Chapter Text
高山流水琴三弄,清风明月酒一樽。
Which in thine breast doth live, as thine in me
A lone figure could be seen sitting at the side of Qingyun Peak that overlooks Mount Hulao. Looking closer, one would recognise it to be the Prime of Adepti, polishing his lance after returning from battling the gods. Carefully, he sharpened his weapon, going over the events of the latest conflict in his mind to prepare a report to his loyal tactician. It was a common occurrence, regular enough to become almost a ritual, to return to presentable form before returning home.
He had removed the ichor caked on his lance, letting it sizzle and smoke where it dripped onto the dirt, and was now returning the jade’s edge to the desired sharpness, running it between two amber-coloured fingers.
He sensed a fluttering presence far behind him, undoubtedly divine but fainter and much more gentle than that of the gods he had tuned his senses to recognise.
She’s here .
She had no pretensions of sneaking up on him, not while his guard was up, and so she casually strolled along the road leading up the mountain, humming softly to herself.
Zhongli felt a pair of hands gently cover his eyes.
“My, my, it seems the villagers were right, a dragon does dwell on this mountain.”
Her hands were warm and the soft fabric of her sleeves brushed against his shoulders, the scent of glaze lilies surrounding him as she leaned against his back. She must have been singing in the fields.
“Tell me, mountain dragon, what will you grant me if I release you?”
She spoke with cheeky solemnity, her smile creeping into her voice. He placed his spear down on the rock and focused on his assailant. Pondering his words carefully, he recalled how that noisy wind spirit had often bashed him for “having the verbal subtlety of a clay brick”.
Grasping the hands over his eyes, he turned to face her.
“Why, I did not know flowers could speak so. Such a rare sight, I must take you for my lady’s garden.”
She was in her preferred form, with a glaze lily tucked behind her ear amidst chestnut locks that covered her shoulders, tied with a pin at the back. She wore a blue and white hanfu, and the god thought to himself that she really looked like a flower.
She grinned sweetly at him, and the naked affection beaming from her shifts something in his chest. It’s not the smile of divine love she shows their people, nor is it the smile of gentle companionship she wore when meeting their adepti allies. It’s a smile meant only for him, and his chest burns with the desire to keep it to himself.
“To what do I owe the visit, my lady? I was about to return to our abode and present my report on the battle over the Bishui Plain. Has something happened?”
The woman cupped his face between her hands, sharp golden eyes meeting gentle blue.
“Do I need a reason to wish to see my most cherished companion? Is seeking company not reason enough for us to see each other, must we have a goal to achieve or matters to discuss?”
She tilted her head, and her tone was cheerful, but he sensed a tinge of genuine hurt behind her question.
Clasping the hands on his cheeks, he pulled her closer, close enough that he had only to whisper and she would hear him. She looked at him, blue eyes widening in surprise at the boldness of his gesture. His stone-faced expression softened and his lips pressed into a subtle smile.
“It is not that I should find it unwelcome. These days of war are strenuous and ever busy, and it is not too often that I get to enjoy spare moments together with you. I am simply surprised at my luck.”
Gods, for a rock-headed divine lizard, he sure is a smooth-talker.
She let go of his hands and smoothed her skirt before sitting down on the rock next to where the warrior god was, moments ago. Feeling her face still warm, she noticed her companion was still frozen in place and she patted the rock gesturing for him to sit next to her. Zhongli sat cross-legged and lifted his spear, ready to resume honing the blade.
However, shortly after starting on his work, he heard a stifled giggle at his side. He turned to look at Guizhong covering her mouth with her sleeve, nose crinkled with laughter. She looked away, avoiding his questioning gaze.
“What’s so funny?”
“...”
In the face of no response, Zhongli resumed his efforts. He wanted to be done soon and return to their abode. There was still much to be done.
An open chuckle roused him from his thoughts this time. He looked at her, unsure of whether to be annoyed or amused at her mysterious source of laughter. She managed to subdue her laughs, at some cost, and tilted her head, eyeing his handiwork.
“... Is… is that how you usually sharpen your weapons?”
Another giggle. Zhongli decided it was more endearing than annoying, but her words confused him.
“As long as this body remains resistant and solid, I see no need to carry a whetstone. My fingertips are able to shape the jade just as finely.”
Guizhong chortled, as if the notion was ridiculous, but she said nothing about it and just leaned against his shoulder, watching the leaves carried by the breeze fly by.
Once the Lord of Geo had returned his weapon to prime fighting condition, he rested it on the stone where they sat, but remained unmoving and silent. Guizhong gazed at her companion out of the corner of her eye, analysing his features for a trace of what thoughts hid behind. The sun filtering through the leaves shone on his eyes, making their golden colour seem to almost glimmer with its own light. It didn’t take long for him to notice her attention, and he returned her gaze, saying nothing.
The breeze stopped.
The trees were still and quiet. Zhongli looked into her eyes, and she felt like, for a moment, there was nothing else. No war to be fought. No people to guide. No Celestia above them. For a short moment, just a brief pause of the wind, it was just the two of them, sitting under the trees, looking into each other.
But the breeze came back, the trees rustled, and he looked away to the scenery in front of them.
“We should return, I have information on the Chi’s movement and the village has requested that an adeptus escort the merchants travelling east.”
He got up, cautiously extending a hand to her to help her up. Guizhong felt a throb of disappointment that their time together had to be cut short, but she knew the world was hardly so kind as to allow her time without something in return. Sighing deeply, she took his help, holding her skirt with the other hand, and got up, not without noticing how his hand had not budged even while pulling her up. She smiled to herself. At times his physique really resembled solid rock.
Walking the path down the mountain, side by side, she recalled the reason she had sought him out instead of waiting for him to return home to her at their abode. A smile creeping across her lips, she tugged at his sleeve.
“Zhongli! Come celebrate with me tonight!”
The god looked at her, raising an eyebrow.
“What is the occasion? Has there been a victory we must celebrate?”
Guizhong stopped, crossing her arms, her expression twisting into a pout. He looked back at her, attempting to realise his mistake. Was it something to do with the harvest? No, wrong season for that. Quickly thinking about dates, he ruled out the festival the villagers held for him with dragon boats, and it was not the seventh day of the seventh month yet (the damn bard had teased him enough about making sure to remember it).
Was it some other human celebration? He can’t remember all of the local traditions. They changed faster than he could keep up, and in any case his role was to cleanse the land and protect their safety, not to take part in every silly festival... although he’d never dare phrase that thought to Guizhong. She’d drag him by the hand to the market or fair every week until he had partaken in all their people’s customs and learned their meaning and traditions.
His memory defeated, he faced her with a blank expression, accepting the coming lecture about the value of walking among the humans and participating in their lives. She uncrossed her arms and stepped closer, eyes glinting with expectation, brows knitted and she placed a hand over his chest.
“Surely you have not forgotten that day, amidst the glaze lilies.”
Her eyes sparkled, and her hand cradled his cheek, a soft nostalgic smile creeping over her features.
“With your brawn and my brains...”
“... this city... would surely become a great one.”
He completed, looking into her eyes. It all made sense.
“Of course, how could I forget, it has been one more year since our bond. Forgive me, my mind sought answers in the wrong places.”
Her smile lit up her face, and he gazed down at her with adoration.
Her arm wrapped around his, and she started walking, leading him forward. Excitement crept back into her voice.
“The village chief has prepared a banquet in our honour, will you accompany me tonight and celebrate amongst our people?”
“Of course.”