Honkai Star Rail (READER)

Welt - Cottage in the woods

"Five years, and I still can't draw a nose. An art degree for this-"

"It looks good Welt. You're just a perfectionist." You complimented, handing him a cup of coffee. It was late, but you knew that his deadlines would keep him working into the later hours of the night. 

"Thank you, dear." Welt held your hand, caressing his finger over the wedding ring he had proposed with nearly twenty years ago with. Admiring the way it fit, he noticed the grooves in that part of your finger were much darker, evidence of all the years you'd kept it on. Though, it was as if it hadn't been removed in a thousand years. 

Welt's smile faded slightly upon this observation. 

Stepping out towards your backdoor, you entered the sunroom, one that you originally hoped to turn into a garden. A tiny safe space you'd designed in hopes of finding a hobby that worked for you. Though, you were born without a green thumb, plants seemed to wither at your touch. The little sanctuary was turned into an observation room, where you could sit and watch the bird feeder. 

Welt followed you out, making sure not to make too much noise as a sparrow was hunched over your birdbath. 

"It has beautiful feathers." You noted, watching the sunlight fade behind the tiny critter as it soaked in the still water. The dark brown patterns with white stripes that flowed down the bird's back captivated you. 

"Do you remember it now?" Welt asked, slightly cursing himself after it slipped out.

"Remember what?" 

"The question you asked me before dinner." He tried to make an excuse, though you could tell that something was wrong. 

Shaking your head, you found it harder to recall simple things. You accredited it to getting up there in age, it was nothing serious, but you had noticed those subtle little changes. 

"Let's go on a hike Welt. Just before the sun goes down."

He had no problem with that idea, lacing his hiking boots and bringing his cane along for the trek. The woods where the two of you had settled off the coast of a small beach town, dug deep in the crevice of the woods was a peaceful place. 

When you settled down this was always the place you wanted to be in, with him. It was perfect, not a single thing out of place from your bucket list you made as a child. 

He noticed your solemn gaze as you stared over the trees and towards the water. Interlacing your fingers together he wanted to be your support beam. 

"The breeze is nice, isn't it?"

"Y/N, are you alright? You've been having these long contemplative stares recently-"

"I'm fine Welt. I just realized something that I hadn't seen before." You smiled, feeling the wind grace your shoulders and shake the trees. The sound of the rustling and the smell of the crisp autumn air. 

"What do you see now?" He worried. 

"I see peace. After all the worlds that we saved together, and all the struggles we faced, I'd be lying if I said they didn't affect me anymore." Welt clutched onto your hand a bit tighter, scared as of to what you might be trying to say. 

"I still have nightmares about it. But now that we're here. I think I'm ready to finally relax." You admitted, realizing the grudges that you held, the fear that you epitomized had lingered in your mind. It was like an infection of sorts, plaguing your happiness with thoughts of destruction and the fear of it all crashing around you. 

This fear had manifested itself in the way you cared for things, for yourself, and for the garden. Perhaps, it even had an effect on how you had treated Welt. That idea scared you, that hateful and angry person wasn't who you were, not anymore.