𝑰 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐘 𝐂𝐎-𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 [𝐙𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈 𝐗 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄]

-𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 + 𝐒𝐈𝐗-

•´¯'•. . .•´¯'•

Childe looked down at the scarf he was now holding. It looked so worn, so old. It had a few loose strands here and there, and even a couple of little holes. But what really was noticable was the name Tartaglia,  embroidered on the edge in gold thread.

Like a rocket going off under his feet, Childe began to run. He ran faster than he ever did until he made it outside.

"Taxi! Taxi!" He called out, but to no avail. Every taxi was either full, or ignored him. It only took Childe a second to screw it though, and chose to just run down the sidewalk, not waiting for the crosswalks, either as he dodged any cars that threatened to run him over. Even as it began to snow, Childe bolted. He didn't stop. He just had to get to Zhongli in time, and that's what he was going to do.

The airport was a twenty minute drive of you got no traffic. But Zhongli's plane left at twenty minutes at most, so Tartaglia barely had any time. If he could get a set of wheels, that would help, but he didn't want to wait around for a ride, either. His feet slapped the pavement so hard, it hurt and the winter wind was hitting his face, making his nose and lips cold. Childe didn't even check when running across the cross walks; he just ran and ignored any angry drivers that honked their horns at him. To be honest, it didn't matter to Childe right now. He just couldn't let Zhongli leave without even saying anything to him. Especially goodbye.

"I never knew it was him."   Childe thought back as he reminisced back when he was a kid and first met that strange teenager on the bridge. It was a memory that Childe had buried deep inside and forgot about. But now that it has resurfaced, Childe could remember it as clearly as day: how he could recall Zhongli's young boyish face, so lonely and lost, so saddened by something that was hidden behind those amber eyes. There was something so heartbreaking when Childe first met Zhongli back then, but he couldn't understand when he was little. Now that he was older, things weren't as confusing.

Childe checked his phone. It was 8:41. He had about nine minutes left.

"Damn it...!" Childe cursed while looking around only to see a car pull up beside him and honk its horn.

"Mr. Tartaglia! Get in!" Aether called out, unlocking the doors, allowing Childe to hop in.

"How did you know where I was!?" Childe exclaimed with surprise, greeting Aether with a smile, but also with shock.

"Oh. I got a call from Xiao. He mentioned he saw a ginger man running down the street without looking for cars so.." Aether furrowed his brows, shooting Childe a look before paying attention to the road. "I guess you can call it luck, too..." he nonchalantly added.

"The airport. Aether, I need to get there right now! Mr. Zhongli— I need to see him!" Childe urgently explained, or well, sort've explained. But by the serious expression on his face and him angrily chewing his nails, Aether understood enough that Childe needed to get to the airport no questions asked.

So Aether hit on the gas and they raced through the streets, able to make it to the airport in a little over six minutes. But only because they ran every red light and broke every road safety rule.

"Thanks." Was all Childe was able to say before jumping from the car and taking off towards the airport's front entrance. They had barely pulled up by it before Childe leaped out of the car as if it was on fire.