Xiao hunts Childe for sport

13

Once Childe leaves the room he spots Zhongli in the kitchen who is making two cups of tea. Xiao, Teucer, and Paimon are nowhere to be seen.

Ajax is immediately filled with panic. "Zhongli, where's Teucer?" The logical part of his brain is telling him Xiao is with him most likely, meaning there is no need to be worried, but Ajax has never been one for logic.

"Xiao took him outside to explore the forest." Zhongli looks up from his tea making, looking as calm as ever. His eyes however are deeply concerned.

Why? Why is he so concerned about something that's been history for so long?

"Ah, I see." Childe wonders how Xiao is going to handle curious hyperactive Teucer alone in the woods. He doubts Paimon will be any help - as much as Childe likes her, she's not exactly helpful... ever. "Is he going to be fine alone? Teucer is a bit of handful." He loves his brother to pieces but sometime's it's difficult keeping him entertained.

"I'm already on my way." Aether's dry tone reaches Childe's ears. He just came out of his room. "We're gonna be gone for a while! Have fun having the house for yourself. Don't destroy it and use protection."

Use what now.

Childe takes a moment to process that sentence, his face ablaze. Aether is long gone once Childe's brain turns back on. So he turns to Zhongli instead.

Zhongli is blushing. Oh Archons, who allowed the god of war to be so cute? The red dusting his cheeks fit him so well - maybe Childe should stop gushing in his head and start talking instead.

"You want to talk." Childe forces himself to calm down. This is still the same old Zhongli - the one he keeps meeting with, even after the entire mess in Liyue harbor. The one that he can keep talking with for hours without getting bored.  Zhongli, who is Rex Lapis but retired now.

Zhongli, who loves him, who cares about him more than Childe ever thought he would. But most importantly, he's Zhongli and always will be - Childe needs to stop awkward about this and talk about it.

He wasn't the eleventh Harbinger for nothing. Why should he, Tartaglia, run away from a conversation just because the concept of acknowledging his feeling is scary? His mother didn't raise a coward.

You don't survive the Abyss if you're a coward.

"Indeed I do." Zhongli nods at him, holding a tray of tea in hand. "Let's move somewhere more private, shall we?" Childe nods, agreeing. He isn't keen on the idea of being walked in during this conversation.

Zhongli leads upstairs, walking past their room, entering the room after it.

Man, Childe didn't know this place has a cozy as hell library.

"Aether really outdid themselves with cleaning up this house." Zhongli puts down the tray on a table, sitting down and gesturing for Childe to do the same. "I may not know how they did it this quickly, but I must properly reward them later." Truly, the house has never been prettier.

Childe is still looking around the library as he sits down, looking impressed. Zhongli can't help but feel somewhat smug. "This place is neat! I like the fireplace. Very cozy."

They settle down as Zhongli serves the tea. It reminds him of all the times he drank tea with Tartaglia before - it has always been a pleasant experience. He pours the tea into Childe's cup with a steady, calm hand, lost in pleasant memories. How he longs to make more...

"You wanted to talk." Childe's voice cuts through the pleasant haze his memories have created. Zhongli nods, sipping his tea. It has a pleasant temperature, warm but not too hot. The taste turned out fine as well - it's supposed to have a calming effect and Zhongli finds himself appreciating it greatly.