Chapter Text
In recent months you had learned that Childe was many things. For starters, he was so obviously a part of the Fatui it blew your mind that there were people who still didn't know.
No person in their right mind would spend so much time and energy running errands for the Northland Bank if they weren't a part of the Fatui themselves. Red flag number one.
You had also lost count of how many times you had caught him 'convincing' others to pay their debts to said bank, when you did encounter the scene you often kept your head down and acted as though you had never met the ginger man. Red flag number two.
There were also the several times you had seen him beating down his enemies out in the plains of Liyue, a crazed look in his eyes accompanied by a satisfied smile. Those were the times you simply turned around and went back the way you came, pretending you had seen nothing. Red flag number three.
Childe was many things, that included a brutal, merciless, violent Fatui member but there was something worse. Something far, far worse that irked you to no end.
He was RELENTLESS and it was in the worst way possible.
Yes, he was relentless with his work and yes, he was relentless in his undying loyalty to the Tsaritsa but it was in visiting you that it had pissed you off the most.
"That ginger guy is asking for you again!" One of the girls you worked alongside with had chirped into the backroom and everyone instantly knew who she was talking about. The two other girls who were picking up dishes whipped their heads in your direction, offering you a sympathetic look.
Groaning to yourself you could already feel the impending headache coming and thus you done what any smart person would do. You tried to come up with an excuse that would have him leave.
"Tell him I got squashed by a mitachurl last week." The other girls snickered at your words as she went to relay your message. "He always comes and asks for you, you must have that poor mans heart." One of your colleagues had said chuckling to herself and you offered her a wry smile at her words. "If it were that simple he would have stopped coming a long time ago, he just does it to annoy me I think. Why, I couldn't tell you."
She laughed at that, taking food out to the table she had been assigned, the other girl following after her with drinks for another. A few silent moments passed before the one from before popped her head into the doorway calling out to you.
"He said 'What a pity such a pretty girl went out like that.'" Your eyes widened in disbelief at what she had said, had he actually bought such a stupid excuse? Though your surprise was short-lived once she spoke her next words. "Then he asked you to bring out 'the usual'."
Sighing aloud, you nodded at her before getting to work. It was wishful thinking to believe he had bought such a half assed lie. Grabbing the plate and drink you had prepared, you stepped through the door, eyes instantly landing on the ginger man as he smiled and waved lazily at you. You mentally prepared yourself before approaching and placing his order in front of him, slapping on the best customer service smile you could muster.
"A mitachurl huh? That was creative! Props to you, I may have believed it if I hadn't seen you clocking into work earlier today!" Your eye twitched at his words and your smile almost faltered though you shook your head before it could do so. "Oh, that? That was a harmless joke!"
He nodded at your words, eyes observing you as he took a sip of the drink he had ordered. You shifted uncomfortably under his watchful gaze, hoping he wouldn't truly get offended over the topic. That was where you went wrong.
"I know, after all, if that were the case I would've come swooping into save my damsel in distress!" You almost choked at his words though recovered quickly before huffing and glaring at the man sat before you, that satisfied smile still plastered on his face.
"I think I'd welcome death with open arms if that were to happen." You muttered under your breath and with that, you spun around making your way back to the kitchen though froze in your tracks as he called out to you once more.
"Girly! Wait come back, I still have something to say!" Turning around, you stomped back over to him and he watched on with an amused grin. "What is it?" You forced out through gritted teeth and he chuckled at your demeanour.
"I'll be picking you up after your shift okay? Don't be late for our date!" Your mind shut down at that moment, jaw dropping at the audacity of the man. "What in Archons name made you think I would ever agree to such a thing?! You'd have to drag me kicking and screaming to go on a date with you!"
He only smiled at your words, knowing full well that you would eventually (albeit reluctantly) agree to the date. "Now now, what kind of guy would I be if I done such a thing?" You stared at him, unsure of whether he was joking or not.
"You are literally Fatui?" He waved the thought away, laughing at your words as if it were the funniest and silliest thing he had ever heard. "I'm a gentleman before I am Fatui!" Scoffing at his words, you whirled back around and made your way back to the safety of the kitchen, trying your best to ignore him shouting after you.
"See you in an hour girly!"
Shaking your head and sighing you passed your fellow colleagues as they offered you more sympathetic looks having heard everything.
"That man makes me regret settling down here in Liyue."
You had arrived in the Harbor a year prior in the hopes of discovering a new way of living, one that would have you feeling refreshed. You had made quite a few friends since then, some of them slightly odd but kind and entertaining none the less. What you hadn't expected was to catch the eye of Tartaglia of the harbingers.
If you had known this is where you'd be a year later, you would definitely have told your younger self to not ask the man for help with directions, alas you were naïve and now you were stuck with arguably the most irritating person in the Harbor pestering you every other day.
"He may be annoying but at least he's cute!" One of the girls stated, trying to cheer you up. Turning to the door, you observed him through the small window pane as he ate and bothered the tall dark haired man who had sat beside him.
"I guess you are right..."