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college au
[ it has been a long day.
zhongli enjoys his job a great deal. not only does he have the opportunity to discuss his favorite topics for a living, he is involved in the shaping of young minds, which he finds richly rewarding. not everyone is as passionate about history as he is, it is rather a dry subject, yet his lectures are quite popular nonetheless, for which he is very grateful.
even if.. controlling large classes is a bit of a challenge.
a challenge well worth the payoff, however. it can be difficult to get young people interested in history, but zhongli has a gift for storytelling, and his passion for it, while seemingly subdued, comes through in every lecture. there seems to be little enough that he does not know when it comes to the topic of liyue's great history and customs, and the doings of the ancient archons who have long since faded into the pages of time. he is often commended for his great knowledge despite his young age.
though of course, they do not know the truth of who and what he is.
nevertheless, he has taken this new guise, and he is happy in this new skin of his. rex lapis has long since passed from this world, it is now zhongli who moves through time, educating young minds, at least in this era. today's lecture goes the same as they always do, starting with liyue's more modern history yet devolving into, as it almost always does, the subject of archons, for his students never fail to ask, knowing full well he will indulge them. the archons and their stories are by and large what he is asked about most, and he cannot help but allow it.
the last lecture of the night concludes ten minutes late, three students remain to chat for another twenty minutes, while a fourth still lingers after they have gone. zhongli smooths his brown waistcoat and clears his throat. ]
Mister Tartaglia. Do you not have some pressing matter to attend to?
zhongli enjoys his job a great deal. not only does he have the opportunity to discuss his favorite topics for a living, he is involved in the shaping of young minds, which he finds richly rewarding. not everyone is as passionate about history as he is, it is rather a dry subject, yet his lectures are quite popular nonetheless, for which he is very grateful.
even if.. controlling large classes is a bit of a challenge.
a challenge well worth the payoff, however. it can be difficult to get young people interested in history, but zhongli has a gift for storytelling, and his passion for it, while seemingly subdued, comes through in every lecture. there seems to be little enough that he does not know when it comes to the topic of liyue's great history and customs, and the doings of the ancient archons who have long since faded into the pages of time. he is often commended for his great knowledge despite his young age.
though of course, they do not know the truth of who and what he is.
nevertheless, he has taken this new guise, and he is happy in this new skin of his. rex lapis has long since passed from this world, it is now zhongli who moves through time, educating young minds, at least in this era. today's lecture goes the same as they always do, starting with liyue's more modern history yet devolving into, as it almost always does, the subject of archons, for his students never fail to ask, knowing full well he will indulge them. the archons and their stories are by and large what he is asked about most, and he cannot help but allow it.
the last lecture of the night concludes ten minutes late, three students remain to chat for another twenty minutes, while a fourth still lingers after they have gone. zhongli smooths his brown waistcoat and clears his throat. ]
Mister Tartaglia. Do you not have some pressing matter to attend to?
no subject
and yet, he is talking to one of the few people in teyvat who may in fact understand his ambition. at least, somewhat. rex lapis was, after all, a fearsome and powerful warrior, and when the gods waged war he was among the most ferocious of them all. it may have all been for the sake of a contract, but nevertheless the slaughter he perpetuated was insurmountable. it may have been long, long ago, but zhongli remembers.
a warm chuckle rolls in his throat. ]
A feat that would be indeed, for Morax held many titles, the Warrior God among them. He would have ben a fine opponent against which you could whet your blade.
[ too bad he's dead!! ]
no subject
[ He sounds deadly serious, but a moment later he leans back in his chair, hooking one elbow over the back of his seat, and chuckles, warm and light. ]
Now, I've told you a bit about me. Your turn, next.
no subject
[ though to zhongli, it feels like little more than a few days past. still, the geo archon's death was well recorded through the annals of time, and can be found in any liyue history book with ease.
resting his wrists against the table, zhongli cups both hands around his paper cup, his even gaze leveled on ajax's face. ]
What would you like to know? You spoke of your passions, and my own are quite obvious.
no subject
Just subtly enough, Ajax's gaze drops from Zhongli's amber eyes to his lips, and then down to the counter, a hand running disarmingly through his hair. ]
Sure, but what about outside of the classroom? You must do more than teach and research. And if that is all you do...why is that? What about it has made it your life's work?
[ He had asked him about his passions, and now he turns the same question back on him. ]
no subject
or perhaps he does not miss it, but simply thinks nothing of it. for all his years and years of experience, zhongli has always been a little blind to the attractions of others, perhaps because he does not consider himself particularly desirable. nevertheless, he watches as ajax runs a hand through his unruly hair, his gaze unreadable. ]
Well, I'm afraid that teaching and research are in fact my passion. They have been for a very long time.
[ he loves liyue deeply, completely, nothing could bring him more joy than delving into old memories and stories. ]
I find history immensely interesting. What else is it, if not the weaving of many, many stories?
no subject
[ In fact, listening to Zhongli's lectures almost makes Childe feel as though he were there in those ancient battles himself. Or maybe it's just that he has a vivid imagination - likely, a pairing of both makes this history class so particularly engaging for him. ]
Is that what you always wanted to be? Someone who tells stories and captivates an audience with the weave of his words?
[ If so, he's accomplished it. And Childe isn't the only one; everyone in their class seems to enjoy Zhongli's lessons, and not just for his smooth voice and handsome face. ]
no subject
[ morax was quite different from zhongli, after all, and his desires and ambitions then were very much different. the archon war was violent and vicious and his desire then was to conquer and defeat. the building of liyue and the protection of its peoples was also a passion of his, one dear to his heart. but these are not things that he can rightly disclose.
zhongli hums softly, something like a smile curving his mouth. ]
I suppose I would also like to run a tea shop.
no subject
Ajax finds the answer quite charming, in fact. Of course his mild-mannered history professor would also enjoy making tea. His entire demeanor is like a smooth, calming chamomile tea. Tucking his fist under his jaw, he chuckles. ]
Ah, truly? Then if you should ever pursue that dream, I'd love to be your first customer. It would suit you, I think.
no subject
zhongli smiles, a warm chuckle rolling low in his throat, deep and gentle. it almost feels surreal to say such a thing, to think that he could ever do something so simply mundane as running a tea shop. then again, teaching in a university is equally mindane. in his brazen youth, morax never would have considered such things.
how age and time have calmed him. ]
Well, should that time ever come, I'll be sure to let you know, but for now I am quite content where I am.
no subject
Different, perhaps uncomfortable at first...but not wholly unappealing.
He shakes the thought from his head, chuckling. ]
Oh? And what about your personal life? Any family? Or is education truly your own and only passion?
[ Has anyone stolen his heart and beaten Ajax to the punch? ]