Chapter Text
“You can get up now,” Zhongli said after a few moments passed. But the other didn’t move. They didn’t take a breath. They didn’t wake up. They weren’t there anymore.
“No. Don’t tell me I-” Zhongli exclaims, getting up, stumbling to climb away from the sheets, and hurriedly coming to their side, attentively looking for signs that they were still alive. He placed his head on their chest, painstakingly listening for a heartbeat that was no longer there.
“No. I refuse to believe this” he continued to mutter to himself, trying his hardest to resuscitate his beloved friend, placing his mouth over theirs and pushing useless air in and out of their body.
“I can’t believe this happened,” he says, after trying his best for the past 10 minutes. “They were just laughing an hour ago, we were enjoying ourselves just now! Why didn’t they use our safety word?! Please, Celestia, someone, please!” he cried out but nobody could reply. They were alone after leaving Dawn Winery after meeting up with Venti and they had both ventured to the city’s Inn for the evening. He refused to leave their side even for a brief moment, so he sat somberly by their side holding their hand tight, having dressed them up. He sat alone in the room, unable to sleep, grieving in silence.
Dawn came and so did Venti, seeing that they were to meet for a quick breakfast before heading out to Stormterror’s Lair to meet with Dvalin. Venti came quietly, the winds telling him a tragedy occured, but he didn’t want to know what occurred until he saw for himself. He entered through the open windows and silently approached Zhongli’s figure. He raised his eyes to the figure on the bed and his breath stopped for a brief moment, shock filling him. “Z-zhongli… w-what did you do?” he asked, wide-eyed. “...” Zhongli said nothing, sitting motionless.
“ZHONGLI! ANSWER ME” Venti yelled, not worried about the older Archon God, pointing his bow at him in anger.
“...THEY WERE FINE YESTERDAY, ANSWER ME NOW!” Venti’s grief-powered anger started to swirl around him, causing a gush of strong winds to appear out of their room, doors and windows rattling.