#honestly the lore we're getting makes up for the horrible story for Inazuma

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

I know we have a reverse au/reader is from the abyss au but in light of recent certain content (possible spoilers btw!)

What if reader was from Enkanomiya, had the blood of the watatsumi retainers, so they probably have those vishap forms (and a cool looking set of eyes) so they appear in liyue with a mask like Tsumi from the event! By this time, childe would have been turned into mothman and Zhongli is keeping an eye on him.

He is probably very curious about the not-so-human reader like??? You smell like a lizard but ur clearly a human... and the mask! Are u like him perhaps?

So he just... stays by your side, going all over you like some sort of cute dog curious about ur scent. He finds comfort in it after being with you for so long! Zhongli leaves him to you (and simultaneously leaving you to him, just in case)

And then in a hurt/comfort kind of deal, when mothman is revealed to be the one who nearly drowned liyue, everyone hated him obviously. So your only option was to go back to Enkanomiya and maybe spend your days there terrorizing the local hilichurl or two or maybe fighting some abyss herald or lector. Childe would find comfort in there, being near the abyss and constantly fighting!

Ofc since the reader is also a vassal/retainer of watatsumi, they welcome them with open arms so if it gets too lonely, reader and childe can have a date in Watatsumi :)

If you have any brainrots to add please I beg add them I love Enkanomiya and the continuous lore we are getting from it so adding my favorite mothman and Enkanomiya is a big glee from me!

HOLY HOLY SHIT YOU. YOU COME CLOSER. *SHAKES YOU* THIS IS AMAZING YES ENKANOMIYA MY BELOVED

(event spoilers abound lads!!!)

alright alright consider this- you're a descendant of the Vassals of Watatsumi and therefore have more experience and intuition when it comes to divine creatures like Vishaps or Archons or Abyssal monsters, yeah? what if you go to Liyue because you noticed the Abyssal darkness that Enjou (ENJOU MY BELOVED) released as part of the Abyss and Vishaps' deal beginning to affect the environment (maybe you're less affected at first because you're only partially non-human), and you want to seek help from an Archon who isn't the Raiden Shogun because she's not going to help anyways, and the next nearest nation is Liyue.

of course you're crushed to find that Rex Lapis is apparently dead, as he was basically the best choice to perhaps help you with this situation, and spend a few days wandering the city both to grieve and observe human life. eventually you run into Zhongli, who immediately sees that you're non-human and consoles you over Rex Lapis' "death" (Zhongli you FUCK) and you two quickly become friends. he keeps teaching you about life outside Enkanomiya and one day takes you back to his house, where you meet Childe.

and Childe is IMMENSELY curious about you, from your mask to your clothes to your odd scent to the mysterious Enkanomiya you mention in conversation, and he sticks around you and both of you become very, very close, which is exactly what Zhongli had in mind.

even though you're decently happy in Liyue, you DO want to go back to Enkanomiya and begin preparing for the trip back. Childe is crestfallen and whimpers and nudges your hands the entire time that you're planning a route- he desperately wants to stay with you, he likes you very much!!! Zhongli eventually asks you to take Childe with you, as he can't stay in the Harbor due to the Osial incident, and you agree as Childe chirps happily and snuggles against your neck.

when you get back to Enkanomiya, though, the entire land is shrouded in darkness from the Towers of the Void. Childe loves it, the Abyssal magic resonating with him and the thrill of battle returning, but he notices you're not faring well. in fact because you're a Vassal descendant the Abyssal darkness affects you as well, and you're gradually getting sicker as it poisons you. eventually it cumulates in you collapsing one day and not getting up when Childe nudges you, like a dead sort of sleep.

and so Childe's left alone again, with your ill, fretfully sleeping self.