Back to the surface

Hopeless

During the day, everything here seemed less threatening than that night when Zhongli had gotten lost here. Still, the underground was not a welcoming place. And now he was here again. This time consciously. He looked around in different directions as he tried to regain his bearings. For a moment, he closed his eyes.

"Yes, it was over there," he muttered and walked in the appropriate direction. As expected, he found the door and the fenced-in courtyard there.

"All right. Let's go then," Xiao said, making for the door, which was locked. Zhongli took a deep breath, wondering what would happen next. How he could remain calm just now, he himself did not know. With a sound, the door burst open. Zhongli was aware that at that moment Fatui knew they were here.

Slowly he entered the empty courtyard. He took each step carefully. Suddenly he heard a noise, someone was leaving the building. Nevertheless, he stopped.

When he realized that it was Childe, he breathed a sigh of relief. His boyfriend looked terrible, though. Almost as if someone had beaten him up.... bruises... bite marks. No. This was something else. But before he could think more about it, Childe began to speak.

"What the fuck are you doing here? Get the fuck out of here!!!" he said in a panic.

"No. I won't. Not without you," Zhongli replied as calmly as possible.

"What the-!!! You're not even supposed to be here!" retorted Childe in exasperation. He then walked up to him and grabbed him by the arm. Zhongli noticed that he was trying to push him out.

"I'm here, though. You didn't message back, I was worried," Zhongli said calmly, standing firm.

"I didn't mean to," Childe muttered crumpled, "I was in circumstances where I couldn't..."

Zhongli looked at him questioningly, then noticed them. The marks and bruises on his wrists.

"Someone tied you up?" he asked, stunned. Whatever had happened here, he had to help him. It was all he could think about at that moment.

#

Childe fell silent, embarrassed. All this was so unpleasant to him. And the fact that his boyfriend showed up here now made everything even worse. He didn't even know what to do now. Zhongli had said that he was worried about him, he understood that. But now he was worried about Zhongli. He probably didn't know how much danger he was in. That's why he had to get him to leave as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would not take very long before his presence was noticed.

"Yes. I'll explain later, I promise. But you have to get out of here. Please, trust me... it's not safe here," he tried to explain as gently as possible.

"I know that myself. I still won't leave you here, come with me," Zhongli said softly. For a brief moment, Childe hesitated. To just go now and leave this place and never return.... he knew that was not possible. Pulcinella would find him and he would be as good as dead. Zhongli probably would be too.

"I can't!" retorted Childe, shaking his head. He was close to tears as the following words struggled from his lips.

"I'm not who you think I am. You have to forget about me. Please..."

He would probably yell at him in a moment. Accuse him of just using him all this time. But all that would be better than if something happened to Zhongli. If he could just leave, live a happy life, Childe would be reassured, even if that was without him. He shivered and his heart grew heavy. But Zhongli did not react as he expected.

He walked up to him and hugged him tightly. Childe's heart leapt and he wanted to hold him close and never let him go.... Carefully he put his arms around the man he loved....

"I know who you are, Ajax. I don't care about that. It doesn't change the way I feel," Zhongli said seriously, pressing himself against him. Childe was speechless. And yet, he couldn't escape it all.... it was so surreal...

"I... I don't understand... how do you know..." he stammered, pushing Zhongli away from him as he plodded backwards in confusion. He didn't know exactly what was happening here.

"Well, if it isn't the two lovebirds," he suddenly heard a certain voice behind him as it sent an icy chill down his spine and his breathing stopped short. Pulcinella.

#

Zhongli had really given everything to get Childe - no - Ajax to come along, but he had refused. And now he knew why. The guy coming toward them seemed to have intimidated his boyfriend. Possibly he was one of the Fatui's masterminds. Dangerous for sure. But Zhongli would not run away.

"I am Ajax's friend. Did you do this to him?" asked Zhongli, pointing to his bruises and crossing his arms.

"Cute. Maybe... but it doesn't matter now," Pulcinella commented, walking towards Childe.

"Please... uhm, I can explain everything," Childe whispered, smiling miserably.

"There, honestly, whatever you say, I don't want to hear it. You know it doesn't matter now," Pulcinella said, pulling out his revolver.

"Don't hurt him, please, it's not his fault!" pleaded Childe.

"You," Pulcinella said, however, raising his gun and pointing it at Zhongli. "Childe is mine, so you know that... and as for you, you lousy piece of shit..." he moved his gun towards Childe, "who else knows about this.... did you go to the cops? That would be so incredibly stupid of you. But you've always been like that..."

Zhongli swallowed hard. He knew only one thing, that he didn't want to put up with this. He would have loved to go after this pompous jerk. But he still had to remain calm....

#

Childe tried to talk his head off and yet it was no use. Not only Zhongli, but probably himself, would now seemingly face the final end.

"Please don't. I wasn't with the cops...you have to believe me," he muttered incoherently, hoping for a miracle. How he wished he could have mustered the courage to go to the police. Even if he went to jail himself for it.... he didn't want to die now, he didn't want Zhongli to ....

"Ridiculous - you know what? Go to hell," Pulcinella said with a grin, taking aim.

"NO!!!" screamed Zhongli and Childe could only see Zhongli throw himself in front of him in a split second to protect him. Surprised, he toched his own face.

Was Zhongli now saving him in return - in this lousy courtyard? Would it end like this? Would it be the last he saw of this world? It was happening far too fast for him to push Zhongli away from him or react in any way. Instinctively, he threw himself forward, hoping he could still do something. But then the next thing he just heard was the sound of a gunshot...