Childe was close at my back as we moved closer to the sound of echoing water droplets. Even in the darkness, I knew he was that close because it was impossible for me to not be aware of him. My heart still thudded in my ears even after our confession, but my cheeks were finally beginning to cool as I turned my mind to the mission ahead of us. Any moment now, we had to be nearing the end of this tunnel.

My foot dampened as I stepped into a shallow puddle. "Careful not to slip. Wouldn't want to fall in the dark."

"It's funny you say that now that I've already fallen," Childe said. "Not that I mind. I'm more excited than ever to meet up with Kaeya. The look on his face once he realizes I've finally gotten through to you, oh it'll be precious."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm pretty sure we'll be focused on more important things. There's either going to be extreme disappointment over a dead-end, or we might find a helpful clue. A conversation over a slight change in our relationship status may need to be put on hold."

"Put on hold?" surprise colored his voice. "I've waited this long, so I guess that can be arranged. Don't expect me to hold back forever, girlie. I was raised by my family to always live in the moment and appreciate what I have to the fullest. You're no exception to that. Speaking of my family, what are your plans for winter break? I want you to meet them one day."

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. Meeting Childe's family? This soon? "Are you sure? We haven't even—we just started to…this is all pretty new to me."

He hummed lightly. "Spring break, then."

"Sure."

Spring break was far enough that I didn't have to worry about it just yet. Childe's eagerness to involve me more in his life, to get to know his family, made me blush.

I knew he had older and younger siblings, and I let myself imagine what it would be like to live with so many people. In a way, I had grown up with a family of my own. Everyone at the orphanage had been nice enough, and we shared everything. Except, it was only Aether who I was close to. Having a real mother and father around with siblings that have been with me all my life seemed unreal.

"I hope they like me," I found myself saying out loud.

"It'd be impossible for them not to. I'm more worried they'll convince you that you're too good for me," he laughed. "Though, they'd never want you to go, so I think I'm safe."

A pause.

"Are you spending winter break with anyone?" he asked hesitantly. "It's not uncommon for students to vacation together. Diluc will most definitely be busy with his winery business, but I know Kaeya and Thoma are generally free birds. Have you made plans?"

"With Thoma?"

"Or Kaeya."

"Why?" a smirk quirked onto my lips. "Would you be jealous?"

"Yes."

I nearly slipped.

He sighed. "Don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm against you spending time with them. I just prefer you spend most, if not all, of your time with me. That way, they won't get the chance to make any moves."

My eyebrow rose. "Moves?"

"Yeah, like those hugs from earlier."

"Those were just hugs." I shrugged. "I hug my friends all the time."

"Hugs are just the beginning, Lumi. Tell me—Archons, I don't even think I want to know the answer—how many kisses have there been?"

This time, I did slip. With a squeak, my hands flung out to slap both sides of the tunnel just before my knees crashed into the damp stone earth. My heart thrummed wildly, partly because of the fall, but mostly because of Childe's question. I hadn't thought about kissing.

Okay, lie. Kissing had popped into my mind on more than one occasion, but I never thought I would actually get the chance. My heart reacted less energetically when it was a far-off idea rather than a very real opportunity.

"Are you okay?" Childe worried, and I felt him pat the top of my head. "I should be the one warning you not to slip."

"I'm fine." I pulled myself back up, brushing my hands on my knees. "You just surprised me."

"By my question?" his voice picked up. "About kisses?"

"Yes," I breathed out in a rush. "Because of your question about kisses."

"That's not really anything to be surprised about," he murmured. "Unless you haven't."

I pressed my lips together and tried to contain the fire threatening to burst on my face.

"Lumi? Have you ever kissed someone?"

Mustering up the most casual tone possible, I simply replied, "Nope."

"You haven't had your first kiss?"

"No, I haven't, okay? It's not a big deal."

I tried to think of a way to change the topic, but there was no easy segue from kissing to anything else. The only thing running through my mind was Childe's silence and what he could possibly be thinking right now. Did he think it was lame I hadn't kissed anyone yet? Maybe it was a big deal. I should probably ask Amber about it later to be sure, but that would have to come after relaying the confessions of today. Has Amber had her first kiss yet? Her reaction to the topic might be different if she had.

What about Childe?

My heart clenched at the thought of him kissing someone else. He started talking about kissing so easily, maybe he had. I couldn't imagine Childe going around kissing people, though. Especially with how he was before—unhinged and unapproachable had been major Childe traits. As far as I could tell, no one at Celestia Academy was interested in starting a relationship with Tartaglia. If not at school, then maybe back home? Did Childe have experience with kissing in Snezhnaya? It didn't matter. That was his past.

The past did help shape people's futures.

"What about you?" I blurted.

"Have I kissed anyone before? No, it's never been important to me," he said. I was clearly the only one getting flustered over the idea. "Until recently."

Until me.

I cleared my throat. "We should keep moving."

Childe hasn't kissed anyone. My chest felt lighter.

He chuckled. "If you say so."

We'd never make much progress with all the stopping and talking. Resigning myself to silence, I realized that there probably wasn't a dead end up ahead. If there was, then Diluc and Kaeya would have turned around by now and ran into us. They must have found something and have been investigating it for the time being.

Or something bad happened.

I shook the thought away.

What if Abyss monsters were waiting for them? What if one—or both—of them fell into a pit, like Childe said could happen?

Staying silent and letting my mind wander might not be the best idea.

"I'm going back to Liyue to live with Madame Ping over winter break," I said at last after realizing I never fully answered Childe's question from earlier. "I'm not sure what Thoma or Kaeya are doing, but we haven't made any plans together."

"Liyue, hm? I've been to Liyue Harbor before. There was business to be had in Northland Bank."

"You're a businessman, too?" I blinked. "I wouldn't have guessed."

"My pursuits have led me to develop a few skills in diplomacy," he said. "That of which gained me some recognition in Snezhnaya. It was partly because of my interpersonal skills that I was accepted into Celestia Academy in the first place, you know. They don't admit students based on strength alone."

"And you have plenty of that," I smiled. "Madame Ping stops by Liyue Harbor from time to time. Maybe I should come along with her in case you're back in the area."

"Do you think she'd like me?" Childe asked.

"Of course she—" I paused, taking the time to think about it.

What would Madame Ping think of Childe? When I was growing up, she was always very open-minded and let me run off into the wild when most parents probably wouldn't let their children risk the danger. That's not to say she wasn't protective of me. She showed her worries more when I came back a little scratched up or fell asleep during lessons, always giving me an earful after. Madame Ping taught me how to learn from my mistakes and make better judgments in the future.

She would be elated to learn I'd made friends, for sure. I wondered how she would react to my decision to accept and return feelings for four guys at the same time.

"You're making me nervous," Childe commented. "She wouldn't chase me out, would she?"

"I think she would find you interesting."

He laughed. "I'll take it."

My foot splashed in a deeper puddle of water, and I tried my best to ignore the wetness in my socks. Instead, I thought about soon reuniting with Diluc and Kaeya. Childe and I talked quite a bit in here, and I doubted those two could stay silent forever. I imagined Diluc stubbornly forging ahead while Kaeya hung in the back. Then, I imagined Kaeya's never-ending quips finally leading Diluc to some sort of outburst. Kaeya had gone after Diluc without a second thought, and it was obvious he still wanted to reconcile despite claiming it was too late. They were brothers, after all. I know I would give anything to be able to see Aether again—to relive our sibling dynamic.

"There's a shift in the air," Childe suddenly said. "It's lighter, more open."

I nodded, feeling around the walls. "The tunnel broadened a bit more. The puddles are also deeper."

"Let's hope this doesn't lead us to an underground lake. I didn't bring my swimming trunks. You'd like them, Lumi. They've got a narwhal print."

"What makes you think I like narwhals?" I laughed.

"A narwhal is part of my signature move. You haven't seen it yet, but you like me, so you've got to like narwhals."

"Interesting logic," I smiled.

"Logic goes out the window when it comes to you," he sighed. "I can't help it."

"This is why I'm taking the lead."

And I continued to do so. I had been so sure we would make it out of the tunnel at any moment, yet the time never seemed to arrive. Whispers of doubt filtered through my thoughts. If I had gone in alone, I probably would have turned back by now. Childe's companionship was encouragement enough, but I still didn't want to make Thoma wait for too long. One thing was for certain—I wasn't leaving without Diluc and Kaeya.

"...mechanism…ism...ism…"

The distinct word came from neither Childe nor me, and I cocked my head slightly. That had to have been from the end. Placing the owner of the voice wasn't easy.

"Did you hear that?" I whispered.

I felt Childe's hand land on my shoulder. He leaned down to whisper, "It has to be them. Don't expect me to stand back during the reunion hug."

"...ridiculous…lous...lous…time…ime…wisely…ly…"

"Sounds like Diluc," I murmured. "A reunion hug might be the last thing on his mind."

Childe hummed. "Kaeya alone would be easy enough to intercept."

"I haven't even talked to him about my feelings yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Shh," I held out a hand and tried to listen harder.

The echoing voices began to overlap, and I couldn't make out any specific words. Their tone was easy enough to catch, though. It didn't take a genius to guess Diluc and Kaeya were in some sort of an argument. At least it didn't seem like a heated one, for now.

"You're telling me that Kaeya has no idea? Diluc and Thoma are confirmed to be potential partners—"

"Less potential, more budding."

"—and I just joined in. Kaeya is the odd one out. The last one standing. The ugly duckling."

"He's not an ugly duckling." I rolled my eyes. "I actually think he's quite—that's beside the point. I just haven't gotten the chance to open up to him about it. I will soon, though. Just don't go preparing yourself for some lovey-dovey nonsense once we meet with them."

Childe laughed, smug. "Kaeya in last place. This is rich."

"There are no places," I snipped. "I like you all equally."

"I'll work on that."

Childe, freshly delighted, continued to murmur to himself over the ordeal. I, mildly exhausted, continued to pat around the tunnel walls. My brows furrowed as I desperately tried to see the red beacon that was Diluc's hair, but there was still no source of light—only the echoing voices that grew louder and louder.

By now, it seemed like I could envision where the rock was without the need for a light, but the faint outline of stone was too defined to be my imagination. There really was something there, up ahead, that lit up the way. My hopes picked up along with my speed, and I instinctively stuck a hand out behind me, reaching for Childe.

"I bet a million Mora this is it," I said excitedly. "Come on."

My hand found his, and a surge of happiness bloomed in my chest. With each step we took together, the tunnel became more visible—not that there was much to see. There was scraggly damp rock on the left and rough wet rock on the right. The ground was comprised of uneven rock with patches of water that gleamed in the faint light. The faint purple light.

The brighter that light became, the wider the tunnel got. Eventually, the walls around us opened up completely after a sharp turn, and we were greeted with plants. Glowing plants illuminated a wide cavern. I remember studying these—The Aster's Sigh. Pouring over my Horticulture notes for hours brought this knowledge to the front of my mind, but the academic in me was quickly pushed aside once I registered what else The Aster's Sighs allowed me to see.

In the far back of the cave, past the shallow layer of water that sunk in the middle, there was a door. "Door" felt like an understatement. This structure was far too grand, reaching the very top of the cavern and glowing a deep, eerie red. It was securely framed by stone pillars. A bold diamond-shaped symbol emitted the red glow and was carved into the very top of the door.

A gate. It looked more like a gate.

A gate to where, though?

"Look who we found." Childe stepped around me and nodded his head towards the gate. "Long time no see."

I had been so wrapped up in the grandeur of the structure, I hadn't noticed the two figures standing directly in front of it. Diluc and Kaeya. I walked towards them, slowly at first, then I couldn't help but speed up. Relived they were alright, I reached up to loop my arms around both of their necks, pulling them to my level and taking a moment to breathe.

"It's good to see you two." I squeezed before finally releasing them and stepping back.

I bumped into Childe, who rested both hands on my shoulders.

"You said there wouldn't be any hugging." He raised a brow, the purple glow glinting off his teasing expression. "I may just have to work harder."

Diluc cleared his throat. He was frowning. "You followed us."

"I told you they would," Kaeya smirked to the side. "Not sure what took so long, though. You couldn't possibly have gotten lost, did you?"

"Great. Where's Thoma?" Diluc rubbed his temple.

"Keeping watch on the outside. He'll also call for help if we don't come back within a reasonable amount of time," I supplied. "He volunteered."

Diluc pressed his lips together before sighing. "Small favors, I suppose. There's no sense in getting upset a second time over being followed. I'm sure you all know my original intention was to test the area for potential danger, yes? And, in the event that there was danger, you then wouldn't be at risk."

"I couldn't let you go off alone," I shrugged. "I mean, you did have Kaeya with you, but I figured that might have created some tension."

Childe crossed his arms beside me. "So much tension, I could cut it with a knife. Here, I have one strapped in my boot."

"That won't be necessary," Diluc grunted. "Though having extra bodies here isn't what I intended, extra minds may work in our favor. I didn't find anything dangerous—yet—but there is this Domain."

"A Domain?" I examined the large gate once more. "I've never seen one in real life before."

Kaeya patted one of the stone pillars. "They're rare, but they're around. To have a Domain located in a hidden cave on this island is quite interesting. We've been trying to figure out a way to unlock this one, but nothing seems to be working."

"That's because you didn't have me." Childe winked and stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Step aside."

He placed his palms flat on the doors of the Domain and gave them a push.

The doors remained shut.

"Maybe it's a pull?" I suggested.

"No handles."

"Can you slide the doors? Maybe lift them?"

Childe gripped the edge where the two doors met and tried that. Next, he attempted to push each door individually from the other end. Not even lifting from the bottom did anything. He stepped away, breathing heavily.

"It's no use." Childe wiped at his forehead. "It's locked."

"Right," Diluc sighed. "That was what I was getting to. Kaeya suspects there may be some type of mechanism to open it, but our search has been fruitless."

I spun around in a slow circle, looking for anything that might stand out. There were no Seelie courts, that's for sure. This cave did feel odd. The unique purple glow of The Aster's Sigh and the Domain's presence made me uneasy.

"There are four of us here now." Kaeya nodded to the Domain. "We should try opening it again, but with all of our strength."

Childe shrugged. "Worth a shot."

Diluc said nothing, only silently bracing his hands against the Domain. Childe and Kaeya lined up next to him, leaving a space for me to stand. My throat suddenly went dry as I looked up at the imposing frame, and I forced my feet to step forward. The red glow grew brighter as I approached, washing away the pretty hues of purple.

I raised my hands to the Domain, and my palms itched before I made contact. Hesitating, I tried to process what was holding me back. The others didn't have a problem with touching this thing, so why was I reacting this way?

"Lumine?" Diluc tilted his head with a frown of concern. "Are you ready?"

I swallowed hard before facing the Domain with a stern look. It was just a door. A gate. Our unit on Domains in History told me that there was nothing to be terribly afraid of. Possible mechanisms, contraptions, monsters, and loot would all be within an enclosed space. Behind this door, a subspace of mystery existed. My brain told me that this party of four would be enough to take on just about anything, but my gut said otherwise.

I forced my hovering hands to make contact with the Domain. Unsurprisingly, a shudder ran through me as I became wrapped up in its energy. I felt the rejection instantly. This Domain did not want us to enter. Ignoring my tingling nerves, I grit my teeth and pushed as hard as I could. My muscles strained with the effort, and it felt like every fiber of my being was put to the test. My energy lessened with each shove. I heard grunts beside me and guessed they were feeling the same. Were we really not strong enough?

Diluc was the first to drop his hands. Kaeya followed quickly after, glaring at the Domain. Despite being slightly scared of it before, I now felt emboldened to see this through. I had to get this door open. Childe kept up next to me, and we continued to force our weight against the Domain.

Nothing.

At last, Childe gave in with one final punch at the Domain and stepped away.

Before I could choose to resign myself, a sharp bolt of pain pinged in my head. I winced back, clutching my temple with one hand and staggering to the side. The pain left as quickly as it had come, but a dull throb lingered as I righted myself.

Childe stretched his arms. "Well, that was a bust."

"There has to be a way to get inside." I tried to focus through the headache. "Are we sure there aren't any mechanisms nearby?"

"The light from these plants is helpful, but they don't reach the entire cave." Kaeya pointed to the ceiling shrouded in darkness. "There could be some sort of puzzle up there for us to solve. It'd be even better if this is the site of the cave mural, but there's nothing we can do about the light situation right now."

I looked up, squinting my eyes to make out something—anything—but it was no use.

Diluc spoke out, "This is fine. We aren't properly prepared for a battle with our lack of weapons, enhancements, and Artifacts. As much as I desire to uncover the mystery of this Domain, it would be best if we came back another time. I can admit to feeling weary after this long day, and I'm sure I'm not the only one."

He was looking at me.

I glanced at the Domain once more, not wanting to leave but also agreeing with Diluc. As my eyes absorbed the red light, another bolt of pain cut through my mind. I grimaced through it.

Diluc's eyes narrowed. "I say we leave now."

"I'll do some more research," Kaeya said, still staring up at the ceiling. "The existence of this Domain didn't show up in any of my notes, so I need to go back and see if I missed something."

"When are we coming back?" I asked.

"To be determined," Diluc declared. "Finals may be weeks away now, but we have to keep our minds sharp and attend to our studies. There's no sense in losing sleep over the fate of Celestia Academy if we're kicked out for poor academic standing."

I frowned. "But the Abyss—"

"Do you have a fever?" Diluc swiftly pulled off his glove and held the back of his hand up to my forehead.

I blinked in surprise at his quick movement. "No."

"You feel unwell." It wasn't a question.

"A bit."

"Don't worry about the Abyss Order. Not until you get some rest—proper rest, this time."

I couldn't argue with him. My headache was getting worse the more I was aware of that Domain.

"Come on, girlie," Childe ruffled my hair. "Let's get out of here before Thoma sounds the alarm."