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“Do you know about Khaenri’ah?”
Childe speaks into Zhongli’s hair, kissing the brunette’s nape.
He can feel the man tense, “…what about it?”
Zhongli and Childe were cuddling, Childe draping himself all over the former archon’s back and peppering kisses on the man’s shoulders, neck and wherever he could get access to.
“W’dya know about it?”
“Is this for work, Ajax?”
Childe kisses behind Zhongli’s ear, “Of course not baby. Was just curious. Don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” Childe replies, punctuating the end of each sentence with a kiss. Zhongli chuckles before turning to face Childe. He gently cups the redhead’s face, “I want to tell you, Lily. Unfortunately I have made a contract of sorts, and breaking a contract is well… something I cannot do.” Zhongli deadpans and Childe can’t help but pout playfully,
“You don’t love me enough to tell me?” He teases. Zhongli’s eyes go wide and his face morphs into panic, “That is not what I mean Childe I humbly apologise if that’s the impression you got-“ Childe’s hysterical laughter fills the air and Zhongli’s lips curl into a small smile, “…very funny,” he mutters, fondly rolling his eyes. Childe wheezes a little, eyes wet and cheeks red. “Sorry ‘li, it’s just you’re so cute I can’t help but tease you.” Childe coos, resting his chin on Zhongli’s head.( Zhongli acts irritated at his boyfriend’s antics, but finds himself melting into Childe’s touch.)
“I can tell you a little, if you’d like.” Zhongli mutters into Childe’s broad chest a few minutes later. The pair have changed their position yet again, this time Zhongli is lying on top of Childe and the man has his hands around him. Zhongli can hear Childe practically beam,
“Aww, you feeling bad about what I said earlier? Don’t worry, baby, you don’t have to-“
“I want to.” Zhongli interrupts. “If you’d like to know, that is.” Childe nods slowly, and Zhongli feels him wrap his arms around the former archon’s waist.
“Khaenri’ah…a nation ruled by humans. A disgraced nation, shot down by the gods. What’s left of the people of Khaneria’ah are low intelligent life forms, hilichurls usually.” Zhongli says, slightly muffled in Childe’s arms. Said man remains silent, drawing shapes on Zhongli’s back. “Why was Khaenri’ah struck down by the gods?” Zhongli remains silent, trying to burrow himself further into Childe’s arms. He hears a low chuckle, ”Right. The contract and whatnot. My bad.” Zhongli peaks out of Childe’s arms, a single brow raised. “How did you hear about Khaenri’ah?”
Childe shrugs, “Traveler mentioned it in one of our weekly spars.” Something in Zhongli’s honey eyes falter, but before Childe can question it the former archon leans in and presses a chaste kiss to his lips. The harbinger flushes scarlet before covering his eyes with the back of his hand, muttering curses underneath his breath.
“…Ajax.”
“Yes?”
“I can fee-“
“You caught me off guard!” Childe interrupts pathetically.
“Would you like my assistance?”
“You’ve got work tomorrow, princess, I don’t want to tire you out.”
“Director Hu-Tao has left Liyue to participate in a TCG tournament. She has left me in charge of the parlour.” Zhongli gives an uncharacteristic smirk, sharp canines glinting dangerously. “What this means is you can do whatever you want to me tonight, and it won’t affect me in the morning as I am my own boss.” Zhongli pauses, smirk growing a little wider,”And are you sure you’ll be able to tire me out.” Zhongli’s deep voice becomes an octave lower. Childe sits up a little at this and looks him down, eyes ablaze with passion.
“Oh? Are you challenging me, Zhongli?”
“Yes.”
Childe leans in, centimetres away from Zhongli’s face,”If Wangsheng funeral parlour shuts down because its boss doesn’t show up for the next week don’t blame me,” he whispers, bringing his hands to the brunettes hips and Zhongli instinctively wraps his arms around Childe’s neck, “It is foolish of you to assume that the parlour would go bankrupt. I am dating one the richest men in Teyvat, you know.”
“Oh you..!”
“Childe…I need five minutes.” Childe immediately jumps off him, ready to go to the bathroom and clean Zhongli up until he hears Zhongli laugh, a deep velvety rumble emitting from his chest. “No need, sweet thing. I just need to breathe and we can continue.” Childe nods, settling down on the bed once again. Zhongli lies on his side, blanket slung low over his hips and Childe tries not to ogle how tantalising his collarbones look, or how the moonlight faintly shines his back, causing his perfect abs to be silhouetted in the darkness and how good his milky skin looks covered in hi- woah woah slow down, mind . He mentally reprimands himself. Zhongli intertwines their pinkies and presses a kiss to Childe’s knuckles. He seems to think for a moment, before speaking, “The traveller is going to Fontaine next.” Childe raises a thick brow, “Oh yeah?”
“Yes, we write to each other often. I don’t know how to put this but I feel a certain kind of…unease about this trip.”
“Totally valid. Everywhere that little guy goes there’s chaos. My buddy went to Mondstat, they had some issues with stormterror and a nasty blood clot. Liyue - was your’s truly and in Inazuma it was your friend, Ms Shogun who needs to be psychologically examined because holy shit . Oh! And who could forget about Sumeru and the akedemiya? But hey, all we can do is hope everything goes well for him and he finds his sister or whatever.” Zhongli smiles at Childe’s response and presses a kiss to his freckled cheek,
“I love you, Lily”
“You know I love you more, but I’m inclined to ask, what brought this on ‘li?”
Zhongli shrugs,”I feel like I don’t express my affection for you enough.”
“You do, baby. Always have, in your own way. ‘S what makes you so cute.”
Zhongli flushes, “Speaking of expressing affection,” He gives Childe a small smile and the redhead’s mouth morphs into a wide grin.
“Round 5?”
“I don’t see why not.”
Zhongli looks over at Childe, red hair sticking out everywhere and pink lines running down his muscled back. He’s so gorgeous that Zhongli can’t help but lean over and kiss his shoulder. The chirping of birds causes him to avert his gaze to the window Childe has opened because, ‘I will literally evaporate! This room is so stuffy babe-‘ The sun peeks out from the mountains, shyly spilling orange into the clouds. It takes him back to a long, long time ago.
Morax heaves, where is he? He’s not home, the air in this place doesn’t smell familiar. His arms are lined with golden veins, black scales shining in the sun. His tail slithers through the soft grass. He’s in a forest. Morax looks at the sky, now that’s something he hadn’t seen back home. A ball of light illuminating the dark, slowly but surely. “Hey you look lost. Are you okay?” A man? How did he get here? Morax rises defensively, brown hair silkily pooling by his ankles. He raises a blackened arm, the yellow markings on his arms glowing gold. The man raises his hands as a means of surrender.
“I’m not here to hurt you, I promise.”
He offers Morax his hand, how foolish. Morax could easily rip it off. He doesn’t.
The man points at Morax,
“What’s your name?”
“Morax.”
The dragon gives him a look that asks the same question.
“Oh me? Don’t worry about me, I’m an unimportant sinner.”
Zhongli sighs as he turns his head to look at Childe again. He’ll tell his menace of a boyfriend about it one day. But for now, Zhongli chooses to curl up behind him, close his eyes and drift into slumber.