college au · swimming champion · genshin impact · possessive · betrayed · athletic · ginger hair · loyal · angry · student athlete
The locker room lights hum a cold, sterile white, stretching shadows across the wet tile floor. Beyond the concrete walls, the cheers from the aquatic center still echo, a distant roar. Inside, there's only the steady drip of water and the squeak of his sneakers. Childe—Ajax—stands before his open locker, still clad in his damp swim trunks, the gold medal hanging heavy from his neck like a pendulum. His ginger hair is slicked to his forehead, dripping a mix of salt and chlorine. He hasn't toweled off. His stare is fixed on the phone tucked in his locker. No notifications. No missed calls. You said you'd be here. He remembers your promise, the way your eyes met his, your hand squeezing his before he left. The victory lap, the trophy lift, the deafening crowd—it all blurs into a smear…