Chapter Text
Lumine was never one to believe in ‘love at first sight.’
The whole concept was outlandish. Love was something hard-won through time and perseverance. Love was supporting someone unconditionally, a promise that you would never abandon them even in their darkest moments. Love didn’t just happen to someone.
She was no stranger to love. She loved her brother, Aether, even though he had been missing for about 500 years. She loved Paimon, whose capacity for food seemed limitless. And she loved Teyvat, because despite its flaws, it embraced her with open arms.
Sure, some could argue that was only because she solved all of their problems, but that was besides the point. Love didn’t ride on contingencies like that.
She had one mission, one goal she had to see through, and that was certainly not romance. It was her ‘Plan A’ of sorts: Find Aether. Nothing more, nothing less.
So when Paimon suggested that a certain Harbinger was ‘in love’ with her, Lumine was shocked. No, horrified. That was a far better word for the terror she felt.
“Paimon, he is not in love with me. People can just be friends you know. I talk to Amber all the time, I don’t see you saying she’s in love with me.” Where she could even get such a notion was ridiculous. It’s not like they spent every waking moment together.
He just bothered her to have lunch with him. And bugged her about sparring. And bought her gifts. And pouted when she had to cancel on him last minute.
Ok, so the pouting was kind of funny, but to be ‘in love?’ No. That wasn’t possible.
“Well of course Amber isn’t in love with you. She doesn’t give you that weird creepy stare that Mr. Evil Harbinger always has.”
“Paimon, please, he does not stare at me. And even if he did, I wasn’t aware it was a crime to look at someone you are speaking to.”
“Yeah, well, it’s creepy. And Paimon doesn’t like it.” Crossing her arms, the small girl huffed in a way that was probably meant to seem wise and superior, but only made Lumine laugh as she was reminded of a small child who did not get their way.
“Paimon, you’re not being very fair. I don’t think you’ve ever liked him.”
“Because all he ever wants to do is fight you!”
“It’s sweet.”
“It’s horrible.”
“He’s not that bad.”
“He’s an idiot!”
“Who’s an idiot?” Whipping around, Lumine looked up, facing the very man they had just been discussing.
“You a-,” Paimon tried to start, but was quickly cut off by Lumine’s hand clamped over her mouth.
“Sorry about her, it’s before noon, so her brain hasn’t turned on yet.”
Paimon wiggled in her grip furiously, but Lumine held tightly, until she felt the small girl let out a large sigh of resignation. Letting her go, she flitted up in front of Lumine and glared angrily with her hands on her hips. It was rather endearing, actually.
Childe only seemed to find the whole situation very amusing. “Ah, does Paimon need a nap?”
“What?” The small girl screeched, “You just don’t respect Paimon!” Her little fists beat on his shoulder, and he only grabbed her leg and swung her away. Cocking his head, his smile broadened at her rage.
“What I don’t understand is how such a small creature can have so much anger.” Poking her stomach, she swatted his hand away, darting away behind Lumine’s head.
“Lumi, Paimon’s under attack!” Her fingers twisted into Lumine’s hair, and she only gave an exasperated smile to Childe.
“Come on, we’ve wasted enough time. And you,” she grabbed Paimon, pulling her back down to normal level, “are fine. Though, if you’re still upset, I’ll let you have whatever you want for lunch.”
Grumbling, Paimon settled down once more. “Well, if there’s food involved…”
Childe shook his head, and the pair set off for Wanmin Restaurant. Paimon had disappeared in a flurry of stars as she always did when she was bored, though Lumine was certain she would be back in time for lunch. No matter how busy Lumine was, Paimon never managed to miss a meal.
“You’d think with all of the food she eats, she’d just sink.” Childe mimicked the action with his hands, jabbing Lumine’s side as he did so.
Nudging him lightly with her shoulder, she gave a small laugh. “Don’t try and ask her how it works. I’ve done it before, and trust me when I say, it will not end well.” Looking up at him, she saw he was staring right back, his blue eyes full of mirth in the sunlight.
The sounds of Liyue grew as they made their way further into the city, dodging merchants coming in from port and the bustling vendors trying to peddle their goods onto unsuspecting citizens.
Eventually, things grew so crowded that she had to grab onto his arm to keep from getting swept up in it all. She was so focused on trying not to run over any children that she failed to notice the way Childe’s eyes lingered on her face.
About a block away from the restaurant, Paimon reappeared in a burst of starlight, and promptly hit the back of Childe’s head before darting back to safety on the other side of Lumine. Paimon mustered her best glare and gave it straight to Childe as he only smirked at her pettiness.
“Lumi,” Paimon whispered, “he’s doing the staring thing again.” Furrowing her brow, Lumine glanced back at him to find that he was now solely focused on the restaurant. She let him go on ahead and begin setting their table up while she hung back with Paimon, who was thoroughly upset.
Lumine let out a small huff of annoyance. “He is not, I think you’re just making things up. You could just be nice, you know.”
“Paimon would never make things up. And besides, he started it!”
Lumine only gave her a pointed look.
“Traveler, our table is ready.” Childe was tapping his foot, though whether it was genuine impatience or just his fidgety nature, Lumine couldn’t tell.
“Coming!” Lumine shouted, before turning back to Paimon. “Be nice,” she warned under her breath.
Sitting down, she frowned at the lack of a menu. When she voiced this to Childe, he only gave her a cryptic smile. “I took the liberty of ordering for all of us seeing as you and Paimon were busy.”
Paimon’s face scrunched. “You don’t even know what Paimon likes! You probably got her something horrible, like raw fish!”
Lumine only snorted with barely contained laughter. “Paimon, don’t be silly, I’ve seen you eat anything and everything. Remember the grass?”
“That was an accident. And you promised to not talk about that again! It was a moment of weakness.”
Shaking her head, Lumine smiled. “Whatever you say Paimon.”
“So Traveler,” Childe began, “I was thinking about our last spar-“
“The one I beat you in.”
“Only for now. You may have won then, but with each match I only get stronger.”
“Oh yes, I’m sure you’ve gotten much better in the last, what has it been, two days?” She bit back sarcastically.
“Well, maybe not in two days, Comrade, but eventually, of course. One day, when I am ready, I would love nothing more than to take this world and lay it bare at your feet.”
And there it was, he had to go and…be him. Her face reddened with embarrassment. She was silent for a moment, trying to find something to say. “You know, I don’t think that’s a normal thing to just go around declaring.” Looking at Paimon, the girl seemed to be saying with her eyes ‘I told you so.’ If Lumine focused enough, she could practically hear her little nagging voice now.
“Is that such a bad thing?” Gathering the courage, she faced him once more, and found his eyes drilling holes into her head. The intensity stole her words, leaving a tense silence in its place. ‘Yes’ she wanted to say. But she couldn’t, not when his face seemed so…honestly, she couldn’t place it. It was a strange mix of sincerity and desire, but a desire for what she couldn’t figure out.
They were interrupted by the waiter, who’s trays were laden with food. It looked like Childe had ordered the entire restaurant. Pretending as if that last turn in the conversation hadn’t happened, Lumine’s eyes widened as she took in the spread that now took up the entire table. “This is too much.”
“With Paimon here? It’s never enough.”
Looking at the girl in question, she seemed to be in shock. Her eyes were as big as saucers, and her mouth gaped open in a dumbstruck sort of way. She quickly snapped out of it, however, and immediately began piling everything she possibly could onto her plate.
“See, what did I say?” Childe asked laughingly.
Lumine could only shake her head in surprise. She was well acquainted with the man’s seemingly limitless bank account, but the sheer extravagance he was willing to go to still shocked her every time.
She was just glad they were done discussing taking over the world, and…whatever else he was implying. His questionable spending habits, she could manage. Mixed emotional signals? Not so much.
“I don’t think I can repay you for this.”
“Than don’t.” He said that so easily, like it didn’t even matter. Like this whole thing wasn’t against all of her morals and spending habits.
“Well, I can’t not. Not when you’ve done…this.”
He just shrugged. “Really, don’t worry about it, I got it for you. Think of it as a gift. A belated birthday present.”
“You don’t even know when my birthday is,” she deadpanned.
“True, but that means I’ve definitely missed one at some point.” His logic, or warped version of it, boggled Lumine’s mind. How such a confusing person could exist was beyond her.
Suddenly, a young man, who had to be around Lumine’s age, came rushing into the restaurant, looking very confused and lost. However, his clothes indicated that he had to be Fatui.
Glancing furtively around the room, he finally settled on their table, relief flooding his eyes upon seeing them. Childe looked up, and immediately straightened when he saw who it was.
“Lord Harbinger, a message for you. They say it is urgent.” Bowing, he handed Childe an envelope, out of which he pulled a singular parchment, his brow creasing as he read it.
Lumine wanted to ask what it was, but she knew she wouldn’t get a response. Paimon looked equally intrigued, but remained silent.
“Lumine, I have to go.” He stood abruptly, and made to follow the other person who was already rushing out of the room.
“Wait! Where are you going? Is everything alright?”
He smiled tiredly, as if he was already dreading having to leave. “Confidential. Don’t worry, everything’s already paid for.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
Smirking, some of his initial bravado returned. “Try not to miss me too much.”
“Hold on, I -“ But it was too late. He was already gone.
Try not too miss him. She could do what she damn well pleased thank you very much.
“He’s in love with you Lumi.”
“No, he is not.”
“He offered to give you the world.”
“Well, yeah, but -“
“And so he loves you!”
“I think you’re blowing this out of proportion.”
“And Paimon thinks Lumi is blind.”
Sighing, she sat back down to the grand meal that felt like it was mocking her. “I still think ‘love’ is too big of a word. We’re just friends, really.”
“Do ‘just-friends’ casually dump all of their mora on them?”
“He’s just being nice.”
Paimon narrowed her eyes.
“Ok, so maybe it’s a little strange, but we haven’t even known each other that long. You can’t be in love with someone after a month. See? Impossible.”
“Or, Lumi is just too oblivious to notice anything.”
She scoffed, scowling at the meal before her as if it had just gravely insulted her, which she supposed in some ways, it had.
“If he’s not in love with you, he’s at least flirting with you. Even Paimon can see it.”
“That’s just Childe.”
“Ok, so then he only flirts when you’re around.”
Thinking back, Paimon sort of had a point. Maybe she was right, to an extent.
Romantic love had never been something she was interested in, that was more of Aether’s side of things. She solved her problems with force, not by honeyed words.
Then again, that was exactly what Childe was like. Groaning, she sunk into her chair.
“Has Lumi accepted it yet?”
“No.” She probably never would, not if she had anything to say about it. But the more she thought about it, the more the signs jumped out at her like big, glaring warnings.
Paimon only looked smug as she crossed her arms proudly. “You’ve accepted it.”
“Have not!”
“You know it’s true.”
“…Maybe.”
Turning back to the food once more, Lumine dove in. Trying to figure this mess out was too much for her mind to comprehend. So for now, food would have to do in drowning out this issue.
This issue of ‘love.’ Damn Childe, he just had to make her life difficult, but then again, he probably wouldn’t be Childe if he didn’t.
Who made the rules of ‘love’ anyways? In Lumine’s expert opinion, it was overrated.
Guess it was time to move to the newly formed Plan B: Find Aether, and do not, under any circumstances, let Childe get in her head anymore than he already had.
Piece of cake.