The god's last wish (Zhongli/Diluc x OC)

19

"Why take the Gown off?" Diluc asked his wife as he arranged utensils.

"I'll wear them again immediately after feeding the 'children'" She hummed with a smile, jokingly pertaining to Razor and Bennet who have been constantly muttering about how hungry they were. 

"Then you shall wear this." Diluc whispered, leaning his hands in the kitchen table and caging his wife with his strong arms. 

Anthea's heart pounded. Diluc's intense gaze sent her shivers. When your husband is Diluc Ragnvindr, there's really no escaping the daily dose of vigorous heartbeat. As he leaned as if to kiss her, he wrapped an apron around her waist instead.

"You're going to be the death of me, Diluc." She whispered, clutching her chest as she took a deep breath.

"And you keep me alive. How ironic." He replied, his eyers speaking  thousands of words that had he not leaned forward to give her a long and loving kiss, his chest would have exploded.

"You love me that much?" She whispered in her ears in a way that sent heat all over him, inside and out. Diluc nodded, about to lean in for another kiss as his body trembled for her touch.

But just as his lips are about to meet hers, she stopped him by holding a finger on his lips. "Then please help me slice the vegetables." She chuckled, celebrating the victory of successfully teasing her husband.

"When we go home from the Gala, you'll witness the cost of teasing a Ragnvindr." Diluc pouted grumpily. His face still a hot mess as he frustratedly chopped the potatoes.

'Poor potatoes' Anthea thought as she chuckled.

Smiling at his husband, she gently embraced him from the back. Diluc's frown dispersed into a smile. Surprisingly, even an embrace for her is enough.

—

"Flowery teacher's food... Better than any food." Razor said as he munched a piece of sweet madame like a hungry wolf.

"Indeed. This is why I barge in their manor everytime I have the chance! Hehe!" Bennet hummed happily.

Anthea chuckled at the two. Razor have always been alone in the wild, while no one used to be interested in accompanying Bennet for an adventure. And she was happy that they found a bestfriend from one another. 

"Chew slowly, there's plenty of food here."

"You are the best cook in Monstadt, Miss Thea! This sweet madam is unlike any other!"

"Actually, Dear Diluc here is a better cook than me. Try this steak if you want to find out how good he actually is." She said, gently pushing the plate containing the boar steak Diluc cooked.

Both of their eyes glimmered as they tried the steak.

"It's so tender! You guys are too powerful together!" Bennet exclaimed. "I'm surprised though. Months before you got married, rumors were going around Monstadt about how Miss Thea and Sir Kaeya was already engaged and just waiting for that grand ball to publici–"

Bennet couldn't continue what he was talking about when Diluc shoved a huge piece of steak in his mouth.

"Eat more steak. Bennet." He told him.

While the three boys chatted, Anthea noticed the young adeptus standing a few meters from them as if to guide them. Immediately, she rose from her seat and walked towards the Yaksha.

"Alatus." She called out his name with such gentleness.

"Mother?"

"Why aren't you joining us?"

The Yaksha's eyes widened. "I didn't think I was invited."

With a smile on her face, she held his hand. "Of course you are, you will always be welcome. Let's go, the Almond tofu will get soggy if you're not quick to eat it."

"You remember?"

She smiled once again. "The things that interest you, the things that you're not very fond of, all those come to me once in a while as if it's always been in my mind."

"Then do you remember Rex Lapis?"

"Rex Lapis. I knew of our relationship in the past from madam Ping. Once in a while I would feel a connection. But not as strong as ours."

"What kind of connection do you feel of him?"

Anthea's smiled slowly disappeared as she gazed above the clouds. "Loneliness, grief, confusion, all this, I feel in my heart. But from his, I can also feel a glimpse of hope. As if Rex Lapis has been striving to fight for someone all along."

"Does your husband know of this?"

"No."

"Mother, has it ever crossed your mind that your heart might change once your memories return?"

Anthea gazed at her husband who was bonding with Bennet and Razor.

"Fear is inevitable. But I cannot imagine a life without him."