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The sky at sunset was a brilliant mix of color, similar to that of a watercolor painting.
From deep, lonely blues to bright magentas, the horizon was bathed in light. The world below was basked in the remaining glow of the setting sun; a warm, waning gold. However, in the center of the forestry, knee-deep in the stream's water, was the stony figure of Xiao's only remaining guardian, untouched by the sun's comforting rays.
In an instant, the breath was snatched from his lungs.
Zhongli's voice pierced through his mind like the blade-end of a spear, words that were spoken just mere moments ago when they were on that windy mountain overlooking the Harbor…
“I am sorry Xiao, but I must visit him.”
"I owe him so many apologies."
Xiao slowly approached the statue, feet dragging behind him as his heart pounded in his ears and frightened gasps escaped his throat.
He stood before his father's figure, its eyes solemnly closed and expression a mixture of guilt and sorrow.
"Is this your idea of an apology?" Xiao whispered, harshly biting into his bottom lip to hold back his tears, "Abandoning the living for the dead?"
He blinked the water from his eyes to focus his vision, hoping that this was just some cruel trick his mind was playing on him. Yet the longer he stood there to witness the stillness of the form before him, the more he came to believe that this was terrifyingly, heartbreakingly, soul-shatteringly real.
Reaching up, he took his father by the shoulders and attempted to shake him, though the statue would not move. He slammed his fists into the statue's upper arms to try and crack the stone, yet the more he did so, the more bloody his hands became. Furious tears poured down from his eyes as he failed to even make a single crack in the rock that was holding Zhongli captive.
He punched the statue as hard as he could in the shoulder, causing searing pain to spread through his knuckles and fresh blood to pour down his palm.
Now sobbing harshly, he leaned his head against his father's chest and let his cries echo through the surrounding trees. He hoped, he prayed that his voice would reach Zhongli's sleeping form and convince him to awaken.
This was a self-punishment far worse than death; alive but not living, trapped in a tomb of rock for what Xiao could only hope was not an eternity. This was a punishment that the old god did not deserve.
Xiao knew too well how much Zhongli had loved Ajax. Whenever he was around the man or spoke of him, Zhongli would smile; real and genuine, his face red, gaze enamored. However, after Ajax's passing, such a smile became a rarity, instead replaced by a lugubrious expression.
Witnessing the erosion of Ajax’s memory in the townspeople had set him right on the edge, and feeling himself begin to forget was what had pushed him over. Now, Xiao could only name a few people who remembered the golden-haired man in his entirety, mainly those who were exceptionally close to the man like himself.
Perhaps Zhongli had long since died after Ajax passed, though such a death was not that of the physical body, but of the spirit and soul.
And now Xiao found himself an orphan, weeping by his father's statue through the night and into the early morning, the grave of his second guardian sitting ever-present on the shore behind him.
♡♡♡
In an instant, the dual doors flew open, thudding against the walls behind them.
The head of the man on the far side of the room shot up, his blue eyes blown wide and brows furrowed.
Xiao rushed forward in a fit of rage, ignoring the protests of the Melasine guards behind him. He got as close as he could to the face of the man before him, the desk separating them being the only thing stopping Xiao from tearing him apart and potentially killing him.
Sharp, bold eyes stared back at him, matching his own intimidating glare, yet he could sense sorrow behind those knife-like pupils.
"A whole year, and you have done nothing. " Xiao growled through gritted teeth, nails digging into his palms as he balled his hands into fists, "I have lost another person who I hold dear because you have yet to put the cryo archon on trial."
Neuvillette blinked at him a few times, shoulders easing and on-edge demeanor softening to a more guilt-ridden one, "So, Zhongli too has left us?" There was a faint quiver in his voice, which could have been easily missed by human ears.
Xiao forced himself into a calmer state, slowly lowering himself into the chair next to him, yet still keeping his glare hostile, "He is not dead. At least, I don't think he is. He has encased himself in stone." He felt his throat tighten slightly, "I…do not know when he will awaken."
Neuvillette nodded slowly, his voice somber and empathetic, "I understand your frustration. You lost a parental figure that you deeply treasured. Now, one year later, you find yourself without the other."
Xiao shifted in his seat, "Then why won't you arrest the Tsaritsa?" He questioned, voice cracking, "She murdered an innocent man."
Neuvillette let out a soft sigh, likely in an attempt to steady himself emotionally, "The people of Snezhnaya value their archon to the highest degree. According to their laws, if the Tsaritsa is disrespected or betrayed in any form–including pledging loyalty to another archon–it is considered blasphemy and treason, and therefore punishable by death." Xiao noticed how he was brushing his thumbs against each other, the only flaw in his otherwise composed posture.
"So though I would like nothing more than to put the Tsaritsa on trial for what she did to Mr. Tartaglia…" He continued, "His execution was justified under Snezhnayan law."
Xiao's heart sunk into his stomach, the empty hole in his chest now replaced by a heavy, debilitating weight.
"So…" He breathed out, defeated, "There is nothing that can be done."
The room fell horrifically silent, with the only sound being the now falling rain tapping against a nearby window.
After many moments, Neuvillette choked out, "I'm afraid not."
The dragon's eyes were clouded and distant, with his gaze downcast and expression unreadable. It was as if he was feeling every emotion all at once: sorrow, anger, guilt…all of it.
"I should return to Liyue." Xiao spoke, getting up from where he had been sitting.
However, before he could turn around to leave, Neuvillette spoke again, "Xiao, there is something more I believe you should know."
It sounded as if the man was holding back an ocean's worth of tears, every syllable spoken a struggle, cracked and broken and unsteady, "A month or two ago, Zhongli approached me, begging to be put on trial, claiming he was the one truly responsible for the murder of his lover. Though I tried to convince him of his lack of involvement, the man was obviously heavily guilt-ridden to the extent that he believed he belonged in the Fortress of Meropide amongst true convicts. I believe that he may have turned himself to stone as a way to imprison himself…for a crime he did not commit." He swallowed thickly, bottom lip quivering and his stoic posture crumbling, "Mr. Tartaglia did not deserve his fate, and neither did Zhongli…"
"Both will forever be–in my eyes and heart– innocent. "
♡♡♡
Summer vanished like an extinguished flame, giving way to a far colder and baren autumn. The trees wept off their leaves like withered tears; slow to fall, but abundant in number.
Xiao would often find himself wandering aimlessly through the streets of Liyue, searching for distractions. If he was not doing anything, then the painful memories would set in.
On that particular day, he found himself outside the doors of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, steadying his shaking hands to get a firm enough grip on the door handle to open it.
He had not spoken to Hu Tao since before Zhongli left, far too afraid of seeing a grief-ridden expression on her usual cheery face. He supposed he should now face that fear.
With a deep breath, he swung the doors open to be greeted by that familiar figure, a welcoming smile spread across her features.
"Welcome, Xiao! It's good to see you again." She greeted joyfully, "What can I do for you?" Without waiting for a response, she grabbed him by the arm and was practically dragging him down the hallway, "Join me for tea, won't you? Then tell me all about it!"
Before Xiao could object, he was plopped into a seat across from her at a small table in her office, with a mug of freshly brewed black tea energetically shoved into his hands.
He let out a soft sigh after taking a moment to mentally recuperate, I swear, I can never keep up with this girl. I don't know how Zhongli did it.
He carefully pressed his lips to the edge of the cup and took a decent swig of the tea. Hot beverages never really bothered him, as he had built up a tolerance for many normally harmful things over his difficult lifetime.
He noticed Hu Tao slightly flinch as she watched him down the piping hot cup of tea in one go and set it back on the table.
"So…uh…" She began somewhat nervously, "What brings you by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor this afternoon? Did you wish to discuss business?"
He shook his head, "No, actually, I wanted to…catch up with you. It has been a while since we last talked."
She smiled brightly at him, the kind of smile that could light up all of Liyue, "It has. Well, I've been doing alright with the business and everything, though the workload is a bit much sometimes." That bright smile quickly began to dim, "It's been rather…lonely here."
There. That look on her face. That was what he had feared most about seeing her again. The fall of her eyes as they rapidly dodged his gaze, the drop of her smile into that of a deep, sorrowful frown, the way the ducts of her eyes were lined with tears…He hated seeing her like that. Zhongli had hated seeing her like that.
"I can hardly recall the face of his lover anymore…" Hu Tao's wistful voice pulled him out from his thoughts, “But I do know that…” She took a deep, wavering inhale, "...That he loved him dearly."
Xiao let a heartbeat of silence fall over them, his next words slow and deliberate, "'Loved' is an understatement." A faux chuckle left his throat before he could stop it, "I do not think that any creature–be it divine or mortal–could ever comprehend what he felt for Ajax." He recalled Zhongli's shimmering, love-struck smile. The kind he only ever displayed when around or mentioning Tartaglia, and the kind that had died alongside his beloved.
"All I know is that it was something far stronger than love."
Hu Tao nodded, slowly. Ever so steadily, a delicate, bittersweet grin began to creep its way back onto her features.
"Do you know if– when he will awaken?"
"I do not. He is an immortal. It could be a few years, it could be thousands."
Hu Tao nodded again, impossibly slower, "I see. Then it is unlikely that I will ever see him again…"
She was crying now. Deep, pain-filled tears sliding down her cheeks and saddened sobs escaping her throat. She was trying to hold them back, but it only resulted in producing sounds similar to those of suffocation.
Xiao was frozen for a moment, eyes widened in shock and confusion, before he forced himself to his feet and walked around the table to envelop her in a somewhat awkward embrace.
She wept in his arms, trembling like a glaze lily being thrashed around by the wind.
"He is not dead." He spoke in an act of attempted comfort…
"He may still return to us."
♡♡♡
His eyes traced their way across the cracks and lines in the tile ceiling, wandering aimlessly and without purpose.
He could hear the raspy hoot of an owl somewhere off in the distance outside of the bedroom, its sound oddly grounding.
He lay beneath the sheets, eyes staring blindly upwards in a troubled state while the sleeping figure next to him snored softly, golden hair falling gently to frame his face; delicate and peaceful.
Xiao wanted to spend the rest of his existence admiring those beautiful features.
But…he couldn't. Not yet.
Something inside was telling him to wait.
He had bought a ring just a week ago, made of cor lapis and diamond. He knew that the man he loved loved him back just as much, if not, more. He knew the answer he would get would be a 'yes'…
So why was he hesitating?
Whenever he would close his eyes and imagine himself walking down the aisle towards his fiancé, standing patiently by the altar with the brightest smile on his face…Xiao would take a moment to scan the crowd. He'd search the crowded pews for that one familiar face.
He would never find what he was looking for.
It pained him to think that his father would never get to see him marry such a wonderful man. He'd be partying at the reception with his new husband and friends while his only living family was trapped in rock.
Perhaps if he simply awaited Zhongli's return…
But how long would that take? For all he knew, the old god could be asleep for the rest of eternity. Though both Xiao and his fiancé were immortals, it wouldn't seem right to wait around for someone who may not wake up for trillions of years.
Would he be betraying Zhongli if he didn't wait? But…he couldn't just bring his life to a standstill.
Letting out an exhausted sigh, Xiao rolled onto his side so that he was facing his lover. The man's hair was fully undone from his braids and splayed out around him, turning from gold to silver in the light of the moon that peered through the window behind him. With a delicate hand, Xiao ran his fingers through his beloved's hair, taking in the slight smile that formed on his fiancé's face as he did so.
And with a heavy heart…
He made his decision.
♡♡♡
Many long, dark, cold winters made their way through the Harbor, leaving at the end of their time but allowing the constant cold and gloom to linger even long after their departure.
Xiao found himself in front of his father's statue, shoes sinking into the cold snow and hands clutching freshly picked snowdrop flowers.
Around him, the glaze lilies had all retreated into their frosty slumber. They would awake again come spring, when the sun shone once more, melting through their icy blanket.
Icicles dangled from the trees, sharp as daggers and trickling with water droplets. The stream ahead was completely frozen under a thick sheet of ice, likely freezing it all the way through.
Xiao delicately placed the snowdrops by Zhongli's feet, before making firm eye-contact with the statue.
"You've been gone a long time." He spoke, though he doubted he could be heard at all. Yet, he continued.
"I miss you, Father. Every single day of my life."
He smiled, a bittersweet thing. Raw and cracked and broken.
Slowly, he moved his hand to place two fingers at pulsepoint on his father's wrist, closing his eyes, dreading that feeling of nothingness.
To his relief, beneath that frosted, stoney exterior, he felt the faint thrum of a heartbeat. The beat of it was slow and lazy, as if it was ready to give up and lose itself to a finality unfamiliar to immortals.
“You suffered.” Xiao whispered, his voice wavering slightly as he spoke, “And you did so in silence. Had I known the true extent of your agony, I would’ve given you arms to fall into. Had you cried out for the world’s mercy, I would’ve delivered it to you in an instant. In forgetting him, did you forget me too?”
No words answered him, and as he had expected, the statue remained still.
“Life took what was most precious to you, and for that, you loathed it.” Xiao said firmly, determinedly, a slight hint of anger to his voice, “But it did not take me. I am still here.”
Hot breath escaped his lips in wisps of white air. Visual, undeniable proof of his existence.
“Come the day you wake, I shall show you that there is still beauty in being alive.”
♡♡♡
Time was but a stranger to him; cold and unfamiliar like the snow that now fell around him.
For all he knew, he could have been dreaming for eons.
Snowflakes whipped back and forth, the wind like a haunting, screeching cry in his ears. Frost burned against his skin like fire, hot and horrendously painful, piling against him as furious flakes of snow found him as a place to settle.
Beneath him was thick, hazy ice where water must have once been. Now, whatever was originally there was nothing more than an icy grave for what used to swim beneath.
Reaching up with a trembling hand, he pushed his hair behind his ear and out of his eyes. Now able to see what was ahead of him much clearer, he could make out the outline of a silhouette just a few feet away. It was standing there patiently, as if it was waiting for him.
He slowly and cautiously pushed himself forward against the raging wind, shivering against the cold and letting out desperate puffs of hot air. The ice beneath his feet was slippery and wet from the snow, and as the figure’s features had just started coming into view, he felt his balance waver, throwing him forward with a startled yelp.
In an instant, strong, firm hands were around him, catching him mid-fall. His forehead was pressed against a soft chest, his arms grasping at the back of the figure’s shirt. He noted how warm this person was. Like spring’s first appearance in the dark cold of winter.
Slowly, he was pulled back onto his feet, the figure bringing him into an embrace. And as they did so, they whispered a soft, loving greeting in his ear…
“Hello again, love of my life.”
All the breath escaped Zhongli’s lungs in an instant as he pulled back to look at the figure’s face.
What stared back at him was a gentle, warm smile creased across wine-colored lips. Orange hair seemed to sparkle with the snowflakes that adored it. And those eyes…those blue eyes that resembled glistening oceans when touched by the sun’s light gazed at him with deep, indescribable admiration.
“Ajax.” Zhongli breathed, the word etched onto his tongue as he spoke it.
This was not like his memories that he had re-lived over all this time. He could make out every freckle on his lover’s cheeks, every strand of hair that framed his face, every flicker in those eyes of his.
Without wasting another heartbeat, Zhongli took Ajax’s face in his hands and connected their lips together, warmth exploding between them at the impact.
He closed his eyes and let himself drown in the sheer feeling of belonging that flooded through him, memory after memory flashing through his mind at the taste of his lover’s lips against his own and the feel of his arms around him.
This was where he was meant to be, in the embrace of his beloved with a kiss that acted as a sealed promise of eternal dedication.
When they parted, the world grew warm again, with new life sprouting where the winter had now departed, fresh water rushing past their ankles and the sunlight beaming down through the forest canopy.
Zhongli watched as the light in his lover’s eyes danced across his irises like fireflies.
“I’ve missed you.” Zhongli spoke softly, a bright, genuine smile spreading across his features.
“I know.” Ajax responded, pressing their foreheads together, their breaths mingling, “I’ve missed you too, Zhongli. I am…sorry I left you.”
“Do not apologize.” Zhongli said with a slight, saddened chuckle in his voice, “It was I who took you from this world too soon by sending you away. The fault is all on me.”
Ajax pulled away just enough so that he could look the old god in the eyes, his expression now that of sorrow, “You truly think of yourself as my murderer?”
Zhongli nodded, slowly. Dropping his gaze to watch the water run by his feet.
“You need not blame yourself for what you couldn’t control. You did not know that I would leave you and be walking into my own execution. You couldn’t have known. And even if you were my killer–who spilt my blood with his own two hands–I would know that it was for a dire circumstance. I would not be angered. So please don’t encase yourself in stone like a prisoner.”
Zhongli shook his head, “It is not just for the purpose of incarceration.” Zhongli spoke, his bottom lip trembling and his head shooting up to meet Ajax’s sympathetic gaze, “What meaning do I have in life if that meaning is not you? How am I supposed to simply forget you as if you were never even born? I cannot bear to witness everyone forget you, it is enough to destroy me. There is no light in this world without you in it.”
Ajax shook his head, firmly, “You are wrong. There is still so much left for you in this world, even with my memory gone. What you are avoiding is the natural process of moving forward and healing. And though you won’t admit it, I know that you miss living. You miss how the sun kisses the waters of the harbor at dawn and dusk, setting it aglow. You miss the soft sounds of the birds that greet the passerbys on the street. You miss the familiarity of the Funeral Parlor, how it brings you a sense of warmth. You miss the people, most of all…”
Zhongli’s eyes widened slightly.
When Ajax spoke again, there was desperation in his voice, along with the slightest hint of hurt, “Do not tell me that I am the only thing that matters to you. What about Hu Tao? Neuvillette? Xiao? Do you not miss them at all? Furthermore, most of the people you hold dear are mortal. The longer you stay here, the less time you will have left to spend with them before they pass. I do not want you living with that regret.”
He paused, swallowing thickly, droplets appearing behind his eyes as his expression saddened, “Please, my love.” He pleaded, “In what you have lost, do not forget that which you still have.”
Zhongli hesitated, torn between empathy towards his lover and his own stubborn resolve. He balled his hands into fists by his side.
"But without you or your memory, there will be oblivion. I do not know how I'd live like that, if I forgot you–"
"Then let me be forgotten." Ajax interrupted, voice firm and determined and void of all fear, "I do not care that I will fade from memory. If that's what it takes for you to live without grief, to finally see yourself as innocent, then let it be so. Learn what it is like to live without me."
Zhongli felt something drop in his chest in resignation, as if his heart was finally ready to let go.
He knew that somewhere inside him resided the mortal desire to live again. A desire he had been suppressing, but was finally bursting forth like a tidal wave.
Life had been hard on him, but he supposed a hard life was far better than no life at all…
…Even if it meant leaving the man he loved behind.
Though, he doubted his heart would ever truly stop grieving.
"This is my last request for you." Ajax stated. Though he was trying to stay level-headed, Zhongli could see right through him. He was falling apart. "To cherish this world's wonders and to live out an eternal life happily."
Tears burst forth from Zhongli's eyes, cascading down his cheeks as he threw his arms around his beloved, knowing that when he awoke, the power protecting his memories would be gone, and it would be as if he had never met Ajax at all.
They would never see each other again. As a mortal who was deceased and an eternal being with uncountable years ahead of him, this would be their last embrace.
Firm hands held Zhongli, letting him cry onto his shoulder, slender fingers brushing through his hair.
Zhongli held him tightly, knuckles turning white as he did so, muttering between sobs and heartbroken screams:
"I love you…Ajax."
And back to him, these loving, caring words were echoed, steady and brave:
"I love you too."
And in a flash of golden light, he was gone.
♡♡♡
Newfound light made its way to his eyes as he opened them for what felt like the first time.
His sights were immediately greeted by the blinding glow of the sun gazing down upon him from where the trees parted. The forest was a bright, brilliant green, with the air warm and crisp.
Glaze lilies danced around in the breeze by the shore of the stream, fully bloomed and likely the healthiest Zhongli had ever seen them.
As he scanned his surroundings, his gaze stopped upon a figure resting beside a tree, features darkened by the shade cast over him. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were closed softly, yet he was sitting up attentively, as if prepared to awaken at a moment's notice.
Zhongli recognized him immediately. The striking dark hair, intimidating posture, and tattoos adorning his right arm.
"Xiao." Zhongli called, a warm smile growing on his face.
Thin yellow eyes were on him in an instant, like a predator who had just located its catch. Swiftly, the man got to his feet and stormed over to Zhongli, joining him in the knee-deep water of the stream.
The second Zhongli was within range, Xiao pulled his arm back and slapped him across the cheek with full force, causing waves of stinging pain that only an Adeptis could produce.
" Fucking dumbass! " He yelled, his voice bitter and hostile, but hidden underneath was the slightest hint of sadness, tucked away in the faint tremble of his words. "How dare you leave without so much as a goodbye! Do you not realize the extent of your actions? We thought you'd never wake up!"
"I–" Zhongli stuttered, rubbing the sore spot on his cheek that was now starting to burn, "I'm so sorry."
Xiao shook his head, his anger slowly simmering down, but still present, "Sorry doesn't mean anything." Now, his fury was fully dying out, "I'm just…glad that you've returned."
His eyes were now downcast, staring off somewhere Zhongli could not locate, thin irises dilating slightly. He watched as tears began to prick at the corners of his son's eyes, his brows furrowed in a desperate attempt to hold them back.
Carefully, Zhongli pulled him into a hug, making it loose enough so that Xiao could slip out of it if he so desired. However, he did not, instead slipping his arms under Zhongli's and resting his hands on both shoulders.
"I missed you, you know." Xiao whispered, any tension in his posture easing, “And if you ever find yourself haunted by agony, come to me and I shall be your asylum.”
"Thank you, my dear child." Zhongli replied, a warm feeling blooming in his chest, knowing that he would never have to struggle through life alone. Knowing how blessed he was to have Xiao as his son.
He pulled back slowly after a moment, noting Xiao’s unchanged appearance even though time itself had clearly moved forward since his absence.
Xiao, like him, was an immortal. Therefore, unless Xiao chose to do so himself, his appearance could not change as he aged. He looked the same as he had thousands of years ago.
"How long has it been?" He asked Xiao, glancing around to once again take in his surroundings.
"Fifty years." Xiao responded, avoiding his gaze and shifting his hands about.
"Fifty…" Zhongli repeated, letting his brain take in the fact that half a century had already passed, "And…for what purpose was I gone?"
Xiao's eyes back shot up to meet his, wide and confused, "You…" He swallowed thickly, "Don't remember?"
The old god tilted his head in confusion, "I'm afraid I do not. Though, I can recall that the power I used to encase myself in stone was meant to last an eternity, preserving memories as long as it remained active. What memories? I do not know. But perhaps that explains it."
Xiao's expression saddened deeply, likely for a reason that Zhongli was entirely unaware of.
They remained silent for a few heartbeats, Xiao awkwardly shifting his feet around in the water.
Zhongli's gaze fell to where his son was playing with something on his left finger. It was a golden ring adored with small gems that were most likely to be core lapis.
"You're married." He observed, breaking the silence.
Xiao nodded in response, "Forty-three years come fall."
Zhongli hummed in acknowledgement, regret and guilt building up in his chest.
I missed his wedding.
"I presume your spouse is the blonde traveler, Aether?" He questioned.
Xiao nodded again, a slight smile appearing on his face, soft and fond, "Yes. And he is good to me."
Zhongli sighed in a mixture of relief and happiness, "That man is lucky to call my son his husband. Make sure he remembers that."
A surprised look flashed across Xiao's eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a grateful smile, "I will."
The sound of flapping feathers echoed through the forest from overhead as sparrows soared above them. Zhongli savored the feel of the wind in his hair, blowing his ponytail about and pushing his bangs back.
"And how is Hu Tao?" He questioned, recalling the face and voice of the woman he practically considered his daughter.
"She is well." Xiao answered with an irritable sigh, "I tried to convince her to retire from the Funeral Parlor for her health's sake as she is growing older, but she was very adamant about remaining there until your return…when she could pass on the boss title to you."
Zhongli snickered, a rough and beautiful thing, "As stubborn as I remember. I cannot wait to see her again."
"Would you like to go together?" Xiao asked with a hint of amusement in his tone, "I fear that her reaction may be quite similar to mine. It would be safer if I accompanied you."
Zhongli nodded, following his son out of the stream's water and onto the grassy shore. He had missed so much in the time he had been gone, and he was thrilled at the chance to make up for half a century of his lost life. He would be forever grateful that he awoke when he did; while his dearest companions were still alive.
As the two were about to begin the walk back to Liyue Harbor, Zhongli froze, an odd stone near the shore catching his attention.
Xiao stopped and turned to face him, his expression shrouded in confusion.
Zhongli slowly approached the stone, which lay shaded under a large tree. It was void of moss or overgrowth, well-preserved considering the date etched into the rock was just over fifty years ago.
"A gravestone?" Zhongli spoke curiously, kneeling down in front of it to examine it more closely, "Why is it not in the cemetery with the others?"
Xiao’s answer came after a long pause, unsteady and uncertain, “It was…a request of the deceased to be buried here instead.”
Zhongli took in the words imprinted onto the gravestone. The year of birth. The year of death. The epitaph. The name…
He knew all the citizens of Liyue Harbor by heart. At least, those who had lived half a century ago. He did not know this one.
“ Ajax… ” He breathed, lingering on each letter and repeating the foreign title over and over again in his mind.
Slowly, he stood up, preparing to follow his son’s lead back to his city. Back to his people. His home. The life he had left behind.
However, his eyes lingered on the four letters that were written in bold, yet faded acrylic at the top of the tombstone. He could not pull his gaze away from that seemingly angelic word, even as unfamiliar as it was to him.
A fond smile appeared on his face, yet he could not describe as to why.
“What a beautiful name.”
Fin.