Childe x Reader: Forever Connected

Chapter 3: Waking up..

Its Sunday my time lol so time to post! Yes, I made two chapters instead of one, mostly because I wrote them at the same time and realized it was too long. And of course, image credits to peebeedee

I heard my aunt call out to me, "Why would you leave me?". I heard my parents beg for their lives. I saw Ajax's sister lying limply on the ground, blood pooling around her head, like a halo. She was so innocent.. Maybe it was a halo. My dreams were a swirling mess of all of my insecurities and regrets. I wish I could say I had a sleepless night, but far from it. I slept the whole night, never able to wake up from the nightmares. Never able to escape. Suddenly, it felt as if all the air had left my lungs. I sat up, with my eyes still closed, and gasped for air. I settled back down on my sleeping bag, ready to go back into my deep slumber. I felt tired, exhausted even, just from waking up. I pulled my blanket over my head, and rolled over. However, when I tried to roll over there was something in my way. Probably a log or something. I started to drift off again, but I couldn't get the image of Ajax's sister out of my mind. I grasped the log, hoping to find some comfort in its... warm.. Body? I quickly sat up and opened my eyes, only to find that instead of a log, Ajax lay, with a goofy grin on his face. His smile could light up the whole room.. Or tent, I guess. However, Ajax was looking very different from when I went to sleep. He was completely shirtless, only wearing boxer shorts. I stood up very quickly, blushing harder than I ever had before. However, in my haste to get up my blanket had fallen off me. Only.. it wasn't a blanket- It was Ajax's bodysuit?! I immediately started brushing myself off, blushing even harder than I was just a second ago. I don't know why I was though, it was absolutely disgusting. I threw the "blanket" to the other side of the tent and inspected my sleeping bag. It was not a sleeping bag, rather Ajax's coat. Ugh. The nerve. I once again looked down at Ajax, still naked and smiley as ever. The skin across his muscles were so tight I feared that a branch could tear it. I longed to reach out and trace my finger along the labyrinth of ridges. He had such a proud smile too, like he had done something. He was proud of himself. At least now I know what happened to his clothes. I shuddered- my mind racing at what could've happened last night, for me to end up with his clothes. My mind went to the worst case-scenario.. Or possibly the best? Absolutely not. Finally he spoke.

"I see you're awake, how was your sleep?"

I sighed, remembering my horrible nightmares. "To be quite honest it sucked, and waking up to find your clothes on me didn't help either."

Ajax laughed, "I saw you looked a bit uncomfortable, so I picked you up and put you on top of my coat, but then later you started shivering, so I took off my bodysuit to give to you as a blanket."

I shuddered, "Ugh- it was probably covered in sweat. Absolutely disgusting. Plus I wasn't even cold!"

Ajax looked at me with a bit of confusion, "Then why were you shivering?"

I thought back to the image of his sister, dead.. And cold. I shivered once again at the memory of her face. I probably shouldn't bring her up though.. Not right now. "Uh- I guess I was just cold. Wait- aren't you cold?"

Ajax shrugged, "I'm used to the cold."

I found the whole thing quite ironic though, as immediately after he said that he started coughing... and sneezing... and wheezing and-

"Ajax- are you okay? You seem to be.. a little sick. Have you caught a cold?"

Ajax turned his head away, not daring to look me in the eye. "Maybe..."

"Well, then you're going to have to go buy some medicine!"

Ajax looked at me suspiciously, "Aren't you coming?"

"I- I'm not sure if I should go into town.. Plus I'm banned from a lot of business establishments.. Heh."

Ajax looked at me in shock, then his eyes softened. "I've never loved you more."

I turned away, blushing profusely. "Whatever- I guess I'll go along with you. Hopefully I can enter the medicine store or whatever."

Stepping out of the tent, I realized that it had snowed last night. A lot. No wonder Ajax caught a cold. Then I turned back to look at Ajax, still shirtless. "Did you forget your clothes?" I said, throwing his bodysuit at him. Ajax only grinned in return and retreated inside the tent. While I waited I stared at the glistening snow. The air was cold and crisp, and I could see my breaths. The sky was gray and overcast, yet still serene and beautiful. As I looked out into the distance, the world seems to be transformed into a pristine winter wonderland, with every surface coated in fluffy snowflakes. The snow-covered branches of trees hang low, heavy with snow, and I could just make out the rooftops of houses and buildings, adorned with fluffy white caps. I could no longer see the butterflies or grass, just snow, as far as my eyes could see. I could smell the chimney smoke from the fireplaces people had lit, from miles away. Speaking of fireplaces, I looked down at our old firepit, not surprisingly covered in a blanket of snow. This was Snezhnaya.

Ajax's voice started me out of my thoughts, "You coming?"