The 12th Fatui Harbinger

Friends

To be quite honest, Childe had been avoiding Yuria to the very best of his ability. He took on more duties and spent time with his family.

Chlide actually wasn't sure he could be whatever Yuria needed. Friends? How would he do that? He practically fell in love with her at first sight and she increasingly consumed his mind every single day.

He missed her too. She felt like his other half-- Yuria always knew how to clap back to his incessant teasing. She always laughed at his jokes. The way her eyes took the shape of glowing half moons when she smiled made his heart flutter.

Childe thought a lot about her. How perfect she felt in his arms when she fell asleep that one night. The way his arms wrapped around her petite frame felt ever so perfect. It gave him a sense of security and purpose like never before. He had always existed to be the strongest warrior, to fight the next battle, to continue improving, but in that moment, he truly did want to be nothing but her lover.

"So how have you been, Childe?" Yuria asked awkwardly as they boarded the carriage. It would be a long journey to Inazuma. The two of them were currently in a carriage-like sled to the borders of Snezhnaya. They would then travel by horse to Liyue once they escaped the snow and then arrive to Inazuma by ship.

He didn't know how to deal with his feelings. Did Yuria really want him to be just a friend? Would she be mad or upset if he backed away from his promise to be just friends? No matter how he felt, it was something he promised. He could do this.

Childe smiled a little after remembering the old nursery rhyme he always told Teucer: you make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life. You break a pinkie promise, I throw you on the ice. The cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend, the frost will freeze your tongue off so you never lie again.

Shit, Childe whatever feelings he had for Yuria were the closest to love he'd ever felt. But he swallowed the butterflies he was feeling. The way his heart buzzed with happiness whenever he saw her? That had to stop. Childe would respect her wishes. It was the very least his sweetheart deserved.

"I've been good, comrade! You know, just been busy with stuff and spending time with family. My siblings were mad I didn't give them undivided attention recently, so I tried to make up for it before I left again." Childe shrugged. "How about you?"

Comrade. Why did that word hurt more than ever today? This was what she wanted right? Yuria took a deep breath mentally and looked up at Childe.

Yuria had been avoiding looking at him since they entered the carriage, but she was reminded of just how pretty he was. His ginger hair gleamed orange in the sunlight, caressed gently by the winds as his deep ocean blue eyes stood out in contrast against the snowy landscape of Snezhnaya. He had his hand propped up underneath his chin against the windowsill of the carriage with one leg spread out as he smiled carelessly. Childe seemed completely unaffected by their sudden transition to friends, and that made her heart prickle. Of course she hadn't been anything special to him.

"I've been alright. Onii-sama helped me train after you were unavailable and I spent a lot of time with her Majesty before we left." Yuria responded normally as she concealed all the insecurities she was feeling right now perfectly. "Thank you for taking care of me previously, I really appreciate it."

Childe grinned boyishly. "No problem, it's what friends are for, right?"

After going over their game plan in Inazuma with Chlide, Yuria pretended to fall asleep in the carriage. Only one more day traveling with him in an enclosed space like this. Once they started riding horseback, they wouldn't have as many opportunities to talk. Yuria didn't know how to deal with him at the moment. Every time he truly did treat her like a friend and colleague, the gaping hole in her heart ate away at itself.