Dilly Dallying [Zhongli x [F]reader]

8

"a murderer." the words left your lips before you could stop yourself, you only noticed your hands were shaking when Zhongli grabbed them.

"You are many things Y/N, a murderer not among them." he shook his head, his voice was as calm as ever. Your body slumped ever so slightly.

Your gaze hardened, with your newfound strength coming no doubt from whatever medicine Zhongli had given you, you sat up straight. "I want to remember more."

*

You panted heavily as you fought with your body to stay on your legs, but you whipped your head up again and stared at Childe, grinning like a bloodhound.

"A battle without risk is not a battle." Childe snapped at Zhongli.

Zhongli looked unbothered, he had been against you fighting or moving much at all to try and remember your past. But when you had retorted with saying that it would take you the rest of your life to remember he had surprisingly given in very quickly.

As much as you denied it, you couldn't help but grow suspicious.

Zhongli's eyes shun brightly with power as the geo barrier around most of your body reformed.

Childe snapped his head back to you, clearly aiming to take his frustration and irritation out on you. You narrowed your eyes, accepting the challenge. You moved your head to the left, narrowly avoiding a hydro arrow.

A split second later, Childe was in front of you. You flung yourself backwards, the flora underneath you easily caught you, vines covered your arm as you held it up blocking a blow.

Your spear formed in your other hand, Childe seemed completely aware of this. He rolled to the side pinning your arm down, but to his surprise your arm fell through the ground, you rolled to the other side and with the help of some vines you were on your feet instantly.

"All you do is run!"

Without warning, he rushed forward. No longer toying around or using his bow, if looks could kill you'd definitely be a goner.

You let yourself become predictable, when you threw yourself to the side Childe easily followed, the two of you plunged to the ground just as his dagger came to your throat, a vine touched his back ready to pierce right through his heart.

He grinned at you, before throwing the dagger away. You remained motionless as he rolled off you, an hour of intense battle, for this? You clenched your fists, all you had remembered was the easiest way to kill someone.

Pierce their heart from behind.

"Perhaps that is enough for today."

While Zhongli had agreed not to step in, he was clearly not happy with how the spar had turned out. As you began standing up he helped you to your feet.

To your surprise, Childe nodded.

"What a rush, but let's continue this when you're not sick." Childe half grinned.

Zhongli nodded in agreement, you sighed lightly. You didn't feel sick, you felt weaker. Every breath you took felt harder than the last, every minute you felt a bit colder than the last. Even now, as you held your spear. It felt heavier by the second in your hand.

"You're right, rushing wont help me." you sighed, clear disappointment clouding your eyes.

"There are other ways." Zhongli tried, you gave a smile at his effort and nodded.

After parting ways with Childe, Zhongli and you ate dinner at another fancy restaurant, at one point a few rowdy men began talking about how Liyue had grown weak after Rex lapis' death which almost caused you to see red with fury.

That had been your que to leave, Zhongli had merely laughed it off assuring you that no offense had been taken. When he said that however, you had noticed a strange gleam in his eyes.

"It can't be easy waking up to nightmares all the time." Zhongli said when you had gotten home. You hadn't replied, you didn't want to admit it.

"You need not hesitate to wake me up if you have another nightmare."

You smiled warmly and thanked him, assuring him that you would. As much as you wanted to remember, you dreaded the nightmares.

Even though you knew it would happen, you awoke that night again drenched in cold sweat, the medicine had clearly worn off as well because when you stood up your knees buckled and you almost vomited.

But fear and adrenaline drove you onward, covering yourself in your blanket as you stepped out of your room. Your heart beat loudly in your ears as you stood in front of Zhongli, all you wanted in that moment was to hear his voice, feel the comfort of being with another person.

Instead, you leaned against the wall and slumped down next to it, hugging your own knees to comfort yourself. You couldn't help but think of yourself as a coward before drifting off into dreamless sleep.

You could've sworn that you heard a thud right before you fell asleep but in your exhaustion, you fell asleep before you got a chance to think about it.