Work Text:
"Oh god, they're writing about us again." Lumine sighs, while scrolling through her phone.
It's not easy to be an idol. Especially when you're a woman in the cruel music industry and you're dating someone as popular as Childe. Male idols always have those crazy fangirls who want their favourite singer only for themselfs, constantly living in the thrill of their fantasies and rejecting the actual facts. They never can accept that their idol can be imperfect, make mistakes or have a private life and date someone else.
Childe is a member of a famous boygroup, so obviously he has this crazy kind of fans too. He is insanely handsome, extremely talented, his words are always charming and he is just a living perfect boyfriend material, so Lumine understands why everyone is so enchanted by him. She is in love with him too after all and even after over a year passed, she still gets butterflies every time he kisses her, confesses his undying love for her or simply compliments her while taking her into his arms.
But Lumine never thought that his fans could be so problematic over Childe dating her, especially when so much time passed. Yet they're still bitter that he's happy with someone else who isn't them. They send so much hate to others because of such a silly thing and constantly spread insane rumors about Lumine and childe.
"Hm? What are they saying this time, lyubimaya?" Childe wraps his arms around his girlfriend's waist, pulling her closer to him as if he wants to protect her from everything that people say.
"The same things as always. They think that i don't love you and that i'm just using you and your fame." Lumine sighs again. "They're also saying that you deserve someone better than me. Someone even said that you treat me more like your little sister than a girlfriend and that we shouldn't be together since that sibling-like close relationship between us may look 'problematic'."
"This is ridiculous." Childe scoffs, his hold tightening around lumine. "This post is so fucked up, just like this one with a rumor that your age is made up by your company and in fact you're actually probably a minor, because you're short, so I shouldn't be with you because of that."
Childe laughs but it's bitter. Lumine can feel that he's stressed about the whole situation as well.
They always laugh about stupid comments like this, talking about how idiotic people are to believe that they are actually a family or too young to be together. It's always ridiculous to see that teenagers actually believe that they can be with their idols and that celebrities just pretend to be together to either gain more fame or hide their relationship with other people (Lumine still can't believe that people for real often make theories about how a member of boygroup is in love with one of his friends who's in the same group, so he has to 'date' a girl to hide his true relationship).
But sometimes even those stupid comments can be too much. After some time even the strongest and bravest heart can be hurt with a silly accusation and a wave of hate.
That's why at first, their relationship was private. No one knew that Childe and Lumine were together, not even their close friends. They were always sneaking out in the middle of the night to see each other and spend some time together. Without anyone else knowing they made Lumine's house their sacred oasis where they can finally be with each other without being scared of someone seeing them and ruining their love.
Of course, people could have seen that from time to time they were looking at each other on galas or music shows, but they never actually knew that there've been something more between them. That behind the cameras Lumine was getting lost in Childe's arms as he was kissing her like it was the only thing he ever wants to do in his life.
However, keeping their love private was hard for them too. Constant rumors about how Lumine is secretly dating her best friend and how Childe is flirting with literally everyone were obviously upsetting for both of them. Even when they always were here for each other and tried their best to make it work and clear all the fake informations about them, still... hiding their true feelings was suffocating.
Childe was the one to suggest that they shoud announce their relationship to medias. Behind his need to show the whole world that Lumine is his, there was a strong feeling that he wants to protect her. He wanted her to feel that she can always count on him, that he will always be here for her supporting her and giving her all his love. That she can be safe on his arms.
Childe feels like he failed.
Sometimes when Lumine is asleep in his arms, he looks at her wondering if he made a good decision. Of course, Childe loves being able to hold her hand in public without worries. He loves kissing her everytime he sees her without heavy feeling of jealousy that always had him wondering if someone back home touches her like he does. He loves that she can stay with him any time he wants, he loves that he can call her his girlfriend out loud, showing the whole world that she's his girlfriend.
But when Childe see how insecurity takes away the light from Lumine's eyes when she reads hate comments about her and their relationship, he hates it. He hates how he couldn't protect her from this.
Maybe, he wonders, she'd be better off without him. But Childe was always a selfish man and he knows that he'd never let her go because of something like this. He'd do anything to keep her by his side.
"I should quit." he says slowly and it sounds like a whisper. Lumine feels confused and shocked by his statement, so she turns around to look at him and see the emotions that he hides deep inside the ocean of his blue eyes. He looks determined, but there's something warm behind the coldness of his gaze.
"What are you talking about?"
"Being an idol. I think I should stop doing that." Childe says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "It'd be for the better, Lumi. They'd finally stop talking bad things about you. You know that I hate it when they're acting so awfully like this towards you only because I'm your boyfriend and I love you."
His hands feel warm on her lower back. His hold on her is tight, but when he moves his thumbs against her skin it feels comforting and caring. Childe always had this power that his one single touch could put Lumine's mind at ease and make her feel better. She've always felt the best in childe's arms after all.
"You can't do it, Childe. You love your work and I don't think they'll stop if you quit it anyway." she says, softly placing her hand of his cheek, watching how he leans into her touch.
"Yeah, I love my work. But love you more and I'd do anything to make you safe and happy."
"Ajax no."
"Ajax yes." he chuckles a little before leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Seriously. I have enough of them saying that I don't love you or that you're bad for me."
"It's nothing. We shouldn't care about them."
"You say that, but you do care about their comments, don't you?"
Lumine lowers her head, sighing. It is true. She cares about those hateful comments and no matter how hard she tries, she can't stop looking at them, wondering why are people so mad at her for being happy and what she did wrong to deserve this.
"But still.. I don't want you to quit your dreams because of me."
"Okay, well thenㅡ" Childe humms to himself. In a second his face lights up as he looks at Lumine. Before she can say something again, his lips are on hers, swallowing all her answers and soft gasps escaping her lips.
His kisses are filled with passion, burning with strong emotions and need to claim her as his own once again. But at the same time there's something so gentle and caring in the way he holds her in his arms as his lips move on hers, there's something that takes away all her worries and puts her mind at ease. Something that lets her forget about other people and makes her feel good and loved.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Lumine says, trying to sound angry at Childe for not letting her speak her mind, but he knows her too well to know that she likes it. Also soft pink blush dusted on her puffed cheeks and the lights shining in her eyes are confirming that his thoughts are correct.
"Kissing the most beautiful girl who's the one and only love of my life, of course." he smiles softly, his forehead still against hers. "If I can't make them stop saying bullshit about us, then at least I can try my best to make you forget about their words."
"Oh? And how do you wanna do this?"
"Well." Childe pulls her body closer to his own. As soon as he does that, his head drops into the croak of her neck. His warm touch on her waist combined with the feeling of his hot breath against her skin and his lips ghosting her neck, makes her gasp. "The best way to do that is to talk less and kiss you more until I'm the only thing you can think about."
Childe slowly starts to leave soft kisses on Lumine's neck, watching how her hands are clenching on his arms. And oh, he loves how she always reacts at his slightest touch and kiss like that. It makes him want to go even further to witness more of her reactions, to make her want him more. His kisses are becoming more heated as he starts to slowly suck and bite on her sensitive skin. His mind is dimmed with want to leave marks and show everyone that she's only his.
"Hm?" he murmurs against her skin, his low voice making her shiver. "Do you like that idea, baby?"
"Mmm.. I think you have stop talking that much and try more, Ajax." Lumine teases him as always and it makes him chuckle.
"Well then, make me."
Their fears and foolish comments are long forgotten as Childe puts his lips on Lumine's once again. He's kissing her like there's no tomorrow, making her feel more and more hot inside as he puts all his emotions into showing her with his soft yet firm touches and desperate needy kisses how much he loves and cares about her.
Maybe they can still fight with all those people and try to not care about their comments without quiting their jobs. Maybe the only thing they need to be happy is their love, a few honest confessions and the feeling of loving touch on their skin. Maybe they only need each other and nothing else should matter.