Chapter Text
As soon as the sun had set, you stepped out from your inn and saw Zhongli already waiting for you while hiding something behind his back.
“Always the gentleman, aren’t you?” you teased once you approached him.
“Of course,” he responded naturally. “I’ve also brought you a little gift as thanks for humoring an old man like me.” You scoffed at his remark as he brought his hand from behind his back and presented a silk flower, holding it out to you. You felt yourself blush, unable to stop the smile stretching your lips as you took it from him.
“Thank you, Zhongli,” you said happily. “It’s beautiful.” You immediately tucked the flower behind your ear, wearing it as an accessory to keep your hands free.
“You’re very welcome, [Y/N],” he replied in kind, offering his arm for you to take. “It suits you well, just as I thought.” You hooked your arm around his, allowing him to escort you down the street.
“Where are we going this time?” you asked, glancing at him as you walked.
“This time we’re going to Third Round Knock-Out,” he explained. “It’s a bit further up the street from Wanmin Restaurant. I think you’ll like it.” You hummed in acknowledgement, admiring the city lights as the sky darkened. Zhongli pointed it out when it was within sight and said, “There it is. We’ll be eating outside, if that’s alright.” You nodded, your mouth already watering from the smell of food wafting in your direction. Suddenly, you heard a man shout from behind you, “Hey, slow down!” Before you could turn to see what was happening, a small body collided into your back, nearly knocking your legs out from under you and causing you to audibly yelp, gripping Zhongli’s arm tighter for balance. Zhongli held you steady, his eyes widened with surprise as you caught yourself. You quickly looked behind you to see the child who had run into you. He was slowly standing from the ground, rubbing his backside and groaning.
“Are you okay?” you immediately asked, releasing Zhongli from your grip and crouching down to make sure the boy was okay.
“I’m okay,” he said shyly, taking a few steps back. “Sorry for bumping into you.”
“I told you to slow down,” the man who had cried out before sighed and stopped at the boy’s side, then addressed you, “I’m sorry, he’s a bit rambunctious. You’re not hurt, are you?”
“I’m fine,” you insisted, standing straight . “I was more worried about him, actually.” The boy was now hiding behind his father, looking at the ground.
“No one was hurt, so that’s all that matters,” Zhongli spoke from beside you. The man bowed apologetically to you on behalf of his son before the two went on walking ahead of you, the boy looking as if he was going to be hearing a very familiar lecture once they were home.
You couldn’t help but laugh and say, “I bet his father scolds him all the time like Jean scolds me.” Zhongli chuckled as well, reaching for your hand again.
“You’re truly not hurt?” he asked to make sure.
“No harm done,” you said again, holding his hand tightly as you continued walking. “Actually, that reminds me of how you and I met.”
“Ah, yes, I do remember you literally walking into my back.”
“And I bought you tea because you forgot your wallet.”
Zhongli laughed aloud as you walked up the steps of the restaurant. He pulled out a chair for you and took the seat next to you rather than across from you this time. A waitress took your order of jade parcels for the two of you to share and left you alone to chat.
“Well, now that you’re nearing the end of your time in Liyue,” Zhongli began once the waitress had left, “would you ever consider coming back someday?”
“Absolutely,” you responded immediately with another laugh escaping from the man next to you. “I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot from you. I’d love to come back and explore more.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Zhongli said, his honey eyes locked with yours. “I would be more than happy to accompany you when the time comes.” You smiled warmly, your heart fluttering again. You remembered the earlier thoughts you had about Zhongli and wanted to say them, though just as you opened your mouth, you saw a glimpse of the boy from earlier running around with a stray dog in front of the restaurant. There was a small pool of water in the center of the square that he and the dog were approaching which triggered your senses. The waitress had approached the table again, setting a large plate of jade parcels in front of you both. Just as she asked if there was anything else you needed, the moment you were waiting for approached and you quickly stood from your seat, startling both the waitress and Zhongli as your chair scooted back with a grating noise against the concrete.
Without hesitating, you maneuvered your way around the waitress and propelled yourself toward the boy with anemo power at your feet, grabbing and yanking the back of his shirt once you were close enough just as he was about to barrel right into the water. The boy cried out in surprise as you pulled him backwards away from the small pond.
“That was close,” you panted, releasing his shirt. “You really need to watch where you’re going, kid.” He recognized your voice and quickly turned to look at you from the water, his eyes wide. You sighed and crouched down, patting his hair and smiling.
“I like running fast, too, but you need to be aware of your surroundings,” you lightly scolded. “Where did your dad go?”
“He went inside the restaurant to get dinner,” the boy answered timidly, tears welling in his eyes. “Please don’t tell my dad!” You saw a bit of your younger (and current) self in him and sympathized.
“Tell you what,” you said, standing straight again. “I won’t tell your dad what happened if you promise to be more careful when you’re out and about, okay?”
“Okay,” he agreed, still sniffling. “Thank you, traveler.” The stray dog he had been playing with approached him again and started licking his face, making him smile and laugh again. The boy decided to sit on the steps leading up to the restaurant with the dog and wait until his father returned while you rejoined Zhongli at your table, the plate of jade parcels still untouched.
“Sorry about that,” you apologized once you sat down. Zhongli shook his head, an amused smile stretched across his lips as he watched you with kind eyes.
“You continue to amaze me,” he said honestly, causing blush to creep across your cheeks. “You always put others before yourself, regardless of the circumstances. I’m very impressed.”
“It’s no big deal,” you responded, shrugging and picking up your chopsticks. “I take my duty as a knight seriously, that’s all. I can’t help it.” Zhongli just hummed, picking up his own utensils as the two of you focused again on the meal in front of you. You caught Zhongli looking at you a few times during your meal, though each time you made eye contact he never looked away. Once the meal was finished and paid for, Zhongli decided to take you for a walk along the dockyards.
The sky was a blanket of stars over the city, accented by the waning crescent moon reflected over the water. The area was deserted, the workers and merchants either home for the evening or enjoying the nightlife of the city. The only sounds you could hear were the splashing of the waves against the boats and the soft thumps of your and Zhongli’s shoes across the docks. He led you to the end of one that gave a marvelous view of the seemingly endless ocean. Your arms were linked once more as you stood and gazed at the beauty of the moon reflected in the open water.
You felt it was the perfect time to finally lay everything bare before parting from Zhongli. You opened your mouth to say something, but he spoke first.
“[Y/N], is it alright if I take a few more moments of your time tonight?” he asked, his voice just above a whisper so not to disrupt the quiet evening. “There’s something I would like to discuss.”
“Of course,” you replied, releasing his arm and turning to face him. His face was serious, his honeyed eyes searching yours as he seemed almost hesitant to begin. He took hold of both of your hands and took a steadying breath.
“[Y/N],” he said again, “I would like to begin by expressing how much I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your company over this past month.” You smiled, your heart rate picking up. He was expressing the same thing you had wanted to.
“It’s been a long while since I’ve felt a connection like this,” he continued, squeezing your hands tighter. “To be blunt, when I think of how long it may be before I see you again, I feel sad and disheartened. It’s almost painful.” He let his serious face slip into something more vulnerable. You felt a warmth grip your heart. Here he was - a God - exposing his feelings to a mortal while showing his true emotions. It made you happy.
“Zhongli, I feel the same,” you responded, keeping your eyes locked with his. “It makes me sad that I have to go back home so soon. I want to spend more time with you.” You swallowed a growing lump in your throat and continued, “I love you. I don’t want to leave you.” You hadn’t meant to cry, but you couldn’t stop the stray tears that rolled down your cheeks.
“Are these your honest feelings?” he asked after a moment, his voice hushed. He released your hands and slowly placed his gloved hands on your cheeks, wiping your tears away with his thumbs. Not trusting your voice, you nodded and smiled. Zhongli’s expression relaxed as he let a breathy laugh escape through his lips.
“Thank you,” he whispered, leaning down and pressing his forehead against yours. “It’s been so long since I’ve felt this way toward anyone. Are you willing to be patient with me while I learn what love is once again?”
“Of course,” you laughed, sniffling. “I can teach you, just like you’ve taught me all about this beautiful country.” Zhongli moved his hands from your cheeks and trailed them down, his arms wrapping around your waist. You joined your hands behind his neck and remembered the similar position you both were in that night at Wangshu Inn. The familiar longing you were left with resurfaced and compelled you to ask, “Can I kiss you?” Zhongli responded by holding you closer against him, so close you could feel his heartbeat against your chest. You saw that almost needy look in his eyes again as he uttered a quiet “please.”
You slowly and gently placed your lips against his, your eyes fluttering closed as he kissed back, timidly at first, but eventually with slightly more force. His right hand trailed up your back until his fingers weaved through your hair as he cradled the back of your head, deepening the kiss and slowly running his tongue along your bottom lip teasingly, tasting the lingering spice of your dinner. You parted momentarily for breath, surprised from his sudden dominance, only for him to smother your mouth with his again, his lips seeming almost desperate to remain interlocked with yours. A low moan rumbled in his chest, making you shudder and release a groan of your own.
He finally pulled away for breath once more, a sigh escaping his lips. You opened your eyes, your face hot, and saw Zhongli’s own darkened cheeks.
“Pardon me,” he breathed, leaning his face closer to yours again, “but I couldn’t resist.” Instead of resuming your kiss once more, he instead pecked you on the cheek and hugged you tight against him. You hugged him back, a bubble of laughter escaping you.
“You didn’t have to stop,” you chuckled, twirling his long ponytail around your fingers.
“I didn’t want to push boundaries any more than I had,” he reasoned, his tone serious once again. “I can’t afford to make a mess of things so quickly.” You laughed again, pulling back just enough to see his face again.
“Why don’t you come back to the inn with me for a little while?” you suggested, releasing his hair. “We can talk about this more privately.” His amber eyes shone in amusement, a matching grin spread across his lips from the idea. He leaned forward again, his lips by your ear, and whispered, “Lead the way, my darling.”
You triple checked your bag once you crossed the bridge leading north out of Liyue Harbor, seeing everything was still there. You sighed, staring ahead at the large and daunting hill in front of you. You complained internally that it was too early for this, but you shouldered your bag and started your trek up it anyway.
Zhongli hadn’t stayed the night. While he did go back with you, the two of you talked for a while, kissed every so often, and discussed future visits to both Liyue and Mondstadt. You had eventually fallen asleep in the middle of scheming your next excuse to convince Jean to give you another vacation and had woken up just as the sun had begun to rise. Zhongli was nowhere to be found, but he left a note sitting atop your bag: I will be waiting for you tomorrow morning, overlooking the harbor.
You kept your gaze ahead of you as you climbed the hill, knowing Zhongli was waiting for you at the top to send you off. You felt your heart pounding faster and faster the closer you got. The last time you were here, you were holding Zhongli’s hand as you dreaded this moment; now that it was happening, your spirits couldn’t be higher. You felt content and admittedly excited about returning to your duties, eager to have a glass of dandelion wine after a hard day’s work at Angel’s Share once more.
You reached the top of the hill and found exactly who you had expected to be there. Zhongli was standing at the edge of the path, his arms crossed over his chest while gazing out at Liyue Harbor. When you appeared, his focus shifted to you, a calm expression on his face.
“Good morning, [Y/N],” he greeted you, holding out his hand toward you. You took his hand and mirrored his greeting.
“Looks like this is it,” you said with a sigh, looking north of the city to Guili Plains. “I’ll miss you while I’m home in Mondstadt.” Zhongli squeezed your hand tightly before letting go and said, “Remember, this isn’t goodbye forever. In fact, I have something I’d like you to hold onto for a while.” You refocused your attention on him as he reached into his coat and pulled out a honey colored oval-shaped stone strung on a thin strip of leather.
“The missing cor lapis,” you observed, remembering the ore Zhongli had taken the day before.
“I wanted to give you a parting gift before you left,” he explained, looking at the necklace thoughtfully. “This was specially made by a trusted jeweler overnight. I’d had this planned since our stay at Wangshu Inn, though originally it was meant as an apology gift for my behavior that night.” He walked around you and looped the necklace over your head, tying the leather in a tight knot behind your neck.
“Now,” he continued, “it’s something I’d like you to wear to help keep you safe.” He walked back around you, admiring how the gem looked on you.
“I’ll never take it off,” you said with a big smile, lightly touching the lapis oval. “What do you mean it’ll protect me?”
“I’ve imbued it with some of the power I have left,” he replied. “If you ever run into danger and need a shield, this lapis will provide one.” You lifted the glimmering gem in your palm and noticed a slight golden glow emanating from it. You immediately felt at ease, almost like there was a warmth cloaking your body.
“Thank you so much, Zhongli,” you said gratefully, letting it rest against your chest once more. “I’ll treasure it.” You beamed up at Zhongli, feeling your eyes watering again. You willed the tears away with a deep breath and had a sudden idea of your own. You removed your bag from your shoulders and rifled through your clothes and travel guide until you found what you had been looking for.
“I’d like you to keep this, then,” you said, straightening and re-shouldering your bag. You held out to him your lamp grass bulb.
“Are you sure?” Zhongli asked, looking from the plant to you. “It certainly is a useful tool, but won’t you be needing it?”
“I can make another one,” you insisted, taking his hand and placing the resin orb in his palm. “Keep this and think of me, okay?” Zhongli didn’t argue, knowing he would lose compared to your stubbornness.
“I’ll accept it, then,” he agreed, placing it inside his coat pocket. “Thank you, my darling.” You couldn’t help blushing from the pet name he had come up with. Zhongli watched as you tried to cover your cheeks and look away, but he took your hands before you could.
“Zhongli!” you whined, but he had other plans for you. He pulled you closer to him and placed a light kiss on your forehead, giving you pause. It was gentle and sweet like the green tea ice cream you had shared together your first night in Liyue Harbor. He trailed his lips to your temple, to your cheek, and finally your lips, releasing his hold on your hands to run his fingers through your hair. You melted into him, pressing your body against him. He smelled of damp earth just after rainfall, a pleasant aroma dancing through your senses. You wanted to kiss him forever, but you knew you had lingered too long already.
You pulled away from him first, pecking his cheek one more time before taking a step back from his embrace.
“If I don’t go now, I’ll never go,” you sighed with an apologetic smile. Zhongli took a deep breath and nodded.
“We can continue this the next time we meet,” Zhongli declared with a chuckle, then added, “I will buy the tea next time, granted I remember to have my wallet on me.”