Chapter Text
The pink of dawn peeks over the city skyline, washing out the deep navy of night. Childe checks his watch. He’s got three hours left until the bounty he’s hunting for expires. It’s been a hard target to track, and he doesn’t want to let his hard work go to waste. La Signora would never let him hear the end of it.
But it’s strange. Childe looks around him. He’s supposed to be tracking a vampire thousands of years old, but it keeps moving through different territories instead of staying within its own, which is rare in this day and age. But it doesn’t seem to be a rogue vampire recognized by the government, or else there would have been an official announcement and warning, not a request sent to bounty hunters like the Fatui. So it’s a strange request sent from an outside source.
An abandoned warehouse by the docks in Liyue Harbor is where Childe finally tracked the vampire down to. He’s had some close run-ins, but could never lay eyes on it. The request came in with some characteristics of the vampire, but if he has the right place, Childe will finally see his target.
Even though he tries to be quiet, the door creak open, a jarringly loud sound, with a flashlight in one hand and his gun in the other, Childe peeks in. He hears no sounds of footsteps or running, but very faintly can hear the sound of breathing. It seems he’s found his target. He swings his flashlight, and nearly drops it when the vampire is illuminated.
Sleek black hair, the tips fading into gold, and pearly white skin. Golden horns and scales and striking gold eyes. Eyes that mesmerize him with just a look. Just like the bounty said. Childe shakes his head, rousing himself from his stupor. From the bounty request he knows this is a strong vampire, probably stronger than any he’s dealt with before. No matter how stunningly beautiful it may be, he needs to stay on his guard. Childe cocks his gun again.
“It seems the bounty I sent in is finally being fulfilled.” It’s, his? The vampire’s voice is silky smooth and deep, like a rich chocolate. It reverberates through Childe’s body, sending shivers up his spine.
“What do you mean, the bounty you sent in?” Childe narrows his eyes. Is the vampire trying to trip him up?
“Just what I said. I sent that bounty to the Fatui myself.” Those golden eyes that seem to glow in the darkness narrow in amusement at Childe’s confusion.
“Why?” While still suspicious, Childe is genuinely curious. He’s heard of vampires putting bounties up for other vampires in revenge for trespassing and hunting in the wrong territories or to expand their own territory, but he’s never heard of a vampire putting one up for themself.
“Would you like to know my name?” That smooth voice asks, raising the hairs on Childe’s neck. When Childe doesn’t respond, he continues anyway. “My name is Morax.”
Childe’s gun clatters against the ground.
“Morax?” No wonder a rogue vampire wasn’t reported. After all, the ruling vampire of Liyue wouldn’t need to be monitored even if he was moving around. The vampire before him lets out a small laugh at his shock.
“You seem surprised. The only thing known about me is my gold eyes. Perhaps you should have thought a little harder.” Even in the dark Childe can tell Morax is having fun at his expense. Typical of a vampire.
“Why would you put a bounty on yourself, to mess with us?”
Morax remains silent for a while, then opens his mouth to speak, fangs flashing as the light from Childe’s flashlight hits them.
“Perhaps I just wanted to be done with all of this.” His eyes seem almost… sad? Tired? Childe can’t tell from the distance.
“So you want me to kill you? That’ll make me one of the strongest vampire hunters in history, so I can help you with that.” Childe laughs, but he’s still tense. He kneels to grab his gun, keeping his eyes locked on Morax. “You can be my stepping stone to being the strongest in the world.”
“Dying is an option I suppose, but I don’t plan to just roll over and die.”
Those brilliant eyes flash again, and Childe quickly aims and fires his gun. The bullet ricochets against the metal container behind Morax, who’s gone in an instant. Childe shivers as he can feel icy cold fingers close against his throat. But they just hold him in place, not crushing his neck. Childe tries to jerk his head around, but the fingers tighten just a bit.
“Uh uh. Be careful or you’ll snap your neck.” The breathy words against his ear are cold, both in tone and temperature. Childe’s left hand drops the flashlight, grabbing a knife from his belt and plunging it behind him. But his arm is grabbed with the other hand, and he’s totally at Morax’s mercy.
“What did you want from this.” Childe grinds through his teeth. It’s frustrating, being treated practically like a child in front of such an ancient vampire.
“Well for starters, I’d like a place to stay. I’m currently homeless.”
Childe’s jaw drops as the fingers around his neck and arm loosen, letting him go. He quickly moves himself away, turning to face Morax. There isn’t a hint of a joke in his golden eyes.
“Homeless?”
“Yes, I’ve left my assets behind and currently have no home. I wanted to take a break from my duties so I was hoping to get help from the Fatui. Which is why I put up the bounty.”
“We hunt vampires, you know. For a living.” Childe says incredulously. He feels like he’s being ridiculed, but the man before him looks dead serious. “What if you got killed?”
“You are Tartaglia of the Harbingers, correct? If you weren’t able to kill me, I’m sure there wouldn’t be others in your organization with the ability to do so.” Childe can’t help but grimace.
“Well, we aren’t some Good Samaritan organization that just helps vampires when they have a problem. We kill them.” Childe can feel himself growing annoyed. He got played around with like a toy, and then this vampire spouts some nonsense about getting help from a vampire hunter . Ancient vampire or not, it’s ridiculous.
Grabbing his second knife, Childe lunges towards Morax, aiming for his throat. Without a sound Childe is flat on his back, a hand splayed against his neck.
“You’re quite the persistent one.” Morax’s voice is filled with mirth. It seems Childe’s antics are amusing to the vampire, which irks him even more.
“What do you want!” Childe snaps. Morax looks confused.
“I already said it, I need a place to stay.” It feels ridiculous to hear again, and Childe feels it must be a joke. So much of a joke that he offers his own.
“How about staying at the place I’m staying at? It’s a decent apartment that I’ve been staying at while I’ve been in Liyue.”
“That will work out fine.” Morax releases Childe’s, who just stays laying on his back.
“Morax, you can’t be serious.”
“Ah, right. I don’t want my identity to be found out, so let’s go with…” He trails off for a moment. “Ah yes, let’s go with Zhongli.” Childe still watches him from the ground, staring as the horns retreat back into Morax— no, Zhongli’s head, the scale melding with his skin till they can’t be seen anymore. And from his vantage point, all Childe can see is a regular man, albeit an extremely beautiful one.
“Well, shall we be off then?” Zhongli looks back down at Childe. Childe sighs, standing up. The sun has risen higher in the sky, and when Childe checks his watch, it’s past the expiration for the bounty. It looks like he’ll just have to take him home and call Signora and figure out where to go from there. Pushing back his hair, Childe let’s out another sigh.
“Cmon, I’ll show you where it is.”