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The light and welcoming atmosphere of the evening complemented the tranquility of the twinkling night sky perfectly, as if they’d been made for each other. That interpretation was a bit poetic, considering the nature of the evening’s festivities. Bustling city streets filled with invigorated patrons and intriguing storefronts shined and pulsed with the illumination and energy of the businesses and buildings that kept things moving. In a port city as integral to Teyvat’s trade and commerce as Liyue Harbor, there was little time for rest alongside the urgent necessity of managing all the tasks and trade that served as the city’s heartbeat. But tonight, even if it was just for tonight, Zhongli and Nova had their own affairs to attend to.
They started things off by sharing a pleasant dinner at Third-Round Knockout, an eatery that had claimed its place as one of Zhongli’s preferred venues for both eating and socializing. Nova had initially been a bit surprised by his seemingly understated taste, but as their frequent visits evolved into more of a routine, she came to understand exactly what it was about the place that enticed him. There was nothing like spending an afternoon sipping tea and listening to the continuation of Iron Tongue Tian’s latest tale. That, or Zhongli could bide his time listening to the various rumors, legends, and downright fabrications the citizens so often discussed and passed around regarding their late Archon. For someone who’d gone through so much trouble to pretend to be dead, he was awfully preoccupied with what people were saying about him.
The meal was Nova’s treat, of course, an offer Zhongli had long since overcome any urge to feel sheepish or self-conscious about. She truly didn’t mind--she’d played a similar role as the self-appointed organizer of her own finances as well as Mona’s for the past few years. Apparently she was good at attracting people who just couldn’t seem to hold on to their Mora…and they were all lucky she wasn’t a shrewd opportunist.
Zhongli had never been very good at handling Mora; that much was evident even during the early stages of their acquaintance. At first it came off as a joke, the idea that the Archon that invented Mora, that could summon as much as he wanted out of thin air, failed to understand its inherent value, purpose, or function. It wasn’t that he didn’t know so much as he couldn’t be bothered to remember. There were much more important and worthwhile subjects to occupy his mind and time with. As long as Zhongli upheld that philosophy, the god of money was never going to give that same money the kind of power and influence everyone else seemed so keen, and so misguided, to project upon it themselves.
With Nova finally back to her old self (for the most part), enduring the readjustment process in order to properly embrace the status and duties that came with the territory, she could likewise reclaim her place as Zhongli’s impulse control. At least to some extent. She couldn’t monitor or control everything he did, and she certainly had no desire to…but where bigger deals and purchases came into play, it couldn’t hurt to have a moderately more reasonable opinion to help guide his often overextended generosity. The young Adeptus didn’t particularly mind his habits, though. He wouldn’t be the man she’d fallen for without them.
The pair defaulted to taking a stroll through the city following their meal. Nova fought a losing battle to tear her eyes from the nighttime scenery; every visit was like seeing it for the first time, basking in the dazzling decor and vivid embellishments that never failed to make Liyue Harbor feel alive. She was a bit surprised when Zhongli led her over the stone walkway that cut through one of the city’s many majestic, lotus filled ponds. She hadn’t expected him to want to go this far.
Delicate lights in the form of blooming buds drifted by on the clear water’s surface, casting brilliant reflections and ripples that made Nova’s ears and tail twitch with glee. So elegant, so graceful, so peaceful…as the two walked arm in arm, hooked by the elbow, they admired the exquisite scene that was more like an art piece they had the privilege to explore from within. Much to Zhongli’s surprise, Nova broke free of his hold and skipped off towards the same path he’d intended to take. Well, that made things easier, but he also hoped that wasn’t a sign that she’d divined his motives prematurely.
“Zhongli, look!” the exuberant young woman exclaimed as she crouched beside a lone glaze lily that appeared to be sprouting from the grassy hillside. “I know there are a few more around Yuehai Pavilion, and I know they’re not technically wild ones, either…but I never noticed this one here before.” She tilted her head as she examined the fragile flower, her dark locks swaying like glittering waves as she lightly trailed her finger along the edge of a petal. “I’m glad it can exist here, even if it isn’t authentic…unless seeing stuff like this makes you sad.”
“On the contrary,” the amused man reassured, approaching her side and savoring the sight of both beautiful flowers that were blooming before him. “It gives me some peace to know that they can still exist, especially this close to the city. Although I was somewhat adamant about gathering a few that were, at the very least, closer descendents to those that previously flourished in the wild for my…parting…these specimens are no less worthy of respect and appreciation.”
“Always so eloquent…” Nova remarked as she stood, leaving the lily to carry on swaying in the wind, undisturbed and unmarred by the tumult of the city.
She noted the swirling stone carvings that’d been built nearby to help designate this makeshift path, paralleling the waterfall that flowed all the way from Mt. Tianheng to the sea below. Just as she was preparing to head back towards the center of the city, Zhongli carried on further up the path, and she trotted after him with a shrug. A few more glaze lilies cropped up along the way as they advanced, and it took all of Nova’s self restraint to not pause and investigate them. They weren’t going anywhere, so it wasn’t like she couldn’t come back and inspect them later. She and Zhongli continued their trek across the bridge that connected to the cliffs beyond the harbor, although Zhongli halted their progress for a spell in order to steal a kiss with the waterfall serving as the grand backdrop of their display. He certainly never changed, and Nova wasn’t disappointed by that fact.
As they crested the hill they came upon a gap in the towering cliffs. It was littered with ruins of scattered stone as well as the remains of a structure that somewhat resembled a staircase. A mischievous idea flickered to life in Zhongli’s mind as he observed the scenery, and he tapped his companion’s shoulder after concluding it would be a loss to them both if he didn’t commit to it. She blinked up at him, her dark eyes swimming with genuine curiosity as she gave him her full attention. The sincere affection reflected in her gaze made his cheeks warm, just a smidge.
“Would you like to make a bet?”
“A bet? I’d like to start by reminding you that depending on what it is you’re betting--”
“It’s just for fun, I promise,” he emphasized with a smile. “It’s been a while since we’ve done something like this. So, let’s see who can make it up there first.” He gestured to the rightmost formation. “But there’s a stipulation…you can only use your full Adeptus form.”
“Oh, so you’re trying to lose now?” Nova teased as she shifted into her alternative panther form with ease. “And no cheating. No making yourself fucking gigantic or whatever so all you have to do is boop the tip with your nose or something because the rest of you is big enough to singlehandedly block the entire gap in the cliff.”
Zhongli placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. “Honestly, Nova, to think that I would stoop low enough to cheat on a deal I proposed--”
“Yeah, those are always the ones you have to watch out for,” she quipped, wagging her sparkly tail at him in a taunt before moving her paws into position. “Just tell me when I can go--”
“Now.”
And she was off, paws and claws digging into the loose earth and scrabbling for purchase against crumbled rock as she raced up the makeshift path of the ruins. It’d been so long since they’d done something silly together like this. But Nova remembered, flashes of memory and pangs of elation that resurfaced from previous bouts of bounding through the Liyuen countryside, frolicking in fields of gold and rolling around under the rays of the bright warm sun. When she’d first adopted this form, when it’d first been granted to her, one of many such instances in her life where her identity had been fundamentally reshaped, it’d been one of the best feelings in the world. That same feeling persisted to this day, even as she caught a glimpse of the amused dragon that waited to ensure he caught her attention before soaring off above her.
She really shouldn’t have been surprised when she arrived to find him waiting patiently at the top, coiled like a snake in his regal Exuvia form. He didn’t exude any trace of smugness or arrogance, but as Nova’s ears flattened in disappointment, she realized she was the one that hadn’t given him enough credit. Or perhaps she just needed to brush up on the abilities he possessed in his true form before agreeing to anything. Then again, they hadn’t actually settled on the terms of their bet, right?
“You can just fucking fly.” Of course he could fly. He was a dragon first and foremost and yet somehow that glaringly obvious detail had managed to slip her mind. She dropped down like the disgruntled feline she was, snuffling at her paws in aggravation before shaking it off and padding to his side. “So I guess that means I lose.”
“We never really agreed to a payment,” Zhongli reminded her, his gaze trained on the esteemed city below. “It was just for fun, anyway, remember? I simply thought it might be nice, like old times.”
The majestic dragon resting before her was the founder of that city, a protector and an innovator; he’d guided his people through the darkest depths of despair time and time again, never failing to lead them out of calamity and into prosperity even when all hope seemed lost. He hadn’t done it alone, and despite his decision to step down as the nation’s figurehead, as the navigator of Liyue’s future, his love for this land and its people would never fade nor waver. And, should he lose himself somewhere down the line, he was certain the feelings would remain even if they became incomprehensible or foreign to him…he didn’t need to understand to own and honor his loyalty to this land.
“Is that why you wanted to come up here?” Nova broke the silence, shifting back into her humanoid form and situating herself next to him. “To look at the city? I’m only sorry I didn’t think of it sooner. But is there a particular reason you wanted to come here to do that, specifically?”
Zhongli returned to his own mortal form, leaving a few of his dragon traits unchanged as he usually did when they were alone like this, and settled beside her accordingly. Nova swore the gilded tips of his hair were emanating a subtle glow, mimicking the striking gleam of his horns and the luxurious plume of his tail. Such a phenomenon typically tended to reveal itself when he invoked his powers, but she’d come to realize that the occasional intense emotion or even the simple process of switching forms could cause the effect to manifest. She was quite enthralled as she studied the breathtaking beauty of his features, the visage of the man she adored with all her heart. She still couldn’t quite conceive that he saw anything even remotely similar in her, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on her insecurities.
“To see the harbor, yes…” Zhongli began as Nova glanced over her shoulder and twisted their tails together. “And because of this.” The young woman watched intently as he fidgeted with something he purposefully concealed from her with his posture. Her breath hitched as he turned abruptly and kissed her, catching her off guard and successfully diverting her attention. In the meantime, she felt the undeniable sensation of something being tucked by her ear. She couldn’t see what he’d placed there, obviously, but her hand flew to the unexpected accessory out of reflex as soon as the kiss broke.
The texture was akin to something she’d touched in a similar fashion not too long ago. Her dark eyes met his as she made out the faint image of herself with a vibrant, lovely glaze lily in her hair mirrored in his gold-flecked gaze. It was almost as if the flower had been planted in the cosmos itself, nurtured by the void of stars she carried with her wherever she went. She didn’t quite know how to respond, and she was infinitely touched by his modest yet extravagant display of affection.
“You look so lovely,” Zhongli offered as he grasped a lock of her hair and drew it to his lips; yet another gesture of adoration that overwhelmed her heart and jumbled her thoughts. “You always do. I wanted to share this little secret with you. A lone glaze lily overlooking the harbor…I was quite surprised when I first discovered it. Please don’t panic, I am quite sure that another will take its place. And if not, we can always come back and plant one ourselves.”
“Today was supposed to be all about your birthday, don’t you remember?” Nova mumbled as her face was set ablaze by his heartfelt sentiments.
“It was,” he countered calmly. “It is. If you ask me, this little exchange still falls within the bounds of what constitutes celebrating my birthday. And, since it is my birthday, I’d say that warrants me the right to decide whether or not this counts as part of the celebration, too.”
Nova clasped one of his hands in hers and now it was Zhongli’s turn to not know what to expect. She felt the creases, calluses, muscles, and veins concealed within the silky fabric of his signature gloves. She loved these hands, and the man they belonged to, more than words could ever communicate. She changed tactics, slowly kissing across the back of both before transitioning to trail her lips up his knuckles in a manner that made his fuzzy ears--one of the traits he maintained in his partial dragon form--perk up as she stoked the subdued fire within him. When he couldn’t take it anymore he slipped one of his hands from her grip, using it to caress her cheek and capture her soft lips in a deep, ardent kiss.
They adjusted their positions to touch foreheads, careful to account for the modest horn currently protruding from his own. Their purrs somehow harmonized as they sat together, and eventually Nova shifted to rest her head on his shoulder. Zhongli accommodated her movement, wrapping his tail around her while still being mindful of the connection of her own. There was so much they could say, so much they could do, so much to think about in a moment like this, in a place like this. But at the time, Nova could only really think of one thing to say.
“Happy birthday, Zhongli.”