#I go in talking about Tao

[cloudyspider]

Rereading/watching BBCT and rambling about things I find interesting or may've missed a first time part 5 featuring Taokaka and Litchi

Starting off with Tao there's not much to say. She's the fun goofy character and her story does well to relay that. That isn't to say she's one-dimensional as when she does have Arakune dead to rights she decides to let him go so long as he no longer bothers the Kakas. Partly because it's the right thing to do and partly because Litchi told her it isn't right to hurt people. Something he's never going to honor but it's the thought that counts. Her head maybe vacant ninety percent of the time but she is definitively a sweet girl.

Surprising that Kokonoe actually showed up to her in Kagatsuchi of all the story modes even if unintentionally. Even more so considering how patient and kind she was to Tao for as much as Kokonoe tends to be. No real condescension, concern for Tao getting in trouble with the NOL for not being in the Kaka Village underground, and willing to help her get back albeit also testing one of her devices on Tao to do so. Kokonoe being more friendly with Kakas in general considering they were the ones who saved her from Terumi after he killed Nine and Trinity wouldn't be a stretch.

I also wonder if the whole mecha Tagers and Taokakas are just supposed to be a one-off gag and shout-out to Robo-Ky or they were supposed to be something more. Nothing serious mind you but if BlazBlue was purportedly meant to be a RPG at one point then maybe they were supposed to be generic mob enemies. Or even just generic mobs that Kokonoe would throw at someone when she needs to distract someone like Azrael. Food for thought.

Litchi's episode is probably been one of my favorites so far but that could just be recency bias. It does a good job to flush out her character. She's kind, motherly, reasonable, a bit overbearing but in a "teacher who doesn't want her students to play to rough" sort a way. It also makes it clear she can be selfish. She wants to put down Arakune to relieve her own pain but she also wants to save him while knowing that in the meantime he's running rampant he's inevitably going to do more harm to others. All in all just a good episode to read.

The plight of the Kaka's population is made here through Elder Kaka Totokaka talking about it through Litchi. The population of the Kaka will never go past 100 under otherwise normal circumstances and in the event they can't naturally reproduce they will do so asexually. There's a concern by Toto on the fate of the Kaka on how they'll fade away to time and how they're forsaken by God. Not an unfounded concern because the Elder seems to understand that they will be victim to genetic stagnancy and decay. To paraphrase her words all the new children are just copies of those passed away and although they are a hundred they are essentially one organism. Eventually the parts of a organism will degrade and fail and the organism as a whole will die. Litchi thinks that through genetic alteration they can fix this but Totokaka thinks would just make them a further afront to nature. Which really begs the question of why the Kaka's are designed like this? Beastkin/Demihumans like Makoto who's kind were also made during the Dark War don't seem to have this problem and the population control factor seems to be an intentional design for the Kaka's.

[cygnahime]

So the thing with Zhongli, right, well one of the things anyway, is that he presents himself as steady, dignified, a bit of a nerd but only in Culturally Valued Ways, the whole "he's very Geo even if you don't know he's the Most Geo" bit

BUT

the man loves to hang out with gremlins. if you are a force for chaos in Liyue then Zhongli is standing right beside you, sipping tea and watching you work. he is a top-tier Gremlin Enabler. he sighs and surrenders to being Forced to engage because that's part of the bit. "oh I'm here to keep them under control" are you? are you, Zhongli? because it seems like you do not actually do that. it seems like you let Hu Tao, for example, do whatever she wants.

I think this is known to the degree that there's a reason the Tsaritsa had Signora doing shit behind the scenes but selected for the Zhongli-facing job her own personal chaos gremlin (affectionate).

[welcometoteyvat]

omg I think I forgot how fun shipping huxiao is

[semothekat]

I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS

Bro brooo guys i like. Actually. Holy crap. I had really low pity, like 10-20 i think cause i pulled a few times for kazuha and all this grinding was worth it dang man dang man and im being completely serious when i say i got the sword on my last pull. Like i literally had no more things left BUT ITS OK I GOT HER!!!

[mangywayway]

(Totally random thought I'm having at 6am)

Why are people so afraid to write older characters? Why if it said that someone achieved something in young age it always need to be <18, barely 18 y/o. 20, if you're really lucky (when there is no canon age for the characters). Achieving stuff at 23, 26, 30, +30 etc is still impressive af bc you're young jeez.

Even when the characters have a canon age I see a lot of people making them younger just because. Why. Let me have my canonical 40/50+ "old" men/women (and I'm using quotes bc there is a huge difference btw being and adult and being old).

I dunno if it's something recent or not, but I have been in fandoms and reading fics for the last 6-7 years, and only recently I started to notice this

[isekyaaa]

No but seriously, while Kazuha definitely is not a BAD character (he's actually quite good), he's boring as a person, like he's the kind of guy you'd quickly run out of things talking to.

[g-ghostic-basil]

I can never bring myself to [qp] selfship myself with Xiao. Don't get me wrong, I Love him, he deserves the world, but like, I know for an absolute FACT that Xiao would be so annoyed with me.

[tangyangie]

𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠

desc. how genshin characters sleep next to you!

notes. i love these ppl sm sobs

they're so quiet. the only thing you can hear is their soft breath, maintaining a constant rhythm. they generally prefer to bury their head in your shoulder, but they're content just laying next to you. they're so easy to sleep next to. they probably completely shut off while they're asleep?? you will not feel a single thing. no water necessary. no bathroom breaks. they save feeling sick until the morning. in addition, a kiss on the forehead is the last thing you see before you fall asleep and the first when you wake up in the morning. all in all, they're super sweet—maybe, in a way, pretty old-fashioned. i give a 100/10.

lynette, tighnari, shenhe, XIAO, aether, ALBEDO, jean, EI, baizhu, KOKOMI, diluc, layla, ayato, ganyu

SO touchy. literally can't go more than ten seconds not being next to you. probably have a quiet, whispered conversation with you before bed—about anything at all. it's mostly to distract from the fact that they're feeling you up, but they still listen to every word you say. they mumble replies with a teasing voice as their fingers dance up your back, resting at your shoulder. nuzzling their head in your neck while lightly kissing you there. (maybe biting if they're into that...) if you want to get up to get water, they probably make you stay where you are so you stay comfy. they'll do everything for you. you want a massage at 3 in the morning? go ahead, ask. they won't refuse.

KAZUHA, zhongli, cyno, yae miko, BEIDOU, xinyan, lumine, LISA, keqing, candace, THOMA, kaeya

LOUD. that's all you really need to know—but you can barely sleep. it's like they don't need it. they'll stay up for hours on their phones, talking about the videos they're watching, what they did—anything at all that they can think of. you'd believe they'll eventually get tired and toss in the towel, but they could pull 10 all-nighters in a row if it meant you'd listen the whole time. other than that, they're usually pretty cuddly. They'll grab onto your arms and scrunch into a ball position, their knees nearly at their chest. They'll probably talk to you like that until they realized you've dozed off. Once they do, they kiss you on the nose and cuddle against you, letting out an unbelievably loud sigh. almost comically so. (it might wake you up and you'd have to fall asleep all over again...)

CHILDE, yoimiya, ITTO, heizou, yanfei, VENTI, hu tao, gorou, kirara

sarcastic and mean. can you even get more mean than these guys?? they (lovingly) insult and tease you before dragging you into the bed, tightly holding you against them. they'll most likely hold the back of your head by tangling their fingers in your hair, keeping you steady against their chest. to hear their breathing. they might give you a kiss on the forehead if you get lucky. if you decide to tease them by refusing this kiss, they'll probably spread their limbs across the bed to make sure you've got no room, and that you'll have to climb on top of them to be able to lay down comfortably. that's better than a kiss, in their opinion. you're wide open for sarcasm, teasing, and letting them be the meanies they are.

yelan, kaveh, SCARA, kuki shinobu, FARUZAN, dehya, KUJOU SARA, alhaitham, mona, ningguang

notes. i hate school so much actually 🤗🤗 anyways GUTS WORLD TOUR IM SO EXCITED

mwah mwah i heart you guys 💋

[queenothegeeks]

Awkward creator reader drabbles

This is based off a previous post about the reader being an awkward creator.

(warning, this all based off of chaotic ideas me and a friend had while on call, and this is not beta read, so I apologize for any bad spelling or grammar)

Imagine, just, having tea with Zhongli, and he's just talking about wine or something boring idk, and he notices that you look a little zoned out, like, eyes glazed over, mind clearly elsewhere. While he’s worrying about The Creator not liking him or whatever, you are just trying to figure out how to process being in another world, with all these people that you know everything about, but at the same time, don’t know anything at all. 

When you notice him looking at you weird and not talking anymore, you worry that you may have missed something important. So you just blurt out the first thing that came to mind, to fill the silence. 

“It's kinda funny that you're working under Hu Tao. She’s like, a billion years younger than you. Also, you should cool it on the adventuring, you might throw your back out gramps.”

And then, realizing what you said, you just grab your now lukewarm  (yes, he was talking for that long) cup of tea (or whatever else you want if you don’t drink tea)  and take a long sip, trying to hide your red face. 

(Bonus, you choked on your tea) 

Imagine going to Fontaine, and just gawking at the scenery there. Imagine, in order to find out about where in the timeline you are (and because you want to see some of your favorite characters) you decide to go to the opera house, and see if there's a trial going on, where you can ask Furina or Neuvillette about the wellbeing of Fontaine. Instead, you find a flier for Lyney and Lynette's magic show at a nearby theater. Deciding to go, you pay the ticket master, who looks in slight shock as the creator buys back row seats like a normal person (you were too scared to ask for a better seat while paying, so you just asked for the cheapest one) 

Sitting down, you wait nervously for the show to start, all being completely ignorant of the panic and rumors backstage. 

“The creators here! At our show!?”

“Calm down, it's fine, we don’t even know if it’s true.”

And, just to stir the pot, a tall lady sits next to you. You feel like you should know her from somewhere, she just seems so… familiar. 

Realizing you had been staring for quite a while, you turn your head back to the stage, waiting for the show to start. About midway through the show, you realize who it is you are sitting next to.

The knave, fourth of the Fatui harbingers. 

At the end of the performance, you shift in your seat, suddenly wayyyyyy more self-conscious than you were at the beginning of the show.  Wanting to say everything and nothing at the same time, you decide it's best to shut your mouth for the time being. It’s probably not even her, why worry-

“Excuse my rudeness, would you happen to be the creator?”

She knew you were of course, hence why she chose to sit next to you, instead of the front row seat that was reserved for her, as it always was at one of her children's performances. 

“I.. am… but you can call me y/n! I don’t really like fancy titles or anything! Would you be the Knave? Or do you prefer Arlecchino? ack-wait , sorry. I’ll shut up now, let's start fresh, what do you think of the show?”

You half say-half shout, flailing your hands around, and then shrinking in your seat, trying to become as small as possible. Arlecchino chuckles.

“I think it was a lovely performance, as they always are. My children are very talented, you know.” 

“Y-yeah! They're really great! I have to go! Great meeting you miss-Arlecchino-Knave-ma’am” 

You say as you bolt out of the room, the embarrassment and social awkwardness you naturally possess driving your feet. 

(Bouns, you tripped over your own feet and wanted the floor to swallow you whole) 

@lorkai

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Can i request jealous furina,hu tao or march7th? Im so desperate for these cuties😢

(Genshin Impact/H:SR) Jealous Furina, Hu Tao, Noelle, Xianyun, and March 7th HC's

SAAAME, also adding Noelle and Xianyun just cause!

(Furina) "S/O, I demand that you pay attention to me this very instant! It is important!"

Furina pouts and crosses her arm, waiting for S/O to notice her (admittedly adorable) glare.

Failing that, she will march straight over to where S/O is.

And if that doesn't get their attention, then her Vision will summon her friends to hit them over the head!

You do not simply ignore the Hydro Archon!

And Gods forbid if someone is trying to hit on S/O. She is going to create the biggest scene to show that they are HERS, and hers alone!

(Hu Tao) "Hiya, I notice you're talking a lot to my S/O! Unrelatedly, did you know we're having a sale on our coffins?"

Also unrelatedly, Hu Tao is about to turn someone into a ghost!

Hu Tao shamelessly clings onto S/O's arms, laughing at the whole situation.

But the grip strength tells S/O that she's not joking.

But if it's just a task that's holding S/O's attention, she'll either suddenly spook them, or wrap her arms around her neck, sighing dramatically.

(Noelle) "Excuse me, S/O is taken!"

Noelle shows zero hesitation and her usual shyness is nowhere to be seen.

Noelle was easygoing on a lot of things, but S/O was the one person she would not relent on, no matter what.

Even if it was a Knight, she wouldn't back down!

She sweeps them off their feet (Very easily) and walks away from the rude individual.

But, if it's something S/O is working on, she'll poke her head in, slightly more nervous than usual.

She didn't want to be rude, but she did want to spend time with them as well.

(Xianyun) "Hm...is that paper so important that you must ignore the dinner One has prepared, S/O?"

Xianyun adjusts her glasses after she sighs. S/O couldn't possibly work on an empty stomach, much less bereft of the meal made with such large amounts of love.

So it was only natural for her to try and drag their attention away from work and onto more important matters.

Herself!

And if someone was trying to flirt with S/O, then she portrays a shocking amount of calmness, simply sitting next to S/O and giving them an intimidating glare.

If they didn't get the message, then she'd simply vanish with S/O in tow. They could have dinner in peace away from these other mortals, after all!

(March 7th) "HEY! Shoo, S/O is mine!"

March hugs S/O tightly to her, ready to throw hands with whoever was flirting with them.

She'd show them her phone's lockscreen of them together, and if they still tried to do anything, then March was ready to show them the back of her hand!

Until Dan Heng, Caelus/Stelle, or even S/O themselves stopped her.

But if something mundane is keeping S/O's attention, March will whine as she puts her head on their shoulder.

(March) "S/O, I'm bored, pay attention to meeeeeee!"

[flopsxii]

regular customer - various genshin characters !

in which these various genshin characters are your regulars at your small, quaint cafe. of course, it is very possible they have acquired feelings for their favourite barista ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

ft. lyney, kazuha, hu tao, bennett, freminet & xiao 𝜗𝜚࿔

no specified gender <3

𐔌 lyney !

“c’mon, y/n! one more trick and i’ll be out of your hair.” lyney whispered before showing off his cards in his hands. “i have a queue lyney, can it wait till later?” you inquired, whilst taking the next customers order with a bright smile on your face. lyney pouted at your response, “what if my trick made all these customers disappear?” he asked, an excited glint in his eyes.

“then i’d have to shut the coffee house, lyney!” you exclaimed, as you rushed around the small space, getting drinks of all different flavours ready for the people of fontaine. “hmm, i guess i can wait till it quietens down…” he mumbled, before sipping his coffee and almost staring you down.

“i didn’t know boba or matcha would be such a craze in fontaine… did you?” he asked, noticing a handful of people walking out with your new speciality drinks. “well, i wanted to bring an inazuman touch with me… it was a 50/50 chance of people liking it, i’m just so glad people do! maybe i’ll travel to each nation and bring a speciality back with me.” you explained to the magician.

the cogs in lyney’s brain started rotating, maybe he should bring you back a beverage recipe from snezhnaya. he wondered how happy you would look if he revealed a drink recipe from nowhere, what a trick that’d turn out to be…

“mmm, that sounds like a marvellous idea! where would you go first?” lyney asked before finishing off his drink. “probably liyue… i’ve always wanted to visit!” you responded, whilst handing more drinks to customers.

“how about after i return from snezhnaya, we go to liyue together?”

𐔌 kazuha !

he technically wasn’t a regular. he’d frequent your quaint little cafe everyday for months and then he’d disappear into thin air for longer than he had been there. he’d smooth talk his way out of your questions everytime, “oh you know, i follow where the wind takes me.” he’d reply with a small smile or he’d conjure up a haiku on the spot to woosh your questions away. either way, you’d always end up forgiving and forgetting.

he had been gone for 3 months now and each day you wondered if this was the time he’d never come back to visit the cafe. maybe it was possible he found a coffee house in a distant land he preferred more. your chest felt heavy at the thought, ‘surely not… kazuha always comes back…’

you were knocked back into concentration when a customer appeared in front of you. “i’m so sorry to keep you waiting! what can i get for you?” you asked, hoping that making drinks would easily distract your thoughts from the samurai. “a strawberry matcha please, y/n!” they requested with a smile. i nodded, getting to work brewing the matcha, “so, anything new?” i asked yachi, another one of my frequent customers. “oh… same old, i’ve just been helping my father around the store. and you? have you seen your samurai yet?” she asked, a small smile playing on her lips.

“kazuha’s back?” i asked, spinning around the face her to inquire more. instead of facing yachi alone, i was now faced with kazuha himself. “i apologise for being away for so long, y/n. i hope you’ve been well.”

both hearts hammered away in separate chests, “i’ve been wonderful kazuha, and you? how were your travels?” i inquired, whilst finishing yachi’s drink and allowing her to have the matcha on the house.

“i enjoyed journeying… seeing new lands and meeting new people. however, i never could find another coffee house that gives me a sense of home like yours does.”

𐔌 hu tao !

it’s like she does it on purpose. everyday, you’ll end up spilling multiple drinks when hu tao jumps out of nowhere and scares the life out of you. but it’s ’all good fun’ as she reminds you each time.

“c’mon, y/n! didn’t mean to actually scare ya!” she laughed, almost keeling over from how funny she was finding the situation. you pulled your lip between your teeth as you started wiping up the boba you had spilt all over your worktops.

“yeah, yeah, tao. i’ve heard this all before.” you replied snarkily. “did you want a drink or just to kill me? you’ll have to wait many more years before you can plan my funeral hu tao.”

she hummed, gazing over the menu before coming closer to the counter. “got anymore boba?” she inquired, a playful grin on her face as she watched you clean the spilt boba. “i think you know the answer to that.”

“bummer… i was really feeling boba too! no matter, im perfectly content with your company, hehe~” she giggled, resting her chin on her palm. a blush rose to your cheeks at her bold statement, “i’ll just get you a green tea, hu tao. would that be alright?” you asked, hoping the funeral director couldn’t see how red your cheeks are.

“mmm… that’d be wonderful!” she cheered before jumping behind the counter. you poured her green tea, added a slice of lemon and just before she grabbed it, hu tao came impossibly close; “you know, your cheeks remind me of red lacewing butterflies, hehe! so cute! anyhow, best be off… things to do, people to see, zombie children to seal away… see you later, my butterfly!”

𐔌 bennett !

he always turned up with new plasters cluttering his skin, dirt on his cheeks, the occasional cut or bruise… but always with a beaming smile on his face. you weren’t sure if this was his usual demeanour or if he simply loved your beverages that much. but never the less, you appreciated his custom all the same, even if you were worried every time he burst through the cafe door.

“you’re injured again, bennett.” you observed, as he approached the counter, a blush rose on his freckled cheeks. his hand rose to rub the back of his neck sheepishly, “my commission didn’t quite go to plan…” he explained, whilst his eyes darted around your various chalk boards filled with different drink options.

“you know, there’s always one thing that can cheer me up after a messy commission, y/n!” bennett exclaimed before taking out his pouch of mora. “mmm… could it be your hot chocolate?” you asked, already beginning to prepare bennett’s favourite drink.

“you know me too well, y/n! what would i do without you!” bennett smiled once again before placing some mora on the counter for you. “take a seat bennett, i’ll bring it over for you.” you smiled before resuming and finishing bennett’s drink.

bennett hoped you wouldn’t feel his eyes on you as you made his drink. he almost felt bad making you do the same drink at the same time everyday but he couldn’t help himself. if he didn’t order something, how would he be able to speak to you and see you everyday? somehow, you had become part of his daily routine, no matter if his adventures went pear shaped or not, he knew no matter what, he’d see your smiling face at the end of everyday.

he hoped one day he’d be brave enough to confess his feelings, how you lighten up his day and his mood each time he came in… until then, he was more than happy with your small talk, his perfectly made hot chocolate (with all the trimmings, of course) and being able to just see you.

𐔌 freminet !

it had taken freminet around two months to gain the courage to order from you. you had noticed the blonde boy sitting in the back of the cafe, keeping to himself; occasionally the magician lyney and his assistant lynette would sit at the table with him. however, today he was alone and now fumbling over his words.

“hi, freminet! how have you been? i haven’t seen you recently.” you smiled, your hands placed on your hips. freminet kept his eyes towards the floor as a rosy pink blush spread across his cheeks like wildfire. “ive been… just fine, y/n. busy diving and with my siblings.”

“well i’m glad any time i get to see you.” you reassured the blonde boy but all your words did was make his face go almost crimson, you giggled at how shy he was.

it’s true, freminet had caught your attention the first day he had came in. you still remember it clear as day.

the door creaked open and there stood a blonde haired boy with a diving mask held at his side. when he finally looked up and his eyes widened in disbelief at your appearance, you had completely gone limp from the sight of his pretty eyes. it was as cliche as it sounds but somehow it was perfect to you.

ever since then, freminet had visited whenever he could, even if he didn’t speak to you or order anything. sometimes you would give him a drink on the house, after all he would end up sitting there for hours just reading or gazing into space. there were times where his siblings would order something for him and drop devious little hints in your ear about their brothers feelings.

freminet’s appearance had made coming to work everyday unpredictable and exciting. you had a crush and it made your heart pound everyday in anticipation for his arrival.

𐔌 xiao !

it was most certainly a surprise when a certain adeptus visited your coffee house. he was uninterested in your beverages and instead demanded a cuisine you didn’t even offer. however, you bent over backwards trying to please him and cooked him his desired dish anyways.

xiao appreciated your effort even if he decided to leave it unsaid. he decided next time he visited the coffee house, he’d order from your normal menu and definitely not force you to do something special for him.

however, next time he popped by your coffee house and begrudgingly ordered a black coffee (the only one he knew of), he was surprised to find you had given him a portion of almond tofu as well.

it surprised him, why would you go out of your way to cook him a meal when one, he didn’t even pay for it, two, last time you made it he hardly seemed grateful and three, you hardly knew him.

maybe you were trying to gain his custom in the most degrading way possible or maybe you were just that nice. either way xiao was grateful that you entered his life, even if he hadn’t made the most positive impression.

“here’s your tofu, xiao! i adapted the recipe but i do hope you still like it. oh! and i made you a new drink, let me know if it’s okay… if you don’t like it, i’ll make you your usual.” you smiled reassuringly, before placing down the bowl, a spoon and his beverage.

xiao smiled thankfully before digging into his food. it was a slightly different taste from the usual almond tofu recipe, xiao was sure he’d hate it if someone else made it, however, he loved it because it was made by you.

despite having so many questions and conversation topics, you decided to leave him be. xiao had always liked his own company more than others and it was best not to force him into being sociable, it never ended in the way you wanted.

however, what you didn’t realise was during the time you served customers, xiao had already disappeared off into the night and had left a bunch of qingxin flowers in the middle of the table, tied together with a neat lilac bow.

a/n — i hope you enjoyed my first genshin post!! <3 mwah

[welcometoteyvat]

 xingqiu, gold accents, ginkgo leaves, the light golden color tea gets in sunlight

hu tao, also gold accents, mahogany wood, smoky things, spider lilies unfurling in the dark. but it would be cool to edit her art so it’s more high contrast (darker outfit and hair) with stark black plum branches against winter snow 

chongyun, white, clouds, wisps of chill wind. fluffy things and a big fur coat

majority red palette ningguang would also be cool

and of course, zhongli with gold orange. old man can’t beat the geo lord cor lapis soulmates (ambiguous relationship) with azhdaha allegations

[milkyst4rs]

BF headcannons

Diluc, Kaeya, Scaramouche, Xiao, Zhongli x GN reader

Fluffy floof☁️

Diluc

Though some might think otherwise, dating Diluc is SO FUN.

I feel like Diluc would like to tease his s/o a little? He wants to see you all smitten and flustered ya know?

Will get you tiny trinkets that reminds him of you. Bro doesn't care about the price ofc, he loves your reactions to his tiny gifts.

Diluc prefers to be the big spoon but won't mind if you wanna hug him too.

When y'all are in bed, he is the type to sling his large leg over yours so you can't go anywhere while y'all sleep.

Gets SOOOO happy when you come visit him at the tavern (he doesn't show his excitement tho cause he though like that💯🔥)

Is the biggest softie for you behind closed doors. He's just a little shy outside, don't worry.

Kaeya

SUCH a tease oml. He always does his "oh?~😏" whenever you speak.

He doesn't care if you both are in public or not, he will always try to make you flustered somehow.

Loves kissing you. Your soft lips on his just makes his heart go KDNDHDKWKHDISOW

Like Diluc, he also prefers to hold you while you both are sleeping. But he won't argue if you want to be the big spoon.

I feel like Kaeya is a light sleeper, so if he has trouble falling asleep he'll just admire your pretty face till he does close his eyes.

He loves tracing your features leaving small pecks afterward.

He knows he can trust you so he seeks you out for comfort when he is feeling down :(

Immediately feels 100% better after being in your embrace tho.

Scaramouche

Mega-tsundere 1000. Boss level.

Absolutely loves holding your hand. (Secretly though ofc)

Scaramouche is a big mean guy so he doesn't have time for romance!😡 (Except, he is extremely touch-starved so please PLEASE hug him)

Both of you are honestly shocked that you are still in the relationship and are loyal to him.

He slowly realises that you genuinely love him and are not trying to betray him or hurt him in anyway, so he warms up to you.

Likes kissing your forehead. Whenever he sees you, you are going to have a peck on the forehead 100%.

He finally can feel some form of happiness with you.

Xiao

Mega-tsundere 1000 boss level #2.

MY MAN IS SOOOO SHY

He probably has never gotten intimate with anyone ever before so he is a nervous wreck. Which leads to him panicking and resorting to throwing insults at you.

Obviously he doesn't mean it, he just doesn't know what to say when you kiss his cheek! You know he means well, so the "you have no respect for the adepti" insult goes in one ear and out the other.

Eventually warms up to you and tries to be romantic by bringing you flowers and such,(with the help of hu tao and friends^^).

Likes to watch the sunset with you on the roof of Wangshu Inn. His hand always finds its way to intertwine with yours.

He probably doesn't sleep so he keeps watch and makes sure you are safe irl and in dreamland.

Zhongli

Zhongli...what a gentleman.

Boyfriend material ON PAPER‼️

Helps carry your bags, showers with you, reads with you. He just loves being by your side.

He can sense that you truly love him so he lets himself go and his walls crumble for you.

Most people would be bored of Zhonglis constant talking, but not you no sir. He appreciates that you genuinely listen and add in your own sentences in his story telling.

Loves to pamper you!!!!! Making you delicious tea, date nights, skin care routines, you name it.

Both of you are probably named 'Liyue's #1 power couple' by locals who often see the two of you hand in hand walking by the pier.

His kisses are always soft and gentle, each one reminding you of how much he adores you and loves you <3

[chuusheartattck]

THAT’S THAT ME ESPRESSO (TTME)

Chapter 6- Apologies ☕️

You’ve woken up to the sounds of the birds chirping and the morning sun peaking in through the windows. You would’ve loved waking up in the giant room provided by Ayaka, if only you weren’t so violently hung over.

The feeling of being incredibly nauseous while remembering some of the memories from last night, started hitting you like a semi truck.

Why did you have to drink so much? You’re never drinking again.

You always say this but never actually stick through with your word.

You loved being drunk but hated the consequences that come the next morning. Your phone was buzzing with new messages. Have you always hated the sounds of notifications? Or was it the headache talking? Annoyed, you checked your phone.

Bergrudgingly, you got up. As soon as you stood up however, you felt like you needed to throw up.

Quickly, you rushed to the toilet. Expecting for something to come out. Nothing did.

“I hate being hungover.” You quickly muttered before making your way to the dining room.

You noticed everyone had arrived before you. They all looked like shit. Including you. Mona was in deep explanation of how she read Yae’s birthchart. Apparently the woman has a lot of baggage.

You sat down in between Hu Tao and Mona.

Ayaka handed you a bowl of miso soup, “It’s for your hangover. You look rough.” She smiles.

You quietly thank her. The miso soup looks good but were you able to eat this without throwing it back up? You took your chances and fed yourself.

Luckily you didn’t.

Before you could finish the soup, Hu Tao turned towards you.

“So are you going to explain what happened last night?” She questioned.

You cleared your throat and explained your experience at the party. From start to finish. Everyone had listened intently to your story. Someone would occasionally gasp.

.

.

.

“Well he sure does know how to act like he cares about someone.” Mona mentioned. Scaramouche is actually a good actor.

It seems like he practiced on you the most.

As you were showing the group the texts you sent to Scaramouche and Childe, your phone buzzed. It was a text from Childe. Everyone began freaking out.

“Shit what do I say??” You were panicking because you didn’t really expect him to answer.

“Maybe an apology?” Lynette suggested.

So fucking annoying.

He’s so fucking annoying.

How can he be like this? Why was he being like this? You heavily sighed. The audacity of this man.

Lynette looked up at you, “Is everything alright?”

You put your phone in the middle of the table and stood up.

“Yes. Everything is so perfect.” You replied sarcastically, “Ayaka thank you for the breakfast and sleepover. Have fun everyone reading those stupid ass texts. I’ll be getting ready to leave.”

When the words left your mouth, you walked away and towards the room you were sleeping in.

As you were packing up you heard a knock at the door.

It was Hu Tao. She was returning your phone.

“I’m so sorry Y/n. He’s such a big dick. You don’t deserve this. She pulled you into a hug.

“It’s ok, don’t worry about it. It’s how he is.” You reassured her.

She helped you pack the rest of your stuff.

You then said goodbye to everyone and got inside your car.

Masterlist II Previous II Next

A/N: Hi I’m back! Ik its been a few days but I haven’t been feeling the best so I took a while to update. I’m still sick but I feel better enough to update even if this chapter was a bit short. Another written chapter I hope you guys like it!! Also pls ignore the typo in furina’s text I meant to put ‘parties’ 😭

ALSOOO lmk if you guys want your users to be added to this au and i’ll make you a twitter user :)

Synopsis: You’re a new idol that just debuted under ‘Fontaine Entertainment’ with your new single ‘Espresso.’ You just graduated high school which means all your classmates are shocked to see you into stardom. Including your old situationship, who happens to be an actor.

Taglist: @skyoverkill1 @quacking-simp @lolmeowing @astro-stars @kaitfae @sl-vega @veekoko @scarawiki @yuminako @samyayaya @kur0kki @practicoi @kukikoooo @scaraenthusiast1 @shutingstar @lloovvv @moonjellyfishie @miy-svz @xionri @lalalaloveallmydays @hearts4lizzzz @kathiwis @state-of-grac3 @morgyyyyyyy

[dashofmonsters]

Dreamers & Delusions- Pt. 2

Merman x Female Reader

"I'll have to go into hibernation if it gets too cold or if I can't find something to do. The acclimation program already knows about my kind and our issues with the cold so they have accommodations for winter," he explains.

"Well I hope it doesn't get too cold then, would be a bummer if I couldn't come see you," you smile at him.

Tao's eyes go wide for a second before he clears his throat, "Yes well it would indeed be a bummer... Especially since we have just decided to be friends."

"Right?" you beam.

You and Tao talk and talk almost to the point where it's just about silly things or what he's struggling with during his acclimation. You find out he's a very literal person who has issues the most with slang, metaphors, and emotes. He lives in a rental that's about a couple miles away from the beach and he usually walks to work or the local grocery store since he can't fit into normal vehicles.

After a little bit of work though you find out an even more endearing side to him, he likes to try his hand at cooking ever so often. Though he prefers his meat raw, he likes the idea of charring the outside and adding bits of flavor. He was a little embarrassed to admit it but you found out it's because his father was supposed to show him how to create a feast to impress a mate per tradition.

You didn't press as to why his father didn't teach him seeing he was already uncomfortable enough to admit it. So you decided to share a bit of something uncomfortable about yourself.

"My mom never taught me how to do a lot of basics that most parents are supposed to teach their kids. I had to watch a lot of how to videos and make myself look like an idiot if I messed up or didn't know something. A lot of people assumed I was stupid or had no common sense. I just didn't have a point of reference and I hated being ignorant but I was judged for my short comings and no one ever helped," you admit.

Tao nods and gives you his first, though very small, smile.

"Is that why you are forgetting things constantly?" he asks with the slightest smirk.

"Yeah...sure," you feel a bit embarrassed by his question, but you'll never confess that you 'forgot' those things just as an excuse to talk to him.

"I see, I will take that into account that due to your upbringing that you just don't think about these things and I will stop being annoyed by it," he nods.

"You were annoyed," now you feel a little hurt.

"Of course I was, but no more than I usually am," he shrugs.

"That doesn't sound fun," you grimace. "You can't just be annoyed all the time."

"I'm not annoyed when I'm at home," he says.

"Lucky," you laugh.

"Why? Are you unable to be at peace at home too?" he gives you a look of genuine concern then.

His number one thing seems to be peace. He's a no nonsense guy who just wants to go about his day with no hiccups. His life honestly seems perfect compared to your at times.

"Only when I'm sleeping or about to leave for work. Peace... that doesn't come easy to someone like me," you frown.

Tao studies you then as he drops to your eye level. You should feel super uncomfortable but for some reason you don't mind. He stares hard at your face and scans it until he nods.

"You do look very tired," he says.

You can't help but to laugh at his observation, "Tao, I'm going to let you in on a secret: I'm always tired."

"That is unhealthy," he scowls.

"Yup and there's nothing I can do about it," you shrug.

"Yes there is, you could go home and sleep," he says, almost ordering you to do so.

That's when you can't help but to crack up. It's horrible that this is how you cope, but it is.

"If I went home to sleep right now, my grandmother would give me an earful about being lazy," you laugh.

Tao doesn't laugh, he doesn't smile, doesn't do anything except stand up slowly and prowl over to you.

You shut up real quick thinking something is wrong until he picks you up. You yelp, being carried in one arm at his hip like a sack of rice.

"What are you doing?!" you squawk as you sway when he shifts to carry you princess style.

He doesn't say anything until he sets you down onto your tie dye towel.

"Rest, I'll make sure no one bothers you while you're here," he says.

You can't help but feel a mix of emotions then. Your eyes water a little but you swipe away any moisture before a tear falls.

"Thank you, that's probably the sweetest thing anyone has said to me in a long while," you smile at him.

And Tao in all his Taoness, just nods.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Tao really meant it when he said no one would bother you while you were on the beach.

The day after he said that, you had what was possibly the best beach nap you've ever had thanks to Tao brining you a beach chair with your name on it. Literally.

At first it felt weird that he'd go that far just for you to get a beach nap but you guessed it might be some cultural thing and as far as Tao said, you're his only friend. You thanked him and didn't think much of it until the day after that.

A group of teenagers were playing volleyball a little too roughly and one of the guys fumbled and the ball got you right on the head even though you did your best to dodge it. The boys tried to apologize but Tao gave them an earful about respect and being more spatially aware.

That too was normal for Tao though he was a bit harsher than usual. Unfortunately it got worse.

Yesterday was a blessed off day. No work, your grandmother was out thrifting to her heart's content, and all your bills had been paid. You were excited to head to the beach but that excitement was short lived.

The first thing you noticed was that your chair was pulled a little closer to the guard tower. Next was that Tao wasn't in the tower but leaning against the ladder like he was expecting some shit to hit the fan any second. And finally, the group of muscle hunks posing as they flexed for the cameras.

Apparently some magazine decided this spot was the perfect location for some weird gym rat protein powder ad photo shoot and to make matters worse, they tried to rope Tao into it.

Before you sat down though, Tao made a bit of a scene by scooting your chair even closer to the tower while making eye contact with one of the big buff dudes.

You told him he was being a bit extra to which he said he was only being cautious as they had been eyeing you since you started walking down the beach. You rolled your eyes, ready to tell him that there's no way they'd be interested in you until he thrusted a binder in your direction.

It was a detailed list of ingredients, dishes, and recipes commonly enjoyed by all saltwater merfolk with a few dishes his kind liked the most. You had almost forgot that he said he'd make this list for you so when he gave it to you, you almost cried.

You thanked him and started fanning through the pages and noticed his hand writing was especially nice on dishes that his people particularly enjoyed. You gave him a quick side eye and smiled.

These are probably his personal favorites, you think.

As you started to skim through the recipes with the neatest hand writing a shadow fell over you.

It was one of the buff guys.

He gave you the most generic social media fake ass grins ever and you couldn't help the eye roll. He started to introduce himself but was hardcore interrupted when Tao drove him into the ground like a fucking bull.

Tao and the buff guy started hashing it out until his bros came and peeled him away from the fight. It was the first time you really really saw Tao's teeth. Sharp and pointy like a shark's and then there was the spike like fins on his lower arms and legs. He looked like a mad dog ready to rip someone in half.

You heard one of the photographers comment on how territorial some of the fair folk can be with places or people they claim as their own.

If that was the case, then you guessed it might have to do with your friendship with Tao. If it wasn't, then he's about the get a stern talking to.

~~~~~~

"He was bothering you, I don't see why you're upset with me," Tao says after you lectured him about yesterday.

"I'm upset you dingbat because shit like that can get you sent back to your home realm! Do you think I want my friend to get deported over shit like that," you poke his arm, but it ends up being a jab.

Tao opens his mouth then closes it. He looks around a bit then let's out a long sigh "I'm sorry. I really don't know what's come over me. After I moved here, I didn't have my shoal. My sponsor checks on me maybe once every three months since he's been busy working with another merman who's been trying to get his pass here. I guess the loneliness drove me a bit crazy."

Now you feel bad for making him feel bad but you hope your gift will more than make up for it. You worked all morning long on it, double checking to make sure the meat was ready and perfect right before you left the house and that the sea greens were cooked and seasoned just right.

"Well moving past that, I brought you something," you take out the lunch box and show it to Tao.

He looks down right shocked as he goes to reach for it. He carefully removes the lid and his eyes stare hard at the contents.

"You made this... for me," his voice is soft and quiet and you can hear the pain behind it. He hesitates for a moment then takes a slice of the thin cut beef and pops it in his mouth. He closes his eyes and tilts his head back and swallows. He's quiet for a minute and you're afraid you messed up and he's too nice to tell you other wise.

"Tao if it's bad you can just tell me, I can take the criticism," you tell him, ready for the critical blow.

Instead he tilts his head back down and opens his eyes. The whites are now all black which makes his yellow irises pop even more so.

"My friend, if this was bad I would have spat it out," he grabs two more slices and then a few more practically stuffing his face like a kid who was caught with a bag of candy.

You watch as he eats everything, savoring every bite like he hasn't had a decent meal in ages. His harsh features soften as he takes the last bite and licks his fingers clean. For some reason you focus on him as he rolls the sauce off of his fingers and onto his tongue.

Bad lonely thoughts, Tao is our friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

"So was it good?" you ask, though you can probably guess the answer by the clean plate.

"If I was mermaid being offered a feast, I'd allow you the honor to continue courting me," he jokes.

"Oh what an honor," you laugh.

For the first time since you've met him he laughs back. You can't help but stare at him and feel a smile build up that hurts your cheeks.

"Thank you, really. I have tried and tried to create something that tastes like home but it was never quite right. It was either too salty or I over cooked the meat or the greens were under cooked somehow. This is pretty close to the flavors of my shoal. I didn't realize how much I missed this," he looks down at the empty lunch box with a mix of emotions.

Something in you feels for him. You haven't had a taste of home in forever but your problem is that you're pretty sure that it would make you physically sick instead of homesick. Home never felt like home, here didn't feel like home until you met Jessica and Tao.

Jessica made you her to die for pie for you birthday which you almost threw up from over drinking when she took you bar hopping for your birthday. Tao gave you an amazingly detailed binder of saltwater mer foods and recipes.

You can't think of anything better than food that brings all sorts of peoples together, human or the fair folk.

"Well, I can't do it all the time but I can at least make you a boxed lunch once a week, how does that sound," you smile at him.

"If it weren't for the fact that you're human and my friend I'd think you were trying to court me," he laughs. "But yes, that sounds good."

You play slap him and he laughs again.

~~~~~~~~~

"For the last time Jes, there's nothing romantic going on between Tao and I," you roll your eyes as Jessica gives you her biggest grin.

"Uh huh, sure girl. Maybe you don't see it that way, but guys don't risk getting deported for just friends and not just once. This is what, the second offence? He's lucky that he's, oh what did you say? A combination of a bookish mafia boss, the inspiration for the statues of deities and all around hotty mchot hot hot," she wriggles her brows at you before popping another slice of gum in her mouth.

You snort laugh, "I did not say that last one Jes."

"No, but you were thinking it," she raises a brow and twirls around till she's behind the counter.

"Listen, I can find him physically attractive and still not want more than a friendship. Plus he hasn't come onto me so I'm pretty sure he's not into me like that," you sigh and continue cleaning the table you just cleared.

Jessica hums something and clicks her tongue, "Girl you do know he's not human right? That he might have been coming onto you from the get go without you realizing it? Shoot for that matter he might not even realize it himself."

That has you curious now.

"What do you mean by that," you look over you shoulder to see Jes twirling a red curl.

"Oh you know, that the fair folk believe in fated mates and things like that," she gives you a cheesy grin and blushes a little.

You do know about the fated mates thing, it's one of the reasons a lot of fair folk, especially the guys, flocked to this realm in droves once the rift border opened up. With the fae it was pretty easy to tell once the bond clicked which wasn't always immediately. Their calm and calculated appearance would become wild and untamed. They would get quickly territorial and easily violent towards anyone who came close to their mate. A mark would usually show above the heart and a matching one would appear on their mate once their bond was consummated.

As for merman, no one had any idea what to look for since they just started coming this side as of a few years ago.

"Yes, I'm well aware about that. So what does that have to do with him not know if he's coming onto me," you ask.

"They know it deep down and act on it sometimes. They don't even realize they're courting you half the time or that they have this desire to want to be with you. It's hardcore ingrained into their DNA or something, I don't know. But it sounds to me that he is indeed into you. You're both just too oblivious to see it. Unlike Artek," Jes grins at the mention of her wild fae lover's name and sighs.

And suddenly her weird school girl crush behavior makes sense.

"Jes, did you and Artek.... Wait a sec, are you and-"

Jessica folds down her top just enough for you to see part of a swirling mark above her heart. She shakes in place with the goofiest smile you've ever seen on her.

"Just found out last night. Oh and he did not want to let me go," she places a hand on her forehead and feigns being scandalized. "But I have to go to work. He threatened to come in and tear Mikey a new one if he so much as thinks he can schedule me during my bond week," she give a vicious grin then.

The fae took about a week to celebrate their mate bond here, which was a much shorter version of their actual month long festivity of it. Mates were so rare on their side for some reason but here it was becoming as normal as two humans getting married. It just happened, but it was equally special if not more so.

Regardless, you were happy for Jes. Mikey tried to take everything from her in their divorce but got next to nothing after a detective brought in proof of his multiple affairs. That's why he's such an ass to her here.

"So, when's your bride feast huh? Gonna go all out," you turn to her and cross your arms.

Jessica goes into great detail about what she wants to do for the rest of the shift. That Artek has invited his large ass family this side to celebrate and that he's already started sourcing materials for their marriage bed. It was more than obvious that she's over the moon and can't get over the fact that she's found the one after years of dealing with a heartache.

Mikey tried to shut her down but several of the fair folk patrons snapped at him saying that it's a blessing that her and Artek found one another and he shouldn't discourage her happiness. His flustered face was priceless.

~~~~~

"Hey grandmama, I'm home," you shout as you slide your shoes off at the door.

Your grandmother's house is unusually quiet for this time of day when she's usually scrolling through her phone while listening to her soap operas. You look around and the livingroom is empty and so is the kitchen. You're about to call her when you see a note on the fridge saying Gayle has whisked her away for margaritas with the girls.

"Fuck me sideways and call me bob," you rake your fingers over your face in frustration. As much as you can't stand her normal antics you loath her when she's drunk. If you're lucky, Gayle will have her spend the night at her house until their hangovers wear off. If you weren't, there's a nice beach with your name on it.

Typically you'd go there after work but you're tired and you have the house to yourself right now. So you stretch and crack open the fridge and start preparing for a blissful night of snacking and binge watching some of your favorite shows.

~~~~

Hours pass and you get a text from Gayle that she's taking your grandmother home with her since she's had one too many and sends you a pic of your grandmother trying to put a dollar bill in a male strippers strap.

"Thanks for the mental scarring Gayle, just what I needed," you text back to her knowing she'll get the joke.

Gayle was a close family friend and was more like a grandmother to you than your biological one was at times. She was sweet and caring with a crazy sense of humor and infectious laughter. You sometimes wish you lived with her but she travels too much and she likes her alone time just as much as she like partying.

You squirm in your grandmother's recliner and grab a bag of chips getting ready for the next show until you hear a frantic knock at your door.

The bag flies out of your hand due to your shock reflex and you place a hand over your heart.

The knocking continues as you rush to the door to check through the peephole. You can't see nothing.

"Who is it?" you ask.

"It's me, are you ok," you hear Tao's voice.

You pause, not remembering if you ever told him where you live aside from the general direction. You slowly open the door and look up at him. He looks worried out of his mind.

"Tao, are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost buddy," you ask him.

His hair is all messed up and he's breathing fast and hard, trying to catch his breath and his tan skin looks like he worried himself sick.

"You didn't come to the beach today. You've been coming everyday except when it rains. I thought something happened," he frowns.

"Oh uh well, no I'm fine. My grandmother is out tonight so I thought I'd enjoy a night in since this rarely happens," you explain.

"I see, ok... That's good then. As long as you're alright," he nods and sighs as he leans against the top of the door frame.

A crack of thunder peels off in the distance causing Tao to flinch. He looks even more worried then.

"Sounds like rain," you comment.

"Yes, I... I should get going then, I don't want to accidentally transform back to my other form while walking home. It'd be very inconv-"

Before he finishes that thought lightning bursts through the sky and the little misting sprinkle turns into a torrential downpour.

Tao groans and looks resigned as he's about to turn to leave but you quickly stop him.

"Hey you can stay here for tonight if you want to wait out the rain," you tell him.

He looks to you like that's possibly the dumbest thing you could say.

"That sounds inappropriate," he glares at you. "Inviting an unmated male into your house is never wise."

"Tao we're friends and adults. I'm pretty sure I can trust you to keep your hands to yourself unless you've had ulterior motives from the get go," you cross your arms and stare up at him.

"It is still unwise," he nods, being firm.

"Oh so then you do have ulterior motives," you raise a brow.

"I never said that," he grimaces.

"Then there's no problem if you don't. Come on, get your ass in here," you open the door all the way and beckon him inside.

You hear him groan as he accepts his defeat while walking in. He struggles with the low ceiling, well low for him as he shuts the door.

"Is this your first time in a human house," you ask, leading him to the livingroom.

"Yes, it's very uh small and compact," he notes.

You get the compact part as your grandmother is a bit of a tidy hoarder, the small thing, that's probably due to his height.

"Well mi casa su casa. Well more like mi abuela's casa su casa, but still, make yourself at home," you say then try to offer him something warm to eat and drink.

Tao tries to deny any offers but you snap back saying it's rude to deny your hostess the honor of taking care of her guest. Tao eventually resigns and you bring him a warm cup of tea. As you go to the kitchen to make him something to eat he asks if he can watch you. You agree and start pulling ingredients left and right.

You get fully into the zone as you start preparing the food. You glance over at Tao ever so often just to see that he's fixated on your process. As you start cooking you notice the whites of his eyes turn black again. He sniffs the air and his pupils dilate.

"Want to try a bite," you offer him a piece and he takes it with no hesitation and scarfs it down. His nails which are sharp and pointed seem a bit longer and more pointier now. His expression looks more predatory than normal and some of his spikey fins have started protruding.

Guess that means he's really hungry.

"Give me just a few more minutes and dinner will be ready ok," you tell him as you continue on with his meal.

Tao just nods and stares daggers at pan. You feel like if you let him he'd lunge at it with reckless abandon and eat everything in record timing.

After a little bit you scoop the meat into a bowl and hand it to him. He looks at it and takes in a deep whiff before carefully grabbing a bite. He looks like he's holding back going ham on the food and you're wondering if he's trying not to scare you by going into some weird merman feeding frenzy.

"Hey if you need to eat however you want to eat, go ahead. I can just uh go into another room if you want some privacy or someth-"

Tao grabs a handful of the meat and stuffs his face with it. His pupils nearly engulf his irises making his eyes look pitch black. He tears into the strips of meat like a crazed hungry animal. The juices and sauce start dripping down his arms and you roll your eyes at the mess.

"I'm going to get you a towel, that stuff'll get sticky after a while," you say as you walk towards to laundry room.

Tao grunts and consumes some more meat.

As you get to the laundry room you smack yourself over the head for having another bout of terrible lonely girl thoughts.

Tao, smack.

Is, smack.

Just, smack.

A, smack.

Friend, smack.

You should not be even more attracted to him after that feeding frenzy trance thing he just went in and yet you can't stop thinking about it.

"God, does that mean I'm depraved," you question yourself. "Or does this just mean I'm weird and anything goes right now in my lonely haven't had sex in ages mind?"

Probably a bad mix of both...

You sigh and grab a towel and turn only to be met with a brick wall.

"Oh hey, are you done," you ask, praying that he didn't hear you questioning your sexual sanity.

He nods and cocks his head and points to the towel.

"Yeah, um here," you hand it to him and he slowly but carefully cleans himself off.

"So there's a guest bedroom in the back. Bed is probably a bit small for you even though it's a king size. It gets cold at night since my grandmother has the a/c on a schedule so I'll bring you some extra blankets," you tell him as you turn to go show him the room.

He quietly follows you and steps slowly into the room, smelling and inspecting it. You leave him be while you go grab a large comforter and a few throw blanket for him. When you come back he's already curled under the covers with his feet barely sticking out. As you go to lay another layer over him he snatches you and pulls you into the covers with him.

You flail about for a bit until you hear what you're pretty sure in a purr. You kick up the covers to see Tao asleep now and honest to gods purring. He pulls you in closer and just cuddles you. He's mentioned a few times that when someone gets cold that his shoal will form basically cuddle piles to stay warm. Maybe that's it and maybe he's also really homesick. He said he can never go back though...

"Just this once, jeeze. Not letting you go into a feeding frenzy next time I give you food," you snort laugh and try to relax against Mr. Brick wall.

Tao shifts a bit till he's holding you close enough that you can hear his heartbeat. He moves the covers and extra blankets back up and slowly drifts back to sleep.

You're a little jealous of how fast he can nod off but eventually you start dozing in and out.

He's probably going to flip the fuck out about this in the morning. Well, we'll deal with it then...

[lavenderchqn]

synopsis — they get jealous parings — bf! xiao, wanderer, lyney x reader (seperate) warnings — it's written in 2nd person (and although it's been proofread... my english is not englishing all that well); you and xiao get into a minor argument (it gets resolved!); scara is his boastful self and pays a price for that; lyney's just sad I'm sorry :( requested? — requested by @ceneid notes — thank you so much for the request! hopefully it's to your taste, considering I've made it more sad if anything and it's a written piece with some texts messages included!!

XIAO

Any occasion to meet with friends is a worthwhile, so when Hu Tao invited both you and Xiao to her upcoming birthday party, you quickly agreed to come — of course, with the ‘pass’ from your partner.

He wouldn’t consider your friends to be the most enjoyable in the ‘company’ department, mostly because he considered them too loud for his liking. However, despite such displeasure, Xiao could still certainly say that your enjoyment was worthy of a few hours of his torture.. 

Unfortunately, not everything can go as we would like every time and that would be the situation the raven-haired man has found himself in. 

The moment the two of you stepped into Hu Tao’s apartment you were whisked away by some of your friends, leaving Xiao to fend for himself… Although he could see a smidge of displeasure across your face the moment one of the girls - Xiangling if his memory didn’t betray him - grabbed your arm. 

And well, that’s the situation he was stuck in for a while… Feeling like an accessory to your person, all while your friends have been chatting about how life was treating them. Being overstimulated was an understatement to of how he felt at the moment. 

Leaving the living room to get a breather only furthered him in the thoughts of feeling ignored… and perhaps a little bit jealous? Well, it’s not like he could voice his concerns with how you’ve been behaving throughout the evening.

Your phone vibrating multiple times in the past minute has piqued your curiosity, prompting you to open it to check the messages… Only to leave you in utter shock.

Not only have you realised that the time was more than what you expected… But your partner was about to leave to head home all without you. Guilt was most certainly creeping down your back. 

You replied to him as quickly as you could, hoping that he would stay true to his word of staying for a second longer.

— Hu Tao, we’re gonna head home now. - You tapped her shoulder, informing her that you and Xiao would be leaving in a moment. - Once again, happy birthday.

Grabbing your purse, you’ve made your way to the hall of the house, eyes meeting with the displeased look of your partner’s and the silent treatment already making its debut as you were leaving the building.

The car ride was borderline horrific - the tension between the two of you thick enough to cut with a knife… And albeit confused with Xiao’s behaviour, you needed to start the conversation in order to hopefully resolve the conflict between you.

— Can we talk about it? - You asked shyly, turning your head to search for some signs of willingness on his face. 

— Not that much to talk about. - Xiao sighed, not taking his eyes off the road. - I’m simply upset your friends can hog your attention for so many hours. 

Your eyes widened at the thought of his obvious statement of jealousy… And the next second, turned into immense guilt. You of all people should be aware of how he reacts in settings like those, and yet you kind of brushed that off.

— I’m sorry. - You stated, hearable sincerity in your voice. - I should’ve kept your feelings in mind, and yet I didn’t. 

Xiao… Was most certainly not expecting that. He could imagine multiple scenarios, in which you attack him for being jealous and possessive, and yet here you were - taking accountability for a minor mistake you’ve made. 

— I understand you wanted to enjoy some? time with your friends. - He stated. - Next time I won’t go. I don’t want to sour the mood. Spending time with your friends to the fullest is important, is it not?

Apologies have been exchanged between the two of you, topped with a night of eating fried tofu snacks and watching silly horror movies.

After all, friend time and Xiao time don’t have to land at the same time, do they? 

WANDERER

If you could use only two words to describe your partner - “prideful” and “boastful” are the first ones that come to mind. At this point you’re pretty sure, you’ve heard the story of Haypasia at least twenty times…

To Wanderer, your jealousy makes him thrive. As messed up as it sounds, to him it’s proof that you’re with him for real… That you won’t betray him, given the chance. On the other hand, you don’t appreciate that specific behaviour of his too much — One or two times might’ve been silly but the more he tends to engage in said actions, the more it makes you feel insecure.

His persistence is exactly what resulted in… let’s say a tad of joking.

You’ve known  Tartaglia for many months now. Introduced to you by your partner, the only interactions the two of you shared have been online. According to Wanderer, it’s due to Ajax’s constant traveling…

And yet the ginger says it’s due to other reasons. 

— [y/n], trust me. - He says cheerfully via voice chat during one of your gaming sessions. - That will absolutely make him fuming with jealousy! Hell, I’d be lucky to make it out alive after pulling that. -

You’ve found out that Tartaglia will just so happen to be flying to your city soon. Throughout the last few weeks, the two of you schemed a little plan to show your loving partner EXACTLY what jealousy is like In the end, you trusted the male to take reign over the performance that would happen in due time.

Sure — you felt a bit bad doing something that in your eyes seemed “malicious”, but with Wanderer’s persistent attempts and encouragement… Surely you needed your boyfriend to have a taste of his own medicine. 

And said time was about to come. 

You’ve agreed to pick up Ajax from the airport, excitedly speaking of this  being your first meeting in person. While you’ve sent each other pictures, albeit in your case it was Wandy sending a couple of photos of the two of you, this would be much, much different in comparison. 

— I still don’t understand what prompted you to pick up that ginger from the airport. - The raven-haired man scoffed, looking at the arrivals signs. Him and his silly ways of showing affection… 

— Well, I know that said ginger is quite an important person in your life. - You smiled, partially since you knew you were saying the truth as well as the chaos that was about to happen between the two of you.

Wanderer was almost about to say something, getting when he got cut off by the noise of someone running, getting increasingly louder and culminating in him getting tackled into a hug. 

— It’s so good to see you guys! - Tartaglia said, after leaving your boyfriend alone for a second before turning to you. - It’s so lovely to finally meet you in person, [y/n]… Pictures don’t do your beauty justice. - A kiss on your hand. 

To say you were flabbergasted would be an understatement. Sure, you agreed on him doing mild flirting… BUT THIS? And you were not the only one standing in utter shock. 

— What the fuck was that Childe? - Your partner asked, seeing red at the events unraveling right before his eyes.

— Common courtesy. - Tartaglia winked. - In my culture, it’s quite normal to kiss a lady on the hand when you greet her. 

Oh, the coyness in his voice spoke everything. He enjoyed every single second of the jealousy Wanderer was feeling. And to say that this interaction would be the last of your plan was a huge understatement.

Your phone has been pinging ever so often, with messages coming in from different social media — all from your boyfriend obviously. Tartaglia ordered a lovely dinner on his tab as ‘thanks’ for picking him up from the airport. This was also a way of the ginger giving you space, which posed as an opportunity to check what Wanderer was up to.  

LYNEY

Lyney feels as if he’s going to suffocate in the next few minutes. It’s not that he’s unhappy to be here. Frankly, he’s here to support you as a loving partner. It’s just that… The atmosphere here is rough. The situation at hand is reminding him is reminding him of all the times he has attended those funding meetings with his Father.

He proceeds to take a deep breath. “Anything for [y/n]” - Lyney whispers to himself. 

Speaking of yourself, here you are trying not to pass out from the stress you feel. You’re mere minutes away from giving a presentation on your project, which if received positively, will land you a promotion with a generous pay raise.

The possibility of this success comes with its price — the need to “suck” up to some of the more liked employees in hopes of getting their approval for your ideas. 

This is precisely how you’ve ended up in this situation… away from Lyney because archons only know why.  One moment you were introducing him as your partner to many of your work besties, and the next you’re in the middle of a conversation with the manager of another branch… Who - you would say - has a horrific sense of humour. 

— And I tell her “Can’t say I sleep like a log! After all, I don’t wake up in a fireplace”! - You force yourself to smile, fully cringing inside at the dad joke you’ve just heard. Hell, this guy isn’t even a dad… nor is he over thirty years old to be making jokes like these! 

— I see, I see. - You reply politely, fully intending not to show your hidden feelings at what you just have witnessed. Your eyes, however, wander to try and find Lyney amongst all these business-oriented people. And indeed you manage to locate him. 

Unfortunately for you — there’s clear evidence that your partner is not feeling his best… And since you’re the reason he even showed up to this setting, you feel like you need to check up on him. Therefore, you proceed to message him. 

From the messages it seems like your lovely partner is doing much better than before… However there’s this inkling in your brain that he might still feel jealous about this situation. 

— Thank you for the conversation. - You manage to finally get a word in with the manager who has been talking nonstop. - Unfortunately, I’m here with someone… and I feel bad leaving them unattended. I shall be taking my leave now. - 

With those words said, you proceeded to get to Lyney, finally getting a break from acting as a suck-up throughout the entire evening

— Hi lovely. - You say, catching your partner’s hand in yours. - I’m so sorry about leaving you all alone. - 

The guilt inside you can be felt both in your manner of speech, as well as in the grip you have on his hand. Lyney must be able to sense this, as he’s bringing your hand up for a loving kiss. 

— Pay that no mind. You’re absolutely forgiven, Muse. - He whispers, not wanting to bring more attention to you than necessary. - Besides, I’m sure you’ll repay me with all the kisses in the world once we get home.

It always turns out like this. A situation where you were supposed to be the one comforting your partner, turns its tables into him uplifting you with poetic words. The result of it being you - feeling the most courageous you have been throughout this entire business meeting.

In the end, your presentation goes more than well. You’ve knocked each point out of the park and even answered all the questions with merit! 

— I knew you would do amazing, bubs! - Lyney gives you a kiss on the cheek the moment you leave the venue where your presentation took place. - As expected of the magnificent Muse of the magnificent Lyney. 

He’s singing you — and himself by proxy, because he has to be stunning if his partner is that good — praises the entire road home, which makes you wonder… How in the world a singular person can go through so many behaviour patterns in the span of a singular night? 

date of posting - may 22nd 2024