unexpected [childe x reader]

The City

"I'm sorry I just didn't expect you to be seated at the table with the family," you replied quietly, as Brielle's brother continued his speech.
"What did I say, I take the opportunity to make friends with the right people," he replied with a smirk. Brielle seemed to notice you and the ginger-haired man getting along well from across the table and she managed to tap her foot to yours. You shot her a look of confusion and she just shrugged it off.
      The dinner went smoothly as the many courses were brought and finished, everything to the top quality.
      "The food here is amazing, makes me miss Xinyue Kiosk in Liyue," Tartaglia comments.
      "Oh? If the food is that good you're gonna have to take me sometime," you say as you take a bite of dessert. You haven't quite decided wether to call him 'Tartaglia' or 'Childe,' both being names that suit him well. You've been calling him 'Tartaglia' for the time being because that's what he first introduced himself to you as. The more you get to know him, though, 'Childe' might seem more fitting.
      "Don't worry, I will," he shoots back with a wink, making your cheeks flush pink. "It seems we still have most of the day left, would you like to show me around some of your favorite places later?" he asks.
"OF COURSE SHE WILL!" Brielle butts in, without even giving you a chance to answer. You elbow her in the side and give her a 'what the heck' face.
"It's settled then. (y/n), I'm staying at the Hotel Debord, pick me up at 2?" Tartaglia seemed to not be bothered by Brielle answering for you.
"I will. See you at 2, Tartaglia," you finally got to answer.
"Brielle, wish your brother and sister-in-law health for the baby for me. I must get going, I have some work to attend to," and with that he was gone.
"Where is he going now," you hear Zhongli grumble from the other side of where Tartaglia just was. You sort of forgot Zhongli was there for a minute. The charms of the ginger really just grab you, don't they?
"I guess I'm going to accompany Childe back to the hotel and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble," Zhongli continues, "Brielle, wish your family all my congratulations on the new baby. Goodbye (y/n), I hope to see you again soon."
"Ok. Brielle. Why? For ARCHON'S sake, did you answer for me?" you ask after both Zhongli and Tartaglia are out of earshot.
      "I was helping, obviously," she giggled.
      "I was going to say yes, you know. Also do you even know Tartaglia?"
      "Yeah, my dad talks about him wayyyy more than he does Zhongli, always going on and on and on about how he's such a great business partner, he's only 3 years younger than my brother, so they get along pretty well. I think you and Childe would actually be a great coup—"
      "BRIELLE!"
      "..sorry... SO! it's around noon right now, do you think you're gonna need help getting ready for the date with the new man? hmmmm?"
      "I think I'll be ok getting ready by myself," you giggle in reply. You love Brielle with all your heart but when you and romance is involved, she gets a little jumpy. You make your way over to the soon-to-be parents to say goodbye, and head back to your house.
      You search through your never-ending closet and land upon an elegant blue dress:

Most of your clothes are blue. You've kind of been obsessed with that color since you got your hydro vision. Speaking of visions, you wonder if Tartaglia is a vision holder. The topic never came up at brunch so maybe you'll ask about it when you see him next.
      It's exactly 1:30 when you finish getting ready so you're off to walk to Hoel Debord. It's only a 15 minute walk, but it's better to be 15 minutes early and get to spend more time with him than to be on time. You pass through the streets of Fontaine, taking in the view you love most. There are waterfalls and vegetation everywhere, reminding the citizens that this is the city of the Hydro Archon. The few blocks to the Hotel are probably a few of your favorite. You're not sure why, but the ambiance of the street-lamps' reflection in the built in streams along the road give you a feeling of joy.
      As you approach the hotel, you see guards that normally aren't there. They appear to be from Snezhnaya, but they don't look like traditionally dressed fatui guards. You decide to ignore them because there's probably a prominent Snezhnayan figure staying there.
As you walk up to the front desk to try and ask which room Tartaglia is in, he comes down the hallway, seeming to be slightly frustrated. You wave at him but he doesn't realize it until he's a few feet from you.
"Oh hi, (y/n)," he said with a shocked tone in his voice, "I wasn't expecting you for another," he looks down at a watch, "fifteen minutes."
"Well, Tartaglia, I was hoping to catch you a few minutes early," you reply.
"You seem to have succeeded, but I'm not quite ready to go, I only need those fifteen minutes and then I'll be ready. Let me show you to my room so you don't have to wait in the lobby, too many people running around," he offers. You obviously accept but wonder why he's so frantic and decide not to ask as it's probably not a good time.
When you get to his room he says, "Make yourself comfortable, I'll be back when I'm done doing some business."
      You have no trouble doing so. He keeps his hotel room quite tidy, no stray clothes on the floor, the bed is made, his clothes all hung in the closet. You walk around the room looking at the small amount of things he has out, a book on the bedside table, called Rex Incognito, perhaps some light reading before bed. You sit on the edge of his bed, looking at how the lamp on the table next to you glows a yellow light that reflects off the wall, giving the space a coziness similar to that of warm bath. The bed is quite soft, the pillows neatly stacked at the top of the mattress, the standard hotel white duvet. There's a sense of familiarity to the whole space. Perhaps you've stayed in a room similar to this one in your past travels. You notice something amidst the stack of pillows, a little blue narwhal plushie tucked in the back. It looks handmade, perhaps a present from a loved one. The plushie makes it click as to why it seems you're the only one who doesn't call him "Childe," his name escaping your lips, you're not sure if it was in a patronizing manner or one of endearment.
      Still holding the small narwhal, you get up and wander towards the closet. Perhaps a force of habit, as you normally take inventory of your wardrobe when you have nothing else to do. He has ten outfits, all hung one outfit per hanger. Is he only staying for ten days? you ask yourself. The thought saddens you for some reason and you make your way back to the bed. You begin admiring the small plushie again and just as you begin to do so, Tartaglia opens the door and says,
      "Ready to go?"
      "It's been fifteen minutes already? It only felt like five," you reply as you get up from the edge of the bed.
      "Wait... did you find my narwhal plushie?" he questioned.
      "Yeah, it's really cute actually."
      "My sister, Tonia, made it for me," he said with a smile, taking the plushie from your hands and placing it back on the pile of pillows.
      "That makes it cuter! How many siblings do you have?" Your face lights up at the thought of his family.
      He smiles at the toy as he says, "Six. Two sisters, Tonia being my younger sister, and four brothers, two of them being younger than me," he explains.
      "You look like you really love your family," you say, admiring the soft expression on his face and the way his hair falls into his face as he looks down towards the plushie.
      "I really do," he says with a slight somber in his voice, "but, we can continue getting to know each other while you show me your favorite places around Fontaine," he says, switching back to the energetic ginger you met at the baby shower.
.

.

.

.

.