Can't Stop Loving You | Childe x Zhongli | Genshin Impact [COMPLETED]

Arc 3: Chapter 27: Betrayal

Childe felt someone tackling him. He was dazed for a little, wondering who actually managed to sneak up on him like that. Though he supposed it was a good thing because a bullet flew past him.

"Get up." Zhongli said hoarsely, scrambling up as he tried to pull Childe up. Tartaglia's question was answered. Still, he didn't have much of a choice. He was yanked up and they both started sprinting. Childe knew better than to stay and fight. He certainly was not going to die to the fatui that seemed to have gone nutters.

The two fighters managed to out run the fatui easily, but Childe glanced back and he felt chills run down his spine. A man in purple smirked at him expectantly, as if he knew that Childe would have to return soon. Unfortunately, Tartaglia knew it as well. If the fatui wanted him dead, he didn't really have much of a choice. Childe couldn't run away. His family in Snezhnaya would be killed.

The duo slowed down a few minutes after the fatui disappeared from sight. Before Childe could do anything, a spear was pointed at his throat.

"You are going to tell me what is going on and how do I stop it." Zhongli commanded.

"Oh how the tides have turned. What makes you think I'd tell you anything, Rex Lapis?" He asked, holding onto his injured shoulder.

"Because I will kill you right here, right now."

"What's the difference? I'll probably die anyway."

Zhongli paused and Childe knew he had won. It almost seemed like nothing could convince him. Almost. "I will help you. We call a truce for now. When we find whatever it is, we will fight for it. If you win, you can take it."

Tartaglia raised an eyebrow. Finding the core would certainly put him back in the fatui good graces. "Fine."

"A contract has been made." Zhongli said, glaring sharply at Childe, "you better not break it."

"Pff. Not like I can." It just meant that Tartaglia would have to do some underhand tricks to get what he wanted. He didn't like plotting and scheming but he would do it if he had to.

Zhongli eyed him one last time and lowered his weapon. "I'll go get some firewood. You, find a way to start a fire." He left without another word. Once he was gone, Tartaglia sat down on the frozen grass and sighed quietly. Amazing. Now he was stuck with his ex and had to find whatever Scaramouche wanted, defeat the warrior god and hand the item to the seventh harbinger as soon as possible.

Either way, he set off to start a fire as Zhongli had asked him to. He found a few pieces of wood nearby and used them to create a shaft and a tinder nest. Childe winced softly as he started spinning the wood, trying his best to get a fire starting. It was irritating that most of his supplies were back at the fatui camp where he could no longer return to. He could only barely move his right shoulder. A couple minutes in, Childe threw the wood on the ground in frustration. How much would it take for him to freeze in the cold? He would very much rather freeze to death than deal with the bullshit he was in.

Just then, Zhongli returned with some wood that could be used as fuel for the fire. He raised an eyebrow at the failed attempt at making a fire and then back at the harbinger. He sighed softly and went over to do it instead. Zhongli had thought that Tartaglia would have some match sticks in the small pouch he had with him.

He carefully grew the fire and stuck some of the wood he found to fuel the bright orange flame then tried to melt his frozen bottle so they had some water to drink. Zhongli stayed near to the campfire but he noticed that Tartaglia just hung around, far away from both himself and the fire.

"Will you come over?" Zhongli asked, feeling mildly irritated.

"..."

"Are you trying to freeze?" He asked again when he didn't get a response out of the harbinger.

"..."

Zhongli had no choice but to go over and drag Childe over. Tartaglia struggled and tried to swat him away but still ended up being pulled over. He had to admit it felt much better near the warmth. While he was used to the cold, he still very much preferred to be warm.

Tartaglia sat down, glaring at Zhongli for being forced over before glancing away. Then he felt something wet press against his wound and he winced, turning to see Zhongli using a piece of wet cloth. He hissed like an angry cat and pulled away, blocking his bloody arm from Zhongli.

"Really? You're acting really childish."

"So what?"

"How hard is it for you to just sit still? I don't care what happened in the past, survival matters most now."

"Hmph." Tartaglia fumed as Zhongli went over to deal with his wound. He tried not to wince when ever he touched his wound and scooted away immediately after the wound was dressed. He recognized the smell of the herb and couldn't help but feel relieved that the herb would probably heal his arm in a day or two. It also brought back some memories that made him rather sad. He missed those days.

They both remained silent for a while, Zhongli busied himself with getting some warm water. With his power, he created a clay pot to use to warn water and held it out expectantly for Childe. Tartaglia quietly manifested some water which Zhongli heated up in the fire that was dancing happily.

"Can you tell me what is happening?" Zhongli asked.

Tartaglia glanced at Zhongli to find his amber eyes staring at him. He broke off the eye contact immediately, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Childe didn't want to but he had said he would tell Zhongli what was happening. "Tsaritsa wants something that's here. Core of a dead dragon. I need to find it for her. No idea why Scaramouche is here and why they are trying to kill me." He summed up simply.

"Where do you think the core is?"

"Not sure. Something's up with the peak of the mountain so probably there. Info says that there are three shards that we need to find, then the way to the peak of the mountain will be open. That's all I have." Childe said.

They both fell silent again until Zhongli asked, "so... this is where you said you were going?"

Tartaglia readjusted himself uncomfortably on the log he was sitting on. Bringing that up reminded him of the argument they had and how they broke up. Tartaglia said some hurtful things and he was truly feeling guilty about it. He had no choice, with the fatui pressuring him, he had to do it. "Yes."

He could feel Zhongli's stare burning into him, he could almost feel the questions that were forming in Zhongli's head and he did not want to answer them. He stood up abruptly and manifested his bow. "Get some rest. I'll take the first watch."

Zhongli watched Childe walk away in silence, feeling confused and conflicted. Above all, he just felt hurt, why was Tartaglia hiding the reason behind everything from him?

A/N, I see some people talking about them divorcing in the previous chapter and I thought I should tell y'all that they weren't actually married. Just officially together.