🍂 aisle be seeing you, again .
syn: he keeps visiting your shop for some reason . . .
included: kinich, albedo, childe
an: fluff, gender neutral ! reader , bro is making up excuses to see u again , headcanon-ish + short fic
part i can be found here !
you own a new lil adventure gear shop at scions of the canopy
your shop used to be peaceful
until one day he just walks in with ajaw spewing nonsense
sooo naturally kinich becomes a regular
obviously... for his commission gears.... totally.....
little do u know gear is starting to pile up in his home
ajaw is absolutely tired of watching his servant sneak glances at you like a shy school boy while he's """"busy checking the quality""" of a rope or hook
and how kinich freezes when your hands brush over his while handing him his change
you and ajaw KNOWW he doesn't need new ropes or harnesses everyday
"kinich... you just bought those last week."
"yeah, but these? these are... different, enhanced, high tensile strength. can't risk them."
"HE BOUGHT THEM TO LOOK COOL IN FRONT OF YOU."
"shut up, ajaw. don't listen to him." kinich snaps,
— you don't even need to look up when you hear the door to your shop open.
"we're back, the almighty dragonlord, k'uhul ajaw! along with his pathetic servant, has come to bestow his supreme and divine presence upon yo—"
"didn't you guys come yesterday?" you asked with a raised brow,
"no." kinich tries, putting on the most nonchalant and casual face he can before ajaw snaps.
"YES. YES WE DID. and the day before that, and the day before—"
kinich wacks him, sighing. "shut up, ajaw."
you let out an amused sigh, "what are you here for?"
suddenly, kinich is looking around the shop as if he hasn't visited before in his life, before muttering the best excuse he's got for today.
"just browsing." he hums. "browsing WHAT? you've practically bought the entire store's inventory!" ajaw screeches.
you watch kinich turn his back, looking at a set of harnesses on the wall—clearly acting like he hasn't seen the same ones over a week ago.
ajaw quietly slithers over to you. "listen, servant number 2, my pathetic servant has been dragging his pitiful human body back here hoping you will BREATHE in his direction."
you glance at kinich, still staring intensely at a harness he already owns.
"do me—ME, the almighty dragonlord a favor and FIX THIS—MMPH!!"
next thing ajaw knows, kinich is behind him, squeezing ajaw like a stressball. "...ignore him, i'll take this, actually." kinich huffs, holding another harness on his other hand.
you decide to help him save face, moving over to where he’s pretending to care about that poor harness.
you slide your fingers along the strap to demonstrate proper threading—and kinich's hand instinctively follows, brushing your knuckles.
you clear your throat, "it's a pretty standard model, so it's easy to..."
"right." kinich murmurs, looking at anywhere except your face.
"you really didn't need to come by today, your gear is still new." you hum, kinich finally looks at you, with that deep, quiet intensity he does when he’s about to say something honest.
"...yeah," he murmurs, voice low. "but new gear isn't the only reason that i come."
you blink. "you know you can come see me whenever you want, kinich."
"...receipt please." kinich mumbles, paying in record time before you could even say anything and leaving.
ajaw trails behind him, his voice booming—"FINALLY, CAN WE STOP COMING HERE EVERYDAY NOW." along with kinich's subtle "no." and ajaw's offended "NO???"— before gradually disappearing as you watch them both leave, flustered.
kinich doesn't plan on stopping his visits anytime soon.
your art supply shop in monsdtadt has been going well
its cute, cozy, a bit messy
here comes albedo "my charcoal keeps running out" kreideprinz
the knights of favonious' chief alchemist
and your most suspiciously consistent costumer
... and the one who single-handedly keeps your pen aisle alive
for someone who is a genius you'd expect him to come up with better excuses to see you lol
you perk up when you hear the bell to your shop ring,
"hi, albedo. need something?"
"good morning. i forgot to buy something last time." he starts
you blink, "forgot what?"
"...i will know it when i see it."
— there has been a pattern. that pattern is named albedo.
you know he's a talented and magnificent artist and props to him !!! but .... why is he in your tiny art shop four times a week when he already bought everything he could possibly need last week ???
he must be running 300 simultaneous art experiments or he's just really bad at inventory management...
"welcome back albedo," you say, sliding over the counter. "looking for more materials?"
"yes.. i require a new set of .... hm..."
he picks up a single graphite pencil, the exact same kind he bought three days ago. and three days before that. "albedo." you deadpan, "you bought the same pencil on monday."
he nods once, like you've made a profound point in a research paper. "you see, this one is for comparative testing." he replies.
he pauses, thinks. "the limits of... shading." he finishes, visibly improvising. "... it is an ongoing research." he adds to make it sound more convincing. sure, mhm, on going research, that requires him to visit your shop daily.
lately, albedo has been buying—
"... already?" you ask, he nods seriously. "my current project is very demanding."
... said current project must be the size of a cathedral at this point.
okay. sure. charcoal emergency, whatever.
yet you start noticing how he only ever shops when you're working the register, or how he lingers for a suspicious amount of time at the counter, rearranging his coins even though he knows the exact price by now—
"albedo." you call from behind the counter.
he pauses mid-reach toward a watercolor set he definitely does not need. "yes?"
"you don't need charcoal, do you?"
"you bought three packs this week."
"i know about your project." you sigh, "klee told me how she found it odd that you're just hoarding charcoal in your lab, and how you've been drawing tiny flowers lately. you do not need 50 packs of charcoal."
"i see," he says softly. "i have been exposed."
you grin, "so are you going to tell me the real reason you're here?"
then quietly, "i seem to like the person who works here, you, in fact." he says, as if it was a result or observation from a lab report.
"i have.. struggled to explain this phenomenon and feeling properly. so i defaulted to a familiar excuse." he states.
"by buying charcoal every time?"
you laugh—bright and warm. and albedo melts, staring at you like you're the most beautiful gradient he's ever seen.
you slide a small freebie across the wooden counter, a soft pastel pencil in the shade of his eyes. "for your very demanding project," you tease.
he picks it up carefully, like it's something precious. "thank you," he murmurs, "i'll... likely need another soon." he adds.
"oh really?" you hum, leaning against the counter.
he smiles, "yes. i run out quickly."
but you're not complaining.
running a bakery stall in liyue harbor is tiring but fulfilling !!!!
you always sell out fast because everything is delicious and affordable ...
everyone loves buying from you !!
.... so its to your surprise that a certain ginger also happens to love your pastry booth...
your soul just LEAVES YOUR BODY
because a fatui ??? harbinger ??? is standing in line????
buying a tiny strawberry cream puff
"sir... here's your change—"
"just call me childe!" he grins,
and this is only the beginning
because he just keeps visiting ???
"don't mind me! i'll just stay out of your way~" he waves,
one elderly lady approaches your stall in a panic like "dear are you safe?? blink twice if you're being held hostage."
your manager even once pleaded with you on how "business is going well and that you don't need to resort to flirting with a harbinger to bring in money" ?????????
you didn't even do anything ????
one time he approaches the counter after hes done: "if you have a loyalty card, i'm definitely going to max it out."
he looks ... so delighted with himself like he just dropped the smoothest pick up line
you don't know whether to faint, retire early, or start baking faster
— childe comes back. of course he does.
at this point you have just accepted that a fatui harbinger has become one of your regulars, buying cute pastries and giving generous tips like he's on vacation instead of plotting global destabilization.
"so..." he starts, "teucer would love to try the blueberry cheesecake cups from yesterday. i'll need another four."
"...isn't your brother in... snezhnaya?
"...how exactly are these cheesecake cups getting there in one piece?"
the cookies in your display stares.
"fast shipping?" he tries.
"okay, okay. you got me. they're actually for me." he grins sheepishly. "i knew that," you mutter, unimpressed.
he waits for his order like a puppy waiting for his treat, before one of the costumers approach your counter—"good morning sir! what can i get for you?" you gleam.
"ah, good day.. your pastries are as sweet as you look..."
...is he ... flirting ??? wtaf
you let out an awkward laugh as you try to get this guy's order without also single handedly being forced into giving out your phone number. you're just a humble baker trying to hustle !!!!!
before you can answer, childe appears behind him silently. "hey, comrade." he says with feigned cheerfulness. "want to know which pastry pairs best with a trip to the infirmary?"
the guy is suddenly gone—bolting away from your stall.
"yes?" he answers innocently.
"you can't threaten my costumers." you deadpan, a small smile threatens to twitch on your lips.
... you'll let it slide, for now, of course.
one time he's already THERE while you're still setting up the stall, like... fishermen-haven't-even-started-yelling-yet early.
you ignore him while stocking croissants on your glass display.
"rough morning?" he asks cheerfully.
he lights up; "strong? awesome? impressive? handsome?"
then he grins like you just gave him the highest compliment of his life, "ahhh. so you do think about me, comrade!"
you loudly put down your wooden tray on the counter, "childe, you're here before the street lamps even turned off!"
"that just means i'm dedicated!"
"for supporting small local businesses." he answers instantly with a straight face.
your eye twitches, "... what business does a harbinger have supporting a small local business."
you sigh so hard your soul leaves your body, again.
"you come here EVERY day." you groan,
"you bought twelve eclairs at 8 AM."
"i was hungry, and some was for my fatui suboordinates! they loved it, by the way."
"...you came back at noon."
he clasps a hand over his heart, pretending to be hurt. "a man's appetite is not for judgement."
"childe—you do know there are other bakeries in liyue, right? why come here everyday?"
he leans in slightly, and gives the most annoyingly charming smile in existence.
"because no other bakery has you."
your cheeks flush to your dismay, and you just want to shove a cupcake in his annoyingly handsome face to shut him up for once. but maybe you wouldn't have it any other way.
