18+ | multifandom anime blog

prologue • 《 01 》 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10

the pen went thud, thud, thud against the counter.

reeling in the urge to ask the strange woman behind it to stop, she tried not to let the repetitive taps get to her.

she watched the woman sift through her resume, bored. it had been coming to—

her eyes flickered to the time on her wristwatch.

—fifteen minutes since she submitted her documents to her.

a long, silent sigh left her as her eyes roamed the parlor for the sixth time.

this parlor was full of contradictions — a mix of the current and the ancient.

there was a LED television screen nailed to the badly painted wall behind the woman and in a corner of the counter, a corded phone was plugged to a worn-out power socket which looked like it was haphazardly installed into the wall.

and on the very same wall, framed calligraphies were mounted, or rather, scattered all over it — probably done by the same person who had installed the power socket.

the creaky floor beneath their feet was made of wooden planks; there were some gaps between them due to missing ones, some were jutting out unsightly.

she eyed the jutting one near the door grudgingly, reminding her of how she had nearly tripped over it trying to enter the parlor earlier.

the windows were the same kind from the ones back then; she'd been to the museum frequently, especially to the section that displayed the city with its old name — Liyue Harbor, to know this design was from a time far back in the past

from the way things seemed to be randomly thrown together, everything about the parlor screamed 'bizarre'.

the whole look of the store would make any interior designers cry if they were to ever step into it.

— even its exterior was weird.

the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor stuck out like a sore thumb in a city of skyscrapers — strange and older, no, oldest. its architecture looked like it came from some time way back, past the dynasties probably. it would have fitted in better if it were to be located in the chinatown than the central business district.

her gaze had already explored every crook and cranny the spot she sat in could offer; so many times she could probably memorize them all.

"— heehee!"

a playful giggle drew her eyes to the woman's face, "...you're a strange one, aren't you!"

i'm the strange one? she wanted to say but, "oh, why am i strange?"

it was a funny comment coming from someone who sipped tea directly from the teapot and spent ten minutes introducing herself as the 77th Director, the 78th Director, 79th Director, 80th Director...and only, finally stopped at the 124th Director when she slipped over her resume in hopes of cutting off the woman's rants.

the woman's scarlet eyes sparkled, "because no one wants to work in this parlor, hehehe, i haven't had a job interview with anyone for over forty years!" she beamed as if that was an achievement.

forty years? she ran her eyes over the woman's youthful appearance — she looked like she's 25 at most!

"and it says here that you are a final year student in criminal psychology. ahhh too bad, this is not the place to find dead people." the woman stabbed her finger at her resume, "the last time i had a conversation with one was nearly twenty years ago."

huh?

she blinked once, twice at the woman, her suspicion rising. either she was right or this woman was just eccentric? she'd seen and learnt plenty of that from her psychology modules in her university to recognize such behavior.

maybe she should just go straight to the point, afterall.

Lumine shook her head. "actually, i'm not here for this" she leaned forward, eyes looking dead into the woman's. "I know what you do, Ms. Hu Tao."

the woman blinked at her, the hand playing with one of her pigtails frozen in midair.

she breathed deeply and released a quiet sigh. "the truth is, i'm looking for my brother. there have been reports about missing people and he is one of them."

Hu Tao tilted her head in confusion, "but this is not the police station, y'know?" the woman tossed her pigtail back over her shoulder.

from her bag, Lumine took out a folder and flipped it open,

"yes, i know," she said, sliding it across the counter.

"it's because i know the truth. these disappearances aren't normal." from the folder pockets, news articles were scattered across the counter as she laid them out.

her fingers plucked one out from the pile. "—including his."

Hu Tao gazed down at the picture in the article she pointed at to see Lumine, no, a man staring back at her.

"my brother and i had been able to see things no one could ever since we were little," Lumine narrowed her eyes, "and i know the reason why he's not by my side today has something to do with them."

there was a brief silence before Hu Tao broke it.

"you mean ghosts?" an overexaggerating expression of puzzlement flickered across her face. "unfortunately, this parlor no longer helps people seal their third eye. i know one that does somewhere—"

"you know what i'm talking about." Lumine cut in.

a determined look pinched a frown between her brows as Lumine lowered her gaze. "i've seen you...and some others fighting them...these monsters."

"this is why i'm here. i finally found you." her eyes raised to Hu Tao's once more. "please, i know you know."

she watched Hu Tao's brows rise sharply then fall, her mouth opening then quickly snapping shut.

"you don't have to hide it from me. " Lumine bit down on her lips. "i've searched for you and the others for so long. you guys are my only hope in finding my brother."

her voice dropped to a volume barely over a whisper. "...you are all the only help i could get." it sounded tired. "please, he's the only family i know and have."

even after her desperate plea, Hu Tao remained silent.

the drastic shift in her demeanour was odd; the carefully blanked look sitting on her face now was somewhat ill-fitting for someone who would giggle to herself every few minutes while reading a resume.

the only thing keeping the parlor from falling into complete silence was the old rattling wall fan on the far left of the store.

"i won't be a burden, i promise." a steel-like resolve hardened in Lumine's eyes. "we know, I mean, I know how to fight."

her hands curled into fists. "I'm good with a sword. we grew up needing to learn this skill because of what we can see."

the old fan continued to rattle noisily as silence persisted.

the way Hu Tao's scarlet eyes bore into her was starting to unnerve her. the shape of a flower seemed to be taking form in the scarlet eyes staring back at her — she wasn't sure if it was due to this long staring contest.

finally, Lumine broke away to rub her eyes; the silence and the weird staring was getting to her.

the sound of the chair scraping against the floor snapped her attention back to the parlor's director, only to find her gaze following Hu Tao as she rose from her seat.

"Ms. Hu Tao?" she blinked; questions were evident on her face.

"no, no! it's just Hu Tao!" a cheerful grin stretched the woman's cheeks. "go home, Lumine!"

Lumine shot up from her seat, flustered and alarmed. "but what about—"

"you will be contacted about the status of your job application if you are successful, heehee!"

she could only watch with exasperation as Hu Tao turned her back, skipping away to the back.

"Wangsheng Funeral Parlor thanks you for the interview~!"

wind and rain continued to beat against the french window beside his desk as lightning flashed across the cloudy night sky outside, lighting up his office momentarily every time it struck the earth.

the ticking grandfather clock apart from the weather was his only company in the silence.

his golden eyes emanated a soft glow in the darkness.

one that the stone dumbbell before him no longer had. it sat like a dull rock against the polished oak surface of his desk; it had been like this for the recent few thousand years.

a wry smile curled his lips.

it was just like him — a dull rock who had managed to withstand the test of time.

"it seems that our journey together has come to an end. as for that stone dumbbell, forget about it, would you?"

words from back then always came back to him when he took it out. in her voice and with those tears on her face.

he could remember it all. so clearly, too clearly as if it was yesterday.

the sky then was different — it was bright yet dark then, sitting undecidedly between day and night when she disappeared in his arms.

it was the only thing she left him, and no, he hadn't been able to unlock it.

he tried. to the point he had to give it up to others to try.

the stone device had been passed through the hands of many — adepti, scholars, historians he met while being a consultant in a funeral parlor, his advisors in his court while he was leading Liyue into a new dynasty a thousand years ago, researchers in his old company three years ago...

but no one had been able to open it.

"but if you can unlock it—"

he closed his eyes, drawing out a long sigh as he remembered how her words was cut off — that was the last time he heard her voice.

that lonely smile of her was something he could never forget.

if i unlock it, what would i find? what did you want to show me, guizhong?

silence sat with him as his fingers curled around the device, lifting it to his eyes.

gears were turning behind them as he began another attempt, but was interrupted by a buzz against his chest.

another sigh left him as he returned the stone back to the wooden box he took out from, delicately slipping it between the cushions customized to its size.

Zhongli pulled out a phone from his suit and his face fell almost immediately at the caller.

he lifted the phone to his ear with another sigh. "what, Hu Tao?"

prologue • 《 01 》 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10

《 prologue 》 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10

the willow tree hanging over the stone table swayed lightly in the quiet breeze. the thin, parched paper under her hand flapped to the wind as her long, slender fingers guided the inked brush across it.

under her watchful, clever gaze, inked calligraphy imprinted into the paper like an artwork.

the smooth strokes and the meaning behind each word painted a beautiful picture of her heart — one she held so secretly to herself as she watched him guide the mortals alongside her with subtle adoring eyes.

now that the tension stewing across teyvat was starting to boil over, an incessant urgency was what made her decide to write down the words she had always to say to her dear friend.

she knew her own strength and where she stood among the other gods. her wisdom and mastery at architecture was not enough to stand the test of a war amongst the gods.

— just in case, she thought.

his golden eyes gleamed in the soft glow of the morning sun rising over Guilin. sunlight glittered across the clear waters of the lake like a thousand little stars and the glaze lilies were blooming in abundance.

her voice was light as it drifted in the breeze, calling out his name.

"guizhong." he turned his head, his voice quiet as he acknowledged the goddess.

her long, billowing sleeves danced in the rushing wind as she made her way over.

"all my wisdom is hidden within this stone dumbbell," her words drew his attention to a small intricately designed bronze cube her hands presented to him.

questions raised his brows as his gaze brushed over it curiously before returning to guizhong.

the solemn, yet joyful look on her face he was met with brewed more questions.

a smile lightly curled her lips at his expression, "this is the mark of our pledge, and it is also my challenge to you."

the glaze lilies rustled noisily to another breeze blowing by as Morax's hesitant fingers grazed over the device in her waiting hands.

it was too late when he reached her.

it was like the first time he met her. the field of glaze lilies surrounding them were in full bloom and shone a bright, brilliant blue she adored.

the Vortex Vanquisher cluttered to the ground as he rushed over to her lifeless body with a horrified look in his eyes.

— then, her eyes were full of life and sparkled the way the glaze lilies did in the sun.

"Guizhong!" his powerful figure crouched by her as the glaze lilies softly rustled around them.

— but now, they were closed. even though he just arrived, he understood almost everything he needed to know about her condition; her life force was barely felt, the blood smeared right by her deathly pale lips, the broken bloodied blade of her sword lying by her side.

"...Guizhong!"

she could hear him calling; his usually clear, strong voice sounded faint as if he was in a distance and she was underwater.

she was tired, so tired.

But the pain in his voice helped her find strength to open her eyes. "...you're here, Zhongli..." her voice was weak and coarse.

she had been waiting. holding onto every breath, onto every remaining energy to keep herself afloat.

his golden eyes swam in her blurry vision as she met with them.

"i-i fought them..." her breathing was labored. "...i tried so hard."

the tension in the arms holding her off the ground was palpable from the way they trembled.

"yes, you did..." there was a crack in his voice, "...and you've done well."

something warm splashed against her skin — one on her left cheek, one on her forehead, then more came after.

"why?" the end for her was near and he knew. "i said i would fight for us, didn't i?...why didn't you come to me? "

Morax's jaw clenched with anger at himself, at her and at the war as he hugged her to him, as gently as he could.

"...I could have protected you, silly woman." trembling tears dripped from his chin. "I promised you, didn't i?"

she said nothing to that, remembering his words from the past bitterly.

"...i'm sorry, Zhongli." her voice was wispy and so soft he almost missed them. "i had to do what i needed to do."

bitterness sank her heart.

"...are they..." the metallic taste of her own blood accompanied her as she swallowed hard, "...our people safe?"

his grip on her left sleeve tightened. "...yes, and it's all thanks to you."

after a brief pause to process his words, she nodded. "...good." her face softened in relief.

something akin to drowsiness was lulling her eyes close. she didn't even realize her eyes were closing until the body holding her tensed in panic.

"...no, Guizhong!" desperation pleaded in his voice. "...stay with me, please!"

a rise of panic within herself fought her eyes open, then her heart ached — a nasty voice reminded her that she will never be able to see him again.

sands of her time were slipping from her fingers and it scared her.

sadness and regret brought tears to her eyes.

"it seems that our journey together has come to an end." her lips lifted weakly. "...as for that stone dumbbell, forget about it, would you?"

her smile was a lonely one, even as her form dissolved into the finest dust.

"but if you can unlock it—"

time silenced her before she could finished, and all that remained was silence.

the glaze lilies swayed and rustled softly around him as the wind blowing over what remained of Guilin whispered her silent wish.

...of how much she wanted to see him.

—just one more time.

《 prologue 》 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10

Tartaglia and silence did not sit well together — she concluded as her eyes shifted awkwardly, failing miserably at trying to find a spot to fix her gaze on, with him right up in her face.

the long, callused fingers holding onto her chin weren't making it easy either. for a man who lives for danger and the thrills of battles, his touch was surprisingly gentle.

"it's fine, really." the silence was getting to her. "just a scratch." the bloodied gash throbbing on her left cheek was a huge contradiction to her words.

but he said nothing. not a word, not even a flicker of change in the dead serious look on his face.

she really didn't think the gash on her face was a big deal after her victory over a random fatui agent she was unfortunate enough to come across.

battles were part of her life; getting cuts on her was nothing to fuss over. they were bound to heal if they were treated properly anyway.

—that was what she thought walking into Liyue Harbor, enough of the wilderness after four nights, and headed right for the inn she had intended to stay in.

the last person she'd expected to bump into at the reception was the fatui harbinger; she saw how his raised brows fell flat and the way the cheerful light in his blue eyes vanished completely the second his gaze reached her face.

the drastic change of his expression from then still puzzled her.

even now as she searched his face to figure him out, she still couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. even without her looking directly at them, she could feel an intensity reflecting off them at her like the cold blade of a dagger.

the silence he held was unnerving.

he always had something to say, so this was weird, really weird.

"...Tartaglia?" her voice barely over a whisper, shaky and uncertain in the presence of his unreadable, tense demeanour.

still, he said nothing, only tilting her chin up as if to get a better look at her face.

"what's with you? hahaha." she forced a laugh, "it's really no big deal."

her mind was running all over the place, trying to find the reason for this strange situation.

ever since the sudden visit by his little brother, they had grown a lot closer. while their friendly rivalry remained, genuine friendship had sparked between them.

at times, she found herself having random, impromptu meals with the harbinger. sometimes, was even accompanied on her commissions.

could their friendship be the reason why he was acting like this now?

sensing a movement, she pulled herself out of her thoughts to find him rummaging through the medical kit he borrowed from the reception before ushering her into his room.

"this is gonna sting a little." he finally broke his silence, his voice uncharacteristically quiet and soft. the tension in his eyes remained as they returned to her face.

a hiss escaped her the moment the alcohol-soaked cotton touched her wound.

"bear with me." his eyes softened for a second as they flickered to hers before falling back onto her left cheek.

her fingers curled into the soft mattress underneath them, gripping hard as she tried not to react to the continuous stings.

it took only a few quiet minutes for him to clean her wound and dress it up, but it was an agonizing few minutes for her so she couldn't help the exhale of relief the moment he closed the medical kit.

"...thanks." she murmured, making a move to get up from the bed, but his hand was back to her chin before she could.

her eyes widened and blinked. "what's wrong?"

Tartaglia merely tilted her face from one side to another. the intensity previously in his eyes was back and stronger. she noticed how his jaw was clenched and his lips were held in a grim line.

she felt her heart skip a nervous beat when his gaze suddenly flew to hers, looking at her dead in the eyes.

his voice was quiet and tense, the underlying cold blade in his gaze was now in his tone. An anger barely restrained.

"—who did this to you?"

genre/theme(s): 18+ , fluffy loving sex, zhongli being horny in hanfu, sex in hanfu, breeding kink, vaginal penetration, daddy zhongli

a/n: a reblog would be nice :3

lying under him, she was a piece of art—

golden eyes ran their gaze appreciatively over her.

— his piece of art.

atop the bedsheet ridged with ripples, her glassy eyes peered up from her flushed face. her hair was sprawled in a tousled mess and hands by her head were dug into the sheets.

her hanfu, or at least what was left of it, was flung apart, nearly torn apart from how he had practically ripped it open.

a smirk evident in his gaze followed him as he shifted his attention from the article, burning into her as his eyes traced over the curves of her breasts and admired the way her nipples stood hard and perky.

and the best part—

carnal heat smoldered in his eyes as his gaze drifted lower.

oozing from between her parted legs bent at their knees, his cum leaked, trickling slowly onto the bed.

stained into the sheets, the dark splotch stretched across the sheet like a terrain on a map; a canvas he had painted with produce from their arousal.

mostly hers, a flash of satisfaction glinted in his golden eyes as his gaze bore into her clenching cunt where he made sure his ended up in.

long fingers scooped the escaping trail of cum, "ah, can't have these going to waste." she whimpered as he tucked it back inside her.

his gaze moved back up to meet her dazed ones.

"you're doing wonderful, love." zhongli leaned forward, hunger blazing in the contradictingly gentle heat of tenderness in his eyes.

his lips brushed over hers, like an artist's brush against a canvas. palm to palm, there was raw emotion in the way his fingers curled around hers as he tilted his head over hers. little shivers of pleasure tingled through her as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips. there was a sound from the back of his throat — half growl, half moan as his tongue slipped inside her mouth, gentle but demanding. And she responded in kind, her breathless moan dissolving into a sigh as dopamine overdosed her brain once more.

there was softness lying under his dominant passion. even in heat, zhongli never forgets to be gentle.

"i've always wanted this ever since that dream..." he murmured against her swollen lips, his whispering voice cracking under his desire.

his powerful body shook with need as he pulled away with a shuddering breath.

"you..." a hand left hers to glide down her curves and stopped right below her belly button, "...with child."

his eyes met hers again, seemingly glowing amber and gold with an intense longing.

"—mine."

heat rose from her stomach to her chest at his words; an ache she felt from him...it silenced the soreness in her body.

they'd been at this for probably hours, and he had been relentless despite the time, probably nothing to one who once plugged rock spears as tall as mountains into the earth — pounding into her through countless of her orgasms, spilling onto her spasming walls at every chance he could get; whether he was in her mouth or her hands, his cock always ended up plugged into her where he had meant for his seeds to be in, wasting nothing.

so adamant in making his desire come true — one she couldn't resist herself.

"one more time," zhongli groaned, feverish yearning reverberating lowly in his throat.

"...just one more." his arms slid under her abused knees and lifted her hips off the bed.

he had the gaze of a desperate man, as though begging for her permission to quench his thirst.

her half-lidded gaze met his as she nodded weakly. "yes, one more..."

she wanted more, needed more.

the hanfu clinging onto him was tossed aside at her words.

golden eyes blazed, fixated on hers as his mighty figure bent over her, his hands shifting down her thighs as he slipped into position, spreading her legs wide for him and securing them high around his waist.

a soft, broken moan left her as she felt the head of his cock brush against her folds, pre-cum smearing over her sensitive entrance in his movements.

"...so beautiful," she heard him whisper as he traced a hand down from her right cheek to the curve of her breast, thumb rolling its pebbled nipple before moving further down.

she shivered to the tingle he left behind as her eyes followed his hand to where their bodies met.

guided by his hand, a sound between a moan and a grunt was trapped in his throat behind his gritted teeth as the head of his cock coated in her slick nudged her open. her folds parted with wet, erotic squelches as he sank deeper and deeper inside of her.

a giddy sigh sifted through her lips. every ridge and vein along his girth, she could feel them all as he stretched her walls with delicious frictions.

"hngh—so..." zhongli broke into a gasp as he drew back, "...good."

his cock glided backwards and stopped, only with its head still inside her. then he sank back in again and buried entirely into her in one swift plunge.

she cried out, caught off guard by the pounding speed he jumped into. the same pace he'd been going at in the previous few rounds but still, it was enough to make her see stars.

his eyes held the fire of the geo archon he was. one who ravaged old teyvat in the great war.

every time he drove forward, he went in deep, so deep she could feel him — the swollen head of his girth brushing against her cervis; bulging thicker and thicker in size inside her.

her body rocked and the bed creaked as he plummeted into her, grunts between moans and groans rumbling from the back of his throat.

even in his own rising heat, zhongli was fascinated; he couldn't resist the scene of art before him.

breathless and panting as he took in her parted lips, rosy cheeks and her bouncing breasts. ears alerted to her voice, listening to her moans, gasps and sobs.

his eyes were stuck on her as they drifted down, and zhongli instantly groaned—

...oh archons,

—at the way her cunt swallowed him as he pounded into her, mesmerized by the growing ring of cum squelching around his cock.

...no art he'd seen in the thousand years of his long life were as pleasing to watch.

the sound, the sight was enough to make the building pressure within his cock almost agonizing.

his muscles tightened and rippled with strain as fervor and urgency took over him.

in the race against the ache to seek release, his mind was clouded over with nothing but the image of her — round and swollen, bearing his baby in her womb. something he'd never thought he would want as bad in this mundane life he chose.

the tantalizing image in his vision was all he needed to grit on as his cock delved into her.

her chest heaved and fell quick as her fingers clawed at his arms, "...hah— close, i'm—" a sharp gasp rushed out of her at the sudden rise in his speed.

he was close too, she could feel it. from the haste in his speed to the throb and twitch inside her.

her glassy eyes focused on his face, captivated by the look caught between pain and pleasure, and the way zhongli bore down at her with his lips parted slightly; her own parting with desperate cries.

golden eyes were slightly glazed over in ecstasy with a smoldering heat in the background.

"one more for me, darling—hah...one more please." the breathless moans elicited between the grunts resonating lowly in his chest was growing wispy and giddy by the seconds.

then he inhaled sharply, his eyes squeezing shut in a sudden wave of pleasure, as if in pain. "for me—hngh...for me." he gasped and stuttered, "—please."

...one more— she whimpered as his words echoed in her head — for him.

then finally, her back arched sharply as the tight knot within her snapped, seizing her body in a surge of rushing euphoria.

a broken cry ripped through her sobs as her cum gushed around his, her legs shaking uncontrollably. so good it was almost painful.

zhongli panted as his grip on her thighs tightened, sharply folding in on her as his thrusts became desperate, almost erratic.

a low guttural sound tremored within him, feeling her cunt clench around him as his high reached its peak. he grunted sharply as he pushed himself inside once, twice, then plugged himself as deep as he could.

stiffening against her, his lips fell apart in a gasp as he cummed inside her. a giddy moan reverberated in her throat as she felt his cock pulsate against her walls, shooting inside of her and filling her up with his seeds.

her moan waned into a wispy sigh as he slipped out of her ever so slowly, as though she would break if he was any rougher.

his cum trickled out, oozing around him as his cock parted her folds in his retreat, emerging with a single thread of slick connected to its head.

satisfied, zhongli watched her wet and messy cunt drool.

She felt a breath of relief leave her lungs as soon as a familiar arched gate peeked into view.

From atop the hill where one would usually be greeted by a majestic view of the city, Liyue Harbor was a mere silhouette even in the heavy rain.

What she always remembers of Liyue Harbor she so often steps into was always filled with sunshine and blessed with a clear blue sky above if it was in the day, and a glowing city under an endless dark sky full of stars if it was night.

However, when it did rain, as she had learned now, it certainly rained hard.

The heavens were merciless in its downpour on the earth. The raindrops splashed almost icy cold onto her were harsh and soaked through the already dripping cloak she picked up from an abandoned campsite the moment it poured.

She lifted her head as her legs slowed before the main gate.

Bright and sunny Liyue Harbor looked dull and gloomy under the gray, thick storm clouds which were too stubborn to let a hint of the sun in.

Sweeping past the gate guards and over the arched bridge, the usually vibrant, bustling market she was greeted upon crossing the bridge was uncharacteristically quiet.

Most roadside stalls had covers draped over them and their owners nowhere to be seen, most probably seeking shelter somewhere. Only those who had a roof over their head stayed put.

Sidestepping a passerby and his umbrella, she silently envied him as she made her way to the long flight of stairs leading up to Feiyun Slope.

Deep puddles on the concrete pavement scattered erratically under her hasty steps; her eagerness to end her mission shown in her speed.

The soles of her shoes slapped against the wet path as she fought to maintain her stride.

The effect of doing one commission after the other was starting to show; fatigue seemed to resonate in every fiber of her muscles.

Heavy breaths leaving her were shaky and stuttered as she heaved herself up to the top of the stairs.

The dull ache in her body lingering in every step she took grew.

Hurrying down the Feiyun boulevard lined by towering shophouses, a cacophony of pitter-patters greeted her as she moved around the few milling along the street with their umbrellas; resolve fuelling her pace until...

A strange distortion spinning her head made her stagger to a stop.

She tried to blink away the odd waver in her vision, bringing a hand up to her eyes, convinced it was due to the rain. A shiver followed as the chill she did not notice in her haste sent goosebumps crawling across her skin.

For some reason, her body burned at the same time.

Her eyes squinted under the relentless rain as she raised her head to glare at the waves of grey, menacing clouds swathing over the city.

Then again, came another wave of distortion—

Her knees buckled under her before she could catch herself.

—it happened too fast.

Bewildered eyes stared at the ground beneath her, blinking and squeezing shut as vertigo rendered her unable to lift herself.

The echoing pain ringing across her palms of her hands she had used to cushion her fall was nothing compared to the uncomfortable stir in her head, blending into the background just like the cold rain beating down on her back.

A soft groan fell from her lips, just as a man crossed the boulevard in her direction, his loafers' heels clicking lightly against the wet concrete.

The wise glint in his golden eyes usually tensed and piercing was soft with concern as he approached her, maneuvering around curious onlookers.

Shaky breaths shuddered out of her as she tried to climb back onto her feet.

She rose, grimacing at the ache following her movement. Her scraped knees trembled with effort, only to buckle again—

But was caught in time before she hit the ground the second time.

Her eyelashes fluttered weakly as she looked down at the hand on her waist.

What just...

As black dots danced in her vision, she lifted her gaze in a dazed-like trance. Her cheeks were flushed red and her breathing was harsh as her half-lidded gaze was met by the shade of an umbrella — under it was a pair of warm, kind eyes.

In her waning vision, worry and tenderness seemed to be dripping from them like golden honey.

A startled exhale left her. Who...

She tried to push the stranger away but to no avail; the hand she laid splayed across his chest had no strength.

The stranger seemed to understand.

"Be at ease, you're safe now..."

Whispering against the windows, the paper screens on their tall frames fluttered to the gentle morning breeze, and through that one opened window — carrying the lingering scent of the rain from the day before.

Lazy sunlight spilling into the room cast a faint silhouette of the man sitting by the opened window.

Elbow propped casually on the wooden railing framing the width of the wall from the outside, the wide, black sleeve of his hanfu slipped back and down the length of his forearm as the steaming teacup in his hand was raised to his lips for another sip.

His absent gaze idly returned to the swaying leaves of the bamboo trees in the garden as he lowered the teacup once again.

His thoughts were filled with many things but most did not hold on long enough for him to think about.

All except one thing...or to be more precise, one person — right there, across the room.

Gone were the quick heaves and falls of her chest, along with the harsh, shallow breaths expelled.

However her forehead was feverishly warm, even till morning — the skin between his brows pinched in a small frown.

Perhaps, he should get Madam Ping to take a look at her again.

Madam Ping was very insistent about getting him to turn in for the night yesterday which he eventually gave in to during the wee hours.

When he was Rex Lapis, the lack of sleep meant nothing, but as Zhongli, it meant slightly more to his body. He, afterall, did choose to experience the world from the perspective of a mortal.

Another sip of tea slipped down his throat as he fiddled with the thought of getting Madam Ping to come by again, the furrow between his brows deepening.

However, rustles of the sheets from the bed across the room scattered his thoughts before he could decide.

Zhongli turned his eyes back to the shadowy confines of the room.

Tears spilled over from her closed eyes, streaking down her cheeks and to the bamboo pillow below her head.

Choked sobs broke through her lips.

"...No please, don't leave!" A hand shot up, grabbing desperately at nothing but the air.

Another sob brought about another wave of tears running down her cheeks.

"No, Aether—!"

A gasp rushed through her lips as she shot up from the bed with wide eyes, the same hand extended before her.

She blinked. Blinked. And blinked.

Then, her heart sank.

This dream again.

The hand she held hovering before her reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes and fell back onto the duvet on her lap.

The loose, white sleeve slipping down her forearm when she did that drew her gaze to the white cross-collar robe on her.

Her fingers running over the soft fabric paused.

—the rain.

Her eyes widened as a memory reminded her.

That hand on her waist.

"Be at ease, you're safe now..." And that voice...sounded so familiar.

Who was that?

She tried to pin down an answer, unaware of the tall figure approaching her from the window across the room.

...Only until the back of his hand touched her forehead.

She flinched with a sharp gasp, head instantly jerking up.

Calm golden eyes met her bewildered gaze in the brief silence.

She blinked. "Zhongli?"

It was Zhongli who, for some reason, did not look like... the usual Zhongli.

"Glad to see that you're awake." A smile played on his lips.

—his hand moved away from her forehead.

Something seemed different about him, but why?

Her eyes wandered down from his face on their own.

Broad shoulders lined by a black cloak that his typical fitting suit somehow failed to highlight, his hair hung loose behind his shoulders; some trailed down in tendrils to his chest.

There was something intricately captivating about the Zhongli standing here, in a loose, flowing robe of black and gold which somehow accentuated his handsomeness.

Much like how she had imagined the Geo Archon to look like before they met; an alluring embodiment of power and charisma.

Her eyes stopped at where his chest peeked out from under his inner cross-collar robe, only to realize what she was doing—

Oh shit, did she just...

She hastily brought her eyes back up to his face, feeling the heat of her embarrassment flustering at her cheeks; silently hoping he didn't think much about her weird long stare on him.

The ghost of a smile she thought she saw told her that he did.

But maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her because Zhongli made no other indications that he did.

His robe rustled softly to his movement as he lowered himself to one knee, his eyes leveled with hers.

"How are you feeling?" Zhongli asked almost in a whisper, his voice low and gentle.

—the subtly powerful tint wasn't there.

Or even in the way his eyes stared into hers. Tender, almost.

And she didn't know what to make of it. Not sure if she was reading too much into what she saw.

"I'm...I'm fine." Her eyes fell away for a second before rising to meet his again. "Head feels a little...strange though."

The odd weightlessness in her head brought her back to her first question.

So that voice...

It was Zhongli's.

"Alright, you should get more rest."

Movement from the sides of her eyes made her turn to watch him stand.

There was even elegance in the way he smoothly rose from the floor.

"...I'll get Madam Ping to come over."

She watched him turn his back, with a thank you lingering on her tongue.

"Wait, Zhongli—" Her hand flew out, fingers gripping onto his black cloak.

The former archon paused, glancing over his shoulders in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. It's just..." Her gaze on him was bright. Almost dazzling.

In a way that reminded him of how the morning sunlight glitters across a ripple in the water.

Gratitude bloomed a radiant smile on her face, showing even in her eyes.

"...Thank you."

bright, bustling streets even in the darkness of nights was enough to show the nature of the city.

though, today it was a different kind of bustle. stores were already closed; even the nocturnal businesses that one would only see at night.

the moon had been bright and round the past few nights while the people busied themselves for another festival to come.

— the mid-autumn festival, an annual festival celebrated by the people of liyue or at least that was what zhongli explained yesterday when he extended an invitation to her to join him and others in moon-gazing today.

tonight, the moon shone bright and full in the clear dark sky, seemingly more so than the previous nights.

strategically rooted to the ground of a spacious balcony overlooking the gentle waves below, the stone tables were in a perfect spot beneath the brilliant moon.

colorful mooncakes of various flavors and teacups filled with steaming tea laid before her.

she sat at one of the round stone tables with some funeral parlor staff and of course, zhongli himself who has been rather busy ever since she arrived—

the cheerful chatters and laughter drew her eyes away from the empty seat beside her and to the tables across theirs.

his archon days were over, he said.

he was simply trying to experience a mundane life as 'zhongli' now, as the geo archon had put it when you expressed her surprise at his involvement with a festival fabricated by the mortals' minds.

and indeed—

her gaze idled on him.

— he was doing it too well.

illuminated by the golden glow the table lanterns emanated, the cordial and relaxed atmosphere was warmed by attentive eyes and smiling lips.

all on him.

apparently, some things never changed. whether he was rex lapis or zhongli, he carried an alluring elegance and charisma. clinging to every word and his occasional hand gestures, they were like moths drawn to a flame.

she could understand why; she liked hearing him talk. she would have gone over too, if not...for this weight on her heart.

it has been nearly a year since she was in teyvat looking for her twin. these few days in the harbor, the full moon was a constant reminder of how time has passed, and yet...

a heavy sigh escaped her. a longing gleam waned in her eyes as she lifted her gaze to the sky.

they used to talk and eat under a full moon just like this, a bitter ache clenched her heart.

her teeth sank into her lower lip as it trembled.

please...not now. her hands curled into shaking fists as she tried to hold back the tears threatening to leave her eyes.

not now. not at this party. she silently pleaded with herself, her squared shoulders shaking. it took all her willpower to not let the dam break.

but one managed to escape her anyway.

—shit.

she was up on her feet fast and slipped away from the party as subtly as she could.

stumbling out of the party half-blind with tears wasn't exactly the best situation to remember about the cloak meant to keep her warm on an autumn night.

luckily, she didn't end up falling off the stairs she currently sat on.

autumn in liyue was typically not cold, but tonight seemed especially so.

she shivered to the chilly breeze brushing against her back. goosebumps crawled across her skin, particularly on the areas her dress failed to protect against the cold.

she couldn't quite bring herself to go back for the cloak. not with the mess she was now.

the sight of the round moon above wavered in her vision as tears quietly trailed down her cheeks.

under the vast, seemingly endless night sky, she felt small...

— her knees were drawn closer to her chest, curled fingers digging into her dress.

...and extremely powerless.

where is he? why can't she find him? is he even in teyvat? Is he even...still alive? does he even exist anymore?

—a dreading sense of hopelessness echoed in her heart and summoned another wave of tears wavering her vision.

under this wide, endless sky and its luminous moon, she felt alone, truly alone in the presence of the joyous cacophony of laughter and playful yells coming from the festival she left behind.

a nasty voice prompted by the noise taunted her — of how no one would notice, even if she were to walk right out of liyue harbor right now.

drowning in harsh, relentless thoughts, she failed to notice the gaze of a pair of wise, golden eyes on her back, soft with concern.

long legs covered the distance between them in a quiet, graceful stride; the gentle clacks of his loafers whenever their heels hit the ground slipped past her notice too.

not even when he climbed down the steps to settle himself next to her, a step above hers.

not even the inevitable proximity between their shoulders caused by the short stairs spacious for one but narrow for two.

only until his coat was off his shoulders and wrapped around hers—

"why the tears on the mid-autumn festival?"

—she jolted with a sharp gasp, her widening eyes snapping over to him.

the calm and prodding gaze that met hers was accompanied by the tender brush of his thumb across her left cheek, right under her tearing eye before switching over to her other.

"zh-zhongli?"

she was still stunned, unsure she was feeling so because someone noticed she had left or was it because of this simple gesture.

zhongli has always been a mentor-like figure to her. his words, his wise gazes, the comforting pets he occasionally gave on her head and back had always reminded her of how she was a mere child in his eyes.

but tonight...this, nothing about the gentleness his hand or his eyes emanate felt normal. or was she just delirious?

the strange stutter of her heart caused by the hand on her face, the blush heating up her cheeks made her tear her gaze away from his, flustered.

zhongli let his hand drop back onto his knee, but his eyes stayed.

crossing her arms to hold onto his coat sitting on her shoulders, she thought hard to recall his question.

"i can't help thinking about my brother, that's all." she looked back at him, smiling.

a smile he thought reminded him of the moon when it was not yet full — a quiet light melancholic with vague sadness.

"don't worry about me, i'll be fine." she slipped a glance over her shoulder in the direction of the festival. "you should go back there, zhongli, they need you. what's mid-autumn festival for liyue without you?"

she moved to remove the coat from her shoulders, but a hand wrapped around her wrist stopped her.

"but what's mid-autumn festival without you, my dear friend?"

zhongli regarded her intently, his eyes boring into hers for a second before shifting to focus on his coat.

there was something else in his eyes when they return to hers; it came and went in a flicker. "...keep this on, it's chilly today."

"thanks..." she murmured, her shoulders sinking as she yet again returned her thoughts to her brother.

"aether..." the pain she guarded showed on her face. "will i ever be able to see him again?"

tears started to well up in her eyes once again.

"i'm sorry, zhongli, i'm so sorry..." a quiet sob broke through, "today is supposed to be about the mid-autumn festival, and yet...here you are, listening to me."

zhongli's mouth opened then snapped close.

he always knew what to say whenever she was in a pinch. however, it was tears this time, and he wasn't exactly sure about what he should do about his body's urge to hold her.

he was already more than a thousand years old.

as the former geo archon, he was the immovable rock. emotions and impulses he used to hold within himself in his younger days were buried deep under the sands of time...or at least they should be.

so where did this come from? was this strange stir an inevitable part of being a mortal?

"you know what?"

her movement to rise from the spot beside him turned his head back to her.

resolute hardened the glint in her tearing eyes, "i don't want to hold you back any longer,"

her fingers curled into a shaky fist, nails digging into her palm.

"....the people need you. i-i think i should just go bac—"

his hand flew out before he could think any further; his body was faster than his thoughts this time.

her next breath puffed out of her, in surprise and bewilderment as her body was tugged and cocooned by a breathing warmth before she could understand what happened.

and when she did, her eyes flew wide.

cheek pressed against his neck, she found herself held to his chest. she could feel his chin atop her head and his arms around her.

he was beside her a moment ago, and now he was behind sharing the same step as her, broad enough to accommodate them. was she the one moved? or did he?

she didn't know how but she couldn't find the energy to care —the scent of musk and lingering tea engulfing her was an alluring comfort that made her want to stop trying.

so warm. really, really warm.

and so was his voice. "...but you need me." a hand caressed the back of her head.