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sleepy-apparition · 1 year

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New Feelings Unbound (Shenhe x Reader)

WARNINGS:None

A/N: Hi there! This is my first time writing and publishing something, so it won’t be great. Also, the title says ‘x reader’, but the relationship is platonic(for now). Word Count: 1.793

Shenhe has always found it hard to connect with other people. Even when she was still a little girl not yet burdened with the curse of calamity, interacting with other people didn’t come easy. You can imagine then, the trouble she’d have after near decades of living in the mountains with only Adeptai and the odd illuminated beast to serve as company.

Learning how to fit into normal, human society is a rather difficult task. Her distant and indifferent nature, combined with her impressive strength, leads people to avoid her. Whether it is out of respect or fear varies from person to person. This certain type of loneliness that comes with being the odd one out, brings…. a small amount of ache to Shenhe’s heart. After all, she’s only human. Not that most people would think that.

If Shenhe is kind, people take that as confirmation that she’s an Adeptus and hail her. If Shenhe puts them in their place, then she gets condemned and called a witch. That’s how all her interactions with humans have gone. All, until she met a traveler roaming the mountains of Minlin.

She had first assumed you were lost, just another person who foolishly overestimated their sense of direction. No matter, she’s dealt with plenty like this before, what’s another? As the moon takes its place in the sky, Shenhe approaches.

“Pardon.” Her voice caused you to jump from where you were kneeled on the ground, spinning to face her immediately. It appears her tone was too harsh; she’ll have to adjust it.

“You are lost, correct? Here, I will guide you to- “

“I’m not lost.”

There was an awkward pause after you cut her off. It only lasted a moment, but it felt dragged out by the rather eye contact you’re making towards her. This was not an expected outcome. She wondered if she should question what you’re doing here or if she should just leave, but you beat her to it.

“I’m sorry! For interrupting, I mean. I am not lost; I came out this far in search of materials for my work.”

“Oh.” Another awkward pause. This is getting tiring. “So, you do not need my assistance?”

You looked to your feet and say, “Well, no…actually, could you help me find a place safe from hilichurls and the like? I’m gonna be in the mountains for a while, and I need a safe space to set up camp.”

Your request made her raise a brow. Were you not aware that the Adeptai made these mountains their homes? She asked you just that, and you reasoned that since you had no intention to disturb them, that it was fine to be up here.

“Are you an adeptus...? Ah, I never got your name.”

You state yours, then look at her expectantly. All this attention was…strange. You seemed rather interested in her. Having someone be this enthusiastic to get know her formed a weird feeling in her chest. Weird, but not unpleasant.

She realizes she’d been spacing out and quickly brings herself down to reality. “My name is Shenhe, And I am merely an Adeptus’s disciple. Now, follow me. I will lead you to a safe place to settle”

‘This feeling doesn’t matter’, she thought to herself. Like most who’ve come face to face with her, you’ll grow to hate her, and then you’ll leave. That’s just how it goes.

But you don’t grow to hate her. In fact, your interest in her person only seems to grow as you spend more time together. And oh, do you prefer your time to be spent together.

At first, it was casual. Casual, but practical. Things like, ‘Why don’t you stay longer for me to make you food? It’s the least I could do for you.’, or ‘Would you mind showing me my way around the mountain? I’m not quite used to them yet.’, were common phrases on your lips. You were straightforward about your needs and wants, she quite enjoyed that about you.

Actually, there was a lot she found enjoyable when she was around you. Ability to make herbs tasteful aside, Shenhe finds that being around you is an easy de-stressor. Your work, and living style, she presumes, is rather simple. Not always easy, but simple. “I’m out here on commission,” you explain on one slow afternoon, skipping a rock across the lake the two of you stopped to rest at, “Some novelist wanted me to stay here for a period, and document what the great mountains Liyue were really like. For a new book I guess.”

“What’s there to document about a mountain? It’s essentially a giant rock.” Shenhe states off to the side, adjusting her braid that came loose during a treasure hoarder raid. This novelist sounds both dull-minded and indolent to Shenhe. To both not be able to think of the environment a mountain would have and being unwilling to experience it yourself, doesn’t make for a very inspired person in her eyes.

You just shrug and respond, “Yeah, I suppose. I didn’t accept the first time because I thought it was a scam. But then one of the Guild's trade routes got blocked right as a couple restaurants sent out commissions asking for someone to bring them food supplies.” You pause and move from sitting on a rock to the ground closer to Shenhe.

“Since both commissions required me to be at same place, I decided to take up the novelist on his offer. What’s a little journaling to fill some spare time? If it doesn’t end up being a scam, then great! Double pay! If it does…I’ll find a way to my money out of him, somehow.”

Silence fills the air after your last comment, so you assume Shenhe has nothing else to say. You both just sit there for a minute and gaze at the scenery in front of you. Then you see Shenhe turn to you out of the corner of your eye. You turn to her as well, curious about what she’s doing, and are met the most serious expression you have ever seen someone make in your life.

She puts one hand over her chest and begins talking, “Materialistic things such as money and mora have no meaning to me. However, common folk require it live healthy, stable lives.” The hand over her chest clenches into a fist. “With that in mind, anyone who dares trick you into wasting your time will surely regret doing so when they’re met with the sharp end of my polearm.”

Her tangent ends, and her former rigid posture goes slack as she waits for a response. You on the other hand, are staring slack jawed at her. Did Shenhe really just propose murder? In completely seriousness? It finally registers in your head that yes, she did, and you respond at quickly as you can at that point.

“Um, please do not kill anyone just for scamming me! Or at all, preferably.”

“Hmm? But is not most effective to remove the root of the problem completely?”

“I mean-Yes, but murder is against the law!” You yell out. Shenhe looks at you questioningly, “The law?” she says. Oh boy.

It was a hot day in Liyue, like many others, but today was a bit different. Shenhe wanted you to come up Mt. Aozang with her, to either teach you to fight or to watch her fight. Her phrasing made it unclear.

You were initially excited when she invited you to her to come with her. She was taking you to what was essentially her home! But now, two hours into a three-hour long hike, you justifiably began to have second thoughts. And it’s already getting a bit harder to breathe, so you even want to imagine what it’s like at the summit.

Shenhe isn’t breaking a sweat, expected from someone whose lived most of their life up here. Sighing, you speak up, “Why did you want me to come along again? I didn’t catch your explanation.”

Shenhe looks at you questioningly, “The law?” she says. Oh boy.

She doesn’t even slow down when she responds, “You mentioned being paranoid due to your lack of self-defense; I’m bringing you up here to teach you what I’ve learned from my master.”

An easy solution, she thinks. Something she can help with. Gathering aside, most of your work involves a of trade routes and specifics about people she doesn’t know, so she’s glad to finally be able to repay your kindness with by teaching you a skill that will most definitely be useful.

Behind her, you groan. “You know, I’m sure there are friends who brawl with each other for fun, but I don’t think I could take a single hit from and still be able to stand.”

She halts faster than you can realize, and you bump into her. “Is everything alright?” You ask. You sound worried. She turns around to face you fully.

“Sorry. Yes, everything’s fine.” Despite her reassurance, she stands there in deep thought. It’s kind of strange to see her like this.

“…Did you forget something and just now remembered that you forgot? Or…was it something I said?” She shakes her head, but other than that doesn’t respond.

She bites her lip unceremoniously then speaks again, “You consider us to be friends...?”

You falter, “Are we not?” You’re a more than a bit crushed, and about to apologize for assuming

when Shenhe speaks up again.

“No-I mean yes, I also consider you to be very dear to me, and I hold you in high regard. It’s just…” ‘Just that I have no knowledge on how to be a good member of society, let alone a good enough friend for you’ Is what comes to mind, but Shenhe doesn’t say it. Not like that, at least.

“I have no prior companions from the mortal realm, nor do I have any knowledge in the realm of friendship.” Shenhe sucks in a shaky breath, “Despite this, I quite like the title of ‘friend’. And I am more than willing to learn about it. For you.”

You’re left stunned. What can you say? You were never expecting such a heartfelt confession from her. A moment passes without you saying anything, and Shenhe starts to regret saying anything. Before she can turn around and write it off, though, you grab her hand. Intertwining your fingers together, you bring pair of your locked hands into view and smile.

“Thank you, truly. And know that all the work you do is appreciated.” You bring your hands back down to your sides.

Those words leave Shenhe feeling…lighter. As if the heavy ropes that restricted her emotions had loosened. Instead of the usual numbness she felt, she was…happy.

The two of you walked up the rest of the mountain hand in hand.

#shenhe #shenhe x reader #x reader #genshin impact #there was a lot more to this #but I had a deadline #so this all I got right #I might make a part two #genshin x reader

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