*Disclaimer* - I do not own the copyright to Genshin Impact
*A/N* - Hello, hello! Thanks for checking this story out. Given the title of this story, there was no way I'd miss out on the chance to drop a story featuring the birthday girl, Navia. Ever since we got our first glimpse into Fontaine and with her being on that roof in the trailer and then flying off, she's had my heart and wallet lol. And then, coming to find out she uses a gun umbrella… that sold me instantly. Following that, she's also been a fun character to have on my team and in the story with her being one of the many highlights throughout Fontaine. Alas, I'll stop gushing about her and get right to the story. This one will take elements of her current (August 16, 2024) Twitter/X post and her birthday letter. Once again, thanks for checking this story out and I hope you'll enjoy it!
"Hm? How about this?"
"Paimon thinks you should move it a little more to the left."
"There?"
"Err… Partner, I think a little more to the right would be best."
"Got it. Right here?"
"That looks- "
"No. It looks off to me now. Maybe if I move it…"
"Now it's uneven again."
"Huh… Paimon thinks that if you put it facing the wall, then you'll get it to be even on both sides."
"Good idea, Paimon! Well, Aether, care to test that idea out?"
"No problem. Let's see… Ah-ha! What about this?"
"Ooh! That looks perfect!"
"Oh, man! Paimon can't wait to eat- err… decorate the cake."
The event that was currently playing out involved a certain trio of friends all surrounding a table that held a delicious-looking cake resting on a pedestal. The three were rummaging with ideas on how it would be best to decorate it given that it was for a very special someone.
"Navia, are you sure you don't want to test this on something else?" Aether asked his blonde partner.
"Why's that, Aether? Don't believe my gadget will work?" Navia commented while smiling brightly at her dear partner. "We already tested it before."
"Yeah, but Paimon has to agree with Aether here. We only tried your machine on a book we had lying around here. Who knows if a cake will hold up?"
What Paimon and the Traveler were discussing with the President of Spina di Rosula was the contraption she had brought over to the Teapot which had been the usual spot for them to hang out. With the three of them there they had nothing to worry about, Navia could be comforted by knowing she was with others who truly mattered to her.
"Oh, come on. I believe in my creation wholeheartedly! Besides, Clorinde and Furina also seemed to think that it was a great idea!" Navia claimed while brushing some hair back with her gloved hand.
"Yeah… but did they help you test it out?" the blonde-haired boy curiously asked.
"I… may have only told them about the idea… nothing else…" the gun-brella-wielding girl weakly responded.
"Huh? You haven't tried this out before!? But you said- "
"I-It's like I mentioned in my letter! I've been thinking about a device that would allow for a cake stand to spin. That doesn't necessarily mean I've made it completely."
"…Then why not keep running tests on other things for the cake stand to hold up?" Aether blindly asked.
Sporting a blush on her face, Navia couldn't help but feel quite embarrassed by what her dear crush was saying to her. While what he was saying was true, she didn't want to come out and say that she simply wanted to try and fail just to be with him longer. After all, today was her day… that meant she could almost get anything she wanted.
"Well… it's my cake so I wanted to try it out first" Navia said while pouting cutely.
Immediately noticing the girl's blush and pout, Aether couldn't help but mentally do gymnastics while trying to keep calm. Seeing his beautiful partner like this caused the boy's heart rate to pick up and make his eyes focus directly on her face… and then on her everything. It was proving quite hard for him to keep a straight face.
'Cute…'
That single thought waddling through his brain forced the Traveler to cough into his hand and snap himself out of his daze toward Navia.
"I-I see… if that's the case, then let's go with your plan."
"Really?!" Paimon shouted in surprise.
"Really!?" Navia yelled in excitement.
"Sure, why not? And if it falls… we'll just have to make another one."
"Wasn't that already the plan?" Paimon commented while floating next to Navia. "Weren't we going to make another cake for the others when they arrived?"
With a nod, Navia added to the conversation, "Mhm. Clorinde said she would get here once her duties at the courthouse were done. Same with Neuvillette. Furina said she'd rush over after she was done directing that new musical."
"Didn't Chiori say she'd be over as well?" the floating girl questioned.
"Yep! After she was done with her client, then she said she'd be over. She also mentioned to have a cup of tea ready for her."
"Ha… that sounds like her."
"Nilou also said she'd like to come and wish you a Happy Birthday as well."
"Of course! I'd be happy to see her again. Eight seems like quite the small party, no?" Navia said with a bright smile gracing her lips.
"Compared to all the parties we've been to before, I'd say so" Paimon replied.
Turning their attention back to the cake stand, Aether couldn't help but come up with an idea.
"Hey, Paimon, mind grabbing a few of the decorations in the other room?"
"Huh? Which ones? Paimon feels like we've got everything we need right here."
"That tasty dango frosting we got from Itto back during our last trip in Inazuma. It's the purple and white frosting in the blue container. It might be in the storage room" Aether explained while glancing at Navia carefully.
"Ahh. Does Paimon have to?"
"Please? I'm sure Navia would like it. Plus, have you ever tried Dango frosting before?" he said to the birthday girl.
"Dango frosting? I've tried Dango fruit before but never frosting. What does it taste like?"
"Heh. Secret."
"Oh? Withholding vital information from me, Partner? I'm hurt. And it's my birthday!" Navia playfully exclaimed while holding her hand across her chest in a dramatic manner.
"Why don't you go get the Dango frosting, Aether?" the small floating girl questioned while pointing at him. "You seem to know where it's at."
"I only remember where it might be. Plus, it'll be easy for you to find it. When it comes to sweets you have a natural eye for them."
Left with no choice but to comply, Paimon shook her head and started to float away.
"Okay fine. You win, but only because it's Navia's birthday."
And with that, Paimon was gone leaving the blondes to be together, which is exactly what a certain Traveler wanted in the first place. As the two's eyes met one another, a teasing smirk began to appear on the birthday girl's lips. Something that made the boy's heart soar.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Navia quietly asked.
"Haha. Was it that obvious?" Aether gleefully replied.
"Not really. I didn't notice what you were doing until you kept pushing for Paimon to look for the frosting."
Unable to break the radiant smirk on his face, Aether reached under the table and pulled out a blue container that seemed to hold a kind of frosting. To be exact, this container held the purple and white Dango frosting.
"I think this will buy us a few more minutes…"
Breaking into an even brighter smile, Navia took a step closer to her beloved Partner and immediately wrapped her arms around his waist. Aether did the same with one hand carefully brushing past her hand and coming to rest on her head. With the two so close to one another it was obvious what their next action would be.
With only themselves in the room, the two blondes shared a simple yet romantic moment managing to share a birthday kiss without being interrupted.
The two continued to be like this for another minute before breaking away and displaying evident blushes on each other's faces.
"Wow…"
"Yeah…"
"Heehee. How does my hair look?" Navia asked while adjusting her hat and having her face be as red as an apple.
"I didn't mess your hair up that much" Aether relented.
"But does it look obvious?"
"Nope."
"Good."
It was then that Aether broke into a massive grin while staring lovingly at Navia.
"But to me it does."
"Shut up!"
"Haha!"
Aether couldn't help but feel giddy at seeing the pink tinge that had overtaken Navia's face causing her to look even more adorable.
"Hehe! You're asking for it mister" Navia teasingly replied.
"Oh really?"
"Yep~"
With the mood livening up, Navia and Aether were leaning their heads closer to one another and inches away from kissing again when suddenly…
*Click*
"Ugh! Paimon can't find the Dango frosting anywhere!"
Without even blinking, Aether moved in a flash managing to jump back from Navia and hide the frosting in another compartment that his hand reached. This was all done in a matter of a second. Along with this being the fastest Navia had seen her Partner move.
"No luck?" Aether casually asked his traveling companion.
Alas, the look on the Traveler's face was strained and even conveyed a shaken expression. Something Navia couldn't help but snicker at.
"No! Paimon looked everywhere but couldn't find it at all. Maybe you misplaced it, Aether?"
Considering his next move, Aether figured he would not tease the small girl anymore and decided to come clean without smearing his name or showing his true intention for whisking her away.
"Hmm. Maybe… ah! *I'm* an idiot!"
"Huh? Why?" Paimon asked while floating over to him.
Navia, who was simply watching this scene play out, kept a smug look on her face as her hands were now placed on her hips and waiting to see what would happen next.
Pulling out the cabinet that was holding the Dango frosting, Aether began rubbing the back of his head and shrugged. His acting skills had heavily improved throughout traversing across Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, and now Fontaine.
"Hehe… I forgot I put it here before."
As Aether said this, he picked up the container and placed it on the table for Navia and Paimon to see.
"You what!?"
"My bad."
"Of course, it's your bad! Making Paimon look around the storage room and think that she was going crazy! If she had stayed in there any longer, Paimon might have- "
*sniff*
Suddenly, while Paimon was floating right next to the Traveler, she managed to catch a whiff of something familiar. Something that reminded her of… a sea breeze… and… roses…
After breaking down the smell and thinking back to anything that matched with those features, Paimon immediately realized what that smell was.
"Hey! That smell…"
"What smell?"
"That's perfume! *gasp* And not just any kind of perfume. *sniff*"
"H-Hey!"
With a stark reaction on her face, Paimon looked at Aether and then Navia and then back at the Traveler. She had connected the dots and realized what had just happened.
"You and Navia were smooching! And you sent Paimon away to do that!"
"That's not true!"
"Yes, it is!"
"No, it's not!"
"Yes, it is!"
"You're right. It is."
"No, it's… wait… what?" Paimon then looked at Aether, who had a smirk on his face, and then she looked at Navia, who began giggling with a blush on her face. "Ah-ha! I was right!"
"Yes, you were right. I'm sorry" the Traveler said while scratching his cheek.
"Hmph. Next time you want to get all smoochy with one another, make sure you tell Paimon ahead of time, so she knows!"
"Aww. I'm sorry Paimon. We didn't mean to push you away like that" Navia said with care.
"*sigh* No, Paimon's not upset with you, Navia. Paimon is upset with him!" she said while pointing right at Aether who simply shrugged his shoulders.
There was nothing left to do but accept that he was caught.
"I'm sorry too. How about this, I make you your own cake that you can enjoy by yourself."
"…Hm… make it three cakes."
"Two cakes."
"Three."
"Two."
"Four."
"Navia!"
"Hehe! Alright, alright."
Shaking his head, Aether decided to give the best traveling companion a bone and figured it wouldn't hurt to give her what she wanted. It was, after all, a celebration.
"…*sigh* Fine. You win. Only because it's Navia's birthday."
"Heehee! Thank you, Aether! And thank you, Navia!" Paimon gleefully shouted.
"Haha! You're welcome… I think…?" Navia replied, not sure why she was saying that.
Clapping his hands, the Traveler stepped up to the cake stand which was holding the cake, and took another look at it. It had now been several minutes that the cake was sitting on the stand and hadn't moved or fallen. Navia's project had exceeded its initial projection.
"Look, Nav, your cake stand is still up."
"Ooh! Looks like your idea is a knockout, Navia!"
Walking up to the cake stand, the blue-eyed beauty couldn't help but smile passionately at how her mechanism had managed to hold strong and even made the cake look phenomenal. The longer she looked at the cake and its stand, the more she felt proud of it.
However, with a glint in her eyes, the President of Spina di Rosula seemed to lift her hand and place it on the cake stand while staring at it intently. Paimon and Aether were left confused by what was going on in her head and simply observed her.
"Navia? Are you okay?"
To answer his question, the birthday girl simply pushed the cake off the stand and let it fall onto the table and crumble all around.
"*shriek* Why would you do that!? Wasting a perfectly normal cake! What did it ever do to you?!" Paimon yelled while floating near the table and grabbing a plate to scoop up the cake. "Paimon can't believe you did that!"
"Oh, no… the cake… it fell…" Navia spaciously said.
"What?! You pushed it!" Paimon countered.
"…It fell…"
Paimon could not believe what she was hearing and as soon as she moved the crumbled cake, she scooted the plate away from Navia while staring at her wide-eyed.
A bright smile then began to work its way across the birthday girl's face before she tilted her head and looked directly at Aether.
"I guess we're going to have to whip up another cake. Care to join me, Partner~?"
Chuckling at his significant other's attempt at being coy, the Traveler glanced over at Paimon who was defensively using her arm to cover the cake while using some of the Dango frosting to decorate what was left of it. She'd be focused on her own cake for a bit.
"How can I say no to that offer? Partners in crime working to make another delicious cake, sign me up!"
"Great! Then let's get cooking!"
"Oh! One more thing."
"Huh? What's that?"
With a pure look of happiness on his face, Aether stared right into her blue eyes and spoke from his heart.
"Happy Birthday, Navia!"
It was safe to say, this would be a birthday that Navia would come to cherish. Followed by many more to come. Surrounded by friends… and a certain partner of hers.
*A/N* - Hello again. Thanks for reaching the bottom. As mentioned before, Navia has truly become one of the best girls in the entire game in my opinion. From spending hours farming for her kit to spending days farming for artifacts that fit her well, I've enjoyed her all around. Plus, she's a great character when you think about all that's had to overcome and where she's at now. I hope she'll come around in later quests. It seriously feels like Fontaine just barely released and yet… Natlan is on the horizon. I hope more stories come back to involve characters like Navia, Clorinde, Furina, and Neuvillette… heck, I hope everyone comes back for more stories. Not just in Fontaine but across the other regions. But with Genshin expanding its story more and more… who knows what's next?
Nevertheless, thank you for checking this story out and I hope it was a good time. Can't wait to see all the Navia appreciation and above all I hope you have a good day and week ahead of you. Until next time. See you!