Two Sides Of The Internet

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The moment of silence and Hu Tao glaring at him was interrupted by Zhongli's phone, which started to ring. He immediately opened his eyes, taking out the phone from his pocket on coat, looking at the screen with 'unknown number' written on it.

He had a slight idea of who it could be from the following, in-mind written list; a company, spam or some of his friends who have gotten a new number. He placed his thumb on a gray button, by swiping to the right, he accepted the call.

"Hello?"

The wind was blowing and a quiet voice could be heard, which he quickly recognized.

"Why, hello there, Ajax."

Zhongli was kinda confused. After all, it was 10 in the evening and he didn't know the reason why Ajax would call him that late.

"Phuf- it's you Zhongli, alright! I was scared that I dialed a wrong number since it took you longer to pick up-" Ajax was speaking really quietly.

"Ah, yes. My apologies." He said and Hu Tao gave him a smirking look.

"Zhongli.. We're- at the place we meet almost every day."

What? Ajax was out? On the streets? In this weather? It will start raining in the next half of an hour and he was outside- but why? Did Ajax' parents figure out what happened? That party? Or..

"It's ten in the evening, Ajax. What are you doing outside?"

Ajax let out an embarrassed laugh and then he spoke up.

"Weeeeeeell- my parents were and are arguing and-... by that I mean- actually arguing. So I came here to ask if we couldn't sleep in your house tonight.. I can't stand them, it is.. impossible... "

Zhongli raised an eyebrow though Ajax couldn't actually see it, only Hu Tao and she noticed. Yes. He still remembers how Ajax was talking about his happy family, but sometimes, their arguments were not the most pleasant.

"We?" He asked.

"Yes. Right. I am with my siblings too- it is better to take them out of that circus then leave them there-"

Zhongli nodded in understanding, standing up as fast as he could. "Alright- wait a bit. I will be there in a while."

Ajax kinda agreed and hung up.

"Huh? Where are you going so fast?" Hu Tao asked him as she saw him hurrying up somewhere.

"My friend got locked out with his siblings.." He answered, placing the mask on the table, taking out the casual clothes from his backpack.

Hu Tao nodded, and smirked slightly on some thoughts. She unlocked the door meanwhile and left the cabin, leaving him all alone, so he could change his clothes. After all, he cannot get recognized by that dumb mistake of his. He has been in these clothes during the TV show and if he came in the same clothes as rexlapis, Ajax would immediately think of something he didn't want him to think or know. Not now.

Zhongli was hurrying to get to the set place, the street near his apartment where they were meeting each other everyday. He cannot waste time. He just can't!

Running through the empty streets with a backpack on his back was calming but he was still in a hurry so he couldn't enjoy it that much. It was quite cold outside and the darkness was not helping. A good idea would probably be to turn on the flashlight on his phone, and he did.

Now, he could at least see where he was going, since the lamps in this area weren't actually working. The electricity probably went out recently, because there was a car with an electrician near one electric column, or, at least someone who looked like an electrician. Maybe he was some 'pirate', connecting his own wires. Who knows?

Zhongli just passed near him, holding his phone tightly so as not to drop it while running.

After a few minutes of constantly running, he finally approached the back door of the building he lived in.

He took out his keys, opening the back door, walking to the front ones so Ajax wouldn't suspect anything. He turned off the flashing and put his phone into the pocket, this time, opening the front door after attaching the card to the sensor, and the light flashed on, revealing his appearance to Ajax, who was standing in front of him.

Ajax greeted him in a whisper when Zhongli approached him, mostly because Teucer was sleeping in his arms and Anthon in Tonya's.

Yes, Tonya was still awake, absolutely aware of what was happening and what happened with a scared look in her eyes, but when she saw Zhongli, she smiled a bit.

"You live here? Well- that's no surprise that we meet each other here every day." Ajax smirked, still whispering. He didn't want to wake Teucer or Anthon up.

Zhongli knelt down asking Tonya if she's tired, and at that, she nodded.

"Let me take Anthon. You can unlock the doors." Zhongli said quietly, but Tonya hesitated. He was still a stranger to her, though her brother trusted him. Was it a really good idea to let Anton be carried by him? What if he would steal him? Kidnap him?

Tonya looked at Ajax after a while of thinking about every negative situation that could happen but Ajax just nodded, and she probably admitted that she was just over-thinking. Her brother can always chase after him if something like that happens. But.. Why would Zhongli want to steal someone? Not sure.

The negative thoughts dissolved and she put Anthon in Zhongli's arms. Zhongli, in the 'exchange', handed her his keys.

"Zhongli?" Ajax addressed him.

Zhongli turned his head to him, while tilting his head to the side.

"Why are you wearing a backpack?" He asked quietly while staring at Zhongli's back with the backpack on it.

I forgot about that...

Zhongli froze for a little bit, lost in his thoughts but he spoke up calmly and quietly too, following Tonya, who stopped in front of the door, trying to find the right key.

"Ah- I guess I accidentally took it with me. It was something like an unconditional reflex.. I always take a backpack with me."

Ajax nodded in understanding.

The words Zhongli said were making sense... too much sense. Zhongli was using the same backpack as his school bag, so he might have forgotten that today is only Saturday.

But- no.. Zhongli didn't forget without reasons. He might have forgotten because of stress, the awkward situation Ajax put him in. Yes, that was the real reason. It was only because of him.

Ajax sighed, getting lost in his thoughts, thinking of something he could do to fix what he messed up. But the sound of the door opening snapped him back.

Zhongli was still holding his youngest brother, following Tonya inside the building, after he told her the floor and the number of the apartment, but warned her not to step inside without him being the first one arriving. She nodded. He also showed her the key which will unlock the door.

He didn't follow her any further, letting her go alone on the stairs, illuminated by automatic lamps on the walls.

After all, he was only on the fifth floor and no one could enter this building without having a card and the keys. He remained holding the door, so Ajax could pass.

Ajax froze at the place but then he nodded, approaching him and waking through the door inside. A shiver ran through his back. It wasn't because of some weird feeling. He was cold, he was already so cold even when he was Snezhnayan. His family moved here too long ago, and as he was used to the cold, now he wasn't. He lost his immunity to cold weather.

Zhongli closed the door slowly and they shut silently. He made sure they were one-hundred percent locked and then he took out the card and blocked them by it.

Ajax was waiting for Zhongli to lead the way, and that's what he did.