Work Text:
Scaramouche, or Scara as he called himself now (or Hat Guy sometimes, it depends), was currently walking down the streets of Liyue. Strange, he knew, but there was someone there he wanted to see. It was a foolish idea, really. Childe didn’t remember him anymore. That was something he accepted when he erased himself from history. But seeing that stupid ginger in Nod Krai hurt more than he expected. Especially when Childe didn’t recognize him. But maybe this was for the best. The two of them could start over.
When Scara was still a member of the Fatui, he had a weird situationship with Childe. The two would argue, probably spar, and then end up sleeping together. They never talked about what it meant to either of them. Scara told himself that it never meant anything, but looking back on it, he knew that he had been lying to himself. He had been too in his own head to recognize his feelings, or to notice Childe had wanted something more. This time it would be different. He wouldn’t lie to himself. And maybe things could be different this time.
The only thing Scara didn’t understand was why Childe was in Liyue of all places. Apparently, after reporting to the Tsaritsa and visiting his family, he took the next ship out. Maybe it was some sort of mission? Scara wasn’t part of the Fatui anymore, so he wouldn’t know anyway. But at least it would be easier to talk to him here, and he wouldn’t have to go back to Snezhnaya, or worse, Inazuma.
The last thing Scara expected to see was Childe cozying up to the gods-damned geo archon of all people. He knew the two were acquaintances, but had they ever been this close? They couldn’t have been. Childe was acting as he had with Scara. But why? There’s no way someone like Childe could move on so fast. Unless, of course, he never remembered Scara in the first place. Because of course he didn’t.
Scara had only recently started to feel regret for his actions, but never in this way. Guilt for hurting people was manageable, remorse for killing was bearable, but shame for leaving the man he loved behind, only to see him with someone else, was something he really couldn’t handle. ‘What if’s and ‘could have been’s ran through his mind, but he squashed down those thoughts. It was too late for that now.
“Are you lost?” Scara jumped, pulled out of his thoughts by a man with white hair.
“I’m fine, just leaving,” Scara obviously didn’t belong here. He should just leave.
“Where are you headed? Maybe I can guide you?” The man offered, and Scara actually took in who he was talking to. The man’s hair had a red streak in it, and his outfit was Inazuman in nature, adorned by leaves.
“Just to the hotel,” Scara looked the man up and down once more, trying to get a feel about him.
“I’ll show you the way. I’m Kaedehara Kazuha,” The man smiled softly.
“I’m… Hat Guy,”
“Hat Guy? That’s quite an interesting name. What brings you here?”
Scara looked back one more time, only to see that Childe and the geo archon had vanished into the crowd, “I was looking for something, turns out it’s already gone,”
“If you would like, I can try to help you find it,”
Scara snorted, “I don’t think you can,” But maybe it was time to move on. What was it Kusanali said? ‘There’s plenty of fish in the sea’? Childe found his happiness; maybe Scara could find his own.