Lexi’s Fanplace

On the one hand, I think she’d be happiest with Xiao. Like in an ideal world, she can spend her days at Wangshu Inn with him and he’s a steady presence and very reliable. I think there’s a lot of peace here. It just doesn’t feel realistic, he never leaves Liyue. I also think Lumine is too adventurous for that life.

However, Childe and her have so much chemistry that I think this is a much more exciting ship? I think of that bad boy in high school you like but definitely shouldn’t 🤣 Even if Lumine settled down with someone else (like Xiao), there would forever be this reminiscence of a more reckless past love. He would definitely linger in the back of her mind. But they are ultimately the least compatible, I mean morally they are on two completely different wavelengths and serving two different ideals. Until that changes (Shneznaya???) these two are doomed to me. But I still LOVE it and all the angst makes it better 😭

Wanderer kind of has the best of both worlds. There’s definitely exciting tension there but he isn’t tied down to any one nation and can be more of a companion. The truth is, with this ship…I just feel like he loves her 10x more than she loves him 😬

That sounds so mean, but think about it. She gave him forgiveness and literally a second chance at life. And he’s definitely making up for his past, but I’m not sure they have reached a point where she’d be as indebted and grateful to him as he might feel towards her. I almost feel like the way other characters have also saved her and stepped up for her makes his efforts slightly.. in vain? That being said, I love this ship and I think it’s the most likely to work out…even if she isn’t as in love. Ouch.

There’s also other cool ships though. Like I don’t give Kinich much of a chance because I like him and Mualani so much, but he’s got potential. 90% of the reason I don’t ship other people with traveler is because I ship them more with someone else IF it makes sense in the lore (that’s always my big thing). Potential next post can be my headcanons for those ships 👀 since I am feeling extra chatty about this

(Also forgot to mention I’ve been very into Lohen lately and vibing with the idea of him and Lumine getting close and her later finding out he’s a Dottore clone gone wrong? NOT that he’s bad, I almost like the idea of him not realizing some of his DNA is shared with him and making his own righteous path. And the traveler deciding whether to leave no trace of Dottore behind, or letting him choose his own fate.

Liyue

Like many people, I headcanon that Childe not only tricked Lumine into friendship but into an actual romantic relationship prior to the golden house fight. (Because of when I started playing, the lantern rite was happening around this time) I also headcanon that Lumine initially met and became closely acquainted to Xiao simultaneously during lantern rite. If people remember the first Lantern Rite, Xiao does not take the traveler up on watching the lanterns with her. So to me, it created the perfect scenario for Childe to swoop in to have a romantic lantern rite date as Xiao attempted to create distance due to his karmic debt. Xiao’s iconic save the day moment where he catches Lumine, followed by his story quest, is while Lumine heals from the betrayal and is opening herself up to Xiao instead.

On that note, I also headcanon that Xiao cannot contractually leave Liyue (not counting the chasm) and due to his deep respect for Rex Lapis, he honors his obligation despite the end of all contracts. (I created a whole plot line in my mind that Xiao breaks this rule to save Lumine one time, arguing that his duty to Liyue extends to protecting one of its greatest heroes. But that’s too long to explain here)

Long story short, he can’t really travel with the traveler which leaves their relationship very open ended, despite both of them professing their love. To Xiao, she is like a bird he has to set free and wasn’t supposed to have to begin with.

Inazuma

Okay this is a weird one. By this point Childe’s story quest is done and they’ve somewhat reconciled. But I headcanon that Childe at first is a part of the Inazuma archon quest up until we flee to Watatsumi to fight alongside Kokomi. I also headcanon that he offers to go with her by boat, but Lumine, still distrusting his motives, tricks him with a kiss (very Jack sparrow and Elizabeth inspired if I’m being honest) and uses her anemo powers to blast her little boat away from shore before he can join. Dejected, he doesn’t follow, but eventually forgives her for it and understands why it was a conflict of interest.

Fontaine

Obviously all the canon quests and events resolve the betrayal between Childe and Lumine by the time we’re in Fontaine. But I do headcanon that the night before Childe’s arrest, Lumine has trouble sleeping and decides to take Childe up on a secret late night walk in Fontaine. He shows her the Icewind Suite Mecca with the intention of them partnering to fight it the next morning, but they dance along side them in a super bittersweet romantic way at night. The next morning Lumine is excited to spend more time with Childe, but he’s arrested and they are obviously separated until he is seen fighting the narwhal.

Nod Krai

Alright here’s where things take a turn. Canonically, we haven’t seen Childe since Fontaine. Only brief mentions of him and letters. I headcanon that the Tsaritsa purposefully avoids assigning him closely to her right now because of his obvious attachment. Because of this, Lumine has for the most part remained alone for all other nation and archon quests, and in her heart desires for a world where she can settle down in Liyue to be with Xiao again (cue romantic lantern rite moments). (I do also headcanon that a lot of other people like her since she’s so famous, so there flirtatious moments here and there)

Lumine is pretty resolved that she’s meant to be alone at this point though, and the first time in a while that Lumine starts to be uncomfortable with her own feelings is when Wanderer saves her in Nod Krai. Remember, at this point they’ve had plenty of run ins and limited events together. So by the time he saves her from Dottore, I headcanon that he essentially (begrudgingly) admits to having some sort of feelings for her, and attempts to not make it a big deal and says a lot of nonchalant crap like “puppets don’t even have a heart, so it’s okay. You don’t have to say anything back” Lumine doesn’t return his feelings right away but by the time he offers his core to Sandrone she’s feeling conflicted and in denial.

Sumeru 2.0

This is where things start to actually take off between Wanderer and Lumine. I headcanon a lot of awkwardness and avoidance at first, accumulating into a pretty intense conversation in the Mausoleaum of King Deshret before the big battle with Dottore (the convo is sparked by Wanderer chatting it up with that Npc Hapaysia I think?) Lumine then assumes and asks Wanderer if he’s since gotten over his feelings, and he gets a bit defensive and doubles down that he’s in fact not over it. Lumine deflects and gives 100 reasons she’s not a good person for him and how the timing is not appropriate (they are literally at war) but she avoids Wanderers question of if she actually reciprocates. He asks her and instead of saying yes or no, she almost implies that she’s still not over his past. This leaves him noticeably hurt before the big fight.

Obviously the fight ensues, Wanderer is heroic af. They reconcile and Lumine apologizes for bringing up his past. They almoooost part ways but thanks to a certain Dendro Archon giving Wanderer a push, I headcanon that he kisses her. Lumine accepts that she actually has feelings for him, and he joins the group on the trip to Mondstat.

Now

For example, when traveler is in Liyue I can see them finding peace with Xiao, in their second nation, away from the comfort of Mondstat and close to someone who knows what it’s like to be alone. But Xiao is duty bound to Liyue, he’s like a waypoint the traveler can come back to for safety and guidance.

With Childe, there’s passion. There’s previous history and betrayed friendship in Liyue, that can ultimately lead to forgiveness and romantic tension once we’re in Fontaine and literally going to prison just to find him. But he’s still Fatuii and ultimately obligated to serve the Tsaritsa.

Now with Wanderer, I see the traveler gravitating towards partnership. Both Childe and Xiao have prior obligation and duties to their nations. Wanderer is the first character we see get close to the traveler and isn’t tied down. He makes up for his previous identity by showing up as an equal and partner. And it’s easy to see why Traveler could forgive his mistakes because they were capable of doing so with Childe, but there’s still the tension of former ties with the oncoming trip into Shneznaya. Not to mention, it’s hard to see Wanderer willingly returning to a place ridden with his past identity and going with the traveler to that nation.