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For a long time, Lumine could not decide what to give her for Childe's birthday. Based on her savings, it is unlikely that she could offer something that he is not able to purchase himself. As she wandered through the streets of Liyue and looked at the shelves and shop windows, she became more and more depressed.
(“Stones, books, herbs, children's toys... everything is not right…”)
“Afff, it pisses me off…” she spat out her grief at the emptiness in front of her.
“What exactly, Traveler…” a familiar voice addressed her from behind.
“Zhongli... I know it might be silly of me to ask this, but could you give me some advice.”
“In what area?”
Lumine looked away and muttered, “A birthday present.”
“This issue requires careful study,” they walked together, “I suggest you join me for lunch and discuss it.”
Wangming Restaurant had extremely few customers, so Xiangling also joined the brainstorming session.
“And who is the gift for?” she asked, “Does this person close to you?”
“For Childe,” Lumine replied. It's not the first time she gives gifts to friends, but something made him different from everyone else. The traveler decided that it’s the fabulous sums of money that he has at his disposal. However, the reality was much more deplorable. She was afraid that her gift would alienate the man for whom she had specific feelings. “He is close to me... as a comrade…”
Okay, this little lie shouldn't be a hindrance.
“Wouldn't it be better to just spend the day with the birthday boy?” Zhongli said, “Don't they say in Snezhnaya that the best gift is attention?”
“This is the first time I've heard of this...” Xiangling thought, “By the way, it’s good advice. You can go to the monster camp, take commissions in the guild, shoot ducks on the lake... ahhh, what a great dish that would turn out to be stuffed with sunsettia and seasoned with mint…”
Lumine shook her head, “The problem is that I spend almost all my time with him anyway. How will this day be different from all the others..?”
“You can spend the night together…” reformulated his proposal to Zhongli.
Both girls blushed deeply. It was a bold offer and Lumine would not even dream of such a thing.
“I'm sorry,” seeing the confusion on the faces of the interlocutors, Zhongli tried again, “I meant your journey to somewhere. At night. And spend time together. At night.”
“And this makes sense.” Xiangling leaned dreamily on the palm of her hand.
“But this does not solve the main thing. We haven't come up with a gift yet,” Lumine objected. She slammed her head down on the table, ignoring the local etiquette. Even if she can spend time with Childe, she still wants to give him something to remember him that day.
“I don't think it's worth worrying about it. Childe is one of the few people who prefer personal impressions to anything else. If you come up with something that can surprise him, make him laugh, get scared, show sincere emotions – then you are on the right track”, shared his wisdom Zhongli.
“Exactly! In what you are most sure of, add a pinch of surprise and the gift is ready. I'm sure Mr. Childe will appreciate it!” Xiangling was inspired, prompting Lumine to cheer up as well.
(“Add a pinch of surprise…”)
“Thank you for your advice. I think I've come up with a gift.” Lumine got up from the table, “I think I'll go. I still need to prepare something.”
“Um, Traveler…”
“Oh yes, Zhongli, let me pay for your lunch. Your advice was very useful and I want to return the favor.”
“It was very helpful. I will accept your offer.” Zhongli returned to his dish.
Lumine left mora and waved goodbye to her friends and went away.
Childe's birthday has finally arrived. Lumine carefully avoided him throughout the day, when suddenly his hand stopped her in an alley.
“Did I do something wrong, girlie?” he was upset, it was easy to read on his face.
“No, no”
“Then explain why you're avoiding me? Why today of all the days…”
Lumine received a shot in the heart. A subtle hint of his birthday, and she still hasn't congratulated him.
“I was just on my way to see you. I wanted to invite you to a place. It's quite late, but it won't work without you…”
The last words left no doubt about the importance of the event. Childe could have spent the rest of the day at the hotel, but her words assured him of the need to join.
“Great.”
“Then let's meet at the pier at sunset.” Lumine said and quickly left, not noticing how Childe's face brightened.
Later, she saw him walking on the docks. She thought to come earlier, but he was already there. Lumine quickly walked up to the guy who also noticed her.
“Where are we going?” asked Childe. In fact, he didn't care where in her company.
“Secret”, she answered shortly, pulling his sleeve towards the boats. “We'll borrow one.” she blinked an eye, hinting at the illegality of this action.
Who would have thought that the Honored Guest would allow himself such a thing. But Childe liked it.
Their boat was slowly crossing the ocean. He was in no hurry, and she did not insist. The sun has long gone beyond the horizon, leaving behind only a scattering of constellations. None of them looked at the sky, focusing on each other.
But any journey has an end and they got to the island, lost in the Sea of Clouds.
“Are you sure this is the right place,” Childe paced the patch of land, trying to figure out exactly what was interesting about it. Not a single enemy. “No way, are you serious?”
“Yes, I'm sure,” she replied, sitting down on an ancient stone ruin. “This place is calm, there are no people or monsters in the vicinity. And the stars are visible.”
Leaning his hands on the stone pillar Childe looked into her face for clues. “Do we look like people who love a stargazing?”
“We don’t, so I'm not suggesting it.” She moved a little to the edge, offering Childe to sit next to her.
“Then what are we going to do?”
“Drinking tea,” she laughed softly, making Childe smile as well.
“Well, with you, all what you want.”
Lumine carefully poured the prepared drink into the cups. It exuded the familiar scent of wild herbs. However, Childe banished all banal thoughts from himself, preferring to enjoy time with Lumine.
“This is a special tea.” Lumine said suddenly, looking into the cup, “Look. The stars are floating in it.”
Childe was a fool not to have noticed it right away. Now, studying his own cup, he saw flickering dots signaling about their existence. Galaxies collided and constellations formed in his cup.
Childe got up from his seat and began to catch Viatrix in his tea. Seeing the reflection of all six stars, he carefully sipped the drink. He could feel the warmth spreading through his body, and the light of the stars illuminating his soul.
“Tasty.”
“And in my cup is floating a slice of the moon.”
He did not notice that she also moved away from her place, settling down in a strange stone structure laid out in the shape of a heart.
“Haha, I want to try it too, girlie,” he also stepped into the heart when a light illuminated the area and a chest appeared in the middle of the island.
He watched the girl in shock, who seemed to be even more shocked. Then she noticed his gaze and puffed out her cheeks.
“Don't look at me like that, I don't know what happened either.”
Then she sat down and looked at the chest with admiration.
“I have been here many times. Who would have thought that there was a hidden treasure. Childe,” she turned to him, “ let this be your birthday present.”
“Birthday?” he asked again, as if he couldn't believe his own ears. “So you remember…”
“Of course, I do!! I wanted to congratulate you earlier, but I couldn't find the right words.”
Childe could hear the nervousness in her voice, but he didn't interrupt her.
“But now, before it's midnight, I can do it.” She gathered her strength of spirit along with a breath of air and continued, “You're special to me. I really wanted to spend this night with you. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I would like to give you the Universe, but I'm too weak for that. And instead, I'm ready to give you all of myse… Ouch!”
Lumine didn't finish, interrupted by a strong hug. She let herself melt into his warmth. In turn, he also allowed himself to be forgotten, inhaling the floral scent so characteristic of her.
“If you were agree, I would spend with you not only this night, and also tomorrow ones and all the following.”
He felt her nod briefly, without taking her eyes off his chest. She might have heard his heart pounding, but he didn't mind. After all, only she could bring confusion to his mind.
Kissing her gently on the top of her head, he whispered.
“You know, I still want tea with a slice of the moon.”