🧵#ZhongChiLi Angst (TW: MCD)
1/21
Childe hears Zhongli return before the man can even announce himself.
He can simply tell by how the wind shifts, responding to the dragon’s presence as he lands on the lawn of their home and transforms back to his mortal form.
1/21
Childe hears Zhongli return before the man can even announce himself.
He can simply tell by how the wind shifts, responding to the dragon’s presence as he lands on the lawn of their home and transforms back to his mortal form.
2/21
Human footsteps approach, crunching fresh grass, and Childe smiles.
“Laogong…”
A warm hand presses against his upon the armrest and Childe leans up to press a kiss to Zhongli’s neck.
Human footsteps approach, crunching fresh grass, and Childe smiles.
“Laogong…”
A warm hand presses against his upon the armrest and Childe leans up to press a kiss to Zhongli’s neck.
3/21
He holds there, inhaling his husband’s scent, before letting the other interlock their fingers. The porch swing sways as ZL settles himself beside Childe, drawing their hands together, & pressing thigh & shoulder against each other such that they feel like a single unit.
He holds there, inhaling his husband’s scent, before letting the other interlock their fingers. The porch swing sways as ZL settles himself beside Childe, drawing their hands together, & pressing thigh & shoulder against each other such that they feel like a single unit.
4/21
“Ajax, how are you feeling?”
“Better today,” Childe replies with a smile. “But that doesn’t matter. How was Sasha’s birthday party? Did she like the toy?”
“Mm,” Zhongli hums, rubbing the band along Childe’s ring finger.
“Ajax, how are you feeling?”
“Better today,” Childe replies with a smile. “But that doesn’t matter. How was Sasha’s birthday party? Did she like the toy?”
“Mm,” Zhongli hums, rubbing the band along Childe’s ring finger.
5/21
“She loved it. But she did express regret that her favorite great uncle could not deliver it to her himself.”
The laugh Childe gives is painfully forced.
“You know I couldn’t do that, Zhongli.”
“I know,” Zhongli responds.
“She loved it. But she did express regret that her favorite great uncle could not deliver it to her himself.”
The laugh Childe gives is painfully forced.
“You know I couldn’t do that, Zhongli.”
“I know,” Zhongli responds.
6/21
Childe shifts his weight with a groan, and Zhongli unlinks their fingers to assist. A stable hand slides against Childe’s back, bracing him as pillows are adjusted behind. Zhongli eases him backward and Childe sighs with relief.
“Thank you.”
Childe shifts his weight with a groan, and Zhongli unlinks their fingers to assist. A stable hand slides against Childe’s back, bracing him as pillows are adjusted behind. Zhongli eases him backward and Childe sighs with relief.
“Thank you.”
7/21
ZL hums, resettling by Childe’s side & nestling his head upon the younger man’s shoulder. He relinks their hands, ensuring he can feel Childe’s pulse in their connection. They sway on the swing in silence, listening to the sandbearer trees rustle w/the calming wind.
ZL hums, resettling by Childe’s side & nestling his head upon the younger man’s shoulder. He relinks their hands, ensuring he can feel Childe’s pulse in their connection. They sway on the swing in silence, listening to the sandbearer trees rustle w/the calming wind.
8/21
Childe feels the heat of the sun settle on his lap, signifying the passage of time.
He squeezes Zhongli’s hand.
“Did you talk to your adepti?”
“I did,” Zhongli responds, still resting on Childe’s shoulder. “Xiao offered to lead the ceremony.”
Childe feels the heat of the sun settle on his lap, signifying the passage of time.
He squeezes Zhongli’s hand.
“Did you talk to your adepti?”
“I did,” Zhongli responds, still resting on Childe’s shoulder. “Xiao offered to lead the ceremony.”
8/21
“He did?” Childe exclaims, surprised. “For sure, I thought Madame Ping or Ganyu would—”
“—I shared your expectation, but when I relayed our plans, Xiao stepped forward and requested he be the one to lead the preparations.”
Childe lets out a small chuckle.
“He did?” Childe exclaims, surprised. “For sure, I thought Madame Ping or Ganyu would—”
“—I shared your expectation, but when I relayed our plans, Xiao stepped forward and requested he be the one to lead the preparations.”
Childe lets out a small chuckle.
9/21
“Wow, of all people... I thought he hated me for taking you away from him.”
Zhongli presses a kiss to the underside of Childe’s chin, where pale skin is still visible.
“He’s had plenty of time to come to terms with my decision to bind myself to you, Ajax."
“Wow, of all people... I thought he hated me for taking you away from him.”
Zhongli presses a kiss to the underside of Childe’s chin, where pale skin is still visible.
“He’s had plenty of time to come to terms with my decision to bind myself to you, Ajax."
10/21
"In accepting that, he logically had to accept you as well. After all, we are one, are we not?”
Childe preens at these words.
“Of course, laogong. We are one.”
"In accepting that, he logically had to accept you as well. After all, we are one, are we not?”
Childe preens at these words.
“Of course, laogong. We are one.”
11/21
More hours pass and before long, the sun’s warmth leaves the pair, and the chill of the night beckons a symphony of crickets. They sing their song to Childe’s amusement.
He smiles, even as tears start to slide down his cheeks.
More hours pass and before long, the sun’s warmth leaves the pair, and the chill of the night beckons a symphony of crickets. They sing their song to Childe’s amusement.
He smiles, even as tears start to slide down his cheeks.
12/21
“Zhongli, did you know that crickets live only for one summer?”
Zhongli clings tightly to his husband’s hands as he feels Childe’s shoulders start to shake.
“They’re born in the spring when the glaze lilies bloom...
“Zhongli, did you know that crickets live only for one summer?”
Zhongli clings tightly to his husband’s hands as he feels Childe’s shoulders start to shake.
“They’re born in the spring when the glaze lilies bloom...
13/21
...Then they sing during the long summer nights until they die before the winter comes. Don’t you find that sad?”
Childe lets out a shuddering sigh.
“To die before they can glimpse the pure white blanket wrapping the earth in its arms. A shame…”
...Then they sing during the long summer nights until they die before the winter comes. Don’t you find that sad?”
Childe lets out a shuddering sigh.
“To die before they can glimpse the pure white blanket wrapping the earth in its arms. A shame…”
14/21
A sob.
Zhongli shushes Childe comfortingly though his own heart stings with the effort.
“Hush, love, it’s alright.”
Childe cries wholeheartedly now, lifting Zhongli’s hands to his lips to kiss them desperately.
A sob.
Zhongli shushes Childe comfortingly though his own heart stings with the effort.
“Hush, love, it’s alright.”
Childe cries wholeheartedly now, lifting Zhongli’s hands to his lips to kiss them desperately.
15/21
“/Li, I’m not ready,/” he sobs. “I thought I was, but I’m not.”
“I know, Ajax, I know.”
Just moving hurts now. Breathing, like fire in his throat. Childe begs Celestia for another chance.
“/Li, I’m not ready,/” he sobs. “I thought I was, but I’m not.”
“I know, Ajax, I know.”
Just moving hurts now. Breathing, like fire in his throat. Childe begs Celestia for another chance.
16/21
To not run from home.
To not fall into the accursed Abyss.
To not make that damned contract with the devils there in order to save his pitiful soul.
To not drag the love of his life down with him.
But it’s too late now, they both know this.
To not run from home.
To not fall into the accursed Abyss.
To not make that damned contract with the devils there in order to save his pitiful soul.
To not drag the love of his life down with him.
But it’s too late now, they both know this.
17/21
The powers that saved him as a child did not come free, and when the Abyss finally came to collect, Zhongli prolonged his lease on life with a contract neither side could refuse.
Two lives became one, and in one, time shared.
The powers that saved him as a child did not come free, and when the Abyss finally came to collect, Zhongli prolonged his lease on life with a contract neither side could refuse.
Two lives became one, and in one, time shared.
18/21
But Time is not everlasting.
And Time does not bargain.
/In the end, all debts must be paid./
But Time is not everlasting.
And Time does not bargain.
/In the end, all debts must be paid./
19/21
Childe weeps, reaching blindly for Zhongli and the god pulls him into his arms.
Childe can no longer feel his husband’s warmth through the Abyssal hide covering his body.
His eyes can no longer see the golden eyes examining him so desperately with love.
Childe weeps, reaching blindly for Zhongli and the god pulls him into his arms.
Childe can no longer feel his husband’s warmth through the Abyssal hide covering his body.
His eyes can no longer see the golden eyes examining him so desperately with love.
20/21
His voice cracks as he sobs aloud, repeating, repeating the name of the one he knows will lose his life the second he does his own.
“Zhongli,” he pleads, “I’m so sorry you love me.”
His voice cracks as he sobs aloud, repeating, repeating the name of the one he knows will lose his life the second he does his own.
“Zhongli,” he pleads, “I’m so sorry you love me.”
21/21 (END)
The god savors this last vestige of his memory.
“I love you willingly, Ajax. In life, in death, and if there exists a life beyond that, in the next.”
Summer ends, the curtain falls.
And a debt is repaid in full.
The god savors this last vestige of his memory.
“I love you willingly, Ajax. In life, in death, and if there exists a life beyond that, in the next.”
Summer ends, the curtain falls.
And a debt is repaid in full.
AFTERWORD:
Thank you @Nonnieyourbusi1 for the angst prompt, though I think you intended for a fluff piece, hah~
In this, I wanted the story to be a bit of a mystery, trickling clues until the end when the situation is revealed. Note, only non-sight descriptors are used.
🥲🔪
Thank you @Nonnieyourbusi1 for the angst prompt, though I think you intended for a fluff piece, hah~
In this, I wanted the story to be a bit of a mystery, trickling clues until the end when the situation is revealed. Note, only non-sight descriptors are used.
🥲🔪
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