Childe learns the hard way not to get embarrassed about stuff. Because when he gets embarrassed—like really, truly embarrassed—he shifts. Into the shape of a small fox.

He can’t control it. Archons, how he’s tried. But by the time he was in Fatui basic training, he realized the only thing to do was become immune to embarrassment.

It’s served him well throughout his life. He can nonchalantly laugh off mistakes that would have others cringing, and he has a swagger and easy confidence that comes from being notoriously hard to ruffle.

He’s fine. He’s managing. The last time he turned into a fox was almost a year ago, and there was no one around but Teucer.

He’s got it under control. Until Mr. Zhongli hands him a pair of chopsticks.

He likes Zhongli a lot. It’s not a crush, he tells himself, but he does want to impress the consultant. So he takes the chopsticks with all the confidence of a man who mastered four weapon types by the time he was twenty. After some instruction and careful finger positioning, he picks up a crystal shrimp, lifting it to his mouth.

It falls directly in his lap, and the corner of Zhongli’s mouth quirks up just slightly.

Childe’s cheeks burn and he feels the hot, prickly embarrassment take him over. He stands abruptly, banging his knee on the table, to make a quick exit. But it’s not fast enough. He lands on the floor on four paws and looks up at Zhongli, who is suddenly much, much taller.

“Now now,” Zhongli says, low and soothing. “There’s no need to skulk about. Come up here and I’ll feed you.”

He pats his thigh and without thinking, Childe leaps up into his lap. It’s all instinct—Zhongli’s voice is just that naturally commanding. That’s it. That’s all it is.

Zhongli feeds Childe his lunch, scratching behind his ears and continuing his lecture on the history of the tableware they’re eating off of. It lulls Childe into an easy calm, until the embarrassment eases away and he shifts back without meaning to, leaving Zhongli with a lap full of Fatui Harbinger.

After that, it gets a little easier. Childe knows that if he accidentally shifts, he can find Zhongli at the funeral parlor or the market or his home and Zhongli will look after him until he shifts back. He takes advantage of Zhongli’s kindness as often as he can, and Zhongli doesn’t seem to mind.

The first time he tries to kiss Zhongli, he moves at the wrong moment and their foreheads clunk together instead. With a desperate yelp, Childe shrinks down to his fox size and remains that way for half a day. Zhongli kisses him on his little fox snout and promises to give another kiss when Childe shifts back.