insurmountable | i'm dragging a heart that weighs a ton / holding out for not just anyone

[Both of their eyes widen, though for different reasons, and they both begin to protest at the same time, their voices overlapping-]

Wait a second, that's not what-

[What is that supposed to mean? Are-]

-I meant, what I meant to say was-

[-you trying to pick a fight with me, comrade? I'll-]

-that you were with me in Snezhnaya-

[-gladly fight you here and now, I've been itching for a fight-!]

-and that he made a fuss about it-!

[They both stop, their faces a little red, clearly a little flustered by the girls.]

[ both lumines roll their eyes, though only one is quite amused by this sudden turn in their conversation. it's also the same lumine that reaches out to childe, pressing a small hand against his cheek with a quiet chuckle the same way one would try to pet a ruffled, aggravated cat, the gesture an attempt to soothe him. she knows she'll have to pay for that later on.

now, now. i'll fight you later when we're alone again.

she turns back to lumine, just as she ignores ajax's whining. he can say whatever he wants; the mere fact he's stumbling over his words only means he's been caught redhanded with his freudian slip. what an idiot.

joking aside, you two should look after each other. that's the only way you'll overcome this. ]

I'll protect Aether too, don't worry. [ her counterpart gives her a grateful but sad smile, nodding slightly. ] I promise.

[Childe presses his cheek into her palm, still looking mildly annoyed but accepting that she'd fight him later. It's mostly what he thinks about anyway, and he loves sparring with her any chance he can get. There's a part of Ajax that longs for his Lumine to do the same, but he has to shake those feelings off. He's still unsure about his own heart at the moment, though being with Lumine felt right, and he'd even kissed her goodbye on a whim before he'd left their apartment.]

Childe, I need to ask you something, about my weapons.

[It's a little specific to him, but it's always bothered him. He summons a blade, one that looks exactly the same as the Harbinger's.]

Usually our blades manifest in a way that is indicative of the weapons we've trained with- but I've never seen this design anywhere. And, it's always been this way as long as I remember, even before I ever truly learned swordplay. Do you know what it is?

[Childe looks down at the hydro blade, impressed how it's an exact copy of his own.

It was a design I worked with when I fell into an ancient world long ago. Those were the weapons they used. I tweaked it a little to fit my own preferences, once I received my vision. It's the same place where I learned the Foul Legacy Transformation. So, all of that power is yours to use.]

I see...I'd assumed that it might of been something that only Harbingers were allowed usage of, but it seems my theory was way off. Though, now that I think about it, that monument we saw had the woman using a catalyst, right?

[He looks over to Lumine, to verify. He's pretty sure he saw a 'floating' weapon near her on it.]

[ while the two boys are busy with their talk about weapons and powers, something that the old lumine has gotten tired of after years of traveling across teyvat, she turns to her modern self with another smile. the current lumine wishes to ask her so many things, wants to voice out so many complaints—not just about the events in the past, but also about childe.

despite her words earlier, she still can't push away the feeling that what happened to them a week ago was just ... normal. it was special, yes, but for a much different reason. it felt more like a reunion, like a moment when they're finally together once more.

the past lumine simply gives her a questioning look, as if prompting her to ask, before even before she could, ajax is addressing her. with an inward sigh, she tries her best to figure out what they're talking about. ]

... Oh, yeah. [ the monument. the lady standing next to him, along with the other, shorter guy. ] Your Harbinger friends, one of them had a catalyst next to her.

[ harbinger friends ... woman ... her counterpart glances at childe once more, letting out another laugh. you mean, signora? childe's best friend. ]

[UGH.

The sound of absolute disgust that comes out of his mouth is undeniable. His face crunches up, clearly offended by the fact that this woman's name was spoken aloud around him, and that she's had the audacity to call her his best friend.

That's a name I thought I never would have to hear again, even in death. Do not be mistaken. I can't stand the very sight of the other Harbingers. Always concerned with their clandestine operations, and look where that got Signora in the end.

He huffs again, and Ajax can only turn to him and wonder if he'd approve of what he does. Even though he doesn't like the dark operations they run, he still has to do it.]

Hey, we're getting a little off track here, [he interjects, before Childe really gets mad.] Anyway, Lumine, was there anything you needed to ask before we run out of time? These visions never have a set time limit, after all.

[ clandestine operations, he says.

the current lumine snorts, rolling her eyes. she's certain he's probably aware, but still, the current ajax is seemingly always involved in certain clandestine operations. not surprising given their family business and all, but so much for similarities. it sure stops right there.

oh, but she does have a question, and she thinks this should put to rest a lot of her speculations about them, about her and ajax. perhaps it might even allow her feelings to settle, to finally get some closure. ]

Are we ... [ she glances at ajax, uncertain how to ask, really. ] Since it's rather strange that everything about us is almost identical to you two, are Ajax and I ... related in any way?

[ because if they are, if this is what she's dreading, then there's no way anything between them can continue. ]

[That question seems to clear up Childe's previous anger, and he starts laughing.

Did you think you guys were fifteenth cousins three times removed or something? Hahahaha! Sorry, there's no relation. We never had children. Never got the chance.

It was sad that they hadn't gotten to start a family, but they'd died too early. But Childe has made his peace with it since then, and his demeanor shows it. He's had a thousand years to do so.]

That's a relief. That would have made things a bit awkward, wouldn't it?

[Ajax turns to smile at Lumine, guessing that she probably knew what he was referring to.]

But now I'm even more confused. If we're not your descendants, then what are we?

[ lumine's gaze flickers over to her counterpart, seeing a bit of melancholy crossing her face at the thought. but the other lumine quickly catches herself, another smile pulling at the corner of her lips. it's unfortunate, indeed, that they never got the chance, knowing childe's desire to have a family of his own, knowing his love for children.

our duties to our ideals and beliefs came first back then. i can't say we weren't happy, because i was and greatly so, but i'd say there were a lot of missed opportunities.

she takes a step towards the current lumine, her hand reaching out to tuck the pair of inteyvats in her hair. strange, how solid it feels against her ear.

this time, choose what you think is right. what feels right. ]

Wait, what do you ... mean ...

[ her past counterpart glances at her partner, giving him a slight nod. childe? ]

[Childe only smiles back, that was a good deflection her part. She'd always been good at it, and he's willing to bet this Lumine too, could do it just as well. He unclips his earring, and then takes the mask off of his head, pressing the earring into Ajax's hand and then gives him the mask.

Warriors would wear an earring in their left ear if they were always in battle situations where they could die, for good luck. I think these are better suited for you now. They don't do me much good anymore.]

Wait, you can't-

[Always look for new ways to sharpen your blade. If you do that, you'll be able to conquer any enemy that steps in your path.

Childe looks over to Lumine, ready now to end this brief conversation and finally join with their counterparts.

Don't worry. We'll always be with you, to help you parry any oncoming attack or slay any powerful foe.]

But what does that mean...?

[ lumine can tell that something is about to happen, something is about to take place, and this entire ritual feels like a goodbye of some sort. and her speculations are confirmed when her counterpart reaches out for childe once more, her fingers brushing against the curve of his cheek, the line of his jaw. there's clear affection in her eyes, love for the man she's fought side by side with against the gods. what she wouldn't give to find someone like that eventually.

she can only look away when teyvat's famed traveler leans in to press a gentle and brief kiss to the harbinger's lips, an almost inaudible murmur following in its wake.

i'll see you again soon, my love ...

her counterpart turns once more to her, this time around cupping her face. her hands feel warm against her skin, like a mother's caress. their foreheads press, and lumine finds herself closing her eyes. any other questions she has dissipate on her tongue, the words forgotten.

this isn't goodbye, don't worry. like what childe said, i'll always be with you, lumine.

when lumine comes to once more, she's standing in the middle of the twin's graves, blinking the snow that's settled on her eyelashes. her cheeks are also cold, her lips seemingly frozen. there's something heavy on her chest, seemingly wrapped around her heart. her hand still remains in ajax's grasp, and she's reluctant to tug it back to her.

uhm, miss? she looks around at the voice, blinking. you and your friend are not allowed beyond the chains. ]

[So, this was it for them then.

Ajax too, understands this is their goodbyes to each other. He can see how Childe's eyes soften as she brushes his cheek, leans in and kisses him. How he responds to it.

And how he softly says, I love you too, may we never truly part.

Childe also mirrors Lumine, cupping Ajax's face and pressing his forehead to his. Ajax finds a strange comfort in that, his vision going hazy before his eyes close. The next moment brings a strange sensation, a warmth that spreads throughout his entire body despite the cold Snezhnayan weather. Something changes within him, and though he knows what it is, he isn't allowed the time to reflect on it.

His eyes flutter open, hearing the tour guide calling to them to get out of the grave site. In his other hand, the earring still lies in his palm and the mask over it. He quickly attaches it to his head, pocketing the earring before turning to the tour guide as he tugs Lumine closer to him.

Did you two hear me? You're-

Her eyes go wide- she'd been working this tour for several years now, and the spitting image of Childe that Ajax strikes silences her for a moment.]

We'll be going now, [he replies quickly, leading Lumine over the chains and back onto the shoveled concrete, walking quickly back towards the welcome center.]

We should hurry, haha.

[ why did that woman suddenly stop talking? weird.

in any case, that gives them a chance to bail, lumine quickly trailing after ajax through the crowd towards where they first came from. she idly wonders if that tour guide is going to send someone after them—the police or security of this place, maybe? she doesn't know how things work in snezhnaya. but there's no one else pursuing them, even after they've exited the cemetery, so lumine assumes they didn't exactly break an actual law.

just ... rules on trespassing, probably. nothing new for the both of them since their stunt in liyue. ]

Ajax, [ she calls his attention as they finally slow down, now just briskly walking towards his car. her hand is still in his, fingers weakly grasping him. ] I think we're okay. Can we slow down?

[After taking a quick look behind them, he does slow, his heart beating quicker than he'd imagined in the wake of being caught on top of the graves and leaving before they could suffer any consequences. Though, those certainly aren't the only reasons, and he finds himself catching his breath.]

Sorry. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I figured leaving before anyone had the chance to chase us was the best option.

[He can already see his car, taking his keys out of his coat pocket and unlocking it for them. He squeezes her hand once before he lets go of it, opening the door and sliding into the driver's seat, letting his head fall back against the head rest. He looks over to her, feeling the adrenaline finally starting to wane in his system, and smiles- what a ride.]

There's never a dull moment, is there, hahaha. I feel like I could sleep the rest of the day now.

[His hand comes up to rest on his chest. Is that where Childe was now, inside of him, right there?]

[ never a dull moment is the biggest understatement of the year. lumine has yet to catch any kind of break since meeting ajax some time ago, which is honestly terrible for her mental and emotional health. everything is in complete turmoil and nothing had calmed down since—at least not until after a moment ago when they've both personally met lumine and childe ... and things seem to just. settle.

right, settle. that's the best word she could describe it, she thinks as she slips into the passenger seat. as if the storm inside of her had finally left and she's left to pick up the pieces. either that, or it's just the eye and she's about to experience the worst afterward. ]

How about we grab something for lunch? And then, you can take a nap after.

[ lumine's exhausted too, for some reason. but as much as she wants to sleep, her mind is on overdrive on everything that's just been revealed to them. she doesn't if she'd even be able to fall asleep. ]

Any recommendations?

Too many to list off.

[He takes his phone out of his pocket, tapping on it a few times to bring up a menu to some inazuman restaurant in the area. It has a variety of choices, and he's craving some ramen himself.]

Here. [He hands her his phone, so she can choose what she wants.] Let's just pick it up and go back to my residence here in the city. Usually, I'd love to sit in, but today...I think I want a little peace and quiet for at least a few hours instead of being out in the hustle and bustle of the Snezhnayan capitol.

[Ajax lets his eyes close for a second, still looking inward. Maybe talking about it at home would allow him to sort through his feelings, and this strange feeling of having this new cornerstone set into his foundation. They'd work through it.]

Plus, I might have to put that nap off. I think we have a lot to discuss, wouldn't you say?

[ lumine blinks when he suddenly hands over his phone, scrolling through the list of restaurants, all of which are inazuman cuisine. not that she's complaining, but she just assumes that he's in the mood of this. so fine, she may be tired and in need of peace and quiet herself that she'll take that as an excuse.

when she makes her own decision, selecting a sandwich instead of something more filling, she returns the phone back to him. ]

Do we have to talk about it?

[ it's probably for the best if they would, if only because it would affect deeply one way or another. with both lumine and childe gone, what are they supposed to do? ]

... It's not like they explained a lot, either. So we're really down to speculations here.

[He quickly orders their food, setting his phone into the holder to hook it up to the car, and they take off.]

No, not right now. I'm still processing a lot of it myself.

[The ancient past was something they could learn lessons from, but his concern isn't so much speculation as it is action. Pulling onto the freeway, he speeds up, letting the mechanical feel of the car give him some kind of grounding in reality. It would be too easy to let his mind drift off to the sights and sounds of a younger Teyvat.]

But we should, and moreso because we need talk about what to do next. Preferably sooner rather than later.

[ lumine says nothing more to that, leaning her head against the window and letting her gaze slide across the scenery outside as they drive towards the restaurant.

did she think coming here would give her some kind of closure to whatever is happening to them? she hoped it would. but really, all it did is surface more questions with the answers to them possibly gone or forever lost. it didn't seem like their counterparts were, in any way, interested in clarifying everything else to them.

she does wonder, though, if that's how she sounds when she's deflecting questions. ]

We go to the statues, get Lumine's power, use myself as bait to lure the person who wants something from us ...

[ unless he has other plans, she can't see any other way to get this sorted out. ]

[He turns his head over towards her for a second, eyebrows furrowed with concern, before returning his eyes back to the road.]

That's one plan. But they might already have other plans. It's been a while since they gave you the jump- who's to say there isn't another one in the works.

[He doesn't want to say it might in involve Aether. Ajax would largely prefer that it was him instead. Then he would have the chance to rip them apart before they could touch either of the twins.]

But, going to the statues seems to be what Childe indicated we should do.

[He looks over again, breathing out sharply- but what did she think of this?]

Are you okay with this? Listen, I know before, I was...driven, let's say, to explore this. However, things have really taken a large turn with the confirmation that we may truly be the target of gods.

[ lumine glances at him, meeting his eyes for a brief moment, before she looks out the window once more. ]

Do I have a choice not to be okay with it?

[ she was never okay with it since day one. had always been against it, had always been reluctant to pursue it. if she could, she would've found a way to circumvent it and put it out of her life for good. but it's like what the other lumine had said. if she could be spared from it, then it would've been done since day one. but it's clear that she's stuck with this until the end.

and now that they're gone, it feels like even more of a responsibility to see it through. ]

I have to protect Aether. Not just because I promised the other Lumine that I will, but because he's my brother.

[ and he's the one person who's most vulnerable here. ]

[He understands the sentiment- he'd do the exact same thing if it were him. No matter the danger, Ajax would protect the ones he loves too, so he silently nods, jaw setting.]

I'll get you to the statues then. Guess there's nothing else to do but get stronger, haha.

[He grins, and the thought that comes to his mind is exciting, maybe more than it would have been before they'd traveled to Snezhnaya.]

Mind being my sparring partner? I wouldn't mind going a few rounds against someone who can wield multiple elements. If you don't know how to fight, I'd gladly teach you.

[ lumine frowns and wrinkles at that question and suggestion.

does she look like she can fight? honestly, of all the people he wants to spar with, it's her whose only fighting skills depend on whatever self-defence techniques she's managed to see or learn. it's not extensive. if anything, the most extensive class she's received about fighting is shooting a gun. ]

Is it going to eat up my time for work?

[ also, how will she explain to aether that she's training to fight some god? her brother would definitely think she's making excuses just to spend time with ajax because of how crazy that reasoning is. ]

[He hopes that's a sign that she's more willing to learn more defense techniques. It was understandable how hesitant she was to have a gun, it came with a bad image after all. So this is a better start, he thinks. This is something she knows, using the elements, even if she's not terrible familiar with hand to hand combat.]

No. That would be a little suspicious if you suddenly have to leave work early a few times a week. Though I'm not sure how long you'll be able to hide going out.

[There's a hint of amusement to his voice, thinking the exact same as her. Aether will no doubt find out, and Ajax can't think of a good excuse for her. He doesn't know why, but the idea of Aether being upset about it makes him laugh inwardly.]

I'm guessing Aether isn't allowed to train with us, is he?

[ just because she's asking if it'll cut into her work hours doesn't mean it's an outright yes. just like her counterpart, she's just as effective when it comes to deflecting questions she doesn't want to answer just yet. ]

Why don't you invite my brother to train with you? If I'm around, he'll have a lot of questions about why I'm even there.

[ when it's not her job to be trained to fight, when aether has always ensured that she's well-protected by various means. if there's anyone who would be interested in trying to protect her rather than the other way around, it's aether. besides, lumine has no intention of giving her brother any reason to pry into this god business any further than necessary. ]

He'll see my presence as a reason to hang around with you.

I could tell him that we have a lead, and that I'm concerned that my men alone may not be sufficient.

[It's not a lie. He'd rather tell Aether something closer to the truth than anything else.]

And, well, it's not like anyone wants to stop living their lives and cower in fear. Plus, you both have visions- that puts you both a step up from everyone else. And...I'm worried about him too. I don't want something to happen to him.

[Aether is his friend. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something happened to him. He'd promised he'd make sure they were both safe, and he'd fulfill that promise by any means necessary. His eyes narrow as they arrive at the restaurant, and he parks to run in quickly.]

Think about it, okay? We have a little time. You don't need to tell me no immediately. I'll be right back.

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