When a God falls for you [Zhongli x Reader]

Exploded chicken

You wake up due to a big apple hitting your head. »OUCH« you shout out, then realizing that you slept outside under a tree. Your body was hurting a little bit since the ground you slept on wasn't necessarily the most comfortable one.

»Ughhhh« you groan, slowly trying to get up. You scratch your head and realize that the sun was already up high.
»Ohhh NO,, what time is it?!? I was supposed to meet up with Zhongli!!« you grab your jacket (which you bought the day before and used as a blanket over night) and run towards Liyue.

As you arrive, you already see Zhongli standing outside of the Wansheng Funeral Parlor's building. He seems like he just finished his work there.

Out of breathe, you finally stand in front of him, laughing awkwardly.

You don't know that at that point, you now look like an exploded chicken. (Shown above in the picture.)

»Heeeey,, How ya' doin?« you ask Zhongli with a sweaty, awkward smile.

»Uhm, I'm doing fine« he tells you, making a kind of weird face. »Did something happen to you? Why is there.. dirt and grass in your hair?«

You look at him in shook, then quickly ruffling your hair trying to get the dirt out, not even noticing that it was there.

»What?! Me?? No, I just, I- I was picking some flowers before I came here and.. climbed some trees and... fell apparently somehow, in the grass you know.. ehe..«

Zhonglis face expression didn't change a bit. You knew that he knew you were lying.
You stop stuttering around as you can't find a good excuse.

»I.. slept outside under a tree. An apple woke me up.. with a hit in my face.« you finally say, looking to the ground, a little ashamed of yourself.

»You slept outside? Why? Don't you have a home somewhere?«

»I-I... don't know..« you only manage to say.

Zhongli places his hand over his face.
»Why didn't you tell me that earlier?« he looks at you with crossed arms. He looked kind of scary to be honest, like a teacher who was about to lecture the heck out of you.

»I uhm...« you stutter, »I was too ashamed I guess..« you mumble, scared that he will have a bad view on you now.

By now, you're only waiting for him to say to leave him alone and find someone else to bother. Without doubt, you now really just wanted to sink into the ground.
"I mean.." you think to yourself, "I only know him for about 2 days now.. I haven't been useful at all yet, and worse - I probably was even a burden to him.."

You sadly look away, away from his eyes.

He steps forward and places his hand on your back. »That probably means that you also didn't eat something yet. Let's get a breakfast to go from the Wanmin Restaurant first. After that, we'll go back to the hostel I brought you to when I found you - I'll buy a room there for us for a few days.«

Blood flushed through your ears and cheeks after hearing that. Like What?!?
First of all, he's so calm?? And he's going to pay for you after you were such a helpless wreck?? And second of all, he said he's going to buy a ROOM FOR US??? Does that mean..?!?

»You know you don't have to do that Zho-«

»I insist.«

You hesitate first, not knowing what to say or do. But then quickly walk after him, still looking to the ground because of embarrassment.
"I mean, that's still better than sleeping outside I guess.."

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Zhonglis POV

"How does she really not remember anything? Not even having a home? Something.. deeper has to be behind this story. Hm, yes. There must be. The way she acted while having a vision.. I could feel it. I felt darkness, pain and suffering - and not only from her. Something dark happened there that day in the mountains. Something with great power.. a threat, and not only to y/n."

Zhongli looks back at you - who was tumbling sometimes while quickly walking behind him.

"My duty is to protect the mortals. I have to know what happened with y/n that day - maybe Liyue.. and her.. are in great danger. I can't leave her just like this. I have to find out who this person was she was talking about."