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Chapter Text

“Master Childe, a package has arrived from Mr. Zhongli.”

Childe scoffed, “Thanks Ekaterina, just throw it away.” It had been a month since the Osial incident and since he marched out of the bank, betrayed and heartbroken. Just a pawn in the liyuen man’s plans.

Haha, how could he have actually been so stupid to think that their time together meant something more to the consultant. The other hadn’t even bothered to contact him for a whole month or apologize for his deceit.

“Master Childe, it isn’t my place to tell you this but I think you should at least see the package and think things over more calmly.”

“You know what, you’re right, it’s not your place to tell me that,” he snapped, having just thought of the incident and how long it took the consultant to contact him, not even in person might he add, really got to him.

He took a deep breath and sighed, “Sorry ‘Katerina, I just, I trusted him and I cared so much for him but he can’t even bring himself to come in person.” He took the package from her, “I’ll take a look at it, thank you.” Ekaterina patted him in the shoulder in understanding then walked out.

Childe opened the package to find fifteen red roses and- and nothing else, no note or anything. Did the consultant send the wrong thing? Or was it sent to the wrong place, what were the roses for? They hadn’t even been interacting lately, so it can’t be courting. Childe sighed again, he should’ve just thrown it away like he first planned too.

At the end of the day though his house had an additional decoration of fifteen red roses.

The next day when Childe entered his office, there on his desk another package, identical to the one from the day before. He didn’t even ask Ekaterina, he knew it was from the former Geo Archon.

Childe took a deep breath and decided to just open it, it's no good to waste things he convinced himself, it doesn’t mean he’s forgiven the consultant just because he sent roses, even if the roses were very pretty.

Eleven red roses were in the package. Childe really wanted to know what was going on in the Geo Archon’s mind. And eleven? That was less than yesterday. Is this his way of showing his sincerity or his way to apologize? Why are there four less than the day before then, no Childe wasn’t sad that there were less or anything, he just thought that if the liyuen wanted to apologize without any sort of written or spoken interactions he might as well put some more effort.

Still, his heart couldn’t help but skip a few beats as he held today's bouquet of roses.

And so twenty-six roses now decorated his house.

Again, as expected, a package sitting on his desk inside his office.

This time there was a single rose, however the note accompanying it made it seem less lonely. ‘I’m sorry,’ written in the consultant’s beautiful calligraphy.

Childe didn’t know if he should laugh or cry at what was probably one of the worst apologies he has ever seen. Even so this apology warmed his heart, his lips curling into a smile, and coming from the consultant it wasn’t that bad.

The single rose even seemed a bit rosier in color and more fragrant than the other bunch of roses he’d gotten before. If Ekaterina knew what he was thinking she’d sigh and shake her head at his denseness because no, this rose was exactly the same as the other roses.

When he got home that night, Childe placed the single rose at his nightstand instead of at the entrance with all the other roses.

The traveler arrived early at his home a week later, Childe had barely finished eating breakfast when they had knocked at his door. Honestly he was really grateful for their traveler friend, it was nice to have someone who shared his love of fighting, plus they had both been deceived by a certain consultant. Even if the other insisted that they pretty much suspected it the whole time.

He opened the door to let the blond in.

“What’s with the roses? You have so many! Did your heartbreak lead you to some sort of hoarding addiction?” The annoying, floating fairy exclaimed and Childe almost smacked it. Heartbroken who? Him? No way!
Childe’s entrance was full of vases with different amounts of red roses. Fifteen, eleven, twenty, twenty-five, thirty-six, forty-seven. He has really big vases okay? And he wanted to keep each bouquet the way they were when he received them.

Childe crossed his arms and refuted, “No, I haven’t gotten a hoarding addiction, they were gifts.”

“You don’t have to go and make up a lie, Paimon understands that it’s all your wishful thinking and you’re just trying to imagine that Zhongli actually sent you courting gifts-”

Traveler clamped their hand on Paimon’s mouth and that fairy should be thankful because if they kept talking Childe would’ve given in to his previous impulse. “Okay Paimon, I think that’s enough, no need to keep rubbing salt on the wound. Don’t you see he’s already so hurt that he’s hoarding.”

The ginger frowned at that, the traveler wasn’t much better than their floating companion. “Actually, Zhongli-xiangsheng sent me those, but if it’s his way of apologizing then it’s very confusing. He started sending them a week ago, everyday it’s the same flower, only the amount varies.”

“Hmm, I feel like I’ve read something similar to this before. It was about how different flowers represent things, though if they’re always the same flower I’m not so sure it applies.”

Huh, Childe hadn’t thought about that, “You could be on to something…”

“Oh right, we’re in a hurry so we gotta go now. Thank you for the mora, we’ll return it later. Oh, and thank you for entertaining us with your new hoarding experiences! Bye!”

“I said I wasn’t hoarding!” Childe exclaimed but the traveler was long gone and out of sight.

After the traveler left, Childe decided to check out the Wanwen Bookhouse. He searched all day and nothing, the botany section only had topics on how to grow flowers and how to take care of them. If not, then stuff on the medical purposes of certain plants. The closest thing he got to the number of flowers meaning something was a book of what different flowers mean.

Red roses mean love and romance but it’s not like he didn’t know that already. But the consultant wouldn’t confess like that, surely not when they hadn’t even had a proper talk yet, right?

He decided to buy the book and look it over once again at home.

The book said that daffodils represent new beginnings, and at the pace things were going with Zhongli, maybe it’d be better if he tried to reach out to the other. Even though he still felt a bit miffed, the other never said that he didn’t mean anything to him. It was just the conclusion he came to at the moment when his emotions were at an extreme and clouding his mind.

Why would the other give him flowers that mean ‘I love you’ if he didn’t care about him?

So he decided to visit the funeral parlor after gathering some daffodils the next day.

Chapter Text

The next day Childe woke up early and got himself ready, as he left his bedroom he took a quick glance at the single rose in his nightstand.

Childe held a smile in his face as he left to go find daffodils in Mt. Hulao and Mt. Aozang. He didn’t really know much about what the amount of flowers could mean but he wanted to find two to represent the two years they’d known each other.

Even if they weren’t a lot he would find the best ones. He read that daffodils grow in grasslands, rocky areas and forests. They also need sunlight and moist soil to grow best, since there’s no forest in Liyue and the grasslands were usually shadowed by tall mountains and hills so he decided to go to the mountaintops.

Yes, both mountains were adepti territory so it’d be a challenge to get the daffodils, but he wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge. And his two flowers would become even more meaningful since he’d go through so much for them.

And in the very improbable case he got caught he could throw Zhongli under the bus and tell those adepti that he was collecting them for their very much loved and very much alive former archon. Though if they’d believe him is a whole other thing.

So, he spent the whole morning climbing the mountains and sneaking around to gather daffodils. Once he thought he collected enough he returned home. Childe looked at his work’s haul and chose the two most aromatic and colorful. He smiled in satisfaction imagining how it would be when he gave them to the consultant. Maybe those beautiful, golden eyes would open wide for a few seconds in surprise and then a small smile would be formed and directed at him.

First things first though they would need their long overdue conversation. If by any chance he had misunderstood and the consultant didn’t see him the way he saw the other, it’d really be the last straw for him. He’d break for real this time if that were to happen, just thinking about it already caused a feeling of agony in his chest. His heart beating painfully as if it wanted to get out of his ribcage.
It’s better if he didn’t think about the worser case scenarios.

Childe took a deep breath and composed himself, everything will be alright. Hopefully.

Childe arrived at the Wansheng Funeral parlor and greeted the Ferrylady.

“I’m sorry Mr. Childe but consultant Zhongli is not here at the moment.”

Starting out badly huh, Childe frowned and thanked her. He’ll just have to wait at the other’s home then. Zhongli lived in the higher terraces of Liyue Harbor, past Bubu Pharmacy. He walked up the steps and when he got to the top he glanced back. The sun was starting to set, the enthralling polychromatic sky full of reds, oranges and golds seemed like a painting.

It reminded him of the many days he spent with the consultant from morning to night, walking around Liyue, eating together, shopping, strolling the beaches and hiking the mountains. The many different times they had watched the sunset together in many different scenarios. Zhongli had told him he loved watching the sunset because every sunset is an opportunity to reset, every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.

Childe would always listen, mesmerized by how the other always seemed so radiant when sharing his knowledge. And when the sun would set, the golden hour light shining on the brunette making him look ethereal, Childe would smile wider than ever thinking to himself how lucky he was to be able to catch sight of this view everyday.

Thinking about those happy times made Childe reenergize, he would make it work with Zhongli.

He arrived at the other’s house and using the key he had gotten from the other before the whole incident happened he entered. He turned on the light to find the house empty which was expected. The room was a bit messy, a lot of items everywhere and the first thing that came to Childe’s mind was that this is hoarding and that he should show the traveler some time.

As he looked around a book caught his eye, the cover was of a beautiful red rose painted in what seemed to be a traditional inazuman watercolor style. He picked up the book and just as he was about to open and skim through it, the door at the entrance opened.

Childe turned around and ocean blue eyes met vivid gold. He missed seeing those eyes.

Chapter Text

Zhongli was surprised to see Childe, he hadn’t seen the other in so long, at least in person. During the time they hadn’t been in contact with each other, Zhongli had found himself frequently thinking of Childe and picturing his smile in his mind, or recalling fond memories they had created together. Times they had strolled around Liyue Harbors or their mini adventures throughout all of Liyue.

As soon as Childe stormed out of the bank after the reveal Zhongli regretted not stopping him. . Zhongli had predicted the other would get mad or lash out but after the traveler left, the ginger just stared at him with piercing eyes reflecting hurt and anger, that left him rooted in place, before leaving. That and his lack of ability to express his feelings and thoughts were the factors that made him miss the opportunity to apologize and talk things out right there and then.

“Hello Childe, long time no see.”

That broke the other off his stupor, blue eyes shifted from side to side before looking at him. “Um, yeah, long time no see xiansheng.”

There was an awkward pause after the initial exchange, Zhongli was trying to organize his thoughts to be able to express what he wanted to say. However, before he was able to start his apology and maybe love confession if things went well, Childe spoke.

“So, Zhongli-xiansheng, uh, I came because I wanted to ask about the roses.”

And all the words he had prepared left him, he felt his cheeks warm up a bit, “What of them?”

“Why did you send them, I mean what were the roses for? I know they mean love but, I- we- um, so was the time we spent together genuine, like- I know I’m rambling sorry haha…”

Zhongli stepped closer and took hold of Childe’s hand. The warmth of the touch instantly traveled to his heart and he felt it start to beat faster. He missed this.

Zhongli felt nervous, he had never felt this nervous in the 6000 years of his life. But, that was how things were with Childe, always making him feel things he hadn’t felt before. Always letting him experience and enjoy like he hadn’t before. And, that’s why he must make this work between them. He looked at Childe in the eyes, beautiful blue even if they didn’t have light in them, the darkness in them attracted him, it made him want to explore and fall deeper into them.

“I am sorry that it hurt you that I didn’t tell you my other identity, it was part of the contract and I couldn’t reveal it to anyone. However, all the time we spent together, I was still me, and every second we spent together was and is still special to me. From the various experiences I’ve been through as a mortal, the best ones have always been with you. They are my treasures and all this time when we’ve been apart they’ve been the motivation that keeps me glad I became mortal because it means that I can spend the rest of my life with you.”

Zhongli walked to a corner of the room, and gathered the roses he had there before giving them to Childe. He smiled at the other, “I wasn’t in the funeral parlor or my home all day since I’ve been collecting this for you. Ninety-nine red roses, it means I’ll love you till the day I die.”

The ginger received the flowers, his face as red as the roses. Tears were welling up at the corner of his eyes, “I love you so much Zhongli-xiansheng, I’m-,” he stopped and chuckled overcome with emotion, “I’m so happy that the time we spent together meant to you as much as it did for me.”

Childe hugged him, a smile adorning his face, “Haha, I’m really happy, happier than I’ve been in a long time. Thank you.”

“I’m happy too, and I should thank you. Thank you for completing my heart.”

“Oh, and these are for you,” Childe presented him with two daffodils. “I don’t really know much about flowers, but while I was searching for the meaning of different numbers of roses I found a book about the meaning of flowers.”

Zhongli thanked him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Childe’s cheeks were flushed, which in Zhongli’s opinion made him look as lovely, no even lovelier than the roses he’d given him. “Speaking of which, what did the the number of roses mean?”

Zhongli held Childe’s hand to his lips and planted a kiss, “Fifteen, I’m sorry.”

The liyuen then leaned towards the snezhnayan and kissed his forehead, “Eleven, you are my treasure.”

He then kissed his cheek, “One, I fell for you at first sight.”

A kiss on the other cheek, “Twenty, my love is sincere.”

Then, a kiss on the nose, “Twenty-five, I wish you all the happiness in the world.”

A kiss on the chin, “Thirty-six, remember all the moments we’ve shared.”

And finally, a kiss on the lips, “Forty-seven, you’re my one and only.”