#that recognize that Zhongli had lost his sense of purpose

[lunaastoir]

HI! FOR YOUR EVENT, nay i request 16 + zhongli+ angst?

--> zhongli + "really? you’re going to pick them over me?” + angst

a/n: i literally love you for this request anon :,) i've been wanting to write some good old fashioned angst so <3 thank you

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looking at the rushed, frenzied state you were in, one could assume you were late for something, or rather, rushing to get away. deft hands that were once so gentle with love began packing up clothes, weapons, and various other trinkets into the folds of your bag, stuffing each item with no real care. you glanced at the oval clock, mentally noting the time. hands automatically packed faster, before you forced yourself to slow down. “he probably hasn’t noticed the time anyway” you bit out, bitter words tumbling past your lips. 

taking one last quick glance around your shared bedroom, you loaded up your bag on your shoulder and made your way to yujing terrace, sitting on the same  corner you had been waiting on for over two hours. 

madame ping offered you a sad smile upon your coming back, her gaze all too knowing about the purposes of your too full bag. she wished she could say something, give you a tangible reason for her old friend’s most recent absence, but she knew no excuse could ever fully heal the heartache of being forgotten. 

as minutes cascaded into hours, the sky blossomed into a navy blue, the only sign of your presence marked by the silent tears running down your face, illuminated by the lights of dimly lit stores. madame ping kept you company, feigning tending after flowers in favor of looking after you, willing to give you a place to stay should you need one.

at the sound of swift footsteps you wiped your eyes, the last thing you were going to look like was broken, no matter how much you truly were inside. 

zhongli’s concerned face entered your line of vision and you sat up straighter, gripping the strings of your bag tighter. he slowed down to a stop a few feet away from you, almost as if he could sense that the last thing you wanted was to be close to him. fresh tears threatened to drip down your cheeks as you wobbly stood up, knees weak from waiting for so long. 

he took a few experimental steps towards you, his hand reached out to quietly brush a few stray tears. feet moved away from him, stepping back out of arms reach. his hand fell limply. 

“i’m so sorry, my dear” he whispered. his heart constricted at the sight of your teary face and red lips. 

perhaps he knew internally that this time was different; that maybe this time his failure to check the clock and instead get lost in conversation with his colleague would be the last straw. 

“you were supposed to be here 3 hours ago” 

your head was turned away from him; you could never stay mad for long despite the amount of betrayal coursing through your veins. well aware were you that he would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, then why, oh why, did this hurt so bad?

“i know, i...i truly apologize, i was helping my new colleague learn the history behind liyue harbor and i lost track of time”

“this was a rescheduled date zhongli. we haven’t seen each other properly in three weeks. your colleague has been taking up all of your time” you bit out, waves of jealousy rising through your chest unintentionally at the mere mention of his colleague. 

“darling, it’s my duty as a consultant to share my knowledge with people. i can’t refuse their questions”

“really? you’re going to pick them over me?”

you fought to keep the anger out of your voice while frustration seeped through the broken crevices of your words. anger at his colleague yes, but more potently, frustration at zhongli for being unable to recognize people’s advances towards him under the pretense of “education.”

your anger felt out of place under the soft gaze of his amber eyes, and you looked away, feeling unusually small. the strings of your bag under your hands roughly ground against your palms, anchoring you to the real reason you waited. 

zhongli sighed softly, trying his best to make you understand. your anger was warranted he decided, yet he needed you to know that you were the only one he would ever love. 

“of course not, they’re just a friend. however, it seems i have made you more upset than i had intended. is there anything i can do to make it up to you?”

he fought to make eye contact with you, praying you would be able to read the sincerity behind his molten eyes. 

you shook your head, carefully balancing your bag on your shoulder. 

“i’m leaving.”

zhongli’s head immediately shot up, eyes wide, and mouth opening to interject. 

you held your hand up, silently asking him to wait. 

“i’m not leaving for good, i’m just... setting off on my commission a little earlier than intended. i think an adventure by myself is long overdue and maybe when i get back, we...we can work things out”

you looked off to the side, knowing full well you were simply running away from your problems. internally you were aware of how displeased zhongli most likely was, knowing he preferred to work problems out as they arise, keeping your relationship healthy. 

however you didn’t want to, at least not right now. the frustration and hurt was still fresh in your mind, no matter how well intentioned you knew zhongli to be. a simple conversation along with a few apologies wouldn’t quell your aching heart. you needed to soothe it yourself and setting off on your commission two days earlier would kickstart the healing. 

zhongli bowed his head politely. 

“if that is what you wish, then i agree. i will wait for your return.”

his heart clenched painfully as the worst case scenarios flashed through his mind. perhaps this was it, the final curtain call on your time together. perhaps this was the final chapter to your beautiful story. either way, he let himself hope as you allowed him to reach you, his lips brushing a gentle kiss on your forehead as he murmured a, “stay safe” into your skin. 

as he watched you walk away, with your bag slung over your shoulder packed with too many things, he hoped that you would come back. 

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#ngl it was really hard to write angst for zhongli bc hes so #NICE??? #and perfect??? #i hope this was ok tho LMAOO #zhongli x reader #zhongli #genshin zhongli x reader #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin headcanons #genshin scenarios #genshin imagines #zhongli x you #zhongli x y/n