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“Ah, shoot…” You groaned as you rummaged through your fridge, trying to salvage anything inside of it. There wasn’t even much in there to start with, but you tried anyway. In the end, it was no use, either stuff was expired and moldy, or there was barely any of the product left.
You sighed, “Guess no fresh breakfast today.”
“If I may ask, what in the archons are you doing?” Your new roommate was staring at you like some maniac…like he was one to talk…or…stare?
Closing the fridge door, you groaned as you got up, “Trying to make breakfast…but since you surprised me yesterday…I guess I forgot to go out and get groceries.”
He scoffed, “Well, it isn’t exactly my fault you entirely forgot about an everyday chore. You could’ve easily done it, as I for one don’t require any supervision. Though you insisted ‘in case I burn the house down.’ Honestly, who do you take me for?”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it.” With an annoyed expression on your face, you headed upstairs, leaving him behind. Since Monday, you have gotten a little more acquainted with Dottore. Although he wasn’t as psychopathic as he was implied to be in game, he still had a relatively sharp tongue.
“You know, it’s quite rude to leave mid-conversation.” He stood at your door frame, watching you dig through your closet.
"Look, I'm hungry and tired. What more do you want from me?" You pulled out a nice outfit and laid it on your bed, going back in to find something else.
"Then, why not stop your rummaging and go out to buy some food-"
"Catch!"
You threw a decently-sized hoodie in his direction, watching him fumble around to catch it. He looked at the dark blue hoodie and then back at you.
"Put that on and wait for me downstairs!"
"What are you planning?"
You didn’t answer, rummaging around a little more. Looking for answers, he entered the room.
"Firstly, can you explain why!?-" But before he got his answer, you pushed him out and slammed the door shut on him. He stood there for an additional few seconds, then let out an annoyed sigh before abiding to your request.
You walked downstairs, seeing Dottore waiting on the couch. "Okay, I'm ready! We can go!" You chirped, presenting yourself in front of him.
He sighed once more," I figured we were going out…though, do you not think this is a bad idea? Taking me out into a public space?"
"Not really, plus, I thought you would be pretty lonely if I went out."
"Not what I was talking about, though I appreciate your concern. I was mainly addressing my appearance and such."
"Oh!” You took a minute to think, “Well, dyed hair is pretty common these days. Also, it should be fine as long as you change your outfit. That’s why I gave you that hoodie. Now, come here for a second.” You signaled for him to kneel down next to you. He got up from his position and slowly walked towards you.
He knelt down, letting you mess with the mask on his eyes, trying to take it off. You didn’t get very far as he took it off himself after seeing you struggle, “Next time, just ask.”
You giggled, looking into his eyes, “Ya’know, your crimson red eyes are such a charm point. But those aren’t exactly natural here…” Taking out a pair of sunglasses, you put them on him and let him adjust them himself.
Once he finally adjusted it to his liking, he glanced over to you, “Hm, these aren’t bad. How do I look?”
You couldn't help but blush, basically seeing the man of your dreams in front of you, “Stunning.”
He smirked, “Is that all you have to say?”
You looked away for a second, chuckling to yourself, “What more do you want from me?”
Trying to calm yourself, you headed toward the door and got back on track. You slipped on your shoes, double-checked your pockets, and opened the door. As you stepped out, he loomed over you whispering into your ear, “A few more of those flattering remarks would be nice.”
“Maybe next time…plus, I don’t think these should come for free.”
“Then whatever shall I do to earn them, huh?”
A mix of sighing and grumbling came out from you, yet you still had a smile on your face. “God, you’re insufferable.”
“Well, you’re the one who was condoning this type of behavior, saying those compliments shouldn’t come for free..”
“Maybe I was…but, let’s get a move on. I just wanna go eat breakfast, shop, and then get home..” And so, with those words, you dragged him along on your little grocery trip.
The two of you started walking down the block, heading towards the nearby mall. Dottore looked around, mainly gazing at the vehicles being driven around. It seemed he was very much intrigued by the technology here. Surprisingly, he was a little less chatty than you thought he would’ve been. Instead, he was just observing everything around him.
As the both of you reached a red light, he spoke up, “Life here is…so advanced yet still mundane.”
“Hm? Where did that come from?”
“Just an observation I’ve made.” He paused as he watched the birds in the sky, “ It’s quite different from our little made-up world. Although, I’m not complaining one bit. It’s quite a good change, a little escapism if you may call it.”
You giggled, finding it a bit silly.
He looked at you, with a slight glare, “Did what I say really come off as a laughing matter?”
You stopped and smiled, “No, no. Sorry. It’s just…I find it kinda funny that others here would wish to run away from all of this and experience Teyvat. Myself included at one point...though I’ve gotten past it.”
“Teyvat may be all magical but, I feel that it’s nice to finally experience all of this rather than watching from afar. It felt rather…restricting. I knew all of this was out here, yet I was unable to interact with it.”
“Well…I think-” Before anything else could be said, the light turned green, signaling for the two of you to start walking. Feeling a bit dejected, you brushed it off and continued onwards. The rest of the walk there was rather peaceful, just walking and holding hands, with nothing more to ask for.
Soon the two of you reached the mall. You headed inside to feel the cool air-conditioned breeze. As Dottore observed the sliding doors, he also felt the breeze, looking up at the aircon. It seemed Dottore was as intrigued by the air conditioning as he was with the cars.
“Magical isn’t it?” You commented.
“Not much so, it seems like a simple contraption. I could easily make one if I knew the logic to it.”
You snickered and started walking away, heading towards the escalators, “Okay, I get it. You’re the genius himself, Il Dottore, now hurry up before I leave you behind.” You stopped and looked behind before stepping onto the escalator, seeing Dottore try to catch up.
First stop was breakfast…well brunch now. There was a cafe upstairs and it was quite the hotspot…fortunately, you already ordered something online before you left. You went to pick it up, Dottore following behind like a lost puppy.
The two of you sat on a bench along the railing. You dug into the paper bag to pull out a small breakfast sandwich. Before taking a bite, you caught Dottore looking at it right before turning his head away. You handed him the other slice, “I’m guessing you’re also hungry?”
He snatched it within an instant, “Of course, I’m only human.”
“Are you though?”
“Go and read my lore once in a while.”
You took a bite of your sandwich, savoring it. You grabbed the complimentary drink and took a sip, setting it aside a second later. As you reached into the bag once more for napkins, you realized there were a few condiment packets in it.
Looking at the sandwich, it was looking a bit dry. So, you took a packet of ketchup along with some napkins. Trying to open it, you realized the plastic used was a lot harder to open than normal packets.
You kept trying to tear the side of the packet open, but as you put more force, it gushed out unexpectedly. Bits of ketchup had spilt in your lap and the main portion of it was directed towards Dottore. The bright red paste landed on his hoodie and he stared at it with disgust.
You scrambled towards him, trying to quickly wipe off the ketchup while apologizing profusely, “Sorry…that was so not intended!” You wiped the remaining portion of it off, only to realize your efforts were in vain. There, on the hoodie was a dark residue left behind by the ketchup.
You sighed, staring at it with immense satisfaction and although you could see the disgust in his face, Dottore tried to play it off, “It’s…fine.”
“Are you sure? It looks kinda…”
He took a deep breath, then responded, “Yes, I’m sure. It’s not a big deal.”
For the rest of the time there, you sat in silence, finishing up your sandwich. As you both finished and continued on with your day, you couldn’t help but still feel guilty. On the escalator down, Dottore couldn’t help but notice how you were looking down, “Are you still upset about that little incident?”
“I mean…kinda.” You stared down the railing, still a little pensive from the ketchup spill.
“Look, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Although I’m not used to such mishaps, it wasn’t exactly your fault. Take it as a learning experience.”
“Okay…though, I still want to make it up to you.”
He looked surprised to hear that, “Really? That’s quite thoughtful, considering this isn’t even my own piece of clothing. You truly don’t have to, but I won’t stop you if you want to.”
That’s when you had an idea. You should probably buy him some clothes while you’re here! This was probably the only hoodie that would fit him. But… if you were to buy him more clothes maybe…just maybe you could get him to go out some more.
This idea filled you with excitement as you quickly made up your mind.
“Okay!” You bounced back up, walking off the escalator with a cheeky grin, “Change of plans!”
He tilted his head in confusion.
“So I was thinking we get you some new clothes! Considering this is probably the only ‘modern’ outfit you have. What do you say?”
Dottore looks at you, seeming to think about whether it would be a good idea or not. Within a few seconds, he shrugs it off and stands up. “If that's what's going to satisfy your need of paying me back, then so be it.”
And just like that, you guided him in the direction of where you wanted to shop.
“Okay! Here we are!” You arrived in the corner of the mall, with a few clothing shops in front of you.
Dottore looked pleased, staring at the selection you showed him. He was specifically looking at a more ‘expensive’ shop, “It seems you do have some decent taste, unlike I’ve thought before.”
As he started heading towards the entrance, you stopped him, “Nope. Not that one. What gave you that idea anyways? That place is…way too expensive. Also, what do you mean by ‘unlike I’ve thought before’ anyways?”
“Nevermind what I said.” He grumbled, eventually walking into the other shop himself.
The two of you stayed there for a good amount of time, first picking out some clothes, then trying them, and then repeating the process for a while. With Dottore’s taste in fashion, it was mainly fancy, or at least as fancy as the store could get. You gave him a selection of hoodies, jackets, and other things you could find. In the end, what he chose was what you could only describe as business casual.
“Seriously!? You literally look no different from in-game without your coat!!”
He scoffed, “Don’t complain and act as if I could just get rid of my preference for clothing.”
“This won’t do.” You groaned, picking up a few pieces of clothes from other test runs. You entered the changing room with him and started ‘designing’ or ‘sketching’ what some outfits would look like on him. You basically were using him as a mannequin.
“Oh, so now you decide to get all touchy on me.” He teased, watching you scramble around him.
You threw a shirt in his face, followed by some pants, “Just shut it and put this on!”
A few seconds of silence.
“No! Not like that! Jeez, lemme show you!” You tried to help but he shooed your hand away.
“Just stand aside! I can dress myself fine, thank you very much.”
“Well then hurry up! We don’t have all day!”
After a few more seconds of silence, he was standing in front of the mirror. Both of you looked distraught, realizing the past few outfits did not suit him.
“This clearly isn’t working…” He groaned, taking off the jacket you gave him.
“Agreed.” You thought for a few seconds, then grabbed what he had originally put on. “I guess what you originally had suited you the most…”
He scoffed, “I’m glad you finally took note of that.” It seemed he was a little annoyed.
Ending with a sigh, the two of you stepped out of the dressing room with a few coats, jackets, and dress shirts. You started shuffling towards the cashier, “Well…that was anticlimactic.”
“Very much so. After that experience, I’d say I prefer it if we could finish our trip sooner rather than later.”
You paid for the clothing items and walked out with a bag, “Okay, okay your highness. Now, hold these.” Handing him the bag of clothing, you forced him to hold it.
“W-What!? Hey! Excuse me!?” He tried to give it back but you quickly walked away, “What is the meaning of this!?”
“I mean, it’s your bag of clothes.” You snickered, walking away further.
He quickened his pace, forcing the bag back into your hands, “The specific clothes you decided to purchase for me, I didn’t exactly buy these nor did I want them.”
“You’re no fun.”
The two of you stood in front of the grocery store, you started to walk in but soon noticed Dottore still standing at the entrance. You walked back, curious and a little concerned about why he was just standing there…menacingly.
“So…Do you wanna come in with me or…?”
He looked at the bustling grocery store, his face contorting as he was unsure about this decision. It took Dottore a second or two before finally speaking, “In truth, no. I would rather wait here.”
“No worries, I’ll be quick!” And so, you dashed inside grabbing a basket and checking the list on your phone, leaving Dottore all alone in front of the store.
He sat down on a bench nearby, staring at the sky, contemplating a few little things.
‘I wonder…how others are perceiving me here?’
‘Sitting here, it’s peaceful…a little bit too peaceful for my liking though.’
‘This experience…’
‘It certainly hasn’t been a bad experience so far…I guess what they said about hair styles is true.’
‘I’m still quite peckish…’
‘That sandwich from earlier was decent…though, not exactly something I would usually eat.’
Soon the smaller thoughts turned bigger.
‘This little journey…I wonder how long it will last.’
‘I hope it doesn’t end soon…it’s nice to see them.’
‘It certainly is nice to see them in person rather than watching them, though I wonder…shall I ever leave?’
‘What are you thinking!? Of course not! They’ve only been caring since I’ve got here!’
‘Yes, that may be true but, they are also just any other follower. Nothing special to them at all.’
‘That is plausible…though, it’s a nice change is it not?’
‘Truthfully, it is nice. But since you got here, you’ve just been following them around like some servant. It’s belittling, is it not?’
He stayed silent, still deep into this conversation with himself.
‘Why are we clinging onto them if there are many others out there that would fair us way better?’
‘Like they said before, there are many others who would have wished to see Teyvat, some to see you as well. What makes them so special?’
These thoughts were like an argument with his other segments, partially annoying as everything that was stated was true.
He groaned after that thought, trying to shake the idea off. But, in a sense, what he thought was right. The two of you had only known each other for a day, there was nothing strong binding him to you. As he got deeper into these thoughts, he lost track of time, not realizing you had gotten back.
You poked him once, no reaction.
Twice, still no reaction.
Thrice…? Yet, no reaction came from him.
So, you asked, “Dottore?”
He instantly jolted up, looking you in the face. He shook off his semi-lost expression and sighed, “Oh. You’ve come back.” He looked in your hands to see the grocery bag…along with two drinks in your hand…?
“What…is that?” He looked at the beige colored…milk? There were also…black spheres at the bottom.
You handed it to him, along with a straw, “For you, it’s milk tea.”
“Milk…tea?” He sounded out with confusion, intently staring at it.
“Yeah…exactly how it sounds. It’s jasmine milk tea, and those little balls are known as boba. They’re just tapioca pearls coated in honey.”
You sat down with him, taking out the straw and poking it into your drink.
Intrigued, Dottore followed suit. He poked the hole and took a sip, the flavor was…interesting to him. He didn’t find it awful though, it was actually pleasant.
“So, what do you think? Good, right?”
“Indeed, it’s quite decent.”
He saw you smiling as you sipped on your drink, and he couldn’t help but smile in return. You finally stood up and stretched your hand towards him, “Ready to go?”
He was still thinking when you asked him that. Even if he didn’t have a good answer to stay for now, maybe he would find it soon. Thinking about your little acts of kindness, not to mention how much money you would’ve, or have already spent on him. Yes, he’ll stay for a while. Learn exactly what is so good about this life.
He grabbed on, having you pull him up, “Yes, I’m ready. Let us depart.” And like that, the two of you walked, hand in hand.
Litto Extra :
As the two of you walked home, Dottore sipped on his drink once more. Since he was pretty thirsty, he hadn’t taken account of the boba and just quickly guzzled the whole drink. It took him by surprise and he stood there bewildered.
You saw him choke a bit on the boba before going back to normal, you couldn’t help but giggle a little.
He stared you dead in the eyes, “Not another giggle out of you.”
You tried to hold it together but you couldn’t, he just choked on boba and now was making the most menacing of faces. It was silly and you burst out laughing.
“I can’t believe you, making some mockery out of me!” He stormed off, clearly annoyed.
“Hey-” You tried to catch your breath, “W-Wait…” You giggled once more, “Wait up!” You tried to catch up but he was walking a bit too quickly, leaving you to waddle behind.
Meanwhile…
“They haven’t logged on yet…have they forgotten us?” A small voice wailed from your phone.
Another voice chimed in, “Would you shut up and stop being dramatic, Childe? Haven’t you realized they’re out right now?”
“Have you not realized they’re with Mr. Ruined your life?”
“I for one, don’t really care. At least I’m still used in Spiral Abyss.”
Childe groaned and then shut himself up, maybe you would come online a little later.