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SakurAlpha's Fic Rec of Pure how did you create this you amazing bean
Stats:
Published:
2025-03-09
Updated:
2025-05-10
Words:
3,590
Chapters:
2/?
Comments:
150
Kudos:
998
Bookmarks:
251
Hits:
7,799

extenuation

Summary:

“Pass him here, please,” Says Ganyu, who looked like it pains her to offer.
Zhongli, to his credit, looks like he deliberates it for a moment. “No,” he says, as Ganyu wholly expects him too.
“You…” She struggles. “Civilian, Zhongli, you must hand Barbatos to me."
Zhongli glances at her again, then back to the sea. “...No,” He says again, with more thought behind it.

Durin rises from the dead, and so, of course, it is Venti's problem. (And then when he decides to take a little nap about it, it becomes Zhongli's problem.) (Which then, of course, makes it everyone else's problem.)

Notes:

This idea came to me in a dream so obviously I must write it

Hi everyone! It's gwen. Do you know that Zhongven is one of my favorite ships? I feel like I barely write them. But I feel like I read a lot about them and I enjoy them greatly. It beats Xiaoven and Zhongven for me ngl (but I love Xiaoven too of course.) My new favorite Xiao fic is XiaoYelan (one day I'll write about them... believe me).

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

When Durin rises from the dead, Mondstadt is sure that Mondstadt will be destroyed in her entirety.

 

 

 

Four people doubt that belief:

 

  1. Jean Gunnhildr, Acting Grandmaster, who knows Barbatos is alive and present and wouldn’t let the nation die, surely.

  2. Diluc Ragnvindr, Darknight Hero, who knows the same.

  3. Kaeya Alberich-Ragnvindr, Khaenri’han Refuge, who knows that no nation will ever be truly destroyed - only dampened, and forced into hiding, eventually rising from the ashes in metal and bone, clawing out from the abyss with teeth and claws with the blood of vengeance-

  4. Albedo Goldson, sprinting from Dragonspine with his notes whipped away from his hands, knowing that he can get the solution and spread the word only if he can reach home alive.

 

 

 

“Oh, that isn’t good, is it?” Venti says, legs swinging off the steps at the bottom of Barbatos’s statue, as his citizens in the plaza point and scream. 

Dvalin, like a brilliant blue bullet, shoots from Old Mondstadt’s tower and rams into Durin’s silhouette.

Jean, from the bottom of the stairs, hollers to the crowd: “Do not panic!” She sprints up two steps at the time and slides next to Venti. She whispers, “Do we panic?”

“A little,” Venti says, squinting into the sun. “I’m kind of panicking, too.” He raises a hand. It seems to glint. Durin seems to stutter mid-flight, and Dvalin roars a great bellow. 

“Right,” Jean says. “Right. Well, I’ve mobilized the knights to clear a path from Springvale, and the Dragonspine base camp. Durin triggered an avalanche. If you need me, I’m yours.”

He looks at her, and smiles. “You’re doing a great job, Jean. But I can’t really bring you into this fight.” He points upwards. 

Jean’s voice wavers. “You could carry me?”

“It’s okay, my Wind,” Venti says, voice like twinkling bells. A chorus of screams, as Durin’s body falls, shadow rapidly spreading over the city. He crashes- 

-Into a swirling wall of wind, held aloft by…

…Barbatos’s statue, it seems, with the cocoon of concentrated anemo energy at its fingertips, like a cushion for a dragon’s maw.

Jean looks up, mouth agape. She turns to Venti.

Who has vanished.

A scream, to her left, directed skyward. “Get down from there!”

She looks up again.

There, in Barbatos (the statue)’s outstretched palms, is Venti the Bard with his cape whipping in the wind, head tipped to the sun. He’s just a few feet shy of Durin, who has turned his large skeletal head and pinned a hungry crimson eye to their God(‘s statue, in His image).

In Venti’s arms, the Holy Lyre der Himmel. (Barbara shrieks.) He strums, and the music notes seem to echo across the city, as if the air is still, even as the howling Thousand Winds rise against the corruption of the Abyss.

For a tense few seconds, and collectively held breaths… silence, observance of a serenade as Venti plays.

Durin cocks his head, like a listening animal.

Dvalin circles once, overhead.

Mondstadt gasps.

Then Durin roars a choked-spitting thing, twists in the wind, and takes to the air again.

“My dear child,” Venti says, and he must have been whispering it, but Jean hears his words anyway. Perhaps he means for Durin to hear it, and so it must travel far. “Are you hurting?”

Another answering dragon bellow.

Dvalin sweeps by, low enough to be heard, one wing-tip shredded. “Barbatos, you must quell the heat of his rage!”

“Do you think he’d want a bath?” says Venti aloud, again, his words clear and crisp despite the distance between them. No Mondstadt citizen answers him. Of course, he needs none. He’s still a pinprick of green, at the tip of Barbatos’s stone fingers. But then he steps over the edge.

Jean’s heart plummets to the ground - just as Barbatos takes to the air, like a bird in flight, his cape seamlessly melting into wings over the precipice of the fall. It’s quite ethereal. It’s a lot of paperwork. Someone hands Jean her sister’s unconscious body. Jean pushes a burst of healing anemo into her. It’s a lot of flair.

“Oh my fucking god,” says Rosaria, hand ripping into Barbara’s frilly dress.

 

 

 

Like a toy with a shiny bell, Barbatos flies quick circles around Durin with his lyre, deep in thought.

Dragonspine is hardly an appropriate place to lead Durin back to sleep in. After all, he’d just gotten out of his bed quite displeased, and he hasn’t even made it. There are a limited number of options - Mondstadt is not very big, and Durin is, well, quite. He takes long naps and biiii~iiiig stretches. Now where, exactly…

 

 

 

The movement of an entire mountain sitting on the Mondstadt-Liyue border is quite the formidable sight. News travels from Stone’s Gate to Liyue Harbour within the hour. The Liyue Qixing finds out when Xiao teleports to the middle of their meeting room. They rush out to spectate from their vantage point on the Jade Chamber’s foyer. It’s an appalling scene.

“Oh, Mondstadt is fucked,” says Yelan.

Keqing nudges her. “Uh, so are we.”

“Hold on,” Ganyu says, hand over her eyes as she squints. “Is that Barbatos?”

“I believe so,” Xiao says, not squinting. 

Ningguang says, hands on her hips, “Are they headed over here?”

 

 

 

Zhongli considers himself a reasonable man. Many would agree, himself included. He is not immune to irrationality, as are many beings. On occasion, he finds himself at the mercy of several… basal instincts. But Zhongli has had six thousand years to curb them. He is capable of measured responses.

…In certain exceptional circumstances, such as two different dragons encroaching on his territory in a clear dispute, controlling said instincts requires an iron will. Zhongli is, as self-described, immovable as a rock.

He will not react. He will not retaliate as a dragon.

“Woah, is that the Anemo Archon?!”

Zhongli follows the crowd into the dock to ogle. That is, indeed, the Anemo Archon, playing catch-the-wisp with himself and Durin’s large large teeth. Zhongli despairs. That’s his Anemo Archon!

 

 

 

Barbatos feels Zhongli’s eyes lock in on him the moment he enters Liyue Harbour. It’s quite intimidating, especially when he gets on his lizard hyperfixation stance and stops blinking. Venti wishes he will resume. It’s hard to be human without having to blink. Perhaps that is why he’s so bad at it.

Durin snaps at the air, and Dvalin slams into him, sending the both of them careening into the ocean.

The resounding waveshock rocks into the Harbour, kept at bay by the wave-breaking infrastructure commissioned by the Qixing after Osial’s attack. It’s a timely investment. Ningguang ought to be proud of her hindsight. 

Barbatos twists an arm and gusts of wind blow against the waves, settling them forcefully. Two seconds later a dragon head breaks through the water, bright blue. Dvalin rises, teeth around Durin’s scruff like a misbehaving cat. Durin is much larger than him, sopping wet, but he seems docile. The bath has really tempered him.

“Oh, I’m tired,” Barbatos yawns. “I’ll see you kids back in Mondstadt, okay?” Dvalin barely nods, mouthful of Durin, before he takes off. Barbatos stretches, his brilliant wings flaring with the radiance of a thousand suns, like a big long graceful yawn.

And then he rubs his eyes, sighs, and tips into Wangsheng Funeral Parlour Consultant Zhongli’s arms.

 

 

 

…Now, Wangsheng Funeral Parlour Consultant Zhongli had very long arms. And he was rather tall, as opposed to the average Liyuen. Quite striking in his visage, such that he often stood out of the crowd even without meaning to, the demure man he is, who preferred to hide away from most kerfuffles and drink tea on the sidelines. (To his acquaintances, the fact that he had elbowed his way to the front of the throng of ogling people to even present himself as an option for a perch was quite uncharacteristic for the fellow.)

“Pass him here, please,” Says Ganyu, who looked like it pains her to offer.

Zhongli, to his credit, looks like he deliberates it for a moment. “No,” he says, as Ganyu wholly expects him too.

Now is not the time for dragon instincts, My Lord, she tries her best to project at him with her mind. He narrows his eyes at her, like he receives it. 

“You…” She struggles. “Civilian, Zhongli, you must hand Barbatos to me.”

Zhongli stares at her, like he has forgotten his status. Which is impossible. Zhongli does not forget things. He has a sharp mind. 

Said mind would ordinarily make quicker judgements than this. Zhongli is taking a concerningly long amount of time to consider the merits of surrendering Barbatos to her custody. And there is no break in the line of people that has closed in on them to watch; He is glancing at the horizon of the sea behind her. He might abscond. With Barbatos. 

“Please,” Ganyu pleas.

Zhongli glances at her again, then back to the sea. “...No,” He says again, with more thought behind it.

“What is going on,” says Keqing, aloud.

“You can take him with you,” Ganyu offers. An olive branch. A trade. Zhongli perks up - yes, good. Ganyu recalls the crowing achievement the first time she got Xiao - then Alatus - to take food from her hand. Like he was a feral animal. He was. Now this is baby steps with Zhongli, her boss. Who might as well have reverted to a feral animal, all things considered. With Barbatos.

“What!” Keqing wails with despair. Not to worry, Keqing. She has got this.

“But-” Ganyu says, with bravado.

Zhongli snaps cold amber eyes at her. There is no but between him and Barbatos. (Perhaps if they had spoken more in these past few centuries, the separation anxiety wouldn’t be this bad.)

“...Please come with us to the Jade Chamber,” Ganyu says, with less bravado.

Yes, it’s not ideal to one of his domains (or so Ganyu more so accurately refers to as his den, in this sort of mood) but it’s a concession. From the both of them. Letting civilian Zhongli clutch the unconscious body of Barbatos the Anemo Archon for this long was going to ruin Liyue-Mondstadtian relations forever. Ganyu mourns what little work life balance she will ever be able to scrape from the bottom of her paperwork.

Zhongli opens his mouth. “...Fine.”

Thank God. “Thank you!”

An imperceptible quirk of Zhongl i’s lips. A perceptible tightening of his arms over his bounty. Barbatos. Ganyu’s eyebrow twitches.

 

 

 

(The children played mahjong about it, as they did for most things. 

“I suppose if I were Lord B-” Chongyun struggled with the blasphemy (he looked over his shoulder to make sure the Conquerer of Demons (as legends dictated, personal friend of Barbatos) did not appear to lob his head off) “-A bird-” (Infinitely worse. Xingqiu giggles) “-Zhongli would look like quite an inviting... Six Hundred Thousand… year old branch.”

(Editor’s Note: Six Hundred Thousand is the name of a Mahjong Tile.)

“Eat,” said Xiangling, sitting to his left. “He is all tall and gangly and brown. Like a… like a… One Bamboo.”

(Editor’s Note: One Bamboo is the name of a Mahjong Tile.)

“Pass,” Hu Tao said, and drew a tile from the pile. “And my dear consultant was acting like such a… Two Circles!”  

(Editor’s Note: Two Circles is the name of a Mahjong Tile. The anglicization (pin-yin) of Two Circles in mandarin is “Er Tong”. Coincidentally, the word “toddler” also shares the same pin-yin.)

“Game!” Xingqiu slams his hands onto the table. “Just what has gotten into him?”)

 

 

 

“Oh, Rosaria, I just had the weirdest dream,” Barbara lifts her head off the Sister’s lap. “Why is everyone running around the Plaza?”

“I wonder,” Rosaria deadpans. “What did you dream about?”

“Um,” Barbara says. “You’ll laugh.”

“I don’t laugh,” Rosaria says.

A few shouts of alarm. Rosaria and Barbara look skyward to see Dvalin overhead, en-route to Old Mondstadt, a disgruntled Durin squawking alongside him.

 

 

 

“Ganyu,” Keqing whispers to her colleague, who seems oddly pale. “Is Zhongli okay?”

Wangsheng Funeral Parlour Consultant Zhongli has not said a word the entire time he trails after them to Yujing Terrace, Barbatos bundled up in his coat in his arms. Yelan quietly trails after them.

Ganyu shrugs weakly. 

There’s a weird rumbling noise that seems to emanate beneath their feet. Keqing asks about that, too. Ganyu seems to ignore her.

“Ahem,” Ningguang says, “I must say, this was quite… unexpected. Ganyu, as an adeptus, have you heard anything about this incident?”

Ganyu looks to Zhongli, who blinks back at her with glowing amber eyes. She looks back at Ningguang. “No.”

Ningguang clears her throat. “Where was Xiao, he was just here… ah, well. Zhongli, you’re quite the… learned individual. Is there, perhaps, some light you can shed about this incident?”

Zhongli looks down at Barbatos. “...He’s resting.”

Ganyu says, “Is it a good rest, or a long one?”

Which, Keqing thinks, how would Zhongli know? Just what depths of knowledge lie in this man’s mind? If organizing a God’s funeral truly made one the expert of one, then should they not be getting the Wangsheng Director here, instead of a mere consultant?

Zhongli says, “It better be a short one.”

Ganyu sways on her feet. Keqing places a hand between her shoulder blades to stabilize her.

Tactfully, Ningguang offers, “Perhaps we should consult our learned physician, Doctor Baizhu, on his condition?”

“No,” Zhongli says. 

Huh, is that weird rumbling sound emanating from the mountains growing louder?

Ganyu groans, and buries her head in her hands. Ningguang furrows her brow. Xiao finally materializes next to them, spear in hand, and scowls quite impressively at the scene. He says, “This really isn’t appropriate.” Keqing can sympathize, even though she’s not quite sure what he’s referring to. But it is. Inappropriate, whatever this is.

But then, Barbatos kicks his legs (he’s alive! And awake!) and yawns. “Mm, I haven’t used such a burst of energy in for~ever~!” He throws his arms out in the air, in one big stretch-

-And pulls them down to loop around Zhongli’s shoulders.

Barbatos bats his eyelashes. “Well, hello there, handsome.”

Zhongli says, quite nonsensically especially when faced with a long-unseen God from a neighbouring land, “You brought other dragons into Liyue.”

“Whoo boy,” Barbatos says, kicking his feet again. “I would love to stay and chat.”

“Barbatos,” Zhongli says, and did his voice always have such a strange, metallic tenor to it?

“But I really must be going back and cleaning up. Mountains to rearrange, alchemists to dig out of the snow, you know?”

Zhongli does not let go, which is definitely inappropriate.

Then Xiao says, “Whatever it is, I’ll do it.” 

Barbatos says delicately, “Xiao, sweetie, that isn’t appropriate.” Keqing finds herself nodding.

Zhongli says, less delicately, “Go look for survivors in Dragonspine.” Keqing finds herself shaking her head.

Barbatos begins to squirm as Xiao - why did he listen?! - vanish with a burst of anemo. “Hey, you blockhead, stop being weird!” 

“I am not,” Zhongli says, and he sounds frustrated.

“I get it,” Barbatos says, and one of his hands goes to pat Zhongli’s cheek. “No roughhousing on your property. I’ll give the kids a stern talking to - Celestia, I’ll let you do it! Even though it was my idea, kind of. Teehee.”

“You are outrageous,” Zhongli growls, at God.

“What the fuck is going on,” Yelan says, with feeling.

Chapter 2

Notes:

HAPPY MONDSTADT REVIVAL EVERYONE
I played the quest today and it was so good nghhhhh I feel like I need to rewrite this whole fic. So I'm posting what I did have of the next chapter first as I ruminate over it. Everyone is doing great

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The Anemo Archon giggles, but his voice wavers. “Ehe - Zhongli, your name is Zhongli, right?”

Oh god, Keqing despairs, The Anemo Archon doesn’t even know his captor! This was a diplomatic nightmare. She steps forward, “Ahem, Zhongli xiansheng -”

Zhongli’s head snaps in her direction, and he growls at her. He growls at her. He what? He pulled his lips back and - god, his teeth are sharp, are they always sharp? He growled at her! Can a human actually make this noise?

“Aha, Keqing, please step back,” says Ganyu, grabbing her by the arm. “I think… Zhongli xiansheng would appreciate some… ahem, personal space.”

Despite that, he’s certainly not caring about Barbatos’s personal space. Keqing observes them judgmentally. (It’s important to note that Barbatos is still in his tighty-whities.) She never needed this information about Zhongli’s proclivities. (Zhongli has one palm planted firmly on Barbatos’s ass. Well, Keqing doesn’t mind if Barbatos doesn’t mind. She’s open-minded like that.)

Ningguang claps her hands together and plasters a smile on her face. “Why don’t we head up to the Jade Chamber? I’m sure we could all get more comfortable.”

“Ooh, the Jade Chamber, I’ve heard all about it!” Barbatos beams sunnily. That’s certainly some praise, which would mean something to Keqing if she cared about what Archons’ think. (Well, maybe a little. If it’s from someone like Barbatos, who had not been sighted or even heard from for the past 5 centuries, even the most blasphemous god-denier would be a little curious about what he thought.)

“That’s wonderful,” Ningguang says, taking a controlled breath. “We have a wonderful suite for you to rest in-”

“No.” Zhongli says, his voice a little muffled, because he has his face buried in the top of Barbatos’s head. Is that appropriate? 

“That’s not appropriate,” Yelan despairs.

“There, there,” Barbatos pats Zhongli’s cheek. “We could go to your place afterwards.”

“Lord Barbatos,” Ganyu - arguably the person most acquainted with another nation’s archon, had they fought side by side during the Archon war? Keqing needs to ask - wails. “This is inappropriate.”

“Ganyu, sweetie,” Barbatos says, “Could you tell your dad-”

She has a dad?

“-That I would love to stay a little longer, I really do, but Dvalin and Durin need me-”

Another growl. Now, Keqing knows this is coming from Zhongli. Knowledge of the origin makes the situation no less confusing.

“Oh, for Furina’s sake!” Barbatos snaps. “You are being unreasonable right now! You’re clingier than Neuvillette!” 

Then,

“Ow!!!!”

Zhongli has bit Barbatos on the neck.

On the neck?!

He moves his mouth.

There’s blood.

There’s blood?!

THERE’S BLOOD?!

“Oh dear Rex Lapis,” Ganyu says, and feints into Keqing’s arms.

Barbatos doesn’t look bothered. “Oh, blockhead,” he says. He’s smiling. “I guessed I asked for that.” He did? “You know I still like you best.” He does?

Mwah!

Oh, Barbatos has kissed Zhongli on his bloody mouth. With his own mouth. 

Yelan drops her bow to catch both Keqing and Ganyu. 

 

 

 

“Director Hu Tao! Any comment!”

“Eh?” Hu Tao leaps atop one of Wanmin’s restaurant’s tables. Xiangling shrieks. Reporters, like salmon, flop against the table legs like they’re jumping up a waterfall into a bear’s mouth. Notepads wave in the air. 

“Any comment on your employee, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour consultant, kidnapping the Anemo Archon?”

“Aiya, why would I know anything about that?!” Hu Tao says. “Do I look like Zhongli’s keeper? Shoo, all of you!” 

“Our game,” Chongyun sighs, still holding onto a mahjong tile.

“At least it’s shuffled,” Xingqiu points out, at all the pieces spilling to the floor.

 

 

 

Barbara shrieks at the burst of green anemo in the middle of Mondstadt square. She immediately collapses to her knees and knocks her forehead against tile. “Oh Barbatos! We thank you for-”

“Ahem.” It’s not Barbatos’s - or, Ventis - voice. Betrayed, she whips her head up.

It’s Albedo, blond hair so caked in snow it’s white. Holding him by the arm, a liyuen man in green, with an anemo vision at his hip. Oh.

Barbara gets to her feet, dusting at her dress. “Apologies for that. Erm, hello, strange and respectable traveler-” Never let it be said that Barbara is ignorant to her sister’s Knights’ code of conduct, “-Welcome to Mondstadt!” She turns. “Captain Albedo, did you hear the news?”

“I have been informed on the way here,” Albedo nods to the man. “This is Adeptus Xiao of Liyue.” 

Barbara gasps. Another divine identity! “So, did you always know, that our Anemo Archon Barbatos is Venti the bard?”

Adeptus Xiao of Liyue looks uncomfortable. “I am aware.”

“And… do you know where he is now?” She wrings at her dress. “Oh, there is so much to be done! The church is planning a celebration, and the knights have gone off to clear the rest of the debris, and my sist- ahem, I mean the Acting Grandmaster has gone to Stormterror’s Liar to check in on the dragons, and I need to apologize for everything I’ve ever said and done in His Divinity’s presence, and-”

“He may not be able to return so soon,” Adeptus Xiao of Liyue starts. “Actually-”

“Oh my Archons, did I offend him so much that he never wants to come back to Mondstadt ever again?!” Barbara drops to her knees and throws her hands up in prayer. 

“Nothing of the sort!” Adeptus Xiao of Liyue looks horrified. “It’s just that-... Liyue… has a dragon, as well. That needs to be dealt with. And Lord Barbatos is quite adept at… managing the mood of that particular dragon.”

“Oh, I see,” Barbara says, as Albedo helps her up. With another awkward nod, Adeptus Xiao dissipates in the same burst of green anemo.

She clears her throat and begins a healing melody. “Are you feeling alright, Captain Albedo?”

“Quite well, Sister,” Albedo reassures. “The Adeptus located me almost instantly in the thick blanket of snow. You know, I have a hypothesis that the dragon he is referring to is in fact Rex Lapis themself…”

Barbara worries, “Oh dear, you have amnesia…” Albedo must have taken such a hit to the head, he’s forgotten Rex Lapis is dead!

Notes:

I'm sorry I'm making Zhongli so Silly (TM) here. I wanted to make him go back to normal but he's just so funny like this.

Sorry Zhongli - what if I tell you -

Click for 5.6 interlude quest spoilers

- Venti helped Albedo create ANOTHER dragon?

Notes:

Exciting news for anemo lovers (me) I finally thought of something for Natlan in AAA oh my fucking god it's been ages and I have not even broken GROUND-