My heart is warm like Snezhnaya (ChiLumi ff)

One

**slight spoilers and mentions of sumerus archon quest**

"YOU ARE KILLING ME, AND IN THE MOST INHUMAN WAY, I'M STARVING TO DEATH"

"Stop being dramatic or the Millileth will take you away and store you with other emergency food"

The busy streets in Liyue were agreed by a great majority to be most spectacular at night,
The sun sets and the exquisite aroma of dinner being prepared from Wangmin Restaurant rises, the exotic spices and fried scent made Lumine's belly rumble a little, but her companion's did an audible protest, they kept strolling through the plaza excited to eat after a long day defeating monsters; anyhow they take their time and take in the scenery.

"Paimon can't wait to try Xiangling's slimy menu", the flying friend hums and twirls around mid-air with much excitement, Lumine only shakes her head and rolls her eyes laughing, steadily making it to the promised feast, very much unaware how to her disappointment, the night had its plans, no relaxing meal comes without its setbacks lately...

"Comrade, here to grab a bite? If I knew I would have taken care of my business earlier to spend the night out", a certain ginger starts without containing certain dangerous grin Lumine is all well acquainted with.
" haha, care to join me?", He gestures to seats to his right, the voice of the harbinger, sounds as carefree as a bird in summer, Paimon turns to him showing him an unimpressed look.

"Childe, what are you doing here, you really are everywhere." that's the best Lumine could manage, asking and still imagining the kind of answer he would give, planted standing, surprised, not unpleasantly, but certainly not too welcoming, all in his line of work goes beyond all convention.

"I am not always around you know, we just keep... crossing paths, like our destiny, is fated, but enough of that.. I am about to order, feel free to choose what's to your liking MY treat", The ginger looks genuinely happy to see her and there was no issue on taking his offer, it's not like it's the first time they had made use of his mora might as well just go with it.

Lumine sits next to him on one of the tall chairs and averts her gaze from him and seizes a menu right away, Paimon's expression remains unimpressed.

"What's wrong, I thought you were on the brink of starving to death"

"Wha- you heard Paimon?"

"Hard to miss especially when screaming, I believe the whole venue took note of that, still I am the only one who heard that IS paying your tab", Is hard to forget how smooth of a talker he can be he just gestures her to sit as well so she does next to Lumine.

It worked, Paimon's mood changes drastically at the offer of a free meal, she beams with joy and ordered 3 of the slimiest dishes on the menu, and She had hoped Paimon wouldn't be sold over food. Lumine just goes with the chef's recommendation feeling her appetite diminish as curiosity won over her, it has really been some time since they crossed paths, she takes a peak at the guy next to him looking too pensive to be just contemplating his options on the menu.

"Childe you have business in Liyue these days? I thought I would have heard of it if the fatui were plotting", Lumine asks trying to pry into his dealings and somehow tease him.

His entry arrived first and he picks up his chopsticks before doing his usual nervous/polite laugh whenever his past is mentioned.
"You see, since I went to Inazuma a while ago I was on a mission searching for someone or something, and you wouldn't believe it but..
I don't think I was given the clearest orders because I don't know of whom or what I was supposed to track naturally I came back empty-handed, after that they've assigned me the most boring of tasks, how do I put it, debt collection"