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Zhongli gingerly runs his finger through Childe's wet hair. He pushes it back so he can see those wonderful blue eyes look at him with unspoken glee. Childe giggles and closes the distance between them in the tub, the harbinger practically goes on top of the old God's lap to do the same with his onyx hair.
"You ever share a tub with someone like this Zhongli Xiangsheng?" he says with fondness. Zhongli scoffs at the use of the honorific but fails to hide his growing warm smile.
"No, I don't recall" Zhongli answers. Childe hums, his eyes no longer meeting with his, and now were absently looking at the lukewarm water surrounding them both.
They must've made for quite a sight. Two grown men (one an ex archon no less) bathing together in Zhongli's tub. Zhongli initially declined Childe's invitation but he wasn't exactly the most unwavering towards the harbinger's insistence. His blue eyes were full of excitement, childlike bewilderment that shines through Childe's usually guarded gaze. How could anyone say no really?
They fit neatly inside the tub, their limbs intertwined. Childe turned around so he could lean against his chest, his head made a fitting chin rest for the ex archon. Zhongli was honestly baffled at how his past self would decline something so comforting as this.
"My siblings and I used to bathe together all the time"
Zhongli listens intently, staring at the shy smile across his lover's cheeks as he recalls better times. He wants to keep that smile in a bottle and bring it everywhere. He would keep it dangling next to his gnosis. Close to him at all times.
"Anyways"
The story ended? Already?
"Let's get out. The water's getting cold now" Childe supplies, tapping lightly on Zhongli's forehead with a smirk.
"Alright"