Chapter Text
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
Childe tugs on the strings of his hoodie, a little uncomfortable but at the same time not at all. Across from him, Zhongli raises an eyebrow. “Would you like to go to your place or mine?” In the light of the sun his amber eyes almost seem to be glowing.
“Yours, if that’s okay,” Childe mutters, ignoring the incessant buzzing of his phone in his pocket.
“Of course,” says Zhongli, and they begin to walk. He tilts his head over to Childe, their eyes catching. “Might I ask why?”
Childe wrinkles his nose, not too keen on answering. “I… uh. It’s, um, busy back at home, so it’s nice to have a break, I guess.” He shrugs, and Zhongli nods.
“How was your day?” he asks.
Childe shrugs, “It was alright. Had some shitty classes, but that’s to be expected.” Zhongli hums in agreement. “How was yours?”
“It was good. Perhaps a little too uneventful.” Zhongli cracks a smile which lights up his entire face. Childe finds it hard to not smile back.
“Are we going to wait for Venti? Or Hu Tao?” Childe asks, and Zhongli pauses in his footsteps, a small frown gracing his features. He still looks beautiful, and Childe is far too enamoured by the view to look away.
He shakes his head. “No, I think Venti will be going to Xiao’s place, and Hu Tao too,” he says. “It’ll be just the two of us.” And boy, does that do things to Childe’s heart. He feels his cheeks begin to flush and buries his face further into his hoodie. They resume their walk, then Zhongli stops again, his eyebrows pinched like he’s worried.
Childe looks on in concern. “Is everything okay?”
“I… forgot,” says Zhongli, “that one of my other cousins will be coming over too later tonight. Would that be an issue, because if so, we could always go to yours-”
“It’s fine,” Childe says hurriedly. “I mean it’s fine with me, but is it fine with you?”
“Of course,” Zhongli confirms. “We haven’t seen each other since eighth grade so I think it would be nice to have a friend there as well. But only if you’re okay with being there.”
Childe laughs, a little tense because whenever Zhongli says the word ‘friends’ when talking about the two of them it does awful things to his fragile heart. “Of course, I am. I wouldn’t have agreed if I wasn’t. So, whose this cousin? Have I met them?”
They recontinue their walk and Zhongli shakes his head. “I wouldn’t have guessed so. She left to return back to Inazuma right before you moved to Teyvat High, so I doubt you’d have had an opportunity to.”
“Oh… wait, I think I’ve heard Venti mention her. She’s his cousin too, right?” Zhongli hums. Childe takes it as a ‘yes’. “Was she the one who got upset with you right before she left?”
Zhongli frowns. “Um.”
“Um?”
“It was a small disagreement. Nothing major, we just… I didn’t know what was going on, and I wasn’t thinking straight. I can only hope things will be fine when we see her again.” That frown hasn’t left Zhongli’s face. He looks worried.
“How bad was the disagreement?”
Zhongli’s obviously uncomfortable now. He’s biting his bottom lip, his eyebrows are pinched, and his eyes which almost seem to glow most of the time look unusually dull. “…not too bad.”
Childe has a feeling he’s lying. But he doesn’t want to push so he just nods. “How ruthless have the teachers been to you – homework-wise?” he asks, and even just asking the question reminds him of the heavy stack of papers he has to finish by the end of the week. Which is in two days. Shit.
The tension in Zhongli’s shoulders loosen a bit, and he laughs a little. Childe feels his own grin widen at the sight, his heart fluttering. “I mean, things could be worse,” he says. “I have a bit. Not much, but it’s due soon so I’ll have to begin today, I suppose.”
“Guess we can do it together then,” Childe says, then looks up at Zhongli. “Fun.”
“Oh, of course,” Zhongli says in a dry tone, sending Childe a wry smile. He takes out his phone suddenly, and glances down at it. “Excuse me for a moment,” he says, then brings it up to his ear, and takes a few steps away from Childe.
While waiting, Childe brings his own out, and glances down. Ah, I should let Tonia know where I’ll be tonight, he realises, then opens up their texts.
Childe -> Tonia
Childe: hey
Childe: i wont be back btw for a bit cause ill be at zhongli’s
Tonia: istg ur always at his place now
Childe: am not
Tonia: u are tho
Tonia: fine
Tonia: ill let mom and dad know if u buy me icecream after school tomorrow
Childe: you have your own money do it yourself
Tonia: please??? i wont tell mom and dad if you don’t
Childe: ok fine
Tonia: ty
Tonia: ill tell them now
Childe: k thanks
He looks up and turns his phone off, glancing over to where Zhongli is, a few paces behind. He’s speaking to someone over the phone, though Childe isn’t close enough to hear what is said. Then Zhongli nods and puts down his phone and returns to where Childe is.
“Sorry about that,” he says, dipping his head slightly. “Venti was just calling me.”
“It’s fine,” says Childe. “No need to apologise. Is everything okay?”
“He was just wondering when Baal- that’s our cousin’s name – was going to arrive. I have a feeling he’ll be at Xiao’s for a while tonight.” There’s a small smile on his lips, fond and teasing at the same time and Childe just knows that when Tonia starts dating, he’ll be the exact same (Possibly more on the teasing side. But no one needs to know that).
“I can still see the school,” Zhongli remarks, glancing back. “We should probably get a move on, shouldn’t we?”
Childe glances back and realises that they have, in fact, barely left the vicinity of the school. “Oh gods, we’re so slow,” he chokes. “It’s basically empty. What the hell.” In a split-second decision, he snatches Zhongli’s hand and begins to tug him away from the school. “C’mon, let’s get a move on,” he says, pretending that his heart is not beating way faster than it should, and that his cheeks aren’t that red.
“Y-you’re right,” mutters Zhongli, sounding the tiniest bit breathless. Huh. That’s odd. “Yes, let’s get going.”
The walk is quick, thankfully, and soon after a strangely awkward five minutes of almost silence they’ve arrived at Zhongli’s house. They move into Zhongli’s room, Childe lounging on his bed while he empties out the mass amount of sheets of homework he has on the sheets while Zhongli neatly orders his own homework on his desk. Childe grabs out his laptop, turning it on and grabbing up the criteria his teachers gave them for the essay.
He groans. “Do you have a pen?” Childe asks Zhongli, who nods and tosses him one. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
They begin their homework in a comfortable (with only the tiniest smidgen of awkwardness) quiet, until Childe’s curiosity soon gets the best of him. “Wait so when is this cousin- er, Baal – arriving?”
“This evening,” Zhongli answers. “Madame Ping will go and collect her after work, which ends at about 7:30.”
“Aw, does that mean we won’t get any of her cooking?”
On the opposite side of the room, Zhongli chuckles but shakes his head. “Unfortunately, no. We’ll just have to stick to takeout.”
“Well, it’s not the worst,” Childe says as he scribbles down words on his page. “Do you wanna order some now as homework-fuel?”
Zhongli laughs again. “Sure,” he says. “Wanmin?”
“Ugh, you know I’m shit at using chopsticks,” Childe groans.
“I’ve offered to teach you.”
“And where did that get us? I’m still terrible at it.”
“That’s because you don’t try.”
Childe splutters. “I-I do,” he protests. “I just don’t get how you did it. Back at home all we used was knives and forks and spoons and that shit, y’know?”
“Mm,” Zhongli says. “You’ve mentioned that before.” He tilts his head to the side, and he has no right to look as adorable as he does now. “Would you like to order from someplace else? There’s plenty of other-”
“Nah, it’s fine, Wanmin’s got good food, after all. What would you like to have?” He takes his phone out, dialling the restaurant’s number into it.
“Um, if it’s not too much to ask, may I have a cooked bamboo-shoot soup?” Zhongli asks.
Childe nods. “Sure,” he says. “It’s not too much at all.” He pauses. “What do you think I should get?”
“You like seafood, correct?” Childe doesn’t miss the way Zhongli’s nose crinkles and his eyes darken slightly. He smirks a little, holding back a laugh at Zhongli’s intense dislike for seafood. “Then perhaps you’d enjoy fish-flavoured shredded pork? It doesn’t have any actual fish, though it tastes like it, I think. Though I’ve never had it, but I’ve heard it’s good.”
“Alright then, I’ll go order.”
The delivery arrives about thirty minutes later, and Zhongli enters the room with their respective food.
“Oh Gods,” Childe mumbles. “This smells so good.” Five minutes into the meal, Childe, still struggling with chopsticks, has almost devoured the entire meal. He sends Zhongli a thumbs up. “You have great taste in food.”
Zhongli smiles back. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you,” says Childe. “This is really good.”
Then reality hits him and he buries his head in Zhongli’s pillow. “Ugh. Now I have to do homework.” He glances back up. “Have you finished yours?”
“I have a bit left.”
“Then I guess you can’t help.”
“How much of your essay do you have left?”
Childe looks down. “A lot more. I don’t know how I can finish this by Friday.”
Zhongli taps his chin. “When I’m done, I’ll help you if you want,” he offers. Childe’s eyes widen, his eyebrows arching.
“Your serious? You’d help me?”
Zhongli sends him an earnest look. “Of course I would.”
“Thank you so much. You’re the absolute best person I know. My saviour, thank you.” Zhongli looks a little flustered, a beautiful flush on his cheeks.
“There’s no need to thank me,” he says. “I’m just helping out a friend, it’s no trouble at all.” Childe’s smile falters the tiniest bit.
“Yeah,” he says, swallowing. “Hey, um-”
Even from Zhongli’s room at the back of the house, they can both hear the front door slam open. Childe flinches and Zhongli startles. “Is that Venti?” he asks and Zhongli nods. “I thought he wouldn’t be arriving until later this afternoon.”
“It is later this afternoon,” Zhongli says, looking down at his phone. “It’s been two hours already.”
Childe blinks, partially dazed. “Time sure does fly.”
“Mhm, well-”
“ZHONGLI! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?”
The door to Zhongli’s room opens abruptly and a grinning Venti appears. “Oh, there you are!” he exclaims, then peers in. “Oh, hey Childe. What were you two doing all alone in here?” He wiggles his eyebrows and Childe flushes while Zhongli frowns.
“What do you mea-” Zhongli begins to ask while Venti shakes his head.
“Oh, don’t you worry about that,” Venti continues. “What we should be worried about is how Baal is coming over tonight. Like. Soon. What the fuck.”
“Oh. That.”
“You sound stoked,” Venti says cheerily.
“Mm. Is Hu Tao here?”
Venti peers outside. “Uhh, I think so. We kinda ran off without her cause she and Yanfei seemed kinda busy if you know what I mean. Oh! Xiao’s here too!”
“Not for long,” Xiao’s voice says. He peers inside, squinting. “Hi Zhongli. I’ll be leaving now. I have to get back.”
Venti pouts. “Aww, that’s too bad. You’d leave your boyfriend alone with these two dumbasses? Cold, Xiao, so cold.” He leans closer and puckers his lips, a sight Childe wishes to have never seen, and Xiao, cheeks flushing, places a small kiss on them.
“Yes. Bye Venti. Bye Zhongli.” His eyes flick to Childe and he scowls. “Bye… Childe.” Then he walks out, his fingers lingering in Venti’s hand for a slight second before he pulls away and leaves.
Zhongli sends Venti a shiteating grin.
Venti blushes, his cheeks turning redder by the second. “Stop it,” he says, burying his face in his hands. He shoves Zhongli gently. “Stop, you’re so mean.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Zhongli says with a now blank face.
“You’re just jealous you don’t have an absolutely amazing, beautiful, handsome boyfriend like I do,” Venti says, sending Zhongli a smug smirk. His eyes flick to Childe. “Unless…” His eyes flick between the two. Childe tilts his head in confusion, ignoring the pink that spreads across his cheeks. Zhongli frowns at him and Venti yelps. “I’m joking, I’m joking!” He laughs. “But! Important things – Baal. Will. Be. Here. Soon. I’m scared.”
“Don’t say that,” Zhongli says, his frown deepening. “Everything will be fine.”
Venti rolls his eyes. “Pfft. Of course.” He then turns to Childe. “Wait, a question, are you staying the night?”
Childe turns to Zhongli. “Um. Am I?”
“That’s up to you,” says Zhongli. “I am fine either way.”
He winces. “Could I… uh… stay, if that’s alright with you? Back home, I don’t usually get much time to myself because I’ve got to help look after my siblings, so a break would be nice I guess.”
Zhongli smiles, and Childe just gets lost in his eyes. “So, you’d like to stay?”
Childe nods. “Yes please.”
“Alright, that’s good.” He looks over at Venti, whose now watching them with a grin that shows that he’s trying not to laugh. “Have you had anything to eat yet?”
“Yeah, at Xiao’s place. Hu Tao has too if you’re wondering.”
“Okay,” says Zhongli. “Um. Would you guys like to do anything?”
Venti smiles a wide grin. “Movie. Now.”
Childe tries not to grimace. “…What movie? Should we be scared?”
“What do you take me for? Of course, you shouldn’t be scared!” He giggles. “I mean, you shouldn’t be scared of me, because I’m not the one that’s picking the movie!” There’s a positively evil look in his eyes.
“Dear Gods,” Zhongli breathes. “So, Hu Tao is?”
“Yup!”
Which, inevitably, Childe supposes, leads him to being pressed into Zhongli’s side while Mean Girls plays on the TV. Venti giggles throughout the whole thing while Hu Tao watches with an unfettered interest Childe can’t begin to understand.
They’re about halfway through (somehow. Childe’s not sure how he lasted this long watching it, considering the amount of times he’s had to watch it with his family back at home) when the front door opens and Madame Ping, accompanied by a tall girl with long purple hair tied into a braid, walk through.
So, this must be Baal, Childe things while Venti yelps and Hu Tao jumps, and Zhongli just sighs in resignation and stands, pausing the movie.
“Baal,” he greets. The girl looks up, sharp violet eyes boring into Zhongli’s. “It’s been a while. It’s good to see you again.”
“It has been a long time,” she says, chewing her bottom lip. “And I- it is good to see you too.” She fidgets with her hands, glancing down, then up, then down again.
Venti scrambles off the couch, joining Zhongli’s side while Madame Ping moves into the kitchen to prepare dinner, humming a soft tune. “Hey Baal,” he says in a strange voice, his expression twisting. “Um. Yeah. Mhm. Cool to see you again.”
Baal just watches Venti with narrowed eyes. “Venti,” she says, her tone nor hostile or fond. Childe suddenly feels very uncomfortable. “Have you grown at all since we last saw each other? I could’ve sworn you’re the same size as you were in eight grade.”
Hu Tao wheezes from her spot on the couch. “Aww, that’s funny,” she giggles. “No, he has not! Also, hi Baal, long time no see! How have you been?”
“I’ve been… better,” says Baal. “Yourself?”
“I’ve been going rather great, thank you!” Hu Tao says. “Oh, this ginger himbo with us is Childe, by the way. He came to Teyvat after you left!”
Childe ignores what Hu Tao said and offers her a weak wave. “Hi.”
“Hi,” says Baal. “Your name is… Child?”
“It’s not my actual name,” says Childe. Baal frowns a little harder. “But it’s got an e on the end.”
“Ah. I see.” She glances over to Madame Ping. “Um. Madame Ping, if it’s alright with you, could I go and rest? The flight here was tiring.”
Madame Ping pauses from where she’s cooking. “Of course, you can, dear. If you’d like I could give you your dinner to you in your room?”
Baal’s expression lightens, losing a bit of its earlier thunder, and she nods. “Yes please. Thank you.”
“It’s no trouble at all. I just want to make sure you’re happy here.”
Baal smiles slightly. “Thank you again. I’ll see you… all. Um. Bye.” She then disappears off through the hallway.
“Third room on the left!” Madame Ping reminds her. She glances over to where Childe is standing with Hu Tao, Zhongli, and Venti. “You four can all go back to watching your movie, if you’d like?”
“We don’t have to,” Zhongli says. “I can help-”
“So sorry Madame Ping!” Hu Tao exclaims. “But alas, we have a movie to finish, and Zhongli really really really wants to watch it! We’ll help tomorrow.”
Madame Ping laughs. “Of course. I’ll make sure you don’t forget. You kids all enjoy your movie.”
“We will!” Venti laughs, and drags them all back to the couch, snatching the remote from Zhongli to turn the movie back on.
“So… your cousin,” Childe starts quietly. Venti glances over, frowning, before his eyes flick back to the screen, and he laughs again. Zhongli hums in acknowledgment.
“What about her?”
“I don’t know. Things just seem tense. I thought you said things would be less awkward.”
“Wishful thinking, I suppose,” says Zhongli. “We’ll figure things out soon.”
“Really?” Childe raises an eyebrow. “You don’t usually like having to be the one to fix these types of situations.”
Zhongli laughs quietly. “We will,” he says. “I don’t know how long it will take, but. We’ll get there.” He smiles, and it’s blinding.
Childe pulls the blanket over his hunched knees, glancing at Zhongli who watches the movie with his chin balanced on his open palm. There’s a sudden warmth on Childe’s hand, and he looks down to see Zhongli’s other hand resting next to it, the pressure faint but definitely there. He blushes, and immediately tries to hide it, leaning back into the couch and adjusting where his hoodie sits. His gaze barely fixates on something else, focused on Zhongli’s almost-glowing eyes, and the small smile that tugs at his lips.
Hours pass, they finish off dinner, flick through different movies, and soon Childe and Zhongli are the only two awake, Madame Ping having gone to bed and Hu Tao and Venti having only recently passed out on the couch.
Zhongli gently pries the remote from Venti’s hands, and lowers the volume of the movie, careful not to wake either of them. He rests back into the couch next to Childe, eyes flicking over to him. “You still awake?”
“Mm,” Childe mumbles, his eyelids hanging low. He buries his face in Zhongli’s shoulder, blissfully unaware of how the other teen stiffens, faint pink dusting his cheeks. “Thank you for letting me stay here tonight.”
“It’s no problem at all.” Zhongli’s hands linger at the back of Childe’s neck before he pulls away. “Would you like to get some rest? I can set up a mattress for you-”
“I have an essay,” Childe mutters. “I need to- to finish-” He breaks off in a yawn, his eyelids fluttering.
“We can do that tomorrow,” Zhongli says. “We should get you to bed now.”
“Mm.”
“Can you stand up?”
“Mm.”
Childe does not stand up.
“Are you asleep?”
Silence.
Zhongli brushes some of Childe’s hair out of his eyes, moving him so he’s more comfortable where he is on the couch. “Sweet dreams, Childe. Good night.”
Zhongli falls a little more in love. (But no one needs to know that - least not Childe.)