✚ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐫 ✚ | 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘢 [read desc]

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟸 - 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍

childe sighed as he walked around the hallway of the palace, going past door after door. it had been over than a year ever since the balladeer, or scaramouche, had been out of sight. childe felt really gloomy.

all of a sudden, a familiar figure walks past him and he turned around. there, scaramouche walked after two years of his sudden disappearance. childe's eyes had a glint of happiness as he rushed towards the balladeer. 

 "scara, wait up!" childe said with a smile as he held scaramouche's hand. "hey! we haven't see each other in two years! and you didn't even greet me.." childe said as his eyes softened and frowned slightly. 

 "..don't touch me." scaramouche said as he pulled his arm away, then turned to face childe. the once soft eyed balladeer is no longer there. childe just couldn't find the old scaramouche he once knew and remembered. 

 "what? what is up with you.. don't you at least missed me?" childe asked, frowning as he took a step back. "miss you? hah, you could only dream of that." replied the other male.

Childe watched as Scaramouche turned away, his heart heavy with the weight of unspoken words and shattered hopes. He had sensed something off about Scaramouche ever since his return from Inazuma, but he never imagined it would lead to this.

"Scara, wait," Childe called out, his voice barely above a whisper, but it was enough to halt Scaramouche's steps. For a moment, they stood there, the distance between them feeling insurmountable.

"What do you want, Tartaglia?" Scaramouche's tone was sharp, laced with the same bitterness that had become all too familiar.

Childe took a hesitant step forward, his gaze pleading. "I want to understand... What's going on with you? Why are you pushing me away?"

Scaramouche's expression remained unreadable, but Childe could see the conflict raging within him. "I told you, didn't I? I don't want... I can't afford to feel anything for you."

"But why?" Childe pressed, his voice tinged with desperation. "Why are you shutting me out? We've been through so much together, Scara. You can't just... pretend like none of it ever happened."

Scaramouche's facade wavered for a brief moment before hardening once more. "That's where you're wrong, Tartaglia. I can and I will. It's for the best."

Childe felt a surge of frustration coursing through him. He wanted to shake Scaramouche, to make him see reason, but he knew it wouldn't help. Scaramouche had built walls around himself, and no amount of pleading would bring them down.

"I won't give up on you, Scara," Childe vowed, his voice unwavering despite the ache in his chest. "No matter how hard you push me away, I'll always be here for you."

Scaramouche's eyes softened for the briefest moment before he quickly masked his emotions behind a mask of indifference. "We'll see about that, Tartaglia. We'll see." And with that, he turned on his heel and disappeared down the hallway, leaving Childe alone with his thoughts and a heart heavy with longing.

childe watched as scaramouche walk away and entered a room. childe then let out a content sigh as he turn and walk to the room he once shared with the balladeer.

 he sat on the couch silently as he stared down at his shoes with a neutral face. he then lay on the couch and stare at the ceiling, thinking of scaramouche as he slowly closed his eyes and dreamed..

Childe found himself looking at scaramouche, walking away, making distance between them. Childe wanted to stop it, but he knew he can't do anything to fix the crumbling relationship between them.

The revelation about Scaramouche's isolation hit Childe in unexpected ways. Without any allies or friends left to confide in, Scaramouche's abrupt behavior and coldness seemed even more desperate and protective than Childe had initially thought.