𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐀 ✮ 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄

6 ✧

Though the boy looked a bit different from when he last saw him. His deep blue eyes were glassy, like he had been crying, which explains why the outer corners of his eyes were red. The Harbinger's hair was disheveled, as if he just got out of bed. "I didn't notice you come in, maybe I really am getting old.." Zhongli muttered. "She is still unconscious." He revealed to Childe, who's eyes lit up for a second. "Ah.. that's .." The Harbinger couldn't finish his sentence. Why was he acting like this? He's supposed to be a harbinger, feared on the battlefield. Instead, in the presence of the Geo archon, he's fatigued and vulnerable.

Zhongli gestured him to come have a seat on the couch, and Childe did, while Zhongli settled in the lavish armchair opposite to him.

"What made you like this?" Zhongli gestures towards his appearance. "My own guilt" Childe answered. "I heard you went on a mad slaughter. You destroyed all the ruin hunters in Liyue, along with the ruin guards.. and you fought off multiple hilichurl camps.. you made the Mililleth look like toddlers."  Zhongli folded his arms. "The people of Liyue have your thanks-"

"I didn't do it for Liyue."

Childe interrupted. "Then who did you do it for?" Zhongli questioned him. Childe didn't answer.
"(y/n)? don't you remember what you did to her?" Zhongli asked him, and his expression darkened, thinking back to when he saw her body as a result of his doing, pale and helpless. "Please don't.." The boy hid his face in his hands. "Why are you acting like this? haven't you killed multiple people? what makes her different?" Zhongli continued to interrogate him.  Why does the Harbinger seem so distressed? The archon knew that this wasn't his first time trying to murder someone. But if he only knew.. how dangerous it was to have the two together. "You're a disappointment. Not only did you almost kill my student, but you destroyed my trust." His voice rose, his tone growing colder.

"It was your own fault for trusting a Fatui Harbinger."

Childe revealed his face again, his eyes staring into Zhongli's golden ones.

"I had agreed to take up a mission by Tsaritsa.. she wanted me to kill this girl.. who goes by the name of (y/n).. and she's the adoptive daughter of a blacksmith in Liyue harbour, and has connections with you." He confessed with a heavy sigh. Childe glanced up at Zhongli, who's jaw clenched, a piercing glare present in his eyes. Even though the older's back was against the moon, the only light source they had, the harbinger felt chills go down his spine, as he felt the rage in those amber eyes.

"Tsaritsa told me I could do it, I was able to annihilate (y/n), like I had done to many others" Childe broke away the eye contact. He got up and walked over to the windowsill. "Why did you do it?" Zhongli asked the boy. "I thought it would be simple. Clearly it wasn't.. but she did put up quite the fight." Childe answered. Zhongli could sense the hint of triumph in his voice.