golden-afternoon - Tumblr blog

[golden-afternoon]

a few reminders because i’m tired and angry

fandom is a hobby, not a form of activism

adult women aren’t inherently creepy for being in fandom and having hobbies apart from raising babies and doing taxes

the vast majority of people pushing back against the worrying trend of instigating harassment over fictional characters and relationships aren’t incest supporters or pedophiles, actually

liking a m/f ship doesn’t make someone a dirty heterosexual invading your space

preferring gay ships doesn’t make you ‘’woke’’ and good

no one owes you a disclaimer that they are a good person who recognizes that their favorite fictional villain’s actions are evil and that they don’t condone those actions irl

liking a fictional villain is in no way comparable to advocating abuse/murder/genocide/etc and you’re a fucking idiot if you believe that

just because a woman is attracted to a fictional villain doesn’t mean she’s promoting toxic relationships or going to end up in a toxic relationship. assuming women can’t tell fiction and reality apart stinks of internalized misogyny 

some rando’s a/b/o fanfics have none of the level of influence that popular tv shows and movies spreading propaganda have

no one owes you a detailed description of their traumas and mental health problems

abusive relationships are not the same as enemies to lovers ships

y’all need to chill the fuck out over people, relationships, actions and events that don’t actually exist and learn how to enjoy and discuss them like normal people

fandom is a hobby, not a form of activism

feel free to add more

[golden-afternoon]

what do you mean he's fictional, we sleep in the same bed every night

[golden-afternoon]

wahhh happy birthday Xiao!!! I wanted to finish writing this which I had sitting in my wips for a while now for his birthday but got really sad when I realized I wouldn't be able to get it done in time. Therefore the ending is suuuuper rushed and the whole thing is a little jank but I wanted to post it still even if it's not perfect. May revisit this later to fix it up a little!

Warnings - gn! reader, Xiao dealing with Xiao thoughts in his not exactly healthy ways, blowjobs n face fucking my favorites 😋, wet dreams, aaand I think that covers it?

Bitter.

Bitter was the taste usually lingering in his mouth. Bitter words waiting behind his lips, bitter bile at the back of his throat at best forgotten memories, bitter disdain as he swallows back his useless desires. The unpleasant flavor remains on his tongue most of the time, having come to accept it was simply another burden of his to bear.

How rare then was such a taste of sweetness?

Xiao swallowed thickly, almost on instinct to get rid of the unfamiliar sweet flavor that had begun to spread across his tongue, flooding his senses. His mouth felt incredibly dry and the action had done little to nothing to sate the urge to remove the offending taste.

So, so sweet.

It was so unbearably sweet, he wasn’t sure he could stand it.

So sweet was the sight before him, he could hardly wrap his head around it. The sight of you. You, there before him gazing up with those sweet, precious eyes of yours. You, so sweetly kneeling before him as though it were the most natural position in the world to be in. You, whose fingers delicately had been tracing along the hem of his pants, gently tugging at the silks that lie around his hips to set the fabric loose.

“What are you doing?”

The words left him, coming out in a low, biting tone, bitterness falling from his tongue with practiced ease. Yet, he made no effort to move away. He, the Vigilant Yaksha, the Conqueror of Demons, the great Alatus, was frozen in place like an animal caught by surprise in a field. His brows furrowed together he stared down at you, both trying to piece together the meaning of your behavior and why he had not moved yet. His heart was beating hard enough in his chest that he could hear the blood rushing around his ears in time with each beat.

Yet even with the sharpness of his words, you remained unfazed, simply smiling up at him with such tenderness, unaware that such a gaze made that sweet flavor flood across his tongue again, much to his growing unease. “You may try to lie to yourself Xiao, but it's clear as day to me that you need to spend some time relaxing.”

Even your voice was sweeter than anything he'd ever tasted. It made his stomach churn. No, not churn. That's not the right word. It was a lighter sensation than that. Almost… pleasant, even as it made him almost feel sick. A feeling slowly becoming more and more familiar to him the more time he had spent around you.

The adeptus was ripped from his hazy reverie as the gentle clink of metal hit the floor, followed almost immediately by those nimble fingers brushing against his hips as they gently began to pull down the last bit of fabric separating his shame from your eyes. His hands twitched with the impulse to shove you away, bitter guilt bordering on panic rising in his throat, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He swallowed again, his mouth just as dry as before as his golden eyes sharply watched every movement you made.

“What are you doing to me?” He asked, his normally cool and indifferent tone sinking into a slightly uneven rasp, shamefully hinting at how much you were affecting him.

Xiao felt heat wash over his face as a sweet laugh left your lips, leaving his question unanswered in favor of lowering the dark fabric further and further until his aching cock sprung free of its confines. A gloved hand instinctively lifted to his mouth to suppress the noise that came from him at the feeling, and even worse, the sight of your eyes being locked onto his already achingly hard shaft with such keen interest and fascination. If he hadn’t known any better, he would’ve been certain you were trying to kill him, what with how his heart was beating so hard it felt like it could burst at any moment. He ripped his eyes away from the painfully sweet sight, that strange flavor spreading across his tongue once more as saliva pooled in his mouth.

This was wrong. This shouldn’t be happening. He shouldn’t be allowing this in the first place! If he allowed you to do this, then all it would serve to do was hurt you in the end, he had no right to be so selfish-

A hitching gasp was ripped from his chest as he felt the softest sensation brush against the head of his cock. Sharp eyes immediately came right back to look down at you, his pupils dilating as he sees you with your lips still pressed to the tender, flushed skin in such a gentle little kiss. His dick twitched from the sweet sight, the motion making his sensitive skin lift away from those soft lips, giving him a brief moment of reprieve before it rested back into place, tapping against your mouth and effectively smearing a bit of the liquid leaking from him on those pretty lips, giving him such a shamefully lewd view that it drew a groan from him, unable to be muffled by his gloved hand.

Seeming to be encouraged by his reaction, he watched as your lips parted, that pretty pink tongue sliding out to lick up the mess he had left behind. A growled curse left him as he felt the sinful desires he’d been fending off came crashing in on him, nearly making his knees buckle under the weight of it. A soft hum of pleasure left your lips, seemingly enjoying his no doubt bitter taste. Surely that was just for show, he immediately assumed, slowly lowering his hand from his blushing face, only to instantaneously be proven wrong by your hands sliding onto his thighs for support as you leaned closer, drawing your warm tongue along his part of his length, lingering at the top to collect the rest of the clear fluid that had leaked out.

His restraint was wearing thin as the hand that had just been on his face now found itself settled on the back of your head, his gloved fingers curling loosely into your hair. Xiao remained silent for a moment, his face caught in a strained expression as he looked down at you, his golden eyes studying you with an intensity that he has found himself unable to hide any longer.

Your name left his lips quietly, the rasp of his voice barely audible above the steady rain coming down outside the open window. He began to card his fingers through your hair before managing his next words. “Do you really want to do this? If you keep going as you are, I may not be able to stop myself.” He warned in that same tone, wishing he had been able to speak louder, but he knew that if he had, it would have only made his voice waver.

Those sweet eyes stayed locked onto his as you processed the question, answering him with a smile and a playful little kiss to his head once more. “Then don’t stop yourself.”

Before he could have much time to comprehend those words, Xiao found himself curling his fingers into your hair with a grunt, nearly becoming winded from the feeling of his cock slowly be enveloped into the warm, wet heat of your mouth. Its not the first time in his long existence that he has experienced such intimate pleasures, but certainly it had been a very, very long time since he had even considered indulging himself in things like this. He’d spent so much of his time convincing himself he held no such desires, but here you were breaking down every wall he’d built with such ease.

Another growling curse left him as he felt his tip hit the back of your mouth, having brought a muffled little gagging noise to his ears. He shivered as the reflex simply made your throat tighten for a moment around the portion of him that had pressed towards your throat. That was enough to make him crack.

He adjusted his hold on your hair, curling his fingers in to maintain a firm, almost painful grip before he began to move, teeth sinking into his lip as he began to shift his hips. Vibrations from the sweet little yelp of surprise ran through his cock, only fueling him further in his aching need. Holding your head in place he couldn’t stop himself from dragging himself in and out along your tongue. Archons, you felt perfect. You let your jaw slack slightly to keep yourself from scraping your teeth along his shaft, encouraging him even more. His other hand, trembling slightly from it all, lifted to your flushed face, gently brushing aside and tucking away some loose hair that had fallen across your forehead, his pace never slowing down as those fingers join his other hand in holding you in place so he can keep you steady.

It was no longer a question of desire for him. He needed you. He needed you now more than ever and he had reached a point where he simply couldn’t hold back any longer. He began to push deeper, nudging his dripping head against the back of your mouth again, trying to gain purchase into your throat, but you couldn’t help but gag on his size. He frowned slightly, his eyes locked onto your dazed expression, lips sealed around as much of him as you thought you could take. A quiet grunt, followed by his lowered voice offering soothing words in the best way he could think to. “You can take it. Come on.”

Not the most reassuring thing to say, especially when this was immediately followed by his hands manually adjusting the angle of your head and simply shoving his shaft against your throat again, causing tears to well in those pretty eyes of yours as you gag on it again. Bitter guilt climbs the back of his own throat at the sight, but then he realized that you weren’t backing away at all. If anything, it seemed like you were trying to reach the same goal. Hands on his thighs to steady yourself, lips staying perfectly wrapped around his size, and even more, you kept trying to press closer, clearly seeing what he wanted and trying desperately to help him get there.

He breathed out another curse, the word faltering slightly as it rasped out, his hands grasping harder onto your head as he picked up his pace, thrusting harder and harder, fucking into your face until with one slick motion, he pushed past at last, your muscles loosening enough to allow himself to bury himself deep within your throat. Your nose pressed against his skin as he held you there for a moment, savoring the sweet feeling of you taking him in his entirety.

He let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding, the sound coming out like a hiss through bared teeth. This… this isn't right. So tight and slick around him, this amount of pleasure shouldn't be granted to someone like him. For a moment, even in his daze of pleasure, Xiao seriously considered pulling out, having become overwhelmed by it all, but then, he saw your eyes. Those pretty eyes that have haunted him far more than he cared to admit were now looking up at him in a way that made his heart nearly stop. Such a soft, overwhelmingly sweet gaze up at him through those long lashes of yours contrasted to the sinful sight of your nose bumping against his body, lips stretched around his aching length. All other thoughts immediately left his mind as he stared down at you with lips parted in awe. He may not deserve even a scrap of this amount of pleasure, but who was he to deny you whose eyes looked so positively needy. Gritting his teeth, he curled his fingers more into your hair, drawing a whine of slight pain from you, the sound almost entirely disappearing into his cock as he began to move again, fully intending to be slow and sweet, but perhaps rough desperation was just better suited to his natural bitter nature.

Gloved hands holding you in place he picked up speed, the slick sounds of your mouth and throat being used mingled with the sound of the rain, all of it rushing around to his ears and making his mind melt even more. Archons, he's not even sure how much longer he can last like this. He can see on your face that you're struggling to keep holding your breath but you keep letting him going, not pushing away in the slightest. The feeling of your thumbs lightly digging into his skin as you clung to him for support was nearly enough to send him over the edge.

He nearly growled out his words, wanting to at least warn you, “I think…. ah…. I think I'm at my limit…”

Xiao watched as those long lashes fluttered shut at his words, that sweet gaze disappearing in favor of close eyed focus and fervor, seeming to struggle to do your best to keep going, to hold on as long as you can to bring him over the edge. It drove him insane.

“Xiao!”

He was so lost in the sweet sensation, so close to the edge, he almost didn't hear the voice over the sound of the rain and the slick noises from below and-

“Adeptus Xiao!”

Xiao bolted upright in an instant, panting from the adrenaline as he struggled to gain his bearings, the sound of his blood rushing around his ears mingling with the gentle rain outside making his head spin.

He was… alone. And now rather uncomfortable in the sticky aftermath. Bitter guilt spread across his tongue and gripped at his heart, shaking hands reaching up to grab fistfuls of his own hair in frustration. How could he even think about you like that? Sure he was unconscious but he had absolutely no right to defile your sweet visage with something so selfish and wrong. He had no need for such desires. None whatsoever.

But he could hardly even convince himself of that when he realized it was your voice calling his name from the other side of his door, making him wonder with an ache deep in his chest if this was that bittersweet dream manifesting itself before him.

[golden-afternoon]

*cracks my knuckles* oh yeah we're back in business baby!!

[golden-afternoon]

okay okay so, since im already on the angst train and i want to hurt myself today, hear me out:

you and your lover are out doing wtv and you're ambushed and then, naturally, you guys fight the enemies right?

okay so you get hurt and youre losing a lot of blood and your lover realizes this and is completely heartbroken bc you dont have much time, the wound is deep

so um yeah the reader dies in their lover's arms basically, with albedo, heizou, kazuha, wanderer, xiao and kaeya

theres so many characters im curious abt so please take your time mwah

(ps: i will not pay anyone's therapy okay i need it myself, my condolaences for hurting you)

✎ i wasn't ready to say goodbye [various men - part one]

ft. albedo, aether, heizou, kazuha, wanderer, xiao & kaeya x fem!reader

content: do i need to say angst? i'm so sorry. major death + blood warnings. implied that reader can handle a weapon in most of them - unspecified if reader is a vision holder. hurt with absolutely no comfort. semi-spoilers for scaramouche/wanderer's story (end of the sumeru archon quests.)

notes: we added aether last second in the discord bc we summoned aki ( @kazumist - aly wanted you tagged ) some of them are awful and ooc i'm so sorry - officially managed this in just over 24 hours!

albedo treasures you more than he cares to admit verbally. it shows in all of his acts of love through physical means, lingering touches and making sure you're warm whenever you visit him on dragonspine. he hates you visiting him as much as he loves you - it's merely because it puts you in extreme danger every time. there's the temperatures, the wildlife, the lack of oxygen and of course, there's the monsters lurking around every corner of the inhabited mountain.

as the chief alchemist for the knights of favonius, there's always a warrant for albedo's life one way or another. the fatui are eager to stop his research - or steal it, maybe both.

there's a silence except for the howling winds that circle the snowy mountain. you're struggling to breathe, to get the sharp air into your lungs as you lowered your sword slowly. not far away, your boyfriend is finishing off the final fatui soldier, blood splattering onto his sleeve before he turns to face you. is it just you or does albedo look even more beautiful right now? you furrow your brows in confusion. albedo looks like he's seen a ghost, colour flushing from his face when he rushes forward. your knees give way under you and he barely manages to catch you in his arms, kneeling as he lets you lay against him. "bedo, love?" you mumble, unsure as to what's happening. you can hear the roar of your blood in your ears, your heart is beating whilst the adrenaline still pumps through your body. albedo hushes you softly, pupils dilated when he looks at your wound. "h-how do you feel?" his voice cracks when he asks the question, a gloved hand applying pressure to your side. you wince, the adrenaline is starting to fade and you feel faint. there's a cold sweat glistening on your forehead when you look down at where albedo's hand is, seeing the blood seep through your clothing. it's albedo's turn to watch your expression drop, your world starting to spin and mix together when the adrenaline is gone and you're aware of what happened. it feels as if there's a lump in your throat but when you try to cough it up, only blood spills in a small trickle out of your mouth. "love-" there's another cough, the blood is running down your jaw as albedo's hands start to shake. he has no means of saving you out here, you're nowhere near camp and he can't leave you here while he gets help, "i want to go home..." your voice is weak, trailing off and albedo isn't sure if he should let the tears brinking his ocean coloured eyes fall as your breaths become raspy. chapped lips open and close, trying to find the words to reply to you but all he can muster is a weak "we're going home, dear" when your chest ceases to rise again. his breathing is jagged, clutching you close to him as if you’ll disappear for good when he lets go.

aether clings to you like ivy to a brick building. you give him hope in this search for his twin sister - one he's beginning to think is failing, day by day. you reassure him, that bright smile and sparkling eyes setting him on the right path. he's certain he would have gave up ages ago if it wasn't for you. but aether realises that he is constantly in danger. you love to adventure with, crossing the rolling hills of mondstadt and gawking at the grand mountain peaks of liyue that pierce through clouds.

it was only so long before he faced the repercussions for so willingly letting you travel with him, tearing his hope away in the blink of an eye.

"a-aether?" your voice is wavering, aether is confused. you've been travelling with him for so long now, what could possibly have scared you about some hilichurls? but he turns to face you, blade at the ready - ready to protect you. his eyes fall on the arrow lodged in your chest, your eyes wide in fear as you stare at him in panic. it was already too late to protect you, he'd failed himself. aether drops the sword in his hand, paying no mind to how it clutters on the gravel below you both when he's rushing forward to ease you to the ground. you're stable - awake but for how long? you're in shock, it's going to fade and you'll succumb to the blood reddening your attire. aether swears lightly under his breath, unable to look you in the eyes out of pure guilt; this was his fault, he hadn't protected you. now not only had he lost his sister, he'd lost his partner too. "it hurts to breathe," you mumble, your eyelashes are fluttering gently. the sun behind aether is starting to burn at your eyes, "aether why are you crying?" the blond isn't even aware of the salty tears that glisten in the sunlight when they roll down his cheeks, dripping off his jaw and onto your shoulder where aether has laid your head onto his lap. it's comfortable, just as it always is. on days where you needed a break from walking, aether would often let you lay like this under a nearby tree. the thought makes aether choke out a sob. you smile sadly. "you can't leave me too," your hand cups his cheek, thumb weakly stroking at the tearstained skin when he hiccups, "no, this isn't fair." there isn't civilisation for days and he can't keep the arrow lodged in your chest nor does he have the means of stopping the blood if he pulls it out. aether is at a loss, unable to do anything while he watches the damage done to you internally take you from him beneath his own hands. "hey, you'll find her." you sound so certain, just as you always do and aether watches that positive spark die from your eyes when your breaths turn to rasps and he finds himself yelling at your body - at the sky, at anybody! he yells and yells, hoping someone listens to his cries for you to wake up. wake up, please.

heizou believes that of all the cases he's cracked, you're his favourite. he's read every line written into your skin as you age, the blemishes that litter your body and tell tales untold. you were his favourite mystery but now he had you like a stained glass window, beautiful and on display. although as a detective, heizou has destroyed many more lives than he is keen to admit. his suspects have families - lives, presumably before he has them in jail or worse, life sentence.

their families are hurt, angrily in denial that their own blood could commit such vile atrocities. heizou took something precious from them, what was stopping them from doing the same to him in an act of revenge?

heizou is more than used to his routine of coming home to you, being able to drown in the comfort of your arms after a long day of work. he's disturbed by the front door being open but albeit it's the peak of summer in inazuma, the humidity is drowning you, especially if you're not native to the islands. you're not quick to greet them when he steps in however, in fact he can't even see you. the house is untouched but the silence is deafening. "i'm home," heizou calls out, brows knitting together when he doesn't hear you chime his name back excitedly, "love?" the silence is killing heizou, it's unlike you at all but then he hears it, the meek sound of you calling his name out back. it sounds like you're in the bedroom and with a relieved smile, heizou finds himself heading to find you. but verdant eyes fall on the red smeared on the walls, staining the bedsheets and pooling around you. the relief is gone and his body is tense with dread as he drops the case files he'd been holding, quick to kneel with you and hug you close when you reach for him. "what happened?" his voice is panicked, he's barely breathing when he feels your blood soak through his clothes. he's searching you for your wound, shaking, "love, answer me." your chapped lips open but nothing seems to come out, you feel cold to the touch and all you can do is stare up at heizou. you knew the moment you was attacked that this was it for you but your biggest fear wasn't death, it was heizou. it was your witty detective, keen and full of intuition that he prides himself in; it was whether you'd see him one last time before your heart put in its final beat. heizou doesn't take your inability to speak lightly, letting out a flurry of curses that makes your brows furrow in distaste. you wasn't fond of him swearing when he got stressed but as you watch a tear fall down his cheek, you know you can't argue about his tongue anymore. he has every right to be mad when your bloody hand reaches up for him, the warm palm of his hand quick to grab your hand and coat his fingers. "i love you," you mumble, raspy and heizou is quick to shake his head - conserve your energy, "don't cry please." "you're not allowed to leave me," he chokes out, his lower lip tugged between his lips as his spare hand presses on your wound to try stop the bleeding. you wince but heizou doesn't lighten the pressure in fear, "i'll find who did this." your lips curl up at his words and heizou leans to press a kiss to your forehead, which is clammy and covered in a light sheen. by the time he pulls away, he's the only one left breathing in the room. heizou's shaking hands cup your cheeks, eyes darting around the room when he doesn't quite know what to do. he's used to this - the blood, the smell, the touch of a lifeless body but not when it's you. not when it's the love of his life. he wails in anguish, the taste in his mouth bitter when he swears revenge on whoever took you from him.

kazuha took his time warming up to you when you first met. you didn't blame him, you'd heard the tale of his late friend from captain beidou when you first came onboard the alcor. but your patience with him warmed his heart quicker than expected, leaving you inseparable as you travelled with the crew. even on land, kazuha was joined to your hip. he claimed he was there to protect you and that excuse expanded tenfold when you started dating.

he should have never taken his eyes off you, simply searching for firewood shouldn't have consequences like this.

when the last treasure hoarder falls limp to the dusty ground, kazuha finds himself enveloping you in his arms, eyes frantically scanning your face for signs of pain. you're unresponsive, eyelashes shut but your breathing is shallow while your body fights the unexpected blood loss. "fuck," he whispers, much out of his comfort zone when he's trying to find exactly where your wound is. your blood is staining his skin, getting under his nails where it'll haunt and remind him of what happened for weeks, "y/n? love?" your brows knit as if you can hear him but he's unsure if you're just reacting to the pain. your body is most likely in shock and kazuha is running out of time before the shock fades and you're left in excruciating pain until your last breath. the thought makes kazuha feel sick. he was gone for at least ten minutes, how did he lose you so quickly? he shouldn't have told you to stay at camp by yourself. you'd offered to go with him but kazuha trusted you'd be safe without him, even just for a few minutes. his face turns sour at his own thoughts. how foolish had he been to think you'd have been safe without him? "i-i love you," he stutters out, voice cracking as he presses a kiss to your head, burying his nose in your hair when he tries to blanket himself in your scent - begging to the archons that he'll wake up in bed, "come on, let's go back to the alcor, beidou will get help." he's speaking to you in the softest of tones, his voice hushed as to not disturb the silence of the countryside - or attract more unwanted attention. carefully, kazuha raises himself to his feet with you in his arms. he sees tomo in you for a moment, forcing himself to swallow when there's a suffocating lump in his throat. by the time kazuha has stumbled back to the alcor, beidou rushing over with her face void of colour, your heart is no longer thudding against your ribcage. kazuha will never again hear your heartbeat when he lays his head on your chest or feel your pulse in your wrist when he grabs hold of you.

wanderer figured it was foolish to fall in love after all he'd gone through. what was love when you've been betrayed so many times before? when the archons have so harshly ripped the ones you love away from you? he likes to scowl and shun the premise of love until he met you, an adventurer from the guild assisting in vahumana darshan commissions. you would stubbornly strike conversations up with him, following him as he walked away until he finally caved and would reply.

was it foolish to fall in love or rather was it foolish to place his fragile trust back in the hands of the archons?

his ears are ringing, was mawtiyima forest always this loud? no, it's not even loud - it's silent. the silence is buzzing in his ears, driving him insane as he watches you cough blood onto the dirt. you'd been tasked with clearing out the treasure hoarder camp within the glowing forest - but wanderer isn't stupid. to let you do that alone? he'd be a mad man. but now he isn't too sure if he should have tagged along. would it have hurt him less to find out you'd passed away out on a commission through the guild? or is it hurting less to watch as you splatter that precious red that you humans rely on all over the ground? wanderer finds himself barely able to utter a word. that's rare, he usually has something to say in that stark, rude tone he never explicitly dropped. it made him cold, it stopped people approaching and getting close. why didn't it work against you? "w-why are you looking at me like that?" you croak out, pupils dilated and staring at him in concern. he's as pale as the snow on dragonspine but the tip of his nose is a pink hue as tears well up and sting at his widened eyes. he's not crying, he refuses to cry - he puts it down to not having blinked for a while. so he blinks but you're still hunched over, impaled by a polearm before him. he finally moves forward, kneeling carefully to the side of you as you let out a choked sob, your hands gripping his cold ones tight in yours. he's confused, what did he do to deserve it this time? he didn't ask for this existence in the first place. cursing under his breath, his eyes land on your sword on the floor. it's worn, getting dull and wanderer questions if you was unable to protect yourself properly. no. he didn't protect you properly and the archons saw an opportunity, another jab at his curse of an existence. his eyes dart between you and the blade, then the polearm that isn't welcome where it is. you wince, hiccuping as you wail into the silence of mawtiyima forest. your vision is falling hazy in between the blur of your tears and you're struggling to keep your eyes on your boyfriend's familiar face. "no, no, no - don't go," wanderer panics. it's the first thing he's said since he offered to join you on this commission, "don't leave me, not you too." you let out a sad laugh, coughing blood once more as your breaths get shorter with every one you take. wanderer feels sick, the tears are falling down his cheeks and he can't deny them anymore. there's a last breath, raspy and suffocating before your body falls forward into his arms, limp like a doll. wanderer screams out into the night, hands clutching at the guild's uniform you would proudly wear. how many more times was he going to witness someone getting hastily robbed from him?

xiao keeps his distance, even as your beloved boyfriend that you struggle to be away from for extended periods. you were stubborn, believing he didn't have to succumb to his karma as an adeptus. no matter how much he would shuffle away, he could guarantee you would shuffle after him until he no longer moved away. you still gave him his space - you knew you could find him at wangshu inn.

or if you really needed him, in the midst of the night for a multitude of reasons, you could say his name.

there's a lump in xiao's throat, what the fuck happened? one moment he knows he hears your hurried screams of his name, there's a shrill panic in your tone and he's alert in seconds. he thought you was perhaps in danger but when golden eyes see how you're leaning back on a tree, blood soaking your shirt - and your blade, he realises the danger is gone. and in all of your stubbornness, you had defeated the danger alone but put your life on the line as a result. you smile at him weakly, his footsteps silent as he rushes over to your side. "i got it, don't worry, love." you sigh, tilting your head back on the bark. xiao scowls, you're losing consciousness from the blood now, it's starting to pool beneath you and run down the cracks of the bark behind you. this isn't a minor injury and yet you hadn't called for him sooner? "we need to get you out of here - morax- zhongli- he can help," he barely breathes in between his words, swallowing at the tight feeling in his throat when your eyes are closing, "keep your eyes open, please." his beg falls short of no one's ears other than his own and the stars above. xiao stops breathing himself, holding his breath when he hurries to press the pads of his fingers to your neck, your wrist, anywhere he can try find a pulse. but there's nothing, your body is still warm and xiao pulls you flush to his chest when tears begin to fall down his cheeks. "keep.. them open. please." he repeats in a whisper, nudging his nose against your head as he buries his face into your hair. he's begging in hushed whispers, words disappearing into the strands of your hair in silent prayers.

kaeya was the one who chased you first, lisa's darling library assistant. he'd never spent so much time in the library in his life, other than crepus' own library at the winery but he wasn't much fond of that collection. he isn't much fond of the knights' collection either, reading the same book every day. jean occasionally entrusts you to handle matters in the valleys of mondstadt, to which kaeya is quick to always interfere and say that he'll go with you.

history will always repeat itself until the lesson is learned and an innocent soul has to face the reality.

thunder booms over head, followed by a distant crack of lightning that illuminates the dark sky above mondstadt. kaeya is stood, motionless as he looks at you. his eyes are distant, there's a vacant look about him when the blood is running down your bare legs and mixing with the rain. you're both soaked but your clothes are staining red where a mitachurl's axe caught you in the side. the blood is coming quick and heavy, there isn't time for kaeya to get you back to the city. this scene is familiar when you fall to your knees in the mud, hands holding at your side for pressure. suddenly, your hair is a bright shade of red. is kaeya about to stand and do nothing for a second time, when history is repeating himself right in front of his very own eyes? he swallows but it's difficult, rushing to your side. you're losing consciousness but your eyes are scanning his face. the sun kissed skin, the worn leather eyepatch and his messy blue ponytail that now looks like waterfalls cascading around his face. you smile at the thought. you should visit the waterfalls of mondstadt when the weather picks up so you can gawk at them. "baby?" it comes out of his mouth, barely audible above the rain, "say something - are you okay?" you almost throw back a playful retort but your vision is darkening around the edges and you're grasping to what sight you have left to look at kaeya. your vision blurs when tears threaten to spill - are you scared? you open your mouth to speak but nothing comes out. kaeya's gloved hands cup your face, pressing his forehead against yours. "stay with me, love, i can't lose you," kaeya's frantic and his words are jumbling when he panics, "we'll stop the bleeding and take you to sister barbara-" kaeya pauses when he notices you haven't blinked despite the rain falling onto your face when he pulls his forehead away. there's a distant look in your eyes, the light has faded and he can't feel the hot, struggled breaths you was taking against his skin anymore. a flurry of angered swears leave his lips and he's careful when he carries you bridal style to the dawn winery. it's the first place he thinks to take you, back to his brother who can't bear to see kaeya stood in the rain again with blood drenching his clothes from the long walk to the winery's front door.

© https-heizou 2023.

[golden-afternoon]

me & you, a bottle of wine, clumsy kisses, little moans in to each other’s mouths and wandering hands

[golden-afternoon]

Hi this sucks but idc rn. My entire brain is owned by beloved Kaedehara Kazuha at the moment and I wrote this in a fugue state of oh my god he's coming soon everyone stay calm the banner is coming!! Anyway, enjoy my nonsense and may all you Kazuha wanters be Kazuha havers!!

Warnings - completely unedited brainrot to paper, blood, bloody kisses, what the fuck why are they making out he could die

Knock knock knock.

The soft sound jolts you from your current reading. What? Last you checked you hadn't been expecting any visitors and especially not so late in the evening. Either way, you carefully place the bookmark in the place you had been and set aside the book on the table in favor of heading towards the door.

“One moment!” You call out to whoever was on the other side, undoing the lock before opening the door. “Hello…?”

In the fading purple light of dusk, you freeze in place at the sight of the man at your door. He looks beyond worse for wear with his cherry red eyes half-lidded with exhaustion and his snow white hair loose around his shoulders, looking messy and with more streaks of red than you are used to. His clothes are disheveled and worst of all, the blood on his face running in rivulets down from his nose, mouth and past his hairline. How much of it was his own and how much was from whatever unfortunate soul dared to cross him was unclear, but no matter what it sent alarm bells ringing in your head.

“Kazuha?! What-” You began to speak in worry, hands outstretched to gently reach for him to bring the wounded man inside, but he cuts your words short without a single word of his own.

One step forward and his arms were around you faster than you could process; one hand around your waist to draw you near to him and the other tangled in your hair, cradling the back of your head to keep you in place. Before you knew it, you were tasting iron, the unfamiliar flavor sending a shiver down your spine. Soft lips press to yours in a gentle, yet fervent manner, his whole body seeming to sink against you as he does, leaving you reeling and trying to stabilize you both as his fingers curl tighter into you, clinging to you like you would disappear. You had half a mind to protest, both from his clearly injured state taking priority and from the unfamiliar taste of blood seeping into your mouth, but you couldn't bring yourself to do it. With a sigh, you gave in, kissing back in equal measure, your arms wrapping more gently around him than his hold on you was as you were unsure where and how severely hurt he was. The last thing you'd want would be to make it worse.

As he felt your arms wrap around him, his lips curled up into a smile against your own mouth, the simple action seeming to spur him on. He took another step forward, the action forcing you to stumble back a little. He kept going, silently goading you further into your home without ever once letting up on the intensity of the kiss, even managing to close the door behind you before bringing his hand right back to your waist in an instant.

Your head is spinning, heart racing, struggling to process it all when he deepens the kiss further, sliding his tongue along yours with practiced ease that makes your heart ache with want. Iron spreads across your tongue and for a moment it scares you, but the soft groan he makes as your taste floods his senses is enough to silence any such feelings. And if you were honest with yourself, something about his blood in your mouth was unlocking something deep within you to be dealt with later.

Ever so slowly, and far too soon, Kazuha began to pull away, his tired eyes opening to gaze at you with a small smile, his lips now smeared red as though it were merely red lipstick smudging from the heated kiss. Even in his messy state he looked absolutely ethereal, leaving you unable to tear your eyes away.

His one hand slides from your hair to gently cradle your face in his palm, his gaze slowly lowering to your own lips. In silence, he brushes his thumb along your bottom lip, gently pulling at the soft flesh with interest. You can feel your cheeks burn more as you realize after all that, you were likely covered in it too. As he always does, he notices your unspoken realization and he laughs softly, the sound coming out even more quietly than usual as he lifts his gaze to meet yours once more.

“Come now, don't be shy,” He murmurs, and you can hear the slight rasp in his voice. The wandering samurai pauses to lean close to press a quick, tender little kiss to your stained lips once more, pulling away with the softest of smiles. “I hope you don't mind my sudden appearance like this. It's just that… after storms and trials, I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather come home to.”

[golden-afternoon]

in lieu of the boop fest: genshin men as boopers.

⎯ something made on a whim to commemorate the lovely booping chaos going on. may not be accurate but i tried!!! 🙏 which one are you?? tag yourself /j this is the silliest thing ever, forgive me. fluff & crack (and made with love).

the harbinger of dedication (???): boop them once and oh, it's on. boops you back and will not stop booping you back — it's an all-out war! or at least, to them. they take this whole matter as an opportunity and certainly don't mind tiring their fingers out just tapping the button on repeat. does it for the fun and to get a reaction out of you. also, probably eats (sends) super boops for breakfast, lunch and dinner. it's their bread and butter.

childe (of course), arataki itto, cyno (has a desire to max out his boop-o-meter till the end - a completionist's habit).

the menace (as simple as that): they have no need to be booped because they're the one booping you first and a lot at that too. oh, you got 99+ notifs? yeah, that's an act of love and it's from them. they hoped you liked the gift because they had fun giving it. grab a handkerchief because you're gonna have to scrub that smirk off their face, literally.

wriothesley, kaeya, shikanoin heizou, lyney (he apologizes by treating you to a meal afterwards).

confusion (awkward ver.): ...what. what is this? what does 'boop' even mean? why does it sound so oddly menacing when uttered out loud? and why are you smiling at like that? it's a trend, you explain and they — reluctantly and nervously — send a boop back. they have no idea what they're doing but at least, seeing that proud look on your face amounts to something. maybe, they did well? they then proceed to send you another one just for good measure. how cute.

xiao, gorou.

confusion (boomer ver.): their first thought was that they're getting hacked by a... feline virus? how interesting (please explain). with some explanation from you, they'll eventually understand the concept! a passive booper at best, but has a proclivity to treat boops as a “i'm thinking about you” button. so just know one boop equals to one time you crossed their mind.

zhongli, neuvillette, dainsleif (still confused at the end of it), diluc (secretly because he has pride).

the 'humble' reciprocator (dark horse?): all is in perfect tandem. you give one boop, they give one back. you give two boops, they give two back. you squint your eyes at them from across the room suspiciously, they chuckle into their hand in response. is that an act of mischief or demureness? you wonder what will happen if you boop them one hundred times? well, let's find out. (they will give back the exact amount, no matter what.)

kaedehara kazuha, baizhu, kamisato ayato (a true hybrid between being humble and a menace, he is. starts off nice until he spams boops when you least expect it... with a smile, of course!).

the bystander with the popcorn: thanks for the boop, you get one back. yes, only one, sorry. they'd rather not participate in the chaos and prefer to keep their inbox clean. no offense meant, you're free to have your fun so go ahead. they're just here to observe because in their humblest opinion, it serves them well enough as participating does. oh, don't look at them like that. you did get one back, didn't you? rejoice in the fact that you're one of the few — if not, the only one — they gave a boop to. treat it as an approval badge. it means you're special (to them).

alhaitham, tighnari, albedo, wanderer (he thinks he's above this childish and pointless act of booping... or is he?).

the victim™: is getting booped left and right without rest. suffocating and drowning in them even. lady luck is not on their side; they swore they booped everyone back to infinity and beyond — surely, it's all repaid and they can take a break now, right? wrong. they rest for 5 minutes and come back to 99+ notifs every single time. (if you relate, you might be a victim of affectionate bullying. feel free to riot about it.)

kaveh, thoma.

the loser at the start line: sneezes whenever the paw comes up on screen, yikes. A+ for effort, though!

venti.

— thanks for reading!

© seelestia on tumblr, apr 2024. please do not repost, plagiarize, translate, use for AI-related purposes or claim as your own.

[golden-afternoon]

"this character wouldn't-" i had sex with him in my mind palace. come back with a warrant.

[golden-afternoon]

Thus Always To Tyrants

“i hope you live a life you’re proud of. if you find you’re not, i hope you have the strength to start all over again.”

— f. scott fitzgerald

summary: The story of a young woman and a young god who both had the unfortunate experience of getting trapped in a separate timeline.

pairing: venti/barbatos x fem!reader

content warnings: blood and injury, panic attacks, angst, mild foul language, suggestive themes. - (more will be added later if needed.)

other disclaimers: time travel au, mc making poor choices, mostly canon divergent, barbatos x previous cryo archon if u squint, there will be an alternative ending

cross-posted on ao3 & wp (-FOC4LORS)

chapter 1 wc: 8.8k

author’s notes: povs will switch around a lot, mainly between how the mc and venti both got stuck in alternate timelines and meet each other. venti’s pov will be first, followed by the mc. timeline in general is very choppy, with “future” events happening first, and “past” events happening after.

there will be an extra chapter at the end of the fic that will be an alternative ending. that’s all i’ll say for now as to not spoil the plot too much >:)

enjoy!

playlist

CHAPTER I: the moon will sing a song for me

It all started when Barbatos made the awful decision to cross through a stone arch near what would later be a historic landmark.

Ignoring the warnings that Istaroth had given him about traveling out this far, he let his curiosity get the better of him…

Which led to now.

Looking down at the hands that once held him so gently, he felt a deep, bitter sadness swell in his heart for the first time. His first friend, his first companion, had been killed in a war that he originally wanted no part in. A war that he came to fight in because he wished for the freedom of all the people of Mondstadt.

And look where that left him– desolate among a sea of corpses.

The putrid smell of rotting corpses and ash surrounded him, but all he could think about was the death of his friend. The lifeless, navy irises that always held the utmost gentleness in them. Slightly parted pale lips, that always used to promise freedom for all. An arrow straight through the heart of a person who always cared a little too much for others and never for themselves.

As Barbatos reached down to caress the bard’s cold skin, his heart dropped to his stomach. Reaching out before him was a human hand– a stark difference to what he was familiar with. It wasn’t until he realized that it was his hand, that he reeled back in absolute horror.

In a fit of disbelief, he raised the hand to his face, feeling all along the crevices and over his eyes. He was now possessing a human body, and it wasn’t just anyone’s body… but his friend’s.

As a piercing ringing resounded in his ears, a distant voice whispered in the silence. A warped and distorted, rough whisper that sent shivers down his spine.

“Welcome to the seat of the gods.”

In a flash of light and a moment of stillness, everything around him went silent. He screwed his eyes shut, a poor attempt to convince himself that this was not happening. That it was all a dream, and his friend was actually alive, and most importantly…

That he hadn’t just ascended to Celestia and achieved godhood.

He wasn’t special. He was merely a thread amongst the thousand winds, a small wind spirit that held no importance in the grand scheme of things. He hadn’t done anything noteworthy, nothing worth becoming a god for.

The tears that cascaded down his new human face fell to the grass like a waterfall. A flood of emotions seemed to overwhelm him, all piling onto his shoulders at once. For the first time, he understood just how powerful human emotion could be, and just how much it began to corrupt him.

That same, familiar distorted voice– closer this time –whispered in front of him, “You enter the garden of the gods, and the first thing you do is cry… how pitiful.” they scoffed. Two cold, pale hands gently grasped his cheeks and lifted his head to meet their gaze.

Two icy irises bore into his soul, chilling him to the bone. Long hair, as white as snow, fell along their shoulders elegantly. Pink lips twitched up into a somewhat sincere smile. She was like a goddess– maybe because that was actually what she was –and Barbatos found his heart beating a little too fast all of a sudden.

Her mere, chilly presence had calmed him down, and the tears on his cheeks froze over at her touch.

She pulled her hands back, “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to do that.”

With the softest of touches, she quickly wiped away the tears she had frozen. Without thinking, Barbatos nuzzled into her hand. The goddess gasped fleetingly, before a small giggle sounded from her lips.

“I’ve never met a god like you,” she muttered, kneeling down before him to hold his face better. Her smile faded to a frown as she caressed his cheek with her thumb. “Someone so broken… but I’ll fix you. Once we descend back to our respective nations, I will heal the scars in your heart.”

True to her word, as soon as Barbatos descended back to Mondstadt and blew away the ice and the snow, and hurled the mountaintops into the ocean, the goddess came to visit him. She kept him company, brought him food from her home to share with him. The two nations of the two gods grew close, before Barbatos fell into a deep slumber, only to be awoken again by a change in the winds.

The cycle of life was thrown askew. The skies grew confused, and the natural order of all things had paused, as if time had stopped. That’s when he heard the distant chiming of the old stone arch– the stone gate he had passed through at the start.

Someone new had passed through the gate, and now this series of events would change.

For a split moment, the world felt as if it was spinning. Tumbling and turning, twisting and lurching.

Your stomach tied into knots, and bile quickly crept up your throat. As soon as you thought that this might’ve been the end for you, everything came to a standstill.

The world itself seemed to pause for a second, and the silence that followed was deafening. The ringing in your ears continued to grow louder, and the pounding of a headache against your skull grew more prominent.

Wincing, you opened your eyes. As your vision cleared, the first thing you saw was the brightly lit night sky. Dozens upon dozens of stars, all glittering and shining brighter than any star you’ve ever seen. Was the night sky really ever this breathtaking before?

For a moment, you were convinced that you were not in Mondstadt anymore… however, the familiar scenery around you was too recognizable to not be Mondstadt.

You sat up, a wave of dizziness washing over you as you did. You were near the ruins of Old Mondstadt– but they looked oddly more put together than you last saw them. The tower and the stone bridges surrounding it weren’t nearly as broken as you knew them to be, and the wind barrier around the city was still in place.

Confused, you thought back to the legend you had heard before. The one about the old stone arch that would transport whoever passed through it to another timeline. You hadn’t thought it would actually be true, and now here you stood, looking at what was supposed to be the ruins of Decarabian’s city.

The most surprising of all was when you turned around to look at the city on the lake. Your eyes nearly popped out of your head.

The city was in the process of being constructed, and the gigantic tree in Windrise was but a sprout. Just how far back in the past did you travel?

To get a better look at the city, and maybe ask around, you began heading towards the settlement near Springvale. At least that small village would be familiar to you.

Springvale was bustling with people, much unlike how it was in your era. Since the people had nowhere to go right now– what with the city being freshly built –they had all scurried to Springvale. This was the busiest you’ve ever seen the usually small village.

“Look!” A woman shouted as she approached three other women. “I gathered some apples for the Anemo Archon! Do you think he’ll appreciate them?”

“Of course he will!” Another exclaimed, letting out a small giggle. “Lord Barbatos loves apples! Everyone in Mondstadt knows this!”

You thought back to how Mondstadt was in your current era– it was vastly different from this. In the present, the people of Mondstadt knew next to nothing about the Anemo Archon, except for two things: that he was gentle and kind, and gave the people of Mondstadt the freedom to govern themselves.

He had been absent from your era for about five hundred years or more. No one recognized his facial features anymore, and the statues littered around Mondstadt were vague in appearance at best.

You tried to think of how the people would react to his return… if he ever did return, that is. However, you came up empty. Maybe there would be excitement for his return, or maybe there would be resentment for his absence.

You did know one thing: the people deeply missed their archon, even if his absence meant that the people were free from the watchful eyes of a god. You were thankful for that freedom, even if you had always desired to meet the Anemo Archon.

When you were a child, your mother would always tease you, saying you should just marry him if you were that infatuated with him. You would then get upset at her accusations, claiming that you just admired him and his feats.

Who wouldn’t admire a god who fought for the freedom of the people of his nation?

“Sorry, coming through!” A man shouted as he passed you, carrying a stack of wooden planks on one shoulder. “Excuse me, pardon me! I have to get this to the Anemo Archon!”

The way these people spoke… you could’ve sworn that you’ve heard this accent before. You were inclined to believe that you were just being, as Diluc would say, “delusional” again, until a familiar voice caused all of your thoughts to turn to static.

“Let me help you,” A calm, boyish voice said.

The wind began to carry the wooden planks, and the people around you stopped whatever they were doing. They all muttered in excited voices, and as soon as you craned your neck to get a look at whatever it was that they were fussing over, you felt your heart drop to your stomach.

There was Venti, adorned in quite revealing white garments. Teal, glowing markings occupied his chest and thigh. The ends of his braids were also glowing, and bright, snow white wings stretched out behind him elegantly. His striking eyes seemed calmer, more relaxed than usual, and his lips were pulled up into a sweet smile. A cecilia with golden leaves was placed loosely in his hair.

His entire presence commanded heavenly respect, and you couldn’t help but assume that he was an angel sent directly from Celestia. Or maybe the human manifestation of a dove, sent down to bless the people.

“Lord Barbatos!” The man from before shrieked in surprise. “You needn’t worry yourself with this trivial matter, please just rest! You’ve done enough for us already! We are eternally grateful.”

It felt as if the air got knocked out of your lungs… did you hear that correctly? Did that man just refer to Venti as Barbatos? The Anemo Archon?

“Nonsense,” Barbatos chuckled. “I want to help you. Mondstadt is my home too, after all.”

You were witnessing history in the making. Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, was helping with the rebuilding of Mondstadt. You watched in awe as the god helped carry a surplus of materials, claiming they weren’t heavy because the wind made them weightless.

The people flocked to help him, even if he dismissed them, because no one was going to pass up this golden opportunity of speaking with their archon. They talked and laughed with him, baffled at how their god acted just like a normal person. Could a god really be this… human?

Barbatos had no problem instantly calming the fears of his people and helping them feel comfortable around him. It felt as though he didn’t favor the praise and adoration they constantly gave him, but he still greatly appreciated it nonetheless.

You managed to hide amongst the crowds for most of the day, but when sundown came, that was when your whole world flipped on its head.

You shuffled through the crowds of people in the plaza, carrying a rather hefty supply of food crates. You were used to this, as you often helped Diluc carry wine to and from the Dawn Winery. You always had your work cut out for you.

As you set the crates down near a camp of construction workers, a gust of wind blew your hair around. You huffed, pulling your hair back in place.

“I’ve never seen you in Mondstadt before,” a playful voice interrupted the silence.

You whirled around, only to be greeted by Barbatos standing before you. Well, more like he was currently weightless, as his wings kept him afloat in the air.

“And that’s surprising, seeing as I know every single one of my children by name– but I don’t know yours.”

You suddenly understood why Venti’s accent was so unfamiliar to you. It was that of the early Mondstadters– an accent that only a few of the major clans still possessed in your era. You felt like a fish out of water, not knowing what to possibly say to him.

What could you say? You had just found out that Venti was the Anemo Archon almost a whole day ago, as well as the fact that you had time traveled back to the early days of Mondstadt.

“Hm? Shy are we? Don’t worry, I don’t bite!” He laughed, trying to liven up the tense atmosphere between you. When he noticed that you still weren’t saying anything, he grew embarrassed. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to bother you—“

You stopped him before he could leave. “Wait! Uh, I’m sorry, actually. You just surprised me is all… um- my name is (name).”

He smiled softly at you. “Sorry for startling you before. And (name), hm? Your accent sounds oddly familiar… you must be a Mondstadt native.”

Nodding in confirmation, you returned his smile. “Indeed, I am.”

He seemed to be lost in thought, as he was biting his lip in contemplation. He had never seen you in Mondstadt before, yet your accent was similar to the people around you. That, and you were fluent in the language of the nation.

He had known every one of his children by name. He had memorized their dreams and aspirations, their favorite foods, and their current hobbies. He chatted with his people daily, as if he was speaking to an old friend, and he made sure that everyone in Mondstadt was comfortable. When it came to foreigners, he ensured that they felt welcomed and safe.

As long as the wind would blow, Mondstadt would know peace, and it would stand as a safe haven to those living here. He would make sure of it.

He smiled at you once more. As he studied you, his cheeks began to flush pink. “You’re rather pretty, (name).” He told you, taking one of your hands in his.

You were beyond disbelief now. The Barbatos, or Venti, from your time wanted absolutely nothing to do with you, yet the Barbatos standing before you seemed to be rather infatuated with you.

He kissed the back of your hand, the touch of his lips sending a jolt of electricity through your veins. He was quite the charmer, wasn’t he? The divine being in front of you held a boyish smile as he giggled at your flustered expression.

“Until we meet again, lovely dandelion.” In one large gust of wind, he disappeared, leaving a trail of feathers in his wake.

You picked up one of the snow white feathers left behind by his wings, running your fingers over the base. It was extremely soft, like silk. You hadn’t even been aware that there was a smile on your face, nor the fact that your heart was beating abnormally loud in your chest.

You just hoped that he hadn’t been able to hear it too.

There was an old legend in Mondstadt– one of a stone arch located in the ruins of Decarabian’s old city. Whoever passed through the gate would be transported through time and wind up in another era.

This urban legend had only become popular in recent years, when a bard by the name of Venti had begun to roam the streets of Mondstadt.

By the way he talked, and his distinct accent that was a little hard to pinpoint but definitely sounded close to the other people of the city, you quickly deduced that he was a Mondstadt native.

The bard that you originally believed to be around sixteen years old, was actually way older. You didn’t know his exact age, only that he was old enough to drink.

After the first few months of his arrival to the city, you found that he wasn’t just any normal bard. The songs that he sang predated the current era, and although many hymns in the church did the same, his songs were ones that no one had ever heard of before.

He claimed to know every song in Teyvat— from the primordial era, to all the way in the future. He held an air of playfulness and mischief around him, as well as a deep sorrow that could only come from someone who’s lived for centuries. He was eccentric and charming, and you were always happy to serve him at Angel’s Share.

To meet someone with such a wistful, happy aura was a blessing. It could even be considered a rarity in a world filled with strife, even if the people of Mondstadt knew peace and solace better than anyone else in Teyvat.

However, he was oddly bitter towards you.

The people in the city had noticed it not long after his first visit to the tavern— the stoic, weirdly long stares he’d send your way, how he’d always frown whenever he caught sight of you, and how he’d always make minimal talk with you.

No matter how hard you tried to get on his good side, it was never enough. He harbored a sort of resentment towards you, and for the life of you, you could not figure out why. You had a pretty good memory, and you couldn’t remember ever meeting him on any of your travels to other nations, nor in Mondstadt before he showed up here a few years ago.

What was his deal?

You placed a mug of dandelion wine on the table he was currently occupying. He was previously out cold, and you swore he had memorized your footsteps, because as soon as you set the mug down, he woke up. You flinched at his piercing stare, sending him a fleeting smile.

“Hey, have ya heard?��� A drunkard at a nearby table asked loudly, grabbing your attention. You failed to notice the way Venti stared at you longingly as you turned away from him.

“There’s this legend of a stone arch that lets you time travel if you pass through it.”

“Oh? Pray tell.” you were suddenly intrigued, joining in on the conversation the patron was having with one of his friends.

Usually, you didn’t entertain the drunkards’ stories. They were mostly full of utter bullshit, but this one sounded interesting.

“Yeah!” the man laughed as you walked over. “Jus’ a legend though. Doubt it’s for real.” He took another swig of his drink before handing you the empty mug. “‘Nother round, doll.”

You sent him a glare for the pet name but took the mug, rolling your eyes as he ogled you as you walked away. A moment later, a crash sounded behind you. You whirled around to see what was happening, only to see the drunk man on the floor and Venti standing above him.

There was a deadly fire in his eyes, one that you’ve never seen before. For a moment, you felt scared— scared of this innocent bard and the vision hanging at his hip. He said nothing as the drunkard scurried out of the tavern like a dog with its tail between its legs.

Diluc sighed behind you. “That’s the fifth time this week,” he said, taking the empty mug from your hands and running it under the sink. “That bard has got to get ahold of that ugly temper.”

You turned to your boss. “What? But…” you turned to look at Venti again, only to see him staring at you with a sorrowful expression. Noticing he had been caught, he quickly looked away, picking up his lyre and exiting the tavern in a hurry.

What in the name of Barbatos..?

“I know what you’re thinking,” Diluc muttered. “But whenever you’re around, he turns protective. Are you sure the two of you were never together?”

You stood there in a dumbfounded silence. You couldn’t wrap your mind around the situation, finding it so utterly incredulous.

“Positive…” you trailed off, wondering why in the hell Venti was acting this way.

You paused. “Wait a second– did you really just–”

Diluc smirked, “Did I what?”

You decided to let the matter go. Instead, you changed the subject, opting for something more interesting. “Have you heard about that legend? The one of the stone arch that allows you to time travel?”

Your boss shrugged. “I’ve heard of it. I don’t think it’s worth checking out, so erase that idea from your mind.”

As always, Diluc knew you too well. Perhaps it was because the two of you were childhood friends… you even thought of him as your brother. You pouted, “C’mon Diluc, wouldn’t it be cool if it was actually true? Think about it: time travel!”

“I’d say you’re delusional— more than you usually are.” He quipped, navigating around you to put the empty mug back on the shelf behind you.

You turned to him, leaning your back against the counter. “You’re so boring. What happened to the rambunctious guy I knew when we were kids?” You crossed your arms over your chest.

Once upon a time, before the passing of his father, Diluc was quite the troublemaker. One would always believe that Kaeya had been that way instead, but it was actually the opposite. You knew them better than anyone.

You knew that Kaeya was once a shy, easily flustered boy that tripped over his own words and preferred to stay quiet. Diluc had been the opposite, always causing trouble around the winery and roping Kaeya into his tricks.

Among the three of you, you were often the voice of reason. Kaeya, although hesitant, always gave in to Diluc’s antics. However, you were the one always shutting down the ideas and warning them that they’d eventually get caught— but you never ratted them out. You would happily say “I told you so” and smirk after they performed the walk of shame after receiving a scolding.

Often times, you found yourself missing those days, when everything had been simpler and the three of you were still close. Crepus’ death had changed the entire relationship between the three of you, going from siblings to strangers in just one night.

Despite the change, you maintained a good relationship with both of them, even if they didn’t with each other. It always stung a bit to see the two brothers have such a poor sibling relationship when it hadn’t always been that way. And despite the bomb Kaeya dropped on you both, you still regarded him as your best friend regardless of his background.

“He grew up,” Diluc answered, sending you a pointed look, “and so should you.”

The trek to Old Mondstadt was a little more taxing than you expected. It was a little farther from the city than you imagined, even if you could vaguely see the ruins from the top of the cathedral.

In short, it looked closer than it actually was, but you didn’t mind the walk. It only meant that you got to appreciate Mondstadt’s gorgeous scenery in full. It also made you realize that you haven’t been out this way that much. The most you’ve been to were the outskirts of Wolvendom.

Of course, you never traveled further into those woods… you knew the legends, heard the rumors about Andrius, a god who was alive during the Archon War in Mondstadt 2,600 years ago. He fought against Decarabian and helped the people of Mondstadt break free from the tyrant’s rule.

Now, his soul resided in the soil, and the spirit of the god was the supposed King of the wolves in Wolvendom. He was rumored to be fairly peaceful. He rarely attacked anyone unless they stepped foot into his domain first and challenged him to a duel.

Unfortunately for you, you had to cross through Wolvendom to get to where you needed to go. Thankfully, you only needed to cross through the outskirts of Wolvendom and climb up to the top of the cliff near Brightcrown Canyon.

You made it out of Wolvendom in one piece, though you were spooked a few times by distant howling, in which you almost considered going back to the city. However, you prevailed and eventually made it up the cliff.

The view of the city from the summit was one of the most beautiful sights you have ever seen in your entire life. The scenery, paired with the view of all of Mondstadt, took your breath away. To top it all off, the wind was blowing– as it always did in Mondstadt.

As long as the wind would blow, Barbatos would protect Mondstadt.

That was always what your mother told you when you were young. Of course, you believed her, and you knew that the whole of Mondstadt believed the same.

The moon was high in the sky now, bright and full of life. You turned a bit, just enough to see the dark outline of Celestia in the sky.

“The garden of the gods,” was what you heard some people call it. You didn’t know if that was true or not.

The stone arch was right on the edge of the cliff, standing tall for all to see. There were ancient markings carved into the stone— markings that you’ve seen before near the Thousand Winds Temple. You wondered just how old these markings could be, as well as the stone arch itself. Despite looking like it was on the brink of falling apart, this gateway was still standing tall and proud.

As if it were sensing your presence, a small whisper called out to you from the other side of the archway. It was almost inaudible, but were it not for the slowing of the wind, it would have gone unheard.

You stepped closer, placing a hand on the archway. The stone was cold to the touch, but as you began to step through it, the markings on the stone started to glow a faint silver.

“WAIT!”

Someone yelled out behind you. You whirled around, and the glow of the markings faded. The whisper that once called out to you was gone, and the wind had returned in its full glory.

Venti now stood before you, a little out of breath and his expression panicked. His eyes searched you for a moment, as if relishing in the fact that you were standing right before his eyes. You’ve seen him do this every time you’re around him, and it never ceases to confuse you.

The two of you did not know each other. You have hardly even talked. Why was he constantly looking at you this way? Oh, what you would give to receive all the answers to your questions.

He was silent for a moment, and you patiently waited as he collected himself. He took a deep breath, and his expression grew firm. “Whatever you do, do not pass through that archway,” he said, his tone stern.

Your brows furrowed in confusion. “Why? The rumors about this archway are just legends–”

“Just please listen to me, (name). Do not go through that archway and do not touch those markings.” The look in his eyes was pleading you to listen to him.

“We’ve barely even talked, how do you know my name?” You questioned, crossing your arms over your chest. You were beyond confused now. “And whenever I get close to you, you glare at me like I’ve fucked up your entire life… seriously, what is going on? What have I ever done to you?”

Venti flinched a little, a guilty expression crossing over his visage. He looked away in embarrassment. “It doesn’t matter, it’s all ancient history…” he muttered, too quiet for you to hear.

“What?” you took a step closer to him.

He cleared his throat, “I said you didn’t do anything… I just…” he let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. “Just please promise me you won’t go through the archway. If you go through, you’ll end up in a different era, just like the legends say… but you won’t be able to return home unless you cross back through the archway at the exact same time that you entered.

“The gate only opens once every one hundred years. If you cross through and don’t pass back through in twenty-four hours, you’re trapped there forever. And you can never return home.”

You stood there in shock. How did Venti know so much? It was as if he had witnessed it himself, though you doubted he did.

It was just a legend… right?

You scoffed. “It’s a stone archway… where could it possibly lead?” You walked over and stuck your hand through.

“DON’T!” Venti screamed, lurching forward to grab your arm before you could reach through the archway.

“Let go of me!” you yelled, prying his hand off of your arm. “Don’t touch me!”

“I’m trying to save you!” he retorted, wrapping his arms firmly around your waist, and with an unknown strength that you never expected him to have, began to pull you away.

You struggled like a little kid against his forceful grip, prying at his hands and kicking your feet around as he lifted you up. “Save me from what!? A gate that leads to nowhere!?”

“From our future, you dumbass!”

As you successfully kicked his shin, he doubled back, instantly letting go of you. You stumbled forward, only to hit the ground harshly as a weight fell onto your legs.

“What future!?”

You looked back, only to see that you were alone, and there was no trace of Venti anywhere to be seen.

You hadn’t known the full history of the Windblume Festival before this… “trip.”

You had always known that it was a festival celebrating love and working on self reflection. You had never personally received a windblume during the festival— at least, not from a romantic standpoint.

It was a tradition for you and Diluc to give each other windblumes each year, with you giving him a cecilia (your favorite flower) and him giving you a windwheel aster (a flower favored by the Ragnvindr Clan). The two of you were practically siblings, and Crepus always treated you like his daughter before his untimely death.

Ever since Crepus’ death, you had a tradition of walking to his grave during the Windblume Festival and placing a bouquet of cecilias on his grave. It wasn’t his official grave, but rather one you made for him. He was like the father you never had, and you were the daughter that he always wanted.

Sometimes, Kaeya would tag along with you during that time. He would always stay silent, giving his own respects to the man who also took him in and raised him as his own son. But Diluc would never join you, and you had always known the reason why.

As the reconstruction of Mondstadt was happening right before your very eyes, a man with dark hair passed you, shouting orders left and right. He bumped into you, causing you to stumble a little. Immediately, he whirled around, grabbing your arm before you could fall.

“My dear lady, I am so deeply sorry,” he said worriedly, his aristocratic tone all too familiar to you. You’d heard this type of accent before… but where?

“Are you alright, my dear?” he asked, holding you by the shoulders. He looked genuinely sorry, and you nodded hesitantly. “No, a silent answer won’t do… I need a verbal response to make sure you’re okay.”

This man was definitely making an impression on you. With his mindful manners, grace and elegance, and deep compassion. He was doing the bare minimum, and you would’ve fallen for him if it weren’t for the fact that he looked a little… too familiar.

You’ve seen this man before, you were sure of it.

“I-I’m alright, sir. Trust me.” You reflected his formalness right back at him. It was only right to do so.

He smiled a brilliantly charming smile. “Wonderful. Be careful now, My Lady. This year’s Windblume Festival will be quite the rage—“

“Lawrence!” Another man shouted.

A wave of shock hit you all at once. The man standing before you was the ancestor to the Lawrence Clan. The same Lawrence Clan that ruled over Mondstadt 1,000 years ago and enslaved Vennessa and her people. The same Lawrence Clan that continued the cycle of tyranny that Barbatos worked so hard to break. Eula’s clan. One of the oldest, original aristocratic families of Mondstadt.

You suddenly felt sick. But this man didn’t seem like the other Lawrence Clan members that you’ve met. This man seemed different, and you considered that maybe the evil had prospered after this man’s time.

“My apologies, I must go,” The Lawrence Clan ancestor left with a chaste kiss to the back of your hand, a small smirk following after.

You visibly shuddered. You didn’t find that man attractive anymore, and you’d rather keel over than experience him kiss your hand again. You usually weren’t one to judge others based on your first meeting or their background, but something about him being the ancestor to the Lawrence Clan just didn’t sit right with you.

Of course, you knew that not all of the members of the clan were terrible people– Eula being a great example –but the majority were. You made a mental note to watch your back for the time being, even if your gut was telling you that this man was not the cause for the Lawrence Clan’s poor actions.

Turning on your heel, you decided to pay a visit to where Crepus’ grave would be if you were still in your own era. You made quick work to leave the bustling city, weaving around people carrying boxes of wreaths made of flowers, and layers upon layers of fabrics. They were most likely decorations for the festival.

You hadn’t expected the land to look so different. It looked more barren than you knew it to be, more lonely, relaxed, and less populated. The terrain of Mondstadt was vastly different from what you knew it to be. Of course, lands changed with time due to various factors, but it never changed this fast.

The culprit for the immense change in recent years had been none other than Spark Knight Klee, an adorable little girl that the Knights of Favonius all watched over since her mother, Alice, was currently away on business. Klee was prone to disaster, as was a teenage boy by the name of Bennett, but the two carried different forms of disaster.

Bennett’s was in the form of bad luck and misfortune. Klee’s was in the form of pure chaos and destruction due to the bombs she created on the daily. Her impact on the land caused Mondstadt’s landscape to change so much that the cartographers had to redraw maps for the Knights every few weeks.

Right before your eyes was a Mondstadt completely untouched, with smoother cliffs and purer water sources. There was a surplus of trees and boar too.

From what you gathered so far, it had been a year since Mondstadt gained its freedom from the tyrant, Decarabian.

One month was spent with Barbatos terraforming the land and making it habitable for his people. Five months were spent mourning the losses of the rebellion and retreating towards Cider Lake to find a place to settle down. The other six months were spent rebuilding the city and healing from the scars that were left on the nation. That’s when the Windblume Festival was created, honoring those who had fallen during the rebellion.

The months following were filled with Barbatos’ helpful hand guiding the people and making them happy again after years of sorrow. And that led to now, a year and a half after the events that changed Mondstadt forever.

The land near the present day Dawn Winery was completely different from how you remembered it to be. There was no Dawn Winery yet, and the area was covered in trees. A few small houses lined the outskirts of the forest; houses that were still presently standing in the future.

A flood of memories washed over you as you reached the bank of the river– memories from your childhood. Memories of fishing here with Crepus, where he had taught you how to bait a hook, and when he would celebrate every time you successfully caught a fish.

Memories of stargazing here with Diluc every Summer, when the night sky was so clear that you swore you could see the whole of the galaxy. Afternoons spent here with Kaeya, watching as the sky filtered from brilliant blues to striking oranges and pinks, laughing together as you both skipped stones and relished in your youth.

Mornings spent with Jean, helping her improve her swordsmanship and denying her wishes for you to join the Ordo because of how naturally adept you were with a sword.

Sometimes, Jean would pull you out here at night just to stargaze, and sometimes the both of you would go swimming in the river with nothing but your undergarments on. You’d try your best to stay quiet and not get caught by the occasional knight patrolling the area, but Jean’s hands on your body never failed to make you a bit noisy.

You were eighteen, maybe nineteen, back then.

You greatly missed the golden years of your life, when everything seemed simpler, and all you had to worry about was impressing the girl of your dreams. Little did you know at the time, but you had done that already.

You’d give anything to go back and change what happened between you… to tell her your true feelings and avoid that fateful day in the rain. The day that changed the relationship between you two forever.

The smile adorning your lips faded. You missed Jean very dearly… but you couldn’t go back and change the past.

Kneeling beside the river, you began to quietly sob. You had a chance to go back to any time period, and it just so happened to be this one. Why couldn’t it have been that day in the rain, when you and Jean called it quits and broke each other down to nothing. You’d give anything to go back and take back everything you said that day.

Yet… you ended up here. Directly after the Archon War ended.

If you had the power, you would cross through that gate once more, only to cross through it again and hope you landed on that day in the rain.

A sudden idea formed in your head, along with a startling revelation.

You only had five hours left to cross back through that gate, or else you were stuck here for the rest of your life. With a newfound panic running through your veins, you hurried back to the city to keep better track of your time, and to hopefully draw your mind away from painful memories.

An hour remained before the gate closed for another one hundred years, and you were currently entertaining the head of the Lawrence Clan and his sister.

When you had returned to the city four hours prior, you were hellbent on finding something to snack on and maybe swipe some sort of souvenir to bring back to Kaeya, when the Lawrence Clan’s ancestor spotted you and demanded you join him and his sister for a few rounds of drinks.

Ever the alcohol enthusiasts that you knew Mondstadters to be, you caved and decided to join them just for a little while. A “little while” turned into four hours as you downed drink after drink, your tolerance so high that you could withstand all the alcohol.

You were by no means an alcoholic, and you always managed your liquor quite well, but Mondstadt was known for its wine, and the people practically had wine and beer flowing through their veins. You would not be able to call yourself a true Mondstadter if it were not for how high your tolerance to alcohol was.

Amidst the festivities, more of the townspeople joined in, uncasking wines and sharing them graciously amongst each other. The homey-ness of the atmosphere and the bright lanterns hanging from above your head provided you with a sense of familiarity and comfort.

This was Mondstadt.

Peaceful, familiar, comforting, relaxing, and free.

You were glad to know that Mondstadt had not changed a bit over the years. Even in the past, it was the same old city you knew– the same old country you were born in and loved with all your heart. Your father’s city.

A sudden gust of wind rattled through the plaza, prompting the townspeople to laugh in pure joy and bliss. Next to you, Lawrence (you decided to only refer to him by his last name), raised his mug of wine high into the air.

“To the Anemo Archon!”

The rest of the people followed after, and so did you. With a brilliant smile on your face, you raised your mug of beer. “To the Anemo Archon!”

It really was like you never truly left.

Halfway through the last hour, you could tell that time was ticking. You had to leave immediately, or else you would never see your friends or family ever again.

You’d never get to witness another Windblume Festival or Weinlesefest with the people you dearly loved, you’d never get to see Klee’s magnificent smile or help Bennett out with another commission. You’d never get to challenge Fischl to another game of TCG or be there to welcome Collei home from Sumeru. You’d never get to prepare another drink in the tavern or listen as bards filled the tavern with lively music and got the patrons to sing as loud as they could. You’d never go stargazing again with Kaeya, or go out drinking again with Eula on a night off. You’d never get to help Razor with his reading or writing, or have a daily chat with Sara in the morning as she clocked in at Good Hunter.

You’d never get to challenge Amber to a game of Pile ‘Em Up during Ludi Harpastum, or present a brilliant bouquet of cecilias as an offering to the huge statue of Barbatos towards the end of the Windblume Festival while Kaeya joked that you were a show off. You’d never get to send Jean another envelope of dandelion seeds every Spring whenever you took your annual trip to the Dandelion Sea.

…You’d never get to witness another one of Venti’s performances in the plaza underneath his own statue.

You didn’t realize just how much you cherished everything until this moment, when you were about to lose it.

“Why the frown? It’s hardly the time to be sad when others are celebrating!” A joyous voice brought you out of your stupor. Next to you was none other than him, the Anemo Archon. His smile widened as you met his eyes.

The townspeople greeted him as if he were an old friend, and he quickly returned the gesture, swiping a glass of dandelion wine and taking a lengthy sip. “Ah! This year’s Thousand Wind Wine is delicious!”

Thousand Wind Wine?

“Please join us in the festivities, Lord Barbatos!” someone jumped up, offering him another glass of wine.

He eagerly took it as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders. “Why thank you! However, I have some urgent business to attend to. As soon as I return, I will be more than happy to join all of you for a multitude of drinks!”

The people cheered and threw praises his way. He pulled you closer to him, “Hold on tight,” he muttered. You did as told as he flapped his wings and took off into the air.

You held back a screech as you screwed your eyes shut and clutched onto him tighter. If it were not for your fear of heights, you would’ve been panicking over something completely different: the fact that you were currently being held in the Anemo Archon’s arms as he flew through the sky.

He chuckled, “I’m a safe flier, I promise. I won’t drop you.”

The moment he placed you back onto the ground, you let out a sigh of relief that you didn’t realize you were holding in and collapsed to the ground. “If anyone had told me that the Anemo Archon was going to take me for a flight, I never would’ve believed them.”

Barbatos laughed heartily, holding out a hand for you to take. Under the light of the moon, he was practically glowing. Your breath got caught in your throat as you stared at his ethereal form.

This was the angelicity of a god.

You took his hand, his skin soft to the touch. He brought you back onto your feet effortlessly. As soon as you gathered your bearings, you glanced around. You were right where you wanted to be: by the stone arch, and with only a few minutes to spare.

Turning to Barbatos, you sent him a quizzical look. How had he known?

He smiled, though you found that it did not reach his eyes. “I hear every whisper amongst the wind, every prayer to my name, every tip in the balance…” he trailed off. You could sense there was something else he wanted to add to that, but didn’t.

“I knew you weren’t from this timeline from the beginning.”

So he had known all along… but how? You surmised that it was because nothing escaped the eyes of the gods. Or maybe it was exactly as he said– that he could hear every little thing along the wind.

“So you know, then…” you sighed heavily. “I’m sorry for causing a disturbance, Lord Barbatos. I never meant to-”

His smile broadened as he gently shushed you. You never expected a god to be this kind, nor this patient. He truly lived up to the legends that circulated around the city in your era. He took your hand into his, squeezing it lightly.

“There’s no need to apologize, (name).” His voice was soft as he spoke, as if he were talking to an upset child. “I assume you landed here in the first place because of something to do with me…” His expression turned to a guilty one.

Your brows furrowed. “Something to do with you?” you asked curiously.

He nodded solemnly. “I am the one that is supposed to be guarding this gate, to ensure that no one ever passes through ever again. Yet… since you are here, that means my future self has failed at this job. I failed to protect a citizen of Mondstadt…”

He looked to be on the verge of a breakdown, but before he could completely lose his composure, he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. A moment later, it was as if he hadn’t been worried in the first place. He guided you over to the gate.

“I still have a chance to save you. Go, before it’s too late.”

As soon as he let go of your hand and bid you a small farewell, promising to remember you in the future once you returned to your current era, you placed a hand on the archway and watched as the markings engraved into the stone glowed a bright silver.

You’d be going home, back to your friends and your family– and a timeline where Venti hated you. You stopped suddenly, pausing as you opened your eyes and glanced back at the image of Barbatos. He was waiting, wanting to make sure you returned safely to your own time.

You glanced at the city, at where the newly built settlement was thriving and teeming with people. You took the small souvenir you grabbed for Kaeya out of your pocket– a keychain with a windwheel aster engraved into the stone. When your eyes landed on this in the plaza hours ago, you knew you had to get it for him. It was perfect, since he was always losing his keys and never had anything attached to them to make them stand out.

“I’m sorry,” you muttered, pressing a kiss to the cold stone, before tossing the keychain through the archway, along with the note you had written out for him describing the gift and why you found sentimental value in buying it for him.

You watched as both the keychain and the note disappeared, landing on the other side of the archway– your era.

You clutched onto the last remaining thing you had of your era: the ring that Jean had once given you when you were fifteen. The one with a cecilia and dandelions carved into the inside.

“Please don’t go looking for me.”

Venti gritted his teeth together as he gripped tightly onto the letter in his hands. Tears cascaded down his cheeks. He had lost you. Again.

And now, the last remnants he had of you was a small note that wasn’t addressed to him. He dug his fingers into the grass underneath him, choking out a few sobs that he had been holding in for way too long now.

Why did this keep happening to him? Every time he thought he had gotten you back, you’d leave again, just like the very first time. Were the two of you fated to keep playing this game? To keep running through the motions of cat and mouse, as Venti suffered the after affects while you completely forgot about all of it?

He hadn’t meant to cross through that gate all those years ago, and had he known that it would bring him this much pain, he wouldn’t have done it. He would’ve stayed with Istaroth. Digging his nails into the dirt, he couldn’t help the self deprecation that took over his mind and body.

Why hadn’t he heeded Istaroth’s warning? Why hadn’t he listened and just stayed behind like she told him to do?

“Curiosity killed the cat,” that was the saying. But in this situation, there was no satisfaction to bring it back.

His heart grew heavy as he waited yet again to see you pass through that gate. To see you return with no ounce of remorse in your expression, just like you had done countless times before.

He angrily brushed his tears away and waited, staring out at the first signs of morning light that crept up over Falcon Coast. The redness of his cheeks and his eyes did not go unnoticed by you as you stepped through the gate, staring at him with that stoic expression that you always gave him.

He met your eyes, watching as they began to water and your lip began to tremble. This time must’ve hurt way more than the others. You had never returned with this kind of reaction before, startling him.

You said nothing as you stood there, clutching a feather in your hand. He swallowed thickly, recognizing that feather anywhere. It was the one he always gave to you, and the one you always returned with. Except this time, there was also a keychain in your hands– made out of gold and shaped into the anemo sigil.

Suddenly, a wave of new memories flooded his brain, and as soon as he made eye contact with you again, he knew that you had found out. The memory of him telling you passed by like a flash in his mind, and his frown deepened.

How could things have ended the same way once again?

There was a silent agreement between the both of you as you sent him a curt nod and took the note that was crumpled in his fist. He watched as you retreated back to the city, his vision blurring with another set of tears.

He would never get used to this pain, and he knew you wouldn’t either. But the pain he felt every time you left him was insurmountable.

Wiping away his tears, he watched as the sun continued to rise over the horizon. The two of you would meet again one day, maybe in a timeline where you didn’t leave him and the two of you lived happily together, relishing in the peacefulness of Mondstadt– the nation the two of you once worked hard to build.

Maybe next time, you wouldn’t be returning like this, like a stranger.

author’s notes:

yes it was the og cryo archon that barbatos first met upon entering celestia. it was originally going to be the heavenly principles, but then i changed it midway thru writing.

can’t catch me now by olivia rodrigo is the song that represents this fic the most. like, that is exactly the theme im going for with this fic, and u guys will see that in the last chapter when the ending is finally written.

(shhhh no i totally didnt already write the ending in this chapter. there will be a more descriptive ending in chapter 3 that will make more sense than the one ive already put in chapter 1.)

[golden-afternoon]

sigh alright i guess this is gonna be the second fic i'm shelving for a lil bit. gonna write some shorter stuff to build up my confidence again.

xiao and heizou, just know i will be coming back for you both!!! i need to finish both of those so bad for my own sanity

[golden-afternoon]

I wonder how venti feels when people say shit like “oh sweet barbatos” when they’re having intercourse.

he’s pleased for you that you’re getting some! he’s an archon whose whole thing is leaving his beloved people to their own devices, after all - and he wants those devices to be pleasure and freedom!

unless, of course, one of those nights in which he sits contentedly in a field of windwheel asters with a crisp apple in one hand and a bottle of dandelion wine in the other, listening in the back of his mind to the prayers and calls of his name whilst humming a new snatch of tune . . .

he hears your voice.

that does not please him. for as archon, doesn’t he deserve whichever of his devotees he wants the most? shouldn’t he be the one permitted to draw those honey-sweet coos and cries out from your lovely mouth?

who, then, dares intrude upon the property of a god?

[golden-afternoon]

Just saw Epel's club card and I'm absolutely losing my marbles rn I have so many cards I need to save up for I'm dying inside. Please. Please RNGesus allow me to remain f2p pleasepleaseplease

[golden-afternoon]

lovesick venti

Venti who stumbles over his words, stops mid sentence and tries again because that didn't sound good enough (in front of a live audience)

Venti who plays the lyre but something's off. He's tuning it constantly, never quite satisfied. When he plays, one or two notes will always be wrong, no matter how much he tries to get it right and tune it.

Venti who just slows to a stop while playing when S/O walks by and he needs to be reminded to play. Would like nothing more than to follow S/O.

Venti who walks into a lamppost while talking eagerly with S/O.

[golden-afternoon]

AHSHEUSJDJDJSJJDJD SUNNNNNYYYYYYUYYYYYYYUYYYUY AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH D-Diluc..... Fluff .. morning fluff .... Eepys... I m...... Shsbsjajsbd hhhhhnnnnnggggggggggg I WANT HIM............. Your writing is too good for this world I C A N T agzghdhsdhsh

-🍷

Well, I see it found the target audience!

Deep breaths, I prommy you'll be okay slsjdkskd. I'm glad you liked it hehehe

[golden-afternoon]

Okay. This one isn't even smut but somehow I'm more nervous to post this than the other ones I have. This is a surprise gift for someone hehe, they'll know it's for them when they see it. (p.s. I'm so sorry Diluc lovers, I am not confident in writing him. Hope it's decent ish skdjdksjd)

Warnings - gn!reader, no editing just straight to paper but no real warnings here! It's nothing but fluffy stuff!

How long had it been since he had woken to the sound of birdsong instead of laying his head down to rest to it?

Opening his eyes slowly, he almost immediately had to close them again to brace against the soft morning light streaming through the open curtains of his window. He raised his arm on instinct, pressing his forearm against his eyes to shield him from the brightness with a quiet sigh. Though, his muscles tensed almost immediately as a noise came from beside him, nearly echoing the noise he had just made.

He whipped his head to his left, his eyes suddenly wide and alert as the adrenaline served to wake him faster than any cup of coffee could ever dream to. But the moment his eyes settled on your sleeping form beside him, he could feel every ounce of tension in him leave as quickly as it came.

Diluc remained still, watching as you took every breath. In. Out. In. Out. Like the tides the draw in and recede from the shore. It was a calming sight, a reassuring one. The dawn’s warm light had reached your face, drawing muted shapes in the shadows of your features, highlighting your natural softness in a way he can’t say he’s certain he’s seen before. With slow, careful movements, he shifted to lie on his side, his hand now free to reach out to you. Gently, he brushed his calloused fingers across your forehead to push the loose bits of hair there from your face, allowing him a better look at your sleeping visage. An unnamed ache stirred deep in his chest as he found the words to describe what you looked like in that moment— at peace.

He wasn’t used to this yet. Having you so close, coming to know the appeal of a slow morning… It was all still new. He wasn’t sure if he ever would get used to it; part of him wasn’t sure if he should get used to it. After all, there was so much darkness still in this world, so many other things he needed to be on top of and worry over. And yet… Here in his bed that he has now come to share with you, he can’t help but want to be a little selfish.

Moving closer, he wrapped his arm around you, gently shifting your head so your cheek was resting on his other arm, curled close to his chest. He paused as you stirred, but was pleased to see that you seemed a bit too drowsy to mind. Without a word, he pressed a small kiss to the top of your head, letting his fingers idly brush through your hair. He supposed it would be alright to indulge himself, just this once.

[golden-afternoon]

your writing is so so so so so so so good I love you it’s so good aaaaaaa dying

omg cacti you're trying to make me melt- but thanks a million!!! stay tuned and try not to die just yet, there's so much brainrot up in here and i'm just finally willing to post about it sksjsksjdjd

oh, and of course i love you too!! ♡