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It isn't a surprise at all when Yinuo was eventually worn down for the day. No matter what, as Zhongli had mentioned, the body of a child needs the proper rest to replenish their energy – adeptus or not. Even during dinner, Yinuo's head was slowly tipping off on the table but still insisting he finishes his food. 

Childe thought it'd be best to have Zhongli put him to sleep after cleaning his teeth and he, to stay to wash the dishes. Zhongli knows more of Yinuo's sleeping routine and what to do and he thinks he's received enough of love from the child this day whilst Zhongli had worked tirelessly. He had said as much. As quietly as he could when Zhongli had frowned and disagreed, and they began to argue back and forth all while making sure Yinuo does not suddenly awaken from the chair he's chosen to sleep on.

In the end, Zhongli had managed to convince him it is alright. Had managed to convince him that he would not be ruining a part of something and that since Childe has had many experiences in tucking his own siblings to sleep, then it would be no different with Yinuo aside from the child being his, well... his child. 

He's hesitant, however, for a reason he does not know. Picking up Yinuo in his arms without jostling him too hard wasn't at all difficult. Zhongli softly mentioning that he's a heavy sleeper when he's tired and doesn't wake even after many noises made by the adepti. Childe nods, absentmindedly, and Zhongli pushes him lightly toward Yinuo's room.

"Make sure he's holding a pillow." Zhongli says just as Childe was already a step out of the kitchen. Zhongli ties the strings of the apron behind his back, looking at him with a smile. "Or has his arms around one. Yin'er tends to like sleeping hugging something when he was a child. I am not certain as an adult." 

Childe nods again, "I... do you think he'll like it if I buy him a... a doll? The soft ones with fluffy insides? Do you think he won't mind?"

"Where is this reluctance coming from, hm?" Zhongli approaches them, cupping his cheek as he brushes Yinuo's bangs off his sleeping face. "You were quite confident with him earlier, even when arguing with Xianyun as Madame Ping had told me on my way back home. Why this sudden hesitance, my Ajax?"

"I don't know." Childe says, even feeling a little ridiculous. "I don't... maybe because even when he was an adult, I've never really been here during our dinners long enough until Yinuo's bed time? This is a first, the first." 

He could see the small flinch Zhongli had, even when he had most likely resisted it so it wouldn't be noticeable. "I cannot change the past." He says quietly, "I cannot take back a decision I have made, but... but I will forever apologize for it even if you do not like it." He kisses Childe's cheek, lingering there for a few more seconds before pulling away. 

"Lay Yin'er to his bed." He says, smiling painfully at him, yet fond. "Then if you wish, we can discuss his predicament further and about our own situation."

Childe swallows thickly, a mixture of emotions inside of him. He returns the smile, not knowing how it appears to the other. "Okay, okay. Am I to sleep here, too?"

"You are welcome to." Zhongli kisses his cheek again, lighter and fleeting as he returns to the dirty plates he'd placed back on the table. "And... Yin'er would like a doll. He's had plenty before he displayed those dolls in his own teapot. He tends to prefer the one's shaped like marine animals."

'Marine animals', Childe mouths to himself. He's seen many of those during his strolls in the market down the Harbor. Different shapes and colours, even the fabrics they use. He saw octopuses and even fishes he doesn't recognize, native to Liyuen seas. He even saw fish dolls that had humanoid features, something Zhongli has commented on for the creativity of humans.

He thinks back at the hobbies he picked up all those years and all those times he was out of commissions. The things he's done and finished and the things he wasn't even halfway complete. 

Childe smiles a little to himself as he pushes the door to Yinuo's room open with his foot and is careful when laying Yinuo down on the bed. He pulls the blanket up until his chest and once he lets go, Yinuo was quick to search for something. Childe takes one of the spare pillows, tucking it between his arms and watches with bated breath as that small frown softens into a peaceful sleep once more.

He crouches down, lightly pinching Yinuo's chubby cheek. It took some time until he's finally stood up, forcing himself to look away as he sees Zhongli standing by the door, head tilted to lean against the doorframe.

"How long have you been standing there?" He murmurs, dipping down to plant a kiss on Zhongli's lips. "You've already changed." 

"Mn, you should as well. I cannot imagine these accessories would be comfortable to wear in bed." Zhongli says, hands tracing against the metallic parts of his uniform as Childe closes the door. The brunette was quick to pull him to his own bedroom and Childe follows along almost blindly. "I have spare clothes, but if you are more inclined to wear your own of which you've left here..." 

Childe couldn't help but raise a brow. "I have clothes here?" He asks. He slept here the previous night, yes, but he was still adorned in his usual attire aside from his grey jacket, scarf and mask. And he left this home using the same ones he slept in. 

"Ah." Zhongli hums, ear tinted pink as he opens his closet. "I... I kept the ones you've left here during the times we slept together years ago." He pulls out a box, and though Childe had expected them to be dusty of unuse, they were not.

Pristine and clean, he kneels down as he reaches for a shirt. "You..." He takes another shirt, remembering particularly this was what he wore here when he was sick and Zhongli insisted on taking care of him. "You kept them." He says and he doesn't know what to say next.

Zhongli kneels beside him, nodding. "I had difficulty in touching them the first few years, even looking at them made me, admittedly, nauseous but not of disgust." He takes a sweater, fluffy and soft and he lays it on his lap. Hand careful and gentle as brushes it against the stripes. His touch was almost reverent, as if a sweater Childe remembers only wearing once was deserving of it. "I wash them occasionally, so they would not be dusty." 

"Oh." Childe breathes out, then inhales a lungful. "Thank you. Thank you – I would not have been mad if you say you burned them all."

"That's..." Zhongli frowns, "Why would I do that?"

"Nevermind." Childe chuckles, digging through the box for pants and stands up. Zhongli puts the sweater back before closing the box up.

"Now that you are here, you can choose whether to take them back or–" He puts the box inside the closet, gesturing to the open space on the hanger railing. "I can put them up here." 

Childe's heart beats faster. How willing Zhongli was, how open he could be for him – for Childe. How he's easily giving him space into his closet, in his home. How Zhongli did not have a second to pause and think before offering it to him. That he helps Childe carve something into their lives and Childe aches with the love he held.

So, he does the best next thing he could and pulls Zhongli in his arms, hugging him tightly. He buries his face in the crook of his neck, shaking a little and he doesn't have the energy to be embarrassed for it. When Zhongli hugs him back, his arms around his waist tightens and he closes his eyes. "Thank you." He says and knows it was not just for gratitude. "Lili, thank you. Thank you, even if you were afraid, you allowed Yinuo to see me. Even when you feared, when you worried – you trusted me today to take care of him."

He kisses the place just between the junction of his neck and shoulder. His robe loose that he tugs on it gently, it bares enough skin for him to place more. "Thank you, Lili. Thank you."

"You thank me as though I have done and given you the authority to rule over the world." Zhongli says, teasing even as his breath hitches and his arms coil tighter around his neck. 

"My dove." Childe reaches up, just enough so his lips could hover above the flesh of his jaw. "My Lili, my gold and my heart, how can I not thank you when you gave me a son? How can I not be grateful when you gave me a child of my own? My own offspring?" A kiss on the corner of Zhongli's lips is what he gives next, then on the other corner and then Zhongli is tilting his head so it brushes against his.

"A son that I have took from you and hid away in another nation." Zhongli whispers, quiet and Childe kisses his closed eyes. One after the other, soft and forgiving. "How could I not be guilty, even when you say it is alright? You thank me, when I had done nothing to be deserving of it."

Childe smiles against his temple, "In my line of work, living past thirty is impossible. It's a miracle if one becomes a proper adult before they're left incapacitated or dead. Being a Harbinger, even less so." He curls a finger beneath Zhongli's chin, so they meet eyes. "And I've always wanted a family."

"You mentioned that, yes. Many times, may I add." Zhongli plays with the tips of his hair as he speaks, "Especially when you have drank a few bottles of alcohol, you will tell tales of what you would do when you have a family. Vacations, every month. You would buy them many toys, teach them many skills. You would say with exaggeration on your tongue, that you would go to Snezhnaya and have a snow ball fight then help them make snow caves or snow creatures."

"You would say, even when we were not lovers at that time yet, that you would bring them to Liyue and show them all the things I have shown you. Eat at places we've eaten, visit the places we've visited, but never once have you said you would bring them to Liyue to meet me." Zhongli tugs on his hair, a little harder and Childe feels a lump in his throat. "Were you saying those back then, as you imagined me as your partner in the family you envisioned?"

"Yes." Childe breathes out, impossibly pulling the other closer and Zhongli allows it. "Yes, yes – it was you I've imagined then and it is still you that I see now. It's still you, it has always been. I never imagined something similar with other people I've fancied once."

Zhongli smiles, beautiful as he ever is. "I am flattered. That the mighty Eleventh Harbinger had only dreamed of settling with this little old me."

"Little old you." Childe laughs, covering his mouth as not to be too loud for their child sleeping in the other room. "As though you are not the former geo Archon, the still Prime Adeptus and mainly, as though you are not Zhongli." He kisses him then, properly this time. Leaning down as Zhongli reciprocates just as lovingly. 

It was the most softest kiss they've had ever since he came back. The most gentle one, slow and even lazy and Childe revels in it. He loves it, every second Zhongli allows the kiss to be prolonged and every breath he steals during it.

It was not long until he was pushed away, Zhongli eyes dazed and half-lidded, cheeks red with his ears pink and Childe knows he's faring the same. "You should go and wash." Zhongli says, clearing his throat. "You smell of dirt and fertilizer."

And Childe snorts, loud and unabashed before taking another kiss for himself.

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The bath did not take long. Scrubbing himself off grime and stains was the longest and his hair did not need that much of washing. Not like he had many steps to wash it. Simply lather it with soap, thoroughly clean his scalp, then wash it off. He does not use the product that makes it silky, finding it too harsh for his hair. Or maybe that was one of the many? Perhaps, he should ask if Zhongli has one more tame. 

Today was rather pleasant. Even with the circumstances that happened and putting aside the fact of Yinuo's situation, today was good. One of his happiest, even, if he dares to say. Ending it off with being allowed to sleep in Zhongli's room was just the sugar to his bitter tea. He never thought of seeing Yinuo as a child, never knew what to expect. Certainly did not expect Yinuo to be such an independent child, only hindered by his height and his inability to do something due to age restrictions. 

It shouldn't have come off as a surprise, when Yinuo was already capable when he was an adult. Never asking for help unless necessary, not once had he requested for something he cannot already do himself. Was it because of how he had said Zhongli was sick? That he had formed some sort of sense of responsibility to make sure Zhongli is well-taken care off that he became so self-reliant?

Childe doesn't dwell on it much longer, feeling his mood sour the more he thinks about it. 

He doesn't wear the shirt when he leaves the bathroom, letting the towel hang off his head as he searches for the laundry basket he knows Zhongli keeps somewhere near the front door for easier reach. When he finds none, he frowns. Zhongli was nowhere to be seen either. He sees his outer robe on the bed, perhaps getting water? The pitcher and the cup on the bedside table isn't there, so that checks out.

Choosing to wait, he rubs his hair dry with the towel more. Drying it as best as he can with his patience. The window is open, the curtains flattering along with what wind that comes and he watches the moon shining above. Higher than the jade palace, higher than Celestia. He sees the stars blinking along the darkened sky, then he lowers his gaze and he sees the light in the Harbor. The oil lamps by the streets, bright and warm. There were silhouettes in houses where the occupants has yet to sleep, some animals finding places to stay for the night, squirrels climbing trees.

It's endearing. A cozy, different kind of warmth inside him he does not feel when he looks outside the window of his own cottage in Snezhnaya. The sight of warm lights in the snow was great and brings out the feeling of wishing to simply laze around by the fire with a hot cup of milk, but here in Liyue... here in Liyue it was more of –

Well, he finds that he does not have hesitance in saying this feeling was akin to finding a home after an exhausting mission out in the wilderness of a nation's forest. A place he can return to when he's ready to retire for the day or even forever. It is that sort of warmth.

The door creaks open, a murmur in the silence and Childe turns to see Zhongli with a tray. A pitcher full of water and now two cups flipped over. Zhongli does not glance at him, does not look his way when he goes to set that tray in its usual place. He sighs to himself, and when he finally looks up and meets his gaze, his head tilts. "Is it too hot?" 

"No." Childe shakes his head, allowing the towel to fall around his shoulders. "I just didn't remember the shirt being too fit. It was uncomfortable." 

Zhongli looks at the aforementioned shirt, along with the uniform still in his arm. He walks closer, taking the dirtied clothes and goes back outside. Childe's eyes follows him out, Zhongli must have changed the location of the laundry basket. When he returns, he takes the shirt next and holds it in both hands to look at it properly. "Too fit, you say? This was very loose on you when you wore it as I remember." 

"Eh." Childe shrugs, "It's fine. I can sleep like this, but if you're not comfortable with that, I can find another shirt." 

For a second, he thinks Zhongli did not hear him properly for there was no reaction. Zhongli turns his head to look at him, then at his shirtless form and hums almost appreciatively, "You have, indeed, come to be bigger." His hand gently swats his shoulder, as if dusting it. "Your muscles have filled out nicely, if I may say so myself. While your build twenty years ago was lean and a little petite, now you are broader and wider." 

Then, to Childe's surprise, Zhongli squeezes his bicep with a glint in his gaze. "Your muscularity have grown." 

Childe takes Zhongli's wrist before that playful hand could go closer to his chest. "Careful there, Lili. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you're teasing me with something." 

"Can I not appreciate a piece of art? Haven't you always encouraged me to do so?" Zhongli bites back, smiling innocently. "I do admit, however, that I have yet to see you use your strength now." He says, his other hand coming up to trace along Childe's neck and down his shoulder.

"What does Lili have in mind? So, that I can show my new strength as he says?"

"I am unsure." Zhongli's smile widens when Childe takes his other wrist now as well, holding them in both hands. Chuckling in amusement, "Even your fingers has become thicker, should I be afraid?" 

Childe almost laughs. After everything that has happened between them and with this family, Childe has almost forgotten how Zhongli can be flirtatious when he wants to be. How playful his tone could be and how his tongue could be dangerous in the game of seduction. It was one of the things he loved and still do now. One of the things that allowed him to see the many layers Zhongli had built himself.

"I don't know." He leans closer, heat curling inside him when Zhongli does not lean back. "What should you be afraid of?" 

"What these could do." Zhongli looks down, wiggling his hands and Childe grips his wrists tighter. "Mm, ever the brute you are." 

"Brute." Childe echoes, incredulous and amused. "Brute, when I've only ever treated you so gentle. A feather ready to fall, a glass easy to break. Brute, you say, when I've thought of nothing but laying you in the softest of furs of Snezhnaya."

Zhongli's eyes twinkles as he grins, "Yet many years ago when you will do me anywhere says otherwise." He says, biting on Childe's lower lip, "When you will lay me anywhere, push me up against a wall with no thought of my comfort. Poor me, hm? Being on the receiving end of your thew?"

Childe captures that mouth that does terrible things to his heart before it can fully let go, pulling Zhongli closer by the wrists he holds. "You say that as though you did not like it. That you did not ask for some of it." He says and Zhongli giggles, breathless. "You would say I should be gentle, and I will be. You would say you want something rougher, then rougher it will be. You accuse me of being only brawns in the throes of passion when you encourage it." He adds, nipping at his jaw as Zhongli tilts his head back.

"How cruel you are at times, my Lili." 

"Mn, you were very obedient on what I wanted." Zhongli says, nodding. "Should I return the favor? Relieve some stress?"

The arousal doesn't come like waves. It simmers slow and steady, ready to boil as Childe exhales. "Lili will be alright with it?"

"Of course." He says and Childe lets his hands go, curious and anticipating. "Why would I not be?" Zhongli asks, smiling oh so sweet that Childe knows he was not done playing. 

"Come, I will light incense for you to sleep better." 

And Childe laughs. He laughs ridiculously for a good minute he even thinks Yinuo woke up because of it. When he's done, he wipes off a tear in his eye. "Lili, I thought it was something else." 

Zhongli pulls out an incense stick from its box, looking at him with a smile. "Something else? Whatever do you mean, Ajax?" 

"Hm." Childe hangs the towel on a rack in front of the window, "You know – what did you call it, back then? The pleasure of the flesh?" 

"Ah." Zhongli chuckles into his hand, "The mind of the youth." He says, shaking his head.

"The mind of the youth! Lili, I'm forty-four." He whines, wrapping his arms around him with a pout. "What do you take me for?" 

Zhongli pats his hand sympathetically, "Still young." 

"My gold, I am at the age where people ask if I am in a financial stability to retire soon." He says, nuzzling his hair, "But, perhaps to you I am still young." 

When Zhongli has lit the incense stick, placing it in an Exuvia carved wooden box, Childe watches the smoke slowly come out. "Do you find me too old, Ajax?"

Childe huffs, "I do not even think of our ages." He says. There were too much to think about that the number of years they've lived was pushed far back into the corner. "Even when I know you are thousands of years old, in my head we're about the same age with only a few years gap between us with how you appear."

"Mm, yes, I designed this body with about thirty years old in my kind." Zhongli says, looking down at himself. "You appear to be in your early thirties, even when it is obvious you've grown. Many will see you and think you are not even near forty." 

Childe thinks about it, then snorts. "Many has already been deceived." He agrees, then glances at where the moon shines above. "Shall we go sleep?" 

"I am rather too comfortable to move." Zhongli emphasizes this with leaning his head back on Childe's shoulder, sighing softly. "Your broadness has given me much benefit." He says and Childe laughs lightly again. 

"I'll carry you."

"That won't be necessary. Give me just a moment."

"It'll be better. I'll carry you so I won't have to let you go. Then we can cuddle much closer in the bed, sleep like that, too."

Zhongli sighs, quiet for a moment as if it was about a life altering choice. "Very well." He acquiesces, "Only this once." He adds, almost as quick in one breath.

Childe knows that wouldn't be happening. Once he allows him to be carried this one time, Zhongli knows Childe would be carrying him in all chances he gets and Childe is aware of the obsession of holding him. He lifts Zhongli up in his arms with no sweat, even wondering if Zhongli had purposely let his body to loose weight when he feels nothing.

"Strong." Zhongli praises, kicking his feet in the air and pats his bare chest. "Very strong." He says and Childe chuckles.

When he lays him down just as he did with Yinuo, Zhongli was quick to pull him down as well. Childe lets himself fall beside him, allowing Zhongli to use his arm as a pillow as they face each other. He smiles, "Sleep, my dove." 

Zhongli looks at him, eyes complicated. "Will you be here when I wake?" 

And Childe kisses his forehead, sweet and loving. "I will be here even until the end of time." 

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"Papa?"

"Yinuo?" Childe blinks, seeing the child already dressed for the day in the kitchen with a spatula. "What are you doing up so early? Are you cooking?"

Yinuo looks at his hand, then at the sizzling pan. He nods, "Mm-hm! I cook eggs for morning meal. Do you like eggs, papa?" He asks, going back to the chair he's placed in front of the stove and climbs back on top of it.

Childe approaches, holding the unstable chair steady. "I do. I did not know Yinuo cooks." At this age, he wants to add. He sees the scrambled egg, then the boiling pot of rice. Rice? Or porridge? "I'll help you." He says, worried Yinuo might burn himself with how close his arm was to the pan. He takes the spatula when the child offers it, setting the chair aside as he continues mixing the egg in the pan.

"I sliced green onions." Yinuo says, reaching for a small plate. "Put it on top of the egg when you put it on a plate, okay?" 

"Aye aye." Childe flips the eggs over itself once, twice. Before skillfully plating it and sprinkles a few slices of green onions. "You're awake at such an early time. The sun has not even risen yet." 

Yinuo watches the pot boil, "I wake up early because the boats sail early." He says, "I try to help with their cargo. I can carry typically what an average adult can!"

Once Childe has set the plate of eggs on the table, Yinuo points at the pot. "Can you carry it to the table, too?" He asks as though he did not just say he can carry a weight triple his age.

"You help at the docks." Childe takes the pot holders, relocating the pot. "The men lets you?" 

"Yes, though many did have doubts the first time because of my age and height." Yinuo nods, "Mister Radomir was one of the few that allowed me to help! He was the reason the others slowly warmed up to me!"

Radomir, radomir – a familiar name Childe knows he encountered. Radomir... an imaginary candle lights up above his head. Right, the captain of the main ship of the Fatui that carries supplies from Liyue to Snezhnaya. Childe met him a few times to make sure things were right and from that one time Dottore sent a letter to request a specific product was to be carried by Radomir.

Maybe he should ask whoever's in charge to increase that man's salary, considering how he's treated his child well even without knowing he was a child of Harbinger. Also, was he not in his sixties? Shouldn't he have retired?

"But..." Yinuo trails off, getting utensils and bowls from the drawers. "But I assume the people there has changed, as twenty years have passed." He says, as he looks up at Childe.

Childe smiles, shrugging. "If you managed to get into their cold hearts the first time, you can do it again. But you know you don't have to do it now as well, right?" 

"Yes." The child hums, setting the bowls on the table. "Is mama still asleep?" 

"Mm, do you want to wake him up?" He asks, offering his hand. "Come, let us wake him from his slumber." Yinuo takes his hand, and they walk back to where he's left Zhongli curled underneath the blankets.

It was difficult to leave the bed, seeing how peaceful and beautiful the brunette had looked. How divine he is, even when he was not doing anything. Alas, the rattlings outside of the bedroom had woken him up and once he's awake from a good night's sleep, he cannot go back. Besides, the curiosity and worry has won him over. He knows not many would attempt to rob a known adeptus' home, much less when they know the adeptus is affiliated with the Fatui and the Qixing makes sure no people would have a reason to rob aside from the greedy but, ah, no one can ever be guaranteed.

Seeing Yinuo cooking was the last he expected, however. Which shouldn't have come as a surprise knowing what Yinuo's personality is. He seemed to have been at it for a while, too, if the boiling pot of porridge was anything to go by. 

"Mama must be tired." Yinuo peaks by the door. He looks back at Childe, "Is it really alright?" 

Childe nods, grinning widely. "He wakes up early too, does he not? I-" He pauses, remembering Yinuo was at the age of where Zhongli wasn't... exactly himself. "Trust me, he'd be happy to be awake seeing you first thing in the morning." 

Yinuo still seems to hold back, but nods anyway as he opens the door wider. Zhongli stirs on the bed, hidden still beneath all those blankets. A lump on the middle of the bed was formed and Yinuo climbs up slowly. Childe sits beside Zhongli as Yinuo gently pats the lump. "Mama?" 

Zhongli pushes the blankets off himself, blinking his eyes open blearily. Once it clears, there's a soft smile appearing on that pretty face immediately as he opens his arms. "Yin'er, my little heart. Good morning." He says, as Yinuo falls into his embrace with a small noise of affection. "How was your sleep?" Zhongli nuzzles his nose into Yinuo's hair, brushing the tips and Childe makes a mental note to fix his braids later on this day.

"I slept well." Yinuo mumbles, "I... I did have a bit of a bad dream." 

Childe leans closer to them, "Oh? A nightmare?" 

"But I woke up before it progressed!" The child waves his hands, "It stopped before the monster could bite me."

"Hm." Zhongli cups both his cheeks, gently squeezing it. "Do you know what monster it is? Is it... is it familiar to the ones you saw in the abyss?" 

Childe's heart lurches. 

Yinuo thinks for a moment, frowning. "Mmm... I think I did see it. But it was one of the monster that hid from me, and it was smaller than the one I saw last night." 

"Must be its parent." Childe suggests, he has no idea what monster that is. It could be one in thousands. "Good thing Yinuo was so brave to last long until he wakes up." He adds, straightening his child's bangs a little.

Yinuo beams, happily nodding. "Mm!" Then he looks at Zhongli, "Mama, we cooked breakfast." 

Childe puts his hands up, "I barely did anything. I wake up and see Yinuo in the kitchen, already having rice porridge boiling and scrambled eggs." 

"Yin'er is a very good cook." Zhongli praises, voice affectionate. "Wasn't it too early, however? A child the likes of you should sleep plenty." 

"I slept many hours." Yinuo argues as he wiggles out of his mother's arms, "Come! Let us eat! And then... and then if you will allow it, I can go down by the docks after?" He looks at Childe this time, curious and reluctant.

Childe turns to Zhongli, who smiles and inclines his head and Childe inhales a breath, "I'll accompany you, if you'd like?" 

Yinuo's eyes, bright with youth and dead with the abyss, glows as the corners of his mouth stretches as much as it could on that small face.

"We'll go together!" 

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"You're not coming with us?" 

Zhongli looks up from where he's cleaning off the table, "No." He says. "There is no work. Directior Hu did provide me an indefinite amount of days until Yin'er is well again before I return. However, I would not want to ruin a bonding between you two." 

"You wouldn't." Childe frowns, "Come with us." 

"Ajax." Zhongli sighs fondly, "I will be here ready for lunch for you both. Yin'er will be just as happy to tell you all sorts of tales he encountered there." 

Childe takes a second to think about that. The simplicity of it all and how domestic it all seem. Childe taking out his son then coming home in the afternoon to a warm meal cooked by his most beloved? 

That sounded like a complete and utter lie spat to his face, and yet it is not. Haa, Childe couldn't help but think that he won in life. He's a Harbinger of mayhem, a soldier. He's meant to die early even with his immortality and not... not experience whatever life this is. The sort that Zhongli had given him with hesitant but open arms. 

He thinks, as he waves goodbye to Zhongli standing by the door as he holds the hand of his child, that maybe along the way he did – kind of – deserve even just this experience in his chaos of a line of work.

It is when they've reached the stone path just by in front of the Feiyun Commerce Guild or whatever it is that Childe really doesn't remember much of, that he realizes Yinuo has been quiet the whole way. Sure, he doesn't speak much but he's not entirely mouth shut either. He looks distracted, too, when Childe glances down at him. Even moreso, he looks worried about something that Childe couldn't help but pull him to a corner before they reach the stairs leading down the docks.

He looks around, making sure he didn't miss something that Yinuo somehow noticed first. When he sees nothing and just the usual, even clearer now as there weren't many people this early. The sun has only began to rise, after all. He kneels, smiling at Yinuo. "What's wrong?" 

Yinuo blinks, as if he didn't expect this. "... Nothing?" He frowns, unsure. 

"You don't look too good." Childe says, checking if the new braids were to be blamed. If he did it too tight it was uncomfortable and tugging on his scalp. He sees that wasn't the problem either, as he didn't start the braid on the roots of the hair itself. "You don't look as happy earlier." 

"Oh." Yinuo puffs, pulling on his sleeve. "Hm, I am uncertain if I should say this as there was nothing out of the ordinary today that I saw." 

"Yeah?" 

The child nods, "Papa has showed me the day before this day that... that he is inclined to do things with me because he is not sick."

Childe tilts his head, encouraging for him to continue.

With furrowed brows, Yinuo looks away. "I saw something I keep seeing whenever I walk here, another child. My age or maybe even a little older. He was on top of his father's shoulders. I have never experienced that before and others describe it like they're flying, which is odd because I once rode on auntie Xianyun's back as she flew through the mountains and I see the two are vastly different." He nudges behind him as he explains, and Childe looks to where he thinks he's trying to point at and – ah.

He sees another son and father pair, not too far away from them. They're in front of one of the few open stalls at such an early hour, buying a bag of steaming buns. He sees the father give the bag to his child sitting atop his shoulders and says something most likely about being careful and not to drop it. 

He looks back at his own child and grins, "You want me to carry you, too?" 

"If you do not mind. You can put me down after a second." Yinuo hums, nodding to himself as if he had thought of an excellent plan and Childe chuckles.

He turns, so his back is toward the other. "Climb up. Make sure you're comfortable before I stand up, okay?" He says and feels the gentle way Yinuo puts one leg over one shoulder and then the next leg to the next shoulder. He shifts, wiggling with a confused huff. "I'll stand, so you'll know better how to sit." 

Yinuo was quick to figure out where he ought to put his weight on more. Pressing against the back of his head as he grabs fistfuls of his hair, though not harshly. Childe holds on to both his ankle, tilting his head up to see a bewildered look on the child and he grins, "How is it up there? Good? Does it feel like flying?" He asks, walking around in both slow and haste steps.

"No." Childe laughs, "But it feels... good. It feels as though I'm on top of everyone else!" 

"Yinuo is taller than most up here, indeed." He whistles, as they walk pass the stalls again and closer to the stairs. "One day, he'll be ahead of everyone, conquering the world!" It's silly, he thinks, to say these things when he knows this was temporary. Only for a few days at most, maybe not even a week and he'll return to what he was before he became a child again. It's a little silly, sure, but it feels revitalizing to say these things to his child as his father did to him when he was one. 

Mainly because he never thought he'd ever be saying this at all, much less to a child that came from him.

"Did I grow up taller than papa?" Yinuo leans forward, tilting his head down until they meet eyes. "Papa is taller than most adults I have seen." 

"Well..." Childe feigns thinking, "Yinuo did grow up tall but three to five inches shorter than me, give or take." He says, almost sheepishly and sees Yinuo nod thoughtfully.

"Taller than mama?" 

"Oh definitely. Your mama only reaches up to your ears." Yinuo puffs a breath, surprised. Childe supposes he didn't expect that, as adepti can change their forms and all and Yinuo's natural growth is his base height. That's him not even changing anything in his physical appearance. Zhongli, however, is a different take all together. Whether he prefers his current height is up to him. "We're here!" He exclaims, skipping down a few steps that had Yinuo tugging on his hair harder with a noise of shock and giddiness.

There were already ships setting off on sail. A few bigger ships still here with men carrying cargo from and into it. He even sees two of what the Fatui owns, even his, gathering supplies as he sets Yinuo down. "So." He crouches, "How did you approach them before? Unless, it's different now?" 

Yinuo looks at him, lips pressed together, before looking back at the busy scene before them. "I went to the closest man I saw then." He says, "Maybe... maybe it can work again?" He's walking as he says it, toward the closest one by them and Childe quickly recognizes who it is when he was scrutinizing whether the man would be a bitch and needs some adult conversation or not.

"Hello." Yinuo waves, then steps back. "Oh! You look familiar!" 

"Yinuo?" Radomir – honestly, what a coincidence – blinks in surprise, quickly taking out the stick he was smoking and steps on it. "Ya'r... what happened?" 

Yinuo runs back to Childe, grabbing his hand. "Papa! This is, um! Mister Rad! The one to help me before!" 

Radomir's laugh was loud. Boisterous as he holds out a hand, "Lord Eleventh, I've heard of ya return to Liyue, but I've yet to see it for myself until now!" His hand was calloused and firm, heavy with his age when Childe shakes it. 

"You know each other!" Yinuo doesn't question the title, merely looking happy and relieved as he keeps glancing back at the cargo. "Mister Rad..." 

"Do ya still remember what I've taught ya?" Radomir points at the boxes, "Go ahead. Just don't hurt yaself kid, alright?" 

Yinuo nods frantically, smiling happily as he runs toward the boxes. Others avoid him, some looking at him cautiously and a little curiously before going back to what they're doing. The fatui, Childe assumes only a few were added in, greets Yinuo with enthusiasm and even helping him to where he should begin his help. They coo at him, following him and making sure he doesn't trip as he walks on the plank to the ship.

"Yinuo is a big boy, even at this age. Had to beat other people up when they tryna' do somethin' none of us liked." Radomir pulls out another stick to smoke, "When he grew up, he was the one doin' the beatin' up for us. Sayin' we only ought to focus on the cargo. Ya know how it's like, yeah? Fatui ain't the best and sometimes people make sure we know that." 

Radomir gestures for him to sit down on the bench with him and Childe does, keeping an eye on his child. Very easy to do so as his orange hair was blinding against the sun rising by the horizon. "Maybe it was a child's charm or somethin', but when people saw Yinuo happily helpin' us, they asked for the same thing he offered, it don't matter whether he may be associated with us. As a matter of fact, his presence even helped us over the years, had people warm up to the ship sigils." 

Childe crosses his arms, leaning back on the bench. "You knew." He says, not looking at the old man. "You didn't seem surprised when he called me papa."

"Any man who wants to live knows the man who wields the mark of the ocean and the hair of flames, even more when that same man is one of our boss. The old tales of the tongue that spread throughout these people here-" Radomir gestures toward the busy men, "When they first saw Yinuo was the entertainment of the day. They say the Eleventh Harbinger likes to sleep around. Take pretty men n' women he sees and beds them 'till there's no tomorrow. Visits the Pearl Galley every opportunity he had."

"Heard some of my crew even say so seriously that if they din't know anythin' better, that one of your mission here is to spread your genes and Snezhnayan blood much as possible." The man laughs, shaking his head and Childe couldn't help but snort and roll his eyes. "But if that true, them orange hair would be everywhere in Liyue, ain't it?" His accent was thick, a mixture of Snezhnayan and something blended in it. A likely result of traveling throughout other nations and staying there for long periods of time. 

And, well, even when Childe did like to sleep around and bedded every single person he found pretty enough – he'd be careful if he knew that person was able to get pregnant. Stopped fucking anyone he could lure in when a certain consultant managed to grab his heart and squeeze it, however.

He inhales, sharp as Yinuo smiles widely at a woman who offered him a cup of water. The sun was halfway rising still, and the heat wasn't overwhelming just yet. He leans his elbows at the back of the bench instead, "It's a drawback, they say. Something happened when he was originally a child and it came biting his ass now that he was an adult. Said that this would be temporary and he'd go right back to what he was if all things go well." 

Radomir slowly exhales the smoke, "Tsah, wouldn't be surprised if it's a drawback from workin' too hard. Yinuo likes overworkin' himself at times he thinks no one sees him. Had to push him away more times than this old man can count to go home, ya know?"

They must have known, then, that Yinuo is an adeptus. That the other parent is an adeptus. Do they know it's Zhongli? They probably did. Considering Yinuo was often seen with Zhongli, didn't take a genius to connect the dots and the bloodline. Did they think Childe likes to go snatching ancient creatures to fuck too, when they first found out? Must have been hilarious, must have been the gossip during rounds of beers.

"Probably got it from his mother." He says, shrugging. "Tends to overwork himself, too." 

"Yeah?" Radomir waves away the smoke as he inhales again, "Kid looks happier than the last I saw him this age. More jolly, hops on his toes. The five years old Yinuo that I know was quiet, talks only when spoken to." 

As if on cue, he sees Yinuo sprint to him with something in his hands. A big grin on his face as he stops just in front of them. "Look! Look, papa! Doesn't it look like mama's eyes?" He reveals a small gemstone. A polished cor lapis if seen by a glance, if he didn't know it wasn't cor lapis. A different sort, the cor lapis shape human carved into it. "Mister Rad, can I keep it please?" 

"Ya got it from minted box there?" Radomir leans forward, taking the crystal and hovers it against the sun. "Always had a good eye, kid. This one good quality. Show it to ya mother." He gives it back, as Yinuo takes it with both hands with a smile so bright it was as though he never fell into the hellhole before returning to where he came from with a loud voice of gratitude.

Childe buries his face into his hands, sighing after a moment. "Can't believe it. I try to deny it so many damn times – fuck, it just doesn't stop hurting." 

Radomir glances at him, "What does?" 

"Everyone else I've met have seen Yinuo ever since he was a toddler." He supposes it's because Radomir reminds him so much of his father that he's venting. Not the smoking one, but definitely the way he holds himself wise and energetic even when his age hinders him from it. They're about the same age, too, were it not for his father's heart illness. "You basically raised him yourself if he comes here often." 

The old man takes a long swig of the stick, taking a moment to process what he said and Childe doesn't even know if he's waiting for it or he's not really expecting an answer. Radomir exhales slowly, the smoke dark and gray. "And ya haven't, yeah? Only seen him when he's grown up big and strong. Didn't get the chance to coddle him when he's just a little young babe." 

"Ya should take advantage of this then." He says, gesturing to a running Yinuo now on the ship. "Give him a different childhood. One that has ya in it. Give him something he din't have before. Make the most of it. Don' have no son or daughter of my own, but I raised my own crew when they still learnin' them numbers. Young ones they were, din't know nothin' 'bout how to stop the ship sinkin', but we all managed somehow." 

Ramodir pats his shoulder again, smiling wide. "Ya young too, ain't ya? Old man Arkadi dreamed of a time of seein' ya son, a grandson." 

Childe raises a brow, surprised. "You know my father?" 

"Who doesn't know your father? Every bit of a man who lives in the southern area of Snezhnaya knew Arkadi! A drinkin' buddy, a travelin' buddy, a guide to those lost in the forests of rural areas. Saw him less when he finally settled down with his woman." He shrugs, finishing his stick off and doesn't pull another one. "He thought that when he sent ya to the fatui, ya'll come under my wing. Who would have thought ya fought off those soldiers? Becoming a Harbinger yaself?"

"You've never told me this?"

"Ya was busy runnin' around the Harbor, then the next ya vanished." Radomir closes and then opens his hand, "Poof, gone, carryin' the waves with ya. I admit, out of all the children he had, ya look closer to him. Almost identical. Even thought Arkadi had a vacation with himself when I first saw ya. Tsah, Arkadi always said he wanted ya to leave the Fatui, find a non-killing job and settle with a lover. Maybe even have little pitter-patters of ya own. Seein' this, old man probably stopped rollin' in his grave for once."

Childe takes a moment to himself. Mind reeling at the information. During his times, the last time he saw his own father was almost a decade ago. Didn't have the time to attend the day of his funeral, being bedridden as he was and no one informed him until he was finally released with the doctor's orders. Last time they met, his father was silently brewing in his anger. Something he still doesn't understand even now. 

That day, his father told him to visit their house at least once a year. Said that his mother worries more she ages and didn't want to experience something like not seeing her son for so many years only for a dead body to come returning to their little village. Childe didn't know the saying never came from his mother when he asked his ma after his death. He didn't know his father was the one saying it from his heart even with how cold he presents it to be.

This is nice. He never really did have closure with his father. Meeting an old friend, something he didn't know he needed, was nice. Good for the heart and the mind. 

Radomir stands, groaning as he stretches before tugging on the sleeve of his shoulder. "Don' think 'bout it too much, boy. Even with differen' circumstances, Arkadi would always want you to have good moments with ya son. Din't have the chance before? Now ya have! Stand up! Have a good day with ya child while you still can. Don' lose an opportunity just 'cause you too deep into that head."

━━༻••༺━━

"Thank you."

Zhongli smiles, patting his face with a thin cloth. "I cannot imagine how shocked your men must have been, seeing you helping them as well." He says, folding the cloth to its other side and continues to wipe the sweat on his forehead. "Yin'er, drink the water."

"Mister Rad gave this case." Yinuo pulls on the case of sodas imported from Fontaine. Something Radomir has been saving for an occasion that never happened so he gave it Yinuo instead before they went sailing a few hours ago. He pulls the cover off, "He says it's many flavors."

"Yes, but you need to drink water first." Zhongli gives him the water jug. "Water, then the soda."

Obediently, Yinuo drinks mouthfuls of water and Childe worries that he'd choke if he didn't know any better. Instead, he turns to the brunette. "Is it lunch already? Didn't notice the time." 

Zhongli shakes his head, "It is two hours before afternoon. I only came to make sure both of you are hydrated and I brought pastries, if you wish to eat it." He says, holding up the small basket he has in hand that carries the pastries in papers. Some are steaming, he can see, and some he sees are coated in sugar. 

"Meatbun?" Yinuo stands on his tiptoes, searching through the basket. "Meatbun..." He mumbles in awe, staring at the bun in his hands.

"Thank you, mama." He sits himself down on the bench, happily biting into the warm meatbun with a content sigh and Childe resists the urge to squeeze him.

"Mm." Childe takes the sweet pastry for himself, landing a kiss on Zhongli's cheek as he reaches for one. "Thank you, sweetheart." He winks, chuckling as he recieves a playful smack on his arm as he takes the water jug Yinuo has left on his side and drinks what's left of it.

"How was Yin'er's morning?" Zhongli ignores him, sitting down beside their child as he pushes his sweaty bangs off his forehead. "Good, I presume?" 

"Very good." Yinuo agrees, he chews quickly first. "Many of them call papa Lord Eleventh and Mister Rad knows him! Good because I don't have to introduce them to each other." 

Childe cringes at that. While Yinuo does not really ask about it, he does express his interest in it. It was a strange title – even Childe finds it odd. A little out of nowhere in a place like Liyue with their adepti that goes with high profile names and not by numbers. Still, he doesn't think he'll be elaborating on it. 

Zhongli hums, wiping down Yinuo's face gently as the child continues to eat his bun. "Yin'er did a good job. What will your plan be after this?" He asks, looking at the both of them as Childe finally sits himself on the other side of their son. "Or perhaps, you are to continue here for the rest of the morning?"

"After here, I would usually go to Xiao'ge and learn something, right?" Yinuo thinks, eyes narrowed. "But, I guess I do not have that now so... I do not know. What does mama want to do?"

The brunette puts a hand on his chin, "Hm, have you shown your papa your teapot, yet?" 

And.

Well, that's how Childe finds himself in yet another dimension. Although, this one was lighter on his lungs. He could actually breathe without having to calculate how much to inhale lest he accidentally suffocate himself. The place isn't like Madame Ping's, not exactly. It's not just golds and whites and purities, there were dark blues in the air and the sun wasn't as bright as the other teapot. 

Childe thinks that even if he breathes better here, that a place like this that Zhongli has once said was for cleansing and purifying should not look like whatever the hell it is. It's gorgeous, yes. Beautiful and still breathtaking but it does not... not look clean, as per se. Yet what does he know about teapots? What does he know about adepti realms? Who knows and teapot owners could change the colours of the air?

He doesn't comment on it. Zhongli glances at him curiously so that meant he did not hide his confusion well, but he doesn't say anything else. He watches, instead, as Yinuo runs quickly to the back of the mansion. Similarly built as the one in Madame Ping's and hears as the child expresses his joy with loud gasps and little screams. 

"I planted more plants!" Yinuo says, already knee-deep into a small section of the divided pond. There's a plant there he remembers seeing in Inazuma, the blue one. The child is poking at it in awe, petting it even as the jelly-like texture bounces against his touch. "There are a lot!" 

"Yin'er has developed a great skill for gardening." Zhongli says, kneeling on the grass beside the pond. "And an even greater passion for tending to natural growth. You even planned on creating a farm on one of the islands here." He gestures to the many floating masses of land, all big and all different shapes and sizes. Connected by what looked like a golden bridge.

"Wow." Yinuo says, sitting on one the rocks as he stares at the plant in pleasant shock. "I... I did this all? Truly?" 

Zhongli pats his head, "All by yourself." 

"What else did I do?" 

"Well... you travelled to other nations." Zhongli sits one of the drier rocks as Childe sits himself on the grass. "Not all, but close. You helped your Yu'jiejie with building more health care institutions, helped many people look for work and bring food to their table." 

"You brought me back here, too." Childe grins, "Didn't need any convincing. Popped right into Snezhnaya and basically pulled me by a rope to Liyue." 

Yinuo laughs, kicking his feet gently in the water. "I did so many things! Do you think I can do more? Do you think I can help more people? Mister Rad said I helped others be kinder to them, do you think I can do more of that?" 

"Of course, you can!" Childe pinches his cheek lightly, "You are Yinuo!" 

"And Yinuo can do many more." Zhongli continues, "Always remember, however, that you must help yourself as well. You cannot pour water into others' cups if yours is empty. Learn how to go back down to land and rest, and when not to fly too high up."

"Or else a monster will bite your tail!" Childe makes a beast-like sound, hands formed into claws as he attacks Yinuo with tickles. The child helps, falling into the water as Childe continues to find all tickle spots while making sure his head keeps afloat. "And they'll take your fur and make a coat of their own!" 

"Papa is scary!" Eyes shut with tears, Yinuo's loud and continuous laugh slowly mellows down to small giggles as Childe gingerly pulls him back up to sit in the pond. He shakes his head, braids loosened and hair pouring above the surface of the water like orange waves. He huffs, looks at himself, then jumps up to Childe. "Not if I get to them first!" 

He uses his wet hair as an advantage as Childe falls to his back on the grass. Using the tips to cover his face as Yinuo makes soft roaring sounds mixed with chortles that it honestly sounded more like he was trying to stiffle laughs and failing miserably. "I'll become strong enough to beat other monsters!" 

Childe waves an imaginary white flag to commence defeat. And Yinuo laughs even more as he pulls away his hair and peaks at him from where he's sat on his chest, "But papa is no monster, so I defeated you easily!" 

"Ah, but Yinuo is too strong, indeed." Childe fakes a saddened sigh, "This one didn't even get a chance to fight back." 

Yinuo cackles, pushing himself up to stand. "Then papa should train more!"

"Will Yinuo train me?"

"Mm... mama should! Mama is strong! Stronger than you!"

Childe nods seriously, "Your mama should train both of us." He says, teasing as he turns to look at Zhongli. Zhongli sighs fondly as he stands as well. 

"I will." Zhongli replies much to Childe's surprise, "But only if Yin'er promises to make sure he is safe first and foremost."

Yinuo nods frantically, small giggles still leaving his lips. "Mm-hm! Mm-hm! I promise, mama."

Satisfied, Zhongli looks at them both with a wide smile, "Then, let's go inside and have you dry and change." 

━━━━━━━━━━

The worry doesn't come strong. It steadily curls inside his gut the more they get closer to the entrance of the mansion.

It only worsens when they get inside. Childe doesn't know much about teapots and adepti realms and their pure energies, but he at least know it's not supposed to smell so heavily of the abyss. The insides are darker, and blues and purples and blacks are more visible here. Abundant in comparison to its golden counterpart and he finds that he doesn't like it even as the sleeping beast rumbles happily inside of him.

He doesn't say anything. Doesn't mention it nor about the abyssal energy that clings to the wooden walls when it seems he's the only one that noticed it. Zhongli looks content as he pulls Yinuo to a room, and their child was skipping in his steps, carefree. Childe doesn't want to ruin this and opts to only comment about it if the time is right.

The mansion was barren, at least a little more emptier than he has expected. The front lobby, the common area has nothing but a big carpet and shelves that holds what he thinks are board games. He squints and spots a chess box. There's a few others he recognized playing in Mondstadt, and there's even three different kind of the card games. 

Huh.

Maybe there's more to Yinuo he's yet to know. 

There were no paintings or other decorations. No display of trinkets or antiques. Not even gems or crystals. Something he's noticed shares a similar trait with the bedroom he has back in their home. 

Childe comes to a head stop when his skin tingles at the shock of abyssal energy he feels coming right from the same room Zhongli opens the door of. It's so much he sees the physical colours of the energy itself rolling around in the air and there was truly no way Zhongli doesn't notice it. He flattens his expression, smiling sweetly when his beloved glances at him briefly as they enter the almost entirely black room with no hesitation whatsoever.

He follows them in, if only to make certain he's not going insane. Zhongli reaches for a towel from the closet and Childe watches him hand it to Yinuo with a pat on his head and proceeds to point him toward the bathroom. With a huff and an excited grin, Yinuo obeys the order and rushes to the other room.

Just in time for Childe to grab Zhongli by the waist in haste when he sees him stumble in his steps. They look at each other for a moment; a whole, lengthy conversation going on within their gaze as Childe hoists Zhongli up in his arms wordlessly and carries him out of the room. For once, not a complaint and protest coming out of that pretty mouth for being easily manhandled. 

"I was starting to think it was all in my head." He says, as he sets Zhongli back to his feet once they're back outside. There's still remnants of the hellish air, but at least it was heavily entertwined with the more cleaner one than inside and even more in that room. "When neither of you showed any reaction to it." 

Zhongli holds his arm to steady himself and Childe has half the mind to carry him again. "It is... it has always been like this ever since I have given him his teapot. What is in a teapot is a reflection of what is inside its owner. Perhaps, it is because Yin'er has fallen into the abyss that his teapot, his mansion is like this." 

"And you're having a hard time facing it." He points out, taking his hand into his own. 

"Yes, I believe that even when I have a good control of my own spiritual qi..."

"The abyssal energy is still too condensed. Too pure." Childe purses his lips, brows furrowed in worry. "Should you be here for this long?"

Zhongli pats his cheek, as he did to Yinuo's head earlier. He smiles, though it was weak. "Do not worry. So long as I do not venture that deep again inside, I will be fine."

"Well, you don't look fine right now. You're sweating. How much do you sweat yearly? Almost none, right? Does Yinuo know about this?" It's bothering him. How that one quick visit in that bedroom was enough to render Zhongli in a state like this, a divine god, even whatever's left of it. 

"Ajax, I'm fine." Zhongli says in reassurance, "Do not fret. My power merely needs a moment to circulate in my body." He clears his throat, frowning for a moment before clearing it immediately. An expression Childe doesn't know if he should fuss over or keep quiet. 

"We're getting you out." Childe grasps his hand tighter, voice firm. "We'll make out an excuse for Yinuo, I'm not risking you here." 

Zhongli doesn't seem inclined to agree, "Ajax-" 

"Papa!" Childe smoothens himself, beaming as Yinuo runs up to him with his hair flowing behind him. "Braid my hair again? Please?" 

Childe gives Zhongli a look for a second, then kneels in front of their child for eye level. "What style are you thinking?" He asks, grinning enthusiastically as he spreads Yinuo's hair behind him. "Sit by the porch, I'll braid it into a crown." 

"You can?" Yinuo gasps, already quick on his toes as he runs to the porch and finds a good spot to sit on.

"We're leaving after this." He murmurs in Zhongli's ear, gently squeezing his waist before approaching their son. Yinuo have yet to sit, still looking around with a frown.

Childe looks around as well, "What's wrong?" 

"The porch is wet." Yinuo points out and shakes his head, "I cannot sit there and you cannot either. There is no chair outside too." He adds, a small pout on his face at this newfound hindrance and Childe snorts.

"What does Yinuo suggest?" He asks when Yinuo doesn't look like he's satisfied with anything. "We can bring a chair out from inside?" Though he thinks that'd be quite a hassle. The chairs inside weren't meant for the outside, being fluffy cushioned they were from top to bottom and the bottom would be dampened if they were to place it outside.

Yinuo shakes his head again, "Mmm, I think it would be better to go back home." He says instead, "It is nearing lunch too, right?" 

With a sigh of relief, Childe pretends to look at the never moving sun and nods. "It is, do we go back now?" 

"Mm-hm! Hold my hand! Mama can return on his own, but you still need time to practice." As he says this, Childe hears a quiet chuckle from where Zhongli stands as he holds that small hand. 

It was a matter of seconds before he sees himself standing on the stone path of Zhongli's home. The loud noises of people from the Harbor a welcomed sound as he breathes in salty air from the sea. The sun a familiar burn and Childe sighs. "I never thought I'd say this but I think I'm warming up to the heat." He jokes, stretching a little as Zhongli hums beside him.

"You are dealing with it better." He agrees, as Yinuo pulls them both inside the home and quickly sits himself down on the kitchen chair. With a laugh, Childe makes good work with the hair. Untangling it patiently and divides it into four section. Two small at the top, two big ones below.

All the while Zhongli prepares the food to be cooked for lunch.

━━༻••༺━━

"Just a quick one – a small one, please? Lili?" 

Zhongli looks back at where Yinuo is sat by the gardens outside and sighs, his palm is flat against Childe's chest. Easy to push him away if he truly did not like this. "A small one, just one." He says, even holding up a finger and Childe nods. 

"A small one." He repeats, lips brushing against his. There was something during their lunch. Something about earlier too, when they were still in the teapot. The urge to get closer, to be closer. Closest as he's allowed, as what Zhongli would let him. A small kiss would suffice, then he'd go back to Yinuo and their gardening. 

"Do not tease." Zhongli says, though there was no annoyance in his tone. Childe kisses his jaw, hands on his hips, pulling him further to his chest even when he knows it was impossible. He nips at his skin, as he places many more kisses down his neck. He bites harsher at a spot he remembers distinctively makes Zhongli tense with sensitivity, and the stiffening of the man in his arms was the simple indicator he had not forgotten. "Ajax." 

"One kiss on the lips." He specifies, one corner of his lip higher than the other. One of his hand slowly comes up, just so he can snake it around the other's middle. "Didn't say anything about everywhere else." 

"Ajax, Yin'er-" 

"Is busy." He bites on to another spot, licking it apologetically when he hears a hiss of pain. "He won't barge all of a sudden inside." 

"We both do not know that - ah! Ajax-" Childe sucks on a fresher bite, smiling as Zhongli holds on to his arms. "N-not too high, I would not be able to hide it." 

"Mn, you want to hide it?" Childe asks, sounding hurt even when he could not care less. The thought of others knowing Zhongli only is vulnerable like this to him was petting a possessive animal inside of him, but not certainly something he would bark for when hidden. 

Zhongli gasps at a particular nip, "I am rather disinclined to let our child see the results of our endeavors-"

It takes a while for Childe to respond. Mouth too busy to kiss and bite at every places he could reach. When he does, it is after placing a kiss on the corner of his beloved's mouth. "Our child." He whispers, "Is a result of our endeavors." 

"Ajax." Zhongli reprimands, a firm squeeze to his arm and Childe chuckles. "Give me a proper kiss and go tend to Yin'er." 

Childe tilts his head again, just enough to see Yinuo running from one garden bed to another with a small bucket. "I will, let me just-" And when he finally does as he's told, it is with a blissful sigh that Zhongli tugs him down with the arms around his neck. Stumbling with the sudden force, Childe puts an arm on the wall behind the brunette as Zhongli makes a noise of satisfaction between their kiss. 

He feels himself relax. The hazy trouble in his mind clearing and he thinks this was what he needed. To calm down. The sudden impulse all gone and the constant buzzing in his ears silencing. Maybe it was what's left of the worry from earlier in the teapot, and he wasn't able to hold on to his lover immediately. And the way Zhongli responds, warm and willing in his arms and alright as he said he was – it was enough to relieve him off the small distress he had.

When they pull away, Zhongli inhales sharply. "You said small." He says and Childe hides a laugh in the crook of his neck. 

"I did not promise." He murmurs, kissing the first bite he did and Zhongli squirms. "You're awfully sensitive. I don't remember you being like this before." 

"I... hm, perhaps it is that this vessel had not been changed over the course of years that I am not used to... this." Zhongli averts his gaze, the flush on his cheeks deepening. "I change my body to different forms occasionally, hence some experiences are more intense and some are not." 

Childe hums appreciatively, "You haven't changed the body you had since twenty years ago?" 

"Yes." Zhongli sighs quietly as Childe worships his skin, "But I am not sure. It has been quite a while since someone has touched me like this." 

"You haven't...?" Childe hesitates, knowing almost everything that transpired in those two decades with Zhongli. "Even for relief?" 

Zhongli's hand trails down, until it sits at his collars. "I haven't. I had no need for it." 

"Oh." And in spite of already knowing the answer, Childe feels the thrill burn. His grip tightens, "I haven't either. There was no one. I felt that if I did, I'd become unfaithful. Unloyal, a bastard." 

"Even if you did, I would not fault you for it." Zhongli leans up, pulling Childe down until they kiss again. "You are still here, and for that I am grateful." 

"I never touched anyone else."

"Mmn."

"Never looked at anyone else either."

"Mm."

"There were close calls. My agents bringing me entertainment when I was too angry. Some being the entertainment themselves when they find my wrath too overwhelming, but I didn't touch them. I spoke to them instead, about you. About how I longed for the beauty in Liyue and their response was to find me a brown haired woman from here and I still did not – I would not dare-"

"Ajax." Zhongli pulls away, looking at him with so much fondness he almost did not see the amusement. "You need not to defend yourself. If you say you have not, then I am relieved. If you say you have, then I am happy you chose to be here with me by the end of it. Do not look panicked." 

"I just-" Childe pauses, laughing breathlessly as he takes in the sight before him. "I did not want to lie. I did not want to say that I didn't even if I did, I needed to let you know the truth." He says, sheepishly if he should add and Zhongli giggles. Adorable and beautiful all the same and Childe finds he doesn't know what to do next.

So, Zhongli moves for the both of them. Closer until their chests are pressed against each other. Closer until there's no space between their faces and he smiles, serene and ethereal. "We both have not. Our lasts were of one another as well. It had been quite long, wasn't it? I am certain all the restraining you had to do all these years were difficult, knowing your tendency to bed others."

Childe tenses a little, "Aha ha... you know..."

"Yes." Zhongli nuzzles his cheek, "But my view of you does not change. Should I be honoured, then, that you chose abstinence even without knowing if you'll ever come home to me?"

"I don't know. I think I would've actually practiced celibacy forever. Couldn't touch anyone else without imagining it was you."

"Rascal." And it was affectionate, tone so soft Childe would've thought it was an endearment. Zhongli kisses him again, short and small, just as was said earlier. "If you can wait for a little longer..." 

Childe blinks, taken aback as he pushes himself a little further away. "Lili... are you trying to say...?" 

Shyly, Zhongli nods with looking in his eye. "I admit I am... pent up, as youth would say today. If you are amendable to it, of course. I would not wish to force myself upon you." 

"Holy fuck." Childe kisses him silly. Deep and long until they're both panting and he laughs. "No man in the right head would ever deny you, my Lili. If you're alright with it, then yes. Yes, we can do it." 

"Tonight-" Zhongli puts a finger on his lips before he can capture his again, "Behave yourself until tonight." 

"Okay." He says, smothered with happiness. "Okay, okay. Tonight. We'll... uh, how do we do this. Yinuo-" 

"Yin'er will not hear anything if I put up a barrier." Zhongli says, already peeling himself off his arms and if Childe was a little more insane, he wouldn't have let him go. He looks at him, teasing and almost childish with the way he purposefully licks the bottom of his lip and Childe zones in on that action. 

"Now, go make sure our son is not lonely. I will clean up here and make sure to join you after."