Ajax adjusted the red bandana around his neck one last time, squinting at the mirror to ensure his appearance was satisfactory. The costume he'd chosen for himself this Halloween was far from elaborate, but Ajax appreciated the way the grey jeans hugged his thighs and the tattered black jacket hung from his frame. He'd also donned a loose, white T-shirt and leather boots, but of course, none of those were the main attractions of the outfit.
Childe ran his hands along the faux wolf tail looped into his belt. It was soft, perhaps a bit too soft for the rugged werewolf look he was going for, but it would suffice. Upon his head sat a headband with two ears whose fluffiness rivaled that of his hair. Ajax wasn't well enough versed in color theory to tell whether they clashed with his ginger locks, and even if they did, he wore them with pride, along with the little mask shaped into a canine face he'd tucked below the left one. He wasn't sure what compelled him to add the mask, but it somehow felt like it belonged.
The only missing pieces of his costume were the gloves, thick mittens shaped to resemble paws, complete with miniature claws and pale paw prints. Ajax shoved these in his pockets alongside his wallet and car keys; he didn't feel like trying to drive with them on. Simultaneously, he pulled out his phone, which, upon inspection, had received two new text messages since he'd last checked it. A grin tugged on Ajax's lips when he saw who it was from: his boyfriend of a few months, Zhongli.
I am driving over to Hu Tao's now. Are you there yet?
I am excited to reveal our costumes to each other.
It was just before eight o' clock on the 31st, and over the past week, the pair had agreed to meet up at the costume party their mutual friend Hu Tao was hosting at her house. They had also planned to keep their costumes a surprise from each other until the last minute. Ajax was eager to see what his partner had chosen. Would it be something simple, like his own garb, or would Zhongli be one of the people who went ham and brought a complicated, extravagant outfit to the table? Would he dress as a ghost, witch, or other traditional Halloween creature, or would he opt for something entirely novel? Whatever it ended up being, Ajax was positive Zhongli would look great in it. A smile on his face, he tapped out a response on his phone.
I'm just about to head over, so you might get there before me. See you soon! :)
Ajax went outside and clambered into the driver's seat of his car. He hummed along to the radio as he drove, happily observing the many houses he passed, most of which were decked out in decorations. The lights strung up on many of them painted the dark street with an orange glow, illuminating the small flocks of children already out trick-or-treating. Ajax smiled at the sight of them, wondering if his own little siblings might be one of them.
He and Hu Tao happened to live in the same neighborhood, so it didn't take long to reach her festive abode. Even if he didn't already know the way, he could easily guess which house belonged to her, because the rest of the neighborhood's houses may be decorated, but hers seemed to be more so than all of them combined. Fake cobwebs lined the trees, flickering jack o' lanterns littered the porch, and a fog machine rolled low clouds over the driveway. Someone was blasting loud music from inside the house, and Ajax could hear people laughing and chattering.
Damn, did she invite the whole neighborhood? he thought idly as he parked, slipped on his paw gloves, and slid out of the car. He observed the array of costumes as he passed as he made his way for the house, figuring that was probably where Zhongli was. There was a wide variety, everything from blow-up dinosaurs to cosplays.
The one who greeted him in the foyer, however, was none other than Hu Tao herself, who was dressed as Frankenstein. Stitches had been drawn in black eyeliner across her face and bolts were fitted to the sides of her signature hat. "Ajax!" she exclaimed, surging forward to clap him on the back. "Glad you could make it, buddy!"
"Hi," Ajax grinned. "The party looks great! You never disappoint."
"Hm," Hu Tao trilled, pride flashing in her vibrant gaze. "Glad you like it, 'cause we'll be here all night!" She shot him with a pair of finger guns. "Food and drinks are in the kitchen if you want some. So's your boyfriend, if you're looking for him. See you later!" With that, she bounced away.
Ajax watched her go, amused. Whenever Hu Tao hosted a party, she was fully in her element, and the Halloween season seemed to have cranked her enthusiasm up to eleven. It was thoroughly entertaining to watch her flit around, chatting and laughing with everyone in the room.
However, Ajax hadn't forgotten that he had someone else to see. The kitchen, huh? Ajax made his way towards it, happiness warming his veins at the promise of seeing Zhongli.
Due to the sheer amount of attendees at the party, Ajax had been expecting to have to take a moment scanning the kitchen for his partner, but as it turned out, there was no need. Zhongli shone like a beacon, drawing Ajax's eyes to him instantly, and the ginger's heart gave a flutter at the sight.
Zhongli was dressed in white, the piece tight-fitting around his chest and flowing into longer robes around his legs. A pale hood rested on his head, a golden belt circled his waist, and his baggy pants were a deep brown that perfectly matched that of his hair. His bare arms had been decorated with body paint; they were a deep black closer to his chest and a bright gold at his hands. Geometric designs ran from his shoulders to his forearms. Ajax vaguely recognized the clothing to be inspired by the god of some ancient religion in Liyue's olden days. Zhongli had mentioned it once or twice. The man certainly looked like a god now, so ethereal Ajax felt dizzy.
Along with the awe, though, there was… a strange sense of deja vu. Dating Zhongli was odd, because every so often, Ajax would get a flash of nostalgia and familiarity seemingly out of nowhere. It would happen some nights as they laid in bed and he felt Zhongli's arm wrap around him protectively. It had happened on their first date, when they went out for Liyuen food and an amused Zhongli had had to help him make sense of his chopsticks. These occurrences only happened with Zhongli, and Ajax had failed to come up with an explanation for them so far.
Zhongli turned his head, smiling when the two made eye contact. He made his way over to Ajax, giving his costume a curious once-over.
"Hello, Ajax," he said. "Happy Halloween."
Shaking off the strange feeling, Ajax grinned and squeezed his partner in a tight hug. "Happy Halloween! You look great."
Zhongli looked pleased with himself. "Thank you, I put a lot of effort into this costume. Do you recognize it?"
"Yeah, it's that ancient Liyuen god. T-Rex… uh…"
Zhongli laughed. "Rex Lapis, correct. And you are a werewolf, yes?"
"Sure am," Ajax grinned. "It's not that complicated, but I thought it looked cool."
"It does," Zhongli agreed. "It suits you. A costume does not need to be elaborate to be good; in fact, I had originally planned to add more details to this one, but I ultimately decided against it. Do you remember me describing Rex Lapis's half-dragon form? He has horns and a tail, though I didn't want to spend more money and make them."
A vivid image formed in Ajax's brain at that: Zhongli with twin golden antlers sprouting from his head and a long, brown tail sweeping the floor. He was surprised at how clearly he was able to imagine it. He saw each individual branch of the antlers, shining at their sharp tips. He saw a fluffy golden plume adorning Zhongli's tail, golds and oranges swirling together. He could practically feel the drag of scales under his hands. It all seemed like a memory.
Zhongli's hand on his forearm made Ajax realize he hadn't answered. "Ajax? Are you all right?" he queried. He searched Ajax's gaze.
"Ah, sorry, I'm fine," Ajax said. "I just zoned out for a moment. Thinking about how good you'd look dressed as a half-dragon," he teased.
Thankfully, that wiped the frown off of Zhongli's face. "You would think I look good in anything," he said, amused.
"Because you would," said Childe, "obviously." Zhongli chuckled and gave him a peck.
"I have gotten a lot of compliments on this outfit," he admitted. "Those who recognized it have said my face and figure bear a striking similarity to the statues of Rex Lapis that still exist."
Why was it that, despite being sure he had never seen one of these statues, Ajax could immediately imagine what one might look like? The thought of Zhongli sitting in the same pose he'd pictured the statue in—that was, lounging with his legs spread wide, an arm draped across his lap, and a strange cube resting in his hand—made heat flood to Ajax's cheeks.
"You do deserve to be immortalized in a statue," he agreed.
Zhongli's eyebrows raised. "You flatter me too much." He snaked an arm around Ajax's waist. "I'm not actually a god, you know."
It was a joke, but there was an… odd undertone to Zhongli's tone that Ajax couldn't decipher. He decided to ignore it.
"You sure about that?" he teased. "I'd believe it."
"Hm," Zhongli smiled. "It would be quite amusing if I really was the ancient Morax."
Morax…
Zhongli. Rex Lapis. Morax. The robes of an archon. Glowing, patterned arms. Half-dragon features: horns, fangs, a tail. Zhongli and Ajax—or… or Childe, a man blissfully unaware of his new friend's identity. Morax. It all came rushing back.
Ajax's imagination was nowhere near advanced enough to conjure up the images, the story, the life now pouring into his mind. No—he knew this. He remembered this.
Childe's breath hitched in his throat as, for a moment, he was transported to—back to ancient Liyue. He was transported to a small restaurant called Wanmin, chatting and laughing with Zhongli as they ate. He was transported to a quaint little funeral parlor where Zhongli and Hu Tao, for some reason, waited for him. He was transported to a lavishly decorated apartment he somehow knew belonged to Zhongli, exchanging whispered confessions of romance and the kind of deep kisses he'd been craving for oh so long. He was transported to a bank, despair and shock coursing through him as he met emotionless golden eyes. He remembered apologies and promises. He remembered a wound, and he remembered lying in bed as darkness enveloped him and. He remembered someone above him, gently embracing him and quietly crying into his shoulder. He remembered exactly who it was. Ajax remembered that he was both Childe and Tartaglia. He remembered that Zhongli was Morax. He remembered…
My life. Our life. Zhongli and Ajax had lived before.
"Zhongli," Ajax whispered, eyes as wide as saucers. Fiercely, he gripped Zhongli's hands in his (his gloves had gone back in his pockets) and searched his face.
"Ajax?" Zhongli squeezed his hands, concerned.
"Zhongli, you're—we're—do you remember?" Ajax blurted. He had no idea if Zhongli did. If he didn't—how, exactly, was Ajax supposed to explain this without sounding insane? Was he insane?
No. He was absolutely positive that this was real.
Zhongli was searching his face with something akin to a frantic hope, if Ajax was reading him right, and the ginger's pulse thundered with anticipation.
"Ajax," Zhongli said in a hushed tone. "Have you regained them?"
"Regained… my memories?" Ajax whispered, and he nearly cried when Zhongli nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I have. Zhongli—" he said, throat closing up.
"Hush," Zhongli murmured, leaning in briefly to press a kiss to his forehead before pulling away. "Let's take this outside."
Once they were in a secluded and relatively quiet corner of Hu Tao's backyard, Ajax all but collapsed into his lover's arms.
"Oh my god," he said breathlessly, gathering tears causing a faint sting in the corners of his eyes. "Oh my god, Zhongli."
Zhongli stroked his hair, holding Ajax close. "My love," he murmured. "I had given up hope that you would remember."
"You knew, all this time?" Ajax asked.
"Do you think I could ever forget you?" Zhongli said, and Ajax could hear the sad smile in his voice. "I have waited centuries for you."
Ajax sucked in a breath, pulling back to look him in the eyes. "So you're…?"
Zhongli nodded. "I never died, and I was never reincarnated. I am the exact same Zhongli you knew in your previous life," he confirmed.
"So, all this, it wasn't a coincidence? You sought me out?" Ajax asked in awe.
"I recognized you the moment I laid eyes on you," Zhongli said. "I almost didn't believe it. But then, you introduced yourself as Ajax, and I knew I had to be with you again. I am so happy you found me."
The tears slipped past Ajax's eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He pulled Zhongli into an emotion-ridden kiss, squeezing him tight as if he'd never let go again. Zhongli's hand came to rest on his cheek, gently wiping away his tears—an action which undoubtedly smudged his body paint, but neither of them cared when they both knew the real thing was much more impressive.
"Zhongli," Ajax whispered, pulling away just enough to speak but keeping his eyes closed, "will you marry me?"
He felt a gasp against his lips, but kept going. "I'd planned to ask you before, you know. Before the accident. When I was Childe. But, well… you know what happened.
"God, even in these past few months dating you, I've had the urge to make things permanent but, of course, never did anything because we'd supposedly been together for such a short time." Ajax opened his eyes to meet Zhongli's stunned amber ones. "I still want to, though, and the fact that you're with me now makes me think you haven't moved on, so—"
Zhongli kissed him again, silencing him. "Ajax, you are my entire world. Of course I will marry you."
Ajax hugged him, burying his face into his shoulder. They stood there in blissful silence for a while before Ajax said, "I'm sorry for leaving you so early last time. This time will be different, I promise."
"There is no need to apologize," Zhongli soothed. "Though I am ecstatic you have been given another chance at life, and I fully intend to spend all of it with you, assuming you will have me."
Ajax snorted. "Assuming? Zhongli, I just proposed to you."
Zhongli laughed. "That you did." He regarded Ajax fondly, and it was amazing to the ginger to know that this was the face of a man who had finally rediscovered the love of his life centuries after death. It was even more amazing to remember that said love of his life was Ajax himself.
I get to live my whole life with him, he thought, a grin tugging on his lips. One that won't be cut short by a harbinger's duties. And he still wants me. Even after all this time, he wants me.
"Let's go shopping for rings tomorrow if you're free," he said eagerly.
"I can always make time for you," Zhongli smiled. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."
"Ever the sweet-talker," Ajax said, rolling his eyes, but he was blushing.
"I have to make up for lost time, don't I?" Zhongli chuckled. Suddenly, his eyes drifted to the wolf mask on the side of Ajax's head, and he hummed briefly. "You know, Ajax, the placement of this mask almost reminds me of your red one. Your Fatui mask, remember?"
Ajax's jaw dropped. "So that's why it felt so familiar!" He placed the mask over his face and struck a dramatic pose. "Beware, Morax, I'm about to pull out my delusion."
Zhongli snorted. "You don't even have a vision anymore."
"Right…" He removed the mask and frowned. "What happened, anyway? I mean, I understand how technology developed over the centuries, but why doesn't anyone believe in the archons anymore?"
"Ah… that is quite a long story, so perhaps I will tell you later," Zhongli said. "Oh, and speaking of archons, I will have to tell Barbatos about this. I'm sure he will be enthusiastic to see you again as well."
"Venti? He's still around too, then?" Ajax grinned. "Let's invite him to the wedding."
"Ajax, he will crash it."
"Oh, he won't if I ask him not to. You're the one he likes to annoy."
Zhongli huffed, which Ajax laughed at, draping his arms around the god's neck. "Let's invite Hu Tao, too," the ginger added. "Wow, is getting reincarnated a common thing?"
"Most, though not all, of human souls are reincarnated a few times," Zhongli said. "Though it can be quite a long time between each time they are reborn. I believe souls are reincarnated if they have a desire to return to the world, something tying them here."
"So that means I'll keep coming back for the rest of time," Ajax grinned. "Because I know for a fact I'll never stop wanting to stay with you."
"And I will welcome you each time." Zhongli pressed a kiss to his nose. "Perhaps I should introduce myself as Morax in the future, for that seems to be what triggered your remembrance of me."
"Whether I remember or not, I'll love you the same," Ajax promised. "I could never resist you. All you have to do is find me, unless you get bored of me."
"Never, my love," Zhongli promised in turn. Ajax smiled, closing his eyes as he was embraced once more. "How could I, when you bring me more joy than anything else in my eternal life has achieved. You may rest assured that I will find you every time. I will love you every time. As Childe, Tartaglia, Ajax, or whatever other names you may go by in the future, I will always love you."
Ajax knew it was true, for theirs was a story long written in time, and theirs was a love that would last through the end of days. No matter how many lives he lived, he'd dedicate them all to Zhongli.
"Oh, and Ajax?" Zhongli added.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you. Thank you for coming back to me."