xiao isn’t the biggest fan of affection [especially in public] but he’ll still find ways to show his love for you. Whether that be giving you little presents when there’s no special occasion or even holding your pinkie under the table while you guys eat, you can always count on him to express his love for you, even if it may not be in the most conventional ways. He probably won’t initiate a hug or a kiss but if you do it he wouldn’t mind but over the course of your relationship he would get bolder and start giving you side hugs that would slowly become the nicest warmest hugs ever. ahhhh
— 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
i don’t think venti really gets flustered that often, yk ? he’s really good at playing it off and turning the tables on you
but that doesn’t in ANY way mean you can’t tryto fluster him
i think what’ll get to him the most isn’t you actively tryingto fluster him, per se, but these little domestic acts that you don’t even think much of.
pressing a little kiss to his lips before leaving your place ? his brain short circuits SJSJ
stuff like that though is all i can think of that would actually fluster him, so as for whathe does when he’s flustered
like i SWEAR hes trying not to make it that obvious but KSJ ?? he’ll freeze . like, i cant think of any other way he’d act other than staring at you mindlessly for nearly thirty seconds
his face will warm, and after he’s collected himself the BEST thing he can do is offer a half-assed compliment that is executed . horribly
someone save him JSJS
he rubs the back of his neck, and avoids eye contact purely bcz he’s afraid you’ll look at his face and tease him for the little dopey smile that just won’t go away
he’ll start rambling afterwards, talking about things that have absolutely nothingto do with anything at all . he’ll talk about the weather, about the knights, about music, i dont know he’ll talk abt whatever non stop just to get rid of the butterflies
do it again . i dare you
ಇ … xiao !
forget him . help me
. where do i even begin
godxiao is so . adorable when he’s flustered . everyone says it but hes sucha tsundere
again, i dont think theres a lotthat flusters him, mainly because sometimes he doesn’t really . get that you’re trying to fluster him sometimes
but he’s sucha sucker for praise & acknowledgement, purely because of his past and how he was treated ; it’s not in the “ you’re so skilled ! ” type of way, but more like praise he hasn’t heard from anyone buthis s/o.
call him pretty ? call him yourpretty boy ? hes gone . evaporated .
hug him from behind ? whisper an i love you in his ear ? its over for him . its over . you’re it for him JSSKS
his eyes go WIDE
he only offers you a small glance before looking as far away from you as he can because archons forbid you see the look on his face . he’d absolutely lose it
i hate saying the word blush but like . HE BLUSHES . the red hue that covers his entire face + the tips of his ears ? if youever saw that . no
of course he knows you’ve seen it . of course . that doesn’t make it any better JSJS
just having you see it makes him feel even worse ( not worse, really, but yk what i mean ) because hes an adeptus . he shouldnt be feeling this way
goes dead silent . he either glares at literally nothing , watches you through his peripheral, or complains about having to go do something because he doesn’t like how hot his face feels . he needs to leave so it can go away JSJS
So for the longest time reader has liked Xiao, even loves him if reader was really honest with themselves. But Xiao being Xiao has always been closed off, karmic debt is harmful to humans, he says. That doesn’t really deter reader, reader just bides their time trying to “pester” Xiao or hang out with him.
Fast forward to the events of the Chasm, reader hears word that Xiao has the intentions of exploring down there and its dangerous. He knows it. Reader knows it. So reader decides to semi-confess. The “I’ll wait for you to come back and we can have that meal together” type of confession. Xiao neither declines nor accepts it but says something along the lines of “Don’t count on it too much,”
But, when Xiao comes back from the Chasm, near death experience and all, after traveller talking some sense into him about letting people in, he immediately thinks of reader, but he finds that reader is the one who has disappeared.
Turns out that in the span of time that Xiao was in the Chasm, reader had fallen seriously ill and is on their last legs.
Alternate route: Reader gets hanahaki disease while Xiao is in the chasm, deteriorates so fast, and was given an option to perish or take a pill that will make them feel better, but lose all feelings/memories for the person they love. Reader took the pill and by the time Xiao comes around reader doesn’t remember him anymore.
Thoughts?
This will stay as brainrot for now. I have too much on my hands already.
Notes:This was also a request and I liked it but for some reason I can’t find the ask anymore, I might have accidentally deleted it. Has been sitting in my drafts for a while cause idk how else to make it better. It’s still a little cringy to me, tbh.
Warnings:VERYSTEAMY but generally still SFW bordering on not, you’ve been warned though, not proofread, some possessiveness, yes there are sexual innuendos, mentions of alcohol and drinking, did i say not proofread?, if there are pronoun slips please let me know.
The two of you never really meant for it to turn into a make out session. With Aether, there’s a lot of patience and no pushing to do things. It just happened spontaneously while cuddling in bed.
The first kiss was innocent. Just a quick peck on the lips. But something in him seemed to spur him on and suddenly he’s leaning in for another one…and another one…and another… He’s still slow about it, giving you the chance to say no but also hoping that you don’t pull away. When you don’t, he peers into your eyes and sees that they’re clouded over, just as his is and he puts his all into the next kiss.
His hand cradles your neck, his kiss is nearing hungry, wanting more of your soft lips on his. It’s an addiction now and you’ve wrapped your arms around his neck to deepen the already passionate exchange. You open your mouth to let his tongue slide in, the kisses are getting sloppy, wetter. Your legs are tangled together and the heat between your lips blooms in your stomach and has you silently begging for more. The raw emotion makes you weak.
“Hey! Why is the door locked?! Did you two forget about Paimon?! Let me in!”
The two of you pull away abruptly. Panting and flushed, Aether more so than you. There’s a subtle disappointment in his eyes, but he’s a gentleman so he smiles and gathers himself, smooths down your hair and his, kisses your nose and utters a quick “I love you,” before pushing off the bed and letting the clueless Paimon in.
Albedo
Did he plan it? You’ll never know. He took you to Inazuma with him when he was commissioned to paint The Five Kasen. Of course, he took Klee with him too.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been alone,” Albedo sets down the tea on the kotatsu and sits next to you on the tatami floor. Klee is out with the traveller and Yoimiya, and though he feels a little bad for not being able to take Klee around, he was really rather busy with the preparation of the paintings.
What you didn’t get was why he wouldn’t let YOU go with Klee instead. It’d been midday when he emerged from his separate work room and sought you out. And now the two of you sat side by side each other, you feel him snake an arm around your waist. “You’re done with the painting?” You question him as he presses a kiss on the side of your head.
“No,” he simply replies. The next time he dips his head, it lands on your lips and you instantly recognize the need in it. He rarely initiated kisses like this, the type that fanned a fire in your belly. It’s not a hungry kiss, but its long and his lips constantly move against yours, just as your head tilts to the side to give him more access.
Your hand slides away from the teacup and rests on his shoulder, his arms are coming up to your back and pressing you further into him. When he breaks away he only does so to dip back into your neck, trailing kisses up to your ear. “‘Bedo–” You shudder a little at the light and quick pecks…until your ears pick up on familiar little, running footsteps and the door making a small rattle before the two of you break away and it slides open to reveal a very happy Klee, bursting with joy about her adventures.
You pretend to be drinking tea, though Albedo’s hand is still around your waist, he clears his throat before greeting his sister. “Welcome back, Klee,”
Ayato
Intentional but has an excuse for it and kind of blames you for it.
It’s rare that he gets to go to a festival with you, but he decided that he could take a break today and walk around. Inazuman festivals are always looked forward to, with lots of stalls, festivities and the closing fireworks, it’s an enjoyable time for everyone.
For Ayato, however, he can’t help but keep staring at your kimono-clad form. You rarely wore them, only on special occasions. Simply said, you looked even more charming than usual.
So then was it his fault that he pulled you into a small alleyway in between two Inazuman houses and started kissing you? No. Not at all.
“A-Ayato–There are people–” He’s gentle when he maneuvered you against the wall, but his kiss was not. He nips at your lips in a teasing manner, and recaptures your lips over and over again with only a second to breathe between each one, his hands sliding up your hip to keep you in place.
“If you’re not too noisy they won’t notice, darling,” Ayato hides a smirk as he whispers to you, going back in for a now open mouthed and hot kiss. He just can’t get enough of you. Every breath he took was like breathing in lust and fire, seducing him to keep his mouth sucking yours.
Then, he feels something bump against his foot, he pulls away abruptly, one of his arms still leaning onto the wall next to your head and he looks down to see a colourful ball there. The sounds of kids shouting about kicking the ball too far and running after it makes him pull all the way back, just in time for the kids to stop at the entrance of the alleyway and look at the two of you quizzically, then down to their ball.
Ayato merely kicks it back towards them, and they don’t ask any questions, just caring about the fact that they can continue their game. He does pull you over and out of the small space though, despite you still being flushed and easily says. “We’ll continue later, care to come over?”
Dainsleif
Not a particularly jealous person but there are times where he can’t really stand other people giving you too much attention.
Wolvendom was apparently a dangerous place. Not for Dainsleif. Dainsleif might have been more dangerous than Wolvendom itself. So despite the dangers of the forest you find yourself at ease when he’s around.
The plan was to just pick wolfhooks, but things escalated pretty easily when you found your back against a tree and Dainsleif hovering above you. He didn’t have his arms out, nor was he pushing you towards the tree, but his gaze stayed you there. “…There was a man at the tavern who was a little touchy with you,” he started and you realized he had somehow been watching that exchange.
“He was drunk, Dain. He was kicked out a little later,” You explain as he cups your chin and levels his gaze towards you.
“…I don’t like it,” he simply says and you nod saying that you knew. No one would. However, instead of him complaining he translates his frustrations into a rather forceful kiss. Him pressing against you and trapping you at the tree, you didn’t resist, you had no intention to and all you could do was melt against him.
It would seem as if he was taking out his anger on you, but his kisses gradually ease up, and all it starts to translate to is love and of him never wanting to let you go. His hands tether at your waist and he continues to drown you with his kiss, tongue pushing against your lips, asking for access to your mouth. It’s soft yet dominating at the same time, like an artist’s brush that confidently strokes at the canvas, he continues to stroke his lips on yours.
The first signs of rainfall drip on the tree the two of you are under, it escapes past the leaves until he starts to feel it drip on his scalp. He pulls away as the rain starts to hammer harder down on the two of you. He doesn’t mind kissing you in the rain, but it was the thunder that worried him. He instinctively pulls his coat away and over your form, then retreating under a nearby shelter that he knew of.
His face still has desire painted on it, but he looks down at you, slightly drenched and looking cold and smiles a little with apology. “Sorry,” he says curtly and you only grin back at him.
Diluc
He likes the thought of being intimate with you. Kissing is just the most basic form of love that he discovered he enjoys. He enjoys it so much it’s hard for him to tell himself that one kiss will be enough.
It starts with your visit to his study. He’s there, poring over papers and the moment you walk in it’s as if his exhaustion billows away. He waits for you to approach him at his chair behind the desk and greets you by taking your hand and kissing the back of it. “Done with work?” He asks you and you nod your head with a small “Mmhmm,”
He stands then and greets you more intimately with another kiss. Gloved hand placed on your collarbone and clutching at your shoulder as he pulls you in. Your lips fuses into his perfectly, like you were made for each other and he thinks the same. It’s the exact reason why he can never just kiss you once, specially in the privacy of a room.
He kisses you again, but this time with more fervor, like he hadn’t kissed you in forever, like it was his first time seeing you in ages. His weight starts to push on you, and there’s nowhere to go but on his desk. Without ever taking his lips away he hoists you up over his desk, letting you sit comfortably while you wrap your arms around his shoulders. He’s standing in between your legs and his hands are pressed tightly on your waist. He pulls away to see the expression on your face, clearly wanting more.
He doesn’t ever complain about giving you more and the kisses heat up to the point that your tongues are dancing together, panting against the passion, your hands are tangled in his long, red hair, and you instinctively tug at the hair band keeping it together. Your body almost trembles against his at the intensity of his lips conquering yours–
“Master Diluc? The accountant is here to see you,” The knock on the door pulls the two of you apart, but he doesn’t move from his forehead to forehead position with you. It feels hotter in the room, and he’s sure that it’s not just him who feels it. He stalls for a while to think about what to say, wanting to just turn the accountant away and tell him to come back another time, but you laugh under your breath, feeling the conflict in him.
“Master Diluc,” you breathe out, clearly teasing him. “Don’t keep your guest waiting, I’ll come back later,” It’s you who pushes him away and jumps off the desk, turning to open the door and reveal Adelinde behind it. “He’ll be there in a second. Thank you Adelinde!”
Gorou
Shy. So more often than not you’re the one initiating. You’re surprised that he’s actually a good kisser, or did he just get gradually better at it? Maybe he read some books about it…
Gorou already knows what’s on your mind when you ask him “Can I see the armory?” The first time you asked that, he merely raised his eyebrows and said sure. That had turned out to be a full-blown kissing session that left him flustered the whole day.
It had actually been a while since you visited, and so when you ask “Is there anything new in the armory?” with a small grin on your face. Gorou can’t control nor hide the swish of his tail. He doesn’t admit out loud that he’s missed you far more than he can comprehend.
You’re rather shocked as well that when the door to the armory closes he’s the one who captures your lips in a kiss. He pulls away to say “I–I haven’t seen you in so long. I just–” but you silence him with another, pulling at his clothes to get him leaning on top of you, mouths meshed together.
Your hands wander up to his ears, you always do that, rubbing at it while kissing makes him let out a low growl into your mouth and give a slight jump, but he doesn’t hate it. In fact it encourages him to do more. To open his mouth and receive yours. The kissing sounds are starting to sound lewd and his hands are starting to crawl up your sides.
“General?” Gorou jerks away from you, there’s a sound of a weapon clinking, as if it was getting hung up on the wall. There are footsteps coming around to the two of you and you flatten your clothing out hastily. One of his soldiers was in the armory and emerges from a row of weapons. “Ah general! I thought I heard you!” and proceeds to ask about which weapon would suit him more, because he was having a hard time picking.
Gorou glances at you, face still flushed but there’s nothing but amusement in your eyes. He sighs inwardly and makes a future mental note to check if there’s anyone in the premises first before deciding to kiss you.
Itto
He doesn’t constantly think about making out with you but when it starts to happen he can’t get his mind out of the gutter anymore. Doesn’t have a normal amount of shame as well. So getting caught making out is like nothing to him.
His favourite place to go beetle hunting is Chinjuu forest. Apparently that’s where all the big and strong ones are. He’s looking at every nook and cranny. In the river, atop trees, under boulders, on the stone stairs, inside logs. You name it.
When he finally finds one, it’s like he hit the jackpot. “Heyyy!! Y/N, check this out!” he waves over and runs towards you to show you his new found treasure…only for him to trip on a big rock and start falling backwards, the beetle is startled and flies away from his hand.
Itto is somewhat of an impulsive klutz, and so when he realizes that he’s falling he clumsily grabs on to the nearest thing, as if it would help him. Unfortunately, that was you and you end up on the ground with him.
“Ow…Gee…Stupid rock,” he pushes himself up by his elbows and glares at the rock by his foot, then realizes that you’re completely pressed up against him and resting right below his chin. “Y/N! You okay?!”
He wraps one arm around your waist, with how burly Itto was, having you resting on top of him was nothing. He realizes how close the two of you are and a bulb instantly lights in his head. “…Wanna kiss?” He grins shamelessly and you smack his shoulder hard. “Ow!”
“Come on! Just one!” he urges and and somehow flips you over to the ground. Now he’s the one hoisting himself up above you. You consent and he giddily kisses you on the lips. Despite his size Itto is always gentle at first, and he never goes past your boundaries. Always asking if he could kiss you. He pulls away with a satisfied smile, but just looking at you under him like that…it stirs a bit of something in his gut.
“…Another one?” He asks. Eyes tacked on to your suddenly delicious looking lips. He leans in again and this time the kiss he gives has a slight nip to it, his teeth gently nibbling on your lower lip, like he’s trying to get an actual taste of you. He pulls away again, face starting to become pink. “…A-Another–” This time it’s you who pulls him down by his coat, not letting him finish his request and it turns into a full blow make-out session.
It’s a clumsy medley of kisses at first, just trying to taste more of each other and lips grappling for control. There’s a sudden, fiery urgency between your kisses, like you’re losing time, and your hands are starting to slide down his exposed midriff.
“Boss! Bossss!!” You push him away when you hear his gang members calling after him, but he didn’t seem to care and chases after your lips again. “Itto!” you hiss and punch his shoulder. “What?” he looks at you innocently. “Get off! Your friends are coming!”
“So what?” he blinks, actually looking like he doesn’t care. He just doesn’t find anything wrong about giving you affection. “Get off or I’ll never kiss you again!” You threaten and he pouts but relents. By the time his gang members arrive. The two of you are stood up, with you dusting your clothes off and Itto looking like a defeated bear.
Kaeya
You bet he initiates and he does so whenever he feels like it. However, other times, he likes to lure you into his trap by using his charms, so it looks as if you’re the one who started it but in fact he’s been sending you signals the whole time.
“Ah, so here you are,” Kaeya chuckles, kicking the door to the rooftop close as he saunters over to you. Up at the rooftop of the Favonius Headquarters, it was quiet and no one ever really went up there. You could see a small view of the town, as well as the windmills surrounding it.
You were leaning over the railings, and only turned around to give Kaeya a half-glare, crossing your arms over your chest. “Came up here to tease me more?” You said, earning another chuckle from Kaeya. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, love,”
He lifts your face up to meet his using his finger. His grin is handsome, and the moonlight illuminates his eye that much more. Your hands rest on his shoulders as he comes nearer and you mumble at him almost accusingly. “Liar. You couldn’t keep your hands off me during the meeting…”
Kaeya doesn’t say anything but does slither an arm around your middle. He was a menace. The Favonius meetings were long sometimes, and you guessed that he got bored. He kept nudging you with his knee, and at some point had even secretly placed his hand on your thigh, tracing patterns on it with his finger, pretending to listen to the meeting minutes.
Kaeya leans in to whisper into your ear, his breathy voice sends a shiver down your neck and spine. “Can’t help it, your squirming is fun to watch,” and that’s how he gets you to press your lips on his. Just with a little urging, a little teasing, a little subtle touch. It drives you crazy and it entertains him to no end.
“Someone’s impatient,” he whispers again when you pull back, “It’s your fault,” you whisper back. This time he’s the one who makes the move. His kisses are perfect. It touches more than just your lips, it reaches your soul, your heart and the very core of your being. You’re always left wanting more. He knows how to kiss in a way that has you chasing for more, clutching at him for more. He knows that when he sucks at your bottom lip you’ll mewl and bite his back. The heated exchange continues, up until the door to the rooftop slams open.
“Sir Kaeya–Oh…Uhm…I–” The knight who walks in realizes Keaya is in the middle of something. Kaeya doesn’t have plans to turn around, but he does so only to briefly address the knight. “I’ll be there in five minutes,” Kaeya doesn’t wait for the knight to leave, and proceeds to continue kissing you until your lips are sore.
Kazuha
Gentle but will catch you off guard. Always starts off with innocent kisses up until it escalates into a desire that he can’t ignore.
The bird’s nest of the ship. That small lookout on the highest point of the mast, where a crewmember would stay and warn the other crew members if there was an impending doom coming. Like a storm, or another big ship, or a small ship they should avoid. It’s an important part of the ship, but also a somewhat private little getaway.
The breeze is always nice up here, but when night falls it becomes a tad too chilly and you end up wrapped up in Kazuha’s arms and warmth. You stay like that for a moment, just enjoying the lull of the sea and the sound of the waves. After a while longer you tip your head up to look at him, finding that he’s gazing tenderly at you.
You smile, and he follows. A little piece of heaven was so easy for him to obtain with you in his life. You tip your head up to invite him for a kiss, and he effortlessly meets your lips romantically. It takes your breath away, the manner in which he silently claims your lips as his and only his. It’s not demanding nor forceful at all, yet something about it makes you surrender and your knees start feeling weak.
His arms tighten around you, he pulls away for a brief second, only for air and comes back in immediately. This time it feels like his lips scorches yours, the flame that ignites leaves you whimpering for more, clutching at his arms, senseless to everything else except his kiss.
The only reason it stops is because you’re suddenly jerked away from him. He startles as well, feeling his feet sway a little, but his hold on you is protective and reassuring. A strong wave had nearly tipped the two of you off balance, and Kazuha looks beyond the sea to see that a storm might be brewing.
He chuckles a little, aware that he got carried away for a moment there. “Let’s go back down, love. It’ll get dangerous up here in a few,”
Scaramouche
Rough and demands it when he wants it. For him it’s like an impulse, or maybe the result of holding back too much and suddenly exploding with want.
He was sour the whole day, and you had no idea why. Possibly one of his moods. He took it out on nearly all his subordinates, shouting about how everyone here was incompetent and useless.
When night fell and the men had fallen back to their makeshift tents or quarters, Scaramouche came back to his and your tent, done antagonizing everyone for the day. He doesn’t say much as he undresses and prepared for the night, slipping on a simple shirt and shorts. You were already on your shared cot, reading a book about something trivial.
He climbs in with a huff and you can’t help but smile at how childish his temperate was sometimes, but you’re startled when he climbs on top of you, your wrists are suddenly pinned above your head by his lone hand. “S-Scara–”
Wordlessly, his lips demandingly bears down on yours. You let out a slight sigh as you kiss, your eyes immediately closing at how possessive the kiss felt, but it’s exactly the way you like it. You part your mouth for him, and his tongue lashes in like strong waves pulling you under a sudden splash of desire.
The way he kisses you is beyond hungry, devouring your lips and all your senses to focus only on him. “Scara–!” was the only thing you could let out when he pulls back for a breath, a string of saliva connecting the two of you, your face incredibly flushed. That prompts him to do more, moving to yet again taste your lips.
“Sir? There’s an emergency out at the waterfalls. It seems that the resistance is closing in,”
Scaramouche pulls away and curses under his breath. He’s about to kill that soldier who’s standing outside the tent. He climbs away from the bed and starts getting dressed again, leaving you breathless on the bed. Still, you would think he would just leave, but for you, he comes back to where you rest and places a kiss on your forehead. “Wait for me, puppy. Won’t be long,”
Tartaglia
Mischievous and almost calculated. Beckons you to initiate it and leads you into it.
His meeting with the other Fatui agents just ended, and he’s left exhausted and melting into the sofa he was sitting on. His body is totally limp, just wanting to do nothing for a moment in the living room of his hotel suite. Sure, he loved the adrenaline of battle and the excitement it brought. But meetings were something else, it took a lot out of him.
“Childe?” You peer into the living room, having taken refuge in the bedroom that whole time while he took care of his business. He immediately perks up at your voice, his energy levels spiking at the thought of you. “Here, Y/N, we’re done,” he confirms and beckons you over with his hand.
You step out of the bedroom door and walk over to him on the couch, yelping when he easily pulls you atop him, forcing you to straddle him, your knees on the couch and your hands on his shoulders. “Childe!”
He only chuckles and leans back, liking the view of things, one of his hand lazily placed on your waist. “It’s been a long day honey,” he sighs out and takes his other hand to cradle your cheek. “I think I deserve a kiss,”
Indeed he does and you agree with no complaints. You straddle his lap fully when you lean in and hotly connect your lips. Your scent is hypnotic to him, the only thing in the world that could ever catch him off guard was you. He encases your waist in his arms, pulling you closer to him until you’re pressed against each other.
“Mm,” a hint of a moan escapes his lips and into yours. He doesn’t stop kissing you, the intensity increasing with each one. He starts to kiss you in a way that makes your toes curl and your insides burn, your brain melting into nothingness, not even noticing that your hands start to slide up his shirt.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
You pull away, only to be pulled back in. “Keep going,” he breathes out, ignoring the obvious knocking on the door.
“Sir–I’m sorry. We’ve forgotten to report an important part of the mission,”
Childe clicks his tongue, but he hoists you up in his arms and shouts back. “I’m off-duty, come back tomorrow,” before the two of you disappear into the bedroom.
Thoma
Natural. It just happens when it happens. There’s not much thinking involved and there’s no prior teasing.
He’d been busy for a while, setting up things and making sure everything was in place for the Irodori festival. You, being a worker at Yae Publishing house, was also busy during that time period. For the whole festival you didn’t see each other, nor did you have the time to pass by even for a short greeting.
On the final day of the festival, Thoma finds himself waiting for you to finish your shift at the Yae Publishing House stall. “Thoma!” You run up to him, delighted to see your lover after a long week, he meets you with a hug and laugh, spinning you around once before setting you down again and walking to the restaurant that the two of you agreed to eat at for dinner that day.
It was also the celebration of the end of all your hard work for the festival. For this special occasion, he had requested a private dining room for the two of you. The night started off as normal, the two of you talking about your respective events and duties.
“I missed you,” he suddenly interjects in the middle of your story. He just couldn’t help it, it’s been so long since he saw your smiling face. “Ah, sorry, you can continue your story,” he waves a hand, urging you to go on, but you’ve stopped and shifted a little closer to him. “…I missed you too, Thoma,”
And just like that your lips were inviting his. He drops his chopsticks and turns to face you, his hands on both sides of your face to bring you closer to him, to feel his lips melt and combine with yours. He feels your fingers clutch at his shirt. Thoma’s kisses makes you forget your own name. Makes your heart beat faster and faster until it feels like exploding. Every time your lips come apart and together again you’re spun into a dizzying world of fireworks and passion.
“Y/N…” he whispers before he dives in yet again, your hands now tugging at his hair, as if wanting to sink into him deeper.
“Your drinks are here!” The door slides open rather suddenly and the two of you jerk apart, faces an intense red. The server is oblivious and hums to herself while placing the glasses on your table. “Enjoy!” She says before retreating out and sliding the door shut again.
The two of you are tense, but when you meet eyes, you can’t help but let out a snicker, he follows and the two of you are just laughing it off seconds later.
Venti
It’s like a form of entertainment for him, like a hobby. He loves kissing you and he doesn’t hide that at all.
“Venti…are you drunk?” You ask as you sit next to him at the tavern. He’s rather rowdy today, but he raises an eyebrow at your query. “Me? I haven’t even had a drink yet Y/N! I’m just excited I have time to visit the tavern again!”
The two of you are off to a table on the side, it’s a little secluded, but in no ways was it private. The deeper the night got the more people came in, but you realized that Venti wasn’t drinking any booze at all. In fact his attention was all on you, just talking to each other and enjoying each other’s company.
You don’t quite understand Venti’s attraction towards you. It’s as if he appeared one day and decided to latch on to you. Was it really love? Or just fascination? Still, he was a handful, but he was able to take care of you and be considerate of your feelings, despite being energetic and carefree all the time.
“…and so we decided to leave Dragonspine,” you finished your story, drinking some of your mocktail and noting that Venti was nodding at you with sparkling eyes.
“It must’ve been cold up there, hm?” He simply says and it dawns on you only now that his arm is wrapped around your waist and the two of you are quite cozy in that position, your body tucked in his. “You’re so cute, Y/N. It’s almost unbearable, ehe~”
Then, his eyes light up almost instantly. “Ah, you haven’t given me a kiss today! You were so busy in the morning that you forgot!” He leans in, putting his face out for you but you feel your cheeks heat up and decline his offer. “Idiot, we’re in public!”
He’s silent for a moment, realizing that you’re shy, and for some reason that face of yours spurs him even more to try and kiss you. Assertively, he uses his hand to move your turned away face to meet his and he’s the one who leans in for a mind-bending kiss.
You gasp into it, eyes widening at his bravery. Although it was loud in the tavern all you could really hear was your heart beating in your chest. He doesn’t let up, you feel his tongue prodding your lips, asking to be let into your hot mouth and your eyes close automatically, losing yourself into the sudden tingling sensation running up your spine.
He kisses you like you’re the finest wine he’s ever tasted, he drinks you up like he hasn’t had water in days and you feel his mouth just pressing on yours over, and over, and over again–
BANG!
The two of you startle away from each other. One of the waiters has smacked a medium barrel of wine on your table. The type that was for sharing and had a spout connected to it. The waiter saw you kissing, but he didn’t bat an eyelid. That happened all the time in the tavern. Instead, he actually grinned and said. “Here’s that wine you ordered, this’ll warm you both up quick,” and left cackling.
Xiao
Always doesn’t expect how he likes kissing so much. He doesn’t usually initiate but when it happens he’s also surprised by the hunger he has for your lips. It’s almost like the demon inside him comes out and wants to devour you.
Xiao has his own room in Wangshu Inn, but he doesn’t use it as much as one would think. He rarely needed sleep and staying in human quarters just seemed odd to him. He never got used to it.
As an adepti, the outdoors was his calling. It’s where he spent most of his time, even with his brothers and sisters back when they were all together. In a way he was very in touch with nature and his surroundings.
Today he spent the usual night up on the Wangshu rooftop with you. Looking down at the lights and the people weaving in and out. You came to him that night with red lipstick on, and it’s not because you had intentionally put it on. It was because you just finished an opera performance at the inn, and though you weren’t the lead singer you worked as a background dancer, and sometimes that required makeup that stood out, specially in Chinese opera.
Xiao had seen your performances several times. He didn’t say much about it, but he did comment once that he thought the story was beautiful and that your moves matched the story. That was more than enough for you, coming from him.
That night, you were merely wanting to say a brief hello, just as you always did after a show. “I’ll be going now, Xiao,” you say after a moment but his hand reaches out for your wrist and holds you in place.
You turn back with a curious look on your face, wondering if he was alright. “Xiao?” He gently pulls you towards him, and stares at your face. Something in him aches to kiss you. To mess up your makeup.
He moves you over to the wooden railing of the rooftop, your back pressing against it and him trapping you in between. He continues to stare at your lips, and you finally get the message. “Xiao, do you want to…” you gulp, and he does as well. His eyes dart up towards yours, as if asking for permission.
The permission you give is your eyes closing, head tilting the slightest bit forward, letting yourself fall vulnerable in front of him. He lets out a slight sigh at the sight before pressing your mouths together. His hand finds its way to your scalp, moving you closer to him, tasting your moist lips.
He’s aware that he’s possibly smearing lipstick all over himself, but that just heightens his desire. He wants it all over him, only him and when he pulls back to see the mess that he made of you, eyes clouded over, red lipstick smudged to the side of your lips, mouth parted as if asking for more and panting, he lets out an almost guttural groan and plunges in for more.
It’s intense, like his lips had a mind of its own and he wants nothing more than for you to just hold on to him like this forever. And then, in a sudden split second, he disappears into black smoke.
“Here’s your dinner Xiao!” The chef of Wangshu inn, Smiley Yanxiao appears at the entrance of the rooftop, but when he looks around and doesn’t see Xiao there, he scratches his head and addresses you instead. You who was covering your lips to conceal how smeared your lipstick was. “Hey, Y/N, tell Xiao that I’m placing his dinner here, okay? Thanks!”
He proceeds to place the almond tofu dish on a table off to the side and turns around to go back to the kitchen. Your heart is still hammering in your ears and you’re not sure if what happened earlier had really transpired. But when you blink your eyes again and Xiao reappears in front of you, face covered in a rare blush and avoiding your gaze, you’re a hundred percent sure it had happened, and you can’t help but feel your heart skip another beat at that.
Zhongli
Patient. Knows how to bide his time. It’s not rushed or sloppy. It’s slow and sensual and he knows what he’s doing.
“Darling, I’ll be off soon,”
It’s how your mornings with him usually start. He wakes up to tend to his duties as a worker in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, and you also have to attend to your duties as a simple hairdresser in Liyue Harbor. Appointments with you are usually done in your home, where you and Zhongli lived. Occasionally you do home visits and go to the client’s home instead of them coming to you.
“Mmhmm, I’ll see you later,” You rush over to him who is already at the door, tip toe for a quick kiss and attempt to unfurl away from his hold, only for him to hold on to you tight.
He doesn’t like rushed kisses, though the two of you are busier than usual this morning he’ll hold fast to his promise of giving loving kisses. Never rushed nor in a hurry. “Hold on a moment, dear,” he requests and holds your chin in his hand, slightly squeezing your cheeks and holding it up for him to dip down properly and sensually into a heart-melting kiss.
It gets you every time, and you don’t know how he does it. There’s always an air of confidence in his kiss, he knows what he’s doing and he knows that it gives you butterflies in your stomach. This morning, however, instead of you pulling away satisfied with just one, you ask for more by putting your hands lightly around his neck.
He gets the message and leans into your touch, pulling you by the waist, flattening your whole body against him and starting to deepen the kiss by the second. Glued to one another he claims your mouth sensually, still not in a rush. When your lips come together, it’s soft, but it’s searing hot, as if his lips is melting your skin and kissing every crevice of your being. “Zhongli…” you breathe out when you pull apart for a second, not knowing where your sudden desire comes from.
“Hm…” He merely lets out, amused at this development and continuing to brush his lips against yours. There’s a knock on the door, and that’s a clear sign that the two of you had kissed for too long. Zhongli chuckles, knowing that it must be your first appointment for the day. Just as quickly, he regains composure and kisses your forehead for a final goodbye, like nothing had happened at all.
You’re the one who’s still flustered, staring at his back and wondering how he could open the door and converse happily with the middle aged woman waiting outside your home. You almost pout, but you see him turn towards you and mouth the words “Let’s continue later,” before he bids you goodbye and leaves you with your first client.
summary;you and xiao are genmates under the famed streamer company genshin impact. the chemistry between the two of you is undeniable, and your fanbases absolutely love your collaborations. but when you both start meeting up offline more and more, your connection starts to deepen past just harmless flirting and playful banter. with these real feelings starting to affect both your job and reputation online, how will you two react when your relationship becomes the internet’s cynosure?
a/n:um hopefully this should be out not too long after the prev chapter, but yEAHHHH cynosure motivation is back i cannot wait to finish this series >:) hope u enjoy this chapter !!
this chapter is for koi !!! ( @noctua-koi ) as soon as u started liking cynosure and i bullied u w cynosure angst i absolutely KNEW i had to dedicate this chapter to u HAHAHA thank u so much for loving cynosure, ilysm and i appreciate u tons <3 !! let’s go attack scara now >:)
ꗃSUMMARY —- in which xiao find himself in cliché situations with his long-time crush!
ꗃCATEGORY —- modern au, half smau, high school au, adoptive parent! zhongli, siblings! ganyu and xiao
ꗃWARNINGS —- profanity, death of characters for a backstory, to be added
ꗃTAGLIST —- to be added, fill this form. if you want to be removed / changed user, send an ask. if your user is bolded, it means i cannot tag you. [if the link does not work -> https://forms.gle/BkAhqEshhhq31XD89]
ꗃRINA’S NOTES —- remake of scrawny, because i do not know how to continue it. also, can you tell that i like wallows?!?!?!??
academically strong introverted reader+xiao (who, as you all know, has perfect grades) =???
summary: what I think would happen if you guys were roommates au
a/n: for this i had to make Xiao smitten with you first, because I feel like you are more introverted than xiao and you just DONT GET THE HINT
the two of you, I would deem as friends, but over time that friendship blossomed into something else for xiao. it was not long before he realised he was in love with you. but, alas, at that point of time, you did not return the feeling. you merely thought of him as a friend.
for starters, he would try to make your favourite dishes, or his because he doesn’t really know what your favourite dishes are (you don’t talk that much) but you appreciate his effort.
when he presents to you a new dish, you’ll chide him, saying he should be studying instead of doing this for you. his heart goes ba-thump when you scold him. the two of you, I presume, study together, and there will be a little table in the living room of the apartment where you two study, and a little tray where tea is. he’ll brew your favourite tea for you. the two of you sip tea while studying, occasionally asking, “can I borrow your notes?”, or “can you help me with this question?”.
all his little acts for you he hopes are enough to make you reciprocate his feelings. he longs for the day you will be sleeping in the same bed, in the same room, telling him I love you.
one day after dinner, you whisper into his ear a soft I love you. he turns around to see you blushing in a heap on the floor and his socked feet pad over to you. on his knees he wraps his arms around you in an warm embrace and whisper the same thing into your ear. the two of you fall asleep in the same bed that night. curled up against you xiao takes time to look at the girl fate has brought him and her ethereal beauty. he kisses your knuckles gently as he falls asleep.
Request summary: Y/n has a commission & Xiao decides to go with them, since he wanted to be with them. Y/n ends up fighting solo while Xiao sits nearby getting bored watching them, (Y/n wanted to solo!) Xiao decided to help a bit, but ends up one shotting the target.
Aaa baby I’m sorry this took forever but I hope it was worth the wait @senkuwu-chan
Xiao
“Y/n, what’s your commissions today?” Xiao asked curiously
He watched you as you got ready for your day, his head tilted slightly as he admired you
“It’s just one today, a stonehide lawachurl” You said casually, as if it’s everyday you fight one
Xiao suddenly sat up and started getting dressed himself, you looked at him baffled. “Xiao sweetie, what’re you doing?”
“I’m coming with you” He simply said, leaving you even more confused
“Why? Xiao, I’ll be alright. I promise to come back home to you” You softly said, cupping his face
Xiao blushed as he gently moved your hands from his face, feeling flustered. “I know you always will, I want to go” He said
“Fine, only on one condition though, you can’t interfere with my commission” You sternly said
Xiao looked like he was deep in thought before he finally agreed, “At least if things do go wrong I’ll protect you”
Y’all just call Zhongli to make a contract it’ll be easier than negotiating with him
After getting your belongings you finally headed out to complete your commission, Xiao carried your stuff despite your protests
“We’re nearly there, be careful it could anywhere” You said, standing in front of Xiao to protect him
Xiao smiled softly at you before he snapped out of it. “I’ll go find it, stay here”
You pouted and grabbed him softly. “No, that’s going against my condition for letting you come. Stay behind me while I work, please”
Xiao did as you asked, he moved back and stayed close behind you. In no time you managed to find the giant stonehide lawachurl, and immediately began attacking it
Xiao sat on a nearby rock as he watched you beat its ass, but stayed on high alert at all times
He can’t and won’t let the love of his life get hurt
Xiao trust you, and knows how strong you are, yet he was beginning to feel irritated sitting down while you’re fighting
He knows he shouldn’t break the condition you said, he really does
But he can’t sit down any longer
Xiao gets up, deciding to help you, unfortunately he underestimated his strength
And one hit the lawachurl, killing it instantly
Oh no
“Xiao!” You whine, pouting at him
Xiao was stunned for a second, before he realised what he had done
“I’m sorry, y/n. I didn’t mean to hit it that hard” he apologised
Without saying anything you suddenly started walking away from Xiao, leaving him baffled
He knew you’d be upset but he didn’t know you would ignore him like this
“Y/n” He called after you, but you still didn’t respond
Pls don’t ignore Xiao it physically hurts him
Still being petty you ignored him and made your way to Wangshu Inn, Xiao followed you as you walked in silence
“Y/n” He said again, still no response from you
“Hey, stop ignoring me!” He growled
You shivered at his tone but still continued to ignore him, your pettiness slightly fading away
“Fine I’ll s- Xiao?” You looked back to see he was gone
Maybe you overreacted a bit
You still continued your way but suddenly stopped when Xiao appeared in front of you
Before you could apologise, Xiao wrapped his arms around you tightly, whispering ‘sorry’
You reassured him he did nothing wrong, then treated him to almond tofu which he deserved
Normally: Diluc gets up early in the mornings, but never wakes you up until you need to be. Mornings with him would be gentle, since Diluc doesn’t show affection in public he’s always extra affectionate when you’re alone. Diluc would give you kisses on your face, neck and shoulder to wake you, while he’s holding you tight.
To be sweet: Morning cuddles!! Diluc would stay in bed rather than get up, he’d allow himself to relax with you in his embrace. When you two get up, he’d cook you breakfast while you hug him from behind. Mornings like this are his favourite.
In a emergency: Diluc throws your blanket on the floor and proceeds to tickle you. It’s a win-win for him, not only do you snap awake, but he gets to hear you laughing early morning.
To be a pain: Look, Diluc hates being mean to you. But when you’re not getting out of bed and you’re both getting late and he’s at his wits end, he’ll go and grab water to spray at you. Don’t even try to get mad at him, he did warn you multiple times.
Normally: Diluc gets up early in the mornings, but never wakes you up until you need to be. Mornings with him would be gentle, since Diluc doesn’t show affection in public he’s always extra affectionate when you’re alone. Diluc would give you kisses on your face, neck and shoulder to wake you, while he’s holding you tight.
To be sweet: Morning cuddles!! Diluc would stay in bed rather than get up, he’d allow himself to relax with you in his embrace. When you two get up, he’d cook you breakfast while you hug him from behind. Mornings like this are his favourite.
In a emergency: Diluc throws your blanket on the floor and proceeds to tickle you. It’s a win-win for him, not only do you snap awake, but he gets to hear you laughing early morning.
To be a pain: Look, Diluc hates being mean to you. But when you’re not getting out of bed and you’re both getting late and he’s at his wits end, he’ll go and grab water to spray at you. Don’t even try to get mad at him, he did warn you multiple times.
Kaeya
Normally: Also gets up early in the morning. Kaeya is a busy person but he always makes the time to wake you up every morning without fail. He’d be sweet, gently waking you up. Kaeya savours these soft moments in the morning, but he’d also tease you a lot because of your sleepy face. (He finds it adorable)
To be sweet: Gets you flowers/snacks, cooks you breakfast and snuggles you all morning. He goes all out, since he can’t do this often for you he always wants to make sure you know how much he loves you. Also very, very affectionate.
In a emergency: Kaeya turns the lights on and if you try to block out the light he’d grab your hands so you can’t. You’re forced to wake up in the worst way possible, and honestly he can’t help but chuckle at your face.
To be a pain: Makes loud noises. I can picture him singing really loud and banging pans together. He’d also be chanting “Get up y/n” over and over again until you get up.
Zhongli
Normally: Aaaa Zhongli is so sweet when he wakes you up in the morning. He’d gently shake you awake while whispering your name, giving you soft kisses once you stir awake. Mornings with him would be very relaxing, Zhongli would always have tea and breakfast ready for you. Overall 1000/10 he can wake me up any day.
To be sweet: This man is always sweet, he drinks his respect juice. But on those days where he’s feeling extra affectionate, he would hold you close to him, letting you sleep in a little more. He’d stare so lovingly at you, thinking how grateful he is to have you in his life.
In an emergency: Listen, Zhongli is a calm and collected man, but when it comes to an emergency and you’re not waking up.. bet he’d just pick you up and sling you over his shoulder. His head is empty, must get you safe first. Honestly he wouldn’t even think twice about it too.
To be a pain: Never. He’d never be a pain to you, especially in the mornings, even if you absolutely refuse to get up.
Xiao
Normally: Xiao would whisper your name repeatedly and if that doesn’t work then he’d start shaking you. Mornings with Xiao are quiet, but he’d always ask you how you slept and if you needed anything. Cuddles in the morning are not common at the beginning of your relationship, but as time goes on Xiao learns to love morning snuggles.
To be sweet: Xiao would get your favourite flowers for you. (If you’re allergic to flowers then he’d get your favourite snack). He’d still wake you up like he usually would, but Xiao would show more affection. Also when you realise he got your favourite flowers/snacks he blushes profusely.
In a emergency: Doesn’t even hesitate to pick you up and get you to safety first. He’d set you down gently before going off to deal with the problem that was caused. Don’t worry tho, he’d always come back to you quickly.
To be a pain: Believe it or not, Xiao is gentle with his s/o because he’s scared to hurt them. The most he would do is just drag you off the bed, everytime by your ankles. Good luck if you have ticklish feet, he won’t spare you.
Childe/Tartaglia
Normally: Childe would tell you to get up while he’s still half asleep cuddling next to you, gently shaking you while mumbling “Get up.” Honestly neither of you would ever get up this way, so that’s why y’all brought alarm clocks. (Good luck fighting with him about who’s going to turn it off, you placed it at the other end of the room so you’re forced to get up).
To be sweet: Ugh he’d be so sweet. Childe would actually get out of bed first to attempt to cook your favourite meal and drink. When he walks back into the bedroom he’d be happily humming proud of himself, while you eat he’ll hold you close and occasionally steal some bites.
In a emergency: Hits his pillow at you. He’d do it gently because obviously he doesn’t want to hurt you but he does use some force. Instead of you two leaving for the emergency you sometimes end up having a pillow fight.
To be a pain: Please tell why I feel like this man would just flip the mattress over. Like, he’s had enough and just *flips* you over. He’d help you up after and make sure you’re ok, but he’ll be laughing at you.
Beidou
Normally: Beidou is up early every morning, like Diluc she won’t wake you up until you need to wake up. She definitely whispers sweet nothings into your ear to wake you, she always enjoys the small smile you have on your face every morning. Pls Beiodu wake me up every morning.
To be sweet: Ugh this queen would cuddle you in her strong arms, while kissing your head. Beiodu doesn’t mind how much time she spends holding you, and when you’re awake she loves asking you about your plans for the day. She prefers cooking breakfast together one these sweet mornings, enjoying all the time you spend together.
In a emergency: Beidou definitely scares you awake. I can imagine her making a loud noise or tickling your feet. If that fails then she’s picking you up or dragging you to safety. She cares so much for you that she would always keep you safe.
To be a pain:Throws you overboard her ship. I’m joking, she’d definitely splash water on you. Unlike Diluc who’d spray it somewhat gently, Beiodu would just get a bucket and soak you. (She’ll dry you up tho bc she may have felt bad seeing your pouty face
━━ SUMMARY: the stubborn reluctance to admit defeat leads some stories to end in bitter tragedies. thankfully, xiao was much too willing to give in against the nonexistent war your presence has brought.
━━ CONTAINS: modern!au, slightly vulgar language, one mildly suggestive scene
━━ VALENTINE’S 2022 EVENT SPECIAL
you’ll have more luck trying to find a needle in a ten-meter tall haystack than you’ll have when trying to decipher the inner workings of the human mind. there was just too much to consider — too much information and contradictions for our puny, little brains to comprehend. it’s nigh impossible and the only reason a big shot philosopher hasn’t screamed about it as they ran down the street, caffeinated and definitely insane, is because no one’s ready to admit that they don’t and will never know. still, if you want to be meaninglessly stubborn, taking a look into xiao’s brain is definitely a great place to start. he doesn’t really bother segregating information into ridiculously minuscule categories — just what he tolerates and what he does not. a simple mindset for a relatively simple man who liked to stay away from unnecessary baggage.
“crap man… it’s valentine’s day tomorrow. i don’t even know what to give my girlfriend…”
xiao sighed in disinterest, hoping that this person would speak softer for the sake of his peace of mind in this cramped train, “just buy her roses or chocolates like every other guy out there?”
“you know… this is exactly why no one likes you.”
he thought that it was better to zone out rather than be forced to listen to a conversation that was heading steeply into a conversation that he frankly couldn’t care less about. he tolerates most festivities and holidays because there was always a silver lining. valentine’s day, however? xiao wouldn’t go as far as saying as he despises it because that’s how little he thinks of the celebration.
it’s just a regular day turned into a breeding ground of opportunistic, capitalistic monsters. he’d hate to quote his horrible, narrow-minded teachers from his childhood but wasn’t love something that’s supposed to be shown every day and not just one day of the year? no matter how he looks at the situation, he just can’t see the point in buying overwhelmingly sweet treats or overpriced flowers that were sure to wilt the next day.
“listen… it’s the effort and the thought that counts! partners love the idea of special treatment. it makes them feel like they’re appreciated because there’s a day that’s dedicated just for them, you get me? no one stays for a lazy piece of shit who couldn’t be bothered to think of a special something to give…”
“…since when did you become a love guru? wasn’t your girlfriend just saying that she wants to break up—”
relief settled into his bones as people — including those high school students — poured out of the train. with more room to move, he stretched his legs out, pulling out the headphones he had in the process. xiao’s station was the last stop which was currently two stops away from where he was now. with everyone located in the other carts, there were only five other people seated around him, all of which are busy minding their own business with no intention of bothering him anytime soon. good. some peace and quiet… with that thought in mind, xiao’s eyes slowly fluttered close. a little nap couldn’t possibly hurt…
no one stays for a lazy piece of shit who couldn’t be bothered to think of a special something to give.
opening his eyes with a start, xiao cursed those burdensome kids and their equally burdensome words. he tried to pretend that the anxious feeling in his guts didn’t exist as he hurriedly shoved his headphones in his bag. seriously… why do unnecessary burdens keep on flying in his direction? biting back a groan, he stood up from his seat with what was without a doubt, his deepest frown of the day (a weighty comment seeing as he spent the entire day with a grumpily frowning).
he disliked valentine’s day a lot, he thought to himself as he stepped out of the train one station early, he was sure of it now.
.
.
.
sniffling out of habit, you tapped the send button on your phone for the sixteenth time in a row. xiao wasn’t one to send lovey-dovey texts first thing in the morning but he also wasn’t the type to leave you hanging. heck, he responds even when he doesn’t feel like talking to you after a fight! memories of that time only made you feel more uncomfortable so you settled on worrying your lips as you hailed a taxi. the logical angel on your shoulder tells you that you were probably thinking too deeply into the unlikely extremes but what can you say? you love the guy too much to be unbothered by his missing replies.
being apart from him without knowing what was happening was dreadful and the words ‘never again’ keep on etching themselves on your mind until all you could do was attempt to control your heart’s rhythm by looking at the blurred, discolored buildings outside the car. were cabs always this slow? it was running on sixty kilometers per hour, which in hindsight, was not necessarily slow when you consider the fact that you don’t usually move an inch until half an hour later when trapped in the usual morning rush. still, the antsy feeling that was making it hard to sit still remained and gnawed at your mind. perhaps it was the caffeine that was making you feel more nervous than necessary. whatever the case, you suddenly felt bad for taking the updates he usually sends for granted.
xiao might be a little rough on the edges but he was a sweetheart who just had a little more trouble when it came to expressing himself. he was someone who tells you that he’s at your favorite bakery as a silent cue for you to tell him what you want. he’s also someone who sends you random spotify qr codes when he’s feeling extra sweet so that you can listen to the same songs he was listening to. he’s different from other guys but you never once doubted his affections because every day, he reminds you that he does almost everything with you settled comfortably in the back of his mind.
thanking the cab driver for bearing with the way you were anxiously tapping your fingers on your knees for the past fifteen minutes, you rushed out of the car and into the three-story apartment building he was residing in for the time being. it’s stupid, really. you would’ve insisted that he move over to yours more if you knew that you’d run up three flights of stairs because of your wild hypothesis. maybe then you would worry more about who’s going to catch the roach in your bathroom instead of his entire safety and wellbeing.
“xiao?” you croaked out as you tried to regain your breathing. the small, wooden sign that read '304’ was barely hanging upright and the five consecutive knocks you did finally caused it to fall with a muffled thud, “xiao? are you home?”
no answer.
you knocked three more times — with more force this time and you wondered if you would have to keep standing here until your knuckles were all red and raw. to be honest, you would’ve left to try your luck elsewhere if it weren’t for your strangely precise gut feeling telling you that he’s somewhere in there. well, that and the fact that you could vaguely pick out the sound of clanking from beyond the door.
“shit!”
jumping in surprise, a panicked call slipped out of your lips as you heard xiao’s sharp curse. you were certain something was wrong now. bless him but xiao was more indifferent and passive-aggressive than resentful and feral — two things that you most certainly heard in what appeared to be a small burst of emotions. quite frankly, you have had enough of it. you knew that xiao, despite voicing out his dissatisfaction, began leaving a spare key somewhere after coming home to you sitting in the hallway pathetically because you forgot keys and wallet at home. you didn’t feel like walking for thirty minutes or so just to get home, you said, and the expression he wore in reply was still deeply ingrained in your memory: an exasperated and, it could’ve been just a trick of the light but you wanted to believe that there was endearment as well in his tired frown.
just as you remembered the foreign tenseness in his shoulders when he saw your slumped-over form, you found exactly what you needed. the key in question was small and silver-coated; particularly easy to miss behind the green, polka-dotted clay pot you gave as a gag gift to break the monotony of his place. fighting back your frown, you eyed the key on your hand. well… if things went south because of your invasion of privacy, you could always say that it was because he managed to snatch an extremely precious lover who worried a little too much over his seeming lack of concern about himself. right… surely, he won’t deny that much…
“xiao?” you called out softly, carefully taking a few steps forward as if the ground you were treading on was made of the most fragile glass in the world, “where are you?”
he still hadn’t replied but the unfamiliar metallic noises were much louder now that you’re inside. it didn’t look like he was in trouble as everything was exactly how you left it two days ago. one of your larger sweaters was draped over the couch, something you placed there on purpose because xiao had a horrible habit of choosing to suffer in the cold instead of moving out of his comfortable lounging position when he’s already so deep into scrolling through youtube videos. sighing, you crouched to pick up a notebook that had slipped out of his bag. it looks like he hasn’t tidied that up either when he got home yesterday.
it was all very unlike him and with a better sense of security now that you’re here, you find your concern transform into confusion. the xiao you knew wouldn’t stay inside the kitchen for long unless the world would cave in if he didn’t. with a small knock to announce your presence, you immediately find yourself stifling a laugh. the xiao you knew also wouldn’t be caught dead staring at you like a deer caught in headlights in the middle of what appears to be the remnants of a previously functional kitchen.
“what in the world…”
flinching at your not-question question, xiao immediately averts his gaze to the chocolate-covered floor, “why… why are you here?”
“am i not welcome?”
you didn’t mean to tease him but before you could stop yourself, the words were pouring out of your mouth. at your response, xiao sighs, running a flour-covered hand through his hair. an unknown feeling nibbled at some unfamiliar part of your brain as a strong urge to fix his hair in place became apparent. the flour had dusted his hair white and you realized that darker tones suited him better because it made his eyes pop out more; his eyes that were always firm and strong — always composed save for the times where it’s about you. his eyes that were always seeing through your white lies and hesitation; eyes that were also dim and tired and looking at everything but your inquisitive gaze.
“no, it’s not that…” he finally breaks his silence with another groan, “you weren’t supposed to be here yet.”
“hey, what’s wrong?”
xiao shifted his weight but nonetheless relented to your hold as you gently squeezed his forearms in encouragement, “i was… attempting to make a cake but i wasn’t aware that there are a lot of… ridiculous steps to it.”
“a cake? well, yeah… it’s a pretty tedious process at the start but what for?”
his frown grows deeper as he stared at you like you grew two heads in the span of the seconds he was not looking at you, “…you don’t know what day it is today?”
“what day?” you mirror his expression, “oh my god, did i forget your father’s birthday?”
“you’re hopeless… even i know what today is.”
cake… now that you thought about it, your instagram feed was oddly full of flowers and chocolate cakes… was it already february 14? time flies by fast but you don’t think xiao of all people would go out of his way to make you a cake on a holiday that’s not even a proper holiday. noticing the furrow in your brows, xiao sighs for the nth time. he had an inkling of what you were thinking about.
“i thought you’ll appreciate it if i did something everyone else is doing. i know that i’m not good at showing my emotions and all this romantic nonsense but i… i didn’t want you to think that i couldn’t be bothered to do things for you.”
of course, you knew that. if xiao was someone who genuinely didn’t try to make things work then you would’ve long walked out of the door with a relieved smile. the fact that you were here, face still warm from the way you rushed from your home to his just because you were afraid that something happened to him meant that you loved him. you loved him so much because he loved you just as much. you loved him because he’s always so willing to cross the boundaries he had set just to make you smile. the discomforting gloom that made his shoulders slouch almost imperceptibly made your eyes gloss over with gratitude. where else will you find a man who would go out of his way to do something for you even when it’s painfully obvious that he’s leagues away from his comfort zone? you’re doomed, you think as you took another step closer to him. he’s ruined everyone else for you and you’ve presented yourself as a willing sacrifice for this so-called demise.
“there’s no need,” you smile sweetly as you laid your forehead against his, “you’re fine as is. i love you even without the grandeur and cheesy lines.”
without warning, he felt the air getting stuck in his throat. there had to be something seriously wrong with him. it wasn’t normal to hear the way adrenaline rushes to every crevice of his body and it was definitely not normal to have his hands shake as you slowly cradled them in between yours. he feels weak and rather helpless as all he could do was wait with bated breathe as everything that comprised your being overwhelmed and filled the blank void of his mind. nothing but everything about you — your tender caress, your citrusy shampoo — you. wars were unpredictable but this was no war. you came and you conquered, leaving him no room to fight back. actually, perhaps it was better to say that he didn’t want to fight back. the sweet repeat of your voice was coaxing him to say 'i surrender — all of me, all of what i will be. have it all if you want’ and he’s way past being ready to admit that he’s nothing but a subservient subject of yours who’ll present everything in this world if you gave him your word.
feeling the courage dealt by the aftermath of his intimate realization, xiao takes your hands off to properly pull you into a hug. blinking in surprise, you stifled another chuckle as his nose brushed over a ticklish part of your neck. ah, he’s doomed, he thinks as his eyes fluttered to a close to better remember the way his heart flips over and over in delight at the sound of your laughter. what have you done to him that he’s become exactly like the person he thought he’ll never be? the scent of sugar and coffee clung to his beige sweater and it’s sweet and nice and incredibly familiar just like the warmth that seeped through your clothes as his hands pulled you closer to his thundering heart.
“wait… just a little bit more… don’t pull away just yet.”
you tried your best to pretend as if you weren’t affected— as if your heart wasn’t seconds away from breaking through your ribs. you tried but why did you bother? those amber eyes could demand the most hideous from you and you’ll comply like a doll so pliant you could only be said to be made for him. how can you say 'no’ when he pulls back just so you could see the way his eyes grow a shade deeper — when his fingers, a little calloused from work, tenderly touch your cheek as if you were made of porcelain? his touch moves lower— to your jaw— and you mutter all the prayers you can remember in your lovestruck haze, all so his lips would meet yours just a second faster.
“thank you for understanding,” he whispers and the rarity of his words was nothing compared to the rarity of haze and love hidden in his voice. you don’t trust your own to deliver — finding that you have long lost your ability to communicate in front of someone who was undeniably in love with you and all the worry lines you had because of him; because you’re always so caring and gentle when it comes to him that it makes him weep for his lost rationality.
you look after him so well that it almost makes him feel so bad for taking so much from you.
“happy valentine’s, xiao.”
but he also was not above welcoming his greed as he finally slots his lips between yours.
warnings: spoilers for the 2.7 quest in xiao’s and my terrible original haiku…along with my unedited work LMAO.
a/n: yeah- uh please ignore the bad haiku…i tried my best + if the hcs seem kinda wonky or chunky *shrugs* that’s…that’s just my style ehe
Kazuha
Blinks at you for a moment until your words process in his mind
And there we go! Kazuha has his one and only smile brightening up his face
His cheeks are a little flushed but shhhh we’re not mentioning that to him ;)
Eyes crinkling around the corners as he replies to your confession with a haiku.
Hisoriginalhaiku:
Those three words you spoke,
Weigh heavy around us both,
But my heart feels light.
“No wonder you were acting strangely these past few days. I feel the same. “
You guys go on a celebratory date to that street food stall in Ritou and eat salted braised fish :D
Somehow Beidou and the Crux family hear the news and are ecstatic for Kazuha!
Little did you know, Beidou and the others were shipping you two for quite a while
Waiting for WHEN THE HECKERONI you’d get together :< kids these days are so shy… just say it!! JUST SAY ITTTTTTTTT AHHHHHHHHHH
Also, Kazuha’s Crux family forces him to go on breaks and spend time with you
“I just wish they’d stop prying me about our…dates :(“
Lies.. He doesn’t mind it one bit
You’ll find yourself invited to The Crux often for partying
Venti
His hands stopped plucking at the strings of his lyre as his head turned to face yours…. Green eyes widened as the realisation set in.
That’s when he tackled you to the ground with a hug TvT <3 (the two of you were sitting side by side on Starsnatch Cliff btw)
“You have no idea how thrilled I am!”
The surrounding wind blew gently, a little warm but had the heartwarming scent of cecelia flowers to it.
Speaking of cecelias, he picked a few and tucked it behind your ears :”D now both of you are matching
You bet every Mondtstater knew about your relationship by the very next day.
Let’s be honest, we all saw that coming- come on, it’s Venti!
“Hehe, I dedicate this song to my beloved! Listen up everyone~”
Diluc is tired of him coming to Angels Share and talking about you on the daily… He has a deadpan expression every time you arrive at the bar to pick up drunk Venti…
Nevertheless, Diluc is actually happy for the both of you and in reality doesn’t mind too much about him getting drunk now and then; after all, someone’s got Venti’s back now ;)
Xiao
He turned around to look at you with his thinking pose.
Although his face looked as cool as a cucumber… INTERNALLY HE WAS HAPPY AND PANICKING- AND DID I MENTION HAPPy? HUWEIHUIDEWGYIDEW BUT ALSO SCREAMINGGGGGGG AHHHHHHHHHHHH-
Ehem (Xiao bestest boy)
“Hmm… Mortal emotions are something that I do not fully comprehend but- since it is you, I do not mind experiencing this… love… with you”
He’s trying, okay? Give the poor boy some slack. He’s never dated his entire life and never thought about it too deeply, unlike his other yaksha siblings.
This is the best reply you’ll get from him at the moment. Later on though, he will slowly become better at expressing his feelings with you :”D <3
He escorts you to his room back in Wangshu Inn
Since it was getting pretty late for you to return to your place, Xiao allowed you to take his bed.
He slept out on the roof though :(
But dear oh dear, Verr Goldet saw the entire scene. Don’t you worry, Wangshu Inn and their workers dare not disturb the two of you the next day, ahh~ sweet love.
Xiao often gets relationship advice from Zhongli… He calls the young adeptus for drinking tea now and then but- the god of Liyue has taken quite an interest in him and your relationship???
“So… I heard from Ganyu that you were on a flower picking date”
As for his yaksha siblings- well… they just tease him (in good humour, of course)
Xiao acts grumpily afterwards, but seriously? He loves it :”D (actually misses their teasing when his family doesn’tdo it)
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