"Lulu, do you know when 'Father's' birthday is?"
After spending a considerable time at the House of the Hearth, Lynette suddenly asked Luna one day.
Birthday?
Luna immediately replied, "August 22nd!"
Arlecchino never volunteered personal information, not even her birthday. If they hadn't mustered the courage to ask, the day would likely have passed unnoticed.
But Luna had asked—and felt no fear.
"That's just around the corner!" Lyney exclaimed in surprise.
Freminet nodded. "Should we get her a gift?"
"What about a birthday cake?"
"No, no, no! First, we need to decorate the house properly!"
The children buzzed with excited chatter.
Lynette, however, noticed Luna's calm demeanor, as if she had already planned everything. A later inquiry revealed that Luna had been eagerly awaiting this day for a long time.
The gift had been prepared long ago.
Her only fear was that Arlecchino might not return home on her birthday.
After all, she couldn't simply run off to Snezhnaya to find Arlecchino, could she?
Though she would do it if necessary, Luna couldn't honestly say she liked the Fatui itself.
Her true affection lay solely with Arlecchino and the House of the Hearth, the orphanage where Lynette resided. Even affection by association has its limits.
Fortunately, Arlecchino returned to the House of the Hearth on her birthday.
"Father, happy birthday! This is your gift..."
"Mine too!"
"I... I hope you like it..."
Arlecchino rarely smiled, and even when she did, it was merely a polite, emotionless smile.
Polite, elegant, imposing without anger, reserved, and exacting—these were the core impressions the children held of her.
But on that day, Arlecchino's tone seemed slightly softer.
Perhaps it was just her imagination.
"I accept your heartfelt gifts."
She tasted a small piece of cake, let the children share the rest, and carried the gifts into her office.
Luna had always been fearless, but as she quietly followed Arlecchino to the door, she suddenly felt nervous and anxious.
Will she be happy with my gift?
If Arlecchino smiles, will it be a polite smile or a genuine one?
Luna couldn't help but touch her sweaty palm.
"Come in, Luna," Arlecchino's voice suddenly echoed from inside the room, cutting through her hesitation.
I've been discovered! Luna steeled herself, her cheeks flushing slightly, and opened the door.
"Am I disturbing you?"
"Not at all."
Arlecchino was using a small knife to untie the ribbons on the gift boxes, opening them one by one to reveal the gifts the children had prepared for her.
Cosmetics, snacks, a knife... a motley assortment of everything imaginable.
Since they didn't know what Arlecchino truly liked, the children had simply relied on their own impressions when choosing the gifts.
She would take a small bite of the snacks, check the brand of the cosmetics, and gently run her fingertips over the knife's blade to feel its texture...
As their "Father," she naturally had to respond to their heartfelt gestures. She couldn't simply set their gifts aside.
Luna stared intently at the presents, relieved to see none of them were the same as the one she had brought. Good. If there had been a duplicate, I would have had to find another gift.
What gift?
Myself!
That definitely won't work.
Perhaps she could play a piece on the harpsichord. She had been learning rapidly lately and had already mastered several challenging compositions.
"What is it?" Arlecchino asked.
"Ah... this is..." Luna, her face flushed crimson, carefully extended a gift box.
Arlecchino wasn't surprised. "A gift?"
"Mm-hmm."
"I see."
She accepted the box and, under Luna's anxious gaze, gently opened it to reveal a smaller box inside.
As she lifted the lid, a clockwork mechanism sprang to life, filling the air with a delicate, crystalline melody.
A card was pasted to the inner lid, inscribed with the words: "For Father—Arlecchino."
Signed: Luna.
"A music box..." Arlecchino murmured.
"Yes."
"Why did you choose this?"
Luna's expression changed, misinterpreting the question. "No... you don't like it?"
"No, I'm just curious why you picked this gift. You don't have to explain if you don't want to. I'm very pleased with it."
Arlecchino placed the music box on the table, letting the melody continue to play.
Luna sighed in relief, her heart nearly stopping from the scare.
The reason she chose it was simple.
"I'm not good with fashion or anything like that, and I don't really care about it... You probably don't need weapons either. As for accessories, I wouldn't even know where to start."
"But I wanted to give you a gift that would make you remember me."
In the end, she settled on a music box and a card.
Arlecchino paused for a second. "I see," she murmured.
She wants to imprint herself onto this melody, to be forever etched in my memory.
Compared to the other children's gifts, Luna's small box felt unexpectedly heavy.
"But these mechanisms will rust eventually," Arlecchino murmured. "The melody you want me to remember will inevitably warp."
Luna knew this, of course.
No matter how carefully the music box was maintained, it would inevitably wear down. The sound would distort, twist, even become grating.
"But even that distortion is a kind of proof. If it breaks completely, wouldn't that just mean it's been with 'Father' for a very long time?"
"And while the mechanisms will change, I... I won't."
"So that's what you think," Arlecchino murmured softly in response. She placed her hand on Luna's head.
"But you've grown a little taller again."
"Can I grow as tall as you?" Luna asked.
Or even taller than Arlecchino? Half a head shorter would be fine too, as long as I'm not too short.
"Perhaps," Arlecchino replied.
"But I understand that no matter how your body changes, you'll always remain yourself."
Luna narrowed her eyes slightly, savoring the sensation of Arlecchino's hand on her head. She instinctively searched Arlecchino's face for any trace of genuine emotion, and caught a faint, tender smile flickering at the corner of her lips. Though barely perceptible, it made Luna's heart race.
"Father..."
"Speak."
Can I sleep with you tonight? Luna desperately wanted to ask. But if she were rejected, she knew she would curl up under the covers and mope for three days and three nights. So, she changed the subject:
"I have another gift for you. Could you come with me for a moment?"
"Alright, lead the way."
Luna tugged on Arlecchino's sleeve, discreetly guiding her past the other children to a room within the House.
The door swung open to reveal a familiar harpsichord. Arlecchino realized what Luna's "gift" was.
"I've mastered several challenging pieces," Luna declared confidently. "Let me perform my accomplishments for you."
Arlecchino smiled faintly. "Then I shall look forward to it."
"Mhm! Ah, of course, my performance on stage will be even better! And—" Luna blushed, "May I sit on your lap?"
Music held no special significance for Luna—it wasn't a dream or anything extraordinary.
It had started as a mere interest, but she persisted with it, driven by her desire to fulfill her promise to Arlecchino on stage someday.
Her fingertips pressed the keys, and a fluid melody flowed from the harpsichord.
Occasionally, when she accidentally played a wrong note, Luna would steal a glance at Arlecchino.
Seeing no reaction, she seemed to reassure herself, Looks like she didn't notice, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Unbeknownst to Luna, Arlecchino was keenly aware of every wrong note, knowing exactly how each one should have sounded. Yet she remained silent.
There was no need to speak.
Why find fault with a gift from a child?
Being a faithful listener was enough, and exactly what Luna wanted.
"Phew... I'm a little tired. Can I rest for a bit?" Luna asked, her acting stiff.
"Of course," Arlecchino replied.
"Mm-hmm!" Luna's response was unusually energetic.
Then, remembering her act, she feigned exhaustion and mumbled another "Mm-hmm."
When Luna pretended to fall asleep, merely wanting to snuggle against Arlecchino's chest, Arlecchino chose not to expose the ruse—especially since Luna genuinely drifted off within minutes.
"Thank you. I really like your gift," Arlecchino murmured, gently stroking Luna's hair.
Years later.
Arlecchino gazed silently at Luna.
"...Is this truly your decision?"
"Mm-hmm..." Luna replied weakly, her eyes downcast, avoiding Arlecchino's gaze.
"Then so be it. Leaving the House of the Hearth is your will. I won't interfere."
With that, Arlecchino handed the music box to Luna.
A glimmer of life returned to Luna's eyes, tinged with confusion. "This...? Why are you giving it to me?"
Wasn't this the gift she had given to Arlecchino?
"Keep it for now," Arlecchino said, as if reading Luna's thoughts. "And when you feel you're no longer confused or lost, and you wish to return to the House of the Hearth, give it back to me."
Luna carefully took the music box. It had been meant as a gift for Arlecchino, yet now it was back in her hands.
Arlecchino never held back any child who wished to leave.
Luna had steeled herself for Arlecchino's usual nod of acknowledgment, but she never expected this—it was as if Arlecchino was saying, Remember me.
But perhaps this was just wishful thinking on Luna's part.
"...Goodbye," Luna whispered.
"..."
Arlecchino didn't reply, the silence stretching longer than ever before.
After Luna left, Arlecchino returned to the harpsichord room.
She stood before the instrument and idly pressed a few keys, the hollow notes echoing emptily through the room.
What is a true "home"?
Someone once asked her that question.
Even now, she couldn't answer.
Perhaps she never would.
But at this moment, she understood one thing clearly.
"Spiders can't be domesticated, unlike cats and dogs," Arlecchino murmured.
"They won't reciprocate your efforts, and you won't invest excessive emotion in them."
This kind of relationship suited her best.
She took in children not to be repaid.
Though the children were not the spider she had once kept, Arlecchino hoped to maintain the same detachment she had with her pet.
Regrettably, Luna wasn't a "spider."
She was her special child.