primos | weekend at zhongli’s 🕶

weekend at zhongli’s 🕶

( continuation of {HERE}.

it’s strange, having any sort of guest in the usually quiet apartment he has learned to call his own. occasionally, he’ll visit what remains of his old domains scattered throughout liyue; now, they are overrun with plant life and monsters and zhongli thinks back to when they were filled with laughter and love, if he dares to even call it that.

nowadays, he resigns himself to the mortal way of living: paying rent for a humble one bedroom apartment close to his place of employment. while he does have a second bedroom, he also has a spare futon that was imported in from inazuma back before the trading embargo really heated up. it’s never served the purpose of what it’s meant to, of course, with his only overnight guest ever being hu tao who had come over to work through some files and then passed out in the guest room from sheer exhaustion.

this is different.

hosting venti, his oldest living friend, seems to make him hyper aware of how little he has to offer as a host. liyue harbor is rich in history and activities, but his apartment itself is bleak. to some degree, he suspects, venti won’t be surprised - zhongli is an old man, after all. a blockhead. his boring apartment, with traditional liyue fixtures and kettles, speaks to that. he supposes venti won’t be spending too much time in it, but it still makes zhongli aware of how mortal they are, now, even as retired gods in name.

so when morning comes, after he’s certain venti is comfortably suited, zhongli can’t stop thinking of how soft venti’s hair was when he touched and how much zhongli wanted to stay up all night with him counting stars and recounting old tales until venti fell asleep, perhaps leaned against him, and zhongli could ensure he slept safely.

he almost burns his hand on the stove as he prepares them breakfast, zoning out like this. his hair is pulled back as usual and he’s wearing something much more casual than his suit - simple house clothes that are a single layer each, that still cover most of his skin but make him look younger. )

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Uuuugh, yes, help then!

[ He even tacks on a pleaaaaaaase. Both hands still remain, however as if daring to catch strings that may fall from Zhongli's fingers.

They never do, but Zhongli's fingers fall against his own. Knuckles nearly crack from how he curls against them absentmindedly for the briefest moment before pulling away. It's a good thing he can blame the corset for how his breath hitches in his throat. ]

Tight.

[ Mumbled and low: ]

I'll tell you if you hurt me.

( tight. hurt him.

zhongli’s mind goes terriblu lewd places and he almost apologizes to venti aloud for his private thoughts. perhaps he’s been lonelier than he thought, if such statements make him think so crassly of his dearest friend.

zhongli pulls the strings once they’re threaded. it’s tight, as venti wanted, and he has to press a hand against venti’s side for leverage as he yanks at the strings with his other.

the hand falls away when the corset seems close to where it needs to be, and he begins to tie a knot and bow. )

Is this suitable?

[ Leather squeezes as the strings grow tight in Zhongli's hold. His knuckles wrapped in brown strands, tighter until he hears Venti's gasp. The definition of his hips curl enough to deceive, outlined to fit the cut of the garment nicely.

To have Zhongli this close, maybe that is why the air escapes his lungs so readily. ]

Good. [ Thumbs up, he nearly hugs the table in defeat. ] Thank you, Zhongli.

Think nothing of it.

( zhongli quietly steps away to finish their breakfast. he ignores the slight uptake in his pulse and the way he wishes there hadn’t been fabric separating him from venti’s thin frame.

but enough of old man thoughts. he plates their food and brings it back to the table. he’s used to eating alone, so it takes a second for him to find a second chair and join venti at the table. )

What would you like to do today?

[ Venti sits up slowly, pushing the mess of wavy undone braids out of his face. As Zhongli plates, the bard's eyes were watching him intently without even noticing. Mapping his shape, taking note of how he moved – it felt... different. Less prim and proper. More mortal. It makes him smile right when the plates were served. ]

There are children on the dock. They're selling a treasure map for 50 Mora.

[ Venti isn't subtle with his words, almost completely scammed his first day in Liyue!! ]

Do you feel up for a hunt, Zhongli?

( zhongli glances up from his plate. a treasure map? oh dear. zhongli doesn’t even say the obvious. instead, there’s a deep chuckle and he brings his chopsticks up to his lips. )

I don’t see why not. What supposed treasure is there?

( his eyes land on wavy hair and he can’t recall the last time he saw venti like this. maybe ever. it’s a nice look on him.

pretty, wild, free. )

I don't know. They were pretty vague about it.

[ Venti is no fool. To believe children had some mythical, long-coveted treasure map? No, no. He's been around vividly imaginative children in Mondstadt – he believes the Liyue children are no different.

Venti takes his chopsticks and taps them for good luck before snacking away. ]

But, it sounds like a steal. A day following clues, ending up in far off areas, uncovering lost lore and legends?

[ It'll get them away from drinking for the day, that much was for certain. ]

Lost Liyue lore. I wouldn’t mind that.

( he could lecture venti about old legends and how they have morphed over the years. he could showcase the beauty of his ever-evolving nation, now grown out of rex lapis. )

If you’d like, we can do that once we finish with breakfast. I don’t suppose you know where the first landmark on the map is?

Then it's settled becauseeeee....

[ Give him one moment. He's up with a groan, stumbling away with a strip of bacon hanging from his mouth. Before too long, Venti returns and slams a sprawled, clearly mass produced map onto the table. ]

I got it for free. Score or what?

[ Calm down, Venti. He points to the first start of the map – circling Yujing Terrace with a giant chibi dragon sketched in red ink. It has X_X eyes over it. Hm. ]

I think we start here... and then go West... the road seems to be leading away from um... Golden House?

[ Venti will eat, give him a sec. ]

( ?????

zhongli observes the childish markings with wonder. is that meant to be the exuvia? fascinating. he can’t help the good-natured chuckle that bubbles up as his eyes dart around the map and then land back up on his friend’s face. )

Not too long of a journey, all things considered. Perhaps we may run into an old acquit of mine along the way.

( that’s the last thing anyone needs is for them to run into childe???? but maybe that’ll happen. )

[ It absolutely was. Don't blame him. Blame the kids.

Venti leans forward a bit, running his hand against the line drawn on past Golden House. The supposed markings on the map were numbered – first Golden House, then three different locations in Linju Pass. Four total, but a big giant question mark near Linju Pass let him have little faith. ]

A friend? You're capable of those, Zhongli? It's like you're learning!

[ It was a gentle rib as he flops down and starts snacking on his eggs. ]

( you’ll eat those words later, venti. when you have to deal with the chaotic mess that is a ginger thrown to the abyss and too young an age.

zhongli resumes his own breakfast as he gives it some thought. )

Then, that’s what we’ll do today. ( go treasure … hunting. )

The path there is scenic, to the Golden House. I can show you how the land has changed over the years, due to the weather and other natural factors. ( grandpa,,, )

[ Someone more vague than Venti? More sneaky and cryptic?

The world isn't ready.

For now, however, Venti begins to purposefully map the way out in his mind. He's no cartographer, especially in Liyue, but he can imagine the scenery clear as day. Brilliant peaks, clear meadows... hm. He'd rather like to see it now, he thinks. ]

Sounds like a plan. [ A poor one, but a fun one in the grand scheme of things. ] Or by your own hand? I bet you raised a mountain from dirt just to have a pretty view or to impress someone, huh?

[ Ignore him as he literally uses his fingers to bite into his bacon. ]

( zhongli was too duty-bound to fully understand the idea of courtship back then. he had ruled alongside guizhong because she was righteous and smart and cared deeply for their people. it was only in her passing did he realize that the companionship he felt was deeper than any of the bonds he had with his adepti. it had taken him meeting azhdaha to dare and bridge that gap again. sometimes, he wonders if he shouldn’t have.

zhongli shakes his head with a sigh. )

No, these mountains are natural.

( unlike the rocks he’s hurled at enemies in the ocean, in the canyons… some boulders at barbatos when he irked him. oops. )

Finish your breakfast and we can go.

( he rises from his chair to deposit his plate in the sink. please admire his ass in normal pants before he slips away to go change into his usual clothes. )

[ And courtship was a concept so out of Venti's range. For him, wouldn't courtship be a commitment? What god of freedom would find himself like that? ...Perhaps the thought of losing someone again haunts Venti as much as it does Zhongli.

The truth was, they were far too stubborn, to find kinship in their feelings. ]

Then that makes them pretty special. There was so much work I had to do in Mondstadt... ugh.

[ He laments old times, dismissive and shoveling the remainder of his meal down with crass and no moment to pause.

When Zhongli is up and gone, he does let his eyes wander. He feels... taller like this? Perhaps the outfit shows off the lines of his body far easier than a jacket would. Hm.

...Venti snaps his gaze away as he hurries up – scarfing down the last bits of eggs next to Zhongli before standing next to him.

At least he's kind enough to do his fair share of chores? ]

If we find some treasure my first time here in so long, perhaps they'll be putting lucky Barbatos statues in the shops with a Mora in his hand!

[ Venti. That's Inazuma that has the lucky cat statues, idiot. ]

( zhongli has no idea what venti is going on about. the idea of a barbatos statue is kind of amusing in itself, though. the statues always painted him so nicely, cutely. not like the drunken brat he could be.

zhongli dresses fairly quickly, back into a stuffy suit and gloves that hide the geo thrumming along the veins of his arms. when he’s done, he ties his hair up neatly and returns to venti. )

The Golden House is due west of here.

( he says it as he grabs his keys to lock up. )

[ Venti follows suit after washing off his dish, scrambling to go finalize his own look. He slept with tights and shorts on, so now that the corset was secure – he'd instead be focused on appearance.

It takes a little bit longer to comb through his hair with his fingers, to defrizz it from how he rolled around so comfortably in the bed he was gifted. Before long, he arrives with a slide of his shoes on no worse for the ware. Just as flippant and kept as he arrived – braids and all.

He made sure to roll up the map and place it in the waistline of his shorts, underneath that ridiculous cape of his. ]

You know what I think? [ He says with a bit of snark, stepping out into the bask of the Liyue air. ] I think you're excited to find treasure with me.

( where in teyvat did venti get that idea?

well, maybe it’s true.

zhongli curiously lifts a brow at him as he stuffs his keys back into his jacket pocket. the sun is bright and he easily guides venti through the streets of liyue harbor, hand politely pressed to venti’s lower back as he does so. )

The path out of the city goes directly there, for obvious reasons, as it houses most of the original Mora of this world.

[ Maybe a little bird told him.

Either way, they leave through the streets. Already so soon there are people starting their day. Around from doing chores, shopping for the day, or trying to get to work – Venti felt like there was such a busyness to the Harbor that Mondstadt only had on certain days.

It makes him smile. He doesn't pull away from how close he was to his friend, fortunately. The comfort eases into him, makes him feel welcomed all the same. ]

Oh... was it your old house or something? [ Venti... ] Seems likely, to me.

( zhongli rolls his eyes. )

My old domains remain throughout the land, though behind seals.

( and his ex lover is locked behind a seal under a tree, so maybe that’s a trend.

even so, a smile twitches at the corner of zhongli’s lips. )

The Golden House is old, but not as old as the ruins of the Guili Plains.

Uh huhhhhh. [ Venti is oblivious to all of Zhongli's boo-things through the centuries. He'd be a fool to think he lived a chaste life. For when Venti was lonely, finding the bottoms of bottles less than ideal, he certainly had a few in his time. ] So, it was your summer home, then.

[ He takes a few skipping steps ahead of himself, prying the map from his waist to look it over. It lifts to the sky, his feet gentle and careful to not stumble over one another. ]

So, is there anything special now about the Golden House? It's kind of too obvious to have the first hint or even the treasure itself there. I wonder if there's some secret tool or an old wise ghost that will give us our next lead... hm.

[ Venti... shut up. ]

( venti what. zhongli exhales. loudly. )

The Traveler did see the exuvia there, when they believed Rex Lapis to have passed. It’s a place that houses a great deal of Geo and celestial energy.

( perhaps a secret gateway of sorts. but if this is a children’s map? )

… There is also many fountains and lily pads, out front, that children off play with and cast wishes on.

Interesting, interesting...

[ Venti's mind is already trying to connect the dots. A complex puzzle would be one thing, sure, but a children's map needs a different mind. Venti was the perfect one.

And it seems like such imagination is rubbing off on Zhongli. It wasn't their Traveler friend who brings them closer to their destination, but – ]

Aha! You may be as brilliant as you are frugal!

[ Even through the sprawling countryside, the promise of a slow stroll is lost as Venti begins to book it down the path. ]

C'mon! I have a good feeling about this!

( venti????

zhongli takes his time after venti, arms folded and with a wistful smile on his face. he may be some old bones learning new tricks but he won’t ever be as carefree as the wind. )

A good feeling about the first location on the map? Isn’t that premature?

( fascinating.

but he perhaps enjoys walking behind venti for very platonic reasons. )

[ He doesn't distrust children. Even if some had been raised into less savory lives, they have an innocence that was unmatched. He likes going along with their stories, even if it will one day lead him to waste a day playing treasure hunter.

Ah well.

Time with Zhongli was well-spent either way. ]

Never. We'll find something there without a doubt, so long as my eyes are sharp as a scout.

[ The rhymes return and Venti crosses underneath the stone archways, passing by a few guards with ah – hesitance in his step. But the ponds were right there... ]

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