eternal flame | tartaglia x reader

Chapter Twenty-One

As much as you enjoyed your time in Dragonspine, flopping onto a bed in Mondstadt a few days later is one of the best feelings you've ever experienced.

"This is heaven," you sigh into the plush mattress.

"Hey," Ajax scoffs. "Camping wasn't so bad."

"My neck says otherwise. No matter what kind of sleeping bags we used, the hard cold ground is still the hard, cold ground."

Ajax leans over you and frowns, "Those sleeping bags were a gift from her Majesty the Tsaritsa."
Your heart drops to your stomach. You spend a moment scrambling for words, but nothing seems appropriate to properly apologize. You even consider getting to your knees and grovelling, when you finally register the smug look on Ajax's face.

"You- You're the worst! It's not funny!"

You pick up the nearest pillow and haul it straight towards Ajax. He catches it with stupid ease. He places the pillow back on the bed, leaning over you in the process.

"If I'm the worst, then you love the worst. What does that say about you?" he smiles.

He dips down, obviously aiming to catch your lips in a kiss. You dodge it by turning your head to the side and pouting.

"I'm leaving you for Goth."

Ajax feigns offence.

"That old man? What does he have that I don't?" he asks.
You hum, taking a moment to think.

"He does own this hotel, after all. He's probably got some good money behind his name."

Ajax sits up, and pressed a hand to his chest, "You think he has money? I could buy the entire Grand Goth Hotel with the mora in my wallet right now."

Ajax's jealousy settles satisfyingly in your chest. You've probably done enough damage for now. You sit up on the bed too, leaning forward to press a quick peck to his lips.

"On second thought, I'm sure that I can find a way to settle with what I have."

Ajax quirks an eyebrow, "What you have?"
"That's right," you say, wrapping your arms around his neck. "You're mine."

While Ajax is sent out on a string of diplomatic tasks, you end up spending a good amount of time lazing about the Grand Goth Hotel. It's a gorgeous place, and you've been granted access to just about anything that you need, as the entire place has been rented out by the Fatui. Once you've recovered from your somewhat traumatic time roughing it in the mountains, you begin venturing out around the city, and the more popular spots in the mountains.

It's a gorgeous place, and inspiration strikes you almost every day. Though you aren't planning on building a large roster of clients in a place that you won't be staying in for long, it might be nice to add some new pieces to your personal collection.

As much as you enjoy the free reign over your art, and the change of scenery, you can't say that you're a complete fan of everything in Mondstadt. The hours that Ajax has been working are ridiculous.

You're not quite sure what happened in Mondstadt to leave the Fatui relations in such an atrocious state, but it's leaving Ajax looking more haggard by the day. He leaves long before you wake up, and he's barely back at the hotel in time to have a conversation before you both knock out from exhaustion.

Around three weeks since you've begun staying in Mondstadt. You're laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, when you feel the mattress dip down beside you.

"Still awake?" Ajax whispers, lifting a hand to brush some hair off of your forehead.

You turn onto your side to face him, "Not yet. I missed you today."