Work Text:
A/N: Hello, people!
I don't own Genshin Impact.
I have no beta.
ENJOY!
CHECK ME OUT ON TUMBLR. HELLY-WATERMELONSMELLINFELLON.
~.O.~
"Alhaitham! Paimon got you this book from Nod-Krai! It talks about Kuuvahki! Paimon already read it to Lumine and she made a copy so we thought maybe you'd like to have the original instead!"
Kaveh watched in awe as Paimon flew on over to deposit an unfamiliar book with a brown cover into his husband's hands. And he was even more surprised that it was accepted with a simple nod. That was enough for Paimon though, as she did a little wiggle in the air and floated off toward the tables of food to no doubt get a third helping.
Lumine, who was seated opposite them at their dining table, snickered as she poured herself some sparkling juice. "She's been so excited to share that with you as payback for all the books you send her."
"Huh?" Kaveh asked, realizing that he was out of the loop somehow. Alhaitham was sending Paimon books? Paimon?!
The Traveler smiled and aimed an approving look in Alhaitham's direction. "Your husband took it upon himself to assist in Paimon's education. He regularly sends books and practice sheets for her to work with and gives her assignments to complete."
This was news to Kaveh! He turned an accusing glare onto said husband, who had put away his former book in favor of the new gift from their little floating friend. And he was actually reading it. "Since when were you doing all of that?"
"Since right after rescuing Lord Kusanali."
Kaveh never noticed anything like that! were they not lawfully wedded?
Lumine giggled. "Alhaitham is Paimon's favorite person in Sumeru. At first I assumed it was a crush because he's just so handsome and she definitely has a crush on Master Diluc in Mondstadt, who is also handsome but also very gentlemanly. However, when I asked, it turned out the answer was incredibly simple and also very complicated at the same time."
This seemed to have caught Alhaitham's attention as well because he actually put his new book down in order to show that he was listening. Long ago he had perfected the art of reading what he was doing while also listening to everything around him, but this time he actually felt it was necessary to show that he was listening. Which meant that it was serious.
Unfortunately, this just served to make Kaveh even more curious. His husband doing things he'd never done with Kaveh before was always something to pay attention to.
"He started sending books to Paimon with the requirement that she write a book report on them once she was finished, and then also on the side, write a personal essay detailing the message that she personally took away from the book. The essay answer is neither right or wrong. He made sure to emphasize that fact. He just wants to see how she is absorbing the information and what she thinks is the most meaningful thing within."
Completely new information on Kaveh's end. He never would have imagined that his husband would be taking the time out of his day to do such things. That typically didn't seem like something he'd care to invest time in.
"Early on, Alhaitham even published Paimon's essays to give the Akedimiya scholars new perspectives to work through. Everything is logged appropriately so anyone can access people's reviews or opinion pieces of any work registered in the House of Daena. When he told her about it, she began taking the work more seriously and making an effort to make her writing more legible."
She looked so soft when talking about her companion. Kaveh looked over to see Paimon floating around Collei's head, jabbering away with a freshly grilled kebab in each hand. Collei looked excited, hands gesticulating as she explained something that Paimon was clearly able to follow along with. Both looked excited.
"This did start sometime after we rescued Nahida. She had grumbled about it at first, but then she sat down and actually read one of the books. It had to do with the Dahri people, which meant it had to do with Khaenri'ah, and that's a pretty important part of our journey so any information about it is automatically necessary to learn. I still struggled with reading Teyvat Common, so Paimon had to be the one to do the reading for me."
"Wait! You can't read?" Kaveh asked, noticing how Alhaitham's eyebrows shot up in shock as well.
Lumine winced a bit and tucked a stray hair behind her ear as he face pinkened. "Well, I'm not from this world. I showed up before the Cataclysm, was awakened by my brother during the disaster and told that we had to leave, and then when we tried to leave our path was blocked by an unknown god who separated us. The best I could tell you is that I was asleep for about five centuries until I woke up somewhere on a beach in Liyue. I was alone for several days in the ruins of some civilization, and I didn't know where to go or what to do, but I was hungry for the first time in a very long time, so, I fashioned a fishing rod out of some nearby scraps and I tried to fish for food, and that's what I pulled Paimon out of the water."
Kaveh had never heard this part of the story before. When he looked at Alhaitham, it was clear that he hadn't even heard this story either. With how strange the Traveler always was, and how no one ever actually knew what Paimon was either, he had just come to assume that maybe they were actually related. After all, Kaveh had never seen anyone that looked like either of them before.
"So, I ended up rescuing Paimon from drowning, but she spoke in a language that I did not know. She proceeded to grab a stick and start drawing in the sand. She's actually a very good artist, so it was very easy for her to draw something, then write the word for it for me, and then she would tell me how to say them and then I would say them in my language in return. So, essentially, we just exchanged languages. We didn't really get going on our journey until she determined that I could speak well enough. It took about two months."
"Paimon taught you how to speak a language in two months?" Kaveh asked, feeling like he was being pranked.
"Interestingly, Paimon does know a lot of languages," Lumine affirmed with a grin. "She speaks and reads Teyvat Common just fine. She can't speak any other languages, but she can read a lot of them. So, anytime we go exploring places and there's plaques or monuments and such, she's the one who reads them and translates them for me. Rarely has she made a mistake in reading something. She's also helped me learn how to read some of these languages as well, like Narukami. I wouldn't know how to speak them, and don't ask me about grammar rules and such, but I can read a lot better than before."
The fact that it was Paimon who taught the Traveler how to speak the most common language in the world, and that she succeeded at such a task in under two months was not only a testament to how very good Paimon was at teaching, but how apt of a pupil Lumine was.
"By now I've gotten to the point where I can actually read books myself and not need Paimon to do it for me, but she got used to reading the books, so I tend to carry her while we're on the road and she'll read them out loud for me… with dramatic voices if need be."
That part was definitely believable. Paimon was very dramatic in an adorable way.
"So, back onto the topic, Paimon started taking the work seriously, and I truly believe that Alhaitham prepared her for Fontaine. On our first day in Fontaine, we found a bookshop, and Paimon immediately gravitated toward the detective novels. And you might think that she would prefer simpler reading, but that's actually not the case. When we were in Inazuma and the light novel craze started, she did not like them all that much."
Kaveh had a few light novels himself. He was surprised that Paimon would dislike such a concept.
"She thought that the premise for each novel was tacky and gaudy and the writing too flowery with a lack of sincerity. She is also of the opinion that a lot of writers forget why they're writing or they get so caught up in success that they throw out their original script in favor of trying to make the success last as long as possible by dragging the story out. She also seems to not like the way that Inazuma does the chapter by chapter release instead of publishing the full book at once because it makes it easier for writers to lose track of themselves and the plot with each passing week."
She then shrugged. "She finished that detective novel in three hours. She became so obsessed with them that she would buy any new ones that came out, and she even bought herself this cute little pair of glasses with an attached mustache so she could feel like a detective while reading. Give her any reason and she will pull them out."
That was adorable.
"We were recently in Fontaine again helping a friend out and we busted a criminal operation in the process. Paimon got permission to go back to the precinct with the Maison Gardiennage and watch how they handle criminals, confessions, and processing paperwork when someone is apprehended. She enjoyed it immensely and took notes."
Kaveh had to bite his tongue to stop himself from squealing.
"I attribute Alhaitham's support to why Paimon was able to verbally back the Hydro Archon into a corner on two separate occasions, in two separate trials when we first got to Fontaine."
Alhaitham leaned forward immediately, forsaking any kind of cool and uninterested air he had left in an instant. After all, such a declaration was definitely something worth paying attention to. Kaveh himself was also shocked.
Paimon Vs the Hydro Archon sounded insane to think about.
"In Fontaine, being right is not always the most important thing, at least in their old trials. What you had to do was convince the audience that you were right and the Oritrice itself would align with the public's decision. That's why it was considered a grand opera performance, because it was entirely possible to convince the people that you weren't guilty, even if you technically did the crime, and the machine made the final call in the end. So, Paimon was going up against a seasoned theater kid who was beloved by the people, and she won both times. Paimon's grasp of the language would not have been quite as detailed if Alhaitham hadn't been giving her all of those books to read."
"I'm impressed," his husband said with finality. "Is there a place where I can access the court transcripts?"
"Yeah. Just send a letter to the Maison Gardiennage and they can pull up copies for you. They are completely open to the public as of now."
Fascinating.
"Alhaitham has given Paimon books about all sorts of topics. Books on manners, socioeconomic trends, cultural traditions in various nations, history, human psychology, deductive reasoning, and even more. She takes every book very seriously and she always sets aside time to do her reports and essays."
Kaveh never would have expected that Alhaitham would take such a prominent position in instructing a child. Definitely never would have expected that he would care so much about it, too.
There was a moment of pause, where Lumine considered he words, before saying, "I did ask Paimon once and she informed me that Alhaitham is her favorite because he doesn't yell. He never raises his voice even when angry or disappointed, so she feels that it's safe to make mistakes around him… because he's not mean or scary."
Kaveh… felt a twinge at that. Alhaitham wasn't excitable, that was for certain. He couldn't be baited into screaming matches because they'd be a waste of energy to him. He also wasn't someone to spread rumors about people or to be nasty to a stranger unprompted.
The fact that a child basically determined that he was safe to be around was a very big deal. And the reason was kind of heartbreaking and Kaveh hoped he wasn't someone who contributed to the description in Paimon's mind. He knew that he got a little loud at times and usually ended up screaming at Alhaitham because he was frustrating to deal with, but he didn't want to scare children!
And he certainly didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.
"The best example I can give is that at some point a few years ago, Paimon said something insensitive and a lot of people yelled at her to shut up. Unfortunately, I could not tell her why it was insensitive or why it was wrong, and nobody felt inclined to tell us why it was wrong. So, she just ended up feeling really bad about it, but not understanding. A day later, Alhaitham's newest book comes in the mail, describing Sumeran customs and the do's and don'ts of the rainforest culture. That week, her essay was to give her perspective of the situation where she was yelled at, to explain her thought process, and then to explain why people reacted the way they did. He then had a note in there about how they were entitled to their feelings in response to what she said, but that they failed a child who is still learning by not explaining why it was so sensitive to her."
"Ah," Alhaitham hummed in recognition. "Yes, it does not help anybody if you don't actually explain what the problem is. People wanting to know the whys and why nots of situations are often not them looking for excuses, it's just wanting to understand.
"Technically, nobody had to explain to her why what she did was wrong, but the fact that they didn't meant that they were fine with letting her go off and potentially make the same mistake again, without ever understanding the severity of the situation. I made certain that she learned what was necessary to not repeat the same behavior in the future, and I also gave her the ability to recognize it when somebody else is doing it so that she can correct them and stop the cycle one step at a time."
Lumine beamed and nodded. "Yeah. And that's why you're her favorite. You were the only person at the time who didn't yell at her. And then you sent her a valuable lesson and helped her learn why it was wrong. Paimon has become a lot more mindful about how she talks and the things she says. Ever since we went to Natlan, she has improved in leaps and bounds in her communication skills. She not only expresses herself better but hasn't said anything insensitive in almost two years."
It was practically inconceivable in Kaveh's mind. The fact that all of this was happening and he hadn't even been aware of any of it.
It gave more depth to who Alhaitham was as a person, and it made him even more beautiful as a result.
"Also, as of last week, Alhaitham has set Paimon up for enrollment into the Vahumana Darshan. She has passed the first of the entrance exams and the final exam is this week. If she passes and is enrolled, he will then submit an application for her to obtain Driyosh status so she can keep traveling with me. He thinks she'll pass the interviews with flying colors."
"Hm," Alhaitham nodded, like this was normal. "Being the Acting Grand Sage for almost a year did have some perks at least. Final exams are typically done open-book and in person, but I can get them to agree to accept her exams via correspondence. That means she can keep traveling and keep exploring and finding new information about the world. Then she can write about what she's learning and seeing and send her reports back. She seems very fond of taking photos with her personal camera and adding them in with her reports so that's just a bonus benefit for all parties."
When Kaveh thought about it, Vahumana was literally the best Darshan for someone on the road who was exploring every nation and no doubt seeing ruins of nations older still. And having her apply to be a Driyosh was genius.
Every time he thought that his husband couldn't surprise him more, he would just turn around and do something unexpected.
Lumine's smile was soft and reflective as she watched Paimon and Collei talk about a book that Paimon was now holding. Collei had also been taking more and more steps to further her education and had been given more responsibility recently. It was like watching two underclassmen bond, and it made Kaveh feel a bit wistful.
And knowing that Paimon's thirst for knowledge and self-improvement was all started by Alhaitham stepping in to help her learn made Kaveh's heart flutter a bit.
"Paimon has potential," Alhaitham said simply, picking up his new book once more and settling in for a good evening ignoring the other partygoers. "All it takes is some patience and consideration from the adults and a willing ear and heart from the child, and anything can be accomplished."
And the proof was floating on the other side of the room, beaming and looking right at home among all her friends, unaware of the variegated gaze watching her.
Kaveh hoarded Alhaitham's soft moments because of how rare they were, and he was very glad to have another to add to his list.
~.O.~
A/N: FINISHED!
How was it? Let me know!
Check out my many other fics!
See ya! :D
CHECK ME OUT ON TUMBLR. HELLY-WATERMELONSMELLINFELLON.