marmoris | 💧 inbox

I'm just a pretty capable chef, if I may say so myself. I have to be, with all my siblings.

That shouldn't be surprising, I guess. I had to learn, too, for as often as I'm traveling.

[ he's a regular malewife. ]

[ And she's a regular wifewife. ]

Haha, Paimon has quite the bottomless stomach, doesn't she? And I'm sure you had other companions to feed.

[ There's still so much he doesn't know about her travels...so much he would like to know.

Tossing the blobfish into his bucket, he casts his line out again, intent on catching at least a few more fish to fry up while the sun is still high in the sky. ]

She does. And I have to eat a good amount to keep up my strength.

[ being so active certainly works up an appetite! but lumine soon follows suit, casting her line back into the waters again. this was a good idea. it's nice. peaceful. ]

I'm sure your little siblings are big mouths to feed, too.

[ growing kids, after all! ]

Oh, they're voracious. Teucer might look tiny, but he can finish a whole pot of borscht if you don't keep an eye on him.

[ she laughs, light and easy. ]

I can believe that.

And then there's the messes to clean up, the clothes to patch...fortunately Tonia is old enough now to manage most of that while I'm away, but for awhile, it fell to me while our parents were out working.

[ It's...nice, to talk about home, about family, while fishing, something that makes him feel closer to home, and with someone who also makes him feel closer to home. ]

That's good. I'm sure they miss you while you're gone.

[ it is nice, even if teyvat isn't her home. even if her only home is far, far out of reach. ]

And I miss them, too. I'm just grateful my work gives me plenty of opportunities to see them.

[ A beat, as he watches his line quiver, and the rays of the sun bounce off the water. ]

By the way, I've been meaning to ask...have you made any more progress in finding your brother?

[ lumine's expression falls, her eyes dropping to her hands, holding the pole steady. it's like a barb in her heart. she thinks of the chasm, of what she saw there in its depths, and one hand instinctively lifts to the flowers in her hair - only to find emptiness. ]

.. no, I haven't. Not really.

[ He knew it would be a sensitive question, one she may not like to answer, but...he wants to know. Their bonds with their siblings is something they both understand well about one another, something that unites them despite their incongruous allegiances. They would do anything for family.

So knowing that, and that she still hasn't found anything else...

He frowns. ]

I'm sorry to hear that. [ ... ] "Not really"?

[ she knows full well that he's being genuine - for all childe plays around, he's absolutely devoted to his family, so she knows that he of all people can understand. no doubt if anything happened to one of his family members, he would become absolutely unhinged. ]

Well.. I know he's likely still on Teyvat. But he doesn't want to be with me.

[ it hurts just to say those words. lumine never thought she would see the day that she would ever say them. ]

He...what?

[ For all it's said softly, it's said with utter disbelief. How could her brother not want to be by her side? It didn't take Childe long at all to discern just how much Lumine cares for her brother, and he can only assume her brother loves her just as much in return. How could he not? How could he stay away, as strong and fearless and clever as she is?

But disbelief quickly grows into anger, like smoldering flames in his gut, his gaze narrowing. She's in so much pain, because of someone she loves. Someone who is supposed to be there for her. Family sticks together. They watch each other's backs. No one gets left behind.

He hasn't realized how tight his fist is clenched at his side. ]

[ she understands how it sounds, and despite everything, she wants to defend aether. he rejected her completely, he turned his back on her to walk through that portal, but she loved him enough to chase him, she loves him enough to want to take his side no matter what. ]

I-it's..

[ she's not accustomed to that tone of voice coming from childe, of all people, and when she flicks her gaze briefly toward him, he looks so tense. she's never seen him look this way before. ]

He just.. he has - he has other things he wants to do. I'm sure.. he'll change his mind eventually.

[ hot tears prick the corners of her eyes, but she blinks them away rapidly. it's still so difficult to talk about him. ]

[ Other things. Other things besides being with his sister. Childe tries to imagine it, circumstances where he wouldn't want to see his siblings, where he would want to keep distance between himself and his family, but he just...can't. Maybe if it were to keep them safe, but he himself is the most capable of keeping them safe. If Aether is anything like his sister, then he should have no trouble keeping the both of them safe, even if Lumine hardly needs protecting.

Her brother would know that.

He has to swallow it down, that simmering anger that someone she cares about so much would treat her like that, that family would treat her like that. He doesn't want to upset her further, even if the way she blinks her eyes has his chest tightening with a fiercely protective instinct. People don't hurt his comrades and get away with it. ]

If he has any idea how much you care about him, then I'm sure he will.

[ He'd be an utter fool otherwise, and will have the ire of one of the Harbingers to deal with as well. ]

But he's not your only family now, is he? You have Paimon, and all the people you've met during your travels. People whose lives wouldn't be the same without you in it. That won't change the fact that you miss him, but you're not alone, comrade.

[ the last thing she wants to do is cry, but childe's words are so.. kind, so gentle - her vision blurs, and she swipes at her eyes with one hand, inhaling sharply. ]

I know. You're right.

[ losing aether may be the single most painful thing that she has experienced, and she will do everything in her power to return to his side, but even lumine has to admit that what has come of it is extraordinary. she has never before bothered to grow close with the peoples she visited, to make friends with other-worlders - there was no reason, not when she had her brother, not when their stay was only temporary.

but things have changed. that foul goddess clipped her wings and teyvat has become her new home despite it all. teyvat, and paimon, and the people of the world.

overcome, lumine closes her eyes and briefly allows her head to come to rest on his shoulder. he's a better man than she ever gave him credit for, in some ways. but then she learned that on the day she met teucer. ]

.. thank you.

[ He likes to think his words will help, but Lumine can be so hard to read sometimes that he isn't sure whether he's done more harm than good until she responds. Maybe he's getting better at understanding her, at seeing what she doesn't show so easily.

And then she leans against him, just enough that her hair falls over his shoulder, his stomach fluttering in a way that both excites and unnerves him. ]

Don't mention it. I just couldn't stand to see you cry.

[ Exhaling, he leans his head down so his cheek rests just on top of her hair. He isn't thinking. It's just...nice to be close to her like this. ]

[ couldn't stand to see her cry - and yet it was his kindness that ultimately brought the tears. funny, how man meets destiny on his road to avoid it.

but she does not weep openly. with her eyes closed, she can better hold them back, and as his head comes to rest against her own, she feels.. comforted. secure. he smells nice, familiar for how often they have been in close quarters, and she finds, with surprise, that he feels something like home. a similar feeling she has when she's with aether.

and for now, lumine is silent, allowing the salty sea breeze to caress her flushed face, her body beside him relaxing. ]

[ Peaceful moments are few and far between in the life he leads, and most of them do involve the sea and a fishing pole. Most of them don't involve another person - at least, not like this. Not leaning into someone who can take him down in a fight, who foiled his plans at every turn, someone who continues to challenge him and draw him in. They should be bitter enemies, and yet -

He exhales a long, slow breath, his free hand lifting so he can wind his arm around her, hand resting on her shoulder.

What a strange path theirs has been, but this feels right. At least...it does to him. Maybe he shouldn't -

Before he can decide one way or another, his fishing line gives a little tug. ]

Oh! A bite!

[ He grabs his pole! Minigame time again. ]

[ his arm coils around her, and without thought lumine finds that she is sinking into him effortlessly, her body heavy, as if a great weight has been lifted. when was the last time she allowed herself physical comfort? not since before arriving in teyvat, surely. and with childe of all people -

but then the moment is broken by the tug of a fishing line, and lumine is quick to straighten up, her soft edges gone again. it was nice while it lasted. ]

Don't let it get away!

[ He won't, though he needs both hands for the pole, and he gets to his feet for better leverage. ]

It's a big one!

[ One of those really annoying ones to catch where the marker thingy is really small and keeps wiggling back and forth!!! Man, I hate fishing minigames.

A moment later, though, he emerges triumphant, hauling up this. ]

[ uwu childe it's so big

even though she doesn't have to, lumine gets to her feet also because it seems like the right thing to do in the moment, and also because it's easier to cheer him on that way. ]

Wow! It is big. And terrifying. Aren't there any.. non-horrific fish in these waters?

If our haul so far is anything to go off of...that'd be a no.

[ Out comes another water blade so he can slash the fish. It immediately stops wriggling. ]

These should be enough to feed us and then some. That is, assuming they're actually edible. Only one way to find out!

That sounds perfect. I've certainly worked up an appetite.

[ between the fishing, and the unexpected feelings jam.. she could use some food. carefully, she begins reeling in her line, before setting the pole over her shoulder and lifting her bucket. ]

[ He does the same, collecting his things and picking up his bucket to start back towards the beach. ]

What do you say we do this the good, old-fashioned way and cook them up over a campfire? It'd almost be like we're real adventuring partners.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject