-Friends to lovers-

The two of you sit quietly on a stone bench beneath a gnarled tree in Liyue Harbor’s less-traveled gardens. The sun has long since dipped below the horizon, leaving only the gentle glow of lanterns and the shimmer of stars above. The air is still, as if the world itself is holding its breath.

Zhongli’s amber eyes gaze out at the distant harbor lights. “Do you ever forget their names?” he asks quietly. His voice, always calm, carries something different tonight — a tiredness that no rest can fix.

You pause, heart heavy with understanding. “Sometimes… but only to remember them in dreams.” You glance at him. “It feels cruel, doesn’t it? That we go on and they don’t.”

He nods slowly. “The erosion of time is not always gentle. It is patient, relentless. There were centuries when I thought I had accepted it… but recently, the silence between moments has grown louder.”

You exhale. “I think it’s because we’re not meant to be alone in this. Even immortality feels unbearable without someone who understands.”

Zhongli turns to you, eyes soft. “Then perhaps… that is why the Archons allowed paths to cross.” He looks at your face as if seeing something sacred. “You carry the same weight I do — the ache of watching civilizations bloom and crumble. And yet, here we are, still choosing to care.”

You nod, voice quieter. “But some days, I feel like a ghost in a world that’s moving on without me. Like I’m just watching from behind a glass wall.”

“I understand.” Zhongli leans back against the tree, the ancient bark creaking under him. “And yet… being with you reminds me that we are not relics. We’re living history. We endure, yes, but we also feel. And that is what keeps us human.”

There’s a silence between you — not empty, but full of meaning.

He reaches for your hand, warm and steady. “Let us carry the burden together. Even if the world changes a thousand more times… I will remember your name.”

You squeeze his hand gently, heart aching in a new but hopeful way. “And I’ll remember yours.”

Zhongli smiled gently, his hand holding yours… although you two were just friends, he couldn’t help but feel attracted to you.