After leaving Jean’s office Kaeya and Nat went to find Albedo, but discovered he had to report to Dragonspine immediately for some unknown reason. That’s how they found themselves alone at the door of Angel’s Share knocking on the door before the bar was even open for the day.

“Nimrod, go home. We don’t open for several hours,” Diluc shouted from the other side of the door. Despite the fact that Angel’s Share didn’t open for several hours, Diluc was already there. Diluc was known to go in early on his days as bar keep; it reminded him of better days with his father, Kaeya, Nat, but of course he would never tell anyone that. Especially the two standing at the door right now. Nat knocked again.

“Diluc, it’s us!” She yelled from the other side. She heard something being placed on the bar and footsteps before Diluc unlocked the door.

“Why are you two here so early?” He questioned as Kaeya started to push his way in, clearing a path for Nat, as Diluc sighed in defeat.

“Nat here has had a rather rough morning, or a rough twenty-four hours really.” Kaeya said as he went behind the bar and grabbed his favorite bottle of wine. Diluc was about to say something but Nat put money on the bar to pay for it. Diluc closed and locked the door front door, and returned to his place behind the bar as he pushed Kaeya to the other side of the bar, so he could continue cleaning and setting up.

“What happened?” Diluc asked as he dried some freshly washed pint glasses. Kaeya took two wet wine glasses and poured wine into each of them for him and Nat.

“My Mama is in town,” Nat answered quietly, like it was a big secret. Diluc raised an eyebrow, her mother? The Snezhnayan diplomat? A member of the Fatui? Before he could say anything Nat took a deep breath and spoke, “You two will be the first to hear that my mother thinks I’m lucky and that she also never wanted me.” Nat nervously laughed as she started to sip her drink. Kaeya and Diluc could see tears starting to brim, but Diluc was unsure how to react. Kaeya scooted his stool closer and put his arm around Nat, who leaned into it. “She also said my Papa isn’t my Papa, so that was cool too I guess,” she said, her voice breaking at the end.

“The man who helped raise you isn’t biologically your father?” Diluc questioned. He couldn’t believe all this had happened while he was just across the way at the Winery. Nat sniffled as a tear started to fall.

“Yeah, that’s what she said.” Tearfully, Nat explained her conversation with her mother to Diluc and Kaeya who both did their best to comfort her.

“Tch, who blames everything on their kid. What were you, twelve when this all happened?” Kaeya asked, annoyed.

“I was fifteen, but you were close enough.”

“I knew the Fatui were heartless, but I didn’t realize how heartless,” Diluc started. At this point he had stopped working and was leaning against the bar talking to Nat. He continued as he stood up straight, “Children from Mondstadt have been going missing too. I think they’re at the House of Hearth.” Diluc put his hand on his chin, thinking.

“Well apparently they don’t take just anyone from the House of Hearth for experimentation, so hopefully the kids are okay.” Nat sighed, trying to make a joke but realizing half way through she had missed the mark. In fact, this entire day had missed the mark. That’s when the back door unlocked and Charles made his way in to help Diluc open up, Nat hadn’t realized how long they were gone.

“You three had a party and didn’t invite me? How insulting,” Charles said as he hung up his coat behind the bar.

“Nat’s had an unusually unpleasant day, so we came by for impromptu happiness,” Kaeya said, raising his glass. Diluc just rolled his eyes.

“You okay kid?” Charles asked Nat, who shook her head yes. The group said their goodbyes as Kaeya and Nat exited from the backdoor. Kaeya offered to go ahead to headquarters and report back to Jean and left, but Nat wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to do. As she was about to walk away, a hand grabbed her and she turned around to see Diluc holding her wrist.

“Nat, I just wanted to let you know I won’t let anything happen to you,” Diluc spoke, but Nat looked at him confused. “I know your mom said Dottore is in town, and I need you to know we won’t let him within a ten foot radius of you. He won’t even know you’re here.” Nat smiled and thanked Diluc, who quickly escorted himself back into the bar for the start of his shift.

Nat wandered around Mondstadt a bit, too exhausted to talk with people, but not ready to sit in her room alone with her thoughts. Eventually, Nat made her way up to the battlements of Mondstadts wall. It was rare for her to make her way up to the top of the wall, where she could look out into Mondstadt, but it was probably the quietest place for Nat to be where she could still hear the distracting chatter of town without anyone wanting to talk to her.

She sat down in the middle of the outdoor hallway, then laid down, facing the sky. It was still daytime, but she didn’t know what time exactly. How long had she been at Angel’s Share? How long ago had she chatted with her mom? Nat hoped nobody was looking for her, and that she wouldn’t be found by a knight doing their rounds. She needed to think this all through.

She stayed there listening to the chatter below her while her thoughts raced. She tried to focus on her own internal monologue. If she was understanding her mom correctly, Nat’s true father was a high ranking Fatui officer and her mom had been specifically chosen to have a child with this man. Nat was supposed to be the perfect human, which she felt was far from true. A perfect person who went against all of her mother’s wishes, who joined the Knights, who trips over everything.

Nat felt far from perfect as the sun beat down on her. She thought of her scars, her missing organs, her bad wrist, and her temper. She thought about how she constantly felt like damaged goods, felt at fault for the death of her friend, and felt like she was a constant danger to those she loved. In fact, she was feeling more of a failure as ever, since she quite literally had failed her birthright. Her head was spinning as she sat up and slowly rose to her feet, looking off over the gate into the city.

Mondstadt was bustling and the sun was beginning to set. With the Brightcrown Ball right around the corner, Mondstadt was full of visitors and regulars alike. She saw people bustling into Cats Tail and toward Angel’s Share, heard laughs being had over dinners at Good Hunter, and saw Flora making flower sales at her booth while Donna monitored. All the while the slight clinking of metal could be heard right underneath her as Wagner and Schultz continued to make new weapons and materials to sell to visitors. It was time to head home.

Nat descended her way down and walked through the city, back to headquarters. When she arrived, there was an argument brewing between Athos and an unknown man, whose back was toward Nat. Nat could tell that Athos was unsure of how to settle the argument and she quietly approached, trying to listen in. The man was saying something about looking for a woman, he seemed upset but wasn’t being aggressive and Nat realized Athos facial expressions were full of apathy.

“Excuse me,” Nat interjected, “is everything okay Athos?” Athos sighed in relief at the sight of Nat and the gentleman swung around. The man had wrinkles around his eyes and glasses that were resting on the tip of his nose. Her dark hair and dark red streak were familiar to Nat, as she had always wished she had inherited his hair. “Papa?” Nat asked quietly and the man’s face softened, realizing this was his little girl all grown up. He walked over to Nat, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Natalya, is this really you?” He questioned as he looked her over. “What happened to your nose?” He questioned as he pulled her in for a hug. Nat crumbled under his touch, crying into his chest as he sushed her. “It’s okay sweetie, you’re okay.” He mumbled under his breath. It’s what he would always say when Nat was upset. Her father, who wasn’t her dad, had always enabled her mother and the Fatui. He never interfered, never asked questions or made suggestions, but he always tried to be warm and kind. He cared about her, even if there was nothing he could do to help her.

Once Nat calmed down, she wiped her tears away and apologized to Athos for the scene. Nat took her father to a quieter place away from any entrances to headquarters. They sat down on a bench, but Nat didn’t know what to say. Eventually, her dad broke the silence.

“So you know the whole truth now, huh?” He asked, a nervous laugh lingering in his tone. Nat nodded her head in understanding, “Makes sense why you couldn’t inherit my hair now, right?” He questioned with a smile. This made Nat giggle, but her father continued. “I’m sorry I never told you, but I wanted you to think your father was a nice person, not just a donor looking for a certain outcome.”

“Is that why Mama was always so harsh with me? I guess I made her fail the mission, I’m definitely not the perfect human, especially in the eyes of the Fatui.” Her dad looked at her, pain in his heart, but Nat looked down, afraid eye contact would keep her from speaking the truth.

“Your mother loves you Nat, she just has lots of anger that she took out on you.”

“She blamed me for all of her problems, she still does.” Nat said, holding back tears, shifting her body away from her father so he wouldn’t see the emotions on her face. “How can you blame everything on your kid?” She scoffed.

“She doesn’t blame you Nat, in fact, I think she envies you.” He responded. This made Nat look at her father in disbelief. He continued, “I think your mother wishes she had had your courage to leave. You saw yourself in a situation that wasn’t suiting you and you found a way out, something your mother could never do. In fact, I think this mission was a success. How could you not be perfect Natalya? You saved yourself, found a new life, you got a vision for archon’s sake!” He exclaimed, pointing to the vision fastened to her collar. “How could your mom not be envious of you? You have everything she ever wanted but couldn’t have. Freedom.” He took her hands in his.

“You mean, Mama doesn’t want to be in the Fatui?” Nat asked.

“Your mother and I once dreamed of leaving Snezhnaya and going to Fontaine. But we didn’t have the money, so we joined the Fatui. Our goal was to make enough money to leave and move, start a family, but we quickly learned one can’t just leave the Fatui. There are consequences. So we stuck it out, but when they approached your mother with the promise of a promotion if she aided them in their newest experiment, she couldn’t turn them down.”

“They experimented on Mama?” Nat asked, confused. Her father looked at her, unsure of how to answer.

“Well, as your mother told you, your creation was an experiment to make the perfect person. The mixing of DNA, constant monitoring was required to make sure you would be born perfect, and the promise that the Doctor could continue to monitor you as you age.”

“Did they ever tell you what they were doing when I was with Dottore?” Nat asked. She had always wondered.

“I was not told, I think your mother knew I couldn’t handle it. So she opted to not know as well, but I can only imagine Natayla, and I’m sorry I never did anything. I have been a coward when it comes to the Fatui.” He let a tear fall himself this time.

“It’s not your fault Papa,” Nat started, wiping away his tear with her thumb, but he cut her off.

“Yes it is, a father should always protect his daughter, and I didn’t. I will always see you as my daughter and I will continue to protect you from here on out. From whomever, I promise.” Nat smiled softly as she heard footsteps rounding the corner. She looked up to see Albedo peak around the corner of the building and she smiled more, standing up to walk over to him. Her father looked up to see where Nat was going, seeing the blonde in the corner.

“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting, I can come back, Athos had said he saw you go this way.” Albedo started but Nat took his hand, taking him off guard, as she started to pull him over toward her father.

“Albedo I would like to introduce you to my Papa.” Nat said when they approached her father, who stood up and reached out to take Albedo’s hand.

“Very nice to meet you young man, I’m Sergey” He shook Albedo’s hand.

“Papa Albedo is my boyfriend,” Nat smiled as she took Albedo’s other hand in hers. Her father’s mouth slightly dropped, he couldn’t believe his little girl was old enough to date, but sometimes he forgot how much time had passed since she had left.

“Archons, so much has changed in the last few years. You’re taller, have a vision, scars, a boyfriend. Natalya, my little zaychik, so much has changed.” He looked down in disbelief before continuing “I’m going to let you two go, Natalya, please meet with your mother and I before we leave. We’ll be leaving the morning after the ball, meet us at the Goth Hotel to chat, okay?” Nat shook her head and she said goodbye to her father.

“Wonderful meeting you sir,” Albedo said to Sergey, though he was lying. It was taking everything in Albedo’s will to not draw his sword for all the pain he had caused Nat, but for her sake he didn’t.

“Take care of her, in all the ways I couldn’t,” Sergey said under his breath so only Albedo could hear as he walked by. Albedo dropped his head, balling his fist at his side, accidentally tightening the grip he had on Nat’s hand as well.

“Are you okay?” Nat asked Albedo in reaction to the tight grip. He eased up and laughed, looking at Nat’s face, still teary eyed from whatever her and her father had been talking about.

“Silly, I’m fine. I should be asking you that,” he responded, and with his free hand he wiped away a tear from Nat’s cheek. “How was your day?” He questioned.

“It was a lot, but can I explain back in your room?” Albedo shook his head and they walked to headquarters, hand in hand. Once back to Albedo’s room, Nat stole his sweater and kicked off her shoes while Albedo made them both a cup of tea. Nat explained everything, from the meeting with her mom, to the drinks at Angel’s Share, and her conversation with her dad. Albedo said nothing at first, as he sat across from Nat stirring his tea. Eventually, he broke the silence.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there today, but you handled everything with grace as expected. How are you feeling?”

“Hurt.” Albedo’s eyes darted to look at Nat when she said that. Nat was staring at her tea, holding it in both hands as she sat criss cross on the chair. Her eyes were dark in thought, recapping the day’s emotions had made her remember how truly drained she was.

“It’s okay to feel hurt, Nat, but know that you aren’t a mistake, or just a creation, you are a wonderful person, perfect to me and so many others who love you.”

“Thank you Bedo, you’ve always been so sweet to me.” She sniffled, trying to hold back crying again. She felt like she had no tears left to give. Albedo got up and knelt down next to her, bringing her in for a hug. They sat like that for a long time, until Nat whispered, “I’m sleepy.” Albedo chuckled and carried her to bed. He would always take care of her.