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(Prologue !! Skip if you want!)
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Lumine was in the Angel's share Tavern past closing. With the permission and presence of the owner, She frequently had late night drinks with Zhongli, Venti, and the Diluc himself, her three best friends.
Paimon was there, too, and also one of Lumine's best friends, but the pixie wasn't allowed to drink, and thus served grape juice with Diluc. She was actually too young, as opposed to the Traveller, who was 17 Epoch, rather than 17. (Zhongli still refused to believe that he was younger than the traveller, especially by so much.)
In order to avoid "Lesbian Wrath," as Venti called it, Diluc offered her free wine on occasion.
"Can I invoke gay wrath upon you to get free wine?" Venti asked bluntly. Diluc stared at him.
"You already do. And I make your wine more expensive whenever you cause me soreness." He deadpanned. Zhongli whipped around to glare at Venti.
"You drunkard of an Archon... I cannot believe that you would injure someone for alcoholic beverages!" He scolded, shaking his head. Venti laughed, and promptly gagged upon having the dragon's hands around his throat.
"Kill him." Diluc huffed. Lumine cackled.
"Let him go, let him go, he doesn't hurt Diluc!" She giggled, and Zhongli looked over at her, just as confused as normal. He was smart, but dense as a rock. He was still strangling Venti.
"Your Morax is showing-" Venti choked out. Not helping his case, Zhongli growled. He ended up letting go, though, his rough hands having painted Venti's neck red with the bruises. Diluc pouted.
"Diluc and Venti are together." Lumine explained. Zhongli cracked his knuckles. "No, he's not harming his partner. They're talking about.. Activities that Paimon shouldn't hear." Lumine elaborated. Zhongli stared at her.
"Sex." Diluc shrugged. Lumine gasped, reaching over and covering Paimon's ears.
"Ah. Apologies, Master Diluc." Zhongli nodded, and Venti pulled his sleeve.
"Where's my apology? You almost suffocated me!" He pouted.
"You don't need to breathe, Barbatos."
"You don't need to be a little bitch, MORAX! What's up with you, anyways? You're so on edge.." He huffed. Zhongli turned away and stared at a wall. Even Diluc, who had no emotional intelligence, could tell that something was deeply wrong with him.
"What happened..?" He asked cautiously. It was safe to talk here. None of them were going to say anything to anyone, after all.
"Did you break your favorite tea set? Did your wallet pack up and leave? Did-" Paimon giggled through mouthfuls of fisherman's toast. She, alongside the rest of the group, froze as Zhongli cut her off, suddenly beginning to cry. "Oh.." She looked away awkwardly as Lumine gave a hug to her favourite friend.
"Ajax..." He whimpered, slumping over.
"He dumped you!? I'll kill him!" Lumine huffed, holding him close. He clinged to her, seeming to dull at just the mention.
"I- I'm not sure.. Cloud retainer mentioned that he likely didn't notice my advances, but I thought us partners.. Perhaps he just- But-" Zhongli choked out. He pulled back, wiping his eyes. "He has not contacted me in nearly a year.. My letters remain unanswered.." He winced. Venti stole and handed to him a bottle of wine, which Diluc let slide because the Geo Archon seemed shattered. Lumine gasped.
"That bastard!" She stomped. She paced back and forth, arms crossed. "He's always messing things up, everywhere he shouldn't be, and-" She paused, then turning to Zhongli. "Wait... He probably isn't in Snezhnaya!" She called out. Zhongli stared at her, tearing up again.
"So he could very well be on the other end of the world..?" He whispered. He covered his face, wailing. Diluc, the only one of them who wasn't drunk or Paimon, cleared his throat.
"If you are looking for that scum- ahem- Fatui, your best bet would be to ask his boss." He pointed out. Lumine clapped her hands together, nodding.
"Ah, the Tsaritsa! Of course!" She nodded. "We'll send a letter, and tell her to give Zhongli his boyfriend back!"
"Or a better boyfriend." Venti added. Lumine tapped her foot.
"Good point. Zhongli could do better." She crossed her arms, nodding. "What do you think, Zhongli?"
"I want my Ajax.."
"Your taste in men is awful."
"Traveller.."
Ultimately, Zhongli's pitiful, heartbreaking sobs got the best of the group. They helped him detail a letter to the Tsaritsa, and each decided that his smile was worth it.
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(Main Story !! You can skip this too, but that kinda defeats the purpose.)
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Tartaglia sighed, settling into his apartment. He'd been dispatched to Liyue for the foreseeable future, for reasons unknown. When he asked the Tsaritsa, she gave him a smug little grin that he'd describe as "cute," if he wanted to be bludgeoned to death with icicles. That look meant that he wasn't getting an answer, essentially...
He accepted his fate quite easily. He thought the harbor was a wonderful place, after all. Obviously, not too many of the civilians trusted him. More obviously, he did not give a singular fuck. As long as the market welcomed him, he was set. In fact, the whole "This fruit would summon an ancient god for funsies" mentality meant that he never had to bother negotiating.
It's how he got such a nice apartment.
Kicking off his shoes and hopping into his bed, he sighed contentedly. He crossed his legs, hands raising above his head as he stretched and relaxed. After a long day's work at the Northland Bank, he was just about ready to Call it a Day In Liyue. For a while, he pondered what to make for dinner.
Standing, Childe strutted to his cabinet and showed off for himself, flinging open the doors. He had the usual cabinet items. Spices, more spices, holy fuck that's a lot of spices, condiments, peanut butter, Jelly, Jam(because that's probably different), hazelnut spread, paimon, canned food, boxed macaroni, did he mention spices? He grabbed the macaroni and closed the door.
Taking out a pot, he began to read the instructions. For the Macaroni, not the pot. He added in the water, beginning to boil it. Once it heated, he began to stir the macaroni into the pot. It was tedious to stand and wait, but he'd set a timer, at the very least. His hand idly moved the wooden spoon as his timer counted down eight minute- why was Paimon in his cabinet????
He opened his cabinet, and sure enough, there was the little pixie, eating his fucking nutmeg. He stared until she looked at him.
"Can Paimon help you..?"
She nervously whimpered. She yelped as she was yanked out of the cupboard, and Tartaglia sighed.
"Why?"
"Well, Traveller put Paimon here to wait in case you got home before she could find you!"
She wailed. Tartaglia narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"Paimon will be right back!"
She fluttered out of his grip. A shame, since he figured she'd add some flavour to the macaroni. Ignoring that... Experience. He resumed making his food tiredly, already exasperated. It took all of five minutes for Lumine to dash into his apartment. He stared at her like a startled fox. Which he was.
"...Good morning-?" He nervously eyed the perpetually pissed-off traveller.
"You."
"Me???"
"Don't start that shit. It looks like a certain SOMEONE has forgotten about a certain SOMETHING." Lumine stomped her foot.
...
"That's a bit hypocritical, no? You can't get mad at someone for being forgetful when you can't remember who it is or what they forgot?" Childe tilted his head.
...
A thorough beatdown later, The harbinger was lying in bed, eating Kraft Mac & Cheese with the arm that still worked.
"Alright, girlie, are you gonna tell me why you're here now, or are you going to break more of my bones?"
"...When it comes to my friends, I shouldn't pick favourites. Zhongli is my favourite. He is crying."
"He's crying!?"
"You haven't talked to him since after you tried to destroy his city!"
"He used me like a pawn!"
"And you tried to destroy his city!"
Childe groaned, knowing he'd lost. Not really because of the argument, but because Lumine didn't seem to be afraid in the slightest to kill people, make them eat a fried egg, and then kill them again. Childe, on the other hand was afraid of four- and only four things.
1. Teucer plucking hair from The Rooster's moustache.
2. Tonia dyeing her hair 42 different colors.
3. Harm befalling his loved ones in any capacity.
4. Lumine.
And so, begrudging as all hell, he allowed (was threatened into allowing) the traveller to dash out of the house, bringing back Zhongli, who.. Looked like a mess, to be quite honest.
Zhongli was being dragged by the tail (That Childe didn't know about) into his house, slumped over. His normally amber eyes were a dull, almost burnt brown, and his horns (That Childe didn't know about) were the same hue. His hair, while still brushed, was a bit frizzy and undone. He'd look nice with his hair down, if he wasn't also fucking miserable.
Childe didn't get to process his companion's disheveled appearance before he was momentarily blinded by a flash of amber and tackled by an excited dragon. The misery plastered on his entire being was all but gone, the dulled features no more.
"Oh! My Ajax has returned!" Zhongli purred loudly, which Childe didn't know he could do at all, and stared up at him like a long-lost lover. "I began to fear you'd never return.." He whimpered.
"Well, I wasn't originally going to.." Said nobody, because Childe wasn't risking his other arm by breaking Zhongli's heart.
"I was busy.." He settled on instead.
"Busy coping and seething!" Paimon teased.
"Lumine, eat her." Childe pointed to the pixie. Lumine gave a thumbs up and snatched Paimon. She was already rummaging through his cabinets, anyway. Zhongli smiled.
"So, you came to visit me for your break?" He tilted his head, so innocently that Childe forgot why he was mad at the Ex-Archon.
"Mm. Something like that. Her Majesty stationed me here for the time being-"
Zhongli buried his face in Tartaglia's neck. His tail was wagging like a dog's, steadily increasing in speed, likely lowering the temperature in the apartment singlehandedly. Tartaglia thought to check his phone before realizing that the vibrating across his body was the dragon purring against his chest.
"Oh... Aw.." His heart melted as he began to stroke the horns and tail of the mighty Rex Lapis. Zhongli happily chirped, smiling softly.
"Hmm.. This news is most pleasing.." Zhongli mumbled as if his purring wasn't indicative. "Mm... I requested for the Cryo Archon to allow me more time with my mate.. I missed you so much..." He whimpered, Childe protectively holding him by instinct. The harbinger, at this point, forgot his grudge, focused entirely on the dragon. He had questions, primarily...
"Mate-?" He blinked twice. Zhongli sat up with a slight sigh.
"Mm..? Ah, yes... This whole time, I've been thinking of you as my mate.. Y-you accepted my courting gift of Dragon and Phoenix chopsticks.." He sighed. Tartaglia, despite his own shock, didn't miss the rare stutter from the dragon's lips. "I failed to take into account that you may not understand Liyue customs... Nor draconic courting.." Zhongli embarrassedly admitted, not elaborating on what that meant or entailed.
"I had no clue..! I- I would've- I didn't- I-" Tartaglia looked away. Zhongli shook his head, burying his face in Childe's neck, purring until they both calmed.
"...I should've realized." Tartaglia sighed. Zhongli huffed in response, clinging to him tighter.
"I should have been more clear." He whispered, tail wrapping around his waist. "But still. Would you have me, I would be overjoyed to be taken as your mate. I have been waiting to ask." He whispered, uncharacteristically shy. Tartaglia's eyes widened.
Zhongli had been waiting for nearly a year. Childe had been avoiding him for the same amount of time. He was bitter, but by no means did he hate Zhongli. He wouldn't have seethed for the past months if he did. He would've let go of someone he hated.
He felt betrayed by someone he loved.
He felt as if he was just being used, little more than a pawn to be easily discarded by the first person that he let into his heart after so long.
Zhongli's flustered, pleading gaze told him how wrong he was. And so he sat up, with a bit of struggle. The dragon, while not as heavy as one may expect for the Geo Archon, still wouldn't let him go easily, at least not without a solid answer.
A kiss to his lips was a solid answer.
His tail started thumping against the ground as he leaned into his beloved's kiss. Shame, dignity, restraint? Distant memories. Tartaglia was vaguely grateful for his lack of animalistic traits. He wouldn't look any more composed with a fox tail wagging behind him, after all.
They stayed locked together until-
"BOOO!!"
Lumine, who had somehow been forgotten, interjected. The pair pulled apart, looking at her and her Pixie companion. Paimon was in a pot, sitting on a tupperware like a raft as it bobbed in the water. She was giving two thumbs down.
"Paimon knows what you are!"
She called out as Tartaglia sighed.
"Can I help you?"
He narrowed his eyes. Lumine crossed her arms.
"You two are too sappy. Begone." She shooed them. They stared at her.
"This is my house." Tartaglia pointed out.
"Did I stutter?"
And so, Tartaglia, somehow kicked out of his home by someone who didn't live there, took his beloved Zhongli on an impromptu dinner date at Wanmin Restaurant. He'd just eaten, but that wasn't important. What was important was how the former Archon's face lit up at the suggestion, his happy gasp, and his excited nod before he bashfully apologized, formally accepting the plan.
It was clear that Zhongli didn't mind the effort he had to put into concealing his draconic traits, if it meant he got to spend time with his mate like this. Curled up in his lap, watching Tartaglia eat with chopsticks. The harbinger couldn't help preening as Zhongli complimented his skill. He hadn't been practicing for nothing, after all.
Well. Maybe he had. He didn't know why he continued to practice after he'd first left Liyue so long ago. Maybe, despite his resolve to not engage with the dragon ever again following his departure(That plan turned out great.), Tartaglia distantly looked forward to having another meal with the very dragon that captured his heart. The very dragon on his lap. Staring up at him in a way that made them feel as if their roles had been reversed.
Zhongli stared up at Tartaglia as if the harbinger were the god instead. The admiration on his face, the way his amber eyes studied his mate's deep blue ones.. It was a fondness surely reserved for the divine. It made Tartaglia feel as if he were atop the world. But on the other hand...
"Zhongli? You haven't eaten a bite of your food." He tilts his head. Zhongli went red, but didn't tear his eyes away. He knew he had eternity to look into those eyes, but he wanted to appreciate- wait...
Zhongli looked down, his own thoughts breaking him out of his lover's spell. His beloved, his mate, his Ajax, was mortal. He'd nearly forgotten, how entranced he was. While it broke his heart, there was nothing he could do. He put his arms around Tartaglia, his attentive, observant lover, and he sighed, silently resolving to cherish, admire and worship his lover for the entirety of his fleeting life.
"Did I upset you..?" Tartaglia pulled him a bit closer. Zhongli pulled himself together, managing to give him a heartbroken smile.
"Ah... I doubt you could. I seem to have upset myself..!" He nervously laughed before he held tighter onto his mate. "I.. Had forgotten about your mortality. I already dread your inevi-"
"None of that." Tartaglia cut him off. He frowned, but the soft kisses pressed to his face made it hard for him to maintain the expression. "I won't leave you, Zhongli." He smiled. Zhongli blinked twice.
"Ajax.. I refer to your ephemeral lifespan.." He whispered.
"Zhongli.. Death would have to fight me to take me from you." He smiled. Zhongli whimpered.
"Ajax.."
"I promise, Zhongli. I won't leave you." He kissed his lover again. It was clear Zhongli wasn't getting anywhere with this. Maybe he'd try again later... For now, he would accept his lover's words and cling to them.
He felt himself being sat up straight, and watched Tartaglia skillfully pick up a dumpling with his chopsticks. When it was held in front of his mouth, he happily opened his mouth, enjoying the food. He truly appreciated Childe's newfound skill with the thin sticks. He allowed himself to be selfish for just a moment, imagining that the harbinger learned just for him.
He allowed himself to be fed, and was able to stare up at Tartaglia as long as he wanted. He didn't even notice the heaviness of his eyelids until he couldn't see his beloved Ajax. He allowed himself to rest, held by his mate..
Tartaglia walked into his apartment, holding Zhongli in one arm. The Archon very clearly made himself lighter at the restaurant. It was convenient for Childe, since his other arm was still aching. Lumine, the culprit, was at his table, glaring.
"I thought I evicted you!" She complained. Tartaglia had the sheer audacity to shush her, pointing to his beloved, asleep in his arms. Arm. Whatever.
"Hmm.. If it's for Zhongli.." She tapped her foot. She relented, allowing Childe into his own house. "I also don't want to be a landlord." She tacked on. Childe paid her no mind, tucking Zhongli into bed. He climbed in right next to his lover, and embraced him as he slept. Lumine rolled her eyes.
"Gay people.." She sighed, walking over to Tartaglia's cabinet. She opened it, pulling Paimon (and about 3 bottles of nutmeg) out. She exited the apartment and set off. Probably to go hang out with her girlfriend. Regardless, she made a mental note not to return for another few weeks... Dragon mating season was around the corner, after all.
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(End !! A little too late to skip, no?)
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