Magician School for the Elementally Inclined

8

"You didn't have to walk me all the way back," Childe glanced to the Hydro House barrier. 

"I certainly didn't, but I wanted to." 

"If you aren't careful, people might talk," Childe moved his hand down Zhongli's arm. 

"What would they say?" 

"What do you want them to say?" Childe grinned slightly, taking a step closer to Zhongli. 

"If they should speak, let it be only of your beauty," Zhongli lifted his hand to Childe's ear and slid some of his hair behind it. 

"B-beauty?" Childe's face flushed. 

"I'll see you in class tomorrow," Zhongli turned on his heel and left. 

"Ehe," Childe had to slap his face lightly to wipe the stupid grin off of it. "Ehehe." His attempts didn't work, the grin still controlled his face. 

"You're back," Xingqiu closed the book in his hand and stood up, moving from the wall. "Did you have fun on your date?" 

"I wasn't on a date-" 

"Mhm," Xingqiu tilted his head, smiling without revealing his true intentions. "Say, may I ask you a question?" 

"Sure?" Childe shrugged. 

"How do you get the person you like to notice you?" Xingqiu grabbed Childe's arms and stared at him intently. "You and Zhongli clearly have something going on. How did you do it? No one has been able to last five seconds in a conversation with him before." 

"Do you have a crush on Zhongli?" 

"No!" Xingqiu raised his hands up in the air, face contorting into a frown. "I just want to know how you make it so easy for you to talk to someone you like...and to have them notice that you like them." 

"Uhm," Childe scratched his elbow. "It's not really a science. I just kind of lose the ability to think and then what I want to say ends up coming out of my mouth. I'm really just making a fool of myself." 

"That's not helpful at all." 

"I don't really know how I do it. I manage to make myself look like an idiot in style, I suppose?" 

"So, I should be more forward?" Xingqiu crossed his arms. "Even if I tell him I like him, he will probably think I'm being platonic..." Xingqiu sighed. 

"Well, when in doubt," Childe grabbed Xingqiu's shoulder with one hand and gave him a thumbs up with the other, "you can always kiss him. If he takes that platonically, at least you can get a lot of kisses that way." 

"You're a bit of a scumbag, aren't you?" Xingqiu snorted. 

"One of us has to be doing something right." 

...

"Well, well, look who decided to come back home," Kaeya slung his arm around Childe's neck and grinned, poking his cheek. "How're you doing, sweetie? Headmaster Dainsleif being nice to you?" 

"Are you always this friendly?" Childe blinked, feeling a bit uncomfortable trying to resist the urge to stare at Kaeya's bare chest. 

"What else would I be, hon? Unfriendly?" 

"Chongyun," Xingqiu sat down next to him in the cafeteria.

"Hm?" he didn't look up from his attempt to build a house of cards. The more he tried the more cards decided to gain a mind of their own. 

"Oh, this is my favorite game," Kaeya stared at the two of them. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Childe asked. 

"I love watching these shitstorms. Chongyun is the densest guy I know in the Cryo House. Maybe even in the whole school." 

"Chongyun," Xingqiu leaned up against his arm. The house of cards didn't crash. 

"Hm?" 

"Chongyun-" Xingqiu grabbed his chin and turned his face toward his. He kissed him, right there, in the middle of the cafeteria. Everyone watched with a silent gasp. 

"Xingqiu?" Chongyun blinked, destroying his house of cards. "If you wanted to know what my popsicle tasted like, you could've just asked." 

"Oh my gods..." Childe wanted to cry. 

"I told you," Kaeya snickered. "It's always a shitshow." 

"That's so-" Childe wanted to hide his face in his hands. "What the hell?" 

"You, me, and the entire school are waiting for the day when Chongyun gains some brain cells." 

"Fellas, is it gay to walk up to your bestie and give him a kiss?" Lisa snickered, slinging her arm around Kaeya's free one. 

"Nice of you to join us, darling." 

"Wouldn't miss this for the word, sweetheart." 

"I can't tell if you two are dating or just both very dramatic bisexuals," Childe admitted. 

"Oh no, hon, we're not together," Lisa laughed, swatting the air with her hand. "I'm only into easily flustered men or dangerously sexy women." 

"The answer to your question would be: dramatic bisexual besties," Kaeya grinned.

"Kaeya!" a furious redhead pointed at Kaeya. 

"Diluc, dearest, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Kaeya took a step back from Lisa and Childe and began his head start. 

"Kaeya!" Diluc snapped, running full speed toward him. "Where the hell are my special dandelions?!" 

Kaeya ran full speed away from Diluc. "I have no idea what you mean!" he insisted. "Maybe you lost your jar?!" 

"You're the only one that knew where that jar was!" 

"Everyone is always so lively here, aren't they?" Childe watched Diluc chase Kaeya around the cafeteria. He then turned to see Xingqiu still trying, and failing, to get Chongyun's attention. When he turned his head the third time, Zhongli was standing right next to him. 

"I would say so," Zhongli answered his question. 

"Oh my," Lisa gasped. "The famous man of Geo House himself..." 

"Would you be willing to accompany me to class?" Zhongli held out his hand for Childe to grab. 

"Oh, of course," he smiled, taking his hand.