flowers in the abyss.

flowers in the abyss.

summary: Childe meets the princess of the abyss as a child, and visits her once he’s older.
notes: SPOILERS for childe’s personal stories which this fic is based on, childe is referred to as ajax/tartaglia, mentions of death and violence, romance, au where they meet when childe is a kid, light angst, no romance until Childe is an adult, 3339 words
a/n: Childe is always Lumine’s biggest fan, no matter the universe.

Ajax is going to die.

Ajax is going to die and the last thing he sees will be a beautiful girl, her eyes flecks of amber ice, watching over him impassively.

The monster that stands over him roars, and the earth shakes. His hands are numb and his cracked fingers are bleeding from the cold. The stick he holds in his hand is pitiful compared to the rippling muscles and the thick fur of the beast that stands before him.

It’s okay, Ajax tells himself. Death is an old friend to everyone in Snezhnaya. He has watched his father slit the belly of fish. He has seen his mother dig her hands in the guts of a slain boar. He has seen frost in the face of his grandfather, lying as still as the freshly fallen snow they bury him under.

Everyone is an animal, he thinks. They all fall to the ice eventually. But until they do, they spend every second fighting for the right to survive.

That is why Ajax cannot go down without a fight. Even if his legs shake, even if his tears have frozen on his eyelashes, he cannot turn back now. He will be the hero in every story his father tells him.

Still, he turns his eyes to the girl who watches over him. The last thing he sees, he thinks, will be a girl as beautiful as death. There is comfort to be found in her cold face.

The monster screams, and the earth responds with a tremor. Ajax raises his stick, and he pretends it is a sword. For his siblings, he thinks. For his family.

Suddenly, the girl leaps. There is a flash of silver, and a spray of blood, and the monster falls under the girl’s blade.

She says nothing as she stands in front of him, and the monster shudders a dying gasp.

Ajax reaches out his hand, and he is not sure what he means to do, whether he is reaching for salvation or out of fear.

It doesn’t matter. He falls, his body folding and his legs shaking. The girl catches him, and his vision dims.

She is warm. If this is death, then it is more loving than he expected.

Lumine saves the boy on a whim.

She does not understand the reason why, even as she rolls her thoughts around in her mind. Was it because the color of his eyes were as blue as the ocean? Or was it the way he stood, armed to fight with nothing but a broken branch? Perhaps it simply would have been too troublesome to clean up after his corpse.

No matter the reason, she has saved him.

And ever since the boy woke, he has said nothing. He does not wince when she cleans his cuts and bruises, wrapping bandages around his bleeding fingers. He is quiet when she brings him fruit and water, which he devours as if he has not eaten in days. Perhaps he hasn’t. Who knows how long he has wandered the Abyss.

All the boy does is watch over her, tracking her movements around the room she has unceremoniously dumped him in.

He looks, for all the world, like a little carrot-colored rabbit that has stumbled into a den of wolves. She towers over him, and he meets her gaze with wide eyes.

“You can go now,” Lumine says curtly. “Your wounds are healed. I have no reason to take care of you any longer.”

The boy jolts at her words, and for the first time, he speaks. His words are unexpected, and full of wonder. “Train me,” he says breathlessly. “Please. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.”

She sighs. “Do you even understand what you’re asking?”

“I do!”

“Why do you think I would accept your request?”

“Oh, well…” the boy hesitates.

“Leave. You have no reason to stay.”

“But!” The boy looks at her again. “Please train me! I want to learn how to fight! I want to be able to protect my family if anything happens. There isn’t anyone else I can learn from.”

Family. He wants to fight for his family.

“I won’t leave until you promise to train me! I’ll bother you every day!” the boy adds with a huff.

It is only on another whim that she accepts. “Fine, but understand this. I will be strict. I will not wait for you if you fall behind. I will not comfort you if you cry or complain.”

The boy beams at her. “Thank you, miss! I’ll be the best student ever, you’ll see. I’m Ajax. Who are you?”

“Lumine.”

“Lumine… wow, your name is super pretty!”

She looks at his shining, expectant eyes and hopes this will not be a mistake.

The sword flies out of Ajax’s hand and clatters onto the stone floor. Lumine stands over him impassively, her blade poised at his throat.

True to her word, Lumine has taken him under her wing, and she gives him little time to rest. She is relentless and methodical, and if he is not careful, one blow from her will leave bruises for days. Still, he knows she is holding back just enough so he can learn.

“Do you understand what you did wrong?” she asks calmly. Her sword is unwavering, hovering a few inches away from his neck.

“I was too hasty,” he murmurs. “I… I rushed in.”

“Yes. Your eyes always dart towards the area you plan to attack next. You give yourself away.”

“I’ll be more careful.”

Her sword lowers. “I expect results from you, not promises.”

Ajax nods determinedly. “I will! I’ll show you that I’ve improved!”

“Good. Shall we go again?”

“Of course, Lumine!” He runs to pick up his sword.

Lumine can sense the boy coming from a mile away.

His steps are heavy and eager, and he has yet to learn to mask his presence. He lights up when he sees her, and waves his arms wildly above his head, as if she cannot already hear his approach.

“Princess!” Ajax yells. “I’m here for my lesson!”

The unexpected name startles her, and Lumine frowns at him. “What did you call me?”

“Princess?”

“Why did you call me that?”

“One of the abyss mages told me it was rude how I called you by your name. If I want to show you respect, I gotta call you princess.”

Lumine sighs. “I see. Call me whatever you like.”

Ajax smiles delightedly. “Okay, princess!”

Lumine grips her sword tightly. “Let’s begin. Do you remember what I taught you last time?”

“Yup!”

No one has called her by her name since she lost her brother.

Will she like it? Ajax wonders anxiously, peering around the corner at where Lumine stands somberly. Was she the sort of girl who enjoys such things?

She probably senses his presence even now, so there is little point in hiding. Lumine always seems to know where he is, no matter how quietly he sneaks or where he hides. She only pretends that she does not for his own comfort.

Finally, Ajax darts out. She turns to him, and he is certain his face is red. “Um! Princess! I have something for you!”

“What is it?”

Ajax quickly thrusts out his present from behind his back. “These! I got these for you!”

Lumine blinks at the flowers in his hands. They are a pure blue, like drops of the sky. It is rare to find such things in the abyss. Ajax couldn’t believe his luck when he had first seen them growing on top of a cluster of rocks. It has taken him most of the morning to climb his way up to pick them.

They remind him of Lumine, he thinks. Something beautiful in a dark place.

Lumine smiles at the flowers. It is the first time he has seen her do so, and it is lovely, like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds.

“Thank you, Ajax,” she says, a hint of warmth coloring her voice.

She has never called him by name before. He dashes off without responding, his heart trembling.

It has been months since Ajax has fallen into her realm, and it is not even shy of a year before Lumine finally sends him home. For once, he does not protest her decision, even if he looks at her with mournful eyes.

“I’m going to see you again,” he tells her. It is a promise, and a foolish one he cannot keep.

“You can go in the morning. Follow the trail, and you will see your family again,” Lumine tells him curtly, ignoring his words.

Ajax bounces impatiently in front of the road that will lead him back to the world he knows, a twisting path that trails through the darkness. He has been waiting there for most of the morning. Lumine watches him as he glances back, as if expecting her to appear from the gloom to see him off.

She will do no such thing. She has long since tired of goodbyes.

Ajax finally gives up on waiting. With one last glance behind him, he runs off, his small form disappearing into the darkness.

He won’t be back. No human finds their way to the Abyss twice.

Ajax loves his family.

He loves his mother, who holds him in her lap, even when he is much too old for such things. She sings him lullabies, and together they bake his favorite treats.

He loves his father, who tells him stories about heroes and monsters, and takes him ice fishing on cold, clear days. He will pretend to fall against Ajax, who laughs as he struggles to hold up his father’s weight.

He loves his little siblings, who toddle after him, grabbing the back of his shirt. Tonia begs him to lift her up, and he obliges as she giggles. Anthon will proudly show off his nonsensical doodles as Ajax hangs them up on the wall.

He loves his older siblings, who ruffle his hair, pinch his cheeks, and take him skating and sledding. They throw snowballs at him when his back is turned, and he retaliates by dropping ice down their coats as they chase after him, shrieking.

When he finally emerges from the Abyss, Ajax learns that not even a week has passed, even though to him, it has been months.

His mother’s tears soak his shirt as she holds him close. His father constantly checks Ajax when he sleeps at night, afraid he will be spirited away again. His little siblings will cry if he is away from them for too long. His older siblings chastely listen to all of his requests, no matter how silly.

Ajax loves his family. Everything he does is for them. To make them cry is a crime he will never forgive himself for.

Still, every night he prays to Tsaritsa. He asks for only one thing.

He wants to see his princess again. Even if it is selfish of him, he wants to see her. Even if it is only once, even if it is from a distance, even if she does not remember him. Couldn’t Tsaritsa, the goddess of love, understand his wish?

Is there any way back to the Abyss? The hole Ajax fell into when he first stumbled into the place is gone. The path that took him home is closed. Please, he prays.

No matter how long it takes, he will not rest until he finds a way back. Ajax has never broken a promise before, after all.

Whenever Lumine sees blue, she is reminded of Ajax. Blue is the color of his eyes. Blue is the color of the flowers he gifted her, long since withered.

Blue is the color of the monster that shakes the ground below her, facing an intruder who has had the misfortune of awakening it.

It happens from time to time, where unfortunate souls will fall into the Abyss. If they are lucky, they will find a way to escape. If they are not, they will fall to the countless monsters wandering around. Most never make it home.  

The man below her draws a bow. His posture is sloppy, but his stance is confident. Lumine watches. She never interferes in such matters; whether a person survived down here was up to their own strength.

She has only interfered once, years ago, for a little boy.

In a flash, the man leaps. He draws back the strings of his bow, and in a few fluid, elegant movements, the monster collapses, its throat destroyed, unable to even keen a dying song.

Perhaps he will be one of the lucky ones, Lumine muses. She turns to leave, when the man below her yells. Until this point, she does not realize he is aware of her presence.

“Princess! Did you see that? I’ve improved!”

Lumine halts. It cannot be. There is only one human who calls her that.

She turns again, drinks in every detail about the stranger. The years have changed him. He is much taller than her now. His voice has deepened. She suspects that if they spar, she will not win as easily as she once did.

It should be impossible. It is simply not the way of things; no one finds the Abyss twice. And yet, against all odds, there Ajax stands.

He has kept his promise. He has come back.

“Princess, I think I might have been injured in my fight.”

“You did not get injured.”

“But what if I did? Wouldn’t you feel bad if I bled out?”

“It would be your own fault if that happened. I trained you better.”

“I’m just saying, I might need your help patching up my injuries.”

“How am I going to patch up something that does not exist, Ajax?”

“Oh, I actually go by Tartaglia now. No one calls me Ajax anymore.”

“I see. Shall I call you that, instead?”

“You can call me whatever you like, princess. If it’s you, I don’t mind.”

“What if I call you a pest?”

“I’m hurt! Haven’t we been through so much together? I would prefer a cuter nickname.”

“A cute nickname? Pest it is, then.”

“On second thought, that is kind of cute, if you’re the one saying it, princess.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“Oh, I definitely am. Hey, do you mind if I come back here?”

“You may come and go as you please; I cannot control such a choice. Whether you survive down here is up to your own strength. I will not save you twice.”

Tartaglia is certain he loves her.

Tartaglia always visits whenever Lumine least expects it. The gap between his visits range from weeks to months, but whenever he sees her, his face brightens. In some ways, he has not changed at all.

Whenever Tartaglia appears, he brings her gifts. A conch smoothed by the ocean, that carries echoes of the water’s call. A collection of stories from his travels around Teyvat, each more fantastical than the last. A glittering dagger, sharp enough to draw blood with the merest touch.

Tartaglia never asks for anything in return. He is content, he claims, as long as he is able to remain by her side. Still, whenever she trails her fingers down his face, he shivers, and stills.

Lumine knows, too, everything Tartaglia does not tell her; that he is a Fatui harbinger, and that the only reason he travels the continent is to enact the will of Tsaritsa.

She knows, too, that he will never choose her over his own goals; he will relish in a fight if it came down to it. But that is fine. No matter how much she cares for him, if he gets in her way, then she will easily spill the same blood she had saved, all those years ago.

There is simply no need to state what they both already know.

Still, his presence is unwelcome to everyone but her.

“Have you lost sight of your goals because of that brat, princess?” An abyss mage hisses urgently to her after Tartaglia’s latest visit.

She gives him a frosty glare. “I have not forgotten anything.”

“It would be safer to kill him. You’ve granted him far too much leniency, letting him wander in and out of our realm at will. If you do not wish to dirty your hands, then I will personally–”

Quicker than light, she grabs him by the throat. “You plan to do what to him?”

The mage squeaks, choking out words as her fingers tighten. “N-nothing. Nothing! I misspoke! I promise I will not say such things again!”

She lets him go, a pleasant smile on her face. “Tell the others this, if they harbor similar thoughts: If anyone dares to lay a hand on him, I will rip them apart.”

Lumine’s touch is fleeting and precious, so when she cups Tartaglia’s cheek in her hand, he can do nothing but lean into it. Her hands are like snow, but he loves the cold.

“Is there anything you want, princess?” he asks with a sigh. “Is there someone you need dead? Or is there a particular souvenir you desire?”

“I could ask the same of you,” she returns. “What do you want?”

“Well…”

“Well?”

“I want to kiss your hand,” Tartaglia murmurs bashfully.

“You may.”

Carefully, he lifts her hand away from his cheek, marveling at the feel of her porcelain fingers, at the callouses and scars. He brings her hand to his lips, brushing delicate kisses across her knuckles.

“I’m yours,” he breaths. “If there is anything in the world you want, I’ll give it to you.”

“Oh? That’s a bold promise to make.”

“You can trust me. I don’t break my promises. I’m an honest man.”

“But I can only wish for things that don’t interfere with your orders, correct?” she muses.

“Haha, of course. Actually, if I may be so bold, can I ask for something else, princess?”

“You can ask for anything you wish, Tartaglia.”

“I’ll hold you to that. Actually, I was hoping you would spare me a fight.”

“You wish to spar? Even though you’ve yet to best me in combat?” Lumine asks, a challenge in her voice.

“Well, you won’t always win, princess. I was hoping I could change my losing streak today,” he responds.

Without another word, Lumine unsheathes her sword, and he leaps back as she darts forward. The clash of steel rings across the Abyss, a harsh cry that makes Tartaglia laugh in delight. There were few people who could match him in battle, let alone surpass him.

Ah, what a pleasure it would be to die by her hand.

Tartaglia’s next visit is sooner than she expects.

“I’m travelling somewhere far away for an important assignment. I’m sorry, princess, but I won’t be able to visit for a while,” he explains.

“I see. Shall I give you a present to celebrate your mission?”

“I would be honored.”

Lumine leans in, and he lets her pull him down by his shirt so she can kiss his cheek softly. Her lips linger against his skin as she feels his sharp, surprised inhale.

“Don’t die now,” she warns. If you must die, it will be by my hand. The promise is unspoken between them.

“I would never, princess. But can I ask for another kiss, for luck?”

Lumine laughs quietly. “I suppose you can.”

This time, she kisses him on the lips. Tartaglia is awkward and eager, but the way he touches her is always achingly gentle. Greedily, Tartaglia loops an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, while tangling his hand in her hair.

One day, Lumine thinks, they will meet in battle. It is inevitable that they will cross blades. The same little boy she once saved might be the one to kill her.

She would not go down easily, however. Death by his hand, or death by her hers; this would be a privilege they reserved for each other alone.

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