Work Text:
Wanderer had always been cold to the touch. His skin was smooth and soft like a human's, but inherently he was not. Lumine knew this and had openly accepted him the way that he was without judgment or disdain. She wasn't unsettled by his lack of pulse, his cold touch did not bother her and she was aware that he did not need to breathe, only doing so to appear a little more.. alive.
Nevertheless, when Lumine woke up in their makeshift camp that morning, the dew still embracing in the grass and the sun barely grazing the horizon, she found Wanderer lying motionless beside her. She smiled contently as she quietly sat up and stretched a little, her movement sure to get the puppet's attention like always.. but it did not.
There was nothing unusual about Wanderer pretending to sleep, although he did not need to sleep. It was more like he was meditating, really. Lumine had found this out months ago when she had tried to touch Wanderer's cheek in his sleep, only for her wrist to be grabbed and stopped before she could touch him, his blue eyes glaring up at her. That was before, though.
"Wanderer, it's morning.." Lumine muttered with a small yawn as she leaned a little closer towards Wanderer, a little unsettled by his lack of response, by his lack of breathing. Sure, he didn't technically need to breathe, but it was still terrifying to see his chest remain so very still.
Lumine frowned slightly as she gently nudged Wanderer's arm, hoping to get a response once more, but none came. Lumine tried calling out his name once more as she gently shook his arm ─ something wasn't right about this. Wanderer's body was as cold to the touch as ever. No pulse. No movement.
"Wanderer please, it's not funny. Answer me." Lumine insisted as she shook Wanderer a little more urgently, her voice wavering ever so slightly. If this was one of his pranks, it sure wasn't a funny one. Lumine waited with bathed breath as she stared down at the seemingly lifeless puppet ─ waiting for any signs that he was still here, that he was still alive.
When he remained silent and motionless, Lumine panicked. She grabbed hold of him and shook him forcefully, calling out his name repeatedly and begging him to respond. Her heart raced and her throat closed up as a horrifying feeling of dread and despair was making itself known in her chest.
This wasn't working.
Lumine looked around their camp frantically, searching with her eyes for something, anything, that could somehow help them in this situation... All while still shaking Wanderer and crying out his name. This couldn't be happening ─ had he somehow shut down during the night? Was he malfunctioning?
She looked back down at the motionless puppet in her arms, her chest rising and falling rapidly as fear consumed her completely. Wanderer needs help. Wanderer needs help.
Lumine let go of his cold body as she stumbled to her feet. She wasn't equipped to help her companion like this, she didn't have the knowledge nor the tools if the puppet truly was malfunctioning somehow.
The second Lumine turned to leave, to find help, her hand was suddenly grabbed and she was stopped in her tracks ─ making her turn back, to see a pair of blue eyes gazing up at her.
"Traveler? Where are you going?" Wanderer mumbled as he slowly sat up, only to suddenly be tackled back down as Lumine threw herself into his arms and clung to him tightly. Her body trembled as strained sobs escaped her, her hands entangling firmly in Wanderer's hair as she buried her face against his shoulder.
Wanderer was stunned by her sudden actions and upon hearing her sobs, he gently embraced her frail, warm body ─ holding her close as his eyes filled with concern. He gently hushed and whispered small comforts to her as he gently rubbed her back, trying his best to be comforting although he didn't have a lot of experience with that role.
"D─Don't ever do that to me again! I thought you were─" Lumine couldn't even bring herself to finish the sentence, her voice trailing off into another broken sob as Wanderer could only hold her close. She could faintly feel his chest rising and falling against her own, she could hear his concerned whispers, she could feel his arms around her.
"... I'm sorry, Lumine." Wanderer whispered after a moment of tense silence on his end, "The Lesser Lord wanted to speak with me... I was in the world of dreams, I could hear you calling my name but I couldn't respond." He explained remorsefully as Lumine calmed down ever so slightly, pulling back enough to meet the puppet's apologetic gaze.
"Tell me beforehand, please..!" Lumine insisted as another frail tear rolled down her cheek, falling onto Wanderer's clothes, "Don't just.. Don't just go all unresponsive on me without warning...".
"Alright, I won't... I promise." Wanderer reassured her as he carefully wiped away her tears. His non-existent heart ached to see her cry like this, and what made it worse; he was the reason for her tears.
Lumine nodded once, slowly, before leaning back into Wanderer's embrace, his arms once more wrapping around her tightly as he leaned his head on top of hers ─ letting her stay like that for as long as she needed.