A Winter's Tale

A special letter

It was a normal day, at least it felt that way. Pulcinella was at the training with his recruits and Childe was helping him as usual. For a moment he wondered if he should talk to him about the mission, but it didn't change the fact that Childe had caused chaos again, carelessly and without thinking. Chaos ... not only in the mountains, but also in his head. He basically didn't even know how to talk about it, about what had happened in the abandoned mine shaft. It would be best if he didn't bring up the incident again, especially not now.

"Childe. Give me a hand," he said after training when the soldiers finally walked off the field.

"Sure," Childe replied, helping him carry away the training items. Pulcinella didn't know if it was just his own perception or if Childe was consciously trying to always touch his hand while clearing the items away. Silently they continued, but strangely the silence between them became more and more uncomfortable....

"Um... about yesterday...", Childe finally began sheepishly and Pulcinella almost dropped his training weapon.

"Yeah?" he finally replied as calmly as possible, "I'm just glad it all turned out so smoothly after everything that happened..."

"Yes, I am too. But that's not what I meant. Um... so in that mine shaft... when you were warming me up...", Childe continued talking.

"Of course. You were cold...", Pulcinella answered distantly and hesitantly. The rope around his neck slowly tightened. Soon Childe would start talking about it....

"Um... yeah...", Childe just mumbled sheepishly and bit his lip. He didn't know his former apprentice like this at all, but he was ultimately grateful that he was now spared this awkward conversation.

"There, done. I'll see you tomorrow then," he cut him off from the conversation and took an early leave. Maybe by then the chaos and awkward tension would be gone. Probably not, unfortunately...

#

Childe had rarely been so confused. Actually, the memory of two days ago was still very vivid, but because Pulcinella was now treating him as if nothing at all had happened, the young Harbinger was beginning to doubt his sanity. "Maybe I hit my head in that shaft and dreamed it all," it went through his mind. That he had warmed him up was one thing, but why would Pulcinella kiss him? He couldn't really think of a reason. Maybe they just hadn't been themselves down there. If it had really happened, he also didn't know how to even proceed now.

Since he had carried out the mission, whether successfully or not, he had at least received Mora from the Adventurer's Guild. And actually he also wanted to go back to Liyue, at least that had been the plan. Brooding, he sat by the fireplace in his room and looked out the window. He imagined himself sitting on the couch with Pulcinella, laughing, and talking, then leaning against him and they kissed... but that was probably completely ridiculous. They didn't fit together at all, and it hadn't worked out before.

Now the cards were reshuffled, but Childe didn't know what he should do now. Pulcinella would surely ignore what had happened in the mine forever. Only... had it even really happened, or would he just embarrass himself all over again by walking up to him? He was hoping for some sign... something....

Suddenly, Childe heard a soft noise outside his door. Glancing in that direction, he noticed some sort of envelope slipping under the door. By the time Childe realized the envelope couldn't do that on its own, had run to the door and opened it, no one was there. Confused, he grabbed the envelope and opened it. Inside was a letter...

#

"My Childe,

there wasn't much time for us to talk besides all the work. For now, let me survive this week. Now, if you want, we can go out this weekend. I would suggest we go for a walk or ice skating on the small pond in the woods. You don't have to answer me. Come by my place tomorrow, I'll be waiting for you.

dearly,

Pulcinella"

When he thought alone about what he had written there, he was terribly embarrassed. Probably Childe was holding his letter in his hands right now and reading it... now there was no turning back. But he had happened to see Childe pick up the money at the Adventurer's Guild yesterday... and he wasn't sure he didn't want to leave already. So he had jumped over his shadow to do everything possible to prevent that.

For what was or wasn't between them, he couldn't find any words. All he knew was that he hadn't given a damn about his reservations or anything in that mine shaft. Maybe because they had been in that awkward situation. And it had pleased him. He disliked letting his heart take control. And maybe - or pretty sure even, he would regret it. And yet, he couldn't help it...

#

Several minutes passed, during which Childe stared at the letter with wide eyes, reading it over and over. He had to chuckle especially at the word "dearly", because Pulcinella was anything but a affectionate person as he knew him. He could also well imagine how much he had struggled to write these lines, and despite everything, he was all the more pleased. It was tightly worded and not particularly romantic, but he had even called him "His Childe"... The young Harbinger pressed the letter tightly to his heart and smiled to himself.

"We have a date!!!" he spoke his thoughts aloud, even though he was alone, squealing and beaming happily. Especially ice skating... how wonderfully romantic... Childe jumped up to look for his skates. Hopefully, in the time he had been in Liyue, he had not forgotten how to skate. But if he had, all the better, then he could certainly rely on Pulcinella's help....

He already imagined everything very vividly and hoped that he was not too excited and could sleep at all. Basically, he was already counting the minutes until tomorrow...