discrepancy | genshin impact | lumine & childe

spiral

Sun filters in through a slit in the tent's opening, and it takes Childe several seconds to remember where he is. The hard ground beneath him was not ideal for sleep, but pure exhaustion must have driven him deep into slumber, no further dreams to be had. For this, at least, he is grateful; such images will remain seared into his memory, perhaps for a lifetime. Had there been any more, he might have broken his promise and fled anyways.

Not that he would have gotten very far. Lumine's fingers are wrapped tightly around his wrist, trapping his hand close to her sleeping form. Hours ago, when they returned to camp and laid back down to rest, she had reached out, apologizing when the brush of cold fingers against his skin made him flinch. There, she clasped her hand around his arm, telling him she needed some way to know he wasn't going to leave. She fell asleep fairly quickly, but he remained awake, frozen in thought for at least an hour longer, hyper-aware of the contact.

He tugs gently, hoping to coax her awake, but the movement drives her to grip harder, tugging back in response. Here, she looks so young—far less like an ancient god and far more like a child thrust into an unkind world, seeking comfort—and he sighs. He would be perfectly content to let her sleep as he prepared their packs, but this arrangement limits his abilities rather narrowly. Instead, he busies himself with folding his blanket as best he can with one hand, forgoing the task of shoving it in a bag until he can have both limbs at his disposal.

A few strands of hair have fallen over her face, and he tucks them behind her ear, brushing gently in an attempt to leave her slumber undisturbed. Her eyes flutter open, blinking slowly as she comes into consciousness.

"I'd have had breakfast ready," he teases, "but I've had a lot on my hands this morning."

She scrunches her face in confusion, then, seeming to come into awareness all at once, springs his arm free of her grip and sits up. "Sorry," she says, massaging the muscles in her palm with her other hand. "Um. I'll make breakfast."

The morning passes easily, and before the sun is high in the sky, they are coming upon the heights of Cape Oath, where sheer rock faces give way on three sides to crashing ocean tides.

"That," Lumine says, pointing out across the water, "is Musk Reef."

He follows her gesture, noting that the island, while perfectly visible, appears to be quite far away. "And..." he starts, "how exactly do we get there?"

She stares at him like he has grown a second head. "A boat," she says simply, as though any other answer would be preposterous. Maybe they would, but he feels like she would be the type to try gliding from here to there.

"Last time I checked, you can't launch boats off of cliffs."

She laughs once, then looks up at him, studying his face carefully.

"Like what you see?" he asks, earning an elbow to the side.

"Have you ever used a glider?" she asks.

Maybe it doesn't matter, but he feels almost embarrassed when he admits that no, he hasn't. She, on the other hand, smiles at it.

"Well," she says, already opening her pack, "I'll need you to learn quickly."

A flash of confusion crosses over him as he looks down the cliffside at the waves below, and she laughs again, pointing behind them instead.

"We'll practice there," she explains, indicating the large mass of land jutting up from the center of the cape. Indicating with her head to follow, she sets off towards it.

He follows, and at the base she gestures for him to turn around, holding a small contraption in her hands. He does as requested, and then crouches down to one knee when she complains about how tall he is. His muscles tense as she lays the contraption between his shoulder blades, strapping him in. Her hands move expertly, and he wonders briefly how many traveling companions she has given this same lesson. Gliders are well-known throughout the continent, but those not native to Mondstadt rarely use them. She pats him on the shoulder to signify completion, and he turns to find her already hiking up the slope, seeking higher ground. Once she seems satisfied with the height, she begins to demonstrate.