Chapter Text
'You what?’ Xiao forgot when was the last time he yelled, until now. Never would he imagine a day when he would yell at his Lord, his archon, his father.
The said archon at least looked a bit apologetic, cor lapis eyes fixed on his face as he took a sip from his tea, ‘Ah, I apologise, I should have informed you earlier.’
‘But he tried to destroy the harbour!’
Zhongli winced, ‘and I planned that whole thing.’
‘He is a Fatui Harbinger, the vanguard of the Tsaritsa, he had pledged loyalty to another archon. Have you ever thought of what she would think if you did that?’
‘I…’ Xiao stared at his archon as the said archon tried to avoid his intense stare, ‘But I really do love him, Xiao. I have never met someone like him before in my whole existence.’
Xiao’s face softened, ‘I- but Ganyu-’ ‘Rest assured, Ganyu had already been informed of this, uh, situation. Ajax is quite good with kids, I’m sure he is going to be an amazing mother.’
‘I am not a child, my Lord.’ Zhongli chuckled fondly, patting his head, ‘You will always be my baby, xiao-er.’ Xiao scoffed, face reddened, yet still melting into his father’s warmth.
‘So, let me get this straight. You invited all the archons to Liyue for Lantern rite, which is actually a surprise wedding for you and the Harbinger.’
Zhongli broke into one of those smiles reserved for him and his sister, his face so joyful that made Xiao almost forget why he wanted to punch him in his damn pretty face to knock some sense into him, almost.
‘Yes, though I only invited Beelzebel and her spouse, Buer with her retainer, Furina and the hydro dragon, your spouse and whoever he decided to bring.’
Good, at least his father had the common sense not to invite the Tsarista. He fell into his seat, ‘and they agreed?’ ‘Yes.’ Zhongli smiled again, Xiao wanted to cry. ‘Are they aware that it is actually a wedding for you and that Harbinger?’
‘Yes.’ Zhongli broke into a bigger smile that Xiao was not aware that he was capable of doing, Celestia help him.
‘...You know, he has a name. Instead of calling him “that Harbinger”, maybe you can call him… Childe? Ajax? Mother?’
‘NO!’ Xiao is so done with his man. If karma won’t be the death of him, his dear love-sick father would.
Zhongli is very happy. He had never been this happy before, ever in his whole 7000 years of existence. He is going to mark his treasure soon, and everyone will know that he is his, his, his.
His inner dragon roared in happiness, it urged him to just ‘mark him already’ and it might be ashamed to admit it but Zhongli had almost given into his draconic instincts, almost.
But Zhongli is a patient man. He had all the time in this world for his treasure, and he would always wait for him. He walked to the northland bank, Vlad at the door immediately greeted him, ‘Master Zhongli!’ He gave him a nod as he walked towards the reception.
‘Welcome to the northland bank, would you li-oh, Mr Zhongli, are you here to meet Lord Harbinger? He is currently in his office.’
‘Thank you, Miss Ekaterina.’ Ekaterina smiled, ‘it was nothing. On a side note, please check up on him, The Qixing had given tons of paperwork for him after an agent of ours messed up his mission. We tried to force him to rest but-’
She was soon disturbed by a bright flash from the cor lapis eyes as she flinched. The owner of said eyes hummed, ‘Rest assured, I will.’
Zhongli turned and walked up to Childe’s office, it seemed like his treasure hadn’t been taking care of himself. That won’t do.
He knocked on the office door, and a tired ‘come in’ came from the room. Ajax sat in a room filled with papers, his handwriting on the papers shaking ever so slightly. His soulless ocean-blue eyes looked even more devoid of life than ever, deep eye bags were seen under his eyes. He looks miserable, tired, and sad.
‘That won’t do. Take him home, ours, ours.’ his inner dragon roared and Zhongli couldn’t help but agree with it. His eyes shone a dangerous, almost possessive golden glow from pure geo energy as he slowly walked up to his treasure.
Childe finally looked up, ‘Xiansheng, what the f-’ Zhongli took Childe in his arms with a bridal carry as the man screamed and struggled.
‘I swear, Zhongli, what happened, put me down!’
‘Let’s go home.’
‘Wha- NO! There are still two stacks of paperwork due-’
‘But you are tired.’
Childe blinked, ‘I-yes, but the paperwork cannot be delayed just because I’m tired. I would get everyone in trouble and the Qixing would not stop bothering them and ugh, just thinking of it makes my head hurt.’
Stubborn idiot, Morax roared, ‘tired, mate, sad, home, home, home.’ Zhongli pushed down Morax’s draconic instincts as his eyes glowed a bright gold again.
‘The contracts have been completed, will you come home with me now?’
Childe stared blankly at the paperwork, ‘Did you just finish, like finish finish all those paperwork I spent days on doing in one second?’
Zhongli tilted his head, ‘Your paperwork is all contracts, even if I am no longer the Geo archon, my command of all contracts is still solid as stone.’
Childe’s eyes went wild, ‘so I spent two whole days coped up in this paperwork hell for nothing while you can literally just finish it all in one second and I could’ve asked you to-’
‘Two days?’
‘...uh’
Zhongli frowned, ‘Ajax, I told you to take care of yourself while I was gone.’
‘But it’s only two days- fine. You know what, I’m tired, let's go home.’ Zhongli tried to scold his partner again but a kiss on the lips from his love was enough to shut him up. He signed and teleported them back to their shared abode.
He laid his fiance on the couch and took out the fish from the kitchen. Childe slumped over to the table, eyes seemed to light on at the sight of food.
The man tried to use the chopsticks again, but failed as he sighed… and used his hand to grab the fried tofu, which would be seen as an insult to Liyue culture and Zhongli would definitely not drop a meteor upon such a disrespectful person. But Zhongli would let it slide, just for his treasure.
‘Xiangsheng, don’t look at me like that.’ His treasure pouted as he grabbed a piece of pork with his hands, chewing his food in an ungraceful way. ‘Have you been eating these days while I’m gone, love?’
Ajax looked away, ‘uh, like snacks and water and-’
‘...’
‘Okay okay, I will remember to take care of myself, there. Happy?’
‘Good.’ Zhongli sipped on his prepared tea as he stared at his treasure, his beautiful body, slender wrist, the perfect ratio of muscles, the perfect body of a warrior. His mate, his.
‘Take him, ours, mate.’ His dragon instincts roared again, geo energy leaking from his eyes, he needed to get a hold of his emotions. For he is always and would always be patient for everyone, especially for his dear mate.
‘Uh, xiansheng? Your eyes are glowing, you okay?’ Ajax stared at him, empty plates left on the table as Zhongli nodded, ‘I’m well, come.’
He grabbed Ajax’s wrist and teleported into their bedroom, with a snap of his fingers, Ajax’s harbinger outfit was changed into comfortable nightwear filled with geo signatures, his signature, his element.
Zhongli’s inner dragon rumbled in satisfaction as he bathed in his beloved’s presence, pulling Ajax close, Zhongli got the best sleep he ever had in the days he spent without his mate.
What the fuck is going on, Ajax’s brain shortcutted as Zhongli immediately fell asleep the second his head hit the pillow. And there he is, thinking HE was the tired one.
Zhongli had never been this clingy before, Ajax was usually the clingy one!
He practically kidnapped him from his office, finished the paperwork he was suffering from in a snap of his finger, and not to mention his eyes shining the whole time?
Zhongli was never too comfortable with showcasing his godly or adepti powers. Well, at least not to a finish-fatui-documents-in-1-second degree. Also what the fuck is he wearing?
The nightwear he is currently wearing is filled from head to toe with geo signatures, bright gold shining like the cor lapis in Zhongli’s eyes… is that diamond and gold on the coat?
Zhongli’s arms surrounded his wrist tightly, making Ajax’s head lay right next to Zhongli’s torso, the geo markings on the ex-archon’s chest pulsed as he watched his blackened limbs shine ever so softly. And holy Tsarista’s frozen tits, the statue of the seven’s description on the god’s abs really didn’t do Rex Lapis Justice. His abs are s- Ahem, not now. He was not horny to THAT degree.
Ajax sighed, he’s too tired to do this shit. He smudged closer to his partner and got comfortable. He’ll let it all slide, anything for him, anything for his love.