Diluc just being himself, this man needs some time to process feelings;
Zhongli is just...Zhongli.
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Unusual circumstances. Coincidence. Fate. Whatever you call it, it was what led Diluc and Zhongli to become friends. It had begun with Aethers' request to accompany him on a mission, by no means a special mission, he actually wouldn't even have needed help, but nevertheless he had decided to ask both. Maybe that was the part that could have been called fate. On this particularly rainy, cloudy day he had noticed how different Diluc behaved, in the vicinity of Zhongli, the longer they were on the road. Little things that were hardly noticeable. That he never looked at him as contemptuously as he looked at many others. That he listened to him carefully, no matter how long he talked about a simple, boring stone. That he talked to him even if the subject seemed meaningless. And that he had smiled, one of the rarest things Aether had ever seen.
Aether didn't know how many days or weeks had passed since then, but he knew that it was no longer uncommon to meet Zhongli at the Dawn Winery. Once he had even seen Diluc in Liyue, even if he was still not sure whether that was really the case or if he had simply imagined it.
-
"Check mate."
A soft chuckle followed the redheads words, golden eyes traced across the chessboard, the small figures reflecting in the darkness of his pupils.
"You have improved significantly.", Zhongli's voice sounded calm, almost satisfied, not in the least like that of a disappointed loser, more like that of a proud teacher.
"I assumed I was good at it before, but you proved me wrong. I simply had to improve.", Diluc replied, his red eyes meeting the other's gaze. A sight he had seen a few times before and yet he started to feel different each time. It was a slow process, barely clear enough to notice and yet he could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears as it got faster, could feel this unusual nervousness inside him that wasn't unsettling, more like a million tiny wings of butterflies. Only when Zhongli tilted his head to one side, a questioning expression on his face, did he notice how long he must have been looking at him without saying a word. Maybe he hadn't even blinked.
Diluc shook his head a little, turning his gaze back to the chessboard.
"Do you want to play another round?", he asked trying to just ignore what had happened, slowly putting the pieces back on the board.
"Unfortunately I have to refuse. It is already very late, I should be leaving by n-"
"You can stay if you want."
Zhongli had not finished his sentence when he heard the redhead's words, which seemed more like a reflex than a conscious act.
"...as I intented to say...the mansion has several guest rooms. Should you want to avoid the long journey around this time of the night, feel free to use one.", he added fast, trying to conceal his unplanned expression of one's own wishes as pure generosity.
He didn't expect Zhongli to agree, the other hardly ever seemed to shy away from anything and could hardly fear the darkness, but yet he couldn't deny the small leap of his heart when Zhongli nodded in agreement.
"I will gladly accept your offer. Seeing the grapevines in the morning dew is actually something I had set out to do, but to visit at such an early hour seemed inappropriate to me.", he replied, a pleased smile chiseled into the otherwise expressionless face.
-
The sun had barely risen when the archon sat on the wall in front of the property, a cup of freshly brewed tea in hand, his eyes lingering on the fields in front of him. The faint light, golden and pink hues that danced over the pale clouds, framed him like a divine cloak and yet they seemed so insignificant compared to the soft glow of the amber tips of his dark, silky hair that hung openly over his shoulders. He was still dressed in the night wear Diluc had lent him, almost as if he had put his composed and neat self aside to simply enjoy the moment, and yet he looked more beautiful than ever, divine almost pure.
"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.
-
He knew heat but he didn't know the burning sensation that rushed through his veins triggered by the sight of the two archons a few tables away, smiling and chatting peacefully. Was it jealousy or envy? He didn't know, but it was there and it was annoying, agonizing. Why did the little brat make him smile in this beautiful, warm, openhearted way? Did they really knew each other for so long? Were they really like family? Or was it something else that connected them? Something....no. Diluc had no reason to think about it. Why should he even care? Well, he and Zhongli were friends. And if the dark-haired was friends with Venti too, then that was perfectly fine. ...yes, perfectly fine...
Diluc growled quietly, annoyed by himself and these unnecessary thoughts that clouded his mind. When did he even start thinking about such things? And why did he always have pictures of Zhongli (and his ass) in his head?
"...that's nothing I should be thinking about...", he unconsciously whispered to himself, finally taking his eyes off the two men as José was waiting for his drink for quite some time now.
-
Even if he hadn't had a mora in his pocket, the archon still had managed to be a little tipsy when he walked next to Diluc late at night on the way back to the Dawn Winery. Actually, it wouldn't have been so noticeable if his facial features hadn't been so much softer than normal. Yes, he did smile regularly, but always with the same stoic face. Now it wasn't stoic at all.
"I'm afraid I've taken advantage of your generosity. The next time I visit you, I will return the favor.", he stated, the same calm and dark voice, yet warmer, almost affectionate.
It wasn't anything that Diluc had thought about, he hadn't wasted a second thinking that Zhongli had to do something to return the favor, but to hear that he was wanting to visit him again made his heart miss a beat. Another nonsensical reaction. If they were friends, it was normal that he would visit him. ..friends...Why did that word sound so damn wrong in Diluc's mind?
"Don't think about it. Since it's my business, it's not a big deal at all.", he replied a little lost in thought, only getting his senses back to full attention when he heard the other chuckle so softly.
"... I may have forgotten that you are 'The tycoon of a winery empire in Mondstadt, unmatched in every possible way.', if I may quote how the locals describe you.", Zhongli replied a little teasingly, something that amazed Diluc. That was new of him.
"Well with the exception of this one woman, Donna, if I remember correctly. Talking to her was more of an unpleasing experience.", he added, for the briefest of moments there was a strange golden glow on his eyes until they looked perfectly normal again when he smiled softly.
Diluc was silent. Everything, every word in these sentences was confusing. Not that he didn't understand the content, but he didn't know how to react to that. And if there was anything he should react to. He knew how Donna was talking about him, but was there any need to explain that he didn't share her feelings? He guessed not. And remained silent for the rest of the way home, which did not prevent Zhongli from reporting on his experiences of the day. It made Diluc smile. Quite a lot. Logically speaking, there was no reason why he should even tell him about his day and yet he seemed to have the need to do so. It was cute in a strange way. Zhongli was cute....
...shit...
-
Although he had said good night to Zhongli shortly after arriving at the winery, Diluc had been lying awake in his bed for some time now, staring at the ceiling. Actually, he usually slept reasonably well. He was used to sleeping everywhere and at any time and yet today he couldn't keep his eyes shut. He thought of too much and yet nothing, no thought he could grasp except for the pictures of Zhongli that were occupying his mind for quite a while now. His amber eyes, the smile with which he had looked at him that morning...a smile he didn't want anyone else to see...
"Shit...", Diluc mumbled, finally aware of what he was feeling. What he had been feeling for a long time, what had started the day they first met and only got stronger over all the time they spent together.
For a while he tried to suppress this knowledge, he had no time for something like that and actually no interest in it. He wasn't even good at expressing feelings at all and yet the knowledge that he had fallen in love could no longer be suppressed.
The redhead sighed getting out of bed again, he probably wouldn't get any sleep tonight. What he hadn't expected was to meet the man in the kitchen which was to blame for his insomnia, standing there barefoot, somewhat disheveled, brewing tea as if it were already in the morning.
"Zhongli?..", Diluc spoke softly and yet the other was probably so absent that he dropped the cup he was holding when Diluc's voice unexpectedly tore him out of his trance.
"Oh.....forgive me...I have a habit of drinking tea at night, I wasn't expecting to meet anyone...", Zhongli mumbled a little drowsy, trying to collect the broken pieces of the cup, something else Diluc hadn't expected to see. He had almost been convinced that it must be a strange ability of the other to look perfect anytime and anywhere. ...well actually he still did...
"I guess I became too comfortable around you to be sufficiently vigilant... of course I will replace the cup."
Diluc shook his head and actually chuckled a little.
"For someone who never has mora with them, you run into quite a lot of debt, don't you?", he asked and even chuckled a little more when he saw Zhongli's almost helpless expression.
"Don't worry, I don't expect anything in return. I am just wondering how someone like you can be so bad at dealing with money but seem to get away with it at the same time."
"....most people are very generous to me. Either someone else will make the payment for me or no payment is expected at all. According to Barbartos' assumption, it is my appearance that causes these spontaneous bursts of generosity but that seems to me to be absolutely unbelievable."
Diluc blinked confused, incredulous about how little the other seemed to have a clue of his own attractiveness and what others seemed to be hoping for from treating him that way.
"Allow me to ask a possibly rude question, but don't you realize that people treat you like that because you're incredibly handsome?"
"Even if that is the case, I do not see any benefit for the other party."
"...It has none in the first place, but if I put it nicely, I assume that most people hope to get closer to you through this."
"For what purpose?... ... Oh. ...Is this a known practice?"
"..known practice? ..hm, I guess it is."
"Does this also apply to you?"
Although this conversation was unusual enough, Diluc hadn't expected this question. In fact, he hadn't bought anything for Zhongli, nor did he expect anything in return for what he gave him. Yes, he wasn't expecting anything in return, so it wouldn't be a lie if he would just say no....But it wouldn't really have been the truth either.
That he didn't answer for so long seemed like enough of an answer to the archon. Zhongli straightened without a word, grabbed Diluc by his wrist and dragged him with him.
Diluc struggled to follow him out of confusion, feeling more nervous with every second they got closer to his bedroom.
It was strange how calm and collected Zhongli looked when he closed the door of the room behind them by pressing his back against it and pulling Diluc towards him, his hand released from his wrist to place both of them on Diluc's waist. For a second Diluc instinctively wanted to back off, but this instinct was immediately silenced when Zhongli's lips touched his, the tart yet sweet taste of the tea clinging to his warm breath. Maybe he should have hesitated, thought about it, but he did neither. He sank into the kiss, his eyes closed, hands subconsciously clutching the other's shirt, his heart beating
at a dangerously high rate. The first kiss was was rather careful but the second one was hot and feverish, downright needy, and the tongue that slipped over Zhongli's bottom lip was impossible to deny, giving him all the consent he needed to pin the red-haired down on the soft matress with a smooth, almost otherwordly strong yet gentle move. Diluc moaned feeling the archon's hot body on his own, plump reddened lips placing kisses along his jaw and down his neck...
-
"..What was that for?...", Diluc asked breatheless, slowly sitting up, his fiery eyes fixed on the naked back infront of him, following the movements of the tiny beads of sweat down the others spine, along these slightly golden shimmering lines that seemed to fade, pulsating slowly.
"Debt repayment.", it would have been fascinating how quickly and blandly he replied, had it not been so incredibly depressing.
Diluc blinked confused. Actually, he was hardly shaken by anything, but Zhongli was able to confuse him quite a lot. The archon looked over his shoulder at Diluc and chuckled when he saw how lost the disheveled redhead had to be to look at him like that, turning to him completely now, taking his hands in his own, causing the redhead's heart to almost jump out of his chest again.
"Dissatisfied with the currency I have chosen to pay my debt?", he asked, a stonecold expression on his face but the little curve of his lips betrayed it.
He had had enough time to understand what he was feeling himself. Maybe not that deep yet, but enough to be explored.
Diluc was someone to press forward no matter what. Ambitious, straightforward, intelligent. But there was nothing left of it whenever Zhongli looked at him like that.
How was he supposed to tell him that he was perfectly fine with this repayment method but didn't want Zhongli to get closer to any other soul in this way? Or in any other way? Or that he shouldn't call it debt repayment? Or, worst of all, that he had a fucking crush on him?
Tactically, he could have thought about it longer but the previous short circuit of his mind didn't leave much more than the little 'here goes nothing' of the voice inside his head.
"I-", he was about to confess what he was feeling, for the first time being able to empathize with how the fathers had to feel when they presented their daughters to him at every party, afraid to be rejected, but he didn't get a chance to say a single word. Still reddened lips brushed against his own, much gentler than the many times before. Affectionate. Almost loving. Slightly golden glowing eyes met his own again when they broke the kiss, sharp but reassuring.
"Do not force yourself to rush to say what can also be said later.", Zhongli whispered, dark discolored arms wrapped around Diluc's neck, strong thighs straddling his hips again.
"But if you want to continue, we need to train your ability to keep your vision in check. I may possess a quick wound healing ability, but burn blisters are nothing to consider as pleasant.", he added, followed by a quiet chuckle that was quickly choked off by a hungry kiss. One of many that night, that morning and on many more days ...