Zhongli peeked out of the window. It was pouring down rain. Tranquil, serene, serenity. He was wrapped in the warm hug of a comforter, sipping on some pleasantly snug black tea. He kept a fire hidden in his cozy little home to keep him and his upcoming guests toasty.

They had not yet arrived, but you'd best believe that he already had refreshments fit to each of their tastes set and ready. He set up a small comfy corner that the four of them could mess around in during their time together, set with candles scented pumpkin, with light hints of maple. A TV hung above his fireplace, along with four game controllers that would undoubtedly be used to their limits later on into the wee hours of the morning.

'Game Night.' He called it.

One single night a month that Zhongli would invite a certain ginger man to his house, encouraging him to bring along some of his friends with him. In reality, it wasn't very exclusive to games. Occasionally they bake, sometimes they watch movies, and other times they settle on playing board games instead. It's quite simple, sometimes playing out as a 12-year-old slumber party. Although, this was special to Zhongli. Especially because the man would get to spend time with every month. He'd always dreamt of waking up with Childe but never dared to even hold his hand. This was the only time he could at least pretend to wake up together as real lovers do.

___________________

KNOCK

"Ah, they've arrived, I should let them in before they soak out in the cold," Zhongli mumbled to himself, lifting himself from his seat and taking off to the door. He swung open the door in all welcomeness with the same soft smile he demonstrated every time he widened his door.

" Why hello there. Come in! You all are bound to get drenched just sitting out there in such horrid weather." Zhongli greeted the three men kindly.

"Hello, Mr. Zhongli! " Aether grinned, removing his bulky coat and hanging it on the convenient coat rack.

"Yes, greetings. We are grateful for you inviting us into your humble abode today. " Albedo added, assisting Aether with the removal of his coat.

"Yes yes, no problem. Glad you all could make it. " Affirmed Zhongli.

"Wow! So no ackowlagment for me?" Childe crossed his arms jokingly.

"Ah yes, the one that visits most frequently, this practice being his second home. Welcome Mister Attention Seeker, " Zhongli sarcastically mocked him.

"Well thank you, for I am very honored to have been formally welcomed into the home of Sir Zhongli." Childe shot back teasingly.

A gentle giggle escaped Albedo. "You two seem to get along quite well," He finished.

Zhongli could feel his cheeks getting warm at the statement.

"I could just say just about the same towards you and your 'fRiEnD' Aether. " Childe accused the short blonde man (Albedo), emphasizing the friend part as if it was the only part in the sentence that longed to be heard.

The tension of the room was tight, suffocating, you could almost feel the thinning patience in the air.

"W-wow I can smell some lovely tea brewing! Mind if we have a sip, Mr.Zhongli? We are quite cold after all, " Aether coughed up, his soothing yet shaken voice soothing the harsh atmosphere.

"A-ahem... Yes...Tea... Right, this way." Zhongli stuttered, grateful that Aether's brave soul was able to speak up.

Zhongli led them to his living room area and granted each of them a cup of the heated liquid.

"So Mr. Albedo, you have now met Childe. I believe Aether here introduced you to him. But I quite certainly have yet to meet you. Mind telling me a bit about yourself?" Zhongli questioned him, genuinely curious about the boy's life story.

"Not a problem sir. I am the chief alchemist of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt. I do most of my research on the mountain of Dragonspine. The climate there is exceedingly cold, so this light rain has no such effects on me." Albedo made known, practically bragging.

"Very impressive. And for how long have you known Aether?" Zhongli politely asked, not wanting to intrude on too much personal information.

"Shortly after his first appearance in Mondstant. Not long before he descended off to Liyue," Albedo informed Zhongli. His voice was sharp, making it sound as if he was competing on who had met the other blonde boy first.

"I see, it seems you have known him for quite a while longer than either of me or Childe have," Zhongli said, giving him power at the moment.

"Yes, it appears so. " Albedo agreed, holding his chin up high after such a confident statement.

Aether noticed Albedo being put on the spot, so he improvised by asking a few of his questions to break the awkwardness that filled the room.

"So Childe, how have you and Zhongli been? I presume you accompany one another often yes?"

"Hm..? Whatever shall you mean? We're just fine! We keep each other company just fine as friends should ." Childe spoke out, verbally bolding 'friends' as if his life depended on it.

"Agh okay, so as friends you provide him Mora and provide him numerous expensive meals. And in return he chooses to train you with the use of chopsticks and help you learn more about Liyue?" Aether teased the red head, pretending to act clueless.

"Mhm! Precisely !" Childe confirmed, attempting to frame their relationship to sound as mutual as possible.

"Sounds pretty affectionate from my view ! Of course,only  the one standing in the position can truly understand what they feel." Aether calmly executed, showing absolutely no remorse to both of the embarresed men that sat before them.

" Sh-shall we begin the games? I've got plenty to pick from! Everyone can take a controller and we will begin!" Zhongli interluded, once again trying to avoid the topic of 'being more than friends' as Aether once did earlier that night.

It was about nine pm when the group of men began their endless video game binge. They started with some Minecraft, killing each other violently and unnecessarily . Eventually Albedo expressed some hatred against Childe when he was trying to capture a dog, and Childe heartlessly proceded to murder the helpless creature. 

"Albedo are you alright? I know you wanted that dog but did it really mean that much to you? " Aether questioned him . He held a concerned facial expression that expressed genuine care ,yet also told a story of anxiety for Albedo's emotions. 

"I'm going to be okay, it's just that well..I was planning to name the dog after you.." Albedo confessed, his cheeks a flushed pink from the pure shyness the assurance held.

"Aw..How cute! No need to get flustered by that! Hey, I'll tell you what. How about I play with your hair. Would that help calm you down?" Aether offered, praying to the Archons that he would say yes, and that he wasn't just embarrassing himself in front of what was obviously his crush.

Albedo was shocked at the attempt of pleasure ,yet kept a calm, mature deminer ." Well..I supposed some comfort wouldn't hurt..fuck me- I mean it.. why not?" 

"Finally.." Aether muttered under his breath.

"Hm? What did you say?" A bemused Albedo queried.

"N-nothing!"  Aether perked up quickly in a nervous response. 

Just as they had finished their conversations, Aether reached his touch starved fingers out to Albedo's silvery blonde locks that he had placed so carelessly up into a pony tail. But before he could place his hand down onto the head of the boy, Albedo leaned his head over and rested it naturally onto Aether's shoulder. 

Aether's hand immediately snapped up from its previous action of hovering over Albedo's crown. His face blossomed red the same as a Scarlet Quartz would. Slowly, his hand began to fall back down , and eventually it regained an establishment on Albedo's soft strands of hair. He took handfuls of hair and began to tie the golden ropes into braids, taking each strands position into intricate careful consideration. 

"Your hands are gentle..They soothe me.." Albedo breathed into Aether's ear. "And you're so talented at configuring hair as well.. I wonder what other tasks can be performed by these delicate hands of yours.." Albedo added, every word he spoke was an inch closer to Aether's face.

"Th-Thanks hehe.." Aether apperciated the compliment, his face growing warmer by the second.

"And your lips are so smooth..hmm...let's find out." Albedo suggested, pulling Aether to him.

"Find o-out what? " The clueless boy stuttered, getting engulfed in the heat of the moment fully.

"How good you taste." Albedo specified, leaning in to seal their lips previous void.

Muffled moans could be heard coming from Aether, as Albedo refused to let the boy get even a molecule of air. Aether couldn't breathe, and he loved every second of it. Albedo was fairly surprised at how much Aether seemed to be enjoying himself in the instant.

Zhongli and Childe had just entered the living room once again after leaving to get some refreshment, walking in on the two love-making unofficial lovers. Childe and Zhongli were shocked to see them making out so passionately ,yet began to gain consciousness of the situation after a moment, ultimately calming down and allowing them to have their moment.

Albedo swept Aether from under his feet, literally carrying him bridal style all the way to the guest room where they'd be staying the night together seemingly . Albedo disconnected their glued lips , finally catching his breath enough to speak very few words. "Goodnight, hope ya'll find out to have some real 'fun' as well." He teased the two remaining men in front of him ,then proceeding to shut their door closed to do ungodly things .

Flustered, the pair was. Both were avoiding eye contact aimlessly. The silence between the two was quite deafening. Either one of them with novels full of words to say, yet all at the same time their mouths ran dry from words , resulting in stiff tongues that were unable to speak.

"Agh..well..it appears it is only you and me alone now.." Zhongli mentioned ,awkwardly placing the sentence in the uncomfortable song of silence like a wrong note or an off place key.

"Yep." Childe added. "So what do you wanna play next? " The redhead announced nervously.

"Something calm..it is 2:20 am...and we should be heading to bed soon." Zhongli reminded his compainion.

"What about Animal Crossing? That's pretty chill!" Tartaglia recommened kindly.

"That's a great idea Ajax." Zhongli approved, at peace with the decision. 

"That's great!" Childe exlaimed, glad to have been of assictence to Zhongli.

"Ughm..before we start..would you like to ugh..ₛᵢₜ ₒₙ ₘᵧ ₗₐₚ..?" Zhongli advised under his breath, glowing red from the baggage of embarrassment that came with the simple question.

While Childe was starstruck by the advance, he did not want to miss up the opportunity, so he accepted hastily. "YES! I mean..yeah sure!"

"Oh wait, really? You should hold back if you are truly uncomfortable with it. There is no pressure to decline after all. It won't hurt my feelings I promise." Zhongli comforted his friend. But he lied. If Childe where to turn his offer down, Zhongli would have never forgiven himself for making his crush feel uneasy around him.

"No .I'm being honest. I want to." Childe reassured him, his eyes warming meeting with the golden pair in front of him. He held Zhongli's chin up ever so slightly. He then took a moment to adjust himself on his throne, getting as comfortable as possible to mimic cuddling as much as he possibly could.

Childe's hair swayed around mockingly in Zhongli's face as he was getting himself corrected. Soft, vibrant, gorgeous . Everything Zhongli had ever dreamed of. Once settled accordingly, they began to play harmoniously, enjoying every moment spent together like it was their last. 

Childe made a stupid joke.

Zhongli coulnd't help but laugh.

His grin was overbearing, and it unraveled five words he never had planned to say that night, or ever in his life.

"I love you so much.."

Quiet. It went quiet. Not a peep could be heard from either of them. Childe's face resemes that of a person who'd just witnessed a ghost. That is until the regretful Zhongli decided to speak up.

"Look Ajax, I'm so sorry. I should have said something sooner, it's just that I- " 

Zhongli was cut off by his lips being met with others, crashing into the ground underneath him dramatically. Childe had kissed him. They had a 'thing' now.  It wasn't one sided. Zhongli was thrilled. Childe squeezed Zhongli, hugging the doubt right out of him. 

" I love you too Zhongli.." Childe confessed, joining their lips once again. And again. And again.He couldn't get enough of Zhongli. 

"I'm glad." Zhongli justified, smiling a wide grin of truthful happiness.

"Does this mean I finally get to be your boyfriend?!!" Childe shreiked, obviously delighted at the thought.

" I can be whatever you want me to be my dear Ajax." Zhongli gladly responded.

"Well do me a favor and just be mine and mine only. No one else is allowed to have you okay?" Childe coldly whispered, making sure to get across to the man trapped underneeth him.

"Your wish is my command." And with that, they fell asleep, exaggerated by the unforgiving night.

The early hours of the morning arose gracefully, the pair staying put in their intimate position, , unaware of their cuddle session. But maybe it was better this way, because they could finally wake up and see the others faces as they had once wished.