Tricks, Trips, and Song (Genshin Impact OC Fanfic)

Liyue V: Acceptance?

       "Oh wonderful, you've finally returned." Said Baizhu happily as I, clearly unsuccessfully, snuck back into the pharmacy.

       "I don't want to talk about it." I'd hoped to walking right passed him but he put his hand on the wall before I could.

       "Zane, I recognized that look of shame. Now I do know there is no way for me to actually convince you that you're welcome here, but I would at least like to try." He bent down just a little to look at my face which was turned away. Why do his eye glint like that it's not even that bright in this hallway. "Come join me for a walk?"

      I've been training with that guy, Ajax all day, my legs feel numb. "No, I'm tired."

      "No you aren't, but if you don't want to walk then let's at least go sit somewhere nice and open. Come along now, it isn't far I promise." The hand at the wall dropped to be offered to me, like some gentleman to a woman. Gross.

      "Fine." I grumbled, refusing his hand but turning around to let his lead the way.

       We only walked down all those stairs to climb the hill right next to the little pool. What a pain the paths here are so weird. Baizhu lead me to a little bamboo bridge that looked old, in front a waterfall tucked away amidst the rocks.

     He leaned with his back to the rail and faced the waterfall, I noticed he didn't have that snake with him. "Changsheng hates this waterfall, it's so noisey for her. But I quite love it."

     "Don't tell me you like to hide meaning in nonsense too?"

     "Not at all, but Zane, I get why one would be so defensive about what I found out about you. You're even more complicated than most-"

     "There's nothing complicated about it!" Well that was uncalled for, woah there emotions. "I hated my body and my friend fixed it. There's nothing more to it and there's nothing to do with philosophy, or opinion, or perception or whatever."

     "Alright then, explain it to me. It seems complicated to me, so walk me through it in a way that makes me understand." The way he just looked over his shoulder looks so smug... But I know that look... That stupid, curious look... Dammit.

     The sigh I let out was way more frustrated than I thought it'd be, "I'm not sure where it starts... I guess, if there's a simple way to explain it.... There was a point where I would wake up and immediately bind my chest down so no one would perceive me as a woman. Or perceive me at all. I've taken on the role of a man before for assignment, and on those assignments I was so comfortable playing the part. One of my comrades, the doctor among us..." I had to swallow hard, "H... Haiku." My throat felt clogged while saying his name out loud, "he suggested that I could change my identity. Become someone else, like in a story we liked."

     "I think I have a better understanding now.  I take it you were very close to this Haiku fellow?"

     "Yeah, he was the first person who treated me for a wound, and also the only one I enjoyed talking with." For some reason I feel like I need to remember how to breathe, or like my lungs are being pushed on. "Before I was leading a team, he was the only person who knew I existed beyond just a good-" no... I shouldn't tell him what I used to do.

     "You've said enough, I'm surprised you've said so much. So talkative once I get you started. That Kazuha fellow wanted me to tell you he'll be wandering around the mountains west of the harbor. If you wanted to find him."

     We went back to the pharmacy, as soon as I laid down I was hit with that wonderful pain of rest after a long, tiring, day. Despite my eyelids being closed, and every other piece to the puzzle of sleep in place, I was wide awake all night. Until the birds of the morning started singing, chirping, and tapping at my window.