[ The following day is terrible in every definition of the word. Not only does he have to report on his failure of a mission to Number Five, but there are constant discussions and meetings and beratings across the board masquerading as "retrospectives" and "learning opportunities". It wouldn't surprise Tartaglia in the least if the Tsarista herself were to drag all of them into her office with the possibility of a few of them not making it out with all their digits and limbs attached. But such a threat never comes to pass, the disgruntled attitude left to fester of those in the lower ranks while those on high sit in their ivory towers without so much as a peep from them.
(Did they care so little or expect so little about this whole thing? Thoughts to worry about later in the safety of his own room.)
It's a bit nerve-wracking, waiting for the other shoe to fall. But it does not, and so Childe slips away in the early evening, rushing home to get prepared from his dinner with Zhongli — the only bright spot in this whole fiasco.
If he had time, he would have bought a tin of those cookies he was so fond of. If he had time, he would have brought him a proper courting gift, perhaps too extravagant for a first (second?) date but extremes were more comfortable to Childe than not. If he had time, he would have gotten Zhongli a beautiful and terribly sappy bouquet of flowers where he paid extra for the florist to make sure it was artfully decorated according to something-rather about Liyue culture and history.
But he does not have time, so Childe shows up (on-time, not late!) wearing nothing more than a clean pressed pair of slacks and his signature crimson button up. (Two of the buttons are undone because of course they are! He has to keep up some appearances.) And in his hand is a single glaze lily he managed to buy from a young girl selling flowers on the way (that's what had been in Zhongli's bouquet so he must like them, right?). It's probably mass-produced in some greenhouse in Liyue but beggars can't be choosers as Childe strides into the room with an energy and confidence that he absolutely does not feel being as bone-tired as he is of everything today. ]
Mr. Zhongli~
[ Childe cheerfully presents the glaze lily with a little flourish of a bow and does not yet take a seat. ]
I hope I didn't keep you waiting. Traffic was murder on the way here.
no subject
(Did they care so little or expect so little about this whole thing? Thoughts to worry about later in the safety of his own room.)
It's a bit nerve-wracking, waiting for the other shoe to fall. But it does not, and so Childe slips away in the early evening, rushing home to get prepared from his dinner with Zhongli — the only bright spot in this whole fiasco.
If he had time, he would have bought a tin of those cookies he was so fond of. If he had time, he would have brought him a proper courting gift, perhaps too extravagant for a first (second?) date but extremes were more comfortable to Childe than not. If he had time, he would have gotten Zhongli a beautiful and terribly sappy bouquet of flowers where he paid extra for the florist to make sure it was artfully decorated according to something-rather about Liyue culture and history.
But he does not have time, so Childe shows up (on-time, not late!) wearing nothing more than a clean pressed pair of slacks and his signature crimson button up. (Two of the buttons are undone because of course they are! He has to keep up some appearances.) And in his hand is a single glaze lily he managed to buy from a young girl selling flowers on the way (that's what had been in Zhongli's bouquet so he must like them, right?). It's probably mass-produced in some greenhouse in Liyue but beggars can't be choosers as Childe strides into the room with an energy and confidence that he absolutely does not feel being as bone-tired as he is of everything today. ]
Mr. Zhongli~
[ Childe cheerfully presents the glaze lily with a little flourish of a bow and does not yet take a seat. ]
I hope I didn't keep you waiting. Traffic was murder on the way here.