The Eternal Chase | Dainsleif x reader

~An Old Friend's Wish~

"Y/n," a brown haired man offered his hand to assist you in your seating. "It's been a while."

"Zhongli," you smiled as his gentleman side hasn't changed despite all the years you haven't seen him. "It has been a while since we've seen each other. How have you been all these years?"

"Watching time pass by as it slowly erodes the timeline of us archons," Zhongli said with a small smile that seemed to offer all the knowledge in the world.

"Is time coming up for you as well my old friend," you frowned as you couldn't bare to see the day when Zhongli would pass just like the weathering of mountains overtime.

He gave a small fleeting smile as he changed the subject, "So why have you appeared now of all times? No. Rather the question is how are you still alive? You're just a human, time isn't in your favor."

Shaking your head, you shrugged, "I don't know. Last I know was that I woke up and there you were. And then you told me it's been 500 years. To think that so much time has passed."

True to what you had said to him, you didn't know what had happened. Last you remember, there was an attack on Khaenri'ah and then suddenly, you were facing a more formal looking Rex Lapis who had told you he went by the name Zhongli now. Everything else, you were as lost as him. How you were alive, you didn't know. How you were here, you didn't know. There were so many holes in your memory and questions flowing through your mind that you didn't know what to do. 

It was simple at this point. You didn't know anything.

"Zhongli," you started as you could feel your throat starting to clog up. "Do you by any chance have any information on him-"

Shaking his head, Zhongli gave you a sympathetic look knowing who you were talking about. There was a high chance that the person you were talking about could be dead as time was fleeting and he didn't know just how much it would affect you. Concern swirled through his mind as he worried about how you could react.

Clenching your fist, you let out a sigh, "I'm going to travel. Maybe I can find him. Maybe he would still be alive. If I'm alive, then maybe he too would be alive? I know the chance is small but he could be out there. I just need to find him."

"Y/n," Zhongli took your hand. "What if he isn't here? Don't waste the time you have left."

Shaking your head, you gulped to stop your voice from cracking, "I have to find Dain. Without him, my life would be pointless. He's my savior, my hero, my knight, but most importantly my love. My world surrounds him. I know you know how I feel Zhongli. After Guizhong-"

Suddenly covering your mouth with your hands, you looked down as guilt filled your heart. You knew just how sensitive Zhongli was when it came to Guizhong and you mentioned her without a second thought.

"I've gotten over it," Zhongli looked at you but, you could tell from his eyes that no matter how much time has passed, getting over her death was something that would never happen. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm so sorry."

Zhongli chuckled before returning to the original conversation, "I'm worried about you y/n. If you start trying to find out about Dain, who knows how far you could fall. As an old friend, I just want the best for you."

"But I need to find him," you clenched your fist even tighter to the point you fingers got white from lack of circulation. "No matter what."

"One year."

"Ten years," you started to negotiate with him in frustration.

"Two years," he continued.

"Eight years."

"Two years."

"Five years," you looked up at the archon with fiery eyes full of passion that continued to grow. "If I can't find him in five years, I'll give up."

Thinking about your proposition, Zhongli reluctantly nodded knowing that with your stubbornness, anything less wouldn't be something you wouldn't even consider.

"Then write a contract with me," Zhongli started as he took a sip of tea. "The contract will be five years. Anymore than that would be a violation of the contract. You fullwell know the consequences. Do you agree upon your name as the Queen of Khaenri'ah."

"I don't deserve to have that title anymore," you shook your head. "However, I do agree. I y/n agree upon the contract."

Bowing his head, Zhongli summoned his power to seal the contract. And with that, you were under a contract with the archon of contracts. Breaking it would lead to consequences far worse than death. 

"Thank you Zhongli," you smiled to yourself knowing that you had a friend that truly cared about you to the point where he didn't want you to risk yourself for something so uncertain. Yet, he still allowed you to push through with the contract.

"All I want is for you to take care of yourself," Zhongli replied. "After all, your mother requested that of me."

"My mother," you tilted your head. "You knew her? I never knew that you knew her."

"She was someone that I truly admired," Zhongli smiled in nostalgia. "The reason why we met each other is because she requested me to take care of you and watch over you. It was a contract that we made."

"Then what was your end of the deal," you asked, curious to know about the relationship between the two of them.

"That you don't need to hear but, all you need to know is that with the contract we made with each other is not based on her wish but rather mine as an old friend."

Looking up into the sky, you couldn't help but wonder what else your mother had done behind your back. From what you could remember about her, she was a mystery. She was like a fleeing crystalfly that disappears the moment you would come close.

But as of now, that wasn't the thought that you needed to focus on. It was something far more important to you.

"Thank you so much for everything Zhongli," you started as you stood from your seat. "In case anything were to happen on my adventure, I just want you to know that I'm truly grateful for all that you've done."

Walking away from a silent Zhongli who you felt guilty about, you closed your eyes and prepared yourself for the five years that you had. 

No matter what, you had to find Dain - even if it was his dead body.