#diluc and kaeya aren't in the epilogue

[sondepoch]

Gone (6/5)

Breaking the Collar

Nine months in the human trafficking circuit has destroyed every sense of normality you ever knew. For you, it's commonplace to be ordered on your knees for your owner, his clients, anyone else Childe deems necessary—and you've reached a point where you accept it this misery, just going along with the motions of life because there's nothing else to do.

Diluc and Kaeya change that.

They enter your life on a regular workday afternoon, stepping inside Childe's massive office under the pretense of sorting out a business deal, but a single hastily written message makes it clear that they're not here to hurt you: they're here to help you.

The only issue is that you have no idea how to escape Childe.

Fastened | Unlockable | Lighter | Breaking | Broken | Gone | ✔

MASTERLIST

gentle reminder that this is still dead dove: do not eat. please reread the tags and read with discretion <3

In the center of Snezhnaya’s busiest city, Childe sits on the floor of his office. The property belongs to Scaramouche, now, the deed signed off and everything, and the shorter trafficker has already made changes: namely, the removing all of Childe’s furniture with the intention of eventually replacing it all with something to suit his own aesthetic, but Childe finds that he still thinks of this place as his, despite the sudden absence of everything he placed here to make it his own. 

Childe doesn’t mind, to be honest.

With all his old decorations gone—the gaudy paintings and the fancy lamps and the fluffy carpets—this space feels almost calm. He looks around and sees nothing, for once. There are no memories of Lumine plaguing his mind, and even you, whom he’s come to associate so strongly with this place because you were the one person who finally made it bearable after Lumine died, don’t surface in his thoughts on instinct as you so often do.

“Fuck,” the man whispers, throwing his head back as he lies down on the ground, spreading his limbs out in a starfish formation.

It’s a childish, ridiculous, and pathetic pose to take, but who’s judging? 

“Fuck.”

It’s the only word he can think to say.

So much has happened in such a short span of time: it still startles him to think that his human trafficking days are over. This life had become so normal for him, and it doesn’t seem like there’s any way forward after something so drastic.

Childe sighs, rueing the fact that he doesn’t know what he’ll do next.

Actually, that's a bit of a lie. 

He has a general idea.

“Up we go,” the man mumbles to himself more than anything, forcing himself off the ground. It’s something he doesn’t really want to do, since the golden sunlight of the evening hits this side of the office at the perfect angle, and the wall-to-wall windows mean that the wooden ground is incredibly warm, almost like a blanket for his back, but Childe knows he can’t stay here forever. 

He rises gently from the floor, walking slowly around the office, fingers dragging along the windows to smudge them in his final reminder to the world that he was here, that he did something, that he lived—but then Childe is face to face with a door, and so he steps away from the windows to pull it open.

Barely twelve seconds later, he’s unlocked it, opened it, climbed up a single flight of stairs, heaved the door at the top open, and then he’s on top of his building, wind whipping through his hair as he steps forward onto one of his favorite places in the entire world, second only to Xiangling’s restaurant and, of course, being by your side.

Immediately, a wave of memories rushes through him.

He and Lumine made love up here, didn’t they? An instinctive smile spreads across the redhead’s face when he remembers how adventurous the woman had been with her sexscapades, always dragging Childe further and further out of his comfort zone until he’d become as addicted to the adrenaline high as she. 

Standing here, on top of the world, feet pressed against the roof of what used to be Childe’s forty-story tall human trafficking empire, he feels that same rush of adrenaline that used to power through his veins whenever he was with her.

And then, just like the high is impossibly high, he’s hit with a strikingly deep low as his brain is pulled away from thoughts of all the joy he shared up here with Lumine, and he’s forced to remember her lifeless eyes from when Scaramouche shot her seconds before Childe could save her.

For once, though, that thought isn’t accompanied by regret.

Childe feels oddly relaxed as he understands that Lumine’s death was what let him save you—though “save” is a funny term to use, given that the only person Childe saved you from was himself. 

Still, he’s glad he did it. He knows you’re going to be safe now, knows that you didn’t run away without a plan. Lumine, bless her heart and everything she lived for, was a smart girl, but you’ve always been smarter. He knows that you wouldn’t escape without someone to rely on, not after he so clearly showed you at Xiangling’s restaurant that you wouldn’t be able to function on your own without some intense therapy. You’ve always been Childe’s favorite not because of any actual compliance on your part but simply because of the sparkle that never left your eye. Even when he first captured you and told you what your life would be like, he could see, as you lowered your neck and forced yourself not to fight back, that you hadn’t given up hope.

Childe’s lips quirk into a smile as he realizes that this little escape of yours has likely been long-planned.

That idea hurts, since the redhead really has begun to fall for you, but he supposes that it’s what he deserves. In his brain, he knows that the soft kisses you pressed against his lips were solely meant to manipulate him, to distract him while you planned your escape, but his heart doesn’t care. Even now that you’re gone, Childe is obsessed with you in a way he’s never felt before, obsessed with your happiness and your health and the promise of a better future without him.

It’s the reason he was able to let you go, after all.

It’s a slight pity that the two of you weren’t able to go free together. Childe really wanted that. More than anything he’s ever wanted, he wanted to grow old and ugly by your side. If you’d stayed around, Childe probably would have, too—but he knows he’s gotten what he deserved.

After all, angels aren’t meant to be with humans.

And that’s what you are, aren’t you? Nine long months ago, you were the reason Childe didn’t climb to this roof and jump off after losing the love of his life. He took one look at you and saw hope, as if you were a guardian angel sent from heaven to show him that maybe, just maybe his existence would have meaning if he showed you a proper life.

He never actually got to show you that life, but your very presence in his apartment kept him around a little longer. For that, Childe is grateful. He’s ruined too many lives to be able to find any kind of peace after death, but knowing that he was able to let you go free is his one redemption. For all his shittiness, he could do one thing right.

Only one thing, though.

Childe kind of wants to stick around for that reason.

He wants to wander through Snezhnaya with the money he still has and see if he’s capable of kindness, if he can be a tiny background character in someone’s life without destroying it. Childe wants to climb down from this roof and be a normal person and wait until he hears about you somewhere on the news—because he knows he will. You’re a smart girl, bright in every way, and the only reason you’ve had such a miserable life is that Childe was stopping you from realizing that overwhelming potential.

Yeah, he was a shitty guy through and through.

But although Childe knows he can’t really remedy any of what’s already done, he prays that those he hurt will all find the same happiness he hopes you’re running off to.

The wind whips at Childe’s hair. It gets in his eyes every now and then, but the man doesn’t mind. He zips up his old jacket—your jacket, the one you discarded at the elevator because you probably didn’t want any physical reminders of him—and pulls the hood up. 

It’s a ratty old thing, so old that it looks out of place on Childe, who usually only wears luxury brand clothing, but he likes it. It reminds him of better times. It reminds him of you.

The man takes a second to appreciate the brilliance of the sunlight before pulling out his phone. He dials Scaramouche’s office number, the one the trafficker never picks up at this hour, and he waits for the ding of the beginning of a voicemail.

“Hey, Scara,” Childe says to the voicemail. The wind seems to slow down, as if it understands that Childe is recording a final message for his friend. “I, uh, just wanted to call and say thanks for everything. I know you’re probably thinking that I’m a stupid fucking idiot for doing this, and...yeah, you’re probably right. But I feel like human trafficking is the only thing I actually know how to do, and I just...really don’t want to do it anymore.”

Childe sighs. He hopes the tiredness of his voice won’t be too obvious when Scaramouche plays this voicemail.

“That, and sucking dick,” Childe tries to joke, knowing that his old friend could use some humor in his life, especially after this. “Though, uh, I’m glad I don’t have to do that anymore. For real. I never really told you how much I appreciated you letting me go free. I know you always act tough and stuff, but…”

Childe exhales softly through his nose.

“I just want you to know this isn’t your fault. I know you’ll try to blame yourself because of the deal you gave me back then, but even if I could go back in time, I’d still choose to become a human trafficker over staying one of your slaves. You...couldn’t have stopped this. And I’m glad you gave me a chance to have a life at all.”

Childe knows that he has more to say, and he lets the line hang a little longer, but he can’t quite find the words anymore. He cuts the call with a single finger, and the wind seems to pick up again.

Well, at least he’s finished everything he has to finish.

Xiangling will get a handwritten letter alongside all his financial assets in a few days. He hopes she doesn’t blame herself. Dottore and Signora already got their own voicemails, though those were significantly less personal than Scaramouche’s. And that’s...it. Those are all the friends Childe has left. 

That’s kind of sad, he thinks.

Then again, he doesn’t really mind.

Childe closes his eyes. 

He kind of wishes he had a cold beer by his side right now.

Actually, he kind of wishes he had you by his side right now.

But neither of those things are possible, so he just takes a deep breath and stares past his feet onto the ground where people walk to and fro. 

Right off the bat, he knows that of the hundreds of people he can see, a handful of them will end up back on the human trafficking circuit. Not his circuit anymore, since his empire is every bit as worthless now as the nonexistent merchandise in this building, but someone’s. 

That realization almost makes Childe feel like God, if God could be miserable and responsible for more pain than anyone deserves. It has to be something inhuman: to be this disconnected from the world, to be so high up where no one else can be seen, to have the nearest people look so small and removed and so...

Childe’s lips quirk into a small smile. 

Far.

He stares forty stories down, not at the people anymore, but at the hard concrete. 

It’s impossibly far.

Then again, so are you, probably miles away by now, running off to a life that Childe knows he can never hope to be a part of if he truly wants you to be happy. 

Childe holds his breath, bracing his palms against the building, muscles flexing as he prepares to push out, and—

He stops.

A memory of you floats through his mind: a shy smile you once gave him. It was one of the first times you’d ever mustered up enough courage to actually respond to anything he’d said—and he still remembers how his heart instinctively sped up that day at the sight of his precious angel finally beginning to shine the way she so deserved. That was right when you actually began speaking to him, when he started to forget Lumine and began getting to know you for you, and—

Pain flickers through his heart. 

How will he remember you if he isn’t here anymore?

The wind whipping through Childe’s hair also seems to stop at that, as if pondering the dilemma with him. But when it picks up again, the redhead has steadied his heart once more. 

When the sun goes down, so will he.

Until then, he wants to remember the sound of your laugh a little longer, just enough so that he can replay the melody in his head when he makes his final jump.

MASTERLIST

Word count: 2.2k

Notes: it feels incredibly surreal that i actually finished this. i started this months ago as a very general what-if scenario with no actual plans of ever posting this, but i'm really glad that i did. i am so so sorry for the terrible posting schedule, though i'm super happy that i was at least able to get this final chapter and epilogue out on time - thank you for all the likes and the comments, you guys are the reason this got finished. i hope some of you stick around to see my other stuff - i've always been terrified of writing dark content because i didn't want to get hate - but seeing as this fic had such a positive response in general, i'm hoping that i can actually start writing some of those darker pieces i have in mind. thank you and i hope this was as enjoyable for you to read as it was for me to write <3

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Thank you for reading <3

I do not own the rights to Genshin Impact or any of the characters within it.

[chocoenvy]

*~Masterlist~*

*~Masterlist Part Two

“Huh, you and I are both travelers from another world. That our paths have crossed here is no accident, but the will of fate.”

This Month's Recommendation: Say My Name Part Two

*~ Such a Kind God, Such a Cruel God (Bad Habits die hard and your acolytes witness it in the worst way)

*~ I Hate that I still care about you 1 2 3 (In which you still care for those that hurt you until they hurt someone else)

*~ You Play the Lyre for Them (Venti, Zhongli, Ei, and Jean)

*~ ASKDFASDHKJK HUGS??? (Inazuma) (Liyue) (You hug people in different nations)

*~ The skies are empty, the stars are gone, (Finding your ambition. Not all is lost.)

*~ Singing your heart out, they feel their heart rates spike (You love to sing and your acolytes hear you)

*~ Nothing Feels Real, are You even You Anymore? (Slight eldritch darling. You don't belong in Teyvat, so your body forces you to fit)

*~ Suspiciously left alone in a room... are they planning something? (Your acolytes are secretly listening to you sing but you had started to get suspicious of them...)

*~ TRANS DARLING (You were born in the wrong body. All they know and care about is that you look like their god and are trying to look like their god's gender)

*~ More Trans Darling Headcannons (You become more comfortable and accepted in Teyvat)

*~ Playing God 1 2 3 4 (Where your tongue was taken from you from your supposed "devout followers")

*~ Dancing with Aether (At a gala you become nervious, so he helps you)

*~ General SAGAU Ganyu Headcannons

*~ Your god smiles upon you in favor (Puppet!au drawing)

*~ Singing and loving with Venti

*~ The Whole of Teyvat will Remember (Fatui comforting Tongueless reader who liked to sing)

*~ General Rosaria SAGAU Headcannons

*~ Do you regret anything? (Soft au vs. Villain au acolytes)

*~ A love letter "Dear Eula," (Eula x reader <3)

*~ "Even if you're not as devout as others your worth is still the same to me." (Npcs and how they'd react to you)

*~ First "I love you"s (Unofficial epilogue to Playing God. You get your tongue back)

*~ You're safe now (Soft au and Villain au darling meet. Headcannons.)

*~ Unlucky you, smiling through it all (Unlucky reader and how the cult reacts to them)

*~ Letting go of Grudges and enjoying the world around you (You're a shut-in that finally allowed yourself to interact with Kaeya, Thoma, and Chongyun (separate)

*~ Sorry's aren't enough (Fatui!au, unofficial extension of Playing God. You're singing and dancing with the Fatui when the archons find you)

*~ Reader making fun of the archons on their death bed (Villain!au, crack)

*~ Consort!Tsaritsa: Proposal (Tsaritsa x reader <3)

*~ Comfort with the gods (Venti, Zhongli, and Ei comfort <3)

*~ Artist!Reader sketching their acolytes (Thoma, Childe, and Xiao's reactions when they find you've drawn them)

*~ Polycule relationship headcannons (Zhongli, Childe, Diluc, Kaeya, Thoma, Itto being in a relationship with each other and you)

*~ Reader who's confident in their body (Zhongli, Kaeya, Beidou)

*~ Memories belonging to another world but never fading (Reader who had a lover before coming to Teyvat. Fatui!au)

*~ Physical catalyst (Reader with a gun)

*~ Memories carried over to the next world and beyond &lt;3 (reader manages to bring their lover to Teyvat.)

*~ Unbearable cuteness (Reader can turn into a cute animal)

*~ Two Gods 1 (alt ending) 2 3 4 5 (Twin au. Where you and your twin get transported to Teyvat)

*~ The thirst book (Reader is a simp and get exposed for their thirst)

*~ Sexy thief reader &lt;3 1 2 (villain au but reader is a sexy thief)

*~ Random twin au headcannons

*~ Consort!Aether headcannons

*~ Playing God au (Very angsty, reader starts a war with the archons to protect Snezhnaya)

*~ Sexy thief god being a sucker for chaos ("Commit flirtatious blasphemy")

*~ Paimon favoritism

*~ Sexy thief reader with a catalyst (Slimes teach you to wield the elements <3)

*~ Child!God reader Headcannons 1 & 2(god is a child)

*~ Singing musicals with the archons

*~ Hauntings Long Forgiven (Reader is a ghost and doesn't remember why they were killed. Ei and Yae Miko)

*~ Sexy thief reader drawing <3333 (not by me ily for drawing this you made them look so hot)

*~ Child!God reader studying for a test

*~ Yummy Visions (Child!God reader tries to eat a vision)

*~ Eula and other cryo characters having fun with Child!god in Dragonspine

*~ Child!God Angst (You realize you lost your entire previous life)

*~ Reactions to you favoring Klee (Jean, Zhongli, Ei, Venti, Ningguang, Albedo. Playing god au)

*~ iloveyou (Ei x GN!reader fluff)

*~ What a common phrase (Yan!Darling x reader)

*~ Imposter au vs. Soft au

*~ Do they even remember you? (Child!God Angst, brainrotting over Child!God's future)

*~ God of Beasts Drawing (not by me, done by a beautiful person that i love very much please look at it)

*~ Choco Event Order: Silent I love you (Darling x reader flower au)

*~ Choco Event Order: They Love me, Love me Not (Darling x reader Disney Princess au)

*~ Thieves stolen by the sky (Sexy thief reader x Consort!Albedo)

*~ Choco Event Order: Fallen Leaf, Adorn my Life (Consort!Kazuha x reader)

*~ To Love You (Brainrot of all the characters of Teyvat becoming an amalgamation for only one purpose: To Love You)

*~ Choco Event Order: Everyone thinks I'm crazy, crazy for you oh boy... (Darling au. Darling has planned everything out for your arrival and after. All for you <3)

*~ Choco Event Order: Nothing Lasts Forever (In paradise with Thoma away from your godly responsibilities)

*~ Nurture and Grow (Reader with wings that grow with how many devout followers they have)

*~ Choco Event Order: In Your Palms (Albedo x Eldritch!Reader, you're beautiful you know <3)

*~ Choco Event Order: Blood-Suckin' Love (Albedo x Vampire!reader. Puppet au. Your happy Vampire family + Albedo)

*~ Choco Event Order: It's not like I'm mentally ill! (Childe x reader in denial about their mental issues until Childe sees the remnants of them for himself)

*~ Choco Event Order: Chilly Comfort (The Tsaritsa showing lots of affection to a reader that isn’t used to so much love and attention.)

*~ Choco Event Order: Roles Reversed (Child!reader finds a hidden dungeon in Tenshukaku… with a familiar person in there.)

*~ Choco Event Order: From Dawn to Dusk (You run away to Dawn Winery for a moment of peace and Diluc ends up joining you.)

*~ Choco Event Order: Cold Nights with You (Nights alone with no distractions are always scary, especially after all you’ve went through. Luckily for you, Childe is always willing to comfort you.)

*~ "Call it good judgement, call it passion," (Yanfei is the only sensible on in Teyvat and understands you have to be their god. She helps you bring the other archons to their senses hopefully before any irreversible damage happens)

*~ Choco Event Order: Mischievous Fiend, You and Me (Darling has brought you to this world and you’re admittedly uncomfortable. Until Hu Tao enters your life, and makes it much more interesting.)

*~ Council of Gods 2 (Four different aus - soft/regular, fatui, imposter, and puppet au - meet up and share their experiences.)

*~ Choco Event Order: Fire and Wind makes the Bonfire burn Brighter (Kazuha and Thoma are both your consorts, which comes with a wave of complicated emotions.)

*~ Choco Event Order: Laughter in the Snow (You're a child, not comfortable with the role of god, and so very homesick, but Albedo is comforting.)

*~Choco Event Order: Hostage (Carnage was not a new concept to you, but it wasn’t comforting as the weight of destruction and salvation lay on your shoulders.)

*~Choco Event Order: There's no kindness (Venti x reader villain au angst)

*~Choco Event Order: Bow Before the Messiah (Zhongli x reader villain au angst. Zhongli is not loved)

*~Choco Event Order: Xiao x Reader (Villain au, hurt/comfort)

*~Choco Event Order: Charades (consort!Diluc x sexy thief reader, hurt to comfort/fluffy-ish)

*~Choco Event Order: Life on the Beach (Child!Reader w/ Mom Eula and sibling Klee, pure cuteness)

*~Voice actor reader brainrot (feat.Childe and a lil Zhongli slander)