the path to missing you, a genshin impact fanfic

Title: the path to missing you

A/N: For the Starconches & Starlight zine! My sister's favourite ship and now she's got me on board too.

Summary: Five times Childe missed Lumine and the one time she realized she missed him too.

…

Childe was tired. No, not tired, exhausted. Every muscle screamed as he blocked Lumine's attack with a dagger, his other one rising up to pierce her in the chest. She grunted as she pulled back, the blow just nicking her. He dropped to the ground, abusing his body one last time as he kicked her feet out from under her.

"Shit," she cursed as she fell, her head hitting the floor with a hard thwack.

Immediately, he pounced, pinning her arms as he straddled her. Childe smirked triumphantly. "Gotcha!"

Lumine struggled, trying and failing to escape his grip. It was surprising the amount of strength she packed into her small body. It also wasn't enough. Her cheeks puffed in a pout as she surrendered. "This time."

"This time," he agreed, grinning. While Childe enjoyed their weekly fights win or lose, there was something special about getting one over her. "We're tied now?"

"Please, I'm still two ahead." Lumine wiggled her arms. When he didn't release her, she glared at him pointedly. "You getting up or what?"

Now, that was a question. Childe smirked as he leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear. "I don't know. I like the view."

As expected, she barely reacted, her glare growing more pronounced. "You'll like it a lot less in a few minutes."

It was a challenge. A familiar thrill ran up his spine at the declaration. What would she do? What could she do? The possibilities were endless—one way or another, Lumine always found a way to surprise him.

Yet, Childe was tired. Exhausted. His body protested the very thought of another round after the last one, his bruises reminding him of their existence as his limbs throbbed. Lumine's punch to the gut especially ached and he tried not to breathe in too deeply lest she'd broken something. He'd have a hard enough time recovering from all of this in a week and another tussle wasn't worth missing next week's session.

Especially when their weekly fights were one of the few bright spots about his prolonged stay in Liyue.

With a reluctant sigh, he rolled off and flopped on the ground beside her. "I'll let you go this time."

"Chicken," Lumine teased good-naturedly, closing her eyes. She was sweaty and tired and utterly radiant; Childe watched her breathe from the corner of his eye. "You know you couldn't take me."

He didn't deny or confirm it. "If that's what you think. Same time next week?"

Lumine nodded. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

There was a familiar scent of lilies. Even above the mouth-watering smell of barbecued skewers, tantalizing sizzlers, and heady broths, Childe noticed that almost perfume-like odour. It cut through everything and he stood a little straighter as he looked around. He'd always been tall, even more so in Liyue, and it only took him minutes to spot blonde hair amongst the crowds.

Lumine was here.

Childe grinned, excited. Lumine was here. The Lantern Festival was suddenly interesting.

Immediately, he made a beeline for her. Closer now, he could see her talking to Paimon, their backs to him as they admired the various stalls. Or, in Paimon's case, ogled. She clenched her little fists as she glanced from one stall to the next.

"It's so hard to choose! Paimon wants everything," Paimon complained.

"There's no way you can eat that much," Lumine replied dryly, looking up to watch the lanterns as they drifted into the sky. There was something awestruck about her expression, despite her taciturn voice. "I wonder if the show's always this good."

"It's even better because we helped," Paimon replied. She frowned and crossed her arms. "And Paimon could eat everything!"

"Even if that was true, there's no way we could afford that." Lumine tore her eyes from the sky. She gently flicked Paimon on the forehead. "Pick one."

"And if I paid?" Childe cut in, slinging an arm around Lumine casually.

She started. Paimon yelped, surprised.

Childe chuckled. "Don't make me feel too welcome."

Recognizing him, Lumine relaxed, her shoulders slumping. She turned her head slightly to face him. "I try not to."

Despite her words, she didn't toss his arm off. She was also smiling. If there was a queen of mixed-messages, it was Lumine.

"Ouch, miss. What did I do to deserve that?" Childe clutched his chest in mock dramatics.

"It's more like what you haven't done," Paimon grumbled, glaring at him. "You almost destroyed Liyue! Why are you enjoying their festival?"

He wondered what answer would make her the angriest. "Well, I wasn't really enjoying it until I spotted you two."

Lumine rolled her eyes. "You said you'd pay?" she asked, interrupting the argument.

Childe smiled innocently. "Of course."

She eyed him suspiciously before sighing and nodding. "Alright, your funeral. One of everything, right Paimon?"

It was rare for Lumine to call him over, rarer still for her to give him anything. Childe stared at the red, pinwheel-like flower in her hands, then up at her increasingly growing flustered face. Well, he had never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Gingerly, he took the flower and teased "Miss me?"

"I definitely didn't miss your battle-lust." To his surprise, she didn't entirely deny his words. "There was a festival in Mondstadt."

"A festival?" Vaguely, he recalled hearing reports about it. While the Tsaritsa was no longer interested in Mondstadt, they still kept tabs on the country just in case. After all, no one wanted to tell their master 'I don't know', should she ever suddenly change her mind and ask about Mondstadt's affairs. "Is that where you've been all week? And here I thought you were scared and ran away from our fight."

"Who'd run from you?" Lumine replied crossly, the red on her face from anger this time. With a sigh, she averted her gaze and rubbed her arm. "I had to help with the festival, so I couldn't make the trek back."

It was oddly relieving to hear. Childe didn't know what to make of that feeling. "And now it's over?"

"More or less." Lumine shrugged. "Either way, I came back."

"And gave me a gift." Childe raised the flower to his nose. It smelled of the wind, of the open road. If he were free to follow that road, would they be able to walk down it together?

"It's not just a gift. You're supposed to give it to people you're thankful for and—" Lumine flushed slightly and cut herself off. He made a note to look into this festival after. "Anyways, you've been helpful. So. Thanks."

In the face of her honesty, something in him twinged again. "Careful miss, I might get the wrong idea."

There were many ways Childe expected to spend the summer but being trapped on an archipelago due to the mechanisms of an overly affectionate mom was not one of them. When he'd followed Lumine to the islands, he had planned to sneak right back.

Instead, he'd gotten stranded and forced to reveal himself.

"What are you thinking about?" Lumine asked, sparing him a glance as she grabbed a conch shell from the sand.

If there was one perk to his situation, it was that Lumine was here too. It was a strange situation, to just walk along the shore with her, the sand shifting with each step. They weren't fighting. They weren't discussing anything important. Just walking, slowly, collecting conch shells as they went. In the bright sunlight, her usual white outfit was painful to look at.

Even in Liyue, she was never this unguarded.

"You?" Childe replied automatically. When she just stared at him expectantly, he chuckled. Somehow, she never did fall for any of his usual tricks. "This island adventure lasted longer than I expected."

She studied him quietly before asking, "Will you get in trouble with the Tsaritsa?"

Was that concern he was hearing? "Well…not if I come home with a juicy secret or two." Childe leaned closer and leered. "You have one to spare?"

"Not for you." Lumine dropped the shell in the bucket he was carrying. "And the real answer?"

He wondered just when she'd learned to see through his lies. It made him an utterly useless spy. "Probably safe."

"That's good." Lumine tucked a stray hair behind her ear, smudging sand on her cheek. "Not that you could leave anyways."

There was only one boat off the islands, after all, and they couldn't leave until everyone was ready. And unfortunately, everyone included one small, energetic girl.

The child was nothing like his brother but that didn't make Childe wish he was here any less. He crouched, digging his fingers into the sand as he pried free another shell. "At least it's not boring here. How long till we can fight that doll again?"

"Another day." Lumine turned over a shell in her hands, holding it up to the sun as she examined it. "I don't get why you're so excited. You're a better fight."

He liked hearing that more than he'd ever admit. "I'm ready to fight now, miss."

She gave him a scalding glance. "I didn't say I wanted to fight."

"Well, if you change your mind." He held out his bucket. Her shell fell in with a satisfying clunk. Childe winked. "You'll be glad I came when the doll bores you."

"I'm already glad." Lumine studied the sand for another shell. "Things are more fun when you're around."

"Same," slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "It's the same for me."

Childe knew they'd have to part one day, but he'd always pictured himself as the one leaving. Instead, Lumine was leaning against the treasury's walls exhausted, her eyes closed as she told him that she wouldn't be able to come anymore.

That she would be heading to Inazuma, leaving him behind.

"Inazuma?" he repeated, at a loss for words. For once, his usual flirts and taunts weren't coming to mind.

"Yeah, I got passage on a ship." Lumine tiredly opened her eyes, her chest heaving as she regained her breath. Her skin was red from exertion. "It's the only way there and I can't miss it."

Her hands curled into tight fists, her eyes darkening at the thought. Was she thinking of her brother again? Of the god that separated them? Lumine spoke even less of her history than he did, but he knew enough to know just how dedicated she was to her mission.

That her time with him, as fun as it was, was just a detour to her real goals.

Not that he was any different. Childe smiled lopsidedly. "Maybe I'll meet you there."

Her head jerked up, her eyes wide in surprise. "You will?"

"Maybe, miss. That excited to see me again?" he teased, laughing when she swiped at him half-heartedly. "Ready for round two already?"

"Give me a moment to catch my breath." Lumine inhaled deeply. Slowly, she released her breath. Her skin returned to its usual pallor. She stood on two shaky legs. "Alright, let's go."

"You sure?" He smirked. "You look like a baby deer."

"Still have enough energy to kick your ass," she gritted her teeth. "It's our last session, have to end it in a bang."

Last. The word sank into him like a rock. Childe pulled out his daggers. "Don't come crying after."

Inazuma was exactly like Lumine imagined: strict and overbearing. It was strange how each country in this world was so different from one another, as though each border demanded an entire change in culture. She'd seen what freedom and contracts looked like, now it was time to see what eternity meant.

And to see if her brother was trapped in this frozen land.

Paimon shivered beside her. "There's so many guards!"

"We've faced more," Lumine replied reassuringly as she strolled down the dock. Liyue had prepared her for this type of greeting.

Just as it had prepared her for the guide in front of her. Thomas smiled as he led them to the immigration booth, but his smile didn't meet his eyes. Childe's hadn't either, when they'd first met. She wondered what sort of secrets the man in front of her hid.

"That wasn't a good thing!" Paimon grumbled, floating beside her nonetheless. Despite her complaints, Paimon was a steadfast companion, and it was more reassuring than Lumine would ever admit having her along for the journey.

"Never said it was—" Lumine stumbled backwards as she bumped into Thomas.

A firm hand wrapped around her wrist, another around her waist, and Thomas laughed. "Careful, miss. If you tumbled in the water, who knows what Beidou would do to me."

Miss.

Lumine looked away, nodding. "Right."

"If you need any help, just let me know." Thomas released her with a wink. "Despite what Beidou says, I'm a gentleman at heart."

"I'll keep that in mind." Lumine rubbed her wrist, resisting the urge to retort, to argue, to banter. It was easy to fall into old patterns with Thomas, easy to see the man who was probably still stuck in Liyue, bored as he lounged around the treasury.

Miss me? Childe had asked her once.

Yes, she thought now. Yes.