gacharolls | >> 010

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>> 010 | oh, worm

[ It's been a few days since he'd arrived in Liyue proper and the jet lag was only now just starting to wear off. A few days and he'd managed to become familiar enough with the terrain to be able to map out any viable escape routes, discover that he does not have much of a spice tolerance and that also, the man known as "Rex Lapis" was much more of a common face in the streets than he'd imagined him to be.

At first he'd thought he might have been mistaken, that the intel he'd received was wrong in some way. With nothing but a brief description (height, weight, hair color, eye color - and really, couldn't they have come up with a better term than "cor lapis gold"?) and a semi-blurry photograph taken from the side, Childe imagined he would have to scour Liyue for at least a good week or two before he found his target. The people of this fair city didn't seem to want to deviate from their traditional norms and they all seemed to dress the same way, too, making it hard to pick any one apart in a sea of browns and blacks and golds with the occasional vibrant but respectful color thrown into the mix.

Finding "Rex Lapis" would be a chore in itself, never mind going along with the Tsaritsa-sanctioned mission he had been assigned to kill the man. He wouldn't be surprised if he didn't see Snezhnayan shores for a month or two. The harbor city wasn't exactly small, after all, and from what he could see of the photograph the man looked like every other Liyuen walking about.

Imagine his surprise when said man was spotted immediately, perusing the market at his leisure and appraising each individual valuable when it was showcased to him by a hungry-looking merchant. Childe didn't have much of an eye for antiques so they all looked the same to him; nondescript and useless, no real worth in them aside from what they could be melted into. Rex Lapis seemed to have taken fault with literally every item shown to him for over an hour, and in the end had left the stall empty-handed with a fuming, exasperated worker glaring after him.

The man's schedule was easy enough to pick apart after that. Childe had spent the entirety of the first day tailing him and working out his walking path, following him at a leisurely distance and acting every bit like an enamored tourist so taken with Liyue's sights and sounds that lingering in any one place didn't seem too out of the ordinary. Rex would go from one building to another, hitting up all the merchant stalls in-between, always alone, never once breaking his poised, methodical stride. The fact that no one else seemed to be wary or suspicious of him - which, shouldn't they be, given he was effectively the ruling head of his "family"? - Childe was starting to wonder if maybe his intel had been incorrect.

By the third day he'd set up something of a base of operations in one of the buildings that he'd seen Rex meander in and out of. It was a modestly large hotel, boasting the sort of Liyuen-style decoration that a connoisseur of the East would lose themselves in. The architecture and paintings within were distinctly in the same style as the rest of the city, immortalizing Liyue's cultural arts with every brush stroke, ever swath of paint. The people at the lobby were certainly cordial enough and, despite the backwater-country vibes the interior gave off, it was clear they were relatively up to date and rather technologically savvy, the staff able to reserve him a room for a few weeks in a matter of moments after a few swipes on their touchpads.

It might have seemed foolish to book a room in the same building that he planned to trail and potentially murder Rex Lapis in, but Childe had confidence in spades. He knew the best ways to escape the country and, barring that, it wasn't as though there weren't Fatui already infiltrating the city. The element of danger was what made it most exciting, after all.

A few days turned into a little under a week, and then a little over a week, and eventually the time came for Childe to make his move. As much as he had no issues with killing an innocent man, if word that he did got to Rex Lapis himself it wouldn't make finding him any easier. He was pretty sure the man he'd been tailing had to have been him. He looked like the one in the photograph, after all... but then, also, he wasn't entirely sure. He certainly didn't look like the mean-mugging head of a mafia family.

So Childe decides that it would be best to give him a little test of sorts.

It's around seven at night, when the lights of the city have started to flicker to light. The people on the streets are making their way home after a long day's work, threading around each other and making idle chatter in the form of greetings and farewells. Nothing more than that, since everyone has somewhere they need to be.

Childe's target is among them, his height and distinct strides making him stick out like a sore thumb. The man navigates through the crowds easily, smoothly, and were Childe not as good as he was at general reconnaissance work - thanks to his training when he was a grunt in the Fatui - he probably would have lost him minutes ago. Admittedly, there is something about this man that just screams of a higher plane of existence, he thinks, but it's not something he can actually place his finger on.

His chance to strike comes when the man takes a sudden turn into a darkened alley - a usual for him, Childe had learned, but only on certain days. He waits a few moments outside the entrance before stepping in after him, and their footsteps echo hollowly on the high walls around them as the other continues to walk, purposefully, like he hadn't just heard Childe coming in after him.

Yeah, there was no way this was Rex Lapis. Childe reasons this to himself even as he's pulling his Tokarev out from its holster at his side. He fits the silencer into the weapon with a click that seems to ring throughout the area, and he's quick to lift it up and point it at the man in front of him once they've reached a far enough distance from the streets. ]

You're a brave man, you know.

[ He's taken care to dress casually, forgoing his usual suit and vest in favor of slim-fitting jeans and a hoodie. To anyone else he would probably look like a kid attempting a robbery; to Rex, he's not quite sure. Even Childe knows from his reputation among the lower recruits that he's something of a sight on the battlefield. There's particular rumors swirling about his eyes and their hue directly correlating to all the murders he's committed.

Childe's arm never wavers, and his gaze fixates on the man's back as he speaks again, a little louder. ]

Empty your pockets.

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[ really, Rex Lapis had every intention of letting him go despite being severely pissed off since he finally backed off. He doesn't look at the other the entire time, too humiliated and just willing to let Childe walk away with this victory if it means getting the other away from him. Unfortunately, the other has to speak, which gets Rex to look at him, and he sees those eyes.

This won't do. If he were more humble about his victory, he could have gotten away with it, but if he wants to be paid attention to this badly, then fine.

Without warning, Rex Lapis grabs Childe by the collar and drags him onto the desk with his back against it, absolutely uncaring about anything that goes crashing, clattering, or scattering to the floor. The force he uses to keep Childe pinned is to be reckoned with, even as his other hand goes down to Childe's pants to yank them down enough to fully exposed him and not be in the Mafia boss's way. Using his free hand he'll grab one of the other's leg to lift up over his shoulder out of his way for clear access to that entrance of his. ]

And I hope that you can take cock raw so that it doesn't hurt too much. [ oh, but Rex really wants it to hurt, Childe doesn't even know how furious the Mafia head is that he's willing to do something like this after refusing and continuously avoiding it for quite some time. He hopes it hurts enough that Childe looks at his "Zhongli" and can't forget this and it absolutely ruins him for Childe.

There's really no preparation whatsoever, Rex just forcing his engorged and slickened cock inside of Childe once he is able to get it to line up with his entrance. He pushes before pulling back and then thrusts back in to spread him apart further and repeats the motions until he gets his cock completely sheathed. He hopes it's not pleasant, but if Childe really is some masochist and it is in any way, whatever.

At the very least, Rex gets to get release and his pent up frustrations out. That's all he cares about, truth be told. Now that he's worked up, it just isn't going to go down so easily on its own; and like hell he's suffering for this brat's sake after everything he's pulled to get them to this point. ]

[ the moment he felt fingers in his collar, yanking him around to slam him onto the desk Childe feels adrenaline spike within him alongside a potent rush of danger and battlelust. the prospect of getting his long-awaited fight - a real, proper fight and not one that was tipped in Rex Lapis's favor with the use of drugs or some other such thing - was something he would gladly kill for, and the thought that he's completely unarmed and at the man's mercy is second to the sheer elation he feels at finally getting what he wants.

but those thoughts are immediately dashed when he feels hands yanking and wresting his pants down, freeing his half-hard cock from the confines of his trousers and exposing his ass to the other's attentions. not that there would be much of that, and it's only when Childe sees for himself the direction that this is going that panic begins to set in.

immediately he starts squirming, bucking and writhing and shoving at the man over him, but Rex Lapis is practically a mountain of man and utterly immovable. Childe has scarcely enough time to register that he's guiding the tip of his blunt, swollen cock against his ass before the man suddenly rams in, and the combination of pain and disbelief that he's actually pushed the other to such lengths has Childe crying out, fingers tearing and twisting at his shirt while he kicks uselessly.

admittedly, it's not as bad as it could have been given Childe's earlier attentions, but it still hurts. it definitely isn't the sort of first time he might have envisioned for himself, and his body knows it. already he can feel himself trying to push the invader away, trying to shove Rex out instinctively above and below.

it hurts like nothing he's ever felt before, like he's being split apart from the inside. he's always had a high pain tolerance but this is definitely something else, and as the tears prick the corners of his eyes, as he gasps and his chest heaves with pained breaths, he does the first thing that comes to mind.

shaking fingers draw back into a fist, and with a wheeze he punches Rex in the jaw as hard as he can. ]

[ Rex has no choice but to get punched considering his position, especially as he finds himself rather fixated on Childe's reactions. Still, it doesn't really do much in terms of getting the Mafia boss off of him. In fact, it just encourages him to begin moving sooner than he would have. What he's done seems to have inflicted the shock and pain on the assassin as desired, enough that it does ease Rex's ire to the point he isn't pounding Childe into the desk with his thrusts. Besides, the other is incredibly tight for him, which already had him about to see stars before getting punched.

Nevertheless, Rex speaks quietly, something closer to his usual demeanor (but still pretty far from it) even as he rocks his hips to continue fucking the other. ] Are you disappointed? [ there're a few strained huffs before he speaks again. ] Don't worry, you're far too tight for this to go on long. You should be grateful.

[ for what he doesn't say. ] The less you struggle the quicker it'll be over with.

Fuck you. [ he hisses, venomous and spiteful and edged in breathy pain. it's almost unsurprising that the hit didn't really do much, but he's always been persistent, always a thorn in someone's side and it doesn't take long before he's pulling his fist back to do it again.

this is a new low, he thinks, even for someone like Rex who would joke about killing off his own brother like it were nothing. as much as Childe wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt that he wouldn't murder Zhongli in cold blood - there were too many disadvantages for him, he thought, and besides that how could anyone look at Zhongli and want to do him harm? it didn't make any sense - if Rex were capable of doing this he shuddered to think about how he might treat family if they got in his way.

laid out as he is over the desk there's not a whole lot he can do to try and push himself off the other's dick, and his leg squirms uselessly where it's thrown over Rex Lapis's shoulder before he slide it over in an attempt to put pressure on his neck. doing so may or may not tighten him up considerably over the other man, and the sensation of the mafia head fucking into him is intensified along with the bright flare of pain that abruptly peters off into something... more.

his previously deflated cock gives an interested twitch. a sneer curls his lips, and with a sudden burst of strength, he fists a hand roughly into Rex's hair and yanks him down into a biting, bruising kiss meant to hurt as much as shut him up. ]

[ Rex Lapis smirks. Childe sure doesn't know how to gain pity, does he? He avoids the second hit but pulling back just enough for it to miss before he continues. He does clench his teeth when Childe tightens about him, far less concerned about the pressure of that leg since he can basically use his hold to pull it away if it gets too much.

What Rex doesn't expect, however, is Childe's sudden burst of strength— which could honestly have been used for so many other attempted actions—used to force him down to crush lips with the other. Eyes wide in momentarily disbelief, he closes them in frustration (and discomfort) before he's indulging and returning the kiss to the other albeit less aggressively. (He's fucking the other, it's fine to be more submissive in the kiss.) It hurts, certainly, he's not immune to pain, but not enough that he can't stand it and has to force himself to get out of the kiss. He isn't thrilled with Childe's stunt, but he imagines it's the drug still in his system as much as the other's that compels him to stay in the kiss rather than back off.]

[ despite the roughness that he'd started the kiss out with, it's easy enough to fall into Rex Lapis's rhythm despite what he's doing to him right now. it's a welcome distraction from the way his body is adjusting to the sudden intrusion, the sting of raw penetration eased a little by a combination of the spit-slick he'd coated the mafia head's dick with and also his own adaptability. in the face of intrusive, overwhelming pain his mind tries to put a damper on it, tries to rewire his body enough that he can focus enough to move - and Rex Lapis is big enough that he hits the good spots deep inside, so it's less effort than one might think to adjust.

it also really doesn't help that he looks just like Zhongli, and while he'd loved fucking the man's brains out last night the thought of someone as lovely and demure and sexy as Zhongli taking him instead is very, very appealing.

so gradually, the clench becomes less severe. he's still tight, still tense, but the ease of his muscles means that it's less painful on Childe's end, as well. the kiss becomes less biting, as well, but no less rough, and it doesn't take much longer for his tongue to flick out to taste the man for himself while also letting him taste remnants of his pre-cum and cock in Childe's mouth.

eventually he has to pull away for breath and when he does it's to bump his forehead against Rex's own, breathing out harsh and sharp in the space between them. there's a swear in Snezhnayan - something about calling him 'compensating' and 'asshole' - and the tears in his eyes finally spill down his cheeks, teeth gritting before he suddenly bucks, either in an attempt to dislodge the mafia head or pull him in deeper on the next thrust. ]

[ Hmph. Rex grimaces at the sudden buck of Childe's hips, it forcing him in deeper and faster than expected, which still is uncomfortable despite the pleasure starting to kick in.

However, he ignores that in favor of tilting his head to lick the tears sliding along Childe's cheeks. It's strangely affectionate rather than mocking in any manner, and Rex lets his hand on Childe's chest slide down to his stomach before remaining there. The Harbinger will feel a sudden pulse of something, and, as it spreads through him, the pain he's feeling is eased and ultimately numbed. The pleasure, however, is left as is to be felt and consume.

As much as one can enjoy such a thing happening to them, anyway. ]

[ while he's not surprised that Rex stills at his previous action, the hand on his stomach makes him startle, as does the tongue licking at his tears. he almost can't believe what he's feeling but, after the other tilts his head to get better access to his cheek, Childe finds himself letting out a short, sharp little burst of laughter.

in the lull that follows he finds himself dropping both hands to Rex's chest to give him another shove with all his strength. the pain in his backside gradually fades, leaving him with only the dull, pleasurable throb in his stomach and along his interested dick.

another drug, maybe? he wouldn't put it past him. ]

Get out of me.

[ Rex Lapis considers the demand, his ire a bit further calmed. Mm... he should say no, especially since he's not finished (especially since Childe takes advantage of every reprieve he gives him,) but he decides to entertain the idea. ]

If I do, will you get out of my sight?

[ while it would be in his best interests to take the out he’s essentially being given… there’s something nagging at him, something that makes this feel like him giving in and admitting defeat. admittedly there isn’t as much pain in his ass as much anymore, and the tears have, for the most part, stopped largely because of that.

Rex is asking him to give up, to walk out of here and let him have his victory. the competitive person in him won’t allow that. ]

… promise me Zhongli, and I will.

[ there is a weighty pause, this request seeming to be particularly troublesome and difficult for him to deal with. If only Childe knew the real reason why. For the Mafia head, this is not a victory at all, either, even without Childe's demand. He lost his composure and now he's not even going to see his punishment through. As far as he's concerned, Childe is the victor, Rex just wants him to get the hell out so he may nurse his wounded pride in private. ] ...Very well.

[ Finally, however, Rex Lapis pulls back, pulling himself out of Childe and letting him go entirely. He proceeds to cover up and make himself look presentable (as much as you can with an erection still and he just ends up letting his shirt hand out of his pants to cover some of it.) Folding his arms now he waits for the other to put himself together and leave. His expression warns Childe not to try anything further or else he will do something far far worse.] I will send him to your room as soon as he returns.

I imagine no more than two hours from now.

[ even the feeling of Rex pulling out of him is numbed, which is a strange sensation when he can feel the pressure leaving his body, but none of the accompanying pain. knowing that he'll surely be sore a few hours from now, when his body has regained control of his faculties, he simply lays where he is on the desk struggling to regain his breathing and the way his arousal is still racking his prone form.

as much as he hadn't liked it, there was no mistaking the fact that his dick had taken a very blatant interest in the proceedings. it's not something that he'd like to think about, but ignoring an unshakeable truth was seldom the right way to make it go away.

at least he could take solace in the fact he'd gotten something out of this, along with his freedom. maybe. just the thought of seeing Zhongli again fills him with a sense of relief. ]

And if he's late? [ now, he finally gets up, finally sets about presenting himself as well as he can despite having something shoved up his ass. his gaze falls on the strained fabric of Rex Lapis's pants disappearing under the hang of his shirt. despite knowing he's almost out of the metaphorical lion's mouth, he can't help himself. ]

You don't want any help with that?

Mm. . . [ Rex Lapis considers the question about Zhongli being late before he steps forward to reach for a piece of paper and pen, that have yet to fall off from their activities, and writes down a phone number before offering it to Childe in silence.

As for the question about wanting help with his arousal he can't help but smirk. ]

I believed you have been through enough with me today. Perhaps another time if it is of actual interest to you. I am sure Zhongli will take good care of you.

[ Rex will turn now and walk to a door behind behind his desk before opening it and exiting, closing the door behind him without another word. ]

[ The click of the heels on Zhongli's shoes as he walks down the marble floored hallway towards where Childe is staying echo vibrantly. He's flanked by two women, one trying to convince him to let her take his coat off, the other expressing her concern about him going to the assassin's room again and why it is illogical to entertain his wants on any level. Zhongli listens, but he has nothing to say to either of them concerning the matters presented.

He only stops once he's at the door to Childe's room, admittedly half concerned he's going to find the Harbinger dangling from the ceiling in a suicide. He finally lets the more nervous girl remove his coat and take his gloves, her treating them both extra delicately before rushing off with them to give them proper treatment. the girl attempting to reason with Zhongli just sighs, finally, before stepping back, bowing and turning back on heel to follow the other girl.

With them gone, Zhongli will reach for the door handle, close his eyes, and open the door. He doesn't knock, but he is slow to open the door in order for Childe to have a similar time to react to him showing up. It's only once he's closed the door gently behind him does he open his eyes to take a look around for the other man. His eyes flicker in sight concern, and he grimaces slightly at recognizing the feeling. Why ... is he worried? He is responsible for the other's treatment and condition, if he is so worried about his well-being, then why did he even lash out in the first place? Furthermore, although he agreed to "give" Zhongli to the other, he now isn't quite so sure of what the other actually meant and why? The agreement is set regardless, which could be troublesome depending what the Snezhnayan was actually thinking of involving his demand.

... That is for later. The first thing to do is focus on Childe's mental state and physical condition. The rest can come later. ]

Childe...?

[ after his little run-in with Rex there's really no where else for him to go except back to his room. the bed is still in the same state he'd left it in, messy and unmade, and he considers for a moment running over to see if there isn't some window somewhere that he can't unlatch and jump out of. he's not entirely sure where he is, since he'd been essentially knocked unconscious before being dragged out to goodness knows where, but... the thought of leaving Zhongli behind isn't something that sits entirely well with him.

he can wait two hours. he's done longer before, and besides that he's not sure how long the numbness in his backside will last. it's with this thought in mind that he finds himself climbing up into the bed, his hands folded neatly over his stomach as he contemplates the ceiling and all the series of events that had led him to this point.

returning to Snezhnaya empty-handed was definitely not an option now. he had, essentially, failed in the mission that he'd been given, and even if this had been something done to maybe test his reflexes, his integrity? he'd still failed it regardless. it didn't make sense for the Tsaritsa to send him out this far to "take care of him" if she hadn't done so with the express intent of killing Rex Lapis.

his thoughts plague him incessantly, insecurities and anxieties middling with doubts over his current situation. it's the thought of seeing Zhongli again, hale and hearty, that keeps him from completely going mad, and it's ultimately what lulls him into a light doze, curled up on his side with his hand tucked under the pillow.

this is how Zhongli finds him, waiting beneath the covers, looking as peaceful as a newborn babe and not one of the Tsaritsa's most enthusiastic assassins. ]

[ Ah.

Zhongli feels a wave of relief rush over him to see him sleeping. He approaches the bed now coming to sit right at the edge of it and bring a hand to gently settle into Childe's hair affectionately. Without much thought, Zhongli will them lean down to press his forehead against Childe's temple, whispering a quiet apology.

He knows this is bad, to be trying to continue separating himself and his affections for this assassin from his mafia head presence. It had been a simple curiosity at first but now things are getting complicated far too quickly. The problem is that he does not believe Childe will believe him if he attempts to explain they are the same person. He's going to have to figure it out himself... and Zhongli can only hope it doesn't devastate the other. He's less worried about Childe feeling betrayed over everything, and far more concerned this attachment he has to "Zhongli" will hurt him when he realizes he has to kill that very person to fulfill his mission. Not that Zhongli has any doubt that Childe will ultimately do it, he simply hopes it won't be a painful internal conflict that he's going to carry with himself after the deed is done.

... Hmph. There he goes again, worrying about this person's wellbeing when they have barely known one another and being well aware he's only here to kill the Mafia head. This affection he offers, too, is more likely than not a means to an end (even if that explains very little as to why he was willing to back down against Rex Lapis is he could have Zhongli. Again, what does that even mean?)

What is he going to do? He's never felt such an affection for anyone so quickly. It's clearly dangerous.

Zhongli closes his eyes and lingers a moment longer before finally pulling back and going to stand up from the bed. ]

[ awareness trickles in like water through his fingers, pulling him out of his dreamscape of colors and sounds and shapeless objects with surprising gentility. perhaps it's another after-effect of the drug but, more than likely, it's due largely in part to the warm presence seated beside him and the familiar scent that fills his nostrils.

Childe breathes out a sigh of contentment at the same time he opens his eyes, and the gentle aura the man exudes is enough for him to realize who it is as soon as Zhongli moves away.

immediately he reaches his hand out to snatch at the other's wrist, holding him fast and preventing him from leaving. another hard tug is hopefully enough to jostle the man off his feet, at which point Childe will take the initiative and wrap himself tightly around any part of Zhongli he can reach as if that alone would prevent him from leaving. ]

You've got some nerve, leaving me like that.

[ Zhongli is surprised when he is suddenly tugged, falling back to the bed and reflexively brings his hands to either side of Childe to catch himself. It's only further astonishment that washes over him as the other clings to him along with such words. He is silent for a moment before his expression softens with a kind smile, bringing a hand up now from the bed to gently embrace the other even as he lets his mouth press gently to the top of his head before nuzzling his cheek against soft auburn hair. ]

... Forgive me. If I had known what would happen, I would have stayed by your side.

[ he would have. Perhaps he should have. It's not as if he cannot take his calls and do his work as Zhongli. Perhaps it's best to take this course of action for a few days to minimize any further mishaps. There's a length of silence before he adds such: ]

I will stay with you for several days to come to make up for it. Is it sufficient...?

[ perhaps it is a horrible idea, but Zhongli decides he still prefers it. ]

As if there was any way you could possibly know.

[ well, maybe he did. as adorably innocent as Zhongli tended to be, he doubted that even he wasn't privy to everything his brother got up to. surely he knew most of the awful things Rex did. it would be impossible for him not to, all things considering.

but he doesn't think overlong on that. Zhongli is here now, embracing him, and much of the stress and irritation he'd felt earlier was quickly melting away in the face of that. now that he could see for himself that the man was uninjured and Zhongli was safe and had not come to harm in the time they were apart, he could focus on other plans of action.

both arms go to wrap around Zhongli's waist, tightening, his face burying itself into his captured form. his breathing evens out, steady and mellow, and after the silence stretches on for few moments between them he speaks, his voice muffled in the other's clothes. ]

I've got a better idea. Why don't you come back to Snezhnaya with me?

[ What.

Zhongli stiffens a little, concerned that he has completely misheard something. Of course it must have been misheard, why would Childe even think about bringing him back to Snezhnaya? Not wanting to create misunderstood awkward silence between them, Zhongli clears his throat and says a bit sheepishly: ]

I... believe I misheard you. You would like me to go back to Snezhnaya with you?

I did.

[ the way Zhongli stiffens is telling, and for good reason. it's not exactly the best idea he's had so far. it felt like his entire stay in Liyue has been nothing but terrible ideas. ]

If you don't want to go there permanently... then just a few days. Just... anywhere but here, you know? You might like it. It's cold, but that just gives more incentive to snuggle up for warmth.

... If ... that is what you wish, I suppose I can take the time to do so.

[ this is fine. what could possibly go wrong? At least, this does mean Childe will leave Liyue, yes? Then Zhongli can properly deal with the Tsaritsa and her antics without having him get caught in the middle of anything. ]

[ Zhongli's acquiescence gets a breath of relief, but rather than release him straight away Childe instead nuzzles his face into his side, content to simply hold him in this moment.

his mind is already working, trying to figure out the best way to actually get Zhongli into Snezhnaya. the man was too pretty to slip in unnoticed, so maybe a disguise of some sort? not that there was really anyone going out to Morepesok, really, but one could never be too careful.

... but even if they did, and they happened to try and get the jump on them? Childe definitely wouldn't say no to a fight. ]

Then let's go now. Right now. Do you need to pack a bag?

[ Now?! ] A bag? I ... should I bring anything along? I suppose I could always purchase what I need there, however...

[ What is Childe thinking? Zhongli shouldn't be entertaining his ideas, especially one that may bring trouble upon him, but at current he can't think of what trouble he will get into. It should be fine. Very very few people know what he looks like, afterall.

Perhaps he should indeed pack a bag? Unfortunately, the only thing he can think of putting into the bag at such short notice is the stuffed whale and some papers for entrance to the northern country ~~because someone always does his packing for him.~~ This doesn't... really feel like a vacation or a business trip, though. ]

You can bring as much or as little as you want. But the only thing you need to worry about buying when we get there is souvenirs. I'll take care of you.

[ the way he says this, so firm and without room for question, is pretty telling of how he feels about Zhongli. enough to kidnap him away to Snezhnaya and take care of everything he could ever want, obviously. ]

Maybe a change of clothes, for sure. It's pretty cold in my homeland and if you aren't used to it it'll probably be pretty hard to get used to. I'll be there to warm you up, of course, but it's a pretty long way from the airport to Morepesok.

[ though... when he thinks about it, maybe having Zhongli stay with him and his family was jumping the gun. he liked him, but he also didn't want to scare him away.

there are motels nearby they can stay at, with larger, fancier hotels a little farther away. they're closer to the city and the palace and a good in-between for when he inevitably has to return to the Tsaritsa for his debriefing if he decides he wants to. as far as he's concerned his mission isn't over until he reports back. ]

Very well, I will return soon to— [ he has to dislodge Childe from himself and goes to get up and head to the door. There are a lot of thoughts whirling through his mind, including Childe's apparent fancy with him (it is just a passing one though, surely, he should not feel so hopeful— why does he feel hopeful, anyway?)

There's so much going on in his head that he doesn't hear anything Childe may say as he proceeds to open the door— and it's promptly brought back to reality by a suitcase, an expensive looking briefcase, as well as his heavier coat and gloves that he cannot remember the last time he saw a need to wear (perhaps it was ... for Snezhnaya back then, as well.)

There is a soft sigh, him performing a visual sweep of the hall suspiciously for a sign of either of the two subordinates of his that are surely responsible for this (as well as some eavesdropping.) ]

...Ah, it seems I am ready to leave.

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