#pls i wanna write fr scaramouche so bad but the idea gods wont bLESS ME

[yuu-says]

An archon’s love

Oof- can’t believe the first full-fic I write for this fandom is somewhat angst?? when will the fluff gods bless me oh my gOD 😭😭 anyways the archons are so fun to write angst for pls I have a couple drafts with zhongles and vents already im 😔😔✋✋

Anyways!! I crossposted on my ao3 as per usual and if you wanna drop a tippy tip for your local broke student, here’s a ko-fi jar uwu lets get ittt

Pairing : Zhongli/Reader

Word count : 1223

Summary : The love of an archon is eternal; they knew this. But still, it doesn’t stop them from loving the human who’ve wormed their way into their heart. And for one such archon, the day for him to meet them again was upon him.

Gently coaxed from the land of dreams, the archon awoke to the touch of golden rays - soft. warm. welcoming- and he smiled. He breathed deeply, savoring the warmth that the sun has blessed him with and turned, heavy eyes revealing themselves to the other side of the bed; empty save for a pillow.

Slowly, he lay his hand atop the silken covers, gleam of gold catching against the similarly coloured light. The band glinted, heavy against his fingers as he remembered what today was.

It was the day he was to meet you again.

He hummed, wondering how long it has been since your departure - your shared bed now cold and empty without your presence. It hadn’t always been like this, had it? He can still hear the the echoes of your laughter from the recesses of his mind - a scene of your early morning antics replaying in his brain, bringing a smile to his face.

You were always trying to get him to sleep in more.

And if he wasn’t careful, he’d do just that today.

Carefully, as if he'd wake a sleeping person, Zhongli moved to get out of bed - soft covers pulling away from his body as he stretched his limbs and stood to height. He breathed deeply once more, content flushing his system as he feels satisfaction from a good night's sleep. The archon ran his fingers through his hair, humming as he went about his day.

He wondered what you would like to see him wear today. His usual? Or a more casual look?

Would you appreciate his hair in whatever style it is he chose for the day? You always did love seeing his hair in a high ponytail- perhaps a change of style was in order?

He went about his morning with thoughts of you in his mind - the way you’d hug him from behind whenever he made his morning tea, how you’d laugh at him for his horrible bedhead, how you’d bid him farewell with a press of your lips to his forehead - the memories played vividly in his mind and, as he fixes his hair in its usual style, he can’t help the ache that has started to form in his chest.

He misses you.

And he couldn’t wait to see you.

Stepping outside, Zhongli took a moment to watch the breaking of dawn - the changing colours of the sky granting him deep appreciation; the brush of cold air that caressed his cheek, his hair swaying with the movement. He breathed in the crisp hair, thankful that you and he had chosen such a beautiful place to call your home.

With the thought in mind, he tear his eyes away from the scenery and let his feet guide him to where he needed to be - shoes hitting cobblestone pavement, the sound echoing in the empty street. Soon, cobblestone turned to wood and the silence exchanged itself for the life of Liyue - ever bustling even if the sun hadn’t fully risen from the horizon.

Making sure he’d brought the sack of Mora his friend had so graciously gifted him the day before, Zhongli stepped into the funeral parlour to attend to his half-day duties. He greeted the secretary of the parlour, ever diligent and always earlier than he, before making his way into the confines of his office - a mental run through of the things he needed to do being checked in his head.

A bouquet of flowers.

A bottle of your favourite drink.

A couple dishes from Wanmin Restaurant.

And a quick stop at the jeweller’s so that he may appraise their wares.

It was a relatively short list and by the time he was done, the sun had started to settle upon the horizon, sky painted various shades of oranges, pinks and purples. He smiled at the colours of the heavens and, with the wares in hand, made his way to the meeting place.

There was a place on the hills behind Liyue where you liked to reside - it was high enough that it overlooked the mouth of the harbour but low enough that anyone coming wouldn’t have a hard time getting there. It was as he made his way over that he spotted his friend leaving - back turned towards the tree where you would rest as you waited for him.

Zhongli smiled.

“Barbatos,” he hummed the archon’s name, the bard laughing as he greeted his old friend. “I didn’t know you would be here today,”

“Well I heard it was ______’s day, so I thought I’d drop by!” Venti laughed, skipping to Zhongli’s side and lightly nudging him as he leaned closer. He wagged a finger at the old archon, a teasing grin on his face as his weight practically hung off his friend. “Yknow, warm their ears for your babbling and all,”

Normally, Zhongli would have scowled at this but he merely shook his head, an amused smile on his face. Letting his gaze linger on his friend for a moment more, the geo archon turned his head towards the tree that overlooked the harbour - the tree where he knew you would be waiting for him as you had always done.

“Will you be joining me as well? I’m sure _____ would be delighted to hear more from you,” the blackette hummed, taking a couple steps back and plopping himself on the grass below - his landing softened by the gust of wind he’d summoned.

“No. I’m gonna rest here for a bit. I think I’ve bothered you on your dates one too many times,” Venti grinned and if Zhongli noticed the way his smile seemed a little too strained, the geo archon said nothing of it. He nodded, thanking his friend and bidding him a farewell as his feet continued to carry him up the small hill.

The Anemo archon watched as he came upon the great tree, the shadow of the leaves making the man harder to see against the quickly fading light. A faint apology and the rustle of cloths carried itself in the winds as Zhongli took his seat near you and Venti forcefully tore his gaze away.

He wanted to leave. But what kind of friend would he be if he wasn’t here to support the old archon?

As Venti lifted his head to stare at the skies above, the stars glimmered as they watched over his friend, whose voice had turned to a mere murmur as he greeted you.

“I’m sorry for being late, ______,” the smile that had been home to his lips since morning threatened to slip, heart clenching painfully as his feelings hit him full force. He could feel the prick of tears at the corner of his eyes and the shakiness of his fingers as he carefully placed the bouquet at the crown of your grave.

He missed you.

And he was happy to be seeing you again.