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Monday midnight at Liyue Harbor. A window of respite for the merchants and traders working earnestly to make a living in the port city.
But the Golden House just beyond the outskirts of the city bore witness to a completely different scene at this time of night.
A shell of its former splendor, its ruins now told tales of intense weekly spars between the esteemed Traveler and the Eleventh Harbinger—from broken pillars to deep craters on the marble flooring. Presented a narrative of how two seasoned warriors who inadvertently found common ground on the battlefield, in spite of swearing their allegiance to opposing factions.
The two of them always stood on equal footing. They could easily counter the other’s moves, and most of their bouts ending in a draw or the Traveler at the upper hand, very much like their first battle.
However, this didn’t seem to be the case at the moment. For Lumine, who just came back from the nation of Sumeru after the events that had transpired over there, this particular spar with Tartaglia seemed more tiring than usual.
He wasn’t using his Delusion or his Foul Legacy form, but Lumine could barely keep up with his pace and could only parry his hydro slashes at best. It only took a short while for her opponent to slam his body onto her and pin her to the ground.
“Yield.”
Under the incandescent lights of the Golden House, Tartaglia appeared more imposing and dominating than his usual self. His smooth jawline looked sharper, his expressionless eyes downright cold and menacing. With the way he was sitting on her thighs, one hydro-fashioned blade dangerously close to her jugular, he threatened to crush her beneath him.
But even in her current state, Lumine wasn’t about to lose to a spar with a mortal. Even against one who managed to bring a fraction of Abyssal power with him, during the time he faced the void and eternal darkness in the eye.
So in the face of the looming ginger above her, she gave a simple smile. Full of resolve and the confidence brought by centuries of her war-torn existence, she gritted out—
“Never.”
With her daring reply came a powerful blast of wind that pushed Tartaglia a few meters away and gave Lumine ample room to get back on her feet.
As soon as he got his bearings and composure, he laughed. But it wasn’t the kind borne out of joy.
Instead, it was a maniacal cackle. A grating sound on the side of unhinged. The kind Lumine had only heard from him the first time they went head-to-head at this very same arena.
“You are indeed a gem, Traveler.” He walked slowly, casually, like a predator stalking its prey. Lumine might have staggered him, but she didn’t feel that she had the upper hand. If anything, waiting for his next move made her more tense.
“And that makes me want to break you even more.”
He was behind her. Tartaglia had transformed into his Delusion form.
His Electro-infused spear grazed her side as he zipped past her with inhuman speed, left and right. Lumine’s past victories could not hold a candle against the sheer intensity that is Tartaglia.
Her head spun as she tried to dodge his slew of attacks. Tartaglia was nearly unstoppable with his onslaught of attacks. It seemed that he was truly intent on making her yield to him.
But why? Lumine briefly recalled how this evening’s spar began. Normally he would be more amiable and try to at least engage in small talk with her, but tonight was an unnatural exception. The moment she was within vicinity, Tartaglia immediately charged towards her, his usual half-smirk absent and his eyes glaring daggers at her.
Unfortunately, this small window of distraction was more than enough for him to seize the advantage. Victory was sealed for Tartaglia when he managed to corner the blond-haired Traveler against a broken pillar. Chests heaving, bodies tightly smashed together. The business end of his polearm mere inches away from Lumine’s exposed throat.
“I said, yield .”
This time, she did.
To be entirely honest, Lumine surmised that her stubborn determination to press on could still allow her to endure a round with his Foul Legacy form. But then she still had her upcoming travel to Fontaine to consider not long after this.
By her estimation, it would take her about two days to reach the Hydro nation by foot, having yet to unlock the Teleport Waypoints there. And given that she hadn’t had an opportunity to get a proper rest these past several weeks, this estimated time of arrival might even be later. She might be an immortal, but her body was still that of a human.
Taking this into account, she took a deep breath and faced her opponent who stood a little too close for her liking.
“You win this time, Tartaglia. Now, release me so I can go rest.”
But the scoundrel refused to budge. He even moved a few centimeters closer—enough to hear the way his heartbeat raced, to feel that tell-tale bulge on his trousers pressing itself against her core.
“No.” Tartaglia rolled his hips against her for added emphasis.
Lumine barely managed to stifle the whimper that came out of her.
As she closed her eyes in an attempt to calm her racing heart and avoid the intense glare from behind his mask, she was instead assaulted by an avalanche of tightly-kept memories. Of heated encounters that would almost always end with entwined limbs and muted whispers of sweet nothings away from prying eyes.
Stop it . She forced the burning images from her mind. This was clearly not the time to be thinking about these things.
For what felt like an eternity later, Lumine opened her eyes—and found the masked Harbinger’s eyes still trained on hers. If she were a normal being she would have immediately caved and begged for mercy—but she wasn’t. So she stared back at him, just as fiercely.
“What got you so worked up for?” she demanded. Something about this man felt off to her right now and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.
However, he countered with a question of his own. “Was he good in bed too?”
What?
The golden-eyed traveler was utterly confused.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She had not been with anyone the way she was with Tartaglia, but it wasn’t out of loyalty—their secret trysts did not include a contract of exclusivity after all. It’s just that some part of her craved the kind of intimacy and yearning that she experienced with Tartaglia alone.
But she wasn’t about to let that be known anytime soon—she couldn’t even begin to make heads or tails of it herself.
As for the Eleventh Harbinger however, he was feral .
Reports from his agents and the regular updates being given to the Harbingers all contained sightings of the Traveler with another man— Alhaitham was his name—traveling across Sumeru's desert and rainforest. He and Lumine might have never sworn to be loyal to each other, but the thought of her being touched by another sent a wave of inexplicable anger crashing through him.
Even so, he still chose to dive into the heart of the matter. He needed to know if Lumine longed for him the same way that every fiber of his being yearned for. Or if somebody else had already taken his place…
“That man—Alhaitham—does he make you scream like I do?”
His polearm was now a dagger, but it was still brimming with Electro. He also moved the sharp edge of his weapon under the black strap of her dress, right against her skin.
Lumine wasn’t sure which part she should be more offended at—him insinuating that she had similar relations with Alhaitham or his audacity to be possessive of her. So she chose to call his bluff, fully aware that she was treading on dangerous ground.
She scoffed at Tartaglia. “What’s it to you if he does?”
She truly was playing with fire.
Said man swiftly lifted his dagger and cleanly sliced through the strap of her dress. The action also carved a small cut at her skin, making the area right above her left breast bleed instantly.
This time, Tartaglia used the tip of his dagger to tilt her head upwards and force her to meet his eyes. The intensity of his indigo gaze letting her know that he wasn’t in the mood for subterfuge, his blatant lust all laid out for her to see.
“Then I will just make sure that there is only me in your heart and in your mind by the time I'm done.”
He wasted no time in crushing her lips against his. Mask and weapon carelessly discarded somewhere behind him.
Lumine was no stranger to his kisses, but the way she felt when the Harbinger’s mouth swept over hers was completely beyond what she had ever experienced. The way his gloved hands gripped both sides of her face left Lumine with no choice but to close her eyes and surrender to this intoxicating sensation. She gladly let him in when he sought to deepen the kiss, the gnashing of teeth and the sensual dance of tongues creating a heady mix of desire that pulled her in.
At that point, time was but a forgotten memory to the golden-eyed woman. Her resolve to leave slipping away with every wave of lust that coursed through her. The only thing tethering her to the present being the man that was dead set on his goal to rule over her.
A man with hands that had long since released her face in favor of pulling down the top of her dress with an echoing rip and boldly moving over every part of her body being unraveled. With lips that awakened little fires inside her and left no expanse of skin unmarked and unbranded.
Lumine responded in kind with her fingers clutching his hair, with moans continuously spilling out of her mouth as Tartaglia steadily and irrevocably conquered every part of her. She should’ve been ashamed at how he made her body so pliant that she let him play her to his tune, but Lumine didn’t care.
She just wanted more .
“Look at you, so hungry for me,” Tartaglia sneered as he tugged her earlobe. His azure eyes clouded by his Delusion transformation, turning them into a deep purple hue. “What will your friends think, hmm, when they see you cozying up with a Fatui Harbinger?” He emphasized the last word with a bite to her neck so sharp, Lumine swore it drew blood.
“Tar…tag…lia, please…”
And then there was nothing.
But that feeling of emptiness was only a moment of reprieve, and then he resumed his assault to her senses.
"— Tartaglia !"
His name was forced out of her in a broken whisper, his lips soothing the stinging pain on her neck before he placed a series of hot kisses over her neck back to her jaw. His lips left a trail of heat in their wake, knees turning weak at the familiar sensation and Archons, she became angry at herself for how much she had missed it.
He would be the end of her.
Lumine's mind was racing as she tried to make sense of the conflicting emotions she was feeling. On one hand, she knew that she should push him away and put a stop to this madness. But on the other hand, she couldn't deny the raw, almost animalistic attraction she felt towards him.
Her pulse raced as she felt the heat from his body, her own responding to his touch. The air was heavy between them, filled with tension and nothing but raw desire and urgent need.
Lumine's heart was in her throat as she felt his breath on her lips, his intense indigo gaze boring into her golden ones, body trembling with need. She could feel the tension between them reaching a breaking point, and she knew that in this moment, nothing mattered except for the two of them and the attraction that was pulling them together like a magnet.
Not his identity, nor the consequences—just them right now.
Time seemed to stand still as they looked into each other's eyes and for a heartbeat, the world around them ceased to move.
It lasted for a beautiful second in time, their hot breaths mingling—
—until, in one swift movement, Tartaglia’s lips slammed against hers once more.
His kiss was rough, demanding her complete attention, and Lumine whined needily against his lips, pressing her body tighter against his to feel more of him.
She was hungry for his caress, and when his hands came to grip her full rear, she gasped against his lips at the sudden spark of heat that shot from her stomach straight into her already dripping core.
Her long fingers gripped him by his jacket, removing it with ease before she tugged him closer by the shirt without breaking the kiss.
He hitched her higher against the broken pillar, his shirt partly unbuttoned and showing a delicious portion of his muscular shoulder. As her hungry golden eyes found his smirking face, she licked her lips.
Damn , he looked absolutely handsome.
His hand found the back of her head before he pulled her forwards in one swift motion, uniting their lips once more and Lumine pulled him closer by the neck, angling her head to give him better access.
She arched her back off the wall, the satisfied rumble that fell from his lips right into her mouth rippling across her body like thunder.
Her tongue slid against his, earning her a shiver from the Harbinger whose hands moved up to grab her hips then, and before she knew it, he already had her bent over the broken pillar.
“Be a good girl and spread your legs for me, Lumine.” He purred, hands gliding down to grab the insides of her milky thighs. He leaned forward so that his hot breath fanned against the shell of her ear, and she could hear that devilish smirk of his when he husked, “Or do I need to remind you how?”
His hot breath caressed her ears as he teasingly trailed his hand up the inside of her thigh, Lumine’s breathing turning more shallow as a wave of heat rushed over her at the feeling of his already rock hard member pressed against her heat. And when she felt a gloved finger toy with the hem of her bloomers that covered her already wet folds, she let out a hot breath.
“That’s not necessary.” Lumine exhaled in a soft blow and Tartaglia smirked, pleased by her answer as gloved fingers trailed over the base of her throat, caressing it loosely at first.
The Harbinger let out a low hum before his fingers tightened around her neck, his gloved hand wrapping snugly around her slender throat while the other moved to rest on the inside of her thigh, the rough leather burning against her bare skin.
The blonde whimpered when she felt him press himself against her, a breathy moan escaping her lips when she felt his hard length rubbed against her clothed core. Giving her an idea of what was to come.
“It seems like you missed me.” He drawled, fingertips digging roughly into the flesh of her thighs to the point she knew it would leave bruises— just as he wanted to. “You can’t even hide how much you want me.”
Lumine bit her lower lip as she pressed herself back, silently begging him to finally fill her but he merely clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Tell me, Lumine, who is it that you want?” He asked, and when Lumine suddenly felt something hot and hard rub against her folds, she shivered with pleasure.
Oh, how she hated what he was doing to her, how he had this effect on her…and yet she couldn’t help but grow weak and give into the desire flaring to life whenever his touch danced over her skin. Whenever he would mar her skin with bites and bruises that never failed to remind her exactly who she belonged to.
“You.” She breathlessly uttered as he kept her waist firmly in place, fingers anchoring her to the broken pillar. “It’s you that I want, Tartaglia, no one else.”
“Good,” Tartaglia husked, pride lacing his words. “I will make sure to remind you of that however many times I need, printsessa.”
And without any further warning, he pushed himself into her with one, hard push.
Lumine let out a startled cry when she felt his hips snap against hers, filling her in one swift motion. The fervent expression of her desire bouncing off the walls of the Golden House as he buried himself to the hilt, his name out of her lips with an urgency accompanied by a blinding pleasure that rocked her entire body.
Tartaglia hissed at the feeling of her silken walls wrapping around his pulsating length like a glove tailored for him, his hips flush against hers and fingers digging into her hips to keep her in place.
“ Fuck .” He growled, tightening his hold on her as his head fell back. “I forgot how fucking good you feel.”
The Harbinger slowly pulled out, savoring every moment of it just to shove back into her with a force that made her moan with a mixture of surprise and pleasure. Then he began his onslaught of thrusts in earnest.
Just like with their fights, he showed her no mercy, nor did he hold back. He pounded into her like a man starved, her bare breasts rubbing against the cool surface of the pillar as he took her without abandon.
And Lumine would never have it any other way.
His heated grunts drowned by her high-pitched screams of pleasure, the cries of his name when he got deep and ground his hips into her in rapid thrusts echoing in the hall sounding sweeter than any prayer.
It was deeply intoxicating, and he was getting addicted to it.
He was rough, pounding into her like a wild animal starved for her touch, his body blazing hot against hers and setting her blood on fire as waves of blinding pleasure hit her. Sparks of electro danced over her skin and filled the heavy air between them, adding to the sensation overcoming them like a storm waiting to unleash its full powers.
“ Tartaglia !” Lumine whined as he took her, walls clenching around his throbbing length. Unable to hear anything beyond the sound of flesh slapping against flesh and the loud racing of her heart. “ More !”
Her plea was instantly answered when she felt him slam into her with a force that made her see the stars, her stomach bulging as his cock hit a spot that made her entire body quake with pleasure.
“Like this?” Tartaglia husked, his gloved hand turning her head so that he could have a look at her face.
Her lips were parted as she fought for air, golden eyes burning as tears of pleasure brimmed in her eyes.
Her molten honey orbs conveyed all he needed to know at that moment. She had the look of a woman utterly consumed by his touch, with a silent plea for more.
Archons , she was absolutely ravishing.
“Show me how much you can take, printsessa.” He rasped, increasing the speed of his thrusts in a way that made her eyes roll back and lips part in silent cries. “I will bring you to the moon and beyond.”
The promise his words held made her walls tighten around him, and she knew that at this rate she wouldn’t last very long.
Her golden eyes found his lust-ridden gaze, the way his indigo eyes darkened dangerously making her even more excited for what was yet to come.
“ Fuck — you look so beautiful. ” Tartaglia hissed, grabbing her chin tightly.
“ Look at me .”
He commanded breathlessly against her swollen lips as he moved inside her with a force that made her belly bulge with every push, the Harbinger relishing in the way she tightened on his cock at his gaze and just as she felt her pleasure reaching its high, he growled.
“ Cum .”
With that single word, she came undone with a cry of his name. Fingers sharply digging into the pillar, golden eyes rolled back, her thighs squeezing and squirming at his hips as she embraced the freefall.
White exploded in her vision as sheer ecstasy overcame her in crushing waves, leaving her small body trembling against his as her orgasm shot through her and racked her entire body, his deep, shallow thrusts not ceasing even as he felt her clench and shake beneath him.
But that was only the beginning.
Gloved fingers dug deeper into the soft flesh of her hips at the sound of her delicate gasp against his lips, Tartaglia using the opportunity to sharply pull her back against him in one swift movement.
In one quick movement, Tartaglia had her back pressed against the pillar instead, earning him a surprised gasp from Lumine when the cool surface pressed against her back instead.
He slid his tip over her glistening slit once more, gathering the juices and even though Lumine wanted nothing more than for him to fill her aching hole again, her heart skipped a beat when she caught his hungry purple orbs with hers.
And without giving her any time to recover, he pushed himself inside her again.
The Harbinger swallowed her string of moans with his lips and felt her tremble against him when he pressed himself harder against her small body, tongue fighting to dominate hers.
She tasted heavenly , and when he cocked his head to deepen the kiss, her whimper made his blood flow raging hot as a wave of euphoria hit him with full intensity.
He only broke the kiss when her fingers urgently tugged at his hair to signal her lack of breath. As he pulled back, dark ocean eyes savored the sight greeting him.
Golden locks were sticking to her flushed face, her swollen lips parted as she gasped for air. Her molten honey eyes brimming with tears of pleasure as she looked up at him through dark lashes, her gaze begging him for more.
He had never felt more connected to her than he did at this moment.
Her hot breath wisped gently against his lips, the sound of her panting setting his skin on fire with need as he looked down at her through narrowed eyes.
“I will be the only one whose company you’ll be seeking, here and in all the other nations.” He whispered harshly against her lips, the underlying threat in his voice held, sending yet another frisson of lust straight to her already wet core. Without waiting for her reply, he had already leaned forwards to drag his hot lips over the length of her jaw.
Lumine sharply inhaled when she felt his lips trail over the soft skin of her throat, her hands moving to tangle in his ginger hair and when she felt him suck on the soft skin that covered her pulse, she let out a weak cry.
“Understood?” He breathed against her skin, teeth grazing over her flesh and Lumine nodded, feeling her walls tighten around his cock again as he continued to pound into her.
“Yes.” The blonde breathed, mind hazy with pleasure and heart slamming rapidly against her chest as she felt the moisture build up in between her legs again. “Understood.”
Tartaglia’s satisfied smirk felt like a brand against her neck, his grip on her thighs tightening— and within the span of a heartbeat, his lips found hers once more.
“ Tartaglia .” Lumine whined into the kiss as she arched her back, the need to feel him overwhelming. Never had she felt this weak yet alive at the same time, and it was driving her crazy to the point she was craving release, her sense of shame flying out the window. “ Please. ”
Lumine’s breathing grew more erratic and watched him with unfocused eyes as he upped his tempo. Tartaglia slightly pulled back and took the time to appreciate the sight in front of him.
There was something about the way she looked at him, her beautiful expression bathed in golden light and lips swollen and bruised from his kisses that made him pause to fully drink her in.
Mine. Tartaglia would never let anyone else bear witness to this side of the Traveler. He would most definitely let the world burn and kill without remorse if it meant only he can make Lumine like this.
His grip on her tightened possessively and when he tilted his head down so that his lips brushed against hers, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
“You will only yield for me, no one else.”
She let out a dry moan as he railed harder into her, his hips snapping against hers with a force that made her knees tremble as he chased his own orgasm, his thrusts becoming more rough and uneven by the second.
It was when he felt her fingers dig into his neck that he felt his body shudder with pleasure. Deep purple eyes snapping open to lock with her dazed golden ones that finally sent him over the edge.
With one sharp thrust he buried himself into her trembling body, emptying himself into her.
His hips snapped forwards into a few more sloppy thrusts before he pulled back and slid his length out of her dripping heat. Rested his sweaty forehead against hers, as he regained his bearings and calmed his breathing.
Lumine shivered against him, the feeling of his hot liquid gushing out of her making her feel dizzy as she allowed herself to savor the feeling of her afterglow. And when he looked down at her with that dazzling, exhausted smile of his, her pulse quickened.
He had already reverted back into his normal form, their foreheads resting against one another and despite being at the verge of exhaustion, he seemed more alive than ever.
Lumine wondered if the look in her eyes gave her away and she looked the same.
They had just finished their sparring, followed by their little moment of intimacy, and to say that she was utterly exhausted would have been an understatement.
“Idiot.” She mumbled, the fondness that laced her voice making his eyes spark with surprise when her eyes fluttered close.
He wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her steady and pull her against his big, warm body, her head resting against his chest.
Lumine sighed, allowing herself to relax against him as he chuckled, the sound making his chest vibrate comfortingly.
“Alhaitham is only a friend.”
Tartaglia’s eyes flashed in surprise at her sudden declaration, and when he pulled back to look down at her, he saw her frown, not meeting his eyes.
“What?”
“We never had anything like—” Lumine started, trying to find the right words before she continued. “Like this . Nothing ever happened between us.”
Tartaglia never realized how much he needed the assurance from her until he felt an immense weight lifting off his shoulders. He reciprocated her honest confession by tightening his arms around her.
Perhaps it was time for him to finally face the truth that he had been denying for so long. Maybe he should just follow his heart even if that path will lead him to turn back on his loyalty to the Tsaritsa and walk away from everything he had worked hard for.
But the time is not right now.
Breathing in her scent and the remains of their passionate lovemaking, Tartaglia chose to simply remain in the present. To let himself be suspended in this wrinkle of time with her within his grasp. To have his worries about their uncertain future dissipate like shallow waves meeting the deeper end of the ocean.
Because in this moment, he had everything .