childeishly | 🍒 popdrop; inbox.

[ it looks like shit. like... even more shit than it had before childe took his elemental blades to it. he keeps his back to zhongli, hydro blades still in hand and hanging at his sides as he huffs; catching his breath. ]

...what did you want to talk about?

Nothing, if you do not wish to. But I have prepared something if you feel like eating.

I assure you it is not sweet.

[ ...this is bittersweet. he'd normally jump at the chance to try anything zhongli prepared, but he doesn't have the stomach to force something down his throat at the moment. ]

I'm not hungry. Maybe later. [ pivots, half facing him, front drenched in blood. ]

Then I will leave it with you for when you are feeling in the mood to eat.

[ And he tucks the cloth wrapped package under his arm as if he was expecting that. ]

Come.

Shall we go for a walk?

I’m not interested in a walk. You can say whatever’s on your mind here.

I do not presume to know why the events of his world came to pass. So I cannot agree or disagree with the choices they have made.

Perhaps we are to view these tales as cautionary for being allowed a forbidden peek into what could have been.

However.

[ And he moves to set the package down at his feet, not moving closer to Childe. ]

Do not presume that a similar fate lies in store for you.

Or that it changes the bond between you and I.

...if all of these different iterations of the same damn place exist, then how am I supposed to know, supposed to figure out, if we're from one in the same? And if any of this [ he makes looks away from zhongli and motions in between them. ] is going to matter when everything is said and done...

tch. [ clicks his tongue. ] His being here has already changed things. If he's anything like me, which he obviously is, then... [ he's going to want zhongli's attention too. he just starts walking toward something he had beaten up earlier, an electro blade appearing in his hand so he can beat on it some more. ]

Of course it matters, regardless of if we're from the same place or if we are not. Regardless of if we are able to return to the same place or not.

This time here together now matters.

[ he doesn't want to have to start from square one if this isn't his zhongli. sure, the time spent here is important and great and all that, but having to retread the same steps... and then it might not even take... ]

[ a snap of lightning strikes the blade childe's holding to send a surge of electro energy out along the ground around him, scarring it. ]

If I had died in the Golden House... would you intervened? My taking things to the next level was all apart of the plan, no? so... [ his eyes are burning a bright purple as he turns, his clothing a touch singed, but he seems neither to mind nor care. ]

I cannot say what I would or would not have done in those circumstances. It is unfathomable to me how that could have happened considering the events that transpired as I remember.

The Traveler would not have killed you. They are not the kind of person even if you had been on opposing sides. So what then could have---

What I can tell you with certainty is that I do not wish for your to die. Even if that is just a selfish desire of mine.

...

Foul Legacy. He said it got the best of him, or some such.

[ ... ]

Xiansheng...

Yes, Cheri?

[ ugh, it’s just so hard to be and stay mad at him when he says things like that. ]

...come here?

[ Zhongli approaches Childe, brushing their shoulders together for a brief moment. ]

[ he shifts to avoid further contact. ] ...if you can be selfish, then I can be selfish too.

[ Oh.

He takes a step back. ]

My apologies. I misunderstood.

What do you want then, Cheri?

...just a little. [ he summons a snake of water to clean himself of the blood staining his person. ] Me or not, if he oversteps his boundaries, then I’m killing him.

[ if zhongli can consider giving him life, then he can consider ending his life. ]

Considering your nature, I would not expect anything less than for you to see him as a challenge. As violence to be one of the languages you communicate in.

But I will admit I am at a loss on what I have done to upset you.

And what you mean by overstepping his boundaries.

[ they fought once already, so it’s bound to happen again. ]

[ who else could keep up with childe besides childe? ]

It’s not you specifically. It’s you in general, having decided to play god without my consent, I’m sure, because why in Teyvat would this ever be a topic of conversation? I may get into a number of dangerous fights and, sure, the threat of dying always looms overhead, but... [ he’s not weak. he knows his limits, which is why he’a always pushing to make them broader. he wouldn’t die, especially not to ‘himself’ of all things. ]

[ he sets a hand on his face and sighs. ] I really don’t know what to think or how to feel and I hate it.

Then until you are determine what you are comfortable with, I will not intervene on your behalf without your consent.

Would that put at least a little of your worries at ease?

I don’t know. I really don’t know. [ part of him wants to apologize for how difficult this is and how he’s being, but the other part is still upset at zhongli and this other him, so he just keeps his mouth shut and tries sorting through his muddled thoughts and feelings. ]

I’m sure this will sort itself out... at some point.

Of course. Until then, I suppose we can only be patient.

[ He pauses for a moment, as if he is uncharacteristically struggling with what he should say next.

And then eventually opts to say nothing at all. ]

[ he also seems to be having a difficult time with how to go on. he's reminded of how things were following the liyue incident and that has him frowning. ] Did you still want to go on that walk? [ maybe that'll help clear his head of some of these thoughts, because he's seriously at a loss for what to do. ]

Yes. Of course, I do.

We do not have to talk about this or anything else for that matter. Perhaps just the fresh air will help settle some of our unease.

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