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Childe's hair looked gold in the sun.
It was a lovely thing to see first thing in the morning, paired by the sunlight dancing on his husband's scarred, freckled back as he sat on a stool across from the bed with his back turned, admiring a glass jar filled with small, colorful things.
“What is it that is so interesting that you wake up earlier than I and get out of bed to look at?” Zhongli's sleep-hazy voice broke the peaceful silence of golden light and soft breathing, making Childe turn to look at him with surprise.
The older got a glimpse of the jar, which he then saw was filled with small seashells.
A jar taken from his seashell collection?
Now that he knew what his husband was admiring, he felt fondness swell up in his chest, watching as his husband stood from the stool to crawl onto the bed and into the space beside him, messing up the wrinkled blankets as he ungracefully placed himself against the headboard with the jar still in his hands.
“Looking at my seashells.” Was the redhead's response, leaning against his husband's shoulder. Childe carefully removed the glass top and placed it on one of their many pillows, shifting the jar so that the light would pour into it and fill it up, making the multi-colored shells look like tiny gemstones in the sunlight.
Zhongli admired them briefly, but eventually he decided the glittering shells looked much less lovelier than the man beside him. He shifted his head so that his face leaned against the side of his husband's own, placing tiny kisses that were made a bit awkward by their position but made the redhead giggle.
“You're so sappy in the morning,” the Harbinger commented, reaching inside the jar to sift through the shells that made a small clinking noise when pushed up against the glass. The sunlight flickered for a brief moment before resuming.
“I cannot help it, for my husband is too lovely not to shower with affection, especially since I do not have the chance to do so when we are apart in sleep.” He sounded as though he truly regretted not staying up every night just to give Childe affection while he's asleep.
Childe blushes a bright cherry red. Zhongli thinks it looks lovely on him. “Sap.” He muttered. The ex-Archon chuckled, continuing to place kisses on his temple, cheek and jawline.
They stayed like that for a while, simply basking in the morning light as the outline of the beach outside their porch grew more and more prominent against the thin curtains. Seagulls squawked as waves lapped at the shores, and Childe sifted through dozens of tiny seashells until he came across a shining, colorful item down in the middle of the jar.
He rolled his eyes fondly, already knowing what it was, and pulled out a slim gold ring topped with a tiny, pale pink seashell followed by slightly bigger cor lapis swirls. Childe sighed, admiring the ring in his palm as it caught the pale light filtering in through the window.
“Remember the ring you got me as a ‘proper modern engagement proposal’?” Childe said dryly, catching the attention of his husband, who chuckled upon glancing at the glittering ring. Childe admired it, turning it in his palm to find the engraving in Liyuen at the bottom of the band.
“Destiny has us meet from a thousand miles away.” Zhongli read aloud, a smile tugging at his lips at the proverb he'd chosen to have engraved on the ring. Childe sighed fondly, slipping the ring on his ring finger opposite from the one that held his wedding ring.
“Sap, I'm telling you,” the redhead murmured, another dreamy sigh in his voice. Zhongli only smiled, clasping his husband's hand and lifting it so that their matte black and sleek gold wedding rings glinted in the light. An additional light shone from where the engagement ring was settled, and the ex-Archon felt his heart flutter.
He shifted and leaned his forehead against his husband's, catching his lips in a soft kiss. “Good morning, my beloved,” Zhongli whispered against his lips when they pulled away only a short time later, amber irises looking into ocean eyes.
Childe smiles. His face glowed in the hazy light, making him look like an angel. “Good morning, my love.” He whispered back, before he leaned in for another kiss.
They spent the rest of the morning like that, arms clutched around waist and neck, kissing each other until they were both breathless.
FIN.