※𝕊𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕕 || ᏀꫀᥒⲊhเᥒ Ꮖꪑρᥲᥴt※

＊{4}＊

＊ 「How To...」 ＊

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Zhongli groggily woke up to loud cluttering coming from the kitchen. He tiredly got out of bed and sluggishly dragged himself out of his room, heading his way to the kitchen.

when Zhongli got to the kitchen, he was met with a Takumi floundering about the place; having a difficult time on making a batch of simple tea. There was spilled water in rather large mini puddles, sprinkled with bits of herbs followed by piles of herbs littered on the kitchen counter.

Zhongli's gaze was fixed on the mess before he ends up chuckling - drawing the other man's attention.

"What are laughing at blockhead?" Takumi angrily addressed Zhongli - who'd grumbled with an eye roll when walking over to stand beside him.

The Archon quickly cleans up the mess while the kitsune watches him with his arms crossed and a judging gaze.

Once Zhongli is done cleaning, he turns over to Takumi with a complacent grin.
"I presume you were supposedly trying to brew some tea? Let me show you to make tea without causing such a horrible mess." Zhongli insists while a displeased expression makes it's way on Takumi's face.

"I don't need your help you old dusty man." Takumi professed refusal for assistance.

WHACK!

Zhongli had smacked Takumi on the back his head as hard as he could.

"OW!! Would you stop that!!"

"Now then, let's start brewing some tea."

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Zhongli had already finished the process of brewing herbal tea, having already shown Takumi the whole procedure on top of that.
He poured himself the tea in a little porcelain cup and graciously hands over the pot to Takumi to pour himself some tea of his own.

Takumi carefully took the pot and attempted on pouring himself tea. However, he ended up spilling quite a bit due to his shaky hands.
Zhongli goes over to stand behind the other man and gently places his hands over his.

Takumi instantly grew stiff, ears flopping downwards with his brows fiercely knitted together when he felt his face burn up. A foreign yet familiar feeling bubbling within his gut, discomforting him by a bit.

Zhongli then helps steadily pour the tea in the cup and steps away from Takumi and gives him space once he's done.

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The two sat at the small table within the kitchen and quietly drank their respective teas from their own cups; a plate of Rice balls also sat on the side.

During this time, Zhongli had been peacefully enjoying the moment in silence and read through a book most popular in Liyue at the moment.

A martial arts novel set in a world with no such of any elemental energy nor alchemy as a relationship of love and hate progresses between friends as well as foes.
Whilst reading, Zhongli also chose to ignore a pair of ruby red eyes staring right at him.

Just as Zhongli was going to grab the last Rice ball on the small plate, Takumi swiftly snatched it with his chopsticks and swallowed it down in one go.

Even with a blank face, the fiendish god had a triumphant shimmer in their eyes that were directed at Zhongli. Takumi awaited a reaction from him (internally praying he wouldn't get beaten up once more. Which was stupid to think) as he just sat there, shocked.

"You have quite the appetite." The Archon laughed and the other deity only knitted his brows - not expecting him to be so joyful about the situation.

"Hmph, whatever. I have something I want to ask you." Takumi starts.

Zhongli only looks at other, already having an idea what Takumi was going to say. So Zhongli was quick to get up from his and was ready to come up with an excuse.

"Hold on! I know you're avoiding the topic. About what happened all those years ago aren't you? I still demand answers, you're just going to continue running away?" Takumi questions, getting up and taking a few steps over towards Zhongli.

"I'm not running away, right now isn't the time... I have nothing to say about it." Zhongli averred his avoidance with continuing on with the conversation.

"What...? But--!"

"I have to get some important work done." Zhongli interrupts before leaving without bothering to hear Takumi's further inputs.

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Zhongli and Takumi now walk side by side, browsing through the various stores in Liyue City.

Apparently, Zhongli had to run fee errands in preparation for a funeral and he couldn't have Takumi out of his sight at the moment.
So he had urged Takumi to come along while he was busy with his work.

The ivory haired man immediately grew bored walking around and couldn't help but remember how - from the memories he could remember - he'd always send out his inferiors to buy everything and anything he demanded.
Be it stuff for an important ceremony or celebration to foods or everyday things.
Even if he'd went out to buy things in person; he'd always have a group of his workers come with him.

He would just spot something that would catch his interest, point at it and let the workers purchase it with his money; even managing all or any affairs that involved handling money for him.
Being told that he couldn't just take few of the items he wanted without paying even with his high status, always annoyed him.

Now that things have changed, Takumi couldn't quite understand why Zhongli wouldn't use the same tactic he'd remembered way back then.

"I don't quite understand why you can't just freely take whatever you want, Zhongli. Surely your people would allow you doing so, you are their Archon after all." Takumi denoted and followed Zhongli to Wanmin restaurant.

"Remember that I now live the life of a mortal and that my people have no knowledge of me being Rex Lapis." Zhongli comments as the other man only looks at him.

"What about you being able to create Mora? Surely you'd be rich enough to not even need a job." Takumi points out and Zhongli kept quiet.

"I can no longer create Mora." Zhongli states sheepishly.

"Why not?"

"I no longer possess my Gnosis."

".....what?"

· · ·

"Heh. If that's the case, I suppose I could easil--"

"No, I'm not fighting you and you still cannot defeat me. Especially in the state you are currently in at the moment." Zhongli reminds Takumi, bluntly.

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