#i just know it took so long for zhongli to feel ready again to step foot in guili plains

[definitelynotafurinasimp]

Them with a reader that worships another Archon

characters: Venti / Zhongli / Ei / Furina x gn!reader (separate)

warnings: none

a/n: Didn't write for Ei in a long time... not to mention Zhongli and Venti, so if I got some of their personality traits wrong, I'm sorry.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Venti 

“Let’s hope you’re not made out of sugar, or else we’re gonna have a tiny problem”, the Bard joked once he took a glance out of the window, the heavy rain and thunder that had come seemingly out of nowhere difficult to notice, even for the drunken inhabitants of Angel’s Share.

“Rain’s a nuisance at best, I’ll be fine”, your response lacked any signs of the usual annoyance people would feel in this situation, whether it was the alcohol or your attitude towards rain that made you seem almost relaxed was up for debate however.

Just as the words had left your mouth, a giant lightning caused the room to light up, soon followed by a deafening thunder, earning you a grin that spoke more than a thousand words. “Still only a nuisance?”

“Sure, the Raiden Shogun will protect me from the lightning”, came your dry response, causing the bard’s ears to perk up. Truth be told, he couldn’t care less about whatever god you were worshiping, forcing people’s hands or getting grumpy over their decisions was hardly the God of Freedom’s modus operandi. Although this did open up a whole new conversation topic.

“Want me to pass your mighty Raiden Shogun a message the next time I see her?”, Venti offered with a smirk, drawing a laugh out of you almost instantly.

“Yeah, sure Venti. I have no doubt you’d be able to play your way into an audience with her, especially since the last time you stepped foot into Inazuma went so swimmingly”, you jokingly responded, waving goodbye before readying yourself to run back home through the rain.

Zhongli

There was neither law nor contract that obliged the citizens of Liyue to worship Rex Lapis. Sure, the Archon might have been the city's patron god and had descended each year to give instructions and advice, but who’s name spilled out of its citizens' lips during their prayer was none of Zhongli’s business. 

And yet, when he heard a particular name slip out of your mouth, the Archon couldn’t help but furrow his eyebrows for the briefest of moments.

“Thank Barbatos, I was starting to think I’d never find it”, you let out a relieved sigh once your eyes finally spotted the pin on the floor, glistening as if it was calling out for its owner before quickly finding itself stuck onto your coat once again, your lips forming a small smile.

“Hmm? Is something the matter?”, you once again turned towards Zhongli, not missing the conflicted expression that had since long been replaced by his usual smile.

“Not at all. I was simply surprised for a moment, Barbatos Worshippers in Liyue are pretty scarce after all, although there’s certainly nothing wrong with having another Archon as one’s Deity.” His explanation was enough to satisfy you, as your conversation quickly shifted back to the previous topic. And yet the scene remained on his mind for quite a while.

Let’s hope you and your god’s paths never converged… for your faith’s sake.

Ei

Hearing you mumble another Archon’s name in your brief prayer before eating caused Ei’s hand to freeze just close to her mouth, leaving the small sweet hovering in front of her face as her eyes remained fixed on you, the silence gradually causing your face to turn all shades of red as you tried to hide your tenseness behind a polite smile.

“I didn’t know you worshiped Rex Lapis”, Ei stated, her tone coming out more accusatory than she ever intended, causing a small apology to follow shortly after, bringing the tension of the room down significantly. 

Humans were entitled to their own decisions, and yet hearing you worship another god left a… bitter taste in her mouth. Especially since she wasn’t sure whether or not it had to do with her or was totally unrelated, the thought that you liked another Archon more than her filling her with jealousy, no matter how ridiculous she knew the whole situation to be.

“My family originally came from Liyue, so praying to Rex Lapis before meals is somewhat of a tradition for me… even if I don’t worship him on many other occasions”, you explained sincerely, remembering scenes of sharing meals with your family as a small smile made its way onto your face.

Whether it was because of your explanation or the gentle expression on your face, but whatever semblance of jealousy Ei felt within her swiftly melted away, her shoulders relaxing before she finally took a bite of the food in front of her, the corners of her lips rising when you did the same.

Furina

Truth be told, when Furina heard another Archon’s name come out of your mouth she felt a wave of relief wash over her. The last thing she wanted was for you to put her on a pedestal, no matter how attention-seeking she could be from time to time. And while she couldn’t blame those still seeing her as their Archon, considering how she had played the role for generations, she wished for your relationship to be one of equals instead of a god and her worshiper.

“Ah, I guess praying to another Archon in front of a former one is a bit rude. I’m sorry-”, you rushed to form an apology once you noticed Furina’s silence, your face growing red in embarrassment and shame before being cut off by her.

“It’s fine, I’m not as vain as to feel slighted by such a non-issue”, she lifted her hand before waving you off, a smirk on her lips as she thought of what to say next. “I am no longer an Archon after all, so having people worship the grass the Archon ‘Focalors’ walks on would only serve as a distraction from how mesmerizing the great Furina is.”

A chuckle from you was all it took to bring her back down from her ego-trip, your smile quickly spreading over to her, and before she knew it, she was snickering herself.

“Alright, let’s get the great Furina a dessert as reward for her inexhaustible modesty.”

[nubisaureus]

confessing their love to you

love confessions from the genshin men (again, having a very hard brainrot lately, sigh)

characters: Tighnari, Zhongli

pairing(s): afab!reader x mentioned characters

contents: fluff, love confessions, mention of bl00d, hint of angst, happy ending

a/n having Zhongli brainrot lately so yeah 👉👈

I SWEAR I CAN'T WRITE SHORT THINGS TO SAVE MY GODDAMN LIFE

Enjoy <3

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Tighnari

That night was a clear night. No clouds in sight, which made for an unusual cold night as well.

You huddled your jacket closer to yourself, inhaling the fresh air of the night while you strolled around Pardis Dhyai, waiting for Tighnari to arrive. You two had to conduct an experiment that could only be executed at night, hence why the late hour.

As you were deep in your thoughts, you heard the noise of hurried steps coming your way.

Tighnari stopped right in front of you, catching his breath.

«Sorry to keep you waiting, someone had eaten poisonous mushrooms again, so I had to treat them. Were you waiting long?»

You shook your head. «Only 10 minutes, really. It's okay, Nari.»

You smiled at him, and he did as well, making you warm up from the inside. Then he took the keys to the garden out, and opened the place up.

It was a sight for sure: the moonlight delicately seeped through the glass panels of the garden, rendering the place almost ethereal.

Along with the ethereal glow of the moon there was also the warm and cozy glow of fireflies, which made you gasp.

«This place sure is beautiful, for a research site.» you commented, making him chuckle. It was the first time you visited it.

«Not at all times, though. Well then, let's get started, shall we?» you nodded, hoping the experiment wouldn't take long, you weren't a fan of the cold.

«[y/n]?» Tighnari called for you attention. «Hm?»

«You seem..cold.» he stated, catching you in his arms and holding you close. You could feel his tail on your back, warming you up.

You blushed from head to toe. What was even happening??

«You know..There isn't someone I'd rather be doing this tedious task with.» he stated, and you looked at him: his ears were trembling, and his cheeks were red.

«I..thank you, Nari. Are you okay though?»

He nodded. «Just trying to gather some courage, is all.» «For what?»

«For telling you I like you. In more than a friend type of way.» he blurted out, while your eyes widened in shock.

«You what?» his eyes went downward, his ears following suit.

«I suppose you don't feel the same way though. It's okay.»

He was holding tears back, but in reality you were just too stunned from his revelation to mutter anything logical.

«No, that's not what I meant. I was just stunned by your words. I..I've actually liked you for a while, Nari.» his ears went straight up, his gaze instantly fixated on you, sparkles in his eyes.

«You..you have?» you nodded, and he grabbed you from the waist, spinning you in the air, before putting you back on your feet and hugging you close.

«Can I give you a kiss?» he asked, and you nodded.

He smiled big. «You really don't understand how happy I feel right now. I've been losing sleep just thinking about this moment..» you shut him up with a kiss, and soon enough, you weren't cold anymore.

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Zhongli

The early hours of the day were starting to give light to the sunrise, as you rested your back against a rock, catching your breath.

Your bow rested near your feet, the quiver full of arrows still on your side. You slowly slid downwards, sitting on the ground.

Footsteps.

Your bow was already strung, the icy arrows ready to be fired at whoever dared to approach you, when..

«Zhongli?» you lowered your bow, smiling at the familiar face.

«What a magnificent display of skills. You were resting not even a second ago, yet the moment you heard the faint sound of my footsteps your bow was swiftly at the ready. Truly magnificent.»

You thanked him. «So, what are you doing over here? It's not every day that the esteemed Consultant comes around Bishui Plain, is it?»

He chuckled lowly.

«Correct. Alas, Director Hu sent me here on a commission, and that is my duty as a consultant, is it not?» «I guess so?»

«Moving onward, I am quite happy that the Director sent me this way. It's been a while since I've seen you around, [y/n].» he stated, while you adjusted your equipment back on your person.

Just then, something passed by you, and by the sound you reckoned it was an arrow.

Zhongli reacted immediately.

«I'll be right back.»

Upon returning, you noticed a spear in his left hand, the tip of it faintly smeared with blood.

He hugged you tight, squishing your face on his chest.

«Zhongli?» you called for his attention.

«Yes?» his tone was calm and reassuring, yet serious at the same time.

«Why did you do all of this? I can take care of myself.» you weren't functioning properly due to how close you two were.

«I know, it's just..my mind ceased to function when I saw that arrow, I acted on instinct, I'm sorry. - he continued - There's something I've been meaning to tell you, [y/n], yet I can't bring myself to.»

«Is it something bad? You're scaring me, Zhongli.» he shook his head, his gaze softening.

«Quite the opposite, I'd say.»

«You do understand you're making this even more complicated, yes?» he sighed, nodding.

«Oh, for the love of Archons, say it. I'm a grown adult, I can handle whatever it is.»

He sighed. «I..I've fallen in love with you, [y/n]. I've known for a while, but I've always tried to restrain myself due to..well. But just now, I got reminded of how feeble mortal life is, so I had to tell you. I will accept whatever answer you give me.»

Zhongli. Zhongli had fallen in love with you?!

The ever so distant consultant that made you feel butterflies in your stomach every time you two spent time together, whether it be sipping tea or strolling around Liyue Harbor? THAT Zhongli?

«Wow..I'm speechless. Truly.»

«You don't have to answer now if you don't want to.» he distanced himself from you, looking down.

«Zhongli.» «Yes?» you took his hand, pressing it on your chest, his eyes widening upon the contact with the area.

«What are you doing?» «Shh -you gently shushed him- concentrate and feel my heartbeat, please.» he did, and to his surprise he found your heart pounding on his hand.

«It's pounding.» «That's because I'm around you.» you stated, earning a gasp from him.

«That means..?» you nodded.

«For such a knowledgeable consultant, you sure are oblivious at times.» you chuckled, while his face returned serious.

«I'm glad you reciprocate my feelings, [y/n], but there's something else I need to tell you.» «Go ahead.»

He took his Vision off, handing it to you.

«It's fake.» you noticed. It was way too light to be a real Vision.

«What does this mean?» you inquired, setting the Vision aside.

He summoned a shield, displaying elemental powers without the Vision. Your mouth was agape. He could use elemental power without a Vision? But only the Traveler..

«I did it this way because otherwise you would have struggled to believe me. I..I am Rex Lapis, [y/n].»

«But Rex Lapis is dead!» he sighed, setting his Vision back in place.

«I'm not. I wanted to hide among mortals, that's why I faked my death.» you fell to your knees, crying.

«That means..That time..It was you?»

He nodded. You bursted crying, on his chest, his hand running up and down your back to soothe you.

Through the tears, you found his mouth, and you two shared a tender kiss, as the day finally started.

[gh0stchoir]

Chapter 10: I'm sorry

Previous chapter || Next chapter

It had been months since Liyue almost drowned and was lost to the ocean. Most civilians had gone back to their regular routine and life, all but few. One was Tao.

The young man was currently in his room, getting ready for a long walk to the mountains. The land his now ex partner tried to ruin. Tao had rarely left the house, only doing it when he was forced out or was asked by his father for help. He now was practically always in his room, shielded from the world. Now, he made the decision to leave for a few hours. In nature instead of in public, which he always preferred. He disliked the way passerbys would always stare at him. Animals never did, animals would always mind their business or peak an interest in Tao, in a good way.

Tao hurried out the house, not having to tell his father or sister he was leaving as they both were also out of the house. He wore a long cape that had a hood, so people he might pass on the walk to his favorite lookout spot wouldn't know who he was. He just wanted to be alone, in nature, relaxed. Instead of cooped up in his cold and quiet room.

Taking shortcuts he'd learned over the years, Tao soon arrived atop his favorite mountain. He looked down at the view of Liyue, able to see Dragonspine and could see the islands of Inazuma. He laid out the blanket he brought, laying down and letting out a comfortable sigh. The way the almost setting sun shined its light on his face, causing him to feel comfortably warm. He loved it.

Tao was able to stay in his relaxed and unbothered state for a few hours, the moon now risen and stars painting the sky. He was snapped out of his calming thoughts when he heard a leaf crunch, opening his eyes and looking in the direction of the sound, expecting to see a small animal. Instead he saw the man he dreaded seeing the most, the man that caused him so much pain. It was Tartaglia. The harbinger was frozen in place, staring at Tao with wide eyes. He didn't expect to see him there. Tao quickly scrambled to get up, trying to stuff the blanket he laid on into his bag. He had to get away from Childe. They were all alone, he could hurt him and get away with it.

"T-tao please wait-!" Childe said, approaching the timid male. Tao's head snapped back when the harbinger reached for his hand, eyes filled with worry and anxiety. Childe frowned and took a step back, giving him space. "Please..listen to me..for just five minutes- then you can leave and never hear me again.." Childe hurriedly said. He finally had the chance to pour out his heart. For months he could only watch Tao from afar, and even then he couldn't. Zhongli had asked Xiao to keep an eye on the harbinger, if he got within a certain distance then Xiao was to step in and warn Childe. Although he luckily didn't have to do that, keeping in mind both Tao's sister and father would probably kill him if they found out he tried to speak or even touch Tao.

Tao quickly stood and faced Childe, a few feet of distance between them. He stayed quiet, curious to know what Childe was going to say. Was he going to lie? Was he going to yell at Tao? Was he going to kill him?

"Archons where do I begin.." Childe mumbled out, "I'm sorry- I'm so so sorry Tao. I didn't mean to hurt you. I know I did, and I hate myself everyday for it. I've cried so much just because I know how horrible I've been to you. You deserve so much better than I. I didn't mean to hurt you or your family. I wasn't thinking correctly- I- I-.." He let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his unkept hair. "I'm so incredibly sorry. You're a gift from the archons, one who deserves happiness and love for the rest of your life. You've been through so much already..and I'm sorry I put you through more.. Tao, I love you so much. More than anything. I would give up my life for you, to make sure you're safe and happy." Childe finished his long rant, tears streaming down his face. He looked at Tao who had also been crying. Oh how he hated seeing Tao cry. Even more he was the reason he was crying.

"Are you telling the truth?" Tao asked in an almost silent voice, though was easily heard with how quiet the area was. Childe took a step forward and nodded. "Yes- yes tao I'm telling you the truth..you don't have to believe me I just-" He stopped his rambling when Tao rushed to hug him, crying into his shoulder. Childe immediately embraced him tightly, crying with him. Tao didn't care if Childe was going to hurt him again. In the moment all he wanted was his love again. He just wanted Childe back. And now he had him. "I believe you.." Tao whispered.

[albakore]

Away From Home

Characters: Zhongli, Diluc, Kaeya, Childe, Thoma/Tohma (fem!reader) (fic)

Synopsis: (office!au) Even your boss Zhongli has moments where self control goes out the window to make way for carnal desires.

Warnings: not sfw (18+) reverse harem, (an orgie?), semi public sex again, creampie, oral (giving), petnames (angel, princess, gem), squirting, umm? did i miss anything?, not proofread because im lazy if you catch any errors feel free to shoot me an ask,

A/N: This is a part two to Office Adventures but t's not necessary that you read it before this. I don't know if people were expecting a direct continuation of the last one but I took some creative liberty because I felt like that would be boring and instead created a whole new scenario, I hope you all enjoy it just the same!

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The sexual tension in the office since that (ahem) eventful meeting had been nothing short of palpable, as Lisa had been ever so kind to point out. Even Jean and Eula were starting to grow frustrated with the way Childe and Kaeya made it painstakingly obvious their lust for you, and as you explained to Jean apologetically, they just wouldn't seem to take your request to tone it down seriously. Though you couldn't deny that even you often found your mind wandering as you sat alone in your office, frequently coming to remember the way you wobbled out of the meeting room that day, cunt quivering and leaking cum.

Luck seemed to be on Jean's side however, because this week you found yourself away from the office on an important regional business conference accompanied by none other than the men themselves, leaving her alone in charge of the office for a few days. The adventure of being in a new place was always exciting; there was light in your eyes as your plane touched down just outside the city, the skyline stood shimmering off in the distance. Though, as Diluc so gracefully reminded you, this was not a vacation but a business trip and most of your time would be consumed by meetings and other work-related affairs.

"(Name)!" You heard someone call from behind you. You were walking back to the hotel after another boring day of drifting in and out of meetings with people you hardly knew and topics you hardly cared about.

"Hm?" Your head turned to see three familiar figures waving at you as they approached.

"Care to join us for dinner? It'll be our treat." Childe asked once they had caught up to you, falling into step beside you.

"Where are you guys going?" You asked. You silently took in the appearance of the boys beside you. You hadn't gotten a chance to see them all day since you greeted them at the complimentary hotel breakfast bar this morning, and you had to admit they cleaned up nicely. You admired the three's formal dress, remembering the way Zhongli had specifically lectured them on the importance of appearance at an event like this. You notes Thoma's expensive looking watch and Kaeya's tailored button-up shirt that was, of course, unbuttoned halfway now that the workday was over. Childe had his suit jacket thrown over his shoulder, one hand holding the jacket the other shoved in his pocket.

"Mr. Zhongli found this fancy looking French restaurant a few blocks away, he wanted us to get there before we missed our reservation time." Thoma answered.

"Where is he?" You asked, taking note of his and Diluc's absence from the group.

"He and Diluc got caught up in some last minute business they had to attend to. It's times like these I don't envy the higher up positions of our company's cofounders." Kaeya answered you this time. "No matter how attractive the pay increase may seem, I can only handle so much overtime."

"You can say that again." Childe chuckled in agreeance, "I can't tell you how many times I've left the office only to come back in the morning and find Zhongli still hunched over some paperwork."

"Hey, guys, I think this is the place." Thoma motioned to the building you were approaching, and you immediately realized that 'fancy looking' was an understatement. "Will you be joining us, Lady (Name)?" Thoma questioned, extending his hand as an invitation to you.

"I don't see why not." You flashed him a smile before placing your hand in his, allowing him to tug you along. Kaeya opened the door for you, gesturing to allow you to step inside first. You were awestruck by the inside -- if you thought ‘fancy looking’ was an understatement for the outside, then the inside could be described as nothing short of grandiose. There were round tables covered in white cloth and fancy silverware, a fountain sat in the middle of the room behind the hostess desk and elegant trimmings lining the staircase off on the far side of the room. You quickly quelled your shocked expression as the hostess approached you.

"We have a reservation for six under the name Zhongli." Childe told her. "We'll have two more joining us later."

She checked her ledger and quickly crossed off the name. "Right this way, sir." She said to Childe with a polite smile. She led your group away from the main room, opening the door to a nicely decorated single-table room with a pleasant and romantic vibe, most likely accredited to the soft lighting.

“Thank you.” Childe told her as you four took your seats. One side of the table had booth-style seating and the other side had individual chairs. She closed the door with a click, and before you knew it you were sat in between Kaeya and Childe on the booth side, with Thoma directly across from you. You picked up a menu and began flipping through it to get a feel for what items might interest you. Before long, Childe’s hand had found its way onto your thigh. You looked down at it before looking back at him, a silent prompt for an explanation. “What?” He inquired mischievously, thumb rubbing your skin gently.

You opened your mouth to respond, but before you could your server opened the door with a brief knock. Childe’s hand stayed firmly in place as the server introduced themselves before asking if they could get you guys anything to drink. Thoma and Childe ordered regular fountain drinks, and requested two extra waters be brought out preemptively for Diluc and Zhongli whenever they should arrive.

“Ah yes may I have a glass of your finest red wine.” Kaeya asked with a smile once it came his time to order, earning a look from you. “What? It’s coming out of Diluc’s pocket not mine, might as well make good use of it.”

"And I'll have a..." You started, feeling Childe's hand inch upwards as the servers gaze remained fixed on you. "Just a r-regular glass of water please." You managed to force out while trying to ignore the growing feeling of need that Childe's attention was causing you. You smiled at the server as they stated that they'd be right back with your drinks.

Moments after the server left, Thoma's phone started buzzing. He answered it and paused for a few moments before he stepped away saying something about needing to meet Diluc and Zhongli in the lobby. That left you alone trapped in a booth with two mischievous gazes focused on you. "I must say, (Name)," Childe started, "you look absolutely stunning tonight. You really took Zhongli's 'Dress to Impress' speech to heart it seems." His flirty demeanor was predictable, earning a chuckle and an eye roll from you. His fingers were tracing patterns into the flesh of your inner thigh, head resting in his other hand as he studied you. You felt Kaeya's arm snake around your torso, hand coming to rest on your hip.

"He's right, you should wear this outfit more often." Kaeya whispered into your ear.

“You know, typically you’re supposed to wine and dine me before you-“ A knock resonated from the door, cutting you off and causing Kaeya to pull away from you but neither him nor Childe made any effort to remove their hands from where they were situated. The server entered with the table’s drinks on a tray, dishing them out to their respective spots on the table before asking if anybody was ready to order. Kaeya told them politely that we would wait for the rest of the group to join us first, and with that they turned and exited the room again.

You watched as Kaeya reached for his no doubt expensive wine, taking a sip and letting out a satisfied hum. "This wine is absolutely divine, it's not often I get the chance to indulge in such luxury. Would you like to try some, angel?" Kaeya asked you while his fingertips traced your hips.

"Sure." You hummed back, reaching out to grab the glass but Kaeya stopped your hand. You looked at him quizzically, watching as he dipped two fingers into the glass and let the crimson liquid pool at his fingertips. He brought his fingers to your lips, waiting for you to part them. You did, but only ever so slightly, letting your tongue drag along his slender fingers with a hum of delight as you maintained eye contact with him. Once upon a time you may have been flustered by his actions, but ever since the incident in the meeting room you have become no stranger to these types of occurrences. You pulled away before pressing a kiss to the pads at the tip of his finger.

"Divine indeed, captain." You added teasingly, the nickname a reference to a costume he wore to a halloween party last year that had caught on and stuck around even months after. You watched his unreadable expression closely as you awaited his response. He grabbed your face, tugging you toward him so he could plant a firm kiss on your lips while he caressed your cheek gently. You felt Childe's hand inch upward yet again further and further before finally reaching your clothed sex. Your breath hitched as Kaeya deepened the kiss, Childe rubbing you through thin material at a teasingly slow pace. You shifted your hips, trying to gain more friction from his fingers.

Kaeya pulled back from the kiss to let you catch your breath. "You know, there is one thing that would make this wine taste better." He kissed along your jaw and down your neck, breath fanning your skin as he continued. "If I could pour it over your chest and lick it off of you, slowly, inch by inch while you squirmed under my touch. That would make this experience undeniably perfect." You felt a shiver run down your spine, hand intertwining with his hair. As if working in tandem with Kaeya, Childe took this opportunity to slip his fingers past the barrier of fabric, your slick making his fingers run smoothly over your folds. Your free hand extended over to Childe's lap so you could palm him through his pants, thumb caressing the imprint of his erection. He let a breathy moan right next to your ear, fingers slipping into your heat.

"This is our reserved room, correct?" Zhongli’s voice resonated from just outside the door before the door swung open. He stepped in, followed by Diluc and Thoma. Your eyes met with Zhongli's as you tried futilely to push the lustful duo off of you. You filled with embarrassment when you thought about how sleazy you must look with Kaeya's lips attached to your neck and Childe's fingers squelching in and out of you. "Thoma, switch with (name), please. Evidently these two are incapable of practicing self control."

"W-what?" You protested, stomach sinking at the thought of disappointing your boss.

"Seriously, you two wouldn't know good timing if it hit you in the face. Your hotel rooms are literally a few yards away from each other." Diluc scoffed, tossing his suit coat over the back of his chair before pulling it out and sitting in it.

Childe pulled away from you, frowning at Diluc's words. "If I'm not mistaken, it was you who was moaning her name last night while you were alone in the shower, no?"

"And if I'm not mistaken, I'm still your boss. Watch how you talk to me." Diluc shot back immediately, crossing his arms over his chest. You scooted out of the booth, over Childe's lap, effectively pulling away from the two.

"Sorry.." You fiddled nervously with the hem of your skirt, still trying to recover from the embarrassment.

"You misunderstand me, gem, I'm not upset at you in the slightest." Zhongli smoothed over some of your hair comfortingly. "I specifically had a talk with these two about keeping things professional on this trip. This has nothing to do with you or your actions." You stared at him for a second before nodding. You took your place in between Zhongli and Diluc, directly across from where you had been previously sitting.

"How did your meetings go?" Zhongli asked you, tone much softer than the one he had just taken with Childe and Kaeya.

"They were boring for the most part, I managed to make a few connections though so that's good. What about you?" You responded, tuning out Diluc and Childe's bickering in the background.

"Stressful, I had many presentations to give, and only few bode over well."

"That's just how it goes." Thoma chimed in. "Tomorrow is a new day filled with new opportunity, I'm sure you'll do better."

"Stressful, eh? Fortunately for you, I know of the perfect way to relieve stress." Kaeya, ever the troublemaker, fixed his gaze on you pointedly for a few seconds to allow his point to get across. He just couldn't help himself when the ball was set up fo perfectly for him to spike it. You studied Zhongli's expression, his face remaining stoic as he processed Kaeya's innuendo.

"Unfortunately, the rules I set for you two apply to me as well. It would be wholly unfair to not hold myself to the same standard I hold my staff." Zhongli answered effortlessly. Seems like all these years of press conferences seemed to have really sharped his ability to form charismatic responses. Wait, 'unfortunately'?

"C'mon, Zhongli, (name)'s had eyes for us just as much as we've had eyes for them. You should see the look they get on their face when they're alone in their office." Childe laughed after ending his bickering session with Diluc. Your eyes went wide at that, having whole-heartedly believed you were being careful about when to indulge in your fantasies. "Besides, doesn't fucking them senseless sound like the perfect pick-me-up after a long day of meetings."

Zhongli seemed like he was still struggling to process his comment, resolve chipping with every second. He couldn't deny the nights he spent replaying the image of you bent over that table while he pleasured himself, and tonight was shaping up to be no different -- well, that would have been the case had he not attended this dinner. His eyes shifted over to you, inner turmoil apparent in them. Evidently, your response would be the deciding factor that pushed Zhongli to either side of the fence.

"He's not wrong." You shrugged, offering Zhongli a small smile. It was a simple sentence, only three words and yet… You watched his expression darken in that moment, his half hard erection already apparent in his pants.

"Thoma," you immediately noted the way his voice seemed to have dropped an octave. His gaze never once left yours.

"Yes boss?" Thoma responded almost instantly.

"Lock the door." Zhongli growled. Your heart skipped a beat, you felt heat rush straight to your core. The way Zhongli was looking at you made you feel bare even though not a single article of clothing had been removed from your form, at least not yet.

"The waitress is going to come back to place our order though." Diluc seemed to be the only voice of reason in this scenario. Thoma returned, scooting back into his spot in the booth, forcing Childe to be the one trapped in the middle this time. "That's gonna look awfully suspicious."

"Frankly, I can't seem to bring myself to care about that right now." Zhongli stood from his seat. He turned toward you, motioning for you to stand as well. "We'll tell them I had an important announcement that I didn't want getting interrupted or something." He lifted you at the hips and set you down on the table, placing himself in between your legs and pulling your core to meet his crotch. His lips caught yours, deep and breathtaking, as his hands roamed over your body. He tugged your shirt to untuck it until his fingers came into contact with the hem. He pulled it up, breaking the kiss to allow him to discard your shirt.

You found yourself rocking against him as his lips worked down your neck and chest. A new pair of hands hooked themselves under your bra clasp. You looked back to see Childe's arm extended. He pushed the straps off your arms, allowing the bra to fall away and expose your breasts. The cool air made your nipple perk instantly. You felt Childe's hands tug you down gently, allowing your back to lay against the cool cloth. You looked over to see Diluc's hands full of your table's drinks as he set them off to the side to avoid any accidents. Thoma eagerly took one of your nipples into his mouth while Kaeya's cold hand cupped the other.

Childe scooted the table away from him to provide him with the room to stand up. Your cheeks burned as you found yourself face to face with his still clothed erection. He chuckled at your expression, fingers caressing your cheek. He let his pointer finger trail delicately down your jaw to your chin, and then from your chin down your exposed neck. You shivered slightly at the way it tickled.

You felt someone tug down your skirt and your underwear, cool air rushing over your core. Zhongli had managed to free his member from his pants and was pumping himself outside of your field of vision. His other hand was pressed to your hip. He admired the way your chest heaved. Thoma and Kaeya littered your skin with bite marks and kisses. You watched intently as Childe followed in Zhongli's lead, freeing himself from his pants. Your lips parted slightly in anticipation, breath fanning the tip of Childe's dick with every exhale. Zhongli lined himself up with your entrance, you clenched your fists when you felt his tip push in. He sunk the rest of the way into you, a sigh of relief falling from his lips. He silently thanked Kaeya and Childe for prepping you so well before he had even arrived. Childe repeated this same process with your lips, slowly sinking into your mouth and relishing the feeling of your warm tongue wrapping around him.

The men both started thrusting at the same time but at very different paces. Childe was eager and less restrained, holding you steady while he fucked your face. He was also louder, not seeming to care if the staff or other patrons heard how good you were making him feel. Zhongli on the other hand was slower, drawing all the way out of you before slamming back into you. Though, after a few moments he seemed to compromise with himself and picked up the pace slightly, only drawing partially out of you, but still enough to let you feel his tip hit deep inside of you with each powerful thrust. You felt Diluc's familiar fingers come into contact with your clit, rubbing you in just the right way to make you clench around Zhongli and moan around Childe. Diluc left kisses all over your lower half, his long hair spilling over his shoulder and tickling your stomach.

The lewd sounds of slapping and kissing and sucking were all that could be heard in the room, along with Childe’s occasional unrestrained noises of pleasure. He moaned your name, head thrown back and mouth agape. His cheeks were flushed bright pink, and they only seemed to glow brighter the closer he got to cumming. Childe's pace became sloppy and erratic as he drew near to his own orgasm, thrusts becoming shallow as he chased euphoria. He pulled out right as he hit his high point so he could paint your chest with his cum. He moaned your name particularly loudly as he did, using his own hand to slowly lower himself down from his peak.

Kaeya pulled back and marveled at the marks he left on your skin, the imprints of his teeth visible in several spots. "My turn already?" He hummed, fingers tracing over the splotches and bruises on your skin. "A shame, I wasn't finished with my work of art yet." He stood up nonetheless as Childe fell back on the seat behind him, still trying to catch his breath. Kaeya quickly took his place, much to Thoma's disappointment. Kaeya's signature smirk hadn't left his face once while he admired the way your breasts glistened with a mixture of sweat and cum. He slowly undid the button to his pants, pushing them partially down his legs before moving to his underwear. You swear his cock bounced when it sprang free, tip flushed and absolutely beautiful. It seems this man truly didn't have an ugly bone in his body.

You felt Zhongli slowly coming undone inside you too, his cock twitching more and more every time he pushed himself into your smooth walls, even more so whenever Diluc's added stimulation made you clench around him. You felt yourself rock against his fingers, your own climax on the horizon. Zhongli gave one final thrust into you before you felt him spill his hot seed into you, his fingers digging into your hips in an attempt to ground himself. You moaned at the feeling of your walls being coated white. Kaeya took this as an opportunity to muffle you with his cock. He stuffed your mouth full of him, watching in a sort of satisfied sadistic fashion as you choked slightly on his length.

Zhongli pulled out of you after he finished cumming, panting heavily. You whined around Kaeya's cock at the loss of contact, hole clenching desperately around nothing. You squirmed your hips and mewled, hoping someone would get your wordless plea for some form of stimulation. Diluc, ever so observant, was the first one to pick up on your discomfort. "Aw, does my little princess want to be filled up again?" He asked tauntingly. "Do you want my cock inside of you?" His fingers continued to push you toward your orgasm. He chuckled at the way you jerked your hips into his touch, whines becoming louder still even with your mouth full of Kaeya's erection. As he felt your body start to tense, he withdrew his hand from your clit before you could cum. You pressed your thighs together while a groan left your lips, feeling frustrated tears well up in your eyes.

Diluc switched spots with Zhongli and unzipped his pants loud enough to get the anticipation in your stomach building rapidly. You heard fabric bunching and shuffling, and in turn took advantage of the adrenaline rush you were getting to eagerly please Kaeya. You hollowed your cheeks and allowed your tongue to work over him, lewd sucking noises escaping your lips. Kaeya groaned in response, his grip on your head tightening still as he bucked his hips into you frantically. You felt Zhongli's rough hands run over the skin of your breasts, centering on the nipples. You felt him wipe some of Childe's cum off you, and moments later the feeling of his fingers got replaced with his tongue as he sucked slightly on the soft flesh.

You sucked in a sharp breath when you felt Diluc's tip at your entrance, face contorting as you prepared for him to stretch you out just like Zhongli had. You paused as he pushed in -- not all the way, just an inch or so -- to truly revel in the feeling the he was providing you. He sunk in a little bit more to let you get used to the feeling of him in your tight sex, he was a little more girthy than Zhongli. Finally, he pushed into you until he bottomed out, filling your cunt to the brim with his member. A quiet groan escaping his lips; you would give anything to see the blissful look on his face right now.

You squirmed as he started to move. He went slowly at first, letting himself become coated in your slick to make his job easier. He took a few moments to find a good rhythm, one that was much different from Zhongli's. He was steady and consistent, pulling out an inch or two only to push back into you. He lifted one of your legs to give him a better angle, you let out a muffled moan as his tip kissed your sweet spot. Kaeya groaned again at the vibration of your voice. You felt Kaeya’s thumb press slightly against the center of your throat where he could feel himself thrusting in and out of you. You swallowed around him as he gave his last few thrusts before he was sent over the edge, cumming in spurts over your tongue. He let out a long moan that you wanted to keep on repeat forever.

You caught sight of Thoma eagerly awaiting his chance to feel your mouth around him. Kaeya pulled out slowly, stepping to the side (albeit a little bit grudgingly) to let Thoma have his turn. Thoma has already freed himself, precum leaking from the tip. He seemed a little nervous as he found himself finally aligned with your awaiting mouth. “Are you sure this is alright?” He asked, closely watching your face for signs of discomfort. His gentleness was refreshing after the way Kaeya and Childe so unceremoniously face-fucked you.

You giggled, kissing his tip causing his ears to flush red. “Mhm, of course. You’re so good for me~” His eyes went wide at your praise. You let your mouth hang open as an invitation for him to enter you, a high pitched whine escaping him almost immediately after sinking into you. He cupped your head gently, pulling out of you slowly before pushing back into you, truly appreciating the stimulation you were giving him.

Kaeya truly could never sit still with an opportunity so grand in front of him. His fingers found their way to toy with your clit, his cold fingers making you squirm under his touch. Childe, who was still on the couch, had gotten hard again and was pumping himself as he watch you slowly get your holes stuff full of cum. You moaned as Diluc’s dick hit your sweet spot again and again, Kaeya’s cold fingers causing your head to spin. You could feel your orgasm coming fast, and it felt like it was going to be an intense one. You arched your back off the table, whines becoming increasingly more frequent the more pressure built up. Diluc also seemed to be nearing his release, you could always tell by the way he moaned your name. A few more thrusts into you was all it took for you to come undone. You cried out, thighs quivering as you squirted all over Kaeya’s fingers and Diluc’s cock alike. Diluc followed a few seconds after, burying himself inside of you as he came hard, eyes intently watching the sight of you during and after your orgasm.

Thoma’s cock twitched as he watched you make a mess over Diluc’s cock, his breathy moans of your name getting louder and louder. He knew it wouldn’t take long for him to finish, not with the way your tongue traced his veins and your hand assisting him with whatever he couldn’t fit in your mouth. You felt the knot come undone and Thoma’s sweet cum flooded your mouth. He pulled out, gently wiping the spit from your face.

The room was filled with nothing but the sound of heavy breathing as everyone came down from their highs. Zhongli was even nice enough to grab your water from where Diluc had set them off to the side and offer you some as he dabbed away some of your sweat with a napkin. Diluc finally pulled his now softened member out of you, admiring the way your cum-filled hole leaked. He had to fight the urge to fuck every last drop back into you.

A knock resonated from the door, causing everyone in the room to freeze. “Um, sorry to interrupt,” the servers voice sounded meekly from outside the door, “you guys reservation time is up…” You cringed at the idea of having to walk back to your hotel room in this state, legs still wobbly and cum all over you.

“I supposed to ‘important announcement’ excuse won’t work now..” If you didn’t know any better, you’d say Zhongli sounded amused. “No need to fret, I’ll just pay them a generous tip to overlook this little.. endeavor.”

“You mean I’ll pay the tip.” Diluc cut in flatly. You all were lucky the company had the money to be avoiding scandals like this or else you’d all be done for. Maybe he could convince you to, uh, thank him for it later…

[bumbleklee]

finding out you’re pregnant

masterlist | 1k prompt masterlist | discord server | pregnancy series

pairings: diluc, kaeya, childe and zhongli x female!reader (separate)

warnings: pregnancy

diluc

✶ you weren’t feeling well for a while now but both you and diluc ruled it out to be a stomach bug. you had been throwing up almost everyday, felt warmer than usual, and had fatigue. 

✶ on the eighth day of your illness, diluc finally decided you should go into town and see barbara. it could very well be nothing more than the flu but we wanted to make sure either way. 

✶ so when you told barbara your symptoms and the young woman seemed to know exactly what was wrong, you couldn’t help but fear the worse. 

“Forgive me if this is inappropriate, Y/N, but when’s the last time you’ve had sexual intercourse?” 

The blonde’s cheeks were as red as a rose as she asked the question. She averted gaze with you completely, busying herself with notes on a clipboard, and awaited your response. 

You hesitated, “Um, I think a few weeks ago. Diluc and I have been too busy to do...anything.” 

Barbara hummed to herself and quickly thanked you for answering. She turned on her heel to find someone, leaving you alone in the church infirmary bed for a moment. You wracked your brain for what could be the cause of your illness but couldn’t think of anything valid. You hadn’t eaten anything bad lately and no one you knew was sick, so this couldn’t be viral. 

While you were in the middle of planning your death bed, Barbara walked back over with a contraption you were only vaguely familiar with. It was white, plastic and had an opening in the middle next to a blank screen. She handed it to you with shaky hands, “This is a pregnancy test. You need to, um, urinate on it.”

The word Barbara spoke distracted you from her embarrassed demeanor. Pregnant? But you and Diluc were always so careful to use protection, deciding long ago that neither of you were ready for a child anytime soon.

“Right, thank you,” You said quickly, taking the pregnancy test and heading to the bathroom. After doing what you had to do, you cleaned off the test and set it on the counter. You alerted Barbara you were done and she came back to check on you and the results.

It felt like years went by as you waited for anything to show up on the test. Barbara watched intently, as if she looked away she would miss the results. You sat on the closed toilet with your head in your hands.

“You’re pregnant.”

Her words echoed in your head. You were pregnant with Diluc’s baby. You thanked Barbara again and took your leave, trying to wrap your head around the news. Would Diluc be angry with you and leave you? You had never discussed having a child together, you were just careless once. But regardless of your worries, you needed to tell Diluc before you did anything.

“Hello?” You asked aloud, stepping into the quiet winery.

“In here!” Diluc called back. You followed his voice to the office tucked away in a corner of the manor and he smiled warmly when he saw you. “How are you feeling?”

“About that…'' You began, walking around Diluc’s desk to prop yourself on the edge. You folded your hands across your thighs, still wondering about how to word what was happening. “Remember when we had sex a while back? And we were in such a rush we were being careless?”

Diluc raised an eyebrow at you, “I do, why?”

“Well, it led to me getting pregnant.” You weren’t sure what emotion he was feeling right now as his pen stilled in his hand. Diluc leaned back in his chair and only looked at you. You looked down shamefully, “I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t how we wanted to do it but -”

“Oh, Love,” Diluc finally said, reaching out to take your hands in his. “I don’t know the right thing to say but this is wonderful news.”

“Really?”

His fingers rubbed your knuckles, “Of course. I’ve never been happier in my life. I love you.”

kaeya

✶ finding out you were pregnant with kaeya’s baby while you were fighting was quite possibly the worst thing that could have happened. 

✶ and because you were already a month into your pregnancy, your mood was all over the place and you were positive you were just making the situation worse. 

✶ you just hoped that kaeya could forgive everything. 

When you dropped a coffee mug onto the tiled floor of your new kitchen at six in the morning, the argument from last night picked up again.

“Great job,” Kaeya scowled, “Go and ruin another coffee mug.”

You clenched your jaw and gritted your teeth at his comment. Your husband was sitting at the kitchen island, sneering at you over a bowl of cereal. You only flipped him off and bent down to pick up pieces of ceramic. As you went to scoop up the smaller pieces, Kaeya marched over and pushed you away.

“Don’t touch that,” He said, “Just get me the dustpan.” You obliged and sat back as Kaeya cleaned up your mess. Eventually, you stood back up and sat down at the island as well, too embarrassed to make another cup of coffee. Kaeya disposed of the broken mug and sat down in his seat, “A thank you would have been nice.”

You gave him a glare, “Thanks.”

Kaeya glared at you up and down. He was still peeved by your words last night and by the looks of your attitude, you were too.

“Why are you here? Don’t you have work?” You said suddenly, irritated by Kaeya’s presence suddenly.

“I actually live here, too.” Kaeya snapped, letting out a deep breath. “Are we just going to fight together? Because, honestly, I have better things to do.”

“Go do them then.”

Kaeya ran a hand through his loose hair, sharpening his eyes at you. “Are you on your period, or something? You’re acting like such a bitch and I don’t want to be around you.”

At this, your hands clenched. You turned towards Kaeya, nearly falling off your chair, “No, I’m not on my period, Kaeya! And I’m not going to get my period for the next nine months, so aren’t you lucky?”

Kaeya froze and you crumbled under the silence. You tried to hop off your chair and run to your bedroom but Kaeya caught your arm. You turned to mush in his touch, crossing your arms over your body and keeping your eyes glued to the floor.

“You’re pregnant?” Instead of pushing you away like you thought he would, Kaeya only wrapped his arms tightly around you and spun you around the kitchen. You finally looked up to see a very excited Kaeya. “Finally! I’ve wanted this for so long.”

“You have?” You said shakily. “You aren’t mad at me?”

“How could I be at you? I knew from the moment I met you that you were the one I wanted to start a family with. And now we’re finally getting to do that.”

childe

✶ the worst part about childe being a harbinger was that he was away for so long sometimes. when he came home, times were magical, but you desperately wanted to just settle down with him. 

✶ the last time childe visited, you made love like rabbits. you had talked about having kids plenty of times and childe assured you that when you were ready, he was too.

You found out you were pregnant while Childe was away in Liyue for the month. You wanted to tell him right away but every letter you constructed didn’t come out right. You also didn’t want him to worry about you or the baby and ultimately decided to wait until he came back home.

When Childe did come home, you were still far along where you could hide the pregnancy. You wanted to surprise him with the news in the best way possible.

His family threw a gathering to welcome him home and Childe noticed you turned down his offer to do shots, which was unlike you. But you played it off as not wanting a headache tomorrow morning and he believed you.

“Easy there, Teucer!”

A round of laughter filled the living room and you looked up to see Childe carrying the child on his back like an airplane.

“Come join us, Y/N!” Teucer said, beaming at you. You were curled up on the couch, fatigue running through your body.

“I would love to, buddy, but your nephew is really making me tired.”

The words slipped out before you could catch them and Childe froze. Teucer didn’t seem to notice and tried to get his brother to spin around again, only Childe put him down. Your boyfriend was in your face in seconds, staring at you with wide eyes and a huge grin.

“What?!”

You melted into Childe’s embrace, “I wanted to surprise you in a better way!”

“This was a great surprise,” He assured you. His hold rocked you back and forth and you giggled, “Is it a boy? You said nephew.”

“I don’t know yet,” You admitted, “I just have a feeling.”

Childe pulled away from you to bend down to Teucer’s level, “We’re going to have a baby! You’re going to be an uncle, Teucer!”

The ten year old only shrugged his shoulders. “Cool, can we play airplanes again?”

zhongli

✶ for as long as you and zhongli had been together, you had struggled with infertility. you had tried everything from medical assistance to old wive’s tales to praying to the archons but nothing. 

✶ it was heartbreaking at times, especially since you and zhongli wanted to have a baby so badly. 

✶ you were so desperate to start your family, you were considering moving to fontaine to adopt. 

Your bedside table was dedicated to pregnancy tests. The top drawer was filled with brand new boxes of them while the bottom drawer was filled with negative upon negative tests. Approximately 37 negative pregnancy tests littered the drawer, reminding you of your constant inability to conceive.

You wanted a baby so badly. Zhongli wanted a baby so badly. You felt like such a failure for not being able to give him what he wanted.

Taking a pregnancy test each morning had become routine. As you boxed a new one, you tried not to get your hopes up. Chances are it would be another negative one to add to your collection. Several doctors had examined both you and Zhongli and neither of you were incapable of conceiving, so why was it so hard?

With a stoic expression, you placed the used pregnancy test on the counter and waited.

And there it was.

Two pink lines shown vibrantly on the test and you felt like fainting.

“No way,” You said to yourself, shocked. You grabbed two more tests from the top drawer and used them, receiving the same confirmation. You couldn’t stop the tears of joy from rushing down your face. You grasped the tests in your hands and booked it out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, where Zhongli was standing over the stove.

You launched yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his middle and crying into the back of his shirt. Zhongli was taken off guard and turned around, “Darling?”

“We did it, Zhongli, we did it.”

“What did we do?” He asked, confused.

“We’re having a baby!”

Similar to you, Zhongli felt tears of joy pring his eyes. When the initial shock wore off, Zhongli pressed a meaningful kiss to his forehead. “We’re going to be parents?”

“Yes,” You smiled. “We’re finally going to be parents.”

[jade-parcels]

The genshin men: fatherhood edition

With: Childe, Zhongli, Kaeya, Diluc, Xiao, Venti, Albedo and Baizhu

—————————

Childe:

Ajax loves kids and he’ll make that known early on in your relationship

Like...This man wants five or more kids but he’ll settle for four. He dreams of a big family, getting to surround himself with you and your kids every night for family dinners, everyone getting together for big birthday parties or reunions! That’s his dream life! Plus, in Snezhnaya, most families have more than two kids anyways

He will cry so hard when his babies are placed in his arms for the first time, I mean he’s a mess. Nose is running, eyes puffy, lost of sniffling lmao he is so excited to be a dad!! Don’t you dare tell the other Harbingers how much he cried...What do you mean you took a picture when he wasn’t looking??? Hey??!?!

With his obscene amount of mora, he’ll buy a huge house that will accommodate everyone. Anything you want will be purchased that day or within 48 hours, the same goes for the kids

But they’ll all learn to be thankful for what they have. They’ll learn to fight, fish and speak multiple languages. He has high expectations but let’s face it, he’ll be proud of them no matter what

You’re gonna have to be the one to put your foot down though because Ajax doesn’t enjoy being the ‘mean parent’, he has trouble saying no to the kiddos which can create some tension between you and your husband. He has good intentions of course!! He doesn’t wanna say no to those cute, freckled faces!!

Zhongli:

Zhongli is nervous about having kids because he’s immortal. So this will go one of two ways. 1. You have the baby and the baby ends up not being immortal (or you adopt a baby who is not immortal) Then he loses you both. OR 2. You have the baby and it inherits his immortality and becomes an adeptus. Now he and the baby will have to watch you die while they both life forever.

Either way...It hurts him to think about because he loves you!! He wants to have a family with you!! He wants to give you that perfect family life every human desires!! But he’s torn

You two will just have to figure it out.

Zhongli will be a strong, male figure for your kid(s) and he will instill that traditional kindness and respect into their behavior. ‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ always, always offer to help someone who needs it, do good deeds and you will feel accomplished, be the best you you can be, alway try your hardest because that’s all that matters

He will be sure that your kid(s) always feel loved ALWAYS. Zhongli will tell them stories, cook for them, take them to school, anything that needs to be done. When you’ve had a rough day, he’ll step in to take over for the night without being asked. He shows interest in everything your kid(s) like and he will do his damn best to display every piece of artwork they make or every pretty rock they find

He...will make a great dad :’)

Kaeya:

Ooooh brother, at first Kaeya says no he doesn’t want kids but...Then he starts thinking about it

He observes the happy families that walk around the cobblestone streets of Mondstadt, how the kiddos smile and laugh with their parents. He’ll patrol in the afternoons, usually rounding the corner just in time to see the city’s kids leave school for the day, watching as they all run down the street to go home to their parents or play in the fountain together...Yeah, that really warms his heart

He’d want one or two kids, preferably two to avoid an only child being lonely. He isn’t on the best terms with Diluc but he can admit that they had a great childhood together, playing at the winery and running around as brothers do

Kaeya would be a very patient, understanding father. He doesn’t have much of a temper so he’d use the kids’ mistakes as learning opportunities instead of getting upset at them

He would be obsessed with the kids when they’re babies though oh man if you thought you had baby fever, he has it times ten! He loves holding the baby, watching with a twinkling eye as his baby grasps his thumb with its tiny hand... adorable

And if your kids inherited his eyes, his star shaped pupils that his ancestors passed down to him...He’s gonna get emotional

Everyone at the knights’ headquarters and the Angel’s Share will get sick of him REALLY fast cause he won’t stop bragging about how cute and smart his kids are lmao

Diluc:

Diluc would be such a soft dad don’t even get me started

He loves you so much of course he wants to have kids with you! Is that even a question?? He won’t be the one to bring it up unless he gets the feeling that you want kids but once you ask, he’ll agree so fast

He’ll be grateful to even have one kid with you :’) and he’ll be fine with however many kids YOU want. You want one kid? Perfect! You want four? No problem, the manor is big enough for ten! You...you want ten...? Time to hire some more maids then lmao

Diluc is a worry wart though, he’ll be afraid to hold the baby, feed it, bathe it, he’s terrified of hurting the baby or the baby suddenly hating him. So just help him out!! Cause when he gets comfortable with the baby, he’ll be in full dad mode

He isn’t embarrassed to walk around the manor, conducting business with a baby strapped to his chest!

Diluc is a very kind, gentle dad who will always offer helpful solutions to the kiddos’ problems. He’ll make sure all of their needs are met while also trying to avoid spoiling them... Too much... There will be a fair amount of spoiling...

His own father wasn’t too affectionate with him so that’s why he’ll be affectionate with his kids! Hugs and kisses when he tucks them in at night, big dad hugs when they get home from school, holding their hands in the busy streets of Mondstadt. His father was a great dad! He just aims to be better.

Xiao:

Like Zhongli, he worries about the mortality thing. Since he’s an Adeptus, his kid will certainly be an Adeptus too if you have kids together.

He also worries that his kid(s) will hate him. His duty is to kill demons which means that rain or shine, holidays, special occasions, day or night he’s gotta be ready to go slaughter demonic beings. So he’ll inevitably miss out on important stages in the kiddos’ lives

And admittedly... He’ll be scared of his kids lmao

They’re screaming, crying, barfing, pooping, laughing, screaming again...He can’t predict their behavior. It’s unsettling. All of that goes away one night when you sit him down and place your sleeping baby in his arms. His eyes go wide...And he just watches. This tiny, little baby...Feels no fear for him. It’s comforted by his presence. He almost cries...ALMOST

He’s still pretty much the same Xiao we all know and love but now he has a kid. “Slaying demons is what I do...Hey, go back inside and finish your dinner. Yes, even your vegetables. I don’t care that you don’t like them-...Fine. Don’t tell your mother, bring them to me. I’ll eat them” cute :)

He’s a protective dad and husband, he’d never let anyone or anything harm his beloved family

Venti:

Venti....does not want kids. He thinks they’re cute! He likes the idea of kids but he knows he wouldn’t enjoy actually having kids

You two already have so much fun together!! You don’t need a kid!! You guys have dogs!! Dogs are like kids! But they’re more independent and they’re cuter!

He’ll feel bad if you want kids and he doesn’t, he really will! But it’ll be nearly impossible to convince him cause he’s made his mind up :/

Venti’ll make it up to you somehow though, he’ll take you out more and show you all of the adventures you guys can have if there aren’t kids around

But for the sake of fatherhood headcanons, let’s pretend he gave in. Venti would be a very caring dad. He would cuddle the hell out of this kiddo and sing to them :’) the only problem is that Venti doesn’t like being tethered to one place for too long so he tends to take off and not come back for a few days... :(

Albedo:

Albedo wants kids mostly just to see what fatherhood would be like. He’s always been curious about what that part of his life would be like so why not have a kid

He’d be good with one kid, two at most cause after practically raising Klee, he knows how some kids can be and...He doesn’t have the mental capacity for more than two kids at a time lmao

He tries his best to show more emotion in his face. We all know he usually sits like this 😐 and goes ‘wow im so happy right now’. If you didn’t know him, you’d think he was bored out of his mind right? So he’s gotta work on that. And when he musters up a smile for the baby and it smiles back at him????? Yeah...He’s gonna try to smile a lot more now

He definitely softens up once he becomes a dad, he shows emotion more than he used to and surprisingly, he takes time off of work. Shocker, I know! He decides that he’s been in the lab long enough and that he wants to be able to be there for these moments with you and his kid(s) :’) :’) He trusts Sucrose and Timaeus to take over for him for a couple hours

He keeps a journal for each kid and writes down the date and time they have their firsts or just interesting things they do ->

- 8/4: Baby sees and plays with a cat for the first time

- 9/5: Baby smacked me in the face and laughed so hard she threw up

-9/12: Baby learns that pulling my hair gets my attention. She now continues to do so

-10/15: Baby stays at Aunt Klee’s house for the first time

Baizhu:

Baizhu really loves kids, he works with them a lot and he considers Qiqi to be his daughter anyway but in terms of you guys having a kid together, with his condition he can probably only handle one kid running around

He will do his absolute best to be a good dad. Even if he feels like death, he’ll help change diapers, feed the baby, care for it when you need a break. He isn’t contagious so when you’re sleeping and he feels gross, he’ll sit back against the pillows with the baby on his chest, the three of you resting together (though he doesn’t fall asleep...that would be dangerous for the baby)

Baizhu already tends to nag at you about your health and lifestyle choices but now?? He’ll be a menace. He’ll be constantly evaluating your baby’s condition, checking to see if a certain food is giving them a rash or making sure their skin isn’t drying out. He’s hyper aware of your baby’s health and will be the one to treat them if they get sick

He’s a busy guy since he runs the pharmacy but he will always do his best to be present for your baby’s big milestones! And when your kid cries cause Baizhu’s medicine tastes like shit, he’ll do his best to not be disappointed in their reaction lmao

When you leave him alone with the baby, he’ll wrap a scarf around himself to tie the baby to his chest while he works and...he looks so cute :) dad baizhu <3 <3 <3 <3

Bonus points for him buying the baby toy medical equipment so he can get your kiddo interested in medicine :)

[tartglias]

Xiao, Zhongli and Venti with an immortal s/o

“Sooo 👀 can i request so some fluff hc for venti, xiao and zhongli with an immortal s/o?”

thank you so much for requesting!! this is my first time writing for more than one character at a time so it was a challenge lol thank you sm!!

Xiao

Xiao never understood the importance of time. Days, months, even years feel like nothing when you’re immortal. What a funny thing that is, immortality. He knows normal humans would do anything for it, and he despises them for that. Nothing so great came free, he knew that well. He was freed from tortures, only to get tormented by karma. He could still hear the voices and screams calling for help from tortured souls, these still haunt him daily. But the worst moments come when he sees that figure, that person who he once considered close. So close he could use the human word “soulmate”, if he believed in those, to describe who that person meant to him.

Many centuries back he met you, such a gentle person who got to break down his hard walls. A smile, a touch, a kiss. That’s all it took. So many meaningless years, and he never once encountered a person as kind yet strong like you. Someone who made the daily nightmares cease, with a simple smile and brush of fingers.

He remembers your last words like it was the day before. You were on top of one of the tall stones in Huaguang Stone Forest, Xiao laying his head on your lap and you placing small qingxin flowers on his hair. He wouldn’t allow anyone do that to him ever, but in the end, you were you. And you were different.

“Xiao” you called, once you were done placing the flowers. He opened his eyes and muttered a “hm?” in response. “I have to leave soon. Mondstadt calls me”

He sat up.

“What do you mean?”

“By tomorrow morning, I’ll be on my way back to Mondstadt” you said, quietly standing up.

He stood up too.

“When will I see you again?” he asked, now not being able to look at you.

“I don’t know” you said, reaching out for his hand and taking it. You placed a soft kiss on his knuckles, and he felt himself calm down at the gesture for a moment.

“I meant it when I said I’ll love you forever, Xiao” you said, finally locking eyes with him. You had teary eyes, he dreaded to see you like that. If it were up to him, he would swallow every bit of pain in your body and soul, just to see you smile.

And with that, you disappeared. As quickly as you broke down his walls, you disappeared just as quick the next day. Days, months and years became even more meaningless, but somehow he felt them longer. He missed you every day, he whispered to the moon every night, wishing that some archon would hear and bring you back to him. He knew you were like him, but he never heard from you again. Were you able to finally cross to the other side? He tried to erase those thoughts from his mind.

He later found himself in that very same stone, the one in which he last saw you. New Qingxin flowers blossomed, and they reminded him of you. He sat down, staring at the horizon. But then, he felt a strange swift of wind, and a presence behind him. He quickly stood up, ready to put his mask on and kill whoever dared to interrupt his solitude. But he didn’t. The mask in his hand dropped to the floor, next to the flowers.

“I’m back” you said, with a shy smile.

“You’re back” he said, more to himself than to you. Were you really there?

His question was soon answered, once you stepped closer and pulled him in a hug. He found himself wrapping his arms around you, holding you as close as he could, while trying to hold back his tears.

“I’m sorry I took so long, my beloved” you said as you locked your eyes with his. You grabbed his hand and held it, but you never once let go of the hug.

“I’m here to stay now” you whispered.

Zhongli

“You need to stop playing with people’s hearts” Zhongli said, as he sipped on his tea and looked at you questioningly. You rolled your eyes in response and put your focus back on your potion. A few petals from the most exotic flower in Teyvat, a little bit of juice made from vines and a teaspoon of slime condensate.

“Sometimes mortals need a little push in the right direction” You said, finishing up the mix and transferring it to a small bottle made of glass. “Plus, we’ve been here for centuries, I’m bored and I need a hobby”

“I don’t think that messing with human’s love lives can be considered a hobby. I don’t think it’s morally correct” he said.

“You’re very dramatic. I can feel the true desires of every being that touches the soil in Teyvat, and if I sense that the desire is mutual, I simply work my magic” You said, sitting back on your chair next to the tall man.

“Can’t you let them figure it out by themselves?” He asked.

“That’s no fun Zhongli” You said, finishing up the sweet perfume-potion you were creating.

You and Zhongli have been friends for centuries. You met when you moved to Liyue as the representative of the Dendro Archon, someone you really looked up to. Zhongli was kind enough to make you feel at home, and soon became friends with the Geo Archon. Though you must admit, you always wished it was something more.

Maybe that’s why you picked up this “hobby” of yours. Unrequited love is something painful and mortals only live a short life, you believe they should live it fully, if possible.

“Are you alright?” Zhongli asked, interrupting your thoughts with a concerned look on his face. You didn’t realize you had a sad look on yours.

“Oh? Yeah of course” You said, quickly brushing it off and proceeding decorating the small glass bottle.

“Y/n-“ he started, placing a hand on top of yours in order to get your attention. “I’ve known you for a long time. I know when something is wrong”

It was funny. He knew you like the back of his hand, he knew how to read you since the first time he laid his eyes on you. Yet he never found out how you truly felt about him, how your heart made like a million flips whenever he did something as simple as hold your hand, or brush a hair away from your face. All these little things and gestures, have been making you swoon over your closest friend for years, centuries even.

“Time and love are strange concepts, aren’t they?” You asked, looking straight at him. Here goes nothing, you thought.

“I believe those are rather simple concepts”

“You can spend a lifetime with someone, know every habit and expression but you don’t know how they truly feel about you” You said staring at him, searching for any hint that indicated he knew what you were talking about. But you saw nothing. Who were you kidding? He’s just your friend, has been for a long time.

You let out a defeated laugh, standing up and letting go of his hand. “Forgive me, I don’t really know what i’m saying” you said, grabbing the potion and starting to leave. But you felt his hand on your wrist, stopping your movements.

“You said you felt the desires of every being that stepped foot on Teyvat’s soil, am I right?” he asked, looking at you. You nodded. “Does it work on me?”

“You wanted to get close to me, as a friend”

“My apologies my dearest y/n, but I think your blessing is wrong” he said, standing up and holding your hand once again. “I did want to get closer to you as a friend at first, but not any longer. I’ve been observing mortals for a while as well, on my daily walks through Liyue Harbor, and I think I finally understood my feelings”

You were sure that if Zhongli listened close enough, he would hear the fast beating of your heart.

“I’ve been waiting for you to use your love potion on me, my dear y/n. I’m sure it wouldn’t have worked anyways since I believe it would take a lot of effort to make an effective potion that could work on me. But it would have given me the excuse to tell you how I really feel” he said.

“How do you feel then?” you asked him, looking up at the tall man.

“I think I’m very lucky to have you by my side, and it makes me want to travel to the Dendro nation and personally thank the Archon for assigning you to Liyue. I also want you to still be by my side for the centuries to come, if you’re okay with that” he said, lowering his voice by the end.

You acted before you could process your thoughts. You stood on your tippy toes and kissed his cheek gently, never letting go of his hand. He liked you, he felt the same way about you. It was real.

“I’m okay with that” you replied.

Venti

It was almost noon, almost an hour after the original time you accorded with Venti to meet. You planned a picnic date by the big tree near the statue of the Seven, your favorite spot. The same spot which later, became Venti’s favorite spot as well.

He wasn’t a person who would jump straight to conclusions. You were late. Maybe you fell asleep, maybe you couldn’t find the guitar you promised to bring so you could play a duet. Being late doesn’t mean something bad happened, right?”

He decided to wait a few more moments, but once the sun set, he had enough. He went out to try and find you. He went to your house, but noticed the door was locked and no one was inside. “They left” he thought.

He slowly but surely started to get desperate. Where were you? Were you hurt? Did you get lost somehow? He went to Angel’s Share, and not even Master Diluc had seen you. If Venti wasn’t in such a panicked state, he would have noticed the rare concerned and worried look Diluc had on his face.

If any traveler walked by literally any road in Mondstadt, they would soon encounter a big rush of wind. Venti went from here to there as fast as he could, trying to find you.

He soon enough found you in Stormbearer Mountains, fighting hilichurls and two pyro mages. You looked tired, sweat covering your body and your clothes were dirty. It was obvious that this has been going on for a while. You gripped your sword as hard as you could, and kept fighting. Why didn’t you call for him? With no exception, Venti tells you daily to call for him if you ever encounter a problem. It’s not that he doesn’t think you’re strong, oh no, he believed you were the strongest mortal in Teyvat. But in the end, to him you were still a mortal. Fragile and over-sensitive. He often told you to call his name, that the wind will carry it and he will appear there to help you out. So why didn’t you?

“y/n!” he screamed, once he laid his eyes on you. You turned around and saw a rush on wind, and felt his presence. What you didn’t feel though, was the pyro attack coming from one of the mages. The mage summoned three pyro artifacts that surrounded you, and burnt you. You felt your energy slip away, your head dizzy and your body burning. Then, you felt the cold wind, Venti quickly finishing off the mages and the remaining hilichurls.

Venti thought it was over. You were kneeled down, burnt skin, gasping for air. It was over, you were going to die. He felt his eyes water and fear running through his veins. He wrapped his arms around you, making you lean on his chest.

“Don’t leave me” he begged. “please”

“My dear, I don’t think I can” you said, letting out a short laugh.

“Please stay strong, I think I can carry you to the cathedral but you need to hold very still so-“ he started saying, now fully crying but you interrupted him by putting a hand on his cheek and wiping his tears with your thumb.

“I’m serious, I don’t think I can leave anyways. Venti, I literally can’t die.” you said, with a laugh and slowly standing up.

“You... you’re immortal?” he asked, looking up at you, not being able to leave the floor.

You nodded. “I thought you knew”

“I hate you” he said, standing up and wiping away his tears. “I do”

“No you don’t. But you’re cute though!” you said, grabbing his face and kissing the tip of his nose. “I’m very sorry I’m late though, my commission took longer than I thought but let me compensate you with dinner and a bottle of wine”

“But you’re still burnt?” he asked you, concern still in his face.

“Oh don’t worry about that, it will rip out when I start walking. I have healthy skin underneath” you said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“Why do I feel like this is not your first time getting so hurt?” he asked letting out a soft chuckle, suddenly feeling lighter now that he knows you’re okay and will probably be okay for a long long while.

“Eh, been there done that a few times” you simply said, taking his hand and walking back to the city of Mondstadt.

[starrconch]

READER WEARING S/O'S CLOTHES

★ Includes: Zhongli, Kaeya, Xiao, GN reader, fluff

★ Word Count: 1083

★ Master List

ZHONGLI

★ He had been running late with his work at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour due to a sudden new order that Hu Tao had insisted on taking on, so when he arrived back home, he found the house strangely quiet.

★ Another thing he noticed when he hung up his coat was that his spare coat (of the exact same design except for the spot where his vision would go being empty) was missing.

“Y/N?” Zhongli called out. It was unlike you to not greet him when he returned. Usually, you would pounce on him with a hug the second he entered your abode.

He peered into the kitchen and living room to search for you but came out empty-handed. Before checking the rest of your home, he called your name again, only to be greeted with silence once more.

The last room he came to was the bedroom where he found you curled up on top of the sheets. You wore his spare coat on backwards, so your arms were through the sleeves and you could hug the rest of it as if your partner were there with you.

Had you really missed him this much?

For a while, he watched your chest gently rise and fall, entranced by your beauty as if you were a fairytale passed down for centuries that the archon hadn’t gotten a grasp of yet. You were alluring, making it hard for Zhongli to stay away.

Attempting to not wake you, and failing miserably, he removed his coat and retrieved a blanket to put on top of you. Why did you need his coat when he could be here to provide the real thing?

“Zhongli?” You asked, confused as to who was moving you, ready to attack an intruder at any moment.

“It’s alright. It’s me, my dear. Please, try to get some rest.”

KAEYA

★ You were confused when your partner hadn’t turned up on time for a meeting with Jean early that morning.

★ Both of you had known that this gathering was taking place for a very long time as you were reminded constantly, but you couldn’t help the worry that filled you when he wasn’t there.

Kaeya was in a rush. He had woken up late from drinking too much last night at Angel’s Share, so now he had to suffer the consequences of having no breakfast so he could make it to the meeting at a considerable time. The only thing holding him back was that he couldn’t find the heap of fur that sat on his shoulder.

He searched high and low, thinking of all the places it could be. Under the bed? No. Hanging out to dry from being washed? Still no. It was nowhere.

Sighing deeply and accepting the fact his ensemble would be incomplete, he left his house and ran to the meeting, bracing himself for the scolding he would get from Jean.

“Kaeya,” the Acting GrandMaster greeted him, her hand frozen in the air as if she were halfway through talking about something. “How nice of you to join us.”

He lowered his head in shame. “I’m sorry that this happened, it won’t ever happen again.” The Cavalry Captain wasn’t focusing completely on his words as his gaze lingered on you.

You sat at your usual seat with your legs bunched up to your chest and you hugged something. But what were you hugging? His missing fluff shawl. He couldn’t find it in himself to be angry with you, not when you looked so content and cosy with it in your arms.

As Jean waved her hand for him to sit down, he came up behind you to whisper in your ear, “you little thief. Trust me when I say I will pay you back for making me later than I should have been.”

★ If you want to borrow his clothes in the future, please make sure to inform him so he doesn’t get confused.

XIAO

★ You could tell it was going to be a very warm day from the temperature yesterday, so wearing something cool was your top priority.

★ As you looked in your wardrobe, you found that you had no clothes for the occasion. You preferred the colder weather, meaning all you really had were trousers and long-sleeved shirts.

★ That’s when you eyed your partner’s small section of the wardrobe. As the adeptus only had a few items of clothing, saying that having too many possessions was a mortal tendency, and what he wore was a thin, turtle-necked tank top, it was perfect for the occasion.

You walked down the stairs from the top floor of the Wangshu Inn where you lived, waving at Verr and greeting her good morning, spying Xiao in the kitchen with Smiley, waiting for some almond tofu to be ready. As there were no people around just yet, he felt comfortable in coming down to the main parts of the Inn, making it much easier to find him.

“Xiao!” You called bounding down the last few stairs. “About my commissions today, I-”

“Is that my shirt?” His arms were crossed but he didn’t appear to be angry, only confused.

You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly. “I believe so, and besides, it’s our shirt now.” Sticking out your tongue playfully, you tried to remember what you were talking about.

“Have you not got any of your own? I’m certain you do.” He took a few steps towards you.

You frowned, sensing that he was about to tell you to go and take it off. “I do, but not for how hot it’s supposed to be today!”

“It doesn’t even fit you well.” Xiao pointed out, his gaze on how baggy the armholes were on you. As you didn’t have as much muscle as the adeptus did, it did appear to be a bit odd.

“Please, Xiao,” you begged, sticking out your lower lip and feigning a sad expression. “But it smells like you too.”

Smiley tapped his shoulder to pass him his plate of almond tofu while your partner rolled his eyes. “Fine, but today and today only.”

★ The grin that replaced your dejected frown made his chest feel incredibly warm for some reason. At least this way, anyone who passed you would know that you’re his.

★ Little did you know that Xiao later had another shirt tailor-made with the same design, the only difference being the size so it fit you better

“So what were you saying about your commissions?”

[cloudninetonine]

A past that still haunts me

A/N: Hey guys, it's me (ya boi) I'm back with my still current hyper fixation Genshin Impact and a vent fic because I've been really stressed and well, it's hard living in my house :) It's a hurt/comfort fic because they always get to me and I needed to make something for myself

I am willing to do aftermath where the boys confront the abuser or do scenario but with different characters

Synopsis: You’re not a damsel in distress, you never have been and you never will be, but, well, sometimes you need a hero to rely on and that’s okay

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli and Childe

Warnings: Hints to past abuse, confrontation of abuser, violence, mentions of blood, threats, foul language

It had meant to be like any other menial day of an adventurer: sign in with Katheryne, complete your commissions, sign out with Katheryne with your payments - done and dusted.

But that wasn’t how it went, no, far from it - archons, so damn far from it.

“Thank you once again, (Name)” Katheryne’s smile was kind like usual, holding that familiar feeling of gratitude as she handed over your remission within a marked package, hand returning to the desk’s polished surface once you had taken it graciously, sending her a beaming grin back. “The Guild really appreciates your work ethic when it comes to the Ruin machines, it’s hard to come across adventurers who want to handle them anymore”

You sent her a shrug as you placed away the box “Can’t blame them really, they’re a hard bunch to handle- I was terrified of them when I first started too, but I had my vision to help me out, a lot of these folk only use there pure determination to eradicate them, gotta admire that!”

She laughed along with you politely “Have a good evening, (Name), I’ll see you again tomorrow?”

“Of course you will!” You backpedalled away from the guild reception, throwing the woman a polite double fingered salute as you did “Ad astra abyssoque as they say, my fair lady!”

She parrotted back her usual phrase before disappearing into the building, you walking further down the path of the city for your final activity for that day.

Of course, you didn’t reach that far, after all, it wasn’t that menial day you had expected, that you had wanted. Life was cruel sometimes, so incredibly cruel for no justified reason just for the sake of it all and you wished, archons, you wished you could rewind the clock and stop yourself from bumping into the body, to save yourself from all the repressed trauma bursting forth like a flurry of butterflies, well, more like moths, disgusting, ungodly, monster moths that aimed straight for the face.

“Sorry!” You yelped, too preoccupied with gathering your pocketwatch you had dropped in the stumble to see who it had been, after all, you were on a schedule and you didn’t want to be-

“(Name)?”

...late.

All of a sudden, time didn’t seem to exist, or maybe it was moving way too slowly from that horrid spike of adrenaline that shot into your bloodstream as soon as the voice registered.

You hoped to the Archons that it wasn’t, that it couldn’t, but did the gods hear your prayers?

“Oh Archons, it is you! It’s been such a long time!”

Of course, they did, they just didn’t care to listen. Ignoring the cries of your people were in fashion to them these days.

They stood there with a smile so excited it almost seemed to tear their face in half, with eyes sparkling with recognition after so many years away from them, they opened their arms welcoming you into their embrace like it was something just so normal for the two of you like you would come bounding to them like a lost puppy who had finally found their master.

The fear of your abuser dwarfed in comparison the pure feral rage and loathing to think that they even deserved to be breathing in the same space as you.

People were looking, of course, they were looking, you knew what they were doing, being bright and jovial, bringing others attention towards you both so that whatever scene you caused would be your fault like you were the bad guy. It was old tactics, of course, you wouldn’t dare do anything when you were younger, you’d just push through it, but this wasn’t old times, this wasn’t younger you, scared, smaller you afraid them, this was you now, a warrior, unwavering in battle, a person who smiled in the face of danger, who laughed at the pitiful fights that 2- no- 4 abyss mages brought to you!

To hell what other people thought, you’d stomp their head into the cobblestone if they had so much as poked you.

“Come here and give me a-”

You took a step back, mustering the deadliest face you could, but you wavered, it was only natural, no matter how much you could try to hype yourself up, this person was your first true experience of real-life nightmares, the first person to bring you true pain, no matter how many ruin guards, hunters, millachurls, mages- anything you faced, nothing could prepare you to face your first fear:

The fear of your older sibling.

“If you fucking touch me I’ll stab you-” The growl cracked nearing the end, you were always an angry crier but you were not about to fall back to this- this monster. “In front of all these people, I won’t hesitate”

Their face dropped followed by your stomach, though, the food you had for lunch sure did feel its way up your gullet.

“What’s with your language? We haven’t seen each other in four years and this is how you treat me? Your older sibling?” They laughed in disbelief because onlookers would think they were shocked, I mean, how could you speak to family like that? But they didn’t know, they didn’t know the words they had told you, the insults, the threats, those tight grabs, those beatings- they didn’t know, so they obviously didn’t know that the shock came from the fact that you had stood up to them.

You licked your lips to get rid of the dryness, but the problem you faced was that your mouth had dried out along with them, as did your throat.

Don’t let them turn this on you, don’t let them get the upper hand, you were better than them, so much better.

“You’re not my fucking sibling” You spat, feeling the air vibrate around you, a sudden shine from your cloak hinted you to the cause “You haven’t been for a long time, don’t fucking try that shit with me”

There it was, that familiar enraged spark, that look of hatred on their face, the thing that warned you about what you said had been the right thing to set them off, that they were just as easily triggered by the smallest act of rebellion just like when you were kids.

Of course, they hadn’t changed.

Evil never did.

They took a step forward but you didn’t back off, just hardened your resolve as they leaned in menacingly, as though their stupid little intimidation tactic still worked after all these years.

You told yourself it didn’t but you knew deep down that wasn’t completely true.

“Don’t speak to me like that, (Name)” Facade gone, they showed you what they really were, what they were really like after all, “Don’t you ever speak to me like that, you show me fucking respect”

Respect?

RESPECT!?

Oh Archons, you were angry, no, seething from the thought that they ever deserved respect.

That pathetic piece of shit, that gruelling pleb, mere gum on the bottom of your damn shoe-

You’d kill them, right here, right now.

You felt the familiar materialisation begin to form in your hand when another voice called out, a familiar loving one that nearly made your throat swell from relief.

“(Name)?”

Diluc

He could sense the tension. Of course, he could sense the tension, Diluc had faced this tension so many times before, he was practically the one that owned such a vibe anytime Kaeya even breathed near him for a second longer than necessary.

But being the one to witness it, to see you, the usual awkward, goofy sweetheart stare at another with such overbearing malice made him uneasy, caused his stomach to churn in ways he didn’t like, set him off in a way that was only reserved for the most chilling on moments.

Diluc wondered what exactly this stranger had done to warrant such a reaction from you.

“(Name)?” The redhead called, glancing around the many citizens of Mondstadt that watched the exchange with intrigue, guard and worry, eyes focused on the scene of this foreign stranger and fuming you, hand poised by your side with weapon particles dancing on your palm.

When Diluc finally made it over, his form seemed to curl protectively around you, hand landing on the small of your back delicately while keeping face with the person, eyes narrowed dangerously but still holding an air of civilness.

A true gentleman, even when you were close to merking some rando.

“Is there a problem?”

The stranger straightened immediately, backing up a few steps with their hands up in defence, sending Diluc a charming smile that the man could see through crystal clear.

“No problem, no problem at all” They glanced back at you, seemingly friendly despite his partner’s obvious ill intent that radiated off you in waves “Isn’t that right, (Name)?”

Diluc saw you tense up once again, the buzz from your Vision rising in volume with your obvious anger as you tightened your first, ready to just screw your weapon and go for the throat.

“If that is the case” The noble’s hand softly pressed against your back, gently but coaxing, knowing that conflict in the middle of the town centre would just bring the knights to meddle in affairs that they had no business attending “Then we shall be going”

“There’s no need to leave, after all, my sibling and I were just chatting”

He paused, shouldering a questioning glance your way but at the sight of your unruly expression, he pushed down his enquiries and once again began coaxing you away from the scene. Angel’s Share had already been open for a while, meaning the usual folk would already be settled in, but the storage room was sure to be a good place to chat and to calm you down, all he needed to do was get you away.

“We already had plans” The side glance had the stranger- your sibling, biting their tongue, brows furrowing in a known annoyance as the two of you began your way towards the pub, you still vibrating in anger. “Good day to you”

The two of you had made it a few feet when they called out once again “Don’t worry, (Name), I’ll see you again real soon”

Diluc’s arm tightened around you faster than you could react, tugging you away quickly “Diluc-”

“No, (Name)”

“Stay out-”

“Not here” Sharing a look, he softened at the shine in your eyes. “You’ll just attract the knights' attention”

You didn’t care, no, not one bit. If the knights had dared to interfere at that moment, they too would have been caught up in your blinded revenge, thrown aside or slashed down without single care just to finally eradicate the bane of your existence and you didn’t care about what consequences you brought about, you just didn’t and you made sure to tell Diluc that, as soon as you had the privacy of Angel’s Share’s storeroom, pacing up and down while he stood off to the side against the wall, watching silently.

“You had no right to get in my way!” You snapped, voice shaking from the pure emotions you were releasing “I finally had my chance, I was finally going to do it! They deserve to end by my hand, by my decision, after the years of torture they put me through! They deserved it! And you got in my way! How could you get in my way! I-”

Pushing off the wall, he slowly advanced towards you, carefully, hands out like he was approaching a wounded animal.

“I understand you’re upset-”

“I’m not upset!” You cried at him, stopping mid-step before dropping your head and tightly, grabbing your hair in your hands “I’m not upset! I’m angry! I’m so fucking angry! And I deserve to be fucking angry! I-”

The sob ripped through your throat despite you trying to hold it back, tears finally gathering in your eyes and rapidly falling down your cheeks “You should have let me kill them! I should have had the chance to rid the world of their evil! It’s not fair! It’s not- it’s not fair, I-”

You didn’t bother to fight him when his arms finally wrapped around you, just fell against him as you wept. The pent up rage, fear and sadness from years of repression taking its toll as you cried, your partner whispering sweet words as he raked his hand through your hair gently and leaned his head against yours.

“I’m sorry” His hand held your cheek fondly, ruby red staring back into your own eyes with a softness that made you melt “I didn’t know this meant so much to you, but if you’re willing to tell me, I’ll listen. I’ll always listen”

With another choked sob, you leaned into his hold “Please just hold me for now”

And he did just that.

Kaeya

The captain had promised to meet you at his office, a simple task really but with the lingering presence of Jean and the words ‘There’s so much work that needs to be done’ leaving her lips he bolted, hoping to catch you by the Guild and drag you to Angel Share for your date. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help her, it was just he had already promised you this night and Eula could have always taken his place with paperwork, her threat of “vengeance” as she liked to call it could wait for another day.

It was also due to the fact he had no intentions of filing any paperwork for as long as he could avoid it, but that was his secret to be kept.

Being the perspective man he was, he could tell straight away he had walked into something tense, surveying the surrounding people of Mondstadt who looked on in concern, the unbridled rage upon your face, the obviously intimidating lean that the stranger held over you- something was wrong and he knew he had to put a stop to it.

“(Name)?” You glanced for a single moment before your furious glare had returned to the stranger, another flag waving right in his face as he approached, “My dear? Who might this be?”

Before you could snap, lip curling in disgust, the stranger stood back to their full height, switching quickly with a fake charming smile that practically mirrored his own, holding out their hand towards him “(S/N) (Last), (Name)’s older sibling. it’s nice to meet you”

Kaeya’s smile widened and despite the glare from you that was now focused on him, he shook your sibling's hand in-kind “Kaeya Alberich, (Name)’s partner-”

He made sure to tighten his grip with his last words “And Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius”

Successfully, as he always was, Kaeya held back the smug, mocking grin that itched to climb onto his face when the neck of your sibling bobbed nervously, forehead reflecting the afternoon light as sweat gathered on their brow.

The man hadn’t obviously threatened them, surely, Kaeya was smarter than that, but then again, he could still present himself as a threat, a good one and well, his title was a menacing one when it came to the right moment. ‘Try anything and not only do I have the authority to kick your arse but the power to put you in a place many didn’t dare even step’ shortened into an innocent sentence with only 8 words.

“Cavalry Captain? That’s quite impressive” They laughed off, tugging away their hand awkwardly when Kaeya continued to keep a firm grip, his present eye focused solely on your siblings face. They glanced over to you “Quite an achievement for you, aye (Name)?”

You growled, “I’ll show you an achievement-”

Kaeya’s arm had wrapped around your waist not a second later, tugging you tighter to his side as the two of you turned, the man throwing your sibling a smile over his shoulder.

“As nice as it was to meet you, (S/B), we must be going”

And then without another word Kaeya dragged you away, heading in the direction of your home instead of Angel Share tavern, feeling your pure, unfiltered anger the whole way along with the citizens as they parted ways, rushing off from your rage.

It was only when you had returned to the sanctuary of your abode did you snap, jerking away from your boyfriend with angered strides and beginning your seething lecture towards him, moving up and down through the living room while he ventured off into the kitchen, grabbing 2 glasses and a bottle of wine.

“How dare you Kaeya! How fucking dare you! Do you have any idea what you were doing back there!? What was even happening back there!? So much for being the most observant man in Mondstadt because you seemed pretty dense to me the whole fucking time!” Your hands raked through your hair as you yelled, trying so hard to hold back the tears “I didn’t need your damn help, Kaeya! Nor did I fucking want it! Know to stay out of someone's business when it isn’t wanted!”

Logically you knew what he had done, you were smart like that and you knew Kaeya long enough to know what he was doing but your rage, fear and sadness blocked out everything in that moment, made you blind to reality, made you only think irrationally and Kaeya didn’t blame you for that. He could never blame you for that.

Though, it did hurt him to see you in this state.

“Wine?”

You gawked at him for a moment, staring at him with shock and confusion as he held out a wine glass towards you, another held in his other hand and a sweet smile plastered on his face, before your moment morphed into rage, grabbing the drink from his hand and tossing it towards the wall, the red wine splattering over the wallpaper and glass shards falling to the floor.

“Well, that was a waste-”

“Do you think I’m an idiot, Kaeya!?” You cried, not even bothering to hold back anymore as the tears fell and your voice cracked, hand pointing accusingly in his face “Is this some kind of joke to you!? Huh!? Am I a fool in your eyes!? Some sort of blubbering idiot!? Why must you- why do you-”

The second glass was placed on the dresser by you both, Kaeya’s hand coming to hold your cheek fondly while the other came to grab your hand that dangled in the air, still poised at him “I don’t think you're either of those, my dear, in fact, I think you’re one of the brightest in the whole of Teyvat, nevermind Mondstadt”

You hiccuped “Then why-”

Brushing away the wetness from your cheek, he brought your hand to his mouth to place a fond kiss on your palm “Because you mustn’t cry, (Name), don’t waste your tears on someone like them”

“I’m not crying, I’m-”

He shushed you gently and you finally relaxed, falling into his embrace with a heavy heart “-I’m not, I swear-”

Within the familiarity of your home, you wept in his arms, exhausted from the whirlwind of emotions and the scenes that had transpired that day, ready to just curl into yourself and try to block the flooding memories of history. Although, having Kaeya at that moment helped more than he could ever know, having him to rely on made it all so much easier to cope with that day.

“Tell me what ails you and I’ll listen” Brushing back some hair, he pressed a kiss to your head.

“Can..can we just stay like this for a while?”

“Of course, my dear”

Zhongli

He had sensed the incoming danger like it had been revealed in some sort of premonition. Maybe it had been a skill he had acquired after his long, eventful life, maybe it was his connection to Liyue and his citizens, but for some reason, as he sat before Iron Tongue Tian as the man recalled his tales of ancient Liyue like usual, Zhongli knew that the crowd that was forming around Wamin Restaurant had something that he need urgently attend, especially when even Tian paused his story to glance around the corner of the restaurant building to see the commotion.

When the archon had finally borne witness to the scene, he paused within the crowd, surveying the surroundings carefully. You were the centre of attention, along with another stranger, both glaring at one another with anger and disgust, though your own anger seemed to double compared to the other’s, seeing as your weapon was slowly materialising in your grip. Zhongli could also see Guild Master Lan making her way down the steps leading to the Guild reception, a worried expression on her face glancing between you and the approaching Millelith.

Zhongli made his decision, politely pushing through the crowd until he had finally made it by your side, hand being placed gently on your arm “(Name)?”

Both you and the stranger glanced at him, but he paid no mind to them, only held eye contact with you when Lan appeared by your other side, glaring at the stranger with a hardened gaze.

“Are you harassing my guild member?”

Before the stranger could respond, the Millelith had also popped in, glancing between you and them “Is there a problem?”

Zhongli had taken up your view when Lan began her take, she had borne witness for much longer than he had of course and he was certain that you were in no state to talk to the guards. Your eyes were glazed with hatred, pupils pinpricks in a sea of (E/C) and your hands were shaking, balled into fists.

If anything, he needed to try and calm you down first.

“Get the hell out of my way, Zhongli” Your teeth ground together, words shaking with anger “Don’t push yourself into my business”

“I’m sorry, my love, but I can’t do that” He tried brushing your cheek but you jerked away, glaring at his hand before glaring back at him, in no mood to be coddled “I don’t want you to do something you’d regret”

“Trust me, I won’t regret this one bit”

Zhongli held his tongue for the question that almost rolled out, knowing now wasn’t the time for inquiries when the stranger’s voice rang out, condescending and snarky as they addressed you.

“Still need people to protect you, aye (Name)? Of course, you’re still the same pathetic bitch from years ago”

You were lucky for your reputation around Liyue, for the picture of the kind and caring adventurer that had swept through the town from your years of living here because had it not been for that, you pushing aside your boyfriend and materialising your weapon to aim it at your sibling’s throat would have had you in cuffs that instant.

Lan grabbed you, tugging you away as you screamed “I’ll show you pathetic you fucker! Let me go!”

The Millelith didn’t wait to drag your sibling away, much to their cries of dismay, one sending Lan a nod while you continued to fight against her, crying out in frustration.

“Kid, you have to calm down-”

“Calm down!? No! Get the hell off me!”

Zhongli watched as you finally broke away, huffing and puffing up a storm before glancing amongst the crowd, staring at their worried and concerned faces, your own eyes tearing up before you looked away pushing past the crowd to find somewhere to be alone.

When Lan went to call out for you, Zhongli raised his hand, the two sharing a look before the archon made his way after you, his longer legs keeping a steady pace to which he could catch up to you, just beyond the bridge that led into Liyue Harbour. There were no people where you stood, just the lush green plants and great mountains of nature, a perfect place for you to let out your frustration without the prying eyes of the citizens.

“(Name)-”

“Leave me alone!” You cried, curling into yourself with your back turned to him “I don’t want you here, Zhongli! Nor did I want you back there! I didn’t need your or anyone else's help!”

You knew he was here from a place of concern, and deep down you begged that your words didn’t harm him in any way, but currently, you didn’t care, you didn’t want to care, you just wanted to be numb, numb to the flashbacks of your horrid past and numb to the feelings that were dragged along with them.

“My love, please, return with me to our home, I will brew some calming tea-”

“Tea? Tea!? Does it look like I want any fucking tea?! I couldn’t care any less about some fucking tea, Zhongli!” Spinning around on your heels, you scowled at him, not bothering to hide your rushing tears “Don’t you get it!? I want to be left alone, I-”

Two gloved hands gently encased your face, your angered expression morphing into one of shock as your partner stared down at you with glowing eyes filled with a deep-rooted love, affection, worry and so much more that you couldn’t put into mere mortal words. At that moment, everything felt as if it had melted away, only you and him were in this world, nothing else, just the two of you.

And you felt as though your heart had been lifted from the pressures of this life.

“I do not think it is best for you to be left alone” His baritone voice was always so calming, so serene and in your sane moment, you finally felt its effects “I wish to stay with you, so please, let me stay”

With a whimper, you grabbed onto his forearms and leaned your face into his hands, tears continuing to fall as your eyes fluttered shut “Okay…”

“They have hurt you deeply, haven’t they?”

Hesitantly, you nodded.

“Would you be so kind as to tell me the details?”

“I-...” Sharing eye contact once again, you whispered “Can- can you just...hold me for now? Please”

Moving his hands from your face, he engulfed you in his arms, leaning his head against yours “Of course”

Childe

The Harbinger had just left the Northland Bank, hell, he was just about to make his way down the spiral staircase but when hearing the commotion, he paused, something in his gut telling him to check just before and he was glad he did.

Glancing over the elevated walkway, he felt a fiery pit roar in the depths of his stomach, eyes narrowing dangerously at the scene; you were snarling in some other person’s face, their own face nothing short of disgust and a crowd that only seemed to grow by the minute.

Who the hell did this person think they were? Did they even know who you were? To stand so close to you, with a look of threat on their face like you weren’t about to kick their arse? Like he wasn’t about to kick their arse? How did this insignificant speck of dross not know your connections with him, the 11th Harbinger? Or did he know and was just trying his luck?

“Seems like someone has a death wish” And a death wish they had indeed.

Ignoring the perplexed glance from his subordinate stationed outside the building's entrance, Childe made his way down the steps, murderous look stitched on the whole way to the circle of civilians, the mass parting ways for the man that was Tartaglia and continuing to watch the moment in silence.

“Who the hell are you-” You both turned towards him, you in shock while the stranger stared in confusion until Childe’s hand wrapped around their collar, tugging them closer to look down at them with a deep-rooted disgust “-And why the hell are you harassing my partner?”

They fought against him, obviously, they did, but the surprise came when you saddled up next to him, grabbing his arm “Stay out of this, Tartaglia”

What? It hadn't been your request, no, you were always one to finish your whole fights you weren't "A damsel in distress after all!" no, you were so much more, so much greater but that look on your face, murderous and downright cruel- he just couldn't believe his ears.

Childe stared at you in shock while the stranger struggled, throwing him a dirty look in their attempts “Yeah, this is between my sibling and I”

Childe straightened in surprise, feeling embarrassment flood his system. Had he seriously just grabbed and threatened his lover’s family member? Oh, Archons, his judgement had been clouded by anger at the look of the scene, I mean, why would your sibling look at you that way-

“But it’s really no surprise that you still need to be babied, (Name), how shameful”

His eyes widened but not a moment later had you tackled your sibling, the crowd crying out in alarm as you threw back your fist and crushed their nose under the weight of your punch. “I’ll show you fucking shameful, bastard!”

There was shouting and a glance showed the oncoming Millelith marching towards the circle.

Being Fatui always did garner the attention of the guards nowadays, especially for him, who had tried to lure out the attention of their Archon by summoning an ancient god that nearly drowned the entirety of the harbour, so it was no surprise that they seemed to hurry in the pursuit when they noticed his appearance at the scene. However, lucky for him, your reputation as a great adventurer preceded you and throughout Liyue you were seen as a trusted and well-liked individual, meaning whatever trouble you got in, containing his meddling or not, was usually waved away due to the trust of the people.

So, without another thought, Childe tugged you off of your bloodied sibling and held you close, even as you thrashed violently, shouting at him to let you go.

“What is going on here?” A guard called, slamming the hilt of his polearm into the ground as he surveyed the area, eyes landing on the sibling before following the small trail of blood to you, still fighting against your boyfriend with threats falling from your lips “Was there a reason for this brawl? Who started it?”

As your sibling raised themselves on their forearms, they scowled and opened their mouth to respond, only for Childe to put in. “It was them, sir, they were the one that started it, (Name) was merely acting in self-defence”

The Millelith scowled at him, raising a brow and once again looking you over “Is that so?”

He addressed the crowd soon after “Is this what happened?”

And as expected, they all glanced over the sibling, then to you and piped up in agreement. It paid to be a hero, it seemed, the whole harbour returning the favour of years of helping out the community.

“If that’s the case, please come with us” The sibling cried out, anger and fear laced into their voice, trying to argue for their innocence only for the guards to grab them, hauling them away to archons know where while Childe did the same with you, slowly dragging you away from the scene and back into the bank, you screaming and cursing the whole way until you had made it to his office, finally managing to push him off and storming to the opposite side of the room practically seething.

“Who the hell do you think you are, Tartaglia!?” You cried, throwing out your arms in exaggeration “I didn’t need your fucking help! And why the fuck would you pull me off them!? I had them right where I wanted them and you fucking did that! Are you a moron!?”

“You had a sibling” He breathed, watching as you began to pace, muttering in an angered state “And you didn’t tell me”

“-after all these years I finally had the chance to end their pathetic excuse of a life and you just got in my fucking way! I’d waited too long for this moment and you fucking ruined it! How dare you, how fucking dare you-”

“(Name), why didn’t you tell me you had a sibling!?” He cried, walking up to you and grabbing your wrist to stop you “I was ready to kill them right there! And why are you talking about them like this!? They’re your family aren’t they-”

“They are not my fucking family!”

The scream echoed through the room, chilling Childe to the core as you ripped your arm from his grasp, running your hands through your hair before gripping it so tightly it felt close to being ripped from your head. But you didn’t care, no, you couldn’t, you were so angry and you needed something to keep you grounded, to keep yourself from losing yourself and getting lost in those haunting past memories.

The Harbinger felt his chest squeeze painfully as the tears fell down your face, red rimming your eyes and cheeks wet as you sobbed, chest heaving from trying to breathe “Family takes care of you! Family thinks of you in the highest light possible! They love you for who you are and they love you no matter what! That bastard hurt me, made me feel worthless and they refuse to believe they could do no wrong and I hate them! They are the bane of my existence! They are not my fucking family! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them, I-”

Arms were around you instantly, Childe’s face pressed into your hair as you wept, grasping onto the lapels of his suit and shoving your face into his chest to muffle your cries.

“I’m sorry” He whispered, his own eyes shining slightly “I’m sorry, I was being insensitive. Please, don’t cry”

“No, I’m not crying, I promised myself I wouldn’t-” You hiccuped “I wouldn’t waste any more tears on them-”

Then you broke off into more wails, your boyfriend holding you close and letting you continue to cry in his arms, warm and comforting until you were finally reduced to whimpers, leaning into him heavily as the remaining adrenaline in your body began to wear thin when he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Will...will you tell me about it?”

You sniffed “Later...just hold me for now, please, Ajax...”

His arms tightened protectively “Anything for you, my love”

[aminiatureworld]

Injury II

Characters: Kaeya, Ningguang, Xiao, Zhongli, gn!reader

Word Count: 5,650

Warnings: Various injuries, blood, burns, minor villain death

Premise: Sometimes the pain of others can hurt even more than one’s own. In which the reader is injured.

Author’s Note: Okay so after the mind numbing fear of my computer almost dying and now maybe emitting a weird smell I’m five seconds away from pure panic. But the show much go on! Even if my word document keeps blacking out.

This is my first time writing for Ningguang! I hope I do my girl justice, she’s voiced by my fav VA, she’s a total powerhouse, I love her so much. 

I tried to make all of the injuries personal to each character in some way. Funny enough Zhongli’s was the hardest to figure out. I eventually settled upon the act of you being injured causing Zhongli’s personal angst, rather than the cause of the injury. I hope it came out well!

Kaeya

Kaeya didn’t often let himself fall into fear. Not since he’d been young did he feel that he could indulge in such a sentiment. True to his vision he’d frozen that part of himself, and now when panic seized him he could feel nothing but stone cold determination, and the need to continue forward without hesitation. Fear was hardly alien to him, he could conjure up the emotion all too well, but it had been dulled and replaced by cynicism and coldness. And occasionally guilt.

Looking back on it Kaeya wasn’t even sure why the two of you had strayed so close to Dragonspine, so close snowflakes were congregating in your hair.

You’d called him a winter fairy in jest at the time, wondering if he wasn’t truly the ruler of that mountain of frost. He’d laughed then, before threatening to take you away to his fairy court. “That would be quite an easy task.” You’d replied. “You’ve already captured my heart after all.”

The two of you were strolling on the rocks that lined the river which separated Dragonspine from the greater Monstadt area. Although adventurers usually roamed the area in the daytime it was now evening, and the lack of people certainly made up for the cold in Kaeya’s mind. He could only be his true self around you after all. Otherwise it was the charming and slick Cavalry Captain, a man who always knew what to say and never harbored any doubts in his mind. Not that he wasn’t still charming around you, he loved seeing you blush from his effusive praise, loved the way you buried your head in his shoulder if the flirting and the teasing ramped up enough. But there was a sincerity to his words that one couldn’t find normally in Kaeya, and he loved to show you bits and pieces of his soul, relieved to finally have someone to talk to.

“Watch your step.” You warned, grabbing onto Kaeya’s hand as he slid a little ways along a rock.

“Thank you darling, although I daresay I’m more worried about you. After all who’s the snow fairy here and who’s the wind sprite, liable to blow away at any moment?”

“So cheesy.” You mumbled, shaking your head, though Kaeya could’ve sworn your cheeks were slightly redder than they were a few moments ago. Laughing he wrapped his arm around your waist. You snuggled into his fur lined coat. “Cold.” You murmured, though you made no move to disconnect yourself. Kaeya smiled and brought his other hand around you in a soft embrace.

“Sorry my dearest, but you’re in love with an icicle.”

“Only terms of magic.” You shot back. “Otherwise you’re a nice warm fire. And don’t you forget that.”

The two of you headed a little ways down, closer to the river. A small group of frost flowers had made it to this side of the banks, and you were adamant on picking some. “They’re so beautiful!” You explained to Kaeya. “And incredibly strong, I can’t believe they managed to grow in that permafrost. They’re simply lovely.”

“Just be careful.” Kaeya commented, standing a little ways back. He didn’t like getting near the river, a river so cold it was always at nearly freezing at the bottom. Cold water and a vision of Cryo didn’t mix well.

“I’ll be fine.” You hopped to your feet, a bouquet of pale blue in your hand. You were smiling from your victory, face full of light and happiness.

It was an expression that changed swiftly as you lost your balance and plummeted into the freezing waters.

Immediately Kaeya leapt down from the rocks he was standing on, kneeling near where you were standing a moment ago. The river wasn’t very fast, bogged down by its width and how far it was away from the waterfalls in the warmer parts of Monstadt. Still it cut off very quickly, having barely the semblance of a beach before opening into a deep chasm, and anyone who fell in it would quickly fall into cold shock. Already your limbs had started seizing, and you were hyperventilating hard. Your arms felt like dead weight, and every second that passed your head dipped lower into the freezing water.

Kaeya gingerly put his hand out to make a platform of ice for him to stand on. Whatever happened he couldn’t fall in as well, it would mean the death of you two. Fear had reared its ugly head again and Kaeya twisted those feelings into action. No matter what he had to act fast and sure. Hesitation was fatal.

Plunging his hand into the water, sucking in a deep breath as the ice that still coated his palms and fingers made contact with the freezing river Kaeya hauled you up onto the icy platform. Taking off his coat he wrapped you up. Removing your gloves so the frozen water wouldn’t be in contact with your already freezing skin Kaeya cursed as he ran towards Springvale, the nearest place he could think of. He’d lugged you onto his back, and could feel the freezing water through his shirt. As he ran he kept up a stream of slightly shaky conversation, rattling off what little he knew of hypothermia.

“It’ll be alright darling, I promise it’ll be alright. You’re just going through shock right now, okay? You’ll be alright, I promise. Just stay awake a little while longer. I know you must be tired from all that excitement, but just stay awake a little longer, just a little longer and then you’ll be nice and warm, just stay awake right now okay?” His voice became more and more desperate as his fear started to tumble out of his grasp, but he kept moving. He wouldn’t lose control of himself now, not until you were safe.

Finally he arrived at Springvale and you’d been rushed to the village doctor. Kaeya was told to go and wait somewhere else, and preferably change out of his freezing cold shirt, but you’d grabbed his hand as he turned to leave and after that he refused to budge, instead borrowing a shirt from the village. He’d reimburse the people who let you two borrow their clothes later.

The entire process was a terrifying one, as you were slowly brought back to warmth. Kaeya took the opportunity to learn as much as he could, noting that you shouldn’t massage limbs back to warmth for fear of heart attack and – much to his chagrin he later joked when the situation was far enough in the past – alcohol was too much of a depressant on your system and could lead to death. All throughout he kept talking to you, even though there were times you didn’t seem to hear, times when he thought his heart would split in two.

Still it was evident you were going to survive and when you’d finally finished being warmed up Kaeya thought he could cry in relief, if only he’d been numbed from such an act for so many years. You’d run into some sort of rock in the water, and the long gash down the side of your leg was later determined by the doctor to reveal torn muscle. It’d take about a month and a half for you to recover. Kaeya thought he should’ve felt worse about it, but in the moment he felt nothing but relief, utter relief in the knowledge you were going to be fine. Utter relief that came with having almost lost you.

Kaeya had carried you back to Monstadt, much to your consternation. All the ways back you mumbled about how his penchant for drama seemed to have increased tenfold. Kaeya simply shook his head, not bothering to ask how you would’ve gotten back otherwise with your leg in the shape it was. Still it was a relief to both of you to see the city walls. Even more of a relief when you finally arrived home, safe and sound.

“I’m so glad you were there.” You confessed as Kaeya sat you down on the couch, propping up your leg and pulling a chair up next to you. “I don’t know what I would’ve done had I fallen and you weren’t there.”

“You probably wouldn’t have been there in the first place.” Kaeya remarked, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. You brought your hand up to his cheek and he leaned into it slightly, grateful for the contact between you two. It’d been hours but the panic that he’d felt still tugged at his consciousness, as if any moment you might slip away again and leave him panicked and alone.

“Were you afraid?” You asked.

“Of course I was afraid.” Kaeya’s reply came swift and sure. “I was terrified, terrified in a way that I haven’t been in years.” Kaeya’s eyes clouded over, as if reaching deep into his memories. He brought your hand up to his lips, kissing your knuckles and then your palm. “I thought that you might die, and in that moment I was ready to curse the world all over again.”

“But I didn’t die.” You said solemnly.

“No, you didn’t.”

“And that’s because of you. Because you reacted quickly, because you had the magic with which to do so, and most of all because you never hesitated. And because of that I’m alive and well now. Injuries aside I’ll be fine. I promise.”

Kaeya knew you were right. You were alive. You weren’t going to go where he couldn’t follow. The fear coiling in his stomach began to subside. He’d been so afraid, yes, and in that fear he’d managed to find the strength and determination to save you. But now you were safe and he no longer needed to rely on that strength; he could give into his relief. Realizing this, realizing how frightened he’d been and how that was now part of a past he could move forward from, could truly forget, Kaeya could only marvel at his relief. Only then did the tears begin to fall.

 Ningguang

If there was one thing Ningguang wasn’t expecting out of today it was your leg collapsing and her winding up in the waiting room of the Liyue hospital, mind replaying the last week or so, wondering where she might’ve realized something was wrong.

It seemed like the kind of thing Keqing would make a joke about. Here Ningguang was, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, the most powerful woman in the trade capital of Liyue; here she was, her world completely gone awry, completely shattered by your injury.

A stress fracture, the doctor had said. It was the kind of injury that developed slowly and came about after weeks instead of in moments. The initial strain was usually something mundane, a sprain, a bruise, maybe you’d walked on your foot for too long. But after sometimes weeks of ignoring pain and swelling your body couldn’t take it any longer. Ten weeks, that’s how long you would be laid up. And Ningguang couldn’t help but feel every one of those ten weeks was her fault.

She should’ve noticed it. That train of thought continued all throughout the process of you being treated at, and eventually discharged from, the hospital. You weren’t just one of the people she worked with daily, weren’t just her closest colleague. You were the person that Ningguang loved more than anything in this world. How could she possibly not have noticed the signs?

Ningguang found herself obsessively trying to connect the warning signs that must’ve been there. She knew that your foot had been aching for some time, but though she’d been vaguely concerned she’d said nothing other than a simple “be careful”. She’d never thought to check after you later, sure that it was nothing. Now she felt nothing but shame, both that of a personal and of a greater kind. How could she manage looking after all of Liyue if she couldn’t even look after you?

You noticed Ningguang’s silence as you two made your way out of the hospital and towards the apartment you shared. Although Ningguang was perhaps seen as a reticent individual you’d found her surprisingly open, always ready to discuss things that were of interest either to you or to her. She wasn’t the kind of person to walk along in silence; not when she was around those that she cared for, not unless she was thinking about something important, not unless…

Finally you two arrived home. You collapsed on the couch, tired and ready to either read or nap. Ningguang was preparing some tea and a various array of fruit, not that there was much food in the lavish apartment you two shared. Considering the workload between the both of you it was perhaps unsurprising that there was nothing much to eat. That would have to change, Ningguang noted; she’d make sure that you were recovering in the most comfortable way possible. It was the least she could do.

“Are you feeling well?” Ningguang asked, placing the food and tea on the table in your room. You nodded.

“I feel fine, although I’m not looking forward to the walk to the Qixing headquarters. I have to admit dear this might be the only time I’m a bit glad that I don’t have to make my way to the Jade Chamber every day.” Ningguang smiled at that, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She sat silently, sipping her tea slowly. Your expression clouded over. “Hey, can you tell me what’s wrong?”

“Oh it’s nothing my love.” Ningguang spoke up quickly, leaning over and kissing you on the cheek. “I’m just sorry to see you like this.”

“Well you can’t blame yourself. You know that, right?”

Ningguang found she couldn’t bring herself to lie to you. Your gaze, though soft, seemed to pierce right through all her excuses and all her bluffing. She sighed softly. Maybe it would be better to be upfront about it, clear and concise, how one should always be. At least then she could apologize properly.

“In truth I do blame myself. I can’t believe I was so neglectful of your health, so blind to your pain.” She shook her head, staring at the hand that was holding yours. A disconnected part of her thought of how well the two fit together, fingers intertwined softly, your palm warm and comforting.

“If you were blind to this then so was I.” You spoke softly but firmly, refusing to sugar coat your words. Ningguang admired you for it, even if she didn’t believe you, something painfully clear in the expression on her face. “You cannot blame yourself.” You continued, “I won’t let you. I don’t want you beating yourself up for something that neither of us predicted. If you feel the need to blame yourself for this you must also blame me; I was the one walking on the injury without paying enough attention.”

“But – ” Ningguang paused, realizing the truth behind your words, slouching slightly she sat in deep thought. “I… I realize there’s not a lot of logic behind my thinking.”

“Well feelings are hardly logical.” You pointed out, squeezing her hand. “And because they’re illogical they don’t go away quickly. But I at least want you to try and combat your guilt with what I’ve told you. Because just like you hate seeing me in this cast I hate seeing you in pain.”

Ningguang nodded, heart filled with a deep sense of love and tenderness. Leaning over to give you a kiss she smiled softly. You did too. For a moment you two basked in each other’s presence and happiness, before you smile turned mischievous.

“Although… I won’t object to a little pampering.” Ningguang chuckled, shaking her head. But her smile was real this time, and you wouldn’t ask for anything more.

“You’re lucky I love you so much.”

“I know I am.” You replied. “And you’re lucky I adore you.”

“I am.” Ningguang’s reply was just as sure, was full of quiet but strong emotion. She was lucky. And she would never take you or your love for granted. No matter what.

 Xiao

By the time he’d met you Xiao had long come to the conclusion that he’d never find it in him to like humans.

Humans were dirty, they were untrustworthy and full of darkness, they broke things without thinking about it, mangled their own people, their own families and friends and countrymen. Humans slaughtered one another without thinking of how it might stain them, and when they weren’t killing they were stealing and lying and ruining the land around them. How could he, a being designed solely to destroy the darkness in the world, ever find in himself the will or the ability to look past all that?

When he’d met you and had fallen in love in earnest this view had still changed ultimately very little. But even if you’d admitted that what he said was mostly true, you’d found that you still wanted him to learn to care at least a little bit about humanity. I mean you were ultimately one of them at your core. It didn’t feel right to prop yourself up as the one great exception, not when there were other people who were certainly like you in mind and in morality. Xiao silently disagreed with this analysis; to him there never was and never would be someone like you, in all of Teyvat. Still, he felt compelled to try, though  more for your sake than for his, and as the weeks had gone on he’d begun to look at humanity not with any sort of respect or hope but with a sort of begrudging curiosity, and an admittance that maybe, just maybe, there was a bit of that light you saw in it.

What a fool he’d been.

Although Xiao was aware of the growing threat of treasure hoarders across Liyue – so widespread that they’d even managed to eat away at the tranquil lands surrounding Jueyen Karst – he’d never considered them a serious threat. So when the two of you accidentally ran into a group of them while exploring some of the older Liyue ruins Xiao didn’t bother to do much more than wrap an arm around your waist, sure that even the most idiotic of treasure hoarders wouldn’t be so foolish as to pick a fight with either an adeptus or their beloved. You seemed unfazed at any rate, explaining that the two of you were simply passing by and had no desire to pick a fight; if they’d be so kind the two of you would be on your way.

Perhaps the treasure hoarders were well aware of the fact that you could report them to the Liyue Qixing. Perhaps they were simply in a bad mood. Either way your words apparently did nothing. Xiao was becoming tenser and tenser, feeling as if something catastrophic was about to happen. That moment came to pass when one of the treasure hoarders pulled out a knife and threw it, lodging itself with deadly accuracy into your torso.

At that point Xiao felt himself overcome with a supernatural sort of calm, a calm which raced to cover up the anguish and rage that was coursing through him, threatening to burn him from the inside out. He only paused to make sure you didn’t hit the ground hard, before summoning his spear. Ignoring the cries of the treasure hoarders he made quick work of disposing of them, for what was a measly human, a piece of trash, when compared to that which had slayed countless demons? A small part of him cried out against the act, pointing out the fact that every time he wielded his polearm to kill it might bring him closer to the precipice, the fact that you were hurt mattered more than revenge, the fact that he was going to regret killing in front of you. He ignored it. At that moment there was nothing in his mind, it was as empty and staid as a clear pool of water. The only ripple in it was the way you’d jolted back in surprised, and the way you’d let out a cry before crumpling.

Xiao didn’t look back to see the havoc he’d wreaked. Instead he ran to your side. Peeling off his gloves, worried that they might bring infection, he pressed his bare hands to your wound, desperately trying to staunch the blood that was spilling out, ignoring the shocks that jolted through his hands, the result of the dagger somehow being infused with electro. The feeling of blood, your blood, beneath his fingers was nauseating, and for a moment Xiao felt his head filling with static as the pure panic that he’d felt began to overcome the initial rush of adrenaline. Snapping out of it when you let out a groan of pain Xiao looked into your eyes. They were clouded, and for a moment the adeptus was afraid you might be on the verge of passing out – had you really lost so much blood? Holding you tightly, one hand never leaving your wound, Xiao summoned a burst of air. His thoughts were still too chaotic to be processed, there was only one thing connecting them all. Let them live. If there’s any justice in this world, please let them live.

Verr Goldet had grasped the situation as soon as she saw Xiao appear on the balcony, face contorted in fear. Taking you to her room, she’d instructed Xiao to get one of the doctors from Liyue while she and the resident apothecary took care of you. Xiao did the task without thinking, and once he’d arrived with the doctor he refused to leave your side. Xiao knew death better than most adepti, certainly more than most humans. It was cold and unfeeling, and had a nasty habit of leaping onto people when they least expected it. It didn’t matter to him that all three, Goldet, the apothecary, and the doctor, said that you would be fine; Xiao was going to be there the entire time.

Eventually you managed to rouse yourself from the pain induced stupor, and when you did you saw Xiao first, eyes wide with fear and relief, tears threatening to spill down his face.

In the end you’d been lucky. Although the dagger had ruptured your spleen Xiao had acted quickly enough to avert catastrophe. You were going to survive, though it’d be 12 weeks most likely until you were completely recovered. The moment of crisis having passed the two of you were finally given a moment alone.

“Are you alright?” Xiao immediately asked. You didn’t make a move to answer, instead cupping Xiao’s cheek before moving to take his hand. At that moment how Xiao remembered. Oh; the blood. Quickly moving away he ran to the nearest basin of water, scrubbing furiously. As the water turned red a faint smell of iron filled the air; it was the most disgusting thing Xiao had ever smelt, and he scrubbed even harder. You waited silently as he finished cleaning his hands and disposing of the water. Finally he came back to sit next to you, still hesitating a moment before placing his palm in yours.

“I… I don’t understand how you could ever like humans.” That was the first thing Xiao could think of. “They betrayed you. Without even blinking. That man, all those men and women, they would’ve ended your life without even thinking about it. They would’ve killed you and lived without ever having such a thing weigh on their conscience. Humans never think about the weight of their sins. They just keep committing atrocities.”

“And what about you, Xiao. Will their deaths weigh on you?”

“As much as all the others.” Xiao wished he could be matter of fact about it, but he found that trait of his had somehow disappeared. Instead an emotion washed over him, so unfamiliar and unexplainable it seemed to choke him. “Perhaps more.” He managed to get out, before beginning to cry in earnest.

You would’ve died. If he hadn’t been there you would’ve died. For you he gladly shouldered the weight of human life, would do so again and again if only to ensure your safety. And yet it was such a heavy weight, and no matter how many Xiao killed it wouldn’t heal you.

“I’m sorry.” He choked out. You shook your head.

“Xiao I always knew that you weren’t going to be able to see humans as I see them immediately. And I know that you have a relationship with death and killing that most humans, most beings, will never have. I’m not going to blame you, nor will I turn on you. I cannot pretend that what happened didn’t make me angry. In retrospect it made me incredibly angry. It’s also true that – had you not been there – I would’ve raised my own weapon in self-defense. But now I’m going to ask you for one thing, and one thing only.”

“What?”

“Help me recover. Help me recover and let me help you recover. If there’s one thing I don’t want to happen now it’s for you to turn away from me and from everyone else, to let yourself be consumed. I want you to have somewhere you can let your feelings exist, and I want somewhere I can feel happy and comfortable as myself. You make me feel that way, so even if it’s selfish I don’t want you to turn away. And I don’t want you to grieve for me. Injured as I may be I’m not dead.” There was a pause as you let yourself catch your breath, having gotten more and more excited as you went on. “I realize that’s more than one thing.” You concluded, a bit sheepish.

Xiao said nothing for a while before leaning towards you. “May I?” He whispered. You nodded and Xiao pressed his lips to yours. The kiss wasn’t one of fire or passion. It was different, defined within the parameters of fear and relief, there seemed to be a sort of desperation in it, yet it was surprisingly sedate. Pulling away Xiao buried his face in your neck, careful to make sure he wasn’t touching where you’d been stabbed.

“I will. I promise.” He whispered. You nodded, smiling softly. But Xiao couldn’t bring himself to smile, not just yet.

Xiao couldn’t understand humans. They were dirty and cruel and lived without fear of consequences. Their actions haunted him and he found them easier to hate than to understand. But for you he’d try, because to him there was one thing strong than all, strong than fear, stronger than mistrust, stronger than hatred.

And that was the love he held for you.

 Zhongli

If there was one thing Zhongli hadn’t been prepared for when it came to falling in love with humans it was their combination of fragility and utter ignorance to said fragility.

One of Zhongli’s favorite things to do was to simply sit and listen to you talk about your life. Humans fascinated Zhongli, it was one of the reasons he’d ultimately given up his place as Rex Lapis; inside him lived a desire to interact with humanity in a more intimate way, to know what made people behave as they did and to perhaps grow closer to them in the process.

But despite all that he still wasn’t ready for the utter fear he felt when listening to the stories of you getting hurt. You’d laughed off scrapes and bruises and fractures. The time you’d accidentally ripped off your nail was a painful yet funny anecdote, and the fact that you’d fractured your kneecap as a child was something you now looked back on with an odd sense of nostalgia.

Zhongli didn’t understand why these stories frightened him on such a visceral level. Such injuries were nothing to gods and adepti. Although the idea of a broken bone was certainly an irritation there was nothing more in it, and the kind of injuries that could easily kill humans would to Zhongli be the kind of thing that would be unpleasant for its novelty, not for its potential fatality.

He didn’t bring up these thoughts to you, feeling as if they’d somehow place an undue burden on you, or perhaps he was afraid you’d stop telling him about yourself. Still it lurked at the back of his mind, the fear of what might happen to you.

The fears that Zhongli harbored were proven in the most mundane, and thus most poignant, way. The two of you had been preparing a meal when suddenly you’d stumbled on an uneven part of the floor. Reaching your hands out to steady yourself your arm had landed flat on the hot stove, the stove which had been heating up for the past fifteen or so minutes. The scream that you let out sent a shock through Zhongli which shook him to his core. It rang through his ears incessantly, a terrifying reminder of how breakable humans were.

You’d immediately yanked your arm off from the stove but the sight that met both his and your eyes was a ghastly one. The skin on your arm was charred various colors, white blisters mixed with black flaky skin, all outlined in a terrible circle of red. You were shaking, and you face had turned a frightful ashen color. Springing into action Zhongli wracked his brain for all he could remember about burns. If the burn is serious enough go to the hospital. Never try to treat intense burns yourself as the burning has gone deeper than the initial layer of skin, raise your burn above your heart. Go to the hospital. Slinging your arm around his shoulder so that it was raised, whisper soft words of reassurance as you let out a shriek of pain, Zhongli half walked half carried you to the hospital, all while the same thought was running through his head.

How fragile humans are.

The doctors had insisted you stay overnight. Apparently the burn was bad enough to require surgery. Zhongli’s stomach had dropped as he was told that, but he managed to nod in response. Walking back home Zhongli felt all in a daze. He barely made it in the door before he collapsed, fear having seeped the energy out of him. The world pressed down on him, heavier than it’d ever been before. At least you’d be okay, he reminded himself. If he had anything to cling to at least he had that.

Zhongli was the first visitor to arrive at the hospital, having given Hu Tao the run of the funeral home as he spent as much time as possible with you. You were well enough, although a bit bogged down from the painkillers you’d been given. You’d once offhandedly commented that although magic infused medicine tended to be safer for the patient – more successful and less addictive – it was also more powerful; now Zhongli could see you weren’t kidding.

Your burn was wrapped up carefully, the doctors had managed to take the charred skin of, you’d explain, but now the burn had to be treated with the utmost care until the surgery later in the afternoon, infection was no joke.

“Well this’ll certainly be an interesting anecdote.” You let out half a laugh. “Not that I’m happy this happened, but at least this will shut up the next person who complains about how cardio was the most painful thing they’ve experienced.”

“I don’t know how you can be so cavalier about it.” Zhongli replied, tone soft and introspective. “It seems to terrifying to me, how easily humans are hurt.”

“Hey, I’ll be fine.” You assured him, voice soft but firm. “I understand how to adepti and archons and gods this might be terrifying. I’d be the first to admit we can’t really keep up with you in terms of pure healing and resistance to injury. But we’ve continued on this far haven’t we?” You smiled softly. “I promise I’m not about to die from something like a kitchen accident.”

“But what if next time it’s not your arm?” Zhongli replied. “What if it’s your neck or your chest? What if you cut yourself too deeply, what if your cut becomes infected. There are so many things I haven’t thought about until now, so many things that could hurt you. It frightens me terribly.”

“I’m very grateful that you’re worrying for me like this. But Zhongli?” You waited for his eyes to meet yours, smiling once more when he faced you. “You cannot be consumed by your anxiety. Believe me humans worry about these kinds of things. What if I tripped and fell and broke my neck, what if I scratched myself and developed and infection, what if I choked on an apple? These fears live with us, sometimes constantly, but we cannot let them consume us. As much as I’m flattered and glad you care for my wellbeing so much, I also don’t want you consumed by it, nor do I want to be treated like glass.”

“I cannot understand how you’re so resilient.” Zhongli replied after a short pause. You shrugged.

“We are because we must be.”

Zhongli knew in his heart that these fears he harbored weren’t going to go away. He knew that they were going to become more and more apparent through the month of your initial recovery, and through the longer period too as scar tissue formed and subsided.

Humans were indeed fragile. But if there was one thing stronger than said fragility it was their even greater determination to supersede it. Humans may be fragile in body, but they were stronger in spirit even than the gods.

That was something Zhongli wasn’t going to forget. Not for a very long time.

[definitelynotafurinasimp]

Hello! I'd like to request Eula, Hu Tao, and Rosaria's s/o getting super shy/flustered about asking to hold their hand

Even tho its super cheesey i have an absolute soft spot for the trope or whatever you call that tbh

I can't believe this is what I'm using my education for...

Eula and Hu Tao with a reader that get's shy when asking to hold their hand

Characters: Hu Tao / Eula x gn!reader (separate)

warnings: none

a/n: I have to admit that I have absolutely no idea how to write for Rosaria. I came up with something, but it would have literally been something like 2 sentences. So I'm really sorry.

I'm just happy that I got to write for my two favourite's again. it's been so long

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Hu Tao 

Hu Tao never had, isn’t currently in the possession of, and never will grow a sense of shame, so while that meant that getting her to be embarrassed by something she did was almost an impossibility, it didn’t need a genius detective to notice that the people she surrounded herself with, with the exception of Zhongli and Xingqiu, although she was sure she’d get to him someday, didn’t exactly fit the same criteria.

So while her heart did skip a beat whenever you asked her anything that made your face turn red, she couldn’t help but use the chance to get a bit of fun out of your nervousness.

You should have known that no good was going to come out of agreeing to Hu Tao’s request to go somewhere together, but your stupid brain couldn’t help but accept when she asked, too excited when she took the word “date” in her mouth.

Unluckily for you however, the funeral parlor’s director’s definition of a date was taking a trip to wuwang hill and hunting for any lost souls.

“I… don’t know if it's such a good idea to go there. It seems pretty dark”, you voiced your concerns upon seeing where she was going to take you, only for Hu Tao to turn around quickly enough for you to nearly get a heart attack when you were suddenly greeted with her face mere inches away from yours, and summoning her weapon before triumphantly showing it off.

“If it’s too dark for you, I can light my weapon. We might start a small wildfire, but it’s not like the ghosts will care too much”, she suggested with her typical smile, making sure to pronounce the word “ghosts” in as unsettling of a voice she could muster.

It didn’t do much, but coupled with the already sinistre energy the hills gave off and the small, transparent children you could swear you saw running around from the corner of your eyes, only for them to vanish once you took a closer look, made the king of all shivers run down your spine.

“...or”, she began talking once again, causing you to look up at her, anticipating her next words, “you could hold my hand if you’re scared.”

It didn’t take you long to shake your head and stutter out a responce as your face turned hot, only for Hu Tao to laugh and turn back around, ready to lead you farther into the forest. Or at least she would have, if the sound of something stepping on a branch behind a nearby bush hadn’t caused you to nearly fall over dead. And while she wouldn’t complain about receiving a new customer, business could wait for a little longer.

“Y- you know what? I- is the offer still available?”, you asked slowly, the shame and nervousness openly displayed in your voice, as you looked to the ground, too scared of what you might see if you looked up at her..

“Sure, if you buy a casket from me? They’re surprisingly affordable… most of them at least”, Hu Tao joked, only to shut up for a second when she realized you were too occupied with fearing for your life to notice her genius joke.

In one quick motion, she grabbed your hand before moving to your side so the two of you stood shoulder to shoulder, before suddenly intertwining her fingers with yours.

“But since it’s you this should suffice.”

And while you spent the rest of the trip too embarrassed and deafened by the internal screaming to feel frightened by the dark hills that made you nervous from just thinking about them not long ago, Hu Tao happily skipped by your side while humming her favorite tunes.

Eula

Eula, being born and raised as an aristocrat, had been taught how to do anything with elegance and dignity, from chuckling, to getting out of what would otherwise become an awkward scene. All of which was to say that something like holding another person’s hand was no problem to her either, having to have done so at many balls and other events in her past. So as long as you remained at least somewhat calm when asking to hold her hand, it should be no problem at all.

…so why was asking this difficult?

With every minute that your date drew nearer to a close, you became less and less talkative, eventually coming to a point where you silently sat and ate your food while remaining completely silent. If it hadn’t been for the hundreds of quick glances you took at her, only to immediately look back down when your eyes crossed, Eula would have simply assumed you were getting tired. It was pretty late after all and as she knew you, you’d probably spent most of last night awake, overthinking what you would do the next day. But now, she couldn’t help but worry about other motives.

Was there something on her face? Eula quickly wiped the corners of her mouth with ner napkin, trying to play it off as casual as possible.

There it was again! You were still glancing at her, somehow seeming even more nervous than before. If it wasn’t any food, what was it? Was there someone behind her you didn’t exactly have fond memories of? Would it be weird to take a look? Or was it her after all that caused you to act this way? Did she say something hurtful before? No wait, did you take her joke too literally? Maybe she should work on her communication skills after all?

“caniholdyourhand?”, the words shot out of your mouth, as you nervously looked around, your cheeks having turned a deep shade of red.

“What?” Eula asked, more in confusion than in anything else. Was this what you were acting all nervous about? A part of her felt relief wash over her, and yet your shyness began rubbing off on her more than she’d like.

“Can I- you know… uhm. Hold your hand?”, you asked once again, a lot slower this time but in turn much more quiet than before.

Before long, Eula reached out her hand for yours before grabbing it. There was no need to act all shy about something like hand holding, afterall, especially for an aristocrat like her. But then again, you had never been too confident about things like this, so she might as well give you a hand and help you out a bit.

Or so she’d like to, if her face wasn’t in the process of matching yours in the color department.

…Why was this so much more difficult with you?

[shivada-jade]

soulmates! (2)

soulmate!au BECAUSE IM WEAK. YOU'RE WEAK TOO.

characters: ganyu, kaeya, thoma ➡ mentions: cloud retainer, ningguang, adelinde, diluc, crepus, rosaria, traveler warning(s): like- just one swear

part one: (bennett, zhongli, diluc)

ganyu: can see footprints where soulmate has recently stepped on. if followed, they will be lead to their soulmate. sort of like "hot and cold" cold if you're far and hot if you're close

she knew she is a very busy person. she surprises herself when she asked ningguang for a day off.

"you want a day off?" she remembers ningguang's composed face deteriorate and herself doing the same thing.

ningguang let her rest for two weeks even if ganyu had only requested one. now she has so much free time.

the first thing she did was sleep, but she couldn't- not when she spots purple footprints.

as part adeptus with one heck of a good eyesight, she always assumes that the footprints on the ground are because of her eyesight, but cloud retainer says otherwise.

"child, you have a soulmate system of which," the old bird starts. "where one has the ability see where one's soulmate has been, and if they've been there recently."

blue footprints that fade away means her soulmate had left a long time ago. red-ish-orange footprints mean that her soulmate is very close by, but it's never been that colour in her eyes.

ganyu strolls along the grassy plains of liyue, admiring all the sweet flowers. she lightly touches her horns, a habit she got from being awoken from naps on a field of sweet flowers.

the footprints were purple, which is the closest to red ganyu had ever gotten. blue is the colour she always sees like her vision, her hair, the waters of liyue, and the glazed lilies.

the purple is also as beautiful.

"fate will bring two together at the right moment. thou need not rush." ganyu can hear cloud retainer say, so she didn't run after the footprints.

the half-adepti thrums her fingers on her leg, unsure what to do with all the free time given to her. she supposes she can head back to liyue and have tea with madame ping.

meeting madame ping confuses ganyu. the elderly woman keeps asking of her soulmate system and if she's met them.

"ganyu, have you met them?"

"ganyu, why not chase after them?"

"ganyu, ganyu ganyu-"

ganyu politely sets her teacup down, "i have yet to find them."

madame ping chuckles in her elderly woman way, like those smug elderly women who know more than others but will act clueless to amuse them.

"you know, i have a special gift, some speculate it as a curse, but i think it's wonderful," she said, pouring more tea for ganyu. "i have the ability to see red strings that connect soulmates. i can connect, i can break connections, but i can't see my own."

ganyu frowns slightly, "have you met yours?"

"no, but it makes me happy seeing the strings connect with people," she blows on her tea to make it cooler and turns her head to avoid looking at ganyu.

"madame ping, why-"

"you," a person behind ganyu seethes.

meekly, ganyu turns around and finds someone glaring at her. "may i help you?"

"ganyu, right? why do you always walk so fucking fast. i can never catch up to you when i see your footprints, and you're always going from place to place. one moment you're in liyue, the next your in somewhere like fontaine or something. it's like you're spiderman."

ganyu's jaw goes slack, "you're my soulmate?" she looks at the ground, seeing red footprints of where her soulmate had just walked. she now understand why madame ping kept asking her about her soulmate, because madame ping knew her soulmate was going to meet her.

ganyu clears her thoat, standing up to offer her soulmate a seat, "would you like to join us for tea?"

her soulmate blinks, and looks at the tea set then back to ganyu, "sorry, i didn't mean to intrude your tea party. i'm [name]."

"hello, i'm madame ping," the woman speaks "and your soulmate is ganyu. have tea."

ganyu stifles a laugh and sits on a chair next to her soulmate. "i apologize for walking too fast."

kaeya: he hears what his soulmate sings

at first kaeya thought he was going crazy when he kept hearing music in his head.

"dad!" he cried, forcingly rubbing away the tears that fell down his cheeks. the kids near the winery had come over and played with him and diluc, and that was when the first notes started. it never bothered him. he brushed it off until it became a full sound of a voice and a song.

not understanding scared kaeya to death. he always knew something, but this is the first where he doesn't know. he felt like he was going insane with this voice in his head, singing in his head; a voice that wasn't his.

"dad!" he called out again more desperately. diluc held him by his side, worried for his brother.

"father!" dliuc called this time, "father, kaeya's feeling sick."

diluc brought in kaeya, rubbing his back in attempt to comfort him. he saw adelinde and waved to her.

adelinde gasped when she spotted the blue-haired boy sobbing. she dropped her feather duster on the shelf she was dusting and dropped herself next to kaeya, inspecting of there were any wounds on his skin.

"kaeya, dear. what's the matter?" she quietly tells diluc to get his father in the wine cellar and gently pushed kaeya to take a seat near the fireplace.

diluc silently obeyed and ran, unlocking the door that led to his father.

kaeya hiccupped, unable to form words.

adelinde hushed him. her motherly fingers soothed his head, "what's wrong? breathe with me, dear. just until your father gets back."

she inhaled and exhaled in a steady manner for kaeya to follow. the boy shakily did the same. he did it a few more times, inhaling and exhaling slowly with adelinde. he calmed down. the crying stopped and his breathing was normal again. adelinde took this as another chance to ask him what's wrong.

"are you ready to tell me?"

kaeya blinked the tears off and gripped his clothes to stop himself from crying again. "it's happening again. i- i don't understand miss adelinde."

adelinde placed a hand over kaeya's for him to know she was listening. "what don't you understand?"

"i keep hearing things. i always hear a voice that isn't mine in my head-" kaeya sputtered.

diluc and crepus open the door from the cellar. crepus' face etched with worry when he spotted kaeya crying to adelinde. diluc had told him as much as he could but all the information he gathered was kaeya started covering his ears and crying.

"-all the voice does is sing and sing. i don't even like some of the songs it sings! i don't- i don't know," kaeya stammered, not noticing the two others that joined. "i don't know what happening to me. i'm scared."

crepus smiled at adelinde and nodded to her, signaling that he can handle it from here. adelinde gave a grateful nod and brushed herself off the floor to continue her duties.

"my boy," crepus smiles, kneeling in front kaeya to see him better. he brushed his face with a thumb and hugged him. crepus chuckled when kaeya hugged him tighter.

"my boy," the man continued with a knowing smile on his face. "that's your soulmate system. you can hear them singing if they sing as they can hear you singing when you sing."

kaeya lets go from crepus' hold and sniffled his tears away, "what? but isn't a soulmate system when things fall on you?"

diluc from the back of the room silently listened in, also confused as kaeya. didn't everyone have the same soulmate system?

crepus pats kaeya's shoulders, "we all have different ways to know who our soulmate is. yours and diluc's soul systems are different from everyone."

"master crepus is right." adelinde piped in while dusting off the dust on the shelves. "my soulmate system is a countdown to when i'll meet them."

kaeya looked at the woman shocked, "so not everyone has things falling on them?"

"correct." crepus raved, "but unlike diluc's soul system, instead of things falling on me, it appears on my hand for my soulmate system."

diluc eyes his brother, picking up a stray book on a chair and handed it to adelinde to help her.

kaeya pulled a cheeky grin and pointed to diluc, "diluc's eavesdropping."

the said boy gasped and turned his body around to make it look like he was doing something busy.

crepus bellows a laugh, "so what song is your soulmate singing?"

...

to be frank, kaeya had no idea what his soulmate sang that day. it was random words jumbled together. in fact, most things his soulmate sings are songs he has never heard before. it progressed from simple tunes, but now kaeya feels like his soulmate might be a song composer.

when he was younger he'd brag to diluc saying "my soulmate sings so well! what does your soulmate sound like, hah!"

to which diluc would respond with

he grins, swirling his wine around the glass as he watches a stack of papers hit diluc's face while bar tending on the first floor. kaeya clinks his glass on the table, watching people enter and leave the tavern from above.

today, his soulmate sings a song he's heard of.

'the wellerman,' and judging from the pauses and missing lyrics, kaeya safely assumes his soulmate was singing a duet with someone.

"soon may the wellerman come, to bring us sugar and tea and rum!"

kaeya hums the next few notes, never singing. after hearing his soulmate sing for the first time, his thought was to never sing- not when his soulmate could be a billionaire for singing with their voice.

only on occasions he would sing to let his soulmate know he was there.

he finishes the last sip of his wine and descends down the tavern stairs, raising a hand to acknowledge rosaria drinking in the corner. he airily chuckles, seeing diluc scrunch his eyes at the papers in front of him instead of looking at kaeya.

kaeya pushes the door open, humming along to the song his soulmate sings. he strolls by the alleyways, waving a hello to flora and a couple dogs that bark at his feet, scratching behind its ears.

he hears a bard singing at the plaza and saunters towards the music, climbing up the stairs and his frame almost freezes when seeing someone acting out to the song playing in his head.

good hunter's table tips over with a person on it. they land smoothly to the ground with a grin while singing with a resident bard.

"one day when the tonguing is done, we'll take our leave and go," they sing with so much melody and soul. the bard in green rumbles with cheer, raising his hands and dancing with the other with an arm latched around another.

kaeya watches, mesmerized by the singing and clapping around the plaza. he claps along and laughs when the bard drags his friend up to the walls of the fountain, singing louder.

the makes eye contact with the singer and waves. the singer waves back, unaware of what kaeya now knows.

soulmates.

he clued the pieces together and admired his soulmate from a distance, not wanting to disturb the performance.

"she'd not been two weeks from shore, when down on her a right whale bore!" the bard sings in glee.

kaeya quietly sings the next part, blending with the crowd. the whoops and cheers grow louder, chanting for his soulmate to sing the part kaeya sand under his breath, but to his surprise his soulmate tenses.

"WAIT! stop!" they hush the crowd with a hand and confuse everyone, "my soulmate's singing! but they're a bit too quiet. they never sing so shh, this is rare!"

the people murmur, watching kaeya's soulmate covering their ears to hear him clearer. kaeya grins, taking this opportunity to sing out loud.

"soon may the wellerman come to bring us sugar and tea and rum!" kaeya waltzes in front of the people who create a pathway for him.

his soulmate's eyes snap to him and he steps up next to them, standing on the fountain. the bard grins, and cheers. the crowd follows his cheer, watching their cavalry captain sing to his soulmate.

kaeya takes his soulmate's hand and presses a kiss on the back, "hello darling, i'm kaeya."

his soulmate doesn't hear him talking, no. they hear music when he speaks. though, kaeya's introduction threw them off, who's to say they couldn't return the gesture.

"a pleasure to meet you at last," they place a hand over their forehead for drama. they grin taking kaeya's waist closer to them and whisper in his ear, "you have a marvelous voice."

mondstadt had never seen kaeya at loss for words and a blush rising his face.

thoma: you taste the same things your soulmate tastes, no matter how strange- even when you're already eating something else

for most times, you were envious of your soulmate for eating the most lavishing food- food only one with money can get. you so desperately wanted to try the food they ate.

you didn't know what they ate, but only knew of the taste. sometimes it clashes with what you eat, like one time you ate an orange while your soulmate started toothbrushing. it wasn't very pleasant to say the least.

you were minding yourself, gathering food for your dinner until you taste something horrible.

wtf is my soulmate eating

it is a vile taste on your tongue, and no amount of water can wash the taste off. you try rinsing it, you tried eating something with a stronger taste, but no matter what, the thing your soulmate ate just stays there. it's disgusting.

you buy anything sour to un-taste what you tasted, and it still doesn't work. walking nearby a tea house, you see a man of blonde, clutching his stomach and laughing at a traveler from afar. call it fate, because it probably is, you know by the second he says his stomach hurts, he is your soulmate.

you point at him with a pointed glare, "what on earth did you EAT?!"

you take a bite of a sliced purple melon in your hand and the man in front of you widens his jade eyes, noting the food you're eating and the blooming taste on his tongue. the traveler next to him knits their brows, looking between you and their friend.

"thoma," the traveler calls. "who's this?"

thoma looks at you apologetically and sheepishly rubs the nape of his neck. "hey? i did it to win a contest... i couldn't let my pride down." he pauses, looking at you, "forgive me?"

you wanted to throw a punch on him, but you knew he had it worse with a bad aftertaste and a stomach ache.

you sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose. and place a mischievous grin, "take me on a date with food that's actually good, and then i'll think about forgiving you."

[versadies]

hi !! thank you for this.

May i have a scorpio, the scorpion w/ zhongli (drabble) w/angst for the feels 💔 that instead of mc being the one to see zhongli dying, zhongli instead will be the one who will know about the nearing death of mc? Thank you so much again and stay safe :DD.

mr. loverman (drabble)

penpal: enjoy the angst fellow comrade 🤝🤝🤝 stay safe as well <<3

prompt: scorpio the scorpion, near-death soulmate au (soulmate au whereas each soulmate knows when the other's death is near)

pairing/s: zhongli x gn!reader

sypnosis: he should’ve made you stay when he has his chance, then perhaps you would still be here by his side.

includes: archon quest spoilers (liyue), inazuma geography spoilers, angst, sad!zhongli, mentions of illness, major character death

he should’ve listened to his guts and made you stay.

"promise me that you'll be here when i come back."

zhongli smiles, nodding slowly as he cups your cheeks. "i promise. i shall wait here no matter how long it takes." he answers, determination laced within his tone.

you lean your forehead against his, closing your eyes with a relieved sigh. "i'm glad to hear that then."

zhongli continues to hold on to you, wanting to do this forever. he knew he couldn't make you stay, not when you're so determined in going to inazuma for the cure to your sickness. he too wanted you to be cured just so he can spend more time with you longer.

as soon as you hear beidou calling you, you immediately pull away from his grasp. you wanted to continue being in his arms for long, but you knew you can't go back now and change your mind in going to the nation of eternity.

"i'll be back before you know it." you said, holding onto his hand before suddenly letting go, your feet slowly taking a few steps away from the man.

zhongli finds himself reaching his hand out to you, watching as you head towards the ship, ignoring the sickly feeling down in his stomach when you step foot to the ship.

before you took another step, you immediately turn around to where zhongli is, tears slowly forming your eyes, visibly not ready to depart from him. surely you would've come on-board with no worries, but the fact that you're going away without your lover by your side is something you're not used to.

you immediately ran towards to zhongli before wrapping your arms around his waist and give him a longing kiss.

he immediately kisses you back, wrapping his arms around you as well to keep you both from falling to the ground thanks to the impact from your sudden hug.

it took a few moments before you two pull away from the kiss, breathing heavily. "i'll miss you." you confessed, giving another kiss on his lips.

"i'll miss you too." he replies quickly, kissing your temple. "now go before beidou grows impatient."

without another word, the two of you let go once more, feeling hopeful for the aftermath of your journey in inazuma.

maybe if he made you stay, then this wouldn't have happened.

just as he promised, zhongli often visit the docks of liyue harbor (as agreed by beidou, who'd rather arrive in guyun stone forest than in the city), watching the view of the sea with hopes of finding the crux's ship. he was eager for you to come home that he sometimes stayed in the docks for too long much to his boss's dismay. though, hu tao couldn't blame the consultant, seeing how much he's head over heels for you.

the man kept waiting no matter how many hours have passed– days even, only to slowly walk away with a sad sigh and try to continue his day, hoping that you'll come back the next day.

this went on for a week.

by the time he did see the familiar symbol of the crux on a ship's flags, zhongli immediately ran towards the edge of the docks, paying no mind to other people watching his eagerness nearby.

the consultant finds himself thinking of all the things you two could do the moment you walk out from the boat– maybe a sweet lunch in wanmin restaurant cooked by xiangling, a peaceful stroll around the city listening to you ranting about what you did in inazuma, or even a one-night stay in wangshu inn and watch the stars from their highest floor.

his excitement slowly faded away when beidou was the first to walk out from her ship, grief washed over her face.

where are you?

when beidou's eyes lands on zhongli's, she immediately head towards to the man, followed by kazuha– who also had a rather grim look on his face.

"zhongli," she speaks up, her tone was far more serious than her usual out-going expression. zhongli's small smile disappears, taking note of the serious atmosphere from the conversation. "is.. is y/n alright? where are they?" he asks, glancing at the boat, still hoping to see your familiar figure walking out.

he stopped glancing when he felt beidou's firm grip on his shoulder.

"...i'm sorry to say this but–" the words coming out from the captain's mouth afterwards were nothing but a blur to zhongli, yet he knew what she was saying.

he suddenly felt sick in his stomach.

"what..." he immediately fixes his composure, still in disbelief from the sudden news. "what happened to them?" he noticed how kazuha seems to look away from zhongli's gaze, gritting his teeth from his question.

beidou clears her throat. "the naku weeds helped their illness, but.. although y/n's sickness seems to slowly be cured, we came across to the raiden shogun's soldiers while on our way back to the ship."

he watched as the captain thought of her words for a moment before continuing. "although her soldiers were nothing bothersome... we... didn't anticipate one of them to push y/n off from the edge and fall to the river–"

zhongli felt his breath hitched, his heart ached in anguish and grief. "we didn't manage to reach them but even if we can retrieve their body from the water, the water has high electro energy in it that could kill my men and i instantly." beidou adds, now looking down at the ground with a defeated look on her face.

"we're sorry for this, zhongli."

he stayed silent before smiling sadly at the captain. "it's alright... thank you again for what you've done for y/n."

as soon as he bid his farewell to the two, he immediately takes his leave and walks away, ignoring the confused looks from people walking by when he walks pass them, not bothering to say hello.

without you, what else matters in this world other than his own nation?

the moment zhongli's in his home, his knees buckled and falls down on the ground, clutching his chest as if his heart burns in agony. why did it happen to end this way? you were supposed to manage to escape from death's grasp, he wanted to help you stay alive for longer.

everything felt so overwhelming– the retired archon would've been taken back by surprise from this feeling had it not been the fact that you just died without him by your side. it felt like a part of him faded away with you gone.

the thought of you calling out his name as you fall to your death terrifies zhongli.

was this a cruel joke from celestia?

he should've made you stay, or go with you to protect you from the dangers that lies within inazuma– anything that could make him stay by your side and not make you feel alone.

he was too desperate to cheat the soulmate system to not cherish you enough, his efforts went all down the drain. the mortal life that he wanted to experience with you was all gone, leaving zhongli with nothing but fragments of the memories he has of you.

you weren't supposed to die like this. the two of you could've gotten married, settle down and have children, grow old together and share your last moment with him– yet there he lies on the cold hard ground, crying from your death and from everything he went through.

"please, come back to me." he begs, as if celestia would hear his cries, as if your spirit that could reside in the house you share with your lover would hear him.

"i miss you so much."

[malleux]

☆ Day 7 - Prince Xiao ☆

-> xiao x fem!reader | royalty!au

-> fluff

-> warnings: mentions of death

-> “pick a prince” masterlist

It was the last day.

The last day before you had to decide on your future husband.

Your last day of true freedom.

It sucked, really. All the men were incredibly sweet and intriguing, but none had truly caught your eye. You had low hopes for the last prince, who you haven’t met yet, trying to keep your standards from getting too high in case any of them are just wearing a facade that will drop once the rain goes on your finger.

Truly, you didn’t even want to meet the last guy. Speaking to him was one step closer to the potential end of your happiness and you weren’t ready for that yet. Nevertheless, you worked in the kitchen throughout the morning to create a dish to bring to the prince’s bedroom. Your maids said he hadn’t left since he’d arrived.

“Prince Xiao? Are you in here?”

“Go away.”

You paused. A rude greeting for sure. Now you were determined to open the door- nobody told you no. “Xiao? I brought food. It’s Almond Tofu. Prince Zhongli said it’s your favorite.”

“I don’t want it.”

Thinking for a moment, you leaned against the doorframe and sat down, placing the dish beside you. Xiao didn’t seem happy to be at your kingdom from the first- and only- time he’d spoken to you. Could he be feeling the same resentment that you did? Perhaps you could bond over that...

“Y’know,” You started, “This whole marriage thing. I don’t really want to go through with it either. I’m not here to like, seduce you or really try to convince you to marry me. I just want to talk. Is that okay with you?”

Slowly but surely, the door creaked open. A golden eye peered through at you and opened the door fully. You scrambled to your feet, brushing off your dress and offering Xiao the almond tofu. He silently took the plate and walked to the bed, sitting down and letting you in. You closed the door and joined him. You sat in silence, observing the room while Xiao ate. The wallpaper in the room was severely outdated, you noticed, you’ll have to ask your mother to remodel soon.

“...Thanks.”

Xiao’s voice brought you back from the wallpaper. “Yeah. Zhongli said it’s a specialty from where you’re from, so I wanted to try and make you feel more welcome.”

“Hm. What else did he tell you about me?”

“Not much.” You recounted a few vague facts. “I didn’t want him to go into full detail. I’d prefer to learn about you from you. I only did some research about the customs and history of your country.”

Xiao didn’t answer electing to gaze outside the window into the garden of your kingdom. The candle light illuminated his white dress-shirt, showing the vague tattoo on his arm underneath the thin fabric. You wondered how he got it- or if it was even a tattoo at all, much like the purple diamond on his forehead. Would he even tell you if you asked?

“If you know the history of my kingdom, then you’d know that I am the last ruler left of it. You’d know that they all perished after we were attacked. I stayed isolated since then, choosing to protect the safety of my people in silence. They do fine without my involvement. Alas, one of my advisors, Verr Goldet, suggested that I attend this event that your father announced. She claimed that I needed to get out into the world again and be the ruler that my country deserves. I hope that in your insistence to get to know me, you don’t expect much.”

You did know of his past. For Xiao to still indulge you in that fact meant a lot to you- it was a vulnerability that you knew he was uncomfortable with and yet he still trusted you with it despite not knowing you. You scooted closer to him and placed your hand on his arm, fully expecting him to pull away. You were shocked when he didn’t.

“I don’t expect a romance out of you, Prince Xiao. I think that we are both just doing this for the good of our countries, and that similar goal could help us in the long run. Along the way, if the marriage part becomes something... real... then we’ll cross that bridge then. As of right now, I think you would be the best fit for me after hearing your motives.”

Xiao eyed you, pondering the offer. “If it gets Verr off of my back...”

“Yes!” Without thinking, you threw your arms around Xiao. He stiffened under your touch as you hugged him, saying, “I think this will end up being okay.”

Once more, Xiao said nothing, but the way his head began to rest against yours told you that he thought the same.

taglist is closed

[tickly-trashcan]

Bad Timing {ChiLi}

A/N: hi hi anon! Thank you for the request! :D I literally never get sick of writing for these two omg, i love them. I hope you enjoy this one! Remember to hydrate and I wish you a lovely day/night! 

Summary: Zhongli is trying to work, but Childe’s feeling rather attention-seeking.

Word Count: 1.2k (under the cut)

Zhongli took a brief moment to adjust himself, his back was aching from sitting down for so long. He looked over at the stack of papers next to him and sighed. He wouldn’t have to work overtime, but there was still quite a bit to do in the next hour of work that he had. 

He took a deep breath and grabbed one of the papers, setting it in front of him before dipping his quill in ink, writing down the necessary things on the lines. He set it off to the side when he was done, pulling the next sheet off the pile and dipping his pen in ink once more. He repeated this process for a little while longer, getting into a rhythm before the door burst open.

He jumped, nearly messing up the paper he was working on as he looked to the door, expecting to see Hu Tao, only for a taller, redheaded man to be standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

Zhongli blinked once and went immediately back to his work, completely ignoring him. He whined.

“Zhongli! Don’t ignore me!”

“Then don’t come barging into my office during work hours, Childe,” Zhongli said simply, scribbling something down and then sliding the paper off to the side, grabbing a new one. He was making swift progress, he’d be done soon. But Childe could easily throw a wrench in his plans. 

“Whatcha working on? Looks boring,” Childe teased, leaning on Zhongli’s shoulder. Zhongli sighed, adjusting to the new weight and continuing on as Childe picked up a paper, reading it.

“Ohh, it’s legal stuff, huh? Now I know it’s boring.”

“Some of it is paperwork for clients, but yes, there are some legal fees and such in there as well,” Zhongli said flatly, taking the paper from Childe and signing it. Childe hummed.

He wrapped his arm around Zhongli’s shoulder and cupped his cheek, pressing a delicate kiss below Zhongli’s ear. Zhongli didn’t stop working, though his heart did briefly skip a beat. Childe peppered him with more kisses, along his jaw and his neck, finally managing to distract Zhongli.

“I have thirty more minutes left of work, can you wait?”

“Mmm, no~”

Childe waited for Zhongli to set aside the paper he was working on before gently holding his chin, tilting his head towards him before giving him a soft kiss. Zhongli closed his eyes for a moment then pulled away, taking the next paper and writing on it. Childe whined.

“Zhongli,” He said, brushing aside some of his hair, kissing his temple. Zhongli sighed, setting the paper he was working on onto the finished pile.

“You’re too clingy, stop it.”

Childe pulled his head away, frowning. “You’ve wounded me, Zhongli.”

Zhongli said nothing, though he felt a bit bad. He only had a few more papers left, then he would head home with Childe and give him the attention he wanted. But right now he needed to finish. Childe stayed next to Zhongli, holding onto him as he watched him work.

“Mr. Zhongli, are you almost finished? I’m hungry, and I have plans with Yanfei!” Hu Tao called, opening the door to his office, noticing Childe. She chuckled, putting a hand to her lips. “Looks like you have plans too~”

Zhongli sighed, scribbling one last thing down before finishing his last paper, setting it on the pile. “You’ll need to go through them tomorrow, but they should all be ready.”

Hu Tao nodded, giggling mischievously before trotting off. Zhongli stood, Childe letting go of him and instead reaching for his hand, smiling softly. “Ready to go?”

Zhongli returned the smile and held Childe’s hand, walking out of the funeral parlor and leading Childe back to their now shared residence, opening the door and letting Childe in, shutting it behind him. Childe flopped on the bed, chuckling before looking over at Zhongli, who stood at the edge of the bed with his arms crossed, a small frown on his face.

“What’s wrong, Zhongli?”

“I could barely get any work done with you clinging to me. You’re like a child,” Zhongli said, stepping closer to the bed. He got on, leaning over Childe as his frown faded to a small grin.

“I think I need to show you what happens when you hinder my paperwork.”

Childe raised an eyebrow, then smirked. He reached up and cupped Zhongli’s cheeks.

“Oh? What happens?” 

Zhongli hummed. “This.”

Childe shrieked suddenly when Zhongli dug his hands under his arms, making him immediately pull his hands back to protect himself, rolling around underneath Zhongli.

“OHoho Archons! Nohohoho! Zhongli, plehehease! Not this!” Childe immediately yelled out, his laughter already likely causing a noise complaint. Zhongli said nothing in response to Childe’s pleas, lightly scratching his fingers in the hollows of Childe’s armpits, Childe throwing his head back and cackling as he kicked his legs.

“Maybe this will make you think twice before disturbing my work.”

“I’m sohohohorry! Plehehease, just not thehehehere!” Childe howled, squeezing his eyes shut as the ticklish sensations overwhelmed him, despite Zhongli only having tickled him for barely a minute.

Zhongli chuckled, deciding to spare Childe just a bit of mercy as he moved his hands down from his underarms to his ribs, wiggling his fingers against them delicately. He made sure to get between every single one, from his uppermost ribs to his lower ones, then back up again just for Childe to shriek in anticipation.

“Zhohohohongli! Wahahahait-!”

“Why should I wait, Childe? You couldn’t seem to wait for me to finish my work,” Zhongli teased, humming as he skittered his fingers across Childe’s tummy. Childe grabbed onto his wrists, squirming as he whined through his laughter.

“Plehehehease! I sahahahaid I was sorry!”

Zhongli nodded, slipping a hand under Childe’s shirt and scribbling on his bare tummy, making Childe howl. “You did say you were sorry, though I still think you haven’t learned your lesson.”

Childe squealed when Zhongli squeezed his hips, arching his back before wiggling frantically, trying to shake off Zhongli’s devious hands. Zhongli held a soft grin on his face as he worked meticulously, digging into Childe’s hipbone in a way that had him reeling.

“I’m sohohohorry! Plehehease, I wohohohon’t do it again! Zhongliii!” Childe yelled, trying to pull Zhongli’s hands away from his hips as he wailed. Zhongli kept kneading his hips, though he was slowing down a little bit as Childe wheezed beneath him, red in the face.

Zhongli finally decided that Childe had had enough and pulled his hands away, patting Childe’s tummy before laying down next to him at his side. He watched as Childe’s chest heaved up and down as he caught his breath, the bright pink on his cheeks slowly disappearing as he composed himself.

“Y-You could’ve just said ‘don’t do that again’!” Childe eventually whined, and Zhongli shrugged.

“That was more fun, and I think I got the message across better than words ever could.”

Childe pouted and lightly shoved Zhongli, making him chuckle before he brushed aside some of Childe’s bright hair, smiling. Childe leaned his cheek into Zhongli’s hand, and Zhongli hummed, pulling Childe in for a quick kiss.

“Oh so now you want kisses!” Childe exclaimed, making Zhongli burst into a fit of amused laughter. Childe laughed with him, soon pulling him in for another kiss as the two of them continued to giggle. Now was definitely a better time for kisses.

[bumbleklee]

Ohhh the Zhongli x reader with the Guizhong topic was sooo good. You brought me to an idea. How about a sad ending, I need some more angst😂

thank u anon <3 skipping around in my asks a little so it’s now just bombarding everyone with parenting hcs lol. p1 (happy ending) can be found here!! 

before reading: sad ending, under length for cut

“Y/N, we’ve talked about this before,” He says again, wishing you would just stop and listen for once. “I’ve moved on from her, we were nothing more than-”

“Friends?” Your voice breaks. Your body feels like it’s on fire.

You would have to be blind to miss the pain that crosses Zhongli’s face. He sighs and picks his words carefully, “I’m not going lie to you and say we were just friends. Perhaps there were tender emotions but…that’s long done.”

Zhongli finally sits beside you again and without a word, you tangle your hands in his hair again, finishing the braid quickly. The tension in the hotel room is thick and you can’t breathe. Your hands trail down Zhongli’s bank, tracing his muscle through the silky nightshirt.

“What happens when we both pass on and see Guizhong again? Will you choose her then?”

A silence filled the hotel room. Your hands froze and Zhongli noticed, immediately craning his neck to look at you. His expression was unreadable and you felt like the world you was spinning. You scrambled away from him and despite your vision blurring, you managed to stand straight. Zhongli was quick, trying to catch you, but you were quicker. 

His presence echoed around the walls. Your hands moved against the dresser, feeling the smooth wood against your clammy hands. Your fingers brushed the door handle, “Isn’t it bad luck to see each other the night before the wedding?” Zhongli was silent still. He was staring at you, mostly in shock from your words. Your body shook with every breathe you took, “Sleep well, Zhongli.” 

Before your fiancé could say anything, you slipped outside of the hotel room and shut the door behind you. You realized then that you were just around to pass time. You tried to catch the tears that fell down your cheeks but they only landed on your forearm, rolling down your skin like raindrops. You managed to make it to the other side of the Wangshu Inn, back to your own hotel room, before you dropped onto your bed and reduced to a crumpled piece of paper. 

Broken sobs wracked your body and your thoughts felt like shards of glass, slashing your heart with their sharp edges. You surely thought you would die.

You remember the first time Zhongli told you he loved you. It was years ago during a Lantern Rite Festival. You were gleeful that Zhongli asked you to attend with him and when you released your lanterns, Zhongli pulled you close and whispered those three words into your ear. But that was a time where it didn’t hurt to think about his face, a time where you had no doubts. 

You cried yourself to sleep that night and woke up with a headache. The sun was rising and you knew Ganyu would be looking for you soon. You caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and frowned, your eyes puffy and red and your cheeks raw from rubbing them all night. Zhongli wouldn’t want to marry you like this. 

Your eyes gazed around the hotel room. Your outfit hung against the closet, covered by a dust bag, and makeup and hair products adorned the dresser. Everything was ready for you to be married except your heart. 

With a rush of impulsiveness, you gather your belongings and shove them into a bag nearby. You need to leave now. If you don’t, you’ll only be consumed by the guilt of a loveless marriage. If you leave now, Zhongli is free to reconcile with Guizhong. 

You’re nervous but you have to let go. You can’t keep holding onto something that’s not there. You’re stealthy with your steps, grateful that everyone is still asleep or unaware about who you are. With each step you take away from the Inn, you feel a tug at your chest begging you to go back. Back to Zhongli. 

The thought of Zhongli has you crying again. You don’t know where you’re going or what’s going to come and deep down, you don't even know if this is the right thing to do. Are you being selfish? You didn’t know. 

Hours later when the others are awake, Zhongli doesn’t understand. You’re missing but he knows you would never willingly leave. Yet, you were gone without a sound. For a moment, Zhongli wants to panic. He wants to send every Adepti into Teyvant to bring you home but something inside of him says not to because you left on your own.  

He hears from you nearly two months later in the form of a letter. There’s no return address but he recognizes your scrawly handwriting. You tell him you need time, that he didn’t need you anymore and that maybe not day you would come home to give him closure but not anytime soon. 

Zhongli is upset, heartbroken, but he understands. He couldn’t give you the reassurance you needed to stay because he couldn’t even give himself the reassurance he needed. He holds the letter close to him and wishes that if the time comes that you return home, you both have healed. 

For now, Zhongli spends his nights in Guili Plains tending to the glaze lilies.