Work Text:
When Stormtrooper TG-011, classified Vanguard, the only known Stormtrooper to rank Harbinger, finally makes the decision to defect from the First Order, he decides to do it while being as annoying as he possibly can.
In this case, that means liberating the prisoner Harbinger Signora had supposedly locked away in one of those classified cell units hidden around Dragonspine base. A prisoner that was supposed to be a secret, even to him, favoured by the Tsarista as he is.(Favoured in the same way one favoured a useful tool to complete a task they didn't particularly care for.) Unfortunately for Signora, Childe had already been scanning the communication channels in preparation for his Big Escape, which meant he absolutely heard the juicy bit of info when Signora had brought the prisoner in on her own personal star cruiser.
The fact that Signora had decided to bring her prisoner to Dragonspine base, an icy little terror of a rock with no other living settlements besides First Order and specialized subterfuge could only mean the General meant business.
Business he absolutely planned to wreak havoc on. Wrecking havoc was what the First Order trained him for, after all.
TG-011 never did get along with the Tsarista's Harbingers, a bunch of force users of noble background or something. TG-011 was definitely the outlier of the group. They all seemed to have sticks up all their asses, especially when it came to lowly Stormtroopers turned Harbinger.
If he was feeling really vindictive, he could totally steal that weird ass collection of preserved insects Signora had in her living quarters on base. They were supposedly from her home planet but who the hell thought dead bugs was classy decor?
Surprisingly enough, It goes easier than TG-011 thought it would.
Every now and then, Harbinger Signora liked to leave her prisoners in the interrogation room after she's had her way with them as some kind of power move before they get sent to a standard cell. This sadistic streak makes it a simple matter for TG-011, in standard Stormtrooper armour instead of his Empress designated black steel armour, to just walk into the room on the basis of prisoner relocation.
It's a good thing TG-011 was known for his habit of forgoing his more elaborate armour for the standard set, no matter what the Reconditioning Officers had to say about it, or the other stormtroopers standing guard might have questioned him about it.
He really doubted the prisoner would cooperate with him if he went in full First Order regalia after all. He'd thought about this thank you very much.
What TG-011 wasn't prepared for however, was the prisoner. Tall, fair and eyes that shined like those pretty cor lapis stones those fancy senators liked so much. He's well dressed too, in a brown and gold suit that definitely hints at this guy's status as some kind of mobility. Even cuffed as he was to the room's walls, limiting his movement, the prisoner practically oozed charisma and power. Intriguing.
Despite all this however, The most beautiful being in the galaxy who had definitely seen better days if the burns on him were any indication.The man was glaring at him with so much force TG-011 was surprised he wasn't incinerated on the spot.
Not that TG-011 could blame him, all things considered.
"Has the good lady Harbinger given up so soon?" The prisoner sneers at him, and oh man this guy's voice was deep " After all that talk, Did she send one of her lackeys instead? Does she think I would sing for you then?"
TG-011 sure hopes he does, maybe an opera if the guy is feeling generous, since he's breaking this guy out an all, but the room is definitely under monitor so he's got to be as quick as he can.
"I'm here to relocate you to your holding cell." TG-011 says instead, moving to release the cuffs on him. The prisoner scoffs at him, but allows himself to be guided out the room, shaky, but refuses the hand TG-011 offers him.
They make it past the guards and a down a blindingly while hallway before TG-011 shoves the prisoner into a hidden supply closet and takes off his stormtrooper helmet, shaking his red hair out as he does so. TG-011 is so ready to never have to wear this shit, all this technology and they couldn't make the armour more comfortable?
"What in celestia-" The prisoner startles,and heh, he really did sound like those fancy politicians.
"Greetings comrade." It paid to be polite after all. "Not to be too blasé about this or anything, but I'm here to break you out, so I'd totally appreciate it if you played along and pretended to be my prisoner till we can get a ship out of this icy hell hole. "
"Pardon?" The prisoner squints at him, his cor lapis eyes studying TG-011. Now that TG-011 had his face exposed, it certainly was... something. "Are you working with the Rebellion?"
"Nope and nope."
"Then what, pray tell, are you hoping to achieve? Is this some kind of trick? A ruse to gain my trust? Not that you'd tell me if you were planning such a thing." The man says, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"As much as I'd be up for a round of twenty questions with you,We don't have much time before they realize you're missing." TG-011 says with a grin "So what do you say stranger, care to take a chance and run away with me?"
TG-011 presents his hand out, like they do in those films the other mid level officers like to gush over on the rare days the superiors are too busy to notice.
The man takes a moment to stare, and before TG-011 can feel *too* awkward about it, the prisoner lays his gloved hand on his, kind of like a princess, or maybe an emperor.
This sure was turning out to be a hell of a day.
"It would be my pleasure." He replies, hesitancy in his eyes, but his voice is a powerful timbre that TG-011 can't help but be charmed by.
-
They steal a starship and make it out of Dragonspine base with minimal damage to their persons.
The prisoner turns out to be an extremely good pilot, good enough that TG-011 only had to worry about blasting the enemy ships just enough to ensure that they'd stop following.
TG-011 may have just successfully defected, but the other pilots had been Stormtroopers too, Stormtroopers he might have shared rooms and meals with too.
"That was certainly something." The man, So formal even after everything, it was hilarious. " I thank you for that spectacular performance. It may be rather late for introductions, but considering what we just endured, I suppose this is to be expected."
"I am called Zhongli." the beautiful man, Zhongli, says. He extends his hand out, and there's a glint in the man's eyes that TG-011 vant help but be drawn to." Consultant of the Rebellion."
That explains why he was Signora's prisoner then, She was probably freaking out right about now. He hopes she doesn't set anything on fire, especially not the dead insects she had hanging on her walls. Maybe he'll go back one of these days just to steal them for real.
Zhongli continues to stare at him, and with TG-011 cant help but feel the intensity, especially with his face as exposed as it is.
This is the part where TG-011 is supposed to introduce himself. He pauses to think about it, going by TG-011 would defeat the whole purpose of defecting. The other name, the one he had before he was taken by the First Order, feels too sacred to even think about at this point.
"Call me Childe," He says instead, placing his hand in Zhongli's. "On account of the fact that I was you know, a Childe Soldier."
A pause, and finally the unflappable Mr.Zhongli looks at him with a new expression, eyes scrunched up in dismay.
"That's terrible." Zhongli says.
"I know!" Childe laughs so hard he almost cries. It's alright though, because Zhongli's hand is warm and steady even if the man looks like he's just eaten something unforgivably sour.