this is in response to a [request] by @tiny-daisy where Lumine gets sick and Childe and co. have to take care of her!
reverse [campfire in the snow] fic :p (SICKFIC!!!)
i wanted to write this as taking place after [family holiday] so pls read that first! ;_;
thanks for all the lovely responses <3
… … … … … … … …
“fever dreams” (family holiday pt. 3)
When Lumine woke up, her entire body ached. Why…? She sat up in bed, her head suddenly reeling. Placing a hand on her forehead to steady herself, she felt it burn under her touch. Sweat plastered her hair onto her face.
Oh no…
Sickness wasn’t something Lumine experienced often. Being otherworldly entities and travelling excessively, she and Aether rarely came down with illnesses.
I think I’ve been in Teyvat way too long. She and Aether had never stayed on a world for this long. I guess my body finally caught up to me…
She looked around the room for something, anything, to alleviate the pressure building in her head. The curtains were drawn, only letting in a sliver of daylight. She was in Childe’s room; she had taken to crawling into bed with him at night for warmth, and falling asleep in his welcome arms. The Harbinger was currently nowhere to be seen.
She tried crawling out of bed, but the moment she stood, the room spun, and she found herself collapsed on the floor with a loud THUD. There was a pattering of footsteps coming towards her.
Anthon opened the door. “I heard something fall—” He looked down to see Lumine, and his eyes widened. “Teucer! Tonia! Go get big brother, NOW!” he shouted down the hallway through the open door. He rushed to Lumine’s side. “What’s wrong?!”
Lumine let out a haggard breath. “I-I think I’m sick,” she croaked. Teucer and Tonia crowded into the room.
“Lumine!” they cried. All three children huddled around the sick traveler, attempting to help pick her up. Anthon shooed them away, and they dashed out of the room shouting for Childe.
“You guys shouldn’t get so close,” she said. “I don’t want you guys to get sick too.”
“But you need help!”
If they get sick…their time together will be ruined… “It-it’s okay. I can take care of myself…”
They heard another wave of rumbling footsteps and Childe appeared in the doorway, obviously winded. “What-what’s going on?” His eyes fell on Lumine’s slumped figure on the floor and immediately rushed to her side, nearly knocking Anthon over. “Lumine, what’s wrong?” he asked, voice rushed with worry—the most worry Lumine had ever heard from him.
“She’s sick!” Anthon answered.
“Sick?!” Tonia and Teucer exclaimed from the doorway.
“I thought she was invisible!” Teucer said.
“Invincible,” both Tonia and Anthon corrected.
Childe slipped off one of his gloves, placing his hand gently on her forehead. His fingers were ice cold compared to her burning head, and Lumine also let out a heavy sigh of relief. “You’re definitely sick,” he murmured. He picked her up off the ground—bridal style—and carried her back to bed.
As he was adjusting the pillows and blankets around her, Tonia scooted close. “Are you going to be okay, Lumine?” Her large blue eyes were full of worry.
Lumine looked at the children, all their eyes glistening. I’m upsetting all of the children… She gave them all a weak smile. “I’ll be okay…” She raised her arm like she was showing off her muscles. “Just watch, I’ll be up and ready to run around in no time!”
Childe crossed his arms. “Absolutely not. You are not leaving this room until you are fully recovered.” His expression was dark; it almost scared her. “Anthon, go help your brother and sister make some tea for Lumine.” Anthon nodded, and herded Tonia and Teucer out of the room.
Lumine let out a sigh, deflating fully now that the children were gone. “I’m sorry for ruining your time with your family…,” she whispered. “Spend time with them. I can get over this on my own.”
His jaw relaxed and he sighed as well. “I’m not going to leave you when you need help.” He sat on the edge of the bed, and brushed some of the hair away from her face. “Try to relax; we’ll take care of you.”
“No—”
He held up a hand to stop her. “‘No’ is not an answer. I can’t have you dying before our next duel, now can I?”
She playfully scoffed. “I bet I could still bet you, even like this.”
“I wouldn’t fight you like this,” he said. He brought his face close to hers. “I’m not a fan of unfair fights.”
Lumine put her hands on his chest, attempting to push him away. “Stay away. You’re going to get sick too.”
He easily took her hands into his own. “I promise, I won’t.” He pressed his lips to her fingers. “So let me take care of you.”
It was hard to let outsiders into her life. The only person she could be vulnerable around was Aether, and now, he was gone.
But here was Childe, slowly making his way into her heart.
Would it be so bad to let him in?
She looked into his eyes: eyes that were soft, focused only on her. Lumine let herself relax into the pillows, and Childe smiled.
“Thank you,” he whispered, before kissing her forehead.
“I should be the one thanking you,” she muttered.
“Ahem.” Anthon cleared his throat. His cheeks were red (From watching us, no doubt, Lumine thought) and he was holding a steaming cup. Tonia soon joined him with a large bowl, and Teucer held a handful of towels.
“I brought ice water!” Tonia announced.
“And I have towels for your head, Lumine!” Teucer said.
“You guys did that all by yourselves?” Childe asked.
“Of course!” Tonia answered, going to the bedside table and putting down the bowl. “We remember all the times you’ve taken care of us when we were sick, brother!”
Anthon set down his cup as well. “Here is some herbal tea. It might be bitter. But brother said the more bitter, the more healthy.”
Teucer hopped over, jumping onto the bed between Childe and Lumine, and proudly showing the towels to her. “You just put these in the water, and then on your head, and your head will feel good!”
Lumine chuckled. “Okay, thank you, Anthon, Tonia, Teucer.”
“Why are you sick, Lumine?” Teucer asked.
Tonia raised her hand. “I think I know! It was probably because we were playing outside too long yesterday!”
Anthon nodded. “And probably because we had that massive snowball fight…”
“Yes, of course,” Chlide agreed. “And poor Lumine isn’t accustomed to our Snezhnayan weather yet.”
Teucer laid down, hugging Lumine through the blanket. “I hope you get better soon,” he said sadly. “Then we can play more!”
She patted his head hazily. “Of course.” Her eyelids were fluttering, getting heavier with sleep.
“Okay, everyone. Time to leave Lumine so she can rest. That means no bothering her throughout the day, okay?” Childe said sternly.
Teucer slid off the bed, rejoining Anthon and Tonia. The three children let out a resounding ‘Aww,’ then left.
Childe dipped a towel into the ice water, wringing it out, then placing it on Lumine’s forehead. She sighed feeling its cool touch.
“Sleep,” he told her. “I’ll be right here.”
She nodded, already closing her eyes, and quickly drifting into a slumber.
… … … … … … … … … … .
Flying.
Lumine was flying again, no glider necessary.
She laughed joyfully. She had missed this feeling: this feeling of freedom and endless possibilities.
Ahead, she saw Aether. She couldn’t believe it. She called out for her brother.
It had been too long! She would finally be reunited with him!
He turned.
And Lumine screamed.
His face wasn’t there. Instead it was a dark mass—the Unknown God’s magic. The mass grew, overtaking Aether’s body.
“NO!” she screamed, trying to fly as fast as she could to get to him. “I won’t let you disappear! Not again!”
She was almost there. Her hand was outstretched, her fingertips almost brushing him.
The dark mass completely took over Aether’s body. Then, it all disappeared in a blink.
Tears flooded her eyes. “No…”
Lumine started falling, her wings gone.
“AETHER!”
… … … … … … … … … …
Lumine sat straight up in bed, breathing heavily. Her heart pounded, loud and fast enough that her ears drummed as well. Her hands went to her eyes, where she wiped away the tears pooling in them.
“Bad dream?”
Childe was sitting in an armchair opposite the bed. Lumine could see that it was dark out now, with the crack in the curtain. The fireplace next to him was lit, casting a dim, fiery glow across the room.
Lumine caught her breath. “I—.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes.”
He regarded her curiously, an underlying…darkness in his eyes again. He stood up, and went to take the towel off of her forehead before checking her temperature. “I think your fever is gone.”
“Good,” she said, relieved. “I do feel a lot better.” Minus that fever dream…
He nodded silently. He paused for a second. Then—
“Who’s Aether?”
Lumine froze. Damn it. She must’ve called out for him in her sleep.
She hadn’t told Childe about the real reason she was in Teyvat; nothing about her brother had been said, nor anything about who she really was. There was no telling how people would react, especially someone as unpredictable as the Eleventh Harbinger.
“Aether,” Childe said again, in her silence. “You yelled their name.”
Lumine looked at the fireplace. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She saw Childe’s jaw flex. “You know, as someone who works for the Fatui, I have an easy time telling when someone lies.” His eyes flickered to her, and she felt her blood go ice cold. “But I guess you still don’t trust me.”
“No, that’s not—”
“It’s okay, I understand, really I do,” he said. His expression became something sadder—softer. “I just thought…I just…Nevermind.” He turned, walking towards the door. “Get some rest.”
No! Lumine wanted to trust him.
She was just…afraid.
But what was more frightening was the fact that she was, yet again, losing someone close to her.
She stood up quickly out of bed, trying to stop him from leaving. “Childe—”
Her vision came crashing in on itself, and she started to fall, dizzy, and still sick.
In a heartbeat, Childe was back at her side, catching her before she collapsed. “Careful! You’re—”
Lumine wrapped her arms tightly around him. “He’s my brother,” she whispered. The tears came back into her eyes, trailing down onto Childe’s shoulder. “Aether is my brother. Someone took him.” Her voice cracked. “I need to get him back.”
There was a brief moment where Childe was completely still under Lumine’s embrace. Then, he hugged her back, just as tightly—if not even tighter.
“You didn’t have to tell me,” he said quietly. “But…thank you for trusting me.”
She pulled back from the hug, and gave him a look of gratitude. He gave her a small smile, and wiped away her tears. “We’ll find your brother. Together.”
Together…I like the sound of that…
Lumine leaned forward and kissed Childe; he joyfully kissed her back.
After a while, he pulled back. “As much as I enjoy this, you should be in bed, resting.”
Lumine pouted slightly. “Fine.” She started to get up on her own, but Chlide quickly swept her into a bridal carry once again. He put her gently back on the bed, helping her fix the pillows and blankets. He turned back to the armchair.
“Wait,” Lumine said, her face filling with heat. Not sickness. Embarrassment. “Can you—Will you—ah—”
Childe raised a brow, the corner of his mouth smirking. “Stay with you?”
Lumine only nodded once, hoping to curb her embarrassment. The previous nights, when she had crawled into his bed, were all silent exchanges—no questions or comments, just silent understanding. Now to actively ask him? So embarrassing…
Thankfully, he laughed lightly, then slid under the blankets on the other side of the bed, pulling Lumine close, and kissing her forehead. “Your face is hot; is it another fever?” he teased.
“Shut up,” Lumine grumbled, but snuggled in closer to him.
She eventually fell asleep again.
And this time, there weren’t any nightmares.