Requested by RaidenNekoRanger99
Additional TW: none
(H/C): Your hair color
I hope this is what you wished for!
Another normal-seeming day arrives. No conflicts, no problems, no storms. Everyone's daily routine is undisturbed.
Without anything in particular on her mind, Shenhe chews on some medical herbs she collected earlier. It is really early in the morning and the rays of the sun are just paving their way through the thick clouds, therefore the mountains are enveloped in a weak but gentle light.
The white-haired woman's quiet peace is disturbed by a familiar bird landing right next to her. "Already up I see. Do you have any particular plans for today?"
"No, why the question?"
"Would you mind doing a little errand for me? It is nothing too complicated, really. You simply have to pick up a package that was delivered to Wangshu Inn on your name."
Shenhe sighs barely noticeable. "Fine."
Half a day later, Shenhe returns to Cloud Retainer's abode and is greeted by an unusual number of voices. Besides the usual three animal adeptis she is more or less used to, there is one more person present. The little group's attention is focused on the stranger so they don't notice Shenhe's arrival.
"How in the Geo Archon's name did you survive that accident in the first place? You may have great powers but even they have a limit...", Moon Carver asks.
The stranger fixes her (H/C) hair. "As previously stated, I have absolutely no knowledge of that. I simply woke up one day without any clue why I woke up to begin with."
"It is rare to see a miracle like this happening. If I wouldn't be here myself, I would consider this story a bad joke.", Mountain Shaper speaks up.
With a spark of curiosity Shenhe approaches the group. "Master, I got you your package."
Cloud Retainer takes the delivery. "You have my gratitude. Ah, you probably wonder who our guest over here is. This is (Y/N), a Yaksha everyone believed to be dead up until a few minutes ago." She looks towards you. "And (Y/N), this is Shenhe, a child I have taken care of ever since she was young."
"A human learning from an adepti..? It appears that I have missed out quite a lot of things during my absence." Your eyes linger on the human for another moment, more specifically on the red ropes that are tied around her body, but you dismiss the topic since you are not in a position that has the right to know.
"She proved her sturdiness when she was a child so there never was a problem with training her."
"Interesting... A pleasure to meet you Shenhe."
The evening continues similarly. Tales of the past and the present are told to each other so that everyone is on the same page. As far as you were able to sense, Xiao did show up too but remained in distance and vanished rather quickly too. At the end of the day, you decide to stay at Cloud Retainers abode for now as your previous task isn't up-to-date anymore.
Time passes and you grow closer to the people around you. While the relationship to the other adeptis gets back to the same level it was in the past, you find the best friend you never had in Shenhe. Perhaps you even have some deeper feelings for her that you choose to ignore. She isn't particularly social or kind with words, but something does draw you to her. In your eyes, she hides a lot of good qualities inside so that nobody is able to witness them.
"Come on, just a little trip to Liyue Harbor. I know that somewhere deep inside you is a part that wants to~", you put your left arm around her shoulders and point with the other in the direction of the said city.
Shenhes face remains expressionless. "Why should I want to go?"
"Because it is natural for a human to want to mingle with other humans. I know that the last visit didn't go well...", you pause, remembering how Shenhe smashed some drunkards into a wall after they tried to touch you. "...but the probability that this will happen again is very low - as long as you remember that a broken hand can be somehow justified in most cases – a corpse can't. That's at least my experience."
"I differ from the common folk so much. They either see me as some kind of monster or they believe that I am an adepti. I can barely see any use in another visit."
"You clearly have spent too much time with the adepti... As long as you try, you can find that reason and maybe a place in that lively city too. Don't be so hard with yourself – wherever is a will, there's a way too. Nobody is an exception of that.", you squeeze her gently. "Besides, how do you want to find your significant other if you stay almost your whole life in those lonely mountains? Somebody to share your secrets and problems, someone to feel comfortable around... Whoever that person is, they would be robbed of someone as brave and beautiful as you!"
"I don't need to go to Liyue Harbor for that."
"How do you know that?"
"Because the person you described is right next to me."
Trying to process the new information, you remain still and silent like a statue. "Like in love? The romantic love?"
"Yes."
"...A terrible choice, really. It's not like I dislike that idea, but maybe you should reconsider. I am not-"
"No.", the other woman interrupts you.
"Alright, good that we talked about that... Does that mean we are a thing now?"
"I guess so."
"How to survive death and get yourself a girlfriend – what an interesting chapter of my life I'm in right now..."
In the end you manage to convince Shenhe, your new girlfriend, to go to the city at least for a short trip. You brought her some tasty snacks because you don't want her to chew on bitter herbs for the rest of her life and she brought you a pair of hairpins that match your eyes. This time you are able to return without any mayor conflicts with the civilians.
Under a tall tree, you two sit together and observe the full moon.
"I didn't know that you are the type to gift others accessories."
"I asked my chatty master for that.", Shenhe explains.
"Why did you not want to go with me then? You can purchase such hairpins only in Liyue Harbor, so where would have been the purpose of asking then?"
"Why do you wish to be close to humans if they are the cause of your near-death? Why do you always put on that fake smile despite the unbearable pain that you must feel?"
Your partners questions catch you off guard. "So Cloud Retainer told you about that too... Well, just because a small portion of humans decided to betray my kindness it doesn't mean that everyone else will do that too. And as for the other question: The pain is just another reason for me to smile. When I smile the pain seems to become fainter, even if only by a bit. It is my way of coping."
"And what if you run into people of that small portion again?"
"I guess I will take my rightful place among the dead like I was supposed to a long time ago. I want to be as much of service as I can. You can't avoid death for eternity, yknow?"
Instead of the acceptance you expected from her side you receive a rather aggressive reaction. She grabs you by your collar and pushes you against the tree with enough strength to demobilize you. "No, I don't understand that. You can't just sacrifice yourself for the sake of other people's happiness! They wouldn't cry one single tear after your death! I finally found someone who understands me. You can't take that special person away from me!"
"Shenhe calm down! Your wrath is getting the better of you! You are becoming unreason-", before you can finish your sentence your world fades to black.
The human checks for a sign of life after knocking you out and sighs relieved. "God, I almost thought that I hit you too hard. This isn't my homicidal nature speaking, it is simply the part of me that cares for you. I don't want to loose the single person who doesn't see me as a monster so I hope you can forgive me for what is yet to come."
That took me longer than I originally planned.
I hope you enjoyed reading and stay healthy!