What Childe X Zhongli Scenes Inspire The Best AUs?

I get weirdly giddy thinking about how tiny moments in 'Genshin Impact' lines can explode into full AUs. For instance, when Zhongli speaks about the weight of contracts and history, I immediately see a retired-god-in-modern-city AU — Zhongli as an antique shop owner or a municipal elder, and Childe as an unpredictable fundraiser or charming grifter who keeps reappearing. That single, soft line about ‘binding promises’ is my seed for a slow-reconciliation plot.

Then there are the combat-adjacent beats: the way Childe's thrill for battle contrasts with Zhongli's composed restraint. That pushes me toward a mentor/protégé AU or a gladiator-and-referee setup, where their fights are public spectacle and their post-match conversations are loaded with unspoken respect. Event banter where Childe jokes and Zhongli deadpans? Perfect for a workplace AU — think city diplomat vs. enthusiastic strategist who never follows the memo.

Small visual cues matter too: Zhongli adjusting his coat, Childe flashing a grin. I've used those in a campus AU: dignified lecturer and competitive swimmer. If you like writing prompts, pick one line and force it into a mismatched modern setting — the clash does half the storytelling for you.

My late-night brain absolutely loves the quiet, low-key moments that hint at more—those are the ones that make me reach for a notepad and start sketching AUs. One scene that always sparks me is their measured, almost philosophical exchanges during the Liyue story beats and character voice-lines: Zhongli’s calm about contracts and history paired with Childe’s brash, provocative remarks. That juxtaposition makes me immediately picture a slow-burn professor-and-rogue AU, where one is the scholar guarding a city’s secrets and the other is the charming troublemaker who keeps poking holes in those defenses.

Another scene I revisit is when they’re in conflict-adjacent environments—battle music, the hush right before a fight, or the terse banter in event dialogue. Those moments push me toward a bodyguard-and-prince AU or a noir detective version: Zhongli the rigid, moral investigator and Childe the slippery informant with a soft spot. I’ve actually written a short fic where a single line from Zhongli about 'what binds us' becomes the contract that flips Childe’s whole outlook.

If you want something sweeter, any pass-through interactions—brief handoffs, offhand compliments—work wonders for a cozy city-run-teahouse AU, where one manages tradition and the other brings messy, modern chaos. I find that mixing the formal grandness of Zhongli’s world with Childe’s mercenary unpredictability creates so many playable AUs; I end up bookmarking voice-lines and re-listening to them while sketching scenes in my head.

Sometimes I just close my eyes and replay the tone of specific voice-lines: Zhongli’s measured cadence about tradition and Childe’s reckless heat. That contrast breeds my favorite AUs—most often a protector/roamer dynamic. One short scene of respectful disagreement has inspired me to imagine them as rival captains in a seaside town, forced into a ceasefire.

Other little snippets, like passing quips in event dialogues, lean me toward cozy slice-of-life variants: teahouse owner and frequent, chaotic patron. It’s almost like the game hands you character sketches and you fill the rest; I usually pick a single emotional beat and let it ripple outward into setting and backstory.

Bright confession: I’m that person who rewinds lines and screenshots idle animations for AU fuel. The best sparks come from contrasty bits — Zhongli lecturing about contracts and Childe grinning like a man who treats contracts like toys. That’s why a courtship-AU where one negotiates peace treaties and the other disrupts them is my go-to. It plays with power balance and etiquette in delicious ways.

I also adore scenes where they stand apart amid more chaotic events: a market after a skirmish, a ruined watchtower at sunset. Those visuals push me toward guardian-AUs or wounded-hero-and-caregiver setups. On the lighter side, snappy event lines make me think of a barista-and-royalty cafe AU—Childe flirts, Zhongli corrects the menu, but they keep returning to each other. If you’re into fanart or one-shots, pick one evocative line or image from a cutscene and invert the roles — that’s where the best weird, tender AUs come from.

My brain loves turning a line of dialogue into an entire world — and some of the most AU-worthy moments are the ones where Zhongli and Childe barely exchange words but the subtext screams potential. I often start from a single concrete image: Zhongli standing composed under a carved arch while Childe brushes sand from his sleeve after a fight. From there I branch in multiple directions: historical AU (one is an elder magistrate, the other a naval officer), modern AU (Zhongli runs heritage preservation, Childe is an unpredictable investor), or even a slice-of-life 'odd couple' where their living habits clash hilariously.

I also pay attention to tone shifts. When Zhongli’s lines get softer or nostalgic, I sketch quiet, domestic AUs — shared breakfasts, lending an heirloom. When Childe’s voice gets competitive, I draft rival-sibling or sports-AUs where the stakes are a trophy and secret admiration. Practically speaking, for roleplay or fic you can pick a single scene—banquet conflict, post-battle silence, or a terse exchange in a cutscene—and ask: what happened five minutes before and five years after? That question usually gives me enough to write a mini-arc.