Double Trouble Disco Dance

10

"Tell me, Kaeya," Tartaglia gripped the cup in his hand so tightly that it shattered into pieces, falling on the table. "Why is my husband looking so cheerful next to my lookalike? I specifically told him to behave and he doesn't appear to care about your new haircut in the slightest, laughing there next to my spouse." Tartaglia lifted his hand to touch the place where he cut some of Kaeya's hair. "Are you sure you two were close?" 

Kaeya avoided eye contact and stared down at his hands. His lip was bruised and the ropes he had to wear while tied to the chair had left scars along his body. Even now there were still ropes around his wrists. He felt a bit of resentment toward Childe at the moment, for walking around as if nothing was wrong. 

"Were you his lover?" 

Kaeya didn't answer. 

"I asked you a question," Tartaglia grabbed Kaeya's chin and lifted his gaze. "Were you his lover?" 

"No." 

"Don't lie to me! You know what happens if you lie to me," he sneered. 

"I'm telling you the truth. What use is there for me to lie to you when you've already done so much to me?" Kaeya asked, a deadness in his visible eye. "We were not lovers but I loved him." 

"You're such a fool, aren't you Abyssal Prince?" 

"Yes, Your Majesty," Kaeya closed his eye for a moment before opening it again. "Even now, I still do not hate you because you share his face. Even after all you've done to me." 

"By gods, you are pathetic." Tartagalia placed his hand over Kaeya's. "Perhaps I shall avoid sending you home so soon." 

...

"Are you hungry?" Childe asked. "That place smells like it has good food. Just look at all those people eating there, it must be good." 

"Shall we go?" 

"Are you sure? You're okay with eating commoner food?" 

"If the emperor wishes to eat commoner food why should the spouse complain about it? I am not as uptight as you make me out to be," Zhongli replied. 

"That's not...what I meant..." Childe apologetically glanced away. 

Zhongli squeezed Childe's hand and guided him toward the restaurant. The two looked over the menu but couldn't decide so they ended up getting the most popular item. Something something grilled skewers. Staring at the plate in front of them, neither one knew who should go first. In the end, they both reached at the same time and got flustered when their hands touched. 

"You go," Childe offered. 

"No please, you," Zhongli insisted. 

"We're never going to eat at this rate," Childe laughed awkwardly. "Here," he picked one up and held it out for Zhongli. "Say 'ah'"

Zhongli moved some of his hair behind his ear and leaned forward. "Ah," he said, taking a bite. 

"ahdufiudjandsokfjdk," Childe made incoherent noises. Zhongli licked the skewer stick after taking a second bite. Childe dropped the skewer this time. 

"Whatever is the matter, dearest?" Zhongli smiled just a bit, leaning his face on his hand, with his elbow pressed against the table. With his other hand, he picked up a new skewer and held it out for Childe to take a bite. "Aren't you going to eat?" 

Childe took a bite but his face felt so hot he could feel the steam coming off of it. "May I ask you something?" Childe began. 

"What is it?" 

"If we were to runaway and live in a house here, which one would you like to live in?" 

"Hm," Zhongli looked around and pointed to one all the way at the end of the street. "That one looks the smallest, I think that one would do." 

"You'd want to live in the smallest one?" 

"Yes," Zhongli nodded. "We'd bump into each other all the time then, and I would get to watch you get flustered about it. It would be small but comfortable, and we could cuddle at night to keep warm." 

"And here I thought you weren't fond of me," Childe grinned. "What an intimate lifestyle you've imagined for us." 

"Only with you, Your Majesty," Zhongli's lips curved upward and he smiled wholeheartedly, just as Childe had wished for many nights ago. Childe felt his heart fill with joy and simultaneously fill with sadness. This smile wasn't meant for him. It was meant for the emperor. He was only now starting to understand exactly what Scaramouche had warned him about. 

"Thank you for humoring me today," Childe said. "We should go back before too many people notice us missing." 

"Ah, of course." Zhongli stood up. 

"Well then, darling," Childe held out his hand.

"Let us return, dearest," Zhongli grabbed it.