A Light To Call Home ☆Genshin Impact☆

Monoceros Caeli II

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1st POV

"Ugh... I mean, don't get me wrong, kids are cute and all, but even I have my limits to how much time I wanna spend with one," I muttered under my breath, letting out a dramatic sigh that only I could appreciate.

"Hey! Pretty lady! Let's go over there to see the boats!" Teucer's voice cut through my musings, his excitement practically radiating off him.

"Of course!" I replied, switching on the cheerful caretaker mode without missing a beat. Smile wide, eyes sparkling, the whole shebang! I should get an award for this level of acting, honestly.

We started walking toward the docks, Teucer bouncing along with that endless energy kids seem to have. I, on the other hand, was mentally tallying how much longer I'd have to keep this charade up. But then, out of nowhere, he just... stopped. Head down, shoulders slumped, the whole vibe changed in an instant.

I arched an eyebrow, looking down at him. "Hey? What's wrong? Did you hit a wall or something? Tired of walking already? I could carry you if you want." 

"Yeah, Teucer, you don't look too happy," Paimon chimed in, floating closer, her eyes wide with concern.

And then, just like that, he burst into tears. Waterworks everywhere. "I miss my brother!" he wailed.

Paimon blinked, looking like someone had just told her the sky was green. "Huh? But we were literally just with him, like, five minutes ago?"

I shot her a look that clearly said, 'Really?' "Paimon, come on. He's a little kid! Of course, he's gonna miss his brother after that pathetic excuse for a reunion," I said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Paimon's a clingy child, shouldn't she understand?

"Take me to see my brother!" Teucer demanded, his face scrunched up in that way kids do when they're about to make you feel guilty for not immediately bending to their will. "I don't wanna be here anymore!"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes a little—internally, of course. Were kids always this demanding, or was this just the universe's way of testing my patience? 

Ah wait... I was pretty bratty kid in the past too. Damn it! I can't complain!

"Well," Paimon said, throwing up her tiny hands like she was giving up on a puzzle, "Paimon thinks we tried hard enough. Should we just go then?"

"Yeah, let's hurry," I said, more to myself than to anyone else. I crouched down in front of Teucer, forcing my smile to soften a bit. "Alright, come on then, hop on. It'll be a quicker trip to your brother if I carry you."

Teucer sniffled, his little face still blotchy from crying. "Okay..."

Oh god, he better not wipe any snot on my cloak..

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As we drew nearer to our destination, I could feel the group's mood becoming more laid-back, a sense of ease settling in the air. Teucer, on the other hand, was brimming with excitement, practically buzzing with anticipation. After what felt like forever, I finally caught sight of Childe in the distance, casually chatting with a couple of Treasure Hoarders.

Yeah... there's no way we can let Teucer see that yet.

"Hey... Teucer," I called out, hoping to steer us in another direction before he noticed. "How about we take a quick detour? I can—"

Before I could finish, Teucer's eyes lit up, and he let out an excited gasp, pointing eagerly toward the horizon. "Ah! I see my brother!" he cheered, his sudden movement nearly knocking my hat off my head.