a tale as old as time | yan!zhongli x adventurer!darling headcannons & drabbles
some drabbles and extra notes from my yandere zhongli oneshot :) feel free to read that first, here or on my profile.
yan!zhongli who is tired of watching you constantly get injured in the pursuit of adrenaline or excitement. mortal lives are fragile, so it was only a matter of time before he swept you off your feet and kept you for himself.
yan!zhongli who, unlike his meticulous and patient nature, finds his restraint being tested everytime you come back from an adventure. okay. so what if you're a world-class adventurer whose survived snezhnaya and the chasm? what? you're telling him that you're going to try and brave the mare jivari with that busted knee of yours?
yan!zhongli who makes an impulsive decision and doesn't regret it one bit. while he waits patiently for you to wake up, he's preparing your room in his serenitea teapot. the sun is in the perfect position in the sky. some nice liyuean teacups, a closet full of your favourite clothes and some hanfu (he yearns to see you actually dress in something other than your crusty ass adventurer uniform thats covered in dirt, muck, and god who knows what.)
yan!zhongli , who anticipated your shock and surprise when you woke up to this paradise. at first you're confused, then happy. he watches as you indulge in the tea, listen and nod innocently to his explanation that you passed out and are simply recovering in his home--and that he'll let you out when he thinks that you've fully recovered. of course. he knows best, right? he's mister zhongli of the wangshang funeral parlor, afterall.
he'd never lie to you, right?
yan!zhongli, who sighs like he's discplining a petulant child, when you finally break. after three months of being 'trapped' here (in your own words, not his), with you constantly insisting that your wounds are better, your skin is softer, and that if you stay any longer your callouses that protect your hands from blistering when you hold a sword, will fade--you're ready to get outta here.
"i'm fine. xiangsheng, i'm telling you i'm okay. for the love of rex lapis, could you please just let me out? where is this anyway? in the middle of nowhere? i'm sick of staying here and--" your pyro vision is gleaming and slowly glowing with a brighter and brighter aura as your voice trembles, growing in intensity alongside your emotion.
his sweet, poor darling. zhongli can't help but croon at how adorable you are. did you really think that this was a temporary arrangement? he asks rather calmly, while he rises to survey the damage. you've toppled over the artifically conjured shelves and books and smashed the porcelain vase. without breaking eye contact, he waves his hand.
the gold veins trickling up his arms glow with amber light. the shelves piece themselves together. the vase disappears, reappearing on the nightstand as if nothing happened. a geo insignia gleams on the center of his palm. "y/n. while i appreciate that you adore me enough to use my love as leverage, i'd prefer if you spoke like a civilized person." he calmly states.
yan!zhongli who isn't surprised at all, as you stare at him numbly and realize who he is. what he is. and since the cat's out of the bag...well, he might as well do this, too, right?
yan!zhongli who watches as you attempt to hold a piece of broken glass, jabbing it in his direction and threatening him to let you go. he simply snaps his fingers. the glass vanishes. everything in this teapot is his, afterall. and soon enough, you will be his too. and as he advances, his earings clinking gently, amber eyes glowing with utter need, he reaches for your chin. even as you struggle--trying to push him away, fists slamming against his chest, fire fading from your fingertips as his own wrap around your vision--subduing it--his lips slant against yours.
it's a delicious struggle. one that reminds zhongli-no, morax, of the satisfying crunch of defeated god remains on the sole of his shoe. but this is far more satisfying. it's euphoric, almost. but he's a man of patience and control. even as he watches scarlet bloom across your cheeks when his fingers cup the redness. savouring the kiss, he holds you firmly in place while claiming the warm cavern of your mouth.
yan!zhongli, who is always there. never finished with you. never getting tired of you. your presence itself is preserved in this teapot, and it seems to ease the burden of erosion off his shoulders everytime his hands wrap around yours. even though your eyes are not filled with fire or the same gleam whenever you've finished the cup of 'herbal tea' that he provides you. (for your health...supposedly). he's contently humming to himself, and pressing a loving kiss to your forehead, long arms wrapped around your waist as he slots you against his lap. the perfect lap-warmer, no? he brags about how warm and lovely his darling is, regardless of whether she's compliant or not, drugged up or not, he loves you the most. mortals are fickle and delicate creatures though, so he has to keep you close. not that he minds.
"tired, my dear?" he asks gently, while the tip of his calligraphy brush flicks across a scroll. "perhaps some tea? or a bath?" the ink is an onyx black. it's a painted picture of you: asleep, by his side. your eyes seem fixated on the picture, as you slowly blink. you don't know how long it's been anymore. should you even bother?
yan!zhongli, who's pleased when you finally give in and wearily nod. "...maybe a bath." as the soap suds fall across your now-smooth and soft skin, no longer marred with scars or scratches or the gruesome remains of forgotten adventures, you can't help but let out a relieved sigh. zhongli is careful as he holds you bare against him, resisting the urge to smile. he needs to focus. but he can't help but feel pleased.
fragile yet fearless, your warmth will never leave him now.
