college has just started and you noticed that your college has a ballroom club. despite being mia in the dancesport scene for 3 years, with a hesitant yet excited heart, you decided to audition. as if the universe had a plan, you meet childe whom you become dance partners with for the rest of your college life. his personality may be different from yours but there is no denying your compatibility beyond dancing. when no one believes in you, even yourself, he will quickly be there to support you and prove your beliefs wrong.
・❥ themes:
smau, socmed au, college au, ballroom/dancesport partners to lovers, lots of innuendos lol, slightly heavy topics (personal issues, student issues, family issues), slight angst, unfiltered vulgar language, crack?, angst, fluff, suggestive content, timestamps don’t matter
・❥ warnings:
the content of this story contain vulgar language, family issues, and self issues such as self-doubt, self-crucifying, and belittling. should there be other topics and themes that may be triggering, i will add in this portion as well as tagging them in trigger warnings before the chapter starts.
reader discretion is advised.
take the stage masterlist
[name]'s friends | childe bffs
chapters (💫 means written!)
001 • sometimes i still hear her voice…
002 • no.
003 • IM COPING
004 • YIPPIE YIPPIE YIPPIE
005 • audition day ! (💫)
006 • will you judge me
007 • story time 😝
008 • is this who i think it is?
009 • ayo?
010 • i’ll see you later?
011 • congratulations to this couple
012 • if you’ll let me (💫)
013 • OH.
014 • a little birdie told me
015 • done!
016 • ajax support group
017 • shush baby girl
018 • that’s on you
019 • ?
020 • uh oh
021 • hopefully (💫)
022 • so, was that a date?
023 •
024 •
025 •
026 •
027 •
028 •
029 •
030 •
031 •
032 •
033 •
034 •
035 •
036 •
037 •
038 •
039 •
040 •
˚₊· taglist: open~ send an ask or comment to be added!
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ @kyon-cherri @tendo-shairdye @youraggedybitch @imnotyizhuo @kenmakatzz @jayzioxx @h-rtsnana @soumisie @pomegarnet @shirebusking
❀ author’s notes: idk why im so locked in making this whenever im at work LOL i lost the old ig story template i made before so i made a new one zzz hope u like this somewhat of a filler chapter! im still familiarizing myself again w the storyline i plotted for this T_T
˚₊· taglist: open~ send an ask or comment to be added!
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ @kyon-cherri @tendo-shairdye @youraggedybitch @imnotyizhuo @kenmakatzz @jayzioxx @h-rtsnana @soumisie @pomegarnet
prev | masterlist | next
word count: 8.1k | cw: family issues and a bit of angst
the moment you read childe’s reply, you could hear him call out to you.
“[name]!” he waves at you with a big smile adorning his lips, your eyes lighting up at his arrival. “hello there, pretty lady. i hope i didn’t make you wait too long.”
you shake your head, pursing your phone in your tote bag as you adjust your sun hat.
“i just arrived here not long ago.” you stand up from your seat, offering him your basket filled with your creations. the scent of which wafting faintly from your basket.
“i didn’t know that you bake?” childe takes the basket from your hands, opening it only to be greeted by the sweet and savory aroma of your delicacies.
“just a hobby of mine whenever i have nothing to do,” you smile at him. “i packed some for chiori too and made a few batches for my mom to snack on before i left.”
childe takes a bite of the cookies you made, his eyes widening. he stared at the cookie before taking another bite. he felt like crying, childe never felt this elated trying cookies.
“it’s so good…” childe compliments as he continues to munch on the chocolate chip cookies you made. “do you take orders? i think my siblings would love them like i do!”
you wave your hands in front of you, clearly shy about the words he just said. it felt like an exaggeration even when he meant it seriously. “i don’t sell them but i can make some for you and your siblings.”
just as childe was about to respond to you, a bus has arrived and both of you entered. the bus driver takes a glance at the both of you, softly urging to enter the vehicle. the bus wasn’t too crowded, only a few people minding their own business scattered in different seats. he lets you lead the way while you busily scan your eyes to the seat that looks the most appealing to you, even though they all look the same. childe offered the window seat to you, laughing the moment he sat down, making you look at him in confusion.
“what’s up?” you ask, getting yourself comfortable in your seat as you watch him do the same. you had no idea why he suddenly reacted that way, it was simply just taking a seat after all.
“i just… remembered when you kept hitting your head on the window because you were sleeping…” childe stifles a laughter, to which he fails doing so by the way, as he recounts the memory of you being drunk manifested through your sleepiness. your cheeks reddened at the memory, making you sigh in embarrassment. it seems like that memory really stuck to him like a bubblegum under an old wooden table would.
“i’m sorry you had to witness that…” you apologize, removing your hat shyly. you made a mental note about holding your liquor better next time in case there would be another event where alcohol would be present. it’s not really your bestest friend.
“why apologize?” childe feasts on the sausage rolls next. you can sense the little teasing tone hidden underneath his concern. “you’re adorable, [name].”
“whatever you say, ajax,” you brush him off, retrieving your phone from your bag to distract yourself and in hopes of clearing the embarrassment you were feeling.
both of you kept yourselves busy in your own ways; you were just scrolling through your phone while childe kept stuffing his mouth with the pastries and treats you baked. he made sure not to touch those that were for your friend even though he was tempted to just eat everything. it was too delicious for him, it’s hard to resist it.
“the trip to fontaine is fairly long…” childe hums, taking one last bite at the last pastry meant for him.
“do you want to listen to some songs on the way?” you ask, holding your earphones in your hand. childe smiles at you, taking one bud from you and placing it in his ear. you do the same as you offer your phone to him, giving him the freedom to choose any song he wanted.
“let’s take a break from any ballroom related songs,” childe chuckles as he searches a few songs to queue. “it might end up to be your songs of the year. people would think you cry to rumba songs when you’re going through something.”
you chuckle, imagining what he had said in your mind. while it’s cool to do ballroom, that situation childe crafted as a joke made you cringe a little. well, not to shame your co-athletes who probably does that, or probably whoever else.
“my ears are bleeding hearing the same songs during training.”
“i get you so bad,” childe dramatically sighs before returning your phone to you. “no more bésame mama for today.”
you giggle at the reference, searching for songs to queue. your eyes quickly scanned over the songs he queued out of interest. you thought that these songs fit the personality he has and it was a cute little revelation. it’s nice to be able to get to know your own dance partner slash friend this way. and honestly, it felt a little intimate too. while you focused on curating your queue, you try to take a cookie from your basket while your other hand types with your thumb. it’s a tough challenge to multitask typing and wanting to eat cookie but hey, we all have our personal goals, big or small.
noticing your struggle, he peers over your phone, he could sense your focus in queueing your chosen songs. childe queries beside you, “do you want?”
you hummed in affirmation, eyes glued on your device.
childe picks up one cookie and places it in front of your soft glossed lips which caught you off guard. it made you flinch a little due to the surprise but there was no malice or whatsoever. you relented, taking a bite of the cookie you made.
the two of you sat there, childe feeding you cookies as you scavenge through the countless of songs presented to you. amidst of the whole event, the two of you share your thoughts about the songs you both queued while childe dictates to you the songs he wants to queue, still offering you the cookies you made.
it felt intimate sharing such a moment like this with childe, it almost made you feel like you were actual partners beyond your sport—
wait.
what?
you felt your cheeks heat up with that sudden thought that it even made you halt your search for a bit. it felt stupid that it even crossed your mind. why? because it only fueled you to feel conscious around him. playing it cool won’t be the easiest task to do after having that thought…
you look over to your partner beside you who was nodding his head lightly to the beat of the music while he scrolls through his phone. you wondered if he ever thought of something like that too. what even goes on in his mind anyway?
you avert your attention away from him, relaxing your body against the barely comfortable bus seat while immersing yourself in the songs you both queued. you fiddled with your locked phone in your hands, looking outside the window. it was a really tranquil morning so far that it was making you feel sleepy, especially with the fact that the journey to fontaine is quite a long ride.
spending this long ride with someone you never expected to be close with puts you at ease. someone who helped you get comfortable in the place you least expected yourself to be. it felt comforting knowing that you are somehow finding a place for yourself, thinking of it as a big step into opening and allowing yourself to live again even when life had made you feel like it’s hopeless to move forward.
unconsciously, you leaned your head on childe’s shoulder as you started feeling sleepy. you woke up very early after all to bake your delicacies. the drowsiness from waking up early and the exhaustion from baking have finally caught up to you in the middle of your travel. sleep is something hard for you to fight after all, and you were no warrior against it.
childe’s eyes widened, body slightly stiffening at the sudden contact. he looked over to you, breathing peacefully beside him. his body relaxes upon seeing you look at ease, a smile greeting his lips along with soft pink hues dusting his cheeks. this sight and this moment… he couldn’t help but feel at ease and cozy. this made childe thought you were opening yourself up to him already bit by bit.
his gaze lands on your hand however. his arms felt a little awkward with the position after all, he couldn’t help but check in.
out of the blue, childe asks in a soft and quiet tone that nudges you awake so gently.
“…do you want to hold my hand, [name]? just so you feel a little more comfortable while you rest, if that would help.”
you heard his gentle offer amidst your consciousness succumbing to sleep. honestly, growing up, you weren’t one to shy away from physical touch. you were always very fond of hugs and hand holding even with your friends, especially with kaveh and alhaitham. it’s through physical touch that you feel at ease especially when faced with nerve wracking moments.
you chirp quietly at his offer, hooking your arm with his before catching his hand gently in yours. it would be a very filthy lie if childe were to say that he wasn’t surprised with the action. even though he was the one who offered the gesture, your lack of hesitance was the cherry on top to make him feel a little embarrassed this time. it would definitely take a while for him to get over this and moreover, to get used to this as well.
“thank you, ajax,” you mumble sleepily, snuggling a little closer to him as you used his shoulder as a pillow. childe smiles down at you, closing his eyes in pure bliss despite the overwhelming embarrassment he felt a few seconds ago.
“you’re welcome,” childe replies, settling himself nicely against the bus seat and making himself cozy as well. he lets the music engulf his whole being, making sure to capture this new memory with you in his mind.
“you have me always, [name].” childe whispers as an assurance. he doesn’t exactly know what prompted him to say that but the timing just felt right. no matter what meaning that would come up in your mind after hearing that, he didn’t pay it no heed anymore. he just wanted you to remember that, he wanted you to feel that every word in that sentence was nothing but the honest truth.
even though you were already in a drowsy trance, you still heard it. and it honestly felt nice hearing that. you felt your heart sing in glee as a response to what seemed to be a commitment he has promised you. if only childe knew how much that line meant to you, and if only he knew that you reciprocated the same with him.
honestly, starting when you moved to— no, even during the time you started your hiatus, you’ve always felt so lost. you didn’t know how to pick yourself up after you felt burnt out with your own passion. it was difficult to set your feelings free even though you’re aware that you need to let them out at some point. one unfortunate event after the other, you badly wanted a breakthrough.
despite the difficulty, you feel a little courageous about relying on childe with your worries. maybe it’s time to open yourself up. maybe it wasn’t so bad to trust someone else and allow yourself to be helped by people who care for you, especially being in a new situation like the one you’re experiencing now.
you don’t have to carry everything all on your own anymore.
in about an hour, the two of you reached the nearest aquabus station in fontaine. childe has woken you up with gentle taps on your interlocked hands, his thumb caressing your hand in the process. he cooed your name from time to time but it would get lost and mold with your dreams. nevertheless, he was able to wake you up with all those efforts. he noticed your groggy state so childe guided you down the bus while your head is still stuck in dreamland with your hands still in the hold of each other’s.
you let him lead the way to the station, him paying for both of your trip to the capital of the nation as you were still out of it. the sleep was too good. sleeping is simply the best.
the two of you lined up, waiting to get seated. the line wasn’t long and you didn’t have to wait for another 30 minutes for the next aquabus trip. safe to say that you’re awake now but you still held childe’s hand in yours silently, like a child who was just woken up urgently by her mother.
“good morning, my pretty lady,” childe chuckles beside you, causing you to feel a little embarrassed. you refused to return his gaze so as to conceal the redness of your cheeks, watching the tour guide inspect the tickets of the passengers in front of you.
“good sleep?”
you just nodded your head in response. the two of you moved forward in line as childe gave your tickets to the guide before helping you ride the aquabus.
“watch your step, okay?” childe says with care and caution, eyes locked in every step you take as you ride the bus with ease thanks to his help. “there we go.”
the line was cut after you two mounted the aquabus. you settled down on the available seat with childe following afterwards, taking the seat beside you. you had let go of his hand to fix your things in your tote. meanwhile, childe is just sitting there, missing the presence and warmth of your hand in his.
“what a lovely couple,” an unfamiliar voice intercepts, both of your attention pouring on the passenger sitting across you. you were greeted by an old lady who had the kindest and gentlest smile plastered on her lips and, you assume to be, her husband who was busy listening to the guide’s speech.
“i’m glad to see that chivalry isn’t dead yet.” she adds, her head resting softly against her husband’s shoulder as if she could see their younger selves in both you and childe.
and how quickly did both of you felt bashful at the comments, immediately denying your relationship. the old lady also immediately looked confused.
“then are you family?” the old lady wonders out loud. “that’s impossible… the way this fine young man looked at this pretty lady is too fond.”
“ah…” childe stutters. whew, this is pretty new for him to be obviously nervous. in hopes of trying to disperse the awkwardness, he coughs up a response, which sounded more like an excuse. “she’s actually my idol.”
“hey…” you shyly shush the ginger, softly tapping him on his arm as his answer just fueled your bashfulness.
childe grins, feeling confident all of a sudden because of your reaction. well, at least he was somehow able to disperse it, but the effect was only felt by him. “we’re ballroom partners, and i’ve always looked up to her! it’s honestly still very surreal that i have the honor to dance with her.”
you couldn’t help but to bury your face in your hands out of pure embarrassment. what was he doing proclaiming all of that out of the blue? you wish he could just zip his mouth right now.
“ballroom, i see…” the old lady laughs heartily. “you must be representing your homeland?”
“not yet at least… we only got paired up a month ago!” childe answers enthusiastically. “but we’ll be performing at our university soon. that will be our first time to perform in public as partners.”
“i’m glad to hear that, dear. i wish you both well.” the old woman cheers for the both of you and while you were still feeling embarrassed, there was no denying that the simple push of support from a stranger made you feel really warm and excited for your performance in the upcoming event. you couldn’t help but wish that your own mother would be like that with you too.
the rest of the ride to the capital of fontaine was all about talking with your fellow passengers and enjoying the majestic scenery fontaine had to offer. it felt nice to be back here, all your memories in fontaine were certainly good ones and they started rushing back to you during your ride which made you feel nostalgic.
childe noticed your fond features that he couldn’t help the smile forming on his lips. he couldn’t even appreciate at the beauty of fontaine when the true beauty is just sitting beside him.
everyone reached the capital of the city safely. being in fontaine always made you so giddy, everything about the nation warmed your heart. it’s the only place you have plenty of wonderful memories aside from your homeland. you were happy to be back, to say the least.
you memorized the court of fontaine like it was the back of your hand, taking the lead in marching towards your friend’s store as childe follows behind you, he could really feel how happy you were being in fontaine right now.
“are you awake now, [name]? no need for me to hold your hand anymore?” childe muses behind you, evidently teasing you. but they do say that jokes are half meant, right? well, let’s just say there’s a part of him that wishes he could still hold your hand while both of you stroll the mesmerizing city of fontaine together. wow, that would certainly feel like a date.
childe shakes his head to snap himself back to reality. he watches you turn around to look at him, still walking but backwards. childe was greeted with an unamused [name].
“no.” your simple and curt reply to his joke. you turn around yet again, continuing to walk towards the location of chiori’s store.
“aw, childe loses his [name] privileges.” childe jokes, catching up with your steps to walk beside you. you could only roll your eyes at him playfully, deciding not to reply to his entry any further.
you stopped in front of the store of your beloved childhood friend, seems like chiori upgraded the look of her store! the excitement started rushing in you as your eyes scanned every detail of her boutique’s front. it also seems like she has expanded her space to which you thought she deserved it. last news you heard about her business was that she has been really sought after, booked by a lot of clients. she must be very successful now, and you have been there for her since day one. you wouldn’t be able to imagine a life without her. along with these thoughts, you realized how long it has been since seeing another familiar face aside from venti’s.
you didn’t waste any more time with the nostalgic drama of yours. so with no hesitations but with a heart full of excitement, you entered the store, the same old bells ringing upon entering. how can you stop taking the trip down memory lane when everything about fontaine never fails to lead you to the same road of nostalgia?
“welcome to chioriya boutique— miss [name]!” laetitia, one of the employees, greets you with a big smile. you can see the joy in her eyes twinkling under the boutique’s light. she walks up to you to give you a big hug.
“nice seeing you again, laetitia,” you greet her with a grin, reciprocating her hug. childe felt the warmth through your exchange with the employee. seems like during this whole trip, all he’d be doing is to smile all for the same reasons: you.
laetitia noticed childe who was busy looking around the boutique.
“wow… are you finally in a relationship now?” laetitia comments jokingly, making childe look her way, surprised. That’s the second time today that you were mistaken as a couple, even though this time it was jabbed as a joke.
“he’s my ballroom partner,” you couldn’t help but facepalm, hiding the way your cheeks reddened at the question.
it made you wonder, do you two really look like a couple that much?
childe sheepishly laughs. for some reason, for all the times they were mistaken as a couple, it didn’t bother him. maybe a part of him even likes it but he’s denying it deep inside of him. though at the same time, he hopes it’s not making you uncomfortable.
he steps forward, offering his hand to laetitia. “i’m childe, miss [name]’s ballroom partner. pleased to make your acquaintance.”
at this gesture, laetitia felt a little shy but accepted it and introduced herself as well. the two of them get to know each other, engaging in small talks with you chiming in from time to time.
“is chiori here?” you scan your eyes around the boutique to look for your friend. is she in her working station?
“right, she told me today will be your fitting schedule. i’ll go fetch her for you both.” she hurries off to call her boss, apologizing for cutting the conversation short.
you look up at childe who continued to look around the boutique, seeing the interest in his eyes. it felt nice spending this trip with childe as the realization that you’ll be making yet another happy memory in fontaine dawned upon you.
“[name],” a familiar voice calls out to you. you turn your head to the source of the voice and saw your beloved and lovely childhood friend walk up to you with so much elegance. as expected from one of the skilled and renowned designer in the land of teyvat.
“my chiori!” you capture your friend in a hug, with chiori rolling her eyes at you while reciprocating your hug. oh, how much you missed her and her attitude.
“glad you came here in one piece with your boy.” she pulls away from your hold, her eyes darting towards childe. there was almost a hint of teasing under her words and you were able to detect it which made you chuckle.
childe waves at her with an almost shy smile. he wasn’t quite sure how to act around a friend of yours which made him a little nervous. first impressions matter!
“i know how much you want to catch up with me but let’s get to business first so we can have plenty of time to talk.” chiori didn’t waste any time and asked her assistant to bring out the outfits she made for the both of you. you stood there in anticipation, you trust your friend’s skills and flair in her career. she never puts out a work that isn’t up to par with her very keen standards and her works always exceed the norm. it was always an honor to be able to wear her crafts, it was made by the one and only chiori.
laetitia reveals the outfits which were donned by the mannequins.
childe’s eyes widened upon seeing them, he was sure that his jaw were down on the ground too because wow. he has a few ballroom fits at home, yes, however nobody could top the craft that was in front of him. it made him wonder how did chiori think of these intricate designs and silhouette. he would really love to know what was the process with designing it. it almost made him feel intimidated to even try it on.
“as expected from the chiori,” you chuckle, feeling a sense of pride upon seeing yet another extravagantly crafted work by your own friend.
the color palette of both clothes played from white to light blue to touches of royal blue, some of the fabrics’ texture designed with some shimmers, decorated with gems that shone under the light. you noticed the uneven cut of the skirt, boasting a slit on the left side. laetitia highlighted the details of the back of your dress by turning the mannequin around. at the back were two fabrics draping down on both sides connected to the small sleeves of your dress. it will also then be exposing your bare upper back once you wear it. honestly, this outfit is quite daring and it’s definitely very new from the long flowy dresses you wear for your previous standard outfits. definitely a challenge for you but it’s something you’re willing to go out of your comfort zone for.
the color palette of childe’s fit matches yours. the top would certainly accentuate his chest as it would be exposed to the world the moment he wears it. a few shimmers decorated the front of his top, along with gems that would make him stand out even more under the spotlight. laetitia turns the mannequin around yet again, showing the full back white lace design of his top. that was such a sexy addition. his pants were plain white with a few specks of shimmer and gems decorating the waist, gradually lessening as your eyes trail down the pants. the edges also has some slits to help aid with the mobility and steps, making it look like it’s flowing.
a masterpiece. absolutely divine. you already expected it to be amazing since it was chiori who made it after all, but you didn’t expect it to be this amazing.
you let out a sigh of admiration, seeing as chiori is able to exceed not just your expectations but everyone else’s as well yet again.
“i have made a few latin clothing for some of the competitors before but i wanted to make yours a lot more extra, you know?” chiori shares, feeling the fabric of your dress and eyeing every detail to check if something was amiss. “though i have to admit, i miss sewing your standard gowns.”
“change of career, my bad,” you shrug at her confession, chuckling although in a sullen manner. you look at the man beside you who was too occupied admiring the outfits your friend had created.
“ajax, your jaw,” you laugh a little at his reaction, seems like he is just as surprised as you if not more. he shakes his head, scratching the back of his head shyly while he comes closer to the mannequins donning the outfits that you will be wearing on the event.
“sorry… it’s just, wow. this is… just wow. wow.” were the only words that were able to come out of his mouth along with his slow clapping. you nodded understandingly at his reaction. you could relate to him.
“you can fit them now. tell me if you feel any discomfort or anything else. i’ll patch it up as soon as possible.”
with that go signal, both of you went to your respective fitting room cubicles with chiori’s crafts in tow. childe was extra careful in handling his personally tailored outfit, he felt that it was too beautiful for him to even wear. it almost seemed fragile in his eyes even, he wasn’t entirely sure if he even deserved wearing such a masterpiece.
childe was the first one to come out of the cubicle, checking himself out on the mirror from front to back. what did i do in my past life for me to have the privilege to wear such an extremely well-made fit? he kept thinking.
he won’t lie that it fit him perfectly well, like a match made in heaven. it was tailored especially for him after all but he didn’t expect that he would look even better in it.
he started moving around in his outfit, testing the durability when in action. it felt really comfortable wearing it, his movements didn’t feel too restricted. what’s more, he had the choice if he wanted the sleeve to end just at his wrists or to fold them up to his elbow and either wouldn’t compromise the overall look of the outfit.
childe looks over at your cubicle as he heard the clicking of the door. you call for laetitia to help you zip up the zipper before revealing yourself. and, oh dear archons, the moment he laid his eyes at you, he was far beyond stunned. reminder to keep your jaw intact, ajax!
you twirled in your outfit, making a few spot turns in the process. the dress felt light to wear and like childe’s thoughts, your movements didn’t feel restricted. it was making you a bit conscious with how short it is but this is the style for latin after all and you have to be comfortable eventually.
chiori looked at the two of you, a sense of pride filling her. she was glad that they were a perfect fit. well, she somewhat expected it to be like that already. but seeing it right in front of her eyes was definitely a different experience to feel for her.
“can you two pretend that you’ll be presenting yourselves before dancing?” chiori requests, face serious and focused, wanting to see if anything else needs fixing before she hands the outfits over to the both of you.
childe walks up to you, offering his open palm to receive yours in his. he gave you a warm smile which could be translated to pure admiration. you place your hand in his, a smile forming on your lips.
childe leads you a little forward, twirling you once before letting go of your hand for you to present yourself with a bow. as you bowed, he directs his arm towards your direction as if showing you off to everyone in the boutique.
chiori watches both of you do your thing, nodding in affirmation. she made sure to scan every nooks and crannies of your outfits and checking each detail according to your every movement. this is, after all, very serious for her.
“okay, now try doing a bit of your routine.”
you spare chiori a glance for a moment before walking back to your partner.
“i’ll count,” childe offers, holding your hand in his as he prepares to perform. you nod at him, listening to his counting before starting your routine together.
chiori and laetitia watch in awe as the two of you perform. chiori was filled with pride as she watched, almost feeling nostalgic with the way you donned her work once again. she was receptive to your smile and confidence as you performed, with childe matching yours. it was as if they were just in your world and they were just your audiences. as if all of a sudden it’s not her boutique but rather your stage.
“and cut,” childe chuckles, setting your hand down with a gentle squeeze.
“your performance is the main event. nobody can argue with me on that.” chiori shrugs, walking up to the both of you while clapping with her gloved hands softly.
you laugh in response, huffing a little from the sudden performance, “nobody can really argue with you anyway.”
chiori just rolls her eyes on this joking remark, but you were right nevertheless.
“i think i have to just fix the other little details but it’s good to go anyway. i can let you take it home by today so you wouldn’t have to travel here again or pay for an expensive delivery fee.” chiori informs the both of you while trying to roll childe’s sleeves to see if everything is in place. “but are you sure nothing is brewing between the two of you? both of you are kinda obvious if you’re hiding something.”
“chiori!” you called out to her in embarrassment, was this her comeback for your small jab or was that a serious question? whatever it was, it was definitely embarrassing! you couldn’t even dare take a peek at what childe’s reaction could be at that.
“just curious, you know?” chiori shrugged but you can see a small smirk, making you think it was a comeback. when you start something with chiori, she really wouldn’t back down so easily.
you sighed in exasperation as if waving a white flag of defeat in her face. you shook your head and asked laetitia to join you in the cubicle to help you take off the dress, not even daring to say anything more to your beloved friend.
meanwhile, with everything that transpired, childe just stood there dumbfounded and stunned. no one can particularly paint the expression on his face to the point that even if artists make an attempt to do so, it wouldn’t just be accurate… somehow it’s like that. he needs a few minutes to unpack and process everything that happened. for some reason, everything that happened in fontaine today was just running along one theme that he noticed– and it’s the fact that both of you are very much mistaken as a couple. is your chemistry THAT prominent then? a match made in heaven that goes beyond your mere partnership on stage? whatever the answer was for these questions, he wasn’t sure if he had the courage to know that now. all he knows is that they all left him speechless or bashful one way or another.
he snapped back to reality after he heard the cubicle’s door click and you were nowhere to be found. this left him and chiori in the same room and upon this realization, he was overwhelmed with awkwardness. his and chiori’s eyes met, chiori with his sophisticated yet sharp gaze were enough to cut his hair and make him bald if she decided to. quite an exaggeration honestly, but that’s how he felt around your own childhood friend.
“..i guess i’ll go change now too then?” childe chirps sheepishly, wanting to get out of the situation immediately.
“alright, but just to be sure, is the outfit all good to you? it’s the first time i made one for you after all, i don’t want you to leave my boutique with any complaints.” chiori leans against her cashier table, waiting for childe’s answer with anticipation. this made childe ponder, but so far he doesn’t really feel anything was amiss so he shakes his head as a reply.
chiori shrugs once more, nodding. “and well, you know, if i were you.. i’d do my best to hide my feelings better if i won’t commit to it.”
and he was once again stuck with the dumbfounded and stunned expression he had earlier, paired with his confusion if chiori meant it or if she was joking.
“it’s kind of complicated..” was all childe could say in return. “i just have a simple admiration for her, that’s all.”
“if you say so, take it if it resonates with you somehow.” chiori says bluntly but there wasn’t any malice evident in it before disappearing back to her work room and leaving childe on his own. he didn’t backtrack anymore and just entered the other dressing cubicle to change his clothing, careful as he didn’t want to tarnish the outfit.
after wrapping everything up, the clothes were all sealed nicely. both were advised to avoid creasing the fabric in any way since it might compromise the quality of the outfits. that would be a great challenge for them since it will be another long journey back to snezhnaya.
while laetitia and chiori discussed about other business matters, you slightly bumped childe’s arm, hoping to get his attention.
“hey, can i ask for a favor?” you look up at him, placing your basket down the cashier as you wait for his answer.
“sure, go ahead [name].” childe only nods, curious about what favor it is this time. he didn’t mind doing any sort of favors for you anyway.
“uh..” you slightly hesitated, quite unsure which words to use. “well, would it be okay if you can keep my outfit at your place too? and just bring it over during the day of the event. i don’t really want to bring it home and have my mother find out about this..”
childe quickly caught on with your words and your favor. he still remembers the night you became vulnerable and shared your sorrows about your mother. of course, even without that reason, childe wouldn’t hesitate to carry out any sort of favor for you with no questions asked. so the resolve here was easy, and moreover he was really happy that he could help you in any way that he can.
“not a problem at all to me [name],” he replies to your worries, you sensed no hesitance from his words to his expression and even though you felt shy, even a little hint of shame, that he has to do something for you, you were really happy you can rely on him. “you don’t have to say anything else, i’ll do it for you.”
overhearing your worries, chiori didn’t mean to eavesdrop but she heard anyway. just when all of you were going to bid your goodbyes and impart your gratitude, chiori shoots childe a glance as if telling him she wanted to borrow you for a moment. childe quickly catches onto this signal as well, he’s quite quick to pick up messages like that anyway. he quickly excused himself and left the boutique, leaving both you and chiori in it. laetitia went back to the work room to fix some things to help chiori prepare for her next project.
“hey sweetie,” chiori cooes out to you, sitting on top of the cashier table with her legs crossed. “how are you feeling now? i hope being in fontaine made you feel a lot better. i know fontaine is a precious place for you after all.”
you could feel all of the sorrow you buried deep inside you wanting to burst out of you with her words. you did your best to keep everything intact, refusing to cry in front of her. you didn’t want to do so anyway since it has been a while since you last seen each other and you wouldn’t want your parting memory with her today is your weeping face.
“you’re doing it again, [name]. you’re doing that face again.” chiori cuts off your thoughts, calling you out.
“what face?”
“the one where you want to cry but you’re stopping yourself from doing so.” she sighs, as if giving up. “you know you can just let it all out to me right? i read your rants in the chat but i didn’t respond anymore since i feel like it would be better if i just told you everything in person.”
you just stayed silent. the biggest obstacle now is keeping things hidden from chiori. to her, you were like an open book so all your efforts would be in vain if you tried to conceal yourself further in front of her. so with that, you just let her say everything in her mind.
“it really sucks that you have to keep hiding yourself when all you want to do is your passion. but you know what? screw it, forget about your mother and just keep doing what you love. she’ll find out anyway since she’s just so obsessed about her image so while you can, just enjoy the ride. it’ll be more nerve-wracking for you, sure, but it’s important for you to choose yourself this time. you won’t lose anything.”
after chiori’s little speech for you, you still remained silent as you felt a lump in your throat form.
“but still.. i’m dependent on her, chiori. it’s just not that easy, she’s still funding me. without her, i would be nothing.” with all the strength that you had as that lump strained you, you retorted softly. your desperation and even exasperation was evident in your voice, helplessness dripping from every word.
“there are other ways that you can support yourself and i’ll be there to help you.” chiori simply answers but not in a way that she wants to invalidate you, you know that best. “childe is also there for you.”
upon hearing his name, you felt a little flustered but it was true that he’s there for you too. all his effort to give you a good time and find ways to help you out, they’re all recognized by you. you just felt a little ashamed to have him carry your burdens too all because of your wicked mother.
“yeah..” you nodded, trailing off. “i just don’t understand. i’m her daughter, yes, but that doesn’t mean i’m another version of her nor am i supposed to be required to continue her dreams because i’m my own person too. why is it that i have to do everything to “protect her pride”? does that mean i have to forget my own identity and mold into a rebirthed version of herself?”
you continued ranting, it was chiori’s time to fall silent. she lets you release everything while she listens closely. this would be the best help she could give right now.
“she preaches about following and pursuing your passion but what about mine? does it mean mine is nonexistent? it’s like she doesn’t even see me as a person.. i’m tired of this cycle. but at the same time, i can’t do anything about it. i feel so powerless against her. i can’t even tell her everything going on in my life, she would just insert herself into my own narrative. hell, even having friends in my own university seems like bad news for her. just… what does she even think of me?”
even though every feeling was pouring out, the urge to cry suddenly disappeared. tears won’t even run down your face, they won’t even brim within the edges of your eyes. every feeling was clashing with each other that you felt so conflicted. but somehow, releasing everything right now felt a little relieving. god knows how long you have been bottling all of these up.
“i feel bad that i even left alhaitham like that at the peak of our career just because i was starting to hate it. maybe if i wasn’t forced to do that, i would still be doing standard. i wouldn’t have to leave sumeru because of her. did she really think moving to snezhnaya would convince me to return to my past career?” you admit your guilt to chiori, something that you never said out loud but was definitely floating around in your head. she felt a little surprised at that confession, you never really told anybody about that and it made her wonder if you were keeping this guilt all to yourself for a long time. however, it wasn’t your fault that you had to make that decision anyway.
“but that choice saved the remaining sanity you had left in you. would you rather lose yourself further just to please her?” chiori points out, standing up from her seat on the table to come closer to you. “and don’t worry about alhaitham, even though he’s a cold arrogant bastard at times, i’m sure he understood your reasons too. he would be the first person to understand that, the moment you made that decision he already supported it.”
she was right. alhaitham isn’t a stupid person anyway. but this doesn’t erase your guilt, it made you feel like you were the reason why he didn’t pursue competing anymore and you know it best that alhaitham had always wanted to continue competing. it made you feel like he failed to pursue that because you chose yourself this time.
“i don’t know what exactly is going on in your mind right now [name], but don’t beat yourself up for choosing your peace and happiness no matter what happens. life will go on regardless of that and we only have one life to experience the best things we want for ourselves. so go and let loose, enjoy every bit of it. i know it’s not easy and that testimony is not new to you. but it’s never impossible alright?”
chiori engulfs you in a hug, something you needed right now. in her arms, it felt like coming home to the family you found along the way in your journey in life. it really felt different this time, considering it’s coming from one of the people you cherish so much.
you return her hug and it seems like the tear ducts finally cracked which made you bury your face on her shoulder. yeah, it definitely isn’t easy but with people like chiori and childe by your side, surely it will be a lot more bearable right?
right?
after the talk with chiori, she escorts you outside to meet up with childe who was waiting patiently with his phone in hand, sitting on the bench across the boutique. he was scrolling mindlessly that he didn’t even notice both of you coming out of the boutique. once he did, he smiled but immediately noticed your puffy eyes. this immediately made him worried but decided not to pry, you might not be comfortable talking about it. he would rather wait for you to come around and tell him yourself, unless he had a better timing than now.
quickly bidding your goodbyes and thanks, chiori accompanied both of you to the aquabus terminal where you exchanged one last hug and gave her the basket filled with the treats you baked. chiori only nodded at you and waved as she watched the aquabus slowly fade within her line of sight, a hint of worry filling in her heart. her gaze landed upon the ginger beside you and somehow she felt like she could feel a little bit of relief anyway. she just hopes childe would take care of you once you come back home to the land so foreign from you, where you are a hundred miles apart from all the people you consider family.
the trip back home was very quiet, you just stared off the distance. the conversation with chiori was still lingering inside your mind and you couldn’t help but get stuck in it. it was a heavy baggage you were carrying after all and it was a hard conversation to fully digest in one trip. but you were glad you were able to confide to someone you trust, someone who has been there from the start who fully saw and knew what you went through.
noticing this silence, childe just sat silently beside you. even when you rode the bus back to snezhnaya, he joined you in sitting with your emotions. but he was definitely thinking about how he can cheer you up. he was scrolling through his phone at that moment, which gave him an idea upon stumbling on his photo album.
“hey [name]?” childe softly calls out to you, to which he received an absentminded response from you, still staring at the distance way far from the view that the bus’ window could allow you to.
“what do you think about having dinner again tonight before you come home?” he suggests with a small grin on his lips, careful with his tone.
before you could decline, thinking that it’s best if you coop up in your room and wallow in your feelings alone, he quickly added something.
“since almost everyone we encountered today thinks we’re a couple, how about we make it something like a dinner date?” he offers. at first, you thought he was joking with you to which you weren’t really sure how to accept but upon looking at his features, it seemed like he was serious. was this his way of helping you distract yourself from all your problems right now? was this an attempt to clear your head before you rest for the night?
you just shrugged and chuckled lightly.
“i might need a lot more convincing than that,” you jabbed back at him lightly, still barely having any energy after what transpired in fontaine with chiori. but you couldn’t deny the atmosphere getting even a tiny bit better after he raised that invite to you.
it wouldn’t be so bad to go on a date like this spontaneously just for fun anyway. it was definitely something you needed to distract yourself even just for a bit.
hopefully, that was the case. at least maybe just for tonight.
❀ author’s notes: hiii hahaha i know this update is 2 yrs late but life happened so hard + writers block was bumming me out but i hope u enjoy this read! i was so locked in while writing this during work hours lol took me to finish my ongoing draft in like 11 hrs i didnt even notice the word count since i rly js grabbed the opportunity to write while i was still pumped up haha but here u go my lovely readers mwa ! thanks for the continuous support for tts! would love to hear ur thoughts and engage w u all <3
˚₊· taglist: open~ send an ask or comment to be added! (not sure why i cant tag the others but just lmk!)
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ @kyon-cherri @tendo-shairdye @youraggedybitch @imnotyizhuo @kenmakatzz @jayzioxx @h-rtsnana @soumisie
hello to my readers ! i know it has been such a long time since i wrote here lol but i wanna go back to writing again ;-; HAHGASDHASH life happened, writing block happened then i just Disappeared as hell.. i'll try to get back to my element again. but to all who has been reading tts and my other works, i hope you know you're all very much appreciated <33 thank you for all the love and support for take the stage!!! kisses ^^
i’m feeling a lot better now! and because of that expect an update real soon! 😍
i also feel like brewing an angst one shot but idk for who 🤕 so i might make one out of the blue so i can vent 🥰 HAHSHADHSHDA write while it’s still fresh
thank you for waiting and for your support! i’ll be back soonest 😘
wanted to drop by to inform you all that i might not be able to update tts! today or tomorrow as i’ve been having bad allergies since yesterday 💔 typing rn with a headache and an irritated nose it’s SO BAD FOR ME 👹
the next chapter is a written one and though i want to write it all down (esp since i was able to outline already the events of the chapter AND i’ve started it already), my head 💔 it’s aching 💔 i’ll make it up to you all i promeek 💔 i will update u all as soon as i can! 😘
really sorry for having no updates so far 😔 stay safe everyone! pls don’t forget to take care of yourselves 🫶
also wishing everyone who will be pulling for arlecchino a happy arlecchino haver moment 😋
❀ author’s notes: i can cry for 5hrs abt found family trope in fact i have done it already 😁 also! two of the upcoming chapters will be written soooo! :D
˚₊· taglist: open~ send an ask or comment to be added!
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ @kyon-cherri @tendo-shairdye @youraggedybitch @imnotyizhuo
word count: 3.4k | cw: family issues, mentions of alcohol
time flies by so fast, you didn’t expect it to be friday already. today marks the day that you’ll have your first alcoholic drink ever. you weren’t one to party or to drink so you wanted to be cautious about your tolerance. regardless, you still think that passing the audition is worth celebrating.
your last class has just ended, curse the heavens for allowing a class to end at 7 pm. you had told your mom that you’ll be going home late since you wanted to finish your tasks at the 24/7 study nook near your university so that all you’ll be doing this weekend is to snooze off. but of course, that’s a lie. if she knew you were out drinking with friends, you know it won’t end all pretty. it sucks.
but hey, it’s time to loosen up. you’re in college now, after all.
you were fixing your things when a familiar voice calls out to you, walking towards you.
it was childe.
“how was class?” he greets you with a smile. ever since monday, whenever you two would plan to meet to eat or hang out, childe made it a habit to pick you up from your classes. it was really endearing.
you smile back at him, zipping your bag as you wear it on your shoulder.
“pretty okay. got called for recitation but i think i did good.” you share with him. “let’s go?”
“i’ll lead the way,” childe started walking off with you beside him, exiting the premises of your building and eventually your university.
“i would be lying if i said i don’t feel… nervous meeting your friends for the first time.” you admit out loud to him, fiddling with the straps of your bag.
“don’t be! they’re only mean to me,” childe laughs, his laughter putting you in a sense of peace which made you chuckle a bit. “two of them are really big fans of yours though, so i hope that won’t make you feel awkward.”
“oh, i have fans?” you wondered, looking up at him curiously. you never expected to hear that. sure, your friends, especially jean, always told you that they’re your fans but you always thought of it as friendly support. it caught you off guard knowing that beyond your friends, you do have people who genuinely admire you and your skills. it felt pretty foreign to you but you won’t lie that that also made you feel a bit more confident about yourself.
childe raises a brow at you, followed by a huff. he points to himself as he peers at you.
“what do you call me then?”
“a friend of mine?” you answered, quite unsure about what you were supposed to say. “well, my partner too.”
the last line you added made childe go a bit crazy inside, not expecting to hear that response. moreover, you said it so seriously which didn’t really help his situation.
“yeah…” flustered, childe coughs. “well, if it wasn’t obvious enough, i’m also your fan.”
he proclaims it so proudly, you can see his smile getting smug. you chuckle at him.
“you never mentioned this during our first dinner,” you respond.
“i didn’t want to scare you off…” childe pouts, response sheepish. “but yeah, i’ve been watching your competitions a lot. you’re a really different person when performing.”
“got to impress my mother,” you sigh a bit. “it’s hard when you’re the daughter of a popular person. the pressure is overwhelming.”
childe takes in your reply, surprised to hear your feelings. there’s so much for him to learn about you.
“it must have been hard carrying all that burden, huh?”
“it always has been.”
you two reached the agreed place. it was a bar not too shabby. considering it was a friday, there were a lot of people drinking.
childe ensured to keep you close to him so as not to lose you in the crowd while he scans the place for his friends.
“childe! over here!” kazuha waves his hand, catching the ginger’s attention to which he led the way.
“oh my god…” the twins say in unison, both staring at you in awe. you could swear that they both look like they were going to cry.
you shoot everyone a smile and a small bow.
“have you guys been here for a while?” childe asks, setting his bag down on the chair.
“yeah, you’re fucking late.” scaramouche retorts, fixing his glasses.
“don’t listen to him. we just arrived.” kazuha laughs.
“this is [name] by the way,” childe introduces you as he offers your seat for you.
“hello everyone,” you greeted them, albeit shyly. “it’s nice to meet you all. i’m childe’s friend.”
you thank childe for his kind gesture, settling yourself down. childe sits beside you.
“i can’t believe she’s real…” aether gasps, too busy processing that he’s actually meeting one of his idols. you laugh at his reaction.
“i’m lumine, by the way,” his twin introduces herself. “this is aether, my twin brother. we love watching dancesport competitions a lot.”
“nice to meet you lumine and aether,” you wave at them.
“scaramouche. unfortunately, i’m friends with them.” the guy with the purple hair introduces himself… almost against his will?
“i study at zapolyarny too. i’m a medtech.”
“must be stressful,” you comment.
“exactly. i deserve to drink tonight.” he leans back at his chair, crossing his arms.
“i’m kazuha,” the guy beside childe introduces himself. “i traveled from inazuma to celebrate you two’s success.”
“that’s sweet of you,” you compliment. “nice to meet you all!”
“is venti coming over?” childe asks.
“nobody knows, he might just appear out of the blue.” lumine responds.
everybody continued getting to know each other even after the drinks got served. you learned that the golden twins met childe during a competition while scaramouche and childe became friends since they knew each other from high school. kazuha, on the other hand, was childe’s co-trainee when childe was training at inazuma.
you also learned that childe knew a lot of the coaches and have become friends with them as well. to be fair, during your first dinner together, all you two talked about was the auditions so all of this information is new to you.
“am i late to the party?” your conversation got cut short when a random yet familiar voice cuts in. everyone looked at the source, including you. your eyes widen a bit.
“venti?” you blinked.
“[name]! it’s so nice to see you again!” venti gives you a quick side hug which you reciprocated, happy to see another familiar face.
“we did not save a seat for you, mr. latecomer.” lumine chuckles as she jokes, pulling the vacant chair near her.
“my knees are old as hell, have mercy on me,” venti fake cried, still as dramatic as before.
“why were you late though?” kazuha inquires, taking a chug.
“do college students these days not do pre-games anymore?” venti sighs.
“just say you drank before you arrived here.” scaramouche snides in as he pours himself another round.
“i didn’t expect [name] to be the one to drink though?” venti comments, looking your way.
“i actually don’t drink,” you affirm his statement. “this is my first time drinking, in fact. we’re about to find out my alcohol tolerance.”
“don’t worry, you have childe. he’ll take care of you,” kazuha grins, elbowing childe who is seated beside him.
childe almost spits his drink.
“[name] can i have your autograph on my forehead.” aether requests, slurring his words a bit even though it has just been his second drink.
“yeah…” lumine face palms. “i can’t drink too much, this guy can’t hold his alcohol.”
everybody was immersed in their own worlds, holding conversations with each other. you can hear scaramouche, lumine, and childe bickering with each other with kazuha as their amused audience. aether… you were unsure if he’s still with everyone but you can notice that he’s out of it as he’s staring off into the distance. you were just happy to be there.
with venti seated beside you, he taps your arm gently, catching your attention.
“what about your mother?” he whispers. you can hear his worry behind his query.
you shrug. “i lied to her. i’ll just face the consequences when they appear.”
venti sighs a little at your response. after all, he knows about your relationship with your mother as you opened this topic up before you parted ways with mondstadt’s group.
childe’s gaze flickers over at you and venti, curiosity filling him. he could see venti’s worried look at you, making him wonder what you two were talking about.
a little later on, venti was able to convince everyone to play king’s cup, claiming he was ready and he really was. it was proven true by him showing his deck of cards to everyone at the table.
aether has been sleeping ever since he got his autograph, just not on his forehead. his last words before passing out was “can you make this a tattoo? i need it on my forehead.” seems like he’s really adamant about having your signature on his forehead.
by the time everyone called it quits, venti was the first to leave the bar, not until he greeted other bar-goers. apparently, this is not a new scene to their friend group, even calling him “mx. congeniality” by them.
kazuha had paid for all the drinks even though he only promised to pay for the first round. he said everyone deserved it and that he missed being around his friends. he had to leave as well to help lumine bring her brother home. the trio left an hour after venti left, leaving you, childe, and scaramouche at the bar.
you can see the sour look on scaramouche’s face when he checked his phone before putting it down again.
“your mom?” childe asks, sipping on his beer.
“wished it was,” scaramouche leans over the table, cushioning his cheek in his palm. “guess she just doesn’t care about me at all, huh.”
you silently listen to their conversation.
“i messaged her that i’ll be going home late because we’re out drinking but she just left me on read.” scaramouche added. though he’s masking everything he’s feeling, those feelings in question are seeping through his words.
“i’d rather have her scold me than leave me be, you know? at least i can feel she cares for me one way or another.”
“oh,” you hold your drink close to you. you didn’t expect to have a conversation about mothers out of the blue, the topic that hits too close to home.
“something on your mind?” childe looks your way, noticing your hold on your drink. you shake your head though it was a lie.
“got mommy issues too like me, [name]?” scaramouche smirks. is this his way of coping?
you drank a bit of your cocktail. “since the day i was born, yeah.” you try to humor your own suffering. it’s like his coping mechanism is contagious.
childe raises his brows in curiosity but says nothing in reply.
“bet we’d be great friends than ajax and i are.” scaramouche muses, clapping his hands.
“ajax…” you trail off, your gaze focusing on the man beside you.
the way his name rolled off your tongue made childe feel things that he couldn’t even reply to his friend. it felt too intimate to be called by his name, especially by you. he felt paralyzed.
relax, it’s just some sort of happy crush because she’s your idol, right? childe convinces himself internally.
“yup, that’s me,” childe laughs half-heartedly, trying to mask his emotions.
right?
scaramouche’s eyebrow raises.
“you never told her your real name?”
childe only grins in response.
“you’re fucking lame.”
you share a laugh with them before clearing your throat.
it wouldn’t hurt sharing a piece of yourself, would it?
“we… really do everything we can just to get our mother’s attention, don’t we?” you start off, smiling but you can’t deny the sadness laced in your expression. you were sure they noticed that too.
“i don’t mean to be dramatic nor do i want to paint my mom in a bad light but it’s not all rainbows and sunshine with me and my mother.” you admit to your two companions, both of them listening intently to your words. suddenly, the attention they’re giving you made you a bit nervous which made you take a quick sip from your drink.
“i just want to be good enough for her and for others honestly,” you laugh bitterly. “but at the same time, i want to be good enough for myself too, not minding what other people think.”
they continue to listen silently, chugging their own drinks occasionally.
“in short, i really want to pursue latin but my mother keeps pushing standard for me, saying that i must continue her legacy. but even though i pursued standard, even though i brought home back to back wins during nationals, it still wasn’t enough for her.”
childe blinks, eyes widening when he realizes that everything you’re opening up are the answers to his question.
“is that why you agreed with me when i said you don’t vibe with standard?”
you nodded in response.
“instead of loving what i do, i just ended up hating it. that’s why i took a break from ballroom to at least mend my hatred.”
“well that puts things into perspective,” scaramouche breaks his silence. “i can relate. i only took medtech because my mother said she wanted to have a child who’s inclined in the medical field.”
“what do you really want to take?” you ask out of curiosity.
“i wanted to be a diplomat but what i want doesn’t matter,” scaramouche scoffs. “if taking up medtech would appease my mother then so be it.”
you frowned at his response yet you couldn’t help but to understand why he did what he did. after all, you did the same.
“it’s not selfish to do what you want for yourself too, scaramouche,” you blurt out. “my mother doesn’t even know i’m part of the fatui group now.”
scaramouche only looks at you, brow raised at your words.
“…i know.” he grumbles.
the three of you continue to talk about random matters until scaramouche decided he wanted to go home. he left the two of you together, bidding a quick goodbye. but before he left, as he passed by your seat, he stopped to give you a fist bump. you found that to be quite surprising yet endearing.
with only the two of you left at your table, you play with the orange garnish decorating your glass. seeing the pigment of the fruit, you couldn’t help but smile as it reminded you of the ginger beside you.
which reminded you…
“i’m quite taken aback by you, childe,” you break the silence, looking at your friend. “you’ve mostly been quiet tonight. is something occupying your mind?”
childe chuckles at your question. “worried about me so much, miss [name]?”
you swear you rolled your eyes at his reply.
“after spending tonight with you, i just realized that there’s so much to learn about you,” he answers. “and if you’ll allow me, i want to get to know you better.”
why does he have to be so smooth with his words?
“only if i’ll get the honor to know you better as well, dear.” you respond, unconsciously playing along. is it the alcohol doing its work or is it your competitive spirit responsible for your current demeanor? who knows.
childe rests his cheek on his palm the moment he propped his arm on the table, looking at you intently.
“be my guest.”
you rest both of your arms on the table, arms on top of each other as you return his gaze.
“i answered your question already, though,” you pout a little. “won’t i get my answer too?”
childe huffs, leaning back in his seat.
“honestly, i genuinely don’t know why i don’t compete,” he frankly answers your question. “i just don’t think it’s for me you know?”
“lies, ajax.” you glare at him, unamused by his response.
“enjoying my name a little too much, aren’t we, [name]?” childe teases you, making your brows furrow a little as you felt a little flustered.
“i don’t know if i’ve mentioned this already but i only started doing ballroom as a hobby. competing never crossed my mind.” childe scrunches his nose, playing with his beer’s bottle cap. you watch him fiddle with the tiny metal, waiting for him to continue.
“i’ve had a few issues with some of my previous partners too. they always tell me i lead them on but in my defense, i was only being professional. you know the themes in latin right?”
you nod.
“so it was always a hassle for me to find a permanent partner for ballroom that i can compete with without having any strings attached. you know how vital it can be to stick with a partner until you both decide to call it quits.”
childe drinks the rest of his beer.
“though i can’t help but think that maybe it’s a me problem too?” he laughs. “regardless, i’ve always told them beforehand that i’m only here to learn and have fun. to do my part as a dancer. after all, i know that my strongest points as a dancer are my expressions and connection with my partner so i make sure i weaponize that.”
“to be fair, i agree. you really know how to put on a great performance.” you compliment him, reminiscing about your auditions. it reminded you of how he maintained his eye contact with you as he counted under his breath to guide you.
“i take pride in that skill of mine,” he smirks proudly. “thank you for recognizing that.”
“of course. i can’t wait to learn more from you.”
“that is if the coaches will let us partner up for the rest of the year. they might end up sending us to perform right away if they see our chemistry as partners.” childe chuckles.
“now that’s a reach,” you laugh. “but i’d really love to continue partnering with you. we’ve somehow established a rapport with each other and i think that plays a role in good partnership.”
childe doesn’t respond right away, taking in what you just said. i mean, to be fair, you were right. despite only knowing each other for a week, he can’t deny the connection the both of you have built so far.
noticing the silence, you blink a few times as you realize what you just said. you felt awkward asking him to be your partner out of the blue.
“ah but if you wish to explore…” you trail off.
“no, no,” childe cuts you off, waving his hands in front of him.
“i’d love to be your partner. if you’ll let me.”
there’s only so much you can take honestly and you feel like this is all an overload. way too much for you to handle. you can’t help but be reminded about what diluc and eula told you in your group chat. now, that doesn’t help the situation.
you could only mumble an okay to him, breaking eye contact with him to return your attention to your empty glass.
silence continue to prosper between the two of you, taking interest in the most unnecessary things just to keep your minds off the previous conversation.
“but [name]…” childe gently starts. you hum in response as you play with your straw.
“i hope you don’t have to worry about carrying all the burden on your own. you can always talk to me if you want to let them out. i’ll always be here for you if you need someone.”
hearing his words, you could only hung your head low. you let the strands of your hair cover your face to conceal your expression. childe doesn’t know how much that meant to you.
“…likewise, childe. thank you.” you could only say a few words to answer him, feeling overwhelmed with the events that have unfolded.
it felt weird that you’ve heard similar words of kindness and support and yet this is the first time you felt this way. all warm and flustered. perhaps it was because it’s childe saying them? you were unsure of the answer to solve your confusion.
starting tonight, you decided to just let things play out the way they are supposed to. you accepted that there are so many things for you to know and learn beyond just dancesport.
❀ author’s notes: i didnt know how to end it!! but as u can see i got carried away in writing again 😁
˚₊· taglist: open~ send an ask or comment to be added!
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ @kyon-cherri @tendo-shairdye @youraggedybitch
