Warning: Censored NSFW (Implications) and Spoilers on the Liyue chapter of the story.
Book Cover Credit: https://mobile.twitter.com/Qing11502143
Please ★ (Star) this Chapter if you enjoy reading and give some feedback! That would really help! ❤
Hi everyone! There is an uncensored version that I wrote in tandem with this chapter. It took me forever to find a way to include it for you guys to read but not take too much away from the story. A quick warning: when I say the other version is explicit, I mean it. Please keep that in mind.
Start from the left-most picture in the album!
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmVPjDb6 (Look to the comments to click directly to the link)
I've posted it on AO3 too: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35329510
--
With a hitched breath, Zhongli went for the kiss. The moment the surface of their lips connected, he felt an electric shock journey down his spine. Through Zhongli's half-lidded eyes and hazy vision, he felt the luminescent blue glow of Childe's eyes piercing into him; his pale face flushed pink. Zhongli could also feel both of them breathing heavily against each other as Childe's eyes flashed purple for a moment.
"Zhongli-Xiangsheng, the Delusion acts up when my emotions get the best of me," Childe breathed, leaning in again and tucking a strand of amber-tinted hair behind his ears. Brushing his lips on the tip of Zhongli's forehead, Childe grinned at Zhongli, "And I'm overjoyed right now."
Zhongli felt his face lit aflame. A heart of stone was still a heart encased by pain, sorrow, grief, and fear. For millenniums, the safe to his stone heart was solidified with determination to save man from the demons and monsters that ravaged Teyvat. The safe pried open when he met Guizhong and befriended the new Anemo Archon Barbatos, and a few decades of friendship made Zhongli forget about his prior sufferings.
When those enjoyable times were over, he was overwhelmed with grief, having witnessed the death of all his friends. The edges of his heart crystallized once again, encasing him forever in his desire to end his eternal life. As the edges protecting his heart begin to erode once more, he couldn't help but think of the decision he made years ago. Zhongli decided a few years ago that days from today, he would no longer be the divine being Rex Lapis but instead a mortal human. I
t was then when he could finally live out his life and perhaps join everyone else above the clouds whose dust will fade into the night sky, drifting away amongst the bright fireflies and accompanied by the faint buzzing of the crickets.
However, as Childe peppered him in soft, gentle kisses, a part of him couldn't help but feel guilty. Zhongli was going to tell Childe that he was not simply an assistant of Hu Tao but Rex Lapis himself, but he couldn't find the right time to do so. Would Childe look betrayed? Sad? Hurt? Zhongli's chest tightened.
Maybe he'd be disgusted and disappointed. The bottom of Zhongli's heart dropped to his stomach. Would the power-blood-thirsty Tartaglia be disgusted with the mythical god Rex Lapis that no longer wishes to be a god but rather a mortal? Would his snow-white face tint with a rosy blush distort into a sneer as the corners of the mouth that was kissing him turn upwards and his blue eyes shine in malice?
Zhongli felt a shiver run down his spine as Childe ran his lips down his collarbone. Flushed red, Zhongli lifted the sides of Childe's face so that he could look at his face.
"Childe, do you know what you are doing?" Zhongli whispered, running his hands through the ginger's silky hair. Childe looked Zhongli in the eyes, their noses and lips centimeters apart.
"A bit tipsy but yes."
"I'm a man."
"Oh? What prejudice are you implying? I don't know what world you are from, but I don't recall that one from Teyvat."
Zhongli paused, collecting his thoughts. Pushing his concerns aside, he thought about the many times he was by Childe's side when he flirted with countless girls. He'd assume he was as straight as his dick was when he was hard. Zhongli decided that he would go straight to the essential questions.
"Fine. I just concluded that you were into women rather than men. If you don't mind me inquiring, what are we?" He whispered as Childe twirled his left bang around his finger. Childe let an 'mmm' and a small chuckle before switching positions with Zhongli, with Childe on the bottom and Zhongli sitting on him.
"钟离老师, to be honest, I don't know. You've been my advisor for a while but," Childe paused, placing his hands on the sides of Zhongli's waist, "I don't know anything about you, nor anything about the promises we ever made in the first place. I indeed like you, but I cannot say it with all my heart if I do not know all of you."
Zhongli nodded and leaned down to kissed Childe on the lips before placing his hands on Childe's chest, putting his ear to his heartbeat.
"I will tell you the day we fulfill the last condition in our contract. Then," Zhongli closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I will be able to be yours." He lifted his head to take a look at Childe, who seemed lost in thought.
"But," He continued as he propped himself up again, unhooking the buttons of Childe's shirt, catching his attention, and running a finger down the middle of his rock-hard abs painted with the scars of battle, "if I propose an idea to you for tonight, would you accept?"
Childe grinned and kissed the side of Zhongli's cheek. Then, there was a crackle of lightning as his Delusion that lay on the nightstand lit up glowed purple.
"I'll accept any of your suggestions, teacher, but how about doing things my way for a little bit?"
Zhongli was taken aback by Childe's sudden change in attitude as Childe leaned in for an aggressive kiss. The two continue to make out, both of their actions getting increasingly rough as Zhongli felt himself abandon whatever composture he had held.
Their souls intertwined in the dim moonlight. A single black crow flew past their windowsill and into the dark of the night, signaling the arrival of a crucial pawn.
Aether was coming.
--
Zhongli and Childe woke up butt-naked to messy bedsheets, disheveled hair, and raging headaches.
"What did we have last night to be like this?" Childe asked, still not fully awake as he ruffled his hair that Zhongli had clung to all night.
Zhongli didn't respond because he was still in a state of shock. Although he was drunk, he was conscious of what he was doing. What he did with Childe was his consent. He and Childe, they-
"Zhongli-ah, I'm going to hop into a quick shower and cook some breakfast." He stood up and quickly kissed the side of Zhongli's face, smirking.
"Let me do the work because I'm sure your back hurts a lot, Xiang-Sheng."
Zhongli, trying to reclaim his dignity after last night, didn't respond or react. However, inside, he was burning in flames of embarrassment. As Childe left the bedroom, closing the door, Zhongli paced around his room, back throbbing as he massaged his temples.
"How does Venti do this?" Zhongli questioned, remembering that idiotic bard's face. "But of course, he isn't the one taking the pain; Xiao is." Zhongli shook his head, tired. "I cannot say I didn't enjoy it, though."
Zhongli got up, drew the curtains, and went to the other bathroom to clean himself up and look presentable today. Today was the day Childe was going to get his more important assignment: the destruction and framed murder of Rex Lapis. Most importantly, today was the day the boy from another world, Aether, arrived in Liyue, months after defeating Stormterror, the poisoned Pidgeon of Barbatos (Stormterror). Zhongli was never fond of Venti's companion; he thought that his form was more impressive and intimidating.
After washing up, Zhongli went downstairs to brew tea to find Childe busy cooking bamboo shoot porridge. He stirred the rice that was soaking up the water in the pot and the flavor of the bamboo shoots boiling in the water, creating a thick consistency. Childe noticed Zhongli standing at the entrance and paused, lidding the porridge pot and striding towards him.
"Aren't I impressive Zhongli-Xiansheng?" Childe grinned as he caressed the right side of Zhongli's face with his right hand. Zhongli leaned into his touch subconsciously. "A Sneznayan that would do anything for you."
Zhongli smiled slightly as his stomach continued to sink. He wanted to preserve this moment, to lock it away, and relive it. Truthfully, he had never felt this cared for by another human, or god for that matter. Since his bleak existence, he had been a wandering existence, a conglomeration of brawns that desperately sought to save humanity.
And he knew that this moment would not last. He was anxious about what today would bring and how Childe would react.
While listening to the briefing of the assignment in the Northland Bank by a Fatui, Childe was silent, unlike himself. Zhongli wondered if he was in a state of shock, excitement, fear, or uncertainty. Childe was assigned to take Rex Lapis's Gnosis from his dead body after another associate murdered him. If that plan didn't work, he would utilize the Sigils of Permission they'd been collecting to summon Osial, Rex Lapis's most despised enemy, to wreak havoc on Liyue. Hearing Osial's name again tied knots into Zhongli's chest. To this day, he couldn't stomach seafood- particularly anything with tentacles- down. Zhongli was the god of geo, and where Osial fought his battles was certainly not on land, where most of Zhongli's power resided.
After the briefing, Childe asked Zhongli with a frown and furrowed eyebrows, "I'm assuming this is the case involved with Aether?"
"Correct," Zhongli replied, heart sinking looking at the look on Childe's face. The two were sitting in a private room within the bank.
"Zhongli...Is this right?" Childe whispered, his voice cracking up. He stared at the gold-line walls, massaging the corners of his eyes while leaning into his chair. Childe then remembered the family that haunted him, despite what Zhongli had said to him. He wished to be an angel that refused to massacre, but death and destruction were all that he had ever known. Suddenly, Childe felt like the kid again who was barely alive as he staggered out of the abyss, unable to see a future ahead of him. Sure, Childe went to war and massacred a lot of people who were enemies of the Tsaritsa but he was never ordered to massacre an entire family, let alone the entire town of Liyue.
Something was sure to go wrong.
Zhongli reached his hand forward, about to console Childe, but before he could do that, an associate of the Northland Bank burst into the room panting and out of breath.
"Emergency: Mission deployed immediately; the assassination of Rex Lapis commences."
Everyone was running around the bank; Fatui scurried left and right, mobbing Childe as he stepped out of the room, searching for Zhongli. Zhongli was not there with him. Within a few moments, all of Liyue heard a loud snap as the screams of civilians pierced the air above them. The mission had begun sooner than Childe had thought.
"Rex Lapis...has fallen!"
Question of the Chapter: Are you excited for Inazuma!?
Hi everyone! This is a relatively short chapter, but I've included a special uncensored scene for you guys to check on on top of this chapter! I'm currently swamped with finals so I will not be updating for about another month. I hope you enjoy this chapter and continue reading when new chapters come out! Thank you!!