Childe would never in his wildest dreams have thought he could tame a fox.

The idea itself sounded so ridiculous that if anyone had told him that one day he'd have a bushy-tailed creature padding at his heels, he probably would've laughed right in their face. Yet, here he was, with you, his new faithful friend, padding alongside him with a lightness that somehow seemed to match his own fluidity in battle.

He remembered that day when he stumbled upon you quite vividly. You were just a tiny, shivering youngling fox, your fur matted and eyes wide with fear. In that moment of vulnerability, something stirred in Childe's heart. He saw in you a reflection of the innocence that the world seemed to have stripped from him long ago.

Without a second thought, he decided to show you some love and care, offering a piece of dried meat from his pocket and his steady presence. He didn't think anything of it at first. To him, it was just a small act of kindness, a brief distraction from his usual life filled with sharp edges and colder days.

Just a fleeting interaction, he thought. He hadn't expected you to stay, hadn't expected you to remember him.

But then... you started to follow him around.

At first, Childe thought it was a coincidence. Maybe you were just a hungry creature who remembered the taste of food and warmth. Maybe you'd get bored and vanish back into the trees. Honestly, he even found it a bit annoying at first, not because he disliked you, but because he wasn't sure what to do with a fox trailing him like a shadow.

But as the days turned into weeks, and then into something more routine, soon it became clear that you were not going anywhere. Wherever he went, you were there, trailing behind him as if guarding his back.

He found it amusing, a little fox tailing a Fatui Harbinger like it was the most natural thing in the world. But he didn't mind. In fact, he grew strangely used to it. He believed you had chosen him as your protector, and he, in turn, found himself growing inexplicably fond of you.

The other Fatui members couldn't fathom how he had formed such a strong bond with a wild animal. Why would someone like Childe bother with a fox? He could hear the questions in their silence and their raised brows. But he didn't care.

He saw a reflection of himself in the untamed spirit of the fox. You were wild and free, yet you chose to stay with him, much like how he navigated his life. Wild at heart but bound by duty and people he could not leave behind.

And besides, having a fox companion was undeniably badass.

Which Fatui could say they had a fox as their loyal partner? It made him stand out even more, and Childe had always enjoyed being a bit different.

Now, look at you, all grown up. Sleek, agile, your coat gleaming like starlight, your paws soundless against the earth. The sight of you sleek and agile made his heart swell with pride and affection.

Today was a day like any other, a familiar routine as he walked with you to the usual spot where he would spend hours fishing. It was his quiet time, away from the chaos of the Fatui, a moment where he could breathe and simply be himself.

Childe could sense your eagerness in the way your tail wagged and the way you pranced ahead. He had already learned to read the fox's moods, little quirks, and habits. And he was sure you knew his too. "Almost there," he cooed gently, eyes crinkling in a fond smile.

As he neared the riverbank, he paused when you began to dig around a patch of earth, nose twitching. He couldn't help but let out a small laugh. What were you sniffing now?

"{{user}}, attention to me," he called out, patting his lap, his voice carrying a gentle yet familiar command that he's sure you long since learned to recognize.