Demons in Teyvat?!

🌸 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟛 🌊

A/N long chap up ahead >:)

Childe soon established a simple daily routine. He would wake up, help with cooking breakfast, choke down his morning medicine, play with the kids a bit, then head down the mountain to town for the rest of the day and returning before nightfall. Surprisingly, Taki and Mitsuha warmed up to him quickly. Although the former was highly cautious of him at first, preferring to sit at the opposite side of the table so he could keep a close eye on him- Childe quickly realized that the way to the little boy's heart was with food. After sneaking him second helpings for a few days, Taki seemed to truly consider him as an ally. Well- at least he hoped so.

And the weeks had flown by, and he found himself in one of the last days of his stay. This morning, he and Taki sat on the veranda (engawa?) at the front of the house, watching Y/N hang the cotton bedsheets to dry. Mitsuha ran in circles in front of them as she chased a pair of squirrels. It was a peaceful scene. It was funny- he had never thought- that after the war, he would be allowed to indulge in such things. It looked normal- just another family enjoying their days in the sun. A certain blond haired girl with eyes like honey came to his mind. Ah. He hadn't sent a letter in a while. Would she be worried?

"Ajax!" Childe felt a smile spread on his face at the sound of Y/N's cheerful voice. "Can you come over here? I may have hung the clothes line too high and I can't get it down..." Before he could reply, Taki leapt to his feet, racing towards his sister. "I'll do it! Let me help!" Y/N laughed. "I'm afraid you're just a bit too small for this," She said. "Maybe when you're a bit older you can help me with other things too, alright?" By then, Childe had made his way over to the two, and, wrapping his arms around the boy's legs, he lifted Taki onto his shoulders. "There," He said proudly. "You got that, kid?" Taki strained his arms, reaching to where Y/N had swung the clothes line. She had tied a long string to a rock and secured it tightly to the branch.

"Yeah! I got it!" Taki lowered his arms, holding the clothes line in his small fist. He handed it by the rock piece over to Y/N. "Thank you, you two. So nice of my boys to help out." With one last smile, she turned and swung the line back into the tree. Lower this time. With a huff of satisfaction, she pulled a sheet from the bamboo basket beside her, fluffed it once with a sounding snap before hanging it. "Oh, you two don't mind me, I'll be alright. Ah- Childe- it's almost noon- you should head down the mountain soon if you want to finish your errands before sundown. Your lunch is inside, Taki can you grab it for him?" "Okay!"

Childe followed Taki back into the house, the latter retrieving a packed bento lunch wrapped in a whale patterned fabric and handing it to him. "Oh yeah-" Taki pulled a large basket and pushed it towards him, along with a bundle of neatly folded red fabric. His scarf. "It's getting cold. Y/N said it's supposed to snow soon... it's that time of year again, apparently. We get snow in this area, and it's not always that cold, but Y/N says she doesn't want you getting sick." Oh. "Alright. I'll be sure to bundle up then." He shouldered the basket, then turned and began down the paved stone path down the mountain.

He insisted on completing the tedious trek down the mountain every day for many reasons. First of all, it was to build his stamina and strength, as he was not able to train for a while due to his injuries. The thin air added to the challenge, and although it was hard at first, he had easily conquered it by now. Second, he needed to- in Y/N's words- "run errands". If they could even be called as such. The first thing he had done in this first week was send a letter to the Tsarita explaining his situation (of course, leaving out the part about Y/N and her family) requesting a short leave of absence from the front line of duty. Her request had arrived the same day, and it was short and to point: Get better soon. Remember your place, number 11. Remember your place. What did that mean? Not to forget his position as a harbinger, for the short time he was away? Or not to succumb to the emotions that he had long locked away years and years ago? After all, those particular emotions only hindered his ability to perform his duties as a harbinger efficiently.