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He’s been pining over a guy for the past couple of months. He likes him. He really does. He can even believe that his feelings could be love. He just doesn’t want to rush it.
Yet, lately, Zhongli has been acting weird.
He doesn’t know how this happened. He didn’t do anything. He’s been how he usually is: funny, caring, attentive. So why the sudden change in attitude?
It’s been eating him alive. The Zhongli who used to crack jokes with him, listen to what he had to say, and cared to tell him what was wrong is now gone.
He calls him and he still answers the phone, yes, but it’s just not the same. He’s meaner, rude, bored, and distant. Childe was confused. What the fuck happened?
Childe had brought it up to Zhongli's attention since he wanted to know what was going on. He had the right to know what was going on with Zhongli since it was starting to affect Childe as well.
Zhongli just brushed him off when he asked. “You’re imagining things. Nothing is wrong with me. I’m just drained.” What can Childe do other than believe him and let Zhongli have his way?
He doesn’t want to stop talking to Zhongli. They’ve been talking for six months now. He can’t forget about Zhongli just like that. He’s grown so used to having him in his life. They’ve integrated each other into one another’s routine now. How can they forget about each other?
There will always be a space for Zhongli in Childe's heart. In these last six months, he’s been the happiest that he’s ever been in quite a while.
Zhongli may be breaking Childe's heart into a bunch of little pieces right now but what can he do? He’ll spend an eternity picking up the pieces and putting his heart back together just to devote himself to Zhongli again.
He doesn’t want to forget Zhongli. He won’t ever forget him. He hopes it’s the same for Zhongli as well.
Childe is losing his mind over a man. He knows he looks pathetic. He knows he looks dumb. He knows he’s the only one feeling stupid. Why is he still here?
But Childe will be there. He will continue to try and win Zhongli back. He will continue to try and get him to be the same person he was before. He will achieve it, he knows he can. It’s happened once he can do it again.
Zhongli and Childe know how it will all play out. Childe will continue to stay by Zhongli’s side. He doesn’t want things to change. He wants everything to stay the same as always.
Thats why he’s fighting tooth and nail to fix whatever is going on between them. He wants everything to go back to how it was before. How can someone change in just a blink of an eye? What provoked this?
Zhongli knows this. In his sick twisted mind, he knows it. He knows it all too well. That’s why he lets a sprinkle of hope fall onto Childe and his heart.
Childe doesn’t care if Zhongli has found another person. He may sound stupid and he definitely sounds like a bad person. Yet he really means what he says.
Childe doesn’t care if Zhongli has another person. He will always like him. He will always wait for him. No matter how long. He will be there like a loyal servant. He’s told Zhongli that multiple times and he always chuckles at it.
He probably thinks he’s crazy and that he won’t, but he will. Zhongli doesn’t know everything about him and how far he’s willing to go for the both of them.
He will give Zhongli time and space for him to come to his senses. He will realize that no one will ever treat him like how he has. No one will ever be as caring as him. No one will be as patient as he is. He can’t be compared to any of Zhongli's new lovers.
Childe may be temporary to Zhongli at the moment but in the long run, Zhongli will realize that he’s not a phase. He’s forever and always. That’s why he’s devoted himself to Zhongli and only him.
He remembers the good times that they’ve had together over the last six months. Even the bad times. You can’t forget something like that in a few days. Zhongli can’t forget about whatever they have on that fast. He can’t. He refuses to believe that.
But it’s all good, he’ll always be Zhongli’s.
That’s what matters no?
He is not a phase.
He will always be here.
He’s always.