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Chapter Text

“Excuse me, Tartaglia...”

The Harbinger stopped walking through the streets of Liyue when he heard Ganyu, the Secretary of the Liyue Qixing, speaking to him. He turned around, curious. The Adeptus had a hand on her chest. She was frowning with concern.

“Have you seen Lumine these last few days?”

He raised an eyebrow. He had returned to Liyue after a month’s absence. Gone were the missions related to the Archons and their Gnosis, his new duty was to restore relations between the Cryo and Geo Nations.  In one of those diplomatic meetings he had met Ganyu. However, it was the first time he had spoken to the half-Adeptus outside the meeting room.

“Lumine?” The ginger repeated.  He knew the secretary was Lumine's friend, but they had never spoken of her.

“Yes," Ganyu nodded, restating her answer. "She's been acting a little strange since we asked her to clear some ruins of Treasure Hoarders. We haven't seen her in weeks.”

Childe folded his arms. “No, I haven’t seen her...”

Hearing that, the Secretary of the Liyue Qixing deflated noticeably, exposing even more her concern.

The Harbinger frowned. Normally, Lumine's absence wouldn’t alert anyone. As her nickname indicated, she was a "Traveler.” If she wasn't in Liyue, she would be in Mondstadt, in a Domain or, perhaps, she could had found her way to Inazuma. Besides, clearing the ruins of Treasure Hoarders sounded like a normal commission.

“What was the mission about, specifically?” He asked, wary of Ganyu’s suspicious eyes. He didn't blame her, despite the fact that the Fatui were trying to make amends for the inconvenience caused, the resentment and suspicion of Liyue remained.  Childe smiled cordially, trying to be diplomatic. “You said it's been a few weeks. I’m sure it's safe to share the details now... Besides, they may be related to what's going on with the Traveler.”

After some hesitation, the Adeptus spoke.  “I guess it wouldn’t be a bad idea to share this information..." She muttered more to herself than to Tartaglia, "Actually, the Treasure Hoarders came across ruins guarded by the Abyss Order. “ She brought a hand to her chin; she was trying to remember everything related to that request. “Originally, Lumine was only going to find out what the Hoarders were planning... But she ended up bringing no information. She only told us that she had cleared the ruins and informed us of the ‘Grand Thief's’ demise.”

As Ganyu spoke, the Harbinger's interest grew. It was the first time he heard of the Treasure Hoarders accidentally or intentionally encountering the Abyss Order.  However, it still sounded like a "normal" mission of his comrade.  Lumine had fought the Abyss legion before and it wouldn't be the first time she had seen a corpse.

“Well... Wow. That sounds like an interesting mission... I wish I could have gone with her” He joked, “So... After that, she began acting weird?”

Ganyu nodded again, clasped her hands together and looked at the street, “I don't know if you noticed... But the posters...”

She didn’t finish the sentence. As soon as he heard the last word, Tartaglia scanned the surroundings He ignored the disapproving glances of some citizens and focused on the walls. The posters that Lumine had put up, with the help of the Mililith, were gone. Some were teared up and others were completely gone.

As astonishment and confusion settled inside the Harbinger, the blue-haired girl continued speaking.

“She spent almost a week removing the posters..." Childe approached one of them that was half destroyed, only the part that said "please approach your nearest Mililith sol-" remained. “She even asked the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Militih to stop the searching for her brother. When we asked her why she just answered that it was no longer necessary.”

Several possibilities crossed the ginger's mind: a reunion between the siblings that ended in an argument; the discovery of her twin's demise; or perhaps one of them was being manipulated.

Ganyu continued, "We did some research... She did the same in Mondstadt, and she has also been avoiding her acquaintances that live there..."

The ginger looked at her again, “Did you asked her what was going on?”

"Of course!” Exclaimed the secretary, "But she wouldn't talk... Miss Ningguang said we'd better give her space... That we should let Lumine speak when she feels ready..." She massaged her forehead.  That situation was giving her a headache. “I know I should listen to her, but I thought you might know something... I know you often train together.”

Childe scratched his head, trying to understand what was going on.  He had supported the Traveler's quest from the beginning.  He had never told Lumine, but her twin's wanted poster was also circulating in the streets of Snezhnaya and among the Fatui forces. He was unable to stand by and do nothing, he too would be desperate if one of his siblings went missing.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about all this. We haven’t spent time together this last few weeks.” Ganyu sighed and he tried to cheer her up. “But I promise I’ll report the Liyue Qixing if I hear anything.” To emphasize, he put his hand on his chest. “You have my word.”

Despite his words, Childe had to admit that he was not as concerned as Ganyu.  While he was curious about what had disturbed the Traveler, he guessed it was related to her twin. The Traveler's only motivation was to be reunited with her brother, so it wasn't ridiculous to assume that her behavior was due to some breakthrough in her quest. Perhaps she had learned of his death?  Perhaps they had met again and had a bitter quarrel?  While he considered both scenarios plausible, there was also the possibility of another unknown factor.

He asked his agents to track the Traveler’s movements: from the time she had accepted the commission to her current whereabouts. He was sure he would discover something if he learned of her behavior. That way, he could satiate his curiosity, reassure the half-Adeptus, and perhaps make the blonde smile.

He expected to receive an answer in a week or two, yet on the fourth day Ekatherina handed him a report.

“So soon?” He asked as he opened the paper.

“The Traveler's behavior has stuck out more than usual.”

Childe raised an eyebrow and dismissed her.

As he began to read, he frowned at the irregularities and, as he turned the pages, his eyes widened in surprise. His blood ran cold.

The opening paragraphs narrated how the Traveler’s number of commissions taken had steadily and fatefully declined. At first, Lumine took two days off, and in the second week she worked only three days. Childe jumped between paragraphs until he reached the current week: she had only worked one day Working so little would make it impossible for her to pay for food and accommodation. Had she gotten extra Mora anywhere else? He went back and read the commissions more carefully.

He knew Lumine picked them at random, always accepted the first four choices she was given and didn't check the difficulty or location.  Some were tedious, but she said that sometimes it was okay to take things slowly. Despite that, from the half of the second week onwards she had only accepted missions that involved combat. On the first day of the third week she chose some chill ones, but then returned to the pattern she had previously established.

He continued reading.

Several Fatui soldiers claimed to have seen the Traveler fight everything in her path: from slimes to ruin guards. Childe frowned with confusion — Lumine would fight anyone who got in her way, but she generally avoided pointless fights or fights that slowed her down. Lumine's pattern of behavior didn’t match that of the person narrated in the text. Perhaps the most disturbing account in that section was a paragraph that reported how  blonde started hitting trees and rocks when she couldn’t find anything to murder.

That last word caused an uneasy feeling in the ginger's stomach. Lumine had killed, he knew, he had seen it himself on a couple of occasions. Sometimes warriors could afford to leave their opponents alive, sometimes they didn’t. Fatui soldiers tended to return defeated and wounded after having encountered the Traveler. Only the most reckless or foolish had met their end at the blonde's sharp blade.

Another account tin the paper was of a simple Fatui soldier, someone young at nineteen who didn’t even posses an elemental weapon.

Childe stroked his chin. No, that couldn’t be the Lumine he knew. The brave and proud warrior who defeated him would not have left a Fatui camp in ruins just for the pleasure of it. She wouldn’t have hurt the soldiers, stabbing them unreasonably and leave them on the verge of death... Nor would she have pushed Paimon away when Paimon tried to stop her.

"The fairy intervened," he read, "She cried, making the Traveler stop. They left the place without collecting any reward.”

Such cruelty was unwarranted. Childe ran his hand over his face. What had happened to Lumine? Alhough they weren’t close, it was impossible not to worry. He looked at the folder before him, what should he do? If he thought like a Harbinger, the wisest thing to do was to stop her — she would take the lives of his subordinates before long.  While, he thought someone weak had to get out of her way, the Tsaritsa wouldn’t like to lose soldiers unnecessarily.

He settled back in the chair, he still had some reading to do and what followed was an analysis of the blonde's behavior and her deterioration.

As expected, her fighting style had lost its elegance and confidence; little by little her movements had become controlled by her instinct and emotions. Moreover, if the information gathered was correct, there was the possibility that Lumine was fighting while being injured. The excessive movements to the left, the avoidance of jumping high and the blood on her white dress. She was or had been injured — he was almost certain.

The last page recounted two events that didn’t seem connected, but surely were: the Traveler had vomited after defeating a lone Hilichurl who ambushed her. On another occasion, she had let herself be attacked by Abyss Mages until she ended up on the ground, only defending herself when Paimon stood over her to protect her.

He closed the report. He couldn't sit still after reading all that. He knew the right thing to do was to tell Ganyu what he had discovered, but he felt it would be in vain. What could they do? Talk? Lumine clearly didn't want to talk. He was avoiding them and wasn't taking care Paimon.

He left his office and shouted.

“What were the Traveler's last whereabouts?!”

“Cuijue Slope, sir!”

The place wasn’t far away. He could arrive at the end of the day to look for her. He hoped he could get her to snap out of it and talk to her.  She might die soon if she continued like that. He wouldn’t allow the Traveler to break her promise to Teucer.

The clattering metallic sound of a sword being dragged across stones and dry earth attracted the attention of nearby enemies. The fairy, crestfallen, stayed still so as not to hinder her companion.  As soon as two Stonehide Lawachurl approached, the golden-eyed blonde raised her chipped sword and ran towards them without summoning her elemental power.

The monsters' growl echoed through the terrain as they activated their Infused Stonehide. Lumine's face remained unbothered, watching the creatures with disdain and almost pity.  She leapt at them; she would break through their defences with brute force.  Perhaps, if she used all her strength in that combat, she could sleep without nightmares. Eventually, stepping on the creature's shoulders, Lumine gripped her hilt with both hands. No matter how strong the Infused Stonehide was, their eyes would always be weak.

Childe arrived almost at the end of the battle, encountering the bewildering scene that resembled those described in the report. One Stone-Sealed Lawachurl lay on the ground, disintegrating in a black and red explosion, while another was being tortured by Lumine.  The blonde was kicking it hard, she had used Geo on her boots to cause more damage.

“Get up, get up! We're not done yet! Move, Abyss creature!”

The Harbinger had never imagined getting upset watching a monster being tortured, but he wasn’t someone who could condone such behavior.  His frown softened as he noticed Paimon's expression. The fairy looked surrendered, exhausted on the verge of tears. He took a deep breath. He didn’t know what the Traveler had witnessed. He was not one to judge, he had to remain composed for her and for Paimon.

He faked a smile and approached her at a leisurely pace.

“Hey, girlie!”

He exclaimed with false happiness. Both the fairy and the blonde watched him, one with evident astonishment and the other with lightless eyes that reminded him of his own.  As soon as their eyes met, he stopped doubting about the Traveler's mental state. He had witnessed that same countenance on dozens of soldiers: the countenance of a human being who had lost their way.

The kicking stopped and the badly wounded monster disintegrated.

“I didn't know your hobby was kicking Stonehide Lawachurls... It's an unexpected... Entertainment, to say the least.”

Once the surprise passed, Paimon looked worriedly at Lumine before rushing to speak.

“It’s Mr. Mora Bags! What are you doing in Liyue?!  Paimon and Lumine thought you’d left!”

He shrugged;  the blonde remained still, nonchalant. The ginger did his best not to pay particular attention to the blood and dirt that stained the Traveler's ethereal figure.

“I was assigned here to take care of diplomatic matters.  Oh, and don't worry, I just have to check papers and attend meetings. No evil plans this time.”

He tried to joke, but received no reaction in response.  Instead, the golden-eyed one frowned.

“What are you doing here, Childe?”

Her voice was as cold as a sword, devoid of true curiosity and more like an invitation to a fight.  Paimon looked at the blonde with genuine terror before turning to Childe.  The little girl didn't speak, but it was clear that her starry eyes were begging for mercy.  She didn't want another fight in front of her, she didn't want to see Lumine hurt herself again.

Childe gave her a sympathetic smile that surprised the fairy.  He faced the blonde and started walking towards her.

“Nothing much, Comrade. I just heard you were being a bit more aggressive than usual and I was curious.” He put both hands on his hips, staying far enough for her to touch his neck with her sword without hurting him. Lumine frowned, getting the message: he didn't trust her. “The gentle and kind Traveler doesn't usually act like a ruthless murderer. That role fits me better.”

Hearing that, Lumine shuddered and averted his gaze. A bitter, sour feeling ran through the pit of her stomach and settled in her neck like a strangling hand. She employed more strength in her grip on her hilt, neither releasing nor lifting the weapon.

The blue eyes examined her. Guilt... it was evident that this was the emotion that gripped the Traveler. In a way, he was relieved to confirm that she had not yet lost herself enough to let go of her humanity.

He left behind the lies, the cheerful acting and carefree tone, his fake smile and smug pose. He wanted to know the truth, he wanted to help, he wanted to lend her a hand as she had helped him with his brother.

“Are you alright, Lumine?”

The question pulled the blonde out of her trance. Quickly, she decided to flee, wanting to get as far away from him as possible.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

As soon as she passed him, Childe closed his eyes. He knew it, she wouldn’t tell him the truth. He understood, but he couldn't avoid feeling disappointed. He had shown himself vulnerable in front of her, but Lumine would never let her guard down in front of him That was fine, they had that kind of relationship: a distrustful alliance.  However, he wouldn’t remain on the sidelines. He wouldn’t accept being rejected.

“Well..." He turned around and his smile returned. Lumine had been in that state for weeks; it was outrageous that he was the only one trying to talk sense into her.  “In that case, I suppose we can have a quick spar?”

He couldn't blame her for refusing to open up to him. They weren’t enemies, nor friends, nor strangers. Perhaps, he told himself, what she needed was a friend: someone who wouldn’t treat her with gentleness and comfort at that moment, instead, someone who would give her a hard time without trying to avoid harming her. When he was in a bad mood, a good fight helped him clear his mind and, based on the blonde's behavior, he supposed she was also looking for the adrenaline rush of battle to numb her mind.

Paimon was the first to turn around, looking desperate and surprised.

“Now?! We’re tired!” She fiddled with her hands, gripped by anxiety. Again she seemed to be on the verge of tears — how much stress was that little body carrying ? “At... At least buy us lunch, and get us a room in a luxury hotel to rest!” …. After that...

Lumine scowled at the Harbinger, only to draw a crooked smile.

“I didn't think you were the type to attack a person in bad shape, Tartaglia.”

He shrugged. “Normally not, but I’ve been told you haven't been in good shape for a while now... So...” He studied her, “why should I wait?”

Despite the fairy's complaints, Lumine raised her weapon. The fact that she hadn't put it away at any point, was unsettling. She lifted it and pointed it at Childe.

“Whatever... Let’s make it quick.”

The combat began without further ado. Lumine's attacks were just as described in the report: uncoordinated, slow, full of anger and rancor. It was pitiful to see the shadow, no, the remnants of the brave and powerful warrior the blonde normally was. His heart clenched; he wanted his comrade back. They weren't even having a fight as equals: he was defending to avoid wounding her, she was attacking with rage.

Realizing the unusual fighting style, the Traveler gritted her teeth.  She was being underestimated; she felt humiliated. Despite her attacks, she couldn't get Tartaglia to reach his second stage. He didn't seem willing to using his Dilussion.

She attacked again, this time using Geo to immobilize him on the ground. She planned to stab him in the shoulder; yet, Childe vanished. She stopped running as she saw him transform into water and reappear in front of her, only to throw her to the ground with a bare-fisted blow.

The image of Childe transforming into a water bubble in the Golden House came back to her. She had completely forgotten that he was a master of weapons; he could use all kinds of weapons, even a catalyst.

As her back collided with the ground, she felt the air escape from her lungs. The blow to her head stunned her for a moment, but she recovered as soon as she felt the blade pressing against her neck.

Standing in front of her, using his hydro lance, was Childe. The expression on his face was undecipherable, a mix of pain, pity, and understanding. Lumine hated that look.

“I’ll ask again, Traveler... Are you alright?”

The blonde frowned; she felt the stinging sensation of holding back tears. She didn't want to cry, not in front of him or anyone else. She felt embarrassed, frustrated, angry, disgusted with herself. She just wanted to disappear at that moment, to leave that world as quickly as possible. She wanted to be with Aether. She wanted to be with her brother and leave that place.

Paimon approached her, whispering a soft "Lumine..." that went unheard.

Childe made her lance disappear and crouched down beside her. She seemed to be calmer now. He held out his hand to help her stand up, but Lumine ignored him to do it on her own.

She didn't stand up, instead, she frowned harder, furious with herself.

“Then I'll ask you something else...” She bended her legs, ready to stand, however, Childe's voice froze her, “why did you take the posters down?”

Golden eyes widened wide, an icy chill ran down her back.  Past events swirled in her head, racing her heartbeat and taking her breath away. She was on the verge of an anxiety attack.

“Lumine...” Childe didn't dare touch her, he doubted he had permission to do so “Is he...?” His voice was soft, soothing and fearful, “did you find him and did he...?”

The implication was clear: he was asking if Aether was alive or dead. The blonde's horrified expression slowly began to distort, making a grimace much like a smile that turned into a laugh, scaring both the Harbinger and the fairy. Dead? Perhaps that would have been a better outcome. If Aether was dead she would just have to follow him or learn to live without him. He wouldn't be playing... Or whatever Aether wanted her to do.

She couldn't stop laughing, it was so funny, so ironic that he, who had nearly murdered all of Liyue and she herself, would care about the death of her only family. Aether wasn't dead! He'd done worse: he'd left her behind!  He'd abandoned her to her fate! He saw her and pushed her away! And as if it were the punch line of a badly written comedy... The only one who had tried to stop her path of self-pity was the one who had tried to murder her!

What could be funnier than that!? It was so funny that she was crying!  She had been abandoned by the one she loved most and the one who tried to kill her wanted to comfort her! A tragicomedy, that was her life!

In the midst of her laughter, a groan escaped. She continued to laugh at Paimon's frightened look and Childe's perplexed one. The weeping increased, dropping the forced laughter and giving way to sobs. Yes, it was very funny! Tartaglia must have been delighted to see her in such state! So humiliated and destroyed! She covered her face with her bloody, dirty hands and began clawing at her own face. She wanted to remove those tears, to tear them away.  She didn't need to sink any deeper, no more.

A warmth invaded the back of her knees and her back. She stopped hurting herself and her heart gave a pounding beat. She didn't need to take her hands away from her face to know that Childe was carrying her. She wanted to complain, to break free and run, but she felt so tired, so overwhelmed... She faced death those death, craving for it. What was the point of letting herself be carried by her old enemy?

Neither of them said anything, even Paimon was silent.

They walked for a couple of hours during which silence accompanied them.  At one point, both he and the fairy realized that Lumine had fallen into the unconsciousness of sleep.

“If you want to, you can also rest,” Offered the Fatui in a low voice.

The pixie shook her head. “I want to be with Lumine...”

He nodded. As soon as they reached a teleport point, he led the three to the outskirts of Liyue. The soldiers at the entrance almost obstructed their entry as they noticed the 11th Harbinger carrying the Traveler in an wounded state. However, Paimon gestured for them to be silent.

“Shh! Lumine finally fell asleep. Don’t wake her up!”

Both men exchanged glances, unsure how to proceed. Childe spoke up,

“You may notify the Qixing of the situation, but there is not much to tell. The Traveler overdid herself in a battle and I was fortunate enough to find her.”

Paimon supported Tartaglia's lie with a nod. With some hesitation, both soldiers let them pass.  One of them mentioned that they would report back to the Tianquan.

They crossed the grand entrance of the city at a determined pace, taking the less crowded and less well-lit alleys once the guards stopped watching them.  Confused, Paimon asked why they didn't use the main street.

“I doubt Lumine would be happy if all of Liyue saw her like this.”

After thinking about it, the fairy acknowledged that he was right.  Though she didn't say anything, she remembered the way Lumine had been avoiding anyone who wasn't a potential opponent.

They walked through the streets until they reached the hotel. Unable to hide the Traveler any longer, Childe fixed her with Paimon's help to hide most of her wounds and her tired face. They wanted to protect Lumine's dignity as much as possible, if only a little. Once ready, they exited the alley.  The Fatui guarding the entrance fixed his posture as he recognized his superior. 

“Don’t look.” The ginger ordered with authority.

The footman obeyed, wondering if his eyes were mistaken or if the Harbinger was carrying the famous Traveler.  It was hard to tell due to the darkness.

The journey to the Harbinger's room went smoothly, sheltered by the early morning hours so as not to be seen by more inquisitive eyes.

He moved carefully to remove the key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

Paimon entered the room without asking permission, examining the place with her eyes as Childe closed the door with one foot, before heading towards his bed to deposit the blonde.  He sighed, satisfied after completing his first task. Now Lumine would rest comfortably.  His eyes scanned the numb body, performing a superficial examination. There were too many wounds, but none of them seemed to be infected.

“Uhm... Tartaglia," Paimon called, flying nearby, "don't you think we should take Lumine to Bubu Pharmacy?”

He smiled, trying to calm her down. He knew why she was asking that.

“I would. Yet... Given the state my comrade is in... I fear she might attack Baizhu or someone else when she wakes up.”

“Oh...” She said, staring at the ground, “I guess you are right...”

For a moment, he thought about stroking her head. He felt the fairy needed to be comforted too. However, he doubted she would enjoy his small gesture of kindness. He looked around, trying to find the clock. It was five past one in the morning.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

The pixie's sparkling eyes widened. The nod was immediate.

“The kitchen is closed, but I'll make you something. Keep an eye on Lumine, okay?”

The little girl put both hands on her hips, “Of course, Paimon will! You don't even have to ask her.” She wanted to raise her voice, yet she didn’t.

Childe borrowed the hotel's kitchen. Cooking, he began to meditate on his next course of action. He had to treat Lumine's external wounds. First aid would suffice. However, he should not rule out the idea of asking Qiqi and Baizhu to come to the hotel. Although the Traveler had the strange ability of recovering at an abnormal speed, if she really had any fractures or sprains, she had to be treated properly.  However, he feared the blonde's reaction. It was very likely that she would refuse to see a healer, especially because of the way she had avoided taking care of herself.

He made a Nutritious Meal.  He knew the dish wouldn't be enough for the flying being, but considering Lumine's condition, he preferred to prioritize nutrients over quantity.  Besides, it was one of the dishes that made him feel alive again after an arduous battle.  He hoped food would help the Traveler feel better.

Once he returned to the room, he wasn’t surprised to see the fairy sleeping next to the blonde.  He left the tray with food on the table and headed to the bathroom to grab a towel and the first aid kit.

He sat down next to the blonde and used his Vision to moisten the end of the towel. Being extremely careful not to wake her up, he began wiping her dirty face. Due to the amount of dried dirt stuck on her skin, it seemed she hadn't bathed in a few days. He frowned and examined Paimon. The pixie was in a neater state, but unusual stains lingered on her outfit. The image of Paimon trying to make the Traveler bathe and eat popped in his mind. He felt a pang of sympathy; when all of this was over, he would try to pamper the little fairy.  She deserved it for being so brave and loyal to her friend. He didn't need to ask her how much she had endured, he could see her exhaustion.

In the middle of the night, with the sound of the waves in the distance, he cleaned the exposed wounds. He carefully disinfected and bandaged them. When he finished his work, he realized that it was almost five in the morning. He tried to cover both women with the sheets without waking them up. He sat down next to the Traveler again and yawned — would she wake up soon or in a couple of days? He didn't know much about his comrade, but he was aware that she didn’t have a normal human body. That was his greatest concern: perhaps the Traveler wouldn’t need many days to heal her body, but she would need many days to ease her mind.

Morning came alongside soft knocks on the door. The Harbinger had only managed to get just a couple of hours of sleep. He had been busy worrying about how to proceed. He stood up and headed towards the door. As he walked, he rubbed his sore neck and complained about the pain in his back — he had slept sitting next to the Traveler; he hoped the pain would go away in a few hours.  He looked behind him, Lumine and Paimon were still asleep.

He opened the door a little so that Ekatherina would only be able to see him and not the rest of the room.

“Good morning, Master Childe," greeted the woman, with a cordial smile. “I have brought your breakfast and today’s schedule.”

“Oh, thank you," Childe smiled, feeling guilty — he was about to burden his most loyal assistant. “About that... Cancel all my meetings, or at least postpone them for a week.”

His assistant wasn’t startled by the request — she assumed that the Harbinger intended to train or to fetch gifts for his siblings.

“But, sir, you already...”

“I know, I know," he spoke reluctantly, before looking behind him. Now that he thought about it, Lumine needed a change of clothes and a freshly made meal. “Also, increase the food supplies from this moment on — I'm starving!”  He dramatized. This time, Ekatherina gaped, perplexed. “Oh, and buy women's clothes! For a medium height woman! Don't worry about the price!”

Having said that, he closed the door. It took him a moment to realize that he had forgotten something very important. He opened it again and smiled at his subordinate. 

“Oh, and leave that cart here, I'll take it in.  Do as I say.”

The Fatui was startled, coming to her senses after the strange requests.

“As... you wish, Master Childe.”

Once the woman walked away, the Harbinger entered the food cart. Returning his attention to the interior of the room, his eyes widened as he spotted Lumine sitting on the bed, watching him with an indecipherable expression.

“Hey, girlie!” he tried to smile, but felt uncomfortable by the lightless eyes that used to shine like two small moons, "do you want breakfast?”

Lumine didn't answer, just lowered her head.

Childe pretended not to notice her lack of interest. He guessed that the blonde wasn’t happy to have been treated without her consent.

“Is Paimon still asleep?” Again he received no response. He grabbed the food from the cart and left the breakfast essentials on the tray. “Hm? Wow, it looks like she was really tired.” He commented, trying to act natural. He placed the tray on the Traveler's bedside table and pointed to the second door of the room with his thumb. “I'll go take a bath, you can start eating if you're hungry.  More food will be served shortly.”

Lumine watched him grabbing clothes from a drawer and entering the bathroom.  She assumed she was where the Fatui were accommodated. She knew that the mere idea should upset her, arouse her curiosity, or at least make her wonder how he brought her there, yet she was unable to understand how she felt.  Was it disdain? She didn't want to move, didn't want to explore the area. Although food was right beside her, her appetite wasn’t aroused. Actually, she didn't want to move her hand to reach the tray, take a slice of bread and bite it.

This was the first time she had ever felt like that. Something inside her told her that being like that was wrong, that she should force herself to eat and thank Childe for treating her wounds. But there was something inside her, a strong emotion, something as grim as the Abyss itself, that choked that desire until it was barely recognizable.

She didn't know how long she had been deep in thought, yet, she assumed that several minutes had passed when the bathroom door opened. Childe, appeared in his change of clothes. When he saw her, he couldn't hide his concern for a few seconds before faking a smile. It was weird seeing the Harbinger behaving like that.

“Did you eat anything?”

The blonde's voice didn’t want to come out. No, rather, she felt unable to move her mouth. In fact, she felt very comfortable in that position, she didn’t want to move. Childe was still looking at her. Apparently, he wanted to hear a verbal response.  With effort, she tilted her head slightly in the direction of the tray.

The ginger approached her and scratched the back of his neck. “That's not okay, girlie. You have to eat. You spent too much energy yesterday”  The blonde made a slight, barely perceptible grimace.  “Spend too much energy” was a nice way to describe what happened.  “You don't like the food? Do you want me to order something different?”

The blonde glanced at him — moving felt so unnecessary, so exhausting.  If it were possible, she would like to stay still for years. 

The Harbinger folded his arms and moved one of his hands to gesture.  “Then we'll wait for the second breakfast. By the way, I wanted to tell you that I'm considering of calling a healer to examine you, are you okay with that?”

She opened her mouth slightly, tried to force her tongue, the muscles of her face, her lips.  Why did she feel so sleepy? Why was she feeling so lazy?  She didn't like being like this, but she didn't think she was able to snap out of it.  She closed her mouth and lightly squeezed the blanket over her legs.

All this was seen by the Harbinger, who stifled a sigh. At least she was responding, or wanted to.

The sound of the door caught his attention and he turned around.  He repeated the procedure: hiding inside the room, giving orders, waiting to bring in the new food cart, and leaving the old one outside to be picked up later.

This time, the Harbinger approached the pixie instead.

“Paimon, wake up. Breakfast is ready.”

The little being woke up with less energy than the day before, barely opening her eyes as she mumbled "food?".  Seeing her, Lumine felt the sharp, sour feeling of guilt in her stomach again — she had forgotten to feed Paimon. Her companion had offered her some berries the previous morning and then hadn’t mentioned it again.

Childe noticed Lumine's reaction, but he knew it was best not to inquire.

“Yes, food.”  He put both hands on his hips, "How about the three of us sit at the table and have breakfast together?”

Paimon began to float and wiggled happily in the air. “Yay! Breakfast!” She turned to look at the blonde. Her tone of voice lowered and her movements were less excited, "What do you say, Lumine?”

The blonde watched them. She wanted to say yes, she wanted to do it for Paimon. She had to make it up to her for not feeding her properly the day before. She wanted to, but...

Before she could finish her thoughts, the Harbinger approached the other end of the room and lifted the table without much effort.  Noticing the confused looks of both women, the ginger placed the piece of furniture next to the bed.

“It's a little low, but it should work for you — or am I wrong, girlie?”

The blonde looked at the table next to her and then at Paimon, who was giving her a forced smile.  A knot strangled her throat. She wanted to cry. Suddenly, Childe set the tray in his lap and smiled.

“Hang on a second...” He placed the rest of the breakfast on the table and moved two chairs so that he and Paimon could sit down. “Now. Breakfast is ready.”

Paimon squealed with joy, but, to Childe's bewilderment, instead of starting to eat she picked some food and put it on Lumine's tray.

“You have to try this, Lumi! Oh, and this one! It looks delicious too!”

The Traveler looked at the food with disgust. Even though she usually wasn't picky, she had had lack of appetite for weeks. For some reason, she sometimes wanted to vomit at the mere thought of eating. She wanted to reject Paimon's efforts, refuse to have breakfast and go back to sleep. But... Seeing her friend's hopeful face, she gave up and began to eat.  She would do it for Paimon, her best friend and traveling companion.

Childe smiled, relieved.

The conversations of the Harbinger and the pixie starred the rest of the breakfast. They tried to invite the blonde, who chewed slowly on each thing she tasted. She barely ate, but it was enough for the fairy to smile and praise her for eating more than the previous days.  That caught the Harbinger's attention — Lumine did not look like a person who had barely eaten in the last few days.

He put the flatware and silverware on the cart before putting the table back where it was. Then he grabbed the bag Ekatherina had brought him and opened it: it contained a blue Liyue-style dress — whoever wore it wouldn’t be able to move freely.  He frowned, he couldn't imagine Lumine wearing one, but it should suffice.  He turned around and suggested the Traveler to bathe and change clothes. However, he was surprised to see her asleep again.

Paimon seemed happy. With an unfaltering smile, she flew towards her and laid next to the blonde. She curled up next to her and closed her eyes.

Childe stared at them — he had underestimated their level of exhaustion. He covered them properly and made a book appear from his space-time pocket He settled down on the small couch and began reading. He didn't plan to leave that room, not until he had a proper talk with the Traveler.

Hours passed, lunch was served and dinner time arrived. Lumine didn’t wake up. Paimon ate, but didn’t answer questions about what had happened.

“Paimon doesn’t think she should tell you... Not without Lumine’s consent...”

Childe respected the little girl's decision. He just wanted to know the general details anyways.  He preferred to know the whole story from Lumine. Once the fairy finished eating, Childe assured her that it was okay if she went back to sleep. Her starry blue eyes had slight dark circles and her pale complexion looked somewhat haggard. If Lumine was sleeping from physical and mental exhaustion, Paimon had relaxed after weeks of worry.

Noticing that he was again the only one awake, he decided to join them in the land of dreams. He settled down on the couch and closed his eyes.  He had a feeling that the next day would be just as hectic.

She was surrounded by people. Dozens, hundreds or thousands of people surrounding her. She was looking for Paimon, she couldn’t find her. People, whose faces were barely recognizable, crowded around her asking for countless requests. The din forced her to cover her ears.

“Paimon!?”

She cried out in desperation.

She received no answer.

She pushed the people who refused to let her move forward.  She ran through them, forcing her way through.  Amid the darkness, trees, bushes, Mondstadt's and Liyue's houses appeared. She called her companion’s name again. Where was Paimon? Had she abandoned her? Had she been abandoned once again? With every step she took, more faces appeared, filling the place with a nauseating cacophony. Giant eyes blinked in the dark sky, following her, spying on her.

She was out of breath, where was Paimon? Why did they keep staring at her? Why did she feel judged?

The voices continued...

 “Traveler.” Lumine.” I need a favor.” “Can you make it?” “I don’t want to bother you, but...”

She stopped running and hugged herself, where was Paimon?

The earth began shaking and in the distance a cliff rose to the heavens. At its top, a figure in brown tones and long golden hair was standing.

The golden eyes opened wide.

“Aether!”

She shouted loudly, but the cliff grew taller. She ran again, this time finding it harder to move forward.

Aether, Aether.

It was all her mind was screaming.  She had to reach Aether, she had to talk to him so they they would search for Paimon together.

It didn't matter how much it’d cost, how many rocks were in the way or that the air was thick as smoke.

She ran. People began to transform into Abyss Mages and Hilichurls that stood in her way.  She wielded her sword and slaughtered them in one move. When she almost reached him, her brother started to walk into the void. She freaked out — he was walking away!

He called his name again. This time, her brother stopped.

Lumine reached the top and smiled at him.

“Aether, I’ve found you! Let’s go, we need to look for Paimon and...!”

Her brother turned around, but instead of his warm smile she was facing his tear-stained cheeks.

“My people...”

Lumine's eyes opened wide — what did he mean? She turned, expecting to see the monsters she had defeated.  The landscape that greeted her was that of hundreds of children and adults slaughtered, staining the ground with the blood that dripped from their corpses.

Lumine’s knees began trembling. What had she done? She hadn’t done anything wrong. She had just defeated her enemies, those who attacked her...

“They just wanted to get back to normal... I didn't want this... I didn't want this, sister!”

He covered his face and yelled.

Lumine began shaking in the bed.

Aether, Aether. She didn’t want to hurt Aether.

Why did he care about them? This wasn’t their planet, this wasn’t their homeland. Her heart felt so heavy she fell on the ground. This wasn’t their homeland, Aether shouldn’t call them “his people.” Home was supposed to be where her family was. It would be a place they’d choose, where both of them would be happy.

The scenery changed. Suddenly, they were in the middle of an infinite sea of blood, similar to a world they had already visited.  Around them, thousands of bodies were floating and colliding with each other.

“I told you, I can’t go with you...”

Aether's figure began to melt. Panicked, Lumine ran to him.

“Aether? What’s happening?! You’re...!”

Her panic-stricken face began to bathe in tears as she tried to hold the already deformed figure of her brother.

The half-melted face spoke to her. “I can't go with you to the next world searching for a new home.”

Mouths appeared in the sky, echoing a single phrase "I found a home," "you are shunned," "Khaenri'ah is my home.”

“Not for now.”

“It’ll never happen.” “I’ll restore my homeland!” “Go away!”

Lumine covered her ears with hands stained with the liquid her brother became. Her chest heaved, it was hard to breathe.  She didn't want to stay there, she wanted to leave, but she couldn't leave Aether.

“Shut up! My brother didn’t say that! He didn’t say those things!”

Aether melted into the sea of blood.  Suddenly, as if someone was trying to reach out to her, wanted posters emerged from the sea of blood and combined to form a staircase. Lumine looked up, discovering a portal at the end of the path... and Aether smiling with sadness.

“We will meet again.”

Without realizing it, her legs began to walk on the paper steps.  With each step she took the steps became flimsier, until they weren’t tough as stone and turned back into paper.

She began to fall. She summoned her glider and barely managed to save herself before falling into a hole where she could only see hands calling for help.

She looked at the sky again. If she had her wings, she would be able to reach Aether. Yes, if she had her power she could...

She started to fly, but the golden eyes that mirrored her own just stared at her with disdain.

“Khaenri'ah disappeared 500 years ago.”

Paimon's voice echoed in the nothingness.

Lumine stopped and looked around.

“Paimon!? Where are you!?”

She heard the portal, Aether was about to leave.  She resumed her flight, she would look for Paimon after she managed to stop his brother.

“That's ages!” Paimon's voice shouted. Lumine was almost there, she was going to touch her twin, "What did your brother do all those years?”

She touched him and he disappeared in black and red dust. Her brother had disappeared just like the monsters of the abyss.

The voices returned, causing a cacophony that hurt her ears.  She covered them. Tears began falling non stop.

“Khaenri'ah”

“Abyss”

“Homeland”

“500 years ago”

Floating in the middle of nowhere, Lumine's light began to fade. She didn't want to be there, she wanted to be with Paimon and Aether. She had to... She had to get out of there... Maybe go to another world and come back in a few decades... Yeah, maybe....

Hands like vines appeared from the ground. They grabbed her feet and tried to drag her away as they shook her.

“Traveler!”

“We’ll help you!”

“You can count on us!”

“Would you like to stay here?!”

Lumine screamed and tried to kick them.  It didn't work, she summoned her sword, but the hands went through the metal as if it wasn't there.

“Let go of me, let go!”

Voices became one voice. Trembling hands became a single mass pulling her into an unfamiliar darkness.

“This can be your home, Traveler! Stay with us! We’ll help you find your brother!”

She tried to wiggle, but the mass captured her arms and immobilized her. It climbed up her body, immobilizing her, choking her, turning her into just a face and two wings resisting with all their might.

“Uhm... I really don't know much about it.”

At the same time she recognized Venti's voice, she felt one of her wings being ripped off.  The scream that escaped her lips hurt her throat.

“I'm sorry, I made a contract...”

Zhongli's voice accompanied the dismemberment of the other wing. From her throat escaped moans that resembled screams.

The mass was consuming her, absorbing her little by little, covering her ears, an eye, part of a cheek; taking her into the depths of the unknown... where she could hear the laughter of the Unknown Goddess.

The agitation became more present and, out of nowhere, she was able to move and shake her hand in an attempt to strike the mass. The voice screamed as it called out to her. Failing to hit it, she tried again, but a hand grabbed her wrist.

“Lumine!”

She tried to free her legs, but they were still trapped. Yet she tried to free herself.  She couldn't allow that! She had to be free and...!

“Comrade! Wake up!”

The nickname made her open her eyes, but she was unable to understand what was happening. She didn't notice Paimon crying beside her or Childe holding her wrists.  She screamed and cussed.

“Let go of me! Let go! Aether, Aether! Don’t go! Save me!”

She bellowed with a dry mouth.

Paimon shook her head and floated backwards. She covered her face with her small hands. Her voice trembled.

“Oh, no! Please, don’t! Not again!”

Childe was trying to restrain the blonde while she sobbed.

“Lumine, relax! You are awake, it wasn’t real! It was just a nightmare!

The word "nightmare" echoed in her mind, but she failed to grasp its meaning immediately. Gradually, she stopped struggling until her body was paralyzed.

She was panting, her sweat stuck her hair to her face, and her eyes were shaky.

Childe slowly released her and stayed by her side, alert.  He pulled away from her without breaking eye contact and held one of her hands.  He wanted to comfort Paimon as well, but Lumine was the priority: she still didn't realize she wasn’t dreaming anymore.

“It’s alright, Lumine. You are safe. Paimon and I are here. Everything is fine...”

The fairy continued sobbing, but wiped away her tears and floated towards her friend.

“Paimon is here with you, Lumine...”

After a while, the Traveler began breathing less agitatedly.  She didn’t speak, she stared at the ceiling in absolute silence.

Childe released her and ran a hand over Lumine's cheek.

“You're wet... I'll get the bathtub ready and grab you something to wear as pajamas.” He turned his attention to the fairy, "Paimon, are you coming with me? I bet you know how hot my comrade likes the water to be.”

The white-haired girl looked at him with confusion, but nodded. “Uh, yes...”

They both left the blonde alone. It wouldn’t take long, so she should be fine. They left the door ajar out of precaution. The ginger began to fill the tub, not daring to look at the fairy's face.

“How often does this happen?”

Crestfallen, Paimon answered. “Very often... At first it wasn't so bad... But...” Her little body began to tremble. “It's getting worse and worse... She hardly sleeps... Paimon thought it would be different now.”

Childe looked at her with compassion and stroked her head. “You’re really strong, Paimon. Thank you for being by her side.”

Although he had always been aware of the fairy's presence, the Harbinger had to admit that, until that day, he had considered her more of a pet than a sentient being.  To him, and to many inhabitants of Teyvat, Paimon was a mere companion of no greater value than that of an occasional commentator.  However, that erroneous thought disappeared as soon as he noticed the fairy's tearful, anguished face.

“I..." she began to hiccup, trying to speak She wasn’t boasting, she wasn't shouting. “I thought... Paimon was wrong... Paimon wasn’t able to protect Lumine...” He felt guilty and stupid. He wanted to hit his former self for not realizing the fairy's fragility.   Paimon was trying to hold back the urge to cry just like any other child in Teyvat. “Paimon couldn’t protect her or help her... Paimon was useless... Paimon...”

Without asking permission, the Harbinger turned his attention away from the bathtub and hugged the tiny creature beside him.  The pixie's sobbing grew louder and louder until it became a real cry.

“Paimon did her best! But it wasn’t enough! Paimon was so scared!”

He was an idiot. Paimon wasn’t like a pet, she was like a child.

An innocent little girl, who had had to endure watching a dear friend slowly break down, was in his arms. He petted her head and closed his eyes. He had to help Lumine... but he also wanted to reward Paimon. He promised to never ignore the fairy's existence again.

“Thank you for everything, Paimon... From now on I'll be here... So you can relax. We'll both help her.”

As if his words were a magic spell, the fairy's crying became less intense.

She nodded and got cozy in the Harbinger's arms. It didn't matter if she still didn't trust him. At that moment, she would cling to anything or anyone that promised Lumine's well-being.  Her best friend.

The hug ended and Childe smiled at the pixie as he ruffled her white hair.

Behind them, Lumine was spying on them in the doorway.  She wanted to know what they were doing, she wanted to know if they were talking about her and she longed to hear words of appreciation she felt she didn't deserve. Seeing them hug, she was overwhelmed by a surge of jealousy and loneliness. Perhaps, if she left, Childe could take care of Paimon. She deserved someone who would treat her better.

Blue eyes met hers. “Oh! Comrade! You are here!” The ginger stood up and approached her. ”The water is almost ready and the towels are in that cabinet. I got you a change of clothes. Give me a second and I'll bring them to you.”

Lumine listened to him carefully, yet she was more focused on her own thoughts.  Why was Childe taking care of her? Why didn't he take her to Bubu Pharmacy and leave her there? What could he gain from all of this? He should have killed her on Cuijue Slope — after all, they were enemies.

The ginger came out of the bathroom at the same time the fairy approached her and held her hand.

“Come, Lumi!” A wave of guilt washed over the blonde as she noticed Paimon's puffy eyes and wet cheeks. She guessed that she had cried again because of her. “Paimon will go with you! It's been a long time since we've had a bath in a tub!”

Despite her guilt, she let herself be swept away and fooled by her friend's smile.

While the Traveler and the fairy were using the bathroom, the Harbinger took the opportunity to turn the mattress upside down to change the sheets.  For a moment, he wished he had an Anemo Dillusion so he could dry things off, but he was content with what he managed to do. After finishing, he laid on on the bed to rest.

His tranquillity was interrupted by Paimon's voice, who spoke louder than usual.

“You are not doing it properly, Lumine! You have to use soap and scrub! Don’t you try to fool Paimon!”

Intrigued by the comment, he approached the bathroom again and spoke from outside.

“Is everything alright?”

Seconds later, the pixie opened the door. She looked frustrated — at least, she wasn’t sad or worried.

“Lumine doesn’t want to bathe!”

He raised an eyebrow, “What?” On mere impulse, he poked his head into the room, finding the blonde laying in the tub. As soon as the golden eyes met his, the ginger recoiled. He blushed and his voice trembled slightly. “Erm... There doesn't seem to be any problem, she's in the water and...”

“But she’s just sitting there!” She complained, “She doesn’t want to grab the soap! And she doesn't want to wet her hair either! She has to wash her hair — it smells!”

Childe blinked twice — he didn’t know what to do. “Uhmm... Have you tried pouring water on her?”

Paimon frowned and put both hands on her hips.  “Yes! And Paimon already tried to wash her, but Paimon can't wet all her hair!”

Childe scratched his neck — he wasn’t prepared for that. He raised his voice a little, hoping that his discomfort wouldn’t show. “Comrade, why don’t you want to bathe...?”

“Why should I?” The Harbinger was surprised. Since they arrived at the hotel he hadn’t heard her voice. “I just sweated a little...”

In a normal situation, he could agree with her: sometimes he sweated after a battle and had to stay that way for a while.  While he was able to bathe with his Vision, it was uncomfortable to put on clothes without drying properly.  A little sweat was uncomfortable, but not fatal.

“But, girlie...” He hoped he didn’t offend her, “Paimon’s right... When I picked you up you didn’t smell that...” He wasn’t able to finish that sentence.

Lumine's voice sounded annoyed and sharp. “Then stay away from me.”

Childe faked a laugh, just because he was trying to lighten the mood, not because he found it funny.

He exchanged glances with Paimon, who whispered.

“Can't you use your Vision to bathe her from here?”

“I'd have to see... her figure," he explained, as he spoke he could feel his cheeks and ears blushing. He had never been so close to a naked woman before.  “Besides, I could wet her, but not soap her.”

Paimon stroked her chin, pondering. Childe copied her pose, looking for another solution.

Lumine sighed.  She was sick of it. There was no need to bathe, to eat, to be there.  She would get dressed, leave Paimon in Childe's care and leave.

The water made a sound when she stood up, catching their attention.  Childe stepped back again and covered his eyes with one hand to avoid seeing her.

“What are you doing!?”

“I’m respecting her privacy.”

Paimon kicked in the air. “I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to Lumine!”

The blonde pulled one foot out of the tub, followed by the other. She almost fell, so she leaned against the wall. She grunted, she felt weak.

“I’m done bathing...”

“That’s not true! You’ve just started!”

She sighed. “That’s enough, Paimon...”

“No!”

Lumine got out and walked to the towel cabinet. She wasn't concerned about whether or not Childe could see her from the door. Honestly, she didn't care.

Paimon watched her in despair, before turning to the Harbinger who stood at a distance, he was covering his eyes and even his ears were blushing.

“Childe, stop doing that and stop her!”

”I can't, she's naked!”

“She's already covered herself with a towel!”

“Oh!”

That said, Tartaglia pulled his hand away from his face and walked into the bathroom.  To his relief, Paimon hadn’t lied: Lumine was covered.  He made a conscious effort not to take his eyes off the blonde's expressionless
face. 

“Well, comrade... If you behave, I promise I’ll be gentle.”

Lumine narrowed her eyes. She didn't know whether to be intrigued by what he said or because Childe said it with such confidence despite the fact she was looking like she was about to faint.

“What?”

The Harbinger strode forward and lifted the blonde without much effort.  She screamed.  She reproached herself for not stepping aside in time to dodge him, but she was aware that she was barely standing.

Childe tried to get things done hastily. He felt like a pervert for touching a woman who was only wearing a towel.

“I'm sorry, I hope someday you can forgive me for this.”

Having said that, he deposited her in the water. Lumine looked at him puzzled when he left her in the bathtub again.

“You wetted the towel..." was all she could say in a stupor.

Childe ran a wet hand through his hair, looking self-conscious.  “Uhh, yes... We'll leave that there for a while, okay?”

The blonde raised an eyebrow, confused.

“I’ll help you wash your hair.”  The ginger explained, “Paimon, can  you pass me the shampoo?”

Realizing what he was trying to do, Lumine snorted and tried to get back on her feet.

“This is ridiculous…”

As soon as she leaned over the edge of the tub to stand up, hydro handcuffs appeared around her wrists, anchored like chains to the water.

The blonde's eyes widened as wide as they could go before she glared at him again. Indignation burned in her chest. She faced the ginger, who was receiving the bottle from the fairy.

“Tartaglia!”

“Sorry, comrade... Someday you'll thank me...” He made a movement with his hand and a large jet of water rose over Lumine's head, wetting her hair, “Or at least, I hope so...”

“Are you serious, Tartaglia!? Are you planning to bathe me while I’m chained to the bathtub?! Is this some kind of kink of yours or something?!”

Hearing that, the bottle slipped from the Harbinger's hands and his lip trembled noticeably.  It was evident that he was not used to hearing that sort of thing. Picking up the bottle, he looked in another direction and began to mumble something that was barely comprehensible.

“N-no! I’m just trying to help!” He looked at the fairy and pointed at her, "And don't say things like that in front of Paimon!”

“Eh... Paimon isn't sure what you're talking about...but why does Childe look like he's going to faint?”

”I'm not going to faint!”

Shouted the ginger, who spilled the substance of the bottle directly on the blonde's hair.

“You don’t have to do this for me — it's just hair! It's going to get dirty again!”

Chile began massaging her scalp, trying to ignore her complains or to avoid looking at the wet towel.  “And that's why we have to wash our hair, so it doesn't get too dirty.”

As Lumine continued shouting her protests, Paimon took advantage of her friend being immobilized to take the soap and scrub her arms.  She began humming a song as she did so, trying to ignore the conversation next to her.   

The complaints stopped after a while. Lumine remained silent as the Harbinger made sure to wash her hair carefully.  They had to empty the tub.  The blonde couldn't help but feel embarrassed when she noticed that the clear water had turned brown.  She knew she had neglected her hygiene in the last few days, but she hadn’t expected that.

Unexpectedly, or perhaps quite sensibly, Childe didn’t speak about it. He just continued with his work and used the shower head to easily rinse the golden hair before refilling the tub. 

“We’re almost there, girlie.” He stepped away from her and folded his arms, ”if I let go of your hands, will you promise to be a good girl and finish cleaning yourself?”

The blonde rolled her eyes. She had had enough of the Harbinger's gentleness. It was strange, surreal, and it felt like a joke in poor taste that the man who was taking care of her was the same man who tried to kill her months ago.

“Good girl? Is this another kink of yours? Do you want me to call you "Master Tartaglia" too?

He blushed even harder than before. “What?! Lumine! Really?! Can you stop saying things like that!”

The blonde snorted. “I can’t promise that...”

Childe sighed. As much as he hated to give up, it was best to make a tactical retreat.  He had done what was within his capabilities, he couldn't wash her back without seeing more skin than he should, nor could he scrub her... legs... Again he felt his cheeks burning and the desire to escape. Yes, he told himself, it was best to make a tactical retreat.

He stood up from the ground and made the hydro chains disappear by swinging his hand. Immediately, Lumine moved her wrists trying to loose them.

“Paimon, can you please make her finish bathing?”

Paimon placed a hand on her forehead, as if she had received a military command.

“Paimon will!”

That said, the Harbinger left the room again. He needed a drink.

The blonde watched the Harbinger leave and sank her chin in the water.  She didn't understand what was going on, nor why her condition mattered to Childe.

“Well, Lumine, we just need to wash you torso and then we are done!” The pixie said happily. The Traveler looked at her friend's outfit, she was wet.

She could continue complaining, throw another tantrum, but what was the point? Doing so was useless.  At least, she told herself, if she did what Childe and Paimon wanted, her floaty friend would smile.  She had already made her suffer too much those past few weeks.

He removed the towel from her body — when she finished, she would use Anemo to dry Paimon's clothes.

Finally, Lumine came out of the bathroom.  She suspected that dawn was not yet near due to the darkness of the room.
 Paimon yawned and floated towards the bed. On the sofa, lit by a lamp, Childe was playing with a hydro knife.

Seeing them, the weapon disappeared and he raised an eyebrow.

“Why is your hair like that?”

He asked, referring to the messy golden locks.  She had used Anemo to dry her hair, but didn't bother about the direction.  The locks spread out in various directions, chaotically and not at all graceful.

“I used the power of Anemo.” The blonde replied, showing no intention of wanting to fix her hairstyle.

The Harbinger was tempted to say that didn't explain why she didn't comb her hair, yet he decided to take it as a small victory: Lumine had finally done something on her own.  He got up from the couch and walked towards her.  They both watched Paimon sleeping soundly.

“I changed the sheets,” Lumine watched him out of the corner of her eye, “and tomorrow, breakfast for three people will be served — I asked for more with the excuse that I was ravenously hungry... Besides...” He paused and gave her an insecure smile, “if you agree, I will also bring Doctor Baizhu to check you.”

Lumine didn't answer, she studied his features, his dead eyes and every little gesture he made.

“I don't have broken bones," she replied after a while, "I know the feeling.”

“Even so, it would be good to do a general check-up, even the best warrior must monitor his health.” He explained with a little more confidence.

The blonde hugged herself. She felt the soft fabric of the dress covering her, as she looked down, she noticed her clean hands after days of being covered with dust and mud. She observed the freshly made bed, Paimon resting peacefully and her treated wounds. She noticed her stomach was full and smelled the fragrance of the shampoo and soap she had been groomed with.

She raised her head, her voice trembled.  She was overwhelmed by the attention, by the care, by the concern.

“Why are you doing this...?”

The Traveler didn’t realize that her voice sounded desperate, almost on the verge of tears; nor was she aware of her wide-open, tearful, fearful eyes. For the second time that day, Childe felt that the person in front of him wasn’t the fearless warrior he respected, nor was she the lost human being he found on the Cuijue Slope, but a fragile young woman needing shelter.

He wondered for the first time if, just like him, Lumine had more facets to her than what she showed to the world.

He wondered if he was watching something he shouldn't, something that was exclusive to someone else.

He didn’t care, he was a bad guy. He would take care of that fragility and look after the blonde until she was okay again.

“You made a promise to Teucer. I want to make sure you keep it," he answered sincerely, noticing the pain in the golden eyes, "but, I'm also worried about you.”

At first, Childe's words hurt her: she felt that she was only being taken care of to be then used again. However, she didn't know how to feel about the latter... or if she should believe him.

“I’m your enemy...” the reproach felt childish, unsuitable.

Childe put a hand on his hip, “and I'm a decent human being, Traveler. I know I commit crimes, but it's only human to help someone in need.”

She curved her lips into a mocking smile that seemed to hide pain and contempt .“So...  Are you trying to tell me that you would have taken care of anyone, just like you did with me? Taking them to your room, giving them food, bathing them, even letting them sleep in your bed?

She didn't know why she was interested in the answer. She wasn't close to Childe — sometimes they fought, sometimes they went to Domains, but they weren't exactly friends. It made her uncomfortable that she didn't know why she needed the reassurance that, despite his words, he was giving her special treatment because it was her. Lumine, not the famous "Traveler," just Lumine: the blonde girl who searched for her brother, who was afraid to sing for fear of summoning a mega-flower, liked to cook, and acted before thinking.

Childe didn’t know what to answer. He felt that if he said the wrong words he would end up hurting her, and that was something he didn’t want to do. No matter what had brought her to that state, he didn't want her small advances to disappear.

“In the name of the Tsaritsa" he placed a hand on his chest and faced her. Face to face, their eyes met, he hoped to convey his sincerity to her. ”I assure you, that I would not have made half the effort I made, if it hadn’t been you: my comrade.” Lumine's eyes widened in surprise. The lump in her throat returned as did the urge to cry.  She didn't understand why, why those words comforted her even though they didn't soothe her pain.  “One day I told you that you had to stay alive to see how I defeated the gods.  That wish was also honest — I have not met anyone else so far who is worthy to fight alongside me or against me when that time comes.”

The feeling of her nightmare, which she no longer remembered, was subsiding.  Someone who wanted to use her wasn’t in front of her, instead, she was facing someone who had the sincere intention to meet her again in the future.

The word "reunite" generated contradictory emotions in her heart: she was happy and sad; comforted and desolate, angry and hopeful.

Not knowing how to deal with it, she let fear and insecurity speak.

“I don't plan to thank you for that.”

“You don’t have to, comrade.”

Without another word, the blonde cozied up on the sheets.  Childe walked towards the couch and turned off the lamp.

In the darkness, Lumine tucked the blankets over her head and began to cry. Her head and heart were in chaos. She didn't trust Childe, but she wanted to believe that this time he would help her because he was a "decent human being" and not to gain something from it.

She felt she could no longer trust the people of Teyvat: strangers asked her for favors, her friends promised to help her yet no one did. She covered her face with both hands and began to sob a little louder. Childe said he could tell she needed help, but none of her friends noticed.  She knew she lied saying she was tired, or gave ambiguous answers saying "it's because of my brother," but why didn't anyone inquire? Why didn't they insist?  Despite that, she knew it was no one's fault: she didn't speak up, didn't ask for help.

She wished Aether was there, he would know something was wrong just by looking at her.  He would hug her, comfort her and find a way to make her smile again.  At the same time, she didn’t want to see him, because he was the cause of her pain. He left her alone without explanations. 

She wanted to hug Paimon, but she didn’t want to upset her. She had only caused her suffering and despair.  She deserved a better friend, a better caregiver. If she had her wings back she could escape, she could go to another world, maybe get lost in space, forget Teyvat, Aether, Paimon and herself.

A hand petted her head over the blanket. Frightened, she stopped sobbing loudly. She had been discovered.  She didn't need to uncover herself to realize it was Childe. She cried harder How weak... She was so weak that her own enemy was comforting her. Despite that, she wanted him to keep stroking her head.  She needed that, she needed to feel that she existed and that she could feel something other than just pain and guilt.

Childe looked at the lump under the sheets. He didn't feel it was right to uncover her and try to comfort her, so he kept his hand there.  The next day, he would write to the Tsaritsa.  He could not abandon her.

Lumine was facing her own Abyss.