A/N: Managed to insert Zhongli's piece in the flood of my event reqs, let's go osmanthus wi- I mean, fates boom! This, obviously, takes place during the Lantern Rite Event~
✤ SAGAU Concept: Characters are aware that they are codes, pixels, and are sentient in the player's gaming platform. When the player is offline, their programming is turned off and they gain free will.
✤ [P/Name] = Player name
✤ she/her
Words: 675
Behind the curtain of codes and binary that showcase the virtual setting of Teyvat, at the banner featuring his official art, Zhongli waits with a smile.
Presently, [P/Name]—who is using Xiao out in the open world—isn't at Liyue, so he needn't show up at Third Round Knockout nor at any of the places the developers have programmed him to appear in.
Their beloved player is venturing Enkanomiya, and so far it has been an amusing spectacle to see the Adeptus open loot boxes and accomplish achievements throughout the week.
Not like he's in control of himself, no. When [P/Name] is online, every single one of them falls to manipulation of the player.
It isn't like anyone in [P/Name]'s roster minds, though, for the latter takes the absolute best care of them at all times. If Zhongli squints enough, maybe he'll even see the tiny smile breaking past the Yaksha's coded expression.
The retired Archon glances at the primogem counter by his banner, humming as it read a bold and flat '120'. Oh, the time is near.
He watches with equal excitement as Xiao is hurried to a Shrine of Depth, the object box appearing with an all too familiar lilac key.
The shrine opens its barriers, welcoming the character inside to open the luxurious chest.
"Hm, there's quality here." he hears Xiao's voiceline just as the list of acquired items appears at the side. One more vital than the others.
Primogems x40
A total of 160, just enough for a single pull. Zhongli swears he sees the Adeptus' eyes light up at it.
There is an evident pause in the game, then an eager opening of the chat to send a message to someone.
「 SIngle pull!! Wish me luck! 」
「 ZHONGLI COME HOME PLEASE I'M BROKE- 」
He chuckles. What's the pity count again? He remembers it being somewhere around seventy-one. A little ways away from hitting the soft meter, but close.
Ah, still, he has no power against gacha, especially one that's currently 50/50. Surely, if their free will breaks through their programming, they'd 'come home' without end.
Which means that he has no governing authority as to whether he will be in the next single pull. But he's no pessimist.
So, as he sees the display shifting towards the wish screen, and the cursor hovering over the pull button, he hopes for the best.
He's always been curious about the sensation of 'coming home'.
When he queried the others about it, they all say that it is indescribable, but even their code cannot hold back their excessive joy.
I wonder, he closes his eyes when he sees the cursor click. Will I too feel such a sensation of bliss?
He can't be too sure. But he waits... and waits...
And there is nothing. No floaty feeling, no tugging- no anything.
He thinks he hears fingers typing away at a keyboard with incredible speed, but other than that there's nothing else.
At least, until he's suddenly being made to open his eyes, his lips, and then-
"What shall we do?"
It takes Zhongli a moment to notice that it was his voice that had reverberated and that he's in a whole new place; a blue, starlit environment.
This is...
Although he cannot look to the side, he can feel their presence to his left; Xiao, Albedo, and Jean. Ah... could it be?
There's no mistaking it.
... Home.
The subtle twinge in his code, holding back an emotion from bursting past the program. It's spreading through—his bliss.
One that simply gets even harder to keep in when the party menu exits, and he's in the same spot Xiao was at before the pull.
There is an evident sensation of control and assuredness.
[P/Name]. Their player.
Maybe if she isn't so captivated and in a hurry to press 'Enter', she
would've seen the ghost of his smile when the camera pans away.
The chatbox opens again, and a flurry of words appears in a flash.
Zhongli can't help but know immediately, what the message is going to say. Why, he's quite happy about it himself.
「 He came home! 」
intertwined
a/n: MAY ZHONGLI WANTERS BE ZHONGLI HAVERS- Be a part of those who share the memory because for some reason he's leaving out Barbatos lmao- ah, and for those wondering, i'll release the 4 stars that come along with the rerunning characters, so Xingqiu's up next!
