Midnight Library

(A/I) :: Zhongli

Away With the Wind
(Word count: ~1.6k)

Synopsis:
Aether spots an interesting looking book while having tea with Zhongli. Turns out it was the last peice of a contract.

...

Aether and Paimon walked down the streets of Liyue heading to a certain funeral parlour to meet up with their knowledgeable friend. Zhongli has invited them over to tea as a reunion from their long journeys in Teyvat. Aether knew what was going to happen the second they got there — it was practically routine at this point. Zhongli would welcome them into his office and pour them the tea, and they get started straight away conversing about stores. The consultant would tell of many tales he's gathered from his time here in Teyvat and so would the traveller. That's how they would pass the day as Paimon dozed off in the evening rays with wind blowing softly in her hair.

So off they went.

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"Traveller, how do you and Zhongli always manage to talk all day? Paimon can't even finish listening to one of his stories before I fall asleep! Believe it or not, the funeral parlour's chairs are very comfortable to sleep in."

"I guess, but... aren't you afraid that there would be ghosts around? You know, it being a funeral parlour and all. They might haunt you in your dreams~"

"Hey! Don't scare Paimon like that!"

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The duo walked along the stone paths until they reached a familiar storefront. And just like clockwork, before Aether could even touch the doorknob, Zhongli had opened the door for them.

"Traveller, welcome back. The tea is brewing nicely. Let's go have a seat in my office and catch up shall we?"

With that, the two wordlessly followed Zhongli into his office. As per usual, Aether ans Paimon both plopped down in their respective seats and the fairy began dozing off. Aether dimly smiled at Paimon finally getting a rest and turned to Zhongli, about to begin their exchange of stories. Just as Aether was about to speak, his eyes glazed over an open book sat on the desk. The book's pages had a silver lining and the words looked delicate and... hand written? The book looks to be about 300 pages. Just who could hand write so much and do it so perfectly? His eyes were also caught on a phrase of the book. "Rocks and boulders are very resistant against the wind. Yet it seems as though this time the world worked in favour of the wind as it swept up a rock and rolled away with the breeze." What was something like this doing in a book? Surely this isn't a story between two inanimate objects. As he was about to inquire about the contents, Zhongli suddenly spoke.

"I see you've taken an interest in the current book I'm reading. Then I suppose let's start with that story first?"

Aether nodded as he drank from his tea cup, a light breeze making its way through the room. It was oddly comforting and a good mood for storytelling and listening.

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"Hey guys! Look what I brought!" I shouted with such excitement.

I had sparkles in my eyes as I pranced my way over to where the three were sitting. A man and woman looked up and smiled while a third male was long gone with 3 bottles of the finest dandelion wine all emptied out beside him.