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"Isn't that right, 'Li! 'Li? Why are you sitting all the way back there?" Childe turns, a little confused when he doesn't see Zhongli next to him.
Zhongli coughs, thoroughly agonised, "...well, I, uh… I didn't want to scare away the fishes." Yes, yes, good. That sounds like a convincing excuse.
"Pffft nonsense! They'll be fine so long as you don't cast a shadow over the water, here is just about right." Childe beckons once again, his foot reaching out to tap gently at the spot next to him.
Zhongli stares at it for a long, long while, expression growing ever more conflicted.
"...It's… It's really quite alright my love…" Zhongli tries for an assuring smile. It comes out looking incredibly pained. Childe looks at him for a moment, unconvinced, before sighing and turning back to his fishing rod.
"Well, if you say so 'Li." He shrugs, the cheer returning to his voice as he casts out his first line, "don't blame me when you end up with nothing in your pail by the end of the day!"
Zhongli lets out a breath he's been holding, sagging into his silly foldable chair that his Ajax had brought for their silly impromptu fishing trip that he had been too weak to say no to.
In all fairness, how could he? Not when Ajax had lit up with a childlike glee finally befitting of his youthful features at the mere mention of a good fishing spot in Liyue's mountains. He had been adamant about arriving at the break of dawn to get in as much time as possible to catch the Angelfish that only dwelled on Mt. Aocang; and between his own lecture on Liyue's mountain biome and Ajax's bright eyed enthusiasm, Zhongli simply couldn't find the time to slot in a footnote detailing his disdain for seafood.
In front of him, Ajax whoops as he reels in his first catch, excitedly turning back to show it off to him. Zhongli suppresses a wince at the wet, slimy fish flopping around in Ajax's hold, and focuses instead on the radiant beam of his beloved.
A smile makes its way easily onto his face then, as praise tumbles freely from his lips. Ajax grins, cheeks glowing as he preens at the acknowledgement, though he catches himself, quickly turning back to let his fish into the half-filled pail, readying his rod for another cast.
Zhongli watches as Ajax baits his hook, his practiced fingers feeding the hook through the mouth of the little spearing and out of its gills. He twists its body to make a second puncture through the bait's midsection, securing it with a gentle press of thumb and forefinger. Satisfied, Ajax hums to himself as he prepares himself for a second cast, and Zhongli cannot help the fondness that blooms in his chest at the sight of that tiny, content little smile that hooks at the corners of Ajax's mouth. He decides then, that even if he eventually has to try to catch a fish on this trip, it will have been worth it just for that one glimpse.
—
"I told you you wouldn't get any fish sitting all the way back there," Ajax says, a playful lilt in his voice as he bumps Zhongli with his shoulder. The water in his pail sloshes dangerously with the movement, but Zhongli can't find it in himself to mind anymore, thoroughly taken by the smile sitting comfortably on Ajax's face.
"...Li?"
"Hmm, that you did," Zhongli affirms, completely unperturbed by his lack of fish.
Ajax regards him, amused, before huffing to himself. He shakes his head fondly, settling it against Zhongli's shoulder as they walk, lips curving back into that content smile, "so long as you enjoyed yourself babe."
"You know I always do."