#diluc and kaeya need so much therapy

[dandelion-wings]

This ficlet is @theabysscomeshome's fault twice over. First, in 2022, we were talking about the wingfic, and wing-grooming, and they suggested the specifics of this piece. Then, a few days ago, we had another discussion about grooming-as-affection that reminded me of that older conversation. I've been telling myself for two years that I couldn't write this until I finished the wingfic, but I don't know if I'll ever finish the wingfic, and you know what? I don't need to in order to write this. If I ever DO, I'll probably clean this up and throw it on AO3 as a short coda, but for now I've had fun writing it, and it can live on Tumblr as an exercise. :>

---

It takes Diluc a while, once he returns to Mondstadt, to notice the state of Kaeya's wings.

They aren't in notable disarray. But neither are they at all well-kept. He keeps them tightly closed against his back, the cape of his new uniform half-falling over them, eclipsing them with its ornate cut and dramatic tones. There's no gleam of oil, and his feathers are dry and brittle from the lack, more always broken when Diluc sees him than can be accounted for by battle alone. They're brushed back with a ruthlessness that no doubt is only breaking them further.

And Diluc has never once seen them decorated. Kaeya doesn't wear any wing-clasps, even though Diluc can easily imagine several designs that would nicely match his outfit, and whoever he commissioned it from would surely have offered to add them in. Not once has Diluc seen even the ends of the primaries painted. Father used to love painting their wings, and unlike Diluc, Kaeya would hold still for an hour or more, both wings stretched out behind him, while Father painted each primary with a peacock's eye in full and natural detail.

Perhaps Diluc can understand why he doesn't paint them, at least.

The rest, though, makes no sense. If this were the Kaeya he thought he'd known as a youth, shy and soft-spoken, always a step behind Diluc so that Diluc could attract the attention, he could wave it away. But not for this new Kaeya, with his flamboyant clothing and his cheerful, talkative guise. A Mondstadter's wings should be one of the *anchors* of their style, not a disregarded afterthought.

He mentions it to Jean, once, during one of the quiet moments in the midst of Dvalin's unexpected violence. Diluc is careful not to bring up Kaeya with her most of the time, afraid of prying into the friendly trust he can tell exists between them. But in that encounter in the Temple of the Wolf Kaeya had spread his wings, briefly, mantling at him over the Abyss Mage, and the feather-breakage had been unexpectedly brutal on the underside. It niggles at him more than the mantling itself.

"I know," Jean says. "He maintains them well enough to glide, though, and their condition doesn't break the Knights' uniform regulations. I have no grounds to reprimand him for it."

Her expression is carefully composed in the way that means she's holding back some emotion or extra comment. Diluc bites back a more demanding question. He's not her superior anymore, and he can't insist she not treat him as such if he interrogates her like one. Though even if she can't discuss the subject with Kaeya as Acting Grand Master, he doesn't see why she wouldn't speak up as a friend-

Or perhaps that's gone as poorly for her as disapproving of Kaeya's new drinking habit tends to go for him. If Kaeya has set a boundary around the topic, Jean would no doubt be better-mannered than Diluc about crossing it. He only wishes that she could tell him why.

Could, or would. She changes the subject swiftly back to Dvalin, and as soon as she does that closed-up composure falls away. Diluc swallows his frustration and turns his attention, too, back to the task at hand.

***

It eats at him still every time he sees Kaeya, whether it's in his bar applauding his deception of Huffman or roaming the islands of the Golden Apple Archipelago together or at his dining table one evening during the Weinlesefest, making terrible jokes and gesturing to emphasize them with his hands only, not a twitch of wing or feather even when he laughs at his own jibes. Adelinde looks as pained as Diluc feels when Kaeya pins them against the back of the chair at the table instead of slotting them through the notch down its center and draping them comfortably over its curves.

He's not *comfortable* at the Dawn Winery, that seems to say, and Diluc knows that's his own fault. Adelinde and the other staff have never done anything that would make him think he shouldn't feel at home.

The day Kaeya comes by with the Honorary Knight and a variety of gifts from Sumeru is the day Diluc loses his patience at last.

Kaeya is still there when he returns from his meeting--which he'd rather have left to Elzer after all, ill or not, if he hadn't known that Kaeya would be more comfortable if he wasn't there. He'd expected Kaeya to have left already. But instead, while the Honorary Knight has apparently gone back to Mondstadt with Klee after she made an unexpected appearance, Kaeya has lingered to help Adelinde clean up after lunch. Just as he's apparently helped Tunner pick grapes, and Connor check on the fermenting wine, and Elzer handle an unexpected merchant.

He's taken his jacket and cape off by this point in the afternoon, sitting on a bench outside and sharing a bottle of wine with Connor and Elzer, chatting idly about the current projects at the Winery. Finally, unlike that dinner, his wings are spread a bit, low and drooping behind his back. There's grape leaves stuck to the broken feathers, a bit of soot streaked across them, and even a piece of vine tangled around two primaries. He looks up at Diluc, and the ease of his smile makes it clear he's drunk.

"You aren't staying for dinner in that state," Diluc tells him in a flash of utterly unjustified irritation.

That easy smile goes wry and pained in an instant, and the loosened wings draw tight. Kaeya sets his glass down and starts to rise, one hand on the table to keep himself steady. Connor and Elzer both look dismayed, Connor holding out a hand as if to stop Kaeya and Elzer giving Diluc a frowning look.

"I've enjoyed this visit," Kaeya says to the men, waving off Connor's hand, "but it seems it's time for me to take my leave. Thank you for your hospitality."

"I didn't say that." He regrets his tone already, though it still grates at him to see how quickly Kaeya takes that as a dismissal, and not--not jealousy, Diluc admits reluctantly, chagrined by his own reaction. It's not *Kaeya* that casual display makes him frustrated with.

"Oh?"

"I said *in that state*. You ought to clean up first. So should you two. Adelinde won't serve any of you still in work clothes."

The other two hasten to stand, Connor collecting up the glasses while Elzer picks up the bottle. Connor smiles knowingly at Diluc, while Elzer simply looks relieved. Kaeya, though, scoops up his jacket and cape and shrugs.

"I'm afraid these are the only clothes I have on me."

"You can at least straighten up your wings. Come on. I'll brush them for you."

Diluc gestures for Kaeya to follow as he strides through the door, and deliberately doesn't look back. He's aware all the same of Kaeya's hesitation, and then the sound of his footsteps as he does, indeed, follow.

Upstairs Kaeya hesitates again on the landing, and Diluc opens the door to his suite wide and beckons him impatiently in.

"I'm sure Adelinde could give me a hand, if it matters that much," Kaeya says, still standing there. He looks oddly lost.

"Adelinde will be down in the kitchen insisting the cooks make all your favorites. All the ones she trusts them with, that is. She'll make as much as she can by hand."

Kaeya winces and mutters, "She's already made me lunch," but the distraction is at least enough for him to finally acceed to Diluc's impatience and step into his suite.

The front room is half study, but it's also where Diluc does what toilette he requires. He pulls the stool out from under the dressing table and waits until Kaeya has sat down, somewhat awkwardly, upon it before dragging the chair from his desk across the room and sitting down behind him. He can see Kaeya's face in the mirror, and it's clear Kaeya is watching him through it as well.

After a long, silent, wary moment, Kaeya loosens his wings from where they're clamped tight against his back, leaving them half-unfolded and relaxed enough that when Diluc reaches for the left one, the one where the vine is tangled in, he can tug it into a good position to preen.

He untangles the vine carefully, slowly, taking his time. Kaeya's unoiled feathers are just as fragile as he'd presumed, and despite all his care a few barbs still do snap under the slight pressure of him tugging the vine free. Diluc grimaces and pinches the barbs around them gently to draw them straight before collecting up the grape leaves scattered all across Kaeya's coverts.

The soot he has to pat off with a damp towel; if it were his own wings, he'd brush it vigorously off, but whether Kaeya cares or not he doesn't want to break any more barbs than he has to. Then, with the same concern in mind, he ignores the stiff preening brush and picks up a bottle of oil, sitting back down to hand-preen Kaeya's feathers.

Kaeya shifts on the stool when he sees Diluc pour the oil over his hands, but he doesn't say anything in protest. Doesn't say anything at all, in fact, neither light commentary nor teasing jokes nor even any complaints about the tugging as Diluc maneuvers his wing this way and that, oiling his hands over and over again as he runs his fingers delicately over and beneath and between feathers.

The primaries are in the best shape, kept straight and clean for gliding even if too many of the barbs are broken, and the secondaries are close enough to his back to stay more intact, though they're still brittle. The coverts, though, range from in disarray to very nearly matted. He pulls them apart with hands that only force of will keeps from trembling, biting his tongue on sharp comments about their neglected state.

Kaeya is tense in front of him, his shoulders stiff. He watches Diluc in the mirror like he's waiting for the moment when Diluc grasps the delicate bones under his hands and snaps them. Diluc doesn't know how to say what he wants to say without sounding angry, and he knows how Kaeya will take that.

At last, though, the left wing is in good order, every feather fluffed and preened and oiled. Diluc shifts the chair a little and starts on the right.

Kaeya goes even more tense when he takes the leading edge to pull it out. For a moment he resists--Diluc almost lets go, afraid he *will* snap it if Kaeya keeps pulling back--and then he sighs, his face in the mirror resigned, and his wing relaxes as he hunches his shoulders forward. No less tense, he's still sitting like he's waiting for the blow, but he drops his gaze from the mirror and stares down at the dressing table instead.

Two of these primaries are folded oddly inward, their barbs tangled, pinning them together in a way that leaves gaps in the bottom line of the wing. Diluc frowns at that and separates them, carefully as he can, though even that doesn't keep one barb from snapping as he tries to free it from the one it's tangled with. They're bound so close he'd almost think someone had interlaced them deliberately. When they part, it doesn't reveal the third primary that should be hidden between them. The feather just isn't there.

Diluc traces the gap upwards, pushing back the coverts to find the root. He expects the shaft to be broken somewhere high. Maybe this was from a recent blow, because more of the coverts are tangled around the root. He parts them carefully, too, and realizes that two of them are missing, and some of the feathers around and above, and where they're gone, the bare skin of the wing, is- scarred. An old, rough, patch of skin, pulled tight and knotted where fire had burnt first feathers and then flesh away.

He rests his fingers against the burn scar for a long moment. Kaeya is rigid as a board, his left wing clamped in tight again, looking down at his hands in his lap like he has the secrets of the universe folded between them. But he doesn't twitch his wing away from Diluc's hand.

It feels like something is trying to gnaw its way out from Diluc's chest. He takes a deep, slow breath, then pours more oil onto his hands and carries on with straightening the feathers. It's clear now why they were so deliberately matted together, but he doesn't fold them in again. Everyone in the Dawn Winery knows what he's done. There's no point in Kaeya hiding it here except to salve Diluc's guilty conscience, and as much as it burns, Diluc wants to see.

There's more on the underside, a whole burnt streak from top to bottom that isn't nearly as easily hidden. Kaeya has made what efforts he can, enough that Diluc hadn't spotted it before this in the times they've encountered each other in the urgency and chaos of emergencies and battle. At rest, though, he'd have to keep his wings tightly closed to hide that scar. Which, of course, is exactly what he's been doing.

Diluc takes a moment to breathe after that, too, and then goes back to straightening and oiling feathers, the guilty ache gnawing ever stronger beneath his ribs. He doesn't have anything to say that still wouldn't come out angry--he *is* angry, and he can't let that spill out at Kaeya when the anger is at himself. Once the feathers are straight, he stands, touching Kaeya's shoulder when Kaeya shifts to do the same, and picks up his softest brush and a different oil to pour over it before he sits back down.

As a child, he'd rarely had the patience for this part. But Kaeya had loved it, the same way he'd loved Father's feather-paintings. Diluc regrets, now, not often letting Father administer this final gloss, unnecessary as it might have been. If he had known when he wriggled free of Father's ministrations on his eighteenth birthday that he'd never get the chance again....

Maybe no one's done this for Kaeya, either, since this day. He hunches further under it at first, visibly uncomfortable, though he still doesn't protest. Diluc stays silent too, focusing on his work, brushing the oil into Kaeya's feathers in long, slow sweeps. At the burn, he hesitates a moment, then runs the brush down over the scars as well, the rough dark skin taking on the same gleam as Kaeya's feathers, though not as iridescent as this particular oil teases out of that dark blue. Slowly, gradually, Kaeya unhunches, relaxing under the brush, his wings falling into the same comfortable droop that Diluc had seen at that table outside.

When he's finished, he caps both bottles and rises, setting them and the brush back on the dressing table. Kaeya hasn't tried to rise this time, which leaves him room to circle around and double-check his handiwork from multiple angles. A few final touches, pushing feathers that the brush had disturbed back into perfect alignment, and then Diluc can't resist touching the worst of the burns one more time.

He swallows all the anger and guilt and regret that threatens to claw its way up and says, his voice as soft as he's ever been able to make it, "I'm sorry."

Kaeya looks up at him with his eye wide. Then a faintly ironic smile eclipses the astonishment. "Why? They aren't real, remember?"

That feels like a knife twisted in his stomach, and Diluc closes his teeth on an angry retort. Kaeya's shirt is buttoned close around the base of his wings, but he knows that older scars still lie beneath that, the long thin lines of a knife in a wedge-like cut. The gouges, he knows now, as he hadn't as a child, not of attempted removal but of their original installation.

Had it hurt? Diluc doesn't think he's ever asked. He certainly doesn't have the right to ask such a question now. But he can't imagine it didn't.

When he presses a little harder against the burn, he sees Kaeya flinch. "*This* is."

"Ah." Kaeya swallows hard, the smile vanishing. "That's true."

"And if it is, then they are, too."

Diluc can't quite read the expression on Kaeya's face before he looks away. He resists the urge to check it in the mirror. Instead he lowers his hand and steps back, giving Kaeya space.

"I have to change. I'll meet you downstairs for dinner."

And then he flees, putting the door of his bedroom between them. Kaeya will probably dig through his desk behind his back--Diluc would, in his place--but there's nothing there that he can't stand Kaeya seeing. Nothing that his brother doesn't already know, in any case. Kaeya has always been adept at digging out his most mortifying secrets.

He'd rather Kaeya dig through his desk before going downstairs. The other option is that he decides Diluc has been too overbearing and leaves.

When he comes down to dinner, though, Kaeya is there, waiting in the chair beside Diluc's and chatting companionably with Adelinde. He looks up at Diluc and smiles, the friendly mask right back in place. Diluc frowns at him and braces for another evening of bad, teasing jokes. He can live with that. What matters more is that Kaeya has his wings draped over his chair, neat and oiled, arranged loose and comfortably behind him.

[torgawl]

slightly disappointed - just slightly - that they didn't include fischl in the windblume event because she would fit the legend/fairytale category of the charade so much?!

[akko-kagori]

Kaeya won't go to therapy on his own and if someone says he should go to therapy he'd deflect and be like "for what??? I'm fine" but if he did go the therapist would be taking notes at light speed, same with Venti, Itto, and Eula

Scaramouche knows he needs to go but doesn't

Childe won't go to therapy on his own but if someone says he should go to therapy enough (takes a few hundred tries) he'll go, if he does the therapist is taking notes at light speed while he's like "I'm okay! :)"

I don't know anything abt Kaveh or his backstory (other than he's poor and dislikes Al, I haven't finished the Sumeru archon quest yet), but I watched a comp of a livestream of Kaveh's VA playing genshin and at one point he started being like "it says a lot about him that he's been through so much and still sees the world in such a positive light" so I guess he's been through some stuff

Also, Diluc is 1000% the first in line. If you read his cat's tail message & birthday letters he talks a lot about reflecting on himself & self-improvement & wanting to move on. This man would LEAP at the opportunity to go to therapy if he had the chance

[pigeonpeach]

Yandere Genshin men

Content warning: kidnapping, drugging, lots and LOTS OF MANIPULATION, lots of mentions of murder including of reader in some cases. Also this is a yandere post ofc shits disturbing please proceed with caution

Characters included: Scaramouche, Childe, Diluc, Kaeya, Ayato

Kaeya: Manipuulator

Lets be honest Kaeya wouldn’t be the typical kidnapper and basement yandere unless it was REALLY the ONLY option. But any freedom he gives you is pretty much a illusion. He’s a charming man, he’ll find a way to sweep someone like you off your feet and wrapped around his finger. He’ll always try to come off as the most capable and smart between you two. He won’t demand you stop seeing a male friend he doesn’t like. He’ll find some way to get said friend to slip up or fall out of your good graces. Framing, blackmail, whatever. Last on the list is murder. Which of course he’d get away with. He’d plant seeds into your head that as a captain its his duty to protect, he knows this game so you could at least listen to him. Celestia could not save you if you were a anxious or shy type. He’d play into your fears to the point you would willingly stay home all day with no need for chains or shackles. He has no need to immediately dive into extreme actions but he has nothing really stopping him from doing so completely. If someone poses a threat to his charade, they will be cut down. They won’t get the chance to utter a word.

Scaramouche: Scared

He actually does love you. If he can love at all that is. He however has never experienced a healthy permanent love. He’s certain you’ll leave one day. He doesn’t like hurting you. He likes controlling you. Because surely then he could keep you from leaving right? If you ever do want to leave you’ll have to fake your death if you really want to. And even so could bear hearing his cries. He’s not that much of a crier but he had foolishly hoped he could keep you at least that. He was a fool to think love could give him the heart he seeked. Never let him find you again after this. Because he will probably just kill you. After the fake out he come to the conclusion his love was s waste of energy he will be more eager to rid himself of his obsession than he will be to keep you alive. So if you stay instead you’ll have to drag him to some therapy.

Childe: Hunter

Oh boy. Arguably the worst so far. He’ll drag you to a cabin in His wintery hell homeland and let you experience the cold with nothing to aid you. Only to swoop in to save the day before you can die. So you’ll know to leave his home is death guaranteed. He’ll put you through hell til it feels like heaven. You’ll learn to crave his affection doting side. The caring husband. You’ll learn to cling to him. You won’t have a choice. If he has to he’ll drug you. Some kind of love potion perhaps? Whatever it takes. He however does want to love you. He does want nothing more than to just let you be a stay at home partner waiting on him to visit. Guarded by fatui soldiers with hearts as cold as a blizzard. To come home to you and a couple kiddos. He’ll be a loving father to them and you. He just has to… break you in a little before he can safely believe in you.

Diluc: Protector

Well at least you won’t be totally alone. Or totally trapped. You’ll be watched by the maids and locked in the mansion you’ll be allowed to go outside only when he’s there. With his hand tight around your waist, having already cleared any camps of monsters or treasure hoarders miles away. He’ll do everything to make you feel more comfortable here. He can’t afford to lose you. And really he does have a point when he says the world isn’t safe for you now. You’re the lover of Diluc, enemy of the Abyss Order and the Fatui. There is no way they wouldn’t take advantage of you. There is no way they wouldn’t snatch you away within a instant. He could never live with himself if he let that be the case. You’ll never be bored if you’re good. He’ll get you art supplies if you wish, any books that you would like. Even pets if you would like. Perhaps if he was really really in a good mood he may just maybe take you into town. Probably on a more proper date. He’d be easy to trick at least. You need only to kiss him on the cheek or perk up whenever he enters the room, to curl yourself into his body at night, hold his face gently and lovingly and he’ll become pure putty in your grasp. Its really just Adeline you gotta watch for she’s not blinded by the desperation for affection that Diluc is. You will have to put on quite the show to convince her too. And even if you did find a way to escape, you might find Diluc was right when he said the world isn’t safe for you anymore. What organization wouldn’t be able to capture a mere mortal to use as a bargaining chip for their most hated enemy. So maybe, you really should stay.

Kamisato Ayato: Spoiled

Ayato is a prized bachelor of high society. He could have anyone with a mere point of his finger. No family would resist him. No parent would deny him. So why do you? Why do you insist on playing hard to get when he’s already got you by your ball and chain? Truly you must be blind or damaged if you think being with him is so bad. He no doubt has you observed 24/7. Eventually one day a masked man tries to attack you and who should come to your aid but the very man who holds you hostage. He’ll hold you while you tremble muttering nonsense as he whispers sweet reassurances into your ears. Every moment without him seems to be terrifying all of the sudden. You’re left alone most of the time as you refuse to be obedient and suddenly you find you’ve become insanely paranoid to the point you start begging and pleading for ayato to come. Anyone will do you just can’t be alone. You become so needy for his affection never noticing your daily drink of water in the morning is a tad bit salty. He’d definitely drug you but more or less to get you to associate him with comfort and safety so that you’ll come to love him. But if he has to keep drugging your water then that’s fine too. Whatever he wants he gets and he will have you.

[rhine-gold-archive]

You got me! Lol

but honestly? Was going to ask about Diluc and Jean since I don’t understand their relationship?? friend? divorced couple? Nothing but former co workers who generally respect each other?? And maybe comparison between their working dynamic vs kaeya & Jean working dynamic. but if that is not your cup of tea then i was going to ask about Rosaria and Kaeya friendship lol

so you pick whichever you like, Or ignore up to you <3

Jean and Diluc - childhood friends who were *almost* on the verge of dating and everyone around assumed they would get together, but they never actually did bc Diluc left to became a batman. kids of aristocratic families who did not have a lot of options to have friends growning up and at first were almost forced to hang out, but this is what allowed them to get to know each other better. both had pet turtles, come on, that doesn't happen on accident, Diluc is the pets guy (cavalry\horses, bird) so he probs got his first and infected Jean into getting her own, while they were both mocked by Kaeya. They were both crushing on each other, but nothing happened, which is why there's both clear respect, fondness and trust, but also awkwardness that can come off as this "divorced" vibe. They knew each other so well, but then everything changed so drastically and they don't know how to carry themselves around each other anymore despite still caring about each other. but Jean is the only one Diluc clearly trusts with his secret identity, he does his whole scooby doo shebang to throw Kaeya off, but accepts Jean without hesitation. It's almost easier to have a third neutral person like traveler who doesn't know their history around to communicate by proxy while pretending it's only about mondsdat safety. somewhat a romantic option, but very tentative, shy longing on both parts with a belief that the other person has already moved on and changed too much.

Kaeya and Rosaria - friends who have such similar coping and defense mechanisms that they get along very well, but their relationship hinges juuust on this side of unhealthy. Both cynical, closed off, wary of others, cryo isolationists who think it's better if others stay away from them and hang out together precisely bc they think the other one would not get attached and then hurt. The shadowy methods they can share without being judged, the sarcasm, the loneliness. Their problem is that when one would show vulnerability and the need for connection, the other would shut it off, esp Rosa with quite the harsh jabs. But this certainty that Rosa will not get too close and so won't get hurt from being around him is what lets Kaeya hang out with her a lot more, while keeping distance from Jean despite caring a lot about her too. Somewhat?? friends-with-benefits vibes, but very matter-of-fact, not romantic, "we know such secrets of each other and we don't want to get other people hurt bc we believe we're a bad news, so we might as well just have so fun". each of them actually needs open support and acceptance, so I don't ship them romantically, but they're good as friends, esp if they get therapy

[the-ragbros-are-okay]

both kaeya and diluc have responded the same way to their Whole Fucking Family Mess™ since diluc came back: by running away and/or pretending that Everything Is Fine (very poorly). because trying to truly deal with it means being super vulnerable with someone they care so much about but are so scared to hurt/be hurt by again. so the simplest solution really is to just stick them in a room together. because they're both so stressed about it one of them will eventually crack and make a comment that snowballs into that conversation when they can't leave to avoid said conversation

they're such disasters they need so much therapy adelinde is saint who deserves every second of screen time she keeps getting

they used to be able to be so open with each other but they both feel as though they've completely ruined their chances of having the same level of closeness as they did prior to That Night, and sticking them in a room together would 100% be an effective way for them to start talking again

both of them are so good at deflecting and avoiding their problems but i know it's eating them alive on the inside

also adelinde truly is a saint, she's carrying ragbros on her back fr, what a queen we love her

[insertsomthinawesome]

Past Diluc seems such a contrast to current Diluc, he and Kaeya were so happy they deserve so much therapy😭 also zhongli was allegedly feral??? I can't imagine how it would be like if present day characters meet pre-trauma zhongli.

He really is. Him and Kaeya both got thrown a terrible curve ball right in the middle of what should've been an incredibly happy day. Unfortunately because of the way Lore seems to imply Kaeya is wrapped up in the Song and Dance of Teyvat the peace never would've lasted, but it could've been longer you know? It could've lasted for years, decades, more. Maybe they could've had their father there, maybe they could've faced it as a trio... instead of a broken duo. (Not broken for long if me and a thousand fanartists and fanfic writers have anything to say about it xD) And yes. Therapy. For both of them. Probably Jean too. Probably half of Mondstadt. But they need hugs and friends and warm food and cozy blankets. 👏 YEAH HE WAS JUST?????? LIKE THAT AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Look I'm not convinced he wasn't Feral AND Traumatized /lh.. It'd be pretty funny honestly xD Imagine Xiao constantly having to slap things out of his hands to keep him from eating stuff he isn't supposed to. 🤣 Ganyu would be so conflicted and embarrassed on his behalf. Cloud retainer would just be like "ah so he's my son now." Although she might've known him back then depending. Traveler would probably just roll with it SDFSDFASFSDFSDFSDFASFSDFSDFSDFSD they've put up with enough strange people already xD So many people would just be weirded out or it would be like herding cats for them xD

[lesbiangiratina]

Cool things to think about constantly

[kass-storycorner]

Mentally I’m getting worse again (tho I try to do all the stuff I learned from two years in therapy to … prevent it from getting bad bad ), so I’ve only been thinking about how some of the Genshin characters would comfort me? So here have this, whatever this is, that I wrote at 2am on a night before I have 11am shift at work. Using you in all of this but honestly this is 100% self indulgent. I just want someone to cuddle with. Pretty sure most of this isn’t really in character and every point is vastly different from the others but hey, it is what it is. As long as I’m in my current mindset my stuff won’t be any better than this

Genre: fluff, a bit of angst I guess idk man, comfort i hope

Content warnings: depression (?) I don’t go too much into detail, don’t want to write out those negative thoughts HA but you know you are just not in a good spot in these, absolutely inconsistent writing, every character has to deal with a different stage of feeling depressed and yeah

Characters: Diluc, Childe, Albedo, Yoimiya

Fun fact: my app crashed while writing this so thank the tumblr admins that you can restore posts you wrote after the app crashes one of the few good features of the app

Diluc:

Would definitely notice the first small changes in your behaviour, but wouldn’t think much of it in the beginning.

Maybe you are just tired? And even if not Diluc knows best that no one can always be chipper.

Still he doesn’t know how to act around you when you are sad / heading towards a depressive episode.

He would offer you his help, you just need to say what you need and he’ll give it to you.

Ah, but Diluc didn’t really consider at first that you would be too afraid to ask, even when he offered it to you.

One day he will directly ask you in the privates of your home if you are okay. At first you would try to brush it off, not wanting to be a burden on Diluc. You know how much he’s been through and that he also has his emotional scars… would be a bit selfish to dump it all onto him, wouldn’t it?

But oh, you’ve been dying to talk with someone about your feelings, craving a warm hug and words of comfort… so when Diluc doesn’t drop the topic you just let it all out.

He will take you in his arms and hug you, cuddle you, as long as you want. He’ll stroke your hair, quietly listening to your words, only small “mmmhs” and “it’s okay” leaving him, to reassure you that it’s fine for sharing it all.

When none of you talks all you can hear is his steady breath and oh, it’s so soothing.

Maybe you end up crying, while sharing all of it with him. All he does is to pull you closer into his chest, saying that it’s okay and tell you to let it all out.

Diluc hides his softer side from the people of Mondstadt, always hiding behind the more grumpy image some of him have, but he knows that it’s not good to run away from your own feelings. What you need to do is to feel them, do not try to push them aside because you are uncomfortable with them.

Generally he would be soft, kind and understanding. At first he might give you too much room, afraid he might be overstepping a boundary when he keeps pushing you in the beginning. Ends up in you isolating yourself / pulling away more, but once Diluc sees the pattern he will be more attentive to your needs and learn to differentiate between you needing space and you isolating.

Though please communicate with him better, he’s busy and if him having less time for you causes you distress you need to tell him, he might only notice it after the feelings festered.

Childe:

Oh boy - he hasn’t seen you in a while, Fatui duties you know, so when he knocks on your door one day he notices immediately that you are not in a good place.

This man - he cooks, he cleans, we all joke about him being the perfect husband but seriously. He sees the state of you, the state of your apartment and immediately helps.

Having spend the last week or two in a depressive state caused you to neglect your housework - the dirty dishes are everywhere and laundry keeps piling up. Not to talk about how you look.

Childe will make you a bath and while you’re in it he cleans. An immense help!!! Taking away a good chunk of thinks that made you feel just so overwhelmed and helpless.

The whole time he wouldn’t breach the topic of why it has come to that point, but now after you finished the bath and the apartment looks liveable again he asks you what’s wrong.

Honestly you don’t know yourself, you’ve been just lacking more and more energy to do the basic tasks and suddenly everything was a mess.

Will wipe away your tears and tell you “don’t cry, I’m here”, taking you in a hug.

When he’s around more, will he notice it when it slowly gets worse? Mmh, yeah!! He definitely notice when you are feeling more down, seeing how your interactions change and how your laughs become more forced.

In the beginning he will just try to make you feel all the “positive” feelings, not wanting you to feel any “negative” emotions at all

this man definitely represses his own trauma a lot and has a horrible way of coping with it so I doubt he would be the most emotionally intellectual person to help you through it

Though when you show that you don’t feel like showing your sadness aside and you just want someone to share it with / need some comfort he will adjust to your needs

Albedo:

Boy as impeccable observation skills, he will notice immediately when something is off.

However - he somehow struggles to understand your feelings. Like. At all.

When he asks you what’s wrong and you tell him that there is not a reason for your feelings, you just feel a bit depressed that’s all, he will not get it.

How do you feel a certain emotions without something causing it? There must be a reason for it.

And honestly he’s right there is always a reason for a certain feeling to arise, but sometimes they aren’t easy to understand for yourself or to spot, sometimes it’s just that your inner child needs a hug and it takes you three weeks and a metal breakdown to understand that this is all you needed… plus a good cry

He’s gonna be so awkward at trying to comfort you, making you feel better, at first. Trying everything out to cheer you up, he really doesn’t want you to feel bad. Asks around for advice what helps others when they are sad.

Honestly? The things he does, the small presents he gifts you - they are nice and make you feel loved, but it doesn’t make the bad feelings go away. Even worse it somehow builts up this immense pressure for you to get better quick because look! Albedo does nice things, he tries to help. He tries to figure it out. Why can’t you give him the results he hopes to get???

Only when someone (Timadeus for sure) finally tells Albedo that it’s not a special dish or flower or even place that helps with sad feelings - it’s that they remind them of something that’s comforting. Klee told him Dodoco helps when she’s sad, because Dodoco reminds her how much her mum loves her. So when people told him about certain foods or flowers - it was more because those were valuable for those individuals, doesn’t mean it has value to you. Most importantly is that he’s just there for you.

With that new bits of information he will try to adjust to your needs more, to learn what you need and to understand it.

He will be so upfront about it too, coming into your room and telling you that he’s been trying to make you feel better the past couple of weeks and noticing how your mood has not improved at all. Finally asks you what you need opposed to him only having asked why you feel that way

Will definitely make you cry with how he approaches the topic. When he apologises for making you cry you cry even harder at how soft he says it.

Albedo will remember what he was told, that it’s important to just be there for someone, so he will stay at your side, his hand on your back rubbing it while you are just sobbing.

After the tears have calmed down you can just be honest with him, tell him that you sometimes don’t know yourself what will make it better, that sometimes you just have to life with the feelings and accept them - but that his attempts really didn’t help.

He will apologise for putting more pressure on you, asking if you need a hug (something a lot of people have told him helps them but he was just to shy to actually try it out). After saying yes you both stay for a long time in the hug, the first thing in a long time to make you feel better.

Yoimiya:

My love, the light of my life, my future main - she would be SO good at helping you through an episode.

Notices the way you act towards her changes and immediately confronts you about it, afraid that something in the relationship is amiss until you tell her the truth that you are a bit depressed.

Canonically the one with the best communication skills, if you were to put her, Diluc and Kaeya in a room I’m 1000% sure those two would leave it as brothers again.

That said she can sometimes be a bit too overwhelming - she can talk a lot, but she’s a good listener too, but in her attempt to fix the issue she goes a bit overboard.

She’ll want you to talk it all out which isn’t a bad thing per se, but sometimes you just don’t feel like talking or that talking would help.

However the way Yoimiya is it will make you communicate with her more about how you feel and what you need - she kinda just seems to be more approachable and the kind of person you can pour my heart out to after meeting her on the toilets of a bar.

Will cuddle you as long as you need.

And honestly? 100% sure she would even make you a firework to cheer you up that you both watch from her favourite spot on a blanket while doing so (the cuddling!)

or you know maybe it’s just what I would really want to do with her when I’m depressed aka RIGHT NOW MAN

[mrpenguinpants]

Genshin: When you’re cold [V1]

Whenever I write these it’s always when I have a pile of requests on my desk that I said I was going to get to but never do. I even missed a day yesterday because I crashed and burned and slept the entire day haha. Might miss today too since I’m going out to see my mum. 

This is like 90% crack and 10% actual content. I’m gonna post this and proceed to have shock therapy and wipe it from my memory.

I just want to be happy and it’s cold af where I live. I’ve also learned from maagdalen that Russia is insane with snow.  

---

Today’s appreciation post goes to asoundofdrop. Ty for the love on the Childe HCs hehe. Honestly, just the fact you tag everything blows my mind because I hate tagging so just seeing you do it with my mess of tags (back when I screamed my feelings before tumblr dropped the ban hammer on me) is like wow. That’s some next level effort, wish I had that haha;; I’m just gonna say this in advance, I am so sorry for the mess of tags I’m about to drop on this. 

---

Genshin: Holding Hands [V1]

Genshin: University AU [V1]

Genshin: Roommate [V1]

Genshin: Royalty AU [V1]

[Masterlist]

---

[taglist]  <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

@hanniejji  @mikeysbike @unionwitch @musekala @twistedsunnshiii @stanzastic @akaasea @xoneaboveallx @adoring-ghost @asheseiler @childelover @dilucsz​

@youaskedfurret @snowy224 @mayumintsu​ @tigerpriestess

---

Xiao

Excuse me? What is this cold you speak of? He’s an adepti he doesn’t know what cold is. Is it a demon he’s not aware of? Should he go beat it into submission if that’ll make you feel better? He’s already gone with his spear and out to go slay this cold demon before you can explain what the hell temperature is. 

By the time he’s back, he seems so proud of himself for killing a dragonspine yeti that you don’t have the heart to tell him that was literally not what you wanted or expected him to do. Your fingers are about to break their finger kneecaps. pLEASE sir just hold my hand. 

Bad idea, he’s been outside in the cold and he’s not exactly wearing mittens so your fingers end up colder. But you’re finally holding his hand that you suck it up and cry when he does actually break your fingers because he doesn’t know what muscle control is. 

Keqing

Ruthless business woman one second and then you show up, tell her you’re cold, and she’s reduced to flustered mother hen. All she has on her are these long sleeves that all Qixing wear. Would you like some warm milk? She knows you like your milk heated to a simmer right at 187.7975 degrees Fahrenheit.

Okay, first off, who measures in fahrenheit anymore this is China Liyue. Second off, how the hell does she know that and why is it so precise? She’s already throwing whatever Liyue duties she had back at the poor worker that has no idea what possessed the normally confident and admirable Keqing into this...creature. Making new plans for a heating system in Liyue while also coddling you. 

Catch her outside at 3am pounding the snow ground, crying, as she curses Rex Lapis for making it so cold in Liyue when he’s not even the Cyro archon. Zhongli sneezed while looking over papers burning the 3am oil. Maybe he needs to go home before it gets too cold, he might be getting sick. 

Diluc

God you’re such an idiot. Didn’t you see how hard the snow was falling? I can’t believe I married someone with 2 braincells. Are you trying to give me a heart attack? What would father in the sky think if my partner died because of frost bite when I’m a goddamn pyro vision user? I can commit arson to make a make-shift fire place, I have the money for the damages. 

Dilu- NO I DON’T NEED YOUR SHIRT. IT’S -20 DEGRESS. IT’S OKAY. YOUR COAT IS ENOUGH. PUT YOUR CLAYMORE AWAY WE CANNOT SET THE KNIGHTS OF FAVONIUS HQ ON FIRE WE AREN’T EVEN NEAR THERE. KAEYA IS INSIDE- DILUC - NO COME BACK. 

Your make shift fireplace is Kaeya’s “ugly” scarf. That’s it. That’s the post. 

Amber

Oh you’re cold? It’s okay, here take her baron bunny to cuddle with while she lights a fire. She thinks she saw some boar’s in the forest, she can make her specialty and that should warm you right up! So sweet, so wholesome. Don’t worry this baron bunny won’t explode in your face, she tripled checked she wasn’t giving you a dancing bomb.

While you’re huddled around a summoning circle of baron bunny’s, nice and warm, is when she relaxes and joins you. She grins to herself and pats herself on the shoulder. See that haters, she can make her partner nice and happy without your #buffamberwhen. 

Kaeya

You’re cold? Maybe you’ve just fallen so hard for him that whenever you think of him you get cold. He never knew you cared so much it’s so cut- okok you can stop hitting him now. He’ll offer his scarf if he had one but Diluc might have burned it but he does have his tit window. 

Basically impenetrable, you could bounce bullets off it so naturally the cold bounces off. You have to tell him up front that he sound borderline crazy and the fbi are already at his door. The fbi is Diluc. So instead he offers his overcoat and asks you if you would like to join him in some cozy tavern that hopefully has heating. 

It’s a nice and comforting experience until he drags you to Angel share and you know it’s just to 1v1 Diluc in the parking lot. 

Scaramouche

lol perish 

So naturally, you grab his ridiculous hat that he wears to compensate for his gremlin height and throw it like a frisbee. 

Go fetch 

---

God, why is there no official content of you scaramouche you bitch, you’re ruining the aesthetic. This is why I only give you one point of dialogue. This isn’t even funny. It’s a therapy session. This entire post was just for me to say tit window because I didn’t get to say it in my last Kaeya fic. 

Wow, I wonder which characters I like in genshin. Could it be “wow I hate everything and everyone don’t fucking touch me” male characters??? Could it be “Head strong but are secretly adorable” female characters?? Kaeya is only there because Diluc is there. 

I had to redo all my headers because everyone was taking up so much space in their 240p quality. Keqing is the only one that actually stepped forward when it was picture day. I don’t have enough energy to care about sizing I’m sorry. 

[nanbaka-82]

Do you ever realize that Kaeya (if headcanons of him being 2 years younger than Diluc are correct) was 16 when everything just SHATTERED in front of him, or how Diluc at 18 felt after he robbed his younger brother, his pride and joy, of all the love and affection they shared when he was only goddamn fuCKIng 16. I do understand that age sometimes doesn't play much in maturity due to experience, but Kaeya was just THAT young when he experienced bliss with a family and lost it just as easily. And it's not as if he's that old in the present, 20/21 years old and he's seen all the sides of life he's dreamed of AND feared.

I'm babbling about this but if you forget the amount of guilt Diluc feels over 2 years later after everything went down, then uhhh let me cry for a while these two need so much therapy

[dandelion-wings]

A fight gone awry traps Jean and Kaeya beneath a rockfall in the depths of Brightcrown Canyon. Kaeya's attempt to distract Jean from the severity of her injuries turns into a discussion of her relationship with Barbara as she considers her regrets. Meanwhile, Diluc and Barbara, searching for their missing siblings, have a similar discussion of their own.

I am DONE poking at the Brightcrown Canyon fic, which means it is time to put it up! I'll probably post a chapter a day, or every two days if RL gets unexpectedly hectic; this one and the next one are largely set-up, but then we get into the REALLY fun bits (suffering). :> Please enjoy!

[aetherarf]

So as my first request, if possible and you feel comfortable, I would like to ask for something with diluc, kaeya ​​and childe with a fem reader who had an abusive father. I don't care how he was abusive, you can choose which one favors you best. And with that, I would like to know how the characters would react by discovering this or how they would deal with the traumas and the reader's fear. Anyways, whatever you think is best 💓

Hello! Also I think I'll go with somewhat different one's each time... ( Diluc gets the short end of the stick again ). Also... I will admit, unless I tackle gender-based topics, I write men and women Readers the same...? You can easily read it as GN but I'll probably just default to GN terms since men and women both suffer from abuse and Gender is a complicated thing that doesn't fit into these writings. [Sorry if I disappoint!]

Edit: forgot to put a summary oopsie

[[ WARNING: ANGST, ABUSE MENTION, RAPE MENTION ]]

[[ Summary: You loved him, you loved him with your whole heart... but no matter your love, you had to eventually tell him what broke you, and caused you to act this way

Total Word Count: 1'880

Childe Word Count: 544

Diluc Word Count: 734

Kaeya Word Count: 602 ]]

Childe

Childe considered himself a pretty affectionate guy--He liked innocent wrestling, tickle-fights, and if he had his way, he'd have his hand on you every second of the day, on your hip, around your shoulders, holding your hand, or even just having your pinkies intertwined was enough.

However, you flinched. Every time he ever tried to make a motion towards you, you flinched, and i you didn't flinch, your eyes widened in shock.

You would apologize, and he tried to dismiss it, It's okay, you didn't do anything. I'm sorry for scaring you.

And he left it at that. But, you were sitting next to him, and he yawned, trying to casually wrap an arm around you, but as soon as he touched your shoulders, you yelped, flinching and staring at his offending arm in shock... and then, slowly, you took deep breaths.

"I'm sorry," you said, exhausted, "I didn't mean to jump."

Childe put his hand on his lap... and he frowned.

"You didn't do anything wrong... but... can I ask... why you flinch from me?" He asked, tilting his head to the side a little, "Normally, that wouldn't be an issue, but... I guess after seeing it so much, I wonder if I've been hurting you on accident, or... if you just don't trust me. I don't like... feeling bad all the time."

You shook your head, grabbing his hand--you were always better when you initiated it, rather than him, "You-Of course not. You've never hurt me, you're always good... it's just..."

Childe looked at you, expectantly, "Just...?"

"... I-I got hit a lot, in the past. I... don't think I've gotten over it. But-you didn't do anything, it was just... him."

Childe's face... darkened. His eyes--they seemed almost empty as he stared for a moment, his hand slowly shifting to grab yours, firm but gentle.

"Who hit you...?" He asked, completely serious... dark.

"It-Childe, you're scaring me."

He blinked once-twice, and that horrific expression disappeared, back to his sweet, charming, slightly-dumb self.

"I'm sorry, snowbird. But-Who hurt you? What happened?"

You hesitated... you'd have to tell him eventually, and there would never be a more perfect time than this.

"My-my father. He... He was a very angry individual. Any slight irritation, and..."

Childe, slowly, lifted your hand to his mouth to press a gentle kiss upon the back.

"You don't have to keep talking if it's too hard," he said, with a smile, "I get it... But-It must be hard to live like that, right?"

You nodded, "It's... awful," you admitted, "I hate it. I don't like feeling scared of you... Even if... No, wait..."

"I get it," he reassured, even if he didn't hide his pained expression well. "I'm a Harbinger... I can get you the best consoling and therapy that money can buy... I can't help you, i mean, talking me me won't help that much, but... Would you do that for me? I can set it all up, I promise... I just need you to go."

You stared.

"Will you go with me, the first time?"

He hesitated.

"Well, I probably won't talk much, since I want it to be about you, but... I'll go. I'll make sure no one as much as lays a hand on you ever again."

Diluc

You and Diluc got along well. You both enjoyed cuddling, but sometimes you slept back-to-back, not from any sort of lack of intimacy, but you just didn't want to cuddle.

You liked to cook together, Diluc oftentimes taking the lead. When he was alone, in the safety of your home, he was quite soft spoken, never raising his voice, and he was gentle whenever he touched you--He truly was a gentleman to his core.

But as you both lie in bed, Diluc reading a book as he furiously squinted at it, you reminded of his worsening vision, you sighed softly.

"Diluc," you said, and he lifted his head, surprised, before he looked down at you. He didn't say anything, just waiting for you to speak.

"... Are you disappointed? With me? With us?" You asked, months and months of fear finally coming out--you couldn't even be upset, or sob, or fuss, you just felt tired.

"What?" He asked, staring at you for a moment. "No. I'm happy. Are you... Disappointed?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper, barely able to hold in his fear.

You pushed yourself up, "No, no, I just... You know what people do when they're together."

Diluc stared at you blankly, waiting a response. After a few second too long, "Oh," he said, "... Do you think I don't love you?" He asked,

"No, no, I meant-sex. I just... We've never done it. Are you... Disappointed?" You asked. He shook his head,

"No. I have you, I don't need sex."

You were quiet for a moment.

"You don't want to... Have sex with me?" You asked--you didn't know whether to be pleased, to know he loved you so dearly that he didn't care for that, or to be insulted.

"I..." He took a deep breath, "I don't want to have sex with anyone or anything, really. If you wanted to, I could... Come to terms with the idea. It's not you, I just... Sex doesn't... Appeal."

You sighed... Were you relieved? You still felt an agonizing pain in your chest. "I get it--and... I guess not, I'm happy with us." You said, smiling as you looked over his face... He, however wasn't smiling.

"You're lying," he said, stating it so plainly that it sounded like a fact, "You brought this up because it was upsetting you."

While lying, you put your arm over your eyes... focusing on breathing, as to not sound choked up--strained.

"I just... I don't know. I was-I was scared you'd ask."

He set everything off to the side, and instead laid down beside you, gathering you up in his arms as he held you close--his hand gently running up and down your back.

"Are you afraid of sex?" He asked... "... If it makes you feel better, I am too."

You looked up at him, staring for a moment.

"I... I was raped," you said, without realizing, "By... my father. He-He was... drunk. It happened... more than once. I don't think he ever remembered, he was-he was so good to me when he was sober, but..."

You hid into his chest, hiding from the world.

"I'm scared," you whined, softly, "I'm tired of waiting for it to happen... with you."

Diluc pressed a kiss atop your head, "... I would never do that, and I don't drink." There was a long moment of silence, "... You have told me about your pain, and... I believe it's only right I tell you of mine. I... Have a similar story," his voice was shaking, as he was struggling to even think... or to talk.

"It was not by my father, he was a good man... But-I... had a friend. Someone I... once cared for. I was drugged, and..."

He swallowed thickly.

"I was aware. I could feel everything, but I could not control my body. I... I understand why you are afraid. I think, I'm afraid too."

You held him close.

"I don't want us to be afraid anymore."

You could only nod at that, closing your eyes as he held you--But, somehow, despite all this fear, you felt so safe in his arms.

"Do you think... we should talk to someone? A professional?" He asked, "I... I never told anyone, but... It... Might be good. For both of us."

"I think so, too." You pressed a kiss over his heart, "Can we go to bed, though, like this?"

"Of course, my blossom."

Kaeya

Kaeya considered himself pretty keen--He noticed how you would, oftentimes, try to desperately explain and justify doing anything. You were minding your own business, reading? You'd try and justify it, "I just... had a hard day. It's not anything bad, I promise."

And he's usually reply with that signature smile, "You could be reading porn and I wouldn't mind, you know."

You laughed it off, but there was an edge of fear in your voice.

Fear.

You were always afraid, and he wanted to fix that. So, he took a day off, just to prepare everything. Some nice candles, a good dinner, some fine wine... And when you came home, he hugged you, held you delicately like you were made of glass. You had a lovely dinner together, with sweet smiles and gentle kisses...

Until the two of you sat together, and Kaeya, lightly, rested his hand on your leg.

"I... Figure you're in a decently-good mood, right?"

You were, it was nice... but you were terrified about what he was going to ask.

"I wanted to you about something... why are you so... scared around me? I don't mind what you do, you can read what you want and do what you want, you don't need my approval for anything... except maybe sleeping with others, but..." He sighed, "Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?" He grabbed your hand, holding it with both of his own, "I want to make this right, I don't want you to be afraid of me."

...

How could you respond?

"I'm not afraid of you, I'm... just afraid. Old habits die hard, I guess," you laugh, but it's broken and forced--Kaeya does not laugh.

"Why?" He asked, voice low, "Are... is something threatening you? Blackmailing you? If you just tell me, I can fix it. I have my ways."

"No, it's... not blackmail." You tried to think of how to word it.

"If I may guess," he said, "Has someone... hurt you in the past?"

As you looked at him, eyes wide and vulnerable... he knew he hit the nail in the head.

Suddenly, you poured it all out.

How, everytime you did anything, even just looked at someone for too long, how he would yell at you, punish you for anything you did. Reading a book for your studies, he would threaten to burn it, you desperately having to convince him of its innocuous nature, hiding anything you wanted to keep safe.

How he'd scream for hours at a time, until his voice was hoarse and you were terrified he'd make good on his promises that you'd die by his hand.

As you spoke, Kaeya had only stopped looking at you for a single moment, to grab a box of tissues to set upon your lap, "Go on," he said, when you hesitated.

And, now you leaned against his shoulder, slumping... weak and exhausted. He, slowly, wrapped his arms around you, letting your head fall to his chest as he squeezed you close.

"I... I'm sorry. I truly am sorry, love,"

For a moment, he was quiet.

"I don't know how to help, but... I know someone you can talk to. Help you... Get through it. Therapy."

You lifted your head, looking at him with glassy eyes.

"Will you come with me?"

He hesitated.

"He's safe... But I'll go with you a few times until you can trust them, okay?"

You, weakly, nodded. "Okay."

"For now... Do you want to go to bed?"

Weakly, you smiled, "Only if you keep me safe from my nightmares."

Kaeya smiled back-"I'll do the best I can."

[teyvattherapist]

Greetings! (´∩｡• ᵕ •｡∩`) Hope your day has been going well! Was wondering if I could send in a request? From the tea prompts- (hope this is correct) Could you maybe serve Dainsleif, Kaeya, Zhongli and Diluc some Earl Grey, matcha, English breakfast and hibiscus tea? Thku and I'm so sorry if this is abit long Isksnx

a/n: Not long at all! Thanks for the request!

Link to the tea prompts :)

tags: gn!readerxDainsleif, Kaeya, Zhongli, and Diluc, Khaenri'ah spoilers, Zhongli spoilers, Kaeya spoilers, Diluc spoilers, angst if you squint, mostly fluff, children.

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

hibiscus tea; what’s their favourite place to take their s/o?

Kaeya

Answered here<3

Dainsleif

Dainsleif has been so many places and seen so many things that he doesn't really have one specific location. Everywhere has some sort of meaning for somebody like him. As a result though, he would thoroughly enjoy his partner's favourite place and the meaning it holds to them. Dainsleif always goes back to it, even on his own, but definitely with his partner.

Zhongli

Too many places. Zhongli is a bit of a history buff, so anywhere in Liyue with rich history, which is all of Liyue, is an ideal date location to bring his s/o. From the blue of Luhua Pool to the flower fields in Qingce Village to just a walk around the Harbour. Zhongli is more attached to the stories of these locations than the locations themselves. Has an attachment to Guili Plains and picnicking there though...

Diluc

His favourite place is back home to the Winery. Man hates being seen. Besides that obvious one though, he does quite enjoy spending time with his partner at the large tree at Windrise. Thankfully at night its quite quiet and always lit up by fireflies. He'll even catch some in a jar for his s/o. It's quite funny to see him try to chase them around.

earl grey tea; how did they court their s/o?

Kaeya

Flirty as ever is the Cavalry Captain as he lays the charm on thick for his person of interest. Though the moment they flirt back, wow he is flustered. That's how one knows its more genuine. He'll gift them small trinkets, ask them to go drinking with him, or even go out of his way to bring them places if the tavern isn't for them. Ultimately, pretty normal courting methods.

Dainsleif

He pulls out some weird ass dated Khaenri'ahn courting customs that I could not begin to describe. Gives them flowers that definitely aren't any flowers they could recognize. Fan of the back of the hand kiss. He's very bashful when courting somebody, he hasn't done this in a long time, and do people still 'court' anymore? Dainsleif doesn't really know. He is doing his best, please take this 4th bouquet this week.

Zhongli

Also pulls out the dated courting customs but these ones are Liyuen and at least somewhat recognizable. Has a 5% chance of remembering his mora for once when taking them out. Very polite, always shows up with a gift of some kind(usually homemade or flowers he's picked himself) If they have parents he is going to befriend them.

Diluc

As a noble, he knows how to court, he knows very well how to court. He simply does not have the time and he simply cannot be assed. Will ask them to dinner, will present them with a gift, will tell them he'd like to pursue a relationship halfway through dinner. The End. There is no courtship there is only Diluc asking them out over some grape juice.

matcha tea; how and when do they propose to their s/o?

Kaeya

Thinks about this for a very long time. All that ancient plot stuff and whatnot. Buys the ring and looks at it every day for at least a month. He knows he loves them, more than anything, hell they have his loyalty, wherever they put it, he will too. Remember those dates at Starfell Lake? The late night picnics? Its on one of those, under the light of the Anemo statue, surrounded by crystalflies does he pop the question. He doesn't do the whole dropping to his knees thing, he's already incredibly flustered and nervous. Kaeya wrote a whole speech.. He forgot halfway through. Help. Kaeya.exe has stopped functioning, he's so in love.

Dainsleif

Thinks about it for even longer than Kaeya. Jfc, Dainsleif if your lover is mortal they're going to die before you make a decision. Forges the ring himself once he finally decides to do it. Its quite pretty, has an engraving as well. Dainsleif was going to propose traditionally, dinner, drinks, flowers, on his knee with a speech. Easy. But that seemed... Unworthy of his partner. So instead he arranges a cute little scavenger hunt. Something fun. It does end with dinner, drinks, flowers, and him on his knee. Dainsleif even ditched the usual 'fit for a rented suit. He cleans up quite nicely and wow his face is.. red. Composure? Gone. Take this ring, please.

Zhongli

Childe bought the ring. Zhongli is a God living as a Mortal. He is still immortal. He still has a long long life ahead of him. And once an appropriate amount of time has passed, he's ready to move to the next step. Marriage has more than likely been discussed between him and his partner before he proposes. He makes a whole day of it! Sleeping in, breakfast and tea in bed, some shopping in the afternoon, dinner at the Pavilion, and as dinner wraps up and they wait for dessert, Zhongli will slide off of his seat and onto his knee. His speech is perfect, the ring fits perfectly, and dessert comes out right after. Its perfect.

Diluc

Thinks about it forever 3 electric boogaloo. Again, given his status, there's just so much attention involved and he doesn't like the attention. He'd love to marry his partner, and again its probably been discussed beforehand. Eventually, with some prodding from one annoying lovely brother, he gets the ring and starts planning how he wants to do it. Yeah, good try Diluc. Unfortunately he left the box on his bedside table for his partner to find! Stumbled over his words as he tried to explain, face getting redder with every passing second. He tried! He really did. He'll take them out to dinner later<3

english breakfast tea; would they want a family?

Kaeya

Mmm.. He'll get back to them on that one. He needs a LOT of therapy first. Like.. In the same vein as his adoptive father, he attracts a lot of kids looking for a figure to look up to. But would he adopt them?? If he were more mentally sound maybe. He simply doesn't know and thus won't risk it. He can step up when needed though, really.

Dainsleif

No. That's it. Just no.

Zhongli

Kind of conflicted about it, depending on his partner, there's just a lot of ways this can go with his whole divinity thing. Definitely lots of conversations about it. Consults his partner's opinion the most out of everyone here.

Diluc

Mm... He'll get back to them on that one 2 electric boogaloo. Realistically he's got a legacy to pass on, but does he care about it? No. Also daddy issues, he doesn't want to be like his dad and abandon his kid when they need him. So he's very conflicted. Eventually though, he would like a kid or two. It just takes a while to get there.

↳tags; @fadinganchornight

[idiotwhowritesgenshin]

I'm the anon who sent the zombie being alive request and I'm sorry I wasn't specific enough. I meant the dead sibling coming back as a zombie lol

Ahhhhh gotcha, sorry for late response I am just lazy lol

I strive to be as gender neutral unless requested so if I fucked up YELL AT ME TO FIX IT

(Forgive this thing’s lacking format, my laptop got a tech error so I can’t do it cause idk how to in mobile rip)

TW: Death (though if you’re reading a zombie related scenario without thinking death was included I question you), Grief, Mild body horror?? (They question how the reader’s body isn’t rotted yet but that’s it) and Diluc and Kaeya need therapy

Diluc and Kaeya reacting to their sibling coming back as a zombie

Diluc

- It’s very seldom that Diluc ever visits you or his father’s grave from the grief he feels whenever he sees them and scenarios of what could’ve happened if he had been stronger play in his head

- His father sacrificed himself to save himself and you but he couldn’t even save your young life after his father gave his own life to try and save you too, what a pathetic son and brother he was

- For a while he couldn’t even look at his father’s grave from the shame he felt from failing him that day no matter how much his staff comforted him that he did his best and their sure his father and sibling are happy he survived but it took a few months before he could even look at the grave

- He was going to have a brief visit and just tell his father and you that he was doing better and he was protecting Mondstadt like you two would’ve wanted when he heard someone in the distance

- The noise didn’t really bother him as there was bound to be other people in the area and he was too busy in his own thoughts to notice that someone had come up next to him with a dazed and empty look on their face

- After his prayer to his father and for you to rest his well, he nearly fell on the ground from his shock at what he saw and blinked several times and moved to rub his eyes to confirm what he was seeing

- There you were, your body somehow not rotted looking at him with a dazed look as though you had just woken up from a long dream

- You don’t have time to speak or ask anything as you are suddenly wrapped in an embrace, you’re not quite sure who this red haired man is but Diluc embraces you as though you were the world itself to him, as he promises to himself that now that the gods have given him a second chance he won’t fail you or his father again

Kaeya

- He wants to visit you and his late adopted father more, he really does but he runs the risk of upsetting Diluc if he ends up visiting at the same time he’s visiting along with the fact he has work to do, some of which is his duties to the knights of Favonius and his own personal work

- Cases like yours are what always have him question his loyalty, if he helped his father fight for Khaenri’ah, will he indirectly cause more cases like yours? Cases of children who died before they could grow up and leave only their grieving family?

- He couldn’t even be at the day of your funeral as Diluc had disowned him but Adeline and other workers from the Dawn Winery came to visit him and let him see you and Master Crepus’ grave, their only explanation being that he has the right to visit your graves even after Diluc disowned him

- At the times he does visit, he usually picks days where he hasn’t drank any wine at all and doesn’t intend to for the rest of the day he chooses to visit you as he remembers your incredulous stare at the more heavy drunkards in Mondstadt

- Unlike Diluc, when he heard noise he was alarmed that it may have been Diluc who likely wouldn’t be pleased to see him at the graveyard praying to your graves and he prepared a response as he turned to see who was there, silently hoping it wasn’t and wanting it would be his former older adopted brother, Diluc

- For the first time in years, Kaeya was speechless as he saw you stare at him with an emotionless face, giving a small look at confusion at his shocked face as though nothing was wrong at all

- He wonders if he went mad or had actually drank that day as there was no way you were there, with your body looking alive and not dirty or rotted

- Getting himself back together, he stands up and reaches to pat your head, if you looked closely you would see tears welling up in his eyes but he hid it as he patted the head of his younger sibling who never got to grow up

[favoniuscodex]

Hello! Can i request a platonic about diluc and kaeya helping a lost child find their parents. I can totally see them arguing while comforting the crying child. Thank you!!!

a/n: hi!!! ty so much for the request!!! i tried my best to focus on how they would interact based on current canon status of the relationship between the two. sorry if this isn’t exactly what you envisioned, but i’m not the best at writing kids! i hope you like it, though :)))) title: diluc and kaeya are upstanding citizens of mondstadt (otherwise known as: diluc makes a kid cry) word count: 1.2k pairings: diluc & kaeya (platonic!!!!) warnings: mention of adult activities (as a joke, nothing explicit), spoilers for diluc and kaeya’s backstories (webtoon) and potentially for diluc’s hero quest?

Before we begin: I already feel bad for this hypothetical child

Diluc and Kaeya don’t really get along, but I can definitely see them encountering each other when Kaeya is ordered to go clear a camp of hilichurls near Dawn Winery. When he arrives, he spots Diluc speaking to a child nearby.

Alarm bells go off in Kaeya’s brain (Diluc with children? Something isn’t right.) He hasn’t been close with his brother since their father’s death, but Kaeya believes that he would at least know if Diluc had a kid.

As Kaeya sneaks closer to get a better look, he realizes Diluc’s expression is a pained one and the child, a young boy, is on the verge of tears. So, being a good and faithful (and a definitely not nosy) Knight of Favonius, Kaeya decides to intervene.

Because Kaeya is known for his charms (and isn’t Diluc), the child’s tears immediately begin to subside as the child begins to explain that he is lost and doesn’t know how to get back to his family in Springvale.

“I saw a Crystalfly,” the kid blubbers, running up to Kaeya and holding onto the Calvary Captain’s leg for dear life. “And I followed it here but then it flew up in the air and left and now I can’t get home and my mom’s gonna be mad at me if I miss dinner because she always tells me to be home before dark and I’m gonna get grounded and not be able to have any des-”

“He’s from Springvale,” Diluc states plainly, interrupting the boy’s rant. “He needs to be escorted home.”

Diluc’s blunt tone causes tears to arise in the kid’s eyes again, so Kaeya immediately offers to escort the boy home. It’s his duty as a Knight of Favonius to ensure that the people of Mondstadt are protected (and conveniently places a raincheck on the much more difficult tasks Kaeya has waiting for him back in Mondstadt).

However, much to Kaeya’s surprise (and Diluc’s own personal chagrin), Diluc insists on accompanying them as well. Diluc explains that there have been Abyss Mage sightings on the way from Dawn Winery to Springvale, therefore it would be safer for him to accompany the kid as well.

The young boy climbs up on Kaeya’s back, piggyback style, and the two brothers begin their forced family therapy session as they walk back to Springvale and they live happily ever after with all of their problems fixed.

Except… not quite. The three of them journey in silence as the young boy is lulled to sleep on Kaeya’s back, nestling his face into the soft white fluff of Kaeya’s uniform collar.

Kaeya is the first to break the silence. “Wow, Diluc, I can’t believe you almost made a kid cry.”

“As if you could do any better,” Diluc retorts with a huff, sending a glare at Kaeya out of the corner of his eye.

“I can do better and I have done better.” Kaeya states proudly, as he exaggeratingly shifts the boy’s weight on his back and gives Diluc a smug grin.

“I am not particularly fond of children, nor do I encounter them in my profession.” Diluc says.

“Really?” Kaeya feigns shock. “I never would have guessed, I thought children would be knocking down the doors of Angel’s Share for some dandelion wine.”

Diluc flashes a brief look of disgust in Kaeya’s direction and the conversation settles down for a while. Until, of course, Kaeya has the most brilliant idea of a new conversation starter.

“So, Diluc, when did you become a father?” Kaeya inquires, lacing his tone with false innocence. If Diluc didn’t know better, he would have believed Kaeya to be genuinely inquiring about his supposed family. However, Diluc is all too familiar with Kaeya’s antics, causing Diluc to let out a long sigh instead.

“Why would you ever think that child on your back is derived from my supposed irresponsibilities?” Diluc deadpans, refusing to look at Kaeya and continuing to trek towards Springvale.

Diluc alters his pace ever so slightly so he remains a few steps in front of Kaeya, not wanting to walk side-by-side with his adopted brother. Kaeya, however, spreads a shiteating grin on his own face and hurries his own pace to remain in step with Diluc.

“Why not? The kid only mentioned a mother. And, last time I checked, there’s two people involved in the process of making a baby,” Kaeya jests, his tone lilting in a playful manner.

“Last time I checked, I never asked for your inquiries,” Diluc responds, once again attempting to walk ahead of Kaeya.

“C’mon, Diluc. You really buy this kid’s story of wanting to catch a crystalfly? No, he was at Dawn Winery looking for you, his true father, but instead you made him cry,” Kaeya says, lacing his voice with indignation at Diluc’s supposed rejection of the child on Kaeya’s back, who looks nothing at all like Diluc.

“I am not that child’s father,” Diluc asserts, finally deciding to scowl over his shoulder in Kaeya’s direction. However, Diluc jumps ever so slightly when he realizes Kaeya is matching his pace and walking directly next to him. Kaeya’s exaggerated expression of abhorrence towards Diluc’s abandonment and rejection of his own child is still plastered on his face, but it quickly morphs back into a cocky smile as Kaeya notices Diluc’s surprise at Kaeya’s close proximity to the redhead.

“There is no way I am that child’s father,” Diluc insists, falling directly into Kaeya’s trap and beginning to get riled up. “I’ve never even been with a wo-”

Before Diluc can finish his words, Kaeya doubles over in laughter, waking up the sleeping kid on his back.

“You’ve never WHAT?!” Kaeya nearly screeches, almost dropping the child on his back as his body shakes from laughter.

Diluc’s face begins to flush the same shade as his hair. His lips press into a tight line as he realizes what he admitted to his brother. However, Diluc’s mortification at his own divulgence of this information to someone he hasn’t spoken to in years is interrupted when the boy on Kaeya’s back raises his head up to yawn and ask a question.

“Are we there y-” The boy begins, but his eyes widen as he spots the flickering flames of Springvale streetlamps up ahead. Clambering off Kaeya’s back, the boy excitedly tugs at Kaeya’s shirttail. “Up ahead! That’s my house!”

As Diluc and Kaeya arrive at the boy’s house, the boy excitedly hugs Kaeya as a thank you, before tentatively hugging Diluc for a brief moment. Diluc stiffens under the boy’s startling gesture, but makes no motion to end the hug.

“Thank you, Mr. Kaeya! Thank you, Mr. Diluc! When I grow up, I wanna be a knight, just like you guys!” The boy cheers, before turning around and running into his house.

Diluc opens his mouth ever so slightly to respond, but sighs instead. His thoughts are interrupted as Kaeya claps a hand on Diluc’s shoulder.

“Good work with the kid,” Kaeya says in a serious tone, before shifting into his usual banter. “And also, if you ever need help with the ladies, I can give you a few tips. After all, it’s only my duty as a knight to help my fellow Mondstadtians out.”

“Inefficient as always,” Diluc huffs under his breath, but Kaeya pretends not to hear it and simply smiles as Diluc begins to head back to Dawn Winery. Kaeya watches him for a few moments, before beginning to walk back to Mondstadt.

Y’know, I think that went pretty well! Kaeya thinks, while Diluc wonders why he didn’t just let his brother and the kid take their chances in walking back to Springvale alone.