High Impact || Genshin Impact H.S AU

Chapter 10.5

“I’m scared”

“Lumine, don’t let that asshole get into your head,” Aether said. Lumine stood at the front of the steps of the school, looking up where he saw a handsome ginger boy excitedly talk to some friends. Mona and Aether were behind her, supporting her. Her heart raced, pounding and her nerves felt on fire, gulping she took a step backward.

“W-wait, Lumine, he’s up there,” Mona whispered, pointing up the steps. Lumine, seeing the gesture, freaked out and smacked Mona’s arm, not wanting to draw attention.

“Are you crazy?” Lumine hissed, her eyes wide and her tone sharp. Mona rubbed her arm, pouting.

“You didn’t need to hit that hard, archons,” Mona muttered, looking to the side with a downtrodden look.

“sorry” Lumine whispered, then took another step backward. Childe’s back looked so handsome, so broad and muscular, stretching his shirt out.

“Archons, he sure works out” Lumine mentally thought, imagining what it felt like to be in his arms, completely enveloped. His height also helped, being much taller than her, able to give her head pats as a sweet gesture, something that made Lumine blush. Yet reality sinks in and she realizes for her chance to achieve such gestures, she’ll need to confess.

She takes another step backward, legs trembling. A warm touch reached the mid of her back and she realized it was Aether’s hand.

“Lumine, confess for fucks sake,” Aether deadpans. Lumine looks down, staring at the concrete sidewalk.

“It’s just scary,” Lumine whispers, her breathing increasing erratically. Her chest heaved too much, and she wanted to hide like a worm, in the safety and comfort of the dirt. “What if I embarrass myself?” Lumine asks, looking at her brother’s face, her eyelashes wet.

“I-you won’t, sis,” Aether comforts. Lumine winces at it, not reassured by it.

“Lumine, just because someone who doesn’t even know you, claims you’re not good enough, shouldn’t be the reason why you back out,” Mona advises. Lumine nods, recalling Zhongli’s harsh words. She never had talked to him very often, the two traveling in different friend groups but she was caught off guard by words.

The classmate was considered to be like stone, quiet and calm. Yet at that moment, she saw a flash of fury and heartbreak in his eyes, so vile and venomous that she could’ve sworn a snake popped out of the rock, biting her. So, hearing the words from someone known to be nice and trustworthy, set a poison into her, self-doubt spiraling and sending anguish upon her.

Then last night, she remembered something, Childe. Her attraction to the Snezhnayan had started this all, making her heart warm and sending light into her life that she never knew she wanted before. She just wished it was a lot easier to access fully, to bask into, and not without obstacles.

She was also scared it could be a trap, hence the reason for her to make it one date, not wanting to raise her hopes for something that could end badly. Though she seemed bad at that, her heart lifts whenever she imagines a fun scenario or potential date idea for Childe and her.

So last night, in a moment of pure bliss and having forgotten Zhongli’s words, she sent a text to Mona and Aether. She announced she was going to confess the next day, and she wanted to support. Then the dread of night crept up and she remembered everything Zhongli said, and her mind kept repeating every single flaw.

So, this morning, she awoke to regret but her friends kept encouraging her to go forward with it.

She regretted texting her brother and friend to make sure she confesses no matter what.

“Lumine let's take a step forward, and maybe an extra one up the steps,” Mona suggests, holding onto Lumine’s pale arms. Lumine glanced at the steps, the muscles in her legs seemed to have been replaced with jelly.

“I-I don’t know about that,” Lumine murmurs, still not moving forward. Aether lets out a groan and something along the lines of “we’ll be late for class,” which made Lumine feel guilty.

“G-guys I think it's best we just put this off to another day,” Lumine says, more determined and looking at their eyes. She knew if she wanted them to go along with the change in plans, she had to solidify it with eye contact.

“I guess so,” Mona says dejectedly, her shoulders droop and she, lets her head fall a bit, drooping alongside her shoulders. Lumine sighs, then she looks up and immediately sees Childe’s face.

He was smiling, laughing. His bright blue eyes shone, reminding Lumine of the ocean when she traveled to the Golden Apple Archipelago.

Staring at the ocean was her favorite part, calmed and at peace, the waves lapping back and forth as it lulled her.

The flash of the memory of the islands suddenly sent a wave of calm and peace into her, her heart rate decreasing.

Then spotting Childe’s face, she sees freckles, cute freckles that glittered his face and matched with his spiky hair. It may not be stylish but Lumine never cared for such things, it looked adorable and fitting on him, so fluffy and poufy that she wanted to spend hair combing it with her fingers.

He seemed so inviting, so tempting, his eye colors may have been like ocean waves, but his devious lips and facial expressions felt enticing, a strong attraction pulling her to him. She remembered feeling this with certain other people, though she knew she couldn’t ask them out because it would’ve been illegal and immoral.

Now though, was a chance for her to fall into the attraction, for her to follow the rabbit for once and go down the dirt hole.

Her heart rate picked up, but she moved forward, picking her legs up in a spurt of confidence and going up the steps. Hands clenching and lips tightly wounded, she moved up the stairs, staring at Childe’s face dead on.

“W-wait Lumine what’s happening?” Aether asked, confused, taking a few steps up.

“Shush Aether, she’s getting bold,” Mona exclaims, holding the male twin back. Lumine nodded at the statement and continued up the steps. Eventually, she was at the second to last step, a mere few feet away, and Childe sees Lumine, arching an eyebrow.

Her legs did feel weak and her mind at times tried to echo out Zhongli’s words, but she suppressed it all, not wishing to be tyrannized by such forces.

“Hi,” Lumine said boldly, crossing her arms to seem dominant, not letting their height difference intimidate her.

“Hello Lumine,” Childe said effortlessly. Lumine took a deep breath, hoping to not stammer her words out.

“I was wondering,” Lumine started, then pausing to recollect her words. Childe waits, smiling kindly.

“I was wondering, if you wished to come to homecoming with me, as a date,” Lumine said, and immediately her throat closed, anticipating Childe’s answer. Childe’s mouth opened, then it closed, and he stopped to think. Lumine felt dread loom, scared for the potential negatives of the outcome.

He then opened his mouth.

“Yes, I’ll go with you,” Childe answers. Lumine felt her heart bloom, flowers spurting from her feet.