Love and Other Delusions | Chilumi

A song of chance

"You finished your quest today quite early. Something important planned up?" Katheryne asked.

"Uh, yeah. I was just about to ask about the Alcor. Has Captain Beidou returned yet?" Lumine asked.

"The Alcor? I have received news that they will be returning today so you came at the perfect time." Katheryne said.

"Really? That's great! Thank you!" Lumine replied enthusiastically. "I should head to Guyun Stone Forest then, thanks again Katheryne!" She ran off, forgetting the fact that Childe had accompanied her all the way to Katheryne's booth.

"Hey wait!" He called out, but was ignored. He turned to Katheryne. "Uh, can I ask what time is it?"

"It's a quarter till 11." Katheryne gladly replied. 

Childe let out a quiet tch, looking away from Katheryne's direction. He's late, it's the first time he will actually turn up late for an assignment given to him. But honestly speaking, he was nowhere near excited about it in the first place anyway. "I'll just turn up after lunch." He thought to himself.

He then returned to his usual smile and thanked Katheryne before following Lumine.

"Lumine wait up!" He ran as fast as he could.

He of course caught up in no time, his legs are longer than Lumine's after all so it's no surprise that he runs faster. "Childe? Why are you still following me around?" Lumine looked at him surprised.

"I told you, I don't really have any plans today. I thought maybe I could just tag along." He said, riding on that one lie he told earlier.

Lumine paused. "Well, I don't think you tagging along with me for the day will be a good idea." She said.

"Why? Are you questioning my strength? Afraid I can't handle your enemies?" Childe raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, yes and no?" Lumine said a bit unsure. "I doubt your... work will allow you to travel all the way to Inazuma without excusing yourself." She said.

Childe's eyebrows furrowed. "You're going back to Inazuma?" He asked. "But you just got here." He blurted out, though he meant to only say it in his head.

"I can't just stay here forever. I still have to find answers about my brother. It's not like it's my first time going there." Lumine explained.

"I know but last time you went there you ended up being dragged back here." Childe crossed his arms, his eyebrow raised.

"That's!..." Lumine paused. "I know. But it's different now. I'm stronger, both physically and mentally. I can handle it. Don't look down on me just because of that one mistake!" She said.

"I'm not! I'm just pointing it out!" Childe argued. "I didn't mean it like that!"

"I'm sure you didn't Childe. I'm sure you didn't." Her eyebrows furrowed. She let out a frustrated sigh. "You're ruining my mood, I'll just go."

"Wait!" He grabbed her hand.

He paused, not knowing what to say. Or rather, he didn't know which to say. 

He wanted to tell her to just stay in Liyue, which he knew would just be declined by the same answer she gave last time. Family's important, Childe could relate to that. Knowing that Lumine's only family is her brother is something Childe always had to consider.

He wanted to tell her he'll go with her. But she was right, leaving without any word about it will just label him as someone missing in action. As a harbinger it wasn't something he could easily pull off without getting in trouble with the higher ups.

He wanted to warn her. But he's scared of his own skin being in trouble for leaking plans of the Fatui to someone as prominent of an enemy as Lumine, which makes him wonder at times how even did they reach a point of intimacy to be this close.

"Uh, Childe?" Lumine raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.

"Oh. Sorry." Childe let go of her hand. "I just wanted to say, be careful out there." He said, in an unusually soft voice.

There was a short silence between the two, and during that Lumine kept her eyes on Childe.

"That's it?" Lumine asked surprised. "No other additions?"

"What, were you expecting something else?" Childe raised an eyebrow.

"To be honest, I was expecting you to say something like 'don't die cause I still have to spar with you when you come back' or somewhere along those lines." Lumine said. To which Childe laughed. 

"Well I didn't want to put more pressure to you. But I will be looking forward to our future sparring sessions." Childe said with a grin.

"Not promising anything." Lumine said. 

Again, Childe laughed, but only for a shorter time. He cleared his throat right after. "On a serious note. I hope you find answers about your brother there. Keep safe." He said.

"Thank you. You keep safe too Ajax." Lumine said. 

Ajax. She called him Ajax again. That alone made Childe feel oddly satisfied.

***

"Felix, tell Vlad to ready a ship to Inazuma. I have a new assignment there."