Double Trouble Disco Dance

29

There is a legend of the god of Liyue. Before he gave his life to save the people, he had a lover gifted to him by Liyue Harbor. They say, after he died, that the lover went insane.

What happened to him? 

He could only mutter one phrase.

"Foul Legacy," Childe muttered, opening his eyes. 

"You've been strange, are you feeling okay?" Zhongli leaned forward in the carriage and grabbed Childe's hand. His scales had started appearing on the base of his neck. 

"We've barely formed together a plan. How could I be okay?" Childe sighed. "I shouldn't have left the empire. Scaramouche managed to find a reason to lock up Dottore for the time being but what will we do if something happens?" 

"Then you'll have to fix whatever damage is done." 

"But I can't do that if-!" 

"I won't lie to you and say that it will be okay," Zhongli shook his head. "I don't know if that will be the case." 

"Maybe the empress will have a better idea than all of us." 

"Oh, I doubt that, knowing her she will just want to throw a bigger rock at the meteor to intimidate it." 

"A bigger rock?" 

"The Jade Chamber," Zhongli chuckled. His chuckle turned into a cough and he grabbed his chest. His entire body faintly glowed a soft yellow. 

"Highness?" Childe grabbed his hands. "Are you okay?" 

"Get away!" Zhongli snapped, growling without meaning to. He pushed Childe and opened the door to the carriage, jumping out and rolling on the grass. 

"Highness?!" Childe followed after him, the driver not noticing the two had jumped out. 

"I told you to get back!" 

"I want to help you!" 

"You can't help-" Zhongli winced again, grabbing his chest as his nails grew even longer. His teeth as well. The scales rapidly increased their rate in covering his body. Childe looked away, the light blinding him. 

"Zhongli? Zhongli!" Childe panicked, running forward even though his eyes hadn't adjusted yet. "Zhongli? Where did you go?!" He fell forward, falling onto his face. He sat up to see a dragon's foot before his body. He placed his hand on the talon-looking toe. "Zhongli?" The dragon shifted his head to look at Childe. His breath warm on his face making his hair blow violently. 

You're not going to call me 'Highness' anymore?

Childe stared, unsure of if he was imagining the voice in his head or not. "It's you, right?" he asked. He felt stupid asking the question. Of course with those eyes it was Zhongli. 

"We have less time than previously anticipated." Yae Miko appeared at Childe's side. "This is proof. The strike may come at any minute. What do you plan on doing?" 

"Why do you always appear out of thin air?" Childe tensed. 

"I like to keep people on their toes," she smiled. 

Stay here. Zhongli continued to speak into Childe's mind. He started floating to which Childe jumped up onto his foot and clung to his arm. That is the opposite of staying here.

"I'm not letting you fly off by yourself so either put me on your back properly or be subjected to my screams from down here," Childe insisted. 

"Fiesty," Yae Miko snickered. 

I'll drop you.

"If you drop me, that's up to you." 

Tch. Zhongli moved Childe up to his head and plopped him down. Childe clung to the golden horn and watched as the ground became further and further away. 

"What's the plan?" Childe yelled at the top of his lungs in hopes that Zhongli might hear. 

There is no need to yell. 

"Oh," Childe nodded, feeling like an idiot. That was a frequent occurrence for him. 

You're right by one of my ears.

"I'm sorry."

Dvalin.

"The Mondstadt dragon of lore?"

He's the plan.

"I thought we couldn't convince him?" 

That's because he didn't want to reveal what he was.

"You're talking about Venti, right? Not wanting to tell anyone he was related to Dvalin like you are to Morax?"

You noticed his scales then?

"Did I guess correctly?" Childe smiled, resting his face against Zhongli's cool skin. "Flying isn't so bad. I wish you could've done this under different circumstances." 

Maybe in another life.

"Do you think there is a life like that? Where I'm not an emperor and you don't have to save the world?"

You weren't an emperor in this one eithe- Zhongli made a sharp turn and moved to face the sky directly. It's coming.

"The meteor?" Childe squinted and looked up at the sky. All he felt was a sense of dread. A gust of wind toward his right made him change his gaze. He stared to see another dragon with a multitude of wings and a certain redheaded king on his back. Zhongli swiveled and flew above, turning over so Childe would fall. He clung to the horn with all of his might but Diluc grabbed his legs and pulled him off. 

"What are you doing?!" Childe snapped, kicking with all of his might. 

"Repaying my favor."