Build Another Boyfriend [Build a Boyfriend Series Part 4]

3

"I can't believe someone set their apartment on fire right on the same floor as mine..." Childe sighed, crossing his arms and rubbing his hands up and down on his arms. "They said I won't be able to go back there for a while since they're working on repairs...a shit ton of stuff got damaged. Where the fuck am I going to go?" 

"Would you like to live with me?" 

"Are you sure that's okay?" 

"I don't mind." 

"Oh...then I'll take you up on that." 

"You sound extremely hesitant. I have a spare room, I assure you." 

"It's just," Childe scratched the back of his neck. "You were going to leave me and now you're asking me to move in." 

"That's not what was happening, Tartaglia." 

"No, but it's still weird," Childe sighed. "Do you think your clothes would fit me? I don't think I'm allowed back in there at all until they fix shit." 

"My clothes..." Zhongli eyed Childe up and down before clearing his throat and glancing away. There was a slight redness to his cheeks as he imagined Childe in his clothes. He grabbed Childe's hand and started walking in the direction of the nearest clothing store. "Let's get you some things." 

"Do you not want me wearing your clothes?" 

"You may wear what you wish but button-ups aren't necessarily comfortable for you, are they? There are other things you need as well."

"What? Like a toothbrush?" Childe laughed. 

"Are you intending to share everything of mine?" Zhongli looked over his shoulder to Childe. 

"Maybe." 

...

"This place is different from what I remembered," Childe dropped the bags on the floor and looked around. He hadn't been over in a while. 

"I repainted the walls recently," Zhongli removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, unbuttoning a button or two as he hung up the jacket in a closet not too far away. 

"That might be it..." Childe looked around and walked over to the small table next to a wall. There was a picture of Zhongli and someone he didn't recognize. "You know about my past relationships but I haven't really heard much about yours," he realized. 

"Not nearly as interesting, I can assure you," Zhongli said. 

Childe moved behind Zhongli to hug him. He moved his hands down his torso. "You don't want to tell me?" 

"Tartaglia..." 

"Hm?" 

Zhongli grabbed his wrists and pulled his arms off of him. He turned around and pushed Childe up against the wall. He stared down at his face even though Childe wouldn't look at his. "I'm typically very patient; however, if we are to live together you shouldn't tease me so." 

"T-tease?" 

Zhongli placed his hand on Childe's stomach and moved it down to the top of his pant line. The tips of his fingers gently went lower before he removed his hand altogether and took a step back. He turned sharply and walked down the hallway a bit before saying, "I'm going to do some work, if you need me knock first." Zhongli disappeared into a room. 

Childe wandered into Zhongli's bedroom and went through his drawers, looking for a shirt that didn't have buttons. When he finally found one, he stripped and put it on, bringing the collar to his face. "It smells like him." Childe plopped down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling before rolling over and hugging a pillow, sniffing it. "I can't believe he looks so much different under his clothes." Childe's brain went through a mental checklist of the similarities and differences between the two Zhongli versions. The human one seemed to be much more irritable. 

"Zhongli didn't do anything unless I told him to...must've been a part of his programming...but Zhongli seems like he is trying really hard not to do anything, for my sake." Childe closed his eyes, burying his face into the pillow. His mind wandered further, imagining potential scenarios with Zhongli...

"I warned you not to tease me..." Zhongli pushed him up against the wall so hard it made him gasp. "Now what am I going to do with you?" He moved his hand down, further and further, reaching under his pants. Childe gasped again, grabbing his shoulders. 

"I need to stop..." Childe muttered, opening his eyes. "But at least in my dreams, I can look at his face okay." 

...

Zhongli entered his bedroom to see Childe sprawled out all over his bed. He wasn't wearing anything but an old t-shirt and some boxers. "Do you intend to sleep in my bed?" Zhongli asked, but Childe was fast asleep. 

Zhongli sighed and took out his hair tie. He stripped down and changed into pajamas. He picked up Childe, who nuzzled his face into Zhongli's neck, and moved him so he would at least be under the covers. Zhongli stared at his sleeping face and had every intention of going to sleep in the other room. He didn't. He couldn't. It was his bed, Childe must've wanted to sleep next to him if he fell asleep here. 

"Maybe he finds it hard to sleep well without someone to cuddle?" Zhongli suggested to himself. Yes. Of course. That must be it. He didn't care anymore, that was going to be his excuse. Zhongli got under the covers on the other side of the bed. Childe immediately turned over and hugged him, resting his head on his chest. 

"As pleasant as this is..." Zhongli muttered, "it's also bad for my heart."