𝑰 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐘 𝐂𝐎-𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 [𝐙𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈 𝐗 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄]

-𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍-

•´¯'•. . .•´¯'•

"If you don't come and get him out of here, I will." Diluc said on the phone before hanging up. He sighed, closing his eyes as he took a breath, held it, then let it go. God, sometimes his bar could only attract crazies. And by crazies, Diluc was referring to the drunk that was sprawled across his bar counter right now.

"Don't cryy snowmaaaan... not in— *hic*— not in front of meee...  !!~" Childe sang lazily, hiccuping throughout the lyrics of the song Snowman.  And though he usually had a pretty good singing voice, but while he drunk, however, he butchered those high notes and was making the bartender's ears bleed.

And Diluc was irritated enough with just Childe being drunk for the last four hours. The singing was starting to drive Diluc up the wall as he glared. Fair to say, singing– especially christmas songs– was not a few of Diluc's favorite things.

"We're closed." Diluc told him flatly.

Childe struggled to lift up his head. "The signs says opened twenty-four hours ?" And he pointed a finger across the room at what Diluc assumed was supposed to point at the sign that said the Angel's Share was opened 24 hours, but Childe was pointing in the opposite direction.

"Yeah, but not for you." Diluc bluntly answered, continously taking his anger out by vigorously cleaning a wine glass. Luckily before he shined the glass to death, the doors burst open and there was Zhongli, his coat half fasted and scarf barely hanging onto his neck. His heavy breaths seen from the cold air outside. He quickly scanned the bar, glancing over a few drunkards scattered randomly here and there, but once he caught sight of Childe, he rushed over without hesitation.

"Childe!" He exclaimed, wide eyed and panting slightly still. Zhongli was already taking off his coat and putting it around Childe's shoulders when the ginger finally processed his boyfriend's presence.

"Z-Zhongli-sensei? Heh, what are you doing here?~" he asked with a half droopy smile.

"He drank almost everything I had. I don't care if he had the money for it, get him out of here." Diluc told Zhongli, who nodded and thanked him for telling him where Childe was.

"Put your arm around my shoulder—" Zhongli was attempting to communicate, but was met with Childe puking all over his shoes.

There was a long moment of silence. Particularly by Diluc, who, if looks could kill.... well.. And Zhongli, who was a bit traumatized.

.
.

After sincerely apologizing on Childe's behalf,  Zhongli, with puke-covered shoes, managed to drag Childe out of the Angel's Share and outside. Truth is, when Zhongli realized Childe left the studio, he had panicked. He had been waiting patiently outside his dressing room because everyone Zhongli asked said that Childe was in there. So Zhongli waited in the hallway, thinking he was giving Childe time alone before he came out so they could talk. But once Kaeya noticed Zhongli, he mentioned he saw Childe leave suddenly with his manager. Of course that made Zhongli worried where his boyfriend went, and he urgently began to search the city and Childe's and his usual hangout spots. But to no avail. He kept calling everyone he knew and eventually asked Kaeya, whom called up his brother and word went along from there.

Now here was Zhongli struggling to get Childe home. It was too late to call a taxi, the nearest bus stop was a ways away, and if Zhongli called an uber, or even went all the way to a bus, that risked the chance of the public seeing Childe drunk and if that was the case, it would reflect poorly on his image. And as much as Zhongli never cared too much on what people thought of him, he didn't believe Childe deserved to have rumors spread about him.

Because whatever happened to make Childe drink himself silly, had to be something bad. And it earned Zhongli's great worry, because he knew more than anyone that Childe wasn't a drunk.

"Childe. How are you feeling?" Zhongli asked, starting to tire as he and Childe moved slowly through the street, down in the direction of where Zhongli lived. "Once I get you home, I will take care of you." Zhongli promised with a grunt as he shifted Childe's arm a bit more comfortably over his shoulder. Not that talking did much good; Childe was completely out of it.

By the time Zhongli managed to drag Childe's drunk ass back to his apartment, after laying Childe down on the white linen couch, Zhongli collapsed on his matching white chair with a long sigh. He was out of breath and sore, but still managed to drag himself back up to his feet to go make some tea and get some water for Childe. Not to mention, take off his soiled shoes.

"Childe, open your mouth. Drink some water." Zhongli hushed, trying to lift the back of Childe's head with one hand, and hold a glass of water with the other. When Childe mumbled a refusal, Zhongli sighed again. He was getting too old for this. And he wasn't even old.

"Then try and get some sleep. I'll—" but Childe already collapsed against him, tired and out like a light, snoring away.

Unable to even consider to push the other away, Zhongli immediately wrapped his arms around Childe and held him. Then held him tighter, beginning to squeeze him as if he might disappear.

"Don't scare me again..  You ran away from set with tears in your eyes; what happened to you? As much as I think I know you, there's another mystery I can't unravel.." Zhongli muttered to the other, gripping a handful of his orange hair. "If something is wrong, you can talk to me, Childe. You ask me so much– you've encouraged me to open up and express myself, but why is it so difficult for you to do the same?" He asked out in a loud whisper.

But it was a question Zhongli had been asking himself for awhile now. Why couldn't Childe just be honest with him? It felt as if behind that smile was another expression, that there was a part of Childe that was out of Zhongli's reach, and as fast as Zhongli ran to catch it, Childe was faster.

Zhongli was certain Childe was affected by all this bad news circulating as of late, but at the same time, Zhongli couldn't help there was

"When I grow up, I'm going to become an amazing actor just like him! He's the best!"

Those words echoed deeply within Zhongli's soul. He felt something splinter and stab his heart with a million little daggers of guilt. Of letting down the one person who believed in him most, before anyone else. And it was then that Zhongli truly understood that Childe— that Tartaglia — the man he had fallen so greatly in love with, would only suffer a life greatly unlike the one he dreamed of if Zhongli was in it.

How could Zhongli crush that innocent dream? The dream of a boy that was exclaimed so long ago to a young actor in need of a reason to still live? Zhongli chose the reason to continue to live for the purpose that he had someone waiting for him, waiting to reach his level. Now that Childe met Zhongli, wasn't Zhongli's purpose fulfilled? He lived another fifteen years, alone waiting, with no one until this last year when he met Childe again.

Yes, Zhongli did his part, right? He showed Childe what he knew, showed him the ropes to become successful and for sure would Childe continue to grow as an actor and improve greatly and quickly over time. The small time the actors spent together was worth it. And Zhongli was so thankful for it. He was thankful he had this bit of peace and wished to the Gods above it could continue. But at what price? Destroying Childe's dream of becoming an actor with Zhongli's drama and rumors? Taking Childe down with him? Zhongli could never do that.

"My... what to do... Maybe it would be best to just.." Zhongli muttered under his breath, unable to finish his sentence before he closed his eyes and fell asleep; Childe still was held close in Zhongli's arms.

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