Just Leave Me For Her||Zhongli x reader

Chapter 7

Zhongli POV

"Hey~! N/N we're here!" Paimon called. 

"Shhhh! She's sleeping." Upon discovering her on the couch, Lumine quickly shushed Paimon. 

"Well, we better find the reception... But Paimon doesn't see anyone." 

"Welcome to BuBU Pharmacy." 

Paimon shrieked "AAAAAAAAH!" 

I noticed Y/N's eyes open. When she saw Lumine and Paimon, she gave a small smile, but then her eyes met mine. In a brief moment, I saw pain and grief then it suddenly switched to coldness. Numbness. Pulling my eyes away, I walked up to the counter to look for the receptionist. 

End of Zhongli POV

Why was he staring at me? 

He doesn't love me, so why did he look at me like that? 

I don't want to hope. 

I don't want to get my heart crushed again. 

Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you stood up stretching. At this point, the little zombie girl called Qiqi had started to give instructions. "Go to Mount Tianheng. Find the Guizhong Ballista. And hunt a Cocogoat. Please and thank you."

The Guizhong Ballista. 

Guizhong

You gave a little chuckle that only Zhongli heard. He looked at you and you just looked back blankly. Turning away, you stood up. "We should get going. Mt Tianheng isn't that far from here, but it might take a while to track down everything." 

"You're coming along?" Zhongli asked 

"Why not? It'll be nice to see some weaponry dating back to the archon war." you grinned. "Unless you have a specific reason on why I shouldn't, I'll be coming along. I probably won't be useful unless one of you injure yourself though." Paimon gasped at you revealing so much of your information, then relaxed when Zhongli didn't look suspicious. You rolled your eyes internally. "Lets just get going." 

After reaching Mt. Tianheng, you climbed up to look at the crossbow. When the others joined you, stood to the side while the others conversed. When Lumi and Paimon left to look for supplies to fix it, you walked up to Zhongli. 

"Does this make you miss her? It's her invention isn't it?" 

"It is her invention, but I have come to terms with her passing and moved on. I have accepted her death as something that cannot be fixed. So rather than dwell on the moment that I lost her, I remember the love I shared with her. The happy memories we made." 

"Hmm. Philosophical as always." Turning to face him, you sighed. "I once told you that I hoped we could meet again as friends. 5,000 years later, when you called me an old friend, I remembered that moment. Do you.... Do you really consider me a friend?" 

"You told me that she loved me back. You were brave enough to cancel the contract. You were kind enough to give me to the one I loved at your own expense. I consider the old Y/N L/N that I knew a close friend. I'm not sure if I know this new Y/N enough to call you anything more than a close acquaintance." You nodded accepting that answer. 

"Our mutual friend from Mondstadt told me that I haven't changed. I wonder if he was wrong. I wonder if you're wrong. Morax..... I...." looking at his eyes, you gave up "Never mind" At that moment, Lumi returned and Zhongli got to work fixing the machine. 

TIMESKIP (You and everyone else are heading back to Liyue) 

Letting Lumi and Paimon lead the way, you fell back into conversation with Zhongli. "How have you been all these years? I forgot to ask; Why did you fake your death?"