Tartgrace Archives
This carrd will house information about my Genshin yume ship, including Grace's reference and all fics!(Art by @cromworth)
On this page:
- Profile Stories (character details, 1-5 + vision)
- [WIP] Voice Lines (Grace about Tartaglia, Tartaglia about Grace)Profile Stories:
(These were written by my dearest friend Jihyun! He has helped me so much in fleshing Grace out.)Character Details
“How may I be of service?”
Popular throughout the whole of Tevyat, teahouses offer a place for weary travelers to relax and enjoy the local culture. However, even among teahouses there exists a hierarchy — and for Fontaine, the Belle Teahouse stands grand at its very top.Refined, well-connected, and beautifully furnished, this bustling hub of activity nevertheless maintains its reputation for warm hospitality to anyone who enters its doors. Its proprietors, the Belles, are renowned for their good cheer and conversation skills, which have paved the way for many an important conversation.Those who desire a more intimate gathering, however, may find themselves directed away from the large and airy main foyer. Tucked away in a corner lies the Belle family’s youngest daughter and her small shop, a young lady known to her guests as “Miss Grace.”Some visitors prefer her easily navigable manner of hosting chats, some enjoy her impeccable manners and service—and others, when questioned on her appeal, simply say one thing: “How cute!”Character Story 1
After an afternoon with Grace as their hostess, new guests never fail to mention her speech.“She’s so polite…it almost feels like I’m in one of those old storybooks, fancy clothing and all!”“If you need someone to listen to your worries, there’s nobody better. Just don’t expect her to respond right away.”The truth is, Grace’s formality and style of speaking are the result of long hours of study. In her youth, she had spent hours poring over records of past conversations, analyzing each line in an attempt to find the natural flow that came so easily to her family. To her guests, this hard work manifests as a particularly old-fashioned vocabulary and an occasionally stilted manner of speaking.Her family and her repeat customers insist that her clumsiness, antiquated vocabulary, and stilted conversation make her endearing, but an occasional voice of dissent is unavoidable. Once, a new customer left a scathing review: “Miss Grace simply cannot carry on a lively conversation to save her life! Why, when I pointed this out, her tongue grew far too sharp in reply—and without any charm to soften the blow.” The teahouse took great offense to this provocation, exerting their collective influence to track the overly rude customer down.Needless to say, he has not set foot near the teahouse since.Character Story 2:
To young Grace, her beloved elder sister was everything an heiress of the Belle family should be—graceful, sociable, and a shrewd businesswoman. However, this admiration did not translate into emulation.While her sister trained as a ballerina and talked shop with the most influential people in Tevyat, Grace often found herself losing days studying the fascinating intricacies of nature. The gleam of a dewdrop on grass, textures of river-smoothed rocks, and the ripples in puddles all captivated the young girl, who would much rather spend time observing a rare fish’s fins than worry about making friends her age or the state of her dress.These childhood fascinations came to an abrupt end when, like many daughters of influential families, she was sent to finishing school to acquire proper etiquette. At finishing school, she grew frustrated with the list of unspoken rules: Why should she need to walk in a specific manner, so long as she reached the destination? Why must her hair be perfectly coiffed and her ribbons tied, so long as she was able to serve tea and move comfortably?By the end of her education, she had long since grown familiar with these rules and how to conduct herself, no matter if she understood them or not.
In this manner, the “young lady” of the Belle Teahouse was born.Character Story 3:
As with any child of Fontaine, the daughters of the Belle family grew intimately familiar with theater from a young age. To young Grace in particular, performance came naturally—character study, script memorization, and rehearsed shows were exactly her forte.In her everyday life, she applied the same skillful role study in learning how to act like a lady. With etiquette rules as her stage directions and historical conversation records as her script, Grace is every inch the proper young lady—that is, until someone asks an unexpected question, upon which she quickly grows flustered at the unexpected disruption.Curiously, if asked, her friends and family all say the same thing: “Grace is terrible at lying!” Indeed, despite her skills in acting, the young proprietress struggles even with white lies. As a child, this frankness caused much conflict amongst her peers. After all, how could such a brilliant actress not know how to conceal her true feelings?It was only after many years of practice that she mastered the art of keeping a polite smile through most situations.Now, in adulthood, both sisters no longer actively perform in productions. To Grace, however, this does not mean the conclusion of her acting career. Instead, it is simply a shift to a greater stage—the grand stage of life.Character Story 4:
One thing that is never compromised on at the Belle Teahouse is service, an adage which has led to many a sleepless night for those dedicated to keeping it running. None are more so dedicated than Grace, who presides over her corner with a keen eye and unflinching dedication.To the young mistress, any setback is an opportunity with which to prove herself. One night, just before she was set to host a large event for foreign ambassadors, an overworked Grace backed into a shelf of her finest porcelain. It was with a tremendous crash that half the set came tumbling down.This, however, did not deter Grace in the slightest. She immediately began the lengthy journey to the finest porcelain shop in Fontaine, ferrying back and forth her precious cargo over multiple trips—at great cost to her sleep, as her family would find out the next morning. When questioned why she hadn’t requested help, Grace, blinking sleepy eyes, gave her response: “I can do it on my own, can’t I?”Character Story 5:
To the ever-observant Grace, receiving a vision was a blessing—and an opportunity. Just as she studied etiquette and acting in her youth, she devoted herself to analyzing how her new powers would fit into her life.“What am I meant to do with this?”This honest question, borne not of indifference or exasperation but genuine curiosity, filled pages upon pages of her notebooks. After much careful consideration, Grace snapped her notebook shut and dusted her petticoat off, seemingly having made up her mind.If one were to venture to the private corner of the Belle Teahouse now, “Miss Grace’s Teahouse - Temporarily Closed” hangs with neat, looping handwriting on the door of the youngest proprietress’s former residence.Upon further inquiry, other guests give similar answers:“Miss Grace? I saw her just the other day, over in Liyue…Um, but she looked busy chatting to someone else, so I didn’t want to bother her.”“I run into her often in Sumeru City, if the weather is right! She’s always got that look in her eye, like she’s taking in the whole world.”On a chance encounter, Grace herself gives her preferred response: “To an adventurer, every mistake is a new chance to learn!”Vision:
A long day at the teahouse must always be concluded with tidying the dishware, to make it perfect for the next day’s group of guests. To the hosts and hostesses of the Belle Teahouse, their porcelain is just as much a matter of pride as their service—a representation of status, refinement, and elegance all in one.However, to the frustrated Grace one summer day, this ordinarily soothing ritual felt like nothing more than a burden. Her upset guests’ harsh words still rang in her head, long after they had gone.“Why am I unable to speak with them as I should?" Yanking a hand through her curls, she bemoaned her lack of social graces that had long eluded her.As she moved to pack the last teacup into its silken case, her fingers slipped—and the teacup tumbled to the ground, leaving an awful sound and countless broken fragments in its wake.Tears slipped fast and hard from her eyes as she stared at the shattered teacup, vision blurring. With the broken shards surrounding her, she questioned her purpose. Was she doomed to forever be the failure of the Belle family, misaligned with her peers? What was the point in struggling as hard as she did, if no results came of it?The longer she stared at her clenched hands, the more her resolve solidified: if there was not a place for her amongst her current circumstances, she would find her own.With this vow, Grace felt a chill steal over the room. Astonished, she watched as the teacup knit together in front of her very eyes, shining ice twinkling in its cracks.
A Game of Cat and Fox
This fic is a commission by my friend Zale @photic_zone!
(1,233 words)It was the end of a slow day at the Belle Teahouse. Grace polished the teacup the last customer had left with a small sigh, eyelids growing heavy. It was hard work maintaining her “customer service mask” even when there weren’t many patrons, and for whatever reason it seemed even more of a burden than usual.She hummed quietly to herself as she set the small cup back in its place in the ornate cabinet, so lost in her own head that she didn’t hear the faint chime of the door’s Lumidouce Bell-shaped bell.She was not proud of the squeak she let out when she turned back from the cabinet to be met with dull blue eyes boring into her. “Hey, easy there,” Mr. Blue Eyes laughed, catching Grace’s hand as she nearly fell over the front counter. “My face isn’t that scary, surely?”Grace straightened as quickly as she could, brushing off imaginary dirt from where the red-haired customer had held her sleeve. “My sincerest apologies, sir. I was lost in the recesses of my own mind for a moment. May I inquire as to what you would like from our menu?”Instead of answering, he just continued to stare at her, so intensely it started to make her uncomfortable. The forced eye contact she maintained shattered as her gaze dropped to her perfectly shined shoes.“I think for now I’ll take a cup of Pu-erh in a saucer and a moment of your time. I know the last bit’s not on the menu, but I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”Grace eyed him suspiciously. She may have been sheltered, but she was the farthest thing from dim. His Snezhnyan Vision was not even slightly hidden. It was actually on display, twinkling loud and proud under the crystal chandeliers in between the edges of his—for whatever reason—open shirt. She swallowed, and hard.“Pu-erh in a saucer is perfectly doable, but my position is that of a teahouse manager. If you desire entertainment, I suggest you search elsewhere.”He laughed from deep in his chest, leaning across the table with his chin in his hand. “You’re no fun at all. I’m not asking for anything scandalous. Just a little chat will do me just fine. I’m not from Fontaine, so I was looking for some recommendations on what to do while I’m here.”“I am not the person to ask,” Grace huffed, spinning on her heel to retrieve the samovar, “as I don’t exactly get out much.”“Gee, I couldn’t tell,” the customer in grey jabbed back with as much sarcasm as he could muster. “You seem like you’d rather be anywhere but here. At first I assumed you had some other job you enjoyed more, and this was just a side gig.”His needling caused Grace to stop in her tracks. The emotion that bubbled from some hidden recess of her desire was unfamiliar in every way a feeling could be, and it was frightening. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir,” she sputtered, hands shaking as she set the water to boil.“Do you not? That tired look in your eyes when I walked in here—this place is wearing away at your spirit, isn’t it? You want more in your life.”That foreign emotion ate his words like a hungry young fire finding kindling.“I do not. I am satisfied with things as they are. Don’t you find this incessant questioning a bit inappropriate, sir?”“You can call me Childe,” the stranger laughed. “Hearing people that aren’t Fatui call me ‘sir’ is just weird.”When Grace did not flinch in her teamaking, it was Childe’s turn to be surprised. “What, no reaction? No telling me to get lost from your fine establishment?”“I had an idea of who you might be the moment you walked in,” Grace responded, “and regardless your identity is not my problem. I am a teahouse manager, not a Garde.”He laughed again, but there was little amusement in it. “A bit naive to be alone with a Harbinger, isn’t it?”Her shoulders tensed with the realization that perhaps she should have been more wary, but the second her expression shifted the warmth returned to his smile. “There we go. Just wanted to scare you a little. Cats are cute when they get spooked and their fur sticks out.”The man called Childe was becoming more and more irritating the longer he spent in his seat. Grace sighed in relief when the tea was finally finished, placing the saucer in front of him with a little more force than intended. “Your tea, sir. Enjoy.”“Again with the sir…you know, maybe getting out more would loosen you up a bit. Seeing the world can do some good for naive and unhappy cats.”“Where in Teyvat did you get me being a cat from? Besides, I have some self-preservation instincts, unlike you seem to!” she snapped, eyes widening and hands flying to cover her mouth the second she deviated from her customer service script.“Ignoring your little comment about keeping myself alive,” he chucked between a sip of tea, “I think a woman that seems perfectly polite one moment and hisses the next is the closest to a cat you’ll find. Don’t misunderstand—it’s very cute.”He gave her a sunny closed-eye smile over the rim of his saucer. “I did give unsolicited advice, so maybe I deserved it, but there’s a whole world to see outside your door. If you’re worried about danger, you could always tag along with me. I’m pretty strong, you know. I’m sure you’ve heard of me.”“Were you not just warning me about how dangerous it was that I allowed you to stay here?”“Would you look at that! You’re already learning.”Grace thought she could feel steam rising from her head not unlike the water still remaining in the samovar.“Just give it some thought, ok?” He rose from the table, leaving a pouch of Mora much larger than necessary to cover his bill. “I’ll be in Fontaine for a couple of weeks. Find any Fatuus and say I told you to get me if you change your mind.”“Why?” she managed to ask as his boot was nearly over the threshold. “You say I’m naive, but you’re the one asking someone you don’t even know to travel with you.”He paused, something serious flashing over his face as he turned to look at her. “Well…I just think everyone deserves the chance to live their dreams is all. You seem like there’s something you want to do, and I get the sense you’re a person I would like to learn more about. If I can help you out, I’m happy to.” The teasing smirk pulled at the edge of his lips again in an instant, as if the more somber expression never existed. “And you’re fun to mess with. Just like a cat, I’m telling you…”He absconded before she could chase him out with a shoe.As Grace cleaned her last teacup for the evening, she was once again lost in thought. Not about how exhausted she was this time, but about a certain redhead’s offer…and about what she really wanted for herself in life.She would give herself some time, maybe sleep on it, but…the thrill of adventure had already started to burn low in her stomach.
Like an Omen of Daybreak
Floral Trilogy pt 1
(1,697 words)After a week or so of training in Fontaine, Childe suggested Grace should take her first real trip as an adventurer."Have you been to Qiaoying Village? You probably recognize the name from all the teas they export. If we take the boat to Yilong Wharf, it’s only a day’s trek from there.”Grace had, indeed, recognized the name, but had never been herself. Really, it was a perfect idea– an adventure with the familiarity of home. She didn't give him that much credit out loud, but she knew the heat fluttering up in her heart must have reached her face, because Childe took it as a yes and began making plans.Grace officially took her leave from the tea house, and the two traveled across Fontaine to Yilong Wharf. After a brief break to eat and take in the atmosphere of the port (and perhaps stop to listen to the storyteller’s tales), the two used the rest of their daylight to travel across the mountains towards Qiaoying Village.The path was fairly pedestrian (the worst of it being some shaky suspended wooden bridges, which she had– to her embarrassment– instinctively grabbed his hand while crossing), but occasionally Childe would spy a group of slimes or a whopperflower in the field and drag her over, coaxing her to practice in battle. She was slowly but surely growing accustomed to a rhythm– he would attack them with hydro, she would freeze them with cryo.The feeling of frost flowing from the weight of the vision around her neck to her fingertips as she guided cryo magic from her catalyst was becoming more addicting in its thrill and power. Filled with euphoria after every successful attack, she couldn't help but grin and bounce in place before regaining her composure.By the time they reached their destination, night had fallen and the whole world seemed to sleep. The village was quiet aside from the echo of their footsteps on stone and the bubbling song of the creek weaving around them.The difference in their stamina had become incredibly obvious by the end of the day. At one point Grace was almost tempted to take Childe up on the offer of being carried, but her pride would never allow it. She would sooner crawl across Teyvat.To her salvation, they finally reached Qiaoying Village’s inn. Fatigue clouding her brain, she wordlessly sat in a chair by the reception desk while she let Mr. Moneybags do all the check-in.Languidly, she took in her surroundings. Qiaoying Village must be no stranger to tourism, as this inn was far fancier than she expected. Besides adventurers, there were probably a lot of aristocratic tea enthusiasts who came to study the process of Chenyu Valley’s tea making. Already, she could think of a few regulars who admired the taste profile that came from Liyue’s natural resources. The idea of sharing what she learned on this trip was somewhat exciting."Alright, Gracie," Childe's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "They've only got a honeymoon suite left. If you're against being a couple for a night, we can try our luck backtracking to Yilong Wharf. Or I can leave you here and go on my own. There was an abandoned treasure hunter camp nearby, and I’ve slept in worse. What'll it be?"Completely backtracking was out of the question, as they had come so far to get here and would miss out on the opportunity to explore the village in the morning if they had to walk back. The exhaustion in her bones also won over any consideration of moving. Frankly, she would sleep on his lap if that were the only option. She quickly shook her head to scrub that last thought from her mind.The latter option was also off the table. She was in a new place she had never been before, and she would much rather stick to Childe– who had protected her this far and who she had grown to trust to some extent over the last week– than take the risk of staying alone.So sharing a room it is?Lessons from finishing school insistently flashed through her mind, reminding her that this setup was wildly inappropriate for a young lady, but the new rules of adventuring (and her own exhaustion) outweighed them."Let's just do it. But I am not your wife for a night."-The suite itself was beautiful; she could tell they spared no expense. She was hypnotically drawn towards the large window by the bed; she leaned close to the glass, finally getting a good look of Chenyu Vale.She understood why this village was popular enough to expect frequent honeymooners. She could so vividly see two lovers in this room, intertwined in front of the large window, lit up by the soft glow of the streetlights, the aroma of fresh tea leaves they had purchased filling the air–She became aware of Childe’s eyes on her, which made her conscious of the fact that her tail had started to swish back and forth. She stood up straight and turned around to the exact smirk she expected.“I’m going to go take a bath,” she announced before he had the chance to say anything.“Well, here,” he stepped forward and picked up one of two sets of silk pajamas folded neatly on the bed, “They come with the room. Unless you’re against matching with me for the night? Don't want to imply you’re my wife after all.”She stepped forward and snatched them from him, “Ha ha,” she dripped sarcastically. She turned her nose up in a dramatic pout as she exited the room, but she, of course, heard an amused laugh behind her.The baths were down the hall, and they were just as luxurious as the suite, encased in smooth black stone. No one else was in the bathhouse (probably due to how late it was), but she wasn’t against a moment alone to process the day.As she slipped in the water up to her neck,, she ran her fingers through her curls and felt them melt into the water. While her legs were sore from how far they’d walked, she still couldn't help but feel the experience was luxurious– more akin to a vacation than an adventure. Sure she had to start somewhere, but…“Am I really good at this?” she whispered out into the echoing walls of the bathhouse.This was her last chance, her final hope for finding a future for herself that felt right. She knew her vision would lead her somewhere she belonged, but for now it had only lead her to a harbinger tour guide.If only he knew how much faith she was really putting into him.-By the time she had returned to the room, hair only partially dry, Childe had already dressed down into the matching sleepwear and was hunched over a letter he was writing on the desk. He was so fixated on his task he barely acknowledged her entrance.Dressed in thin layers of silk, he looked far more subdued, fragile, and human compared to earlier when she had to stop him from nearly jumping off the boat when he saw ruin guards on a distant island. When in battle, he was one with his weapon, moving smoothly like a machine that was programmed to fight. At those times, she felt a mix of emotions– excitement, that she could learn from him– fear, that she was in the company of someone who was far more powerful than her– and safety, knowing that she had that power protecting her.But now, he just looked average. He looked like any man who would walk into her shop and ask about what cakes his girlfriend might like and what to pair them with.She had to stop herself from huffing out a laugh at the thought of Tartaglia, the Fatui harbinger, concerned about something like that.She crossed the room and climbed into the bed, her leaden limbs melting into the soft down comforter. Imposter syndrome about being an adventurer aside, she would not deny the joys of a luxurious silken bed.“By the way…” she addressed her companion, “I’m not a cat. So don’t get any funny ideas about trying to get cute with me by cuddling or petting my ears or whatever.”He laughed lightly across the room, “Cute, you say?”“Goodnight,” she grabbed the top of the blanket and pulled it over her head, protecting her still-damp scalp from the cold and blocking out the light of her companion's lantern.She could still hear the scrawling of charcoal on a scroll as she drifted into the dark depths of sleep.-When Grace awoke, her first emerging thoughts were warmth and comfort, like the feeling of lying in a sunbeam on a day off. She nestled closer into the warmth, vaguely comprehending that she was holding onto something. She squeezed the mass tighter, relishing in the softness against her cheek– until a light laugh snapped her awake.As if she were dunked in cold water, her heart jumped at the realization of what– or who– she was clinging onto."Morning– ACK–" Childe was interrupted by Grace shoving him away with all the strength she could muster."What's all this about?!" she demanded."You were the one who latched onto me!" he threw his hands up in mock surrender, "I wasn’t going to move you around!”Grace's ears turned back. It's true they could've only gotten in the position they were in if she had been the instigator. Without a comeback, and now newly flustered, she just looked away, desperately hoping they would both immediately forget what happened."Well, I'm going to go take a bath," he stood up and stretched, then paused and gave a sly grin, "You were purring, by the way."Grace grabbed a pillow off the bed and threw it square into his chest, which only caused him to laugh harder. He tossed it back to her and turned on his heel to leave.As soon as the door shut behind him, she grabbed the pillow and screamed into it.
Of Promises Unkept the Night Flowers Speak
Floral Trilogy pt 2
(2,329 words)If it weren’t for the dates in her observation journal, Grace would have forgotten how long it had been since she left Fontaine and started exploring with Childe. It felt much longer than two weeks, but she supposed when you see something new every day, it feels like you've experienced a lifetime.(For that matter, when you’re with someone every waking hour, it feels like you’ve known them a lifetime.)By the time they crossed Liyue and made their way into Monstadt, she was almost caught up on the entire lives of his siblings, from the moment they were born to the most recent letters he had received. When he lit up in excitement over such small domestic details, she could see the normal man beneath the Fatui regalia.Even when he suddenly ran off the path to go start a fight with an abyss mage across a river, she saw it less and less as bloodthirst, and more so the equivalent of a dog needing to go for a walk to burn off energy. The comparison was probably rude, so she never said anything. She only rolled her eyes with a smile and jabbed, “Yes yes, you’re so strong. Now dry off or I’ll freeze you.”As Grace grew more comfortable with adventuring, they had stopped staying at inns and began making their own food more frequently. Their dishes were often experimental– Childe allowed her to adorn the fish he caught with various regional specialties she picked up along the way. Sometimes they were spice mixes from merchants, other times they were wild herbs that she was very, very certain were edible.She was glad to be camping, if only because then Childe couldn’t tease her about sharing a bed again.(“If you liked it so much, it would save us mora.” “Since when do you care about saving mora?!”)Still, on days like this where the wind and rain were picking up, and the air began to sting with a bitter cold as they approached Dragonspine, she wished she had somewhere warm and dry to go back to. Her silent stewing must have caught his attention.“Funny a cat should spend her time with a hydro vision holder, considering you hate water so much.”“You really aren’t as funny as you think, you know that, right?”Her comment, as always, had no effect on him.“There are some ruins up ahead, we could shelter there and call it an early day if you want,” he suggested.“Ruins?” she repeated, “Is that… okay?”“We have more than enough strength to take on a ruin guard or two.”“No, I mean… I don’t know, aren’t they sacred or something?”“Not sure. But no deity would mind if we hung out in some crumbling building for the night. It would probably appreciate the company, right? Some worshippers besides old machines?”She really didn't know enough about Teyvat’s ruins to contest this. She made a note to study them later. For now, she would trust him, and if he was wrong, she would just give him a hard time about it later. Nothing he had done had killed them yet– and some days that felt like a miracle.The duo headed towards the ruins. Grace felt amazement flutter in her heart as she approached a tall pillar, stretching her neck to look up to the top. They were old and crumbling, but they were beautiful in their resilience. She stopped for a moment to look at the moss growing on the surface, thinking about how life was regrowing on an ancient, abandoned monument.“Gracie!” Childe’s voice snapped her out of her trance, “Over here!”He had found the remains of what was once a fort made of stone. It was completely sealed aside from two small windows on either side, likely meant for archers to shoot from.He looked around for an entrance, eventually finding an underground staircase a few yards away. The two ventured underground and found the other set of stairs that lead inside the sealed fort above ground.Something about the fort felt cozy. Sure, it was originally meant for battle, but it was protective. It was safe and– most importantly– dry.Childe unpacked his bag containing dry branches the two had collected along the way to light a fire with. Grace crouched down and helped arrange them as he struck a match.Even with the fire started, she still shook slightly from the cold. She stood back up and began taking off her drenched outer layers to squeeze the water from them. Amidst her work, she suddenly felt a heavy weight fall over her head and obscure her vision. She yelped in surprise as she fought off the mystery attacker– a thick cloak.A Fatui harbinger cloak.She gave him a look, but he shrugged and smiled innocently, “It’s the warmest one I have.”He sat down by the fire and took off his own outer shirt, dressing down to just his thin collared inner shirt.“What about you?” she adjusted the cloak onto her shoulders.He looked up at her blankly, “What about me?”She furrowed her eyebrows, “There’s no way you're just going to sit in wet clothes in this weather.”He chuckled, “This is nothing. Plus we have a fire, right?”She rolled her eyes and briskly strided over. She sat down beside him and readjusted the cloak so the left side fit over his shoulder. She pulled it towards her, pressing them closer together and sealing in the warmth.“You seem like the type who’s whiny when you're sick,” she commented dryly.“I won't get sick from the cold,” he insisted, “you’ll have to come visit me when I return to Snezhnaya soon. Then you’ll get that this is nothing.”When he returns to Snezhnaya soon.This was another bitter reminder of the one thing she had been pushing to the corner of her mind: this was temporary.Her eyes fell down and her ears drooped before she could stop them. The mood shifted, the sound of the rain outside the old fort suddenly feeling louder."Why the sad look?" Childe asked with an empty chuckle. As much as he tried to make things lighthearted, there was a heaviness to his words that made Grace's heart drop further into her stomach."I appreciate you training me and taking me on an adventure, I really can't repay you for that," she began, "but..."Silence hung heavy in the air as she fought to get the words out of her chest."But... I'll miss exploring with you." The words made her whole body burn hot the second they left her mouth.There was no response besides the sound of the rain.After a moment, she finally looked back up. Childe was staring at her, wide-eyed in an expression she couldn't pinpoint. His hand was slightly raised, as if to reach out and touch her. After they met eyes, he quickly switched his body language and expression."Aw come on, don't be like that! You'll be fine on your own, and you'll meet lots of travel partners and interesting people along the way.""I'm not afraid to be without you," she corrected, "I know I can protect myself, it's more so..." she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, "... I have fun with you."I feel I belong with you.This pulled a more honest chuckle from Childe, "Well I'm glad for that, at least," he leaned back on his hand, "I thought you'd get sick of me by this point."She looked back up at him and gave him a lopsided smile, "You know, you push your luck."He smiled at her, "Wouldn't be fun if I didn't."She hummed slightly, looking into his eyes. They had once felt like a daunting dark pool, but the reflecting fire made them sparkle with life.She was suddenly struck with a strong feeling in her chest, like her heart was trying to rip itself out of her ribcage. She knew exactly what it was, and it terrified her.The tension must have been mutual, as Childe’s expression once again shifted to one she couldn’t recognize. He lifted his hand again, this time not backing down from placing it against it the side of her head and tangling his fingers into her curls.Her heart pounded harder, trying its best to break out.With slightly shaking hands, she reached up and cupped his jawline. She was so lightheaded, she must have already died from heart failure.If she was already dead, she may as well give in.She leaned forward and kissed him. When he pressed closer to kiss her back, it was as if her heart restarted.His kiss was like the waters of Fontaine she would go to escape to as a child. The water was gentle on the surface, but as soon as you went deeper you could feel its strength, like an invisible arm’s push. It was refreshing, it was a reminder that everything in the world was alive.She had never heeded the warnings about exploring the water alone. How could water hurt her? Water is what cleansed her outside and nourished her inside. It did not cut her skin, it enveloped her like a tight hug. Whenever she swam, she felt her movement in sync with all the other creatures of the deep.The water was her home.It felt like an eternity before they pulled away, and she just barely gathered up the courage to look him in the eyes after such a vulnerable display. He looked as if he were a man on death row who was just told his charges were dropped– free, relieved, hesitantly optimistic.He looked as if all the weight of the world were off his shoulders, but hers still weighed heavy.“This wouldn’t work, would it?” she asked sadly.His smile dropped, and he looked so pitiful and dejected she immediately regretted saying anything.“No, I mean–” she stammered, “you have your work, and you have to return to Snezhnaya, and…” she only rubbed her thumb across his jaw, “I mean… I’m just some naive girl, right?” she chuckled bitterly to herself.He took her hand from his face and held it, “I think you’ve done alright so far.”She squeezed his hand, “I feel like there’s a lot I still don't know about you,” she admitted.She didn’t know much about his role, why he was here, why he even took an interest in her, or where he would go in the future, or if there was room for her.“You’re not scared of me, are you?” he laughed.She groaned, which dissolved into a laugh, “Oh come on.”"Well, go ahead then, ask me anything you want.""Why did you join the Fatui?" she answered immediately."Sweet Tsaritsa, Gracie, that's your opener? Not gonna ask my favorite color or something first?"She rolled her eyes, “I don’t know, you said it at some point. It was chartreuse or periwinkle or one of those other colors that sound fake.”“Fantastic memory, is this why you failed finishing school?” he grinned devilishly.She shoved him lightly, “You’re changing the subject! You said I could ask anything,” she reminded him.He chuckled, “It’s not as interesting as you think. Consider it a relationship of convenience– I’m able to test my abilities against strong opponents, and I can support my siblings. Not a bad job if you ask me.”“Really? That’s it? Nothing about loyalty to the Tsaritsa?”“And what about the Tsaritsa?” he asked plainly. He took the vision around her neck between his fingers, “I’m not surprised you carry her blessing, you know. You two aren’t so different. She’s also a gentle soul with a strong sense of justice.”“Gentle?” Grace repeated softly. That one was new. She had heard “clumsy”, and “blunt”, and all sorts of other descriptors from the girls in finishing school who would giddily point out how ironic her name was– but never “gentle”.Childe just showed her that irritating smile that made her feel like he knew something she didn't.“But anyway, that’s it,” he continued, “Don’t get me wrong, I respect the Tsaritsa and her goals, but I would adventure all the time if I could.”Grace looked down at her hands, interlocking her fingers.“Why… don't you, then?” she hesitantly asked. Suddenly feeling a fiery vigor, she continued, “Weren’t you the one who told me to uproot my life and chase after my dream? I haven’t regretted it yet. You deserve the same opportunity you gave me.”He leaned back on his hands, “I mean no offense, but leaving your family’s teahouse with their blessing is a bit less complicated than betraying her majesty by leaving.”She felt hot with embarrassment at the failure of her impassioned comment. Of course he couldn’t just run away with her. Maybe he didn’t even want to.“Apologies, I know the notion is ridiculous…” she felt herself slipping back into her formal speech, a habit after making a blunder. And, strangely, she felt that familiar feeling of burning tears crawling up the back of her throat.But why?"Hey now..." he cupped her cheek and brushed a tear off with his thumb.She sucked in a breath as she felt more tears spill. His hand held her like she was something precious and fragile.She wanted so badly to tell him that he was the gentle one. Childe, who looks out for not only his family, but a stranger he gave a dream to. And yet, he wouldn't dare to consider to follow his own dreams. She was crying for him.She wanted so badly to tell him, but she didn't have the words. So, she silently burrowed her head into his chest, allowing herself to be wrapped tighter in his cloak.The rain continued to pour.