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Zhongli is forgetful. He sometimes forgets that without his Gnosis, he is no longer capable of making Mora out of thin air. He sometimes forgets that now that he’s a normal adeptus, he doesn’t hold the same absolute power over Geo.
He sometimes forgets that Ajax is mortal, unlike him.
~~~~~
“Xiansheng, wait up!” Ajax tried to quicken his pace. “Not everyone is as fast as you.”
“Hmm? Apologies,” Zhongli replied, slowing down. He was aware that most mortals can’t climb Qingyun Peak in merely a day, let alone an ageing one.
Ajax laughed, bright as the sun. “No worries. I’m fine. Just the ol’ back acting up a little.”
“…Ajax, you are fifty-four. Is that not considered old for humans?” Zhongli was still getting used to the fleeting nature of human lifespans. Till now, he still wasn’t entirely sure at what age a human was considered old.
The redhead—because yes, somehow Ajax’s hair was still the colour of brightly-burning fire even thirty years after the now-husbands first met—paused. “…I… Not really. But I mean, I’m already pretty old for a Fatuus, considering…”
Zhongli was unable to suppress his inner dragon’s growl. “And that is why I obtained the Tsaritsa’s permission to destroy your Delusion in the first place. We both know how badly it affects your health, and I refuse to let go of you any sooner than I have to.”
Ajax sighed. “I know.” The two climbed in silence for a while, then Ajax looked at Zhongli, blue gazing into amber. “…Zhongli…when I die, get the Traveler to cremate my body and scatter the ashes from the top of Qingyun Peak. …Will you do that for me?”
A lump rose in Zhongli’s throat as he remembered that even though Ajax was here now, he would soon be ripped away by the cruel grasp of time. “…Yes, Ajax. I promise.” He briefly rubbed his thumb over Ajax’s wedding ring as he clasped the other’s hands, helping his mortal lover up as they climbed a mountain together.
The rest of the climb was filled with calm chatter and lighthearted teasing on both ends.
In the end, Zhongli and Ajax reached the summit just in time to watch the sun setting over Jueyun Karst.
~~~~~
“Riptide!” Ajax used his elemental burst, finishing off the last three of the ruin guards that had awakened out of nowhere. Zhongli couldn't help but notice how attractive Ajax looked in battle, covered in the blood of enemies-
Wait. Ruin guards didn’t have blood.
That meant-
Ajax wheezed in pain, collapsing into Zhongli’s arms. He was still attractive when the blood was his own, of course, but Zhongli was now panicking.
His shield was practically unbreakable, but it only shielded from oncoming hits. It couldn’t repair the damage already done to Ajax’s body.
As he was anxiously thinking of what to do, Ajax placed a bloody hand on Zhongli’s shoulder. It would definitely stain the suit, but that was the least of Zhongli’s concerns. “Hey… It’s okay xiansheng… We all knew I wasn’t going to live that long anyways, with my kind of attitude…”
Zhongli shook his head, trying to hold back tears. “I had far too little time with you.”
Ajax chuckled sadly, “It’ll always be far too little time. You have eternity, I don’t.”
Zhongli wasn’t sure how to answer. “Please Ajax, hold on. I can teleport us to Liyue Harbour and we can get you to B- Qiqi,” he pleaded instead.
“…You were gonna say Baizhu, weren’t you?” Ajax asked softly. Zhongli stayed silent, but he knew that was an answer in itself. “…Just like Baizhu, I’m mortal. Unlike you, I can’t live forever. …Remember what I said to you that day when we climbed Qingyun Peak together? What I wanted you to do when I died?”
Zhongli nodded. “I…I will respect your wishes.”
Ajax smiled and asked, “Hey Zhongli…can we have one last kiss?”
“How could I ever refuse?” Zhongli replied softly. In response, Ajax pulled him down by the tie and kissed him. Unlike their usual rough passionate kisses, this one was soft and gentle.
Ajax’s lips tasted like death.
Zhongli felt the moment when Ajax’s grip on his tie loosened. When Ajax went limp in his arms. When the body in his arms became a corpse.
“I’m sorry Ajax, I failed to protect you…”
While he wasn’t one to shed tears, how could he not sob as he held his now-dead lover close to his chest?
~~~~~
Zhongli leaves the police station with Xiao, both having finished their shifts. In Zhongli’s opinion, he has a relatively calm life, apart from the petty crimes that he, as a police officer, has to deal with.
He decides to take the longer route back to the apartment he shares with Xiao, in order to complete a few errands he’s been putting off for a while. First he stops by Bubu Clinic to collect some medicine from Baizhu, the clinic’s owner.
“Welcome to Bubu Clinic- Oh, it’s you Xiao. You’re here for your ibuprofen, correct?” Baizhu asks, adjusting his glasses.
Xiao nods. “Chronic illness is a pain to deal with, no pun intended.”
Baizhu nods in understanding. “Here you go.” He hands over a small plastic bag of medicine.
“Have a nice day,” Zhongli says politely as Xiao takes the bag. The duo walks out of the clinic. “…Chronic illness? Really? He may be mortal, Xiao, but he’s a doctor. At some point he’ll question you about your symptoms and realise they don’t line up with an actual illness,” Zhongli says.
Xiao rolls his eyes. “Look, worst case scenario, he thinks we’re some shady drug dealers selling pain meds to addicts. …Would you rather tell him about karmic debt and blow our cover?” Zhongli doesn’t really know what to say to that.
Next he plans to go to Wanmin Restaurant to have dinner with Xiao, but as the duo is walking past a dark alley, they hear a gruff voice.
“Hand over your wallet and phone. Now.” The tone is threatening. Zhongli and Xiao peer into the alley. There’s a well-built man pointing a knife at a young man. It doesn’t take much for Zhongli to figure that the young man is getting mugged.
Nervous laughter and an oddly familiar voice from the young man. “Ahaha, let’s just calm down, this is all just a huge misunderstanding.”
The mugger growls, “Look, either you hand over your valuables now or I pry them from your cold dead hands.”
Zhongli decides that as a police officer, it’s his duty to stop this. He cocks his gun, pointing it at the mugger. “I’m Officer Zhongli from the Police Department. You are under arrest for attempted armed robbery, attempted assault and threats of violence. Drop your weapon and put your hands where I can see them.”
To his credit, Xiao doesn’t question what Zhongli is doing. After all, it’s pretty obvious what was going on in the alley. He pulls out a pair of handcuffs and restrains the mugger, who doesn’t struggle. Likely because the guy knows it’ll just add on to his charges.
“Gee, thanks! That was a pretty sticky situation I was in just now, heh…” the young man who was about to get mugged says. He steps out of the alley, into the light. And it clicks. Fiery hair, blue eyes, casual demeanour.
Ajax, or at least a reincarnation of him, smiles at Zhongli.
Xiao notices immediately. “…Why don’t I take this guy to the station and join you later?” Zhongli realises it’s an effort to let him acquaint himself with this Ajax. He nods and Xiao leaves, mugger in tow.
“Umm…I’m Ajax, by the way,” Ajax says somewhat awkwardly. It takes Zhongli a good amount of willpower not to tell Ajax that of course he knows already.
“I am Zhongli, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Zhongli says. He hesitates before asking, “…If you are free, would you mind having dinner at Wanmin Restaurant with me?”
Ajax is silent for a moment, making Zhongli wonder if he was being too forward. Then Ajax beams at him. “Sure!”
Zhongli smiles slightly. “Well, I suppose we should get going.”
He is forgetful. But he will never forget Ajax.
~~~~~