Dilly Dallying [Zhongli x [F]reader]

1

"Excuse me-- Madam." a soft yet very frightened voice slowly began.

That was all it took for your mind to be freed again, like a desperate child you turned towards the source of a voice to find an elderly man. His eyes widened at your attention.

"Please-- I apologize for my grandson's inconvenience. I assure you it will not happen again." the man pleaded.

Something hurt, hurt in your chest.

You merely tilted your head, unsure of how to face what you were feeling.

Instead, you took a step forward. Perhaps it was curiosity that drove you. Perhaps not, but you walked until you stood mere inches away from the man. He looked like he was about to pass out any second, something you were keenly unaware of.

With furrowed eyebrows, you slowly reached your hand out and placed the violetgrass in his shaking hands. At the action his entire face seemed to light up in both surprise and relief.

At the sight a warm sensation filled your body, you didn't know why. But you smiled, you had never felt anything so strong before.

"Thank you--" the man stumbled on his words.

Without another word, you turned around and left. Even now, you knew. It was only a matter of time before the scratch took over. That was one of the few things you still remembered.

Throughout the night, you let it control you. Let yourself sink back into the hollow bubble you had been in for so many years, but as night turned to day. And you finished your work, you felt the scratch disappear.

It left you empty, confused and afraid.

You stared at the statue in front of you, flowers were piled around it. Each large and beautiful, for some reason when you touched them they seemed to flourish to life.

For hours, you sat at the base of the statue. Staring up at the lifeless figure that you knew in your heart you loved, but you had no idea who he was. And as hours turned to days you did the only thing you knew how to do.

And began walking.

However, you didn't get very far. Little did you know, that people had noticed you, noticed how you hadn't vanished like every year. Rumors had spread far and wide of a ghost, silently praying to Rex lapis. Perhaps the people had taken pity on you, perhaps they wanted you gone.

You usually didn't notice the presence of people, animals or anything living alike. But something shuddered in your heart, something made your body shiver.

Like something had just given you a breath of life, you whipped your head around and came face to face with amber eyes-- staring intently at you.

"Isn't it cold out here?"

You blinked, "cold." you repeated, your throat stung at the sudden use.

The man smiled warmly as he approached. You felt captivated by his amber colored eyes, having no sense of shame or fear of the unknown you didn't react when he approached and sat down next to you.

"Were you a follower of Rex lapis?" he curiously asked, you didn't say anything as he wrapped a coat around you.

A pleasant smell hit you instantly, you couldn't describe it other than it being relaxing. It was warm and comfortable.

You wrapped your hands around the coat and rubbed your head against the leather, it was warm. And smelled like home.

"Y/N.."

You froze, the name was so incredibly familiar it made your head hurt. Having forgotten what pain felt like you were instantly wincing in pain, your head throbbed. The name repeated itself over and over again in your head.

The man continued talking but you couldn't listen, didn't want to listen. What more pain would his words bring you?

You didn't realize you were shaking until a strong arm pulled you somewhere, the warmth of the coat wrapped around you was multiplied a thousand times over. Distracted, you let the memory of the name fade away as you leaned into the warmth of the stranger.

"Do you remember me?" the man asked, you merely shook your head.

"I'm sorry..." he faintly whispered, you didn't know why he was apologizing.

He smiled softly, "why don't you come with me?" he offered, reaching out a hand.

"Can't." you hoarsely replied, you opened your mouth to continue. But had no words to offer as to why you couldn't.

"Rex lapis is dead." he suddenly said, the painful feeling you had felt earlier was nothing compared to what you were suddenly feeling. "Your contract is over." the man added.

"Rex lapis?" you questioned completely ignoring the last part. Your voice was strained. More so than usual, you weren't sure why you were feeling so faint. Or why your eyes were suddenly so blurry, something cold trailed down your cheek as you took a couple steps back.

Out of instinct you reached up and touched the tear.

"What-- is this?" you stammered, the pain felt like being stabbed, tears ran down your cheek. Your vision was blurry, something curled in your stomach.

The man stared at you with sorrow filled eyes, he took a step forward but you quickly moved back.

"You're lying." you seethed, not with rage but with disgust. You knew Rex lapis wasn't dead, "who are you?" you added, the grass around your feet began slowly growing and snaking around your feet.

"My name is Zhongli." he calmly introduced, "It's cold out here, why don't you come back to Liyue with me?" he offered once again, his voice was soothing, every word he spoke made you feel more at ease.

You stared into his amber eyes, waiting for a sign. For hesitance, regret or even fear to well up inside you. But all you felt was a calm sensation, if he had noticed your powers he didn't say anything. Hesitantly you took a step forward and the grass around your legs fell back to the ground.

"Rex lapis isn't dead." you said again, Zhongli's expression didn't change. Instead he waited for you to slowly walk towards him.

"He isn't." you repeated more to yourself than to the man in front of you.

You didn't know you were crying, or what it meant for that matter. Annoyance surged through you as you rubbed away the tears that kept spilling. Like a child you sniveled loudly, "stop." you said to no one in particular.

Warm hands suddenly engulfed you, you froze in both surprise and shock. Zhongli smelled nice. His embrace was warm, strong and made you relax. It wasn't unpleasant, but you couldn't stop crying.

As you silently cried into Zhongli's coat you slowly began breathing slower until you let yourself fall asleep, the darkness and warmth lulling you to sleep.