HIS SHIELD, pierro

EIGHTEEN, a long time is a long time

"Best to never mention his wife."

"He has a wife," Tartaglia piped up. His dead eyes trailing over to the first harbinger.

"Indeed, he does. You'll never talk to her."

"And why is that?"

"Because he keeps her all locked up. Like a pretty bird in a diamond cage. If he does ever bring her out, you are only ever permitted to look. No talking to her, no thinking about her, and definitely no touching her. Though, we all did meet her at one time or another. You remember, don't you? The Shield of Snezhnaya."

Tartaglia hummed in thought at the very obvious warnings being given to him. He did remember she shield. Such a weak little thing she was. He thought, on multiple occasions, that she would simply fall over with a simple touch.

Now, he wasn't that foolish, of course. To think about her so blatantly.

Though, he was curious.

There was a difference in this fine line. But .. he ultimately decided not to chase the obvious hook.

"Is that why he isn't here now?"

"Indeed, he took some time off for her. Probably because she tried to escape him or something."

"Well, if you have to keep your wife locked up, then I suppose it isn't a good relationship to begin with."

Childe never understood the reason why the Tsaritsa let Pierro marry Snezhnaya's shield to begin with. The two were complete opposites from one another.

Now, all the harbingers knew not to bring up such topics when Pierro was around though. They didn't want to die after all.

M E A N W H I L E

"Look Pierro! Look what I made today!"

Pierro sat at his wife's bed side. His eyes gleaming with a sort of love that his fellow harbingers never saw.

He knew many rumors that circled around him and his wife. One in particular stating how he keeps her locked up all day.

A part of that was true, but she was free to roam around as she so wishes. In fact, the only reason why he kept her in bed for many days was because of how sickly she was.

It was a terrible illness. One that manifested within her due to the shield that she creates. But it didn't matter to him. He just wanted to be with her even though her health was decreasing by the day.

So .. one could say that the rumors of him locking up his wife angered him to no end. Which was why he made it perfectly clear to the other harbingers to never utter such nonsense when around him.

"Another scarf? You certainly have become a master at knitting those."

"You think so," she asked a grin. Her eyes looking at the newly made red scarf.

"Do me a favor and give it Childe, alright? He was the last harbinger I have yet to make a scarf for."

Handing it over to Pierro, he looked at the soft fabric for a brief moment.

"Of ... course ...," truth be told he always found it awkward when he would give another harbinger a scarf without warning and without context. Not that he would ever tell them that.

"Do you wish for anything else, my dear?"

She fell back into her pillows. His eyes couldn't help but to look over her sickly form.

"A goodnight kiss," she asked ever so timidly.

A chuckle erupting from his lips when he heard her request.

"If that is what will make you happy."

He also knew that seeing Signora again would also make his wife happy, but she had been gone for quite some time now. From what he heard, she was currently in Inazuma...

Since Signora had gave her goodbyes to y/n months, he had noticed that she had become a lot bolder.

She would ask for more kisses, and intimate sessions throughout the night. She would talk more about what she wanted and would ask him about everything he did that day. Always keeping an interest in whatever he said.

He was honestly a very lucky man.