Demons in Teyvat?!

🌸ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟛 🌊

~Tea with Zhongli~

"Childe. It is good to see you. I hear training has been going well with Xiao. You've recovered from your injuries, I hope?" Childe gingerly lowered himself into the hardwood chair with a grimace. Beside him, Y/N pulled up a chair and took a seat, reaching forward to grab the teapot to refill their cups. As Zhongli raised his cup to his lips, Childe sighed and rubbed a kink in his neck. "Well, I've surely been better. Those demons never cease to impress me. They really are formidable opponents, that's for sure... Y/N, what are you doing?" Y/N looked up from the table, where she had folded her silken napkin into an intricate water lily. Zhongli watched the interaction with an amused look in his eye. He chuckled and set down his cup. "Rather interesting craftsmanship. Was this perhaps her profession before she was turned?" Childe shook his head, resigning to pass his napkin to Y/N as well to be turned into origami. "No, I believe she was a healer... a doctor, of sorts." Zhongli raised an eyebrow. "...You believe? So you are not sure?" Childe frowned.

"Actually, thinking back..." Y/N had never actually told him exactly what she did for a living... she never went down the mountain during his stay at the L/N mansion. She was proficient at a large number of crafts too... not only origami, but poetry, painting, reading academic papers- she had even had things to say about political happenings in Liyue. Not that he thought about it, how exactly had she known? It wasn't like news traveled fast in the small village she had lived in. Childe turned to squint at the side of Y/N's dainty face. Her lips were tilted up in a small smile as she focused on the task in front of her. Now that he thought about it, had he really had that many conversations with her? For some reason, his memories were becoming blurrier by the day... did he hit his head too hard?

"Ajax?" Childe blinked. Y/N stared at him, her lips pursed in a familiar worried frown- the same expression she would give him when he had gone off trail to fight hi8llichurls and ended back home hours later than expected. She'd give him a scolding, than usher him off to wash up before bringing him a hearty dinner. "Ajax... okay?" Childe smiled tiredly and nodded. "I'm fine, really Y/N." Y/N squinted at him, seemingly unconvinced. "Ah, right. Y/N's conquering of the sun is quite a recent development, correct? It is surprising to see that she has regained some ability to speak as well."

"Oh.. Isn't that expected though? All the other demons could talk, even if they did burn in the sun." Zhongli gave a small shake of his head. "It is unfortunate, but Y/N is the only demon I have encountered that has not been capable of speech since the moment of turning. However, her abilities are comparable to higher level demons- and even those cannot withstand the sun's rays." "Hmph!" Y/N nodded to herself, smiling at Childe as if to say, See? I'm stronger than you think!" After seeing Y/N wear her muzzle for so long, he'd forgotten how sassy she could be at times. Strangely though, he didn't think he minded. "Ah, the reason I asked for Y/N's previous profession is because I believe it may be linked, in some ways, to her blood demon art. The traveler informed me it was used at the healing clinics after the attack at Liyue, correct?" He nodded. Lumine had told him? That's right- he should remember to thank her for everything she had done so far.

"This is only the speculations of an old man..." Y/N giggled. "But, I suppose that the healing effect of her blood demon art is reflective of her profession as a doctor. The fact that it does not harm humans can be a result of her deep rooted love for family.... I believe that harbinger friend of yours is responsible for that." Friend? That wasn't the term he would use to describe him, but alright... "However, what perplexes me is the violet flames... I have not had the pleasure to see them myself, so I am unsure what they could be linked to. If I recall correctly, L/N is not a Liyuen surname." "...Hmm? No it's not," Childe said absentmindedly. Zhongli had a tendency of zeroing in on what seemed like pointless facts to him- but they'd been acquaintances long enough to know that he had his reasons for doing so. "No, I remember her family originally came from Inazuma. Her father was a doctor too." Zhongli raised a hand to his chin. "Is that so... the land of Eternity, you say? It must not have been easy, escaping the Raiden Shogun-"

Bang.

The two of them turned to Y/N, who had suddenly stood up from her seat. "Are you alright, Miss Y/N?" Zhongli asked worriedly as his eyes glanced over the girl's figure, which was swaying lightly from side to side. Childe's eyes widened. "...Y/N?" Her face was pale, and her eyes were screwed shut. As his eyes focused, he noticed her nails drawing blood from her palms.

But just as quickly as it had happened, Y/N calmed down once more- and she stood up from her seat, shrinking as she hurried over to Zhongli. She raised a closed fist towards him. "...Miss Y/N?" Zhongli's composure was surprising considering Y/N's outburst. Childe was still sitting on the edge of his seat. Y/N smiled. "For you," She said, her voice eerily waverly. In her outstretched palm, still dripping lightly with blood, was a glaze lily- and yet, this one had blackened, withered petals, as if the flower was on the verge of turning into ash. Zhoongli's amber eyes glowed.

This situation... wasn't it similar to a cat presenting it's oner with a dead rat? "O-kay," Childe hurried over and gently pulled a disgruntled Y/N into his arms. "It was nice to see you again, Zhongli. I'll keep sending you letters!" He dropped a bag of mora on the table. Zhongli nodded slowly. "Of course, please do." With that, Childe turned and quickly walked out of the teahouse. "Y/N... really, you have to stop doing things like that..." "Hmphf."

~🌸🌊~

Zhongli's gaze raised from the blackened flower on the table in front of him to the girl resting her head on Childe's shoulder. Y/N gazed at him with bright violet eyes, a strange, knowing look in her eyes as she was carried away and out of sight. Had she been triggered by the mention of the electro archon? Zhongli took a sip of tea. "Are you done here, sir?" Zhongli raised his head to the young server who had seemingly materialized by the tableside. He smiled, and nodded. "Yes, my companion and I am finished with our meal. However, I would like to stay for a moment longer. It is not often that I am able to relax, like this." The woman's eyes widened, and she held the platter tightly to her chest and shook her head rapidly. "Oh, no no- stay as long as you like, please!' She gushed. With her face flushed, she quickly cleared away the dishes on the table, not hesitating to sweep the flower onto the platter and carrying it away. Zhongli paused, reaching forward to refill his tea cup only to find the kettle empty. He sighed.

A glaze lily, and a black one at that. Black... he was not superstitious, but the color was seen as an ominous symbol of misfortune in Liyue culture. Was that flower a simple gesture from the young woman? It was not his place to pry- after all, he of all people knew that every person was entitled to their own secrets. Secrets that were not to be disclosed without the owner's wishes. After all, some secrets are better kept hidden.