#xiao would do anything zhongli asked him to do and they both know this | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

zhongrin · 2 years

Text

“you’re not going out like that.”

— you say with a pout and a glare.

or, you stop him before going out because of his clothes.

◇ characters ◇ zhongli, xiao, scaramouche, childe, diluc, pantalone

◇ tags ◇ modern!au, fluff, reader is not ‘controlling’ if that’s what you’re afraid of seeing

◇ a/n ◇ can you buy a zhongli irl off amazon or something i'm asking for a friend- /j

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ⬙ 𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡

zhongli raises his eyebrows, questioning ambers seeking an explanation from you.

with a sigh, you stalk towards his side and pinch the thin material of his shirt, berating him nonstop over how the temperature has started to drop outside and how he’ll catch a cold if he doesn’t bundle up.

he lets you drag him back to the bedroom and smiles softly as you rummage through his coats and sweaters, all the while still lecturing him about the importance of his health now that you’re both getting older.

what you don’t know is that he does this purposefully so that you’ll fuss over him. call him whipped, but he adores seeing you care for him like a mother hen; he may trust your love in all its entirety, but he certainly doesn’t mind getting a reminder of it every now and then.

it’s the same reason why he leaves his tie a little crooked every morning: just so you could scold him for how he’s gotten lousy ever since you both got married. he would always chuckle and apologize, but inwardly he just can’t help it; surely all husbands want to be spoiled by their lovely spouse?

childe giggles and winks towards you before gesturing to his outfit with a flair as if he’s in a fashion show model which to be fair he kinda looks the part.

“awh, why not? don’t you want to show off how good this boyfriend of yours look?”

“you mean announce to the whole world that i’m dating a fuckboy? no thanks.”

the brunette pouts at the half-serious, half-joking expression on your face and positions his hands on his hips like a petulant child(e), “oh, i’m sorry that i’m hot and i’m unashamed of it! besides, what can they do? grope me?”

you roll your eyes and slip your hands through the wide gap by the sides of his clothes to grab onto his chest.

childe freezes like deer in headlights, but regains his composure quickly; in a blink, he gives you a playful grin, but before he can utter anything scandalous, you pull him into a kiss and uses the element of surprise to steal his breath away.

and when your boyfriend ends up sprawled under you on the couch fifteen minutes later, you don’t miss the winning smile and happy wrinkle of skin spread across his freckled cheeks.

honestly, he could’ve just told you (you know, like a normal person) if he didn’t actually want to go out, instead of always pulling stunts like this.

kunikuzushi stares at you with half his mouth open, clearly surprised and offended at your statement and the insults you blatantly threw his way right after.

what do you mean he looks like a sleazebag? sure, it’s a hoodie from yesterday(’s yesterday), but it looks fine! it smells bearable! it’s comfy! he’s too lazy to change out of it! not when it’s just a trip down to the nearby cafe!

archons, he’s just a common engineer who builds robots, not some high-strung profile in some fancy mafia organization… is what he insists, and he continues to groan and bemoans his fate even as you brought a change of clothes for him.

he might as well be a cat with how he bristles at your threat of running a bath for him, but he quietens when you double the threat with an offer to ‘scrub his poor scalp clean’.

“….. do it then,” he challenges, crossing his arms like a true brat™️, although his eyes are shining with excitement.

you two end up getting takeouts that night.

xiao pauses from putting on his watch and looks at you quizzically.

why would a dress shirt and slacks be an unacceptable fashion choice? last he checked, you were both just going to visit that favorite restaurant of yours.

the man blinks owlishly at the adorable way you stomp your feet and points to the accessories you’re wearing. he cracks a momentary smile when he recognizes them as the ones he bought for you last week; it’s just as he imagined, they look lovely on you. however, the said quirk of his lips disappears as you tell him that he’s forgotten to wear his matching ones even though he had promised to.

“ah,” he scratches his cheek, “i forgot… tsk, alright, alright, i’ll go change. this outfit won’t work with those colors, let me just-”

you end up late to your reservation and were unable to get a table, but seeing the content smile on your pretty lips when you saw the ‘date night!’ selfie you took on the fast food parking lot in his car, he thinks it’s all worth it.

your smile is always worth it.

“why not-”

“you’re a fashion disaster!”

diluc freezes and honestly if it was anyone else he would have ignored them and stormed off in embarrassment.

but this was you. you matter. your opinions matter. he doesn’t want to embarrass you.

“is… is it that bad?” he asks with a blush on his face as you throw his old coat onto the bed and unbuttons the plain shirt he always defaults to wearing.

your rich but struggling-with-fashion boyfriend watches and listens, as silent as a timid bunny, as you tell him the latest trend and the ‘boyfriend look’ or whatever it was called. he's just helplessly nodding and obeying as you hand him the change of clothes, hoping that will lessen the frown between your brows.

“is this a… bracelet?”

“it’s a choker, luc.”

“but they’re so short.”

“it’s supposed to rest around your throat, dear.”

“oh.”

he’s not sure whether he looks okay or not, but judging from adelinde’s messages bombarding his phone that night, gushing about how proud she is to ‘see that the young master has grown to be able to comprehend fashion trends’ after seeing your instagram stories, he thinks he should just ask you to pick his clothes from now own.

when you tell him he looks like he’s about to brave the cold of the mountains in dragonspine, pantalone hums and tilts his head in thought.

perhaps the coat was too much, he agrees as he discards the thick materials. but you huff and press him to remove his gloves and overcoat, and while he understands that he might have gone overboard in dressing up, given how he’s used to the biting cold of snezhnaya’s freezing climates, he can’t help but smirk at the way you’re hurriedly unbuttoning his clothes.

“my, you look quite desperate for me, sweetheart. are you sure you wish to go out tonight? if you'd like, i can always tell them to send the chef over so we can-”

he chuckles when you hit his chest playfully and lets you modify his clothing as you see fit.

well, no matter. if he gets cold he can always buy a coat outside….

... he still ends up sweating like crazy and he does not understand how you can be perfectly fine in this horrendous heat.

calm down pantalone it’s only like 34 degrees celcius.

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #rin writes #zhongli #zhongli x reader #childe #tartaglia #ajax #childe x reader #diluc #diluc ragnvindr #diluc x reader #wanderer #wanderer x reader #xiao #xiao x reader #pantalone #pantalone x reader

5K notes · View notes

ikaroux · 2 years

Text

How are they with their pregnant companion? Tighnari

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

Style: Cute, fluffy, female reader.

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

Alert: May contain story spoilers for some characters.

Characters: Tighnari.

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

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

Part 2 Scaramouche, Dainsleif, Thomas.

Part 3 Dottore, Pantalone, Alhaitham

Part 4 Cyno, Ayato

"Tighnari, which color do you prefer?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NSFW Bonus:

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

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

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

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

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

#genshin impact #genshin impact smut #genshin #genshin smut #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact x reader #genshin fluff #tighnari #tighnari x reader #tighnari smut #tighnari fluff

3K notes · View notes

whispereons · 1 year

Text

Oracle!Reader Part 9

Masterlist - Part 1, Part 8, Part 10

Warning! This chapter has some gore and death! Remember my sagau has darker worldbuilding and it's an imposter au! Yanderes is a warning in itself.

Muffled thumping and talking bothered your slumber. Feeling groggy you opened your eyes slowly. A groan slips past your lips as your head pounds when you move to sit up. What happened last night?

Memories of the night before coming back to you in a trickle before it rushes your mind all at once. Your mask!

Urgently you feel your face and relax a little at it still being there. But what if Kazuha took it off and put it back on? You would be put in a cell, right? The bedding underneath you were still soft and warm in fact something even warmer was on your legs too...

Looking down you see a head of white and red hair resting on your leg. The sleeping face of Kazuha with bed hair was sitting on a chair letting his upper body rest on the bed.

As cute as he was, sleeping very content on your legs you needed answers to whether he removed your mask or not. Why he was sleeping here was secondary.

"Kazuha? Kazuha, wake up!" You shake his shoulders gently as you call his name. He wakes up almost immediately no doubt due to his sensitive hearing.

"Y/N? Why are you-? Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry." It doesn't take Kazuha long to realize the situation as he jumps away from the bed in a hurry. The slight red to his ears as he turns his head away from you is an easy indicator to his embarrassment.

"It's fine really. You carried me back to my room, right? Thank you for that." His reaction was technically positive while referring you by name meaning he didn't take it off. You should be fine... for now.

"It was no trouble Y/N, especially as you had done the same for me the first night. It's just a little worrying how tired I got once I laid you on the bed. I must have been exhausted from the battle since I didn't drink anything."

Kazuha's complexion starts to cool down as he speaks about the sudden sleepiness. It's quite convenient, a little too convenient. Teyvat probably had a hand in this. You were grateful for it either way.

Politely you dismiss Kazuha who is more than eager to escape the situation. Packing up the last of your stuff and freshening up, you leave the room and climb the stairs.

The cawing of birds become clear, and you look to see the bustling pier of Liyue Harbor. You recognize it as the farthest pier from the city entrance. Unlike the game where you only saw a few people and sellers, it was much busier now.

People of all colors and clothing walked around buying, selling, playing, and working. Liyue was said to be home to many people meeting, so it was nice to see an actual busy port.

Tightening your grip on the strap of the bag, you hope that the crowd will help you escape from meeting any acolytes. Zhongli, Ningguang, and Yelan were the top people to avoid. A smart, well connected Ningguang is far more dangerous than the isolated adeptus Ganyu or Xiao.

"Y/N! Y/N!" Turning around at the sound of your name, a hug from a very excited chef and panda nearly topples you. Smiling a little you hug her back.

"Woke up fine after passing out like that Xiangling?" She pulls away with a pout at your words. Guoba is still clinging to you, and you pet his head while smiling at Xiangling.

"I'll be able to handle more next time! I swear it." You nod along to her determination before asking her a question.

"Where's Xinyan? I know she had a performance today; did she leave already?"

"That's correct. Xinyan had to leave around the same time Beidou left for business. Furong relayed her message to me about it."

Kazuha strolls to where you're standing with Xiangling. He's carrying a small bag with him hinting that he might be staying in Liyue for a while.

"That's a shame, maybe I'll get to see her when I'm in Liyue Harbor. I'm guessing you both have your own ideas on what to do in Liyue."

Speaking casually, you begin walking off the boat onto the port, Kazuha and Xiangling follow behind you.

Xiangling speaks about fishing before going to Wanmin Restaurant where she can go back to helping her dad. Kazuha's calm voice mentions a trip to the Lisha area where he had yet to explore.

Keeping your tone light, you vaguely speak of traveling around and the possibility of visiting another nation. It's best to have a flexible track record to avoid being stuck in any minor lies.

The crowd around you seems to grow thicker. It pushes the three of you together into a clump in the crowd. The smell of fish, sweat, and salt is grossing you out.

Kazuha's featherlight grip on your wrist and Xiangling's warm hand on your shoulder are what helped you all stay together and escape the masses. You sigh in relief at the cool breeze sweeping away the hot sticky feeling.

Quickly you begin saying your goodbyes to them only to be surprised by their slight clinginess.

"Why are you leaving so fast? I can treat you to a meal at Wanmin Restaurant first." She keeps her hand on your shoulder as she inches closer. Trills come from below and you look to see Guoba clinging to your leg. When did he come over?

"I agree, we don't have to split so fast. If anything, you can explore the Lisha area with me." Kazuha changes his grip from your wrist to your hand with ease.

You would be more than happy to, but you really didn't want to attract more vision holders. They would inevitably ask about you since you awakened most of them. That would lead to more questions, more lies, and less freedom.

"I'm sorry but I do have things to take care of in the city first. I don't want to hold either of you back. Xiangling, the fish you want are only around this time of day and Kazuha, I won't have you waiting hours or even days for me." You speak with firm tone and escape their holds.

Xiangling and Guoba wear matching sad puppy looks while Kazuha seems calm. The slight tremble of his hands as he waves goodbye to you doesn't go unnoticed.

He really can't understand just why he's so attached to you. It's not like him to get this troubled by saying goodbye to people he's met during his travels. His hand shook resisting the urge to hold you again.

Perhaps some time away from you would be good. For you and him.

You turn the corner around Hanfeng's Ironmongers and release the breath you've been holding. Relaxing your shoulders, you resist the urge to groan as you walk along the stone floor.

This was certainly a new pattern that you've begun to notice in your acolytes but not unwelcome. Being clingy and attached to you will help blind them from any slip ups you might make. It was nice to feel loved by your comfort characters too...

The headache you've been sporting since you woke up pulses as if reminding you of its existence. Drinking on a boat was not your best decision but you wouldn't count it as your worst yet. That spot belonged to your moment of weakness with Gorou that gained Yae's attention.

Sighing you keep walking trying to remember the first stop you had planned.

"-thank you for supporting the Adventurers' Guild." Your ears perked at the end of the sentence and a person in the signature green outfit.

That's right, you wanted to finally join the Guild since you never got the chance to in Inazuma. With renewed vigor you walk further and climb up the stone steps.

As you begin climbing the wooden staircase (was it always this high?) you see a black hat and two long twin tails as you climb up. The body gestures and promotional voice are a clear indicator to who is gracing Lan, the Liyue Branch Master, with her presence.

"This new proposal is designed to make anyone, especially you agree to it. The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is always up to date, so we increased the number of coffins you get with your first order to 150 wooden coffins due to departure of Rex Lapis."

You get to the top of the stairs letting you have front row seats to the amusing sale performance.

"I hope you remember the on-site cadaver collection service covering almost every region in Liyue. Because I'm proud to say that we now cover them all. The fee is still very affordable of course!"

Hu Tao smiles perfectly as Lan only gets more annoyed.

"Even when you had the traveler, I still rejected you."

"So, you do remember! That's perfect as now I won't have to drag her here to be a reference again. The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor fully understands why you may be hesitant to agree due to the social ideals. Despite the fact that everyone and everything ends. But it truly is in your best interest to agree to my proposal."

Hu Tao seems to get a little more desperate as Lan presses her hands to her temple.

"I mean, she isn't wrong." Your honest thoughts are spoken aloud drawing the women's attention to you.

Unlike Hu Tao's cheery and overly persuasive voice, you take on a more relaxed tone.

"You want to keep your adventurers safe and making them agree to this would look bad is what you're thinking right? But don't you see how Hu Tao's proposal is making them safer? An adventurer agrees to this job knowing that their life is in danger, if they get scared at the thought of signing that waiver then they aren't cut out for adventuring. How would they survive when attacked? They won't, so this may help prevent needless deaths."

Hu Tao's eyes sparkle at your words as Lan seems dumbstruck. You don't blame her, a random person coming up and taking Hu Tao's side on her business practices is a rarity.

"Now if you agree, you could prevent a lot of heart ache for those who are connected to the adventurers too. Someone has to pick up the bodies, Hu Tao's on-site cadaver collection is the best option. If not them then you'll need to have a different adventurer pick them up, have the family pick them up or pay a bigger fee for the Parlor to do it. You wouldn't want someone who was friends, coworker or family to deal with that corpse if you don't have to, right?"

This was all stuff you've wanted to tell Lan when you saw this scene in Hu Tao's story quest. It felt good finally getting it off your chest. Hu Tao's idea was really more like insurance similar to those who worked dangerous jobs like construction.

"Someone that recognizes my genius! I thought I had a way with words until I heard you speak of possibilities I couldn't even fathom. Tell me what's your name?"

Hu Tao shakes your hand excitedly and before you can even open your mouth to respond she looks back to Lan.

"But before that, I would like to seal the deal with Miss Lan on the offer. Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has a long and detailed history of honoring the client's requests on their death bed. So, agree to this now and reap all the benefits!"

"I said no, I'm not telling you again Hu Tao. Say what you will but I'm not changing my mind. And you, do you have any actual business with the Adventurers' Guild? If you do, speak to Katheryne if not then leave."

You chuckle at the way Lan stubbornly rejects Hu Tao with a scowl before piping up coyly.

"Well lucky for you Lan, I'm Y/N and I'm looking to be an adventurer." The smile you have seems to annoy Lan even further. She mutters something sounding very similar to "of course they are" and points at Kathryne.

"Miss Lan may be unwilling to partner up with me but the same can't be said the same for you Y/N. Those eyebags, slumped shoulders, and frizzy hair. All of that to point to you being chased by something intangible. Why don't you come over sometime and I can get you a 30% discount on a nice coffin as thanks for your help?"

Were you really that haggard looking or was Hu Tao exaggerating it to sell to you? The speed Hu Tao can switch targets from Lan to you is bit startling. Her elemental ghost creeps around her back to wrap around your waist pulling you closer to her.

"Much like you said earlier, an adventurer's life isn't easy! If you agree now, I can promise a special on-site cadaver collection that can extend as far as Monstadt and Sumeru. Buy now and save later, it's the families that regret not buying a coffin or spot for burial."

Well, you did vouch for Hu Tao's proposition earlier so it would be hypocritical to refuse now. But what if you're dragged back to Inazuma and die there? Or worse your identity is exposed leading to you not being allowed a funeral?

The furrow of your brows and finger on your chin as you mentally compare the pros and cons makes Hu Tao smile wider. Until an employee from the Funeral Parlor runs up the stairs calling her name.

"Director Hu Tao, we need your help with the same customer from last week. She keeps trying to change the plan last minute!"

Sighing in annoyance, Hu Tao releases you and steps backward letting you have your personal space back.

"It seems this must be all the time we have together Y/N." She keeps her hand over her heart as she speaks dramatically before wistfully continuing. "A meeting with someone like you is once in a lifetime, so here!"

A business card with the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor name, symbol and address is thrusted in front of you. The address changes to something readable as your fingers brush over the words and her cold rings as you take the card from her.

Do you even want to keep this paper? It's like a guaranteed ticket to meeting Zhongli who you've felt very conflicted about since you arrived here. He and Venti have had thousands of years to grow as worshippers while watching the cult grow. If anyone could pick up your lie, it would be them. Maybe burning the paper would be the best option.

You wave in slight befuddlement as the employee drags Hu Tao away in a hurry. Once she's out of sight, you turn back to the Adventurers' Guild front desk.

"So how do I start?"

After filling out the stacks of paperwork Katheryne handed you, you give it back and crack your wrist. It had asked all manners of questions from 'do you have any control over the elements?' to 'which of the three mushroom types is edible?'. Something tells you Lan made it purposefully harder.

Katheryne disappears into the building with Lan and after a few minutes she comes back out with a smile.

"Congratulations, you've been accepted into the Adventurers' Guild. I am unable to draw up an adventure rank for you but here is your adventurer handbook."

You take the familiar handbook from her and wince at the way her voice glitches when speaking about your adventure rank. Katheryne has always been a meta character so perhaps with your isekai'd statues the system is struggling. Or Teyvat is doing this to protect you as it's heavily implied Kathryne was created by Sandrone, the Fatui Harbinger.

"Due to your lack of adventure rank we will skip that area. Instead, we can give you the choice of wearing your regular clothes or the adventurers' uniform. It's made of material designed to stand against attacks, the weather, and long durations of time."

You smile and shake your head. That uniform would be a dead giveaway to your new job. Plus, it was kind of ugly, there was no way you would run around looking like Tingle from Zelda.

Wait why did they never offer the traveler the option to wear the uniform?

"Then let's get to the main aspect of adventuring, which is commissions. Between the choice of a single daily commission or four weekly commissions, you chose the latter. You are free to pick up your commissions tomorrow morning. Any questions or concerns?"

There was no option for four daily commissions on the paperwork. They must have given it due to the traveler proving their strength using the Dvalin stunt that happened right before the 'Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild' quest. Or because it's a game.

"Just one, will I have to fight abyss mages and hilichurls? Since I wrote that I could control some elements and fighting skills."

"Yes, you will have to face such monsters since you said yes to both questions. Of course, you won't be facing strong ones as all new adventurers start with easy monsters until their adventure rank rises. Unfortunately, since we can't assign you a rank, you will never be assigned commission focusing on stronger enemies."

What a relief! You already felt horrible at the thought of fighting against the cursed khaenri'ahs. Making the fight more difficult would just make it worse.

"Then ad astra abyssosque, Adventurer! With effort, you shall reach the stars and conquer the abyss!"

That signature phrase makes you smile at the robotic woman before leaving down the stairs. That had to be the simplest job interview you've every applied for!

Not to mention this is the only one you've ever successfully gotten hired for. Most deny you for not having a high school diploma and the rest for not having a GED. You would have gotten one if your old boss ever let you. But the way a gang keeps you trapped is by cutting off any other options. If you never get better, you can never leave.

You walk back down the stairs and stuff the handbook into your bag. What to do now? Visiting Hu Tao is not an option, and this was Liyue for crying out loud! You couldn't explore Inazuma in fear of being seen but the problem didn't exist in Liyue... for now at least.

Glancing at the teleport waypoint in the middle of the city, you make sure to keep a good distance from it. Accidentally activating it would be the worst thing especially with all the people around.

Pushing back any worries you begin exploring the Harbor while checking stores for anything useful. The red of the building frames were such an eye-catching design compared to the monochrome and neon buildings on Earth.

The lanterns and lights were off, but you could already imagine the sight of them illuminating the city. One thing you did note was how everyone walked on the stairs and avoided the smooth stone. Wasn't that one reserved for royalty or rather the Archons? Best that you avoid it too.

Unable to read the signs you took to spying the wares to see if the stores have what you need. Camping supplies like a tent, sleeping bag (the closest thing was a sleeping mat and a blanket), travel-sized hygiene tools, a lantern that holds a candle and a multi tool. Were the first things on your list.

You couldn't stay in hotels or get lucky enough like you did to stay with the Kamisatos so it's best to be prepared to sleep outside. Hotels and even motels are expensive so it's best to save money until you have a general income established.

Having a game bag was such a blessing. The shopkeepers looked surprised when you stuffed the whole tent into it but not to the point where it's absurd. The adepti inventions and the traveler seemed to have made all these things rare but not unheard of.

Another high priority was medical supplies. There was a chance that the Statue of the Seven could heal you but that could summon the respective Archon too. You didn't want to bleed to death while walking to one either. Unless you could teleport to them too...

With a good-sized medical kit, you go to the Wanmin restaurant and merely order from the outside. A good heaping of raw ingredients is added to your bag along with a cooking pot.

Second Life, the store nearby is perfect for some of the missing items like milk. The bag is timeless, so nothing ever rots or spoils. If you had something like this on Earth, you wouldn't have spent years going hungry.

You end up near Xigu Antiques and take out Beisht's scale from your bag. If you ever got low on money, then selling Beisht's scale could work. But using it as a bargaining chip or as a verification of being an oracle would be ideal.

"This scale is unlike I've ever seen. It's not only in perfect condition but it's overflowing with hydro energy. Inventors would pay around 5 million mora to power inventions using it. While jewelers like us would pay up to 2 million mora for it. Are you interested in selling it?"

You give a polite refusal before being extra careful in storing the scale. The last thing you want is its price tag going down. Only one thing left on the checklist of items you wanted to buy.

As you ran around looking for that particular shop, you slowed down near the toy seller. Granny Shan smiled at you with wrinkles crinkling as you admired the kites and toys on the bench.

"Hello young one, interested in any of the toys? The ready-made toys are all child sized but I'm open to commissions for specific toys as well."

There wasn't any point in buying anything. The money could be better spent on living expenses rather than kites or fireworks. With a well-mannered smile you're about to decline until you spot a toy design on a piece of paper.

The air in your lungs struggle to leave you as your hands gently pick up the paper to see it closer. A grey cat plushie design with black and white patches graces your eyes. Your lips are dry, and your throat feels tight.

"This design... Can I get the first finished product?"

"I would be happy to. This kind of toy must bring back some childhood memories, right?"

Granny Shan is oblivious to your inner turmoil as she writes down your name and takes the appropriate mora from you. "It'll be done in around two days. Feel free to pick up that day or the day after."

Thankfully it wasn't that expensive, and you leave the stall trying to regain your bearings. The reminder of your beloved Ashtray was sudden but bittersweet. You had a similar plushie in Earth that comforted you, maybe having one here would help you too.

After walking in a daze, you find yourself in front of a shop that was hidden away. It wasn't in the game but maybe that's because it would have been useless to note. Entering the shop, the sight of wind gliders sends you some excitement and nervousness.

Wind gliders of different designs and colors are hung around the shop as protective gear is stationed around on tables. The metallic of the middle structure of it are cold to the touch. A contradictory to the soft cotton hiding the bendable mechanics of the wings.

You're quickly attended to by an employee as they explain the functions and unique color schemes behind each glider. Some designs have monochrome colors to let the buyer color it themselves while others are bejeweled to hell and back.

The one you end up buying is a mild colored glider that suited your color scheme with gold and black mechanical parts. Hopefully you won't regret skipping on the protective gear, Teyvat would protect you from hurting yourself... right?

Who are you kidding? You didn't have a clue on how to use it. Gliding in the game and gliding in real life were two different things. Although they explained the basic of attaching it to the back of your clothes and how it'll automatically deploy at certain velocity. That didn't fix the fact that you don't have a license to use it or any actual knowledge.

There's a bookstore in Liyue right? You already needed to buy some books on camping and the in-depth flora so you can pick up a more detailed gliding instruction manual too.

Feeling a bit lost you climb the red staircases vaguely remembering that the bookstore should be above ground floor. What you end up coming across first is the Heyu Tea House where Yun Jin usually performs.

It's a lot bigger than it was shown in game. This one actually looks like it can hold her performance. A border is set around the stage as a paper is stuck to it. Getting closer you run your fingers over the words.

'Yun Jin performing in less than two hours! The final act to the opera: The Lonely Chameleon!'

Great, now you know exactly where not to be in two hours. You would undoubtably miss whatever story she would be telling as it's the last act. Why be there and potentially draw attention and embarrassment to yourself?

Continuing your journey, you end up being forced to walk past the Northland Back. Vlad, the daytime guard that you were cheering on to end up with Nadia, the night guard was a lot more intimidating in person.

You walk past quickly as the memories of meeting Childe, learning the truth of Zhongli and stealing the chest inside the bank enter your mind. It was years ago that you did that quest, but it felt nostalgic with you walking past it like this.

Confusion is clear on your face as you look across the staircase and see the bookstore much farther than you thought. Slapping your hand lightly on your face you audibly groan at the realization.

You climbed the wrong staircase.

After backtracking, getting a little more lost and finally climbing what you think is the right staircase you are greeted by the bookshelves. A sigh of relief leaves you as your fingers trail against the spines of the books to read the titles.

Most of these you already have in the game screen and can access anytime. An in-depth gliding book, natural Liyue flora book, and a camping book are all paid for with your mora pouch that is much lighter than when you first arrived at Liyue.

Unfortunately, you had to give up on finding a book on tracking and hunting. Seems someone had already bought the last copy.

Slowly you walk back to the area where the bridge connected to the Harbor. The sun was close to setting with the orange hue embracing the sky. Most people are already home with only a few children and the usual dogs hanging out on the bridge. Passing by the alchemy table and pond your tired thoughts begin to wander.

To think alchemy was a real thing in this world. In some ways Teyvat surpassed Earth's technology using it while they were also limited due to it. You could probably make a lot of money by inventing the most useful tools you saw on Earth. Like the creation of a bicycle or at least a tricycle was revolutionary during this era.

"I'm happy to walk ya back Yun Jin but I really can't stay."

"I understand Xinyan so thank you for escorting me back to the Heyu Tea House."

You freeze at the foot of the bridge as the faint figures of Xinyan and Yun Jin walk from the other side of the bridge. Yun Jin must have gone to watch Xinyan's performance but wasn't hers supposed to start in less than an hour?

A loud bang catches your attention as the sound of electro crystalizing is heard from the city on your left. Two geovishap hatchlings speed out of somewhere from the city as Keqing chases them. The hatchlings circle around Keqing as she continuesly dodges their attacks.

"Everyone be careful! Please keep a clear distance from this area for your own safety!"

Watching in surprise you stand at the foot of the bridge as the kids and dogs get closer to you. Seems Beidou wasn't kidding when she said that the monsters and Ley lines were acting strange. The game has had monsters get close to the cities but never inside it.

As Keqing continues to block and attack the hatchlings, Xinyan and Yun Jin get to the halfway point of the bridge. Heavy footsteps of multiple guards can be heard from the direction Keqing came from.

The geovishap hatchlings startle at the vibrations and curl back into balls moving in a fast pace toward the bridge. The same bridge that you were in front of!

Urgently you're about to move out the way when the children hold onto your clothes in fear. Combine that with the two dogs blocking your feet, moving out of the way was impossible.

Did you have enough time to get your sickle out of your bag? Was there anything else you can use?! The hatchlings speed up as Keqing notices your predicament and rushes over. You can already tell that even if she used her skill, she wouldn't make it in time.

Trembling the kids close their eyes and bury their heads into your clothing. The dogs bark and growl at the approaching hatchlings. Gritting your teeth, you close your eyes and hold your arms out in some form of defense.

The rough rocks of the hatchling scrape your hand and you swing your arm to the side from the pain. The hatchling makes a pitiful whimper as it's pushed back by the sickle appearing in your hands.

In surprise you examine the sickle in your hands. Did you really get the ability to sheathe and unsheathe your weapon without manually holding it? It's quite late seeing as you could have used this during Beisht's battle but better late than never.

Did the creatures really not recognize you as the creator?

Your blood from the scrape drips down your hand and hits the ground. You could tell that something changed within the geovishap hatchlings... The one that scratched your hand started to spin around in circles for seemingly no reason.

The second hatchling lunged at the first one with teeth and claws barred out. It pins the first one to the ground and brutally stabs it as it bites chunks of rock out of its skin.

Everyone around stops at the scene and watches it in horrific disbelief. The blood splatters all over the floor and the smell of copper invades your nose. The bloody barely moving corpse of the hatchling starts to weakly crawl to you.

The kids shriek and the dogs whine as the chipped bloody geo claw reaches toward you. Unlike how threatening it felt earlier, the sight of it trying so desperately to reach you had grief swelling up inside.

The second hatchling with bloody rocks and crimson flowing out of its jaw follows it as it's club like tail raises. The tail is slammed down onto the it's victim with no remorse repeatedly. As the rocky exterior is beaten away blood flies off the body.

Your body takes the brunt of the splashing blood as you cannot stop staring at the corpse. By the time the tail is lifted off the body, all that's left is a bloody pulp of rock, scales and flesh.

Everything is silent for a moment as the sole Geo hatchling looks up at you. It seems happy? Maybe even proud of what it did. It rips off the gold horn from the corpse and places it at your feet.

You stare down at the item as you shakily pick it up. It's still warm. Whether from the blood or the newly deceased creature, you aren't sure.

The background seems to blur as you stare at it. The children running to their parents, Keqing yelling out orders, Yun Jin and Xinyan trying to get past without attracting the attention of the hatchling. All of it fades away.

What caused this situation to happen? They didn't recognize you until your blood dribbled out. Teyvat was calling strong creatures to protect you so maybe the weaker ones hadn't got the message yet? Should you be mad at the hatchling that stands at your feet looking at you with adoration?

If a person did this, you would be appalled. But nature was never kind and Teyvat had its own laws. Even if you did kill the geo hatchling for murdering its brethren, it wouldn't stop anything. They aren't like humans who can understand your words and worries. Besides the hatchling didn't do it in your name like the acolytes' sacrificial events, it did it to protect you...

You snap back into attention as Keqing teleports using her skill above the hatchling. It curls up and rolls around you to escape using the bridge. The faint trail of blood in its wake is only mildly off-putting compared to earlier.

In its hurry it slams into Yun Jin's chest. Her clothing is smeared with blood, and it rips from the rocky scales. She stumbles back with a pained cry as Xinyan growls and summons her weapon.

"Get away from her!" Xinyan barely misses the hatchling as it digs under the ground and reappears behind them. Xinyan is about to give chase, but you grab her arm in a haste.

"Just leave it be, there's more important things to worry about! Yun Jin's show is starting in less than an hour."

Yun Jin stands up from the ground and the damage had already been done. Her hair was a mess, her makeup was smudged, and her clothes were torn with a blood smear.

"Oh no, oh dear. I was supposed to perform in these clothes, I had no costume prepared. If I go back now, they'll be so caught up in fixing me that the show will be ruined."

Yun Jin's despair quickly captures Xinyan's attention, and you glance at the geovishap hatchling that flees the area. Some of the Millelith guards are about to give chase but Keqing stops them.

"I think we still have a chance to fix things." Your voice has a glimmer of hope as you take in Yun Jin's appearance. "I don't know how to do your hair, but I have experience in makeup and clothing. If we all work together, we could get it fixed up in time."

"Is that really a possibility?"

"Don't give up hope Yun Jin! Y/N is right, if we go somewhere and fix it up, you might make it! You know I can help with all that stuff too."

Yun Jin smiles feeling a bit better with Xinyan and your reassurance. Before you can start looking around for somewhere to work on it Keqing walks up to your group.

"Hello, I wanted to come over to amend the situation that I could have prevented if not for my own lack of skills. Situations like these may not be under the Yuheng's responsibility but as a member of the Liyue Qixing who was here, I should have been able to stop the geovishap hatchlings.

As much as I would like to properly introduce myself, it's best that I cut to the chase. Yun Jin, you are performing soon, and your friends want to help you fix it correct? I'll pay a room for you in the Yanshang Teahouse and have someone bring over any material you might need."

This was a real lucky break, but Keqing keeps glancing at you, as if she knows or wants something. Everyone saw how the hatchling presented the horn to you, hopefully she's not suspecting you to be behind the Geo hatchlings attack.

Xinyan and Yun Jin are quick to agree as you all hurry to the teahouse. The hostess that you remember being really bitchy before Yelan took over was pleasant at the sight of the very popular vision holders. You ignore the side-eye she gives you as you all pile into a room.

Xinyan is creating a list of necassary materials to remedy Yun Jin's situation with Keqing as you clear the table of all the decorations. The whole next 10 minutes is a blur. The only thing you focus on is cleaning the blood from her outfit and repairing the holes as Yun Jin sits in front of a mirror in some spare clothes. Xinyan is focused on redoing the hairstyle.

Keqing only stopped to drop off the supplies before leaving for work. She didn't ask you anything but the way she stared at you whenever she thought you weren't looking says otherwise. Knowing your luck, Ningguang will have heard of this too. And being in the teahouse that Yelan owns? Yeah, you're screwed.

Deciding to push it to the back of your mind, you focus on the dress in your hands that's almost done being repaired. You were no professional sewer, you just had so much practice in sewing your clothes that this came easily to you. Same with your make-up skills, your job on Earth required you to constantly change faces. So, your make-up skills were more in the contouring section. Always used to obscure your features rather than enhance them.

The dress looks brand-new as you examine it closely for any signs of imperfection. Satisfied at your job you stand up and go over to the duo. They've been chatting about how the Heyu Tea House owner would react to Yun Jin arriving so close to the beginning of the opera.

"Sorry to interrupt but I finished fixing your dress. Do you want me to help you with your make-up or are you all good?"

Yun Jin jumps at your appearance and nearly drops the brush she was using.

"Thank you so much!... Y/N? I'm so sorry I never even got to properly introduce myself to you and you were still kind enough to help me. Is there any way I can repay you for all you've done for me?"

You smile gently at the formal woman as she stresses out over her lack of manners. What a perfect opportunity served on a silver platter.

"Please don't worry about that. You're a friend of Xinyan's right? I came on the Alcor with Xinyan, and I was more than happy to help. The situation earlier left everyone quite frazzled. I really don't need anything as repayment. I just hope you can make it to your show in time."

Yun Jin only looks more regretful at your generous wish. Xinyan finishes her hair and scoots back as she grabs the hat. She takes the sewing needle you were using earlier and begins to repair the hanging tassels.

"Don't feel bad Yun Jin, Y/N is a good person! I never got to tell you in detail how the trip with the Crux went this time but after your show I can tell you all about it. Ya know that oracle I mentioned before? Y/N is that oracle!"

Careful not to mess up her hair, you begin applying the red eyeshadow as Yun Jin puts on the light red tinted lipstick. "Is that really true? I'm not doubting you, it's just incredible to hear."

"Yes, to put it simply I tend to resemble the creator due to the powers I'm granted. One of the major ones is how I can connect with the creatures of this world." Your downcast eyes make Yun Jin send you a worried look.

"Is something wrong Y/N?"

"It's just that I think the geovishap hatchling may have sensed the creator's presence on me and instead of attacking me like they do to the awakened acolytes, it reacted weirdly. I think the Yuheng may be under the belief that I did something to make them react like that."

You finish applying it and lean away from Yun Jin. The girls share a look with each other and begin reassuring you that there's no way you would get in trouble. It's when you hear a particular sentence from Yun Jin that your pursed lips curl into a grateful smile.

"I have a performance that requires me to speak with Keqing tomorrow, I can explain your oracle status and clear up any misunderstandings that may have arisen."

"I would be so thankful for that Yun Jin! You would really be my hero."

Calling her a hero makes her pale cheeks heat up a little as she stands up.

"Think nothing of it Y/N. Now I believe everything is repaired and ready. I'll change and meet you outside as soon as I possibly can."

Smiling happily, you wave with Xinyan and leave to the entrance of the Teahouse. Xinyan pats you on the back with an ecstatic smile.

"We might be able to arrive on time, we really couldn't have done it without you Y/N. If you have time, would ya like to watch her show with me? The final act usually has a quick recap and the story in this one is pretty simple."

Xinyan looks at you with expectant eyes as you remember her telling Yun Jin that she wouldn't be able to attend. What made her change her mind?

"That sounds like fun! I've never seen an opera before, would I need to buy tickets?"

"Don't worry about that! Yun Jin always has private tickets for anyone she wants to personally invite. I don't usually go since I've never been too fond of opera, but I want to support Yun Jin. It would be a lot more fun with you."

Yun Jin comes out at that exact moment looking nearly identical to her pre-attacked appearance. Xinyan keeps her fingers to her lips signaling to keep your agreement a secret. You nod back to her; it was nice seeing them get along so well.

Getting there at the last second, the troupe calls her over in a hurry. Yun Jin can only briefly wave goodbye before disappearing behind the topaz curtain.

The Heyu Tea House was packed to say the least. Fighting through the people, you and Xinyan managed to find a seat close enough that Yun Jin would notice you both immediately.

Eyes stare at your table or rather at Xinyan. You had only gotten this seat because they moved away in fear without either of you doing anything. Not that you were complaining, if they wanted to be chicken then that's on them.

If only they stopped glaring at Xinyan for simply existing. Now doesn't that bring up memories of your own childhood. No one really liked being saddled with the orphan kid.

Xinyan doesn't even react and only smiles when the curtain pulls away to reveal a few backup dancers and Yun Jin posing. Her voice rings out in Chinese as they start dancing and performing in harmony.

You don't miss how her eyes light up at the sight of you and Xinyan watching from the table. A separate narrator begins to recap the previous acts.

"A chameleon with no one and nothing left. What a pitiful existence. Yet it strives for some meaning or person to live for, it works tirelessly each day. Changing its colors, it's position and its soul for that singular purpose. Taken advantage by each animal requesting a color. At long last it's used every color and been rejected by each one. So now it's left to wonder; what color was its true color?"

Each animal that had taken advantage of the chameleon appears in costume around Yun Jin. The lanterns dim as the moon starts to rise setting a perfect backdrop.

The singing slows down as Yun Jin speaks mournfully.

"Not a single color keeps them with me. No matter how hard I try to blend in, to be accepted it is but a lost cause. Should I find my original color and live all alone? Or should I give one last ditch effort?"

Colored lights and decorations spin around Yun Jin at her last line. When it's pulled away her hat had changed to a multicolored fan of hairpins. A long robe covered her dress with flags in each color stood proud fanning out from behind her.

Her singing is high-pitched and melancholic. All the other animal performers crowd around her as she sings. After each verse she belts out and poses, they briefly stop and bow to her.

You couldn't understand what was being said but judging by their actions, it seemed the animals finally accepted the chameleon due to the rainbow of colors.

A last long note as the animals pose in various positions around her until only the moon shines down on Yun Jin. She looks up at the moon as she starts her speech with an empty voice that rises with emotion.

"I am loved, adored, and nearly worshipped so why am I as lonely as before? If the only difference between the me before and the me now is the color, I display then is my color the only reason they love me? Is this the life I want? Is this the love I desire!?"

The drums beat and the music rings louder. The animal performers move away in a fast pace as Yun Jin tears off each flag. The animals scramble to pick each colored flag and hold it out to Yun Jin but she ignores them. Instead, she grabs the hairpin on her head and tears it off.

The animals run around her in a dance as longer flags that cover the sight of her fly around. When she's revealed she's back in her normal clothes and a single dagger lies in her grasp.

"If that is the only way I will ever be loved then this life of mine is as useless as my colors."

With a single motion the dagger is 'stabbed' into her heart, and she falls backwards with the animal performers catching her. They gently set her 'dead' body on the ground and mourn her. The curtains close and the audience erupts into cheers.

You clap and smile as the curtains open and the performers bow with Yun Jin in the front. For reasons unknown to you, the play had shaken your heart like an earthquake to a fragile little house.

Xinyan excitedly congratulates Yun Jin as you compliment her as well. Cotten in your ears make what they're saying muffled. Smiling you say your goodbyes and leave them. The ghost of Xinyan's hand reaching for your shoulder is ignored.

Instead you focus on what matters, your identity and living situation. Yun Jin already agreed to clear up the situation with Keqing, the horn given to you was safely in your bag, your job with the Guild was confirmed, and you avoided any high-profile acolytes that you're wary of.

Hopefully Yelan will never investigate you seeing as you stayed at the Yansheng Teahouse.

Out of curiosity you check the price of a week at a small motel. You promptly leave after they tell you it would cost 210,000 mora for a single week. If you paid that, you'd be fresh out of money by the end of the month. Things were expensive since it's Liyue but that was just too much.

You make your way to the bridge where the whole geovishap hatchling murder happened. Sleeping in the tent you bought is the much smarter and better financial decision... Even if it was the more dangerous one.

Not a single soul is around as you cross the bridge. The grass crunches under your shoes as the uneven stone makes your footsteps ring out in the night air. It turns into a dirt path and the city lights fade from how far you've gone.

Lighting the candle in your lantern you hold it out in front of you as you continue walking. The path splits and you stay on the right side due to the faint lanterns that are hung around that direction.

Cobblestone patio on the left and two huge identical stone statues on the right can be seen as you stand in the middle. The spot of dirt you choose to camp out on the patio gives you a perfect view of the statues. The mist flower and what you think is an adepti machine goes ignored.

It's been a quite a few years since you've ever had to put up a tent. But the survival skills come back to you quickly. With the tent set up and a small campfire going, you set a pot over it.

Swiftly you open the game screen and find the needed recipes for any simple food to make. The matsutake potatoes and meat are put into the pot and you turn your head to grab a plate. You aren't surprised to see it already done when you turn back.

You gobble down most of the matsutake meat rolls and stop when the bushes on your left begin to shake. Freezing mid-bite, you stare at the bush intently. When something begins to tumble out of it you jump to your feet and summon your sickle.

An unfortunately familiar bronze creature unravels itself from its ball and stares at you innocently. That damn geovishap hatchling has appeared again.

Sighing you flop back onto the ground with no fear. It may not have crimson liquid staining its body, but the smell of copper was still strong. There was no way it's not the hatchling you met in the city.

It creeps closer to you with every passing second. You can see the marks from Keqing's sword and electro cover its bedrock body. Taking pity on the poor hatchling, it's still a baby after all, you pat the spot beside you.

With a happy growl it sits next to you, and you give it the last of the meat rolls. Happy noises escape it as it carefully takes the food from your hands and eats it. That seems to have completely softened the reptile as it snuggles into your side.

Despite what it did earlier, your heart melts like wax under the sun, and you pet its head. You scold it in a faint voice.

"You shouldn't go into the city, it's dangerous. Now that your friend is gone, it'll be easier for you to get hurt. Stay close with your family so that you don't get hurt."

It's eyes close and it whimpers. It may not understand your words, but the main message seemed to have resonated with it. Your hand brushes against one of its injuries and it flinches.

Should you use some of the ointment from your medical kit to help it? With purpose you drag your finger lightly over its cuts and scraped areas. The wounds begin to glow gold and you close your eyes from the brightness.

Once it dims you open them to see the injuries healed.

Being the creator is one thing, but being the equivalent of a Statue of the Seven to the creatures is another. You're basically capable of healing everything but yourself!

The brief annoyance fades into fondness as the hatchlings springs up and rolls around in happiness. A sudden wave of exhaustion hits you making you groan and struggle to stand up.

You put out the fire and crawl into the tent, the bed is welcomed after such an exhausting day. The rough ground beneath the thin bedding and cold air nipping your skin brings back memories of the years you spent sleeping in alleyways and parks.

Maybe comparing yourself to a Statue of a Seven was more accurate than you thought. As the creator you shouldn't be this exhausted after healing minor wounds. So, it would make sense that you would need to practice or gain more power through touching the Statues of the Seven in order to heal more without getting exhausted.

Your train of thoughts slow down as sleep overtakes you. The faint thudding of the hatchling outside makes you feel somewhat safe. Is this life something you'll truly get used to? Or will you end up giving up like the chameleon?

And it's done! Now that Y/N has some freedom, I can start implemeting certain game ascepts. And if I don't enter specific ones then I probably forgot so feel free to comment any that you would want to see! This chapter was supposed to be just a nice day of touring Liyue and the geovishap hatchling was supposed to be annoying/cute and progress the plot. But damn did it get darker. I do want to say that Kazuha's last line wasn't him removing himself from his obsession. Kazuha is a very self-reflective character and all that he's gone through has added to that. I originally was going to have the opera nameless and just a quick description less show, but I had fun writing one that would fit with the plot. Welp time to finish 100% the Summer event! Taglist: @vvyeislazzy, @nikqi, @the-dumber-scaramouche, @etherisy, @yourlocalstranger123, @ra404, @iruiji, @goldenglow149, @haru-tofuu, @lsleepysimpl, @bebobeboben, @yuyuzi-ling, @amidst-the-tempest, @resident-cryptid, @mxd1zzy, @mochicurls21, @nervouseaglelover, @thedevioussmirk, @yumuramma, @kwqsla, @undecidingfate, @ehjane, @game-savvy, @akiramirae, @sielt, @fluffy-koalala, @formacoon, @sxftiebee, @khxii-i, @ursinaw, @chuuya-brainrot, @sweetbills, @kazuchaos, @snowfoxnix, @bluebelony, @conspicuous-mayonnaise, @pencil-of-ashes, @ghostlyintervention, @taiformaifoe, @sielt, @goaudduck, @carminerin, @maddysflowers, @zenith-of-all-zeniths, @crazydreamcat, @leafanonsforest, @grimreapersscythe, @leylanx, @undecidingfate, @sapphireknown, @help-whatdoimakemyusername, @zhonglisfruityass, @fluffy-koalala, @mer0n37, @victoria1676, @mochinessss, @sinnful-darling

882 notes · View notes

cometrose · 1 year

Text

sometimes i don’t like family hcs cause i think the relationship between the two characters is a little more fucked up that and i don’t think you’re giving it enough credit

“look they’re just like father and son!” and then i look and it’s two immortals with a messed up master servant dynamic where they would do anything for each other and slowly trying to overcome a relationship dynamic that is 1000s of years in the making

#LISTEN #xiao would do anything for zhongli and they both know this but zhongli would never ask him too and they both know THIS!#also i saw a post critizing zhongli for how he treated xiao like with the whole karma thing but that’s not his child #why are you mad at zhongli for being a bad dad to xiao when he’s not his father???#or i see posts where it’s implied zhongli pushed or forced xiao into fighting for him #but that’s not true either??#zhongli never forced xiao to do anything xiao does all of this because of his dedication to morax #zhongli let xiao suffer? WHEN??? WHERE #i’m not saying he’s perfect but damn did he fucking try #or that xiao states the yaksha’s were proud people who regardless of how their stories ended never wanted pity #newsflash idiot it was war they all fucking suffered look at all the adepti and you can still see they’re still fucked up a bit #anyway whatever i guess #zhongli #xiao #genshin impact #woman yells at wall more at 8 #i think looking at their relationship through a familial lens undermines all my favorite things about their relationship #like their wonky power imbalance and loyalty issues #or scara and nahida like people try to make her his new mom and i don’t like it lol #i think them as two oddballs in life becoming close companions and associates feels much better than making nahida his mom #people nowadays only know romantic or familial dynamics and often ignore a secret third thing which is literally every other type of bond #i don’t even hate the hc i just hate when you criticize or analyze these characters WITH A HEADCANON

80 notes · View notes

noellefan101 · 1 year

Text

Offline to Online

Summary: your boyfriend is a streamer, a popular one at that. this is a fic about: how their chat find out that you are dating, how they treat you off-stream and on-stream/do they treat you differently

Warnings: swearing, mentioning of death threats and killing(Scaramouche), streamer reader(Scaramouche), slight ooc, if there is anything else then pls tell me

Characters: Xiao, Childe, Venti, Scaramouche, Aether

Note: I am trying my best ok, and I'm kinda new to Tumblr, so if it isn't to your liking then leave, please./I´m sorry if you can´t understand what I´m writing, bc neither can I/. btw this is later than I originally intended bc it got deleted when I was almost DONE, like seriously. so I have like no motivation left now, yay :(

Xiao

How Chat Found Out: You two were roommates, or that´s what his chat thought anyways. Because you two lived together that was what you told them and most believed that so you thought it was fine/Xiao is shy and lied about you two dating when they asked, and then you just lied too cus you are the best(I mean that with my whole heart).

but one day when you were out with some of your friends, and Xiao was streaming at home with Zhongli(in this story Xiao´s adoptive father) some girl suddenly came up to you and started yelling at you because apparently you took her "boyfriend" away, you and your friends got confused and just let her be after, she had yelled at you for about 2 min. a little later you called Xiao and explained what happened. and after Xiao told you that Zhongli got asked about your relationship while he was gone to get some food, and he forgot that you were keeping it a secret and even showed some photos of you kissing. when you got home/to a guilty Zhongli and Xiao trying his best to comfort him/you both forgave him and then properly announced it the next day, so you don´t have to worry about anyone finding you out. . . because they already know.

On-Stream: he is very shy so its mostly something like your beside him, in the background or sometimes sitting in his lap. he doesn´t pay that much attention to you but only because he thinks it's embarrassing and that stuff. he will also become a tomato if you kiss him on-stream, even though he will despise you for an hour or so its worth it.

Off-Stream: he becomes less shy and pays more attention to you, he also blushes more at your closeness because he doesn´t feel like he has to hold back his emotions. why? well, he´s with you the most wonderful y/n in the whole world. so yeah he behaves differently when you two are alone, and not with hundreds of people watching you.

he loves you, but he´s not always good at showing it.

Childe

How Chat Found Out: honestly I think would just tell them I they asked, but weirdly no one did. maybe it was because they didn´t want to interfere, and thought it was inappropriate. or they didn´t want any of the lovesick fans ruining your relationship. but either way, there was definitely someone else in the house, because they could sometimes hear someone talking in another room, and sometimes post and pans, I guess they just didn´t say anything about it.

but then one of his friends brought up how you were doing because you were sick the last time they talked to him. and he said you were doing better and then the chat flipped out with messages like "Who the f**k is y/n", "are you dating that y/n person", bratty fan girls raging because how dare him and so on. he then talked about you for the next 30 min, and the other person in the call almost fell asleep by how much he talked, so the chat now knows a lot about you. . . maybe a little too much.

On-Stream: he talks a lot, he always does, but now there are more topics about you when he talks all day. example: what you ate today, a pretty outfit you wore this week, some new accessories he got you today, and yadda yadda. he also has you sit on his lap or beside him in your own chair. and ofc he kisses you at least once every stream.

Off-Stream: I would say that he´s not much different, but maybe a little, for example: lets you talk more and now listens more than he talks, kisses you more and is always touching you(not in a sexual way).

he loves you more than anything and is not afraid to show it.

Venti

How Chat Found Out: honestly I think they already knew since he does "drunk" streams-streams with alcohol-and there was always someone beside him: you. you decided you would be bedside him for his safety and to make sure he doesn´t do anything too dumb. you were out of frame, so they couldn´t really see you, but Venti sometimes talked to you so they knew what you sounded like, and saw your hands once or twice. and they adored you, and by the way he talked about you and looked at you he did too. So naturally they thought that you were dating/or related by blood but he was too lovestruck when he looked at you.

but yeah one stream he maybe drank a little too much, and he maybe began talking to you while forgetting that he was live and called you some rather. . . sweet names and then passed out, so you carried him out of his room to make him sleep a bit. when you suddenly remembered that you forgot to turn off the stream and you didn´t even turn off the camera. meanwhile, the chat was freaking out because you were so freaking pretty. so you went in and turned the stream off.

On-Stream: you now sat a little closer and people could see at least half your body, you also there in more streams and not just those containing alcohol. you two didn't give that much affection but you sometimes kissed him here and there.

Off-Stream: besides being closer and kissing more often then I don´t think there are any other differences in behavior other than ofc you spend more time together and not just beside each other.

he loves you a lot and also loves to show it.

Scaramouche

How Chat Found Out: well basically he got into an argument with Childe typical of him. you were in a collab with them and playing a multi-player game when they started arguing over something/you didn´t know what bc you tried to ignore them, so you didn´t get a headache/and it got so heated you had to mute them so you and your viewers didn´t hear all their screaming and send a message to Scara to tell you when they were done. Therefore you didn´t hear Scara yell "Well at least I'm not single" (I forgot to say that here Childe is single in this part, oh well) and everybody was shocked, they thought that Childe would be the one to get a partner first. so while Scara and Childe were still arguing, the viewers started discussing who would want to date were dating him, they didn´t find anybody though.

a few days later they finally asked him instead of speculating about it, and he/with a straight face/"Oh. . . me and y/n are dating, you didn´t know?" and let's just say that chat flipped out even more because wtf you dating HIM of all people

On-Stream: he doesn´t show any affection like at all, the only thing is you forcing him to let you sit in his lap. but no kissing, sweet talk or anything like that, nope just the same grumpy Scaramouche. he got a little annoyed when you kissed him once while he played with some friends but forgave you. Oh, and you also collab more with each other.

Off-Stream: he is definitely a lot nicer, and is kinda soft for you/but only for you/. And he doesn’t look like he wants to k!ll someone all the time or sending death threats to anybody, so at least that's one thing going for ya.

he loves you, no matter if you annoy him from time to time.

Aether

How Chat Found Out: he was in a collab with a few people (Lumine, Venti, Xiao...), and Lumine wanted to annoy Aether, it´s a sibling thing. and therefore she brought up a lot of... not the best topics to talk about on stream, and she also brought up the fact that someone is living with him/you/and how that person is just sooo sweet and pretty/handsome. (because of course she´s been over and already knows that you two are dating) so she teased him by telling him about how he should totally date you, to try and get him to reveal it to the viewers. yes she could have just told them, but this was more fun for her.

he knew what she was doing but didn´t give in until Venti (actual best annoying b!tch) started to do it too, which Lumine loved Aether... not so much. so he eventually gave in and told them that, yes he was dating someone, Xiao then asked who and Lumine made him admit that it was you/the person he`s currently living with/and chat wanted ANSWERS so they asked him stuff like, who were you, where did you meet, when did you meet, how do you look, can we see this y/n, and so on. he answered the best he could while venti and Xiao were also asking questions. he eventually called you in and asked if it was ok for people to see you, and you said yes. (you cannot say no, understand) so you showed your face and you trended on teyvats twitter.

On-Stream: he definitely has you around him almost all the time, like sitting on his lap, beside him, or having you do something of your own in the background, you're properly also there if he does any cooking streams, vlogs or hangouts.

Off-Stream: he´s still has you around him, but now you´re a lot closer. that´s his way to show more love freely instead of keeping it down. because there's tons of people looking at you all the time, and sometimes he doesn´t want to share you.

he loves you very much, and wants you to be there with him at all time.

Masterlist

You are welcome to reblog and like any of my posts, but you CAN NOT translate, copy or hate on anybody for liking my posts

#childe x reader #aether x reader #xiao x reader #scaramouche x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact #venti x reader #gn reader #genderless reader #genshin streamer au #modern au #streamer au #noellefan101 #NoelleFan #noelle´s maiden #streamer!au

541 notes · View notes

shanieveh · 1 year

Text

i was enchanted to meet you !

— first meeting with the genshin men

meet-cute — kaveh, bennett, gorou, tighnari, THOMA, diluc, itto, ZHONGLI, childe, HEIZOU, kazuha

You didn't know it back then. When your comfort place was found by a cute little cat. It wandered onto your lap and as you soothe it gently it closes its eyes. Then you see a handsome stranger that is searching for something, anything—but when your eyes meet he finally calms down.

He hurries over and scoops the cat from your lap. And then came a flood of sorries and apologies came rolling over his mouth. You say no problem, but his eyes still a spark a bit of guilt. You finally agreed to his offer of a free drink, and as you, him and the cat go on to the café you can't help but feel the power of fate.

started of on a sour note — albedo, AYATO, scaramouche, dainsleif, ALHAITHAM, kaeya, cyno, xingqiu

It was the new book of your favorite author. And after scowering every book store in your area you finally found it. Just as your hands reach upon it the book was also captured by another hand... oh no. And as both of you argued and argued the cash register didn't know what to do.

It even went to the point that the manager walked in the door and asked a compromise. No. You waited for YEARS to get this book, he would just have to admit defeat. And in a moment of genius the manager agreed to a deal in which both of you will own the book, and every week the other gets to keep it. Hell no!

confiding in a stranger — chongyun, AYATO, thoma, diluc, xiao, ZHONGLI, kaveh, KAEYA, kazuha, heizou

Life just keep on getting worse. And now you stand there in the middle of the street as water keep on pouring in... there was no point in sheltering from the rain. At this point you embrace it. But when all went terrible, your head no longer felt the water. Your body no longer felt the rain.

Suddenly your waist was encircled by his arms, you met his gaze for the first time. His eyes... it looked like a bad day for him too. And you both just stood there... still wet, less cold. Still hurt but not alone. You didn't care who he was or why he was here, you cared that he was here when everybody left.

love at first sight — pantalone, aether, bennett, KAEYA, venti, ALHAITHAM, albedo, CHILDE

Running fast pace, you were almost late. Not minding a rock, just then he entered and both of you crashed into each other. Your hands in his chest... his eyes were beautiful. Seconds went ro minuted before you let go of his eyes, dusting up your comfortable clothes. You were late.

His eyes dare not leave you. You eyes were beautiful, you were beautiful. Before caring to dust himself he checked if you have a bruise or two, making sure you were okay. Even if he was the one that hit the ground. You skipped to work that day, you lost your daily income but you gained a "special" friend.

2K notes · View notes

lyneira · 1 year

Text

♡ leeches and lost puppies ♡

-> when the genshin men act clingy towards you

fluff with a little bit of angst!

lyneira's 1.2k milestone event

They're the type to be clingy when...

...they get jealous

Scaramouche, Childe, Heizou, Kaeya

If they see anyone attempting to get close to you or looking at you in a more-than friendly manner, then OH these boys will be HANDSY. (After dealing with the offender) They'll leave their hand on your shoulder, your waist, or your hip, and pull you in close to them, and hold you like this for as long as they are with you. They won't be afraid to plant kisses up and down your neck, shoulder, and jaw while he's at it too.

He'll do anything to tell others to back off because you're already taken by him.

...they've missed you so much

Alhaitham, Ayato, Tighnari, Albedo, Xiao

"Clingy" isn't really in their vocabulary, but during the times you've been away for a while, they'll show how much they've missed you by almost never leaving your side, following you around like a lost puppy.

Going to the kitchen for a snack? Well, they're suddenly hungry and will go with you too. Going out to get some groceries? He'll offer to come with you help you carry the bags. Reading a book? He'll grab one to read and sit beside you. Even if you two aren't speaking and are simply doing your own things, he'll want to be wherever you are. Your presence alone is enough to make him happy.

I think they'd also give you more kisses than usual as well: kissing you when you arrive home, kissing you before he leaves, or simply kissing you out of nowhere to enjoy the look of surprise on your face.

...they want comfort

Kaveh, Cyno, Diluc

After a long day of work, he'll come home and would immediately go to hug you from behind, clinging to your waist as he nuzzles his face into your back. Hugging you like this eases him, and with your warm hand holding his arms wrapped around you and leaning into his touch, all of his stress would begin to wash away.

Kaveh would totally be the type to vent about his day, then leaving kisses up and down your back as he tells you how much you ease his mind and how much he adores you. His adoration will only skyrocket if you choose to turn him around and return his flurry of kisses. At this point, he'd come to an epiphany; Instead of drowning in his sorrows, he'd rather drown in you.

On the other hand, I see Cyno and Diluc being the type to hug you in silence, simply relishing the feeling of you in his arms and calming himself as he listens to your heartbeat.

They'd stay like this for a while. You are his source of comfort, both physically and emotionally, so of course he'd cling onto you when he's had a rough day.

...they think of ever losing you

Dainsleif, Zhongli

When they think of how there will eventually come a time where you will no longer be there with him, it pains him extraordinarily. He doesn't want to think of such thoughts, yet, he knows that he must understand the reality of it.

Like the previous category, he'll also hug you out of nowhere, embracing you so tightly that you could feel the pounding of his heart against his chest and deeply inhaling your scent that he so adores. He'll keep you in his arms for the longest time without saying a word. There would be no need for words to tell you that he desperately needed to hold you, to shield you in his arms and protect you, wishing that his embrace could keep you safe and sound with him for the eternity he'll have to live for.

He doesn't want to let you go, so let him enjoy the remaining time he has with you.

...they crave your affection

Baizhu, Gorou, Kazuha, Thoma

They'd be a shy and romantic type of clingy, wanting more of your touch, wanting to be held by you, and wanting more of your love, but being hesitant to ask for it directly. They wouldn't want you to see them as needy and end up warding you off as a result.

So they'll attempt to be subtle with their desire, extending his hand out you when you're in a crowd, brushing off a strand of hair that may be in your face, gently holding the small of your back as you two walk, and finding any other opportunity to touch you in a helpful or kind manner for as long as he can.

It's when you finally return his affections will he feel free to be more forward with his own. When you'd place your on hand on his, or cup his cheek, he will immediately melt into your touch, holding your hand tighter or taking your cupped hand and kissing your palm.

Play with their hair, dance your fingers on his skin, caress his cheeks, do anything to show your affection for him and he'll fold so easily for you, further begging you for it by reciprocating your actions and maybe even more 🤭

they're just clingy IN GENERAL

Venti, Itto

They hold a lot of love for you and it SHOWS. It'll be a complete combination of all categories up to this point. If you leave the room, it doesn't matter where you're going, he's going with you. He wants to be close to you and will want to have his hands on you nearly the entire time. Heck, he will literally cling onto you like a leech, clinging onto your arm or waist. He's not planning on leaving your side or letting you go anytime soon.

Brace yourself because he'll also talk your ear off at the same time too, either by talking about some random thing, complimenting you in the weirdest of ways, or telling you the cheesiest of pick-up lines.

Like, I see Itto suddenly pulling out an onikabuto from his pocket to gift you, saying, "My love for you is like this Onikabuto- big and impossible to break 😌". On the other hand, I think Venti would be much smoother and Shakespearean with his words tbh lol

You'll also catch them staring at you for long periods of time and when you call them out on it, they'll simply respond, "Can you blame me? It's hard not to stare when you're just too beautiful" and would give you a cheeky wink.

4K notes · View notes

dxstopiaa · 2 years

Text

Serene Slumbers

Synopsis: Why dream alone when your whole world is beside you? Drabbles on how they sleep! \(^ヮ^)/

Characters: Zhongli, Xiao, Al Haitham and Cyno x Fem! Reader.

Warnings: Cyno’s jokes and Xiao’s past, otherwise just fluff and typical domestic romance with your husband! [I think my layouts look much nicer as of late. Enjoy loves! I’m open to suggestions and other drabbles <3]

[Now Playing: Dark Red- Steve Lacy]

Zhongli

- Of course, being of the seven archons, Zhongli had a rich, informative memory. If you were to play a guessing game on what exactly he didn’t know, you’d be as old as he was. Nobody’s traditional knowledge surpassed his.

- Hence why you were delighted whenever you would cuddle up against your dearest husband, enthusiastically nodding when he offered to tell you a tale of his own. He was just so sweet when he rambled on what he was passionate about.

- The former archon always made sure to have some sort of therapeutic tea and incense to soothe you both asleep afterwards, and don’t even hesitate asking him to play with your hair or massage your neck too.

“So, anything special happen today, dearest?” Zhongli’s question awoke you from your reverie, you currently laid on the opposite side of the bed, legs freely swinging in the air as you admired your lover.

It was moderately late, the chatting of people outside had reduced significantly, whilst the coos of nocturnal birds could be heard faintly. All that remained was the comfortable silence and muffled miscellaneous sounds.

“Not much…Is this your way of drawing my attention back to you?” You quizzed, a grin tugging on the corners of your lips, with Zhongli returning a curt hum of approval. Being truthful, your quietness had surprised him a little. Usually, you’d be talking more.

Novelty cups of brewed drinks set on a tray invited the tea enthusiast to sip some, an action he could perform before he could decide on what to do. You merely looked up at him.

“How does a story sound, my love?” Zhongli offered, placing the fine porcelain onto the vacant plate. He removed his gloves and tailcoat, unbuttoning and rolling the sleeves of his magnolia shirt up, to make himself comfortable.

A common practice of his, soothing you into a deep slumber with his silky, baritone voice. But you seemed to be more focused on something else, or rather something else about him. So distracted you couldn’t seem to register his question.

Those gorgeous golden veins running over his visible chest and biceps, or the geo insignias on his palms and back. The same hue as those aureate irises which would deliver such ardent gazes. To be honest with yourself, the very same thought you entranced yourself with earlier that night.

“Oh, sorry, sure!” You sheepishly replied, averting your glance and moving to sit beside him. Being as observant as he is, Zhongli found your behaviour was unusual. Slender fingers grasped your chin, pulling your face closer to his own as he momentarily observed the pink tint to it.

“Something distracting you, sweetheart?” And then, you could of sworn your cheeks currently resembled the colour of a rose. Just the way he gently swayed you into him more, gripping your waist with the other hand.

“It’s just-” You were interrupted with his lips capturing yours, easily rendering you wordless. Your husband already knew why, no need to explain when you melting against him already spoke louder than your stammering words. He pulled away.

“Does my identity as Morax still captivate you that much, love?”

Xiao

- At first, Xiao was extremely cautious, he was frightened of harming you with his karmic debt if you got too close, for too long. It would begin with a simple hand resting above your head. But after a tedious amount of reassurance, he deemed placing a hand around your abdomen wouldn’t hurt.

- Your husband insisted that sleep wasn’t something he needed, though you caught him dozing off. He just looked so gorgeous when resting with you, those piercing iris reduced to calm, closed eyes.

- Night terrors were not new nor rare to him— frequently he’d wake up, ghosts of tears which were long ago wiped away with your gentle touch. You understood all he’d been through as the last Yaksha, you longed to do nothing but comfort him. Weak was the last thing you saw him as.

Those hideous, sinister memories clouded his mind. His friends— family, being torn and ripped apart, their souls in agony. It felt harder to breathe, Xiao could feel his throat closing up, jolting upright to wake himself from that graphic nightmare. Tears of fury and desolation welled up in his eyes, his ungloved hands coming to tug at his hair. It was all too much.

Feeble, he thought of himself, unable to accept and move on from the emptiness in his heart, if humans could do it why couldn’t he? Your lover’s breathing became irregular, now entering a state of self-induced hysteria and panic. Now he was definitely crying, that cynical shell torn to shreds.

The sound of sniffling alerted you, immediately looking to your side to see your husband sat up, discreetly suffering again. Your heart clenched at the sound, you longed for him to be free from his undeserved karma. You quickly flicked the bedside lamp on, handing a glass of water to Xiao.

No matter how much he tried to avoid you looking at him, it didn’t work. You lovingly fondled his face, stroking the remnants of his tears away. He simply slouched, fixing his eyes onto the bedsheets he desperately clutched in his hands.

“Dear? Was it the night terrors again?” You sympathetically whispered, pushing back the tresses of turquoise which concealed his face from you. He merely nodded, opting to stay quiet. No matter how long it would take, you would sit beside him until he felt better.

And he loved you for it. You made him feel more safe than he had felt in eons, always there to listen and care for him. You were so unselfish and forgiving, like no other mortal he’d ever met. That’s what made you special, made you his first love.

His breathing eventually stabilised, head no longer pulsating from the migraine, his vision had returned to normal too. Xiao turned to face you, an unreadable expression. His calloused hands tucked you into the covers, placing his hand on your forehead as if you were sick.

It was adorable to say the least, he obviously wanted to reciprocate your gesture. Xiao soon laid down too, a comfortable silence enveloped you both. You hummed to yourself, thinking of something to lull him to sleep.

“How does some almond tofu sound? Not the healthiest, but it’ll help you relax.” You offered, not missing the slight glimmer in his eyes. With no further response, you assumed that was a yes, briefly exiting the room to bring a refrigerated container of the sweet meal.

That night, the fog which was ever-present in Xiao’s mind cleared, forgetting his troubles as you fed him the delicacy and recalled stories and events of that day. Oh, how lucky he was to have you.

“…Thank you, dear.”

Al Haitham

- As expected, a light sleeper. It doesn’t matter how exhausted he gets, even the simplest of sounds will wake him immediately. Not the best when you try arrange some sort of surprise for him.

- Despite this, Al Haitham is by no means a morning person. He despises having to wake up for his duties which were practically forced upon him as the Acting Grand Sage. He’d much rather prefer staying with you.

- He absolutely adores it when you cling onto him, forcing his hesitant self into your warm embrace, tracing lines with your finger over his chiseled abdomen, or the peculiar emerald implanted on his chest.

Distant chirping of coupled birds nesting, or the streams of light peering through the gaps of the curtains, the curt gentle breathing of your beloved beside you— all signs that morning had arrived some time ago. These sounds you often overlooked, too consumed in your own duties to value the nature surrounding you.

Your eyes averted themselves to your waist, restricted in a grasp you struggled to pry yourself from. As comforting as it was, your schedule was quite packed today. No lie-ins you told yourself. But that was difficult to execute.

Al Haitham’s fingers were intertwined with yours, his face nestled into your neck, feeling steady rising of his chest. He just looked so peaceful— without that signature frown and undecipherable look in his eyes, rather with a slight smile. You’d hate to awaken him, maybe you could make breakfast before he wakes up?

Gradually, you shifted his arms onto the blanket you once slept on, wriggling out of his hold. Now sitting upright, you brushed through your hair with your fingers, dissipating whatever knots were there prior. Your attempts to sneakily get away were halted, the quiet, raspy voice of your husband audible.

“Where are you going?” Al Haitham muttered, emerald eyes cracked open obscurely through his lashes. Your breath hitched, looking over at him once more. You caressed his platinum hair, determining whether you should tell him or not.

“Haitham…I was going to make coffee for us, it’s getting late now, we’ve got to head to the Akademiya soon.” You sighed, feeling him deflate slightly at your words. Yes, you’d love to stay in his exclusive company for longer, but there were priorities.

“Doesn’t matter, just don’t go…please.” Your husband whispered, the plead quieter than the rest of his sentence. Your mind was a mess, how could you deny such a heartfelt request? Persuade him more perhaps?

“I’d love to, but you’re forgetting who you are, Mr. Grand Sage.” You replied, resting your head on the oak bed frame. This time, he grumbled a bit, glancing up at you tiredly.

“Acting, I’m not taking up something i didn’t sign up for, darling.” Al Haitham corrected, watching you slump further into the bedsheets beside him. It was quite easy for him to get you to listen to him— you loved him too much, just as he adores you.

“You’re so-” You tried to fire back, but you were too late, he reached up to kiss you gently on the cheek, pulling your waist towards him to coerce you beside him. You were in the same position as you were just ten minutes ago.

“Insufferable? Yeah, I know, just come here.”

Cyno

- Contrary to popular belief, the alert general is actually quite a deep sleeper, whether that’s a good thing or not, it depends. Sure, you were able to get ready before him, but it was almost impossible to wake him up verbally.

- Cyno, much to your annoyance, snores a lot. Though that was better than if he was to sleep talk. You could already imagine the migraine you would of had from his tragic puns.

- Your otherwise stoic husband prefers to sleep with you in his arms, safe and protected with him. It didn’t matter much if you were snuggled up against him, head on his toned chest, or if you were simply facing his direction, a hand lazily slung over your waist.

- He doesn’t like to sleep when wearing tight clothing, for he finds it constricting and rather irritating. Cyno would often have some loose shirt on, other times nothing on at all— of course he wears underwear. Can’t have you thirsting over him when he’s trying to sleep.

The miniature clock on the wall of your bedroom— a keepsake from your own home, currently displayed five in the morning. So close to your alarm going off, but you haven’t even had a full half-hour of sleep. All because of your noisy lover’s snoring.

It was difficult to tell if you were even conscious from the deprivation of precious rest. Cyno laid on his back, his angelic, ivory hair strewn across his forehead severely contrasted the demonic snorts he emitted. The urge to grab his shoulders and shake him awake was overwhelming.

“Cyno.” You meekly uttered, prodding his cheek lightly. He didn’t retaliate, simply unreactive from the deep slumber. Archons, another issue to deal with. You frowned, glancing yet again at him as you waited for what seemed like an eternity— no longer than a minute really.

“Love!” You audibly exclaimed this time, efforts in vain as he just turned over to his side, swatting away the idea of letting you sleep peacefully. You groaned, massaging your temples in frustration. Guess there’s only one last resort now. With the best tone you could muster, you imitated a masculine voice.

“General Mahamatra!” You bellowed, pinching his arm as he almost fell off the bed, yelping in surprise. It took your husband a while to realise what was happening, groaning when he looked at your irritated face. He let out a displeased grumble, blankly waiting for what you had to say to him, but it never came.

“Yes dear, what’s the issue?” Cyno groggily huffed, although the glower on your face was quite adorable, despite how you tried to seem angry with him. You crossed your arms over your chest, an exasperated sigh left your lips.

“Please! I can’t sleep with your snoring, It’s almost as bad as your jokes!” You implored, hugging the plushie he had gifted you prior, which now lived full-time on your bed. At that, he snickered, stomach rising and falling in laughter to mask that prodding offence at your comment.

“You could say i’m snore-ing you to sleep.” Cyno cackled, usually your heart would start fluttering at the sound of his amusement, but now you felt your eyes twitch. “You know, boring…snoring—” He cleared his throat, as if you’d want to hear any more.

“Cyno! No more!” You shrieked, moving to sit on top of him as you repeatedly hit him with the pillow, his uncharacteristic giggles sounding through the room. His protests fell on deaf ears, all thanks to the quite aggressive action of yours. Luckily, that little flush on his face wasn’t visible in the night.

You soon collapsed onto him, face buried into the crook of his neck. Cyno felt a little apologetic, smoothing his hands over your messy hair. Finally, peace at last.

1K notes · View notes