Archive of Our Own

A little over a decade had passed since the Knights' expedition to Nod-Krai. In that time, things have been relatively peaceful in Mondstadt. Of course there were still monsters that cropped up and a few scheming individuals. Nothing that the Knights of Favonius couldn't handle though.

If someone were to ask Varka, he would say he's rather content with the state of Mondstadt. Relatively peaceful, yes, but still with enough adventure to keep one occupied. A peace he had the opportunity to enjoy more as he eased into semi-retirement. There were perks in assembling knights that were self-sufficient for the most part. One of those perks being that he was able to enjoy time with the little family he made with Lohen.

If someone were to ask Lohen, he would say the peace was rather boring. He still got his kicks from hunting monsters and finding powerful opponents. He just had less time to do so now that he was officially made captain of the Fifth Company. He hadn't expected the amount of paperwork and other drudgery that came from a simple title change. He had been practically leading the company for years before then. It was only a few setbacks that kept the title from his grasp for a few years after Adorno's passing. Two specific ones: the Ursa incident and the surprise that was Eike.

Eike was a surprise to both Varka and Lohen at the time. A child that neither expected right up until Lohen delivered. While unintended, their son was beloved by both of his fathers. There were some initial difficulties when Eike was young but both would say that he changed their lives for the better. Eike was now a rambunctious ten year old with a near fearless sense of adventure.

The little family couldn't be happier. Eike was enjoying growing up in Mondstadt where the children had freedom in their blood. The rolling hills became his stomping grounds, ideal for an active imagination. And Lohen got to throw himself into the project that was ensuring his knights were at their best. This along with his other duties often kept him busy but he still carved out time to be at home when he could. Varka, meanwhile, spent the most time with Eike, when he could escape the office. This meant taking his son to all sorts of places within Mondstadt and watching Eike light up. He also had a habit of teaching Eike all sorts of tricks to get in and out of trouble. Part of Varka might have hoped to have had more kids by now but was content with what he had when Lohen and Eike.

Overall, things were great. But no family goes on without any hiccups.

"Cease fire!" Lohen barked out before he walked across the firing range to a particular recruit, "You."

"M-me?" The recruit squeaked, shaking in her boots.

"The stock is supposed to go here." He adjusted how she was holding her musket. "Unless you want the gun to slip and shoot your allies in the head."

Some of the nearby recruits shuffle nervously like the concept of accidental friendly fire never occurred to them.

"N-no sir," She shook her head vehemently.

Lohen walked to stand a few feet behind her. "Proceed!"

Today, Lohen was overseeing the firing drills the fresh recruits were doing outside of Dornman Port. He didn't mind training exercises, in fact he enjoyed coming up with unique spins on what would ordinarily be a boring routine. However, these drills with new recruits did grate on him somewhat. The newer knights were unused to his methods and scared of his reputation. Lohen felt that despite different names and appearance, each crop of recruits were all the same. Same mistakes every year, just different names in the incident reports. Some mistakes were somewhat understandable while others made him wonder how they managed to pass any entrance exam. Still, it was his job to hone any glimpse of potential he saw.

Lohen was correcting another recruit's posture when he heard a commotion from the knights waiting away from the range. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted an out of breath runner being fussed over by his knights. He wove through the small crowd. Knights around him stepped back quickly once they realized their captain was trying to get through. The runner straightened up once they saw Lohen.

"Captain Lohen, I have an urgent message from the Grand Master." They dutifully proclaimed.

"Well, go on then," Lohen gave a sardonic smile. Whatever it was must have been rather pressing to interrupt training. Perhaps Varka had decided to better utilize the Captain's talents, or maybe he pitied Lohen enough to find him something entertaining.

The runner suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. "It's ah... of a personal nature..." seeing Lohen's lack of reaction, they continued, "Eike was injured, and is currently getting treatment at the Church."

Lohen's smile dropped along with his heart. "What?"

The runner swallowed, "The Grand Master asks you make your way when you can. Th-that's all I know."

Lohen's mind ran wild with the possibilities. Eike was injured... and evidently bad enough to bring him to the cathedral rather than patching him up at home or with the first aid supplies kept at headquarters. That didn't bode well. The injury could be dire and had to be pressing if Varka sent a runner. How had this happen? As far as Lohen knew, Varka was staying at his office, which meant Eike should have been with him.

"Captain?" Someone prompted with apprehension in their voice.

Lohen forced his hands to relax, his nails had pressed into his palms despite his gloves. Right, no use freezing up here. He was next to useless standing here while his son was suffering back in Mondstadt City. The captain was half ready to sprint when he recalled the knights gathered around. He still had his duty to them... how annoying.

"Everyone, take fifteen. Gunther, you take over watching the drills. I want a detailed report on exactly how everyone performed." Lohen called out to the crowd, quickly dispersing them. Gunther flinched at the order but Lohen had already left before he could protest.

Lohen arrived back in Mondstadt City in record time. He darted around crowds, caring not for any of the dismayed looks sent his way. Soon, he found himself before the cathedral. He slowed his pace once entering the church. Last thing he needed was to slip on those slick floors and be scolded by the nuns. While not an avid attendee, Lohen was well acquainted where the church's clinic was kept.

Barbara was talking to Varka as Lohen stepped into the room. Eike was slouched against the headboard of the clinic's bed. Fortunately, he did not seem in pain despite his right arm being in a sling. Eike was the first to react to Lohen's presence.

"D-dad?" He sounded caught off guard.

His blue eyes were wide and there was a thin smile on his face. Overall it gave the look of a guilty puppy that just got caught. Evidently, he's been spending too much time with Varka.

"Ah, Lohen!" Barbara turned with a well practiced smile, "I was just about to discharge him."

"Is he alright?" Lohen's eyes slid to Varka, "What happened?"

"W-well, yes, granted Eike takes his medication and rests, I expect a full recovery. The bone should be healed within a few months." Barbara swiftly explained.

"Bone?" Lohen echoed, focus zeroing in on Eike. The boy looked even more sheepish.

"Eike is lucky that with such a fall he only broke his humerus. Other than that and the bruising, I did not find any other injuries," The deaconess continued, "I ensured the bone is still in place, numbed the pain and immobilized the injury with a sling. He'll have to keep the sling for a while, but I don't anticipate any complications."

"Fall? What fall?" Lohen looked to Varka.

Varka sighed, scratching the back of his head. He met Lohen's gaze, not yet speaking but rather assessing. Eike straightened up in the bed. Barbara, sensing the increased tension, excused herself from the room. She left on the claim of ensuring Eike's medicine was ready when they went home.

"Eike asked to go to Starsnatch Cliff," Varka stated, very matter of fact.

Lohen felt his heart clench. It wasn't a feeling he was too familiar with. His felt unbalanced. "He fell from Starsnatch Cliff?"

"Ah, not from the peak, and from the report the wind broke his fall," Varka replied.

It took a second for the implication to sink in. A low growl entered Lohen's tone, "And where were you?"

The Grand Master didn't meet his eyes, showing off exactly who Eike emulated the 'kicked puppy' look from. "At headquarters."

"You let him go alone?" Lohen asked.

"No, Klee was with him," Varka explained, not at all flinching from Lohen's dark tone.

"Oh that makes it so much better." Lohen's sarcasm was caustic. "You sincerely thought sending Klee along was a good idea?"

"Dad," Eike spoke up.

Lohen looked back to his son. Eike's guilty expression had evaporated. Instead, he had a stubborn set to his jaw, faint wrinkle to his brow and frown. He never shied away from defending his friends. Seeing that he had Lohen's attention, he went on to say, "It wasn't Klee's fault I fell. We were testing out how far her bombs could fall before they went off. Then, some abyss mages appeared. Klee told me to run, so I did and I fell. So it's not her fault, it's mine."

"It wasn't your fault either. Accidents happen, kiddo," Varka said soothingly.

Lohen failed to find comfort in either Varka's words or Eike's retelling of events. If anything, Varka's calm attitude was upsetting him further. Their son had been attacked by the Abyss, narrowly escaping. Their son had fallen off of Starsnatch Cliff and broke his arm. Yet, here Varka was acting like everything was alright? Eike didn't even seem scared. Not that Lohen would want him to be, but the nonchalance did not sit well with him. These two were behaving like nothing happened.

"Even so, clearly Klee alone was not enough." Lohen's voice was strained as he tried to be diplomatic. He attempted to play along with this absurd situation. "From now on, you don't leave Mondstadt City unless you're with a trusted adult."

Eike deflated at that, slouching back towards the wall. "Really? For how long?"

"Until you're eighteen." The reply was immediate.

Eike stared, wide eyed as he realized his dad wasn't joking. Varka shifted uncomfortably. The boy pouted, "Seriously? That's not fair!"

"It's not about fairness. This isn't a discussion. You... you could have gotten killed today." Lohen steeled himself against any of Eike's arguments. "It is an order- you are not to leave the city unless it is with an adult that I or your father approve of."

"Lohen." Varka's voice held a warning. Lohen ignored it, and glared at Varka. Varka met his gaze but sighed instead of providing a rebuttal. He didn't like arguing with Lohen in front of Eike, especially when it came to stuff like this. Lohen knew this well and was taking full advantage of it.

"It's not fair!" Eike slammed his good hand down on the mattress. "Other kids get to go out. I wasn't going anywhere dangerous- or it wasn't supposed to be..." Eike's brow furrowed, "What about Springvale and Windrise? Can I go there alone?"

"Are those places outside of the city? Then no," Lohen replied cooly.

Eike's hand clawed at the sheets below. He openly glared at his dad, with a similar stubborn set to his jaw. He was seething and ready to argue further.

Lohen decided to end this, "I also don't want you leaving the house without either of us, until you are recovered."

Eike stared in disbelief. Varka cleared his throat, "Why don't we take this back home? You've had a long day, son."

"…Fine." Eike huffed and started to get up from the clinic's bed.

Barbara rejoined them in the room with a strikingly good sense of timing. She quickly went over the timeline and treatment plan. Given Eike's age, Barbara was hesitant to try accelerating the healing process any further with her vision. Something about the difference between an adult's bones versus that of a growing child and unknown complications. This meant that Eike would have to suffer the slower old-fashioned way of healing- meaning rest. Barbara walked them out of the cathedral, passing along a draft of painkillers and instructions on when to administer them. The deaconess stood on the steps in front of the church and sent them off with a wave.

The trio walked in weighty silence despite Varka's best efforts. The Grand Master had even attempted to ask Lohen about the interrupted training drills, to which he only received a clipped response about entrance exam standards. Lohen could feel the discontent that radiated off of Eike as the boy followed. He had expected more fussing and arguing on the way home. Instead, Eike was quietly stewing. Lohen caught Eike's lingering gaze towards the front gate as they crossed by one of the fountains. Perhaps it was more accurate to say Eike was planning rather than stewing. Nevermind that, Lohen had idea on how to disrupt that line of thinking.

"Wait, there's somewhere I want us to stop by before we get home." Lohen said, stopping.

Varka looked over his shoulder, "We're almost there, can't it wait?"

"No, but it will be quick," Lohen replied. He grasped Eike's good hand and tugged him along. The boy made a small noise of protest before looking back at Varka. Varka sighed and followed, not liking whatever was brewing.

The "somewhere" ended up being the front gate into Mondstadt City. The guards on duty were relaxed but alert. Seeing the Grand Master, they gave a brief salute. Varka nodded a greeting with a smile.

"Swan!" Lohen called out with a too-sharp smile.

The knight froze, glancing to his partner and then to Varka for assistance. Seeing no immediate relief, Swan looked to Lohen. "H-hello Captain Lohen."

Lohen pushed Eike ahead of him. Much to Lohen's chagrin, the ten-year old already came up to his chin. He said to Swan, "See my darling son here? Take a good look. He's not allowed outside the city alone. So keep that in mind. Also if you happen to see him slip by, get me immediately. Got it?"

"Uhhh uhmm.." Poor Swan quaked. He looked to Varka behind Lohen. Eike shook with rage.

The small captain growled, "Don't look to him. I'm the one talking to you. I'm here as a concerned parent- just do your job and mention to next shift what I told you."

"Uh... yes-sir." Poor Swan conceded.

Eike suddenly stepped away from Lohen and whirled around to face him. He glared and spat with as much venom as possible, "I hate you."

The boy then headed back into the city, not caring to see if his parents followed or not. A beat of silence spills out. The guards shifted awkwardly. Varka sighed, "Lohen-"

"He'll get over it," Lohen cut him off, sounding a bit more like he was trying to convince himself.

"That's not..." Varka's brows knitted together. "I'm not sure what's going on with you, but you're taking this too far."

"I'm trying to keep him safe," the captain replied defensively, "That's all that matters."

Varka said, "That might be your intention but you're going about it the wrong way."

"Am I? Forgive me for not agreeing this time, but weren't you supposed to watch him today?" Lohen said spitefully. Varka's gaze sharpened but Lohen had walked away before he could say more.

Finally back home, the family settled into the evening. The tension that hung over dinner was thick enough to be cut. Typically, Eike was overflowing with questions and stories about his day. Enough so that he would have to be reminded to actually eat before his food got cold. Tonight, however, was filled with a stifling silence. Any attempt Lohen made at conversation was frigidly ignored by Eike. He stopped once he received a pitying look from Varka.

Eike eventually pushed his plate away and turned to Varka, "Pa, I'm going to my room."

"Uh, alright, just let us know if you need anything." Varka replied.

Eike nodded, gaze flickering to Lohen for just a moment before he marched off. The door slammed with a little more force than was strictly necessary. A minute passed before Varka leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Lohen tensed, sensing the impending conversation. Instead of speaking, however, Varka simply got up and started clearing away the rest of the table.

Lohen watched with narrowed eyes. He hated stewing in this silence. An argument was better than getting the silent treatment. At least with an argument, Lohen could fight back and once the argument was done the whole situation would be over. He did not want to be the first to speak up. That felt like conceding. Instead, he distracted himself by tending to his weapons.

Lohen had finished categorizing his knives when Varka sat back down. Glancing up, he saw that Varka had put out matching mugs of tea. Neither of them particularly cared for it, but it was a blend gifted by Lisa - so Varka was reticent to simply toss it out, even years later. The drink had become a ritual in its own right. The only way they made a dent in the canister was by making some for conversations like this. Ones where the sweetness of cider and the buzz from dandelion wine were inappropriate. Lohen's dislike for the taste had blossomed into hatred between the association and the fact that Varka always oversteeped it.

"Lohen," Varka's voice snapped him away from glaring at the mug, "Can we talk without blades at the table?"

The ranged captain hadn't realized his grip on the knife changed. He smiled, saccharine, "Well, that depends on how this conversation goes."

Varka raised a brow, unimpressed. "You were too hard on Eike. What's going on?"

"What's going on?" Lohen's tone spiked into incredulousness, "Our son broke his arm and nearly fell to his death. Something no one else seems to be taking seriously. I'm trying to ensure he's safe."

Varka stared at him as if he was presenting a puzzle to solve. His blue eyes flickered as some realization clicked into place. Keeping his voice even, Varka said, "You're scared. I was too when I heard, but that's no reason to restrict him so much. Barbara said that some activity is good for him, just to take things easy early on."

"There's no way that kid is going to 'take it easy'. He's headstrong and reckless. If I didn't say anything, he would be climbing the oak at Windrise by tomorrow." Lohen scoffed.

Varka's stare dug into Lohen, forcing him to consider what he just said. The smaller man's face grew heated. He snapped, "It's not the same. He's still a child."

The Grand Master leaned upon the table, hands around his own mug. It looked ridiculous, as if he was trying to squish himself down. He shrugged as he replied, "Well, I won't deny he had inherited someone's stubbornness and reckless sense of adventure. There is a difference between making sure he doesn't overdo it and banning him from leaving the city."

Lohen, said quieter than before, "It is necessary."

"You don't believe that." Varka's blue eyes were as sharp as ever. "And you can't be serious about confining him to the city until he's eighteen."

"He can leave the city, just with someone who can keep him safe. I didn't say he could never leave."

"That's ridiculous, Lo. Every child in Mondstadt is free to explore the land. Within reason, yes, but isn't that part of our jobs? To keep Mondstadt safe so they have that freedom?"

Lohen spun the knife's tip on the table. Time for a shift in tactic. "Why does discipline always fall on me? You get to be the fun, carefree father who lets him go cliff-jumping while I have to pull him back."

"I did not realize Eike did anything deserving punishment." Varka kept his voice neutral.

"I never said it was a punishment." Lohen said quickly.

Varka shook his head. "That's what it feels like to him. Which isn't right to him, when he did nothing wrong."

Did Eike not though? He had been in danger, gotten hurt and terrified Lohen. Was that not worth a mild punishment? Lohen shoved the thought away, feeling guilt creep in.

Varka then said, "He did the right thing. He didn't try to face those Abyss Mages himself, he ran like he's supposed to. It's just an unfortunate accident that he got hurt. You can't hold that against him."

Couldn't he? The fact that Eike got hurt at all felt like an offense against Lohen.

Varka continued to speak, "I understand you're scared but clinging onto him- restricting him is just going to push him away. The more you cling, the more he's going to want to pull away."

"I'm not clinging. I'm keeping him safe." Lohen protested.

"You're going to suffocate him if you keep this up," Varka hesitated before adding softly, "You know how that feels. I'm sure that isn't what you want."

Lohen, lost for another excuse, was forced to listen. His racing mind swiftly analyzed the conversation, trying to figure out a response that would 'win' him the argument. After all, if he couldn't get Varka to agree with him then it would be hard to enforce the restrictions he set in place. The perfect response failed to appear. Instead, a chill ran up Lohen's spine as a realization sunk in.

The knife he was holding clattered onto the table. Resting his elbows on the table, he ran a hand through his hair. Miserably, he muttered, "Archons, I'm becoming my parents."

"Woah." Varka winced. "I wouldn't go that far. You just got a little overprotective."

Lohen groaned. Not yet looking at Varka, he commented, "I don't know how you stayed so calm. I felt like one of Klee's bombs hit me when I heard. Seeing Eike undid me."

"Well, you weren't there when I found out Eike was hurt. I was very much not calm then." Varka sat back, hands still around the mug. "I trusted Klee would keep him safe. Besides that, I knew if anything did happen that the patrol would catch on."

Lohen processed this, gears turning. "Wait, you knew a patrol would be nearby?"

"How do you think help was there so quickly? Luck?" Varka snorted. "After Eike asked to go to Starsnatch Cliff, I adjusted the timing on the patrol routes. Nothing disruptive, just... made sure there would be a presence in the area."

"Oh." Lohen felt significantly better that their son hadn't been quite so alone.

"I don't appreciate the implication that I wasn't looking out for Eike or didn't care," Varka's voice was low with hurt, "I want him to grow up free, but I'm never going to neglect him by letting him go somewhere dangerous unprepared."

Guilt gnawed at Lohen. His shock and concern had led him to be unfair to both his son and his husband. He needed to apologize, but the words were heavy and misshapen on his tongue. Still after all this time, he found it hard to admit when he was wrong. The captain shook his head. He wasn't one to run when things get tough. He refused to let his emotions rule him. To let it get this far was already embarrassing enough. Swallowing his pride, Lohen looked up to meet Varka's eyes.

"I'm... sorry," His voice came out smaller than he meant. Clearing his throat, he said louder, "Sorry for doubting you and implying you didn't care."

Varka softened around the eyes. "Thank you."

Lohen relaxed somewhat until Varka added on, kindly, "You should apologize to Eike for embarrassing him in front of Swan."

Lohen slumped back in his chair, taking a moment to reflect. He mumbled and started to stand. "... Of course."

"Hey," Varka reached out to brush his arm, "Maybe wait until the morning? Given the day he's had and the medication, I doubt Eike is still awake. No sense waking him up now."

Lohen paused. He was being offered a concession. Emotions were still riding high between him and Eike. Varka knew what a toll it took for Lohen to come around to acknowledging he was wrong. He also knew that Eike was stubborn and less likely to hear anyone out so soon. Moments like these showed how years as Grand Master had honed Varka's abilities to manage people- even within his little family.

"Alright. I'm just going to check on him." Lohen replied.

"I'll finish cleaning up, then." Varka drummed his fingers on the table before pushing his chair back.

The smaller man stepped away from the main room to the short hall. He stopped in front of Eike's room and hesitated for a breath before gingerly opening the door. Sure enough, the boy was sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep. Softening his steps, Lohen weaved around toys and books strewn throughout the room. Keeping the floors clear was a constant struggle. Soon enough, he was standing beside the bed.

Eike's mint-colored hair fanned out against his pillow. Lohen gently carded his fingers through Eike's hair. It was several shades lighter than Lohen's. Despite this, people who hadn't met Eike before often commented that the unique hair color tipped them off that Lohen was one of his fathers. Eike did closely resemble Lohen but his eyes were all Varka's.

Lohen pulled the blankets up around his son before he snuck out. Varka was finishing drying Lohen's previously untouched mug when the captain stepped out. He turned with a soft smile. "Asleep, like I suggested?"

"Yes," Lohen stepped back into the kitchen. He leaned against the wall facing the sink. "Peacefully so, but he kicked off his blankets again."

"I would find it odder if the boy hadn't done that. I doubt he'll break the habit for a long while." Varka finished in the kitchen. He turned to Lohen and within a few steps, was crowding the younger man against the wall.

"Well, hello to you too. Suddenly forgot about personal space, Grand Master?" Lohen snarked.

"Hm.." Varka cupped Lohen's face with a single hand. "Hey."

"Hello?" Lohen looked up at Varka.

"You know I love you, right?" Varka leaned down for a kiss.

"Mm." Lohen turned his head slightly. Varka didn't hesitate to press a kiss to his cheek instead.

"And you know Eike loves you too." Another kiss, right upon the mole beneath Lohen's eye. "Even when you two don't get along."

"Hmph, I wouldn't believe that given the cold shoulder I've gotten." Lohen retorted.

"You've done worse to me when you're mad at me. Yet, you still love me, right?" Varka pulled back enough so he could look him in the eyes.

"I suppose so." Lohen's mouth tipped into a teasing grin.

"Only suppose so?" Varka repeated with mock hurt.

"Well," the shorter man wrapped his arms around Varka's neck. "You still haven't kissed me properly yet."

The blond took that as an invitation. Lohen kept tilting away or to the side at the last moment. He even laughed at Varka's growing frustration.

Varka growled, "Well I would if you stopped being a brat."

"Oh? Come on and take it, Grand Master~" Lohen teased with a sing-song emphasis on 'Grand Master'.

Varka reached out and held Lohen's face steady. A thumb under his chin, the side of his face was encompassed by Varka's rough fingers. A momentary squish was the only warning before their lips crashed together. Lohen smiled into the kiss, evidently pleased with himself. That only drove the Grand Master into kissing him harder.

When they broke apart, Varka asked lowly, "Better?"

"Mhm," Lohen hummed, arms still around his husband's neck.

Varka stole another quick kiss. "We should go to bed, too. Want me to carry you?"

"No, I can walk myself," Lohen let go.

Varka stepped back with a somewhat disappointed look. The captain rolled his eyes and took his hand. "Come on, you needy mutt."

Varka brightened despite the fond insult. The two settled in for the night with a dozen more stolen kisses here and there. Varka pulled Lohen close beneath the blankets. He was a furnace against Lohen's back, something Lohen had long gotten used to. Sleepy kisses were pressed against the nape of the smaller man's neck. "Everything will be fine, Lo. Come morning you two can make up. So stop thinking so hard about it..."

Lohen hummed. Of course Varka could sense how tense he felt. He had to admit that he likely had a point. No sense worrying into the night what the next day would bring. "If you say so."

"I do..." Varka mumbled. Lohen snorted before letting himself relax into the embrace. Sleep always came faster cuddled up like this.

Lohen awoke when the first light started to filter into the room. He was accustomed to early mornings, liking to spend the time alone. Often that meant warm-up exercises and scouting out places for his hunts or training recruits. He prided himself in drilling his knights in different locales and conditions. His knights, on the other hand, were a little less enthusiastic about how 'realistic' their training courses were. Lohen still had the tendency to be the first one up on lazier days where he spent the whole day with his family.

Lohen glanced over to Varka, who was still fast asleep. The giant of a man had him held tightly. Fortunately, the smaller man had practice escaping Varka's embrace without waking him. Unfortunately, it still proved a challenge to get free at all. After a while of wriggling and cursing, Lohen slipped free. He looked back to see if his husband was still asleep. Varka showed no sign of waking. He did, however, have a slight crease to his brow and a frown. Lohen substituted a pillow to make up for his absence. Varka's face almost immediately relaxed as he crushed the pillow against himself.

Lohen snorted at the sight, "Needy brute."

He went about getting ready for the day, taking advantage of the early hour. Whilst getting dressed, Lohen thought over his plans for the day. First, he would go check on Eike. Any painkillers were sure to wear off by now. Lohen might be personally opposed to using painkillers for himself, but he didn't begrudge others for using them. Especially if it would give his son any form of relief. Secondly, after Eike was settled for the morning, Lohen would apologize. He still felt that perhaps his points were valid but he could recognize that he had gone overboard yesterday. An annoyingly responsible voice in his head said that he had to swallow his pride and set a good example for Eike. That meant acknowledging where he went wrong and apologizing. Last on his brief list would be to wake Varka and see about bringing their little family to Good Hunter for breakfast. Nothing like bribery to smooth over this situation between him and Eike.

Satisfied with his basic itinerary and dressed, Lohen slipped out of the master bedroom. He slowly opened the door to Eike's room and peered inside. Eike was still asleep, not too surprising given the hour. What did concern Lohen was how the boy was sleeping. He had his blanket pulled over his head, something he only ever did when warding off a nightmare. It would make sense if Eike ended up having nightmares over yesterday. He wasn't ignorant of the dangers posed by monsters, but there was a clear difference between knowing and experiencing.

Lohen made his way over and sat on the edge of the bed. He gently shook the boy's shoulder. "Eike, dear, time to wake up."

No response. Lohen frowned. Eike wasn't a deep sleeper, but perhaps the exhaustion from yesterday caught up to him. The captain had a feeling something was off. A careful as possible, he pulled back the blanket. He was greeted by the sight of pillows and clothes arranged to approximate a sleeping figure. Eike was not here.

A chill went down Lohen's spine followed by a flicker of anger at himself. How could he be fooled for even a moment? Nevermind that, the more pressing thing was that Eike was gone and he had no idea where to. His mind raced. Eike was still hurt and was out somewhere. If he was outside of the city, he would make for easy pickings. From hilichurls to Treasure Hoarders, an already weakened prey would be irresistible. Lohen shook his head free from the thought. Perhaps Eike hadn't gotten far? He was still injured and that must have delayed him somewhat. Though, he had managed to sneak out of the house unnoticed and arrange a dummy all while having a broken arm.

Lohen rushed back to the master bedroom and shook Varka. "Get up," He hissed.

Varka sat up, suddenly alert, "Mhm? Lo, what is it?"

"Eike's gone."

"Gone?" Varka echoed.

"He snuck out. I don't know when but when I checked on him this morning he was gone. He could be anywhere. I don't know where to start looking. He could be in danger. Out there, hurt or-or worse." Lohen's words tumbled out of his mouth in a torrent.

"Lohen." Varka placed his hands on the slighter man's shoulders. "Breathe."

"Don't tell me that!" Lohen snapped. "Eike's missing! I will not be told to calm down."

Varka stared at the obviously spiraling Lohen. He seemed to weigh his options before sighing, "Alright. Let's go look for him then. No use sticking around here."

He then stood up from the bed and got dressed. Lohen paced before securing his weapons. Intuition told him that the boy wouldn't be found in the city. No, given the argument, Eike had to have left the city. Varka called out to him once ready and the two left the house.

The first step was to send word to the knights, both those stationed in the city and those leaving for patrol. The chances were slim that Eike was still in town, but having eyes out just in case didn't hurt. Besides, it was possible that Eike would return on his own. Lohen and Varka questioned anyone who might have seen Eike leave. Unfortunately, it seemed that the boy had left early in the morning when few would be out and about. No one had seen him. The gate guards on duty reported the same- which nearly incited Lohen to snap at them. Varka had to drag him away before his glaring and sharp words turned into direct threats and actual blades.

"They have one job and they can't even keep track of if a ten-year old left the city or not," Lohen seethed as they continued out of the city.

"Well… in their defense, said ten-year old has watched his parents sneak about sometimes with him in tow," Varka replied, "Cut them a bit of slack. The fact that Eike was able to get out of the house without you waking is a testament on how stealthy he was being."

Lohen did have to concede to that point. He was a fairly light sleeper and still kept the habit of learning the footstep patterns of those around him. He grumbled, mostly to get the last word, "An injured ten-year old… you would think guards would take notice of that."

"Yes, yes," Varka sighed, "I'll see about revisiting the guards' standards for watches. How about you take the North and I take the South? Just ten minutes then we reconvene here."

Lacking any other idea or direction, Lohen rocked on his heels, itching to take off. "Alright."

Varka gave a nod before turning away. Lohen did a quick sweep of the immediate vicinity. There were no obvious tracks with the road already so well-trodden. He took off Northbound, alert for any little sign that Eike might have gone in this direction. He could feel his heart start to race again and his nerves on edge. Without Varka or any other distractions, the weight of the situation crashed upon him.

Lohen's thoughts spiraled into increasingly concerning hypotheticals. Eike could have run into danger already. Although he was tall for his age, Eike was still young. Lohen and Varka made sure he had basic self-defense skills, but nothing that would prepare him for actual battle if a monster took interest. Eike was taught to get himself out of such situations quickly and to flee. In theory it made sense, but practice was something else. Sometimes fleeing was not possible. Varka had said at the time that they would teach Eike how to actually fight once he was older- better to not encourage overconfidence and battle-hunger when he was still young. Lohen cursed himself for agreeing to that choice. Now, Eike could be caught and brutalized by any sort of monster without any real fighting chance.

Lohen thought to himself that monsters were probably some of the lesser evils Eike could have run across. Treasure Hoarders might recognize that Eike was his and Varka's. Annoying as a ransom would be, at least Eike would be kept safe. Shaken but physically safe was a hard compromise, but Lohen would rather that than the alternative. There was the chance that Eike was happened upon and taken to be trafficked elsewhere. Lohen's blood ran cold at the thought. While kidnapping for experimentation was not as common since the Doctor was truly dead, there was the chance for copycats.

Lohen stumbled as he nearly slipped and caught himself. He paused and sighed, forcing himself to let go of the thought. Still no clues on his side. Despite his strength, he felt useless in this situation. Eike was missing and here he was falling apart. No, it was worse than that - Eike had ran away and it was all his fault. If only he hadn't been so overbearing before, then they would be enjoying a calm morning together. Part of Lohen wondered if this mix of anxiety and self-pity was what his parents had felt all that time ago. Not only when he was taken, but when he returned and eventually spurned their attempts to regain the child they once had. Did they ever regret the choices they made that ended up widening the schism between Lohen and them? Lohen never considered it before and even now rejected thinking upon it further now. This wasn't about him and his parents- this was him and Eike. He refused to let their argument fester and push Eike away. He wouldn't repeat the mistakes of his parents, who still to this day wouldn't acknowledge anything wrong with their parenting.

Frustrated, Lohen made his way back to Varka. Judging by Varka's tense posture, he hadn't found Eike yet either. Concern flickered into those blue eyes as he noticed Lohen's drooping shoulders. The Grand Master prompted, "Nothing?"

Lohen merely shook his head. Varka suggested, "Let's check out Springvale. Perhaps he passed by or stopped there."

Lohen nodded and started to head off in the direction of Springvale. Varka followed after, still on the look out for any clues that Eike had taken this path. He kept getting distracted. His eyes wandered to the tense shoulders of his husband. A quiet Lohen was rarely a good sign, especially when he was so clearly wound up. The windmill in Springvale was just starting to come into view when Varka's patience wore out.

"Lohen, talk to me."

"Huh?" Lohen's head snapped up.

"You're… quiet. What are you thinking about?" Varka asked. Being direct tended to work best for them.

Lohen looked away and remained silent for a while. Just as Varka was about to prompt him further, the captain finally muttered, "It's my fault…"

"What was that?"

"It's my fault Eike ran away," Lohen said louder, "I… should have listened to you yesterday. If I had, then maybe our son wouldn't be out here alone. He… could be hurt or worse, and it's my fault."

"Lo…" Varka hesitated. Platitudes would fall on deaf ears at this point. "Eike might have ran away because the fight you two had but that does not make anything that happens your fault. Eike's old enough to know better than to run off. And even if I disagree with you restricting him, I don't blame you for any of this."

Lohen let those words sink in. Still holding onto a bit of self-pity he said, "I feel like I'm not cut out for this parenting thing."

A bark of laughter escaped Varka. He stepped up beside Lohen and pulled him in. "Well, we made it to ten years didn't we? I don't think we've done that bad of a job."

"Maybe not you," Lohen muttered.

Varka squeezed him tighter, "We're bound to mess up. We're human afterall. What matters is that we acknowledge when we do mess up and try to be better."

"Mmm." Lohen made a noncommittal noise.

"Let's find our boy." Varka ruffled his hair before letting go. Lohen shook himself before following, feeling a bit of the weight in his chest lessen.

The people at Springvale tended to get up earlier than those in Mondstadt City. The hunters there liked to get an early start on their days, and so there was some hope that perhaps one of them had spotted Eike. Unfortunately, those who were still in Springvale all claimed to not have seen the boy. A few of the kids offered to check the woods or to find the hunters that were still out. A kind offer, only accepted once the children promised to stay together. Diona approached the two knights curiously as she spotted them talking to one of the residents.

"Grand Master! Sir Lohen, good morning," She said, slinging her bow behind her back.

"Ah, Diona, I didn't know you were out at Springvale today," Varka replied in lieu of a greeting.

"Just checking on some traps before my shift. What brings you out here?" Diona's tail flicked with interest.

"We're looking for Eike. Have you seen any sign of him?" Varka asked.

"Eike? I haven't seen him." Diona tilted her head as she thought. "I just came back from the spring, but I did notice the animals acting strange near the edge of Wolvendom this morning."

"Wolvendom," Varka repeated, "Of course he would go there. Thanks Diona."

"Of course-," Diona paused as Lohen rushed off mid-conversation. She turned to look at Varka, "Do you need any help?"

"I think we got it from here," Varka patted her on the shoulder before following after Lohen.

It did not take them long to reach Wolvendom. The issue was covering ground once they got there. They split apart once more. It was a slow process, the thick woods and frequent cliffs taking more time to traverse. Not only that, but they had to look for any sign that Eike might have been here. A possibility that Lohen was starting to doubt. So far he hadn't noticed any traces. Moreover, Lohen lacked Diona's intuition to note anything wrong with the animals' behavior, for those few he did cross paths with. He wasn't sure how to interpret what he saw and it was beginning to grate on him.

"Lohen!" Varka called out and Lohen immediately headed in his direction. The Grand Master indicated to the set of footprints he found. "Can't be certain it's him, but they seem to lead deeper in."

"Let's go then," Lohen urged. Any moment left not moving was another moment wasted. Fickle hope bloomed in Lohen's chest as they followed the lead.

The tracks stopped near the heart of Wolvendom. Lohen scoured the surrounding area for any other clues. Varka meanwhile paused and took a moment to observe their surroundings. They were about where the local wolf pack liked to lounge around. The hills were dotted with wolf-hooks but Varka hadn't seen a wolf yet. Stranger yet, it didn't seem like they were hiding either. He felt a pair of eyes on him and turned to finally see an elusive wolf step out from the overgrowth. He knelt as the wolf approached.

"Hey girl, where's your pack?" Varka offered a hand to the wolf. She gave him an inquisitive sniff before leveling him with another stare. He tried to pet her but she shied away with a huff. The wolf's tail flicked as she continued to stare. Varka blinked as an idea clicked, "You want me to follow? … Do you know where he is?"

The wolf gave an impatient whine and started to pad away. She paused to look back at Varka. Her gaze then went past him and she suddenly tensed. Lohen approached from behind Varka, frustration evident. "I haven't seen anything. What about-," He stopped once he saw the wolf, "Varka, is now really the time to play with wolves?"

"He's with me, don't worry," Varka soothed the wolf before standing and addressing Lohen, "I think she might be our next clue. She wants me to follow her."

Lohen glanced between the wolf and his husband. Honestly, if it were anyone else he would dismiss the idea. The wolves in Wolvendom were usually pretty neutral when it came to people. He wouldn't particularly call them helpful. The wolves were more likely to merely watch if any travelers ran into trouble, rather than intervene. He could respect their aloof nature, knowing to mind their own business. Lohen sighed. Any possible lead was one they should follow and the wolf looked ready to bolt if they waited any longer. With a nod, the two followed after the wolf.

The wolf kept a steady pace ahead of them, slinking through underbrush and pausing for them to follow, or running ahead when they kept too close. She always made sure Varka was between her and Lohen at all times. Soon, she stopped at the edge of a cliff and peered back at Varka as if to tell him to look. Over the edge, they could see a small hilichurl encampment where the hills met the shore of Cider Lake. It was just a few towers, but the hilichurls seemed notably agitated. No, more than that, a few wolves could be seen accosting the monsters.

Lohen suddenly grabbed Varka's arm and pointed, "There."

Varka followed the direction and saw that the wolves were not fighting alone. Eike was on the outskirts, a bloody dagger in his good hand. Lohen swore and summoned his polearm, "Grab Eike, I'll take care of the hilichurls."

He leapt down and rolled into the thick of combat, letting the momentum drive his polearm through one of the hilichurls. It gave a surprised grunt, falling limp as he pulled back. Whirling about to the next, Lohen activated his vision. Cryo infused along the tip of his polearm. He tore an opening for Varka. The stirring of anemo and Eike's sudden absence let him fall into the familiar rhythm of combat.

Lohen used his frustration from the morning to fuel his strikes. The already small amount of monsters quickly dwindled. He glanced up to a nearby hill as he heard chanting. An unnatural burst of rain fell around him, eliciting a chuckle as the rain meant to heal provided the opportunity to freeze the hilichurls around him. Lohen saw a pyro bolt streak towards him and rolled out of the way. A near miss as he felt the air go hot from the vapor reaction. With a click of his tongue, he darted after the shooter. The hilichurl flinched at his sudden proximity. He drove his polearm through without any hesitation and threw an array of cryo-infused knives towards the samachurl on the other side. The skirmish was over within a matter of minutes.

Taking a breath, Lohen glanced about. The wolves had slunk off once they sensed the elemental energy grow thick in the air. Smart creatures. He spotted Varka waving from atop a cliff. Eike was held in his other arm. Lohen quickly made his way over. "Eike!"

The boy squirmed as Lohen grew close and Varka let him down. He ran to Lohen and threw himself at him. "Dad!"

Lohen embraced his son, remembering at the last moment to be mindful of the sling. He could feel the adrenaline leave his body as he held Eike close. The boy pressed himself against Lohen, hugging him tight. Lohen managed to lean back to check for any new injuries. Eike had a nasty cut above his brow that had bleed profusely, but otherwise seemed fine. Lohen cupped Eike's face, angling it to get a better look. He sighed, "It will likely scar… but it's better than I expected. What were you thinking?"

"I-I," Eike sniffled before bursting into tears, "I wanted to prove that I was strong enough to take care of myself. Then… then you can't say I can't go out. But I'm not-" The rest of Eike's sentence devolved, swallowed up by his tears.

Lohen's heart sank at the thought that this was Eike's conclusion over the restrictions. He tried to thumb away the tears to little success. "Eike, it was never a matter of strength."

Eike mumbled, "Then… stop treating me like a child."

Lohen paused, barely stopping himself from scoffing at the absurdity. Varka had no such qualms and laughed, "Kid, you are a child. Of course we're going to treat you like one."

Eike pouted, "Then stop treating me like a baby."

"But Eike, you'll always be my baby- even when you do eventually tower over me," Lohen admitted. He chuckled as Eike's face turned red and his scowl deepened. A mildly embarrassed Eike was better than a distraught one. Lohen caught Varka's gaze and sighed as he looked back to his son. "…I'm sorry, Eike, about yesterday. I was scared when I saw you were hurt and heard how you got hurt. I didn't want that to ever happen again so I overreacted."

Eike blinked, surprised, "You were scared?"

Lohen let out a dry laugh. "Yes, even your father and I get scared sometimes. I was scared something worse might happen if I wasn't around. But… you're growing up. That means you aren't always by my side. That's something I think we all need to prepare for."

Hope shone in Eike's blue eyes. "Does that mean I can go outside the city again?"

Lohen hesitated for a moment. Varka stepped up and ruffled Eike's hair, "Yeah, maybe in a month or two. You did sneak out and throw yourself into danger. I'm afraid I can't let that one slide, buddy. Your dad and I will talk the specifics back home, but consider yourself grounded."

Eike's shoulders slumped but he didn't protest. Quietly, he gave an apology. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have…"

"You're right, though I will say it is rather impressive you managed to get out of the house, much less this far." Varka shrugged off the pointed look Lohen shot him. "What? It is impressive." Seeing Lohen was unamused, he quickly added on, "I think we can all agree that this could've been avoided if we just talked things out, yeah?"

Both Lohen and Eike looked a bit sheepish but begrudgingly agreed. Varka sighed. The two were so stubborn at times, especially when they thought they were right. He wisely did not say this observation aloud, since they just had made up. Instead, he said, "Let's get you checked over again then we'll grab breakfast."

Eike opened his mouth to say something, but his growling stomach spoke for him. He flushed with embarrassment as Varka chuckled. Without another word, he followed after Varka. Lohen walked beside him. Silence spilled out but it wasn't as stifling as it was yesterday. A comfortable quiet after such a busy morning. Lohen could feel himself relax as they walked. Mental exhaustion started to creep in to replace the anxiety from earlier in the morning, but Lohen found he didn't mind that. Eike was going to be fine and he had managed to apologize.

Right as they were nearing Springvale, Eike knocked his hand against Lohen's. When Lohen glanced back, the boy was looking back down to the ground. A moment passed before Eike finally spoke up, "I'm sorry for saying that I hated you. I don't."

Lohen's expression softened, "I never believed that you did. We all say and do things we don't mean in the moment. I'm sorry that I embarrassed you in front of the guards yesterday."

Eike leaned in and Lohen put an arm around him as they walked. Softly, the boy said, "I love you, Dad."

Lohen pulled him in tighter, earning a squeak. "I love you too."

He looked up and saw Varka waiting ahead with a fond smile. It was his husband's patience throughout this ordeal which had kept him from completely spiraling out. Varka's constant love was something he had learned to rely upon over the years, despite how terrifying the thought once was. Lohen thought to himself that while not what he expected for himself, he wouldn't change anything that led to his little family.