Chapter Text
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"What will it take for you to love me?"
His words echoed in the empty vast corridors of the palace.his voice trembled as it travelled through every nook and cranny in the current space. He was kneeling down on the floor, despite being one of the heir of the throne, not unlike a servant begging for it's life.
"Should i become like him?"
With pearly tears cascading down his face,donning the porcelain like skin, vehemously praying for the miniscule hope that he could be granted with little affection he couldn't have. The teen's lip wobbled, face bare from it's usual void of expressions. His knuckle white grip on the majestic figure's trouser's tighten, desperation and pain lacing every sentences pronounced on the his mouth.
"If I do, will you call my name dearly like you do his,"
"And watch me with warmth in your eyes?"
The aforementioned person stood there, with golden pair of eyes shining like cor lapis, look upon his son,which he would never acknowledge, his gaze piercing cold with no remorse for the child begging by his feet, watching him like some sort of bug. The archon of the two kingdoms donned a fabulous outfit, befitting for someone of position with power. Golden lining symbolising his Geo element decorating his suit at it looks rightfully majestic as he is. A definite contrast with the plain with faded colours (old with age) outfit worn by the begging teen. The neglect and abuse was in plain sight ignored as if it was only a trivial matter. There is no such emotion or affection for the young man in front on him that is familial in any sort way. Only hatred and unbridled disgust despite the lack of emotion on his strikingly handsome face.
Similar pair of eyes, filled with hope, look up to the archon (his biological father, he however has no right to called him that), covered by the light from rapidly setting sun, framing the ruler in an otherworldly glow, like a ruthless, powerful god, which he could never catch up to.
"Will you held me in your arms..."
"Without pushing me away?"
He opened his mouth, his gaze bore sight through another eyes word. Falling from his lips with an authorative tone, commanding, leaving none for any argument,
"Such thing won't happen until the day i die."
He sucked in a breath. Breathing suddenly became too difficult, his breath stuttered as he whispered,"...why is that?"
"I am your son too, my liege (not even calling him by 'father' was allowed)," he sobbed.
" I was by your side much longer than him", "...so why?"
"You fool."
His face was cold, as he crushed the only tiny ray of light in the young man's eye.
His piercing contempt.
His voice digging into his own son ears was more cruel than ever.
"There was never a day I considered you my son."
His eyes shook. His hope shatters as his body trembled. The previous grip on his trouser loosened as he was ultimatedly rejected and denied by his own one and only blood-related family.
He dropped to the floor on hands and knees, tears relentlessly pouring down his cheeks. His eye lifelessly looking down on the floor wallowing in his despair.
Zhongli was heartless until the very end as he gazes at the little heir that broke down sobbing and screaming as he finally gave up to his life.
The deepest of despair despair like never before flooded Xiao's eyes as his karmic debt devoured him. The last he sees was his father looking down on him having none expressions potrayed on his face as his son lost himself as the karmic debt took over his body and he fell as his vision faded to black.
-"Lovable Prince" Chapter 8, Twisted Faith-
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'What the fuck.'
He dropped the toy he was holding, making jingling soud as it rolled away from him. He dazedly watch the toy, already far from him as he thinks,
'Why did I suddenly think about that fucking novel?'
'The BL romance novel a costumer left behind,', 'the title and the plot were tacky and really childish too.' Xiao grumbles as thinks about his previous life.
The prince's name in the novel 'Lovable Prince' was Xiao too. Even though technically not a prince. He ended up executed however, in the story. Somehow it pricked at his mind, that book.
Despite being a typical clichè plot, it doesn't really have much romance, (much to Xiao's pleasure, he can't take mushy stuff, it's too fucking gross) and most of it told more of monsters and how lovable the protagonist is (pun intended). Will he die pretty early this time too? It's not like he was wishing for death anyways. Ahh, what a way to jinx yourself.
Ridding himself from such a negative thought, he wobbles his plump sausage-like hands and feets to move from his position, unknowingly alerting the maid in charge taking care of him. Damn babies.
"Hmm? Oh, bother. How clumsy, he keeps dropping it," she leaves her sewing job as she pick up the forgotten toy and put it back in Xiao's grip, much to his displeasure. Frowning a little, the maid picked up the rattle before handing it to him. This is so unhygienic, if he was a real baby he would've put the thing inside his mouth, who knows what germs it picked up. Damn woman.
"Don't be a nuisance and play quietly with your toys," Irritated, she took hold of his hand and forcefully making him hold it.she didn't even bother wiping it before giving it to him? She didn't even bother for him. Just because he was an 'outcast prince' doesn't mean belittling him was fine. What if he got sick for touching such unsanitary stuff? Or even worse dying. 'Fuck, young lady, its a baby! If you thought it's gonna 'play quietly' the it's a no-fucking-way!'he cried.
Using every little strengh he has, Xiao tossed the toy far away from him, (read:tried) as it plopped about 10 centimeters away. Babies are so weak dammit. He tries to crawled away as the maid started to complain again.
"What's wrong? Ugh, I already have my hands full with all this sewing!" hints of impatience seeping from her voice, 'do I look like i care? I'm a baby right now. Imma do whatever I want lady'. "Here, let me get that for you,"
Trying his best to refuse such thing,(really, what do you want to do with the rattle? whack somebody?) he let out a loud "no, fuck off!" however what comes out from his mouth was some garbled cries of protest.(Why babies are so troublesome?)
"Are you bored with it now?" nodding to herself, xiao sigh with relief,(at least she got it!) before getting lifted in the air. 'What the fu-' and promptly laid down in the cradle."Let's lay you down," and leaves.
Really, leaving him just like that? That maid was surely ignorant in her job. She probably heading for the headmaid for a new toy. 'Don't bother, it's not like I'm going to play it or anything,' Xiao sighed as he looked at the ceiling.
'To think that I'll die from some sleeping pills, and to woke up as a baby,' he sighed again. 'As if I'm getting used to this,'. He squished and waves his baby hands. There is nothing like common sense after getting reborn as a baby. And remembering your past life. 'A royalty at that,' Xiao closes his eyes, 'crazy, I'm never going to get used to thi-'
"Little prince!"
This maid is hopeless. Barging into the room like that, is she really serving the palace...?
She was a little breathless as she uttered "the head maid said our budget is low. You'll just have to play with this,"
"I won't coddle you if you start crying. I'm really busy right now!" she even start scolding a baby. Xiao watched, with a blank face thinks, 'even to a baby, what a heartless woman,' he tilted his head to the opposite of his 'nanny',
'A prince huh, it was pretty nice considering i was an orphan in my previous life,'
Xiao gaze upwards, 'not every princes were treated like one however,'then he scoffs,
'But a hated one...'
He sighed.
At least his 'father' would leave him alone, right?
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