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In one of the many caves formed around the rocky mountains that Jueyun Karst was composed of, two souls sought refuge from the current storm raging outside. The only sound was that of the wood creaking under the flames that were fired over it.
And then the calm was brought to an end, not by the thunder raging outside but by the sneeze that one of the individuals currently hiding in the cave.
“Great. Now I have your germs all over me.” With an annoyed sigh Lumine used the rag that she was about to put over Childe’s forehead to clean her face and other parts where the man’s spit fell. “For your well-being let’s hope you don’t pass whatever you got to me.”
Could she even get sick? She didn’t know, in previous worlds she had found sickness and plagues but her powers had allowed her to remain uninfected, but now without them she didn’t know. Washing the rag in a bowl of clean water she made the decision that the moment she started to feel under the weather she was dragging herself to the nearest medic she could find.
“How cruel of you! Who would have thought? The Honorary Knight! Savior of the nations! Threatening a defenseless and sick man, truly the embodiment of cruelty!”
For some seconds she was really, really tempted to just throw the wet rag as hard as she could at Childe’s face. It would leave a good mark, of that she was sure.
But as sweet as causing bodily harm to the annoyance currently as her side sounded, she could also be someone full of compassion and care for others. (Also, helping him would mean that Childe would now own her something. And Mora was something that never came wrong.)
So instead of throwing it at his face, she once again knelt at his side where he was lying down over the rocky ground, (and while praying to the stars above that he wouldn’t sneeze over her once again,) she put the rag over his forehead.
“If I was a truly cruel and uncaring being as you are saying I would have just let you on the riverside where I found you instead of dragging your sorry ass all over the place until I found this cave.”
The back of her hand when to his cheek to check on his temperature, his fever was still strong but he was no longer burning like he had done all those hours ago when she first found him.
“Had I known that my caretaker would be as unkind and cruel I would have preferred the cold and hard embrace of the riverside instead of your heartless and uncaring hands.”
The fucking audacity of this man! Saying such words yet still snuggling his face against her hand.
“I can still carry you and leave you there if you want. And who knows, maybe the Millelith that were sent to investigate the rumors of the Harbinger that had been spotted in the zone will find you first. But maybe you’ll drown first, with all of this rain the water levels are sure to have ascended.”
“Aww, were you worried that they would find me before you? I don’t know if I should feel offended that you think that some simple soldiers would be enough to detain me, or warmed up because you just confessed that you care for me!”
There was an itch in her hand, a strongly annoying itch that would just disappear once she slapped the insolence out of him.
“Do I need to remind you that by the time I found you were on the verge of passing out? By that point even a really determined slime would have been able to take you out. And I assure you that your only worry at that moment wasn’t only the Millelith, or do I need to remind you that the heart of Jueyun Karst is the home to several Adepti.”
Adepti, that wouldn’t even think it before getting rid of him.
And that’s not even mentioning the vast amount of hostiles beings that could be found in the zone, treasure hoarders that would be more than happy with the idea of being the ones responsible for bringing death to one of the so feared Harbingers, one of the many monsters of the Abyss that would attack anything that crossed their paths, the Ruin Guardians that patrolled the lowest parts, the Geovishaps.
No, truth to be told being found by the Millelith would have been the lesser of all evils to Childe.
And he was aware of that, but of course, instead of focusing on the danger that he had just been in, Childe currently had other priorities.
“So you do were worried for me! My heart can’t help but soar knowing the true extent of your feelings. And yet a part of it suffers from the tough that you believe me incapable of defending myself.”
There was no glory in bringing down a sick man, there was no glory in bringing down a sick many, there was no glory in bringing down a sick man…
“Childe, Childe, Childe, Childe, you looked like a drowned rat and were just as miserable. And maybe you don’t consider it important, but currently, those that belong to the Fatui fighting ranks aren’t exactly welcomed in Liyue,” (you above all, is what she didn’t say, but was clear for him to understand) “And believe me Harbinger or nor you really, really, don’t want to end up as a prisoner of the Millelith.”
The Fatui that she had rescued from the Chasm, that once managed to leave it, and were simply sent back to Snezhnaya had been the lucky ones. She was aware that many that were captured while out in the vastness of Liyue, were never going to make it back. (On more than one occasion she had been the one in charge of their capture.)
But in the end, it’s not like she saw wrongs in what Ningguang had ordered, the Fatui had planned the total destruction of Liyue, and what Ningguang was doing was simply setting the score.
And it’s not like Tianquan hadn’t made it clear that the Fatui were no longer welcomed on Liyue barring some exceptions.
Truly the ones that were still and had no permission had it coming.
Was Childe one of those who were not welcomed? Yes. But in the end, he was currently hers, so that meant that she was to protect him.
Even if it meant going against allies and friends.
“Ah, having the famed Hero of the Nations looking after someone like me.”
Outside the storm grew stronger, but as outside the skies raged and the thunder resonated loudly around the mountains and valleys inside the cave silence once again reigned.
Giving up to his exhaustion and the fever Childe had fallen asleep, once again the only sound was of the wood cracking and being consumed by the fire.
Outside the thunder continued, she knew that tomorrow would bring more problems, she had to make sure the Childe got better, and also get him out of Liyue without him being spotted.
But for now, she gave it no thought, for now it was just her and the sounds of thunder.
Soon she’ll have to leave his side, and who knows when will be the next time that they see each other, but for now she just guards over the sleeping man.
And focuses on no other thing over than his presence.