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Lapis lazuli shone well in dim natural light, Childe thinks.
He admires the ring on his hand, all matte black with intricate dragon scale designs that makes him think of expensive black leather, shining noctilucous jade as side stones, three on each side, and a center stone of beautiful lapis lazuli, less showy than the glowing jade but with a deeper color that draws attention to the entirety of the ring itself.
It made sense, at least to him, that the center stone would be a deep color unlike the paler side stones. It looked prettier, in his opinion.
Moonlight makes the well-fitted ring glitter, and Childe hums in awe at the beauty of it.
“Why are you still up?” The husky, sleep-tinged voice of his new husband (!!!!) snaps him to attention, turning his head sideways to find glowing gold eyes staring right at him.
He startles, eyes widening in surprise.
“Jeez! You're awake? No need to scare me like that,” Childe breathes, a hand flying to his chest to force his rapidly beating heartbeat to slow back down. Zhongli chuckles, shifting so that he could bury his face in the crevice between the redhead's neck and shoulder, arms wrapping around his waist.
“I apologize, but I couldn't help myself, waking up to see your face so admiring,” the man purrs into his neck, making Childe's skin flush from the action. The redhead huffs. “Alright, whatever.” He sighed, an arm absentmindedly going to wrap loosely around the other's waist.
“So what are you doing on our wedding night that is much of importance?” The brunette asks again. Childe hums shortly, gasping almost inaudibly as moonlight caught the stones to shine a nonsensical pattern against the wall and nearly blinding him.
“I see.” Zhongli rumbles without an answer, amber eye peeking up from pale, freckled skin to spot the glittering gems of his husband's ring. “Do you like it?”
Childe snorts at that, letting his hand fall on his lap as he throws his husband a bemused look. “If I didn't like it, I wouldn't be staying up to look at it when I could sleep off the exhaustion you gave me earlier.”
Zhongli lets one of his hands creep towards Childe's lap and grab the ringed hand, lifting it up to his face and giving a silent, lazy kiss to the ring and essentially his finger as a response.
The redhead's cheeks flush red, and it is a pretty sight that Zhongli drinks in from below his lover's face. “Sap,” Childe murmurs, face red as he continues an argument picked up from the earlier days of their relationship.
The Adeptus smiles and leans up to place a quick peck against his husband's lips. “Yours.” He mutters, and kisses him again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later, while standing on a bridge in Inazuma and admiring the falling sakura petals around them during their honeymoon, Childe asks his husband the meaning of the gem Zhongli had decided would be the center stone of the redhead's wedding ring.
The god hums as he explains, eyes not leaving the clear surface of the petal-covered lake as his eyes glitter with fascination.
“Lapis lazuli was once considered the stone of the gods,” he murmurs. “It is one of the most sought after stones in use since the history of mankind began. Its deep, celestial blue remains the symbol of royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision, hence why it was known to be the stone of gods.” He looks up finally, molten-gold irises catching his lover's own deep blue, and his face softens.
“It is a universal of wisdom and truth,” he leans in, hand beginning to stroke the redhead's cheek as he concludes his explanation. “and it reminds me of your eyes, so blue and deep.”
Zhongli kisses him, and rids him of all thoughts about stones and gods.
FIN.