Whale and Dragonfly // OC x Childe Genshin Impact fanfiction

Chapter 23: Dinner and Friendly Care

Fortunately, 12th Harbinger returned just in time. Bank was slowly closing, servicing the last clients of today.

"It's great to see you have returned, Zanni. Would this be all 800.000 mora?"

"Yes, it should be. I watched the hoarders' leader count it and checked it later again myself." Charlotte reassured, hiding the part that she dropped this bag and had to retrieve it from hilichurls as well.

"I see. Thank you for completing your first commission. 75% percent of the mora you have obtained will now be yours, as a compensation for the trouble. After all, Harbingers are not supposed to be dealing with such routine matters."

Charlotte stood here frozen, not even sure how to react. 75% from the 800.000 was 600.000 mora. Even though she learned Childe was way richer, this amount of mora already seemed like a ton.

"I... T-Thank you..."

"Hard to believe the goodness of reward, huh? Worry not. We received orders from Harbinger Pantalone who receives orders from Her Majesty. According to him, Majesty wants her loyal warriors to get paid well for the jobs they do."

Charlotte nodded, still a bit dizzy from the news.

"Understood. I will keep that in mind. Thank you."

"My pleasure to be useful. Your day is finished today, go and have some rest. Tomorrow, you will receive a commission as well."

Charlotte once again nodded saying goodbye and walking back into her and Childe's shared apartments. Surprisingly, there was not a single soul. Apartments were dark, even a bit cold.

Shrugging her shoulders, Zanni went to her bedroom, taking off her half-cape and shirt, dressing in more comfortable upper clothes. Her working clothes were already comfortable and she didn't complain, but girl didn't want them to get dirty.

After changing, girl walked to the kitchen, digging through their primitive fridge. The day they arrived, her roommate made sure to go grocery shopping so they could have what to eat when they're not using Liyue's restaurants services.

Taking out a few ingredients, girl lit up the stove, preparing to start cooking dinner. Her friend will most likely come back tired, so it would be nice of her to cook for him, right?

Humming soft tune to herself, girl started boiling noodles while preparing various delicacies from the mountains: ordinary mushrooms, smoked boar meat and matsutakes. The smell of smoked meat getting stewed together with mushrooms filled the apartments with divine aroma.

Girl was getting ready to start plating when she heard the main door opening.

"Welcome back!" she didn't even take a look at the door side, too busy making sure the dinner servings looked perfect.

"What's with the delicious smell- Oh..." the 11th Harbinger appeared in the kitchen doorway, his attention immediately distracted by the warm meal.

"Yeah, I thought you will come back tired and all so... I made us dinner!" Charlotte said, straightening her back and turning to finally face her friend. "Hope you like noodles and mushroo- what's up with your hand?"

Childe got surprised as well, lifting his hand and observing it. A drop of blood rolled down, falling on the ground. There was a cut wound on his wrist (not on the side where the veins are exposed), blood streaming down, soaking his black half-gloves.

"Oh... I guess I wasn't able to dodge this one... It's no big deal."

"Let me treat you." Charlotte was already acting, digging through the cabinets, looking for the medical supplies.

"Zanni, really. I will be fine. Don't worry-"

"Many people say that. Then they get deadly infections and even die." She finally managed to find the bandages as well as a bottle with purplish liquid, its label saying 'Fermented wolfhook juice'. "Sit down." She ordered, pulling 2 chairs from the kitchen table and sitting down on one.

Orange haired man had no other choice but to sit down on the other chair, reaching out his hurt hand for her. Charlotte gently took it, cleaning the blood around the wound carefully with a piece of bandage soaked in wolfhook juices.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?" She examined the wound, gently pouring a few drops of juices in it.

"No." Tartaglia answered shortly, too mesmerized by the careful work her gentle hands were doing.

"Good." Charlotte pulled out another bandage roll, starting to wrap it around the wound carefully. "Wolfhooks have a special trait of stopping the bleeding and making wounds heal faster. Judging from the smell, these fermented juices seem to be a really good quality. Your wound will heal in a few days, maybe even quicker." Tying up a small knot at the end of the bandages, Charlotte examined his hand further.

"Where did you learn all of this?" Childe took his hand back, gently rubbing the neatly bandaged wrist.

Charlotte only sighed.

"My mother taught me..." girl looked away, her memory overflowing with sad memories of the past. "She was a great doctor, knew a lot about medical herbs and their effects..."

"I see... I'm sorry..." Childe expressed his compassion gently squeezing her hand.

Girl soon snapped out of her thoughts, giving him a small smile.

"It's okay." She stood up, coming back to the counter to bring the plates with their dinner. "Let's eat before it gets cold completely, shall we?"

"Sure. I never knew you could cook. It smells amazing!"

"Haha, well, I know how to cook a few simple recipes. As long as it's not too complicated."

Harbingers had their dinner, chatting idly about their day. To show his gratitude for bandaging his wound and delicious dinner, Childe volunteered to wash dishes and clean up the kitchen.

After wishing him goodnight, Charlotte went back to her bedroom, turning off the lights and laying down in soft mattresses. Looking at the ceiling, she smiled, small blush creeping to her cheeks.

She must admit – it felt nice when he held her hand.