[ Pardon the "real" name usage there, but in a panic that's all Zhongli can think of as he immediately summons his own aibou (a dragon in and of itself) over the edge of the building to catch him. ]
[ his poor aibou isnāt going to find him down there, because childe is the mysterious thing that flew up the side of the building. he appears overhead as an enormous pterosaur, flapping his wings a few times before turning back into himself and dropping down into place beside zhongli. ]
You canāt get rid of me that easily. [ reaches to take zhongliās hand in his own. ] Iām sorry I scared you. I couldnāt think of a better way to release all the lanterns, aaaand I might have also wanted to make a little show of it.
Have I ever told you how cute you look when youāre upset, ⦠[ he steps ahead of zhongli, so he can drop into the couch first and tug him into his lap. ] I would have liked to make the lantern together, but that would have spoiled the surprise, so I hope you donāt mind the imperfections.
ā¦oh, but itās true. [ childe loops an arm around zhongliās waist to keep him from going anywhere. ] I love the pout, Xiansheng, and the way your nose twitches to convey your frustration. I like the subtle changes in your tone, the timber of your voice, when youāre so clearly both endeared and frustrated. And, here, the perfect mix of anger and embarrassment⦠[ cups his cheek and smooths his thumb over the color stained there. ] Youāre 110% cute, Zhongli Xiansheng. [ smiles~ ]
[ he looks over the lantern and smiles. he IS proud of it, so heās glad zhongli approves. ] Letās write our wishes together.
[ Even though everything he said is true, he doesn't have to admit to it. Zhongli grabs both of Childe's cheeks and squishes them slightly to cut off his ramblings. ]
Is this you rising to my earlier challenge?
I'll warn you that I have a much higher threshold for shame than you do, Caeli.
So. Tread. Wisely.
[ And he places a warning kiss to the tip of Childe's nose.
A very clever diversion from his own flush if he does say so himself. ]
[ his ramblings become a bit incoherent at the cheek squishing, so he stops and instead just tries to smile. he probably looks a little ridiculous. ]
Absolutely. I never back down from a challenge, and a chance to best you, Xiansheng, ah~ well itās certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
[ he laughs, darkly. ] Are you sure, Xiansheng? [ heāll accept the kiss and trail his hand up zhongliās back - treading along his spine. ] I donāt doubt that youād make a valiant effort, but⦠thereās no beating me. [ and then his hand moves back down, so he can take a handful of zhongliās ass and squeeze it. ]
[ childe looks like he might just vibrate out of his own skin, his face slowly but surely turning just as red as zhongliās. the lack of response from the other isnāt all that surprising, but heās having a hard time figuring out what to do next⦠so theyāll both sit and suffer in silence. ]
[ after a few minutes and when the gears of his brain finally start turning properly again, ]
I⦠I know what that means⦠[ does that make it better or worse? ]
[ someone call pep!pep!, because there has been a MURDER! ]
[ his brain has completely stalled out at this point, a surge of feelings he didnāt even know he was capable of having encapsulating him and shaking him to his core. his chest burns, because what is remembering to breath, a stunted gasp sucked in through clenched teeth as he looks aside and continues to turn fifty shades of red. ]
[ w- why. why does zhongli⦠him? what! ]
[ heās just going to shakily reach for his mask and move it in front of his face, because heās feeling overwhelmed and his eyes may have grown a bit misty. is this real? it doesnāt feel real. ]
G- GÄn nĒ zĆ i yÄ«qĒ de shĆhou hĒo kÄixÄ«n⦠[ squeezes zhongli, tugging him a little bit closer, so he can pretend they have a bit more privacy. ]
[ Childe, you brought this upon yourself. And he pulls Childe close. Luckily, Zhongli being in his lap means he can place his chin on top of Childe's head and hide him away from the rest of the world.
Seems he took more damage from his own attack than anyone else. ]
You are completely reckless. You know that, don't you?
[ he really did. he threw them into a tailspin, but as terrifying as it had been to start heās finding he doesnāt mind as much as he thought he might. itās not the first time heās considered the root of all of these feelings⦠but it sure is the first time heās decided to acknowledge them to *this* degree - putting them to words and saying them aloud. ]
H- hahaha, but you already knew that. [ since zhongli is helping him to hide he moves the mask aside, quirking his head to the side to look at him through a mess of orange bangs. ] I think itās one of my charm points, yeah?
[ In all honesty, Zhongli never thought too hard about what Childe meant to him outside of the fact he was an important part of his life, and that Zhongli wanted Childe a part of his for as long as time and duty allowed.
But so bluntly asked if he did love him? Well, the answer is obvious.
Of course he loves Childe. As he loves Guizhong. And as he loves Azhdaha. And to some extend, as he loves Liyue.
Was Childe worried about that? ]
Yes, I do believe I would call it one of your charm points. Though it is a little unfortunate that I am limited to responding with only words instead of actions based on our present situation.
I must ask that you repeat that again behind closed doors.
...later, m- maybe. [ if he can pull himself back together. ] I hope you know I'm not letting you go back to Heart. I'm taking you back to Wild City with me.
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[ Pardon the "real" name usage there, but in a panic that's all Zhongli can think of as he immediately summons his own aibou (a dragon in and of itself) over the edge of the building to catch him. ]
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You canāt get rid of me that easily. [ reaches to take zhongliās hand in his own. ] Iām sorry I scared you. I couldnāt think of a better way to release all the lanterns, aaaand I might have also wanted to make a little show of it.
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You're impossible.
[ Even as he is lacing his fingers with Childe and dragging him back to the couch. ]
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[ And down he goes.
Sir. Sir, he is still being incredibly fussy even as he settles into Childe's lap. And squirms.
This never happens to him. It's usually the other way around. Just look at his archon statues. ]
I am deliberately choosing to allow this change of topic.
You need not worry about how well the lantern is constructed. It is quite common for people to make them on behalf of family and loved ones.
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[ he looks over the lantern and smiles. he IS proud of it, so heās glad zhongli approves. ] Letās write our wishes together.
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Is this you rising to my earlier challenge?
I'll warn you that I have a much higher threshold for shame than you do, Caeli.
So. Tread. Wisely.
[ And he places a warning kiss to the tip of Childe's nose.
A very clever diversion from his own flush if he does say so himself. ]
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Absolutely. I never back down from a challenge, and a chance to best you, Xiansheng, ah~ well itās certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
[ he laughs, darkly. ] Are you sure, Xiansheng? [ heāll accept the kiss and trail his hand up zhongliās back - treading along his spine. ] I donāt doubt that youād make a valiant effort, but⦠thereās no beating me. [ and then his hand moves back down, so he can take a handful of zhongliās ass and squeeze it. ]
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[ Just a hint of warning as he grips his wrist and attempts to pull his hand away. ]
We are in public.
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he looks nervous. ]
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Anyway.
Zhongli.exe has stopped responding.
And he is red as a tomato.
Perfect victory to Childe. ]
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[ after a few minutes and when the gears of his brain finally start turning properly again, ]
I⦠I know what that means⦠[ does that make it better or worse? ]
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Nor does he let him get out one or two of those words before he places a finger to Childe's lips to shush him and reply in very archaic Snezhnayan: ]
ya tozhe tyebya lyublyu.
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[ his brain has completely stalled out at this point, a surge of feelings he didnāt even know he was capable of having encapsulating him and shaking him to his core. his chest burns, because what is remembering to breath, a stunted gasp sucked in through clenched teeth as he looks aside and continues to turn fifty shades of red. ]
[ w- why. why does zhongli⦠him? what! ]
[ heās just going to shakily reach for his mask and move it in front of his face, because heās feeling overwhelmed and his eyes may have grown a bit misty. is this real? it doesnāt feel real. ]
G- GÄn nĒ zĆ i yÄ«qĒ de shĆhou hĒo kÄixÄ«n⦠[ squeezes zhongli, tugging him a little bit closer, so he can pretend they have a bit more privacy. ]
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Seems he took more damage from his own attack than anyone else. ]
You are completely reckless. You know that, don't you?
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H- hahaha, but you already knew that. [ since zhongli is helping him to hide he moves the mask aside, quirking his head to the side to look at him through a mess of orange bangs. ] I think itās one of my charm points, yeah?
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But so bluntly asked if he did love him? Well, the answer is obvious.
Of course he loves Childe. As he loves Guizhong. And as he loves Azhdaha. And to some extend, as he loves Liyue.
Was Childe worried about that? ]
Yes, I do believe I would call it one of your charm points. Though it is a little unfortunate that I am limited to responding with only words instead of actions based on our present situation.
I must ask that you repeat that again behind closed doors.
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[ And he tucks a lock of hair behind Childe's ear. ]
Have I somehow mistakenly given you the impression that my time is not yours That I generously and genuinely offer it to you.
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