea a lot!"
The two went back to thinking about who they could all invite to this dinner plan of theirs.
"Let's not forget about Dehya. Along with Dunyarzad. I'm sure she'd be happy to join us" Aether added to the list of invitees.
"Oh boy, Paimon thinks we're going to have to make sure we put in a word about our dinner reservations a week or two before."
"Probably. That way we don't bother the- "
Suddenly, before Aether could finish his train of thought, the sound of someone calling out to him drew his attention away.
"…Hey... Hey!... HEY! Partner! Over here! Ahahah!"
"Partner? There's only one person who…" Aether then began to check his surroundings. "I don't see…"
"Eh…? Paimon could have sworn that sounded like…"
The traveling duo both looked at each other in a sense of confusion at what was going on right now. The voice that had been calling out to them sounded a whole lot like Navia, but they didn't know where she was calling out to them.
That is… until Aether's eyes shot up and swerved his head up to the sky.
"What are you- AH! Paimon forgot! Navia jumped down from the sky one of the times that she came to look for- "
"Hey, you two! Don't tell me you missed me!"
Turning their head around to look behind them, Aether and Paimon spotted the Demoiselle in all her glory and beauty. She looked to have a pink-tinted face with a slight pout. However, she quickly changed her expression to that of a cheerful one.
Moreover, the expression on the blonde-haired boy's face was also matching that of a red-tinted chili pepper. Granted, he was able to take any attention away from his face by ruffling the back of his head and smiling brightly. Making the facial expression a quick blink-and-miss moment.
"Navia! There you are. We heard you calling but didn't see you anywhere."
The sight of his partner brought him great joy and ease to his mind. The last time he had managed to be with her was when the drawing for the statue of her and her parents was presented. He could remember the shocked expression on her face and her blue eyes full of love and admiration for those close to her. This would in turn also mean that she felt great respect and trust in him. Plus, with him calling her his dear partner, he knew for a fact that she relied on him a great deal. More so than with others in Spina di Rosula. Not to mention, he also couldn't lie that calling someone his partner had a ring to it.
Not the same ring as calling Paimon his partner. No, this terminology of partner was more… resonating on the side of friendship blossoming and evolving into something more. Something… romantical.
Letting out a harmonic laugh, the blonde-haired girl held onto the wrapped gift in her hands even tighter and managed to swiftly bring it closer to her heart. The feelings welling up in her chest were giving her strange feelings. Feelings that she acknowledged and accepted but… was scared to act on.
"Sounds like I need to make my appearances even grander from now on haha!" Navia said while puffing her chest out and displaying undoubting happiness.
"Paimon also thinks that you could not scare us half to death as well. The other time when you jumped off the building and floated down to us with your parasol was something else. And now sneaking up on us" the small girl remarked.
"I'll make sure that my next appearance is a tame one. That is… if Aether wants it to be…"
The subtle hint as to his input being how the girl before him presents herself the next time caused the boy to feel the blood rush to his face immediately. Hence, the only sensible reaction to this sudden predicament was to chuckle and give it some thought.
Even though… the traveler already knew what his answer would be.
"Well, while your appearances have been unique, I do prefer to see you appear in your own kind of way." Aether then folded his arms across his chest and elaborated a bit more. "I've met so many people across Teyvat that it gets kind of hard to remember names. However, your entrances are something that I'll keep close to my heart, Navia. I mean, it's not every day that someone will call out to us while floating in the air hahaha!"
Giving that statement some more thought, there weren't that many unique interactions with friends and acquaintances involving flying through the air. Granted, the traveling duo's first interaction with Amber back in Mondstadt did involve her jumping right in front of them, but it wasn't anything like Navia's elegant glide down to the ground followed by an invitation given to them firsthand.
"Well now, it sounds like I'll just keep on doing that! And I appreciate you taking the time to notice me" Navia said that last part with a bit more emotion.
"How could I not? You're *my* partner" Aether all too casually replied.
Paimon at this point couldn't help but let a sigh escape her lips.
"Paimon isn't sure what to think of- "
"Paimon."
With a slight blush on her face after processing Aether's response, she then held the gift out in front of her and up to the traveler. Hoping that he would appreciate just how special this was… because it truly meant a great deal to her.
"Here, this is for you, Aether."
A somewhat shocked look appears on his face now.
"Huh? For me? But I… Navia you didn't have- "
"I didn't. But I wanted to!" she said with so much earnestness and care. "You've become someone that I hold dear to my heart. Standing next to me through so much in such a short amount of time. We've dealt with quite extraordinary circumstances. Even to the point that it dealt with the prophecy of Fontaine…. But more than that, you've been with me through some personal situations that hit close to home…"
Navia could feel herself tearing up but did not want to ruin such a heartfelt moment. Therefore, she held her head even higher and put on one of her most beautiful smiles ever. The tears starting to form in her eyes honestly just highlighted her gorgeous face. She now had the spotlight on her and her words.
"There have always been others with me through challenging times… Silver… Melus… Papa…I will hold them close to my heart. However, there are two others that I want to have next to me and my heart…"
The implications of her words registered to both Aether and Paimon which had them observing the Demoiselle with great respect and admiration. Feeling so appreciated was something that meant more than any Mora in the world. Navia was their friend and partner. That was a title that the traveling duo would honor forever.
"Navia…" Aether uttered out.
Now placing her gift into the boy's hands, Navia's blue eyes stared right into his while also conveying to him a plethora of words that needn't be said. He understood it all.
"Please accept my gift!"
Taking her gift and beginning to open it, Paimon floated right next to Aether and watched as he unveiled it. Upon complete reveal, the two saw that two picture frames were holding two sets of photos of an event they recognized immediately.
"Hey, Paimon remembers when this was taken" Paimon replied.
"Yeah, it was when we were doing the modeling for your parents' statue. These were a few of the poses you liked the most…" Aether said.
"Don't forget, you also liked them quite a bit compared to the rest" Navia added. "I wanted to give you something to always remember me…"
The look on Aether's face at hearing her statement bewildered him.
"Navia? What are you talking about? We will always remember you. I will always remember you."
"I know. I just… wanted to give you something that will always be with you wherever you go."
Paimon, having an inkling of what was happening right before her eyes, decided to play her part of being the best traveling companion there ever was. She reached for the gift and nonchalantly floated back a bit while the two blondes looked at each other with such intimacy. It was evident that Aether liked Navia a great deal. They had not only grown from their first meeting, but the traveler saw her as someone who he could place his trust in. Plus, when she heard about Lumine, Navia set forth to have Spina di Rosula put out a watchlist for anything to do regarding his sister. She was set from the very moment to helping him with his overall goal.
Moreover, Paimon could also easily see in Spina di Rosula's President that she was head over heels for him. The emotion and care she put into calling him her partner was evident. Sure, Paimon was also considered her partner, but she wasn't seen as Navia's *partner*. Hence, she figured it would be best to let these two have a moment with her out of the way.
"Whoa… Paimon wants to… uh… check these photos out. Paimon will be just… uh… floating over here…"
Her attempt to be nonchalant was devoid of any believability, but it was greatly appreciated by the two blondes as they understood what she was doing for them.
Now, with only being the two of them, Aether could feel his chest thumping and words forming right into his mouth on how he wanted to reply to Navia's claim.
For a brief second, neither of the two said anything and just awkwardly stood there while gazing at one another. A completely drastic change to how they usually are when next to one another. The two blondes could always strike up a conversation so easily and have a great time even if it was the briefest of brief chats. Now, however, it showed how significant this moment was.
That is… until Aether finally decided to take that leap of faith and start the conversation.
"Navia… You will never be forgotten by me. My time in Fontaine has been nothing but unique. Different from say, Sumeru or Inazuma. When Paimon and I were stuck in a rut, you were there to help us. And from then on, you've done nothing but show us kindness and care. You're our friend, no doubt. But I will never forget about you." Aether then scratched the side of his cheek while having a bright red blush appear on his face. "Besides, how could I ever forget about *my* partner? The girl that… I…"
Navia didn't need to hear the rest of what he was saying. It was abundantly clear where he was heading. Even if he tried to steer the course away or make a correction, his words and feelings were intertwined with what he said sincerely.
"Aether… you really know how to throw someone's mind into a jumbled mess haha!" Navia then began to wipe away some tears starting to form in her eyes. "I know what you mean. Or rather, what you're getting at and… I feel the same way. Maybe even more than you are? But the one thing I do know is that this feeling is one that… I want to cherish forever."
The thing to happen was for Aether to take a step forward, and then Navia took a step forward. Following this, the two began to take slow steps toward one another until… they finally were within inches of each other. The two then… well, finally let their feelings come together into a simple yet sweet action. Affirming the love and care they had for one another in their hearts.
It would only last for a split moment, but it would soon be one of many more moments that the two would share.
Once the two were done, they simply started laughing in a touching tone while also blushing wildly with one being red and the other pink.
"Haha! Aether. You should see your face."
"My face? I beg to differ, Demoiselle. Your face is completely pink."
Navia then lifted her hand to graze her cheek and could feel her head getting warm.
"O-Oh… is it that bad?"
A simple nod followed by a sly smirk on the boy's face was all that she needed to know, that her face was a total mess now.
"Ah! That's- I mean, that's fine. It just affirms how I'm feeling now!"
"Hehe. The same goes for me then."
They then spent another moment just staring into each other's eyes getting lost in them. Upon them realizing that this was starting to become even more embarrassing, Aether held out his hand to her in a gentle manner. Along with conveying the sense of adventure and care through this action.
"Come on, we should probably pay respect to our wingman- I mean, winggirl. We owe her a lot."
"Haha! That we do. Paimon deserves a true treat for helping us get to this point."
Taking hold of Aether's hand with her own, the two partners would then begin to catch up with their fairy friend who was floating around while also holding a bright smile of her own. The partners had now become something more… something special together.
Perhaps… Paimon could add to her title aside from being the best traveling companion in Teyvat… she could now go by the best wingman in Teyvat as well. Or maybe Best Wing Girl…?
*A/N* - Hey again, thanks for checking this story out and reaching the end. I love Navia and think she's one of the best partners in Genshin Impact now. Her character alone caught my attention so easily when we got glimpses of her before Fontaine was released, and now with having a good idea of her character, she's one of my favorites. While working on this story, I also wanted to include a bit from the trailers that we've already seen along with making references to all that has happened from her story quest. I hope this story has been enjoyable and something fun to read. I hope to see more Aevia stories and art sprout from update 4.3. The world could always use more Navia x Aether stories. With that, thanks again for checking this story out, and take care.