𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒆 𝑿 𝒁𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊 𝑶𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒔!

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐀𝐮

Small footsteps echoed throughout the long hallway as the boy walked through it. It was very white but it was no ordinary hallway. It was awfully luxurious with bits of gold and clean marble floors. At the end of the hallway was a door. It was definitely not the average size for a door. It had two openings and it had many carvings and patterns on it. The boy stood outside of the doors and knocked on them.

"It's Alatus." The boy said. "Come in." It was a deep voice that came from the other side of the door. One that 'Alatus' knew very well.

"We got another request." Alatus slowly walked to the man and placed a paper on his desk. "I've never heard of this person." the man said, inspecting the paper again. "They said they would give us almost thirty thousand. It's way higher than any i've seen" Alatus shuffled through some more papers and held out a fancy document. "This is the contract. Just sign this and we could get the money. We sure could use it" The man sighed and got his pen from a drawer and neatly signed his name. 'Zhongli.'

"Tell everyone about this and tell them to start searching. If you find him, let me know." Zhongli rested his head on both of his hands and Alatus nodded, making his way out of the office.

Zhongli looked back at the paper that he was given. Someone wanted this man in the picture captured for unknown reasons but once they handed him over it wasn't their problem anymore.

"Ajax, is that really you?"

He took the paper and crumpled it into a ball throwing it into the trashcan behind him.

————-

"Zhongli are you okay?" a playful voice said over his shoulder. She was medium height and had two long ponytails that were brown. She also wore a black hat that had flowers and a gold plate in the front. "Mhm, what makes you say that i'm not okay?" the other brunette responded. "You seem out of it- Oh! another customer. can you get that ,old man?" Hu Tao skipped away towards her office and Zhongli was left to attend to the customer.

"Hello, welcome to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. How may I help you?" Zhongli said plainly. He has said it so many times he could recite it in his sleep. "Um, i'm here to register some people-" the person said. Zhongli looked up and his eyes widened. He looked identical to Ajax; he was sure of it. "erm, sorry for your loss- Can I get your name?" Zhongli started to write down information but he was curious. "It's Childe." The ginger said with a small smile. "I see. Just sign these papers and we'll get them registered by tomorrow." Zhongli said with a sigh. "Thank you!" He signed some of the papers. "Oh wait, this one too." The document looked a little different than the others but it got signed with no problem. The ginger gave a little wave and exited the funeral parlor.

Zhongli exited the customer desk and made his way to Hu Tao's office. On his way there he took out the odd document he made the other sign and folded it, sticking it in his neat brown overcoat. Zhongli opened the doors to her office revealing Hu Tao scrambling through her office papers. "Oh Zhongli! How did it go??? Why are you smiling?" Hu Tao stood up and raised an eyebrow. "He just wanted to register some people, it went well, and I'm not smiling." Zhongli rolled his eyes and Hu Tao sighed.

"You're a simp for a guy you haven't met!" She tried to continue. "I know him." Hu Tao stared wide eyed and smirked. "Did you date or something??? Tell me!" 'I fucking wish' "What? No!" Zhongli was all flustered and he couldn't hide it. "Awww!! a little mafia boss getting flustered over an old friend. That's cliché" Zhongli covered her mouth and face palmed.

Hu Tao was also a part of Zhongli's mafia. She was Yanfei's girlfriend who is the mafia's lawyer if they get caught or anything. She is well known so having her on their side is a plus. Hu tao would handle dead bodies since she was pretty good with them already considering the fact she works at a funeral parlor. "Did Xiao tell you about the new request?" Hu Tao nodded. "I think that was him." Zhongli pulled the paper out of his pocket that he had signed last minute. "This is a contract I made the other day and I managed to get him to sign it" Hu Tao took the paper and covered her mouth.

"You sneaky bastard, that's why you were smiling."

———-

It was a usual night at the base for today but Xiao was missing. Usually they would all have dinner together and talk about their other lives other than their mafia ones. "Keqing can you pass me a bowl?" The purple haired girl nodded and it was handed to a woman that was in her early 30's. She had long white hair and she would have been mistaken for Zhongli's wife due to her golden attire.

"Morax, come here for a second. Please." a monotone voice could be heard outside of the room and Zhongli stood up from his chair and walked towards the voice. "Yes?" Zhongli furrowed his eyebrows and Alatus led him to one of the spare rooms. "I found him. He's knocked out in that bedroom." Alatus bowed a bit and then walked back to the dinner room.

The brunette opened the door revealing a beautiful room. It was small but rich in style. "Hm, Ningguang must have decorated this while I was away" He whispered to himself. Beside one of the walls was a queen size bed. It was simplistic and the bed frame matched the room's aesthetic. But one thing caught his eye, The ginger knocked out laying on the floor. "Damn Xiao, at least put him on the bed"

Zhongli picked up the man and placed him on the bed. There was a little bit of shuffling and the brunette jumped a little. The man sat up and put his hand on his head. "What the fuck- You're the guy from the funeral parlor!" Zhongli took a deep breath and explained the request to capture him. "So you're using me for human trafficking?" Childe said, rubbing his forehead. "Is that really all you got out of that?" Childe nodded. "And you don't remember me at all. The Fatui really brainwashed you huh." An awkward silence was present in the room until Childe decided to speak.

"I know who you are Zhongli. I remember you I couldn't forget you. After all those times in school- I don't even know anymore." Zhongli's eyes widened

"Well you're welcome then."

"For what?"

"This"

Zhongli pulled out the piece of paper and gave it to Childe to unfold. "It's better than giving you away, don't you think?" Childe had his hand over his mouth and a confused expression on his face. "Damn, you really got me to sign this" Childe laughed a little.

"Well, since its our little contract you can't break it.. You're mine now."

you obviously know what happens next
-
(1213 words)

Okay so like if you need context because this one shot was confusing here you go:

Zhongli is a mafia boss and he gets a request to capture childe and give him to the requesters BUT since they were besties for the resties in school and Zhongli recognized him he was like no ill get him out of the trafficking and do something instead so what a coincidence that he comes to register people at Zhonglis day job, the wangsheng funeral parlor and while childe was registering (signing stuff) zhongli slipped in his own little contract saying that childe would be his and no one elses because hes just like that ANYWAYS then xiao finds him somewhere idk gets him to the base and then zhongli sees childe in a room explains the contract then obviously at the end they do the no no what do u expect