#adeptus baizhu

[madamemachikonew]

This Mortal Coil - Adeptus Baizhu x Chronically Ill Fem!Reader (3k)

A repost from my old account since I'm not sure how many people actually saw it what with all the visibility glitches. I wrote this for me to commemorate the year anniversary of my MS diagnosis, but sharing with all of you; a lot of Baizhu fans are chronically ill/disabled yet weirdly nobody seems to write for a sick reader...

The frail owner of the Bubu Pharmacy is secretly a snake adeptus, in the final phase of his life. While everyone knows of his quest for immortality, nobody knows the true reason why.

As he watches you, his sick mortal lover, sleep, he is alone with his thoughts and reminisces - both with joy and sadness - on your time together.

+++ Contains much angst and portrayal of degenerative chronic illness +++

It's on AO3 here.

__________

In the still of the night, Baizhu sits perched on the side of your bed as you slumber. With a gentle hand he caresses your brow and head, taking comfort in the feeling of the silky strands of your hair as they run through his fingertips like sand through an hourglass. It reminds him of the precious gift of time. As he watches your steady breathing in the flickering lanternlight, he cannot help but reminisce in this quiet moment of respite from the bustle of the Pharmacy.

Looking down at you through long eyelashes, the glow of the lantern catches his amber eyes, which exude a kindness he shows to nobody else.

As he sits with you, he recalls the first time that you, his favourite patient, had sat in his office and told him “It feels like I’m disappearing.”

He had looked at you with a quizzical expression until you had described your confusion at how your limbs had become numb, tingling and weak, your brain foggy and forgetful. The mysterious numbness had started to creep up your body.

“Like you are disappearing?” he had replied, his voice hollow as he recognised only too well the symptoms you had described.

It had been an apt description, for it was in some respect, true. The incurable illness that was silently ravaging you was destroying your body, and with it, your very essence of self. Not only was it disabling the switches that allowed you to feel and control your body, but your very personality would slowly erode, not just from the weight of your troubles, but because your emotions were also becoming harder to control.

Baizhu’s heart aches at the recollection of how you had wrung your hands in the face of his sombre words that had turned your world upside down. And how his heart had broken that he had been the one to deliver the news that shattered your dreams before his eyes. With a painful look in his eyes, he thinks back to how he had relentlessly tried a multitude of remedies to bring you relief; pushed needles into your supple flesh to release the flow of your Qi energy, given you pills and tinctures, salves and ointments, massaged and stretched your muscles to release their painful tight spasms. And you had borne the discomfort of his treatments without any complaint. Unlike his other patients, not once had you ever complained of the bitterness of his medicines. Over time, he had realised that his desire and passion to heal you was not just that of a doctor, but as someone who loved you.

A loving gaze in his eyes as he beholds your sleeping form, he recalls how you had asked him what his favourite flower was. His heart swells with emotion at the thought of how you had brought him those flowers as a thank you gift for his efforts. He laughs softly to himself at the recollection that he had eaten them because he had not realised that they were a gift to display in his office. His heart had fluttered with joy when, in the course of your frequent charming conversations during your consultations, he had discovered that you enjoyed floral teas and infusions, because it meant that despite him being an Adeptus, you both had something in common.

As the lantern flickers once more in the silent bedroom, he remembers the day he had summoned enough courage to blushingly confess his love for you with soft and quiet words. Back then he had dreamed of you sleeping by his side as you do now, but had never dared to believe that it would one day become a reality.

“You’d love me, even with my illness?” you had replied in shock and disbelief, your eyes filled with tears. “Even knowing what is to come? Even knowing that I will one day lose myself and suffer the indignity of becoming nothing more than a shell?”

Your reaction had startled him, for it had never occurred to him not to love you or take care of you until his dying day. You were no less worthy of love just because your body had decided to destroy itself and it had wounded him deeply to hear you speak that way about yourself, as though there could be people in the world who would see you as a burden.

“You will always be you.” he had replied with misty eyes as he caressed your cheek. “No matter what comes to pass, I will always see you as you are now, radiant and full of life, for that person will always be in here. ” He had pressed a gentle fingertip over your heart before holding your trembling body close as you sobbed on his shoulder at his words, clinging painfully to him as your fingertips dug into his back as though your life had depended on it.

With a slender finger, he wipes his eyes before caressing your head once more, pulling the covers up a little around your neck, around which hangs a protective Adeptus amulet he made for you; his first gift to you that wasn’t medicine.

As he delves further into his vivid memories, he feels the same butterflies as he did on the day that he had revealed that he was in fact an Adeptus. He had done so with apprehension in his heart, for he knew only too well that a snake did not have the beauty or majesty of other Adepti. Unlike a crane or a deer, most people would shudder and recoil at the idea of a snake spirit. And your reaction had startled him once more; you had cupped his face in your hands, repeating his own words to him – that the person you loved was still inside of him, no matter which physical form he took.

A smile blossoms on his face as he recalls the first time he had unveiled his true snake form to you as you had knelt on the grassy mountainside under the moonlight. How you had giggled when he had coiled his large scaly body around you, given your cheek a soft boop with his nose and rested his head in your lap, his flickering tongue tasting your happiness in the air. Instead of running in fear, you had hugged him tightly and called him beautiful. Your gentle hands had given him headpats for hours and scratched under his chin as he purred with blissful contentment and nuzzled against your soft warm body. Your soothing touch, so replete with love, had sent him into a deep, almost hypnotic meditative trance. In this way, chastely holding one another under a blanket of stars, you had spent your first night together, both knowing true peace for the first time in your lives.

That night had been the first time in a long time that he had shown his true spirit to a mortal, and even longer since he had been touched with any degree of affection. He had wept hot happy tears at your unhesitating acceptance of his fearsome form. Since then he had been your constant companion as well as the guardian of your health and your heart.

A warm feeling washes through Baizhu as he thinks of how much he loves coiling around you as you sleep, emanating a healing frequency that vibrates and hums through you, relieving your pain and fatigue, soothing your frayed nerves and easing the tension in your muscles. It brings him so much joy to envelop you in the vibrant purr of pure love, knowing you can feel a sense of peace in the knowledge that you can entrust all of your fears, weariness and anguish to him.

With a soft smile, he remembers how you had excitedly asked him about Adeptus cuisine, wanting to make him something he enjoyed, and the eagerness with which you had been willing to try his dishes, no matter how unconventional to the human palate. He had replied that he liked to eat flowers with a pleasant scent for breakfast, as they bring him a good feeling inside, calming and relaxing his soul. You had laughed melodiously and told him how cute it was. He had never been called cute before and it had made him feel as warm inside as an afternoon nap in the autumn sun. He wondered if you knew how cute you had been in that moment, with your bright and honest smile. You had giggled even more when he had bashfully confessed that he had eaten the flowers you had given him so long ago.

In the days when you were more mobile on your feet, you would go for walks and fill baskets with his favourite flowers for him to eat, or infuse them as a fragrant tea for the two of you to share, or stuff them into his pillow so the calming scent would help you both relax as you slept. The scent and the sight of these flowers would forever remind him of you.

As he continues to caress your head, he recalls the nervous flutter in his heart when he had told you all about the four sacred Adeptus love rituals marking the various stages of commitment to one another and his joy when you had shyly asked if he wanted to perform those rituals with you. To mark the first attraction and your burgeoning connection, you had fed each other orchids and lotus seeds at the Ritual of Pink Clouds, so-named after the clouds at dawn and the satin blush on the cheeks of shy new lovers. The Ritual of Flowing Waters symbolised your intent to deepen your relationship, irrevocably entwining your lives and sharing all your joys and tribulations. You had both gathered purest spring water from two different mountain streams and solemnly poured it into a single cup from which you both drank. Then the handfasting Ritual of the Blossoms, tying a cord he had woven himself from auspicious and medicinal plants and flowers, pledging yourselves to one another in this life and all of the lives to come. And then, after he had meticulously prepared the room with incense, lanterns and ceremonial foods, and you had both bathed to purify yourselves in accordance with the sacred tradition, you became an entanglement of limbs on a soft bed of silk and flowers as you consummated your love with his human form during the Ritual of the Red Moon, bringing each other to the heights of divine pleasure with happy tears as you bonded yourselves to one another for all time, the Blood Moon demurely hiding its face to give you privacy as it eclipsed itself in shades of warm carmine. It had been a moment so intimate, it had felt as though your very souls had touched.

Replaying these memories in his mind, it devastates him that your physical vessel, which houses such a kind, loving and honest heart, is disintegrating before his very eyes. It is being ravaged by an illness that has swept through you like wildfire, bringing untold destruction in its wake as it eats your body, mind and soul from the inside, like an Abyss curse. When he had first met you, the Bad Days were few and far between, but lately they have been increasing in number, and starting to outweigh the Good Days. You are but a prisoner inside your own body, which has become your jailer and your torturer. Your own mortal enemy. It is as though your body is possessed of a maleficent spirit with a mind of its own, hellbent on wreaking some sort of revenge for a sin unknown.

As he looks down at you nestled in the cosy bed and hand-knitted blanket, he reflects on how he had encouraged you to be creative, to preserve your neurological function and manual dexterity and help brighten your mood. So you had learned to knit, and had made a purple scarf for him out of the softest yarn, a physical manifestation of your love that he could wrap around himself to keep warm during the winter months, his snake spirit being sensitive to the cold. With great fondness he had run his fingertip over the irregular stitches, where your fingers had faltered; the imperfections making its charm. He had given you baoding balls to manipulate, and the gentle peals of their magical chimes were a source of comfort to him - as long as you could turn them, it meant that things hadn't gone too far.

And now your loving hands are numb and weak, barely able to grasp a teacup or open a jar. The baoding balls have fallen silent. It pains his heart to relive in his mind how you had cried the day you had irretrievably lost the feeling in them in the space of a few hours, but not because of the loss of function. The biggest woe of your selfless, loving heart was that you could no longer feel him as you caressed him. With a tear in his eye, he remembers how he had coiled helplessly around you to comfort you and how you had both wept as you once again petted his head in your lap, unable to feel his ivory scales rippling beneath your fingertips.

While his fingers continue to absent-mindedly caress you, Baizhu’s eyes glaze and become distant as he recalls how, with despair in his heart, he had prostrated himself before the Lord of Geo himself, begging him for help. The stoic dragon king had looked down at him and told him dispassionately that this pain was a sign that it was a most sincere love indeed. But that the pain was simply a natural consequence of living an immortal life. He recalled how, his forehead pressed into the dirt at Morax’s feet, his tears had fallen, causing glaze lilies to sprout from the ground. In his desperation, he had picked the flowers and brought them home to you to grind into medicine, but their taste was bitter and they had had no therapeutic benefit.

In accordance with his contract, Baizhu had protected the mortals of Liyue in his own way – unlike other Adepti he was never a warrior, but a healer.

But the many centuries spent in service of his obligations have taken their toll, and his body is now weak and decrepit, as frail as the mortals he has served for so long. Even more so. Even Rex Lapis himself is not immune to erosion. And yet, the insolent logic of nightmare had brought you – the woman he had waited an eternity to meet – into his life when he was least equipped to protect you, when his healing magic was at its lowest ebb. He spent every day wracked with regret at his past actions. Perhaps if he had been less selfless, he could protect what he truly loved now.

The cruelty of the world pained him. The cruelty of seeing you suffer, the inability to relieve your sickness or cure you in any meaningful way, the tragedy of only finding you when he was at his most vulnerable and weak. He was not even strong enough to carry you to your bed. All he could do was slow the progression of your illness and keep the inevitable at bay for as long as possible, and each time it would sap his own body of its strength. But he would gladly give every drop of his life essence to preserve your joy of living and bodily integrity just a little while longer. Seeing your smile and hearing your laugh echo in the world for just one more day would be more than worth it. How could he know that you would gladly give up your own health if healing you meant losing him?

And now he finds himself maligned by the citizens of the Harbour, their ungratefulness manifest as they mutter behind their hands and mock him for his quest for immortality, besmirching his name with rumours of experiments and cruelty against the apprentice he sheltered from Director Hu. Being an Adeptus, he had known of Qiqi’s story and had felt indirectly responsible for her plight, having seen her mortal form shivering with cold and fear in that cave so long ago, when even he had been forced to reluctantly pick up arms. And so, despite not being a man of high calibre or courage, he tried to relieve his karmic burden by taking her in. Robbed of her memory in her immortal form, she had no recollection of him.

What the two-faced gossipmongers who kowtow to him whenever they need healing do not know is why he seeks to unlock the elixir of immortality. How he longs for them to understand that it is for his true love, so that her fragile mortal vessel may hold her soul to accompany him for the rest of his days. And it is for himself, so that he may live long enough to find a cure for her suffering and, if he cannot, so he may continue to infuse his essence into her weakened body, to preserve her a little while longer.

Tonight, he curls his frail human form around you, spooning you as you sleep, a look of serenity on your beautiful face. Today had been A Bad Day. But not The Worst Day. The plane of unconsciousness is the only place where you have any respite from the daily struggle. But of course, in the morning you will wake once more. With the sun always comes the painful feeling of dread in his heart. Will today bring more deterioration? Will today be the last day that you can feel a limb or walk unaided? Will today be the day that your sight will finally fail, or you will suffer the indignity of losing control of your bodily functions? Every cursed dawn will herald a day closer to your inevitable fate, which is why you both take refuge in the tranquility of the night.

For now, all this cold-blooded reptile can do is absorb your warmth as he presses his face into your fragrant hair, smelling of the flowers he so adores. And weep bitterly.

[hunn1e-bunn1e]

Prologue - "The Forgotten Tale of Sky Weaver"

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.

In which the Traveler and Paimon come across a mysterious adeptus by the name of Sky Weaver while the two are exploring near the sparsely populated cliffsides of Mt. Mingyuan. Or; In which the long-forgotten tale of the adeptus Sky Weaver is uncovered by Aether from the lips of the various Adepti of Liyue and the people who know them.

Prologue | Part 1 | (1.5) | Part 2 | (2.5) | Part 3 | (3.5) | Part 4 | (4.5) | Part 5 | (5.5) | Part 6 | (6.5) | Epilog | Extra 1 | Extra 2

                                                                                                   

The skies of Chenyu Vale had always possessed an almost otherworldly quality to them. Mortals who reside in the Liyue subregion pay it no mind as it has been a natural phenomenon for as long as they can remember.

However, those who have immortal souls and wield adeptal powers know of the true origin behind the ethereal skies in Chenyu Vale. 

A tale long forgotten by the mortal world and kept close by those who lived it.

The Forgotten Tale of Sky Weaver.

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.

Wanna see similar content? Check out my Masterlist!

If you want to be added to the tag list, please let me know! #thetaleofskyweaver @itztaki @sassy-cat-in-town @xharisrealm @lupicalbestwolf @pjmsies @just-here-reading @chibiduck @dellalyra @kiiyoooo @heavenlysilence0vx @2nd-number @yourfavoritefreakyhan @mshope16 @paastaboi

[xiaoaetherposts]

Baizhu story quest but it's XiaoTher.😆

Aether: "I do have someone that I can call."

Paimon: "Oh... if you're talking about who Paimon thinks you're talking about... you'd better do the honors."

Aether: "Xiao? Are you there?"

Xiao: "You called? (...) be sure to call my name again."

It's worth watching carefully, towards the end of the story quest Xiao appears as he watches over Aether from afar.

There is also a small conversation with him if we go to him to talk.💚

Twitter: @xiaoaetherposts

[idyllic-affections]

teehee. angst post snippet ft. zhongli and azhdaha's dragon adeptus child reader.....

"You should not have disobeyed me." "Excuse me?" they snarled, slit pupils flaring. The coldness of his tone only added fuel to the flames already burning in their chest. "Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me what I should or should not have done, Morax?" His eyes softened slightly. "You could have been killed," he said, reaching a hand out towards them, only for them to hiss and duck away with a sharp glare. The wound on their side throbbed as they did, but they hardly even flinched at the pain. "I only sought to protect you, even if I am not him anymore, [Name]--" "Bullshit!" His words were all stolen from his chest at that, so they went on: "You think you get to decide when you are and aren't Rex Lapis, Zhongli?! I don't give a shit if you gave up your gnosis! You are him with or without it!" Hot tears burned their eyes, and once again Zhongli tried to reach out to them. They turned on their heel, facing away from him and using the back of their hand to wipe the tears away from their eyes. Between hiccuping sobs, they murmured, "You lied to me not once, but twice. First you practically abandon Liyue without telling me or Xiao or anyone, then I get to find out that Father isn't really dead, but eroded. What the fuck is wrong with you?" "...I'm sorry." "I hate you." With that, they began walking off in the direction of Liyue Harbor, bulky tail swaying in agitation behind them. The energy it was taking to maintain their more human-esque form was starting to weigh on them. Oh well. They'd go to the mountains later to recover. Before Zhongli could get a single word out, they spoke up, "I'm going to Bubu Pharmacy. Don't follow me."

🐉 anon this post is for you 💪💪

[freeros]

[simayeeet]

something that sat in my head as i trudged through today's genshintwt

[dreams-and-drabbles]

I feel like I'm gonna be that person but more voice lines 👀👀 maybe liyue this time? I found them sooooo cuteeeee!! ⊂(•‿•⊂ )*.✧

Hehe bet bet

You’re carrying my entire tumblr <3333 I appreciate it, hehe! Σ੧(❛〜❛✿) ♪ ((I’ll post a part II —- Apparently, there’s a limit on photos smh. As for why some characters have more lines than others, it’s because their relationship isn’t as close. [F/N] is kinda like any other Genshin character in this, as in they have their own connections. Some being stronger than others. <333 Tysm for the askkkkk!!! I’ll publish part II this evening or sometime tomorrow .

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ZHONGLI

About [F/N] (Interest) : Ah, [F/N]? That adventurer? They’re likely one of the few serious adventurers associated with the Liyue Branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. It’s curious to me that they chose to live that life, instead of one of comfort. I feel as though, I could learn something from them. Pursuing one’s passions like that… It’s an admirable thing.

About [F/N] (Sharing Knowledge) : [F/N] is incredibly well versed in Liyue’s environment. Given their status as an adventurer, I am hardly surprised. Oftentimes, I find myself discussing the history of Liyue’s surroundings with them. It’s fascinating hearing what things are like now, as opposed to how they were when I first founded Liyue. [F/N] is someone I enjoy spending time with. They’re very polite, as well. They pay attention when I share things with them. Oh? Did you think I hadn’t noticed? Haah, that is fine. You’re forgiven. If you run into them, please send my regards…

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SHENHE

About [F/N] ( Observation) : I’ve seen them pass through the mountains a few times, and I have decided they mean no harm. Usually, they clear out a few Hilichurls or monsters that wander too close to settlements. From my understanding that’s their job, which in that case I can’t really fault them. They’re a decent fighter, as well… I wonder how they’d react if I joined them in clearing out any potential threats…

About [F/N] ( Kindred Spirits) : Surprisingly, they do not mind my company in the slightest. They were more than willing to turn a blind eye when I joined them in battle. Afterwards, they offered to tend to any wounds I may have. As if I would be wounded in such a fight, yet the offer was a kind one. After that, they offered me their thanks and invited me to lunch of all things… It was surprising, but I think I rather like them. I look forward to fighting with them again soon…

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XINGQIU

About [F/N] ( Similarities ) : Oh… You want to know about them? Well, where should I begin? Ah, yes… They’re nearly impossible to get a rise out of, they always seem to be busy with something, and they almost always have some sort of interesting book on them… Sounds familiar? Exactly, my liege!!! [F/N] is indeed very similar to me in some manner, which I fear, is why our personalities clash so much.

About [F/N] ( Trading Books) : Despite our clashing personalities, [F/N] is the only one I trust to trade books with. We meet once a week to swap the latest editions. If it weren’t for the fact we always seem to argue, I’d call us friends. Ah? Frenemies? What on earth are those? Oh, I see… Someone who is friends, yet they often battle verbally? I suppose that fits, then. Ah, speaking of… I need to figure out a good comeback for this week’s book trade.

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YUN JIN

About [F/N] (The Arts ) : Ah? [F/N]! Mm, they’re a very interesting person. They’re rather good at writing scripts and lyrics, though they’d never admit to it. Oh? Heh. In that case, you didn’t hear it from me! I first met them when they were doing a Commision for the guild, they had to gather inspiration for an upcoming play, I believe… When they reported back, their words were rather poetic. That’s how I discovered that they enjoyed writing, after a bit of conversation… After all, only artists use such descriptive words when reporting something simple, like pigeons…

About [F/N] (Tea) : Their taste in tea is spectacular, and I’ve found more than a few diamonds in the rough because of them. Apparently, one of their hobbies is visiting various tea houses. According to them, the environment is good for their writing, which I believe fully. A certain degree of calmness is required to allow your imagination to run…

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CHONGYUN

About [F/N] ( Martial Arts) : [F/N]? They’re an incredible martial artist!!! I’ve asked them to train with me a few times. Surprisingly, whenever we train Xingqiu refuses to tag along. I’ve never seen him so shy before. I should ask them for some advice. Maybe there’s some sort of secret to dealing with his teasing…?

About [F/N] ( Cuisine ) Recently, they’ve introduced me to a few new dishes. They’re all cold dishes, and my favorite is likely either the chilled cucumber soup, or this thing they called Ice Cream. I have no clue how they come up with these, but I truly appreciate their consideration for my condition. [F/N] is a very thoughtful person and one that I cherish…

✧ ✧ ✧

QIQI

About [F/N] : [F/N]…? That name… sounds familiar… Oh… They’re the fairy that brings me my cocogoat milk… I hope they come soon… Cocogoat milk is tasty…

✧ ✧ ✧

BAIZHU

About [F/N] ( Explanations ) : Ah, yes… Ever since I hired them Qiqi has gone on and on about the cocogoat fairy… I have explained several times that they are not a fairy, but an adventurer under my employee. Qiqi refuses to believe that, however. She’s insistent that only a fairy could get milk from a legendary adepti beast… I would explain that it’s just coconut milk, however she’s been livelier lately. I’m sure she’ll find out the truth soon, regardless.. Haha, you’re awfully inquisitive today.

About [F/N] ( Work Ethic) : They’re always on time with the delivery, and I’ll admit that their work ethic is top tier. However, sometimes… Sometimes they get carried away. It’s appreciated, of course, but bringing in 200 qingxin flowers on top of the milk… I may as well be breaking labor laws, even if it’s a display of goodwill. As such, I have told them I’ll treat any injuries they get for free. It’s precautionary, of course. I am by no means growing attached…

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XINYAN

About [F/N] : Oh!! I know them!! Yeah! They’re the greatest! Sometimes, I’ll get them to help out a lil’ in writin’ lyrics for my songs! I heard about em’ from Yun Jin!!! They were reaaaal embarrassed when I first asked em’ for help, though! Went as red as a Jueyun chili!!!

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XIAO

About [F/N] : They’re skilled… Surprisingly adept for a mortal. Their patience is commendable… Is that all? Hmph. Fine then. How I feel about them? They’re a good worker…and person. Now, let me be.

[narzissenkreuz-ordo]

new oc x canon ship dropped lads :)

[welcometoteyvat]

@apologems here, some shenhe & baizhu for you [random character pairs asks] thanks for your patience because this is really late and enjoy <3

———

The light fragrance of qingxin emanates from the little brown pills in Shenhe's palm. It will not change how the pills taste, though, so she downs them all at once.

… They're not as bitter as she expected. The taste is like… like regret softened with honey, a tinge of sweetness lingering in her throat. Something indescribable dislodges itself from Shenhe’s chest, escapes in a barely perceptible sigh. When she looks back up, two pairs of eyes—gold, crimson—human, snake—are gazing intently at her.

“Swallowed it without even a sip of water! You must have taken a lot of bitter medicine before.” The snake draped around the doctor’s neck speaks in a sing-song voice, blinking owlishly up at her. Shenhe stares back at it—and although she is not good at reading humans, and snakes even less, she thinks it seems a bit surprised that she hasn’t yet looked away. When it lowers its head a moment later, suddenly timid, Shenhe feels an inexplicable bubble of satisfaction pressing against the bindings of her red ropes.

The corners of Baizhu’s serpent eyes turn down unhappily, and he frowns a little. “Changsheng. Manners.” And then, to her, in a gentler voice, "Here. Take this dried goji and haw; it’ll wash out any of the remaining bitterness.” He takes out a burlap satchel from one of the many little cabinets behind the front desk, and places it carefully in her still outstretched hands.

“Thank you… Mr. Baizhu— Doctor.” She can’t quite remember what the person before her had said before leaving, but… any parting phrase should suffice, right? None of the other adepti chide Master when she leaves their gatherings without any goodbyes, after all.

“No need; this is simply part of my job.” Shenhe must have said the right thing, because Baizhu is smiling graciously, waving away her thanks. Shenhe follows the crescent-moon curve of his pale lips all the way to the premature crow’s feet crinkling at the corners of his eyes, and wonders if the years have been unkind to him. As she studies Baizhu’s amber irises and vertical pupils, her thoughts wander to the tomes of adeptal transformation arts squirreled away in a corner of her master’s abode. She wonders how long it has taken him to reach this form, for it almost rivals her master’s in its beauty.

“Ah—on another note, I don’t recall filling a prescription for you in Bubu Pharmacy before? Is it your first time coming here?” Baizhu peers at her carefully over his oval glasses, eyes like yellow jade and Hulao amber. Shenhe holds his eye contact, and then—slowly, slowly, like the boiling of medicine and the flow of ages past, Baizhu’s gaze becomes something… vaster, something… boundless—and suddenly, Shenhe’s falling, rushing past the sights and sounds of Liyue as experienced by generation after generation of disciples and masters and masters and disciples and the ever-present white snake wound around their necks. And then, just as suddenly she is back in the pharmacy, and Baizhu’s eyes are simply circular drops of molten gold, and he has a concerned expression on his face.

“Shenhe, are you alright? Apologies if my question was too prying; I was merely curious.”

“No. I have never been here.”

“Well, in that case, welcome to Bubu Pharmacy. May your coming days be full of good health.”

———

A/N: these two are an absolutely slept on character pair thanks for opening my eyes. sorry that nothing consequential happens in this fic i wanted to squeeze in something about not listening to fate and baizhu looking up her name for connections to the adepti etc. but that didn't happen and ive been stuck on it for 2 weeks so i threw in the towel and said to myself that i'll put it in a more-inspired sequel. sorry if this is again confusing. if there's only 1 take home message you get from this I hope it's that baizhu is A SICKLY ASS MAN (please take care of yourself)

and ofc, if ooc let me know, i heart feedback etc etc. open call for shenhe and baizhu likers to give me their theses on either character because i need to Understand them and study them under a microscope

crossposted to ao3 too ig

[occasional-xiao]

Castle

[straightouttheslendermansionn]

𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟 𝕄𝕖𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕟𝕖𝕣

Characters: Baizhu, Xiao, Thoma, Ayato

Next: Itto, Gorou, Albedo, Kazuha

CW: More fluffy, and lots of pretty men. Also some slight mention of NSFW subjects.

𝔹𝕒𝕚𝕫𝕙𝕦

Changsheng has to like you first. No questions about it.

Someone who will offer to take care of things for him would be ideal, as he is a pretty busy man.

In return, he would spoil you. Be prepared for that.

He’d like someone he can talk with while working, you’re both multitasking and casually flirting at the same time.

In essence, he needs someone clever, responsible, and as slippery as he and Changsheng are.

He gets so weak when he sees you being sweet with Qiqi, it pulls at his heart hardcore.

Power couple material fr

This guy needs someone who will top him, I think we can all agree that he’s a bottom.

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𝕏𝕚𝕒𝕠

He needs someone who will spend time with him without the need for words.

He is a very physical touch person mainly due to being touch-starved for most of his life, especially after Karmic Debt killed off any semblance of family he could have possibly had.

He will push you away as to not endanger you. He does this to anyone who gets close, but especially to people he ends up loving.

Needs tons and tons of patience because he has only a small idea of how close relationships work.

He likes being completely alone with his partner so there will be no “showing off” each other. He doesn’t like it and sees no point in it.

His standards are honestly pretty unrealistic. He needs someone who matches his energy and whose timing is exactly right for him.

If you call him by Adeptus Xiao and he really likes you, his entire face will be flushed. Totally unrelated to his standards but it’s a cute lil thing.

I’m not biased, you are.

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𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕒

He needs someone to remind him sometimes that he’s worth more than what he puts out.

The love language he responds to most is words of affirmation. He eats that shit UP.

Otherwise, acts of service are his forte, so naturally he’d want to do any and everything to make his beloved’s life easier.

Needs someone who will randomly grab him by his cute lil waist from behind and give him a big ol hug. Not just a desire, a necessity.

Thoma is still really busy though so he might need help once in a while, if you’d be so kind.

Someone who is up for the hotpot game after a long day of running errands for the Yashiro Commission together and some time at the hot springs.

Another bottom. No question.

——————————————————————————

𝔸𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕠

A dignified and helpful person would be of interest to him.

Bonus if shy/slightly scared of him. As much as he wants to ease people, he does secretly like when people are scared of him or are shy around him.

Like his sister, the way he shows affection is through gift giving. He responds most positively to acts of service.

Will treat his hardworking partner to a trip or to dinner.

Another busy boi, please be patient.

Will casually flirt with while working every so often if you to work together. He’s not the best at it but he tries.

Bring him boba on a busy day and he will thank you profusely and squeeze the life out of you.

If you can duel with him on your spare time, even better.

[hunn1e-bunn1e]

Aether - "Mysterious Adeptus, Sky Weaver"

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.

In which the Traveler and Paimon unknowingly come across a mysterious adeptus by the name of Sky Weaver while the two are exploring near the sparsely populated cliffsides of Mt. Mingyuan. Or; In which the long-forgotten tale of the adeptus Sky Weaver is uncovered by Aether from the lips of the various Adepti of the Nation of Liyue and the people who know them.

Prologue | Part 1 | (1.5) | Part 2 | (2.5) | Part 3 | (3.5) | Part 4 | (4.5) | Part 5 | (5.5) | Part 6 | (6.5) | Epilog | Extra 1 | Extra 2

                                                                                                   

🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠

“Now that we've helped Fujin tend to the soil, Paimon has noticed that it's a lot prettier in Chenyu Vale.”  

The floating fairy-like creature chirps as she hovers along the dirt path by her blonde companion's side.

“Speaking of prettier things. Traveler, did you notice that the sky here in Chenyu Vale is much different from the skies in the rest of Liyue?”

The golden blonde next to her stops and turns his gaze onto her, raising a brow of skepticism. His eyes then raise to the darkened sky that hangs above them and take in the sight.

What Paimon said was true. The sky truly was different from the rest of Liyue and any other region that the two had visited so far. As it was night, the sky was a deep midnight blue with swirls of violet and turquoise that seemed to glow from within the cotton-like clouds that partially obscured and circled the shining white moon. Stars speckle the suspended landscape of night haphazardly, their droplets of white add an almost otherworldly quality to the already ethereal scene. And, of course, the faded silhouette of Celestia looms ominously in the distance, creeping north ever so slowly. It truly was unlike anything that Aether had ever seen before.

“That's–… how did I never notice it.”

The golden blonde mumbles as he looks up in wonder and amazement, but also confusion. 

Why was the sky in Chenyu Vale so drastically different from anywhere else? What was so different about this place? How was the sky this way in the first place? It was strange; like the sky was altered by something to be this way, and although Aether wanted to think that something like that was impossible, his expectations have been demolished and rebuilt countless times since he descended into Teyvat.

The small bob-haired fairy floated in front of his face and waved her arms about to attract his attention.

“Hey, if you're curious about the sky, why don't we head back to Yilong Wharf and ask the locals about it? Maybe if we're lucky we'll run into Cloud Retai– uhm… Xianyun again; she might know too!” 

Paimon suggests before turning and floating further down the dirt road toward their new destination.

“Hm.”  

Aether hums, giving a curt nod as he follows his guide back to the wharf.

“Uuugh! Paimon is so tired! Why is Chiwang Terrace so far from here anyway!? It's already daytime!”  

Paimon whines as she slowly floats along with her blonde companion at a snail's pace in a slumped-over position.

“How about we head over to Jiulue Teahouse? We can sit down and eat some of the local dishes then we can start asking around.”  

The outlander chuckles softly as he reaches over and pats the floating girl on the head in sympathy before grabbing her and carefully holding her under his arm. Paimon only sighs and gives her friend a nod as she's carried off in the direction of the teahouse. 

On their way over to one of the nearby stalls, Aether spots a storyteller on the outside stage; maybe this storyteller has a few tales about the skies here. Though, after a short deliberation, he lets his floating companion go and buy food for the two of them while he goes and speaks to the storyteller; with a reasonable allowance, lest the girl buy out the stall's entire stock and empty his mora pouch.

Once the two part ways, the golden blonde sees the older man leaving off the stage, seemingly emptied of his arsenal of tall tales. So he waves the man, who he learns is named Jiewu going by the nearby chatter of patrons, down.

“Excuse me! I know that you just got off the stage, but I was wondering if you had any stories about the skies of Chenyu Vale?”  

He asked straightforwardly; getting a comical sweat drop from the older man at his bluntness.

Jiewu mutters a bit as he pinches his chin between his thumb and forefinger; his crow's feet becoming more pronounced as he squints his eyes in thought. The older man takes a glance up at the magnificent sky with a bland expression, as if it were the most mundane thing that he'd ever seen before. It was almost as if he didn't notice anything significant at all. Strange.

“I can't say I have any stories about the sky, young man. I've no clue why you're interested in something like that, there's nothing very spectacular about the sky.”  

Jiewu confusedly drones out; raising a thick brow at the blonde and taking another glance at the sky above.

“Was there anything else you needed, young man? If I'm not home soon, my wife will have a fit”  

The older man asks in a still polite but slightly rushed tone, making it clear that he wanted the conversation to end quickly.

Aether only shakes his head and allows the man to take his leave. Turning around, he sees Paimon floating toward him with bagged food in hand and an annoyed expression on her face. He raises a brow at her, silently asking what was wrong.

“Paimon asked the stall owner about the sky while waiting for the food, but he only looked at Paimon with a weird face and said ‘there's nothing really special about the sky, is there?’. And the other people Paimon asked said something similar!”  

The floating girl loudly complains before digging her hands into the bag, pulling out a skewer of food and angrily chomping on it; letting out muffled mumbles about giving the stall owner an ugly nickname.

Aether only sighs as he motions for his fairy-like companion to follow him.

Their next stop: Mt. Mingyuan!

As the traveler scaled the cliffs of Mt. Mingyuan, he kept hearing the sound of a paper bag rustling and the unmistakable munching of food. A metaphorical vein bulged out on his temple as he whipped his head around to look at his floating guide.

“You— Paimon, give me the bag! If you eat everything again, I swear I'll feed you to a cryo slime!”  

Aether growled as he recklessly took one hand off the cliffside to swipe at the bag in Paimon's hands, the girl dodging every time.

Unfortunately, all the wild movements made him lose his foothold in the cliffside and sent him plummeting towards the ground below. In too much shock to deploy his wind glider, all the golden blonde could do was stare upwards at the screaming Paimon who too was frozen in fear. 

But then… on the wind, he heard a faint whisper of droplets landing on the surface of water…

From beneath him, Aether felt a soft embrace pushing him upwards; the quiet sounds of shifting waters made him look back. What he could only describe was a small cloud of heavy mist with a ring of water swirling around it. The strange cloud lifted him, and Paimon when it reached the height she was at, up and over the cliffside, where it then came to a stop and seemingly patiently waited for him to get off. 

The golden blonde shakily stumbled off of the helpful cloud and fell on his bottom on the grassy cliff top. His heart beat erratically and his whole body trembled as the adrenaline finally caught up with him. He didn't even register the tearful apologies of his floating friend as she hugged him and sobbed into his chest.

“...One did not think that mortals had become so foolish over such a short time…”  

A gentle voice softly whispered from a place that Aether couldn't locate.

“...You shall consider yourself lucky that one was present to witness your fall, lest you no longer be among the living…”  

The voice spoke familiarly; it reminded Aether of how Xianyun and the other adeptus spoke. Surely this voice must belong to another adeptus that he just hadn't met yet.

“...Descend the mountain and return to a safer location, the cliffs of Mt. Mingyuan are no place for young mortals like yourself…”  

The voice spoke again, this time though, it seemed to be coming from the cloud that saved him from his fall. With every syllable pronounced, the cloud of mist gave off a faint but ethereal glow in a medley of colors. Colors that were reminiscent of the night sky that he had seen just yesterday.

Breaking from his adrenaline-fueled trance, Aether shakily gets to his feet and takes the still-sobbing Paimon into his arms. He spared a glance back at the cloud, tempted to stay and ask it about its possible connection to the mysterious skies that he had been wondering about, but one look at the disheveled companion in his arms and he knew his answer. He'd have to worry about that later, his dear friend needs him right now.

“Can… Can I ask you for your name?”  

The golden blonde asked, almost sounding as if he was begging with how his voice trembled.

“...One's name should be of no concern to you at this time; you must go now…”

The ‘cloud’ softly answered back, as if it were trying to coax a sleepy child back into a dream.

With that answer, Aether nodded and headed down the mountain with careful and measured steps, occasionally giving quick glances down at the sleeping Paimon's tear-stained face. He sighs, perhaps he can just ask about this mysterious adeptus another time, he has much more important things to worry about now.

🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠•♡•🌠

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.

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[xiaoaetherposts]

Baizhu story quest and Hidden Dreams of the Dephts archon quest

What was said in the Baizhu Story quest reflects very nicely in terms of what happened with Xiao and Aether in the Hidden Dreams of the Depths archon quest.

The parallel between how Xiao would have sacrificed himself, primarily to protect Aether, and Jiangli and Jialang's self-sacrificing relationship for each other is beautiful.

Also, as Aether expresses how important Xiao is to him and does not want to lose him.

Twitter: @xiaoaetherposts

[the-alchemistake]

*looks at your mortal ass* ugh 🙄 lamentable

[wranrihallon]

Genshin Impact Gender + Sexuality Headcanons

Liyue Characters Part 1/2

Baizhu is a panromantic, aceflux cisman who goes by he/they pronouns but wouldn't mind others

Beidou is a lesbian ciswoman who goes by she/her pronouns

Chongyun is a gay cisman who goes by any pronouns

Ganyu is an aroace ciswoman who goes by she/they pronouns

Hu Tao is a pansexual ciswoman who goes by any pronouns except it/its

Keqing is a lesbian ciswoman who goes by she/her pronouns

Ningguang is an aromantic lesbian ciswoman who goes by she/her pronouns

Shenhe is a biromantic, demisexual ciswoman who goes by any pronouns

Xiangling is a heteroromantic, asexual ciswoman who goes by she/they pronouns but wouldn't mind others

Xiao is a homoromantic, demisexual cisman who goes by he/him pronouns

[a-mentally-ill-writer]

Xiao is always watching…

Did anyone else notice that Xiao was staring at us in the distance during the Baizhu story quest? Before we go into the domain? I spotted him and abandoned all else to see him. yes I’m a simp why do you ask