Magician School for the Elementally Inclined

4

Childe stared at the map in his hands and looked down the hallway. "It should be right here?" He opened the door and a large classroom filled with students greeted him. The teacher this time was a pink-haired woman. Childe had seen portraits of her around in a shrine maiden uniform. There were also hints at her ancient beast form but no one ever painted it. Usually, the mascots for the houses were related to the teachers somehow...but Childe hadn't seen all of them since houses were exclusive to only elemental holders. 

"Are you going to stand there all day or would you like to have a seat?" her voice was smooth and a bit condescending as she gestured to the seats. Childe glanced for a place to sit but he still didn't know anyone. Eyes meeting with Zhongli's he felt relief wash over him. 

"Hey, you can't sit here!" an individual with two braids whined. "Do you know how many people I had to bribe for a chance to sit next to the famous Zhongli?" 

Zhongli crossed his arms and shook his head. 

"Listen sugar plum," Childe placed his hand down on the spot in front of the braided one. "I only know one person in this entire place so you move your cute bum or I'll do it for you." Childe got in between Zhongli and the other kid. "Either that, or we can all get really cozy." The classrooms here were set up like large university rooms. The desks were not desks but tables, with long benches to match. Childe sat down in between them, with the Anemo-kid getting bent out of shape. 

Rolling her eyes, the teacher began her lesson. It was a history lecture, from what Childe gathered, but he was too focused on the fact his thigh was rubbing up against Zhongli's to really follow along. 

"Do you have a pencil I can use?" Childe whispered. He finally managed to get his notebook out but realized he had no pens or anything. 

"Here," the braided kid interrupted Childe's golden opportunity to steal a pencil from Zhongli. He took it but wasn't amused. 

"If you three don't stop flirting with each other back there," the teacher spoke while still writing on the board. "I'm afraid I'll have to request you stay after class." 

"Flirting? Who is flirting?" 

"Venti, shut up!" Barbara whispered loudly from behind the kid with braids. 

"Silence!" A girl with long purple hair stood up and an energy of electro ran throughout the room, causing everyone's hair to stand on end. 

"Thank you, Ei, but please leave the government of the classroom to me," the teacher still hadn't turned from writing on the board. Her hair was also flawless still. Not one strand standing higher than the others. 

Childe glanced to his side at Zhongli. His hair was the same. He moved his hand to his own head, feeling it to be a bit frizzy. He wrote down in his notebook and slid it over. Do you always look so flawless? 

Zhongli read the note and replied by writing, in his neat handwriting, underneath the note. Perhaps it's on purpose for certain eyes. 

Certain eyes?

Yours. Zhongli drew a tiny heart next to his word and went back to taking notes. Childe stared at the heart, feeling his own heart beat loudly in his chest. 

...

"What's your next class?" Childe asked, following behind Zhongli. 

"Practical weapon experience." 

"Oh? What's your weapon?" 

"I'm a polearm user." 

"That's really cool." 

"Have you picked a weapon yet?" 

"I haven't thought about it at all," Childe admitted. "My next class is simple elemental spells." 

"It's down that way to the left," Zhongli pointed and a small golden thread led the way for Childe. 

"Thank you," Childe grinned, following the string after waving to Zhongli as they walked separate paths.