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Zhongli hasn’t eaten in weeks. Not that he needs to of course, even with the loss of his gnosis it would take months for him to starve to death.
It will take him eons to die.
A real death, not the fake one he staged from what seemed ages ago. A real death may be the only thing that settles him right now. He has lived a life above it all for so long, he has spent his long life feeling every movement and prayer of the great nation of Liyue. Right now he only wishes he could finally be under the ground he has been given power over.
Make no mistake, Zhongli would not kill himself, he’s already had a taste of that. Rather he is just waiting for the erosion to settle in his bones, so he can go lay in the woods and settle in the ground, long forgotten.
He wonders who will remember him, he selfishly wishes for the one person who decidedly will not. Red hair and eyes bright like the oceans that now separate them, his lover who now considers him a liar, a cheat, and nobody to him.
“Ajax” Zhongli says aloud, there is nobody to respond anymore but he says it anyway, has been for weeks. Not to hear a response but to make sure he still can, like it is a privilege that may slip from him every second.
Ajax may want to forget him but Zhongli has lived a long life, Ajax is a part of one he doesn’t want to forget. Faces have blurred together as the times have passed and more than once he has walked outside and can’t remember if it is now or 500 years ago. Right now if he walked out he wouldn’t know where he was. He’s been ignoring the news for weeks, he’s been ignoring Hu Tao who’s even gone so far to come knocking at his door, in which he promptly hid in his room and then proceeded to remember why he was avoiding that room and had a breakdown.
Zhongli remembers, he remembers it all. Every waking moment he has is plagued by an old memory of Them. Them lying together in the early morning. Them eating together at Xianglings. Them together, together, together. His life is surrounded by Ajax, and it will continue to be until his last moments. Even if the pain of having him gone is unbearable, he will remember. He will remember what he lost again because it is his fault. This is his fate, to love and to lose over and over and over and over and over and over and over
Even then, he’s been neglecting everything, he knows it. His routine was messed up by a missing hole in his heart. How can he look in the mirror when there is no one to tell him of his beauty? He can’t eat because he knows how to cook but how is he supposed to cook when there is no other voice to sing him melodies in a language he doesn’t quite understand while holding his waist? How is he supposed to go out to eat when there is no one to banter with or share the deep history of the food with? No one to lean over to and adjust their grip along the chopsticks that Ajax still can’t quite get used to. Those chopsticks now lay abandoned in pieces on his table, a last gift from his lover. One of bitter hatred and a feeling of betrayal, but they were the last thing he was given and he could not throw them away.
He remembers when he was a young arrogant god, he never understood why the people grasped at a meager blessing from him, a small piece of mora. That was before humanity had entered him and festered in his soul like a dandelion, pure but a weed that wasn't meant to prosper in the first place. Now, he gets it, Ajax is the god and he is the human holding on to a measly gift, a broken set of gifted chopsticks.
He does glance at a mirror, or he did maybe a few days or weeks ago. He didn’t like what he saw so he didn’t bother again. It was just a reminder, Ajax always reminded him he was beautiful. He knows Ajax wouldn’t say that now, wouldn’t say it ever again. Right now Zhongli is skin and bone, ribs more apparent than ever, face sunk in like a valley. His hair has lost its shine and isn’t even pulled into its traditional style, it’s stringy and tangled. His eyes have even lost their pretty shine, the amber that Ajax had told him he had loved over and over. He would be embarrassed to be seen right now, especially by Ajax. He knows that Ajax was never just a lover of looks but he can’t help but think that if he saw him now there would be no hope. Maybe Ajax could get over the betrayal if he was still beautiful but there is no chance of that anymore.
So Zhongli sits and waits, for what he’s not sure. For the hunger to subside? not a physical hunger, but a craving for someone, one that ironically devours him whole. Does he wait for the silence to be loud again? For the hours to be filled with chatter and love again?
He is sitting on his small couch just staring at the wall, remembering. Then his door handle jiggles, and he considers fleeing again to his room but he cannot find the will to move. He hears a string of curses in a voice that is too good to be true and the jingling of keys. Then the door bursts open and he almost sobs, it's Ajax. He has heard that there is a myth that mad people will experience delusions that bring them great joy, a final blessing from the gods as an apology for their lost mind. Zhongli did not know he could bless himself like this.
“Zhongli?” The delusion speaks, it sounds perfect, it’s exactly like him it’s almost uncanny. Zhongli does start crying, if he is in his last moments he must at least make peace with his mind.
“I’m sorry Ajax- Childe, I’m so sorry, I couldn’t tell you, I made the contract when I was young and foolish. I knowingly tricked you and I know you can never forgive me. I want you to know- He gasps loudly between his convulsing sobs
- I meant all of it. I loved you from the depths of the chasm to the peaks of Quinyu. I am so so sorry that you can never forgive me. That I’ll never- I’ll never-“ He can’t finish his sentence, it would speak it into existence and it may make the delusion go away. Sometimes when this was all happening, the delusion came closer and sat with him and was now slowly running its hand down his chest l, waiting for his breathing to calm. Zhongli could now get a closer look at his final blessing. It was perfect, the heat from the body, the scars that sat lightly on its face, the eyes that shined like a thousand seas. He was glad he was able to experience this one more time.
“I’m sorry I didn’t love you like you truly deserved Ajax” Zhongli says, he wants to apologize at least to the illusion, maybe it will give him some peace.
“Zhongli, don’t speak. You can barely breathe, please calm down.” The illusion says and it’s perfect, the voice is warm just as Ajax’s once was toward him. It continues to stroke his chest gently, breathing deeply up and down trying to get Zhongli to match it.
“I am grateful it was you I got to see,” Zhongli says, he doesn’t know who sent this to him but he wants to thank them.
“What do you mean Zhongli?” The illusion is confused, of course, maybe they don’t know they will be gone the moment he is.
“If I am in my final moments, I thank the gods that they sent me you as a final joy,” Zhongli says and the illusion goes wide-eyed, maybe a reaction to being told you aren’t real.
“Zhongli, I am real, I am here” The illusion tries to convince him, maybe they don’t want you to know they aren’t real.
“No, you are-“ Zhongli tries but the illusion is picking up his hand and placing it on its chest which is breathing? Illusions are meant to be a comfort but it would be insulting to replicate all aspects of human life such as soul and breath meaning this can only be possible if,
“I am no illusion, I am real, I am here” Ajax speaks and it is him and Zhongli’s tears start to run down his face again
“Ajax” Zhongli says, he can still say it and Ajax doesn’t sneer at him like he did when he left and told him to not call him that.
“Zhongli” Ajax says and it sounds glorious off of his tongue, truly it is a gift.
Upon realizing this is the real Ajax, he also realizes that he has not remembered what he told himself earlier. He is not pretty right now, he must pull himself together lest he lose his chance. He throws himself out of the position he had found on the couch, missing the warmth and comfort. Getting up too quickly makes his world spin and his legs almost slip out from under him but he doesn’t want to lose this mercy. He gets into his bedroom and locks the door. He avoids looking at the bed, the memories might lock him up again, he then looks in the mirror, and oh dear.
He is a mess, a horrible mess, he must fix it immediately, see if Ajax can forget the small unpleasant appearance he had when he first got here. He brushes his hair quickly and secures it with a much faster hair tie than the ribbon he prefers. He slips out of the old clothes of Ajax’s that he had left with him and puts on his traditional outfit, which slips across his body, unfortunately not fitting him correctly anymore. He looks in the mirror, he is nowhere near what he was, but maybe it is enough. The weight loss is not something he can fix right away without using his powers, he doesn’t want to remind Ajax of that right now.
He looks in the mirror, he is nowhere near what he was, but it may be enough. Enough for him to remember and for Ajax to forget.
When he pulls open the door, Ajax is standing there, getting ready to pick the lock from what it looks like, he stares at him instead. Good, it might work.
“Ehem sorry A- he didn’t want to be called that by Zhongli according to their last argument, don’t overstep - Childe, I wasn’t expecting anyone today, you caught me off guard” Zhongli could hear the croak in his voice from the weeks of not using it.
“ Zhongli are you okay?” Ajax said and his voice sounded so warm to Zhongli. It sounds so comforting but also it sounds concerned which means he hasn’t been successful in his act.
“Perfectly fine, tea?” Zhongli walks past him trying to regain his elegant air and make his way to the kitchen but his dizziness is overwhelming and he loses his footing horribly.
Ajax does catch him before he can hit the ground at least.
“Ah excuse me it seems I have been more and more of a klutz as of late” Zhongli excuses and tries to correct himself but Ajax will not lose his grip. Instead, he starts to feel him, he feels his waist, his stomach, his ribs, his chest, his neck, and finally he cradles his face. Somewhere in the middle of this Ajax has settled them into the floor, they are sitting across from one another. Zhongli feels his cheek heat up as Ajax cradles his face in both his hands and squeezes.
“ Are you okay?” Ajax repeats the question quietly, staring into his eyes like he is going to fade away. Zhongli in this vulnerable position can’t find a lie to make up
“Fine.” He says barely above a whisper, it feels rude to break the volume Ajax has set for the room.
“Don’t lie Zhongli” Ajax says, caressing his cheek carefully, and if Zhongli wasn’t so worried he was going to fade away he would lean into it.
“I am fine Childe, no reason to be upset” Zhongli tries to reassure but his voice cracks mid-sentence, his throat has never felt so dry.
“I’m not upset, I’m concerned” Ajax is still whispering and looks at him even more puzzled now, like him being upset is not possible.
“ Well, there’s no reason for that,” Zhongli says and tries to get up but Ajax is holding him down on the ground by his face.
“I’ve never seen you like this” Ajax turns Zhongli's head in his palms, analyzing him, Zhongli feels a deep shame and tries to pull his face away.
“Ah I’m sorry like I said I wasn’t very prepared for company, I hope you can overlook that unpleasantness when you consider your forgiveness” Zhongli whispers a bit weakly, he is still trying to peel his face away from the palms that rest on both sides.
“ I am not-“ Ajax tries to speak but Zhongli cuts him off, he doesn’t want to hear it, and breaks his heart more.
“Sh it’s okay I understand, I’m sorry, I thought that if I had fixed myself up it might be able to convince you differently, once again I apologize for being so unpresentable.” Zhongli clarifies for him, rather than hearing it, it’s easier to just have him agree.
“ Zhongli, when have you ever known me to care about that?” Ajax now sounds hurt, and Zhongli has hurt him again by implying he just cares about looks.
“ Oh never, forgive me it wasn’t a dig at your character, just I wanted luck on my side” Zhongli admits, he knows looks don’t matter to him, but he did want to be good-looking at least. He didn’t want to be seen as this foolish mess to him, he had failed.
Zhongli pulls away from the hands holding his face, but Ajax’s hands fall into his as he tries to stand, they once again keep him there.
“Zhongli, I’m not here to hurt you or make you upset, I’m here to apologize” Ajax clarifies and Zhongli is confused, there is no apology needed from him,
“What?” Zhongli asks, it’s all he can do, he hates not understanding and right now he is so confused.
“I’m sorry I broke the chopsticks, I was so frustrated at that moment, I said some horrible things to you” Ajax speaks and lays his head on their intertwined hands, it looks like a prayer and it makes Zhongli sick.
“ It is okay, I deserved it,” Zhongli says, trying to pull his hands away, Ajax grips them even tighter.
“No, you didn’t, I just- I went to travel after everything here and I was so busy and I couldn’t return but Zhongli” Ajax’s voice departs for a second into a sigh “I thought of you every waking moment. At first, I was upset, why couldn’t I stop thinking of you even when you had betrayed me? However, by the time I got tied up in Fontaine and the weeks I had to spend recovering from that stupid whale. The only thing I could think about was how I hadn’t seen you in months. I cried so much I feared my foul legacy mask would drown me from the water build-up. Then I came back and I couldn't find you, and nobody has seen you since I left, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I thought you were gone, I couldn’t believe it. ” Ajax stares at their hands, rubbing the small scar Zhongli has on the outside of his thumb.
“Why didn’t you send a letter?” Zhongli asks, wanting to know where his letter was signaling he was at least alive if he missed him so much.
“I tried, every time I wrote one I threw it away because it didn’t sound right, or I could never mail it. I would wait in lines to get to the postal service and then they wouldn’t even let me mail it. One day I waited for hours and I got there and they wouldn’t let me use it when I broke down right there. I just kept thinking about how lonely you’d be and how you must’ve thought I was abandoning you forever” Ajax recounts and Zhongli knows he’s not lying because his eyes well up like the oceans they are familiar to, like the memory alone is paining him.
“I didn’t” Zhongli wants to reassure, but he knows it isn’t true deep down, he did believe that, but he still can’t fully believe he is real.
“You did, you thought I was an illusion, that’s how much you didn’t believe I’d come back” Ajax sounds upset, his eyes are glistening with unfallen tears still
“ I didn’t think you’d want to see me again,” Zhongli says and it’s heart-achingly honest.
“ Zhongli, humans never get tired of seeing the sunset, right? Every day it’s something new to look at and admire, that’s how I feel about you. I’m sorry that I caused you to never believe that” Ajax places a small kiss on his hand, an apology he needs to accept.
“ I forgive you,” Zhongli says, he would never not forgive Ajax, even if it would be the death of him.
“ You haven’t been taking care of yourself,” Ajax says looking him up and down, Zhongli once again is filled with upset
“I have” Zhongli tries to protest but he can tell it isn’t convincing, not in his state.
“When was your last meal then, the kitchen is spotless from when we last made ours and Xiangling told me she hasn’t seen you in months” Ajax knows he can’t lie his way out of this one, he’s collected all the evidence,
“ I have uh” Zhongli tries, but it falls flat; he cannot come up with reasoning that isn’t wrong.
“Exactly, come I will make a meal for you, something gentle so as to not upset your stomach,” Ajax says and smiles and Zhongli finds himself smiling back.
Ajax helps him off the floor, practically carrying him to the kitchens as he sets him near the table to eat. The silence fills the room again, a former god and a fatui harbinger. One is weaker right now and it’s not the one you would normally think.
Next thing you know the scent of boiling veggies and meat is bubbling on his stove, a specialty Ajax told him his family would make for people when they are sick.
Zhongli just sits at the table waiting to eat, waiting for it all to come crashing down. It doesn’t but a small bowl is being placed in front of him along with a spoon. When he doesn’t move to take the spoon right away then there is a hand that is scooping up the broth and bringing it to his mouth.
“Let’s start with just broth, okay, let’s try and keep that down,” Ajax says and tilts the broth towards his mouth,
And so Zhongli sips the broth off of the spoon that is offered to him and he almost cries. He missed eating, he loved it when the flavors crossed his tongue like never before when he tried something new. This was just plain soup broth but it tasted like ambrosia dripping from his cup. Slowly but surely he switches from just broth to the veggies as well and then to the meat and then the entire soup is gone and Zhongli is stuffed.
“Good, now you are no longer hungry my dear.” Ajax takes the bow away and sets it to be cleaned later.
“Yes,” Zhongli says, he feels much better now that he has eaten.
“Now let us get some rest, My travels were long and you could use some too, you have shed many tears,” Ajax says and he gets up from the table and comes around to help Zhongli up.
“Ah yes rest” Zhongli steadies himself on Ajax’s arms and turns toward the living room.
“Where are you going?” Ajax asked, using a hand to turn Zhongli toward him
“ To my couch, you may rest in the bedroom, I will be out here” Zhongli assures, he knows Ajax probably will not want to stay in the same room as him.
“Would you not join me in our bedroom?” Ajax asks and once again runs circles with his thumb over their intertwined hands
“Only if you wanted me to,” Zhongli says, shock evident in his voice
“Zhongli, it is your house,” Ajax says like it is the basics but Zhongli doesn’t view anything as his anymore, it is all theirs.
“But it is our bedroom” Zhongli whispers and it’s why he hasn’t entered the bedroom in weeks either. That is a place for both of them, it can’t ever just be him again
“Zhongli, come join me in the bedroom lest I carry you there.” Ajax threatens and Zhongli knows he isn’t kidding, so he just nods in agreement
Ajax does carry him there anyway, even with new food in his system he is still slightly off-kilter.
When they do lay down, Zhongli tries not to crowd Ajax but is quickly negated by Ajax pulling him into his arms. He sits and stares at Ajax, still not fully believing that this just isn’t a lucky dream. He fears if he closes them he will wake up tomorrow and be alone again.
“The point of resting Zhongli is to actually go to sleep, you know,” Ajax says, eyes still closed but he is awake, he knows Zhongli is staring
“ I don’t need rest particularly” Zhongli accidentally reminds and he can see Ajax stiffen slightly but then relax
“Right, I forgot you are a god,” Ajax says, but it is not said in the bitter tone that was once used but rather like it is a fact of life
“Yes, I am but-“ Zhongli tries to remedy what he said, what he has caused him to remember but he is cut off
“Well god or not, you should sleep, consider it not a need for you but a need for me,” Ajax says and snuggles even closer to him if possible, Zhongli can feel the warmth radiating off of him.
“What do you mean?” Zhongli is confused about how he could need him to sleep, it is not beneficial for him.
“You may not need to sleep, eat, or anything really but I need you to, I want you to” Ajax explains, finally cracking his eyes open and staring straight at Zhongli, blue meeting amber.
“Why?” Zhongli asks
“Because, I love you, and I don't want to see you in a bad condition,” Ajax says as though the sentence is just like breathing, like loving him is still normal. Zhongli feels hope bloom in his chest.
“ You still love me even if I was dishonest?” Zhongli asks and he feels like he has asked so much tonight but he needs to be sure.
“Yes Zhongli, you could reveal to me you were a pebble right now and I would pick you up and carry you in my pocket forever.” Ajax pinches his fingers together to make a small circle, presumably him as a pebble,
“Wouldn’t that be a sight” Zhongli huffs a bit of laughter out, which makes Ajax tip his lips up in a small smile.
“Yes I could imagine, me walking around mumbling to a pebble of all things, I’d seem like a madman.” Ajax jokes and it would look quite silly if Zhongli experienced it
“Maybe stories would be written of you” Zhongli suggests, Liyue has many tales a man in love with a pebble wouldn’t be the weirdest.
“Yes the madman in love with a pebble” Ajax throws quotes up in the air, yawing again
“ Well the pebble would love you back at least” Zhongli confesses, he would love Ajax in any way, shape, or form.
“You would?” Ajax asks, staring into his eyes again as though this means the world.
“For eternity” Zhongli feels so honest in those moments, he is baring his heart for Ajax forever.
“That’s a long time,” Ajax says,
“The last time I took up a lover and she passed, I bloomed flowers in her name so the land would never forget her,” Zhongli remembers her, he thought he would never love the same again but he understands that isn’t true. Deep down he knows she understands too.
“And you would do the same for me?” Ajax asks
“I would, maybe not flowers as that is her given gift but maybe precious ore or an animal of some sort” Zhongli is already planning it, something beautiful yet strong just like his Ajax.
“Aw I’ll have to remember that so I can find it as a ghost,” Ajax says and it reminds Zhongli all too well of the large problem in their relationship
“A ghost yes” Zhongli whispers, it hurts to recall. That one day all that will be left of them is him, alone again.
“Hey, let’s not think about that right now, we will cross there when we do” Ajax reassures him and pulls him close again.
“But” Zhongli tries to argue
“But right now I am by your side, I am in good health, I will be here for as long as I can” Ajax cuts him off and kisses his head
“You will”
“Of course”
At this moment despite not needing sleep, Zhonglis's eyes feel heavier than ever and he finds himself slipping anyway as a gentle hand runs through his hair.
When he opens his eyes in the morning, he believes it is all a dream until he is greeted with soft snores and the sight of a puff of ginger inches away from his eyes. Ajax is still here, Ajax wasn’t an illusion, he is giddy.
“Morning” Ajax’s eyes open and the light hits the blue just right, giving Zhongli a feeling like he has jumped off the docs directly into cool waters.
“Apologies, did I wake you?” Zhongli whispers, among all the turmoil last night he failed to consider just how tired Ajax may be from all his travels. He had hoped the man would get plenty of rest before leaving on his next conquest for the Tsaritsa.
“No, I think my eyes were just excited to see you again” Ajax jests, Zhongli's eyes go wide but there is a soft red sitting at the tops of his cheeks and Ajax knows he has said the right thing.
“Oh, well I uh I” Zhongli says still quite flushed, Ajax had the best notion of how to always make him feel like he is many years younger and has never experienced love in this form.
“ I’ll have to add flustering a god to my skill set” Ajax smirks and Zhongli smiles and lies down on his side where Ajax throws both of his arms around him. There is not much space between the two, and Zhongli couldn’t be happier about it.
“Mm, I suppose” Zhongli hums and presses a kiss into the side of Ajax’s jaw, feeling the warmth that he missed from his skin. Ajax then turns his head and returns his kiss with another, this time the warmth is found on his lips.
He watches as Ajax detangles them, gets up from the bed, and goes to the bathroom in his house, humming his little tunes and leaving the door open as though not a thing has passed between them.
“Zhongli, you are good at fighting, no?” Ajax asks, Zhongli is not sure he could handle a sparring session right now but if that is what he wants, he could try.
“I am decent, yes, years of practice under my belt” Zhongli responds and his mind flashes back to the years spent on a wasteland of battles and darkness. He hasn’t had a reason to wield his weapons since then, proud of the nation that he has built for being able to protect itself. However, if the day ever came up, he would gladly step in to protect all of the great citizens again.
“And if Liyue was ever in need of your presence you could return at a moments notice” Ajax then asks, Zhongli is not sure where he is going with this. Maybe he just wants to know the extent of his power, if he will ever really become Rex Lapis again
“Most likely but I doubt that would be soon” Zhongli expresses, he knows the people are strong, they have a fighting chance no matter the battle.
“So you are free from most obligations, correct?” Ajax asks one more time, Zhongli is still very confused by all of this,
“Yes, I don’t really have anything I need to be tending to on the daily” Zhongli says and finally rises from his bed, he feels much better now having eaten and rested.
“Great, I want you to travel with me” Ajax announces and walks to him to grab his hands. Zhongli, for the second time, eyes go wide and a flush spreads across his cheeks.
“Pardon?” Zhongli asks, he knows how important Ajax’s travels are, not just to him but to his goals, to take Zhongli with…
“If you don’t like the idea that’s fine but I want you with me, so if you are willing, would you join me on my travels?” Ajax now seems nervous, he is rubbing circles around the tops of Zhongli's fingers where he is holding them. He is worried Zhongli won’t like the idea and Zhongli loves it. He would wish nothing more than to travel with his lover for as long as life allows.
“Yes, Yes I would be honored” Zhongli quickly spits out, and Ajax’s shoulders go less tense and he pulls Zhongli into his arms, tucking his head in his neck and peppering small kisses everywhere.
“Excellent, we shall spend the next few weeks in Liyue making preparations and bringing you back to health and then we will set off.” Ajax says as he pulls away from his neck, those eyes are sparkling with genuine joy and Zhongli can’t believe it.
“Are you a genuine Childe?” Zhongli asks, still believing that in some cruel way, this may be a joke on him by a higher power, that he will wake up on his couch and Ajax will be gone. He notices that Ajax’s nose crinkles up when he asks and he worries he pushed too far and he changed his mind.
“Of course I’m genuine. Also, call me Ajax please, Childe sounds too foreign from you” Ajax reassures him, and Zhongli feels his joy bubbling over in his chest so much he leans forward and presses a kiss to his lips, and jaw, and cheeks, and forehead, and just about anywhere else he can reach,
“Okay Ajax” Zhongli leans back and Ajax is flushed and smiling so hard it looks like his cheeks hurt, Zhongli feels the same way.
“Now come I have drawn a bath for you, let’s get you cleaned up.” Ajax then lifts Zhongli to take him to the bathroom, if he just so happens to join him for that bath, Zhongli will never tell.
“Okay” Zhongli relaxes in his lover's arms and he knows that the pain that has plagued him for weeks has finally faded away into something amazing.
Over the next several weeks, Ajax spends time making preparations for their leave and making sure Zhongli returns to his good, healthy status again. The first time they return to Wanmin for lunch, Xialing is so excited to see them again she offers them a free meal in the house. When they come to the funeral parlor, Hu Tao cries in relief stating she thought that Zhongli had passed away.
Zhongli has returned to his former self, His hair is tied correctly, his body is refilled from less hunger, and his eyes and hair have returned to their normal shine. He is prospering greatly and now in a week's time they will be leaving to adventure together.
Zhongli has considered if this could possibly constitute him as working with the fatui which won’t go over well with a few people or the traveler but he can’t find it in him to mind when he thinks of spending the rest of his days by Ajax's side.
He says his goodbyes to all those in Liyue who mean something to him. He was worried at first about leaving but he knows these people, he knows they are safe with one another. If there is ever a time when they aren’t, he will return, he swears by it.
Ajax walks into their house, gathering the various bags that are laid out for their traveling.
“So, for our first trip, How do you feel about the cold?” Ajax asks, pulling out a large fur coat in Zhongli’s signature style, then another with a more official look to it.
“The cold?” Zhongli asks, wondering just where their travels will be taking them to first, excitement buzzing in his body.
“We will be taking a ship to my home, I must visit my family, I would be honored to bring you with” Ajax announces and Zhongli is so honored, he knows how precious this is to Ajax, how much it would mean to him.
“I would be honored to go.” Zhongli answers that it is the most honest he has ever been, he cannot wait to see all of what has made Ajax into what he is today, every part of it.
“Perfect.” Ajax says and smiles at him and it is glorious, Zhongli is not just a God loved by millions but he is a God who is adored by just one who matters.