Work Text:
Once Childe was snoring softly, Zhongli crept out with Xiao - leaving the door open just a crack.
He had observed Xiao’s reactions curiously during the whole ordeal and was quite certain that there was some unfinished business to take care of.
Xiao gave him a quizzical look when Zhongli did not let go of his wrist but instead dragged him into his study and bent him flat over the desk.
“Little bird, now tell me why exactly did you not choose to tell me where our dear Ajax had been busying himself, until now?”
Xiao gave a shocked squeak and tried to stand up only for Zhongli to push him back down again.
“I-I’m not quite certain what you mean, I don’t really recall right now - ”
“Oh, but I do love. How could I forget when you looked as if you were the one getting marked up by my hand?”
Xiao blushed profusely, starting to devolve into apologies, only for Zhongli to lean down and whisper to him.
“Hush, let’s put this whole matter behind us - although of course there is the matter of equality.”
“Equality?”
“Conspiring to cover up another’s tracks is not much less guilty than having done the act yourself…”
Zhongli smiled coolly.
“Besides, you do come undone so beautifully - indulge me, Xiao.”
Despite the jest in Zhongli’s tone as he reprimanded Xiao - there was a hint of spice underneath, a low hum of displeasure that made Xiao want to hide himself away from his ever perceptive gaze. He gave a tiny gasp in astonishment and felt an unbearable sense of heat already arising to his face at the implications of Zhongli’s words.
What had possessed him to cover up the reckless actions of Childe, he did not quite know. Or perhaps he did but it was something he was loathe to admit to himself. That on that night when they had gotten the phone call, Xiao had been so very worried - and shocked at the intensity of the emotions that had destabilised his entire world.
He remembered back to that night, and how Zhongli had put down his phone with a grave look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao inquired softly, patting a towel down to finish drying his hair fresh out of the shower.
The feeling of dread in his chest continued to grow when Zhongli did not say a single word. The windows creaked with the loud whistling of the wind and the rain crashed relentlessly outside against the roof of their penthouse apartment.
“Xiao, we have no time to waste I am afraid. Please put on your coat and meet me downstairs, I will call a taxi.”
The dread was now a roaring beast yelling in his ear.
“But are we not meant to be making dinner, Ajax will be home soon?”
Zhongli drew in a sharp breath and when he next spoke there was a tremble in his tone that matched the tremors in his hand as he quickly buttoned up his long overcoat.
“I’m afraid there has been a delay to dinner. Xiao, please do hurry.”
His frozen feet finally moved of their own volition, the forgotten towel dropping to the floor and before he knew it they were sitting in a white sterile room, his stomach twisting and aching in such a massive knot that Xiao was afraid he may throw up right there and then.
The words coming from the nurse’s mouth sounded as if they were emerging from underwater.
“Blunt force trauma to the head, no he has not woken up yet, no visitors yet I am afraid - yes we will let you know as soon as we have more information. Ah, so you are his partner? Oh, and also your young friend here?”
“Xiao?”
Xiao stared down at his hands, noticing how pale they had become against the black fabric of his jeans.
A warm hand came to cover his and Zhongli squeezed his hand firmly.
“My bird listen to me, Ajax is going to be okay. We will make sure of it and we will be here for when he awakens.”
However, even when Childe did wake up, Xiao did not know what to say. He stood numbly by the edge of the bed, idling as Zhongli fussed over him.
It was strange to see their boyfriend lying so uncharacteristically still, and looking so small with all the monitors attached to him and the bandages wrapped around his head - eyes unfocused and confused.
“Zhongli, Xiao, what happened, where am I?”
Zhongli hushed him and stroked the back of his hand.
“Love, you are here with us. Just sleep and recover, we can talk once you wake up.”
Childe wrinkled his nose, somewhat unconvinced and about to protest but the effects of the medication he was on soon sent him back into a deep slumber.
When he was finally able to have an intelligent conversation with them, he was already itching to leave and get back home, but the doctor had wanted to monitor his condition for just a couple more days.
“But-”
“Don’t be a fool,” Xiao looked down at the ground, “- you really worried us you know.”
“And I am actually sorry about that,” Childe had replied with a soft, sleepy tone, sounding much more vulnerable than usual.
Zhongli was out grabbing some snacks from the vending machine, so it had just been the two of them. Xiao had bought along a board game to play but it was abandoned rather quickly as Childe did not have the energy yet to keep up with the rules, despite having been the one to purchase it for them to all play together a couple of weeks ago.
“Don’t be sorry… it wasn’t your fault,” Xiao said firmly.
“No, no, I know - I mean it is always a danger that any rider takes with them when out on their motorbike. But I am sorry for the fact that you are worrying yourself so much… you’ve seriously been looking like you’ve seen a ghost since the second you walked in here. I don’t really look that horrible do I?” Childe was picking at the edges of the boardgame box, glancing up at him from beneath lowered lashes, beseeching and hunting for affection unrepentantly.
Xiao shook his head with a tiny smile.
“No of course not, you know you always look great,” he flushed slightly, glancing aside again.
Childe seemed surprised at the compliment, if his speechlessness was anything to go by. He gave a half kind of laugh and then, with no small degree of uncertainty, asked Xiao how he was really doing.
Of course, Xiao was not going to say that he had been having sleepless nights and beating himself up for not having driven Childe to the campus that night. There was supposed to be a celebration for his graduating class and Xiao had been going to offer to drive him there after hearing on the news earlier that the weather forecast was predicting heavy rain, however, Xiao had become later distracted by some things related to work and completely forgotten. Childe, ever being the one to be all independent and not worry about such things had only said a quick goodbye and given him a kiss on the cheek before leaving.
Xiao regretted having dodged the kiss. He had been feeling a bit out of sorts the whole evening from this sudden work thing and Childe had been annoyingly distracting with his constant questions, trying to pick out the right outfit and trying to find where the high quality Liyuen liquor he had gotten as gifts for his professors had gone to - making a racket rifling through the apartment. After a third time of being interrupted, Xiao had said:
“You’re a grown adult Ajax, just figure it out yourself,” and Childe had looked rather hurt - retorting that if Zhongli was home he would have been much more helpful.
This had then made Xiao go silent and ignore him until it had been time to leave, hence the dodged kiss and the absolutely terrible feeling of shame that had overcame him upon thinking that could have been their last ever interaction. That on a big night when Childe was probably secretly worrying and wanting to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly, Xiao had just gotten irritated at him and not even ensured his safety by driving him through the rain - oh, how stupid it had all been.
So when Xiao had caught Childe the previous evening coming home late, evidently having been at work rather than resting as he should have been, he had let it slide and helped him cover up the secret from Zhongli. Had it been particularly wise? No, but it had helped ease at least some of the guilt that had been eating him alive.
In the present moment, it seemed that Zhongli could see right through his mind and into the anxieties flitting about because his grip loosened and his tone became instantly much softer and grounding.
“Is something the matter bird?”
Xiao shook his head and gave a wan smile, but even then he knew that it was not very convincing.
“You and Ajax are rather alike in this regard - but as I am sure you know very well, I am not fond of untruths, especially when they are evidently causing you some kind of harm,” Zhongli said with a frown.
Xiao wished Zhongli was not so very stubborn when it came to their wellbeing. And he wished that he was not so easy to come undone, as he stood there and felt his breath quicken upon the scent of Zhongli pressed up so close against him - the gentle scent of glaze lilies intoxicating and lulling him into a sense of security.
“It will sound foolish but -” he bit his lip only to gasp as Zhongli leaned closer and closed his ending words with a soft kiss.
He had to tilt his head to meet Zhongli’s kiss from this position, with a soft gasp as Zhongli cupped his jaw lightly, nipping on his lower lip and pressing him more tightly against the desk. Some of the ink from the papers with calligraphy on it pressed against Xiao’s bare arms, leaving smudged imprints.
There was no light in the room save for an antique desk lamp, that illuminated Xiao’s face with a soft candle-esque glow. He was on display in more ways than one for his lover while Zhongli gently lifted his hips to roll down his shorts.
“ Ah - Zhongli,” Xiao gasped softly as he felt a warm hand kneading the flesh of his behind, even through his underwear the touch was scalding hot.
“What is it Xiao? Use your words,” Zhongli was unyielding as stone, but even while saying this he pressed a kiss to the crown of Xiao’s hair.
Xiao shuddered, trying to ignore the pooling heat in his belly and biting his lip as Zhongli continued to move his hand upward, gently massaging the tension from out of his rigid spine.
He knew Zhongli was no longer in the mood for any games, not from Childe or from him. And if he said that nothing was the matter, he had a feeling the consequence would be so… overwhelming that they would surely wake Childe and Xiao did not want him to have anything else to worry about besides resting.
So with a great deal of resolve, Xiao let the words fall from his lips.
“I have been blaming myself for what happened…” he trailed off as Zhongli’s touch stiffened against his back.
“Oh Xiao…” his voice was low, sorrowful, with a faint undercurrent of something else lingering there.
“I know you don’t think I should, but I can’t help it,” Xiao stared at the imprints of ink staining his arms, like a physical manifestation of the swirling doubts that had been thrumming through his veins lately.
He hadn’t even realised there were a few tears dropping until he instinctively reached up to rub his eyes and felt the wetness there. Zhongli rubbed his thumb gently along his lower lashes, wiping away the tears and continuing to massage his lower back underneath the fabric of his nightshirt.
“It does sadden me Xiao because it isn’t true, Ajax does not blame you, nor do I, it was nothing more than an unfortunate accident.”
“B-but-”
With the barest hint of admonishment, Zhongli stopped Xiao’s protest by a warm squeeze on his hip, thumbing lightly over his hipbone.
“No bird, I will not allow you to continue to tread down this path, however-” Zhongli gave him a sad smile, “-it still is not right that you enabled Ajax in his self-destructive tendencies and allowed him to take the fall, no matter how much that rascal may have enjoyed it.”
Xiao sucked in a deep breath and nodded shakily, his eyes still rimmed by a couple of stray tears that Zhongli continued to wipe away.
“I have to be fair bird, you know that very well…” Zhongli spoke plaintively, “however, I know that you are not as at ease as him at taking this kind of treatment so I promise my bird that I will be exceedingly gentle. I will only do what you ask, and nothing more than that.”
A smooth cool fabric came to rest over Xiao’s eyes, a familiar feeling that sent a flash of anticipation through him, as well as a sense of grounding and safety. He didn’t have to think too hard about whether Zhongli’s expression was really one of concern, or if he was truly upset at Xiao. It was a method that Zhongli only used under the rarest of moments when he could tell that Xiao was too wrought up to handle the weight of his direct attention.
Xiao obediently lifted himself up from the desk for a moment as Zhongli tugged his shirt off.
“Now bird, with our without these?” Zhongli inquired, giving a delicate pat to his behind once he was sure that Xiao was comfortable, taking a couple of moments to tug a couple of strands of hair out of where they were being pulled tight by the blindfold.
“It’s fine without,” Xiao whispered, glad that Zhongli couldn’t see the way his face had gone aflame. Zhongli knew that he trusted him, there was no need really to check but he still did. He felt Zhongli’s hand at his waistband, gently removing the garment and finally touching his bare goosebumped flesh.
“So good for me,” Zhongli murmured as he continued to lavish pecks along the side of his nape, twisting out tiny gasps from Xiao, who was unable to do anything but feel the sensations in all their intensity.
He tried to keep quiet though, it had dawned on him the possibility of Childe walking in on this, and Xiao was already embarrassed enough that Zhongli had felt the need to scold him, let alone that he was now receiving a punishment - no matter how light it was going to be.
Xiao could imagine it now. The way Childe’s eyes would light up instantly upon seeing that Zhongli was finally dealing with him in this way when he was typically the one receiving the brunt of his gentler care. Although perhaps it would make him feel a little less alone, as Xiao knew that there had been moments when Childe would worriedly ask if he was too much for them, this was usually after returning from visiting his family and being cold-shouldered by his older siblings. It made Xiao’s heart ache, but at the same time he was hardly ever sure how to comfort him.
So a tiny part of him supposed maybe it would be okay if Childe saw him like this, although it would be rather -
“Xiao? Zhongli?” came a shocked exclamation from the widened crack of the door which Xiao hadn’t even heard opening.
He flushed in embarrassment, unable to hide at all - completely bared to both Childe and Zhongli’s gaze in the low light of the room.
Standing up from his compromising position Xiao lifted the corner of his blindfold a smidgen.
“Ajax, you are meant to be resting, was the lesson earlier not clear enough?”
“And you have the audacity to get up to such scandalous things while believing I am knocked out like a light?”
Childe crossed an arm across his body, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.
He was carrying a glass of water, evidently just filled from the pitcher in the kitchen. He had thrown on one of Zhongli’s shirts and borrowed his slippers as well - he did often like to take Zhongli’s clothes much to the older’s chagrin.
Xiao was not one to talk though. He secretly loved Childe’s hoodies which had the softest fleece lining.
“This one truly has no sense of self-preservation,” Zhongli whispered to Xiao with an amused chuckle.
“Ajax, it’s fine. You can keep resting - you probably need it…”
“And miss out on this? Not a chance,” Childe retorted - a mischievous glimmer flashing in his eyes.
“Ajax.”
Zhongli’s tone had taken on that edge again and Xiao didn’t miss the involuntary way Childe’s breath stilled at it.
“Geez, okay I get it, I can take the hint that I’m no longer wanted here.”
Childe darted forward to give Xiao a warm embrace. Zhongli’s shirt felt silken smooth against Xiao’s skin and drew a tiny smile from him as well as a staccato flutter of wanton need for the uncompromising force of nature that was their younger partner.
“But take good care of Xiao, it’s not his fault. It’s all mine so if you are going to dish out some transgressions then… you know go easy on him.”
“Why of course love, there is no question about that.”
Zhongli’s mouth curled in a half-smile, while Xiao hid his face in Childe’s shoulder for a moment. He felt a fond kiss pressed to the crown of his head in a similar spot to where Zhongli had.
Xiao felt Childe startle momentarily though when a sneaky hand snuck under his shirt to wrap around his waist and draw him flush against the older man.
“Hey - Xiao wasn’t done yet with me-” Zhongli shut Childe up with a firm press of his lips against his - drowning out any further protestations.
Xiao suddenly felt the urge to pull his blindfold back over his eyes.
Not because he didn’t enjoy watching the push and pull between the two of them, but more because it made him feel ashamed at the thoughts it bought to mind. Zhongli’s hands were so big, they splayed across Childe’s hipbones and soon Xiao knew he was going to be feeling them on his own-
“Okay, okay that’s enough… for now,” Childe pushed Zhongli away with a huff, but Xiao didn’t miss the triumphant grin he flashed Xiao’s way before pulling the shirt down from where it had ridden up his thighs.
Before he could walk out though Xiao reached for his wrist, halting him in his tracks and bringing a surprised look to Zhongli’s face as well.
“It’s okay, I want you to stay,” Xiao declared - feeling a warmth in his chest when he saw how Childe positively lit up and Zhongli gave him such a doting smile that he felt as if he might melt against the floorboards.
“Has Christmas come early?”
Xiao rolled his eyes but allowed Childe to kiss him again this time much more fervently and he couldn’t help the squeak which fell from his mouth at the intensity.
“A-Ajax- wait-”
Zhongli luckily only really had to give Childe a single pinch in a certain tender area.
“Now that is really enough I think,” a gentler squeeze this time but it still made Childe shift uncomfortably, “how about you take a seat over there and let Xiao and I continue where we left off?”
“So impatient, not that I can blame you I guess.”
Childe finally extricated himself successfully from both Zhongli and Xiao and plopped himself down on Zhongli’s high-backed office chair, leaning forward in poorly concealed anticipation and drumming his fingers against the armrest.
“Now, bird… where were we?”
Xiao blushed as he felt Zhongli secure the blindfold once more and bring him back over the desk.
This time some of the calligraphy papers were sweeped off in the process and Xiao had to restrain the urge to gather them all up.
As if he sensing his discomfort, Zhongli stroked his nape reassuringly - tickling the baby hairs and running his fingers through some of the longer pieces of hair that hung down against the desk.
“How many would you like?”
Would he like?
Why did Zhongli always treat him so lovingly, as if he were something precious and irreplaceable in his eyes.
“As many as you deem fit,” Xiao whispered.
He lowered his gaze instinctively - not that it was much help. For where else could he hide but the depths of his own mind from that presence which constantly stripped him bare, made him feel like everything and nothing at all.
“Oh Xiao, you know if it were up to me it would be none,” Zhongli’s voice lowered reproachfully.
Xiao instantly heard some hurried footsteps come rushing to his side.
“Xiao, please tell me you seriously are not blaming yourself,” Childe grabbed his hand urgently and squeezed it, “because if you are you really shouldn’t.”
“I know, but-”
“But nothing! What more will it take to show you that I’m truly fine? I know I’ve been kind of difficult lately but it’s just because I’ve felt so damn useless. It never even crossed my mind to be mad at you because of that night.”
“You’re not fine. You hurt yourself at work the other day - and I couldn’t do anything about it...”
“And it was my choice-”
Zhongli hummed disapprovingly.
“- ahem I mean, look I didn’t mean to get injured but like what does that have to do with you Xiao? You know me, I can’t sit still for my own good. I was going crazy being stuck at home all day and not being able to do anything to help you guys out.”
“But you wouldn’t have even been in this situation if I had just drove you to-”
“But I should have known better. I saw that weather and decided that I could brave it, I should have been the one to ask you. I shouldn’t have moped around just because you were understandably pissed off at me being a bit disorganised that day-
“I shouldn’t have made you so upset you felt you couldn’t ask me-”
“Stop, both of you.”
Zhongli’s tone sounded so awfully terribly sad.
Instantly a curtain of silence descended upon them.
His touch disappeared from where he had been stroking Xiao’s back and kneading out the tension wound tight there.
Xiao heard Childe trying to take a few steps backward only to stop, and the rustling of clothes as Zhongli wrapped him in what must have been a bone-crushing hug if the quick intake of breath was anything to go by.
“Love, don’t think I don’t know that part of the reason why you wanted that punishment earlier was at least in some small part out of some misplaced sense of guilt, the same one that Xiao you are expressing right now.”
“Wait, Zhongli don’t cry - shit- oh my god I’m so-”
“Hush. Just let me have this. Ajax, please don’t run from me. I feel as if you’ve been running this whole time when all I want is to tell you how much I love you and don’t want any harm to befall you. Even after being punished you did not allow me to embrace you like this, and I am afraid that Xiao will do the same. But I don’t want either of you to run… because you’re my treasures.”
Xiao couldn’t help feeling his eyes water at that.
He had to cover his mouth to suppress a single noise from escaping.
“Zhongli…”
Soft footsteps came toward him and once again Xiao was granted vision, which he almost instantly wanted to lose again as he saw the tear tracks on Zhongli’s face, leaving his red eyeliner smudged.
And with his arms wrapped around himself, shoulders shaking, was Childe standing by the doorway looking down at the ground. His sobs were quiet, but nevertheless audible and Xiao had no idea what to do.
“Go to him,” Xiao pleaded.
“My bird you are doing the same as him, the both of you are pushing me away. And it hurts, because while you are both busy engaged in self-flagellation I have to watch all alone unable to do a single thing while you continue to use me as your form of the punishment you wish to inflict upon yourselves. How can I not be in pain seeing the two I love the most hurting themselves…”
“I-it’s not like that though.”
“Then what is it like Xiao? What do you truly want of me?”
Xiao faltered - a massive lump blocking up his throat making it hard to breathe. He had never heard Zhongli take on such a serious tone before, it frightened him to think that he was the cause of it but then that if he were to apologise for it that Zhongli would think he was just falling into the pattern of self-blame.
He was backed into a corner.
Was there anything he could do to convince Zhongli that he craved his chastisement not only from guilt but also a small seed of depravity? That when Zhongli’s hand left those reddened blossoms of colour on Childe earlier, Xiao had watched enviously - wanting to experience it too.
And he knew that Childe was also motivated by more than just guilt. As if the shameless arousal of that brat wasn’t evident even before Zhongli had laid a hand on him.
“Xiao? Will you still not answer me,” Zhongli whispered this time - bringing his hand to gently cup Xiao’s face, breaking him out of his thoughts.
“I just don’t want to see you… like this,” Xiao answered shakily.
“And I don’t want to see you like this either. Either of you. My bird, I want nothing more than both of you to feel comfortable to come to me with anything.”
“And I do, I promise,” he held onto Zhongli’s wrist and leaned further into the touch - trying to hold his gaze with all the earnestness he could muster.
“Xiao can you promise me then that after this you will try to let go of that guilt? I can be here alongside you and I don’t expect this to change overnight by any means. But please swear to me that you will not see this as my punishment of you but as my indulging in something that will bring you pleasure. You look so beautiful in the heat of passion my bird. I am selfish I admit for wanting to see it, but if you were to see yourself the way I do I’m sure you would understand.”
Zhongli cradled Xiao’s hand and bought it against his chest.
Unshed tears clung like diamonds to his lower lashes and Xiao wondered for a moment why Zhongli would ever think he was the selfish one.
“Of course, Li -ge.”
Xiao resisted the urge to press his face against the desk - to hide himself away.
In doing so, he was handsomely rewarded by seeing the wide smile that unfurled on Zhongli’s face upon hearing Xiao calling his name so sweetly.
“Come here, let me hold you.”
Zhongli opened his arms wide and Xiao allowed himself to fall straight into them. He could smell the familiar tinge of glaze lily scented shampoo as he buried his face in his chest.
A lingering “I’m sorry” was clamped shut behind his teeth. He could not ruin this moment, no matter how blasphemous it felt to not utter an apology when he had made his Li-ge upset.
“Love, are you not going to come here as well?”
Zhongli called out softly to Childe.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry. I-I don’t really know what’s come over-”
“Ajax, please .”
At the thread of desperation in there, Childe finally glanced over. It was obvious that he really wanted to keep up the act a moment longer, to lock up his vulnerability and throw away the key. But Zhongli and Xiao were his kryptonite.
Sure, tomorrow he was going to play it off. That much was very certain.
But for now, Childe was letting Zhongli guide him toward their hug and pull him close so that he could whisper something.
Childe gave a small sniff in response to whatever the words were, rubbing his eyes for a moment on his sleeve.
It was unfair really, because even like this he looked so devastatingly lovely. Never the kind of mess that Xiao always felt like he must look like.
Xiao let Childe grab him tight once again - not saying a word but not needing to at the same time. He returned the embrace with a quick peck on his cheek.
A mild yet still pleasant fragrance of citrus clung to Childe’s hair and that familiar scent, intermingled with Zhongli’s, made Xiao feel safe.
Safe.
“Ajax, can you-um stay here. Like hold me while Li-ge, you know…”
Maybe in this roundabout fashion Xiao could convey his true thoughts.
“Always,” Childe gave one of those smiles, the award-winning ones that never failed to snatch Xiao’s breath away.
This time it was him that helped lay Xiao back over the desk. He came over round the other side and knelt on the ground so that he could place his head next to Xiao’s.
Calloused hands tugged the blindfold back over Xiao’s eyes.
“Does that feel good?”
Then a sinful little merry laugh.
“Because I can say for sure that you look so fucking gorgeous right now.”
Xiao blushed so fiercely at that declaration.
“He’s too right, my bird,” Zhongli’s touch returned and it made Xiao’s skin prickle in anticipation.
Then the touch stilled, cupping his behind and engulfing it so fully that Xiao was really glad that no one could see how flustered he currently felt.
“So, let me ask once again, how many shall we go with?”
Xiao hesitated.
“Want to make it equal?”
Childe teased, but there was no pressure in his tone and to hammer that home he then added, “as if you need to. Just the chance to see you like this has already balanced the scales in my expert opinion.”
“And what shall be my price then for seeing the both of you like this?”
Xiao could hear the smile in Zhongli’s voice.
“Nothing,” Xiao shut that down with finality.
His Li-ge deserved everything and more than that for his endless patience.
“But you can do twenty.”
Thrumming with expectation, Xiao finally gave Zhongli the answer he had been waiting for.
“Okay, it shall be as you wish then.”
Zhongli’s voice sounded like pure molten honey.
Xiao’s throat went dry.
Neediness washed over him and he tried to prepare himself. To push his knees together and hide the sign of his shameful desperation.
It seemed it was finally time - he was going to experience the same-
“ Ah! ”
A resounding crack pierced the sleepy quietness of the study along with Xiao’s tiny gasp of astonishment.
The warmth of the hit was radiating across his backside.
“Xiao, remember to count for him-” Childe’s breath came hot against the shell of his ear.
Nodding minutely, Xiao had to bite back a strangled moan when Zhongli’s hand came down again leaving a couple more strikes at the delicate curve of each cheek.
“Don’t listen to him. I would never dream of making my sweet bird think of anything but enjoying the moment.”
“Wow - so unfair.”
Childe gave a dramatic sigh.
“Don’t sulk love, it’s not as if you didn’t ask for it yourself.”
Xiao stifled a giggle only to give a full-body shudder at the aching heat building in his core at the strong hand of Zhongli raining down some much gentler, but still stinging slaps on his bare flesh.
“So good for me,” Zhongli stopped momentarily, “you’re perfect my bird.”
A palm rubbed gently across the scalding hot and shivering surface.
Xiao fought back a whine.
Trembling, he pushed himself up higher on his tippy toes - scrambling to find a better purchase on the desk only to be stilled by Childe’s firm grasp.
“I’ve got you,” then a pair of lips brushed the crown of his head, “after all you’re my little birdie.”
“Ajax…”
Xiao’s cheeks went aflame impossibly hotter at his variation on Zhongli’s pet name.
“A correction if I may, you’re our bird.”
Warmth, all-consuming and heady, rushed through him at the bold, dare he say slightly possessive declaration.
He was theirs.
And they were his.
Scrunching his eyes tight underneath the blindfold, Xiao cried out softly as Zhongli continued to methodically deliver the last half of the swats.
Shuddering little gasps punctuated each hit.
And through it all was Childe whispering sweet nothings alongside him.
It was too much, way too much.
If this continued Xiao felt he would combust - would be reduced to nothing but a shuddering moaning mess as he let Zhongli have his way with him and Childe would be there drinking it all in with such a self-satisfied smirk.
Archons, he was so embarrassed at how much he wanted that though.
How his body sung out for it, for the mindless plunge.
“There’s only five more left now.”
Childe whispered - interlacing each of Xiao’s hands in his own so that Xiao was purely steadied by his hold.
And it was something he was grateful for when he felt Zhongli place all his thorough and careful attention into make those final hits last - such that Xiao could feel the heat lingering longer and making him draw some shuddering tearful breaths.
“It’s over now. You did amazing. Archons, Xiao you were so hot, ah- I just want to-”
The blindfold was torn off and before Xiao could have a moment to react, Childe was against him, nipping lightly at his lower lip and grinning widely when he pulled away.
His eyes were warm and bright with nothing but pure adoration.
Then came a polite tap on his shoulder.
Xiao turned to see Zhongli tilting his head, waiting expectantly.
Wavering unsteadily, he came to his feet and once again let himself be drawn into his embrace. But this time he let himself cry unreservedly.
“Li-ge, I’m sorry - I’m so-”
He couldn’t help it.
Like a dam had broken, worn down by the unrelenting affection of his two partners, Xiao couldn’t help but just let himself sag against Zhongli.
Tensing, he waited for the inevitable scolding at the fact that he was apologising again.
But it never came.
“Oh, my love. I’m not mad, I’m proud, so proud of you. Nothing could make me happier than having you right here in my arms.”
And Xiao’s heart soared, it grew a thousandfold at that simple affirmation.
“Can I stay here for a bit longer then?”