Bound by Contract || Childe x Zhongli || Genshin Impact

Ch. 8 Zhongli's Little Boyfriend, You Say?

Book Cover Credit: https://mobile.twitter.com/Qing11502143

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One of my favorite chapters as things get a little dramatic! 

Childe awoke with a raging headache; it was as if his ginger head was about to split into two. For the sake of Rex Lapis, he muttered to himself, trying to adjust to his surroundings before pausing. He realized he had just said Rex Lapis instead of the Tsaritsa.

He ruffled his messy bed hair as he stared at the light streaming from the windowsills. I've been here way too long. Childe supposed that he meant he'd stayed at both Liyue and the world beyond the Abyss for too long. Those two months he had been in the Abyss felt like his entire life.

Zhongli was downstairs brewing his six-hour tea, sitting at the dining table with his eyes closed paler than he usually is.

"Is everything alright?" Childe asked Zhongli, concerned as he reached out to brush his bangs. Zhongli stopped his hand.

"Not right now, Tartaglia."

Childe complied, surprised. He retracted his hand and looked to the side. "I'll bring Aether in at noon, correct?"

"That's correct."

"What are you going to do in the meantime?" Childe inquired, sitting stiffly on the other side of the dining table.

"I'll check up on how the Parlor is doing, process a few transactions, and collect my thoughts," Zhongli replied, rubbing his temples. "I wish I didn't have to do this to you, Childe." He continued, under his breath and out of the reach of Childe to hear. Zhongli knew what he was to do a day from now, and guilt was eating him from the inside. He knew, he knew the consequences of his action. But he also knew that giving up his Gnosis was crucial to his liberty. It wouldn't erase his sins, but it would turn him into a mortal, where maybe if there was a sliver of a chance that Childe would forgive him, spend the rest of his days alongside Ajax. Zhongli bit his lower lip; Childe didn't know Zhongli knew his real Snezhnayan name, and when he did, it would be all over for Zhongli.

Zhongli couldn't help but pale at the thought of what the future lay for him. He sighed and blew out the fire from under the pot of tea.

"I don't think I'll have time to finish brewing. I will proceed to the Parlor and see you at the restaurant." With that, he ruffled Childe's head and walked out the door.

Zhongli didn't have time to finish brewing, but Childe had a strange feeling brewing inside of him. He couldn't put a label to it; was it sadness? Was it frustration? Was it, perhaps, uneasiness? Childe ran his hand through his hair, mimicking what Zhongli did a few moments ago. Time to fetch XianSheng's oh-so-special Aether.

After Zhongli reassured Aether on Childe's credibility and the meeting ended, Childe sat down next to Zhongli in the restaurant as the door closed behind Aether.