#childhood friends to lovers is the superior childe trope FIGHT ME

[hexofvex]

Childe brainrot time hear me out-

You're another child in the small village of Morepesok, hailing from a family of hunters. Hunting and fishing are the major practices in your village.

You befriend a small boy about your age, Ajax. A curious and energetic boy, fascinated by the tales his father would tell the two of you. You often go into the forest, playing, pretending you are two heroes of old slaying dangerous beasts. And as you two age, you develop a crush on each other.

When you both turn fourteen, he tells you he will become a legend, just like the heroes of the stories you adored so much. You smile and wave your hand, it's all so endearing after all. Until one of his sisters knocks on your door and informs you of his dissapearence.

For three days, you search relentlessly together with his mother and sisters. You can't rest, you can't sleep. One moment you are angry at his stupidity, and the next you're tearing up, praying that he turns up safe and sound. And he does. And although he looks relatively unhurt, you notice the difference.

How his eyes are devoid of light, of the curious sparkle they once had. He's suddenly confident, leaving behind all of his previous activities. He calls them childish, fishing is boring, come on, when are you going on the next hunt? Can he come with you? You agree, but then you have to hold him back for the entire time, because suddenly attacking a bear or a boar with a dagger isn't the hunting strategy you were raised with.

It doesn't stop there. He gets into fights with the other teenagers, time and time again. There isn't anyone your age in Morepesok who would dare challenge him, so he moves up to adults. But in the moments where he's with you and his family, he's cheerful and playful, and you recognize your best friend.

When Ajax informs you of his father's decision to send him to the Fatui, your heart drops. You're not even sure this would help, isn't a military organization the best enviroment for violence. You're surprised by how unalarmed he is by this, but just before he leaves, you glimpse a sight of his true feelings on it. You feel his unwillingness to leave you all behind in the tightness of his hug.

You exchange letters throughout the years. You tell him about your hunting trips, and he tells you of his job as a harbinger and his mission to fulfill the Tsaritsa's orders. He tells you of the capital city, and the beauty of Zapolyarny Palace.

The next time you see Ajax, you're both well into your early twenties. He's waiting in front of your home and your jaw drops at the sight of your best friend. He's taller, his features are rougher and the fullness of his cheeks is gone, having left behind a defined jawline. But when he lays his eyes on you, his smile is all the same.

You go on a hunting trip, for old time's sake, and you are absolutely horrified to see the way he uses a bow. For the love of the Archons, you can't understand why he prefers to be sloppy when he's great with so many weapons, but you leave him be. When a snowstorm begins, you drag him into a cave and wait it out.

Hours later though, it shows no sign of stopping. You joke about how you might actually never leave that cave, and he asks you if he can kiss you. If you'll die here, might as well, right? You laugh, he can't be serious. The look on his face tells you that he is. The feelings that you've had for each other, kept under wraps for years, resurface, and you share the moment your teenage self dreamt of. He cups your face and presses his lips against yours, and you can feel years of pining. It is by no means rough, but it's firm, and you're dissapointed when you need to pull back to allow yourself to breathe.

He tells you that if he's to conquer the world, he wants his best friend and lover by his side.