#i have such an attachment to sumeru as a whole :(

[harmonysanreads]

A shower thought I have because of the current sumeru event and the hexagon polycule (I haven't started playing it yet) :

All the participants trying 90000% harder not only to win, but also to impress you while Layla and Faruzan are just

"🧍‍♀️🧍‍♀️pls don't hurt us"

Wanderer also ofc wants to impress and win but his ego took a heavy blow after being listed in as "Hat Guy"

Alhaitham can't really participate but that won't stop him from making snarky remarks over them ( *cough cough* Kaveh and Cyno * cough cough*)

I was waiting for this event like a kid for their favorite cartoon show to air no kidding and it DID NOT disappoint<33 (I want either Kaveh or Layla to win so bad ☹️) And by the laws, brainrot is unavoidable :)

spoilers under the cut! [ au masterlist ]

I was thinking about Reader being chosen as one of the Commentators for extra spice actually— imagine how much harder the boys work to get your approval, this is the moment they get to show off, after all. No one can question it, you have abundant knowledge and capability from your travels, are eloquent with words, well acquainted with every contestant and can generally keep everything in euphony ; Nahida didn't even find any room for a contrary opinion as Alhaitham and Hat Guy brought these points forth (separately) so matter of factly. Having you there will just make this even a little (no, a lot) bearable for them, is all.

Faruzan is amused to a degree, ho, youngsters these can be so passionate! Though there slowly forms a concern for your future as she realizes that their efforts aren't just simple courting tactics. Layla's just... scared. She may or may not have accidentally looked through your constellation and it may or may not have traumatized her a little.

The fact that Kaveh wants to buy a place for himself with the prize money?? *chefs kiss* The architect has come to the realization that he needs to iron his backbone if he's to court you officially, he needs to show you that he can achieve way more than that insufferable cabbage (soon to not be) roommate of his. And when Kaveh is serious about something, you better know you're not going to have it easy anymore.

Tighnari is such a showoff in the first round, creating that butterfly show not only to catch potential students but to impress you knowing you have an affinity for pretty things. He didn't entirely lose in the second round either, as you rushed to take care of him, he savored all that attention more than the water he passed out without :/

Cyno is, well, ... Cyno. Don't get him wrong, he most definitely wants your praises and he does get them in the second round. On a side note, based on the Biryani factor joke he made I have a new headcannon that Cyno regularly tells you food puns — now whether you enjoy them is purely up to you :)

Though, things with him really get interesting in the final round as Wanderer takes him head on (or I'm assuming something similar since it's not out yet). Even the densest person can tell they're ready to tear each other limb from limb here, but honestly, who has the guts to stop these two? Not like you aren't mildly entertained by their duel either.

You're surprised when you heard that Wanderer was taking part, you recovered quickly though ; squeezing him affectionately like you usually do and even jokingly adding what else he was doing behind your back (not missing the way he tensed up). Whatever his true motives are, it's apparent he's determined to prove something to you. He's trying to better himself, alright. But old habits die hard, how can these mortals even compare to him? If he can (and he will) establish the fact that he's obviously the superior choice —to you only, of course as he doesn't give a crap about what others think— then taking that dent to his pride will be worth it.

Alhaitham is the saltiest version of himself throughout the whole event (Nilou's sweating bullets throughout the whole time). Most of the actual commentary is done by you and Nilou as he just occasionally quips in to add a snarky remark or to do announcements. Doesn't waste a breath fleeing from the venue when a round ends and even whisks you along with him. At one point though, he asks who you support the utmost among the participants (no, ‘everyone’ isn't an acceptable answer), purposefully when they're gathered together. You aren't dumb, you know that despite the tone in which he delivered it, this is the pinnacle of this competition for everyone. If he was just fanning the flames before, he's poured out an entire barrel of gasoline in it now.

Oh, we cannot forget the Traveller and Paimon who are actually doing their job just...deadpanning by the sidelines as everything unfolds :>

(also, you're going on a date with dehya and candace sooner or later, no questions asked.)

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

played the first Archon quest of 3.1 and so far it’s AMAZING

that being said please do not send full leaks of the second quest as I most likely won’t have time to play it until the weekend!!! (small hints are fine tho <33)

[kiwismitten]

Tired words | Wriothesley x GN!reader

Angst/comfort: Being the frontlines for the whole country’s fate can really make a man lose sleep. After the events that took place, and the sudden return of his lover he’s very snippy.

spoilers: main fontaine archon quest!

CW: yelling , reader almost ded , wriothesley kinda ooc (let me know if i missed anything!)

words: 1751

The halls of the Fortress of Meropide have never felt colder as you make your way to your boyfriend’s office. The events of the days before fresh in everyone’s mind. The incident in Poisson only a few days before your return.

You were on an academic trip to Sumeru, learning about the herbal medicines and picking up some fruits and herbs to bring back to Fontaine. As soon as the steam bird articles showed up at your host home’s door the night of the incident, you apologized and began packing your bags. You’ve never moved with such haste. Of course you know about the prophecy, and Wriothesley had told you before he didn’t even know if he was Fontainian and joked a ton about getting turned into water alongside everyone else. You personally, just weren’t willing to let him take that chance.

The rushed trip back still felt like it took twice as long as the venture there. Jogging through the city with your bag still on your back, listening to depressing conversations from the other citizens about their impending fate. Frantically, you reach the Fortress entrance, and make your way down.

That’s how you ended up standing outside your boyfriend’s office, anxiety coursing through your body. Even the fortress was in disarray. Your soft knocks on the door earn no response, so you slowly push the heavy doors open with a loud creek.

“Darling?” Your voice echos through the bottom floor, your eyes gazing over everything before landing on the strange staircase going further down that you never noticed before.You drop your bags at the door before cautiously venturing down. “Wriothesley?”

A strong hand grabs your shoulder from behind you making you gasp.

“What are you doing?” He looks exhausted, his tone of voice far from the playful, carefree Wriothesley you’ve grown attached to. Sounding closer to how he addresses inmates. Heat fills your torso with joy, seeing he’s okay, and you fling yourself at him wrapping your arms around him.

“You’re okay…” His normal scowl doesn’t leave his face. Different again since his face normally softens at your contact.

“Yes, yes I’m okay what are you doing here.” He says the bags under his eyes more pronounced than normal, sparking worry in your brain.

“I heard what happened in Poisson, and I left early,” You stood in front of him staring up at his towering figure. He sighs, wiping his face with his wrapped hand. His exhaustion seemed to be weighing on him harder at your statement.

“Why.. did you have to come back now?” he pinched the bridge of his nose between his pointer finger and thumb. Your joy falters at his display.

“What do you mean darling..” Your arms fall to your sides. He stares at your form, his eyes piercing through you.

“I mean I thought with you away I'd have one less thing to worry about,” Venom laces his words. “Especially coming to the fortress during times like this, I thought I’d finally be able to focus on the prophecy, but now with you here you’ll need me to be with you so often.” Your heart jumps to your throat. He’s never been so cold to you. Has he always seen being with you as a chore, or is it just the high stress of the current situation. The emotions thick in the air make it difficult to think rationally. The salty air filling your lungs feels heavy and overwhelming.

“I’ll get out of the way.. I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Glancing down at your feet.

“Well I am. Now please, I have very important matters to get to.” He pushes past you mumbling under his breath. Stunned in silence, soft tears well in your eyes, but you refuse to let them fall. Slowly, you made your way out of the fortress to stay at a small hotel.

You stayed at the hotel for the night, before the news of an archon going on trial reaches you in the morning. News travels fast in Fontaine, especially when there’s always a journalist creeping in the background. Deciding that staying and rotting in a hotel isn’t how you want to spend your first full day home, and you take a short stroll through the bustling streets. It’s as if no one really minds their impending fate. After reaching the opera epiclese you sit at one of the benches by the fountain. Staring into the water you smile remembering all the times you and Wriothesley sat at the near by benches eating together after his work. How you would lean your head on his shoulder listening to the soft roar of water as it cycles through, but if you were to melt into the sea now, it would be knowing that he brushed you away for being worried about him. A sigh escapes your lips as you continue your stroll, and eventually it gets interrupted by a crowd of people trickling out of the opera house. Gossiping amongst themselves about the archon, and not even batting an eye at the soft patter of rain on pavement.

The rain starts to pick up at an alarming rate, making people rush off under trees, and any form of cover they could find. A somber look rises to your face. “Is this it?” You take a seat on your normal bench, getting soaked in the pelting rain feeling the rain pool at your feet closing your eyes and letting the joyful memories flow through you.

All you really remember is the feeling of water picking you up. Floating through with a peaceful look on your face.Then a graceful arm wrapping around you and bringing you up, and you were suddenly in the air able to breath once again before everything went black.

Waking up in the fortress is never really a heart-warming experience. Especially when it’s in the cold clinical setting of the infirmary. The blurry metallic ceiling is the first thing you see, the bronze color only familiar to the fortress, so you’re immediately aware of where you are. You try to sit up, only to get pushed down by the smaller head nurse.

“Y/N be careful please, you’ve been out for a whole day you’re still healing.” Sigewinne frets over you holding her sticker covered clipboard.

“I feel fine,” You sit up in your bed, feeling the exhaustion hit you. You look around the other beds full of inmates. “I just need some food in me, and I’ll be right as rain.” a smile sheepishly crosses your face at the small joke. Sigewinne frowns and huffs as you pick at the various vital trackers attached to you. She helps a bit and takes out your IV.

“Just like his grace said you would,” you tense at the mention of him forcing a smile. “Just stay here he said to grab him as soon as you’re awake.” Eyes widening, you wait for her to leave before pulling the sheets off of yourself and rushing out of the infirmary. Your vision still blurry from the lack of food. Rushing through the halls, you stop at the canteen, smiling at Bran who waves you over.

“Ah y/n here for your welfare meal?” He smiles softly at your tired form before turning behind him to grab one of the nicer meals. “Courtesy of his grace, eat up.” You slip behind one of the many boxes before sitting on the floor and opening the delicious meal.

Wriothesley walks ahead of Sigewinne his heavy steps unmistakable. When he reaches the infirmary and sees your bed empty he curses under his breath. Sigewinne sighs pouting.

“I did ask her to stay your grace, but they did act weird when I mentioned I was fetching you,” Irritated he walks out, going immediately to the gardes who rat you out immediately.

Too immersed in your delicious food you don’t even notice the heavy steps approaching the canteen.

“What can I do for you your grace,” You stop mid-chew peeking out from the top of the box.

“Have you seen y/n I’m looking for them,” his voice has the carefree energy that you missed so much. His eyes dart around the canteen before meeting yours behind the box where you duck under again. “Ah, never mind, bran.” his heavy steps approach the box, his shadow looming over as you pop back up looking at your hands. He places a heavy hand on your head.

“Wriothesley,” you say breathlessly, tears threatening to fall again. At the break of your voice, he scoops you into his arms his long strides carrying you to his office. He wraps his arms around you as you feel small water droplets fall onto your clothes.

“y/n..” his voice cracks. You’ve never seen him break down like this, he’s the strong one, the one that never lets his strength falter. “I was so scared, i’m so sorry, I should’ve never said any of that shit to you, I was so stressed out after the fortress almost collapsed to the prophecy. I wasn’t getting enough sleep I was exhausted and I took it out on you. I’m so fucking sorry.” Seeing him crumble on top of you was heart-wrenching. His rambling spilling through his lips as his eyes dart across your face. “When Clorinde brought you onto the ship I just wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, I tried everything but you felt so cold..” He buries his face in your neck.

“I’m okay Wrio, I don’t know what happened but, I’m here I’m fine,” You wrap your arms loosely around his torso. “Honestly I thought I was gonna die with you angry at me, but now I’m here. Getting pushed away hurt, but we’re both okay,” You mumble into his chest.

“I’ll never speak to you like that again, I don’t think I could ever live with myself knowing you left this world with me angry at you when I had no right to be. All you wanted was to make sure I was okay,” He pulls away and holds your face in his hands. “You’re my whole world and I should’ve held that in the front of my mind this whole time. I don’t think I can say sorry enough my love.” His sharp eyes now soft as he leans in to place a soft caring kiss on your lips.

“We’ll be okay,” you melt into his touch, letting him hold you close

[shroomi1e]

❝ realistic courting ❞

cyno + tighnari (separately)

summary: how they court you/act around you based off of the research i did on their animal counterparts

cw: none, mostly fluff, g/n reader

a/n: ik i could’ve added gorou and yae but dogs and foxes don’t rly have courting behaviors other than humping each other and I WANNA KEEP THIS PG 13🤬 and yes ik cyno rly isn’t a jackal but he’s based off of an egyptian god who’s a jackal, i also just wanted an excuse to write for the sumeru characters lol

cyno: the jackal

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jackals are exclusively monogamous and live in pairs. they hunt, rest, and forage together and spend nearly all their time together. male jackals will urinate on their territory to ensure that other male jackals will not invade their environment or their female counterparts. once jackals are done mating, the male jackal will bring food to the female jackal and take care of them.

the moment cyno and you become official, he will never leave you alone.

the two of you are attached by the hip, and cyno will always be making sure that people know that you’re his, despite not being too fond of pda.

he’ll give you subtle touches here and there, whether it be putting a hand on your lower back to steer you away from the crowd, gently holding your hand before asking you a question, or resting his hand on your knee when the two of you are sitting together.

he’s also a lot clingier than he’d like to let on. he thinks he’s being subtle but it’s so painfully obvious when he grips the edge of your sleeve, his usually hardened eyes just a tad softer.

“i have to go run some errands, cyno…” you shake your arm a little in hopes of cyno’s hand releasing his death grip on your sleeve

his lips pout ever so slightly, his eyes falling to the ground in disappointment

you giggle at the thought of his subordinates seeing their boss like this, clinging onto you and pouting like a kicked puppy. “i’ll help with your errands then. please?”

you sigh in defeat and let your boyfriend accompany you as you do mundane tasks like grocery shopping and whatnot. but to cyno, being able to spend time with you is something to cherish, as he’s usually so busy dealing with affairs at the akademiya.

cyno is also very protective/possessive, glaring down at anyone who dares to even glance in your direction while you obliviously run your errands.

he won’t be super open about his possessiveness, but will instead show it once you two are alone. the moment the two of you are in private, he’ll give you a bone-crushing hug, refusing to let go until he’s done processing his emotions.

but if someone were to ever make you uncomfortable, he wouldn’t hesitate to summon his polearm, one arm extended to push you behind him as he watches your unwanted suitor crumple up in fear. 

and later when you two arrive home, he’ll just sit there and stare at you in silence, his brain muddled with thoughts.  

“is everything okay…?” you ask.

your boyfriend sighs. “it’s just… i didn’t like that he touched you that way.” he then lowers his voice before saying, “only i’m allowed to do that.” 

tighnari: the fennec fox

male fennec foxes mark their territory with urine and become incredibly aggressive toward one another, particularly when competing for females during the mating season. once they have found a mate, they mate for life with couples inhabiting the same part of the den for the whole year round.

it took a while for tighnari to decide whether or not to make things official. not because he didn’t like you, but because choosing a partner as a fennec fox-hybrid held a lot of weight for his kind.

but the more and more time he spent with you, the more difficult it became to be apart from you. sleeping at night became unbearable, and so did his day-to-day tasks. 

and though tighnari can be quite possessive, he tries to suppress those feelings since the two of you aren’t exactly official yet. but his patience wears thin after a while, especially when someone attempts to court you right in front of him

you can tell when he becomes agitated by the way his ears flick and twitch and the way his tail slowly sways side to side

won’t show the jealousy right in front of you but instead take it out in other passive-aggressive ways. like sending them to patrols as far away from you as possible, or making sure their assignments are as long as possible in order to occupy them and keep them away from you

he knows it’s petty, he knows it’s probably not a healthy way to process his feelings, but he just can’t help it. not when a potential partner-for-life is right there in front of him. 

but when tighnari finally gets the courage to confess, he makes sure you know the weight that this decision holds. you still remember how stern and serious he was when he first told you.

“I just want to make sure you know one more time: fennec foxes are partners for life. I don’t doubt our relationship, but in case you want to leave, I wouldn’t be able to let you. are you sure you’re willing to commit?”

when he hears you say yes, his pointed ears relax and his tail wags softly. he hugs you right there and then, burying his face in your neck and tickling your cheeks with the tips of his ears.

a few days later, he shyly approaches you to tell you that he’s moved your bunker right next to his

“back in my hometown, couples usually live together as soon as they make a relationship official. I… I know doing that may seem too forward, so I decided to just move your bunker next to mine instead… is that okay with you?”

he will respect your boundaries until you’re ready to join the traditions of his kind, but when you finally decide to move in with him, he is over the moon

[tomiyeee]

donnie had. SO. much concept art lol. i really enjoyed the whole design process though. his base design is very difficult to work with because of the battleshell, but it gave me a lot of chances to get creative and i'm happy with the results :)

(also as a disclaimer so i don't get asked about this: i don't have motivation to finish raph or the wish art for donnie, so i'm just posting what i've got)

i didn't annotate these as much since there'd be a lot to write, but i'll write out some of my thought processes and go into some detail about his final design below the cut if you're interested! (it's long. i'm talkative 😔)

1st row - first iteration; much more literal 1:1 translation of his design into a fantasy setting. very steampunk-y. ended up completely scrapping it because, simply put, he looked more like an npc than a playable character. obviously, several features did still carry over throughout the design process :3 also wanted to imagine his attack pattern cuz i thought it'd be fun to incorporate his spider arms.

this was actually the first design of any of them i'd come up with! i've definitely learned a lot about genshin's character design style since then and i think it shows 😂

2nd row - playing around with the idea of a floating battleshell (rather than a backpack-like one in the the show & first version), inspired by nahida's cape. also hard light constructs/attachments. was leaning too into the sci-fi and rectangular motifs with the design, but i liked the idea.

3rd/4rth rows - concepts for his final outfit and shell designs (the colored/more-detailed pics are the more finalized ones). took a lot of inspiration from sumeru this time around. it's a lot sharper, shinier, and less rectangular than his og aesthetic, but i think it's more in-line with genshin's design philosophies.

5th row - not entirely sure why i went through all the trouble of making a 3d model for this. i mostly just thought it'd be fun and good for reference. i was right, but i don't know what to do with it now lol. can't be bothered to be a perfectionist about it though, so don't look too closely at it 😭

6th row - incomplete thumbnails of his burst/wish art. not super sold on that "wing" design in particular, but i do like the idea of his shell splitting and deploying hard light weapons/rocket launchers/etc sort of like in canon.

battleshell/misc notes - i'm thinking his battleshell is controlled using the pink sensor on the back of his coat, possibly in combination with his headset. it floats behind him by default and is sturdy enough to protect his back, but he can also freely fly it around like a drone if he wants. the holes on the side are mainly for the spider arms and the banners(?) and handles(?) with the blue/pink gradient are made of hard light and only appear when the shell is in use.

i imagine like in the series, his tech here isn't necessarily very reliant on his vision/powers; much of it he likely made himself long before he received a vision and he just uses his vision to enhance it.

his burst is a barrage of missiles from his shell that lock onto an enemy and deal a large burst of electro damage in an AOE. not sure if i want his skill to be a deployable or some sort of electro-infusion/boost 🤔 maybe something that involves deploying his shell to boost his damage while leaving him vulnerable, like a glass canon? though i'm not sure he'd be that sort of risk-taker... 😅 dunno! his signature weapon would totally be his tech bo though.

that's about all i can think of. thanks for reading!

[bedoballoons]

Just a random request at a random time.

Sumeru boys with an S/o that carries a small purse or something like that, and when they say they need something like if it's joking or genuine s/o is ready to pull it out of her purse and give it to them. Like she's that one friend that will have almost everything in their bag, like they were prepared for this

I've always wondered how so many things could fit in one purse, this is a adorable idea!! Thank you for requesting it and I hope you enjoy!

─⊰⁠⊹ฺ🎃𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤⊰⁠⊹ฺ🎃

{༻~The never ending purse~༺}

CW: Just some fluff! Fem reader!

(Includes: Tighnari, Alhaitham, Kaveh, Wanderer, and Cyno!)

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𑁍༄Tighnari:

Tighnari watched you dig into your purse, his ears twitching with amusement, "What are you doing hmm? I feel like it would be easier to just get a pair from-" You cut him off mid sentence, holding a miniature pair of scissors up in victory, "Why get another pair when we already have one? I told you I had some." You winked at him, leaving him speechless while you went to work on cutting his loose thread that currently had him attached to a door, within seconds he was no longer trapped and you stood by him proudly.

"...why do you have scissors in your purse?"

"Just in case, I mean why not?"

"...Fair point."

𑁍༄Alhaitham:

When Alhaitham causally mentioned that he wished he'd brought one of his books to enjoy while you waited for your food, he didn't think you'd actually reach into your little purse and pull one out, it was odd to carry a book in the first place and...when did you get one of his books? "Thank you, for the book.."

"Anytime, I always make sure to keep a copy of one of your books, in case you ever forget to bring one and get bored."

"You...do?"

"Mhm!"

"That's...very sweet of you. Thank you."

𑁍༄Kaveh:

Kaveh chuckled, watching you with adoring eyes as you somehow managed to procure a mini sketchbook, colored pencils and even a eraser, from your small bag. Everything he had wished he had a couple moments ago was now sitting in front of him, ready to be used for the inspiration he had found, all because of you. "You know, you're the true inspiration here. Thank you so much, I'll never doubt what you have in your bag ever again, it's magic as far as I'm concerned."

You chuckled with a light blush painting your cheeks, "If I'm you're inspiration, does that mean I get a whole building designed after me?"

"Actually that's not a terrible idea.."

𑁍༄Wanderer:

"What about a knife? Theres no way that bag of yours has a knife." You giggled at Wanderers persistence, he had really gotten so worked up about what you had in your bag and now he was asking for everything under the sun, which you somehow had tiny versions of....you even had a mini tool set in there, which included a pocket knife that you held up for him. "Care to try again?"

"What about another purse, inside of yours? Ha I bet you don't have that."

"Actually I do! I use it to hold bandages."

"What?!?"

𑁍༄Cyno:

"Cyno, you alright? You look a little down." You gently touched his arm, looking at his downcast frown, he had been fine just a few minutes ago... "Yes I'm alright, I've just somehow misplaced my tcg dice, meaning I'm unable to play the current round. You could even say they've dicecided I'm not allowed to play at all." You smiled happily at his joke and reached into your bag, after a moment of moving random other things out of the way, you finally found it! "Here you go Cyno! Tcg dice, just for you!"

"...how...you know what, I'm not going to question it. You're my saviour, thank you." He pulled you close and kissed your forehead, leaving you flustered as he ran up to enter the games.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

◥(•̀￦•́)◤☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 ☾𖤓~Have a nice day~*⁠.⁠✧

[ikaroux]

How are they with their pregnant companion? Tighnari

Synopsis: Pregnant, your husband/partner is over the moon. But how would he take care of you during pregnancy?

Style: Cute, fluffy, female reader.

Bonus NSFW (18+) I remind minors to avoid reading this kind of content.

Alert: May contain story spoilers for some characters.

Characters: Tighnari.

Note: I wanted to do Capitano and Kaveh at the same time as Tighnari, but having had the flu this week, I unfortunately didn't have the strength to move forward. I still wanted to get something out for the holidays. I hope to have time to do Capitano and Kaveh for the new year. I really enjoyed writing this for Tighnari, I got very attached to the character, especially from my other fic "Before the Sun and Moon." (I unfortunately didn't have time to translate the last few chapters into English). I hope you'll like it!

Part 1 Diluc, Zhongli, Kaeya, Xiao, Venti, Albedo, Kazuha, Childe.

Part 2 Scaramouche, Dainsleif, Thomas.

Part 3 Dottore, Pantalone, Alhaitham

Part 4 Cyno, Ayato

"Tighnari, which color do you prefer?"

Tighnari was working on a poison remedy for foresters when you walked in with a pair of clothes in hand, one fir green and the other indigo. "Um… Indigo, I'd say." And once he had given his opinion, he returned to his research, not catching your insistent gaze on him. After a few seconds of your lover remaining focused on what he was doing, you noticed that his body froze, ears and tail erect while his eyes were as round as an owl's. The clothes you brought him were far too small for an adult… Tighnari turned back to you, his eyes darting between what you held in your hands and your face. The gentle smile you offered him and then your nod propelled him into a daydream. You were pregnant, he had been waiting for this moment for months! The fox man rushed to you, lifting you off the ground to trap you in a warm, loving embrace. He was finally going to build a family with you, his beloved. He was the one who brought up the idea of a baby, the enthusiasm and warmth of his words making you melt for him more and more. Before he met you, he was once a distant and solitary man, preferring to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the academy, and the plots. It was in his genes, he was made that way. But with you, everything was different. He loved you more than anything else and the day he asked you to be the mother of his child was the most beautiful proof of love he could offer you, not to mention his marriage proposal…

Tighnari would only tell close friends about your pregnancy, so Cyno will be the first to know. Although he feels a great affection for Collei, he will prefer to wait a little before telling her that he will be a father in a few months. He knows that she is quite emotional and awkward, so it was better to bring it up gently.

You both chose to stay in Gandharva, the atmosphere being more peaceful than in the city of Sumeru. It will be Tighnari who will take care of you during the whole pregnancy. Nevertheless, he will not hesitate to ask for advice from colleagues when his knowledge reaches its limit.

Tighnari will do his best to be by your side as often as possible during the first months of your pregnancy, wishing to support you during the first trimester which was the hardest for a pregnant woman to bear. He knows that his presence reassures you and calms your anxieties as a mother-to-be and Tighnari is well aware that this child must be expected by two.

Your husband will always be behind you when you feel ill, gently stroking your back if you are vomiting, or applying an herbal balm to your temples to soothe your headaches. He will stay by your side when you sleep, rocking you tenderly, his soft eyes admiring your face. Maybe you dreamed it, but you could swear you heard him whispering words of love in your ear…

Unfortunately for you, your sleep will often be disturbed during the first weeks. Tighnari, having a very developed hearing, will wake up at the slightest noise you make. Seeing that your eyes are wide open, the man will whisper a few soft words to you, his hand tenderly caressing your face to numb your senses before wrapping you in the warmth of his arms. He will only fall back asleep once he feels your steady breathing against his skin, indicating that you have fallen into a peaceful torpor.

Tighnari has made a habit of letting you stroke his ears and tail when you're stressed, even if he's in the middle of his work. He knows that this soothes and comforts you. He'll usually wrap his arm around your hips and pull you closer to him, resting his head against your belly.  Anyone in Teyvat could tell you were the most adorable couple they had ever seen.

Being a forestry brigadier, Tighnari is sometimes forced to be away in the forest for days at a time. You both hate being away from each other, and even more so now that you are pregnant. Fortunately for him, you get along well with Cyno, who will always offer to take some time to visit you and check on you. "I want your child to call me uncle Cyno." He will say with a serious look to Tighnari as a token of thanks. The fox man will look at him blankly, ears lowered as Cyno nonchalantly raises his thumb in the air before joining you. "Ah?!" Was all that Tighnari found to say, his friend being already too far away to hear him (or pretended not to hear him…).

It is after a long week of absence that Tighnari realized the volume that your belly took. Slightly rounded, hardly visible to those who were not paying attention. For your husband, however, it was obvious and he found it beautiful… Seeing you, the one he cherished most in the world, going about your business as your child grew inside you. He couldn't help but look at you in silence, his eyes full of love and tenderness.

You were in the early stages of your second trimester, and your belly had taken on a shape that made Tighnari blush with joy. How many times did he feel like he was being slapped in the face by the evidence of your pregnancy? He couldn't stop looking at your belly, let alone touch it. So in those moments, you'd invite him to join you on the couch or bed, making yourself comfortable before inviting him to rest his head on your belly, stroking his hair as he savored the moment. "Tighnari, I'm sure our little boy will look just like you." The man laughed against you, gently making the baby react against his cheek. "Why do you think it will be a boy?" "I saw him in a dream." Tighnari looked up at you, clearly amused. "Oh, then it will be a girl." Your eyes opened wide, further amusing your husband. "You have a 50/50 chance of cheating on you my love, so my money is on a little girl. Besides, how many mothers have been wrong in their dreams of their unborn child?" You grunted, frustrated by your husband's words. He reassured you, however, whispering that no matter what sex the baby was or who it looked like, he would love and cherish it as his greatest treasure.

Your outings into town were always in pairs. Tighnari would stay by your side, affectionately holding your hand as he nonchalantly strolled the streets of Gandharva. Your belly was now perfectly visible to everyone, prompting locals who knew you well to approach you. Tighnari's colleagues and friends even dared to ask you to touch your belly, despite your husband's reluctance… He begged the Rani Kusanali to help him when he felt the impatience rising in him at the sight of all these people touching you without fear in front of him… Your husband has become particularly good at finding any excuse to keep you away from the crowd…

When you reach your seventh month of pregnancy, it becomes increasingly difficult for you to rest, especially when the baby seems to be living its best life in your belly. Although fun for those who touched your belly, it was unfortunately something that made your daily life more exhausting. The pain in your back intensified with the fatigue and stress of the approaching birth… When you felt exhausted, you looked for your husband who was your lifeline when you felt like you were drowning in uncertainty and doubt… Tighnari would listen to you calmly before taking you to a quiet place to sit on him, his hands and lips taking over his words to soothe you.

As you approached your ninth month of pregnancy, you felt unable to move because your belly was so round and heavy. Exhaustion was showing on your face and the pain in your back was becoming unbearable. Tighnari had become the one thing in your life that made you feel safe, cherished and loved. You relied entirely on him… As you were nearing the end of your pregnancy, Tighnari took a few weeks off to devote all his time to you. When he wasn't busy with household chores, your husband would sit on the bed next to you, chatting quietly with you while keeping his head and hands on your belly, enjoying your caresses in his hair. He cherished his moments of intimacy with you, basking in your caresses as he felt his child playing in your belly. He had told you so many times since you were together, but by the seven archons, he loved you more than anything in the world. Tighnari has never felt happier…

Tighnari will be an extremely gentle father, never raising his voice at his child, believing that education should not be about obedience, but about self-respect. He loves the contact with his baby, looking for every possible excuse to hold him. Having already had Collei under his wing, he will be very pedagogical with his little one, loving to answer his questions and teach him new things.

NSFW Bonus:

It was not easy to imagine that Tighnari was the kind of man who sought physical contact, he who was always known as a solitary man, preferring to hole up in his office or go off into the forest on his research and patrols. Yet he was the first to come to you and claim you, loving and savoring every part of you with a consuming passion. You had never felt so loved and wanted as you did with him…

Seeing your body change with pregnancy, you were afraid that it would turn him off and that he would pull away from you while your sexual desires only intensified. Your fears were unfounded, and while Tighnari avoided touching you for the first few weeks of the pregnancy, preferring to give you time to recover from the nausea and exhaustion that your first few hectic nights had caused, once he felt your intense gaze on him, he knew he could once again indulge his need to touch you.

He was always the first to make contact, approaching you from behind like a fox looking for its prey and wrapping you in his loving arms as his lips sought the softness of your skin. His hands always lingered on your belly before slowly moving up to your aching chest, massaging it languidly as you felt his canines nibble tenderly at your neck. He always had loving, passionate words to whisper to you before he started anything, telling you how beautiful and desirable he thought you were with his baby in your belly. He knew that you were afraid that you wouldn't be desirable anymore, that the stretch marks would appear more and more as your belly grew… Or even that the thought of making love to a pregnant woman might scare him away from you. But you were beautiful in every way, pregnant or not, Tighnari needed to feel you against him, your warm skin, your moans and the melodious whisper of his name when he made you feel especially good…

The sex was always passionate and languid, and while you liked to hold him, Tighnari had a preference for taking you doggy style. Although it was easier for you and for him with your increasingly rounded belly, it was a habit he'd picked up long before you got pregnant. He was always gentle with you, only getting carried away when he felt your orgasm approaching. His lips were never far from your skin as his ears strained, the pleasure he felt inside you making him dizzy. He was always careful not to crush you, constantly keeping a protective hand on your stomach.

As soon as he felt you tighten around his member, Tighnari would slow down to savor the feel of your tight walls, before straightening up behind you, grabbing your hips to lift you a bit off the mattress you were lying on. He would seek release as soon as you calmed down, flipping you onto your back before penetrating you again. The quick movement of his hips made you moan and Tighnari crushed his lips to yours to swallow the vibrations of pleasure from your throat. And as he felt his orgasm pouring into you, one of his hands grabbed yours, tangling your fingers together as the pleasure overwhelmed him, his moans swallowed by your passionate kiss… Archon, he loved you so much it was painful. His forehead resting tenderly against yours, Tighnari closed his eyes, thinking of how happy he was to be starting a family with the only woman he'd ever loved…

[dawndelion-winery]

A Proposition

Fake dating and contract marriages

Ft. Alhaitham, Ayato, Kaveh, Thoma, Zhongli

Alhaitham:

Acting grand sage, respected scholar, rich, young, handsome, there's a bunch of things that make Alhaitham an ideal spouse in name

Which led to a fair bit of unwanted attention

Unwanted because he knew for a fact most people found him quite the intolerable romantic partner - not that he could fault them, for he didn't exactly try to be romantic to begin with

So when you accidentally hold his hand while reaching for a book, he scowled at you, ready for whatever cheesy, unwelcome pickup line you might hurl at him

Except he only got a questioning stare as you asked if you had slighted him in some way

Perhaps it'd be good to have you around, keep his "admirers" at bay

Of course, you're handsomely compensated, his salary allows for that much and more

What he can't seem to allow is you holding his hand

Or making any sort of physical contact, for that matter

He hates how he suddenly finds himself holding his breath when your arms almost brush

He hates the way you somehow draw his gaze towards you when you stand beside him

This wasn't part of the agreement. At some point he asks you to live with him, under the guise of keeping up appearances

You had been dutifully fulfilling your role as his make belief spouse, surely that was why he felt so attached

His reasons are not reasoning, he needs you, he desires you

Well, at least the contract keeps you with him

After all, it wasn't so different from a real marriage, no? Both were contracts of sorts

Yes, he'll satisfy himself with that unless you try to leave

Ayato:

A high ranking official well loved by those under him?

Terribly popular, and yet a situation very unlike Alhaitham's

While yes, he had his fair share of admirers, the issue was with how he knew his staff keenly analysed every interaction he had, eager to spot if he ever took a fancy to anyone

After all, he'd been thrust into responsibility at such a young age, and the elder who'd helped raise him just wanted to see him happily settled down as elders do

So, as considerate as he is, he decides to ease their worries by taking on a pretend lover

Things move fast when you've the entire Kamisato estate and all its staff encouraging your relationship

Meals cooked to perfection, ambience dialed to just the right level of romantic and light-hearted to set the mood for your shared meals

And you will share meals, the staff ensure that much

Fake courtship quickly turns to fake dating, which turns into a whole ass Fake wedding ceremony everyone eagerly wishes you well with

Worst of all is how you seem to be the only one worried about the contract

Ayato? He hasn't said a word about it since it progressed to an engagement, easily going with the flow and taking you to choose a ring

Of course, you assumed this was part of the deal with how normally he treated it, but you couldn't help but be doubtful since marriage was a pretty big deal

You were inclined to believe Ayato was an incredibly convincing actor until he kissed you after he said his vows

"Despite the circumstances that brought us together, I have to say, I never quite expected you to find a home in my heart so easily. I can only hope I've a similar lodging in yours, and that you continue to trust in me, as you have thus far."

Kaveh:

He couldn't date - not when he only brought misery to those around him

It was what he'd gaslighted himself into believing until Alhaitham got sick of it and hired you to be his pretend spouse

You were quite confused when Alhaitham had approached you, not expecting a man of his status to require your services

Even more confused when you find he hadn't even sought you out for himself, commissioning you to play the role of his roommate's lover

Still, Alhaitham paid well, and surely, the roommate of such an esteemed person had to be good company, right?

Your jaw dropped to the ground when you realised it was Sumeru's star architect

Your worst mistake was probably assuming Kaveh knew about the contract

Poor guy was panicked as hell when you sidled up to him and slipped your hand in his

Until Alhaitham explained the situation and frankly, if you were doing it to make a quick buck of Alhaitham? He could respect the hustle

So he lets you dote on him

And it's nice...he fears...he starts to enjoy it

And he feels so terribly guilty because how dare he covet you when you're only in it for the contract

So he tries to open up to you in the hopes you start to fall for him even if only s little bit

And of course you pick up on it because Kaveh is a wreck when it comes to his emotions

There's no helping him once he's attached, he all but begs Alhaitham to keep paying you to stay

And you continue to take the money because cash is cash and it lets you spoil Kaveh

You're essentially given an allowance to be Kaveh's doting spouse

Maybe one day Kaveh will catch onto how you reciprocate his fondness, but hopefully not before you've gotten enough out of Alhaitham's pocket to live comfortably

Thoma:

As much as Ayato and Ayaka adore him, they do worry his life centres around being their housekeeper

They appreciate his work, truly, but they can't help but want him to have other activities he enjoys

Of course Thoma insists he simply enjoys his job, to which there's nothing either Kamisato can do about it except remind him that he's free to change his mind since they've complete faith in his ability to balance work and life

So naturally he finds you, a charming outlander wandering around Ritou, and proposes you pretend to date him

The story was simple enough, he was showing you around and you bonded over having to assimilate into Inazuman culture

It wasn't entirely false, since you did bond a fair bit over that

Maybe a little too much

It was simply so convenient, so easy to be together, that at some point, the two of you had quite forgotten about the deal entirely

That much made itself apparent with the matching wedding bands on your fingers

Zhongli:

Who more likely to propose such a contract than the god of contracts himself?

A loving spouse is simply part of the package to being your average joe among humans, he hears, so why wouldn't he try his best to blend in?

Of course, he'd never impose something like that upon his citizens and simply pick a spouse to his liking - he'd outgrown that immature, thoughtless, tyrannical phase of his life

Instead, he happens upon you in the lap of one of the statues of seven, absently tracing his stone chest as you murmured your worries

A strange sight, admittedly, but it wasn't unheard of for some believers to be...exceptionally devoted

It seemed he provided you some solace even in his "death", and that made you the perfect candidate

He courts you formally, conversing with you naturally like you'd known each other all your lives

But of course that wasn't nearly enough

He had to stand out, he knew that much

Which is why in his eyes, he let a bit of his old self show - the cold, reptilian gaze of his dragon self seeming to pierce through you

As patient and gentlemanly as Zhongli makes himself out to be when he's with you, he's nothing short of calculative

He feels the rush of heat to your face when you notice him glaring subtly at some poor fool who dares to cover you with their mortal eyes, he noticed the way your breath catches when he leads you with a firm hand on your shoulder, holding you close to him in a sort of half embrace

He knows you're falling

And in your infatuation, he is certain he's charmed you enough to make a proposition: be his. Help him keep up appearances

He seals the deal by revealing his draconic form to you, in all its intimidating glory

There's a different sharpness, a fearsome edge to him that you're certain he never had before and yet it has you rooted to the spot, eyes glued to him

There's a finality in his tone, a possessiveness as he presents the yellowed certificate to you, scaled, clawed hands holding a pen as he patiently waits for you to sign

And he knows you will

Zhongli is thorough in his act, so much so it may as well be true

As you play your role to the best of your ability, he plays his to perfection, the ideal husband

It's enough to convince you he truly did fall head over heels in love with you, and yours believe it if you hadn't been informed of the contract at the very start

Make no mistake though, you are in no way encouraged to believe it's an act. He will convince you it's real by any means he deems necessary

After all, it's a contract that will only terminate with your death, so why not believe his every word when he so earnestly takes care of you?

Happy belated birthday @zhongrin !! Hope you enjoyed your husbands<3

Taglist: @myluvkeiji @aqui-soba @favonius-captain @tiredsleep @raincxtter @gensimping-for-all @irethepotato @almond-adeptus @mx-kamisato @chaosinanutshell @heizours @haliyamori @callmemeelah @sadlonelybagel @plinkuro @thevictoriousmoon @mastering-procrastinating @cxlrose @astrequa @lemonswriting @eowinthetraveller @ajaxstar @boundedbyfate @the-lost-anime-dad @moonbyunniee @greyrain23 @heavenlyfloof

[probably-impossible]

pls pls pls pls give us headcanons about the scara x katheryne crack ship or i will literally die bc i am a sucker for robot love too and i need this in my life :D

Okay so... I may have actually gotten way too invested in this and started writing a fic about it. 😅 But just in case that never comes to fruition, here's my more in-depth, canon-compliant(ish) thoughts:

The Katheryne in Sumeru was possessed by Nahida enough times that some of Irminsul's influence rubbed off on her and made her sentient. This only began to manifest after she was skewered by the Eremites, repaired, and then sent back to her normal Guild duties.

Scara visits the Adventurers' Guild for one reason or another and makes one of his usual snarky remarks, then is surprised when Katheryne briefly breaks character to snark back at him. Intrigued and slightly annoyed by the fact that a supposedly non-sentient "inferior" puppet has roasted him, he resolves to keep observing Katheryne and find out what's going on.

Meanwhile, Katheryne is new to this whole sentience thing and isn't quite sure what to do about it. She tries extra hard to go about her job as usual but finds that some weirdo in a big hat is always hanging around & disturbing her for some reason. She resolves to find out what his deal is and why he gives her pesky feelings in her chest sometimes.

Cue shenanigans, bonding over puppet troubles, themes of figuring out together how to make their own purpose in this world, etc. etc.

My headcanon for Katheryne's personality is that she has spent her entire existence working in customer service and has Seen Some Shit. As a result, she is usually unflappable, but can be taken aback by new or strong feelings. She's also very attached to / protective of the Adventurers' Guild and its members.

By contrast, Scara has the emotional fortitude of a wet paper bag, but he is technically more experienced with having feelings (and he has Nahida as his personal therapist). So he's able to help Katheryne adjust to being her own person & get her to explore the world a little more.

Also Scara's tsundere shit totally fails to land with Katheryne. He'll be like "Tch. As if I could ever do anything as embarrassing as spend time with you," and she'll just say "Okay, goodbye. :)"

I feel like Nahida would know exactly what's going on and would be bemused by it at first, then start actively trying to get them together. At some point she would definitely tell the Traveler to sub in for Katheryne at the Adventurers' Guild one day so Katheryne and Scara can hang out. (Of course the Traveler would be comedically overwhelmed and this arrangement would never happen again.)

If Katheryne gets a Vision in this version of events it would probably be Dendro. Her voice lines in combat would be variations on her standard canon dialogue, ex. "Compliments of the Adventurers' Guild!" or "Here is your reward!" while beating the living daylights out of some Hilichurl.

That's my take on it, anyway! There may or may not eventually be more from me on this because people seem to like it way more than I expected, ha ha 😂

[boundinparchment]

Ya know, I find the idea of a reader dating only one of Dottore's segments (take Webby, for example) hilarious. Like man's finally had someone interested in him, in who he is, and it isn't even Prime himself.

But still, it's whatever. Plus, it helps keep that one in line now that he has some sort of attachment to someone.

But then he comes back after Sumeru, segments deleted and having been dropped to the ground like they were nothing more than trash. And you. Fists pounding on his chest as reader yells at him with tears in their eyes for doing this.

And he simply lets them, for what else can he do?

You are not the only person who has had this thought and cannot, for the life of me, get over the angst of this.

One Segment had a whole life outside of the network and chances are, Prime knew it. He allowed it. Shrugged and said, “what’s the worst that happens? Let’s see how it plays out.” After all, it’s not like he would ever have that opportunity himself, he wouldn’t want it, but the Segments are perfect guinea pigs. Him but not him.

So here you are, with nothing but the Segment’s ruin core and a letter, once sealed, explaining everything clenched in the fist you beat against him. Prime is hard beneath your striking hand but your Segment, your lover, was different. There was a solidness there that you never quite perceived before until you were given the flesh and blood equivalent.

Prime takes all of your abuse in stride, both in having anticipated such an outcome and being used to such grievances. After all, you’re hardly the first to hate him; you’re not even the hundredth.

When you calm down, he goes about making your drink of choice and you feel shattered all over again, grief filling every space in your bones it can find. Same mannerisms, same careless approach to how hot the kettle is, an attention to detail that seems obsessive. Your lover, your partner, is buried in there among everything else.

He says little, only to confirm your preferences for sugar or honey, and you cannot bring yourself to touch anything when he places both cup and sweetener before you.

“The man you knew is gone,” he repeats when he removes the mask and your eyes trace over eyes familiar and yet so foreign.

You know those eyes. You could spot them in a sea of garnets and rubies soaked in blood.

“And yet who he became still sits here,” you reply.

The silence is not comforting but what else is there to say? Your life is gone, swept away by a storm so sudden, it may as well have been a dream.

“You’ll want for nothing. I would not mind a visit on occasion. Perhaps your insight into who he became would prove useful.”

[manias-wordcount]

Hello! could you do Tighnari (Genshin Impact) dating hc's? (sfw and nsfw if thats alright w/ you)

Dating HCs (Tighnari)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝘁! 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝘆 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗛𝗖𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗮!

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚!! 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

Your boyfriend, Tighnari

Oh sure, he likes his peace and his solitude- that’s why he lives in Avidya forest afterall

But the second you’re around? 

Yeah he’s attaching himself to you 100000%

Hugging you from behind, wrapping his arm around your waist, holding your hand- the whole nine yards

The two of you met when you were both much younger in Sumeru city and bonded over a love for the forest and all its beautiful creatures as two academic <3

Now, you work alongside him as a Forest Ranger and though he’s definitely in the field more than you, the two of you get to spend a lot of time together

Sometimes it's reading reports and cuddling, sometimes it’s you preparing lunch/dinner for his fieldwork while he refuses to let go of you, sometimes it’s napping while spooning 

Either way, you guys touch each other and hang around each other A LOT it's sickening!!!!! 

(seriously, everyone around you has cavities y’all are so sweet bleugh)

On the job though, the two are you are very professional and you’re practically his right hand when he’s on the clock

It’s still hotly debated who knows more about what among the rest of the Forest Watchers lol

But as the chief and your boss, he’s a little more lenient

I’m talking about letting you sleep in and miss meetings and responsibilities (mostly because HE wants to sleep and curl up into your side)

But overall, you guys have such a gentle, soft relationship that allows you to both be comfortable and live out your days doing what you love

With the person, you love most <3 :]

Your lover, Tighnari (NSFW)

He absolutely fucks you in the field

If you’re ever going out and working with him, he’ll 100% bend you over or pin you against the tree and fuck you like an animal

He won’t even care if there are others with you

He’ll just find an excuse to get you alone, drop your pants, and fuck you until he’s satisfied 

And don’t worry, he’ll take good care of you

Just try not to be so loud outside- he wants your moans to be for his ears only

But naturally, he’ll fuck you at home or in his office too

There, he prefers having you on his lap and writing him

Something lazy and sweet and allows him to watch your face as you take all of him <3

There have been more than a few times where you were almost walked in on while completely caught off guard

Luckily, Tighnari’s good hearing help alerts you two to problems like this so at least you get some warning

That being said, he’s not afraid to stay inside of you when another Forest Watcher walks in and tries to speak to you

You’ll fix your clothes and cover yourself up so that way no one knows but you and him but trust me when I say he won’t offer any help to you when the newcomer starts asking while you look so flustered

Don’t worry though, he won’t be too cruel and start rolling his hips into yours while the other person is in the room

But that won’t exactly stop his wandering hands now, would it? <3

[l1tw1ck]

Casting: Al Haitham

bottom!ftm al haitham x top!masc reader

↳ W.C: 1,629

↳ [Event] | AFAB Language Used

CW: Extreme Dub-Con, Humiliation, Oral Sex, Cum Shot, Riding, Nipple Play, Squirting, Multiple Orgasms, Cunnilingus, Virginity Loss, Cunnilingus, Creampie

Al Haitham's at a low point in his life, he lost his job and has been working odd jobs to make up for it. When he finally shared that with you, you were very excited to give him a job opportunity.

You told him it's a simple modeling job that pays well once a week, well enough that he won't have to work any other jobs. He believed you, since you're his friend, and took the job.

Al Haitham looks in the mirror with his cheeks flushed, embarrassed by the outfit you're making him wear. It's a cow bathing suit and the top part is way too small for his chest. They only cover his nipples. The bottom is a thong with a cow tail attached to if. He's also got on a cow headband and a cowbell to top it all off.

"Haitham? Are you okay in there?" You knock on the door.

"Did you give me the wrong outfit?" He asks.

"I doubt it, let me see."

Haitham opens the door and looks at you, frowning.

You stare at him for a moment before collecting yourself. "Nope, this is the right one!" You grin.

"What kind of modeling is this..?"

"Didn't I tell you what kind of company this is?" You tilt your head.

"You said it was for adult models?"

"I meant for porn magazines, videos, and all that." You laugh. "Sorry, Haitham."

He turns a soft pink.

"Well, let's get started, shall we?" You snap your fingers, a group of workers hauling Haitham over to the set.

Haitham stays compliant the whole time, trying to wrap his head around the whole thing as he gets posed in the most embarrassing positions. His embarrassed expression makes the pictures even better.

"You're an amazing model, Haitham, you did well." You praise him. "Now, we should discuss other options."

Haitham, still dazed and confused, allows you to bring him to your office. He doesn't notice the other workers getting aroused by his presence.

"Here's the check." You sign off on the paper and place it on your desk.

"You're the CEO of a porn company?" He says finally.

You laugh. "Yeah, and you could get paid a lot of money by joining. What do you think?"

Haitham frowns. "Blur out my face, please."

"So is that a yes?" You smile, having no intention of blurring his face.

He bites his lip and nods, assuming you mean by becoming an official model.

"Great! Come with me." You get up and lead him to another room, the room where you cast your stars.

Haitham looks around at all the cameras in the room, most pointed at a large bed and at two black leather couches. He wonders what kind of modeling he'll be doing now.

"Sit." You point to the leather couch, sitting adjacent to it. Haitham sits down as you asked, hiding his body with his arms.

"We're going to ask you some questions now, and we're going to record it. Is that okay?" You ask.

Haitham nods. "Okay."

Your assistant starts the camera and focuses on Al Haitham.

"Introduce yourself."

"My name is Al Haitham. I'm 25 years old. I’m from Sumeru.” He finds it hard to stay serious in his current outfit.

“What's your sex life like? Do you masturbate?” You ask. “And are you a virgin?”

Al Haitham’s cheeks tinge red. “What?”

You laugh. “Sorry, I suppose that was an embarrassing transition.”

“Um, I don't have time for sex. I'm- Yes, I’m a virgin..”

“So you masturbate? Do you watch porn too?”

“..Yeah. Sometimes.” He admits, turning to the side. “I mostly read it..”

“Oh?” You smirk, standing up. “So you're not completely innocent.” You chuckle, a sort of random thought entering your head. “I wonder how well you’ll be able to give me a blowjob.”

Al Haitham turns a darker shade of red. He looks to your assistant, who's smiling at him and wordlessly telling him to get down. He gets on his knees, earning a thumbs up from them.

He turns to you and gets slapped in the face by your cock. Everything else was embarrassing but having your fat cock resting on his face is humiliating, he feels like a whore.

“Don't you look cute.” You turn on your mini video camera and record his pretty expression. “Say ‘ah’” You grin, moving back and tapping on his lips with the tip of your cock.

Haitham opens his mouth, cheeks burning hot as he lets your thick length enter him.

“Pretend it's a popsicle.” You suggest.

Al Haitham sucks you off slowly and with clear inexperience, just barely able to take you.

“You’re so adorable, Haitham.” You coo, ringing the bell on his neck.

He looks up at you with the cutest expression on his face, an expression that makes you want to ruin him. You're glad you have this on camera.

“Gods, I could come just from looking at you.” You sigh gently. “Such a pretty little thing. Why don't you try going faster?”

Haitham sloppily sucks your cock, making obscene noises and trying his best to please you despite how humiliating it is.

Just seeing him try so hard while looking so cute is enough to bring you close to your peak.

You gently pull him away from you. “‘M gonna come on your face, baby.” You warn, jerking yourself off.

He closes his eyes, his face somehow redder than before. Moments later, he feels hot spurts of cum decorating his pretty face.

You tap your cockhead against his lips, letting out the last drops of your spend against the soft flesh. You take a few pictures with the camera before getting him cleaned up.

You sit down on the couch and pull him down onto your lap. Your still hard cock rests against his stomach, the feeling of it twitching makes him nervous.

You pull his top upwards, revealing his nipples. You only touch them with your thumbs, earning a wanton moan from him. “I barely touched you, and here you are, moaning like a slut.”

His cheeks burn.

You rub circles around his nipples, causing him to moan louder. “All I’m doing is touching your nipples, are you really this sensitive?” You grin. He whimpers, feeling embarrassed.

You replace one of your hands with your mouth, licking and sucking on his nipple. He rocks his hips at the sensation, feeling way too good from your mouth.

“Wa- wait-” He tries to move you away but you don't move. “I- Aah~!” He lets out a loud, slutty moan as he comes. You keep sucking on his nipple, using your hand to rub his clit inside his thong.

“Nnh- no- no more~” He whines, body heating up when he remembers he's on camera. “Please~”

You ignore his begging, going harder to make him come again instead.

“I- I ca-can't–” He shakes his head, tears forming in his eyes. Haitham throws his head back, squirting.

You move away from his chest, smirking. “Can I fuck you, sweetheart?”

Haitham nods shakily, it's not like he really has a choice. You pick him up and take him to the bed, turning him around and instructing him to get on all fours.

You slide his thong aside and drag your tongue up his wet pussy before sliding it inside him.

“Hh~” He moans and buries his head into the pillow, letting you tongue fuck his sensitive cunt. You rub circles around his clit, making him twitch and tighten around your tongue.

It gets easier and easier to make him orgasm each time, this time it only takes a few thrusts of your tongue to have him coming again.

You pull away with a grin on your face. “You’re such a cute little slut.” You spank his plump ass. You can hear a loud whine muffled by the pillow.

You slide your cock up and down his wetness before easing yourself inside him. His eyes widen at the feeling of you entering him, it's painful but pleasurable at the same time. He grimaces as you bottom out, he feels so full.

You slowly thrust in and out of him, causing Haitham to cry from the pleasure. He can't handle how good it feels, he's already so sensitive from having an orgasm three times.

You grip his hair, avoiding his cow headband, and lift his head up. “C’mon baby, look at the camera, we wanna see your pretty little face.”

He looks at the camera with a teary eyed expression, his lips quivering and a blush strewn across his cheeks. He can see his reflection through the lense, humiliated by what he’s become.

You fuck into him harder, making him lose his train of thought. “Gods, your pussy feels amazing.” You use your free hand to spank him, forcing more, louder wanton moans to leave his mouth. His ass turns the same color as his face thanks to you.

Al Haitham rolls his eyes back as he feels himself reaching his peak for the fourth time.

“Fuck– I might come inside, baby-” You groan. “Can I?” You ask, knowing he’ll say yes. He’s been so compliant all day and his brain is probably fuzzy at this point.

“Ye- yes~!” He moans, the smart part of him is completely thrown out the window and maybe it's the erotica he reads but the other part of him wants to feel you fill him with your load. You smirk, fucking him roughly and sloppily as you chase your release.

Haitham grins dreamily as he feels you pumping your cum into his cunt. “Mm..[Name]..” He whimpers.

You pull out and flip him onto his stomach, watching your cum drip out of his pussy. “I think we should go one more time.”

[seelestia]

A Blessed Imperfection [1/3]

(submitted by: @/hermosacolibri. all credits go to them, this work isn't mine!)

SYNOPSIS: Many consider your disability as a burden, but he finds a way to make it a blessing in disguise. What makes us flawed is what makes us unique, and that is what he considers the most beautiful thing about you—an imperfection he dearly adores. Nevertheless, he knows of your lingering sorrows and thus seeks a way to support you in the best way he could.

WARNING(S): symptoms of chronic/terminal illness, implications of mental instability, mentions of past trauma resulting to severe injury, possible triggers, panic attacks, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, etc…

CHARACTER(S):

Aether (as Traveler & Abyss Prince), Albedo, Diluc, Kaeya, Venti, Dainsleif

NOTE: I copy-pasted this from my Quotev so if the format turns bad, that’s why lmao. Part 2 will have the Zhongli and Ayato version I submitted with some other characters from the same nations. Part 3 will be Sumeru boys and Harbingers. I will submit them at a later date lol. Anyway, I would like to leave a shameless promo here for those interested in my writing. HERE is my Quotev. For those who wish to read about my collab story here on Tumblr, it is posted by my co-writer: @intothegenshinworld

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AETHER is like a star in the abyssal sky, constantly in sight yet far out of mortal reach. He carries the wishes of others, granting them in acts of what shall be seen as miracles or blessings. When time arrives for departure, he shoots across the cosmos with a trail of light that leaves witnesses mesmerized. Alas, he whom was born half of a whole, the name of this Traveler is forever bound to that of another—his dear sister, Lumine. Due to these same ties, he undergoes a quest across Teyvat to find her. The promise of a reunion always uttered by his lips, hopeful and eager yet never taking for granted the steps he took.

The lonely young man is at odds with the world. He could barely trust anyone after some god caused him to separate from his younger sibling. However, this humble Viator continues to treat others amiably in hopes to be treated the same way. From nation to nation, the blond adolescent sought answers from this peculiar world that felt so nostalgic yet still so foreign to him. There are trying moments of grief and frustration, but also blissful days of celebration.

Throughout this path, it was entirely unexpected for him to develop an intimate attachment.

Aether was not a stranger to bittersweet partings, as someone whom has always hopped from one world to another. For this same reason, he and Lumine try not to get too invested in any realm they visit. It was better for them as well as for everyone else that welcome them so affectionately. There must always be a particular distance to maintain, since there can be no guarantee of their stay or return. A deeper tragedy is the knowledge they can easily outlive the dwellers of any world. Witnessing the birth and death of many stars since their youth, the twins have grown rather desensitized to friendships that would not last as long as their lifespan.

That is why this separation hits them where it hurts enough to leave a scar.

Then, there was you.

As a mere mortal in a world governed by gods, you are content to live your life the best way you know. It is a lifestyle that can change at your will. One day, you can be exploring as an adventurer. The next, you are a seamstress earning your keep for the week you plan to stay with the spinsters. Every other month, you do a variety of odd jobs that you have learned throughout your lifetime. As a human, you are most hyperaware that everything can be ephemeral…

…and someday, even your soul shall be relinquished to the judgment of Celestia.

Until then, it is yours to do as you see fit.

For this reason, you felt torn by the Pyro Vision that had been bestowed upon you. While most of your peers seek the blessing of the divine gaze, you have subconsciously sought to avoid it. Many saw it as a gift but you were raised under the notion that most presents come with strings. Earning the “eye of god” meant that you are under Celestia’s watchful gaze, thus binding you to the Heavenly Principles. Their elemental blessings taunt mortals to dare reaching for the stars, and gain a place amongst the divine if they are deemed worthy of it.

Well, you personally believe that only thineself can determine one’s worth—no other, not even the gods.

Nevertheless, you move forward. Keep going on a quest without a destination, as you always do, until this fleeting life comes to its inevitable end.

Needless to say, there is one thing you genuinely did not see coming—

“I am so sorry, Miss!”

—and that was meeting your soulmate.

“It’s fine.” You replied.

Aether scrambles to collect your things while you do the same at a more relaxed pace. Your satchel had become so worn that it took a small bump to finally snap the strap. Now, all your possessions have been scattered across the ground. Fortunately, the blond stranger is a very kind and considerate young man.

Once you got everything, said stranger wasted no time apologizing profusely again.

“I should have been looking where I was walking! It was my fault.”

You tilt your head, “You could just make it up to me and we can call it even.”

His aureate eyes beamed as he nodded with an eager smile. At that moment, you wonder if he is the personification of the sun.

You smiled serenely, “I’m [Name].”

He pauses, a flicker of doubt passing through his gaze. Quick as it came, it disappeared as he smiled back—a tad softer.

“Just call me Aether.”

That day, he bought you a new satchel.

When you were younger, your parents always said that one moment is the same as a thousand—you only need one. It was a proverb that both confused and unnerved you. After they died together due to sickness, the words were haunting as you buried them before leaving your village. Every moment was cherished by you, each one unique in the best and worst of ways. However, as both you and Aether keep crossing each other’s paths after one meeting, a part of you finally thrums to life in understanding.

At one point, Aether even sought you out for a joint commission together.

“Don’t you have a travelling partner?” You asked.

He laughs sheepishly, “He’s a bit busy doing other things. Also…”

A light blush colored his cheeks, looking away as he scratched his nape lightly.

“…I wanted to spend some time with you.”

You found him cute so you agreed.

On that particular day, Aether learned something new about you. It was the little things he had been noting every time you met. The way you sometimes slur even though not a drop of alcohol can be traced from your scent, how you try so hard to keep your emotions under a certain level of control, how your eyes randomly droop even when you always look so adequately well-rested, and the pills he saw you sneak into your meals/drinks—you were ill. Perhaps, it was not the traditional ailment that left you weak and bedridden. The scariest symptom has been the occasional hallucinations that distract you, since the more vivid ones tend to set off your Vision. Anything within a meter radius is either set aflame, or rises up in temperature. It is why you always remind him to keep a certain distance whenever you tend to space out. He never prodded because you gave him the same respect of privacy by never prying into his life, even if he saw the incessant curiosity he adored about you. Still, he looks after you because he had to admit he truly grew fond of you.

Then, on your way home, you just abruptly collapsed as if your entire body went boneless.

“[Name]—!!!”

Aether caught you just in time before your head hit the ground. He checks your temperature for a fever, and then searches for some wounds you might have missed. You have a high pain tolerance, which can sometimes be a disadvantage whenever an injury goes unnoticed. There was a time a scratch almost got infected, or even when you nearly bled out because a poison prevented coagulation.

When he saw no signs, the outlander lifts you up in his arms and calls for the nearest doctor.

Thankfully, nothing was amiss and you just needed to rest while adjusting your diet.

Aether witnessed the true horror of your condition when you abruptly woke up half past midnight. He was already passed out on your bedside, sat on the ground and his head resting on his forearms. The chaise lounge would have been practical, but the blond felt the urge to be near you. At some point, he just dozed off.

On the other hand, you jolted awake with a choked gasp and widened eyes of terror. It was not due to any frightening nightmare. This is just how it always goes every time you wake up: frozen stiff, terrified, and barely breathing. Your pupils dilate as your iris moved wildly to make sense of your surroundings, pointedly ignoring the shadows manifesting into something monstrous. The candle on the nightstand was unfortunately almost fully spent, flickering to its last embers of light. With every dance, the shadows seem to get closer and slithering to get their clawed hands on you.

Alas, the candlelight spares you one last hope of salvation amidst this merciless night.

Sunshine golden hair glowed, emitting a silver halo as moonlight peeked from the half-open blinds. As much as you are able, you desperately crane your neck to see your companion. Tears blur your sight but the silhouette is unmistakable to you. His warm breath blew against your fingers, centimeters away from his lips as he breathed. Chilling goosebumps ran across your skin yet you welcomed it, hoping to regain mobility from this nightmarish paralysis. Your hand twitched, wishing to get ahold of this precious little sun—uncaring if it burns.

If you are to be like Icarus, then you would prefer an end embraced by warmth and light…

…instead of ice and darkness.

Perhaps, pyro suited you for this reason.

Your lips purse, crying in anguish to speak.

“A…Ae…A-Aether…”

To your relief, that seems to be enough to awaken the young man. However, respite is all to brief as your chest seizes up. The mere act of breathing gets difficult, and your heartbeat grew alarmingly slow as it echoed alongside the tinnitus in your ears.

Aether blinks awake, expecting the grace of morning light. Instead, he was met with your agonized gaze in a darkening room. In an instant, he snaps into full attention as he cups your face. You cannot hear him but you can guess that he must be firing questions out of concern.

“[Name], what’s wrong?! Are you in pain? What can I do? How can I help?” He exclaimed.

You gasped and hoarsely coughed.

“C-Can’t…breathe…I…”

The blond quickly thinks back to whenever Lumine experienced minor panic attacks. He assumes this is relatively similar, so he hopes his next actions will help rather than harm. Gently and carefully, he takes you into his arms. Back against the headboard, the new position situates you comfortably on his lap as one arm is secured around your waist. He takes both of your trembling hands with his free one, directing them to rest against his sternum.

“[Name],” he says softly yet firmly, “I need you to focus on me, okay? Focus for me. Hey—”

He catches your frantic gaze around the room and mindfully tilts your head back to meet his stare. They are brimming with steadfast reassurance, not at all deterred by the dark beasts. Your head rests against his shoulder, as you do as he told—closing your eyes to only relish his warmth, consume his scent, and listen to his voice.

“Breathe with me. Inhale, exhale…”

His chest rises and falls, to which you mimic the rhythm in return.

“Feel my pulse, and use it as your center.”

One hand keeps hold of his and the other seeks his heart, obeying the instructions.

The hand connected to the arm securing your back drift to your hair. At that moment, you realize that Aether’s hands are ungloved. Wandering fingers comb through your strands, calming you down with a soothing pet. Little by little, you regain movement in your limbs yet you rest limply—content.

“That’s it.” Aether whispered, “You’re doing great. Just keep repeating the exercise with me.”

“Aether…”

“I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

You wept and sobbed, “Aether…”

“I know.” He murmurs as he cries with you, “You’ve been so strong, [Name]. Everything’s fine. You’re not alone anymore.”

You look up, “Promise?”

He looks back, “I promise.”

The hand on his chest reaches for his white scarf as you pull him down. He obliges as his grip on you tightened, holding you close while your free hands adjust to interlace with each other.

That was the first kiss of many.

Day or night, Aether stood by you. Every battle was fought together. Every quest was finished together, sometimes with his elusive partner named Dainsleif whom was later introduced to you. On the journey to search for his sister, he even renewed his vows.

“When we find her, you can come with us.”

You smile teasingly, “I don’t have world-hopping powers.”

He narrows his eyes at you, unyieldingly headstrong and determined.

“I’ll find a way to bring you with us anyway.”

He raises your hand to his lips with a sly grin.

“You’re not getting rid of me~!”

Aether cradled you in adoration as if you were an endless summer amidst the cold loneliness of his sister’s absence. You beheld him as if he was the sun bringing life to the paradise of your evanescent mortality. The pair of you were thriving happily, hand in hand, even after discovering the truth of this world—and dictating the journey’s end.

Then, your Vision broke mysteriously, and you were condemned to an enchanted sleep.

Aether cursed the divine and all of Teyvat for it. He figured this was his price for learning the truth, but taking you will be their gravest mistake. He severes his ties with Dainsleif, whom tried to console him into taking the righteous path. He viewed you as his friend as well, and he knew you would not want this for your lover.

Now, the Abyss Prince sits by your bed—waiting in forlorn hope. His ungloved knuckles caress your cheek lovingly. You were dressed in a nightgown with abyss colors, outlined by satin ribbons of silver and gold. A crown of inteyvat rested on your head, petals scattered across your spread locks draped over silk pillows. They have grown after the past centuries but he dutifully trims them to an acceptable length.

“Your Highness,” the Abyss Herald called, “it is time.”

Aether paused. His honey gaze hardens and his aura turns cold. He breathes deeply, eyes closed to lean down and leave a chaste kiss on your brow.

“I will return shortly, my love.”

He puts on his gloves, taking leave resolutely.

Even if the sun turns black, you will both find your way back to each other. Even as the moon is painted red, goodbye shall never be an option. Every star in the sky—false or otherwise—shall bear witness to a union that even the Heavenly Principles would dare not destroy. Should this world be torn asunder, the reckoning cannot spell departure for either you or Aether. This is the eclipse that will pave the way to a new world, as the Abyss Order entails.

For if fate can only be accepted, thy vows shath be sworn by royal decree—

“You are my predestined person, the one I will always choose.”

ALBEDO discovered that there is beauty in what the heart perceives which the eyes cannot see. As an artist, he can grasp onto the concept yet is unable to truly understand it since he heavily relies upon his sight. As an alchemist, whatever eludes him may come into being by his own hands and thus enable him to attain it. The pursuit of truth is a mere matter of time and place, preordained even if hidden. As the most prized creation of Rhinedottir, he was given the task of uncovering the truth of this world for himself as a purpose in life. Even if to exist is a sin in the eyes of Celestia, he must endure and keep moving forward to reach his answers.

Amidst such dedicated research, there was little time and effort to be spared for attachments. The Chief Alchemist of Ordo Favonius finds it much too difficult to maintain. Of course, exceptions has been made throughout the years. Aside from his master, he had bonded with Alice and Klee as family. He had also made friendships with his colleagues amongst the Knights of Favonius and his subordinates, whom he taught the art of alchemy. Alas, as an artificial human created by a sinner, he feels as if he can never belong anywhere. Regardless of these bonds, the Kreideprinz feels as if a part of his heart remains hollow. 

It came to him that this place was reserved for you, the apple of his eye.

Ever since Albedo met you, a new muse began to live within his heart. People consider it as seeing the world through rosy lenses; but for him, it felt as if everything appeared clearer than facts…

…and it was beautiful.

The sun shines brighter. The wind blows cooler. The grass looks greener. Therefore, life is that much greater and sweeter. He is still in pursuit of truth, yet he felt as if the magnum opus was already in his hands—molded in the shape of you.

His only lament was that you could not see it alongside him.

You were not born blind. It happened from an act of jealousy and unkindness. Before you came to the City of Freedom, you were a noblewoman dwelling in Fontaine and worked as an artist. Much like him, you love to paint and draw but Albedo always argues that you were better at it. He had seen your works long ago, and every single piece has never failed to inspire him. It was as if each painting can bequeath aspirations, letting it blossom from the hearts of the people that view it.

Then, news spread that your entire atelier was set on fire while you were still in it…

…and then, you lost your eyes.

The Hydro Vision in your hand may have been the sole reason you even survived. Many speculated that you can never make art the same way again.

You came to Mondstadt, wishing to break free from the suffocating experience. You struggled to regain your passion, overcome your sorrows.

Then, you met Albedo; and one thing led to another.

It started when you were taking a stroll in Springvale with your guide dog, Vincent. He is a very spirited Golden Retriever, protective and responsible. You both stumble upon a young girl named Klee, whom was busy fighting a bunch of hilichurls. You opted to stand aside and calm your snarling canine friend, petting his head. When your keen hearing detected irregular breathing and racing heartbeat, you realize that the little girl was getting overwhelmed. She must have fought other hoards before your arrival, and now you hear slimes joining the fray. Thus, you order Vincent to keep his distance and engaged.

Sword unsheathed from your walking cane, you attack the ones behind Klee. Her bombs startled you when they exploded too close, but your hydro shield easily deflected any friendly fire. Vapor damage is then redirected to the monsters, tempering the girl’s mines and lasers so your skin will not be singed by the building heat. Vincent was barking wildly like a supportive cheerleader, growling whenever you get nicked or whenever the other girl yelped.

Soon, the fight was over.

The pitter-patters of tiny feet went towards you, and stopped at an arm’s length. You look down, smiling kindly yet not sheathing your blade.

“Thank you for helping Klee!” She chirped.

You chuckle, “You’re welcome.”

Vincent came running towards you, shamelessly  nuzzling your legs. He then licks Klee’s hand in his own way of befriending her, causing the girl to giggle from the ticklish sensation. She hugs him around the neck, and you can only tilt your head in amusement.

“What’s your name, Miss?”

“You may call me [Name].”

The hairs at your nape rose. Although you can see nothing else but darkness, your eyes also snapped open with a dark glower. By instinct, you swung your sword to strike whomever snuck behind you.

A resounding clang echoed in your ears, as metal struck against metal. Another sword has parried yours skillfully yet makes no move to counter.

“Brother Albedo…!” Klee exclaims.

Upon realization that this is no stranger, you swiftly disengaged with a soft apology. The gesture was returned as the man apologized for startling you. To your amazement, Vincent did not seem to be wary of this newcomer. The dog merely barked gruffly, a bit admonishing, instead of growling defensively like he always did.

“You dropped this.” Albedo said.

You hesitantly presented your hand to receive whatever he was giving. A familiar cloth is placed on your palm. You belatedly realized that it was your blindfold. It is a durable silk fabric that kept your burn scars from showing. Your disfigured face has been exposed all this time for Klee to see.

It must have been a horrifying sight—

“Your eyes are very pretty, Miss [Name]!”

Your breath hitched at the unexpected compliment, turning away shyly. As you wore the blindfold again, Klee notices Albedo smiling in awe at you. She put up her hands to cover her mouth and muffle her mischievous giggles.

“I agree.” He murmured.

You nodded, “Many thanks.”

Albedo never told you, but for him, it was love at first sight the moment his eyes met yours. There have been solitary days spent in Dragonspine where he wondered tirelessly:

Would it have been a mutual feeling if you could have seen him back then too?

From then onwards, the mysterious alchemist had turned into a close friend. He acted as a personal pillar of support in unexpected ways. The little ball of sunshine that is Klee turned into a source of lighthearted joy for you as well. They tend to visit your home in the city together, offering gifts and knick-knacks. The habitual meetings resulted into some new friends who helped you settle down in Mondstadt, especially Eula. Her own aristocratic lineage helped you two bond about a lot of things, even when she vehemently rejects hers—which is frankly for understandable reasons. You both share the sentiment that genuine nobility upholds the belief of noblesse oblige above all.

Albedo, most of all, enabled you to regain the love you thought had been lost forever with your sight.

Although life still hit hard with how you struggle to create art, your appreciation for it was reborn and you are experiencing everything all over again as something new. Regardless of the burns and scars that made you insecure, the Kreideprinz made you feel nothing less than desirable and deserving of love. Though the blankness of your gaze saddens him, and sometimes even angers him due to the injustice you were dealt—he saw beauty in all that is you, and everything that blossoms from your hands.

Just for a moment, he wanted to show you what he sees the only way he knew: to create.

Vincent guided you into Albedo’s personal art studio in Mondstadt. The canine looked more excited than you. He nipped at the alchemist's white coat, tail wagging as he sat by your feet but paid attention to your lover. Charming eyes swept between you two as if awaiting praise and treats for a job well done.

For a moment, Albedo was reminded of Klee and it made him smile. He kneels down before the dog, patting his head. After a few minutes of petting, he relinquishes the promised treat.

Vincent then ran to his corner, satisfied. Usually, he is very protective and ends up hovering next to you; but with Albedo, he knows you are safe.

You giggled amusedly.

“Sometimes,” your lover sighed, “I think he only likes me to get treats and headpats. He also only comes to me by whining to play.”

You smirked teasingly, “Sounds familiar.”

Albedo paused before giving you a scolding look, yet the twitching smile betrayed him. He was then taken aback when you presented him a small gift bag and a bouquet of cecilia flowers.

“Happy Anniversary~!” You said.

He smiles, accepting your gifts to greet you back.

“Happy Anniversary, [Name].”

Per usual greeting, Albedo takes your hands in his to let them settle. Then, you let go to just feel as they glide across his skin. He closes his eyes to relish your caresses, nuzzling when you reach his face and touched his cheeks. From there, you felt his smile and it spurned yours.

However, as the alchemist opened his eyes, he had witnessed the spark of sadness in yours.

On your first anniversary together, Albedo crafted a special gift. A wooden easel held a blank canvas, or so it seems. If not for the colorful palette and wet brushes, nobody would spare it any glance or even thought. He guides you in front of him, encasing you in his arms and pressing his chest to your back. His lips whispered instructions almost seductively, soft and sensual as he lifted your hands to move them forward.

“Go ahead.” He implored your touch.

Fingertips make contact with what seems to be a canvas, but with bumps on it that definitely felt like braille. Your brows furrowed in confusion, unable to interpret it as anything. You can decipher some sort of pattern, but nothing in the braille alphabet comes to mind that makes sense.

“Don’t think in words, love.” Albedo advised, “Imagine it as you would paint a landscape.”

He is familiar with your art technique. After all, he has always been a fan since he first purchased your work at an auction. His keen observation noticed that the colors bloom from the center. Then, multiple layers come to refine the structure and control the shades. Once the painting is complete, the basic foundations are harder to notice but details never escape Albedo. To him, it felt like he was seeing two images in a single painting: one perceived by sight, and another perceived by heart—dual masterpieces for the price of one.

You follow his words and thus you begin to deduce a work of something.

The braille patterns made you think of Mondstadt’s flower meadows, petals of cecilia and seedheads of dandelions fluttering in the breeze. An orb that seems to be the sun is raised eastward with what appeared to be outlines of birds, aflight in the cloudy horizon. There are faint marks connoting mountains in the distance, and flowing swirls that felt like wave patterns along the coast. To further understand his message, you sought the center much like how you used to paint.

Albedo detects your newfound focus, aware that an image has been imprinted upon your mind.

“[Name],” he murmured tenderly, “I need you to keep your hands on the canvas. I will guide you in this next step. Do you trust me?”

You smiled meaningfully, “Always.”

A loving caress upon your skin is accompanied by a chaste kiss on your crown.

“I cannot give you the world—”

Then, the brailles moved.

“—but I can leave a piece of it in your hands.”

You quickly realize that the brailles were not made of ordinary material. Days and nights of listening to your lover’s random alchemy ramblings allowed you to learn a thing or two. This braille painting has been constructed with special elemental crystals. From the feel of it, they respond strongly to elemental energy—particularly yours and Albedo’s combined, both currently being channeled. Depending on the crystal, it can resonate with other elements.

Beneath your hands, the patterns moved in looping motion to signify that it was animated. Furthermore, the energy that resonated from every shard is almost alive. Anemo can be felt from the swaying of the dandelions, and dendro amplified the scent of the scattered cecilia across the grassland. Even the painted sun emits a comforting warmth due to hints of pyro, as if bathing the scenery with its light. The waves along the shoreline felt moist due to hydro, which resonated strongly with you—and for a short second, you actually miss Fontaine. The mountains are the familiar cold of cryo, which then registered for you that it was likely a reference of Dragonspine.

Just from this, your mind’s eyes can almost envision the outline of a city—one founded by Barbatos.

In Albedo’s eyes, the special formula for the paint which Sucrose helped him concoct had finally revealed itself. To outsiders, the canvas is nothing more but a lumpy surface. In truth, the blind will see its true form; and when given life via elemental energy, the rest will be unveiled. To you whom once knew the colors of the world, the simple animations of the image form a kaleidoscope that provides you melancholic nostalgia. By your fingertips, it certainly felt as if Albedo had given you a piece of the world that only you can see.

For this one moment, he and you can perceive the same world.

Tears gathered in your eyes yet a heartfelt smile radiantly shone upon your face. A sob of genuine happiness wracked your throat. As your knees begin to weaken, you leaned on the man that helped you see again—

—even if only a few seconds.

Albedo also smiled in relief, fully embracing you around the shoulders in support. He let you take in the moment while he basked under the blessing of your presence.

“If there is anything else you wish to see again,” he solemnly swore, “I will be your eyes and shall piously present its sights to you.”

At his oath, you abruptly let go of the painting and turned. Cupping his face in your hands, your lips eagerly meet his. Albedo returns your passionate amor with fervor, ever delighted to please you. He wishes to someday discover the truth of this world, as his master bade him to do. His one desire is that you would be there beside him when he does.

Even if destruction came by his hand, he already knows one truth by heart—

“The beauty of this world forever pales in comparison to you.”

DILUC RAGNVINDR is an uncrowned king raised as a noble gentleman of chivalry and gallantry. From the fiery red of his hair to his stern crimson glare, he upholds his aristocratic lineage with dignity. The cumbersome title of lord dictates the gravity of his obligations to Mondstadt. Whether as a nocturnal vigilante or as master of Dawn Winery, those who dare to threaten his home will face the wrath of his flames. Sinners who refuse penance shall have their blood paint the mighty blade of his claymore, as a furious firebird sends the wicked to retribution.

As a man coveted by many, he keeps his circle small and tightly knit. An outsider’s only chance to ever earn his favor is to either make themselves useful to Mondstadt, or by earning the approval of his more compassionate wife.

That woman is none other than you.

Diluc met you as a playmate in his childhood. His father, Master Crepus, was both a close friend and trusted business partner of your parents. Like the Ragnvindrs, your family specializes in the wine industry—specifically the medicinal values that are incorporated in liquor. Although your own father is from Mondstadt, he settled down in Liyue upon marrying your mother. Secretly, you and Diluc were arranged to be married. Everything worked out well since you both actually liked each other a lot. He was a very protective yet supportive friend, while you were a tactful and encouraging listener. When Kaeya had joined the family, the three of you became quite the inseparable trio.

Then, Crepus Ragnvindr died.

Everything happened so fast. Before you knew it, your fiancé chose to disappear and left only a single note for you as goodbye. It was not even a proper farewell, at least not the kind he made sure to give you every time. Even if there was little to no sincere romance in your engagement, you both respected each other as equals. However, his final note had completely staggered you.

“Don’t wait for me.” It said.

Such a heavy message in merely four words…

You understand what he means by it. He has made a decision wherein he would prefer to not involve you, and thus opting to let you go. The contract regarding the engagement was never too binding. Crepus had assured that either of you can break it off if you both reach such a consensus. However, the former head of the Ragnvindr Clan did not just choose any girl to be paired with his son. He specifically took interest in you because he always knew—if any woman can ever match his son and heir in terms of headstrong stubbornness, it can only be you.

With the patience of a saint, you graciously accepted Diluc’s decision. However, it did not mean you would back down so easily.

Honestly, you see it as poor manners to just leave things with a note. You have to just wait in the Dawn Winery so you can give him a proper scolding upon his inevitable return. Until then, you were more than willing to manage everything else on his behalf. The servants are ecstatic to find out you meant to stay despite their young master’s wishes. Your parents are also very considerate, only ever wishing for your happiness since then and now.

Under your supervision, Dawn Winery flourished and maintained dignity after the loss of its masters. You hold the cunning and integrity of any businessman worth their salt. Adelinde, Elzer, and the entire staff can attest that you are more strict than even the late Lady Ragnvindr—wife of Master Crepus.

Kaeya never confided to you whatever caused the fallout between him and his brother. However, he seemed so relieved and touched when you did not treat him differently. If anything, you seem to dote on him even more now—like a real older sister. He thus returns your kind and loving care equally, a bout of protectiveness that rivals your absent fiancé.

Years later, tragedy struck once again.

You were mistaken as the official Lady Ragnvindr by whichever enemies Diluc had made. They aimed to lure him out by means of threatening his supposed wife, taking you hostage. Despite being Visionless, you were far from a pushover. You did not go down without a fight and worked to plan your escape.

In the end, your captors thought you to be more trouble than your worth…

…and so, they aimed to kill you.

It is only due to Kaeya’s timely arrival this instance that you did not follow Crepus.

However, you did not get out of the incident perfectly unscathed. The brutality you suffered had caused a critical and permanent injury on your spine. It is with heavy hearts that the doctors informed you of the grim situation: you can never walk again.

Diluc promptly returned to Mondstadt when Kaeya relayed the news to him via letter. He had been so devastated to realize that you almost died because of him. He wanted to protect you by letting you go, but he underestimated your resolve. In his mind, he knew the only way to truly get you far away from him is to make you hate him. Upon finding courage to visit you, he doubled down on his determination when he left you years ago. You deserve better, and the life he could give you as Lady Ragnvindr will only be a disappointment. You deserve so much better than waking up to a cold, empty bed and waiting on late nights.

He opened the door to your room in his manor, ready to break your heart so you can leave him.

However, his hardened goal fell short.

You sat by the window, as beautiful as the day he last saw you. Even confined to a wheelchair, you remain smiling so warmly. Your enchanting gaze meets his crimson pair, and he melted at the sheer adoration you bestowed upon him. Your cheeks took a rosy glow, and your smile widened—lips moving to utter words of welcoming him back home, yet he cannot hear a thing. His only thoughts revolved on how badly he wanted to kiss you right now.

Diluc missed you so much, and hence he realized that he really is a fool.

How can he ever survive if he truly broke your heart, the most precious thing you entrusted to him?

“Marry me.” He said.

Much to his surprise, you only laughed and accepted—as if you always believed he would return to you.

It was truly laughable how easily you can weaken his resolve with a mere smile.

“It took you long enough, Master Diluc~!”

You winked at him as you laughed. Despite your lighthearted cheer, the redhead can see that the years apart took a toll on you. He crossed the room in graceful strides and he saw you more vividly. The bags under your eyes did little to dull their sparkle; the hollowness of your cheeks worried him but the rosy hue amplified their glamor; and your pallor was a little too pale for his liking, yet the freckles across your nose reassured him that you get enough sun on a daily basis.

Then, he bends down to hold you close and buries his face at the crook of your neck.

Your heart skipped lightly.

Then, you hugged him back—more tightly.

Diluc said nothing as he felt his shoulder get wet, and you did not make a sound as yours trembled.

“Welcome home.” You whispered.

He grits his teeth to fight against the tears.

“I’m home.” He murmurs.

The marriage started a little awkwardly. Three years had been a long time, and you both had changed in ways that put a strain on your dynamic. However, as you both learned to trust each other the way you did as kids, everything else flowed smoothly. You relied on him as he relied on you. Thanks to your endless patience, you managed to help your dear husband in anything that troubled his heart. At times, it is only by your gentle interventions that his overprotective tendencies can be quelled. It had become norm for the people of Mondstadt to see you at a cozy corner of Angel’s Share—beside the bar, whenever your husband took a shift. Any shenanigans are put to a stop by a warning glare that seemed more scathing than any other nights. None of the patrons—drunk or otherwise—dare to start any ruckus as long as you were present in the tavern.

There is nothing that Diluc kept from you anymore, as he claimed no more secrets. Although, he was curious when you steered clear if the topic is Kaeya.

“It’s not just your secret to share.” You reasoned.

The redhead felt his love and respect for you deepen at the claim.

Now, you sat in your husband’s office. While he was busy doing paperwork, you did embroidery on a silk pillow that got torn. However, there was a stifling air in the room that bothered him.

“What is it?” Diluc asked.

You raise a brow, “What do you mean?”

He stared back knowingly, “You have been redoing the same stitch for the past half hour. That only happens when you’re distracted; and you’re only ever distracted when something is troubling you.”

The redhead leans back on his chair, dropping his quill to cross his arms.

“So,” he continued, “what is it?”

You blushed at the fact you were caught so easily, but also flattered by how he is so attentive to you.

Diluc is then worried by your prolonged hesitance, gradually standing up from his chair. He walks up to you leisurely, kneeling by your side. His gloved hands take yours, mindful of your needlework as he placed it on the table. His vibrant eyes implore you to share your burdens, waiting and encouraging.

“I lied to you.”

He frowns at your blunt confession but said nothing, tilting his head to let you continue.

“On our wedding,” you reminisced, “you asked me what I wanted most so you could provide it. I replied that there was nothing more I could ever want since you asked me to marry you for real.”

Your right hand carefully broke free from his, rising to tuck his fringe away. Your palm rests on his cheek and your husband savored it with fondness. He then recalls being ready to arrange a grandiose wedding that day, remembering how much you rambled about being like a princess in your shared childhood. As a young boy, it used to grate on his nerves; but as your fiancé, Diluc found it necessary to pay attention.

Back then, he did not question it when you asked for a simpler celebration. After all, a lot has changed between him and you—for better and for worse.

“However,” you murmured, “there was one thing I had truly wished to experience with you.”

Your eyes stray away from his, drifting towards the unfinished embroidery pillow. His own eyes follow, and he immediately understands. The picture’s basic design depicts a pair of lovers dancing under the moonlit night. A gazebo frames their silhouettes while lampgrass grew around its base structure.

A wedding dance.

Diluc looks back up to you, smiling in exasperated affection. He then leans forward, taking you into his arms as he stood up. A mild squeak escapes your lips as your own arms clung to his neck, caught off guard by his sudden movement. Your husband steps out of the room while carrying you, yet offers no explanation whatsoever. Although you felt confused, it did not stop you from relaxing in his embrace and just leaning against him.

The redhead took you to the main foyer, and headed straight towards a small library corner. He dismisses the maid stationed to clean it, leaving you both in privacy. First, you were placed on the recliner near the fireplace. Then, he walked towards the old yet pristine gramophone. It belonged to his mother, he vaguely remembers. His father told him that she always loved to collect vinyls, a bittersweet sheen of unconditional love shining in his eyes.

The young lord wonders if the two of you would also remain as in love when you get older together.

“Diluc, what is this all about—”

You trailed off as waltz music began to play.

“When my wife wishes to dance,” he says, “what kind of husband am I to refuse?”

A suave smirk on his handsome face leaves you so utterly breathless. Your heart races, bursting with an unspeakable joy to call this man yours. Captivated by the sight of him, you can only watch as he strides back to you—charming as a prince straight out of a fairy tale book. His gloved hand is presented with a chivalrous bow, his rare theatric side being shown only for you—always only for you.

“May I have this dance, Milady?” He asks.

You gape speechlessly for a minute. A part of you was reluctant. How can you possibly dance in this circumstance? Nonetheless, you trust Diluc more than anything so you accepted.

“You may.”

Diluc gives a dazzling smile at your faith in him, and gently pulls you up. He expertly places your feet on his shoes, carrying your weight as you swayed. One of your hands is on his shoulder while one of his arms is wrapped firmly around your waist, holding you close. Your respective free hands are entwined, inseparable and perfectly at ease.

The marital couple moved fluidly and gracefully. You entrusted your body completely, to be moved in this dance he led confidently. Your patience and trust are returned by his warmth and protection, cradling you in a chrysalis that hopes to let you flourish. He even dares to help you twirl, making the skirt of your dress flutter like the petals of a wild rose in bloom.

The dreamlike sequence ends as he dips you into an intimate position. Heartbeats skip in sync, never of fear but of exhilaration.

Your hands leave his, believing he would never let you fall even if you let go. His grip transferred to your back and your nape, eager to be your support. You caress his face and pull him down for a searingly passionate kiss. He indulges you wholly, taking all that you have willingly given him. Your fingers shook as they entangle with his red mane. With the ease of a man who wields a claymore, he lifts you up. Your arms held tight around his neck, tilting into a new angle to not break the kiss. The fervor is returned a hundred fold, as if Diluc wishes nothing more than to fuse his soul with yours.

You are the one who empowers his flames, igniting his heart as your chosen Ifrit.

He made a vow at the altar, and not even death can do you part anymore—

“The privilege to call you mine is an honor I cannot surrender to fate.”

KAEYA ALBERICH is someone painfully aware of the power in words, and uses it to his advantage. He is as mysterious as he is efficient at being the Cavalry Captain of Ordo Favonius. The charisma he exudes can be as menacing as the frigid coldness of his Cryo Vision. The swiftness of his blade can be more merciful than the secrets he ruthlessly exploits. As much as he is admired by his peers, everyone can unanimously agree that his enigmatic ways leave them a little wary to trust him entirely. Nevertheless, the cunning of a flightless bird is just as deadly as the venom of a pit viper. A reluctance to comply is merely a sign to delve deeper.

In the carefree city of Mondstadt, only one has squared up to his level and defeated him—

—in every sense of the word.

You are the dainty little assistant of Lisa Minci, the resident librarian of Mondstadt. She slyly evades all attempts of divulging how and from where she met you. It is rumored she just found you sewing some of her worn books one day, and then decided that she has to have you as her assistant. The only other thing known about your relationship with her is that she can be extremely protective to the point of territorial. Similarly, nobody can fully understand the eccentricities demonstrated by the Witch of Purple Rose as much as you do. Since your employment, a peaceful synergy can be observed in the workings of the library and even the Knights of Favonius HQ.

The most notable thing about you is how you never limit your goodwill to work. Anyone you can reach is always on the receiving end of compassion. As such examples, Lisa has proudly introduced you to many of her prestigious friends. Since then, it had become a norm for them to see you.

Jean always ends up a little more relaxed with the cups of coffee you brew for her. You serve her tea as a silent insistence when it was time to rest. Albedo and Sucrose now have a habit of asking your referral in finding the best locations for any ingredients they would need. At random times, you appear around the corner to help Noelle in the most menial tasks and labors. Whenever Amber returns from her daily outriding, she would find you welcoming her by the gates with some food and water. Lastly, even Eula has begun picking you up to join her for lunch on weekends. You are the only civilian that never treats her differently, and actually seems to like her very much as a friend.

In a bout of poetic irony, the only one that seems to rarely receive your kindness was Kaeya.

Of course, you were far from unkind or cruel. You still greet him amicably every time you cross paths in the hallways or city streets. However, his shrewd gaze can detect your hesitance to interact with him for prolonged periods of time. Politely asking you about it did him no good as well. You only stared at him skeptically before shrugging, as if he should know the answer. A part of him questioned why it even bothered him so much, but perhaps it was a matter of ego. He knows himself well enough to be aware that it could be the reason he kept persisting on gaining your favor.

When Kaeya decided to tell Lisa about his situation, she had the gall to laugh at him.

“It’s because she sees right through you.”

Kaeya raises a brow, “I beg your pardon?”

Lisa smiles sharply, “My darling [Name] is an astute judge of character. It’s one of the reasons I adore her so much. Like you, she also knows her way with words. The more you talk while she listens, the more she compares the character she sees in your eyes and the persona that speaks with your lips. If they don’t match up, she will consider you to be too dangerous.”

For a moment, the Cavalry Captain felt his eyes darken defensively. A second later, they return to being detachedly bemused.

The Witch of Purple Rose catches the slip but does not comment about it. In fact, she willingly closes her eyes to let the man have his moment. However, she did continue to speak her piece.

“You’re not a bad guy,” she states, “and she knows that well. However, [Name] is the type who does not like to converse with people that refuse to respect the weight of the words they speak.”

A beaming smile is given by the librarian as she pats her colleague on his shoulder.

“Try speaking a little more honestly! It might earn you some brownie points.” She said.

Kaeya wanted to claim he is not going to bother and that he will just leave it at that. Alas, it seems he had found his match and could not resist your allure. In the end, he nodded before taking his leave.

To Lisa’s credit, her advice worked.

Obviously, Kaeya did not lay everything out in the open; but he became more sincere in his efforts to befriend you. To his pleasant surprise, you may be taciturn and reserved but it did not make you shy at all. If anything, you were quite bold for a pretty little damsel. He playfully flirted with you a few times and you were barely fazed. You even flirted back with teasing glances and fleeting touches that—he was impressed to admit—flustered him in shock. Your dollface can be deceiving as well. He had seen you pettily tattle to Lisa about patrons that give you a hard time. In turn, the mage trusts you to be the one to remind her of anyone who is late on their book returns. Thus, he watched you just peacefully sip tea while your employer terrorized the poor souls that earned her wrath with an innocent smile.

You rewarded the Cavalry Captain’s honest efforts by opening up to him a little.

It is here that Kaeya learned you were mute.

The cause was a very unfortunate birth defect when you were born prematurely. Your vocal chords did not grow correctly and almost suffocated you. The doctors were forced to remove it entirely via surgery so you can survive. Growing up, you became quite the bookworm because of this disability. You found solace in the immersion of reading the words you can never speak. It gradually turned you into a very talented scholar worthy of Lisa’s attention. Your nurturing ways with books and your preservation of comfort amidst the silence certainly gained merits.

Of course, your reserved nature did not mean you are to be underestimated.

The Witch of Purple Rose chose you as her personal assistant and sole substitute for a reason. It can be argued that you are potentially more frightening. You are the calm before the storm; and when you strike, no one ever sees it coming. Whenever hooligans think they can just steal books from the restricted section, every single one will be found hogtied and gagged on the Knights of Favonius’ doorsteps. A damsel you may appear but the only distress that can be felt is by the drunkards, who think they can harrass you without direct consequences. In fact, you made it your personal vendetta to discipline every member of Barbara’s fanclub and their stalker tendencies. A failure to comply forces them into public humiliation by wearing nun attires, and then prostrating themselves in front of Barbatos to beg for forgiveness.

Venti had an interesting view when he woke up from his nap on the statue’s hands.

The job of Cavalry Captain became that much more entertaining, and easier too.

Public ordinance is now easy to handle for all the patrolling knights, whom often need to tread lightly just to appease the common folks. Although the Acting Grandmaster would never say it outloud due to her soft nature, she was thankful for this subtle measures you have been making—especially in regards to her sister’s privacy and safety. Even the stoic Master Diluc seems to respect you since he actually makes effort to greet you more than he does any other stranger in the streets. Your drinks in Angel’s Share are discounted too, which is always a plus after a long day of work. Lisa took advantage of this perk just to tease.

As he got to know you, Kaeya finally arrived to a profoundly frightening conclusion.

He was falling in love with you.

No, he may have already fallen the moment you had turned into his newest fixation. The icy captain can recall Lisa’s words—how you judge people based on the character in their eyes, if it matches the persona that speaks. You actually looked at him and saw him with just a single glance; and when his words blurred the truth, his facade was already unraveling before your piercing gaze. You rejected him because he was denying the lost boy you see, and you embraced him when the charismatic captain found felicity in your companionship. You accepted both sides even if you knew nothing about either of them.

However, for all his clever ways in manipulating the feelings of others, Kaeya is powerless at the face of his own emotions.

Hence, the reasonable thing in his perspective is to simply run away from you.

It hurt you but it was something you also understood quite well. As mentioned, you were aware of Kaeya’s true character from the get-go. It was fine if this is really what he wants. You both lived your lives just fine when keeping your respective secrets. That should not change just because romantic feelings are now involved.

Lisa and your friends firmly believed otherwise.

Your doting older sister figure tells you one day that the elusive captain left a message. He says to meet him in Windrise, where Jean had put him on patrol for suspicious activity of the Abyss Order. In a twist of fate nobody expected, they even managed to get Diluc involved to make the information appear to be legitimate. The redhead claims he was getting sick of Kaeya's face brooding over you in Angel’s Share.

All else, as they say, was history when you were both given a chance to confront the truth together.

Now, Kaeya watches over your sleeping form on his bed—tuckered out from today’s work.

You are curled up to his chest, nuzzling his clavicle like a kitten. A delightful shiver ran through his spine every time your warm breaths hit his skin. Your left arm is draped over his waist while your right hand rested over his chest. His own arm cushions your head, bent by the elbow to poise himself up while he ran his fingers through your hair. The other one holds you close by the waist, legs intertwined so no space remains. The moonlight peeks through the curtains, basking you in afterglow that left him mesmerized every night. Leaning down, his lips tenderly kissed your brow as his embrace tightened possessively.

He grins as he felt your fingers move drowsily on his back, crumpling the blouse.

“Why are you watching me sleep?”

You drew special patterns to speak, blinking your eyes open to stare blankly at your lover.

He chuckles, bending down to give you an eskimo kiss while tracing words on your back as well.

“You look too beautiful to be true.”

You hummed in the form of a soft exhale, observing your beloved closely. Your hand leaves his back and reached up to his face, tucking his fringe behind his ear to see both of his eyes. It no longer concerns him to let you see his normally hidden eye, which flickered for a fraction of a second. He disclosed everything long ago. He has nothing else to hide, not from you at least—never again from you.

In fact, the language you were both using to silently communicate is from Khaenri'ah.

Kaeya invented the sign language of it and taught it to you. In public, people think it is just a cute secret between couples; but you knew better. There is a power in words, and Kaeya had entrusted you this in particular—a piece of his true self that only you can keep. Not even Diluc knew this much about him, as their bond of brotherhood shattered before he could make an attempt. Henceforth, you use this sign to talk with him privately and send messages only for your dear captain to decipher.

As you caressed his cheek, Kaeya sighed in perfect bliss. He leans towards your touch, turning his head to press a loving kiss on your palm. His own hand reached up to keep it in place. Delicately, his index finger traces another message on your knuckles.

“You’re not just a sweet dream, are you?”

Your eyes softened in understanding, smiling in hopes to alleviate his insecurities. Your hand directs his to your heart, much like how your other one stays above his own. Two hearts beat as one, delivering a mutual confession beknownst only to you and him.

Your lips moved and his unique eyes read them as if they held the meaning of life.

“I’m real, and I’m yours.”

Unable to help himself, Kaeya changes positions to loom over you. He pins your hands by the wrist on either sides of your head. You let him, locking eyes to wait until he regains his anchor to reality. As he straddles you, he leans down and his scarred eye glows with an unknown power. For a moment, the star in his misty blue orb sharpened into a slit. Then, his grip eventually loosens. Your arms soon take the chance to slither around his neck. You pull him down to your level, sensually slow to leave him in intense anticipation. Once he is a mere breath away, you lean up and forward.

Kaeya never fails to find sanctuary in your embrace, and salvation in your kiss. The taste of ambrosia is as addictive as the first time. He wanted more—needed more, even if it meant unequivocal demise.

One of his hands seeks one of yours, pressing against the mattress to interweave. A final message is traced as you both succumb to the passion that has waged wars since the dawn of creation.

“I love you.”

If the day of reckoning ever comes for him, the last hope of Khaenri'ah knows he does not stand alone.

Kaeya will always remember to seek out your light, and savor the hour of respite in your shadow. He holds faith in no god nor archon; but before you, he shall bend the knee in devoted worship.

This lost prince of sinners may be predestined for damnation, but he prays in your name—

“You are my northern star, the light that guides me back home.”

VENTI is a bard whose secrets are guarded by the lullabies of yesteryore and evermorrow. He holds the face of jubilant youth, yet his eyes tell a tale as old as time. While his voice mellifluously sings of tunes so spirited and free, his heart weighs heavy with the burden of an untold sacrilege. A couple thousand years can be a long time, yet the agony remains as fresh as the memories of a lucid dream. As he dons a smile that hopes to brighten the days and luminate the nights of Mondstadt, his soul belies the image of a nameless friend long gone. At times when the winds blew too coldly, he relies on the burning heat that drips down his throat—a taste so fine yet so bitter, like the freedom he idolizes.

Memories remind people what matters most, a life’s purpose to never forsake. However, more often than not, they come with the cruel regrets of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. Henceforth, in tiresome days, the expense of living gets a little too much; and in sleepless nights, the weight of existing gets a little heavier.

Alas, when stars align just right, the wind will lead a pair of soulmates to find one another.

In Venti’s case, you found him.

It is actually very difficult to get him drunk, even if he acts otherwise. To be precise, he recovers quicker by getting sober minutes after he felt tipsy—and then, he would be downing another bottle. It is annoying for someone who just wants to forget his problems, but that is partially why he became accustomed to binge drinking. His rate of alcohol consumption would kill an average human, via alcohol poisoning, by the time he actually blacks out.

Amidst this cold and lonely night, the windborn bard was spared an ounce of warmth by a kind muse.

Venti woke up in a peculiar cottage that smelled of pollen and varnished wood. He heard the chirping of bluebirds, rousing him further away from his drowsy haze. A ray of sunshine peeks through the hanging cheap fabric used as curtains. He sits up, braids all messy with a very entangled bedhead.

As he stumbled out of the bedroom, the familiar sounds of Der Frühling beckoned him to the front porch. His veteran ears can attest that the notes are undoubtedly produced by a musician's hands, but a mere novice in the ways of the lyre. There was a harmonious flow in melody, yet the tone and pitch held little to no finesse in-between transitions. A sense of sheepish uncertainty distorts the song, but there was a certain charm in its dissonance.

He turns a corner, and there he saw you—

—a young dame sat upon a rickety swing, taming the bluebirds that sang for her strings.

The amused bard leaned against the doorway to watch the free show. His gleaming teal eyes stared blatantly, mesmerized by his supposed hostess. You wore an outfit that resembled his, but more modest and somewhat mismatched in color palette—an odd choice for a fellow bard. The only flashy thing about you is the Anemo Vision pinned onto your hair as it tied up your headband braid. It functioned as a hair ornament surrounded with cecilia and windwheel aster petals. A teal silk ribbon was mixed into your braid as its curled tail fluttered under your Vision ornament.

You seem to be inexperienced with the lyre, as Venti had confirmed upon seeing your performance; but you are still quite precise in your play. In theory, you hold enough knowledge to figure out which note works for a particular measure. Before he realized it, his own voice begins humming alongside the chirps of the gathered songbirds.

Alas, joining your small choir of avian creatures had startled them into flying away.

You also stiffened with a surprised jolt, practically snapping your head to look back at him. He does note that it was the birds’ exit that had shocked you, and not his soundly abrupt entrance.

“Ehe~!” Venti giggled nervously, “Sorry about that.”

You fumbled for a moment yet held the lyre firmly, careful to keep it steady. Standing up, you then walk over to him even though you shook in anxiety. Ever so tenderly, you returned his dearest Der Frühling as if handing over a precious baby.

Venti finds this heartwarming and endearing, having not met a fellow bard as considerate as you. He thus receives his lyre with gratitude, tracing its frame and plucking the strings. He marvels at the fact you even polished the instrument and retuned the strings.

“Many thanks, fellow bard~!” He chirped, “My name is Venti. May I know yours?”

You stared blankly at him for a moment, as if taking a few minutes to decipher his words. He spoke a little too quickly on purpose, patiently observing if you would prove his suspicions. As soon as you finally understood, you replied with some stutters in-between your syllables. It seemed more like a sound of uncertainty rather than a speech impediment.

“I-I am…[Name].”

A deaf virtuoso—the windborn bard believes you will make an interesting friend.

Ever since that day, Venti developed a habit of either visiting your abode or seeking you to hang out in the city. His consistent presence helped you be more comfortable in conversations. There was little to no stutters in-between your sentences now. As a bard whom prided himself in knowing all music of the past and future, the art of sign language is a helpful skill he utilized to pleasantly astound you.

The bard had never seen any mortal beam so bright when you smiled at him that day.

While you have gotten comfortable with him, Venti has also grown comfortable with you. There have been many incidents wherein his smiling mask just naturally came down around you. By your side, he felt more freedom than he has ever experienced in the past centuries. He knew it was dangerous to let this continue. The god in disguise has always been meticulously aware of his own feelings; and he was more than aware that he is falling for a mortal he will someday outlive.

However, he found you hard to resist.

Neither Venti nor Barbatos can hope to deny your profoundly unconditional love. What kind of god could reject such a heartfelt offering?

Despite your penchant for playing any available instrument, you preferred not to take center stage. In fact, your hidden knack for taming avian creatures is how you earn a daily living. Every songbird in the City of Freedom knows your tunes and can chirp them on command. This is due to your Anemo Vision, which has a unique ability that enables you to interact with the birds by means of frequency. Depending on how you control the vibrations in the breeze, they will follow like a choir does with a maestro.

You once dedicated a performance to Barbatos and the Four Winds. On that day, Venti heard his wisp brethren amongst the thousand winds croon at you in delight. He witnessed the silhouette of Vennessa’s falcon form hovering above you appraisingly, and a resounding roar can also be heard from Dvalin in his proclaimed lair. There were even the echoing howls of Andrius and his pack in Wolvendom.

This leads him to discover that your true talent lies in writing music. He had seen and read your musical compositions, grinning at every single one. With your permission, he even played a few in your home as payment for your gracious hospitality.

“You can negotiate with bards for this, you know.” He proposed, “I’m no businessman; but even I know letting other musicians play this will earn you a hefty sum of mora.”

You smiled sadly, “N-Nobody…w-would acknowledge music…composed by a deaf girl.” You confessed.

Venti turned solemn as he gazed at you. Although intimidating in its rarity, you are not perturbed by this abrupt change of mood. Your darling bard wears a mask on a daily basis that blurs truth and deceit.

You have become acquainted with them all.

He hummed playfully, “Now that just won’t do.”

You tilt your head confusedly, blinking in surprise when he suddenly takes hold of your hands.

“Ehe~!” He giggled, “Let me play…all of your music, [Name]. In fact, I’ll write…a lyrical ballad…for each of them. We’ll be the best duo…in Mondstadt!”

He had to slow down his speech a bit since he could not use his hands to help you keep up.

Thus, a new routine began for you two.

Venti kept his word. For the next few months, he only sang of the tunes you composed. A few of his regular listeners heard the slightest change in his playstyle. A part of him wished to smile bitterly as other bards and occasional playwrights praised his talent. He pettily made sure to charge thrice from them when he was requested for encores. These fools had rejected you just because of your disability yet they literally sing praises when he played your creations. Any artist worth their salt should have been able to see your potential at a glance.

Nevertheless, he ensured to always come home to you with bags full of mora whenever he plays your music in particular. You deserve nothing less than that, and he refuses to settle for anything else.

Regardless of this success, Venti recognized the melancholy in your eyes. You used to smile radiantly every time you watched him play. Your ears cannot hear the notes but you can feel the vibrations in the air. Your beguiling eyes relished the perfection of just watching Venti play to his heart’s content.

However, he was not blind to your inner turmoil and thus sought to relieve it.

“What’s wrong, Windblume?” He asked.

You hesitate, looking down at your feet. Gently, he props a finger under your chin to raise your head. A tender smile of encouragement implored you to speak your thoughts freely.

“I’m…frustrated.” You replied.

He says nothing but his smile does falter to a glaze of concern, waiting patiently to let you finish.

“I feel…so happy and grateful…when you play my songs.” You confided, “It’s finally being heard…and not just through the songbirds. People are now listening…to how it is supposed to be heard, and how I envisioned it to be played.”

Tears gather in your lovely eyes, overflowing with emotions too much for your heart. Your darling bard does not waver. He raises a hand to cup your cheek in his palm while his fingertips swept your sorrows.

“I want to…” you sobbed, “I want to hear you too!”

Venti held you protectively close, wishing more than anything else to shield you from this wild tempest of emotions. Alas, he was more than aware of the truth that the loveliest of rainbows can only come after the harshest storm. These are the feelings that must have festered for so long within you. People who can hear cruelly turn deaf to the ones whose worlds have been rendered silent. It was as if they do not deserve a voice if they knew not how it sounds. The thought infuriates the bard, reminding him of your beautiful songs discarded as nothing more than the passing chirps of songbirds.

He used his talents to let your ballads be heard.

Perhaps, he can use a different set of talents to let you hear his own?

You gripped onto Venti as if he was your lifeline, a part of you crumbling in sheer relief. He has always encouraged you to never be ashamed of what and how you feel. Whether it be deemed good or bad, all of it belonged to you. They make you human, the reason why he adores you above all. His gentle hand carded through your hair, skillful as when he plucks and strums the strings of Der Frühling. Pulling away slightly, his lips rested upon your temple and then your forehead. They stray towards your cheeks, a taste of salt from your tears.

Lastly, they hover above your own lips—centimeters apart, just a breath before they touch.

Teal eyes glow a shimmering green, both of you becoming enraptured by each other.

Venti needed you to say no more.

He takes you in his arms and spreads his wings. He delivers you to Windrise and its special tree, trusting him so wholly that you did not question him. Instead, you melted in his arms and enjoyed the warm breeze that wrapped around you like a blanket.

Once he sits you down beneath the tree, Venti sits in front of you to place one of your hands right above his heart. It beats steadily yet faintly, present yet not quite—like the wind he controls. He summons Der Frühling and smiles lovingly at you. The crystalflies illuminate his youthful features, providing a mystical glow that enthralls his dearest muse.

“Eyes on me, meine liebe.” He mouths.

Closing his eyes, he begins his private performance.

You frown, wondering what he means to prove with this. Still, you obliged his wishes and kept your eyes solely on him. Your hand remained where he placed it, right over the constant beating of his heart.

Then, you finally noticed the gathering streams of energy around yourself and your lover.

Your Anemo Vision began to glow alongside Venti’s iconic braids. The winds hummed together with him, united under his influence. It is an enchanting image, dazzling you into stunned admiration.

Then, you finally hear him—vocalizing the precious melody you dedicated to him alone. He sang of his past, his present, and his future which are now all intertwined by the whispers of you.

/Gales of song, please stay by my side/

He opens his eyes and releases his lyre. It plays as it floats, and you are mesmerized by how you can hear it all. By power of anemo, he merges your heart with his while enabling your psalm to be immortalized amongst the winds. He reaches up a hand to keep yours on his chest while its pair entangles with the other. His forehead leans on yours, gaze softening as you wept in bliss.

White feathers rained down on the landscape of green and blue. Floating lights illuminated the dark, be they stars or crystalflies. The Statue of the Seven sung in accompaniment to the intimate confessions of Barbatos—to you and for you.

/Winds of love, breathe into my life/

You can hear him so clearly—his regrets, his woes, his dreams, and his love. You hear it all through the song you composed at the thought of him, which he plays at the memory of you.

A fated parting shall occur someday, but he will love no other the way he loves you.

Therefore, with a passionate kiss, he makes you a promise—

“Come what may, you are the melody my heart will always sing.”

DAINSLEIF perseveres as a maverick shaped by his resolutions and driven by conviction. After enduring five centuries, he has earned a fair few titles as his new names. However, these remnants can never piece together his whole existence. As the Twilight Sword, there is no longer a Khaenri'ah to consider as his homeland to protect. As the Bough Keeper, there is no true grace to his purpose while burdened by a curse that shall someday rob him of his own mind and soul. In the eyes of Celestia, he is no more than a sinner doomed to a fate which can be argued as worse than death. As for the rest of the world, he is no more than a listless wanderer whom holds an obsession with stopping a disgrace known as the Abyss Order.

To honor those he had failed in his homeland, he can only move forward in the best way he knew—even if it is against those he had formerly served. Souls of the condemned hold no genuine hope of ascending to Celestia, for they amount to nothing more than heretics that do not worship any god. Therefore, for those who dare to remember, erosion will befall upon them as a final kiss of damnation. Before that day comes for him, this foolish score must be settled so he can meet his demise without regrets.

There is no genuine reward at the end of this tedious and lonesome quest. He is aware.

Nonetheless, the accursed immortal human refuses to falter under the taunt of judgment. If damnation is what shall meet him at the end of this quest, then he shall do it on his own terms. For if he must also end without his resolve, then there will truly be nothing left of him and Khaenri'ah.

There had been instances aplenty wherein the divine is likened to the flowers blossoming across Teyvat; and as a lonesome wanderer, he has grown accustomed to these tragic folklores.

The God of Dust named Guizhong left behind a quiet legacy amongst the glaze lilies. Songs which keep them abloom become tributes to her name.

The Goddess of Flowers known as Nabu Malikata had left her remnants within the padisarahs. Even if not as they were anymore, they serve as a memoir.

Godless they may have been, the glorious nation of Khaenri'ah also held pride over a particular flower—the Inteyvat. Alas, nobody but the former Twilight Sword retains the awareness to recall whom they represent the most.

“My memory has all but faded completely,” a voice murmurs piously, “but I will always remember how much she too loved these flowers.”

Dainsleif spoke not of Lumine here, although she does remind him of the one he reminisces. He dares say travelling with her had been the closest to home, a feeling of warm comfort. However, it never was the same exact happiness he sought in another—a mere ghost in his past. The lost historical relics in Sumeru speak of her as the last Eclipse Princess, whom was hailed as the Heretic Saintess. However, to him, she was the woman he dearly cherishes to this day…

…and the one he laments most for failing to protect in the bout of cataclysmic calamity.

Indeed, the Bough Keeper realizes; this accursed immortality is a fitting punishment for what Celestia deems a sinner. For he can forsake everything, but anything he has left of her will vividly linger. The doomsday of his own reckoning shall be when that too is ripped away from him.

Until then, he will dream of her. Until then, he will foolishly hope for the day they meet again.

Then, like a prayer to a nonexistent god, answers came in the ethereal form of you.

You met Dainsleif on a stormy night. In fact, he just found your cabin in the woods to seek a temporary shelter—injured and knocked unconscious. He was already half-delirious from a high fever, and it did not take a genius to know the man had a rough week. It is not out of kindness that you nursed him back to health, but due to a selfish motive to figure him out.

“Who are you?” You mumbled.

It seems he was not entirely out of it since he still managed to respond clearly.

“Dain…sleif…”

As soon as he muttered back, he eventually fell limp in your arms. For those brief seconds, there was a swelling ache upon your chest—nostalgia. A chilling tingle ran through your spine, like the touch of an invasive ghost on your skin—melancholy. Then, it spreads as smoldering heat to your veins as if to ignite your bloodstream—passion.

“Dainsleif, huh?”

The name felt like velvet on your tongue. His clothes and features were all too familiar to you—a fellow kinsman from Khaenri'ah. However, your eidetic memory never once brought you to a conclusion about this man’s identity. Regardless, your body reacts as if begging for your mind to catch up in recognition.

Even as you tended to him, nothing clicked.

“Your Highness…”

His voice weakly called, raspy and strained as if to choke it out. Your star-shaped pupils dilate as they meet his own hazy glare. His hand was reaching out to you, looking yet not truly seeing.

Alas, you made no move to truly stop him and remained awkwardly staring back.

“You’re dreaming, Sir Dainsleif.”

As if hearing his name from you brought comfort, he settles down again. His eyes start to close but now his hand found yours resting by his bedside. You recoiled yet his grip was oddly firm for a deeply ill patient. Perhaps, you can allow this until he gets some real rest.

When he recovered, Dainsleif vanished as abruptly as he barged into your life.

The next time you met again, it was your turn to be the one in need.

Dainsleif finds you in a clearing of soot and frost, holding a young man desperately. It was as if a clash of fire and ice had occurred under the rain. You look up to him, stars in your eyes shimmering with panic and sorrow. Without a word, he aids you by carrying the unconscious male and leading you back to the cabin. You made no reaction other than grasping onto his cloak tightly, like a lost child.

Despite not wishing to overstay his welcome, the Bough Keeper chose to stay for the night. You were unresponsive to him, as if your mind had shut down completely. A vague memory of a person so similar to you made Dainsleif familiar to the situation. Thus, the task of healing your patient fell to him until you could regain your composure.

“Please be well, Kaeya.” You murmured.

Dainsleif did not pry about your business, giving you the same respect you had done for his privacy. It did, however, astonish him when you took hold of his wrist and dragged him outside with you the next day.

The man named Kaeya stirred awake.

Befuddled, the former Twilight Sword kept silent as he watched from afar with you. Kaeya ate the warm meal you prepared on the table, and mixed emotions flickered in his eyes as he did. His head turned to observe everything in the cabin, searching almost as desperately as you appeared last night. Numerous dreamcatchers and embroideries decorate the walls in a contradictingly systematic manner. The more he analyzed, the more he remembered his childhood—as if your crafts gave him pieces of long forgotten memories. Then, he slowly stood up and made his way to a periwinkle dreamcatcher designed with a pavo ocellus constellation.

A single silver-blue eye gazed out the window, nearly catching your own gaze—

—but you ducked down behind the huge boulders and pulled Dainsleif with you to hide.

Kaeya got his things back and left a small note of gratitude for your care. Wordlessly, he left the cabin with the dreamcatcher now hanging on his belt—right beside his Cryo Vision. He looked back over his shoulder only once to give a bittersweet smile.

“Farewell, sis.” He whispered.

A humming zephyr delivered his message, and then he went back to Mondstadt.

Dainsleif sat down beside you for an entire hour, a mix of pity and empathy. When clarity returned to your eyes, he rose to take his leave. Once again, he was halted on his tracks by your hand grabbing onto his own gloved one.

“Hey,” you said, “do you mind if I go with you?”

Against his better judgment, the cursed immortal agreed after a minute of contemplation.

This newfound journey together has a very tedious beginning, mostly attributed to you. Everything was strange and nothing felt safe, which was expected because you both never stayed in one place. You, whom sought solace in consistency, were always forced to adapt to something new. Sleeping became a chore because you felt every small pebble and thin blade of grass pressing against you. It is by the mere thoughtfulness of your companion that you got a semblance of rest. Dainsleif always covered you in his cape and was willing to hold you soothingly, as if he knows just how to calm you down. There has been moments wherein you had tantrums, and some meltdowns that delayed some plans. Other days, you shut down completely and only wake back up to reality after a day or two.

Dainsleif was shockingly very patient with you, never berating and ready to soothe whenever you are in distress. He never once pushed you to go back. Only once, he offered to take you somewhere to settle after a very bad episode.

“No, I can’t!” You exclaimed, “I have to keep moving. I have to…keep going. Make sure…nobody finds me.”

It was unspoken that you were specifically running away from the City of Freedom, all for avoiding your your younger brother. There is a destiny that kept you both apart even when you mutually wish to be reunited. As children of Khaenri'ah, the former knight can take a guess what that sort of fate presents.

Since then, your travel companion did not question your decision anymore.

Without prompting, Dainsleif seemed used to your symptoms. It was almost eerie how he knew exactly what to say and do in every situation that involved your condition. He makes effort to prepare the same meals that you wish to have every day, and only light fruit snacks at night because you get very restless otherwise. At times he wanted to keep going, he stops himself to make camp for you first on the same evening hour before scouting ahead. He only allows himself to be gone for exactly 45 minutes, which was your limit to being alone whenever you both decide to camp out rather than checking into an inn or hotel. Whenever a wave of unease hits, he keeps a bag of materials that either lets you weave dreamcatchers or tinker an antique you scavenged in the ruins you passed. Every time your mind begins to close off, he sits down with you and holds your hands to meditate. When you need space, he keeps his distance; and when you need companionship, he keeps you close.

“How?” You ask.

Dainsleif raises a brow as he looks down at you. It was in the middle of Lantern Rite as you both watch the festivities from a nearby hill. After indulging in a few stalls, you calmed by playing with his fingers as your head rested on his lap. He knows the meaning to your one-worded inquiry, and he wonders how to answer you truthfully.

“I knew someone similar to you.” He said.

You sat up before blankly staring into his eyes, stars meeting stars. Tilting your head, a flash of curiosity brought light to your emotionless gaze.

“The princess…?” You asked.

The Bough Keeper blinked in surprise.

“You dreamed of her a lot when we first met.”

Your statement made him look away bashfully, a bit embarrassed to be reminded.

“Was she important to you?” You asked.

At this, he looks at you in the eyes. His star-shaped pupils practically gleam with an emotion you could not read—or perhaps, could not comprehend.

“She is my dearest one.” He declared.

Normal people probably would have felt jealous at that confession. He even used a present tense to show that his feelings have not wavered.

You and Dainsleif never gave a label to this peculiar relationship, but you hold a mutual understanding that it had grown to more than just friends. It was a development nurtured by meaningful exchanges and secretive affections. The sentiments are far from platonic or familial, that much is sure.

That night, when you released a lantern, you made a fleeting wish—

—not to the gods, but to the princess.

“Please look after Dainsleif.”

Meanwhile, the Twilight Sword fondly gazes upon your form. The image of your past self overlaps with the present. He recalls the ever sleepless nights of guarding you in the tower. Starlight showered upon your figure leaning by the windowframe. Delicate hands reach out to set free artificial crystalflies that glow as wisps of moonlight. A breath of laughter is echoed in the lonely room, and then he is blessed by a smile more divine than Celestia.

The memory flickers as the silver starlights are replaced by golden lanterns, and your humble self stood in place of the estranged saintess—

—but that smile remains.

Morning welcomed Dainsleif with the strange sight of you looming over him. With practiced ease, he resumes calm as he let you do as you please like it was nothing unusual. He knows of your quirks just as you are aware of his boundaries. There is mutual trust of consent that tells which actions would be acceptable anytime. He did gulp a little nervously as his drowsy eyes analyzed you. His hands twitched but he willed them to stay in place despite his inner yearning.

Disheveled, you were straddling him while still in your nightgown. Your hair was messily draped over your shoulders, creating a curtain around the blond man beneath you. A glazed veil engulfs your eyes like a dreamy countenance of a faraway reverie.

“Dain…”

“What is it, [Name]?”

“I had a dream last night.”

“A dream, you say?”

You nod, leaning down almost conspirationally yet the expression on your face remains unreadable. A gasp hitched in his throat as your lips strayed to his ear, whispering shakily—

“I remember, Dain.”

Realization struck him.

Dainsleif switches positions with you yet he receives no protest. His ungloved hands cup your face in order to meet your eyes with his own beseeching pair. You see his visage, unmasked and vulnerable, that longingly wish for your approval.

You nodded.

Dainsleif claims your lips in ardent greed, and you responded in eager devotion.

Intertwined, redamancy is bliss for the reunited knight and his only princess—

“Your heart is the only other half that can ever complete mine.”

[zhongrin]

┋ The Steambird Issue No.517

article commissioned by the fontaine steambird magazine and written by ✾ mei/rin ✾

[Breaking News!] Our Fontaine gadget makers did it again, folks!

A collaboration project between Fontaine's best gadget makers and the scholars at Sumeru Akademiya has resulted in a prototype device inspired by the now-obsolete AKASHA system.

Not many details have been revealed, but as the scholars described it, they are aiming to use the concept of AKASHA to create a virtual space, called TeyvaTweets, where people can communicate with one another without seeing each other's faces! Yes - much quite like a communication device, but one that utilizes text instead of the usual verbal methods of communication.

A few selected testers have been invited to try it out, and if you're one of the lucky ones - congratulations! We look forward to seeing how this new technology will help connect people across Teyvat.

——————————⟡⟡⟡ ✉️ ⟡⟡⟡——————————

Dear <USER>,

𝒞ongratulations! You have been selected to help with testing out the fruits of our labor, here at the Sumeru-Fontaine collaboration project. Enclosed is the device containing the application: TeyvaTweets. Have fun perusing it, and we look forward to your feedback.

⧽ [ Turn on the device ]         [ Leave it off ]

ps. user manual and warnings attached on a separate page.

𝚄𝚜𝚎𝚛 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚟𝟷.𝟶.

you should be able to open it using both phone and pc (it's just a normal website).

clicking on pfp/name/username in a tweet (orange box) will open the profile of that person. clicking the 'x' icon on the popup box's top right side will close the user profile.

clicking the tweet on the main page will open the tweet's replies thread. clicking the back button will bring you back to the main page.

𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜.

there are suggestive contents inside, but nothing explicit.

some of you make cameos under other people's tweets too! see if you can spot yourself ;)

there's a lot of images for this one so the page might load slowly for you, especially if your internet isn't fast. i'm also using a free hosting service from GitHub, so yeah.

in order to indulge everyone, please pretend the tweet reply threads that 'overlap' with one another is a separate world on their own (e.g. if multiple people are flirting with a character and they flirt back in the reply thread don't point fingers and say that they're unfaithful / is cheating / ruin someone else's fun in general ;;;)

tested on chrome & safari web browsers on a mac and iphone + google pixel. crossing my fingers that it works on other devices too...

created for 𝓏𝒽𝑜𝓃𝑔𝓇𝒾𝓃'𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 (submissions are closed)

might make a y/n-ify version of this in the future bc my brain accidentally fleshed out a whole concept of how it would work, but don't count me on that bc it's gonna take a lot more effort than this and honestly idk if it's even worth it-

——————————⟡⟡⟡ ✉️ ⟡⟡⟡——————————

© zhongrin | 2023 ◆ no repost. reblogs much appreciated. feel free to reach out to submit suggestions, feedback, comments, or if you just want to talk!

◇ taglist ◇ @thestarsofenkanomiya | @genshinparty | @abyssmal-skies | @hamdehlesmis | @depressivecomforts | @sophiethewitch1 | @why-am-i-here-someone-save-me | @sunnshineflxwer | @heartonthemoon | @yuutasbabe | @percyval-archives | @carbs-need-more-love | @rebeccka | @queen-belial | @stygianoir | @silentmoths | @niktwazny303 | @dustofthedailylife | @herdrops | @diebischesther | @marina-and-the-memes | @angryhope | @mixed-kester | @shuangxo | @fiannee | @lordbugs | @anonymousficreader | @shizunxie | @ladylofspades | @sup-zfam | @ansy-tea | @irethepotato | @nachotrash | @algrimmammon | @sassy-cat-in-town

[viviennevermillion]

Garden of Lights

notes: for once, dottore decided to be romantic. I had this idea ever since I found out what the inside of the ruin golem looked like. dottore is possessing my brain at this point.

this work is part of the #marry a harbinger event

contains: dottore x gn!reader

prompt: the proposal

warnings: none

Out of the many words you associated with il Dottore, "romantic" had never been one of them. Many would describe him as cold or cruel. In the presence of others he seemed indifferent towards you. Yet what Dottore lacked in obvious displays of affection, he made up for in companionship.

His love for you showed in the little things he did. How, after a long day spent in his lab he'd join you on the sofa, reading a book with you and gently leaning against you as you could feel his tense muscles relax. Or that he was always looking out for your health; something he had never done for anyone else. How he went out of his way to buy you new pancakes at the bakery across the street when he burnt the ones he tried to make you for breakfast.

You'd exit your shared bedroom, still tired and talk to him while standing in the doorframe. "What's that smell?", you raised your eyebrows. "The usual", Dottore replied, calmly putting out the fire in the pan. "Arson?" "Breakfast."

"Hmm", you'd reply and go back to bed.

But today was different. The two of you were up early, as you were on a "business" trip in Sumeru and Dottore insisted he had something to show you. "Something" apparently required a very long hike towards Devantaka Mountain.

"Are we there yet?", you whined, trying to catch up with him. "What are you, 5?", he teased you and gave you an amused grin, "does a little walking make you this exhausted?" "If you turn it into half a marathon by having the speed of a feral Rishboland Tiger, yes it does", you sighed and Dottore laughed but slowed down instinctively to make sure you wouldn't overexert yourself. He'd let you hold his hand and decided as much as he wanted to get to the point of why you went on this journey in the first place, he'd let you take a look at the scenery and would try to make the hike enjoyable for you.

You eventually arrived at the giant Ruin Golem that decorated the landscape of the mountain. "Here we are", Dottore said proudly, "almost set this thing loose on the capital in my Akademiya days....ah, good times." You gave him a concerned look as he entered the giant machine with you. "Is this safe?", you asked, "like, a normal person's understanding of safe?" "Don't worry, I'm not going to activate it...", he said, "...not today at least." He guided you through the tunnel entrance until the two of you arrived in a huge dark space inside of the Ruin Golem.

Dottore used a switch on the side of the tunnel.

You suddenly saw the whole interior of the Ruin Golem light up. There were hundreds of small lamps that looked like they all had been attached to the metallic hall by hand. It was a beautiful sight, looking like some sort of industrial light garden. Did Dottore do this for you? This must have taken a ton of work....

You marveled at the fairy lights decorating the rusty stairs and walls and then turned to Dottore who had taken off his mask and was looking at you with an uncharacteristically gentle smile that you didn't get to see too often. You walked towards him and wrapped your arms around him, pressing your cheek against his chest. "This is beautiful, Dottore...", you smiled at him and kissed him lovingly, running your hand through his hair which you knew was an action he loved.

"Want to dance or something?", he asked casually but there was a hint of nervousness in his voice. Likely because this was so untypical of him that he didn't want you to tease him. "You're so romantic today", you remarked in surprise but took his hand nevertheless and thus his offer for a dance. "We can also terrorize a village with the giant robot if that's more on brand", he rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around your waist. "Let's not do that", you chuckled and Dottore used what looked like a small remote. Music started playing in the background and he swayed to the music with you. He accidentally stepped on your feet a couple of times. "Do you have any experience with dancing?", you asked him. "I read a book, does that count?" "It does not."

You chuckled and tried to teach him a little until he was looking into your eyes, concentrating on the dance. You wondered what was going on in his mind right now, his facial expression was unreadable but he looked like he was analyzing the way you made him feel. He looked a little puzzled so you decided to test his reaction by giving him a soft kiss onto his lips. He didn't react at first. He just kept staring at your face.

Then he leaned in for another kiss, pressing his lips to yours and kissing you slowly but passionately. He pulled you closer to his chest and sighed into the kiss while his hand was caressing your cheek.

"So", you inquired after parting from him, "what's the occasion? As much as I adore all this, you have to admit it's a little unlike you." He shrugged. "I suppose you're right. Well, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

He reached into the pocket of his coat to pull out a small box. He opened it to reveal an intricately designed silver ring to you. He didn't kneel down but it was still evident what he was trying to do. "I made it in my lab", he explained and looked into your eyes, "we've been together for a while now and I thought we might as well." He tried to play it cool as he was obviously unfamiliar with a situation like this and didn't really know how to approach asking you for your hand in marriage. "Will you marry me, y/n?", he asked quietly.

You nodded with tears in your eyes and pulled him into a tight hug, burying your face in his neck. Oh great, emotion, what do I do now?, Dottore thought and awkwardly patted your head. He put the ring onto your finger and gave you a forehead kiss.

"Thank you", he then said, avoiding eye contact, "for understanding me. For accepting me the way I am. And for letting me into your heart even though I'm...not easy to love." You cupped his cheek and smiled at him as you pressed another kiss to his lips. "You were an aquired taste, I admit that", you chuckled and ran a hand through his soft hair, "but I assure you, by now loving you is one of the easiest things for me to do."

You smiled down at the ring and ran your finger over it, reaching for the gemstone on it. Dottore swatted your hand away. "Careful that's the button for the scalpel."

You raised your eyebrows at him. "You included a scalpel function in my engagement ring?", you stared at him for a moment, "nevermind, why am I surprised, it's you." "Think of it as a self-defense mechanism", he shrugged.

You pulled him close again and let him hold you in his arms. "What now?", you asked quietly. "Well, we could stay here for a while. Or watch the stars on top of the machine", he squeezed your hand and grinned at you, "or we could-" "We're not activating this thing, Dottore."

"If that's your wish", he sighed and kissed your forehead, "can we use a ruin machine as our flower girl? Machines have a way better aim than children. Or Columbina for that matter." "Fine", you shook your head and leaned your forehead against his shoulder, "I love you, crazy."

Dottore chuckled. "Love you too."

[yostresswritinggirl]

Kunikuzushi and the Spirit of the Cherry Tree

Removed scenes, extras, and explanation of the fic Kintsugi; Scaramouche/Wanderer x First Puppet Reader, heavy spoilers if you haven't read the fic, of course

Shorter Version of the Intro

The dead grass fold and shrivel on the wake of his footsteps, the crunch of old leaves the only accompaniment in this dead town.

He has heard of this town with the sakura tree in old tales, from a bladesmith friend that talked about a statue unearthed by said tree for bedtime stories.

A version where it is a ghost instead, lingering around the tree, awaiting an unknown lover.

And another variation, the one that brought him here, spoken by the old man he's tailing. The guardian of eternal slumber, a puppet that rests between the roots of the beautiful tree who opens its eyes to those worthy of its divine gaze, blessing those with worthy offerings.

Shouki no Kami

"And here I thought I'd finally have some peace."

The Traveler thought he was prepared for the sight of his huge opponent, one of which he had seen a glimpse in the short time he had transferred consciousness with the lesser lord, prepared to fight for his life against a newly born god.

But this? The unexpected sight had him hesitating a bit, had him staring after making sure that Paimon and Nahida were okay from the wind that swept them away.

Inside the constructed form stood the Balladeer, and a figure he had not seen before resting, sleeping in his arms. Even from this distance he could see the gentleness of his hold, a gentleness he never knew Scaramouche was capable of.

"I suppose this arrangement is also acceptable." Leaning down to the unconscious puppet, Scaramouche would close his eyes as he rests his head on top of yours, "When you awaken, there will be no further interruptions as you gaze upon the new world I create."

Only when Scaramouche removed the puppet string attached to your back did the Traveler notice it, their small group silently watching the hand of the Shouki no Kami reach with its palm up in command, and there Scaramouche reaches out to lay you gently.

"What... was that? Who was that?" Paimon finally spoke as the mechanical robot placed your still resting body on one of the elevators, tucking you away from the incoming battle, where he was sure you'd be safe. "Maybe we could -"

"No. That would be unwise." Nahida reasoned as she closed her eyes, hands close to her chest. "We should not stoop so low to use the same tactics as the Fatui, especially someone so innocent. And besides..."

Focusing back on Scaramouche, his gaze on them is full of malice at the realization that they had stared at the direction of where he hid you.

"I can't fathom what terrible calamity he might bring to Sumeru if they were to be harmed."

Mother...?

You watched the intimate moment quietly and a respectable distance away, smiling softly at the sight of Kunikuzushi sharing a heartfelt embrace with the electro archon. Whispers and mumbles you were not privy to were shared with each other.

"I am relieved to see that you have matured in your freedom."

"Don't - " But the puppet pulled away with a measured grimace, stepping back as he gestured an arm towards you. "Do not just forget about (Y/N), why do you not acknowledge them, mama?"

"Kunikuzushi, there's no need for - "

"(Y/N)?" Her wondered gaze looked at you whole, but you can only lower your stare with a slight frown. "I see. It looks like you've found your answers, at least."

"Ma-" You felt your throat tighten as the truth hits you. "You are not my mother." At this, the puppet clad in blue directed his bewildered stare at you, missing the melancholic gaze of Ei.

"Indeed, I am not Makoto." Yet your hand still shook as you gripped the petal close to your chest. "However, I am consoled with the fact that I didn't lose you with her."

Feeling an arm wrap around your shoulder, you turn to find that it was Kunikuzushi by your side, a worried look and a sad smile adorning his beautiful face. The tension leaves your shoulders as you look back at Ei.

"Welcome home, you two."

You two will be all right.

500 years ago

"As expected of my own child."

"Mama? Where are you going?"

Turning away from the red sky, you watch as the electro archon turns to face you, eyes softening at the sight of your yukata for bed. There is a smile on her face as she walks over, adjusting the haori that you seemed to have haphazardly worn to catch up to her.

You must have noticed her presence leaving.

Perhaps, you had also been blessed with visions of soon to be's.

"I am simply fulfilling my duty as the archon, my dear. You should go back to rest."

"Am I not allowed to come with you?" Her giggles were as soft as the wind that brushes past the sakura blooms, as soft as the petal that flutters to her reaching palm, as soft as her hand that cradles your own as she places the blossom on your grip.

"Fate has plans for you, my dear, and it does not end here." The kiss on the crease between your brows coaxes your eyes to close in slumber. "May your future shine as bright as a water moon, my (Y/N)."

The darkness that greets you brings fear in your incoherent mind, stumbling out of the unfamiliar estate in search of her, of your mother.

Her name spills out of your lips desperately as you trip on unfamiliar roots, and yet, she is still not here to wipe the tears away as she always does.

Where is she? Where are you?

Scared and alone, you curl up against the roots of the sakura tree, the lone petal in your hand being your only comfort.

The sky is not red anymore, so why is she not back still?

Bad Ending

"I simply facilitated a long overdue reunion, you can see it for yourself."

And he finds himself where he had been longing to go for years, finally, finally where he had always dreamed every night.

Holding his hat as he descended back to solid ground, Kunikuzushi almost stumbled in his haste to close the distance, hand pressed against the smoking ice to make sure.

Encased in a bed of ice together with the electro gnosis, despite your frozen state, Kuni breathed a sigh of relief. That energy, that connection you two shared is still brimming with life.

You're alive.

"Let's get you out of this uncomfortable place, then." Summoning the winds of his vision, he carefully aimed the slashes to carve away the ice like a sculptor, making sure that he wouldn't accidentally nick you.

Yet before he could make the final cut, cracks appeared on the ice until it exploded in a blizzard, forcing him to step back to shield himself. The cold air would have sent a chill down his spine.

"You're finally awake." He watched as you slowly straightened your form with obvious stiffness to your movements. The cold had always been cruel to you. "I'm here -"

A flash of purple light lit up the room, and the next thing he knew his left sleeve was singed and blown off, missing his body by mere inches. Following the scorched marks on the floor, the root ends on the tip of your sword still pointed at him.

"... Hah. I knew this would happen." If it were the old you, you would have noticed the solemnity in his laugh. But you stared at him with the same coldness he had been subjected to the day he met you in that village. As cold as the ice forming by your feet. "I suppose this is due punishment for all the things I've done, huh?"

"You are trespassing, leave at once. Or else." Your brows furrowed when he took a step closer.

"Or else what?"

A second slash this time chipped at his hip, but he didn't seem bothered by the damage at all. "I end you right where you stand."

You grit your teeth at the sound of his condescending laugh once more, watching him hold his hat down as he almost doubled over in laughter. The empty room filled with nothing but his bitter chuckles, so hollow even as he stopped.

"End me, huh?" Kunikuzushi lifts his head up to reveal a smile, framed by a cascade of tears that seems to never end. "It would be the greatest honor."

The sound of a bell warns the next move, as a slash to your shoulder forces you to stumble back. And the room would glow with bittersweet fury of violets and blues.

"Traveler, I think I found the Wanderer..."

The Traveler and his entourage filed in the room in dreaded silence, taking in the scene in front of them.

Cracks and parts chipped away and falling apart. It was a battle, lacking of blood but still just as gruesome, meant to be fought until the end. Yet it was clear there would be no victor.

But in the face of his demise, Kunikuzushi had a rare smile on his once porcelain face, his exquisite hat discarded as he's slumped forward.

And there on his lap cradled by his broken hands, a puppet lays what's left of its head to rest. Half of its face pulverized in the clash, yet even with the cracks of outlined gold falling apart, your face only reflects what seems to be a dreamer in peace.

At least here, it looks like the both of you had finally escaped your strings.

Details:

This section is focused on some easter eggs and clarifications of the original fic, which you may have already guessed from the scenes written on this post.

First and foremost, yes, you are created by Makoto thousands of years ago. In the second scene in Kintsugi (I), the conversation is between Ei and Makoto during the end of the Archon War. Makoto created you as proof of concept, to test whether she could create life after Ei insisted that she dies so that Makoto could take the throne of the electro archon.

Because of this, you are kept alive by Makoto's essence/consciousness/will, which translates to archonic essence/residue. This is also the reason why the sakura blossom you had throughout the story (from the 500 years ago scene) didn't wilt until you were separated from it. Sandrone and Dottore are the only ones who suspected something is up with you, the latter verifying it during the repairing scene in part 2.

During the lightning strikes, a failsafe of invoking the archon essence inside of you triggers whenever there is potential harm aimed towards you.

So why don't you remember the time between the Archon War and the Cataclysm then? Simple answer: a lil thing called Erosion :) which was showcased in the Bad Ending scene here.

Seeing as Scara/Kuni doesn't know who Makoto was, he believed you were also discarded by Ei, while you thought that the mother/creator/electro archon he was talking about was Makoto.

I also wanted to reflect Makoto and Ei's roles in Scara/Kuni and Reader's story, with how Reader carries the beliefs of Makoto and Scara/Kuni takes on the role of Ei being the shadow/fighter of the twins.

And the "I'm here" dialogues of Scaramouche repeating was actually unintentional at first but I kept it, it looked like a nice way to show the connection he feels between you. It's his way of assuring you that you're not alone, and reinforcing that he would be there for you for eternity.

The title of this post is actually from a play in the Kabuki theatre, Kunikuzushi vs the Spirit of the Cherry Tree (Barrier Gate) which I only found out after writing Kintsugi (I). Ironically, the name of the Kunikuzushi in that play is named Kuronushi, which is Scara's corresponding five kasen image. The coincidence is absolutely uncanny.

I also only remembered about the Dream Sakura (the petal in the dividers) while writing Kintsugi (II) haha.

Immerse yourself with the atmosphere of Kintsugi by listening to this song! It's what I had on loop while writing the fic, together with Scaramouche's boss theme lmao

Some other scene ideas that got scrapped: Scaramouche visiting his friend's funeral before the lightning incident, Columbina's singing reminding Reader of Makoto's lullaby, meeting Albedo in Unreconciled Stars, meeting Dorian/Rubedo, Irodori Festival (originally the timeline of the lightning incident), Dottore check up scene mentioned jn Kintsugi

Thank you again for reading my work, honestly I didn't at all expect the reception of that silly drabble from two months ago but here we are :')) It's such an enjoyable experience, more so your amazing comments and reception upon reading the whole thing <33

The fic was initially meant to end by the kintsugi scene, but I added the ending part after realizing it might be a bad cliffhanger as well as the fact that we got to learn more about him in 3.2 and his drip marketing!

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