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Lumine has been yawning all day, and it shoved Childe‘s mood onto the edge of annoyance and concern, and not just because her yawning was absolutely contagious.
During commissions she seemed unfocused, during conversation she zoned out and he had to repeat what he had been saying multiple times or even wave into her face to get her focus back.
The last straw had been her slipping and falling on an abyss mage’s ice and almost freezing to death.
He triggered his hydro blades and killed it off in a wild frenzy while Lumine was still captured in ice. He swatted his blades away and turned to his partner. She came to, and he had enough. He took off his jacket in a quick move, put them around her shoulders and decisively picked her up.
Lumine's reaction time seemed laggy still, blinking in silent shock and only murmuring a ‚what?‘ when he was already a few steps into their direction.
„You're off today, comrade.“ He panted, „I see you had no sleep tonight, don't try to deny it.“
„I'm fine.“ She was a decent liar, but not right now.
„Obviously not. We're going to rest, and I don't want to hear any objections from you.“
Lumine would have already punched his patronizing words out of his mouth if she was her regular self. But he was right. She could barely keep her eyes open, and his jacket was so warm and his chest was .. his chest was soft and inviting. She gave in and leaned against it, clutching her hands into the shirt that was mildly damp but still radiating a comfortable heat.
The world drowned out as she was listening to Childe‘s inner sounds. His heartbeat was beating rapidly - understandably so, he just had an exhausting battle and carried her uphill. She couldn't fight it anymore and let herself slip away to the rocking of his footsteps.
Lumine gasped awake what seemed a second later, but the sun was high and the yellow grass had turned into a golden ocean. He had taken them to stop at a Statue of the Seven, overlooking the picturesque slopes of Liyue.
She could feel herself warming up by the second now. Stretching, she slumped into the ground, and Childe followed her down. She was watching him through sleepy eyes.
„I‘m sorry I’m not a good partner today.“ She admitted.
Childe shrugged. „I'm strong enough for the both of us.“
Lumine grinned. „Well, if that's so, then there's no need for us to work together anymore.“
„You know I didn't mean it like that.“
„Then say what you mean next time.“ Lumine sighed with a smile, snuggling at his side.
She had tried to find rest like this with her former adventuring partners before, all with different reactions..
Bennett’s chest had been uncomfortable- not only was he basically shaking but the meadow caught on fire as well. And as for Noelle… even though they had spent time lazing in the grass together at Windrise, she was way too shy to allow even such platonic touch.
Venti had been the only one she could rest with without any inhibitions. It was physical touch without the implications of romantic advances. It was almost like lying on clouds again. And Venti knew she missed her brother so much it hurt.
Childe held her steady, his arm supporting her back while she leaned onto his chest. She was heavier than she looked, all that muscle so condensed in her tiny body, but right now he felt weightless beneath her. He shifted a tiny bit, enough to press her a little bit closer but trying very hard for it not to be obvious.
They were not strangers to physical touch though. When they adventured in Dragonspine they occasionally huddled for warmth. But it was exclusively to endure the sheer cold, sitting and shivering to the sound of the wind howling and the occasional joke that Lumine responded to with clattering teeth, which made Childe‘s eyes light up and his heart flutter.
He found himself noticing that her smile was the thing he missed most when they were apart, and the thing he craved more of. Something she rarely gave him.
Lumine noticed his small touches as they were trying to find a comfortable position in the grass, and felt her blood rush to her cheeks.
All the years of traveling made her learn how to restrain and hold back. She never wanted to awaken any false hopes regarding romance, but she doubted Childe even had an interest in such matters… fighting was the only thing on his mind it seemed. So she appreciated this moment for what it was.
She let out a soft „thank you“, before letting the sleepiness wash over her.
He looked down where her face rested on his beating chest, blonde strands falling across her face. He gently moved it behind her ear, and she inhaled deeply, followed by a content sigh.
If he could, he would capture this moment and bottle it up forever.
He had watched her. Analysed her. Had seen the way she fought, and she fought like something was missing. Sometimes her steps seemed out of line, like she was used to gliding while fighting. And sometimes she moved in a way that reminded him of his former Master. Her muscle memory was betraying her, it was obvious that she was used to protecting and being covered by someone beside her.
He was sure she had a close partner before. And he was sure that this is why she had been holding back-
He felt her shift in his arms.
„Lumine?“
She clutched his gloved hand, and he felt tiny drops wetting his skin. She was crying without a sound.
He never wanted to be more wrong about something in his life than this.
He called her foolish once, but he had been the fool- walking right off a cliff into a new beginning not knowing what it would do to him, how it would change him. He hugged her tighter, even though his heart was drowning.