𝘡𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘤𝘩𝘪 /𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘓𝘪 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘴

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴

(This is a slight edit from the original, I did not feel like the original oneshot matched the canon personalities of the characters, therefore I changed it to better fit their real character traits to make the oneshot more enjoyable!)

Tartaglia sighed, drowsy, as he wiped down a table with a damp, warm cloth. As he shoved the scattered crumbs off the table's edge, he felt a mysterious force tap his ankle. As he looked down, he noticed the bristles of a broom brushing up against him softly, ticking the bit of skin his ankles exposed. Besides the broom was a pair of black oxfords sitting shiny and clean, despite having a dusting tool next to them. Attached to the shoes was a body, tall and stern. His eyes drove up the rest of the body frame, only to realize it was not such a foreign figure.

"Well. Hello Childe, how's work been to you?" The well-built man fancied such a thoughtful question.                                                                                                                                                                                    

"Xiansheng! Ugh, I mean Boss! Hello!" Tartaglia chuckled nervously, clenching the dripping towel in his hand out of shock from the surprise visit. "I've been well! Thank you for asking, Sir! Is there anything I can do for you?" His voice echoed through the empty dining hall, darting off the walls and back into his ears.

Zhongli smirked. "Finish up your duties. Then immediately after you complete your tasks, you shall meet me in the kitchen afterward. I need a word with you."

"Y-yessir! Right away!" Tartaglia jumped, the piercing golden eyes and strengthened tone of voice arresting the will in his voice to speak even a mere word.

Zhongli then took his righteous leave. He became a slave to time while he waited for Tartaglia to complete his work. Tartaglia thought deeply about whatever his boss could want to talk to him about, "Was it a raise?" "Did I get an order wrong or a bad review from a critic?" "Am I being fired?!" were all thoughts that cautiously crossed his mind, filling him with fear and stapling regret to his anxious mind. But deep down, he knew why he was to speak with Zhongli. Yet he ignored the threat of an idea that ate up at him like the food that once resided on these messy tables he cleaned every day.

Eventually, he reached the end of his needy chores. They no longer presented a hassle that required his attention. As he sheltered the cleaning supplies, he remembered the request he was to fulfill. He removed his slippery, plastic gloves, washed his wrinkled hands, gracefully removed his apron, and hung it gently with the rest of the employee's aprons. He remembered to set it next to Xiao's, knowing it'd annoy him. Xiao disliked Tartaglia more than anything, as he constantly worked hard to impress the likes of Zhongli. Yet he was always surpassed by Tartaglia. He changed his shoe into casual tennis shoes and traveled nervously to the taunting kitchen. He arrived face to face with the heavy door. This door would either lead to his ultimate success or his inevitable failure. He took a deep breath in, the breath out chased by a long gulp that refused prominently to travel down his throat. A sudden surge of overbearing courage washed over Tartaglia's consciousness and took him over. He overcame the fear and pushed the bulky door open with great force.

Upon entrance, Zhongli darted his eyes straight in Tartaglia's direction. Desire loomed from the color of gold in his mischievously placed gaze. He had his arms folded professionally. He sat lazily on a nearby supporting counter, and his grin rest slanted his face, hinting at his troubling intentions. Tartaglia knew what this meant. Zhongli wanted another 'act of service' that increased Tartaglia's pay. In reality, however, Tartaglia longed for more. He wanted an actual traditional relationship with his boss. Tartaglia sighed as he realized Zhongli's dirty intentions. He bravely walked towards Zhongli, crossed his arms, and spoke his true feelings aloud. "Zhongli. I don't want to do this anymore." Tartaglia propounded thoroughly. He made sure his stance was well known and dented into Zhongli's mind.

Zhongli's smirk remained prominent on his face, not erasing itself nor lifted from Tartaglia's sight. "Tartaglia, I did not summon you in hopes you would perform such filthy acts. Please, consider me with a bit more respect next time. I digress." Zhongli announced, sounding rather offended by the previous dialogue sputtered by the ginger that stood formally.

Childe leaned in with an excited smile on his face. Their faces presented inches apart. Each could feel the other's shaky breath patterns against their skin. Suddenly, Zhongli leaned back, keeping his balance with a supporting hand that dug into the rest of the cold, hard counter behind him. He sensed Tartaglia's amusement. He escalated the situation for his starving pleasure. He lifted his free hand mischievously. He placed it swiftly and impatiently under Tartaglia's chin and pulled him in semi-aggressively.

"Kiss me you oblivious fool." Zhongli whispered in a deep, sexy voice,one that nobody could resist. 

Tartaglia's enthusiastic, cobalt-blue eyes widened significantly. He was shocked to learn that the likes of Zhongli, who previously only ever called him up to please his needs, would ask for a less demanding and much more romantic movement. Formerly, his requests were based strictly on his desire and passion, so naturally, this provided even more love and partner intimacy. He blushed intently, becoming vulnerable to the fact that he was unprepared and flustered.

"But Zhongli...I still have much more to say. I-I-" He stuttered as Zhongli stared with mesmerization in his glittering eyes, ignoring the useless banter Tartaglia entertained. 

He crashed his lips into the other lips that spoke such soft, stuttering words. His lips felt heavenly delicate and slightly chapped, Zhongli noted. Tartaglia tasted overbearingly sweet and was arrogantly a god at kissing. Although this worked ultimately in his favor as he explored the inside of Tartaglia's mouth with his tongue.

"Mmn.." A slight moan could be heard coming from the red head, he then violently broke off the kiss as he gasped for air desperately.

Zhongli wiped the corner of his mouth, his eyes still forcefully locked on how cute Tartaglia looked at this sensual moment. 

"You're adorable, Ajax." Zhongli muttered ,striking a charming grin straight to his face. He continued to hold Tartaglia's face in his gloved hands, staring at it with awe and pleasure. 

"Ajax..." Zhongli exhaled nervously, intertwining his hands with the other pair. "Upon beginning our exchange of erm..services...I began to realize that you made me feel different. My heart still sings a tingling song every time I lock eye's with you. I can't seem to get enough of your comforting touch. The way that your tender hands graze over my skin, tickling me every so slightly. I can't help but fantasize about newer possibilities between you and me." Zhongli released the words smoothly as if the words had been cascading down as a sigh of relief.

"What I am attempting to get across here is.."Zhongli hesitantly paused before he let his feelings spill out. "I've grown feelings for you.." Blurted Zhongli as he looked to the ground. In this instance, he was most vulnerable, more than ever before. A spark of courage lit inside him as he spoke his words of freedom.

Shocked, Tartaglia stood with his jaw dropped. Despite the light's decision to fail on the pair repeatedly, it still amazed Tartaglia how Zhongli appeared so attractively in the flickering light source.

"Xiansheng.." Tartaglia caringly uttered, bringing Zhongli's chin up to look at his warm, smiling face.

"I love you too!" Tartaglia grinned from ear to ear, cupping Zhongli's cheek as he pulled him in. He lovingly shared his affection through touch, warming the man with simple physical feelings. He melted into the kiss, wrapping his hands around Zhongli's head as they extended their vulnerability for one another to rip open and witness. A contract between the two engraved itself into the faithful stars. It was the undying contract of love, and the couple could undoubtedly feel it rushing through their pumping veins.