Who Is Staring Back At Me? (Zhongli x male reader)

Last Preparations

My Brain is just ugh, I have so much free time yet no motivation to write! Instead I play Genshin 2.6 and Fate Grand Order like no tomorrow :(

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The day fo departure arrived, it was early in the morning when Zhongli and Y/n decided to return to Liyue Harbour. Unlike their expectations only Cloud Retainer saw them off, of course they noticed the lone Yaksha hiding in one of the many trees, however Shenhe remained elsewhere.

Having said their goodbyes the two started their long hike back to the harbour and since it was quit the straight path this time Y/n decided to reminice about the past week and his achievements on the path to master his vision. Although it seems that one piece in his puzzle was missing.

Y/n: "Zhongli I still haven't thanked you for accompanying me for this week right?" He asked, breaking the long silence they held since their departure.

Zhongli: "I supposed not, tho' I see no reason for you to do so. After all I came with you on my own accord with my own goals." The tall male answered, not looking back to his companion.

Y/n: "That is something I wanted to ask you. You know why I was there for the whole week, but you never told me your reason, why is that?" He pressed on, starting to questioning the brunette's presence altogether.

Zhongli: "It appears so yes. I simply see this as a matter too private to talk about. At least with you, I hope you can forgive me." He answered with an apolegetic look on his face, which Y/n wasn't able to see.

Y/n: "Mmph! I suppose you can't really go around telling people you wanna chat with your friends that wittnessed the last few centuries with you. Am I right Rex?" He said quietly, looking down on to his feet while walking, not noticing Zhongli stop and thus he bumbed into the taller man.

'He's smart, too smart for his own good...just like you back then.' Zhongli thought, slowly turning around to have a more serious talk with his friend? Well at least he thought they were friends.

Zhongli: "How? Was I that obvious?" He questioned the smaller male who was still recovering from their collision, rubbing his red forehead.

Y/n: "Huh? How could I not realize earlier is the better question. You literally introduced yourself by saying 'I go by Zhongli nowadays', thus you insinuated that you were called by a different name before. Also let's not forget that the adapti had no issue with your presence for the entire week, heck even Shenhe followed your orders without a second thought! So you could say you were suspicious from the start." The cryo weilder answered, now pouting at the Geo Archon before him.

However Zhongli was still working on precessing what he was told just now, his mind retreating and leaving only a thoughtful and unresponsive Zhongli behind. Meanwhile Y/n decided to drag him by the sleeve, not caring if he has to drag his nations Archon all the way back to the harbour.

Y/n: "Don't worry, I'll never utter a single word of this unless you ask me to...You know it's a nice feeling getting to know your Archon in person, intensional or not." He said, the last part finally breaking Zhongli out of his stupor.

Zhongli: "I....Please continue to call me Zhongli. I wish to settle in the mortal world once and for all. A means to an end of course, but a nice escape from my duties from time to time." He told his mortal companion, freeing his hand and walking side by side with Y/n now.

Y/n: "I see, very well. I don't care who you are, my treatment won't change, but I am intrigued...who is it that you want to be?A consultant? An Archon?  Zhongli? Rex Lapis? Both? Or maybe you want to be something completly different?"

Zhongli: "I...." In all his years he never had a doubt, back then he would've easily answered this question without a struggle so why is it that he's faltering now? Only in the presence of his new mortal friend was he unable to answer this question. Who does Morax want to be? A god or a mortal? The presence or the past? Deep down he already knew the answer to this question.

Y/n: "You don't have to answer immediately. Tho' I wish to hear your answer at some point ok? Truth is I also struggle with the answer, so let's make a contract shall we?" He suddenly proposed, shocking Zhongli.

Zhongli: "A contract?" He questioned, confusion written all over his face.

Y/n: "Yes, a contract. Let's tell eachother our solution to my question once we found it ok? No time limit needed, after all such a thing can't be answered within a day. How about it?" He asked, holding his hand out.

Zhongli: "I agree to this contract, I shall let you be the first person to hear my answer."

Arriving at the bridge between the wilderness and Liyue Harbour the two shook their hands, entering a contract for their future. Once the two shook their hands a slight golden glow engulfed their hands, the glow resembling Zhongli's eye colour. Reacting to his companions suprise Zhongli told him that this contract is now burned into his mind just like every other contract he ever made.

Once the contract was fully engraved within Zhongli's memories the two seperated again. Walking further Zhongli stops the two on the middle of the bridge, turning towards Y/n once more.

Zhongli: " Before we enter the harbour again I must confess something. A mistake of sorts, an apolegy and a request." He stated with a grimm look on his face. Continuing once he realized his friend was listening attentively to his every word.

Zhongli: "Back when we first met I felt drawn towards your presence, it reminded me of a person I held very dear back then, it was one of the major reasons why I insisted on following you. I projected her onto you and wanted to wittnes 'her' presence for as long as possible, like back then my heart felt drawn to this presence. Only towards the end of your training with Shenhe did I realize my mistake and a realization hit me. As I saw you returning dirty and hurt every evening my heart would always burn in agony, or back then when you demonstrated your elemental skill I felt my heart burn up when I got closer to you, it was then that I realized I wasn't drawn to 'her' presence, it was just an excuse to avoid the plain obvious."The archon confessed, refusing to meet the gaze of his friend.

Y/n: "Woah..I had no idea you felt that way, you always seem like the calm and collected type of person. But cheer up will you, I also enjoyed your company up there. Now you said you had a request?" The cryo user questioned, unaware of the obvious answer. As a response Zhongli once more met his gaze before stating the obvious.

Zhongli: "I wish to court you." He state with a serious expression that melted into a kind smile that made the smaller male's heart jump.

Y/n: "EH?!"

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A/n

Words are hard...

Welp I hope you like this chapter cuz the next once will appear somewhere in May.

I'll be gone for 4 weeks due to health reasons, nothing major but I still need to take the break :)

Depending on my mood, free time and stuff I might release new Chapters (very unlikely) or I'll edit the last two ones from this story cuz they just feel wrong to me :I (more likely)

Have a great spring break everyone!