High Impact || Genshin Impact H.S AU

Chapter 10.2

“Ugh, can’t believe I have fucking headache,” Zhongli mutters to himself, waking up after another restless day.

He turns his head to the side, seeing the large mirror that had a cute ocean outline to it. He winces, remembering who bought it for him. Even from across the room, he could see that his eyes were red, and he looked like a mess. He decided to take some eye drops to fix the red eyes, but he also decided he didn’t give a shit about his appearance today.

He swung his legs out, his feet touching the soft carpet, and got up, stretching his back with two arms to the sky. Twisting his neck, he heard and felt a satisfying crack along with his knuckles. He bent down to his feet, his back cracking and snapping out all of the tension in his shoulders and muscles.

All but one, his heart. He stood in front of the mirror, seeing himself.
Sharp eyes, a tall build, and a body that looked like it could dominate others with his smoldering face. Tragically he was a bottom and not the power kind, so he rolls his eyes at all the details that his relatives kept on complimenting him for. His eyes drifted back to the mirror outline, seeing the custom ocean wavey blue outline, remembering the shock he felt when seeing it out of Childe’s car on his birthday.

“Ugh,” he says out loud, not ready to deal with the memory of Childe again. He wished he could forget the ginger but every time he screamed into the void that was his mind, it would only echo back with memories of a failed love.

He would throw out the mirror if it wasn’t the only other mirror he had in the apartment. So instead, he walks away, going to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for the day.

Looking in the other mirror that he has in the apartment, he watches himself with bored eyes, brushing his teeth and letting the foam build-up in his mouth. It began to drip onto his shirt, and he let it do so, not caring. Eventually, he stopped, not wanting to ruin the shirt, the district did not have a thrift store for some reason, and he couldn’t afford new shirts all the time.

He steps out of the bathroom and changes into his school clothes, typical dark mustard knitted sweater over a white shirt with baggy jeans while sporting a pair of dark boots.

Looking in the mirror, he gives a small thumbs-up, satisfied with the outfit and ready to head to school. Grabbing his bag, he heads out the door and begins his short route to school, walking distance.

He walks down the sidewalk, avoiding puddles and occasional berries that may have fallen from trees, he didn’t want to ruin his dark boots. Looking up towards the sky, he sees trees blossoming again, bushes bearing new fruits, and flowers blooming. The morning held a fine mist to it, something he enjoyed, a refreshing feeling.

He had to admit that while winter had been crappy to him, it was nice to return to spring, and start anew. Like the time he went on an awful trip to Dragonspine, winter had been a cold and brutal experience, beating him down with a lack of sunlight and freezing temperatures at night, plus heartbreak.

The worst of it all, a sharp sting feeling that cracks and sends waves of worthlessness down your veins, making living feel agonizing at times.

He considered maybe getting out his agenda and planner again, using it once more, and returning to his orderly ways.  Seeing the flowers again and the trees turn pink, made him want to be productive and get more organized, do a little spring cleaning.

Eventually, he reaches the school, seeing the tall and illusive brick building. Zhongli stands before the steps that led to the school building, the very same steps that broke his heart three months ago.

“Childe! What is wrong?” Zhongli cries out, frustrated, and confused.

All week Childe had been distant and unresponsive, not paying attention and seeming himself around Zhongli. He was confused and worried, but he believed it was a one-day thing. But at this point, it seemed to be continuous and draining.

“Nothing!” Childe shouts out, hurrying down the steps with Zhongli tailing him.

Football practice had ended, and Zhongli wanted to kiss Childe, a light peck but for some reason the ginger had ducked him, confusing Zhongli the hell out.

“Clearly it's nothing when you don’t even want to kiss!” Zhongli shouts out, at the top of the steps. He felt infuriated, being pulled to the seams but also unwanted from his own boyfriend. Zhongli loved order and clarity, so not seeing it at the moment, everything felt off. Childe was about to dash out on Zhongli, leave him behind before Zhongli shouted out,

“STOP IT!”.

Tears pricking his eyes and his heart racing, he hated this feeling, this agonizing wave of confusion and fear, all balanced on one person who wasn’t opening themselves up.

“Please” Zhongli whispered, then adding more louder, “talk to me, what’s wrong?”. He goes down the steps, reaching to a Childe whose face was staring at the ground. Zhongli cupped Childe’s cheek and lifted it, viewing a face contorted in pain. He didn’t understand but he wished to, to reach past the oceans separating them apart.

“I-” Childe begins, a single tear shedding, then continuing. “I think we should break up,” Childe finishes, backing away. Zhongli freezes, his heart feeling as if it had been stabbed.

“Y-you think, or-” Zhongli says, puzzled and suspended in stone.

“Let’s break up,” Childe says, more definitively. The Liyue student puts his arms down, appalled at the request.

“S-shouldn't we talk this out or-” Zhongli asks hoping to figure it all out, but Childe interrupts him.

“No, we’re breaking up,” Childe announces with a solemn stare before leaving Zhongli at the steps. A huge rising sob came over Zhongli, shivering in the cold as the first snow began to descend, in tears and hiccupping over his now failed love.

Zhongli winces at the memory, hoping to not have been reminded of it every time he passes the steps but so far it had proved to be happening. The tinges of cold and blue still haunt from arriving at home, nearly frozen and heartbroken that day, now sending a chill down his spine whenever bypassing the steps.

Then, two figures pass by him, going up the steps.

“Omg we’re going to be so late,” Mona said, giggling, hearts in her eyes.

“Not if you know how to convince teachers properly,” another boy nearby her said, smugly. He wore an odd hat while wearing a very skater boy outfit.

Zhongli realized it must be the new Inazuman student who arrived at the school, apparently was unable to arrive during the welcome ceremony at the beginning of the school year. It seemed he and Mona were getting close, holding hands while walking and giggling up the steps.

The sight sickened him, realizing he didn’t eat breakfast at all. Between the sight of young love, being cruelly reminded of his break-up, and not having breakfast, he made a haste decision to simply skip school for the day, not in the mood. So, with that, he left the premises and headed home, hoping to get some proper sleep for once.