Contract | Zhongli

I woke up to see a ray of sunshine, but more beautiful than that was Zhongli, whose eyes were closed peacefully. His warmth caused me to sigh in bliss.

"Awake?" He opens an eye to look at me. I immediately tense up and hum in reply.

"Good morning." He smiles before getting up. I'm surprised I didn't wake up to my arms wrapped around him. I believe I have bad sleeping habits but I suppose this time I controlled myself.

"Is it common to haul your body onto someone else when you are sleeping?" He asks and I suddenly felt doomed. That was exactly the situation that kept occurring when I was sleeping with large animals in the wild. I kept throwing myself onto them for some reason...

"U-Uh...no. It's just a personal sleeping habit I have. Did I do that to you?" I slowly got up from the bed.

"Yes." He says before heading to the kitchen. "Looks like I can't be having you sleeping with other people then."

"There is no way that will happen," I assured him. "By the way...the pantry is empty. Does that mean we get to go outside to eat?" My eyes sparkled with glee. He smiles at my enthusiasm before nodding.

"I know a great place to start our day. The chef there happens to be very talented." We fixed our appearances before heading out. We arrived at what seemed to be called 'Wanmin Restaurant.'

"Welcome! Oh! It's you!" The chef named Xiangling exclaimed. She held three plates in both of her hands and I was surprised that they weren't wobbling. Such balance would be beneficial for fighting. But I suppose a chef wouldn't need to fight...

"The usual, right? But it looks like you brought your date here. What would you like to have, pretty lady?" The chef's eyes lit up when she saw me. I was flustered when she suddenly leaned into me with great interest.

"I- uh..." I frantically looked over to Zhongli for help but he only nodded with a small smile. "Is there anything you recommend?"

"Ah! Well, actually...I've been trying to perfect my Sugar Frosted Slime dish and I want to hear your opinion on it!" Her golden eyes lit up. "Are you fine with sweet stuff?"

"Yes. I would love to try tasting...slime." I shivered as I thought back to those annoying dendro slimes. Fortunately, it seems like the slime should be either hydro or cryo.

"One Sugar Frosted Slime and Salt and Pepper Tofu to go!" Xiangling hops away after placing the dishes she carried on another customer's table. I then looked over to see a girl with horns, sitting alone while slowly beginning to eat the food served.

"She...looks familiar," I murmured as her light blue hair flowed with the slight breeze.

"A hybrid. Her name is Ganyu, an emissary and a secretary of the Liyue Qixing." Zhongli barely gives the female I looked at a glance. He casually sips his tea as he shares all the information he has. "Hardworking yet lost. I suppose she will find the answer to the question one day."

"Question?" Visibly confused, I stared at Zhongli, probing him to spill it.

"Unrelenting as always." He chuckles and flicks my forehead. I glared at him, to which he only smiles in response. "She is half-qilin and half-human. In a heavily human-populated place such as Liyue...well you get the gist of it."

"I see." I glanced at the pretty girl for a while. She's probably lonely despite there being so many people around her. "Her horns are very cute." I laughed, itching to pat her.

"Hm...is that so?"

"...why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well-"

"Your orders are here!" Xiangling suddenly pops up from behind me and places the dishes on our table. I gawked at my slime dish. It looked like a snow mountain with a pudding shape. Except it was still a slime...

"This is..." I took a spoonful before gasping at the refreshing yet sweet cold slime in my mouth. "Amazing..." I melted at how delicious it was.

"I am overjoyed! I'm so glad you liked it." Xiangling grins. "A customer's approval is a chef's most desired meal."

"Wise words." Zhongli smiles as he takes a bite of his tofu. "Also, as I was about to say if you compliment someone else so openly like that..."

"Aww, is this a couple's fight? Sounds like Mister Zhongli is eating vinegar." Xiangling giggles. ('Eating vinegar' is a Chinese idiom for being jealous.)

"We are not a couple." I crossed my arms before facing Zhongli. "And also, I am just complimenting her horns. What is so wrong about that!?"

"Nothing is wrong but it certainly does make me feel bitter...here." His hand rests on his chest and I blushed at what he was trying to imply.

"U-Um...were you guys talking about my horns?" The lady faced us from across our table with a shy voice. She sounded so fragile and soft. This just makes me want to touch her horns even more.

"They look nice to touch..." I blurted out. Ganyu tries to hide her horns with her hands while looking at me. A light blush bloomed over her cheeks as she mutters a small, "Thank you." The sight of her was so alluring to the point I blushed in response as well.

And that's when he snapped.

"It seems that we are done here." An assertive tone brought me back to reality and I looked up to see Zhongli slightly slamming down mora on the table. "We will be heading out now." He grabs my wrist and I find myself getting dragged away. Xiangling and Ganyu watched, stunned at the gentleman's rough attitude.

"Zhong...li? Ack!" He presses down on me in a nearby alleyway.

"Who is your master?" His golden eyes glowed dangerously in the shadows. "Answer me."

"You, sir," I whispered, my entire body trembling under his dominance. His aura doesn't feel right. This isn't the God of Contracts I know of. He feels more like the God of Destruction instead...

After a moment of silence, he sighs before slamming his arm against the wall next to my head. "I did not wait for centuries just to see that. What do I have to do for you to look at me like that again?" His eyes expressed pain and longing but I could not understand it.

"What are you talking about, Zhongli?" I caressed his cheek. Guilt piled up in my chest when I saw him suffering. I have no idea what he's thinking or talking about but I do know that he is hurting and that is all that matters.

"Forget what I did and said. It seems that I am not feeling well." He turns away from me. "I should go to work now. I will see you at night."

"See you..." I waved, feeling lonely when he left. One word reminded me of Zhongli's actions today.

Jealousy, huh...