For Archon's Sake

Happily Ever...Well This Is Something

Two Months Later

As much as Childe prided himself on having his body honed and at the ready no matter what, it was usually primed for combat against other humans, even one who bore a vision.

Not a skilled adeptus who was halting his attacks with one hand, looking for all the world as though he was doing laundry or having a daydream. Childe gritted his teeth as they separated from an exchange of blows, sweat soaking the back of his collar. Xiao didn't have a single drop on him, made all the more frustrating by the fact that it had been almost an hour. Childe took a deep breath and winced as he felt the soreness of his hands. "What's the matter, Childe? I thought using a polearm wouldn't be that big of a deal for you. Were those not your words?"

To the side of him, Hu Tao was swinging her legs off of a hefty tree bough. They made eye contact.

She stuck her tongue out at him and giggled.

He kindly responded by raising his middle finger, turning back to a bemused Xiao. "Look, you're an adeptus. I bet I could take Ms. Death-and-Happiness over here no problem." Hu Tao leaped down from the bow, approaching the two of them with a pep in her step. "Oh? Be careful what you say, Childe. I might just hold you to that one. As a matter of fact," the girl chirped, placing a hand on her hip as a troublesome grin lit up her face, "What do you say we place a bet? I know your pockets are pretty deep, but I'm not exactly short on mora either." Childe snickered, despite a warning glance from Xiao.

"First to knock the other person down wins. I got ten thousand mora on me winning, little girl. What do you think, Zhongli? Fair enough terms?" The consultant, who was leaning against the tree Hu Tao had jumped from, shook his head. "The terms are fair, but the bet will not be in your favor. I suggest lowering your wager. As a matter of fact, give them staffs, Xiao. You know how to pull your punches. I'm afraid my boss here does not." Childe gaped as Xiao nodded. "I agree. You have experience in general combat, but she's been using her polearm for many years." He turned and inclined his head toward Hu Tao. "I will bet fifteen thousand on your victory, lady," he promised as he handed them booth wooden staffs and stepped back. Childe glared at Zhongli. "When I wipe the floor with her, you're next, you hear me?"

Zhongli tilted his head, and let his gaze sweep up and down.

"I doubt it will take long for this bout to end. I'll go prepare now, then."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zhongli had been right.

As soon as Xiao started the match, he'd dived in as quickly as possible to land the first strike.

However, Hu Tao had been waiting. As soon as their staffs connected, she let him carry his momentum past her, turning with the direction he aimed at.

As he stumbled forward, he felt weightless from the inevitable fall that came from Hu Tao's staff tripping his ankles. He braced himself, looking upward as her staff came whistling down.

She stopped just a hair away from his head, and winked. "Ah, come on now Childe. I'm not that much of a sadist. However, I will take my ten thousand in writing or bond as well as coin." She offered a hand. Childe declined and dusted his clothes off as he stood. "Whatever, that was a fluke. A lucky shot." Xiao and Hu Tao exchanged glances. "Riiiiight," They both said, Hu Tao barely hiding her laughter behind a cleared throat. Childe whirled around towards the spot Zhongli had been standing in. "I'm not done yet! We still haven't..." he choked as he saw Zhongli stretching, his blouse discarded onto a nearby rock. "...fought...yet," his voice was increasingly strained, and Zhongli seemed to be the only one who didn't notice. "You should have heeded my advice, Childe. I suppose I will also be using the staff too, lest I injure you. You should have-" Childe was hardly listening to his critiques, focusing on the flexing shoulders and solid build. Surely his desk job wouldn't allow for him to keep up that kind of physique? He'd already seen him without clothes, yes, felt him too, but that had been in darkness, or the palest rays of sun the morning offered them.