Dead Dove (Do Not Eat) [ZhongChi]

Xiansheng

The longer Childe stared at the dragon on the ceiling the less he knew what to do. That gaze wasn't the same as Zhongli's but he could see the similarities. Did this dragon have a name? If he didn't find something to do soon he was going to talk himself into insanity. 

The bathroom door opened, not that it was completely closed from the start. Zhongli stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist. Childe could finally see the pieces of the tattoo on his chest that he didn't get a look at previously. Water dripped off of him in ways better than the blood did. 

"Aren't you worried?" Childe asked. He realized the moment he'd asked that it was a stupid question. 

"What do I have to be worried about?" Zhongli ran his hand through his hair and slicked it back. 

"You've got me handcuffed to a bed in cuffs that I could easily break and I'm a member of the Fatui." 

"Are you?" 

"Am I what?" 

"Going to break them?" Zhongli stared. Zhongli pointed at the cuffs but it felt as if he was pointing right into Childe's soul. "If you break them and try to harm me. Not only will you not harm me but you'll end up worse for wear." 

Childe snapped the handcuffs and sat up. He got out of the bed and walked toward Zhongli. He placed his hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes properly. He'd been avoiding them. He imagined most people avoided them. The narrow gaze masking (perhaps not so well) murderous intent. 

"You knew those handcuffs weren't going to keep me there, didn't you?" Childe asked. Zhongli didn't answer. "If you wanted me to stay there wouldn't you have used something stronger?" 

"I strike the fear of God into most, that works rather well." 

"Why did you sleep next to someone that might kill you?" 

"I don't like repeating myself so don't make me say this again: you can't kill me. No one can." 

Childe glided his hands up Zhongli's shoulders to his neck. Zhongli grabbed his wrists and held them firmly. Childe lightly squeezed Zhongli's neck and found himself thrown to the ground. Zhongli held his hands above his head, holding them in place with the grip of one hand. He hovered over him, towel clinging onto him for dear life. 

"If no one can kill you, why don't you teach me how to?" Childe lifted his leg to wrap it around Zhongli, pushing him closer to his body. 

"Only if you call me 'Xiansheng.'" 

"Xiansheng?" Childe repeated. "Did I say that right?" 

Zhongli rested his head on the ground by Childe's and his body shook up against him as he laughed. 

"Xiansheng?" Childe struggled to remove his hands from Zhongli's grasp. Ultimately he failed. "Aren't you going to teach me?" 

"The best way to teach you is through experience." Zhongli let go of Childe's wrists. "Try to kill me at any time. Maybe one day you'll succeed." 

"You don't have an easy handbook of tricks for me to read first?" 

"Here is your first lesson then," Zhongli moved his lips to Childe's cheek. "Seduce me. Let me lower my guard. And then strike." 

"What if I'm the one that's seduced?" Childe huffed, turning his head away from Zhongli's. 

"Then you've lost."