Work Text:
Rarely do things give him pause.
Xiao has started countless battles and ended them all. He has fought, killed, laid waste to his foes until nothing but dreamless victims were left in his wake. He has triumphed, time and time again.
But this is a matter that he had no prior experience for.
Xiao stares at the mortal that is currently taking his order. The man’s hairstyle and clothing is typical of the time period they’re in—it’s nothing reminiscent of the past. His smile is obviously fake, and his posture doesn’t demand respect, but his eyes…
Despite how many eras have passed since the last Rite of Descension, he still remembers Rex Lapis’ eyes.
Xiao must’ve been ogling him for too long, because the human clears his throat with a loud ‘ahem’ and audibly flips a page of his notepad. “Sir? Is everything alright?”
His voice sounds different, too, Xiao’s mind ‘helpfully’ supplies him. He blinks once, twice to regain a sense of his bearings before he says in an even tone that doesn’t match his rapidly beating heart, “Yes, I was merely thinking about what I wanted.”
Xiao forces himself to tear his eyes away from the Rex-Lapis-lookalike. He gives a cursory glance over the menu, fails to process anything that he reads, and opts for pointing at a random item. “I’ll have...that.”
“Excellent,” Rex-Lapis-lookalike says as falsely as his smile. He hastily scribbles down the order and snaps the notepad closed. “I’ll be right back with you.”
Xiao can’t seem to stop himself from staring, even as Rex-Lapis-lookalike turns his back to him and saunters away.
His thoughts are running a mile a minute. Was his lord alive? Did he take on a new form without apprising anyone? If so, why did he work at a local restaurant when he could be reclaiming his title as the Geo Archon?
He has more questions than answers, and it frustrates him.
He’s tempted to call out ‘Rex Lapis,’ see if the mortal would come back and provide him answers, but he doesn’t. Perhaps his lord has a reason for not announcing his presence, and is waiting for an opportune moment to.
Though it’s been thousands of years and the age of Archons and Visions are no more, Xiao will wait.
It takes a while, as all restaurants do, but Rex-Lapis-lookalike returns and delicately places his dish down. He gives another one of his faux smiles, and although the smiles aren’t authentic, it’s infinitely better than his war-weary frowns. “Enjoy your meal.”
For once in a long time, Xiao is sincere (and also grateful that Venti suggested this restaurant to him). “Thank you. I will.”
—
He feels foolish, returning to a place only because of someone that he suspects is Rex Lapis.
And yet Xiao finds himself sitting at the same exact table as the previous time. Unconsciously, he dips his head in deference and asks, “What do you recommend?”
Rex-Lapis-lookalike’s eyebrows rise slightly in surprise, evidently not expecting the question. Swiftly, he recovers his composure and says, “Ah, anything on this menu is worth recommending. But if I were to choose one thing…”
Xiao’s breath hitches when Rex-Lapis-lookalike leans close to tap a picture on the menu. His voice lowers an octave, as if he were sharing a secret. “Bamboo Shoot Soup. I enjoy it very much.”
In hindsight, he probably should’ve pretended to think about the suggestion, but Xiao says without missing a beat, “I’ll have that, then.”
It’s worth his momentary mortification, though. Unlike his previous ones, Rex-Lapis-lookalike provides him a warm smile that makes his chest weirdly flutter. “Excellent choice. One moment, please.”
He knows, for certain, that Rex Lapis is gone. Not only to retrieve his order, but also physically. The Traveler informed him themself. Despite it all, Xiao will wait patiently for his lord to drop the act.
“Here you are, sir.” Rex-Lapis-lookalike sets his soup onto the table with a soft clatter, effectively rousing Xiao from his thoughts. His eyes were almost twinkling with delight.
Xiao’s next thought feels rather sacrilegious. Never before would he dare to think of his lord as anything less than mighty, but Rex-Lapis-lookalike is…well, adorable.
He picks up the spoon (and pretends not to notice how attentively the human was watching him). His excitement is strangely infectious. “Thank you.”
It’s not Almond Tofu, but it’s something. Different, but not terrible.
—
Regrettably, he can’t linger around this time.
As much as Xiao wishes he could spend all day with Rex-Lapis-lookalike, he has duties to attend to. Demons are not a threat to Liyue anymore, but ruthless criminals have taken their place.
“Order for Xiao?”
There’s no recognition in his voice, nor in his eyes, at the Adeptus’ name. His face does, however, light up when Xiao approaches the counter.
“Thank you.” Xiao takes the plastic bag Rex-Lapis-lookalike offers him. He tries not to feel disappointed that his lord is still maintaining the facade.
“I see that you’ve ordered it again,” Rex-Lapis-lookalike says, pleased at this astute discovery. Somehow, even under fluorescent lights, he manages to look ethereal. Xiao doesn’t doubt for a second that his lord would look beautiful in any setting.
“Yes. It’s...decent enough to stomach,” Xiao replies, honestly. He doesn’t expect Rex-Lapis-lookalike to laugh, a short but sweet tone, and he almost drops the bag at the sound of it. Without thinking, he says, “Rex Lapis—”
Rex-Lapis-lookalike’s smile wavers with confusion at the title. He blinks, then slightly tips his head to the side in question. “I’m sorry? My name is Zhongli.”
Is that the name he was going by nowadays? Xiao repeats it as if he were testing the weight of it on his tongue. “Zhongli. Interesting name.”
Rex—Zhongli hums in acknowledgement, then peers down at the name printed on the Adeptus’ bag. His voice is…light, curious. “Yours is, too.”
You gave it to me, Xiao thinks desperately, wishing Zhongli would recognize him already. He’s trying to be patient, truly, but he can’t deny that it pains him when his lord treats him like a stranger.
Zhongli, however, only gives him a customer service smile and says in a cheerful voice, “Have a nice day!”
—
He wonders how he hadn’t encountered Zhongli before.
They’re taking a train ride home. Or, at least, Xiao is. His usual preference is to walk, but he was (unfortunately) caught in a downpour today.
(The first time he rode a train, he’d been alarmed. He never knew something could match Dvalin’s speed. Venti had laughed at him and told him to keep with the times. Now, it’s become a part of his long life.)
Xiao watches him out of the corner of his eye. Zhongli isn’t hard to miss—he’s tall and objectively attractive, especially with the rain dripping in his hair and into his eyes.
He grips the handrail and tries not to notice how Zhongli subtly leans towards him at the next stop. He’s unsure why, but the action feels deliberate.
Xiao doesn’t expect him to, but Zhongli tries to strike up a conversation. At this proximity, his voice is deep and oddly pleasant to his ears. “I couldn’t help but notice that your tattoo is quite unique.”
“It is,” Xiao agrees and idly runs his fingertips along the design. It’s his Constellation, depicted by brilliant green ink. It reminds him of who he is, that despite how much the times have changed, Xiao is still an Adeptus.
He can practically feel Zhongli’s eyes sliding over his arm and studying the intricate patterns. Xiao has never been self-conscious, but he feels the urge to shrink under Zhongli’s watchful gaze.
“I wonder…” Zhongli says, so quietly that Xiao almost thinks he imagined it. There’s an unreadable expression on his face that betrays little of his emotions, but when the train pulls to the next stop, his friendly demeanor returns.
“My stop is here. It was nice to speak to you again, outside of work.” Zhongli flashes him a smile, gathers his belongings, and leaves before he has a chance to respond.
He stares at the spot Zhongli used to occupy. The encounter stays on his mind, even as he reaches his own destination.
—
He’s come here often enough to be considered a regular.
Despite Venti telling him that he looks like a stalker (no, he doesn’t, he’s merely observing from a distance), Xiao continues to sit at the same table and orders the same item every week. Like clockwork, he’s greeted by Zhongli and his perpetual gentle smile.
It’s familiar, the motions are routine—that is, until Zhongli performs something outside of their tacit script.
He hands him a napkin with several numbers written on it. Xiao’s (involuntarily) watched enough movies to recognize what it is, and his eyes widened in surprise before he could rein in his emotions.
“Please disregard this if I’ve assumed incorrectly,” Zhongli begins at his reaction, fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the cuff of his sleeve in a cute nervous habit, “But are you interested in me?”
Xiao doesn’t even have to think about his answer; it comes almost a little too easily. “Yes.”
Very much so.
Not initially; his intentions were merely to confirm his suspicions. Now? Rex Lapis or not, Zhongli was the first in a long time to distract him from his contract.
Xiao is willing to properly get to know him.
—
He finds that Zhongli is everything Rex Lapis was not.
He’s gentle, always so gentle, and has the patience of a saint. He treats Xiao as if he were delicate, as if he wasn’t a weapon of destruction. Most notably, his life is…relatively peaceful.
Perhaps it’s why he’s assumed a new identity. As Rex Lapis, he shouldered too many responsibilities and burdens. As Zhongli, his main (and only) concern is whether he can make it to the market before the sales end or not.
He prefers seeing his lord this way: he’s humming a lovely tune as he finishes cleaning up the restaurant. Most notably, he’s happy. It’s a good look on him, and one that Xiao hopes remains forever.
As far as he knows, Rex Lapis has always lived a life laden with conflict and contracts. Now, he lives a life of content.
Xiao only wishes that Rex Lapis didn’t have to fake his death in order to find peace.
—
“You look at me like I’m someone else,” Zhongli says one day, as casually as if he were speaking about the weather.
It’s not accusatory at all, but it still has Xiao averting his eyes out of guilt. He hears his lover laugh faintly, and his tone eases into something considerably softer. “Now you aren’t looking at me at all.”
When he doesn’t respond, Zhongli continues somewhat hesitantly. Although Xiao can’t see him, he knows that Zhongli is worrying at his sleeve. “I...did some research.”
Xiao is afraid of the answer. He shuts his eyes, steels himself for the worst, and slowly exhales through his mouth. “What did you find?”
“Your story. I thought it was interesting how you had the same name as the Adeptus. Then I saw your tattoo, and you called me Rex Lapis. I wondered…” Zhongli trails off, as if considering his next words. “Well, the stories never said that you died.”
Finally, Xiao reopens his eyes and meets Zhongli’s own. Though he’s his lord, he resents receiving pity; especially from someone he reveres. “I don’t want sympathy, even from you.”
“I thought as much. I only wanted to thank you for protecting Liyue. Otherwise, we couldn’t have met.” Zhongli lightly takes his hand in his. He runs a thumb over the back of Xiao’s hand, the motion and his smile comforting. “Rex Lapis would be proud of you.”
Xiao inhales sharply at his words. Zhongli’s smile turns sad at his reaction. “Ah, so you do see him in me. I’m sorry, my dear Xiao. I wish I could tell you that I am him.”
He wants to reassure Zhongli that he has nothing to apologize for, but words escape him. His lord is…gone. It feels like he’s transported back in time to when the Traveler first told him of Rex Lapis’ death.
The reveal is as heart-wrenching as the first. He unknowingly tightens his grip on Zhongli’s hand, but instead of pulling away in pain, his lover draws Xiao close to envelop him into a tender embrace.
“I’m sorry, too,” Xiao says eventually when the panging ache in his heart is slightly more bearable. It hurts—the truth almost always does—but the affirmation that Rex Lapis is truly dead weighs as heavily as his karmic debt. “You don’t deserve this.”
Zhongli deserved better—all the good things that the world has to offer. None of it included Xiao, a living tragedy that shouldn’t have outlived his lord.
As if he’d heard his thoughts, Zhongli withdraws to press a sweet kiss to his forehead. “Nonsense. You’re enough for me.”
Before he could respond, Xiao felt Zhongli’s lips tug into a teasing smirk against his skin. “The powers are simply a bonus.”
The Adeptus huffs indignantly. As much as he loved him, this mortal had the unmitigated gall…he sighs irritably. “Zhongli.”
“I’m kidding,” Zhongli reassures him, before his eyes crinkle warmly. “Ah, I’m glad I made you smile, Xiao.”
Was he? Huh. It would appear that he was, in fact, smiling. Xiao crosses his arms in an attempt to retain his intimidating stature. “Your eyes are playing tricks on you.”
At that, Zhongli gingerly traces the curved corner of Xiao’s mouth. Zhongli’s touches are always gentle, and it never fails to render Xiao weak every time. “Are my hands, too?”
Xiao turns his head to place a kiss against his fingertips. “Yes. I don’t smile.”
“Really? My apologies, Adeptus Xiao,” Zhongli says with a low chuckle. He’s clearly proud of his joke.
Xiao sighs and silences him with a kiss.
—
It’s Zhongli’s idea to visit one of Rex Lapis’ statues.
Thankfully, no one (save for them) is here to pay their respects. Xiao gazes up at the stone replica of his lord, mapping his features and weaving them into his memory.
When he finds what he’s searching for, Xiao opens his mouth to break the silence. “My lord. It’s been a long time since I last set foot here.”
He casts a sideways glance towards Zhongli, who is standing a respectable distance away. The mortal smiles encouragingly at him and gives a curt nod.
With newfound courage, Xiao barrels on. “I am still coming to terms with your death…I know it is something I must accept.
“Though times have changed, I’ve never imagined a Liyue without you.” Xiao pauses again, this time to direct a fond gaze to Zhongli. “However, I am not alone anymore. I have someone I can see a future with, and that I hold dear to my heart.”
Xiao peers back at Rex Lapis’ face, forever immortalized in stone, and says sorrowfully, “My only regret is that you cannot meet him yourself. I know you would’ve gotten along with him well.”
The Adeptus lowers himself onto one knee and places a Glaze Lily against the foot of the statue. His voice drops to a whisper, for Rex Lapis and Rex Lapis alone to hear. “Farewell, my lord.”
Xiao straightens up. He takes one last, longing look at the statue, before he holds Zhongli’s hand and brushes a kiss over his knuckles. “Let’s return home.”
He does not look back.