good look to everyone wishing for nilou/albedo/weapons! i will be saving for nahida in the next patch, but i already caved a ten pull in this weapon banner...those new four stars are tempting 😩 u can't blame me
previous chapter: lumine got her vision studies final out of the way and had the chance to wind down with thoma at her side. he not only brought her some chilibrew from barbara, but he also agreed to handle the gift that huffman has burdened lumine with for so long.
"Now that the last person has turned in their final, I see no reason to hold you here any longer," Professor Baizhu said to the class. "This marks the end of your first semester at Celestia Academy. Congratulations."
A few cheers mixed with exhausted sighs filled the room, and I smiled at the accomplishment. Smiling was a lot easier now that I was feeling better, and I have Thoma to thank for that. It was probably more the chilibrew than his presence that helped, but I liked to think it was the latter. Not to mention, I no longer had the pressure of finals dragging me down.
"I can finally focus on all of the new recipes I've been planning," Xiangling said. "As much of a pain this class has been, I know a lot more about plants than I had going in. I'll use this knowledge to improve so many dishes!"
"A lot of the plants we looked at don't come from the most accessible locations." I reminded her. "You might have a hard time gathering them all."
"I've got plenty of time with three weeks of break. I wrote to my dad promising that I'd pick all kinds of new ingredients for him to mix into the menu, and he's super excited about it. We made a plan for me to take the first ship that sets off the island for maximum foraging success."
"The first ship?" I recalled the departure schedule. "The one that's setting off in an hour?"
Xiangling nodded. "Which means I won't see you for our last dinner. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you guys with a treat that'll blow your tastebuds away when I come back. Hm, I should probably get packing now."
For someone who was about to leave so soon, it amazed me how calmly Xiangling was. Personally, I'd be packed the night before and would show up early to the docks just in case. I noticed a few other students hastily moving out of their seats—griping about boarding the ship in time. Though, before anyone could leave the room, Professor Baizhu had one more announcement.
"It's been a pleasure teaching you all, and I hope you have a splendid break. I have prepared a small gift for each of you." From a wooden box, he took out a small sachet. "This is an effective cold medicine that I normally charge a hefty price for at Bubu Pharmacy. I encourage you to take this medicine the moment you feel under the weather. One per person, now. I'll hand it off at the door."
"That's so nice of him," Xiangling said in awe.
I smirked. "He doesn't want us to get sick and infect him when we come back. It's for his benefit just as much as it is for ours. The sentiment is still there, though. He could have charged us."
"I wonder if the medicine would easily blend with the flavors of a strong dish. Minty meat rolls might mask the bitter taste. Oh, and if I added a cream sauce, that would also mild out the flavor. I should make a note before I—"
I grabbed Xiangling's shoulders to snap her out of the chef zone.
"Xiangling. Ship. One hour."
Once she refocused, we joined the line of students that slowly filed out the door as Professor Baizhu handed each of them a sachet of medicine. I tucked mine neatly in my pocket while Xiangling immediately pulled on the drawstring and sniffed the contents once we got into the hallway. She tried to name all of the ingredients based on smell alone—slowing her walking speed.
For her sake, I grabbed Xiangling's hand and swiftly escorted her to her room. I was slightly tempted to peek inside and see the stove she had hidden away in there, but that would be another distraction. She could always board the next ship departing tomorrow, but if her dad really was expecting her, I didn't want him to be let down.
"You have to visit the restaurant once you get settled in," Xiangling said as I left. "I'll give you a discount!"
Visiting Xiangling was already part of my winter break plan since she lived in Liyue. I could imagine Madame Ping giving me a pat on the back for scoring a nice discount at Wanmin Restaurant.
I smiled, thinking about how nice it would be to relax in my own bed at home. Three weeks was a long time, though. I wouldn't miss the endless assignments, but I would miss my friends. Could there be enough time for me to travel to Mondstadt? Snezhnaya and Inazuma were out of the picture since those nations were so far away, but there might be a route I could take to Mondstadt with enough time to spare. Diluc and Kaeya surely wouldn't mind if I stopped by for a bit.
Focused on my winter break plans, I didn't notice that I'd wandered into the path of someone else until my face bounced off his chest. I recovered quickly with an apology at the tip of my tongue.
"I sincerely hope you paid more attention to your exams than you do in the halls," Diluc said with a light chuckle. "What brings you here?"
I broke into a grin at the sight of him. "Sorry about that. I was dropping off Xiangling to her room since she needs to get out of here in less than an hour. Then I got distracted thinking about—you, actually."
"Me?" He looked pleased.
"Yeah, I was planning out how I could make use of my time over break, and Mondstadt might be a possibility. What do you think?"
"I wouldn't want to trouble you with traveling such a distance. Why not I go to you?"
"Really?" My eyebrows rose. "Don't you have things to take care of with the winery business?"
Resignation crossed his features, and I almost wished I hadn't brought that up. "You have a point there. I had momentarily forgotten my duties at the thought of touring Liyue with you at my side. No matter—I can easily accommodate you at my manor if you do decide to cross borders."
I hadn't thought of lodging. "I'll send you a letter once I depart."
"Arrangements for transportation won't be difficult, either. Just give me an address, and I'll take care of the rest."
I opened my mouth to protest. I didn't want to burden him on top of his preexisting work, but my words dried up the moment Diluc leaned in to brush a lock of hair from my eyes.
"What are your plans for the rest of the day?"
"Dinner," I managed to say.
There was something else, too. Dinner and what else? I couldn't think past the tender emotion that burned deep in his scarlet eyes.
"It's good that you've been eating well. Perhaps…I shall join you this time."
"In the dining hall?"
"Yes."
I'd never seen Diluc eat there before. Just the thought of him sitting with everyone else and conversing—it didn't seem real, honestly. According to Diluc, the regular dining times interfered with his schedule separate from school, and it was more practical for him to eat alone when convenient.
"What about your schedule?" I asked.
"I've taken care of all necessary items until my return to Mondstadt. Obviously, there is always the chance to get ahead, but why would I bother with that with you in front of me right now?"
I wasn't about to convince him out of having dinner with me, so I didn't bother mentioning how the atmosphere at our table would very much not suit his style. Instead, I looked forward to the meal and tucked my hand in his elbow as always.
"We have some time before then. How about some chess?" I made the suggestion already knowing his response, and it was only as we descended the stairs that I remembered what came after dinner.
There was still one hurdle left to clear, but I couldn't do anything to guarantee success. It was all up to Childe.
It should have occurred to me that there might not be an open seat for Diluc at the Pyro table since it was normally packed, but that turned out to be no issue at all. Once we walked through the dining hall's doors, it was obvious that far fewer students occupied the room than normal. Xiangling wasn't the only one who had taken the first ship off the island. I might have done the same if it weren't for the Domain demolition planned for tonight.
The Pyro table had been reduced to half of its original occupancy, but Amber, Childe, and Thoma were still in our usual spot. Childe didn't bother hiding his surprise at seeing Diluc with me. His wide eyes quickly narrowed with annoyance. I resisted a sigh.
"Wow, hey Diluc." Amber's jaw slackened once she saw us. "What are you doing here?"
"The same reason as you," he said calmly and looked around the table. "There's quite a lot of plates here. Are all of these spots taken?"
Even though it was just three of them in this section, seven plates of food were set out. Amber solved the mystery by pointing at Childe.
"He's worked up an appetite."
"Correction—I'm going to work up an appetite and might as well start now," Childe said.
Amber shook her head. "Which makes no sense because finals are over and there's nothing left to prepare for besides going home. Then again, you're always up to something inexplicable."
I instantly knew that all this food was in preparation for Childe's Foul Legacy transformation. I still had no idea what that entailed, but if he needed this much energy to pull off the transformation…would he really be okay?
"There's still space for you, Lumi." Childe used an arm to sweep the plates closer to him, making room for me. "Though, I can't say the same for Ragnvindr over there."
Diluc grunted.
Thoma didn't hesitate to combine two of Childe's plates together.
Childe, looking appalled, scoffed in disbelief as pita pockets were stacked on top of a sweet madame. "What are you—"
"There. Now we have room for both," Thoma said. "It's a good thing Bennett also took the first ship with Xiangling. I'm not sure if this compromise would have worked otherwise."
That's right—I remembered Bennett's plan to ride the first ship with full expectations of being late and missing it completely. Taking his bad luck into consideration, he'd been especially passionate about the odds of successfully boarding at least one of the departing ships. I hoped he and Xiangling were sailing to the mainland by now.
Diluc inclined his head toward Thoma. "Thank you. At least some of us have consideration for others. Lumine, shall we grab our food?"
I felt Childe's lingering gaze on my back as I followed Diluc to the serving line. Since he was someone who didn't eat here often, I pointed out the regular menu items and specials they offered. Diluc made a small sound of approval after it was confirmed that grape juice was available. It was cute.
Once we sat back at the table, Amber was already talking about her winter break plans.
"Apparently, the Lawrence manor has an amazing ballroom that'll be great for dancing. Eula said I could stop by whenever to practice! To pay her back, I offered to show her some super neat gliding moves that I picked up recently. Starsnatch Cliff has good height, so I might take her there."
"Starsnatch Cliff is known for its views," Diluc said. "It's a common place for lovers to go together."
Amber's eyes widened, and her face went red. "Oh right, I forgot about that…I do still want to go there with her."
"Nobody says you can't," I said with a shrug. "I'm sure Eula will appreciate the gliding demonstration. You are the second-best glider in our class, after all."
"You wish." Amber stuck her tongue out at me.
"How do you know about Starsnatch Cliff, Diluc?" Childe cut in with a smirk. "Have you been there personally?"
With a lover?
His unspoken words rang loud and clear.
Diluc showed no signs of being affected by Childe's taunt. "I make it a point to be aware of all notable landmarks. To answer your question, no. Although, it wouldn't hurt to do some sightseeing there when Lumine visits my home over winter break."
I suddenly became unable to chew my food.
"You're going to Mondstadt?" Childe turned to me.
I nodded.
"You refused to come with me to Snezhnaya when I asked."
With great effort, I managed to swallow my food and say, "That's because you wanted me to meet your family. I already promised to go to Snezhnaya for spring break. I'll be ready then."
Childe nodded with a growing smile, satisfied. "You did promise that."
"And Mondstadt is closest," I said, this time to Thoma.
He didn't seem nearly as taken aback as Childe. Instead, Thoma looked as excited about my trip to Mondstadt as I was. We would be having our date together before the break ended, after all. Amber, on the other hand, was captivated by the scene playing out in front of her. She's lucky I didn't bring Eula back into this.
Thankfully, the rest of our meal didn't fall back to Childe's instigations or Diluc's equally effective responses. I was amazed by how quickly Childe put away five plates of food in the time it took me to eat one.
I thought about what was to come after this. Growing anxiety took up more space in my stomach than my meal did. I couldn't bring myself to properly savor the taste—something Xiangling might shame me for. Right as my worries festered, Kaeya showed up.
"Oh? I see we've lost a few and gained a new member at the Pyro table. Though, if you ask me, Diluc is right at home as someone with a Pyro Vision."
"Except, nobody asked you," Diluc said and finished his grape juice. "Dinner is nearly over. Why do you feel the need to stop by?"
"I'm here to deliver a message." Kaeya sat in the empty seat next to Amber and smirked at her. "Eula has a few ideas she wishes to run by you. Something about a tango? I didn't ask for the details."
Amber's face had soured the moment Kaeya arrived, but her obvious grievance towards him vanished in an instant at Eula's name. Interesting reaction.
"She did?" Amber turned to look at the student council table.
"She did," Kaeya repeated. "I'm not sure how long it'll take, so you might want to talk now before Jean comes back. Our president is merciless with her assignments."
Amber recovered from her initial shock and snatched up her empty plate. "Okay…I'll see you tomorrow. Right, Lumine? You're taking the ship leaving in the morning?"
"Yup, we can talk then." I gave her a thumbs-up. "Good luck!"
Amber stammered. "Luck? Why would I—never mind."
Kaeya didn't bother to hide his chuckle as she left, and I found myself smiling at how flustered she had gotten. Part of me wanted to keep an eye on the student council table, but my attention was fully drawn to the guys around me.
"This had better work," Diluc said, directing skepticism at Childe.
Childe didn't look at all offended. Confidence oozed from where he sat, but I couldn't help but wonder if some of that confidence was for show. After all, each of the five dishes he ate was meant for recovery.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked. "If there's another way—"
"There is no other way, and you know it," Childe said nonchalantly. "Don't worry about me, girlie. It'll be over before I know it."
I pressed my lips together, preventing myself from pointing out his slip-up. If Childe really was going to be fine, he wouldn't have cared about how long it took. He was right. Realistically, this was the only way to eliminate the threat.
It had to be.
"Thank the Archons this'll be the last time I have to squeeze through here." Childe stood in front of the cave's opening and stretched out his limbs.
From the dining hall, our group went directly to the teleport waypoint and crossed into the forest. Childe was the only one doing any work here, but I couldn't just stay behind. What if something went wrong? Kaeya had followed, claiming to be curious. Thoma joined, bringing essential supplies. And Diluc had grunted something about preparing for the worst.
"You've done this before, right?" I asked Childe.
"Foul Legacy? Of course, I have. More than once."
Maybe I was overthinking this. When Childe had said it put a great strain on his body, I initially imagined the transformation would only be as bad as a rough workout. But even with Instructor Xiao's most arduous demands, I'd never seen Childe touch a recovery dish for any reason beyond enjoying the taste.
"Okay," I said quietly. "But if anything seems off, I'm stopping you."
Childe sighed. "You're not going in with me, Lumi."
"What?"
"When I destroy the Domain, the entire cave is going to collapse. In the Foul Legacy state, I'll make it out fine, but there's no way I can guarantee your safety when the rocks come falling down."
Kaeya whistled. "Good thing we got photos. It'd be a shame to lose that evidence."
"If you're really so worried about me…" Childe trailed off before a light sparked in his eyes. "You can send me off with a kiss for luck."
A kiss?
"This is unnecessary," Diluc said faster than I could process the suggestion.
Childe waved him off. "That's not for you to decide. How about it, girlie?"
A kiss?
"Okay." The word left my lips without my permission.
It was only when Childe stepped in front of me and when I stood on my toes that my brain caught up with what I'd agreed to do. Somehow, only a light blush heated my cheeks. Instead of being embarrassed, I was looking forward to kissing Childe. Only he knew was sort of danger he was putting his body in, and this was the best way I could show my appreciation.
Well aware of Diluc, Kaeya, and Thoma also being here, and well aware of how smug Childe currently felt, I made a small alteration. Though it was tempting to kiss him properly, I cupped Childe's face with both hands and planted a soft kiss next to the very corner of his lips. If this kiss really could bless him with good fortune, I willed every bit of luck in my body to flow into Childe.
I pulled away much too soon, but we could only linger for so long. Childe lightly captured my wrists as I lowered myself, smugness gone and replaced with wonder.
"I'll be back."
Then, he turned away and disappeared through the crevice without looking back. I tried not to feel the loss so strongly. A silence remained with Childe's disappearance, and I dared to turn around to assess the atmosphere. Would there be hurt? Jealousy?
The first person my eyes made contact with was Diluc. He'd shot down Childe's suggestion so openly that I expected to find anger, but my breath was stolen by something quite different. Diluc looked at me with hungry eyes, as if he was ready to take me for himself right here and now.
Kaeya cleared his throat. "Now, we wait."
The interruption allowed me to start breathing again. Kaeya didn't seem at all affected by what had just happened. He sat on the ground and made himself comfortable against the base of a tree trunk. Then, his eye closed. Was Kaeya napping now, of all times?
"I hope I get the same treatment the next time I scout for information," he said with his eye still closed. "It's quite dangerous, you know. What if I'm caught and get expelled?"
"You've managed this far," I quipped back lightly before adding on. "I'll keep that in mind for the future."
His eye snapped open. "Really?"
Without giving a proper answer, I sat next to Thoma with a sigh. Thoma didn't mention the kiss at all, only pulling a thick blanket from his bag and leaning in to wrap it around my shoulders.
I wasn't cold, but who knew how long we'd have to wait before Childe reemerged?
I snuggled into the blanket. "Thanks."
He leaned in again, presumably to make an adjustment, but he didn't touch the blanket at first. Thoma gently kissed the top of my head before tucking himself under the blanket with me. With how close we were, I could faintly make out the tempo of his heartbeat. It was nothing like the quick pulses and somersaults that my heart was experiencing. Rather, Thoma's heart was steady and sure. With some time, mine slowed to match his.
With enough time, everything seemed to slow.
Diluc didn't sit like the rest of us. Instead, he stood with his arms crossed and his back leaned against a tree, watching the entrance like a hawk. Though Kaeya didn't move from where he was relaxed, I could tell he wasn't asleep.
We waited.
I waited.
Until I couldn't anymore.
Sitting with Thoma brought comfort, but I was eventually on my feet and pacing in a circle. Once that movement didn't satisfy me any longer, I stopped at the mouth of the cave and stared straight in.
"He's been in there for too long," I said. "I'm going in."
Diluc stepped next to me. "Me too."
"Is it that time already?" Kaeya stood. "Count me in."
"I'm right with you." Thoma had already put the blanket away.
I mentally prepared myself for some kind of rescue mission. However, the moment I took my first step forward, I felt the ground shake.
I frowned. "What is—"
A firm grip on my arm yanked me away from the entrance right before it exploded in a shower of rock. My back collided with someone's chest as we were thrown backward by the sudden force. I felt no pain from the abrupt landing and turned to see that it was thanks to Diluc's quick reflexes. He didn't look fazed, only alert.
"What was that?" I coughed through the cloud of descending dust.
The ground shuddered aggressively once more, but it wasn't another explosion. Through the dust, I made out a vague silhouette of…a person. At least, I thought it was a person. Unlike most people, it stood to be twice my own height and was built wider than anything remotely human.
Did Childe fail?
Was this an Abyss monster that escaped from the Domain?
There was no way to discern what was in front of us until the dust fully settled, but we couldn't afford to wait until then. I scrambled to my feet and wished we brought weapons.
"It is…done."
I froze.
The voice that came from the massive figure was deep and garbled but somehow familiar. The Abyss monsters I've encountered before didn't sound like this. Bits of my caution slipped away as my vision cleared. I could now make out the black of grand armor, a deep purple cape woven from the stars, a red mask with sharp angles, and…that hair color…
"Childe?" I whispered.
Diluc held an arm in front of me when I tried to move forward, but I gently pushed it down and continued anyway.
The closer I got, the more sure I became. This looming, intimidating body didn't exude any malice or aggression. Childe had fallen to his knees in this Foul Legacy form, but I still had to tilt my head to look up at him. His head hung low, and I hesitantly reached out a hand to touch him before deciding against it.
Was he hurt?
Would it be okay for me to touch him in this state?
That mask obscured his face. What sort of expression did Childe have right now?
Our size difference was almost comical, and I made up my mind to attempt holding one of his hands with two of mine. The armor was sleek and cool to the touch. Childe gave no response.
"Hey, say something," I urged him. "You're making me worry. Don't tell me, my kiss wasn't lucky enough for you?"
I'd meant to say that as a joke, but fear crept into my voice.
At last, Childe moved—just not in the way I expected. The Foul Legacy transformation began to fall away into particles of starlight, and his body slowly shrank to its normal size. I still held his hand, properly now, and scanned his body for any noticeable signs of injury.
"Is there any bleeding?" Thoma knelt next to me with the medical supplies ready. "I hope I brought enough, but we might need to take him to the infirmary if it's anything serious."
"No." Childe coughed. "Not…there."
His eyes opened then, and there was no mistaking the pain he tried to hold back. Then, he had the audacity to smile.
"See? Told you I'd be…back."
I didn't even know where to begin. Did I get upset that he let himself go through so much pain? Did I ignore his attempts to assure me and continue looking for injuries? Did I confirm what he meant when he said it was done? The Domain…destroyed. More than anything, I wanted to give him a tight hug, but that would surely be painful for him.
I settled on saying, "You're so stupid."
A few beats passed before there was a response.
"You don't mean that." He laughed weakly. "I got something for you."
Childe lifted his other hand, which had remained in a closed fist until now, opening it to reveal something small and purple. It was an aster's sigh, glowing just as brilliantly in his hand as it did in the cave. The plant looked small on its own, separated from the rest of the bunch that was now buried under a mountain of rubble.
"You seemed to really like looking at these. I wanted to save at least one."
I gently accepted the aster's sigh, careful not to damage the delicate stem. Childe closed his eyes then, his chest lifting and falling with slow breaths. I knew that he'd fallen asleep and would likely be knocked out for a while.
"Thank you."
childe asks for a kiss:
"objection, your honor. relevance?" diluc, probably
