#faveeee

---

It had been months since you've last heard of your dear Harbinger, no news and lots of rumors that he had perished in battle would flit in and out of your hearing range. You've decided you had enough, and proceed to leave for the city of wisdom instead and maybe distract yourself (who are you even kidding, you want answers and the first place to get them is in the city renowned for wisdom)

You take in the Akasha terminal and go on about your usual routine.

But something is... off.

You wake up, prepare breakfast, Childe comes by and gives you your morning kiss before settling down to eat and talk about your plans for tomorrow. He leaves and you go on about your business and work, the sun sets and he's home once again, greeting you with another kiss. You both skip making dinner and head out to eat at Third Round Knockout before some dumbass makes rude gestures at you and Childe puts him in his place. You were both giggling like lunatics when you head home and sleep soundly in his arms and to the long tune of a beep and--

You wake up, prepare breakfast, Childe comes by and gives you your morning kiss before settling down to eat--

But then your morning was ruined by a giant moth monster clambering your table, ruining the delicacies. You turn to childe only to find him missing as the monster whimpers and beeline for you.

Scared, you run and run and hide from it--

You wake up to a horrible nightmare of something chasing you. You sigh and turn to your side only to find your ginger lover missing.

And then your door is knocked down by the same moth creature--

It whimpers pathetically and you pause your terror and act at the weird noise. You have a feeling you know it, that you shouldn't be scared of it and against your better judgement, you approach it. You see fear and relief in its lone eye as it rubs its head awkwardly and affectionately at your thighs before making a lonely shrill and hugging you.

Its very familiar.

Suddenly you feel it tense and look at your in panic as a loud beep goes over your ears and you swear you could hear it scream your name--

You wake up feeling tired.

---

When Childe had learned of your departure towards Sumeru, he immediately went straight to the city of wisdom to search for you. What he was greeted with was a city in lockdown and the sages apparently doing some shady stuff.

He contacted one of the Harbingers regarding this matter only to receive no answer and a stern "don't interrupt"

So he interrupted.

It took long, long resets before he managed to find your space where you were the host. It didn't help that he had to navigate with his Foul Legacy and a monster in an escapade of dreams just spelled disaster. The few times he had reached you, he was immediately seen with terror and confusion.

You don't know that you are in a dream.

But Childe wouldn't give up, even if he had to keep reminding you slowly, if he had to beg just for you to look at him, he would do it.

Afterall, how long had you waited for him? He thinks that in comparison, this little loop is nothing to your patience with his own.

OHOHOHOHOOH THIS IS ABSOLUTELY *CHEF'S KISS* SCRUMPTIOUS THANK YOU ANON <333

you wake up feeling tired.

in the past it'd be hardly unusual, but ever since you began sleeping next to Childe your sleep has been deep and restful, wrapped in your lover's embrace, so to wake up with an air of exhaustion hanging over your head makes you blink in confusion. you shake your head, slightly dazed. it's nothing, today will be a normal day aside from the tiredness, you're sure.

but you're not sure. something feels off. although Childe is by your side, he's strangely wooden and flat, eyes even more dull than usual. he does nothing unless you tug him along, trailing behind you, his hand cold in your own grip, and when you ask him to give you a moment alone he simply nods and walks away.

the word "lifeless" crosses your mind, and you shiver, rubbing your eyes tiredly. something- a dream, or perhaps a memory- pulls at the corners of your mind as you slump onto a bench, massaging your temples and wincing when pain sparks through your head.

you're... so tired, so tempted to just lay down and fall asleep on this uncomfortable bench, but you're yanked out of your stupor when you hear a very strange, very familiar chirping sound and an enormous moth-like monster emerges from the city and darts towards you. it slows when approaching, holding its claws up like it wants to hold and reassure and comfort you, shield you from the world. but it doesn't touch you, keeping a fair distance while looking at you with a shining, pleading eye, the color of the deepest sea.

your body yells to run, but your mind tells you to stay, and on a whim you extend a hand and brush the creature's palm with your fingers. the relief in the croon it emits makes your heart ache as it wraps your hand in its own, holding you like you're something delicate and precious.

tentatively you ruffle the monster's ginger hair and it weeps, leaning into your touch like a lifeline. you sweep aside a single lock of white amongst the copper, and something sparks and clears the miasma in your brain.

"...Childe?" it's near-silent, the way you say his name, and full of hope that's just waiting to be dashed to the ground, and when he nods and kneels to meet your height so you can properly hug him you feel like crying, too.

your fingers are gently ghosting over his mask-like face when you hear a beep, too close to your ears, and Childe screeches and desperately wraps you up in his arms-