Death of Me [Tartaglia]

chapter 31

Several hours later I sit on Ajax's desk and watch him work. Instead of the papers he normally pours over, it's a small wooden mini figure of a foreign robot. He adjusts the small toy's limbs with precise care against the fire light filling the room. 

"I didn't know you were such a crafts man," I say, watching his hands. 

"It's going to be fore Tuecer," he says still staring at the toy. "I told him I'm a toymaker, I don't want them to know what I do for a living and all, so I have to play the part. I want to take you back to see them again before I leave for Liyue. I think I'll be gone for a while, and hopefully you'll be gone from here forever. I just want to say good bye to them." 

I smile fondly, "That's kind of you, Ajax." 

"How about on Saturday? We can leave early and hopefully come back before it's dark." 

"That'd be great." 

He places the toy down, finally turning to me. His beautiful eyes are full of passion and it makes me heart melt. Now that I don't risk distracting him, I slip off the desk and into his lap, resting my head on his shoulder. 

Thinking about getting out of this retched place in two weeks is pure ecstacy.  I smile slightly, thinking back to when I wanted to kill Ajax, thinking he'd end me up dead, now he'll be my savior. He'll be the one to get me away from this frozen prison, to the beautiful nation of Liyue, near Diluc and Mondstadt. Everything will be perfect thanks to him. 

"I love you, Ajax," I mutter into his shoulder, breathing in his cologne. 

I feel his hands wrap around my back, pulling me closer, "I'm glad. I love you too, Yn." 

I feel him kiss the crown of my head as I start to nod off. I feel him shifting and can here him starting to flip through papers again, but I remain on his lap.

A sharp knock on the door pulls me from my light sleep. 

"Lord Tartaglia, her majesty the Tsaritsa would like to see you," a harsh voice sounds from the other side of Ajax's door. 

I stand quickly, looking around the room in a frenzied panic, knowing I probably shouldn't be here and that this is probably my fault. Ajax's eyes find mine, sending a clear message: hide. I duck into his closet and listen. 

"Who gave you the right to bang on my door at 9:00?" Ajax snaps once I hear the door open. 

"S-sorry, my lord, but the Tsaritsa would like to meet with you. Please follow me." 

I hear a loud sigh from Ajax, then footsteps, followed by the door slamming shut. I creep out of his closet, hesitant on what to do now. Should I go back to my room, or stay and wait for him to come back? Surely he'll come back right, that didn't sound overly serious or they would have sent another harbinger, or at least more than one guard. Fuck! I'll leave and come back in an hour, if he had an escort there he'll have an escort back. Better safe than sorry. 

I leave heading back to my room on the floor below. 

A slow hour drags by until I run back to his room. My heart sinks to find that he isn't there. I scan the room, my eyes landing on the small figurine for Tuecer, a note propped against it's brown body. 

They know about us, they're sending me to Liyue now. You'll probably be interviewed soon. Stay safe and come find me. 
I love you, Darling. 

My heart sinks. He's gone, and I have no idea where he'll be. 

They know about us. How much of us? The potion, the sex, that we flirt? What the hell does that mean Ajax!? Then the next sentence: I'll probably be interviewed soon. The word interviewed is mildly comforting compared to 'interrogated' or 'questioned', but still... I don't know how I'll explain myself or what Ajax told her. Fuck this. 

Stay safe my ass, I'm running.