Our Thorned Fate

The Fatui Harbinger

It was dark enough in a big abandoned warehouse near the harbor of Liyue. Even though the moonlight shone brightly, it couldn't fill the place. A wild, crazy vampire tried hard to hide, holding his bleeding arm with hatred in his eyes.
"Damn Fatui harbinger," he murmured. The silent broken when he heard loud steps walking toward him.
"Vampire, come out you little piece of shit. Let's play, I have a good friend for you," someone said in low and creepy voice. The vampire shivered, quietly snuck out so he won't catch him. However an arrow flashed toward him and scratched the forehead.
"Found you~"
"Damn it!" he yelled. Before the man release another shoot, the vampire dashed as fast as he could to avoid him. He jumped out to the roof and looked and his arm.
"Kh, I can't regenerate."
"Well of course you can't. The metal I use is the best one to annihilate you," he replied. He shocked and turned his head, found a young man around 20 with ginger short hair, a pair of blue ocean eyes, an earring on his left ear and a small red mask on his head. He grinned.
"Do you think you can run away from me, the Fatui Harbinger?"
"You damn harbinger!" he screamed and dashed toward him. The ginger one only sighed, changed his bow into a pair of dagger and cut his head with one swift. Blood splattered wildly and colored his body.
"Aw, shuck! I can't go home like this," he whined.
"No need to whine and clean this up. Man, you really are the worst," someone mocked. He turned around and found a short young man wearing a big hat with a sour face.
"Oh, Scaramouche. Late as usual huh?"
"You better watch your mouth, Tartaglia. I can rip it off if you wish," he threatened. The ginger only smirked.
"Oh, really? How about a fight to see the result?" he asked while preparing to fight. Scaramouche didn't utter any words, then let a sigh slipped from his lips.
"I'm tired. So you only got one tonight?"
"They're hiding faster than I thought. Beside, I can't break into private buildings as my wish," he complaint.
"Haha, poor you. Your job is done," Scaramouche replied while burning the dead body only with a flick of his fingers.
"Lucky to be a homunculus, eh?"
"Are you picking a fight, Childe?"
"...ah, not the time. I don't want to overwork tonight," Childe replied while tossing his bloody clothes and gloves into fire. He hurriedly left the place and got on his motorcycle not far from the warehouse. He didn't know a pair of shining amber eyes watching him from afar with a smile.
"What an interesting boy."
 
###

"Nii-chan, you said you gonna take me to amusement park today," a small boy complaint. Childe patted his head and gave him a warm smile.
"Sorry Teucer, my work needs to be finish today. I promise I'll take you tomorrow," he replied.
"Liar."
"Hey, just today Teucer. Fine, I'll buy you Mr. Cyclops as the token. What do you think?"
"More," he negotiated.
"Damn lil rascal. Alright, let's add milk tea, chocolate cake and fried chicken."
"Milk tea? Nii-chan!"
"Ahahaha, kidding. Chocolate shake, right?" Childe laughed. Teucer nodded happily and hugged him.
"Okay!"
"Nii-san, you should go now. It's almost late," Tonia came.
"Ah, you're right. Thanks Tonia, see you later Teucer," Childe replied. He left the house while wearing long coat and gloves, walking under the cold wind in Snezhnaya.
"Brr, I prefer Liyue rather than Snezhnaya for the weather. It's cold," he murmured. He rode to the Zaporlyany Company for about ten minutes. He fixed his hair and went in.
"Childe," someone called. He stopped and turned, his face turned foul.
"Dottore," he replied.
"Why the long face? Aren't you happy to see me, dear Tartaglia?"
"Me? Happy? In your dream, old man. I'm too busy to talk," Childe sarcastically said. Dottore laughed hard.
"Hoho, is that so? Why I feel like you want to see my expe..."
"Not another homunculi, please. I've had enough," Childe cut his words. They walked into the elevator. Childe pressed the 7 button while focusing on his phone.
"Going to meet Tsaritsa, eh?"
"Uh huh."
"We're in same boat, huh?" Dottore smirked. Childe only ignored him. They reached the seventh floor, but their path had been blocked by a woman with white wavy long hair and half black mask on her face.
"Childe, Dottore."
"Ugh, not you," Childe whined. "Can't I meet Tsaritsa in peace for a day?"
"She's not in mood to see anyone here," Signora mentioned.
"Ugh, waste of time. Alright, then I leave first."
"Not so fast, Childe. You have a mission," Signore stopped him. Childe looked at her with cold gaze.
"What mission?" he asked.
"Well, a simple mission to strengthen our relationship with Wansheng Company. We rarely contact them and the manager just came back from his business trip not long ago. Could you meet him?"
"Huh? That's not my job, it's you the one who negotiate. Beside, I don't want to work as corporate slave," Childe declined.
"Tsaritsa's order, Childe. Even though you're the only assassin in Fatui, you need to pretend as a normal worker here. Remember that," Signora reminded him with cold voice. Childe almost pulled his dagger, but Dottore's voice stopped him.
"Manager? Are you talking about that weird, infamous Zhongli?"
"Yeah, that one. Miss Hu Tao is weirder than him, so better to talk about work with Zhongli," Signora said.
"Ohoho, I want to meet him one day. He has a charisma, young and handsome. I heard he has a harem," Dottore gossiped.
"Nah, I don't know about it. So, Childe, go home and pack your stuff. You'll stay at Liyue for a month, or more," Signora ordered.
"The heck you said?! It's too sudden!" Childe protested.
"What can I say? Tsaritsa wished it," she replied calmly. Childe took a long, deep breath before gave up with the situation.
"Damn, Teucer will be upset today," he murmured.