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It is not often Zhongli is able to appreciate the Liyue sun on a day off. It’s hot, just the right temperature for basking on a rock. Hmmm. A perfect idea.
“Ajax?”
Childe looks up with a smile. He really is terribly beautiful. Mask askew in his hair where he’s been sleeping on Zhongli’s thigh, eyes bright despite the lack of light. “What’s the matter, xiansheng?”
Zhongli hums, righting Childe’s mask gently. Childe closes his eyes, leans into the touch. Zhongli loves him. It tightens his chest, sends warmth flooding through him. “I think I will bask in the sun.”
“You’re human,” Childe starts. He’s clever, catches on quickly. “Awesome. I was going to fight. Do you mind?”
“I am quite capable of looking after myself,” Zhongli says. He was once Rex Lapis; relaxing in the sun doesn’t come with any danger. Well. No danger he cannot take care of. “Go.”
“Thanks Zhongli.” Childe leans in for a kiss, fingers against Zhongli’s cheek, giving another quick peck before they part. “I’ll be back soon.”
Zhongli waits until Childe stands and then stretches out on the blanket, giving in to his Geo power, body adjusting and shifting until he’s the small exuvia that Childe distressingly calls Longli.
Childe laughs, two fingers stroking down the length of Zhongli’s spine. “See you soon.”
Indeed. Zhongli closes his eyes, enjoying the sun beating down against his scales, and naps.
The sun moves across the sky and Zhongli lets himself drown in the noises around him; wind, the lap of water against the bank of the lake, and the sounds of distant fighting. Childe, no doubt causing havoc, and yet Zhongli cannot bring himself to mind. Eventually, the heat is enough to draw him from sleep and he stretches, claws scraping against rock as he shuffles.
Water.
The lake nearby is perfect, and Zhongli sits on his hindlegs, peering over the crest of the hill. There’s Hydro and sparks; Childe is busy, clearly. With an internal sigh, Zhongli trots his way down to the lake, lifting his snout into the air. Cor Lapis nearby. Interesting. He will have to check it out after a drink. Finally, he reaches the bank and peers over. It’s a long way down, but he has claws for a reason. Digging into the soft part of the bank, he holds tight and slinks slowly down, reaching the water. He laps gently, appreciating the coolness despite the sun, only lifting his head when a scuffle breaks out between a couple of Geo slimes. Foolish.
A noise from behind him startles him enough that his claws slip, the mud giving way beneath him, and he lets out a distressed noise – not a honk! – and splashes into the water.
It’s cold, shocking, and he splashes around, trying to find purchase on the mud. He lets out another yell of distress, tail lashing against the water. There is bound to be something he can grab, but his legs in this form don’t have as much power as the other exuvia. He yells again, trying to catch the attention of someone – Childe!
<Childe!>
<CHILDE!>
Something grabs him around the middle, and he tries to wriggle away until he hears the comforting, “Xiansheng, it’s me!”
<Oh.>
Childe lifts him out of the water, cradling him and pressing him to his chest. Zhongli’s claws catch against Childe’s jacket, and he wraps his tail around Childe’s waist, making another distressed noise. Childe laughs, which is rude, and kisses the top of Zhongli’s head. “Silly dragon.”
Zhongli refuses to acknowledge the words, and lets himself be carried back to the shade of the tree, where Childe picks up the blanket.
“Here,” Childe says, wrapping the blanket around Zhongli. It is dirty, but not as disgusting as the water, so Zhongli allows it. Mostly because it’s warm. Comfortable. He burrows into it, throat rumbling as Childe dries him carefully, fingers scratching down his scales in pleasing ways.
<Perfect.>
“You could have changed back, you know,” Childe says.
Zhongli pauses. He tips his head back, looking up at Childe.
Chidle stares back and then laughs, a quick bark. “You forgot, didn’t you?”
Burying his face back in the blanket, Zhongli refuses to respond. He did not forget. He was merely distressed. <I did not.>
“Of course not,” Childe says, but he chuckles as he unwraps the blanket, stroking down Zhongli’s spine. Zhongli melts, stretching out. Childe’s fingers rub under his chin, and Zhongli purrs, giving in to the comfort. It is wonderful to be able to be himself – in exuvia form – and have Childe still lavish him with attention and love.
Childe seems content to do so, humming something off-key, and stroking down both sides of Zhongli’s back, around the lapis spines, and at the base of his tail. Zhongli stretches again, flattening against Childe’s legs, and rumbles.
“I love you,” Childe says, leaning down to kiss the top of Zhongli’s head.
<As I do, you,> Zhongli says, finally stretching up to butt his head under the bottom of Childe’s chin, in his approximation of a kiss. <So very much.>
Childe holds him close, and Zhongli once again attaches himself to Childe’s jacket, tail around his waist. A pause. “Did you know you honk like a distressed crane?”
Zhongli digs his claws in, bites at Childe’s shoulder.
“Ow,” Childe laughs, tugging Zhongli away from him. Zhongli turns his face away, tail wrapping around Childe’s wrist a little too tightly. “Aw, come on, xiansheng. I’m just kidding.”
<I do not honk,> Zhongli protests, offended.
“You do. But it’s okay,” Childe says. “But I’ve been told I honk when I laugh.”
<It does not make me feel better,> Zhongli says.
Childe tips back his head and laughs. He is correct – he does honk.
Zhongli watches him; Childe is happy, carefree, and looks at him with so much love. It is more than Zhongli ever expected for himself, and he feels warm in ways that have nothing to do with the sun. <I love you.>
“Oh,” Childe says, but he grins, brilliant and bright. “I love you too.”
<This I know,> Zhongli tells him, because he knows Childe often worries about such things..
Childe’s smile softens and he cuddles Zhongli close. Zhongli buries his face under Childe’s chin and allows himself to bask in a different kind of warmth.