This isn't real

The arranged marriage

"I'm not good with these things. And why is it a man?" -Z

"Well, I do remember mom saying that it was better for the reason of your precarious emotional stability." Yun Jin, the oldest daughter, was lying on his bed. Zhongli looked beside her and saw a teapot. Well, it was not any regular teapot. It was a sereniteapot. Everything he owned was packed into a teapot that was lying on the bed. He sat on the bed and hugged his knees and stared at the teapot.

"If it makes you feel better, Xiao, Ganyu, Hu Tao and Qiqi are going to stay with you next week. We managed to let the Tsaritsa do that at least." Itto, the second oldest, leaned against a wall. He knew Zhongli loved his kids and was well known amongst the children of Liyue.

"Really?" Zhongli looked up, his golden amber eyes glowing in the semi dark room.

"Yep! And we should be able to visit you in a few  months." Gorou, the fourth oldest, leaned against the bed. Zhongli let himself smile as Noelle, the youngest out of the six, brushed away his remaining tears.

"Oh! Your eyeliner. Here." She grabbed a brush and fixed it. Zhongli quickly thanked her and gave her a bear hug. They all got out of his room and headed to Liyue to enjoy Zhongli's last week of freedom in Liyue before becoming the partner of a Snezhnayan prince.

"Mister Zhongli! Mister Zhongli!" A girl with two braids that were tied into a bow behind her head  waved to the six siblings." Is it true you're getting married?"

"Unfortunately yes, Xiangling." Zhongli walked towards her, sat down on an empty seat in her restaurant and sighed. The rest said they needed to go due to business but they would be back soon.

"Well, me, Chongyun and Xingqui heard that Hu Tao is going with you! Is that true? So can we go with you?" Xiangling started to cook the man's favorite food, slow cooked bamboo shoot soup.

"I'm afraid not. The Tsaritsa was kind enough to let them come along. I don't want to push her patience too far." Zhongli sighed, taking the bowl from her.

"Heya Mister Zhongli." A boy with navy blue hair and a boy with fluffy, ice blue hair came into the restaurant and sat down next to him.

"Xingqiu. Chongyun. How are you?" Zhongli nodded at the two boys.

"We're fine but we heard the news." Xingqiu opened a small notebook and began writing.

"It's true." Xiangling called from the kitchen.

"Really?!" Chongyun was eating a popsicle and somewhat choked on it.

"Yes and how many times do I have to tell you not to eat and talk, Chongyun." -Z

"Sorry Mister Zhongli." Chongyun pulled the popsicle away from his mouth. They ate and talked until they heard the sound of wind.

"Xiao?" Zhongli turned around to face a small boy with black hair with teal highlights. His face was covered with a demon mask but once it evaporated, Zhongli's amber eyes met golden ones.

"Hey dad." Xiao jogged up to his dad and hugged him. He was the eldest amongst the kids closest to Zhongli and the heir after Zhongli retired. He was also known as the conqueror of demons for the many he slayed in the archon war. This war established the seven archons, to which Zhongli was one of.

"Please take care in Snezhnaya. I promise that as soon as we can go and stay with you, I will protect you." Xiao sat down next to Zhongli and took the almond tofu before him.

"I'll be fine Xiao. Also, I am not the god of war for nothing." Zhongli gave a small smile as he thanked Xiangling for the food.

"I know but that's on the battlefield. You suck at small talk." -X

"At least I can summon a shield. That I can do." -Z

They got up and walked around Liyue, the citizens asking him about the news and wishing him good luck. This isn't the Zhongli the other nations know though.

The other nations knew the Geo prince to be an egotistical brat who refuses to talk to anyone because they assume he thinks he's better than them. Because Liyue has the Golden House, the only mint in Teyvat and is the most prosperous out of the seven nations, it seems obvious that his parents would buy him everything he asks for. And despite the rulers being two married women, they claimed he was a homophobic bitch with no sense of respect for anyone. No one knew where these rumors started from but when no one ever saw the geo prince, it was easy to believe. And due to his fear of physical touch from strangers, they just got worse. In reality, he was just a poor traumatized child.

Speaking of which, Zhongli was finished talking to everybody and decided to have a final meal with his family and friends. That night they all enjoyed being able to talk to their archon, beloved prince and friend so freely before they had to talk through letters or other means. On the final night, Zhongli was scared to go to sleep, knowing that if he woke up, his life in Liyue would end before he became a soon to be bride to a random prince all the way in Snezhnaya. He did his best to remain awake but alas, exhaustion caught up to him and he eventually fell asleep.

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