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Lumine had always known what she was doing was wrong.
The truth would not—could not—be denied. Reprimands and insults ran through her mind each time she committed such moral fallacies against herself. There were attempts to confess her sins, pray, to plead to the universe for a different heart, but none of it stopped her from returning to him.
And now, the time for punishment has finally arrived.
"Thank you for being here, Traveler. Your insight is greatly appreciated."
"Not a problem!" Lies— it was a problem, a humiliating, 6'1, blue-eyed, ginger-haired problem.
Lumine sent Jean a large smile, hoping that the Acting Grandmaster would not detect her nervousness. And fortunately, Jean had her own myriad of issues to obsess over and hadn't noticed the twitch in the corner of Lumine's left eye. All she could respond with was a dismissive: "I'm sure the Harbinger will behave with you around."
No, he won't, is precisely what Lumine did not say out loud. There was no use wallowing in optimism or naivety.
"Of course!" Lumine's uncharacteristically saccharine tone also went unnoticed by the Acting Grandmaster, or at least unacknowledged. Truthfully, if Jean was to point out how nervous Lumine seemed, she must point that out for everybody in the Knights of Favonius headquarters. Kaeya and Lisa were the only ones not fretting over the ramifications of the impromptu diplomacy meeting— even Albedo said something about not wanting to deal with it and locked himself in his laboratory, Lumine wished she had the same privilege.
Methods of escape spread through her mind like wildfire. One solution would be to take Klee's bombs and throw them in the lake. Jean would put her in isolation, then, and she would not have to pretend that her boyfriend isn't her boyfriend and that she isn't a traitor that kisses Fatui Harbingers.
"Acting Grandmaster, the room is ready." Noelle's voice tore Lumine from her thoughts. She opened the conference room door and stepped out with a polite bow. In the maid's hand, a used feather duster spread a cloud of dust into the air.
Lisa did say that these conferences were rare and that it was the first diplomatic meeting since Stormterror's manic episode. Perhaps if Childe had taken care to warn them of his visit, they wouldn't have to wait for the room to get dusted.
Lumine watched him across the entrance hall as he spoke amiably with Kaeya. With both hands in his pockets and a relaxed posture, Childe almost looked unassuming, innocent, perhaps even nice; but a nice man would have sent somebody, anybody else, to do this meeting.
Lumine hurriedly slipped into the conference room and chose a seat on the far end of the table, knowing that Childe would most likely sit at the head, being the guest and diplomat. If there were several bodies seated in between them blending into the background would be-
The sound of chairs scraping against the wooden floors filled the room, and Lumine instantly caught sight of a familiar jacket and red scarf from the corner of her eye as Childe took the seat next to hers. Of course. With an eye roll, she scooted away to put more room between their shoulders, then watched his Fatui subordinates meander towards the table as if they were far more interesting.
Why was he even here? Childe hated diplomacy. He avoided these meetings like the plague— and to make matters worse, he was the most unskilled for politics amongst the Harbingers. So it was a very undiplomatic move when he leaned closer to Lumine and whispered beneath the hum of conversation, "You haven't acknowledged me yet, Lumi. I'm hurt."
In her defense, he had not acknowledged her either, but there was no use keeping score.
Lumine cast him a disinterested glance, "Hi," and turned away just as quickly.
"So cold, I love it," he chuckled. Yet, whatever other mocking responses he held were interrupted by Jean standing at the end of the table, clearing her throat for attention.
Every eye turned on her as she began, "I believe you all know the Traveler. I've invited her here to give special insight to our discussion."
Or as extra muscle in case the Fatui tried anything. Lumine straightened up in her chair and gave a little wave.
"Actually," Childe's voice cut through the conversation, "I don't believe the Traveler and I have ever met."
Immediately, dread dropped into her stomach like a 10-pound weight. Lumine turned to face him once more with a stiff, obviously fake smile. And Childe returned the look with a crooked grin-- that nonchalant mask he puts on when cornering her like prey, literally cornering her in alleyways depending on where they are. (Lumine refuses to admit how much she likes it.)
"So nice to meet you, Lord Harbinger." She grumbled.
The smile only grew. Lumine turned away before he could say something else and nodded at Jean to go on.
She nodded in return, "Alright, so I believe we're discussing the trading economy between Snezhnaya and Mondstadt. I made a map, and…."
Anything else Jean said went in one ear and out the other. Lumine kept her eyes on the Acting Grandmaster, yet her mind lingered on the Harbinger as he hung an arm over the back of his chair, then leaned closer into her space. If the map Jean presented had anything of importance on it, Lumine wouldn't know, especially not as she felt his warmth behind her.
"Hey, Lumi," he whispered, waited, and received no answer.
Jean continued talking. The sound of her rustling papers was loud enough to drown out his voice.
"Printsessa," another whisper. The sea-salt scent of his hair that she was so familiar with washed over her, "You know how much I like it when you call me my Lord- Ow!"
Satisfied, Lumine demurely removed the sharp end of her heel from the toe of his boot.
"...Are you okay?" Jean asked, her gaze shifting between the Traveler and Harbinger as if looking for an answer.
Instead, Childe lightly banged his fist on the table and cleared his throat, all while faking a stiff smile, "Sorry about the interruption, Grandmaster! That was, uh... Saying ow is a compliment in Snezhnaya, actually."
"I-I see..."
Instantly, a chorus of whispers erupted from the group of Fatui recruits. Lumine cleared her throat to silence their verbal confusion, "It's a new trend, I hear! Oh, ow, what a great presentation, Jean!"
"Ow," Childe repeated. Several of the recruits whispered 'ow...' amongst themselves.
"I see," Jean furrowed her brows as the other Knights present, Eula and Kaeya, stared. Then, when she turned to the map and began speaking, they slowly returned their attention to the matter at hand. Crisis averted, Lumine thought to herself, sighing in relief.
Yet, "Lumine..."
What a horrible man. Why did she like him?
Childe's shoulders dropped into a relaxed position as he leaned forward and whispered, "I think you'll have to be punished for that."
His very presence was already a punishment. Without sparing a glance, Lumine rolled up some papers into a makeshift club, then smacked him in the arm with it, "Just be quiet, Archons-"
"Traveler?"
Eula's voice was laced with concern. Instantly, the couple froze mid-hiss/whisper fight; it took Lumine a moment to realize that everybody in the room was staring at her and Childe with varying degrees of confusion.
Despite the paper weapon in her hands, it was his fault; she couldn't shake the cringe from recalling the last time they acted this way. However, Teucer was far easier to trick than a room of Knights and Fatui. Lying to her closest friends was an entirely different matter.
Lumine took a second to rack her mind for an explanation. Then, with a stiff, too-loud laugh, she held the papers up, "There was a bug, it looked super dangerous, so of course, I wouldn't want Lord Tartaglia getting stung!"
"That's so kind of you," Childe laughed along, "I'm eternally grateful, Traveler."
He could stand to take it down a notch, though Lumine was the one with the awkward laugh and shifty eyes. Kaeya stifled a snort from the other end of the table, and the sound struck fear into her heart. Out of all of them, it would be Kaeya to investigate their odd behavior.
Nevertheless, Jean cleared her throat and attempted to continue, "Okay, so anyway…."
No more mishaps, Lumine promised herself mentally; Jean was already on edge as it was. The poor woman had barely any warning of the Fatui's visit and had to forgo sleep in favor of making accommodations. Kaeya and Lisa claimed that the wrong moves might be Mondstadt's ruin. So, no matter how close Childe scooted his chair to hers, Lumine didn't want to mess her up any further.
After several minutes of speaking, Jean finished the presentation with an offer of special trading routes for Snezhnayan merchants that wouldn't require the upkeep of the Knights, hopefully saving them some work while so short-staffed. She finally looked to Childe for an answer and cleared her throat, "What do you think, Lord Tartaglia?"
Silence flooded the room.
And no answer, opinion, or response arrived.
"Lord Harbinger?" Jean called again.
Lumine refused to look at him - that was exactly what he wanted. Yet, finally, Childe broke from his reverie and sat straight up, eyes wide and tearing away from the curl of Lumine's hair, the tracing of her jawline, the curve of her nose. "Oh, yeah," he sent Jean a nod and smiled, "That sounds great. Anything's fine."
Anything's fine wasn't a great response to an entirely new trade route, though Childe wasn't known to handle these things well, nor at all. Immediately after answering, he slumped back down, then returned his cheek to his palm and his eyes to Lumine's profile. She stole a glance only to find him staring in that odd way of his, the way that made her heart flutter. She returned it with a glare that could kill.
Nonetheless, "Lord Harbinger," one of the recruits whispered, "The diplomacy letter-"
"You can take care of it," Childe waved a dismissive hand.
"B-But sir, I haven't practiced or-"
"Just do it," he frowned, finally glancing at the recruit with a blank, flat look, "Don't question me."
"...Y-Yes sir…"
The recruit stood to begin. Once all attention was on him and off the couple, Lumine let out a quiet sigh of relief. She couldn't imagine what would happen if her friends found out that she knew a Fatui Harbinger on a personal level, a significantly personal level. Childe and the Knights were two parts of her life that Lumine preferred to keep separate. As long as nobody from Mondstadt visited Liyue and happened to catch her at the Northland Bank with some mysterious, ginger-haired man, then she was okay. Not even her friends that lived in Liyue knew of their relationship.
It was odd, walking past Childe in the streets and never sparing him a glance, but it kept things simple, straightforward, easy.
If only he would uphold those beliefs now. Lumine saw him shift from the corner of her eye and only a moment later, svelte gloved fingers brushed along the fabric of her dress.
She tensed, yet he only smiled to himself, his eyes remaining glued to the stuttering recruit. With his elbow on the table and chin in hand, Childe looked to be giving at least the minimum amount of attention to what was said. Underneath the table, though, his other hand worked on gently pulling up Lumine's skirts and bunching them into her lap.
Horrible, he was horrible - and she was melting like an ice cube beneath the hot sun. The further her skirt traveled up her thigh, the warmer her stomach and core grew, until finally, he brushed several fingers across her bare skin. A shiver ran up her spine.
They went higher, trailing patterns across the expanse of thigh. Then, as anticipation grew within her, Childe stroked the most sensitive area between Lumine's legs-
"So, uh, how was that, Master Childe?
Thank the Gods.
The spell shattered instantly. Lumine exhaled the breath she was holding as Childe's hand slipped away, abandoning her to the cold his lack of presence brought. "That's fine," he quipped--how annoying that he seemed entirely unphased; it was almost enough to make her want to kick him again.
What the presentation was even about, Lumine had no clue. Perhaps something concerning roads or the economy or any other boring thing that could not in the least compare to Childe's hand on her bare thigh in front of her most trusted friends— She couldn't help but scowl at herself. She was aware of the track record of bad decisions when the Harbinger was around, but nothing was ever this bad, not getting hot and bothered in front of other people bad.
Aether would kill her if he knew. First, he would kill Childe. Then he would kill her. After that, he'd find a way to resurrect them both, give her necromanced corpse a lecture, then kill Childe again.
(Sometimes, Lumine wonders if Childe knows this and is only using her to bait out her brother from the Abyss to fight him.)
Whatever the reason was, it deserved no deep thoughts. The meeting moved on as Kaeya stood from his chair, "Well, I'm sure our guests are ready for the tour of the city. Don't you think so, Jean?"
"What?" She asked, "It's a bit early, and I still have some things to go over."
"But Grandmaster, I'm sure they would love to try some authentic Mondstadtian wine," he gestured to the faceless recruits, who all nodded and murmured their agreements, "See? Let's stretch our legs for a bit. The meeting's getting too dry anyway."
"...Well, fine, I suppose that'd be okay."
Finally, sweet freedom. Lumine pushed her chair back and stood as quickly as she could, smoothing out her wrinkled skirts and brushing away the memories of Childe's teasing beneath them. Then, before he could grab her, she flitted away to take her place beside Eula and Kaeya as if they were human shields.
Nevertheless, Childe cast a small, knowing smile across the room. She did her best to ignore it.
Jean led the recruits out of the building while monologuing the history of Mondstadt and whatever it was the Fatui was even there for. The Harbinger, having finished teasing Lumine, simply followed her in silence.
"Why're we doing this again?" Lumine asked, sticking to Eula's side as they exited the building several feet behind the leading group.
"You don't recall?" She looked down at the Traveler, "Hm, how unexpected. The Fatui are looking to install another Northland bank, and Jean wishes to prove to them diplomatically that it's a bad idea."
That was new. Lumine thought it was about trading. "Diplomatically?"
"You weren't listening at all, were you?" Kaeya spoke up from her other side, "Too invested in the Harbinger?"
Yes. "No, not at all. As said earlier, we just met today."
"Sure, of course."
Perhaps Lumine had responded too quickly and her nervousness showed through, or maybe her cheeks turned pink without her realizing it; something in that response made Kaeya laugh once more and pat her head condescendingly.
What was sure supposed to mean? Eula cast him a flat look over Lumine's head, "Do not accuse the Traveler of fraternizing with the enemy. You're insulting her honor. I'll take up a weapon on her behalf and restore her good name."
"I'm not accusing Lumine of anything," Kaeya interrupted, "No, it's the enemy that wants to do all the fraternizing."
As correct as the calvary captain was, Lumine groaned nonetheless, "Nobody's fraternizing with anybody! I wouldn't touch a Fatuu, let alone a Harbinger, with a 10-foot pole."
"Well, he wants to touch you with his pole-"
"Shut up!"
"Disgusting," Eula muttered, "Saying such vulgar things in the presence of nobility. You'll have your comeuppance for this, Captain Alberich."
"Oh? I look forward to it. Shall we share our schedules?"
"...Are you mocking me, or do you truly wish to see my schedule?"
Jean and the rest of the group were an entire block ahead, having moved much faster than the bickering trio behind. Lumine abandoned their sides and began speed-walking away, speaking over her shoulder as she retreated, "Could you just stop being weird? Thanks."
Despite the push for distance, his longer legs matched her pace with ease, "Traveler, you should know that beneath all of this teasing, I'm actually rather concerned."
"Concerned?" Lumine stopped in her tracks, "Why?"
"Oh, I don't know… Maybe because of the Fatui Harbinger that was eyeing you like you were a piece of meat."
"Are we not all made of meat?" Eula mused.
"Yes- wait, no." She waved her hands as if that would be enough to scare Kaeya and Eula away - the other group was moving even further ahead as it was. "Both of you, really, I'll be fine. There's nothing to worry about."
And of course, when someone says 'there's nothing to worry about' something to worry about pops up from around the corner with a shit-eating grin. Just as Lumine finished another wave of her hands, Childe appeared from around the edge of a building, huffing as if he'd just finished a run.
Both Kaeya and Eula turned to him with immediate glares. Yet, he ignored the sour looks and smiled as if nothing was wrong, "I came back to check on you three, you're lagging behind."
(Lumine hates the way her heart flips when he looks at her. It's like a fish out of water just flapping endlessly in its dying throes. How unromantic.)
Kaeya's glare eased up, yet he leaned closer to Lumine and threw an arm over her shoulder - which was, in and of itself, rather difficult due to their height difference; Childe would know. Still, Kaeya yanked her into his side with a demure smile, "Why would we need a tour of our own city? I think it's fine if Lumi and I lag behind a little."
Her heart skipped again, yet the feeling that washed over her was not affection. Instead, it was cold and dreadful and sickening, like wandering through a dark cave or eating Hu Tao's food.
Kaeya was playing a dangerous game.
He didn't know any better. Of course, he had no idea what warzone he had just stepped into by simply touching the Traveler. The last time another man that was not Tartaglia flirted with Lumine, he nearly got his hand cut off by a hydro sword.
She watched as Childe's eyes darkened. He maintained his amiable grin, but the friendliness behind it disappeared and twisted into something else; eagerness, possessiveness, Lumine couldn't tell anymore. From the corner of her eye, she saw Eula stiffen.
"Why do you think the traveler would even want to walk with you?" Childe asked, tilting his head.
Kaeya bristled but smiled nonetheless, "And do you think she wants to walk with you?"
"Perhaps she likes making new friends."
"Or perhaps she would prefer the comfort of old friends."
Eula cleared her throat to interrupt, "Or perhaps she would like to make that decision for herself."
The noblewoman had proved to be a blessing many times in Lumine's life, but she'd never been more grateful than she was at that moment. Slipping out of Kaeya's grip and putting her hands up, she glanced between the men, "How about we just catch up with the main group?"
"Wonderful idea," Eula agreed, "I'll go walk with Jean right now."
"Wait, uh-" Lumine watched helplessly as the woman she was so grateful to abandon her to the mercy of these idiots. Eula sped-walked as casually as she could— which was not casual at all. "W-Wait, don't leave me here!"
Lumine felt like a little kid lost in a crowd. Even with her love just a foot or two away, anxiety began to build up within her stomach. Childe, noticing her expression, stepped forward to take the spot Eula forfeited, "Why don't we just keep this between us two? I'm sure you have an interesting perspective on Mondstadt that I wouldn't be shown otherwise."
What happened to diplomatically proving that this was a bad idea? Whatever that meant, it was not happening then.
Before Lumine could answer, Kaeya interjected, "Well, let's get started with that tour, then," he then offered her his arm, "Lumi?"
Lumi, he said, as if the gesture was innocent and friendly. She could only stare at the bent limb in dread; If she refused, that would raise questions. If she accepted, the Harbinger on her left would… Lumine wasn't entirely sure what he'd do, but there would be repercussions. Childe's eyes bored holes into the back of her head as if he was trying to communicate through telepathy.
There was only one option left: ignorance.
Lumine turned and began walking down the street, "I'm gonna try to catch up with the others, actually."
But ignorance would truly be bliss itself if Kaeya was not so damn nice. He caught up to her within two steps and cast Childe a warning glare over his shoulder- Lumine wanted to melt into the ground and disappear.
If the Harbinger were not her boyfriend pretending not to be her boyfriend, she would be grateful. Kaeya trying to keep her safe from creeps was sweet, but only with any other man. Otherwise, she'd hug him as tightly as she could and buy him at least three bottles of wine.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and Kaeya is treating it like a leisurely nature walk.
Childe's brief silence spoke more than words needed—she wished she knew what it was saying—as he matched their pace. Awkward tension filled the air; not even Nimrod, who was drunkenly stumbling around across the street, dared to look at the trio.
The rest of the group gathered a block away, listening to Eula give an extremely detailed, formal speech on the history of the windmill. Despite how confused the Fatui recruits looked at seeing their leader fall behind, Childe stubbornly stuck by her side.
And when Lumine caught a glimpse of his laid-back, smug smile, she couldn't help but glare, "What're you grinning about?"
"Am I grinning?" Childe asked innocently, "Maybe I'm just having fun on this exhilarating tour."
"Stop lying."
"I would never lie to my dear new friend, Traveler."
Could he be any more obvious? She rolled her eyes and sent Kaeya a grimace. He laughed in return, "How cute that you think you're friends."
"And what do you think you are to her?" Childe's eyes narrowed, yet his smile remained. He took a step towards Kaeya, and with that slight movement, anticipation began to crawl up Lumine's throat once more. All she wanted was to catch up with the rest of the group where it was safe, then perhaps shake some sense into Kaeya.
Neither of the men acknowledged her discomfort, though, with the hint of a battle on the horizon.
"What am I to her?" The captain laughed lightly, "That's funny, really. I'm trying to keep trash like you away from-"
"Kaeya!" Lumine interjected with a squeak. Then, they both whipped around to face the flustered Traveler, "Thank you, but I can take care of myself!"
To exemplify, she summoned her sword, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Childe's eyes widened in excitement.
Kaeya, though, broke into a genuine smile as if pleased at the turn of events, "You're willing to go that far to scare him off? How brave, Traveler. Try not to destroy anything in the process."
"I won't! Just let me handle it," she demanded, raising the tip of her blade to point at Childe's chest — pointedly ignoring that familiar spark in his usually dim eyes. Lumine could only wonder when she'd become so weird. She'd actually come to find Childe's manic little smiles and battle-lust attractive, somehow. Then, hopefully, Kaeya would not notice the heat on her cheeks.
He gave the Harbinger a quick once-over, then sent her another smile before turning to leave, "Alright, alright, I'll let the lady defend her own honor."
Finally, the Calvary Captain strolled backward for several steps with his hands up before whirling around and returning to the group. Jean, Eula, and the most-likely-confused Fatui subordinates had already left the base of the windmill and traveled down the stairs.
Once Kaeya turned the corner, out of view, Childe summoned his bow with a wide grin, "I never thought you'd fight me in town, it'll be a challenge to avoid destroying everything, but I'm-"
"I'm not fighting you!" Lumine dropped her sword, and it dissipated mid-air in a golden mist.
"That's too bad," the pouty, puppy dog expression he wore was deadly, "I've been missing our spars."
As Childe shifted closer, the bow in his hands dissolved. Lumine craned her neck to look up at him while he slid his fingers across her waist, lightly running a hand up her back. The two were fortunate that the streets and pavilions were empty—it must've been happy hour at the Cat's Tail. Lumine pushed the Harbinger several steps forward until his back hit the wall. If there were anyone around, they'd surely yell at the couple for trampling over the flowers so carelessly.
Liyue was far more compact than Mondstadt and offered better hiding places, but Lumine would take what she could get. Feeling far more confident than her, Childe leaned in and traced her exposed shoulder blades with his fingers. They traveled to the nape of her neck, then to her spine, where he felt each ridge and bump until, finally, he stopped at the back lacing of her dress. There, Childe began to fiddle with her corset ties as if contemplating the pros and cons of pulling them loose.
"I missed you," A murmur, followed by pleasant warmth running through her body-
Until she decided to step away and punch him in the arm, "You missed me? What the hell are you even doing here?"
"Diplomat stuff!" He broke into a sudden laugh that sounded far too different from the earlier murmurs and whispers.
"You hate diplomat stuff!"
"Yeah, but I love you, and if sitting in boring meetings means I can see you more, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."
Oh.
Damn him.
Damn that rare, genuine smile and how his eyes flickered across her face as if committing her visage to memory. Damn the freckles and the hair that was so perfectly messy. It fell into his face as he tilted his head to stare with a concerned, knit brow.
The group was far enough away, having walked down the stairs that led to the market level below. Lumine glanced around to confirm they were alone, then took a nonchalant step closer to the Harbinger, "Well, it has been a while since we've seen each other."
Weak. Lumine breaks far too quickly, and her lover knows just how to take advantage of it.
"Too long," he murmured while sliding both hands across her waist, "I'll have to cut off that Calvary captain's hands for touching you."
"…What is it with you and cutting off people's hands?"
"What do you mean? It's effective."
True enough. Despite the fear of getting caught, Lumine shifted closer as one of Childe's hands went to her cheek and trailed down the line of her jaw and to her chin, where he lifted her face.
And her heart flipped for the nth time that day.
Childe leaned in to close the gap-
"Lumine?"
Dammit.
This is what the two deserved for being touchy-feely out in the open. Once again, the universe was punishing Lumine for her sins.
They both jerked backward out of each other's holds as if they were on fire. "It's not what you think!" Lumine cried.
Still, Amber stared in red-cheeked horror.
Of course she was horrified; finding the savior of Mondstadt in the arms of a Fatui Harbinger was akin to finding mold on a half-eaten piece of bread. The look on her face resembled as much.
"You must be another Knight of Favonius!" Childe sounded too fake, too cheery, "Nice to meet you. The Traveler and I were just- Well-"
"In Snezhnaya you kiss someone to greet them." Lumine quickly explained, "It's a cultural thing!"
When Amber didn't respond—going 'huh' was not a true response—Childe lifted Lumine's chin once again," Right! A kiss represents goodwill between business partners. And if someone has nice-smelling breath, then that predicts a good business deal." She opened her mouth as he wafted her breath with a hand, "Ohhhh, yes… That's horrible, comrade. It looks like this isn't going to work out."
When he pulled back, Lumine looked at Amber, "I could smell yours if you want. It's only fair that we try to understand his culture."
"It's a very rich culture, very storied." He added.
How could someone who lied to his own family regularly be so bad at it? The situation was escalating to toy salesman levels of stupid. Even Amber, who usually put faith in whatever Lumine said, blinked several times and ran a hand down her face, "I swear you two looked like you were about to-"
"About to hug?" she asked, "Yeah, that's, uh, what you do after the breath check."
"But-"
"Amber, you really know nothing about Snezhnayan culture, do you?" With a tsk, Lumine shook her head and patted Childe's arm, "I'm so sorry you have to experience this prejudice, Lord Tartaglia. It reflects badly on Mondstadt."
At least there was no emotional manipulation when it came to lying to Teucer; Lumine wasn't sure how well she'd keep up the act. She refused to meet Amber's eyes, half stemming from nerves and half from embarrassment.
Nevertheless, Childe sighed a bit too dramatically, "Oh, it's okay. You become numb to the xenophobia once it happens enough…"
"The what?!" Amber cried.
She'd have to buy the Outrider several apology meals after this. But for now, all Lumine wanted to do was flee the scene and forget the innate stupidity of it all, "Anyway, w-we should really get back with the group!"
"Great idea!" Childe agreed, also speaking far too stiffly ever to be natural.
His lack of lying skills was one quality that endeared him to her. Even in Liyue when they first met, he never bothered to hide who he was or his actions' underlying intentions. And when it comes to family and his relationship with Lumine, keeping those feelings secret felt as unnatural as a warm day in Snezhnaya.
Amber stared at the Harbinger as if he had grown three heads. "O-Okay. Um," she looked at Lumine, "Sorry I missed the meeting earlier."
"Don't worry about it! It was boring anyway." And fewer people should have been there anyway.
The trio returned in awkward silence, Amber keeping close to Lumine while directing several wary glances at Childe. He ignored each one with a blank expression that gave nothing away.
As they approached the group in the marketplace, Jean's figure came into view amidst the black coats of the Fatui. Once she caught sight of them, her nervous expression melted into one of relief, "There you all are, we were looking for you."
Fortunately, they were unsuccessful in that search. Childe waved a dismissive hand, "The traveler and I got distracted while discussing-"
"Snezhnayan culture!" Lumine interjected, "It was fascinating."
"Right, right, Snezhnayan culture." He nodded and folded his arms over his chest. The Fatui recruits whispered amongst themselves of their Lord's generosity; a Harbinger shouldn't have to speak to one as lowly as the Traveler, yet Childe was known amongst the Fatui for his good nature. Lumine begged to differ. If Childe were truly good-natured, he'd keep his roaming hands to himself while in public.
"How nice," Jean cast an awkward smile before distraction took over once again. She turned around to lead the group down the street, "If you follow me, we can speak to our alchemy booth's overseer Timaeus."
It was working if the goal was to bore the Fatui half to death. Lumine supposed that was one way to make a diplomat uninterested in the expansion of Mondstadt. Childe, even, spared her no attention as he lingered behind Lumine and Amber, making his presence all too known to the object of affection.
Lumine couldn't help but slow in pace and subtly leave Amber's side, only to drift to the back of the group. The feeling of Childe's hands on her waist still lingered in the corners of her mind like a hot brand; inexplicably, she drew closer, slower, keeping her eyes straight ahead all the while. With their companions' backs turned, he finally let his arm hang at his side, his hand brushing against hers.
Lumine's heart fluttered, though she had no clue whether it was from excitement or nerves. Yae Miko once told her of a famous romance novel about stars crossed lovers that had to hide their relationship, and while Lumine didn't have time to read such things, she found herself thinking back to that description. It was no wonder it was a popular book; hiding in plain sight was fun.
And dangerous.
There was no way to predict how her friends would react to her albeit minuscule tie to the Fatui. Diluc might never speak to her again.
Despite that, who are the Traveler and the Harbinger without danger? Lumine cast a glance at Childe only to find him smiling to himself. Before she could comment on it, he pressed his arm closer, and the familiar feeling of soft leather found her fingers.
Perhaps Lumine might forgive him for the day's earlier transgressions if he kept being sweet. Maybe. The moment their fingers touched, her heart skipped. Childe's smile grew as if he knew just how on edge his lover was like he was enjoying the anticipation and high stakes.
They first held hands when she pinned him down during a spar and tangled their fingers together. Since he was bleeding and had quickly overpowered her seconds later, she wasn't sure if that truly counted as one of their beloved firsts. Nevertheless, the two had never once held hands in public. If they passed each other in the streets of Liyue Harbor, the most they allowed was a nod of acknowledgment.
How nice to be a relatively normal couple for once.
Until, of course, Kaeya whipped around to catch them in the act of tangling their fingers together.
His visible eye widened within the two seconds Lumine and Childe were given to break their hands apart and act casual. Fortunately, nobody else had turned around—everybody was politely listening to Timaeus's droll lecture. Nevertheless, Kaeya narrowed his gaze and stared at the space their hands just occupied.
Silence fell.
Timaeus kept talking; it sounded like endless, muffled noise to Lumine's ears. All she could do was swallow the rock in her throat and wrack her brain for something- Anything.
"Is there a problem, captain?" Childe broke the silence with a dismissive tone. In response, Kaeya began to light up like the sun rising over the horizon, his expression full of evil, villainous intentions.
Finally: "Were you two just doing what I think you were?"
Lumine cleared her throat awkwardly, "What do you think we were doing?"
"Nothing much, just holding-"
Suddenly, Childe shot out a hand, the quick movement interrupting Kaeya mid-sentence. Even odder, though, was what he grabbed.
"In Snezhnayan culture…" a pause, followed by barely disguised disgust coloring his eyes as he held Kaeya's hand in his own, "It's good luck to hold hands, you know. It means…"
"It means to establish friendship!" Lumine interjected perhaps a little too loudly, "Haven't you ever heard of it?"
"What-"
Childe tsked and shook his head, "The ignorance of Mondstadters is truly shocking."
"Yeah," With a sigh, Lumine took Childe's hand in her right and Kaeya's in her left then held them up in the space between their bodies and gestured, "You really shouldn't be so hateful, Kaeya! I'm disappointed in you."
"…Hateful?" He asked flatly.
"Yes."
"…I know you two are lying to me, it's cute, really."
Unfortunately, Lumine didn't particularly feel cute.
She cast Childe a glance that screamed for help— he caught on immediately. With a scoff, he yanked his hand away from Kaeya's and jerked backward, "You really know nothing of the Motherland, do you!? I feel like I should be offended, but since the Traveler has been so respectful, I'll let this slight go."
"You're welcome, Mondstadt." She quipped.
Is there a reward for being the stupidest couple? Lumine contemplated their chances as she watched Kaeya stare for just a moment longer, his lip twitching as if he couldn't decide whether to laugh or start calling them out for such obvious lies. Threats and backup plans began to take shape in her mind; nobody's going to believe you. A traveler and a Harbinger? You'll just look delusional.
And this wouldn't be the first time she's threatened some poor soul that's discovered their secret. Kaeya was simply the worst poor soul out of them all.
Despite the awkwardness, he remained quiet, leaving Lumine to drown in anticipation. Then, after another short staring contest between the trio, he finally caved in with a casual, defeated shrug.
"If you say so."
She very much says so.
In silence, Kaeya retreated, looking as if he couldn't care less to put up with either of them.
It felt too easy. Childe sent her a victorious smile, "That was more effective than I thought."
"No kidding," Lumine nodded along, "But I can't help but feel that he's onto us."
"I could cut his tongue out if you're worried, lyubimaya moya."
His beloved, the Tsaritsa's most finely honed weapon of war also happened to be an incredibly cheesy romantic. Despite their months of dating, Lumine's heart still fluttered, flipped, and flopped at the sound of Snezhnayan pet names. She looked at the fountain as if it were far more interesting than the man at her side. Yet, he laughed and slid close, all while watching the backs of their distracted companions. Once one of the subordinates looked to almost be falling asleep standing up, he whispered, "I don't think they'd really notice if we got out of here."
"No, they would." Lumine huffed, "We've already pushed our luck too far."
"Oh… I see."
The light tone of his voice grabbed her attention instantly, "What?"
"You're scared," Childe said, "You're more cowardly than I thought, love, how sad."
Cowardly? Sad?
Lumine tensed.
She glared and clenched her fists.
And she broke— despite knowing all too well what he was trying to do, she broke.
"Stupid," Lumine hissed furiously. A glance at the rest of the group confirmed that they weren't watching, "You can't just call me chicken to bait me into taking a risk like that!"
"Oh, I can't?"
Damn his condescending tone and mocking smile. Curse his little laughs of amusement. Screw his stupid challenges-
"Let's go."
Throwing caution to the wind, Lumine gripped his scarf and yanked him into the nearest alleyway while Childe stumbled after her. The couple rushed down cobblestone streets until they could find a relatively private spot behind some empty crates. The moment she released his scarf, he grinned in victory, guiding her by the hips to lean on the wall.
"Good decision," a murmur, a dark look in his eyes, then-
Their lips crashed together as inevitably as waves on sand.
Childe pressed her body into the wall and rested his forearms on either side of her head. Lumine leaned up to throw her arms around his neck— the pressure of his lips was a special kind of warmth that she'd craved every night they were apart. Around her, the world began to dissolve until Childe was all that remained.
Yet, a burning need for oxygen called and he broke the kiss with a huff, "I'm tired of keeping us a secret," another kiss, another desirous and heavy exhale as their noses brushed against each other, "I want everybody to know you're mine."
He had once said something to that similar effect last time they met in Liyue, and it never failed to bring a twinge of guilt to Lumine's heart. He wasn't the one who decided to keep them a secret. If Childe was just Ajax and the Traveler was simply Lumine, he'd scream of their relationship from the rooftops. His declarations would be loud enough for the stars themselves to hear.
But the universe held a grudge against them both. Sadism and masochism mixed into a sickening cocktail that resulted in two enemies falling in love. Life was never fair, Lumine knew, yet this was just plain hurtful.
The most she could offer was reassurance in the form of a whisper, "I'm yours, always will be."
(How cheesy. That was another reason their relationship was secret; Lumine's pride wouldn't be able to take it.)
"But that Kaeya fellow doesn't know that," Childe pulled back and ran his fingers through his hair.
She took the opportunity to lean in and press a kiss on his neck, murmuring, "He's just concerned for me, is all."
"If only your little Knight friends knew what you've been getting up to in your free time…."
Killing monsters with a Harbinger and kissing him while he's covered in the blood of said monsters? That would be disastrous.
Lumine wasn't even sure why she liked that; not being able to provide an explanation to Jean about her canoodling with a member of the Fatui would be an entirely new level of humiliation. However: "I would like to show you off sometimes, I guess."
Childe fake scoffed, "How hurtful! Am I just arm candy to you?"
"Yes."
"Fair enough," he swooped back into another kiss, this one deeper than before as it pressed her further into the stone wall she leaned against. When he swiped his tongue across her lower lip, she let out a muffled squeak and allowed him entry with no hesitation. Their lips sped in pace. Drinking each other in as if starving and parched from water, the space between their chests closed.
And Childe managed to whisper broken sentences through kisses, "I'm staying at Goth Grand tonight. If you come in through the window, nobody will know."
"Yes, but…" Lumine slowed down to exhale heavily. One hand gripped the front of his jacket and the other rested over his shoulder, "I think you'd have more fun sneaking into my room."
"And where is that?"
"Dawn Winery," she mumbled, then laughed when he froze mid-neck kiss and smiled against her skin, "You could climb through my window, hide from Master Diluc, and we could hold hands all night."
"A tempting offer, Traveler. But if we get caught, I reserve the right to fight Diluc." Childe spoke as he kissed down her neck and to the sensitive expanse of skin above her collarbone, forcing Lumine to tilt her head and give him further access. Butterflies erupted in her stomach when he dug his teeth into her shoulder. All that was and had been melted away as Lumine became anxious for more.
"Deal, but you know we won't."
"But I hope we do."
She pulled back and huffed as their eyes met, "We won't get caught-"
"Excuse me, what're you two doing?"
Wonderful.
Did the universe hate her? Lumine was beginning to think that the Gods chose this day, in particular, to punish her for the great sin of holding hands with the enemy.
Slowly, the couple looked for the source of the voice.
A lone Knight of Favonius stood at the end of the alleyway with his hand hovering over the hilt of a sword, fear in his eyes. Lumine couldn't even remember this one's name, yet he gaped at her in unabashed horror.
How could they explain this away? Kissing in an alley could not be stupidly disguised as 'Snezhnayan Culture,' and the accusations would take them only so far before they were found by someone actually knowledgable about the country. Before she could even open her mouth, Childe already straightened up, glaring as he flexed his fingers to summon a hydro dagger, "What's it look like we're doing?"
The Knight's cheeks turned pink, "I-I, uh, it looks like-"
"I'm obviously mugging this woman!"
Obviously.
It was a very affectionate, intimate mugging.
"I won't let you get away with this!" The Knight drew his sword and pointed the tip at Childe, yet his hand began to shake as his opponent cast him a smug smile.
How stupid was this man? To say the least, he was bold standing up to a Fatuu with a vision. Lumine internally panicked as she imagined the outcome of such a messy situation; Childe wouldn't turn down a challenge unless told otherwise. She nudged him with her foot and shook her head no, to which he visibly deflated.
The hydro sword disappeared in a light mist and the Harbinger/mugger took a dramatic step back, "You know what? I've seen the errors of my ways. So allow me to rejoin society as a good citizen, dear sir!"
Bewildered, the Knight could only stare.
"This isn't gonna work," Lumine groaned, "Just knock him unconscious and leave his body behind some crates."
"W-Wait, what?" At the sight of Childe's rejuvenated excitement, he stepped away while considering his chances of escape. The second he glanced over his shoulder, though, the Harbinger struck.
As the two dragged the unconscious body further down the alley and towards a pile of crates, Lumine realized that the universe now had yet another thing to punish her for.
The couple rejoined the group at different times to not raise suspicion. Childe gave his subordinates an excuse along the lines of 'top-secret, classified things happened.' Lumine, who rejoined about 10 minutes later, informed everybody present that Paimon had gotten stuck in a tree again and needed her assistance.
The last part of the tour was at the great bridge that stretched over Cedar lake. The sun began to set on the horizon when the group meandered out of the city gates.
Jean eventually stopped leading the group upon reaching the mouth of the bridge, then spread her arms with a nervous smile, "So, as you have witnessed—and as you will inform your Lord Harbinger— Mondstadt has no good real estate available. We are a people that do not care for money nor saving it, and the location…"
So that was diplomatically proving a point - it was horrible. Jean wasn't at all a convincing liar.
Although, Lumine didn't feel as if she could judge on that front.
"What do you think, Master Childe?" A subordinate asked. All eyes turned to the Harbinger— but he only had eyes for sunset glow atop Lumine's hair.
It took him a moment to realize that he was being spoken to, mainly because of the shy smile Lumine sent him in return. Yet, he eventually tore himself away and offered the subordinates a dismissive glance, "What do I think about what?"
"The Bank, sir! We're building a bank!"
"Oh," he blinked, "I don't really care, truth be told."
"Great! Then we'll pick out a spot-"
"Actually," Lumine interjected loudly, "Lord Tartaglia, do you not think some people might be incredibly angry at your approval?"
Instantly, Childe froze in place with wide eyes, "…How astute, Traveler! Yes, some people would be angry indeed. But also, some people know that I'm under orders and would need a better reason than that to call it off."
Jean, Kaeya, and Eula stared with their varying degrees of bewilderment. Finally, Lumine simply sent him a warning in the form of a glare.
Childe's smile was frustrating in how innocent it looked, "Anyway!" He clapped his hands together and beamed at the Knights, "Are we done here?"
Jean gasped, "W-Well, no, I was really hoping to discuss this some more-"
"This was fun, thank you for your hospitality!" Purposefully oblivious, he put his hands together and gave a short bow, interrupting Jean entirely, then turned to Lumine with a grin, "Traveler, it was so nice meeting you. We should get dinner so we can get to know each other better."
He was hitting on her right in front of everybody as if they weren't in agreement on secrecy. Slowly, she looked up at him, cheeks hot, ready to refuse-
However.
And there's always a however when it comes to Childe. This instance involved the furrow-browed, blue-eyed, pouty look he gave her.
Lumine had never felt so weak.
"Fine!" Her voice came out like a mouse's squeak, "Let's go."
He grinned as if he'd won a prize and threw a lazy arm over her shoulders, "You won't regret this."
"I feel that I will, but okay."
Yet, before the two could make their retreat, the sound of someone clearing their throat with loud intention stopped them. Lumine stole a glance at the Knights only to find various shades of confusion staring back at her, a theater of horror and morbid curiosity.
(She'd forgotten they were there, truth be told.)
"What?" Lumine slid out from beneath Childe's arm. Then, remembering himself, he stepped away to put room between their bodies.
"It's just…" Amber looked a bit constipated as she spoke, "What in the abyss is going on between you two?"
That was an excellent question.
Unfortunately, neither of them had a satisfying answer.
"Nothing." Childe sent her a fake smile meant to charm her into forgetting, but Amber only narrowed her eyes in return. At her side, Jean looked red-faced and embarrassed, but Kaeya grinned.
And despite the Calvary captain's smile, there were no hints of innocent humor in his face. Lumine tensed at the sight, making Kaeya snort softly behind his palm. He slipped away from the small crowd and approached her, "Hey, I believe you, don't worry."
It was impossible not to worry when he looked at her like that. Lumine shifted uncomfortably, "Oh, thank you, I-"
"Nothing's going on!" He spread his arms and turned to face Childe, grinning all the while, "So obviously you wouldn't mind if I stole the Traveler away tonight instead, right? I'm sure dinner can wait."
No, it could not.
Childe wore a blank mask of indifference—he was screaming on the inside, she could tell— "That's just… Fine . Sure. Anyway, if we're over here, I'll be getting back to the hote-"
Kaeya interrupted with a sharp laugh, "Yep, we're over! Come on, Lumi," with that, he snaked an arm around her waist and jerked her into his side, "let's go on a date."
"I didn't know they had a thing, did you?" Amber muttered to Jean and Eula, who both shook their heads. Sudden heat rushed up Lumine's chest and to her cheeks - she wasn't sure what she feared more, Kaeya's boldness or Childe's palpable jealousy.
A quick glance at her boyfriend confirmed that it was definitely the jealousy that held more power. His expression darkened, eyes widening and brows shooting up. The small, tense smile he wore looked plastered on, entirely forced.
Kaeya maintained eye contact. Anticipation began to build, thickening the air. Finally, after three incredibly long seconds, he patted Lumine's waist fondly and lifted his chin, "Well, let's get out of here, love."
Love.
She choked on the air, "W-What?!"
He had a death wish. She wasn't aware that Kaeya was suicidal.
"Yes, let's go-"
A flash of vibrant neon blue interrupted him mid-sentence. Everybody gasped in shock when hydro quickly formed into a blade with the tip leveled right at the captain's chest. Childe wore the darkest look she'd seen since the golden house as the tell-tale spark of electricity crackled through the air, confirming that his delusion was close to activation.
All this because Kaeya put his hand on her waist?
Lumine had always known the Harbinger was a drama queen, but-
"Let go of her," Childe's voice interrupted her thoughts. It was a gravelly, low growl. The other Knights stood on the sidelines with their drawn weapons and battle stances, yet Kaeya stood perfectly still, cavalier at the end of a blade.
"And… Why should I?" He asked.
Before he could form a response, his subordinates jumped into the fray, "Are you trying to insinuate that Lord Tartaglia is jealous?" One of them gasped, "The audacity! I must defend his honor!"
"Master Childe would never like a scrawny woman like that!" Another screeched.
"Yeah! He needs a true warrior woman!" And preferably not the enemy, most likely, but nobody dared to say that aloud during this 'diplomatic meeting.'
Childe's mask of anger fell into a blank slate once more as Lumine gently pulled herself from Kaeya's grip and cleared her throat, "Let's not fight. Everybody's jumping to conclusions."
"I'm not," Kaeya threw his head back and laughed bitterly, "His intentions are obvious, I'm simply pointing them out."
Jean sighed, "You're making things worse."
Instantly, the Fatui recruits exploded into avid denials on behalf of their Harbinger, convinced that Lord Tartaglia wouldn't touch the Traveler with a 50-foot pole. Beneath the chaos, Lumine and Childe's eyes met-
And he grimaced in understanding.
She knew he didn't like it, but they had an agreement in place for their own safety and sanity. Childe was as bound to their shared secret as she was, and fortunately, he knew how to read the look Lumine sent him.
"Enough!" Childe demanded with a severe tone. In precisely 0.03 seconds, a hush fell over the bickering crowd. Jean stared at him with wide eyes. Amber gasped and held onto Eula, who was glaring as if ready to cut his head off. Thick silence ensued even from the groveling subordinates.
After scanning the small crowd, he finally continued, "I didn't know Mondstadt was so inhospitable. The Tsaritsa wants to help your community grow and thrive, but what do you respond with? Offensive accusations."
Those years of acting in the theater were finally paying off. Lumine mentally sent him praises for the performance.
"W-Well," Jean cleared her throat and stiffened, "Perhaps-"
"I don't want to hear it." Childe interrupted, raising a hand and turning away, "Her Excellency would not want to invest in this horrible, rude town. Come, let us report this fallacy to the Motherland."
The response was a chorus of, "Yes sir!" Then, satisfied with his words, he nodded to himself and began to walk towards the city gates while the recruits followed stiffly. All eyes lingered on his back in abject confusion and horror. But Lumine, on the other hand, was simply relieved.
It was a dramatic exit, but perhaps her friends would forget the day's events and label the Harbinger as unstable and odd. Perhaps-
"Oh hey, Mister Lumi's boyfriend!"
Or perhaps Klee would destroy everything.
She walked through the city gates with her hands gripping the straps of her backpack. Childe stopped mid-step when she greeted him innocently, "E-Excuse me?"
"You're Lumi's boyfriend, aren't you?" She giggled, "Klee saw you two kissing earlier, it looked very romantic!"
Oh.
Every eye turned to Lumine. She felt as if she were on fire beneath the various gazes.
Silence. Suffocating, horrible silence.
"M-My Lord?" A subordinate looked to Childe for answers but received nothing.
The Harbinger was left in wide-eyed horror as he stared at his girlfriend just several feet away. At his side, Klee murmured something along the lines of 'did I do bad?' yet went ignored.
"Klee saw them kissing," the younger girl explained with a shaken voice, "Is that not good? Why's everybody weird?"
Nobody could provide an answer.
All of those embarrassing lies wasted.
Finally, Lumine inhaled sharply as if waking up from a deep sleep, "I'll just see myself to solitary confinement now."
She fled the scene as casually as she could manage - which was not casual at all. And in silence, Childe trailed after her. His subordinates watched the scene in confusion and horror.
Another heavy pause filled the air.
But it was Amber who shattered the moment with a gasp.
"I knew it!"