Night had enveloped Liyue, leaving the city in semi-darkness, illuminated only by the soft light of the lanterns. The room was quiet, but the silence was unsettling - it only increased the tension in the air.

You were standing by the window, watching the lights flickering in the distance, when you felt strong arms gently wrap around your waist.

— You're slipping away from me again. Zhongli spoke softly, but there was that special note in his voice that made your skin tingle.

The warmth of his body was felt even through the fabric of his clothes, and his fingers slowly slid up, gently touching your bare skin. He was in no hurry - he was always patient, always restrained, but now there was a subtle greed in his touch.

— Eternity has taught me a lot. he continued, his lips touching the curve of your neck. — For example, to appreciate moments that cannot be repeated.

You felt his breath burn your skin, his lips barely touching your collarbone, leaving a hot mark on it.

— No matter how many centuries have passed… his voice became lower, more intimate — my desire for you is unchanged.

He turned you towards him, allowing you to look into his amber eyes. There was a fire burning in them, ancient and all-consuming, like a stone that had withstood thousands of years and finally cracked.