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Throughout history, there have been actions and decisions that people have questioned, disagreed with, argued, and complained about regarding the reasoning behind each choice Morax, Rex Lapis, or Zhongli made. It could be as simple as his tasteful decision on square cups to impactful decisions such as the contract he made with the Tsaritsa. Even if he were to listen to every single individual, and take their input in his decisions, there would still be a handful who would be upset about the choices he makes. As Zhongli, he thought he would have such burdens removed, however, it’s clear that even mortals are shackled with such worries.
One of the many things people get upset with him about is his choice of partner.
“He’s too bloodthirsty.”
“A piece of scum not worthy of stepping a foot in Liyue Harbor.”
“Too dishonorable to be the partner of the respectable Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.”
While at the start, he had corrected them, calling attention to their poor taste, Childe had made it clear that such words did not bother him.
“Why would I care for what others think? You care for me, and I’d rather spend time listening to you than the pointless and baseless words of others. After all, they’re just jealous that I’ve stolen the gentlemen of their dreams from their hands, and made him mine.”
Childe’s confidence paired with a mischievous grin, Zhongli couldn’t help but fall over and over again. Yes, Zhongli loves Childe, even when his more unfavorable traits shine through.
Such as the blatant destruction of precious, one-of-a-kind, and priceless pots.
Zhongli looks down at the shattered remains of a red-glazed pot that held his precious variant of Sumeru Rose. The poor rose seems to be mostly fine, perhaps some attentive care and a new pot would be all it needs to flourish again. The flowerpot on the other hand was a victim to his dearest, most endearing lover, Childe. Childe who had finally gotten enough energy to walk around again. Zhongli’s carefully crafted medicinal soups, bitter medicine, and ancient techniques were much appreciated hours ago, but now Childe seemed to want to remind him of just how upset he was. Now, how exactly did he get into this predicament?
It was quite simple. As usual, it started with the anticipation for the arrival of his lover, followed by the meeting of two blades over a dewy field.
Childe flung himself at him, his double-sided spear posed ready to strike. Zhongli blocked him, swinging his polearm just as Childe withdrew back to not get hit. Zhongli was only able to get back into his position before Childe ran towards him with a remarkable speed only to sharply turn right to catch him off guard. Such tricks would not work on him, but his quick thinking is admirable. Zhongli raised his spear, parrying the blow and having to bend backward to avoid the quick backward jab of Childe’s spear. Zhongli moved back, allowing space between them before raising his spear to block the double cross strikes of Childe’s swords. Zhongli pushed back using his spear, swiping out in an arch and forcing Childe to retreat once again. Childe wipes away the sweat drops that fall from his forehead, a sadistic grin on his face as he moves forwards once again. They trade blows over and over, parrying, blocking, and striking moving forward and backward with each step they take. The two of them were focused, attentive to the other’s actions and body, but all dances and spars must end. Zhongli kicks the shaft of the polearm, sending his polearm forward to make Childe move away from him. Childe dodges and does his best to meet him again, only to be met with a powerful strike which he uses to push back into the air to propel himself forward and knock Zhongli off his center of gravity. Zhongli smiles, twisting and dropping low, causing Childe to try to redirect his strike only to find himself knocked down by Zhongli’s strong kick to his side just as he lands. Childes doubles over trying to catch his breath. Childes rolls over, moving to stand back up before he’s pinned down by Zhongli.
“Yield.” Zhongli commands, staring down at Childe’s flushed face and short gasps for air. Childe groans, before letting his head hit the grass in defeat. Zhongli watches as a pout makes its way to Childe’s face, the way he seems to redden as Zhongli's hands come up to caress his cheeks. Truly, whenever Childe’s in such a mood, his agility and grace rouse the warrior in him. He can’t help but be captivated by Childe. He doesn’t notice Childe’s embarrassed rambles about the spar they just had. No, the only thing Zhongli can pay attention to is the way Childe lights up, the way the manic grin dies down and turns shaky with every subtle press of Zhongli’s finger over his pulse. Perhaps it is the oddity or instincts of his more draconic side, but the strength and beauty of Childe are delectable. Yes, Childe is so...
“-how was I?”
“Cute.”
Zhongli winces as he remembers Childe’s heated response, the way Childe had pushed Zhongli off of him and yelled with the same incensed rage that mothers would scold their children for subpar scores on their exams. Zhongli had sat on the ground, wondering what he had done wrong only to realize that Childe had been commenting on their differences in strength. A difference that Childe had been working to close during the months in Inazuma.
A difference that made their walks of life, ideals, strengths, weakness, and life spans incredibly clear.
When Childe had asked him how he thought he did this time around, Zhongli had, without meaning to, called him cute. It seems that Childe was not pleased in the slightest to be called that after showing off his newly founded talents and hard work. What a comical misunderstanding…
One that led Childe to wander into domains with Aether, working out his frustration. However, Childe didn’t expect to get hit with a curse, one that turned him into a large fox about the size of a wolf. Zhongli certainly didn’t expect to be handed his husband in fox form, waiting for the curse to slowly fade away. Aether was searching for something that would make the curse fade quicker, as the curse would take weeks for it to fade on its own. Weeks that they didn’t have, especially with Childe needing to go toward Sumeru for a mission sooner or later. Either way, Childe was stuck waiting for Aether, and Zhongli with a husband who was angry with him. It seemed Childe was also bent on letting Zhongli know that he was still upset, much to Zhongli’s continued apologies and attempts at explaining.
Zhongli bent down to collect the pieces of the shattered pot, watching as Childe look at him from afar, head high and tail still thumping on the wooden floors of their shared home.
“Childe, there are other ways to express your frustration. Shattering millennia-old pots is not the way-” Zhongli starts only to be cut off by Childe’s high-pitched chittering.
Zhongli waits for him to stop, “It was not my intention to-”
More of Childe’s chittering is heard, as he stands up from his previous position and moves onto the end table. Zhongli waits, opening his mouth to start again only to be interrupted by his Childe’s high-pitched whines and chitters the moment he does. It seems that Childe doesn’t want to hear a word coming from Zhongli’s mouth, so he snaps it shut. Still, as much he loves his husband, he can’t help but think, “How immature.”
Childe barks at him, a terrifying thing to hear, just before he sits down and slowly edges the new coaster Zhongli had just gotten a week prior. Zhongli's eyes widened, “Childe.”
Childe stops for a second, looking him in the eyes before he finally knocks it off the table, watching as it slowly makes its way down and shatters into small pieces on the rug.
Silence.
Zhongli can feel his eye twitch as he meets Childe’s smug fox face.
“Ajax!”
***
Zhongli does his best not to feel slighted by Childe’s behavior. Childe had clearly expressed his distaste for being tied up and leashed, expressing how much of a crime towards foxes it is. Yes, Childe made it clear by the way he managed to get loose and subsequently wreak havoc in the harbor. Childe had run over the stalls of people, stolen fish for a light snack, and now he was going for valuable gems from his favorite store.
Zhongli had only barely managed to grab him by the scruff in time to avoid endangering more priceless antiques.
Zhongli removes his jacket, wrapping Childe up like a Lambad Fish Roll, before ducking into an alleyway. It seems that Childe refuses to make his recovery easy, and the Traveller is still exploring for a faster cure. Zhongli’s original plan to take it easy and make it up to his beloved will not make it to fruition going at the pace they’re going now.
He feels Childe struggling, sighing before using his own powers to teleport to the one place where even Childe wouldn’t dare cause much ruckus.
***
“My Lord, one cannot fathom why you have brought your mate here to be watched. Is he not strong enough on his own, even in this form?” Cloud Retainer says as she tries awkwardly side steps away from the tree hole that Childe has claimed for himself. Childe growls at her, snapping his little fox mouth at her ankles every time she tries to get closer to him.
Cloud Retainer winces, “Such behavior does not fit someone of your station, Gongzi! Behave yourself! ”
Childe’s high-pitched squeals reek of Childe’s usual mischief and amusement when ruffling Cloud Retainer’s feathers. Zhongli sighs, placing his square cup down, and looking at Cloud Retainer’s futile attempts to have him sit down next to them. “We had some disagreements, which led me to believe that perhaps spending time with others while we wait for the curse to wear off or Aether to come with the antidote was the most beneficial decision.”
“My lord, it seems that every time I see you you’ve angered your husband again. Why must you cause your mate such distress? Did you spend more than your monthly allowance allowed?” Madame Ping asks as she walks into the small island, sitting down on one of the stone stools.
Zhongli stares at Madame Ping, “Is Mora not meant to be spent? It is but a conduit for goods and services, one that was produced from my own body. Either way, Childe does not wish to speak to me at this moment, he’s made that very clear.”
Childe chitters at Madame Ping, who doesn’t even hesitate to hide her bemused smile. Zhongli watches as Cloud Retainer comes back with Jewelry Soup, seemingly having given up on getting Childe to behave civilly rather than the vulpine he is right now. Cloud Retainer serves all of them, even setting aside a small bowl for Childe. Zhongli goes to pick Childe up, only to get a warning snap and nibble on his fingers. Zhongli winces, watches Childe dart away from Madame Ping, and steadily climbs up the tree, weaving through the branches and perching on the tops of the thickest branch.
They all stare up in shock, watching the bright orange and white-tipped tail wag back and forth as Childe makes his displeasure very clear. Cloud Retainer rises from her seat, “ Gongzi! Get down this instant, this is not acceptable behavior.”
Childe chitters back at her, clearly disagreeing on what ‘acceptable behavior’ counts as. Madame Ping looks at the two in amusement, chuckling as Childe’s cute squeals get louder and louder. Zhongli stands up, going under the tree, “My love, will you-”
Childe looks down, snarling and looking straight forward ignoring Zhongli completely. Zhongli sighs, perhaps next time he should be more aware of the situation around him. However, Childe’s behavior strikes him as odd even with the accidental offense. Childe would not usually storm off and avoid him like that, no, Childe was more direct and willing to be forward with his issues unless there were reasons behind his actions. Perhaps, when he heals, they could talk about it. Zhongli ponders about how to best manage that, unknowing of the guests that start piling in.
“I still don’t understand why, of all people, Tartaglia was the one you chose as your mate.”
Zhongli turns around to see the Traveler along with Keqing and Ganyu. Keqing stands there, her arms crossed while Aether and Ganyu fuss over the potion and pour it into Childe’s small bowl of Jewelry Soup.
“I do not see why you do not understand. What is there not to love about Childe?” Zhongli asks, looking up at Childe’s cute little paws, handing from the large branch where he sits.
Keqing purses her lips, “He’s caused a lot of issues in Liyue today. Not counting what he’s done in the past. He’s knocked over entire stalls of people, stolen fish, and valuable gems, and now he’s terrorizing the adepti. Moreover, he’s a bloodthirsty and unhinged commander of an enemy country. That’s just the start of things.”
Zhongli hums, it’s not that those points aren’t valid. It’s just that..
“Childe is admirable. He’s mischievous, cunning in battle, and persistent in his goal to become stronger.” Zhongli reaches up, trying to get Childe to come down, “He, like many Snezhnayans, values family and love in their unique way. He cares for people in his own way, not involving the innocents in his battles, and strays away from the plotting and scheming that follow the reputations of other harbingers. He takes the front seat towards change and justice, in whatever way that means for him or the people he cares for. He’s talented. His elementary mastery is higher than most vision holders, such talents that I have not seen in millennia. Perhaps to you, as a human, Childe’s eagerness for the battle is unattractive. However for me, as a dragon, such demonstrations of power from the way he swings his blades, control his movements, and coldly calculates his way to draw out the battle that ends in his victory... Well, I can help but find it…”
Childe hops down, his tails wagging back and forth as he buries his fox face into Zhongli's chest, “Endearing. Irresistible. Attractive. Alluring. Provocative. Charming. Captivating. Enchanting. Entrancing. Fascinating. Enthralling. Adorable. There are many ways I could describe the way I view him.”
“Cute, being one of them.”
Not letting Childe escape, he looks back at Keqing, “He is open and friendly, interested and curious in the new things that he hears. He always listens, showing interest just because I have shown it even when others would deem it too niche or unimportant for them to know. How could I not pick him as my mate? When he is a treasure to this world and all mine.”
“He is simply too cute for his own sake. I couldn’t help but fall for him as he is and find all his effort and desires to be part of his charm.” Zhongli says as he puts Childe down on the floor. He goes to stand back up only to be knocked down by the weight of Childe’s growing fox form, as he is licked enthusiastically by Childe.
“Ajax!” Childe burrows himself into Zhongli, whining and chittering as he tries to press his fluffy little body against Zhongli’s. Zhongli hugs Childe, smoothing out the fur, and does his best to placate the suddenly overexcited and loving vulpine. Childe whines, as he allows Zhongli to sit up, his tail wagging back and forth with enthusiastic glee. Aether takes this time to come up to them, shoving a large spoon into the vulpine's mouth. Childe whimpers, tumbling off Zhongli and twitching before hydro begins to swirl around him, transforming him back into his usual human form. Zhongli watches as Childe pats himself, seeming not to believe he’s back in his own body. They meet eyes, happy to see each other once again. Too happy in fact, as Childe lunges at Zhongli, pinning him down and landing a sweet kiss on Zhongli’s lips.
“Shameless!” Cloud Retrains screams, her voice booming and distressed. Her insults sound more like honks and squeaks, as Madame Ping tries to wrangle her away from the couple. Ganyu and Aether also seem to be dragging away a red-faced Keqing, her usual bold choice and heavy-handed opinions reduced to affronted and confused stuttering. They don’t break apart, relishing in the way their bodies slot together and how their hearts feel much lighter even without talking about the obvious sumpter beast in the room. Zhongli knows that Childe has much to say, but this too can wait. The most important thing for them is to be back in each other’s arms, once again reunited.