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Lumine walked up to the open window and leaned against the windowsill. The night breeze pleasantly ruffled her hair but the big round moon and the shadows it cast on the road down below gave out an eerie feeling.
Something just wasn't right. Or maybe anxiety decided to play tricks on her? Some things apparently couldn't be fixed even by a comfortable bed in a pricey hotel generously provided by Spina di Rosula as thanks for helping with Navia's dad's case. Though Paimon would probably disagree, considering the imp's blissful expression. She shamelessly spread across the whole duvet without a care in the world.
Lumi smiled and shook her head. Looked once again at the stars barely visible above the well-lit city.
The clock struck midnight long ago. The girl couldn't sleep as every time she closed her eyes her thoughts returned to that moment in court where Childe challenged the Hydro Archon herself.
"That idiot..." the blonde muttered quietly leaning her cheek against her folded arms.
Lumine didn't want to admit it, but she was worried about him. That silly hot-headed man who should seriously learn to think before he acts.
And then there’s this.
She glanced at the blue gem lying in her palm, glistening in the moonlight. In a way the Hydro Vision the Harbinger left her for safekeeping looked a lot like his eyes, dangerous and deeply blue, but on the other hand—
"It’s anything but."
The enticing dullness of his ocean-coloured irises was impossible to replicate – and if this Vision was ever to lose its shine... her heart would possibly just stop. Lumi didn’t want to admit even before herself how many times a day she checked on it. The jewel’s touch was surprisingly comforting and pleasant – like taking a cool shower on a hot day.
The girl flinched when the sharp edges of the magical item prickled the inside of her palm. She didn’t even realise she was squeezing it so hard.
"Stupid stupid hot-tempered idiot," the blonde cursed again pocketing the Vision; gave Paimon one last soft look. Her peaceful snore was quite adorable – and in stark contrast to what Lumine was about to do. She pulled a cloak out of her magical inventory, made sure it was tightly covering her face and dress and slipped out of the room with a barely audible click of the lock.
Out into the empty hallway.
Out into the dark alley.
Out into the night and the depths of a would-be sea.
*~*~*
Breaking into the Fortress of Meropide wasn’t on Lumine’s to-do list for that day (or any list to be perfectly honest), and yet the girl found herself sneaking through the corridors of the tower-like building till she finally reached an old and creaking elevator. Eavesdropping on the Gardes she learnt it was the only way down to the underwater section of the prison – and also the place where all the holding cells were located.
It was a reckless, stupid, and absolutely terrible idea, but... she wouldn’t be able to continue her journey across Teyvat if she didn’t make sure her friend was alright first. And yes, Lumi was ready to admit that she genuinely considered Childe as such. The girl fought tooth and nail to resist, not give in to his easy demeanour, comfortable presence and exciting spark. In the end failed tremendously, allowing the Harbinger to worm his way into her heart.
And that led to the headache at present.
The ride down was taking forever and not only because of the dated mechanism’s questionable speed (better not to dwell on the disturbing squeaking and creaking noises it made while descending) – the prison was located in the deepest part of the lake, quite efficiently preventing the inmates from escaping. Only those with Visions were able to breathe underwater and even that ability couldn't guarantee anyone’s survival.
Hungry sharks circled the metal, pipe-like elevator shaft, waiting for a new daredevil ready to gamble with their life trying to reclaim their freedom. Lumi shuddered at the mere thought of their enormous teeth. She wouldn't even break a sweat taking on such a creature on land, but underwater? That was another story. Yep, it would be best to just cover her ears and eyes and not let her imagination run wild. It was hard to do though – especially hearing the disturbing echoing noise every single time their fins grazed the elevator's rusty metal.
Luckily for the girl, no one was waiting for her on the bottom floor. She half expected to be greeted by the pissed-off guards not amused by her unwanted "visit," yet no such thing happened, leaving her to roam free around the place looking a bit like the insides of a submarine. It was weird. Shouldn’t the security in such a facility be tighter? But Lumine quickly learnt that this particular prison had its own rules.
Though... was it okay to call lawlessness with a word implicating order?
The building seemed to be overrun with gangs; goosebumps ran up Lumi’s spine at the mere thought of throwing Childe into this boiling cauldron full of thugs and "colourful" personalities.
He’s gonna kill them all.
The guy had an unfortunate talent for stirring the pot after all. And only gods knew how that would affect his case.
And only gods knew where he was being held.
It’s not like she could just approach some random passer-by, be it a prisoner or a Garde, and ask for directions, couldn’t she? Not to mention the overwhelming darkness. It seemed like the guards were shutting down the electricity every night to regulate the passage of time for the inmates stuck way too far under the surface to experience any natural light.
Lumine had a few tricks up her sleeve, though.
Closing her eyes and then slowly opening them she switched to elemental sight and that certainly improved the situation. Yes, it didn’t allow her to magically gain night vision, but the path made out of electro particles floating in the air, coated in a sinister black mist looked all too familiar.
They dragged him through here. That was the only possible conclusion based on the traces left by Childe’s Delusion and Foul Legacy powers.
With a hand firmly placed on the wall Lumi sneaked down the narrow passage towards the Harbinger’s cell. Found it in no time, and judging by the relative closeness to the elevator, the guards didn’t want to carry his unconscious body any further than necessary.
Such a cowardly attitude spoke a lot about this place and the quality of the "guests" staying in this fine establishment.
"Are you here to break me out?"
The sudden question brought her back to reality.
Here she was, even more worried after seeing the prison in person, yet Childe seemed to be happily lounging on his rack with his arms folded under his head. At least that was the image the man tried to maintain. Moonlight streamed into the cell through a small window near the ceiling; it was truly some cosmic luck that at that very moment it was able to break through the murky depths of the lake and show Lumine how bad his condition really was.
"Don’t be ridiculous," she scoffed.
"Then what? Do you believe them? That I kidnapped all those people?" He didn’t even try to conceal the bitterness, but Lumi was having none of it. Actually... she wasn’t entirely sure if his foul mood was caused by the unfair verdict or Neuvillette interrupting his fight.
"We fought tooth and nail to find the real culprit and you still say that?"
"The machine was of a different opinion."
"The machine was wrong!" Her voice rang out, amplified by the metal walls. Startled by her own sudden outburst the girl instantly clamped a hand over her mouth and looked around, but fortunately, all the neighbouring cells were empty. Waited for a moment longer and continued only after making sure no one was coming to check on the noise. "Something is going on, I just need to find out what," Lumi added, quietly this time. "But if you did have something to do with these disappearances, then I swear I will kill you right here and now."
"Heh," he snorted but it sounded more pained than anything. "It’s funny, isn’t it? How our conversations always go back to the same thing – you threatening to end me."
"If you stopped getting into these crazy situations maybe I wouldn’t have to," the girl grumbled with a sigh and fished out a loop of keys from her pocket. Opened the cell. It was a good idea to swipe them from the Garde’s office above ground.
"So you are here to break me out!" Childe grinned, but once again Lumi immediately shot down the idea.
"I’m here to check if you’re okay. After that, I’m locking this door again and you’re staying inside."
"Aww, such a missed opportunity. Well, I’m always eager to witness your supreme bandaging work, comrade, but I’m afraid it won’t be very effective in this case," the Harbinger said sitting up, making some space on the bed for her. And he was right – his face was unnaturally gaunt, eye bags more prominent and skin sickly ashen. Whatever tormented him, it wasn’t something you could cure sticking a band-aid on it.
"That’s why I want to try a more direct approach."
There were other ways to go about this. He just didn’t yet know what she could do.
Carefully placing her hands on his chest and ignoring Childe’s stupid smirk, Lumine focused on the water.
The water that condensed on the walls from his breath, the water dripping from the ceiling in the corridor, the lake water that embraced this entire prison like a tender lover.
The water that made up her body and the water that made up his.
Ajax flinched tickled by the hydro energy manifesting around Lumine’s fingers but then leaned into her touch with an audible sigh. The relief he felt was amazing. Unexpected but amazing nevertheless. Her powers were cool and gentle. Stroked his chest and slowly spread to the rest of his body. Actually started healing him like no one was able to before.
Childe closed his eyes and let his forehead rest on Lumi’s shoulder. She was truly a wonder.
"Hey, don’t fidget."
This wasn’t the first time someone had used on him elemental healing, but it had never brought him such a sense of peace and contentment. As if it not only treated his physical injuries but also soothed Ajax’s restless soul.
"You didn’t tell me you have hydro powers," he complained like a spoilt kid.
"And when was I supposed to do that? Before or after you decided to drop your Vision in my lap and run off gods’ know where only to reappear again as the main suspect in a legendary court case?"
He chuckled.
"Why do I get the impression you’re holding a grudge, comrade?"
"You think?" She bit back forcing him to sit upright again and refocused on the healing. Childe observed her in silence. Couldn’t help but notice something else weaved into the hydro energy – he found it easy to tell as a hydro user himself. It was warm, bright, inviting.
It was—
"...light. You’re like light Lumine. Even prettier than the stars," he mumbled dizzily, surrendering to the allure of the mystical energy.
Tartaglia was sure of it now. It wasn’t just hydro – she herself seemed to be his cure. Her pure spirit shielding him from the claws that reached out for him from the underworld.
Her presence was healing Childe. Her light and his darkness danced a tempestuous tango not as enemies but as partners, devouring themselves with equal fervour. Only growing hungrier with each passing minute. Feeling starved for more. Touch, power, passion. More everything.
Their eyes met and he was suddenly sure it wasn’t only his imagination: she felt it too. That irresistible draw.
So the inevitable had to happen.
Ajax leaned down and kissed her. Impulsively? Deliberately? A little bit of both? Slowly at first, uncertain, but when Lumine didn’t push him away, when she wound her arms around his neck instead, it was only fair to reciprocate. Circle her waist and sneak a hand into her hair. It was easy to forget how small she was, that this mighty warrior was also such a petite, kind, beautiful girl.
The way she fit against him, the way she made a tiny noise of contentment as he pulled her closer and deepened their kiss, all of it was intoxicating. Arousing. His entire being trembled with need for her, his breath quavered just slightly. Her grip on him tightened just a little bit more - holding the man together when he needed it most.
...Lumine was always there for him when he needed her most, wasn't she? Willing to stick with him through thick and thin, the Harbinger she was supposed to hate.
Ajax was in a trance, they both were. So lost in each other, they didn’t want to ever part. Say goodbye to how right it felt when they touched, when they kissed, when their very essences seemed to mix and mingle, merge into one. Whatever her powers were doing, it was something very weird... and something incredibly nice. Almost addictively pleasant.
It felt like breathing after years of suffocation. Like seeing the sun again after being stuck in the dark.
When Childe finally pulled back and looked at her, he could see the same wonder reflected in Lumine’s own eyes.
That just happened.
Some bizarre magic took over and made them jump headfirst into a situation they only tiptoed around up till now. But once again, she wasn’t pushing him away. Their foreheads leaned against each other, the gravitational pull being impossible to resist.
Magical haze or not, Ajax wanted it. Craved to kiss her since forever, just not in a dark dingy prison cell. On the other hand, was anything in their lives ever perfect? Their relationship started with a betrayal, so why was he expecting their first kiss to be any different?
Lumi finally broke the silence. Scooted back a bit and rummaged in her pocket.
"I should probably return it," she said, still slightly breathless but the Harbinger covered her palm and gently folded her fingers on the blue gem.
"Keep it."
"This is no ordinary prison, Ajax, you’ll need it," the girl protested yet he shook his head.
"Keep it. I’ll manage and if you ever get in trouble for using your hydro powers without a Vision you can always say it’s yours. Plus," he winked, "remember what Paimon said? Having to retrieve it will be a perfect excuse to meet up again after I get out of here."
"You better return in one piece then. Otherwise, I might not be as keen on giving it back."
Smiling at Lumi's grumpy tone, he held her closer and fell back on the rack, dragging the girl with him. Chuckled at the adorable, surprised squeak that escaped her throat.
"If I ever don’t return..." Childe whispered into her hair staring out the singular window, now almost entirely dark as in the land above rainclouds covered the moon. "I think I'd like you to keep it."
*~*~*
Half an hour later, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway. A guard carrying a lamp stopped in front of Childe’s cell, but seeing that the inmate was asleep and everything was in order, quickly left towards the wing with more problematic prisoners as his rounds had only just begun.
The Harbinger waited till the light moved away, opened his eyes and shook his head. So easily tricked. That was one hell of a lax security for such an institution. But hey, not his problem, right? Instead, the man’s hand drifted towards his lips. Again.
Childe’s ears burned.
She was so soft...
So beautiful, so eager, so sweet.
Tasted like a fruit dessert she must have eaten before breaking into one of the nastiest prisons on Teyvat just to see him.
His comrade.
His Lumine.
“I wonder if she’ll visit again...”
Was it selfish of him to wish for it?
His lips stretched into a dangerous grin.
But in the meantime, Childe had a prison to explore and some havoc to wreak.