The 12th Fatui Harbinger

Cottage

Childe couldn't believe Yuria had implicitly agreed to his confession. While he certainly had been told he was handsome before, Yuria felt... like she was out of his league. He couldn't believe someone as beautiful and perfect as Yuria liked him back. Childe remembered the very first time he saw her in Zapolyrarny palace-- from her light pink hair that naturally reminded him of cherry blossoms, skin white and glowing as the snow, to her blazing crystal blue eyes that bore the color of glaciers and never melting mountains of Snezhnaya-- Yuria took his breath away in an instant. And as much as Childe wanted to blame her enchantment abilities for gawking at her like an idiot the first time they met, it certainly wasn't the only reason. Yuria was simply that gorgeous. And she was all his.

Of course, Yuria's body was always a sweet temptation, and yes, Childe did want to get into her pants from the moment he saw her, but the longer he spent time with her, the more Childe realized how beautiful she was on the inside. She was a dreamer, fighter, and revolutionary. Yuria didn't actually talk much about herself, but Childe could put the puzzle pieces together. His little sweetheart had trauma-- abandoned by her father, forced to sell her body as a teenager, and probably other things he didn't know about-- he could only guess from the times she had anxiety and panic attacks. But she willingly dove headfirst back into the Okiya for her majesty the Tsaritsa. And despite her father deserving nothing but death, Yuria showed clemency and restraint for his daughter. 

And more than anything, Yuria was just so easy to be with. She understood who he was at the core. He didn't have to explain his lust for battle and loyalty to the Tsaritsa. She always knew what to say to make him laugh, and the way everything was always a competition between them was exhilarating. Childe forgot what life was like before Yuria and the days truly felt so long and meaningless without her. 

Yet, Childe was afraid. What if he messed this up? What if he added on to her trauma? What if they fought so bad he couldn't even... see her anymore? He was never really good at understanding women. All of his exes cursed him at the end for putting his desires first and never trying in the relationship. And to be fair, they were right. He didn't care enough about them to change his ways. Were his feelings for Yuria enough to change that destiny? He wasn't sure. The only thing he knew was that he couldn't go another day without seeing her. Even if they ended up fighting each other to the death at the end, Childe had to witness where this road would lead. He was that crazy about her. 

"Childe." Yuria whimpered. While the poison was still very much in her system, she starting to regain some control of her face. 

His sapphire orbs started gleaming again at her, and she could see herself reflected in his dark blue eyes. "Yes, babe?" Childe said as he smiled lovingly at her. 

Yuria blushed madly. She secretly loved the way he always called her 'sweetheart' and 'pretty girl', but this new pet name hit different. "Let's not go to HQ." She mumbled.  

Childe raised a brow at her. "Where else would we go? Aren't you kind of famous here?" 

Yuria signaled toward a different path with her eyes. "Go that way." She said as she guided him toward an island filled with cherry blossoms and lanterns. 

Childe docked the waverider as he walked toward Yuria to help her up. 

"I can try to walk." Yuria said softly, finally regaining full control over her speech. 

Childe scoffed. "Don't bother. You're as light as a feather." He effortlessly scooped her into his arms like a princess, and she directed him toward a small cottage hidden at the Southeastern part of the island. The island itself was beautiful, and Childe could see Inazuma city in the distance. "Where are we?" He asked.