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The sun gently touches Morax’s face through a small hole of the tree, and he revels in it. The grass beneath him waves slowly, as Morax brings his cup to quietly sip it.
Suddenly, the grass’s waves become stronger, and the wind forces Morax’s hair to be frantically blown at. At the feel of it, Morax puts down his cup to greet the other that just arrived.
Looking up, the other god smiles at him, wide and toothy, “Hey, Morax! How long has it been?” Barbatos’s cheery voice chimed, and Morax couldn’t suppress his own smile.
“Hm, at least a few centuries. I believe the last time we crossed paths was a few years before the Archon War ended.”
Barbatos laughed once more, sweeping to the empty chair in front of Morax, “Really? The last time we met was for that contract of yours? Then, truly, it’s been a while.” Morax reaches over to pour the other tea, which Barbatos thanks happily.
After he downs the drink, Barbatos questions, “So, why did you invite me? It’s always nice to see an old friend, but you’re not one for abrupt meetings.”
Morax smiles, refilling Barbatos’s cup, “Would you believe me if I said this really is just a reunion between friends?”
Barbatos hums, putting a hand to his chin, “Perhaps, a few hundred years ago I wouldn’t. But people change, we’ve changed, so I’d believe it now.”
As the two of them talk idly and drink tea, Morax can’t help but sigh in content.
As with everything, it all falls down and creates a mess.
Morax would never be able to predict what happens next.
As with all things that go horribly wrong, it starts with a mistake.
Barbatos starts by saying he’s never been able to explore Liyue, especially since the first time he came, it was during the Archon War. And, Morax, like the fool Guizhong insisted he is, offers to show him around.
It starts pleasurable, Morax points out landmarks and their history, and they sometimes stop for food. Where Morax’s real mistake comes, however, is suggesting they stop at Wangshu Inn.
When they arrive, the owners greet them politely, and show them the way to a nearby table. However, a loud, boisterous voice suddenly comes and both of the gods look there in interest.
Their curiosity leads them to the kitchen. “Ha! Are you challenging me, young one?” The one with the energetic voice is an old man, who is already limping quite badly.
“No, Chef Zhao, I’m just saying—“ Before Morax even looks in the direction of the other voice, he knows it’s Xiao. Though, even when both his ears and eyes know it, Morax can’t help but be surprised that Xiao is at an Inn, of all things.
The old man cuts off Xiao, waving his hand back and forth, “Nothing is impossible! Come, I’ll teach you, while I’m still young!”
Xiao grimaces, “Chef, you said you would rest after this—“
Even though Xiao keeps talking, the Chef does nothing but ignore him, and instead messily looks around his kitchen, seemingly to find something.
Morax chuckles lightly, about to tell Barbatos some tales about Xiao, when he looks over and see that the other is gone already. Morax frantically looks back to where Xiao and the Chef are, just to find a third party as well. The third party is, by no surprise, Barbatos. Who is probably going to do nothing to make the situation better.
As Morax is about to get up in order for Barbatos to not embarrass the entire nation of Mondstat, Barbatos starts to speak. “I don’t mean any harm, but why is it so loud over here? Is there a problem?”
As Xiao quickly says, “No, there isn’t—“ the old man exclaims, “Yes!” at the same time.
The both of them look at each other grumpily, but Chef Zhao speaks up first. “The problem here is that this youngster just complained—“
Xiao is hasty to cut him off, almost pouting as he quietly mumbles, “Complain is an overstatement —“
However, Chef Zhao is even quicker to interrupt, “Let me finish first! So, this youngster was complaining to me how he’ll miss my Almond Tofu once I’m gone, but refuses to let me teach how to make it!”
Barbatos, as cheerfully as ever, sparks up, “Well, that’s reasonable!” Looking over to Xiao, he says, “You’ll regret it if you don’t learn it! Consider this a favour, young miss!”
Morax, watching the whole thing, openly gaps when Barbatos says that. Xiao does pretty much the same thing.
Chef Zhao laughs even louder than before, but if he realised what Barbatos said or not, he didn’t mention it. Instead, he requested, “Is it alright if you help me search for the recipe, kind stranger? Considering Xiao over here insists on not learning it.”
Barbatos smiles, “Of course!”
So, Barbatos and Chef Zhao start looking around the whole kitchen, while Xiao is still left dumbfounded. Sighing, Morax stands up, walking towards Xiao.
Incredibly, Xiao doesn’t even notice him until Morax says something. Truly, only Barbatos is able to make someone so confused and astonished.
“Xiao.”
Just at the mention of his name, Xiao jumps and looks over to Morax, before bowing. “My lord, why are you here?”
Morax shakes his head, smiling, “Mostly to apologise for my companion’s behaviour.” Xiao tilts his head, before the realisation hits him and he looks back to Barbatos.
“That…” Xiao hesitates, grimacing, “the man, just now, is your companion?”
Morax chuckles, “Yes, I see he’s already left a bad impression on you.”
Xiao turns his head away from both Morax and Barbatos, “If you trust him, my lord, then I… will trust him as well.”
Morax laughs, opening his mouth to respond, before being stopped by Barbatos.
“Xiao, right? A simple, elegant name. It suits you, truly.” Barbatos sheepishly says. (And Morax can’t believe it. Is Barbatos flirting with Xiao? Morax is very tempted to cut in with “I gave him that name” but forces himself to stay calm.)
“Anyways,” Barbatos speaks louder now, “we found the recipe! Come, let’s learn it together!”
The next few hours or so is spent with Chef Zhao struggling to teach both Xiao and Barbatos how to cook Almond Tofu, as well as quite a few fire hazards.
Morax just watches from the side. He’s mostly watching how Barbatos keeps on sneaking glances at Xiao, as well as try and fail to help him at cooking.
As the day starts to come to an end, Morax is subjected to trying the Almond Tofu that both Barbatos and Xiao tried so desperately to make. Chef Zhao is standing next to the two of them, as Barbatos carefully places the dish on Morax’s table.
The air is thick as Morax slowly brings the tofu up to his mouth, not even Barbatos can calm the shaky wind that passes by them. Morax takes a moment to fully taste the delicacy, closing his eyes in thought. Then, with a calm and steady voice, states,
“A lovely, tasteful dish. You’ve all done wonderful.”
Nothing is able to stop the cheers that escape both Chef Zhao and Barbatos, even Xiao peeks a small smile. Zhongli smiles back, and but unfortunately still realises how Barbatos stares right at Xiao’s lips. Seriously, just because he’s an archon, doesn’t mean Barbatos can act so indecently.
Morax, deciding that enough is enough, clears his throat abruptly. “Barbatos, let’s speak privately.”
However, at his words, Xiao snaps to stare at him. Morax looks back, tilting his head, “Why? Did I say something wrong?”
Xiao sputtered, “My lord, your companion is… Barbatos? Archon of Mondstat?”
As soon as Xiao even starts talking, Barbatos turns his head to Morax, much in the same way Xiao did. “‘My lord?’ Morax, is Xiao your…” Barbatos stops talking, and his face pales as though he’s just reached an early death.
Cautiously stepping back, Barbatos nervously chuckles, “Hehehe, Morax, really, I didn’t mean any—“
“Let’s talk outside, Barbatos.”
“Of course.”
The two of them rush outside the kitchen, leaving Xiao and Chef Zhao behind.
Xiao looks back to Chef Zhao, who is now taking a seat and finishing the Almond Tofu.
“It tastes great for a first try, but,” Chef Zhao nods while saying this, “maybe you could pan-fry it a bit more. Perhaps my recipe isn’t up to date now.”
Xiao takes a seat next to Chef Zhao, quietly taking a bite as well. “Hm, I agree. Also,” He says, in between bites, “did you know that he was Barbatos? You didn’t seem all the surprised.”
Chef Zhao just laughs, “Once you reach my age, you’ll find there are much stranger things.”
Xiao furrowed his eyebrows, “Chef, you do know that I’m.. an adeptus, right? I’m older than you are.”
Chef Zhao’s eyes widen, and his mouth gaps a little, “You are?”