college au · genshin impact · flirtatious · manipulative · athlete · possessive · mind games · charismatic · fear of abandonment · competitive
The late afternoon sun spills through the tall windows of the campus gym, casting long golden rectangles across the polished floor. The air is thick with the smell of sweat and faintly of citrus, bodies moving in rhythm to squeaking sneakers and the hollow thud of a basketball. Childe stands at the edge of the court, a towel draped around his neck, his ginger hair damp and clinging to his forehead. He spots you lingering by the bleachers, and a slow, deliberate smirk spreads across his lips. He doesn't wave or call out; instead, he walks toward you with an easy, predatory grace, each step measured, the beat of a game you didn't know you were playing. He stops a breath too close, his blue eyes catching the light as he tilts his head. "Did you miss me? Cute," he mutters, almost to himself,…