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Lumine’s no stranger to nights where she can’t sleep due to her active, wandering brain, but recently, sleep isn’t that much of an issue for her. Exhaustion is the biggest factor to that fact, especially during the days when she’s in need of moras and has to take more commissions than usual.
All of this time, fighting helps her to ease her mind. She has no choice but to focus on the enemies, battle strategies, and ways to survive. The thrill of fighting is very much pleasurable, to some extent. Though, she can’t say that her love for battles is on the same level as Childe, but she supposes she understands why he feels that way.
On some peaceful days where she doesn’t get the chance to even touch her sword, Lumine will eventually find herself lost in deep thoughts.
Days like that are supposed to be the days when she can finally take some time off, and she’d usually spend her time strolling around aimlessly. She doesn’t talk all that much in Teyvat due to her still limited understanding of the language, so she’s more likely to observe her surroundings.
Which is, well, nice. She learns lots of culture about Mondstadt and Liyue; grasps how society works differently. It leads her into thinking the inevitable—wishing that she could share her experience with her brother. Hoping that Aether is also here, right by her side. Wondering if he’d prefer Liyue cuisines over Mondstadt.
Lumine misses him, and it hurts.
The sound of the bedroom door unlocking from the outside startles Lumine a little, as she instantly turns her head toward the source of the sound with wide eyes.
Childe comes into view as soon as the door is opened, tired ocean eyes blinking at her figure on the bed.
“Lumine? You’re not asleep yet?” he asks in genuine confusion. He quickly takes off his boots and shrugs his Fatui jacket off his shoulder, before throwing it carelessly on the sofa. Lumine continues to watch him change his clothes in silence, a small smile playing on her lips.
Childe glances at her and smiles in amusement. “What’s this? Are you expecting a free striptease, pretty girl?”
Lumine snorts and scoots over to her side of the bed. “Just come here already, Childe.”
The ginger-haired man chuckles and takes two long strides to reach the bed. Show off, she wants to say. She’s painfully aware that he’s a head taller than her, thanks to his long legs. Not that she’s complaining.
The bed creaks due to Childe’s weight, and it’s not long until he’s comfortably settled under the blanket next to her. And Childe, that damned cuddle monster, wastes no time to pull her closer into an embrace.
If the temperature is too hot, Lumine wouldn’t hesitate to peel herself off him—and discipline him if he starts to whine—but apparently, a cuddle is something that she needs right now. Thus, the blonde snuggles closer and releases a sigh, her warm breath fanning Childe’s neck.
They stay like that for a while, their shared inn room noiseless and serene, save for the constant ticking of the wall clock and their soft breathing sounds. Childe, however, seems to sense something wrong.
“What are you thinking, love?” he inquires with a low voice, hand absently rubbing her back in a soothing motion, to which Lumine relaxes against his touch.
She hesitates a little, for she’s still not used to talk about her brother unless the situation calls for it—and those kinds of situations are rare. Alternating the topic has always been an easier option for her.
Then again, this is Childe. There’s a reason why their relationship manages to work until this far, despite the extreme differences in their lines of work and the indisputable risks in the future. They’ve long acknowledged that fact and decided, albeit unspoken, to just relish at the moment.
All of this wouldn’t work without mutual trust between the two of them, that much Lumine knows.
She exhales from her nose, before speaking in a low voice, the movement of her mouth brushing against Childe’s neck. “Aether.” That’s all she says, and she doesn’t elaborate, doesn’t feel the need to.
Childe seems to know where this is going.
“You miss him,” the Harbinger states in an understanding tone. It is left unconfirmed by Lumine herself, but Childe doesn’t push.
“How?” The blonde inquires instead. “How do you lessen it?”
It’s a vague question that might make one quirks an eyebrow and demands an explanation. Childe, however, isn’t just anyone.
He’s told her, once or thrice, that he’s not prone to that bittersweet feeling whenever he thinks about his family in the middle of his work. And that says a lot, since Harbingers tend to have lots of business to take care of. With their workload, it’s easy to forget personal matters at times. It works as a—what’s the word again?
“Those thoughts go away by themselves when you try to busy yourself,” Childe answers truthfully. “In other words, you’ll need a good distraction.”
Ah, right. Distraction.
“Like fighting?” Lumine quips back.
A chuckle escapes Childe’s throat. “You know me so well, pretty girl.”
Lumine rolls her eyes, although Childe can’t see her. “Your lust for battle can be seen from miles away, Childe.”
“You flatter me,” Childe grins playfully against her hair, to which Lumine sighs in an exaggerated exasperation, sounding fond at the same time.
“Distraction doesn’t always work,” she then tells him.
Childe hums in agreement. “I could think of other things.”
“Yeah?” Lumine pulls back a bit and looks at him in interest.
“Meditating,” Childe recommends her. “Hunting, cooking, swimming, beating up some fuckers – “
“The last one is basically fighting someone.” Lumine points out.
“Oh, but it’s not, kitten. Beating up someone who’s completely helpless and fighting someone like you, for instance, are two different things.”
Lumine snorts. Typical Childe—just what is he doing in his free time, really?
“Fine, anything else?”
“Hmm,” Childe’s eyes twinkle for a brief second. “I’d also recommend doing some... self-care.”
“Self-care,” Lumine parrots back.
“Self-care,” Childe chirps with a smile and a nod. “Relax yourself, have some rest, spend money, and eat delicious food. These activities will clear your head, if I must say myself.”
“So, basically, indulging myself in my worldly desires.”
“Always so smart, girlie,” Childe grins at her seemingly unimpressed face, as though knowing that Lumine’s secretly considering all of those things. “Ah, and I might’ve forgotten to mention that you can always ask your special someone to help you with that.”
“Do I have special someone?” Lumine smiles teasingly at him and bops his nose.
“Sure you do,” Childe replies, before nosing her hair, ear, and jaw. Like a cat that’s trying to scent its human. “Will you let me, my love?”
Lumine squirms as Childe begins to pepper wet kisses along her neck, naughty hands playing with the hem of her nightdress, not daring to venture further without her permission.
Thank the Archons that Paimon is staying at Xiangling’s place.
“Share your worries with me, Lumi,” Childe says again, voice sincere. His lashes brush against her cheeks as the man lifts his head to meet her in the eyes. “You can do anything to me if it makes you feel better.”
“You’re just a masochist,” Lumine laughs, trying to hide the warm feeling inside her gut. She almost forgets how affectionate he actually is, in a straightforward way, even. Whoever hears his name—Tartaglia or Childe—would probably cower in fear, but none of them has seen the real Ajax.
Childe doesn’t deny her accusation and merely adds with a smug smile. “Or you can ask me to do anything to you.”
Both offers are mouthwatering, and Lumine can’t deny that Childe is doing a good job to distract her from her own hellish thoughts.
Maybe she can indulge herself a little, just like he’s said. Maybe... this could be her chance to morph her frustrations into pleasure. Childe wants to help, anyway.
After all, she can’t search for her brother with a foggy mind and a restless state.
Without a word, Lumine suddenly surges forward and presses her lips against his, humming when Childe reciprocates. Without breaking the kiss, Childe shifts his body so that he’s caging her with his arms from above. Lumine pulls him closer by the neck, a tingle running down her spine as Childe continues to kiss her gently.
It lacks their usual passion, not a single heated clashes of teeth and muffled groans, but this—this is still heavenly. Childe doesn’t devour her mouth with lust; he pours all of his heart into each slide of their tongues and movement of their lips. His thumb then caresses her cheek lovingly, to which Lumine releases a soft, pleased moan against his mouth.
“Lumine,” Childe rasps out when they break apart for air. “Tell me when to stop. I don’t want to force you to do this. Not when you’re...”
“I’ll be okay. I want this,” Lumine kisses him sweetly on the lips. “Let’s... do it slow tonight?”
Childe’s eyes soften, and Lumine swears she’ll probably die on the spot next time if he gives her that look again.
“Anything for you, printsessa,” he murmurs, before covering her lips with his own again.
Lumine gets the best sleep that night.