Dear (Genshin Impact X Reader)

Perfect (Zhongli)

"...Yuyu? Might I ask why you're rubbing your face so furiously? You'll end up hurting yourself, sweetling."

Zhongyu ceased his motions, hands dropping to his sides as he gazed up at his father with moist golden eyes and a weak, "Baba..."

"Dry your tears with this instead. Now, tell your father what's gotten you so upset. Though I may not be as ' hip ' or ' cool ' as most fathers these days (considering that I'm more than old enough to be everyone's father and well, ancestor if we're being technical—) according to your mother, perhaps telling me of your plight can ease your burdens even a little"

With practiced ease, the funeral consultant lifted the little boy into his arms and produced a silk handkerchief from within his suit before dabbing the cloth gently upon the wetness that stained his golden-scaled cheeks. Zhongyu inherited his draconic traits from both his parents, but his coloring was more like his father's: earthy and golden.

And therein lies the exact problem.

"Why didn't I get mama's pretty silver scales instead?"

His son's question honestly caught Zhongli off guard, having not expected that to be the root cause of his apparent distress.

"Dima has his mama's pretty white hair AND silver scales. So why couldn't I have at least got my mama's scales...?" Zhongyu looked dejected as he pouted aggrievedly, tightening his embrace on his father's neck and burying his face into the crook to hide his puffy face.

Ahh, so he was jealous of his imaginary friend? Zhongli chuckled as he rubbed his son's back tenderly, recalling Zhongyu's outlandish story about meeting and talking with another child eerily similar to himself. While his son took his dark hair and scales, this 'Dima' sported white hair and scales similar to his wife: You. The ex-archon supposed that Yuyu was perhaps starting to get lonely and wanted a sibling, which is why he conjured up the image of another child, 'Dima' who seemed to be what Yuyu imagined his future brother would look like.

"You could have been born with your mother's coloring, but you inherited mine instead and there's nothing anyone could have done about it. Neither your mother and I could choose what you would look like, but we love you all the same for it. Regardless of the color of your skin, your scales, your hair, or even your eyes you will always be perfect to us. I hope you see the beauty we see in you as well, my son."

"...Mama doesn't mind that I look like Baba more?"

"Of course not. In fact, from the first moment she saw you your mother already loved you with all her heart," and for the first time in his eons of existence did Zhongli feel a slight sense of jealousy when you spent all your time with your child, but that was quickly squashed by the knowledge that Zhongyu was also HIS offspring. Morax & Rex Lapis within was comforted by the knowledge that you treasured the fruit of your union so much.

"Now then, we best be getting home lest your mother start to worry over our whereabouts"

"...Can I at least say goodbye to Dima?" Zhongyu points to the shallow pond he'd been squatting over while crying earlier.

"I don't see why not. Make sure not to fall in the water or your mother will have my hide."

"I'll be careful, Baba."

The dark-haired man gingerly placed the child back on the ground and watched as he scampered off to the pond and began speaking to his reflection in the water. Had he been an ordinary human he wouldn't have noticed that the reflection on the water sported a different eye color than Yuyu's own amber eyes.

Rather, the reflection had a pair of familiar blue eyes...