Work Text:
A flash of red in the sea of flames is all Tartaglia sees of the man who slaughtered dozens of fatui that night, four years ago. Tartaglia wanted, no, needed to see more.
Of course when Childe arrived in Mondstadt, four years later, he was beyond excited to finally seek out the violent beautiful man he knew was the “Un-crowned King” of this city. Luckily Childe hadn’t been given specific orders for what to do in Mondstadt yet, so he had time to cause some minor problems for this mysterious man.
As Childe observed the red haired man in the “Angels Share” tavern for the next few hours he couldn’t help but be confused as to how this polite, diplomatic and elegant man was the same man he’d seen all those years ago causing unthinkable horrors for his colleagues. Although, he did realize he was being watched like a hawk by the pale red haired man making drinks. He threw his jagged, too sharp, toothy smile, at the man and decided to saunter out into the streets and leave Diluc to worry about what chaos Childe may cause until he would inevitably meet the “Darknight Hero” later.
Diluc tried to hide his bottled up anger in his facial features as he caught sight of the copper haired fatui harbinger casually walking into his tavern like he was perfectly welcome there. The glass he was filling with liquor slipping a bit in his gloved hands and his brain buffered trying to list the ingredients of a drink he’s made a thousand times over in his head.
Just as he’d talked himself into calming down and not showing his burst of emotions to his customers (or Childe), the bastard smiled at him. Already overwhelmed from his shift at the tavern Dilucs ability to control his emotions and expressions was weakened and he could feel the beginning of a cruel expression taking over his normally trained face, the tips of his fingers sparking and warming the cold drink in his hand.
You’re at work Diluc! Worry about this later. Shut up! Later. Later. Keep an eye on him.
Diluc’s internal monologue continued as he worked, keeping an extra, hopefully inconceivable, eye on the ginger man who was now seemingly flirting with a woman at the next table. A sliver of disgust crossed Diluc’s features for a second before he resigned himself to focus on work and seek out the ginger nuisance that night instead of panicking now. Afterall, he was'nt the scared violent child who got himself banned from a country anymore, for the gods sakes.
Childe realized Mondstat nights were brisquly cold and very dark as he waited by the winery entrance for the "Dark Night Hero" to appear. He enjoyed the weather as it was so different from what he was used to in Sneznaya, which was brutal icy cold almost all the time.
Childe was ripped out of his thoughts. He usually prided himself on his quick reflexes and skills but today he was out witted by a dark flaming figure warming the brisque air around him all too quickly, as their giant sword swung down on him.
Childe smiled maniacally, all too sharp teeth and too wide eyes. This, now, this was what Childe was hoping for when he dreamed about meeting Diluc.
He quickly adapted to the fight, barely avoiding being split in half by Diluc’s enormous flaming sword. How anyone could hold that sword the way Diluc did was beyond Childe and he was already hoping to be able to sink his teeth into the muscle aiding the attacks against him.
Blood would look so good on Diluc. His hair was already the same color, he just needed to add some accents. Childe even thought Diluc would look more beautiful with his, blood adorning the other man's venomous and strong features.
All the hate and rage Diluc thought he’d gotten rid of came hurling back at him double. Seeing this man, this Fatui man he’d heard so much about, in his peaceful city, sent the anger issues Diluc pretended not to have into a whirling fit.
Diluc thought that him coming home and years going by of him trying to focus on other things and to better himself and mature, would have mostly gotten rid of his anger. No. He wanted to kill this man. This man who had the audacity to act like he belongs here, like he wasn’t Fatui.
The final straw was when Diluc saw the same man outside of his winery. Provoking him. He wished more than ever to see his own signature color of blood red wipe away that stupid smile on the gingers unsettling and roguish face. If Diluc’s eyes weren’t already red, they would be crimson with rage as he brought his flaming claymore down on the unsuspecting harbinger.
Tartaglia moved to the side quickly, dodging the attack by an inch. He could already feel the burn he got from the flames licking the skin on his neck. He loved it. Immediately, throwing himself into the battle with sick, bloodthirsty joy, he brought out his own watery blades. Finally someone who could actually challenge him, someone as bloodthirsty as him.
Tartaglia only managed to put out some of Diluc’s flames with his blades on the first hit. He focused on the physicality of his aggression more than his vision, realizing water and fire do not mix well. Diluc came at him with another flaming swipe of his claymore, which he blocked with his blade and swiped at Diluc’s side with the twin blade. This didn’t deter Diluc at all, in fact, it spurred him on.
The fight was rough and dirty, each one of them getting hit after hit on each other, almost completely matched in strength. In the end, Diluc ended up swiping Tartaglia’s feet from under him and slamming him with his hand on Childe’s throat into the ground, sword heavily held right above his enemy as a threat of impending doom.
Tartaglia groaned as he was sent hurtling to the ground. The grip on his scarred throat too hard to even let his head bounce as he landed. Diluc’s strong thighs bracketed his to keep him pinned, his blood red hair surrounding Childe’s vision and his searing hand deathly gripping Childe’s, soon to have a huge burn scar, neck. Tartaglia’s world was reduced to one thing only as he looks up at the raging man above him, smiling and licking the blood from his top lip. Diluc.
Diluc was distracted for just one moment when Childe licked his lip and then his bloody teeth. Refusing to look into those lifeless dark blue eyes that were reverently taking him in, Diluc growled.
He knew himself, he liked this too much. How could the hero of Mondstat, the person who hates evil so much, have the tendencies Diluc has. The man under him was undeniably beautiful and unbearably irritating. Diluc made sure his hand left permanent burn marks on Childe’s neck.
“I’ll kill you!” Diluc growled, some of his own blood dripping onto Childe’s chin, lips curled around the hateful words.
“You’re beautiful” Childe croaked from where he was misguidedly incapacitated under Diluc’s hold.
Diluc’s breath in his lungs turned freezing, his eyes wide, his hand released Childe as if he himself was burned. Frostbite maybe. Water putting out some of Diluc’s flames.