This isn't real

Lover's oath (2)

"Childe. Lumine wants to talk with you." Aether had knocked on Childe's door. He was inside alone. Zhongli had told him he wanted to spend the day with his siblings so Childe, reluctantly, let him go.

"Can't. I'm going to some ruins I found a while back." Childe lied. He didn't want anything to do with her at the moment until he knew exactly what she wanted to do and her real intentions.

"Well, she really wanted to but I guess that she can wait." Aether left Childe standing alone in the spacious room. Childe didn't want to leave his room but he already told Aether he was going to some non - existent ruins he found. No doubt the blonde wasn't going to say something if he stayed in. Sighing, Childe closed the door and went back out to the garden. He didn't know what he was doing there but he was outside.

C: Guess I can practice my archery. Haven't done that in a while.

He grabbed his bow from a shed at the edge of the garden. Archery was a pastime rather than a sport for Childe. Not wanting to shoot at the normal targets since he found them boring, Childe left to find some ruin guards. He usually would find some near the forest located on the far side of Snezhnaya, so that's where he went. Wooden mechanical creations that shoot missiles. They have a mind of their own and were a failed creation of Dottore. Or so he claims. Tsaritsa has set them all the task of eliminating every last one of them before they spread to the other nations and cause a war.

"There you are." Childe found one next to some actual ruins. There were also abyss mages, samachurls and hilichurls, his idea of a challenge. The bloodlust he felt when he heard the incantation of an abyss mage suddenly spiked and he attacked relentlessly. He would not stop until every last one was dead. Amidst the adrenaline and the overpowering urge to kill, Childe felt a sharp pain at his side. He glanced and saw a huge gash on his leg created by the ruin guard. Stumbling, he straightened to full height and went back at it. After an hour, there was only the sound of grunting and cursing. Childe was hastily trying to stop the blood enough for him to walk back to the castle. He didn't want to worry Tsaritsa or his siblings. Especially Zhongli. He managed to cut off the blood flow by tearing a piece of his shirt and tying it tightly around his leg. He limped back to the castle but soon his leg gave way and he collapsed at the doors.

"Huh?" Childe awoke to his room, bandage tightly wrapped around his leg. He noticed multiple bruises and scratches across his scarred skin. Next to him was someone sleeping with long brown hair, smudged eyeliner and puffy, red eyes and porcelain hand resting on his abdomen. The ends of their hair were glowing and Childe noticed a geo symbol on his stomach where the hand laid. He sat up, causing the person to stir. Liquid gold eyes met his own.

"Zhongli? Are you alrig-" Childe was cut off by a tight slap in his face. If he wasn't in pain before, he is now.

"You idiot! Thinking that you could walk back here with a cut like that?! If I didn't find you, who knows what could have happened!" Tears of gold dripped from Zhongli's gold eyes as he glared at the ginger. Childe was shocked. He never saw this behavior from Zhongli, who was mostly calm and serene, and certainly did not expect it. The moment of silence was broken by Zhongli leaning forward to hug Childe's waist. "I'm sorry...I was just worried..."

Childe returned the hug but noticed the mood swing. How can someone like him be so scary at one moment and so breedable at the next. Childe wiped his tears and laid back down on the bed. Rest and Zhongli. The two things he needed most in the world.

"BIG BROTHER!" Before neither of them could rest, however, a little ginger burst through the doors. He jumped on the bed and wrapped his arms around Childe.

"Hey Teucer." Childe ruffled the boy's hair.

"Tonia and Anthon and Scara and Signora and Dottore and Aether and Lumine and Aether were all worried!" Teucer wailed. Childe turned and saw Zhongli giving him the 'this - is - what - happens - when - you - get - injured - and - tell - no - one' look. Teucer let go before running back out the door. Childe then realized that they were wearing bathrobes and that his top half had fallen off.

"I'm telling everyone that you're okay!" Teucer then dashed out of the room, leaving Zhongli and Childe alone again.

"So, what was that symbol earlier?" Childe had remembered what Zhongli was doing before they both woke up.

"The one on your stomach? Well, that was me healing you. You know, adeptal magic and all..." Zhongli was about to continue but hovered over a long scar across his abdomen. "Where did you get this?"

"Ah, well, this was my first fight in the abyss. Fourteen year old me against three ruin guards." Childe was fondly recollecting the memory of his first fight. But immediately stopped as he saw the look of horror on Zhongli's face.

"Why are you proud? You were badly hurt!" -Z

"It shows that I survived and that I'm strong." -C

"I know, but three...Then what are these?" Zhongli's gaze shifted from that scar to several burns at random parts of his body.

"These are what happen when I use my foul legacy form for too long." -C

"And that is?" -Z

"When I get better I'll show you." Childe winked at him before lying down again to let Zhongli do his thing. "What about you?"

"Hm?" Zhongli looked up, confused.

"Well, you are known as the god of war. To earn that title must mean you fought many battles and you can't have unblemished skin from that." Childe snapped to attention at this question, startling the brunette lounging on him.

"Your logic makes sense...but it doesn't apply for me. In this form, it doesn't show, as well as my dragon form. But I can make them appear at will. Right now isn't the best time as I'm weak from healing you overnight." -Z

"I see. Well, let us both get some rest." -C

"You rest. I'll get some breakfast." Zhongli got off the bed and left the room. Childe leaned back into the cushions. There were hundreds of questions raving through his mind; how could he have gotten injured this bad? Was there more enemies I could have fought? But most importantly, what would Zhongli think? Just as he finished his train of thought, Zhongli walked back in with a seemingly disappointed look on his face again, carrying a tray.

"You could have gotten seriously hurt. What were you thinking?" Said Zhongli.

"I-I'm sorry, Zhongli xiansheng, I just-" Childe was cut off by Zhongli once more.

"What if you died...I may be immortal but you are not. Mortal lives are fragile and you shouldn't be so careless with yours." Zhongli scolded Childe again. Why were they bringing up the subject again? Childe didn't know. But his head was still full with questions. Zhongli noticed that the ginger wasn't listening and interrupted his lecture.

"Eh? Oh, sorry contin-" Childe was once again cut off by Zhongli but this time it was a finger pressed against his lips. "Why do you keep cutting me off?"

"You don't understand. I can't lose someone else again, especially you. This marriage may be for political reasons but I have grown to accept this as a romantic one." Worry was once again the main emotion on his face. "I love you, Ajax. And I haven't said this in more than a thousand years."

Childe was in pure shock. Did he really consider a mere mortal like him his equal? Once again, Childe's body reacted before he had any moment to think. Grabbing Zhongli's small waist and pulling him closer, Childe shortened the distance between the two of them. He heard a small gasp from the other's partly open lips. Childe pressed against Zhongli's lips and took the opportunity to slip his tongue into his mouth. Slowly, their bodies connected and all distance disappeared between the princes. But they immediately stopped when the door opened.

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