Double Trouble Disco Dance

27

A great dragon circled around Childe, wrapping him up in his body. He ran his hands along the sides of his scales. They were cool to the touch. The dragon turned his head, staring at Childe, he asked: "Are you not afraid?"

"The only thing I'm afraid of is losing you," Childe hugged his body as best as he could, resting his cheek on his scales. 

"What do you believe happens when someone dies?" The dragon's tongue poked out of his mouth as he spoke. It was forked and a similar shade to his scales. 

"I don't know, but I would like to think we'd be reborn and fall for each other all over again. And endless cycle." 

"Hm, I'd like that." 

"What is your name? I've never asked." 

"Morax." 

"Morax?" Childe reached up to pet the dragon that wasn't there. He opened his eyes, confused. The dream had felt too real to be fake. Almost like his memories of being pushed down into a hole by Tartaglia. His head hurt, trying to think of what happened. He frowned, bringing his hand back down to his face. 

Zhongli's body was wrapped around him. His leg over both of Childe's with his arms holding him. His scaley patches had grown overnight and a forked tongue slithered in and out of his mouth as he lightly snored. 

"The dream must be getting to me," Childe sighed. 

"What dream?" Zhongli's eyes fluttered open. He rubbed one with the back of his hand. "Ah," he looked down at his hand, noticing the scales had traveled further, and his nails were longer. "I'll need to wear gloves. Are they on my face yet?" 

"No," Childe shook his head. "Your eyes look as if they're glowing though." 

"Oh?" 

"Will you promise me something?" 

"What is it?" 

"Will you take me with you when you go?" 

"Are you asking to die with me?" 

"I asked you to promise you would let me." 

"Hm," Zhongli closed his eyes. "I'd rather not but I imagine you wouldn't let me say anything but yes." 

"Will you be okay? These changes don't make you want to prey on a thousand humans do they?" 

"Hah!" Zhongli laughed, covering his mouth to keep himself from laughing too hard. "The only one who might feel any side effects would be you," he pointed and pressed his finger against Childe's chest. He moved his finger down. 

The two leaned closer to each other to kiss but before their lips could touch a loud knock resounded on the door. "Chief Secretary to see His Majesty," the guard spoke. 

Childe ruffled his hair and stood up. Zhongli lay down on the bed and moved the covers over himself, hiding his changing body. "Enter," Childe stated, crossing his arms. 

Scaramouche entered and closed the door behind him. He took one look at Childe and immediately wanted to strangle him. "Do you realize how foolish you've been to try and threaten the entire world because you were...were what? Just annoyed about them all being here?!" 

"You've been holding that back for a few days," Childe laughed. "I thought you'd scold me sooner. Unfortunately, these empires and kingdoms and whatever else," Childe waved his hand dismissively and sat on the bed, "they mean little when facing the end of the world."  

"End of the- are you drunk?" 

"No, I'm not sure why I said that..." Childe closed his eyes and immediately saw Morax's face staring back at him. Because it's true. This time it's going to be more than just protecting Liyue. 

"Great, we replaced the emperor who loved to torture with the man who has lost his marbles," Scaramouche gestured to Childe. "What is it this time?" 

"The end of the world," Yae Miko appeared.

"Holy-" Childe flushed, covering himself with his robe as much as he could. 

"Oh relax, sweetie, it's nothing I haven't seen before," she winked, lifting up her pink ears. 

"Are you the fox?" Childe ran around the bed and crouched down, hiding behind Zhongli's body making a small mound on the bed. "You're the pink fox?! We hunted you! Are you here for revenge?! I treated you like a pet oh gods!" Childe hid his face in the blanket.  

"He's rather adorable," Yae Miko chuckled, flattening her ears again. "I've always thought so. Should I seduce him myself?" 

"If only you were interested in men," Scaramouche blurted out and then covered his mouth. 

"Oh?" Yae Miko raised an eyebrow. 

Scaramouche forced a laugh for pleasantries' sake. 

"You're a little like her, you know?" Yae Miko smiled. 

"Like who?" Childe stood up. 

"The Raiden Shogun," Yae Miko replied. "Now, please heed my words, Chief Secretary. The end of the world really is upon us and unless we can unite these three stupidly stubborn kingdoms it might really go up into flames." 

"What makes you so sure?" 

"I have prophecized it," Yae Miko held out her hands as her eyes glowed purple. "Despite how I may look, I am a shrine maiden." Flickering purple lights stretched out of her hands to form a visual image of her prophecy. "A meteor, bigger than ones we've seen before, is headed this way in about a week." 

"Only a week?" Childe held his head. 

"Let's begin our negotiations, hm?" Yae Miko suggested. "Try speaking to the envoys and creating a plan." 

"Is this why you finally got the Inazuman envoy to come despite having been here for a while?" Scaramouche crossed his arms. 

"Who can say?" she smiled.