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[leaveofabsence]

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[leaveofabsence]

[ His free hand reaches up to card through Childe's hair. ]

. . . Childe...

[childeishly]

[ childe shuts his eyes and revels in the pets zhongli is giving him, purring loudly, and smiling as he feels a little bit of heat rise off the mark. a few moments later and his eyes are fluttering open, staring down the skin that's starting to stain a beautiful cherry red. ] Zhongli Xiansheng... [ he flicks his tongue over it, soothing the bruised skin as something familiar begins to appear; a riptide mark. ]

[ now everyone will know. ]

[ his smile broadens into a smirk and he presses himself more firmly into zhongli. ]

It looks good on you.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Zhongli shivers as Childe's tongue drags along his skin, fingers twitching as if he wants to reach up and touch it for himself. But he doesn't. Not yet anyway. There will be time to inspect it later.

He turns his head to look at him through lowered lashes. ]

Do you know what it does exactly?

[childeishly]

... [ sorry. he might have checked out for a moment. he pins his ears backward in concentration as he laps at the mark. this is the first time he's used the ability... at least on someone else. then again, he had no desire to use it on anybody but zhongli. childe fists the material of zhongli's shirt and finally stops licking at the mark, but only so he can bury his face against it and purr. ]

[ mine. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ There is a soft sigh as Zhongli allows Childe to do as he wishes, one hand resting casually on his hip to push him away if it actually becomes uncomfortable. But he is used to Childe's attention (had been missing it for some time before coming here) so he is loathe to part with it even if he can't tell how much of this is Childe, how much is the mark, and how much is this fox persona that has been slowly taking him over.

His thumbs rubs circles into the dip of Childe's waistline as he hums thoughtfully to himself. ]

[childeishly]

[ it's a combination of all three... and perhaps a bit of residual feelings from the tattoo zhongli had touched earlier. he's a bit blissed out of his mind for a few different reasons, but all of them are good, so it's alright. childe smiles and sinks his teeth in again, sucking another mark into zhongli's neck. ]

...X- Xiansheng. [ he pivots, turning his hip that much closer to zhongli. ] I think it might have something to do with being able to last a fight longer. Not strength, per say... but maybe like resilience? It'll help you withstand a fight more easily, that much I know for certain.

1/2

[leaveofabsence]

Resilience, you say? What a fitting blessing for you to gra---

[leaveofabsence]

[ Though he sucks in a breath through his teeth as Childe starts working another mark into his skin.

With just a hint of scolding: ]

Childe.

If you are going to continue that, I request that we move out of the kitchen and back to somewhere more private.

[childeishly]

...ah, sorry. I couldn't help it. [ murmured against his skin as he forcibly makes himself take a step back. ] I hadn't ever completely recovered from the attention given to my tattoo and... seeing you with my mark... [ it nearly sent him over the edge. ] Do you want to see it?

[leaveofabsence]

Yes.

[ He reaches blindly (and yet still gracefully) behind him to turn off the stove, leaving the kettle where it is half-warmed. ]

Let's take this back to your room.

[childeishly]

[ childe guide zhongli back into his room, nudging the door shut as soon as the both of them have stumbled back into the pseudo winter wonderland. he presses him into the door and buries his face into the crook of his neck, soothing the mark with his tongue again. ]

H- Here. Look. [ he takes out his phone and brings up the camera for zhongli to see. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ They don't even make it past the door? Of course they don't make it past the door.

There is a breathless laugh as Childe re-attaches himself to Zhongli as soon as they're inside his room.

Insatiable.

Yet somehow so endearing. ]

Hmmm?

[ Zhongli makes a sound without even looking as one finger taps against a hip. ]

Ah yes. It seems the attempt made to calm you down has only resulted in riling you up even more.

[childeishly]

[ huffs a laugh against the side of his neck. ] I don't think I could have completely calmed down... this mark, this corruption, it just has that strong of a hold on me. [ or something. honestly he, himself, made it worse. he probably could have found his chill if he didn't mark zhongli, but he basically just hurled himself past the point of no return. ] Don't care though.

[leaveofabsence]

Then might I soothe it with a claim of my own.

[ And that fingertip trails across Childe's waist though Zhongli is very careful to never touch the mark itself. ]

I care whether or not it has power over you.

1/2

[childeishly]

. . .

[childeishly]

Xiansheng... you didn’t have to ask. Go ahead. [ he twists and squirms to the touch, as if trying to force contact, but zhongli is much too careful it seems. ]

[leaveofabsence]

Yes, I did. Too many times has the plan of another been forced upon you.

[ Once by Zhongli himself no less. ]

Did I not promise to keep you informed? To not do things without your consent.

[childeishly]

...you’re making this sound less sexy by the minute. Is this how you planned to make it behave, because bravo. [ he’s half kidding. ]

I know... but this is, nevermind. What is it you wanted to do?

[leaveofabsence]

[ He presses the flat of his palm over Childe's clothes where the mark surely should be. ]

Help you find a little respite.

Though I will not say such a thing is entirely selfless. Perhaps I also want to enjoy the sound of my name on your lips.

[childeishly]

[ he makes a soft keening sound as he feels the heat of zhongli’s palm through his clothes. ]

L- Let me give it. [ smirks. ] A suitable trade, don’t you, d- don’t you think? [ he presses more firmly into zhongli’s hand, kissing the corner of his lips. ]

[leaveofabsence]

Yes. That sounds like a fair exchange.

[ Zhongli says as he presses a kiss back against Childe's grip, his other hand finding the small of Childe's back so he can start walking him back towards the much more comfortable piles of pillows and blankets instead of the more unforgiving surface of the door.

The hand on the mark, meanwhile, starts tracing nonsensical symbols against the fabric. Or maybe they aren't so nonsensical if Childe studied up on ancient Liyuen script. ]

[childeishly]

[ childe lets himself be lead backward, because he's more or less putty in zhongli's capable hands. as soon as he reaches the nest, and he just knows the moment he does, he starts sinking down, reaching backward to brace himself as he nestles among the cacophony of soft things. ]

[ he studied a little bit of it... so depending on just what zhongli is writing it may or may not go over his head. it might be in his favor that he's completely zoned into the touch, squirming beneath him and letting his gaze drop to the hand tracing those symbols. ] Zhongli Xiansheng... Ya skhozhu po tebe s uma. [ babbling or snezhnayan or both, HM. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ Zhongli pauses at the words - he has not been to Snezhnaya for many many years, and as such the language is rusty in his mind. Surely he didn't hear Childe correctly as occupied with his own ministrations as he is.

And unfortunately, the letters that Zhongli is writing into his skin are from an ancient ballad - characters probably only understood by the most prominent of Liyue poets. But as Zhongli's hands slips underneath the hem of Childe's shirt to touch the skin directly, the characters for 'Rex Lapis' might be distinguishable from the rest.

When Childe is careful laid down among the pillows, that leaves his free hand to start tugging at the collar of his shirt to bear his neck from whatever scarf or other accessory the Harbinger usually has around his neck. ]

How sensitive you are like this.

[childeishly]

[ childe tries to decipher the ancient text being scribbled on his stomach, but it's not making a lick of sense and it's driving him nuts. what could zhongli possibly b- oh. oh. rex lapis. he knows that if nothing else. childe's eyes instantly glaze over and his breath hitches as the mark burns bright. he squirms beneath him and lifts his hips against zhongli's fingers to force some more contact. ] ...s'just you, Xiansheng. It's all you. [ the mark is definitely influencing him to a staggering degree, but zhongli is also having his own effect on him too. ]

[ he grabs for the scarf wrapped around his neck, tugging hastily as he tries to shed it, several sloppy and other seemingly ill practiced movements following as he tries to remove more of his clothing. ] Zhongli Xiansheng. Don't stop touching me. I... I need you.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Zhongli is fairly certain it is not just him that is causing Childe to feel like this, but he graciously accepts the ego boost all the same as he carefully sets aside the clothing that Childe sheds. Fondly: ]

I won't.

[ And he places a kiss behind his ear. Down the curve of his jaw. And finally the side of his neck just where he imagines he can feel Childe's racing pulse. ]

Now. Shall we seal this agreement?

[ Zhongli says without waiting for an answer as he begins worrying a mark against Childe's throat in a very similar location to where his own mark is. ]