Look at me ~ Childe x reader ~

Chapter 35 ~ Back to reality~

We had all decided to cut the trip two days short after everything that happened.

I still hadn't managed to speak to Kaori properly. She avoided me the entire journey back.

I dragged myself out of bed with a heavy sigh, dreading the thought of work today. The last time I spoke to anyone was the evening before last, when we all got home. Childe had dropped me off, but the ride had been painfully silent. I couldn't bring myself to make eye contact or say a word. I didn't know what to say.

And now, I have to face him. The mere thought of it knots my stomach, my mind spinning with endless possibilities of what might happen.

At work.

I walk into the building, offering polite greetings to a few familiar staff members, though the knot of anxiety tightens with every step. I feel it sitting heavily in my chest, refusing to budge. As I step into the lift, I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful for a moment of solitude. I press the button for my floor and lean back against the wall, closing my eyes for a brief second.

Just as the doors are about to shut, they stop. I open my eyes, seeing a foot wedged in the gap. I straighten up, my heart sinking as I realise who it belongs to.

Childe.

I turn away quickly, my body stiffening as he steps in and the doors close behind us. Silence falls between us, so thick I can almost hear it. I focus on the numbers above the door, watching the floors tick by at an agonisingly slow pace. My pulse quickens, and I press myself against the door, willing it to open faster.

The air feels charged with his presence, his gaze burning into my back. I don't dare look at him, hoping the silence might last until I can escape. But the ride feels endless, the floors moving up at a crawl. I glance at the numbers, willing them to go faster, but instead, the lift grinds to a halt.

Floor 9.

The lights dim slightly as the lift jerks to a stop. Confused, I finally turn, my breath catching in my throat when I realise Childe is inches away from me, his hand resting on the emergency stop button.

I stare at him blankly, too stunned to speak, emotions swirling inside me—shock, frustration, confusion. I don't know which to process first.

"Finally, you looked at me," he says with a small, satisfied sigh.

"Are you serious?" I snap, feeling my frustration bubble to the surface. "You stopped the lift for this?"

I reach out to press the call button, but he catches my hand swiftly, holding it in place. His touch is firm, and I freeze, too surprised to pull away.

"You made me do this, Y/N," he says, scoffing slightly, his annoyance clear in his voice.

"Childe, let's just call for help and get the lift moving again," I reply, trying to ignore the tension between us.

"And then what?" he whispers, taking a small step closer, his voice soft but carrying a weight that sends a shiver down my spine.

I blink, caught off guard. "What?"

"And then what, Y/N?" he repeats, his gaze locking onto mine, the intensity in his eyes making it hard to breathe.

I try to take a step back, but I'm already pressed against the door, trapped between him and the walls of the lift. My heart pounds as his face hovers inches from mine, his presence overwhelming.

"Then you'll go back to ignoring me," he says quietly, his tone more serious now. "If this is the only way to get you to look at me, then I'll keep doing it until you talk to me properly."

His words hang in the air, and the weight of them presses down on me. His eyes bore into mine, and for a second, I can see the frustration, the hurt he's holding back, waiting for me to be ready to face it. But I'm not ready. I don't even know where to start.

Before I can respond, the voice of the lift operator crackles through the speaker, breaking the tension.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

Childe doesn't move, his eyes still locked on mine, but I can see the flicker of annoyance in his expression as he glances towards the speaker.

"Hello? Is everyone alright?" the voice asks again.

I snap out of the moment, quickly stepping away from him and moving to the intercom. My voice comes out shakier than I'd like. "W-we're alright. It's just Mr Childe and I here, but we're fine."

"Ah, Mr Childe! Well, that's good to hear. The team's working on the doors now; you should be out in a few minutes."

As the intercom cuts off, I hear the muffled sounds of voices and tools clanking outside the lift. A moment later, the doors are pried open, revealing the team waiting to help.

Without a second thought, I step out onto the 9th floor, not looking back at Childe as I make my way down the corridor, my heart still racing. I don't know how to process what just happened— alongside his prior confession.

It was intense. Too intense. I'm not ready to confront it yet, not until I've figured out what I'm feeling.

————————— A/n here ——————————

Hey guys !!

It's been ages since my last upload, thought I'd leave you guys with this short but intense chap to kick-start things again 😋😋

Hopefully ending the book in the next few chapters so stay tuned for the ending !!

See y'all in the next chapter, also if you like the book please vote and comment it's nice seeing you guys interact <33

And for more updates follow :)

~ yo girl A/n ✌️