#i this I will write a genshin x reader soon

[bubblyprettybunny]

What should I call my Scaramouche?

I procrastinated Scaramouche quest because I didn’t know what to name him. Today, since Fontaine is finally out, I decided to start the quest.

I’m at the ending and I spent the last hour thinking about a name;;

Those are now my suggestions:

-Ulysses: I am an archeology student and Greek Mythology is very dear to me, so I choose two names that fit this request. Ulysses is for the long journey that he has to do to improve himself- and for the link between Ulysses and Ajax; the latter, indeed, becomes crazy because Ulysses gets with a trick Achilles’s weapons that were designated for him to keep.

-Soter: is a minor god of protection, there is not a real significance behind the choice of this name, I just thought it sounds cool and I used it for a Scara ff earlier this year.

Do you have any other suggestions? Plz help me!

[astralstarlight]

falling asleep on you !

w/ al haitham, wanderer, diluc, tartaglia/childe

a/n: under the cut because they got really long omg

al haitham likes to rest his head on your shoulder whenever he's tired. when it's in a more private setting, he'll lay his head in your lap instead. a loud, satisfied sigh will leave his lips once he's in this position. it's almost as though all the tenseness in his body simply dissipates once you start running your fingers through his hair. he rarely drifts off for a nap, but he looks close enough to peace when he's lying down like that.

it's the closest you'll ever get to having him be needy or clingy in any way. he tends to lean his whole weight onto you without explicit warning, so it's taken some practice to make sure you don't fall over on to one side — helplessly squashed.

there are signs to look out for.

you'll notice him staring at you out of the corner of his eye, making sure you're comfortable with how you're sitting before he places his head on your shoulder. sometimes he'll even mention that it's very "quiet and peaceful" before nearly knocking you over with a heavy slump.

when he's been kept up late for too many nights, he really will drift off to sleep. he's heavy and he makes your entire body ache from trying to hold him up, but you can't really bear to move him, especially not when he smiles in his sleep after you brush your fingers over his cheek.

he won't tell you that he always wakes from your sudden touch.

and with how cute he thinks you are when you're trying not to wake him, he doubts he ever will.

"i don't need sleep." wanderer announces proudly. it takes him exactly nine minutes to pass out after you promise that you'll keep watch while he's resting. you even make sure that he's asleep by waving your hands in front of his face to see whether his eyes twitch. nothing.

he doesn't even breathe.

his arms stay crossed over his chest and his hair falls onto one side. completely at rest.

still, this is the last thing you were expecting would happen. you resist the urge to touch his face. you haven't gotten that far with him yet.

unfortunately, you end up falling asleep beside him instead of keeping watch. there's something so comforting about his weight on yours, that you lean back into him, just to close your eyes for a few minutes.

the next time you wake is with the morning sun, and with a blanket haphazardly thrown over you. you fight with it for a bit, tangling your arms even further.

"oh good, you're up," comes the familiar, haughty voice. you expect to be berated for falling asleep, but he says something different instead. "thank you."

"huh?" you murmur intelligently. it's not fair that he does this when you're still groggy from sleeping.

he turns away, pretending he said nothing else. you smile at his back. guess he's still full of surprises.

diluc's very gentle with you. he's always been the one to beckon you over once he notices you yawning or when you look a little down. the way he caresses you while wrapping you in his arms is enough to send you straight to sleep. it's cozy.

but you've never seen him asleep before you. he's always been the one to creep back into your shared bed at the crack of dawn, when you're just awake enough to know that he's there.

this time, you're the one late.

he's already sleep — legs stretched out and turned onto one side. you take a single step forward and jump as he snores, disturbing the silence.

you crawl into the bed, facing the outline of his back. you reach out for him just to hesitate before actually touching him. what if he wakes up if you try to cuddle him? what if he has a really busy day tomorrow and he'll be frustrated with not getting enough sleep?

he answers the myriad of questions for you. just your presence must be enough for him to know you're there in his sleep. he ends up turning over to face you and bundling you up in his arms, letting out a huff. on the other hand, you're tense, unsure if you've accidentally awoken him or not.

"diluc?" you mumble.

the only answer is his steady breathing.

hope you're ready to stay squished in that same position for the whole night.

tartaglia pesters you with affection. he shows up at your door in the middle of the night sometimes, claiming he has "no where else to go right now". on certain nights, he'll be covered in blood that's definitely not his with a fiery look in his eyes as though he's set alight from the inside. he's not really there on those nights.

more often, he shows up with a cheery look on his face that disappears once you start to clean him up. you don't need to look at him to know that he's already staring at you.

tartaglia is always quiet in both types of nights; an unsettled nature or a calm energy. you're never sure what you're going to get.

but you know this: he would always show up after long periods of disappearing, even if it was just the smallest scrape. just to see you.

he'll be the one tucking himself in between your legs on the couch, no matter how many times you tell him that his legs are too long and he's way too heavy to lean back on you like that. but he does it. somehow.

when you start to grow tired from listening to his shenanigans, he becomes so gentle with you. he'll carry you to bed and hold you until you sleep.

he's gone in the morning, or maybe he leaves once he's sure that you've been lulled to sleep. either way, you know he was here. even if he tries to disappear without a trace.

he's always here on the nights that you sleep the best after all.

[popponn]

Seeing the esteemed Duke of Meropide eyes a pair of decorations curiously is an amusing experience, turns out. Even when your relationship with him is pretty much an unsaid ‘almost lover’ situation.

“So,” leaning against his working desk, you try not to smile too wide, “do you like them?”

Wriothesley continues to stare and blink at the black and white dog miniatures—intended to be placed on flat surfaces, however, your creativity is your limit, or so the craftsmen of Liyue said. Straightening his sitting posture, he then leans towards the objects that sit on his desk. “…this feels like a series,” he finally says after a long while, taking one of the two dogs. He once again takes in the merry dog figurine in his hand. Slightly bigger than his thumb, carrying a ball with a tail that is depicted to be in the middle of a swishing motion.

“It is. There are actually another eight dogs,” and also another twenty cats that are a story or, perhaps, a gift for another time, “but I don’t know if you will like it… or do you even have the space to keep all ten, so I just buy you two this time.”

“Hey, hey, since when do I seem like the sort of person who is unappreciative of something people give me?” Wriothesley put down the dog, only to take another one up. In between that, a smile and a glance are addressed to you humorously, yet as softly as always. “And also…”

You realize he purposefully trails off. “And also?”

With how entertained he is at the handcrafted woods, you think he will praise the craftsmanship. Or perhaps, it is time to recall that musing of his about wanting to keep a pet and how these two will be a perfect replacement. Or maybe, he will make another unpredictable joke one would never thought would come out from his mouth.

Yet, instead of all of that, Wriothesley merely reaches out a hand to take yours while his other hand and focus remain on your present. His tone is far from anything—as if he is simply stating a fact. Despite all that, the squeeze he gives as he intertwines his fingers with yours says enough.

“This is from you,” he states, finally shifting his attention to fully land on you. “There is no way I would dislike it.”

[theogonies]

SWEET DESIRE: genshin boys & their kinks

characters: childe, xiao, diluc, & ayato

word count: 1.4k

content warnings: feminine pet names and references to female genitalia; they’re all possessive, just in different ways; breeding kink, corruption kink, mindbreaking/dumbification, overstimulation, semi-public sex, implied dacryphilia (childe); voyeurism and general perviness, somnophilia, implied corruption kink (xiao); overstimulation, restraints, marking, spanking, yandere behavior (diluc); dom/sub relationship, brat taming, dacryphilia, degradation, humiliation, edging, painplay/spanking (ayato); 18+; minors and ageless blogs do not interact

CHILDE

“What’s wrong, ptichka?” He leans down to lap the tears from your cheeks with a smile as condescending as it is kind. “I thought you were ready for this, but we’re only getting started.”

Is it really any wonder that this man has a breeding kink? He’s a family man, after all, and beneath all his bluster, there’s really nothing he wants more than a happy little family of his own to come home to. While he rationally knows that may be out of the picture for as long as he’s a Harbinger, he still can’t help but lose his mind a little at the sight of his come overflowing from your hole. Even better if he gets to fuck it back into you with his fingers to make sure you don’t lose a single drop, humming sweet praises all the while: you're being so good for me, babygirl. Gonna make you a mommy.

Speaking of fingers–Childe is good with his hands. When he really wants to tease you he’ll watch you struggle to drag his gloves off with nothing but your teeth, just so he can use those very hands to fuck into your mouth until you’re a drooling mess, begging for his fingers in your pussy instead. Maybe if he’s feeling nice, he’ll even reward you for your efforts.

He loooooves corrupting good girls. Girls who follow the rules, girls who put responsibility first, girls who take care of everyone else before themselves. He’ll tease you, give you just enough to get your hopes up before backing off and making you plead for his attention. Don’t worry; he won’t break you, at least not on purpose. He just wants to teach you how good it feels to allow yourself to let go and relish in all those dirty, greedy little impulses, the desires that only he can fulfill.

Childe likes it when his partners are vocal during sex, and he’s willing to put in the work to make that happen. He’s a bit of an exhibitionist in general–just another way of making sure there are no doubts in anyone’s minds who you belong to–but it doesn’t matter if you’re in the middle of the Fatui headquarters or some isolated cabin in the mountains, he makes a game out of overstimulating you until you’re a broken, whimpering mess crying his name.

XIAO

“Please–” You can always tell when he’s about to break. He begs so sweetly, his stubborn scowl fading into something soft and needy. “Say it again. Tell me I’m good.”

 It shouldn’t come as any kind of surprise that Xiao is a virgin. He’s so afraid of becoming close to others, yet more and more he finds his mind drifting to all those lewd, forbidden places when he’s around you. It’s obvious, too, the way he stares when you bend over to pick something up or the neckline of your shirt dips a little too low; but all the embarrassment and guilt in the world aren’t enough to make him hold back his voyeuristic impulses.

And oh, the moment you realize what’s going on and decide to indulge him, it’s over for Xiao. He’s obsessed with the way you tease him, your hands brushing against his thigh, or lightly steering him by the small of his back, all while you give him that same, trusting smile as always. This is just what friends do, isn’t it?

It takes a long time before he’s able to build up enough trust to let you touch him, but he loves watching you touch yourself. The way your hands, the same ones that have touched him so innocently so many times before, flick at your puffy clit; all those dirty sounds that fill the air; the blissed-out look on your pretty little face when you finally unravel. Witnessing you, being wanted by you–it’s already so much more than Xiao thinks he deserves.

The only think he loves more than feeling like your loyal guardian as you slumber is fucking you when you’re asleep. Sometimes because you’re having a bad dream; sometimes because he just can’t help himself, not when you’re lying so innocently beside him, filling his mind with impure thoughts.

Even at his brattiest, he always, always, always asks permission before coming. Inside of you, on you, even into his own hand. It’s as much about consent for him as it is getting confirmation from you that he’s earned this.

DILUC

“That’s right, precious,” he murmurs, his sonorous voice so unusually soft that you can’t help but shiver from words alone. “Just sit still and let me take care of you.”

Diluc loves giving oral, and he’s a messy eater, too. It’s like your sweet pussy is an aphrodisiac to him; he loses track of time, swirling his tongue around your tender bud and drinking in your taste until he’s left you overstimulated without even trying. He feels genuinely bad about it, too, every time he realizes just how greedy he’s been, how long he’s made you beg and cry for relief–but it’s not enough to keep him from forgetting himself again the next time he goes down on you.

He’s a very giving lover in general; really, he just wants to make you feel good. And, well, the beautiful sight of your tight little pussy creaming around his cock–that’s just a sweet side effect.

It takes a long time to get him to admit to his more taboo desires, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have them. Most of all, he dreams of seeing you strung up; from the frame of his bed in the winery, or even more shamefully, from the rafters of his tavern (long after close, of course–no one else deserves to see something so beautiful). As much as he consciously respects your freedom and independence, there’s a dark part of him that wants to keep you safe and protected, somewhere only he can reach you.

He likes seeing his marks on your skin, too. Hickeys, mostly, but he’s not entirely above punishing you more thoroughly if he decides you’ve been a little too flirty with his patrons or too risky in your adventures. He apologizes every time his hand comes down on your ass, and yet he can’t hide how hard the sight of your soft and rippling skin makes him when it flushes and begins to bruise.

AYATO

“I’m sorry, doll, but you know the rules.” His lip trail gently across the marks left by his own hand only moments ago, reminding you that your master is just as forgiving as he is merciless. “Now, are you ready to be a good girl and do as you’re told?”

Do I even need to say that Ayato is a mean dom? He loves the thrill of the chase, learning exactly what makes his partner tick just so he can break them down. The worst part is how composed he remains through it all, like his twisted desire to see you squirm is just another of his odd little jokes.

His technique in bed is no less refined than his skill with a sword, either; he’s mastered the delicate art of pushing your limits without breaking them, testing your devotion to him with every slap and caress until you’re putty in his hands.

While Ayato demands absolute loyalty from his partners from the start, he doesn’t mind putting in the work to tame bratty subs; in fact, he likes it better that way. The more headstrong and stubborn you are, the easier it is for him to ensure that you’re all his by the time he’s finished molding you into the perfect toy.

He isn’t opposed to using pain as a punishment, but in most cases, he prefers withholding what he knows you want. He’ll edge you until you’re a sobbing wreck, begging for his cock; and as much as he knows he should hate to see you suffer like this, nothing makes him as hard as the sight of your pretty little face streaming with tears. Before he gives you your sweet release, he makes you beg for it, promising him you’ll be good from now on, that you’ve learned your place as his dumb little whore.

Ayato loves putting you in all kinds of degrading positions: cockwarming him in his office, touching yourself while he watches, humping the smooth leather of his shoes as you beg him to touch you properly. He likes knowing he’s the only one with the privilege of seeing you this way: flushed, humiliated, needy. His.

[rinneverse]

꒰⚘݄꒱₊ 𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐲𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 ! · · · ♡

— pairings: heizou, kazuha, dottore, itto x f!reader

— warnings: hickeys (obviously), heizou is a little shit (affectionate), suggestive content but pretty tame tbh, kazuha is a tits man i said what i said, dottore is a little bit (lotta bit) of a sadist, minor bloodplay (?) in dottore’s part, itto also nicks you but it’s an accident this time. this is not proofread btw EL O ELLLLL

— synopsis: how different genshin men like to mark you up.

— notes: technically a part 2 to what i posted on my old blog (found here!). i hope u guys like this as much as i enjoyed writing it <3. i may or may not have started losing steam around itto’s part so if it seems a little lackluster compared to the others, thats probably why and im sorry 💔 i’ll do him justice one day.

THIS IS AN 18+ BLOG! MINORS DNI, PLEASE AND THANK YOU. 🤍

✧˚ · . SHIKANOIN HEIZOU. ༉‧₊˚.

→ heizou is a playful lover.

→ he adores marking you up to let the rest of inazuma know just who you belong to.

→ can and will feign ignorance when you go to complain about the MULTIPLE markings blooming along the smooth expanse of your neck and collar.

→ “h-heizou, c’mon, you know it’s hard covering these up…” you murmur, lacing a hand through his soft locks as he grins lopsidedly against your collar. he responds by nipping at your sensitive skin, pulling a yelp from you.

→ as a response, you tug his hair back a little and the little groan he lets out sends heat straight between your legs. he grins even wider at you.

→ oh, heizou knows the effect he has on you. he knows how to play you so expertly, as if he were a pianist playing a masterpiece at a recital.

→ “pretty girl, i don’t want you to cover them up,” he hums, cupping your face with a hand. he strokes his thumb lovingly over your cheek. “all of inazuma should know you’re mine. i can’t have other men looking at you, right?”

→ your face heats up at his possessive words, pressing your face closer to his hand as if it’ll hide your flustered state from him. if anything, it does the opposite. he giggles and presses wet, open-mouthed kisses up your neck before he claims your lips with his.

→ maybe you would indulge him a little bit. maybe you’d try a little less harder on covering up the numerous markings littering your neck.

✧˚ · . KAEDEHARA KAZUHA. ༉‧₊˚.

→ kazuha prefers to leave hickeys in places only you two will ever see.

→ he doesn’t need the world to know the two of you are together. the quiet whisper of affection between lovers is more than enough for him.

→ that, and he thinks that it is much more intimate to have markings only the two of you know of.

→ “zu, that- ah! that tickles!” you gasp as he sucks a mark right by your navel, hands gripping the plush flesh of your hips as he grins up at you.

→ he kisses a trail up to your exposed breasts, trailing his hands up higher as he stares up at you with intense crimson eyes.

→ “would you rather i kiss you up here?” he murmurs, planting his lips on the sensitive skin of your chest. he sucks a mark right above where your bra covers you up from him, feeling your chest rumble as you let out soft noises of pleasure.

→ all the noises you made was like music to his ears, his incentive to keep going. “may i?” he asks, tucking his fingers under the band of your bra. you nod your head, but he waits until you verbally say, “kazuha, please.”

→ with a melodic hum, he unhooks the garment with practiced ease and goes right back to making the song he loves to hear.

✧˚ · . IL DOTTORE. ༉‧₊˚.

→ dottore is precise with how he marks you up.

→ it makes him feral, seeing you lying there below him, submissive and pliant just for him. letting him play with you as he pleases.

→ loves watching hickeys bloom across your skin, teasingly nipping at ones already prominent and sore just to hear you yelp.

→ every twitch, every sound you make, it burns into his brain. how could he ever forget anything about his beautiful little pet? marking you up so nicely for the other fatui to see. after all, they must know you belong to him and him only.

→ most the time, he’s careful with how hard he bites. we wouldn’t want to hurt you too much, now do we?

→ but occasionally, there’s a nagging in the back of his mind, telling him to do it, do it, you just taste so delicious. and on days when you act out, or days where you get on his nerves, whether you’re aware of it or not—he decides a little bit of punishment is in order.

→ so he gives in and bites down on the juncture between your neck and shoulder, just hard enough to puncture your tender flesh with his canines, tearing a cry from your throat. his tongue laves over the wound immediately, his senses flooded with the copper tang of your blood. he grins maniacally up at you.

→ “it’s okay,” he soothes you in response to your teary eyes, pressing a kiss over the angered skin. “you know i would never do anything to actually harm you. it feels good now after all, doesn’t it, my pet?”

→ he knows that you’re clenching your thighs together. he knows that you’re a little bit of a masochist—he wouldn’t have it any other way. you were his perfect little darling pet.

✧˚ · . ARATAKI ITTO. ༉‧₊˚.

→ itto is another one of the playful lover types.

→ he’s a little worried he might nip you a little too hard with his teeth, but a little bit of reassurance from you goes a long way.

→ that, and there’s that feral oni urge that nags at him to mark you up so that everyone knows you’re his. of course, he loves it even more if you return the favor, letting you add to the many red markings that already adorn his skin.

→ the gang is never surprised when the two of you emerge from some dark alleyway with matching hickeys at this point.

→ “itto, itto, careful!” you gasp softly as his teeth leave pretty little indentions on the smooth skin of your shoulder, the man in question letting out a little yelp before kissing it quickly (and gently) in apology.

→ “sorry bunny, you just taste so sweet!” he mumbles, kissing your temple. you smile up at him with adoration in your eyes.

→ “s’ok, you know i’ve never minded,” you speak softly, combing a hand through his unruly hair. his chest rumbles with what suspiciously sounds like a purr. you grin widely.

→ with the amount of times he’s accidentally pricked your skin, you’re used to it by now. you would even dare venture to say that maybe it felt good. just a little bit.

→ he hefts you up in his arms suddenly and you let out a squeal of surprise, your legs locking around his waist as his hands cup your ass. you drape your arms over his big shoulders as he grins at you.

→ itto also happened to be an insatiable lover—it must’ve been the oni blood in him. you were in for a long night.

© rinneverse (2022). rbs and interactions are super appreciated !!

[catscidr]

i. note — i have so many thoughts about akademiya era dottore. most of them are silly and fun and cute i promise but some of them are..... Nothing like that. help me i need to Ruin Him. ong when i get my hands on him……… ii. includes — akademiya!dottore (zandik), gn reader iii. cw — i'm literally just rambling so have fun. he's kindof a brat, reader is implied to have more experience. making out, dry humping, outercourse. smut so mdni. no penetration

akademiya!zandik whose social circle is practically nonexistent; if he’s not tinkering with machine parts he found in some abandoned ruin then he’s nose deep into an old book, trying to absorb knowledge directly through the pages. so, of course it’s not a surprise when he doesn’t know how to act normal around people

akademiya!zandik who would be so pent up and so so so sooooo sensitive! he wouldn’t even get himself off ever, choosing to soothe his curiosity about khaenrian machines over his own carnal, lustful needs. even something as simple as a hug gets his blood rushing straight down (much to his frustration!! he's supposed to be a scholar, not some hormonal beast..........)

it would be so easy to rile him up.. be a little too touchy and “oblivious” to how your “platonic” affection gets to him and BAM now he can’t focus on what he’s doing because his heartbeat is just throbbing in his crotch. he’ll read the same line five times before he realizes that nothing is getting through his head (and instead something else is getting in his other head…….)

akademiya!zandik who would most definitely be a whiner. when you finally get him to pay attention to you he’s all mad n whatever, weakly scolding you for even daring to interrupt his studies. but as he swivels his chair around to face you, he sees you standing over him, looking down at his cute scowl, n he feels his cock jump at the sight. you looked almost angelic, the overhead lighting creating a makeshift halo around your head…

zandik who interrupts his own rambling just to look at you. or, uh, to gawk at you. while you peer down at the….. effect you have on him

you step forward and raise your leg to place your knee between his thighs on his chair, and bend down to get closer to his face. his breath hitches and he swallows thickly all while holding your gaze— at this point he might as well have hearts in his eyes. but he’s still scowling n his brows are all furrowed…. wonder when and how he’ll finally lose that tension in his face. hmmmm……..

even just a kiss on the cheek would fluster him, because of course it would! but what about a kiss on the lips? what about a messy french kiss, filled with tongue and teeth clashing clumsily as you absolutely devour him while all he can do is moan into your mouth and shut his eyes to prevent them from rolling back into his skull?

poor baby would be struggling to breathe, fingers tangling themselves into your uniform in a poor attempt to let you know he wants to tap out. you get what he’s trying to do, of course, but why not push him to his limits? tease him a little? his muffled moans feel like music to your ears and you want to hear the entire symphony

but when you finally pull away, a lewd string of saliva connecting your tongues, poor zandik can’t help the moan that leaves his bruised lips. he pulls you in again, chest heaving up and down to catch his breath, n tries to go for another kiss. you let him pull you in but you don’t return the kiss, instead choosing to keep your lips shut tightly as he whines and huffs out elaborate curses to try to make you indulge him

and indulge him you will when he learns how to beg for what he wants. to your surprise he learns fairly quickly— even if he’s a little bad at it. but it’s charming!! “just fucking kiss me again goddamnit”, “i wanna kiss you again. let me kiss you”, and your favourite, “p… please?”

it's right then that you make it your life’s mission, your purpose to make him stutter like that every single day.

and it’s almost cathartic when you touch him, even if your clothes are still in the way. still balancing yourself on the chair (and also pinning him to it in turn, hehe) you bump your knee against his erection, a breathy moan blessing your ears from zandik himself. his grip on your top is so tight you think he might even rip it, god knows the last time he trimmed his nails

zandik who would grind himself on your knee without even realizing what he’s doing, all the while you coo in his ears about what a good job he’s doing, what a good boy he is.

zandik who would yearn for more, who would weakly cuss you out when you refuse to let him fuck you.

zandik who, even with his enormous ego, would still follow you around like a lost puppy, begging you to teach him everything you know

[solarisfortuneia]

here's a silly something that was going to be a thing of its own but i thought it was much better as a blurb <3

“kaeya,” you call, running your fingers over a midnight blue t-shirt with a cat and the word ‘meowlicious’ embroidered on it in silver. “come take a look at this!” 

hearing no response, you turn, only to find kaeya’s hoodie-clad figure next to the hat section, where a wide variety of them sit on display. the trolley sits to the side, abandoned in favor of a ridiculously colored hat that now sits on his head.

“what?” he asks, a twinkle in his eye. “you don’t think i look handsome like this?” he poses like a model on the runway. with his midnight-colored hoodie, white sneakers, silver earrings, eyepatch and rainbow beach hat, he makes for a comedic sight.

the price tag dangles over his eyes, the cherry atop this absurd cake. a smile spreads across your face and laughter bubbles up in your chest.

“you look very handsome,” you tease. “i’d definitely pay—” you reach for the tag and flip it over. “five ninety nine for you.”

“is that all i’m worth?” one hand flies to the center of his chest in feigned astonishment. he catches your wrist with the other when you begin to move away. “i was under the impression that i’m worth far more than a meagre five ninety nine.” 

“oh, you are.” you flick his forehead playfully. “but the standard rule of department stores is that i pay what’s on the tag.” you stick your tongue out at him, intertwining your fingers with his. 

“touché. it looks like you’ve struck a bargain. take me home, then, my love.” 

“we’ve got to pay for our stuff first, my love.”

[local-ground-apple]

white lies

in which you don't like his snake & has a suspicious rash (and equally suspicious job)

You were quite cute.

You would be absolutely adorable if you actually remembered the name of Baizhu’s snake.

Changsheng.

Due to unknown for Baizhu reasons, every time he saw you, you would mispronounce or mistype snake’s name. He was aware that you were a foreigner that came from Fontaine and decided to settle in Liyue for a little while. He also knew that you were still learning diligently a langue, yet he couldn’t help but wonder that perhaps it was a little bit intentional.

After all, you didn’t have a problem naming intricate regions or reading his prescriptions filled with professional terms. You were quite adept in them, which was impressive and admirable. Baizhu suspected that you may have been a part of Akademiya’s Haravat given your linguistic abilities. Or perhaps you were a fast learner who happened to enjoy learning several foreign languages. Maybe one day you would reveal your secret.

For now, he would continue to silently observe your visible and personal beef with his beloved snake.

,,Doctor Baizhu !”

Speaking of the devil.

Your cheerful voice resonated through his pharmacy as you waltzed in. Recently, you had become a frequent customer, stopping every now and then, purchasing few herbs or medicines. Much to Baizhu’s growing concern you also stopped by needing some medical consultation. He was truly curious what exactly have you been doing that was causing you to need his assistance.

Not that he minded it. Not at all.

He was more than happy to help you with whatever small your injuries or issues were. Baizhu just liked you and your presence a bit too much to bear watching you return with various bruises or scratches. Perhaps it was high time he asked you about them.

,,I need something…”

Your voice trailed on, as if you were looking in your mind for a specific word. For a brief moment you seemed engrossed in your thoughts, as you bit your lip. Your fingers were tapping impatiently on the counter as you leaned on it.

,,Perhapsss an ointment ?”

Before Baizhu even opened his mouth to help you out, Changsheng popped up from his coat and asked you a question. His eyes were focused on you, so he easily spotted the way your eyes slightly widened at the sound of snake’s voice and how slightly displeased you were with her presence.

Perhaps you weren’t fond of snakes, Baizhu mentally noted.

,,Maybe, I’m not sure, Changsheg”

You stated calmly, as you rolled up your sleeve and stretched your arm, fully exposing a patch of reddish dots adorning your skin. Baizhu leaned slightly down, carefully examining it. He raised one eyebrow, exchanging brief glance with his snake, before he sighed heavily.

Which you took as a bad sign.

A really bad one.

You furrowed your eyebrows, mentally cursing yourself and your job for putting you through such adventures. Baizhu didn’t miss the way you once again mispronounce the name of Changsheng who only hissed in response. He was sure that if she could, she would roll her eyes. Yet, Changsheng didn’t seem too annoyed, oh no, perhaps she didn’t even mind your attitude at all.

,,Changsheng”

,,Right”

You responded quickly, mentally repeating it few times, hoping that maybe this time you will remember. Or maybe not, who knew.  You butchered the pronunciation so many times that you almost lost hope. You supposed that some sounds simply defeated you in this uneven battle.

Baizhu’s calm yet slightly concerned voice brought your attention back to him again.

,,How did you even catch such ferocious rash, hmm ?”

Baizhu gently run a finger over your skin, which send a shiver down your spine. You slightly jumped in surprise, not expecting your doctor to actually cut the distance between you two and touch you. Well, that was slightly embarrassing for you. You avoided looking straight into his golden eyes that were fixated on you.

,,Well…”

Your voice trailed once again, as you almost relived war flashbacks in your head from today. Your face was graced with a grimace, as you sighed heavily. Baizhu raised an eyebrow looking at you curiously, clearly waiting for you to elaborate on the topic. You could also feel Changsheng’s pinkish eyes fixated on your form also demanding a reason for your unexpected and bizarre rash.

,,It seems like it will take us a while. I’m finishing in an hour; would you mind waiting ? I will take care of your rash properly”

Baizhu offered with a soft smile gracing his lips as he looked at you anticipating a “yes” in response. Yet, you hesitated briefly. You looked around, scratching your head, clearly not expecting him to take your condition so seriously. In your eyes it was just a small rash, nothing too serious. And definitely not something worthy of bothering him and taking up his precious time.

,,Unless it stings, then we will proceed right away”

,,No, no, it’s nothing really. Thank you for your concern, but I will be fine just with some ointment or herbs”

You were quick to partially deny his generous proposition, waving your hands dismissingly, clearly not wanting to be a burden. Baizhu chuckled slightly, figuring out why you were so persistent in your refusal. He was aware of the way your eyes slightly slithered in the direction of his fellow companion.

,,I insist. It’s actually quite a serious rash that could easily develop into something way graver than you may anticipate”

Your eyes widened, as you let out a small and suppressed yelp. Frankly, you didn’t expect it. Your job was bound to get you killed one day. Baizhu could see that you were conflicted and that you were quickly assessing your possible options. All you needed was a last one encouragement that he was willing to provide.

,,Will that kill me ?”

You asked apprehensively. Baizhu could sense a little bit of genuine fear over your life in your tone of voice.

,,I wouldn’t say it could go this far, however we shouldn’t underestimate it”

He gently shook his head, which earned him a relieved sigh from you. Baizhu opened his mouth once again to present his final argument that he was sure would manage to convince you to accept his proposition.

,,If it makes you more comfortable, Changsheng won’t be here when I will be taking care of your rash”

Baizhu offered, ignoring Changsheng’s surprised snakey sound. She seemed a little bit shocked when she heard his statement, yet one look at your now relieved face explained everything.

Baizhu’s intuition was correct.

You were simply afraid of snakes. They always managed to make you uncomfortable, which was also one of the reasons, you were quick to leave Bubu Pharmacy whenever Baizhu would attempt to get your attention and ask you few more questions. He never really got the chance to invite you for a cup of tea, as you were always running away as fast as you could once you got the necessary medicine.

Yet this time Baizhu was confident he would have a chance to talk with you a little longer.

,,Well, I suppose that yes…I could… Thank you, doctor Baizhu”

You stumbled upon your words, which Baizhu found quite adorable, as you smiled softly at him.

For the whole next hour Baizhu seemed a bit distracted. Maybe if he listened to your promise that you would return precisely after 60 minutes, he wouldn’t be in this situation. No, instead he told you that it was okay if you stayed inside, sitting in the corner and minding your own business.

You actually did absolutely nothing that could distract him.

You pulled out your notebook filled with scripts and drawings of runes that piqued Baizhu’s interest. It seemed that he was right. Your domain clearly was connected with linguistics given that you were deciphering some ancient writing. You were completely engrossed in your task, not bothering to inspect your surroundings.

You weren’t aware of discreet and subtle glances Baizhu was giving you whenever he had a chance. You were too focused on your work, biting your lip as you didn’t even peel your eyes off the papers for a brief second. You were passionately writing your observations regarding the script, every once in a while glancing at your, what Baizhu assumed was, provisory dictionary.

The sight of you was truly endearing.

,,Y/N, I can inspect your rash now. If you please…”

Baizhu’s calm and collected voice slightly startled you, pulling your out of your thoughts abruptly. As usual, he was smiling softly, his one hand showing you the way to more private part of his pharmacy inviting you in. You quickly muttered how grateful and thankful you were for his medical attention as you hurried to put your belongings back to your bag.

Your eyes briefly stopped at Changsheng wrapped around Baizhu’s neck, concern clearly visible on your face. Given how perceptive your doctor was, he followed your gaze and nodded to himself. Right. He did promise to inspect you without his beloved snake.

,,Take your time and feel free to step inside this room”

Baizhu started pointing in the direction of a small room hidden behind the counter.

,,I will put Changsheng away and join you in a moment”

He added, as you nodded in response, glad that he kept his promise. Immediately, you felt a wave of relief washing over your form, as you let out a breath you weren’t aware that you holding.

Oh shit.

That means you would be alone with your quite attractive doctor in closed and small place.

You mentally facepalmed yourself for putting yourself in such situation. Now you were sure you’d be too embarrassed to actually start a small conversation with him. Well, perhaps if you were lucky, your rash is nothing serious and you will be able to leave soon.

Right.

That’s what you told yourself as you stepped into the small room Baizhu showed you. The shelves were full of various books about different medical herbs or conditions. You could make out some scattered papers all over his desk in chaos. Some of them were littered with droplets of ink, while the other were color-coded.

Interesting.

,,Please, sit down here”

A soft voice pulled you out of your thoughts. You turned around on your heel facing snake-less Baizhu. You smiled at the sight of him, sitting on the chair he was pointing too. Once again, you rolled up your sleeves exposing the reddish spots, as you waited for Baizhu to sit right before you.

,,Quite a nasty rash you caught. May I inquire how exactly did this happen ?”

Baizhu asked, motioning his head in the direction of your exposed skin, raising one eyebrow.

,,I haven’t seen anyone catch it in many, many years”

He remarqued reaching to his bag and pulling out various vials filled with herbs, colorful powder and some unidentified things. You let out a nervous chuckle hearing his question, which only spiked his curiosity even more.

,,Well…I was conducting my research and then, ehh, I may have accidentally touched some weird plant in the cave”

You started, earning a raised eyebrow from Baizhu in response. He didn’t seem as if he was fully believing your story. Not that it seemed that believable. You pondered for a little while, wondering what exactly could you tell him.

,,Weird plant in the cave ? You have to enlighten me, my dear”

My dear.

Oh. You were aware of what tricks he was playing with you right now. You briefly glanced at him, staring at his hands that were focused on preparing an ointment for you. He was quickly adding various ingredients and mixing them together.

Meanwhile you decided.

You couldn’t truly reveal the main goal of your research. It certainly wasn’t concerning only the ancient script he had already seen. No, you were way too careful. If you didn’t want him seeing it, you would occupy yourself differently during that hour.

So, you opted for a safer option.

,,Okay, fine, I will tell you. But it’s quite embarrassing”

You muttered, averting your eyes and glancing at the floor, trying your best to appear a tad bit embarrassed. Your actions seemed to convince him. Baizhu nodded in understanding manner, as he carefully asserted the ointment in the vial. It appeared to be already finished.

,,I literally tripped and fell into some bushes and then when I tried washing my hands, I must have accidentally get stung by some insect”

Now, that was more believable.

It seemed that Baizhu bought your explanation this time.

,,It seems like it’s caused by one insect…”

You totally didn’t catch the weird name he had just pronounced. You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion opting to conveniently forget about it. It was probably some native Liyue bug that stung you. At least, that was the scenario Baizhu believed in.

You mentally cursed yourself for being so weak and agreeing to his generous offer. If it wasn’t for your slow bullshitting skills, you would probably get yourself in troubles. You didn’t really pay much attention to Baizhu explaining you the possible after effects your rash could have on your body, as he was gently applying the ointment to your skin, his fingertips barely pressing down ensuring you wouldn’t feel any type of discomfort.

,,Are you perhaps a linguist ?”

Baizhu’s question snapped you out of your thoughts. A soft smile immediately appeared on your lips at the mere mention of the domain you were so interested in. If only the circumstances were different, you would probably react with more enthusiasm.

,,I suppose you could say that. I’m currently investigating some ancient language. Actually it’s quite fun to decipher it, if you’d like, I could…”

You started rambling on, yet Baizhu didn’t stop you at all. Quite the contrary, he appeared quite interested in your job, as he asked you few questions. You were eager to respond to them, feeling proud of yourself.

You managed to distract him and draw his attention away from the real cause of your rash.

As you were leaving his Pharmacy few hours later given how you both got invested in the conversation, you didn’t notice the way Baizhu’s eyes seemed to be piercing through your silhouette.

,,It wasn’t some Liyue insect”

Changsheng remarqued, while Baizhu nodded in response, wondering what exactly happened to you and why you were so hell bent on hiding the truth.

Meanwhile you were cursing Dottore for supplying you with a potion that contained an ingredient you were allergic to.

me: i will write a fic if baizhu comes home *confident that he won't* baizhu: *coming home in first 10-pull* me: oh. OH.

[bloodymiso]

★ soul in wait zhongli x gn!!reader

years—no, decades after your beloved morax fell in the archon war, he comes back as a mere mortal. your mind, your body, the universe screamed at you in your ears, you knew it was him, you knew he was back.

notes: yeah just some fluff:3 reader is a god, your choice what they..godify for. | warnings: errr birds and fish i guess, normal peaceful life

finding morax once again was a journey indeed, he had been reincarnated into a mortal, many many many years after he perished. you didn’t quite understand how or why it had taken him so long to come back, perhaps it was his soul that took his time. as soon as you saw his face, his black and brown (cockroach) hair, something clicked. it was not only your brain, or your heart which whispered in your ear, it was the universe too. the words burned into your ear; 

he’s back

well, back to the present. you smiled, rolling off zhongli as you laid beside him, looking up at the clouds in the sky. zhongli, formerly morax sighed, though he did not remember much of the archon war, there were still fragments in his memory, fragments which were yet to be sewn together.

he remembered the screams, the warm touch of his lover as they held him tight in his last moments, he remembered the fire which blazed throughout teyvat. everyday he prayed that would never happen again, that the sky would stay blue, that the air would never be tarnished with the smell of blood as it was before. 

when morax fell, liyue went into a state of tragedy. despite the war being over, it seemed to be stuck in time. soon, the citizens of the nation came to a conclusion—their god may not be with them physically, but they knew he was always watching. as the god of ( ____ ), the well known-lover of their late god, they looked to you and the adepti for guidance. 

you turned your head to him—as they say, the eyes are the windows to the soul, through it’s hazel hue, you could tell he was deep in thought. a small smile rose to your lips as you pulled your upper body up, finding yourself crossing your legs in a sitting position. you shuffled closer to the man, stopping behind is head. he was so focused on his thoughts, he only noticed your newly made position as you pulled his head up, placing it on your lap. 

your face came into view, as it did, the curve on your lips infected his own. he smiled softly at you, bringing his arm up to place his fingers on your cheek. you ran your fingers through his hair, basking in the peaceful silence. birds chirped in the background, you could hear the flap of the fish’s fins as they were nipped from the lake. 

“i love you.” 

the words escaped both your lips, practically at the same time. you laughed, oh how he loved the sight of that smile. the curve of your lips, the way your cheeks went up against your eye sockets, the slight tilt of your head, and the hand you always brought up to cover your beautiful smile. 

“jinx.” zhongli said as you furrowed your eyebrows, confused. “is that a mortal thing?” you chuckled, pulling your head down and placing a soft kiss on zhongli’s forehead.

this was all both of you wished for, a world of peace, a world where you could enjoy life freely with your lover. though you knew that peace would come to end as mor—no, zhongli’s life would be cut short, you knew you should make the best out it. 

“you can’t speak when jinxed, love.”

“what has human life done to you..”

(><) wanna support? reblog with tags pookie!!

[asilentsongbird]

ever thought about a love triangle between yan childe and yan neuvillette 🫣?????? imagine y/n being married to neuvillette—and tbf i think being married to him would be miserable…considering the circumstances (it’s less a marriage and more like eternal imprisonment), so the thought of betraying neuvillette gives you some semblance of control. it’s just, no one expected you to betray him with the 11th fatui harbinger…

I LOVE this for the simple fact that I think y/n would not understand how peaceful life is with Neuvillette until Childe takes them on.

Neuvillette is old. He's lived hundreds of years and he's insanely powerful and well liked. Sure, marriage to him is like a prison sentence, you're never leaving him, but at least he lets you wander the city and have hobbies. He's patient.

Childe though, Childe knows just enough to put on a prince charming persona and convince you that there's more out there. Sure, more means being his wife and being his pretty little thing, but you already do that with Neuvillette, surely it can't be any more difficult, right?

Childe convinces you to leave with him, to escape late at night when the timing is perfect. A bit of hope rises in you at the thought of being free, but Childe isn't going to take you to Mondstadt, the nation of freedom.

Life with him ends up being nothing like you dreamed it would be. Everything about Childe stays the same, but any agency you had before has vanished into thin air. He doesn't let you out of whatever apartment he's got set up for you on his latest mission. Childe is convinced that all of your thoughts should be about him, him, him.

It's harder to escape Childe than it ever was to leave Neuvillette. You should feel ashamed as you manage to make your way back to Fontaine, though you consider going to Mondstadt to truly gain your freedom.

But at least with Neuvillette, you have protection from a Harbinger. With Neuvillette, if you're found by him you're most likely just going to get a lecture and a light punishment.

With Childe, if he finds you, you're certain that you'll never see the light of day again.

[venusandsaturnsrings]

˚✧₊⁎ foxtaru is only ever a service sub or a real mean rough dom :(( it depends on how close his rut is!!

when it’s far off, he’ll whine and fuck into you desperately. with his tail wagging softly and his drool dripping onto you it’s hard to say no when he asks so sweet ‘pretty please,’ can he fuck you. he’ll do anything for it, he swears!! it’s easy to bring him to tears if you make him wait, make him beg and pretend to think a bit too long about your answer. he’ll be humping your leg and apologizing for being so bad but he can’t help it!! he needs to slip his cock and knot into you :(( he’ll die, an exaggeration, if he doesn’t!! push him far enough and just gracing his cock with your shoe will have him spilling all messy on the ground…

but, during his ruts… he’s very different. foxtaru only knows how to take and breed when his hormones surge. expect to be knocked to the ground and stripped before you even notice he’s near!! he’s gotta put his knot into you even if it hurts and even if you cry. through snarls and groans he’ll promise you’ll be a very pretty mate and that he’s gonna protect you and your shared kits forever and ever; a very possessive boy. he has zero control when his ruts hit so try and learn the signs that show before it starts if you’re not interested in being bedridden for weeks!!

[i23kazu]

now that fall is coming... imagine playing in the leaves with diluc. he laughs and watches as you jump in the piles that adelinde had swept, and lets go of any inhibitions and jumps in after you – after watching that grin light up on your face.

[haruniki]

Lisa flirting with you through her job as a librarian. Her making you heart shaped/themed bookmarks for you to use and writing both her's and your own initials on it. Leaving notes in books that she knows you'll pick up next. And we all know that she goes to people in person to get borrowed books back and she absolutely loves when you forget to return one, gives her more opportunities to get just a bit closer to you.

[strxnged]

CHILUMI: # a chasmic mistake.

— teaser and table of contents.

summary. lumine is determined to bring the eleventh harbinger down after his crimes against liyue harbour, but the ends to which she will follow him are tested when he descends into the chasm. how much longer will her anger hold up, and how much longer is childe going to tease her for it?

word count. ~20.8k. genre. adventure, enemies to lovers.

posting schedule. every friday starting july 7th, 2023. NOW COMPLETE.

I -- descent. 3.4k II -- establishment. 5.1k III - protection. 2.8k IV - envy. 4.2k V -- notion. 2.5k VI - defense. 2.9k

more info ↓

warnings. blood/violence, action as in combat, nyctophobia, insanity/confusion, sfw physical contact, cursing (as in d—n, h—l, one instance of b—h), cursing (as in magic/mind control), crying. canon divergence (from right before inazuma), paimon got booted for the extent of the fic and is only mentioned ~3 times.

author's note. I DID IT!!! I FINISHED IT! i haven't posted anything for tartaglia before this point because i couldn't handle short form fics for him lol. so here we are. i believe that this is the longest thing i have ever posted on tumblr so i understand if it's too much for some to read on this particular platform. just know that i love them and love this fic it is my dear dear child and i am excited by the fact that someone else might read it and enjoy it too.

taglist. reply to this post if you would like to be added! @wondermumbles @luvhyun3 @ay-asterisms

comments & discussion are ALWAYS appreciated! thank you for your interest in my fic :)

[paimonial-rage]

secret identities and whatnot

ship: xiao x reader x venti

synopsis: in which reader finds out xiao is a fellow fan of a certain musician and venti wants to find out who

notes: idol!au; follow up stories will be posted following venti's route and xiao's route

You frowned as a soft melody traveled through the halls of Teyvat Entertainment. Having worked there for months, you knew it didn’t belong to any of the groups or talents. Their songs fell more into the pop category with the occasional ballad, but this was different. It was a delicate piece, beautiful, yet subdued. And as you followed the sound, you couldn’t help but feel you knew this song from somewhere. But where?

When you opened the door to the practice room belonging to 5WIRL, there was Xiao mid-pirouette, and then it sunk in. You did know this song! In fact, how in the world did you not recognize it in the first place!? You used to listen to his songs on continuous repeat when you were younger. But more important was Xiao! After all–

You rushed up to him and took his hands in excitement.

“You know who Barbatos is? Are you a fan??”

There were practically sparkles in your eyes as you gazed up at the soft-spoken man in sheer excitement. With your heart beating so fast, you didn't even realize you didn't give him a chance to respond before you continued.

“This song is ‘Cecilia’ from his first album, ‘Der Frühling,’ right? While he has gotten a bit more traction over the years, most people aren’t even aware of this album!! So obviously you have to be a fan, right? What is your favorite song from the album? Is it this one? Mine is ‘What is a Windblume?’”

Perhaps you did sound a bit fanatical, but could anyone blame you? Barbatos, though a phenomenal composer, was not necessarily well known. While it was said he ghostwrote a lot of songs for groups and movies that immediately topped the lists, his personal works were few and far between. It didn’t help that he opted to remain anonymous. So to find someone that actually knew who he was absolutely astounded and excited you! You finally had someone to gush over Barbatos with!

It was unfortunate that in your excitement, you didn’t notice the rather confused expression on your companion’s face. While you were a regular face in the office and at concerts, you were usually fighting with Venti or assisting the other members of 5WIRL. He always assumed you were intimidated by him, but seeing how you were practically up in his face with sheer giddiness, he concluded that wasn’t the case. 

“I’m not that much of a fan…” He mumbled, turning his face away. 

You frowned.

“But you have to like at least one of the songs to be listening to this album!!” You pleaded.

He let out an exasperated sigh. And after a few moments of silence, he finally responded.

“‘Floating Lights…’”

Your heart suddenly stopped… before jumpstarting a mile a minute. A wide grin blossomed upon your lips as you squeezed his hands and hopped excitedly.

“You mean the song he was rumored to have made during a trip to Liyue for the Lantern Rite?? That’s not even on this album!!! There’s no way you’re not a fan! Which part is your favorite? The beginning with the lyre? Or is it that floaty part with the flute?”

If you weren’t up in his face, you were definitely there now. Or at least that’s where you would have been had a rather… annoying voice not joined the conversation.

“Oh? What are you both talking about?”

Your lips immediately pulled into a pained grimace. And just as expected, you turned to see the leader of 5WIRL with his green tipped locks and deceptively sweet smile. 

It was not a secret among the members and staff of 5WIRL that you didn’t get along with Venti. Where all the members of 5WIRL were calm and sweet (for the most part), Venti was lazy and uncontained. How many times were you called in the middle of the night to pick him up from random taverns? How many times did you find yourself cleaning up after him in the practice studio? You had no doubt your life would be much simpler if he just weren’t around.

Still, as much as you hated to admit it, he wasn’t popular for no reason. The picture he painted of himself to his fans was of an impish fairy. Ethereal in looks, yet mischievous in nature. Sweet-tongued, yet as unpredictable as the winds. If anyone asked you, though, you’d say he was more akin to a demon. But… you supposed he was a great songwriter and lyricist. Not as good as Barbatos, mind you, but still halfway decent. 

“We’re talking about our shared love of a very amazing songwriter,” you replied with an upturned nose. 

“A songwriter? Which one? Maybe I’ve heard of them!” he replied with curious excitement.

You gave a wry snort of laughter.

“Oh, I highly doubt it. He’s very underground. Certainly not mainstream like you. And his music has a lot of depth, I’m not sure you’d understand…”

“Really? Then I’d love to know who he is! Maybe I can learn a thing or two, hehe!”

Much to your dismay, Venti didn’t become irritated nor upset. Rather, he seemed to be even more interested. Xiao, on the other hand, became more and more concerned with each word that left your mouth. In fact, had you been paying attention, you would have seen him hesitantly holding his hand out as if to stop you from driving your train of sheer arrogance straight off of the cliff of rude awakening!

“Well, for your information, his name is–”

“First!”

You nearly jumped out of your skin. Spinning around, you were shocked to see that it was Xiao with a more intense look of frustration on his face than usual. Even though it could be no one other than him that yelled your name so loudly, you could hardly believe it. But now that he finally had your attention, it seemed he didn’t quite know what to do next. If you were paying attention, however, you would have noticed a pair of very observant eyes watching the scene unfold before him.

“... The… manager wants to see you,” he finally got out. 

You frowned. The manager? You were pretty sure you already handled everything they asked for… Maybe they needed you for something else.

“Did they text you what they wanted?” You asked curiously.

He shook his head.

You sighed.

“Well, hopefully I didn’t forget to do something. I’ll see you two later.”

With that, you slowly trudged your way over to the door. You were really hoping you weren’t needed for something important. Today was supposed to be a slow day. But before you could get any farther, a hand grabbed yours.

“Wait! Can you tell me the name of that composer first, please? If he’s better than me as you say, then you gotta tell me who he is!” Venti begged sweetly.

Xiao’s shoulders stiffened.

“The manager has texted me twice already. Don’t make them wait,” he interrupted.

“Aw, c’mon, Xiao,” Venti groaned. “It’s not going to take them any longer to tell me. Who is it, first?”

“First, they’ve just texted me again.”

“Please? I just want to know his name! Tell me? Pretty please?”

“Just go already.”

“No, don’t listen to him!”

“First.”

“First!”

You exploded.

“QUIET ALREADY!”

You turned to Xiao first.

“The manager can wait just five more seconds! Do you want me gone so badly?”

You then turned to Venti.

“And you! If you really must know, his name is Barbatos. He makes the most wonderful music in the whole entire world. The way he can paint the most beautiful scenes with his lovely melodies is proof that he is an angel in human form. For some time, I couldn't even sleep without listening to his music, so I really owe my life to him! He was my first love and he's way more the musician than you’ll ever be!”

You then turned, stomped off, and slammed the door behind you.

After a few moments of silence, Xiao let out a long drawn out sigh.

“This is why they dislike you so much.”

“Ehe!”

[SIDE A: Venti]

[SIDE B: Xiao] (coming soon)

[claudemblems]

"Hey, you alright?"

Diluc sets down the drink he'd been mixing and ushers over to your side, one hand lightly pressing against your back. His eyes anxiously glance over you as your place your head in your hands, chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

"I...I've just been stressed and anxious about a lot of stuff lately and I can't bottle it up anymore. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Diluc says as he takes a seat on the empty barstool next to yours. "Don't ever feel like you have to be sorry about getting emotional. It's a lot better to let all of your feelings out rather than letting them fester inside. Trust me, I know."

You nod your head, showing him that you're listening, but you still keep your face pressed into your hands.

"Is there anything I can do for you? I admit, I don't really know how to comfort someone in times like these, but I'm your friend, and as such, I will do everything in my power to make you happy."

You take in a deep breath in an effort to chase the anxiety away. And slowly, you raise your head, sparing a glance at Diluc. "Maybe you could walk around the town square with me...we could stop by the Church or Majorie's shop...just so I can get my mind off things? If you want."

Diluc smiles fondly at you as he stands, offering his hand to help you up. "Of course. I think some fresh air would do us both some good." When you rise to your feet, Diluc makes his way to the door and opens it for you.

"Thank you, Diluc. Just you being here means a lot."

"You don't have to thank me. Nothing makes me happier than being able to do something for your sake. Your friendship is the most important thing to me, after all. I hope I can work towards one day repaying your kindness."

Then you're off on your way, strolling around Mondstadt with Diluc at your side. Slowly, the anxiety starts to fade away, and the only thing on your mind is how thankful you are to have Diluc there beside you.