[Oh, that's dangerous. The mild discomfort of sticky, cooling skin pales in comparison to the soothing motions of Zhongli's fingers.]
Confirm it, huh... [He's very clearly drowsy, but he's fighting the urge to doze off. Whether it's a force of habit or just stubbornness because he wants to keep talking is anybody's guess.] And how would you have pulled that off?
[ zhongli has heard childe's lazy, sleepy voice before: at midnight hours on a drunken evening, or when childe is spread over his couch during a quiet and golden afternoon. it's sweeter now, knowing that zhongli had been the cause of it. ]
By searching for evidence, if I'm given the opportunity to do so.
[ he flirts back, good idea or not.
unfortunately, they can't stay this way while childe is sleeping. both of his hands smooth down and grip firmly on childe's hips. he draws out of childe with a soft exhale, shocked lightly with cold and sticking with come.
after that, his hand smooths up his back again, returning to its rhythm. ]
[Whatever else he would've said is lost to a hiss of complaint as Zhongli slides out of him. Now he's all gross and uncomfortable... why is he the only one who has to pay the price for this, huh? What's fair about that? Nevermind that he's the one who demanded Zhongli come inside him. Listen. IT JUST AIN'T FAIR.
But with some insincere grumbling, he shifts around slightly, until he settles at Zhongli's side with one leg thrown over Zhongli's. His hand finds its place back on Zhongli's chest, a wordless request for Zhongli to resume his gentle touches.
Someday, he'll be able to ask for such things directly. For now, though, he hums noncommittally, even as he closes his eyes.]
Don't want to. [Well, at least he's not claiming he's not tired.] Wanna keep talking to you.
[ you're the one with the hydro vision childe!!! your quick fix is right there
childe settles at his side and zhongli keeps an arm slung comfortably around his shoulders. he settles his hand again over the one at his chest, understanding even wordlessly that this is childe's invitation. he's been around humans long enough to make educated guesses about their body language.
he raises childe's hand and presses those fingers to his smiling mouth—one kiss over the nails, another at the underside of his fingers. after that, he settles his hand back against his chest.
he remembers that spark in childe's fingers only moments before. this time, he presses childe's palm where his old heart drums steadily against it.
earlier, childe had the inclination to sink his hand inside and take it for himself. zhongli holds his hand against his beating heart as if to show him: this is yours. this is where i keep it safe for you. ]
We'll speak as much as much as you'd like when you wake. I will be here.
It's tempting to hold onto his stubbornness. He could do it, he knows; it would take nothing at all to tap into his energy reserves, to shed this drowsiness and do whatever he pleased instead. Zhongli would probably be exasperated with him, but that's nothing new. And Childe--well. There's no shortage of things Childe would love to do with Zhongli, ranging from embarrassingly domestic to obscenely filthy. They probably have a little longer before the ship makes it back to the Harbor. Even longer if they dawdle.
But... he likes this. The soft, simple comfort of resting at his lover's side, paired, for once in his life, with the utter certainty of safety.
Thrills and danger run in Childe's blood. Safety is a remnant of his old life, something he's grown to associate with monotony and discomfort. It's meant for other people, and he's long since stopped wanting it. But the part of him that hasn't let its guard down since the Abyss, braced for threats at any moment--the part of him that remembers each bloodied step he'd taken on the path to Harbinger--that part of him can't resist the promise that comes with Zhongli's embrace.
Zhongli's heart beats steadily beneath his palm. Childe thinks of pawns and soulmates, ice and stone.
Finally, he repeats the same words he'd said earlier, back when Zhongli had guided them here.]
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Confirm it, huh... [He's very clearly drowsy, but he's fighting the urge to doze off. Whether it's a force of habit or just stubbornness because he wants to keep talking is anybody's guess.] And how would you have pulled that off?
[Stop flirting and go to sleep, Childe.]
no subject
By searching for evidence, if I'm given the opportunity to do so.
[ he flirts back, good idea or not.
unfortunately, they can't stay this way while childe is sleeping. both of his hands smooth down and grip firmly on childe's hips. he draws out of childe with a soft exhale, shocked lightly with cold and sticking with come.
after that, his hand smooths up his back again, returning to its rhythm. ]
You should rest.
no subject
But with some insincere grumbling, he shifts around slightly, until he settles at Zhongli's side with one leg thrown over Zhongli's. His hand finds its place back on Zhongli's chest, a wordless request for Zhongli to resume his gentle touches.
Someday, he'll be able to ask for such things directly. For now, though, he hums noncommittally, even as he closes his eyes.]
Don't want to. [Well, at least he's not claiming he's not tired.] Wanna keep talking to you.
no subject
childe settles at his side and zhongli keeps an arm slung comfortably around his shoulders. he settles his hand again over the one at his chest, understanding even wordlessly that this is childe's invitation. he's been around humans long enough to make educated guesses about their body language.
he raises childe's hand and presses those fingers to his smiling mouth—one kiss over the nails, another at the underside of his fingers. after that, he settles his hand back against his chest.
he remembers that spark in childe's fingers only moments before. this time, he presses childe's palm where his old heart drums steadily against it.
earlier, childe had the inclination to sink his hand inside and take it for himself. zhongli holds his hand against his beating heart as if to show him: this is yours. this is where i keep it safe for you. ]
We'll speak as much as much as you'd like when you wake. I will be here.
no subject
It's tempting to hold onto his stubbornness. He could do it, he knows; it would take nothing at all to tap into his energy reserves, to shed this drowsiness and do whatever he pleased instead. Zhongli would probably be exasperated with him, but that's nothing new. And Childe--well. There's no shortage of things Childe would love to do with Zhongli, ranging from embarrassingly domestic to obscenely filthy. They probably have a little longer before the ship makes it back to the Harbor. Even longer if they dawdle.
But... he likes this. The soft, simple comfort of resting at his lover's side, paired, for once in his life, with the utter certainty of safety.
Thrills and danger run in Childe's blood. Safety is a remnant of his old life, something he's grown to associate with monotony and discomfort. It's meant for other people, and he's long since stopped wanting it. But the part of him that hasn't let its guard down since the Abyss, braced for threats at any moment--the part of him that remembers each bloodied step he'd taken on the path to Harbinger--that part of him can't resist the promise that comes with Zhongli's embrace.
Zhongli's heart beats steadily beneath his palm. Childe thinks of pawns and soulmates, ice and stone.
Finally, he repeats the same words he'd said earlier, back when Zhongli had guided them here.]
...Yeah. Okay.