[ Childe has not let it show, but he has observed Zhongli intensely over the weeks and how he is doing. It's surprising, honestly, the difference in how Zhongli is improving, at least in him being able to maintain new memories, rather than declining as Childe has ultimately come to anticipate. Afterall, he's never known of anyone with a deteriorating mind to do anything but possibly stall the inevitable. For Zhongli to be able to make and retain new memories isn't stalling, though. Even if he never remembers anything he's forgotten (—although seems to be recalling names and faces that Childe also knew while in Liyue,) if he can make be one and not loose them, then does it really matter?
( Only when Morax is brought up does Zhongli suddenly regress, those fractures showing until Zhongli retreats and doesn't re-emerge for several days. During that time, Childe returns to his normal daily routine as if Zhongli being there has been nothing more than a hallucination. After it happening twice, however, and then seeing it start again for a third time, Childe pulled back and swapped the subjects to something else having nothing to do with the once Archon's name. He has avoided Mentone of such things since. )
Childe doesn't understand why, of course, but so far nothing else has triggered those situations. Offhandedly, he wonders how bad this will work itself out to. Zhongli will want to leave at some point, right? If he returns telling his friends in Liyue who he stayed with, are they going to remind Zhongli of what he did? ( For some reason, he does not seem to have a memory of that. ) Will Zhongli be upset with him for not telling him first? Will he not believe those in Liyue? Or will that too cause that condition to flair up again?
He doesn't know.
(Could there be another option? Could it end up that Zhongli just wants to stay here for the rest of his life?)
It's absurd to even get his hopes up for that. Why would he be getting his hopes up in the first place, though, again?
It's been a lot less lonely. Zhongli is like the Zhongli the Fatui Harbinger fell for in Liyue before his own world came crashing down at the truth being revealed. He threw those emotions away, though, promised himself never to let them get the best of him again. He didn't need friends. He didn't need a life partner.
(Yet Zhongli is already so much more to him in a few weeks than he was the entire time in Liyue. The sincerity and affection is as incredible as it is agonizing.)
The Lord Harbinger closes his eyes and mentally sighs even as he listens to the attractive young woman chattering away and completely ignoring the fact that he's distracted and not really hearing much of anything she says.
When Zhongli returns, the girl immediately stops speaking (at the door penning so Zhongli is not actually interupting her,) glancing from her incredibly forward position of sitting on the edge of the Harbinger's desk, shoes off and swinging her legs idly. Childe's own eyes snap open as if suddenly awake at hearing Zhongli say his name and immediately responds with a typical prerehesrsed smile. ]
Zhongli-xiansheng, welcome back.
[ the young woman is staring somewhat suspiciously at the other, although with an equal sense of curiosity. She is overall not particularly decent to be seen by anyone in public as she's gotten herself comfy and taken off the more conservative pieces of her uniform. She looks like she's here to stay for the evening. Blue eyes blink once at hearing the name and how readily Childe comes to attention for the Liyuen, before glancing at Childe and then Zhongli and back to Childe again, this time giving him an annoyed (jealous?) look. ]
"So this is what you've been hiding from me! I knew it.""
[ Childe shrugs almost sheepishly but certainly not enough to be anything like an attempt at apology. Nimbly the woman twists by bracing her hands on the desk to roll her hips and brings over one socked foot to intentionally shove into the side of his head with a hmph! before fully rolling herself off the desk. ] "That's all you have for your defense? Stop staring it's impolite!"
[ with a huff, she is now coming from the desk over to Zhongli with a pretty smile, her blue eyes practically glistening and her ginger colored hair beautifully kept in style. The girl takes pride in her overall appearance, that much is clear. She's pretty and she knows it well enough not to feel self-conscious. ]
"Zhongli—" [ she pauses to brace herself to make sure she pronounces it as correctly as possible. ] "—xiansheng! I didn't know you were in Snezhnaya, it's nice to meet you finally! Do you need help with those? "
[ she looks very eager to help take those off of Zhongli since he carried them all the way here so he can instead talk with Childe if he wants. Although before her gives her the stuff (or even if he gives her nothing) she will turn to look back at Childe and bring one hand up to have her middle and index finger point at her eyes and then turn them to point them both at him. It's the classical I'm watching you gesture. The harbinger looks almost offended before sticking his tongue out at her as soon as turns away from him. If Zhongli let her have the bags she's going to leave to put them in the kitchen area that is part of Childe's living area in the back. If he doesn't, she will nod and go to open the doors for him instead so he can walk through unhindered when he's ready. Either way, she disappears for the moment, so it's just the two of them.
With a big sigh, Childe looks to Zhongli again. ]
Sorry about her. She is doing her clinical hours down in research but barges in when she feels like it and makes this place into some kind of personal school frat house. [ Childe glances to the couch which has the girl's overshirt and uniform overcoat with another sigh. ]
no subject
( Only when Morax is brought up does Zhongli suddenly regress, those fractures showing until Zhongli retreats and doesn't re-emerge for several days. During that time, Childe returns to his normal daily routine as if Zhongli being there has been nothing more than a hallucination. After it happening twice, however, and then seeing it start again for a third time, Childe pulled back and swapped the subjects to something else having nothing to do with the once Archon's name. He has avoided Mentone of such things since. )
Childe doesn't understand why, of course, but so far nothing else has triggered those situations. Offhandedly, he wonders how bad this will work itself out to. Zhongli will want to leave at some point, right? If he returns telling his friends in Liyue who he stayed with, are they going to remind Zhongli of what he did? ( For some reason, he does not seem to have a memory of that. ) Will Zhongli be upset with him for not telling him first? Will he not believe those in Liyue? Or will that too cause that condition to flair up again?
He doesn't know.
(Could there be another option? Could it end up that Zhongli just wants to stay here for the rest of his life?)
It's absurd to even get his hopes up for that. Why would he be getting his hopes up in the first place, though, again?
It's been a lot less lonely. Zhongli is like the Zhongli the Fatui Harbinger fell for in Liyue before his own world came crashing down at the truth being revealed. He threw those emotions away, though, promised himself never to let them get the best of him again. He didn't need friends. He didn't need a life partner.
(Yet Zhongli is already so much more to him in a few weeks than he was the entire time in Liyue. The sincerity and affection is as incredible as it is agonizing.)
The Lord Harbinger closes his eyes and mentally sighs even as he listens to the attractive young woman chattering away and completely ignoring the fact that he's distracted and not really hearing much of anything she says.
When Zhongli returns, the girl immediately stops speaking (at the door penning so Zhongli is not actually interupting her,) glancing from her incredibly forward position of sitting on the edge of the Harbinger's desk, shoes off and swinging her legs idly. Childe's own eyes snap open as if suddenly awake at hearing Zhongli say his name and immediately responds with a typical prerehesrsed smile. ]
Zhongli-xiansheng, welcome back.
[ the young woman is staring somewhat suspiciously at the other, although with an equal sense of curiosity. She is overall not particularly decent to be seen by anyone in public as she's gotten herself comfy and taken off the more conservative pieces of her uniform. She looks like she's here to stay for the evening. Blue eyes blink once at hearing the name and how readily Childe comes to attention for the Liyuen, before glancing at Childe and then Zhongli and back to Childe again, this time giving him an annoyed (jealous?) look. ]
"So this is what you've been hiding from me! I knew it.""
[ Childe shrugs almost sheepishly but certainly not enough to be anything like an attempt at apology. Nimbly the woman twists by bracing her hands on the desk to roll her hips and brings over one socked foot to intentionally shove into the side of his head with a hmph! before fully rolling herself off the desk. ] "That's all you have for your defense? Stop staring it's impolite!"
[ with a huff, she is now coming from the desk over to Zhongli with a pretty smile, her blue eyes practically glistening and her ginger colored hair beautifully kept in style. The girl takes pride in her overall appearance, that much is clear. She's pretty and she knows it well enough not to feel self-conscious. ]
"Zhongli—" [ she pauses to brace herself to make sure she pronounces it as correctly as possible. ] "—xiansheng! I didn't know you were in Snezhnaya, it's nice to meet you finally! Do you need help with those? "
[ she looks very eager to help take those off of Zhongli since he carried them all the way here so he can instead talk with Childe if he wants. Although before her gives her the stuff (or even if he gives her nothing) she will turn to look back at Childe and bring one hand up to have her middle and index finger point at her eyes and then turn them to point them both at him. It's the classical I'm watching you gesture. The harbinger looks almost offended before sticking his tongue out at her as soon as turns away from him. If Zhongli let her have the bags she's going to leave to put them in the kitchen area that is part of Childe's living area in the back. If he doesn't, she will nod and go to open the doors for him instead so he can walk through unhindered when he's ready. Either way, she disappears for the moment, so it's just the two of them.
With a big sigh, Childe looks to Zhongli again. ]
Sorry about her. She is doing her clinical hours down in research but barges in when she feels like it and makes this place into some kind of personal school frat house. [ Childe glances to the couch which has the girl's overshirt and uniform overcoat with another sigh. ]
How was the shopping trip?