Chapter Text
Childe was called into a meeting with a few of the other harbingers who were in close proximity to attend. He sat in the comfortable, plush chair, his blue eyes scanning the room while his gloved fingers were tapping on the dark, long wooden table. Pierro, also known as the Jester, leader of the Harbingers, was leading the meeting, speaking in his usual cold, calm tone as he was addressing some of the recent reports. Outside of him and Childe, Pantalone and Sandrone were also present. As usual, the meeting was a rather boring one and Childe couldn’t help but wonder when this was going to end so he will be able to roam freely again, most likely going off to get some training in for the day.
However, as the meeting was progressing, Childe couldn’t help but notice that Pierro was looking at him more frequently than usual. Since he was the youngest harbinger, he often felt like the older ones didn’t pay as much attention to him, unless the matter was involving him directly, so this subtle change was something that Childe quickly picked up on, wondering why that was. Has he done something recently? No, nothing too chaotic or troublesome, at least not in the last while. Then why was he being observed?
As the meeting drew to a close and the other two harbingers were starting to leave the room, Pierro motioned for Childe to stay behind with his hand.
‘’Tartaglia, stay a moment,’’ Pierro spoke up, his eyes piercing into the eleventh harbinger.
Childe's eyes widened in surprise. He had never been asked to stay behind for a private conversation before, with Pierro out of all people. He stayed in his seat and bowed his head in respect.
"Yes, sir?" His voice was steady, but there was a hint of tension in his eyes as he spoke. He was curious what this was going to be about.
''I have...a request to ask of you.'' Pierro said after a short pause, as if contemplating his choice of words.
Childe looked up at Pierro, his curiosity piqued. He felt a sense of anticipation, similar to the feeling he got before a fight. He shifted in his seat and leaned forward slightly, his interest showing on his face.
"Oh?" Childe raised an eyebrow with a hint of intrigue. "I'm listening."
Pierro leaned his elbows onto the table, lacing his fingers together as he stared at Childe with a thoughtful expression.
''I would like to assign someone from my division to your personal division.'' Pierro stated firmly. It was a request, yet the tone of his voice indicated that he would much rather have Childe agree to this.
The eleventh harbinger’s face flashed in surprise. He hadn't been expecting this kind of a request. He leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment before responding.
"Someone from your division? To my personal division?" He repeated, his voice a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
He was selective about who joined him. He didn't want any weaklings that would slow him down, after all he was well known for his battle prowess and getting into the middle of the battle, his personal division was made up of strong, reliable fighters.
Pierro nodded, studying Childe's reaction.
''This person is a very valuable asset to the Fatui, but is currently being wasted away in my office. The agent I wish to assign to you is more skilled in the fighting department. While my division focuses more on intelligence gathering, you, on the other hand, enjoy getting right into the fray of the fight.The agent I want to transfer over is...very similar in that regard.'' Pierro explained, which only made Childe even more intrigued.
If it was someone from Pierro himself, it must be someone worthy of his attention for sure…
"Interesting," He leaned forward again, resting his chin in his hand and looking up at Pierro. "Could you tell me a bit more about this person? Their skillset, abilities, anything that might be useful to know?"
Pierro nodded again, leaning back in his chair as he continued to speak.
''Yes. She has exceptional performance in solo missions, very good instincts in battle and reliable decision making. On top of that, a lot of power. She's a very skilled fighter, but…’’ Pierro paused for a second, trying to choose his words right as he sighed. ‘’Her temperament had made it rather difficult for most commanders to gain her loyalty and respect, leading to all sorts of trouble. She has been moved between divisions at least ten times in the last year.''
Childe listened to Pierro's description of the agent with interest. A strong, independent fighter who can hold their own in battle? This sounded more like his kind of person.
"So, a lone wolf? A bit defiant. I like that." He chuckled quietly. However, it was the last part that intrigued him the most. An agent being moved around ten times during a year was…unheard of, to say the least. This had to be good. "But what do you mean by 'trouble'?"
''Well, this agent has...quite a temper, suffers from a bad reputation among other agents and soldiers. I wish to warn you that she unfortunately doesn't take easily to people just because of their rank. You may hold a title of a harbinger, but this particular agent won't care about it the same way as our other agents do.'' Pierro was trying to pick the right words to not throw Childe off, but also trying to be honest with the eleventh harbinger.
Childe chuckled with amusement. A temper? A bad reputation? This was getting more and more interesting with each word Pierro spoke. He crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with excitement. It had been a while since he had encountered someone like that. He could already feel the excitement building at the prospect of this 'challenge'.
"I see," He said, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "A defiant soul, huh? Refuses to bow to authority you say…"
''Yes, it does sound like you two do have that in common, which is why I hope that perhaps you might be the suitable commander she is going to willingly follow.'' Pierro nodded, his brows furrowed a bit. He was hoping that this plan will work out as he hoped and not result in an even bigger disaster instead if Childe and the mentioned agent don’t get along.
Childe’s smirk widened, hearing that they had something in common. This was indeed getting interesting. He was starting to look forward to meeting this 'insubordinate' agent. How much trouble could one person possibly be? Except himself of course, since he was well known for causing chaos wherever he went.
"I can work with that." He said with confidence. "I've handled my fair share of difficult people in the past. I'm sure I can come to an understanding with her."
''I do hope so, Tartaglia. She's been getting into too much trouble recently and if she can't work with you, I will have to end up giving her to Scaramouche or Dottore.’’ Pierro sighed, placing a hand to his forehead. ‘’And I'd hate to see what happens then.''
Childe's eyes widened in surprise at what Pierro implied. Dottore? He had heard some disturbing rumours about the man and his experiments. While he didn’t know the full extent of it, he knew that the test subjects often didn’t live to tell the horrible tale of what happened behind the closed door of the Doctor’s laboratory. He didn't wish that on anyone. And Scaramouche was a rather cold puppet, who wouldn’t tolerate any sort of disobedience from his subordinates, treating them rather like a nuisance and disposable tools than living beings. Handing him someone who was refusing to bow down to him would most likely end really badly.
"Scaramouche would probably have her head for lunch and Dottore would turn her into some new experiment." Childe said with a shake of his head.
'Not on my watch.' He thought to himself. He was no hero or a savior, but if Pierro was so insistent on the value of the agent, there surely was potential to use them well for the Fatui and it would have been a waste to throw them away.
Pierro sighed, nodding in agreement at his words.
''Yes, most likely. Dottore has shown interest in her, asking for her to be assigned to him each time she is without a division, meaning he is more interested in experimenting on her than letting her fight. And Scaramouche...I cannot see him working well with a defiant subordinate, I'd be worried what might happen.''
''Well, she isn’t going anywhere near Dottore." Childe said in a firm tone. He didn't want to think about the kind of experiments that a madman would come up with, just the bare idea of people being subjected to those experiments could make him shudder.. And the woman being assigned to Scaramouche? He felt pity at the idea of what she would go through if Scaramouche set his mind on breaking her mentally to prove his superiority by force. "Don't worry, Pierro. I'll take care of this. She's coming with me."
''I am glad to hear, Tartaglia.’’ Pierro nodded at him, a glint of something like gratitude in his eyes. ’’I am currently the only person in the Fatui that she respects and is loyal to. My piece of advice for you, if things do end up heated...is that a bit of gentleness goes a long way.''
Childe raised an eyebrow in surprise at Pierro's last words, but he couldn't help the amused smirk on his face..'Gentleness’? Since when did he ever use that technique? He had never been one for being gentle, he was usually rough and demanding, but he was willing to give it a try. After all, he was determined to make this woman one of his own agents.
"I see. A bit of gentleness, huh..." He murmured, repeating the words to himself. He didn’t fully understand what Pierro meant, but he also felt like he would sound ridiculous if he asked. Perhaps it was something that would be obvious at the time? Or did Pierro mean to avoid yelling or physical punishments? The task was already a bit of a challenge and it didn’t even begin yet.
''I'm not asking you to be soft on her if she misbehaves. But sometimes the best answer to someone's temper is not by force or authority, but by a different approach.’’ Pierro explained further. ‘’If you manage to make the girl respect you, she will be loyal beyond measure. Her devotion runs deep.''
Childe nodded as he listened to Pierro's words. It made sense. If he wanted this woman to follow him, he couldn't just demand it of her. He needed to earn her respect and trust. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, thinking to himself. This would certainly be much different than his usual interactions with soldiers and agents who were terrified of angering him, who bowed to him without a second thought and spoke with respect and politeness from the very start.
"Understood. I'll keep that in mind. But if that doesn't work, then I'm not below using force." Childe said in a light hearted tone, but he meant his words. If things went too far, he wouldn’t hesitate to find a more violent way to make things right..
''Do as necessary, Tartaglia.’’ Pierro let out a heavy sigh, but nodded ‘’I will handle the necessary paperwork and send her to your office tomorrow morning to start.''
"Alright, I'll be ready and waiting for her tomorrow." Childe nodded his head, his mind already racing with anticipation, thinking of all the ways he could deal with this defiant agent if she proved to be too stubborn, but also with curiosity. What was she like? Was she going to snap at him first thing in the morning? Will she only show her defiance in certain scenarios or is that just a constant thing to reject orders?
Pierro nodded at him, waving his hand dismissively, signalling that the conversation was over. Childe stayed still for a moment, contemplating his next steps as he quickly went over the entire conversation in his head.. He rose from the chair and bowed respectfully to Pierro before heading out of the room.
'Tomorrow shall be quite an interesting day...' he thought to himself, smirking as he made his way back to his office for the night.
When the next morning arrived, Childe was up earlier than usual, in anticipation of the agent's arrival. He was already dressed and ready, waiting in his office for the woman to arrive. The harbinger was sitting at his desk, fiddling with a dagger to pass the time as he wondered about the upcoming meeting. What was she like? Just how hard was working with her going to be? What powers did she have? He was so curious about her strength! Maybe he should invite her for a friendly spar at the start?
The girl walked towards Childe's office, wearing the standard black and purple Fatui uniform with Childe's division logo on her left arm. She was sceptical about this whole thing.
'I'm just going to get kicked out in a week or two at most, what's the point...', She thought to herself as she walked, not looking forward to this meeting. Most of her commanders made her hate them from day one. But Pierro asked her to try and be at least somewhat open minded and polite. So despite her own feelings, she decided to try and follow his advice. Pierro was someone of high importance to her and she always tried her best for him. She finally reached her destination, hesitating for a brief moment before knocking on the door.
Childe heard a soft knock on the door and placed the dagger away, the sound of the metal on the desk echoing across the room. He leaned back in his chair, taking a deep breath in and called out with a clear voice.
"Come in!"
The girl pushed the door open, slowly stepping in and closing the door behind herself. Her eyes landed on the harbinger, taking in his appearance. Tall, handsome, ginger hair, azure blue eyes. Looking physically strong, wearing a red shirt underneath a grey jacket that was his usual attire. Hesitantly, she stepped up a little closer, never taking her eyes off him. His expression was rather calm and composed.
Childe studied the agent as she walked in, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. She was a good looking, rather short woman, with a slim figure and sharp, ice blue eyes and medium length hair of the same color. He could sense the skepticism emanated from her, but it didn't bother him. He had expected as much.The harbinger leaned forward slightly, leaning his elbow on the desk and gesturing to the seat in front of him with the other hand.
‘’Ah, there you are. I've been expecting you. Come, take a seat." He said in a calm tone of voice.
She walked over, taking a seat in the chair across from him, taking a brief look around the room before moving her eyes back to him. Childe studied her in silence for a moment, taking in her appearance and demeanor. He could see the distrust in her eyes and the tension in her body. Not surprising, considering her reputation for being defiant and insubordinate. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, his hands clasped together in his lap.
"So, I've been told a bit about you. A defiant soul, aren't you?" After a moment of silence, he spoke up with a casual tone.
‘’Something like that.’’ The girl answered in a cool, quiet voice, studying his body language and expression as well.
A slight smirk tugged at Childe's lip at her response. A straightforward, quiet type. He was already finding this meeting interesting and it barely started. Something that stood out to him was that she didn’t seem intimidated by his title at all. He supposed he should’ve expected that since Pierro mentioned that she doesn’t respect people based on their authority titles, but it was still almost amusing to see this in a real situation.
‘’What’s your name comrade?’’
‘’Aira.’’ The blue haired woman answered shortly. No ‘sir’, no ‘my lord’, nothing of that sort in the same sentence.
"Alright, Aira, then. So, next, I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you're okay with that." Childe replied, leaning back in his seat, a spark of interest in his eyes.’’I’ve been told you have been shifted around ten times in the past year. I do wonder why.’’
‘’Hm, the answer depends,’’ Aira held his gaze as she spoke, not shying away from eye contact at all. ‘’On whether or not you want a true reason, or are you asking out of politeness and don’t really care about it.’’
"A true reason, please. We're both adults here.’’ Childe raised an eyebrow, amused by her straightforward response. He liked a bit of sass and wit. ‘’And I don’t ask anything out of politeness. So go ahead.’’
‘’Well, because my previous commanders were incompetent assholes.’’ She replied bluntly, without hesitation.
"Hm, assholes, huh? That must've gotten you in quite a bit of trouble, I imagine." Childe said through a small chuckle. A smirk tugged at the corner of Childe's lips once again. He wasn't expecting an answer like that, but he was pleasantly surprised. He studied her for another moment, noting the defiant gleam in her eyes.
‘A strong personality, interesting.’ He thought to himself. He had always been intrigued by challenging individuals, especially those who didn't easily concede to authority.
"That's an interesting answer. Honest and straightforward. I like honesty. What other words would you use to describe your previous commanders?"
''Foolish, not suited to their position, lacking experience, with big egos and too much focus on appearing as a commander than actually being one.'' Aira crossed her arms as she continued to speak openly and bluntly. It wasn’t in her nature to hold back her sharp tongue, which was one of the reasons why she got into trouble quite frequently.
Childe's smirk widened into a full-on grin at her response. He was thoroughly amused by her bluntness and the way she held his gaze, unfazed by his status as a harbinger.
"Ah, you really don't hold back, do you?" He let out a quiet laugh, leaning back in his chair again, enjoying this unexpected dialogue. "So, all of your previous commanders have been incompetent according to you. Tell me, what would make a good commander in your opinion?"
Aira tilted her head a little to the side with curiosity, not having expected any of those questions. Usually her new commanders started off by giving her lectures on how they hold authority over her, about their expectations of her obedience. This was different and unexpected for her.
''Hmm...someone who knows what they are doing. Someone with experience, someone strong and reliable as a leader.’’ She started to explain her reasoning. ‘’Someone capable of adjusting the plan when situations change during missions.''
Childe nodded as she spoke, impressed with her answer. It showed that she had actually thought through what qualities a good commander would possess, and it wasn't just empty words.
"I see. You value experience and leadership, someone who can adapt to changing situations. That's a good answer. I agree with you on those points." He leaned forward in his chair again and steepled his fingers together, eyeing her closely. "But you said you valued someone who was strong as a leader. Tell me, what does being 'strong' mean to you? What does a 'strong' leader look like, in your eyes?" Childe pressed on, his gaze locked on her as he waited for her answer.
''Someone who doesn't shut down under pressure.’’ Aira replied calmly, without much hesitation. ‘’Actual power and strength is a bonus, of course, but it's not the most important thing. A leader needs to be mentally strong above all, or he will make bad decisions when things get heated.That’s when good decision making can make the difference between mission being accomplished and people surviving or not.''
Childe nodded in agreement, impressed by her insight. He had expected her to answer with something along the lines of brute strength, but her response showed a more nuanced understanding of what made a good leader.
"I see. Mental strength is crucial. A leader must remain calm and rational even in difficult situations. An interesting perspective."He regarded her for another moment before speaking again. "And what about trust? Do you also value trust between a commander and their subordinates?"
‘’I…I do.’’ The girl nodded slowly, visibly surprised that he asked this question.
"Good. Trust is important in any relationship, especially between commander and subordinate. A good leader must gain the trust of their subordinates in order for them to follow their lead. The respect must be mutual." The ginger harbinger smiled, satisfied with her answer as he explained his own feelings on the matter. His eyes were still fixed on her, taking in her mild surprise. ‘’Now, I have a follow up question. Why do you think none of your previous commanders gained your trust and loyalty?’’
''Because they gave out stupid, irrational and inefficient orders from behind their desks.’’ The girl scoffed with irritation as she spoke.”Because they couldn't understand that orders might need to get changed when things happen during missions and expected me to follow through with the original order, even when it was no longer efficient in getting the mission completed and also being a lot more dangerous than it had to be. I cannot respect a leader like this.''
Childe nodded as she spoke, understanding her point of view. He had indeed heard of commanders who gave out orders without considering the changing circumstances during missions. A good commander should always be prepared to adapt, especially in the Fatui where their operations and missions would often have unpredictable events happening left and right.
"I see. So, you value adaptability and flexibility, as well as good leadership. And you dislike being forced to follow outdated or dangerous orders even when the situation has changed." He studied her once again, his smirk growing into a softer smile.
''Don't get me wrong, I don't shy away from danger if it means completing the mission. However, I'm not a fan of putting myself and potentially others in unnecessary danger that can be easily avoided.''
Childe chuckled at her response. He was starting to really like her. Her bluntness and clear words were refreshing.
"I appreciate your honesty. And I understand your perspective. You're not a coward, but you don't enjoy taking unnecessary risks. A smart approach." He leaned forward, his gaze still fixed on her. "But let me ask you something, something different that I'm curious about. Why join the Fatui in the first place? I can tell you don't have blind loyalty - it's not something you value. You don't like the way most commanders do things, so you don't follow their orders. So why did you decide to become a Fatui agent?’’
''Why did I join...? '' The blue haired agent paused for a moment, surprised yet again. She was wondering what was up with all these questions and the way that he was approaching her. It was so different from the way others have treated her before.’’That's...a bit of a silly story.''
"A silly story?’’ Childe raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ’’Well, I love stories. And I'm curious, so please, go on."
''Well, I...I was looking for a challenge.'' She admitted, looking into his eyes. ''I wanted to get better at combat, to go out on missions and fight strong enemies. I ended up stumbling against a Fatui camp while training and decided to test myself against it. It just so happened that lord Pierro was the commander of that camp.''
"Ah, so you were looking for a challenge and instead you found yourself facing off against the almighty Pierro. That's quite the story." Childe couldn't help but chuckle at her story, amused by the idea of it. "But he took you in, huh? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Pierro has an eye for talent."
''Well, I uhm...'' She averted her gaze, feeling a little sheepish about this part of the story. ''He captured me for questioning and after finding out my silly reason for fighting his soldiers, I challenged him to a fight.''
"You challenged Pierro to a fight? You've got some nerve, I'll give you that." Childe raised an eyebrow, now more amused and intrigued.He tried to imagine the scene of the small woman before him, challenging the wise and powerful Pierro."And he agreed?"
''He seemed...rather amused, but agreed.’’ A small smirk formed on her lips as she continued telling the story, finding it entertaining herself. ’’It goes without saying that he won, but he said that he saw a lot of potential in me and offered to take me in.''
"Haha, I can imagine Pierro being amused by that. And of course he won. He's a force to be reckoned with." The eleventh nodded, understanding the scene a bit better. "So he took you in, despite you causing trouble at his camp and challenging him to a duel. And you decided to stay, despite your dislike for blind obedience and idiotic orders. How interesting."
''I spent a good amount of time with lord Pierro before we headed back to the Fatui base. I watched him and he's a reliable leader. He holds my respect and loyalty, so once he assigned me to a division, I tried my best for the missions.'' She spoke with resolve. Childe didn’t miss the way she always addressed Pierro using the ‘lord’ title, her respect for him clear as day in the way she spoke of the leader of the Fatui.
"Pierro never fails to impress me with his skills and leadership. But it makes sense that you'd give your loyalty to him, in that case." Childe listened, nodding in agreement with her words. Pierro was the one who pinned Childe’s delusion on him on the day that he became known as Tartaglia, the eleventh harbinger and he always held the leader in high regard. "But your obedience to other commanders clearly leaves something to be desired, huh? You're not afraid to speak your mind, at least."
‘’No, I’m not. Most commanders didn’t like that.’’ She huffed as she spoke.
"I don't blame them. Most commanders don't like insubordination. And you, well... you don't exactly try to hide it." Childe chuckled, studying her expression once again. He paused for a moment, before speaking up again. "You have quite the reputation, you know. The one with a nasty temper and a rebellious heart."
‘’It’s not my fault they are stupid…’’ Aira grumbled under her breath. She looked visibly fed up with her previous commanders.
"It's not your fault, huh? Maybe not, but you're not completely innocent either." Childe raised an eyebrow, a small smirk still on his lips. He leaned forward again, his gaze focused on her. "But that's the thing about you, isn't it? You're defiant. Stubborn."
"I wouldn't have to be if they were…better. What, am I supposed to follow a stupid order and fail a mission? One way or another they aren't happy.’’ The agent scowled, then sighed, averting her gaze. Her next words were spoken in a slightly softer tone.’’And I...I promised lord Pierro I will do my best in all missions, so I will do whatever it takes to get them done."
Childe studied her for another moment, noting the way her loyalty to Pierro shone through. It was impressive, especially for someone who seemed so closed off and defiant.
"Your loyalty to Pierro is admirable. And I understand what you mean. Following a bad order isn't always ideal, and you do what you can to accomplish the mission. But you have a fierce temper and a defiant nature. You refuse to bend to authority when it doesn't make sense to you, and you're not afraid to speak your mind. It's definitely caused quite a stir within Fatui.”
"Im...well aware..." Aira muttered. She did indeed have a bad reputation among the commanders, but also other soldiers because of this. A lot of agents saw her as a troublemaker and didn’t want to go near her, while others had personal issues with her.
"I can imagine. You're not exactly trying to hide it. But there's more to you than that. You're skilled and dedicated. You're loyal when it counts. And I can see the respect you have for Pierro." He crossed his arms, looking at her with a thoughtful expression. He could clearly see her defiant nature, but at the same time he had to admit that the conversation has been going pretty well so far. She seemed to answer all his questions openly. ‘’Tell me, Aira, what was your last mission before you were assigned to me?’’
"Well before this I was temporarily under lord Pierro, just handling paperwork, it was his way of trying to keep me out of trouble. But my last mission before that..." She thought about it for a moment. "Oh, right, I was sent to Dragonspine."
"Dragonspine? I'm surprised you managed to stay out of trouble with that one. It's pretty dangerous out there, even for experienced agents.’’ Childe raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He leaned forward, resting his elbows back on the desk. Dragonspine was a rough terrain to be in and outside of one, highly classified mission involving the heart of Durin at the mountain, agents weren’t really sent there.’’What were you supposed to do in Dragonspine? There's not much out there except for monsters and the cold."
"Well, I believe the reason why I got sent there was because my previous commander was hoping to get rid of me. He sent me to Dragonspine for a month, by myself for a supposed recon mission that had no point." Aira spoke in a colder, bitter tone now.
Childe's smirk turned into a frown as he listened to her explanation, surprised and in disbelief of what he heard. He was well aware that some people often abused their titles to get away with things, hell, he had done it too, but this was regarding another agent’s life.
"A month? By yourself? And for a recon mission that had no point?’’ He asked in a mildly concerned tone. How did this little girl even survive something like that? ‘’That sounds like an attempt to get rid of you alright. That commander wasn't very subtle, was he?"
"Heh, no, he wasn't..."Aira suddenly smirked, her ice blue eyes fixing onto Childe’s."But you should've seen his face when I did come back. Priceless if I do say so myself. This was his third attempt at getting rid of me. He went all red from anger and marched off to lord Pierro, saying he can’t put up with me anymore and that he wants me gone."
Despite the seriousness of the matter, Childe couldn’t help but laugh. He could picture the shocked and frustrated expression of her former commander’s face after he tried to get rid of her and she came back like a boomerang. He was honestly impressed. This little girl survived a month in such harsh conditions, on her own in Dragonspine, just to spite her commander and come back anyway. Now that was some level of dedication.
‘’He went crying to Pierro after failing to get rid of you in such a way? That’s rich.’’ Childe remarked, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘’You really know how to push people’s buttons, especially those who give you orders it seems.’’
‘’Hmph, well…you’re probably going to kick me out in a week or two as well.’’
"Kick you out? What makes you say that?’’ Childe raised an eyebrow, intrigued by this statement. ‘’Do you already have that little faith in me?"
"Well, in fairness, you did start off much better with me than everyone else.’’ The girl admitted, but her expression didn’t soften at all. ‘’Still, who knows, you might be fed up with me soon enough."
"Fair enough. I can see how you'd think that judging by your past experience.’’ Childe chuckled, amused by her response. ‘’But I'm curious - why are you willing to give me a chance, then? You seem convinced I'm just going to kick you out eventually."
"Lord Pierro asked me to give you a chance." Aira shrugged. "And at least for now you seem...more interesting than my previous commanders."
"Interesting, huh? I'm not sure if that's a compliment or a veiled insult." Childe laughed quietly at her words. Once again, it seemed that her loyalty to Pierro ran deep, since she was willing to give him a chance just because the man she held respect for asked this of her. "But I appreciate the chance, even if it is only because Pierro asked you to give me one. We'll see how things go from here."
"It's a compliment actually. But yes, I suppose we will see how it goes."
"So, how about we get to know each other a bit, if you're going to be around for a while? You know, get our ground rules straight." Childe smiled in return. He expected some resistance from the very first day, but so far despite her scepticism she seemed to be rather open and the conversation was flowing well.
‘’Go ahead.’’ The girl sighed quietly, as if anticipating something in particular. She was used to commanders trying to shove their authority and power in her face, demanding blind obedience and no talk back. So far this meeting was going in a very different manner and she was secretly pleased about it, but she was still guarded and tense. The suspicion was there, the meeting was done and she kept wondering if he is just going about it in some roundabout, nicer way to make her more receptive? Was this some manipulative strategy? She wouldn’t fall for it, she told herself repeatedly, keeping her eyes locked on his azure irises, waiting for him to speak more.
‘’Alright. I suppose I should have introduced myself properly, even if you already know who I am in general.’’ Childe nodded, still smiling. He was satisfied with her willingness to participate in this little ‘getting to know you’ activity. He was curious if she was going to keep being as open as before, or if she will be more closed off when asked about herself.’’My name’s Tartaglia, but you may also call me Childe.’’
‘’Don’t you want me to address you as ‘sir’ or ‘lord’ or something?’’ Aira asked, puzzled by this. She tilted her head a little to the side and Childe couldn’t help but notice that this was the second time she did that. It seemed like it was a subconscious little thing she did whenever she was curious.
''Most subordinates tend to do that, yes. But I’d rather you don’t. To me, that’s too formal. We are going to work together and try to work things out, you can address me however you feel comfortable. Just don’t call me a ‘dumbass’, got it?’’
‘’Damn, that’s my favourite option off the table.’’ Aira smirked, her eyes lightening up a little with amusement. She seemed to be actually playful right now rather than mocking him in some way. Childe rolled his eyes, entertained by this.
‘’Now, comrade, don’t get too cocky.’’ He replied, smiling at her. This seemed to be going well, but now he was eager to ask about his favourite thing, fighting.’’Alright, moving on, first question: tell me about your fighting style. What abilities do you have, how do you like to fight?’’
''I'm an offensive, long range fighter. I'm the second strongest catalyst user among the Fatui, outside of the harbingers. I hold a Cryo Vision. I excel at powerful, wide attacks, but can adjust to small, precise strikes."
"Very good. Your fighting style sounds powerful. With a Cryo vision, you hold even more advantage against the majority of others. How are you with close combat though? You might not always be able to fight from range."
"I'm weak in melee range. I've made up for it by adjusting my skills to keep opponents at a distance.’’ She explained her weakness, not looking ashamed by admitting to it at all. ’’But assuming that fails and someone gets onto me, the best outcome is that I will get on the defensive and get out. Otherwise I lose."
"I see. It's good that you know your weakness and adjust your skills accordingly, but you seem a bit too quick to dismiss close combat. You may not always be able to keep your distance from your opponent, you know." Childe nodded, understanding her disadvantage in close combat, but also appreciating her honesty. Still, he didn’t want her to be a sitting duck if she got sneaked up on. "And that's something we can work on. I'm pretty good with various types of weapons, so if you're interested, I'll be happy to help you train your close combat abilities."
‘’No.’’ She replied shortly, but firmly.
"No? You don't want to practice? Not even for self-defense?" He raised an eyebrow, surprised by her blunt reply. Surely there must have been some sort of a reason for her to decline it so quickly and without hesitation. Being trained by a harbinger was also an honor, but she didn’t seem to even give it a second thought.
‘’Next question,’’ Aira shook her head, visibly not intending to share her reasoning for her answer.’’Or state your next rule or whatever.’’
Childe gave her a confused look, not expecting that kind of response. He leaned back again in his chair, still processing her words. She seemed so set on this and he was curious why that was, but it was clear that she wasn’t going to talk more about the topic.
"Alright...if you say so. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. As for rules, well, most of them are common sense. If we're on a mission, you listen to my orders, and don't do anything to jeopardize the mission. You also keep information about missions confidential." He responded, keeping his azure eyes on her face. She nodded in agreement.’’Good. Also, no unnecessary fighting or causing trouble with the other Fatui, especially those under the other division’s command. It’s a lot easier to handle disputes internally within the same division, things get more complicated with other divisions.’’
‘’Understood. No further questions on that.’’ Aira replied, her arms still crossed, sitting back in the chair. She knew that this was probably the hardest part of the rules given her reputation, but she was really trying her best to stay out of trouble and make this work.
‘’Good, good, I’d rather not deal with that and issuing punishments.’’ He mused, glad at least for now she wasn’t putting up any resistance. He did however have a feeling that this might have just been easier said than done and things will come up eventually. But for now, he decided to move back to casual topics, trying to make her open up a bit, or at the very least drop that guarded body language.’’Then, how about something more casual, like interests? Do you have any hobbies, things you enjoy? I, for example, love ice fishing.’’
Aira studied his casual, gentle expression, slightly puzzled.
‘Is he really asking me about what I like? Why? No threatening me or anything? Even when he mentioned issuing a punishment, he didn’t seem to try and intimidate me. What’s up with him?’ She thought to herself, looking for some sort of a trick in this behaviour, but her mind came up empty handed.
‘’I…uh…I like combat training and…swimming.’’
"Swimming, huh? That's cool. I like swimming too, though I prefer the sea rather than a pool. I've traveled to many beautiful coastal areas in Teyvat." Childe smiled at her response, feeling a little relaxed. He leaned back in his chair again and looked into her eyes. He could clearly see that she was confused by something about him and this conversation. ‘’Tell me Aira, what do you think of me? So far, I mean.’’
‘’That you’re acting…’’ She paused for a moment, as if trying to choose the right words.’’Unexpectedly.’’
‘’Unexpectedly…good or bad?’’
‘’Good, I suppose…’’ Aira furrowed her brows, still on guard, before asking in her usual, blunt manner again.’’Why are you nice to me?’’
‘’Nice? What, do you expect me to be rude and mean to you at all times or something?’’
‘’Honestly? Yes. That’s how my interactions with previous commanders have gone.’’ She placed one leg over the other, her body language completely closed off and her voice was more serious and distant. "Generally the first thing I hear at the start is my commander trying to fling their position and authority in my face, threatening me with what will happen if I don't obey, and so on. And you're...not doing that, you’re asking me what I like to do in my free time as if that matters."
Childe thought about her response for a moment, a slight frown on his face. He could tell that she had been through a lot with her previous commanders, and that she expected the same kind of treatment from him. While he had no intention of letting a subordinate walk all over him, he also didn’t intend to treat her badly for no reason whatsoever. Sure, she seemed distant and blunt, but she wasn’t rude and seemed to be willing to cooperate with him, which was already more than he had expected.
"I see...I understand where your expectation is coming from now. But I'm not like your previous commanders, you know.’’ He locked eyes with her, his gaze steady and serious.’’I don't like being lumped together with incompetent and unpleasant commanders like your previous ones. I prefer to actually treat my subordinates with some proper respect. I'm different."
‘’Yeah, I may have already noticed.’’ She held his gaze, as if searching his eyes to make out whether he was sincere or not.
"And, if possible..." Childe paused, debating whether he should add the next part. He decided to be straightforward, just like she was. "I would like to try and earn your respect too."
Aira was a little caught off guard by his words. Her sceptical expression softened a little. She was used to people just demanding blind obedience and respect, but he understood that hers needed to be earned and wanted to apparently try for that. It was...unusual, but in a good way.
"Well...maybe. We will see." She replied in a slightly softer tone of voice, her arms uncrossing.
"Good. I won't expect it right away...we'll just... see how it goes as you said." Childe noticed the softening in her expression, and he smiled slightly. It was nice to see her letting down her guard and not being so defensive.
As he looked at her, he couldn't help but think of how unusual she was. Her cold, fierce demeanor, her delicate facial features, those sharp, ice blue eyes. Judging by her looks, she reminded him of Inazuman people, which was also a rare sight among the Fatui. While the majority of their agents and soldiers were from Snezhnaya, they have also recruited many, many people from other nations of course. Inazumans however were the most rare among their ranks, since Inazuma not only has been closed off for many years in the past, but their people were also more dedicated to their archon than those of other nations, refusing to cooperate with the Fatui.He had so, so many questions that he still wanted to ask her, but he didn’t want to overwhelm her or make her feel like he is prying too much.
"Ah, by the way...I have one more question for you before we wrap up our little discussion." He spoke up again after a brief pause. "Do you happen to have any... personal attachment to Pierro?"
‘’What does that mean?’’ She asked cautiously, unsure what exactly he was asking of her.
"Hmm...let's say attachment might have been the wrong word. I'll rephrase my question, then." The harbinger raised an eyebrow, surprised by her cautious response. He leaned forward a bit, locking his eyes with hers, a faint glint of curiosity in his gaze. "What is your relationship to him? What are your feelings regarding him?"
"I respect lord Pierro and I'm loyal to him. He's a good commander and he has been...kind to me."
"I see...but would it be correct to say that your loyalty and respect for him is stronger than you've shown to any previous commander in your past?"
‘’Yes.’’
‘’Hm, interesting.’’ Childe smirked a little, intrigued by this. He already saw how respectful she was towards Pierro earlier when the leader of the Fatui was mentioned, but he wanted to understand this better. This defiant girl that had such a bad reputation was being so devoted to Pierro and he couldn’t help his curiosity to know more. "And, if I may ask...what is it about Pierro that makes you respect and follow him? What is it that sets him apart from the rest?"
"He's not dumb, for a start." She muttered, then spoke up in a softer, more respectful tone when describing Pierro. "He's wise, thinks things through and most importantly, he is willing to listen to others and not stuck up on his own opinions, even though he is the leader of the entire Fatui."
"Very straightforward as always, I see. Well, I won't argue with you there. Pierro is indeed wise, much more so than most." Childe agreed, then paused for a moment, running a hand through his ginger hair. This made sense, especially given her description of a good leader from earlier. Still, he couldn’t help himself, he was curious how he was faring so far in her eyes compared to the wise and mighty Pierro. "Tell me, then...what is your opinion of me?"
"You seem...more tolerable than my previous commanders. At least you're not hostile towards me and as far as I've heard you enjoy fighting too, you don't just sit behind a desk and shout out orders, you go with your teams."
"I appreciate that. You see, I think that if one is truly to become a good leader..." He spoke more seriously, crossing his arms for a moment. "One must actually lead their troops, instead of cowering behind them. So yes, I fight along with them. And I know how to handle my subordinates properly."
Aira nodded slowly and there was a hint of approval or maybe even appreciation for his attitude towards leadership. His words were certainly something that appealed to her. Childe noticed the subtle change in her gaze and smirked slightly. He was glad to know that his approach was earning him some positive reception from her. However, he still needed to make one last thing clear with her.
‘’Well, I’m glad that my leadership style seems to appeal to you. But just to make it clear…’’ His gaze darkened slightly, while his voice became more sharp and firm.’’Just because I’m the youngest harbinger, it doesn't mean that I’m some sort of a pushover. I have my ways of handling those who disobey orders or try to cause trouble. While I fight with my troops on the field, it’s important that there aren’t any unnecessary disruptions.’’
‘’I figured as much.’’ She nodded, not deterred by the subtle threat of punishment. In fact, it seemed like she was waiting to hear those words from him, due to her past experiences.
"You're not afraid of the consequences, I take it? You seem pretty confident in yourself." Childe looked at her with interest. She seemed unfazed by his threat as she replied so nonchalantly. He found it both endearing and…challenging.
"I'm used to punishments." Aira shrugged, her expression becoming more cold again at this topic, voice was laced with a hint of bitterness that he could make out. "I doubt you can do anything to me that hasn't been done before. And if you deem that I deserve it, then it's not like I can stop it either."
"Used to punishments, huh? So you've been punished quite a few times before by your previous commanders..." Childe raised an eyebrow, surprised by her words. Used to punishments? Just how many did she get issued to ‘get used’ to something like this? It seemed odd and mildly concerning. "Mind sharing what kind of punishment you've received? I'm curious, just out of interest."
Aira reached for a bag she brought in with her into his office and started to take out three folders. Two of them were regular sizes that she handed to him first.
"This is my mission record log, these are my achievements, and this..." She took out the third, heavy, thick folder that she then dropped onto his desk. "...is my discipline file. As my new commander you’re supposed to have all of them."
Childe's eyes widened slightly as the large folder landed on his desk with a heavy thud. He raised his eyebrows, surprised by the size of the discipline file. He picked up the folder, flipping through the pages and eyeing its contents while trying his best to resist asking some follow-up questions. A lot of punishments were for defying orders and commanders.
"Indeed, I suppose I am. Well, you're right, there are quite a lot of entries on here..." He said with an impassive expression, trying to mask his shock and intrigue as he continued to flip through the contents. "Looks like you have some very... colorful records."
The girl stayed quiet, saying nothing as he continued to look through the file.There were indeed a lot of offenses for defiance and a rather large number for fighting among the Fatui. As he continued to read, he noticed that those seemed to have increased in frequency quite dramatically compared to any other punishments, as if in the last year she got into significantly more fights than in the three years before that. Though one thing that especially caught his eye was the lack of information on why exactly she was punished in a rather significant amount of reports in the file. Usually the full report would be filled in and filed in detail, yet there was a rather large amount of paperwork that was missing information.
‘’Looks like you do have a penchant for brawling.’’ Childe spoke up in a more serious tone after a moment, thinking about this for a moment. This seemed a bit odd to him. He looked up at her, his gaze was now sharp and inquisitive. ‘’Say, Aira, there are a lot of entries here without an exact reason for punishment. Mind telling me why that is?’’
"Ah, of course. Because what I said wasn't directly falling into the category of punishable, but my commanders still wanted to issue punishment for their hurt egos.’’ She scowled, visibly frustrated. Her voice was sharp and bitter again as she spoke of the topic and her previous commanders.’’So conveniently some reports are just missing information and since these files are not checked often enough, if you were to go and question it now they would say it was long ago and couldn't remember what was done and said. Not that I expect you to believe me, though."
Childe was silent for a moment, considering her response with a frown. So it seemed as he had suspected; the files were indeed incomplete for a reason, and her previous commanders had purposely left out details to avoid accountability for their power abuse. Her last remark about not believing her also felt as if she tried telling someone about it, but got turned away. Of course there was a possibility that she was lying, but it didn’t make much sense. She couldn’t have erased the information from the reports even if she tried. If anything, she could’ve tried to throw it out all together, although there were copies of this somewhere in the archives, so it would be futile one way or another.
"Hmm...interesting. Well, I can say this for sure, I don't have a weak ego, so you won't need to deal with that kind of stupidity from me." He paused for a moment, his expression turning serious as he continued to flip through the pages of the file, now more focused on the punishments issued rather than the reasons. ’’Can you describe to me the exact types of punishments that were inflicted upon you by your previous commanding officers as discipline?"
"Well it varied.’’ Aira shrugged again. ‘’It used to be more like extra night patrol shifts, filling out paperwork, or other mildly unpleasant tasks at the start, but I'd say the most recent ones tend to be rather large wage cuts and physical punishments."
Childe nodded, a slight frown on his face as he listened intently. His earlier amusement was now replaced with a serious and somewhat tense expression. This sounded concerning.
"Night shifts and tasks, that's one thing. But...physical punishment? What kind, exactly?"
"Hmph, whatever they can get away with." She scowled, her body more tense at the topic, which also implied that her words were true.
"That answer isn't good enough. What exactly do you mean by whatever they can 'get away with'? Be more specific."
"Some sort of a beating, usually. This is recent." Aira took off her gloves and turned her hands up, showing him many scars that decorated her palms. Childe’s jaw tensed as he saw the numerous scars, his eyes narrowing slightly. He had a bad feeling that the word ‘beating’ was an understatement. "Usually it's just bruising, sometimes they do go further like with my hands."
"Very well. Then tell me this...these beatings…Are the marks on your hands from a whip?"
‘’Yes.’’
Childe's expression hardened even more, his frown deepening while his eyes narrowed into a sharp glare as he watched her put the gloves back on. As an experienced harbinger, he was well-acquainted with the tactics people often used as a way to 'discipline' underlings. Whipping and beatings weren't exactly uncommon, but they were used as drastic measures only. The fact that these tactics were seemingly used on her on multiple occasions, and judging from the look of her palms, with a whip...That seemed like way too much. She was just a woman of small frame, not a large skirmisher or a vanguard, why would they need to use such force against her? Oh he would have a few words for her previous commanders the next time he saw them.
"Tell me... how often did this happen? The beating, with the whip."
"Frequently. I believe that at least a few of those cases are not documented in the file." The girl glanced at the discipline records on his desk.
"I see. So, more often than not you've been... abused, if I may use the term. Without valid reason in many cases?" ‘’ Childe closed the folder, tapping it on the desk with anger. He already expected that the file might be missing some records, and not due to her tampering with her, but her commanders. It made sense, if such drastic measures were used frequently, someone would’ve definitely picked up on it and questioned it, so the best way was to leave out the report of that if the punishment was carried out somewhere in secret. This was a serious violation of rules, but also of the agent who was sitting in front of him.
"Well it depends. If you consider me calling them out on their incompetence as valid reasoning, then I guess they had a reason." Aira scoffed, crossing her arms again.
‘’Hmph, I can see how they wouldn’t take kindly to that. It seems to be a habit of yours, not having a filter when speaking your mind, even to a superior.’’ Childe smirked for a brief moment, before turning back to a more serious expression.’’Still, what they have been doing isn’t…acceptable. I will look into this.’’
‘’Don’t bother. It’s not like anyone would believe me even if you touched it.’’ The female agent sighed with resignation and that bitterness in her voice again. Childe noticed that it seemed to be a more dominant thing he could pick out in her voice and right now he could understand why, if she was being abused in secret by her previous superiors.’’Are we done with the meeting or do you have more questions for me?’’
Childe blinked in surprise at how she dismissed the issue of her own mistreatment. She seemed so resigned to it and as he glanced at the rather large discipline file, he wondered how such a small, rather fragile looking girl took all of this. She was a Fatui fighter, yes, but physical punishments like these were…quite extreme. He wasn’t really sure what to do about all of this right now. He barely knew the girl who had such bad reputation, he felt like perhaps he really shouldn’t be getting involved or digging up these issues again, but it also just didn’t sit right with him either.
‘’You may go for now. I have other duties to attend to.’’
‘’Yeah, I thought you might.’’ Aira stood up, looking at him still.’’Do you have any orders or tasks you need me to get done today?’’
‘’No, not at the moment. You may go back to your quarters and rest in the meantime.’’
‘’Nah, I’m going to the training grounds for now. If you need me let me know.’’ The girl stretched her arms up.
‘’Going to train, huh? Planning to cause a mess there too?’’ Childe couldn’t help but smile at the mention of the training grounds. Oh how he wished to join her right now, maybe even take her for a spar and see what she really is capable of as the second strongest catalyst fighter among their ranks, but he really had other matters to attend to, much to his dismay.
‘’No.’’ She suddenly pouted.’’Well…not unless someone provokes me anyway.’’
‘’Is that so?’’ Childe chuckled, amused by her pout that looked sort of cute on her. ‘’Try to not cause too much trouble, remember what I asked about not starting fights with other Fatui.’’
‘’Yes, yes, right.’’ Aira rolled her eyes, turning to walk to the door of his office, pausing with her hand on the door handle. She glanced at him over her shoulder. ’’Let me know if you will need me, otherwise I will be carrying on with my usual routine.’’
‘’I will. Don’t get too violent there, comrade.’’ Childe smirked, watching as she left his office.
Childe let out a long sigh, leaning back in his chair as he thought back on this meeting. He had to admit, the girl was…unique.She had shown absolutely no traces of fear in his presence, even when he mentioned punishments for misconduct. Still, she exceeded his expectations in terms of willingness to cooperate given her reputation. DId he manage to make such a good impression on her?
‘She certainly wasn’t enthusiastic, but she didn’t seem disapproving either. If she can be so cooperative when not irritated, I wonder what she can be like when in a good mood.’ He thought to himself, before shaking his head. She was just a new subordinate, he shouldn’t get stuck up on this, but…he couldn’t help but feel a slight thrill of a challenge. This was going to be much different, and somehow earning her respect rather than just getting it because of his title felt almost appealing. Then his thought wandered off, going back to the topic of her previous commanders abusing the girl. It just didn’t sit well with him, even if he should just ignore it and let it go. She was now under his command and he wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen again.
Childe spent the entire evening in his office, working on his usual paperwork. He found himself unable to focus properly, his mind repeatedly straying towards his new, intriguing subordinate. He tapped his fingers against the desk, a small frown forming on his face. He was trying to dismiss his thoughts and not let them linger as he glanced outside the window. The set was already setting down, painting the sky in dark blue and pink colors. In late evening, there was a knock on his door and Felix, one of Childe’s higher ranked commanders came in.
‘’Ah, Felix.’’ Childe looked up at the commander, nodding in greeting. ‘’What brings you here?’’
''Just dropping these reports off, my lord.'' Felix spoke politely, handing a file to Childe, although he visibly seemed to have something else on his mind.
"You look like you have something on your mind, Felix’’ Childe raised his eyebrows, a little surprised by his commander's unusual expression. He placed down the file, keeping his gaze on Felix. ‘’What are you not telling me?"
‘’I…well…I have a question my lord, but…I don’t want you to think that I am questioning your actions..’’ Felix seemed hesitant to bring it up, but since Childe already noticed his expression, there wasn’t much point in hiding it.
‘’Felix, you’re one of my higher ranked officers.’’ The ginger harbinger crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair while his face was serious and expressionless. ‘’If you have something to say, just say it, don’t beat around the bush.’’
‘’I noticed that you accepted Spitfire into our division.’’
‘’Spitfire? You mean Aira?’’ Childe raised his eyebrows again. Was this some sort of a nickname other agents used for her? He was mildly amused by the choice, it seemed fitting. ‘’I have, yes. What about it?’’
''W-well...I was just wondering if you're...sure about this. The girl is known to be a troublemaker and other agents dislike her.'' Felix crossed his arms, looking at Childe with curiosity. ''I guess what I'm trying to ask, is why take her in to our division?''
"Hmph...first of all, she's only a "troublemaker" because her previous commanders were too incompetent to keep her in line. And as for the second question, I find her...interesting. She's got that sassy attitude that I haven't seen in anyone else, and her blunt honesty is..." He trailed off, as if trying to find the right word.
''Well it certainly is...unusual.'' Felix sighed, finishing the sentence for the harbinger. ''I just hope she doesn't cause you too much trouble, my lord. She seemed to spend the entire day at training grounds as far as I’ve seen anyway.''
"The entire day? She didn't even eat?’’ Childe asked, furrowing his brows a bit. ’’Has she even gone back to her quarters yet?"
''Yes, I saw her heading to the female dorms not too long ago. As for eating, I'm not sure. I wasn't watching her all day, just spotted her several times when I was walking by the training grounds.'' Felix explained. ''However, I don't think I have seen her in the cafeteria of our base for months now, so I'm not sure when she eats.''
"Why don't you keep an eye on her schedule tomorrow?’’ Childe suddenly came up with an idea.’’I want to know her routine. When she wakes up, what her first activities are, when she eats, who she talks to, where she goes, how long she spends in the training grounds, and when she returns to her quarters. I want to know everything."
''As you wish my lord, I will keep an eye on her all day tomorrow.'' Felix bowed his head. He was curious about this request, but figured that since the girl is a troublemaker, that his lord probably wants to keep tabs on her.
‘‘Good. But one more thing, Felix.’’ The harbinger nodded, satisfied with his response. He leaned forward on his elbows, his expression becoming more serious. "I want to stress how important it is that you be discreet when doing this, got it? Don't make it too obvious that you're spying on her, she's sharp, and she'll pick up on it if you're getting too close. Understood?"
''Of course my lord. I will do my best to be discreet.''
"Good. Then head back to your quarters and rest. I want your report on her tomorrow evening. Good night." Childe waved his hand to dismiss the officer.
Felix nodded and left his office, leaving Childe alone. The eleventh harbinger was lost in thought, running his hand through the ginger locks of his hair. He was curious, probably too curious about this new subordinate. What did she do all day? Did she really take no breaks for food? He let out another sigh as he got up off the chair. It wasn’t his concern, she was a grown woman that could handle her own health…right? With that thought, he headed to his own room, getting undressed and lying in bed, trying to get some sleep for the night. Felix will keep an eye on the girl the next day and then he would have a better idea of her routine, that might satisfy his curiosity and drop the topic. Or, so he hoped.