Double Trouble Disco Dance

19

"What is the meaning of this?" The door slammed shut behind Tartaglia as he stepped forward into the bed-chamber. Instead of dragging the look-alike out, he grabbed Zhongli by the hair and pulled him off of the bed. 

Childe wasn't fully awake yet. He heard muffled noises next to him but his eyes weren't seeing what was happening. Tartaglia's hands were still on Zhongli's head, his foot smacking him in his torso repeatedly. 

Childe's eyes snapped open and he stood up, his robe slightly dangling over his shoulder. He stared with vengeful eyes at his duplicate. 

"You've turned my spouse into a whore," Tartaglia seethed, pulling Zhongli's head back further. It was all Zhongli could do to keep his patience. If he'd had his way, he would be bathing in the blood of this foul man. But, considering Childe's reservations about his identity as Ajax, he didn't want to make any reckless moves. 

"I have tried my very best," Childe spoke with an eerie coolness as he stepped forward, "to treat you with the respect your title deserves." Childe curled his hand into a fist and punched Tartagia right in the face. He stumbled back, releasing his grip on Zhongli and pressing his fingers on his cheek. 

"I will have you slaughtered," Tartaglia snapped. 

"No," Childe reached over and grabbed the decorative sword hanging on the wall. He unsheathed it and ran his finger along the edge, believing full and well that Tartaglia wouldn't keep these for show. He was right. "I will slaughter you," his eyes appeared to glow in their unbridled rage. He stepped forward and ran the tip of the sword along Tartaglia's torso, tearing through his clothes and damaging his skin. Blood pooled out of him as his insides were barely stuck in place. He held his stomach, falling to his knees. 

"You won't get away with this," he coughed blood, trying to piece his innards back together. 

"Quite frankly, I don't give a damn," Childe held the sword up high and with a swift motion struck his neck. He bleed profusely, clinging to two places at once, but his vocal cords were shattered, making him unable to scream for help. Tartaglia's body fell to the side, bleeding even after the life had escaped his eyes. 

Childe dropped the sword and knelt down in front of Zhongli. He grabbed his shoulders, examining him. "Are you alright?" 

Zhongli reached up, using the sleeve of his night robe to wipe away the blood on Childe's face. "Are you? You've essentially committed treason-" 

Childe cupped Zhongli's face and kissed him. Although surprised, Zhongli moved his hand up to the base of Childe's neck. He pushed his face further into his. Childe lost his balance, falling back onto the blood-soaked floor. He felt the liquid on his hands and turned, forgetting all about Tartaglia's body, he startled himself. 

"Your Majesty," Zhongli soothed, picking him up off of the floor and holding him close. "Why are you getting so worked up about an intruder's death? You've valiantly protected your spouse from this cruel look-a-like." 

"But..." 

"Shhh," Zhongli soothed, pressing his finger to Childe's lip. "We must get our stories straight if we are to avoid further incident." 

"Head Secretary to see His Majesty," announced one of the servants. 

Childe panicked, looking toward Zhongli. "Let him in, he is trustworthy," Zhongli assured. 

"Enter," Childe spoke normally. 

The door opened and the stench of blood wafted into Scaramouche's nose. He entered quickly and shut the door behind him. "What is the meaning of this?" he gasped, looking at the body on the ground and the two in each other's arms. 

"I...I did it," Childe confessed. He breathed in and breathed out multiple times before returning to that calm state of before. "That man did not deserve to live any longer. He was not useful to anyone and was unfit to rule in the first place."

"I'm not saying I disagree," Scaramouche stepped over the puddle of blood as best as he could, "but this was not the time or the place to do such a thing," he frowned. "How do you expect to take care of the body? What if someone saw? Did you not think before making such-" 

"No," Childe shook his head. "No, I didn't. I saw His Highness getting hurt and..."

"You've got him wrapped around your little snakey finger," Scaramouche shot a glare. "What is this empire coming to?" he rubbed his temple. 

"You talk too much," Zhongli stood up, assisting Childe in the process. "Make the announcement that there was an intruder look-a-like in the palace. No one need know more than that. Now, I shall assist His Majesty to the bath." Zhongli exited while supporting Childe's body every step of the way. 

"What do I look like?" Scaramouche grumbled to himself. "Some type of cleanup crew?" 

"Do you want me to answer that honestly?" Zhongli snickered.