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Ajax felt his ankle twist as he stepped onto something hard. Regaining his balance, he gave his shoe a good kick. What a way to wake up.

Looking around his room, he saw that it was covered with clothes. Sweaters hung from atop his wardrobe, and a pair of shoes were strung onto the doorknob. His previously packed suitcases were nowhere to be seen.

Careful to not step onto anything sharp, Ajax pushed open the bedroom door. The living area was covered in spare linen, weapons, camping gear, and everything he owned. His bags and suitcases were popped open on the dining table, not showing any sign of wear and tear.

What happened? Ajax thought, collecting his precious weapons. It didn’t look like a break-in; everything was in the same condition as Ajax had packed them.

Soon, his puzzlement was replaced by panic. His ship left in a couple of hours, and it would take him many more to pack everything. It didn’t help his ribs were still tender from his fight in the Golden House.

Changing clothes and messing up his hair, so it looked artfully tousled, he left the apartment. It was quiet on the streets, which was a relief. The lovely lady Ningguang had blamed him for all the chaos, which was just cruel. He was partially to blame, not entirely.

Ajax was always steady on his feet; he didn’t trip, ever. Yet, one moment he was walking past the adventures’ guild; the next, he was lying in a shallow trench, water soaking his clothes.

Hauling himself out of the trench, he eventually made it to the docks. The sea air was nippy, pinching his wet skin uncomfortable. The port was bustling with life, ships preparing for take-off.

“Excuse me,” Ajax approached one of the dock workers, ignoring curious looks. “Do you know when the ship to Snezhnaya leaves?”

“Next week, today’s is unable to leave; someone pocked holes in the hull.”

Next week! In that time, he might be able to swim back home. He was willing to try; anything to leave this cursed city and ensure that there was a large body of water between him and Zhongli.

Reluctant, Ajax returned to his apartment. Upon his return, he saw that his dining table was cleared, and someone had written ‘you won’t leave’ with something red.

Ajax inspected the ink, realising that it was crushed tomatoes. “Amateurs,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

All of this was odd. Ajax was no stranger to getting death threats; it was part of the job. The average Liyuen citizen would be happy to see him leave, yet, one wanted him to stay. Going as far as to silently trash his apartment, sabotage a ship and smear ‘blood’ on his table.

Ajax went to clean his table. If this person wanted to play, he was glad to play along. After all, he still had a week before his next ship left.

***

Bad luck followed him everywhere he went. It started by tripping down the stairs. Lost clothing, another attempt of being shoved into a trench.

It made him alert and prepared. After dinner, he would grab his things and head to the docks. There, he would wait for his ship, prepared for anything thrown his way. This time, he had put locks on his luggage and trip-wired it.

The restaurant was busy, the staff struggling to get everyone seated. Ajax was sitting at a small table in the corner, the staff just having served him some tea. He had grown to like it, likely because Zhongli and him frequented tea houses during their many dates. Though, looking back, these dates all had been one-sided. Zhongli seemed to have indulged Ajax until he had served his purpose.

“Pardon, sir,” one of the waiting staff carefully approached him. She was wringing her hands, a fake smile plastered on her face. “Would you mind someone joining you? We’re overflowing, and he’s a regular.”

Ajax would rather say no but was well aware his reputation here was finicky. “Sure.”

The waitress bowed briefly before leaving to fetch the other man. Ajax’s food arrived, the stir-fry smelling divine. The waiter also offered him the requested cutlery. Despite being able to wield any weapon, properly using chopsticks has alluded him.

“Good evening…”

Ajax looked up from his dinner, his stomach twitching funnily. Of all people, it had to be the man he didn’t want to see. Zhongli had his hands clasped together, a sheepish look on his face.

“Just sit down,” Ajax muttered, looking back at his food.

A stool scraped against the floor, and Zhongli sat down. There wasn’t enough space for two tall men, their legs brushing uncomfortably. Of all things that could happen, this one was the worst.

Shoving the stir-fry into his mouth, Ajax wondered how fast he could eat it without getting sick. He had a good stomach and would take the sickness over spending time with the ex-Geo archon.

“How have you been?”

Awful. Betrayal was part of the job, but Zhongli had played him like a fiddle. It was frustrating that Zhongli could read him like an open book, that he knew exactly what he liked.

“None of your business,” Ajax grumbled, stuffing more food in his mouth.

“Childe,” Zhongli murmured. “No, Ajax, I—”

“—Don’t use that name.” Ajax placed his utensils on the table. Shoving his chair back, he put a generous amount of Mora on the table on stalked off.

Zhongli called after him once but didn’t bother to do more. Ajax wasn’t sure what he preferred. Zhongli sounded remorseful, but that might all be an act. After all, he had fooled Ajax for months.

Back in his apartment, Ajax let himself fall on his bed. Good thing he was leaving for home tomorrow. He should take a quick nap and head towards the docks. He refused to stay here a day longer.

***

Ajax watched his ship disappear out of sight. He was sitting on top of his luggage, the cold morning air nipping at his bare skin. When leaving in a hurry, he hadn’t been able to find his coat. Nor did he dare to open one of his bags as they were still trip-wired.

He had to wait another week to go home. The wait was already bad, but it was made worse because he had nothing to do. The Tsaritsa had ordered him to return home.

“You look cold,” a deep, familiar voice remarked.

“Go away.”

He felt something heavy land on his shoulders. He heard Zhongli’s footsteps fade away.

Putting on Zhongli’s coat, Ajax instantly felt warmer. It was tight around the shoulders, and the sleeves were a little short, but it was comfortable nonetheless.

He wasn’t sure what to think. Zhongli was almost too kind. Maybe he thought it was beneficial to remain friends with Ajax, as he was close to the Tsaritsa. However, if that was the case, Zhongli was doing a piss poor job. Today was the first time Zhongli looked for him, and he didn’t even try to keep a conversation going.

***

There was a saying in Snezhnayan that meant ‘the goddess loves trinity’, but it seemed that this saying didn’t apply to Ajax. The dock workers told him the ship couldn’t leave because of the bad weather. Dark thunderclouds rolled in from the horizon, ready to ruin his day.

Thankfully, he had kept his luggage in his apartment. He had purposely arrived early, checking if his ship was still leaving. While comfortable, Zhongli’s coat wasn’t appropiate for the rainy weather. Unfortunately, all his coats seemed to disappear regularly, so Ajax was stuck with this one.

He found shelter in a small bookstall a couple of floors up. The owner was eying him wearily until Ajax started to browse the books. He wasn’t interested in books; that was Zhongli’s passion. But he had an eye for valuables; some looked reasonably rare.

“Now I recognise you,” the shop owner said, raising the hairs on the back of Ajax’s neck. “You’re a friend of mister Zhongli.”

Ajax laughed nervously and nodded. They currently weren’t friends or even friendly with one another. But being Zhongli’s friend was preferable over being the one that wreaked havoc on Liyue.

“Looking for rare books?” she asked.

“Always,” Ajax flashed her a smile, feeling more at ease. He was good at being charming. That was his brand, especially since most Harbingers had the social skills of a brick. “Would you recommend anything?”

There were many books, most of them sounding right up Zhongli’s alley. Ajax still had plenty of funds left, and it couldn’t hurt him to remain on good terms with someone.

The rain wasn’t letting up, so Ajax was stuck there for a while longer. There was only so much they could talk about, and as more people sought shelter, the shop owner was quickly occupied by others who idly browsed her books.

Ajax ran his finger over the spine of the book he had bought. It was hand-bound, the cover made of leather and the title etched into it. It was dumb to buy Liyue’s archon a book about ancient Liyuen traditions. Still, he knew Zhongli would like it. Not that Ajax ever would give it to him.

Flicking through the book, he tried to ignore a person watching him. Was this the person who had been haunting him? Unlikely. Maybe they tried to figure out why Ajax looked so familiar. They could’ve been there during Osail’s attack, which would be unfortunate. He wasn’t looking forward to returning to his apartment through the downpour.

The person didn’t stop staring, so Ajax put on his meanest glare and looked up. The kid froze in place. He couldn’t be older than sixteen, with pale blue hair and eyes. He was pale, a stark contrast to his increasingly pinking cheeks. His companion seemed to be his age. Their dark blue hair was cut unevenly, bangs hiding their eyes. Their clothes were frilly and hid any figure, making it hard to figure out their gender. Unlike their friend, however, they minded their own business by reading a book.

Ajax returned to his book. He cared little about it, but it was a good way to pass the time. The teen was no longer looking at him, so all was good. Well, for a brief moment.

“Excuse me.”

Annoyed, Ajax looked up from his book. The teen and his friend were standing in front of him. The teen looked awfully nervous, while the other seemed far from surprised. Ajax wasn’t sure who had talked.

“What?”

“My friend wants to ask you something.” Up close, the dark-haired teen looked masculine. The beginning of a stubble grazed their jaw, and their frame was deceptively muscular.

“Ignore him,” the light-hearted teen said. “It’s nothing… we’ll be leaving.”

The dark-haired teen grabbed him by the hood of his jacket, stopping him in his tracks. “It’s raining; you’ll get sick. And just ask him.”

“Are you aware you’re being haunted?” the light-haired teen blurted out.

Ajax had no idea what had just happened. “Haunted?”

The light-haired teen nodded. “Yes! By a very persistent spirit. They usually run away from me, but they’re still here!”

Now he looked the teen over; Ajax realised he must be some exorcist. His outfit had several sigils stitched into the fabrics. Ajax recognised few, but most were unfamiliar. Zhongli likely would know.

“What do you mean by being haunted?”

The book-reading friend, who introduced himself as Xingqiu, suggested they would talk over tea. The other teen never introduced himself, though his friend called him Yun.

“Okay, explain; what do you mean I’m being haunted?” Ajax asked, warming his fingers by holding the cup.

Yun nodded excitedly, his eyes shining with excitement. “My family and I are very good at finding and getting rid of ghosts—”

“Exorcists?”

“Yes, exactly like that!” Yun said. “Anyway, I noticed that a ghost accompanies you. I wonder, have you ever noticed anything?”

Ajax couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a little hysterical. Was he being haunted by a ghost? All these things, his missing clothes, the tomato message, the leaking ship, were caused by a spirit?

“I think he has.” Xingqiu took a sip of his tea. He had put down his book, looking mildly interested. “What kind of things?”

Did these teens know what he had done? Likely not, or they wouldn’t even talk to him. Still, better to keep things vague. “I’ve been trying to return home but missed my boat three times. And not only that.”

Ajax told them about the things that happened to him. While Xingqiu seemed mildly interested, Yun looked like a kid during their birthday. Was it really that interesting to be haunted by a ghost?

“It likely wants you to do something,” Yun explained once Ajax finished. “Here in Liyue, or they wouldn’t stop you from going.”

Being haunted wasn’t really what Ajax had hoped for. If nothing else, he wanted to hunt down the person bothering him. There was nothing fun fighting, something he couldn’t see nor touch.

“How can I get rid of it?”

Yun’s excitement faltered. “Well, seeing as it isn’t afraid of me, I doubt simple exorcism will work. The easiest is to just fulfil its request.”

Ajax sipped his tea. Dealing with a ghost was something new and maybe even exciting. If only there wasn’t one problem. “But I don’t know what it wants.”

“Well…” Yun sighed, rubbing his forehead. “I’ll figure out how the two of you can communicate. This way, you could ask it yourself.”

“Isn’t there a more exciting way?” Ajax asked.

“I… no?” Yun looked bewildered, shooting Xingqiu a pleading look.

“If you want excitement, go to the adventurers’ guild. They’re happy to have a Vision holder helping them out.” Xingqiu answered, returning back to his book.

Ajax missed his siblings. He at least understood them; these two were hard to read. Xingqiu clearly knew who he was or knew more than he let on. Yet, he encouraged his friend to talk with Ajax.

“I’ll wait to hear from you again,” Ajax said, placing Mora on the table. “Do you have tips to not aggravate the ghost?”

“Well, you said it left a message behind that you weren’t allowed to leave, so staying put is your best option for now,” Yun explained.

Great.

***

Unfortunately, the Tsaritsa had agreed to his request to stay longer. Her letter was actually quite sympathetic, which made it all worse. She was a god; she knew how to deal with the supernatural. Yet, she let Ajax suffer.

“You look rough,” Ekaterina mentioned.

“Thanks,” Ajax muttered, rubbing the itchy stubble that had started to come in. “Spend the last couple of days camping in the wild. It was hardly worth it; the treasure hoarders hardly put up a fight.”

“Then why do it? Pantalone sends you plenty of money.”

“Boredom?”

Ekaterina sighed, shaking her head. “I thought you were trying to avoid the funeral consultant.”

Ajax was surprised. Ekaterina had no idea what Zhongli had done and who he was, yet, she knew there was tension between them.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Ekaterina muttered. “I’ve sent Pantalone multiple requests for more money. Of course, some of it was for your mission, but you also tried to buy half an antique store.”

“It was two vases,” Ajax protested.

“Two costly vases.” Ekaterina was smiling, though there was nothing cheerful about it. “And I’ve heard from our guards that they haven’t seen you two together in a while. I thought your courtship was going well.”

Ajax grimaced. “Let’s say betrayals happened, and I am done.”

Ekaterina took note of a large stack of bills, inspecting its contents. “You recently bought a book about ancient Liyuen rituals. Not quite up your speed, is it?”

“I had to blend in.”

“Sure.” Ekaterina bared her teeth at him, her smile cruel.

“Can you at least give me the money? The adventurer’s guild pays poorly, and I still have to do groceries.”

Ekaterina did hand him a large money bag. Ajax had to sign many sheets of paper, cursing Pantalone under his breath. The guy got off seeing others do paperwork, didn’t he? It shouldn’t be so complicated to get access to money that was rightfully his. After all, he was still here for ‘work’.

“Make amends with the funeral consultant, please? Nadia has seen him mope outside, hoping he can catch you here.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Ekaterina tucked away his paperwork, shaking her head. “I’m not sure if you’re even able to think.”

***

The ghost finally let Ajax catch a break. His coat hung from its usual peg, no longer hidden on top of a wardrobe or wherever the ghost thought Ajax couldn’t find it. Unfortunately, it meant he had to return Zhongli’s coat.

He had visited Wangshen Funeral Parlor before, often to pick up Zhongli. Ajax wasn’t sure why the ex-archon needed to work, especially in a depressing place like a funeral parlour.

It was quiet in the funeral parlour, which meant there had been very little death. Peacetime meant little death, a stark contrast to the aftermath of Osial’s attack.

“Oh, it’s you!” The funeral director, Hu Tao, looked absolutely delighted. “I’ll go fetch Zhongli.”

“Wait!” He called after her, but she disappeared in the back, her pigtails bouncing alongside the spring in her step.

Ajax placed Zhongli’s coat and the book he had bought on a table. He had slipped a ‘thank you’ note in the book; despite his frustration, he still had manners.

“Childe?”

Right, time to leave. “Just dropping off some things!” He turned around and strode towards the exit.

As he reached the exit, the door slammed right into his face. Ajax heard a loud crunch, and pain shot through his face.

Taking a couple of steps back, Ajax covered his nose. Warm blood poured down his hand and arm. “Ah shit.”

“Hu Tao, get some ice,” Zhongli called.

A persistent hand steered him away from the door and guided him down in a chair.

The same hand gently pried his hands away. Something soft was pressed against his upper lip, carefully wiping away the blood. “You think it’s broken?”

“Likely,” Ajax mumbled. He breathed deeply, feeling like his airflow was partially blocked. “Yeah, it’s broken.”

Ajax glanced at Zhongli, trying to gouge his reaction. He looked worried, his eyebrows pinched in focus.

“It doesn’t look crooked.” Zhongli gently touched Ajax’s nose. “Allow me to help you? I’ve done this before.”

“I can do it myself,” Ajax wondered, wiping his nose with his sleeve. Pain shot through his skull. He was going to throttle the person who caused this. He actually likes this coat.

Zhongli sighed. “Let me?”

“Fine.”

Ajax let Zhongli do his thing, unable to shake off the oddness of the whole situation. After fetching the ice, Hu Tao just continued running the business. People came in and left, offering them several curious glances but opted out of talking to them.

“That should do it.” Zhongli stepped back, inspecting his handy work.

Zhongli’s hands and the sleeves of his dress shirt were soaked with Ajax’s blood. It was almost attractive. Ajax could imagine that as Morax, Zhongli used to be covered in blood. What a sight that would be.

Ajax breathed gently through his nose, noticing the airflow was back to normal. If it healed properly, he wouldn’t have to get it fixed at a later date. “Thank you.”

“It’s the least I could do,” Zhongli said, smiling bashfully.

It was hard to read Zhongli. He didn’t act differently from how he acted before the Osial fiasco. Actually, it seemed that Zhongli was even more open to him.

“Should I bring you home?” Zhongli asked.

“No thanks.” Ajax got up, quickly regaining his bearing. “I’ll be fine.”

Zhongli looked troubled. “Why were you here?”

Ajax made a small gesture to the counter, where Zhongli’s coat was. “It was time that I returned it.”

“Oh. Take care.”

Nothing about this should be awkward, but it was. Ajax was skilled in smooth talk, turning an awkward conversation into a positive one. But right now, he mustered a smile, feeling his cheeks straining with the effort.

“I’ll.”

Thankfully, this time the door didn’t smash in his face. He wasn’t sure what the ghost wanted from him, but he clearly was willing to use violence. He hoped this Yun kid could find a way for Ajax to communicate with it. Preferably, he wanted to give the ghost a punch in the face. An eye for an eye, a nose for a nose.

***

“What happened to your nose?” Yun asked.

“The ghost.” Ajax sat down in an empty chair.

Yun had finally contacted him through the adventurer’s guild with a time and date to meet up. Ajax wanted to get rid of this ghost pestering him, so he agreed. He had found him and Xingqiu sitting at a small table, already having ordered tea.

“That’s worrisome,” Yun said, wringing his hands together. “I had assumed it wouldn’t be vengeful, or it would’ve tried to kill you before.”

His nose still was sore and delicate, but according to a healer he had seen, all he could do was wait. Zhongli had done a great job. “I don’t think it’s necessarily vengeful. I think it didn’t want me to leave, so it slammed a door in my face.”

Ajax was relieved that the ghost hadn’t tried another murder attempt. There were still silly things, like hiding clothes, making him late or throwing out his food.

“Maybe you can ask it yourself?” Yun said, putting a bag on the table. “I’ve done some research, and this spell tag should allow you to see and speak to them.”

The spell tag was a thin piece of paper with some words written. It looked nothing out of the ordinary, making Ajax wonder if he was taken for a fool.

“Are you sure it will work?”

“Not really,” Yun admitted, holding the bag close to his chest. “I haven’t done this before; ghosts always flee when they sense me.”

Ajax wondered what ghost would be scared of a boy like Yun. He didn’t look intimidating, nor did he have much battle prowess. Generally, Ajax was reasonably good at figuring out whether someone knew how to fight. The only time he had been wrong was with Zhongli, a stain on his record.

“It should theoretically work,” Xingqiu said. “Could you tell me a little more about what has been happening?”

With the spell tag carefully tucked into a pocket, Ajax told them about some things that had happened recently.

“Any theories?”

“I got nothing,” Yun said.

“Me neither.”

Ajax noted that Xingqiu seemed to know more. He wasn’t an open book like Yun, but he had trouble concealing that he knew something. He wondered what it was.

“I’ve got to go.” Xingqiu finished his tea and got up. “Unfortunately, my dad is forcing me to work. You’re coming?”

Yun left reluctantly and left Ajax to pay for the bill. Not that money was an issue, but it didn’t ease the distrust he felt. There was something off about these two, and he wanted to know why.

***

Ekaterina’s background check on the two teens made him feel better. Yun, whose name was Chongyun, came from a well-established exorcism family. Xingqiu was the second son of the Guild manager of the Feiyun Commerce Guild. Non-threatening and not particularly influential. The Fatui didn’t have issues with Liyue’s many trading guilds.

Sitting on his bed, he unfolded the spell tag. Chongyun hadn’t given him instructions, and admittedly, Ajax had no idea what the sigil meant. Ekaterina had assured him it was safe; it was supposed to do what Chongyun had promised.

Like he had seen people do before, though more comically than anything else, he placed the spell tag against his forehead.

The world turned blurry for a moment. Adjusting his eyes, he spotted the ghost sitting opposite him, their head cocked to one side.

The ghost wore long, flowing robes with long, bellowing sleeves. They looked like traditional Liyuen clothes, not quite what people wear nowadays. Her hair was partially up, a glaze lily tucked behind her ear.

“Who are you?”

Ajax had expected that it might be the ghost of someone who had fallen during Osial’s attack. Someone with the fighting spirit to continue to torment Ajax. Not a pretty woman.

“A ghost,” the woman joked. “Does it really matter?”

It didn’t matter who was haunting; being haunted was terrible enough. “What do you want?”

“I think your friends already have it figured out,” the ghost said. She looked out of place in Ajax’s unkempt room, among the dirty underwear and unfolded laundry.

“Just tell me.”

The woman smiled. It was a kind smile, though Ajax wasn’t fooled. She had slammed a door into his face, after all. “I want you to make up with Zhongli.”

Everything fell into place. “That’s why you broke my nose?”

“If you weren’t stubborn, I wouldn’t have to,” the ghost said, crossing her arms. “But no, you were ready to get on the boat and leave this all behind.”

“He betrayed me.”

“And you were planning to do the same.”

Ajax crossed his arms. It might have been better to be entirely ignorant of what was happening. Bickering with a ghost wasn’t as fun as he had expected. “I wasn’t aware he was Rex Lapis, so it wouldn’t be a betrayal, would it?”

He was proud to see that the ghost was properly agitated. She was rubbing her face, sighing loudly. “Could you just, I don’t know, talk?”

“We’ve talked.”

“But not properly! Why are men so difficult?” The ghost pinched the bridge of her nose.

Maybe he couldn’t fight the ghost, but driving her up the wall was an excellent alternative. It was revenge for her breaking his nose and all the times he was pushed into the water.

“Stop being so smug,” the ghost muttered. “Can’t you see he cares about you?”

“So? He was happy to play with my feelings; if he was so caring, he could’ve taken a professional approach and not led me on.”

It never had been about the betrayal. Honestly, knowing Zhongli was a god made him all the more attractive. Ajax would love to fight him, whether he wins or lose. Fighting a god was like a dream come true. But Ajax had thought they might have a future together before Zhongli broke his trust.

“He did give you those chopsticks.” The ghost gestured to chopsticks Ajax had displayed on his bedroom windowsill.

“So? I gave him gifts all the time.”

“Have you learned nothing about Liyuen history?”

The ghost disappeared. She didn’t even phase through anything; she was just gone in a blink of an eye. Removing the spell tag from his forehead, Ajax wondered what was happening. He couldn’t believe he had to reach out to these two teens again.

***

Chongyun was pretty much bouncing in his seat as Ajax joined them. Xingqiu, on the other hand, hadn’t even looked up from his book. Ajax felt Xingqiu was just there to keep an eye on his friend and maybe indulge his ghost-hunting obsession.

“Did you talk to the ghost?” Chongyun asked.

“Yes.” Ajax intertwined his fingers, squaring himself up. “Before I say anything else, I want to know your theory on the situation.”

“My theory?”

Ajax shook his head. “No, what he knows.”

Xingqiu put down his book, looking awfully smug. “Yes?”

“You already knew what the ghost wanted, didn’t you?”

“You did mention mister Zhongli quite often in your stories,” Xingqiu pointed out. “And I recall the two of you being close before. So I figured it had something to do with that.”

It was embarrassing he was being helped by two teenagers. While yes, Ajax wasn’t that much older, it was frustrating others had figured out his current predicament before he had.

“I’m not discussing my love life with you two,” Ajax said, getting up to leave.

Xingqiu expressed disgust. “I have no interest in your love life; I’m just here for the story.”

“Story?” Ajax sat back down.

“Any good romance novel has some sort of conflict. You have a ghost playing matchmaker; it adds a supernatural element.” Xingqiu was tapping the cover of his book, excitement written all over his face. “I want to know how it ends.”

Knowing Xingqiu’s background, Ajax had assumed he spent his time reading business-related books. Ajax’s judgment was wrong; they were trashy romance novels. It made Xingqiu look like an entirely different person.

“We live in a world with gods and Visions,” Ajax deadpanned.

“Yes, but how often do the gods meddle with our love affairs?”

Ajax started to wonder if this was worth it. It might have been much easier to just talk with Zhongli. They didn’t have to be friends, but it couldn’t be less torturous than dealing with these two; an over-excited exorcist and a hopeless romantic.

Chongyun cleared his throat. “Could you tell me about the ghost?”

Reluctantly, Ajax sat back down. Though Chongyun wasn’t as young as his siblings, Ajax was weak for his earnest curiosity.

“I’ll, but I still have one question, what does it mean if someone gives you these?” Ajax placed the phoenix and dragon chopsticks on the table.

Xingqiu offered them one glance before his eyes widened, and his lips parted in surprise. “Who gave you these?”

Ajax answered reluctantly. “Mister Zhongli.”

Xingqiu’s voice cracked, laughter laced between his words. “It finally makes sense,” he wheezed a little. “It’s an old Liyuen tradition related to marriage. See it as a proposal.”

While Zhongli had given him gifts, the two chopsticks were the only ones he had paid for himself. Ajax never minded paying for his own things because the thought counted. And it was Pantalone’s money anyway. But it had felt special that Zhongli had gifted him these with his own money.

All the puzzle pieces came together. It never had been about keeping Ajax sweet and complacent. Zhongli had proposed to him, despite knowing Ajax wouldn’t understand what it meant. He knew Ajax would betray him, but he still went through with his proposal.

Ajax wanted to talk with the ghost, but he remained put. A promise was a promise. “Okay, what do you want to know?” he asked Chongyun.

***

“You knew what the chopsticks meant.” Ajax pointed an accusatory finger at the ghost, the spell tag uncomfortably clinging to his forehead. There had to be an easier way to make this work.

The ghost was floating next to his living room window, staring outside. Her robes flowed over the floor. “You never asked.”

Ajax wanted to be mad. Because of his broken nose, he couldn’t go out and fight people and monsters. He was jittery all the time, aided by the fact that a ghost could shove him in a ditch whenever she wanted. One day, she might actually try to kill him. It was annoying to fight against an invisible and untouchable force. But the ghost was right; he hadn’t even asked her.

“It’s a wedding proposal,” Ajax said, sitting on a comfortable chair. “He proposed.”

“He did.”

“But he knew I wouldn’t understand.” Ajax buried his face into his hands. “Why didn’t he say anything?”

The ghost laughed. “He’s like that,” she said, her voice filled with melancholy. “It took him centuries to warm up to humans, and I don’t think he ever loved one before you.”

Centuries. Ajax looked up. “You knew him as Morax.”

The ghost looked over her shoulder. “I did. Which is why I’m so adamant that you at least talk; I think it’s time for him to be happy.”

“Why didn’t he tell me who he was?”

“You would’ve to ask himself,” the ghost answered, sitting on the window sill. “But I have a theory. The age of the gods has passed. I imagine Morax wanted the humans to move away from their blind fate towards him and make their own decisions. So he had to ensure that the people were prepared; it’s why he let you unleash Osial.”

“He still could’ve told me.”

The sadness on her face turned into sharpness. “What was your mission?”

‘Releasing Osial’ rested on the tip of his tongue, but Ajax realised it wasn’t his mission. Osial had been the bait. “Retrieve the geo-Archon’s gnosis.”

“Could you’ve done it?” the ghost asked. “Take his gnosis? Rip it from his chest?”

“Of course I would,” Ajax said without thinking. It was just a thing, not a part of Zhongli’s being. And Zhongli had planned to give it up nonetheless. Did it matter that he or La Signora handed it to the Tsaritsa?

The ghost smiled, baring her teeth. “I would like to see that. Do you truly think you could’ve beaten Morax?”

He never had seen Zhongli fight, which was a shame. But Ajax was a skilled fighter, faster and stronger than an ordinary human.

“You know what, you win.” Ajax got up. “I’m going to talk to him.”

“Really?” the ghost’s face lit up in relief.

Ajax nodded. “I’m going to challenge him and show you that, in fact, I could’ve taken him. He had no reason to leave me in the dark and betray me like that.”

“Men,” the ghost muttered, disappearing once again.

***

“Might I ask why we’re here?” Zhongli asked, surveying the barren field.

Ajax had left his more stylish clothes in his apartment. Mud stains were hard to remove. His bow was strapped onto his back, and he carried spare weapons strapped onto his bag. “I have a score to settle with you.”

“A score?”

Dropping his luggage on the side, Ajax stretched his limbs. It didn’t matter how strong someone was; a good warming-up was vital for a good fight. “You want to talk, I’m mad. I want to beat you up, and afterwards, we can talk.”

Ajax watched Zhongli, curious how he would react. Likely, the ghost was watching them, shaking her head in frustration. Ajax had a knack for disappointing people.

“I suppose this was coming.” Zhongli shrugged off his coat, carefully folding it before putting it on his bag. “But if a battle is required for you to look me in the eye again, so be it.”

Zhongli materialised a spear, giving it a couple of good swings before charging towards Ajax.

Materialising water blades, Ajax blocked the first strike, staggering back. Zhongli struck again and again. Though he was fast, Ajax quickly got used to the rhythm.

After another blocked attack, Zhongli swept his spear around, the butt speeding towards Ajax. It slammed painfully against Ajax’s arm. He hooked his other arm around the shaft, locked it tight, and pulled.

Zhongli stumbled. Ajax managed to disarm Zhongli, using his spear to wipe his feet from underneath him. Before Zhongli could even touch the ground, Ajax was upon him, water blade drawn and held at his throat.

“You’re holding back,” Ajax panted. His arm was throbbing, but the pain was secondary. That ghost was going to eat her words.

Zhongli’s hair fanned around him. His golden eyes looked up at Ajax, expression unreadable. It was so unfair.

“Fine, I—”

Ajax let out a loud wheeze when Zhongli threw him aside. He stumbled over the dirt, eventually coming to a standstill. Spotting a glimpse of steel, he quickly rolled over. Zhongli’s landing sent the floor trembling, his spear embedded into the soil.

He used the rolling motion to get up, leaving him plenty of time to dodge a large stone pillar that shot up from the earth. A second one followed, and then a third. After dodging several more, an idea struck him.

Not moving away, a pillar sends him flying high. He fired arrows towards Zhongli, the first one hitting him in the shoulder. The rest bounced harmlessly off a shield. Ajax eventually landed on top of one of the pillars.

There was something inhuman about Zhongli. He was bleeding red like an ordinary human, but it hardly bothered him. If nothing else, it seemed to embolden him. He was gazing up at Ajax, eyes seemingly glowing.

Their stalemate ended as soon as Zhongli twitched. Ajax sent three arrows flying in his direction before leaping towards another pillar, effectively dodging the spear Zhongli hurled at him.

Taking another leap, Ajax’s heart stunk as the pillar beneath him disappeared. Rolling into a ball, he came to a stop against another pillar.

His knees and hands sunk into the mud underneath him as he got up. A sharp pain shot down his spine. A brief shadow cast over him.

Throwing himself onto his back, Ajax swiped the air with his hand. Water floated off his fingertips, creating a thick shield that stopped Zhongli’s spear in his tracks.

Zhongli’s eyes had turned serpentine, staring down at Ajax. He had been strategic about his position; Zhongli was facing the sun, his shadow not reaching Ajax.

“Ha,” Ajax said, waving his hand a little more. He felt the familiar thrum of energy coursing through his body, making his fingertips tingle. “You aren’t the only one who can make shields.”

With a swift movement, Ajax kicked Zhongli’s legs from underneath him. Pushing himself up, Ajax didn’t give Zhongli the chance to recover. He slammed his shoulder into Zhongli’s chest, knocking the wind out of him.

While Ajax was usually a weapon-type guy, he was well-versed in hand-to-hand combat. Especially close-range combat and grappling.

With some quick manoeuvring, Ajax had a tight hold of Zhongli’s wrist while his upper arm was sandwiched between Ajax’s legs. Pushing against Zhongli’s body, he heard him hiss in pain. Ajax kept pushing Zhongli’s head away with his leg, ensuring he couldn’t escape.

“I won,” Ajax cowed. “I expected a god to be—”

Ajax’s breath was knocked out of him as Zhongli slammed him on his stomach. An elbow dug into his spine, close to his neck. Zhongli’s knee dug into his back, his weight heavier than before.

“What were you saying?” Zhongli’s voice sounded gravely, his breathing laboured.

“I was winning,” Ajax wheezed. “Could you remove your elbow from my spine?”

“Do you give up?”

Ajax sighed. He didn’t like giving up, but he was sure that Zhongli could break his spine. It would be a brutal injury to recover from. “I’ll.”

Once freed, Ajax flopped onto his back, taking in deep breaths. No collapsed lung, thankfully, but likely bruised or even broken ribs. Breathing hurts like a bitch.

Zhongli plopped down next to him, sending mud flying everywhere. Ajax rolled onto his side, meeting Zhongli’s gaze. He still had these reptilian eyes, the amber  colour glowing.

“Hi,” Zhongli breathed.

“Hi.”

Zhongli smiled, his eyes crinkling. “It’s the first time you’ve looked at me.”

Pain shot through his ribs as he took a breath to reply. “Well, I think I’ve bruised ribs, so I’m not going anywhere.”

“Has that stopped you before?”

Ajax was unable to stop himself from cracking a smile. He was still pissed, but it was nice to see that Zhongli had paid attention. “No.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were Morax? You knew who I was all along.”

Zhongli’s smile only softened. “Because I didn’t want to put you in an uncomfortable position. This way, you neither betrayed me nor your goddess. I assumed we could pick things back up where we left off, but somehow, it didn’t.”

“What?” Ajax stopped himself from hissing in pain; Zhongli might have to carry him back to Liyue. Zhongli thought they could continue right from where they had left off?

“I’m surprised you never left; you clearly weren’t interested in talking despite my best attempts.”

“You’re confused?” Ajax asked in disbelief. “You betrayed me. I was so sure you had taken me for a fool; you were only interested because it advanced your own agenda. And I tried to leave many times. Unfortunately, I ran into some complications.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, oh.”

“I hadn’t planned to make it personal,” Zhongli confessed. “It just happened. I thought it was mutual, especially after you accepted those chopsticks I gifted you.”

Ajax imagined the ghost, if she was here, having the time of her life. In the end, it had all been a misunderstanding. Ajax did not understand ancient Liyuen customs, and Zhongli did not realise that his courting methods were outdated. “I wasn’t aware what their significance was until recently.”

“I fear that there must have been a miscommunication.”

“You think?” Despite his frustration, Ajax felt relieved. Their relationship needed fixing, but he no longer had to grab the first ship back home.

“I apologise for causing you grief,” Zhongli said. He reached for Ajax’s face, his gloved fingers pushing some wayward locks behind his ear. “And I’m grateful you still give us a chance.”

“Yeah, come over and kiss me because moving hurts.”

Zhongli’s kind smile shifted to genuine worry. “You’re okay?”

“Like I said, either broken or bruised ribs,” Ajax wheezed. “And maybe a concussion. I’ll be fine.”

Zhongli got up. He looked worn, bruised, bloodied and dirty. His pristine clothes were rumpled and torn, and Ajax found it very attractive.

“I’ll get your back to Liyue.” Zhongli crouched, looking like he was ready to pick Ajax up, bridal style. It could be romantic, but Ajax thought it was mortifying.

“I can walk by myself.” Ajax pushed himself up, ignoring the pain. “No need to carry me.”

“Are you—” Zhongli suddenly lost his balance, falling over and smashing his forehead against Ajax’s.

Zhongli managed to get partially up, his forearms sandwiching Ajax’s head. His forehead was red, and a little blood was dropping down. “Are you okay? I’m not sure—”

Ajax pulled Zhongli down, mashing their lips together. There was a brief moment of panic before Zhongli finally got the memo. Zhongli’s gloved hands wrapped around Ajax’s jaw, making it easier to just get the angle right.

He couldn’t believe he owed the ghost a ‘thank you’.

***

“So you’re saying the ghost has disappeared?” Chongyun asked, looking genuinely upset.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Ajax said. He was happy that he was no longer being haunted, but he still wanted to thank her. And maybe find a way to punch her.

“Well, that is at least one problem solved,” Xingqiu said, once again having his nose shoved into a book. “That will be 500.000 Mora.”

Ajax was glad he hadn’t taken a sip yet, or he would be having a fit. “Excuse me?”

“Do you think we do this for free?” Xingqiu said, glancing at him from over the top of his book. The corners of his eyes were crinkling; he likely was having a blast.

In all honesty, Ajax had. There never had been talks about payment, and he had figured it was a mutual agreement. Ajax would tell Chongyun information about the ghost. At the same time, Chongyun tried to figure out how Ajax could get rid of the ghost.

“We never agreed on anything,” Ajax said, sipping his tea. “No money, no favours, not anything. So, unfortunately, I won’t pay you that.”

Xingqiu lowered his book, looking faintly annoyed. “You know something about Liyuen culture?”

“This is about the chopsticks, isn’t it?”

“Maybe,” Xingqiu said. “I think it’s silly you didn’t realise he’s head-over-heels in love with you; anyone could see it.”

Chongyun’s red cheeks and side-ways glance was worth the verbal tongue-lashing. Clearly, Ajax wasn’t the only one who was dense regarding love.

“I’ll remember that.” Ajax finished his tea. Now this ghostly business had ended, he had no reason to meet up with these two again. Chongyun was a sweetheart, but he was happy to never see Xingqiu again. The kid was too clever for his own good.

“Thank you for your help.” Ajax took a letter out of his bag, handing it to Chongyun. “Go to the Northland Bank; see it as a thank-you gift.”

“So you were planning on giving us Mora all along?” Xingqiu asked, looking like he wanted to snatch the letter from Chongyun’s hands.

“No, just some old books on exorcism.”

Theoretically, these books could be worth more than 500.000 Mora. However, these books have been lying in a Fatui warehouse for centuries, completely forgotten. Ajax figured that these would suffice as a settlement. He would greatly appreciate it if these two would never mention it, especially to Zhongli.

“You’re a dangerous man,” Xingqiu remarked.

Ajax smiled, not bothering to hide a hint of malice. “You only realise it now?”

***

Ajax must admit that it was nice to be somewhat back to normal. He could do without the bruised ribs, made worse by his refusal to be carried back.

“There is still something I don’t understand,” Zhongli said, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. “Why did you stay?”

Ajax took another bite of his dinner. They were back in Wanmin Restaurant, legs pressed together underneath the tiny table. People around them were bustling around, but Ajax hardly cared this time around. “It’s a long story. The rundown is that I woke up, ready to leave, and all my things were scattered around my apartment. Then, it turned out someone had sabotaged the boat. The next time, I overslept, and then a thunderstorm happened. There hasn’t been a boat between Snezhnaya and Liyue for almost two months.”

“That’s odd,” Zhongli remarked. “I remember all other ships leaving just fine.”

“That’s not all,” Ajax explained all the odd things that had happened to him. The tripping, being shoved around, his clothes missing, and the door shoved into his face.

“That’s truly peculiar. Any idea how that happened?” Zhongli had abandoned his dinner, listening with rap attention.

“I met a young exorcist who told me I was being haunted. Turned out it was true. A lovely ghost watched me every step, ensuring I wouldn’t leave Liyue.”

Zhongli didn’t seem to be surprised by the mention of ghosts. It made sense; he was a very old god. He must have seen it all by now. “What were their demands?”

“It seemed that she had your best interest at heart; she wanted us to make up. Maybe she is a romantic at heart.”

“She?”

Ajax nodded. “Probably an old friend of yours; she called you Morax, after all.”

“What did she look like?”

Brown hair, flowing robes, a pretty face. A Glaze Lily tucked behind her ear. She had looked kind unless she was frustrated with Ajax. Then she had a mean look on her face. Ajax told Zhongli this, curious to see if there was a hint of recognition.

“That must be Guizhong,” Zhongli said excitedly. “It doesn’t surprise me that she comes back from the afterlife to make sure I find happiness; it was something she always wanted.”

It took Ajax a few seconds to figure out who Guizhong was. The Lord of Dust, who perished during the Archon War many centuries ago. She and Morax often were mentioned together; as allies, friends, and lovers. It differed from text to text, but their partnership was apparent.

“So she came back from the afterlife to play matchmaker for you?”

Zhongli looked beautiful. His smile lit up his entire face, his eyes crinkled with mirth, the smile making his nose scrunch up a little. “Figuring I’ve given up godhood, it makes sense she saw this as the perfect opportunity for me to settle.”

“With me?”

Zhongli took Ajax’s hand in his. Ajax still wasn’t sure how to feel about all the physical affection. It felt too delicate as if it could fall apart any moment. “Well, of course, you have many qualities I find attractive. Competent, kind, trustworthy. It helps you know who I’m; I wouldn’t have to lie about anything odd that happens.”

“Like being haunted by ghosts?”

“That wouldn’t be the oddest thing that has happened.”

If Zhongli’s reptilian eyes were anything to go off during their fight, Ajax was looking forward to those oddities. “Can’t wait.”