Archon Quest: Custom Night [FNAF/Genshin]

Chapter 3: Tomorrow is Another Day

It took ages for Michael to come out of the bathroom. Elizabeth, Zhongli, and Childe took turns trying to convince him to leave, but he stayed ever stubborn. Eventually, he came out on his own accord, when the chatter inside the dining room finally ceased. It was empty, left over bowls and silverware soaking in the kitchen's sink. Relishing the quiet, Michael stood in the blue light of the moon and breathed softly. In the dark room, the moonlight caressed his face like a caring mother to a hurt child. He could still hear a few faint voices from outside, but he paid them no mind. For now, the world was a tiny square that was all his, enclosed to one tiny room.

After he calmed himself down, he joined the rest of the group on the pavilion. He heard the topic of conversation from inside Xinyue Kiosk and felt himself cautiously interested.

"...say, but they can stay with Childe and I for the night if they want. I've still got that 'holiday apartment', as Childe likes to call it," Kaeya finished, defeat written in his expression.

Kids are not my forte, he thought, glancing at Michael's bloodshot eyes. How was he supposed to help the kid? He barely had parents himself.

Yanfei bounced Elizabeth on her back, "That sounds like a good idea. Childe's the best with kids, anyway."

"Right, and does it look like I am?" Kaeya raised an eyebrow at the girl.

Smiling, she scoffed, "I don't think you'd be so bad."

He snorted out a laugh at Yanfei's comment, then reached out towards Zhongli, where a sleeping Evan lay soundly in his arms.

"Either way, we should go home for the night," he declared, ignoring the burst in his heart when Evan pressed his squishy cheeks into the man's shoulder, "It's late and I'm tired."

Yanfei and Zhongli nodded in agreement, for they were tired as well after the long day of surprises. The girl yawned as she placed Elizabeth on the ground, ruffling her hair after.

"What do you say we head to Wangsheng, Zhongli?" Yanfei asked as she watched a knowing smile grow across his face.

"To see your girlfriend? Sure," he joked, and Yanfei dragged him along by his sleeve, playfully rolling her eyes at his comment.

Elizabeth grinned, "Bye, Ms. Yanfei and Mr. Zhongli!"

"Have a good night!" Childe added, joining at her side, "Hey, Liz, can you hold my hand on the way to our place? Just in case I get lost."

Glancing at Kaeya and her two brothers who were already farther ahead than they were, she nodded, "Okay. But don't you know the way to your own house?"

"Listen, I said just in case. It's a precautionary measure," he shrugged, pulling her along, "Anyway, I have an idea..."

Michael ignored the hushed giggles behind him. He looked at his brother who was slumped over Kaeya's shoulder, his eyes analytical. Kaeya tried to ignore the feeling of someone's gaze boring into his shoulder, but after a while, it became bothersome. He was just about to turn around to address the boy when two blurs ran past them, and someone yelled:

"Whoever makes it there last is a rotten egg!"

Shaking his head, Kaeya sighed. Childe was as childish as ever.

Of course, Elizabeth and him made it there first. They sprinted down the sidewalk, high-fiving when they found that they were the only two people standing by the doorway. A minute or so passed, and finally Kaeya had arrived as well, the two Afton children with him.

"Ew, Michael, you stink!" Elizabeth pinched her nose, "It must be the smell of a—"

"Rotten egg!" Childe finished with her, laughing at Michael's poker face. Their giggles filled the quiet dusk streets, and Kaeya shushed them, holding in his own laughter.