Chapter Text
“My dearest doctor, you are staring”
“I am?”
The Doctor sipped his tea, not in the slightest bit embarrassed by the accusation. He hadn’t noticed himself zone out.
“Am I beginning to bore you?”
“No such thing my dear banker”
The Ragrator chuckled, setting his own teacup down. He uncrossed his legs, as if to get up, but then decided against it and crossed them again, this time with the right leg over the left.
“Your company is always appreciated, though I believe it is time for both of us to get back to work”
“You keep pestering me about having tea with you and when I finally decide to do so you kick me out after a few minutes? Aren’t you supposed to be one of the more hospitable Harbingers?”
“Few minutes? You’ve been here for two hours. Even I would have enough of my ranting after that long. Surely the Second Harbinger has work to get back to”
“This is where assistants come in handy. I know that concept is lost on you”
Pantalone couldn’t help but laugh at that. He watched the smug smile spread on Dottore’s face. After his laughter died down, they shared a few moments in comfortable silence. Pantalone was looking at Dottore and while he couldn’t be certain he is pretty sure the Doctor’s eyes are on him. He also is sure Dottore notices when his face turns solemn.
“I can’t believe Rosalyne is gone. Despite our many disagreements she is.. was a formidable woman”
Pantalone let himself reminisce on the interactions he had shared with her. How could someone so powerful pass away, without even leaving a body to bury.
“So many things are changing… will you change too?”
The Doctor hummed as he pondered.
“Yes, that is my goal after all. To break the confines that being born human has put me in. To change until my humanity can no longer get in the way of my experiments”
Dottore took a moment to observe Pantalone’s face.
“But to you? No. I won’t change. I’ll still remain the same man you’ve spent the better half of your life arguing with”
“Perfect. I was beginning to worry”
Pantalone leans forward, putting both their cups onto the tea tray and carrying it back where it belonged on the shelves.
“I do have Assistants by the way. I don’t like to washing my own dishes”
“Of course not. I have never met someone as suited for wealth as you, even with your background”
“You benefit from that wealth as much as I do, maybe even more so. If not for me you’d have to experiment with the scraps and trash littering the streets”
“How do you think I made it this far? We all started somewhere”
Pantalone is about to retort but he is interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Lord Harbinger, Lord Harbinger the Rooster is here for you” announces Pantalone’s guard, Sasha, from behind the door.
Dottore smiles as Pantalone rolls his eyes with an audible groan. It was almost comedic how different Pantalone was in private to how he was in public. To the Fatui and the world he is always composed and calm. Not a single crack in the mask he donned when in company of others. Even at the biggest of inconveniences, you wouldn’t see it get to him. But after a long day and in the, for whatever reason, comforting presence of his friend, such a façade faded away. In truth, the Regrator is quite the impatient and easily annoyed man.
“I suppose it’s my time to go now”
“Quite noble of you leaving me alone with Pulcinella”
“Such sarcastic remarks are unbecoming of a Harbinger”
“Get out”
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Pantalone felt his back pop as he stretches. He should probably replace his extravagant chair for something with more back support but despite having the wealth to replace everything he owns tenfold he is rather sentimental of his stuff. The thought of his custom made chair collecting dust in an attic is enough to discourage the idea to replace it.
Getting up, he walked towards the balconies doors, cigarette and lighter already in hand. He lights up before he even reaches the railing.
Oh how beautiful the moon looks tonight.
It bothered him at first how long the night lasted in this everlasting winter he found himself now living in. Nothing like the warm and sunny place he grew up in.
Then again, even in this frozen land, he preferred this life far more than the one he’d left behind. He could find ways to supplement the lack of sun exposure he gets. In Liyue though, there was no supplement he could afford to quell the ache of his empty belly.
He lets the cigarette drop from the balcony and made his way back inside. He finished all the work he planned to do that day. Unfortunately all he has time for before needing to get some well deserved sleep is to eat and shower.
He bid Sasha goodnight and made his way to his private quarters.
Each step he took echoed in the empty hallway of the palace. Every now and then he passed a wandering Fatui agent, though at this hour only the night guards remained awake.
Unlocking the door to his private quarters he stepped in, greeted with… warmth?
Usually no one was allowed here, only his cleaning staff that was only allowed to do their jobs with his supervision.
He himself wasn’t in here since the morning and he didn’t know of anyone who had a key.
So how was the fireplace lit?
He slowly steps deeper into the room. His hand, which is obscured by his thick Harbinger coat is already on his gun. He felt the Delusion strapped to his chest spark to life. Pulses of Electro follow him with every step.
His eyes scan for any hint of movement. The room is dark, save for the light emitting from the fire and now from him too.
A small creak sounds behind him. Pantalone whirled, gun in hand and arm stretched out only to meet an empty spot.
He waits for another sound, but he hears nothing anymore.
Putting his gun in his holster and taking his coat off he turns on more of the lights.
He looks under and behind the couches in the living room, checks all the cabinets large enough to fit a person in the kitchen, checks behind the curtains that cover the grand windows. Once that is done he makes his way to his bedroom. He searches behind the hanging clothes in his walk in closet and looks under the bed. He finishes his investigation in the bathroom, but pulling back the shower curtain reveals no one. He is sure whoever was here before is no longer in the apartment.
After letting the hot water wash away his stress and aches he steps out of the shower and busies himself with his nightly routine. Unlike his colleagues he remains painfully human. He, and everyone else, was reminded of this fact with each new grey hair and wrinkle he gains. The stress of his daily life does little to help his aging. Thankfully, the creams and lotions Dottore has created specifically for him seem to be doing their job.
Dottore..
Dottore had offered to enhance him like he had enhanced himself, but the thought of replacing parts of himself made his stomach turn.
It’s pathetic really. Despite everything he wishes to accomplish, to bring down the order of the gods, the thought of losing who he is worries him. He often asks himself if this is what made him so interested in Dottore in the first place. With Dottore he doesn’t need to undertake a change.
Is this really what his closest relationship built on? Is Pantalone even capable of not using someone for his own gain?
Oh who is he kidding. Dottore doesn’t think twice about using his mora. Why dwell on a functional partnership.
The face that stares back at him in the mirror is hollow. This is nothing new. People that have never felt warmth don’t wear it on their face.
The night is spent like any other, with Pantalone twisting and turning under the covers.