Just Leave Me For Her||Zhongli x reader

Chapter 1

5,000 yrs after the prologue (think after the archon war/around the time traveler woke up)

"What use is being the archon of healing when I can't even heal my own broken heart?"

"Mhmmm what was that?" A drunk bard in all green turns to you as you mumble the words to yourself . You and the bard were sitting in the bar at Angel's Share.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

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"Whats wrong Morax?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

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As the memory of the day he left you escaped from the tight lock you kept on it. You let out a tiny gasp as tears threatens to escape. Despite your efforts, tears slowly start spilling down your cheeks.

"You are definitely not alright Y/N. Come on, I'm going to bring you someplace where you can calm down." The (now suddenly sober) bard said while helping you out the door. You quickly paid for your drinks and followed him out.

By the time the pair reached the tree at windrise you had calmed down enough to control your tears. They sat down together and he looked at you, concerned.

"Are you feeling better?" His concern cheered you up a bit more, but inside, you knew your heart was still shredded. It had always been shredded after he had  left you for Guizhong. Even though he had left at your bidding, you knew that he would have confessed to Guizhong much sooner if he disregarded the promise they made. The promise that had kept him shackled to her. And that knowledge left you heartbroken.

"I'm fine, thank you Barbatos." She smiled at him. The smile appeared on her face as smoothly as putting on a mask.

"I told you to call me Venti, Y/N. What's distracting you so much you revert to your old habits? You haven't called me that, nor have you cried in so long."

"I-...." Venti looked at you sadly. "You still haven't gotten over him huh?" You shook your head. The bard placed his hand on yout shoulder in silent comfort.

"I just can't forget him Venti. I tried for the entire archon war and I'm still trying. Even through all my efforts I keep listening for every scrap of news about him I can get. I still...." you trailed off, still afraid of voicing the words to another person.

"I understand. You know, you're one of the strongest archons here."  Venti smiled at you. The understanding that he had gifted you was what had helped you function the first few days after the incident. 

"What do you mean? I'm not one of the Seven, I'm a minor archon that should be dead. I would be surprised if any of the mortals remember me." You looked at the bard, confused. Even when he wasn't talking in rhymes, you still found him hard to understand.

"No other archon, even in the seven, would still be trying to help people, to move on in life like you have. None of the archons would have ever had the strength to let their lover go for their lover's own happiness if they still loved him. Ei and the Tsaritsa have both been completely changed after their loved one's death." You smiled at him. Grateful for his kind words.

"Thank you Venti, but how do you know I haven't changed? I feel very different from how I was when we were together." You still refrained from saying his name. Venti just looked at you then turned away.

"Can you help me with something?" He asked tentatively. Surprised, you looked at him. He never had asked for your help unless he really needed it.

"Of course, it would mean a lot to me to at least help you a little bit to repay you for what you've done for me." You jumped at the opportunity to work. You were just working as a healer alongside a healer in the church named Barbara, but your shift had ended for the day, and you wanted an opportunity to get away from your memories.