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Liyue’s heat in the summertime, especially for a man from Snezhnaya like Childe, could be hard to acclimate to. Zhongli knew this, so he tried not to focus on the pinkening of pale cheeks in the sun, the beads of sweat falling down the line of his pale throat.
It was concern. That’s all it was, he reasoned. Concern for his well-being, which is why his eyes continued to wander downwards, past his Fatui-issued jacket, past the peek of a deep red shirt underneath. They landed as they always did on his taut stomach, skin uncovered as he failed to properly button his clothes.
Zhongli didn’t know whether he wanted to cover him up or pull his clothes off completely, and—
No. It was simply concern. Nothing more. It didn’t stop his gaze, however, moving down to the leather strap around a muscular thigh. How many times had he imagined sliding his fingers in between that tempting little garter and his pale skin? It was in the hundreds by now.
Zhongli could feign denial to himself time and time again, but in truth, he knew:
He was terribly attracted to the Harbinger. Had been, ever since they had met. So attracted that it startled him, for Rex Lapis didn’t often find favor with mortals. However, if he had to choose, it would be this man, Childe—or Ajax, he had confessed on one drunken evening. Of all the mortals he’d met, Ajax was extraordinary.
And so, so tempting. Did he not know how he looked, clothes halfway undone, practically begging him to unwrap him like a gift? How easy it would be to mark up his pale throat, to bite down and claim Ajax as his own? How he wished to worship every inch of his body, kiss every freckle on his skin and run his fingers through soft, ginger hair?
“Zhongli?” Ajax’s voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he came back to the present, meeting blue eyes. Ah, yes. They were dining together at Wanmin Restaurant. As always.
“Apologies, Childe.” He said, and his codename felt wrong, now that he knew the truth. “I was lost in thought.”
Ajax smiled, and Zhongli’s heart ached. How could one man be so beautiful?
“Oh, that’s alright. I was just asking if you were done with your food?”
“Ah, yes, thank you.”
He watched as Ajax left a small bag of Mora on the table.
“You know, one of the Harbingers sent me a case of Dandelion wine for my birthday. Would you like to have a glass with me?” Ajax asked, and Zhongli couldn’t help but hear how his voice was softer than usual, almost hesitant.
“It has been many years since I had the pleasure of tasting a Mondstadt specialty. I’d be delighted, Childe.” Zhongli answered.
Ajax smiled again, and perhaps it was a trick of the evening light, but he saw a flush arise on freckled cheeks.
“Great. Well, let’s go.” He said, and they stood from their seats. Zhongli’s apartment was closer, but the wine was in Ajax’s rooms in the Baiju Guesthouse, so they walked through the streets together towards the busy part of town, up the stairs, until they were at his door.
This is where they usually parted ways. At one of their doors, parting for the night. They had been slowly approaching something more, before the truth of Zhongli’s identity had been revealed. Their relationship had suffered a bit, then, but neither could stay away for long. They were back to where they had been for a long time, on the precipice of something .
Something more.
Ajax opened the door with his key, and the two of them shuffled inside, removing their shoes in favor of house slippers. All in all, it was a basic space, furniture and decor bland enough to suit any kind of guest. Ajax was exceptionally neat, as well, perhaps a personal preference, or strict military rules meant that not even a plate was left in the sink. It made Zhongli a bit self-conscious of the clutter in his own space, trinkets he had no room for.
“Well, this is it. Please make yourself comfortable.” Ajax said. “I’ll get the wine.”
Zhongli watched him go towards his small kitchen, trying not to set his eyes on his trim waist and backside. Honestly, what was wrong with him? He didn’t think he’d ever lusted after a person this way before.
His head was full of thoughts, intrusive and instinctual claim him take him breed hi—
No. He shook his head, grounding himself in the present once more. He was just here to enjoy a glass of wine. Perhaps he might, with the other’s approval of course, hold his hand. Perhaps they may finally speak of their feelings for one another, and Zhongli may, if he dared, kiss Ajax on the cheek or perhaps even his lips.
That could be enough for him, would satisfy him so he could begin formally courting the young man.
Zhongli sat himself down on the couch in Ajax’s living space, trying not to focus on the open door to his bedroom, bed in his line of sight made tightly in military corners.
“Alright, I got it open!” Ajax’s cheerful voice once again drew him back to the present.
He watched him return, with an open bottle of the chilled wine, and two fine glasses. Ajax sat next to him, carefully placing everything on the table in front of them.
“Pantalone isn’t usually the gift giving type. I wonder what his motivations are this time?”
Ajax mused, as he poured the wine into their glasses.
“The banker, yes? Perhaps he is thanking you for overseeing the Northland Bank in Liyue,” Zhongli replied.
“Maybe,” he said, holding out a glass for him. Zhongli took it in his hand, ignoring the way their fingers brushed together.
“Well, cheers! To our health and happinesses.” Ajax said, and they clinked the glasses together.
“A very Snezhnayan toast.” Zhongli noted, after they finished sipping their drink.
“Would you rather a Liyuen one? Gānbēi?” He teased.
Zhongli smiled. “This wine is from Mondstadt. Perhaps the appropriate toast is ‘’may we stumble into the correct bed tonight.’”
Ajax laughed, high and loud, uninhabited.
Oh, Zhongli loved him. He loved him so much.
“I’ll drink to that, Xiansheng .”
And they did, finishing their first glasses and pouring new ones, enjoying the taste of the sweet wine.
Ajax’s cheeks had started to flush once more, from the wine, the heat, who knew.
“It’s so warm here, even at night. How do you stand it?” He whined, and Zhongli chuckled.
“I suppose I am used to it. In fact, I do not enjoy the cold at all.”
“Are you cold blooded?” Ajax teased.
Zhongli blanched, embarrassed. “I wouldn’t go that far, but it is hard to handle the cold, yes.”
“Forgive me, Xiansheng , for being improper. But I’m in my own home.” He said, and before Zhongli could ask what he meant, he saw Ajax’s still gloved hands unfasten the mask from his hair, and place it on the table. Next was his red scarf, unpinned from his jacket.
Nimble fingers then, undoing the few buttons holding his jacket together, letting it fall off of his shoulders, and then he was left only in his blood red shirt, still exposing most of his midriff with how he had failed to button it.
And, something he had never noticed before, he wore a leather harness on his chest, too. His arms looped through leather straps, and a longer one stretched over his strong pectorals, framing them—almost like it was meant to cup and highlight the firm planes of his chest, and not its intended purpose, which was to conceal a weapon.
Oh, Zhongli had spent hours thinking of the fine leather wrapped around his thigh, when the whole time he was wearing this, too? His vision was blurry, the world seemed to move in slow motion as he took in the image of his beloved Ajax adorned in leather, all for him.
What else would he enjoy—garters of fine lace, delicate brassieres meant for breasts that he didn’t have, but— oh , he’s sure he would look beautiful. Red, red ropes on pale, flushed skin? Holding him in whatever position Zhongli could dream up, unable to move as he brings him pleasure?
“ Zhongli?” Ajax’s breathless voice made him focus, and he realized that he was pressed right up against him, his own gloved fingers having slipped underneath the leather of the harness, pressing right against his already hardened nipple.
He didn’t know what to say, how to explain himself or his actions. All he could do was stare into his eyes, almost all of the blue swallowed up by black pupils.
Something inside of him snapped.
His hand gripped that leather harness and pulled, sending Ajax crashing into him, and their lips finally met. Ajax made a surprised little noise, but he didn’t pull away. Zhongli practically purred as he felt hands gripping his shoulder and arm tightly and—
Ajax was kissing him back. He was sloppy with inexperience, but he was oh so eager. He proved to be a quick study, even as Zhongli pried open his lips with his tongue, desperate to taste as much of him as possible.
They parted, and Zhongli was enchanted by the sight of his heaving chest, taking in all the oxygen he deprived him from with his kiss.
Once Ajax could speak, he did:
“I thought I was wrong, thought you didn’t feel the same—“
“Ajax,” Zhongli answered, and his true name felt so much better to say. “I do. I am enchanted by your beauty, enamored with your very soul. I desire every part of you.”
The young man shivered at his words. But that didn’t stop him, bold as ever, from straddling Zhongli’s lap. He smiled as he felt Zhongli’s erection pressing into his ass.
“Then I shall give you every part of me,” Ajax said, voice a bit unsteady dispute such a declaration.
“Dear boy,” he replied, pressing him even closer, so close that he could feel Ajax’s own hardness pressed against his body. “Do you know what you’re getting yourself into? Have you ever had a lover?”
He let his fingers wander back to the harness, tracing the edge of the leather.
“I—um, no. I’ve never done anything like this before.” Ajax said, earnestly. His eyes met Zhongli’s. “I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone but you.”
And that was well and truly the breaking point for this old dragon, an untouched, precious treasure in his grasp, offering himself for the taking.
Zhongli growled from somewhere deep down inside, and he saw red. He stood, holding Ajax with one hand as he headed into the bedroom. He laid him down gently, crawling himself on top of Ajax as he met his lips once more in a hungry kiss.
Ajax whined into his mouth, and his hips rutted up wildly into Zhongli’s as if he couldn’t wait, even a second.
Zhongli unbuckled the damned harness, and the two buttons holding his shirt together, transfixed by the indentation mark the leather made on his skin. Just under his pebbled nipples.
He kissed down his neck, sucking a bruise into it, punctuated with a high pitched keen from Ajax as he descended further. Oh, how he desired to sink his teeth into the soft skin of his throat, leave him with a physical reminder of his claim.
Perhaps he was not ready for that.
Zhongli traveled down further, finally landing at his firm pecs. His lips closed around a nipple.
“ Oh, ” Ajax sighed out. “That’s—“
Zhongli sucked harder at the swollen bud, drawing out more cries from the man underneath him. His fingers pinched and twisted his other pert nipple, and he thrashed and thrusted his hips up against Zhongli’s cock, straining and hard.
“Please, please. Zhongli touch me, please.” His voice was getting increasingly desperate, and Zhongli was weak to his pleas. He simply had to obey.
He left his chest alone, leaving him red and raw and sensitive, moving down to his belt and leg harness. He pulled on the leather there for good measure, before carefully removing it, making sure to place his belt on the table, as it houses his Vision. Zhongli practically ripped open the button of his trousers, shoving them down his thighs.
The front of his underwear was already soaked in precum—he was so eager, so needy. Ajax’s face was flushed, and tears had gathered in his eyes.
Zhongli took pity on him, pulling down his underwear. His cock bounced out, red and dripping wet.
“I’ve barely touched you,” Zhongli cooed, running his hands along his thighs, his abdomen, everywhere but where Ajax wanted them.
“S-shut up.” He whined, squirming.
“It’s alright, darling. I’ll take care of you.”
And and as he promised, he pushed aside his own need for the time being, determined to please him, desperate to know what he looked like when he reached his peak.
His hand took his straining cock, giving it a few firm strokes—he was so wet already he didn’t even need to consider lubricant or oil, it was already an easy glide.
His Ajax was wild, bucking up into his hand, and Zhongli smiled, a thought forming in his head. If this is how his precious treasure reacted to his hand…
He put his thoughts to the test. Leaning forward, he saw blue eyes widen in surprise as he placed a kiss to the tip of his cock. He followed his kiss with a lick, tasting the bitter precum that spilled down the sides of his shaft, before taking him in his mouth.
“Oh, fuck, ” his Ajax had a filthy mouth on him. Zhongli couldn’t help but smile around him as he began to bob his head in a steady rhythm. He marveled at this series of events as he held Ajax’s bucking hips down.
How many years had it been had he participated in such a thing? Decades? No, perhaps a century. Nearly every time, out of curiosity.
This was different. Zhongli had never felt this kind of desire, certainly not this strongly. It was more of a need than a want to see him seizing up in pleasure, breathless and gasping. He increased his pace, dipping down lower and taking him deeper, knowing that this would be short lived. But it didn't matter to him, Zhongli would simply make him cum again and again, as many times as his lover could handle. His eagerness would make up for his inexperience tenfold.
A still gloved hand was pulling at the hair at the crown of his head, urging him to go lower still, and Zhongli acquiesced, finally taking his cock deep into his throat, until his nose was pressed into the reddish hair at the base of his cock. Ah, triumph.
“Ah, Zhongli, Zhongli, I can’t.” He pleaded, begged for something, and Zhongli was going to give it to him, humming around the base of his cock and sending vibrations to it.
“Oh, oh fuck , I—I’m,”
He sounded so pretty when he was on the edge of orgasm. Zhongli watched him, watched the way his back arched off of the bed, watched his hands grasp at the bedsheets, at Zhongli’s hair, and watched him tremble as he came, filling Zhongli’s throat with pulses of his hot cum. A feeling he feared he’d never get used to, but it was worth it to see such a sight.
He released him only when he was sure that he was oversensitive and spent for now, pressing an almost chase kiss to his cock before rising back up to take in his expression.
He looked wrecked already. Zhongli watched as his chest rose and fell with harsh breaths, how his eyes were a little hazy and lost, how his fringe was already sticking to his forehead.
“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Zhongli said, almost in awe.
“Flatterer.” Ajax choked out, a quick hand pulling him down by his tie to kiss him again. They parted quickly and he watched as Ajax made a face.
“Gross. How did you swallow that?”
Zhongli chuckled. “You didn’t give me much choice. However, spitting it out would be rather undignified, don’t you think?”
Now it was Ajax’s turn to laugh. “You are so…” He hesitated. “Why are you still so dressed?”
“Do you wish to continue?” Zhongli asked. He had to be sure.
He flushed, but responded. “When you say continue—”
“Whatever you desire, Ajax.”
Zhongli watched as he dragged his ocean blue eyes over his body. “I want you to get undressed.”
“Very well,” he said, and he stood up from the bed. Zhongli removed his gloves first. He could feel eyes on him as he removed his own jacket, his tie and vest. As he unfastened the buttons of his shirt, revealing his own upper body in the process. Like this, it was obvious how his erection strained against his trousers, so it was pointless to hesitate. He pulled his trousers and underwear off in one go, and then he was standing naked in front of Ajax.
Ajax, who had sat up on the bed, mouth absolutely agape.
He wondered what he was staring at, gazing down at his body. His mortal disguise was holding up fine. He had no qualms revealing the onyx arms of his Adeptal form, or the way his hands and eyes tended to glow, but—
Perhaps that was a surprise for their second time.
He watched as Ajax reached into the end table drawer, pulling out a small vial of oil. His cheeks were aflame, but he still managed to voice his desires:
“I want you. Sometimes it’s all I can think about, Zhongli,” he said.
Zhongli’s body moved towards him once more, until he was kneeling on the bed as well.
“I daresay I know the feeling.”
Ajax seemed to grow braver with every second, pressing the vial into Zhongli’s hand. “Like I said, I’ll give you every part of me. So don’t make me wait any longer.”
Zhongli pulled him close for a kiss once more, a claiming, bruising thing that had him pressing Ajax down into the sheets once more. They both gasped as their cocks brushed together, and Zhongli noticed that Ajax was getting hard again. He moved down his body, parting strong thighs and pushing them back towards Ajax’s chest and finally getting a look at his hole.
His own cock gave a twitch at the sight, pink and tight and almost untouched—the bottle of oil was half empty, so his Ajax must have explored a bit. That thought, his beautiful treasure pressing his fingers inside himself, was enough for him to be impatient, almost sloppy as he poured some oil onto his fingers.
Zhongli kissed one of his calves as a finger eased its way inside. His lover didn’t tense like he expected, and he was able to return with two fingers to his eager hole before long.
“Are you alright, darling?” He asked, spreading his fingers inside of him.
Ajax nodded. “F-feels different when it’s someone else’s fingers. Good, though.”
“I’m glad.” He said, and he continued his gentle stretching, searching and moving at different angles until Ajax practically jolted off of the bed, and he let out a long, drawn out whine.
Zhongli smiled, before pressing there again with three of his fingers, watching him squirm and shake and cry as he focused all his efforts on his prostate. It wasn’t long before Ajax was pushing back against those fingers. They established a rhythm then, and it wasn’t much longer after that Ajax was coming with a shout, all over his own chest in long streaks.
Zhongli felt him clench around his fingers like a vice, and he groaned, imagining that tight grip on his cock. He removed his fingers with a lewd sound, gazing at the state of his hole, now red, stretched open and slick. It would be a tight fit, but how wonderful it would surely be.
Ajax came down a bit quicker from his high this time, which was a blessing, as Zhongli could wait no longer. He poured the remainder of the oil on his cock, and pressed the head of his cock forward until it rested against his slick hole.
He looked at Ajax for any hesitation.
His lover glowered. “If you don’t keep going, I will actually kill you, Zhongli.”
And that response was so entirely Ajax , that he chuckled, reassured. He pushed further just a bit, feeling the tip of his cock breaching his hole—hot, tight and inviting, as if his insides were sucking him in deeper. The head of his cock sunk inside entirely, and Zhongli had to bite his own tongue to maintain restraint.
He gazed at his own girth stretching his skin taut already, ignoring the urge to slam himself inside to the hilt, to fuck into him visiously and leave him a ruined, gaping, cum-filled mess. He could only imagine it, his beautiful, young lover, eyes rolled back in his head, lolled back, drunk on his cock.
Instead, Zhongli pressed forward slowly, stopping when he met resistance, until finally, finally , he was fully inside.
“Gods, it—Zhongli, it’s so big, ” Ajax whined, and Zhongli grinned, smug.
But Ajax was a cruel temptation, and he raised his hand to his abdomen, splaying it out.
“Mmm, I can feel you all the way in here.” He said, and Zhongli didn't miss his devious grin. He hesitated, only for Ajax to speak again:
“So, are you going to stop holding back and wreck me, now?”
Zhongli’s last bit of restraint had simply eroded. He growled once more, drawing out almost entirely and slamming back inside of him, feeling his insides clench and forcing them to make space for him, as he fucked into his lover. His Ajax, who screamed and whined as he was taken so roughly, but also hooked his hands under his knees to spread himself open, encouraging him.
Zhongli’s whole world was Ajax, Ajax, Ajax as he lost control—tears streaming down his pretty face, his cock, stiffening once more as he enjoyed every brutal second of it, pushing back against it. And Zhongli was falling deeper and deeper into desire, fingers bruising pale, trembling thighs, watching the way his cock distended his taut abdomen, simply too big for him to take.
But he did anyway, oh, and it was glorious—Zhongli could fuck him forever. The baser, instinctual beast inside him was screaming:
What a perfect mate
Keep him hidden away in your domain
Breed him full
Mine mine mine min—
He growled as Ajax’s nails dug into his skin, pulling him even closer as they moved together in a mad dance, until Ajax came a third and final time, whole body going slack and nearly unresponsive as his cock dribbled a few pathetic spurts of cum onto his stomach. His insides clamped down on the cock deep inside him, and that was Zhongli’s end.
He made a broken, choked out sound as he came, cock pushed as deep inside Ajax’s guts as he could manage. He held him still as he filled him up with his seed, until the dragon inside was satisfied.
They lay, tangled together, for a while. Until Ajax turned his nose up at being covered in his own cum and he forced Zhongli to pull out of his exhausted body, reluctantly.
Zhongli went into his bathroom to retrieve a wet towel, and he saw the image of himself in Ajax’s mirror:
He looked wild, hair a tangled mess, sweat dripping down his forehead, and lips bitten swollen by his own teeth. Not to mention his eyes, pupils turned thin and serpentine, a dead giveaway that he was no mortal. Any more and he would have lost control over his mortal form.
But, seeing how Ajax begged him for more, perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing.
He returned to the bedside, washcloth in hand, and smiled when he met tired blue eyes.
“That was really something,” Ajax said, still breathless.
Zhongli began to clean up the mess of cum from his chest. “I hope it was to your liking.”
He was surprised by Ajax’s laugh, high and breathy. “Are you kidding me? It was better than I could have imagined.” He paused. “Especially after you stopped holding back.”
Zhongli felt relieved. He hadn’t intended to be so rough, even if it’s what he desired. He was glad that Ajax seemed to enjoy himself.
“Actually…” His lover hesitated. “I was thinking, maybe…we could do it again?”
Zhongli paused, taking in his eager, excited expression.
.
.
.
“Ajax,” He started, serious as a funeral. “What are your thoughts on marriage?”
FIN