Genshin Impact - Wrath of a God

Past and Contract

The first thing Childe felt after returning to consciousness was this god awful pain that always followed his Foul Legacy transformation, the next thing that registered in his tired mind was the soft surface he was resting on, quickly followed by a soft humming coming from his left. Fighting against the pain and the exhaustion the ginger struggled to open his eyes. Slowly, oh so slowly, Childe blinked. Once, twice. By the third time they stayed open, even if the bright sun that fell through the open window burned like hell.

Just moments later the curtains were drawn and he could finally look around, no matter how sluggish he felt or how much the pain was bothering him. It was rather simple and yet lavish enough to make weaker people jealous. The furniture looked robust and solid, elegant with its engravings and rich brown colors and golden accents. Slowly turning his head Tartaglia saw tall shelves with way too many books and scrolls and many, MANY trinkets. Small unimportant things up to very old looking artifacts. If there was any doubt beforehand, he was now damn sure where he was. Steeling himself he turned his head the last bit and looked to his left, the direction the humming had come from, and lo and behold! There beside the bed sat no other but Rex Lapis himself!

But Childe quickly noticed some obvious differences to the other males usual appearance.

The first thing was his missing coat. He never saw the other without it, not even on the hottest days of a blazing Liyuen summer. Next were the loosened tie and the first few undone buttons of his shirt. But the most glaring thing would be his arms: black skin on his forearms that grew brighter the closer it got to the wrist, only to end in soft golden hands. The blackness looked rock solid (pun intended) and had what looked like golden veins running all the way up and under the rolled up sleeves. The poor boy ignored the fact that these arms looked so archon damned strong, the display from earlier not forgotten.

Looking up, the usually bright eyes seemed pensive and guarded, dull somehow. And no matter how much Childe was hurting, he doesn't like it. Like, at all. Wincing slightly he turned over, only now noticing the bandages wrapped around his torso and arms. Every movement hurt more like the last but he kept going until he laid on his side and could openly watch the other. At first there was silence, something strange between them and Zhongli's tendency to rant about almost everything. And then:

"You played me."

"I did."

"You used me."

A sigh "I did."

Amber eyes closed and golden hands clasped together, waiting. And Childe decided to take that one last painful step.

"You betrayed me."

This time the answer took some time and when it came it was almost inaudible.

"I did."

Having the confirmation doesn't do anything against the hurt or the new wave of rage. Doesn't help with that painful twitch in his breast or the strange feeling that's something similar to heartbreak. Before he could go on a rant however, the brunete started to talk.

"I told you I would explain. And since you are indeed awake now: will you hear me out?"

The last question was his invitation. It was his option to listen now or to just walk away.

Something told him that the second would be the more satisfying one, but his own need to know the 'why?' was way too strong to ignore. "Start talking then."

Zhongli rearranged himself on his chair, sitting down more comfortably, clearly getting ready for a longer talk than usual. Then he took another deep breath and reopened his eyes.