#hello macchi i missed youuuu <33

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

What if Tsundere Moth made reader sad and lose hope? Y/n has been falling for Childe for a while now, even before he got stuck in Foul Legacy mode. But it has been almost a year that y/n's taking care of Childe. He's still as cold and standoff-ish as ever. Now Y/n decided to go back home to Mondstadt. Y/n needed to visit their siblings anyway.

Moth wakes up to an empty house and a painfully written goodbye letter. Y/n has entrusted him to y/ns dear but odd friend Zhongli. Legacy made a high pitched whine as he finished reading the letter. He was now panicking, regretting all the times he could have just been warmer, kinder to you. But now you're not here with him anymore. No more chances left for him to express what he truly felt. His head hanged low as he thought of all the times you made him breakfast, made sure his blankets were clean and fluffy. You even learned to reas Snezhnayan just so you could read battle stories to him.

Zhongli arrived before lunch time and by then, Legacy had finished packing - painstakingly and carefully - without tearing the items apart with his shaky talons. The ex-archon extended his hand to Legacy's arm. If he could help his friend y/n achieve happiness, then he would, even if it meant absorbing a bit of Legacy's abyssal taint. Zhongli was already eroding anyway, he could take a bit more suffering. With a huff, he tore his hand away and it appeared luminescent purple. Legacy's armored body began to whittle away and Childe's own human skin replaced the hard exterior.

Childe gasped. "Mr. Zhongli, what did you-"

The ex archon just gritted his teeth and pointed to the door. "It would be best if you ask less and make haste to Mondstadt. I am uncertain about the duration of your human form."

He flashed the ex archon a grateful smile then left.

He would curb his curiosity for now. He needed to find you first. He was wanted for betraying the Tsaritsa so he couldn't just travel out in the open with his usual clothes. Legacy's armor was inaccessible and much too flashy. He made the good decision of purchasing clothes from a merchant - black pants and boots and a hood to mask his ginger hair. All the Fatui money he earned was enough for him to live comfortably for decades. It was actually y/n's idea to go back for his stash. Without your quick thinking, Childe would have been left in an abyssal form and penniless. The disguise seemed to be enough for him to make it to Mondstadt's border. He had no idea where you lived or what your family name was. He never asked because he didn't really initiate conversation with you, he sadly thought. He just remembered that you often wrote to someone named Kaeya every few weeks. Childe felt a sudden twist in his gut. He hoped that Kaeya was just a friend.

***

I apologize I was in the mood for a bit of angst and chase. 😅 Kaeya just came to mind because he seemed more open minded. It's a scenario request for their reunion. It can be happy or angsty or both. You can change anything.

me sobbing: what no i'm fine (MY HEART MACCHI. MY H E A R T)

Childe actually encounters Kaeya before he encounters you, immediately tensing when the suave Cavalry Captain introduces himself. but then Kaeya also stiffens when Childe mentions your name, quickly glancing at the Harbinger- or, ex-Harbinger- with a chilly look in his uncovered eye, his voice cautious as he questions Childe about his motives. Childe hastily reassures the Captain that he means well, that he just wants to see you again and apologize, telling Kaeya that if you don't want to see him, he'll leave immediately

all the while he can feel his hands deteriorating, transforming back into armored claws, and he curls his fingers into a tight fist when Kaeya finally concedes and motions for Childe to follow him

you're curled in a chair, up in a little apartment you rented out, listlessly reading some book or another when there's a knock at your door. but you almost slam it shut again when you answer it, eyes widening at the sight of a human Childe looking mournfully at you, but he gently holds out a hand to tell you to wait, then laces your fingers with his with more care than you've ever seen

his hands are more like talons, and it's clear that his human form doesn't have much time left

so, with Kaeya as witness and judge, Childe tells you everything he wishes he told you months ago- that he loves you, that you're a wonderful, amazing person who lights up his life, that you deserve everything good in the world, and that he's so, so sorry. and when he's finished, he looks and smiles at you; soft, warm, and sweet, his crimson mask showing in places under his skin, and you simply look down and cry

you're not sure how you all ended up inside your house, only that Kaeya carefully shuts the door behind him as Childe- now Foul Legacy- engulfs you in a tender embrace, and after a few moments your own arms snake around him and squeeze, tears still dripping from your eyes. your sobs mix with Legacy's gently croons and purrs, but you're smiling because finally, finally your heart feels at ease. you're not fully healed, nowhere close to that, but all of you know that it's a start, at the very least

Kaeya watches an Abyssal beast hug his best friend, a fond expression on his face when he sees you genuinely smile for the first time since you returned to Mondstadt