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and I need that fire just to know that I'm awake
[It was really only supposed to be a small detour. A little investigation into some old ruins he'd heard about, hoping to find an enemy or two, work off a little of that ever persistent restlessness. It was nothing out of the ordinary for him, and nothing he shouldn't be able to handle. He had plenty of time before he'd promised to meet up with Zhongli.
He hadn't counted on part of the ruins collapsing in front of him.
He's pretty sure he's been there for hours already. It's impossible to tell. The space is dark, large enough for him to move around but otherwise empty, and there's not even a crack to tell him whether it's still daylight outside. He did manage to light a torch in one corner, and other than that he's been working relentlessly trying to shift the rocks that block the path ahead. He's sore all over, sweaty, filthy, exhausted, but he made a promise. He can't give up until he gets out, no matter how long it takes. His hands are bleeding at this point.
He shoes at the rocks, throws his shoulder into them. He tries to use his weapon to dislodge them, but only manages to cause another shower of rocks and dirt to fall over his head. He's completely stuck, with no other way out that he can find. He just hopes he's not too late for dinner.]
He hadn't counted on part of the ruins collapsing in front of him.
He's pretty sure he's been there for hours already. It's impossible to tell. The space is dark, large enough for him to move around but otherwise empty, and there's not even a crack to tell him whether it's still daylight outside. He did manage to light a torch in one corner, and other than that he's been working relentlessly trying to shift the rocks that block the path ahead. He's sore all over, sweaty, filthy, exhausted, but he made a promise. He can't give up until he gets out, no matter how long it takes. His hands are bleeding at this point.
He shoes at the rocks, throws his shoulder into them. He tries to use his weapon to dislodge them, but only manages to cause another shower of rocks and dirt to fall over his head. He's completely stuck, with no other way out that he can find. He just hopes he's not too late for dinner.]
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Which is worry. If Childe is this late, then it must mean something has happened. Zhongli is fully confident that he can take care of himself, but what other reason could Childe have for standing him up?
It doesn't take long to hear of an unusual collapse, and that's how Zhongli finds himself standing outside a mess that used to be ruins. Yes, this makes more sense. Childe would find himself in here, thinking he'd be out in time. The worry gives way again to annoyance, and effortlessly, Zhongli carves a path through some of the larger rocks. Childe will be in there somewhere, then. ]
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He almost hopes it's treasure hoarders again. If it is, he'll have to fight them, but at least a fight will let him work off some frustration. His exhaustion shouldn't be an issue, he thinks - an added challenge, but that just makes it more fun. If it's Zhongli outside, though, that means he's really late for dinner, and if it's one thing Childe hates it's breaking a promise. According to his internal clock, though, it's definitely past dinner time by now.
It's most likely Zhongli.
He stays quiet until he feels fresh air coming through, opening his eyes to see a small hole has been cleared. It's dark outside as well. He walks a bit closer to peer through to whoever is working on the other side.]
I should thank you, shouldn't I?
[There's laughter in his voice, self-deprecating. He gets his head through the hole, spotting, as expected, Zhongli.]
I'm guessing I'm late for dinner.
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He’s quite filthy, on top of it all. ]
You’re late for dinner. Thanking me for rescuing you is hardly going to fix this.
[ Ah, it seems the annoyance has won out over the worry, seeing Childe is completely fine, if a bit dirty. Zhongli’s face is the opposite of pleased; his brow furrows, and he looks down at Childe. Perhaps this is what he looked like so long ago when the people displeased him. ]
I hope you have a sufficient explanation.
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And he has a bad habit of laughing when things get too serious, just to deflect the situation.]
I'm afraid not.
[He could point out that he'd trapped, but since that excuse isn't good enough for him, then he won't expect it to be good enough for Zhongli. He's the one who got himself trapped - it's his own responsibility. He starts to squeeze himself further through the hole, but it's a little too tight to get more than just his shoulders through still.]
I heard rumors of a ruin guard and figured I'd have enough time to check it out. Clearly I didn't.
[He'd needed a fight, basically.]
fight fight fight fight
So he didn't get on the boat. And he didn't get on the next one, either. He's not very popular in Liyue Harbor at the moment, but the Fatui diplomats are working overtime, so as long as he keeps a low profile within the city itself, it's not a problem. And Childe has unfinished business here.
He finally catches Zhongli outside the city. He's not sure what he's doing - looking at flowers, probably - and he really doesn't care. He just steps out into his line of sight, weapon drawn, but not yet pointed at him.]
I think you owe me a fight, Rex Lapis.
[If he sounds angry, it's because he is. He'd thought they were friends, and yet Zhongli had gone behind his back to make a deal with Signora instead. But... If it meant he got to fight the Geo Archon himself, then it wasn't a loss after all. Or at least that's what he was telling himself.]
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Clearly not. I have been waiting.
[And would likely still be, if he hadn't come to find Childe now. Not that Zhongli thinks anything terrible would have happened to his companion, but the fact that he's Childe broke a promise--that he said he would be there--gets under Zhongli's skin in ways most things do not.]
How do you plan to rectify this?
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Well, I'll start by apologizing properly. No one likes to be kept waiting - I wasted your entire evening.
[Really, he should have been able to get himself out of there. He's not too happy about needing to be rescued, either. But that's not the issue here -]
Next, I'll try to make it up to you. How does dinner for the rest of the week sound? You can choose the restaurants.
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How am I to trust you'll make it to dinner any of these other days when you have now shown me you have no problem standing me up once?
[The path to breaking agreements is a slippery slope; if someone is comfortable doing it once, and if he relents, they will likely do it again in the future.]
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I do have a problem with it. I keep my promises, and if I fail then I make up for it.
[If there's one thing Childe has never been, it's a liar.]
But if there's anything you want me to do to prove it, I'll do it.
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How are you planning to make up for this? Dinner is already late.
[He knows Childe did not do this on purpose--he didn't expect to be trapped--but the fact remains that he did something reckless when he had made plans. There is no room for gambling when you make a deal.]
There are plenty of things I could have you do, but none of those will excuse the fact that you kept me waiting. I suppose fighting is more important to you than keeping a date.
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But it's just a second, easy to miss. His next smile is clearly meant to diffuse the situation, trying to come across as self-deprecating. He's never one for letting those negative feelings show if he can help it.]
Dinner for a week? [A pause.] I'll buy tickets for the opera.
[He hates the opera. He probably would have gone with Zhongli anyway. He's trying to think of what else he can offer. Of course he wants a date. He needs to fight, too, to satisfy that constant itch at the back of his brain, but he'd prefer fighting Zhongli over literally anyone. And he wouldn't have fought at all if he'd known -- ]
It's not more important. I didn't even break a sweat. [Not relevant.] Dinner was hours away, otherwise I never would have risked it.
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But it seems his audience isn't here to discuss flowers. He spares Childe a glance, and then turns away from where he'd been looking.]
Do I? I don't believe I owe you anything.
[Zhongli hadn't lied. He simply had not been forthcoming with the truth. Childe had never asked, and telling him would have worked against the plan Zhongli was working towards. And hadn't Childe tried to destroy his city?]
Were you not keeping things from me as well? Please sheathe your weapon. These flowers are delicate.
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You knew from the start that I'm a Harbinger.
[Childe hadn't said that he was after the gnosis, of course, but obviously Zhongli knew after all, since he'd been conspiring with Signora from the start, making him look like a fool... Childe's eyes harden more, his usual demeanor nowhere to be found now. Making him into a fool had definitely been a bonus for Signora. He wonders if Zhongli had laughed about it, too.
But that's not even what bothers him the most about everything.]
I'm not in the mood to talk anyway. You still know how to fight, right?
[He lets the arrow fly. If Zhongli simply dodges, it's going to destroy several of those beloved flowers of his instead.]
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He does somewhat regret tricking Childe, but it had been necessary. He would not change anything he did.
The arrow is quick, and perhaps Zhongli's reflexes are not what they once were after years of living as a mortal, but it's easy enough for him to draw stone from the earth to block the arrow. The flowers... it isn't as though they won't grow back, but it would be a shame, wouldn't it?]
Are you throwing a tantrum?
[That's what this is, isn't it?]
This isn't a place to fight.
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It's almost enough to make him forget how hurt he is. Almost. At least for now.]
A tantrum? I want a fight, that's all. And I have no reason to hold myself back anymore.
[He'd really thought they were friends. And he'd wanted that friendship, more than he'd realized. But it seems that had only been a trick. So he'll make the best of it, like this. He draws another arrow, steps a little closer, but not too close. There's no doubt Zhongli has reach.]
I'll make you an offer. If you agree to fight me, I'll agree to move the fight somewhere better. I'll let you protect your flowers.