stranger [C. TARTAGLIA]

14

"hey." you turned around to see childe behind you, he looks in a much better state than he was before.

"hey, why didn't you send teucer off if you're already here?" you asked, crossing your arms on your chest.

"if he spends his final moments in liyue seeing me all haggard and weak like this, that's not a memory i'd like him to leave with." he frowns, "and besides. i feel much more at ease leaving him at your care. you got along quite well with him, didn't you?"

"so well that he even told me about your letters. care to explain what that is childe?" you raised your brows.

he lets out a nervous laughter, "well, i may or may not have mentioned you to them. after all, you are one interesting individual [Y/N]."

you hummed, "is that so..."

"i assume teucer asked you to visit them the next time you come to snezhnaya." he chuckled. "we should go there when we get back. you can meet tonia and the others, i'm sure they'll like you."

you suddenly felt nervous. he was taking you to meet his family? isn't it a bit... to early for that? after all, weren't you literally just killing each other a few weeks back? you weren't even sure if the term friends would suit the both of you.

"that reminds me, why are you back in liyue? aren't you supposed to be in the palace to rest?" he asked, seeing that you found it hard ro respond to his previous statement.

"oh, uh..." you couldn't find the words to say. "i was... going to visit ying'er."

"does her majesty know about this?"

you gulped. "... maybe?"

he gave you a blank stare. "[Y/N]–"

"it's not like she forbid me to go back here so technically i'm not breaking any rules right?" you reasoned. "i'll just be here for the time being."

"if you wanted to spend more time with me you could've just said so." he teased, bringing his hand to his hips.

you rolled your eyes at him, "don't even start."

"well, where will you be staying then?"

"back at my place."

"your place? oh, the one you used to stay at when you lived here?" you nod. "we just sold that place."

"you– what?!"

"her majesty's orders." he shrugged. "there's only one place for you to stay then."

"... don't tell me–"

"you're always welcome back here [Y/N]." he winks. you knew he was hiding something, and you were soon going to find out what that was later that night.

°

"where is my bed?" you asked when you entered the room you used to sleep in in the bank.

childe follows behind you and leans his arms against the doorframe, "i had it taken out since i thought you wouldn't come back. turns out i was wrong so we're left with only my bed."

an irk mark appeared on your forehead, "you invited me back here on purpose didn't you."

"hmm? and just what are you thinking of princess?" he leans towards your ear which made you jump.

"you–" you stepped away from him.

he laughs at your actions, "it's not like we haven't slept in the same bed before [Y/N]."