A Harbinger's Bucket List [ZhongChi/TartaLi]

Chapter 1

While he had long cast off the mantle of 'Rex Lapis', Zhongli was still an adeptus, and thus had no need of sleep. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the pastime of laying down each sunfall, listening to the comings and goings of the city. Some of these sounds were unchanging, invulnerable to the passage of time; children playing their last game before scurrying off home, merchants announcing the discounts on their leftover wares, a group of dockworkers drunkenly rambling as they staggered down the street at the end of their shift.

And some things did change.

Most notably to Zhongli was the shift in the owners of the voices as the years passed. Even when he was still known as 'Rex Lapis', Zhongli would listen. Certain voices would become familiar and he would hear the stories of their lives unfold. Enthusiastic young adults would turn into responsible middle aged workers. In turn, they would one day become one of the respected elders of Liyue, and the new youngsters would gather round to hear their stories of times long ago.

Then the day would come when those voices no longer spoke, succeeded by the next generation.

Zhongli was quite used to voices entering his life and eventually leaving once again, thus was the nature of living an immortal life. Some he barely knew, some were a pleasant memory that would bring a smile to his face each time he recalled them. And some were painful, their final moments still etching cracks in his heart of stone.

Zhongli was used to voices leaving. But he was not used to them returning after they had left.

That was why this day was special. A voice he had become particularly fond of was returning to Liyue. And he had something important to ask its owner.

He'd tried, as usual, to uphold his usual habits. A relaxing tea before bed, then a re-read of one of his many books on the history of Rex Lapis - it was most entertaining, the things mortals came up with - then he settled down to listen.

Except he couldn't settle.

So Zhongli paced, he sorted through years' worth of trinkets, he read some more, paced some more, and rearranged the furniture a grand total of five times until it was just so.

By the time the sunrise broke he was sitting in the chair in his room, reading the same paragraph for the fourth time, yet taking in none of the words. Such an unusual feeling that stirred within his tranquil nature.

He could go down to the docks and wait. But they'd agreed to meet here. And Zhongli was not one to break agreements.

So he waited. Waited for that knock at his door, thinking of that precious person who would be behind it.

Instead there was a voice, coming from his front room.

"Zhongli xiansheng! Can you hear me?"

The joy in his heart upon recognising the speaker was quickly replaced by confusion. As far as he knew, there had been no sound from the front door. The door hadn't even been opened, he was sure, he would have heard it. How peculiar.

"Childe? Yes, I can hear you, I'm on my way through now." Zhongli closed his book and slid it back into its place on the bookshelf before making his way down the hallway.

"Finally! I've been trying for two weeks for- wait! Before you come in, promise you won't be mad, or freak out. It's not as bad as it looks!"

That trouble-seeker had gotten himself injured again. What had he done this time? But he hadn't sounded in pain. Perhaps some kind of mishap in the marketplace. He'd seen plenty a distracted civilian walk into a food cart, sending fruits and vegetables flying, covering themselves in whatever poor merchant's wares had been upended. Childe had better not left any tomato juice or similar on the rug, not after Zhongli had cleaned it twice the night before in preparation for his arrival.