alatushours

[alatushours]

Another year goes by

[alatushours]

xiao day teehee how's it going mari?

HI OMG i’m sorry i’m so dead on here only popping in for xiao day … speaking of which did u see his birthday art wahhh i barely play genshin anymore but he looks so pretty 🥺🥺

and i’ve been doing okay!! very busy and i forgot about tumblr for a long time LOL do you have discord so we can chat more? <3

[alatushours]

dumping this here for xiao’s birthday, will edit this when i have the time <3 happy birthday my beloved

night had settled when the adeptus arrived back at the inn. careful not to disturb the guests, he silently made his way to a room at the end of the hall on the second floor.

it was dark when he opened the door to the room. seeing your figure in the bed, he smiled before making his way to the bathroom with silent steps to get ready for the night.

the bathroom door creaked slightly as he opened it a while later, expecting to hear the in and out of your breath as you slept. however, he found you sitting up in bed reading, a lamp lit by a crystalfly brightening the room.

“welcome home,” you smiled at him, placing your book on the side table.

“sorry, did i wake you up?” xiao closed the door quietly behind him, slowly making his way over to the bed. you shook your head and scooted over to make space for him.

"i was already up when you came in. couldn't sleep," you told him, making yourself comfortable in his arms. "i was thinkin' about you."

“about me?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“mhm,” you nod into his chest. his fingers stroked your hair as you continued, “i missed you all day. today’s your birthday, y’know? i wanted to spend some time with you but you were gone all day.”

“oh. sorry, love, there was a lot to do today.” xiao kissed your forehead in apology. “though, i don’t really need a lot for my birthday. just having you by my side is enough.”

you giggle. “alright then.” kissing him softly, you snuggle deeper under the covers, his arms around your waist tightening as you close your eyes. “maybe i’ll just fall asleep like this. happy birthday, xiao. good night!”

he continued to stroke your hair until he heard your soft exhales. smiling, he kissed your forehead again. he never failed to have sweet dreams when he was with you.

© alatushours 2024. please do not copy, modify, or translate my work in any way, nor upload to any other platforms. in the meantime, if you enjoyed, please like, reblog, and consider leaving a follow! it helps a lot ♡

[alatushours]

happy birthday xiao my longtime main 💜 (didnt have any new art of him so i just rendered over an old one lol)

[alatushours]

thinking about soft spot by keshi and zoro … 🥺

[alatushours]

zoro is not sure how much more of this he can take.

as the right hand man of an emperor, the swordsman had found himself in plenty of perilous predicaments, but never one quite like this. 

“okay, what do you think about this one?”

zoro gives you a once over. this wasn’t his area of expertise but he nods his head in approval anyways, just as he had done for all the previous iterations of your outfit. “looks nice.” 

“the other one goes better with the shoes though,” you hum, turning around to pick up your discarded garment before facing the swordsman again. “and it’s dressier. this is a bit too casual isn't it?” 

if he were a lesser man, zoro would have succumbed to this torture, possibly even stormed out of the room. instead, he takes a deep breath, opting for peace. he had survived worse. 

“i guess so.” he offers. 

“but i did want to wear my new earrings and they definitely don’t go with this...” your words trail off as you start reviewing your options again, getting lost in your thoughts.

groaning, zoro falls back onto the bed with a dull thud. unfazed by his dramatics, you start rummaging through your wardrobe in search of a better option. 

“okay okay, what about this one?” you ask, giving your boyfriend a little twirl. 

this time he doesnt even spare you a glance. “mhm, great.” 

“you’re not even looking.” you huff, lips puckered in dissatisfaction.

the pout is evident in your voice and zoro he knows he’s teetering on dangerous territory. lifting himself up to a sitting position, he rubs his face before peering up at you.

“yeah, looks good.”

unimpressed, you cross your arms together, shooting a glare at him. a life of piracy meant that date nights were few and far between so to say you were happy at the prospect of finally spending a romantic evening with your lover would be an understatement. but his lack of enthusiasm was really putting a damper on your mood.

“you’re not being very helpful.”

zoro’s eyebrows twitches. “i said it looks good, they all looked good. shit, what more do you want me to say?”

he regrets his words the second your arms fall to your sides in defeat, the eager spark in your eyes dimming.

sighing, the swordsman curses himself. taking a deep breath, he opens up his arms. “c’mere.”

hesitantly, you take a few steps towards him before his hands settle on your hips and drag you forward, thumbs softly stroking your sides despite his less than gentle handling. with him sat on the bed and you stood between his legs, he rests his forehead against your stomach. 

“sorry, baby. i shouldn't have snapped like that.”

the pet name doesn’t escape you, causing an eruption of butterflies in your stomach. it wasn’t all that common for zoro to be so verbally affectionate, being more of a show you he cares through his actions type of guy.

you sift your fingers through his hair, feeling him relax under your touch. “i just want to look good for you, zo.” you mumble, unable to hide the disappointment in your voice. 

the swordsman leans back sporting a subtle grin. “that’s one thing you never have to worry about.” 

“compliments won't get you out of this, mister.”

“yeah?” he challenges, hands sliding to the back of your thighs. “how about a kiss?” 

you pretend to think it over for a second before shaking your head in disinterest. “eh, what else you got?” 

zoro smirks, the grip on your thighs tightening as he settles them on either side of his hips, effectively placing you on his lap. “what was that? i haven’t heard any complaints before.” he growls, playfully nipping at your neck until you’re reduced to a fit of giggle. 

“fine, fine. but you’re paying for dinner.” 

“always do.” he scoffs. 

you lean forward, a sincere smile on your lips as you peck his. “you do. i appreciate it, a lot.” you say inbetween kisses.

zoro attempts a nonchalant shrug. “it’s nothing.”

“no really, zoro. you can be a real blockhead sometimes but you spoil me rotten, in your own ways.” 

“it’s whatever.” he grumbles, the tips of his ears reddening adorably, but there no chance to comment on it as he grabs your chin. “now, give me a proper kiss.”

[alatushours]

happy belated valentine’s day <3 gender neutral reader

you find him waiting for you under the fading daylight.

you tap his shoulder, and he turns to face you, looking slightly nervous.

“hey,” you smile at him, and he feels as if he’s looking right at the sun. “what did you need from me?”

he scratches the back of his head, unsure of what to say. “i- uh. i… wanted to give you something.

“for me?” you tilt your head in surprise, and he can’t help but admire just how beautiful you are under the setting sun’s rays.

you’re such a star, he thinks. how did i ever manage to catch a shooting star like you?

he holds out his hand to you. in his hand lies a small bouquet of flowers; the leaves slightly crumpled, petals falling off of one of the blossoms; but beautiful nevertheless.

“i, um… wanted to make up to you for yesterday. i’ve never really had a reason to celebrate valentine’s day, but after meeting you, i… want to make you happy. i’m sorry for not doing anything special for you. i know this isn’t anything fancy, but… i hope that you’ll like these, maybe?”

you look up at him; take the bouquet out of his hands. he waits, wondering if he should have done more. you deserved the world; hell, he would’ve found a way to bring the moon to you if you asked. but what could someone like him do?

and then you laugh, and his hearts feels as if it was about to explode.

“oh, my love. of course,” you place your hand on his cheek; your voice reminds him of the sea, gentle and soothing. “you don’t have to apologize. i don’t need you to give me dinner at a fancy restaurant or a diamond necklace to be happy. you didn’t even have to get me flowers.”

you give him a kiss, and his heart melts at the thought of just how lucky he was to have someone like you.

“all i need for valentine’s, is you.”

☆ — xiao, dan heng, roronoa zoro + your faves <3

© alatushours 2024. please do not copy, modify, or translate my work in any way, nor upload to any other platforms. in the meantime, if you enjoyed, please like, reblog, and consider leaving a follow! it helps a lot ♡

[alatushours]

[alatushours]

☆ :  xiao headcanons

summary : happy lantern rite!! literally just fluffy bf drabbles... falling in love with the vigilant yaksha. gn! reader, (no pronouns.) ╱ word count : 914.

he's scared at first

love is a very foreign thing to xiao. he's heard the term before, he's seen couples stroll through the streets of liyue harbor, but he's never truly understood the concept—not really.

not that it mattered. such attachments never appealed to him anyway. love was a distraction, a vulnerability he could not afford. for as long as xiao could remember, his purpose had been clear: to protect liyue. to shoulder his karmic debt, and atone for the blood staining his hands.

he'd spent centuries alone, tethered to his role as the conqueror of demons... and he was perfectly okay with that.

but then you appeared, threading your way into his life with a softness he didn't know how to guard against. initially, he thought nothing of it. you were simply just another kind soul, one whose time in this world would pass in a blink of an eye. he convinced himself that whatever it was drawing him toward you would fade, just as all things eventually do.

except it didn't.

instead, you lingered. in his thoughts, in his days, in his heart. you had an air of resilience about you, a kindness that extended even to someone like him.

you didn't flinch at his cold demeanor, nor did you try to pry into the shadows of his past. instead, you offered him something he never knew he craved: patience. understanding. acceptance.

it confused him greatly, this persistent and unfamiliar pull. xiao had always lived within the confines of his duty, firmly rooted in his solitude. he'd mastered the art of suppressing his emotions, locking them away so they would never interfere with his purpose.

yet here you were, a mere mortal, breaking him out of his shell little by little.

this would not do. he'd already decided the best course of action was to avoid you entirely. surely, this was the answer—distance himself, cut off whatever thread of connection that had been woven between you.

it should have been simple. keep his distance, let these feelings fade; it's what he felt was best. you didn't deserve to be burdened by someone like him, after all. but the more he avoided you, the more it hurt, the ache in his chest only intensifying the further he pulled away.

and when it finally happens, the realization strikes him like the sharpest of blades. the adeptus is no stranger to pain, but this feeling is something far too gentle to be compared to as such.

he didn't know what to do with the warmth that bloomed in his cheeks whenever you smiled his way, or the ache of longing that tugged at him whenever you left. he realized that the thought of keeping you at a distance suddenly felt unbearable.

oh. is this what humans call "love"?

xiao is not one for words, so when the confession finally slips past his lips, it is raw and unpolished. a quiet admission, barely above a whisper. he braces himself for rejection, for the weight of his existence to be too much for you to endure.

but you don't turn away. instead, you give him the same unwavering warmth that has undone him from the beginning, and that's when he knows it will be alright.

loving xiao is a lesson in patience. unfamiliar with tenderness, he hesitates in his affections. but that doesn't mean he won't try in whatever ways he can manage. he keeps watch over you as you sleep, urges that you call his name whenever danger arises, and offers lingering touches that make it seem as though he's afraid you'll slip past his fingers.

physical touch is definitely a learning curve for him. he startles the first time you take his hand, and stiffens whenever you lean against him. in the early stages of your relationship, he was often prone to pulling away—what if he does something wrong? what if his karmic debt ends up hurting you by mistake?

but even in his hesitance, you are patient. you never push, and you never demand more than he can give. and somehow, that makes him want to try; to be better, to be someone worthy of the warmth you offer so freely.

he's... he's learning. what it means to love, and to allow himself to be loved.

his affections are subtle, but they are there: his lingering gaze when he thinks you aren't looking, how he hovers nearby even when he insists he isn't worried. small yet significant moments where he allows himself to reach for you first—be it a quick brush of fingers or the silent way he rests his forehead against yours.

he's still not the best with words, either. but over time, he finds his own way of saying things that he can't. "be careful," really means "i worry about you." when he says "call my name if you need me," he means "i will always be there when you need it."

and on the rarest nights, when the world feels quiet and safe, he whispers the words he once thought he'd never be able to say to another. hushed and reverent, afraid the syllables will crumble if spoken too loudly.

"i love you."

for the first time in his long, weary existence, love does not feel like a weakness. with you, it is neither a curse nor something to guard against. it is a soft, enduring thing. a promise. unspoken, but deeply felt.

and for xiao, that is more than enough.

© lumitoiile. please do not copy, steal, or edit my work.

[alatushours]

tell me why u follow me on anon

i am so baffled why y'all follow my shit blog. explain please.

[alatushours]

hey this is random but do you know what happened to lunaescient??

hii lune decided to deactivate her account for some personal reasons, i’m not sure if she will make a new one in the future but i will keep you updated if she does :)

[alatushours]

新年快乐!

[alatushours]

i lowkey want to start a new blog

[alatushours]

[alatushours]

ZORO'S BACK >>>>> EVERYTHING ELSE

[alatushours]

☆ 731 DAYS, featuring xiao — time flew by when he was with you. who would’ve thought it had been two years already?

contents. gender neutral reader. fluff n' marriage, partly written from xiao's pov? very selfship-coded, just xiao reminiscing the past with you ♡ word count. 879

notes. hi guys ik you’re probably getting sick of all the xiao content which im so sorry about but i had to bc today is my two-year anniversary with xiao <3 plus it’s the first post of the new year so ofc i had to write for him ! it’s shorter than most of my other xiao posts tho so hopefully you all won’t find it to be too boring …

GLITTERING STARS twinkled across the moonlit sky as the vigilant yaksha stood at the balcony of the wangshu inn, gazing towards the liyue plains beyond. he was waiting for someone; a certain person that he'd met right on this balcony what hadn't even felt that long ago. 

it was certainly far more difficult circumstances back then; liyue was struggling from the loss of their archon, and he was left to pick up the pieces. up until then, the adeptus never thought he would find peace for himself. that was, until you came into his life. 

the sound of footsteps creaking on the wooden staircase snapped him out of his thoughts. he would recognize those footsteps anywhere; that, and the familiar voice that exclaimed, “i’m back!” 

xiao turned from where he stood, a tiny hint of a smile forming on his lips as he greeted his lover. “i was waiting for you, qingxin.” 

there you stood with a sheepish grin on your face, plate of almond tofu in hand. "sorry, i got held back a bit from work. i made dessert for you, though.” 

your husband pressed a kiss to your lips. “thank you, dear. it’s been a while since i’ve had a taste of your cooking.” 

he turned his head away, voice lowered. “i’m sorry for making you come over to the inn instead of our home, but i wanted to meet with you here tonight.”

you nodded, reaching forward to grasp his hand in yours. “i know why. it’s a special place, and today is a special day, right? for you, for me, for us.”  

xiao didn’t reply for a moment. “…‘the moon is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?’ that’s what you told me at this same spot, two years ago.” do you still remember the events of this day back then?” 

“of course i remember.” you walked towards the edge of the balcony with xiao in tow, leaning against the railing. “the lantern rite was in full swing this time of year. i wanted to watch the fireworks with you, so i came over the wangshu inn with some tofu.” 

“but i was off fighting monsters,” xiao remarked. “i apologize to have kept you waiting for so long that night.” 

“no, but that’s what made the moment special, y’know?” you smiled at the memory. “i waited here in this spot for what seemed like hours, calling out your name. the sun had already set when i arrived, and at one point keqing even told me i was going to miss the celebration if i stayed here and tried to drag me off.” 

you turned to face him, and xiao nearly lost his breath. “but then you came.” 

you looked ethereal standing there, bathed in moonlight, the serenest of smiles on your face. 

“i did,” he replied, squeezing your hand. “and that was the moment my life changed forever.” 

“for the better, or for the worse?” you joked. 

he flicked your forehead. “don’t ask such dumb questions, silly.” xiao looked up towards the sky, the moon high up in the sea of stars. “it’s just the same, isn’t it…”

the conditions that night been exactly the same as this; except the sky had been lit up with fireworks two years ago. the same year that he had kneeled on this balcony, confessing his love for you as colorful sparks lit up the sky. 

“will you marry me, y/n?” 

“the same as what?” you asked, leaning your head on his shoulder. 

the adeptus shook his head. “nothing, just thinking out loud.” he looked down towards the first floor of the inn, where traveling merchants were still strolling about. “a shame the lantern rite doesn’t start until later this year. we could have watched the fireworks show together again.” 

“i thought the vigilant yaksha hated the lantern rite,” you teased him. “is the conqueror of demons getting soft, hm?” 

xiao slapped your arm in protest. “shut up.” he looked away, grumbling. “i only said so because i know you enjoy the display, mortal.” 

you laughed, a sound that was music to his ears. “you’re so silly, xiao.” you smiled and gave him a kiss. “that’s okay, the stars are enough of a show for me.” 

“is it now?” he pressed another kiss to your lips, one hand running through your hair. “well then, i know the perfect place where we can watch the stars.” 

you followed his hand as it pointed up towards the roof. 

“yippee!” 

as you settled down to stargaze, his arms wrapped around your waist so you wouldn’t fall, xiao couldn’t help but think to himself how lucky he was. he had always thought his karma meant he couldn’t feel happiness, but now you had come into his life, and for the first time he felt at peace. as if he could finally be happy, after a millennia of suffering. 

yes, in some ways being immortal was a curse; but it was also a blessing, for if he was just a mere mortal long ago he wouldn’t have met you. the light of his life, his love. xiao was so glad to have you with him these past two years, and the adeptus promised himself that he would never leave your side, until forever do us part.

end notes. guys once again i’m sorry for writing so much xiao stuff lately :( he was my first birthday letter i received and also my first double 5 star pull so um he has a special place in my heart if you can’t already tell… i promise i wont write him for a while after this !! need to get some neuvi and tighnari content out here too ! ! but i hoped you guys liked it <3

© alatushours 2024. please do not copy, modify, or translate my work in any way, nor upload to any other platforms. in the meantime, if you enjoyed, please like, reblog, and consider leaving a follow! it helps a lot ♡

[alatushours]

omg i forgot to say but today (january 8th) marks my 3rd-year anniversary with xiao <3 it’s been 3 years since i got him wowwee!! even though i haven’t been spending that much time with him and i’ve been starting to move on from genshin, i will still love him forever ♡ i’ll add some photos of him in genshin bc he always looks so pretty!