Build Another Boyfriend [Build a Boyfriend Series Part 4]

8

Zhongli and Childe sat opposite each other in the kitchen. Each one with a cup of tea in front of them. 

"I, uhm, used to be caught up in something like a fighting ring," Childe explained. "It's where I made most of my money and winning all of the time got to my head. Kaeya was the one who took me out of there and then I became dependent on him...you know how well that turned out," Childe sighed, holding his head in his hands. "I've got a lot of scars on my torso from people trying to rig the fights." 

"I see." 

"I've obviously let myself go since then," Childe chuckled, resting his head on the table to look up at Zhongli. "I'm not sure I have a good muscle left in my body. I went to the gym back when Kaeya and I...and then well...ahck! This is so awkward!" Childe ruffled his hair and slammed his head down on the table.  

"I see." 

"Don't you have anything else to say?" 

"It's difficult to imagine you as a sadistic fighter," Zhongli admitted. "You're so..." he stared at Childe's face looking up at him from the table. "...soft." 

"Come again?" 

"I mean that literally. Your skin is very soft." 

"Oh...really?" Childe sat up and felt his face. His cheeks felt normal to him. Not especially soft or otherwise. His arms didn't feel especially soft either. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" he placed his hands on the table, tilting his head slightly. 

"Feel free," Zhongli took a sip of his tea. 

"What was the profession Venti was talking about?" 

Zhongli stiffened, placing the mug back down. "Ah..." He covered his mouth with his hand and looked at the wall instead of Childe's face. "I was a pole dancer." 

Childe spat his tea and choked on air. He coughed, punching his own chest and leaned over, hiding under the table trying to get his face under control. Zhongli wiped the tea droplets off of his cheek with a napkin. 

"I choreograph routines now since I became hyper-aware of my appearance," he explained. "My stage name was Rex Lapis." 

"Holy shit," Childe sat up in the chair properly. "Goddamn." 

"Is it that hard to imagine?" 

"No, it's quite easy to imagine," Childe's face flushed and he closed his eyes. The longer his eyes remained closed the more his face turned red. "That is my problem..." he wheezed. 

"Is that so?" 

Childe opened his eyes and pointed at Zhongli. "If I had kept going to the gym I would totally pounce on you right now." 

"I'm not entirely sure what that means." 

"Then I guess I have to start working out again so you can find out," Childe laughed. 

"I love you the way you are, Tartaglia." 

"How can you say shit like that with a straight face?" 

"I've mastered the art of internally screaming." 

"That's an art?" 

"It is as of today." 

...

"Ehe," Childe stared up at the figure of Zhongli running in tight athletic clothing on the treadmill. He'd said he would tag along on Zhongli's gym trip but he kept getting distracted by the skin-tight clothes. 

"Do you need help?" Zhongli glanced down at him. 

"Nope, I'm fine, just really lazy," Childe forced himself to sit up. When did it get so hard to take care of himself? He used to exercise properly... "Ah, I guess it wasn't properly if all I did was punch people..." he muttered, holding his chin and closing his eyes to think. 

"You don't have to stay here if you're bored," Zhongli walked off the treadmill and squatted in front of Childe. He rested his arms on his knees and tilted his head slightly. His hair moved with him since his ponytail was higher up than usual. 

Childe opened his eyes, not expecting Zhongli to be so close to him, he nearly fell backward. "Holy shit don't make a frontal attack like that when you've got bonus ponytail damage..." Childe muttered. 

"I'm not sure I understand..." 

"Your hair, when it's up like that I turn to dust." 

"It's...just hair though?" 

"Zhongli..." Childe shook his head and placed his hand on Zhongli's shoulder. "Think about it. When you see someone look a certain way for a long period of time and then something small changes it really makes you melt, right?" 

"...?" 

"I usually wear t-shirts and stuff, right? Now imagine me in a suit for a second." 

"...!" Zhongli's cheeks became light pink. "I think I see what you mean. In any case, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to." Zhongli stood up and went back to the treadmill. 

Childe's phone buzzed in his pocket. "Hello?" He stood up and made his way to a deserted hallway. 

"Repairs are finished. You can come back to your apartment now." 

"Oh, uhm, thank you for telling me..." There was a click and the call ended. Childe stared at the phone in his hand. "What if I don't want to go back though?" He scratched the side of his head with the phone. "I don't think I can afford to cancel my lease..." 

Childe went back inside the room where Zhongli was but he didn't walk over to him. He stood by the door, watching him from a distance. His hair swayed back and forth as he ran along the treadmill. Sweat was building up on his neck but not in a nasty way, it made his skin glisten. 

"I'll go lift some weights..." he left that section to go to the weight room. "I'll tell him later...if I go talk to him now I might want to tear his clothes off..." he spoke to himself quietly.