It was very quiet. Childe was sitting across from Zhongli. The tension in the room was tight and uncomfortable.
Childe's hands were balled in fists, resting on his knees, he was hunched over, staring at the ground as the other man's eyes punctured holes into him.
He couldn't even move, let alone make a sound. He told Zhongli he'd confess but nothing was coming out. He was so fucked.
His body was resorting to all of his training. The years he spent being shaped into the perfect weapon. He couldn't break it, but he felt Zhongli's patience wearing thin.
He wished he could just die right now.
"I don't have all night. Childe."
The older man spoke bitterly, his arms and legs crossed. His posture still and straight. Gritting his teeth. He was getting very irritated.
Everytime Childe went to speak he just choked on air.
As another minute passed, he saw both of Zhongli's feet meet the ground as he stood from his seat. Hesitantly he looked up slowly. Met with a deadly glare, the presence looming over him made him choke back his words even more.
"There's no time for this. I see you've decided your fate." Zhongli said, his voice was quiet but not relaxed.
He turned and went to the bedroom door, where he opened it, called for his most appreciated, Xiao. As Hu Tao was busy at the moment. And of course Xiao responded immediately.
Coming up the stairs.
Childe pieced it together right away, standing hurriedly from his seat, looking around the room for anything.
His eyes darted over Zhongli's desk. What a mistake it was placing Childe in his office.
The young man rushed over, ripping open a drawer. Having memorized everything in the room when he was left in here alone. This was where Zhongli kept his scissors.
Digging through the pile of objects before Zhongli could react. He found them. A smile automatically plaguing the gingers face.
A warm sensation washing over his body, feeling happiness for the first time weeks.
But it didn't last long, looking over he noticed how quickly Zhongli was approaching him, looking even more angry than before. But of course that made sense.
His body acted quickly. He hadn't been able to properly use it for so long, he was just seeping with adrenaline. Holding the black and orange scissors firmly in his palms he saw how Xiao appeared at the door.
He was absolutely fucked, no doubt about it. But there was no reason not to try.
His attention drawing back to the older man who was right in front of him now.
Childe took the chance, swinging as fast and hard as he could at the older man.
When he wasn't drugged mindless, Childe was a very strong person, and his stamina was crazy.
He honestly wasn't expecting to hit anything but to his surprise, he was met with a warm liquid covering his hand and a groan from the man he swung at.
Fully taking the scene in, he had stabbed into Zhongli's left forearm. The dark liquid staining the older man's rolled up, button up white sleeves.
He had blocked the attack from his neck, but it seemed that this wasn't his first time being penetrated by a blade. For he faltered a bit before moving his other hand to reach at Childe. But the younger man ducked, Zhongli was much slower now, but that wasn't going to last long.
Childe quickly fell the ground, crouching low as he pushed past Zhongli, making him stumble.
Childe hurried across the floor and there was Xiao, but Childe didn't waste any time body slamming Xiao. He didn't have time for this, but he wasn't sure what else to do. Taking the man down. He was going to give at least one punch, but throwing his weight on top of the much smaller man seemed to be enough for a second. So he started to run again, looking back as he opened the door, watching Zhongli rip the scissors from his arm, blood spewing out the wound.
Childe cringed at the sight but shook it off and turned back around, rushing through the door.
He could hear Xiao and Zhongli behind him as he stumbled down the stairs, skipping a few steps, hitting the landing hard.
His knees gave out, haven't had used his body like this in a while, it was painful to say the least.
He groaned but forced himself up. Hurriedly going to the front door, struggling to unlock it for a moment but soon he got it, and he finally got outside.
The fresh air was suffocating almost.
And it was cold. He could see his breath.
Looking around, Childe stepped outside the house, he was barefoot, and the stone on the ground was so cold it burned his feet.
Childe stopped hesitating the minute he heard a voice behind him, and his legs moved on their own. Immediately darting back the way he vaguely remembers arriving from. His memory from the few couple days before he infiltrated Zhongli's home was hazy.
—
Running barefoot in the cold, as fast as he could. Childe passed a few people who gave him weird looks. The streets were slightly empty, as it was late.
He kept running and running until he couldn't anymore. Until his feet were numb and his chest stung. He stopped at the exit of the city, leaning against a shop wall, seeing a few people stare at him as he slowly lowered himself to the ground. Letting his body rest for a moment.
As he was about to get up, he saw a young woman approaching him.
She had dark blue hair tied into braids that looped behind her head, resembling the shape of a bow, or maybe, round ears?
Childe looked up at her, she wore a worried expression.
"Are you okay sir?" She reached her hand out, offering it to him.
Childe forced a smile then stood up slowly, not taking her hand.
"Yes I'm alright." He adjusted his clothes but it didn't make a difference to his slobbish appearance.
And the fact the bottoms of his feet were bleeding.
"You should come inside please, let me make you some soup!" She insisted as she grabbed Childe's arm, pulling him along while she unlocked the doors to a restaurant. She shut the doors behind them and turned on the lights.
"I just barely closed but it's okay! Just wait here." She instructed, patting the top of a table after setting the chair onto the floor.
Childe nodded, it was warm inside and smelt good, he wasn't going to complain. He sat down as he watched the young woman go to the back of the kitchen, pulling off her coat and gloves as she walked.
It was around twenty minutes before she returned. A smile on her face. Holding a big bowl, steam emitting from it.
She set it down in front of him.
"Enjoy!" She said cheerfully.
Childe smiled "Thank you! It smells so good."
He immediately started to eat. It was so flavorful and a little spicy. This is exactly what he needed.
The girl removed her apron and sat across from Childe.
"I'm Xiangling! My dad owns this restaurant but I mostly run it."
She explained. "What's your name?" She asked.
Childe stopped eating for a moment, wiping his mouth before speaking. "Oh, you can call me Childe.. this is really good.. I can't thank you enough."
Childe felt a little awkward. Normally he was amazing at socializing, but it's been weeks since he's interacted with someone other than his kidnappers.
Xiangling only laughed a little, waving her hand.
"No it's my pleasure!" She leaned forward a little, crossing her arms and resting them on the table.
She looked at Childe with curiosity.
"What were you running from? If I can ask?"
They made eye contact and all of a sudden Childe lost his appetite.
He set his utensils down and shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat.
"I-.. um, well, y'know I was seeing how long I could last running without shoes on in the cold. A true test of durability if I do say so myself."
Could his lie be any stupider? He mentally face palmed. Sighing ever so slightly.
The young lady giggled, standing up from her seat with a little more pep in her step than before.
"If you say so!" She quietly walked to the doors of the restaurant.
"Would you look at that, the rest of my guests are here, I better prepare something worth their wild." She grinned at Childe when he turned to look.
The tall figure was unmistakable, and he couldn't help but double over and throw up all the food he just ate.
Xiangling ignored the ungodly sight and left to the kitchen with her apron in hand.
As the glass door was opened, a soft chime of a bell rung throughout the building.
Xiangling called from the kitchen. "Make yourself at home! I'll be with you shortly!"
Zhongli stood in the doorway, hands in his suit pant pockets. Xiao looming beside him.
The older man was still in his bloodied shirt, but his arm was slightly wrapped up. It seemed like he had mended it himself in a hurry.
Childe stumbled as he stood, covering his mouth with his shirt, he felt like throwing up again. Through there was nothing too throw up.
He backed against the table making it rock, his soup spilling across the dark ocre wood.
"Why?" He cried softly, looking hurriedly around him as Zhongli walked towards him.
He could feel the fuming anger spilling from every crevice of that man.
"You should have kept running, little boy. Until every bone in your legs broke. Until you couldn't breathe and you coughed blood. Maybe then you would've had a chance to get away."
His voice was so soft. It was like honey pouring into Childe's open wounds.
The painful sensation of his blood mixing with it.
"I don't understand..." the ginger felt himself be pulled to the floor by an unbearable weight of gravity. He felt so weak. Why wouldn't this stop? Just for a moment. He asked as he looked up. Zhongli was standing above him now.
He just glared for a moment before pulling the chair back that was next to Childe's, sitting promptly after.
Xiao joined silently, sitting across from the brunette.
Just a few minutes had passed by when Xiangling emerged from the kitchen once again. Holding a tray filled with hot, delicious smelling food.
Childe sat on the floor, clutching his stomach, the smell only made him sick.
Zhongli smiled at the girl though, his legs crossed as adjusted himself to sit properly at the table.
Being served a savory plate of an assortments of food. And Xiao? Just some nicely plated almond tofu.
As the two thanked Xiangling, she pulled out a rag and started to clean Childe's mess up, looking at the man who only stared into space, gagging every once in a while.
She shook her head disapprovingly, handing the ginger the small towel, gesturing to him to clean his own vomit.
He looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed with an angry and confused expression.
"Why-?" He tried to ask but she interrupted.
"You see, Childe. You're in Liyue. And I'll have you know, Morax is loved by the people of his harbor and nation. Well the people who aren't criminals or evil. And when you come walking in, threatening the man who keeps us safe and the safety of us as people. We aren't going to let that happen. I've known about you for a minute." She shifted, crouching down as low as possible, her arms crossed on her knees that pressed against her chest.
"We are a place of god-fearing people, and Morax? He's the said god. So learn your place." She grinned big and stood up slowly, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Is your food to your liking?" She asked, the two men nodded and complimented her cooking.
Childe's ears started to ring, going back to staring into nothing, a tan rag in his right hand.
—
Childe continued to sulk on the floor.
But soon when Zhongli and Xiao finished their meals, Zhongli handed Xiangling the money for the food and paid a little more because Childe never actually cleaned his vomit up, and Zhongli felt bad for Xiangling.
The older man stepped towards Childe.
He bent over a little and grabbed the boys arms harshly, ripping him up from the floor.
Earning a grunt of pain, and a little resistance that didn't last long.
"Be good and I won't cut your feet off." He said roughly in the younger man's ear.
He was met with hesitant compliance.
Childe started to wash over with regret, he was so fucked. He was getting better with Zhongli. He was starting to trust him. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! He wanted to go home. He wanted to see his siblings and his parents. He wanted to beg at The Tsaritsa's feet for forgiveness. He wanted to cry..
He was dragged out by Zhongli and Xiao, who held his arms tightly. Tight enough to leave dark bruises.
Childe went wherever he was dragged, staring at the ground as every thought flooded his mind.
As the three men walked, Childe looked up, across the street he saw a familiar sight.
A mature woman with light blond hair, a red outfit and a grin.
He was shoved into the backseat of a black car without hesitation, Zhongli joining shortly after.
Childe quickly shifted to the seat next to the window, pressing his face to the glass, looking out for the woman he once saw.
But she was gone.
Childe cursed to himself, was he actually imagining things now?
He sat straight, looking down at the floor of the car. A distasteful look on his sickly face.
Xiao had gotten into the passenger seat, and the car took off in a different direction than where the house he originally was staying at was.
Childe was so confused and frustrated.
If he could do anything right now, it would be to kill all the mother fuckers here, and go home to some of his moms food, and the warmth of his siblings hugs.
He was silent as he thought about everything good.
———————
Notes:
Hi stinks
I just wanted to say sorry for the late update and if you have any questions please ask. I know my writing isn't the best and I suck at getting every little detail, so PLEASE if you're confused I'm so sorry, I'll try to explain w/o spoiling 🙏🫶 love y'all