ᴀᴜʙᴜʀɴ [Zhongli x Reader oneshots]

Suit And Tie🍋

author notes: not proofread, loosely based off a daydream

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Shining Silver, Gleaming Gold. The unspoken Patrons of Liyue Harbor. Zhongli and I. 

As two of the oldest living deities in Liyue, we had witnessed the rise and fall of minor gods, the devastating battles fought, the fall of Khaenri'ah. For all that we have seen, our personalities were carved quite differently. 

I was the shining silver, living as though I only had 80 years remaining when I really had eternity in my grasp. Easily adapting to the ever changing environment, I found dear friends and tirelessly cultured relationships with mortals. Zhongli, the gleaming gold, learning all he could from the world surrounding, his calm demeanor and warm outlook drawing many close. He always had a story to tell, and fondly looked forward to experiencing many more.

Together, we were an unrivaled pair, intertwined souls and eternal lovers. We've experienced the passionate Eros, lived the cheerful Ludus, basked in Agape, and obtained everlasting Pragma. I'll never unlock the secrets of the universe, but having given myself to another, body and soul, I can truly say I've found fulfillment.

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The sun rose, casting its rays on a new day as my lover stirred beside me. His amber gaze met my own, and I basked in the sunlight of his smile for but a moment before rising. His hair shaded his eyes as he looked up at me through thick lashes. "What shall we do today, my love?" His voice seemed to resonate in my bones, and I laid a hand on his arm fondly before replying. "I know not what the day has in store for us, but I'd choose to stay in bed a while longer; I do adore your touch."

I lay back down, now facing him as the warm light filtering through the curtains illuminated his chiseled features. He traced my cheek with a slender finger, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear before his touch lingered by my jaw. Tipping my head up to meet his, he pressed a soft kiss to my lips, relishing in the way my cheeks still flushed after all these years.

Cradled inn my arms, sleep was assured, but when he awoke once more, I had disappeared from our bed. Drawing himself to his feet, he slipped on a black dress shirt and brown pants, leaving the shirt unbuttoned in his eagerness to rejoin me. The days we spent together were many, but he yearned for me still. 

Once he found I was nowhere in the tranquil space the two of us called home, he donned a jacket and ventured outside. The sun was hidden behind a few clouds, the weather summoning  the many citizens of Liyue Harbor out of their homes. In the bustling streets, he avidly searched for me, but found nothing. 

By chance, he went to check on a spot we frequented, an isolated clearing in Jueyun Karst. It had been a gift from the Adepti, a place where no disturbances reached or guests would visit. I had quickly made it my own, tending to a small garden and caring for a few of the local fauna. It was a sacred place for me to unwind, but I always welcomed Zhongli there, as I did anywhere.

He found me sitting in a bed of snapdragons. As he drew closer, he noticed the way my shoulders quivered, the small sounds escaping from the hands clutching at my mouth. With a new sense of urgency, he strode over, kneeling beside me to gather me in his arms. Leaning against his chest as sobs racked my body, the breeze tickled my face as though trying to wipe away my tears. 

Zhongli stroked my hair, pressing kisses to my damp cheeks every so often; By now, he wouldn't inquire as to what was wrong. He knew me better. Those who lived for millennia were not strangers to periods of rapidly changing moods. I clung to him as the sadness ebbed from my thoughts, until the tears left me tired and weak.

He lifted me off the ground, angling his head towards the crevice that led out, but I looked back at the cottage I had built here instead. Once inside, he made a pot of tea and brought it to the bed, sitting on the edge as he pushed a warm cup into my outstretched hands. 

Before long, I had finished and was enjoying a record he had put on when my skin began to heat up. It wasn't a common occurrence, but it had happened enough times that I could recognize the signs. "'Li... I think it's time." He nodded, standing up and letting the jacket crumple around his legs. Sleeve by sleeve, he exposed more of his tantalizing expanse of skin until he was shirtless in front of me.

To ease the feverish heat building inside, I shed layers of clothing until I was bare in front of him. I had long grown used to his gaze on me; It was recognized as loving though I once found it scrutinizing. The knowledge that I was special to him, that he wanted to spend eternity with me, warmed my heart in a different way.

I cast my eyes to the ceiling as he leaned against me, his neck grazing my cheek. Our bodies rocked in sync as he peppered sweet kisses against my skin. I felt the pain of the stretch and bit down on his shoulder to distract from it. Before long, his skillful fingers had me melting in his arms as his hands traveled all over my body. The knot in my stomach grew until it burst, and I came undone as he pressed a passionate kiss to my lips.

Eager to return the favor, I directed him to lie back and tucked my hair behind an ear, taking him into my mouth as far as I could. What wouldn't fit inside I stroked with deft fingers as my tongue danced over him, tasting the sticky sweet saltiness that painted the insides of my mouth a viscous white. Swallowing, I leaned back and lay beside him, curling up against his arm as we took deep breaths.

Such an act was seen as an intimate moment shared only with one you trust the most. Zhongli was the one yet so much more. He was poetic and kind, loving and intelligent. He was my lover, and I was his treasure. That's how it was, and forever will be. The two of us, together.