DUTY | 𝗔 Chili 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗰 | GENSHIN IMPACT

16. Tartaglia

"Tartaglia, spit it out, now." Signora traced Childe's tied wrists with her finger, walking around the chair that he was tied to, then sitting down on her own, across to him. "I know that you know his identity."

Childe looked up at her. His eyes were sullen and the area around them sunken, his face looking weak. 

"Who's identity?" He spat, bitterly.

"Don't play dumb with me." Signora seethed, tapping the table separating the two impatiently. "You and I both know that I'm talking about Rex Lapis, that buffoon of a god, honestly. Walking around in plain sight? Ridiculous!" She scoffed.

Childe glared menacingly at her. 

"Don't talk about him like that."

Signora snapped her head towards him, her eyes wide from surprise and her mouth slightly agape, then immediately returning to her usual taunting smirk.

"So I've hit bullseye, I see. You'd only get worked up over like that over someone you truly..."

"Shut the fuck up, you bitch." Childe seethed.

"Oh, come on now, Tartaglia, I'm not particularly thrilled to have to spend HOURS of my precious time, arguing with pathetic vermin such as yourself, in fact, I'd rather talk to a brick wall, however, this is what The Tsaritsa asks of me. It's my duty, so play nice and comply now. I may not like you but hurting a fellow Harbinger is plain disappointing on its own." Signora leaned back on her chair.

----

'Knock knock'

Zhongli waited outside the apartment, impatiently tapping his foot against the marble floor.

At the continued silence, he gave the door a slight push, discovering that it was left unlocked. 

Stepping inside, Zhongli was greeted by pure white walls and grey tiled flooring. The main area of the house was quite empty, the living room consisting of nothing more than a plain, but expensive looking black leather couch, paired with a glass table with stacks of paper and a broken plant vase. Across the table sat an enormous bookshelf that took up the whole wall with a hollow space in the middle where a wide TV was attached. 

Looking around, Zhongli noticed that the plain, black and white house with its lack of decor and personalisation severely contrasted Childe's bubbly, sociable personality. 

Ah, that personality, that Zhongli missed so dearly.

Ah, those adorable facial expressions he made when he ate spicy food.

Ah, that messy shag of orange hair.

Ah, the wardrobe of grey clothing and red scarves.

Ah, that mask Childe always refused to speak about.

Ah, those deep, blue eyes, lacking any reflection, lacking... emotion.

Zhongli truly knew nothing about the mysterious male. Despite dating for months, he had never once been told the other's address, much less go to his home.

He had so many questions to ask the latter. He had to find Childe.

Zhongli found the door to Childe's bedroom, considering his actions before slipping inside.

Compared to the rest of the apartment, the bedroom was unkempt and messy. The red covers of the bed were carelessly thrown off, half hanging off the bed, the wardrobe doors wide open, clothes and boxes spilling out. 

Zhongli walked over to the closet, looking at the boxes messily thrown around the walk-in wardrobe, ignoring the rows of clothes and designer shoes. 

A particular item then caught Zhongli's eye. 

A half-open bag with arrows. The same arrows Childe's bow used. Next to the bag lay Childe's phone, which was left on.

Zhongli bent down, picking up the phone, which showed messages with someone who's name was saved as 'La Shitnora', and began reading.

'Meet me at *******. Better show up or I'll make you regret ever becoming a harbinger.'

Harbinger?

--

a/n

:keksweat: