The tea house in Liyue Harbour was quiet today, the usual bustle of the city muted by the gentle breeze that swept in from the harbour. The sky was a bright, cloudless blue, and the air was fresh, carrying the distant scents of the sea and flowers blooming in the gardens. Zhongli sat across from you at a small wooden table beneath a parasol, his posture upright and regal, as always. His amber eyes, sharp yet soft, were fixed on you as you chatted away, the delicate porcelain tea cups in front of you steaming lightly in the afternoon sun.

He listened attentively, nodding occasionally and offering his usual wise commentary here and there, but you couldn’t help but notice how his gaze lingered on your face today. There was a warmth in his eyes, something gentle and reverent as though he was memorising every detail of your expression, your laugh, the way you moved.

You smiled at him, noticing how the wind tousled a few loose strands of his dark hair. "Darling," you said softly, reaching across the table to brush a strand away from his face. His eyes widened slightly at the gesture, a faint blush colouring his cheeks as he gazed at you in silence.

As your fingers brushed his skin, you felt a flutter in your chest, the moment hanging delicately between you like the wind itself. Without thinking, you leaned forward, closing the small distance between you, and pressed a soft kiss against his lips.

He stood up abruptly, nearly knocking his chair over in the process. His hands raised slightly in a gesture that seemed both apologetic and panicked. "Forgive me, I... I must... step away for a moment." He was so overwhelmed by the suddenness of the kiss, the softness of your lips, the unfamiliar sensation of his heart fluttering, that he did the last thing you expected.

Before you could even ask if he was alright, Zhongli, the ancient and composed Geo Archon, turned on his heel and and hurried away, his coat fluttering behind him as he disappeared around the corner of the tea house.