Operation: Make Zhongli Smile Forever

Part 12 - ex-Archon and Fatui Harbinger steal millions and disappear

Zhongli woke up first to Childe's warm breath on his neck, the ginger man's lips barely touching the exposed skin; Zhongli trailed his hand up Childe's bare back and tangled his fingers in his hair, quietly admiring the subtle orange curls. From up close, he could see the colours of individual strands, some more yellow, some more brown, perfectly blending in disarray to create the hair of the man he had grown to adore. The Archon shifted his head a little.

"Morning," Childe mumbled into his neck, lips grazing across his skin; Zhongli tugged on his hair a bit as he tried to dislodge his fingers from his dense locks.

"Good morning, Childe. How are you?" Zhongli responded, arms falling back onto his companions back. Childe groaned.

"I hate waking up with the thought I'll have to leave your side for hours on end," the Harbinger grumbled, eyes fluttering across his cheeks.

"Huh?" Zhongli breathed out, tensing up slightly.

"Huh, what?" Childe asked in return, his previous words seemingly falling into the air for him to forget. Zhongli's cheeks dusted over in pink and Childe shifted on top of him.

"Don't worry about it. My ears seem to be playing tricks on me," Zhongli chuckled, sliding his arms to Childe's waist, "we need to go to work." The Archon pushed Childe up until the ginger man was, quite essentially, straddling him.

"How unfortunate. Do you think if we robbed the bank and then ran away to Inazuma we would never have to work again?" Childe asked with a mischievous grin, eyes still tired. Zhongli only chuckled, "I can already see the headlines; 'ex-Archon and Fatui Harbinger steal millions and disappear'."

"I really don't think that is the best solution," Zhongli responded, "if we go now, we can get it out of the way. And remember- dinner at the Galley tonight. I trust you won't return too late as I plan to make a reservation for around seven in the evening." Childe fell forward again onto Zhongli's chest.

"Fine. Just... five more... minutes," he yawned, snuggling himself comfortably into the Archon's neck. Zhongli pushed him back up by the shoulders.

"I was already late for work yesterday. I don't think it'd be good for the records if I'm late again," Zhongli explained, holding tightly onto Childe's waist to stop him from falling forward again. As if on queue, a knock on the window in Zhongli's room accompanied by the face of a girl peeking through the curtains rang out through the halls of the house.

Childe picked himself up off Zhongli's lap and followed the Archon to the front door, allowing the teen to skip carelessly into the house with very little regard for her surroundings. Zhongli sighed deeply.

"Childe, this is Hu Tao, director of the Funeral Parlour. Director Hu, this is Childe," Zhongli introduced them as Hu Tao took a seat in his living room; to be fair, Childe thought, the house did technically belong to her.

"Ooooh," she giggled as she looked in Childe's general direction, eyes intently scanning the Harbinger, "my number one customer! Pleased to meet you!" Childe awkwardly extended a hand and the enthusiastic girl shook it.

"May I inquire why you're here before work starts?" Zhongli asked, pouring a cup of tea for his visitor. Hu Tao laughed again.

"Just don't want you to be late again, hehe. Didn't want you to go off unannounced with your husband again~" she snickered, downing the whole cup of tea in one go. Childe coughed awkwardly.

"Director Hu, we are not a couple; I simply ask that you don't make assumptions about my private life unprompted," Zhongli sighed, pouring another cup of tea for himself.