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Zhongli prided himself on many things. After all, he founded Liyue from nothing and then got to watch it grow into independence, won countless battles and survived the Archon War, learned many things in many different fields and got to share them with those who will listen. But, above all, he prided himself on the exceptional skill of self-control.

Dragons weren’t common creatures, not even among the adepti. History has lost to time the reasons why the numbers grew sparse. Still, whether it was a blessing from Celestia or a natural order of evolution, those of his kind were exceptionally fertile. Whether or not their partner possessed a womb, whether the partner was a human or an adeptus, it was as easy as a passing thought to manifest a new life into fruition. So, while dragons were not virginal by any means, self-control and restraint were practical decisions that most abided by, not excluding Zhongli.

Besides, he never had much interest in taking a lover. He had wars to win, a city to guard, and humans to protect. There was a time when he’d indulge in someone’s body more freely, on account of them being aware of the possible consequences, but his heart was never open to anyone, no matter how many tried.

Guizhong had come the closest, but her time passed far quicker than she deserved, and with her life flickering out, so did Zhongli’s will to involve himself with any romantic endeavours. 

When the retirement plan came into motion, he was already settled into the human skin. The draconic instinct in Zhongli grew dormant after millennia of lack of use. Frankly, it would be an understatement to say that any sort of primal desires haven’t appeared on his mind for longer than he could bother to remember. It was alright by him. Zhongli was certain he could exist perfectly intact without ever engaging with a partner again.

And then, one sunny summer day, the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger stepped onto the docks of Liyue, and Zhongli was doomed.

“Zhongli? Zhongli, are you even listening to me?” 

Childe’s skin mostly carried a crisp smell of soap, hailing from the harbinger’s hypervigilance when it came to looking presentable at all times. But not even the most expensive silky perfumes of Liyue could fool draconic senses, and Zhongli swallowed forcefully, picking up on the faint scent of blood that radiated from Childe’s neck.

He looked visibly unhappy with another one of Zhongli’s detours into the mind palace. Zhongli was struggling to keep in check his intrusive, persistent need to trail the invisible remains of Childe’s victory with his tongue until the man lost his mind. 

“Apologies,” Zhongli muttered, “it seems like I was lost in thought again.”

Childe made an annoyed sound, a sort of dry chirping huff. “I swear to Celestia, what’s it with you lately? You’re walking around all sulky, barely paying attention, not even to me!” For all it’s worth, he sounded genuinely hurt. For Childe expressing any vulnerability didn’t come easy, so Zhongli immediately snapped out of it, finally devoting his focus to his lover and his lover alone.

“I am sorry,” Zhongli sighed, but his tone was genuine and defeated enough for Childe to soften at the edges. “It has been a stressful time at the parlour, and I’ve been quite exhausted for the past week.”

It wasn’t a lie; the week had indeed been overwhelming in workload, and it was distinctly harder to concentrate when every living hour of Zhongli’s life had been filled with longing so unreasonable it would sometimes catch his breath. He hadn’t wanted anyone like this for millennia, if at all, and the heady, scorching sensation of want wouldn’t leave him alone even when Childe and he were apart. If anything, it grew stronger, more potent - it was so much easier to give into the vivid images in his head when Childe wasn’t a physical presence to awaken at least some semblance of sensible shame.

“Yeah, I get that, I guess,” Childe huffed, “paperwork can be a pain in the ass.”

Zhongli couldn’t help but visibly relax at the way the other man’s features slowly but surely warmed up again, no longer sharp and wary with hurt. He never failed to be enamoured with the lively change of expressions on his youthful freckled face. Often, Zhongli found himself simply mesmerised by the way he did the simplest things; the way Childe smiled or laughed or pouted, and this warm, boundless fondness was only a dangerous fuel for the possessive flame inside of him, wondering what face Childe would make if his teeth were to puncture the crease between his shoulder and neck.

It took them so long to get here, to build up the shattered trust, to learn each other again and to finally become a couple. It was unthinkable for Zhongli ever to let Childe be hurt by him again.

That’s why, despite the way every cell of his body ached to take and take and take , Zhongli grasped at the last straws of self-control he had left and protected the trust that Ajax gifted him despite everything they had done to each other.

It was as easy as one misstep to ignite a life inside of Childe. And Zhongli… Zhongli couldn’t risk playing with fire.

“Go on then, my love,” Zhongli said softly, watching the Harbinger struggle with the affectionate term like it was a vicious enemy. “Continue your tale. I will listen.”

Still, when Childe went on with another of his mildly unbelievable stories about work in the field, Zhongli lifted the porcelain cup with herbal tea far too firmly, feeling it vibrate under his harsh grasp. Zhongli opened his mouth and couldn’t resist taking a deep breath, feeling Childe’s scent deep at the back of his throat, drawing a minimal flick of respite on the endless empty canvas of everything Zhongli wanted to do instead. He only has left to hope that he’d done it discreetly enough not to cause the famously inquisitive harbinger to probe him for answers.

Zhongli was already in a losing fight against subtle but persistent hints that Childe wanted to be taken to bed.

To Childe’s credit, he never pushed, only offered. And Zhongli was far from blind; he could see the sultry expressions, the curve of his spine arching deliciously under the candlelight, the “accidental” touches that in polite company would be called shameless. Not even mentioning the times they fought side by side, Zhongli stumbling over the easiest motions, watching Childe obliterate enemies with effortless flamboyance. The way he moved across the battlefield, occasionally flipping through the air for an additional flourish, only highlighted his long, graceful legs. Zhongli had to physically restrain himself back into focus, otherwise, his retirement might have ended much earlier because he was too keen on imagining said legs over his shoulders. 

And, according to the crooked half-moon smirk, Childe noticed. Zhongli had to turn away from him and do his best impression of ignorance.

Zhongli saw the confusion and frustration mixing underneath the dark lashes every time he forced himself to swallow the rising arousal and play fool. The last thing that Zhongli was at this age was oblivious, and he wanted. 

He wanted to want, without restraint, without crippling shame, without painful self-awareness. But Zhongli couldn’t even move an inch of his body without feeling the heavy pressure of invisible horns and the hidden weight of his tail, the omnipresent knowledge of his nature that he could never forget nor escape.

And the main issue was not even the possibility of pregnancy. If Zhongli didn’t want it, the chances of it happening would be low enough to allow risk. However…

"Are you alright, Qiqi?" Childe crouched down to eye level with Qiqi, her dull eyes reflecting his own, just as lightless. "Have you forgotten which part of Liyue you're in again?”

“No, Qiqi remembers,” she said in a way that would be almost defensive if not for her usual slow, monotonous whisper. “Qiqi remembers…”

She trailed off soon enough. Childe chuckled and outstretched his hands. Zhongli stared at his calloused, dextrous fingers, so deadly in battle but so gentle when he picked up this little zombie girl to land her on the comfortable bow of his muscular shoulders. “Come on. Let’s get you to Baizhu.”

The casual protective strength with which Childe picked Qiqi up - only after she consented, of course - made the draconic instinct in him growl in pleasure. Zhongli had to close his eyes and even his breathing for long two minutes, most of which consisted of compromising with a primal, impatient part of him that purred, strong beautiful mate, so capable, such a perfect fit for bearing your children. Zhongli swallowed heavily, scenting the thin layer of sweat running down Childe’s neck. It would be so easy to reach out, grab him, taste it with a flick of his true, forked tongue, Zhongli could fold him in half almost effortlessly and then--

“Zhongli, are you spacing out again?” Childe huffed teasingly, this time not annoyed but amused. “Come on, lizard brain, what are you thinking that hard about? You’ll burst a blood vessel.”

“Apologies,” his voice came out raw and hoarse, and Zhongli had to clear his throat a little harsher than usual. “I got… sidetracked.”

“When do you not get sidetracked?” Childe rolled his eyes fondly. Then, he closed up on Zhongli and planted a simple, chaste kiss on his lips. Zhongli froze up, every muscle calling out to get closer to his lover, his mate. Instead, he took as much as he was given, trying not to feel too disappointed with how fleeting the taste of Childe was on his lips. “Let’s go make a detour to the Bubu Pharmacy.”

When they arrived, the stifling heat didn’t get any better. In fact, it has grown even more insistent, and with the constant dampness of the sea in the air, the weather was growing almost unbearable. Zhongli pointedly avoided looking at Childe who used his hydro vision with proficiency to refresh both himself and little Qiqi under the blazing sun. Childe abandoned his jacket, and the little drops of water travelled down his v-line and dipped under the loose belt.

Zhongli made a low, desperate noise at the back of his throat that wouldn’t pass as human even by a wide margin. Thankfully, Childe was too invested in making sure the little zombie was not overheating. Baizhu granted him a scandalised look, his adeptal features giving him more acute senses than mortal.

“I understand your… personal involvement with the Harbinger,” he hissed quietly, cheeks tinted pink ever slightly, “but at least put in effort into not being indecent. ”

Little did Baizhu know how much effort Zhongli put in on a daily basis to evade a flock of ginger children running around the harbour. That was where the issue hid - he was not at all against having a family with Childe. Quite the opposite, he longed for it on a level that no human could ever comprehend. 

Still, Childe had his duties. After all that was said and done, he was still devoted to Tsaritsa’s cause, he was still the Vanguard. And, no matter how much Zhongli ached from the acknowledgement, Childe would always be those things above being his. For a moment, Zhongli entertained the thought of leaving this relationship altogether, solely for Childe’s benefit. But he couldn’t imagine his life without him - not anymore. Besides, he could never abandon this man who sacrificed so much and tasted so much betrayal already. Zhongli could never break his heart again.

So, he was left with the simmering desire that made him claw at the walls and the endless resolve to make sure he sticks to the right decision.

Unfortunately, it seemed like Childe started to catch up with his troubles. And he was not happy about whatever was going on. The frustration that was collecting for weeks one day blew out when under the guise of another one of their private lunches, Childe pushed Zhongli into his own flat and blocked the door, crossing his arms over his chest.

The dragon in Zhongli whined miserably, mate is upset, mate is unhappy with me. Still, Zhongli held on stubbornly. It’s for his own benefit, he thought desperately, trying to collect the rampaging thoughts.

“Start talking,” Childe said, face uncompromising and determined. Still, underneath the stern face, Zhongli could clearly see the tightly intertwined concern and hurt, mixing into a high-strung spiral in his chest.

“About what?” he asked softly. Part of him hoped that this conversation would go anywhere else. 

This part of him, draconic, non-human , was the sort of vulnerability he never got to share. Not since Guizhong’s body has long turned to dust. He knew Childe wouldn’t relent, he’d crack him right open, and beyond all the lust and instincts and desire, there was so much yet to give… to break.

“I’m not blind, Zhongli,” Childe finally caved. “I see how you look at me. At first, I thought you just didn’t want that stuff at all, and that was fine by me. And then I just thought… maybe you don’t want me. ” The designation in Childe’s voice was agonising to hear. Zhongli’s entire ribcage felt too full and too tender, bones crackling with a wish so powerful to cradle him, to show him just how much Zhongli had wanted. Just how much he could never stop wanting.

Childe continued. “But I see the way you react to me. To my body,” he moved closer, and his scent was so overwhelmingly heady that Zhongli had to brace himself against the convenient curve of wood at the foot of his bed. “I know you hunger for it too.”

Their bodies were so close, Zhongli couldn’t just scent his skin, the crispy aroma of soap and shampoo, but the tight pulse of blood below his chin, the soft, vulnerable breath, the dilated pupils. Childe was encompassing him like the ocean, and Zhongli had never wanted anyone more. 

“Why don’t you want me?” he whispers, no anger in sight. Just genuine concern and so much adoration it stifled Zhongli’s throat. “Why don’t you give us both what we long for?”

The dam broke. Zhongli made a low noise that went straight out of his chest, an amalgamation of a growl and a whine. “I’m not human, Ajax. I’m a dragon. I can’t have you bear the consequences of me wanting to take you to bed.”

Childe cocked his head, the same non-judgemental curiosity in his eyes, but now tinted with humour. “You’re being cryptic again. What consequences?”

The pause was maddening. “Children. Dragons are famously fertile, and it is highly likely that…”

“You’ll impregnate me,” Child whispered, a dim shimmer reflecting in his irises. Zhongli nodded, shame and desire swirling in his stomach. “You don’t want children?”

Zhongli blinked. That wasn’t the response he anticipated. “What?”

“The reason you avoid it so insistently. You don’t want to have children?”

The thought alone of it to Zhongli was unbelievable. He cradled Childe’s face with his hands, painfully aware of how large they were against his cheeks, how sharp the claws breaking out of his fingers were. “How could you possibly think I don’t want a family with you? It’s everything that I have ever longed for, on a level you can barely comprehend.”

“Then give it to me.”

“What?” Zhongli stilled.

Childe growled in impatience, grasping Zhongli’s face in his fierce hands. “I said,” he hissed low and sultry, “I want you to fuck me, and I want you to give me a child.”

“But your duties…”

“I won’t be alone in this,” he interrupted. “I’m not afraid of it if you’re the one who will raise that child by my side. I want this. I have never wanted anything more.”

Zhongli could feel his invisible tail swing side to side frantically, the tension in his body so high-strung it ached in places he didn’t know existed before. All of him, every cell, every scale, every bone, every single fragment of him longed to be Childe’s as much as he wanted Childe to be his. But this… this was no rash decision to make. “Are you sure?”

Childe smiled crookedly at Zhongli. “When am I not?” Then, he kissed him.

For a moment, Zhongli stood still, frozen in motion, too encompassed in the sensation of hot, wet lips against his, the slick movement on the tongue, the way Childe’s lithe, wiry muscle pressed into him. Out of instinct, Zhongli grasped at Childe’s narrow waist, feeling him hum under his fingers. Then, Childe’s hand snuck its way in his hair, treading the brown silky locks, and pulled, and then with a gasp, Zhongli was awake. He went from zero to a hundred immediately, as they toppled back on the bed, bodies messily pressed against one another.

Childe was hot and heavy, straddling him, and he was everywhere. All-consuming, feral, he seemed to kiss and bite everywhere his mouth could reach, and Zhongli responded in kind. Childe’s back muscle rippled under his grip, and he couldn’t get enough of it; Zhongli’s teeth finally got to pierce that gentle curve where the neck meets the shoulder, and Childe moaned at that, grinding down on him so aggressively that Zhongli almost lost the hold on his waist.

Where Zhongli was an immovable object, Childe was an unstoppable force, and Zhongli felt himself crumble underneath it. 

He smelled so good, maybe not to a human taste, a mix of sweat and blood and spring water, but to the dragon inside of him, there was nothing better than this. So exceedingly human, so capable, his perfect little darling, perfect mate. Childe let out a strangled moan, cheeks flushed scarlet, and Zhongli realised he must have been talking out loud.

“Do you mean it?”

The question itself was absurd. Zhongli could barely tear himself away from painting Childe’s neck in blooming lovebites and peeling them both out of redundant clothing to reply. “Of course, my love. I always do.”

Zhongli could feel himself change, and he couldn’t hold himself back if he tried. Part of him still irrationally feared Childe’s response; would he be afraid of Zhongli’s new body? Would he be appalled by it? Would he push Zhongli away? His tail manifested first, curling possessively over Childe’s figure, pulling him flush against Zhongli’s chest, hot, bare by now, wanting. Then, curved the horns, two golden streams of cor lapis flowing around his head. He’d grown larger, bulkier, but none of this strength was ever to harm Childe. Only to protect him, to pamper him, to make sure his mate was happy and sated while carrying his offspring…

It hit Zhongli all at once. This was happening. They were going to have a child. 

“What’s on your mind, big guy?” Childe crooned, and Zhongli couldn’t resist the instinct of laying his head against the softness of the offered palm. Looking up at Childe, he saw the wild orange of his hair glow with the streaming sun through the window, and it lit up his youthful face like a golden halo. Zhongli felt his entire being respond to it, like a moth flocking to a flame. He couldn’t imagine life without Childe. He didn’t want it.

“I love you,” he simply said, fingers absentmindedly trailing the small of his back and dipping under the belt to cup his ass. “You are the best thing that has happened to me in thousands of years, and I cannot imagine anyone being better to me than you are.”

Childe flushed, frazzled, and Zhongli couldn’t help but stare and the way his throat bobbed at the praise. 

“You’re such a sap,” he muttered, trying hard to ride out his impatience, rocking desperately on the outline of Zhongli’s abs. He was still half-clothed, grey uniform pants damp with sweat and already spotted with darkening drops of Childe’s arousal.

Zhongli pulled away briefly, only to admire his lover once again, painted in gentle scarlets, constellations of freckles adorning his skin. Childe, meanwhile, got to work stripping Zhongli bare, leaving only the boxers straining under the visible bulge of his want. Zhongli frowned and stopped him. "You're still clothed, dear."

Childe giggled, if a little drunkenly. "Let's change that."

Zhongli couldn’t reply, too busy mouthing at every single one of the myriad of scars scattered across Childe’s chest. The small, light ones, tiny trails of someone’s thin claws. The crooked, jagged edges, echoes of deep wounds left by nightmares that have never seen the sun. The half-moon slices under his pecs, tender and soft under his tongue. Childe’s short, wet gasps were music to his ears, his lover writhing stubbornly, clawing his way out of his pants. 

Zhongli swallowed heavily, watching the damp patch on the fabric of Childe's boxers. He, who never fell victim to the vices of men, has finally learnt what hunger felt like. Oh, he was starving for him, and the moment Childe discarded the last piece of clothing off his skin, Zhongli's mouth watered.

"Ajax," he rasped. This name was for the confines of their walls only, with no other soul around to hear. The exchange of ultimate intimacy, Zhongli thought, I shall give you all my names and you will give me yours. And this time, the name was a plea. "Baobei, allow me to taste you, please."

Zhongli must have looked desperate enough for it, pupils blown with thin golden rings around them, blooming eclipses of lust. The curve of Ajax's smile softened, a sort of gentle noose. "You may, then."

Ajax shifted higher, the bow of hips looming over Zhongli's head. For the first moment, he just admired the soft silky skin, unblemished by the damage of Abyss, only for him to take claim of. 

So, Zhongli couldn't resist placing hot, wet kisses on Ajax's inner thighs, purring as he heard his breath stutter. But it was not enough .

Zhongli growled softly, latching his teeth into Ajax's thigh. The man above him yelped, but it was not in pain but in a sharp, unexpected wave of arousal. Zhongli could see it by the glistening wetness between his legs.

"I want to mark you," Zhongli confessed lowly, breath tickling Ajax's core. "I want to show whoever dared to get this far in undressing you that your heart and your body are mine. "

His mouth was so close to tasting Ajax, barely a breath away, when a hand suddenly emerged from above, pulling him back by the hair. Zhongli made a keening, desperate noise, eyes dark in heady want, and it slowly dissolved into a low, sad purr. He was so acutely aware of how the sharp ripple of his teeth retracted in submission, only to please his beloved.

Ajax looked at him with a mixture of lust and amusement. "You didn't warn me about the biting, you old lizard."

A small swirl of shame curled in Zhongli's stomach, tail twitching, and for some reason, it only inflamed the arousal coursing under his skin. 

Ajax's thigh muscle strained just to tease him, his body lowered enough that Zhongli could see the strings of wetness between his legs, the scent so thick he could almost taste it already. Ajax hummed, taunting him. "Mouth open already? So eager."

Only now Zhongli registered his own lips falling half-open, hands grasping pathetically at the soft meat of Ajax's thighs. He felt himself going insane with it, with his scent, with his voice, Zhongli's cock straining against the thread, still confined by the fabric. He could do nothing but beg senselessly, mouth watering at the possibility alone. "Ajax, please, baobei, I need it."

Ajax sighed above him, body flexing slowly. "How can I decline when you ask me so nicely?" Then, the weight of Ajax's hips was on his face, and Zhongli was in heaven. He let his nails dig into the white skin, right next to the spots that bore his teeth marks. 

Zhongli forgot about the claws, which immediately left angry red marks where they touched the skin. Not blood though, never blood.

He'd rather end his life a million times than ever make Ajax bleed.

Still, Ajax seemed to enjoy it, as he rocked back and forth on his tongue, the sensation so intense Zhongli for a moment thought he was going to black out. He couldn't bring himself to stop, he didn't need to take a breath or a break, so his mouth was relentless in pursuit of Ajax's pleasure.

"You taste indescribable," Zhongli growled, pulling away for a moment, lips swollen and shiny with slick. " Utterly divine. "

Ajax bristled and flushed, an embarrassed little moan escaping his throat. "Archons, don't say it like that," he muttered, tiny gasps escaping his chest, small ah ah ah sounds littering his lips every time Zhongli pushed his long, forked tongue inside.

Zhongli wasn't proud of how sloppy it was; it's been a while since he got to take care of a partner, and Ajax was wet beyond measure. He could feel his face painted slick, but if anything, it only spurred him to put more effort in. Besides, it seemed like Ajax was enjoying himself - at this point he was riding Zhongli's face without abandon, grasping at his hair with a firm, controlling hand. Ajax's melodic moaning went straight to Zhongli's cock, painfully hard against the brisk air.

Zhongli was drunk off it; the relentless spiral of want finally unravelled with Ajax using his tongue. 

Something about it, something about giving himself away entirely, a god handing the reins to a mortal, made his blood sing. Zhongli wanted more of it - he wanted to give so Ajax could freely take.

His thighs shook above Zhongli. "Fuck, I'm close," Ajax hissed through his teeth, and from this angle Zhongli had the clearest image of his stomach trembling like a taut violin string. "Want me to come all over your face, pretty?"

Zhongli made a low confirming noise at the back of his throat, it reverberating straight through his tongue. He was rewarded with another high-pitched moan of pleasure, and the grip on his hair tightened. Ajax's thighs encased him in a strong, desperate grip.

"Yes, yes, Zhongli," Ajax groaned, "fuck, so good!"

Zhongli could do little but latch his hands harder into Ajax's thighs and watch, tail tightly wrapped around Ajax's body, as he pushed into his mouth once, twice and shouted, orgasm rippling through him like a wave. Zhongli's tongue caressed him through it, with no gentleness or mercy, because that's the only way a young warrior would want to be taken.

Ajax twitched through the aftershocks, sliding off and out of Zhongli's grasp onto his stomach. 

Underneath him, wetness spread across his skin, but Zhongli was too distracted with the loss of Ajax's weight in his arms. He couldn't take his hands off Ajax, and he seemed to notice. 

He slid his hands across Zhongli's arms, the touch making Zhongli's tail thump impatiently. "Say what, Zhongli," he purred sweetly, mischievous glint in his dull blue eyes. "Want to make a contract with me?"

Zhongli hummed, trailing his fingers on the curve of Ajax's hips. "What sort of contract do you wish to enter?"

Ajax grinned, sharp teeth ready to bite. "I want to see how good the God of Contracts is at holding his end of the bargain."

Zhongli blinked, confused. At first, concern flooded his mind. Was it still about the debacle in the Golden House? Has Ajax not forgiven him in the end, the wound of heart too deep to conquer? But Ajax's warm, affectionate gaze disproved all his doubts, and Zhongli leaned into the palm on his cheeks.

He trusted Ajax, and whether it would kill him one day or not, he was beholden to him in body and mind.

"Alright, then," Zhongli nodded, looking up at his lover with a warmth that could almost be called reverence, "what are the rules?"

Ajax looked at him, pleased, and trailed a hand down his chest. "Since you were so adamant on restraining yourself, denying us both something we want, I think I deserve to be compensated."

Zhongli blinked, struggling to stay focused, as he watched Ajax slip his hand from Zhongli's chest back between his own legs, lazily stretching himself out on his fingers. Zhongli watched, transfixed, as Ajax's hole swallowed two fingers easily, making obscene slick noises.

"I want to take what's mine," Ajax finally grinned, boyish beauty softening his features, hardened by war. "And I want it on my terms."

And that's how Zhongli ended up propped to the headboard, with Ajax's lithe, powerful figure towering over him on his lap. Before Zhongli could even process what was happening, the midnight blue glow of a vision startled him out of the haze. 

The restraints that Ajax put on his arms behind his back were like nothing Zhongli had seen before. If they were made of any stone or metal, they wouldn't hold his raw power, definitely not in the throes of passion; but smooth, flexible ropes of hydro tightly entangled his hands in a way that would not only withstand his strength but render him briefly powerless - all for Ajax to use.

The feeling of it - helplessness, submission, - made Zhongli gasp lowly, heat settling in his belly. It was then that Ajax finally peeled the fabric of his boxers off his body, exposing Zhongli's cock to the air. It twitched heavily against his stomach, pre-cum pearling at the tip. 

It didn't look human, not by a long shot, ore dark, with a golden tip adorning it like a crown. For a moment a sharp tinge of insecurity painted his features. 

But Ajax seemed to revel in it.

"So big," Ajax whispered, hand languidly stroking Zhongli, and he choked on his own spit, senses overwhelmed by touch from months of restraint. "I'd return the favour with my mouth, but I'm far too impatient. This will have to do."

Zhongli growls deep in his throat in arousal, watching Ajax opening his mouth, strings of saliva dripping down on Zhongli's cock for easier movement. He swore he saw stars from this simple touch alone - it's been so long, hanging by the thread of his own self-control. 

And now what he wanted so was right in front of him, tempting him, taunting him, and he was still deprived of it in the display of power that Zhongli let slide just because he wanted it.

Still, Zhongli tried his best to be patient, despite the way the thick, musky scent of Ajax's arousal smothered his senses, draconic instincts trilling delightedly from the still lingering taste of his mate's slick. Still, Zhongli was a god of contracts. He had patience to spare.

Though his tail had a mind of his own. It curled around Ajax's waist possessively, despite knowing well that no one could see things that were happening in his bed. And there was no one else for Ajax that mattered. 

He didn't move or flinch, obediently watching Ajax play with his cock, stalling on the thing he knew Zhongli wanted the most.

Zhongli could imagine the soft, tight wetness of Ajax's insides, the way it'd hug his cock deliciously, its shape carved into Ajax's stomach. And oh, how beautiful his mate would be filled with his seed, thighs shaking from orgasming again and again, cum dripping out of his cunt--

Childe cooed, watching Zhongli's dick twitch fervently, serpentine pupils suddenly blown wide. Zhongli was aware that he was straining desperately against the smooth, cool bonds but he couldn't stop it.

Not even his tail wrapping even tighter against Ajax's waist, attempting to manhandle the man on top of his cock. Still, the warrior didn't budge.

"Don't make me restrain your tail too, Zhongli."

A rumbling, resonant whine escaped Zhongli, and it started him at first because he didn't even know he was capable of making a sound like this before. Ajax found delight in it, humming cheerfully as he moved his hands across his chest, lightly pinching and scratching his nipples. The feeling was pleasant, electric, but it wasn't enough, and Zhongli felt another purring whimper leave his lips.

Zhongli was rapidly descending into the most basic of his instincts, and he wasn't entirely sure what to do with himself, as he thrashed and growled like a caged animal in rut. 

Ajax visibly enjoyed his misery, landing gentle touches and peppering kisses on his sweat-damp, trembling face.

There was a feral appeal in this, the instincts desperately reaching out to take control, fold his mate in half and fill him until he breaks… and yet being the one subdued, reduced to his most raw, exposed state, being overtaken by an unorthodox desire to breed.

"Please," his voice broke, " please, Ajax."  

Ajax's hand on his cheek stilled, a glimmer of fond fascination flickering in and out of his dull blue eyes. "Didn't know that Rex Lapis was so easy to beg."

Zhongli shut his eyes tight, not able to handle the tight waves of arousal making him shudder like a newborn fledgeling. 

Ajax was, however, not having it at all.

"No, no, no, look at me," he said, fingers taking his chin so effortlessly that Zhongli made a small ashamed sound, as his head lolled obediently where Ajax led it. "You're thinking about it, aren't you? Filling me , breeding me nice and full?" 

Zhongli let out a choked moan at the visage. 

Ajax, full of his cum, plump with his child, gods, he wanted it. He had never wanted anything more, not even in the darkest, most untamed days of his rule when he cared for little more than being fed and well-fucked. 

Even then, he never had a chosen mate. 

And now he did , and Ajax talked of such filthy things to him, and he had never craved anything more. 

"Ajax, please." It was humiliating, to suddenly forget all words but senseless pleading. Zhongli's tail churned in a frenzy, Ajax holding it tight enough to get uncomfortable.

"Please what?"

Zhongli couldn't do it. He was still drunk off Ajax's scent and taste, the taste of his slick still fresh on his tongue. And he was so close to filling him, Ajax rolling his hips lazily, grinding on Zhongli's cock lightly, without any real pressure. 

"Please, let me take you. Let me give you a child, Ajax. Let me make you my mate."

Ajax's rhythm stuttered, his breath hitching. At least, Zhongli knew he wasn't the only one affected; Ajax's beautiful body sprung into a myriad of blush-scarlet spots, arousal so intense that he could hear the wet sounds of Ajax's every movement between his legs. 

"Dammit," he muttered, "how am I supposed to do anything when you look at me like this?"

Like what , Zhongli wanted to ask, but he was barely capable of producing coherent speech at this point. Draconic instincts were a fickle thing, they had a mind of their own. And, luckily or unluckily, most of his mind was currently honed in a single direction.

"Please," he said again, not really sure of what else he could possibly offer to Ajax. 

But it seemed that his pitiful begging was enough. Ajax hummed softly, hips lifting up, and finally, he caught the tip of Zhongli's cock, brushing it against his clit and slipping it inside his entrance.

Zhongli gasped loudly, as his vision blurred. It was almost nothing, the touch was feather-light, and the pace was excruciatingly slow. 

And yet, it was happening. After months and months of Zhongli's shame and desire waltzing at the same edge of the blade, Ajax slowly spread his legs, spearing himself open on Zhongli's cock. Zhongli trembled desperately, unable to make him move any faster or, frankly, do much of anything but stare at his lover and make short, frantic noises.

Before Zhongli could even process it happening, his hips pushed upwards violently. Ajax made a short, wet gasp of pleasure before bottoming out in one harsh movement, legs briefly giving out underneath him.

I'm going to hurt him, Zhongli sprung up in panic but stilled when Ajax moaned again, this time a short and sweet thing. 

He was flush against his hips, bright blush blossoming on his thighs, stomach and shoulders. His face was tense, eyes shut tight in pleasure. The bulge on Ajax's belly was especially visible from this angle, and Zhongli almost lost his mind from knowing that he couldn't press them closer together, couldn't even put a hand on Ajax's stomach to feel how his cock moved inside of his lover. Still, the simmering worry slowly melted away as he witnessed Ajax's hasty, trembling breathing.

He was enjoying this, Zhongli realised. Despite the position of power, Ajax relished the rough treatment, be it accidental or self-inflicted.

"Oh, fuck," Ajax moaned, a low hissing sound slipping through his clenched teeth. "You okay down there, pretty?"

Zhongli responded with a low growl, nuzzling into Ajax's outstretched palm. He just hoped that it would be enough to express just how much he loved everything Ajax had to give him; the slick, delicious tightness, the outline of Zhongli's cock through his pale skin, the shuddering breaths, the twitching thighs. Zhongli could barely get ahold of himself, desperate to thrust up into the welcoming heat of his mate's body.

But… something inside of him, something gentle-natured and longing insisted that he should be good for Ajax, that he should let him take the spoils.

"You're so adorable like this," Akax laughed softly, caressing his cheek. "Mighty Rex Lapis. Looking up at me with puppy eyes. Begging to fuck me full."

Ajax rolled his hips, almost to prove his words. Zhongli keened in his restraints, sweat sliding off his temples and down all the way to his neck. The sensation of being inside Ajax was indescribable, the sensation of soft, velvety skin drove him insane with lust. He tried to fuck inside of him in small, erratic thrusts but Ajax stopped him almost immediately, a teasing frown on his face. "What did I say about everything being on my terms, pretty?"

Still, Zhongli must have looked truly pitiful at this point: dishevelled hair, flushed cheeks, eyes damp with tears. Not even a warrior of exceptional self-control could resist forever.

Ajax lifted himself up, slowly, with only the tio remaining inside of his warmth, and then slammed down harshly, making Zhongli let out a moan so intense he almost blacked out for a moment, revelling in the slide. 

Then, Ajax finally moved on top of him. He looked beautiful, regal, and yet terribly, terribly slow and temperate, purposefully taking his time in the way Zhongli's length disappeared in his cunt, the movement almost effortless from how wet he was. Zhongli could barely handle himself; the pleasure took him by surprise in wracking his body, overwhelming like electricity. Ajax took no time to wrap his hands around his horns like handles, sending Zhongli into a frenzy. 

It was so much at once - feeling Ajax clench on him, while he rode Zhongli wildly, feeling the touch of his deft fingers on the horns, the representation of the most vulnerable aspects of his identity; an archon, an adeptus, a dragon.

A lover, for Ajax alone to own and to take.

"Fuck, you're so beautiful," Ajax groaned, the pace rising exponentially. Clearly, his restraint was wavering as well; there was sweat collecting in the crooks of his bones, and his thighs were twitching both with effort and with pleasure. "Feel so good inside of me."

The praise went straight into Zhongli's cock, and he felt it twitch inside of Ajax. He felt it too; a crooked, affectionate grin graced his face, as he bit down desperately on his lips. 

"You like that? You like it when I praise you?" he stuttered over his speech briefly, as with another slam down Zhongli hit a spot in him that made Ajax make a desperate, loud noise. "Ah, fuck, I knew you'd love that. Always so polite, so good, can't wait for you to fill me up so good, to breed me until I'm full of your come inside me."

Zhongli groaned loudly, the image too much to bear. He was so close, hanging on the edge of pleasure, like a blade of a sword. But still, he refused to finish first, he needed to know his mate was sated, full, happy--

"Gonna come, pretty?" Ajax taunted softly, his breathing heavy and rugged. "Gonna give me a child, yeah? Come on, pretty, come for me, wanna see you come."

The permission was enough for the dam to break. Zhongli felt distantly himself arch off the bed, as he pushed deeper inside Ajax and came so hard his vision went white for a few long, stuttering moments. The pleasure hit him like the slamming of the tide, as he twitched and groaned through it, mutely aware of Ajax's soft, careful palm pulling the sweat-drenched hair off his face.

"Sh-h," Ajax cooed through the fog, "you're doing brilliant, pretty, filling me so well."

Zhongli blinked into awareness, eyelids still damp and sloppy from unspilled tears. "You… You didn't…"

Ajax grinned, something mischievous glinting in his dull blue eyes. He was still straddling Zhongli, seemingly having no intention of pulling away. "Not yet. Besides, we want the seed to take, right?"

"What?"

Zhongli barely mustered a breath before, suddenly, Ajax slammed down on him again, if not harder than before. Zhongli trilled, overstimulation trickling through his veins in the sickening push and pull of pain-pleasure, as Ajax kept going. The dragon instincts in him vibrated in confusion, as some of his spend spilled out of Ajax as he used Zhongli for his pleasure.

"Fuck, gonna make you come again, pretty," he moaned, the strain of muscle glistening under the golden light, hands still firmly on his horns.

Zhongli keened and whined, the sensitivity increasing tenfold after finishing once, and yet he never even considered asking Ajax to stop. 

Something about this, something about the rough, feral way Ajax chased his own release made Zhongli even more desperate to please. For the hundredth time that evening, Zhongli wished he could grasp at the meat of his thighs and leave more of the dark marks littering his skin already.

But alas, he could do little but whimper and gasp under the onslaught of bliss, listening to the wet sounds of Ajax's bouncing and watching his cock move inside his mate's stomach through the pale unblemished skin. 

Zhongli wasn't sure at what point he started crying, but stray tears slipped from the corners of his eyes. For a moment, Ajax's fierce rhythm stuttered. 

"Are you okay, sweet? Too much?" he asked, his touch so achingly gentle that Zhongli almost whined again under the tentative caress. Still, he nodded, insistent on bringing his mate to the orgasm as vibrant as his. Ajax smiled at him, no longer a taunting grin, but a soft, fond half-moon of elation.

Affirmed, Ajax went on again, but this time he took on a much softer demeanour. "I know you can, pretty," he crooned. "You've been so good so far, I know you want to come again. Come on, sweet, I know you do."

Zhongli gasped wetly, feeling the familiar spiral of pleasure swirling in his lower belly. This time, it was sharp, intense, a wisp of molten metal under his skin, curling into his pelvis.

"Come with me," Ajax's voice urged him, a dim ringing of a bell through the fog. "We'll go together, alright? Make sure it takes."

Zhongli felt it; he was close, just as Ajax predicted, and he thrashed in the restraints desperately, staving off the inevitable waves of heat coursing through him like a storm. Through the thick, sweet veil of haze, on his lips a plea formed before he could make sense of it.

"Let me go," he gasped, "want you close."

It was the most coherent phrase he formed for the past half an hour. Yet, Ajax was close enough to let go of the cocky smokescreen. He was a mess too, relentless and moaning, an orgasm already at the back of his mind like an earthquake. 

"Alright, sweet, whatever you want," he said, and Zhongli's hands flew to Ajax's shoulders. 

Face hiding in the crook of his neck, he came with a shudder so forceful he folded onto himself, grasping at Ajax's back in a bone-crushing embrace. Only a moment past he processed the sharp intake of breath, as Zhongli's teeth pierced the canvas of Ajax's skin, and Ajax clenched down on him harshly, crying out and shaking through his orgasm as well.

Awkwardly, Zhongli pulled apologetically at the wound with his serpentine tongue, saliva blooming pink mixed with blood. "I'm sorry, baobei."

Ajax's shoulders shook with silent laughter, as he pulled Zhongli's face to his, slotting their foreheads together. "Don't be."

They sat there for a while, revelling in the intimacy, foregoing the mess of their bodies, the mixture of fluids slick between where their skin joins, just breathing deeply in this closeness of the afterglow. Then, Ajax blinked awake, almost like out of a vivid dream, and sheepishly looked away, flush brilliant on his cheeks. "I'm sorry for the whole, uh… thing. I got slightly carried away."

Now, more or less back from the high cloud, Zhongli couldn't find it in himself to regret anything they've done.

"Don't be," he teased back, peppering kisses on his neck and shoulders, deeply inhaling the scent of his mate . Of his happy, sated, quite likely pregnant mate. "I have enjoyed all the things you've done. You'd know if I didn't."

Ajax huffed in something between embarrassment and amusement. "Yeah, well… I'd like it the other way sometimes too, you know."

Zhongli chuckled, face still in the crook of Ajax's neck. "We'll see, baobei. For now, rest. You and the baby will need it."

Ajax stilled for a moment, remembering the conversation they had. The reality of his must have hit him all at once. Zhongli felt a cold churn in his stomach. Did Ajax regret this? Would he not want the same thing Zhongli wanted so fervently?

"Nuh-uh," Ajax wagged his finger, "I can tell you are getting all in your head about this. I never said I regret anything. I'm just… still a little shocked, you know." A soft smile bloomed on his face. "Just… never thought my dream of my own family would come true, much less so with someone I could split the duties with."

Zhongli curled his tail around him, a protective embrace. He knew Ajax could easily stand his ground but he couldn't help it; he'd always found it easiest to express the depth of his feelings through protection. 

I give you all of me, for you offer me all of you, he thought.

"I hereby promise to be with you each step of the way," Zhongli said, looking into Ajax's eyes and seeing the stars. Ajax's face twitched in this adorable expression of his when he tried his best to avoid confronting his own gentle feelings.

"You better," he muttered.

"And the archon of Liyue, however former, shall not break his oath."

The pause, however short-lived, was enough for Ajax's instincts to kick in. He was proficient with all sorts of weapons but not with his own response to Zhongli's earnest, infinite love.

"You are so sappy, I can't believe you, you old lizard," Ajax huffed, a tiny blush forming on his cheeks. "Stop saying stuff like that."

"Like what?"

"Embarrassing," Ajax huffed grumpily. Zhongli chuckled. He always knew his lover wasn't as comfortable with casual expressions of love. But they had all of the time in the world to change that.

"Alright," Zhongli smiled. "I promise that as well."

They settled like this, a tangle of limbs, as Ajax slowly floated away to sleep. Zhongli didn't mention how his lover curled closer into his chest, face hidden in the crook of his neck, or how Ajax's hand wrapped tentatively around his own stomach.

After all, he didn't want to face the wrath of the rock.