Then Came You (Zhongli x Reader)

A Contest Winning Lantern

I

"Here you go," you called out to no one in particular as you dumped the freshly chopped bamboo stumps on the ground. Li Na yelled at you for not placing them in a container but you paid her no heed and skipped over to Yanfei, who was carefully glueing thin, wooden sticks which would serve as the frame of the lantern.

You were gathered in Li Na's backyard, each of you simultaneously working in your respective corners. Chongyun had yet to return with the candles, while Li Na was busy sewing the silk cloth patches to form one long piece of fabric.

"What are you making?" You leaned in, hands on your hips, trying to figure out the shape of the structure Yanfei had constructed.

"It's a dragon!" Yanfei replied. Your eyebrows raised. Now that she mentioned it, you realised that she was working on what looked like a tail. On closer observation, you saw the sticks she had segregated into two other sets – head and body.

You hummed in admiration, fascinated at the level of accuracy. "This was Zhongli's idea?"

"Yes," the said man replied from inside, holding a tray comprising of four cups, a teapot and a platter of crackers. He placed the tray beside Yanfei, who was sitting on the porch bench and smiled at you. Your heartbeat escalated but you willed yourself to remain calm.

"The dragon is Azhdaha," he pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to you. On the paper was a neat sketch of a huge, bulky dragon, with large horns and a tree for a tail. Shards were emerging from its back, and it had pointed feet and sharp scales.

You marvelled at the sketch, remarking at how extravagant the dragon was. "Azhdaha... where have I heard that name before?" You put a finger on your chin, sitting beside Yanfei.

Zhongli settled beside you, pouring the tea from the teapot into the various cups. He handed you one, your fingers brushing. You recoiled immediately, pulling the cup towards you as gently as you could, and sipped from it to hide your blush. As a result, you burned your tongue and yelped.

Zhongli witnessed the fuss and chuckled lightly, pouring out another cup for Yanfei. While doing so, he looked up at you through lowered brows.

"Am I making you nervous," he whispered, his eyes meeting yours, "Y/N?" He leaned in closer, taunting you. You involuntarily gulped. Zhongli continued to gaze into your eyes, something about your flustered face making his chest beat with absolute joy. He straightened and handed Yanfei the cup, repeating the process to serve Li Na.

'Damn you.' You let out a breath you didn't realise you were holding.

"Azhdaha was the being that was raised by Rex Lapis," Zhongli explained.

"However, over time, he began to harbour harsh feelings against the God. Azhdaha injured the people he had sworn to protect. He broke the contract between him and Rex Lapis and was thus sealed away for eternity." You listened carefully, Yanfei and Li Na paying heed as well.

"The reason why I chose him for the lantern is that Azhdaha was once the protector of Liyue, working alongside the Adepti. Condoning his actions then... he deserves to be remembered for the efforts he made," Zhongli said, pouring a cup of tea for himself. A weight pressed on his chest as he sipped the liquid slowly.

You noticed the change in his demeanour, for reasons unknown, but tried to change the subject nevertheless.

"So, how huge is this thing going to be?" you pointed at the prototype.

"Pretty huge. It's going to take a lot of work," Yanfei replied.

"It looks cool. Can I help?" you asked, eyes hopeful and eager.