This isn't real

Teucer, Anthon and Tonia

"Oof! Sorry sir." A little ginger with eyes that reminded Zhongli of noctilucous jade, bumped into him. So it seems he was not completely invisible.

"Teucer! Wait up!" A girl and boy, slightly older but also gingers, rounded the corner and the three kids came into full view.

"Tonia! Anthon!" The boy who Zhongli assumed was Teucer ran to his siblings.

"Um...may we help you sir?" The older boy stared at Zhongli with his green eyes. Zhongli began weighing his choices. Either leave with no explanation or say something. These were kids after all, not adults or potential suitors. So, with as much courage as he could, Zhongli opened his mouth and spoke for the first time in Snezhnaya.

"Y-Yes. D-do you k-know whe-ere the k-kit-tchen is?" His voice was still hoarse from all the coughing. He immediately realized this and hid his flushed face behind his sleeve.

"Oh my. Are you alright? Your voice is all scratchy." The girl walked forward and placed a hand on his forehead, going on her tiptoes to reach it. Zhongli nodded and coughed slightly. Definitely not what he wanted. He didn't want to have any more trouble with Snezhnaya and becoming friendly with the royal children did not help either.

"I don't think so. Follow us. We know a remedy. Also, I'm Tonia and that is Anthon and Teucer." The girl gave him a bright smile. Now he could not say no.

"Zhongli." He briefly stated and followed the three kids to the kitchen. Zhongli loved kids. And besides, he had four himself as well as five younger siblings. When they reached the kitchen, Tonia opened a few cupboards and then pulled out a small bottle.

"Here. Drink this." She poured out a bit of the brown cough syrup, he presumed, and handed the silver spoon to him. The brunette muttered a thank you before drinking the liquid. He winced at its medicinal taste as he swallowed it.

"T-Thank you. I feel better." -Z

"We're happy to help Mister Zhongli!" Teucer smiled brightly at Zhongli. He smiled up at Zhongli, showing the tooth gap he had. Zhongli let out a small smile himself as he thought of Hu Tao when she was younger, before she became so over obsessive with death. Zhongli just ruffled his hair and headed further into the kitchen.

'"So, if you do not mind, do you mind telling me why you're here?" -Z

"Well, Prince Tartaglia is our older brother. I presume you have met him?" -To

"Is he that one ginger?" -Z

"Yes! He always plays with us and takes us to cool places! Big Brother is the best!" -Tu

"He seems like a nice person. So far all he's done is make fun of me." -Z

"Aww don't say that. He probably doesn't know what you really are like, he does believe most rumors." -To

"You're right Tonia. Also, how do you feel about having a snack?" -Z

"Oh you don't have to. We were just helping you." -At

"I know but I also came here for a different reason." Zhongli immediately took out an apron and tied his hair up. He began to look around the place for ingredients and he laid down a bottle of milk, almonds, tofu, sugar and a pot full of water.

"Thank you sir." Tonia bowed and smiled at Zhongli.

"It's my pleasure to cook for anyone. I guess it's a Liyuen thing." Zhongli had dished out four plates of warm almond tofu.

"What's this?" Anthon looked curiously at his plate.

"Almond Tofu. It's my son's favorite." Zhongli smiled fondly at the memory of the first time Xiao tried Almond Tofu. That was the first of the very few times he smiled. He could remember the way his dull golden eyes at the first bite. He waited for one of them to try the food, aware of their cautious behavior. At long last, Tonia tested the waters.

"Mmmm...it's delicious. Thank you." She had taken her first bite and was enjoying every bit of it. Just like Xiao, her eyes lit up and she smiled. With this reaction from their sister, the two boys also ate it and they too enjoyed it. Zhongli sighed with relief at their reactions and ate his own plate. Once they were done and cleaned the place, Teucer asked his dear sister a question.

"Tonia, you remember that waterfall that Big Brother took us to? The one with the frozen trees and the ice cold water?" -Tu

"Of course I do. Do you want to come with us?" -To

"Umm...no thank you. I wanted to wander around Snezhnaya. It is going to be my second home after all." -Z

"That's alright. We'll be waiting for you when you get back. And I highly recommend the frozen lake behind the castle." -At

"I appreciate your suggestion." -Z

He said goodbye to them and exited the kitchen and found a little side entrance. Zhongli got outside the palace with little to no hassle and took a short walk around Snezhnaya. As he walked down the town, the whispers of the towns people did not evade him. Despite him being royalty, no bodyguard had accompanied him much to his delight. Yet that made him all the more an easier target of these hateful words. However, he met several kids, which brightened his day immensely and when he got back, he was greeted by Tonia, Anthon and Teucer.

"How was your walk?" -To

"Weird. But I enjoyed it. People kept staring and whispering at me as I played with a few of the village children." -Z

"Are you famous?" -Tu

"I think so? I mean, I am Prince Rex Lapis after all." -Z

"Wait. So your who big brother keeps rambling about!" -At

"I beg your pardon?" -Z

"He keeps talking about you and how bratty you are and how much he hates you. But you aren't like that at all. Guess he was wrong." -To

"Is that so?" -Z

"Yes it is. I apologize on our brother's behalf." -At

"Do you want to dine with us? It would be really cool if you could talk to Big Brother!" -Tu

"I wouldn't mind at all. Meeting them again wouldn't be that bad." -Z

"So you already met them? They may seem mean at first but they are nice when you get to know them. Well, it will definitely take some time." -To

"Thank you for this information. How about we all change and then we meet in front of the kitchen?" -Z

"Great! See you soon Mister Zhongli!" -Tu

They went their separate ways and changed into something a bit more formal. They met up at the kitchen and they made their way to the dining hall.

"I'm telling you Childe! We don't know where they are!"

There was yelling from inside and they heard a crash. From the slightly open door, Zhongli could see Prince Tartaglia raging as he picked up the chair and hurled it across the room.

"Oh no. We made him worry." Tonia slowly backed up in fear. Her little brother had other ideas.

"We're here big brother!" Teucer grabbed both of his siblings' hands and ran to his brother and hugged his knees.

"Oh thank the archons you guys are alright." Childe turned around and hugged his three little siblings. When Zhongli saw that, it reminded him of his family back home in Liyue. Tears began to well up in his eyes but managed not to cry.

"We're fine Big Brother. We were with Mister Zhongli most of the time." Anthon indicated towards the half open door. Zhongli was standing there only half revealing his face. Zhongli gasped softly at the sudden attention and turned around to leave. He then went back to the kitchen and just made more almond tofu for himself. Meanwhile, the fatui harbingers were standing there, actually surprised that what the doctor said was true. Childe stared at the place now empty with the geo prince's absence, guilt burning his throat slightly. Tsaritsa noticed this and called their attention to the food. Once done, Childe had to pass by Zhongli's room on his way back from his siblings' rooms. He peered inside to see what was happening and found the brunette fully awake and staring out the window. But he didn't want to intrude so he silently closed the door and went to his own bedroom.

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