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[childeishly]

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[leaveofabsence]

[ Harrumphs! ]

You're impossible.

[ Even as he is lacing his fingers with Childe and dragging him back to the couch. ]

[childeishly]

Have I ever told you how cute you look when you’re 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 don’t mind the imperfections.

[leaveofabsence]

I must certainly am no---

[ 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.

[childeishly]

…oh, but it’s true. [ childe loops an arm around zhongli’s 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 you’re 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. ] You’re 110% cute, Zhongli Xiansheng. [ smiles~ ]

[ he looks over the lantern and smiles. he IS proud of it, so he’s glad zhongli approves. ] Let’s write our wishes together.

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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. ]

[childeishly]

[ 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 it’s certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

[ he laughs, darkly. ] Are you sure, Xiansheng? [ he’ll accept the kiss and trail his hand up zhongli’s back - treading along his spine. ] I don’t doubt that you’d make a valiant effort, but… there’s no beating me. [ and then his hand moves back down, so he can take a handful of zhongli’s ass and squeeze it. ]

1/2

[leaveofabsence]

[ He should have expected this and yet... ]

[leaveofabsence]

Caeli.

[ Just a hint of warning as he grips his wrist and attempts to pull his hand away. ]

We are in public.

[childeishly]

But Xiansheng... [ pouts!!! ]

[leaveofabsence]

Certainly you can defeat me without having to resort to something so base, yes?

1/3

[childeishly]

...

[childeishly]

[ alright... so,
he looks nervous. ]

[childeishly]

...Wǒ ài nǐ.

[leaveofabsence]

[ How did he get 1000x times more embarrassing than ass grabbing in public? C H I L D E!





Anyway.

Zhongli.exe has stopped responding.

And he is red as a tomato.

Perfect victory to Childe. ]

[childeishly]

[ childe looks like he might just vibrate out of his own skin, his face slowly but surely turning just as red as zhongli’s. the lack of response from the other isn’t all that surprising, but he’s having a hard time figuring out what to do next… so they’ll 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? ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ Luckily, Zhongli does not make him wait minutes.

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.

[childeishly]

[ someone call pep!pep!, because there has been a MURDER! ]

[ his brain has completely stalled out at this point, a surge of feelings he didn’t 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! ]

[ he’s just going to shakily reach for his mask and move it in front of his face, because he’s feeling overwhelmed and his eyes may have grown a bit misty. is this real? it doesn’t feel real. ]

G- Gēn nǐ zài yīqǐ de shíhou hǎo kāixīn… [ squeezes zhongli, tugging him a little bit closer, so he can pretend they have a bit more privacy. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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?

[childeishly]

[ he really did. he threw them into a tailspin, but as terrifying as it had been to start he’s finding he doesn’t mind as much as he thought he might. it’s not the first time he’s considered the root of all of these feelings… but it sure is the first time he’s 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 it’s one of my charm points, yeah?

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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.

[childeishly]

...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.

[leaveofabsence]

You mentioned something similar when you had fallen ill as well. How you wanted some of my time.

[ 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.

[childeishly]

If you'll allow me to be greedy I'd like *all* of your time. [ h- hey! cut that out. ] No, it's not that, ...

[leaveofabsence]

Hmmmm... No? Then what is it?

[childeishly]

...it's still a bit hard to believe that people want to spend time with me. [ he turns to face the spread of food. ] And that things could ever get to this point. It feels so surreal, especially since I hadn't had a chance to experience anything like this. It's nice, but a part of me has to wonder if it won't last. Not through any fault of your own, Xiansheng, let me be clear! [ it's him, he's the problem! ]