𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 [ 𝘼𝙐 𝙕𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙘𝙝𝙞 +18 ]

13: Stranded Wish

Zhongli let Childe pass into the apartment, closing the door behind him, watching as Childe walked reluctantly down the hall, into the living room. The brunette closed the door, listening as Childe hit his shoulder on the door frame as he entered, alarming him.

"Childe, are you okay?" Zhongli approached him, leaving the keys on the hall table. The named turned to look at him, nodding slightly. Zhongli felt his chest tighten, his lips tightening. "I'm going to hug you," he warned, closing the distance between them and putting his arms around him. Childe did not resist, allowing himself to get drunk by the warmth that Zhongli transmitted to him, resting his head in the hollow of his neck.

They stayed that way for a while, barely hearing the noises from the street.

4NEMO left the benefit concert, having played the two songs that belonged to them. Venti went to Xiao's house, even though Zhongli had insisted that he go back to the flat with them. Although at the time he knew that Childe needed space.

"I want to sit down," the redhead whispered, pulling away from the hug to go to the sofa, where he sat reluctantly. Zhongli remained standing, watching his profile for a while. He hadn't shed a tear again after he left the dressing room. Childe glanced at him. "Won't you sit down?"

"Sure..." He replied, but he didn't sit. Zhongli turned around, heading towards the kitchen where he took a glass from the cupboard, filling it with water. After that, he returned to the living room, sitting next to him, leaving some distance between them. Childe stared at him for a long time, his face completely expressionless. He took the blanket that was folded next to him on the sofa, approaching the brunette and covering them with it. Zhongli said nothing, putting an arm around his shoulders to bring Childe closer to him. Childe did not protest.

"Today was my debut..." Childe whispered. Zhongli handed him the glass of water, which Childe held in his hands, staring at the water. "I was supposed to start a new phase in my life," He increased his grip on the glass, frowning and curling his lips downward. "But everything is the same. Nothing has changed."

"Childe..." The redhead interrupted him before he could continue speaking.

"I wanted my brother to be proud of me," he continued. "But I haven't even been able to talk to him, and the last thing he saw was him running off stage. And then those bastards tried to..." Childe pursed his lips, closing his eyes and raising the glass to his lips, sipping water. Zhongli looked at his hands, which he had washed in the compound's toilets before leaving. He pushed the glass away after he had drunk, leaning forward to place it on the table, repositioning himself close to Zhongli.

They had spoken with the manager, having informed him what had happened. They said they were going to take responsibility for the 'incident', but Zhongli knew that this was done on purpose.

"They were the same ones who convinced me to go to the strip bar," Zhongli said without looking at him, his voice sounding muffled. "If I had reported them earlier, they might not have been able to go to the concert."

"It doesn't matter," Childe flexed his legs, placing his feet on the sofa. "It makes no sense to think about what could have happened. It happened and that's it..." Zhongli tilted his head to look at him, blue eyes glancing at him for a few seconds. "It's all the same. I am still a toy."

"That's not true"

"No?" Childe laughed, ducking his head. "So why has the same thing happened again? How many more times are they going to try?" He turned to look at him, his lips twisted into a strange smile, his eyes dead. "Tell me," Zhongli was silent, looking away.

"Sorry..."

"I don't want your apologies," Childe stopped smiling, turning his head and breaking eye contact. "It's not your fault," he whispered, narrowing his eyes. "Perhaps I'm doomed to live that way. To be used as an object," he lowered his lids, letting out a long sigh. Zhongli pursed his lips, not taking his gaze from Childe. "I just want to live with my brother, have a stable life... But I suppose that for someone like me it's impossible.!