Sojourn

I do not own anything but the fanfiction. Plagiarising or copying without express permission from the writer is a butt move and makes baby polar bears homeless.

This is kind of connected to the Scaramouche AU one shot I wrote, in the sense that the Fatui and Snezhnaya are shady, but you don’t need to read that to understand this. XD

That being said: Enjoy!

<>.<>

An arrow whizzed past your ear, finding its mark: the core of an activated Ruin Guard easily. Its age-old joints groaned and creaked before it collapsed in itself.

Tartaglia stood several feet from you, his bow out and the same confident smirk on his face. Her Highness asked you to confirm the status of the partnership with the Fatui and, by extension, the Tsaritsa herself. “Hey there!” He greeted mildly.

You pointedly ignored it. “Have you come to explain, Tartaglia?”

The Tsaritsa hosted a function three days ago in order to discuss matters with Her Highness. On the surface it was a diplomatic function to strengthen ties with the Qixing of Liyue, however it was primarily for the meeting of the two most powerful women in all of Teyvat. With the Fatui leading the security detail, you had been at ease with Her Highness’ safety, only to find out that some insurrectionists infiltrated the function.

No one had been hurt, but it was the mere fact that it had been infiltrated that disappointed and angered you.

“Nice to see you too. Glad you could make time for me today.” He was undeterred but thankfully you were a tolerant sort. Her Highness rarely deemed the rest of Teyvat worthy of her attention, but as the Tsaritsa herself reached out to her, an exception was made. That meant that you, as Her Highness’ most trusted confidant, had to personally meet with the Tsaritsa’s subordinates.

It just so happened that Tartaglia became your point of contact.

“I don’t see what the fuss is about. No harm done right?”

“That’s not the point.”

“You’re too uptight about this…” he remarked, shortening the distance between the two of you and immediately, the instinct to protect yourself lit all of your nerves aflame. “Not like anything or anyone could put a scratch on your precious princess.”

Tartaglia stopped a few steps away from you, hand in his pocket and that same confident smile still on his face. He was right, of course. Her Highness was more than capable of flattening a mountain should she so desire. Mere insurrectionists barely posed a threat.

You were also ready to give your life for Her Highness should she command it as well. Perhaps Tartaglia was right. Perhaps you were overreacting and overthinking. After all, it was the first time Her Highness had interacted with denizens of Teyvat outside of the Order and it had not been such a good first time. Perhaps next time any and all meetings with the Tsaritsa can be conducted at Snezhnaya where the blind loyalty and obedience demanded by their Archon overwrote all. Yes, that sounded like a good idea.

You had barely gathered your thoughts together when Tartaglia tilted your chin in one fluid motion and pressed his lips against yours. The grip you had on the lapels of his bizarrely buttoned shirt was tight as you feared your knees might give out on you.

“Her Highness wanted to ask if the partnership with the Tsaritsa and her sovereignity-!”

His lips pressed more insistently against yours, prompting you to press close to him in an attempt to keep steady. He tasted of sharp Liyue cooking and smelled of minted Mora. An arm wrapped around your waist while a hand cradled the back of your head, tugging at the strands.

Months of dancing around him, keeping your cards close to your chest, and refusing to acknowledge that maybe it did not matter that hiding your feelings was useless, and Tartaglia removed them out of the way as easy as can be.

You should be ashamed. Her Highness was your life and the reason you were still alive. Yet here you were, kissing a man you may be ordered to kill in the future.

“I’ll say whatever your princess wants to hear,” he breathed against your lips.

“That’s not- mmmh!”

This was temporary, you told yourself as he claimed your lips one more time, coaxing them open and leaving the inside of your mouth rich with the taste of Liyue spices. He would grow tired of you and you would go your separate ways. That would make the possibility of needing to kill him easier. For now, you would permit yourself this small indulgence.

<>.<>

Here’s to hoping I get Childe. I kind of entertained the idea of him being in a secret relationship with an uneasy ally. Thus the reluctance on the reader’s part. I might rewrite this or flesh it out completely, but I dunno. Hahaha.

Anyhow. Thanks for reading. <3