Genshin Oneshot Collection ☆

Prey. (Childe x Reader)

[ inspired by: "POV: childe won't let you go. | a playlist" @ ventiffin on YT ]

[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1Lsq24QLoo&t=554s ]

-

"Childe, let's just stop already! If we're gonna continue like this, one of us might end up dead for god's sake!"
Your eyes widened at the sight of his bloodied, injured body. His clothes, stained with indications of an intense battle. The irony scent of blood only continued to get stronger, and you could see the tears all over his attire. His ginger hair was a mess, and his red scarf was ripped to shreds. His black boots were covered in blood, and scars all round his arms could be clearly visible.

"But we've barely just begun, dear. There's more of where that came from." He yells, forming a sadistic smirk on his face and wielding his deadly water swords once again. His eyes only told intensity and excitement, no sign of pain or surrender to be seen. Those once friendly ocean eyes now gleamed with a lust for battle, and they only seemed to be hungry for more.
How did he manage to endure this pain, how did he manage to wield such dangerous power, you'd never know.
But it seems that until the harbinger was satisfied with the conclusion of the battle, he won't be letting you off the hook so easily.

"Come at me, honorary knight. I know you would never disappoint when it comes to sparring." He says, suddenly flashing away from your view and leaving a glowing blue trail as he vanishes. You tried to follow his path as quickly as you could, but of course, the skills of a harbinger should never be underestimated. Within less than a second, he was nowhere to be seen in the Golden House, as if he had never arrived there to begin with.
No sound could be heard from either side, and no splashes of water were to be seen.

"Oh, so that's how you play, huh?" You teased in an aggravated tone. "Fleeing the battlefield instead of directly confronting the enemy. Coward." Letting out a "tch" in reaction to his plan of action, you scowled.
You attempted to keep up a bold attitude to not appear weak and vulnerable, but the thought of his water blade coming within inches of your pounding chest out of nowhere without a warning terrified you. Even though Tartaglia wasn't the type to be absolutely merciless towards his "friendly companions," he isn't afraid to show his true colors to those who provoke him enough.
But an everlasting couple of seconds had passed before the fatui made another appearance, leaving you in the middle of the Golden House alone. You were still standing in your pose, ready to strike or defend whenever you saw the tip of his bright red cape flutter across your eyes.

"..Caught you."

A playful voice whispered from behind your ear, immediately sending chills down your neck to your spine. You tried to turn to defend and lifted your sword up above your face, but it was already too late.

The harbinger had made his move.

Pinning you to the wall with his left arm above your head, his right hiding behind his side. In both of his hands wielded the elegant yet destructive blades of pure water, the blade in his left arm above you dripping down small drops of water as they landed on your face. Childe stared deeply into your eyes, once again reflecting those intense emotions of excitement and lust. His face was painted with blood all over, yet he shows no signs of fatigue. The smile he gave you after he had trapped you in his grasp was flirtatious yet menacing, knowing damn well that he had caught you when your careful guard was beginning to fade. With nowhere to run from the position you were locked in, you couldn't do anything but stand and listen to his next words, anxious about what he'll do next.

"Well, well, well. How the tables have turned." the ginger toyed. "So what were you saying about me being a coward, huh?"
His words only sparked frustration inside of you. His superiority complex was over the roof, and he could end your life at any second if he felt like it. You kept your demeanor and continued to remain shut, not wanting to end up in much worse consequences than you had envisioned.

"Too afraid to say anything? What if I were to put this blade right against your throat, would you let me hear the fear from your lovely voice then?"

Without skipping a beat, he extends his right arm from his back and pushes the water dagger against your skin. The contact wasn't enough to draw blood, but he was pushing against your throat with a force that could easily slit your skin in less than a second. The water was cool and refreshing, yet the immense amount of pressure that was being applied was enough to make you choke up a bit, causing you to cough slightly.
And all Tartaglia could do in this situation, was smirk playfully at your signs of struggle. He was clearly enjoying this moment, playing with his newfound prey and teasing them with the string of death.

"Are you out of your mind?!" You managed to cough out. "You wouldn't really make out of your way to try and end me right here, would you?" You questioned nervously.
"How I always love hearing you so hostile, darling." He says as he lets out his charming laugh, frustrating you to your limits. "But, is that a request, brave one?"
He was playing with your emotions as he had always been.
"Tch." you responded. "If you want to end me so badly, make it quick. I don't want to waste my last breaths whispering your damned name."

His eyes began to lower, now forming into a burning glare. The attractive smile which he'd usually proudly display had faded, his expression turning serious and cold. Suddenly, the blade of water which was propped to your throat had vanished, and before you could make a move, he grazes your cheek. The sudden act of intimacy had caught you off-guard, causing you to flush slightly with shades of subtle red spreading throughout your skin. Frozen in place, you once again could only stand and try to remain calm in this tight situation.

His leather glove then traces down to your chin, and he lifts it up lightly to force your eyes into his everlasting stare. His eyes were distracted by the sight of your lips, to which you only grew more embarrassed at his intimate actions. Just how unbearable can this harbinger get, you wondered in your head.

"You see, my friend." he finally starts, now staring into your eyes dearly once again. "I don't think that'll be possible so long as you're in my hands."

You continued to keep up the tough act, making sure you won't get distracted again. "And why's that, hmm?" Glaring back into his eyes to show your perseverance, you made it clear that you wouldn't fall into exactly what the fatui wanted.
However, he then makes a remark which causes your heart to stop in time, and immediately crushing the boldness that you've been holding up for so long.

With his ever so attractive and flirtatious voice, he whispers the words into your ear, ingraining the moment into your head,

"You belong to the eleventh harbinger, whether you'd like it or not."

-