#and yeah i can't handle anticipation and wiggling fingers in the air 🙄 if someone brings it up they'll get affectionately kicked ^_^

[italeean]

Before going to the actual comment, let me tell you how it went with the disappearance of the post from my perspective 🥲

I got up this morning and saw the notification, then I made myself some tea and cut a slice of leftover cake for breakfast (yes, I actually ate this morning 😌) and went online to read the fic... ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT IT WASN'T THERE 😭 So I ate with a big scowl plastered on my face

But I managed to read it with my afternoon snack, so this tragicomedy had a happy ending eventually 😸

Now, about the comment...

IDK HOW YOU MANAGED TO DO IT BUT YOU INCLUDED ALL MY FAVORITE TROPES IN THIS WORK 😭 The hide and skeek part, the chase, the anticipation, the teasing, the wiggling fingers >/////////< (okay fuck that's an illegal move) and the wholesome ending... Like, Childe tucking Teucer in and showing such tenderness and care left me so emotional 🥺

I couldn't have developed this fic any better, and you did a great job with the characters' personalities, you portrayed them amazingly.

I'll never get tired of saying this, you. are. so. talented!! 😻 I'm really glad I started following you

@wertzunge I'm tagging you because I have a feeling that you might like this fic as well ^_^

don't go

word count : 1k

for @italeean

first of all. i need everyone to understand what a BITCH this was to post. like..... i posted it last night and then it just. poof. disappeared for everyone but me. i tried copying the link and it tumblr said it didn't exist. so here it is again! except posted off my laptop this time.

"Noooo!! Big brother, don't go!!" Teucer clings to Childe's leg.

"I'm sorry, Teucer, but I have to get back to work," Childe ruffles his little brother's hair. Watching those big eyes squeeze shut, overflowing with tears- He can't resist it. It's the only thing that can really tug at his heart anymore.

He pats Teucer's head and goes down on his knee to be eye-to-eye with him. "You can be a big boy and wait for me to come back, right? I promise I'll be back soon."

It's late at night. The others had known he was leaving today, of course, it wasn't a secret. But when everyone else had fallen asleep, Teucer had stayed up. He wanted to make sure that he could make every minute with his big brother home count.

But even so, Childe still finds himself near the door with Teucer crying into his chest.

"...Okay, how about this," He starts, wearing a big, playful grin. "We'll play a round of hide and seek before I go, okay? Now remember, when we're done, I have to go back to my toy-shop, alright?" He brings his hands up to Teucer's cheeks and wipes away his tears.

Still sniffling, Teucer nods. "O-Okay... But I want to hide!" He declares, and Childe chuckles.

"Sure. You have ten seconds! Go, go!" Childe puts his hands over his eyes, and despite his little brother's sadness he still hears Teucer giggling while the little tip-tap of his footsteps get further.

"Ten, nine," He already hears Teucer giggling, over in the next room. He never really was that great of a hider, but Childe wouldn't tell him that. In fact, the only thing Childe would tell him is how great he is at it. "Eight, seven, six," The giggling only gets louder. Childe smiles to himself and thinks about how little he actually wants to leave. "Five, four, three, two," Archons, how he'd love to stay here. "One! I'm coming, Teucer!"

He hears the gleeful, loud giggling and wanders into an entirely different room. "Teucer... Where are you?" He wanders around, loudly exclaiming how hard it is to find him. "Augh! Teucer, you're too good at this!"

Grinning, Childe enters the room that he knows Teucer is in. It's the room Childe had been sleeping in for the duration of his stay. Or, in more simple words- His room. He misses staying here for more than a few days at a time. "Teucer... Are you... In here?!" He dramatically throws open the closet to find it empty. Teucer's giggling gets more muffled, as if he's put his hand over his mouth.

"Aw, what? Where could he be?" He puts a finger to his chin, tapping it 'impatiently.'

"Hmmm... Could he be under the bed..?" Childe wonders, slowly making his way to his oversized bed.

"No!!! No, I'm not there!" Teucer shouts, giggling wildly still. However, Childe continues making his way towards it.

"No, no! I think Teucer might be under the bed! What do you think, strange voice?" He asks, lowering himself to his knees as slowly as possible. He feels little hands start batting at his knees as soon as he gets on the floor, and he chuckles.

"No!!" Teucer scrambles out the other side, bee-lining his way to the door. Childe gives him a bit of a head start before he starts barely speed-walking his way after him.

"Teucer! You can run, but you can't hide~!!" Childe sing-songs, but he doesn't even try catching up to his speedy brother.

After barely a minute, Teucer almost trips- But Childe catches him. He wouldn't forgive himself if he allowed that to happen.

"I've gotcha now, Teucer," Childe grins, cradling him in one arm and threateningly wiggling his fingers above Teucer with the other.

"Noooo!! Don't tickle, don't tickle!!" Teucer squirms and flails, but otherwise makes no attempt to get away. They'd been playing this game since Teucer was old enough to walk. Childe isn't above admitting how much he'd missed it.

"Don't what? I'm sorry Teucer, I couldn't hear that last part," Childe says, threatening fingers still static still in the air, making a scribbling motion while Teucer's childish giggles fill the air.

"Tickle me!!" Teucer says, but then slaps his hands over his mouth, still flailing. He never fails to fall for that.

"Oh? If you say so!"

Childe digs his fingers into Teucer's stomach, laughing along when Teucer gives a delighted shriek. His childish laughter mixes with squeals while he squirms and kicks and flails his arms around. "aaAHH!! Eek!! Brohohotherr!! Noohoho!!"

Childe pokes gently into Teucer's sides, smiling fondly- They used to do this much more often. Maybe he'll have to make it a habit again. "Teucer, you gotta make me a promise, okay?" He says, louder over Teucer's thrilled laughter. "You'll take care of our siblings for me, right?"

Still squirming and squealing, Teucer nods rapidly. "Okayokayokay!! No more, nohoho moree!" Teucer curls up, kicking his legs about and smacking at Childe's tickling hands.

"Okay, okay! Just one more thing..." Childe gently places Teucer back on the ground and takes Teucer's hands and moves them out of his way. He takes both hands and scribbles as quickly as possible on both Teucer's sides, avoiding the involuntary kicking his brother immediately reacts with.

"EEK!! Brohhohohotherr!! Ah!! Bwaahahannooooo!!!!" He starts pushing Childe's hands away and that's when he knows to stop. He picks his brother back up and boops his nose. "Ready for bed?"

"Mmmhm.." Teucer says, rubbing at his eyes. He still wears a silly grin that Childe matches with his own.

"Alright. I'll tuck you in." Childe makes his way to Teucer's own bedroom, laying him down on his bed. It's late now. He has to leave quickly if he wants to-

"Brother?"

"Yeah?"

"...Come back soon, okay?"

"Of course, Teucer."