Build a Boyfriend

7

Childe opened his eyes to see a ceiling he didn't recognize. His head hurt like hell but he sat up. "Huh?" he looked down, seeing he was naked. "Where the fu-" 

"Oh, you're awake," an individual turned the corner with a towel hanging around his neck and another one around his waist. Childe blinked, wiping his eyes, and blinking again. 

"Z-Zhongli?" he pointed. 

"What?" the stranger frowned slightly. 

"Wait, sorry," Childe held his head in his hands. "I don't know what's happening anymore." 

The stranger sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at Childe. "My name is Zhongli but how do you know that?" he asked. 

"It..what?" Childe dropped his hands and stared, jaw dropped. Clicking all of the pieces in place he looked down again at his naked self, barely covered by the blanket. Blushing, he held the blanket up over his chest. "Did we-? Why am I-? Why are you-?" 

"It was raining very hard last night and you fell down on the sidewalk in front of me. I took you here since it would rest poorly on my conscience to leave you in the rain. Your clothes were wet so I removed them. I woke up before you so I took a shower and now we are here," he gestured to the bed and then the room. "So no, we did not have intimate relations." 

"Oh, okay..." Childe still wasn't sure he completely trusted that explanation. Why would a stranger go that far? But, he had Zhongli's face and apparently Zhongli's name...so he accepted it. 

"Are you going to tell me how you know my name?" 

"Ah," Childe laughed and scratched the back of his neck. "It's a long story." 

"We have plenty of time," Zhongli folded his hands and placed them on his lap. 

"I suppose we do," Childe glanced away for a moment. "But do we have to do this naked?" 

"Oh," Zhongli stared down at himself. He looked as if he'd forgotten all about it. His ears turned a bit red but his face was otherwise completely stoic. "I apologize-" he stated simply, going back into the bathroom to change. 

"Your clothes are still a bit damp," Zhongli held out a bundle of nicely folded clothing to Childe. 

"It's fine..." Childe stood up without thinking and grabbed them, getting dressed right there. 

"O...kay," Zhongli glanced down and promptly took a step back. He turned his head toward the wall, trying his best to act as if he hadn't seen a thing. 

"So," Childe placed his hands on his hips. "Don't laugh but-" 

...

"If I'm hearing this correctly," Zhongli began. "You purchased an item from Liyue while drunk because of a bad breakup and then got attached to the robot that came in the mail. Its name was Zhongli and looked exactly like me but then broke suddenly and was taken back?" 

"You make it all sound very simple," Childe laughed awkwardly. 

"That does clear up a few things," Zhongli crossed his arms. "I was asked to be a model for one of Liyue's products but I had no idea they would actually use my name too." 

"You were the model?" Childe's jaw dropped. "No, that makes sense actually, I'm just an idiot," he slapped his forehead. 

"I apologize," Zhongli placed his hand over his chest. "I don't know you but I can tell that you were very attached to your product. I feel somewhat responsible since it was based on me but I can't just replace him for you since we are different individuals." Zhongli held out his hand. "However, I wouldn't mind getting to know you better, if that's alright." 

Childe glanced at his hand and then took it. He smiled. "That's alright with me." 

"Then, what should I call you?" 

Feeling an odd sense of deja vu, Childe once again replied with his legal name, "Tartaglia." 

"Pleasure to meet you, Tartaglia," Zhongli smiled slightly. 

"Likewise," he grinned from ear to ear.