uhmmm can i request a lee!childe fic?? ler can be whoever u want hehe but maybe he’s in a lee mood or something but he’s too embarrassed to tell the ler
To Ask
Childe x Zhongli (Genshin Impact)
A/N: hellooo!! i finally got this done! it took a while because i’m not really good at writing childe or zhongli but i tried hehe! i hope you enjoy!!
word count: 1.2k
—
zhongli was observant, which is why he noticed the small, barely noticeable change in childe’s mannerism. the way he seemed just a tad less quieter than usual, more fidgety, and moved around more.
it was obvious something was on the harbingers’ mind.. but what? that was what zhongli couldn’t find out. so what else besides ask him directly, it being the easy solution.
“childe,” he started, grabbing the ginger’s attention. “is something the matter?”
childe’s eyes widened slightly in surprise before they narrowed, finally returning back to normal. however, the badly hidden blush on his face became quite evident. despite that, he wore a casual smirk.
“why? worried about me?” he replied, mockingly. zhongli nodded within a second, watching childe’s smirk fall for just a moment. “well, you don’t have to. nothing’s wrong.”
childe was a good liar, zhongli could give him that but the two had known each other so long, zhongli could nine times out of ten tell when the harbinger was lying. right now, this is very well one of those times.
although he knew childe wasn’t telling the truth, he nodded, decided this conversation will be talked about again later. they were at the third-round knockout, after all and this matter might be one childe would prefer not to speak about in public.
——
“childe, we are no longer in public. would you mind telling me what the matter is now?” zhongli spoke the moment they entered their home and closed the door behind them. childe obviously didn’t expect that question by the way he flinched, slightly.
“what do you mean? nothing’s wrong!” he chuckles, nervousness creeping into his voice. zhongli stares at him, unamused.
“childe...” that’s all it takes for childe to crack. zhongli sounded so disappointed that it made him feel horrible.
“okay, okay! i’ll tell you! it’s...” he started, before trailing off. his face seemed to be getting hotter and he was sure zhongli could tell, even if he wasn’t commenting on it.
“it’s..?” zhongli tilts his head, ushering him to continue.
“it’s- well- you know, how noelle was.. tickling the traveler when we met them in mondstadt?” childe struggled with his words, despite being rarely flustered about really anything. zhongli becomes more confused.
“..yes? what about it?” he asked before he makes a sound of understanding. childe’s eyes lighten up, thinking he understood and wouldn’t have to go through the effort of saying it. but when zhongli looks at him with concern and guilt, childe hopes die down. “did it make you uncomfortable? should i have asked them to stop?”
“no, no! it didn’t bother me at all. it’s just that.. well, it got me thinking and i realize i haven’t been tickled in a really long time and...” childe stopped, realizing he was rambling as his face goes aflame. he desperately hoped zhongli understood him this time.
“so you.. want to be tickled? is that it?” zhongli asked, bluntly. childe froze, before nodding meekly. zhongli was surprised by his response. something like this just seemed like something childe wouldn’t care about, much less want it. “ah well, i suppose i don’t mind giving you a hand.”
with that, zhongli brought him to the sofa. immediately, zhongli began prodding and poking at his ribs as childe bursts into light giggles. zhongli counts the ribs, observing which gives the biggest reaction. he noted that the lower ones, near his sides, draw out more frantic laughter. he decided to save that for later, suddenly latching his hands to the harbinger’s armpits and scratching at them.
“a-ahahA! ahahaHAHA!” childe squealed, not expecting it. childe isn’t trapped, but he doesn’t fight it either. if anything, it seems he’s trying his best to limit his squirming.
“you seem to be enjoying this more than i thought you would.” zhongli observed, both intrigued and teasingly.
“eheHEHEHE AHAH ZHOHOHONGLIHIHI!” childe laughed, smile going wider. zhongli smiled fondly at the harbinger.
“yes, childe?”
“IHIHIT TIHIHICKLES!” he laughed, as zhongli chuckled.
“of course it does. that is the intention, no?” he said as he moved his hands to his neck and scribbles at the sensitive skin. he watched as childe scrunches up his neck as a reflex. childe doesn’t answer his question, too busy laughing his head off. not that he needed to anyway.
zhongli was a bit shocked to see how ticklish the harbinger was. they had known each other for a long time, and childe had tickled zhongli before, but zhongli had never thought about getting him back or just tickling him in general. but from the screechy squeals he was receiving, he was stunned to say the least.
he was so lost in his thoughts, he had almost forgotten what he was doing in the first place. when he regained his focus, childe was still laughing loudly.
he moved to pinching at the crooks of his armpits, relishing in the way his laughter got just a note higher.
“zhohOHONGLIhihIHI! W-WAHAhahait!” he cried, trying to clamp his arms down to his sides. just as he did, zhongli slid his fingers away, lightly trailing down his ribs lower and lower...
once he made it to his sides, he wasted no more than a second squeezing at the plump skin. childe. went. crazy.
“AIEEEEEE!” he shrieked, arching his back and twisting and turning.
honestly, all his hoots and hollers earlier sounded so loud before, but they couldn’t be compared to the ear-piercing scream that left childe’s mouth at that very moment.
“oh my, you’re very sensitive here, childe.” zhongli spoke to himself, innocently. he didn’t realize that childe took it as a tease until he looked at his reddening face. he didn’t even think his face could still get redder than it already was.
“W-WAHAHAHA W-WAHAHAHAIT! PLEHEHEHEASE, ZHONGLI!!” he laughed, hysterically. his laughter rose and rose every passing second and he felt tears build up in his eyes.
childe didn’t know how much longer he could take. this was a truly intense tickle session, the most intense he’s had in years. zhongli had straddled him to the sofa, so all he could do was laugh and laugh and laugh.
“let me know when you’re ready for me to stop.” zhongli spoke, sensing the frantic tone in the harbingers’ laughter.
childe wasn’t exactly ready to stop yet. he was reaching his limit, yes, but the fact remains that he hasn’t. and he doesn’t want to stop until he truly can’t take anymore.
“IHIHI CAN TAHAHAKE IT!” he spat, confidently while zhongli smirked.
“is that so?” zhongli saw this as a challenge. he moved his hands over to his tummy, sliding underneath his shirt. he teasingly circled around his navel, making childe freeze and shut his eyes in anticipation.
and then zhongli dove in, shoving his index into childe’s navel and wiggling it. childe screamed for the umpteenth time. the only difference that time was it was nonstop. scream after scream. he couldn’t stop.
“AHAHAHAHA ZHOHOHOHONGLIHIHI STAHAHAP!” he shouted, as zhongli’s hands finally came to a halt. childe’s laughter slowly came to a stop, leaving him gasping for air.
“are you okay?” zhongli asked, genuinely concerned.
“yeah...” he said, his voice shaking as he attempts a weak smile. it was difficult, though, and he gave up because his face hurt from smiling so much.
childe thought about what just happened. zhongli tickled him after he had asked him too. he didn’t have to, but he did... and that deserved some thanks, didn’t it?
“thanks.” childe spoke, hesitantly, saying no more than that. zhongli smiled in return.
“anything for you, childe.”