Tags and trigger warnings: Emetophilia, vomiting, seasickness, all hurt no comfort, mentions of Zhongli/Childe.

Summary: On the return trip back home to Sneznhaya Childe begins to feel seasick, La Signora however doesn't care even slightly.

Posted to Ao3: May 5th 2021

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Childe enjoyed his time in Liyue honestly, he had quite a bit of fun. Although he couldn't wait to get back home to Snezhnaya, while he was used to traveling Teyvat, nothing was more comforting than returning home. He was also pretty sure that many of the people living in Liyue were more than happy to see him finally leaving.

Although, that probably had something to do with the fact Childe had basically tried to destroy the city and drown its inhabitants using an ocean god.

He stopped, eyes wide when he saw who else was waiting in the harbor, ready to board the boat back to Snezhnaya.

"What the fuck? Why are you here?" He snapped his eyes narrowing as he glared at the 8th harbinger.

La Signora glanced up at him, a sneer crawling across her face. "Well, look who it is, little Tartaglia returning home with his tail between his legs."

Her voice grated on Childe's ears and he desperately wanted to wrap his hands around her neck. But harbingers weren't allowed to kill each other, the Tsaritsa was incredibly clear about that. "What happened to not wanting to share a boat back home with me?" He bit out barely containing his rage.

While her mere presence was typically enough to piss Childe off he was also mad about something else as well. The fact that she had never informed him about her deal with Rex Lapis regarding the gnosis.

The whole incident had left a bad taste in Childe's mouth to be honest. He had thought that he'd at least established a friendship, possibly even more than that, with Zhongli, but the man had lied to him and used him. And while Childe felt a bit like a hypocrite acknowledging this, he didn't like it one bit.

Then again it's what he deserved for thinking he could trust anyone besides his family and himself.

La Signora smirked at him. "Truthfully, if I had a choice I would rather be gutted by a Lawachurl than spend one more moment in your presence. But her Majesty requested we both return to Snezhnaya immediately, and this is the last ship heading there for today."

Childe sighed as he glanced over at the ship in question. It was an enormous multitiered behemoth of a thing, so at least he had a small comfort of knowing that he wouldn't have to see La Signora on the trip back if he really didn't want to. "Fine, fine, if it's her majesty's wish, " he muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

It wasn't like he or La Signora could just deny the wishes of the Tsaritsa. Doing so was considered a betrayal and a betrayal equaled a death sentence.

Turning to one of the nearby Fatui soldiers that was getting the ship ready to set sail, he spoke, "How long will this trip take?"

The soldier bowed immediately. "It can be completed in as fast as a day sir."

Childs scowled at the answer. "Can? Or will be?" He asked, wondering if he should actually bring a change of clothes. If they would be there after nightfall there wouldn't be any point.

"Will be, Lord Tartaglia, " the soldier answered back immediately, not leaving his bow.

Childe sighed. "Fine then, you're dismissed, " he mumbled, waving the man away.

The soldier nodded almost frantically before practically scurrying to his feet and returning to his task.

Childe supposed that was another plus then, the trip would be short and there was plenty of space for him to basically ignore that La Signora existed.

Glancing over at the woman he noticed the smirk on her face as she looked at something past him. With a scowl, Childe followed her gaze to see Zhongli approaching them, although thankfully the traveler wasn't with him.

Not bothering to hide his irritation, Childe groaned. "Oh great, what do you want?"

Zhongli simply gave him a small smile, in the past, he might've done anything just to see the man look at him like that. Now he wasn't so sure.

"I brought you a gift, considering you are going away," Zhongli told him, his smile ever-present as he held out a small box for Childe to take.

Childe huffed as he took the box, ignoring the happiness trying to spread through him. "Great, at least you found someone else to leech off of now that I'm leaving, " he grumbled as he opened the box.

However, Zhongli's smile didn't falter at his words and it only made Childe that much more irritated. Although Childe paused for a moment when he actually saw the contents of the box, it was a ring that was the same color of golden amber as Zhongli's eyes.

"I excavated it and molded the cor lapis myself, " Zhongli informed him.

Instantly his eyes snapped up to Zhongli, as he forced down the lingering feeling of love he had for the man. "The answer is no, do you really think I would marry you after what you did," he huffed, barely keeping a lid on his anger. He knew that blowing up here would just give La Signora more ammunition to taunt him.

If Childe had not known the other man for as long as he had he probably wouldn't have noticed the way the corners of Zhongli's mouth turned down slightly for a second. "That is not what it is for, but thank you for telling me. As I said, however, it is a going-away present, at least until I can come visit you in Snezhnaya as you wanted."

Childe heard La Signora chuckle at Zhongli's words, and briefly wondered how much trouble he'd get for pushing the woman into the waters of Liyue harbor. Closing his eyes for a moment, Childe clamped down on his rising anger evaluating the situation for a moment.

While one part of him still desperately wanted Zhongli's love and affection, the other part of him wanted to stab the man out of rage. But if he denied him Childe knew that there would be no going back.

"Fine, okay, I'll hold onto the ring. Come to Snezhnaya whenever you have time, and I'll show you around. We can have dinner or something, " he muttered, and when Zhongli grinned at him Childe's heart nearly soared.

"I would like that very much, " Zhongli said.

"Master Tartaglia, and Mistress La Signora, the ship is ready for departure, " a Fatui soldier informed them.

"Finally, I can leave this cesspit," the 8th Harbinger mumbled. "Carry this, " she huffed, thrusting what little luggage she had into the arms of one of the nearby soldiers.

She wasted no time waiting for Childe as she boarded the ship.

"I should be going, " Childe said as he turned to leave. Then he stopped for a moment before he quickly turned back to Zhongli and gave him a kiss, savoring the look of surprise on the other man's face. "There, now you won't forget me. Immortality or not, " he told him as he boarded the ship.

He gave the man one last glance, a smirk crawling across his face when he saw that Zhongli was standing there, blinking slowly, his eyes glowing and a look of surprise still on his face.

Then Childe was gone.

~~~

The first place Childe went to on the ship was his room, besides the box, Zhongli had given him he hadn't brought much of anything including a change of clothes since the trip would be incredibly short.

He sat down on the bed, with a sigh, box in hand. A glance out the port window let him know that they'd already begun the trip, with Liyue slowly fading in the distance.

He opened the box again, this time taking the ring out and holding it up to get a good look at it. It truly was pretty, beautiful even, but Childe wasn't surprised Zhongli always did have a good eye and particular taste for minerals and gemstones. At least now Childe knew why.

Slipping the ring on his finger, Childe wasn't shocked when the ring fit perfectly. Taking it off he returns it to the box placing it on the nightstand. He can't help but wonder if Zhongli had just been honest with him in the first place would he have gotten to know him as well as he had.

No point on dwelling on it now I guess . Childe thought as he sighed and got to his feet once more.

While he didn't know the answer to the question that was nagging him, he did know one thing at the moment. That it was dinner time so he should probably go get something to eat considering he was hungry.

The dining hall was rather lively, with the sound of chatter and the slight clinking of utensils. The moment Childe walked into the room however the Fatui soldiers went silent as they all looked at him, as though waiting for him to give an order at a moment's notice.

"Be at ease, " he told them, and almost immediately chatter filled the room once more.

With his hands in his pockets, Childe walked over to the table and started fixing himself a plate of food. As usual, there was a lot to choose from, still knowing that he'd be home soon he couldn't help but be excited about the prospect of eating a nice home-cooked meal.

Instead of returning to his room to eat, Childe instead chose one of the few empty nearby tables to sit down at. Another thing he was thankful for about leaving Liyue was not having to use chopsticks, although the ones Zhongli had given him were some of the few items he was bringing home with him.

Childe glanced up from eating only to roll his eyes when he saw La Signora fixing her own plate of food.

"The Archons must have it out for me considering you keep showing your face around me, " Childe said as he stared at the woman with narrow eyes.

"You know Tartaglia, considering you have sisters I believed you'd know how to talk to a woman. But then again, you're not the sharpest tool in the shed if the Liyue operation is anything to go by, " she told him, a sneer on her face.

Childe glared at her, nearly crushing the fork in his hand, and if it were anyone else other than another harbinger they may have faltered. "Keep, my family out of your mouth you bitch. Or I'll toss you down into the abyss myself, " he growled every ounce of fury raging in him at that moment fully directed at La Signora.

For a few moments, it was silent, the air filled with tension as the other Fatui watched with bated breath to see if this would become a blood bath.

La Signora rolled eyes before looking away. While she got great joy out of pushing Childe's buttons, the man actually looked ready to launch himself across the table at her and she really didn't feel like trying to get blood out of her favorite dress at the moment.

Taking her food she headed towards the door feeling Childe's eyes on her the entire time.

Childe waited until he heard the clacking of her heels on the hardwood floor disappear before he sat down. He returned to eating as though nothing had happened.

When he was finished Childe went to the training room instead of going back to his own room like he'd been planning to. He needed to get this aggression out before he did something stupid.

He did pause briefly though to look out one of the nearby windows when he heard the sound of rumbling thunder in this distance. But it'd be fine, besides if a sea monster or something appeared at least it'd be a fun fight to keep his mind occupied.

~~~

Childe scowled as he let an arrow fly free from his bow, it fell a bit short landing on the floor before even reaching his target.

He sighed as he walked over to the arrow and pulled it free. He knew that he wasn't the best with a bow, being more used to melee and close-quarters combat, but he'd at least thought he was getting better if his fight with the traveler was anything to go by.

He stumbled slightly, catching himself as the ship nearly swayed beneath his feet. Unsurprisingly the thunderstorm had brought large angry ocean waves with it that rocked the ship almost violently.

Childe stumbled again, sending a small glare towards the floor as he caught himself for a second time. Childe was normally more careful and light on his feet so he didn't know why he was stumbling around as though he was a drunken idiot.

Blaming it on the choppy waves, he took a deep breath and turned back to face the training dummy. He's in the middle of notching another arrow in his bow when he feels a presence in the room near him.

"Master Tartaglia, your presence is requested in the strategy meeting, " the female Fatui officer informed him as he turned to her.

She was behind him, kneeling on the ground at a respectable distance.

"Tell La Signora I'd rather be thrown overboard than see her face right now, " Childe huffed, turning back to the training dummy.

The Fatui officer grimaced. "Sir, Mistress La Signora said that it is urgent. It's...in regards to the Traveler."

Childs sighed as his arrow fell short again. Turning to the Fatui officer he scowled, ignoring the slight dizziness that washed over him for a moment. "Fine, fine, I'll be there in a moment," he mumbled.

Setting his bow down he allowed the woman to lead him to the meeting room. When he entered he saw a long dinner table, with La Signora sitting at one end her legs crossed.

Other Fatui officers were sitting on either side of the table, with the only open chair being the one at the opposite end of the table away from La Signora.

"How kind of you to finally join us, Tartaglia, " La Signora said, sarcasm dripping from her every word.

Ignoring her, Childe sat down ignoring the dizziness and slight queasiness that had started nagging at him. Faintly wondering if he picked up some bug in Liyue, he crossed his arms finally speaking, "You said this was about the Traveler?"

La Signora nodded. "So you can catch on quickly. Apparently, with the intel we've managed to gather they are currently looking for a way into Inazuma."

Childe wasn't surprised to hear that, having already overheard the traveler saying they were going to all the nations in Teyvat. Still, Inuazuma was currently in lockdown, only allowing entrance to the ships that the electro Archon, Baal had personally approved of. And even then it was only trade ships.

"It'll be difficult but not impossible, " Childe muttered. He closed his eyes for a moment because the world was swaying slightly before his eyes than anything. The queasiness that had been nothing but a minor annoyance seconds earlier was slowly starting to grow into a problem.

"Her Majesty has already sent Scaramouche there ahead of time. The traveler wields an anemo vision so, he should be able to take care of them there, " La Signora informed him.

At her words, Childe opened his eyes, which was a mistake considering that the ship seemed to be swaying and tilted before his very eyes. It was disorienting and did his stomach no favors.

Taking a deep breath he glanced over at the nearby window seeing nothing but rain, lightning, darkness, and the chaotic waves.

La Signora was speaking to the Fatui officers at the table while Childe was still trying to process what she'd said moments before. Once it had sunk in he looked back at La Signora remembering his fight with the traveler at the Golden house. "That's wrong, " he told her.

Instantly her gaze snapped to Childe and she scowled. "What is?"

Childe shook his head but immediately stopped when his stomach seemed to flip inside of him. "They wield anemo and geo, I don't even think they have a vision, " he informed her.

But La Signora rolled her eyes. "This is not the time for jokes Tartaglia, when I saw them in Mondstadt they wielded Anemo. Both you and I know that no one can possess two visions."

Childe huffed as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. He was trying to get more comfortable since the previous position he'd been in had put an uncomfortable pressure on his stomach. "Listen, okay? I'm just telling you what I saw when I fought them in the Golden House, they stopped one of my attacks with anemo before creating spikes of geo at their feet, " he told her, feeling as though his energy had been drained.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Childe faintly wondered if someone had tried to poison him. Then again he hadn't dropped dead yet and besides the dizziness and growing nausea, he mostly felt fine.

La Signora crossed her arms as she looked at Childe with narrow eyes. "You would want something like that to be the reason for your defeat, wouldn't you? A miracle befitting of an Archon, the only thing that could defeat you. And I believed you knew how to at least lie convincingly."

Childe sighed, he really didn't have the energy for La Signora's bullshit right now. "Fine, don't believe me. I'm leaving since clearly my presence isn't needed at the moment." Childe climbed to his feet, a bit too swiftly.

He placed a hand on the table steadying himself before he could stumble. His stomach was churning, he was dizzy and all he wanted was to lay down and make the ship stop tilting and swaying.

"You will sit down and listen to her Majesty's instructions just like everyone else, Tartaglia. Unless of course, you believe you are above listening to the Tsaritsa, " La Signora said, a sneer spreading across her face.

Taking a deep breath Childe swallowed hard, feeling bile rising in the back of his throat and the eyes of the other Fatui soldiers on him. He slowly returned to his seat. "Of course not, her Majesty's word is law," he muttered.

La Signora grinned at him. "Of course, glad to see you understand that. Now as I was saying."

As she spoke Childe struggled to focus on what she was actually saying, especially when a particularly strong wave sent the boat tilting violently to the side. Childe hissed softly, practically feeling his dinner slosh against the walls of his stomach.

Muffling a burp into his hand he glanced out the window again, at this point having entirely stopped trying to pay attention to anything La Signora is saying. It is taking every ounce of strength he has at the moment just trying to breathe through the nausea crashing over him. He feels as though he's completely and utterly drunk, the worst kind of drunk that leaves you aching, dizzy, and your stomach trying to crawl up your throat while you regret every decision that led you to this moment.

He closes his eyes for a moment to at least escape the sight of the boat tilting and swaying before his eyes, although seconds later his eyes open wide as the boat is tossed to the side again.

He hears his stomach gurgle softly, a sickly sound that only serves to make him feel worse. And then he froze feeling saliva began to rapidly fill his mouth, Childe glances around quickly but the other Fatui are focused entirely on La Signora and whatever in the world she was saying.

He briefly wonders if he should just get up and leave but also knows that La Signora wouldn't hesitate to restrain him. His stomach heaves and suddenly his mouth is filled with the disgusting, bitter slimy remnants of his dinner.

He practically clamps his mouth shut, his gaze going to the floor as he frantically tried to find a way out of this situation. The taste of bile coating his mouth only makes his nausea worse. Closing his eyes he forced himself to swallow, his stomach giving another sickly gurgle as he forced its contents back down.

A little while longer, he just needed to hold out for a little while longer then he could go puke and go to sleep so that the torture would finally stop.

La Signora sighed as she massaged her eyes for a moment, feeling a possible headache coming on. Despite not wanting to admit it, out of a few of the Fatui soldiers present some had admitted to seeing the Traveler use the geo element during commissions in Liyue, so maybe, just maybe Childe had been right. Although that still didn't explain the inconsistency that were present, for one thing, no one in all of Teyvat's history had been found to receive two visions and especially not a dual element one.

Secondly, if the traveler did not have a vision as Childe had said then the traveler would have elemental abilities incredibly similar to an Archon. But even an Archon could wield only the element they had the strongest affinity with.

"Okay, you all may be dismissed, I will-"

La Signora was cut off when Childe suddenly jolted, a guttural sounding retch leaving his mouth along with a large, thick wave of vomit. He had his hand clamped over his mouth which only made it splash onto his hand and spray through his fingers resulting in most of it splattering on his clothes.

La Signora's are wide as she slowly blinks, it is only when Childe is lurching forward a gurgling burp bringing with it more vomit, that her face twisted in disgust at the sight before her and the sharp bitter scent of bile filling the air.

"Oh for the love of," La Signora huffed annoyance coating her voice. "Not only are you a worthless idiot, but you're also a disgusting pig as well! Am I the only competent person here?"

She has no clue if Childe is even hearing her rant considering the man is still vomiting over his own lap. He coughed, feeling the thick chunky slop cooling as it set into and drenched his clothes, not to mention the fact only some of it was only slightly disgusted meaning he could still make out some of the things he hand for dinner, which only had him retching again his body overriding his shame and embarrassment. This time though as he retches black spots dot his vision as his dizziness hits him full force.

"Unbelievable," La Signora muttered once Childe had stopped throwing up. Although it was only likely because the man had passed out, his body slumped forward slightly in the chair, a string of drool dangling from his lips.

Turning to the nearest Fatui soldier she pointed at her. "You, take the fool to his room," she grumbled.

The soldier hesitated as she eyed Childe with slight concern. "Mistress La Signora, he may be poisoned perhaps we should-"

Instantly La Signora glared at the other woman. "If he's poisoned, then when his heart stops beating, take his delusion and throw his corpse overboard you absolute fool! Do I have to do everything around here!" She snapped as though it were completely obvious, irritation practically coating her every word.

The soldier nodded almost frantically. "Yes, Mistress. Of course."

With that done La Signora got to her feet. "One of you clean up this mess," she ordered before leaving the room.

She could only pray to the Archons that the kitchen still had some good wine in stock or someone was going to die tonight.

~~~

The first thing Childe notices is the sharp bitter taste in his mouth and that he's lying on something that's incredibly hard but he can feel it tilting and shifting beneath his body. Groaning Childe slowly sits up, his throat feels raw and his stomach is aching. However, as he becomes a bit more aware as to why.

He's sitting on the floor of his room, he's still on this hellish boat ride. And as more of his awareness comes back he realizes that the front of his clothes are drenched, in the barely dried remnants of his dinner. It's sticking to his clothes, he can feel it heavy and still way too warm on his skin.

Before he can do anything his stomach heaves, sending a thick wave of his stomach contents splashing down the front of his shirt. Shakily Childe cups his hands beneath his mouth, trying to reduce the mess slightly, but it does no good as he retches a gurgling burp bringing up another large wave that almost immediately overfills his hands. He can feel the vomit dripping through the cracks of his fingers, the chunks of it brushing against his skin, it feels disgustingly slimy and warm and only serves to set his stomach off again.

It is a good long while before his stomach finally empties itself and even then dizziness doesn't fade. For a few moments, he just sits there panting, in between the hollow burps and hiccups still leaving his mouth.

Childe shakily climbs to his feet, not even bothering to look at the enormous mess on the floor as he stumbles his way into the bathroom. He tries to clean his clothes as best as he can, although the fact that he has to stop every few minutes to gag and dry heave over the sink definitely doesn't help.

Eventually realizing that his clothes are as clean as he can get them he stumbles back into his room and lays down on the bed not even bothering to take his boots off.

He's too tired and the only thing he wants is to escape this hell, closing his eyes he allows sleep to take him.