SUMMARY: just the things they’re willing to do and they do when they’re courting you.
FEATURING: diluc, kaeya, childe and zhongli
WARNINGS: mentions of violence and death in childe’s part.
NOTE: i’m back everyone! *looks at my asks and schedule* maybe not… *goes into hiatus for a month*
DILUC
even though diluc is a very busy man, he doesn’t forget to give you your favourite flowers every morning—with a letter containing compliments and other things he wants to say.
free drinks at the tavern. he would give it to you in front of everyone with a soft smile just so that everyone will know that he adores you and you only.
giving you gifts. it’s either something that reminded him of you or something you eyed last week when he accompanied you because you wanted to buy groceries (he was about to pay for everything you bought but you stopped him and said that it’s fine but in the end, diluc won and paid for it.)
letters, again. if he has some free time, he would write you letters. sometimes, it contains poems but he thought it was cringe so he swore he won’t write you anything like that again—and now, his letters only contain how he misses you (if he’s in another nation doing business) and how he wants to see you…or just straight up praises.
he’s willing to do anything for you, no questions asked. he doesn’t care if it’s going to make him look stupid. he doesn’t care if he’s going to get hurt in the process. this man loves you so much that he doesn’t care about anything when it comes to you.
he’s a 10/10. i’m going to say yes immediately.
more characters under the cut!
KAEYA
when he told you how he feels about you, you thought he was only joking. you thought that it was just kaeya being kaeya—but he wasn’t. he was serious.
like diluc, he will give you flowers too! he’s willing to neglect his work as the cavalry captain just to annoy and flirt with you.
speaking of flirting, this man only flirts with you. he doesn’t flirt with any random people anymore—just you.
the literal definition of “cool on the outside, sweating on the inside”.
to you, he’s like a mysterious man—full of hidden secrets and mysteries but he’s willing to tell every single thing about him to you when the time comes.
this man’s love language is physical touch and quality time (same kaeya, same) so expect this man to be clingy. CLINGY. he’s literally attached to your hip when he has free time.
ah yes, trust. kaeya trusts you so much that for the first time (in like- forever) he took his eyepatch off in front of you as he smiled softly. his adoration for you written in his eyes.
and for the second time, kaeya felt the warmth of a home—and it’s you. his safe haven.
CHILDE
literally has his guard down when he’s with you, shows you his “true and real” emotions, laughs with you but very loudly, can’t stop wheezing every time you make a joke about something and you’re telling me that this man isn’t down bad for you?!?!
he spoils you so much. gifts, and other things? he got you covered bro. you don’t have to worry about mora when childe’s there. you just gotta chill and let him court you.
even if he’s doing his missions, his brain can’t stop thinking about you. you’re literally on his mind 24/7.
to quench his “y/n starved” self, he looks up and watches the stars. it reminds him of your eyes…shining and full of emotions, unlike his.
when he’s done with his missions, he will go straight back to you, wrapping his arms tightly around your waist as he whispers in your ear how much he missed you.
LMAO why is he acting like you guys have any label
like diluc, he’s willing to do anything for you. he already stained his hands—and it won’t hurt him if he stains it more. he will do unspeakable acts for you. he will quit the fatui if you want him too. mans obsessed…
ZHONGLI
he’s so old fashioned when it comes to courting but i love him for that and i know you do to :((
he treats you very gently. he respects your boundaries and privacy too (not in a yandere way but this guy sometimes follows you for fun and to know more about you)
acts of service and gift giving is his love language. he will give you trinkets that remind him of you or he made by himself. he will also accompany you if you like! it doesn’t matter where you want to go—he will follow you.
compliments and praises EVERY SINGLE DAY. this man won’t get tired and he never runs out of things to say too! sometimes, he will brag about your achievements in front of childe and hutao! he can’t even control how his lips form into a smile when he talks about you!
he’s willing to do anything for you (3) and he’s also willing to spend his everyday life with you—since mortals only have a little time to live.
he literally keeps everything he does with you in his mind—his favourite moments, the times he made you flustered, and the times he kissed your knuckles goodbye.
SUMMARY: random sagau brainrots i’ve had in my mind while i was on hiatus in one post!
FEATURING: various × gn!reader
WARNINGS: this contains yandere behaviours, gore, violence, self aware characters, reader being worshipped, worshipping and many more so please proceed with caution.
everything in here (except the one with links in it) is a work in progress. i’ll try to write and post the other parts when i’m not busy.
all of my sagau works will be linked here. so if you want to get tagged, send in an ask! i plan to make another taglist for this series and more characters are going to get added in the future!
every asks, posts and other things related to this series will be tagged as raidengaile; wonders of another world!
SUMMARY: being in a secret relationship with him has its ups and downs. but as you reassure each other secretly, everything is going to be okay.
WARNINGS: none, all fluff
NOTE: i love diluc so much guys- i can’t do this anymore✋ anyways, have a small hcs about him
secretglances. it’s either him, you or both the two of you giving each other knowing glances with little smiles here and there.
a sprinkle of favouritism. it’s rare for the winery owner to give free drinks to someone when he doesn’t even give one to his brother. it was suspicious but hey—maybe the winery owner is just thanking you! for uhh…something! hehe…
lingering touches. “is it just me or master diluc is rather very touchy with Y/N?” venti whispered, loud enough for rosaria and kaeya to hear. “maybe you’re just drunk, venti. he still has the same facial expressions.” rosaria took another sip on her drink. clearly not paying attention. kaeya chuckled as he secretly glanced at you and his brother—connecting some dots bit by bit. “hey guys, wanna have a bet?” he smirked as the two listened to his bet and conditions.
the type to sneak into your house/room after his dark knight stuff. but of course, he will ask for your permission first by sending his pet eagle to your location with a letter wrapped in its feet (consent king <3). if you agree, he will do his best to finish his duties faster—just so that he could cuddle with you and sleep the night away.
speaking of letters, his pet eagle is the official letter sender! his eagle loves you and diluc couldn’t disagree because he loves you more! he’s a bit jealous though because your eagle gets to see you more often.
every time he’s away for business trips, he wouldn’t forget to buy and give you gifts that remind him of you! one time, he bought both of you matching necklaces! it has a very tiny heart pendant!
overall, he’s a 100/10. a perfect boyfriend and a husband material. oh! and don’t even worry about when you guys are going to tell everyone about your relationship because a certain cavalry captain, bard and a nun will accidentally reveal it very LOUD and even talk about how their so-called master diluc is down bad for you.
Warning: kissing. reader has enough hair to be tied up
Notes: Sorry I’ve been so dead over the last month my school decided to spit out a shitton of homework ;-;. Sorry if the ending is a bit rushed I was scared I won’t be able to complete it on time. (and sorry for posting it so late (ಥ _ʖಥ))
Albedo knew you crossed the line this time. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t do it. He just couldn’t say no to you. He couldn’t say no to the way your eyebrows scrunch up and your lips stick out in the most adorablepout. He couldn’t say no the way your pleading eyes dug into his skull, waiting for the answer.
You knew. Albedo knew you knew. You knew that you had an exam, yet you stilldecided to go to the bar. You stillmanaged to get yourself so drunk you could barely walk. You stillnearly fell asleep on his unused bed after you had come knocking on his door in the middle of his experiment.
Albedo tried gently pulling away from your sleeping form, but even in your drunk state, your arms still wrapped firmly around his neck.
“y/n,” he whispered, gently shaking you by the shoulders, “you can’t sleep here.”
“I’m tired,” you said, “can I just crash here?”
“y/n.”
You buried your face into his neck, murmuring something that Albedo couldn’t quite make out.
“y/n?” You lifted your head from his neck, your eyes were hazy, lips slightly agape. Your lips. Your goddamn perfectlips.
“I said,” you slurred, giving him a sleepy grin, “you’re so warm, ‘bedo. And so pretty too. So, so pretty.”
Albedo raised an eyebrow.
“You think I’m pretty?”
You nodded violently.
“You’re pretty. Much prettier than Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift or any of those celebrities.”
Albedo chuckled. Even when you’re drunk and half-asleep, you could still make him laugh.
“Y/n, you have to go home. I need to finish my experiment.”
“Nooooo,” you dug your head deeper into his neck, “Don’t leave me. Please.” Then you gave him that look. The look you know he just can’t say no to. After a few moments, you took his silence as confirmation and snuggled closer to him, taking his arms to wrap them around yourself.
“Y/n, even if I don’t do my experiment, I still need to sleep.”
“This is your bed, isn’t it? Just sleep here.”
Albedo could feel his ears heating up. Even if your comments before didn’t bother him, this definitely did. You and Albedo had been friends ever since you remember, and it’s not uncommon for a bit of casual flirting, but this was different. You haven’t slept in the same bed as him ever since you were seven.
You sighed, reaching out to untie his braids and card your fingers through his blond hair.
“Does your scalp hurt, ‘bedo? If I tie my hair up for long amounts of time it gets really sore. My poor baby,” you cooed.
You were going to kill him.
“Y/n-”
“What am I doing?” you mumbled, cutting him off.
“Huh?”
“What am I doing? I can’t compare to the others,” you sighed, slipping out of his arms to pull the blankets up to your chin.
“Y/n? What are you going on about?”
“You’re the perfect human being, you know that right? It doesn’t surprise you that half the people on campus like you?”
Albedo was popular, he knew that. But he barely paid any attention to any who had an interest in him. After all, his education comes first.
“Well, that’s the reason I’ve held off telling you. I can’t compete with half the campus.”
What were you telling him? You can’t compete with half the campus?
“Since this is the only time I’ll be able to do it-”
Albedo’s lips met warm skin as you barely grazed ur lips against his. Within a second, you had propped yourself up and kissed him. Albedo was stunned, body frozen. This kiss barely lasted a moment, yet Albedo could feel the lingering sensation of your lips on his. The taste of alcohol and underlying tones of cherries and strawberries. You sent him a shy smirk before hiding yourself under his blankets again.
Summary: When the closest of friends turn into foes and tumble her world into utter chaos, she turns to the meagre comforts her mind provides. But is the man she’s been wishing for, within the dark, truly a figment of her mind, or more?
Author’s Notes: This story is written for the prompt “Yandere” and is inspiredby Tomyummy’s frighteningly beautiful KaeLumiLuc(Childe) yandere AU [also here!]. If this is a theme you think you’d enjoy, I highly recommend checking their art out on their Twitter. Please mind those content warnings listed above before you proceed!
For readers who prefer a named Traveler (Lumine) over reader-insert, you can read the Chilumiversion of the story right here.
I hope you will enjoy your read!
There is a steady ache in between her eyes; thrumming tighter when she tries and thinks. The disorientation of her last past moments of clarity — has it been hours, or days, or several weeks? — seep through the shreds of her consciousness, as if sand within an hourglass.
She remembers one man; quiet and resolute. Intimidating to most; the owner of Angel’s Share had never given her cause for worry, or fear. She adored the steady friendship she’d scavenged within Mondstadt’s Dark knight hero, Diluc Ragnvindr.
Before she’d found herself at the mercy of his sword; cornering her into a swift chase through the woods behind Dawn Winery, as if she were his quarry. Her uncertainty and heartache at finding certain, incriminating evidence, substantiating his involvement with a number of strange disappearances throughout Mondstadt. All her friends, all people she knew.
There was more; another man, a knight. She recalls her quick relief as she’d dashed nearly headlong into the Knights of Favonius’ Cavalry Captain. And then—
Her head throbs in protest when she shifts upon the bed; the cool of the sheets beneath, providing little relief for the heat that scours her body. She’s never felt as frail and powerless inside her own skin as she does, at the moment; unable to muster even a lick of elemental energy. She groans, shifting her limbs to find comfort against the ache; a clink sound, of metal-links, much too sharp for her brain, pierces through her skull and she winces at the sound. Heightened senses; hazy reflexes; something is terribly wrong with her body. There are chains holding her body captive to the bed she’s been laid in; the soft comfort of it, so at jarring odds with her predicament.
psstt i never got a chance to thank this person who has been taking care of me since i was ar15 until im now ar57 until we cooped again recently and i, for once, was able to defend me and their ass which is kinda funny bcs it was just me spamming in chat abt im being attacked help, its a pleasure to thirst with you <3 @shadowarchon not me posting smut durinf ramadhan lmao
if anything, you knew that yashiro commissioner is a family man. he spoke nothing but the best for his clan, for his sister, for his family. they are lucky, loved by a man of that well, you couldn’t help but sometime to waddle in envy. you are far from it. the idea of family felt nothing like a heavy dull weight on your shoulder. your loyalty lies with the grand narukami shrine and the electro archon you held close to heart.
not in the hand of the man who finds interest in worshipping you instead.
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?
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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.
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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!
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. 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.”
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. yay, it’s my birthday! well… in three hours. and guess what? it’s jean’s birthday, too! i haven’t written in a while, so why not give a headcanon as a present to myself.
. he sketches you all the time, but hasn’t gathered enough courage to show you them. for his gift, it’s a portrait of you smiling and laughing. you begin to tear up of how beautiful it is, to which he confesses that the first time you expressed those emotions there was when he fell in love with you.
. not one normal person would gift you onikabuto and miss hina trading cards, but you appreciate his efforts nonetheless. this year, he takes you to a cliff where he holds a talent show with his gang. as he’s about to perform his birthday song, the tenryou commission appears to chase after the two of you. it turns out the cliff is private property, and he didn’t see the signs.
. celebrations are always lively at her ship. her connections with wanmin restaurant and liquor merchants allow her to prepare a feast just for you. as it’s your special day, she’ll let you be captain, giving you permission to sail wherever you want to go. you and her crew know too well that she’ll go all out on the drinks and become too drunk to handle her duties.
. just for one day, he doesn’t want to do anything related to the fatui so he can spend time with you in peace. throughout the dinner with you and his family, the both of you sense a presence outside, excusing yourselves to take care of “business” — agents from another organization who you took down a while ago. maybe some celebrations aren’t meant to be peaceful after all.
. romantic dinners are the best dreams to come true; no need for extravagant parties. having one at the balcony of dawn winery, with candles burning brightly and each person holding wine in one hand, you make a toast with your significant other to another good year ahead. afterwards, he’ll take you to the living room, dancing to each other’s heartbeats.
. as she had celebrated her birthday alone in the past, she isn’t used to someone else holding her hand and being dragged around the city, spewing laughs for such a special day as yours. when you ask her if she wants to stop, she shakes her head. when her special day comes, she wants to feel free with you.
. working all day and night, she didn’t find time to buy you a present. instead, she bakes you a qingxin flower cake, and a messily attempt at that. yet she hides it behind her back, thinking that you won’t appreciate it. you happen to see it, which makes you want to try it. she sighs in relief to hear you say you really like it, and now she’s obligated to bake one for you every year.
. you didn’t think it’s possible for someone else being more excited than yourself in celebrating your special day. the morning of, he’ll hunt for fresh fish and crabs at the beach. at night after his patrol, he’ll prepare a banquet in front of a bonfire, rousing sparks of jealousy. they wish to be dedicated and loving as the general for their future significant others.
. it’s not the spooky season yet, but she never fails to bring its energy to everyday life, and your birthday is no exception. after her shift, she takes you to wuwang hill just to stargaze, which she keeps on insisting. you don’t trust everything she says, but you still get pranked by her, using her ghost to disguise as her to make you think she’s “gone”.
. the guildmaster has many hidden talents, and one of which is singing. she gets embarrassed if someone hears her sing. everyone assumes that you did, but that’s a misconception. for your birthday, you finally hear her for the first time in forever after annoying her for so long. to your surprise, she really has a nice voice.
. being the poet that he is, it’s no surprise that a haiku will be his gift. yet every single time he recites one, you fall in love with him all over again. he doubts his creativity in this one in particular but you insist that it’s the best he’s ever made so far, thanking him with a kiss. you would’ve never thought to see him so flustered.
. for someone who talks a lot to charm his way into someone else’s affairs, he greets you with a few words and a sliver of a smile. he doesn’t want to ruin your special day. but how can that be if he’s the reason your life has gotten so much better? as soon as he feels your reassurance, he reverts back to being a tease. your special day won’t be special without him.
. she manages to find out your birthday from the housekeepers in advance so she could make your gift extra special. she initially thinks that an expensive one would be suitable to your liking, but begins to have second thoughts. she decides to take you to chinju forest, a place not too far from the estate and where she’ll perform her fan dance.
. (kind of?) salty that his retainer chose to spend his birthday with the traveler instead of him and his sister, he doesn’t give you the liberty to act on your own today — he wants you for himself until then. while he pampers you with his peculiar cooking, you think of ways to fool him to escape. however, outsmarting him won’t do, because he’ll catch you in the end anyway. send help, aha.
. learning an important lesson from the traveler to rest every now and then, she requests time off from work for the first time in a while to make you a present. she gives you a lantern which looks ordinary, but it runs on electro energy and stays lit indefinitely. she tells you that it serves as a reminder of her being an extra light in your life, and you in hers.
. spending the majority of her time tending to her duties as a general, she’s unsure how to celebrate birthdays other than her own properly. on yours she immediately skips the formalities and goes straight to the point by asking you if you have a birthday wish. not only will she grant you one, but five, her lucky number. it’s cute that she’s trying her best, and you happily accept her offer.
. when you first started working under the tianquan, you were intimidated by her presence. once you get to know her, she’s a generous and kind lady; for instance, giving you a super expensive gift for your birthday. they’re brocades, which you can use to make your clothes. as someone who has never learned how to sew before, she’ll gladly teach you how to do it.
. ah, don’t mind the shogun; she won’t hurt you! the electro archon finally accepts that time goes forward and she must go along with it. ever since the cataclysm, you celebrated alone, but now she’s at your side with a bundle of tricolor dango in her hand. it’s the modern age of inazuma, where the both of you can pursue eternity in a different way together.
. as expected of the resident strategist of the sangonomiya resistance, she has already planned out everything for your birthday, even noting the possible changes of the weather. one thing she hasn’t done since the war is swimming at the pools of the island, so she takes you there for a dive in the morning. the shrine maidens are glad to see her having fun as she sprays water at you.
. her master tells her about the importance of birthdays and also notes that humans in particular highly appreciate materialistic things. as someone who isn’t really fond of them, she takes you to her favorite place in the world — the mountains, where you can see the beautiful view of the sky. her way of celebrating your day is way better than any physical present.
. he’s friendly… too friendly. he practically invited the entire city, recommending them to bring any of their signature foods and drinks for your celebration. you told him you wanted a small party, but never mind that; he worked too hard for this. oh, yeah! a party hosted by thoma isn’t one if the hotpot game isn’t included, which is quite dreadful to say the least.
. despite not being an experienced baker, he attempts to bake a cake for you because someone once told him that you’re supposed to eat one on birthdays. it’s apple-flavored, his favorite! an amateur in baking, the cake doesn’t look like an actual cake — more like an apple pie. regardless, you did enjoy it. in addition, he allows you to request to have him sing a song as you eat.
. he doesn’t celebrate birthdays because he doesn’t understand their concept, stating that they’re redundant. yet he still gives you a gift before going off on your journey — a butterfly emblem created from leaves. he says it’s an adepti amulet that staves off evil. so no matter where you go, the object will protect you from harm every step of the way.
. she isn’t a big fan of celebrating such festivities because people would merely come to her for her blessings instead of using their time for other things, as their visits disrupt her leisure time. since you’re her significant other, she’ll give you special treatment (for a minute before kicking you out of the shrine). she won’t admit it, but she’s happy to see you and wishes for a fruitful year ahead.
. she’s the definition of lively… and disastrous. you’re still unsure whether lighting up fireworks is a great idea because she got caught by the tenryou commission (again) for “illegal activity”. however, that doesn’t stop her from making you the best birthday present ever. as she begins to light up the fireworks, you could hear the footsteps of the soldiers trying to contain the incoming chaos.
. as old-fashioned as he is, he gifts you a dried glaze lily. he says that it bears the beautiful memories and prayers of the nation. afterwards, he connects it to another story of a god whose eyes fell upon the love of their life, and then a field of glaze lilies bloom. unbeknownst to you, it’s about you and him, when the two of you first met.
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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.
so. childe. how on earth did you end up dating the most idiotic, most playful, but surprisingly level-headed boy in your class? sure, he isn’t as bad as some of the others like scaramouche or dottore, but to say he’s well-behaved would be a total lie. yet somehow, you, the ‘golden student’ of your class, gravitate towards him and his weird sense of humour. you don’t know what it is about him that attracts you, but over a few years, the two of you become best friends.
perhaps best friends is a bit of an understatement. best friends who flirt all the time, or best friends with half-benefits of being wingmen for each other, would be a better description. it’s funny, really, how you had to listen to him gushing over signora when he was obsessed with her, and he had to listen to you going crazy over diluc when you had a crush on him, but after all that you both fell for one another. (fun fact; the irl versions of signora & diluc became a couple later LMAO)
although when you think about it, it’s impossible not to fall for him. seeing his smile practically lights up your world, and he always manages to make you laugh, and the two of you have so many pictures together where you’re going :D and he’s just -_- to annoy you by not posing properly. you just never expected him to possibly reciprocate your feelings.
-
you’ve just got off a call with kokomi and yoimiya where you talked about your feelings for childe, and both of them encourage you to confess. unfortunately, you decline, saying you’d rather not ruin your friendship, but when you see his status as online, a stupid impulse washes over you. maybe it’s the fact that it’s 2am, or the fact that you’re willing to throw caution to the wind at this point, you’ll just play it off as a joke if anything goes south, but whatever the reason, you end up texting childe and asking 'hypothetically speaking, if i asked you out, what would ur reply be?’
yeah. basically you’re a coward AND a dumbass who can never ask things straight. archons, this is stupid. but then he replies almost immediately, 'yoo??? hypothetically i’d say yes’ and you’re like ?!?!?!? and then he goes 'hypothetically, if I asked you out, what would you say’ and you reply 'i’d say yes too’ and both of you are just kinda !??!?! then childe, who has such a way with words (/s), says 'wait can i ask you now’ and you’re like 'WHAT’ and he goes 'can i ask you out now or is it like a bad time idk how to do this’ and finally after a lot of flustered-ness from both sides he eventually goes 'y/n, would you like to go out with me?’ and obviously you reply 'yeah childe i would’.
anyways, then childe is like 'can’t believe i finally got myself a cute s/o’ and you’re like 'well i finally got myself a cute bf’ and both of you are just kinda rambling to each other about how cool is this, and although you’re not entirely certain you’re pretty sure that both you and childe are equally flustered but also having so much fun.
the thing is, childe manages to say the cutest things ever while seeming so genuine that it really makes you want to spontaneously combust or fly to the moon or just hug him. like that same night he’s like “wait i can finally call you cute… oh ur so fucking cute” and then goes on to explain in length all the reasons you are. and you just ?!?! then you say that you can barely form a coherent reply because you’re so happy and he’s just like 'that’s right i always leave you speechless’ please slap him. he deserves it!!!!!!!!!!
yk that thing in relationships where they ask stupid questions like 'if i was a bug would u still date me?’ yeah childe does that except he says 'if i was a ghost would you still date me’, and when you reply 'yeah sure’ he goes 'okay good because if you said no i would haunt you’.
also literally every single time you flirt with childe he’ll tease you by saying 'stop flirting i’m taken, i have an s/o’ and you’ll be like 'what a coincidence, i have a boyfriend but he’s an idiot.’ and he gets so offended,,, but then you say 'he’s my idiot though’ and he switches up real quick LMFAOOO
-
as for your friends’ reactions to hearing that the two of you are a couple now when you get back to physical school, honestly nobody’s surprised. you and childe are the couple that everyone knew was going to happen, even the teachers, and it was just a question of sooner or later.
being in school together is a million times more fun though! you get to spend so much more time with him, and although you’ve been friends for years and dating hasn’t changed much between you both, it’s still more fun to hang out now that it’s a definite fact that he likes you too.
one time you’re in the library studying, and childe stands behind you with his hands on the back of your chair and bends over to ask, “hey, how are you?” you lean back to look up at him and grin, “good now that i get to see you.” and he just smiles although his face is turning redder by the second, “you’re so cute.” now it’s your turn to be embarrassed!
also you talk to him all the time in class because you sit behind him, and you just kick his chair whenever you want to get his attention. he leans back and catches your hands with his (they easily dwarf yours and he later tells you that your hands are adorable) and you make fun of him, “are you trying to hold my hands? simp.” “yeah, i am!” is his immediate reply, though he can’t meet your eyes after that and you end up getting more flustered.
childe brings food for you too. it’s just one of the little ways he shows you affection, remembering your favourite and bringing an extra in his lunchbox just for you, it’s genuinely so sweet. you always scold him and say that you need to repay him for all this, but he just laughs it off and tells you not to worry, after all, “you being my s/o kinda means i get to shower you in gifts. does that mean you’re my sugar baby though?”
his entire family knows about you too! teucer especially likes you, and randomly gifts you cans of fizzy drinks from the vending machine, which you accept wholeheartedly with a lot of gratitude. you and teucer also bond over your shared love of the game genshin impact, and childe complains that teucer gets heart eyes whenever he talks to you about all the characters he has and that childe is really getting jealous. you reassure him that he’s still your favourite no matter what, and that satisfies him.
you and childe have a private discord server just for the two of you, with multiple voice and text channels although you don’t even really need them. one of the voice channels is named 'childe bullying’ and that’s the one you’ve spent the most time in, talking for hours and hours about the stupidest things yet when you’re together they become the most interesting stories in the world. you also use the truth or dare bot and have a ton of fun forcing each other to answer the weirdest truth questions.
also, childe is a closeted romcom enjoyer, and you swear he’s watched even more than you! he finishes them all so fast too and gives really good recommendations. it is slightly embarrassing though when he tells you to watch 'love chuunibyou and other delusions’ and you haven’t started it but he’s already finished watching 'the pet girl of sakurasou’ which you recommended last week. he also reads 'spy x family’! and it’s so awesome for you to finally have someone to scream about it with, it makes you so happy that he likes it and you’re even happier that he actually takes your recommendations into consideration.
for your birthday, childe gets you a necklace. it’s stunning, though honestly if it was from him you’d have accepted a rock. but the fact is, he put so much thought and effort into this gift, shopping at jewelry stores for almost three months and messaging all your friends to confirm what they think you’d like, and eventually buying it and wrapping it and giving it to you. just to tease him, you ask childe to help you put it on, and although he nearly explodes while doing it he finally succeeds at fixing the clasp and promises it suits you perfectly.
and every time the two of you talk and laugh together, you’re certain that you love childe, and that he loves you, and for the moment, that is the most wonderful feeling ever.
a/n ; he also texts u stupid stuff that is somehow cute such as 'can we play val together (romantically)?’ ahhh :(
— synopsis: the changing of times and ways to govern, foolish desires and violent ideals. the tenryou commission was versed with a new wielder, having the orders enacted by the lands very deity, though, the news was nothing but a betrayal. unfortunately, having been known as merciless and loyal, the commission would believe no claimed wielder’s claims, even if they exclaimed their family’s betrayal.
— pairing: var!genshin (male) x fem!reader
— genre: harem (??), fluff, slight angst
— warnings: abandonment, injury, mentions of death, not proofread!!!!
— status: coming soon. updates every sunday.
— taglist: open, just hmu
a/n: i know paimon says that when she first met traveller, baal hadn’t introduced the vision hunt decree yet but shhhh you heard nothing
as if the gods of celestia had known what a pitiful day was to come for y/n, the present rainfall raged harder, the pelting of each drop growing louder by the minute. the child-like smile plastered on her face was now wiped clean, a quivering lip taking its place.
the day started off pure. her begging her mother to let her tag along with her while she works, claiming that her little sister was old enough to be able to stay home by herself. clinging to her mother’s arm in a childish nature, her mother was trying her hardest to tug her arm out of her child’s grip. with one final beg, her mother abruptly whipped her body to face the teen.
before y/n could sneak in another beg, she saw a faint look of hesitation in her mother’s eyes. the way her eyebrows creased and her lips turned down into an indistinct frown before reverting back to her hostile gaze at her own daughter. the older woman yanked her arm out of the grip on the teen and opened her mouth. there was a faint realization that this would be the last time she would ever see her mother the same again, hoping that once in her life that flowers would flow out of the older woman’s lips, out only came thorns and stones.
“wait, no!” her cries were ignored as the woman holding a wood-woven basket filled with her belongings had treaded through the undergrowth and out of sight.
“come back! please, mama!”, shifting her weight into her feet to run after her mother but faltered as soon as she heard calls of her younger sister back at her abode.
“tame”, the name left her lips breathlessly, sprinting back to her house and busting open the doors, only to see soldiers of the tenryou commission pushing and pulling at her, in search of her vision that her parent’s had claimed the two of you had.
“there’s the other one, seize them.” kujou sara, the loyal general of the commission, having devoted her life to their deity.
“wait, no! she doesn’t have one, only me! stop, don’t touch her!” [y/n]’s voice boomed through the abandoned home and bounced off the wooden walls as she ran in front of her crouching sister, hiding her figure behind her arms.
the other soldiers raised their weapons, the blades of each taunting [y/n] mocking her to make another move, “i’ll give you my vision, just let her go.”
“how strange, we were told both of you had visions…” her tone was mocking, and venomous.
“it’s not true!! please, let her go” her pleas had made the entire house go silent, the only thing heard was the harsh pattering of the rain outside.
“very well… take her vision if it’s the last thing you do!”
“tame, run.” was the very last thing tame’s older sister had ever said to her, before sprinting out of the house, effectively chasing every soldier out.
though her legs burned and the pelting rain irritated her skin, [y/n] kept running, she had to, she didn’t want to die, not now, not like this. unbeknownst to her, the general was a bow wielder, standing quite a ways away from her, she drew the arrow, and fired, aiming at the [h/c] girl’s calf.
shrieking in pain, [y/n] felt herself tumble to the ground, the soldiers now catching up to her. one specific man drew his sword out, aiming it at the girl’s abdomen. fearfully, she used her arms to pull herself back, but he was quick to catch up to her.
“give up your vision, now!”
the girl cried, looking both left and right, hoping, praying that there was a way she could get out of this situation. a brown wooden boat had caught her attention, it was abandoned left at the shore with no trace of the owner. taking deep breaths in to ready herself on her legs again, she forced herself upwards, dragging her injured leg behind her and running towards the boat.
“stop her!” turning her head to look behind her, she materialized her polearm, given to her by her father before he passed away. she forced it in front of the only soldier able to catch up to her. before she knew it, the soldier was able to land a hit- or rather a stab in her side. he gave it a sharp twist before pulling his dagger out, making her choke on her own breath. her grip on her polearm tightened, swinging it at the man and slicing her arm. she fell to the ground in pain just as he did, and clutched at her side.
“get up!” a voice that lingered in the back of mind sounded through her head.
a voice of whom held a special place in her heart before his life was taken away from him.
“get up y/n!” was she delusional? was this what happens when you die?
still, she obeyed dragging herself to the shore where the abandoned boat resided. up, she thought. one more step and you’ll be safe. she just had to force herself to climb, then she’d be free of her life in inazuma. her father’s voice sounded through her mind, her eyes teary from the pain.
“i can’t papa…”, her voice was weak, but there was a passion that seemed to belong to something- someone much more powerful.
mindlessly, she was able to force herself into the boat, the feeling of someone else controlling the mechanics of her body, she surrendered, laying idly against the wood of the boat as it drifted out to sea.
with one last look at the island she grew up on, reminiscing on the foul and nostalgic memories she had made, she only saw her sister and her tear-stained face, their gazes stuck on each other. tame was being dragged away by the general and her subordinates, writhing and screaming all while staring at her older sister longingly, her protector, her family.
“tame…” her voice reeked of pain, and it was the last thing she said before her world grew dark.
perhaps some people saw it as a miracle, but she only felt guilt. she had somehow made it to liyue harbour alive, and this time as a vision wielder. growing accustomed to the life of the people in liyue, she embraced it rather than pushed it away, in hopes of the lingering reminder of her sister fading. though, she likes to think that she just had a knack for getting herself chased out of nations for things she did not do- or have. that was how she ended up in the forests of mondstadt, exploring and seeking shelter in what she had left.
though, she had made an interesting discovery after having a blonde boy sneak up on her. it was rather interesting, the way they met. she had almost killed him, but lowered her guard as soon as she saw his attire and apologized profusely.
“you… don’t look like you’re from here…” the question seemed to make the stranger nervous, giving the back of his neck a nervous scratch before responding.
“well… you see…”
a/n: erm hi i know her backstory on how she got chased out of liyue was not very detailed but i really didn’t want this to be too long pls bear w me hehe
— synopsis:the changing of times and ways to govern, foolish desires and violent ideals. the tenryou commission was versed with a new wielder, having the orders enacted by the lands very deity, though, the news was nothing but a betrayal. unfortunately, having been known as merciless and loyal, the commission would believe no claimed wielder’s claims, even if they exclaimed their family’s betrayal.
— pairing: var!genshin (male) x fem!reader
— genre: harem (??), fluff, slight angst
— warnings: death, violence (canon-level), injuries, etc. these will be more in-depth at the beginning of each chapter.
anon said: um hi!! you said you wanted some requests, and i came up with an idea! would i be able to request a mona fic where the reader is rlly spontaneous and a risk-taker but they have terrible judgment, and because of her abilities, she basically has a sixth sense that tells her when her s/o is about to do something kinda stupid? i think it would be a cute dynamic :,)
hi anon!! this is such a cute dynamic omg ur mind ♀️♀️ i dont really have much to say besides i hope yall like this!! i also hope its what you expected anon! BTW CHILDE RERUN IM AAAAAAAAAAAA
word count: 870
warnings: none!
fluff, slight crack
you were always a very spontaneous person.
it wasn’t something awful, but it wasn’t something great either. while it helped you with some kinds of stuff, it could be a curse on itself too. you suddenly felt a strong urge to eat vegetarian abalone in the middle of the night, but you had no matsutake nor snapdragon? fear not, why not go to the outskirts of springvale to get some matsutake, maybe near that hilichurl tribe there, and then go to windrise to get some snapdragon?
and that’s exactly what you were doing right now.
maybe some could call you a risk-taker, but you wouldn’t really say that. you just really wanted vegetarian abalone, and it isn’t going to make itself, right? you’re not gonna run into anything dangerous, of course. if anything, you knew how to defend yourself, you just happened to run into a lot of dangerous situations very quickly, but that had nothing to do with your spontaneity, or so you thought.
it was in one of those dangerous situations that you met mona, the astrologist whom you sometimes read her columns in newspapers. you were just strolling around starsnatch cliff, looking for some flowers to make a flower crown, when you plucked a sweet flower and suddenly, a pyro whopperflower appeared! thankfully, mona was also strolling around that area, and quickly defeated the whopperflower.
she then told you that you should’ve been more careful, because, if not for her accurate previsions, you’d be in serious danger. what she didn’t tell you, though, was that she made no prevision — she just felt something was wrong, and started to look around to see what was wrong.
you ended up giving her the flower crown you’ve been making as a thank you gift, and that’s how your relationship with mona megistus started.
maybe it was fate, mona thought at the time. it was then that this so-called “sixth sense” of mona started to happen. she would make absolutely no previsions, and yet she could know when you were about to do something you’d really regret later. be it buying a new expensive book in impulse, just so it ended with you not even liking it or reading it after 20 pages, or be it you getting yourself in some really dangerous situation without your knowledge.
in any case, the moment you arrived in windrise, mona woke up in a cold sweat.
wait, something is wrong, she thought. she looked over to the clock on her wall — 1 am. mona thought of going back to sleep, since she fell asleep on her desk, writing the next column of the newspaper, but she could sense something was about to happen. after shaking off the initial sleepiness, she quickly realized what it was about.y/n!
mona quickly got up and got her weapon — just in case. then, she teleported to windrise, near the statue of the seven. she looked around, frantically searching for you. after some seconds of searching, she finally spotted you.
you were near the river, looking for snapdragons. as you looked over, there was something sticking out of the dirt, and it looked like a radish. it wouldn’t hurt to get some radish, right? you thought, making your way to remove it from the ground. as you were about to pluck it, mona screamed at you.
“y/n, wait! that’s a-”
as you retreated your hand from the alleged plant, you heard a noise coming from it. suddenly, it jumped from the ground, and you yanked back, reaching for your weapon.
“…dendro slime”
mona teleported herself near you, fighting the slime with ease and defeating it quickly. thankfully, it was a small one, not the big ones that live near windrise. she turned around after defeating it, looking at you with a deadpan — and slightly sleepy — face.
“y/n, we’ve talked about this before” she proclaimed, crossing her arms in slight worry. “it’s 1 am! what are you trying to do here?”
“…vegetarian abalone?” you replied, trying to make a cute face to convince her it’s totally fine to go out at 1 am to collect vegetables. but you knew the way to win her heart again. “do you want some? it’s completely free, from yours truly”
mona looked around, trying to pretend her stomach was not growling and she wasn’t interested. “hmmm… maybe i’ll accept the offer. but please, don’t go out at 1 am unaccompanied again! if it wasn’t for my previsions, you’d be screwed” she proclaimed, trying to sound angry, but your cute face was just too much for her.
“…ehe?” you replied, knowing what she was saying was true. but what could you do? that vegetarian abalone wasn’t gonna be made by itself.
“what are you saying ‘ehe’ for?! you’re lucky i love you a lot” mona crossed her arms again, until the realization of what she had said hit her. she started to blush and cough, and you wouldn’t waste this opportunity. you both made your way back to mondstadt with your ingredients in hand, playful mockings and a free meal for mona.
hELLO!! im sorry i didnt really post anything here, ive been busy T-T anyways, theres a big lack of hu tao in this community, maybe its bc she was just released eheheh im finally a hu tao haver!! i hope yall get lucky with the pulls as well, hu tao is so cool…. anyways, i hope yall like this, im super uncreative with titles tbh and also, dont be afraid to request me!! i had a huge art block until today,,, then i read hu tao’s story and i was like I NEED TO WRITE SOMETHING
warnings: near death experience ig? but that’s it
word count: 720
soulmate au; where time stops for a few seconds when you first touch your soulmate.
gathering herbs was never an easy task, but it was necessary.
as a healer and a bubu pharmacy employee, it was quite normal. it came with the job, after all. so, here you were, walking around in the eerie abandoned village in wuwang hill. although it was daytime, the fog and darkness in the region made it hard to see things from a distance, making you walk around helplessly as you looked for some violetgrass.
you didn’t particularly liked being here, but it was your job. the mysterious atmosphere made you quite scared, especially as you were completely alone, since qiqi went to mingyun village to gather her share of herbs. maybe if i had a soulmate, they could come with me, you thought. soulmates existed, but they weren’t quite that usual. maybe one in a hundred people had soulmates, at least in liyue.
they said time stopped when you first touched your soulmate, quite literally. and that’s how you knew someone was your soulmate — you just had to touch them.
just thinking about it made your heart flutter. having a soulmate who could help you when you’re scared seemed like a good deal. this hill was scary, and the feeling of not being able to see things properly made you anxious. if anything were to appear, like a hilichurl, you knew it would be hard to defeat it. you were a healer, not a fighter. it simply wasn’t really something you liked or enjoyed, so you didn’t really try to learn anything beyond the basics.
you suddenly hear a noise, snapping you out of your thoughts. it was something moving in the grass, but it was too foggy for you to identify what it was. there was something nearby, and you knew it. you looked around, finally spotting a silhouette.
as you reached for your weapon, the silhouette disappeared. the next thing you knew, you were on the ground.
you opened your eyes, whining in pain. now that it was closer to you, you could see it was a cryo whopperflower. you turned your head in fear and looked for your weapon, but it had been knocked out of your belt and was now laying on the ground, far away from you. even if you managed to get your weapon, it wouldn’t be of much use, since your hand and ankle hurt a lot from the fall.
as the whopperflower prepared itself for its next attack, you closed your eyes. is that it? you thought, the sudden realization hitting you. is this how i die?
suddenly, a warm breeze meets your skin. after a few seconds, you open your eyes, only to see the cryo whopperflower on the ground, defeated. you look around, finding a girl with brown hair with red tips.
she turned around to look at your frightened self, giving you a smile. she wore a hat with a symbol you knew you had seen before, and, as you digged through your mind to find out what it was, realization hit you. she was the director of the wangsheng funeral parlor, hu tao, as the hat indicated. you had heard of her, mostly from baizhu, who seemed to be always annoyed at the director’s persistence to give qiqi her final rest, but you had never really met her.
“hey there! what were you doing wandering around wuwang hill? it can be quite the dangerous place, you know…” hu tao stopped her sentence, looking at your injured hand.
she walked towards you, and then lowered herself, as if to check the injury.
“t-there’s no need to check, i’m a healer, i can just-” you said, holding your injured hand with your other hand, but stopped suddenly as she touched you.
a weird feeling made its way to your heart, and the wind seemed to stop blowing. hu tao felt that too, as you both looked around, only to find that everything was frozen in place. the grass, the leaves of the trees, even the animals in the area. you looked at hu tao, and she looked at you, both with widened eyes.
and, as you looked into her crimson eyes, time seemed to be back to normal, just as fast as it froze. yet, you couldn’t notice a thing.
you could only stare in surprise as she smiled softly.
anon asked: hiii! I was wondering if you could write a really angsty oneshot for kaeya with a happy ending? I’ll leave the plot to you but I’d love to see the reader get jealous cause he used to get around a lot >.< thank you!
hiii, it’s nice to be back for a while!! i hope it’s good enough for you, and that it’s what you hoped for!! sorry for the long time to write this, it’s because half of my family got covid + i moved to another city 2 days ago T-T ANYWAYS i hope y’all like it!! it isn’t the absolute best bc ive been writing less these days but its still something!!
ps. very loosely based on downpour by ioi. yall should listen to it ehehe
warnings: slight low self esteem, insecurity
sometimes, it was hard to breathe.
every time you went to the city plaza, just to find him sitting there chatting with a girl. every time you went to cat’s tail, to maybe get a nice drink, only to find another person flirting with him. every time you went to the knights of favonius’ headquarters, to look for him, instead finding a new recruit whispering something in his ear. and, each time, kaeya looked at you the same way, pretending nothing was happening before and giving you his signature smile as he walked towards you.
each time, you put up a smile and pretended nothing was happening.
because how could you say anything? it was his lifestyle, after all. it was what kaeya was known for, flirting around shamelessly and giving out compliments. it was something he was used to, and probably did without giving much mind to it. and yet, you managed to fall for him, knowing this would happen.
will it ever stop, this feeling? you thought as you stood outside in the cold, raindrops falling harshly against your skin. maybe he already knew what was happening, and didn’t care. maybe he didn’t, but nothing would happen if you told him anyways. why would he ever stop because of you? you were one amongst many.
as you walked around the city, the usually bustling streets were now empty, shops and restaurants closed. nobody to notice you there, walking around melancholically. maybe, deep down, you wished someone would notice, someone would stop, someone would help. deep down, you wished it was him to stop and help. to ask what’s wrong, to listen to your selfish thoughts. but nothing would come out of it, you reminded yourself.
after some time in the rain, you were feeling tired. maybe it was time to go home and take a nice, warm bath, you thought. to lay down in your bed and indulge in impossible fantasies. maybe that would make you feel better, for now.
and yet, when you arrived, there was a tall figure standing at your doorstep.
somehow, no words were necessary. kaeya knew what was going on — he always knew. as you stopped, he walked towards you, not minding the strong rain, and pulled you into a hug. he was warm, caring and affectionate as always. it made you remind yourself why you liked him in the first place. his smile, his warmth, everything. it made the cold rain become warm tears, and fall down your cheeks. maybe you didn’t need to feel that way — because he would always come back to you.
angst with a happy ending sfw xiao x gn reader warnings: mentions of death word count: around 360
protecting liyue was no easy task, but there was one task that xiao deemed to be even more difficult than that.
learning how to love.
of course, xiao knew what gratitude felt like — it was the only feeling that kept him going, kept him fighting, kept him living. he knew what anger felt like. he knew what anguish felt like. yet, love was a foreign word in xiao’s vocabulary; how could he find something he wasn’t even worthy of? he had slaughtered for millenia. he was bound to suffering and pain. what kind of love is there for someone like him?
and yet, when you came along, all his ideals were thrown out of the window. you taught him what affection was, you taught him the sweetness of life and countless other things. at first, xiao demanded you stay away from him — for there is only suffering for those who stay by his side. somehow, his demands and glares were not enough to keep you away. with time, he grew accustomed to your presence, waiting for you each night to enjoy a bowl of almond tofu together.
xiao could even say he appreciated you.
so, when presented with the quest of learning how to love, xiao didn’t know what to do. was he really worthy of your love? you were better off with a mortal like you, a mortal who doesn’t carry the weight of the karmic debt xiao has to endure each moment, a mortal who can give you more. and yet, every time he said that to you, you just hugged him tight, and assured him you wouldn’t go anywhere so soon.
maybe, after all, he wouldn’t take you for granted. how could he, when you loved him as he was?
and with that, xiao noticed something: maybe it didn’t matter if he was worthy of love or not. he had you by his side, and that’s all that mattered. his anger could be washed away when near you, his fears completely dispersed. even if you were to eventually leave, he wouldn’t change, because you are engraved in his heart.
anon asked: hello! same anon with the xiao and childe rqt. :) it was great! love it! came back to ask if i could have the same rqt but with zhongli and albedo, please? ty!
hii again anon! tysm for requesting again, i really enjoyed writing the scenarios!! although i am not very used to writing albedo (or any genshin character, that’s my first time doing this T-T), i am happy to see someone request him and zhongli!! i hope yall enjoy it <3
gn reader x zhongli, gn reader x albedo sfw word count: around 500 each warnings: eavesdropping ? but that’s it i believe!
zhongli
it was a peculiar feeling, this thing mortals called jealousy.
it was an overwhelming feeling as well, consuming every part of zhongli’s mind, only growing stronger with the passing of time. his throat felt tight, along with the million words he wanted to say to your pursuiter, but never came out. what was this feeling, after all? zhongli had never felt this before, and he made a mental note of studying this so-called “jealousy” afterwards.
zhongli sipped his tea once again, looking at you, who was talking to your friend. it was quite obvious what was happening, even for zhongli — your friend wanted to ask you out, and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. you weren’t even that close to this friend, as you had met them a few weeks ago and since then, they had been infatuated with you. zhongli couldn’t blame them for being infatuated, as he could say the very same thing about himself. but this? this was too much.
“y/n, are you really sure you don’t wanna go out today? perhaps tomorrow, or even later? i’d be willing to wait, you know” they said, apparently oblivious to your uncomfort.
they already knew about zhongli too, and yet didn’t seem to care at all he was there to watch it all. before their arrival, you both were drinking some tea at heyu tea house, enjoying the performances as zhongli told you curious facts about liyue. everything was fine before, so why did they have to show up?
“ah… i’m quite busy recently, i’m afraid I won’t be able to hang out with you…” you replied, turning back to sit again with zhongli.
yet, that rascal decided to grab your wrist as you were leaving, and that was the breaking point to zhongli. he slowly put down his tea and got up, having enough of this discussion. your friend backed up a little bit, but tried to maintain his facade. you were confused, too. zhongli was a peaceful and polite man, but you couldn’t see the usual calm in his eyes.
“aren’t you aware they are saying ‘no’? shall you still bother them with such idle chatter?” he said, staring into your friend’s eyes. your friend never heard zhongli talk, but it seemed like being questioned by him made them quite frightened. “or should i explain what ‘no’ means?”
your friend gulped, staring between you and zhongli back and forth. they surely hadn’t anticipated zhongli would step up, and he knew it. maybe seeing the tall man make his way towards them was enough to make them feel afraid, and maybe cornered. perhaps then they would stop bothering you?
“uhm… yes, now that i look at it, you don’t seem interested… sorry for bothering you, y/n” your friend said, and quickly made their way out of the tea house.
you looked at zhongli and gave him a mischievous smile, knowing fully well what had happened. he only smiled back, the usual calm coming back to his eyes now that your pursuiter was gone. zhongli grabbed your hand and guided you back to the table, sitting beside you with a relaxed figure.
“it seems like the tea is still warm. well then, shall we continue with the tales of liyue?”
albedo
albedo never thought he’d be doing something like this.
this was just supposed to be a short trip to the library, albedo thought. but what am i doing? he wondered, pushing himself to the darkest and most hidden corner he could find, just so he could hear what was happening. he was quite surprised to hear your voice while looking for some alchemy textbooks sucrose asked him to get for her, and was about to greet you, until he heard another voice. now, albedo was stuck between two bookshelves, trying to perhaps find out what this was about.
“…but this is so interesting to hear! say, do you have more to tell me about sumeru academia?” you said, voice full of excitement. it was one of the things he liked about you, your endless excitement over the smallest things.
maybe this was considered eavesdropping, and albedo knew it. but it’s for research reasons, of course, he thought. it was always a research, everything involving you. it was a research for both you and him, as he was quite new to all these feelings he suddenly found himself having. albedo wasn’t one for relationships, but everything you did… it was fascinating. it made him want to give it a try, for once. maybe it wasn’t a waste of energy and time if it was you, after all.
“i’d love to tell you more! what you say, we go out for a date- i mean, a dinner, and i could tell you more-” the voice said, but a sudden loud noise made the library ground tremble.
you stopped listening and went to look for the source of noise with worry, just to find textbooks on the ground, next to albedo’s emotionless figure. seeing your face, albedo let out a small smile, which quickly disappeared at the sight of your other companion, a young sumeru scholar who had just showed up in mondstadt. you lower yourself, trying to help him with the mess he had just made. this was unlike him, and he knew you knew, but maybe albedo just accidentally stumbled over himself and let the books fall, right?
“hi, albedo! didn’t see you there, are you fine?” he quickly nodded with a slight smile, lowering himself as well to help with his own mess.
maybe it was subconscious, but his hand quickly made its way to yours, brushing it lightly while grabbing the books. you looked at him with blushed cheeks, while he kept on collecting the books, trying to hold a smile. you quickly recollected yourself, grabbing the rest of the heavy textbooks.
“do you need help taking these to sucrose?” you offered, to the sumeru scholar’s dismay. he was about to protest, until albedo looked at him for a brief moment, and then back to you.
“i’d enjoy your help, if you don’t mind” he replied.
albedo knew he was fully capable of lifting those books alone, but who was he to deny your help? and he needed to find out why his heart felt so tight when you were next to the scholar. maybe he could make some notes about these feelings later. as you two left the library, you replied with a soft “i’m sorry, but i think i’ll pass” to the sumeru scholar. albedo’s heart felt lighter, and now he could focus on accompanying you.
after all, time spent with you was never lost time.
anon asked: hi! ill like to request something among the lines of xiao and childe (separately) being jealous, with a gn!reader, please! :) thank you! <3
omg my first request!! tysm for requesting, i really appreciate it!! i hope you like it, anon <3
gn reader x xiao, gn reader x childe sfw warnings: none
word count: around 400 and 500 words, respectively.
xiao
anguish.
seeing you with another person, oblivious to their blatant flirting, gave him anguish. it was just a normal night at wangshu inn, you had brought xiao some almond tofu and was about to leave, until some merchant from fontaine stopped you to start some small talk. you, of course, dropped everything you were doing and started talking. how could you just carelessly stop to talk with some random merchant? what if he was dangerous? thoughts concerning your safety went through xiao’s head like a hurricane.
no, he wasn’t jealous, he was just concerned about this stranger — or at least that’s what he would like to think.
one minute passed. then five. and then twenty. xiao had enough at this point, as only his gaze wasn’t enough to intimidate the pesky merchant, and you looked fairly tired of talking. the adeptus made his way to the both of you, your eyes immediately shifting towards him with curiosity. he wasn’t one to show many emotions and he knew it, but this was too much. the merchant looked at xiao with annoyance as he tried to grab your attention once more.
“y/n” xiao said, and you looked at him with confusion in your eyes. “i see you’re tired. do you wish for me to accompany you through your way home?”
you looked very confused. xiao never offered to do something like that before, and he knew you were wondering. “i wouldn’t like for you to run into any monsters, that is” he added quickly, making you look at him with even more confusion. yes, he knew you could fend for yourself, and at first he didn’t mind your presence much, but you had grown to become something he cherished. so, it was only normal for him to offer to take you home, right?
maybe this will be enough to scare him off, xiao thought. and yet, he was wrong.
“actually, i was thinking the same-” the merchant started to say, but suddenly stopped at the feeling of xiao’s gaze on him. maybe it had finally worked, staring at him with unmatched anger. “oh no! i just remembered i have something really important to do! see you, y/n!” and, with that, the merchant was quickly gone.
xiao could only sigh in relief.
childe
childe was jealous, and that was obvious to everyone around him.
both of you were strolling around liyue harbor, enjoying one of his rare off duty days. it was a sunny day, the breeze was nice and the streets were bustling with people looking around shops and enjoying their day. everything was perfect, the way your hands intertwined, the way you laughed at his flirtatious jokes, the way your hair flowed with the wind.
so why had your ex suddenly appeared?
it was funny, really. your ex didn’t even recognize childe, neither as your current boyfriend or one of the fatui harbingers. if he did notice you both were having a date, he was surely happy to intervene. it made childe’s eye twitch slightly out of annoyance, but his facade was perfect. well, almost.
it was his body language that made it clear for you. the way he held your hand slightly more tight, as if you were going to leave him at any moment. the way his stare made its way between you and your ex, switching between you both constantly. it was clear that he was annoyed, but you couldn’t do much about it, as your ex just wouldn’t stop talking. he would ask you about your family, about your current occupation, about the present. you were quite uncomfortable, but what could you do? just turn away and go?
on childe’s mind, that’s exactly what you should do, but he knew you were way too polite to do something like that. so, he waited. for a while, that is. as the conversation seemed to have no end and you seemed quite uncomfortable, childe decided it was time to intervene.
“hey comrade, i’m sorry to interrupt but me and y/n were about to go eat something together, i believe they must be quite hungry, right?” he looked at you, and you instantly nodded, noticing his quick plan to get rid of your ex.
“oh? i’m sorry, who are you? we are having a conversation here, if you can’t tell” you ex replied, and something sparked in childe’s eyes.
it wasn’t anger, but rather amusement.
“my name is childe, but i also go by tartaglia. nice to meet you!” as childe said his name, he noticed a sudden fear in your ex’s eyes. he retracted back, looking at the other like an alien.
“t-tartaglia, you say?” your ex said, and childe nodded enthusiastically. this is fun, he thought. your ex turned to you, looking frightened by your current boyfriend. “ah, i’m sorry, y/n, but i suddenly remembered this thing i have to do… farewell!” he said, quickly making his way away from you both with trembling legs.
after your ex left, you looked to childe and suddenly burst out laughing. he followed, laughing heartily as well. and you two continued your date, thankfully without any interruptions this time.
gn!reader x keqing fluff. a lot of fluff sfw warnings: none
author’s notes: hiii so this is my first post here ever i’m not very used to tumblr tbh, but i really enjoy writing, so i hope yall enjoy this too!! if u see any kind of mistake pls let me know bc english isn’t my first language ehehehe
the night sky was always beautiful in liyue, but today it was even more astonishing.
as the wind blew away the lanterns scattered in the sky, whispers of silent wishes made their way to the heavens, carrying with them countless hopes and dreams. elders and children alike wrote down their wishes and released their lanterns as high as possible, hoping that the skies would listen to their deepest desires, and maybe give them a chance. you and keqing were no different.
as you and her matched your footsteps against the grass, carrying with each of you a xiao lantern, she could only wish this moment would last forever. the way the grass tickled your bare feet, the way the light breeze let your hair flow carelessly, the way your hand brushed lightly against her soft skin. it was perfect, but it was also too rare for you both to have moments like that, so who could blame keqing for wishing it never ended?
as you both sat on the ground, she turned around to look at you. as you looked at her, keqing wondered. i look at your eyes, and yet i can’t see the end to their depth. for the both of you, no words were necessary. it was the way you reflected in her eyes, it was the way keqing reflected in your eyes. keqing’s hands made their way to her lantern, eyes quickly making their way between the lantern and you.
“have you already written down your wish?” keqing asked, and you nodded with a soft smile. “then, shall we release them?”
as she was about to release her lantern, you held her hand, signaling for you both to release them at the same time. keqing could feel warmth coming to her hand, a warmth she could only treasure and enjoy for the moment. work always calls, but she was grateful for being able to enjoy this moment with you.
as you both released your lanterns near the entrance of liyue harbor, the moon illuminated your features in a way keqing wished she would never forget. your hands were still together, and, if it depended on keqing, they would be forever. you both walked towards the harbor, intending to enjoy some food together and spend whatever time she had left together. and, as keqing turned away from the lanterns, she could only think to herself.
regardless of what today or tomorrow holds, i can only wish to be by your side.
I’m gonna try and do some fanfics to fill the time!! I will do regular fanfics, headcanons, little drabbles, or maybe some full series if I have enough brain cells:D
