𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒆 𝑿 𝒁𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊 𝑶𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒔!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 - 𝟏𝐤 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥

Liyue was as crowded as ever. Shops and stands were advertising on the streets and the harbor was quite noisy. Childe, number 11 of the Fatui harbingers walked hand in hand with a certain brunette. "Ah, Zhongli, you want to look at the cor lapis again?" the ginger giggled. The brunette nodded and took his 'friend' to the stand where many different types of natural Liyuean rocks and flowers were being sold. Zhongli stared at the items in awe, deeply thinking about every single one of them. "Can I get a bouquet of glaze lilies?" Zhongli asked with puppy dog eyes. Childe raised an eyebrow "it's unlike you to get flowers and not cor lapis" He shrugged and paid for the bouquet. Seeing Zhongli so happy made Childe happy as well.

They finally sat down at their reserved table at the Wanmin Restaurant. Dusk was approaching and watching the sunset while eating a good meal with your significant other was a good way to start the weekend.

While Childe was struggling with his chopsticks, Zhongli laughed quietly and picked up a bite of food from Childe's plate and held it up to him. "Eat" Childe's face turned a faint shade of pink and slowly took the bite that Zhongli was holding out for him. The ginger happily chewed on his delicious food and smiled. "Ah! Xiangsheng, the sun is setting now." The two both turned towards the sun and it lowered, emitting its golden orange rays through the harbor.

Zhongli reached to his side and picked up the bouquet of glaze lilies letting their sweet smell calm him. "Oh Guizhong, I wish you were still here.." Zhongli whispered and closed his eyes. Childe looked over to Zhongli. His facial expression was sad like he just had his heart broken. Childe let it slide and rested his head on Zhongli's shoulder. Guizhong was a name that Zhongli would often mention. He would talk about how certain things reminded him of her. At first Childe thought nothing of it but her name spilled from his mouth very often.

Childe heard a sigh from his right and looked up. Zhongli held the glaze lilies closer and spoke. "These were Guizhong's favorite flowers." He smiled a sad smile and tried to put his hand on Childe's head that was once laying on his shoulder. Zhongli noticed the missing figure beside him and looked around. On the other side of the table stood Childe. Both of his arms were on the table shaking a little bit. His face looked at the table and it seemed like he was.. angry?

"Childe?" Zhongli whispered.

"Shut up." The ginger replied.

"Pardon?"

"I said, SHUT UP!"

Zhongli stared at the man with a confused expression. "Ajax, what is going on? You can always talk to me-" Childe clenched his fists. "I don't want to talk to you. All you talk about is Guizhong. Guizhong this Guizhong that, when will her name stop falling from your tongue?!" Zhongli looked at the ground. "Ajax I-" "Don't call me that!" Zhongli was speechless. "Alright then Childe-" "Just. Stop talking." Zhongli was quiet and glanced in Childe direction. "You really miss Guizhong don't you. If she wasn't dead you would be living the perfect little life with her and we wouldn't exist. You never cared or loved me did you?"

Childe pulled out a pouch of mora from his pocket and placed it on the table for the meal. Picking up his things, Childe left, leaving Zhongli alone with his bouquet of glaze lilies.

Childe walked through the mountains of Liyue. Everything around him was once said by Zhongli; "It reminds me of Guizhong." Childe just wished he was in Snezhnaya once again, reunited with his siblings outside building snow people.

He walked and walked until his legs told him to stop. He was laying in a glaze lily field. That sure made him feel better. He lay in the field staring up at the black and blue sky full of stars. His legs hurt but he had to keep going... somewhere.

A few minutes later deep panting could be heard a few feet away from him. It was Zhongli. "Childe..." Childe didn't want to see this brunette. Seeing him tore little bits of his heart every time he saw those eyes. Zhongli slowly walked towards Childe as the ginger struggled to stand up. Childe faced Zhongli and his hydro blades started to form in his hands. "If you really care about me, fight me. You've never accepted a fight proposal nor said I love you once but you still do to Guizhong constantly. So fight me if you really care" Zhongli looked into Childe's battle thirsty eyes. His desire for combat could never be quenched unless he was beaten to where he couldn't even lift a finger.

"Fine. I accept your proposal." Zhongli summoned his polearm and geo energy radiated from his body. Childe grinned, gripping his swords tighter. "Don't hold back on me now, old man."

Childe lunged for Zhongli attempting to slash his front which was quickly blocked by a geo barrier around Zhongli's body. The brunette made swift attacks at the ginger, which were aggressively dodged or countered by the other weapon.

Their fight went on for almost an hour and blood was yet to be shed. Childe threw one sword and attacked with the other causing Zhongli to get a sharp cut right on his cheek, crimson blood running down his face. They both danced with their weapons in the glaze lilies. After time the bright blue glow the lilies once had turned a dark red from all of the bloodshed.

Both were out of breath and barely able to stand. "We're not done yet." Childe said running towards the brunette though his legs screamed in pain. Zhongli countered the incoming attacks with his shield. He didn't want to hurt Childe, he already had hurt him enough. The ginger was reaching for a vision-like thing in his pocket and Zhongli hesitated. "It's that delusion.." Zhongli panicked and shouted "I will have order!" and a big rock made from his geo vision came flying from the sky right at Childe.

The ginger was barely standing, his everything hurt but he couldn't give up yet. It was the strongest opponent he had ever been up against. His thirst for combat kicked in again and ran up to Zhongli. The geo user still had a protective barrier between them, Crossing his arms waiting for the fight to be over. Childe smiled a pain-filled smile and held his hand to his stomach. Before he could comprehend what just happened, dark red blood flowed from Childe's stomach. A hydro dagger used to cause this was wielded by his own hand. The weapon disappeared as the hydro vision user collapsed to the ground.

Zhongli's shield dissipated and he quickly ran over to the other. "Childe, why..." Zhongli took Childe's head in his hands and pressed his forehead against the others. "You deserve someone so much better Xiangsheng." Childe quietly laughed to himself. "I've killed too many people, it's been haunting me for too long. But now, I was bested today in a fight. By the one and only Rex Lapis. I can rest happy" Childe smiled and pulled Zhongli's tearing up face close to his own. Childe planted a sweet blood tainted kiss on Zhongli's lips. "I'll tell Guizhong you say hello, I'll probably go to a different place than her.." Zhongli's tears fell on to Childe's face. It was a repeating loop. Over and over losing someone he really loved. He could really never be happy could he?

Minutes passed and Childe hasn't said a word. The life was finally taken from his body. His body lay in a puddle of red and a once beautiful field of glaze lilies. From that day on, Zhongli never saw that flower the same.

(1320 words)

Hihi im so sorry i havent posted in awhile but anyways this isnt my favorite but its still decent and thank you sososososo much omg for 1k reads this is huge for me! ALSO if you would check out Zhonglis bday special that would be great, im super proud of that one and its my favorite. Ty!