Genshin (mostly Dottore) x Reader ☆ (One-shots)

💌 | Zhongli x Automaton!Fem!Reader

⚙️A Pair Of Cold Yet Warm Metal Hands - Zhongli x Automaton!Fem!Reader⚙️

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Summary: Zhongli is a being with feelings, but how does one "feel" when they don't have any?

Word count: ~2k

Warning(s): Dark themes (death and murder), blood. Grammar mistakes probably, I am not an English native speaker.

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, fluff

P.S. This is inspired by the song -- Kokoronashi! Zhongli is a pretty hard character to write for xD He talks in a very flowery(?) language. I hope he doesn't sound OOC here- but hey, I'll never learn unless I try :')

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Autumn leaves started to fall as winter was right around the corner. The consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor - Zhongli, decided to take a stroll outside before the time to greet winter arrives, relishing the warmth that autumn still has to offer.

Leisurely walking down the road, he noticed something, or rather someone. He came to a stop and there was an unconscious woman lying against a rock.

He cautiously walked towards her. For all he knew, this could be a trap. "Pardon me, are you alright?" he called out, but there was no response.

He thought she was someone from around here, but upon closer inspection. She didn't look exactly... human. Something seemed off about her. At the corner of his eye, he saw something glowing. He looked to the side and there was what looked to be a core of some sort on the ground.

He knew he has seen it somewhere, but he couldn't tell what it was. The core emitted a warm glow. It looked colorful, strangely full of life.

As he was about to pick it up, it flew out of his grasp and flew to the woman. A bit taken back, he stood back and watched the scene unfold before him.

The core flew to where the woman's chest was and the body absorbed it.

...

Chaos fell upon the godless nation.
Families ripped apart.

The lives of the innocents were taken away forcefully.

Once screams of joy turned to terror.

"Escape from this horrid place, angel... for this land is no longer called home, but a disaster."

...

The woman slowly opened her eyes and she took a look at her surroundings. She was scanning the area but then she laid her eyes upon the man in front of her.

Zhongli was a bit uneased by the silent staring, he decided to ask her a question as a distraction.

"Ah, you're awake. Are you alright? I was just passing by and I saw you lying here unconscious."

She stayed quiet, with only her eyes lingering on him. Her mouth trembled, but no words came out.

'Perhaps she's too tired to say anything?'

Zhongli didn't ask any further and held out his hand instead "Here."

Still, nothing.

Well, this was quite the predicament.

Before he could say anything, the woman stood up. Zhongli noticed her movements were quite stiff. Expressionless and the movements somewhat rigid... the description reminded him of someone.