'Inverse AU where it's Teyvat who's 1/3rd the size of earth. Probably just for crackfics but it would be silly to be able to hold the great Lord Morax in your palm' - @arn9tails
So basically, @arn9tails came up with another banger, and I had to write about it. So please sit back and enjoy.
Warnings: OCness, cringe.
Zhongli
It all started with an earthquake.
It shook all of Liyue Harbour, hell, maybe even the whole nation! No one had no clue what was happening. Some thought it was Rex Lapis's anger from the grave, but Zhongli wasn't angry. He was just as confused as everyone else.
But then it happens. Another earthquake hits, but this one was bigger, and right in the center of Liyue Harbour, in a busy street filled with people... a large, glowing crack forms.
No one was prepared, so everyone in that area fell in... including Zhongli.
And before anyone could react, the crack closes, leaving chaos and panic behind them as demands for the Adepti to be called was heard being screamed...
...Meanwhile, on earth, MC was walking home after a short walk.
She was mostly trying to clear her head, still in disbelief of what had happened to her.
Not even a week ago, she suddenly found herself in possession of a new house (This and this) and large inheritance from a now deceased relative.
MC wasn't even that close to her. Just a distance aunt from somewhere on her mom's side of the family, but apparently, she made a good enough impression for the older woman to leave everything to her.
It was definitely an upgrade from her old apartment, but maybe a bit too big for just one person...
She sighs, picking up the pace as she sees it was starting to get dark... only to come to a stop when she hears a dog snarling down a nearby alley way and something else?
It almost sounded like... screaming?!
Rushing towards the noise, MC skids around the corner to look down the alley way to see a large dog snarling and snapping at something small- wait. Huh?! Were those people?! Small, doll size people?!
Small, doll size people dressed in very familiar clothing. Clothing you recognized being worn by NPCs from Liyue! And at the front was an even more familiar figure!
Armed with his polearm, a clearly weary but angry Zhongli looked ready to protect his people.
Then the dog lunges, and MC lunges as well.
"HEY!" Her yelling thankfully scares off the feral canine, leaving her and the tiny people alone in awkward silence.
Nervously, MC looks down and sees terrified looks being thrown up at her from the misplaced Liyuian citizens, and a tense, suspicious look from Zhongli who was still holding his polearm.
MC was trying to understand how this situation happened. How did these people get here in her world?!
She knew she couldn't leave them here. That one dog nearly got them, and even with Zhongli there, it was clear something was wrong... so with a shaky breath, MC kneels down to speak to them...
...And that's how MC acquired temporary housemates from another world.
The bonding process between MC and the misplaced Liyuians was a slow but trust eventually grows.
With MC's endless patience, and many other reasons, the misplaced citizens of Liyue grew to like her, TRUST her even.
She made beds for them, she feed them food, she kept them inside her large home where it was safe from both the elements and predatory creatures.
She even let the children play with her things. Children that were once afraid and crying were now playing with large, soft plush toys that make toys from Teyvat seem pathetic.
Like it wasn't uncommon to find the kids, or even the adults, sleeping on some of her Squishmallows, especially the bigger ones.
Zhongli, however, was a more difficult case.
He didn't trust MC, not at all, and he made this very apparent.
MC of course was somewhat hurt, as Zhongli was her favorite character in all of Genshin Impact, but she didn't hold it against him.
He had every right not to trust her. She was a stranger after all, and even more, he and some of his people were now stuck in a strange land they had no clue about.
But this distrustfulness does change after while... nothing says that one is more trustworthy when one nearly gets crushed under a heavy dresser to protect a small child without prompting.
In this case, MC nearly gets smushed while trying to stop an old dresser from falling over on a few Liyuian children does the trick.
Bruised, but otherwise fine, MC smiles, waving off any concern for her near-death experience, saying it was worth it since she saved a life.
This only makes everyone fuss over her more. Old Liyuian grannies were giving her smack for not worrying about herself more as she was now someone important to them.
And to her surprise, Zhongli joins in as well... and even apologizes for how rude he's been to her.
MC blinks a few times, confusion clearly on her face as Zhongli walked closer, placing a hand on her larger one, takes a deep breath, and thanks her for everything she's done so far.
He even says it was a blessing that she of all giants (what Zhongli refers to earth humans as) found them and saved them.
MC just blushes, smiling all bashfully, only endearing her more to her guests, especially Zhongli.
After that incident, MC's guests started helping out more, or at least as much as they could with their small forms.
Zhongli definitely took the job as MC's handler or caretaker, making sure she didn't lose herself while working, or reminding her that she needs eat as well when she's feeding them.
Besides that, MC had the pleasure of showing the more curious of the misplaced Teyvatians her movie collection when one child happened upon her movie shelf full of DVDs.
All her otherworldly house guests were in awe. It's like plays, but you can pause it, and it was flat-
Studio Ghibi was definite favorite among the crowd.
MC swears she saw one or two of the tiny scribbling down the plot of several of the movies that were shown. It made her wonder if when they return to Liyue, they'll copied the movies into a book.
But then it got really interesting when you brought out your game systems! Sypro the Dragon, Legend of Zelda, and Pokemon, MC had fun replaying old classics with the hyper fixated audience around her.
But then it hits MC one night after a long session of Okami.
Genshin Impact. She still hasn't told Zhongli or anyone about it yet.
On one hand, MC could keep quiet, as it would no doubt be an awkward conversation and there was a high chance she could lose whatever trust she got from Zhongli recently.
...But trust goes both ways. She didn't want to keep quiet about something so big. Like what if he accidentally finds out and demands why she hid it from him.
MC had to tell him. Tell him about Genshin Impact.
So, when everyone else was asleep, MC slips back into the living room, knowing Zhongli was still up, messing with his Adepti magic as a way to find a way back to Teyvat, and quietly asks to talk to him...
The two of them end up back in MC's room, with she curls up in a corner of her bed, nearly hiding in a pile of her Pokemon and Squishmallow plushies on the bed.
Zhongli sits before her, patiently waiting for her to speak.
And seeing how he was being so patient with her, she takes a deep breath and shakily tells him about a certain game called Genshin Impact...
...In the end, MC was sniffling, shakily apologizing for not saying anything earlier as everyone was so stressed out, but she knew it wasn't right for her not to say anything after he gave her his trust...
MC sniffles, whipping her tears away as she hugged one of her Pikachu plushies, mumbling, "I-I didn't know what to do. I was scared how you'd react. How in my world you, Liyue, and Teyvat were nothing more than part of a game…"
She buries her face into the plush, scared to see his expression. "It's feels so wrong. I k-know things I shouldn't know and I'm sorry, p-please don't be mad-"
"...Gemheart."
MC jerks at the unexpected pet name, timidly peeking over the plush in her arms to look at Zhongli in confusion. What did he just call her? Gemheart? And his tone... it wasn't angry? He... He didn't look mad either...
Yes, the Geo Archon didn't look mad, he seemed more concern with MC's near panic attack than about the earth-shattering news of him and his world being nothing more than a game in this odd world.
The tiny God hops up your mountain of plushies, getting close to MC's face where he uses his hands to carefully wipe away her tears, gently hushing her as he helps her calm down.
Eventually she calms down enough for Zhongli to speak. He was cool, calm, and collected as he asks her certain questions. Like what exactly did she know about him and Teyvat as a whole, did she have knowledge about the abyss, or even Celestia, and even about the Traveler...
In the end, both Zhongli and MC decided it was best not to say anything about Genshin Impact to any one of the misplaced Teyvatians.
It would bring too much stress and questions that Zhongli rather not be asked...
But besides that, MC was just relieved that Zhongli wasn't angry at her, or disgusted, really.
In fact, after settling down after asking his questions, Zhongli asked if she could show him her Genshin account. He was curious about it.
This leads to MC also explaining the Gacha system, which she awkwardly looks away with a blush when he asks her how much money she spent on it.
"...I-I may have whaled a little... b-but you- I mean your game self, refused to come home and I needed your weapon-"
Zhongli does scold MC for her spending money so callously, but also, seeing how strong his game self was, AND with his weapon at that, he couldn't help but feel internally pleased.
He could clearly see who MC's favorite was.
And just like that, the two of them became even closer.
Like now it wasn't uncommon for Zhongli to find himself in MC's room after a tiring night of trying to create a way back to Teyvat.
Letting Mc pick him up off the floor and plopping him down on one of her pillows. MC curls up beside him, laying her head on the pillow besides his, and the two of them easily falls asleep.
Sometimes MC even wakes up with little braids in her hair in the morning, Zhongli humming a soft, Liyuian tune as he completes another braid.
Or sometimes he even tells her tales of his time as Morax. Tales that Hoyo hadn't said anything about yet.
In the privacy of her room, once all the other otherworldly guests are asleep, MC would curl up in bed, holding a pillow to her chest as listens to Zhongli recount tale after tale, easily making her fall asleep to the sound of his voice.
It was nice. It was peaceful. It made MC feel a little less lonely... but all nice things come to an end eventually.
It finally happens. Zhongli manages to connect a way back to Teyvat. Seemingly getting into contact with the other Adepti and creating a portal back to Liyue.
The misplaced Liyuian were of course elated with the news. Crying and cheering with relief. They were going HOME!!!
And MC... she just smiles, hiding the fact that she was sad to them Zhongli go. But she couldn't be selfish. Even if it hurts that she was going to be alone again-
Sitting before the small portal in her living room, MC finally lets some tears fall when everyone starts to say goodbye to her.
The children all rushed to give her hugs, the grannies and mothers ask her not to overwork herself, and so on. MC felt so loved then...
Soon it was just Zhongli and MC left, everyone else having walked through the portal. The Geo Archon stood silent for a moment, before gesturing for her to come closer.
MC confused, listens. she leans further down to his level, and... he hugs her, wrapping his arms as much as he could around her neck.
And this triggers MC to just bawl like a baby then. She didn't want him to go! She didn't want to be alone! She got so used to him and the others in her too big of a house, but she knew she couldn't be selfish-
"Gemheart... I can never thank you enough for everything. For me, and my people... And despite how it all happened, I have no regrets in meeting you, my Gemheart. May that heart of Gold of yours always shine..."
MC sniffles as he pulls away, watching sadly as he walks through the portal. As soon as Zhongli steps through, it flickers, and then disappears completely, leaving MC all alone in her dark living room.
And in the dark, lonely room... MC broke down completely.
She was all alone...
A few weeks pass, and MC still was deep in her misery. Her home felt too big. Too quiet.
She missed having Zhongli's company alone with the other misplaced Liyuians.
It was even to a point where she hadn't touched Genshin Impact since the misplaced tiny people returned to their home dimension.
But just when MC thought things were starting to get better, that her sadness had faded away due to her being busy with daily things...
A massive earthquake shakes her city before stopping not a second a later.... and a news report flashes across her TV.
The report being about 7 large land masses suddenly spawning out of thin air.
And all MC could do was sit down on her couch as her legs gave away. Her eyes wide as she stared at the TV.
Could it be...?
Her thoughts drift back to Zhongli, back to late night conversations where he talked about how he and his people arrived in her world.
Something had happened to the lay lines.
So... What's to say it wouldn't get worse and transports all seven nations of Teyvat to MC's world?
In the coming days since this shocking event, MC was anxiously going about her life, trying not to think about how Teyvat had come to life.
Tried not to think about gold eyes and mysterious smiles... Tried not think about Zhongli.
At one point she did consider seeing if it was possible for her to travel to Liyue, but threw that away as she hears how the government was tightening down the borders.
Traveling of any kind out of the country was prohibited at the moment due to the seriousness of the events.
So, there goes that idea... and besides, what was she even thinking. Why would Zhongli even want to see her again, anyhow...
And just like that, she was back to being sad again...
But then, one late night a few days later, MC hears someone knocking at her door.
She paused the movie she was watching, glancing towards her front door with a confused expression.
Who on earth would be knocking at her door this late?
Carefully, she pads over, peeking through the peep hole, and nearly has a heart attack.
Someone was standing at her doorstep, dressed in a dark cloak. Was this some sort of cultist or someone worse?!
She goes to yell for them to leave or she'd call the police when she notices something.
Under the glow of her door light, she sees a bouquet of flowers in the person's hands.
It was a bouquet of Glaze Lilies. Flowers you could only get in Liyue, and-
MC rips open the door then. "Z-Zhongli?"
The hood falls back, and MC is staring into the face of a normal size and very real Zhongli.
He smiles, holding out the Glaze Lilies for her.
"Gemheart... may I come in?"
