Golden Eyes

An Unlikely Visitor

As Miko made her way home, Kaeya and Aya decided they should speak to each other to clarify the moment they had together, and what it would mean. Before they could speak, Aya told him she wished to open the bakery and have some customers in, since she had been gone for over a day and hadn't made any sales. He agreed, and so they decided they'd meet again later at his home.
Aya felt at ease being back at her bakery, where the smell of sugar cookies and other sweets swarmed her. As always, she set out an A-frame chalkboard which was designed perfectly, and read "open", to inform customers that they were free to come inside.
Throughout the day, she would knead dough, or mix batters, and it was often she wouldn't get a break, but due to tourist season coming to a close, her bakery had begun to slow down, so she wouldn't need to make as many tasty treats to put out.
On her break, she sat outside to enjoy the cool breeze and a cup of warm herbal tea.
Miko, who had the day off of work and had no commissions, decided to stop by, rather than sitting at home, bored with the lack of things she could do.
As Miko sat next to her at the outside patio table, they both sighed.
"What do you think you'll do about Kaeya?" Miko looked over to Aya who was sipping her tea from a small, baby blue mug. Aya inhaled sharply, then leaned back in her chair after setting her mug on the table.
"Honestly, I don't know. I can't get Zhongli out of my head..."
"Judging by the way he looked at you, he probably can't get you out of his head either," Miko chuckled, propping herself up on the table with her own arm.
"He doesn't even know my name."
"But he knows your face,"
Aya smiled at the thought of Zhongli, the golden eyed stranger she had met in passing at the Wanmin restaurant. Her mind wandered to questions, wondering if she'd ever see him again, if she'd ever get to feel him against her. Her cheeks heated up in a fluster.
"Do you think I could have some tea as well?" Miko sighed heavily. It was obvious she was exhausted from their long adventure to Liyue, so Aya smiled and nodded, standing up and making her way back inside to put on a new pot of tea.
She opened a new packet of tea, then turned on the stove to boil some water.
As the tea began heating up, the little bell that jingled when the bakery door opens rang.
"Welcome to the Crescent Bake-" She started to speak, but as she turned around to see who had walked in, she stopped in speechlessness. Standing in the doorway was a tall, handsome, brunette man, who she had recognized immediately.
"Zhongli," She said, her stomach all in a flutter, her heart starting to race. He smiled gently back at her with kind eyes that glowed as brightly as the sun.
The sound of the bell interrupted their moment, as Aya looked over to see Miko coming in from outside.
"Aya, where's my tea?" She went to the counter, but Aya didn't respond. Her eyes shifted between Miko and Zhongli, unknowing to who she should speak to, but Miko had noticed that her gaze was not on her, but on him.
Miko turned around to see the man standing behind her, chuckling at the intrusion, and her cheeks began to flush bright pink.
"I'm so sorry!" She said to him, knowing that she had interrupted. He laughed.
"It's quite alright, no need to apologize." He said, his voice deep, yet soft. Miko grabbed her tea cup and made her way back outside to sit at the table once more.
Aya pushed her hair behind her ear.
"I apologize for her interruption. Could I get you anything? Some sugar cookies? A baguette?" Aya began offering him baked goods to hide the fact she was nervous to be in his presence. Without knowing what it was, she could sense an incredible magic coming from him, though she ignored it, as she thought it would be rude to ask.
"No, thank you. I actually came here to see you," he said, walking closer to the counter.
"Me? H-how did you find me?" She said. "I didn't give you my name, let alone the name of the bakery I own."
Zhongli started to look through the glass case which held the baked goods and such.
"You didn't need to, I am friends with Chef Mao, after all."
With those words, she had came to the realization that she asked Chef Mao for recognition if anyone had asked about her baked goods at the restaurant, and it had appeared that was exactly what he had done.
"Well I'm really glad you're here. I didn't introduce myself earlier, but I'm Aya!" She held out her hand to shake his, and he grabbed hers in exchange. His hands, though soft, were firm and powerful, and touching him made her sense in his magic even more strong.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Aya." He responded, creating more butterflies in her stomach.
"What brings you to Mondstadt?" She smiled as she turned away to clean up the mess she had made during making her tea.
"Visiting an old friend. Plus, it was a good opportunity to meet you. Officially."
"Old friends? You know people who live in Mondstadt?"
"Only one, but he's not around very often. This season is the best time to see him." He said.
Aya looked at him, studying his face. She watched as he walked through the bakery, looking at the paintings on the walls. He stopped and looked at one specific painting on the wall; a painting of the Anemo Archon and a lady with hair as red as Master Diluc's in shackles.
"Are you interested in the history of that painting?" Aya came out from behind the bakery counter and stood next to him, as they both stared at the painting.
He looked at her as if to say he were intrigued.
"They say the lady with red hair was the Hero of Mondstadt, lady Vennessa. The Anemo Archon, Barbatos, saved her from a terrifying dragon which was sent to kill her and her family by an evil tyrant, who had held them prisoner due to the colour of their hair." She explained, pointing to the lady in the painting. Zhongli looked at her with a soft smile on his face.
"You know quite a lot, don't you?"
"I grew up in Mondstadt. My parents told me many stories, though I'm not sure they're true..."
Zhongli laughed and put his hand on her shoulder.
"I should be heading out now, but it was great to meet you again, Aya."
His touch was warm, but the magic that Aya sensed was unlike any other presence she had felt before, not even from the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Jean.
They said their goodbyes, and as he left, Miko, who was patiently waiting outside, came back inside the bakery.
"Was that the guy you met in Liyue?!" She exclaimed, the giddiness in her voice almost obvious, like a kid receiving presents.
Aya nodded, and Miko's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.
"He was so hot! I mean, he's no Master Diluc, but he was gorgeous."
"I knew you liked Master Diluc!"
"That's besides the point! You liked him!"
Aya's cheeks flushed as she nodded slightly.
"Oh no... But what about Kaeya?" Miko's giddiness began to fade, and instead, was replaced with worry for Aya.
Aya shrugged her shoulders; she had no idea what she would tell him, and if she should tell him about Zhongli.
"Hey, Miko?" She remembered the strange power she felt. "Did you notice anything odd about Zhongli?"
Miko looked at her, her skin began going pale, as though she were sick.
"You mean, his magic?"
Aya nodded.
"It rivalled that of a God..."