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Here in Sumeru City, it rarely rains.
But tonight was an exception. While everyone slept soundly in their homes to the sound of the light rain that pattered against their windows, only one remained awake. Her friends had long left the bazaar while she insisted on staying for a little longer, though snuck away to the rivers by the city the moment all lights went off. If Nilou remembered correctly, this was the first time she ever went out of her room this late. It was an exhilarating experience to see the night stars clearly now instead of from her windows. Still, she couldn’t help but worry at the idea of getting caught.
So Nilou ensured to walk on her tiptoes, gracefully sliding against the floors to make her grand escape while relying on the rain to cover up any sounds she made. Even if her outfit was now drenched, she thought that the rain made the night more beautiful. And all the more fitting for dance practice. Relaxing her composure, the balls of her feet rested against the ground, the water reaching just above her heels. With her arms stretched, Nilou moved in sync with the rain droplets hitting the ground. Every splash she made with her feet looked as if she was controlling the water with the art of dance. It twirled with her and whenever the sound of thunder came, she’d reach her arms out to the sky. Her fingers grazed against the calm waters, creating shapes and bringing it up with her when she rose again, her hand gestures telling the story that of a princess who longed to see the world.
Yet she never made a mess of the puddles or the splashes nor did a single drop ever get onto the petals of the Nilotpala lotuses surrounding her. Every splash would return to the waters once again only to rise once more as she leaped and twirled.
She looked so beautiful with the moon’s light embracing her.
Striking one final pose, she brought the dance to an end with a small hum of satisfaction emitting from her soft lips at her performance. “Mr. Zubayr really wouldn’t like it if he were to see me in the rain like this…”
“Of course he wouldn't. You’d get a cold. I don’t think anyone would like the star of the show to get sick days before the actual performance.”
When she turned, her heart almost jumped out of her body. She thought she got caught by someone else, and was ready to get on her knees and apologize for the ruckus but relief overcame her when the familiar electro vision and Fatui insignia came into view. Hidden under the umbrella was Macbeth with a smile on his face, giving a small almost silent clap at her dance. Compared to Mr Zubayr or the other Harbingers, Macbeth was a peculiar one who Nilou felt relaxed around despite his many intimidating titles.
Scapino, The Macbeth. Number eight of the Fatui Harbingers and Signora’s replacement after her death. Ask Tartaglia about him and even the young warrior admits that he can’t compare to Macbeth’s enthusiasm and energy. Always jumping around and impulsively throwing parties or challenging someone to a game of Poker while completely ignoring the risks that come with betting all your mora. Not like he ever lost nor would he ever run out of mora anyways so there was no use in caring about the different outcomes that would come with gambling. When many hear about the Harbingers, their names alone are enough to strike fear and make them think twice about causing trouble for the Fatui. But Macbeth? He never struck fear into others. Ask the children of Snezhnaya or the kids around Teyvat in general. They’ll give you a big smile and cheer about how nice he is and how much candy and cakes they’ve gotten from him. They’ll go on and on about his surprise birthday parties for them, how he remembers all their names, and what they like. Ask the adults in Snezhnaya and they’ll start ranting about his pranks and chaos with confetti but begin to trail off to talk about how great his singing and acting are then bring up the best musicals and plays he has made so far.
When Nilou first heard of these rumours, she stifled a laugh and gave a questioning look to Najia who in turn, huffed and protested that she heard all this from Snezhnayan merchants themselves. A Fatui Harbinger actually enjoying parties and being nice to people? It seemed like a dream for that to happen. But when Macbeth showed up one day to Zubayr Theater and had a long discussion with Mr. Zubayr himself about having a performance with him, all initial impressions of him being a strong and intimidating man disappeared the moment he gave a wide grin at her. Just as the rumours have said, he was all over the place.
He was... incongruous with the other Harbingers. As if he was given the wrong job. But when Nilou heard tales of his feats in other nations that involved successfully making his opponents fear him with just his words alone, she sat in her seat while appalled. How could such a kind and thoughtful person like him be so capable of blackmailing and emotionally torturing people to make things go his way? But one thing all his enemies had in common was that they tried to hurt the people of Snezhnaya or got children involved.
Macbeth /did/ care. He simply had his own ways of going around problems, even if they were considered cruel. Nilou grew distrusting of him at first upon hearing the stories but with their time spent together, she started to really see the good in him. Outside of being a Harbinger, he was a simple guy who loved performing on stage and making people laugh.
They weren't so different after all.
“Macbeth! You gave me a fright...” Even as she said that, she continued to give him her warm smile.
He shivered at the sight. It was brilliant how a smile was enough to send him to cloud nine.
“Oh dear Princess, what might you be doing at this hour of the night? Looking for me, perhaps?” He responded wittily in character, batting his lashes with an overdramatic lean towards her as if he were flirting. Nilou was unfazed by this, simply laughing and silencing herself when she realised how loud she was. Even with a hand over her mouth, she continued to giggle.
Such a sweet voice.
“I'm looking for Sumeru roses. But you, my knight, have caught my attention.” Just as Macbeth did, Nilou responded with grace and over exaggeration as they both recited their lines for their upcoming play as banter. Though a dancer, Nilou had some experience in acting and was casted to be the main character where she would play as a princess. On the other hand, Macbeth (self) casted himself as the villain. Now, she had no issue with that but Mr. Zubayr had insisted on making a twist and having the princess fall in love with the villain for 'drama' as he claimed. They froze up when they heard that. Macbeth wasn't necessarily against the idea, but Nilou's face turned so red you would've thought she ate the spiciest curry there is in Sumeru and it took some time for her to accept the change in the storyline. Needless to say, it wasn't all that bad as she had expected since no one had planned a kiss scene for them. Which was a relief for her to hear, but she noticed Macbeth staring blankly at her as if in disappointment when he heard that.
But she didn't question it. They went with their rehearsals as per usual, but as time went on, even Nilou's heart started to grow heavy everytime they were done rehearsing the whole show without a single romantic scene. An anticlimactic and bittersweet ending just as Mr. Zubayr had wanted. How strange. Nilou wasn't the most romantic person in the world, so why did she feel this way?
Was it possibly the way Macbeth told his lines, with how sincere he sounded in every one of his words to her? Did she fall for the character? Or maybe...
Did she fall for him?
No, nonsense! He was a Fatui Harbinger. What would her family and friends think if she were to admit liking a Fatuus? And this was a one time thing. All his loving words to her and his cute little laugh was just part of the play. Oh, and that wavy hair that she's always wanted to touch... and his cheeks! They look so soft and nice to squish and his hands that always look so nice to hold... The way he lovingly stares into her eyes and places a rose in her hair in the play and how she longs to kiss him on his sweet lips...
Oh... wait. Wasn't that considered falling in love?
When she returned to reality, she found herself under Macbeth's umbrella, slowly making their way back to the city and to her home. Their shoulders were inches away from touching. Her heart skipped a beat.
“Macbeth, thank you for walking me home. Uhm, I shouldn't have been so reckless as to walk around in the rain like that... I can feel myself wanting to sneeze already...” She avoided his gaze and her eyes flickered to her feet apologetically, praying to Lesser Lord Kusanali that she would be able to perform onstage in the next few days.
“...Eijun Nozomi sounds better, I think. Please, call me Eijun.”
“...Huh?”
“Just don't say it aloud when we're around others, especially the Fatui. But I think we're close enough for you to call me that.”
...Did he let her call him by his real name? Moreover, his first name? She heard that it was a custom for people in Inazuma to only call others by their first name when they're close. And for a Fatui Harbinger to allow her to use his real name? His expression was considerably soft compared to before, and he had no intention of suddenly running all over the place. In fact, his eyes always became brighter whenever he was around her.
When he left, she remained at her door, face flushed. Was she that special to him?
When it was time for the play, Nilou found herself sitting in silence and thinking about that night while others rushed to get the props and to put her make-up on for her. When she turned to her left, she would see Macbeth— No, Eijun— brushing his hair and giving her a little wink. He knew what he was doing to her heart. What a tease.
The entirety of the play went well, but her heart thumped faster than usual everytime Eijun appeared. All she could think about was that night.
And so was the same for Eijun himself.
Maybe he made a mistake teasing her like that and following her to watch her dance. Thanks to the phenomenal sight, all he could think of was her dancing that same night and the way the moon served as a backdrop. Beautiful was an understatement to describe Nilou. She was the center of a painting and a milky way that he would gaze at every night if he could. Even onstage as of now, the way she moved with such grace and had the audience in a trance with her beauty mesmerized him in ways not even the most beautiful scenery could ever do. Just like how she dressed as the Goddess of Flowers, her dance made flowers blossom in his heart.
He could never have enough of her beauty.
She could never have enough of his smile.
Standing across her on the stage, Eijun gulped when she got closer to her at the end of her dance. Nearing the end of the show, now would be the confession scene where both admit their love to one another before a bittersweet ending of separation would happen. She stared into his eyes as if she were pleading for him to stay and look at her forever.
The next line Nilou would have to say would be ‘My bounty is as boundless as the sea’.
“I thought that dance and the looks of awe of the audience would fill the void in my heart.”
...What?
“I always felt unsatisfied with my life until... until you came along.”
This isn't part of the script. Did she forget her lines?
“We live different lives. We're a million worlds apart. Even then, no matter where you are, I hope that you can hear me when I say how much you mean to me.”
Eijun glanced over at the others backstage, who were rushing through the script out of panic to check her lines. But it clicked to him what she was doing when her hands moved to his cheeks. That wasn't part of the script as well.
“Even if I were to describe my feelings for you as butterflies waiting to burst out of my chest,
no words would ever be enough to describe how much I want to be with you.”
She got closer to his face. His breath hitched. The audience leaned closer in anticipation, unaware that this wasn't part of Mr. Zubayr's story. But it was part of theirs.
“I love you. And I'll love you till' the day I die.”
“Only me?”
“It will only ever be you.”
When he finally tasted her lips, he wanted them to stay on his forever from that day on.