starry, starry night | genshin impact

childe : death sentence

[ sfw ; tartaglia | childe x reader | commissioned by ying (huawyn) ]

i have no idea how the tagging system works on wattpad, but thank you so much for trusting me to write this piece for you, ying TT just a heads up to everyone reading: this story is NOT written in chronological order, which might make for a confusing read :')

...

"Hey. Wake up."

Your lips twitch when the boy you're trying to rouse blinks up at you with eyes like a summer sky. Ajax's hair falls across his face as he quietly assesses his surroundings – belatedly realizing that he fell asleep beneath a snow-trimmed pine tree.

"You might catch a cold if you take naps outside," you scold, offering him a hand that he takes without a second thought.

"Sorry," he murmurs as he lets you pull him up before patting the snow off his clothes.

The mousy tone of his voice makes you sigh. "It's alright. Getting out of your bedroom is already a big accomplishment! You remember what Mikhail said, right? Baby steps."

"Right..."

Your heart aches at his listlessness. The neighborhood you shared is a small one, and you've been with Ajax and his siblings for more than a decade. That degree of familiarity also makes you aware of the blue period that he always goes through whenever your fathers are on a ship far, far away.

Being children of Morepesok sailors means the patriarchs are always out at sea, but even at twelve years old, Ajax is yet to find a way to cope with his father's constant absence.

You know how the other kids talk about him behind his back. The coward who cries whenever his daddy isn't around. Their tormenting doesn't go any further than that, though – thanks to you and his siblings. Mikhail and Mikayla, being the eldest, made it a top priority to keep their siblings safe and sound. Tonia and Anthon have also pitched in their efforts to protect their meek brother, despite their age. And you...

Well, you're his best friend. It's only natural for you to defend Ajax from those bullies who constantly badmouth him.

In the distance, you hear Anthon and Tonia screeching gleefully by the banks. Mikhail just hauled a large carp out of the river – splashing water all over as it flails on the line. Mikayla catches it in a wicker basket, and the twins exchange a high five. You cast them a fond smile – a comment about how lively they're being resting on your tongue – but the words are lost when Ajax suddenly speaks again.

"You don't have to treat me like I'm fragile."

You frown. "We're not. We're just –"

"Trying to protect me," Ajax supplies with a long exhale – his breath materializing from the cold. "I know. You've said it a dozen times."

"Do you not want us to...?"

Your best friend turns to you at a snap, blue eyes frantic when he hears the way your voice trembles. For someone who claims to protect Ajax, you're an awful crybaby yourself.

"I do, I do. I'm sorry," he placates before pulling you into a hug. You sniffle, burying your face in his chest. "I just...wish I was strong enough to protect you, too. You got into a fight with Andrei the other day because of me, didn't you?"

Peeling away from his embrace, you instinctively tuck your elbow from view, despite the many layers you're wearing. You did get into a fight with a boy named Andrei who said Ajax was a sad excuse of a son. He ended up leaving a few scratches with how roughly he pushed you for trying to argue with him.