The Boy Who Cried Fox

We're done

"Here you go, Tartaglia." Pantalone chucked him a bag of mora. Taking the heavy coins in his hands, Childe was about to leave.

"We expect these shenanigans to end by this month." Capitano called after the retreating ginger. This month? They had been dating for five months already. But, what was their persistence in getting the two to break up? It wasn't like they were gaining anything.

"I see your hesitance. Look, if you don't, we will." Sandrome called after him. It was October and autumn was upon them. Childe walked around the hallways, trying to think of a way to tell Zhongli about everything and still keep their relationship the way it was. His thoughts were interrupted, however, when he heard a familiar voice.

"So, how have you been?" Baizhu was leaning against the lockers as his white snake was on someone else.

"Fine." Zhongli was playing with the snake. It seemed that they had made up. But Childe wasn't the one to forgive so easily. He stood not so far as their conversation progressed.

"I feel that you should have a talk with Childe." Baizhu looked up at the ceiling.

"Why's that?" Zhongli directed his attention from the snake to the man next to him.

"I don't think he really loves you. I'm not trying to criticize your love life but something feels off." Baizhu walked closer to Zhongli, faking concern in his voice. "I'm just looking out for you."

"I think I will talk to him. But for now, I have to go." Zhongli gave the snake back and walked off without taking a second glance. Childe scoffed as he heard all this. Yes, Baizhu and Pantalone were twins but he still couldn't help but feel that Baizhu didn't know about the bet. Ignoring this, Childe went to find Aether. On his way, Venti pulled him aside.

"Look, Childe, we are not sure if what we think is correct and we don't want to make assumptions but break his heart and you will suffer." Venti looked him dead serious in Childe's eyes.

"Best get it over and done with." Ei told him. Confused at what the two were talking about, Childe continued looking for Aether.

"Hey Childe." Aether waved at him.

"Sup Aeth. Did I miss something?" Childe was pointing at the dark haired boy wrapping an arm around him.

"Yes, you did. Me and Xiao are a thing now!" Aether went up and gave a small peck to the embarrassed Xiao.

"Well, congrats. Anyway, I wanted to ask about Lumine." Childe told Aether all about how she wasn't talking to him as much, every time she saw him, she would glare and the incident before he and Zhongli began dating.

"Oh yeah. I heard Lumine mutter a lot of nonsense about a bet." Kazuha recalled the time he found the girl on the floor of Aether's dorm, either crying or swearing.

"Wait...Thanks a lot guys! Got to go now!" Childe dashed off. Realization hit him harder than the time Lumine slapped him. As he ran to find the blonde girl, Childe recalled everything that had happened between them. Ever since he started the bet, Lumine had been either distancing herself or asking him if he loved her. She would always try to cover up the fact that she was not happy about them and how she didn't do anything. But he couldn't find her that day. October faded by and no sign of her at all. Until the very last week of the month.

"Childe?" Lumine was on the rooftop. She had been staring over the wire into the city.

"Did you or did you not start the bet." Childe advanced to her. He kept moving until they were only a foot away from each other.

"I don't know what you're saying..." Lumine immediately got anxious and began to shake a lot. Avoiding the question, she did several things, like hug him, run away and changing the subject but Childe continued pressing on the question.

"Oh hey Zhongli!" Lumine finally managed to distract the ginger when he saw Zhongli's half illuminated face in the doorway.

"No...no,no,no, this isn't what it seems like! Zhongli! ZHONGLI WAIT!" Childe ran after the brunette. This game of cat and mouse continued all the way to the dorms. Childe had finally managed to get a hold of Zhongli's hand and pulled him close. "Please, hear me out!"

"...Hurry..." Zhongli pushed away, tears seeming to leak out.

"We didn't do anything!" Childe protested.

"I can see that...you did..." Zhongli held up a bunch of photos of Childe getting handed money. Then, taking out his phone, there was a recording from Baizhu. And it was when he first got the money for dating Zhongli.

"Wait! Please! This is all a stupid misunderstanding!" Childe ran forward to Zhongli but he just pushed him back.

"Is this true?" Zhongli's voice was quavering.

"I have no idea what you're saying..." Childe was panicking.

"Is this true? Was our whole relationship just a stupid bet? Was I just another cumslut for you? Was I just another way to get money?" Zhongli was shaking so much that he felt his knees begin to give way.

"No, no of course not! I admit to the bet but I really do love you!" Childe grabbed him again and pulled him into a hug. Obviously, this was not enough. Childe felt a wet patch on his shirt and saw Zhongli crying into it. Thinking that everything was alright, Childe let go.

"We're done." -Z

Words: 928

Yeah, I'm going to skip a lot of things so the next chapters are going to be like what happens in a month.