Chapter Text
The early morning sunlight warmed Lumine’s cheeks with an inviting caress to awaken.
She reluctantly raised her eyelids. Golden eyes were hazy from dreams of another world as an awareness for her surroundings gradually returned to her. The maroon sheets beneath her were unfamiliar, as were the walls plastered with posters of rock bands she'd never listened to.
The Aranaras...?
Lumine's eyelashes fluttered as the fuzzy memories slowly crept in. Beside her, a soft masculine sigh, sleepy and blissful, tickled the nape of her neck.
Ah.
The blonde turned to discover where those threads of memory led. Lumine reached out to gently trace her fingertips along the man’s swollen lips, unconsciously smiling as she thought back on the evening before.
This was the very mouth that had kissed her in a heated moment’s impulse. It had captured the breath from her lungs that still had yet to fully recover. These sinful lips had also whispered sweet promises into her ear as the two entangled together between these sheets.
Lumine drew in a ragged breath. Her cheeks flushed as she suddenly recalled everything they had done in this bedroom. “Ajax…” she whispered. “We need to wake up. It’s already morning.”
Auburn hair spilled against the pillow like red wine. Lumine couldn’t help but admire the way the sunlight shone on the ginger tresses. It had looked nearly black in the moonlight last night but, in the morning, the dazzling colors reminded her of autumn leaves strewn on the campus lawn during the late season. She combed her hand through the silken locks and envied how soft they felt against her fingers.
“Stay.” A husky voice, hoarse with the remnants of sleep, rose to her ears.
Lumine lifted her gaze. Her heart fluttered anew at the sight of Ajax’s mesmerizing blue eyes as they opened. Blue, she thought, felt like too simple a description. They were as vibrant as the ocean waves that crashed against the shores of Mondstadt. Azure, perhaps, was better.
“Don’t you have class? Because I sure do.”
Lumine's breath caught as Ajax’s palms slid down to her naked hips as she spoke. She could feel the stiffness of his morning arousal pressing against her thigh and smiled.
She asked pointedly, “Didn’t I already take care of that?”
The ginger’s lips curved into a rakish grin. “You did. Very well, I might add.”
How pleased she was at such simple praise. In a good mood, Lumine did not resist as Ajax parted her thighs and slid himself comfortably in between. The blonde sat up above him, the cotton sheets descending to pool around her slender waist.
She rested her hands on Ajax’s broad chest for balance. Splaying her fingers across the muscles beneath her palms, she silently admired once more just how heavenly he looked. Lumine's expression betrayed her appreciation so readily that the man beneath her inhaled sharply with excitement.
“Just once then,” she agreed breathlessly. A familiar heat of desire laced through her veins. Lumine lifted her hips and enjoyed the sound of Ajax’s pleasured hiss as she slowly sank down. “And then, we’re going to class.”
“Anything you want, beautiful,” he instantly agreed.
Lumine laughed in delight as she began to move. His hands slid upwards until his warm palms cupped her breasts. It had only been one night and already Ajax had mastered the sensual song of her body. He knew exactly where to touch to make Lumine sing.
“That’s it, my good girl… sounding so sweet just for me…” His sinful voice, still drowsy from the morning’s wake, sent waves of heat sizzling through her. Ajax tilted his hips upwards and made sure Lumine felt every bit of his desire for her.
Lumine arched her back as her composure started to fracture. “Ajax…”
“Just like that… so good for me, aren’t you?”
Lumine was still sore from last night. Sensing her waning strength, Ajax slid his arm firmly around her waist and sat himself up in a single fluid motion. Chest to chest, he pressed himself against her. His ragged breaths teased her lips as he kissed her once, then twice. Unable to get enough of her taste.
It left her panting for so much more.
Her nails scored down his back, causing Ajax’s breath to hitch in surprise. “Now, now, printsessa… you said no marks,” he groaned. Contrary to his scolding, satisfaction for her possessive claim blazed hotly in Ajax’s blue eyes.
The husky sound of his voice made her toes curl in pleasure. “C-Couldn’t… help it…” she gasped, squeezing her eyes closed.
She heard, and felt, his warm laugh in response. Lumine moaned as his mouth left a hot, wet trail of kisses down her throat. “I don’t mind, sweet," he said, "but you'll owe me something in return.”
Ajax nipped sharply at her pulse. Lumine's eyes flew wide open to stare at him in stunned wonder. Her heart fluttered as Ajax flashed her a disarming smile.
“Like that, do you?"
Lumine nodded shyly. Charmed by the innocent gesture, Ajax did it again and savored how Lumine purred back at him in genuine happiness.
“What… do you want…?” she asked him breathlessly.
His mouth was too tempting to ignore any longer and Lumine leaned in to seal her lips to his. She swallowed his surprised grunt and twined her tongue around his, teasing and playful. His arms tightened even more around her, nearly cutting off her air.
Lumine didn’t mind. Whenever his strength enveloped her like this, it made her feel so alive.
As they parted for air, Ajax rested his forehead against her own. His blue eyes darkened as they met hers. "Your name," he whispered.
Lumine should have known it was coming. In fact, she did not expect anything else ever since the moment he’d demanded it the first time they'd met. When Lumine had accidentally dropped her overpacked bag of groceries directly on his foot. And then again, when he'd asked her a second time after they'd crossed paths by sheer coincidence outside a café in the next town over.
She’d gone to the place on impulse, only to find her gaze locked on blue eyes she couldn’t get off her mind. The feeling had been mutual.
“Anything but that," she answered, with a wistful smile. A soft, disappointed sigh caressed her lips.
“Then, my beautiful girl," Ajax murmured, "I will just call you mine.”
“Can you seriously believe this?” Aether thundered.
Lumine's brother stared furiously at the cell phone in his hand, its screen blinking fast with a flurry of incoming text messages. It was fortunate, Lumine thought, that they were outside. The volume of his yell had gained a number of interested looks from nearby students.
Startled by his unexpected shout, the hand Lumine was using to write her notes jerked involuntarily. The complex chemistry equations she had been scribing with great effort became smudged by a terrifying ink blot that was rapidly increasing in size.
She stared down at the paper in sheer disbelief. Her exam was tomorrow.
“Believe what?” The twins' best friend, Mona, came to the rescue as Lumine frantically tried to save her notes by rubbing futilely at the ink blot. Mona watched with dismay as Lumine realized that her efforts would be of no use.
She was going to have to write these all over again.
“Coach invited those assholes from the Akademiya to be our opponents for the first practice game,” her brother hissed, and lifted his phone to show Lumine and Mona the text message that had ignited his temper.
Despite her disinterest in the game her twin lived and breathed, Lumine was not ignorant of the reason for his anger. The Akademiya was a direct rival to their university's sports teams. The competitiveness between the two schools had reached boiling point over the past three years as they battled it out year after year to win the division conference title.
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Lumine spat out, irritated. She was not in a compassionate mood as she crumpled up her ruined notes. “You can see how badly you play right from the start.”
Aether shot his sister a withering glare.
“Or how good you are,” Mona hastily interjected.
She rose up gracefully from her seat and reached out to place a calming hand on Aether’s arm. The male shook with rage but Mona possessed a way about her that seemed to soothe even the most feral of souls. In a few moments, her gentle ministrations caused the tension to ease slightly from Aether’s taut frame.
“Why do you hate them so much anyway? It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve ever played against them."
“Lumi…” Mona scolded her.
Aether’s eyes narrowed even more. “Tartaglia is an asshole and plays like one, too. He and Alberich are the worst.”
There they were, the source of all this hostility. Lumine scoffed under her breath as she gathered what was left of her papers and slid them into her satchel. Their lunch break was ending soon and the girl refused to be late to her next class because of her brother’s dramatics.
“It’s just basketball, Aether. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Then come and see it for yourself. Or are you too busy studying things you’ve already read in your books a hundred times to come watch me play?”
The hurt in her brother’s voice gave Lumine pause. It was not the first time Aether had alluded to her neglect of him and his interests. Every time, it stung to hear. As important as basketball was to him and his livelihood, so were Lumine’s studies to her.
Golden eyes flickered to an identical pair. Aether seized on the hint of wavering he saw reflected in Lumine’s gaze and pressed her, “Please, sis. Just... come watch today and you’ll understand how I feel.”
Lumine glanced at Mona, who read the question in the blonde’s eyes before it was voiced. “I don’t mind tagging along,” Mona said cheerfully. “After all, someone needs to explain the rules to you.”
“Thanks," Lumine drawled. "You’ll be a great help." The zipper of her satchel was harshly yanked shut.
As soon as Aether realized his sister had agreed to come, his expression softened into a smile of pure joy. The sight of it sent a guilty pang through Lumine's chest. Aether’s smile was radiant as he rushed to embrace her.
“No, no— don’t!” she protested.
Aether’s joyous laugh rang in her ears. At the pleasant sound of it, Lumine admitted to herself that sometimes, it was okay to give in. Pleasing her brother in this simple way was fine.
But, just this once, she silently swore.
“Mona, you can’t be serious.”
Lumine’s disbelief was palpable as her best friend slyly popped open one more button at the neckline of the blonde’s blouse. "Oh, why not?"
“It’s a practice game, not a date,” Lumine hissed as she swatted the other girl's hands away.
Mona laughed merrily, the sound just as sparkling as the stars shimmering in her eyes. Lumine's best friend truly was a breathtaking beauty from head to toe. She had always appreciated Mona's enchanting look and her single-minded ambition as she pursued her astronomy degree despite her parents’ disapproval. As her best friend and her roommate, Lumine had been privy to many heated calls between Mona and her mother, the latter lamenting over the fact that her child had desired to study the stars of all things.
Despite the pushback, Mona's determination kept her dream alive. Lumine could only admire that about her.
“When was the last time you were even on a date, Lumi?” Mona questioned as she dodged Lumine’s slaps and readjusted the collar of the blonde's blouse to her liking.
The words got stuck in Lumine’s throat as she thought of the man who haunted her daydreams. Just a single night together was all they promised each other. To hope for more than that was only a wistful imagining.
“Unless his name is ‘Advanced Chemistry’ then I don’t want to go out with him," she answered. “Despite what you and my brother might think, I don’t study because I love it. You know I can’t stay here if I don’t try three times as hard to keep up with the others.”
“I know, Lumi, I just…” Mona trailed off as her hands left Lumine’s collar.
Mona took a step back to admire the magic she was able to weave over the reluctant blonde. The white blouse, unbuttoned just so, showed off the curves of Lumine’s attractive figure in a subtle, yet undeniably eye-catching way.
“Ever since you and Alhaitham broke up…”
Lumine winced at the mention of her former boyfriend. Mona sent her an apologetic look.
“You deserve so much better, Lumi. Ever since you broke up, you’ve been studying your heart out trying to prove that you’re better and smarter than anyone, and you are, but—”
“But, what does that have to do with me getting a date?”
Lumine gazed at the mirror and studied her appearance. The one who stared back at her had tired circles under her eyes that not even Teyvat’s most expensive concealer could fix. She would know, since Mona gifted it to her for her last birthday.
“Men are only a distraction," she muttered.
“Then enjoy the distraction tonight.” Mona slid her arms around Lumine in a half-hug as she rested her chin on her friend's shoulder. “I know I’m supposed to be supportive of our team and all, but— and don’t tell Aether I said it— those other guys are hot.”
If Mona said it, she meant it. Against her will, Lumine’s interest was piqued; it was not often that her beautiful friend expressed interest in others with the same appreciation they gave her.
Maybe a distraction was exactly what she needed.
At least, that thought was what she tried desperately to convince herself with as soon as Lumine was dragged inside the auditorium doors later that night.
Lumine knew Mondstadt Institute boasted of a famed basketball program, with her brother leading the school's team to the conference finals for the past three years, but she had failed to understand just how popular it was. For a simple practice game, the auditorium was packed with hundreds of spectators. Mostly women, Lumine observed.
Was it the excitement of seeing the Institute’s rivals play against them so early in the season that brought them here, or were Mona’s observations about the players' good looks a popularly shared sentiment?
Mona tugged impatiently on her hand. “Come on, I scored us seats up front but we have to hurry!"
Widened eyes took in the competitive atmosphere that felt so incredibly alive. Excited girls in the audience giggled as they pointed at the court below where at least two dozen players were assembled. Half of the players were standing on the center court to practice their warm-ups. The other half were dispersed around edges of the court, seated in the surrounding bleachers talking animatedly to their teammates, or raising their voices to insult the opposing team.
Despite not being an official game, the tension in the air was thick and tangible. Lumine slid into the seat Mona gestured to and folded her arms over the metal railing that separated the audience seating area from the players on the court below. Her gaze roamed over the crowd as Mona chatted animatedly in her ear.
“Look, there’s Aether!”
Lumine followed Mona's pointed finger to see the familiar figure of her twin carrying a basketball under his arm. As close as they were to the court, she could see how her athletic brother warmed to the energy in the auditorium so naturally. He wore confidence like a second skin and flashed Mona an acknowledging smile as she called out his name in greeting.
Lumine was also close enough to hear the amused voice that called out to her brother with derision. “Oh, is that your girlfriend, Viator? Who knew you had it in you?”
The tall male who spoke was unfamiliar to Lumine, though Mona’s annoyed voice soon dispelled the mystery. “That’s Kaeya Alberich,” she whispered into Lumine’s ear. “One of the Akademiya boys.”
The disdain in Mona's tone told Lumine more about him than her words. Lumine was reminded of how Aether had reacted this morning upon receiving the Coach’s text. Animosity like that did not come from one interaction alone.
“At least I’ve got game, Alberich, which is more than you have on or off the court,” Aether drawled in reply. He tossed the basketball he held in the air and caught it with habitual ease.
“You haven’t had game on the court since you got your ass handed to you last year,” Kaeya quipped. “What was that embarrassing score: 30 to 60? Childe—” he called to another standing behind him, “—why don't you remind Viator how badly he ruined Mondstadt's chances at the title last year?”
Childe did not answer.
The player, who had lifted a water bottle to his lips at Kaeya's call, had suddenly halted the movement midway through. Stunned blue eyes honed in on Aether’s face as if seeing the Mondstadt player for the very first time. His eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second as Childe studied the male’s face intently.
Lumine saw the instant the realization hit him, for she felt the same astonishment as it chilled her to the core.
“And that is Childe, or Tartaglia, as we know him. He's one of the Akademiya’s starters alongside Kaeya.”
Lumine wasn't listening. Blood pounded in her ears, drowning out her friend's voice. Lumne's fingers curled around the railing, her knuckles turning white from the intense pressure, as a single name resounded inside her mind.
Ajax. Ajax.
Lumine watched the court, feeling helpless as the one called Childe ignored the others' bickering. He also dismissed Kaeya’s questioning tone as desperate blue eyes frantically searched the crowd.
“Mona, I should go,” Lumine breathed, her heart racing.
Her best friend looked over in confusion. Mona gasped at the sight of Lumine's pale features. “Lumi, are you okay?”
“No. No, I’m—”
Ocean eyes locked instantly onto gold.
At that moment, it felt as if the entire auditorium disappeared around her. The screaming fans, Mona's frantic voice— it all vanished as Lumine watched Ajax, no, Childe, lower the bottle in his hand.
How handsome he was.
The emerald green jersey Childe wore emphasized the rippling muscles of his athletic shoulders and arms. Lumine could see the faint pink marks that decorated the dip of his collarbones. Ones that she'd selfishly left behind before they'd said goodbye for the last time.
Childe hadn’t bothered to conceal them whatsoever. The sight of her markings still etched into his skin, for the whole world to see, filled Lumine with both pride and dismay.
Impossible.
Tartaglia.
That was her brother's rival.
Childe looked away first. Anxiety struck her with the force of a train. Lumine bent her head forward, her eyes squeezing tightly shut, as she inhaled several deep, bracing breaths.
"Lumi, are you okay? Should we go?” Mona asked her, her hushed voice filled with concern.
How could Lumine answer that?
Clearly, she wasn’t okay. That was…
He was…
The shrill sound of a buzzer interrupted her mind's frantic tailspin. Startled, Lumine's eyes flew open. “Mona...” she said softly.
The young woman beside her quickly nodded, ready to rise and leave the auditorium, but Lumine prevented her with a single shaky hand. Lumine had yet to gather all of her thoughts but there was one thing she was certain of: right now, she did not want to leave this place.
She had missed him. So often had Ajax’s face had appeared in Lumine's thoughts in the rare moments she had allowed herself to daydream about him. One evening and one morning should have been enough to satisfy Lumine’s loneliness.
And yet, seeing him now, her gaze hungrily lingered on his every movement. Childe. Ajax. Called a different name by the light of day.
Childe had returned to the bosom of his team. Lumine watched as the tall male tossed his empty water bottle towards the Akademiya team's female manager. As soon as the young woman caught it, Childe reached out to ruffle the girl’s hair with fondness.
The interaction, simple as it was, sparked a flare of jealousy within her.
“Lumine, are you sure you're alright? Is something going on?” Mona inquired in the kindest tone she could muster.
Lumine immediately felt a pang of regret. Mona was treading carefully around her, unsure of the rapid changes of Lumine's temperament. Lumine took a deep breath and mustered up a watery smile. It was not Mona's fault. She had brought Lumine here without knowing the truth, just as Lumine hadn't known.
Ajax.
Akademiya's Tartaglia.
It was slowly sinking in.
“I just… think I understand what Aether meant about the Akademiya guys. They're real pieces of work,” Lumine hedged, in a soft voice.
The other girl reached out to squeeze the blonde’s hand tightly. “They are," she wholeheartedly agreed. "Wait until you see the way they play.”
A wistful dreaminess overtook her friend and Lumine glanced over to Mona in surprise. "That good?"
Mona shrugged, grinning. “Just accept ‘I told you so’ when I said they were hot.”
Lumine’s eyebrows rose. A reluctant curiosity took hold as she shifted her golden eyes back to the court below.
The two tallest players of the opposing teams stood on either side of the referee. Childe was one of them, his striking face painted with immense concentration, as the game whistle blew. The basketball was tossed upwards and Lumine's heart leapt as the palm of Childe's hand tipped it towards his teammates.
Lumine exhaled, her heart pounding fast as Mona began to urgently whisper the rules of the game to her. It went in one ear and out the other. Lumine was too engrossed in the way Childe moved deftly across the court to listen to every detail.
Her brother was insanely athletic, but he appeared to be just one of many who were. The ball moved swiftly between the possession of the two teams. She watched the way Childe fluidly dodged the outstretched arms of the home team and tossed the ball to Kaeya, who expertly tossed the sphere in the net with a graceful swoosh.
36 to 30. Kaeya’s hand met Childe’s palm in a friendly slap and Lumine’s heart skipped a beat at the sight.
He was magnificent.
“Don’t worry, we’ve come back from this before,” Mona said in a knowledgeable tone. Lumine blinked in confusion at the sudden reassurance, only to realize that her best friend had misunderstood the tense look on Lumine’s face as worry for Aether.
"Oh... I see."
“They’re not that far apart and it’s almost half-time. They’ll get a break to regroup then.”
Lumine cleared her throat. “Win or lose, it’s just practice, right?”
Mona laughed, her eyes dancing with amusement. “It is, but the practice rounds are… how shall we say? An opportunity to get a good look at the mindset of the ones you’re facing before the real deal begins.”
“So, they're feeling out who the strong and weak players are for the season,” Lumine mused.
Mona nodded in approval. “It shows which competition is worth looking out for. On top of that, starters aren’t always confirmed this early so these practice games sometimes let second-string players vie for the position.”
The whistle blew harshly, startling both girls from their conversation. Lumine looked over to see her brother and Kaeya in the middle of the court, eyeing each other like coiled snakes about to strike. A third player, donning the Mondstadt jersey, was slowly getting to his feet as he gingerly held his arm to his chest. Lumine’s heart sank.
“So desperate to win you’d resort to those kinds of tactics, Alberich?” Aether sneered. “Bit overkill for a practice game, I think.”
“He tripped,” the other said coolly. The knowing smile curved on Kaeya’s lips, however, betrayed the insincerity of his words.
“You fucking pushed him—”
“You’re about to have an aneurysm, comrade. Why don’t you go sit down and breathe a little?” Childe’s too-cheerful voice piped up. The faintest sheen of sweat clung to his skin as he took advantage of the brief pause in the game to drink heavily from a water bottle.
Lumine stared shamelessly at the way those lips of his wrapped around the top of the bottle, as well as the way his Adam's apple bobbed lightly as he swallowed.
“Why? So you assholes can do whatever the hell you want on our court?" Aether snapped. "Not likely.”
When blue eyes suddenly met hers, Lumine inhaled sharply.
“You can’t control everything and everyone in life, buddy." A lazy grin dawned on Childe's face. “Sometimes, you gotta go with the flow and accept whatever delightful challenges get tossed unexpectedly your way.”
Lumine bit her lip hard as his gaze stayed on her.
“Shut the fuck up, Tartaglia,” Aether hissed.
The referee blew a sharp whistle and motioned with an intimidating sweep of his arms for the men to break it up. "The middle of the court was not for private spats," they were sternly reminded, and additional penalties would be issued for those who wasted the others’ time.
The score was 52 to 56, in favor of Mondstadt Institute, when the half-time buzzer sounded. Lumine rubbed the back of her neck to ease the tension that had set in.
As the crowd-goers seated around her got to their feet to take advantage of the fifteen minute break, her golden eyes lingered on Childe’s back. He laughed with Kaeya and bumped shoulders with his teammates as the Akademiya players sat down on the opposite end of the court from her. As the players surrounded their kneeling coach, Lumine watched as Childe listened intently to the older man’s words.
The thrilling, fast-paced atmosphere of the game had allowed Lumine to avoid her thoughts for some time. Now, during the game's brief reprieve, they resurfaced with a vengeance.
She'd clearly made a huge mistake.
The typical, level-headed Lumine would have never agreed to sleeping with a stranger. If she had paid more attention to her brother’s life, she would have recognized Tartaglia and avoided him. If she'd known, she never would have spoken to him in the first place. She never would have let him touch her.
If she'd known... then he wouldn't linger in her thoughts like this. Haunting her, until all she could think about was him.
“Do you want a drink?”
Lumine looked over to see Mona handing her a bottle of sugary-sweet caffeine. She heaved the biggest sigh of appreciation. “I don’t deserve you, Mona."
Mona flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder in a confident flourish. "You do. Others don't."
Lumine laughed and leaned in close to Mona to listen to her best friend’s knowledge of the game. Not for the first time, Lumine wondered if Mona's interest came from a genuine love for basketball or because it mattered so much to someone else.
“So, you see, each basket they make is worth two points, unless they make it from the three-point line there,” Mona explained, pointing to the lines painted on the court. “There’s one point for free throws, which only happens when—”
She abruptly cut herself off. Lumine, who was half-listening as her mind drifted to the chemistry exam she had in the morning, glanced over in confusion. Mona wasn’t looking at her. In fact, Lumine gradually became aware that those around her who had returned to their seats were also looking at someone else entirely.
“Hey.”
Childe's voice called out to her with crystal-clear clarity. Lumine slowly screwed the cap of her bottle back on and raised her head.
The attractive ginger was tall enough that, just by leaning upwards on his toes, he could drape his arms casually across the railing in front of her. Lumine’s heart pounded at the closeness that brought Childe's face so temptingly close to her own.
“What?” she bit out.
His lips twitched in amusement. They were undeniably the center of attention now. Wide-eyed looks and whispers ran rampant among the crowd but Tartaglia of the Akademiya clearly didn't care.
“Go on a date with me.”
Her reply was swift. “Absolutely not.”
“Please go on a date with me?”
Lumine’s ears turned bright red in embarrassment. Everyone was watching them. Including her brother, who had just picked up on what was happening thanks to a hushed whisper by his teammate. Her brother abruptly stood up, anger plain as day on his face. It would not take long for him to get here.
She swallowed back her anxiety and closed the distance between them. Her nose bumped lightly against Childe's, causing him to blink in surprise, but he did not pull away. Instead, he affectionately brushed the tip of his own against hers in return. "Printsessa," he murmured in greeting.
"Don't do this," Lumine warned him, keeping her voice low. “My brother will kill you.”
“I don’t care about what your brother thinks,” Childe answered. Amusement flashed across his too-blue eyes. “I want your answer.”
“Then, no.”
Golden eyes were held immobile by the glittering of the purest azure. Lumine could not look away from the sudden blaze of annoyance she saw in that beautiful gaze, nor the longing that she prayed was not mirrored in her own. He must’ve seen it, though, for the tense set of Childe’s features softened slightly. Momentary irritation gave way to understanding as he gifted her with a dashing smile.
“Then, how about a kiss for good luck?”
Aether was nearly here. Lumine felt panic starting to set in. The last thing she wanted was to be the reason for a fight in front of dozens of people during a practice game. But, she realized, Childe was not moving from this position until she gave him a reason to do so.
She should have refused him. Nothing good in her life had ever happened on impulse.
And yet...
Lumine reached for him and pressed her lips to his.
Childe’s surprised noise was swallowed in her soft kiss. Within the second, he answered her with the same desire. Pure instinct let the taste of him sweeten her lips as Lumine’s hands cupped his face. What lasted for mere seconds seemed like an eternity for her unraveling heart.
Mona gasped loudly.
Lumine broke away from him, opening her eyes when she didn’t remember even closing them in the first place. The talking and shouting all around them was growing louder in intensity. But, in that moment, all she focused on was the pleasure burning hotly in Childe’s eyes and the way his lips curved into a smile of utter satisfaction.
“That’s my girl.”
“Tartaglia, what the fuck are you doing?”
Aether’s roar pierced through the noisy din. Lumine flinched at the sound of it. Childe jumped down gracefully from the railing with a low hum.
“Saw something pretty I liked.”
“Like hell you’re getting anywhere near my sister,” her brother growled. It was not just anger she saw in Aether’s eyes, but also a cold sting of betrayal that gave Lumine pause. A twin pair to hers, she could read Aether’s emotions as easily as she could feel her own.
“Should I go ahead and call you ‘brother’ then?” Childe asked, too innocently.
Tension was beginning to prick at Lumine’s temple as Aether cursed aloud. "Dream on, asshole."
She lifted a hand to rub at the spot where a headache was rapidly forming. “Both of you— enough!”
The entire auditorium went silent as an overwhelmed Lumine got to her feet. Being thrust into the center of all this unwanted attention was humiliating. She'd given up her time tonight to support her brother and, in return, found the boring life she painstakingly cultivated for herself crumbling into pieces at her feet.
“You, do not speak for me!” she scolded Aether, her slim frame quaking with emotion, “And you…”
She pointed at Childe, who met her enraged stare by raising both his eyebrows with brazen interest. Lumine inhaled deeply.
“If you win today’s game, Tartaglia, I'll go out with you.”
Both men stiffened. Behind her, Mona choked.
Lumine’s heart was pounding so rapidly, so loudly, that she could barely think. The worn pages of her textbooks would never have thrown her feelings into such disarray. All of this was because of him.
“Anything you want, beautiful.”
Lumine's blood stirred at the familiar words. She met Childe’s eyes and remembered how he'd looked as he’d slept so peacefully beside her. The way his warm palms had caressed her skin as he’d whispered so tenderly to her in their safe haven.
It should have stayed a dream.
Aether sputtered as a pair of twinkling azure eyes shifted to Kaeya, who stood not far behind his teammate. “You heard that, boys,” Childe said, his amusement warring with a hard-edged determination as he turned to regard his teammates. “I was just informed the future of my love life hinges on the total annihilation of our enemy today.”
Kaeya laughed in pure delight at that as Childe glanced back towards Aether. The charming playfulness he exuded prior was smoothed away with a narrowing of his eyes. He pinned Lumine’s twin brother with a serious stare.
“Hope you’re ready, comrade," he warned. "There’s no more going easy on you.”
With only five minutes left until the game resumed, the energy in the air sizzled with combativeness as the coaches and the players prepped themselves to close out with a hard-earned victory. As the aftermath of what just happened began to sink in, Lumine felt her face drain of color.
“Mona…”
The brunette was immediately at her side. Mona cupped Lumine by the cheeks and looked deeply into Lumine’s dazed eyes. “It’s kind of romantic, you know," she told Lumine cheerfully, "like something you’d read in a novel."
Lumine had just challenged her brother’s rival to win this game for her. The rumors would soon spread from mouth to mouth until the entire university had heard what the blonde had so irrationally done.
"Oh, Archons..." she lamented.
"I'm not sure what's going on between you and Tartaglia but..." Mona sought to ease Lumine’s fears with a gentle tone. “We should see how it ends, don't you think?”
Lumine glanced at the court, where the game had actively resumed to the violent cheers of the crowd. Her gaze slid to the scoreboard: 58 to 60, it showed in bright red digital letters, in favor of Monstadt Institute. Aether was on the court playing just as hard as the others, a grim determination roughly hewn on her brother’s face as he tossed the ball with ease towards the basket.
58 to 62.
Could she handle this?
Mona guided her back down to their seats and upheld a protective stance by hovering next to Lumine, their shoulders touching side by side as the brunette glared back at anyone who dared to look too overly long at the pair. Lumine’s attention, however, was glued to the court as the sound of sneakers squeaking incessantly on the floor and the encouraging shouts, and jeers, of the spectators rose around her like a tidal wave.
Who did she want to win?
She could not look away from Childe as he side-stepped and tossed the ball to his teammates with athletic ease. He was just as serious as if he were in the midst of a battle. Lumine could imagine how deftly he would wield the blades of war in the heat of it. Childe’s every movement was calculated and she heard his laughing praise embedded in sarcastic taunts as he egged on the opposing team.
He hadn’t been kidding when he warned Aether it would no longer be easy for them. Lumine’s eyes widened as the aggression between both teams escalated.
The whistle was blown every time someone was elbowed in the stomach, or pushed so hard to the floor the crowd heard the player’s hiss of pain. She could see the anger in the coaches' eyes as they shouted at their team, and the smirks between the males as they ignored such advice. This court was the outlet of their pent-up violence and no mere threat of penalties would prevent its execution.
The tide began to turn. 86 to 84, the scoreboard read.
Some of the players were getting noticeably tired but neither side was willing to budge with the stakes so high. Lumine’s breath caught as she watched Childe rest for a moment and accept a towel from the same female manager that had invoked jealousy in her before. The young woman proudly wore the same colors as their team. The same emerald that loosely clung to Childe’s sweaty form.
Lumine swallowed. The girl smiled at Childe and earned a warm smile in return. He got to his feet as the coach called his name but, before heading over there, stopped to stoop his head low and whisper something in the girl’s ear. The manager blushed prettily in reply.
Lumine’s blood turned cold at the sight.
What was that?
92 to 94.
The crowd collectively sucked in its breath as a player from the Akademiya crashed to the floor hard. The game halted as the male whimpered and clutched his side in clear pain. The whistle blew again and Lumine only dimly heard the referee's decree of a technical foul as she watched Childe take to the center court. As thoughts of the manager ran through her mind, she watched with bated breath along with everyone else, as the ginger lined up for the free throw.
He bounced the basketball once before eyeing the basket and lifting his arms.
The opposing side erupted in cheers as it went in with a loud whoosh.
93 to 94.
He caught the second ball and Lumine observed the utter stillness of his form as Childe took a deep breath to brace himself. His blue eyes were filled with intense concentration as he lined up the shot and finally tossed the basketball up in a graceful arc.
94 to 94.
She exhaled and briefly closed her eyes. Mona was whispering excitedly in her ear and Lumine did not doubt whom her best friend wanted to win. The brunette was an avid romantic to her core, often aligning her predictions of the stars with premonitions of a future love life, and Lumine could already hear her blessing the constellations for giving her Lumine a second shot at true love.
Still, Lumine could not quell the disquiet she felt. Her golden eyes drifted to the opposing side where the pretty manager waited, her fists twisted at her sides as she refused to look away from Childe’s active play.
Her heart was in her eyes and a startling realization hit Lumine. She knew absolutely nothing about Tartaglia's life.
In an instant, dozens of questions broke through the floodgates of her thoughts.
Who was that girl to him? Who was he and where he was from? Did he really like rock music? Were the Aranaras his favorite band?
Were the words he spoke to her in the sweet moments of their passion actually sincere?
The tension of the spectators hit its zenith. Roars of the crowd shook Lumine out of her reverie as she glanced at the scoreboard. There were only thirty seconds left on the clock.
102 to 100.
The players were moving quickly over the court, weaving in and out in coordinated play, and the shouts of the two teams grew wild as the basketball was passed hurriedly from hand to hand. It was in Mondstadt’s possession and as the clock ticked down to the final seconds, Lumine saw as the round ball was tossed right into Aether’s hands.
Far from the net, his feet placed just behind the three-point line, she saw as her twin took the risk to put it all on the line. His torso and arms extended and Lumine watched, stunned, as Aether tossed the ball.
The buzzer went off at the same time the tell-tale swoosh ended the game.
102 to 103.
The Mondstadt crowd erupted in riotous cheers. The home team rushed onto the court to embrace Aether in a deluge of tight hugs as they congratulated him proudly and loudly. But all Lumine cared about were the stunned blue eyes that met hers across the court.
The female manager had gone straight to Childe's side as the crowd swelled around them, as did Kaeya, whose expression was unexpectedly serious as he restrained Childe by the arm and spoke heavily in his ear.
Lumine did not linger to see if her suspicions of the other girl came to fruition. The way the manager rested her hand familiarly on Childe's chest told her enough. Taking a deep breath, Lumine turned her back on him, on the possibility of them, and walked out of the auditorium with Mona by her side.
A bet was a bet.
Childe's frustrated cry was lost in the roar of the crowd.