Work Text:
Komori teahouse is quiet tonight. Childe sits at the bar, nursing a cup of roasted tea; the retainer– Thoma, he had introduced himself– had recommended it. Childe had been around a few times in his previous trip, but this was the first time he'd bumped into the man.
The tea was powerful, stronger and more bitter, the burnt aroma lingering on his tongue. It makes him miss the light fragrance of Liyue's white tea: how it washed gently over his palate between bites of a flavourful meal at Wanmin; how it lulled him into its taste, so unlike the firewater he had grown used to; how it had come with a kind gentleman willing to regale him with the many possible answers to all his questions.
He looks down at the cup between his fingers and all he sees is the ghost of Zhongli's hands. They bracket his own, gently closing his fingers around the teacup he had just placed in his hold, and when he looked up, Zhongli would be there, smiling kindly at him, with another story ready at the tip of his tongue.
Taroumaru barks, and Childe remembers where he is, staring at the cedar shelves of the teahouse.
–
This trip is useless. Childe throws a set of clothing into his luggage, rummaging through the drawers of his inn room for his loose belongings. This trip is a waste of my time. He stuffs his spare pins and buttons into the bag, evidently he hadn't even needed them with the utter lack of action during this supposed mission.
He doesn't mean to doubt Her Majesty, he's sure she sent him here for a reason. It's just that whatever reason it is, it must entirely elude him. What meaning is there to send him back here– and of all things, to check on that damned domain? What meaning was there to that initial mission to Inazuma in the first place? The sixth harbinger seat has been empty for centuries, and they want him to go hunting for what can barely even count as a ghost? Was it to get him out of the palace? Some elaborate punishment for the diplomatic mess in Liyue? Where– mind them– he had completed his mission, successfully, and if they knew their plan would kick up a political scuffle, then they should have planned for it better from the start! He throws his hand out in frustration, knocking over a stack of books on Inazuman customs.
…Childe takes a deep breath, letting it out with a heavy sigh as he squat down to collect the scattered books.
Zhongli had sent these to him. Soon after he'd arrived in Inazuma, he'd received a modest package from Liyue; the consultant had heard of his mission, and had sent over a collection of books that he'd thought would help. A pity, then, that instead of putting these to use, he got stuck in that stupid domain.
In all honesty, it had been a little serendipity at first; what warrior wouldn't relish in the opportunity to hone his skills and sharpen his blade? Why, it was an opportunity dropped right into his lap! But as time wore on, with every reset of the domain– the traveller and their companions were sent dutifully out, of course, leaving him stuck as the space rearranged itself, tossing him around and putting hordes upon hordes of increasingly demented monsters in his path– even he had to admit the adrenaline was wearing off.
Childe slots the books neatly into his luggage, cushioning them between his spare clothing and the kimonos he had bought for Tonia. Why can't Her Majesty send him back to Liyue for a change? Pantalone trusts him enough with the Northland bank, and the guy himself has been pretty busy lately overseeing Sumeru's branch opening; dude probably needs someone to hold down the fort a little!
He sighs, slumping back onto the bed, it wasn't right to blame Her Majesty, she surely has a plan of her own for him. He turns his head, looking at the little enclosure that Yoimiya and some of her friends had helped fashion for the Onikabuto he caught. The creature rustles about the cage, rubbing its front legs on its armoured head before burrowing shallowly into the dry leaves and soil.
At least he got this much out of the trip. He smiles, thinking about Teucer's excited laughter, about how happy Tonia would be with her new kimonos, and how Anthon would be buried in the novel for days after, coming back to the world of the living with his own manuscript of things to gush about with regards to the story. All he has to do now is wait for tomorrow's morning ship.
He closes his eyes, deciding to take a quick nap, only to hear a clear knock on his door.
"Tartaglia?" It's Yoimiya. "Are you there?" Childe agonises with himself; she had been more than welcoming to him in his stay here, and spending time with her and the kids had definitely made this trip more worthwhile, but he has to begrudgingly admit to himself that it was getting tired holding in his frustration around this deadbeat mission.
"Hellooo? I don't mean to intrude, really– it's just that the kids and I prepared a little surprise for you: they can't send you off tomorrow 'cause of school, so this is their way of saying goodbye."
…Childe groans to himself and relents, getting up to open the door.
"Hey, sorry– was too caught up in packing," he lies, "did you need something?"
"Oh, great, you are here!" Yoimiya bounces happily, "are you free tonight? The kids and I wanna show you something!"
"Uh…"
"We know it's your last day here, so we wanted to make it special! The kids had a great time with you, and they want to say thank you."
"Oh… I," Childe caves thoroughly, "Well, since you put it like that! Who am I to refuse?"
"Yay!" Yoimiya cheers, bouncing on the balls of her feet, excitement emanating from her, "We'll meet you tonight after sundown! Come find us at the edge of Chinju forest!"
Yoimiya bounds off, and the door swings slowly shut. Childe sighs. Well, he'll have to finish packing earlier he supposes.
–
“So what’s this surprise you’ve got planned for me?” Childe asks, a small smile in his voice as they trek up the incline of Chinju forest.
“Well we obviously can’t tell you! It’s supposed to be a surprise, big brother Tartaglia!” Iwao laughs.
“Yeah big brother Tartaglia! Come on, don't tell me you don’t know what a surprise is!” Saika joins in, giggling.
“Well I can't help it, you guys made it sound so exciting!” Childe plays along, chuckling as the kids bound around them, “can you at least give me a hint?”
“Nope!” Iwao says, resolute.
“Aww you guys are no fun,” Childe pouts, and Yoimiya laughs beside him.
“Okay okay kids, let’s give Tartaglia a break. Why don’t you guys run along ahead and start setting things up hm?”
“Wow set-up? You’re really hyping this up for me y’know,” Childe teases, Yoimiya elbows him playfully in the side, shaking her head with a smile before ushering the kids along.
They watch them skip excitedly into the forest, disappearing behind a bend as their excited laughter echoes back. “How are you feeling?” Yoimiya asks suddenly.
“Me?” Childe startles, taken aback by the seemingly unprompted question.
“Well, you seemed kind of down yesterday, and throughout your stay in Inazuma actually,” she explains, “when you’re not playing with us, you actually look really different.”
“Hm, have I frightened you?” Childe teases, grinning.
Yoimiya snorts, “there’s nothing scary about you.”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Hm, maybe, but that doesn’t really matter,” Yoimiya says nonchalantly. “What matters is you were kind to the kids, and friendly to me, and we want to thank you is all.” She says it so matter-of-factly that Childe struggles to find an appropriate response, but luckily for him, the kids save him from that trouble as they come running back down, loud footsteps sounding from the path ahead.
“You guys are soooooo sloooooow!” Iwao snickers. Yoimiya and Childe turn to see that the children have come back down to call for them. “We’re almost done, Yoimiya! Hurry up you guys, come on!” Matsuzaka calls, beckoning them over before running back up.
“Oh they’re fast,” Yoimiya chuckles, taken by their excitement, before grabbing Childe by the wrist and running. "Come on Tartaglia!" Yoimiya says, her words punctuated by giggles, "come on! Oh– I can't wait to show you!"
"Woah!" Childe stumbles as she pulls him along, her laughter dangerously contagious as he's led through Chinju forest. The kids run ahead, energetic as ever, and miraculously, he feels it rubbing off on him too. The sun has, by now, sunken well past the horizon, and despite Childe’s fatigue, he has to admit he feels a mounting anticipation for what Yoimiya and the children have prepared.
They come up on an elevated clearing, a short climb up from the plane of Chinju forest, and Yoimiya sits him down near the ledge. The kids follow soon after, scrambling onto the clearing after fussing with something in hushed, adorably conspiratorial tones below. They plop themselves down beside Childe, and he ruffles their hair, undeniably endeared despite it all, before turning his attention to Yoimiya. Her pyro vision was glowing by her hip, and there were the beginning sparks of something dancing within her palm. She snaps her fingers a few more times, the sparks extinguishing and reigniting, before she hums, satisfied, and turns back to face them, a radiant smile on her face.
The sparks in her hand circle about each other, growing as the fire feeds until they fill out, revealing three goldfish, encircling each other in a never ending performance. Their forms burgeon as they swim, quickly outgrowing the palm of Yoimiya’s hand, and then, even the space around her. They swim upwards into the sky under Yoimiya’s direction, seeking room to soar. Their glittering bodies lighting up the night sky in a joyous, lighthearted dance that puts the stars to shame, before they take a dramatic dive, plunging themselves to the foot of the small cliff.
Everything is silent for a moment as Yoimiya turns back to observe, before a brief, quiet hissing noise sounds, the only warning before the indulgent lilt of a launching firework pierces through the air, sending the first batch of fireworks soaring.
They explode across the sky, painting the night in sparks of bold colour. Childe watches, transfixed, as the embers come alive in a flash of hot white, before giving way gracefully to shades of red, gold, and amber, accented with a lovely deep blue. The colours fade as they fall from the sky, leaving a momentary silence in the air that's quickly replaced by the excited crescendo of another batch of fireworks rocketing into the sky, as if demanding one's undivided attention, even if for just a slightly longer moment in time.
Yoimiya smiles as she looks at him, this time taken, not by the beauty of the fireworks, but by the fleeting sight of the look of contentment and wonder on Childe’s face. The vibrance of the fireworks dances in the pool of his irises, their rippling reflections brightening his usually dull eyes. He laughs unexpectedly, an abrupt sound that jumps from his throat, a little clumsily, a little uncontrollably.
"Yoimiya… this is– this is beautiful," he breathes, eyes still locked onto the sight before him.
"I'm glad you like it," she says, voice alight with the smile on her face.
He turns to her, then, inadvertently diverting the radiance of his awed grin in her direction, and even Yoimiya falters a little.
"Thank you, you and the kids," he says simply, before turning back to watch the fireworks.
Joy is universal, Yoimiya has seen enough of it on people's faces to recognise that; but the look of pure wonder on Tartaglia's face in that moment, the sheer contentment and happiness. It's an honesty she rarely sees beyond the faces of children, one that has to be coaxed out in moments of vulnerability, one that he was giving freely to a new friend, acquainted mere days ago. Quietly, Yoimiya returns his thanks, before turning, satisfied, to the firework display.
Under the blinding light of the fireworks, his eyes shine.