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Having lived for thousands of years, the Geo archon has seen it and experienced it all.
Erosion was a common matter for immortal creatures, such as himself; however, he enjoys good memory. Thus, in his position as a god, there’s nothing that remains uncharted for him.
That goes for love too, of course. To live such a long life and not fall in love even once would be very improbable at best. He loved, once. It wasn’t brief nor it was all heat and passion. Instead, it was something deep, something forged in trust, respect and mutual help. Something he was truly compromised with and that lasted hundreds of years. And the fruit of that love, was the human civilization now known as Liyue.
In this long life, he has experienced it all, including lost. There’s no life without death and no happiness without sorrow. He lost her. During the archon war. It wasn’t just a hard blow to himself, but also to his adeptus friends who held her in high esteem and to their nation too: he had to move what was left of his people to another place, funding the city of Liyue while doing so.
So, even being a god, the almighty Rex Lapis wasn’t strange to pain and suffering.
That was a long time ago, however. He wasn’t one to live in the past and let his emotions take the best of him. No, he was always a rational man. And even if he never loved again, he did what was best to worthily fulfil his position as one of the seven. He used wisely his time guiding his nation, making it the most prosperous of them all.
And, while doing that, the pain he felt for so long, finally subdued until it became nothing but one of his many memories. However, living so long is exhausting. Hold power for so much time is way more tiring than a human could think. He knew he was close to suffer from erosion, and it might be potentially dangerous for the nation he so dutifully has protected for millennia. It was time to change his life.
Turning into his human form and walk among mortals pretending to be one of them was nothing new for him. What was new in fact was, that he was now doing it permanently and without the Gnosis he got so long ago and that had accompanied him ever since.
Thinking about it, it was the first time in who knows how long that he got to experience something new. His new life as a human wasn’t bad at all. He had a respectable job at the funeral parlor and he had a lot of friends in Liyue, and people he could talk and enjoy a cup of tea with.
Which leads to his current problem. Yes, the almighty Rex Lapis, now known as Zhongli, had problems too; not everything in life could be easy, now, could it?
But what was enough to make someone as old and powerful as him worry? A mortal, of course. And not just any mortal, a foreigner. Not that he was one to have prejudices, nor hate on anyone from outside Liyue, no, he was always open to the chance to talk with outsiders and broaden his knowledge. He simply finds it curious that his main concern wasn’t one of his own people, but someone who came from afar.
A young, cheery man commonly known as Tartaglia or Childe, whose real name was Ajax. A soldier from Snezhnaya, one of the eleven herald of the Fatui. His position aside, they got along from the very first moment they met each other. Zhongli knew he got a great friend, with whom he could go out and talk and eat together and even drink.
Then, what can possibly this mortal do to have him worried? There were essentially two things:
The first and more complex of them was him, as a whole. Zhongli initially thought they could be close friends, but he wasn’t blind. He knew Childe was attractive, and there was nothing new about it. Attractive, young people were in everywhere in Teyvat. He never cared much about the looks of those he mingles with. So it wasn’t just his looks, it was everything: his looks, his way of seeing the world, the easy he felt around the Fatui. Taking everything into account, Zhongli was well aware he was attracted to Childe, but not just like a friend. And he knew the attraction was mutual.
And it wasn’t just physical attraction either. As stated before, beautiful people could be found easily anywhere. But there was something else in their bound. Something he hadn’t developed with any other of his friends. It was something that was only Childe’s and his.
And of course it made him worry. It could be easier if the attraction he felt was merely physical. But it was something that was starting to make his stone heart shake with fear.
Zhongli loved once. Just once. And never had the interest nor the time to fall in love again. But now, things were different: his heart didn’t hurt anymore for what he lost and he has time, now that the world doesn’t need him anymore.
But simply having interest and having time are not enough to engage with someone like that. There are a lot of factors to take into account: Tartaglia is a mortal, which makes it inevitable for him to lose him sooner or later, even if the things did somehow work. And he was from far away, and he would stay longer in his own country, doing his job than on vacations in Liyue. And, of course, was the fact that he was one of the eleven people that were closest to the Cryo archon, who was doing something to get every archon’s Gnosis. Zhongli didn’t know what the Cryo archon pretended to do with those, but he assumed nothing good could come with it; in the worst case, a new archon war could begin.
So, really, it wasn’t so simple. If he was going to deliver his heart once again, he had to be 100% sure the things could work out. Even if it lasted only for a brief moment of his long, long life. He didn’t want to rush what he felt and he certainly didn’t want to take a step forward, just to find out the feeling was unrequited. Because, yes, the attraction was mutual, but what about the feelings? Were they mutual too? and if they were, how deep ran said feelings? He doubted it was deep enough for Tartaglia to give up on his position, his country and even his archon, to come to Liyue and stay at his side. He, for one thing, wasn’t sure he was willing to leave Liyue to be with his beautiful Fatui.
No, it wasn’t a matter of willingness. It was a matter of readiness. He wasn’t ready to leave Liyue behind, he doesn’t think he will ever be ready for something like that. And that’s exactly why he can’t ask Childe to do it for him, he can’t be selfish enough to ask for something he cannot give.
Besides, is he even ready to love again? Does he have the right to love again? His mind and heart both say yes. Yes, he is ready to love and yes, he deserves to love and to be loved. That’s the most logical conclusion because what would be a good reason to say otherwise? But even then, he still has some doubts. And to be doubtful is one the worst feelings, not to mention hesitancy is tiring, not just to oneself, but it also wears out the people waiting for you to make a decision.
Thus, he is worried. He wants to make the best possible decision given the circumstances.
The second thing the young man could do to have him worried, was to write him a letter.
He’s read it hundreds of times already. He knows it by heart, but that doesn’t stop him from taking it everywhere with him.
About its contents, it simply says that he hopes he can enjoy his birthday, and the he’ll do his best to come visit for the lantern rite.
It was something simple, really. But it had his heart pounding all the same. And there laid his worry: his birthday was a few days ago, and now the lantern rite was about to officially start. Yet, he not seen Tartaglia once.
In this time of the year, he has little work and Hu Tao was busy rehearsing his rap for the rite, which means he’s had a lot of time to wander all over Liyue in the past few days and look for Tartaglia, only to go back home with a bitter feeling every night, because he did not find him.
It’s been a while since they saw each other. Childe had to return to Snezhnaya abruptly for an emergency, and he later wrote him a letter where he simply mentioned he had to attend to someone’s funeral. Of course, Tartaglia was clever enough not to disclose much of the crucial info about Snezhnaya to him. And he became even more cautious when he found out who Zhongli truly was.
But that wasn’t the problem here. The true problem was that he missed him dearly. More than he thought he would. And now, his heart, acting all naïve and innocent, is living with the hope to see him come back again.
His leisure days came to an end, however, with the lantern rite. He was hoping to spend it alone, sipping some tea and watching the lanterns from afar. But he had unexpected guests. Unfortunately, they were not the one he was waiting for, but they were a really nice surprise all the same: The Anemo archon, the Electro archon and the Dendro archon. All three of them came to enjoy the rite with him as if they were old friends.
The Anemo archon was his friend, obviously, even with the… difficult parts of their past. The other two were practically new for him. He knew Ei, barely, he’s seen her before, of course, but he didn’t spend much time with her before she started pursuing eternity; he knew his dead sister much better. And the Dendro archon was also new in her own way. After the Khaenri’ah incident, he heard that the Dendro archon lost all of her power and when her people found her, she spent centuries in meditation in her shrine. So getting to see her now was as well as knowing her anew.
The night was way more enjoyable than he expected and the four of them had fun together. He vaguely wondered if someday all seven archons could hold a party together, just like they used to do with the original seven, centuries ago.
After some more time of chatting, they returned to their respective nations and he returned to be alone. He felt a little disappointed that, in the end, he didn’t get to see Tartaglia in the rite. Maybe something else happened in his home and couldn’t make it. He sighed and decided there was no use thinking about that and forced himself to go to sleep.
A few days later, the street decorations were still on, and Hu Tao had organized a dinner with several of his friends and he was invited too. At this point he was resigned, thinking that his troublemaker human couldn’t come after all, and he was considering making a small trip to Snezhnaya instead. He would write him a letter later, when he goes back home.
The dinner was pretty amusing and he was surprised to see Xiao there and the Anemo archon once more. But, all in all, he had a great time. Finally, Hu Tao decided to walk back home some of his friends, leaving him in charge of Xiao and the traveler. Xiao and the traveler were, along with Tartaglia, the only ones who knew who he really was, so it was refreshing to have a conversation with them. He decided they needed no protection from him, and he would take a walk instead. He wanted to clear his mind, before meet up with director Hu Tao again. He would write his letter after that.
Xiao and the traveler seemed to keep talking a little more. He was grateful, Xiao did need friends, he was in another level of loneliness, so he was glad about what he found out about both the traveler and the Anemo archon being his friends.
But back to his problem, he still wasn´t totally calmed and easy at having to wait even more to see Childe again. He decided to walk to the harbor, maybe the peaceful waves could calm his heart.
It was dark already, but the rite decorations and lanterns made it possible to see clearly the ships moving away from Liyue. He observed them for some time until someone talked to him, from his back.
“What are you looking at, Xiansheng?” Needless to say his heart jumped happily in his chest when he heard that voice and he quickly turned around with a smile on face to see him.
“I was just wondering…”. He didn’t get to finish his thought. Tartaglia took his hand and pulled him away from the harbor and the people still walking on the streets at these unholy hours.
“I missed you so much, Xiansheng.” The Fatui said in a dramatic manner, pulling him behind a wall and latching his hands around Zhongli’s neck. Zhongli sighed and leaned in to kiss his lips softly.
“I missed you too.” He said in all sincerity.
“Are you sure about that?” Tartaglia smirked. “Are you sure you didn’t miss my mora instead?” He teased.
“Why would I? I created mora, I’ve seen enough mora in my life to be bored of it. You, on the other hand, I haven’t seen enough of you.”
“Now, now, Xiansheng, you’re going to make me flush.” And he pulled him in for another kiss. This one was deeper, more intimate, slow. It tasted gloriously after so much time being away. Zhongli squeezed the other’s waist a little. And after a good time, they backed a little.
“I’m really glad that you’re here.” He said after a moment of just looking at his beautiful blue eyes. “I would like to talk to you. About what we are to each other.”
“Wow wow, I just arrived here and you’re already laying a claim on me?” He pretended to be surprised or even mad, but his soft smile gave him away.
“Yes.” Zhongli smiled back at him, rubbing softly his back. “But really, I think I would like to make a contract with you.”
“Ugh.” Tartaglia rolled back his eyes. “This is what I get for getting involved with the almighty Rex Lapis, the God of contracts.” He chuckles. “Okay, we can talk about it later. But for now, I want a warmer welcome, yes? Let’s go to your place.
“Yes, I want to spend as much time as possible with you.” He took Tartaglia’s hand and began walking, but he barely took three steps before stopping. “Ah, I forgot something.”
“What is it?”
“I need to go back to my work.”
“You’re kidding.” Childe looked at him with a deadpan face.
“No, I mean it. I have to meet up with the director.”
“Leave her waiting, I want my Xiansheng with me now.” Zhongli couldn’t help the butterflies flying in his stomach at the “my” with which the other referred to him.
“Here. This is the key to my place, you already know where it is. I’ll try to be back as soon as I can. Make yourself at home in the meanwhile.”
“Right. I might wait for you naked.” Tartaglia joked.
“Hmm. I think I’d like that.” He nodded and kissed his forehead.
“Eh? EH??” Tartaglia’s face flushed and he was red all over in no time. “I- it was a joke!”
“Oh. I’m sorry then.”
“N-no! No, but- if you meant that… then, I guess I have no option.” He looked away, still red all the way up to his ears.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to impose.”
“Just go already!” He softly shoves him. “But don’t make me wait too long!”
Now it was time for Zhongli to chuckle. “I’ll be there soon. Wait for me.” And he turns around to kiss him once again, before letting him go, ready to finish quickly his job and rush back home.