Winner Takes All

chapter 13

Childe tapped his pen against his desk. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would have a day off, and tomorrow, he would share his trauma with Zhongli.

But tomorrow was still a few hours away. Today's task one of his least favorite things to do; write monthly reports. Luckily, Ekaterina kept notes upon notes about the various activities of the bank, both legal and...less than legal.

Someone knocked at the door.

"Come in!" Childe said.

A familiar face greeted him, returning from his trip.

"Childe!" Mikhail called.

"You're back! How was your trip?" Childe asked.

"It was amazing! Fontaine is such a beautiful country. Seeing Maria...after so long being apart..." Mikhail sniffled. "I missed her more than I thought."

He wiped his eyes, and Childe saw something shine on his hand.

Mikhail noticed him staring, and showed him the new ring around his finger. It was a simple band with a single blue gem in the center. "She proposed to me! It was so funny, we were sharing crepes by a street vendor and she just...blurted it out. That she wanted to share her life with me. I said I felt the same way. So we both went 'I guess we're engaged now.' We got matching rings together that same day. I still can't believe it, honestly. I thought I'd be the one asking her, but she beat me to it!"

Childe could smell the happiness radiating from Mikhail's scent. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy in his heart. Mikhail knew what he wanted from his partner.

What did he want from Zhongli?

"How did you know?" Childe asked. "That you want her to be yours, forever."

"She...she's just everything to me. She's been there for me in my best and worst moments, and I can't imagine my life without her."

Childe hummed in response. What was Zhongli to him? Was he just a means to an end? Initially, perhaps, but even then, there were still feelings. They were dating now! His feelings were reciprocated. That was undoubtedly a step forward. Zhongli even said he was interested in pursuing marriage! If that wasn't a clear enough admission of love, what was?

So why did his heart still feel so jumbled up?

"You look troubled," Mikhail said, putting a hand on his superior's shoulder. "What's wrong? Is it Zhongli?"

Childe let out a large sigh. "Yes. We're technically dating now. But...it doesn't feel like anything is different. We still share lunch together, and sometimes I visit his place and we talk and maybe cuddle a bit, but we already kinda did that before. I guess...I just expected my first real relationship to be...more special feeling."

"Have you told him you feel this way?"

"...not really."

"He can't understand what you don't tell him."

Childe huffed. "I know that. Geez..."

"Then next time you see him, tell him."

Childe let that advice ring in his ears as he got back to work.

Tomorrow was just a little closer than before.

He couldn't sleep the entire night. His mind kept racing with how he would tell Zhongli about that time in his life. How would he react? He had to know some stuff about the Abyss, right? He tried to get to bed, but after so much tossing and turning, there was no point. He wasn't going to fall asleep.