·he knows well the ache of being separated from one’s family, but to not know where they are … that is something that would drive childe far more mad than any of the lengths his battle lust can take him. while he can imagine the emptiness, this is never something that he can entirely know. his siblings are safe. that is something he’s made sure of.
· · · ·a soft exhale escapes through his nose and, for a moment, childe is bewildered by the way they are now. these very same hands that would, by all means, work to claim victory againist the outlander now make an attempt at providing her with comfort. at the risk of allowing for the perpetuation of the age - old lamentation of one with unclean hands, childe knows that the line he walks is a thin one, between weapon and protector. today, he is an ally simply due to his detestation for the other harbingers. tomorrow, he could be lumine’s enemy once more, a purveyor of the tsaritsa’s will.
· · · ·“ wherever he is, if he’s looking up at the sky, he’ll be seeing the same stars. i can at least promise you that. one day, they’ll lead you back to him. ”
·A· brief· pause· settled· ·in· ·the· ·air· ·from· ·both· · of· ·them ,· ·giving· ·lumine· ·a· · sour· ·taste· towards· · her· ·earlier· ·judgement.· · Of· ·course,· ·Childe· · would· ·not· · want· · to· ·say· · anything· ·to· ·comfort· ·her· · ---· ·A· ·single· · portion· · of· · her· ·past· ·;· ·her· ·life· ·stories· ·is· · already· · a· · ·dangerous· ·zone· · for· ·him· ·to· ·get· · involve· ·to .· · There· ·shouldn’t· · be· ·any· ·kind· · of· · familiar· · connection· · that· · ties· · them· · ·together· · other· · than· · being· a· nemesis· ·to· ·each· · other ,· ·anything· · beyond· ·that· ·is· off· ·limits· ·&· Lumine· ·knew· ·that;· ·she· ·was· ·such· ·a· ·fool· · to· ·show· ·weakness· from· ·someone· ·who· ·can· use· ·that· ·as· ·advantage· ·later· ·on.· · · ·Her· ·hands· ·slowly· ·moved· ·away· ·from· ·his· ·back· · to· ·retreat· ( she· ·must· ·stop· relaying· into· him· much· further )· ,· ·breaking· · the· ·embrace· ·that· ·oddly· ·comforted· ·her· ·but· then· ·she· ·hesitated· ,· ·her· hands· halted· ....
· ··“· .....· What ?·“
Her· head· ·tilted· ·up· ·to· gaze· ·at· ·him ;· ·eyes· ·widening· ·a· ·bit· ·from· ·the· ·choice· · of· ·words· ·he· · had· · spoken· &&· for· · a· ·moment· · she· ·thought· ·this· · person· ·in· front· ·of· ·her· ·was· ·not· · the· · 11th· · harbinger· ·of· ·fatui ;· · not· · the· ·duel· ·crazed· &· feared· ·tartaglia· ·but· · instead· ·he· ·was· ·just· · an· ·older· ·brother· ,· · a· ·sibling· ,· ·a· person· ·who· he· · said· ·was· ·long· · gone .·‘ Ajax...’· ·(· So· ·he· ·was· ·still· ·in· ·there )· ·Lumine· · just· ·stared· ·at· ·him· ·with· ·awe· · &&· ·somewhat· affectionate· ·gaze.· · · Before· ·looking· ·away· · ·her· ·heels· ·tilting· quickly· ·for· ·her· ·to· stand· on· ·her· ·toe ;· ·intentionally· &· playfully· ·letting· ·her· · head· · hit· ·his· · chin· ··&&· ·fully· ·escaping· · away· · from· ·their· ·embrace.· · A· ·small· ·smile· ·graced· ·on· · her· · ·lips.
· · “· I· ·never· ·knew· ·you· can· ·speak· · words· · other· ·than· ·‘ let’s· ·fight· ·&· ·for· tsaritsa ’, childe.· “· Lumine· playfully· ·remarked· towards· ·him· ·before· ·looking· away.· ·“ but... thanks...· your· ·words,· ·greatly· ·helped· ·me,· ·i· · appreciate· ·it· more· ·than· ·anything....·“