Game, Set, Match

Chapter 2: Crash, Boom, Bang!

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“And you’re just so eager to obey, aren’t you? What a coward’s excuse.”

Childe turns the scene over and over in his mind. He wanted nothing more than to scream at her at that moment. Scream how much she doesn’t know a damn thing about him. Scream that it’s not cowardice, it’s called having cold, hard principles. But he swallowed it down. If she didn’t understand then, no amount of yelling would have made her.

He was surprised at his own self-restraint then; he is an easily provoked man after all, especially by his fellow Harbingers who just love aggravating him. But if he had learned anything from the Liyue fiasco, it was that he needed to think twice about his decisions. Live and learn, as they say.

Still, he doesn’t regret the decisions he made. Even with all the animosity he received from the people of Liyue and amongst his colleagues, it still proved to be a fun exercise for his strength. Facing off against Lumine was the number one highlight in his mission. She put up a good fight—no, an excellent fight, one he hadn’t had since his trip down the Abyss. At last, he found someone who gets his blood pumping, someone who awakens all five of his senses, someone who makes him feel alive.

And what a beautiful thing that is.

Theirs is a game of cat and mouse; Childe is the cat and Lumine the mouse, but all too often he finds himself losing their game. Not that he’s complaining, not when he gets to see the view from below her. Strands of blonde hair cascading down her face, sweat dripping from her chin, her chest heaving shallow breaths.

Beautiful, indeed.

It has been two months since their first battle, a month since Lumine met Teucer, and a week since they last met. Now, he’s feeling that familiar stillness again, the same, annoyingly dull stillness he’d always felt when waiting for his next orders from the Tsaritsa. He was supposed to return to Snezhnaya right after they received the Gnosis, but a last-minute command told him to stay put and watch over the Traveler. And watch, he did.

Childe watches her work through her daily commissions with the Adventurer’s Guild, but he still exercises discretion as best he can. Lying low and sneaking around is not on his top list of skills, so it comes as no surprise to him when Lumine starts showing off just a little more so than usual. It’s subtle, but he notices the way she flourishes her sword and the way she moves her body so skillfully when summoning her elemental powers. One thing that stands out more than the rest: Lumine starting unnecessary fights with his Fatui agents. Again. She knows it’s the best way to get his attention.

Well, he’s not one to turn down a lady.

Childe is wandering the streets of Liyue Harbor, thinking up ways to trouble Lumine, when he hears a familiar voice call him.

“Hey, stranger.” He recognizes the smooth, sultry voice as Ying’er’s. He turns his heel to see her outside her shop, waving at him.

He waves back and approaches her. “Hello, Ying’er. Long time, no see.”

“Did you miss me?” she says with a lopsided smile.

He raises an eyebrow. “Maybe. Got anything good for me?”

“Maybe. Why don’t you come inside?”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

Ying’er’s shop is rife with contrasting scents, mixing together to form an amalgam of fragrances that, surprisingly, isn’t too strong on the nose. The wall shelves are lined with bottles of different shapes, delicately made with glass and porcelain alike.

Childe is no stranger to her business; he’d gone there to buy Lumine her perfume, after all, custom made from Ying’er’s own recommendation. It was a perfect match. He remembers the moment he leaned close to her neck and found she wore the perfume. And Lumine blushed when he asked about it. The memory is almost enough to give him an erection, if only Ying’er hadn’t snapped her fingers right in front of his face.

“Hello, Teyvat to Childe,” Ying’er says, still snapping her fingers. “You still here?”

He takes a deep breath to bring him back to the present. “Yes, sorry. What were you saying?”

“It’s unlike you to be so lost in thought. Is it who I think it is?”

“...Depends. Who do you think?”

“The same lady you bought that perfume for last time,” she says with a sly smile. “You know, the few gentlemen who buy fragrances for their ladies, especially a custom order like that? They almost always ended up married.”

“Almost?”

“The men who don’t end up marrying, they get arrested for stalking.” Ying’er’s smile widens as she continues, “It’s either one or the other.”

Childe rolls his eyes. “Watch it, Ying’er. Do you want my business or not?”

She shrugs. “Who am I to refuse my best paying customer? What did you have in mind?”

He pauses, thinking carefully. What’s a fragrance that suits a long due rematch best? “I want a powerful scent that will strike fear in an old foe’s heart. Something strong and exciting.”

“An old foe, you say?”

He nods. “Yes, I’ll be seeing her again soon, and I need to be prepared.”

Ying’er hums. “How romantic.”

“If romantic is what you’d call fighting someone bloody and bruised, then yes, I suppose it’s romantic.”

Romance is a strong word, he thinks. Physical attraction to her is one thing, but love? Childe isn’t a cynical person per se; he believes it exists, but it’s not one that he believes exists for him. Signing up for the Fatui meant giving up any chances at a romantic life, much less creating a family.

Still, the idea makes him smile a little. He supposes he isn’t entirely opposed to it, but he enjoys their tempestuous relationship as it is now to even think about changing it.

Ying’er hands him a porcelain bottle containing his perfume. He uncaps it, taking a whiff, then spraying it on his pulses. The fragrance has a strong woody scent with spicy and exotic undertones; he notes the particular scent of leather and sandalwood, with a mix of saffron and cinnamon.

“You’ve outdone yourself yet again, Ying’er,” he says, giving her an overflowing bag of Mora. He doesn’t bother counting, but he knows it’s more than enough.

“My pleasure.” Ying’er receives it with a graceful bow, then she reaches for something under the counter. “Take this, with my compliments.” She offers him a sealed red pouch, smaller than his palm.

“What’s this...?” he says, cautiously opening the pouch. Inside is a round, hollow item made of soft thin rubber. He blushes furiously when he recognizes it; it’s not one he hadn’t seen or used before, but the fact that Ying’er had the foresight to give him a condom, of all things, is enough for his face to feel heated.

“I... Not that I’ll need it, Ying’er, but thanks anyway.” He quickly pockets the red pouch.

She winks and says in a sing-song voice, “Good luck, Childe.”

Childe nods and hastily leaves the premises, heading for the Northland Bank next.

“Ekaterina,” Childe says, approaching her on the counter. “Any word on where Lumine is?”

“Who?”

He clears his throat. “The Traveler.”

“Ah, yes,” Ekaterina says with a nod, “She’s last seen heading towards the Golden House, but that was an hour ago.”

Childe gives Ekaterina his thanks and starts making his way to the Golden House. He takes the long way around to avoid the Millelith guarding the perimeter of the building. He sees no point in patrolling the place; the damage has already been done, by him, and his heart swells with pride.

He looks down from the cliff where he’s standing, the roof of the Golden House right below him. He scans the area for Lumine and finds no trace of her. Is he too late?

He jumps off and lands on the roof. Keeping his head low, he starts looking for the crack in the rear wall. The crack is there long before he’d almost destroyed the building and it’s the same crack he’d used to enter and sneak behind Lumine on their fateful battle not too long ago. Now, the crack has grown large and it’s easier for him to slink through to enter the Golden House, sliding down a pillar.

The efforts the Qixing have made to repair the building is evident. Scaffolding is scattered in the area, but no workers are to be found. The first floor has been restored, at least. But not for long, Childe thinks, laughing silently to himself.

At last, he finds who he’s been looking for. Lumine sits on the stairway leading up to where the Exuvia had been, looking lost in thought. She’s wearing the same dress he’d bought her, smeared with blood and sweat, though Childe suspects the blood isn’t hers. It looks obscenely beautiful on her, that filthy dress. His heart starts pounding intensely, the excitement pumping through his veins.

The setting is perfect for their rematch.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this, Lumine,” he says, ascending the stairway towards her.

She stands, opening her mouth to speak but decides against it. Instead, her sword materializes in her hand with a flourish.

Going straight to the point now, are we? he thinks, and he can’t deny the thought delights him. He’d always hated the underhanded tactics the Fatui often employed in their work; facing things head on is what he does. The way Lumine stands before him, ready to fight without question, is what tells him she understands him more than anyone does.

Lumine charges at him with a scream. Childe quickly summons his Hydro blades to block her sword. They stay like this for a while, in their own game of tug of war, pushing their weight on each other’s blades. She growls at him, almost like a feral cat. Adorable, but a little terrifying.

With a blast of Anemo, Lumine sends Childe flying backwards, hitting the floor with a thud. He cloaks himself with Hydro, transforming briefly into the element itself, and swims towards her. When he emerges, he takes Lumine by the collar and pushes her against the wall.

“You’re not the only one with tricks, pretty girl,” he whispers.

Childe sees her palm alight with Anemo power, and before Lumine could release the burst, he takes her wrist and redirects the blast away from him. She struggles from his grip, trying to shove him backwards, but his grasp on her is stronger. They both collapse on the floor, with Lumine atop him.

As much as Childe loves seeing her on top, he still wants to win this fight. He grabs her arms to sit himself up and push her down, reversing their position. He takes her wrists and pins them down above her head to lock her down. A Hydro dagger emerges in his hand, placing it against her throat. She winces at the cold blade on her skin.

Lumine looks beautiful like this: surrendered, laying down beneath him, breathless and powerless to fight back. Rare is the sight, and all the more precious it is when it happens.

“Smell me, Lumine,” he says.

She pauses, puzzled at the command, but she complies, leaning how little she can, what with the knife at her throat. Childe dips his head low until he feels her breath on his cheek.

“What do I smell of to you?”

He leans back to look at her, trying to read her expression.

“Come closer again, I couldn’t smell.”

When he does, Lumine kisses him. The shock stills him. She doesn’t move away either. They stay like this for a while, playing tug of war again, their lips pushing softly against each other.

The Golden House is silent, save for Childe’s heartbeat thundering in his ears. When he pulls away, Lumine gives him that same look again, one he couldn’t quite read, one he rarely sees on her face. His mind runs through all the words he knows, trying to find the right thing to say. What can he say? He sees her as a rival to fight with, and their tempestuous relationship leaves no room for romance. Does this change anything? Or is this still part of the game they’re playing?

Her silence doesn’t help.

Childe leans down for another kiss. Perhaps her lips has the answers.

And then she headbutts him. He recoils and stumbles off of her, his forehead stinging from the pain. Without a word, Lumine stands up, grabs him by the collar, and kisses him again. She kisses with as much ferocity as she fights, and fuck, if that doesn’t excite him.

Frantic, he returns the kiss with the same fervor, biting and licking her lips bloody. A groan escapes her throat from the pain, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, Lumine hooks her leg around his hips and Childe takes this as a cue to lift her by the thighs. She hums into the kiss, her arms now wrapped around his neck, a free hand taking grasp of his hair.

In their tangle of a kiss, Childe finds the nearest pillar and rests Lumine down against it. He pushes her jaw aside, exposing her neck to a fervent trail of kisses and bites. She gasps and pulls at his hair when he bites particularly hard at her neck, licking and sucking at the spot until it turns purple.

“Do you want this?” he murmurs, gently kissing the bruise.

She nods with a soft whimper.

He unclasps the hook on her qipao, letting the top half fall down. Her breasts spill out before him, and Childe takes off a glove before bringing tentative fingers to touch. It’s soft beneath his fingers, but Lumine decides it’s not enough and guides his hand with her own, letting him rub at her chest with insistent pressure. She moans at the touch, hooking her leg around his hips again.

She takes his hand off her chest and guides it down, lower. He obeys and slides his hand underneath the slit of the dress, silently thanking himself for buying it.

“You’re drenched,” he says, lightly brushing his fingers against her underwear.

Lumine looks away, her cheeks tinged with a pink hue.

Childe pushes her panties aside and feels the wetness on his fingers. “So wet for me, Lumi.”

She whines softly, biting her knuckles to stifle a moan as he starts rubbing circles around her clit. Her free hand finds his arm, holding on to it for purchase, her nails digging crescent moons on his sleeve. Slowly, her hips start rolling along with the rhythm of his fingers. Her breath starts picking up the pace as short, incoherent noises escape her lips.

Lumine looks beautiful like this: surrendered and undone by his fingers, eyes hazy and half-lidded, hands gripping his arms tight like it’s the only thing keeping her sane.

But Childe isn’t done with her just yet. His fingers stop, and Lumine lets out an infuriated groan, squeezing her legs around his hand.

“Not yet,” he says with a wolfish grin.

Childe spins her around, her chest against the pillar. Lifting up the lower half of the dress, he pulls her panties down just above her knees. The sight of her wetness, flushed pink from all the rubbing, sends a jolt straight down his cock. He hurriedly takes out the pouch Ying’er had given her, silently thanking her foresight. The rubber fits him well and snug along his length and he makes a mental note to have words with Ying’er later on just how she knows his size.

Lumine feels warm and wet as he presses his length into her, and his breath hitches when he slides in so easy. He takes a second to stay still, relishing in the tight, wet heat, before fucking her with long, slow, deliberate strokes. Gasps of affirmation leave her mouth as his cock enters and withdraws from her, her hands clutching the marble pillar tight.

He picks up the pace and leans over to reach around and stroke her clit, eliciting a quivering moan from her.

“Yes, please,” Lumine gasps, her pleas dissolving into noisy whimpers, her hips meeting his in a desperate, needy rhythm.

Her knees buckle when she comes, and he feels his cock squeezed tight as he fucks her through her orgasm. He slows down to a stop, lingering inside her, before she pushes him away.

Lumine turns her heel to face him. “Lie down.”

He complies, laying his back on the cold floor. She takes her panties off fully and poises herself above his hips, straddling him.

“Tell me when you’re close,” she says, and he could only nod, heady from the way she rides him with reckless abandon. His hands roam to her breasts, palming them softly, and down to her hips, steering her to the right tempo. The sight of her taking control like this makes his cock twitch, and the next thing he knows he’s close, and he digs his nails at her thighs, trying to take control, but she insists on setting her own pace.

Lumine gives him a sly smile. “Not yet.”

He groans with impatience as she slows down, wiping the sweat off her chin. She starts riding him again, placing her hands on his chest for balance. Her rhythm is infuriatingly inconsistent, and he knows she’s doing it on purpose. Childe holds back the urge to hold her down and thrust up in her out of spite, to show he’s still in control somehow, even if his release is in Lumine’s grasp and she holds it over his head so, so tantalizingly.

His hands find her hips again, gently trying to take the lead, and when she follows, he feels the heat in his abdomen starting to rise again.

“Please,” Childe says, his voice merely a whisper.

“What’s that?”

His breaths are shallower now, and they both know he’s close. Still, Lumine insists on keeping the erratic rhythm. His grip on her hips become tighter, slamming her down at him, desperate for release.

“Please, Lumine,” he repeats louder. “Please let me—”

“Let you what?”

Fuck, I need it, he thinks and he begs, out loud, and he knows he’ll regret it later, “Please let me come.”

Lumine smiles, looking so pleased with herself like she’d just won another battle. She steps up the pace, riding him at the right tempo, until finally, he comes, jerking his hips forward in his release.

She lifts herself and lies down next to him on the cold, hard floor, catching her breath.

“I win,” she says.

He chuckles. So this is still part of their game, and he doesn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

“Wanna have dinner with me?” he asks.

Lumine nods. “Your treat, this time.”

Childe props himself up on his elbow and turns to her. “Of course.”

Whatever this is, it’s new and refreshing to him. It’s not a romance like in those cheesy theater plays Zhongli used to drag him to. It’s not a conventional friendship either, for they are still rivals in his heart. A rival he can fight and play with. Naturally, he’ll do all he can to keep her.

“Next week, it’s your treat,” he says.

“Sure.”

He shifts closer. “Every week, here, Lumine,” he says, kissing her after every word.

She smiles, and he knows their games will continue, and she’s all he needs to feel alive.

NOTES

This is my first E-rated fic so it was a little difficult to write, but I'm happy to deliver spicy Chilumi content for y'all. (I hope it's spicy enough!)

Happy New Year, btw! Here's to more Chilumi content in 2021 :)

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