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Genshin Impact | TartaLi/ZhongChi

Summary: “Home isn’t always a place,” he taps Zhongli’s chest, “home can mean a lot of things to different people. For me, my home is my family. Wherever they are is where my home is. And maybe that’s in Liyue, maybe it’s in Snezhnaya, or maybe it’s in Inazuma. Either way, wherever my mother is, wherever my siblings are, that’s what I call home.”

As Childe trails off, he’s suddenly aware of how he’s fidgeting with a button on Zhongli’s coat now. The tips of his ears turn red. He meets his gaze abashedly. “Does that answer your question?”

Zhongli smiles fondly at him. “I believe it does. Thank you for indulging me.”

Or; Zhongli struggles to define what exactly “home” means to him.

Find it on Ao3!

This part takes place between act V and Zhongli, Come Down. I know I posted this series totally out of order, please forgive me for my lack of organization :,D

A/N: First of all, I finally have a beta reader!! She’s helped me through the process of writing this and I’m incredibly thankful for her support. I accidentally made her cry with this fic though, even if it wasn’t necessarily sad?? Regardless I appreciate her feedback haha.

Oh my, I feel like I’ve been writing these two being really soft for too long. After this, I really need to face the music and write these two fighting. The time has come. They won’t be in the honeymoon phase forever!! I’m gonna vibe check all of you.

Also, do yourself a favor and listen to the songs Home by Michael Buble and Sparks by Coldplay after or during you read this. You’re welcome.

Lastly, you can find me on Twitter @/xiaoscribbles where I’m extremely active and talk too much about Genshin. I love making friends there!

Enjoy <3 -u.n.

Zhongli never had a place to call home.

Or rather, he never bothered to find one of his own and commit to it.

He was always too mobile, too nomadic. He had places to be, people and adepti to see, contracts to see through. Zhongli never found himself settling into one place for too long. Sure, when he was Rex Lapis, he had nested many times. He was a beast whose presence was too large to be confined into one space, so he would glide to the highest mountain in Liyue with ample space for a dragon like him, and settle. Zhongli remembered how he would make it as comfortable as possible for himself using all kinds of things he would pick up on his travels. A deep purr of satisfaction would rumble through him as his scaled belly would make contact with the coolness of the earth, and Rex Lapis would allow himself to relax against the stone, body sinking as if he were weightless. Although, no matter how he shifted, tossed and turned when he tried to rest, something was always missing.

Even the familiar feeling of the Liyuan ground was not enough to fill the void in his chest.

It was satisfying, sure, but never completing.

Hence, his lack of understanding of the human desire to settle down in one home for the rest of their short, yet meaningful lives.

Were they not itching to get up and go somewhere else? See the world? Appreciate the land beneath their feet in all its entirety? Zhongli failed to comprehend. Even an ancient being like him fell short in understanding the idea of a “home”.

Well, what consisted of a home, anyway? Four walls and a roof over their heads? A kitchen filled with food? A soft bed with layers and layers of sheets? What was the meaning of all that, when the true beauty of the world was beyond those four walls, high into the sky, and deep beneath the sea? What kind of pleasure could possibly come out of being domesticated?

Nevertheless, Zhongli did make an old promise to try to understand humans as they were. So sure, Zhongli supposed he could appreciate the art of architecture. He saw how hard people worked to build these beautiful houses with intricate designs to maximize safety for the residents excited to inhabit them. It was endearing, Zhongli thought, how enthusiastic humans got about a house. The idea of settling down with their loved ones would give them so much serotonin, so much drive. It was inspiring to him. Zhongli had always hoped that one day, he could feel the same way about someone.

So why couldn’t bring himself to understand the joy in this “home” everyone spoke of? What was he missing? Was he missing the duvet? The one thousand thread count sheets? Was he missing the fine China he saw peddlers selling on roads far from town? Because he had tried his best, living in his mortal form, to find the simple pleasure in decorating his home.

But no matter what he did, no matter how many throw pillows he placed on the couch, he simply could not deny the gaping hole in his chest when he went to bed at night. He had reached a point where even cooking for one every night upset him so, and he would go to bed disgruntled and hollow. The vast margins left on the king sized bed in the middle of the night kept Zhongli awake. Though he did not even need sleep, he had tried his best to form what the humans called a “proper sleeping schedule”. Apparently, according to Hu Tao, sleeping at four in the morning and waking at seven for work was “not suitable”.

But in truth, what was he supposed to do? Pray tell, what could he possibly do to absolve the issue of the chasm growing in his chest with each passing night?

“Xiansheng!” A jovial voice snaps him out of his reverie.

Zhongli looks up from his mundane paperwork to see a familiar head of red hair bounding toward him languidly. Oh, what a sight for sore eyes.

“Childe,” he greets, “did you pester Miss Hu Tao into letting you back here again?”

“Pester?” Childe brings a hand to his chest to mock his hurt, “I hardly have to bother her to come back here. A simple ‘you look fantastic today’ is always my ticket in.”

Zhongli scoffs fondly. “How can I help you, Childe?” He sets his pen down and leans back in his chair, amber eyes following the Harbinger curiously.

“Well your break is in ten minutes, so I figured I’d come grab you for lunch at Wanmin?” Childe plants two hands flat on the cherry red oak desk and leans forward into Zhongli’s space. There’s his signature teasing smile spreading slyly across his face, the one he knows Zhongli won’t be able to resist.

Zhongli hums in approval. “Sure, let me just wrap up this last form and I should be ready to go shortly.”

Childe drops down to his elbows in response and rests his face between his palms. “You sure? We could just go now, you know. I got Hu Tao consulting Ying’er about the new fragrance for the next hour or so.”

Zhongli leans forward and meets him in the middle. “I must be responsible, Childe. If my lunch break is at noon, then I will not leave my post until then.”

Childe pouts, jutting his bottom lip out cutely in an attempt to convince him otherwise. Zhongli, immovable as ever, simply leans forward and captures his lips between his own. The Harbinger makes a happy noise in the back of his throat and presses closer, positively humming when the ex-Archon reciprocates. But the older man is quick to get back to work, pulling away as quick as he came, but not before he nips at Childe’s bottom lip. The ginger whines petulantly at the loss of contact.

“Have a seat, Ajax.” Zhongli speaks, a hair’s width away from kissing him again. Childe grumbles, but agrees regardless. He seats himself in one of the plush armchairs located in the corner of the office and makes himself comfortable for the next ten minutes.

Zhongli readjusts himself in his seat and picks his pen back up, glancing back down at the form he had already completed. He blinked owlishly at it. He must have finished signing it while Childe was talking without realizing what he had done. Regardless, he moves onto the next document to peruse silently. Mid sentence, he scoffs playfully, shaking his head at the thought of the ginger distracting him so. Is he even surprised at this point? Not even a little bit. The ginger has an incomprehensible hold on his heart, one that he doesn’t really want to shake off.

“Something funny, Xiansheng?” Childe teases from his seat. He’s reclined in his chair, relaxed, head lolling against the cushioned headrest. His eyes are closed and his shoulders are drooping into the leather. He’s relaxed, for once, and the thought of Ajax allowing himself to let his guard down in his presence makes Zhongli’s heart thump happily in his chest.

“Not particularly,” Zhongli pushes himself up with a groan. Goodness, his joints are getting tired. He pads over to where Childe is seated and forcefully makes room for himself on a chair that is clearly made for one person. Childe lets out a surprised yelp at the sudden intrusion but scoots over to make room, anyway. Zhongli makes himself comfortable by angling his body to where it’s being cradled by the junction between the armrest and the back, and opens his arms as a silent invitation.

Childe takes it happily and launches forward to burrow into Zhongli’s chest. He rests a gloved hand over his heart and snuggles closer, inhaling the deep scent of silk flowers and leather. Zhongli’s arms come around to strap him against his chest, gloved hands petting his sides as he presses a kiss to red hair. The contact immediately vanquishes the discourse in his mind. He squeezes him tight for good measure, forcing a grunt out of his Tartaglia.

“Xiansheng,” he calls.

“Hm?”

“You’re working too hard again.”

“Am I?” He questions absentmindedly. “And here I thought I was pulling my weight just fine.”

Childe snorts. “Pulling your weight? You know I make enough for the both of us. You could retire and stay at home, relaxing and reading books, or whatever it is you do at home.”

Ah, there it is again.

Home.

For the second time that day, Zhongli is struck with confusion.

“What is home to you, Childe?” He asks, voice soft and far away. Childe frowns against his chest in confusion.

“Home?” He parrots.

“Yes, home. What is ‘home’ to you, Tartaglia?”

“Hmm,” the Harbinger hums, tapping a gloved finger against the ex-Archon’s chest idly as he speaks. “I suppose home is Snezhnaya. Home is what I grew up in. The unbearable cold and the old cottage house. Ice fishing with my siblings, massaging my mother’s back. Those things are all home to me.”

Zhongli ponders. Of course that is what home means. Familiarity, yes? So, technically, his home was Liyue. The hustle and bustle of trade by the harbor, the loud sizzling woks at the food stands, the loud marketers on the street that work hard day and night, the enthusiastic story tellers spewing exaggerated lies— that was all home to him.

So why, then, was Zhongli still dissatisfied with this conclusion? Home should obviously be Liyue. He created this land with his own two hands. Gave people the very drive that keeps them alive today; he gave the idea of mora and fair trade and economic prosperity. He’s watched countless faces pass him every day, every year, every century. He’s seen new faces, young faces, old faces, familiar faces, too, the ones he had seen on older souls. Reincarnated souls. Zhongli knew those souls. He’s had dinner with many of them on multiple occasions.

And it was no secret that Zhongli was well known in his hometown. Every business owner was familiar with his eloquent way of speaking and ambitious ways of buying. With the arrival of Childe, every business owner all but doubled their enthusiasm now that Mister Zhongli finally had a means to pay. People knew Zhongli, they adored him. They admired his amber eyes and long, beautiful hair, the ends of it looking like it had been dipped in melted mora. When he walked, people’s eyes followed. They would stare longingly at his beautifully crafted coat, his single earring, the fine leather gloves that cover his deft hands, and they would admire the way he walked with purpose, and with fire. A confidence so set in stone, it was almost difficult for one to even approach Mister Zhongli. For so long, he was considered Liyue’s most handsome bachelor, until of course Tartaglia came along and swept him off of his feet, capturing his attention in a way no one else could ever imagine imitating.

Yet, despite all the attention his people lavished upon him, there was always a nagging feeling of isolation nipping at him in the back of his mind. Despite creating the very ground beneath their feet, he simply felt like he did not fit in. Only when he was with Tartaglia did he truly feel like he belonged anywhere. It was rather inexplicable. There was something about the way Tartagali’s presence wrapped around him with a level of tenderness he had never experienced. It covered him like a gentle embrace, welcomed him without judgement, and loved him without expecting anything in return. The thought of Ajax himself made Zhongli’s heart swell

Speaking of which, the said man was now pressed tightly against his chest tracing lazy patterns into the fabric of his coat. Their long legs were tangled where they were dangling off the seat, with Tartaglia’s foot rubbing affectionately against the older man’s ankle.

Oh, how far they have come.

“But,” Tartaglia suddenly interjects, jolting Zhongli out of his thoughts. “If my family were to come here to Liyue to stay, then I suppose Liyue would be home, too.”

Zhongli hums. “Naturally. I’m sure they would find the variety of houses here in Liyue nice and peaceful, perfect for a new home.”

At that, Childe lets out a light laugh. “Honestly? They could live in a cardboard box in Inazuma, and I would still call that home.”

Zhongli frowns. Well now he’s even more confused than when he started. Since when was a cardboard box a suitable home for a human? It completely lacked all the appliances the houses here in Liyue had. Why would Childe settle for that? He of all people was aware of the love he holds for his family, there simply was no way he would call that a suitable home for his family.

“I don’t understand,” he says instead, “a cardboard box, Tartaglia? You do not strike me as the type to settle for such an...unbecoming home. Especially for your family.”

“No, no, Xiansheng,” the Harbinger chuckles, sitting up slightly so he can look Zhongli in the eye. “I was just exaggerating. And, home isn’t always supposed to be a house, you know. Those two things can be mutually exclusive. Maybe not all the time, but, definitely most of the time.”

Well this was certainly new. Now he truly did not understand what it meant to have a home.

“Apparently I do not know.”

Childe sits upright to look down at the ex-Archon.

“Home isn’t always a place,” he taps Zhongli’s chest, “home can mean a lot of things to different people. For me, my home is my family. Wherever they are is where my home is. And maybe that’s in Liyue, maybe it’s in Snezhnaya, or maybe it’s in Inazuma. Either way, wherever my mother is, wherever my siblings are, that’s what I call home.”

Childe is aware he’s rambling, but he can’t help it. Once he starts talking about his siblings, he simply cannot stop. “It wouldn’t matter where I was if I couldn’t hear my siblings from the other room. If I didn’t wake up to Tonia’s loud blow dryer every morning, or if I didn’t hear Anthon trying to talk to her over the blowing, then it isn’t home. If I can’t hear Teucer’s footsteps coming toward me asking about a new Mr. Cyclops toy, it isn’t home. Not to me. But like I said, it’s different for everyone.”

Zhongli smiles fondly at him. “I believe it does. Thank you for indulging me.”

Childe pushes himself up and off the chair, stretching and yawning obnoxiously. “Great,” he replies once his jaw finishes unhinging itself from that yawn, “let’s eat, I’m starving.”

—

To put it simply, Zhongli rethinks his definition of home all night. After he gets home from his dinner date (Tartaglia tugged on his sleeves until he agreed to leave his shift early in favor of a new restaurant that had popped up recently), he closes the door behind him to take in the composition of his home. Tartaglia had been the one to pick out most of the furniture, so although it lacked many of the traditional Liyuan decor Zhongli would have furnished the place with himself, it had a nice touch of Tartaglia everywhere he went.

His couch, for example, was a deep mahogany leather that stayed cool to the touch despite the hottest of summers. Zhongli’s dresser was nice and tall, a deep chestnut brown cut from the forests of Snezhnaya to match his bed frame. His bed was elevated by an incredibly grandiose four post frame that hung a beautiful golden translucent curtain all around the bed, draping the perimeter and creating an ethereal atmosphere for when he sleeps at night.

(“It’s kinda sexy, don’t you think?” Childe had asked one day, while he was pondering which bed frame to buy for his boyfriend. Not that he needed to, considering Zhongli finally has a stable salary, he just wanted to.

“Ajax,” Zhongli had said disapprovingly, “what about it is sexy to you?

“I don’t knowww,” the Harbinger hums, “maybe it looks like I would feel like I’m on cloud nine when we’re, you know…”

“You can say sex, Ajax, I believe in you.”

“Oh stop that!” Childe whacks him playfully with the catalogue, “I’m being a good boyfriend and getting you a beautiful bed frame cut from the finest oak tree and sheets woven with high quality silk! You could be nicer to me, you know.” He’s pouting, and he knows it. Zhongli’s eyes soften.

Zhongli shakes his head, laughing. “You know you don’t need to do that, you know.”

“I want to,” Ajax persists, “this is your first actual living space as a mortal! I want it to be perfect. I refuse to have my boyfriend, who is a literal god, sleeping on a bed with no bed frame. Unacceptable.”

Zhongli smiles and watches him as he continues to ramble about all the different bed frames he could buy. Oh, his love for this boy knows no end.)

The hints of Ajax everywhere he goes is how he keeps himself sane each night. His possessive urge to be around him every second of every day (courtesy of being a dragon deity his entire six thousand year life span) is soothed with the smell of him on his sheets and the extra toothbrush by the sink. One of Tartaglia’s scarves is folded neatly on the arm of his couch, and during those nights where he truly feels Ajax’s absence, he’ll hold the red fabric close and breathe the scent in deeply. The smell alone is enough to rock him to sleep on some nights, but on others, it simply is not enough. On those nights, he finds himself reading book after book about Snezhnaya culture until he passes out from exhaustion.

One would think that it would be better for them to just live together. Given that they spent every second outside of work with each other, even going so far as walking the long route home just to avoid saying goodbye, a person would look at the way they held each other close in public and think that they’ve been married for quite some time already.

But alas, they had agreed to take their relationship slow in the beginning. The both of them had much to adjust to, given that one of them was a notoriously fierce Harbinger, and the other was an ex-Archon adjusting to the world without his gnosis. They both had complex schedules that they were much too familiar and comfortable with to just up and leave for another person. There was a certain period of time that they had agreed to spend apart, well, as “apart” as they could be, before they decided to do anything drastic, like move in together.

There was too much to consider, anyway, Zhongli reflects as he gets ready for bed. Would their living habits even align? Would Tartaglia even be a good roommate? Would he take out the trash responsibly? As much as he loves the ginger with his entire heart, he doesn’t think he could do it for long if Tartaglia was the type to walk around with shoes on. Such an act should be considered illegal, anyway.

Waiting was the right thing to do.

Right?

The nights Tartaglia spent with him were the nights he could sleep a full, uninterrupted eight hours. They were the nights that Zhongli felt himself truly relax into the sheets and sink into a blissful sleep, knowing his beloved was being held impossibly close. And if nighttime was therapeutic for him, mornings felt ethereal. The mornings where he rose with the sun to be met with the sight of Tartaglia next to him were the mornings he felt like he could fly again, and soar through the open Liyue skies in his rawest form forever, so long as Tartaglia was with him.

In fact, more often than not, Zhongli thought about the way it would feel to have Childe by his side as he explored the skies again. He would think about the way he would have to strap him down, nice and close so he doesn’t fall off his back, and then take off high into the sky. Not too high, lest he accidentally give his boyfriend a heart attack, but high enough to hear those delightful shrieks Childe will let out when he’s excited. He thinks about the way Childe could grasp onto his mane for security, hands threading through golden locks, legs tightening around his torso to avoid falling. Oh, he thinks about this a lot.

But, waiting was the right thing to do. The last thing he wanted was for Childe to feel uncomfortable with the pace that their relationship was going and make him uneasy. Besides, just because he was a possessive dragon at heart, it didn’t mean Ajax was willing to cater to his needy tendencies. So, he promised himself that he would create a reasonable distance between them for the time being.

Why then, did he hate this distance with every fiber of his being?

Why is the distance so unbearable, especially at night?

Why is he so unsettled with the very few miles between them? It’s not like Zhongli is in Liyue and Childe is in Snezhnaya. Tartaglia is literally only at the inn.

Yet he craves nothing more but to be close to him at all times. Zhongli’s skin itches with the desperate desire to feel him by his side when he goes to bed, when he wakes up, and all the moments in between. Does that make him clingy? Maybe. But old habits die hard.

Zhongli huffs and looks down at his flattened pillow with disdain. No amount of fluffing will restore it to a state that is suitable for his likes. Even the elegantly woven silk night robe wrapped around his body offers little to no comfort.

He glances at the clock.

It’s only half past midnight. If all went well with Tartaglia’s shift, he should be home now, fresh out of the shower.

Without thinking twice, Zhongli throws together an overnight bag and rushes out the door.

—

“Coming, I’m coming,” Childe calls to the incessant knocks at his door. The knuckles continue to rap against the barrier, though, and Childe’s fingers itch to summon a water blade in the case that things go south. Considering that there is rarely anyone that would dare to disturb him at this time of night, Childe would say his precautionary measures are reasonable. He had summoned an angry water god, after all. It was only a matter of time before the angry mobs got to him.

The knocks sound again, and Childe angrily ruffles his hair against the towel. If they could just wait one second, he could answer the door with dry hair, but no. Peace was not an option, apparently, and neither was a perfectly fluffed head of hair.

He stomps toward the door and swings it open, ready to scold whoever had—

“Xiansheng!” He startles when he sees Zhongli standing in the doorway, donning a simple black t-shirt tucked into high waisted pants that were loose and slightly flared at the bottom, and his feet were covered by simple strappy sandals. Childe vaguely remembers purchasing those pants for him when he had mentioned wanting more loose and liberating clothes. The ex-Archon looks good like this. He looks… impossibly soft. Vulnerable, almost. There’s a distant look in his amber eyes that has Childe mildly concerned, though. Childe tries to ignore the sudden urge to protect him to his last dying breath.

“What are you doing here?” He sidesteps and reaches out to drag his boyfriend in. “I thought we had already discussed you sleeping so late! I know you’re an adeptus, you don’t require sleep, blah blah blah, but still, you—“

“I missed you,” Zhongli stated so matter of factly. “I wanted to see you. So I came here.”

Childe gawks at him and closes the door slowly. So he had just walked all the way here?! At this hour?! Goodness, the audacity—

“Xiansheng,” he whines instead, dragging the older man into an embrace. He wraps his arms around his neck and presses his cheek into his hair. “You can’t just say those things. It’s impossible for me to love you more.”

Zhongli holds him with desperation, welcoming the hug so enthusiastically that Childe knows there’s something to be said.

“Can I stay the night?” The adeptus asks once they pull apart.

Childe looks at him, dumbfounded. “You don’t even need to ask! Go, make yourself comfortable. Are you hungry? Have you had dinner?”

Zhongli drops his bag by his side of the bed and takes a seat, still watching Childe with careful eyes.

“I’ve eaten,” he answers carefully. “I just couldn’t seem to get comfortable at… home… so I came here.”

Childe frowns, and joins him on the bed. He flips the covers open and clambers in, resting back against the headboard. “Not comfortable? Is something wrong with your place?”

“Maybe,” Zhongli tries, “I really don’t know. Frankly I’ve been conflicted about… many things… recently, and I feel as if I have reached an impasse. I don’t know where to go from here.”

“Zhongli,” Tartaglia says, suddenly serious, “how come this is the first time I’m hearing of this?” His voice drops an octave, the worry seeping into his tone.

Zhongli reclines and rests against the headrest, too. “I did not know how to express my troubles to you, mainly because I’m having trouble defining it myself.”

Well, that’s fair enough. Tartaglia can’t find it in himself to be mad at that reasoning.

“Well,” Tartaglia begins, reaching for Zhongli’s hand and hugging his arm to his chest. He scoots closer and uses Zhongli’s shoulder as a pillow. “Why don’t you just start rambling and maybe it’ll come to you.”

“I think I have a vague idea, actually,” Zhongli adjusts himself to make himself more comfortable for Ajax. The both of them find themselves staring up at the ceiling as they converse. “Remember when I asked you what ‘home’ means to you?”

“Of course,” Tartaglia answers. Oh, he has an idea of where this is going.

“Well, I’m unsure of what it means to me.”

Bingo.

“What it means to you?” The Harbinger asks, craning his neck to look up at him. Zhongli hums, affirmative.

“Yes, I’ve been struggling to define the term for myself. I’ve been observing others much more closely and how they define their own home, but I’m afraid it has made me more confused.”

Tartaglia juts out his bottom lip in contemplation. “What do you mean?”

Zhongli takes a deep breath, a long explanation at the tip of his tongue. Tartaglia braces himself, as he usually does.

“Today you told me home was your family. Miss Xiangling told me home was her father, and the smell of their kitchen. Young Xingqiu told me his home was within whatever book he was reading, even describing it as his safe space. And Miss Ningguang, most peculiar of all, had told me home was when she was out at sea, but only when Captain Beidou was by her side. Mind you, I had fully expected it to be the Jade palace, considering the built it from the ground up.” Zhongli rambles, “and I just found it strange how so many humans find different definitions for the word home. Such a simple word, too, so imagine my surprise when I discover it’s true complexity.”

“I’ve encountered many things in my life, Ajax. I have met so many people in this lifetime and watched them grow, watched them die, and even watched some be reincarnated. But I think…” he trails off, and the warmth in his eyes glimmer as he reaches an epiphany. “I think I am struggling to define the term because I have never been presented with the idea of stability. Things are always changing. The world around me continues to warp and I have noticed, in my time so far, that humans find the need for stability and reassurance because of the nature of their short lives. That is where I am lacking.”

—

Try as he might, Tartaglia takes slight offense to his statement.

Lacking stability? The thought was bitter on his tongue.

Was… was Childe not enough?

No, no, he forcefully derailed that train of thought, he came here tonight because you’re the only thing he can rely on in his life right now. Show him that.

“Well,” Childe starts carefully, and thanks the stars that his voice is steady. “What about me?”

Zhongli makes a confused noise. “What about you?”

“Do you consider me as a stable thing in your life?” Childe prods, digging his cheek deeper into his shoulder.

“Oh, absolutely not,” Zhongli snorts.

Childe unironically feels an ache in his chest. He stills against Zhongli. Ouch.

Luckily, Zhongli is at least able to pick up on his sudden discomfort, and he’s quick to follow up his statement.

“You misunderstand, Ajax, you being wildly chaotic is a beautiful thing in and of itself.” Zhongli gently pries Childe off his arm to look at him directly. As expected, Childe is upset. He’s got the same glassy eyes he always dons when he’s upset, but doesn’t want to admit it, and his bottom lip is red and obviously bitten in an attempt to keep himself from feeling unreasonably angry.

“Oh,” Zhongli coos at the sight, “I’m sorry my love, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s fine,” Childe blinks hard, “I’m just being dumb.”

“You’re not being dumb,” Zhongli is quick to negate his self-deprecative tendencies, “I must have come off very harsh just now. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Childe thumps a fist against his chest, “it’s fine, really.”

“As I was saying,” the Archon continues, “nothing about my life so far has been stable, Ajax. Things are constantly changing. Time continuously flows, and it simply does not wait for any man. Unfortunately, I have seen many people come and go. And unfortunately, one day you will become one of them--”

“Zhongli stop,” Childe interrupts him. He’s angry, now. His brows are furrowed and there’s an evident frown on his face. There’s a slight scowl across his lips where there used to be a precious smile just moments ago. “What the hell?” He asks angrily.

“Ajax,” Zhongli scolds softly, “it would be in your best interests if you let me finish.”

“Well, not if you’re just gonna talk about death,” Childe retorts. He’s aware that he sounds childish, but such a topic is not to be taken to lightly. Especially when it revolves around him, and what he would be leaving behind. The thought makes him sick to his stomach.

“Whether or not you’re stable, whether or not you’ll be here forever, you are the most important thing to me, probably ever.” He speaks with a certainty that makes Childe shiver. “You are the first person in a very long time that has made me want to try to grasp at the fleeting seconds I have with you, Ajax. You drive me crazy. And I love you for it, because never in my six thousand years have I had as much fun as when I am with you.”

Dammit, Childe is crying now. Zhongli has such a way with words, how could he not? Dating him is just one, huge, glorified emotional rollercoaster. Zhongli brushes a stray, reluctant tear away with the pad of his ungloved hand.

“Frankly, stability is overrated,” the ex-Archon smiles at the soft giggle that escapes his beloved’s lips. “I have found, albeit slowly, that I would rather have someone loud and rambunctious than someone slow and settled. That is my role, if anything. There simply cannot be two of us, can there?”

A soft “no” is huffed as laughter from Childe. What a boring relationship that would be, truly.

“But if it is stability you seek, Ajax, let me be that for you. Let me be here, solid as stone and steadfast. Let me be the pillar of strength you need to turn to in times of trouble. Okay?” He brushes a knuckle gently across his skin.

Childe makes a sound that sounds a little broken and a little delirious. “When did this become about me, Xiansheng?”

“To me, it’s always been about you,” Zhongli smiles fondly. Childe feels as if he’s been shot in the heart.

Childe gives him a shaky smile and nods. He can’t seem to control his heart at the moment, so instead, he says, “You’re my home, Zhongli.”

The gears seemed to finally click somewhere in Zhongli’s chest. The hollow feeling inside suddenly swelled with a sense of nostalgia, bringing with it a feeling of peace and serenity. Zhongli’s eyes widen, and the ex-Archon looks down at Childe with a sudden air of solid certainty. Childe almost shrinks at the intensity of his gaze.

“Of course,” he mutters, mostly to himself. “Of course it’s you.”

“What?”

“How could I be so blind?” Zhongli cups his face with both hands, and Childe reciprocates by placing both palms on his wrists. Confused, but following along. Cor lapis eyes stare straight into his soul, unforgiving as it digs deeper and deeper into what makes him whole.

“Xiansheng?” Ajax asks, dazed by the intensity of Zhongli’s stare. God, his eyes are so golden.

“It’s you, Ajax,” for once, his voice cracks and he loses composure, “you… are home. You are home. To me, that is my definition of home. I only ever feel-- I only ever feel like I belong when I am with you. It was so obvious, and I--”

“Zhongli,” Ajax gently pries off the hands cupped around his face. His heart can’t handle this right now. It’s too much. He’s too in love, he needs to do something or he’ll explode. He stares directly into those beautiful, mesmerizing golden eyes. Ajax cradles Zhongli’s hands in his own, petting over his knuckles, when he asks, “Marry me?”

His eyes widen comically, as if they weren’t already the size of saucepans with his first epiphany.

“Oh.”

So that’s what he was missing.

“I know we said we would take it slow, and I know I’m young, or whatever” Childe begins to ramble, “but fuck going slow, Xiansheng, it’s been months and all I want to do is go to sleep with you next to me. I know what I want and it seems like you do, too, but if I misread that then--”

Zhongli hushes him with an incessant press of his lips against Childe’s. It is a loving kiss, yes, but it is filled with a desperation that only the both of them understand. It is a kiss that is so different from the others; one full of certainty and ambition, a kiss full of overwhelming commitment. The longing behind the contact is an answer in and of itself, but he pulls away to speak regardless.

“Yes,” he breathes, pressing his forehead against Childe’s, “yes.”

That night, Zhongli finally comes to the conclusion that home does not have to mean four walls and a roof. It doesn’t pertain to any kind of fancy kitchen appliances, or four post bed frames. Zhongli quickly learns that it doesn’t have to be about a place, and all the stories it tells. It’s not even Liyue, the very land he built himself. It has nothing to do with any of that. In fact, the sheer ridiculousness of Zhongli’s inner conflict has him rolling.

Instead, it has everything to do with the red head beneath him. It has to do with the way he calls his name in the middle of the night, claws his hands down his back and juts his hips forward, desperately seeking friction. Home has everything to do with swollen lips, red from being kissed, cheeks hot pink from the heat slowly filling the room, and strong thighs clenching and unclenching around his waist. Home has to do with his precious Snezhnayan soulmate.

Simply, home is Ajax.

#genshin impact #genshin impact fanfiction #tartali #zhongchi #chili #tartaglia x zhongli #childe x zhongli #character study #zhongli struggles a lot...#childe #tartaglia #zhongli #rex lapis #help i want what they have

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tk-duveraun · 6 years

Note

23. Maybe the power couple on a double date with Iseran and Will? ^^ (only if you and Ela are okay with that of course!)

Sorry Iseran is so wet. He’s had a long day and is so far out of his depth he’s practically on the moon and oh William is just so nice to look at, isn’t he?

Iseran checked the time on his mobile again, but he was still early. He was waiting outside of the hospital’s main entrance. The original plan had been for Iseran to just ride with Fox after their shift, but he’d been called in for an emergency overnight and then took the day off, so Iseran was now waiting for William to pick him up. His cheeks flushed and he quickly patted them, trying to will the blush away and Oh Creators, bad phrasing, no.

He never should have agreed to the early dinner with Fox’s friends. Surely they all thought he was some ridiculous, money-blinded fool from the way he’d stuttered and stammered at the last get together, but it wasn’t the money or the posh accents or the nice clothes, no, it was just that William Trevelyan- Iseran brutally slaughtered the thought and prayed that the ground would swallow him up and save him from the dinner.

Just as he was debating claiming fatigue, a polished, black Tesla drove up. Iseran tried not to look starstruck as William stepped out. He said hello and reached for a friendly handshake and felt his very soul leave his body when William went in for the friendly back pat that was too familiar, but oh so not as familiar as Iseran wanted.

It was ridiculous. He wasn’t some silly teenager. He was trained, professional, medical doctor who had completed his residency and- Had best be listening, he’s talking.

“Great to see you again. I hope I didn’t make you wait too long,” William said, flashing his white teeth when he smiled.

“Of- Of course not. Just got out. Thank you again.” Oh Creators, I’m still holding his hand. What is wrong with me? Why am I like this? Iseran released William’s hand and nervously fiddled with his sleeves, though they were already rolled up to his elbows.

The movement catch William’s attention. “Oh, where’s your jacket?”

Iseran froze and mechanically looked up to meet William’s eyes. It wasn’t cold. He was just in his trousers and lavender button up - the one Fox said complimented his complexion. Not that he was trying to impress anyone, but it was his nicest shirt. He hadn’t wanted to stick out too glaringly at the dinner. “Jacket..?”

“Oof, the maitre’d might not let you in without one,” William said. He walked around and opened the boot of his car, but Iseran couldn’t really pay attention to that.

Iseran had gone completely cold. Maitre’d? Not let him in? What kind of high class place were they going to? He was still paying off his student loans. He’d never be able to afford a cup of tea, let alone an entreé. What had Fox been thinking? Iseran felt faint. At least not having a jacket was about to get him out of it, even though he was surely going to die of shame. As he was scrambling for an excuse to somehow escape with as much grace as possible, William walked back around his car holding up… a grey suit jacket.

Iseran blinked owlishly at it as William held it up to his shoulder. Who had an extra suit jacket just… in the boot of their car? As he pulled it on to test the fit, Iseran had even more questions. William was significantly taller than him. The jacket surely couldn’t be his. And just coincidentally the correct color?

So overwhelmed with questions and confusion, Iseran didn’t even realize William had stowed his backpack in the backseat and was ready to head to the restaurant until he was standing holding the passenger door for Iseran. “Are you alright? If you’re too tired, I can just take you home.”

“What? Oh, no, no. I’m fine, thank you. Bit of a long day, but I’d hate to disappoint everyone,” Iseran said. He cursed himself out in the quiet of his mind for not taking the opportunity to leave before he embarrassed himself with being unable to pay, but it was too late. He was driving through Kirkwall’s Hightown in the passenger seat of an expensive car with a stunningly kind and beautiful man who just happened to have extra suit jackets several sizes too small in his boot.

How he managed to make polite smalltalk, Iseran didn’t know for sure, but he was half certain it was just William’s own charm sustaining them both. Oh, but he was infatuated and would never, ever forgive Fox for introducing him to someone so impossibly out of reach.

The maitre’d did stared menacingly at Iseran, despite the jacket, and he wanted to sink into the floor again, but William’s large, warm hand was on the back of his shoulder and he couldn’t move away from it.

“Dr. Tasefa is here with me. Surely Lord Sa’alle is expecting us,” William said. It was the first time his voice had been anything but warm and kind, and though it was still polite, there was a hard edge that brokered no questions.

Iseran was internally glowing so much that he didn’t register that there were only four seats total at Fox’s table until he was seated across from William at an intimately small table complete with candles and a vase with two fresh roses in the center. And then there was Ela, Fox’s radiant girlfriend, staring at him with stars in her eyes after just the briefest of hellos to Iseran and William. She looks like she’s on a date. This entire thing is… Oh. Oh.

Hesitantly, Iseran met William’s eyes, trying to gauge if the other man realized what the atmosphere implied. William was scanning the menu with polite curiosity, but eventually looked up from it to meet Iseran’s eyes. And then he simply beamed at Iseran, whose heart skipped two beats.

“I recommend just going with the chef’s special, but if you have a picky stomach anything is good,” William said. He just looked so at home among the finery, surely he thought Iseran didn’t belong.

“Right, of course, yes, thank you,” Iseran said. There were no prices on the menu. I am going to be destitute after tonight, but happily so.

“Oh, before I forget, Iseran, can you check and see if you got my email? It’s about the rota for next week. Terribly important, please pardon our rudeness,” Fox said.

Ela fumbled in surprised and dropped her own mobile on the table before guiltly shoving it back in her purse. “Oh, of course, it’s fine.”

William laughed. “Don’t worry about it, Elashorei, no one will say an unkind word to you here. Too refined to do such a thing as complain. They might talk behind their hands later, but Fox has pulled far larger stunts than having a lovely date use her mobile at the table.”

Iseran forced a chuckle out and pulled out his mobile to check his email. The message in question had nothing to do with the next week’s rota.

Sorry! I forgot you wouldn’t know what kind of place this is. I hope it’s not too much. Don’t worry about anything - it’s all going on my family’s tab.

Well, that almost allayed some of his worries. He stowed his mobile and gave William another uncertain smile. He tried to put his thoughts into some semblance of order. The situation was… awkward. Fox and Ela having their date and inviting two near strangers along, but Iseran was going to make the best of it. Yes. He would not make a fool of himself and then later he and William could laugh over how ridiculous their friend was and maybe they could be friends. Right. That would work.

“That’s a nice jacket you’re wearing, Iseran,” Ela said.

“Oh! Um, thank you. It’s not mine. I- I’m not sure why, but William had it in the boot of his car.”

“…What?” Ela asked. She leaned in, as if she couldn’t believe it. She looked between William and Iseran a few times. “Why in the world would he have a jacket in your size in his car? Does he just… keep a bunch of them around? Why though?”

“I-I-”

“What are you talking about?” Fox asked. “I’ve a few jackets in my boot, too.”

“Exactly!” William said, pointing at Fox. “Who doesn’t?”

“Who-Who doesn’t? You two are completely mad,” Iseran said.

“Thank you!” Ela said. “Thank the Creators for you, Iseran. I don’t think I could have handled this double-date with three of them.” She gestured to Fox and William with her menu, but Iseran’s brain had shut down.

Double…date? He glanced at William, expecting to see the horror he felt reflected on the other man’s face, but William just gave him an uncertain smile. Iseran was still trying to interpret it when he felt a large, warm hand gently squeeze his knee under the table.

Oh. Oh.

#power couple au #iseran tasefa #william trevelyan #power couple au au

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real-life-pine-tree · 7 years

Text

Rehabilitation: Homecoming (1/?)

Side effects may include a loss of self-identity and individuality, frequent nightmares, questioning your own existence, severe mental trauma, constant panic attacks, spontaneous crying at random moments, and a strong desire to stay with loved ones at all cost. Co-written with @violetganache42. Takes place between Chapters 6 and 7 of Arc-V Aftermath.

Was it a success? From the looks of things, it was.

The mind merge happened much faster than anyone initially thought. One night, Yugo and Rin were having a sleepover at the Boyle house and then Yuya and Zuzu were desperately heading to Duel Academy to find Leo the next day. They got some help along the way: Yugi Muto, the current owner of Kame Game Shop who helped out with the separation procedure, and a Slifer Red girl named Tea Gardner, Yugi's childhood friend whose dreams of being a dancer were dashed and kept an eye out for Declan's arrival. Thanks to the two's assistance, the merging minds of Zarc and Ray were split back into their reincarnations, but the results were somewhat different than anyone anticipated.

The four dimensions reunited back into the Original Dimension because Zarc wanted to make up for the destruction he caused years ago, causing a massive commotion among all the residents of Paradise, Heartland, Domino, and New Domino Cities. He and Ray also gave the eight counterparts some parting gifts, in which everyone witnessed: different eye colors to match the Four Dimension Dragons for the Yu-Salad and markings of the Natural Energy Cards to replace the Four Dimension Bracelets for the newly-revived Bracelet Girls.

Everyone celebrated that they were all okay… Well, mostly everyone…

Kameron and Astra Obsidian, Shay and Lulu's parents and CEOs of the successful ObsidianCorp, were worried about their daughter, who was still unconscious. They haven't seen her since the night of the Heartland Duel School dance when the Invasion struck. They were aware of this separation on the day of Yuto's job offer, so they knew about the side effects that might happen to her. Their own daughter was abducted and trapped in an unknown dimension for months; the last thing they needed was for her to suffer from severe mental damage or permanent amnesia.

The three Obsidians approached the girl's unconscious body. "Lulu?" Astra asked, sounding concerned.

A few seconds later, Lulu stirred a bit before opening her pink eyes. "Mother?" she asked. "Father?"

Her parents started tearing up in joy because Lulu recognized them. It was relieving that she didn't become amnesiac, but what about her mental state? Is it still intact? However, she started crying.

"I can't believe it," Lulu said, sobbing as she looked at her hands. "After all this time... I'm finally back in my own body."

She lunged her recovered body forward to give her parents and brother a big group hug, with tears pouring out from her eyes. It felt amazing to be back in her own body after everything she went through. She can finally be with her family again and try to go back to living a normal high class life again. But the family quickly realized those weren't tears of joy. She was genuinely upset.

"Lulu?" Astra asked.

"I never thought...I would have my body back," Lulu sobbed. "Suddenly ceasing to exist and waking up trapped in a body with three other minds..." She started trembling, her sobs preventing her from speaking properly.

It was probably one of the worst—if not, the worst—experiences of her life. Four souls sharing one body was truly depressing for her. She did enjoy her counterparts' company, but this was not the kind of thing she expected. Her soul forced to fuse with three look-alikes out of their free will was quite traumatizing for her, especially considering the fact that the Fusion Parasite made her incorporate Fusion Summoning into her perfect pure XYZ strategy worsening her resentment towards this special summoning technique. Kameron and Astra tried their hardest to comfort their only daughter; they have never seen her so upset before, but it was understandable.

"Shhh..." Astra said soothingly, rubbing Lulu's back. "It's alright, dear. You're safe now."

Lulu hugged her mother as tightly as she could while being unable to control her sobbing. This was the first time she gets to see her family in a while yet the remaining thoughts of her physical body perishing still lingered in her head.

"Don't worry, dearest daughter," Kameron said. "If our home is still standing after this whole dimension merge thing, we'll have the robot maids treat you to a princess spa treatment."

Lulu sniffled a bit as she looked at her father. "R-Really?" she asked.

"Of course," Kameron answered.

"Come to think of it, I could use a massage," Shay realized, rubbing his left shoulder with his right hand. "My back has been feeling a bit sore ever since the Invasion."

Lulu wiped the tears from her eyes from what her father said. Does that mean Zarc restored their hometown to its former glory? She was really hoping so because a spa treatment sounded good right about now. "Thank you, father," she said.

Shay looked over at Yuto, who was happy to see his old dueling club friends again. "Hey Yuto, are you coming back with us?" the Raidraptor user called out. "Mother and father think Heartland was rebuilt!"

Yuto's eyebrows raised up in surprised satisfaction of the possibility of the city being rebuilt before having his mind process on what may also happen. After a few moments, his eyes widened in realization. It was subtle, but his lips moved as if he was mentioning someone. Does that mean she's back? Is she revived after all this time? These questions built up in his head in hope of seeing her again.

His mom…

Yuto could already imagine it. He arrives home and Lono Osaku is already waiting for him, ready to hug him tightly as the two shed tears of joy. Maybe they could check out the latest movie, or maybe even go shopping at the local mall. But regardless of what happens, he knew they have a lot of catching up to do.

"Maybe tomorrow!" Yuto called out to Shay. "I want to stop by my place!"

While Yuto ran off to return to his home, the Obsidians (with Lulu having gathered her things from the Boyle residence) made their way back to their own home. They noticed so many people on the streets and sidewalks rejoicing with joy-filled tears at the sight of the fully-restored buildings: schools, businesses, markets, houses, you name it. These must be a clear indicator that what Kameron said must be true, and if it is, then their house's destruction must have also been reversed. Sure enough, once they finally made it back to where they lived, they saw through the front gate that the damage has indeed been undone. The structure of their home was reconstructed to the way it was, the hedges reformed to its normal shapes, and the grass was still freshly-cut instead of incinerated by fire. The family was ecstatic to see their home was no longer ruined by Duel Academy's onslaught, but just to make sure, they wanted to see if their robot maids were fully functional too.

Kameron pressed the button on the gate's intercom. "Orbital, open the gates," he happily ordered. "We have returned home."

A few quick seconds passed before the intercom beeped, indicating Orbital's response. "MASTER K-KAMERON? IS... IS THAT YOU?"

"Yes it is," Kameron replied. "Along with Astra, Shay, and especially Lulu."

After the Interdimensional War had ended, everyone had been working hard to rebuild their town while also coping with living with what they had gotten and the Obsidians were no different. For the time being, Kameron, Astra, and Shay had been staying at their family company until the citywide reconstruction was complete, but since it occurred way earlier than everyone anticipated thanks to Zarc, that idea was ultimately scrapped. It was for the best though; they all missed their familial lifestyle.

"EVERYONE, THE OBSIDIANS HAVE RETURNED!" Orbital called out to the other robot maids. "I REPEAT: THE OBSIDIANS HAVE RETURNED!"

The front gates then opened up, allowing the Obsidians to head up the small hill. As they walked, the family marveled at the sight of seeing their repaired home, especially Lulu. During her time with the Resistance, she didn't even want to think about what it looked like after the Invasion struck. They arrived at their front door and were all greeted by the robot maids. In front of them were two robots: Orbital 7, the house's butler as seen by his black bowtie, and Lillybot, Lulu's former nursemaid.

"WELCOME HOME MASTER K-KAMERON, MISTRESS A-ASTRA, MASTER S-SHAY, AND MISTRESS L-LULU," Orbital said with a bow.

Lillybot held out a familiar teacup. "I HAVE PREPARED YOUR USUAL CUP OF TEA, MISTRESS LULU," she said. "IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU AGAIN."

Lulu immediately recognized the brewed cup of tea being presented to her. She hasn't had it in a while, but it felt like forever to her. She took it from Lillybot before taking a sip of it; it was exactly as she remembers it.

"Filtered water boiled in exactly two minutes, a small-sized sugar cube stirred in three times, and a single drop of unsweetened honey for an extra kick," Lulu recited. She smiled softly. "My morning tea."

"CORRECT," Lillybot confirmed. "I COULD NEVER FORGET YOUR PREFERRED TEA PREFERENCES."

Lulu smiled at her robotic assistant, knowing that the city's revival also recircuited the robots' installed programs. She was glad to be back home after all this time. And sure enough, the other robots remembered the Obsidians' schedules.

"MASTER SHAY, YOU ARE OVERDUE FOR A HAIRCUT."

"MY GOODNESS, MISTRESS ASTRA. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU BATHED?"

"YOUR SUIT MUST BE CLEANED PROPERLY, MASTER KAMERON. IT REEKS OF NATURAL ODOR."

The three robot maids escorted Kameron, Astra, and Shay to different rooms, but can you blame them? Survival was more important at the time, even after all the carded victims were freed, so that had to come first. As for Lulu, the rest took note on how unusually clean she was.

"MY GOODNESS, MISTRESS LULU. YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS EVER."

"YOUR HAIR IS NOT AS SOFT AS IT WAS BEFOREHAND, BUT IT LOOKS INCREDIBLY CLEAN."

However, Lillybot looked at Lulu's back. "MY SCANNER DETECTS A SLIGHT IMPERFECTION ON YOUR BACK," she realized. Her eyes started glowing red. "WHO DID THIS TO YOU?"

Seeing Lillybot's glowing red eyes always caught Lulu off guard, but she managed to explain to her and the other two robots about what had happened. Basically, a friend of Zuzu's named Julia Krystal treated her to a full body pampering at Paradise City's spa because Yuya had an idea of Leo Corporation hosting a dance to give all the students at Heartland Duel School another chance to spend an enjoyable night. At the same time, she and everyone else that attended were provided fresh clothes, in which she was currently wearing; it was a white sundress with silver sandals. She also mentioned about how her back was scarred due to Ancient Gear Hunting Hound's attack, so she had to get metal spinal plates installed to prevent her from getting paralyzed. She admitted that it slightly made her back hunched, but she would rather have that than become paralyzed from the waist down.

One robot maid grew concerned. "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LOVELY SILK DRESS I MADE FOR YOUR FIRST SCHOOL DANCE?"

Lulu sounded a bit sad when she sighed and explained that the dress got torn up at the bottom and was divided into three sections when one of the first attacks destroyed the school. She ended up using it as part of her Resistance attire.

"YOU MUST BE JOKING," the robot maid insisted.

Lulu used her free hand to take the leftover dress from one of her bags. "I'm sorry," she said, showing the ragged outfit to the robot maid. "And I know you worked so hard on it."

The dress she held showed the three ripped sections, with the ones on the front and right side looking shorter than the left. On the back were marks of where the Hunting Hound tore through the fabric and scarred her back. After the plates were placed on her spine, she wore a cream vest to hide the scar that was left behind.

The robot maid carefully took the dress from Lulu. "THIS DRESS CAN STILL BE SALVAGED," she noted. "I SHALL RESTORE IT INTO ITS ORIGINAL BEAUTY."

"Thank you," Lulu said. "I would also like to request a princess spa treatment. I need one after everything I went through."

The robot maids accepted the request and brought Lulu to the spa room while one of them took the dress to the tailor room for repairs. With the town refurbished and everyone returning to their homes, today marked the start of her going back to her normal, high class life.

Meanwhile, Yuto ran through the streets of Heartland to find where his house was. It was obvious that it got decimated when the Obelisk Force came, so he wanted to be sure if his mom was waiting for him there; maybe it was for the best that they may have to find a new house to live in…or was it? All around him, he heard happy, relieved, and tearful voices as he dashed by them. He didn't paid any attention to them until just now, stopping in a spot that felt…oddly recognizable to him. In between the trees of Heartland Tower that was not too far away from him. He wondered if that was the reason why everyone was gleeful: the town's revived state.

It definitely wasn't like this the last time he was here; everything was wrecked and on fire as the color became desaturated and gray within the smoky night sky. He turned his head to his right to see some bushes next to a street light. It was becoming clear to him now… It was the last time he ever saw her…

He started having a flashback on the night of the Invasion when he was running for cover while trying to come up with a diversion to face off against the soldiers. His sprinting was suddenly cut short by an explosion nearby the street light, causing it to partially kill its power. Just then, he heard the sound of sinister laughter and shifted his body to where it came from, only for him to stand in shock at what he was up against. A Chaos Ancient Gear Giant stood before him along with an Obelisk Force soldier. Yuto didn't know his name, but he never forgot him. The pale skin shown from underneath a silver helmet… The ruthless sadism in his voice…

"There he is," the Obelisk Force soldier said. "Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, attack that XYZ user!"

It extended its left arm where the blaster was, preparing to shoot another blast directly at Yuto. He would try to fight back with his Phantom Knights, but he might not unleash a counterattack in time, let alone try and dodge the attack. He stood there defenseless as he was about to brace himself; he was about to cross his arms in front of him to try and shield himself, but someone ran in front of him in the nick of time.

ZAP!

The force of the blast's explosion sent the two flying into the bushes, much to the soldier's annoyance. He could tell that Yuto wouldn't have survived if it weren't for the woman who saved him.

Yuto had lost his glasses when Duel Academy bombed Heartland Duel School, so he couldn't tell who saved him. However, he recognized the person's blonde hair. "Mom?" he asked.

"Shh..." Lono said. She placed a hand on his cheek. "Don't you dare let that beautiful smile leave your face," she breathed.

Those were the last words she said to him as her eyes closed and her hand slipped down her only child's cheek, with her arm falling limp. Disbelieved by what he was seeing, Yuto repeated what he said as he shook her body, hoping for her to regain consciousness. It gradually grew more frequent, but in the end, it was inevitable. Her head tilted away from his body, signaling that it wasn't a dream or a hellish nightmare. It was all too true. Lono Osaku—the first person he has known his entire life, spent so much time with him, and made cherishable memories together—sacrificed herself to save him. His head hung low as tears poured down from his eyes like two waterfalls while holding her lifeless body in his arms underneath the flickering street light, behind the ruined shrubbery, and in front of the exploded pavement.

All of a sudden, as the soldier was about to continue on with his attack, something triggered within Yuto. An emotion locked up from inside him had burst free from its cage. It awakened its power as this new feeling coursed through his veins and flooded his body, making him go…berserk. His head tilted upwards to face his mother's murderer with his eyes whitened out and covered in a periwinkle glow, furious by what he was forced to witness.

"You'll pay for what you have done!" Yuto cried out, discarding his ripped suit jacket and loosening his tie.

The soldier let out a sigh. "Whatever," he said. "Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, don't miss this time!"

The last thing Yuto remembered was trying to punch Giant out of pure, utter, and consumed rage, but since Ancient Gears appear to be made out of metal and he was as skinny as his counterparts when the Invasion began, he injured his hand in the process and it was super painful.

"You call yourself a Duelist?" the soldier mockingly asked. "Fight with your deck, not your fist!"

Yuto never forgot that night. That incident was scarred right into his mind. A memory that he can never forget. Just as he recalled what happened next, the flashback ended, cutting him back to present day. He stared at the very same spot where his mother's death took place, analyzing every little detail. The street light was crooked from the explosion as it guttered its last emission of light. It also took off a chunk of the pavement since debris was scattered everywhere on the ground and the grass. The bushes cushioned their fall, but the strength of that attack resulted in them getting wrecked. But now that Heartland was restored and every bit of damage was reversed, this area now looked like his encounter with the Obelisk Force soldier never took place at all. He had a feeling that could spell good news for her unfortunate fate.

Yuto also remembered how that night changed him, looking down at his current attire. What was once a nice suit had become battle-scarred. Some time after that night, the sleeves of his formal shirt were ripped and he added studded wristbands, a dog collar, and a makeshift cape to resemble more of a knightly appearance. He let out a sad sigh, hoping the local suit rental business wouldn't overcharge him for the damage.

He was at least hoping he'll be let off the hook; the Invasion was a serious conflict for the XYZ people and the employees who worked at the business where he got his rental suit were also affected by it. Their building was demolished and they were most likely carded by Duel Academy. That was the last thing he needed to focus on because he has to return home to see if his mom was brought back to life. So without waiting another second, he resumed heading back home.

Several minutes later, Yuto ran down the street where he lived until he spotted his home about eight houses away. He made a sharp right turn towards his walkway before making his way in front of his door and opening it. "Mom, I'm home!" he happily called out.

There was no response but his sentence echoing through the house and the chatter of people returning to their houses. This was oddly strange. Maybe she is somewhere in one of the rooms and didn't hear me loud enough, he reassured himself.

"Mom?" Yuto called out as he walked upstairs. "You're probably wondering how you came back from the dead, but don't freak out. I can explain everything."

As he reached the top of the stairs, he began searching everywhere on the second floor: their bedrooms, the bathroom, and the hallways. It felt unusually weird to see their rooms again after dealing with the Interdimensional War. They maintained their clean, organized appearance and has been that way until the night of the Heartland Duel School dance. He remembered being read fairytales every night when he was younger and even heading into her room to sleep there whenever he had nightmares or woke up in the midst of a thunderstorm. This was getting seriously unusual because the second floor treasured some fond memories and he wanted to create more with her. He quickly realized that he didn't check all of the first floor when he entered, so maybe she is in one of the downstairs room working on what they should have for dinner or something.

"Do you need help with your famous lasagna recipe?" Yuto asked as he approached the kitchen. "I remember all the spices it needs."

Yuto loved his mom's lasagna so much and even helps out with cooking it, which was why he knew the different spices it needed and how much to add. As he entered it, it too was also empty, making his search oddly confusing by the minute. He had a feeling she would be there making dinner because he enjoyed helping her cook and bake food over the years, everything from lasagna, spaghetti, steak, and pizza to cookies, cake, brownies, muffins, pies, and cupcakes. When it comes to making food, she was quite the expert at it and more memories filled his thoughts on the years of cooking they have done together.

Yuto let out a sad chuckle. "I'm serious," he said, his voice choking up. "I was hoping we can make new memories together. Remember all the movies we watched? All the stores we visited at the local mall? All the-"

His questions were cut off by a framed picture sitting on one of the shelves. He walked closer to it to see that it was no ordinary picture; it was a selfie his mother took with him before they left the house to the school for the dance. She must have framed it and set it on the shelf a couple hours before Duel Academy invaded. That explained her protecting him; she was looking for him and saw him in the Obelisk Force soldier's range, running up just in time to save him. Of all the places it should have been, he didn't expect to find it in the living room, one of their favorite rooms in the house. They always gathered here to watch TV, play games, watch squirrels, bunnies, chipmunks, and birds outside, and even open up presents during Christmas and his birthday. It was most likely placed here because of how much they loved bonding in the living room.

He then took a deep look at himself in the selfie. The rental suit was still new-looking at the time, but he noticed something about his eye color and figure that bugged him. Did he really change that much in a small amount of time? Taking the framed selfie off the shelf, he ran back upstairs and headed into the bathroom to answer that question. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, the first thing he caught on in an instant was his changed eye color; he remembered hearing about the slight renditions he, his counterparts, and the Bracelet Girls received when they were separated, but he couldn't believe what he saw. His eyes were no longer his usual gray tone, but Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon's golden-yellow hue. Still in disbelief, he took off his cape, tie, and formal shirt to see if his figure had changed as well. Sure enough, it did. Thanks to the Invasion, a six-pack was slightly forming, his pecs were more toned, and his arms have subtlety gained muscle compared to Yuya, Yugo, and Yuri's matching body shapes.

Gray vs. marigold. Lanky vs. signs of fit shape. Dear god, time has passed, and it felt longer than he hoped for… After everything he went through… He shoves Yuya to save him from Clear Wing's attack and believes he's heading to the afterlife to finally meet her again, his soul ends up merged with his Pendulum counterpart's. Ray and Riley put a stop to Zarc's returning reign of terror, the fusing dimensions split back into four and all the carded victims are freed. The Original Dimension is brought back and Heartland is reconstructed, the eight counterparts get alterations. No matter what he goes through or what he does, they were all proven to be in vain for him because………she's gone. Lono Osaku was never coming back and nothing can be done to undo her untimely death.

"Mom..." Yuto said, his voice cracking with sorrow. He closed his eyes as he fell to the bathroom floor with tears pouring out, hugging the framed selfie. "I'm sorry."

As he sat with his knees on the floor and began to break down into sobs, a notification alarm went off on his Duel Disk. He was too upset and heartbroken to check it, but the notification was for the Webcam app.

Meanwhile, at the Sakaki residence, Yuya was baffled. "That's strange..." he mused, turning off the webcam app on his Duel Disk.

At that moment, Sora entered the tomato-haired teen's room. "Who are you calling?" he asked.

"Yuto," Yuya answered. "I was hoping he could tell me where he lives. I think I overheard him saying something about stopping by his house."

"Were you hoping he could tell you about your aunt?" Sora asked.

"Of course," Yuya answered. "I want to learn more about Aunt Lono."

He had an understanding of what her past life was like with Yoko prior to the dimensional split, but hearing that Yuto wanted to stop by at his house made him think about her again. He knew how much they loved each other, so learning more about her might be something he wanted to do first now that he was split back into his own body.

"Hang on," Sora said. He typed into his Duel Disk. "All Duel Academy student Duel Disks were programmed with the knowledge of where every XYZ Dimension person lives. I'll send you Yuto's home address."

Yuya was surprised. "How..."

"Invasion protocols," Sora explained.

Yuya had a feeling it would involve something with the Invasion. His adopted brother used to be an Obelisk Force soldier himself before allying with the Lancers. After less than a minute, a notification alarm went off as he received the text containing Yuto's address.

"Thanks Sora," Yuya said as he left his room.

He notified Yoko that he was off to visit Yuto to learn more about Lono; since it was late morning when the blood separation was initiated, there was a possibility that he might go out to lunch with him. Outside of house, he copied Sora's text and opened up the Maps app to paste it and get directions. Although they were loaded up on the screen, he wasn't sure if he should walk or take the bus because the four cities have been merged back into one and people have been scrambling to get back to their homes. In other words, it may take a while for everyone to get around since they have never officially been to any of the other neighborhoods. Ironically, his hometown looked exactly the same despite combining with Domino, New Domino, and Heartland. He felt like that's kind of a good thing because the last thing he needed was the buildings in Yuto's hometown to be rearranged differently since he sort of knew what it looked like during the two times he went there.

Upon further notice, Yuya noticed the street where Yuto lives is now a few blocks near the Duel Palace. If he took a bus to that place, he should be able to reach the Osaku residence quickly. He altered the directions so that they were within a bus driving distance instead of a walking distance and pressed "Start" to have the built-in GPS announce where he has to go to the bus stop in how many feet, yards, or miles. He ran down his street to begin his GPS-navigated journey to his cousin's house.

One bus ride later, Yuya was able to arrive at the Osaku residence. He dashed down the walkway before stopping at the open front door, knowing that Yuto has just went in to probably get his bearings at his restored home. After dealing with the war against the Fusion Dimension and coping with having his soul fused within Yuya's body, it would make sense for him to adapt to his usual, middle class life. As he stepped in, however, he could hear faint sobs coming from upstairs.

"Yuto?" Yuya asked, walking upstairs. He soon stopped at the bathroom, where he saw his cousin sitting on the floor with his cape, tie, and formal shirt discarded on the floor. Why was he crying?

Yuya knelt next to Yuto. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Yuto looked up at the tomato-haired teen. "No, Yuya," he answered between sobs. "I'm not alright at all."

"What happened?" Yuya asked.

"She's gone," Yuto replied. "My mom wasn't revived."

Yuya feared something like this would happen when his cousin came back home. He remained kneeling next to Yuto, comforting him after learning the devastating news about Aunt Lono.

"I'm so sorry," Yuya said, hugging Yuto and gently patting his back. "She must have been that important to you."

Yuto was too upset to respond to what Yuya said, let alone say anything for that matter. The tears kept raining down his face as he held the framed picture close to his slightly muscular body.

Yuya wasn't sure what to say. Since he got both of his parents back, he feared he might say the wrong thing. So instead, he held his cousin close to him, waiting for him to calm down. He hasn't seen him this depressed since the morning of the LID dance do-over, when he learned about what had happened years before the Invasion and the sudden switch between the two. Just then, an idea popped into Yuya's head on how he can help cheer Yuto up.

"Would you like to come back with me to my place?" Yuya asked.

Yuto looked up. "Hmm?" he questioned.

"I'll properly introduce you to my family," Yuya continued. "Technically they're your family too."

He was right; when Yoko regained her lost memories, she recalled all the times she spent with Lono when they grew up together. Now that the dimensional dilemmas are finally resolved, this can be the start of Yuto getting to know his recently-discovered extended family.

Yuto gave Yuya a tight hug. "Thank you," he said.

"Aw, don't mention it," Yuya cheerfully replied.

Because he was shirtless for a little while, Yuto needed to put his clothes back on or get dressed into different clothes. He let go of Yuya and got up off the floor, taking the formal shirt, cape, tie, and framed picture back to his room. He hasn't been there in a while, so he has to make sure what clothes he should change into; additionally, he realized that his tears stained the lenses of his glasses and he had to clean them with a small cloth.

Some time later, Yuto left his bedroom wearing a black t-shirt labeled 'KNIGHT CLUB', dark grey sweat pants, and black sneakers with his glasses clean of any tears. "Alright, I'm ready to go," he told his cousin.

"Whoa," Yuya said, noticing Yuto's choice of attire. "Cool shirt."

"Thanks," Yuto replied. "It's one of my favorite shirts."

He had gotten it one day at the mall because it reminds him of the similarities he has with the Phantom Knights: they have knightly personalities and are naturally attracted towards the darkness (except Zarc's darkness).

"It looks great on you," Yuya said, putting Yuto in a playful headlock.

This caught Yuto off guard because he never been locked in this maneuver before; why was he being attacked all of a sudden? Regardless, he quickly regained his stance and flipped Yuya over, pinning him to the ground.

"Ack!" Yuya yelped. "What was that for?!"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Yuto replied.

"It's just rough housing!" Yuya explained. "Brothers do that all the time! It's not harmless! I swear!"

Rough housing? He has never heard or done that before since he grew up as an only child. So has Yuya, yet he seems to have a better understanding of it.

"I see..." Yuto said. "My mom did something similar to that when I was younger."

"What was it?" Yuya answered.

"Something like...this," Yuto answered. He then started tickling Yuya just as he finished his sentence. If there was any method used to bring smiles to anyone's face, this was definitely it.

"Yuto!" Yuya cried out between fits of laughter.

"What?" Yuto innocently asked as his fingers went underneath Yuya's shirt and tickled his sides. "Since we're technically the same person, you probably have the same weak spots I have."

As he predicted, Yuya burst out in hysterical laughter when Yuto reached the weak spots. He was right about the two being part of the same person, so no doubt Zarc possessed the same ticklish areas as his reincarnations.

"Okay, I get it!" Yuya laughed, tears coming from his eyes. "Just stop already! I give!"

Yuto let out a soft chuckle. "Alright," he said, ending the tickle fight and helping his cousin get back on his feet.

That actually felt kind of…nice. It was the first time he engaged in familial bonding with another relative aside from his mom. He wondered how he'll spend some time with Yoko, Yusho, and Sora for the day since his family tree was interesting; his aunt reminds him of his mom, his uncle happens to be the founder and former teacher of Heartland Duel School, and his adopted cousin was from Duel Academy.

Yuto put his hand near his heart. "I haven't felt this happy since..." he started to say before trailing off.

"Well don't you worry!" Yuya happily said, understanding what he was about to say. "C'mon! Get ready to become part of the Sakaki family!"

The two walked downstairs before heading outside of the house, shutting the door, and heading to the bus stop while walking by the many citizens rejoicing in their refurnished homes.

"Wow," Yuya said. "The people over here seem a little too happy."

"Of course they are," Yuto replied. "This whole city was destroyed. Everyone lost all their homes, so seeing everything suddenly recover is causing mass rejoicing."

"I can tell..." Yuya remarked, noticing a random man kissing his front lawn.

Yuto has never met him in person, but he recognized that man as Tombo Tillbitty, Heartland's local gardener who was best known for growing vegetables, especially tomatoes. Now that he thought about it, he randomly started thinking about Yuya's hair and how it resembles a tomato. He let out a small chuckle at the sudden thought.

"What's so funny?" Yuya asked.

"Your hair really does look like a tomato," Yuto commented.

"You're one to talk!" Yuya retorted. He lifted the light purple bang dangling in front of Yuto's eye. "Your hair looks like eggplants!"

He wasn't wrong; the light purple bangs and black locks do bear similarities to purple and black eggplants. "Touché," Yuto said, swatting Yuya's hand away from his hair.

One walk to the bus stop and another bus trip back to the Paradise section later, the two made their way back to the Sakaki residence. Yuto never thought he would be back there again, and in his own body nonetheless. He was nervous, but that didn't stop Yuya from grabbing his wrist and dragging him through the front door.

"I'm back!" Yuya called out. "And I want you to meet someone!"

Yoko, Yusho, and Sora heard Yuya's voice because they didn't expect him to be back home that fast. Standing before them was a skittish Yuto with his wrist held firmly in his cousin's hand. He didn't want to make things awkward for them since they practically knew him, so he waved "Hello" with his free hand in a rather sheepish manner.

"Lady and gentlemen, allow me to be the first to introduce you all to the newest member of our family!" Yuya happily said. "My newfound cousin and mom's surprise nephew: Yuto Osaku!"

"You didn't have to make a big deal about it..." Yuto admitted.

"Nope!" Yuya replied. "You're a Sakaki now! This is a big deal for us!"

"Technically I'm still an Osaku," Yuto pointed out.

"Close enough!" Yuya insisted.

"Yuto might be right," Yoko said. "I know he's my nephew, but that doesn't mean he's officially a Sakaki."

"But mom, he was crying in the bathroom of his own house," Yuya recalled. "And he was shirtless for some reason."

Yuto looked a bit heartbroken. "I changed so much since that night," he said. "I can never go back to my old life." He wiped a forming tear away from his eye. "I don't even know what I should do."

Yoko had a feeling the night her nephew was referring to was when Lono got killed. She was informed about how Zarc instantly rebuilding Heartland may have sparked his initial hopeful desire to see his mom again, but much like the previous events where he felt like they'll be reunited, this one also met the same fate that is the cold, cruel, harsh reality. Despite that Yuto was glad to know he had more family members all along, it still didn't feel right because he grew up living with his mom for his entire life.

"Then how about we bring you over to the Sunshine Skating Rink?" Yoko suggested.

Yuya's eyes sparkled in delight. "That's a great idea!"

"Skating rink?" Yuto asked.

"I think I saw that place once before," Sora recalled. "It's a place where people roller skate."

"Yeah," Yuya agreed. "Besides..." He activated the wheels of his new shoes. "I haven't used these in a long time."

"So I take it there won't be any mishaps like the previous times," Yusho remarked.

"Not anymore!" Yuya cheerfully answered. He's gotten used to skating around with the duel skates Alex gave him; the first time he tried them out was during Iggy's rematch and it was a hassle to maintain balance while going at a fast speed. But ever since then, he has been skating with ease.

"Then it's settled," Yoko said. "We'll have a Sakaki family fun day at the skating rink."

Yuto wasn't sure what to expect out of this. He wasn't sure what Yuya was planning on doing, but whatever it was, he hoped it would work.

#Arc V Aftermath #yugioh arc v #Yuya Sakaki #Sora Perse #Sora Shiunin #Yuto (arc v)#Lulu Obsidian #Ruri Kurosaki #Shay Obsidian #Shun Kurosaki #Rehabilitation

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