#Albedo deserved better

[makuta-kotok]

The two ways to react to losing your original form because of protagonist interference:

Narinder enjoyed retirement.

Albedo seethed so hard he evolved.

[ninjadudettekira]

Albedo isn't an evil Ben Tennyson, in this essay-

Fuck it the essay is being written cause I'm still seeing people claim he's an evil Ben Tennyson and I'm here to debunk that. (Aka Allie saw a tweet when she originally typed this out, they're entitled to their opinion but they're wrong lmao. No hate to said person tho.) So buckle the fuck up because this is long. Essay under the cut (If you’re on laptop, I think on mobile it doesn’t have 'keep reading’ thing.) 

Aight so: -Alien Force: 

What canon states is the fact that Albedo make his own knock off Omnitrix. And it was stated that Albedo didn't want Ben to have it because he was human and 'unworthy', so he made his own and got stuck with Ben's DNA. Azmuth himself even states that all Albedo wanted to do was restore himself to his original form.

Azmuth decided to keep Albedo in the form he was in because of rebellion and the fact he "put others in danger" and "wanted to use it in his own ways."

So here's the thing. In Good Copy, Bad Copy we only know about Albedo going after Forever Knights, which we've seen time and time again get their ass kicked by Ben. As far as we know that was the only thing Albedo was doing, he wasn't hurting anyone besides them. Once he came across the trio, he really only went after Ben.

Sure he foamed Gwen and Kevin to the wall to get them out of the battle, but he really only fought Ben and left the other two alone for the most part. Albedo knew who Ben was, if he was "evil" wouldn't he have gone after actual civilians using Ben's form? No all he was trying to do was fix his fuck up.

And what did Albedo get for it? Going to prison while trapped in human DNA. Yeah no shit he decided to work with Vilgax after that point, during The Final Battle and no shit he became bitter. (Altho Ben really couldn't do anything to help Albedo let's be real here. He was dealing with the Highbreed shit and needed to keep the Omnitrix.)

Albedo also, for whatever reason, was kinda against the idea of going after Ben's friends until Vilgax explained. Probably so the audience knew why that happened I guess idk. But he was more indifferent towards it all, and questioned why they were going after Gwen and Kevin. He probably did it because he thought it was gonna lead to him becoming a Galvan again. (And come on only tying Gwen and Kevin up? Y'all can do better than that.) He'd do whatever it took to get his Galvan body back, and since they were Ben's friends it was fine going after them.

-Ultimate Alien: 

AND AFTER BEN'S IDENTITY WAS REVEALED ALBEDO DIDN'T REALLY DO SHIT. So like Ben's entire villain gallery came to Bellwood to go after Ben's family, but all Albedo did was make Ben 10 Live. He even says so in Double or Nothing that he's been doing it since being stranded after Vilgax's ship blew up. And we can assume money went towards getting the parts for the machine to turn him back to Galvan. Tell me would an evil character be a fucking theater nerd???

EVEN WHEN HE WAS GALVAN DURING THAT EPISODE HE SAID HE WASN'T GOING AFTER BEN ANYMORE. He had what he wanted. He was confused that Ben still thought he was going to go after him after being Galvan again. All he wanted was to not be stuck as a human anymore, and when he had that he was going to leave and never see Ben again....until that was fucked up. Of course Albedo's gonna fight Ben after that point. He wasn't going to take it out on Hugh after that whole explanation on why Hugh lied to the trio. So Ben got the brunt of that. Did Ben deserve that? Probably not.

Hell even BEN HIMSELF was happy for a second there that Albedo was cured, and genuinely felt bad when Albedo revealed the motivations behind the machine. Yeah Ben seemed like he was about to murder Albedo at the end there with Ultimate Echo Echo but he was NOT doing okay during UA let's be real. (That's also another whole essay but that's also based on other people talking about how Ben got darker during UA. There was a justifiable reason that Ben went straight to thinking of murdering Kevin after his 3rd mutation and I kinda get it. But again that's another essay that I gotta find sources for since other people talked about it and I can't remember who did.)

Night of the Living Nightmare all we know was that Albedo wanted to stick the Dream Eater on Ben. Probably as a way to steal the Ultimatrix but all he had to do was knock Ben out for a bit and take it. It's easily removable, he of all people should know that. He also has Ben's voice so it really shouldn't have been that hard, but I guess Albedo wanted Ben to suffer like he did.

-Omniverse:

(Side note before I get into this, I was typing this on my phone and when I app switched to do research on an episode the fucking app reset and I lost all my Omniverse talk so gdi here we go with a retype of that section.)

Alright so we're gonna tackle Omniverse Albedo. I know I usually don't touch OV Al with a 10 foot pole and chalk it up to "Bellicus and Serena fucked up the universe when they reset it" but that's a cop out without explanation so we're explaining.

Aight so the first time in OV we see Albedo is a flashback episode (Trouble Helix) where he's working with Azmuth, and he's indirectly the cause of Malware getting more powerful. In the episode he's more indifferent towards Ben than anything, and very respectful towards Azmuth. He's more concerned if Ben could defeat Malware later on and asks Max if Ben's able to do so. When Malware is supposedly defeated, Albedo kinda sticks it in Ben's face when Ben gloats about defeating him. Nothing really too bad, or anything to indicate that he hated Ben. Hell he wasn't even against Ben wearing the Omnitrix at the point? Something had to have snap, but nothing tells us that.

Next time in OV we see Albedo, it's him changing places with Ben cause of Khyber in The Ultimate Heist (How did Albedo work with Khyber? Who the fuck knows, plot cause there's no explanation for it.) Albedo is able to pull off acting like Ben for a few days because he acts how Rook wants Ben to act so he's none the wiser. (Which that's a whole other essay about how people see Ben but other people tackled that.) Then when he was able to get what he wanted, he reveals that it's him. He gets the crystal he needed to stabilize the knock off watch and he can transform again. He's back to being able to become a Galvan, but Albedo ain't leaving after that.

He comes back a few episodes later in A Fistful of Brains and gets Ben to chase him through Undertown so Khyber can kidnap him. Albedo fights Ben later on with the Ultimate Galvan form and goes after Azmuth to get his brain. Ben remarks about why Albedo doesn't just go away because he can be a Galvan again, and Albedo explains it's cause of the imprisonment he faced (either by Azmuth/the Plumbers, or being trapped with human DNA, or both.) and the chili fries craving.

The episode continues into For a Few Brains More where it’s just them trying to get Azmuth’s brain back. At the end of that episode Azmuth traps Albedo as an 11 year old Ben Tennyson. Which btw was a dick move on Azmuth's part, sure Albedo snapped but there could've been other things he did. Azmuth probably remembers what Ben was like at that age, and wanted Albedo to suffer more than he did. (There's a trivia thing about the crew saying that Azmuth would make Albedo a toddler if he had to, which that's fucked. But that's besides the point. I can’t remember where I read it, but I swear I’m not making it up.)

After that we see him in the No Watch Ben episodes. (And Then There Were None/And Then There Was Ben) Vilgax and Eon got all the "bad" Bens together to go after the "good" ones, and Gwen 10. Albedo shouldn't have even been a part of that, he's not even a BAD Ben, just someone who looks like him with a watch that's not a hero. Everyone else was their own version of Ben, or in Gwen's case she had the Omnitrix. 11 Year Old Albedo 100% wasn't thinking clearly working with Vilgax since Vilgax already betrayed him before. *coughTheFinalBattlecough* 11 year olds can't make good decisions like that. But I'm just speculating on why Albedo worked with Vilgax again.

After the No Watch fiasco, he's working with Vilgax a THIRD time In Malgax Attacks after all the betrayals to release Malware's remains. (Which he should know is a bad idea from years prior but kid Albedo probably isn't thinking straight with all the human emotions he's dealing with at that age.) He thinks he killed Azmuth. (I actually haven't seen that episode when writing this so gonna go do that and come back.)  And like a month later I actually get around to seeing the episode. This episode was like near the end of Omniverse, so I guess they wanted one last Albedo episode but had no clue what to do with him so we got a 3rd partnership with Vilgax and an out of the blue motivation. So basically Albedo's motivation in this episode is to take Azmuth's place and see his 'secrets of the universe'. I- How would Albedo not have known Azmuth's secrets? Granted I think in the Albedo triology, he wanted to be above Azmuth so I don't think the plot came totally out of left field. They worked together on the Omnitrix, Albedo should've known about that stuff??? Also since when did he want to rule Galvan Prime??? What would that accomplish??? I was confused the whole episode about why Albedo was even there. I guess because he knew Galvan Prime’s defenses and could attack it with Vilgax. I never wanted to punt a fictional 11 year old character more. End of the episode he has a concrete guard on his right wrist and shackle on his left leg and was sentenced to clean Galvan Prime from the mess he caused for the next 30 Galvan solar cycles. And that's the end of Albedo in the franchise. He's back on Galvan Prime, but stuck doing community service. (I think people forget that this episode exists since every redemption fic after OV doesn't reference this episode and only references up to the No Watch Ben episodes.)

Okay slightly away from Albedo for a second, but was Malgax REALLY that powerful that Ben was defeated so easily??? Like Ben the Omnitrix can quick change, you can change aliens easily. Despite Skurd being cool, you have more powerful aliens you could've used and you barely tried. Idk I think I just forgot how powerful Malware was since I haven't seen Omniverse in awhile. I don't wanna start a new essay but what the f was that episode? Wasn't bad, and there's good moments but, definitely not on my rewatch list. (Also wasn't worth the amount of effort I had to do to download it since I plan to use it for Albedo edits cause I got ideas.) -Non Canon Things:

In Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks video game, there's this line that I gotta mention: "Is it my fault that I'm stuck looking like you?!... Oh wait it is." In Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: Cosmic Destruction video game all I know is that he was beat with a wrench at the end of the game. In Double Trouble, one of the CN comics from the Action Pack series, he pretends to be Ben and Sandra and Carl 100% believe him till Ben comes home. (Aka Albedo is a little shit.) Albedo gets trapped in a teleporter.

In Double Negative, a chapter book that was put out that took place during AF Season 3, but was non-canon. Guess who Albedo is working with? Fucking Vilgax. I read this book online a few months back, and guess what the plot is? Albedo pretending to be Ben with Julie realizing that something is wrong and getting Gwen and Kevin involved. I just wanna talk about this book for a second, Albedo ends up working with the group to get Ben back. Ben was sent to Incarcecon(? can't remember but he was in prison in Albedo's place I'm guessing? He started a riot and tried to get other prisoners out.) I remember this one joke Albedo made about "Looking like Tennyson" and I think it described him smirking in order to fool Vilgax and genuinely working with Gwen, Kevin, and Julie. They used Kevin's ID mask so Albedo could pretend to be Ben, which was neat ngl. His interactions with the group was actually fun, and omg I wish this was somehow canon. At the end it almost seems like Albedo was turning over a new leaf, but nope it was all a ploy to get Ben's Omnitrix, Azmuth teleports in and puts Albedo back in prison. But for a split second Ben thought Albedo went back to being Galvan, and seemed happy about it.

Summary:

UAF Albedo and Omniverse Albedo aren't the same. UAF Albedo just wanted his Galvan body back, but OV Albedo snapped and everything that happened was the result of that. Maybe he snapped after he got the Dream Eater stuck on him, and that pushed him over the edge but who knows. He just wanted everyone to pay, even after he had what he wanted. I wouldn't call him "evil" and I hate how the franchise kept treating him as if he was just an "Evil Ben" when Albedo has ALWAYS been his own person. He just wanted to fix his fuck up, but when he couldn't do that took it out on everyone because human emotions be a bitch on your psyche But maybe I just hyperfixate too much on a fictional character.

Btw: This is sorta Azmuth's fault that Albedo snapped. Ben could have done more, but he's a teenager who was dealing with a Highbreed war the time they met again. He probably wouldn't have gone against Azmuth at that point. Azmuth could've turned Albedo back to normal because even he knew Albedo only wanted the Omnitrix to go back to being a Galvan, but instead imprisoned him then turned him into an 11 year old.

And no this isn't a "Albedo did nothing wrong uwu" post. Albedo was 100% at fault for turning himself into Ben, I'm not denying that. As well as making the choices he did, when all he had to do was explain without the lies. We're also only hearing Azmuth's side of things, and of course since Azmuth is "good" we're expected to take his side. We never heard Albedo's side fully because the narrative didn't allow it. The narrative wanted Albedo to be "bad" so that's what we saw. The narrative didn't allow Albedo to fix his fuck up. Kinda sad really, especially how the franchise treated him at the end.

TL;DR: Albedo has never been an evil Ben, but snapped as time went on because everytime he tried to become Galvan again it was always screwed up. And when he finally became Galvan again, wanted to make everyone suffer for the things he was put through and I can’t really blame him.

[ahbeduo]

"...he's the only one left."

[gorkaya-trava]

no way they're making my girl rhinedottir "less evil". gods let her say fuck! let her torture her homunculus! let her GO TOTAL APESHIT😭😭

[javomelancholie]

This Albedo’s phrase in the original chinese version actually sounds like this: "Haha, it’s easier to find surprises when you put your curiosity in places where others don’t usually notice them".

I would translate it something like this:

"Haha, if you are interested in something that others don’t care about, you can discover a lot of surprising (amazing) things"

Basically, Albedo literally said albelumi rights

[latinokaeya-moving]

no fucking way i just saw a most powerful polycule tournament bracket and out of curiosity went to check what characters were included/see which ones i recognised and there was a Single genshin character polycule included and it’s literally the lamest one ever i would have NEVER guessed that’s the one that would’ve been chosen wtf 😭😭😭

[taylorman2274]

We Care About You (Part II)

The aftermath that follows is a struggle for everyone to comprehend.

Content Warning(s): N/A

Notes: SAGAU; GN!Reader

Word Count: 1k

Previous || Next

Taglist: @silverstarred

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The past few days have been hard for your mind to wrap around.

Ever since that particular incident you had while playing Genshin, you've been extremely hesitant to log back on. Now that you knew all the people of Teyvat were self-aware, you were scared to imagine what they thought of you.

"Have they been self-aware the entire time that I've been playing? Have they always been able to hear my voice whenever I spoke aloud? Do the Traveler and their friends hate me for forcibly controlling their movements and actions like puppets? If that's the case, wouldn't it be better for me to leave them alone without letting them know?"

It doesn't seem like there's any part of your day where you're not thinking about how to follow up with the world of Genshin Impact. In fact, it's gotten so bad for you that some of your friends have noticed your change in mood and asked if anything was wrong.

Knowing that this situation is not only unheard of but also impossible to comprehend for anyone, you simply told them that you were dealing with personal issues, which honestly isn't that far from the truth.

Eventually, you began to worry if some of the people in Teyvat would figure out a way to reach you beyond the computer should you not reach back to them soon. In the past, you would've laughed at such a thought. But now that you've witnessed the impossible, you didn't want to wait around and find out.

"If I'm going to continue playing Genshin, I should at least try and accommodate their needs and wants better."

As much as you didn't want to delay your return to Genshin any further, you felt that researching all of your current playable character's needs, wants, likes, and dislikes took top priority over anything else in your life right now.

...Well...besides your needs and wants.

First, you took note of their favorite and least favorite foods. You would feel pretty bad if you kept feeding them food that wasn't their preference. Especially since characters like Lisa and Ganyu were vegetarians.

Second, you took note of everyone's talents. While you know that some characters had passive talents which gave you extra dishes when cooking or extra materials when crafting, you felt that those jobs should be left to the professionals, such as Xiangling and Albedo respectively.

"Let's see. First off, I should probably remove the people in my party with full-time jobs, as they take priority over exploring with the Traveler. So I should probably replace any Knights of Favonius, Liyue Qixing, Tri-Commission Member, etc. However, that doesn't exactly leave me with a lot of options to choose from. Although Xiangling works for Wanmin Restaurant, she's currently exploring Teyvat for ingredients. I assume accompanying the traveler would be fine with her. Bennett works for the Adventure's Guild so that works as well. But that also leaves me with a Pyro-heavy party, which may pose a problem for enemies such as Pyro slimes..."

However, the more you spent time researching, the more pessimistic and depressed you began to feel. Here you were spending all this effort trying to accommodate to all the characters you've obtained without even knowing if they gave a single thought or care in the world towards you.

"...I never really asked if they wanted to join the Traveler's adventures. ...So...maybe I should just only use the Traveler...?"

You sighed deeply. This was not gonna be good for your mental health.

---------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile...

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The Traveler didn't know what to think.

On one hand, they were happy that [Y/N] was getting some much deserved rest. On top of that, they were also happy that they got to have a break from doing commissions all the time. But on the otherhand...

They were really starting to miss you.

This is the longest that they have gone without feeling your presence and they were starting to worry if they had accidentally scared you off due to that incident.

The incident that revealed Teyvat's self-awareness.

"...You're thinking about [Y/N] again, aren't you?" Paimon asked.

The Traveler chuckled sadly. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Kind of? Paimon thinks that's what everyone is thinking about."

They believe her. Zhongli, Venti, and a few others had reached out to them over the past couple of days for any news about [Y/N]. They were saddened by their expressions when they told them they had no news to give.

“...Y/N..." The Traveler sighed.

"Hmm?" Paimon hummed in thought, "What was that?"

"...To think that was their name all along. And to even think that they may be just as human as most people in Teyvat! It’s honestly kind of relieving when you think about it.

Although they weren't going to lie. At first, they saw [Y/N] as an unknown entity that possessed them to do its bidding. It was scary at first, knowing that neither them nor Paimon were able to figure out a way to interact with or avoid it. However, after solving both Mondstadt's and Liyue's respectable crises and powering them up with newfound strength, they started to see you as a sort of companion similar to Paimon.

"Yeah, even Paimon is starting to miss traveling and exploring with them."

"Is that so?" The Traveler taunted, "I thought that at one point you were trying to prove yourself as the better guide?"

"Hey! Paimon told you already that she has proved herself as the superior guide time and time again." She exclaimed as she crossed her arms.

They laughed. It felt nice to tease Paimon like this to distract them from the lack of [Y/N]'s presence, but they were starting to feel like they couldn't keep this up forever.

"Regardless, Paimon hopes that [Y/N] comes back soon. Everybody will feel a lot better once they do."

The Traveler looked up to the night sky and watched the stars flicker with light. Paimon followed their gaze and gave a sorrowful frown.

"I hope so too."

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Author Side Notes: I had an idea.

But in all seriousness, I'm flattered by all the positive comments, reblogs, and likes from the previous post. I only expected to get around 20 notes since it was my first post but somehow I've ended up at 800+ and counting? It's almost too much for me to handle lol.

As for the rest of this story, I've decided that it will likely take around six parts for me to reach its conclusion. We've got two down so far, so that makes four more to go. Of course, that's only if y'all want to read more.

[nappycherub]

No offense but if I see that “ we can’t have kids I have to die” fic again I will literally lose it like that sounds like terf shit :// like you can want kids and be upset that you can’t have them but adoption is literally an option ?? this is a magical world you can make one from scratch!! Aside from the fact that kids aren’t accessories to be like “I’ve always wanted one!!” Lmao you literally loose sleep because they’re in need of constant supervision; the way it’s talking about reproductive systems is very suspicious

[hadischara]

Genshin Characters when you hug them from behind

Albedo:

He didn't flinch, but he was still a bit surprised

Getting hugs wasn't that rare from you, but but something he didn't expect while sketching

He loves the gesture non the less

He'll try to finish whatever he's drawing or at least sketch it to a point where he knows what he wanted to do with it

He does that bc he wants to hug you back

He feels like you're asking for them :)

Tighnari:

Just make sure he isn't doing something very important rn

He ofc heard you, but if it's important he can't tend you right now

But in this case he'll enjoy your embrace

You didn't hear it from me,but if you put your head on his shoulder, he might pet you on your head

Sometimes he'd turn around and hug you before you hug him!

Lyney:

No questions asked: just turns around while in the hug and hugs you back.

Bonus if you give him a cheek kiss

He loves hugs, but between shows and the occasional errand for Lumine/Aether he doesn't have the most time

But he tries to spend his freetime a lot with you or include you into other activities

Mostly cuddles and hugs tho

Furina:

Well, of course you're hugging her! She deserves it!

She'll say this every time, but that doesn't mean you should stop!

Back hugs are nice, she likes them bc she knows that you got her and she feels safe.

But she doesn't really know HOW to thank you, so a nice dinner it is!

Collei: (purely platonic)

She gets a scare first, but she loves it once she realises that it's you

Still, she'll ask you to please warn her beforehand

But she will hug you too, but only for a brief moment

You helped her to get a lot better with touch, but she still likes it more to initiate the touches so she knows what comes

Hello my lovely little readers! I decided to grace you wth a little something again. But I still hope you're feeling alright!

(๑•ᴗ•๑)♡

[thatdeadaquarius]

PowerPoint night with the genshin cast ✨

NO BC I SAW THIS IN MY INBOX AND I WAS FROTHING AT THE MOUTH WITH TOO MANY IDEASSS, the energy is just this:

You introduce the wonderful concept of powerpoints, then a powerpoint night and you should expect absolute chaos

Mondstadt over here like,

"Why I Deserve Wine:

I am a god

I am YOUR god, give me offerings duh

(insert conclusion here)"

by Venti, he didn't even both filling out some slides, and they're all just plain text with maybe a nice selfie of himself on the first slide lmao

STOP, DILUC'S POWERPOINT BEING A 40 SLIDE PRESENTATION RESPONSE TO VENTI'S AHALKSJ

or better yet, Creator!You version:

"An Explanation of Why the One Above Us All Would Enjoy Living in Liyue During Their Stay Here" by Zhongli, which takes approx. 4+ hours to get thru, and its his case for why u should stay in Liyue Harbor - half the ppl there are actually paying attention and the other half are fast asleep (u included)

Meanwhile Yae Miko trying to stir the pot like, "Which Vision-User, God, or Nation is Our Ruler's Favorite" 💀

Also another presentation that would make several ppl give response presentations and it just becomes: HER SISTER WAS A WITCH BRO = THE CREATOR LIKES SUMERU MORE BRO

CRYING- people like Zhongli, Albedo, Alhaitham, Xingqiu, Neuvillette, Xiao, Sucrose, Jean, Ei/Raiden Shogun, Faruzan all misunderstanding and thinking u actually want a real presentation from them 😭😭

ngl all the Sumeru/Akademiya/Fontaine characters have probably gotten somewhat close to doing some kind of equivalent to this, mostly bc ppl will debate abt the stupidest stuff over there so they get it, wonder if they made drinking games out of it lol

(first question from Sumeru characters is "what is powerpoint night, and why has Alhaitham probably already won it")

pls im so braindead rn there are ENDLESS possibilities for this, if anyone has more I am LISTENING!!!

Safe Travel 0rah,

💀♒

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks / @devilangel657 / @esthelily / @justinsomniachild / @nanithefuck / @questionotmystopit / @chinuneko

@kiyomi-uchiha777

[makuta-kotok]

Am I based or cringe?

[ninjadudettekira]

Do you think Charmcaster, Darkstar and Albedo would make a good team? It's pretty interesting that all of the have parallels to the Alien Force team: Ben, Gwen and Kevin. It might be disfunctional, but somewhat fascinating.

*looks at this in the morning on 10/31* Me: I'll check it and respond later. *almost midnight that same day.* Me: Crap. Dunno actually. We already saw how Darkstar and Charmcaster would work together and probably would've been hella OP overall had Michael not have been so fixated on Gwen. I honestly can't see Albedo working with any of them. Neither would really help him in the long run, and both are powerful with their own type of magic/mana/whatever it's being called. Both are fixated on Gwen in some way over Ben, which could help Albedo by getting rid of her. But I think all their personalities would clash too much with each other to really pull off an effective team up. If they were to have a decent team up in order to do their respectful skills and win their characters may need rewrites or they all team up long before Charmcaster and Darkstar did in UA since that said how those two would work together given those circumstances. But tbh I'm not really sure, I haven't been fixated on Charmcaster's or Darkstar's characters as much as I have with Albedo, so I can't really dive deep into how they'd all be on a team together unless I did a lot of research on Charmcaster and Darkstar and analyze them way more. It would be an interesting team up, and probably better than any of the other team ups Albedo did. (CoughVilgaxCough) Dunno if this was the answer you're looking for, but I didn't wanna do a whole essay on specifics of how potential team ups could work depending on where it was placed since that's where this was going originally till I shortened it lol.

[kazvha]

IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!

Summary: random birthday headcanons

Including: Various characters from genshin, bsd, hq, knb, eleceed, jjk, aot, bllk, op, hxh, fire force, mtp, valorant, resident evil, ff7

He's the sweetest thing ever. The night before your birthday, he decided to bake your favorite birthday cake without any prior knowledge. He honestly didn't expect to stay up the whole night. It took hours until the cake looked appealing and the result was still messy, but it's the thought that counts, right?

The next day he surprised you with the finished cake and some balloons in your favorite colors.

"Happy birthday love! Let's make the most out of today."

-

"Shit I forgot to taste the cake-"

"Did you say something?"

"No babe." 😊

- Wriothesley, Wanderer, Xiao, Yoru, Iso, Geto, Eren, Kayden, Sigma, Chuuya, Chigiri, Karasu, Benimaru, Vulcan, Zoro, Chris, Sherlock, Moran, Kageyama, Sawamura, Daishou, Suna, Kagami, Aomine

He thinks that there's no better way to celebrate your birthday than celebrating your birth with your loved ones. So he planned a whole birthday party for you and invited all your friends. You make his life so much brighter and he wanted to give you something back.

"There is our star of the evening!! Tonight's gonna be your night! Come on everybody, let's sing!"

- Gaming, Kaeya, Lyney, Phoenix, Gekko, Jean, Connie, Reo, Itadori, Ace, Carlos, Zack, Albert, Kuroo, Terushima, Atsumu, Sugawara, Kise

He made your birthday present all by himself. He picked out all his favorite pictures of you in his gallery and printed them out in a store. Then he bought a new scrapbook and carefully decorated each page of the book with pictures, some stickers, and a few doodles. He even wrote down his thoughts, inside jokes, and genuine comments and compliments. He hopes you'll like it. On the first page, he wrote:

"I love your smile in this picture. You know, your smile is actually something I look forward to every day. Happy Birthday. Let's create more happy moments together."

- Armin, Albedo, Kazuha, Kaveh, Leon, Sova, Kunikida, Isagi, Hiori, Choso, Cloud, William, Louis, Kenma, Muse, Akaashi, Aran, Osamu, Kuroko, Midorima, Ogun

You woke up to your boyfriend pressing soft kisses all over your face and singing Happy Birthday for you. To your dismay, his voice sounded horrible! You still appreciated his effort though and gave him a tight & loving hug.

"haPPY BirtHday To YoUu, HaPpy BirThDAy tO yOuUuUuuU!"

- Gojo, Itto, Ayato, Heizou, Dazai, Atsushi, Bachira, Shidou, Aiku, Luffy, Sanji, Shanks, Sabo, Hisoka, Inhyuk, Reno, Oikawa, Hinata, Nishinoya, Lev, Bokuto, Tendou, Arthur

"Get into your prettiest outfit, we're going out." He takes you on a shopping stroll and buys you literally everything.

"Today is a special day darling. Take everything you want, you deserve it."

The day ends with a hearty meal in your favorite restaurant. He takes your hand in his and rubs his thumb over your knuckles.

"I hope you could enjoy yourself thoroughly today."

- Childe, Diluc, Zhongli, Neuvillette, Alhaitham, Kartein, Fyodor, Sephiroth, Levi, Chamber, Barou, Rin, Sae, Nanami, Law, Kid, Chrollo, Iwaizumi, Ushijima, Sakusa, Kita, Akashi

[whispereons]

Oracle!Reader Part 23

Masterlist - Part 1, Part 22, Part 24

Warning! This is a SAGAU imposter au so this is pretty gory and not happy all the time. Plus yandere but that's the expected for SAGAU.

Xingqiu and Chongyun both showed muddled emotions at your words of leaving Liyue.

“That may be best for you…” Chongyun says first as he keeps his gaze on the floorboards.

“Yes, I agree. Although I never expected that you would have to leave Liyue so soon, it's clear that you aren't safe here.” 

Xingqiu’s words that were full of understanding still had disappointment sprinkled in.

“We can't do much to help you when it comes to Ningguang, but Mondstadt is a different story. Do you have the talisman on you right now?”

Chongyun takes a few steps closer as you lift the amulet for him to see. He rubs one finger on it, examining the symbol that appears at the action.

“It's still at full charge, good. The road to Mondstadt can either be empty or full of demons depending on the day. But once you get to Wangshu Inn, it becomes much safer.”

“Because of Xiao, right? Despite how the situation looked when I first met the Adepti, I'm on relatively good terms with them now.”

It was a bit risky telling them this, but they both deserved to know at this point.

“When are you planning on leaving? Is your meeting with Ningguang today?” Switching the topic, Xingqiu brings the focus back to the most pressing issue.

Nodding, you answer. “My meeting is with her today, but I'll probably have to leave either at midnight or early tomorrow morning. The sooner, the better.”

“Then I can offer you some help that should make staying in Mondstadt a bit easier.” Xingqiu grins as he takes out paper and some ink. “I happen to know someone-”

“Albedo, right?” Cutting off Xingqiu as you think back to his connection, you continue. “Together you made the book, uh what was the name again? A Legend of a Sword? It got pretty popular in Inazuma. I remember there was a whole festival on light novels that you both attended too.”

Once you stop, you notice Xingqiu squinting his eyes at you before replying. “That's really creepy, you know? If I didn't know you were the Oracle, then I would have believed you to be some stalker.”

“If I was, then I wouldn't be stalking you of all people.” You snapped back as he grins while shaking his head.

“But yes, I'll send Albedo a letter in advance so that he can arrange for you to be settled nicely over there. I won't mention the Oracle situation as the Creator didn't want you to be known widely like that.”

It's been so long since you last heard the title ‘Creator’ be mentioned despite the fact that all of your problems come from their supposed existence.

Only goes to show just how ingrained the Creator is in this world.

“Thanks Xingqiu. Albedo is the chief alchemist and well respected among the community, so I should be in safe hands.”

Xingqiu merely hums in response as Chongyun tugs the amulet closer to him.

“Just trying to apply a better talisman on it.” He mumbles in accordance with your stare as he settles himself closer to you.

He's basically pressed against your side, but you strangely don't feel uncomfortable to have him close.

As the pair focus on their own activities, your mind wanders off to Albedo.

Albedo, the chief alchemist and homunculus created by Gold, the famous Khaenri'an scientist. Khaenri'ah, which also held so much information that could be connected to Celestia…

It was a long shot, but you could try digging for information about Celestia from him. The deal that Celestia made with Teyvat still bothers you to no end. With the age of this deal unknown, you might even have to look into the primordial dragons if it's even older than the Archon war.

A light shining brought you back to the present and your eyes flickered down to where the amulet shined in Chongyun’s hands.

Once it died down to reveal a more intricate symbol than before, Chongyun nodded, satisfied with the final product.

“This one is a lot stronger and should last longer now. I know you can fight well, but the demonic energy in Bishui Plain and Qiongji Estuary has shown to rise around this time of the year.”

Carefully taking the amulet from him, you thumbed the symbol with curious eyes. “I get it, thank you. Does it activate on its own, or do I have to activate it with something?”

“It'll work on its own. Depending on the amount and degree of demonic energy around it, the workings will change.”

Motioning with his hands, Chongyun’s calm voice explains the working to you. At the end of the rather lengthy explanation, you nod and condense the information in your mind.

“And now that Instructor Chongyun is done teaching you, I'm happy to say that I'm done with the letter. Have been for a while, but I saw no need to interrupt the oh so fascinating lecture.”

Raising the letter, Xingqiu lazily waved it as Chongyun bristled but ultimately said nothing.

“I can send this once I get home. Unfortunately, neither me nor Chongyun will be available to accompany you through your journey.”

Xingqiu tsk’d at his own words while Chongyun turned his head away, visibly sulking.

“My family was just hired to check out Wuwang Hill and my attendance for this is mandatory. Xingqiu’s father is forcing him to stay and attend meetings with his brother for the week as well.”

All you could do was smile sadly in response.

Before long they were both forced to leave by Baizhu who insisted on total privacy for the reviewing of your medication and discharge.

Watching them climb down the stairs from the window in your room, you listen absentmindedly to Baizhu.

Changsheng still refused to see you. Something Tevyat was clearly displeased with, as the once sunny weather quickly turned cloudy. The cold-blooded creature must be huffing in annoyance by now.

“And this is the overview of medication and supplements to take, with the doses and dates to take them.”

Casually looking over the paper received from the shady snake bastard, you hummed for a moment before stuffing it into your bag.

“All of it is paid for by your special benefactor. And the drug you requested has already been paid with by your body, as we both know.”

‘Must he phrase it like that?’ You internally questioned as you snatch the medication and shove it into your bag.

“I'm glad for it. Maybe even more so if she didn't pin so many babysitters onto me.”

At your grumble, Baizhu’s smile wavered at the edges. Either he truly hadn't known why there was extra ‘security’ or he was a great liar. You suspect it's a bit of both.

“Then if everything has been covered, I’m happy to say that you're officially discharged as of-” He merely glanced at the sun still high in the sky before finishing. “1300. I sincerely hope that the next time we meet you'll be in a better physical state.”

“And I sincerely wish we never have to meet again.” The words you utter are full of sarcasm, something Baizhu simply chuckles at.

“Now what could I have possibly done to deserve your ire, dear Oracle?”

“It's what you haven't done. A little heads up about all the guards would have been nice.”

“Oh, but I did!” His smile seems a little sharper as he leans toward you, his glasses sliding down to the bridge of his nose. “Didn't I let you know early on that there were quite a lot of guards?”

With an annoyed scoff, you snap back. “You said it was due to the two temples nearby, not cause Ningguang wanted to keep an eye on me.”

Raising his hands with wide eyes, Baizhu tried to placate you. “I'm not part of the Millelith, how on earth could a physician like me know the true reasoning?”

Holding his gaze, you tried to discern what he was truly thinking at this moment. Malice? Amusement? Mocking kindness?

But at that moment, all you could see was genuine surprise in his eyes. It only served to confuse you further.

Was Baizhu truly innocent in this? Your instincts in situations like these were usually correct. Besides, what would Baizhu even gain from deceiving you?

Still, that didn't explain why Baizhu was always so damn shady, but maybe you should chalk it up to an unfortunate side effect of being contracted with a snake.

“Well, then let me reiterate my earlier words. While I still hope we won't have to meet again. I do wish for us to want to meet again.”

Baizhu lowers his arms while fixing his glasses to laugh, the sound is surprisingly tender. “And how do you expect me to tell when that would be? I’m no mind reader.”

Standing up, you stay silent as you slip your bag over your shoulders and move past him. The door opens with a creak as you tilt your head slightly to meet his eyes.

“To put it simply, I’ll want to see you when you discover whatever is hidden in my culture sample.”

The door clicks shut as you leave Bubu’s Pharmacy for good.

----------------------------

After a brief but firm pat to Qiqi’s head, you walk down the stairs casually. The slight rustling of the leaves, the fabric of curtains drawn, and the quieting of chatter are all brought to your attention.

Ningguang’s spies and the Millelith guards are all watching you like rabid dogs, waiting for you to slip up and give them an excuse to arrest you right now. 

Smiling without hesitation, you get to the last step and pretend that the forced conversations around you aren't scripted, and that the eyes locked on you are of a curious bystander and not the ones of detectives.

Bringing your attention back to the list you have clenched in your hand, you read the first errand on the list.

Return books to library.

Easy enough, and it's even easier when people seem to automatically avoid being in your path.

Is this what a day in Xinyan's life feels like? It's honestly not that bad.

At least you thought so until you got to the counter and waited for the receptionist to return.

Five minutes pass. Then ten minutes, which quickly turn into fifteen in a blink of an eye. You can feel your mood worsening.

Deciding to test something, you walk away from the library and turn the corner. Peeking around the corner, you watch as the ‘customer’ that was standing in the corner all those minutes gets to the counter. Almost immediately, a swarm of people return to it.

Sighing heavily, you ignore the weight of suspicious stares and turn the corner back into the library. Getting back into line feels humiliating, but it's just a quick errand, you tell yourself.

No one moves out of the way, but the quick glances they send you make them pale with each minute.

Not a soul dares to stand behind you.

It's finally your turn, and you place your books on the table with the last bit of patience you had. She doesn't meet your eyes and mumbles something.

“I'm sorry, what did you say?” Leaning closer, you try to catch her words, only for her to yell.

“It's lunchtime now so I can't accept any more returns or purchases. H-Have a good-d da-ay!”

Flabbergasted at the sheer audacity, you watch her flip a sign on the table and flee the area.

“Fuck this shit.” Colorful curses leave you as you drop all the books haphazardly on the table and storm away.

Crossing it off the list, you follow the main path to the next errand.

Collect reward from Guild

That commission should have given you one hell of a paycheck the last time you checked. Primogems may be worthless now, but you could use the Mora the commission provides.

Plus, you needed to let them know to change it to the Mondstadt region.

Lost in thought of all the technicalities and paperwork you would have to fill out, you weren't focusing on the fleeting whispers around you.

“Is that them?”

“Who else could it be?”

“What a monster…”

“-as long as we get paid.”

“Who cares about-”

“It's me or them.”

“As long as it's them and not me.”

Your experience at the guild was a much kinder one. Katheryne was the epitome of professionalism, just as you remembered her to be. Not that you expected much else from a robot.

After handing all the written work to her, you finally noticed the absence of a certain person.

“Where’s that grouchy Lan? She's usually here, isn't she?” Checking the vicinity, you try to spot the brown recognizable bob.

“The Branch Master Lan is currently undertaking a commission at this time.”

“About the unseen razor, right?”

“That can not be disclosed to unauthorized-”

“It's fine. I’ll see you later, Katheryne.” Turning around, you leave without another thought. Lan wasn't anywhere near the ‘threatening’ list you've created since you last saw her.

Pick up plushie

Crossing out the previous task, you look at the present one with mixed emotions. On one hand, you were happy to get a chance to see something related to Earth, to your world. But at the same time, you couldn't help but wonder if it would serve more as a distraction than anything else. The memories it brought up never failed to leave your heart troubled…

Remembering the money you spent commissioning it ultimately tipped the scales, and so you dragged your feet to the little old lady’s toy shop.

It was empty just as the first time you were there as she hummed. If she was a vision holder you'd guess Hydro judging by the tranquility she radiated.

Her eyes meet yours and a happy smile slips onto your face without much thought.

“Here to pick up the toy, dearie?”

“Yup.” Popping the ‘p’, you watched as she gathered a delicately wrapped box from under the other boxes and presented it to you.

“Enjoy the nostalgic memories a toy can bring.”

You politely thank her before taking the present and walking away. The weight of the box is heavy with dread, and you can only find solace in the fact she didn't refer to it as ‘happy’ memories.

Once sufficiently out of sight, you take to grasping the lid. But you couldn't bring yourself to remove it.

Too many memories. All of them are rushing in and filled with conflicting feelings that would surely crush you. The fear and selfishness of the broken promises and unfulfilled desires would throw you off your game.

With a little too much enthusiasm, you stuff the box of the cat plushie into your bag.

Most likely to stay forgotten and distant from the present you're facing.

Scratching it off harder than the rest, you get to the last errand.

Refill supplies

A smart and mature move considering how you used the whole Medkit during the chase. The soggy bandages and washed away ointment really hurt your heart and wallet.

Revisiting the same shops you went to the first time proved to be ineffective. Either they were completely sold out or no longer supplying them.

Forced to visit more stores, you had to walk around the city a lot more than you cared to. Each store had one of the two situations, and the skittish actions of everyone around you were just the cherry on top.

At one point you even tried to buy the individual items separately, and even that failed.

It's not like you could just wait till next week for the first shipment. You weren't even sure you would live till then.

Eventually, you found yourself sulking on the lower docks, turning the situation around in your head.

If only you lived in Liyue for a little longer, maybe you could have found some of the hidden shops. Befriend a store owner and get a hidden one.

Just who the hell would even go out of their way to get every medical first aid part when it's such a crucial item for so many people in this era?

A name finally comes to mind and your expression sours at the thought. Not that you’d let it show, Celestia knows how many guards are watching you at this moment-

A sudden, rapid series of taps on your shoulder has you spinning around in surprise.

A young boy stands before you. The clothes he wears has visible wear and tear as the fabric frays from the edges. Yet you can't help but think you might have seen him before.

Placing a finger on his lips, he uses his other hand to grab hold of your elbow and tug you along.

Surprised but not suspicious of the kid, you let him lead you deeper into the docks. The dark red of his eyes seem to glow within the shadows as his dirty blond hair acts as your beacon of light.

The smell of fresh fish turns rotten, and the dirt caked under his fingernails stains your clothes. The complete and straight planks become jagged and creaky as you follow him farther.

But you stayed silent.

You recognized a path to the seedy part of the city when you see it.

Instead, you examine the younger boy with a critical eye and finally connect the dots. He must be one of the kids you saved with Yiran.

A smirk creeps up your face. It seems you managed to use your time wisely in making connections after all.

Following along the twists and turns, you don't worry too much about the Millelith. Most of the guards probably couldn't even get this far. If you had to guess, it would only be the detectives who could keep up.

It's not like the hidden underworld of cities as popular as Liyue Harbor are any big secret to them.

Stalls and various shops fill the area as flickering lanterns and other extra lighting give you a wider view.

Multiple people call out to the boy as he silently waves to them. The gaze of the homeless and shady people around aren't warm, but aren't hostile either.

Not that you were exactly expecting a warm welcome, but at least you didn't have to worry about sudden personality changes.

Money could buy you information, but it wouldn't buy you trust in these parts.

He finally stops at a little nook in the corner of the area. The door is worn down with scratches and marks yet the light you can see under it is warm.

Silent as before, he points at you, then to the rows of shops in a sweeping motion before stopping at the door.

Pinching your brows in slight confusion, you chew on the gestures to understand it. High-pitched laughter that suspiciously sounds like children eases into your ears as the boy squirms in place.

“Did you want me to knock on the door when I'm done shopping? That you'll lead me back to the surface?”

It was the only thing that you can think of. And despite your hesitation, the boy nods, clearly relieved that you understood the message.

He must truly be mute, no doubt from whatever horrors he must have faced that lead to the scars poorly hidden by mud on his arms.

You were thankful either way. Just leading you here was great but getting an exit too was even better. Now you could avoid getting mugged and/or murdered on your way back.

“Thanks man, I'll be quick.” With that, you walk away, already following the invisible path to the shops that caught your eye.

As much as you would have liked to explore the various items and weapons they had, you didn't want to keep the kid waiting.

After having to buy a rather expensive medical kit, a minor downside to finding the first medical anything since you left Bubu’s pharmacy, you pick up a minor stitching case.

You could have really used one during your latest and probably not last chase. Stuffing it into your bag, as people eye the magical item with desire, you quickly find the home.

Getting to the door, you step closer than before and take note of the older voice. A woman that's chuckling, and a lingering sense of guilt invades your mind.

Quickly rapping your knuckles on the wood, you step away as the home goes dead quiet.

Multiple little eyes peer at you from windows below you as you lazily grin and wave. They all scatter as giggling resumes and the sound of playing returns.

But not the woman’s voice. You didn't expect it to. It's hard to face the only person you've poured your raw wounds from a child's death to.

The kid finally steps out with multiple clicks of locks echoing around the small space. Smiling, you take no offense to the action. You weren't here for trust, and they weren't helping you out of it either.

His crimson eyes glisten with interest at your bag. He wants his pay, and you're more than happy to oblige.

Stuffing your hand into the bag, you feel the familiar clink of Mora gathering in your hand. Pulling it out, you place an appropriate amount into the pouch he already has prepared.

When you drop it all, he takes it closer to him and picks up a piece. The first thing he does is try to bite it, and the familiar memory of you testing coins the same way makes you smile sadly.

Counting the Mora, he frowns, clearly displeased with the amount. He holds his hand out, and you can feel the other children’s stares digging into you.

“I'm going to give you two things that aren't Mora, okay? But you have to keep it a secret.”

He narrows his eyes, no doubt suspecting you of being a shady person. That's probably why he brought you here first and demanded payment before returning you.

Like this, he has back up and cornered you further into payment of his choosing.

“Do you have a cooking pot?”

He frowns in confusion before nodding slowly. Lifting one finger in a pause motion, before heading back inside his home.

He returns while holding a clean cooking pot. It doesn’t take long before he places it over the open fire you already started.

Small eyes follow your every step as you dig out ingredients from your bag. Mentally going over the ingredients you had originally prepared for your celebration feast if you survived tonight, you drop them into the pot.

4 ham, 3 crabs, 3 shrimp meat, and 3 matsutake potatoes are dropped in.

Turning around, you count to five as the boy gives you a confused stare. But you only wink at him before turning around to look at the pot, as his eyes widen at the sight.

Adeptus’ Temptation sits innocently in the pot as the rich aroma wafts around the area, drawing curious hungry eyes.

Leaning down, you whisper to the boy.

“Get your friends and bring the pot back into your house quickly. This food is blessed and safe as you watched the whole process. I suggest you let the sickly and injured children eat first.”

He looks between you and the pot with conflicting emotions. On one hand, he can't trust you too much, but even the smell of the food was clearly tempting him.

It's the shuffling of feet getting closer that makes him bang on the door, signalling for the other children to come out and help him bring it inside.

By the time the shabby adults come into view, it's just you and the boy ‘talking’ as they grumble and turn around.

The kid still looks displeased. You don't blame him completely, since how can he trust that the food you cook isn't spiked with anything nefarious.

You're not even sure if it can heal people that aren't acolytes. It doesn't work on you after all.

At least they'll all enjoy a hot meal, even if it doesn't work.

Sighing, you take out your last resort from your bag, sadly selecting it and pulling it out. The secret weapon you've been saving since your time in Inazuma.

The colorful assortment of candy wrappers makes the kid’s eyes sparkle with the childlike glee that was absent since you met him. Probably long before you met him.

“It's not just Liyue candy, some are even from Inazuma.” The thought of giving up your hard-earned candy hurt you, but you let it go. 

The candy you squirreled away during the Inazuma festival, and the discount ones you bought at cheap prices at Liyue’s markets, were both never going to be eaten anyway.

His hands reach out to snatch the candy greedily from you but you raise it out of reach at the last second. He stomps his foot in childish indignation as you chuckle.

“Sorry, but I need you to bring me back to the outside before you scam me out of any more goodies.”

Finally giving up, he grabs your elbow again and leads you back through the streets. You enjoy the sights as he leads you zigzagging through the stalls.

You can't help but wonder if any detectives are still watching your boring little interactions. Admittedly, you played into the kid's desires more then you had to.

But you couldn't stop yourself from doing so when all you could see in him was yourself when you were that height.

The sun comes into light as the dim lanterns fade away. Like this, you can see his features once more as the stomping of soldiers return.

His eyes scan the area at the sound, but he keeps his hands open for the sweet treats. Smiling, you drop the candy into his open palms before he rushes off with a beaming boyish grin.

Stretching as you walk up the planks to the surface, you finally cross off the last item and drop it into the nearby trash can.

You try to ignore how it disappears when you turn the corner.

------------------------------------

Time ticks down slowly, and you aren't looking forward to seeing Madam Ping just yet. Besides, you made a long-overdue promise to someone else beforehand.

Starting up at the somewhat hidden Funeral Parlor, you push the door open with a casual; “Hey, I'm here to meet up with the Director of this fine and totally not macabre establishment.”

The receptionist blinks at your sudden words before a cheery voice responds from behind her.

“You sure took your time, Y/N. I almost wondered if you up and died before I got a chance to have you purchase one of our very convenient and practical deals!”

Yet again, Hu Tao was right on the money about you being close to death. Idly, you wonder if you look half as dead as you feel.

The receptionist is more than happy to slip away as her boss bounds up to you with that elemental ghost hovering around her.

Flower pupils stare into your eyes, giving you a vague sense of unease as Hu Tao examines you from various angles. 

“Yup, yup! Just as I suspected. You are in desperate need of escape, and it seems the only way you'll be getting it is in death. My honest suggestion is that you buy a coffin from us and lead a hedonist lifestyle to enjoy the few years you have left.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” You dryly respond as she nods approvingly. 

“A business needs to be honest for it to succeed in the long-term. Trust of the customers is one of the biggest key factors.”

Not willing to argue on a topic you were admittedly clueless on, you follow her deeper into the Parlor.

“Then you got any good deals for a traveling adventurer like me who could be dead halfway across the world?”

She sighs, exaggerating it to the utmost while circling you. “I thought deeply on the topic and while the Wangshsng Funeral Parlor has grown enough to reach all of Liyue and a good amount of Mondstadt and Sumeru, we still haven't grown enough to pair up with each region.”

Passing by multiple doors, your eyes scan for a clue on where she was leading you.

“But considering you're the most eager customer I've had concerning their own death, I decided to present you with a special deal.”

“Wouldn't suicidal people also be enthusiastic in this topic?”

“They're usually more focused on the moment and their own afterlife, instead of the corpse they leave behind. Besides-!”

Whipping around to look at you with a knowing grin, she lays a hand decorated in rings on the handle.

“You aren't that far from being called a suicidal person yourself, Y/N!”

Before you can question her on those words, she swings the door open to show multiple rows of various coffins.

“The special offer I'm giving you is to purchase a coffin and I will personally escort your wandering soul to the border for proper peace.”

Tearing your eyes from the admittedly impressive collection of varying caskets, you have the sense to ask her a question. “So, what's the point in me buying a coffin if my body ends up in the waters of Fontaine? And how could I even trust that you have the ability to escort souls?”

From what you remember, Hu Tao should have no clue about your oracle status, so logically you should act oblivious to her connection with the border. Would you even be able to cross the border? It’s not like you were born on Teyvat like her other customers.

Unless Zhongli told her, but that would require more of an explanation on his behalf that he wouldn't want to do. 

“Very good question, dear customer!” She spins around to face you once more, her long twin tails swinging during the motion.

“Even if your body is irretrievable for whatever reason, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor will deem your casket full after I guide your soul.”

The atmosphere visibly shifts after she speaks. The room darkens as the lanterns flicker, her back lowers in a familiar position as a cold phantom touch caresses your hand.

“You of all people should know why and how I'm able to guide souls. After all, I wouldn't expect anything less from an Oracle of the Creator.”

A crooked grin makes its way to your face as goosebumps raise on your skin. Hu Tao’s ‘threatening’ words of knowing your identity were like the sweetest song to your ears.

Finally, all your hard work in creating connections and stabilizing your identity has paid off. Acolytes you've barely begun conversing with already see you as an Oracle.

“Should I applaud you or something, Director? Or should I just accept the deal and make us both happy?”

Hu Tao laughs at your words as you take confident strides to stand by her side.

“I would appreciate the second option much more!” Signature flower pupils drink your smiling visage in with delight before her hand grasps yours in a tight hold.

“Now, if you will, I'll introduce all these amazing coffin and casket types for you to ask about and choose between.”

There's no time to protest, not that you would as she pulls you along excitedly as butterflies made of Pyro brush against your cheek.

------------------------------

Somehow you and Hu Tao had managed to look at every single coffin type in existence. A style, color and even additional design to it has already been decided.

You're just left with choosing the best wood for it.

Hu Tao wanted to stay with you throughout the whole process, but an important matter came up again, making her complain loudly as she left.

But before she did, she insisted on sending one of her employees to help you in choosing, as ‘the wood is a vital part of the process!’. 

So now you're left waiting in the absolutely quiet room, with only the sound of your own breathing accompanying you.

Looking down at the two coffins made of different wood, you waited for this employee. A small smirk played on your lips as you heard the door audibly click shut.

The thumping of shoes coming closer was silent, but the slight hitch of breath gave away how close your new consultant was.

“White cedar wood and Teck wood are both very fine choices. Though I would consider the Catalpa wood two rows down to be the best choices considering your position.”

Hot air fans your skin as the knowledgeable words spoken in that low timber light your nerves aflame.

Turning around, you look into amber eyes that remain steadfast on your face. His outfit is pristine and there's not a single evidence of the battle he was left to fight on him.

“If that answers your last question for the coffin customization, then would you mind stepping outside with me?”

Waving your hand, you dismiss his words without hesitation. “We can do so after I check out the Catalpa wood you recommended.”

Your head angles to the side to look at him with a teasing grin. “I know it's your retirement, but you of all people should know that rushing a job is never good.”

A long-suffering sigh leaves Zhongli as you walk away to the Catalpa coffin, before he follows you. 

More than happy to kill time like this, you feel the wood under your fingertips in a smooth stripe.

“Catalpa wood was and is still often used as an outer coffin for the jade inner coffin that Liyue officials were buried in. Not only can it be carved fluidly, but it is also very resistant to decay, unlike other ornamental wood. Its stability is quite underrated, with only the drying to be a tad problematic. And even that will be for us to deal with.”

Vaguely you wonder if this information was inserted into the game based off China’s own history or if Teyvat really did age throughout many years to build its own history.

“That’s why I recommended this type of wood to you. While you’re not officially a member of the Qixing or other affairs, your position of oracle is enough to warrant such a valued coffin.”

“Are you trying to convince me to buy it for your job, or are you trying to flatter me for your proposal?”

“You may see it as both, neither, or one of the two. I'm simply here as the consultant. I am to assist you with all of your decision-making inside this building.”

A huff of laughter leaves you before you tap on the casket. “Then I'll go along with what you want and take this wood.”

Zhongli nods, not bothering to write it down as his memory must be far greater than you care to imagine. 

His gloved hand is displayed to you in a silent question, but before you can move, he removes the glove.

Quizzically, you raise an eyebrow before placing your hand on his now bare one. Peering at his face from your place you note the slightest blush on his otherwise composed expression.

Smiling to yourself, you allow his fingers to intertwine with your own as he guides you out of the side door. Following him blindly up the staircase, past a set of rooms, another staircase till you finally arrive at the roof.

Zhongli squeezes your hand one last time, clearly relishing in the touch of your calloused fingertips before letting you go.

“I've waited patiently for you, Y/N. What is your answer to my marriage proposal?”

His eyes stare at yours with unshakable firmness. In a sense, it's endearing, and you make it clear by smiling widely.

“It's a no from me.” That resolute expression cracks and his mouth drops open before it's slammed shut at your bright laughter.

But even his poorly concealed embarrassed expression can't smother the blood rushing to his cheeks as his ears hang onto every addictive note that leaves your lips.

This has taken a long time. Like super long. I haven't dropped this series, just have lots of school work to complete and exams to study for. Like I literally have one tomorrow. My editor did me a solid and highlighted the parts that I had to fill in after I gave the mostly completed document for editing. When I have to write the next chapter, it'll take a bit as I gotta reread for recalibration. Taglist is open as always!

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[lyneira]

♡ say "cheese"! ♡

-> how the hsr and genshin men act in a photobooth

The type that goes all out

Sampo, Luka, Venti, Heizou, Kaveh, Itto, Childe, Kaeya

These guys will make the most out of the photobooth, going all out on poses, props and stickers. He'll be goofy with you, doing things like giving you rabbit ears or smushing his cheek against yours right in front of the camera.

You two would be stuck in the photobooth for a while because he won't get out until he's gone through all the poses and props that he wanted, enjoying the fond memories that you two have created.

10/10 photobooth partner!!

Does his best

Dan Heng, Cyno, Diluc, Xiao, Albedo

Will be incredibly awkward, blinking when the camera flashes, and overall unsure of how to naturally do a fun pose. The best he can do would be holding up casual peace signs with a nonchalant look on his face. They would try to smile, but it would look so forced that he's better off without it, LOL. If you want to induce a nice expression on him, then give him a quick kiss and he'll have the cutest blush on his face for the picture, hehe.

Smiles the whole time

Jing Yuan, Luocha, Welt, Zhongli, Ayato, Baizhu, Kazuha, Tighnari

These folks would smile brightly the entire time! Initially, they'd be smiling for the photo, but when they see your exhilarated face as you enjoy these moments taking photos with him, he can't help but soften his gaze and direct his smile towards you, falling in love all over again.

So when the photo strip comes out, you'll notice how the first photo will show him looking into the camera, but then the rest will reveal him admiring you the entire time, with such love and tenderness in his gaze. It's great that it's caught on camera because now you'll finally know how he looks at you everyday 😌

Doesn't pose or smile

Blade, Dainsleif, Alhaitham

They will be very boring with it, simply looking into the camera with an indifferent look despite your smiling face and happy expression beside him.

Yet, when you press a kiss to his cheek for the next photo, intending for it to be a cute and innocent shot, he'll lowly grumble, "If you're going to kiss me, do it right". He'll suddenly turn to you, firmly grabbing your chin to face him before going in to devour your lips. And he wouldn't tear away from you until the camera stopped flashing.

You wanted to go to the photobooth to capture memories right? Well now you've got some great things to remember, like the feeling of his lips, the clashing of each other's teeth, and the way his tongue danced with yours, and you have it all on a photostrip to look back at 🤭

Would be shy

Gepard, Gorou, Thoma

He would try his best to match your energy and poses in the photobooth, although he might be shy or hesitant about it. He'll constantly ask if he's doing it right, and would almost always have such a vibrant blush on his face. It'd make him look all the more adorable.

CLASSIC SCARAMOUCHE

He deserved to be in a category all on his own

Will intentionally be a little shit and not smile. Instead, he'll stick his tongue out at the camera and give a "blegh" face (like he does in his idle animation). If you try to match his expression, he'll huff or lowly chuckle, but deep down he finds it so endearing. He'd love it so much that he'll end up indulging you in the poses and props you'd like in return, claiming that he "just felt like it" or doing it because "he knows he can do them better than you". In truth, all he really wants to see is your smile and take this time to feel close to you

© 2023 lyneira. PLEASE DO NOT COPY, PLAGIARIZE, OR REPOST MY WRITING ONTO OTHER PLATFORMS

[chainelunaire]

would they enjoy being called ‘babygirl’?

(gn)

kaeya: he’ll probably laugh right at your face. humiliating.

venti: probably, if he’s drunk enough. otherwise, he’ll need to drink more to make himself forget what you just said.

albedo: will play dumb, as if he doesn’t understand what you mean. he does understand. he just has the time of his life when you embarrass yourself by explaining this to him.

diluc: no.

zhongli: is genuinely confused. will ask for your explanation. then he’ll repeat it somewhere in the harbour. you better not visit for a good while.

tartaglia: no, you are! you are the babygirl!

xiao: he won’t understand right form the get-go, but with time he’ll learn to sincerely love it.

thoma: loves it, but if kamisato siblings will know, they’ll mock him until the day he dies. so no babygirl life for him.

kazuha: he’ll just smile at you very kindly. humiliating (2).

itto: he absolutely would. tries to be discreet about it and fails miserably. everyone in inazuma knows. his previous reputation is ruined. now he’s living his best babygirl life.

ayato: he’ll pretend he did not just hear that. the only act of mercy you deserve after your embarrassment. don’t ever say that again. maybe, when others are not around at least.

scaramouche: yes (is ashamed).

tighnari: you are the baby here. stop smiling. this is not a compliment. it’s degrading.

al-haitham: go do your homework.

cyno: yes (is not ashamed).

kaveh: you stole that from him, so he’s equally proud and offended. give him the credit and you good to go.