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writing-in-glitter-pen · 25 days

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⋆⁺˚.ೃ࿔ °⋆ a warm welcome ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

After living together in your humble apartment in Liyue Harbor, Childe decides to finally take you home...indefinitely—a shocking request you find you don't have much of a choice in adhering to. Though the situation is rocky, you cannot deny you love Childe, and though you're pissed, you work with this new life of yours. But when you're introduced to your new life and Childe's family, you find something's not quite right about the place he calls "home".

Childe x fem!reader II some fluff, some hurt

"I don't understand what you're asking of me.", you sat on the cushy couch you'd bought how many years ago for your small Liyue apartment. Sure, your abode was humble, but it was yours; the decorations were hand picked and placed by you, the kitchenware was bought by you—popular brands you trusted to use dependable materials. Hell, you'd even painted the whole place yourself! From the dark beige you'd initially moved into, to a softer, more classical version of your favorite color. That is why you could not believe your boyfriend was asking you to...to...

"I'm not asking. I'm telling you. I have orders to return to Snezhanaya, and you are coming with me."

You'd known Childe was pushy ever since you two first started dating: when you had initially rejected his advances in lieu of pursuing an independent life as a single woman in her youth. He took no for an answer, respecting your choice with a polite "I'm sorry to hear that.", but you'd be blind not to catch the confident and cheery grin he still wore on his face—like you'd said yes! His initial acceptance didn't stop him from butting into your life; he'd just happen to run into you on the busy streets of the harbor—like he hadn't been scoping out your usual errands and routes you'd take around the city, memorizing your schedule like it was his own. Once he'd catch you, he'd ask you to get dinner with him, platonically of course, and his treat too! You'd be a fool to turn down a free dinner at Liuli Pavillion. But dinner would turn into a nighttime stroll by the ocean, would turn into him walking you back home, would turn into you inviting him in for coffee and...

Eventually, him becoming your long-term boyfriend.

The feelings he shared with you were mutual; you'd be lying if you said he didn't have you smitten by the end of your first date. He was just so charming and attentive, sweet and generous, he made you laugh and went out of his way to make sure you were safe throughout the day. He wrote you letters like crazy when work called him away for extended periods, and you'd skip to your mailbox every morning knowing multiple pages of parchment marked up in his handwriting would be there to wish you a good day, tell you how much he missed your beautiful face and comforting touch, responding to your questions in your previous letters and asking you his own in return. It felt lovely to have him wait on you, to show you how much he really cared for you and how grateful he was to have you in his life.

You were never quite sure exactly what he did for work, him always dancing around the details and giving you a vague description of his duties. All you could really make out was that his job was strict with unpredictable hours that would often steal him away from you for days or even weeks. Normally, you wouldn't be too upset about going a couple days without seeing your boyfriend...if he didn't live with you. Now, when he didn't come home at the end of the day, or at the end of the week like he promised he would, you'd worry---and you'd miss him terribly.

After about a year of dating, he'd asked you to join him in his apartment for good, he even scheduled a moving date for you, but you refused—you just liked the home you had too much! So he moved into your place, which initially posed an issue with space, but he didn't have too many things to move in with him other than a duffel bag full of clothes. His lack of belongings raised questions that were quickly quelled by him stating he "kept his stuff at the office.".

Now you were kicking yourself, wishing you had asked more thorough questions and demanded answers from him as to what exactly he was always off doing, why he didn't want you to know which corporation he worked for or what goods or services they were involved with, how exactly he'd show up at home looking cleaner and more put together than when he left—like he'd cleaned up and changed before he left work. You felt like an idiot because now, when he'd finally revealed that he was not only a member of the Fatui, but a Harbinger working under the Tsaritsa of Snezhanaya—the Cryo Archon herself, he'd also revealed his plans to take you back home with him.

Plans that you were, understandably, wildly averse to.

Liyue was your home! You had a good job, good friends, a good routine! You worked hard to make a life for yourself here, and now, suddenly it was up to Childe to decide that you were going to uproot it?

That was not happening.

However, as you sat next to him on a massive passenger ship three fourths of the way through a journey to the frozen country perched at the very north of Teyvat, his warm gloved hand encompassing yours and fur-lined cloak thrown over the both of you while you were pressed up against his side, it hit you that it was, indeed, happening.

He was able to talk you into it with promises of, "It'll just be a few months.", "I just want you to meet my family; my little siblings will love you!", "I'll pay the rent for your place so it'll still be there when you come back to it!."

But there was no denying that you were, in fact, not coming back to it; which you'd finally deduced when Childe shut and locked the door to your now dark and bare apartment while his strikingly intimidating subordinates loaded the majority of your belongings onto a cargo ship. The ship was bound to meet you in your boyfriend's home country, ready to furnish your new cabin in Mosepok before your arrival. The realization sat like a pit in your stomach, only worsened by how Childe's planning ahead included your belongings in your new home being arranged for you and not by you; stealing away what little choices you had about this move in the first place.

Though this whole plan of his threw your life off kilter, filling you with anxiety about the future ahead of you, there was a certain comfort in how Childe squeezed your hand reassuringly and pressed kisses to your hair and cheeks.

"I promise it'll be alright…I just need to know you’re safe. And my family will take good care of you."

The thought of getting to spend quality time with the relatives of his you'd only known through written correspondence did fill you with a sort of excitement. Your cabin would be walking distance from theirs, meaning you'd get to share countless family dinners and lively visits with them—a luxury you had not known for a long time. And you were just dying to meet little Teucer, Tonia, and Antón. Childe talked about them nonstop, and they'd sent you a dozen messy scribbled drawings of you and them, though they'd never even met you! You felt lucky to enter a new life with so many people's arms open for you to fall into.

...however, where there is newfound beginnings and gain, there is change and loss, and you felt that loss deeply as you looked across the wild, dark sea---no longer able to see the shoreline of the place you once called home.

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The boat ride felt like it stretched on for eternity, nothing but the view of the open ocean or conversation with your boyfriend (if you could even still call him that by now, given your life was now fully intertwined with his) to entertain you. When the ride through the ferocious waters bobbing the boat up and down in fluid motion inevitably made you seasick, he let you nuzzle your face against his ribs and rubbed a soothing hand up and around your back to give you some relief. You fell asleep against him for the rest of the voyage, opening your eyes to already find yourself in bed—waking to the view of a pine wood ceiling illuminated by firelight.

You were unpleasantly surprised that you'd woken up alone; the adjacent side of the bed typically assigned to Childe, empty. Horror washed down your body at the thought that he'd already left you behind to return to work, before you turned your attention to the foot of your bed to find a pair of bright blue eyes peeping at you from the shadows. Before you could cry out in terror, the small figure excitedly climbed up onto the bed and threw it's arms around your tense torso in a tight embrace. You were too shocked to move as the little creature squeaked in delight and hugged you tight.

"Big sister! You're finally awake!"

You blinked the residual sleep out of your eyes as your bleary vision sharpened, finding that the vice wrapped around your stomach was actually a little boy; and upon further investigation, you found the little boy was an uncanny mini-me of your dear lover.

Your frightened expression melted into a warm smile, returning the little boy's hug.

"You must be Teucer, right?", you gathered from how he was the only one of his family that addressed you in the letters you received with "Big Sister".

The little boy pulled back with twinkling eyes, a bright crooked grin mirroring that of his older brother stretched across his face.

"You remembered!"

You nodded with a, "It's nice to meet you.", and before you could ask where his older brother was, the devil you'd fallen in love with opened the door to your room with a smirk on his face and let himself in. Two other teenier versions of himself followed behind him; no doubt Antón and Tonia.

These children were shier than the bundle of energy, Teucer, and hung back by the door to peek at you while their older brother flopped down next to you on the bed and leaned up to press a gentle kiss to your cheek.

The display of affection drew various expressions of repulse from the kids; scrunching their noses and covering their eyes with performative gags and "ew"s—only serving to make their older brother chuckle.

Childe intertwined his hand with yours and brought it up to his lips, that near-overwhelming intensity of emotion he always held for you evident in his eyes that were now locked on yours making your cheeks flush with color. The dullness of his eyes that made them look so haunting grew to make your heart bubble whenever they landed on you; it was something so unique to him that was actually quite a handsome feature once you got used to it. Though, you often wondered if his eyes had always been like that, if their color simply faded with time, or if it was a specific event that killed the light in his eyes—an outcome you found yourself praying wasn't the case.

No matter how he obtained this feature, you loved it, just as you loved him.

His voice was smooth and unlabored when he asked, "How did you sleep, love?"

"Deeply, I suppose.", you said as you looked around the room, wondering how you'd managed to sleep not only through the rest of the boat ride but the sleigh ride to his family's cabin as well.

Childe nodded as he shifted his gaze to Teucer, grinning and ruffling his hair, "Apologies for the little spy.", making the boy giggle as Childe's eyes once again locked with yours, "He was bouncing off the walls waiting to meet you. Guess it's no surprise he snuck in."

You shook your head, smiling softly at him, "It was a wonderful way to wake."

Childe looked like he'd never received higher praise, putting a hand on the back of your head to draw your face forward and press a happy kiss to your forehead—reawakening the chorus of "yuck!" and "gross!".

He pulled back to gaze lovingly into your eyes, the deep color and heat behind his own once again making your heart sing, though your staring was broken by a soft knock on the doorframe.

"Hello?", the soft voice of an older woman called before she peered in, adding evidence to your suspicion that this family was full of warm smiles as she gazed at you adoringly. You had no idea a stranger could look at you with so much affection upon your first meeting. "Oh, good to see you're awake, dear.", she cooed, "Dinner's ready if you'd like to come to the table, but if you're weary I could always bring you a bowl. We're having beef stew to give you strength after your long trip."

For some reason, her use of the word "you" resonated somewhere in your mind. It was full of warmth and kindness...but it was singular to you---she was addressing you alone. Childe had made this journey too, and you supposed "you" could have included him in the statement...but she wasn't looking at him. In fact, this interaction could play out the same were he not here at all.

Your eyes drifted to your lover's face only to find his cheery expression virtually unchanged, though an unfamiliar pit sat in your stomach. But you shook off the uneasiness, supposing that she was just referring to you alone as a way of honoring you as a guest. Childe didn't seem bothered, and it was just a minor detail, so it was probably nothing.

...right?

"...We'll join you at the table. Would that be alright?", you said in a soft, polite tone.

Childe's mother only nodded with an affirming hum, before leaving the room without sparing her son a single glance; the children followed after her.

You were about to turn and ask Childe if everything was okay—maybe he'd gotten into a disagreement with her earlier in the night, but he beat you to it, cupping your jaw to bring your face close and press a firm, lingering kiss to your lips. It was so passionate, the force of it pushed you back slightly, to which he stabilized you by encircling his arm around your waist and dragging you back in.

When he finally pulled away, leaving you breathless and flushed, your mind was spinning. What had you just been worrying about? You couldn't remember.

"You ready to eat?", he sang, the happiness in his voice so clearly present it felt...forced.

"...sure."

With that, he pulled you out of bed and brought you to your feet, taking care to stabilize you to ensure your exhaustion wouldn't overcome you and send you crumpling to the floor. Childe always handled you like glass, and for that, you were often grateful.

Once he was convinced you were fine to walk on your own, he took your arm in his and led you down the cabin's hall into the dining room.

As he tugged you along, you took care to look around, taking in Childe's home. The place was humble—not what you had expected of a cabin belonging to a harbinger's family to look like. It would take a measuring tape to confirm, but you were skeptical that Childe's apartment in Liyue might actually be bigger than this cabin in it's entirety. The house was constructed of a simple sanded pine, not a glossy, well-crafted redwood like you'd seen in pictures of the house Childe had purchased for you down the road. You wondered why, with their son's hefty income, they hadn't gotten an upgrade; perhaps the house was built by his father, or held special memories they didn't want to get rid of. Still, the dated appliances like the furnace in your room or worn rugs on the floor raised questions.

You knew Childe, and he was anything but neglectful of those he loved.

So the only reason you could surmise for the dated appliances was that they didn't want his support.

...maybe it was his parent's pride...maybe it was something else.

Your thoughts strayed when Childe sat you down at the table and the mouth-watering fragrance of his mother's stew invaded your senses---leaving you drooling. Your stomach growled loudly in anticipation, to which you shyly covered it with a hand. This drew a hearty laugh from your lover, placing his own hand over yours and kissing your head.

The children clamored over to the table; you noticed only the youngest three children were present, meaning Childe's older siblings were most likely off taking care of their own responsibilities in their adult lives. You were sure you'd meet them soon. The kids giggle amongst themselves and squeaked excitedly at you, overwhelming you with an avalanche of questions like: "Are you going to marry big brother?", "Can we come see your house?", "Can we sleep over all the time?", "Are you going to get a kitty?".

The little bunches of energy brought so much life to the room, and the way their mother looked at you with such welcome and love, you couldn't help but feel right at home.

But when the door to the frigid yard opened, and Childe's father strode in with clumps of falling snow following him, the room stilled.

The kids stopped laughing, Childe's mother looked on in grim anticipation, and your lover's smile finally fell.

You looked between the two in confusion: Childe's father did not look surprised, but did not look happy to see his son, and Childe himself was glowering, almost a challenge in his eyes. It was like he completely stole the older man's attention, as his eyes didn't seem to register you seated right next to his son at all. The man looked to his wife firmly, the look on his face alone silently shouting "Why is he here?". The woman's eyes flicked to you. He followed her gaze, his own blue eyes, with a dulled shine but not nearly as dulled as his son's, landing on you.

...and he grinned broadly.

"Well! Do we have a new daughter?"

You were perplexed by Childe's father's drastic shift in attitude, looking tentatively at your lover for some sort of explanation, but the man only fixed his eyes on the oak dinner table below him.

Childe's father stepped into the house and around his son to pull you into a big, warm hug. Though part of you was hesitant to accept sudden affection from someone who was practically a stranger, you couldn't deny the overwhelming feeling of acceptance and love eminating from the man's grasp. It felt like a hug from your own father; full of joy and warmth.

When you pulled away and sat back down with a tentative smile, the older man found his wife by the stove to give her a peck on the cheek. You turned your gaze towards Childe to find a soft smile on his lips; you'd always loved his grin, which had an endearing, crooked tilt to it---it was unique to him and characteristic to boot. However, this time, you weren't met with that classic Childe smirk; this time, his smile was a mix of both joy and sorrow---like how you would smile at someone who'd achieved something you yourself desperately wanted. You drew a hand out to smooth your palm over his cheek, and he gratefully leaned into your touch, momentarily shutting his eyes and releasing a weighted sigh.

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After dinner, though Childe's siblings begged the both of you to stay and play with them, you said your goodbyes to the family to retire to your new home just a few doors down. The two of you were exhausted from your trip, and you needed some time alone with Childe to get some explanations.

Childe kept you close to his side as the two of you walked down the cobbled street, his cloak thrown over the both of you once again to ensure the frigid air could not bring you discomfort for even a minute-long journey.

Down the street of dimly-lit homes, with mother's tucking their children into bed and couples huddled close under their warm covers, only one house shone brightly with warm, orange light in the starry night.

At the end of the street, your sturdy cabin, crafted from quality redwood, welcomed you.

When the two of you reached the porch---with an awning promising protection from falling snow in the mornings you now planned to spend sitting outside and watching as Teucer and Anton build snowmen in the yard---Childe scooped you into his arms before unlocking the front door and carrying you inside.

"For good luck.", he grinned, with that crooked tilt you adored so deeply, bringing a chuckle to your lips.

You leaned up and pressed a happy kiss to his cheek, drawing a pleased hum from him.

"I love you.", he sighed, holding you even closer in a tight squeeze before setting you down carefully.

You tore your eyes from his cheery face to take a look at your new home. To your surprise, it was nearly the spitting image of your old place in Liyue, only much bigger.

All of your furniture had been assorted just as you'd had it in your apartment, but you now had a bedroom and kitchen separate from the living room. New, classical Snezhanayan furniture sat in the spaces that couldn't be filled with the little belongings you had: a finely crafted display cabinet behind the dining room table, a velvet loveseat with flowers and swirls carved into the fine wood, a silver mirror by the front door that reflected the image of you and the man you adored so ardently---you had to admit, the both of you looked perfect together. As an additional surprise, framed photos of your and Childe's happiest days adorned the walls: a picture of you and Childe on your first date, your most recent birthday dinner with you surrounded by your closest friends, a beach day with Childe---your legs wrapped around his torso as he held you, cackling with you thrashing angrily as he dipped you into the chilly water. You smiled at the sweet images; they made your heart bubble like it did every time Childe spoiled and cared for you. Accompanying the snapshots were photos of Childe's siblings outside their schoolhouse, playing in the snowy yard, and even a family photo of when Childe was still small; from a time his little siblings hadn't been born yet. Your smile fell slightly as you reached out and stroked young Childe's image.

Your voice was gentle as you inquired, "...are there any more recent photos of your family? The kids aren't in this one."

His wistful gaze turned forlorn as he took in the image and your accompanying question, "...no."

Your heart broke at his distant face; something was eating at him, something deeply etched in his heart.

It was suddenly clear to you why he couldn't return home alone—why he dragged you out to his frosty country to secure you in a cozy cabin to share.

He needed to have you, someone who smiled so brightly in pictures with him, who welcomed him home with a hug and a smile at the end of each day, who'd tell him she loved him with ardent honesty in her voice.

In the expanse of the frosty country he grew up in, the only place he could return to was a house he was unwelcome in.

He needed you...

...because without you, he really had no home to return to.

Without another word, you'd understood the gravity of his situation, and the heart throbbing in your chest cried out at the sight of his somber expression to alleviate it.

You tugged him down to you, softly holding him around his shoulders and allowing him to rest his head on your collarbone. His eyes closed as your poured your love over him, whispering, "I love our new home."

"I'm relieved.", he sighed, "...I know I dragged you out here...and...I'm sorry...I realize how selfish it was."

"...I forgive you...I just wish you were honest with me earlier...I would have been more willing if I'd understood."

If he had told you the real reason he needed to take you home with him, though you might still have shied away from the change, you would have gone. The last thing you wanted was for the man you loved to feel alone in the world.

"You have me, Childe."

He hummed---the sound rumbling softly from his warm chest to yours, "I have you."

"You'll never be without a home again."

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