[ Zhongli’s reactions are absolutely divine, a wanton pleasure he didn’t know he’d been craving until that moment. Childe drinks them all greedily, commits them to memory for the next cold, lonely night when he only has his hand to keep him company. While he hadn’t expected to find what was essentially a fairly effective honeypot in this land - because what else could he be, being the brother of Rex Lapis - he doesn’t have any issues with falling into the trap willingly.

It’s all for the sake of his mission, he tells himself. If he maybe enjoys himself a little too much in the process of railing this very attractive stranger, so be it.

Childe pulls away once he’s sucked an alarmingly sized bruise into the other’s neck to admire his work, lifting his head up to regard Zhongli with a grin that’s definitely not sorry at all. If anything, he looks proud to have left his mark on the man - proud and a little smug and a little fond, all wrapped up in the darkness of his eyes. Maybe he’ll beg for forgiveness later. Maybe.

But maybe the way he noses at him and then kisses at his cheek, his jaw, his ear - taking a moment to nip at the shell of it - could be seen as apology enough. ]

If they didn’t already know what you were up to when you’re limping for a week after I fuck you, then I wouldn’t worry much.

[ And then his grip is back on Zhongli’s now bare hips, gently coaxing him to turn and face the wall. There’s no mistaking how this is going to end between them - the only question now is how badly Zhongli wants it. ]