Can't Stop Loving You | Childe x Zhongli | Genshin Impact [COMPLETED]

Arc 3: Chapter 26: ... Or Not

A man in purple walked into a cold and dark hall. His shoes clacking against the marble looking floor. The guards within bowed when he saw the man, shuddering slightly at the sight of him. None of them dared offend the sixth harbinger.

Scaramouche bowed down before the Tsaritsa, taking his hat off and lowering his head.

"Stand up, Scaramouche. What news have you brought?" An icy voice asked.

Scaramouche straightened up as told, carefully placing his abnormally large hat back on his head. "I've done the research. I know how to obtain what you need on Dragonspine."

"Oh?"

Scaramouche took that as permission to elaborate. "It will require a blood sacrifice to break the seal. Then it will require a strong body as a host. If I may suggest, the... newest among the harbingers would be most suited for the role. After all, he hasn't been very... obedient."

The Tsartisa's lips thinned and Scaramouche lowered his head.

"Well then, you know what to do. He is already on his way there."

Scaramouche smiled and nodded. "I do."

-

"Wait, you're telling me, you spent a whole year pining and you guys broke up barely after three months?" Venti asked, "you're joking."

Zhongli glared so sharply at Venti that he swore that he could've gotten a cut. Venti faltered slightly, his expression turning serious. He thought that Zhongli was just joking around. It just didn't seem right. The first time they came to Mondstat together, Zhongli was showing off Tartaglia so happily. Barely a week ago, his friend was writing in a letter about how wonderful his boyfriend was. How was it possible he was suddenly talking about him like that?

"You were just... Nevermind. What happened? It's not like you to drop something after such a short period of time."

"It is nothing. Things just don't work out sometimes." He said quietly, taking a sip of his non alcoholic drink.

"Right." No matter how hard Zhongli tried to hide it, his old friend could see the slight sadness in his amber eyes. Something happened. Venti knew it. Not to mention he had recently heard about increased fatui activity in Dragonspine... Maybe it had something to do with that? Venti didn't know why but most of his hunches tended to end up being right. "Anyway, there's something going on with Dragonspine." He said, casually changing the subject.

"... And you want me to check it out?" Zhongli asked.

"Yep!" Venti chirped, grinning at him. "Will you help me?"

"Why don't you check it out yourself?" He asked sharply. Being an old friend of Venti, he knew very well that the god of the wind had something in mind.

"I'm not a warrior god. I could deal with Dvalin because he was once my friend but this... well, I can't really go check it out on my own. Just do it, alright? As a favour for an old friend."

Zhongli sighed. He couldn't tell what ulterior motives Venti had but he couldn't leave a friend in need of help. Besides, how hard could it be? It was just a mountain.

Turned out, he had very much underestimated the cold. As a god, the cold was truly nothing at all. As a mortal however, it felt freezing. Zhongli was covered up pretty well but he was still shivering slightly. Well then, best to move and warm himself up. He figured he'd start off scouting the foot of the mountain in search of any suspicious activity.

Zhongli was starting to warm up nicely as he jogged around, looking around carefully for odd things that shouldn't be around until a voice said, "don't move." He felt a near freezing cold blade placed at his throat from behind him. Oddly enough, the blade wasn't frozen. He could feel the water on his throat, threatening to pierce through his skin. Naturally, Zhongli knew who it was. He would recognize the voice he hated and loved so much at the same time anywhere.

"What are you doing here?" Tartaglia demanded, his voice colder than the temperature around them. "Why are you here?"

"Why can't I be here?" Zhongli questioned back, his tone just as hostile as Childe's.

Tartaglia chuckled softly. "Of course you can't. You're here to stop us, aren't you. I'm sorry to say this but, I won't let you."

Ah. So the thing Venti mentioned was the fatui. No wonder he refused to give any details. All the information he provided was vague, claiming that he really did not know. Zhongli realized that it was a set up by Venti after learning they broke up. He made a mental note to punch him when he got back.

"Well, I was trying to figure out what was happening, it seems my question has been answered." Zhongli said lowly. "What do you want now?"

"I'm on my way to camp. You're going to be a prisoner." Childe answered simply, "no funny moves, Rex Lapis. Or you might just lose your head." To emphasise his point, he pressed his weapon harder. Beads of warm blood rolled down his neck, staining the collar of his clothes.

Zhongli knew it was true. He didn't have much of a choice but to do as told. Besides, it could be a good chance to get more information.

The camp was not far, though it was deeper into the mountain. Although Zhongli was held as a captive, he didn't stop observing his surroundings and watching for anything that he might be able to use to his advantage. Sadly, there was none as they walked in a tense silence.

The fatui perked up at the sound of footsteps and spotted two figures. They immediately recognised one of them as the one he needed to capture. The other with him would need to be captured as well. They were specifically ordered to severely injure but not kill.

The pyro skirmishers raised their guns while the rest gripped onto their weapons tightly. Tartaglia noticed the strange atmosphere as he drew closer, frowning slightly at the skirmisher holding their weapons at him. "It's me. Ch—"

There was a deafening boom and the two fighters broke apart, diving aside to dodge the bullet. Zhongli was lucky enough to dodge unscathed but Childe wasn't as lucky. The bullet had grazed past his shoulder, tearing his clothes and skin off while also burning him.

Zhongli manifested his weapon as the fatui skirmishers advanced on him. Glancing to his side, there were others trying to attack Tartaglia as well. It seemed things weren't as simple as he had thought. Something must have changed and now the both of them needed to get out before they were killed. He could stay and fight but he was fairly sure Childe would not last, especially not with an injured arm. The flame fatui skirmisher were already readying their next shot.

Well, he really couldn't watch him die, could he?

A/N

This woman came home unexpectedly and I'm not complaining. I swear I'm cursed to get all the waifus early but the husbandos only when pity and guarantee.

P.S. wtf I literally just posted this two seconds ago and someone voted