ᴀɴ ᴇᴛᴇʀɴɪᴛʏ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ || xiao x reader

Part II

As tension mounted, your mind raced, failing to conjure a convincing lie. Before you could respond, Zhongli interjected, shifting the conversation. "What are your thoughts on Osmanthus wine?" he inquired, his voice carrying a hint of intrigue. "To me, its fragrance is akin to the gentle embrace of a summer breeze, its taste a harmony of floral sweetness and subtle undertones of fruit," he described, painting a vivid picture of the beloved Liyuean beverage.

"Eh!?" I blurted out, startled by the intensity of my own reaction to Zhongli's seemingly innocent question. "I shouldn't be getting so worked up over a simple question," I chided myself internally, feeling the weight of my anxiety pressing down on me with each passing second.

Little did you know, Zhongli keenly observed your reaction to the question, swiftly discerning your unease. His demeanor shifted, his expression growing more serious as he turned to address Lumine and Paimon. "Dear friends, there is a matter I wish to discuss with Y/N in private," he began, his tone carrying a weight of importance. "If you would be so kind as to excuse us."

Paimon rolled her eyes. "Oh, Zhongli, you just had to ruin our night!" Lumine shot Paimon a brief side-eye before apologizing. "Sorry about that," Lumine said, dismissing Paimon's remark. "No worries, Zhongli. Until next time, Zhongli, Y/N," she added with a smile, trying to diffuse any tension.

Zhongli nodded in acknowledgment as a farewell gesture. I returned Lumine a smile and a wave before my expression shifted, the smile fading as quickly as it had appeared. Anxious anticipation gnawed at me as I turned my attention back to Zhongli, bracing myself for the conversation that was to come.

"So, what do you remember?" Zhongli asked, his tone returning to one of friendliness as he took a sip of his now cold tea. "According to my understanding, you should have lost all memories completely."

You're just a funeral parlor assistant," I challenged. "What could you possibly know about this?" My skepticism masked a growing unease, as I grappled with the implications of his words.

"I understand your skepticism," Zhongli began, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "But allow me to offer some perspective." He paused, as if contemplating how much to reveal. "In my line of work at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, I've encountered individuals who, like yourself, have faced extraordinary challenges, including memory loss."

His eyes briefly flickered with a distant intensity. "Some memories, however deeply buried, have a way of resurfacing in unexpected ways," he continued, choosing his words carefully. "Bonds forged in battle can transcend even the deepest of forgotten memories." Zhongli's implication hung in the air, subtle yet undeniable, hinting at a shared past that extended far beyond the confines of our present understanding.

My eyes widened in sudden realization as a flood of memories surged forth. The man before me, Zhongli, the consultant from the funeral parlor, was none other than the Archon himself—the one who had saved me during the war. But if he was here, then who was the teal figure? Confusion gnawed at my thoughts, mingling with the sharp pang of disbelief. As the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place, my head throbbed with intensity, my vision clouded by vivid flashbacks of the war—a big whirlwind of chaos and sacrifice that threatened to overwhelm my senses.

As the headache eased, I began sharing with Zhongli the blunt memories that shouldn't have been there in the first place. Slowly but surely, recollections started to resurface, like pieces of a puzzle coming together. An hour passed as we talked, until at last, the mysterious name I had been trying to remember finally came back to me.

"Zhongli, can you tell me... who is Alatus?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty. "Are they still alive like me?"

"Alatus was a brave ally in the Archon War," Zhongli explained, his tone respectful. "He faced many dangers alongside us with unwavering courage." Zhongli paused, recalling a perilous moment. "When an explosion threatened his life and other adepti perished, you and I protected him, ensuring his safety." Reflecting on their bond forged in the chaos of war, Zhongli felt both pride and gratitude.