The Thief and The Harbingers (Commissioned rewrite) (Tartaglia romance)

This is a rewrite of my original story The Thief in the Harbingers for the commissioner's character in the point of view of commissioner's character.
For: @ashpinkradiance
I DO NOT OWN GENSHIN IMPACT OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.

"You're quite fast," he said easily, voice unstrained, as if we were discussing something mildly interesting rather than circling a killing blow. "I'll give you that."

I flashed him a wicked grin, pulse thundering in my ears, heat thrumming through my arms. "And you're quite slow."

For just a fraction of a second, his smile sharpened-then he vanished.

One heartbeat-

-and he was in front of me.

My eyes widened as his polearm surged toward my face, the sudden pressure stealing the breath from my lungs. I barely managed to snap my blade up in time. Metal screamed as the impact shuddered straight through my arms, the force jarring my shoulders and sending sparks skittering across the floor in bright, frantic arcs.

"You sure?" he murmured, already leaning into it.

Cover art by Muyi2022 on twitter.