𝑊ℎ𝑦'𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑒

♡︎Chapter One♡︎

• Diluc's point of view

We were so happy together, we were star-crossed lovers. Not even fate could tear us apart, yet something did. I should have known that I wouldn't last long with a archon, even a retired one. But yet he still loved me, and I loved him. I thought he would have loved me enough to stay even through my lows, but he left me alone to rot in this world I thought could be pure. I remember him vividly but his name is long forgotten I'm sure he forgot mine too, I hope he felt pain and guilt for the pain he caused me. If I could remember I would curse his name into the ground. That damned name, I wish I could remember so even Celestia above could feel my anger.

But I'm better than that, I should be working at the winery or at the tavern. But every time I go to work it reminds me of my ex lover, so I end the day in a spell of sadness. This cycle happens almost everyday, I'm forgetting him slowly, not as fast as I'd like too. He has no right to still be in my mind for this long. The most vivid thing I remember is his hair, it was beautiful. Like the orange ore in Liyue, and the brown of leather. Pulled in a loose ponytail that would sit at the nape of his neck. It was always so soft and never tangled, it made me want to grow my hair out that way. Now I despise my hair style, along with his beautiful locks.

• Zhongli's Point of View

I sat in a field with random weeds, and a qingxin flower in my hair. Today was a nice day, not too hot not too cold. I always loved fall it was so peaceful it also smelled of frozen Voiletgrass. I smiled looking up at the clouds, I continued to look at them as I gazed down the horizon, sighing. Seeing a bundle of rain clouds, ah rain how I do hate it. It floods streets and houses as it thinks it has the right to do so. It's sickening really, how it covers the sun and light for others.

I slowly get up to walk to my house in the city of Liyue, my home the nation I love so much, the nation I built up from the ground. Rex Lapis was not a name I grew to love. The name had served great respect to the citizens of Liyue but they would not know of my simple affairs. Awhile ago i met a man that i grew to love. And I still do that's the issue, I could not forget his smile or vibrant red hair. He was stunning in ways I could not describe. But alas I messed up what was right, and now I must live on with that. Oh, The rain came fast, it was a good idea to not go shopping in the storm. I made it home safely no setbacks, I sigh as I put my coat on the coat hanger and sit in one of my chairs. It's really warm and comfortable here, I look around to find the picture of me and Diluc.

There it is. It's a well focused picture of me putting a glaze lily in his hair behind his ear. He seems to be happy as he is smiling, almost looks like he's laughing. He brought me great comfort as i hope i did to him. A dull ache entered my chest, i feared to acknowledge it. I feel tears come to my eyes as I start to shake a little in hurt, I get up quietly as if there is another person in the room sleeping. I was careful to not wake the phantoms in my house, when I grabbed an apple to eat. The tears that were once pooling up in my eyes are now rolling down my cheeks. "Damn it." I cursed as my vision begins to blur over. My tears soon joined the soft patter of rain on my roof. I sniffle to stop the snot from going down my face, I go to the sink and splash water on me. I stand there for a second a towel to my mouth as I breath heavily through my nose, I slowly catch my breath as I start to think about how late it is. I whipped my face once more before continuing to cut the apple. It was red, cursed I was by celesta. Even in my worst moments nothing failed to remind me of him.

Sometimes I think Tevyat hates all the gods, including me. As I slowly stride to my bedroom leavening the apple to rot on the cold counter, I begin to think of a conversation me and Diluc once had. "Will you still love me if I let my nation fall, if I go to chaos?" I asked him softly our foreheads touching. "I love you, no matter what. I am yours and I hope that you are mine and that it shall stay that way in this life time". He said eyes filled with nothing but love, as if his past wasn't gore filled. How he would glow when I'd look back at him, he was mine.