After missing both Lantern Rite and Zhongli’s chosen birthday date last year, Ajax refuses to bring a gift anything less than extravagant this time around.
Luckily, much of the year both during his recuperation and afterwards was spent in Snezhnaya, providing the perfect opportunity to place a commission. Such a gift as he plans for Zhongli is one that he can trust only to craftsmen of his own nation.
The decorations for Lantern Rite do not yet line the streets of Liyue, but there is still an energy to the harbor’s atmosphere unlike any other time of year, the people in high spirits as they look forward to the upcoming festival. Lively chatter fills the city, boats crowd the harbor, and Ajax all but thrums with excitement as they leisurely return from a dinner at Liuli Pavilion. Even so, he sees no need to hurry — their conversation is lively and the thrill of anticipation sweet.
It is when he lays out a flat box nearly his own height before Zhongli, awaiting his reaction, that Ajax betrays his eagerness — little smile, eyes nearly bright and too unblinking in their focus, pride suffusing his posture as he lifts off the cover to reveal one of Snezhnaya’s truest gems.
Rich brown fur lines the wide, turned-down collar and the entire inside of the thick coat, the luxurious surface near-luminous as light dances across the fur in ripples of gold. Reaching down, Ajax brushes a hand through fur that springs back immediately in his wake, revealing a dense undercoat that displays a hint of a silvery gleam.
“This,” he explains, “is the warmest coat you will ever wear.”
The outside layer of the coat does not match the inside for its finery, but only because the fur itself cannot be matched for splendor. The sheen to the deep russet fabric speaks of silk, the texture of fine, smooth wool. The silken gleam stands out only a touch more on the raised parts of the brocade — a subtly woven Liyuen-style pattern of geometrics that doesn’t appear on a casual glance, but that an observer might pick out upon long or closer inspection.
On the back, though hidden for now in favor of showing off the fur, Zhongli’s personal five-diamond sigil stands out from the understated sumptuousness of the coat’s outer fabric in a blaze of goldwork embroidery. The shining stitchery — true gold hammered flat and wound around a thread — glints at the corner edges of his hems and cuffs in restrained, fine geometrics as well, balancing out the metallic additions.
“Here, let’s see if it fits properly.” Redundant. The custom tailoring is impeccable. Still, Ajax wants to see it worn, heart in his throat as he lifts the coat from its box and sweeps it around Zhongli’s shoulders. Its weight is made more apparent as it flares out in a great whoosh with the motion, lighter than one would expect for a coat of its size, the hem swinging gently around Zhongli’s calves with the momentum as Ajax fusses his arms through the sleeves and settles it into place.
“Even if cold alone won’t kill you, you can still be frozen solid.” Needlessly, he adjusts the collar, though he doesn’t bother with the closures, instead brushing away imaginary dust from the shoulders. “And besides, you hate being cold, whether there’s any danger involved or not.”
happy early lantern rite!
this is the warmest coat you will ever wear.
there have been a great many hyperbole that he has heard over the years. yet, this is truth, plain and simple. of that, zhongli has no doubt.
not only that, but in the moment that follows that gloriously-staged reveal, he finds himself left quite speechless, mouth-parted. his gaze fixes on the gift, eyes wide, their usual gold turned almost molten, made so by the fire-spark of such a surprise. he cannot look away, cannot help but reach out to touch it, an instinct so very him when faced with such finery. and the moment his fingers move through that fur, he lets out a distinct exhale, the gesture somehow intimate.
when, at last, his thoughts seem to catch up with his body, his gaze lowers from the coat, eyes closing as he huffs a quiet laugh, face very clearly flushed. " you know me well. " he says softly, the words almost gentle. more than anyone else.
he is grateful that ajax hurriedly takes the lead in their next moments, requesting a fitting that even zhongli knows is simply a formality. the man would bring him perfection or nothing at all. and he would not change him. they shared that now, a particular inability to settle for anything, anyone, else.
the coat is heavy indeed, despite its delicate features, though none of the weight is unnecessary or off-balance. it is, as far as he can tell, truly a work of art. and he finds himself grinning when, at last, ajax is done fussing over him, straightening out the sleeves and any other wrinkle that makes to protest.
zhongli quietly hums to the first observation, a quiet huff of a laugh leaving him as he stills for one last adjustment. and when ajax nods, steps slightly away, zhongli smiles, almost mischievous. " lucky me you seek not to exploit that weakness. " he teases, his smile growing as he meets the other man's eyes. he then quickly, pointedly, lowers his gaze back to inspect one of his sleeves.
" does it please you? " he asks, almost coyly. then, he lifts his eyes to meet ajax's and continues, more serious. " because it more than pleases me. thank you, ajax. "
this delightful find brought to you by @inhumanheresy!
