like the wind that flows through your hair

𝚇𝚅𝙸𝙸𝙸. 𝙻𝙴𝚃 𝙼𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝚃𝙲𝙷 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝚄𝙽𝚂𝙴𝚃 𝙸𝙽 𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁 𝙴𝚈𝙴𝚂

"Hey, who's that?"

Hushed whispers echoed behind him as the lithe figure pulled down his black hood lower over his face. Dammit. This was the only cloak that could conceal his eye-catching hair and ocean blue eyes. It did the job, but now he looked more suspicious than ever on the Inazuma streets.

"I don't know. Let's go. He looks like bad news." Fearful mutters disappeared into the distance. It was only natural that the citizens were traumatized after the recent Fatui attack.

Gritting his teeth, Childe sped up around the corner toward a more secluded path. He had sent a hawk out to deliver a note to Zhongli, but he had no idea if it was received. So, he could only wander around the Komore Teahouse where he was told the ex-archon worked and hope to run into him. And avoid exposing his identity before then.

It was approaching dusk, and Childe slid from shadow to shadow, watching the customers enter and exit the Teahouse. He sat behind a huge cherry tree and nearly dozed off before he heard the sound of keys jangling and the Teahouse door lock turning.

It had been a long day, and after seeing off the last customer, Zhongli efficiently tidied up the work space and prepared to leave the Teahouse. As he turned to lock the front door, he felt a pair of eyes watching him from the shadows. The presence was uncanny, but not hostile. Calmly, he finished his duties and turned around expectantly. "Who's there? Show yourself."

The sight of Zhongli made Childe's breath hitch in his throat. He would never get tired of the way those radiant amber eyes—fringed by sweeping eyelashes—put the finest cor lapis to shame. The way he commanded the very earth with every step. The ginger Fatuus swallowed slowly.

"Zhongli." Childe's voice was hoarse with emotion.

Out of all the people that Zhongli had expected it to be, Tartaglia was not one of them. He watched silently as Childe stepped out from the shadows and approached him.

"What brings you here, Tartaglia?"

"I should ask you the same." The Harbinger's voice was suddenly light, like a veil over his emotions. "Inazuma, huh?"

"Yes, I am married now."

"I see..." Childe's smile was frozen on his face. He already knew the truth, but it didn't hurt any less.

Zhongli noticed his discomfort and gestured fluidly to one of the secluded patio tables of the Teahouse. "Would you like to sit and talk? It must have been a long way from Snezhnaya."

After they both took a seat, there was a brief silence. Zhongli could tell something weighed heavily on the Harbinger's mind, but he only waited patiently.

Finally, Childe broke the silence. "About Osial... I can't stop thinking about that day." Remorse wracked his voice. "Zhongli, I'm sorry."

Zhongli studied Childe closely. Something about him was different from his usual brash demeanor. "It is in the past. Liyue is stronger than ever now because of it. I am at fault too for deceiving you in my own plan to test Liyue. For that, I apologize deeply."

Childe shook his head, his fists clenched on his lap. "I don't know what I'm fighting for anymore. The Tsaritsa? Snezhnaya? The more I carry out the will of others, the more I seem to lose myself. Putting innocent people in danger...it was against my principles, yet I did it anyway like a mindless puppet. Funny, it turned out to be all part of someone else's grand scheme. How pathetic." The laugh that escaped him was humorless.

Suddenly, he stopped laughing and met Zhongli's gaze. "You know, to the Tsaritsa, I am a honed weapon of war. But you...you saw me. You were the only one who made me feel like I could be more than that. You made me realize that I wanted to fight for you. But it's too late for regrets now, right?"