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Childe liked Arlecchino.
It wasn’t always like that, their... acquaintanceship for the lack of a better word, with friendship or comradeship having too strong of an implication, sprouted from a place of distrust and misunderstanding, but sharing a common goal in Fontaine brought them a little closer.
Just a little though. At least he didn’t think she’s a two-faced self-serving lunatic anymore.
Still, hearing the woman say she respected him pleasantly titillated Tartaglia’s ego. As the youngest Harbinger he often wasn’t taken seriously by his colleagues, so this seemed like a nice surprise. Especially coming from the Knave, the 4th amongst them.
He didn’t let himself be wholly swayed by this unexpected praise, however, and after the exchange of crucial information (seriously, what the heck was wrong with Nod-Krai???) glanced behind Arlecchino as if expecting to see someone hiding behind her back. A certain short blonde Traveller, perhaps?
He could almost imagine the girl’s puffed cheeks and grumpy words: “I am not that short!”
Childe smiled.
“By the way, how’s my old partner doing? I’m assuming she’s with you?” He tried to sound casual, but notes of excitement still sneaked into his voice. He haven’t seen her in a while and truth be told, these long separations weren’t his favourite. Of course, the two never made any promises—probably because they respected them too much to risk breaking one. They owed each other nothing at all, and yet... life just seemed more vibrant and fun with Lumi around. Partially because she was a magnet for delicious trouble and partially because he simply enjoyed her company. Yes, he was capable of sappy admissions like that.
“Partner?” The Knave raised an eyebrow. “You mean Lumine? I’m afraid I have bad news.” The sour twist of her mouth was in jarring contrast with her usually stoic expression. Childe felt a shiver run up his spine and it wasn’t caused by the cold breeze blowing from the sea. He would welcome that kind of shiver. Brisk wind was good at grounding in the moment. Letting you focus on your body, on the here and now instead of your racing thoughts.
Without the aid of nature he wasn’t able to. Not when even Arlecchino’s ever-present mask was slipping. Childe just knew something was seriously wrong. Still, even that realisation didn’t prepare him for the incoming revelation. Nothing could. “She was captured after our failed assault on Dottore’s lab. Her whereabouts are currently unknown,” quietly said the woman.
And time almost stopped.
Lumine... lost?
This single thought was so bizarre, almost unthinkable.
She challenged gods and monsters and who-knows-what-else and always came out on top. Always.
A very small part of him used to relish hearing about her accomplishments. He wanted to fight her again someday and take on all of that experience. Try himself against it.
In his mind what would be a friendly fair duel.
Everything her battle with Dottore was not. There defeat could have meant death.
Then the frozen time rushed again, ears buzzing, air whooshing, all of that.
As if it was frantically trying to reclaim the stolen seconds after the momentary pause and accidentally punched the young Harbinger in the gut or straight in the solar plexus, leaving him painfully breathless. The metaphorical rug might as well have been pulled from underneath his feet.
“What? Why?” Childe’s body went cold, now truly cold. The man struggled to supress the surge of emotions he refused to name because they felt dangerously close to fear and rage. To him those were the biggest sins of a warrior. Succumbing to them was akin to losing the fight before it even began and what he needed right now was a pure fighting spirit. The kind of which that lets you focus, not lose your cool. But.. did she just say captured? He never despised a word more than he did right now. Captured. Like an animal, an interesting specimen and not a human being. Someone he... cared for.
“Since when does Dottore have a bone to pick with her?” The edge in his voice was easily audible. Abandoned was the pretence of politeness, left for dead in a ditch.
Arlecchino, however, regarded him with an inscrutable gaze. Neither reproachful nor sympathetic despite his emotional display, definitely unbecoming of a Harbinger.
“That is indeed the question,” she mused calmly and shook her head. “I’m not sure he does. He must have some other goal in mind.”
Something one step short of a total madness, surely. Which didn’t bode well for Lumine.
If that lunatic dared to touch even a single strand of hair on her head..!
Childe turned on his heel, already striding away. Switched into action mode. That’s what he was good at: action not mind games. “This won’t do. I have to rescue her.”
It was hard to say who this calm but forceful declaration was meant for—Arlecchino or perhaps himself. Like the sea preparing for the coming storm; something was brewing, hanging in the air, a prelude to chaos he craved to unleash. Foreshadowing of a deadly confrontation. Because one with whatever entity Dottore had turned into wouldn’t end any other way. To think there was a time Childe dismissed the guy as a mere eccentric, antisocial scientist, not a murderous megalomaniac ready to kidnap his comrade.
“You can’t.” The woman’s voice cut through his determination, stopping the man in his tracks. “We have no idea where Lumine is.”
Then find her!
He would yell if he could. Childe clenched his fist so hard the glove strained against the taut muscles.
“Ugh... What am I supposed to do, then? Stand here twiddling my thumbs?” He didn’t mean for it to sound like something his little brother would say, a whiney accusation coming from a ten-year-old, but asking him to stay put and do nothing went against his very nature. They just had to search for her, damn it! He could do it if they didn’t want to.
“Sandrone is working on it.” The Knave, however, wasn’t in a mood to argue. “The best thing you can do right now is complete your mission.”
Mission?! He almost spluttered that out loud. It was the last thing on his mind right now. There were others perfectly capable of escorting civilians but..!
But.
He clicked his tongue after a loaded silence.
That single ”but” ringing in his mind was like a bucket of cold water dumped on his head.
“...Fine. I guess I’ll... leave this to you, then.”
It wasn’t a decision made lightly. Childe realised he was actually ready to go against his orders, something utterly unthinkable when he joined the Fatui’s ranks, but decided against it not because of Arlecchino or devotion towards the army, but... because that’s what Lumine would have wanted. She wasn’t some mindless hero, instead respected life and cared for saving people ever since they’ve met—it even was a reason for their big argument years ago, he could almost hear it again. “You would let the people of Liyue drown?!” she hissed through clenched teeth back then. After that it took some time for the two to mend their relationship. Maybe even thanks to these initial setbacks it was able to steadily grow and become as strong as it was today. Still, he preferred not to repeat that process... even if every cell in his body was raring to go and fight that asshole. And... he shared Lumine’s ideals, even though his actions didn’t always make that obvious.
“Mm-hmm.” The Knave nodded and at least that made him feel a little better. If she was on the case, Lumine’s chances were considerably higher.
And suddenly the message he carried from Her Majesty sounded all the sweeter. Should Dottore pose a threat, Arlecchino and Sandrone are permitted to eliminate him.
He hoped they would.
The man glanced at the moon, suddenly looking less like a guide amidst the darkness of the night and more like a sinister omen of uncertain future.
If not, after escorting the refugees to Snezhnaya, he would make a trip back and have a little chat with that bastard wannabe-god himself.
*~*~*
Getting kidnapped by the Doctor and being subjected to his mind manipulation (she could have swore he was somehow able to hear her thoughts!) wasn’t part of Lumine’s plan when the group set out to infiltrate his laboratory, but she was bested and now had to deal with the consequences.
Evil coated in beautiful words. Temptations hidden in surprisingly sound reasoning. The boon offered for stepping away from the role she never wanted.
Because Lumine’s goal, despite saving multiple nations, wasn’t to be these people’s hero.
Did you ever really hope that they could begin to understand someone like you?
She did. She was tired of feeling lonely.
Your long life and unique origins make you fundamentally different from them.
But she still had a heart. Feelings that could be hurt.
How long will it be before they start to treat you like the alien you are? Before you are ostracized, outcast?
The word “alien” echoed in her mind and left a sour aftertaste.
Yes... at the end of the day that’s what she was.
This world has made you into a slave. So many times, you have served its will... and not once have the powers that be ever thought to grant you the one, simple thing you wish for.
Instead she was always told to travel ahead. Continue the journey. Go visit another place just to end up entangled in its problems. Where was any real help? Someone willing to offer it instead of always being on its receiving end?
“I will grant you special privileges, and give you back the status you rightly deserve as a Descender,” the Doctor’s passionate speech reverberated amidst this weird space where simulation met reality and she couldn’t be quite sure which one was currently on top. That wasn’t helping her keep a clear mind.
Suddenly, the Harbinger’s voice changed through. He stopped and looking at her lips drawn into a firm line, readjusted his strategy. As if that one glance was enough for him to decide he needed to approach the cajoling from another angle. Was she really so easy to read and figure out? Am I so predictable? she wondered.
“No. Maybe what you crave is not fame and recognition, but a simple, basic desire. What you wish for is... family, isn’t it?”
His smirk almost made it sound like something dirty, not worthy of any attention. Probably that’s what he thought—even in the past, when the Doctor was just Zandik, he didn’t value interpersonal relationships. Other people existed so they could be exploited, not understood. Bonds had no value, only knowledge did. Cold, heartless knowledge—not restricted by feelings or ethics, measured only by gain.
Hearing the word “family,” Lumine’s mind went in an entirely different direction, filled with warmth and... jealousy. Her thoughts flew to the families she met on Teyvet. She shouldn’t have given Dottore any new ammunition against her, but not thinking was harder than most would have imagined. It’s like that saying: if someone tells you not to think about a pink elephant, it’s exactly what you’re going to imagine.
So instead of safe boring thoughts, in her mind’s eye she saw Diona helping her tipsy father up the stairs, temporarily forgetting her anger at his state.
She saw Jean and Barbara, despite choosing two very different paths in life, waving at each other from across the street while Albedo and Klee walked past hand in hand, deep in a fun conversation judging by the little girl’s gleeful laughter.
The image of Ayaka and Ayato flashed before her eyes. The pair sitting under a kotatsu, drinking tea Thoma just carried over with a big smile.
Then the face of Lyney appeared, trying to flirt on the street, giving some girl in Fontaine conjured flowers and Lynette making a huge X with her hands in the background, which immediately destroyed his chances. Freminet just sighing on the side, seemingly tired from watching his siblings’ antics, but still snickering when they weren’t looking.
And then a certain Harbinger came to mind with his little brother. He hid his darkness from the little one so they could still be a family. So that Teucer’s childhood could remain pure a bit longer compared to what Ajax went through.
She didn’t mean to, but her thoughts lingered on the two a tad too long.
Just like Aether... Keeping her at arms length where it really mattered.
Dottore noticed that mental stumble. The hesitation.
“So you enjoyed the company of our youngest Harbinger. I can give you that too, you know? That nauseatingly sweet family he constantly babbles about. Even Tartaglia himself, the big brother everyone wish they had.”
Lumine couldn’t help but notice the mocking tone.
“Didn’t you say you were above the humanly impulses? But you clearly don’t like Childe.” Which was such a human thing to do.
She was desperate to change the topic, shift it away from innocent people the madman could accidently destroy because of a few careless remarks and stray thoughts.
And the Doctor, surprisingly, took the bait.
“I have to admit we weren’t the best of colleagues. He’s not.. easy to deal with.”
Oh? Lumine raised an eyebrow.
“Too straightforward for your schemes?”
He clicked his tongue. “The Tsaritsa’s pet was always off limits. And doesn’t that make you wonder?”
“Wonder what?” she grumbled reluctantly, somehow not eager to learn Childe’s secrets from Dottore of all people. At the same time she couldn’t deny the curiosity, even though in the stories it often killed the cat. The fiery haired Harbinger always spoke words of admiration towards the Tsaritsa, but omitted the woman’s feelings in this matter. Never mentioned being that important to the Cryo Archon.
The girl’s fingers trembled, so she gripped her skirt to hide it.
Feelings surging within Lumine were ugly. Admitting as much was as far as she was willing to dwell on it.
“Other Harbingers ignored it, after all we never mingled too much amongst ourselves. But I always thought it was suspicious. The Tsaritsa treated him like an egg—nurturing for the time being but overall not interested in the cute little bird inside. She’s just picking the right moment to crack the shell and pour him into the pan.”
Lumine paled. Fear flooded her along with shame because of her earlier assumptions.
“Why are you telling me this?!” she barked. Angry at him and herself.
“You like saving people. And for reasons I cannot fathom there’s an 87% chance you would want to help our dear Tartaglia. Wouldn’t teaming up with a god give you power to do so? Power rivalling those of even Archons themselves.”
“I...”
She hated the hesitation, how her voice wavered and she couldn’t immediately refuse him. Despised how he was turning all the good things she experienced on Teyvat, all the adventures, bonds and connections into bullets to shoot her with. To slowly chip away at Lumine’s resistance.
The more she stayed here, the more confused she was. Her motives and thoughts tainted.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Lumine closed her eyes. Her head hurt.
She wanted out.
A sword manifested in her mind. All it needed was a small flicker of her wrist to also appear in reality.
She will get out of here. Wait for an opportune moment and strike.
But for once, glancing at the solitary moon above her head, she also wished there would be someone out there caring enough to rescue her too. Prove the Doctor everything she did on Teyvat wasn’t in vain and just as she came to love this world, it also loved her back.
She didn’t know all of that was coming—sooner rather than later and in a form of an unexpected flying hero.
*~*~*
Victory feast after a won fight was a given—that’s what Lumine learnt from the Natlanese. After a close encounter with death you need to celebrate life with all you’ve got.
Apparently Varka shared the same beliefs (most likely not once and not twice discussed them with Mavuika over a mug of beer or wine) and so the Flagship was packed with people. Some came to genuinely congratulate and thank the heroes who saved the day from Doctor’s madness, now known as the League, others were just lured in by the promise of free food and drinks. Both groups were welcome. Nod-Krai survived one hell of a crisis so no one was blaming anyone on how they cope with the aftermath.
Honestly, Lumine just wanted to sleep. For a few days straight her body and mind were constantly strained in any ways possible. After such an ordeal soft bed, clean sheets and a few hours of peace and quiet sounded like a gift from the heavens.
Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Okay, fine, she wasn’t that mad about the party ruining her plans to enjoy doing nothing. At the end of the day Lumi also wanted to celebrate this hard earned victory with Paimon and the rest of their friends.
Munching on some kind of sausage (spicy but tasty!) while having a fruity drink, the girl looked around to locate her companions. Her cheeks were slightly rosy. She wasn’t tipsy per se, but finally felt relaxed and hopeful for the future.
Nefer and Lauma occupied one booth to the left enjoying their frenemy “arguing” with Flins snickering on the side.
Albedo was sketching something in the corner of the room but wore a satisfied expression. Durin, on the other hand, decided to learn more about Nod-Krai and pestered Jahoda with all kinds of questions she was totally bullshitting her way through.
More people roamed the tavern. Illuga, other Lightkeepers, Fatui soldiers or even some Frostmoon Scions. She couldn’t spot Asahi, which was a shame because Lumine wanted to properly thank him for all he did for her, but such was his nature—the man hated crowds and liked wandering, preferably as far away from the centre of attention as possible.
And then there was the person responsible for this whole debauchery: Varka. He sat by the bar with Nicole and seemed to be telling some kind of expedition anecdote, causing their audience, with Paimon in a front row seat, one explosion of laughter after another.
Lumine smiled. She wondered if the great Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius realised how his eyes sparkled whenever he looked at the blonde mage—and if she, in turn, knew just how much her expression softened the moment his gaze turned away and she could secretly watch him.
“Some time ago I would say there’s no point wasting time on relationships that have no future. But after spending a few days with this group I am not so sure anymore.”
Lumine glanced at the unexpected companion who arrived at her table, slowly swirling sparkling liquid in a fancy glass.
“Arlecchino.” She nodded, inviting the woman to join her. “I have to say, uncertainty doesn’t suit you.” After all, confidence was always her biggest strength.
“I, too, am just a human. Yes, I see your scepticism, but that is the truth.”
“So, what would you advise these two?” Lumine asked curiously, never expecting to have this kind of conversation with the Knave of all people. Like two gossiping girls on a friendly outing.
“To play their oblivious game as long as possible. It’s one thing to fall in love with a wrong person, another to pursue a love that will doom you both.” Suddenly Arlecchino gave Lumine a side eye. “But I dare to suspect you might know more about this than me, considering a certain young Harbinger who was ready to throw everything aside just to run and save you.”
Lumine choked mid-sip. The drink went down the wrong pipe, leaving the girl hacking and gasping for air. She blinked back the sudden prickle of tears, clearing her throat with a raspy cough. Luckily the liquid was white-ish and didn’t stain her dress.
“He was ready to do what now?” she managed to stammer out; neither of them needed to clarify who ‘he’ was. And... Childe was here? Lumine’s heart, the traitor, skipped a beat. She hadn’t seen him in so long...
“He was very eager to drop everything just to go and save you. Didn’t only because I specifically asked him not to.” Arlecchino continued clearly enjoying the Traveller’s reaction. How uncomfortable Lumi was, embarrassingly fidgeting in her seat.
The Knave might have secretly (or maybe not so secretly?) been a sadist.
“We’re... friends, just like you and me. Wasn’t you also willing to come to my aid?” Lumine tried going for a faint, but the Knave was apparently as advanced in fighting with words as with the scythe.
“As much as I am fond of you, you won’t see me neglect my duties for this friendship. But if I were to recall our earlier conversation, his... enthusiasm was something not to be taken lightly. I just thought it would be fair to note Tartaglia’s resolve.”
If Lumine got a Mora every time a Harbinger mentioned Tartaglia to her in the recent days, she would have two Mora which maybe wasn’t a lot but it’s still interesting it happened twice.
Also, was Arle praising or reprimanding him? Because it was honestly hard to tell.
The girl sighed.
“Why are you telling me this? Didn’t you just say it’s dangerous to hold on to doomed relationships?”
Arlecchino stared at her drink before responding. Its dark red colour seemed even richer in the dimmed light. Almost like blood... Then the Harbinger took a swing and put the glass down on the table with a loud clank.
“And some still do, do they not? Choose to be... friends even when their time together is limited.”
Lumi stared after her as the woman walked away. Just as stiffly as always.
“You could just say you miss Sandrone...” she whispered and couldn’t help but think: her encouragement is just like her, rigid, uptight but straight to the point.
Now, what to do with this information?
Lumine’s head spun a little and she couldn’t exactly blame it on the drink.
*~*~*
The door to the Flagship shut quietly after Wanderer. He slipped away from the merry bunch as soon as the first few toasts were made—parties weren’t his thing, but on the other hand he wouldn’t say no to celebrating Dottore’s demise.
He couldn’t kill the scientist himself. Couldn’t watch the madman’s plans fail from a first row seat because he was out of commission at the time. Couldn’t even dance on his metaphorical grave as after the battle there was nothing left of the entity the Doctor became.
Considering all of the above, at least he would be able to drink a shot or two to send off that fucker to hell. Not that he actually understood the appeal of alcohol, but hey, just this once he simply didn’t care. Wait. Maybe instead of “the merry bunch” he should have rephrased it to his friends. He was sure that’s what those goody two shoes people thought of him, even though they met only a couple of times, but couldn’t bring himself to utter such mushy sentiment. And in the end didn’t want to stay for long either.
Asahi understood the need to savour this small victory, though. Because it was a victory. Different from what he had in mind, but Dottore’s fall brought him immense satisfaction anyway. However at the end of the day saving Lumine had to be the priority. Not only because he had a debt to repay—she and her powers were simply indispensable to this world. The key to winning the whole war instead of only snagging a small battle, he was sure of it. Didn’t yet know against who she would eventually wage that war, but Teyvat will be dragged into it whether he liked it or not.
Suddenly, he stopped. Managed to walk away only a few steps before all the hair stood up at the nape of his neck.
I’m not alone, thought the man and sighed.
He recognised the nearby presence, though he was sure the feeling wasn’t mutual for the other party. The perks of erasing yourself from history, I guess.
“What do you want, Harbinger?” Wanderer mellowed out a bit lately, but it wasn’t hard to summon that familiar brisk tone again if he wanted to. And he did want it, considering who hid in the shadows just around the corner.
The tall ginger haired man walked out unbothered. He clearly didn’t plan to conceal himself for long.
“Lumine... Did he harm her?”
No hello, no introduction. Wanderer scrunched his nose. That wasn’t how Tartaglia operated. He was the people’s person, always charming and sympathetic, the cocky yet friendly smile constantly plastered on his face.
That pissed me off so badly, he recalled. Because it was the exact opposite of Scaramouche—the grumpy and constantly angry loner. Wanderer, however, didn’t have any reason to hate him. It disappeared along with Tartaglia’s memories of the sixth Harbinger.
“Why should I tell you?”
Still, giving straight answers just wasn’t his style.
Childe clicked his tongue, visibly frustrated, but quickly caught and composed himself. Raked his hand though his already messy hair—judging by the state of it, it seemed as if he repeated that gesture a lot lately.
“I heard you saved her... Thank you.”
The sincerity threw Wanderer off.
“I don’t need your thanks,” he shoot off reflexively, but then turned his eyes away and added, albeit reluctantly. “I owed her that and now we’re even.”
Childe smiled. “You’re a lot nicer than you let on, huh? What were you called again?” The Harbinger scratched his chin. “Ah, I remember now—”
Here comes. Wanderer was ready to roll his eyes at the familiar yet annoying Hat nickname.
“—Asahi.”
The man in question spun back to face the ginger. Out of all the things happening this evening, hearing his new name out of Tartaglia’s lips was probably the most bizarre one.
“Lumine told me about you.” Childe answered as if sensing the unspoken question.
“Don’t you two have anything better to talk about?” Asahi grumbled.
“I can’t share too much about my dear colleagues—confidential information, you see? But she likes to talk about her friends. And she does. A lot.”
Even me? The question, unasked, tingled Wanderer’s tongue.
As if he could hear it, he seemed to have a good sense for these silent doubts, Tartaglia answered.
“I can’t say you’re her favourite,” the man laughed, “but she worries about you a lot.”
Now, that’s just great.
Before coming up with a snarky remark how he didn’t need a nanny, the door to the Flagship squeaked again, revealing another person running away from the celebration. The realisation who it was took both man by surprise.
“Ah, here you are Asahi,” Lumine smiled seeing the person she was apparently looking for. “We need to talk...” Her voice, however, trailed off at the end, as she noticed who was standing next to the Wanderer.
“Childe.”
That was all she managed to say before the tall man covered the distance between them in three long strides and grabbed her arms. Careful not to hurt her, but firm enough to pin her in place. His eyes swept over the girl like a hawk, hunting for any hidden injury.
“Are you all right?”
His gaze was raw and intense; Lumine felt the heat rush into her cheeks. She took a hasty step back, prying his fingers loose, albeit making sure not to be rough.
“I’m fine,” she answered, ducking her head in embarrassment. The girl knew his worry was genuine, but she simply wasn’t used to such affections. There was never anyone besides Aether, and now Paimon, who would hover around her like this. Like she was a human who had just gone through something scary and traumatic, and not some kind of invincible warrior treating dances with death like an everyday occurrence.
Her answer, coupled with Childe’s own scrutiny earlier, seemed to appease him. Well, appease him enough to reluctantly nod.
“Good.”
Lumine doubted he fully believed her, but the Harbinger at least refrained from pestering her any further on the matter. She wasn’t here to feel sorry for herself. She was here because she wanted to thank—
“Right! Asahi, we need to...” She looked around, but the ex-Harbinger was nowhere to be seen. Of course he had taken the first opportunity to slip away. “...talk,” she finished blankly.
“Your friend sure knows how to make a sneaky exit,” Childe snickered, earning himself a glare.
“Ugh! He can be so...” She waved her hands, searching for a proper word, “...uncooperative.”
“If I remember correctly, last time you said ‘he’s a good person, but he’s an ass about it,’ and I can definitely see that.”
She let out a tired sigh. “Or maybe I’m just not that great at reading people.”
“Nah, that can’t be right” Childe countered without missing a beat. “You befriended me, didn’t you? That makes you an impeccable judge of character.”
His wide, ridiculous grin paired with the boastful declaration sent her over the edge. Lumine burst into laughter, feeling as if the weight that had settled on her chest ever since that gruelling fight with Dottore finally began to ease.
And Ajax. He hadn’t done anything special. Honestly, he never did. Just told a silly joke and offered a comforting touch, yet strangely, it was enough. More often than not, it was enough.
As the tavern began spilling more and more noisy people into the street, the two meandered through the side alleys to get a bit of privacy until they found their way to a relatively peaceful rooftop. Clean, totally deserted and with a pretty view. Perfect for some heart-to-heart.
Enjoying the change in scenery, Lumine closed her eyes and took a deep, full breath, making sure the night air reached every small corner of her lungs.
The lingering stress began to settle. The adrenaline of a battle mixed with the anxiety regarding her mission and... the sadness about the loss of a comrade. About Sandrone’s sacrifice. Her guard dropped and with it she let something slip. Something she had absolutely no business saying out loud.
“I... I wanted someone to save me.” Her voice was small, uncertain. Not of the words themselves, but of what admitting this meant. For her. For her journey.
She stole a glance at Childe.
For them.
Lumine cleared her throat, suddenly feeling self-conscious. A wave of insecurity and vulnerability washed over her.
“I’m not complaining. I don’t mind helping people if I can. It feels good to be useful and make others happy,” she rambled, she knew she did, but she didn’t know how else to put her jumbled thoughts into words. “It’s just that—”
—it was selfish and people died.
Before the second half of that sentence could pass Lumine’s lips, a hand sneaked into hers and squeezed.
Ajax wasn’t looking at her; instead, his eyes were focused on the moon glowing in the sky. He probably wasn’t aware of what the people of Nod-Krai had gone through to keep it intact. She made a mental note to tell him about it later—it was the type of story he would surely enjoy.
“I’m glad someone saved you. I’m slightly irritated... somehow disappointed... Ah, screw it!” Childe finally turned to her and raked his other hand through his hair. Again that evening. Whatever pretence he had tried to maintain was promptly thrown out the window. “I’m pissed, okay? I wanted to come for you, I swear I did, but I couldn’t. And please, don’t say how pathetic this sounds, because trust me, I know.”
Lumine stared at the man, stunned, caught off guard by the unexpected admission. So he went on.
“Look, it doesn’t matter if you’re a hero who saved countless nations. You deserve to get help just like every other person. It’s okay to get help.”
His gaze locked with hers and Lumine almost drowned in that deep, sincere blue.
She felt like crying. From relief, validation, gratitude. So many different emotions swirled inside her head, it was difficult to pinpoint which one was winning. She swallowed through the knot in her throat.
“Admit it, you just wanted to fight Dottore, didn’t you?” Lumine teased, but her voice was strained. So much for clearing the air when he could hear the unshed tears in her words.
“I can neither confirm nor deny that.” Childe smirked, but his thumb gently brushed the skin under her eye. It was dry.
Maybe someday she would allow herself to cry.
She marvelled. It had been years since they first met; so much time passed between them. Years of fighting beside and against each other. Betrayals, reconciliations, shared stories. Stolen moments like this one, filled with loaded words and meaningful touches.
In another life, she would be pulling him down and kissing him beneath this beautiful silver moon. A natural and inevitable result of this undeniable attraction and longing, this pull, between them.
But this Lumine and this Childe could only let themselves dream of that possibility. She reached up and, with a tender smile, smoothed down the messy locks of hair he had just ruffled.
It had to remain a dream, because—
“I’m going to Snezhnaya next.”
The words hung in the air.
After so long her journey across Teyvat was finally coming to a close.
“I know,” he nodded slowly.
The last nation. The final Archon.
The goddess he swore his loyalty to.
The last opportunity to learn the truth and make a choice. Decide her future.
Snezhnaya could change nothing. But Snezhnaya could also change everything and both of them were well aware of it.
She couldn’t afford to kiss him because he might end up turning against her.
He couldn’t pull her closer because she might end up as his enemy.
Yet, despite the shadow hanging over them, a genuine smile lit up Ajax’s face.
“My family can’t wait to meet you.”
The change of topic was sudden but not unwanted. She couldn’t help but smile back.
“It’s been so long since I last saw Teucer. I wonder how much he’s grown.”
“He keeps saying he’s going to be taller than me one day.”
“Now that’s a real challenge.”
“That requires a lot of milk and healthy vegetables.” He winked and the two laughed.
This right here was what she treasured most about him: the ability to make the best out of a bad situation. Effortlessly find light in the darkest night.
While here she was, dissecting every worst-case scenario.
For once Lumine found herself tempted to indulge in his way of thinking. Instead of focusing on what-ifs, she wanted to be with him in the here and now.
The muffled sounds of cheering and laughter drifted up from below them, most probably coming from the Flagship.
Yes, it was a pleasant night, filled with celebrations and hope for a better future. Spent with comrades, companions and friends.
Arlecchino’s words echoed in her mind.
If this wasn’t the night to let herself dream, then when would it be?
Lumine stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft, lingering kiss on Ajax’s cheek.
He froze, gaping at her, a deep redness spreading to the tips of his ears.
“What...”
“Tell your family I’d love to meet them. Should I bring a gift? Food? Or maybe something exotic? And how should I act? I’m not exactly the most normal of guests.”
But before she could share more of her ideas, she was enveloped in a bear-like hug. And this time instead of pulling away, Lumine snuggled into the warm embrace with a content smile.
Thank you, for wanting to save me.
That’s what she truly wanted to say
Amidst the chilling night breeze of Nod-Krai and the fresh memories of the recent days still gnawing at the back of her mind it felt like... home.
Cosy, comforting and safe.
Dottore was wrong. She wasn’t alone in this world.
“Just come and be yourself,” Ajax whispered into her hair, his hot breath chasing away the cold, “that will be more than enough.”