The child looks like a miniature version of Childe, complete with the shock of orange hair and the ocean-blue eyes. He scowls at Zhongli, arms crossed.

“I won’t talk to that guy,” he says to Childe. “Tell him to go away.”

“Why not?” Childe asks.

“He’s the old dragon who was mean to Big Brother.” Teucer speaks with righteous indignation. “I don’t wanna even look at him.”

Zhongli can’t help but be dismayed. This is not the first impression he wanted to make.

“It’s okay though.” Childe pats Teucer’s shoulder. “Sure, he lied to me. A lot. But he had to do it for his work. I’m not mad at him for being a self-centered old dragon.”

Zhongli can’t help but feel that Childe is, in fact, a little bit mad.

“It’s fine,” Childe says. “It’s totally fine. I’m not angry. Not even a tiny bit.”

“Oh.” Teucer shuffles his feet, unprepared for this onslaught of adult emotions.

“That’s just what people do. They betray each other. Like when Mom had that friend sleep over all the time, and then Dad got mad when he got back from his trip.”

Zhongli steps forward. “This is nothing like that. I would never betray your trust like that.”

Childe doesn’t look at him. “C’mon Teucer. Let’s go fly kites.”

“I will make you a contract,” Zhongli says, desperate to push through the wall of ice Childe has erected between them. “I offer you my love and honesty, for as long as either of us shall life.”

“Big Brother.” Teucer tugs eagerly at Childe’s hand. “That fixes it, right? In school we learned that people in Liyue can never break a contract or else Rex Lapis drops a big rock on their heads.”

Zhongli winced at the mangling of his culture, but kept his focus on Childe.

“What do you want in return?” Childe asks.

“Only that you return to me, as often as you can.”

At that, Childe gives him a real smile, the kind he’s not seen since Osial’s attack. “I promise,” he says.

Teucer puts his hands on his hips. “Pinky promise?”

Childe holds out his hand, and Zhongli interlocks their smallest fingers. “Pinky promise,” he vows.