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

25

Staying is a language of love, but so is leaving.

Diluc felt her wife's touch as the wind touched his cheeks. Their manor stayed the same as he remembered, but without her musical laughter, her gentle voice, and her charismatic orders, the house although filled with a lot of expensive things felt empty.

As he sat alone at the corner of their room, he noticed a huge box under the bed. As he pulled it out, tears threatened to fall from the corner of his eyes. It was a collection of mementos. Their mementos.

The first item was a harp. Anthea's prize that she got during the Windblume festival. His wife would play solemn music everytime he's busy with work, that way he could relax and organize his thoughts. She played too much that he too got to love music.

"Can there be another Windblume for us?" He whispered as tears fell from his eyes.

His eyes widened when a dried pressed lampgrass touched his fingertips. He remembered the flower. It was the flower he had put on the back of her ears the night he confessed. How could he forget when all of their firsts happened during that magical night?

Diluc sobbed as he held the pressed flower in his hand. Every thing reminded him of his wife.

He laid on the cold floor, giving no care for anything in the world but the pain in his heart. As he wrapped his arms around the mementos he found in the box, he cried himself to sleep, hoping to see his wife in his dreams.

-

"Azalea, dear.. It's time to wake up.. "

Anthea opened her eyes to see the man who was wrapping his arms around her. "Zhong?" She softly called his name the way she used to in her previous life.

"Finally... Finally.. You're back." Zhongli said in between his tears, a wide smile painted on his face.

Tears immediately fell from Anthea's eyes. As she let her tears flow free, she softly trailed her fingers to his face. "Rex Lapis" she whispered with a smile on her face.

"I'm sorry for leaving you all alone... It must have been so lonely... " She said as she continued to caress his face.

Zhongli shook his head. "It's alright. It's alright... I have you back now.. We can finally continue our love. I've prepared a nice place near Qingce. It's near the meadows, just how'd you like it... We'll have a new life there, okay?" He said. His lips trembling as he tried to convince her.

Anthea looked at him with a sad smile. Hesitantly, she shook her head. "Right now, there's someone very important who's waiting for me to come home..."

"Don't say that love please.. I've prepared everything. I'm not as rich as him, but I've saved enough. We can finally get married. No more wars, no more fighting, no more trying to rebuild Liyue. I will devote myself only on loving you... " He desperately said as he held her cheeks.

"Zhong please.... My husband is waiting for me.."

Zhongli shook his head. "But he has set you free after you've become an adepti. Please don't leave me again, Azalea.." He pleaded as he sobbed.

"Zhong... I love you, you know that right?"

He nodded, still sobbing hard. "I know that. And I still persist to stay because I know full well that you've never stopped loving me.."

"And I will never stop loving you....But my husband is the reason why I am always thankful to the Celestia that I was given a second chance.

Smiling with Diluc, laughing with Diluc, crying with Diluc, and most importantly, struggling with Diluc, all these made me realize how much I wanted to live a lifetime with him."

"But we did all those too before right? We've laughed together, cried together, struggled together.. And dreamed together.."

"Zhongli, love.. We already spent thousands of years of love.. And Diluc would only live for less than a hudred..I want to make him the happiest man in his short life..I'm sorry.. "

"Do you really love him that much?" He asked, his eyes evident that it was hoping that she would say otherwise.

"I love Diluc so much more than I can ever measure that it hurts."

"Alright then.. If you're happy, I will be happy... But our son wants to meet you too.. "

Anthea's eyes widened as he revealed a glimmering vial from the pocket of his coat.

"Can you please give him a chance to meet you?"

"My baby.. " Anthea sobbed as she embraced the tiny vial.

"You can carry him in your womb along with Diluc's child if he'd allow it.. He can treat him as his own, I won't be hurt as long as he is given a good life. " The former Archon said as a genuine smile appeared on his face.

"Please give him a good life, love.. " He told her, once again breaking down into tears.

"When he's old enough, I'll make sure that he knows you." Anthea promised.

"It's time to go now Anthea.. Xiao will be taking you home... "

With one final embrace, Zhongli finally found the strength and peace to let go.

"Thank you for letting go, Zhong.. "