* THE YOUNG LORD.

hello, this is an independent & private blog for “ childe ” tartaglia from genshin impact. adored by me, thoaria. feel free to call me ari / aria / or whatever variation of my name you have in mind ! if you’ve read my rules @/cindrelle, you don’t need to send in for them here. in fact, my rules are mostly the same on these two blogs &, thus, apply here, too. if you haven’t read them, my carrd is right here. my mains can alternatively be found there, too.

sideblogs: @fairice​​, @glaceis​​

directory.

ic. asks. threads. musings. headcanons. ooc. visage. promo. star chart.

@heldvisions​ said: “I never even got to say goodbye.” // from liddle man teucer

        “  hey,  zaichik.  hey.  ”  a frown tugged at ajax’s lips as he beheld his little brother.  under his watch,  he made sure teucer wanted for almost nothing.  none of the little ones would struggle as the older four oldest had growing up.  but  ...  he’d overlooked something in his plans.  a good problem it was to have,  surely,  when it didn’t get them in trouble:  his little siblings missed him.

        “  i’m sorry.  i had some very important toy - selling business to get to !  ”  it’s not a good excuse.  ajax didn’t think even a kid would buy that one.  why was selling toys better than saying goodbye to his own family ?  though it was certainly softer than the reality.  the old man had asked him to be on his way.

        “  can you forgive me ?  ”

@caelitio​ said: “There’s no right or wrong way to mourn. Do what helps you.”

        nothing helps me,  childe would say,  the tap,  tap,  tap of his foot providing a haphazard tempo for the conversation.  he didn’t know why he even shared his misgivings with capitano to begin with.  it was pathetic.  here he was,  trying to be worthy of the second’s attention,  company,  something,  yet he’d given the other a window into the part of himself that he sought to hide.  the anxious,  weak little boy that had stumbled into the abyss and had barely come out of it with his soul intact.  he was different,  there was no doubt about that.  different,  but some things never changed.

        “  haha !  i probably just need a good spar.  you know how it is,  il capitano,  ”  he said instead,  laying it on a little thick,  a little more playfully than he usually did.  would the good captain even notice ?  childe kept smiling,  and smiling,  and smiling.  after all,  how did you say that your family is alive and well,  that they’re safe and happy and live comfortably ?  how did you say that the problem was you ?  your head,  what’s inside ?  

        how did you explain that the only person you mourned,  truly mourned,  was the innocent little boy you used to be ?

        “  say,  wanna give it a go ?  ”  tap,  tap,  tap,  tap,  tap.  “  i’m ready when you are,  big man.  best two out of three ?  ”

        his daily affairs are kept carefully mundane,  save for the moments he spends with the consultant of the wangsheng funeral parlor.  even then,  whatever fun there is to be had with the man is woefully entrenched in talks of policy and the bodies zhongli takes care of for the fatui at the behest of the director.  it’s not often there’s something else exciting going on during daylight  ---  it makes him particularly antsy  ---  so when an unfamiliar face at the northland bank’s entrance interrupts his boredom - spawned,  light - hearted heckling of the receptionist,  childe is more than thankful for the distraction.

        ...  until his eyes fall on the small form accompanying her.  curated cockiness falls away into confusion and concern as teucer rushes up to him,  peppering him with question after question so that it’s almost impossible for childe to get a word in edgewise.  when he does,  his tone is light and affectionate,  and he slips easily into the snezhnayan tongue as to make the conversation more private.  though,  it is with minimal progress.  (  “  zaichik,  i’m happy to see you,  really,  but how could you put yourself in danger like that ?  it’s not safe to travel  ...  ”  “  but,  brother,  i wanted to see you !  ”  ).  backed into a corner,  the diplomat sighs and tousles the boy’s hair before turning his attention to the one who’d brought him in.  he could sort out teucer later,  it seems.

        “  mondstadt’s finest,  in my humble bank  ...  ”  childe’s expression turns from worried to confident the moment the receptionist steps up with some toy,  capturing his brother’s fascination and leading him far enough away from the conversation.  a smirk splits his face along with the folding of his arms.  “  i’d ask to what i owe the pleasure,  but it seems some thanks are in order instead.  ”

@soarae​ // closed starter.

        Arms cross over her chest as she leans against the desk , opting to relax even if just a slight bit . The removal of the leg was good enough of a middle ground to cause her put her guard down , even if just a slight bit . Curiously , the mage glanced over his face before rolling her eyes , head tilting to the side. “ That - quite frankly , Childe . Is neither his business , nor yours . “  Her eyebrows furrowed as she opted to distract herself by lightly tilting her head up , taking in the scenery of the projected stars on the ceiling , if anything Mona was a fan of ambiance when it came to divination , it was perhaps one of the biggest collaborators - that and the centuries of magical studies that she had engrossed herself in. “ Besides , what would you care ? Sudden concern for a friend of a friend ? Whatever type of silly interaction this is has been long since predetermined , so let us get it over with . “ 

        none of his business,  right.  though something in that vein tended to come up in small talk,  he’d been rather pointed in his way of asking it,  letting his frustrations at not being able to crack mona get to him.  he’s used to being able to charm his way into people’s hearts,  but she isn’t making it easy at all,  even with something of a green light.  no,  no.  it’s closer to a shade of yellow with the amount of progress that’s being made.  “  is it really so surprising that i want to make your acquaintance ?  ”  he wants to,  not has to.  the implication had been there all along,  carefully veiled,  though he may as well be blunt.

barbara sighs, long - suffering. “ then i suppose someone’s just going to have to forge dottore’s signature on this paperwork, aren’t they ?? ” a shame: she’d really only wanted to watch them fight, but her fellow agents have been rather on eggshells since pulcinella took on her combat training. “ any idea what they’re arguing over today ?? ”

        “ Hardly . “ A sigh , not defeat per-say but understanding that despite her best efforts the other lingered around like a shark who had spotted droplets of blood in the water - because that is what he reminded her of . Despite the professionalism of his position as a fellow teacher for someone who often saw beneath masks those around put up , Mona was more than aware of his background . Not because of the comments of her mentor that hadn’t stopped for years they had known each other. “ Leave you be ? Implying he wishes for us to be acquainted ? You’re amusing . “ Another scoff . “  Is that what you wish to converse about ? About our mutual bonds ? Or do you perhaps have something of substance that merits interrupting my free hour . “ 

         A sigh of irritation slipped from pursed lips as he made himself comfortable in her space , using a hand to push herself up to stand , glancing towards the glass floor of the room before turning his way. “ Do you mind ? “ Pointing at his feet she placed the book she held next to him. “ What is so important that you choose to strut into my space disrupting my work . “ Orb left unpondered , upsetting for someone who focused so ardently in her work most of the time.