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She kept getting back up.
No matter how many times Childe struck her down, or how hard he hit, the traveler, Lumine, kept getting back up.
“Haven’t you had enough?” Childe taunted, frustration growing as he watched Lumine barely hold herself together, and yet, she remained there across the field standing, a sword with one hand. They’ve been fighting for what feels like hours, both ragged and run-down, Childe’s own mask broken, split in half.
And yet they were still here.
He wouldn’t mind this stubborn side of her, in fact, he always found it endearing the way she puffed and refused his help yet still lingered around his presence.
It was so infuriating. The way she kept standing in the way, determined to stop him by all means even when she’s been thrown to the ground over and over again.
But what Childe found the most infuriating was her eyes. In contrast to his ocean eyes that resemble the dark depths, Lumine’s eyes were beautiful. They were the light that glowed in the darkest of moments. They were always shining through her emotions, something Childe got to see during their times together in Liyue.
Getting lost in her eyes, a luxury Childe knew had no more rights to.
And yet, he stared.
He stared into those beautiful eyes of hers because he wanted to find something, anything, to stop the disgusting guilt from building up in his throat.
He expected anger, betrayal. Childe was waiting for the moment to feel the intense hatred glow of Lumine’s eyes on him the moment he revealed himself.
He doesn’t see that in Lumine. What he sees is hurt and immense sadness. And Childe hated the fact he wanted to do nothing more than to wipe that sadness from her face. To go back to when he could tease her with jests and flourish when she blushed.
Stop looking at me like that, Childe gritted his teeth as he charged towards Lumine, the sound of their weapons clashing echoing in the chamber, a sound that grew duller and duller in Childe’s ears. Stop looking at me with that expression, he swiped at her, once, twice. Over and over again. She managed to barely dodge each time, but Childe knew that her stamina was low. It was only a matter of time where he would knock her down to the ground again.
And the cycle will continue.
Stop it.
With each step he got closer to Lumine, it felt like a thousand needles going through his feet. He found himself dragging his feet towards her as if there’s a chain ball attached to his ankle slowing him down with every step.
Stop getting up.
Childe swung his weapon at her again, this time giving her no window of opportunity to block his attack. The weight of his weapon grew heavier and heavier in his hands with every swing he dealt with.
Stop fighting me.
Lumine cried out in pain, and her cries went directly to his chest. He hates it. He hates it so much knowing that it was him that was doing this to her. Please. Please, if she only gave up, if she stopped and surrendered.
Please.
“Come on now, don’t tell me you’re going easy on me!” He jabbed, in hopes to rile her up, to give her the strength to finally end this once and for all. Because Childe couldn’t kill her. No, not Lumine. Not her, never her. If this battle had to end, he would want it with Lumine dealing the final blow.
“C-Childe…” Lumine’s voice cracked calling out his name. Don’t say my name like that, he bit his inner cheek, forcing himself to look as cold as possible when their eyes met. She used her sword to help her stand, her body weak yet she kept trying to reach for him. He can see it clearly, pleading in her golden eyes. Pleading, but pleading for what?
“Don’t look at me like that,” Childe didn’t know if his hands were shaking from anger over the fact she would not give up, or the fact he could feel his own exhaustion sapping the fight out of him. “You think you can show your pretty face and it’ll change everything?” Childe’s hollowed laugh echoed through the chamber.
He was tired. Tired of fighting her. Tired of pretending to continue this villainous act. Tired of resisting every urge to just wrap his arms around Lumine, to tell her it’s alright now because he knows it’s not. Not anymore.
Mustering all her strength, Lumine charged something that took Childe off guard. Her smaller body collided with his, causing them both to fall to the ground.
Ah, this is it, Childe couldn’t help but think of the bittersweetness of it all. He stared into Lumine’s eyes, all watery and sad.
Even in his current position, Childe still found her eyes beautiful.
Lumine sat on top of him, her hands shaking so violently that Childe wanted nothing more than to hold and steady them. So he does, he reached out gently to her hands that held a sword to his chest. “Come on Lumine,” He said her name in such tenderness that made her shoulders shake. “You can end this once and for all.”
Childe doesn’t know if the wetness on his face was from the tears falling from Lumine’s eyes or his own.
Childe sees Lumine raise her sword and he closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain that he’ll feel once she plunged that sword in his chest. Will his death make up for the pain he inflicted on her? He doubted. But at least I won’t be able to hurt her anymore.
A beat, a moment.
“No,”
The sword never came down. Childe’s eyes open when he heard the soft ‘clang’ of metal being dropped to the ground. He sat up slightly, looking at Lumine, confused. Whatever energy he had, any amount of fight that he had, all of it left when he heard the choked sobs from her, the most emotional Childe has ever seen Lumine act around him.
“I-I can’t,” Lumine cried, as if Childe wasn’t her enemy right now, as if he hadn’t betrayed her in the worst way possible. Childe stunned, doesn’t even react when she wrapped her arms around his head, bringing him in closer to her. “I can’t,” She repeated, “I won’t.”
Ah, that’s not fair, Childe’s eyes water feeling the warmth of her embrace. Something also warm blossomed in his chest, it feels like hope.
He didn’t want to fight anymore. Childe could tell that Lumine didn’t want to either.
And he was more than fine with that.
He lifted his hand, threading his fingers through her hair, his other arm wrapping around her shoulders bringing them closer. All tension in both their bodies left and he breathed, “Ok,” Childe buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in. “That’s ok.”
“We’ll be ok.”