As The Sun Gazes Upon The Moon [Zhongchili]

Chapter 13 - To Where We Began

Zhongli and Childe sit opposite each other inside the light, compact carriage, Zhongli facing forward and Childe backward, watching the streets of Snezhnaya clatter past them. A few citizens stop to stare when they spot Childe, and he greets them with a showman's wave and a smile, puffs of mist rising up from behind the scarf bundled around his neck.

This is for the best; to take Childe to a place where he can recover outside the Tsaritsa's looming plans, to where the sun beats on his skin to tease out the charming map of freckles across his face and shoulders, to be surrounded by friends with his wellbeing in mind.

Zhongli looks forward to seeing more familiar faces and places. While the palace chefs are no less than stellar, the food lacks the kick of Xiangling's chili-infused dishes, and the tea is oft steeped for just a little too short or too long for Zhongli's liking.

Thinking of his friends waiting for them at home, an eagerness grows within him; even Director Hu and her uncouth antics and wild manners of speech bring a warmth to his chest, and Zhongli smiles thinking of how soon he shall be able to greet them.

"Thinking of something, xiansheng?" asks Childe with a teasing smile. He's been unusually spirited ever since the night before and it's nothing short of suspicious, a level of cheer utterly unbefitting of the situation and of the pain in his eyes less than a day prior.

But Childe will choose when to next let him in, and Zhongli allows the conversation to flow as Childe directs.

"Yes. I find myself thinking of home this morning and such thoughts bring me relief upon being granted the opportunity to finally return."

"Someone's excited, huh? Let's see how long that lasts once we get on the boat. Alexei told me there's quite the storm coming and we're in for a bumpy ride!" Childe pats the spot beside him. "But never mind that. Come sit here, you can see the palace from this angle. You'll be able to watch it all the way until we get to the woodland a few miles away."

It's an amiable enough proposition, so Zhongli switches sides to sit beside Childe. Childe immediately grabs his sleeve, dragging him closer and pointing out the side of the carriage. "Look, just there!"

The angle has Zhongli jammed against Childe, both of them pressed into the corner, but Childe shows no sign of agitation, so Zhongli sinks closer against his side, enjoying the relieving warmth of body heat against the Snezhnayan chill.

"I took my siblings there once," says Childe, pointing at a candy shop on the street corner. "They wanted a weekend in the big city, so I gave them Tartaglia's Terrific Tour of the place. That one was their favourite though, spent most of their pocket money on bags of the stuff—that's the time I was talking to Tonia about when she visited." He speaks faster and faster, his expression becoming more animated as he continues. "Oh! And that one there, that's one of our oldest toy shops. You should've seen the look on the shop assistant's face when Teucer forced me to take him in there and I had to pretend to work for the place. Luckily she recognised my Fatui uniform and went along with it, or that could've been quite the situation!"

Childe chatters away, pointing out location after location that he visited with his family, his face alight with a joy that has become so rare to see, and Zhongli finds himself quite content, tucked snugly against Childe. As much as he enjoys sharing the tales of his own nation, this realm is Childe's, and he is more than happy to listen, so long as his dear friend can keep hold of that fleeting joy.

A friend. He and Childe are friends. Dear friends, in fact.

Since the first day he arrived in Liyue, Childe had adhered himself to Zhongli's side and, although he had held his own ulterior motives for forging their relationship, after all was said and done Childe remained. After the initial bout of awkwardness they had continued as usual, Childe listening to Zhongli's stories, taking him to lunch, and tending to his never ending pile of bills and taxes. Childe knew on the days when Zhongli needed to talk and gave him a little more attention than business should have strictly allowed, returning to his side in the evening to spend time as bedmates, then listen some more.