ᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ɢᴏᴅ (Zhongli x reader) 𝕷𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖓

Chapter 8: Cry

Your POV

" Who put the table here?" I asked him after we landed safely, he just smiled but didn't answer. He gently placed me down, Zhongli sat on one of the seats and ushered me to sit beside him.

" Why is there a bowl and a pair of chopsti-"

" Guizhong used to sit there, and over there sits the Cloud Retainer. " Zhongli told me and looked over at the vacant seat where a wine jar was placed on top of the table.

" Cloud Retainer... I've heard of that before. Isn't that an adepti? " I asked him and he nodded.

" I heard she's very good at engineering and it was her who designed the floating island above Qingyun Peak. " I told Zhongli and he nodded again with a chuckle.

" Surprisingly, you know a lot. " He told me.

" Well... Ningguang's Jade Chamber is floating as well, that's why. " I told him and he stared at him.

" I was informed that you were the reason behind it. " Zhongli said and my eyes widen.

" Creating such mechanical structures is beyond human comprehension. " Zhongli told me.

" But granted by a Vision, you indeed have the capability of doing such a thing, especially that you are blessed by the power of the God of Dust. She also bares great knowledge of engineering and mechanics. " Zhongli told me.

" Where is she?" I asked and his eyes widen, he gave me a faint smile and looked at the sky.

" She went back to the heavens, thousands of years ago. " Zhongli said and my eyes widen.

" During the Archon War, she fought together with the other adepti to protect the people of Guili against the many evil gods and monsters that had plagued Liyue's lands. " Zhongli told me.

" After the start of the Archon war, Guizhong lost her life, black dust choked the heavens, and a thousand rocks splintered. A lot of gods and common folks also lost their lives. " Zhongli explained.

" Guizhong... " I muttered the name of his so-called 'friend'. Zhongli sighed and nodded.

" After her death, I brought the survivors of Guili Plains south of Mt. Tianheng to found a new town, which is now known as Liyue Harbor. " Zhongli said and smiled at me.

" Her final moments were also amongst the Glaze Lilies. There, she wore one last smile, albeit a lonely one. And her last request to me was to forget about the stone dumbbell. " Zhongli said and I just looked at him.

" What stone dumbell? She requested you to forget about it, but you didn't... And why is that? " I asked him with a sly look. He narrowed his eyes and looked away from me.

" This stone dumbell contains her wisdom... And for the reason why I can't or mustn't forget about it, is because this is the only memory I have of her. " Zhongli told me with a stern face, my eyes widen and I smiled sadly at him.

" You probably loved her... very much... Because after all these years, it's still her and only her that ran through your mind. Surely, you're still longing for her. " I told him and his eyes widen.

" You might be a god, but that's human emotion right there. I am of no use to you anymore, because, before the beginning of our contract, you already fulfilled it yourself. " I told him as I stood up.

" To be human in thoughts is to act like one, try spending more time with humans, you'll slowly get to understand it. But if you ask me, there's no need for you to act like a human since your actions and thoughts are what is already desirable to humans. " I told him and he just stared at me.

" In short, you're perfect. " I said and smiled at him.

" If only humans act like you, it'll probably make the world a better place. " I told him and started walking away.

" I want you to be that human. " I stopped when I heard Zhongli say that, I turned around and looked at him with one of my eyebrows raised.

" What? What do you mean? " I asked him.

" I want to spend my time with you. " Zhongli said making my eyes widen. I felt my face heating up.

' Now what is he doing? ' I thought to myself as he started walking towards me.

" Aren't you a god? Why would a god spend time with a mere mortal like me? I suggest you— "

" Because it is you whom I made a contract with. " He said and pulled me closer to him.

" B-but isn't the contract fulfilled yet? " I asked him, trying to take my wrist off of him.

" No, for I still have much to learn about you. " He said and I sighed.

" I don't need anything in return. Let's just live our lives normally as it should. " I told him.

" Is that really what you desire? Do you not wish to bring your brother back? " Zhongli asked causing my eyes to widen. I started to rethink what I said.

" I... Of course, I want him back... " I said looking sadly at him.

" So it's settled. I will be with you, and I will help you bring your brother back. " Zhongli said.

" So he's alive? " I asked him.

" We'll never know until we see him. " He told me, I gritted my teeth and tried to punch him with my free hand which he flawlessly caught with his other hand.

" You bastard! What if he's already de—"

" I will face the consequences. Any punishment you make, I will take. " Zhongli said, slowly letting my hand and wrist go.

" So let me be honest. You only wanted to be with me because of her, right? " I asked him and his eyes widen.

" How pitiful. Yet I would also spend my time with someone who reminded me of whom I loved... Just to ease that yearning feeling. " I told him with the thought of my brother, I can feel my eyes stinging.

Zhongli then immediately pulled me into a hug. " Cry. " He said, I was about to pull away from the hug, yet he pressed my head unto his chest.

" It eases the pain. " Zhongli said with his voice cracking a little.

" A-are you crying? " I asked him.

" A person that knows how to smile also knows how to cry. " He answered with his shaky voice.

' He knows how to feel... He just doesn't recognize it... ' I thought slowly hugging him back.

' This is the curse of having an immortal life. Seeing the people that once been a part of your life slowly wither like flowers and being able to remember every bad memory that happened ever since... ' I thought.

" Must've been very painful, Zhongli. " I told him as I felt him hugging a little tighter.

" I'll be with you not because you're Rex Lapis, but because you're Zhongli. " I told him and we both slowly parted away. I gently wiped his tears away and cupped his face.

" But who would have thought that a god-like Rex Lapis would shed his tears in front of me? " I said with a chuckle, he shyly hugged me again to hide his face.