Double Trouble Disco Dance

13

Childe heard howling in the distance as he fell again. He looked up and his eyes greeted a giant many-tailed pink fox. "Are you...the little one?" The fox's eyes gleamed in the moon's light. He wondered if that was supposed to be a yes. The fox jumped down into the pit and nuzzled Childe's body, gesturing with her head for him to climb on.

"Have you come here to save me?"

... 

"Why did you come back?" Scaramouche gasped as Childe walked into the emperor's office. 

"There are some things I cannot leave behind for the emperor to abuse," Childe replied. 

"He is...sick. We will be needing you again," Scaramouche spoke quietly, glancing away. "I apologize for..." 

"It's not your fault. You were just following his whi-" Childe grabbed his head and winced. His entire body felt weak. Images flashed before him but he couldn't understand what they were implying. What was that child version of himself that he saw? In the corner of his eye, he saw it again. I'm sorry...Aja-

"Childe?" Scaramouche waved his hand in front of his face. "Are you quite alright? Please tell me you aren't becoming crazy yourself." 

"Something is off, yes, but I couldn't tell you what exactly." 

Scaramouche hesitated to speak. He opened his mouth and closed it many times. 

"Are you having trouble talking to the lowly clown, secretary?" Childe suppressed a laugh. 

"The royal spouse-" 

Childe grabbed Scaramouche's shoulders and gripped them tightly, shaking his body slightly. "What happened to HIghness? What's wrong? Tell me!" 

"The emperor planned to consummate his marriage after making sure you were out of the way..." 

Childe froze, releasing Scaramouche's shoulders as his hands still hovered over them. 

"The emperor fell sick halfway through the night and the royal spouse ran out. Once he returned to his room he has not left-" 

"You need to start with things like this!" Childe ran out of the room and toward Zhongli's bed chambers. He made it all the way to the door, nearly knocking on it, before remembering his face was the same as the emperor's. He held his face in his hands and sunk to the ground, resting his chin on his knees and curling over. 

"Shit," he muttered his curse. 

"Your Majesty?" a servant spoke. "Do you wish to see the royal spouse?" Childe stood up and saw the servant's pale expression. "He is not fit to see you, Your Majesty," the servant bowed. "Please allow him to rest." 

The door opened slowly and Zhongli stood in his night garments. They were disheveled and dirty, his hair all out of place, redness under his eyes. "Forgive my appearance, Your Majesty, I have not yet had time to make myself presentable..." his voice quiet and his eyes had lost their glow. "Is there something you require of m-" Zhongli glanced into Childe's eyes for a moment and noticed their color. He grabbed Childe's wrist and pulled him inside, closing the door abruptly. 

"Highness..." Childe reached out his hand. Zhongli was still facing the door. Childe's hand hovered over his shoulder, wanting to touch him but not wanting to remind him of Tartaglia. 

"'Highness'...." Zhongli repeated, turning slowly, "so it is you? My eyes do not deceive me?" 

Childe, unsure of what was happening, pulled out the compass he hid on his person at all times. "I'm sorry...it got damaged..." He looked at how dirty it had become. Zhongli slapped the compass out of his hand and it fell to the ground with a 'thud.' 

"Highness?" Childe wasn't sure what to say, he was positive Zhongli hated him now. Instead of slapping him or any other such thing, Zhongli leaped forward and hugged Childe, pulling him close as the two toppled over to the ground. 

"I never thought I would see you again..." Zhongli held him tighter still. Flustered, Childe hesitated before returning the embrace. 

"I never thought you would wish to see me again...not after I had heard about last night..." 

Without shifting his body, Zhongli moved his hand to Childe's face and placed it on his cheek. "You're different, are you not? A personality...or person entirely? That was what you could not tell me...or am I mistaken?" 

"I...am nothing but a commoner with the same face," Childe decided to tell the truth, unable to hide it from Zhongli any longer. "I was found and brought here to die via poison for the emperor's sake so they might determine his corrupt officials." 

Zhongli pulled away his hand from Childe's face and clenched it into a fist beside his head. "Do you mean to tell me...when you did not know my name it was genuine? Not a comment made to slight me?" 

"When I first met you, we were under the stars." 

"You are the one who enjoys stargazing?" 

"Only if you are the star..." 

Zhongli lifted his head from beside Childe's and gazed into his eyes. He glanced at his lips and moved in to kiss him but Childe lifted his hand to Zhongli's lips, preventing him from doing so. "I am..." his voice cracked, desperately wanting to kiss Zhongli but knowing still it was wrong, "I am not the emperor." 

"And I am not the emperor's spouse," Zhongli moved Childe's hand off of his lips and onto his cheek. He smiled, pressing his face into Childe's hand. "Our marriage has not been consummated." 

"But-" Childe's eyes widened. 

"He fell ill, nothing happened last night." 

"Still..." Childe glanced away. "I am not the emperor...and you are promised to him. No matter how terrible of a man he may be...it's death for both of us should anything take place." 

"Then," Zhongli leaned down to kiss Childe's forehead. "There is but one remedy for that." 

"Ehh?" Childe blushed, feeling Zhongli's lips on his forehead even after he had removed them. 

"Become the emperor."