Whale and Dragonfly // OC x Childe Genshin Impact fanfiction

Chapter 29: The Importance

The pair soon reached their apartments in Northland bank.

"I'll get the first aid kit. Go sit down on the bed and take off your shirt." Charlotte walked straight to the kitchen.

Since she didn't even stay around to listen to his answer, Childe had no other choice but to obey her commands. Just like she told him – he went to sit down on his bed, unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the super messy bandages.

12th Harbinger soon appeared in the doorway with a new bottle of wolfhook juices, cotton and a mountain of bandages rolls. She sat down on the bed close to her patient, scattering the medical equipment all over the place.

"I'm afraid just unbuttoning your shirt will get us nowhere. Take it off." She ordered.

"Want to see me shirtless, eh, girlie~?" 11th Harbinger teased as he took it off, throwing his shirt on the floor. "I didn't know you had this in you."

"Listen, I can leave you the way you are but don't come crying to me when you will get infections and massive pain." Her voice was serious, even slightly threatening, making the boy gulp.

"S-Sorry..."

"Alright, let me see what you did there..."

Charlotte carefully touched his abdomen, trying to take off the bandages. Some of them have already stuck to the healing wounds as the blood has dried. Ajax couldn't stop hissing in pain every time girl pulled on the bandage strips.

"Okay, this will get us nowhere. Stay here."

"As if I'm planning to go somewhere..." boy laid down on bed, sighing as his friend walked out of the room.

Ginger stared at the roof, his body relaxed, but mind full of intense thoughts. This night has been heavily emotional for both of them and 11th Harbinger knew he will be thinking about it for quite some time.

He snapped out of his thoughts as she felt something warm on his chest. Girl placed a warm, water-soaked towel on his wounded abdomen.

"What's this?"

"Warm wet cloth. It will soften the scabs and it won't hurt as much when I will be taking it off. Keep it here for a while." Charlotte explained.

Her medical knowledge never failed to impress Tartaglia. She said her mother taught her all of this, but is it really that? Childe was almost sure she learned half of it when still in treasure hoarders' imprisonment as she had to take care of injuries all by herself...

After 10 minutes of random idle chit-chatter, girl finally removed the towel.

"Let's see how it is now. Make sure to tell me if it hurts."

Childe nodded, emotionally prepared to feel pain again. To his surprise, towel tactic worked – bandages peeled off easily, it didn't hurt at all. Boy sighed in relief when old, messy bandages were finally gone, thrown out in the trash bin.

Without saying a single word, 12th Harbinger started cleaning his wounds with wolfhook juices, making sure to be extra careful. Wound contact with purplish liquid made the young male hiss as it created a burning feeling.

"Hurts... Ouch... uhh..."

"I'm almost done here, endure it just a bit longer... And... Here."

Her words once again made him sigh in relief, even though his wounds were still tingling.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah... Will you bandage me?"

"Of course. Let me just apply some cream so bandages won't stick again."

Tartaglia lifted his head up, looking carefully what girl was doing. He was curious, wanting to see what her careful, warm fingers were performing.

"Don't get scared, it will be cold." Charlotte warned, taking a good scoop of bluish cream, spreading it on boy's abdomen. "It's a cream made from mist flowers' corollas and slime condensate. It will act as a painkiller as well as a substance preventing stickiness. It doesn't hurt, does it?"

11th Harbinger shook his head, his body relaxing at a nice coldness. By now, he was completely sure his wounds will heal in no time, even if he was hurt pretty badly by using Foul Legacy Transformation.

After applying cream, girl helped him sit up and wrapped bandages. His treatment was soon complete, he was allowed to put his shirt back on. Girl went to put back the medical supplies in the meantime.

Once dressed up in clean t-shirt, boy grabbed his jacket that was soaked in enemies' blood, taking it to the bathroom to wash it. After all, he had Harbinger duties to attend to tomorrow, so he will need something to wear.

On his way from his bedroom to bathroom, he bumped in Charlotte again. Jacket was left forgotten as he threw it on the sofa's back rest, spreading his arms in the sides. His ocean-blue eyes with no spark in them followed the brunette, soft smile on his face as he was asking for a hug speechlessly.

Sighing, girl came closer, letting him embrace her. Her arms slithered around his back as she hid her face in his shoulder.

"Thank you for being there for me. What would I do without you, Charlotte..."

Charlotte's eyes slightly widened as she heard her name. Ever since Her Majesty has given her the name Zanni and ever since she became a Harbinger, they both treated each other like colleagues. It meant using their nicknames to address each other. It was as if their real names didn't exist in the first place.

There was a moment of silence before she decided to speak up.

"Hey... Ajax?"

"Yes, comrade?"

Girl pulled away from his embrace, looking at the ground as she gulped. It was hard to think of how to start the sentence.

"Listen... I... I won't ask for anything else, but... Please... Just understand what a great importance the whale holds to this dragonfly." She hugged herself, rubbing her right arms as she always did when she felt nervous.

Childe only smiled at her.

"This whale understands and will never forget the importance and trust you place in me. Remember, if I'm not around, let the conch I gave you remind you of me." He came closer, ruffling her hair.

"Do you promise?" she lifted her head to look him straight in the eyes.

Boy was surprised, his cheeks dusted with pink blush. He then smiled, reaching out his pinky.

"I pinky promise."

Despite them being grown-up adults, the pinky promise, that may seem a children-only thing, made them both feel better. They chanted the old nursery rhyme, their pinkies crossed together, like in their own childhood.

"You make a pinky promise, you keep it all your life. You break a pinky promise, I throw you on the ice. The cold will kill the pinky that once betrayed your friend. The frost will freeze your tongue off so you never lie again."

Once the promise was sealed with a pinky vow, Charlotte nodded, stepping forward to pick his dirty jacket up.

"I will wash it."

"No, I will wash it. Go and get some rest, okay? Comrade?"

"No, washing first. You won't have what to wear tomorrow. You should rest yourself. After all, you are the one who got badly injured today." She said before walking off to the bathroom.

Sighing, knowing that he won't be able to persuade her, Ajax turned on his heel walking back to his bedroom.

He laid in the bed sleepless that night, thinking about everything that happened. Boy was sure he needed to do something for her to show his gratitude.

Maybe he should buy her something? What does she even like? Childe cursed himself for not even knowing what her interests are. If not buying material stuff, then maybe snacks? Then again, what's her favorite food?

Overthinkingall possible options of gratitude-showing-gift has tired the boy outcompletely. After 5 minutes, he was in a deep sleep.