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"Dude, who are you?" Ajax's hand trembles slightly as it grips the stranger's elbow, his resolve quickly wavering once the question makes its way past his lips.
The man startles near imperceptibly, eyes widening by a fraction of a fraction before his face smooths over like polished stone.
"Have I really left such an impression on you?" He says, an amused lilt to his voice, "why, I don't believe we've shared even a single conversation."
That they haven't, Ajax must admit, but it couldn't be a coincidence– not when it's been a solid three months of seeing this guy around, the man flitting in and out of his life like clockwork: not a beat missed, not a second delayed, and every moment punctuated by that penetrating gaze locking onto his.
Ajax gulps, he can't just say that, not if he wants to look sane, that is.
"I… uh," Ajax winces, real smooth.
The man smiles kindly, gently extricating himself from Ajax's hold. He's taking this remarkably well, his amber eyes bathing him in a comforting warmth as he rubs a brief, placating path down Ajax's shoulder.
"We all have our moments," he assures, "now, of there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave–"
"No! Wait!" Panic shoots up Ajax's chest at those words, and impulsively, he reaches back out.
"Don't…" Ajax's face scrunches with confusion at the sudden surge of emotion, himself baffled by the words leaving his mouth "don't leave… please?"
Shit. Did he really just say that to this total stranger? Crap, now the guy’s gonna think he’s really insane, Gods, what possessed me? Great now the handsome stranger’s gonna find him weird— I mean, not that he cared about making a good first impression or anything just that—
“Zhongli.”
“…Huh?” Ajax says eloquently.
“My name.” The man— Zhongli smiles, “it’s Zhongli”
Holy shit. I got the pretty man’s name?
Zhongli chuckles, though his expression quickly morphs, tempered by guilt and the weight of time. “…You know, Ajax, this is the first lifetime since we met that you’ve reached out to me.”
…Huh?
Ajax looks back up at him, “I… Wait— how do you know my name?”
Zhongli schools this expression, “It’s… a rather long story. One that I promise I will tell in due time— if you’re willing to wait that is.”
Ajax takes his time to process the new information, oddly not at all reluctant to believe him.
“I… I trust you. ”
“Wonderful,” Zhongli beams, and the sincerity in that single word alone would have earned Ajax’s faith three months ago when the man was but a strange stranger stealing vignettes of his life.
“Now, I believe in modern times we are to ‘exchange numbers’ in order to keep in touch?” Zhongli says, the first hint of uncertainty making itself known in his voice as he clumsily pulls out his phone to fiddle with his contacts.
Ajax chuckles, taking it from him and giving himself a call.