#feel free to talk abt ur Fox childe brainrot with me

[masaomi-kida-is-my-baby]

Attention/touch starved Fox childe brain rot hour.

Since escaping the abyss Childe has been starved of affection from his parents and older siblings who hate/ are afraid of him. The only positive people in his life are his younger siblings but he hardly gets to see them since joining the fatui. He’s disappointed and betrayed to find out Zhonglis true identity, thinking his entire friendship with the man is a lie. He leaves the harbor for a while to find something to fight and stumbles across a domain. When he reaches the end he finds a strange fox statue. The eyes suddenly glow and he passes out, only to wake up outside the domain as a fox.

Frustrated and confused he walks back to the harbor to find Zhongli since he doesn’t know who else to go to with this problem. While entering the harbor he catches the attention of a couple of dogs that begin chasing him. He runs all the way to the funeral parlor. He gets bitten a few times but manages to fight out of the dogs grasp. Zhongli hears the barking and fox cries and opens his office window only to have the fox jump inside his office to get away from the dogs. Childe is hiding under Zhonglis desk panting and shaking, instincts running. He’s curled up on the ground, trying to make himself as small as possible to hide. The sudden feeling of hands grabbing him has him growling and trying to wiggle out of his captors hold only to realize it’s Zhongli that has a hold of him.

Zhongli tries his best to soothe the scared animal, completely oblivious that it’s actually Childe. Childe whines as he realizes his words are us,ess as they only come out as pitiful barks and that Zhongli is completely clueless. Zhongli treats his bite wounds and feeds him. Childes embarrassed being treated like an actual animal but he has no choice but to accept the help.

Hu Tao thinks the fox is cute and Zhongli should keep it since he's been moping around the parlor latley and seems lonley. So basically Childe become's Zhonglis pet and stays in his home and goes on walks in the harbor and to work with him. Having something that depends on zhongli helps him budget better so hes able to keep Childe fed and comfortable.

The first few days are awkward as Childes healing from his wounds he's unable to escape Zhongli picking him up and petting him. Childe continues to try and find was to communicate with Zhongli but nothing seems to be working. Childe also hates to admit how much it actually feels good to be pet by him. Anytime he gets scratched behind his ears he becomes putty in Zhongli's hands.

Childe trys to walk around the harbor by himself one day but gets yelled at by a shop keeper who later scolds Zhongli about letting his pet walk around without a collar. Childe gets a collar with a cute bell and he's mortified but hey its better than getting caught and skinned for his fur by some merchant.

The Liyue kids adore Childe. Xianling is always making him tasty treats and everyone else is always petting him and playing with him. Childe was always fond of the kids so it feels nice to be around them again. Even random passerbys often stop Zhongli just to gush over him. Childe finds his tail wagging at all the praise and positive attention. As a fox he doesn't have to worry about them hating him for being a harbinger.

Days turn in to weeks and weeks turn into nearly three months that Childe has been living with Zhongli and he's grown acoustomed to his life. When at first he was shy now he was shameless about seeking affection he hadn't had in so long. He happily laid in a sunny spot by the window napping throughout the day as Zhongli worked. In a matter of months he'd become a spoiled pet who would rub against Zhonglis legs for affection and wanted belly rubs. (Perhaps the longer he stays a fox the more instinctual he becomes and he slowly loses himself to instincts and forgets about why he was wanting to turn back human in the first place.)

Eventually the fatui come looking for their missing harbinger which snaps Childe out of the daze he'd been living in. Signora sstarts questioning everyone at the bank and even Zhongli if they've seen him. Apparently his mask and scarf had been found near the domain he'd entered and he's presumed dead or a deserter. (Lets say he kept his vision nearby buried in Zhonglis yard or smthn) Childe doesn't want his younger siblings thinking he died or abandoned them so it motivates him to look for a way to be human again.

aaand thats all i have for this au rnn holy fuck I worte alot. I just really liked the idea of Childe being stuck as a fox and basically becoming Zhonglis pampered pet, carrying him everywhere like a purse dog and being attention seeking lol.