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Rex Lapis is the prime example of the perfect gentleman Alpha, as though he were the very mold from which all other Alphas are born. As per the inherent destiny of copies, ordinary mortals are unable to truly encapsulate the essence and beauty of the original they clumsily try to mimic. In that sense, Rex Lapis is truly, Liyue’s God; the pinnacle of ethics and conduct every citizen of Liyue worships and strives to achieve in an attempt to become closer to his image, yet pitifully failing to do so. For no mere mortal could ever come close to his brilliance.
Childe, though much more of a doer than a thinker, would never shirk in preparations for his most important mission yet. The journey to fulfill his ultimate goal of bringing all the gods to their feet, can finally begin starting with his first target, the God of Geo. As much as he wished to dive headfirst into the fray that was Liyue Harbor, he was not that naive as to forgo the tedious yet necessary step to any successful mission, a preliminary hunt in the art of text. He has spent countless nights perusing books, records, and tales of the Prime of Adepti he could possibly come across, in Snezhnaya and even after coming to Liyue. So how then, was he unable to realize that the man he first met in the god-forsaken country, his personal tour guide and oh-so knowledgeable consultant to the masses, was actually the very god in question, completely eludes him.
He was stupid, thats what. Hindsight truly is a bitch.
-----
The first official meeting Childe has after setting foot in Liyue, arranged courtesy of Her Majesty, is with a certain funeral parlor consultant who is to act as his guide and advisor while he stays in the harbor. They meet at noon, right out on the big street near their workplaces that are quite conveniently located close to each other. Even from a distance, his eyes are naturally drawn to the lithe but strong figure, an outright ridiculous waist, and deep brown locks dipped in gold. Zhongli feels his presence and turns his head to greet him, a politely small smile on his face.
Now that he is close enough, he can now see Zhongli’s face, perfectly sculpted as though from the gods themselves, his eyes are the most brilliant shade of liquid cor lapis, as if poured from the chalice upon which they drink from. His scent is of morning dew and petrichor, of fertile soil touched by the sun, with a tinge of copper and iron dug up from the hearth then set to cool in the night. It was not overbearing, but held a firm and steady undertone, laced with hints of underlying power that was unmistakably alpha. Childe, pleasantly surprised, simply could not believe a human alpha could possibly be so ethereal and beautiful, mesmerizing. He must have been indulging for too long, for Zhongli broke the silence.
“Hello, You must be Tartaglia. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Zhongli, consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I hope we can become good friends.”
He extends a hand out, and his scent lilts with a tone of roasted tea leaves. An offering, a question, a proposition. Polite and distanced enough as to not offend another alpha, yet with an ember of potential danger should he not comply.
Childe, with all the finesse of an alpha willing to get on the good side and earn the respect of another alpha in a civilized fashion, takes the hand in his in a short but confident shake.
“Nice to meet you Zhongli. But you can just call me Childe.”
So much for trying to act nice and complacent. He really can’t hide his true nature as he quips with a proposition of his own. A bait at the end of a fishing rod.
Zhongli’s molten eyes simmer just a little, and a tang of copper is immediately washed out with the aroma of amber and soothing incense. He cracks a wider smile than before, as he lightly squeezes Childe’s hand and gazes at him with an acute intrigue.
“Then, Childe, let us converse over lunch at Liuli Pavillion.” He takes the bait without hesitation.
-----
Childe quickly comes to realize that Zhongli is the textbook example of Rex Lapis’ principles and values, he might as well be the human reincarnation of the god himself. In his every action, posture and gesture, down to how he holds himself, he emanates the effortlessly refined meticulousness of a person who has taken the teachings of Rex Lapis to his very core that it has simply become a part of his being. If one were to look up ‘Alpha’ in the dictionary, one could probably see Zhongli’s name there in bold print.
The prim and proper Alpha, who was firm, grounded and gentle as he was strong. He never showed any anger, and was always considerate of those weaker than him. He cared for them deeply but he was not frail or soft. He was steadfast as a rock and immovable to any pressure that dared to oppose him and those around him. The confidence and raw power that exudes from him effortlessly garners reverence and respect wherever he goes. The kind of Alpha that makes you want to follow, to show respect, instead of being forced to.
He gets to feel this in full force on a mild afternoon after enjoying dinner at Wanmin. The two alphas indulge in a stroll through the harbor, while lantern lights embrace them in a warm hue as a light breeze tickles their skin. He could swear the tips of Zhongli's hair give off the same honey golden glow as the lanterns behind him.
Zhongli's eyes glimmer at the various trinkets and jewels on display at the many shops that line the harbor. To think the refined and elegant funeral parlor consultant's favorite hobby would be shopping with other people's money, Childe can't help but feel amused.
He is shook out of his musings as said consultant stops in front of a jewelry shop with a delicate and ornate jade hair pin, stopping him in his tracks.
"The craftsmanship of this pin is exquisite and recognizable as belonging to one of the greatest jade carver households that have perfected their trade over generations. It would be a shame not to purchase this," he explains as he looks to the shopkeeper for their attention.
However the man simply takes a glance at the item Zhongli has fixed his gaze on and sighs.
"Sorry sir, but this item isn't for sale. I only have it out because the owner of it pawned it off for some money to treat his sick wife. Apparently it was their wedding dowry or something.”
“Oh.” Zhongli pauses for a brief second in contemplation before turning his head toward Childe.
“Childe,” he begins while his eyes glimmer ever so slightly, “I would like to request a handsome amount of mora to pay off the debt of this troubled husband, and to provide some additional aid, would you be so kind?”
He has the gall to look just a bit sheepish but his gaze does not waver, as if he didn’t just ask Childe to pay up in his stead like it was the most natural thing in the world. While bluntly requesting for his financial aid, his scent wafts the aroma of tea, much like it usually did whenever he asked a question or made a request of another alpha, but it was slightly different. Instead of the usual hints of smokey roast, unimposing yet sharp enough to convey an underlying potential of dangerous authority, this time it gives off the subtleties of a finely brewed osmanthus tea. (Which, Childe is able to recognize thanks to his previous lectures with Zhongli, in which he gave a detailed explanation on all the recognized teas and blends that Liyue had to offer, their method of preparation, and how to differentiate between them.) The smell is flowery and soft, gently prodding for a reaction, but a question nonetheless. There is nothing to indicate any sense of power or danger, and as ridiculous as it sounds, Childe thinks that maybe, this is a plea, perhaps even his way of begging.
Childe is an alpha, and one that has been captivated from the very start of meeting the consultant. He wants to respect the man in front of him, and he wants to be recognized. There is no way he is going to decline. He pulls out a bag of mora, more than what could possibly amount to the cost of the hairpins, and places it in Zhongli’s hand.
The molten cor lapis in his eyes dance as he looks to his benefactor, and he grins with a blinding geneuity that leaves Childe speechless. In that moment it is almost as if Zhongli, the man who receives infinite praise and reverence from everyone in Liyue, is giving Childe the same amount of respect he receives combined.
“Thank you, Childe, I greatly appreciate and will forever treasure your generosity,” he says.
-----
Childe does not know if he truly deserves Zhongli’s respect. He was just a foreigner in Liyue, with a high ranking disposition in a shady organization. The circumstances of his status alone are enough to fend off anyone's interest, and people would most certainly be less than hospitable toward him if not for the threatening scents he thinly veiled while talking to unaccommodating individuals.
He was quite the opposite kind of alpha compared to Zhongli, one that he would probably disapprove of for being against the ‘teachings of Rex Lapis’, the god of his faithful devotion. Childe was the hot-headed, arrogant type of alpha who acted on natural instinct and never bothered to reign in his pheromones. He could never adhere to the conduct guidelines of the ‘proper alpha’ like Zhongli could. But nonetheless, as any reasonable alpha that respected another alpha would, he vied for Zhongli’s approval and recognition in return as well.
The intricate power dynamics between alphas was something Childe quickly had to learn upon joining the Fatui at the newly presented age of 14. It was the very glue that kept alpha dominated organizations from falling into a frenzied animalistic bloodbath. Alphas that proved their worth were respected by other alphas, and those alphas would desire to be acknowledged by the object of their reverence. A give and take, an establishment of hierarchy.
Normally, in day to day and professional circumstances alphas would try to carefully prod and tread around each other, never crossing the line, light pokes present in their scent to see if the other alpha was amicable and how far they would yield. If a certain situation during their time together emerged that proved an alpha to another, the relationship took a more mutually respectful turn, and that was that.
In the Fatui however, there was no time to wait for a fateful event. He was immediately thrown into the ring and pitted against all the other new recruits to see who would be the last one standing. Heaving and grinning wildly while covered in the blood of other alphas, his bloodlust most certainly won him the favor of a certain Harbinger named Pulcinella, who took him under his wing. Childe admired the Harbinger’s skills in battle, and he always took any opportunity to prove his prowess in battle to his mentor.
It might certainly be due to a bad first start that he’s always a bit confrontational in his scent when meeting others alphas for the first time. And, to be honest, if he had the choice he would much rather just fight it out and see who emerges victorious. He most certainly felt that way when he first met Ningguang of the Qixing, which he gave himself a mental pat on the back for not immediately lashing at her throat and somehow finishing the meeting with some semblance of diplomacy, though he was quite certain the room was charged with the stench of brine by the time he left. Even in a battle of words, he would never just back down.
So why then, did he not immediately feel this way when he first met Zhongli? And why was Zhongli so accepting of him despite his violent tendencies?
-----
There was no way Zhongli did not know he was unhinged when it came to his alpha instincts. He most definitely saw it, the physical evidence of his lack of self control everywhere on the walls and floor of Northland Bank that one time he came to pick him up for lunch.
A new batch of Fatui henchmen arrived at Liyue that day, and Childe was in no mood to put up with the bullshit of a certain alpha talking back. In a quick and efficient method to establish the pecking order, and show who exactly was giving out the orders around here, he grabbed the underling by the head and smashed him face first into the wall. The poor fuckers nose broke with a sharp snap and blood smeared everywhere as the guy fought back against Childe with fangs and claws of his own. Childe manages to shove him to the ground and keep him pinned with a more than forceful weight to his boot digging into his back. It is at that moment when the doors of the bank uncerimonally chooses to open.
“Ah Childe. So you were here. It seemed you were running a bit late for our lunch, so I came to see if you were here.”
Zhongli just takes several strides toward Childe, completely unfazed by the putrid amount of alpha pheromones suffocating the lobby and probably getting those pristine shoes dirty with blood and debris.
“Since it seems your business is done here, let us head out shall we? I guess you could say we have our own ‘unfinished business' as you could say, that is waiting for us.” He smirks up slightly while a waft of oolong cuts through the air.
“...Of course.” He answers with his own scent of pine.
They arrive at Xinyue Kiosk, and are immediately greeted by the receptionist.
“Hello, Zhongli-xiansheng. We have been awaiting your arrival.”
She shows them the utmost respect as she escorts them to their room. Zhongli, effortlessly garnering respect out of everyone. Effortlessly placing himself above everyone else on the social hierarchy. The stark contrast to his violent actions just a moment before should annoy him, should feel mocking, but it only serves to intrigue Childe more.
“Zhongli, I have seen people refer to you as Xiansheng. I don’t have the most accurate grasp of Liyen, I admit. Care to explain?”
“It is an honorific of sorts, to respectfully refer to someone usually older than them, who is well versed and knowledgeable in their field of expertise.”
“Well that most certainly describes you. Should I be calling you xiangsheng as well?” He dons a childish grin as a spritz of sea salt laces his words. A push.
An eyebrow quirks up, and Zhongli replies. “You may call me as you wish.” The familiar scent of oolong again, another push.
“Ever the most generous. Then I will call you as I wish to, xiansheng .” He almost whispers into his ear, tinging their shared air with a salty tang; push.
And, Zhongli pulls.
“I must say, it does sound quite pleasant when you say it.”
Amber and sunbaked soil. The scent warms the Harbinger from his very core, he can feel it up to his cheeks.
“Maybe I should meet you more often, to hear it coming from you.”
Zhongli gives him the slightest smirk, mirth filled in his sidewise gaze.
Childe is too stupefied to move as his eyes follow the consultant heading inside their reserved room.
No, he thinks, that was most definitely a push.
-----
His curiosity in the ever sophisticatedly broke alpha always existed from the moment he first saw him, but he can pinpoint that exact exchange at Xinyue Kiosk as being the catalyst to coming to terms with his feelings toward the man.
He was attracted to alphas, and he had realized this fairly early on in his life within the Fatui. To him, omegas were much too boring, complacent, and predictable. No matter how much he listened to the other recruits drone on and on about the sweetness of omegas like the horney teenagers they were, they never appealed to him at all. Omegas would cower whenever he raised his scent with even the slightest malistic intent, never retaliating back. They would follow his orders and commands, but only because they were afraid of him. Childe wanted to go against the gods, and he had no interest in the weak.
But alphas, they would fight back and bare their fangs when provoked, and he thrilled in the fight for supremacy. It only made his victory over them sweeter, addictive. When those alphas he defeated payed respect to him, he would feel drunk on power, strumming with a deep sense of satisfaction.
On the rare occasions he would be the one at the mercy of another alpha, it was also comfortingly pleasant to follow their orders, because he had an established respect towards them.
To be honest however, Childe liked alphas the most when they stood their ground. The ones that would push back when he pushed a bit. The ones who would take things in stride the way he did. That exciting tension of uncertainty, of who would yield first.
And Zhongli would do exactly that.
Ever since that time when Childe payed for the debt of another without hesitation, Zhongli had apparently felt comfortable enough with him to play pheromone tug-of-war with him every time they met. He was quite the expert tease, but he always yielded in the end, expressing his respect toward the Harbinger. Childe would happily indulge and make smart remarks of his own, playfully trying to flaunt some dominance, but he too would never truly disrespect the other.
-----
“Childe, despite all our time together, it seems you still struggle with using chopsticks.” His voice lilts slightly with well-intended humor.
A dumpling slips out of his grasp and plops to the table below. He sighs.
“Well xiansheng, maybe I need more practice. Or better yet, some private lessons.” He grins like a fox and teases back.
Zhongli closes his eyes in contemplation and hums.
“Of course. I would be more than happy to aid you, in whatever you may need.”
Childe tries his best to get his mind out of the gutter at that statement, but utterly fails as Zhongli suddenly rises up and slips behind him to wrap his hand around the hand miserably still holding up the chopsticks. Zhongli adjusts his fingers to the proper position and gently guides him toward another dumpling. His hand, encompassed in the consultant’s, thrums with a heated warmth. Zhongli applies a light pressure to the index finger, and so does Childe. The dumpling does not fall this time as it is moved to his plate.
Zhongli returns to his seat much too soon. The part of his back that was pressed against him still burns.
“I hope that was a satisfactory demonstration.”
Childe involuntarily gulps the lump in his throat.
“It was. I think I can get the hang of it now. As expected, you are a great teacher.”
Zhongli takes a sip of his tea, and his eyes glow as they bore into Childe’s.
“You are quite the fast learner. Perhaps one day, the student will surpass the master.”
“Ha, to get to that level, I think I will need more than just one lesson.”
Zhongli’s low rumble fills the room.
“While I may not be able to accompany you to every meal, perhaps we can arrange something else that could. There is a place I would like to visit after we have finished eating.”
It is hard to sit still for the rest of the meal. The scent of tea, salt, and amber clings to his clothes as they leave.
He ends up receiving a pair of dragon and phoenix patterned chopsticks as a gift from Zhongli, paid for by himself.
That night, he wonders if he could push this relationship just a bit over the edge, if he could ever pursue a proper relationship with the man after all was said and done.
-----
As Zhongli, no Rex Lapis, explains his grand plan and hands over his Gnosis to Signora, the alpha in him absolutely fumes.
The logical part of his brain realizes that he was pretty stupid (and blinded by Zhongli’s good looks), and as long the mission was complete, there was nothing to be angry about. Her Majesty obviously signed him up for this role after all.
But as an alpha, this was an utter betrayal to his trust and respect. Had all the time they spent together meant nothing at all?
Childe tried his hardest to be respectful to Zhongli, and he was genuine, because he truly appreciated him. Was Zhongli on the other hand, only pretending to respect Childe, leading him on with sugar coated words of recognition? Was everything just a lie?
He couldn’t process anything at all. He stormed out of the bank, went straight to his apartment, and pointedly decided to avoid Zhongli from that point on.
-----
He didn’t see or talk to Zhongli for an entire week, before the consultant knocked on his door.
He briefly contemplated ignoring him, but thankfully his logic (and unresolved attraction to the man) got the better of him.
The anger he tried to keep a lid on started simmering through once he saw Zhongli’s face again. His scent went positively sour.
Zhongli, ever the composed gentleman alpha, of course knew when to be stubborn and when to swallow their pride.
He came because he wished to salvage their relationship, however shambled it may be. He asks what he can do to regain his trust.
“I know you may have a hard time believing this Childe, but I truly did enjoy the time we spent together. I can assure you I respected you, as another alpha, as another person, out of the genuity of my heart, because you deserved to be treated as such.”
Osmanthus and violetgrass hits him hard.
It was hard to re-establish trust between two alphas once it was broken. After all, it was usually the only reason most alphas tolerated each other. But Childe always defied normal standards, and this time was no different.
During his time away from Zhongli, he had much time to collect his thoughts and sort out his feelings during the quiet of the night. But instead of his feelings mellowing out and coming to terms with the series of events, his hurt alpha pride could only increasingly fixate and obsess over one thing.
Fight it out. Dominate him, establish respect.
His skin itched for a good battle, an epic fight with an actual god. If only he could fight him, pin him to the ground, claim victory over him, make him show some respect. He was bad with sleazy schemes, but he always knew had to read a fight. There was no need to get his head wrapped up in emotions he could not decipher. A bloody brawl would sort everything out. The victor proves himself worthy, the other acknowledges and reveres him, and the bond is created again. Simple, straightforward alpha logic at its finest.
“Then fight me. Fight me as another alpha. Once I see you on your knees begging for mercy, then I might forgive you.”
Zhongli’s gaze does not waver, and for the first time since Childe has gotten to know him, his scent is blank and unreadable.
“I accept your proposal.”
-----
They head off to the Golden House.
Circling around each other, holding a reasonable distance before the initial clash. The air is void of any scent but the atmosphere is so heavy and charged it is hard to breathe.
“Don’t you dare hold back Zhongli. Don’t you dare disrespect me again by toying with me.”
“I would never.”
With a flash of his vision, Childe materializes his signature hydro blades as he charges toward Zhongli. The consultant meets his assault with his spear blocking the attack from connecting with a loud clang that reverberates throughout the chamber. Sparks and glitter fly out as their weapons grind against each other. Zhongli materializes a golden shield, and Childe skids back with a screeching halt just in time not to get sliced in half.
As the dance continues, it is much too easy to fall into a familiar rhythm that they used to share.
They battle like they used to converse, a poke and prod, a thrust and a parry. The attacks don’t quite connect but they are ruthless and unrelenting. It becomes less about the result and more of the exhilarating back-and-forth. Childe doesn’t want this moment to end, for he is enjoying himself a little too much than he should. But all things come to an end eventually.
Zhongli summons down a rain of geo spears just as Childe is thrown back from a sudden pillar that erupted out of nowhere. The breath is knocked out of him as he is pinned to the ground, spears caging him in a suffocating web. But none of the spears even grazed enough to leave a rip through his clothes. Of course.
Zhongli saunters towards him and lightly presses the tip of his spear to Childe’s throat.
“Yield.”
There is no hint of oolong tea. His eyes simmer in liquid gold, and the smell of molten metal surrounds him.
This is a command, with no room for debate.
Childe scrunches his face a little and just so briefly contemplates endangering his life and still pulsing jugular to deny him and ask for another round.
But he was beat, and even though he disliked losing, the insatiable itch that had been with him for a week was now soothed. He hasn’t felt this stable and calm in such a long while.
“I accept.”
The spears around him vanish, and Zhongli puts away his weapon.
Now that their hierarchical order was re-established, Childe fully expected Zhongli to give reprimands or commands, and for himself to succumb to the orders and whims of the ex-god before him. As long as he was a good little alpha, at least they could keep up a semblance of a ‘normal’ respectable relationship.
But Zhongli was no longer a god. He gave that up, to live among the mortals.
“That was quite an impressive fight. Truly, you are worthy of your title as a Harbinger. If I do not continue to train now in retirement, then maybe I will be the one on the ground one day.”
The mental image of that does things to Childe. He tries to stop them down.
“I look forward to our future spars. But for now, let us head back to Liyue and freshen ourselves up. I wish to take a warm bath. I would not be opposed to you joining me.“
Zhongli turns on his heel and walks away. Childe scrambles to his feet and bolts after him.
-----
“Suggesting such a thing to an alpha you just fought, and inviting them into your home. Xiansheng, people will get the wrong idea.”
Zhongli grins like the coy dragon he is.
“What kind of idea are you referring to? I think my intentions were clear, were they not? Otherwise you wouldn’t be reeking of morning snow right now, as you have always done in our previous encounters.”
Childe turns beet red in embarrassment. Of course he knew.
“Xiansheng, your teasing drives me insane.”
“I thought you enjoyed it. At first I just thought it was your natural scent, because it was the first smell I caught on when I initially met you. But the smell would come back time and time again whenever I pushed a bit too far. Then I recognized it as you being attracted to me.”
Childe growls low in his throat as he takes a step closer to Zhongli, stopping himself right in front of Zhongli’s neck. He takes in a deep breath, and his voice is just above a whisper.
“When I first saw you, if it had not been your scent, I probably would have pegged you as an omega. Your waist is so thin I could probably break it. And your ass.”
He grabs a handful of the plush globes to accentuate his point. They feel heavenly, more than he ever imagined. Zhongli’s breath hitches slightly.
“Always teasing me with that scent of tea of yours. I wanted to see what you would actually smell like when you were aroused.”
Digging his nose in the consultant's scent gland again, he closes his eyes and inhales.
“I know the answer now.”
The scent of glaze lilies flood the room. It mingles with the soft embrace of snow.
He could almost see the slits in Zhongli’s eyes as they turn to him. His eyes glow with the radiance befitting of a dragon.
“You have never backed down from a challenge, let alone my teasing. Will you not follow through on your suggestion?”
He grabs the hand on his ass, and pulls it toward his sinful waist.
“Let us see if you can break it.”
-----
This time, they tumble to the bed in a fight of limbs. Childe mouths at his scent gland, and nibbles on it slightly to evoke more of that addictive aroma.
Clothes are peeled off in a frenzy and the sounds of both their heated moaning echoes through the room.
Zhongli’s skin is flawless, and his member is flushed a rosy red against his navel. A respectable size for an alpha, because of course. But Childe’s is even more impressive and threatening. There are fights that he simply does not lose.
He smirks as he kisses down from his neck, his chest, his stomach, in reverence, because an alpha like Zhongli deserves no less.
Zhongli responds to him in encouragement and praise in the form of breathy mewls and trembles of pleasure.
He spits out a generous amount of saliva that may or may not contain a slight dose of claiming venom, and rubs it with his fingers into the tight puckered hole of the alpha beneath him.
Just barely loose enough, Childe slams his cock into Zhongli with no warning. He screams, and his insides open up as glaze lilies come to full bloom.
A push and a pull. It is the most natural rhythm for them to fall into. Childe plows through Zhongli to get him to completion. Zhongli squeezes him so tight it takes everything in his power to not come so soon. His hand marks on the other's waist is sure to bruise in the morning.
With one final push, his knot pops inside deep into Zhongli. It smells like the first snowfall of winter as he spurts his white release.
Zhongli eyes roll back into his head as he comes soon after, glazes lilies touched with a layer of snow.
They both lay a moment, panting as they come down from their high.
Zhongli gives a satisfied purr once he becomes coherent enough.
“My offer still stands. I wish to take a bath. Perhaps you could join me.”
The steam from the bathroom smells suspiciously of flowers and frost.