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“I'd like to speak with my husband. Privately.” Childe stressed.
Zhongli paused his writing and made a sign for Pervases to leave. It would seem paperwork will have to continue without the assistant's help if he were to meet his schedules.
His firecracker of a mate stood opposite his desk. Playing a demure Omega for the world to see. If only everyone else knew.
As soon as Pervases left...
“Fight me.”
Zhongli raised an eyebrow, stilling the quill in his hand. Quite the bold offer, considering the Omega did not like to let people know he fought. Zhongli himself found out by accident after all.
Not to mention his thoughts on the matter. A little too well .
“No.”
A sigh. “I won't get hurt...much. Oh don't look at me like that!”
Zhongli returned to the banal signage of paperwork. “I will not be the reason you get hurt, Childe. My conscience will not allow it.”
“What I wouldn't give for you to do away with that conscience once in a while.” Childe muttered.
“I am not being sexist either, I just-”
“I want a spar, Zhongli! I haven't had one in ages. The last time I fought-”
Zhongli quelled the roiling emotions in him. Yes. The last time the Omega fought, he had fought Signora. For their lives. While it was exciting, and frankly arousing, for him to see the love of his life revelling in his bloodlust and skill, it was not something he wanted to put them through again. Put myself through again.
“You are the one insisting on the farce of being a delicate flower, Childe.”
Childe gave a suffering groan. “Give me a cheat day! That's all I ask! I mean, the infamous God of War at one time, is my husband . You can't blame me for being curious about his prowess in the field!”
Zhongli's heart warmed at the sentiment. Not at the clear attempt of flattery to get what he wanted, but the address of husband. But still, he wasn't Zhongli without (a slowly crumbling) will of stone.
“You are a skilled enough fighter Childe, one of the Harbingers. Their Vanguard, in fact. You don't need to fight me to win some kind of approval-”
Childe laughed. A boisterous clear one. “You actually think I'm doing this for you?” Childe loomed over the desk still shaking his head and puffing laughter. “You mistake me, Morax. Naturally you would though. I knew your reactions when you saw me fight.” His voice had almost devolved into an Omegan purr.
A wave of heat ran through Zhongli and he shivered as he made eye contact with those flat blue eyes. Eyes that knew his reactions all too well.
“Admit it Zhongli, you are just as curious about how I fight as I am.” Even closer. Zhongli could feel the heat from Childe's body float to him. “You relish the idea of making me submit. ”
The quill in his hand broke and Childe moved back, a vicious, devious grin dancing on his face. That smile on any other would be hideous to Zhongli.
“Three days from now, to settle your affairs and close off the training grounds for us.” Childe was not going to take no for an answer.
“You seem awfully sure I will turn up.” Zhongli commented, scrabbling for thoughts besides kissing that grin off his mate's face.
Childe stalked to the door, but before he opened the doors he looked back saying, “I don't think I can spend my upcoming heat with an Alpha who can't beat me.”
---------
Zhongli turned up. Of course he did. He had seen neither hide nor hair of his mate in three days. After that preposterous ultimatum. Yes, he had prepared the arena for it. As he was now, waiting there, admittedly annoyed.
The area sealed, the sun rising, a selection of weapons available. And yet, an empty arena.
“You should stop grumbling.” Childe's voice lilted.
Zhongli turned to see him walk up the steps to the centre. Wearing a different suit than usual, black and red, with the curious mask he carried crooked on his head.
“No weapon?” Childe asked, bringing out a beautiful bow.
“Polearm. Although I'd rather not fight.”
“Boring.” Childe rolled his eyes. “What a boring husband I'm cursed with.”
That didn't phase Zhongli. They both knew it wasn't the case. Zhongli's expression said it all. Try better darling .
“Fine.” Childe grit.
And that seemed to be the ginger’s cue. He leapt into action, firing a number of arrows, all manifested from hydro energy and all deadly sharp. Zhongli dodged, ducked and circled, still not bringing out his polearm.
“Fight. Me.” The Omega growled.
Zhongli got the distinct impression of a hissing cat hearing the words.
“Although you are-” A step to the right “-quite stunning like this, I do not wish-” A careful dodge “-wish to hurt you .”
Not a single arrow had landed on his person.
Childe's eyes, he had assumed would take its usual fiery quality or maybe narrow in anger. But instead they softened. With hurt. “You don't think I'm strong?”
That thoroughly disarmed Zhongli. “No! I- I just-”
A hit in gut.
Which hurt. Badly.
Zhongli glared at his mate. A look of triumph was all he got in return.
Patience Zhongli. You do not succumb to the urge to fight.
“Calm down, Childe. You do not-” A symbol appeared on his stomach, made of hydro.
Zhongli could only blink. Childe grinned. He had clearly sensed his simmering anger.
Suddenly, two short blades of hydro launched at him, and his polearm dodged them out of instinct. Zhongli swung in a half pirouette with a slash for the stomach, making Childe bounce back and shift to a bow.
He is dangerous.
Ignoring the arousal of it all, the tightness and notch of his hips, Zhongli focused on diffusing the active threat he was becoming.
And suddenly the strange symbol pulsed again. Getting a wince out of him.
Zhongli glared in fury. He was holding himself back for the sake of his Omega but it was not reciprocated. If executed well these marks could kill. It would be best not to come into contact with attacks anymore.
He had just the solution. Summoning a pillar, Zhongli stood. Unmoving. Confident no attack could phase him.
And then an arrow came, marking him through the shield.
Zhongli growled at the threat and they launched into a close quarter battle. Polearm against blades as Childe was nicked in the cheek and Zhongli in the arm. Childe barely dodged waves of geo from pillars while Zhongli was weakening, albeit slowly, with the symbol on his person.
The long drawn out battle frustrated both of them, for different reasons. But who would crack first?
“If you don't want to end this...” Childe panted finally, applying the sign once more. “Perhaps I should ask the Tsaritsa.”
That's it.
Zhongli snapped. He called a meteor from the sky, watching with furious glee the awe and horror in Childe's face. Then, as he tried to scramble out of the way, he was petrified.
Zhongli was not sane at this point, the fury at the thought of his Omega. His mate. Being taken by that hag of a former employer was crawling under his skin. A lesson was in order. So that Childe would never forget to stay his.
-----------
The petrification left Childe a little disoriented for a while. Taking advantage of it, Zhongli pinned his to the ground, on his front. One hand on the vulnerable nape of his neck, and another clasping his arms behind him.
Against the restraints, Childe, his stubborn, infuriating, Omega , squirmed like a little bird in the maw of a lion. It was almost adorable if it weren't for the surge of power running through the Alpha.
There was something primitive in him that singed having the unruly Omega under him. So he growled. Making it clear. Submit.
Only a shudder and even more thrashing. Zhongli leaned over, moving his hand away and biting on the mating mark on the side of the neck.
The creature beneath him stilled.
Controlling himself, barely, Zhongli said, “Cease your thrashing.”
“Fuck you.” Childe gasped out. He pushed his backside against Zhongli's crotch at the same time undermining the message.
All synapses in Zhongli's body changed from violence to sheer arousal. He groaned, loud and unabashed into the arena, collapsing and crushing the Omega under his weight.
Gaining leverage he bit out “Brat.”
Instinctually the two began grinding against each other, the crease getting wetter. From sweat or slick, neither knew.
Childe laughed, breathless. “You can't put me in my place if you tried.”
There was no getting drunk off scents this time, or knowing Childe wanted this out of arousal. They had both opted to wear their suppressing jewellery. But the pheromones seemed almost unnecessary with the energy between them crackling.
Smells and dampness of sweat however had its own appeal to Zhongli. As if he subdued a powerful warrior.
And he had. One of the Harbingers no less.
In a surge of impulse, Zhongli grabbed. And tore.
A shocked shout echoed around them as Childe's pants were torn down the seam.
“Now. You are going to shut up and take what I give you. Understood?” Zhongli panted, suddenly assaulted by the smells and visual of Childe's slick dripping, winking hole.
“W-wait! I-”
A loud crack followed. Zhongli had had enough of the posturing. He delivered a swift hit to the right cheek of Childe's ass, and before the shock could wear out, another on the left one.
The coloured an attractive red. Almost making the Alpha ask if things were okay, if it were for the wrecked moan that followed.
“I said, shut up. And take it.”
Childe whined, finally, tension relaxing from the body, submitting to the still tight chokehold on the neck. A hand was now unfastening Zhongli's pants.
“This will be hard, fast, and painful. Nod if you are okay.” Zhongli offered out of courtesy.
Child nodded, turning his neck so he could breathe better, exposing a blessed out expression and teary glazed eyes to Zhongli.
The Alpha sighed at the beauty of it. Then smiled, cruel, but vicious. “Good. Not so hard was it?”
More slick leaked from the hole. That was all the answer he needed.
Zhongli eased his cock into his mate, core clenching and the sensations and heat of Childe's insides. After three days of not seeing the Omega. Not being able to touch, tease, relish. The hole had also missed him. It was impossibly tighter, clinging to him, vice like.
The Omega whined, whimpered, moaned, his cries for “Faster!” And “More!” And “Yes!” falling on deaf ears as the Alpha carved his way through the familiar hole slowly. Halfway through, he spat where they were joined, shoving the rest in with the extra lubrication.
With each inch disappearing he felt the channel slicken and tighten, making the sensations just so much more exquisite.
Finally sheathed in, they paused, trembling, gathering their bearings.
Finally, Zhongli moved.
They had never been rough with each other. Even in the worst moments, the tenderness of the act lingered. But none of that was here now and Childe seemed to revel in it. His hands were scratching the floor and thrusts jerked him forward uncontrollably. As he was manhandled by Zhongli, to lift his bruised bum higher and higher for a better angle.
“You. Insufferable. Cocksure. Omega.” Zhongli hissed, with punctuating thrusts. “Are you this needy even during your heat?”
Distantly Zhongli was appalled at the disturbing thoughts pouring out of his mouth, but the need. Oh the burning need to just take and take.
Childe's hoarse cry of pleasure cut through his. Someone would have surely heard it. Zhongli clenched just a little tighter on the Omega's throat. A warning to be quiet, but I didn't work. A punched out moan followed.
It gave him leverage to piston his hips into Childe's now relaxing hole.
“Tighten it Omega.” He purred. “Show that you only want me. ”
“M-Morax!” Childe cried finally. And he clenched. Hard.
Oh. He just came.
“Fuck!” It was Zhongli's turn to groan. The Omega was a treasure. His treasure.
“You will not run to anyone else you hear me?” Zhongli grunted. Now pushing and grinding the sensitive channel to overstimulation. His own member throbbed inside, never wanting to pull out for a second.
Only a wail met him.
He bit their mating mark with a loud groan that vibrated through them and fell into his orgasm.
----------------
As they lay on their bed, Childe merely said, “You went easy on me. Next week don't hold back.”
Zhongli groaned.
OMAKE
"You heard the sounds from the arena?" Chongyun asked Xingqiu as they waited for the area to be free. They had their regular drills to do.
"Yes. Although I don't think much training was going on. Everyone's guessed that much by now." Xingqiu said smirking, still not taking his face out of the newest book he got his hands on.
"True." Chongyun added gravely. "Lord Morax must be quite the teacher if he gets Lord Ajax to cry like that. But he should take it easy. He's an omega."
The two stopped their rounds near the arena as Xingqiu paused, looking at Chongyun with a mystified expression.
"How are you like this, Chongyun?"
Chongyun frowned. "Like what?"
Deciding against corrupting his innocent sweet friend he dragged him off to the kitchens in search of Xiangling.