Genshin Impact BL DISCONTINUED

Head & Heart (Diluc/Zhongli)

"Mind to join me for a minute?", he asked not turning around to meet the red eyes that had lingered on him for quite some time now, drawing a small gasp from the redheads lips. Diluc himself hadn't noticed how long he had stood there and just looked at him, rapt by his appearance, his heart beating in a fast and steady rhythm, his fingertips aching to get a glimpse of what the divinity infront of him might feel like. He cleared his throat and stepped closer to the dark-haired, taking a seat next to him as soon as he had reached the wall.
The way Zhongli smiled at him caused an overwhelming need to protect him in Diluc, a need to treasure him, to keep him away from everything that could mean harm and from everything that could take him away.
It felt like it flipped a switch in Diluc's head. One that he didn't even know he had. One that scared him deep inside.

-

Just an hour later Zhongli was back to his usual self, sitting neatly on a chair across from Diluc to loose himself into an endless explanation about the different foods that were arranged for their breakfast. That it were only dishes from Mondstadt didn't mean that he didn't know the origin of each ingredient.
"...forgive me, I did not intend to bore you with my excessive tales.", he said at some point, a small apologetic smile on his lips but Diluc immediately shook his head in return.
"I am not bored. I just wonder about the endless amount of knowledge you have to offer. Almost too much for the short span of a lifetime.", Diluc replied innocenly. The dark-haired's spontaneous, almost knee-jerk reaction, however, caused even more for Diluc to wonder about. He seemed like he was looking for a way to dodge the unasked question, almost uncomfortable. A moment of silence was followed by a faint chuckle until Zhongli grabbed one of the tiny pastries to eat it gracefully, surpressing the sigh that wanted to leave his lips urgently.
"Despite your generous hospitality, I don't want to keep you from your obligations. If there is anything you need to do, you don't have to feel obliged to keep me company.", he said politely at some point, looking at the cup in his hands instead of Diluc.
Diluc looked at him skeptically but decided to leave it like this, there was no need to ask a question that he did not know and that Zhongli clearly seemed uncomfortable with. At least he trusted him enough in order not to assume that there is something evil behind his behavior.
"I actually have a few things to do but feel free to stay as long as you want. I could suggest that you accompany me to town, since I noticed that we have never been there."
In the end, Zhongli had agreed after hesitating for a moment.

-

In the meantime he was walking through the alleys of Mondstadt only to find that, as always, he didn't have a single mora in his pockets. He sighed looking at the expensive wooden sign with the silver decorations that Majorie held in her hand. Too distracted by the grievance he didn't notice how little feet approached him silently until the other archon was already clinging to his back like a backpack, legs and arms wrapped around his body, giggling loudly. He didn't need a second to recognize who it was and sighed, but chuckled softly just a moment later, turning his head a little to get a glimpse of the others face.
"Mo-..ehehe...better not say that too loud. What are you doing here? You didn't even tell me that you'd come to visit!", he said pressing his cheek against the others, so hard it almost hurt.
"It smells like wine as soon as you are around. I should brew you some tea...."
"Oh, don't be like that, you old blockhead. ...ehehe...wanna grab a drink at the tavern? Brewing the stupid tea must at least be worth it~ And if you ask nicely you might not have to pay at all~"

A discussion later, the younger archon dragged the older one into the tavern, his wrist firmly in the grip of Venti's hand. Only millennia of training patience and his generally calm nature prevented Zhongli from summoning a pillar, no a meteor to get rid of the lively god.
"Master Diluc! I brought a friend with me, an excellent opportunity for you to show your generosity~ ..hehehe..."
"I don't care. You won't get anything for free.", Diluc replied stern but his eyes widened a little when he finally looked up to see Venti squeezed against the other archons side, grinning at him stupidly. Zhongli on the other hand just smiled politely, rather tense than relaxed.
"I didn't know that you know each other.", Diluc stated and turned his eyes back to the glasses he was cleaning, an unpleasant feeling spread inside him, another one he had never felt before.
"Yep, we've been friends for ages already~"
"Sometimes I wonder if 'friends' is the correct term to describe our relationship."
"What do you mean, eh? Of course we are!..ohh or would you say I'm more of a family to you? That's so sweet!"
"No."
"Hey! Mo-...Zhongli, it's pretty mean to reject me like that..ehehe..."
Venti playfully hugged the older archon, a teasing grin of his face.
"Master Diluc, get us some wine please~ He pays!"
"No. ..Even if I wanted to, it seems to me that I forgot my wallet. Again."
"Maybe, if Master Diluc is interested, you could tell him one of your endless tales. He'd forget that he even asked for money. And if he doesn't, you just pay with your ass. You got enough of that.", Venti giggled but dodged as soon as he saw a dangerous golden glow in the others eyes and little golden sparks on his hands. In his giggling attempt to jump to the other side of the bar to hide behind Diluc, he failed to realize that Diluc had choked violently. The image of Zhongli's ass had forced itself into his head the second Venti had said it, unintentionally and at lightning speed. Coughing, Diluc grabbed Venti by the waist and lifted him back to the other side, throwing him more than dropping him off. He was still trying to get back to regular breathing when he wordlessly grabbed a bottle of wine and glasses to hand them to Zhongli.
"You don't have to pay.", he mumbled a little confused and turned back to cleaning the glasses (for the third time), anything to distract himself.