Chapter Text
After the whole fiasco with the Geo Archon's Gnosis, Childe had gone out of his way to avoid Zhongli. Is he being petty? Yes. Immature? Definitely. But he'd rather be labeled those things than realize his place in the whole matter.
He avoids the streets he knows Zhongli frequents, such as most of Chihua Rock, which often leads to him climbing upon people's rooftops and getting pelted with various shoes. He catches glimpses of the former god as he peruses the stalls, appraising antiques and street food alike.
Childe really does want to talk to him, spend time with him as he used to. He watches the brunette as he walks along, taking care to notice the slight changes in his outfit since summer is now upon them. His collar is slightly open, showing more of his neck than usual.
He gulps audibly, taking in the slightly tanned skin of the other man. It looks smooth, so soft and unmarred; he stands there agape, his teeth itching to sink into his flesh--
Really, how pent up is he that just seeing the exposed skin of Zhongli's neck makes him feel something??
He notices as the passersby look at Zhongli, men and women alike, taking in the sinful exposure of his neck. He glares at them, shooting proverbial daggers in their direction.
The one place he knows he won't find Zhongli is the docks, which smell so strongly of seafood that even he feels a little sick.
He's taken to dressing casual--as good as perks he gets for dressing like the Harbinger he is, he'd rather not get dirty looks because he almost drowned the entire city. He huffs.
Today, he's decided to fish in the harbor by the end of Chihua Rock. He's sitting at the edge of the pier, line already cast. It's stupidly hot, the heat of the sun making the water of the sea evaporate and create a salty blanket. He pulls at the collar of his shirt, fanning off his skin with his free hand.
He watches the passers-by as they peruse seafood stalls, contemplating purchases and he sighs in annoyance. He wishes he were in Snezhnaya, sitting on the thick, frozen ice of a lake located behind his childhood home, ice fishing with only the surrounding forests and the thoughts in his head.
He tunes out all of the passers-by, trying to enjoy his fishing when he hears a vaguely familiar voice. He scans the seafood stalls, the voice sticking out in his head.
Soft, firm, lilting but quiet....but distinctly feminine.
He racks his brain, trying to remember where he had heard that tone before, a certain dark-haired man sticking out in his brain.
Tall, dark clothing covers her body, stretched tight over her large chest. His eyes zero in on the thin fabric of her dress shirt, the straining of buttons extremely apparent. An extremely familiar suit coat covers her body, long coattails leading to equally as long legs, covered in dark pantyhose fabric, ending in expensive-looking heels.
The longer he stares, the more and more he recognizes the lady. Her long, brown hair tied in a simple, low hanging ponytail. Soft-looking, tanned skin. The elegant air she carries herself with. Her voice...could it be?
Zhongli?
He raises a brow, realization settling across his face as his mouth gapes slightly. That is Zhongli.
Why is he a woman now? Why was he...built in such an attractive way...?
He watches her as she converses with a merchant, pointing at a large fish and nodding her head. The merchant's eyes refuse to stay on her face, trailing over the rest of her curvaceous form, taking in the beauty that is Zhongli with his unworthy eyes--
Just as she reaches for her wallet with elegant hands, it slips from her grasp, falling to the stone ground.
He can hear a mild gasp from her, and her profuse apologies as she leans over to retrieve her wallet, and he can see up her skirt. And to his own surprise--
She's not wearing anything underneath.
Childe's mouth snaps shut as an ugly emotion builds in his stomach, spreading through his lungs and his limbs, almost choking him. The fishing pole clutched in his fist near snaps with the tension before he discards it on the pier he's seated on.
It's not right for him to be feeling the way he feels. Zhongli is her own person, she's not his, he has no say in what she does. Even if what she does is wear a sinfully short skirt and nothing underneath, then bend in front of any man who dares look in her direction like it's no matter.
Before he knows it, he's on his feet and striding over to the brunette, settling a reigned hand upon her back and enjoying her startled noise. He glares at the merchant condescendingly, shooting him an angered look.
Zhongli tilts her head towards him, soft brown locks falling over her cheeks as her eyelashes flutter. "Childe?" she whispers, sounding like a meek rabbit.
Childe bites back a noise as he grasps her arm, pulling her upright. "There you are, jiejie! I've been looking for you all day--what a coincidence it is that I met you here!" he hums, a stark contrast to his actions. "I need to show you something, so please follow me, ok?"
Giving the merchant one last glare, he leaves the docks with Zhongli in tow.