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The second Childe enters Lumine’s shared apartment with her brother, as predicted, Aether wastes no time to throw him a glower.
Lumine can’t help but shake her head and sigh. It’s always been like this between her brother and her... not-boyfriend, probably ever since Aether once caught them grinding each other in the living room. Lumine can’t really blame him, however. She, too, would probably explode on the spot if she accidentally stumbled upon Aether and his boyfriend, Xiao, in the middle of their activities, but what differentiates her and Aether is their ability to control their raw emotions.
Admittedly, while Lumine doesn’t have the best relationship with Xiao, she still does her best to please the ever-sardonic, flat-faced man. Cook a portion of almond tofu, and maybe she’d get Xiao’s lips quirked up into a very faint smile, if she’s lucky.
Aether, on the other hand, doesn’t really bother to try.
To be fair, Lumine supposes that it’s also due to Childe’s penchant to say provocative words, all disguised behind his friendly demeanor. If Lumine’s in a good mood, she’d willingly admit that their cold war is entertaining.
Right now, she feels anything but amusement.
No, no, she definitely does not need them to bicker now, of all time. She’s already stressed enough with Professor Zhongli’s history class, and she’s yet to finish an essay for Miss Ningguang’s class. Moreover, for some ungodly reason, she’s partnered with Pallad, of all people, for her project in Miss Lisa’s class.
(What’s he doing there, anyway? He’s an upperclassman; he should’ve taken this particular class two semesters ago!)
In short, Lumine needs relief, and that particular want inflates at Childe’s unexpected visit, bursting from her core, spreading throughout her veins, making her feel hot all over her body.
She should’ve totally seen it coming, what with their relationship being ambiguous for as long as they’ve known each other; not exactly friends, but not exactly foes, either. The fact that Childe casually flirts with her once or thrice also doesn’t help.
“Sister,” Aether suddenly speaks, narrowing his eyes as he does so. It successfully draws Lumine out of her thoughts. “You didn’t tell me that he’s coming today.”
“I wasn’t informed about this either,” Lumine defends herself.
“Hello to you too,” Childe retaliates with a closed-eyed smile, tone bubbly and exuberant. “Anyway, I bought some cakes.”
Lumine doesn’t need to look at the box as she inquires dryly, “you bought the pricey ones again, didn’t you?”
Childe’s silence is basically a form of answer for Lumine. It’s not a sign of him admitting defeat, since there’s no ounce of guilt on his face. Instead, his silence serves as his wordless retort of ‘so what?’, challenging and defiant, in a way. Very Childe-like.
Lumine opens her mouth to chide him again, but he beats her to it. “Ah-ah, pretty girl, save your words. Do you know that each time you’ve told me to not spoil you, it makes me want to spoil you even more?” he smiles.
Aether gives both of them a pointed look.
Lumine sighs. “At least, you could’ve just bought something inexpensive.”
Childe laughs. “Maybe next time,” he says. She knows he doesn’t mean it. “Giving you the best quality of service and product is my top priority, after all.”
Aether snorts in the background, which goes unheeded by Lumine, but not by Childe himself.
“Feel free to have a bite too, little Aether~!” Childe calls out once he places the box atop of the kitchen counter.
“No thanks,” Aether grumbles as he folds his arms across his chest. “Rich people eat weird food.”
“The kind of weird that non-rich people would never taste in their whole lives?” Childe offers with a shit-eating grin, clearly waiting for Aether’s outburst. Before that happens, Lumine steps in and slaps his arms lightly. “Oof—fine, fine, I’m sorry, little Aether! Please don’t report me to your emo-rock band phase of a boyfriend—ouch! Lumi, that hurts, you know?”
“...Sis, when is he going home?”
“I just arrived, hey?”
“Childe, behave,” Lumine scolds him, to which he sends her an unapologetic grin. “And Aether, I’m sorry to tell you that he’s probably going to stay until dinner. You know how he is,” she turns her attention to her pouting brother. He’s such a puppy sometimes, she thinks fondly.
“Fine,” Aether concedes as he makes his way to his room, “I’ll run some errands. Not for him, though. I just remember that our left-over food in the fridge isn’t enough to feed both of us for dinner.”
Lumine hums, not wanting to admit out loud that she might have forgotten about the lack of ingredients in their fridge. Although both of them are excellent cooks and would often experiment with new dishes in their free time, college has been keeping them so busy recently that they have no choice but to buy pre-made meals.
“What a good little brother,” Childe comments as Aether puts on a hoodie and grabs his wallet, rewarded by a glare by the latter.
“Be careful on your way,” Lumine says, earning a reassuring smile from her brother.
“I will,” he nods, before finally exiting the apartment, leaving Childe and Lumine alone.
Childe decides not to beat around the bush and breaks the silence. “Lumine, let’s talk,” he says with a serious expression for once.
Lumine shrugs and opens the dessert box to take a peek. “Mm, let’s,” she replies, still giving her rapt attention to the cake. “Ooh, cheesecakes. Good choice, Ajax.”
Childe makes a strangled noise when Lumine says his real name without warning. “You know, I’m being serious here, girlie.” He sighs.
Lumine rewards him with an eye contact, although she’s still plastering a flat face at him, one that she successfully imitates from Xiao. “I already know what you’re trying to say, Childe. Forget that kiss and pretend that it never happened, right?”
Childe blinks, looking genuinely surprised at her words. “What – “
“No, it’s really okay. I know it’s more like your style,” Lumine interjects, still holding an unwavering, indecipherable expression. It prompts a frown from Childe.
“Well, shit,” his shoulder sags down, “it’s because of those rumors, isn’t it?”
Which one? Lumine wants to inquire. Childe is infamous in his own way, after all. The typical, handsome campus heartthrob who’s rumored to sleep with anyone, even with the professors. Childe has never confirmed or refuted those speculations, but one thing that he’s admitted to Lumine is the rumor of him being a part of the city’s most feared street gang, Fatui.
Normal folks wouldn’t have the guts to associate themselves with Childe. Lumine, however, has seen parts of Childe that he might not have exposed to the public. Like how he treasures his family so much that he spends hours having a video call with them each weekend. Or how he actually resents some of Fatui’s ways to achieve something.
Aether doesn’t know all of these. That’s the biggest reason why Aether acts so skeptical around the older man.
Lumine, ever the odd one, finds herself falling for him, anyway.
She suddenly hears Childe sighing heavily.
“Lumi, hear me out,” he says in a careful tone. “If you think that I only want to bed you, then you’re wrong. You deserve more than that.”
Lumine raises an eyebrow. “Says the one who kept staring at my ass when we first met.”
“... well, you do have a nice ass – “
“This conversation is over.”
“Don’t act like you’ve never checked me out, girlie.”
“...fair enough,” Lumine admits belatedly.
“That aside,” Childe crosses his arms. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m serious about you, Lumine. I’m sorry that I disappeared after what happened last time. I...” He pauses, “I spent those time mulling over my feelings. About us. About... the fact that I’m a Fatui member and how it will affect you. But...”
“But...?” Lumine drawls, heart beating in anticipation of where this conversation is going.
“But,” Childe gives her a fixed look with a hint of nervousness. “Yeah, screw that. I really like you, Lumine. I’m not giving up on you.”
For a brief moment, Lumine stills.
She doesn’t know what she expects, honestly. She’s so used to them tiptoeing around each other, having a relationship without a proper tag, that she finds herself baffled at the prospect of Childe actually liking her.
She’s long since acknowledged her own feelings toward the man, but she’s never planned on doing anything about it under one cliche reason that’s often found in any romance dramas, which is the possibility of her feelings ruining their already vague relationship.
The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes she’s uncharacteristically being a coward. They’ve made out once—it should’ve been enough to ruin their relationship, anyway, so why don’t she ruin it some more?
Because Childe’s confession is basically a declaration of war in her ears. An invitation to a fun yet dangerous gamble of their relationship. A whole new journey, in a sense.
Lumine refuses to back down this time.
Switching to her vixen mode, she then hums, acting nonchalant as she steps closer to a slightly fidgeting Childe. “Oh, wow,” she breathes out, a finger tracing circles on Childe’s firm chest. The man instantly inhales as dark blue eyes observe her. “A Fatui member just confessed his feelings to me. What should I do with this information?”
“I’d say,” Childe replies, wetting his lips, “you should answer him and give him a chance.”
“How should I know if he really means it?” A naughty finger proceeds to trail up Childe’s neck, its caress sultry and seducing, making the man unconsciously step backward until his rear hits the kitchen’s island. “How would I know if I’m really unlike the professors he’s fucked for fun?”
Childe’s face hardens. “First of all, he’s never fucked any professors and he now wants to know who fucking made that rumor.” As Lumine’s face morphs into an unconcealed surprise at the discovery, Childe continues. “Second of all, if he wants to bed someone before, he wouldn’t even waste his time around them for more than one night. Do you now see how you’re special to him, Lumine?”
Lumine yelps when Childe suddenly flips their position, and the next thing she knows, she’s trapped between the island and Childe’s taller and bigger figure. Heat smothers Childe’s eyes, darkening the blue shade. He looks dangerous in a really good way that it makes Lumine squirm pathetically.
“Childe...” Lumine’s breath hitches when Childe presses his hips against her.
“Tell me what you want, pretty girl,” Childe whispers urgently, hot breath fanning her ear, drawing a shudder from the girl. “Why haven’t you pushed me away?”
Lumine grinds her clothed sex against the rough fabric of Childe’s jeans, an attempt to convey her conspicuous desire without needing to speak.
Childe, sensing her impatience, chuckles. “You’re so cute, Lumi,” he says playfully, “but I want you to spell it out for me.”
“If it’s not obvious already—fine, I like you, Ajax. Surprisingly.” She retaliates with a huff. “And I want you.”
Childe gives her an eye-smile, clearly pleased with her verbal confirmation. “I like you too. Unsurprisingly,” he tells her again softly, face inching closer toward her own, before rubbing their noses together. The girl blushes a bit under his affectionate gesture, but when she least expects it, Childe suddenly smashes their mouths together in a bruising kiss.
Lumine doesn’t bother to hold back her moan and pulls him closer by the collar of his shirt. Nimble fingers occasionally graze his jaw, ears, and nape, before tangling themselves around Childe’s orange strands, to which the man groans in between their wet kisses and tilts his head further.
Brain occupied with their slides of lips and tangles of tongues, Lumine can only let out a muffled, small squeak when Childe suddenly hoists her and puts her on top of the kitchen’s island. He easily slots himself in between her legs, like he’s a piece of puzzle that’s meant to fit in there.
Pulling away with a pop, Childe starts to pepper open-mouthed kisses along her slender neck, not without leaving a mark or two. Lumine sighs, closing her eyes in bliss as she feels two large hands palming her breasts through her thin tank top.
“No bra,” Childe murmurs, pushing up the material above her chest and proceeds to admire the view.
“Duh,” Lumine rolls her eyes with a smile. “I’m at home. I don’t need it.”
“Well, it’s still very distracting,” Childe counters as he flicks one of the pink, perky nipples. Without warning, he latches his hot mouth around it, sucking greedily and lapping hungrily at the sensitive bud. Lumine releases a delighted moan, nails digging into Childe’s shoulders.
Stopping his ministration, Childe blows a puff of warm air at the wet nipple. He then treats the other nipple the same way, enjoying the heavenly sounds that his lover emits.
“Childe... Ajax... please—“
Childe, the bastard, takes his time to reach the waistband of her sinfully short sweatpants. “Be specific, sweetheart.”
Lumine groans, “I’m so pent up, god, Ajax, I want your cock already—!”
At that, Childe slides down both of her sweatpants and underwear, letting it hang loosely around one leg. His cock, still strained inside his jeans, twitches at the sight of her dripping nectar.
“Fuck...” he whispers to himself before spreading her legs further and burying his face in between.
Lumine cries out, toes curling at the feel of Childe’s tongue licking along her folds, before intruding her. He groans, closing his eyes as he eats her out as if she’s a five-star gourmet meal, and while Lumine wishes for his dick, she can’t lie that his mouth is also doing wonders.
Childe seems to know where and how to please her, for his actions are laced with intents and purposes. He knows when to insert his digits, pumping into her and curling them at just the right spot. That bastard even has the gall to smirk up at her as he sucks on her clit, hard, enough for Lumine to clench around his fingers and reach her first orgasm.
She’s still panting, face flushed and nipples hard, and her hazy mind fails to register that Childe is already unzipping his jeans to free his aching cock. The girl quickly wraps her legs around his waist as Childe rubs his length against her drenched opening, releasing a low groan.
“Childe, fuck me,” she begs, eyes watering.
“Aren’t you an eager one?” Childe grins, teasingly nudging her clit with the tip of his cock. Lumine lets out a frustrated sound and glares at him.
“I swear I’ll castrate you.”
That earns her a hearty laugh from the man. “How intimidating, pretty girl. You sure you can live without my cock?” He inquires, briefly pumping himself, before finally slipping into her in one smooth slide. Lumine cries out, welcoming his thick girth stretching her walls with another involuntary clench.
He pulls out almost completely, leaving only the tip, and slams into her the next second, grunting as he does so. He doesn’t even start slow and opts to immediately drive into her relentlessly, hitting that sweet spot over and over again. The echo of their skin-to-skin contact fills in the room, the obscene squelch of their joined bodies making Lumine’s head spin.
“God, you’re taking me so well, Lumi.” Childe pants as he continues to ram into her, one hand gripping her thigh firmly, and it’s probably going to leave a mark later. Breathy moans escape Lumine’s lips as she can only arch her back from her lying position atop the kitchen’s island. “So fucking pretty, baby girl. So perfect.”
“Mm, ooh, Ajax—ahh - !” A tingle runs down her spine as Childe showers her with more praises, and she’s not sure whether this is the really right time to find out her hidden praise kink. Then again, she blames it wholly on Childe himself—no one else is capable of drawing such reactions from her.
Because Childe praises her like he really means it. Stares at her like she’s a goddess from another world. Touches her with such care like she’s a fragile porcelain, ready to break anytime.
And the way his deep blue eyes lovingly gaze down at her, she’d be too stupid to not acknowledge the sincerity of his feelings for her.
“Ajax,” Lumine spreads her arms invitingly, a smile playing on her lips. “Kiss me.”
If it’s possible, Childe’s eyes soften even more, before he gladly fulfills her request, gently kissing her lips. Lumine sighs into his mouth and encircles her arms around his neck, pressing her bare chest against his clothed one.
Childe withdraws a little to readjust their position by pulling her body closer by the hips and lifts one of her legs to his shoulder. This, apparently, allows his cock to sink deeper into her, kissing the end of her tunnel, easily abusing the bundle of nerves. And by Gods, it feels so amazing; she practically sees stars with each hard thrust, her mouth chanting Childe’s name like a broken prayer.
“Ajax, Ajax, ohh—I’m close—“
“Come, baby.” Childe leans down and whispers, lips ghosting over hers, voice dangerously low and husky. “Come like a good girl you are.”
They pant against each other’s mouth, lust-glazed eyes staring into one another, cheeks and ears flushed from their activities. Lumine is the first one to squeeze her eyes shut and come, mouth opening in a silent scream. The delicious clench of her walls around his length also brings Childe to the edge, for he instantly pulls out and spurts his seeds onto her stomach with a groan.
Both of them catch their breaths, before satisfied smiles break on their faces.
“It’s thick,” Lumine comments, lazily tracing his cum with a finger. “You really haven’t gotten off with anyone lately?”
Childe playfully scowls at her. “Anyone? Girlie, when you came into the picture, I’ve lost interest in that kind of things. I haven’t had the time to jack off since the last time we—well, you know.” He sighs.
“Poor Childe.” Lumine fakes a sympathetic pout. “Must be hard, being stressed and horny at the same time.”
Childe arches an eyebrow. “Oh? And what about a certain someone who basically begged my cock because she was so pent up that she couldn’t take it anymore?”
“Shut up.” Lumine glowers at him. “And I demand another round.” She slyly adds, before glancing at his soft dick. “Unless... you’re unable to get it up again?”
At her taunt, Childe squints his eyes in a challenging manner. One thing that she knows well is that his lust for competitions and fights isn’t something someone should take lightly. Just like how it’s easy for him to tease someone, it’s also equally easy for Lumine to bait him.
“You’re gonna have trouble walking tomorrow,” he promises darkly, blue eyes glinting, and she can’t deny that she loves the sound of that.
Lumine squeaks the moment she’s carried to her room by two strong arms and gets thrown to the bed. She blinks in confusion when she sees Childe not joining her in the bed, but instead going back to the kitchen.
Though, he comes back less than a minute later, a cheerful smile adorning his face as he locks the door behind them.
“Sorry, gotta make sure to not leave a trace behind.” Childe shows her pants and underwear in his hand which have somehow slipped off her leg earlier. “Wouldn’t want your brother to spot a few stains, either.”
Ah, she acquiesces inwardly. Of course. Aether would have their heads—yes, Lumine might not be an exception this time—in no time if he finds out that the kitchen’s island has been defiled by something other than food.
It was a good sex, nonetheless. The best she’s ever had in a while, and she doesn’t regret it.
In fact, she’s definitely up for another good time with her new lover.
And when Childe finally climbs up onto the bed with that salacious grin, she knows that tonight is going to be a long night.