Yellow Carnations (Genshin Impact slight yandere various males x reader)

Zhongli [When?]

"Listen carefully (Y/n)-"

The woman you held in your arms was bleeding, she was struggling to breathe. Her body pooled in her own blood, staining the grass below. She reached out, gently cupping your cheek- this was the last lesson she would give you. With her dying breath, she whispered these words- hushed and sacred- so only the two of you would know.

"-trust no one but yourself. Become strong, protect yourself- and your heart carefully."

Your eyes met with the dark of the hotel room, another nightmare plagued your dreams again. It was relentless, repetitive, and horrifying. You couldn't decipher if they were true memories that you had forgotten, or they just served as a warning to you. The Coven believed any dreams had meanings- gifts from mother earth, and they were signs you shouldn't ignore. You put on your coat, deciding it was best to go on a short walk to cool your mind. You were tired of these dreams or nightmares- you just needed a good night of sleep and you were starting to get irritated.

Once you stepped out of the hotel building, the chilly winter cold greeted you with the ghost town of Liyue. Your mind was stressed with your mission- keeping secrets, lying- it made you hide your true self. A job was a job, and this is what you had agreed to do. You walked by the harbor, staring at the deep ocean blue. Once you had finished your mission here, you would pay Mondstadt a visit. That, you vowed on your Coven name.

The sea reminded you of Childe's eyes, dark and hollow- the dark color only reminded you of unforeseen events. You grew irritated and decided to look for a new spot to sightsee- not the ocean preferably. Stopping at a bridge, you gazed at the small fireflies dancing around, looming near the trees above. They were cute- flying about and minding their business. Some even flew around, close to your face as you observed the small insects. You swore you heard a voice near you, startled you turned quickly to see the person.

His golden eyes widened when they saw you- his mouth open ajar. His brown hair swayed behind his back, with blonde highlights at the tips. Red eyeshadow complemented his entire wardrobe choice, it highlighted his beautiful face and eyes. You half expected Childe to bother you at these unseemly hours, but this was much more welcome anytime. There was a few moments of silence, eyes locked onto each other, you eventually grew uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Uh- Goodmorning?" You greeted the stranger, a puff of warm air escaped your lips- indicating that it was indeed cold.

"(Y/n)?" You flinched- how did he know your name? Your head was ringing alarm bells- red lights blinking over and over. Jumping back, you reached in your pocket, gripping onto some electro crystals. Your other hand was readied with flaming flower seeds- if you really had to resort to violence, hopefully, this would give you enough time to escape. The man's reaction was strange- he seemed frustrated, closed his eyes in a remorseful manner, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Forgive me- I didn't mean to scare you. It's just, truth be told you reminded me of someone I once knew."

"Someone you once knew?" You repeated his words to yourself as if you didn't understand. You didn't understand, he mistook you for an old friend or a deceased relative. You couldn't help but feel sad for him- you must've brought up old scars or wounds, reopened them only for it to effortlessly bleed. Comfort. It's what he needed- but you were no therapist. You weren't great at comforting people, especially like this. What would you say? How do you know what to say and what to not?

Both of you were practical strangers, but your heart yearned to mend, to fix his broken scraps. You hated yourself- you hated how caring and kind you were, how you related to these heartbreaks. It would be your downfall. And you knew it. You cussed- shoving those thoughts into a trash can, this man in front of you was sorrowful. And you wanted him to leave untroubled.