Just Leave Me For Her||Zhongli x reader

Chapter 5

It's been a while....
I'm on a school trip to DC so I haven't updated in a while. That and I'm out of ideas 😭 this part will probably be so cringy or something... I'm on a cruise and I'm bored bc I don't want to dance. So i just decided to open this and update this... I probably wont finish this for like another week or something though... -(2/21/23)

"Hey girlie! You've finally returned. How was your journey to Jueyun Karst? Oh, who's your friend?" 

A ginger man with sea blue eyes looked at you. He had a mask on the side of his head and wore a red, white, and grey outfit. You also noticed a hydro vision attached to his belt. You looked back at his eyes. Contrasting his cheerful voice, his eyes were dull and there was no shimmer in them. You guessed that was how your eyes must look most days. Stepping forwards, you introduced yourself. 

"I'm n/n, it's a pleasure to meet you. Lumine already told me about you so there's no need to introduce yourself." Childe smirked. 

"Wow, so cold. Is it because I'm a fatui harbinger?" You gave him a little grin. 

"Don't worry, I don't hold anything against you for what that lady did." Childe raised his eyebrows. 

"You've met Signora? Hmm. So you were with Lumine when Signore stole Barbatos's gnosis. Funny, you've never mentioned her." Turning to Lumine, Childe put a betrayed expression on his face. "Am I really that untrustworthy?" Lumine rolled her eyes. 

"Stop acting like a Child. Your name makes sense now though." Lumine scoffed. Though it was true that Lumi didn't trust him. She even had insisted on not revealing your name to him. You guessed it was because you had a gnosis. So, your name was not n/n for the time being. Since now she called you that, you had began to call her Lumi. Anyway, back to the point. 

You stepped back as Childe and Lumi had a lengthy conversation about the Exuvia. You remembered it. Rex Lapis's dragon form. It was a majestic creature. The golden dragon that commanded power and demanded respect. After parting ways, you, Lumi, and Pain head back to camp. 

"What did you think?" Lumi looked at you, concerned. 

"Hmm? Oh, about Childe?" Lumi nodded. "Ah, he certainly was an... lets say interesting, character. I wonder what he went through to be so dead inside." Lumi raised her eyebrows but didn't ask questions. It was your unspoken agreement. She wouldn't ask questions, and you would tell her what you wanted to. It made you feel more comfortable. 

"You know, it was nostalgic. Stepping back into Liyue after so long. I can't even recognize it. The mountains haven't changed, but the cities that have popped up! Liyue has definitely become the city he once wanted it to be. 5,000 year can change quite a lot." After that sentence, you lapse back into silence for the rest of the walk. 

As Lumi and Paimon chat, you look back towards Liyue harbor. 

Liyue really has changed. Both the country and the Archon have moved on without me.

Giving a chuckle without any amusement, you shook you head and resumed following Lumi. You hoped that you wouldn't have a breakdown anytime soon. You had noticed that you seemed to be protecting your heart by trying not to feel anything. Wondering how long it would take for that strategy to wear off, you fell asleep in your tent. 

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The next day, the three of you headed to Northland Bank to meet Childe. 

You waited by the door for Lumi to finish talking to the masked lady behind the counter. After she came back, the three of you walked to Liuli Pavilion. On the way, Lumi explained what the woman had said to you. Barely listening, you started to feel this overwhelming sense that something was going to go wrong. This feeling distracted you as you met up with Childe and walked inside.