Look Me in the Eyes (and tell me that it's me) [Zhongchili]

Chapter 9 - Lunch for Two

The perfect way to test the Zhongli Theory comes in the shape of a small restaurant located close to the university campus. Ajax has eaten there a handful of times over the years, nearly all of them with Yoimiya, but now it is time for its unique cuisine to play its part in unravelling this mystery. He'll have to dig out some of his emergency cash from the tin at the end of his mattress for it, but it'll be worth it to know for certain.

Saturday rolls around and Ajax walks to campus, seating himself at a picnic bench on the green where he and Zhongli agreed to meet. It's a clear day, the air carrying the tint of warmth that marks the end of springtime, but a sharp breeze whips across the field, nipping at Ajax's exposed cheeks and nose.

He shivers, looking down to tug on the strings of his hoodie, and when he looks up, Zhongli is walking across the field from the direction of the car park, scanning the surrounding area.

This is it. This is the day he figures all this out.

Ajax jumps to his feet to greet him. "Hey!" He waves Zhongli over, his stomach twisting knots around itself. "Over here!"

"Ajax." Zhongli locks onto him, his expression brightening. "It is good to see you."

"I could say the same." As Zhongli reaches him, Ajax gives him a kiss and a brief hug then links their hands together, leading Zhongli back toward the path. "Come on, I was hoping we could get in by twelve-thirty—it gets busy around one so this way we should miss the worst of the crowds."

Zhongli chuckles. "You are eager today, are you not?"

"I'm always eager when it's you! Anyway, I'm looking forward to a good meal, aren't you?"

"My eagerness would increase tenfold if I were permitted to know where we might be dining today."

For the past twenty four hours, their upcoming location has been Ajax's best kept secret, despite Zhongli's less-than-subtle attempts to cajole it out of him. If Zhongli had managed to weasel out their destination, and assuming the Zhongli Theory is correct, he would no doubt have asked to re-arrange.

Ultimately, that would be proof in itself, but Ajax needs to see the reaction for himself. Seeing is believing, and all.

"Sorry, no can do—it's a surprise, after all," says Ajax, waggling a finger at him. "But it's one of my favourite places to eat—you're going to love it."

"Then I shall hold my curiosity for a little longer."

Their destination isn't far—approximately a kilometre's walk from the university campus—and they spend the entire walk talking and laughing, the conversation flowing as though they've known each other for years.

Ajax tells Zhongli about the report on geovishaps that Teucer has been set by his school, and Zhongli informs Ajax that he possesses a library's worth of books on the topic that Teucer is more than welcome to borrow. If there was a way for Zhongli to become even more perfect, that does it, adding another dozen points to his already flawless Perfect Boyfriend Score.

Zhongli is so perfect, in fact, that as they approach the restaurant, Ajax starts to hold the tiniest smidgen of hesitation for his plan.

Does he really need to see this for himself? Wouldn't asking have been enough? Does Zhongli really deserve this?

It's too late. They've arrived, stopping outside the long, glass windows providing an explicit view inside the restaurant, where a silver conveyor belt winds its way around a ring of counter seating, transporting dish upon dish of Zhongli's Greatest Nemesis.

It had seemed funny at the time he planned it, but now, after Zhongli has spent the entire walk being so sweet, so generous towards Teucer, a bubble of guilt pops within Ajax, and he struggles to swallow down the lump in his throat to say, "Well, here we are."