Disclaimer: I don't own Genshin impact. I do, however, own the main character of this story and another original character who will make an appearance. Eventually.

Chapter One

At some point it began to rain.

I was soaking wet; the fabric of my Glorybringer dress had grown heavy and my long hair was clinging to my skin. I should have probably found some shelter to wait out the storm, but by the time I realized my current predicament I was already drenched.

I suppose that's what I get for being so wrapped up in my own head. I had meant to take a short walk around Liyue Harbor just to stretch my legs, but I kept getting distracted by my own wandering thoughts. Eventually I decided to stop in the middle of the bridge I was passing through at the time and stare out at the water rather than unintentionally walk into someone or something.

Seeing as I was already wet, I saw no point in getting out of the rain at this point. Not to mention that the cool water felt nice on my skin.

At the very least it had been a nice momentary distraction from the events of a month ago when I had found and confronted my son, Aether.

"I'm sorry, mom. But if you plan on getting in my way, then that makes you my enemy." Aether's eyes were as cold as ice as he raised his blade at me.

I raised my own blades. Fighting my son was the last thing that I wanted to do, but I knew that I could not allow him or the Order of the Abyss to go through with their schemes. "Then I'm sorry too, Aether. But I can't let you do this."

I allowed him to strike the first blow before countering everyone of his attacks afterwards. Aether was stronger than when I last saw him years ago, but I had over a thousand years of experience over him and it showed. Many of his minions had tried to intervene, to slow me down in their attempts to help their leader, but they all fell to my blades. This only served to enrage my son, increasing the strength behind his blows as he made good on his promise to treat me like an enemy if I chose to oppose him.

Unfortunately for Aether it wasn't enough.

While his fighting style had diverted somewhat from what I had taught him, I could still see he relied heavily on the basics and techniques that I had pounded into him and his sisters when they were younger. This made it easy to break through most of his defenses and knock him onto his knees.

I could have ended his plans right then and there, but... I had gotten distracted. We both did, but Aether had recovered from it much faster.

I felt his sword pierce right through me seconds later.

"MOM!" I heard a female voice scream.

Despite the outcome of the battle, Aether had not gotten away unscathed.

Being impaled had been unpleasant, but my son had also provided me with the perfect opportunity to place the seal I had created specifically for this moment.

Reaching out, I yanked my son closer by pulling his sword further into my body before slamming my hand into his chest and activating the seal.

If my son insisted on this path, I was not going to make it easy for him.

But that had been as far as I got before a spell cast by one of those creatures accompanying him, called an Abyss Mage, had hit me point blank and sent me flying backwards. The ground gave out underneath my feet as I was pushed back and too late I realized that the two of us had been fighting by a cliff.

All I remembered after that was falling. A voice calling for me as I fell. Angry screaming followed by the sounds of swords clashing being renewed. And then pain and darkness when I finally hit the bottom of the ledge we fought at.

Even now after a significant amount of time had passed, I still wondered.

Who had been the one calling out for me then? The one who had unintentionally distracted Aether and I during our fight, giving Aether the opportunity to stab me and myself the opportunity to seal away his powers?

I remembered the female voice had screamed for me. Had screamed for mom. So it had to be one of my remaining two children, my daughters.

Lumine? Or was it Serafina?

I knew it had been one of them to bring me to Liyue a month ago. The green haired owner of the pharmacy I was staying at, Baizhu, told me that I had been dragged in by a young girl with the same blonde hair as me from the little he saw beneath the cloak she was wearing at the time.

"Should you not be recovering at Bubu Pharmacy, Miss Selena?" A deep baritone voice asked me, snapping me out of reminiscing. I could hear the strong disapproval in it. "What are you doing out in this weather?"

I winced, feeling like a child that knew they were about to be scolded. "Well…"

I froze when I realized several things. The first was that there was no more rain. Or rather, I could still hear it but I was no longer being drenched in water. I glanced up and saw an umbrella over my head, which explained why I couldn't feel the downpour any more.

The next is that the voice sounded close. Close enough that the owner of the voice was standing right next to me.

And third?

The voice belonged to a certain consultant from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Who I was trying to avoid during my stay in Liyue. Whose amber eyes always seemed to pierce through me and stare right into my soul.

I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Of course.

I should have stayed in the pharmacy.

My body stiffened before I forced myself to relax. Turning in the direction of the speaker, I tilted my head upwards so that I was staring straight at him. "Hello, Mr. Zhongli. I thought I would take a nice stroll. I've been feeling somewhat restless lately."

It wasn't a lie. I did leave the pharmacy to get some fresh air. As kind as the pharmacist, Baizhu, and his little assistant Qiqi were, I was beginning to go stir crazy. So when the owner of the pharmacy was busy attending to a customer and Qiqi was off collecting herbs, I took the opportunity to sneak out and get some air.

I just didn't take into account that it would rain.

Or that I would be so lost in thought that I didn't realize the downpour until it was far too late.

Now finding myself standing next to the tall and elegantly dressed man who worked at a funeral parlor, I officially regretted all my life choices.

In trying to distract myself from the awkward silence that settled between us when neither of us spoke any further I noted that despite the fact that it was pouring cats and dogs, the consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral was as impeccable as always. I couldn't help but feel jealous considering I must have looked like a drowned cat, but he had been smart enough to bring an umbrella with him.

Long brown hair that faded into a lighter colour at the ends tied into a ponytail that fell past his waist, a form fitting formal brown suit that was tailored perfectly to him, amber eyes that always seemed to see right through me no matter how much I tried to put on a poker face...

Once upon a time in a past life I would have been ecstatic that I was talking to the man right in front of me. He had been one of my favourite characters, if just for his deep voice, his endearing eccentricities, and his good looks.

…

Bahamut, I could feel my face burning. I hope he can't see my face turning red.

"In the rain?" He said dryly. If he did see me blushing, he thankfully didn't point it out. "When people take strolls, they often do so when the skies are clear."

"That was an oversight on my part." I admitted with a wince. "I probably should have brought an umbrella with me before heading out earlier. I'll be sure to do that next time."

I turned away from him and started walking back in the direction of Bubu's pharmacy. No doubt the owner and his employee Qiqi were wondering where I was. I was going to have to apologize for dripping all over their store once I returned.

That, and I wanted to put as much distance between me and the man in front me as possible. Getting out of the rain seemed like a good excuse to get away, right?

"Please wait." Zhongli's voice spoke from behind me.

Though it sounded like a request, the tone in voice told me it was more of a command. One that spoke of authority that demanded respect.

"Yes?" I asked. "Is there something that you need?"

Please say no.

The consultant looked at me in disbelief… and was that concern? His lips were set in a frown as he moved towards me once again. Much to my embarrassment, I felt my body tense as he got closer. I didn't realize that I had brought my arms closer to my chest until I was clutching my hands.

"You're bleeding." He finally said. "Did you not realize that?"

I was what?

Blinking, I looked down and indeed saw a large red stain on the fabric of my white dress that was spreading.

It was around the area that Aether stabbed me during our confrontation.

"Ah." I finally said. "No, I didn't."

Was I really so out of it that I completely missed this?

Something brushed against my body and I looked up to see that Zhongli was no longer wearing his coat. Glancing downwards, I realized that was because he had draped it over my shoulders

"What are you doing?" His coat was warm and as much as I wanted to snuggle into it once I realized just how cold I had become, I couldn't accept it. "I'm already soaking wet and as you pointed out, bleeding. Your coat's going to get ruined."

I tried to shrug his beautifully tailored coat off, but found that it was being readjusted firmly over me again by its owner.

"My coat is the last thing you should be worrying about in this situation." Zhongli, for the first time since I've met him, looked exasperated. "Rather, your concern is misplaced. Perhaps I should remind you that you have reopened an injury to the point that it is bleeding? Or that you could easily get sick in your state due to you deciding to stand around in the rain for a long period of time?"

Zhongli shot me a look that made me feel like a little kid who got caught trying to steal cookies.

"But still-!" I wasn't able to argue about it any further because I suddenly found myself being lifted off my feet and into Zhongli's arms.

I squeaked.

"What are you doing?" I started pounding my arms against his chest, feeling my heart rate go up as I started to flail in his grip, dignity be damned. "Let me go!"

"I apologize." Zhongli said as he shifted his hold on me, tightening his grasp. I squeaked again as I was nestled more tightly against him, my head resting against his chest. "But we are getting nowhere with this and it's imperative that we treat your injury. Not to mention that the more you stay out here in the rain, the more likely you are to get sick. Hold on."

And then he ran.

I clung to him as if my life depended on it.

Posted this on Ao3 first and I thought that I would post it here as well. As you can see, this is a self-insert with some of my own creative touches added to it. I hope you enjoy the story.

Please leave a review and tell me what you think.