// i want to write but i'm sleepy omg omg omg omg i'm just going to go to bed omg

"No." Flins answered truthfully, solemnly. "I thought I might find you here." The first time they had stood among these graves together was... yes, three years ago. Captain Olsson and his squad had faced their untimely demise on their mission against the Wild Hunt, +

// once again thinking of this song for the lightkeepers AHHHHHHHH youtu.be/M33t394H73M?...

Out of sight, out of mind, Master Illuga. Have a wonderful evening.

If the young master abandons his post as Head Chef for the Lightkeepers this evening, many hardworking soldiers will sleep with empty bellies, unable to taste the rare delicacy that is his top-rated cooking... Also, Flins will force-feed him his own goulash.

Meanwhile...

// OK i'm sorry for the ooc spam i swear i will actually write later NAJNSDJKNKJNBVFKJN BACK TO WORK

// i wonder how flins would face up against rerir if he was at full strength i think because he was forced to gaze into the abyss by carrying corrupted fragments of rerir's heart, he was always at a disadvantage, so he seemed weaker against... an already VERY weakened rerir

// PERMANENTLY requisitioned? was he about to literally kill himself in this fight WTF - like unlock a part of his power that's only reserved for serious cases??? and would have a trade off with his lifespan???

// now that i've played kipumaki world quests i suddenly need to rewatch rerir vs flins to compare how he handles the wild hunt whispers/abyssal corruption that the other lightkeepers faced

// i think it's a fun hc that flins enjoys doing little acts of service for illuga more than the tedious tasks that belong to humanity like report writing and committee work he is content playing the role of a house fairy. he'll cook and clean and decorate and organize and protect...

// replies a bit later, sleep was rocky again 😭 have da muse not da brain power...

Somewhere on Ashveil Peak, between Kipumaki Cliff and Cliffwatch Camp, Flins stopped in his tracks. Despite the still air around him, the language of the fae had been whispered into his ear just now, as if carried by the wind. This was a bad omen. One he needed to investigate promptly.

// ok i work in a couple of hours so i will take a naaaaaap. goodnight

He wasn't sure how long he lurked in the shadows for, observing Illuga out of sight. Flins did not keep track of the time. Eventually, though, he decided to come out of hiding. The only warning of his arrival was the flap of a crow's wings as it took flight, and a short burst of wind +

Flins made no effort to escape his grasp, despite how... unusual this friendly sort of physical contact was for him. "I'm not sure what is more amusing - the belief you hold that I wish to join your ranks, or the fact you aren't even trying to hide your actions."

"Sir Varka... I heard you made an attempt to poach my junior to the Knights of Favonius. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘺.

He has his trusted lantern with him at all times~ Lighting should not be an issue.

Why, indeed? One could never know what it might come in handy for.

Flins suddenly thought it might be a good idea to invest some of his Lightkeeper salary into one of those Fontainian Kamera contraptions.

// the north wind's connection to the lightkeepers is so interesting to me

// ... wait WHO WAS THIS AGAIN

Sensing the young master's anxieties, and seeing as how this little visit of theirs was done with the intentions of 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 said anxieties, Flins began to scheme. How could he spoil his adorable colleague rotten? A sunny, warm day at Final Night Cemetery did not come by often, after all. +

Naturally, a kindhearted individual such as yourself would think this way - always having the best interests of others at heart. It is true that there is more to the Abyss than meets the eye... Take the "Professor", for example. Little know of his identity, and fewer, +

•✧• 𝖮 𝖳𝗈𝗋𝖼𝗁𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗎𝗆𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝗈𝗋𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌...

(How bored was the Abyss, he wondered? Perhaps Rotwang maintained the Wild Hunt's nefarious purpose, and without him or Rerir's manic obsessions, it no longer knew what to do with itself.) Not to intrude on your advertisement for a suitable mate, but in truth, 100% of relationships come to an end.

// i am off to sleep so replies will have to wait until i wake uppppp i shall drift off to sleep with the happy thought that illuga did a monumental service to flins...

He must inform the others. Those who stagnated in Snezhnograd - those who fled far and wide. The children of his former colleagues; their children's children. The Tsar's murderer was dead and gone, never to return. That wretched serpent of a human... sent directly to hell.

Rotwang... vanquished for good. Illuga and his squad accomplished what not even Solovei could all those years ago. Now, the Tsar was finally avenged. What a relief... Flins did not join the celebrations directly, but he observed them in secret, terribly fond of their growth.

// flins is canceled forever after that quest WTF

'A Brief History of the Pale Starborn' ... Flins turned the book over within his hands as if it were as precious as any rare gem he might purchase from an auction. Then, he flipped open to the first page. Written by a human historian... Heh. A decent number of citations, though.

"Goodness me, that would be highly inappropriate." Flins was aghast at the mere notion, eyes blown wide with shock. (Or, at the very least, pretending to be. Greed was an intrinsic quality to the fae. One he had many a century to learn how to tame, but also one that existed, nonetheless.) +

// GET HIM ILLUGA

// i am contemplating also picking up illuga as a muse but i would request one (1) flins to write with

He hadn't imagined it - the feather-light brush against his chin. Soft, fluffy hair... carrying the faint scent of amber. ...

This would never grow old: the way humans - specifically Illuga - were left flustered by the most basic forms of teasing. Flins enjoyed this game of cat and mouse. He did not need to push things further than necessary, for every time Illuga was left affected by one of his actions, +

a little trick to scare the grand master #varflins 1/2 read from right to left

// my muse is so high for illuflins specifically it's baaaaaaaaad it's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad

// if the abyss harms a single hair on his head i will destroy mondstadt, destroy everything

Oh no, anything but that. Spare him, please~

Somewhere on Final Night Cemetery, Flins felt a disturbance amidst the kuuvahki of the land, as if it was delivering him a message. My, what an intriguing omen. Was someone cursing his name just now? Professing their love to it?

Keeping his voice low, Flins leaned in the rest of the way, his lips nearly grazing Illuga's ear as he whispered into it. "Miss Aino is young, you see. Although quite the genius, she still has her childlike vices. Things such as sweets, toys... if you bring her a satisfactory offering, +

"That is quite the busy itinerary. I'm more than sure it is nothing you cannot handle though, Young Master. Have you eaten? Your body will require the right nutrients to keep you energized enough for your tasks."

"They are rather pesky creatures, aren't they? Far better for us all if they left humanity to their own devices." (Double-speak for: 'Lingering spirit, I still sense your presence. Begone.') "Ah, but worry not, Young Master. If a mosquito does appear, I'll take care of it swiftly before it bites."

// honestly need a fic from illuga's POV about all of the gossip re: flins in the lightkeepers. like, "he's not human? what? why would they say that? wait, he went through all of that? and he never thought to reach out to us?? to me?? even though i'm always trying to help him???" +

// faelight have taken over my BRAIN IT'S SO BAD

He didn't sleep. Illuga did not need to know that, however. Time for misdirection. "The early bird catches the worm, Young Master. And what of you? You are up rather early yourself. What worms will you catch today, I wonder?"