The Boy Who Cried Fox

Gym (2)

"Alright guys!" The familiar voice of Beidou rang throughout the spacious room. Everyone got closer to her. "Today we're doing dodgeball! But first, 10 laps around."

There was a collective sigh at laps but everyone complied and began running around the court. Everyone was at an equal pace at the beginning but the more active ones took over and soon most of the class was lagging behind. Only Ei and Zhongli were at the same speed they started at, Venti at their heels panting as if he ran around the whole of Mondstadt.

"Come on guys! Just 2 more!" Beidou hyped her class up as she joined the running.

"Weaklings." Zhongli heard a familiar deep voice next to him as he turned and saw Capitano, Childe's senior. Ignoring the statement, Zhongli just kept running.

"Hey Zhongli. Oh, Capitano. You're here too..." Childe waved at the 2. Zhongli waved back while Capitano just nodded. "What have you guys been doing?"

"We just happened to run next to each other, Tartaglia." Capitano replied. Zhongli was just standing there, oblivious to the whole situation unfolding before him to which he chose to ignore.

"Everyone done? Good. Now, how about Fatui versus Liyue?" Beidou yelled throughout the cheers and sighs. Zhongli just stood there even more confused as he didn't know which side to go on. Until Ningguang said that he could join their team. Childe was on the opposing side with the rest of the Harbingers. To make it fair, Beidou wasn't joining and only ten Liyuens could participate. Ningguang chose Zhongli, Yelan, a boy with fluffy black hair and teal highlights, a girl with sky blue hair in a low messy ponytail, a girl with two reddish brown ponytails, a male with fluffy ice blue hair, a girl with pink hair, a girl with amethyst hair and...

"Baizhu?" Zhongli's eyes widened as a look alike Pantalone with green hair got up and walked to the court. He still had his pet white snake, Changsheng on his shoulders.

"We meet again, old friend." A sly smile emerged on his face when he caught sight of the brunette. Childe was watching the whole scene, annoyed to some level that someone who was not him was this close to Zhongli.

"START!" Beidou blew her whistle and shouted. Everyone ran forward and grabbed the balls in the center of the court.

(Behold a very bad description of how to play dodgeball. Please do not hire me as your PE teacher.)

Capitano hurled the ball and it hit the pink haired girl square in the chest.

"Yanfei out!" Beidou called as the girl plopped herself on the floor. The game went on for several minutes until it was just the black haired boy, the sky blue hair girl, the reddish brunette and Zhongli on the Liyuen side and Zhongli's bullies plus Childe.

"Wait, aren't you that guy that stayed with Madam Ping when we were, like, five?" The sky blue haired girl was glancing between Zhongli and the game.

"Yep. Surprised you remembered me, Ganyu. How have you, Xiao and Hu Tao been?" Zhongli smirked as he easily evaded a throw from Childe. "You need to try harder than that, darling."

"You got it babe." Childe grabbed another ball. Everyone was staring at the two.

"Since when did you...?" Baizhu, who was tending to his snake, stopped. His expression was that of amusement and a little trace of anger.

"Oh we're not dating. It's just a thing we have. I don't know how to explain it." Childe tried to explain while throwing a ball at Xiao, who dodged it with ease. Pantalone seemed to be on his edge as when he threw his ball, it hit both Ganyu and Hu Tao. But the hit was so strong that it literally threw the 2 girls back to the floor, causing several bruises and grazes. While Ningguang rushed to their aid, Beidou eliminated Pantalone for hurting others while playing a fair game. Several shouts of protest were heard but Pantalone agreed it was only fair. Meanwhile, Zhongli had managed to get out Dottore, Sandrome and Childe.

"At least it was by my princess and not that emo brat." Childe mocked disappointment as he sat next to Kaeya.

"Seriously bro, get some help." Kaeya scrunched up his face at Childe before focusing on the game again. There was a long intermission where no one got out. Finally, Capitano threw a ball at Zhongli. Caught by surprise, Zhongli grabbed it. The impact pushed him all the way to the end of the court, screech marks made by his shoes. Hu Tao dropped her water bottle in shock. No one had managed to stay this long on the court against all the Harbingers without Beidou. Ganyu caught it before any water spilled. Ningguang just had a look of fascination on her face.

"Ningguang, don't you dare use him for your modeling." Venti leaned towards Ningguang's ear.

"Capitano out! Ganyu in!" Beidou motioned for the grumpy male to get out of the court as Ganyu jogged to rejoin her team. Now it was just Ganyu, Xiao and Zhongli against Pierro. Xiao got hit in the head quite hard. The noise from the impact sounded like wood breaking. Zhongli ran to catch the boy and gave him to Aether. While he was distracted, Pierro hurled a ball at him and Ganyu yelled a warning, to which Zhongli caught it again, to everyone's surprise. And with that, the Liyuens won this time.

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