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In a small room at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor sat a man who was pouring himself over a piece of paper. To the side, was a gold-gilded book, meant to be a gift. It was the day of Zhongli’s birthday, yet he found himself buying a gift and writing (or attempting to write, at least) a letter to Aether. Zhongli pondered what he should write. All around, there were many pieces of paper with writing, proof of his previous attempts at writing this letter. He smoothed out another piece of paper, dipping his pen into the inkwell before beginning yet again.
He remembered that in the days of Rex Lapis, he was notoriously bad at noticing the passage of time. Sometimes even decades would pass before he'd realize he had missed his birthday. This year was special. This year, he was Zhongli. No longer was he an Archon, and no longer was he tied down to the name Rex Lapis. His first birthday as a mortal should be something to celebrate...right?
Zhongli started with a simple line.
I hope this finds you well.
He truly did hope that Aether was well. It worried him slightly that Aether often went off on his own without telling anyone. Where was Aether now? Was he doing okay? Whenever these types of mundane questions passed Zhongli's mind it was always linked to the traveler. He knew the traveler was strong, but he couldn’t help but get worried anyway.
This is the final day of the year.
It really was the final day of the year. That line seemed misplaced somehow, but it felt important to emphasize it. The final day made the whole prospect dreary, but there would always be years to come. There would always be time to be spent with Aether and the others in the coming future.
Thinking back upon the years past at this time never fails to make me sigh.
Zhongli's memory stretched back even beyond the formation of Liyue. He didn't even remember his earliest days, wandering as an unknown entity in a world so dark. He has lived past many names. From Morax to Rex Lapis the Geo Archon, and now...Zhongli. Out of all his names, Zhongli was the one he wanted to remember. Afterall, giving up the title of Rex Lapis and becoming Zhongli was what led him to meet Aether. In a way, it was sealed in fate that one day he would relinquish the title of Rex Lapis, and take up the mantle of Zhongli. If it meant meeting Aether again for the first time, Zhongli would give anything.
Mortal lives are like fish swimming amidst the rapids, or like vegetation growing beneath boulders.
Zhongli had seen all the different sides of mortality throughout his ancient life. From absolute good to absolute evil and everything in between. The one thing that was the same within them was the amount of fight within them. They always struggled and fought for the things they believed in. Similar to Aether as he sought out the archons to help find his sister. And along the way, unintentionally save people from their almost-fates. Zhongli thought that Aether’s mortality was strangely beautiful, in that way.
They are weak yet strong, transient yet timeless..truly inscrutable.
Zhongli saw Aether in that line in particular. (It was Aether. It would always be Aether, from the day they met till wherever the future takes them, but Zhongli would never admit that.)
Weak yet strong. Aether embodied the opposites. Although Aether possessed a mortal life, his heart was filled with such compassion. He carried such strength, such a strong will to help others for the sake of helping. His heart was strong and he was more than capable of protecting those he wished to protect. Zhongli found that admirable.
Transient yet timeless. Aether defined transient. He was never one to linger for too long in one place, much to Zhongli's disappointment. He would love to have Aether stay with him, yet that would only serve as shackles to the traveler's freedom. But whenever Zhongli saw Aether, he was always unchanging. His smile was still radiant as the sun above. His golden eyes still rival a molten horizon.
This year has been one of many more changes than usual.
This was true for all of Liyue. This was a year of change and development, of new beginnings and abrupt endings. This was the year that Rex Lapis was no more and a birth of a new, godless era. This was also true for Zhongli for he gave up what once was great power in exchange for a few simple days. Though the most complicated hurdle he had to jump was exploring these strange yet warm feelings he has for a certain blond traveler. (Did the traveler even feel the same? His brain traitorously thought. Zhongli just thought he was being overly dramatic, but his brain did make a good point there.)
Of these variables, meeting you was the most memorable. How will someone as unique as yourself spend days of birth? I am well-apprised of the more common practices, but I am curious as to your method of celebration.
Zhongli hesitated on this part. Was that too forward? He just...didn't know how else to convey how important meeting Aether was to him. Perhaps without Aether it would've taken him that much longer to let go of the past. Perhaps without Aether, time would remain paused and unmoving for a much longer time. Zhongli raked a hand through his hair. It would've been nice if Aether was around to celebrate his birthday with him. He was sure the traveler would have a lot of surprises lined up for the day. And even if there were none, spending a simple day with Aether was already tempting enough. If only he was here.
I am still getting used to a simple life such as this. It is a shame, but idle days do not seem to pass more easily than hectic ones.
It was different living the life of a mortal. Zhongli knew that time passed quickly, yet each day was heavy for Zhongli. Each day that passed without something new felt wasted.
But Aether... (It always came back to Aether.) Each day Aether was there, Zhongli paid no mind to the passage of time. He simply accepted each day as it was. Whether Aether wanted to eat a simple meal with him, or perhaps take him on a trip to the adepti households, it soothed Zhongli's heart. And it made him believe that life was worth giving a try, this time without worrying so much about time.
Would you happen to have a day free? I would like to take a stroll.
Again, there was more hesitation. Although he had lived through many mortal lives, he was still unsure on how to approach courting. When he asked around Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, he had gotten weird looks. Only Hu Tao answered him straightforwardly. "Ask him out on a date!" She had said. Though she didn't exactly say how. Zhongli surmised that this was close enough.
With your companionship, perhaps even familiar sights may yet appear new once more.
Zhongli ended his letter that way. It was a little bit cheesy for Zhongli's taste but with Aether he felt like it was possible. Everything could become new with Aether by his side. The time he spent with Aether was strangely precious. No, no. It wasn’t strange.
Zhongli knew exactly of the feelings that were blooming inside him. He had felt the same, a long time ago. And yet this and that were different. Maybe it was the time that had passed, but the love that Zhongli held close was different to the love he held close in the past. Both were like treasures to Zhongli, but he was now sure he could move on from the past, and start chasing this new bloom of feelings he was entrusted with.
How would the other Archons react when they see the Geo Archon – the oldest of the Seven – giving in to such tender and human emotions? Rex Lapis, who was known for his unwavering will and his control over his emotions, was starting to fall for a human. How positively ironic. And yet, Zhongli didn't mind at all.
Because it wasn't just any human.
This was Aether, afterall.
And to fall for one like Aether, well… There was no greater honor.
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extra.
“What’s Mr. Zhongli working on?” One of the parlor employees whispered.
“I’m not sure, but I think I saw him smiling a few times,” Another employee replied.
Hu Tao, who was watching this conversation unfold from afar chimed in, “He’s writing a letter to his soon-to-be-boyfriend.” Everyone in the room froze. They looked to Hu Tao who seemed very pleased to be the center of attention from the smile on her face.
“If that is a lie…”
“I’m not joking!” Hu Tao huffed. “See for yourself, doesn’t that look like the face of someone in love?” They glanced at Zhongli, who had a soft smile on his face. His eyes were looking at the paper, and yet it looked as if he was looking at the most beautiful view.
That afternoon, it had circulated around most of the major businesses in Liyue that Zhongli was spotted writing a letter to his lover. They started to prepare for a wedding. From gowns and suits to the most beautiful noctilucous jades and cor lapis, each and every merchant was anticipating a visit from the man who paid only the highest prices for the most quality items.
Little did they know that Zhongli hadn’t even confessed his feelings yet.