Time Gone To Waste - ChiLi: Another fanfic

Chapter 3:

Zhongli begins to carry Tartaglia, walking towards Liyue Harbour. 

"Hey, Zhonchi, you sure you can carry my weight?"

"Yes. We'll be back in Liyue Harbour in no time. Moreover, it is pronounced as Zhongli."

"Sorry aha, I'm not very good at names. I don't think this will be efficient although if we want to get to the harbour soon." Zhongli turns his head slightly, looking at Tartaglia. He begins to release his grip from under Tartaglia's arm. The ginger feels Zhongli's arm cut through the air behind him, passing his back to past his behind. He is then taken aback by how he is then lifted in the air from the legs so effortlessly. Zhongli takes his hands to support both legs, propping him on his back, and his legs clinging around Zhongli's waist. 

Tartaglia silently screams. Instinctively wrapping his legs around his waist and clenching onto the figure's shoulders. Zhongli begins walking, chuckling as he does so. 

As a conversation starter, Tartalia begins opening up to Zhongli about why he's joining the Harbingers and his family issues. Zhongli doesn't question it, he had guessed that being in Shneznaya and having to fight for your family alone would allow trauma to appear. Tartaglia beings by saying that he has many siblings, 3, to be in fact. And the strength that he has now, is too weak to be able to fight for them. 

"So you decided to join the Harbingers? Hah, your confidence impresses me."

"It's not confidence, Zhongli. It's motivation and determination. I want to protect them and make sure that they won't end up like their big brother..., arghhhh that sounded better in my head."

"I'm sure there are easier ways either way. If you want to protect them you indefinitely would want to be there in the moment."

"It's the simplest way."

"What we did today. Does that not count as another way to become what you so truly desire?"

"I wish, but as you said, I have to be there in the moment for my younger siblings." Zhongli stops in his track. Tartaglia rests his head on Zhongli's shoulder, burnt out. Zhongli glances at him, continuing to walk further, leading the younger to dose off in the process. 

Zhongli continues the walk with Tartaglia sleeping on his shoulder. He eventually sees Liyue Harbour in the distance, slowly picking up the pace to assure Tartaglia's safety. Surely enough, he reaches Bubu Pharmacy in no time. Carefully walking up the stairs, with every step Zhongli beings to reveal a familiar figure standing in the archway. 

"Venti.., what a reckless archon you are." Zhongli begins. 

"Oh, what do we have here?" Venti chuckles. Zhongli turns his head over to Tartaglia putting on a slight frown at Venti. 

"We had a dual, he wants to join the Harbingers."

"HARBINGERS? AS IN, SIGNORIA, HARBINGER?"

"Unfortunately.."

"He's a bit.., young. No offence to him of course but he's probably inexperienced an-" Zhongli raises his hand, interrupting his sentence. Both did not notice the ginger had woken up. 

"Inexperienced? His arrows may have injured me during the fight." 

"PFFT- BWAHAHAHAHHAHA," Venti beings to burst out laughing at the situation. "Oh, Zhongli. You're funny without even realising. An arrow shot by someone as young as him almost hit you?" Zhongli scoffs at his statement. Venti wipes his tears to look up to see the taller give him a life-threatening look. 

"OKAY OKAY, I'M SORRY. Please don't give me the wrath of the rock," Venti coughs up. Zhongli beings to deepen his stare. "Ahem, so. How's your back old man?"

"This young body helps stable my bones. I feel more energetic than before." 

"I thought your back would've given out by now giving your age."

"Venti, you're no younger than me. You probably couldn't lift his arm if you wanted looking at your body type."

"His? You mean that good looking ginger that looks like Ajax?" Venti boasts. Hearing that name, 'Ajax', Tartaglia beings to infuse his blades with hydro prepared to strike at any given moment. 

"Yes. precisely. I may have taken an interest in him." A sword stabs Tartaglia in the heart, hearing Zhongli's sudden words, leaving him paralyzed in the matter. 

"You are a big believer in 'reincarnation', huh?" 

"It's him. Trust me this one time please, Venti. His eyes tell me everything. You cannot misplace them for others."

"There you go again, talking about the eyes. You're such a grandpa, seriously." Venti scoffs walking past Zhongli. "I'm going, I have things to do." Zhongli looks at Tartaglia, smiling as he sees him still asleep on his shoulder. 

!!notes!!: This chapter had a lot of dialogue...., oops. Sorry but not sorry because I needed things to happen. Is this book gonna be smut? No, probably not. Don't get your hopes up, my lovely viewers. But then again I said, "probably not". Well, have a good day, I wish you all the best.

Song recommendation: Tomboy - (G)I-dle