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For some reason, Childe has turned into a catboy.
Or so, that’s how Zhongli would’ve simply put it. He has been sipping yet another cup of tea within the confines of his private chamber when the traveler and harbinger barged inside. The harbinger, though, seems odd; clinging to the sides of the traveler that makes it hard to walk for the both of them. It was then Zhongli spotted the suspicious pair of ears poking on top of the Snezhnayan’s head.
It seems as if the both of them had encountered some mishaps during their exploration. Childe was cursed into a half-fauna, or a catboy, one would simply say.
Now, it’s not as if Zhongli had any complain. The latter was utterly adorable, fluffy ears twitching every so often from behind the bundles of his ginger locks. Cat tail, long and perfect, swishing behind him through the gap of his pants and non-existent ass. And as if that wasn’t enough, Childe has fangs. A pair of fangs. Simply poking out from between his chapped lips. The ex-archaic lord might’ve cooed out loud, gaining himself an amused glance from the traveler and his floating companion.
“So yeah, you see, it’s not only his physic that changed...” the traveler spoke, after what seemed to be prolonged seconds of Zhongli observing the features on his lover. That took Zhongli’s attention away from prodding at the furs on Childe’s ears, piqued with a newfound knowledge he has yet to obtain as he turned around to look at the traveler, his hands leaving childe’s head.
“Do fill me in with the details, I would like to know how is it that I might be able to become of assist—” ‘ Hiss.’
“Oh, ” was all Zhongli managed to gasp out, as he found himself stuck inside tangled limbs, hugging him close. He could practically feel the tension under the younger’s skin as Childe hugged him tight, visibly hissing at the other person in the room. And by hissing, it wasn’t that of his usual schemes of getting the other riled up and fight him; it was an actual hiss.
And he hisses again, hugs around the brunette tightening impossibly so; his tails swishing aggressively behind him, furs standing up. They could hear Paimon screeching as Childe lunges his upper half forwards, canine on display.
It’s cute.
“So, I take it that you’ve wanted to tell me that his… feline transformation, hadn’t been only on his exterior.”
Zhongli’s hands found its way once more, close to Childe’s face. He proceeded to rub the other’s chin, positively gaining himself a deep purr. The hold around him loosens, pleased with the attention once more. The brunette chuckled at the reaction. He didn’t bother trying to coax himself out of the deadly hug around him whole.
“So can we leave now?” Paimon finally spoke, her body half-hidden behind the traveler’s head as she stays afloat far from Childe’s bite-able length.
“Of course. Thank you for bringing him here, I will swiftly take care of the matter,” the consultant spoke as if he doesn’t have a giant human-cat latching onto him, nuzzling against his temple and occasionally giving little licks at his skin. Something inside Zhongli doesn’t want to take care of this matter. At least not so soon.
Though, indulging in was rather easier said than done; all in all, it’s still a curse. When the traveler and their companion took their leave, Zhongli settled on the corner of the bed, after moments of coaxing the clinging cat to let go of him so he could march them both to settle down.
“Alright, so. Childe?”
A twitch of an ear; he was listening, he recognized his name, so that’s good. Said Childe was sitting on the bed, right beside the elder. It was quite odd to see sparkles of life emanating from the ginger’s usually dead eyes.
Zhongli huffed, having a pet cat hadn’t exactly been in his retirement plan. Then again, can this state of his boyfriend really be considered a pet cat? Is Childe even an actual cat? Though, there’s some occasion where he felt like taking care of a giant puppy. A fox, even. But a cat, he hadn’t thought of it.
His line of thought broke off when he felt warmth rubbing on his knee. He looked down to be greeted by a pair of noctilucous jade orbs (when did Childe get down?) fluttering at him almost worryingly. Mewls, and a paw. Childe was looking at him, leaning on his knees and rubbing part of his face; one of his hand pawing at the other unoccupied side and sliding to his thigh. His cheek squished, eyes turning slightly crescent.
Zhongli coos, his heart bursted.
“Ah. I’m sorry. Are you feeling uncomfortable, Childe? Is there anything that you need?”
Reaching his arms around the ginger head, the archaic lord picked him up with surprising ease; hoisting the ginger onto his lap and letting him nuzzle his gloved hand instead, his hands caressing the other’s jaw. Childe leaned against it, purring on the back of his throat.
It has been a while since he’d seen this vulnerable, indulging side of his lover. Childe had always been the one taking care of him, petting him, loving him. Whether in life or in bed, he had been on the receiving end; but now, seeing the diplomat acting all so adorably on his lap, he felt blossoms within his chest, thrumming with overwhelming love and the need to take care.
“Are you hungry?” Zhongli’s hand never left Childe’s cheek, rubbing and rubbing, caressing soft and gentle; feeling the reverberating purr under his fingertips. Childe on the other hand had his eyes closed, his tail swishing behind him contentedly, ears twitching every now and then.
Something inside Zhongli had a thought. He kept rubbing, and rubbing, and rubbing; further away, scooting away. Childe kept leaning, and he leaned, his face practically chasing off the warmth of the brunette’s gloved hand.
Childe bent almost uncomfortably, yet somehow he managed to keep his cheek pressed against the consultant’s hand. Zhongli giggled, finally ceasing his pats. Childe blinked his eyes open, straightening up his back once more and mewling yet again. His tail swished faster, Zhongli couldn’t tell if it was from annoyance or joy; though the pout he sees says the former.
“So I take it you’re not hungry,” his voice was light, amused. His hand poking the half-cat’s cheek and taking in the cute little twitch of his nose. Worried as he was, Zhongli was glad his lover wasn’t hungry; else he’d have to face cooking seafood on his own. He wouldn’t want to give his very-much-still-human boyfriend a cat food. Though he did take in the possibility of cooking meat instead, knowing Childe, his lover would certainly prefer octopus skewers over slow-cooked boar meat.
He once again found himself broken from his train of thought with another nuzzle, this time on his face; cheek to cheek. It’s as if Childe knew he was thinking too much yet again, wanting for his mind to rest; he’d thought too much, thought too often. Childe always knew how to stop him from going too far, it seems like his half-feline transformation didn’t change that bits of him.
Willing himself to finally stop thinking, Zhongli took in one of Childe’s hand; it felt the same, calloused, fitting in his hold. It seems like his lover psyche didn’t change too much, though Zhongli wasn’t surprised considering the lack of whiskers adorning the fatui’s face.
Zhongli tangled their fingers together, giving a light squeeze as he observed. Childe didn’t budge, in fact; he seems to be busy nosing on the brunette’s cheek instead. Zhongli’s other hand was wrapped around his lover’s waist the best he could, with their figure being not too much different, his own form being the thinner of them both.
It felt odd, only hearing the purr from the usually-loud-man’s throat. They had their comfortable silences, many of them. Yet something felt different, it indeed differs from the usual; Zhongli doesn’t even know if Childe understands him nor his words. Though Zhongli tried not to dwell on it, he knows for a fact Childe still recognizes him and his own name. So that’s a starter.
He brought their entangled hand close to his lips, softly kissing the other’s knuckles. That seemed to have caught the half-cat’s attention, ears perking up and so does he whole; his purring hadn’t stopped, though it seems to have ceased along with the rising confusion. His tail swished, once, twice; his slitted eyes staring at the elder’s lips.
Zhongli chuckled. It was cute, he thought. How come his lover still acts akin to a puppy even when he was bestowed the curse of a half-cat? He didn’t have time to think of it before the said half-cat pounced on him, it caught him off guard with how both of his hands were now pinned above his head as he laid on the bed.
“Childe?” looking up, Zhongli had thought the other returned to normal already. Though he was greeted with the same slitted blue eyes and an aggressively swishing tail, giving light breezes on his ankle. Childe leaned down, nuzzling against the other’s cheek again, the hands stayed still on Zhongli’s own. The brunette gave a full-body shudder at the purr, deepest one so far, given right beside his ear.
Bracing himself for more, Zhongli closed his eyes as Childe kept nuzzling. He kept nuzzling, rubbing, nosing against the crook of his neck; down to his shoulder, his chest. Childe was nuzzling everywhere, in fact; he was only nuzzling. Zhongli opened his eyes at the realization that his lover wasn’t going to do more. Childe kept rubbing his head against the column of neck, against his cheek; his hair, his nose, his face smushed against Zhongli’s cheek.
Childe is head-butting him. He’s scenting Zhongli the way a cat does.
It’s the third time Zhongli coos within the past one hour.
Zhongli blinked his eyes open, hands wriggling slightly and easily got himself loose from his lover’s hold; taking the extra time to slide off his gloves, Zhongli’s hand travels back to the orange locks, scratching absentmindedly behind the cat ears. “There, kitty-kitty.”
Childe gruffed, and Zhongli couldn’t bite back his laugh. Laying there, defeated as Childe’s hand now found its ways to knead against his chest while flocks of orange kept tickling his neck; Zhongli didn’t dare move an inch. Giggling every now and then at every tickle, or the feeling of his lover’s head bumping against his chest and tummy desperately; or the way Childe kept purring, each purr getting louder and more content. His tail was swishing nonstop behind him, almost hypnotizing with the way it moves gently, rocking against the air.
Time passes by as the brunette laid limp, his lover giving relentless nuzzling for what seemed like hours on end. Zhongli’s head scratch behind the other’s fluffy ears has ceased, sleep overtaking him under the familiar weight above him. As the elder was slowly, but surely falling into slumber; it stopped, the nuzzling stopped entirely. The flocks of orange ceasing its move and gone from his chest, replaced with a pair of hand kneading against his pecs. Zhongli blearily blinked his eyes open.
On top of him was Childe still, hair now fluffier than ever from the constant nuzzling against his clothes; there was a proud glint on his eyes, nose twitching and sniffing as if taking in the scent of himself all over his lover. His tail swish hasn’t ceased by one bit, seemingly going quicker with the contentment and joy. It was an adorable sight, something Zhongli only sees when his lover was drenched in red; when his lover had a good fight. Though this time the lack of crimson serves him better view of how proud Childe looked.
Childe huffed. Proudly.
Chuckling, Zhongli slowly moved his hand down from where it was staying buried between the other’s orange strands, caressing his cheek as he brought him closer for a soft peck on his lips. “I am glad you found enjoyment still even with your current state of mind, Childe.” Zhongli bumped their forehead together, indulging himself in the nyah that followed from his lover’s lips. He gave more pecks, Childe flicked his tongue against the brunette’s lips as they parts. Then he dove back down, burying his nose and face whole on the crook of Zhongli’s neck, purring contentedly with both of his eyes closed.
The comforting rumble of Childe’s purring against him has Zhongli drifting once more, both hands going to wrap around his lover’s figure, not daring to move despite the heavy weight keeping him grounded still. It didn’t matter, he doesn’t mind taking extra miles to breathe as long as his slumbering kitten’s found his joy.
Childe yawned against his skin, nuzzling even closer and getting even more comfortable; one hand kept kneading against Zhongli’s clothes, there was truly no escaping from the giant cat caging him. Zhongli sighed softly, surrendering to his fate as a bed.
Perhaps a nap is in order.
_____________________________________________
When he woke up, it was not to the crushing weight above him anymore. Instead, Zhongli felt warmth embracing him, an arm propped right under his head in a comforting manner; another arm wrapped around his waist. He stirred, nuzzling against the warmth and familiar scent in front of him.
“Oh, are you up, Xiansheng?”
The voice that came woke him up, blinking his eyes open as he tilted his head. He was once again greeted by the familiar blue orbs staring back on him, the familiar jade looking at his eyes; though this time, it wasn’t slitted. Nor does it has the sparkle it did before.
“C-childe..? You’re back to… normal.”
“Mhm! I did.”
Zhongli blinks again, still very much drowsy from sleep. He heard a chuckle come from the other man, and the arm on his waist moving until he felt a hand caressing his cheek, something he immediately leaned against. It was then the fact downed on him, and Zhongli pouted.
“H-hey! Why do you look so disappointed, Xiansheng!?” Childe couldn’t help but to pinch the elder’s cheek, though there wasn’t any malice within his intent. In fact, he was amused that Zhongli could make this expression at all.
“It was quite refreshing to see you acting cutely for a change. The ears were a nice addition, it seems to have reacted more honestly than your di—”
Childe shuts him up with a kiss, which seemed to have worked effectively as he slipped his tongue inside. When he pulled away, Zhongli could see the blush forming on his lover’s cheeks; perhaps mirroring his, if not even redder than him.
Zhongli softens at the sight, it was his turn to kiss; leaving a chaste peck against the other’s nose.
“Regardless, I’ve missed you.”
The brunette caresses his lover’s cheek, rubbing softly along his cheekbone as he looked deeply into the other’s eyes. Childe seemed to melt, his own expression softening as he heaved out a sigh, placing his hand above Zhongli’s as he turned his head to kiss the elder’s palm.
“I miss you too, Xiansheng.”
“Hey, Childe.”
‘Mhm?’
“Do the nyah again?”
‘T-the what?’
“You know. Like, nyah.”
He pounced Zhongli.