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Day 27/6
Time ¹⁰:⁰⁰ am

"You're unbelievable," Wriothesley slapped a pair of cuffs at the bruised-bloody hands before him. "This is the third time I've seen your face this year. "

Childe only smiled gleefully, nudging the body next to him; eyes locked on the sunset-colored wallet hidden under the unconscious man's suit. "Ya ya call it self-defense officer," he clutched Wriothesley's wrists and grinned. "Don't you like seeing your old comrade? Those fights in the underground were always such a thrill~"

"Just try not to orgasm in public from your fucked up kinks," the police officer cast the ginger a disgusted side-eyed glance, before turning to his partner, who was trying to shoo away the passersby. " Clorinde can you keep an eye on him for a second?"

Childe huffed in disappointment and glanced down at Itto who was inches away from where Wriothesley was standing with a swollen red patch of skin making itself visible at the center of his broad forehead and nose a bloody disgust. The man was knocked out cold. "He's a big guy, but slow, " Childe's dark inner thoughts slipped from his tongue, earning him a questionable look from the male officer.

"Extortion, violence, bribery, vandalism, property damage, Assault . . ." Wriothesley looked down at the flattened box where the beetle fight once took place while he went through the list of violations. " Should I add illegal gambling?"

Childe nonchalantly looked into space with a pout, while ignoring the the flustered looks he was getting from a group of ladies from afar who would look his way with a cute red tint dusting their cheeks. "I did no such thing," he defended, finally taking notice of the ladies old enough to be his grandmothers, and simply sent them on the highway to hell with that devilish grin of his. "You can ask my boss at B.B.P., I've been working as a waiter. Not guilty."

"You have weird taste, " Wriothesley pushed him against the wall of the alleyway, before looking down at the ginger. " Fucking around with anyone that flutters their eyelashes at you as well? What about Dr. Zhongli? "

" Is asking about my dating status part of the new procedure now?" Childe chuckled, despite having his face smooched to a wall. " How bold. If I didn't know any better I'd say you're abusing your authority to force me to answer personal questions~"

"What about the harbingers? " This question did not exactly shock Childe, but he certainly did not expect to discuss everything like this. "There were sightings Singora interacting with one of its members, we are worried they might have started to develop connections to different political groups to spread their black market. . . Ajax, don't you know anything? "

The cuffs clicked, unlocked, and in a matter of seconds the ginger blurred before the officer's very eyes, before standing behind him, middle finger pressed against the sensitive pulse of his neck, and whispered huskly," I. Work. Alone."

Clorinde had just successfully cleared the area, but before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, her attention suddenly shifted to the ginger head, pulled out her gun, and pointed it straight at Childe. His earlier smile had vanished, and now his eyes were as lifeless as the empty night sky, his skin as pale as a ghost's, and his grip on Wriothesley's neck was tight. With a calm voice that betrayed the chaos in her mind, Clorinde demanded answers. Childe, however, seemed unfazed by the situation. He ran his thumb over the callouses of the male officer's hand and confidently declared his innocence. " I have nothing to do with the harbingers," he said, grinning wickedly. "Duke Wriothesley, I suggest you go back to your family's mansion and avoid these gruesome political shenanigans."

Uncuffing the duke who could not bring himself to say anything else, Childe turned to Clorinde and gave her a swift salute, smacking the Duke's cheeks before retrieving the wallet he had fought so hard for, and just like that Wriothelesy watched the ginger walk away without a care in the world. "Now where is that little goody two shoes?" Childe muttered under his breath.

        Clorinde stood her ground, but her partner seemed lost in his thoughts, his face twisted in frustration and discomfort as he leaned against the wall. Only time would tell what would happen next in this dangerous game of politics and power.

***

Day 27/6
Time ¹⁰:¹⁵ am

"You're still as beautiful as ever, love," Ayato smiled, seated comfortably in the booth located at the far corner of the bustling restaurant near the kitchen's doors.

Despite the lively atmosphere, an eerie vibe surrounded Ayato, and my attention was drawn to Thoma, pulled possessively close to him. Still in his work clothes, Thoma seemed more focused on something under the table, oblivious to my presence. "Why are you here? You got what you wanted already; our engagement is done," I dragged out the words slowly, feeling their weight like shackles straining the joints of my body.

Ayato blinked momentarily before shooting me a finger gun. "Wanted to congratulate you," he calmly stated, winking at Xianling, who peeked at us through the kitchen doors near the booth. "My parents were a bit touchy about getting you to leave so fast."

"I don't want your sorry excuses or your pity," I sighed, glancing back at Kaeya, who was now running up to Janet near the bar. He whispered into her ear, grinning the next second upon noticing my gaze boring into his skull. What was he mumbling about with that stupid grin?

The man before me sighed upon realizing my attention had drifted. "You have quite the charismatic staff," he pouted, pointing at Thoma. "Especially this one; they'd be in high demand at my clubs."

Lewd hands greedily roamed over the blond, cupping his cheek, fumbling with his hair, and running a thumb over his lips. Thoma finally tore his attention away from whatever had captivated him under the table, looking visibly uncomfortable with Ayato's advances.

As the snake continued to make a spectacle, the atmosphere grew heavy. The clatter of dishes and the hum of conversations around us seemed to fade, leaving the three of us confined only in the awkward bubble of tension. I took a deep breath, summoning the strength to sit at the very edge of the coach's curve. The luscious red color and perfect plushness of the seat were flawless.

"Enough, Ayato. Your games don't interest me anymore," I declared, meeting his gaze with steely determination. "You're here for some twisted satisfaction, but I won't be a pawn in your play anymore!"

Ayato's smile faltered for a moment, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes. Thoma, sensing the shift in dynamics, gently pushed Ayato's hands away, only to get pulled back. "Where are you going my little flower?" cold chills danced across my skin at the shift in his tone upon addressing Thoma. 

          " I suggest you refrain from harassing my employees, you'll give the other customers the wrong idea of this place, "this time I inched closer to my nutjob of an ex and pulled Thoma to my side of the table. " This isn't your club."

           "But he is mine," Ayato grinned, before finally looking at Thoma. "Isn't that right Thoma?"

           I have to hold back. I must. I cannot let him see me break again. "Leave him alone," my voice cracked and I mentally strangled myself even as I took Thoma's hand in mine under the table. He flinched but instantly relaxed as I gave him a quick squeeze. However, he did not look at me. He kept his head down and the disheveled strands of his blond locks now rested on his shoulder, ponytail barely intact. "M-My lady, " he did  stutter, but his talking did not seem to interest Ayato the slightest.

A familiar ginger waltzed over the table and with bandaged knuckles, he laid several dishes of cold cut meat, soba, and fried rice topped with Sunnyside eggs.

       " Kudos to the chief," Ayato smiled again, ignoring Childe who stood his ground with a butter knife in hand and a smile too wide to be just polite. " Where were we dear ?"

         " With you enjoying your meal and me leaving, " I spat, pulling Thoma fully away from him, but the blond did not follow my lead. " Thoma let's go I need to talk to you in the office."

          Ayato sighed, picking up his chopsticks, and motioned with his other hand at Thoma to get closer," Come here, Thoma. Now. "

         I was about to stop him, but he shifted to Ayato's side, Childe leaned against the side of the booth and had his eyes now locked on Thoma. Emerald orbs stating in silent terror with the Ginger's for a moment, and that moment was all it took for me to notice Thoma's bruised lower lip and his Adam's apple littered with a trail of fresh red markings that mostly were covered with his scruffy black tie. " He's. . . " The words were stuck in my throat.

           He kissed him. . . On the cheek . . . And close to his lips. The warm air became cold, freezing even. Each breath felt like I was breathing poison. A venom so infectious my eyes began to burn. He was still playing with me. Teasing me. Robing me of what was never mine. I tore my gaze away and looked back at the door and then at the locker rooms. A few customers cast me confused looks, but all I could do was force an agonizing smile as I wiped hot tears and hurriedly walked away. I had to stay strong. I must not cry . . . But by the time I pushed past Kaeya and Janet I had barged into the locker room and straight to my office, my vision blurry and my chest tightening and burning like fire had been set ablaze in my heart. I wanted control. I wanted it so bad. I wanted him dead. The sight of those pale winter lips against Thoma's cheek remained vivid in my head like a nightmare and the sickening feeling stirring in my gut made me want to go back into that dining him and force them both apart or more likely just puck on their table. Voices clawed into my brain and my muffled sobs threatened to turn into cries of despair.

"I won't fall! I won't fall to the likes of him!"