Work Text:
When Zhongli sent Childe a letter to inform him he would not be able to attend their regular dinner at Liuli Pavillion, the Harbinger didn't think much of it. If anything, he smiled fondly at his formal way of writing, so typical of Zhongli, and assumed some work probably came up at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. They would find time to see each other later. It was no big deal.
However, as Zhongli kept turning down all his invitations, he started to worry. Mending their relationship after the Osial incident had been a slow process, and they had only started dating a few weeks ago. Zhongli couldn't already have gotten bored of him, right? He could not think of anything he might have done wrong either. Everything in their relationship seemed to be going well, so why was Zhongli avoiding him?
Or maybe... Maybe he should have expected it. Maybe a mere human like himself would never be enough to humor a former god. Maybe their love was doomed for failure from the start.
He shook his head, trying to chase those somber thoughts away. Even if it was the truth, Zhongli was an honorable man. He would have informed him of his change of heart, rather than leaving him in the dark.
Just like he informed you of his true nature before giving his gnosis to Signora? whispered an insidious voice in his mind.
Childe took his face in his hands. He couldn't go on like this. It was starting to affect his job at the Northland Bank, and that was something he just could not allow. Even the thrill of battle wasn't quite as pleasant anymore. Childe's heart ached when, after a particularly vicious fight, he had to tend to his injuries alone. It only made him realize how badly he missed his lover's tender touch.
So he decided to settle on the only sensible course of action: Confront Zhongli.
His heart was in his throat when he showed up at the consultant's house. He knocked on the door with a shaking hand, then waited. It took longer than usual, but Zhongli eventually showed up. He was wearing a hood, which cast a shadow on his face and made him look strikingly similar to his statue of the Seven. To Childe, it served as a bitter reminder that he was facing a millennia-old deity, who had probably grown tired of him.
“Childe? What are you doing here?”
Oh no. He sounded upset to see him. The Harbinger could almost feel his heart crack. The speech he had meticulously prepared on the way there vanished from his mind.
“Do you want to break up with me?” He blurted out instead.
He sounded pathetic, even to himself. Tears were starting to well in his eyes, despite all his efforts to keep them at bay. Nothing could have prepared him for how badly this hurt.
“What? Of course not!” Zhongli exclaimed. “What on earth gave you the idea...”
“You have been avoiding me for days! Is... Is it something I've done? You do not have to be gentle with me. Just tell me the truth, you know I can take it.”
The Harbinger sincerely hoped his faked smile would be enough to fool Zhongli. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the sentimental blow that was sure to come.
Instead, he yelped when Zhongli engulfed him in a tight hug.
“Oh Childe, I am so sorry. This was all an oversight on my part. I didn't think my prolonged absence would... make you feel this way.”
The Harbinger didn't know nor understand what was going on. Zhongli's arms were warm, and he had missed his embrace. That was all he could think about. He let the consultant drag him inside without opposing any resistance, still shaken up.
“I... I will find a way to make it up to you, I promise, but for now, I believe I owe you the truth. Please, do not judge my appearance too harshly. I did not intend for you to see me like this.”
With that said, Zhongli took a step back and pulled off his hood, looking slightly embarrassed.
His dragon horns were apparent, but that was not what Childe focused on. Zhongli's yellow eyes had turned into a whitish blue and they looked dull, unseeing. His heart sank, but for a completely different reason.
“You're sick.” He murmured, unable to hide the horror and anguish in his voice.
“No, no, no, that is not what is going on with me. Please, do not look so fear-stricken. I am merely shedding. My apologies, I wrongly assumed you would recognize the signs.”
“Shedding?” Childe repeated, confused.
“Yes, shedding. As in, getting rid of my old skin, which is a natural and harmless process for a dragon like me. It barely took place once a millennium when I was an Archon, so I must confess it took me by surprise.”
Now that he mentioned it, Childe noticed how patches of dead skin seemed to be coming off of Zhongli's scales. A deep feeling of relief washed over him. Zhongli was just bad at communicating, not bored of him or dying.
“Oh, so that's why you didn't want to go out? Because you have to stay in this form for this?”
“That is one of the reasons, yes, but not the only one. Being around strangers during this time makes me feel... unnerved. When dragons shed, they are at their most vulnerable. Some instinctual part of me can't help but be scared of outside threats.”
Childe could barely grasp the concept that the mighty Rex Lapis might be scared of anything. However, he kept it to himself, not wanting to belittle Zhongli's feelings.
“Oh, I see. I can leave, if my presence makes you uncomfortable.”
“Do not be silly. You are my mate; I feel safe with you.”
To add to his words, Zhongli pressed himself against Childe once more. The Harbinger happily welcomed him in his arms, holding him close.
“Is there anything I can do to help you through this? Apart from hugging you, I mean. This shedding thing you're going through... It doesn't look comfortable.”
“I do not think so.” Zhongli sighed. “There is little I can do myself, apart from waiting. To be quite honest, it... itches. In the past, spending this period in my Exuvia form made it easier, but this option isn't exactly available to me anymore. It would be cruel to the people of Liyue to make them think Rex Lapis has returned.”
“Couldn't you just... Turn into a smaller dragon? One that could fit within your house?” Childe wondered.
“I technically could, but that would leave me even more vulnerable. My instincts are... quite averse to the idea.” Zhongli confessed.
Childe frowned, trying his hardest to think of something that could relieve him.
“What if I stayed with you the whole time? With me around, you would have more than enough time to transform back if any danger was to arise.”
Zhongli looked up at him, and Childe spotted a spark of hope in his veiled eyes.
“I... I believe this could work.”
“Then let's give it a try.”
Gently, he guided Zhongli to his couch, before letting go of him. The consultant sat down, then closed his eyes. The next second, a dragon the size of a small dog stood in his place. Under this form, he looked even more disheveled and miserable, with bits of shed skin scattered all over him. At least now he was in a body that was meant to undergo this process.
The look on his face also betrayed how unhappy his condition made him. It almost made Childe chuckle. Even in this form, Zhongli stayed quite expressive.
The small dragon scrambled on the couch, then climbed onto Childe's lap, leaving pieces of dead scales behind him. The Harbinger didn't comment on it; embarrassing Zhongli was the last thing he wanted. Instead, he gently ran his fingers through the dragon's orange fur, careful to avoid his sensitive skin.
It barely took a minute before Zhongli began purring softly, indicating to Childe that he was doing things right. It was more than enough to have the Harbinger beaming with happiness. He would gladly spend days here, stroking his soft fur, so long as it would alleviate the consultant's discomfort.
Now, all his previous worries seemed foolish. Zhongli would not trust him so unconditionally if he didn't truly love him. That realization put all of his fears at rest and allowed him to just enjoy the moment.
From time to time, Zhongli would move around to scratch himself, sometimes achieving to dislodge the infuriating piece of shed responsible for his unrest. Once victorious, he would lay down again, a satisfied look on his face. His behavior was so endearing it made Childe smile fondly as he resumed caressing him.
Maybe dating a dragon was a bit peculiar at times, but he didn't mind, far from it.