[ Once they are both standing, Zhongli pulls his hand back from Diluc's a bit reluctantly. The touch is grounding and calming— the small physical comfort a lifeline in the swirling emotions of all that is going on around them. But in order for this to work, Zhongli is going to need to produce his own Shard (a golden rook that sits above where a heart should be), but he still stubbornly refuses to put Childe's shard down for even a moment.

(He does not feel guilty for it was not his fault just as Rosaria had said. But still, how his heart aches at the thought of being here while the other was not. The thought of always being the one to survive ever looming.)

Unless...

Zhongli holds out his own shard for Diluc to take. ]

Would you hold onto that for me for a moment and produce your own Shard? A trade of blood will be required to give you my Meridian energy and for I to take your Zenith energy in return.