#for mudkip

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It was late when Zhongli finally heard the jingle of keys from the front door. Childe has been due to come back more than four hours ago. Outside, he could see the shadows of the already rising sun, indicating just how late his partner was.

Appearing by the front door in seconds, Zhongli waited for the sound of locks turning, the door sliding open before he tackled the man behind it. Being the taller of the two, Zhongli’s chin naturally rested atop the head of messy orange hair, which he realised seconds later, felt warmer than usual.

Childe was also seemingly avoiding eye contact.

“Xiansheng.. I’m home!” The voice coming from under him sounded tired, relieved, like he had ran a marathon. But the Northland bank wasn’t that far away from their shared apartment, was it?

Zhongli shook his head, leading Childe into the house. “Welcome home, dear. How was work today?”

Childe breathed a sigh. Good, he didn’t notice.

“It was f- fine. Just some letters I needed to w- write. Documents to fill up, you know? Those kept me u- up all day.” Childe replied, still not willing to look Zhongli in the eye. 

He knew if he did, he’d get seen right through -- the wastebasket full of used tissues that still sat in his office was much more of an indication than anything else. But as long as he plays it smart, Childe thinks, he’d be able to fool the other.

He received a small hum in reply as the front door was re-locked. “Are you hungry then? There is food leftover from dinner.”

Childe nodded, raising his fist to hide a sniffle as he sat on the couch. Now that he wasn’t hunched over his desk with a pen in hand, exhaustion was starting to catch up. Smiling as he watched Zhongli head to the kitchen to heat up the food, he closed his eyes for a moment, thinking a light rest won’t hurt.

-

Zhongli knew something was wrong. How could ne have missed it? The way CHilde refused to look at him, the way Childe had not kissed him the second he came home, and the subtle sniffing that came from the couch. It was pretty obvious, if not confirmed when--

“Het- sHhw! HaHh- NgHt’ sh!” 

-- he heard a restrained double coming from the living room, followed by a sigh and a wet sniffle. Maybe heating up leftover dinner wouldn’t be such a good idea.. 

Opening the fridge, Zhongli took out some herbs and chicken, beginning to make a dish he hasn’t put together in years, tweaking it a little to suit Childe’s taste.

-

It was a little nudge that woke the sleeping one up. Stirring, Childe let out a stuffy sniffle, blinking his eyes against the sunlight. “Huh..? It’s mo’ning already?” He mumbled, voice thick with congestion. He shuffled between the couch cushions, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. His eyes focused on Zhongli “H- How long was I out fore?” 

“Not too long.” The warm reply came. “You came home really late today, so the sun is already starting to rise.” 

“Ouh..” Childe’s eyes shifted to the bowl being pushed towards him. It was then he remembered that Zhongli was going to heat up some food for him. It looked like soup, liquidy and steaming. At that moment, Childe realised just how hungry he really was.

“C’mere, I’lll feed you.” Zhongli said, bringing a steady spoon up to the other’s lips. “Careful, it’s a little hot.”

Trembling lips wrapped around the ceramic spoon as Childe tried the food. He wasn’t going to admit it, but the warmth of the dish was exactly what he had been craving for the whole day. And despite how numb his tastebuds were, he could still tell it was really good.

A sniffle. “Xiansheng.. this is delicious! Where did you buy it from? ..snf- Chef Mao’s new recipe maybe? It’d tastes r’ly.. snf.. good!” 

Shit. He needed to blow his nose badly. It was going to start dripping if he didn’t.

Zhongli laughed softly, noticing Childe’s twitching nose but chose not to comment on it. (He wanted to see how long his darling could hold for). “Really Childe. Can’t even recognise your own boyfriend’s cooking,” he smirked, eyeing the other. “Something wrong with your sense of taste maybe..?”

He was replied with a little choke. “No..! Of course not, hahhha, my.. snff- senses work just fine! Heh- say, Xiansheng, how come you never.. snf- cooked this b’fore?” it was getting harder and harder to contain the dribble he could feel coming out of his nostril. It wasn’t quite showing right now, but it would if he continued to do nothing about it.

A quick swipe of his glove to the nose seemed to do the trick, but as Childe quickly realised seconds later, that came with its own drawbacks..

“Hh.. hEh- shHNght! Haah- sHXgnTt!!” He could feel the slight spray upon the uncovered part of his wrist. Childe cringed, but prepared himself for another -- “Hihh- nGHxt! Hh.. hih! ..snf.. s- Hah- HheH! HAhh- ShXnHT- ‘iiew!!” the last one, uncontained and a little louder than he had hoped.

Zhongli watched on in slight amusement. He never really had a thing for mortal illnesses, but seeing Childe in such a state made him feel very interested indeed. But his needs could wait. Childe should, and would, always come first.

“Bless you.” He answered carefully. “Well, the reason why i do not cook this dish often is because its ingredients contain many herbs that have medicinal properties.” he looked at Childe meaningfully. “Meant to treat common colds or a slight flu.”

The other instantly blushed, looking away. “I.. I don’t see w- why I would need that.. I’m fine.. really..”

“Oh? Then what were those sneezes just now?” 

Hearing the question made Childe feel called-out, as if he had got caught doing a bad thing, but he shook his head. “T- Those? Ahahh, those were just my uh.. my.. a- allergies, yeah..” 

Zhongli’s eyes widened with false surprise. “Allergies?” He said, amused. “Whatever are you allergic to?”

“I uh..” Childe hadn’t thought his lie would get to this point. Panicking, his mind whizzed with excuses and things to get himself scott free. Then, he remembers-- “Silk flowers! I’m allergic to s.. Sehh- eh..sHshew!!.. snf- silk flowers.. yeah!”

“Hm?” Zhongli raised an eyebrow, willing to play along. “You might not know this, baobei, but the daily perfume that I spray on has a strong extract of silk flower essence in it. From the way you cuddle and nuzzle at me all day, why are your ‘allergies’ only acting up now?” 

Childe’s eyes fill with panic. “Oh! Is that s- so..? Hhaha, I must’ve mixed up my f- flowers! heh.. it’s.. it’s Gaze lilies! Yeah, I’m hella allergic to t- tHho- hAh.. SscH’iew!! snf- srry..”

“Gaze lilies?” Zhongli asked, a small smile on his face. “I remember very clearly that we once went on a date to a place with many gaze lilies, you were even the one who suggested that we go there-”

“It’s Qingxin! I remember now! There, I’m allergic to Qinxin flowers!” Childe interrupted, proud that he had finally found a-

“But Qinxins are awfully far from Liyue Harbour itself, Childe. Surely if you had stayed in your office all day like you claimed..” 

His face falls. He’s been caught. Dragged up and backed into a corner by Zhongli. He knows it. There was no escape now. He might as well surrender himself into the arms of his partner.

Deep down inside, Childe had been craving to be cared by Zhongli when his cold had started catching up to him. Stifling into tissues within the cold walls of his office, suffering all alone. But it was.. embarrassing.. to say the least, being so vulnerable in front of anyone.

But he wasn’t with just anyone. He knew Zhongli would take special care of him until he was better. Weighing his chances, he figures it won’t hurt to just.. 

“Fine.” Childe said with a pathetic sniffle. “I’m sick, not feeling well, whatever..”

“No need to be so shy about it beloved..” Zhongli cooed, happy that his partner was finally willing to give himself up. “I’ll take good care of you alright? I promise.. Now come sit on my lap.. I’ll help you finish the soup I made.”

-

An hour and a dozen sneezes later, the both of them lay on their shared bed, huddled together, Childe’s overused nose pressed up against Zhongli’s warm body. They had long ran out of tissues, with the way Childe was going through them, sneeze after sneeze.

“Ssnuff.. ugh- what did you do again..?”

“Rub mint on my chest.” 

“Mmh.. snff- than’k you.”

“Welcome..” Zhongli whispered, trailing soft, comforting kisses down Childe’s neck. He pecked once at Childe’s warm forehead, and once on his flushed cheek. And with a cheeky smile, grazed his lips upon the other’s bright crimson nose.

The response was immediate.

“Ack! Hh- Zhongli! Wha- hIH- ssHie’w!! WHatcha do thaA- hh.. snGH- iew!! -that for?!” Childe pressed his nose into the crook of Zhongli’s shoulder, the sneezes breaking his sentence and frame.

“Just kissing the places I love kissing you the most..” Zhongli mumbled, a dumb smile on his face when he felt the strong, wet impact upon his shoulder as Childe let out a few rather.. unrestrained sneezes.

“Oh.. hh.. Hah- sHIEW!! ..ugh.. snuff- ..so’ srry Xiansheng.. I’m.. snf- being so g’ross..”

“You’re not.” Zhongli replied with a well-hidden shudder.

“Snf.. alright.. if you say so.. ahh.. Aw shit.. you’re gonna catch m.. my.. Hih- XxNghtt!! - cold.. snf..” This time, Childe directed the spray to the back of his hands, eyes squeezed shut and nose scrunched up.

“I w- won’t mind that..” Zhongli breathed, his wavering voice betraying some of his inner feelings.

Childe stared at his partner carefully, seeing an expression that Zhongli barely wore on his face-- a look of soft lust. Ah.. Zhongli.. of all people.. who would’ve thought.. a new excitement ran through his body. Maybe.. he’d be able to uncover a hidden part of Zhongli that only he would ever see.. 

One step at a time..

He began with a sniffle. “So.. Xiansheng.. I couldn’t help but notice you missed a spot just now.” Seeing his lover’s confused face, he continued. “You know? When you were kissing my cheeks and neck, and.. nose..” From the corner of his eye, Childe saw Zhongli blush slightly. So he continued. “You missed a spot.”

“...? “

“Between my legs..” 

“Ajax!!” Zhongli choked out, face as flushed as Childe’s (except he didn’t have a fever). “I.. I.. wHat?!” 

Childe bursts out laughing, burying his face into the folds of the other’s clothes, breathing in the soft scent of silk flowers. “I’m joking Zhongli! Well.. half-joking. We can make out when I’m better. Or..” He throws a sideways glance.

“Or..?”

“Or unless you’d want to make out when I.. Hh- hIH.. hAH- ZCHh’ HuU! ugh.. snff.. when I’m still sn- Hh.. sneezing non-stop..” 

“A.. Ajax!” 

“Hahhahh, Your choice!”

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