#HOW DID I ALMOST FORGET LAPIS MY BELOVED

[nightmareonpeachstreet]

TEMPEST TRIALS ALCRYST YYYEEEEEESSSSSSSS

[dragon-ascent]

Paraphernalia

You are an avid collector of Rex lapis merch...and your husband is Rex Lapis himself.

★彡fluff, fun stuff, zhongli finds you amusing as always

Zhongli had revealed his identity to you much before you two had gotten married. You’d been very respectful and told him how much you admired him as both a man and a deity...but oh boy, if Zhongli thought that was where your devotion ended, he was in for a long ride.

“Oh my freaking gosh! Eeeee!”

At your squeal, Zhongli is immediately at your side. “What is the matter- ah.” He sees the pamphlet you’re holding and suddenly it all clicks into place. 

You clutch your husband’s arm, barely able to contain yourself. “New Rex Lapis plushie launching tomorrow! Eeeee! Let’s go down to the store as soon as it opens!”

Zhongli kisses your forehead, his heart fluttering at your enthusiasm. “Allow me to take a look.” He gently takes the pamphlet from your hands and peruses it, then looks up at the bed you two share...where you also keep your enormous pile of Rex Lapis plushies. “Erm...dear, what is different about this new one?”

“Look!” You point at what the new plushie is holding. “It comes with a free Mora coin plush! I haaaaave to get it!”

It’s worth it, really. There’s nothing Zhongli cherishes more than seeing you happy. And when he finds you the next day curled up in bed, napping away with your brand-new Rex Lapis plushie pressed to your chest, he finds his heart melting like the sweetest chocolate on a summer day.

Of course, with how fanatical you get sometimes, you get so caught up in all your Rex Lapis paraphernalia that you almost forget who Zhongli really is...

“I’m doomed! I have blasphemed!”

“Did you sit on the lap of one of the Statues of the Seven again, dear?” Zhongli inquires without even looking up from the morning paper. “I told you, it does not count as-”

“Even worse! The new glow-in-the-dark Rex Lapis keychains are all sold out and I missed my chance to buy them!”

At this, Zhongli gazes at you sympathetically as you huff and puff around the room, equal parts agitated and distressed. He knows how much your collection means to you. “I see. Well, you can get one when they restock, can you not?”

“No way!” you cry out, staring at Zhongli like he had just grown horns and a tail. “The restocked keychains will be B-grade ones! I need to own only first-edition, top-quality merch!”

“Ah. Oh dear...” 

“What would Rex Lapis think?” you wail, flopping into your husband’s sturdy arms. “Rex Lapis, what do you think of me?”

“I don’t think ill of you, darling, I never could,” Zhongli assures, planting a soft kiss to your temple. “I still love you regardless of how many Rex Lapis-themed items you possess.”

“You’re just saying that to be nice!”

Zhongli chuckles. “I’m saying that because I love you, and married you for love. I never once wondered how many keychains in my image you obtained before I slid the ring onto your finger.”

Your lip wobbling, you ask, “Do you really mean it?”

“Of course I do, my beloved,” he answers softly, kissing the spot under your ear and wrapping his arms around your waist. “Come now, let me show you just how much.”

Of course, even when he offers you tender, affectionate consolation, Zhongli still ultimately wants to see you at your happiest. So wherever he can, he tries to pull some strings~

“Darling,” Zhongli calls after a long day of work. “I’m home!”

“Welcome home!” You run over to him and give him a peck on the lips. “How was your day?”

“Quite eventful,” he answers, “especially since I managed to procure a very important item.”

You quirk an eyebrow. “An important item? What is it?”

Zhongli smiles, holding out both of his hands, fists closed. “I shall let you find out.”

Utterly intrigued, you look at both closed fists, trying to gauge which one has the item. It must be quite small to fit in his palm...what important item could be that small? 

Pushing away the question since it was sure to be answered within a few moments, you go with your gut and pick the right hand. Zhongli’s smile widens and he opens his palm...

Gasping, you let out a squeal. “Is this...what I think it is?!”

“The very same.” 

Still in disbelief, you take the keychain and observe its details. “It - it really is a first edition glow-in-the-dark Rex Lapis keychain...oh my gosh...but how..?”

Zhongli pulls you into a hug, chuckling at they way you seem to vibrate in his arms in excitement. “I managed to get ahold of a scalper and...persuade him to sell it to me at regular price.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” You beam, singing his praises while waving the keychain around happily. “I love Rex Lapis sooooo much!”

Your husband kisses you, practically glowing at your happiness. “Rex Lapis loves you too, my beloved.”

[kamisatomay018]

Was it worth it?

Zhongli x fem! Reader

Warnings: angst with no comfort, mentions of character death, reader has guizhong’s power and title

Look who’s back after ages with some heartbreaking angst-

Such a beautiful place, Dihua Marsh was..a place where you had so many wonderful memories. A place that contained the most beautiful and pure glaze lillies which were born from your power, from your happiness. Dihua Marsh, the very place you had met your beloved, your mate for life, your eternal lover Rex Lapis. Oh how you both spent countless nights walking hand in hand amongst fireflies that illuminated the dark sky. You can never once forget how serene the times were when he would lay his head on your lap while you sang for him in your melodious voice, watching the glaze ilies bloom and shimmer due to how pure your love was for the man in your embrace. And of course, the happiest day of your life when he knelt down on one knee, holding a beautiful cor lapis ring that he crafted for you himself, shimmering brighter than any star as he asked you to be his wife, making tears of how spill from your eyes as the only answer to this question was Yes, Yes in every world.

But oh how time plays her cruel game, snatching away everything we hold dear in just the blink of an eye. Now here you were, the ethereal and beloved Goddess of Dust, kneeling down on her knees, being punished for a crime she never committed. Blood trickled down from your chest to the ground, staining the glaze lilies and turning them to dust. The serenity of Dihua Marsh had now turned into horrors of war and blood, and most of all- betrayal.

There you were, the ethereal and beloved Goddess of Dust, kneeling in front of her very lover, her very mate, and her very executioner. Those golden eyes that once shone with pure and never ending love when they gazed into your very own were now filled with anger and hatred, blinded by the lies that he had been fed. His mighty spear that had slain so much evil and defeated so many monsters now pierced through your heart, taking away your life second after second while you struggled to breathe. Not even an ounce of pity was visible on his face, never once did his weapon hesitate or tremble as it tore through your skin, never once did his words falter or stutter as they accused you of betraying the people you loved so dearly, of betraying the man to whom you had pledged your heart and soul, the man whom you loved more than you loved anything else in this world.

Gasping through the excruciating pain, you looked up at him, eyes full of tears when you realised that the man in front of you was indeed Rex Lapis, but he was not your husband, he was not the man who swore to destroy the heavens for you. How pitiful, you thought, that the God Of Contracts had lied, for it didn’t even take the heavens but a few mere mortals to make him betray you and take the very life he swore to always protect.

But even as he tore through your heart and soul, taking your life away from you, you could not hate him. After all, your love was selfless. If taking your life would satiate him and bring him victory, then so be it. If he chose to believe his people over you, then you would not resist, your life was his to take. But as your life now almost slipped away from your grasp, you suddenly felt so afraid, afraid of death, afraid of suddenly ceasing to exist. And even though he was standing here in front of you, his eyes emotionless and devoid of any sort of pity as he watched you bleed and die so slowly, your hand still clad with the golden ring of your union weakly reached out to him..

“My love…will you hold my hand? I- I feel afraid..”

Perhaps you thought that he would show some mercy to you, not as your husband but at least as your god, but to your disbelief and anguish, he only scoffed, pushing the spear deeper within your heart making you cry out in agony and fall completely on the ground. Oh those beautiful golden eyes that once would show so much concern if you would get the slightest injury now did not even blink as you lay there, bleeding and dying because of him.

“Your audacity knows no bounds Goddess of Dust. First, you betray My people, and now you beg for My pity? Unbelievable. You ought to know that those who break the contract, shall face the wrath of the rock. You…shall never be forgiven for your betrayal.”

Even more tears escaped from your eyes at his words, but you looked up at him, your body screaming in agony but your eyes defiant, your once beautiful face now adorned with a sad smile.

“So you still believe that I betrayed..you? Then my beloved Deus Auri, heed my words…”

“You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.”

And as you spoke these words, you breathed your last, welcoming the darkness of the abyss of death, letting it consume your soul. There he stood, watching as the the woman whom he would embrace every night dissipated into dust, the once ethereal Dihua Marsh dying with her. Every single glaze lily wilted and faded away along with its creator. The land turned barren, the glorious green trees withered away. All that remained was Rex Lapis, standing at the very place where he had met his mate, and now killed her.

As every speck of dust now surrounded the God, he fell onto the ground, not understanding why his soul ached in pain, even though he had done as he was supposed to as the God of Geo. Didn’t he do the right thing? Wasn’t..Killing his beloved his duty to his people?

Dihua Marsh..a place that held so many memories for Zhongli, memories that tormented every fibre of his being as he too eroded away, piece by piece with time. How long had it been? 2000 years…since the very moment he committed the biggest sin of all; taking the life of his mate, refusing to believe her and letting those foolish mortals achieve their goal. Zhongli fell to the ground on his knees, just like how you had, tears escaping his eyes. How could he be so cruel? How could he not believe the woman who had been with him all his life? How could he break the pledge he had made with his very soul, and kill her instead of protecting her?

He still remembers her cries of pain, her melodious voice that once sang for him begging him to stop and just hear her out. But he did not do that; blinded by anger and betrayal, he committed the most heinous crime. He had been the one to break their contract, not her. Those who break the contract, shall face the wrath of the rock. These had been the words that he spoke ever so eloquently that day, and now look at the irony, here he was, paying the price. His eternal punishment was to learn the truth, to learn of just how wrong he had been, and how his mistake can never be fixed. His punishment was to spend every single day of his long and endless life alone and in misery, watching every night in his nightmares how he killed you with his own hands.

There zhongli sat, now having given away his godhood and pretending to live as a mortal, amongst the barren lands of Dihua Marsh where he had so many cherished memories, but all of them were overshadowed by his greatest mistake.

As he sat there kneeling on the ground, crying in agony, he heard that melodious voice once more, the voice that lived forever in his heart. “Was it worth it, Rex Lapis?” He looked up in horror, watching as no one was around. But he knew he heard your voice, he was sure of it. “What..my love..”

He heard your voice scoff cruelly, just as he had all those millennia ago. “Your love? No Morax, I am not your love. I am gone, gone for good. What you hear now is the last piece of my consciousness that has remained trapped in this place, waiting for the day you would find the truth and come back here.”

“No please..forgive me my heart..I should have believed you..I should have never hurt you..Please, I am so sorry.” He spoke, head lowered in remorse as he himself realised how pathetic he sounded.

“Your apology is meaningless to me. Oh Morax..I loved you so dearly, even now, I cannot bring myself to hate you. But now, you must face your punishment. And perhaps, one day when your soul erodes into nothingness, you will get the chance to see me again. Farewell Morax, I will pray that you never see me again.”

And just like that, you were gone. But this time, not even your consciousness remained. And all Zhongli could do was sit there, broken and eroding, living the fate he had now carved out for himself.

[ethereal-kloud]

sorry uhhh life happened and took all of my motivation to write literally anything with it.

anyway umm suddenly genshin dropkicked me in the face a couple months ago but i also didn’t feel like writing any of the ideas stuck in my head but like

seelies.

admittedly, not much is said about them in the genshin lore (see the wiki) but what little history they do have is interesting.

first off, (the race) seelies are really, really old. probably-maybe before celestia kind of old. and there’s so many mysteries surrounding them (some caused by the lack of information) but that also gives way to a lot of fanfic ideas.

did they live like humans (who they guided) with limited lives? extended lives? god-like lifespans?

who cursed them?

what happened to that traveler that married a seelie? (separated and cursed to forget, but did they die like that???)

is them guiding the traveler to treasure the last gift they want because of their “purpose” when they were humanoid??,?

anyway the point is i have a lot of questions about this that will probably never be answered.

the thing is, seelies are old. if the wiki is even remotely close to being accurate, the race is probably far older than morax/rex lapis. existed long enough for whichever gods were in charge then to task them with guiding humanity. (teaching them, etc)

and even when they fell around the time morax was really young, even with a majority of the race losing their memories and knowledge, what they used to be is still remembered, if only barely.

when that seelie married that traveler, and calamity followed 30 days later, (probably) causing the seelie race to be “cast aside by the heavens”, they became the “seelie” shape out of grief. maybe because of what that first seelie’s actions caused for them (beloved/important role in their civilization, maybe?) and maybe partially because of the curse stripping them of their knowledge (something they were known for).

the seelie courts are also their “old dwelling places” and those forms are their “regressed forms” meaning that while seelies may have spent most of their time in beautiful, humanoid forms, they weren’t always like that. in fact, their current forms may be their original forms before they adapted (something they’re still good at, even in these forms! see: chasm and dragonspine and some in inazuma)

but! it’s canon that not all of the seelie race turned into the spirit forms immediately— (implied Goddess of Flowers, and the wiki even states “…a few managed to retain their humanoid forms” even without being named)

(warning ummm this is where i started rambling about a story idea that will,,, probably never be fleshed out)

but anyway this sort of vagueness leads to my brain going “what if”

there are also mini, baby-like seelies. those are canon.

seelies were tasked to guide humanity, traveling aside them and teaching them.

what if one of those baby seelies (or even adult seelie, really, i just find a baby one cuter) retained their human form? losing a majority of their memories as caused by the curse, but young enough and/or strong enough to retain just enough to remember their purpose.

seelies were probably more god than human (re: humanoid forms) and so they probably lived through quite a bit of teyvat’s history after their race’s fall. never lingering, but traveling and helping and being recorded in a few tales and bard songs, remembered by a too long scarf that almost seems to float at times, intuition that somehow allows them to know what people need and just how to get it to them, a manner that seems both too close and too far away from people, a soft song whispering in the wind being the only sign of their appearance or disappearance with the absence of it.

probably slept a lot like venti, to keep their memory from degrading even further, and they probably never hear of their stories, traveling and traveling and helping and sleeping and (“we have to teach them. what use is our knowledge of its all locked away with us—?”) and dreaming (“who are you?” “hello!”) and waking and repeat.

maybe they even came across abyss!sibling traveling with dain, remaining a faint memory to them after disappearing. (“you shouldn’t forget” “huh?”)

and then canon!genshin time.

then idk i just really liked the idea of still sleepy!seelie running into kaveh having some sort of problem, absolutely not willing to go to anybody about it (especially not his roommate, who probably would help but be infuriating every step of the way) and seelie having woken up recently, awake but not fully, cheerfully and groggy still, distracting him into playing a game of tag, somehow.

chasing them around sumeru city, always barely out of reach until he’s breathless and they’ve let him catch them at the grand bazaar, thanking him for helping them wake up, and before he realizes hey why’s a child just running around without parents???? why did they not question him chasing after one??? he looks up from the ground and they’re gone.

confused, but having things to do, probably as an adult, and perhaps this is before traveler gets to sumeru and he’s yet to leave for that project that kept him out of the drama when traveler did arrive, he continues with his day until he goes back to the house he live in with alhaitham and find a neat little gift wrapped box, with whatever he had needed earlier that day inside of it (if it was small enough idk what an architect needs actually)

he obviously asks his roommate about it, but he was probably out doing scribe things or reading a book, and why would he care about a package that kaveh received? (probably habit)

except it dawns, now, that the package means that whoever sent it knew that kaveh lived with alhaitham. and where they lived. while kaveh did complain about his roommate to almost anyone who would listen, he wouldn’t give out his address to non-friends, and alhaitham doesn’t either.

(i don’t think there’s post offices in genshin. the traveler has to deliver letters, sometimes, and it has to be given in person, so i’m pretty sure they just send a person and there’s no official record of where people live edit: nvm apparently at least sumeru has one??? new archon quest part immediately proves me wrong ig.)

and the gift doesn’t have a name other than his own attached to it.

(it barely crosses his mind that the child he’s played with that morning had said that they’d pay him back while he was breathless at the end. there’s no way that a merchant would sell something like what he’s needed to a child, right?)

and traveler running into them afterward, them wandering nearby during the beginning of their attempts to get to inazuma, perhaps, getting run into by that thief with a vision and letting kazuha and traveler catch up to them just a bit sooner.

kazuha, who is presumably more connected with wind than most is, can hear that seelie is possibly more than they seem. can hear a song unwilling to be forgotten, louder than normal people can, sense the way the wind seems to lift the child up playfully, lighter than air itself, and yet heavy with a grief they cling to.

seelie, who can’t activate his friend’s vision, either, but flinches when they touch it, act as if they’re about to cry.

(visions are human’s ambitions. their wishes. the traveler could see them even disconnected from their wielder, and yae miko knew that they persisted being taken. why wouldn’t seelie, again probably more god than human, a guide to humanity, be able to see those hopes?

they could see the determination, and a part of them wanted to cheer them on, wanted to see them succeed—

but they know what the colorless shade of the vision means)

nothing probably changes from that point; seelie doesn’t feel the need to head to inazuma even if they could beat traveler in a fight (they can’t) and traveler needs to find their sibling. they part ways, leaving traveler and kazuha mildly curious, but not enough to chase after them.

and idk when this would happen lore wise, but eventually, they would meet venti, and he would go on about knowing songs from the past, present, and future, and the longing that hits them is both expected and takes them entirely by surprise. it’s been so long. a melody in their ears, a soft voice, the end, but not for them. not for her, either, and yet they are truly the last now, and forevermore until they too meet their fate.

(“oh? do you have a song in mind?” the bard may ask, carefully strumming the strings of his lyre.

“…can you complete it?” they might beg. “it goes like this.”

the bard’s eyes may widen, a tune that existed long before he was a wisp, but one he does know. a song that should be lost in time, those who knew it having long lost the ability to sing.

but he does play it, nonetheless, and the seelie— they

[“don’t resent them, darling, for what crime did they commit? love? it’s okay, it’s alright, we are only crying because—“]

the seelie might cry.)

ummm i also wanted something with nahida since the goddess of flowers is heavily implied to have been one of those seelies that retained their humanoid forms, but i’m not quite sure how that would play out? with the end of the sumeru archon quest (they would forget, too, that rukkhadevata had been the one to know her, and maybe they knew her personally, or just from their society, and maybe they wouldn’t know how to react with a semi-amnesiac goddess that knew one of them after the calamity.)

rex lapis, too, since seelie would technically be older than him, but probably due to being asleep for years and years and never fully being raised would be more childish and/or naive than him. more willing to break rules, contracts, if it meant more people ended up happy and safe, and they learned something from it.

i like the idea that despite this, they would have their moments of ancient wisdom long faded, and share the knowledge of loss (archon war and them witnessing whatever happened in the halls of angels, where they played their final tune)

[koushou]

Can you please do zhongli/rex lapis x fem shy reader. The fem reader is extremely shy and doesn't have any friends cause of her quiet and timid nature and she lives in liyue with her parents and an only child. She loves to story of rex lapis and the history of liyue and accidentally meet zhongli and sometime later he revealed to be rex lapis to the reader. Also, the fem is a villager of liyue and doesn't have super powers to fight just a weak villager.

fateful meeting

pairing : zhongli x shy f!reader {fluff}

warnings : none

word count : 2.6k

a/n : thank you for this request! I apologize for the wait, I dont think i made the reader as shy as you requested jshdjd sorry, i hope you enjoy !

Even as a child you had been fascinated by the stories of Liyue, or rather, a specific figure in its history. Perhaps, the archons have heard your passionate nature regarding Liyue, for a fateful meeting one day will change your peaceful life forever. 

Life was everything you could’ve ever wished for.

Only the soft, consistent chopping of a knife against a wooden cutting board and an occasional quiet flip of a page in a book could be heard in one of the many homes in Qingce Village. 

Sunlight seeps through the cracks of the window you sat by, casting a bright glow on the words inside the book in your hands, seeming as if the story itself was coming to life.

Well, not that the story wasn’t coming to life, it had already come to life, for you were currently reading about the history of your beloved nation, Liyue.

The book you were so engrossed in was not an unfamiliar story, having already read it a couple times. You would never grow tired of this one.

A smile played on your lips as you approached one of your favorite parts of this specific chapter. 

Softly fiddling with the corner of the thin page, your eyes scanned over the familiar words slowly.

Wielding a spear so sharp no blade could even hope to compete against, he emerges from the shadows, illuminating a golden aura around his built figure. In one swift motion, the polearm-wielding fighter sends a rumble through the ground beneath him, ridding of any enemies around him in a flash. A sigh leaves his lips as he removes his hood, examining his surroundings. A long ponytail of golden-brown hair trails down to his waist, flowing softly in the wind. His eyes the same shade, if anything more golden, slowly fluttering shut, head turning upwards, immersing himself in the soft breeze.

You pause and gaze out the window, sighing at the scene of hundreds of miles of tall mountains spread out all around, all thanks to one person. One archon, to be more specific.

About to flip the page once more to continue, you were interrupted by your mother’s voice calling out from the kitchen. 

“Y/N, dear, could you fetch me some berries down the river if you aren’t busy?”

You tear your eyes away from the book begrudgingly, calling back, “Fine, anything else?”

“Some sweet flowers and fowl would be great, thanks honey!”

You shut the book, placing it down on your table as you stand up to stretch, bones cracking at the movement.

As much as you wanted nothing but to snuggle back into your chair and immerse yourself back into the story, your parents were the most important people in your life, and you knew it was mainly up to you to take care of them.

Being an only child isn’t as lonely as people make it out to be, you get peace and quiet in the home, and you wouldn’t change it for anything else.

Kicking on your shoes you wore when you ventured outside, you picked up the basket that was used to collect food, as well as your hunting bow for the fowl.

You didn’t know how to fight, having spent your whole life secluded in the village, but you had enough hunting experience, at least.

About to head out, your eyes landed on the book now laying on the table and pondered for a moment, before grabbing it and placing it into the basket.

Despite your mother’s scolding about dangers reading outside, you just wanted a change of scenery while you lose yourself in Liyue’s history.

“I’m heading out now, Ma!” You call out as you push open the wooden door to your home, earning a hum from her in response.

The heat in Liyue would be pretty unbearable to outsiders, however having lived in the same village for almost all your life, it wasn’t anything new.

You hummed, greeting your neighbors occasionally with a wave, walking down to your usual place to fetch ingredients.

Finally reaching your destination not too far from the village, you crouch by the river as you picked the sweet flowers and berries your mother had asked for.

“Mmm, what else did she ask for again?” You thought out loud, forgetting the last ingredient, eyes landing on your bow.

“Oh right, fowl!”

You scan your surroundings, looking for any signs of birds, when suddenly you hear a sharp rustle of a bush behind you. 

Not having time to even turn around and investigate, a heavy weight pounced on you from behind, causing you to tumble forward.

You let out a yelp, feeling a pain through your arm that you had landed on, turning around to see the attacker.

Your eyes widened, seeing it had been a hilichurl that was currently standing above you, however, it didn’t feel like a regular hilichurl.

It had black smoke emitting around it, as if some type of curse had been placed on it, enhancing its strength.

The hilichurl spurt out some unintelligible words, before raising its bat and lunging at you once again.

You grab your bow beside you quickly, aiming at its head before completely missing due to your shaking hands.

Cursing under your breath, you pick up a rock and throw it weakly at the creature, causing it to stop only briefly before charging towards you again, seemingly more angered this time. 

This was it, you thought. All the time spent not learning how to fight, this must’ve been your punishment. 

You shield your face with your arms, hoping to at least lessen the impact, before hearing the hilichurl shout followed by a thud behind you. 

Moving your hands away from your head, you turn to see the hilichurl now lying unconscious a few feet away from you.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” 

A deep, masculine voice brings you out of your shock, as you turn slowly to meet your savior, instead met by a hand held out in front of you, offering assistance. 

Your eyes trailed up to the mysterious man’s face, before your breath caught in your throat.

A long ponytail of golden-brown hair trails down to his waist, flowing softly in the wind.

The man looked back at you curiously, hand still reached out toward you.

His eyes the same shade, if anything more golden.

Why were you suddenly reminded of those words in the book?

Your mouth gapes at the sight of the man above you, his presence bringing a strange feeling you didn’t recognize.

Your eyes widened. Could it be..?

“...excuse me? Are you alright?”

His voice brings you out of your daze once again, a worried look cast upon his handsome features. Wait, what?

It was only then did you realize how good looking the man was before you, turning red as you took his hand and stood up, wobbling a tiny bit.

“Thank you for saving me,” you bow slightly, quickly picking up your forgotten belongings on the ground, still flustered from the incident.

You were about to say goodbye and leave as quick as you could, before your book fell out of your basket and landed on the ground next to the man’s feet.

“Ah—“

The man bent down and picked up the book, about to hand it back to you, when he suddenly stopped and examined the cover.

You swore you could’ve been seeing things, but a small smile grazes his lips as he faces you.

“Are you also interested in the stories of Liyue?”

You stop in your tracks, turning to the man who was now flipping through the pages of the book to the section you had bookmarked prior.

His golden orbs now held an unreadable expression behind them, almost...nostalgic.

You felt a small surge of confidence as your favorite topic was brought up.

“Ah--yes, I am quite informed of the history of Liyue myself,” you smile softly to yourself, causing him to look up and chuckle.

“Is that so?” He hums, tilting his head upwards to face the blue sky, closing his eyes slowly. 

...slowly fluttering shut, head turning upwards, immersing himself in the soft breeze.

Your eyes widened at the sight.

There was no way.

But, there was no other explanation for it.

“May I...ask your name?” You ask carefully, awaiting his answer.

He shuts the book with a soft thud, handing it back to you to which you take back happily.

“I go by Zhongli.”

He offers you a smile, making your heart skip a beat and blood to your cheeks, as you stutter back your name in response.

“Be careful around these parts, monsters have been affected by some sort of spell here, making them stronger than usual,” he explains while putting away his spear he had used earlier.

Wielding a spear so sharp no blade could even hope to compete against.

There was no mistaking it.

“Are you perhaps--” 

You start to ask, gaining a curious gaze from him, however stopping in your words after realizing how bizarre you’d sound if you’d ask him the question you had been aching to voice since your meeting.

“Nevermind, I should get going,” You shake your head, thanking him once more before starting to walk away.

“If you’d like me to answer your question, meet me back here tomorrow, at the same time.”

Zhongli spoke behind you, making you turn and meet his eyes, which gazed back into yours almost knowingly. 

“But you don’t know what my question is,” you question, confusion evident on your features.

He chuckles again, the sound making you melt on the spot.

“Do not underestimate the geo archon.” 

With that, he disappears into the other direction, leaving you frozen in your place.

Did he just…?

A million thoughts were coursing through your head at the moment. But one thing was for sure, you couldn’t wait until tomorrow. 

--

That night, sleep did not come to you like usual.

With your head filled with thoughts about Zhongli, and his last words before departing, you were basically shaking with excitement.

Had you really met him?

Nevermind, your questions would all be answered the next day.

--

“I see you’ve arrived.”

Zhongli smiles at you, to which you return the gesture, still mesmerized by his delicate features to speak.

You had practically jumped out of bed this morning, making some jumbled excuse about fetching more berries and fowl to your mother, who was left dumbfounded.

Zhongli pats the spot beside him on the grass, and you notice his spear laying next to him on the other side.

Carefully sitting down next to the tall man, both of your backs leaned against the tree with its leaves above you providing minimal cover from the sun. It was then that you noticed the close proximity of your bodies, making you flush.

“So, would you like to ask me your question from yesterday?”

You bit your bottom lip nervously for a moment, before shaking your head and reaching next to you into the bag that you had brought. 

“Ah-- before that, Mr. Zhongli, you mentioned you are also interested in Liyue’s stories?” You pulled out the book from yesterday. 

He nods, as you flip open the book to the chapter you had bookmarked. The same chapter describing Rex Lapis’s first appearance.

“Just Zhongli is fine. And yes, I am also well-informed of the stories of Liyue. Would you like me to tell you some?”

You nod, showing him the marked section. “That would be nice, but could you answer this one question of mine first?”

He takes the book from your hands, bright pupils scanning over the words. A small breeze blew by just that moment, causing his long hair to lift slightly. The sunlight shone softly on his pale skin, giving him an almost ethereal aura.

You never thought someone could appear so calm and peaceful while reading a book.

“Yes, ask away.” 

He lifts his head up to meet your eyes, making you clear your throat, embarrassed you had been admiring him so openly.

Although that chapter remains your favorite chapter of all times, there had been one question that had stayed in the corner of your mind each time you read it.

“In that section, when Rex Lapis lifts his head and immerses himself in the wind, what do you think he was feeling? Satisfaction from eliminating his enemies? Or perhaps, tired from all the fighting in the Archon War?”

Zhongli hums, smiling gently at nothing in particular as he closes his eyes, lifting his head up towards the sky.

A small breeze passes by again, and you smile at the sight. You no longer questioned his true identity. You knew.

“That all may be true, however, I’d say he was feeling quite…” He pauses, as if trying to search for the right word.

“...saddened, almost.”

You tilt your head curiously, “Saddened?”

He nods, facing you, “Perhaps mournful, even. Have you ever wondered if Rex Lapis wanted to kill at all? Although those evil should be eliminated, they are still living souls, and perhaps he wished for everything to return to normal.”

Zhongli’s voice trailed off, as he held a sad feeling behind his eyes, making you unconsciously reach for his hand laying on his lap.

He looked at you in surprise at the sudden contact, and your eyes widened at your own actions, making a move to quickly retrieve your own hand, when he stops you.

 He brings the both of your hands together, now laying on his lap as red spreads through your cheeks.

The both of you sit in silence as a few beats pass, when he breaks the silence once again.

“I’d like to share with you some of my favorite stories of Liyue, would you be interested?”

You smile, nodding as he starts speaking again.

And he shares stories you’ve never heard before, or even some that you have, but a different version of. The difference in stories that you had believed your whole life made you surprised, not sure what to believe.

No, scratch that, deep down, you knew what to believe. Or, who to believe.

Zhongli shares his stories until it starts to become dark, to which he finally stops and suggests you return home.

“I’ll walk you home, it’s quite dangerous at night.”

You thank him, and you two start to make your way back, continuing to talk about Liyue and its fascinating history.

“Ah, it’s just right down there. Thank you for today, Zhongli.” You smile at him once again, ready to return before he stops you.

“Are you not going to ask me the question you had yesterday?” It was quite dark, so it was a bit difficult to tell, but you swore there was a slight smirk on his lips.

You laugh, shaking your head. “I’ve got my answer already.”

He raises his eyebrows, a teasing hint in his voice, “Are you sure, Y/N?”

Hearing your name roll off his tongue sent shivers through your body, smirking back at him.

“I’m quite sure, Rex Lapis.”

Zhongli opens his mouth to speak before closing, as deep chuckles ring through the night. Not long after, your own quiet giggles joining him. Finally, you both recover from your laughter.

“Goodnight then, Morax, you still have to share your stories with me tomorrow.”

He smiles at you, golden eyes shining even through the dark. “Same time?”

You grin back, before turning to return back to your home. “Same time.”

Maybe you’d ask him to teach you how to fight tomorrow.

On second thought, perhaps your lack of experience in fighting was a good thing. For because of it, you had met the man who only existed in books that you’d read everyday.

Your once peaceful life, although disrupted by the appearance of the one and only geo archon you admired so dearly, had now offered you something to look forward to each day.

[cheesiedip]

perhaps fate.

tags: fluff, no warnings teehee, not edited, rushed ending, and terrible writing please i really tried, gn!reader word count: 1038 words

a/n; yea so i was in zhongli brainrot bc he came home twice to me during his rerun and i just wanna share this yall </3 um.,,.. it’s kinda bad and it's my first fic in a while, i’m sorry </3

in your dreams, a man resembling a face who has pretty cor lapis irises, his chocolate brown hair with tips that glow like the bright sun and tall, and you don’t even know his name. he kept coming in your dreams and tried to look for him everywhere, yet failed as he is nowhere to be found around the town you lived in. disheartened, you decided to leave your village to look for him.

each night he visits you in your sleep, his voice is hazy yet his appearance is so clear you’ll never be able to forget it. your heart race when you think of him, your mind constantly thinking of the mysterious man that comes by pretty often and it convinced you he’s the lover you’re bound to be with for eternity. you promised to yourself once you find him, you’ll never wish for anything else besides a life you’ve already envisioned yourself with him after his nightly visits. no other person could compare to him when he held you so gently, how he stroked your hair softly and a kiss he leaves on your forehead or the warmth of his embrace emit on your body before he disappeared when the sun arose from its slumber.

you have never been so determined to find someone this much, especially when you know he’s here in teyvat, he was somewhere close but where? the mysterious man never gave you a clue where his voice was incomprehensive when he talks nor can you read his lips. the compass you have was your heart and the stars that glimmer over your head; when you get lost in your journey, you still manage to go where you’re supposed to be. it’s as if he guides you with the wind, the rocks, and river.. it’s all you really needed on this adventure you set out for yourself to find your beloved.

the night was young, the shiny rocks that appear in the clear sky once it’s dark begin to awaken as the sun starts to rest deep in the horizon. you decide to turn in for the day and relax in a small camp you had already put up; a small tent with your bag inside, a campfire available for one person, you were ready to sleep once more, to be with him again like you two have always been doing for the past few months.

before you relax in, however, a glint from the shimmering sky caught your eye. you didn’t think much anymore of it for a moment of time yet it was quite odd. you set your things aside and only grabbed your weapon that you use to fend for yourself from the monsters and treasure hoarders you encounter amongst your journey; it was a claymore made of fine materials scavenged throughout the greatest mines of liyue, almost as tall as you are. if not, then it’s almost the waistline of the man that holds you in your dream. you’re getting desperate for him to come to you, to feel his hug and be with him for once and for all.. your heart now telling alerting you that he’s here, you could almost feel it that he’s within that star.

the star that once took your attention then turn into gold, as it flew across the beautiful night sky like it was a meteorite. you ran after it, following its direction until it lands on dirt or water or just somewhere and it did stop near a cliff, and it did. thick mist surround the area and you try to come near it, but a tall figure slowly fade in within the fog. you couldn’t see clearly, but your heart was telling you that it’s him and he’s home.

you drop your weapon as you drag your feet on the grass towards the man. the closer you got to the figure, the clearer everything has become; it’s him. just as what your dreams were showing you, it was exactly like him. the same exact face, his eyes you adore, his hair you love to play with.. he was everything you imagined him to be in real life.

“i’m home.” he smiled at you, his voice was gentle and baritone. it was literally exactly what you expected of what he sound like.

“zhongli…” you say under your breath. that’s right, that was his name. it like what you remember from what you could make out from the first time you met him, like truly a dream come true.

a tear pricked in your eye as you slowly walk to him as he did as well. you picked up your pace, jogging up the hill to where he stood. once you reached him, you wrap your arms around his waist, giving a tight embrace; he smelled like tea brewed from quality leaves and old books from an antique shop, that you didn’t really expect it but will grow to love in the meantime.

zhongli caressed your cheek before he exchange your hug, his hold made you feel he truly cherish you and loved. he had been longing for this moment to come and now it became a reality. he could never want more than having you beside him until the end of time. you will forever shine like a mora in his heart, even when you grow old and gray zhongli would always remember you as someone who loved him as he is.

“i’m back in your arms again, my darling.” he whispered, making it loud enough for you to hear him. you simply nod in agreement as you look up at his beautiful face and your hand reaching up to graze your thumb across his cheek gingerly.

you let go of each other and left the scene with your hand holding his own. you lead him down the hill from the cliff back to where you were resting for the night to gather your things and head to the harbor. the night felt long with him, talking about topics endlessly and hearing one of his stories about the archon gods and whatnot. perhaps fate could bring the one you love, your own soulmate no matter how far they can be.

[goldenworldsabound]

The Truth

With Liyue settling down after the loss of it’s god, Zhongli has one final task to complete, which is to say, telling Wendy the truth about who he is. (Glossary for Chinese words at the bottom, FYI)

content warning: none

word count: 1812

While it would take a long time for things to fully quiet down, the initial dust had settled in Liyue after Rex Lapis' passing. Zhongli felt an overwhelming sense of relief. He could rest now. But there was still one thing left to do.

Wendy had been incredibly attentive to him at the news of Rex Lapis' passing. This was out of a well-placed compassion and worry for him. However, he could tell that she was beginning to pick up on his odd behaviors, and to suspect that something was off. That was fair, he thought, recognizing how strange his behavior must have seemed as he acted to keep her safe but in the dark. He did not intend to keep her in the dark forever - an explanation was owed.

He had no doubt she would give him the opportunity.

"Zhongli," Wendy's hand caressed his face gently, brushing his bangs back for but a moment before they fell again. He watched her lovingly, his own hand stroking the back of her hair as they lay next to each other in bed. They had had an exceedingly lazy morning. Zhongli felt he deserved it - when had he ever indulged in such a thing?

"Yes, beloved?" He inquired, shifting to nuzzle his nose against hers, momentarily closing his eyes.

She hesitated, taking a breath. "Are you...okay?" Wendy asked.

"Mm. I am. Should I not be, when I get to spend the morning like this with you?" He responded, a twinkle in his eyes.

Wendy blushed a bit. "W-well, it's just...I...I expected you to be, um, sadder, about Rex Lapis. I know he meant a lot to you. I mean! Not to suggest you're grieving wrong, or anything, I just...if you're sad, it's okay." She looked away, shutting her mouth to stop anymore ill-formed words from slipping out.

To her surprise, Zhongli chuckled a bit, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"You're very thoughtful. I suppose that would make sense," Zhongli mused. "For me to be upset. But there is a reason I am...elated instead."

"Elated?" Wendy seemed puzzled.

"Yes. It is a dear secret." Zhongli said, meeting her gaze with an intensity that only increased her curiosity. "But I think it is time you knew. And I apologize for keeping it from you for so long."

"I will admit, I am very curious." Wendy flashed him a sly smile. "But you don't have to apologize for having a secret."

"You will understand in a moment." Zhongli replied with a small smile, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger absentmindedly. His heart was pounding. Despite his calm exterior, he was scared - scared that this admittance would change things between them, scared because he could not fathom her reaction. Uncertainty had not bothered him before, but when it came to her...it almost paralyzed him.

He closed his eyes. Wendy watched him closely, patiently, scooting closer to press her face against his chest. His arms moved to hold her almost of their own accord. She could feel his heart racing.

"Rex Lapis is not dead," Zhongli said, after a long pause. He opened his eyes as he spoke, "Because I am Rex Lapis."

Silence reigned between them. The words echoed in Wendy's head. They didn't make sense. There was no way she heard him correctly, right? But then...various things began to slot themselves into place. Things that had seemed off but had been passable. But with this new knowledge, those inconsistencies and oddities added up to support Zhongli's words. Her mind was abuzz, eyes wide and unfocused.

"Wendy?" Zhongli asked, a hint of concern in his voice. Right, right, she shouldn't leave him hanging, but what should she say? Something understanding and compassionate would be good-

"I fucked Rex Lapis?!" Wendy blurted out as she sat up straight, blushing deeply. "That wasn't- THAT WASN'T WHAT I MEANT TO SAY-"

But Zhongli was laughing at her flustered face, sitting up as he clutched at his belly, almost doubling over with laughter. There were tears at the corner of his eyes.

"Stop- STOP LAUGHING!" Wendy grabbed his shoulders, shaking him lightly. "You- you aren't fucking with me, right?!"

"No, no, I'm not, I'm sorry," Zhongli wiped away a tear, still giggling a little. "It's just, out of all the ways I expected you to respond...that one never occurred to me." He smiled at her, cheeks flushed from laughter. "Humans, and you in particular, never cease to amaze me." He took her hand, pressing a kiss to it, though Wendy could feel him smiling against the back of her hand.

"So you- you're really? You're...the Geo Archon?" Wendy asked, whispering the last bit as if in awe.

Zhongli nodded. "I was. I have shed the title now. I have shed the responsibilities." He paused a moment. "I feel as if I should clarify - while getting to be with you fully is now something I may enjoy, it was not the primary reason for my decision." He sighed quietly. "I did not want you to feel...somehow responsible for this decision. That is a heavy burden for a human to bear, and it would be inaccurate.."

"That's, um...that's good, I think." Wendy was quiet, clearly still deep in thought. "Then, why did you?"

"Mm." A hand came to rest on his chin, a finger over his lips, the smile gone from them as he contemplated his response. "I was tired." He closed his eyes. "I have watched over Liyue for 3700 years. I have never taken a break. I thought that I would continue for many years to come. But one drizzly day...I heard a merchant tell one of his workers...'You've finished your duties, go ahead and call it a day.' I stood motionless among the crowd, asking myself, 'Have I already done my duties?'" He steepled his fingers together in front of himself, lowering his head as he opened his eyes. "It was more complex than simply deciding to step down, of course. But for now, please allow me to spare you the details."

"Alright." When Zhongli lifted his head to meet her gaze, he was surprised at the tenderness written on her face, marred by a shadow of sadness. Sitting on her knees now, she leaned forward to cup his face in her hands again. "That is a long time without a rest. That must have been hard."

He leaned into her hands, sighing. "It was. But that is over now. I am no longer Rex Lapis," His mouth quirked upwards. "I am Zhongli, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor consultant, and proud boyfriend to one Wendy, Adventurer and artist extraordinaire."

Wendy blushed. "Zh-Zhongli!" She looked away, leaving her hands on his cheeks despite the urge to cover her face. "That...I must admit, it's, um...while I'm honored, I...why would you choose me, anyway?" Her lips turned down in a small frown.

Zhongli gently grabbed her wrists, pulling each hand up for a kiss in turn, before putting them down on either side of him and pulling her against him.

"I could ask you the same question, you know." Zhongli replied, stroking her hair again, feeling her wrap her arms around him. "At first, I suppose I just found you interesting. The way you melded the old into the new seamlessly intrigued me. But over time, I realized there was far more to you than that. Your beauty, your wit, your personality, your laughter, everything. There is not a thing about you I do not love and hold dear. You are my 心肝, and that won't change."

Wendy could make no reply, but the way her grip tightened and she buried her face against his chest let him know she was holding back happy tears.

"And, if I may be so bold," He smiled. "You loved me as me. Not as the Geo Archon. In fact, you held the Geo Archon in disdain." He chuckled quietly.

Wendy stiffened at that.

"Oh...by the seven, I - that feels like a stupid exclamatory now," Wendy pulled back, looking horrified. She looked up at him. "I insulted you! To your face! Multiple times! I'm! I'm an IDIOT!" Her hands were on her face immediately as she made anguished sounds. Zhongli could barely make out her muffled, "I'm sorry"s.

"Don't apologize." He gently tugged at her wrists, but she refused to budge. "I was being honest when I said I wanted to hear your opinion. I didn't mind then, and I don't mind now." He paused. "Particularly as someone not native to Liyue, from that perspective, your views were of particular interest to me. Even more so, of course, because I care deeply about you."

"But did it not hurt to hear me say...say mean things about you?" Wendy's hands were lowered enough to expose her eyes, which were watery.

"You did not say mean things about me," Zhongli replied simply with a gentle sigh. "What hurt me was hearing you say that I didn't care about you. You didn't know that was what you were saying, and yet...it hurt me all the same. I didn't want you to feel unloved in any capacity, particularly when the opposite was true. Though, I will admit...there was a truth to your claims that highlighted a failing of mine as an archon. But that's beside the point. The point," He felt his face warm. "Is that I love you."

Wendy giggled. "I love you too." She lowered her hands from her face, and Zhongli immediately leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. They savored the moment, faces lingering together even as their lips parted.

"I was, and I suppose I still am, a little scared that things between us might change. That is why I didn't mention this sooner." Zhongli admitted, face warming.

"It's a lot to take in," Wendy replied, looking away, putting her hands on her lap. "But I'm sure I can come to terms with it. You're still the same person, aren't you?" She looked up at him with a hint of worry on her face.

"Yes." He nodded. "I'm still me."

She smiled. "Then nothing needs to change. Though," a pout appeared on her face. "If you're the god of wealth, why are you always forgetting your wallet, huh?!"

He laughed. She stared with her own happy smile, pleased beyond measure by the sound of his laughter.

"That's easy. I'm not used to carrying one around. Mora was the most trivial resource for me."

"Ah...that does make sense. Well, you better get used to it, then."

"I'll do my best. Thank you for your patience, beloved."

"Of course. You're my 心肝 too, you know."

"I know."

Glossary:

心肝 - xingan (literal heart and liver, a serious term of endearment only used in private)

[marypsue]

Imbalance, 7 / ?

Part One / Part Two / Part Three / Part Four / Part Five / Part Six / Part Seven / Part Eight / Part Nine / ?

I’m also on AO3 as MaryPSue!

...

"So, Griffin. I have a question."

"Mhm?"

"So this old guy -"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sorry, Dad. So this sprightly youth of about forty-five, fifty years old - he thinks he's a lich?"

"That's right, Trav, well done for catching that. I know I made that one kind of hard to puzzle out, you know, with him saying it and everything -"

"That's not my question, okay! So he wants to find his phylactery and make sure it doesn't get destroyed."

"Yes."

"Griffin?"

"Yes?"

"Since when have our liches had phylacteries?"

“...”

“...”

"Well, they've - they've had them all along, Travis. I can't believe you don't remember that."

"Really."

"Mhm!"

"So...what're Lup and Barry's?"

"Well, now that's a - very personal question you're asking there. I'm not surprised they didn't tell you, Magnus."

"Oh! Oh, Trav, he got you good!"

"So that's how you're gonna play it, Griffin?"

"Yep, I think that's how I'm gonna play it."

"All right, Griffie, just remember, this is how you wanted to play it."

...

"Ahoy! Taako! I have a question of great import!"

"Yeah, homie, what's crackalackin'?" 

"What's your sister's phylactery?" Magnus asks, reaching for another meringue.

Taako blinks at him.

"Okay, first of all, I'm frankly a little suspicious why you'd even see the need to ask that," he says, raising one finger in the air. "Second of all, what's that got to do with the, the price of eggs?"

...

"Seriously, Juice? I thought you were on my side here!"

"Oh, I am, I am. Justin's all for making our beloved baby brother sweat. But, uh, Taako just got asked a very weird, very personal question, and I don't have to tell you that shit's already pretty weird, sooo..."

"This is about the character voices, isn't it."

"Travis, my dear brother...it has always been about the character voices."

...

"Well, Barry mentioned it, when we were talking about the whole lich-on-the-plane-of-thought thing, and I thought, and I don't know a lot about necromancy, but I thought maybe if there isn't magic on the Plane of Thought, maybe whoever it was turned themselves into a lich...here. And maybe they left it here, to make sure it wouldn't get...I dunno, de-magicked? So maybe, if we knew what kind of thing we were looking for -"

"We could find it and smash the shit out of it before things get any more, uh, uh, buckwild around here," Taako says, tapping a finger against his chin in thought. Magnus takes advantage of the opportunity to stuff the entire meringue in his mouth. "Not a bad - not a bad plan at all. So we're back in the old saving-the-world business, huh?"

"Wookf wike it," Magnus says, and swallows the last of the meringue. "Think we should give Merle a call? Y'know, get the band back together."

"Hmm," Taako says, thoughtfully, still tapping his chin.

...

"Yes! Yes, you should! Come on, throw your poor old dad a bone here."

...

"He's been pretty busy with that whole adventure camp thing," Magnus says, uncertainly.

"Oh, for sure, for sure," Taako agrees. "And trying to be a good father to the children he basically abandoned."

...

"Oh, come on, now that's just dirty pool!"

...

"And running an entire earldom? He's a busy man. We shouldn't be calling him up to bother him over every little, uh, every problem that comes our way," Taako finishes, decisively.

He looks over and meets Magnus' eyes.

"I've got his Stone of Farspeech on speed-dial," Magnus says.

...

The call goes to voicemail, again.

Liliana frowns at the device in her hand, before ending the call.

"Maybe he's still asleep," Rowan suggests uncertainly.

"Nope, he said he wanted to come meet the one and only Joaquin with us," Liliana says, unable to keep a hint of disdain out of her voice. "Can you just drop me at his apartment? Something here's not right."

"It's a quarter mile out of the way," Rowan starts, sounding annoyed, then glances over and sees Liliana's face. He sighs, and merges into the left lane. "Fine. But I'm going to drop you off and keep going, okay? Time may be of the essence."

"Sounds like a plan," Liliana says, already looking down the street for Storm's apartment building. 

With the traffic, it ends up taking almost ten minutes to get there. Liliana piles out of the car at a red light and walks the last block to Storm's building. She rings the buzzer, and waits, tucking her hands under her arms and stamping her feet. September's cold this year, and the wind howling down the back of her neck has a bite to it. She hopes it's not going to rain.

Finally, Storm's voice echoes out of the little speaker by the door, tinny and hollow. "What."

"It's me," Liliana says. "Open up."

There's a groan from the speaker before it abruptly goes dead. The door doesn't buzz. Liliana gives the handle a tug, but it doesn't budge.

She lays on the buzzer again, jamming her thumb against the button marked with Storm's name until her knuckle aches. She doesn't let up until the speaker crackles to life again. "All right, all right! Fine!"

Storm's apartment, when he opens the door for Liliana, is dark. "Hey, I didn't say you could come in -" he starts, as Liliana shoulders past him into the entryway. Liliana ignores him. 

She sighs at the closed blinds, the pile of dishes in the sink, the unmade bed, the overflowing trash cans, the collection of half-drunk water glasses sitting on the bedside table. "That bad, huh?" she asks, as she pulls open the living room curtains. Storm winces when the light flows in, but he doesn't try to stop her.

"I'm fine," he says, defensively. "I'm dealing. You saw the news, didn't you? You know what our miserable fucking excuse for a government did -"

"I sure do. And I know sitting alone in a dark room feeling sorry for myself ain't gonna make it better," Liliana says, shortly. 

"Nothing is," Storm says, his voice bitter and brittle, and Liliana pauses in her quest to get some sunlight into his apartment to look over at him. He won't meet her eyes. "Nothing is going to make anything better, do you understand? Sense hasn't saved us, law and order haven't saved us, knowledge, kindness, solidarity definitely haven't saved us - the wheel is spinning into misery again, and there is nothing that can stop it now except time. And even that - eight years! We got eight measly years to breathe in, and even that was too much, and now we're paying for it just like we always have, and we'll pay for it and pay for it and pay for it -"

"Just so you know, you stopped making any sense about four sentences ago," Liliana says.

Storm looks her in the eye.

"The only governing force in the universe is entropy," he says. 

"That's an interesting theory," Liliana says. "That why you haven't done dishes in a month?"

"They'll just get dirty again! And then they'll have to be washed again, and it's an endless cycle that just wastes precious, finite energy, and then you die, and you've wasted your whole life washing dishes, and -" Storm protests, and then stops, finally seeming to hear how ridiculous he sounds. 

"All right," Liliana says, taking pity on him. "Why don't you give that therapist of yours a call, and while you talk to her, I'll take out your trash and clean up in here. It's not gonna make the world a better place, I know, but it will make the immediate future suck a little less." She waves a hand in front of her nose. "Been burning incense in here again? This place reeks like an ashtray."

"It's against the lease," Storm says, hollowly. "Like most other small pleasures that would make life feel more like it was worth living."

"Jesus, you're a cheerful guy today," Liliana says. "When's the last time you slept?"

Storm doesn't answer, but his silence is glowering and guilty. Liliana nods. "All right. Call your therapist, then go take a nap."

"What's the point?" Storm mutters. "This is just how reality works. What's she going to do about it? Tell me lies to try to make me feel better? Tell me to lie to myself to try to feel better?" His voice goes even smaller, quiet enough that Liliana has to strain to hear it. "Maybe it's a good thing we opened that circle. Maybe we should just leave it open and hope it destroys us all."

"Oh, for -" Liliana starts. 

She doesn't get a chance to finish, though, because the fire alarm goes off.

...

It's a beautiful day at Bottlenose Cove. They've mostly been beautiful days so far, at least the ones that Merle's been in town for. 

...

"Finally! And here I was starting to think you boys had forgotten about me."

"Well, Magnus and Taako have been trying to call you all year, Dad, it's not their fault you keep forgetting to take your stone off silent."

"Oh, sure, you can say that -"

"Listen, old man, I will personally walk through your phone settings with you right now -"

"Hey guys? Hey? Hey guys? Hey guys, wanna play - hey, do you guys maybe wanna play some D&D?"

...

Extreme Teen Adventures keeps him away from home for weeks at a time, of course, out in the wilderness far from civilisation, where you can't even get a decent signal on a Stone of Farspeech -

...

"Oh, sure, all gang up on the old guy, why don't you? I hope you all remember who gave you life!"

"Well, Dad, technically -"

"I contributed half the genetic material!"

...

- but Merle's finally got a week or two of well-earned vacation, and, as he drops his bags on the front steps of his cliffside manor and turns to survey the tiny beach earldom laid out before him, he decides he's going to spend as much of it as possible lying on the sand, in the sun, not moving. The water is a perfect crystal blue, little rippling waves sparkling in the light, the sun hammers warmth into the top of Merle's head and shoulders under his Hawaiian shirt, the sky is an unbroken dome of pure lapis fading almost to white around the horizon, unblemished by even the faintest wisp of cloud -

And the moon's falling out of it.

Merle blinks, raises a hand to shade his eyes, but the moon's still there and it's still falling. He can see its shadow, now, a little dark disc in the middle of the water that's growing bigger and wider by the second. The moon itself is getting bigger, too, and the closer it gets the more Merle can see. It's a little reassuring to know that the actual moon isn't about to drop on Bottlenose Cove, but seeing the Bureau of Benevolence moonbase dropping towards him at high speed isn't exactly a reassuring sight, either.

"Dad?" Mavis asks uncertainly, and Mookie shouts, "Cool!" Merle gathers them both close to his sides, as much to reassure Mavis as to make sure Mookie doesn't go charging down the beach and get squished by the falling moonbase. 

A few heartbeats pass, Merle holding his breath as the shadow covering the beach grows bigger and bigger, before the moonbase crashes into the water. 

The impact is deafening. The spray reaches all the way up to the manor steps, spattering a fine cold mist across Merle's face. Mavis' arms tighten around his waist, and Merle gives her an unthinking pat on the back.

Once the wave that the moonbase's splashdown landing had kicked up onto the sand starts to retreat, Merle finally loosens his grip on his kids' shoulders. 

"We - we should go see if we can help," Mavis says. "If there were people in there -"

Merle just nods, and grabs his backpack back up from the porch.

By the time he gets down to the beach, the party's pretty much over. Half of Bottlenose Cove has swarmed out of their homes to come help evacuate the slowly-sinking moonbase, and rowboats and Fanta-Sea-Doos are already ferrying people with silver bracers to shore. The glass cannonballs have been repurposed as lifeboats, bobbing on the waves in random patterns, and Merle catches the eye of someone waving from inside one of the glass globes. It's Avi, looking just a little too cheerful for somebody whose flying house just crash-landed in somebody else's cove. Merle follows his line of sight, and realises Avi's looking past him, at Chesney's up the beach. Well, that makes sense, then.

One of the other globes, one that's a little closer to him, gets caught up in the breakers near the beach, and there's a chorus of yelps as it topples over, spilling its passengers into the surf. Merle hurries down the beach, thinking of riptides - but by the time he reaches the water, several people in extremely sodden blue-and-white robes are already dragging themselves out of the ocean. There's a lot of embarrassed laughter, and one of the people who'd spilled out of the cannonball flicks her hair back over her shoulder.

"Lucretia!" Merle calls, and she turns. "Long time no see!"

Lucretia turns, and her smile grows sheepish.

"Merle!" she calls, raising a hand in greeting. "Hope you don't mind us, uh, dropping in."