He knew it was risky, and stupid. Scaramouche was the 6th harbinger- known for his cruelty and harsh treatment to his subordinates- and his prowess on the battlefield was astounding. For most people, going against him head on meant suicide. But not him. He was a harbinger too. He raised his hydro daggers, aiming for Scaramouche's right arm, which held Y/N by the throat. He couldn't kill his colleague, no, but the 6th could surely live without one of his hands. After all, he would still have three appendages left after this. Childe brought the dagger down- just for Scaramouche to disappear. His eyes widened. He had forgotten to account for-
Childe gasped as he slammed into a tree face first, wincing as the rough bark of the sandbearer tree scraped into his skin. He wobbled, then fell into the snow on his front. He raised his head, where Scaramouche stood a good ten meter away, unharmed and looking at him scathingly. Scaramouche was extremely agile- and because of his height, easily evaded taller opponents. His power also allowed him to blip away- and reappear in a slightly different location. Hence why he was able to dodge Childe's attack and put distance between them in mere seconds.
That idiot. He really had gotten reckless. And for this girl? Wait- not a girl. This was no longer a human. What was so useful about it anyway? He clenched his teeth, glancing towards the demon in his grip. His eyebrows furrowed. It had stopped struggling. Instead, it was staring, wide eyed at Childe, lying on the snow. Its body trembled, fanged mouth agape. And, as Scaramouche watched in wonder, he thought- he saw tears beginning to well in its violet eyes. But that was impossible, right? Because demons couldn't feel. Demon's wanted nothing but blood. All they did was take the lives of loved ones, for their own survival. That was what he knew.
"Ugh..." Childe groaned, his vision slightly blurred as he stared ahead. Ah. He must have hit his head- on the tree, or on the ground. Not hard enough to concuss him (again, mind you) but enough to send him reeling. His sight began to darken. No, not now- He thought desperately. I have to save Y/N... He closed his eyes, and promptly face planted into the snow.
Eh? Scaramouche cranned his neck, squinting his eyes at Childe's unmoving figure. Seriously? Did he pass out? He didn't even kick him that hard. The demon whimpered. "Oh shut it, you," He snapped. "I'll slit your neck soon enough." It snarled. "Grr... GRaH!" Scaramouche's eyes widened as it wrenched itself out of his grasp, swinging its leg at him in a powerful kick, sending snow flying into the air. He quickly dodged, jumping in the air and landing a few feet away, summoning his catalyst and preparing for battle. Only- the demon no longer had its attention on him. It braced a leg behind it- and jumped, hands outstretched towards Childe. "No!" He shouted, feeling a slight panic rise along with the words in his throat. He quickly smothered the emotion and pushed it deep down. Shoot. He had miscalculated. That demon was going to kill him! Scaramouche blinked. He stared at the sight in front of him. Wait. What the-
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When he opened his eyes, he was on his back. The evening sun beat warmly onto his face, and he could see the trees towering over him all around his vision. He lifted his hands off his stomach, hesitantly spreading them on both sides beside him. Cold. Snow? Wait. Snow? The events of the past day came flooding back to him. "Y/N!" He sat up, wincing at the crick in his neck as he quickly turned towards him. His shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of Y/N lying there, beside him- and unharmed. She seemed to be sleeping, her hair spread out around her head like a halo, claw fingered hands held clasped together beside her face as she curled up into herself. Thank the archons. He noticed the bamboo muzzle tied around her mouth with a red chord. He frowned, reaching towards it.
"Don't." Childe looked up. Scaramouche stood in front of him in what Childe liked to call his signature pose. Arms crossed, feet apart, face set in a deep scowl. "It's to make sure no blood gets in her mouth. If that happens, we're all doomed." Childe stared at him wide eyed in surprise. "You- why aren't you-" "Killing her?" Scaramouche interupted. "Believe me, I want to," He snarled. "But you know what, whatever. There wasn't any bood around her mouth, or on her claws," He continued. "So she didn't kill those kids. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone, then it doesn't matter." Childe frowned. "Of course she didn't hurt them! Taki and Mitsuha were her siblings! Her own family!"
"It doesn't matter," Scaramouche dismissed with a wave of his hand. "A demon will devour anyone- friends or family. To them, they're literally just flesh and blood- packed with nutrients that they need to survive." Childe shook his head. "No. Y/N isn't like that. She isn't, she won't-" Smack. Childe winced, raising a hand and rubbing the top of his head gingerly. It throbbed from Scaramouche's punch- and it didn't help that he had fallen on it not too long ago. "So what? How do you know?" He shouted. "How do you know she won't attack someone? For a demon, eating people is the only way they can get stronger, the only way they can live! They're bloodthirsy creatures that hunt at night!" Scaramouche grabbed him by his scarf, yanking him towards him and pulling his face towards his. A/N NOW KIS-
"Do you know what you have to do if she ever attacks a human?" Scaramouche said quietly. His voice had suddenly dropped. Childe sweat dropped when he felt the electricity crackling on his skin, his fingers twitching towards his delusion. "You'll have to kill her," He said. "With your own hands. With this-" He pulled the same short dagger form his clothes and threw it at him without a care. Childe skillfully plucked it out of the air before it impaled itself in him, inspecting it with mild interest. "Because of course, you won't be able to with those normal weapons of yours." So there was something different about it after all. "And then you have to slit your own belly- and atone for the sin of letting a demon live- only for it to slaughter an innocent." Ah. So there was the catch. But for Y/N... "It's worth it," Childe decided. "Fine. But the only reason I'm agreeing- is because that won't happen. She definitely will not hurt anyone," He said confidently. Scaramouche stared at him. "If you say so," He said, sounding unassured.
He sighed and turned around- and Childe caught a glimpse of the missing tassle on his hat. It seemed lopsided without it, Childe thought as he glanced back down to the braided chord on Y/N's new muzzle. To think he would sacrifice it for her- after he had tried to kill her. "...I already gave them a proper burial." He looked up. Scaramouche stood with his back to him. Childe watched his fists clench. "I'll give you 3 hours to go back and pay your respects. No more, no less. Then I want you back at the bottom of the mountain. We're already behind because of your mistakes." Childe stood, shakely to his feet. "Thank you," He said simply. Scaramouche said nothing instead setting off back the way they came from. He nudged Y/N awake, and she slowly sat up, blinking demurly at him. "Come on," He whispered. She stood and took his hand, standing a good two and a half heads shorter than him. Her head lolled, then snapped back up as she drowzily rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Let's go see Taki. And Mitsuha." Y/N's hand tightened in his, her claws leaving small imprints in her palms. With that, Childe set off into a run back towards the mansion.
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True to his word, Scaramouche had buried the corpses in a neat row beside the side of the house. It had started snowing again, so he could only tell that the small, snowy mounds were graves- because of the single stone marker at the head of each of them. So small. Just like them. He knelt on the snow, and beside him, Y/N did the same. She stared ahead blankly as he closed his eyes and clasped his hands together in prayer. Taki, Mitsuha- he thought desperately. I hope you're happy, wherever you are. I'm sorry you had to suffer. But I'll protect Y/N- as I should have protected all of you. Rest easily knowing that. I'll see you again one day. He paused for one more moment, then stood up. He walked back around the house, where he could still see the bloodstained snow where the bloodshed had occurred. He thought for a moment, then set off to cover the splatters with more snow- and do his best to clean the shutters and interior with his hydro vision.
When Childe returned to the gravestones, he found Y/N with both gravestones in her lap, running her fingers over their surfaces. "Y/N?" He squatted beside her. "What are you doing?" Y/N slowly turned her head towards him, closing her eyes. He could tell that if the muzzle wasn't in the way, she would be smiling. "Mfnh!" She held up both gravestones- one in each hand. One read Taki L/N, and the other Mitsuha L/N, both gouged deeply into the stone. Childe glanced at Y/N's fingernails, and the snow beside her, which was littered with shards of rock. His eyes softened. "That's great Y/N," He said. "Can you put them back now?" Y/N nodded, and she reached forward and carefully put the gravestones back to their original positions. She stood up to her full height (which currently wasn't that tall) and stepped forward, stopping to pat each gravestone a few times. Childe smiled bitterly. She probably thought- in her current state of mind- that she was just leaving for a little bit- and she would be able to see her beloved siblings soon. But she wouldn't. Not if he could help it. It pained him, to seperate her from her siblings in the afterlife- but if they were to be reunited, that would mean Y/N- "Hmm?"
Y/N looked down at him, a curious look on her face. The question showing in her raised eyebrows and bright eyes. Are you okay? Childe plastered a smile on his face. "I'm okay Y/N. Let's go! It's almost dark again!" He looked up at the sky, clouds covering the evening sun as it disappeared down the horizon. Y/N stared at him, her eyes squinted. No. No, you are not. He could almost hear her voice scolding him. He laughed to himself. Y/N- must have seen through his mask of fake emotion. She'd figured him out too. "Get on my back," He gestured, bending his knees and turning his back to her. "I'll carry you down! You're light, so don't worry." Y/N hesitated. She stared at him a little longer- than inched towards him, finally jumping into the air and landing on his back.
Childe stumbled, but his arms were steady as he hooked them under Y/N's knees. He hoisted her higher on his back and began to walk away- away from the mansion, and from Taki- and Mitsuha. "Mhnn..." Y/N's muffled yawns sounded from behind him, and she nuzzled her face into his shoulder, her arms wrapped securely around his neck. Good. From now on, they would never be apart. He vowed. Never again would Y/N have to endure that pain, that suffering. He wouldn't allow it. The wind blew harshly, but Childe embraced the bitter sting it brought with the cold.
Never again.
~🌸🌊~
Scaramouche huffed in annoyance, checking the pocket watch every few seconds in impatience. He glanced towards the mountain's stone path. Childe was late. Of course he was. Did he really need that long to pay respects to that Demon's family? He closed his eyes. That demon... He thought. Did he make the right choice? Was it right to spare its life?
The demon panted, knelt on the ground braced on one knee, it's hands thrown out to it's sides. It didn't have it's claws buried in Tartaglia's neck- instead- it was protecting him. It snarled, it's face twisted into an expression of pure anger. Without dropping it's arms, it kicked off the ground and jumped back towards him.
Such speed, He thought as he quickly evaded yet another one of her kicks. He twisted to the right, then the left as the demon continued it's assault. Was it seriously doing this? Because he had knocked Tartaglia out? In his defence, Scaramouche didn't think he had kicked him that hard. Maybe enough to knock some sense into him. But not enough to seriously injure him!
He grit his teeth when the demon's claws got dangerously close to his face. He stared at her, her violet eyes glowing, claws outstretched, fangs bared as she reared her arm back- to kill him. The person- who had harmed Tartaglia. Her friend. Not her prey. Scaramouche felt a surge of hatred towards the man. You, he thought. Owe me a big one, Tartaglia. He brought his hand down on the side on the demon's neck, who gasped and fell limp in his arms. If I die because of this, I'm gonna kill you, He thought bitterly. Now. He looked around. He needed something to make a muzzle for it. Bamboo was a convenient option. But he needed some kind of a cord... he spun in a circle- he swore as the tassels in his hat smacked him on the face. "Stupid-" He paused. Oh wait. He reached up and snapped the woven thread off his Kasa, his head feeling strangely lighter once he did. He could only imagine how ridiculous he looked. Yeah, He thought as he weighed the cord in his hands. Ajax- Childe- Tartglia- it doesn't matter. All of you are now in my debt. His mouth twisted into a smile. Now all that was left- was to figure out what favor he wanted from the egoistic man. This was going to be fun.
It had been in the blur of the moment- to strike with his hand instead of his balde. In doing so, he had made a decisive decision to keep the demon alive. Who knows? Maybe it would be of use. But somewhere in the back of his mind, the voice of the monster inside him could only say, What if you were wrong? Scaramouche frowned. If he was wrong... it would not only be Childe who would have to commit seppuku. But... the image of the demon, eyes ablaze flashed in his mind. He could only hope for the best. After all... he turned at the sound of footsteps to see Childe sprinting down the mountain, looking- to his credit- only slightly winded. "Took you long enough!" He shouted. Childe's sarcastic reply was lost in the wind.
Something was different about her.
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A/N first week of school is done :*)