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Winter in Inazuma has always been harsh, with unforgiving temperatures and harsh wind.
Nights were worse, when everything was deadly silent without a trace of humanity.
The only sounds present deep into the night was an occasional animal, ruthless howling of the wind fighting with the nearby sea.
Not far away from the shore was a figure laying in the snow, eyes locked on the trees obscuring his view from the stars-a thing he always found comfort in, even after the harsh truth struck upon him one day.
A chuckle left his throat, followed by a cough. How funny for the snow to arrive early, when there were still leaves hanging onto their life and eventually falling off.
Through the leaves falling off, followed by a pile of snow, Balladeer could see the constellation formed on the sky, in a random order people gave meaning to it.
He could have recognised it anywhere, he has spent many nights looking at it, hand in hand with another boy.
How scandalous, he thought. If only everyone knew the shared secrets and promises made under this sky, would they have thought about it differently?
-
“One day, I’d like to see the rest of Teyvat. Sumeru, Liyue, Mondstadt… all of it. But only if it’s with you.”
“Are you sure? But… this is our home. We can’t just leave.”
“Of course we can! We can explore the rest of the world, home isn’t just one place. Home is where you are, and always will.”
Warm fingers intertwined with cold, and that’s the warmest he has felt in his entire life.
-
A soft hum escaped his lips, a voice so alluring it could make anyone follow its lead. Just now, it felt like strained whining, a plea for something-someone.
Someone, who could make him feel warm again, someone who could comfort him-
That someone has made him feel loved when no one has, made him think he has a reason to be alive.
Balladeer’s voice got lost in the abyss of night, his melody not reaching a single person. If anyone has heard it, they’d think it was a melancholic melody, filled with regrets and hurt.
How could it not be, when he spent the best portion of life thinking he was unloved?
How ironic, for the saddest songs to be also the most beautiful ones? For the ballads of unrequited love being the most heart touching.
In his head, the lyrics accompanying the melody mirrored the conveying feelings of the song, words an apology to a lost friend.
An apology for leaving, for breaking promises and lastly, for giving up.
He has failed many people, yet he only cared for one enough to feel the guilt eating him up from inside-maybe death wasn’t so bad after all.
He has failed protecting the one he swore to protect with his life, instead he dug himself a bigger grave with accompanying debt. After all, he ended up protecting the vagrant of Inazuma, and paid with his life.
How could he repay his debt now, what was the point of still living if the person he loved the most was gone?
-
Balladeer’s head turned to the side, eyes catching lifeless eyes of his best friend-almost a lover, if he hadn’t broken a promise.
Tears escaped his eyes, warming him for the last time, hands gripping Kazuha’s, searching for the long lost warmth.
“I...broke the promise again. Forgive me.”
-
As the morning came, they found peace at last, and the news about the massacre spread like wildfire.
Until to this day, people still sing about a tale of a Priest and Balladeer, a story of two unfortunate lovers who were never meant to be.