From One Glance | childe x reader |

14 (end of act 1)

The rumble of the ship grows louder as it slowly and steadily departs, his actions making no sense to him as he grapples with confusion and a sense of awfulness, his heart aching with a feeling akin to guilt, prompting an urge to rip his chest open and remove his heart to alleviate the sensation.

Ajax grimaces at the thought, feeling bothered by his intrusive thoughts, his dead blue eyes fixating on the oddly clear sky as if it were mocking him, he frowns and decides to retreat to his cabin to rest—or simply to sulk and bury himself in the mountain of paperwork on his desk.

Flopping onto his bed with his legs dangling at the edge, he lays on his stomach trying to rest.

Yet barely a second passes before his eyes fly open, the dream from two nights before haunting him terribly, the vision of a white-dressed woman with a sword piercing her chest, realizing that he is the one wielding the blade, his hands bloodied and rough, his breathing unstable, the dream short and blurry but undeniably involving him. He dreads the possibility that the dream may become clearer once he arrives in Snezhnaya.

He finds it unsettling that despite his fear, he never feels his heartbeat, only hearing the sound of a ticking clock without a visible source— his curiosity growing alongside his apprehension as he fears his involvement, knowing that ignorance may be bliss after all.

At last, he decides not to think any further and starts to walk slowly to his desk. His hand unconsciously takes some pieces of documents that have the name "y/n" on it. He ponders for a moment, his eyes staring at the image of you. He presses his thumb on your picture and frustratedly starts to press on it until he leaves a mark.

He's pissed for sure. Your face is too nonchalant, and he can't determine what you're thinking. Sometimes, he thinks of dissecting your brain just to know what's inside for fun. But one thing he finds himself satisfied with is the look on your shocked face when he gives you his jacket. 'His stunned expression was funny,' he thought, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Why are you laughing, boss?" A sudden voice interrupts him, causing him to flinch as he scans the room for its source. He's bewildered by his failure to notice his subordinate's approach—someone supposedly beneath him. How could he have been so oblivious? It's absurd.

Ajax's glare reflected his wounded pride, prompting him to question his lack of awareness. Had he truly been so consumed by thoughts of you to overlook such a trivial matter?

"I'm not laughing at anything," Ajax retorts curtly, his lips forming a slight pout—a lingering echo of his wounded pride.

"By the way, boss, after we arrive in Snezhnaya, are you planning to appoint that boy as your knight?" His subordinate inquired.

Ajax nodded, "Yes, it's customary, isn't it?" he replied matter-of-factly. 

"What I meant was, do you believe he won't betray you?" Ajax was accustomed to facing such questions, but for some reason, when he looked at you, no trace of doubt lingered.

Perhaps it was the charm of your face, seemingly as trustworthy as it is alluring, or perhaps he simply refused to harbor suspicions without cause. It felt almost as though fate had destined their meeting, sooner or later.

"Well, my last bodyguard didn't betray me; he was simply killed," Ajax paused, "but... he did have a scent of corruption." He continued, softly shaking his head in disappointment.

"I truly hope this one stays by your side longer than the others." With that statement, silence enveloped them. Ajax understood the underlying implication. His previous knights had either turned their backs and become traitors, met untimely ends, or vanished without a trace.

All he seemed to possess was his title as the crown prince and his formidable skills, or perhaps a certain monstrous quality. It was no wonder people didn't linger around him for too long.

Realizing his misstep, the subordinate swiftly apologized, "I'm sorry, boss. I didn't mean to—" Ajax cut him off, "No, you're right. Let's hope this one doesn't run away." His tone was eerily calm, his eyes darkening as he spoke.

Afterward, the subordinate sought to fix his misstep by using another topic instead. "By... by the way, boss, the Tsaritsa sent another letter," he stuttered nervously, hoping to lift Ajax's spirits. However, he couldn't have been more mistaken.

Instead of a grateful response, he was met with a piercing glare that sent a shiver down his spine. Nervously swallowing, he handed the letter over to Ajax. Ajax snatched it and sliced it open with a letter knife, his expression darkening as he read its contents. In a fit of anger, he quickly burned the letter with a nearby candle. The dim light in the cabin accentuated the glow of his blue eyes, betraying the raw emotions swirling within him.

"She wants to test my knight? And she expects him to fight one of the strongest Fatui captains?!" Ajax exclaimed angrily, his frustration resembling that of a petulant child refusing to comply with his mother's directives.

"It seems the Tsaritsa wishes to personally assess this boy. After all, she is the Queen," the subordinate suggested tentatively.

"She has never done this before! My previous knights only had to fight with mere agents, and she never intervened personally!" Ajax retorted stubbornly.

His subordinate fell into silence, his duty of delivering the letter now fulfilled. Ajax sighed, making an effort to regain his composure and not display his agitation so openly.

"Whatever, just leave and inform y/n about the letter," he ordered dismissively. The subordinate immediately complied, scurrying out of the room like a frightened rat.

After the subordinate left, Ajax rested his head in his hands, pondering Tsaritsa's intentions. Why did she consistently intervene in his affairs, especially when her concern for others was typically minimal? Was her proposal to make him her successor genuine?

His mind swirled with questions, yet he understood his current obligation was to comply with her orders.

Standing from his chair, he approached the small window in the cabin wall, gazing out at the expanse of the sea beyond. Memories from his childhood surfaced, the days spent fishing with his family.

He wondered if he'd ever extend such an invitation to you or perhaps even introduce you to his hometown one day— what expression would you make in response?

Unconsciously, a soft smile tugged at his lips at the thought. He eagerly anticipated the day when you would serve as his knight.

Ajax is a bit possesive in this one. bro is twirling his hair and shi thinkin' bout' u 🥹👋
🥰