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As wood and flames cackled in the fireplace, Capitano was met with a confused look. Bewilderment in the eyes of his subordinate. Commonly enough, Capitano’s quarters were filled with a delicate warmth. The soothing warmth of an open fire, that surely would lure anyone into a comfy, sleep inducing feeling. It shooed away the cold and made way for something more welcoming. It was common enough in every household. After all, everyone would flee from the harsh cold of Snezhnaya’s winter, given the chance. Kindling the flames and making sure, their homes would be well lit and comfortable.
What the Captain’s subordinate was met with was far more confusing, however. The agent watched on seemingly in horror as the Lord Harbinger sat there at his desk, looking over various papers, reading intently the contents of each and every one with such patience and care, it was mind boggling.
“Is something wrong?” Capitano finally asked, as his head tilted upwards slightly to face the agent, who had been staring daggers at him.
The agent flinched as he felt caught in his staring, only to hesitate for a moment more.
“Lord Harbinger, please, don’t mind me asking,” he finally said. His voice shook with the cruel uncertainty of his status and if he even was allowed to ask his superior something so mundane. “But, aren’t you too hot in your garments?”
No answer followed. There was just this piercing stare the Captain granted his subordinate as he sat at his desk, in his seat far too big, dressed in his usual Harbinger attire. A coat, adorned with fur, long and heavy and far, far too warm for such a well heated room. Far too warm for someone not to open it up and hang it by the coat rack. How Capitano managed to concentrate on his work at all was beyond this agent.
“No,” the Captain finally answered as he shifted his attention back to the papers in front of him. His voice was uncharacteristically soft, spoken nearly in a whisper – tender and careful. It left his subordinate in awe.
Maybe the rumors were true. That the Captain was a being far beyond any human. He must have been, right? After all, who could ever endure such a heat without a second thought? Not that it mattered. After all, Capitano was the most fear inducing and capable warrior Snezhnaya had to offer. A legend on the battlefield and seemingly a sage to his own subordinates. Someone capable enough to train them, care for their livelihoods and inspire them to give it their all, to become legends themselves if they ever dared to dream and grasp the opportunity.
“There are reports missing,” Capitano said, his attention back to the Fatui agent before him, the gaze behind his mask seemingly expectant.
Again, the agent flinched as he felt caught in staring once again. He needed a second to get what his superior was saying. Missing reports? Ah, right, he was here to deliver the reports of the last field training to see which soldiers were fit to survive the harshness of the Snezhnayan wilderness.
“If I remember correctly, Dimitrij and Agnia were supposed to take part in this training session, but I don’t see their reports,” Capitano further elaborated.
“Ah, yes!” The agent finally remembered, “Dimitrij was hurt in the process and should be in the infirmary right now. Agnia accompanied him to make sure it wasn’t serious. As his partner she felt responsible to do so.”
“I see. So, their reports will be the most important ones. Please visit them in the infirmary and remind them to hand in their reports respectively,” Capitano ordered. With his hand he made a shooing motion, dismissing his agent to follow the newly given orders.
The agent, acknowledging his new task, bowed quickly, before he excused himself. He left the room fast enough for Capitano to finally allow himself to relax. Merely seconds after his agent had left, he laid down the papers and sat back. A deep, harried sigh left him as he stared at the ceiling.
It was hot.
It was far too hot.
Dressed in this heavy coat and lulled in by the comfortable warmth of the fire, he would have loved to shed his skin to get some relief of the heat. He couldn’t, though. It would have helped if he could have taken off his coat, but there was no chance he would. Not because he wasn’t able to, he just didn’t want to. It was one of the simplest pleasures hindering him in doing something so simple as to remove clothing.
With another sigh, Capitano slightly lifted part of his mantle, taking in the beautiful view underneath. A sight that made this whole ordeal worth it. Pressed to his side, hugging his torso, laid the Eleventh Harbinger. His mouth slightly opened, while his chest moved softly with every little breath he took. It was the treasure only the Captain possessed. The possibility to see the youngest of the Harbinger’s so defenseless and vulnerable, sleeping without any care in the world.
Never would he admit it, but it was the Captain’s pride and joy to be the only one to ever see the Eleventh in such a state. The feared vanguard of the Fatui hugging him eagerly while sleeping soundly. It was a rest well deserved even though it hindered Capitano to get more comfortable himself. After all, his cloak blanketed the younger man, sheltering him and hiding him from the curious glances of others.
“It’s not so bad,” Capitano convinced himself softly as his hand tenderly brushed aside a strand of orange hair, granting him a wonderful view of the Eleventh Harbinger’s beautiful sleeping face.
Oh, how he would have loved to bent down to kiss that adorable cheek and whisper sweet nothings into the ears of his sleeping beauty. Words of adoration the other would never hear while being awake. Little secrets, only for Capitano to keep.
He was glad his agent hadn’t noticed. After all, their relationship was supposed to be a secret. Not that well-kept, to be fair. In the end, they would have never been able to keep this a secret from their Majesty, the Tsaritsa. The Archon of love, who against all odds, was rather welcoming of this outcome. It still puzzled the Captain a little, seeing how the Cryo Archon was seemingly overjoyed about the news of two of her Harbinger’s having affections for one another.
He remembered fondly how quick the Tsaritsa was to offer one of her holiday homes for her Harbinger’s to be able to spend some alone time. Even more fondly he remembered the embarrassed look on Childe’s face as he had realized the implications of it. That adorable face flushed in a deep shade of red and that wholehearted and joyous laugh of their Archon that had accompanied it.
Still, the Captain couldn’t contain his smile, as the small figure shifted, cuddling more into his side, mumbling something incoherent, that was surely meant as declaration of his love. It was situations like these that Capitano adored and cherished above all else. The small moments of his life that seemed perfect. Spending time with a loved one, contained in a small area devoid of all the problems one could have thought of. It didn’t even matter.
He caressed his beloved’s cheek with such tender and care no one would have thought him capable of. Trying to not wake the sleeping Harbinger. It would have been easier to leave him alone, sure, but Capitano simply could not hold back anymore. He wanted to touch that figure beneath, show his affections without holding anything back.
“How can you be so adorable while sleeping?” he asked, fully aware he would get no answer. Something told him, however, he wouldn’t have gotten an answer even if Childe hadn’t been sleeping.
“Captain…” Childe mumbled, as he slowly stirred awake.
“Oh, did I wake you?” Capitano quickly asked as he withdrew his hand.
It was an adorable sight to see. The Eleventh Harbinger blinked awake and rubbed his eyes. He was still clearly drowsy. A sensation of guilt washed over the Captain. As much as he loved to caress Childe, he never wanted to wake him up so suddenly. However, the guilt washed over quickly enough, that the Captain removed his mask before he grabbed the Eleventh to help him sit up.
Maybe it was a bit too sudden as the smaller figure flinched in confusion. The warm coat lifted so quickly it was rather uncomfortable. For Childe, at least. Capitano, however, welcomed getting rid of the cloak that made him suffer for far too long now.
Childe was greeted with a kiss before he even realized it. Soft lips lovingly pressed against his forehead. A feeling he quickly recognized. Still, having lost the warmth so suddenly, he snuggled up to his Captain happily instead, seeking all the warmth he could get. If not from the coat, then from the other’s body without hesitation. There was no relief for the poor Captain, who had to endure the heat.
“Hm, aren’t you eager to cuddle,” Capitano noticed. “Slept well?”
“Mh,” Childe affirmed softly. He wasn’t even fully awake, just a happy grinning mess that basked in the feeling of a warm embrace.
It was a rarity.
For all the time Capitano had known the Eleventh Harbinger, he seemed always on edge. After all, Childe was the kind of person to never sleep deeply enough when in the presence of others. Always ready to strike, always ready to defend himself when necessary. Capitano had considered this willingness to cuddle up to him a sign of Childe’s trust in him. After all, nowadays if the youngest Harbinger wanted to sleep soundly without disruptions, he always seeked Capitano’s company.
How the Captain loved that feeling.
To be the only one to be able to hold the Eleventh while he slept so soundly.
To be the only one the Eleventh visited to be able to sleep without a care in the world.
To be the only one the Eleventh put so much trust into.
As Childe snuggled into the Captain’s chest, laying his head on the other’s shoulder, he drifted into sleep once again. Not fully rested as of now. A smile so peaceful and content on his lips, it was hard to ignore and it only grew wider with every small peck the Captain gifted him with.
“Captain,” Childe mumbled again.
“What is it, Ajax?” said Captain asked, voice low in a caring whisper.
“Love you,” the voice grew quieter, drifting off into a silent declaration.
A smile captured Capitano’s lips as he caressed the smaller figure’s hair, lulling the other into his continued sleep accompanied by soft head pats and tender pecks here and there.
“I know,” the Captain whispered, pulling the other closer into his embrace, making sure he would be sound asleep again, before continuing.
“Sleep well, my beautiful treasure.”