Chapter Text
After a while, Lumine was able to finally get out of the dress. Childe, who seemed to be in a generally good mood, called the staff for her so that they could help her out of the mountain of pins and swatches of fabric they stuffed all over the dress. She would have done it herself, but he was already up and standing when she even so much as mentioned getting dressed back into her normal clothes. As for Paimon, the little travel guide was napping so soundly on the coffee table that Lumine only woke her up to leave. Even when she did, Paimon just yawned sleepily and went back into her small pocket dimension, that up until now, Lumine doesn’t really get.
It leaves her all alone with Childe as they walk through the halls. With her measurements taken, and the dress fitting settled, they were now standing in the boutique’s lobby, waiting for their coats to be returned before they went back out.
The wait was taking longer than expected, so crossing her arms across her chest and leaning towards the harbinger, she opens up a conversation, peeking up at him through the fringe of her hair. “So what else are we going to do today?”
He looks at her from her periphery and goes back to drumming his fingers along the reception’s counter. “Any reason for asking? Do you have a place you want to go?”
“No, not really. Just curious,” She hums noncommittal.
From how he framed things last night, it seemed like he had a lot more in store for her aside from the dress fitting. And knowing him? The man had a flair for theatrics, she knew he had something else up his sleeve, even if he was trying to be all secretive.
“Well, since your wardrobe is settled, I was thinking I could show you around the city.”
“So…sightseeing?” Lumine questions.
“Sort of,” He hums, carefully thinking of the best way to describe what was on his mind. “More on showing you around local shops and restaurants.”
That… actually sounded quite enjoyable. The traveler was always thrust into problem upon problem everytime she entered a new nation. She never got to properly see the sights and what each place had to offer until after everything was over and settled with, which, from her experience, normally took weeks up to months .
Although she was a little suspicious, she still tried to hide the excitement in her voice. Lumine reverts her gaze back to the reception area’s magnificent chandelier as a way to distract herself and—really, this place and their chandeliers. “Sure, that sounds pretty fun.”
“We can also treat it as date number one. Under the contract of course. Get the word out so Pantalone doesn’t bother you.” He adds.
Lumine’s excitement and pleasant mood was suddenly quashed and swept away at the mention of the contract. “Ah. So that was your original plan”
Everything made sense now—he was treating this as a part of the contract and her little vacation was yet again thrown into another agenda that wasn’t out of her own personal enjoyment. It was expected, but it didn’t really make it suck any less. And she was looking forward to just looking around the city too.
“So the mighty traveler has figured me out.” The harbinger just smiled cheekily, not even sparing a glance to her direction. His fingers were still drumming along the counter and each tap tap tap made the vein in her forehead tick.
She pouts. “It wouldn’t take a genius. Stick to fighting, you’re not good with schemes.”
Soon after, the attendant comes back with their coats, but before Lumine can grab hers, Childe’s hand darts to the fabric.
“Just what are you doing with my coat.”
The question turns more into a statement from her tone.
He ignores it and makes a flourish of movement, fluffing out her coat slightly and holding it up with the front facing her. “Helping you put it on?”
“But what for? I am perfectly capable of putting on my own coat.” What the hell was he on? She had functioning arms that can wear a coat just fine, thank you very much. He’s scheming again, that much she knows, but she’d rather have her coat back, even when she notices the near imperceptible narrowing of his eyes.
“Well as your boyfriend , I want to treat you like a princess, the way my girlfriend deserves to be treated.” To others, he would have looked like a sweet and thoughtful man, but to Lumine, she could see through the thinly veiled threat. Just play along, or you won’t like what happens next. Despite the disgust, his threat was completely unnecessary—she knew the part she had to play, even if she didn’t want to do it.
Ugh, the pointed words were a terrible yet important reminder that they had to put up a complete farce in public. They were boyfriend and girlfriend by mutual consent and agreement. It’s not something she can blame solely on him, because if she was being honest, all of this was her idea, even if he was the one who jumped on it.
Boyfriend and girlfriend, he says. This absolutely sucks .
“Oh, you don’t have to,” She begins, changing her tone to sound sweeter. Her skin prickled beneath her sleeves, but he’s quick to shoot her response down, wiggling the coat in her direction.
“No, I insist.” Childe knows this is not something she can turn down with a room full of eyes watching their every move.
She might have won a battle but it seems like he’s not going to let her win the war without a fight. Lumine’s hands are tied with this one, but archons, she’s going to punch him and his stupid mug when they’re back at the hotel suite.
A fake smile blooms on Lumine’s face. She’s playing along with the sweet innocent girlfriend act they’ve agreed on but right now, she’d rather plan a murder for his body. “You’re so so sweet, thank you.”
Pleased, he holds the coat steady for her as she slides her arms through the sleeves and lets go once it covers her body. When she’s tied the sash around her waist in place, he’s quick to hold her gloved hand, tugging her out to the crisp winter air of the city and leaving gossipping staff with wide eyes and opened mouths.
“Now that wasn’t so hard was it?”
Lumine simply blinks up at him, clearly not impressed. “Was that really necessary?”
“You know it was.” He just shrugs, and each movement he makes was another step added into her murder plan. “We gotta make it look convincing girlie. The expression on your face wasnt much help, but I guess it did its job.”
It took everything in her to keep her sword in place. “I’ll make it my job to mutilate your face.”
It was even more frustrating, a little insulting, when he just laughed right in her face, the area around his eyes crinkling into a show of mirth and amusement as he squeezed the hand he was still holding. Lumine wasn’t sure whether he thought she couldn’t go through with her threat or if he found the idea of his face unidentifiable beyond recognition an exciting concept. Everything felt simply too warm, and it made her eyes take a quick dart to her glove and—
Huh. She forgot her hand was still there in his grip.
He was still talking though and her attention was drawn away from the odd warmth flowing through her hand. “Will food wipe the grimace off your pretty face, Zolotse ?”
At her raied eyebrow, he adds “My treat of course.”
Now, Lumine wasn’t a glutton because Paimon ate everything before she can be considered one. But Childe always made it a point to treat them to the good restaurants. It’s like he had an innate ability to sense good food and it made her wonder how his cooking would taste, if he even knew how to in the first place. “…You better make it worth my while.”
The only answer she got was a wider smile and a tug to her hand—the one both of them seemed to have forgotten to untangle—as he led her through a series of twists and turns, taking the two of them deeper into the city.
❄・・・・・・❄・・・・・・❄・・・・・・❄
She had to admit, Childe did it again.
The restaurant he brought her to wasn’t far from the boutique. It took them around five minutes of weaving around streets and back alleys before they arrived to a street filled with people and bustling shops, where he led her to a bright and stylish restaurant. The interior itself was tasteful and oozed elegance—it looked like a place that you’d need to make a reservation in for months in advance, not walk in whenever the mood strikes which seemed exactly what Childe just did.
Regardless, the staff was quick to recognize exactly who he was, immediately making preparations to seat him in one of their private rooms for high-profile guests.
The manager—Lumine guesses— immediately walks by as the others were prepping the room, and bows respectfully. “Will it just be you, Lord Tartaglia?”
Childe’s eyes dart a quick glance to Lumine and a grin blooms on his face. She can see the obnoxious little smirk mixed in there as he replies to the man, “No, I have my girlfriend with me. Prepare the table for two, if you’d be so kind.”
It was a little comical to watch how the man immediately springs up with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. His gaze seems to dart between her and the harbinger in lightning speed and it took everything in Lumine to hide her grin and stop her shoulders from shaking as the manager visibly tries to hide the surprise etched on his face.
“O-of course, My Lord. Apologies I didn’t immediately notice. I’ll inform the staff.”
When the manager was gone, it was clear both of them were holding back a laugh because a small chuckle escaped once the man was out of hearing range.
Did you see his face? The question was clear in both their eyes for the other to see.
While a little odd, It was also equally funny when the manager ushered them to their table because now, the staff seemed to be aware of their relationship status if their thinly veiled whispers and wide eyes were anything to go by.
Regardless, they were able to have all the privacy they needed once they were sat at their table in one of the restaurant’s rooms and once the waiter took their order, or rather Childe’s order for the both of them.
He did ask her if she wanted anything, but she trusted his judgment. And she had no clue what was good anyway so she’ll leave that task for him. This was supposed to be a date anyway.
And it was a well made decision.
From the number of plates being brought into their room, it looked like he ordered the entire restaurant for them to eat. Pushing the ridiculous amount of food aside, all of them tasted amazing. The restaurant served a range of authentic Snezhnayan dishes and desserts that made Lumine want to cry. She made sure to stuff herself full of those small pastry dumplings and the baked puff pastry filled with crab, cheese, and potatoes Childe called Pelmeni and Pirozhki respectively.
It was a good thing he told her what they were. It saved her the hassle of asking him for anything.
In the end, she didn’t really have to worry about the over influx of food because Paimon seemed to have sensed it from wherever she was and ate her fill, which was always a mysterious sight from the way she ate more than what her body weight should be able to handle.
The food leaves everyone in a good mood and a food-induced coma. Paimon was yet again sleeping soundly, but Childe and Lumine seemed to be more relaxed than they were after leaving the boutique.
“Seems I was successful in getting rid of your little grimace.”
Lumine’s face makes another grimace. The peace of a scrumptious post-meal was interrupted by his yammering. She hates the smug little look on his face despite both of them stuffing their face with food. He was right though and while she hated that, she couldn’t really care with a stomach full of good cuisine. “Eh. You cheated with food.”
He laughs. “I don’t hear any complaints.”
“Well the food speaks for itself. How’d you find this place anyway? Everything was pretty good.” She grumbles.
A small hum escapes him and the words that come out of his mouth were something Lumine didn’t expect. “My younger siblings love it here. I brought them here to eat here a few years back at the recommendation of one of the other harbingers, Pulcinella. They used to come by the capital from time to time before I was deployed for missions outside of Snezhnaya, and it was practically tradition to eat here when they came by.”
Back in the ruin guard factory with Teucer, he’s told her that he wouldn’t stab her in the back and that he knows she wouldn’t either.
But they’ve long established that the two of them were from opposing sides. He was Fatui, a harbinger no less, and she was the traveler who always seemed to be in the right time and place to foil their plans. She knows he would fight fair and square, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t betray her right in her face.
Yet, to her, there was a certain sense of comfort about hearing him speak of his family. Like a warm blanket on a cold winter morning.
Maybe it was because Childe trusting her with information about his relatives felt oddly good, or maybe it was because she’s been feeling homesick herself, missing her brother who’s been gone for far too long, but the mood prompts her to ask a question she never expected she would ask him.
“Your siblings. Can I hear more about them?”
Whether he could hear the longing or melancholy in her voice, he doesn’t show it. They both refused to acknowledge how utterly lonely she was and how much she missed her brother for her to ask such a thing—Childe simply moves past it, sitting up to attention like a man all too happy to answer her questions like the proudest brother in the world he was.
Lumine couldn’t help but think that her brother might have trumped him. It would have been embarrassing for her, but she would have given anything to find her brother again even if that meant a lot of exaggerated stories and twisted truths.
Time passes and the traveler feels like she knows each member of his family without meeting them. He shared what each of them liked, their birthdays, the unique quirks of each person, and a few events that stood out to him. Childe was descriptive, filling in the details generously.
He even asked her questions of his own. How long has she been traveling? Did she have any interesting adventures to share? How much stronger did she get in the time they were apart?
It was a give and take, and while he was interested in knowing more about her elusive brother, he knew it was a line that cannot be crossed. Pushing it would only make her shut him out because its sensitive topic that didn’t need any poking. She’ll share that herself whenever she ever wants to.
But to hear how much he cherishes his family resonated with her, reminding her of how much she would do for Aether, just like the man before her would do for his family. At this moment, Childe made her feel like a close friend, exchanging stories over dinner and drinks, like they were beyond enemies. It all felt so cozy, hearing about the lives of people who are close to him.
He made a good storyteller, and she told him as such.
“Well, Teucer always loved storytime. When Tonia and Anthon were a little younger, the three of them would badger me to tell them stories of my travels and what I did when I’m away from home for too long. If I didn’t do well, they’d be quite obvious about it, pouting and asking for more details.”
She laughs. She’s not quite sure about Anthonor Tonia, but that sounded just like Teucer. “What harsh judges.”
“Eh, seeing them happy is more than worth it.”
While Lumine stirs the bowl of soup in front of her, a genuine smile creeps into Lumine’s face. Her heart warms and she felt like she was seeing a side of him that contradicted the cold-blooded harbinger he’s made himself out to be. It makes him look more human rather than foe.
The moment seems to be brought out of its bubble when a sharp and decisive knock sounds out in the room.
“Excuse me, Lord Tartaglia? I have a letter addressed to you.”
Just like in the courtyard with Pantalone, she watches as every emotion on Childe’s face was wiped clean into a blank slate.
“Come in,” he orders stiffly, and the warmth that came from the earlier conversation was completely extinguished.
At the harbinger’s words, a man, that Lumine recognizes as the person who led them to their table, passes through the entrance and bows.
“I apologize for interrupting your meal, my Lord, but I believe this is important.” The manager reaches for a letter tucked inside his vest. Aside from the crimson wax seal bearing the fatui symbol on the front, it looked crisp and clean with a few light indents along its surface that looked like a flurry of snowflakes. “A fatuu wanted to deliver this directly to you but I insisted that I hand it instead to minimize any interruptions for you and the Miss.”
For a brief moment, Childe appreciates the man’s keen observation. Odd as it was, the dinner wasn’t so bad. Being able to talk about his family was always a source of comfort.
Still, he had no choice. The harbinger takes the offered envelope with lax but measured movements. He appears nonchalant but Lumine can see the tense muscles on his shoulders. It’s not as if she isn’t nervous herself—this letter could be an order for her head. It was obvious Pantalone knew who she was, who knows what he did about it?
The manager bows to leave with the letter safe in the recipient’s hands.
Lumine’s nerves fray and frazzle as each crinkle from the paper fills the silence of the room. Her curiosity was killing her and she couldn’t stop herself from asking what the letter was about when Childe set it back down on the table.
“My parents invited us over to Morepesok to spend a few days with them.”
A chill runs down the traveler’s spine. They heard about them that quickly? It hasn’t even been a full three days yet and they already knew?
The intent was clear, but she could be wrong. There was always room for error, that much she’s learned all throughout her life traveling. “By invited, you mean…”
“They threatened me to take you there to meet the family,” He answers, and he seems to be in disbelief himself.
Lumine drops down into her seat. She didn’t even notice when she stood up.
“Don’t you think this is too soon?” She hears herself mumble.
Childe slumps into his seat, looking just as worse as she did. Well given his list of reasons going through with this whole charade, she can understand it. “I’m surprised myself. I didn’t think they’d send me a letter by the end of the week at least.”
It was shocking how quickly they heard about them at this point, but there was nothing else they could do. She just had to suck it up and do what she can. This was a deal after all
“Well you better start thinking of ways to make it up to me.”
❄・・・・・・❄・・・・・・❄・・・・・・❄
After the whole letter fiasco, Childe asked for the bill and paid for the entire meal. Lumine was too nauseous of the thought of meeting his family and from imagining how much all of their food cost.
When they got out, he tugged her along the crowd, bringing her around stalls and street wide bazaars selling little knickknacks and odd baubles. They were all beautiful ranging in all sorts of sizes and a trove of vibrant colors. It helped her forget about how wrong things could go when she met his family, but it was a little hard to do when each item seemed to remind him of his siblings. Lumine took note of every item that caught her fancy as she followed him along up until they got back into their respective rooms in the hotel suite.
She guesses that he did fulfill his promise after all, taking her out to eat and bringing her to see what the city had to offer.
He didn’t need to know that when she found herself unable to sleep that night, she might have slipped out to buy a few of those items herself. Lumine didn’t really feel the need to inform him—he’s bound to know about it soon anyway.