Chapter Text
Zhongli and the Traveler return from Nantianmen back to Liyue Harbor. As they arrive, they run into Childe who just came from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor looking for Zhongli to invite him for their usual late dinner.
Upon seeing them, Childe exclaimed, "Seeing you two together makes me think you had fun adventuring and fighting without me. Hey Traveler, want to join Zhongli and I for dinner so that you two can regale me of your adventures today? My treat!"
Paimon, of course, immediately agrees to the idea of free food. Aether and Zhongli look at each other and silently agree that they can discuss what happened with Childe.
"But promise us that you won't try to release any more calamities on Liyue." Aether narrowly looks at Childe while they make their way to Liuli Pavilion.
"Come on comrade! I was on strict instructions from the Tsaritsa. Let's forgive and forget. Look at Zhongli! He has already forgiven me. Right?" Childe turns his gaze to Zhongli who just hums in reply.
Once they get seated and had the food arrive, Paimon, Aether, and Zhongli start to recount their adventure. From the start of the commission, to investigating the missing four miners, all with another person named Kun Jun who had the uncanny ability to go through ores' memories.
Childe notices that Zhongli is a bit more animated, a bit melancholy but also with a mixture of happiness. The way Zhongli tells what happened in their adventure with the Traveler, mixed with how the sunlight hits his skin and the smile he has while telling the tale.
Childe knows he has fallen in love with this being again. However, the longer the story went on, the more he realized that this isn't the usual adventure they had. He can see it in his tone, in how his face lightens up when he talks about this Kun Jun, and then the reveal that he was "Azhdaha".
This incident had meaning for Zhongli.
He knows this story has now taken on a more personal note with Zhongli.
So he had to ask, "So who is Azhdaha for you? A follower? A friend? Or perhaps....
A former lover?"
Zhongli blushes dark dark red and Childe feels the dark dark green color of jealousy.
"Is this Azhdaha powerful then? Who would win in a fight? Me or him?"
And Childe knows he has done a wrong move because the praises coming out from Zhongli's mouth about how powerful he is, how he is the mountains, how he is the Lord of the Vishaps, how he stood by his side in founding Liyue, how even he, as the prime adepti, had difficulties subduing him before sealing him, that he was willingly sealed away and there's a possibility that he is more powerful than Zhongli himself.
And then Zhongli turns mellow and tells them that Kun Jun/Azhdaha gave him a rare ore that had incredible clarity and with dazzling colors, alongside a beautiful poem and how he'll treasure that memory more than any antique.
This conversation has just confirmed what Childe knows deep down.
He just didn't realize that there could be someone, an actual person, who could take Zhongli's attention away.
Who can make Zhongli have that blush with that soft small smile.
He looks at Zhongli have that small smile that reaches his eyes and realizes that he never got that, even if he bought an entire antiques store once for him and he only gave him a pleased look.
It is a good thing that a heart does not omit a sound when it breaks. He is thankful that the abyss has affected him so much so that there is no light reflecting in his eyes. No sign of life. No sign of emotion. No sign if heartbreak in those empty dull and lifeless eyes. He wonders if it's also one of the reasons why Zhongli won't consider him to be a possible lover.
Childe has known not to hope to have Zhongli as anything more than a friend (and it is the maximum that their relationship could be aside from business partners, colleagues, or close acquaintances). And who are you? But a foreigner. A mortal. A speck of dust in his millennium of existence. You can only hope to be a lit flare in his memory someday, bright and burning but will eventually fade away. How can you compete with an immortal being capable of staying by Zhongli's side.
"He said if fate permits, I hope to see you again."
"And what will you do if you see each other again?"
"I would hope that we could live happily this time."
"... I hope so too Xiansheng." I wish for your happiness, even if it's not with me. I will take the payment of seeing you smile like that more often.
Doesn't matter. His feelings does not matter. He has promised to himself, made a contract, that he'll try to protect the people he cares about and that already includes Zhongli.
Try to protect him even from himself and whatever feelings he may have for the god.
For the first time, Childe does not want to fight this sealed Lord. If it could keep Zhongli happy.
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