She's beautiful, kind, elegant & Intelligent. I don't have anything on what she has. Iris thought as she look at Guizhong looking at the skies as the Lantern Rite celebrated in Liyue Harbor.
"Look at all those people, Iris! Their smiles, laughter.. everything is beautiful. More beautiful than the pretty stars in the skies." Guizhong said referring to the lanterns floating in the air.
"Yes, you're right," Iris mumbled. It's only the two of them here at the top of the mountain inside the harbor.
Iris stared at Guizhong with jealousy in her eyes. Her silky smooth black hair and her perfectly matched blue-white dress with glaze lilies on it.
It's no question that Rex Lapis fell in love with Guizhong at first sight.
"Iris, Guizhong." Cloud Retainer suddenly came interrupting Iris' flow of thoughts.
"Have you seen Morax?" Cloud Retainer asked. Rex Lapis has two names, Morax & Rex Lapis.
The people of Celestia call him Rex Lapis while the people of Liyue call him either Rex Lapis or Morax.
"No... why Cloud Retainer?" Guizhong asks with a worried voice. "After he sparked the festival, he's nowhere to be found." Guizhong thinks deeply after what Cloud Retainer said. Iris didn't even bother to think where Morax is, 'maybe he's just chilling out there drinking some tea or
something.' Iris thought.
Guizhong glanced at Iris. All this time, Guizhong knows what Iris feels. Iris felt jealousy and inferiority from her. She also knows how Iris likes Morax so much.
She could see it in Iris' eyes. Guizhong even told this to Morax. There's no change, hard as rock Morax is he didn't care or he just ignored it.
Guizhong wants to be Iris' friend and stay by her side forever without the feeling of inferiority or jealousy on her.
Iris is a kind-natured and intelligent young lady. Nobody knows her past life and only the superiors of Celestia knows.
Guizhong tapped Iris' arms cutting off Iris' train of thoughts. Iris looked at her with confusion.
'My, what an innocent little girl.' Guizhong thought.
"How about you go find Rex Lapis for us?" Guizhong smiled sweetly. This may be her last day in staying with us.
Tomorrow morning, there will be the war for the throne. Whatever the reason is, it's not good. No one knows the real reason for the Archon War except the Archons such as Rex Lapis & Barbatos, but even none of them will tell the reason why the war should start and sacrifice many people's lives.
Iris' lips sealed. She can't mutter any word of declining Guizhong's offer. She had no idea that Guizhong is pushing her to Morax. Iris just nodded and started walking to the destination that Iris knows.
Well, maybe it's because of her stalking habits. She blushed as how she realized she's stalking
someone else.
"N-no! I was just curious that's all curious! Oh man, Makoto really is right when she said curiosity can kill you." Iris sigh.
Guizhong looking at the back of Iris heading off to finding Morax, Guizhong smiled.
"They both look great to each other." She whispered in the air feeling the cold wind gently playing her hair.
Iris arrived at the peak mountain of Guyun Stone Forest. She was right when she guessed Morax would be here sitting and looking at the view.
"Wowe! Look how high we are!" Morax suddenly jumped out of his seat, looking shocked hearing Iris's voice out of nowhere.
He looked pissed as he look at her. "Go back in there." He ordered but Iris smiled teasingly. Iris sat down beside him and she played her legs up in the air.
Morax couldn't help but to think how unlady-like Iris is. "Eh?? Now that I'm here you want me to go back? Meanie old man, hmp!" Morax felt irritated by her tease.
"Please don't break my peace." Iris laugh and sat beside him looking also at the view in front of them. It's a beautiful sea with moon reflecting it.
"What a beautiful sea.. is Osial here?" Iris asked. "Hello? Oh, almighty monster of the sea? Are you there?" Iris stood up while looking idiot calling the sea monster in that way.
"This child... Sit down, Iris." Iris laugh.
"C'mon oh Almighty God of Contracts, Uncle Morax! How should I call the sea monster?" Morax couldn't help but to not hide his emotions and look at her with irritation.
"Woah! A with emotion Uncle Morax is really handsome than the emotionless one!" Iris blurted. Silence then ruled both of them and slowly, Iris realized what she said and her face turned tomato red.
'how could I! Calling him handsome in his face?! AAAA!!-'
Iris debating in her mind suddenly heard a cleared throat from Morax. Iris then sat down again and another silence fell unto them. The silence wasn't awkward, but it felt more comfortable.
Iris thought, "just sitting beside him without words and only our hearts is much warmer than the other."
"The moon is beautiful, isn't?" Iris was frozen on her spot when Morax blurted that. Iris looked at him if he's really serious or not.
And he's serious but... He also seem to not know what's the true meaning of it.
Iris couldn't help but to sigh devastated while a smile was plastered on her face, maybe in another life then...
Later on, the fireworks lit up in the sky, and Iris couldn't help but stand up and admire it. Fireworks are her favorites.
"Rex!! Look at how beautiful that flower is!!" She tugged Morax's sleeves and pointed out the
beautiful flower fireworks.
"And it's color is also pink and red! Wow!!" Iris still amazed, looked at Morax.
"Hey! Hey!—" she then stopped as both of them gaze to each other. The wind blew both of
their hair as if it's playing with them. The fireworks are still loud and the lanterns are starting to show up in this area.
Iris gulped, debating if she's going to confess to him. Iris gulped once more and look at Morax eyes with hope and serious. It wouldn't hard to try... right? Or... maybe?
Whatever it is, Iris is now ready. She's been keeping this for a very long time. Ever since the first moment she stepped in the Celestia. She met Barbatos, Makoto, Ei, Tsaritsa, Guizhong, Cloud Retainer & of course, Rex Lapis.
Those amber eyes of his always remind her of the autumn leaves in Liyue. His
intelligence that never disappoints her, his kindness and also how he considers everything.
She can't even find other words to describe how she felt with Morax is. All she knows is that,
she likes him. But Morax, likes Guizhong.
It left a pang of pain in her heart.
Iris bite her lips and look at Morax. She was waiting for this moment, with her hands shaking and her voice cracking she said, "Morax!!—" she again forgot the words she wanted to say.
She was frozen on the spot while Morax waited on the words she wanted to say.
Iris feels even more nervous, what if Morax will hate her? Will she ever lose someone important again? No, maybe I should back out, it's not worth it anyway.
No, maybe I should... but what if, he will reject me?
Iris debate in her head, telling and asking what she should do. The fireworks got louder and louder. Iris is now getting irritated and impatient so she closed her eyes and shouts, "I LIKE
YOU!" in Morax's face.
Morax couldn't utter a word, he was shocked at Iris' confession. He may have been good at hiding his emotions but he knows those confession is not fake. It's pure.
He felt something in his heart, and he was reminded by Guizhong's smile. Morax mumbled, "I'm sorry." To Iris. And the last firework vanished in the sky and also lanterns. There is only one moon and sea beside them, a night full of silence.
Her tears fell down from her face as she heard those words coming from his mouth. She already
expected it.
She expected it but why she couldn't breathe?
"Why...?" Her voice cracking asked him.
"I... like someone else." Iris look down as the silence reign them both. Her hands shaking as if she just want to die of humiliation.
"Is... this someone, Guizhong?" Iris voice is shaking but she still manage to ask him.
Morax thought Guizhong and only Guizhong every day and every night. He loves her more than anyone. Her smiles, her laughter. Everything Guizhong had. He knows he needs her, but he doesn't know if Guizhong also needs him.
But there it was, someone also said that she needs him. That she love him, but he rejected her.
Is this... really the right decision? As the god of contracts, every decision he makes has reasons
and rightful. But decisions about this, he is not expert in this area. So, he doesn't know if it's the right thing or not.
"Yes." He answered. Iris finally break from controlling her tears. He felt something weird again in his chest but the thought of Guizhong always reminded him.
Morax wanted to reach out Iris' fragile arms and hands. He wanted to hug her, but the thought
of Guizhong...
He stopped and just looked down, confused by everything.
"This is really awkward." Iris laugh while she wipe off her tears and smiled bitterly to Morax.
"Don't worry! It's a prank! Hahaha! You really think I would fell in love with an old man like you?" She said those words yet she knows she's in pain, Morax felt a pain on his chest too but he ignores it.
He really is the god of rocks.
"Oh, dear me the time! Guizhong will scold me again! Let's go home, Morax!" Iris hold his hand flying in the air as their destination is up ahead.
When they arrived, the festival already ended but the folks still active. From here, you can hear
the dances and laughter from the people of Liyue.
"Iris—" she cut him off when Iris suddenly hugged him.
"It was not a prank, Morax..." She cried in his arms.
"Why... why it can't be me? I am also smart and beautiful... me and Guizhong looks exactly the
same. We're both ladies so why... why do you choose her?" Iris knelt down to Morax as if she's begging him.
"I feel so alone until I met you, Morax. I..." Morax also knelt down and comforted her.
"You silly old man! That's why people called you literally a rock!" Iris cried even more.
"What... did I even do?"
"See?? That's the problem! You're too naive, too innocent by these things that you didn't even notice how both of us suffering because of you!" Iris said, still crying. Morax really couldn't understand.
Iris stopped crying, and Morax pats her head.
"I'm sorry." He whispered.
"It's okay, Morax. I already know the answer. I was just hoping the thought of you also liking me." Iris smiled sweetly while her tears are still flowing.
"Next life... Morax. Please? Choose me." Iris again cried in his arms. Morax didn't know but he agreed. He didn't know what has gotten into him agreeing what Iris' said.
The morning arrived and the war also came. In the middle of the losing battle, Guizhong died.
Iris and the others saw how Morax was devasted by her death. On that day, the Archons lost the war.
After that day, all of them buried Guizhong's body in Guili Plains. Iris offered Glaze Lilies because this is her favorite flower.
Iris saw how Morax was devasted by her death, he mourned almost every day. And it pains her to see how her love crying to someone else.
The last day of the Archon War has arrived. Many people died thanks to the villain.
Iris saw the God who's the reason for her rebirth and the erased of her memories. When she remembered all her missing memories, she felt rage and wanted to revenge.
She tried to kill the God who caused Khaenr'iah to destruction but she failed and was fallen into the world of Teyvat.
Iris cough blood and her vision started to get blurry. She saw Morax hugging her and waking her up. She saw how Morax cried on her. It was a rare sight.
"N-no... please don't also die for me, Iris...!" He pleaded.
"I'm sorry... Morax." Iris caressed Morax' face.
"Live well..." She said. "... and we will meet again." She mumbled as her eyes slowly closing.
Her past memories and her present memories with Morax — she remembered everything. And
promised to herself that they will meet again in the next life.
[A/N: Hi! I hope you enjoyed the story. For more updates, please comment your thoughts and give a like and follow me! I'm sorry for my grammar since it's not my first language. I'm trying my best to improve it. See you soon soon~]