DUTY | 𝗔 Chili 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗰 | GENSHIN IMPACT

2. Childe

Friday morning. 11:24AM.
Zhongli had a very disturbing night the day before, and felt completely out of it. He was having great trouble focusing on his work with the horrible pounding in his head. Perhaps he shouldn't have drunk so much at Wangshu Inn. He was sure he had come down with a fever, too. How wonderful.

"Mr. Zhongli, a customer would like to speak to you!"

Zhongli peered out to the front desk of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, wondering who would come to a funeral parlour this early in the morning. The ferry-lady walked inside with a young man. The man looked no older than 21, but no younger than 19. Zhongli could tell from his clothes and looks that he wasn't from Liyue. Perhaps he was Shneznayan? The young man had blazing orange hair messily arranged under a red mask.  Zhongli saw more than just fierceness and experience in his azure eyes and carefree smile. He saw something more malicious, a dark morbid urge. Hot.

"Mr. Zhongli? Zhongli?"

Zhongli snapped out of his thoughts of analysis to realise that the young man was now standing inches away from him, his hands cupping Zhongli's cheeks. The man abruptly swatted his hands off Zhongli's face, stepping back. Zhongli shook off his surprise and lead the man to his desk. 

"W-Welcome to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, as you've already heard, my name is Zhongli, a consultant here. How may I be of assistance?"

The man tilted his head innocently, not breaking eye contact. 

"Well, I'm here to register the death of a... close friend of mine." Said the male, without wavering. 

His calm, almost careless tone caught Zhongli off guard. He definitely didn't sound like someone who had just lost a friend, however, instead of further questioning it, Zhongli chose to continue with the business.

"Understood. I'd need their date of birth, birthplace, date of death, place of death, and occupation."

The airheaded younger male looked up to the ceiling of Zhongli's office, as if deep in thought, before retracting his eyes back to Zhongli.

"Ahh... His birth date was the 8th of July 1988, birthplace was the Saint Tsaritsa Hospital, date of death was yesterday.. the 15th of March, place of death was the Guyun Stone Forest, and his occupation was.. fatui hydrogunner." 

Zhongli internally gaped. He already had doubts about the male, and now, getting tangled with fatui? This guy was bad news. However, Zhongli chose to keep his mouth closed. He didn't want to judge a customer-- a stranger, by their choice of acquaintances. 

---
6:17PM



Zhongli had been zoning out multiple times throughout the day. He couldnt seem to maintain focus at the task at hand and seemed distracted. Hu Tao said, upon seeing him:

"Zhongli? Are you okay?" Without waiting for a response, she continued. "You don't look so well,  you should go home early. We can't have our consultant up and dying, now can we? Though if you do do think your death is close, you should reserve a coffin now! Staff members get 40% off~"

Zhongli got up unusually quickly, even catching Hu Tao off guard. 

"I'll be going then." He mumbled.

He quietly exited the Funeral Parlor without another word to his young boss. He now felt even dizzier, and felt as if he would faint. He stumbled over to a bench outside the parlour, taking a seat. He closed his eyes, letting the strong winter wind blow over his hot (THE OTHER KIND OF HOT) face.

"Uwaahhh.. finally, a familiar face!"

Zhongli tiredly lifted the lids of his eyes to look up at who dared to interrupt his tranquility, however, immediately, he wished he hadn't. In front of him stood the same orange haired young male, who was now flashing a dazzling smile at him. 

"Hi Mr. Zhongli! Oh, sheesh, it's already so late! Liyue's enormous, I was lost for a good half an hour, only to end up where I began! I believe I never got the chance to introduce myself. My friends call me Childe." The male gestured Zhongli to shake his hand. 

Zhongli, who couldn't quite comprehend, mindlessly shook his head. Childe then noticed Zhongli's dire state, and sat next to him on the bench.

"Liyue is really beautiful. Rex Lapis did a great job."

...

"You aren't from Liyue, correct?"

Childe looked at the exhausted male, who was now looking right back at him. 

...

"Haha! You got me. I'm actually Snezhnayan."

For a second, Zhongli felt a dark, malicious intent in the Snezhnayan's cold, emotionless expression.
...


....

"Mr. Zhongli are you- Oh shit."

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word count: 732

a/n
heeeyy tysm for reading this chapter, i hope you enjoyed!!!
again, feedback is welcome!