Archive of Our Own

They were in Inazuma when it happened. The six of them were strolling around, following Aether like good companions they were, when one of the lightning  struck Kaeya and Childe, completely caught them off guard and the result panicked was obvious. Both Childe and Kaeya almost fainted, glassy eyes watching the others before promptly fainted.

Paimon had located a quite big enough cave protected with electric shield with a single ruin guard inside. Aether quickly lured it out and Diluc made a quick work of killing it while Zhongli placed a shield for Kaeya and Childe and supported his red head companion.

It was a one minute fight. The four of them finally brought the unconscious Kaeya and Childe to the hollowed cave.

5 minutes later, both regained consciousness. They were groaning about headache and such, but there was something completely off about it. Until Diluc gave 'Kaeya' a massage in the temple while using his pyro to warm his nape. 'Kaeya' moaned and commented, "I never thought you would touch me, Master Diluc"

Diluc was quiet. His hand stopped its ministration to contemplate the comment. If this was the old Kaeya, he wouldn't bother by it. But current Kaeya usually called him by his childhood nickname.

Meanwhile, Zhongli was in a staring contest with 'Childe' after Zhongli accidentally heard "luc" out of 'Childe's' mouth.

"Did you two exchange bodies?" Aether asked the silence.

The ginger and blue haired man quickly assessed their physic and to their partners horror, or mostly Diluc's, Kaeya and Childe did change bodies.

"Are you guys going to be alright" Aether asked with worried face. He still has a lot of commission to do since he was the honorary knight and savior of 3 nations. He might as well be Teyvat's national hero at this point. 

"Do not worry, Aether. Just do what you need to do" Kaeya, in Childe's body, replied cheerily. 

"Yeah! We will make it by our own" Childe quipped from his side. 

To be fair, both of them have similar personality. Therefore it was not an obvious change. 

"If you guys said so..." Aether then teleported with Paimon through one of Teyvat's machinery which still baffled most of them. 

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. How may I help you?"

"Excuse me, do you have 2 room-"

"Four"

"Master Diluc?"

"I am not going to sleep with the fatui nor with Kaeya in the fatui's body"

"But the money-"

"I will pay"

"....Four rooms is it? Yes, we have them!"

Bless the receptionist.

"Oi oi, Ajax. Your body is ridiculous" Kaeya who was in Childe's body groaned. He might not be a Liyuean but he still managed to use chopsticks to pinch some food usually.

Childe's body has some kind of resistance against it that he never be able to use chopsticks.

On the other hand, Childe whooped in joy as he managed to grab the xiao long bao easily. He carefully placed it onto the spoon and cooled it down a little bit before munching it down.

"Xiansheng, you are right! Xiao Long Bao is delicious when it's still intact!"

"I'm glad you finally understand the privilege of using chopsticks, Ajax. You should try some Jade Parcel as well. Although the taste is different from authentic Liyuean style, the Inazuma people created a new delightful taste"

Zhongli added.

Childe managed to continue relishing the delightness of Liyuean cuisine while Kaeya cursed him in Khaenri'ahn while stabbing his food with chopsticks. Diluc huffed and ordered a spoon and fork for him.

"Master Diluc, what precisely are you doing?"

Zhongli went by the dining hall when he found the heir of Dawn Winery with his head in his hands mumbling and grumbling.

"I'm having a Kaeya deficiency" he replied before resuming his chanting of each point of the Captain's assets while grabbing....air.

Zhongli left him to it.

"Chil-Ka-Ch-" Zhongli was for once tongue-tied and proceed to sky uppercut the mitachurl with a geo totem from below, successfully killing it in one blow.

Both Kaeya and Childe had once again blundered in their attack and summoning element, leaving them frustrated, Zhongli supplying them with shield, and left Diluc to burn everything. The red haired man didn't seem to mind as he felt much calmer after defeating one hilicurl after another.

Honestly their daily lives didn't change much for Zhongli. He woke up, greeted his lover in certain Captain's body, having his daily shopping paid. Sometimes he still missed the warmth of the other, lingering cold touch, and nobody to feed anymore since Kaeya's hands are capable of holding a chopstick.

'This must be stop' he thought and exclaimed to the rest the next day.

"And so, you would like me to ask Ei for help?" Yae Miko stood before them in her uniform, a hand to her chin with sly eyes.

"I believe the only solution to this issue lies in the Electro Archon" Zhongli explained "Meanwhile the only key to her chamber is held by you, Raiden's sole companion"

Yae Miko gave a small chuckle.

"What would you give in return, God of Contract, Morax?"

Zhongli sighed, he knew something like bribing would be needed as prediction. He beckoned Childe, in Kaeya's body, to pull out something.

Yae gasped once she depicted what it was. It was a book, but not just any book. The book's cover, the signature, the color, and even the writing-!

"It cannot be-!"

"It is" Zhongli smiled "If you would-"

He didn't even finish before Yae Miko produced a key out of her long sleeve and placed it on Morax's hand and took the book with her and disappeared. Leaving the three men, except for Zhongli, baffled.

Diluc, Kaeya, and Childe trailed like lost ducklings behind Zhongli once their meeting with Raiden Shogun's fox companion finished.

The electro archon of Inazuma's residence was a castle. A grandiose Inazuman style castle sat on Narukami Island's tail, watching over its city. Violet and gold accent engraved otogi woods pillars. Mens standing and patrolling around the area to secure Baal's place.

Zhongli reminded of Liyue's Millelith. In his opinion, it is not the most efficient military but it should suffice. He did have placed his trust on Liyue Qixing.

Inazuma's shogun army who had secured Raiden Baal's palace obstructed their path to the archon with their flimsy weapons.

"You are not-"

"Call your archon"

The two guards' face turned to a completely confused state.

"Tell her it's Zhongli"

Albeit their baffled expression, one of them snapped into attention and slowly lowered their weapon, simultaneously his partner too followed his gesture.

"Y-Yes, please wa-"

"There is no need"

The soldier who was about to report to their lord had stopped in his step and saluted to Baal. The party, minus Zhongli, had watched in astonishment to see the electro archon in person.

"How may I help you, Morax?"

Raiden asked from her perch on top of the stairs. She observed them with condescending sight. A few of them flinched except for fellow ex archon.

"It's Zhongli now. I would like to speak of a matter with you"

The Shogun batted her eyelashes then turned on her heels.

"Follow me"

"Rex Lapis! It has been a long time. How are you?"

Ei cheerily greeted the prime adeptus. Zhongli sighed and gave a warm smile to his colleague.

"It is nice to meet you, Ei. I am fine. Apologies for barging into your residence"

The five of them were on the Plane of Euthymia, the original Raiden Shogun, Ei, resided at. The contrast in personality perplexed both Mondstadtian and one Snezhnayan.

"Everyone, this is Raiden Ei, the current electro archon of Inazuma. Ei, this is Diluc, err Kaeya in Childe's body and Childe in Kaeya's body"

Ei blinked at them.

"Hello. It's a pleasure to meet Morax's friends"

"Uh yeah, hi?" Childe spoke.

Diluc and Kaeya was frozen still.

"I understand the issue now. Did you get struck by a lightning?"

Kaeya, who had snapped out of trance, had nodded. Childe too nodded.

"Okay, it will be alright. Here, could you place your hand in my right palm?" Ei offered her right hand, palm up. Childe a little bit hesitant with the polite order. With a nod from Zhongli, he put his hand.

Ei offered her left hand to Kaeya who mimicked his team member.

The archon lightly grabbed both of their hand and-

"OUCH!!"

"GAH!"

As expected, both of them were electrocuted. It's a 1-2 seconds matter but they were not normally zapped, especially by the electro archon herself.

"It's done!"

She claimed and let go of both hands the exact time she finished electrocuting them.

Diluc quickly took his lover into his arms. His hands cradling Kaeya's fragile looking arm. The man himself whined to the wine master.

Zhongli as well took Childe's hand in him and put a simple geo sigil which eased the pain bit by bit until its gone.

Then he did the same to Kaeya.

Ei looked apologetic at the very least.

"I am sorry! Was it too hard? It will not work if it is not the exact same amount of electric current"

"No, it is fine. Thank you very much for your assist, Ei. I am in your debt"

"Oh please do not worry! I am happy to meet and help you"

After a few pleasantries and a promised to meet up over a tea, the whole group was invited, they exited Ei's place. The key entrusted to them was given back to Yae Miko. The fox smiled like the cat the got the canary and waved them goodbye.

The four of them arrived at Araumi contemplating what to do.

"Now what shall we do?"

Kaeya asked.

"We were first accompanying Aether before we got struck by lightning"

Childe answered.

"Let's go home" Diluc and Zhongli commented at the same time. The two were beginning to sync after the whole journey. In the other hand, Kaeya and Childe getting along better than expected. Both were mischievous, hardworker, and possessed vision which completed each other, just like their respective lover.

"Well, I guess it was nice to meet you, Master Diluc, Kaeya!"

"You too, Childe! Teach that impossible finger of yours to use chopstick!"

They shoulder bumped like childhood friends.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Master Diluc"

Zhongli offered a hand to shake. Unlike their lovers, Zhongli and Diluc's relationship was more of an understanding. Falling in love with a rascal required a lot of hardship and unlimited patience.

"As wise, Mister Zhongli" Diluc took Zhongli's hand and shook it.

Right at that moment-

"Look out!"

A lightning struck from the tree not far from where they were standing. Zhongli and Diluc's conjoined hand had take the impact, electrocuting the two man. Kaeya and Childe watched in surrupt horror from the side.

"Diluc!"

"Xiansheng!"

Both men went to their partner in panic. Fortunately they were conscious, just groaned in pain at the sting.

Kaeya watched Diluc's eyes fluttered open to focus on him.

"I-Captain Kaeya?"

On the other hand, Zhongli too had regained consciousness and glared at Childe.

"UNHAND ME, FATUI!"

Childe and Kaeya had frozen into statue while Zhongli and Diluc watched their own body in their partner's arms and-

The four of them groaned.