Centimeters [Childe/Tartaglia x reader]

Chapter 11

Word Count: 1490

In Childe's POV

(Y/n) said that she'd be heading to some movie thing with her friend, Ganyu, today, and I was bored so I had decided to tag along. And by tag along, I meant following her around like a creep. I couldn't get my hands on any tickets for the documentary they were seeing, so I decided to just hang around the lobby and play some arcade games. After a couple hours had passed, I saw the two women part ways. Just as I was about to run up to (Y/n), I saw her talking to some blue-haired fellow.

"So? How 'bout it? I feel as if we haven't talked since high school and now that we've bumped into one another here at the theaters, I feel as if this is fate," chuckled the sun-kissed man as he flipped his side bangs.

"Uh... what was your name again? Was it... Kayak?" asked (Y/n), tilting her head to the side ever-so-slightly.

"Kaeya— my name is Kaeya," was all he said right before putting his long arm around her shoulder. "but you can call me 'your man'."

"Huh."

Alright, that was it. As I balled my fists together, I then marched up to the two standing by the bathrooms.

"Hey babe, is this guy bothering you?" I asked with a smile, toxicity running through each word like poison.

"W-wha- Childe!?"

"Oh? Who's this?"

"That's just what I was about to say, haha. Sorry it took so long, I was trying to find my phone back in the theater room we were in."

"Childe, what the hell are you going on about? We didn—"

"Anyways, so babe, why don't we get on out of here and head to lunch? I know this great little café not too far from here," I suggested as I reached for her hand.

"Why do you keep calling me that? I have a name, y'know?"

"(Y/n), honey, can we please go? I'm starving," was all I said all while looking at her with dead pan eyes.

"Uh... y-yeah... Let's go," she murmured before turning to Kaeya to say, "Sorry Kaeya, maybe another time. My, uh... boyfriend, here, seems to be a whiny little baby and wants food."

"Ah, don't worry about it. We can always go out for drinks another time. Take care now, you two."

And just like that, we left the movie theaters.

It was only when we both walked back to my car that (Y/n) let go of my hand and looked at me all mad. I, somehow, already missed the feeling of her hand in mine.

"Okay, what was that for!?"

"What do you mean?"

"'Babe?' 'Honey?' What's with all the weird pet names!? And what was with you acting all protective of me around Kaeya!?"

"Wasn't he bothering you?"

"No, not at all actually. He was just making small talk and shit."

"But he put his arm around you!"

"Yeah, cause he's a stupid flirt. He was always like that back in high school too from what I remember. He's harmless, really."

"But—"

"But nothing, Ajax."

I was taken aback with her using my birthname.

"You're not my actual boyfriend, so quit acting like you are," she muttered out, turning her head to look outside the window.