Prompt: Fake dating [~3800 mots]
It was a pleasant evening in Liyue Harbor. As usual, the streets were crowded with passers-by looking for new jewelry, new outfits, or any other movable object that might catch their eye.
From the top of the walkway overlooking the main street, Lumine stood there, her hair swaying with the comforting breeze that tried to help her chase away memories that kept coming back to her, even though she tried to take her mind off it by observing the bustle of the harbor.
"Hey, girlie! I thought you were in Mondstadt with your boyfriend."
In the midst of the commotion from which she had escaped by positioning herself on this relatively uncrowded footbridge, a cheerful voice she knew well brushed her ears.
"I thought so too."
With a sigh, Lumine couldn't contain her thoughts about the boyfriend in question. They had been dating for several months, and Childe knew about it. But being reminded of this person at this very moment wasn't something Lumine had hoped for.
"Is everything okay?"
With a worried voice, Childe came to lean against the railing in front of which Lumine was situated, to her left, his elbows coming to rest on the typical red wood of Liyue, his gaze turned in her direction, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
"We broke up two weeks ago. He spent his life flirting with everyone."
In a voice devoid of any emotion, Lumine could only say this justification while staring at the passers-by with an almost inappropriate attention.
"So he was only good in bed."
In a casual, almost playful tone, Childe stated this fact as if it were a truth that everyone knew. But this remark didn't leave Lumine unmoved, as she was currently on edge.
"Childe!"
"I'm sorry," he apologized at once, but it was clear that he didn't mean it. "I shouldn't have made any assumptions. So he was bad?"
"That's not the point!" Lumine snapped again.
She was upset that he could bring up this kind of subject so freely with her, when her life with her ex wasn't something she was used to talking about. But today especially, these remarks, although playful, made her heart ache.
So she clutched the railing with her small hands without even meaning to, a tear escaping from her left eye to show despite herself that this breakup was affecting her more than she wanted to let on.
"I don't know him, but I know he doesn't deserve you crying over him."
The soft tone Childe put on at that moment was strangely soothing, but it wasn't like him at all. He was always pretentious and playful, and it was rare that his voice fell into such tones.
In a delicate gesture, he brought his gloved hand to Lumine's cheek to erase any trace of that tear proving her pain, which only increased the surprise of the young woman who turned her head in his direction.
"How about getting even with him?"
Blue eyes plunged in those golden of Lumine, this brightness that she observed in his irises seemed animated by something approaching a revenge that he waited patiently to realize. The two of them had never really been close. They talked about combat most of the time, never about heartache or private life. So to see him at this moment react like that to her was strange.
"What do you mean?"
Waving his hand in the air, Childe answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Make him jealous, so that he realizes how stupid he was to have acted in such a way towards you."
"How do you want to do that?"
Her curiosity piqued, Lumine couldn't help but ask this question. What did he have in mind?
"Go out with me."
Too shocked by this reply, only a "Excuse me?!" managed to come out of her mouth.
"Not for real, of course," he hastened to add after seeing Lumine's bewildered expression. "Just to piss him off."
Lumine considered his words for a moment, her gaze never leaving Childe's, trying to discover the reason for his actions. He never acted on a whim. A plan was always in the back of his mind, so this proposal was no exception.
"What's in it for you?"
Suspicious, these words came out almost as a reproach that he dared to try to use her—again—to achieve his goal.
A momentary hesitation crossed Childe's eyes before he turned his attention to the starry sky.
"Always so perceptive, I see."
"I'm starting to know you, Childe."
"And that's not to my displeasure."
Tired that he keeps on beating around the bush, the patience of Lumine already inexistent in this evening flew away.
"Cut short."
This almost sharp word caught the Harbinger's attention who rested his azure gaze on the young woman's silhouette.
"Since Osial's incident, the Qixing have been keeping an eye on me. I can hardly leave the harbor anymore. But if I were with you, no doubt I could take a trip to Mondstadt. It's good for both of us in the end. A little freedom for me, and pissing off your ex for you. So, what do you think?"
They stared at each other for a long time, one waiting for an answer, the other thinking about what choice to make. She wasn't in the habit of acting and stooping to these kinds of tactics. But her bruised heart made her consider possibilities she would never have imagined. Turning her gaze away to once again watch the anonymous figures enjoying themselves under the orange glow of the street lanterns, Lumine asked one last question that would determine her consent to engage in this fool's game.
"How far should we act like a real couple?"
"Enough to be convincing."
That was an answer that didn't answer anything, but Lumine was certainly going to have to live with it. At least, that's what she thought until she felt the fabric of Childe's glove brush her chin and lift it in his direction, forcing her to meet his stormy gaze as it approached her. Childe continued this conquest of the centimeters between their two faces before finally depositing fugaciously his lips on hers, without the least pressure nor constraint. It was a purely platonic light touch of the lips in which neither of the two protagonists put feelings. Then, Childe withdrew, as if he had just accomplished a necessary formality to continue the negotiation.
"I'd say this would be the maximum."
Resuming his place leaning against the railing, Childe went back to observe the stars with concentration, his orange locks subtly ruffled by the passing breeze. Even though the kiss was meaningless, Lumine couldn't stop her body from shivering. The last kiss she had shared was with her ex, so this sudden change was disturbing. For a moment, she was undecided. But the more she thought about her time in Mondstadt with him, the more she wanted to follow Childe's plan.
So she decided to throw away her remaining common sense.
"Alright, deal."
Pleasantly surprised, Childe turned his head once more in her direction while keeping it tilted back. His blue probed her, as if to check that she was sure of herself and that she wouldn't regret anything. It was only when he was sure she had weighed the pros and cons that he offered her a wide smile.
"We have an agreement then, darling," he said by accentuating this affectionate word. "Ah, and call me Ajax, that will be more convincing."
Arching an eyebrow, this revelation surprised the young woman.
"Your real name?"
"Exactly."
He, who always kept everything secret, now started to reveal some personal information. This was in order to allow a better acting, but Lumine remained pleasantly surprised, which is why a smile appeared on her features.
"Let's go, Ajax. Direction..."
✽✽✽
Mondstadt, next morning.
A beautiful sunny day to set up a machiavellian plan that some might consider despicable. The city of Mondstadt wasn't comparable to Liyue Harbor in terms of activity, but it was a freedom-loving city where it was good to live and everyone knew each other.
Having never had the opportunity to venture into these windy lands, Childe let himself be guided by Lumine who took it upon herself to show him around, hand in hand, as if they were truly on a romantic date. Fortunately for him, his status as a Harbinger wasn't known here, otherwise no doubt he wouldn't even have been allowed to enter the compound.
This walk through the city was punctuated by the meeting of almost all the passers-by who asked about Lumine's good health, and the discovery of the great historical places of the city. Then came the time for lunch. Both of them had left very early in the morning to arrive in the course of the morning in this fortified city, so it was clear that they were hungry. From the moment The Good Hunter opened, they were both side by side in front of the restaurant looking at the menu of the day, looking for the dish that would conquer their stomachs.
Looking pensive with a hand on his chin, a presence nearby disturbed Childe's contemplation of the various dishes. He ordered quickly before positioning himself behind Lumine, his arms going over her shoulders while bending his head to bury it in the hollow of her left shoulder and against her neck. In this position, the Harbinger cast an almost murderous glance at the person he had spotted nearby, his voice coming out in a whisper caressing Lumine's ear.
"Murderous intent at three o'clock, from Captain Hook."
"Captain Hook?" she repeated, turning her eyes to Childe while placing a hand on one of his.
"Or maybe Jack Sparrow?"
Without ever taking his eyes off this individual who was observing him in return, Childe was able to note that his presence at Lumine's side was really disturbing for him. This was precisely the effect Childe wanted to achieve.
At the mention of the nicknames the Harbinger had given him, Lumine laughed slightly, catching Childe's attention who stopped shooting back at the extravagant man to observe Lumine's hand on his.
"That's him. Kaeya," she informed him without glancing in his direction.
"If I may say so, your taste is questionable."
"I realized that," she continued to laugh without preventing a slight sigh from escaping from her lips. "The proof, I am here, with you.".
"Eh, I am not questionable, I'm charming," retorted the Harbinger upon hearing this criticism.
"If you say so," she contented herself to answer whereas Childe raised his head without releasing her of the embrace of his arms.
"So, how do we act?" he finally asked after a moment of silence.
Target located, then from now on it was necessary to have a plan of action. Since it was Lumine's ex, Childe entrusted her with the task of determining the course of action.
"We'll eat first, I'm hungry," she declared. "But for the remainder, I leave you full permission."
Raising her head in Childe's direction, the piercing look she gave him was proof that she had full confidence in him to make someone else jealous. At that moment, he didn't know if he should be happy with a confidence in this area, or if it should be the opposite.
However, he didn't have long to wonder before Lumine broke away from his embrace and pulled him by the hand to a free table where they sat down and waited for their food to be ready.
The meal went off without a hitch. Even though it was a perfectly fake appointment, it was an opportunity for both of them to open up a little more to each other, while being careful of the presence of people Lumine might know. Lumine told him little by little about her story with her ex, which Childe listened to with particular attention, and making little comments here and there.
But when it came time for dessert, Childe noticed the ex in question ordering a meal at The Good Hunter, just a few meters from their table. Noticing the light touch of cream that Lumine had on her lips, the Harbinger acted in the common interest by leaning towards her, placing a hand on the back of Lumine's chair, while placing his lips delicately on those of the young woman for long seconds. It was only when he was sure that this contact was long enough to be noticed that Childe pulled away very slightly, a deliberate smile plastered on his face as he ran his tongue over his own lips to remove any trace of that cream.
"He is watching, right?" she asked, looking him straight in the eyes, obviously not surprised by his action.
The only answer to her question she got was a teasing wink, and the sound of hurried footsteps going away.
✽✽✽
The afternoon was just as pleasant, suitable for a shopping trip. So they went from store to store, Childe insisting on giving her a sun-shaped necklace to mark the date.
"Without a gift, it's not a real date," he said in front of the jeweler. It was only this sentence that had succeeded in making Lumine give in.
As the afternoon filled with laughter and surprisingly joyful moments came to an end, the fake couple stood at the foot of the statue supposedly representing the Anemo Archon below the cathedral, their eyes detailing the windmills turning in the wind.
But this peaceful moment, during which neither of them said a single word, letting the silence envelop them, was disturbed by a female voice that called out to Lumine.
"Oh Lumine! How have you been since last time? You didn't look so good when you were leaving for Liyue."
Turning around, a smile took place on Lumine's face as she recognized her friend, Jean. But that smile tensed slightly when she noticed that she was accompanied by Kaeya who was standing back behind her.
As soon as he spotted this person, Childe decided to deliberately rest his chin on the top of Lumine's head, while wrapping his arms around her waist. Her golden irises rose towards Childe who was above her, and who was acting as a moral support at this precise moment. The look she gave him was full of gratitude, proof that she was delighted that he was at her side at this moment. Then, she took her courage in both hands to finally return her attention briefly to Kaeya.
"I'm perfectly fine now," she finally replied, the undertone in the air. "I'm sorry if I worried you, Jean."
"It's only natural to worry about our friends," she replied quickly in a warm and friendly voice.
"Nice to meet you," the Harbinger then interjected. "My name is Childe."
"Forgive my manners, my name is Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. And behind me is Kaeya, a Cavalry Captain."
Once the introductions were made, Jean carefully studied Childe's position in relation to the Honorary Knight, as well as the necklace around her neck.
"Have you known each other for a long time? You two seem to be close," she finally said.
"We've been dating for a short time," Childe continued, to save Lumine from having to lie to her friends, all the while giving Kaeya an almost murderous look to show him that he knew exactly that he was the cause of Lumine's sadness, and that he wasn't about to let this behavior go.
"Oh," Jean said, probably not expecting them to be together.
After all, she knew about Kaeya and Lumine's story. She probably didn't think Lumine would find a boyfriend again just two weeks after they broke up. But that "oh" also showed a certain pity directed at the Captain, who had stiffened noticeably at this announcement.
"Put away your jealousy, I can feel it from here."
It's in this atmosphere which had suddenly become heavy that a serious voice intervened, a fiery hair appearing from nowhere while giving a blow of the back of the hand on the head of the man with the eye-patch.
"If you wanted to stay with her, you had to do the right things," Diluc continued in a reproachful tone. "So don't ruin the happiness she's found back."
With a stern look on his face, the bartender glared at his adopted brother. He was well aware of all the events that had taken place between them. Strangely enough, Kaeya had come to him several times to talk. That was how seriously he took his relationship with her. Yet, he couldn't help but mess it up, so his brother was sure to put him in his place.
"But I–" tried the blue-haired man, but to no avail.
"Keep your excuses to yourself. You didn't play fair. Now it's too late."
Over time, Diluc had come to think of Lumine as a little sister. So seeing Kaeya break her heart made him even more severe towards him.
Totally ignoring his brother, who was once again trying to utter a word, Diluc turned to Lumine, then to Childe.
"Lumine, don't mind him. Enjoy with your new boyfriend."
Without giving her time to answer, he turned back to Jean, who seemed to be the person he was originally looking for.
"Jean, I was looking for you. About my tax return..."
Engaged in a wide-ranging conversation about Diluc's wine export tax, this abrupt end to the initial conversation sent Kaeya furiously on his way, leaving Lumine and Childe to move slightly away so as not to disturb these complicated tax talks.
Neither of the two protagonists in this fool's game had expected this. Their jaws were actually dropping from surprise at having received this unexpected help from Diluc. Although Childe would have enjoyed poking the Captain more, the outcome of the conversation was still pleasant.
"Well, I guess today was a success," Childe said to break the silence.
"I guess so," mumbled Lumine, who was still looking where the Captain was a few seconds before.
Seeing this, Childe hurried to change the subject.
"Dinner before we find a place to sleep?"
"If you want," she answered, easily convinced.
✽✽✽
That evening, in order to continue their illusion of the young couple, Childe and Lumine rented a common room with a double bed at an inn in town.
Immediately, Childe decided to take a shower, certainly to allow Lumine to recover from the emotions that the eventful day had brought her. She appreciated this attention from Childe, to leave her alone and give her some space. He didn't look like it, but he could be likable when he really wanted to.
So Lumine took the opportunity to replay the angry and saddened looks Kaeya had given her earlier in the day. She knew it was a small victory, but she couldn't quite convince herself of it. She had wanted to pay him back with this stunt, but was it really the right way? Perhaps it was only a childish reaction from her after what he had made her live and feel.
But what was done was done, she had accepted Childe's proposition knowingly. Especially as the time spent at his side hadn't been unpleasant, far from it. She had discovered Childe in a new light, with qualities and character traits that she didn't know, which she appreciated.
Yet, as she sat on the edge of the bed, facing the window, she couldn't help but reminisce about her nights with Kaeya. Despite this impression that these memories were decades old, when in reality it had only been two weeks since they had parted ways, finding herself alone in a room with Childe was unsettling.
The sound of the bathroom door opening again startled the young woman. She had been immersed in her thoughts for the duration of his shower, without moving an inch, which Childe seemed to notice. He came over and sat right next to her on the bed, his blue eyes detailing her tense figure.
"Do I scare you so much that you don't even dare to move?"
Halfway between a joke and a serious question, Childe's intonation seemed almost worried that this was the case.
"Not at all," she hurried to deny it. "And then, it's you," she added in a whisper.
"What do you mean, "it's you"?"
Obviously not understanding this remark, Childe arched an eyebrow. Raising her head to look at him, Lumine's slightly shadowed eyes seemed to indicate that she wasn't ready to answer his question, so he spoke again.
"You know, I have urges too."
His voice had dropped a few octaves, as if it were something he'd kept to himself and wasn't sure he should reveal at this point.
"Urges?" repeated Lumine, her golden eyes trying to meet Childe's that were fleeing away from them.
Passing a hand in his wet hair, raising the strands usually falling on his face, it was Childe's turn not to answer the question, his hesitation giving way to a newfound seriousness, under Lumine's curious look.
"Until when do you want us to pretend...?"
Skillfully, he had changed the subject. But while Lumine remained silent, unable to give him any answer—for what reason, only the Archons knew—, he finally turned to her, his blue eyes sparkling with a new brilliance.
Without delay, he moved his head slightly closer to Lumine's, before placing a hand on her delicate cheek. All day, she had been the center of Childe's attention, receiving a thousand contacts from him to keep their facade. But this hand that was on her cheek now acted as an electroshock, as if it was burning her.
"Unless you want us to turn this lie into reality?"
Golden eyes sparkling, Lumine's brain took a while to integrate what he was asking. They had been acting all day, but was it only an act? She had allowed Childe to touch her without any restraint, and in return she had gotten closer to him without even realizing it. So did she want to drop the mask too, even though her separation from Kaeya was recent?
She also brought a hand, trembling for her part, to the young man's cheek, caressing his skin with her fingertips, touching it with delicacy as he looked at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. It wasn't the same look Kaeya was giving her. It was much stronger, much more unique.
At that moment, she made her decision, whispering her answer in a breath, meant for Childe, and only him.
A/N: Here's the longest one-shot of the week! Kaeya is a bit OOC, but that's okay xD
See you tomorrow ~ (excited to post the next one-shot, and fails miserably to hide it x)