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Canopied by the overhanging trees, golden eyes squinted against the sunlight shining down at them through the leaves, then lowered their gaze.
Back to the soft breathing by his right shoulder where his lips met the crown of your head with an accidental brush at the turn of his head — one that he made no move to pull away from.
The edges of his lips lifted as incoherent words were murmured against him in your slumber.
A surge of wind tugged his eyes up and onto the glistening ocean beyond the green, grassy hill they sat on.
Liyue Harbor was right across, bustling and busy as ever.
Even from the hill across the city, he could hear the hollers of the dock crews and see the locals milling along the wharf. Ships were departing and docking, in and out.
Strong and prospering on its own feet, Liyue Harbor ran like clockwork.
There was nothing more he could do for the city he had built.
His archon days were long over.
Morax, Rex Lapis — he had abandoned these names and every meaning behind them.
No longer the Geo Archon, he was simply Zhongli the mortal now, and truly enjoyed everything about this mundane life.
Strolling leisurely while taking in the sights around the city, listening to stories told at Third-Round Knockout with tea to accompany him, and watching businesses unfold between merchants and their customers in the lively market.
These were the many things he grew fond of as Zhongli, but what he found himself looking forward to the most...was your company.
Whether it was just a mere chat over tea or out on adventures in the wilderness every now and then, your presence seemed to brighten his mortal days even more.
As a gust of wind blew at the hilltop, Zhongli raised a hand, his eyes focused on the lock of your hair blown into your face by the wind.
Only to pause as you stirred.
Fingers on your face dropped back onto his lap as he watched you open your eyes, with a small frown between his brows.
"Sorry, did I wake you?"
You met his apologetic gaze drowsily. "No..." A yawn escaped your mouth.
Your head shifted against his chest. Since when were tree trunks this comfortable to lean on?
You moved your gaze away from his with groggy blinks—
Then jolted upright with a sharp gasp, flinching away from him like you were scalded.
Flustered blush colored your cheeks. How did you end up sleeping on Zhongli?
Your eyes sprang wide.
—oh no!
What if you snored? Or worse, drooled ?
Your hand flew to your lips to check, horrified at the absurdity of that thought; it was ghastly to even think about salivating all over a former archon.
Thankfully there was none, you dropped your hand back to your lap as relief left you.
"My apologies," Zhongli's voice turned your head. "I didn't think you would be uncomfortable being this close to me."
There was a strange expression on his face, "I just thought you would sleep better against me than this tree." — a faint smile that made him look somewhat...disappointed.
You broke into a smile, laughing. "No no, I was just surprised," Another yawn was stifled, "Thank you, Zhongli, I had a really good nap."
Your eyes darted to the trees behind theirs, in time to see distant figures among them, moving in their direction.
"...Looks like they're here." You turned your head to watch Zhongli climb to his feet. "It still puzzles me why they made such a request; I'm afterall just an ordinary funeral parlor consultant."
You stood as well, brows raised in incredulity at his words but said nothing.
Ordinary? Nothing about him was ordinary .
Even as a mortal, he makes heads turn.
Almost every single woman they met on your commissions seemed to be enamored with him. It was hard to tell whether he was ignoring their obvious advances or was simply oblivious to the attention he got.
You couldn't blame them though.
Zhongli was a gentleman known for his vast knowledge and talents. His speech and mannerism were sophisticated enough to charm anyone on the streets albeit not intentional, or at least you thought so. Even as a close friend, you weren't immune.
He was like...a natural ladies' man, so much so that you often felt like a third wheel whenever they traveled the lands with female clients.
And from these experiences, it had not been pleasant being on the receiving ends of suspicious glares and calculated stares despite being introduced by the man himself as a mere good friend.
A sigh left you as you stepped forward with Zhongli, silently hoping for none of those this time.
Grass and dirt crunched under its wooden wheels as the horse carriage rolled towards them.
There were intricate signs of wealth all over the vehicle.
The roof of the carriage had an edge rimmed with gold and carved dragons in the polished wood. Guarded by the back of the horseman, the carriage hid its occupant away from the world behind its sturdy wooden doors.
The horseman himself wore a short robe of black and blue, armed with a metal plate across his chest and a sword on his back.
Unmistakably, this whole picture was a telltale sign of their client — a daughter of a rich man; whoever this Lady Wen was.
Even the single stallion pulling it wore an expensive cloth marked with a symbol around its neck.
In an anticipating silence, they watched as the carriage finally slowed to a stop.
The man at the front hopped off the carriage with ease, robes fluttering with his movements as the grassy ground met his feet with a rustle.
You two watched him begin to move, fully expecting him to pull open the door for his passenger to step out.
But instead, he started walking towards you two, almost eagerly, with his hand raised and extended before him. When he came closer, you noticed he was a young man with dark hair long enough to be tied loosely in a semi-ponytail and a face decent enough for ladies to take interest in.
Zhongli was the first to mirror his gesture with legs moving forward and a hand raised to meet the man's, but for it only to fall back to his side when he realized that the man was fixated on something else.
Not on him.
His brows rose.
…but on you.
"You must be her," with admiration on his face, and hand around yours. "...that woman."
Did he mistake me for Zhongli…? He does know that Zhongli is a man right —
Shock elicited a surprised gasp out from you when he suddenly brought his lips down to the back of your hand in a greeting kiss.
You could only stare back at the stranger with wide, blinking eyes, unsure what to do.
Next to you, Zhongli’s golden eyes narrowed as a feigned cough ensued from his throat.
You jolted at the same time with the man. "Oh right! How can I forget my manners?" he released your hand, eyes darting briefly over to Zhongli.
"Forgot your manners, indeed." You thought you heard Zhongli mutter under his breath,
"I'm Young Master Wen." the man introduced, “You may call me Jun instead.” as he returned his attention, hopeful gaze back to you under Zhongli’s furrowed scrutiny, just as you were bringing your offended hand behind your back, afraid he would kiss it again.
You wiped your hand hastily against your clothing as subtly as you could, not expecting his next line. "...I've heard of what you've done for both Mondstadt and Liyue — definitely a woman of power and beauty!"
—you coughed, spluttering on choked saliva in your surprise.
You were aware of the many praises about you.
Strong, yes. Cute, yes. Pretty, maybe.
But a woman of beauty? Never.
You could only manage an awkward thank you as Jun finally turned to Zhongli. Thank god, the overly passionate gaze on you was getting a bit too much.
"And you must be Mr. Zhongli!"
"Ah yes, Young Master Wen." Zhongli merely said, shaking his hand.
You looked over at Zhongli in mild surprise.
There was something different about how he greeted the man — almost grudgingly if you were to squint. His usual cordial enthusiasm was lacking.
You swore you saw a dagger-like glint flash across his golden eyes, just as the man turned his head back to you, about to step towards you with the same fascinated look on his face.
Zhongli moved fast so you didn’t realize until you suddenly found yourself blocked by a broad back and peering over Zhongli’s shoulders at Jun instead.
“Enough, Young Master Wen, I’m sure she understands quite clearly that you admire her.” Zhongli intervened, feeling the coil of frustration in his chest tightened. “—now, where’s this Lady Wen who seeks me? Your sister, I assume, going by your title?”
You felt the tension in your shoulders leave with your silent sigh when Jun finally pulled his gaze off you. Weirdo.
“Oh, my sister—”
“It's been a long time since we met, Zhongli."
All eyes swiveled to the carriage to watch a lady emerge from its confine.
So this was Lady Wen, your eyes widened.
So she was the one who asked for Zhongli in the commission letter Katheryne passed to you?
Though siblings, the Lady Wen standing in person before you was not what you had expected. Apart from her wealth, her face also sets her apart from other women; for she bore a face men would compare to a goddess.
Mesmerized by the flowery grace and gentle sweet smile of the approaching woman, you knew you were right to doubt the compliment the man sang of you.
You? A woman of beauty? No way .
It was Lady Wen.
So what did this beautiful lady want with Zhongli? You wondered glancing between the man standing before you and the woman.
Then you caught the quiet admiring gaze on Zhongli, and a faint sign of recognition on the said man’s face. “—Wen Rong.” You heard him utter.
“It's been a long time since we met, Zhongli." Her greetings echoed back in your memory, then it clicked.
Ah, you understood now.
Night fell over like a curtain of darkness, just as the carriage arrived at a distance five hours away from your destination.
Shadows lurked in every corner of the campfires, behind the trees and the bushes.
The fire crinkled and sizzled in the soft breeze, dancing lightly on the firewood stacked atop of each other. Over the warm light it emitted, you could hear their laughter.
Hers and his.
Despite not seeing each other in years, their friendship rekindled almost instantly.
You sneaked a glance at them, to where you previously sat before you realized you were too dumb to understand what they were saying.
You weren’t sure what they were chatting about, but you knew they were subjects Zhongli loved to share with you when you two hung out. Most of the time, you would either end up nodding and feigning understanding, change the subject or just zone out completely.
Things were definitely different from the other commissions you two have taken on. You weren't on the receiving end of suspicious glares and calculated stares this time round.
There was no one vying for Zhongli's attention; it wasn't necessary when the female client was his friend and someone like Lady Wen.
Lady Wen was not only the definition of beauty; she was grace and wisdom too, with a soft, friendly personality like a cherry on top.
Every aspect of her seemed to compliment the former archon so well.
This was one of the few rare times you had seen Zhongli so immersed in conversations with someone on a commission. But of course, it was because they met before.
And perhaps, the only commission Zhongli had barely spoken a word to you, or you to him — you didn't see why you should interrupt them.
A bitter sense of helplessness and frustration curled like a tight knot in your chest as you hugged your knees closer to your chest, nails digging into your palms.
...but why does this bother you so much? Zhongli and you were just good friends after all.
As a good friend, shouldn't you be happy for Zhongli if he found someone he could spend his mortal life with?
You were afterall a mere child to him…or at least that was what you felt sitting with these two.
Enough.
You fought, begged the strange twinge inside your heart to stop.
The Wen Mansion was just five more hours away from here, and you will be done with this commission. Why should you care? It was so silly.
For whatever reasons Lady Wen's father wanted to meet Zhongli, it was not your business to care. It was Zhongli’s.
Staring at the fire, your jaw clenched as their laughter reached your ears once more.
Maybe you should go help Jun out?
For a young master, he was pretty adapted to the outdoors. He reminded you of a puppy — a nice, weird puppy which was a little overboard with his admiration for you..
He was a bit strange and a little too enthusiastic for you to handle but c’mon, you practically fought both humans and monsters for a living. What was so scary about this man anyway? Besides, you needed fresh air to clear your head.
You rose to your feet and stepped over the log you sat on. The voices of the two grew faint as you entered the vegetation around the camp, in the direction you knew Jun headed for.
Jun insisted he should be the one carrying back your share to their camp despite occupied arms, but you walked ahead before he could grab the ones in your grasp.
Following you into the camp like a shadow, you saw him walk away in a different direction, to the fire closer to where Lady Wen and Zhongli sat from the corner of your eyes as soon as you two broke into the edge of the camp.
You shrugged, returning to the one further away. The one you left behind to find Jun.
The bundle of sticks and branches gathered in your arms was placed by the fire as you kneeled down to the dirt ground. The warmth of the flame instantly engulfed you; you felt the sheen of chill on your skin vaporize in its heat as you drew near to feed it more wood.
Nights in Liyue, especially in areas dense with trees, were often dewy and cold and this night was one of them. You could feel the cold penetrating your usual traveling cloak and nipping at the skin your dress underneath failed to cover.
The fire crackled and jumped as you fed it the last stick from your finding. Just as you leaned away and settled on the log behind you, you felt a presence hovering beside you.
“It wasn’t wise to go off into the woods alone with him.” His voice answered your question before you could turn to find out who.
There was a tinge of disapproval on his face when you looked up to find Zhongli gazing down on you.
A small ball of anger curled inside you at that face. “I don’t see why not.”
Your eyes flitted behind him, wandering to where Lady Wen was, and found her glancing over while saying something to Jun.
Shuffling feet and the shift of the log beneath you moved your gaze to your side in time to watch Zhongli settling down beside you.
There was a frown on his face.
“Didn’t you see how he looked at you this afternoon?” His gaze seemed to cut into you from the way his piercing eyes dug into yours. “You made me worried sick just now when I looked over and you were not there.”
You looked away; his eyes on you always set your heart pounding. Staring into the fire, you threw out a careless laugh. “Jun isn’t so bad. He’s just a little excited about me, but he is actually pretty nice.”
“A little excited?” You couldn’t see Zhongli’s face but you could hear the incredulity and exasperation in his voice. “Anything could have happened among those trees. I’ve lived long enough to know what perverted minds would do and I can see right through him.”
Your breath hitched when you felt the tip of his leather glove graze your hand, but you snatched it away before he could hold it. “Please, could you stay away from him?”
Quite often when you two talked side by side like this, you would always find your hand in his, fiddled absentmindedly as his voice coated the air, but you weren’t up for it this time.
“I’ve fought long enough to be able to handle them.” You hated the way he lectured you like you were a child.
Maybe you were indeed one to him, and this possible fact in your head brought up the memories of Zhongli and Lady Wen’s laughter, the silent look of adoration on Lady Wen’s face, and how clueless you felt sitting around them.
You stood up. “Stop treating me like a child, I don’t need your concerns, Zhongli.” Your voice was icily calm. “Your priority should be Lady Wen, not me.”
You saw something flash across Zhongli’s face but you had too much inside to care and ran for the woods.
Morning came, and this meant it was time to hit the road once more.
You avoided him as much as you could until the carriage was loaded and ready to go. You could feel his eyes on you the entire time you helped to prepare the carriage. You spared no glance at him through it all, but you could sense it off him; his desire to speak to you.
And even more so when you settled yourself beside Jun at the front of the carriage instead of inside.
Jun appeared oblivious, happy you chose your place beside him, not noticing the tension between you two, while Lady Wen glanced between you two but said nothing before politely beckoning Zhongli into the carriage with her.
Zhongli seemed to have resigned himself to your silence and stopped glancing over. The troubled crease between his brows softened as he helped Lady Wen onto the vehicle with a steady hand around hers like the gentleman he is.
Once everyone was settled, Jun beside you turned his head back to the front.
At a flick of his wrists, the horses began to move. The wooden wheels beneath clattered out of their campsite and onto the main path.
You squinted against the filtered sunlight as you cast a glance up at the forest’s canopy, and back down to find a clearing ahead.
The dirt path grew bumpy near the mouth of the forest; you had to resist shooting your hand out to hold Jun who was indifferent to the jerks under them. The path along the forested area eventually led the carriage out into a vast field, instantly greeted by the warmth of the morning sky.
You breathed a sigh of relief as you fell back against the wooden wall behind you the moment the bumpy path ended, connected to a man-made road paved through a small village.
As you were about to straighten away from the wall behind, you caught laughter. Familiar laughs from last night coming from the confines of the carriage behind you.
Zhongli was sure laughing a lot — you couldn’t help noticing as your heart sank with sadness — even he doesn’t laugh this much around you.
Then you grew curious.
“Young Master Wen,” You tried to block out the muffled voices behind you as you turned to Jun, “I hope you wouldn’t mind me prying...but may I know what did your father want to meet Zhongli for?”
You hesitated. “I mean, you know Zhongli is a funeral parlor consultant right? Sorry if I’m being too insensitive, but does anyone require that kind of service in your home?”
Jun didn’t look offended at all, in fact, he burst out laughing at your question, his eyes amused as he flickered a glance over at you.
“I’m not supposed to reveal this yet, but…” His voice dropped even lower, so soft you almost had to lean over to capture his next line. “Mr. Zhongli is being invited over for marriage.”
Your eyes flew wide while your heart dropped. What? Marriage?
“You mean as a guest to witness a wedding?”A sudden fear hammered in your chest. Why were you so scared? It could just be a harmless wedding invitation?
Jun shook his head. “No, as my sister’s husband.”
You blinked in shock at him. Husband ??!
A burst of laughter barked from Jun once more at your reaction. “My sister had loved Mr. Zhongli ever since their encounter. Wen Rong’s birthday is coming up and my father wanted this marriage to be a surprise gift to her.”
Jun turned his eyes back onto the galloping horses before them. “She doesn’t know about this herself; she only thought it was for business, so could you help me keep this a secret?” He threw a grin over and winked.
“Hahaha, sure.” You forced a smile back at him.
Marriage, huh.
This came out of nowhere, but it somehow made sense to you. You’ve seen the chemistry between those two. When they chatted, it was like there was no one else in this world. You were forgotten by Zhongli the moment this commission started.
Lady Wen Rong and Zhongli.
They were a match made in heaven or what Teyvat has as heaven. Celestia? Whatever.
Perhaps…
You watched as the carriage climbed a gentle hill towards a compound of prestigious-looking houses. Their roofs colored dull green could be seen from where you sat.
…this was where all it ends with Zhongli. He had found a better place, a better person to spend his mortal life with. And you should stop holding him back.
The Wen residence was exactly how you had imagined it to be when you saw it from the hill. The carriage itself was a reflection of all that would greet you. The corridors stretched far and wide across the large courtyard, around manicured gardens, and connected to the many houses owned by the family.
Perched on the railing dividing the corridor and the trimmed grass beneath your dangling legs, your eyes were once again drawn to the closed doors a small distance away.
—to where Zhongli was enthusiastically escorted into by the Head of the Wen family himself, with Lady Wen treading on their heels.
It happened the moment they stepped through the main gate. Quick gratitude from Lord Wen was all you were given with a generous bag of Mora before he swept the former archon in with his daughter in tow.
Jun had offered you tea and food but you politely rejected them. Your appetite had vanished the moment you heard the news from him on the carriage.
Now, you were caught between wanting to leave and wanting to listen in about their marriage. But the latter quickly won, and you found yourself sneaking over with the stealth you learned from your travels.
Lightly pressing your head to the wooden door, muffled voices penetrated but you had to listen hard to understand them.
Golden eyes pondered over the steaming cup of tea on the table before him, as the memory of the sadness on your face flashed by in his head once again.
It was subtle and he only managed to catch a glimpse of you over his shoulders while he was being whisked away by Lord Wen — but he had watched and memorized you long enough to read you.
It never sat right with him whenever he saw sadness in your eyes. This time, it was unbearable because he was aware he was the cause of it.
But why? Was it wrong of him for wanting you to be safe? He wanted to apologize, but he knew he shouldn’t until he understood what he was doing it for. It wasn’t because he was prideful; he simply believed an apology should be sincere and not for the sake of it.
Zhongli dropped his shoulders quietly with a soft sigh at the thought of you, eyes flickering over to the doors as he raised his gaze to Lord Wen who had finished giving his servant orders. Beside her father, Lady Wen was quiet and gazing at her own cup, occasionally stealing glances at him.
“Thank you for coming all the way here, Mr. Zhongli.” The lord finally turned his attention to them, his fingers locking together on the table between them.
Zhongli simply nodded. “Thank you for your invitation, Lord Wen.” His eyes strayed to the doors for a quick second, along with a silent question about your whereabouts. It felt weird not having you around, especially since this was your commission.
“Right,” He was quick to catch himself from drifting away and cleared his throat, “As much as it’s an honor to be invited here, may I know the purpose of this invitation?”
Zhongli found himself itching to stand and leave this room to search for you, but he could only eye the father-daughter pair with calculated patience.
Lord Wen let out a hearty chuckle, stroking his long beard. “Before we get to the point, what do you think of my daughter?”
At his question, Zhongli glanced over at Lady Wen for a quick second to find her sharing a similar puzzlement on her face.
“She is a wonderful friend.”
A cough ensued from the lord. “No no, what do you think of my daughter as a woman ?”
Lady Wen’s face went red at that question but her reaction went unnoticed.
“Ah, as a woman.” Zhongli’s hand paused in the midst of a sip. The cup was set down as he blinked in bemusement and thought carefully. “Well...Wen Rong is a woman of wisdom and many talents. Also, with beauty comparable to a glazed lily.”
He didn’t quite expect Lord Wen to burst out laughing as if he was told a joke. “Wen Rong? First-name basis already eh?”
Zhongli looked at him strangely. “I’m not particular about formalities between friends.”
“Nonsense!” Lord Wen waved his hand dismissively at his reply with a wide grin, “Alright, let’s cut the chase. What do you think about marrying our Ah Rong?”
“Father!” Lady Wen looked horrified and extremely embarrassed, glancing over at Zhongli with silent hope among her bashfulness.
But Zhongli did not notice, caught off guard by the sudden marriage proposal.
No wonder. Understanding dawned on his face. He should have realized where all that odd, rather awkward questions were leading to.
Zhongli found himself ready with a clear response to the proposal; he knew his answer right away. His mind went straight to you the moment this question was sprung on him; it has been clear to him for a long time.
Cup to his lips, Zhongli tilted his head back in one sip. He could feel their anticipation on him.
Golden eyes glinted decisively as the cup, now empty, was set down on the table in a quiet, yet firm manner. “Thank you for your offer in marriage.”
He mirrored Lord Wen, gloved fingers locking together on the table.“I’m very flattered to be presented with such a priceless offer, given that Wen Rong is a dream to, I’m sure, many men in this world.” He watched Lord Wen’s face brighten. “But I—”
A muffled shuffle of footsteps outside the room snatched his gaze away from the father and daughter; their eyes followed his.
Zhongli caught a flicker of silhouette behind the paper screens of the windowed doors. Could it be…?
Alarmed, he quickly climbed to his feet and threw open the doors, much to Lord Wen’s protests. His head turned in the direction of where he saw the movement and—
And his heart sank.
…No.
Then Zhongli broke into a run.
“Thank you for your offer in marriage.”
Zhongli...He was going to accept it, huh.
“I’m very flattered to be presented with such a priceless offer, given that Wen Rong is a dream to, I’m sure, many men in this world.”
You rose from the crouch you were in. Tears were flooding your eyes and you were frustrated.
Frustrated at yourself for feeling sad instead of happy for your friend. Frustrated that you could not compete with Lady Wen for Zhongli. Frustrated that you accidentally gave yourself away with that loud shuffling of your feet. Frustrated at the tears for nearly blinding you as you hurried away.
Hurry to where?
You didn’t know. All you wanted was to get as far away as you can. Somewhere you could disappear to, so that you could just make sense of yourself and all these crazy emotions inside you.
But, you heard the doors you left slam open before you could get any further.
Shit.
Your heart hammered in your chest and your mouth went dry. You did not need to turn around to know who burst through those doors.
—and he was the very person you wanted to get as far away from.
So you ran. Your legs were carrying you down the hallways the fastest they could to outrun the longer pair behind you. You didn’t want to be a drama queen, but you just couldn’t stop.
Where was the main gate again?
You did not know where the hell you were running to. You just ran blindly, turning into any corner the winding vendettas led you. There was a chance you could end up in a dead-end but screw it, you will find a way out of this maze-like compound even if it meant climbing over the walls fencing around it.
You could hear him calling out your name in a voice you’d never thought you would hear from Zhongli. There was desperation leaking through the cracks in his voice— why was he even desperate? Desperate to tell you he was sorry that he was going to leave you?
You skidded around a bend and—
well, SHIT.
— your hands palmed against the wall and curled into fists. Just your luck to really meet a dead end. You glanced up, hoping that it was a fence wall, but only to find no opening.
You needed another escape route.
You spun around and gasped instantly to find that Zhongli had blocked off your only way out. Unlike the voice you heard him speak in, he did not look desperate at all.
The tension in his shoulders and the unreadable look in his golden eyes made him look…almost menacing as he approached. Step by step.
He did not look like the Zhongli, the funeral parlor consultant you hung out with — your breath shook with your heart as the sight before you intimidated you with a creeping fear.
—from the way his golden eyes blazed amber at you, he looked like the Rex Lapis he was instead. The Geo Archon of this land.
Spending so much time with Zhongli has made you forget that he was an archon, he was a god everyone in Liyue worshipped.
And this made you realize how much more inferior you were—
You didn’t have the beauty, comparable enough to a goddess like Lady Wen or the wisdom to keep up with him.
What were you? You’re just a traveler who only knows how to survive in the wilderness, all just to take back your missing brother from some unknown god.
What did you have to offer?
…foolish of you to think that you could stand beside him when you didn’t even belong in Teyvat. You were unworthy.
Tears were starting to well up in your eyes once again at these thoughts.
Shit.
You could not bear to meet his eyes, knowing the tears in them were obvious. Your eyes dropped away from his, looking for an opening, anything so you could just…just...
A resigned sigh left you, your shoulders falling slack as you felt energy leave you.
You have given up.
“—let me go.” your voice was thick with falling tears as you finally spoke. You brought your eyes back to his. “I’m leaving, and you’ve got a wedding to plan for.” You wiped your tears away.
Your gaze lingered on his in the brief silence.”...I’ll wait for your invitation.”
Then you moved forward, trying to sidestep him.
But before you could make it past him—
Your eyes widened. ...!!!
—he met your lips forcefully, slanting his lips over yours dominatingly.
You felt the air knocked out of you and your heart missed a beat as Zhongli backed you up onto the dead-end wall behind, with a hand caressing the back of your head and your mouths connected by the onslaught of his lips.
Over your head, his left arm propped against the wall behind you as his mighty figure bent over your smaller one, with a sound similar to a growl coming from the back of his throat.
Quickly losing foot against his demanding lips, you found yourself unable to resist as you melted at the feel of his lips pressed over yours. You were weak for him; you always were.
The aggressive force behind his lips grew faint the moment he felt you relax into him. His kiss was now tender, almost a delicate dance of twisting and turning over yours, and eventually inside after he coaxed you to open.
As if you were the dearest thing to him, treating you like you could break if he was any rougher like he did seconds ago.
Short, heavy breaths accompanied your locking lips as he hoped the affections behind his kiss were enough to tell you what you needed to know.
After a few lingering seconds, his lips on yours slowed as Zhongli made a move to end the kiss, reluctantly pulling his lips away.
Disbelief crashed like a wave upon you the instant your lips lost the warmth of his. Things still seemed surreal to you.
Why did Zhongli…?
How could he…?
Hand raised, its warm, bare palm cupping against your cheek cut off the doubtful thoughts in your head before it could drown you.
Your eyes hesitantly turned to his as he tilted your face up to his — then your breath was caught in your throat at the softest look you’d ever seen in his eyes.
In the sea of gold and amber, there was worry in the midst of his affection that was beaming down at you just like the sun.
“Wen Rong is just a friend to me,” His voice was firm but gentle, “so I will not be accepting her father’s offer.”
A frown creased between your brows.
“But…” Doubt clouded your heart.
Despite sensing his love from the kiss, stubborn doubts still continued to whisper about yourself . It was no longer about Lady Wen and him.
“Are you sure?” … about me ? You wanted to voice that, but your fear held your tongue.
There was a pause of silence before Zhongli chuckled. “Not that I mind, but are you trying to get me to kiss you again?
You flinched with bashful blinks, not expecting his reply.
Zhongli suddenly regarded you seriously, the amusement in his eyes gone.“...Or perhaps I should just marry you.” His hand released your chin and went to his own as he stepped back with a thoughtful face.
“ What ? Tha-That’s too sudden!”
You two haven’t even officially dated!
There was another pause of silence from Zhongli before he cleared his throat, hiding his laughter behind a cough at how red you got.
“But would you want to?” He was serious again.“I meant, get married to me.” Zhongli added as if he wasn’t clear enough.
Silence.
“...yes, of course, eventually.”
Zhongli smiled. “Good.”
You felt your heart flutter in your chest at that smile; he was truly happy about your answer.
Your eyes caught movement below and flickered down to watch his hand envelope yours. “Come,”
With that said, Zhongli gently tugged you to walk with him, his hand releasing yours as soon as you fell in step beside him.
You have always suspected Zhongli was a romantic, being a gentleman and all he was.
But knowing and being the receiving end of his affection was worlds apart, so you found yourself surprised again when he pressed a chaste kiss to your temples.
“...Let’s reject their offer properly together.”