Work Text:
As someone who went out of his way to seek battles, Childe could sense when there was a nearby battle.
After failing to find the Balladeer in Inazuma, Childe had returned back to Liyue and then try to figure out the next course of action. But in the meantime, Childe had to complete his usual duties, mainly debt collecting, paperwork, and other boring duties, where he had to go out of his way to search for a way to fight unless he wanted to go insane.
This evening, he wondered if there was another group of Treasure Hoarders he could visit out in the plains, but Treasure Hoarders got boring after a while, especially when compared to the constant danger he had faced in Inazuma, but especially compared to that wandering samurai he had faced against back in the Traveler’s Teapot…
Speaking of that samurai, what a coincidence.
There had been a nearby battle, but it was done now. Several wrecked ruin machines lay to the side as Kazuha tried to prop himself up on his sword. However, the sword slipped, and Kazuha collapsed onto his front.
Childe ran over and crouched next to him. “Are you okay?”
What he did not expect was sudden giggling.
“Kazuha? It’s me, Childe. Are you okay?”
The giggling stopped. Kazuha then tried to prop himself up into a sitting position. He succeeded, but Childe noticed that he had sustained some injuries that were not too serious but also should not be neglected. Also, Kazuha’s eyes were unfocused, as if staring into the far distance.
"Kazuha, it's me, Childe," Childe repeated.
Kazuha blinked slowly. “Childe?”
“Yeah, Childe. We met in the Traveler’s Teapot before.”
“Ohhhhhh, Childe. I remember!” He gave a loopy smile. “The really handsome Harbinger!”
Childe’s eyes widened as Kazuha started giggling again. “You should try these mushrooms! Did you know they make you stronger?”
“Mushrooms?”
Kazuha nodded giddily. “Mushrooms! The glowy ones!”
Childe was starting to see what had happened. “Okay, so I am definitely going to take you to see a doctor.”
Kazuha looked surprised. “No, they were very good mushrooms! Aether gave them to me, so of course they must be good.”
“I really doubt he thought that you would actually eat them,” Childe deadpanned. “But let’s stop wasting time here so that I can get you to a doctor.”
“Not yet!” Kazuha whined as he waved his arms desperately. “Not before you try some too. But where are they? I thought I had some left…”
A cursed thought was starting to form in Childe’s mind that he unfortunately couldn’t push away. He’s a little- no, maybe more than a little out of it, but at least he seems really happy , Childe thought. It’s kind of cute actually.
“You can give me some later,” Childe lied, “but let’s go now. I’ll carry you.”
Kazuha blinked slowly, then he smiled widely. “Yay! I’ve always wanted a piggyback ride!”
“Well that’s convenient,” Childe muttered.
Another voice called out, “Childe, what’s going on?”
Speaking of convenience. Childe turned around and saw Aether and Paimon running up to them. “Aether! It’s really good to see you here!” he said, relieved.
“Aether!” Kazuha also called out. “And floaty fairy thingy!”
“Kazuha?!” Paimon exclaimed, looking completely shocked. “Are you okay?”
“He’s wounded,” Aether immediately noticed.
Childe explained quickly, “They’re not urgent at the moment, but it’s not just that. He ate some mushrooms you gave him.”
Aether made a weird expression. “Mushrooms? I gave him a Starshroom once and- Oh no.”
“He ate the Starshroom?!” Paimon yelled.
Childe asked, “Is it a glowing mushroom?”
Aether and Paimon glanced at each other. “It is,” Aether said. “It doesn’t harm you physically. Actually, it seems to boost physical strength. But I’m not sure about the psychological effects.”
“Mushrooms, mushrooms~ ♪”
They all turned to face Kazuha, who had been singing cheerfully to himself.
Paimon said to Aether, “Do you know how to detoxify someone?”
“Yeah, I asked him afterwards. Let’s go back to the Teapot.”
Childe breathed a sigh of relief. While he had only known the wandering samurai for a day, Kazuha seemed like an easy-going person he could have fire-water with. Childe did not want to see such a person lose his mind over something like this.
Aether summoned his Teapot, and then they all traveled to the different realm.
However, as soon as they arrived, something bizarre happened. Kazuha suddenly went down on his knees and started to sob heavily.
Aether started to panic and ran over to him. “Kazuha, what’s wrong?!”
“I’ve done something unforgivable,” Kazuha choked out as he covered his face with both of his hands. “Mushrooms are people too!”
Standing by his side, Childe stared down at Kazuha’s dejected form with utter surprise. Aether stopped in his tracks. Paimon also stilled and was the one who spoke first. “I’m sorry, what?”
“They have consciousness as humans do, but I just ate one.”
Before Childe could reply, Paimon said reassuringly, “Sure, some mushrooms do, but Starshrooms don’t.”
Childe’s head swerved up as he stared at Paimon. “What do you mean by some mushrooms?!”
“We talked to a giant mushroom before,” Aether said. “In the Chasm.”
“Wow.” Childe scratched his head. “You learn something new every day.”
“Are you sure about that?” Kazuha asked Paimon pleadingly.
“Yeah!” Paimon said. “Pinky promise!”
Kazuha sighed heavily. “I hope so.”
“Hey Kazuha,” Paimon said more gently, looking more worried. “We’ll get you back to normal, I promise.”
“Let’s bring him into the mansion,” Aether said.
Childe coaxed Kazuha out of his kneeling position, and Kazuha let Childe carry him bridal style into the mansion. Aether guided them to an alchemy room on the first floor, and Childe laid Kazuha down on a bed.
Thankfully, the detoxifying process did not take long. Right after Aether finished, Kazuha became very drowsy.
Aether told Childe, “I have enough supplies here to treat wounds like this.”
Childe nodded. “That sounds good. Treat him here, and then we can see a healer later.”
“Kazuha,” Aether said, “can you try to not fall asleep just yet? It will be easier to treat your wounds.”
Kazuha groaned and tried to open his eyes. With Childe’s help, they were able to treat him properly, and then Kazuha fell fast asleep.
Paimon said, “Do you think he’ll be okay? It was one mushroom, but what if he’s extra sensitive to it?”
For a while, Aether and Childe did not say anything.
“He will be okay,” Aether eventually said.
“Yeah,” Childe said softly.
Aether started to pace around the room. “I wish I gave him something else. I think eating that mushroom gave him the stamina or physical boost he needed to defeat those ruin machines, but what if I had given him something better?”
“Aether, then that’s more on him for not being prepared enough,” Childe said sternly.
Paimon said, “I’m going to have to agree with Childe on this one.”
Aether heaved a sigh. “I guess you’re right.”
“But that said,” Childe wondered, “that number of ruin machines gathered in one place is unusual in Liyue. Also, three of the four are ones I haven’t seen often in Liyue.”
“Did Dottore come back to open another lab?” Aether said tiredly.
“Not that I’ve heard of. We can ask Kazuha when he wakes up in case he knows something.”
“We can do that. Also, Childe,” Aether paused. “You can stay here the night if you want. I think he’ll wake up in the morning at earliest.”
“Thanks, I think I will.”
“And also.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks for taking care of him.”
Childe felt uncomfortable hearing that. “I really didn’t do much.”
“No really, what if he had gone off and hurt himself afterwards if you weren’t there?”
Childe rubbed his neck. “That’s true, I guess.”
Aether glanced towards the bed Kazuha was sleeping in. “And maybe he was out of it, but he seems to trust you already.”
Childe fought the urge to fidget, suddenly reminded of when Kazuha had called him a handsome Harbinger. He didn’t know why that memory was suddenly brought up. “You think so?”
“I’m a little surprised too, but maybe his intuition is better than mine, who knows.”
Aether shrugged as Childe processed those words. “What do you mean by that?”
“Despite myself, I’m trusting you a little more, and maybe that’s me convincing myself that I’m not making the wrong decision,” Aether said bluntly.
“Heh.” The corners of Childe’s lips perked up. “I’ll take that.”
***
“So, just how weird did I act?”
Childe handed over the cup of water to Kazuha, who was sitting up in his bed. Kazuha downed it quickly. Still frowning, most likely from his headache, he surveyed the room. “Based on everyone’s silence, I’m assuming it was quite weird.”
“It could have been much worse,” Paimon said hesitatingly. “We’re just glad that you’re back to normal.”
Kazuha stared down at the cup in his hands. “I apologize for making everyone worry.”
“It’s okay, really,” Childe said. “Maybe that mushroom actually kept you relatively safe.”
Kazuha rubbed his temple. “I suppose.”
“But you really don’t remember anything?”
“I’m not sure.”
“That’s to be expected,” Paimon said. She glanced over at Aether. “Do you think we should send him to a healer now?”
Aether said, “I actually asked someone to come here.”
“Please let me pay for it,” Kazuha said.
“Uh, this healer doesn’t accept payment. It’s to return a favor.”
Kazuha looked slightly downtrodden at that. “I see.”
Childe noted that he learned something new about Kazuha, that he was someone who did not want to burden others, which Childe could relate to.
“Don’t worry about it too much,” Aether tried to say reassuringly. “You saved my life before.”
Kazuha nodded slowly. “Alright. I do not see owing each other a favor as a bad thing.”
Paimon said, “That settles it then!”
“That’s good,” Childe said. “I actually have somewhere to be now, so I’m going to take my leave.”
After Aether and Paimon said bye to him, Kazuha said, “Before you leave, I wanted to thank you.”
If Childe felt uncomfortable before hearing Aether say that, now he felt outright embarrassed and felt himself starting to blush. He wondered why. “Of course… I didn’t do much, but you’re welcome.”
“I do remember feeling safe when I saw you.”
Everyone else looked surprised at Kazuha saying that, who also looked slightly embarrassed.
“That’s good,” Childe said, his voice slightly higher pitched. He didn’t know what else to say.
“Sorry for holding you up.” He bowed his head slightly. “I won’t keep you here much longer. See you then.”
Childe felt relieved, but also a little disappointed. “Yeah, see you!”
Kazuha nodded again. “Until next time.”
Until next time , Childe repeated in his head as he left the Teapot and towards Northland bank. He didn’t want those words to be solely out of politeness. He wanted there to be a next time, and he wanted it to sooner rather than later. But he could already tell that Kazuha was not the type of person who stayed in one place for long. He had no idea where they would meet next, if at all. It was strange to him how anxious he already was over this.
All he knew was that if they were destined to meet again, then they would.