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The stars of the night sky twinkled, dimmed, and shined again. A slender and tall figure sat cross legged on large piece of asteroid rock hurling through space at inhuman speeds.
Golden, narrow eyes that once shown bright with splendor now held a dull yellow above dark bags telling stories of great remorse, and little sleep. The man had a curse,
a constant reminder from the pain of having the air ripped from his lungs by the vacuum of space, as well as the burning sensation every time he flew too close to a star.
This man, named Zhongli, could not die.
He had been on this journey through the darkness of the cosmos for hundreds of years now. But he could not let himself stop traveling until he reached his goal.
He thought of the traveler, did they ever find their sibling? He hoped so. If anyone deserved some kind of happy ending the traveler was certainly one who deserved it.
What of the other's in Liyue? Had Xiao finally found a way to finish his never ending war? What of Ningguang? Had she succeeded in protecting Liyue Harbor in his absence?
So many questions. But he knew he could not stop. For a contract had been made, and he always upholds his contracts.
Zhongli sighed, but of course in the vacuum of space he made no sound, and the comforting release of air from his lungs was ever elusive as the cosmos had long since taken it away
permanently. He felt anxiety. This was nothing new of course, anxiety had become the only companion he had in the lonely abyss of the stars. Whenever he felt this anxiety, he closed his eyes
and escaped into the memories of her.
"How did we get here, Mr. Zhongli?" Her voice echoed in his mind.
And once more, he escaped into his memories... and regrets.
{2}
A small, petite woman gripped Zhongli's right hand with her left, while he held her right hand under his chin with a smug smile. She had him pinned against the wall showing dominance despite being only chest height to him.
"How did we get here, Mr. Zhongli?" She asked, a hint of seduction in her small voice.
Zhongli stiffened. He knew it would be easy to get away, to force the small, fragile looking woman off of him. But he knew it was not the difference in power that held him in place, It was the will to be hers, and to have her be his.
"Director Hu, I..." He quickly regained composure, straightening his tie as he gently pressed her back. "We are on the clock, now is not the time for such antics, dear."
The small girl let out a loud sigh and pressed her fingers against Zhongli's lips and puffed out her cheeks.
"I told you to call me Hu Tao. We have been married for 5 years now!" She exclaimed, jabbing a finger at the ring on his finger. "You don't have to call me 'Director' when we are alone!"
Zhongli could not help but smile. He knew she was angry, but everytime she puffed out her cheeks he could not help but feel she was adorable even when she was scolding him. She was the only mortal woman with the bravery to do so.
"Apologies, Hu Tao. How shall I make it up to you?" He asked, a hint of seduction within his own voice now.
Hu Tao looked down, her face beet red. "I... can think of one way."
Zhongli placed his hand under her chin and lifted up her face so he could look into her eyes. "Enlighten me..." He whispered, his voice firm and dominate, taking the lead over the previous situation.
"Kiss me." Hu Tao whispered back, her eyes half closed.
"How did we get here, Director?" He said softly before kissing her deeply.
{3}
3 DAYS LATER
Zhongli sat at the edge of a bed while low candlelight flickered, casting a slight glow on his bare chest and face as Hu Tao laid back, bare but covered up by sheets. War had broken out outside of Liyue, the ever encroaching horde
of the Abyss had been growing ever closer for days now. As a result of the war they were constantly busy. In the past he would have not hesitated to join the fray, but now he had a wife to protect. The fear of something happening to her while he was away forced him
to remain by her side. Zhongli went over his checklist for the next day, making a mental note of gifts to bring for each potential client he was to see the next day.
As he was deep in thought a small hand gripped his.
He looked down to see Hu Tao looking up at him seriously, her plum blossom shaped irises unmoving from his golden hues.
"Zhongli. I went to Baizhu today." She said, her tone far more serious then he had ever heard.
Zhongli felt suddenly anxious, was she sick? What could cause her to speak to him in a manner he had never heard before.
"Zhongli... listen close." Hu Tao took in a deep breath and spoke. "I'm pregnant."
Zhongli was hit with a whirlwind of emotions. Happiness, joy, passion, and... fear. And he could see it in his wife's eyes too. They both knew bringing a child into this world that was now filled with constant war would be no proper
life for them. However, through that fear, an old emotion broke through, An old friend that he had not seen in awhile, Determination.
"Hu Tao. No matter what, I will protect you and our child." He said while gripping her shoulders. Even Hu Tao seemed shocked from the sudden seriousness her husband showed. However, that shock quickly turned into a soft smile.
"I know you will. You always have, no?" She said with a laugh.
Zhongli smiled as well, he had been doing that a lot with her lately, merely smiling. He brought her close to his chest and as they basked in each other's warmth, their heartbeats lined up until they both beat as one.
Hu Tao spoke, clear joy in her voice. "How did we get here, Zhongli?"
{4}
Zhongli pushed past the crowd in panic. Xiangling had rushed into the parlor earlier to inform him through rushed and hurried breath that Hu Tao had fallen into labor while trying her new dish, and Baizhu and Qiqi had come to bring her
into the pharmacy. Zhongli ran up the long stairs, moving faster then he had in years as panic crushed his heart. As zhongli entered the pharmacy he pushed past the pharmacy clerk despite the clerk's plea's for him not to enter.
As he entered the room,he quickly found out why the clerk has asked him not to intrude.
Baizhu sat in a nearby chair, head in his hands. "I am sorry old friend... she won't make it."
For the first time in centuries, Zhongli had once again experienced what it was like to be on the verge of loss and being completely powerless. He cursed himself, how could a god not do anything to save the woman he loves?
Zhongli gripped Hu Tao's hand tightly, and her own squeezed weakly back. She looked up at him, bittersweet tears on her cheeks. "Things die, Zhongli. This is the natural order of things."
Zhongli spoke in a voice that shattered Hu Tao's heart, for the first time in centuries, the Geo Archon shed tears.
"Have you no regrets, Hu Tao?" He said, his voice trembling.
"A few... I won't be able to bring our child into this world, and... I will leave you all alone." She said, new tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I will find you." He said suddenly as his wife's life faded before his eyes. "No matter where the other side is, I will find it. Please..." His wife's hand fell limp. And before Zhongli's eyes, The Hu family line ended.
Baizhu stood up and placed a hand on Zongli's shoulder. "Shes gone. Im sorry for your loss..." He began to say in a sympathetic manner, but he was quickly cut off.
"Enough." Zhongli spoke. His voice ringing with the might of the Geo Archon himself. For once, the pharmacist felt fear. "Leave us." Zhongli said, it was unlike him to show such raw anger so clearly, and Baizhu knew this.
Baizhu quickly hurried out as Zhongli placed a hand on the deceased girls cheek, still smeared with her own tears.
"How did we get here, Director?"
{5}
A familiar burning sensation forced Zhongli back to reality. While he was falling into his memories he failed to acknowledge how close he got the a star. How uncharacteristic, he thought. When had he become so careless?
Using his powers, he tried to move the rock out of the way and escape the star's gravity but now matter how hard he tried, he was powerless against the might of the cosmos. It was clear that the erosion was finally taking more of a toll on him then he previously thought. As he fell into the star,
he felt his atoms being split and ripped apart as the gravity crushed him and the burning flames seared him.
No matter what he did, the star consumed him. And suddenly, it sank in. He was dying. This is how it ends? He thought. Even he knew, that if his atoms were crushed into oblivion, even he would not survive.
He felt the burning fade away while everything faded to black.
Zhongli regained conciousness in what seemed to be a dark room. However the darkness seemed to stretch for infinity before him.
All that showed in this darkness was the illuminated figure of a bright red butterfly that fluttered in front of him.
"I have been waiting for you." A familiar, small voice spoke.
"I have searched for you for so long... I promised I would, and I always uphold my contracts." He said, his voice peaceful for once in centuries.
"And you found me. you always find me." The voice spoke in a teasing tone. "Died by being hurled into a star? What a fitting end Morax. Or rather... Zhongli." The butterfly through a gush of flames morphed into his late wife.
She wore a white dress, that seemed to swirl in the wind despite there being none. In a gentle and graceful movement she held out her hand with a wide smile.
"Are you here to guide me to the other side, Hu Tao?" Zhongli asked as he took her hand gently.
"No. I am here to guide both of us." She responded with a laugh.
As they walked for what seemed like forever, as if centuries had past as they walked through the darkness, hand in hand, Hu Tao spoke once more, her small voice filled with love and joy
"How did we end up here, Zhongli?"