Faith || Childe x Reader

Chapter 6

"Eat something."

I woke up to the sound of Mikhail's voice. He stood in the doorway, just as he had for the past two weeks. He would occasionally check in on me, ensuring I hadn't escaped. Not that I had any intention of doing so. Yes, I didn't want any part in this, but I felt trapped with no real choice. It made me feel weak, thinking this way. But I had no idea what lengths Childe would go to for revenge if I defied him. I couldn't risk any innocent blood being spilled because of me.

I spent most of my time sitting on the couch, doing nothing. It was unlike me to succumb to helplessness and sit around hopelessly, but everything felt meaningless. I was back in the same situation I had been six years ago. People had worked so hard to rescue me then, my mother had died in the process. And here I was, once again, having failed them.

I did feel guilty, but it was only a small part of what I felt. The dominant emotion was anger. I didn't know why, but I could sense a rage simmering inside me. It was a small flame, one that has always been there but hadn't been ignited for a long time. Now, it was just waiting to spread.

I felt pitied by Mikhail. His stance appeared cold and indifferent, but although I couldn't see his face, I could still read it clearly. He felt sorry for me, but there was nothing he could do except keep me alive and well. Despite his efforts to maintain a professional distance, there were moments where his demeanor slipped just slightly, revealing a hint of compassion.

He stood right beside me in an attempt to bring me back to reality. "You can't just rot in here all day, you know. You need your strength today."

I looked up, only to see his masked face. I'd ignored his previous words, preferring the numbness of the couch. "What do you care?" I muttered as I sat up.

He straightened, resuming his usual cold demeanor. "Master Childe will be coming today."

I scoffed. "Oh, do I have to look presentable too, then?"

Mikhail's posture stiffened. "It's not about appearances. You need to be ready."

"Ready for what? More threats? More demands?" My tone was bitter and sharp.

"Just... be prepared." He said, his voice a bit softer but still firm. "You don't want to be caught off guard."

I tried to understand his motives, but it wasn't easy with the mask. "Why do you care if I'm ready or not?"

He hesitated before answering. "Because, it's my job to keep you alive." Though his sentence ended there, I sensed there was more he wanted to say but held back.

I studied him for a moment, feeling the weight of his unspoken words. "It's not fair." I muttered, more to myself than to him.

He tilted his head slightly, confused "What's not fair?"

"This." I said, gesturing towards his masked face. "Talking to someone who hides behind a mask. If we're going to keep doing this, at least have the decency to show me your face."

He stiffened, his posture becoming rigid. "It's not that simple."

"Why not?" Frustration bubbling to the surface. "If you're going to treat me like a person, then act like one. Otherwise you're just the same as the other Fatui minions."

His mask concealed his expression, but I saw a flicker of something, anger, maybe pain, in the way he stood. "You think I have a choice?" His voice was sharper than before. "I can't just take it off."