My heart is warm like Snezhnaya (ChiLumi ff)

Two

(If this ends up incriminating me fault of those scum fatui I will refuse no matter what he offers to pay me or how much he threatens me, I'm not doing their dirty work)

Lumine reclined on the railing just outside the bank as accorded, she waited by herself since Paimon decided to sit this one out, going over all sorts or ideas of whatever childe was up to.

"Comrade, sorry if I kept you waiting shall we leave now?", He rushed into her peripheral, looking fresh and preppy like always, a little sweaty from running but carefree nevertheless.

"Don't worry, just where are we going to exactly", Lumine's tone barely concealed her doubts.

"Chihu rock", he said nonchalantly, and not to question him further she just found herself walking next to him trying not no fall too behind his steps. Lumines' expression was one of confusion when they stopped.

"This is Scent of spring, what business could you possibly have here?", Lumine cocked an eyebrow.

"Ying'er, now that you have her in front of you for reference, do you think its possible to tailor her that mask", he addressed the pretty lady who stood in front of the cozy shop.

"Oh my, If I knew It was for her I couldn't possibly refuse, give us just 10 minutes and I shall be done with her measurements"

"I don't know about this", Lumine confused looks over at Childe expecting clarification.

"It's fine, I'll just wait outside and before I forget, add the second perfume you showed me to the order, thank you"

Ying'er just pulls Lumine inside her store and gets to measuring every centimeter of her face, she then moved to her other body measurements, Lumine was not convinced those were any help for a mask they briefly mention, but she did not haggle.

"And since when are you in the... Tailoring business", She started a conversation to rid of the awkardness.

"One of my many talents, darling", Ying'er winked before moving her measuring tape to her waist and doing a gentle stroke to her thigh which tickled Lumine and felt a shiver run the length of her leg, only putting a satisfied smile on her amused tailor.

Ying'er got too carried away perhaps, she had her outfitted with a black and red silk gown and was snipping away the fabric and holding it into place with pins, Maybe over half an hour has gone by, way over the 10 minutes Lumine was promised. Childe knocked outside the doorframe of the small shop,
"Are you busy, can I come in?"

He let out whistle and smiled looking satisfied, Lumine was facing the other way, noticed this over her exposed shoulder where Ying'er hadn't to covering yet and looked away embarrassed. "Ta-Tartaglia, what is this for".

He smiles helplessly, "Relax, I just needed someone to help me measure these gifts"

"oh"

It could be for one of his sisters perhaps, maybe just like the gifts he sent yesterday. She didn't think too much of it after, other than the fact that, why would Childe know if her measurements were the same as the gift's recipient.
She looked in the mirror and briefly thought that the girl who will get to wear this will be quite happy.
The unfinished dress was a bit edgier than her usual attire, colors are bolder for sure, red and black with added lace for texture, if she didnt know any better she would have thought she was in a boutique rather than a perfume shop. She had high hopes for the finishes product although she might not get to see it.

All was done, in that particular store at least, little she knew it was a shopping spree day rather than a quick errand, after that was a jewelry store, then lunch, a store where she didn't think they'll sell such exquisite shoes, so much different than her battle boots. Just this time instead of making her carry the stuff he just placed orders and seems he'll have his men pick those up later from what she gathered of Childe negotiating with the sales people.

Then they sit at a tea house to leisurely spend the rest of the evening, completely exhausted she plummets to her chair almost.
Lumine feels a need to cut the silence, all he been doing is peacefully looking over the railings into the sea since they got a spot at the second floor with a very nice view of the port.
"Why did you need me exactly?", she then takes pause and sips from her cup.

He stares deeply into her eyes and makes her feel uncomfortable, "you know, you ask lots of questions", he gulps his tea as he thinks to speak again "because not just anybody would be okay with accompanying me to such trivial matters I guess"

"Oh yeah?, I think you are quite popular within the ranks aren't you, I am sure most of your comrades will be willing to be your assistants, and besides, you said you were going to pay me"

"Yes but those guys wouldn't work, they are not cute girls like you are, also as their superior, they wouldn't be comfortable with me"

(cute girl?! Did I hallucinate that, I should stop teasing him or I'll get the same treatment)

"ahem, I am just glad you could get all you wanted, well then, see you around", she reaches her pocket to leave mora for the tea.
Her appropriate time for calling it a day, she did not gain any worthwhile data from the ginger, didn't get a chance to ask about anything important really, he has just been uncharacteristically kind thus far. And for some reason that sets off an alarm in her head.

"hey don't leave just yet", Childe tries to stop her and grabs onto her arm but immediately lets it go rising his hands apologetically. "we have a follow-up date"

"Childe... I only agreed because I thought It was a one-time thing, I am utterly exhausted and besides after all that today? You must have every measurement of mine there is", she said the last sentence and immediately regretted it.

"First, I have yet to get what I want, I don't know what I said to give you that impression, then allow me to explain".

"Please do", she sits back down and fixes her eyes on him.

"I need you to attend this formal dance with me", He extends an invitation letter, sets it on the table and she dumbfounded looks at it for a second before she reads it out loud.

"Winter dance, the Tsaritsa graciously extends this invitation... Childe this is a Fatui exclusive event, are you out of your right mind!"

He shushes her silently as the other tables might pry at the mention of Fatui, "I am, but that is besides the point, as you can see, It is a dance after all and it's not like I can show up by myself I require a plus one as you can see in the contents of this letter"

"Even so, this is all the way up North!"

"so? You promised me and Teucer you'd come visit did you not?"

"yes but-"

"You make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life. You break a pinkie promise, I throw you on the ice. The cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend, the frost will freeze your tongue off so you never lie again.", he quotes all in his matter-of-factly raspy voice.

"You little scu-"

"You are cute even when you are mad, You'll be the perfect dance companion", He changed his tone again to throw her off.

"and will you stop calling me cute? I kicked your butt last time we fought"

"that's - only because you keep refusing a rematch you have yet to see all I can do"

Lumine is equally frightened of the Cryo Archon and hopeful she knows more about the abyss and Celestia than any other Archon, perhaps even more than Nahida after all, she might be plotting the biggest threat against the very heavenly principals.