"You can hit me if you want."
Lumine blinked. Did she hear him right? Did he just give her permission to...hit him?
"Come on. I know you want to. Gimme all you've got."
The way he spoke to her made her want to decline just to spite him, but the thought of smashing his face in was just so tempting...
"Alright, how about I give you some time to mull it over? Find me tomorrow at noon. I'll be waiting for you in the place where it all went to hell."
The Golden House.
"O...okay. I'll consider it," decided Lumine.
"Cool. See ya there!" His hand waved casually through the air as he turned on his heels with an innocent grin on his face.
Lumine challenged him to a match the next day.
When anemo magic burst from her hand and she heard no groans in response, she knew he had evaded her once again. A sudden hydro swipe from behind caught her off-guard and sent her tumbling on the ground. He was too swift, too experienced, and Lumine was determined to defeat him once again. She rose to her feet and charged, sword in hand. Metal struck water and swooped around, swiped, dodged, swiped again, then a burst of anemo and this time Childe staggered backward. "Oh, now you make things interesting?" he mocked as his blades disintegrated and were quickly replaced with a bow. "Would you hold still for just a moment?" he requested as he took aim.
"As if." Lumine dashed around him, narrowly avoiding his arrows until she ran out of breath. She planned to charge towards him while he was still in a ranged stance and his defenses were lowered, but just as the flurry of anemo in her palm was about to reach its prime, a burst of water struck her hard in the chest, marking her with Riptide. Shoot! How could I let this happen? Suddenly he was behind her with his blades again which exploded into dazzling ribbons of water as soon as they made contact with her skin, effectively blinding her. She had difficulty defending against his attacks when he used both hands against her single sword. Then his foot swung through the air and slammed into her temple, and she was on the ground, panting, battered and bruised.
"Ha. Didn't even have to use electro this time. I admit I'm a little disappointed."
"You...what's that supposed to mean?"
"You're not giving it your all, are you? You're holding back. What, are you afraid you might damage my handsome face?"
"You wish." Lumine sprung to her feet and swiped at him once again. He dodged with ease. Then Lumine made the grave mistake of glancing at his face—his arrogant smirk—and rage instantly consumed her. "Ugh, come here, you little jerk!"
Suddenly she was slashing like mad, desperate to get just one hit before the battle was over, but Childe only used her recklessness to his advantage. Soon he had her pinned to the ground, a vicious blade hovering over her neck. "Now who's the one throwing a temper tantrum?" he quipped. Lumine kneed him in the crotch.
Childe barked, tumbled backward, and collapsed, his expression taut with pain. "Ha! Serves you right," teased Lumine.
"Okay, but I pinned you first," insisted Childe.
"Don't bicker with me like you're my brother or something. Archons, you're such a...child." Between the sudden pang in her chest at the word brother and the awkward pun that became of the word child, Lumine wilted at the sound of her own words.
"We're all children at heart," replied the Harbinger.
"So, do I win?" Sensing his lack of hostility, Lumine put away her weapon...with a cost. Before she could react, she found herself on the floor once again with Childe staring down at her.
"Not quite."
Lumine shoved him away as she rose to her feet. "Fine. You win." She turned to leave.
"That's it? No love for your favorite Fatui Harbinger?"
"I hope you gas-out while swimming and drown."
"Yeah! Drown, you psycho!" chimed a high-pitched voice.
"Paimon? When did you come out of your void?"
"Paimon never misses a chance to insult a Fatui."
Although Paimon's enthusiasm towards throwing insults was a little concerning at times, all Lumine could do was laugh. "Come on. Let's get out of here."
With that, Lumine and Paimon left the Golden House, neither waiting for a response from Childe. Lumine replayed the battle in her mind and suddenly wondered how she had managed to beat him before. That time, she pulled through and defeated him, even when he transformed into a monstrous, immensely powerful, dual-elemental beast. This time, he pummeled her to the ground without even using his electro abilities, wherever he got them from.
And it was embarrassing.
You insufferable, two-faced brat! she thought as the heat rose to her face. She couldn't tell if it was anger or embarrassment. Next time. Next time, I'll beat you.
Lumine started on her way back to Liyue Harbor. Admittedly, she was exhausted. She figured she would pay a visit to Xiangling, as her food would certainly bring her back to life, and Paimon would be pleased. She reached the town quickly, sighing in satisfaction as the glittering lights and shouting merchants and bustling activity flooded around her. Soon, mouthwatering aromas wafted to her and guided her towards her destination: Wanmin Restaurant. Yes, Paimon was indeed pleased by their plan for the afternoon.
"Is Xiangling here today?" she asked the waiter politely.
"She is, in fact. She just got back from her most recent trip yesterday. Would you like to request her food?"
"If it's not too much trouble."
"Of course not. We give the customers what they want here at Wanmin Restaurant."
"In that case, I'll take some of Xiangling's Jade Parcels."
"Coming right up!" He turned to leave with a smile but stopped when Paimon's voice piped up.
"Hey! What about Paimon? She's sitting here, too!"
"Ah, yes, sorry miss. I thought you were a doll or something."
"Paimon is not a doll. Humph!"
"Well...what would you like?"
"Hmm...how about...oh, Paimon knows! Something with slime. Xiangling also appreciates slime."
"...Care to be more specific?"
"Nah! Just tell her Paimon wants slime!"
After confirming their order, the waiter left their table. To her annoyance, Lumine's thoughts kept drifting to her unfortunate defeat earlier, and she took to studying the space around her to distract herself. The trees were so beautiful in the distance, peeking over roofs with their brightly colored leaves. She loved the lanterns strung across every building, the bright red and green of the buildings' walls, the way the merchants shouted out their advertisements to attract eager buyers. Liyue was a truly beautiful nation.
Suddenly, Xiangling emerged from the restaurant with two steaming plates balanced precariously on each palm. "Lumine! Paimon!" The energetic chef hopped over to their table and placed down their dishes. Lumine salivated when she saw the delicate Jade Parcels, arranged beautifully on her plate. "It's so good to see you guys! What've you been up to?"
"Oh, you know. This and that."
"Getting her butt whooped by Childe."
"Paimon!"
"You got beaten by a child in battle?" Xiangling cocked her head. "Must be some kid. Or were you just playing?"
"No, that's not...Childe is just his name. He's a Fatui Harbinger."
"Oh!" Xiangling laughed. "Now that's a different story. One question: who the heck would name their child...Childe?"
"Well, that's not...it's an alias of sorts." Lumine cringed at using Childe's own wording. "You know how the Fatui are."
"Yup. They sure love their secrets. Well, I'd better get back to work, but it was nice seeing you guys!"
"You too," replied Lumine. "Thanks for the food."
"Yes! Paimon looooooves slime!"
As soon as Xiangling left, Lumine positioned her chopsticks in her hand and picked up one of the little packages. The skin broke so easily, letting the contents spill into her mouth with a burst of flavor. She suddenly felt even more famished. She wanted to devour them all immediately, but she also wanted to savor their taste, so she went back to watching the townsfolk and popped a little parcel into her mouth every now and then. She ended up finishing much later than Paimon, who wolfed down the strange slime creation like there was no tomorrow.
The Jade Parcels left Lumine feeling completely rejuvenated and ready to take on her daily commissions, which she had set aside for her duel with Childe. A few errand runs and hilichurl slaughters later, she was back at Katheryn's desk and claiming her rewards. Finally, she could return to her teapot and rest for the day. The sun was just setting when she entered the Serenitea Pot and settled on the sofa. Paimon was back in her void, and Lumine had only herself to worry about. It was peaceful, and quiet, and...lonely.
Aether.
Inseparable twins, now separated for what felt like an eternity. Aether and Lumine had always been on their own, but Lumine never felt lonely as long as her brother was around. She missed the lively atmosphere of Monstadt. She missed the bustling streets of Liyue. It was so quiet here. Too quiet.
Too quiet.
The next day, Lumine went to the Golden House.
"Back already, are we? Good."
Just the sound of his voice made her want to snap his neck in two. "So you're seriously just going to wait in here all the time until I come?" she spat.
"Yeah, that's not very practical, is it? Tell you what. Saturdays, at ten a.m. You can come or not, up to you. I'll be waiting."
"Deal." What am I doing? Am I actually agreeing to fight this guy every week?
"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you this time. We wouldn't want you getting any serious injuries."
"You're sick," spat Lumine as her sword materialized in her hand, ready to strike.
It turned out that fighting Childe was an excellent way to blow off steam. Childe kept her on her toes. He was always one step ahead, always gaining the upper hand, and Lumine found herself constantly trying to keep up, to steal the upper hand back from him. Her first victory all those days ago had poisoned her with confidence, and that was her downfall the second time. She beat him by overestimating him, lost to him by underestimating him, and now she knew how to handle him...to an extent. He was unpredictable, and Lumine had to constantly shift her tactics in her mind, to find the weakness in his next strategy. This way, she could keep up...and she could distract herself from everything, from the world, from Aether, and focus on the battle. When pushed to her limits, she couldn't think of anything else. She had to focus.
Then, her mind slipped. She swung at him from the right as he approached her from the left, leading them in a spiral so Lumine almost lost her balance. Childe took the opportunity to charge at her head-on with his spear, driving her backwards, then ending with a flourish that sent her flying. Lumine slammed into the ground, a small cry escaping her lips. She gathered herself just in time to dodge Childe's next swipe, but the brief moment of weakness left her mind flustered. Lumine soon found herself backed up against the wall with Childe's watery blade against her neck. "Rule number one in battle," he taunted. "Don't be the one against the wall." Lumine shut her eyes and waited for the sting of his blade as it sliced through her throat. "What's wrong, Girlie? Can't figure it out?" Lumine's eyes opened and met his icy blue stare. That's right. He won't kill me. He still has a use for me. In one swift movement, Lumine jabbed her knee into his gut and swung her leg around, twirling out of his cage. Her leg slammed into his back and send him straight into the wall, and she heard a small gasp as his face collided with the unforgiving surface, a sickening crack that could only be the cartilage in his nose snapping with the impact. Lumine grabbed his ankles, yanked him down, and planted her foot on the small of his back.
"There. Happy now?"
Even in his current state, Childe laughed. "That's more like it."
Weekly matches with Childe turned into a routine. At first, she was simply looking for a distraction (and for an excuse to beat him up), but they quickly turned into training opportunities. She learned to predict his unpredictability, learned to wrestle her way out of difficult situations, learned to stay wary, even if she had him cornered. Soon, she had all of his techniques memorized, and started beating him more often. Of course, that only lasted until he came up with something new, and he would catch her off-guard with some unheard-of move...or something else entirely.
She first noticed it during their fourth challenge, when they found themselves in a bout of intense, high-speed melee combat. Childe was pushing her further backward, until suddenly, he shouted, "You know, if you're having trouble, try going for the base."
For just a second, Lumine hesitated. "Did you seriously just—" He cut her off by taking a swipe at her feet, and Lumine tumbled to the floor. "You idiot!" she seethed. "Don't tell me what to do. Besides, you would have expected it."
"Exactly. A perfect opportunity to subvert my expectations." With a few swishes of his wrists, the blades disappeared. Lumine begrudgingly accepted her defeat.
It didn't stop there. Every now and then, he would whisper a suggestion, or point out her advantages, or correct her errors. At first, Lumine ignored him. After a while, however, as she took out another hilichurl camp or subdued another abyss mage, she would hear the arrogant Harbinger's voice in her head, telling her to mind her pace, or to strike from different angles, or to utilize her environment. She hated that he was right. She hated that his tips were useful. She hated that he had the nerve to critique her abilities in the middle of a fight that he should be trying to win. Childe was not her personal trainer.
Right?
"Excellent recovery," he praised one day during a particularly long session. "But you could have avoided needing to recover in the first place."
"Whatever. I still beat you." Lumine swung her sword through the air until it vanished.
"You beat me because I let you. I could have taken you out right then and there."
"Don't be a bad sport, Childe. Just accept your defeat."
Childe stood up—she had knocked him to the ground—and approached her. "Your form was sloppy today. Take out your sword."
Lumine shoved him in the chest and turned away. "I'm going back to the harbor."
"Wait, just let me..." He grabbed her arm. Lumine whirled around, wrenching her arm free, and aimed her newly materialized sword at his face.
"Don't touch me, you little—"
"See? Sloppy form. When you prepare your attacks, you depend too much on your right to deliver the most strength, and you leave your left side exposed. That would be fine with another sword wielder, but with dual blades like me, I could easily do something like this:" he used one hand to pretend to clash blades with her sword, then ducked under her outstretched arm while she was distracted and used the other hand to swipe an imaginary blade at her left. Had he used a real weapon, he would have sliced open her side, possibly damaging vital organs depending on how deep he cut. "And voila, you're dead."
Lumine groaned. "You're not my teacher."
"That doesn't mean I can't give you a few tips." Childe stepped away from her and crossed his arms over his chest. "Alright. Now show me your main stance." Lumine reluctantly obeyed. "Okay. Now, think. How can you block my attack?" Her brain drew up a blank. "Here." Then he was coming closer, closer than Lumine would have liked. "Never let a limb go idle," he instructed as he took her left arm and raised it. Her stomach lurched. He was surprisingly gentle, and it scared her.
"I thought I told you not to touch me," she reminded.
Childe stepped back with his hands in the air as if he was being accused. "My bad, just trying to help."
"Just trying to help, he says," muttered Lumine under her breath.
"So you don't want to know how to block me?"
"Well...I...I never said that." To her dismay, Lumine's cheeks started heating.
"When I go for your side, you punch down on my spine with your left, spin around, and then strike with your sword. Got that?"
Lumine released her stance and put away her sword. "Why are you teaching me how to beat you?" She expected hostility from herself, but something else came out instead: curiosity.
"Isn't it obvious?" He came closer again, his blue eyes taunting her with mischief. "Because I want you to get stronger."
So he can fight me, thought Lumine. So I'll pose an even greater challenge to him. So he can have more fun.
"You're a lunatic," scoffed Lumine, turning away from him.
"Maybe. But admit it, you have been getting stronger pretty quick lately, haven't you?"
"I don't understand you." She started walking towards the exit, tired of arguing with Childe.
"Do you want to?"
Lumine stopped. His question caught her off-guard. She didn't know why it was so difficult to answer, and eventually, she succumbed to her natural instinct: to decline him. "No. Why would I?"
She expected a snide remark in response. Instead, he said this: "I get it. No use trying to understand something that can't be understood."
Lumine blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He laughed. "See you next week, Lumine. I look forward to our next match."
* * *
Dearest Little Brother Teucer,
It's been too long, hasn't it? I bet you've grown so much since I last saw you. How tall are you? Pretty soon, you just might catch up to me. That is, if you eat your vegetables. I wish I could be there and watch you three grow up. It makes me sad to think about all the moments I've missed while I'm away from home. But good news: I think I might return soon. You see, there's someone I'd like to bring to Snezhnaya. You remember me mentioning Lumine, right? Well, she and I have been working together lately, and I think we make a pretty good team. I want to show her our hometown and introduce her to you and the others. I think you'd really like her. Only problem is, she's not too keen on me right now. You know how it is—business. Something happened a while back, and I don't know how to fix it. I was hoping maybe you could help me?
Anyway, please let me know how Tonia and Anthon are doing. Behave yourself, alright? I'll see you soon. Pinky promise.
Your Big Brother,
Ajax
Childe sighed. Every time he read it, he became more reluctant to send it. Could he really talk about Lumine like that? Was there really any chance she would go with him to Snezhnaya?
Could he really promise to see his brother soon when he didn't know if he could?
Childe stuck the letter in an envelope, sealed it closed, and started towards the post office. It had been a while since he last wrote to his siblings; he kept starting and scrapping letters, unsure of whether he was saying the right things. He decided that this was the day he would finally send one, and send one he did. It was over with. Now he need only to wait for a response.
Perhaps it was possible for him to return home in the near future. He hadn't received any new assignments, most likely because the Harbingers still blamed him for inviting a new wave of anti-Fatui sentiments, and they didn't trust him with carrying out important tasks. If he had no assignments, then technically, he could do anything he pleased and go anywhere he wished with anyone he liked. Childe smiled up at the trees as he considered the prospect. He would stay in Liyue for a while, entertain himself with Lumine's battles, and then set off to Snezhnaya as soon as he had a chance.
Lumine...
He had, indeed, been going easy on her lately, never daring to use his electro delusion or his Foul Legacy Transformation, since such drastic measures were not necessary for a casual brawl. She was improving, however, and Childe liked to see that. He knew there would someday be a final battle between them, and that battle would land one of them dead. It had to be done. With the amount of progress she was making, this future battle seemed more and more exciting. The thought made him tingle with anticipation.
Suddenly, she was there, sitting at a table with Paimon, Zhongli, and one other person Childe did not recognize. Instantly, he smirked, a plan brewing in his head. He stuck his hand behind his back and roamed through his inventory, eventually producing a small bag of mora. Chest out, shoulders back, Childe sauntered over to the table unnoticed. He caught snippets of their conversation but wasn't paying attention, choosing instead to interrupt them as he plopped the bag of coins loudly on the table. Paimon screamed, Lumine jumped, the unknown girl yelped something indecipherable, and Zhongli turned to look at Childe with an expressionless face. "Fear not, your wallet has arrived!" announced Childe. "Lunch on me. Keep the change."
"All this?" breathed Unknown, weighing the bag in her hands.
"Childe, what are you doing here?" sighed Lumine.
"Wait, that's Childe?" Unknown set down the bag and stared at him in disbelief.
Childe laughed. "So, Zhongli, how's civilian life treating you?"
Zhongli narrowed his eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, you have completed your duties in Liyue. Should you not be returning to Snezhnaya soon?"
"I will. But I figured I'd hit some of the tourist spots first. Is this the famous Wanmin Restaurant?"
Unknown hopped over to him. "Yep! Chef Xiangling here, at your service! Can I get you anything?"
"Xiangling, what are you doing?" hissed Lumine through gritted teeth.
"What? He's a customer. And look at all this mora!"
"Exactly," nodded Childe. "You don't mind if I join you guys, do you?" He took a seat across from Lumine without waiting for an answer.
"Actually, we do mind," Lumine muttered pointlessly.
"You gonna order?" asked Xiangling.
"So you're a chef and a waitress," remarked Childe, recalling the girl's introduction.
"Haha, no, I'm just friends with Lumine, so I always come out and chat when she's here. I don't mind taking orders."
"Alright. In that case, how about a stir-fried filet?"
"Coming right up!" Xiangling was gone in a flash, leaving Childe to face Lumine.
"What are you doing?" began Lumine. "You can't just barge in wherever you want."
"Yeah!" agreed Paimon. "Paimon wonders why she hasn't given you a mean nickname yet!"
"Oh, relax. I'm not bothering anybody."
"You're bothering me," growled Lumine.
"Ehem." Zhongli's deep voice cut between them. "Has there been a recent development between the two of you that I am not aware of?"
Slamming her hands on the table, Lumine rose to her feet. "He tried to drown Liyue!" she burst, exasperated. Childe cringed.
"Okay, I didn't try to drown Liyue..." He suddenly broke into a sweat from how unconvincing he sounded.
"You summoned a giant sea monster just to coax out Rex Lapis!"
Childe stood, leaned across the table, and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Hey, watch it! You're gonna get me arrested!"
"Get your hands off of me!"
It was Zhongli's turn to stand. "Order!" All eyes turned to him. "Childe, step away from the traveler. And Lumine...stop yelling." Childe's hand returned awkwardly to his side as he slumped back in his chair. "Remember, everything that happened was orchestrated by me, and the events unfolded better than expected. Childe's actions, in the end, benefited Liyue. Do not dwell on past events. Such dwelling will only do you both harm. Now, have I fulfilled my duties as mediator?"
Lumine sank back into her seat. "I look forward to next Saturday, Childe."
The way she sneered his name bothered him more than he cared to admit.
"What's happening on Saturday?" Xiangling was back with food in her hands.
"Nothing," said Lumine.
"Training," said Childe.
"Fighting," said Paimon.
"What?"
"Thank you for the food, Xiangling." Again, Zhongli's voice broke the awkwardness.
"You're welcome!"
Childe silently thanked the two for releasing the tension. He decided that he liked Xiangling. Now that Lumine appeared to have calmed down, he could enjoy his food in peace...that is, until he came face-to-face with his old nemesis: chopsticks.
Childe inhaled, exhaled, glanced at Lumine, then at Zhongli, both of them effortlessly wielding the small wooden sticks like professionals; then he picked up his own pair and arranged them in his hand. Come on, Ajax. Just think of it like another weapon you need to master. It's not that hard. Slowly, he positioned them over a chunk of meat and tried to grasp it. His target evaded him. Again. His eyes were locked, his weapon in place, his hand poised to attack. He had it, lifted it, practically beamed with triumph, when something slipped and sent the piece flying. When he looked up, Lumine, Zhongli, and Paimon were all staring at him. "What are you looking at?" he asked defensively. Out of nowhere, Lumine burst out laughing. "What's so funny?"
"You...you are so...pathetic!" she managed through her laughter. Soon, Paimon was cackling with her. Childe turned beet red.
"I am not pathetic!" he insisted.
"You are such a child."
How many times is she going to call me a child?
Childe suffered through the rest of the meal and pretended to retain his confidence. Shoving himself into their party turned out to be a bad idea. Paimon teased him, Zhongli made him uncomfortable, and Lumine sent a glare his way with every chance she could get. Childe encouraged himself with the thought of their next battle—how she would surely be even angrier at him, and she would fight harder because of it. Yes, he would keep bothering her. He would do everything in his power to make her hate him more. The more she hated him, the more satisfying the battle, and that was all that mattered.
"Why do you hate him so much?"
His ears perked up. He was just leaving—Zhongli was already gone—but he couldn't resist hearing how Lumine would respond to Xiangling's question.
"He's a Fatui," was Lumine's response. Childe slipped to the side and circled back around against a wall so he could hear them.
"He's kinda cute, though," said Xiangling out of nowhere. Childe smirked to himself.
"W-what? No he's not." He could tell from the sound of her voice that she was flustered.
"Fine. Your loss."
"You don't know what he's done."
"What, is he some kind of pervert or something?"
"What? No! I mean, well...actually...it depends how you look at it."
Excuse me?
"Okay, but he's still cute."
"You're out of your mind."
"Yeah, I get that a lot."
So despite Xiangling's suggestions, Lumine still hated him. Good. That was exactly what he wanted.
Lumine was, indeed, angry. He could feel it in the way she glared at him when she passed, the way she cried out when she swung her blade. The challenge she posed was exhilarating, the fire in her eyes was captivating, and Childe found himself mesmerized by the way she moved across the floor. Before he knew it, he was charging at her with electro blasts, even pushed to the brink of using Foul Legacy. No, he would not transform today, but he needed his delusion to match Lumine's fiery aggression. His heart pounded as the electricity surrounded him, made him giddy, made him feel alive.
Once he tired of chasing her around with lightning strikes, Childe pulled out his blades. Electricity surged through his body and forced his muscles into submission, moving at speeds that would be impossible without, mechanical, programmed, controlled. He was behind her now, slashing at her with his watery daggers. She whirled around just in time to evade and did not hesitate to strike back. Bursts of water exploded around them with every impact, terrifying but beautiful. A swirl of anemo hit him square in the chest, a strike of geo upset his balance, then he was almost swept away in a powerful vortex but managed to dodge and land a quick electro attack. Darkness. Swipe, slash, swipe, burst, crack, slash, burst, slam. An endless void. Thud, swoop, swish, bam, swish, thud, bam, thud. No way out. Smash, boom, thunk, smash, boom, whoosh, boom, thunk. Only falling, falling, falling...
SLICE!
A single drop of blood suspended in midair.
Seconds turn to hours.
Sea-blue eyes follow the blood on its path.
Watching, waiting, wide.
There he stood, motionless, with his weapons at his sides. There she stood, sword at the ready, preparing for a retaliatory strike. She raised her blade. She turned it on its side. She swiped in a broad, horizontal stroke, a stroke that would have split his head clean in half.
And there he stood, motionless, with his weapons at his sides. Eyes watching, waiting, wide.
And the blood dripped to the floor.