Magician School for the Elementally Inclined

17

"After the ball, they postponed the announcement," Zhongli grabbed Childe's hand. "Today is the assembly for the new archon announcement. No matter what happens, please promise me you won't try to interrupt it again." 

"I'm not sure I can promise that..." Childe admitted. 

"Promise me." Zhongli squeezed his hand. 

"How much do you know?" 

"Promise me," Zhongli stepped forward, pushing Childe up against the wall. "Swear on my Geo Vision." 

"You're being so serious," Childe's voice cracked. "Okay, okay, I promise I won't cause a ruckus at the assembly." 

Zhongli breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." 

"Zhongli?" 

"What?" 

"How long are you going to pin me to the wall like this? We're in a hallway, you know?" Childe grabbed Zhongli's hips and pulled him closer.

"Pardon me," Zhongli's ears turned red. He shifted to pull himself away but Childe pulled him back. He kissed him and moved his hand up his back to his neck, pushing his face closer. 

"Just so we're clear, that wasn't because I was interested in tasting whatever food you had eaten," he chuckled, remembering Xingqiu's attempt to confess to Chongyun. 

"Is that so?" Zhongli smiled. 

"Great, lovely, wonderful, fucking fantastic," Scaramouche flung his hands up in the air. "Can you two get out of my way? We have an assembly to go to." 

"For a new student who didn't want to go here, you're a bit...studious?" Childe turned his head to Scaramouche. 

"You've stressed me out," Scaramouche pointed. "And now I need to know what the fuck the answer is." 

...

Oz stepped onto the stage after everyone had entered. Seating arrangements were not assigned so Childe was able to sit next to Zhongli. Oz cleared his throat and spoke up. 

"Due to the circumstances of a new member to the Electro House," Oz glanced at Childe, "an agreement was not made. Considering the divine beast for the Anemo House has not agreed to partake in discussions yet, Geo has become the first announcement as originally intended." 

Childe nearly snapped his neck as he turned his head to Zhongli. "No..." he muttered. 

Zhongli's lips curved upward slightly but his eyes looked as if he was going to cry. He held Childe's hand and intertwined their fingers. "It will be what it will be." 

Oz took out the scroll and began to open it but a crack appeared behind him as a large wolf the color of Geo House flew through. Oz, the poor teacher, panicked but remained frozen in that spot on stage. 

"Is that the divine beast of Geo?" Childe leaned closer to Zhongli to ask. 

"No, the Geo House divine beast is a dragon..." Zhongli replied. 

"It's a surprise to no one that these mortals are just as pathetic as they've always been," the wolf flew through the assembly hall, examining each student. "You wish to choose the archon out of this selection?" the wolf scoffed. 

"Golden Wolflord," a voice boomed from the roof and a golden light opened the ceiling. The face of a large dragon stared down into the assembly hall. "Do not step beyond your reach." 

"Is that-" Childe pointed. 

"Rex Lapis, the divine beast of Geo House..." Zhongli looked up. "A divine beast hasn't shown itself in quite some time. Why is it whenever you're in the room strange things happen?" Zhongli looked at Childe. 

"Maybe I'm unlucky? Or lucky in a weird way?" Childe laughed. 

"The next archon," Rex Lapis transformed into a moral form and glided down to the stage. The spot in the ceiling closed up. He grabbed the scroll from Oz's hands and opened it, holding it out for everyone to see. 

"Hey...I'm reading that wrong...right?" Childe grabbed Zhongli's arm and pointed. "I can't see," his eyes watered. "It's not you, right?" 

"Tartaglia," Zhongli grabbed his hand on his arm and removed it. "It's going to be okay." 

"Please, don't go...refuse...please," Childe insisted. 

"It's going to be okay," Zhongli repeated and stood up, making his way to the stage. He walked up the steps and towards Rex Lapis. 

"Do you accept the gnosis?" Rex Lapis asked. Zhongli nodded. Rex Lapis reached up behind his horn to grab the item that looked similar to a chess piece. The Golden Wolflord made his move and swept through the hall, attempting to bite Rex Lapis's hand for the gnosis. A golden barrier stopped him without Rex Lapis so much as looking. 

"Do you accept the gnosis?" Rex Lapis repeated, awaiting a verbal response. 

"Yes," Zhongli answered. 

Rex Lapis shoved his hand into Zhongli's chest to place the gnosis and then removed it. No wound remained. He then muttered an ancient spell to summon the memories of the previous archons. Once he was finished, he grabbed the snout of the Golden Wolflord and created another rift for them to walk through. He dragged him back into the unknown and silence filled the assembly hall. 

"He shouldn't have said anything," Scaramouche ran his hand down his face. "If he hadn't...I would've been chosen...but his interference caused the worst-case scenario..." he sighed. 

"Uhm...are you okay?" a guy with white hair and with a single red streak raised his hand to place it on his shoulder. "You've been muttering to yourself for a while now." 

"Ignore me," Scaramouche raised his hand to swat his away but the Anemo House student grabbed it. 

"Are you sure you're alright?" 

"Why are you so concerned?" 

"Because you're crying." 

Scaramouche raised his hand to his face and stared at his hand. "What? Such nonsense," he scoffed and stood up, exiting the assembly hall. The white-haired student followed him. "What are you doing? Stop following me!" Scaramouche snapped. 

"I don't want to leave you alone. And I have a name, it's Kazuha," he sped up to follow him. 

"Hmph, do what you want," Scaramouche huffed.