Chapter Text
Every flower held its own meaning. Whether it was significant or not depended on the owner and their intentions. People would oftentimes enter your shop with a hopeful gleam in their eyes, searching for a bouquet to give to someone or to lighten up their living spaces. You watched as young children came in searching for the most beautiful bunches for their parents, as young adults approached with flushed expressions, embarrassingly asking for roses, and as adults sought out flowers with deeper meanings. People’s stories could be told through flowers, your own home was proof of it. Since arriving in Fontaine, your home was overflowing with colour, a soft welcome every time you opened the door to go home. Everything was the same; simple and normal. So when you arrived at your home to find a neatly wrapped bunch of daisies sitting on your doorstep with a card tucked in the midst of the flowers, it was safe to say you were slightly confused. Your name was written in such an elegant cursive that was so unfamiliar to you. There was no one that you knew who could write in such beautiful calligraphy. So with furrowed eyebrows, you picked up the fresh bunch of flowers and slipped into your home. You traced your inked name on the envelope, silently admiring the penmanship before flipping it over to reveal the stamped wax seal in the shape of a flower. The paper crinkled beneath your fingertips as you quickly opened the item, your curiosity urging you to go faster. But the sight of familiar handwriting caused you to hesitate.
Dear (y/n),
I hope this letter finds you in good health and your time in Fontaine has served you well. I realize that this may not reach you, or you will have thrown away the letter without reading its contents, but I’m praying to the Archons that you might take pity on me this once and allow me to reach out to you for the last time.
I’ve had the pleasure to speak with your parents since your departure to Fontaine and they’ve updated me about the expanding business and your success. I wish I could be there to see it and watch you wrap bundles of flowers over and over. I’ve heard that there are flowers that are only native to Fontaine—
You stopped reading. The paper slipped from your fingers as you lay it on the table, tearing your eyes away from the words. You could hear Childe’s voice in your head, soft and playful whenever he addressed you, tinged with a hint of excitement. It would be unfair to say that you hadn’t thought about him since you left. Trying to erase someone so important in your life wasn’t as easy as it sounded and more often than not, you found yourself wondering about his well being from the smallest of things. You stared at the ink stained paper, ignoring how you wanted to finish reading through the paragraphs of words. That could come later, focusing on work came first.
Fontaine was beautiful, truly. It was a new location with new people who welcomed you with open arms and encouraged you to establish your flower business. In a land where etiquette and presentation were part of everyday life, you slipped into an easy routine of living in Fontaine. The warmth of the sun and lush green grass was a nice change from the endless snow and winter that plagued Snezhnaya. And yet, there was still a part of you that was left unsatisfied. A tiny piece in the back of your mind nagged at every waking moment, urging you to search for the unknown missing piece that was bothering you. Your thoughts pulled you back to the letter that was sitting in your home, paragraphs of stories and confessions printed onto paper for you to keep. The proposition of moving to a new place was daunting and yet it would allow you to step into a new world of adventure. And yet, as business flourished in Fontaine and you settled in the quiet little place you called home, that little inkling of a feeling seeped across your mind.
“I heard Liyue is beautiful this time of the year.” Céline leant against the counter in the back of your flower shop. Your neighbor and first friend upon arriving in Fontain, she frequented your shop often to gossip about the latest news in the city and to nick flowers every so often to give to the pretty bakery owner across the street.
“Are you planning to visit?” You hummed in amusement, holding up flowers as you trimmed at the stems. Céline pouted as you turned your attention away from her. Days like this happened rather often, the young woman coming to visit after her long shift of work.
“I simply think that you ought to take a break.” She reached forward to pluck the trimmed flower from your hands. “You’ve been working so hard since you arrived, you deserve a break. You have employees who can run the shop for you while you’re gone, I can always pop in every so often to check up on things because I’ve seen how you work. Come now, mon cherie, take a break.” You wanted to laugh at her comments. She had been coming to you for the majority of the past few weeks with propositions of a vacation. And while it seemed tempting, to walk away from the flower shop for just a moment, there was something so special about being surrounded by flowers, that you weren’t quite sure if you were ready to let go of, even if it was just for a short while.
“Business is well, so I should stay to oversee it. Lest something goes wrong while I’m away, what could happen?” You took back the flower and tucked it into the bunch you were preparing.
Céline sighed, “Please, nothing could possibly happen to such a cute flower shop as yours. And besides, I’m rather close with some members within the government, I’m sure I could pull a few strings here and there.” You rolled your eyes at her comments but stayed quiet, letting her ramble on. “Whether you wanted to or not, I’ve already booked you a ticket to sail to Liyue and stay for a week.”
“You what?”
“I booked you a ticket to Liyue. I contacted an old friend of mine, she said she’d love to have you stay over and show you around.”
While Fontaine was a nation that was bursting with colour and innovation, Liyue exuded tradition and elegance with respect held in the highest regard. The style, from attire to architecture was straight out of the story books you had read as a child, with arches and stone carvings jutting out into the streets. Céline’s friend was ever so kind, a native of Liyue who gave you tours around the city and its golden land before allowing you to do some adventuring on your own. You watched as children ran through the streets holding paper dragons and lions in their hands. Women walked past dressed in silk qipaos, bamboo fans in their delicate hands. The sounds of Liyue came to life around you, from the singing of an outdoor opera from one of the teahouses in the city to the shouts of vendors calling out foods and bargains. You couldn’t help but gravitate to Mingxing Jewelry, where a variety of items lay out on display, protected behind a glass counter. In the corner of the glass container lay a gold hairpin, embedded with gold and blue stones in the shape of a snowflake. It would be the perfect gift for your mother, a staple piece in her everyday outfit.
“You have a fine taste.” You jerked back in surprise at the sound of a deep voice next to you. Standing with his hands folded behind his back, slightly leaning forward to look at the hairpin on display was a tall man with deep amber eyes.
“My apologies, I did not mean to startle you.” He frowned at your actions. You shook your head, waving your hand to quickly brush aside his worries.
“I was just looking.” You laughed it off, “I thought it might be a nice gift for my mother.”
He looked at the hairpin, then back up at you and hummed, “I fine gift indeed. If you do not mind, may I ask if—”
“Master Zhongli!” A loud voice cut him off. Another figure came bounding up to the shop, panting as they tried to catch their breath. “You’ve got to stop walking off like that, I can only move so fast!” Your mouth felt dry as they reprimanded the older gentleman in front of you.
“I’m so sorry about… that.”
You stared at him in shock. He was different, so different. Much taller and more built, clad in grey and red. But his eyes, such a beautiful ocean blue, were the same. The same ones you watched grow up, from a child in Morepesok who spent his days fishing in the ocean before he began to grow and leave behind the small fishing village in pursuit of something greater. It was the same ocean blue eyes that you dreamt about while in Snezhnaya, memories of a boy who flew too close to the sun before he came tumbling down. The letters that reached you lay half read back in Fontaine, unreplied and collecting dust in a little box beneath your bed.
“Childe.” His name fell out before you could stop yourself. Eyes wide with shock at the lack of respect, you hastily apologized and dipped your head in respect. It felt unfamiliar to do so for someone like him, someone you had known so well once upon a time. And yet you still did it anyway.
“You… you don’t have to address me like that.” His voice came out strained. You hesitated when glancing up at him, taking in the furrowed brows and mouth parted in surprise. No doubt he wasn’t expecting to see you in Liyue as you weren’t either.
“It seems that you two are acquainted with one another.” The man who went by Master Zhongli cleared his throat, amber eyes flickering between the two of you knowingly. “I will take my leave now and allow for the two of you to catch up.” You wanted to call out in desperation but nothing came out. A talk was long overdue, that was apparent, and even if you wanted to run from the situation, there was no way that you would be able to outrun a Harbinger.
You cleared your throat and stepped away from the little shop, finding privacy in a little shaded area beneath stairs. The tension in the air seemed to grow with each waiting second, both of you too afraid to make the first move.
You blurted out your thoughts first, “I thought you left Liyue.”
“Why would you think I left Liyue?” Childe demanded, but his tone was not unkind. His hands were shoved in his pockets, fists clenched as he held himself back from reaching out towards you and pulling you in for a hug.
“I heard there was a… situation. It included the Fatui and the destruction of the Jade Chamber.” You stated matter-of-factly. “I figured you would have left.” There was no malice in your tone, but a small part of Childe wished that you would just lash out at him. Despite standing so close to one another, it felt like there was such a disconnect between the two of you. It felt like an endless void, but on Childe’s side it was a raging storm of emotions while yours was a garden of flowers that tempted him. Your life was one of soft colours, surrounded by petals and lush greenery, while his was one tainted with blood and suffering.
“That’s all water under the bridge!” Childe grinned, “The Fatui aren’t doing anything to cause trouble anymore!” It was hard to read him, to figure out what thoughts were raging inside his head.
“Ah, of course you’ve handled it.” You nodded, trying to believe your own words. “You seem to be doing well.” You couldn’t quite put your finger on the feelings that bubbled in your chest. It felt like a mix of nervousness and unnerving comfort. He was familiar but strange, too strange but not to the point of complete awkwardness. And yet he still reminded you of home and the flowers you left behind.
He shook his head with a smile, “I’ve been better. You look good though, your shop in Fontaine must be flourishing if you’re here in Liyue.” He watched as your eyes lit up at his words and suddenly you forgot about the reason why you hadn’t bothered to reach out to him for so long. He didn’t say a word as you began to ramble on about Fontaine and the people you met. He watched as you spoke with eagerness, hands making wild gestures as you went off on tangents about the stories he had missed out on. The stories he missed out on. There was so much of your life that he seemed to have missed, even if most of his childhood had been spent with you. The person in front of him was older, more mature with a different aura to them and he couldn’t help but let regret build in his chest that he hadn’t been there to watch you become you.
“You must think I’m crazy for all my ramblings, I’m so sorry.” You had moved back to apologizing profusely and Childe laughed, head tipping back as he was reminded of all your little habits.
“I haven’t heard you talk so excitedly in so long, it’s nice.” He offered you a grin, one side of his lips pulling up slightly higher than the other. You nodded, cheeks warm but you blamed it on the warmth of the afternoon sun.
“It was nice to see you.” You rushed the sentence out. A part of you wanted to stay talk with him, but could you really give yourself that luxury? After all, you hadn’t answered any of his letters and had tried to leave him in the past. Being here, in front of him sent those unresolved emotions flooding back. It was too much. “But I have to go, the host I’m staying with is taking me out for lunch.”
“Wait! Before you leave,” Childe’s hand wrapped around your wrist before you could turn away, “Meet me tomorrow evening at sunset, please. At the harbour where the children play.” Meet with him? You bit the inside of your cheek and tried to read the emotion on his face. Hopefulness, maybe? It was too difficult to tell. But maybe this was the closure that the two of you needed.
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The waves crashed against the warm sand of the beach, the icy cold waters stinging your feet as you stared out at the vast blue of the ocean. Shouts of delight and excitement echoed in the distance, the sight of children playing by Liyue Harbour warming your chest. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon and the cold chill of the wind was starting to sweep in. The salty smell of the air brought you back to the present as you waited for the Harbinger to make his appearance. Five minutes past the agreed meetup time bled into ten, and then to twenty. You sighed in disappointment, ignoring the way your chest squeezed at the thought that Childe was stringing you along for the fun of it. The bundle of flowers in your hands felt heavy, a mocking mix of pink tulips mixed with other pastel coloured flowers. The warmth from the setting sun was pulling away rapidly but without a jacket to keep you warm, goosebumps erupted on your skin. With a huff of frustration, and a halfhearted curse on Childe’s name, you turned around to leave, only to see said man running down the harbour towards you. Despite his lateness and clear distraught, and that this was just so utterly cliche, you couldn’t help but let a smile grow on your lips as apologies began to spill from his lips while he tried to catch his breath. You stood patiently, listening as he recounted an issue at the Northland Bank that somehow got the Feiyun Commerce Guild involved, followed by a request for him to go to Wangshu Inn to pick up something for Master Zhongli, followed by… You lost track of where his story was going, but instead watched as he talked animatedly with wild hand gestures until he stopped mid sentence, mouth parted and eyes wide.
“I’m so sorry, I’ve been rambling and kept you waiting.” He bowed his head in apology, eyes lingering on the bundle of flowers in your hand.
“It sounded like you were caught up in a mess.” You smiled gently at him, “I’m glad you were able to make it though.” He was silent at your words but thanked you for the flowers as you offered them to him. He stared down at the arrangement, staring at the flowers and trying to see if he could remember the meaning of each one.
Pink tulips. Forgiveness. You had told him that one night in Snezhnaya when he had shown up to your house after a petty argument earlier in the day. With a frown upon your lips, you had watched him apologize over and over, not letting you get a word in until the snow began to clump up on his head.
“I forgive you.” Three little words and pink tulips shoved to his chest a moment later and the argument between the two of you was long forgotten. Your parents let him stay over for dinner that night, chiding you for not bringing him in sooner and fussing over the little boy to make sure he was warm.
Forgiveness. Is that what you were trying to offer?
“I forgive you.” There it was. The three words he’d been wishing he could hear for so long. He had replayed them in his mind before, imagining that you’d welcome him with open arms and all the dramatics as found in cliche novels. But there was no running into arms, no lover’s kiss of requited feelings, just two figures standing in the little light that was being chased away by the moon.
“Can we start over?” He ignored the way his voice sounded so meek. You stared at him for a moment. Could you? Could you look past everything and allow him back in your life? There was still your flower shop in Fontaine, you couldn’t leave that behind. And who knew how long he would stay in Liyue before he was swept away by orders of the Tsaritsa. There was too much to consider, too many factors that could stand in the way of rebuilding your friendship with him and yet none of it seemed to matter. The man standing in front of you was still the same one you had grown up with, the same one who poked at your cheeks when you stuffed them full with food, the same one who wrote you letters whenever he could and still tried and tried to seek you out.
“I’m (y/n), it’s nice to meet you.” You held out your hand, breath low as you waited for his move. His gloved hand rose to clasp yours with a hint of firmness as if he was afraid that you might run away from him.
“Ajax, it’s nice to meet you too.” A hopeful smile crossed his features and you couldn’t help but giggle at his nervousness. With a sharp tug, you pulled him in close, wrapping your arms around his body and burying your face into his clothes. He smelled like silk flowers and incense, not quite like the candles he used to burn in Snezhnaya, but something a little new, but still him. Just him.