Demons in Teyvat?!

🌸 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟜 🌊

Flashback. Childe is on his run. Y/N is eating noodles. Xiao? We'll find out.

Xiao watched as the harbinger turned into a small speck in the horizon. He had to admit, albeit begrudgingly, that he had made good pace towards the city. At least he was as athletically fit as Lumine had told him. But in the end, he was only mortal. And mortals could only do so much, couldn't they? On the other hand...

Xiao glanced down at the demon that sat below him. She had just finished her bowl of noodles and had set it on the ground beside her. He watched as she stood up, clasping her hands together and holding them above her head as she stretched. This girl was a demon. Her capabilities would surely shadow those of the harbinger. He remembered watching from the rooftops that day, the attack on Liyue city. How she had held up a wall at least 10 times her own weight, and so quick to save the people that her kind would normally feast on. If he was to trust the harbinger's words, and she really hadn't eaten any humans... then that just made this girl that much more special. Because without consuming any flesh or blood, her strength had already grown substantially. And maybe, just maybe... she could be the first of her kind to stand under the sun. He didn't know yet, as the demon only ventured outside during the night. But...

Her kimono slipped down her shoulder as she stretched to the side. Xiao's eyes widened, and he quickly turned away, cursing the slight warmth that went to his cheeks. When he looked back down, he froze when he noticed her staring back at him quizzically. Xiao turned away once more. She had sensed his gaze? How? "Hmm?" He turned. Somehow, the girl had managed to make it up into the tree in the mere second he allowed himself to fluster. "Xi..ao?" He sighed. "Seriously, is that the only thing you know how to say, demon?" She tilted her head, a slight crease appearing in between her brows. "..." Xiao closed his eyes.

A soft tune trilled through the air. It faltered as it started, but the melody strengthened as the notes went on. It was a sweet, yet eerie song, one he recognized as an inazuman lullaby, washing over him like a pleasant breeze. He opened one eye, to see that it was the girl who was humming the song as she kicked her feet back and forth from her seat on the tree branch. She looked serene. Happy, yet sad at the same time. He remembered Zhongli telling him about the circumstances behind her Turn. She had lost the last remnants of her family- a pair of siblings, if he recalled correctly. But most importantly... what was her name again?

"Hmm?" She stopped singing, seemingly having noticed his staring once more. "...My apologies," He said curtly. A moment of silence. "You... you can continue, if you like." He shut his eyes once more, not wanting to see her expression, although her giggles told him enough. And once again, her lofty song sounded once again. For once, Xiao felt his fatigue truly seep through his muscles. When was the last time he had a proper rest? He couldn't quite recall. After all, bad things always happened when he decided to doze off, shirking his duties. One time, Bosacius... 

He huffed a deep sigh. No matter. Just this one time, he decided. Just for a few minutes, he would allow himself to sleep. Perhaps, with the she- demon beside him, he need not worry of any lurking dangers. 

As Xiao felt the dregs of sleep finally take over his mind, one last memory resurfaced.

Ah, right.

Her name was Y/N.

~🌸🌊~

Y/N had shrunk back into her child form. She sat on Childe's lap, absentmindedly folding a piece of paper into an intricate form. It was day time, so she had to stay inside for the time being. Meanwhile, Childe reached over her to stab a jade parcel with a chopstick and pop it into his mouth. At Zhongli's chastising gaze, he sheepishly took the other stick and picked the next one up properly, but feeding it to Y/N instead. She took it, taking a small bite and swallowing before eating the rest in one go. Childe watched as she chewed happily, a blissful expression on her face.

"Apparently the recent attack on Liyue did more damage then we thought." He turned. "Hmm? How so?" Lumi stared at her lap, downcast. "Ningguang told me that the infirmary is jam packed with injured people, and bubu pharmacy- for the first time- is actually short on supplies. The jade chamber has been attempting to support the people and provide medical aid, but they're really short staffed. Apparently Liyue doesn't have as many physicians as merchants, and its showing now."

"Some of the members of the delegation has taken it upon themselves to help out, which is very much appreciated. Barbara is helping tend to the wounded, and Klee is out collecting violet grass with Qiqi... I just feel like I haven't done enough to help. Because other than fighting... I don't really know much." Childe shook his head. "No, you're more than capable. You're the famous traveler! Everyone knows that they can depend on you to help. And anyway, you've done what you could. You protected the people. That's whats important in my mind. Better injured then dead." Lumine remained silent. 

As if Y/N sensed her distress, the girl hopped of Childe's lap and reached up to pat Lumine's hands reassuringly. She smiled. And slowly but surely, so did Lumine. Y/N seemed to have that effect on other people. Childe felt an idea pop into his head, and he snapped his fingers and stood. "Tell you what, let's head to the infirmary- enough sitting around, if you want to help, you should help- and we'll come too. The more people, the better, am I right?" Lumine stared at him, her face brightening. "R-really? But, is it too much to ask of you?" Childe laughed. "Of course not! And anyway, this is a great way of putting my harbinger duties aside. Since it's for a good cause, I doubt the Tsaritsa would mind." No. She would. But anyway- "Thank you so much!" Lumine leapt forward, capturing him in a tight embrace. He froze.

She looked up at him, giggling. "Who knew you actually had a nice side in you," She said dryly, before letting go and walking away. "I'll race you there!" And then she was gone, having jumped off the balcony and glided to the ground below. Typical Lumine. And she had a head start, too. Childe looked down. He could still feel the light pressure of Lumine's arms around him. "Hmm..."

Childe turned to Y/N. Her eyes were narrowed into slits. "What?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "She's just a friend, don't look at me like that." Y/N deadpanned. "She is! Stop it!" Y/N turned around and walked to the staircase. He sighed.

~🌸🌊~

"Huh. You're right. It is packed." The three of them stood in front of the improvised medical tents set up just in front of Liyue City's gates. The white tents seemed to stretch on forever into the horizon, and everywhere he looked, there were doctors scurrying about, carrying boxes of syringes, documents, and bandages. The whole place reeked of anesthetics. Y/N swayed beside him, her eyes hooded. "Ah Y/N, is the smell not good? Sorry..." He muttered. "It's alright," Lumine cut in. She lifted her hand and reached into her pocket dimension. Childe watched as her arm disappeared to her elbow. It never failed to amaze him, Lumine's strange "Traveler privileges." She pulled a sweet flower from within it and handed it to Y/N.

"Here," She said sweetly. Tuck this into the bamboo, it will smell nicer. Y/N took it and took a few sniffs of the foreign flower. Seemingly liking the new smell, she did as she was told, and her expression brightened. "Ah. You have my thanks, traveler," Childe said, smiling. "No problem!" Lumine frowned at him. "Hey, I already told you to stop calling me that! Call me Lumi, remember? Who cares what Aether thinks!*" Ah.

"fine, fine..." He stopped. Wait. "Where's Y/N?" He spun in a circle, his heel digging into the soft dirt. Shoot. He took his eyes off for one second and she was gone. "I... I have no idea, she was just here!" Lumine glanced around. "Come on, she couldn't have gone far, it hasn't been that long, right?" Childe sighed. "I'm sorry," He muttered. "I came to help but I just made things worse." Lumine stared at him. There was a strange look in her eye. She hesitated, before making her way towards the first row of tents. "You really have changed," She said softly. Childe frowned, striding up to catch up to her. "What do you mean?" Lumini shrugged. "Only two months ago...you... were never sorry for anything. It's strange." Childe inhaled sharply. That was right. He was aware of it himself, the change of his character ever since he met Y/N. But was it really a change? These feelings- feelings themselves- he had had them before. The personality he currently had had just resurfaced- from when he was Ajax. Was he Ajax now?  Without another word, the two of them popped into the first medical tent. Had he completely discarded his mask of a harbinger, and become the person he used to be?

Childe wasn't sure if that was a good thing. 

~🌸🌊~

*Somewhere far away, a boy with golden hair in a long braid reached up to itch his nose. Eh? He thought. Did Lumi say something about me? He thought for a moment before laughing out loud. "No matter," He said cheerfully. "I bet its all good things!