Chapter Text
Her giggles echo quietly around the room, sounding like sonorous bells. Pressing a hand against her mouth, Lumine desperately tries to muffle the sounds before Zhongli manages to find a way to murder her with his gaze alone.
Said man sighs, moving over to sit beside her, his annoyance clearly visible on his face.
They are currently staying at an inn, taking a short break from their travels. Paimon’s soundly asleep. It’s unfortunate since that just means she is missing out on quite the amusement sight. Calming herself, she dares to sneak a glance at the person sitting near her and bits her lips to stop the upcoming second round of laughter. Ah, how adorable!
She would never have guessed that Geo Archon would have quite the bed hair. It makes him look softer—even more, tranquil than he already is—but also absurdly adorable which is just… unlike him. Or at least the sides of him that Lumine has discovered so far. She’s quite sure there are many more facets, and she wants to unearth every single one of them.
“My opinion won’t waver—you understand that sentiment.”
And now, thanks to his leap of faith, she’ll get to experience them all, hopefully.
“Stop laughing, Lumine,” he mutters, exasperation discernible in his voice. “And don’t deny it—I see the mirth dancing in your eyes, my dear.”
It takes the traveler a bit until she manages to process his words properly, but she drops her hand in shock and blinks, staring dumbfounded at the man beside her.
My dear?
Before she can properly reply, Zhongli leans down and leaves a peck on her nose. Then he stares directly into her eyes, smirking slightly. She can’t stop the blush rising to her cheeks.
“Now, that’s a lovely face you’re making.”
Perhaps it’s because his voice is so smooth or because she just didn’t expect him to react like that. But her face is heating up and she can’t quite face him, so she lifts both of her hands and tries to cover her face—to no avail.
Lumine feels a light touch grace her fingers and the understanding of what Zhongli just did dawns on her immediately. Fully flustered, she peeks at him through her fingers, and well—he starts to chuckle, his eyes sprinkled with immense warmth.
And it breaks her in quite a way nothing else could.
So, in a corner of that dark room, where even the moonlight doesn’t reach them, she laughs softly, lifting her hands once again but this time to caress the face of her beloved.
Zhongli tilts his head in a questioning manner but his eyes, filled with knowledge, betray him. He has already figured her out—and yet he has no intention to stop her.
She smiles radiantly at him and he returns her gift with a smile of his own, before bending down to meet her in the middle.
Their echoing laughter molds into serene reticence.