Thread by @shire_zc

#ZhongChi #鍾タル Emperor, Alpha!Zhongli x Omega, Concubine!Childe part 3. Part 2 linked here.

It was an ordinary day when Zhongli decided to propose. With a carefully crafted bow. He was rarely ever nervous when asking for a hand in marriage. After all, they tended to be

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more of an agreement, a contract. A means of maintaining peace even. They were never really out of love. Not even with Guizhong. He only fell in love with her after she had become a consort.

“For me, really?” Childe asked. He admired the bow, running his fingers along the smooth

wooden limbs and handcrafted grips. It was nothing like the cheap one Childe was using.

“Yes, of course, Baobei.” Zhongli said, smiling tenderly at Childe. He looked like a small kid who got a gift for the first time in a long time. “And I have a question for you.”

“What is

it?”

“Will you be my wife?” Zhongli asked quietly.

Childe stared at him, stunned by the question. “Me?”

“Yes, of course, who else?”

“But w-what about the other girls? Ying’er? Or—“

“Tartaglia, this question is for you. Only you.”

“Oh…” Childe looked down.

“Of course there is no need to agree if you do not wish to.” Zhongli said. Childe didn’t look like he wanted to and Zhongli didn’t want to force it. But of course it didn’t stop his heart from breaking.

“No, wait— I do. I really do, but is it really okay? I’m not Liyuen. I

don’t even belong here.” Childe gently took Zhongli’s hand, intertwining their fingers.

“Baobei, it doesn’t matter where you’re from. It’s not going to change the fact that I love you. Marrying you will mean that you’re a consort. It’ll be officially recognised that we are

together.”

Childe eventually relented. He was happy, of course, but he couldn’t help but feel nervous. He knew how nasty things could be within consorts looking to be in the emperor’s favor.

Their marriage was a small one. There weren’t many participants but Childe was content

with it. He didn’t think he’d be able to marry an alpha all his life, much less Zhongli himself.

“We will have a bigger one next time.” Zhongli promised before gently pressing his lips against Childe’s.

“It’s okay. This is good enough.” Childe shook his head.

As a consort, he could now join some exclusive feast that Zhongli held every now and then. Childe kept to his own, not daring to meet anyones eyes.

But it was still a period of

unrest and an unknown group of people attacked.

There was panic, people were screaming, running, fighting and dying.

Many of the consorts were fleeing for their lives. The sight of it made Childe furious. None of them tried protecting their emperor?! The person that they

want to favor them?

Childe didn’t have any weapon on him, so he made use of the table knife provided to him.

Although he was an omega, he certainly didn’t seem like one when he took down the attackers one by one. His slashes and slices were clean, calculated and controlled.

In the chaos, Childe dared to let down the facade of a gentle consort for a little. After all, no one would pay attention.

No one except Zhongli.

When the attackers had retreated, Childe changed his stance, turning into a fragile consort who barely knew how to hold a knife.

He naturally rushed to Zhongli’s side, who seemed to have been wounded.

“Z—Zhongli! You’re hurt!” Childe ripped a cloth from his robes using a knife to stem the blood flow.

Quickly, the royal guards got things back under control and escorted Zhongli back to his room.

Some consorts also returned, only to see Zhongli holding onto Childe’s hand before they disappeared from the grand hall.

Rumors spread like wildfire and Childe certainly got himself quite a few enemies. But that didn’t matter while he spent the next few days tending to Zhongli.

The emperor had ordered no one to visit him but Childe.

“How did you get hurt so bad? You killed 6 people when they attacked me. There were only 2 after you that day.” Childe shook his head as he changed Zhongli’s bandages.

The brunette only watched him quietly, his expression

a little odd, guilty even. It was a strange look, unless…

“Did you get hurt on purpose?” Childe frowned.

Zhongli looked at Childe and chuckled softly, “perhaps.”

“I- Why?”

“What better way to have some private time alone with you, Baobei?”

“Not like that!”

“Do not worry, Tartaglia, I know my limits.”

Childe grumbled as he continued changing Zhongli’s bandages. While he did enjoy having Zhongli all to himself, he did not like that he got himself hurt for it.

“But you enjoy this, no? All my attention on you and all your attention

on me.” Zhongli asked.

“Well, yes.” Childe nodded as he finished up the bandages. He planted a gentle kiss over Zhongli’s wound, “so it’ll heal faster.”

The brunette looked down at the ginger, who’s head was at his lower torso and he had never had the urge to mark someone

this bad.

Childe was caught off guard when Zhongli flipped him over and pinned him down on the silk bedsheets. “I— Hey!”

“You know, I’ve been wanting to kiss you silly for so long.” Zhongli confessed. “To scent you and make sure everyone knows that you’re mine.”

“Well, what are you waiting for then?”

“You’ll let me?” Zhongli asked.

“Of course, my emperor.”

[Part 3 END]

I’ll probably move part 1-3 to ao3 and post more parts there. I didn’t expect to have so much plot for this fic LOL. Or would you guys rather I make a lite version here and a full version on ao3? Lmk in the comments.

Anyways, hope y’all enjoyed this :D.

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