Your apartment was dark when you returned late in the night--or more accurately, in the early morning hours. The movements of your limbs were slow in the aid of the removal of your clothes, but they halted as an unknown visitor cleared their throat. Your shirt was hanging around your neck when you lit your hand ablaze to illuminate the room. "I wouldn't screw with me if I were you," you warned, until your eyes landed on the figure reclining on your couch.
"Where have you been wandering?" The hated harbinger didn't so much as glance in your direction.
"Last I checked, my whereabouts are none of your business." A short hum responded to this. It was then you noticed his fingers were tracing a half-empty cup--your cup--which indicated he had been lounging around in your apartment for quite some time. Your fire grew hotter. "How did you even get in here?"
"Your spare key."
"Wha--When did...?" Of course. It was the night Kliment attacked you. That son of a--Childe took another sip from your cup. Something's wrong; he doesn't usually look so sullen. Annoyed yet curious, you extinguished the blaze and put your shirt back on before approaching the seat adjacent to him. "What?"
"Lady Signora is dead." Those words hung heavily in the air as you struggled to understand why he would bother telling you. Your silence prompted him to continue after a few long moments. "Executed by the Raiden Shogun herself." A bitter resemblance of a scoff and a laugh escaped him. "What an excellent way to go. I would love to witness the power of the Electro Archon firsthand; it's a shame my fellow harbinger wasn't strong enough to bare it."
"I don't get why you're telling me this. I don't give a damn about that witch. If you ask me, I'm glad she's dead. One less Fatui to deal with."
"Hm," one of the corners of his lips curled upwards at your quip. The humor didn't reach his eyes, though, and his gaze settled back down on the liquid that sat in his cup. "I can't say I don't agree with that on some level."
"So, she's dead. Why else are you here?"
"I'll be leaving for Inazuma in the next day or so. Depending on my efficiency at getting the matters handled, I'd say the soonest I'll return is in three weeks."
You tried to rub the sleep out of your eyes. "Again, I don't see why you're telling me or why I should care."
At this, Childe finally returned your gaze. "Don't do anything reckless while I'm away." The genuine tone and his wavering eyes made you do a double take. His gaze returned to the glass in his hand just as quickly, and you were left to wonder if you had somehow imagined the entire display in your exhausted state.
"Reckless," you repeated, eyes narrowing carefully as you mulled the word over your tongue. He must've meant not to be quick to trust your father. Did he know of your rendezvous? Did Charlie snitch? "You're projecting your recklessness onto me, you know. I can handle myself. Besides, I'm not looking for your approval."
Childe hummed once more, this time with a slight pull of contempt at the corner of his lips. "I only ask that you're careful...no matter what path you choose to follow. As much as I'd love to fight you, I don't want a repeat of Kliment's antics." The glass tinked against the surface of the table it was placed on before the man rose from his seat. "Be safe, Reed."
You said nothing as he left the apartment.
.......................................
With news of the harbinger leaving town, Liyue as a whole became more relaxed. The Millileth were in high spirits, along with many concerned parents that let their children run astray during the daylight hours. Perhaps Liyue became an even more dangerous place, too--at least for the Fatui. The people's hatred of the bunch became more apparent and obvious than it was before now that the diplomat was unable to catch it in the act, though he usually let those kinds of comments roll off his back.
