1eaf-me-alone - Tumblr blog

1eaf-me-alone · 23 hours ago

Text

𝕿𝖍𝖊 (𝖚𝖓)𝖘𝖔𝖑𝖛𝖊𝖉 𝖇𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖍𝖉𝖆𝖞 𝖒𝖞𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖞

Summary: In which you've planned a birthday party for Heizou but disguised it as a murder case to solve.

Genre: Murder mystery

Warnings: None.

length: 5.5k words

Other: gn!reader, reader and Heizou are in an established relationship, this was just meant to be a silly little fic for Heizou’s birthday but turned out a lot longer than expected

A/n: Was meant to be posted on Heizou’s birthday, so I apologise for the lateness of this fic.

Reblogs and comments appreciated

— — — — — — — — — — — — — —

It was Heizou’s birthday today, but it wouldn’t have looked like it at first glance.

He sat at his desk, a familiar sight, engrossed in jotting down meticulous notes for an ongoing case. Now and then, he would pause to take a thoughtful sip from the well-worn mug resting nearby or shuffle around to gather additional paperwork and documentation. It was a notably grey and overcast day, burdened with the weight of administrative tasks that demanded attention. Amidst the flurry of activities, recent cases had surfaced, requiring careful sorting, prioritisation, and processing. At this moment, Heizou was attempting to crack down on a case which had puzzled him for a while now. He sighed, resting his hand on his forehead, and glanced at the watch on his wrist.

5:00 pm.

Half an hour to go until his shift was over. Although he never really stopped working. Shaking his head, he focused back on the case at hand. He was currently investigating a particularly puzzling case regarding the whereabouts of a lost pet. Indeed, clues were sparse, and he had made little progress thus far. It was frustrating, really. He stared at the typed letters on the document, hoping to squeeze something out of it- a clue, a location, an idea- something he could have missed. As he shifted in his seat and picked up the documents to inspect them more closely, a clear knock on the door disturbed him.

“Come in.” He turned his head towards the door as it opened. The person hesitated, but then stepped into the room.

It was Aoki, one of the Tenryou Commission officers, who often guarded the outskirts of Chinju Forest, and other such areas, whilst occasionally passing on information or physical documentation for cases. As it happened, tonight he was holding a note in his hand.

“Detective Heizou, this is for you.”

He bowed curtly and placed the note on the desk.

The note was folded. Heizou glanced at it and then opened the drawer in his desk, where he took out some disposable gloves from the compartment and proceeded to open the note.

He glanced back at Aoki. “You’ve got to be careful to not smudge the paper or add any new fingerprints - it’s important for the sake of maintaining future evidence.”

The note had two folds. Cautious to not add any creases, Heizou gently opened it. He frowned. Only a couple of sentences written down. It read:

I saw a murder in Chinju Forest. The perpetrator dragged the body away before I could identify them. I am not sure where they took the body.

- anonymous

He furrowed his eyebrows and looked up towards Aoki.

“When did you receive this note?”

“A little after 4:00 pm today. Another Tenryou Commission guard passed it on from close to the Kamisato Estate.” He seemed nervous when he answered this.

“That’s not possible, given the state of the writing. The writing has an area that is smudged - possibly because it was closed hastily before the ink had time to dry properly.

He lifted the note towards the light of his lamp, lifting the monocle he always had in hand to his eye.

The crinkled parts of the paper, thicker areas of the handwriting, and the carefully considered appearance of some lines suggest that someone had applied significant pressure to this page. The handwriting also appears shaky in certain areas, suggesting that it was either written by someone of old age or written very slowly, with an awareness of who the reader to this note might be. He stroked his chin whilst thinking this.

“Look.” He pointed towards the page. “There seems to be a pressure change in the handwriting.”

Aoki shuffled closer towards Heizou, peering towards the note. “I’m sure it doesn’t mean much.”

Heizou shook his head. “You can’t cross anything out in a case. Any evidence is good evidence.” He paused, then spoke again, “I wonder why the writer tried to change their handwriting.”

He tapped the letter gently, pointing towards the signature. “It’s signed anonymously, so why did they take the extra step to conceal their identity?”

Unless, of course, I know them personally and they feared I could recognise their handwriting.

Heizou squinted at the note in his hand, then turned the page over, once, twice.

“I recognise this paper. They’re sold in stacks in the Yae Publishing House, not too far away from here.”

He tapped his hands on the desk.

If the anonymous person who wrote the note came from Mt. Yougou, then why was the paper purchased here? They could have bought it at an earlier date, but Yae Publishing House recently changed their formula of paper. There are plenty of stationery shops all over Inazuma, specifically near Mt. Yougou. Despite this, it was most definitely sourced from the Yae Publishing House.

Heizou furrowed his eyebrows again, spotting yet another confusing part of the note.

“This note is quite peculiar, I mean, even the message itself is phrased strangely–”

Before he could utter another word, he heard a knock from the door. This time, the knock was light and airy.

“Come in.”

Your head peeked in from around the side of the door in Heizou’s office (and upon seeing you, a small smile appeared on his face) You sauntered in, your eyes immediately honing in on the note. You glanced at the lettering and frowned.

“I see you’re working on another murder case.” (Although it was evident that was what he was doing, you proclaimed it anyway.) “If you want, I can help you solve it.”

How did they know it was specifically a murder case? I haven’t even shown them the note.

Heizou furrowed his eyebrows, a little taken aback by your sudden enthusiasm and change in normal tonality. It was almost as if you were hiding something from him. It had been a while since you had solved a case with him. Occasionally, you provided commentary or advice on particular cases or helped to organise Heizou’s thoughts, but this sudden enthusiasm on your part was particularly curious.

Heizou shook his head. “It’s okay. I’m about to end this shift soon, and besides, it’s quite a strange case.”

You frowned, a look of disappointment emerging from your eyes.

“You know, I would really like to solve a murder case with you since we haven’t solved one together in a while... Maybe we could start on it now?”

Your gaze was shifting between him and the door and you shuffled your feet, as if there was a hurry to leave.

He stared, puzzled at the abnormality of your actions, glancing back at the note, and then at you, who stood adamantly in front of the door. The pieces of the puzzle slid together, and then it clicked.

A small smile tugged at the edges of Heizou’s lips.

They’re throwing a surprise birthday party for me, and masking it as a murder mystery, aren’t they?

Heizou shook his head and huffed a silent laugh.

“You’re right. We haven’t solved a murder together, and perhaps your intellect could help me with this mystery–I am confused by this note.”

You attempted your best to hide your smile and nodded enthusiastically, pushing Heizou towards the door and flinging it open to find a group of familiar people standing there.

Yoimiya, Itto, Shinobu, Sara, and Kokomi, along with a couple of other Tenryou Commission officers and colleagues of Heizou, all stood outside, almost as if they were waiting for him.

“What are you all doing here?”

They all spoke at once, in a manner which made it impossible to understand what was being said. Eventually, everyone fell silent, and Shinobu stepped forward.

“We heard about the note from the murder case while Aoki came to deliver it to you. Could we help you solve the murder?”

How did she know it was a murder?

The rest of the group nodded, Yoimiya grinned, and Itto added, “Wouldn’t it be nice to solve something together as friends?” While saying this, he patted Shinobu’s back, perhaps a little too strongly, as she stumbled forward.

The smile which had been tugging on Heizou’s face before re-emerged.

“Well, I suppose you’re all here now. We can start with Chinju Forest since that’s where the victim sighted the murder.”

Having uttered these words, everyone marched towards the forest. Itto, Kokomi and Shinobu took the lead, whilst Yoimiya and Sara walked beside you, next to the Tenryou Commission officers who roamed in groups.

________

You walked a little behind Heizou, ambling through the cobbled stone road of Inazuma City. Glancing ahead towards him, a bemused grin crept upon your face. It seems as brilliant a detective as he was. For now, you appeared to have fooled him. You had spent all last night attempting to change the style of your writing, but worrying Heizou would recognise it, had begged Sara to take part in your plan to deceive him and aid in the surprise birthday. Not only had you taken the time to ask someone else to write the letter, but had asked her to change the style of her writing and way of speaking in said letter. You had thought yourself quite clever in coming up with this and upon looking at Heizou now; it seems he was clueless about your doing.

He has absolutely no idea.

————

After a little walking, all of you eventually arrived at Chinju Forest and started wondering about, looking for any clues to this peculiar murder case.

You looked around to see if Heizou was watching you, and noticing that he was currently a lot further away than you, you took the chance to grab Yoimiya and pull her behind one tree in the forest.

Checking once more that Heizou was not looking in your direction, you leaned in, attempting to be as quiet as possible when you spoke.

“Have all the preparations been made for Heizou?”

She nodded enthusiastically.

“Good. Is the cake ready?”

Again, Yoimiya nodded. “Yes, it’s behind the shrine on a table. You’ll find it if you walk straight and turn behind the cherry blossoms.”

You flashed a smile. “Perfect.”

You paused a second, and then frowned. “I hope Sayu is in position. I told her to meet us here at around 5:30 pm, but I haven’t seen her anywhere yet… hopefully she hasn’t fallen asleep again.”

Yoimiya comforted your worries, and feeling more reassured than a few minutes ago and having finished the conversation with her, you walked out of the bushes as if nothing ever happened, continuing to investigate for clues.

———

On the other side of the path, Kokomi and Sara wandered about the bright red shrines in the forest. The two of them sat under the steps, chatting and fervently whispering about the details of Heizou’s party. Insistent in wanting to aid you with further preparations, Kokomi had done most of the work regarding the cake decorations, since you were already busy with the general decorations, venue choice, cake flavours and food. Sara had been busy at work the last few months, and unable to play a huge role in the birthday preparations, was still glad she could cherish a night with a friend of hers.

Meanwhile, Itto and Shinobu had split ways and begun looking towards the cobbled pavement of the forest, making a show of inspecting the rocks. Itto paused, turning towards Shinobu. “aren’t you excited for the surprise-” Shinobu shot him a stern look, shushing him before he could say another word. “Be quiet. We don’t want anyone to hear you.” He nodded, immediately understanding her caution, but proceed to talk (albeit, a little quieter) “Oh, but I do want to see the look on his face when he realises it’s—” again, Shinobu shushed him, repeating that he had to lower his voice or their efforts would be for nothing. She patted his back lightly, whispering, “The best thing to do is to not talk about it, or else the surprise might be ruined.” He nodded again, but this time listened to what she said, focusing on his part in conveying a convincing murder. Itto lifted a couple rocks off of the ground, turning them and placing them back down. He repeated this task, occasionally commenting, “Can’t find nothing here,” a little obnoxiously.

The Tenryou Commission officers had also parted ways with each other and mingled around in the forest. Some of them walked up and down the pathways, whilst others gathered next to the brushes and trees, crouching to inspect the surrounding area. Ishizaki and Motosuke were chatting a little behind the others. Although they rarely had a chance to help Heizou with his cases, and mostly sent in reports on the daily, they still respected him greatly, and were happy to see him taking a break from his work (although, really at the moment he was doing what he usually does at his job.) Most of the officers didn’t have an active hand in aiding with the birthday decorations, but aided in keeping everyone together and maintaining the surprise. It wasn’t often that everyone had the chance to hang out like this, and most of the officers were just having fun enjoying the element of surprise and mystery (for most of them, although aware it was a surprise, were unaware of exactly what the ‘murder’ entailed, nor what you had planned.)

Heizou trudged towards the brushes in the forest, inspecting the leaves for any sign of disturbance. He concluded after a brief inspection that the leaves were perfectly normal.

_______

“All of you, come over here!” Heizou heard Itto exclaim from a dozen metres away.

You hastily made your way towards him, and he pointed towards the ground. On the floor, there were splatters of crimson which had stained the pavement and were currently dripping into the cracks of the ground.

Heizou crouched down to inspect it. The liquid was slithering quickly down the cracks through the path.

He looked about, drawing closer towards the criminal evidence, and leaning on the floor next to it. Heizou shook his head, glancing at the supposed red liquid that was meant to be blood.

This blood is fake. It hasn’t got the same viscosity or density as actual blood, nor is the colour correct unless the victim suffered a blood type disorder.

He watched the ‘blood’ seep down into the grass, staining anything in its way. He stood up from his crouching position, dusting off the dirt from his legs.

(Besides Heizou, you admired how realistic you had made the blood look.)

He glanced back at you, seeing the anticipation in your face. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise.

“The blood is fresh. Its colouration tells me that.”

Heizou looked around the forest.

“It’s interesting how there is only a splatter of blood here. The bushes seem a little dishevelled–there are twigs on the floor; perhaps a fight occurred. I suggest we keep moving forward to look for more clues.”

Everyone nodded, confirming his theory. Heizou trudged along forward in the forest. And then he stopped.

From behind him, Heizou heard the rustling of bushes, the snapping of a twig, and an incessant snore. The wind whistled as something moved from behind the trees.

The bushes swayed, and a familiar figure rolled out of them. She yawned and stretched her arms, looking tiredly around towards you and the others.

Everyone else followed behind him, peering closer to look down at the figure.

“Sayu! There you are,” you exclaimed.

There you are? Was Sayu’s encounter also planned?

She yawned again, lazily blinking her eyes.

“What are all of you doing here?” She sat up from the previous position she was in.

Sara was the one to speak this time. “We’ve all become aware of a murder case Heizou was trying to solve–”

She didn’t finish the sentence before Itto jumped in. “Would you like to help us investigate this mystery?”

Sayu paused a second, blinking her eyes slowly, and stretched her arms before she stood up from the ground. “I’ve been told walking helps for growth, so I will help you, as long as I’m able to take a few breaks to nap along the way.”

Yoimiya added, “It is quite a puzzling mystery, but I’m glad to have you aboard.”

Sayu walked up toward Kokomi and looked up at her. Without hesitation, she picked her up and placed her to sit on her shoulders. Sayu squealed in temporary fear but stabilised herself and held Kokomi tightly. She kicked her legs gently back and forth, and despite looking as if she hadn’t slept in days (although you were sure she had just taken a 4-hour nap) excitement glinted in her eyes.

A small frown appeared on Heizou’s face. It’s strange, I’m sure the two of them have never met before-

You interrupted his thoughts with your voice as you pointed towards the outskirts of the forest.

“I think I see some blood over there. We should check it out.”

The others nodded.

“In that case, let’s get on with investigating this murder.”

______

Many clues later, (which involved a wild bake-danuki chase, a spiritual cleansing ritual, an interrogation with a confused-looking shrine maiden, a riddle-off with an abyss mage, and plenty of other small shenanigans) you all eventually arrived at Narukami Shrine.

The sky gleamed with countless twinkling stars. The tranquil evening air enveloped the city like a soft, comforting blanket, and from the shrine, one could see the panoramic view of Inazuma City.

As you wandered along the shrine, you couldn’t help but be enchanted by its exquisite beauty. The sakura trees had blossomed, adorning the surroundings with their delicate hues of pink. A gentle breeze played with the fallen leaves, causing them to dance through the air before softly alighting on the ground.

You found yourself captivated not by the surrounding scenery, but by the man standing before you. As you held his hand, you couldn’t help but admire every small detail of his face - the gentle curve of his nose, the little moles beneath his eyes, and the tousled charm of his hair. A deep redness flushed your cheeks.

Heizou glanced back at you, noticing how your eyes focused on him. After months together, he still felt the warmness flushing his cheeks.

“It’s such a beautiful night,” you remarked, and he nodded.

You clasped his hand in yours, walking on the stone pavement. The two of you had distanced yourselves a little from the crowd, and for that, you were happy, since there wasn’t much of a chance to talk during the evening.

Heizou hummed, “I don’t particularly go to Narukami Shrine often, save for the rare cases which occur here.” He quickly added, “... such as the one brought upon me tonight, which really still puzzles me now.”

You gently squeezed his hand and reassured him, “I’m confident that you’ll be able to solve it. After all, you’re one of the cleverest people in Inazuma.” He raised an eyebrow in surprise and questioned, “One of the cleverest?” A mischievous smile formed on your lips as you playfully replied, “Well, you still haven’t managed to surpass my intelligence.” His laughter filled the air as he responded, “Oh, really? As clever as you may be, I have yet to witness your intelligence being put to good use.” Before you could retort, a loud noise interrupted your conversation, capturing both of your attention from ahead.

You both heard someone falling on the ground, followed by a scream.

“It’s the body! The body!”

Upon hearing Sayu scream, Heizou ran to where the commotion had occurred. Everyone gathered around the body on the floor. The darkness made it hard to see who or what it was.

“Does anyone have a light?”

Heizou searched his pockets, looking for a light or anything that could help. It was to no avail, since all he possessed was a magnifying glass, a pen, and a couple of scribbled notes from previous cases.

The others whispered in an agitated manner, scrambling around and causing a grand commotion around the body.

“I’ve got an idea,” Yoimiya exclaimed, and breaking Heizou’s line of thought, she pointed her bow towards the sky and shot some arrows. They grew and exploded into bright fireworks. Everyone crouched down towards the body.

Yae Miko lay on the ground, her body drenched in crimson. Her eyes were closed, and she was contorted in an unnatural position. Itto gasped and collapsed, while Sayu screamed once again. Yoimiya sobbed, and Kokomi found solace in Sara’s arms. The officers of the Tenryou Commission gathered around Yae Miko, whispering in confusion. Heizou, however, couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. He commended your efforts in involving Yae Miko herself, as it was no small accomplishment. With a dramatic crouch, he inspected the body, which was covered in the same red liquid as in Chinju Forest. Yae Miko’s head was tilted to the side, with one arm shielding her face. Dust and rocks clung to her clothing, particularly in the visible areas. Upon closer examination, it appeared as if the rocks were sprinkled on top almost as an afterthought, mixing with the supposed blood. Interestingly, the blood only stained Miko’s legs and face, avoiding any damage to her attire.

The injuries and positioning of the blood are inconsistent. Yae Miko is clearly breathing on the ground, visible by the slight rise and fall of her chest, and the colouration of her skin can’t be that of a body which has been lying in the elements for hours…

But he had to go along with it.

The screaming and sobbing continued in the background, with Itto wailing, “No, no, it can’t be!”

Heizou stood up shakily, looking around until everyone had their attention on him. “The murder is fresh. There seem to be injuries on the front and sides, which indicates an expected assault. It appears that Miko attempted to fight back, as seen by the evident signs of a struggle on her face. She died quickly, within minutes or seconds, even. The wounds show it was a purposeful stab for the aorta- a crucial part of the heart. It would have killed her almost instantly.”

He crouched down again, this time making it appear as if he was inspecting the body. A couple of beats of silence passed.

“She’s really…dead.”

He whispered. Clasping his mouth, tears silently fell down his cheek. His breathing shook, and he trembled.

It was a little overdramatic, but he had to continue this act.

He stood up from the crouching position he was previously in and paused. Wiping the tears and making a show of shock and upset.

He murmured, “The murderer is among us.”

(Everyone gasped loudly, Itto protested, Sayu continued to cry and both Sara and Shinobu stood in awe.)

He appeared to ignore everyone’s reactions and began to talk.

“It’s simple, really. You all made a show of trying to aid the murder mystery when it was one of you all along.”

Heizou walked away from the body and towards the people, circling everyone and eventually stopping to point at Itto.

“You could have murdered Yae Miko. You lost the last Kitsune Ramen eating contest.” Heizou stated. Itto gasped. ‘Yes, I know about that. Your losing the contest has led you to a large unpaid sum, thus being in debt. And, of course, you don’t have the money for it. So you decided to, well, end her.”

There was complete silence. A mix of shock and disbelief crossed onto people’s faces.

But then he shook his head. “No, my intuition tells me it wasn’t you. Carrying out such an intricate plan requires delicacy and thought.”

He turned his attention towards Sara. “You hold great respect towards Yae Miko unless she disobeys the Shogun. If she disobeys the Shogun, you would lose all your respect for her, and perhaps that would be enough for you to want to kill her.

He hummed in discontent, “But I can tell that the murderer was not you.”

He strolled towards Kokomi. “Isn’t it a little strange that you were in Inazuma City today? Usually, you’re occupied with your duties on Watatsumi Island..but today, you happened to be near the area of the murder.”

But again, he shook his head. “The crime was brutal and bloody. I don’t think you would have done it.”

The others quivered in fear as Heizou continued to walk up to different individuals, breaking down as to why they could have been the murderer, explaining their motives and potential acts.

He turned towards you, enjoying the fact he was making absolutely everything up, and adding nonsensical clues whilst blaming random people. It was quite fun, really. Until he realised you were no longer there.

He frowned. Calling your name, but receiving no answer.

“Where is–”

The others chattered over each other in panicked whispers of ‘Where did they go?’ and ‘Has the murderer struck again?’

Heizou feigned panic on his face, walking up and down in an agitated manner.

The others scrambled to help him find you, an equal look of alarm on their faces.

Sayu, who had fallen asleep, jolted right up and began to catch up quickly with the others.

Itto shouted your name, his voice booming in the previously quiet air.

A couple of officers began frantically searching around the area.

“I see them over there!” Itto’s voice exclaimed amidst the crowd of people.

Heizou followed his line of sight, squinting in the darkness.

And then he saw you.

You locked eyes with him, holding something in your hand, and as you drew closer, it became apparent that the ‘object’ was a cake.

(Heizou smiled to himself. It seems his intuition was correct.)

Quickly masking the smile on his face, confusion appeared, and he walked towards you.

‘What’s happening? Why are you bringing me a cake?- we’re in the midst of a murder here.’

A smile spread across your face. “This was all a scheme to get you here and celebrate your birthday, disguising it as a murder case!”

Heizou gasped loudly, his face an expression of complete and utter surprise. He suppressed a smile, attempting to maintain his mask of surprise. “So, is Yae not dead?”

You nodded. “She was part of our plan.” (Upon saying this, Yae Miko stood from the ground and brushed the ‘blood’ off of herself.)

As he turned his attention back to you, he noticed the cake in your hands, which was exquisitely decorated with swirled accents of red icing and covered in a velvety white buttercream. Delicate question marks and magnifying glasses had been meticulously hand-decorated using piped icing. Multiple candles flickered on top of the cake, their flames swaying back and forth in a captivating dance. You beamed and walked towards Heizou, nudging his shoulder.

You came to a stop before Heizou, as he had a chance to yet again marvel at the stunning sight before him.

And before he had an opportunity to say or think anything more about the case, he got whisked into the ambience of a party.

“I bet you didn’t see this surprise coming.”

(You heard the scraping of a table as Itto and Shinobu pushed one into the area.)

On the table, colourful balloons were tied to it and gently bobbed up and down as if they had a life of their own. They swayed back and forth, occasionally revealing the vibrant banners that adorned the walls of the shrine. A beautifully decorated table was laid out with gleaming cutlery, crisp tablecloths, and the cake, which had become the table’s centrepiece.

And then, the night filled with music. It was quiet at first. But immediately recognisable. Multiple lights lit up on the cake, the flames dancing mesmerisingly in the dark, captivating the attention of everyone.

“Happy birthday to you~”

You held his hand and kissed his cheek. “Happy birthday to you~”

He reciprocated your kiss, this time prolonging it. He could feel the hotness of your cheeks against his.

“Happy birthday, dear Heizou~”

The others joined in, and as the number of voices increased, so did the hope of being in tune. You finished the song and all the others began to clap and cheer, with Itto coming over to prompt Heizou to blow out the candles. He did so successfully in one breath.

As Shinobu passed a cake knife to Heizou, he effortlessly sliced the cake, serving himself a piece before moving on to cut equal portions for everyone else. Grabbing a fork from the table, he eagerly took a bite, causing his mouth to water and leaving him in awe.

“It’s delicious.”

Quickly, he took another bite from the cake, gulping it all down within a few seconds.

You smiled and said, “I’m glad you like it, but please eat slowly. I don’t want you to choke and have an actual murder case on our hands today.” He chuckled, “It’s not my fault. I can’t help myself.”

After having eaten a couple of other slices of cake, he finally had the chance to enquire about your plans. “So, how did you come up with all this?”

Upon hearing his question, your eyes lit up. “It seems, as clever as you are, you could not see past my plan. I know you don’t tend to celebrate your birthday much due to always prioritizing work, so I suppose I used that priority against you, having your surprise birthday under the guise of a murder. I contacted all your friends to come and help me with the celebration and think up a reasonable murder case.”

From your pockets, you took out a vial of red liquid and pointed at it. “I used this as the blood. It’s red ink mixed with a little corn syrup to thicken it.” Heizou had to applaud your efforts, but nonetheless, the liquid you were holding in your hands could unmistakably not be confused as blood. You continued to speak, “Knowing you might enjoy something intellectually stimulating, me, Sara, and Kazuha (although he was unable to make it tonight) all helped plan the ‘case,’ creating fake clues, buying materials to make the murder look realistic.”

Heizou stared back at Yae Miko. “Well, you sure did a good job at that. I would have believed her to be dead.” A grin spread across your cheeks. “I even researched some aspects relating to dead bodies to make it look even more credible. I knew I had to be careful with everything I did and worried you would see right through my plan. And that I did.” Heizou almost felt a little sorry for being able to see right through your scheme almost immediately.

You proceeded to take out a crumpled letter from your coat and sighed. “Originally, I had written the victim’s letter, but fearing you might recognize my handwriting, I asked Sara to write it for me.” You pointed towards Itto and Shinobu. “They helped put up the birthday decorations with me.” You paused for a second, looking around for the others, and finally finding them, you pointed towards them. “Kokomi and Sayu helped mainly with the coordination. Sayu, especially with Chinju Forest, and when she wasn’t sleeping, her Ninja skills were particularly useful in successfully putting this plan into action.” So that’s how they know each other.

Kokomi’s eyes twinkled. Itto beamed, and Sara and Shinobu both gazed contentedly towards Heizou.

“We barely had enough time to set everything up, since the plans and preparation were so last minute, but my goal of fooling you has succeeded, and therefore I consider that good enough.”

Heizou looked back at you.

The truth is everything. But sometimes, supplying it will only upset the other.

“You certainly put a lot of effort into this, and I thank you.”

Your face glowed with pride, revelling in the thought that you had indeed tricked the cleverest man in Inazuma.

______

As the celebrations came to a close, the moon had ascended high into the sky, casting its gentle glow over the surroundings. The once warm evening air had given way to a cooler, more refreshing temperature. Sayu had fallen asleep, having transformed into a Fuufuu windwheel by the shrine’s tree. The others had also begun to tire. Kokomi was resting her head on Sara’s shoulders. Itto was on his way to start snoring next to Shinobu and the Tenryou Commission officers had retreated a while back.

A couple of Sakura petals drifted slowly down the trees, landing in your hair. You walked up to Heizou, sitting down on the steps of the shrine and kissed him on the cheek.

“So... did I trick you?”

Heizou grinned, his face growing a little red. He reciprocated your kiss and held your hand in his.

“I would have never guessed.”

56 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 23 hours ago

Text

𝕾𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖋𝖑𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖕𝖔𝖙𝖘

This is my Secret Santa for @perpetualcynicism (event run by @2025gisecretsanta) I hope you enjoy the fic, and I wish you a merry Christmas!

Summary: it’s Christmas Eve, whilst some couples may decide to make out under the mistletoe or ice skate under the moonlight, you and Xiao chose to cook a meal together- although a simple domestic task, you both find pleasure in the art of cooking and were excited to do so. Verr Goldet and Smiley Yanxiao were able to facilitate this plan by giving you two the opportunity to cook in the kitchen of Wangshu Inn. They were both more than happy to help out Xiao and his partner (for it is not often that he finds romance.)

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: None.

length: 2k words~

Other: gender-neutral reader, reader is in an established relationship with Xiao.

A/n: I apologise if the fic seems a little rushed or unfinished, there were extraneous circumstances which I had to deal with, but I wanted to get the fic out in time to the best of my ability!

Reblogs and comments are appreciated

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

It was snowing this Christmas Eve. The snowflakes fell gracefully down, as if in a delicate dance. A blanket of snow covered the harbour and everything in sight- the water had been frozen solid, and people were ice skating upon it. The stone spires which peaked in the city, were frosted in glistening snow, and the trees upon Yujing Terrace were glazed in ice. The icicles hung upon the houses and huts of Liyue like baubles on a tree and the windows of Wanghsuu Inn itself were, tinted with frost. Inside the Inn, customers had started to gather- their colourful cloaks creating stark contrast against the colourless surroundings, the sunlight, which beamed on the wooden roof of the inn made the snow twinkle in the daylight.

The wind howled through the windows and out the doors, and the people chattered, laughing, and giggling from the tables of the inn. The brightly lit fire illuminated the darkness of the dull sky. The footsteps of the waiters scattering about, their shoes creaking upon the old, wooden boards. Huai’a was busy shovelling the snow from the entrance of the inn, asking customers to brush their snow-ridden shoes and boots on the carpets before entering.

The thick scent of fresh, clean snow filled the customer’s lungs. Wood smoke from food being cooked curled somnambulantly up the chimneys, and the earthy aroma of damp wool and gloves mixed with the pleasant smell of fresh food ingredients- the spices especially, cinnamon, cloves, anise, ginger, cardamom vanilla all blended together, creating a delightful wave of appetising fragrances.

Both you and Xiao had been quickly ushered by YanXiao and Verr Goldet into the kitchen of the inn. A brief pat on the back, and a smile was all the communication required between them, and you were sent on your way.

Upon entering the kitchen, you immediately lock eyes with Xiao, grabbing your huge *Christmas* List of Potential Things To Cook from your pocket as it unravelled onto your lap, spilling onto the floor. You glanced at your scrawled handwriting.

“Right, what should we cook? There’s..” (you skimmed the list)

“..Chicken Loe Mein, Pekin duck, roasted pork tenderloin, steamed fish….”

Your mouth began to water, imagining the delicacies of each dish- the cooked and cured meats, the steaming fish, the careful balance of spices and aromas~

“Almond tofu.”

The image of the idyllic meal you had imagined shattered instantaneously.

“Almond tofu?”

Xiao nodded, you looked longingly at the lengthy list of Christmas recipe ideas you had compiled, filled with the ink of your scribbled handwriting on each side of the paper.

“Are you certain?”

He nodded again.

You glimpsed back at Xiao, then back at the list, and eventually let out an exasperated sigh, scrunching the piece of paper in your hands into a ball and chucking it into the bin.

“Almond tofu it is.”

He smiled.

You glanced at the kitchen. Smiley YanXiao had very kindly laid out all the pots and pans for you in neat piles. The sink was shiny, the cutting boards were set, and the knives and cutlery had been placed in organised rows, where it was easier to access and find.

There was no need for a recipe, for you had both cooked this dish many times before.

You pointed towards the cabinet. “Could you pass me the agar agar powder?”

Xiao nodded, grabbing a wooden ladder which had been left on the side of the room, and dragging it to the other side of the kitchen. He pulled himself up the ladder, opening the cabinet, and grunting as he realised the agar agar had been placed on the top shelf. He tiptoed in an attempt to reach for the ingredient but failed to do so. You heard a dissatisfied huff escape his lips.

Commotion, the scraping of the ladder, movement. You watched in silent amusement as Xiao grabbed a long spoon from one of the drawers in the kitchen, and positioned the ladder closer to the cabinet. This time, he managed to reach the ingredient, and carefully moved it towards him. He couldn’t see. The spoon moved too quickly, the agar agar fell on the floor. Smiley YanXiao snorted from outside the room and you followed suit, but seeing a glare come your way, quickly and decidedly disguised it with a cough.

Climbing down the ladder, Xiao handed you the agar agar. You thanked him, kissed him on both sides of the cheek, and then spun around to grab a pan. You filled it with water, temporarily mesmerised by the swooshing sound it made as it hit the metallic base.

You brought the pan to the flame, turned on the gas, and watched as the flame set alight, forming a circle of fire, growing larger, encircling the stove. After a few minutes, the water began to boil. You added the agar agar and started to mix them slowly together. You grinned back at Xiao, he blushed back.

“Could you pass me the almond milk? It should be on the left side of the fridge.”

Xiao nodded, and walked up to the fridge, grabbing the milk, and passing it to you. You smiled. He smiled back. It had been a while since the both of you had cooked, it was nice to have this opportunity.

The mixture was thick now, a wordless glance and Xiao began to help you mix, slowly adding the almond milk to the pan. After the ingredients had been carefully and thoroughly incorporated, you both stood back.

“We need to let it boil for 10 minutes”

You nodded. Glancing out the window, your eyes widened in surprise at the speed of the day. The sun had begun to set. The clouds were tinted deep reds and pinks.

The blink of a moment.

The pan began to simmer. Letting go of Xiao’s hand, you walked towards the stove and turned off the heat. Watching as the flames fell and then vanished from sight.

You nodded towards Xiao, who, holding the milk and vanilla and almond extracts in hand, poured them in whilst you stirred the pot gently.

You glanced back at Xiao, a furrowed expression on his face, concentrated at the task in hand.

You strained the mixture using the tofu mould. Xiao held it, helping you in the process, a hand on your shoulder.

You placed the tofu in the fridge, for it had to be set.

“Well… we have an hour to spare…”

You took Xiao’s hand, guiding him to the top of Wangshu Inn. You reached the open area and sat on the rooftop next to him.

The sun was in the midst of setting. Its gilded rays touch the outskirts of Liyue. The shadows of the surrounding environment swooped upon the inn, enveloping it in comfortable darkness. The stars had started to become visible, small spots in the red and yellow sky. The snow was starting to pile on the ground, and a blanket of white glittered around you. The snowflakes danced gently down the sky~

Xiao’s voice interrupted your thoughts.

“Once the snow is thick enough, we can eat it.”

You opened your mouth to laugh, but a chatter escaped your lips. You were shivering. Xiao glanced back at you, and wordlessly, grabbed a blanket (which was stored in his sleeve) wrapping it carefully around you. You lay your head on his shoulder and close your eyes. Your fingertips began to tingle, you could feel the warmth of his breath on your neck.

“I’m cold.”

“…I can see that.”

“Maybe a little kiss might warm me?”

He groaned, but you could see a small blush flush his face.

“If that’s what you want, then that’s what you shall receive.”

And he kissed you. Once. Gently on the lips.

“Are you warmer now?” his eyebrows tugged in mild concern.

“Yes.”

The crunching of snow behind you, footsteps on cracked ice.

“Your tofu’s ready”

You heard Smiley YanXiao’s voice from below. You glanced back at Xiao and picked yourself up from the ground, linking your arms with his and walking back down to the kitchen.

“Thank you, Yanxiao.” you stole him a glance, and he winked.

“We should get back to work.”

With immediacy, Xiao walked to the stove and sprinkled the almonds onto the pan, watching as they sizzled and turned amongst each other, you stirred them, whilst he tossed the almonds. One hand in his, the other on the wooden spoon.

The almonds had now become a sun-kissed golden hue, glazed and toasted. The nutty waft rose from the pan into your nose. You both collectively smiled in satisfaction as the aroma floated gracefully in the air.

“I should start on the sauce” you murmured, he agreed.

You proceeded to add water to the pan, watching as it spashed, hitting the rim and sides, and swirling in the centre. You grabbed the packeted sugar on the shelf (with no need of a ladder) and stirred it into the heating water. You poured in the liquor, and let the mixture boil.

You tapped Xiao lightly on the nose with the wooden spoon, kissing him gently on the lips.

Quickly, you turned your attention back onto the pan- you had to stop getting distracted, but it was hard when Archons he, was gorgeous.

You turned the knobs on the stove, and the fire came to a stop. You poured in the blossom water whilst Xiao added in the toasted almonds.

It’s late now. The sky is dark- almost black. The only thing illuminating it are the stars twinkling in the sky. The air was crisp and cold, it flowed through your lungs like ice. You watched as puffed clouds of freezing water exited your mouth. The moonlight shone through the cracks and slithers of the wooden panels, bathing in the shadows of the inn.

The Inn was quieter than before, excited shouts and loud celebrations had been replaced with fevered whispers. The icicles on the tree at the top of the inn swayed to and fro whilst branches bristled in the frigid weather. The lanterns flooded the darkness with light and the man you loved sat beside you.

Footsteps next to you, you heard Smiley Yanxiao's voice, his head peeping from the doorway, holding two plates in his hand.

“Your food is served.”

He smiled, of course, he did, and bowed in an overdramatic fashion, then stepped back and left.

You picked up the fork from the plate which Smiley YanXiao had very kindly given you and lifted a slice of the almond tofu into your mouth. It was sweet, and creamy and nutty, the texture melting and dissolving in your mouth. The flavours were mild but well done.

You grinned, popping a slice of almond tofu into Xiao’s mouth to let him taste it.

He grinned back.

“I think we did a good job.”

He nodded.

You rested your head upon his shoulders, watching as the snowflakes fell gracefully from the midnight sky above you. You turned towards Xiao and smiled.

20 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 1 day ago

Text

Here are some snippets for a Jing Yuan Persephone x Hades AU I'm in the process of currently writing (very slowly)

Legend says that a long, long time ago, there lived a General.

His rule over the people kept Luofu at peace. He was commanding and calculative, earning respect from most and fear from some — but only if they defied his orders.

Luofu was a large, orderly city filled with bustling markets, tall temples, cobbled streets, and crowds gathering like pigeons in front of Jing Yuan’s ship.

The architecture was a beauty: tall slabs of sandstone and rock, sanded down to perfection, intricate swirls and patterns etched into every building, every window, every door. Jing Yuan’s world was one of precision — because without order, chaos would reign...

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(A section from their first meeting..)

The azure sky welcomed Jing Yuan as he knelt on the ground, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The viridescent leaves swayed gently, tickling his legs

Then he heard it — the faintest rustle from nearby bushes.

He shifted his gaze cautiously and spotted a small finch, its feathers painted in blacks and greys, its head a soft beige, its beak a vivid crimson. The bird was beautiful, delicate.

Tentatively, Jing Yuan edged closer, but the faintest movement startled the finch, and it fluttered away into the city.

Swiftly, Jing Yuan rose and followed the bird’s erratic trail. It darted under signboards, hopped onto the pebbled pavement, slipped beneath arches of towering buildings — all attempts to elude him in vain.

After scattering crumbs of food, the finch finally perched on his shoulder.

But Jing Yuan no longer paid attention to it.

Ahead stood you — a beauty humming softly, picking flowers from the lawn with grace.

You wore a long robe swirling with golden and red patterns, brushing the ground. Your eyes were deep and sweet, capturing his gaze.

For the first time, Jing Yuan’s heart thumped.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(A section from a little later...)

“Capture them,” he ordered his guards.

They nodded, prepared to follow his command.

“Stop,” he said suddenly.

“Do not hurt them. Bring them back safe. Feed them, let them rest if they need to.”

The guards hesitated, then marched away in line.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(also a little later)

You looked at him coldly.

“I don’t want to be here,” you said, voice firm.

Jing Yuan frowned, his voice low.

“I can give you anything you want. All you have to do is ask.”

You shook your head.

“I hate you.”

End snippets.

My writing has been very sporadic for this fic, but.. I don't want to reveal too much in case I ever do post it.. so, hope you enjoy!

8 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 1 day ago

Text

We never touched and yet..

We never touched and yet- You still feel the warmth of his hand in your dreams, fingers brushing your skin. He shouldn’t be warm -not with the ice that coats the mountain, not with the snow falling all around - and yet, heat radiates from his body, his cheeks flushed. His voice, soft like snowfall, hums at your ear. You feel the flutter of his lashes on your skin, his smile, the press of lips cushioned to yours. His hair slicked back, tickling your nose, your cheeks. We never touched, and yet you feel the heat of his breath in rhythm with your own. Goosebumps rise on your arms. You feel his body close - arms around you, torso brushing yours. We’ve never touched, and yet you know the weight of his gaze, the twinkle in his eyes, the small blush that breaks across his cheeks. A smile that could melt the snow of Dragonspine. We never touched, and yet I feel you more than anyone I’ve ever known. Oh, how cruel dreams are.

We never touched, and yet I long for his embrace.

6 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 3 days ago

Text

A letter from Fontaine, from Neuvilette to R… dreams have weight here, but some feel heavier than others...

I've been experimenting with Canva lately- by bringing some of the letters from my WIP fic with visuals! Here’s a clipping of one of the notes from Neuvilette, who makes an appearance in Kreide & Blut (the fic I'm currently working on)

I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the story! Feel free to comment on the promo post here if you want to be added to the masterlist to get notified once it's released!

here's the template I used on canva: https://www.canva.com/s/templates?query=aged+letter

2 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 3 days ago

Text

Header designed by @daosies, thank you!!

Official art by HoYoverse

A Genshin Impact Jekyll & Hyde-inspired AU centring on Albedo, the mysteries of Dragonspine, and a slow-burn epistolary relationship gone strange.

Epistolary · Psychological Mystery · Slow-burn · Angst · ➤ Pairing: Albedo × GN!Explorer!Reader ➤ Genre: T (for themes, implied violence, emotional intensity) ➤ Status: Ongoing — Act I: COMPLETE ✓ ➤ Updates: Sporadic but passionate!

After a chance meeting in the Dragonspine mountains, an explorer and the famed alchemist begin to exchange letters. Their connection deepens, their lives intermingle — as dreams turn enigmatic and the snow begins to whisper. Something stirs beneath the ice.

The Journey ahead... Act I – [In progress] Act II – [In progress] Act III – [to be completed] Act IV –[to be completed]

Estimated word count: ~20,000 words (across all acts)

!!Please comment below to be added to the taglist!!

Reblogs appreciated to help it reach more readers!

#PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED

12 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 5 days ago

Text

Header designed by @daosies, thank you!!

Official art by HoYoverse

A Genshin Impact Jekyll & Hyde-inspired AU centring on Albedo, the mysteries of Dragonspine, and a slow-burn epistolary relationship gone strange.

The Journey ahead... Act I – [In progress] Act II – [In progress] Act III – [to be completed] Act IV –[to be completed]

Estimated word count: ~20,000 words (across all acts)

!!Please comment below to be added to the taglist!!

Reblogs appreciated to help it reach more readers!

12 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 26 days ago

Note

the fact that you're not on my feed everyday is a felony ☹️

Fine. I’ll take the felony. Honestly.. life’s been a little chaotic, but I’ll be back to making regular feed appearances soon (hopefully) That said… not seeing you on mine? Also a crime.

#moots #missed talking to you!#will be back

0 notes

1eaf-me-alone · 1 month ago

Note

LEAFFFF OMG THE THEME CHANGE HIIII

hiii it’s so nice to see you back!

#It’s been a while #heh #but #BUT #i am writing

1 note · View note

1eaf-me-alone · 1 month ago

Note

WAIT IM SO SORRY I MEANT LIKE BETA, OMEGA, ALPHA

when i saw ur post I didn't read the reader part so i found the word funny

SORRY💔💔☹️

no worries!

#That is kind of funny #Would you.. still be interested in beta reading?

0 notes

1eaf-me-alone · 1 month ago

Note

i want to be ur beta dadi🥺

sure! And thank you for offering, just message me privately so I can send you the writing

#Thank you #beta request #genshin impact

0 notes

1eaf-me-alone · 1 month ago

Note

I see you have got out of Cyno phase hm?

…mayhaps

#cyno #cyno x reader #genshin x reader #sorry this took so long #to reply to #Just saw it now

1 note · View note

1eaf-me-alone · 2 months ago

Text

hello, I’m looking for beta readers, if anyone is willing or able to beta read, please send me a message!

#..conveniently ignoring the fact I haven’t been online for months #beta reader #beta’s beeded #Would very much appreciate anyone who is up to it #genshin imagines #genshin x reader #beta request #albedo x reader #beta recruitment

8 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 6 months ago

Text

𝕾𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖋𝖑𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖕𝖔𝖙𝖘

This is my Secret Santa for @perpetualcynicism (event run by @2025gisecretsanta) I hope you enjoy the fic, and I wish you a merry Christmas!

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: None.

length: 2k words~

Other: gender-neutral reader, reader is in an established relationship with Xiao.

A/n: I apologise if the fic seems a little rushed or unfinished, there were extraneous circumstances which I had to deal with, but I wanted to get the fic out in time to the best of my ability!

Reblogs and comments are appreciated

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

“Right, what should we cook? There’s..” (you skimmed the list)

“..Chicken Loe Mein, Pekin duck, roasted pork tenderloin, steamed fish….”

Your mouth began to water, imagining the delicacies of each dish- the cooked and cured meats, the steaming fish, the careful balance of spices and aromas~

“Almond tofu.”

The image of the idyllic meal you had imagined shattered instantaneously.

“Almond tofu?”

Xiao nodded, you looked longingly at the lengthy list of Christmas recipe ideas you had compiled, filled with the ink of your scribbled handwriting on each side of the paper.

“Are you certain?”

He nodded again.

You glimpsed back at Xiao, then back at the list, and eventually let out an exasperated sigh, scrunching the piece of paper in your hands into a ball and chucking it into the bin.

“Almond tofu it is.”

He smiled.

There was no need for a recipe, for you had both cooked this dish many times before.

You pointed towards the cabinet. “Could you pass me the agar agar powder?”

“Could you pass me the almond milk? It should be on the left side of the fridge.”

“We need to let it boil for 10 minutes”

You nodded. Glancing out the window, your eyes widened in surprise at the speed of the day. The sun had begun to set. The clouds were tinted deep reds and pinks.

The blink of a moment.

The pan began to simmer. Letting go of Xiao’s hand, you walked towards the stove and turned off the heat. Watching as the flames fell and then vanished from sight.

You nodded towards Xiao, who, holding the milk and vanilla and almond extracts in hand, poured them in whilst you stirred the pot gently.

You glanced back at Xiao, a furrowed expression on his face, concentrated at the task in hand.

You strained the mixture using the tofu mould. Xiao held it, helping you in the process, a hand on your shoulder.

You placed the tofu in the fridge, for it had to be set.

“Well… we have an hour to spare…”

You took Xiao’s hand, guiding him to the top of Wangshu Inn. You reached the open area and sat on the rooftop next to him.

Xiao’s voice interrupted your thoughts.

“Once the snow is thick enough, we can eat it.”

“I’m cold.”

“…I can see that.”

“Maybe a little kiss might warm me?”

He groaned, but you could see a small blush flush his face.

“If that’s what you want, then that’s what you shall receive.”

And he kissed you. Once. Gently on the lips.

“Are you warmer now?” his eyebrows tugged in mild concern.

“Yes.”

The crunching of snow behind you, footsteps on cracked ice.

“Your tofu’s ready”

You heard Smiley YanXiao’s voice from below. You glanced back at Xiao and picked yourself up from the ground, linking your arms with his and walking back down to the kitchen.

“Thank you, Yanxiao.” you stole him a glance, and he winked.

“We should get back to work.”

“I should start on the sauce” you murmured, he agreed.

You tapped Xiao lightly on the nose with the wooden spoon, kissing him gently on the lips.

Quickly, you turned your attention back onto the pan- you had to stop getting distracted, but it was hard when Archons he, was gorgeous.

You turned the knobs on the stove, and the fire came to a stop. You poured in the blossom water whilst Xiao added in the toasted almonds.

Footsteps next to you, you heard Smiley Yanxiao's voice, his head peeping from the doorway, holding two plates in his hand.

“Your food is served.”

He smiled, of course, he did, and bowed in an overdramatic fashion, then stepped back and left.

You grinned, popping a slice of almond tofu into Xiao’s mouth to let him taste it.

He grinned back.

“I think we did a good job.”

He nodded.

You rested your head upon his shoulders, watching as the snowflakes fell gracefully from the midnight sky above you. You turned towards Xiao and smiled.

20 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 6 months ago

Text

𝕾𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖋𝖑𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖕𝖔𝖙𝖘

This is my Secret Santa for @perpetualcynicism (event run by @2025gisecretsanta) I hope you enjoy the fic, and I wish you a merry Christmas!

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: None.

length: 2k words~

Other: gender-neutral reader, reader is in an established relationship with Xiao.

A/n: I apologise if the fic seems a little rushed or unfinished, there were extraneous circumstances which I had to deal with, but I wanted to get the fic out in time to the best of my ability!

Reblogs and comments are appreciated

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

“Right, what should we cook? There’s..” (you skimmed the list)

“..Chicken Loe Mein, Pekin duck, roasted pork tenderloin, steamed fish….”

Your mouth began to water, imagining the delicacies of each dish- the cooked and cured meats, the steaming fish, the careful balance of spices and aromas~

“Almond tofu.”

The image of the idyllic meal you had imagined shattered instantaneously.

“Almond tofu?”

Xiao nodded, you looked longingly at the lengthy list of Christmas recipe ideas you had compiled, filled with the ink of your scribbled handwriting on each side of the paper.

“Are you certain?”

He nodded again.

You glimpsed back at Xiao, then back at the list, and eventually let out an exasperated sigh, scrunching the piece of paper in your hands into a ball and chucking it into the bin.

“Almond tofu it is.”

He smiled.

There was no need for a recipe, for you had both cooked this dish many times before.

You pointed towards the cabinet. “Could you pass me the agar agar powder?”

“Could you pass me the almond milk? It should be on the left side of the fridge.”

“We need to let it boil for 10 minutes”

You nodded. Glancing out the window, your eyes widened in surprise at the speed of the day. The sun had begun to set. The clouds were tinted deep reds and pinks.

The blink of a moment.

The pan began to simmer. Letting go of Xiao’s hand, you walked towards the stove and turned off the heat. Watching as the flames fell and then vanished from sight.

You nodded towards Xiao, who, holding the milk and vanilla and almond extracts in hand, poured them in whilst you stirred the pot gently.

You glanced back at Xiao, a furrowed expression on his face, concentrated at the task in hand.

You strained the mixture using the tofu mould. Xiao held it, helping you in the process, a hand on your shoulder.

You placed the tofu in the fridge, for it had to be set.

“Well… we have an hour to spare…”

You took Xiao’s hand, guiding him to the top of Wangshu Inn. You reached the open area and sat on the rooftop next to him.

Xiao’s voice interrupted your thoughts.

“Once the snow is thick enough, we can eat it.”

“I’m cold.”

“…I can see that.”

“Maybe a little kiss might warm me?”

He groaned, but you could see a small blush flush his face.

“If that’s what you want, then that’s what you shall receive.”

And he kissed you. Once. Gently on the lips.

“Are you warmer now?” his eyebrows tugged in mild concern.

“Yes.”

The crunching of snow behind you, footsteps on cracked ice.

“Your tofu’s ready”

You heard Smiley YanXiao’s voice from below. You glanced back at Xiao and picked yourself up from the ground, linking your arms with his and walking back down to the kitchen.

“Thank you, Yanxiao.” you stole him a glance, and he winked.

“We should get back to work.”

“I should start on the sauce” you murmured, he agreed.

You tapped Xiao lightly on the nose with the wooden spoon, kissing him gently on the lips.

Quickly, you turned your attention back onto the pan- you had to stop getting distracted, but it was hard when Archons he, was gorgeous.

You turned the knobs on the stove, and the fire came to a stop. You poured in the blossom water whilst Xiao added in the toasted almonds.

Footsteps next to you, you heard Smiley Yanxiao's voice, his head peeping from the doorway, holding two plates in his hand.

“Your food is served.”

He smiled, of course, he did, and bowed in an overdramatic fashion, then stepped back and left.

You grinned, popping a slice of almond tofu into Xiao’s mouth to let him taste it.

He grinned back.

“I think we did a good job.”

He nodded.

You rested your head upon his shoulders, watching as the snowflakes fell gracefully from the midnight sky above you. You turned towards Xiao and smiled.

#Xiao x reader #genshin impact #genshin x reader #Xiao fluff #I will beta read this and edit it but I just wanted to get it posted in time #xiao genshin x reader #genshin impact fluff #xiao #xiao x y/n #xiao x gender neutral reader #gixrsecretsanta2024 #gi x reader

20 notes · View notes

1eaf-me-alone · 10 months ago

Text

𝕯𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘

Word count: 2.2k words

Genre: hurt/ comfort

Warnings: none

Summary: Cyno’s busy with work, and you think he’s falling out of love with you. Your thoughts begin to eat away at you as you spiral into sadness.

Other: gender neutral reader

a/n: woo I'm finally back and writing. I've got quite a few fics I'm writing atm and I am ploughing through them.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

His hand in yours, his lips on yours. So soft his lips as they brushed your own. So soft his hands as they caressed your own. His eyelashes tickled your face, his eyes glimmered like stars, glinting lights in a sea of darkness.

He made your stomach flutter. Butterflies trapped in the cage of your body. Your head on his chest, the warmth of his hug radiating against yours, flowing through your body, your blood, your lungs. His calloused hand holding your smooth one. His snow-white hair next to your darker one and his fiery red eyes. The length of his dark cape tickled your arms. Your head lay on top of the fabric of his clothes and you could hear his heartbeat pounding in your head, and yours in his.

The soft features of his face all beaming at you. Soft white hair, with the delicate but rich smell of saffron, ruby eyes, for they were a gem enough to make you never want to look away, tanned skin, long eyelashes, kisses reserved for you, and black. Black? Darkness?

You opened your eyes.

The rain outside drummed relentlessly along the pavement, harsh grey clouds covering the previously pearl-white sky. Plants were drenched in a shower of water, animals scampered off for shelter and roads had started to fill with water.

Your blankets clung stickily onto your body, and your face felt wet. An uncomfortable heat enveloped you.

It had all been a dream.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cyno lunged towards the enemies, striking, slashing, and attacking. His feet moved swiftly along the sands, his polearm clanging against their swords, the glint of a jewel against the light. Sweat and blood ran down his forehead. Four against one. Knives and hammers pointed at him, but he was too fast. Flying paperwork strung to a stolen satchel. Fierce eyes ready to fight for the death.

But Cyno was no amateur. He attacked again, his polearm scraping against theirs, his hair flying forwards with his movement, his fire-like eyes glaring in malice.

Although Cyno was just one person he was trained well in the art of combat- as the general mahamtra, it was his job. He could tell the four were starting to tire, their movements slow and clumsy, their footwork slipping, their throats barely avoiding Cyno’s spear. And so Cyno continued- a game of cat and mouse, waiting for them to weaken as he fiercely plunged repeatedly towards them, each clash of his weapon against theirs faster than the one before.

His feet skidded along the burning sand but he didn't seem to care. Cyno had a priority: he had to get the paperwork back. His face now felt sticky, his tongue dry from dehydration and the grip on his polearm starting to loosen.

He didn't give up, in fact, Cyno now went with a fiercer power. Another strike. A slash. A hit. And then they slipped with a scream. That was a mistake. Cyno pointed his spear at the one that fell and hooked it onto the satchel, he grabbed it. Turning towards them again, pointing the polearm at their necks. He glared.

“If you ever dare steal paperwork from the Akademiya again I'll let you off far less lightly.”

He glowered at each of them individually

“Consider this a warning.”

As soon as Cyno lifted his spear, the foursome stood up and scampered away like terrified deer.

He watched them leave, running off as quickly as they possibly can. Satisfied he turned around and began to walk back.

I hope they’re proud of me, he thought.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

What if Cyno no longer cared? What if he’d found another lover? What if his love for you had faded?

All these thoughts crowded your mind, inhabiting it like an infestation of loud wasps or blood-sucking leeches.

What if you had said something wrong? What if he never really cared for you in the first place? What if it was just an act?

You hadn’t moved from the bed since you had woken up, and now it no longer felt like a comfortable place to rest but somewhere sticky and musty and hot.

You had nothing to look forward to anymore. Not in the evenings when you and Cyno cooked dinners, not in the night when Cyno embraced you in bed and kissed your cheek and held your hand, not in the mornings in which the two of you used to sit together to chat about the upcoming day. You wished he were here.

A small tear rolled down your cheek. The rain began to pour down heavily.

You missed him.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cyno walked towards the Akademiya clutching the paperwork in his hand. He saluted both guards poised on either side of the steps and entered into the building.

The Akademiya was deadly quiet at this hour, with the only human sound coming from the few footsteps and shuffling of people. No one spoke, apart from the occasional whisper which could only be heard if you were close enough to listen. The water from the fountain in the middle of the room trickled and splashed against the base of its structure.

The only source of light came from the grandiose chandelier in the ceiling, which was painted blue and beige. Although, saying that, a few lamps were spotted on floors or staircases. The room was mostly stone grey, with occasional accents of gold, and green coming from the potted plants on the side of the space.

Cyno walked across the room and entered the lift on the other side. It moved upwards until it finally stopped in another room.

Cyno knocked on the door and heard the gruff voice of a familiar person telling him to come in. He pushed the door open and saw Alhaitham sitting on a chair next to a desk. He swiftly removed the paperwork from the satchel and handed it to him.

“Some students had stolen this from the Akademiya.”

Alhaitham nodded. He reached out to hold the papers and as he took them he wrote a note on his desk.

“Thank you, Cyno.”

Cyno gave a curt nod and turned around, back on his way to you.

He couldn't wait to see you tonight.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

You stared out the window. The sun had begun to climb into the sky. It was still raining.

You eventually got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Wiping your tears away with water until your face was red and the taste of saltiness in your mouth had disappeared.

You walked back to the bedroom and once again sat on your bed, looking up at the ceiling.

There’s no point in sulking over things you can’t even back up with facts, and there’s no point in sitting in bed and crying all day.

You stood up from the bed. You would ask Cyno about it later.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cyno walked upon the usually bustling streets of the market. Due to the rain, most people sought refuge in their homes.

Fabric roofs covered the materials from being wet.Pots of herbs and spices filled some of the stalls, and shops with books, medicine, gadgets and half-hearted vendors shouting an occasional invite to attempt to draw the few customers there.

Cyno stopped at the stall he was searching for: the flower shop.

An array of colourful flowers had been placed on tables, vases and shelves. Rich, purple Sumeru roses, deep blue dream flowers, sun yellow stamina flowers, violet padisarah’s and crimson mourning flowers.

Cyno inspected each flower, taking a few to his nose to sniff. Finally, when he had decided on the flowers he wanted for you, he cleared his throat, “I’d like those, please.”

He pointed towards the flowers he wanted.

The vendor wrapped the flowers in light brown paper, along with a purple and gold accented ribbon to keep them in place.

“That’ll be 500 mora, sir.”

Cyno reached for his pocket and handed the vendor the mora. He then picked up the wrapped flowers and held them carefully in his hand.

He hoped you would love them.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

You heard a knock on the door and immediately jumped out of your seat. Could it be?

You rushed towards the door and opened it. Lo and behold it was Cyno, clutching flowers in his hand and a smile on his face. His cape was a little muddied, his hair displaced, and some new scratches had appeared on his face, but it was still him.

He looked at you and smiled “I got you flowers, my feather.”

He handed them to you and as you quickly unwrapped it, finding an array of colours and shapes, you lifted the flowers to your nose and took a long, deep, breath. And then you sighed.

Cyno furrowed his eyebrows.

“Is everything ok, my scarab?”

Slowly you lifted your head, putting the flowers aside.

“There’s something I want to tell you…”

You took his hand and walked him towards the bedroom.

As soon as he sat, with his attention focused on you, you began to speak.

“Recently I feel like we’ve been spending less and less time with each other. I barely get to see you anymore, and when I’m awake you’re already gone. I’m scared you don’t care about me or that your interests lie somewhere else. I don’t have anything to back it up with, but I can't really tell if my thoughts are reality or not.

A few tears had started to roll down your cheek, you looked away, not wanting Cyno to see you in this messy and embarrassing state.

Cyno waited. Letting your tears fall and giving you the space you needed. Then turning your head so his hand was under your chin, he looked at you affectionately, wiping away a tear that was now slowly trickling down your neck.

“I’m sorry. Work has been tougher than ever before and the Akademiya currently has a shortage of staff, so I’m doing double the work I usually do at the moment. My dear, of course, I love you. You are the gem that keeps me going, you are what I think of when I’m in battle. However, I have a lot to deal with at the moment too. Is there anything I could do to make you feel better?”

You paused for a second, Finally, you raised your head, subconsciously unaware you had shuffled closer to Cyno as his arm was now wrapped around your waist.

“I'm sorry work has been so hard for you. I’m sorry for adding to your pile of things to worry about. Maybe we could write each other letters when you’re gone? And tell me when you’re going to leave before you leave. I don't like waking up to not see you there and not knowing how long you’ll be gone for.”

Cyno nodded.

“In that case, before I’ll leave I’ll tell you, I’ll also make sure to write letters to you every other day. I’ll ask Tighnari if I can use one of his birds to send the letter to you.”

You bowed your head.

“ Don’t force yourself if you’re too busy, though. Is there a way I can help you prepare for your trips? Ease the tension from your work? I feel like you’re overworking yourself and you need to remember to take care of yourself. I wouldn't mind cooking our meals when you come home or packing supplies when you’re setting off for another mission? Just... try not to overwork yourself, ok? You need a break too.”

“Thanks, I would... really appreciate that and ill try not to overwork myself.”

You paused a second, a thought coming to mind

“Oh and thank you for the flowers, they're lovely”

“I'm glad you liked them.”

Your head now fell onto Cyno’s shoulder letting out a long, deep breath. The tension you had kept in your body had finally flown out and you were left with a smile on your face and a feeling of warmth in your stomach.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

(a few days later)

You heard the voice of Cyno in your ear.

“I need to go now my feather, I'll be back soon. Thank you for the candied ajilenakh nuts, I'll be sure to savour them.”

“Mphm.”

He planted a soft kiss on your forehead, and after hovering above your head for a couple of seconds, he left.

Although your eyes were closed, and you were still in the realms of sleep and dreams, you smiled.

115 notes · View notes