Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been a week since Freminet had last been in the ocean. A bolt in his helmet came loose, and his eyesight was already bad enough without the water blurring it further.

He sat on the edge of a bench at Lumidouce Harbor, holding his helmet in his lap. From the helmet came a quiet scratching. Freminet looked down to see Pers hopping around inside. It didn't have a lot of space to move, which made him feel guilty, even if the little guy wasn’t sentient.

An incoming car stopped at the dock, and Freminet's attention was pulled away from his friend. The boat was loaded with wooden crates and bags neatly arranged. The only thing that looked out of place was a young man who didn’t look much older than Freminet. The bright red and green fabric and the gold detailing didn't exactly scream mail service, but no one else on the boat seemed to pay it any mind.

Freminet watched the workers unload crate after crate onto flatbed carts. Some looked heavy, others not so much. He tried to guess which one could be his. A small box, most likely. He had only ordered a few mechanical parts. There were lots of small boxes, though, and it’s not as if he’d be able to get his package sooner if he found it. So, really, what was the point of sitting here like a creep?

“Hey!”

Freminet heard the faint voice, but didn’t bother looking up.

“Hey, you!”

He kept his eyes on the workers, watching their facial expressions to see which boxes were heavier or lighter. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder and jolted, scaring the hand away.

“Oh, sorry for spookin’ you,” the voice laughed. It wasn’t mocking, though, it was friendly, warm, like a fireplace in a Snezhnayan December.

“Don’t be,” Freminet replied. When he looked up, he saw that man who looked so out of place. “I didn’t see you, that’s all.” He could see all his features better now, though still a little blurry. Red hair peeking out from under the warm brown and a big, bright smile. That was the oddest thing about him. It was cold, and he had probably been standing on that tightly-packed boat for at least an hour.

The man nodded as a sort of got it. “Do you remember me? It was, like, last week, I think, right?”

Freminet tried his best not to pull some sort of face, but he was certain he’d remember if he had seen this peculiar fellow. Maybe he was being mistaken for someone else. There were more than a few blondes in Fontaine.

“I swear I’ve seen you,” the man continued. “Last week, with the treasure hoarders? It was sort of in the Mont Automnequi area?”

Mont Automnequi... Freminet did have a small mission there. It was really just to keep him busy since there wasn’t anything big happening at the moment. Even if there was, Lyney and Lynette would probably be the ones to deal with it. Father had repeatedly scolded Freminet for being emotional and letting it affect his decisions even when he had tried to control it. In the eyes of The Knave, he was unreliable. Someone who could think rationally when they needed to would be better fit for the job. Of course, the twins had their own issues, and Freminet wouldn’t dare say his situation was worse than theirs. The weight of being the next Father was most definitely a heavy burden, but even so-

“Sir..?”

Freminet looked back up to see wide, worried eyes staring down at him. “Sorry, I was thinking… uhm, yes, I was there a while ago. I don’t think we’ve met, though,” he mumbled, hard to hear over the crashing waves and insistent chatter of the people around them. Thankfully, the man must’ve had good ears.

“Yeah, I guess it was kinda dark, huh?..” he mumbled. “Oh- what’s your name? I meant to ask that first, my bad.”

“Freminet..” Freminet replied, scratching his cheek to ground himself because this simple conversation was grabbing his nerves by the shoulders and shaking them as hard as it could. “...What’s your name?” Yes, good job, that’s an appropriate response.

“That’s a pretty name! I’m Ga Ming. Ming, if you want,” the man, Ga Ming, revealed.

“I see… Ga Ming,” Freminet nodded.

Silence.

Ga Ming’s smile didn’t waver even in the awkwardness.

“Well, I’m gonna be in Fontaine for the rest of the week, do you think we’ll see each other again?” he asked.

Realistically, the answer would be no. Freminet spends more time underwater than the fish do, and after being away from it for so long, he is most likely going to end up staying overnight a few times. Despite that, he gave a nod because he knew this stranger would rather be lied to.

“Probably…”

“Great! It’s been real nice talking to you, uh- Freminet!” Ga Ming turned on his heel and waved before running away to pull the last cart into the lift. Despite the conversation feeling like it had lasted a century, and Ga Ming’s voice being so loud, none of the workers seemed to have noticed him go missing only a few meters away.

---

After sorting all his new bolts and screws and washers, Freminet decided it was time for a much needed diving session.

The water was cold. Fontainian winter left a layer of choppy ice atop the ocean. An experienced diver such as himself should know not to risk being trapped underwater, but Freminet just couldn’t wait.

The ice wasn’t as solid as he thought it would be, and the water seemed to grow warmer each foot deeper he sank. When he found that area he had been searching for and parted the moss covering the entrance, a cloud of dead plant cells was pulled up before a faint light shone through.

The small cave had been his other ‘home’ for the past 10 years, a secret base all to himself. He would love for Pers to see it, however, waterproofing mechas wasn’t easy, so he couldn’t spend his time tinkering with robots down here. Instead, he took up another hobby: journaling.

Lyney had introduced him to it after a particularly heavy breakdown. “Sometimes when I’m stressed, writing down my worries can help. It’s like talking to a friend, in a way. Oh, and it doesn’t all have to be bad,” Lyney had added. “I write down when I have good shows or it’s someone’s birthday, too!”

And he was right. It helped Freminet quite a bit. Being able to express himself without the fear of others' judgement helped him control his outbursts.

Freminet sat himself in the makeshift chair in the corner of his room. Beside his seat was a small box of trinkets to entertain him after diving sessions. Seashells, rocks, rusted parts mostly, but most important was the notebook that rested right on top, and on that, a pen. Freminet remembers being gifted that pen for his birthday a few years ago. He also remembers the note it came with, something like, “Well, Fremi, you’re finally an adult now! It’s like they say, you grew up fast… and now that you’re an adult, I figured you might need something a little more mature this year. Happy 18th, Freminet!”

At the time, Freminet couldn’t whole-heartedly appreciate the gift. He had been in a deep depression for years, so it was hard to appreciate anything, really. He wished he could say it was better now, but, to be honest, things might have gotten even worse. He can say, however, that the present has been put to good use.

With the prophecy of the flood dealt with and over, he wrote. I feel as if I've been floating around with no direction. There's nothing to keep me anchored down. Nothing to keep me from floating away. However, ‘Father' seems to be in a better mood nowadays, but it doesn't mean she's any less demanding. In fact, my workload has increased. They're all easy tasks, mostly maintenance and patrol, but it seems ‘Father’ is focusing more on smaller issues. I’m glad things are getting sorted out.

Despite not visiting for a week, Freminet found that he hadn't much to write. The only interesting thing that happened was…

I met this young man at Lumidouce Harbor today. He was dressed a little funny, for lack of better word. I think he might have been from Liyue. He had a Liyuean accent, not that I’ve been or anything, I just assumed. Now that I’m writing it down, it sounds rather rude of me. Anyway, I was watching the mail boats come in, and he was standing on one. I am not sure why he was there, to be honest. Also, he said he has seen me before on one of my missions. I didn't recognize him, though.

Freminet signed his name before scribbling in a memorized version of the guy. The clothes and face were probably off, but Freminet distinctly remembered the shape of his pants. Round. Very round and baggy. And a bit of red in his hair, too.

Chapter Text

Freminet's boots sank deeper into the mud with each step he took. Rain soaked into his clothes and hair and made it hard to think. It was spring. His home had been taken and his mother with it. He wasn't sure how long she could beg them to not take him away, too.

But the faster he ran, the deeper he sank until he couldn't move. Even with the rain pouring on his face, Freminet could still feel tears staining his cheeks. His lungs began to tighten, and every breath he managed to take felt like it was filled with salt water.

His heart stopped.

Something had grabbed onto his ankle, then lost its grip. Panicked, he kicked. Tried. Down deep, the mud was too thick, and he couldn't get his foot to move.

Again, whatever it was grabbed his ankle, catching it this time and holding it firm. Then something hit him right up the side of his head, but it didn't hurt. It was oddly soft for all the blood rushing through him.

“Brother!” A voice called out. “Brother, wake up!”

Lynette.

Freminet looked around before blinking, and when he opened his eyes, his sister stood looming over him with a hand on his calf. He sighed, then sniffled. His face felt warm but pale at the same time.

He often had nightmares. Unfortunately, they seem to wake Lynette up better than Freminet. (Lyney, however, was a sleeper. In fact, Freminet could hear him snoring right that moment.) She used to stand over him with the lights completely off. He’d had quite a fright looking up from a bad dream to see a horned shadow standing over him. Of course, the horns were only Lynette's little cat ears. After the few times Freminet screeched, she learned to turn on a lamp before waking him. She hasn't learned not to grab him, however.

“I'm sorry, Lynette,” Freminet mumbled, still panting and shaking. His voice was coarse, which made it harder to hear as he whispered.

“Don't be. It's not a bother,” she assured. Lynette wasn't emotional like Freminet was, so he didn't have to worry about her lying to make him feel better, which actually reassured him quite a bit.

“...Thank you.”

Lynette simply nodded before grabbing her brush from the nightstand. Freminet wanted to go back to sleep, but he was afraid he would be pushed back into that memory, and with Lynette up and moving, he didn't have much more of an excuse to give himself.

So he sighed, sat up, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. As Lynette walked out, Freminet walked towards the closet. They all had vastly different styles, so it was easy to tell which clothes were his and which weren’t. Lyney wore a lot of frilly button ups and Lynette mainly gravitated towards more casual things like sweaters and whatever plain pants fit, which was definitely good taste this time of year. Freminet wished he had more pants. Sure, he wasn’t too cold with a coat on, but his legs were almost entirely bare.

If he didn’t have any tasks today, maybe he could go shopping.

---

After a tiring walk to the Court of Fontaine (with a few sitting breaks in between because it was a long way to the city and no way he was going to go up and ask strangers for a boat ride), Freminet decided a good place to start would be clothes, since, well, that's what he came for.

He passed a few clockwork shops, a couple cafes, and Chioriya Boutique (he was always curious about what was in there, but the lady running the place was way too scary).

Being completely honest, Freminet had never really bought himself clothes. They were always provided by the House of Hearth. The only thing he had bought himself was his wetsuit. The twins always made their own clothes, which were typically for performances, so they wouldn't know where to buy anything, either.

So, as if he hadn't lived here his whole life, Freminet began to ask around. Began, because the moment he went up to someone, they would walk away. Freminet wondered if they could hear him coming, but his boots were so loud that it was very doubtful they couldn't. Eventually, he got someone to direct him. Down that way, she said, you’ll find a lot of shops there. He thanked the girl before running off, pausing halfway down the road to be sure he knew where he was going.

Freminet stopped in front of a little shop with mannequins in the windows. Well, if any place has clothes, it’ll be this one, he thought to himself. A bell above him rang as he stepped in, and a young boy behind the counter greeted him. Freminet only waved in response.

For a nice little shop on a Saturday, it was rather empty. There was an older woman in the corner, sorting and organizing jewelry. A man around the same age, maybe a relative, sat on a stool in the opposite corner.

Freminet glanced over a rack with those fancy shirts Lyney liked. If he had some extra mora on him, maybe he could've gotten some as a gift. But alas, he would have to come back some other time.

The next rack over had different pants and trousers. Freminet shifted through them, feeling different textures and seeing which fabrics stretched or didn't.

After picking up a few that seemed comfortable for a decent price, Freminet made his way to the register, but not before hearing a loud Oh disrupting the peaceful atmosphere. Everyone in the store (no more than 5 people) turned to look at the voice. When Freminet made eye contact with it, he could feel the spirit rise from his body. The horror, the pain, the anxiety that rushed through him.

That man, Ga Ming. He was staring straight into the soul that left Freminet.

“Hello, again!”

Freminet gave a timid wave as others in the store went back to their business. Freminet tried to, as well, but was interrupted again by a tap on his shoulder. Ga Ming smiled before striking conversation.

“This looks like a nice shop... cool clothes, quiet atmosphere,” Ga Ming whispered. “I’m wanting to get some souvenirs for my family, too. Do you think you could show me around? You don't have to if you don't wanna, of course.”

“I don’t know the city all that well,” Freminet mumbled.

“Wha- but you live here, right?” his voice rose slightly in his surprise.

Freminet shook his head. “I live west from here… and I usually have everything I need at home,” he explained. “But you can get a guide at the Adventurers’ Guild. It’s only a few streets away.”

“Adventurers’ Guild...” Ga Ming hummed. “I don't think I've seen it around here. Would you mind showing me the way? If it’s not too much trouble, of course! I’ll leave you alone after that, promise.”

Great. Not that Freminet hated people or anything, but this definitely wasn't his ideal day off. Actually, his ideal day off would be underwater. He needed clothes, though- either way, one extra task wouldn’t bother him, right?

Now that he was thinking, maybe helping out a lost tourist could help him, too. First, he'd get a reminder of where the Adventurers’ Guild is (which he really needed). Second, he'd get to interact with someone and practice talking to people. Plus, Ga Ming doesn't even really know him! So, if he messed anything up, no one would remember! Hopefully.

“Uhm.. I can take you there. I'll just need to pay for these,” Freminet nodded. “If that's alright.”

Ga Ming smiled and nodded back. “Yeah, take your time!”

---

Dear Diary,

That man from a few days ago, Ga Ming, I’m really not sure what to think of him. I first saw him at Lumidouce Harbor, nothing to note there, but then I saw him at an unpopular shop (at least I believe it was, maybe they just weren't busy that day… it was a Saturday, though, so I’m sure they would be). There were quite a few other stores nearby, so it’s odd that he came to that one. I also saw him outside Hotel Debord. He didn't see me, thankfully. He was talking to someone, I think. No one I knew. Then, earlier this morning, I saw him in the Belleau area fighting what looked like hydro slimes or maybe phantasms.

I don't want to call him a stalker or anything, because I don't think he is, but it feels like he's everywhere I am. Last night, I even dreamt it was him standing over me in the morning instead of Lynette… I wasn't able to go back to bed because of it. What a nightmare…