“Whoa there,” Childe catches you before you can throw yourself into another pile of work. “Slow down, comrade. When was the last time you took a break?”
He recognises it; the desperation hidden in your tone when you tell him there’s too much to do to mess around, and that you were fine.
You were obviously not fine. Childe has seen many work themselves to the bone only to burn out in terrible ways. He doesn’t want that to happen to you - selfishly, he likes you better with some light in your eyes.
“Then how about this? Come have lunch with me, and I swear I’ll let you get back to work after.” He extends his hand to you, palm up, with a boyish smile. You wonder if he’s been in your position before, in some shape or form. “But you have to promise not to think about work while we’re hanging out, alright? Focus on one target at a time.”
“…Traveler.” Zhongli’s voice is gentle as he sets a teapot onto your desk. A calming aroma drifts from it; when did he brew that? Were you so distracted that you hadn’t heard him?
The man only chuckles at the question written on your face. “I’ve been here for a while.” He gestures to the window, sunlight streaming in like ribbons from a dance. “You’ve been working for hours.”
…You didn’t have the time for what he was suggesting. There would be other days, where–
When you meet those amber eyes, you feel your excuses deflate. “…Perhaps I’ll go for a walk, just a short one.”
There’s amusement in the way he pretends this wasn’t the outcome he was hoping for - for you to take a break, however short, and remember there was a world outside filled with color. A bit of the weight on your shoulders lifts as you take a walk with him, allowing your world to slow down.
“Catching up… to me?” Ganyu repeats in surprise. Understanding crosses her face when she realises how her work habits must’ve made you feel. Guilt comes next; she’s promised you a long time ago that she would take care of herself, but it seems like she’s failed to recognise when you started to need the same attention.
“Y/N, please don’t ever feel like you have to match or surpass anyone’s progress.” Ganyu’s gaze holds yours, and you’re unable to look away. She takes both your hands to give them a squeeze.
“There is value in you regardless of work results. You’re plenty irreplaceable without pushing yourself like this; your friendship in itself has made an impact on me, more than you’d know.”
“I… I wish to be someone you can rely on, just as you’ve accepted my insecurities.” Ganyu laughs lightly. “I suppose in that way, we’re both hoping to catch up with one-another, so don’t treat yourself too harshly, alright?”
About: A star-crossed AU that’s part of my ‘In Another Life’ AU collab! Do check out everyone else’s work through this linkif you’re interested in more content
CW:Angst for the most part! Specifics below:
Venti: Love that can’t happen due to outside forces (right person, wrong lifetime) –> mortallifespan
Zhongli: Reader death implied (he loses you in the archon war)
Gorou:Reader has memory loss about their s/o (your vision was taken away from you)
A human and a god… That kind of story sounds like something out of a bard’s tale, doesn’t it? Yet in light of your mortal lifespan, Venti hesitates to approach you in a way that expresses his true feelings.
If it was hard for normal individuals to be vulnerable, the idea can only be more taxing for him - after all, what right did he have to share a heart so heavy with sins of the past? Perhaps it’d be better to keep his distance while you still saw him as someone good and kind.
Losing someone is something he’s used to, however… that doesn’t make each time easier than the last. And in the grand scheme of things, wasn’t Venti just being selfish by occupying your attention? When surely you’d be happier with someone else, your time better spent with them more meaningfully?
He could not learn about the world with you with bright new eyes, experience age or illness - how could Venti bear to let you go through them alone? Thus he keeps his feelings to himself, lending you a shoulder to lean on when you needed, and playing melodies to lift your spirits.
When you do find someone else, he’s happy for you! He ensures you reach your happy ending, both as a guardian deity of Mondstadt and your friend.
It’s the least he can do, so just enjoy your life, alright? That’s his only request. For you to live without regrets; live a life that makes your chest ache with joy. He’ll do what he can to protect that.
Zhongli lost you during the archon war, where you fought by his side. On the rare occasion where there was no conflict for a day or so, you’d regroup and finally let your guards down in the solace of one-another’s arms.
It was a dangerous period - the loss of lives, immortal or otherwise, was nothing of an oddity. Zhongli… he considered himself lucky, for when he lost you, he had been by your side in your last moments.
You asked him to continue living without regrets. You said that rock could withstand the most brutal of things - so Morax, please don’t burden yourself with my end. Just remember me fondly and know that I’ll always cheer for your happy ending, alright?
You were one of the best of them, and yet you had no desire for a title or land in your name. You… Zhongli paused in his stroll, looking at the sea that stretched beyond the city’s harbour.
You were a little too much like him. Headstrong, well-meaning, willing to move mountains for what or who you loved.
He misses you, he wishes you could see Liyue as it was today, where mortals were beginning to take charge of their future. Zhongli wonders what you would think of his new name, his new job. Would you make fun of his statues? Tease him about being the almighty Geo Lord?
Ah, so it seems that he hasn’t completely moved on yet.
Zhongli covered his eyes with his hand. Soon, you’d always say. Soon, we may lay down our weapons and only worry for ourselves. I’ll expect proper gifts from you then, Morax. No more dinners by the campfire in the middle of a war.
One of the scariest things that’s happened to Gorou was when you looked at him through the eyes of a stranger. You’d returned his hug with a light squeeze - out of politeness, and leaned away with an unsure smile:
I’m sorry, but I don’t recall if we’ve met before…
Gorou has to try so hard to not let the hurt show on his expression - were you joking..? No, you didn’t usually try to prank him like that. Then why…
When his gaze trails to the place where your vision normally rested, Gorou’s blood froze. Something fearful clawed at him as the color drained from his face, and his hands slacken.
Those that lose their visions also lose memories tied to those ambitions. Please be careful, Gorou.
The world came to a pause as his mind started to scramble for signs that this wasn’t the case. In his desperation, Gorou takes your hands and searches your eyes, asking, pleading for you to talk about the dreams that you held so dearly.
But you only looked at him with more confusion in your gaze. A conflicted look crosses your expression as you feel something familiar about his touch, yet…
Even if you searched your mind, you were unable to find any memory that resembled what the man was hoping for.
I… I don’t have a vision, General Gorou. You gently took your hands out of his, giving them a squeeze. Do you have the wrong person?
About: You’re isekai-ed into the world of an otome game as the antagonist, who’s due for a bad end in most of the routes! The protagonist (MC) still hasn’t entered the game however, which means you have time to turn your fate around!
Diluc, the crown prince; often busy with his studies and training, you recall he was one of the most popular characters within the fanbase.
In the game’s route, the first meeting was in the gardens at night, where Diluc was taking a walk to clear his head and found himself talking to the MC.
However here… yours was a bit different.
Diluc almost attacked you at first, thinking you were an enemy tracking him - he was strolling in the gardens, yes, but it’d been to ponder over things related to his darknight hero character; created to investigate the kingdom without restrictions from status.
He recognised you, seeing as you belonged to an influential family. Diluc initiated safe conversation that you were thankful for, even if its purpose was to deter from prying questions.
The next times you met were coincidences as well, but you did find something endearing with how Diluc wasn’t as polished or experienced as he was in the game. There were still a few years before he’d grow even more capable - thus you took the time you had to leave an amicable impression.
…After all, the villain in his route faced harsh retribution. You’d prefer to avoid something as unsavory as that.
How convenient would it be if you managed to befriend him for real? He was to be a ruler in the future, and that kind of power was something that could be much to your advantage.
…Besides, in the moments you managed to catch him off-guard, Diluc was kind of cute. He was quite competitive as well, as you’d learn later on.
“I’m starting to think you just like sitting on rooftops.”
“I could say the same for you,” You raised a brow. Diluc’s face was hidden beneath a mask and hood. You had to pretend you weren’t aware of his real identity, lest it roused suspicion from the prince. “Were you on a mission of some sort, Darknight Hero?”
“It’s nothing I can disclose.” He said neutrally, pausing at your disappointed sigh. “Is that what you hope to find out when coming out here?”
“What I hope for is something interesting.” You gave Diluc a sardonic smile. It wasn’t untrue, even if your hidden intention was to leave an impression on him. “Would you be able to tell me something like that, at least?”
To your surprise, he does move to sit a little bit away from you. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Growing up as the adopted son of the royal family, Kaeya was no stranger to feeling like he didn’t belong.
What was curious is how you seemed to be feeling the same way.
Why was that? You’ve been a noble all your life, and even flourished as a formidable individual in social circles.
Kaeya wasn’t one to believe rumors of all things, but he’d at least expected to see some semblance of that when he first met you.
The way he carries himself is as suave as ever. Knowledge of his insecurities and troubles was private, and knowing how secretive Kaeya can be, it was quite safe to say that he kept his charming, confident mask on at all times to deter unwanted trouble.
The time Kaeya properly meets you was during a hunting event, where you went to a quieter area to collect your thoughts - unknowingly entering the dangerous side of the forest.
He finds and escorts you back since you weren’t armed with equipment or signed up to hunt (modern skills usually don’t include things like archery on horseback) - he could have travelled faster, but chose to take a longer route and stay at a leisurely pace to get to know you better.
…Which was another way of saying “try to ease your secrets out of you” - Kaeya observes the way you fiddle with your hands or glance around. There was something odd about it; as if you were worried about survival - and not in the economical way most nobles did.
After that day you were sent a flower and note from the prince - something lyrical about how interesting your meeting was, and how he hopes you’ll continue to hold him in good graces.
At least you knew from there that Kaeya didn’t deem you an enemy. You’d even replied with a flower in return, one that held a more subte meaning compared to the popular blooms that were normally used.
Kaeya couldn’t help but smirk at what you sent him; arguably the shortest he’s even gotten in reply to his pretty words, and with a small note hidden on its back:
‘Though honestly speaking, I think I’d have better chances facing off with a bear than with you. Your words make quite the sharp blade, my prince.’
He twirled the flower in his hand. Your speech could be cold, but the thoughtfulness of the bloom suggested sincerity.
How intriguing indeed…
‘A cursed child from a fallen, forgotten kingdom.’
‘Look at that golden eye! The king and queen were blinded by kindness when they took him in!’
‘Shh! They’ll hear you!’
It didn’t take long for a child to start and believe those rumors, even if just a little.
‘What?’ You laughed, as if it was the silliest thing in the world. ‘I’ve seen monsters, Kaeya. And you’re certainly not one of them.’
Sometimes he wondered if your words were empty ones - then he remembers the look in your eyes, the kind that’s as desperate as him to live in peace.
…Maybe he’ll let himself believe in words like that, just this once.
Childe was a foreign nobleman that visited your kingdom often. Granted, not many knew of his reasons for being here, but the money in his pockets and friendly smiles were more than enough to win them over.
Your home was no Snezhnaya, but the glow of the marketplace in winter was quite reminiscent of his snow-covered memories. That’s where you bump into Childe, who was there in hopes of finding souvenirs for his siblings.
You were simply there to enjoy the day and nice weather, so when the man offers to treat you to lunch in exchange for a bit of local expertise, who were you to deny him?
Childe was aware that part of your motives was to see if he was a potential ally. But he didn’t mind that in the least - considering how he was doing the same. Eventually Childe deems you worthy of befriending, and invites you to an event his ‘friends’ were hosting on the weekend.
You soon find out it’s not like any social event you’ve attended before
So this was what Childe’s been up to… tracking down criminals from his home that were stirring trouble elsewhere.
Childe likes how you’re not afraid to lie and cheat to get things done. The more ruthless you are when faced with a situation, the more blatantly Childe would brag about your friendship with others; there’s a nice balance between regular fun and Childe inviting you to help with his other work.
The inclusivity surpasses that of his route in the game, which only gave the MC a brief idea of his underground life and limited the player’s actual contributions to help. There, Childe hadn’t wanted to put them at risk. Here, you were his teammate.
You once found yourself in a very illegal, incredibly hidden casino. (With disguises, of course). You spent the night collecting intel and keeping track of people of interest, but much to your surprise the casino erupted into a fight from an argument, resulting in Childe defending you from getting hurt.
(Okay, so maybe he was just itching to join too - it’s not often he gets to fight hand-to-hand)
“Do you want another drink?” Childe asked as he clinked his glass against yours. “They seem to have quite the menu.”
“You seem to be having fun with this,” You deadpanned. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m fine. I’d much rather we figure out how we can catch that man.”
“We could join his table. I’m quite curious as to how well you can play, comrade.”
“…I’d probably lose all your money.”
He barely batted an eyelid, having the nerve to smile as he passed you a heavy pouch. “So is that a yes?"
Xiao was one of the best swordsmen that worked for your family. In about a year’s time, he would be promoted to become a royal knight, and the game would begin soon after.
You’d planned to avoid him for the most part - if you simply didn’t antagonize him or the MC when they arrived, you were quite sure there were no repercussions to be faced.
But that was hard when he lived and worked at your manor, and you find yourself encountering Xiao many times; some ended with a simple greeting and glance, others involved formal events where you were actually being escorted by him.
Now, Xiao’s not one to really care for what others think of him, but seeing as you were one of the people he’s meant to protect and you seemed wary, Xiao starts to pay closer attention to you.
He promised Zhongli before that he’d strive to do his job well and make him proud, so it was only logical that Xiao doesn’t let this go until he figures out what’s wrong.
Were you receiving threats from unknown sources? Was he simply too intimidating that even you had started to avoid him? If he wanted to be a knight, Xiao had to be reliable and trustworthy enough that you’d come to him for help, so he tries a few times to initiate conversation when he’s off-duty and bumps into you.
It was definitely an uphill battle, but you eventually gave in one day and resigned yourself to the fact that you could not in fact avoid him.
From there a friendship starts to develop! Because Xiao isn’t the type to push (unless it’s related to your safety), you find yourself more comfortable around him than any of the others (they were all nobles, after all. And while your character was one as well… you originally weren’t, so it’s only natural that it starts to become stressful, living in such a foreign world while feigning familiarity.)
You grew hopeful that when the MC of the game does enter this world, Xiao would still be in your corner like he assured you he’d be.
…Yet you remembered how he was one of the most loyal in the game’s route, and a bittersweet feeling blooms in your heart at the idea that one day, he might leave you for real.
“Hey, Xiao.”
“Yes?”
“Remember the promise you made? To always be there when I called?”
“Of course.” He met your gaze.
“You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” You played with your hands. “I wouldn’t expect you to, seeing as you’re not bound to our house any longer.”
Silence followed, before finally: “I wouldn’t mind keeping that promise.” At your surprised look, Xiao merely shrugs. “What kind of knight would I be if my loyalty was that cheap? While it may not be my job to continue to guard you, I’d still come if you needed me.” A pause. “I’d like to think I’m not that shallow of a person, at least.”
That was the day you formally became friends and would address one-another as such. The insecurity in your heart lessened bit by bit. You never took Xiao as one to send letters, but he did every few weeks just to keep in contact with you.
It was fun. You looked forward to the next time you’d meet; even if the player may be in the picture by then.
Right, Xiao’s loyalty isn’t that cheap.
You chose to believe in those words as you started to write a reply to him, the parchment crinkling under your touch.
note. i surprised myself with how much plot this actually has.
零 ; you, the typecasted “passerby a”
the path to stardom is an arduous journey, but you’ve already abandoned your dreams not even halfway down the road.
you are far from the fresh newbie you once were. maybe you hoped to be famous at some point, your name sung in ardent praises and joint with stellar performances, but you’ve never received major roles that strayed from “classmate b” or “the protagonist’s best friend” who only ever appears to give advice.
the closest you’ve been to getting a main character role is being part of the second pairing of a cheesy romance drama that never became a hit, a series with a generic plot and a bland cast of no name actors.
but you can’t deny the spark of hope lighting your heart when you receive word of an audition for an upcoming drama adaptation of a well-loved webtoon series, a series you are an avid fan of. it’s a murder mystery following a genius detective striving to solve a serial killings cold case, with snippets of romance and the occasional comedy, grim as the premise may be.
once the drama adaptation was confirmed, it quickly became a hot topic; fans are anticipating the casting and filming crew, expecting nothing less of perfection to honor the brilliant source material. by all accounts, it’s big news, and snagging even a minor role would definitely earn you more recognition.
if you’re chosen to act as the victim in the first murder, you would already be beyond satisfied—being part of such a masterpiece is enough to make you overjoyed. you don’t have too high hopes but there’s no harm in trying for the audition, right?
yes. no harm at all.
that’s if you don’t count the brain damage you suffered when your head slammed against the wall from complete shock as you received an e-mail from the staff confirming your admittance to the project.
as the protagonist’s love interest, no less—a journalist investigating the serial murders to enact revenge on their younger brother’s stead, the third victim in the killings.
一 ; xiao, the celebrity crush
acting practice is generally considered a casual affair in every project you’ve taken on, yet you couldn’t help but spend hours trying to make yourself look presentable (and avoid looking like a beggar compared to your shining idols when you stand side by side). you may be a tad bit overdressed, but you’d hate to make a fool out of yourself on day one.
except that is exactly what you do. because you’re a walking disaster.
in your defense, it’s not even your fault! the moment you step foot in the venue, you’re ushered by the staff to a row of waiting rooms… without any nameplates attached by the doors and no indication of where you’re supposed to go. left with no other choice, you mentally count eeny meeny miny moe and surge forward for the chosen room.
you can’t tell if you’re tremendously lucky or the most unfortunate person on earth, but you come face to face with a person you never thought you’d see in the flesh.
the thing is, the staff never informed you of your future colleagues. the casting is a well-kept secret, even from the actors themselves, to prevent information leaks to the media before the official announcement.
you really wish you had time to prepare yourself before you had to meet xiao, though.
he’s lounging by the sofa, curls of dark hair sprawled on the cushions. his face is obscured by an eye mask, fashioned in a cute design you wouldn’t expect him to take an interest in at all. if you took a picture of him right now and printed them as merchandise, you’re sure they’ll sell like hotcakes, but a selfish part of you wants to keep this sight to yourself.
yes, because… because you’ve been crushing on him since forever!
you’ve seen his growth as an actor as far back as five years ago, when he only just started his career! he made the perfect mysterious pretty boy male lead, and the romance film he starred in was such a good classic! but he didn’t get typecasted, no no. he went beyond his pretty boy persona to work in other productions, where he acted as the crazed antagonist in a horror movie. that, too, eventually became a classic film for any horror movie fan. his murderous glare is just too damn scary!
he’s excellent in action-packed movies as well, there’s never a need for stunt doubles with him. you’ve seen his behind the scene clips, and they’re just awesome. he doesn’t speak much in interviews, his replies clipped and hardly substantial, but you try to catch each piece of precious footage.
oh fuck i shouldn’t be here. you snap back to your senses and reach for the doorknob, but the creaking sound of the door prompts xiao to twitch.
a pale hand drags down the eye mask to his chin, and his dazed golden eyes pin you in place.
“…who are you?”
it’s a simple question, but it’s like you’re trying to prove your innocence to court. you begin to ramble, introducing yourself in a series of stutters, and explaining how you got to his room. you insist you aren’t there to peep on him and it was a complete accident.
“…so you entered my room by mistake,” xiao summarizes your ten paragraphs-worth of explanation into a single concise sentence. he doesn’t look angry, but doesn’t look pleased by your presence either. “it’s fine. i could guess the staff was too busy to show you your room.” he sits up properly, fixing his hair messy from his nap. “you’re the journalist, right? i look forward to working with you.”
rather than a job, filming feels more like a reward. you get to see xiao everyday, get to talk to xiao even if it’s just you commenting on the weather, get to eat with him in lunch breaks (you’re seven seats away from him but that counts, right?) and get to act alongside him-
and xiao is the second male lead. you get to act romantic scenes with him. you get to act lovey-dovey with xiao in a police uniform because he’s a policeman in this show.
each brush of your hands together sends your heart racing in a speed too fast to be healthy, but as an actor, you’re expected to keep your composure and deliver your lines properly.
(the makeup artist is always wondering why you look so red on screen when she swears she didn’t put much blush on you, though.)
“don’t you need to ask something of me?”
you blink innocently as you peel off the heavy costume, the last scene for the day finally wrapped up. xiao must be feeling hot too because he’s also wearing a huge coat in the middle of summer—his face is beet red.
“ask you for something…?” your cheeks burn bright. “oh no, was i too obvious?”
xiao awkwardly looks away. “you could say that.”
how mortifying! you fan your face, hoping your makeup isn’t too melted. you already feel like an idiot, no need to look like one.
but xiao already thinks you’re stupid. no turning back now.
“o… okay… since the cat is out of the bag, then…” you pull out a pen and a piece of paper, holding it out to him. “please give me your autograph!”
“…what.”
“i’ve been your fan for the last five years! i don’t know who ratted me out, actually i’m about 87% sure it’s childe, but since you know-”
“wait- what? five years?”
“………if that’s not what you’re talking about, then what is?”
“no, i thought you wanted me to ask me ou-”
he seals his lips at the most crucial moment, horrified at himself. “sorry. i’ll ask you another time.”
… and then he walks away. just like that.
“xiao, what about my autograph?!”
“forget it!”
“why all of a sudden?!”
二 ; childe, the scandal magnet
notorious for the massive number of scandals under his belt, it’s a surprise to find ajax (with a stage name of childe) in the set of this major production. you’re advised by your manager to steer clear of him and avoid unnecessary contact to prevent sullying your reputation, but you can’t deny his acting prowess—he shines on the stage, a performance you can’t tear your eyes away from.
he’s incredibly versatile, capable of taking on any role and absorbing the character to make it come to life, almost as if he is its incarnation.
it starts as a simple game before actual practice, each actor asked to draw lots from pieces of paper scribbled with different roles, and given an accompanying script to base off of.
everyone laughs when childe, ironically enough, draws the “womanizer who cheats on his lover.”
unfortunately, you couldn’t laugh along with them because you picked the “lover” role. your incredible (read: atrocious) luck astounds you.
it goes just about as well as everyone expects it. childe, seemingly in his element, plays the part of a perfect scumbag. it’s easy to hate him like this, all flamboyant gestures and empty promises of “you are my one and only.” his performance inspires you to try harder, and so you raise your voice, your passionate screams of indignance almost sounding heart-felt, like you truly are experiencing a severe betrayal.
when childe sweeps you into his arms, whispering platitudes dripping with honey, you’re nearly fooled into forgiving him.
it’s hard to get yourself out of the role when the director ends the scene, satisfied with the act. childe’s expression returns to its usual lazy grin, a far cry from the smug smirk prior, and he pats your head to wake you up. “nice work. i really felt like i was getting scolded by an angry girlfriend.”
dazzled by his brilliance, you barely have enough coherence to return the compliment.
your awe doubles when he performs his next act.
much to xiao’s horror, he picks the “dying younger brother” role, a direct accompaniment to childe’s “grieving older brother.” they make an… interesting pair, but they’re also professionals, and the scene they perform almost makes you weep real tears.
xiao lays limp on the floor like a lifeless doll, and childe cradles him to his chest, delivering his lines with sobs and cries that sound too real to be an act. his heart-wrenching wails bounce from the walls, going straight to strike your heart. his voice cuts through the air, demanding your attention, as if telling you to keep your eyes on him and to never look away.
it’s nothing like the sleazebag character he was playing twenty minutes ago, and you have to remind yourself your scripts are only given once you’ve drawn lots; he had a maximum of five minutes to read through it, process the information, decide how to deliver his lines, and visualize himself performing it in the best way possible.
like this, he doesn’t look at all like the scandalous man everyone makes him out to be. he’s just an earnest man who’s good at pretending to be someone else.
it’s terrifying to think about. did he ever act like his true self when the cameras stopped rolling, then? was he just playing the part of a “good co-worker” when he was talking to you earlier? was the whole “scandalous womanizer” image something he set up for himself? a reputation he deliberately made to attract the media’s attention? it isn’t unusual for actors to cause drama as a publicity stunt, after all.
no, that doesn’t make sense. no matter how desperate, nobody would like bad rumors circulating about them. as much as your name is spread around, it also goes hand in hand with distasteful gossip. childe is plenty famous, even before the scandals began popping up, so he never really needed them and they would only further ruin his image…
…on the contrary, if there’s anyone getting famous from those scandals, it’s…
…the girls he supposedly hooked up with?
rather than making those scandals for fame, doesn’t it make more sense if those girls fabricated stories and took advantage of his reputation?
it’s no secret that meddlesome paparazzi and hardcore fans obsessively pry into celebrities’ personal lives. if they sniff a hint of dating scandals, they don’t stop digging. furthermore, once the media releases information to the public, people will take it as fact. in actuality, it doesn’t matter what’s true or not; what the public wants to believe becomes the “truth.”
if the people deemed it plausible, if they thought “childe would definitely do something like this, so of course if the girl says they hooked up in the dressing room, they did”…
…even if childe denied those claims, nobody would believe him. not even you. you didn’t think about it until now. in fact, at the very beginning, you already had assumptions about him, devouring the media’s lies.
childe laughs when you apologize to him. it was certainly a shock when you suddenly knocked on his door, then the instance he opened it, you began to bow deeply, nearly slamming your forehead to his chest.
“i’m used to it, don’t worry.” he smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “you were so stiff around me, it was pretty obvious what you thought of me. but you didn’t have to apologize.”
“no, i do! i was being disrespectful!” you insist, taking him by surprise when you grab the lapels of his jacket. “you’re nothing like what they say! i’m sure you’ve been through a lot just because everyone keeps saying whatever they want, without thinking of your feelings… and everyone laughed that one time we played the acting game… i… i can’t take back the time i’ve spent being suspicious of you, but i want to change that!” you stare directly at his widened eyes, determined. “i want to know you better, ajax!”
the use of his real name stuns him and for a moment, all he can do is gape at you.
then he narrows his eyes, his lips shaping to a firm line, and he tugs you inside the room.
a yelp unwittingly escapes your mouth when you’re pressed against the door, his arms caging either side of you. his expression is unfamiliar now, unlike anything you’ve ever seen before; uncharacteristically stern, harsher around the edges, spiteful gaze boring holes into your skull.
“you want to know me better… some pretty words you just said. what do you actually want?”
your breath hitches when his hand caresses your cheek, but the striking glare he’s giving you makes you think he wants to sink his nails deep into your skin instead.
“this isn’t the first time someone tried to approach me, you know. what, you want to be friends with me? you’re going to ask if i can invite you to my house? then you’re going to tell people how i took advantage of you while you were sleeping?”
“what- no! of course not!” you yell, face heating up just by the thought of it. “nevermind lying to the media, i don’t have the guts to sleep over a guy’s house i barely even know!”
his expression falls to a deadpan. “oh. my bad. you’re quite pure, aren’t you. of course you wouldn’t.”
“that’s what makes you believe me?!”
the arms caging you falls to his sides as he walks away, leaving you dumfounded. “right, right, sorry for scaring you. can’t you let me off easy? it’s pretty hard to trust someone when you’re in my position. if i treat you to dinner, will you forgive me?”
“i… i came here with good intentions… now i feel as though i was harassed…”
his usual smile falls on his face, like he’s a completely different person from the man who trapped you just seconds prior. “what do you think about seafood? i’ll let you eat as many crabs as you like. i really am sorry, promise. if you were saying the truth earlier, then i’d be glad to know you better too, [name].”
you give him a look. “…if they saw us entering a restaurant together, wouldn’t that attract rumors?”
“hm? is everyone so narrow-minded they think anyone who eats together is in an illicit relationship?”
the answer is no, so you eat as much crabs and shrimp as you want to your heart’s content. you’re getting your food’s worth for that fright he caused earlier. childe isn’t complaining anyway, only impressed with how much dishes you’re practically inhaling.
in any case, it isn’t a date. there is no ambience or heart-pounding romance of any sort. not when you’re overtly taking advantage of his money and childe’s taking ugly pictures of you mid-bite.
but then, of course, the media takes note of it; the topic of your outing is brought up at an interview, to which you fret and panic because you were never popular enough to be interviewed before, and they’re asking if you’re fucking childe, of all things-
“what are you talking about?” childe pops up behind you, unhelpfully wrapping an arm around your shoulders as if he wants to add fuel to the fire. he chuckles, tilting your chin to lean closer to his face. “i’m just pursuing [name]. nothing’s happened yet. unless [name] wants to…”
you take it back. he’s definitely at fault for having this many scandals.
三 ; albedo, the male lead
the first day of rehearsals, the protagonist of the drama isn’t even there.
to your astonishment, nobody complains about it. twenty minutes into practice (most scenes skipped due to the protagonist’s absence), the director gets a call and excuses himself outside. less than a minute after, he informs everyone the star of the show won’t be able to make it.
the actors trade unsure looks, wondering what the hell is going on, but the rest of the staff remain unfazed. the director notices and explains, “it’s albedo. his busy schedule can’t be helped. his manager called me to let me know his flight got delayed.”
and then it makes much more sense.
albedo is well-renowned in the film industry, an extraordinary talent who first came into showbiz three years ago. it’s not at all a long time, but it’s long enough for him to receive countless awards and bountiful movie offers—he was just born for the stage. if anything, this drama is lucky to have him in it, not the other way around. a late arrival for a rehearsal is nothing. he could probably disappear for two months without telling anybody and when he comes back, the director would beg him to act for the drama for twice the pay. (an exaggeration, but you get the point.)
and… you’re expected to partner with him? you? a speck of dust compared to the sun that is albedo? you have to match his brilliance and not look like a turd beside him on screen? you have to be equals with him and- and you actually get to- you get to hold hands with him, kiss him, and- those couple stuff? everything? his fans would murder you if your mother doesn’t kill you first! you know she likes his movies a lot!
the fourth day of rehearsals, he finally comes to the set. not with an air of arrogance or excessive pride. he just exudes confidence, strutting to the room in an elegant poise you can’t hope to replicate. he gives his sincere apologies for the inconvenience to the staff, all polite bows and offer of recompense.
“but there’s no reason to worry,” he declares, gaze steely. “i won’t make any more trouble for you.”
he refuses when the director suggests taking it slowly and instead goes straight to practice. but it doesn’t look like he needs any of it at all.
as if he’s been here all along, he falls into place with the other actors, not a single awkward pause in their scripted conversations and everything smooth sailing. he delivers a flawless performance, like the cameras are already rolling and he’s practiced for tens of thousands of times already, not read through a portion of the script in the car ride towards the set.
there is one thing he’s struggling with, however.
“you’re too stiff with each other,” the acting coach comments, frowning slightly at the two of you and cutting the scene short. “rather than bickering, it’s like you’re actually arguing, and that’s not what we want to portray.”
you blink, exchanging a look with albedo, and look down at his collar you’re still gripping.
maybe you do look like you’re trying to strangle him instead of pulling him closer to your face for some good ol’ sexual tension.
originally, the characters you play didn’t get along well in the beginning of the webtoon; the genius detective didn’t like to rely on others, conceited enough to believe he can solve the case on his own, hence seeing the journalist as a hindrance since they kept pestering him to let them help him, and he help them in turn so they could work together. the detective didn’t deem them “useful” for the investigation, and it was only much later that he (begrudgingly) admitted the journalist can be helpful… sometimes. thus officially starting their partnership for the investigation, and later on, partners in the romantic sense.
there were quite a lot of bickering scenes before the actual romance commenced, and you’re struggling with finding a delicate balance to that—where exactly do you draw the line between petty squabbles and severe disputes? how do you show the chemistry between these two characters while butting heads in every instance? the enemies to lovers trope is harder to act than it seems.
“try to get familiar,” the director suggests. “you’re stiff because you don’t know each other well. you’re too shy to touch or get closer. why not leave early and go on a little date by yourselves to fix that?”
“is that really okay…?” you say, unsure. besides being hesitant to leave earlier than the rest, you’re also nervous to be alone with your co-actor.
“if he says it’s fine, then it’s fine.” albedo shrugs, starting to walk towards the dressing room and tugging you along. “but if we’re going outside, we should wear disguises. it’s also fine if we borrow some of your clothes, right?”
“of course, of course~” the director indulges him. “have fun, kiddos.”
as it turns out, albedo is a master of disguise. he doesn’t even have a wig or anything but you almost can’t recognize him clad in casual attire. he also almost looks like a stylist while figuring out what outfit to give you, and you’re left in awe when you look at yourself in the mirror wearing clothes you wouldn’t normally pick out yourself but they look really, really good on you, and they do a good job changing your image too. not that you think anybody would recognize you anyway, unpopular and all.
“where do you want to go?” you trail after him on the way to the bus station, always a step or two behind. albedo makes a humming noise, subtly slowing his pace to match your strides.
“why not just go wherever our feet takes us?” he pipes up. “as long as it’s not teeming with people, of course.”
so with zero preparation at all, you do just that. you stop by a bookstore, with you showing him around the comics section and him adamantly insisting the plain hard-cover literature he’s picking up is a thrilling epic that will definitely pique your interest, [name] stop yawning-
you pay a visit to the arcade, where you find albedo is clumsy with his feet and can’t play dance dance revolution to save his life, but also unnecessarily adept with claw machines because he has a little sister who loves getting stuffed toys. you compete over who gets the most points in the basketball game to decide who pays for dinner, end up in a tie, and move on to a zombie shooting game. you win by a narrow margin and albedo tells you so, but you point a finger at the results and tell him to cough up the cash. then you play around in the photo booth using the craziest filters, and you take the liberty of pasting stickers everywhere.
dinner is a simple affair. albedo looks ready to go to some michelin star establishment but you introduce him to a sushi restaurant that’s relatively cheap. he’s impressed by the way you swipe at the conveyor belt so quickly. okay, so you may look like an utter glutton right now, but it’s fine. not the first time you embarrassed yourself in front of a co-actor.
lastly, you stop by an ice cream shop to get gelato. your appetite is “awe-inspiring,” as albedo put it, but you argue there’s always room for dessert.
“will this actually help us, though…?” you sigh, eating a spoonful of gelato. “i don’t understand the difference between bickering and arguing.”
“we’ve done it the whole day,” albedo reminds you, using a tissue to clean the residue of cream on your cheek. “we’ll do just fine.”
you stare at him in disbelief. “…is this also one of your habits from taking care of your sister?”
“ah. you could say that.”
just as albedo said, filming goes a lot more smoothly. the playful air is a huge improvement compared to last time when they said you looked ready to beat him to submission. the romantic tidbits are coming along well, too, spun between action-packed scenes where you’re pressed against albedo in a slim locker to hide from the murderer lurking nearby or sweet slice of life moments outside of the investigation.
at last, the confession scene is upon you. just a while back, the two main characters got into a full-blown argument; the detective was irritated by the lack of progress in the investigation, and deduced his feelings were distracting him. he decided to keep the journalist at arm’s length, never allowing them to go close. of course, they didn’t react well to this, and so they pester him again, but the argument became heated and it eventually peaked to “you’re an inconvenience to me!” which led them to separate ways.
the journalist, desperate to solve the case on their own, approached people who seemed to be in the know. they were nearly pulled into bed by an attractive yet suspicious man, who’s genuinely interested in the journalist romantically and used intel on their younger brother’s murder as leverage, but they get interrupted by the detective pounding on the door.
he dragged the journalist out, thoroughly upset at the notion of selling themself, but they deny the accusations and claim they were tricked.
the argument stretched longer, the both of them airing out everything they dislike about the other, but the detective accidentally slipped and confessed his real feelings. the journalist, who never thought of him that way, was frozen on the spot.
it’s a long scene requiring much preparation. aside from the amount of lines you have to memorize, there’s also a hotel suite you have to borrow for the shoot, the cameras they need to set for the “dragging” scene that has a lot of movement, the really awkward half-bedroom scene you have to act with your co-actor, and the fact that you have to take the confession scene before the sun completely set.
it’s truly a busy day. anxiety plagued you the moment you came out of the makeup room, knowing what comes next.
but it’s a job, and one especially you couldn’t afford to slack on. the kind-of-but-not-really-bedroom scene goes without a hitch, but albedo interrupts you a tad bit too early; the top of your shirt is barely unbuttoned but he’s already storming in, ripping you out of the other man’s grasp.
the director doesn’t chide him for it however, and he drags you out of the hotel as planned. you’re a bit frazzled by the suddenness of it all, clothes still rumpled, but it adds on to your acting and your stuttering questions make the scene look more natural.
albedo’s fury seeing you in such a disheveled state seems almost genuine, too.
“why are you acting like this?!” you pull your wrist away in an effort to make him let go, as described in the script, but albedo refuses to. an improvisation, perhaps? but now of all times…? “you didn’t care about me before! are you trying to be nice now? didn’t you say you were sick of putting up with me? you hated me for being stupid, right? guess what, then! i was stupid enough to get almost taken advantage of! if you’re just going to lecture me, let go. i don’t want to hear any of it. i already know how much of a fool i am.”
you’re supposed to back away now, but he doesn’t let you do that either. for one step backward, he takes two forward, nose nearly brushing with yours in the close proximity. your face heats up in a combination of confusion and embarrassment, your ears barely registering his lines.
“…never listen to me. you always go off on your own and i still think you’re a reckless idiot. you’re noisy and brash and you annoy me to no end,” he says in one breath, staring deeply into your eyes. “but seeing you with someone else annoys me even more. to the point i’d abandon everything just to get you back.”
“w…” your throat is incredibly dry. “why would you…”
“whether i like it or not, you’ve become important to me. i love your stupid laugh and your stupid smile. i love the way you look at me, and i don’t want you to look at anyone else. you drive me crazy when you put yourself in danger because i don’t want to lose you. i want you so badly that i want you to only think about me, spend time only with me, only love me. i-”
you’re fairly certain this is nowhere near his lines in the script.
“i love you so much that it scares me.” his voice trembles as his hand lifts to cup your face, something that finally bears semblance to the original scene. “it was wrong of me to say those horrible things. not just last time. i’ve been terrible to you, and no amount of apologies can make up for it. but i ask only one more chance.”
his finger hovers at the corner of your lip.
“[name], won’t you only look at me?”
you gape like a fish out of water, unable to reply. you’re trying to remember your lines, flipping through the mental script in your head, but the director’s “cut!” pulls you back to reality.
albedo blinks, getting himself out of the role, and he lets go of you reluctantly, the heat of his fingers lingering on your skin.
“the scene was good, but you said the wrong name.” the director laughs. “it’s alright. we can still shoot where we last left off. return to your positions.”
as told, you go back to your previous position. you give a furtive glance at albedo, whose cheeks flare in humiliation. he’s probably never done such a rookie mistake before. there’s no reason to be that flustered about it; you’ve made the same error plenty of times.
“i apologize. i won’t do it again next time.”
(if he’s going to confess, the least he can do is make his own lines for the occasion.)
five hundred years ago, a pair of immortal twins saved the world of teyvat from collapse with the help of its gods: the seven archons. as a result, they bestowed their powers upon the twins and crowned them the rulers of their kingdom, celestia. then, they disappeared from history, never to be seen or heard from again.
fast forward to five hundred years later, you are a mercenary living in the woods unknowingly rescued the twin rulers from thieves. indebted to you through this action, they offered you a position in their kingsguard. now a royal soldier, castle life takes time getting used to, especially when there have been threats made against the royals. you are tasked to find the source of those threats, and so far you suspect the various visitors that have stepped foot inside and decide whether they are either friend or foe.
will you be able to save the world from the forces of evil? or will it finally collapse — its supposed fate from five hundred years ago?
.
princeps cretaceus [albedo] - social interactions are not his forte and so are assassinations… or are they? several servants claim to witness him attempt to assassinate the twins, having him enlist you to help him clear his name.
taurus iracundus [arataki itto] - the mighty mercenary leader has a bounty on his head for the recent robberies and kidnappings. you don’t believe he’s behind this, so you’ll have to punch the truth out of him… literally.
monoceros caeli [childe] - the self-proclaimed diplomat is a terrible liar. in fact, he isn’t a diplomat at all. when his brother sneaks in for a visit, he dumps all his elder sibling responsibilities to you to hide what he really is.
noctua [diluc] - politics are the least of his worries, except when they concern the knights of favonius. it’s suspicious that his views align with a vigilante named the darknight hero, so you decide to investigate the matter for yourself.
aphros delos [eula] - the townspeople become even more upset with her due to her uncle conspiring with an enemy. to prove her trustworthiness, you must learn aristocratic etiquette from her to stop his evil schemes.
canis bellatoris [gorou] - a certain guuji takes advantage of his adorable appearance to promote her works. you find it strangely convenient somehow that the targets on your list are attending the event by being drawn in by his alter ego.
leo minor [jean] - work is always in her mind. her knights are concerned about her health, not to mention her sister. they task you to distract her during work while setting up a surprise party for her.
acer palmatum [kaedehara kazuha] - the infamous crux fleet is hosting a clash for the strongest warriors in the kingdom. the grand prize goes missing, so you and the newest addition have to chase after the culprit.
pavo ocellus [kaeya] - the cavalry captain is full of secrets, so it’s uncharacteristic of him to share one of his. his favor looks nothing more than a treasure hunt, but that’s just a scratch on the surface. what’s he up to exactly?
cypressus custos [kamisato ayato] - the royal ball is a rare occasion where the young lord is seen in public. it’s also a good hiding place for enemies. you agree to act as his spy to prevent a potential massacre from happening.
dracaena somnolenta [sangonomiya kokomi] - the divine priestess gets tired easily. her general states that she likes books, so you buy her favorites. upon entering her room, she’s been waiting for you in the most unexpected way.
rubeum scutum [thoma] - soldiers from house kamisato love to criticize his special treatment by the family. he doesn’t mind, but you can clearly see that they’ve been troubling him, especially when his past is brought up.
alatus [xiao] - the vigilant yaksha is posing as a soldier to meet you, the mercenary who fought a beast alone. rumor has it that demons have occupied the castle, and he has to risk his identity to make this fateful encounter happen.
historia antiqua [zhongli] - a monster that was thought to disappear centuries ago mysteriously appeared to destroy the kingdom. while you search for ways to defeat them, a certain historian makes himself known from the shadows.
.
inspired by fire emblem: three houses and based on my royal au headcanon: within these castle walls.since i reached 2k+ followers, the installments are planned to be around 2k words each. but maybe i could make them longer hehehe.
all these installments are inspired by their story quests (5* + kaeya) and hangout events (4*). if you haven’t done some of them, refrain from reading those to avoid spoilers. they’re not connected in any way, but they’re still part of the same universe.
the characters on my list are the same ones from my headcanon. however, i could always add more (dainsleif, scaramouche, yelan, etc.). i may or may not have roles for them already lol.
i’ll be graduating next month, so this will be worked on during the summer! let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!
. (if your url is in bold, that means i can’t tag you!)
. in celebration of winning 50/50 and his weapon with no fate points gained. damn… hoyoverse wants to kiss me, huh.
“Don’t think you can start a game of chess without me.”
Ayato has been staring at the chessboard for so long that he doesn’t notice you sitting across from him until he hears your voice. After Thoma bids him goodnight, he indulges himself by thinking about the conspiracy stirring within the Kanjou Commission earlier. A threat to the nation’s stability was masterfully done as his retainer has said — carefully planned out and well-executed like chess.
He chuckles upon seeing you so determined to finally win against him and gives you the signal to make your first move. “Welcome home. I suspect that everything went well with Master Matsuura on your end?”
You sigh as you place your pawn one space forward. Ayato does the same. “He kept apologizing profusely and even went on his knees to ask for my forgiveness, so he’s the least of our worries now. Sir Kujou and Lady Hiiragi can go happily about their business when the time comes.”
What Matsuura expects the sizable mess to be is his misdeeds of taking advantage of Hiiragi Chisato and by extent, Kujou Kamaji, not you beating apologies out of his accomplices. When you deem him to be sincere, Chisato asks for advice about being prepared for marriage, one that never sparks a share of your personal story before.
“Marriage, huh?” You wiggle your ring finger, where you can feel a particular weight surrounding it. Your marriage to the young lord was full of hesitation and took so much patience. Born into a clan of skilled warriors that served the Kamisato Clan during his legacy as members of the Shuumatsuban, you never see yourself as being of the same status as him. You’re a servant, nothing more, nothing less.
On the contrary, he doesn’t care. He has made many bold advances toward you, yet all of them were declined. Especially since he’s the Yashiro Commissioner, he shouldn’t act so shamelessly around a person such as yourself. You tried to ignore his efforts until it was impossible to do so — through a game of chess.
“Checkmate already? Impressive,” you say in awe as Ayato successfully traps your king in a few moves. “You even took all of my pieces. Ah… I thought I was going to win this time.”
Bewildered, you watch him silently stand up and approach your side as you get up as well. “My lord? Is everything alright?”
He falls onto his knees and lowers his head, the most ignoble thing he has ever done. “Please… Please have faith in me when I said I only want you and no one else.”
The complete sweep of your side of the board. Your king is surrounded with his remaining pieces, with his own king beside yours. He isn’t the master tactician of the Shuumatsuban for nothing. It’s remarkably genius on his part to make his intentions known through strategy. He has been patient, waiting for you to finally accept his feelings.
“Please stand up, my lord.” When he feels your hands cup his face, he looks up to you to see your eyes brimming with tears. “I believe you.”
“Have faith, Lady Hiiragi,” you tell her as you make your way to the exit. “Even if you’re not prepared for this marriage, Sir Kujou will still wait for you, no matter how long it takes. The same goes for him. As my clan had once said, ‘when there’s a will, there’s a way’.”
Oh how the tables have turned, Kamisato Ayato.
“Checkmate,” you say with a smug smile. His king, his only piece on the board, is surrounded by your remaining pieces, with your king beside his. “You’re too overconfident this time, it seems.”
“So it seems.” He smiles, leaning against his palm. You can see his wedding ring glowing from the lanterns on the table. “You look rather elated today. It’s not because you won, isn’t it? ”
“Hm? Is that what you think?” He already knows what’s going on based on observations alone. Your husband never ceases to amaze you. “Just grown sentimental over the wedding is all. I’m so happy you chose me, Ayato.”
He hums, taking your hand and pressing a delicate kiss on your wedding ring. “As am I, my love.”
. (if your url is in bold, that means i can’t tag you!)
contains:archon quest “chapter ii: act iii - omnipresence over mortals” spoilers, baal’s divine punishment, ooc scara :(
summary:with the reveal of the newest archon quests, our streamers are not prepared for the very first canonical onscreen death.
notes:hey uhh… archon quests are slowly tearing me apart, how are y'all? also, i did this with scara and childe since it made more sense, if that’s okay!
Anon asked: Inazuma Archon Quest Spoilers!!
hello!! I hope you’re having a wonderful day! I wanted to give an idea on the Reader Impact series; perhaps, the reader taking Signora’s place and getting executed, and the characters’ reactions to that?
childe -
okay, first off, you’re supposed to be in liyue >:(
why did no one tell him that you were gonna be in inazuma?????
he’s so genuinely excited to see you again.
so… why?
why does he feel his chest tighten as you fall to the floor?
“my… you’ve gotten… stronger since we last met… sweetheart,” you heaved, slowly turning around on the floor. childe’s character turns to look at you, only for the camera to cut to the heels of the electro archon.
she passed the traveler, staring straight ahead as if they did not exist. you looked back up at the archon, struggling to push your body up from the floor.
“you know… i’m not going down… without a fight…” you hissed, managing to push your body up. you glance over at the traveler, a determined shine in your eyes. you smile the very same smile childe had seen dozens of times before.
“your journey… is yet to be finished…” you mutter, mainly to yourself. “take care… of them, okay? just like we promised…”
and before childe could even process your words, your character charges at the electro archon.
as the legends and tales said, she delivered her divine punishment, cutting your character into pieces. you fell to the ground in a cloud of particles similar to your vision.
“…chat,” childe whispers, staring at the camera. “how… dare you… not warn me about this.”
he’ll spend the rest of the stream hugging his plush of you.
scaramouche -
scara was already excited after seeing you in the 2.1 trailer.
(of course, he didn’t let anyone know how excited he was.)
seeing you again after the unreconciled stars event was, honestly, the happiest his chat has ever seen him.
and fighting you was the most they’ve seen him hold back.
totally not because he wanted to see you and hear you longer, no sir.
but when that final hp disappears from the top of his screen, his heart drops.
“huh… so the rumors… were right,” you huffed as you gathered your weapon from the floor. and as the electro archon’s looming presence griws closer, scaramouche begins physicallyshaking.
“wait…” this is the most vulnerable he will be on stream. he genuinely does not like where mihoyo is taking this.
“i can’t believe… this is how… we meet,” you proclaim as the archon’s sword glows brighter. her piercing gaze doesn’t leave you, the very eyes that you share cutting through your soul.
“and to think… my journey would here… of all places…” contrary to how scaramouche would expect and hope you to react, you simply fix your posture to sit in front of the archon, your legs tucked to support your body. “with all the training… i cannot… i will not raise my hand to you.”
“hold on…”
“i hope to be welcomed to eternity once more.”
those were your final words as your body disintegrated into nothing but ash.
“…” scaramouche doesn’t say anything for the longest time. a few of his viewers complain, but the long time fans know that this scaramouche, the one they are seeing, is the most emotion they will ever see from him.
and what they don’t see is him breaking down at the mere idea of your character disappearing from memory forever.
contains:hinting the loss of a lover, (name) isn’t specifically mentioned
summary:with their journey continuing, the traveler decides to pay the archons a visit.
notes: just an idea i had :) not a request but i promise i’m working on them!
“we’ve never seen their homes, have we?” paimon hums as they float beside their partner. the twin nods quietly, watching as paimon continues to interrupt conversations in search of the archon’s residence.
venti -
“you’re looking for venti?” jean echoes, earning a nod from the duo. the acting grand master sorts through papers for a few seconds before settling on a single file. her eyes scan over them before she states. “i think this is where he lives.”
she hands the paper over to the adventurers. paimon peers over the traveler’s shoulder before cheering, “oh! paimon knows where that house is!”
“you do?” the traveler chuckles, following their floating companion out of the knights’ headquarters.
“mhm! we pass by it all the time!”
the traveler, trusting paimon’s word, continues following after them before they arrive at the door of a secluded home.
the blond(e) knocks on the wooden door, sharing a confused look with paimon when no response is given.
“do you think he’s ignoring us?” paimon asks, prompting the traveler to shake their head. paimon puffs out their cheeks before proposing, “let’s see if the door’s open!”
“…why not?” with a shrug, the traveler goes to push open the door. and to their surprise, it opens with a simple nudge.
“is he not home?” paimon questions, floating around the empty living room. the traveler begins walking through the home, noting the picture frames littered around the rooms.
some were turned down with their photos pressed against the counter. others were simply empty, the backs of them broken as if the last person clawed at them.
they eventually reach the top of the stairs, a single door open by an inch. they peek through the gap of the door, spotting a person standing in front of a mirror.
the person’s eyes were closed and their hands cupped their own cheeks. they stroked their own skin as they hummed quiet songs, taking shaky breaths in between each one.
“hello traveler,” the person suddenly greets, remaining in front of the mirror with shut eyes.
“u-uh, hello!” the blond(e) replies nervously, opening the door to step into the room. “sorry, we thought this was someone else’s house…”
“who were you looking for?” they inquire, turning around to face them.
“a friend of ours. he’s… a bard!”
“hold on,” with that, they disappear from the traveler’s view. after a minute or so, venti walks in from what was seemingly a bathroom. “what pleasure do i owe you, traveler?”
“we just wanted to visit!” paimon, who had floated beside the traveler, answers.
“ah, i see, i see,” venti laughs half-heartedly.
“who was that earlier?”
“hm?”
“the person in here,” the traveler clarifies. “the one in front of the mirror.”
venti purses his lips before looking over his shoulder, staring at the one frame that still contained a photograph. he lets out a quiet sigh before walking over to it, delicately taking it from its place on the wall.
“them?” the single word he uttered held a sadness the traveler was quite familiar with.
a sadness that screamed desperation and longing.
“that’s them,” they nod. venti hums quietly, holding the frame close to his chest.
“they… were my muse. and they still are.”
zhongli –
“ah, you’re looking for zhongli?” hu tao grins, adjusting her grip on a box.
“yep! we’re just here to visit,” paimon states, twirling in their spot in the air. “is he here?”
“unfortunately, you came at the wrong time,” the director replies, shaking her head. “zhongli is on his break right now.”
“i wouldn’t expect zhongli to be the type to take a break,” the traveler chuckles. hu tao drops the box near her desk before whirling around to face the duo.
“i know where you could find him, though!” she beams, swatting at the ghost chewing at her hair. without waiting for a response, she grabs the blond(e)’s hand and drags them out of the parlour, pointing down the walkway. “if you go down this road, there’s one house! that’s where he should be right now.”
“he owns a house?” paimon questions, furrowing their brows. “he doesn’t seem like he could afford it.”
“he doesn’t!” hu tao grins once more before disappearing into the funeral parlour. brushing off hu tao’s normal, happy-go-lucky attitude, the two head down the path through liyue.
a small home greets them at the end with small bushes of flowers surrounding it. the silk flowers, qingxin, and glaze lilies planted around were well taken care of. small water droplets could be seen on their petals, falling to the grass with each passing second.
the wooden stairs barely made a sound as the traveler stepped on them, allowing the blond(e) to walk up them silently. paimon kicks the air excitedly before pushing the door, letting out a yelp when the door swings open without a squeak.
from where they stood, they could see a figure with (h/color) hair mumbling to themselves as they paced around the kitchen.
“um…! excuse us!” paimon calls out as they squeeze through the gap in the door. The person turns around, smiling softly as they nod in acknowledgment. they motion towards one of the empty chairs at the table.
“thank you…?” the traveler nods, pulling out the chair to sit down. they glance around the room, staring at the small pieces of paper taped on the walls. only a few notes were intelligible from where they sat.
take care of the flowers every day.
tea breaks after work.
ingredients for bamboo shoot soup, almond tofu, universal peace, and crab roe tofu are in the cabinets.
tend to azhdaha’s tree.
“apologies,” the (h/color)-haired person hums, placing two cups in front of the traveling duo. they take a seat across from them with their own cup, taking a small sip as they ask, “is there something you needed from me?”
“we were looking for zhongli!” paimon cheers, jumping in the air. “hu tao said he lived here.”
“ah, i see,” they nod before standing up. “i can get him for you.”
a few minutes pass before the two hear soft footsteps. They turn their heads, finding the geo archon walking towards them with a picture frame clutched in his hand. he takes the seat across from the traveler, placing the frame in the middle of the table.
“i assume you have questions about who they were,” he mutters, turning the frame to show the picture inside.
“are they your partner?” paimon teases, folding their hands together.
“they are,” zhongli chuckles, gliding his fingers over the glass. “they are the one thing i will protect from erosion. no matter the cost. such is… my final contract with them.”
contains:set after chapter ii act iii, thoma missing pre!vision hunt decree you :((
summary:the universe was a cruel mistress, but also a merciful one. plagued by memories of a former lover, thoma strives to return to normality.
notes: you guys wanted another part, so here it is :)) also perfect time for a fic involving remembering since unus annus’s one year anniversary is nearing <3
“i’m sorry. i can’t seem to remember anything right now. who were you again?”
his whole world shattered right then and there.
in the second following those words escaping your mouth, thoma found himself on the floor. his knees throbbed as the pain flooded his system. taroumaru had jumped off the counter to nuzzle into his side.
“i’m sorry!” you immediately shouted, rushing over to join him on the hardwood floor.
he doesn’t respond, opting to reach up and wrap his arms around you. you jumped at that moment before relaxing. although you had no recollection of your relation to him, it just felt right to have him hold onto you.
“(n…name),” he sobbed into your neck, tightening his hold on you when you wrapped your arms around him. “(n-name)… (naaame)…”
he continued to whine and call out to you, despite holding you as close as he could. and that didn’t bother you one bit.
sure, he was heartbroken that you didn’t remember him. but he would spend an eternity waiting for you to return to the life you both planned to have together.
he was relieved to hear that you would be staying with him in the komore teahouse. not only could he keep an eye on you and your wellbeing, but… maybe he could build new memories with you.
he loved the you before, of course. he would give anything to see that version of you again. he would love to wake up to see the you that fits so well with him. the you that completed him.
just like that night the gods looked upon you and gifted you with a vision.
the vision that complimented his oh so well.
but, he couldn’t. not now at least. that version of you had been taken away, sealed behind the glass covering of your electro vision, and showcased in the archon statue that overlooked the nation.
and since he couldn’t have that iteration of you back, he would just stick with the one he had now. the you that he would love until beyond the end of eternity.
“(name)! let’s have a hot pot tonight!” he had shouted one night. he had already found himself perched in the seat embedded in the ground, motioning towards the large metal pot stationed in the middle of the table.
you stared at him for a moment, as if debating whether or not thoma had ulterior motives. did he want to poison you?
sensing the hesitation, he merely patted the space beside him with his signature bright smile on his face. he wasn’t completely bothered. was he hurt? of course he was! but he wasn’t going to let that dampen the plans he had.
he just wanted to pretend everything was normal.
“we don’t have to play the hot pot game!” he reassured. “i just want to eat with you!”
“…hot pot game?” you echoed, finally making your way over to sit beside him. “what’s that?”
“hm? ah, well, it’s a game where everyone brings their own ingredients and we make it into a hot pot. then, each person was to eat some and guess the ingredients! but, we won’t be doing that tonight.”
“oh… so what are we going to do?”
“just… this,” he took a deep breath before scooting closer to you, sliding off the seat to situate himself in between your legs, his back resting against the ledge. his legs were uncomfortably squished against his chest and his toes pressed against the table. how he managed to squeeze into that small space was beyond you.
“thoma?!” you cried out, reaching over to try and pull him up. his sudden seating in front of you caused you to scoot back, pressing your calves against the dip in the floor. “you’re gonna get hurt down there!”
“will i?” he hummed softly, craning his neck to look up at you. the moment you reached down to place your hands on his face, cupping his cheeks and emitting small electro tingles from your fingers, he immediately felt his body and mind relax.
he practically melted under your touch, placing his hand on top of yours and nuzzling his face into your palm. you lightly chuckled as he let out a soft sigh into your hand, ignoring the ache he was bound to get from his cramped position.
and just as how the hot pot game became a tradition, simply reveling in each other’s presence while sharing a normal meal in komore teahouse became another, one the two of you would cherish forever.
“thoma!” you, the present you, shouted to interrupt thoma’s mind wandering. by the time he had realized where he was, you had already served him a portion of the hot pot that had been left to cook on the table in front of you. “the food’s ready.”
“huh?” no wonder he felt at ease despite you not remembering your beloved tradition. when he had looked down, he realized your arms were thrown over him and draped over his shoulders, simply resting there as you tried to stir him out of his thoughts. “…right.”
“hey, taroumaru,” you greeted as the small shiba inu bounded over to you. he let out soft barks and yips as he nuzzled into your leg, practically begging you to pet him. once you placed your hand on his head, he leaped on his hind paws and placed his front paws on your legs, nuzzling into your palm.
from the doorway of your rented-out room, thoma peeked in from the hallway. a small smile had found its way on his face as he watched you coo to the small dog.
“thoma! look! there’s more of them!” you gasped as the dogs gathered by the tree charged at you, jumping at you with their tails wagging and tongues sticking out. the cats, as always, simply stared at you and thoma as you walked closer to their spot. “the weather’s getting cooler… we should make them something to wear soon!”
he missed those days, too. the days when the two of you were able to take a few minutes off from work and visit the animals that gathered around the tree.
he wondered how they were. he should bring you to visit them again soon…
“we… can leave now?” you asked quietly, hesitantly reaching out to grab thoma’s arm. all you knew was this small teahouse run by taroumaru. long had you forgotten the wonders of inazuma outside out of fear for your life.
“the traveler did it!” thoma grinned, covering your hand with his own. “the vision hunt degree is over! and…”
his eyes wandered back down to the rope that used to hold your vision, still empty yet tied in the same way it had been the night you obtained it.
“we can get you your vision back,” he muttered, wrapping his arm around you. he closed his eyes as he stepped in front of the door, placing his hand on it as he prayed.
he prayed to whoever would listen that your vision would return.
he prayed to whoever would listen that youwould return.
when thoma stilled for his prayers, you glanced up at him. you knew what he wanted, ever since your arrival at komore teahouse. you knew that he longed for the old you back. you would catch him whimpering in his sleep on the days you first arrived.
he would clutch onto his pillow, burying his face into the cloth as he called out for you. he would cry and whimper, just as he did when he first saw your amnesiac state. even when you curled up into his arms, his sobs would not cease.
“thoma,” you called, placing your hand over his on the door. his eyes shot open to glance down at you, prompting you to grin up at him. “let’s… let’s go home, okay?”
“..okay.”
as the two of you push open the door, you were immediately greeted by a set of familiar faces outside. ayato and ayaka stood side by side and the young ninja of the shuumatsuban sayu, accompanied by the shrine maiden kano, stood behind them. ayaka greeted the both of you with a small wave while ayato simply nodded, his eyes flitting down to his hands which were folded on top of each other, concealing something in his palms.
“is that…?” thoma immediately asked, pointing towards ayato’s hands with shaking fingers.
“it is,” ayato smiled softly before stepping in front of you, clearing his throat. he moved his hands out before stating, “(name). i believe this rightfully belongs to you.”
he opened his hands to reveal the dimly lit vision in his palms, its once bright purple interior waiting to spark once more. you slowly reached out, your fingers barely grazing the glass before you felt… something.
something familiar.
“l-look at you. our elements… are a perfect match.”
“they are… aren’t they?”
“(name)?”
“thoma! open wide!”
“aaah…”
“…darling?”
“they’re acting like children, thoma! they’re so cute!”
“it’s our little family, huh?”
“love? can you hear me?”
“thank you for handling the work today… i won’t be long, i promise!”
“don’t worry about it, dear. take your time, okay?”
“(name)! please, answer me…!”
“i love you!”
“i…” you finally managed to utter something, your head shooting up to look at thoma as he paused in shaking you.
“are you okay, (name)?” thoma asked, his grip on your shoulders tightening slightly. “are you hurt?”
“no, i…” you gulped, your tears that you had unknowingly built up over the course of your stay at komore teahouse threatening to spill out.
“you…?”
“i-i love you so much, thoma,” you finally sobbed, leaping forward to wrap your arms around him. you buried your face in his neck, mumbling into his skin, “i’m so sorry…”
“(name)…” thoma sniffled before returning the gesture, allowing himself to squeeze you closer to him and bury his face in your shoulder. “don’t apologize, love.”
he managed to pull himself away from your shoulder, lightly placing his hand on the back of your head. you continued to sob into his neck as he pressed a kiss into your hair. despite your vision just being returned to you, he felt a little shock against his lips. he quietly laughed, his voice strained as he felt tears build up once more. he continued to press light kisses on your head, reveling in the shocks from the reaction between your visions.
just like the night you gained your complimentary vision, it seemed as though the universe brought you together.
contains:honestly you’re just being attacked in this, a mention of death at the end, sagau/genshin cult au
summary:it seems you’ve stumbled into a world that unwelcomes you.
notes: so. that thought i had? here’s part of it. inspired by @nicebonescomrade and all of the wonderful genshin writers i’ve found under the sagau tag :)) don’t know if i’ll make a continuation??? we’ll see
how did you end up here, bruised and bleeding, on an island in the middle of the ocean?
the last memory that you had was waking up in the very same spot the traveler had woken up at. you were able to revel in the sunrise that blessed your first day in teyvat. it peeked up from behind the sea, making the water sparkle and glisten as its light bounced off of it.
you already had small scratches and cuts from your climb up the first wall, but you quickly wiped the dirt away on as you stared out over the view that dragged you into this game.
mondstadt stood before you, the distant noise of city chatter and music filling the air.
you couldn’t get there faster. you hurriedly dodged the hilichurl camps and slime spawn spots to stand on the bridge’s entrance, watching as small dandelion tufts drifted with the wind.
and as you took that first step into the city…
it was hell.
the first people to see you were flora and donna, both stationed at mondstadt’s entrance. they had a habit of looking at the people as they entered the city, ready to pursue business and sell their flowers. but once they saw your face, they caught everyone’s attention.
donna had shrieked once her eyes settled on your face.
flora had begun to sob and babble on about something you didn’t quite understand.
wagner’s sudden banging of metal had pierced your ears in that second. you turned to look at him, only to see the blacksmith pointing the sword he seemed to hammer relentlessly at you.
you could vaguely remember the hate-filled words they screamed at you, their cries blending together into a single sound that made your head pulse and your wounds ache.
the knights relieved the citizens of their chase, taking over and allowing them to try and trip you or throw their goods at you as you ran past them.
not even the church was safe. the nuns there would shout at you, damning you to hell for an eternity and more. the children there, just like flora, would cry incessantly as you passed them.
so you jumped. straight over the side of the church’s fence. your feet and ankles hurt, sure, but you could tell they weren’t completely shattered as you had expected they would be.
you couldn’t bare to stop, especially when you caught glimpses of the characters you held dear to you in the corner of your eye. if they hadn’t stopped the citizens of mondstadt when they were attacking you, what chance did you have if you asked them on your own?
so you fled.
and fled.
and fled and fled and fled.
until you began to wander along the pathways, passing the road to dragonspine as you continued to liyue.
it wasn’t like that nation was any better. in fact, it seemed more brutal than mondstadt was.
perhaps it was because it was more of an archon and celestial being run city. perhaps it was because the adepti could see you coming even before you stepped close to liyue.
it was even worse when you met the liyue citizens in person.
they were quick to chase you, hoping to push you over the side of the bridges and fences that blocked off the sea or bludgeon you with any available resource they had.
you couldn’t stop to smell the flowers you saw growing in yujing terrace as they stormed behind you, forcing you to once again leap over the railing into the water below you.
you almost drowned that day.
the people of liyue would toss things over the side if they saw you popping up for air, aiming to hit you in the head and send you sinking to the ocean floor.
they almost succeeded in that plan multiple times, creating cuts and bruises on your face from their tables and chairs.
you didn’t even make it to land that night.
your body ached. you were exhausted. you let the water carry you to wherever it wanted to.
except for inzauma.
only the gods knew what would be in store for you there. you either died by the hands of its citizens or by the blade of the ruthless shogun archon.
luckily, the storm seemed to read your mind and kept you away from the set of islands at all costs.
and so you drifted off, away from the cities that had attacked you.
all because you looked like someone they worshipped. you didn’t even know who it was. they were never mentioned in any of the lore you read back home.
so that was how you ended up here on the coast of an island separated from the rest of the world. musk reef was what you remembered it being called.
luckily, no one would find you here. and if they did, they’d have to enter the spiral abyss to take you.
the portal seemed to warp as you stepped inside it, swallowing you and leaving no trace behind.
unlike the floor select screen you grew used to, you were met with a long corridor, empty and quiet with the only sounds being the soft dripping of water from the portal behind you. a staircase was what the corridor led you to.
at least it was nice and quiet here.
and if the monsters that occupied this tower were to kill you?
at least they wouldn’t scream words of damnation that you could understand at you.
you lead yourself to believe that the monsters in the spiral abyss would kill you. you built up the image in your mind of your body being ruthlessly attacked by arrows and pyro slimes. you imagined being beat around by wooden shields and axes while being pelted by electro, hydro, and cryo elements alike.
it was a strange sensation, walking towards your death, that is. unlike in the movies you had seen at home, there wasn’t a sense of foreboding or fear in your body. you felt nothing but peace. you had long prepared yourself for this moment since you stepped foot in teyvat.
so when you reached the top of the stairs, ignoring the sounds you would hear from the corridors that lined the walls, you were more than shocked to see a hoard of monsters standing before you, unmoving and far from attacking.
you didn’t say anything. in all fairness, what would you have said to them? you weren’t just going to offer your life on a silver platter, there was some semblance of self-preservation in you.
luckily, you didn’t have to make a decision.
the monsters, namely the abyss mages hovering in front of them, began to float towards you. they stopped just in front of you before moving into a deep bow, their staffs spinning aimlessly beside them.
“your grace,” the hydro mage greeted, sending a shiver down your spine.
that title haunted your thoughts ever since you arrived in teyvat. its people would curse you in the name of “their grace” and swear on their name that they would hunt you down.
“please don’t call me that,” you managed to whisper, prompting the mage to look up at you. the hydro mage seemed to hesitate for a moment before its shield disappeared, allowing it to get closer to you without the bubbling sound of water separating the two of you.
“if… i may ask,” it began, bowing its head once more, “is there a reason you would like to be addressed differently…?”
its question was just as hesitant as it seemed before lowering its shield. there was something else it was hiding, that much you could gather.
“you already know, don’t you?”
“… of course.”
figures. if every person in teyvat knew of your existence, why wouldn’t the seemingly omnipotent creatures know as well?
“if i may,” the cryo mage chimed in, having lowered its shield as well, “the cretins of teyvat have convinced you that you are not worthy of your title.”
“they… what?” you muttered in response. the mage nodded, moving forward to float beside the hydro mage.
“their actions have convinced you that you do not deserve your title,” the cryo mage repeated. “ever since your descent on teyvat, they have been worshipping a nonexistent entity. they have turned their back on the true creator.”
you could gather what it was trying to tell you, but you were far from accepting it. even though all of the creatures of the spiral abyss, the ones from the corridors lining the stairway included, were standing around you, ready to wait at your beck and call, you couldn’t accept it.
“i… i’m sorry, but i think you have the wrong person.”
“we can assure you we don’t. give us a chance to prove it, your grace.”
as soon as the traveler entered the mysterious archway, they found themselves in front of a towering staircase. the floor they stood on was covered in a thin layer of water which made quiet splashing sounds with each step they took.
they summoned their sword once they reached the top, having been met with a few slimes that hopped around the arena.
and with each floor they passed, the more monsters they found at the mercy of their blade. they had grown numb to the cries of the creatures, unbothered as they surpassed each chamber.
there had been a total of twelve floors, each one progressively harder than the last. however, that did not deter them. instead, it fueled them to keep going.
and as the final abyss herald fell to its knees, its weapon clattering to the floor as its body disappeared into yellow sparks, the traveler found themselves climbing one last stairway. the walk was quiet, save for the light sounds of their shoes clicking against the steps.
what greeted them at the top was another room, this one devoid of any monster. instead, a single person sat atop a throne, sobbing into garments.
their body was covered in, what the traveler could only describe as, godly attire. their shoulders were covered in a white shawl that had been decorated with gold accents. the rest of their clothes had a similar design, framing the person in a sort of heavenly aura.
“excuse me?” the traveler called, their words barely escaping their quivering lips. the person on the throne jumped, their cries stopping abruptly as they looked up at the blond(e).
“you…” they muttered before their voice turned into a harsh growl. “you!”
the traveler was frozen in their place, their sword having long dropped from their hand. the person on the throne stood up before walking towards them, each step more menacing than the last.
and when they stood directly in front of the blond(e), a single sentence came from their mouth.
“you have committed a cardinal sin against the creator.”
contains: spoilers for phantom tales of the night (manga series), my own au i literally created on the spot, aether’s tired of being teyvat’s dog,(name) is not referred to by name but it’s you :), some talks about cannibalism, some similar to hypnosis is kinda insinuated? i don’t know how to describe it
summary: it seems a traveler has wandered into a quiet inn on the outskirts of teyvat. however, the source of payment the innkeeper seeks isn’t mora. in fact, it’s nothing physical. it’s the visitor’s deepest darkest secret.
notes: so i’ve been waiting for phantom tales of the night vol. 5 to be delivered to my house so i can finish up to vol. 7. so while i’m waiting, here i am making a weird au based on it. i hope you enjoy :D this basically follows the first chapter of vol. 1 but with genshin,,, also i got a bit carried away with this going to 2,979 words…
all he wanted was to find his sister. his sweet twin sister who always stuck by his side, no matter what challenges they were faced with.
instead, he was stuck here, in a world he was widely unfamiliar with accompanied by a strange pixie-like being. he traveled through cities, aiding in whatever fetch quests he was asked to complete in exchange for… nothing.
mora here (which was always used up for resources, leaving him with double-digit amounts), food there (which were always eaten by paimon), respect elsewhere. what about the help he was promised by the higher ups of the cities?
the knights of favonius promised to help find his sister after he defeated a raging storm fueled by a dragon’s anger. and all they did was put up missing person posters.
the liyue qixing promised the exact same thing in exchange for defending the city from an awakened ancient god. and, once again, all they did was put up missing person posters.
he was tired. he was tired of being teyvat’s dog with no reward.
all he wanted was his sister back.
“aether?” paimon called out nervously, watching as the blond traveler trudged through the grass. heavy bags had formed under his eyes and his blond hair stuck out of his braid is curly wisps.
“not… not now, paimon,” aether sighed, swatting at his floating companion. a few moments passed before aether heard the familiar sparkling sound of paimon disappearing to archons know where. he let out another sigh, one that was more resigned and choked.
as he wallowed in his sorrows, he didn’t notice the geo creature towering behind him.
“watch it,” a calm voice echoed through his ears. just as aether turned to face the roaring geovishap, he felt the back of his scarf get tugged on as he was pulled back.
from what he could see through the blur of rock and ash, the dark brown scales were what caught his attention the most. the creature’s tail flowed along with the golden fur gathered at the end of it, its claws tipped as gold as mora. the polearm it grasped in its clawed hands matched its body perfectly, from the color to the rigid edges mimicking crystals.
“who…?” was the only word aether managed to mutter as he stared up in awe at the creature. it, or rather he, peered over his shoulder to look down at the traveler, his eyes sharp as he stared.
“i’m afraid we will attract more attention if we remain here,” he bellowed, seemingly speaking to someone other than aether. “it would be wise to bring him inside.”
“of course,” a distant voice responded. as aether blinked, he found himself a ways away from where he had been before. instead of the soft grass of liyue, he found himself sitting on smooth rock littered with sparkling geodes and crystals. in front of him stood an intricate building framed by lanterns of varying sizes and designs.
“aether,” the same voice cooed, this time coming from a source visible to him. walking towards him was a figure wearing a (color) kimono covered by a similar haori. hanging from their fingers was a lantern, its light illuminating the area far better than the countless lanterns hanging on the building behind them. “i have been awaiting your arrival. please come inside.”
aether managed to push himself up, careful to avoid the sharp and ragged edges of the rock beneath him. the figure stared at him for a moment before greeting, “i shall be your host. if you have any requests, please feel free to ask.”
“my… host?” aether echoed, cautiously walking towards the (h/color)-haired figure. their smile remained unchanged as he grew closer.
“yes. that is our job here, after all. come, we mustn’t delay,” the host ushered, reaching out to grab aether’s wrist. they pulled him along the trail before continuing, “if we do, there’s no guarantee they won’t catch up to us.”
“they…? huh?!” aether quickly glanced over his shoulder to see a hoard of geovishaps and their hatchlings barreling towards them. he reached out to summon his sword but was quickly interrupted by the hand of his host.
“ah, there’s no need for that,” they muttered, lightly pushing aether’s hand down as wind began to swirl around the two. “let us handle this matter. for now, let’s head inside.”
“inside… this?” aether questioned, nodding up to the lantern-filled building.
“my inn,” the host answered with the same smile, watching for a few moments as the wind began to flow towards the hoard of monsters. “i can assure you that this inn is the safest place to be when being chased by teyvat’s creatures. however…”
the host released aether’s wrist, prompting the traveler to pause just before the steps of the inn. the host turned around slowly, their haori flowing behind them as if it were a cape.
“i do need… one thing from you.” their lantern seemed to glow brighter, causing the shine in their eyes to become more intense than before. “i ask that you grant me one of your secrets.”
the moment aether stepped inside, the inn was far grander than he had previously thought. keeping up the theme, the ceiling was shrouded in lanterns, making the wood that presumably supported it invisible due to them while tatami mats lined the floor in a distinct pattern.
“well? is it suitable for your tastes?” the host asked, sliding the door closed as quietly as possible.
“uh… how do i say this…?” aether muttered to himself, looking around at the room he had just stepped foot in. “it’s… actually really nice. am i even allowed to be here?”
“of course,” the host reassured, ignoring the roars outside the door. aether jumped back suddenly as the door was pushed in, barely keeping intact as another roar was heard.
“how is this even standing…?”
“ah, company secret,” the host grinned before clapping their hands lightly. “now then. venti! get the luggage, would you?”
aether yelped as he felt wind fly up behind him, the bag he had carried being hoisted from his shoulders into the air. as the wind began to swirl, a figure began to manifest from the air.
“huh?! wh-what?!” aether gaped, looking back and forth between his host and the wind being only known as “venti”.
“don’t fret,” the host called. “he works for me.”
“that’s not what’s weird…” aether clarified, fiddling with the end of his scarf. “he… formed from the wind.”
“oh? it seems our guest is not as shocked as we thought he would be,” the host hummed, glancing over their shoulder at the traveler.
“he isn’t one to be easily scared,” venti points out, twirling the end of one of his braids with his finger. “in fact, i would have been surprised if he were afraid of a mere wind spirit.”
“i guess let the wind lead was literal, huh?” aether laughed to himself, earning a small smile from venti.
“that it is,” venti hummed softly, part of his body disappearing as the wind carried it away. the upper half of his body remained, allowing him to float around the host and wrap his arms around them. the host remained unbothered, lifting one of their hands to lightly glide their fingers along venti’s neck. “the people of mondstadt cherish that saying. in a way, they cherish my ability to lead them in the right direction. and you were led here. we will do our best to help you relax. both body and mind.”
“follow me,” the host ushered as venti fluttered after them in a gust of wind. as aether walked down the halls, he couldn’t help but take in the only piece of decoration that littered the inn.
lanterns. varying lanterns of size, color, shape, and design lined the walls and filled the ceilings. he recognized a few of them as xiao lanterns, the very same ones he had written a wish in during liyue’s lantern rite.
“uh, excuse me?” aether called out, prompting the host to look over their shoulder at him. “i’m… i’m really grateful for all of this but… i don’t think i can afford any of this? it just looks really expensive…”
“…pfft!” venti, who had appeared beside the host in a gust of wind, tried to suppress his laugh but to no avail.
“venti, you’re being rude,” the host scolded as they guided aether into a separate room, they led the traveler to a small table beside a window, the outside still littered with floating lanterns. the host took their seat and motioned to the chair in front of them, causing aether to sit opposite of them.
they placed their lantern on the table and interlocked their fingers, resting their chin on the small platform they had formed. “aether, the compensation i’m searching for is not mora. i’ve told you before, the one request i ask of you is simply your secret. nothing more.”
“that… that’s it?” aether asks, nervously squirming in his seat. “there’s no… extra thing you need? nothing for me to find or fight or make. just… a secret?”
“that’s all,” the host reassures, smiling softly. “and in exchange, we promise to do whatever we can to find your sister. and that’s not putting up missing person posters.”
it was as if aether just shut down at that moment. anything regarding his sister, even if it’s a lie, is sure to attract aether. all he could think about at that moment was reuniting with lumine and leaving this world that took advantage of him and his kindness.
“just a secret… just a secret…” aether muttered to himself, squeezing his hands. “let’s see… i guess my secret is that i’m not from this world.”
“…”
“ah-hahahaha!” venti’s laugh echoed throughout the room, causing aether to furrow his brows in confusion.
“venti!” the host calls, snapping their fingers as if scolding an animal. they let out a quiet sigh before leaning forward, their arms resting on top of the table. “i’m afraid that isn’t much of a secret to us.”
“…huh?”
“it’s quite clear to anyone who has heard of you and your deeds. no normal person from teyvat should be capable of that,” the host explains, prompting aether to hum softly.
“…i guess? so, that means i can’t stay here, right? and… you can’t help me?”
“i wouldn’t say that,” the lantern’s light suddenly dims, casting shadows on the host’s face and body. “but… i hope you don’t think that’s all you have to offer.”
“i… what are you talking about?” aether felt a chill run up his spine.
“there are other secrets, one that particularly interests me. it’s a secret that may shake your very existence,” the host points out, reaching across the table to place their finger on aether’s lips. with a sickeningly sweet smile and glazed over eyes, the host mutters, “and unless we reveal that, i’ll be unable to assist you.”
he really should have left this inn when he had the chance. one minute he was in the hot spring outside with the strangely pushy host and the next…
he’s caught in the middle of a geovishap attack with nothing but a towel to guard him. not even his sword was hidden away in the pocket space it always disappeared to.
just as the geo creature’s claws were about to crush the blond, a familiar polearm-wielding creature intercepted the attack.
“owner…” the creature huffed, kicking their weapon towards another geovishap. “with all due respect, why did you let him outside?”
“he is a bit carefree, isn’t he?” the host, now known to aether as owner, hummed. similar to aether, the only item that guarded them was a towel obtained from the hot springs. however, in their hand, they held their signature lantern, brightly lit with a flame. owner wipes away the water dripping from their face before explaining, “we were in some sort of rut regarding what he is, that’s all.”
“…i trust your judgment, owner, but we must be more careful with our guests,” the dragon-based creature sighs as it traps the geovishaps in stone.
“yes, yes, of course,” they hum as they head towards the grassy area aether had previously been taken to. they face the geovishaps before smiling, “now then, i ask that you return my guest.”
the geovishap lets out a roar followed by a series of growls. venti’s top half begins to form behind owner as he drapes their haori over their slightly dry body. “zhongli? what’s it saying?”
“hm… they’re complaining,” zhongli answers, his tail swishing as he continues to translate. “they claim to have found our guest first and that we stole him from them.”
“huh… odd,” owner hums, reaching up as venti peers over their shoulder to cup his chin. “surely you wouldn’t be complaining once you admit you followed the wind and the earth to him. without them, you wouldn’t have found him. if you’re making excuses, at least make a good one.”
as the geovishap lets out another roar, owner moves their hand to cup their lantern’s flame into their palm. “this will be my final warning to you.”
“this outlander is my guest. keep away from him.”
zhongli seems to growl at the geo creature as it responds to owner. the innkeeper lets out a dry chuckle before placing their finger on their chin, lightly tapping it as they warn, “or else, i’ll expose your secrets right here and now. do i make myself clear?”
surprisingly, the geovishaps let out a noise akin to a low whimper and scamper off, leaving aether behind in the grass. he looks off into the distance, searching for the monsters as they disappear beyond the horizon. he opens his mouth to say something before letting out a sneeze, earning a light laugh from venti. “you know, you’re the first one to run off with nothing but a towel. do you want your clothes back? they might not help much, though…”
“did… you know those things?” aether grumbles, ignoring venti who simply fiddles with the end of his wings. “you… knew their secret. you must have known them, then!”
“…i suppose you’re not wrong,” owner nods, lifting their lantern to illuminate their face. “we definitely aren’t friends, per se… but regardless, you were too occupied with the idea of us being enemies. had you stayed calm, i would have answered any questions you had. although, i don’t blame you due to all of the fetch quests you’ve been through…”
owner fiddles with the top of their lantern, the quiet squeaking of the handle moving filling the air.
“to answer your question before, they’re a part of teyvat’s creatures that are in an active search for their country’s downfall. or rather, they were recruited by that nation’s survivors to search for their oppressors or their lost comrades. it was only a matter of time before he found us since we house a myriad of creatures.”
aether paused before slowly turning to stare up at owner. oppressors. if those geovishaps had infiltrated this inn after encountering him…
what had he done to be labeled an oppressor?
“what… what did you mean by oppressors?”
owner slowly looks down at aether to meet his stare, their eyes darkened as they lift their lantern up to their face. “oh dear. you really don’t know, huh?”
they slowly walk towards the blond traveler, reaching down to trace the underside of his jaw lightly. as their finger curls back towards their palm, aether finds himself drifting towards them as if searching for their touch once more.
and as their finger pressed against his forehead, he remembered.
the cataclysm.
the fall of k'haenriah.
he wasn’t an oppressor they were searching for.
he was one of the lost comrades.
“what… what do you want from me?” aether hissed. his first question was to ask of their identities, but he felt in his gut that he already knew the answer. “you’re not… here to take me celestia, are you? or did you save me to… eat me or something…?”
“eat you?” owner echoed, covering their mouth with the tips of their fingers. “me? eat you?”
the air was soon filled with loud laughs which came from owner themselves. they turned to look at their employees, giggling, “guys! did you hear him? another one’s asked if we’re here to eat him! why do they all think they’re worth it?”
“i have no answer for that,” zhongli hums softly, his tail, once again, flicking behind him.
“maybe it’s what they want deep down,” venti giggles, his body half formed from the wind.
“heh… aether, do you remember what i’ve said before?” owner asks quietly. “mora holds no value here. we have no interest in the weight of your soul as ordained by the gods, either. and, to answer your question, i am not interested in eating your body. i’ve lost the pleasures i felt when indulging in those actions. the only thing i wish for is your secrets. nothing more.”
aether let out a yelp as he was pushed to the ground. he blinked to see owner directly above him, their legs straddling his waist and their face mere inches in front of his. they reached up and seemed to cradle his face, their thumbs brushing against his bottom lip.
“gnawing at your bones, nipping at your flesh, swallowing your remains, all of that is a source of nourishment that my body does not need nor crave. aether,” as his name came out as a soft coo from their lips, aether felt his mind fogging up and becoming distant. “i yearn for something that is much deeper in you. and that only comes to the surface when your mind and body are completely offered up to me through your deepest, darkest secret.”
contains: spoilers for gorou’s hangout quest (specifically final remembrance), reader death, gorou mourning (name), sad dog :(
summary: recovering that treasure box was the only thing on gorou’s mind. well, other than the incident, that is.
notes: gorou’s premiere fic! and keeping up with tradition (that has for some reason formed on this account), it’s angst! yayy… anyway, just finished all of gorou’s hangout quests so take this
oh archons, how could he have let this happen? he didn’t think that anyone would dig up the box, let alone bury stolen treasures there!
sure, he and the traveler got the box back, but still… the amount of time he spent away from that box, away from the contents inside of it, drove him insane.
returning to watatsumi island with it felt relieving, almost cathartic. sorting through all the objects some may consider junk only sent more relief through his system. the familiar names of his fallen soldiers stared back at him, almost taunting him to return the goods to their intended recipients.
and beneath it all lay his beloved, their dull vision gleaming in the sunlight.
that battle was embedded in his memory, the attack intended for him lodged deep into their chest. and yet, as they fell to the ground with blood bubbling in their mouth, they continued to command the troops as they panicked over the second in command falling in battle.
although gorou was conscious at the time, his body acted like a completely different entity. no matter what he did, he couldn’t get his body to move the way he wanted that day. perhaps it was because he was still inexperienced. or perhaps it was because of his instincts.
he had dropped his bow and fell to the ground beside them, high-pitched whines escaping his throat. his ears had flattened and his tail was tucked between his legs.
the ears and tail you loved to run your hands along when he had trouble sleeping.
he pawed at your arm, which weakly moved to cup his cheek. your blood smeared across his skin. oh archons, he still can’t get that horrid smell out of his nose.
with your dying breath, you proclaimed your love for him. perhaps that was why he could never give love advice for the advice column. any mention of a relationship that he could have had in the future sent him spiraling. spiraling back to a time where he ultimately lost that future.
you had pressed your fading vision in his hand that day. just like the rest of his fallen troops, you had left behind a memento. one specifically for him.
he gently scooped it out of the box, ignoring the eyes of the traveler beside him. holding it close to his face, he could imagine you standing before him. he could feel your hands cupping his cheeks and your fingers running through his fur. he could hear your soothing voice in his ears and smell your familiar scent in the air.
oh archons, he could never forgive himself if he ever lost these treasures.
xiao isn’t the biggest fan of affection [especially in public] but he’ll still find ways to show his love for you. Whether that be giving you little presents when there’s no special occasion or even holding your pinkie under the table while you guys eat, you can always count on him to express his love for you, even if it may not be in the most conventional ways. He probably won’t initiate a hug or a kiss but if you do it he wouldn’t mind but over the course of your relationship he would get bolder and start giving you side hugs that would slowly become the nicest warmest hugs ever. ahhhh
Oh you know just yelan and shenhe having a brunch date thing going on while they spy on xingqiu and chongyun who are currently on a “date” [it was never confirmed to be one so;~;]. Yelan and Shenhe have a mutual agreement that they [xingqiu and chongyun] need to have eyes on the pair because they noticed chongyun acts funny when he’s around xingqiu. like he gets all flustered and shit. so they are dressed up all fancy [by fancy i mean like bougie rich aunts ofc] with sunglasses while they sit and sip cocktails. Yelan is having a mimosa and Shenhe is having a bloody mary. [ahem ahoho] anyways they somehow ended up not paying attention to xingqiu and chongyun and like ¾ the time they were literally in their own bubble and about to makeout with each other.
pairings/characters: mona x gn!reader, childe x gn!reader
warnings⚠️: none (I dont think there are any at least)
note: 5 minutes works kinda thing bc I suddenly got this idea yas .3. reblogs are appreciated <3
mona(莫娜)
☁︎︎ is super supportive of you ! as an astrologist herself, she knows the basics and would beg you to teach her a few spells or divination tricks outside of her own hydromancy skills
☁︎︎ she even offered to teach you hydromancy once you told her about you being a mage
☁︎︎ you guys spend lots of time together, talking about the stars, talking about new things you guys learnt, talking about ways on how to save money too (sadly TvT)
☁︎︎ bring you along with her to the market every sunday so you guys can get items you may need for spells and also cheap ingredients so that you can cook for yourselves instead of wasting money on food outside
childe(達達利亞)
☁︎︎ even though he isn’t very well verse in these kind of things, he’s really supportive of you and willing to hear about since its coming from you
☁︎︎ just saying but he’s definitely willing to sponsor your expenses so that you only get the finest products.
☁︎︎ makes you kiss him good luck and cast your spell stuff, as he likes to call it, before he enters a match or goes off to fight someone. something like, “bubs, can I have a kith please?”
☁︎︎ accompanies you to where ever you need to go so that he can learn alongside you. learn about how plants and gems all have different meanings, properties and uses.
Oh you know just yelan and shenhe having a brunch date thing going on while they spy on xingqiu and chongyun who are currently on a “date” [it was never confirmed to be one so;~;]. Yelan and Shenhe have a mutual agreement that they [xingqiu and chongyun] need to have eyes on the pair because they noticed chongyun acts funny when he’s around xingqiu. like he gets all flustered and shit. so they are dressed up all fancy [by fancy i mean like bougie rich aunts ofc] with sunglasses while they sit and sip cocktails. Yelan is having a mimosa and Shenhe is having a bloody mary. [ahem ahoho] anyways they somehow ended up not paying attention to xingqiu and chongyun and like ¾ the time they were literally in their own bubble and about to makeout with each other.
Oh you know just yelan and shenhe having a brunch date thing going on while they spy on xingqiu and chongyun who are currently on a “date” [it was never confirmed to be one so;~;]. Yelan and Shenhe have a mutual agreement that they [xingqiu and chongyun] need to have eyes on the pair because they noticed chongyun acts funny when he’s around xingqiu. like he gets all flustered and shit. so they are dressed up all fancy [by fancy i mean like bougie rich aunts ofc] with sunglasses while they sit and sip cocktails. Yelan is having a mimosa and Shenhe is having a bloody mary. [ahem ahoho] anyways they somehow ended up not paying attention to xingqiu and chongyun and like ¾ the time they were literally in their own bubble and about to makeout with each other.
warnings: nsfw content, size difference, dacryphilia, degradation, praise, breeding kink, choking, Itto has a knot and barbs on his cock, Zhongli has two dicks
DILUC stops immediately when you tell him to — hurting you is the last thing he wants —, though he can’t help but chuckle when you, teary-eyed, tell him that his dick is too big and that it won’t fit. He quickly shushes you with a gentle kiss, his smile warm and loving as he reassures you that it’ll be fine, he’ll try to be as careful as possible.
Even though he tries to go slow for your comfort, he groans in pleasure when he finally bottoms out inside of you, your hips flush together, and while he had originally planned to give you some time to adjust to his size, he can’t help but pick up a fast and hard pace a few moments later, because what you don’t know is that your words sent a white hot spike of pleasure up his spine. His size kink is thriving, especially when there’s a slight bulge showing through your stomach as he thrusts into you.
“You’re alright, dear. It’ll fit, don’t worry. Ah, fuck—, you feel so tight around me. Archons, you can even see my dick through your stomach — fuck.”
When you complain to KAEYA about his cock being too large to fit inside of you, he genuinely can’t help but laugh. You’re adorable — really, he’s at a loss of words here. There’s a smile on his lips as he tells you that you’ll be alright, and he doesn’t bother to stop pushing into you; giving you time to breathe would only result in you overthinking even more. Besides, he knows you’ll be fine.
When he finally pounds into you, his hips slapping against your own with lewd squelching noises accompanying each thrust, you’re moaning and keening, your back arching, and there’s mocking words and teasing sentences falling from Kaeya’s lips before he can stop himself, but, really, who can blame him? Just a moment ago, you were protesting and worrying, and now you’re taking his dick like a champ — it’s almost ironic, really.
“Ah, look at you, darling. Weren’t you just whining about my dick being too big for you? Now you’re practically sucking me in. That’s adorable. Makes me wonder if that innocent persona of you was but an act, doll.”
warnings: nsfw content, size difference, dacryphilia, degradation, praise, breeding kink, choking, Itto has a knot and barbs on his cock, Zhongli has two dicks
DILUC stops immediately when you tell him to — hurting you is the last thing he wants —, though he can’t help but chuckle when you, teary-eyed, tell him that his dick is too big and that it won’t fit. He quickly shushes you with a gentle kiss, his smile warm and loving as he reassures you that it’ll be fine, he’ll try to be as careful as possible.
Even though he tries to go slow for your comfort, he groans in pleasure when he finally bottoms out inside of you, your hips flush together, and while he had originally planned to give you some time to adjust to his size, he can’t help but pick up a fast and hard pace a few moments later, because what you don’t know is that your words sent a white hot spike of pleasure up his spine. His size kink is thriving, especially when there’s a slight bulge showing through your stomach as he thrusts into you.
“You’re alright, dear. It’ll fit, don’t worry. Ah, fuck—, you feel so tight around me. Archons, you can even see my dick through your stomach — fuck.”
When you complain to KAEYA about his cock being too large to fit inside of you, he genuinely can’t help but laugh. You’re adorable — really, he’s at a loss of words here. There’s a smile on his lips as he tells you that you’ll be alright, and he doesn’t bother to stop pushing into you; giving you time to breathe would only result in you overthinking even more. Besides, he knows you’ll be fine.
When he finally pounds into you, his hips slapping against your own with lewd squelching noises accompanying each thrust, you’re moaning and keening, your back arching, and there’s mocking words and teasing sentences falling from Kaeya’s lips before he can stop himself, but, really, who can blame him? Just a moment ago, you were protesting and worrying, and now you’re taking his dick like a champ — it’s almost ironic, really.
“Ah, look at you, darling. Weren’t you just whining about my dick being too big for you? Now you’re practically sucking me in. That’s adorable. Makes me wonder if that innocent persona of you was but an act, doll.”
CHILDE has got you bent in half in a mating press when you whine about him being too big, his dick being too deep inside of you, and he couldn’t deny that your words made his cock twitch inside of you even if he tried. He scoffs, obviously amused, and it’s such a huge ego boost that he thrusts into you roughly, his hips flush with yours as he bottoms out in one quick movement that has you gasping and crying out.
There’ssome half-assed shushing from him as he assures you that it’s fine, you’ll be alright, but in reality, you’re barely able to understand what he’s saying with the almost violent pace he has set and he knows it. You’re drooling while he pounds into you, saliva dripping down your chin, and Childe isn’t shy to mock you for how desperate you look. By the end of it, he makes sure you’re literally dripping with his cum.
“Fuck, babe, that’s so hot—, you think I’m too big for your tight little hole, hm? Don’t you worry, baby, I’ll fill you up so good. You’ll be fine—, ah, fuck, I promise, just let me make you feel good. Just let me breed you.”
ZHONGLI raises his eyebrows when you complain about his size in a seriously worried tone, but he’s quick to shush you despite not understanding why you seem to have trouble taking only one of his cocks. The other one is resting against your abdomen as he slowly but surely continues to push into you, the tip of it dripping precum onto your skin.
While he’s constantly praising you for how well you’re taking him, he can’t help that he enjoys seeing your eyes all glassy with tears, and his thoughts immediately go to how you’d cry and whine under him if he were to fuck you with both dicks, only to fill you up and breed you.
“You’re so good for me, darling. You take me so well. In fact, I’m quite certain you’d even be able to take both of my cocks if you’d like to try.”
Honestly,ITTO is used to this kind of reaction. He’s a big guy all around, which is why it doesn’t come as a surprise when you claw at his back and whimper about him not being able to fit inside of you. Still, while he understands your worries, he’s too much into it to stop now; he can’t help that he continues to push into you until you’re stretched wide around his dick.
He at least has the decency to apologise while thrusting into you, his hips slapping against your ass, even though he gets a massive ego boost from the way you’re crying out. His apologies don’t make it better — especially because his size isn’t the only thing you have to deal with. What’s much more difficult to take are the barbs on his cock, as well as his knot once he fills you up, but what can he say; he’s an oni through and through and his biology is intent on breeding you.
“Ah, baby, fuck, ’m sorry, I don’t wanna hurt you, fuck, I promise, you just feel so good, can’t stop, please, babe, I need to fill you up—”
Honestly,SCARAMOUCHE thinks of you as ridiculously naive for even hoping that he’ll be merciful when you blabber something about his cock being too big. You’re on all fours underneath him, cheek against the ground and ass raised, and he’s not above taunting you as he repeats your whiny plea in a mocking, high-pitched voice.
As if inspired by your words, he thrusts into you at once, his pace rougher than it needs to be solely because he wants to see you cry on his cock, your cheeks flushing and your eyes crossing as you clench around him. When he feels particularly mean, he even wraps a hand around your throat, if only to hear your high-pitched keening noises as you choke and whine, your thighs trembling and tears dripping down your cheeks.
“What are you saying? It won’t fit? Oh, I’ll make it fit, don’t you worry. Besides, you’re already dripping wet. Fucking slut. This is the only thing you’re good for, so shut up and take what I decide to give you.”
WhileAYATO is quick to coo soothing words at you, his voice a low purr and with his hands gently caressing the curve of your hip, his lips also curl into a smirk. You can’t see the way his eyes sparkle with mischief and something more sinister because of your position — your cheek pressed against the pillows, your back arched and ass raised —, but that his polite words are just a facade is obvious in the way his hips snap against yours.
Theurge to make you cry just because of his cock makes his movements more hurried and rough, his usual effortless grace bleeding away into impatience and brutal thrusts. His nails dig into your hips as he rocks into you until your thighs are shaking and tears drip down your flushed cheeks, needy noises falling from your lips, and Ayato can’t help that he wants nothing more than to truly break you.
“Oh, am I too big for you, love? Are you saying you can’t take it? That’d be a shame, I was hoping to have you come on my cock. Ah, there you go — look, it fits. You’re such a slut in reality, hm, darling?”
ALBEDO pauses the second you whine about his dick being too big to fit inside of you, his head cocked to the side in a curious manner as his gaze meets your teary eyes. While he’s an attentive and observant lover, he also can’t deny that his cock twitches inside of you at hearing you say that.
Hetells you matter-of-factly that there’s no need to worry, that your body is quite literally made for this and that it’s obvious in the way your cunt is basically sucking him in, before continuing to push in until he bottoms out, your hips flush together. If you haven’t relaxed until then, he’s honestly at a loss of what to do, though a feeling of pride spreads through his veins when you finally moan and mewl in pleasure rather than in fear. He just loves being correct.
“Oh? Look at you, dripping wet around my dick. Didn’t I tell you you were going to be alright? You’re literally made to take my dick, love, and it seems you’re a natural at it, too.”
When you first tell him to stop, please, that his dick is never going to fit inside of you, XIAO scoffs, his eyebrows drawn together into a frown. For a moment, he genuinely thinks you’re making fun of him, though he quickly stops moving when he notices that there’s tears welling up in your eyes.
Thelast thing he wants is to hurt you, which is why he pauses immediately. It doesn’t matter how aroused he is, your comfort is his top priority, which is why he’ll only continue once you give him the consent to. Even when he finally bottoms out inside of you, his hips flush with yours and with you mewling underneath him, he checks in on you to make sure you’re alright.
“Fuck, I—, please, love, are you alright? Tell me. How are you feeling? May I continue? Fuck, you’re so damn tight around me.”
warnings: nsfw content, breeding kink, Itto’s dick has barbs and ridges, knotting, implications of pregnancy, begging, dirty talk, degradation, overstimulation
WhileDILUC is usually rather tender with you, some part of his mind simply short-circuits when you ask him to cum inside of you. He pauses for a moment, his eyebrows raised in surprise, but you don’t need to say more to convince him. He’s thrusting into you again a few moments later, his pace damn near violent compared to before, and all you can do is whine and arch your back and take it.
Diluc himself is all low groans and grunts; he wants a family so badly, so when you offer him to fill you up, he suddenly can’t think about anything but you, dripping with his cum, anymore. He’s moaning out promises of breeding you so so well while pounding into you, and it doesn’t take much longer before he reaches his orgasm, his cum spilling into you, and he presses a loving kiss to your lips afterwards.
“Ah, fuck, you have no idea what you do to me—, I’ll fill you up so good, darling, I promise you that. I’m gonna make you a mommy, sweetheart, don’t you worry.”
The second KAEYA moves to pull out, you dig your nails into his shoulders, surely leaving red crescent moons there, and he raises an eyebrow at you. When you whimper that you so desperately want him to cum inside of you, he huffs out a laugh, though it sounds strained. His following words are mocking, but they lack the usual sharpness.
He’sa lot more affected by your plea than he lets on; it shows in the way his dick twitches inside of your cunt and how his pace speeds up as he thrusts into you a few final times, his hips slapping against your ass with lewd squelching noises. You mewl as he fills you up with liquid warmth, his cum following his cock out of your loose cunt as he pulls away, and he chuckles when you whimper at the feeling.
“Oh? Do you need me to fill you up that badly? That’s pretty—, ah, that’s pretty pathetic, you know. But I guess I don’t mind indulging you one time, love, even if you’re acting like a slut right now.”
