Then Came You (Zhongli x Reader)

Everlasting Bonds are Built on Trust

TW: mild nsfw (read at your own risk)

Recommended song: "Black Out Days" by Joel Sunny

—

I

(We continue)

"Sit. Make yourself comfortable," you said as you stirred the soup.

A chair scraped against the wood floor as he sat at the table. For a moment, there was only silence, interrupted by the clack of the spoon against the pot.

"I am not scared of you, Zhongli," his ears perked up. You turned around, exhaling heavily. "I was shocked," you bit your lip, "but I wasn't afraid of you."

"I was hurt."

Zhongli's eyes widened.

"You loosened up around me. You told me your worries and listened to mine. As a soldier, I trust you with my life – that's why I fought beside you."

Zhongli listened silently.

"But now," you looked into his eyes, "I am questioning everything."

"You pretended to be weak," your voice quivered and he leaned forward. "You fought those monsters, purposely lengthening the fight when you could have easily destroyed them at once."

"You went to such an extent to hide your true nature from me," a tear rolled onto your cheek, "I almost died." The last word was a whisper.

You whimpered, "I was so scared." Your knees buckled and you splayed on the wooden floor, Zhongli immediately rushing to you.

"I'm sorry," he hugged you, pressing your head into his chest, arms wrapped around your back. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he rocked you back and forth, his own voice shuddering.

"I never meant to hurt you, Y/N," he whispered into your ears, pressing a kiss to your hair.

"I know," you sniffed against his shirt, "but that just means that you didn't trust me."

Zhongli's heart broke.

"What were you afraid of?" You peeled back, placing a palm on his cheek. Zhongli leaned into your touch, silver lining his eyes.

"Did you think I would break?" You tilted your head. "By now, you of all people should know that I'm tougher than I look." You smiled tentatively.

Zhongli intertwined his fingers with yours, pressing a kiss to the back of your palm. Your stomach twisted, face becoming warm as he wiped your tears with his free hand.

"I underestimated you, Y/N," he said finally. "Well yeah," you scoffed, your voice thick.

He pinned your hair behind an ear and smiled at you. Pain lingered in his eyes, as he let go and stood up, facing away from you.

"I believe you have deduced by now that the 'friend' I kept talking about, was none other than the God of Dust, Guizhong," he peered at you over his shoulder and you nodded in agreement.

"She was killed in the Archon War," he sighed, "due to a mistake that I made."

Your breath hitched. He sat at the table again, gloved hands spread out in front of him.

"Guizhong was exceedingly clever. Out of the two of us, she was the 'brains' while I was the 'brawns'. She wasn't very powerful, so she came up with the proposition of forming an alliance – for the good of her people and mine."

"Together, we taught them how to live. Over the years, she grew dear to me... as you had called Li Na earlier, Guizhong was my 'bestest friend'," he smiled.