[ everything's a rush in the moments after the fact. salt curls over his tongue, thick and clinging; childe's fist clenches in his hair, stinging, and he feels heat seething in his veins, a lash of impossible hunger. still he takes it, and more, fingers cradling childe's nape, breaths running lush and languid, coaxing childe into one shallow kiss after another, heady with relief and urgency, and building, building - ]

Impatient as always ...

[ but there's nothing in the words like a reprimand. his thoughts are slow to surface, adrift in the haze of coming -- so it's sheer base instinct that moves him, weight shifting, shoulders grinding against the wall as he manoeuvres childe against him, leaving just enough space between them to wrap a hand over his cock. ]

What would you have me do to you, I wonder.

[ his breathing's still rough, twisting on the edge of something like laughter, like shuddering. childe's eager, is the thing -- arching, needy, mouth gleaming swollen and fever-bright in the gauzy light. even moments after his own end, heartbeat thundering between his ribs, the effect is devastating. zhongli's grip tightens; he swallows and tastes the mazy leap of adrenaline hot in his throat. it's wanting more than thinking that drags his fist tight -- his palm grinding against the head of childe's cock, feeling the throb of it across his fingertips, slick and obscenely smearing.

but not nearly enough. ]

You can hardly leave in this state. Am I simply to turn you around and fuck you here?

[ his weight shifts against the pillar; his hand goes up, fingertips trailing over childe's lips, coaxing them apart to press two inside, rubbing over his tongue with his gaze all lingering, heavy-lidded gold.

there's no promise in it at all. ]

Bent over with your hands braced against the pillar?