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

-𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘+𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓-

•´¯'•. . .•´¯'•

As Childe waited in the hospital, he bounced his knee up and down while he held his chin. Every so often he would quickly glance at the red clock that hung above the reception desk. Four and a half hours. That's how long since Childe had last seen Zhongli. The chair Childe waited it was hard and uncomfortable and it didn't help his wavering nerves, neither did being in the unknown how Zhongli was doing or Lumine. And though Childe had a rather good poker face, Aether didn't.

The poor youth sat there, hands clutched together and lips pursed. He had barely blinked and had barely moved. Aether refused any water offered to him; he was too anxious to do a thing right now. He and Childe were just waiting for the doctors to come deliver them some news. Any news. Particularly the good kind.

"I'm going to go get something to drink.." Childe murmured, standing up to stretch his legs. He needed to move around, do something, even hitting something would do some good for him. Unfortunately there was nothing to hit in a hospital, so Childe took his anger out on a vending machine that stole his money and kept an iced coffee from him.

The ginger hit the machine a few times. He even glared at it, but that got him a funny look from an older lady so he stopped.

"I remember how much trouble Mr. Zhongli had with these machines.."

Childe traced the coin slot while thinking. Though the spell of sleepiness had overcome him. It was already nearing mid afternoon and he was tired from being up all night.

The vending machine eventually dropped a drink in the bottom with a little thud and Childe grabbed it before sighing. He was given an macha favored soda instead and turned his nose up at it. When he walked back to his seat, he dropped the drink in Xiao's lap despite the murderous glance he got from doing so.

"Y'know, I'm sure Lumine will be alright. If she's like you, she must be pretty tough." Childe said, smiling at Aether as he put a hand on his shoulder. "Never give up on the ones you care about. They'll surprise you in news ways all the time, and will be even stronger the more you support them."

Aether paused. Then he glanced down. "Yeah, but.. you're just reassuring yourself, aren't you? About Mr. Zhongli? Your hand is trembling." He pointed out, making Childe pull his hand away. Aether lowered his brows. "You're not a good liar. Not as good as you think you are." Aether said rather bluntly, throwing Childe off. "But you are good with cheering people up.. so thank you. You're kinda like a nice big brother." He confessed as he took the soda Xiao pushed into his hands that Childe tossed to Xiao earlier. "I bet you'd be a good dad- Hey! This taste horrible.." Aether made a face at the drink and tried to give it back to Xiao, and the two ended up playing hot potato with it. Not that Childe necessarily cared. He was a bit awestruck of the idea of being a father.

"Would.. me and Mr. Zhongli.. be parents one day...?"   He wondered to himself.

"Excuse me." A doctor holding a clipboard said, catching everyone's attention. As soon as he appeared Childe, Xiao, and Aether jumped to their feet.

The doctor had dark grey hair and glasses, and whenever he smiled, his blue eyes sparkled and the fine lines around them nearly doubled. "Er, there was no complications, and they have been resting this last half hour just fine." He assured them.
"They should be awake soon.. but they will need to stay here for about four to five days. But we can talk about that later. You all wants to see your sister and friend, correct? Come now. Don't be shy."