Pale Fire || Childe x OC

Chapter 13

Faith yawned and rubbed her eyes, she shifted her head off the warm fabric it was against.

"Morning" Childe grinned.

"Morning, wait- what are you doing here?" Faith shot up, her head whipped around, eyes wide as she observed him.

"You asked me to sleep with you after Pantalone dropped you off, so I did" He replied simply.

Her jaw dropped "We had sex?"

"I wish" He smirked.

"Not funny" She grumbled, "Go back to your room"

"Fine" Childe sighed, pulling away the covers.

He slid out of the bed and stretched, Faith watched him closely.

"Hey, don't spend all day in here" He comments opening the door.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I won't be around, if you need me I'll be at the golden house sometime around 5" Childe mentioned before leaving the room and shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Why did he tell me that?" Faith muttered, running her hand through her hair.

She got up and changed, grabbed her bow and sword, a backpack, and then left the hotel.

Faith left for Luhua pool, once she arrived she removed her boots and threw them in her back. Faith splashed through the water and picked Lotus Heads, when she spotted a slime she'd ready her bow and charge up an arrow and shoot. Faith stopped under a tree and sat down, her back against the tree. She began to close until she saw someone on the lower beach. Faith's voice called out.

"ZHONGLI!"

His head turned around and he smiled.

Faith hopped up and splashed down at him.

"Zhongli, what are you doing here?" Faith asked, looking up at the man.

"I was at Dihua Marsh, I thought I would visit the pools, they're beautiful don't you think?" Zhongli said a soft smile on his face.

"They're lovely, do you want any Lotus Heads?" Faith questioned, pulling one from her bag.

"I'd like some, but not right now, how about we head back to the harbour?" Zhongli offers, extending his arm to Faith.

She nodded and linked arms with him, they conversed as they headed back to Liyue harbour. Faith handed over some Lotus heads and said goodbye, the girl wandered through the city and sat down she watched the waves lull against the pier. Water flowed over her boots, she stood up immediately. The waves started to grow, crashing against the pier. She stepped back, lifting her head and she saw what was causing it. A few miles off the coast, the water bubbled and churned as a trio of serpent heads grew. Her face contorted to a look of horror.

Screams echoed throughout the harbour as people saw the creature, the ground rumbled and the sky darkened as the rain pattered down onto the pavement. Faith blinked and started to run, civilians helped people evacuate the city as the creatures' heads roared. A woman with arms full of children hurried along with a kid in tears, she pled for him to run as he dragged behind. Faith stopped and scooped him up in her arms, his cries rang in her eyes as thunder boomed in the sky. Faith took another kid from the woman and pointed to high ground, all the while her mind was racing with thoughts about her second home.

What is that creature? Was it a god? If it was, who woke it?

Her thoughts were interrupted as she watched the blonde-haired traveller smash through the golden house doors, he was nearly soaked in blood. Electro sparks flew off him as the rain hit his skin, they made eye contact. His eyes were filled with fear and rage. She nodded and kept running.

Childe had done this, she knew for sure now. Faith didn't want to believe it, he had awoken the creature.

Once she had reached the high ground, she let the kids now and left the mother with the other civilians. She raced back to the golden house and threw open the large doors, her head lashed around. Tears pricked her eyes. The floor had fallen through, and cracks had formed. Faith sped to the edge of the hole, her eyes scanning the platform far below. There were no signs of Childe, she had no clue where he could've been. Faith busted back through the doors and looked from left to right. Looking for any signs of the man.

"Ajax where are you?" She whispered, her voice cracking.

A shock hit her, her body shook lightly.

"Do it again"

And like that, her body jolted. A grin formed on her lips. She placed a hand on the ground and channelled elemental energy into it, she thought hard about Childe and flicked her hand off the earth. She heard a faint grunt and ran towards the noise. After a few more shocks she found him, his slender body against a tree.

"Hey Faith"

"Ajax"