stranger [C. TARTAGLIA]

06

"stupid childe stupid tartaglia stupid selfish fucking- god he annoys me so much." you stomped around childe's office in northland bank, getting more impatient as time passed by. he forcibly dragged you back here, saying that you shouldn't be outside for now.

he was hiding something and you had a feeling that it had something to do with rex lapis and his death. it came as a shock to you too, who would do such a thing and what for?

you huffed and exited the room, checking the outside to see if childe was there. when you were sure that he wasn't, you went downstairs where you saw ekaterina at her usual spot.

she saw you and smiled, "lady [Y/N], what can i do for you?"

"i'm fine, don't worry." you replied.

there were some people in the bank that were present but you knew no one there which you were thankful about. you walked towards the door, taking a small peak outside from the crack of the door frame.

there, you saw the same blonde who was with childe earlier. they were talking about something regarding sigils of permission, which made your ears perk.

"oh hey there!" the floating child spotted you and waves.

you cursed to yourself, knowing that you pissed childe off again. you emerged from behind the door and went out, glancing at the redhead who was already glaring at you.

"...hey there."

"well, it appears that i should introduce you to them." you saw childe's eye twitch, you knew he wasn't happy about it at all. "[Y/N], this is aether and paimon. they traveled here all the way from mondstadt. aether, paimon, this is [Y/N]. a fellow harbinger."

"wait, another harbinger?!" the floating child named paimon exclaimed. "great, now we have you, childe and signora."

"signora?" you questioned. her name was familiar, and you recalled her being the one who protected the tsaritsa back at the palace. "you've met her?"

"unfortunately." paimon sighed.

"they were just about to get going, weren't you aether?" childe said, obviously hinting at something.

"uh..." aether spots you shaking your head slightly. "y-yeah, see you guys around!" he drags paimon away from the bank, leaving you and childe alone again.

"didn't i tell you to stay in there?" he taunts.

"no, you told me to stay in the bank, in which i did." you crossed your arms together. "i did what i was told, leave me alone."

"you were trying to head out again weren't you?" he raised his brows.

"no." you lied. "i was just... peeking out the door."

"to check if i was there or not so you can get away." he rolled his eyes. "listen here, if you want to get your delusion and earn the tsaritsa's trust then do as what you're told."

"i will if you stopped treating me like a prisoner!" you huffed.

"isn't it better if i do all the dirty work so you can just sit back and relax?"

"i can fight too. i'm experienced in the battle field, i-"

"enough." he sighed. "you'll only get in my way."

your blood was boiling at this point. how dare he? who was he to act so high and mighty? "you're so-"

"head back inside, and do not leave until i say so." that was the last thing he said before walking away from the bank, not even giving you a second glance.

"...full of shit." you mumbled the words you didn't get to say since he cuts you off. you wanted to smack his pretty face, but you knew he would love a fight, only taking pleasure into it instead of pain.

°

that night, you sat on the living room with your chin resting on your palms. childe had yet to come back home, it was already past dinner so you wondered if anything happened to him.

he had once again told you to stay in the bank the whole day. you didn't know why he didn't want you to take part of the mission when that was the very purpose you got sent here. he did tell you you would get in his way, but how are you even going to prove it to him that you're worthy when he never even gave you a chance to try?

"[Y/N]? you're still up?" you didn't notice the man entering the room before he spoke up. he began to take off his uniform, leaving him in his maroon button up.

"couldn't really sleep." you answered, crossing your arms.

"you miss my presence that much?" he chuckled, placing what he was holding onto the table.

you rolled your eyes at his teasing and looked at the bottle. "what's that?"

"fire water. you're familiar with it, aren't you?"

you were. it was a famous drink in snezhnaya, adults often drank it on many occasions. "did you bring it back from snezhnaya?"

"no, a local merchant happened to be selling one." he went to the dining room quickly then coming back with two little glasses on his hand. "figured we could share a drink or two."

"is this an apology gift?" you raised your brows.

"i may have been a little strict with you. but," he opens the bottle then poured a little on the glass he had, then on the other one. "it won't be bad to get to know each other, right?"

that's when it started. you and childe had a little chat over some stuff like how your experiences were in liyue and how his job worked as a harbinger, learning more about how things went in the fatui.

you didn't know how much alcohol you both consumed but you saw how his ear's changed into a more pinkish color than before. you felt heat going all over your body, and thought that maybe you had more than enough to drink.

"i never thought you'd be this amusing." he said, swirling the liquid thats in his glass.

"what does that mean?" you asked, placing your arm on the sofa and resting your head on it as you faced him.

"well, i thought the princess would be a damsel in distress. turns out you're more capable than i thought." he drinks.

"then how come you won't let me in the mission?"

"it's better if you let me do all the dirty work." he placed the glass on the table, not refilling it with more alcohol.

"i signed up for this childe. i know what i'm getting myself into." you drank for one last time, the contents of it finally hitting you as your head started to spin a little.

"oh? do you now?" he leans over to you, taking your chin by his finger.

you stared into his eyes, seeing it hover to your lips like he did the last time. "i do."

"do you really want to test the waters, [Y/N]?" he smirks, his gloved thumb playing with your bottom lip.

"it wouldn't be so bad to try, right?"

°

a/n: incoming smut for the next chap  ;00