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#(laughs in drowning liyue)
0v3rcast · 1 year
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Gnaw (5)
You drift in infinity, if only for a moment, in a place devoid of feeling. There is no heat or cold, no light or darkness, no life, no death. There is an overwhelming absence.
Hello, my maker, Says a voice into your ear.
Warm hands tug at your sleeve and turn you in place.
You make eye contact with a woman in perhaps her early twenties, wearing a simple black dress. She's somehow standing on the nothingness as if it's solid ground.
She gives you a smile.
I wish we'd have had any other way to meet. You a corpse, myself a stranger.
I am Nil. The Abyss Made Manifest. The first of your children. I'm sure you have no recollection of me from the... simulation of Teyvat. Genshin Impact, I believe they called it?
You nod, not quite sure what to say.
...or even if you can say anything, because this place probably doesn't have a way for your voice to travel.
She smiles, giving you a strangely abashed look.
Sorry. I'm not used to guests. Or anyone other than my children, the Abyssals. If I'd known you'd be coming, I'd have made you a chair or something.
You shrug. At this point, you'll settle for her not trying to maim you.
Which, in hindsight, is kind of pathetic to settle for.
She offers a hand. You take it, and she pulls you close for a brief hug before somehow sitting you down on a solid plane of nothingness, your legs dangling off the edge like you're both sitting on a pier.
I can't give you much help from here, and your body is much too feeble to sustain abyssal energies, but I've been putting you back together every time you die.
I know it hurts, and I know you probably don't want to be here if all it means is being miserable, but...
They know not what they do. To them, you're someone wearing their creator's face. And that's not a valid excuse for murder, but they're blind to the truth.
You don't understand. It's probably written all over your face, based on the sad, sympathetic look she gives you.
There's another you. Sort of. An unstable clone. Some alchemist made them when Khaenri'ah existed. They had been attempting to summon you and bind your soul to an immortal body so you could guide Teyvat as you did before. They managed to only summon a copy of your essence.
The elements and Celestia annihilated Khaenri'ah for playing with forces they had no right to control, and I devoured most of the survivors for supporting someone that was trying to pull you away from your rest.
You have many questions. And no way to ask them. She catches on.
Oh! Also, you can just talk in your head and I'll hear it. It's not quite telepathy, but you and I are closer than the elements are to you, since I was the first.
You ask why the people of Teyvat didn't kill them, or why the elements couldn't.
You didn't want us interfering with the world so directly. That's why you gave my siblings the ability to grant Visions and the Gnosis. So they could still shape the world and watch over the souls they cared for.
You didn't want them to rule Teyvat, or to terrorize it, so you set some limitations on them.
Let's just say vaporizing an entire civilization was the kind of thing that caused backlash, massively draining them. They've spent all the time since then regaining their strength.
As for the mortals, they were just happy to have who they thought was you back.
You ask what the past you was like.
I can't tell you that. You'll remember on your own time.
You tell her that's not helpful, and also kind of a dick move to get your hopes up like that. She giggles.
This you is much more feisty. I like that.
You ask for any advice she can give you, because you're pretty lost and more or less without a clue right now. She perks up a little.
You'll make some friends in Liyue. I promise. Not everyone on Teyvat is hostile.
She looks away awkwardly.
Just, um. Most of them. Sorry. And I can't tell you who.
You sigh. At least there's a chance for someone to not immediately murder you.
Our time is up for now. I'm sorry. The waking world calls for you.
You tell her that the two of you will meet again and give her a wink. She laughs.
(Her warm, bright laughter follows you up to the world above.)
You wake with a terrible pain in the neck, and a golden band around your throat where you were decapitated.
You're more than a bit pissed about having your head chopped off because of someone else that's wearing your face.
A shitty copy at that.
You hope you'll meet one of those friends you were promised soon, because right now there's very little attachment to Teyvat as a whole.
(You meet your new friend not even three minutes later when she trips over your prone form and drops all her herbs.)
You awkwardly stare at Qiqi, who stares back at you with a mildly perplexed look.
"You... are not familiar," she says, tilting her head slightly as if she was a curious puppy. "But you seem nice."
"I'd hope I seem nice. You're the first person to not immediately try and kill me." You say, defensively.
You think she looks concerned, but reading her face is... well, difficult. Since she's an undead and all.
She offers a hand to you, and with her help, you get back on your feet.
"Thanks, Qiqi," you say, and then immediately have an 'oh shit' because she hasn't even fucking introduced herself.
"Have we met?" She asks.
"Nope. You're just famous where I'm from," you hastily explain. "Lots of people like you and want to be your friend."
She seems to consider it, but about halfway through she forgets and stops caring.
"Do you want me to help you pick up your herbs?" You offer.
She nods.
Qiqi delicately retrieves the various plants that were in her basket, and you point out any she misses.
"Are you from Liyue?"
"No, I'm just passing through."
"...ah."
You have a sudden alarm ringing in the back of your head and hit the grass, grabbing Qiqi and yanking her down with you.
You give her a small smile. She smiles back and then seems surprised she can. Then her smile widens slightly as she smiles for the sake of smiling, too.
"I like you," she says simply, with all the confidence of a child zombie. "Would you like to be friends?"
"I'd like that." You say genuinely. "I don't have a lot of those here."
"Then we're friends," Qiqi says with all seriousness before pulling out a notebook. "I will write your name down so I always remember you are my friend."
An arrow covered in icy mist whizzes just barely over your head and explodes several yards away, freezing a large circle of grass.
"Fuck!" You hiss, looking up to see Ganyu in the distance.
The look on her face is nothing short of barely concealed hatred. Her face is nearly expressionless, but there's open aggression and hostility in her eyes.
If looks could kill, you'd be a smoking crater.
"Go, Qiqi," you urge gently, nudging the jiangshi in the back.
She may be a zombie child, but she is no fool, very clearly understanding what's about to occur.
She quickly makes herself scarce.
As soon as she's out of the way, your gift spins to life, and your hands crackle with arcs of electro.
Ganyu lets another arrow fly.
You launch towards her, the world slowing to a crawl as you accelerate, her arrow sluggishly spiraling by you.
Right as you're about to be in range with a weapon, she... disengages.
Leaving behind a fucking ice lotus.
A wash of pure cold carves into you, sapping your body heat and leaving you winded.
You manage to roll away from the lotus, but her next arrow gouges into your thigh. You cry out in pain, indigo blood oozing down your leg and staining your pants.
You slam into her shoulder-first with the aid of your gift, the two of you crashing into the dirt and grass with a brutal force that leaves Ganyu wheezing.
Her hands come up to grab your throat, her grip like iron and tighter than a vice.
You briefly claw at her wrists, but the edges of your vision are beginning to darken.
You reach out, grab a horn, and yank.
Snap.
Ganyu wails. Her hands instantly move from your throat as she scrambles back, clutching the bleeding stump of her left horn in one hand. She isn't even paying attention to you anymore, lost in the agony.
You gasp for breath, taking in deep lungfuls of air.
Ganyu doesn't move to re-engage. She seems to be having difficulty staying conscious.
When she stands, her legs are shaking, and her attempt to move in your direction ends with her toppling over.
It's likely her horns have nerves, given their nearness to her human brain, and who knows what kind of function they serve? Do they help her sense which way is upright or help her orientate her body?
Whatever the case, she's down by half and now struggling to keep her balance.
You pretend to throw the horn at her as a distraction tactic, and she scrambles for it, not quite realizing you never let it go.
You flee, the arrow still in your leg and sending bolts of searing agony through you, the Quilin horn clutched tight in your hand.
(You fall asleep beneath a tree, which begins to grow rapidly due to the blood oozing from your now-healed wounds. An Archon approaches your unconscious form.)
When you wake, it's to jeering. You're... on a boat near the Guyun Stone Forest. There's a crowd watching you from the docks and shorelines, spitting insults and calling for your death sentence to be hastened. You can only faintly hear them.
Your limbs are bound in heavy chain and weighted with dense iron locks.
Zhongli glares at you like you're nothing more than a particularly vile insect.
Ganyu keeps fidgeting with the band of gold holding her horn in place now. She seems unsteady on her feet, especially on this boat. She watches you with something between hostility and fear.
Ningguang snarls at you for a moment with raw hatred when you make eye contact, but she swiftly schools her expression into an icy glare.
Keqing doesn't bother to look at you.
Zhongli must not like the look you give them because he steps forward and backhands you so hard you pull something in your neck and lose a tooth.
How dare they do this to you?
Your lip is busted and throbbing with pain. You, in a fit of spite, spit your blood onto his boot.
You're swiftly tossed into the sea and immediately begin to drown.
Before the darkness can claim you, several stone spears pierce your torso and limbs and make you sink to the seafloor as if the stone was lead instead.
You are so very cold.
(The sea goes as still and flat as a sheet of glass.)
Your eyes open in the lightless depths of the ocean.
Before you lies an ancient, imprisoned serpent - Osial, the Overlord of the Vortex.
You lay next to one of his heads. A single massive eye is trained on you.
"...my creator?" He asks, hesitant. "Why - no, how - are you down here?"
"Morax."
His eyes narrow in anger. "Wretched lizard. Had I my freedom, I would skin him alive and offer his carcass as tribute to you."
You breathe out a sigh through the gills you didn't have before.
"I wouldn't stop you at this point." You murmur bitterly.
(You and Osial lay there in the darkness of the sea together, side by side, prisoners of the same Archon.)
((Taglist:
@the-dumber-scaramouche @thatdeadaquarius @ssak-i @imyme20 @fried-lotud @acacla @itz-luna @iruiji @crierofirony @itsredactedlove @sweetsthetik @leafanonsforest @oxyotl @kkazuyass @featuredtofu @resident-cryptid @d4y-dr3am3r @crimson-ashes @red1sg0n3 @the-real-fandom-person @code-roevember @yourlocalsourwolf @rhoswen-drake @minimari415 @reversearrowhead @call-me-shroom @evqnescents @valeriele3 @mochicurls21
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silkjade · 1 year
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alhaitham x mermaid! reader (3)
⤀ warnings: fem!reader, no pronouns mentioned, reader has hair long enough to be pinned a/n: recommended to read the previous parts first, since this is a direct continuation next ノ series masterlist ノ bonus (18+) ⋆.ೃ࿔*:・𓇼
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When you first step foot into sumeru city’s grand bazaar, you're immediately taken aback by the atmosphere. It's too loud, feels too stifling— a far cry from the vast and silent depths of the ocean, or the peaceful serenity of the forest. Even port ormos, had at least a lovely sea breeze. But you've come so far, it'd be a waste not to experience this lively city to its fullest.
“This necklace should only be worn by someone as beautiful as you!”
“Ditch those drab clothes and come see this new fabric from liyue!”
“I guarantee these sunsettias are sweet like you!”
"Can I buy you a drink tonight?"
It's already a little dizzying to be so far inland, but the way all these humans vie for your attention, on top of the musicians and screaming children in the background… it’s a lot to take in so suddenly. Covering your ears helps a little, but not nearly enough to drown out the cacophony. You don’t even care to react when a strong arm wraps around your waist and leads you away.
Alhaitham guides you towards an isolated corner nearby, shooting a glare at any who dares look your way. He speaks to you in your native tongue; his pronunciation has become near flawless with your help.
“Are you alright?”
Both your head and your heart seem to settle a bit at the familiarity.
"It's a little much is all... just need some time to adjust."
To play it safe, alhaitham removes his soundproof earpieces, placing them on you instead, and switches it on to the lowest setting. He's no fan of the noise either, but he's used to it; he'll be fine.
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"Oh isn't this beautiful? And i'm sure it'll look even better on me!"
Alhaitham rolls his eyes. You're gushing over a hairpin while he stands beside you, arms full carrying assorted jewelry, trinkets large and small, a carpet, and a basketful of zaytum peaches. Mermaids and their vanity and their affinity for pretty things… at least you’re helping the local economy.
However, there’s currently only one issue and it isn’t the mora— it's the merchant who has him blacklisted.
"That'll be two million mora for the hairpin."
Now that he cannot justify. It's well crafted and beautifully embedded with crystal ore, but definitely not worth even half of what dori is asking for; only a fool would pay that price. Underhanded as it may be, he manages to swipe a similar hairpin that peaks out from under the large pile of accessories. Besides, all the times lord sangemah bay has overcharged him on information sales is far from a mere two million mora.
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Dinner at lambad’s is interrupted by a trio of colorfully clad men who seem to be on familiar terms with alhaitham. You had always read him as more of a loner, and had seemed to be correct in your assumptions until now.
"I have some business to attend to, but I'll be back shortly. In the meantime, these are my... acquaintances. You can trust them."
“Would it kill you to call us your friends?” says the intimidating, purple one.
The blonde one laughs into oblivion when he sees alhaitham leave with his arms full of your many purchases in tow.
“Ah, so you’re a diver. There’s a specific deep sea coral I’ve been dying to study, but it’s been impossible to get a sample. Would you be interested in working together? I'll be sure to compensate you well.”
You agree to tighnari’s proposal; it would be no trouble as the dragon bone coral he speaks of is easy to find if you know where to look. Across the table, cyno let's out a chuckle.
“You sea…,” a pause for dramatic effect, “you said ‘sure’ which can also be construed as ‘shore.’ As in, the land along the edge of the sea.”
Kaveh orders a round of firewater shots to drown out the pain of cyno’s terrible sense of humor. Unfortunately, alhaitham returns to find out you’re quite the lightweight.
He carries you on his back all the way home, listening to your drunken rambles along the way. You seemed to have had fun with his friends, but there’s a corner of his mind that can’t help but wonder if you now find him boring in comparison.
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”
“Wanna know a secret?” you slur, giggling. “I enjoy the time I spend with you the most.”
With that said, you nuzzle closer into the crook of his neck and alhaitham feels his face heat up all the way to the tips of ears. Mermaids are proud and rarely ever reveal their true feelings, so he counts himself lucky to have heard yours. Your soft breathing tickles his skin. He’s glad you’re asleep now, knowing that you would’ve teased him again otherwise.
Once home, alhaitham sets you on the living room divan before leaving to prepare the bath. The aforementioned business he had to attend to, was purchasing salt. In bulk. He figured you’d need saltwater to rehydrate, as it’s been a few days since you’ve last been in any water. And a saltwater bath would surely be less of a hassle to deal with than a shriveled up mermaid.
The way your legs meld back into a tail is mesmerizing, especially with how your scales shimmer to life in the water. It quickly sobers you up. He’s about to leave but…
“Not even going to keep me company? I stayed with you all night at the cove you know.”
There it is. Alhaitham turns back around just in time to see the little grin on your face, as you rest your arms along the edge of the tub while your long tail hangs over the other end. He doesn’t know much of mermaid physiology but it’s enough to assume the saltwater, makeshift as it may be, has successfully sobered you up.
“I’m going to bed. You should get some sleep as well.”
“But I’m not tired.”
“I am. Goodnight.” And he leaves. Eventually, the man returns with a stack of books and papers.
“These are old studies I pulled from the akademiya regarding the dark sea. Since you’ve got the energy, mind fact checking? Just be careful not to get them wet.”
He sets them down on a nearby stool before a splash of water hits him right in the face.
“How about with some compensation then?” he says, pulling out the hairpin he had swiped from dori.
It’s similar to the one you had previously fawned over, though it’s laid with nagadus emerald instead, which he thought suited you much better than plain crystal ore. Unbeknownst to him, you had liked the first because its cyan stones reminded you of those he would toss in the water upon arriving at the cove. However, you adore this one for the way the emerald gems seem to match the very one sitting on his chest. You think you’ll cherish it forever.
“Will you put it on for me?”
His touch is surprisingly gentle, careful not to accidentally tug too hard. Alhaitham’s seen kaveh put up his hair enough times to replicate a simple style. Easier said than done as it turns out to be less than stellar, sitting slant and loose. At least he tried.
“Well? How does it look?”
Light reflects off the gems in your hair and into the water, casting an iridescent glow that bounces across the room, dancing onto your skin. Anyone could say that even the brightest of jewels dull in the face of your otherworldly beauty. Only he can say that in this moment, in his bathroom, you look more perfect than the moon shining through the window behind you.
“I think it’d look even more flattering if you were reading,” he glances down, “Enigmatic Depths: An Empirical Study of the Ocean and Beyond.”
Another splash of water hits his face.
a/n2: If you're already on the taglist, you'll be tagged for any future parts (just lmk if you'd like to be added/removed) ^^ I also kind of want to do an 18+ bonus part in the future, but no taglist for that since I don't want to jumpscare anyone lmao (unless you guys want one idk but have your age in bio pls) Anyways, thank you for reading ♡
© silkjade — do not steal, plagiarize, translate or repost any content onto any other platform
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whispereons · 11 months
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Oracle!Reader Part 8
Masterlist - Part 1, Part 7, Part 9
Gonna be honest, Y/N is not nice in this chapter. Not like abusive but just wanted to warn ya'll. My au is supposed to be dark and cruel in a way. This is yandere imposter sagau after all.
A storm brewed above the ship as the two hydra heads roared toward the sky. Shielding your face with your arms you tried to gaze up at the towering dark blue bodies. The teal markings on its armor-like heads let you know who exactly was attacking you.
Beisht, Avenger of the Vortex. AKA Osial's wife who not only has a grudge against Liyue but Beidou specifically due to her warning Ningguang about Beisht's attack.
The Crux has probably gone hundreds of times to Inazuma peacefully but the one time you go is when they get attacked by a sea monster.
Just
Your
Fucking
Luck
Beidou's laugh rings out as the ship sways from the currents and the crewmembers start running to their weapons and positions. Not missing a beat Xinyan ends her song as she uses her vision to blast fire at Beisht.
Holy fuck, this wasn't an accident. This was planned. Beidou planned this shit and went through with it even though you, a guest, are on this crazy ship.
Anger swells up in you like a tornado and you ignore the blasts of water that try to hit the jumping form of Beidou. You look around in blind anger for one of the ballistae on the ship.
The thought of shooting either Beidou or Beisht with it was making your blood pump faster. And even if you did hit Beidou, you could always lie that you were aiming at Beisht.
You spot the closest one and start running towards it. Firm hands wrap around your waist and lift you off the ground.
"I apologize for the urgency, but this isn't a safe spot for you."
Kazuha's calm voice in your ear has a soothing effect on your temperament. Forcibly relaxing your body, you let Kazuha carry you down the stairs and he sets you down quickly in a room.
"Stay here while we take care of the sea monster. I don't want you getting hurt, it will not have mercy on you."
You clench your hands as your body trembles in anger. It's Kazuha's worried and sad eyes that make you unclench your fists.
"I know it's scary so please heed my words."
Burying your head into your knees a muffled sound of confirmation slips out. If he wants to think you're scared, let him. Some time alone might even be good for you.
Kazuha leaves and it's then that you can hear the sound of the fighting as the boat rocks. Xiangling and Xinyan's pyro make the air sticky as Kazuha swirling the water makes it humid too.
The crackling of thunder no doubt from Beidou makes you grind your teeth. You were right to be afraid of going with the Crux, she may be popular but she's far too dangerous.
That was definitely Beisht, you think back to her boss fight and remember her attacks. Shooting water, slamming her head and neck, water missiles, and wait wasn't there a third head?-
A loud bang echoes as the ship starts tilting dangerously. Yelping you shield your head from the items that start falling onto you. Another deafening thud and you're being thrown onto the opposite wall.
As more heavier items crash onto you, the wall makes a cracking sound. You couldn't be sure that it was the boat breaking but you couldn't risk it.
If you stayed here, you'll either be crushed to death or drown if that wall breaks. The Alcor keeps rocking left to right as you struggle to stand and leave the room. Closing the door shut, you know you have a few more bruises than you came in with.
The hallway is even worse than the room. Harpoons and other weapons are dangerously close to falling and you rush up the stairs to avoid that disaster.
The main deck is a chaotic mess of crewmembers running back and forth. Xiangling is continually setting wooden spears and stakes aflame before different crewmembers shoot it.
Xinyan, Kazuha, and Beidou all work together to attack Beisht's heads whenever she gets close to attack. Keeping a death grip on the railing you watch the incredible yet infuriating display of power.
Finally remembering that you'll need to defend yourself too, you go back down the stairs. Swiftly you dodge the dropping objects and get to your room. Shoving your hand into your bag and selecting the sickle, you pull it out.
The fear of dying is remedied by the weight of the weapon. Sprinting with more confidence you get back to the main deck. Both sides of the deck have one of her heads low and close ready to shoot the powerful jet of water.
Something about the way she looks is... off. Your mind wanders back to the game cutscenes and automatically compares it to what you see now.
What were once toothless jaws were now filled with layers of sharp teeth. The underbelly of her bodies looked less watery and sleeker. The fins on her back looked firmer and seemed to be in a more organized row.
Beisht shoots the water from her mouths, and you can feel how hot the water is. Xinyan is quick to dodge by climbing the stairs while Kazuha leaps using the wind. Beidou uses her skill to defend herself and rack up energy.
As the scalding water gets closer you hold the sickle to your chest and try to back away. You may be crazy but not stupid enough to try what Beidou is doing.
Surprisingly she stops only inches away from you, lifting her heads she shoots the brunt of the attack toward the sky. Hot droplets rain down on the ship as the attack dies down.
Her heads regroup and her third one appears behind the first two. All her heads roar and they slam onto the deck. Instead of slamming onto you as you expected, she boxes you in the middle of the deck instead.
As two heads serve as the walls, her third head opens its mouth. The sight of the teal muscles with holes in them makes you shudder. Would dying to a sea monster be better or worse than dying accused as an imposter?
Probably better, at least this way you would be remembered fondly and missed. Even if it's only for a short while.
"Glorious creator, it is my greatest honor to have lived long enough to meet you."
What the fuck.
The sounds of everyone else attacking Beisht's other heads are drowned out as you look up at her in shock.
"Although my husband could not meet you, he was a devoted believer. These puny mortals are having you travel in such conditions with such little glory. Do these pirates not know your greatness?!"
Her tone gets louder as she speaks about the Crux. How could she recognize you as the creator? Were you right in guessing that the creatures of Teyvat could recognize you? But she's more on the god side so how could she realize but not Ei?
"Beisht, how have you heard of me?" If sea monsters gods could smile then that's exactly what Beisht was doing.
"Your blood, your grace. They bleached your gold blood. They hurt you with violent intentions. Just as the scriptures said, the offenders will pay for hurting you. Teyvat is calling upon your true worshippers to deliver justice."
This doesn't make complete sense. Beishts own arrogance and hatred for Liyue is having an impact on her words. What does seem to be true is that Teyvat was alerted when you got hurt and is drawing strong creatures that it can connect with to you.
"Then this is something we should be talking with less distractions." Choosing your words carefully, you note how everyone has been listening to your conversation with Beisht.
It's a good thing they can't understand her. Whether she's intentionally not letting them understand her or not isn't important.
You motion Beisht to back away with a flick of your wrist. Beisht is expecting you to act like the creator, you need to play your part. This whole situation is a golden opportunity.
Beisht obeys your silent command and moves her heads off the boat. Beidou is the first to run up to you with how close she is. The battle comes to a silent pause as everyone watches your seemingly unharmed form with relief.
"Are you okay?!" The urge to scoff and give a snarky response is strong but you push it down. With a solemn expression, you speak clearly.
"I've been granted a rare opportunity to talk with Beisht according to the creator's will. I have messages to relay to her but I cannot do so with everyone here."
A rare confused expression crosses Beidou's face at your words as you step away from her and move closer to Beisht. With a tight grip on your sickle, you speak calmly to Beisht.
"Come closer so we can speak somewhere with more privacy. The matter of the divine isn't one to always be so open about."
Beisht seems to pick up on the identity you have in the eyes of the Crux and lowers her main head onto the boat. With confident strides, you walk to her head and climb on.
Fear and worry rise within you as you grip the middle feeler on her head and look at the Crux with a smile.
"I'll be back soon, so don't stop sailing. I'll catch up before you know it."
Your grip on the feeler becomes tight as Beisht's head suddenly drops into the water. A scream instinctively leaves your throat from the sudden gesture.
The last thing you saw before the ocean engulfed you was the various expressions of horror and fear on everyones faces. A small part of you smirks at the guilt that paints Beidou's face.
You shut your mouth and eyes expecting the salty water to drown you. Yet not even a drop of water touches you and the sight of the vast ocean surrounds you.
In awe you watch the air bubble around you supplying you with oxygen and shielding you from the water. Fish swim past as Beisht continues to descend into the depths.
Soon enough the only light around is the teal markings on her body. It reminds you of just how frightening the ocean can be. That at any moment Beisht could think that you're an imposter too and let you drown here...
Tightening your grip on her, you push those thoughts away. They will only hinder you, being nervous will make everything worse. You've made it this far, haven't you?
As a distraction, you think about how exactly this air bubble is being made. Was it Beisht, Teyvat, or did you unconsciously do it? Considering that you can only control elements that you accessed from the Statue of the Sevens then it can't be you.
Beisht was connected to the vortex and water. This air bubble wasn't just reusing your oxygen, it was supplying fresh oxygen. She can't control oxygen so that only leaves Teyvat. Then how could Teyvat protect you from drowning but let the electro from Ei hurt you?
Beisht finally stops and you can vaguely see the outline of her main body due to the glowing teal marks. It keeps reminding you of a certain god masquerading as a bard.
"Your grace, I see the false identity you hold in front of them. Yet I do not hold the same wisdom you hold, please enlighten me on why you hide yourself."
Her vocabulary is naturally arrogant but the tone she says it all in, sounds like she's imploring. It's good, you can utilize this and her natural dislike for humans.
"Coming back from that other world has left me very weak. I have little memories of when I was the creator and this body is weak. They see my unmasked face and assume I'm an imposter. Ei was the main culprit. Just a mask would solve that but my mere presence shows my divinity. Quite a few of my acolytes barely believe my words as an oracle, I would be a fool to publically reveal myself as the creator."
Your words are spoken with a sense of coldness as if you're completely detached from the situation. The water around you seems to raise a few degrees. Taking a risk you speak lowly with a mix of sadness and condescension.
"Humans and Archons are not that different. They cannot accept the truth if it's different than what they expect or desire. Greed and pride have always been the downfall of humans."
"Your grace, they do not deserve your attention or words. The Electro Archon will pay for harming you. They will all pay for hurting you. Thank you for teaching me, I will do your bidding. I will make sure that you'll never need to worry about me acting as foolish as those Archons."
Perfect, it's exactly what you wanted.
"We will take over and subdue Teyvat for harming you. We'll lay the Archons, humans, and anything else that dares defy you at your feet. We will make them atone for their sins. That pirate crew will be the first to pay! Not only have I lost my husband and child to them, they even harmed you!"
What child? They had a kid??? Wait that can come later, Beisht going out of control would harm the reputation you've built up, this has to stop!
"Silence." Your command is swift and your gaze is cold as you stare down Beisht. The quiet that comes makes you smile inwardly. Playing hot and cold towards someone who idolizes you tends to make them more attached. More desperate to keep your wavering love and affection.
"Now, now don't get too worked up. Going off and doing whatever you wish in my name is contradictory to what you said earlier."
"I beg for your forgiveness, your grace." Beisht lowers her heads in shame. A kind smile crosses your face and you reach through the bubble to pet her heads.
"I forgive you Beisht, mistakes are part of the learning process. You've already done so well in recognizing me. Why don't you start by answering my questions first? What happened to your child?"
Beisht closes her eyes and bubbles float up as her heads sigh in content over your touch.
"My child, born from Osial and I, fought for days against that pirate ship. In the end, they killed my child and his murderer gained a vision from it. Celestia truly mocks the defeated from the Archon War."
Sea monster, 'that' pirate ship, and a vision from his death.
Haishan is her child.
No wonder she hates Beidou so much. She basically killed her whole family!
"Haishan has lived in my name and with his death, he returned to me too. I can tell your anger is as great as your sorrow. Take comfort in my words and let your anger fuel your devotion to me."
Loneliness is a manipulator's best friend. Beisht is terribly lonely and will cling to you and your words as her only lifeline. And in your situation, a dog like this will be needed.
"I will your grace, someday I too will return to your loving embrace through death."
Gently she nuzzles your hands with her heads. Tracing the glowing marks that adorn her head you ask in a soothing voice.
"Tell me how you came to find me."
"After the battle with Liyue and the human-adepti I retreated to the depths of the ocean to heal myself. I was dormant when Teyvat called us. It spoke about harm coming to you, at how your gold blood had been bleached."
"Who is 'us'? You also referred to yourself as 'we' earlier too."
"I was not the only one stirred by Teyvat. The water has become more lively with strong elemental currents. I do not doubt that there are even more beings awakening on land. We are all being called to defend you and pay back your liquid gold blood. After so long without you, we are regaining our reason for living."
So if many other elemental monsters are being 'stirred' then that means you could get more allies. Guoba didn't even know he used to be a god until he was told so was it in character or not that he knew you were the creator? You'll need to find more evidence on land but this was leading to a favorable situation.
But Beisht's fixation on your blood being gold was not good. You'll have to address that now. If you wait too long and it reveals outside of your control she'll believe that you were lying to her. God knows what she would do to you then.
"On the topic of my blood, there is something I must clear up. My blood is not gold, it is red."
An eery stillness takes over the atmosphere and you seemingly look down at the 3-headed hydra. The feeling of her scales seems to heat up a little, gritting your teeth you continue.
"I sincerely hope that you are not doubting me. The scriptures never said that my blood itself was gold. The true meaning of that text is that my blood is as precious as gold."
Your blank expression and sharp eyes don't leave her. In one hand you hold your sickle above and electro-coats it with a dangerous crackle.
The looming threat of death washes over you as the sickle crackles with more ferocity. Teyvat heeds your silent wishes and hydro starts rapidly spinning around you. Swiftly you thrust it into the water and it hits Beisht as she thrashes from the pain.
"Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive this arrogant and foolish follower!"
She roars and begs, your heart is as tight as your grip on her but the sickle still crackles in the water. She's a sea monster and that's the only reason she hasn't died yet.
It's only the sight of toasted pieces of sleek flesh on her that you pull the sickle out of the water and back into the air bubble. The electro fizzles out and Beisht's sad wails echo around you.
She's whimpering and begging with near-silent pleas for forgiveness. Your hand is gentle and warm on the head that she is carrying you on.
"Hush now Beisht, this punishment was something you brought onto yourself. Never doubt my words, my teaching is law. Do you see how futile suspecting and denying me of my divinity is? Crimson or gold, my blood is not what matters most, it is I that exist above you."
Beisht's body seems to curl around the air bubble you stand in as you continue petting and soothing her. Your pleasant humming is a sharp contrast to your rapid heartbeat.
You were either going to die to Beisht or die to your electro. But this turned out better than you originally thought. Even though it hurt you to cause the one powerful ally you have pain, it was necessary. You can never let her entertain the idea of betraying you.
If you must play the role of oracle in front of the others then you must play the role of creator in front of the rest. Y/N was the oracle, the creator, and most importantly a liar.
"The fact that you could sense my presence on that boat intrigues me. How could you sense me while Ei could not? The same goes for the other Archons, surely they would have felt Teyvat's call too."
"The Archons accepted Celestia's power which drew them away from you. They worship you the mortal or human method more often than the way elemental beings do. Changing their style of worship may have connected them to other mortals better but it also muddled their sense of hearing Teyvat"
Her voice is hoarse and low, humbled after her punishment. Your smile was kind and your touch tender, but the sly part of your heart reveled in it.
"Tell me the difference between the two."
"Elemental beings worship by sacrificing parts of themselves to you. Some offer up energy, blood, lifeforce, and others give limbs. Only their own, offering up anyone else's would be sacrilegious. As elemental beings, we will always heal and reform. Celestia has possibly blinded them to the consequences of forsaking our worship to keep them away from you."
Now that was one of the most useful pieces of information you've gained thus far. What would happen if you convinced one of the Archons, not counting Ei, to try this style of worship? Would it enhance your position as the oracle, make you more suspicious, or give them the idea that you might be the creator?
Your thoughtfulness seems to make Beisht anxious, that's understandable seeing as you've proven to be volatile in her eyes. With a nearly patronizing pat on her head, you speak with a happy tone.
"As the creator, I require both elemental and human worship. I have many plans and it includes you Beisht. With each nation I visit and interactions with the Statues of the Seven, I gain more power. I will need you to spread the truth of my arrival to those who Teyvat awoke. Can I trust you with that?"
"It is a privilege to serve you, beloved creator. I will travel through the ocean and fulfill your command." She's clearly enthusiastic and grateful. You have her right where you want her.
"Stay quiet and careful, avoid fighting in general. I have much of the world to explore on my own and see to tell who deserves my forgiveness when everything is revealed. No rushing, I have a long life to live. The other elemental creatures will have the information I need too."
"I understand your grace. At this point and time, your main attention is to investigate the mortal's faith. I will stay unnoticed after this point so that I do not hinder your plan."
You had no plan on revealing your status as the creator. These words were only said to keep Beisht calm and peaceful. Beisht has such a terrible reputation as a villain that if she told the truth, it would only make them all think worse of you.
The little pieces of evidence you have acquired, proving your title might be enough if you were in regular Genshin Impact. But in this world with obsession, death, and violence, you could not claim that so easily. Beisht better be prepared to wait a long time, if not your whole life span which might not be long considering your luck.
"Can I really trust your words Beisht? You think lowly of the mortals for harming me but you have hurt me as well. And it's not when you doubted me, I'm talking about how you hurt me physically."
Your words are like a bucket of cold water. The suspicious gaze she receives from you makes her stutter.
"W-What do you mean your grace? The moment I spotted you, I drew away."
'Pathetic' that's what your expression told her. That's exactly what you thought of her. Her lie specifically.
"Never try to lie to me. This is your only warning. When you rose from the water, you spotted me first but you let yourself be distracted by the sight of Beidou. So caught up in the fight, it wasn't until I got banged up by everything that you finally spotted me and remembered your original task."
The words seem to hit the nail on the head as Beisht lowers herself to you. With an ominous air, you swing the sickle back and forth.
"I will not deny my sins. I lied to you and tried to hide it. Whatever punishment you choose is one I will accept wholeheartedly." Her voice wavers and cracks. She's scared and your smile makes her tremble beneath you.
But it seems to wash away as you rest your upper body on her head closest to you. Ignoring the lingering water droplets you pet her softly.
"It's okay Beisht, I know you were emotional after seeing Beidou. The pain and wrath were hard to fight wasn't it?" The forgiving voice you used was almost like a mask as you traced her scales using the sickle at the same time.
Unnerved, confused, grateful, and scared Beisht sounds like she's near tears.
"Thank y-you, your grace. The mercy you have on your creations is not something we deserve yet you give it anyway."
"I've been hurt so many times Beisht. So you'll prove yourself worthy of my trust right?" The sickle gets stuck at the brightest teal scale on her main head's forehead.
"Take this scale off and give it to me. This will be proof of your devotion to me." You whisper the command disguised as a request.
Without hesitation, Beisht's second head comes closer and you move away just in time to see her tug the scale off with her mouth. It's placed at your feet and it glimmers as you pick it up.
"It's beautiful Beisht. I will accept this as proof of your faith in me. It's time for me to be returned to the ship, do not forget what I have told you."
"Yes, your holiness." The attitude she has is much more subdued than the one she held when you first went down with her. You can now safely trust that in a worst-case scenario, you'll go to the ocean and have her bring you somewhere safe.
Fish and other sea creatures swim past you as Beisht brings you back to the boat. It's a lot further than when you left but that's no problem for the leviathan.
The Alcor is above you and Beisht only raises her head that has you on her above water. The air bubble dissolves and the sun shines down on you. The heat of it is welcomed after staying in the freezing deep for so long.
Yet it's the bright flash of electro that you are greeted with as Beidou jumps toward Beisht.
Thoughts bombard your mind on what to do, what to say. Electro, hydro, claymore, Beidou, Beisht, sickle, and defend!
With adrenaline and fear coursing through your veins, you bring your sickle up as a defense. Electro meets electro as the force of the blow keeps you both locked in place.
Planting your feet steady on Beisht's head, you grit your teeth and push harder against Beidou. In mere seconds your electro overpowers hers and Beidou is struck back to the boat with a pained yell.
The crew, Xinyan, and Xiangling rush to where Beidou was thrown. A sense of deja vu fills you as Kazuha jumps to you and quickly carries you away from Beisht.
After smoothly landing and setting you behind him, Kazuha brandishes his sword in Beisht's direction. The multiple cuts and bruises on his body show just how injured he got in the earlier battle.
A small part of you can't help but feel touched by his protection. Even though it's entirely unnecessary. Why didn't he immediately go check on Beidou? They are very close after all...
Letting that thought fade away, you place your hand on Kazuha's shoulder and smile reassuringly at him. Beidou grunts as she's helped out of the mess of broken wood.
A brief sense of vindication enters you at the sight of the multiple wounds on her, mostly likely from the previous battle. Splinters and new scrapes cover her exposed skin and a particularly big one went through her left palm.
The blood mixes with the wood chips as it drips off her palm. She's grabbing her weapon again and tries to head toward Beisht. Quickly you move to stand in front of her.
"It's alright Beidou, Beisht isn't going to attack anymore." Beidou's eyes widen as she takes in the sight of you. Not a single scrap or drop of blood is on you.
Turning back to Beisht, you motion her to leave with a hand gesture. Obediantly Beisht dives back into the water and disappears.
The waves start to calm and the clouds slowly disperse. You think of the electro you used against Beisht and Beidou. The control you have over it has been growing, despite how dangerous it is, you'll need more power.
Eyes widening in surprise you're spun around by Beidou as she checks your body throughly.
"I was so sure you died, I never meant to hit you with my claymore. I'm beyond grateful that the creator protected you." Your earlier spiteful joy at her injuries melts into guilt at the caring way she was handling you.
Smiling sheepishly you pat her uninjured shoulder.
"If the creator wanted me to die by Beisht then I would accept that wholeheartedly. I'm sorry for worrying you and everyone else."
That small petty part of you wanted to bring up how this all could have been avoided by just not provoking Beisht since they didn't know she was looking for you. But maybe you'll do that when everyone isn't injured.
"I'm not sure whether to applaud you or scold you for doing something so reckless but I think that would be counterproductive at this point."
Beidou shakes her head as she speaks before sighing. Turning back to her crew and friends her voice rises above the murmur of everyone else's conversation.
"Listen up everyone! Beisht has fled this area, but we can always be attacked at a later date. Get inside, rest up, and prepare to arrive at Liyue tomorrow morning!"
Multiple "Yes, Captain!" can be heard directly after her words before they scatter to various activities. You still need to talk to Beidou but she beats you to it.
"Y/N, I need to speak to you about the situation with Beisht. I'll get cleaned up in the medical bay and meet you at the head of the ship."
You nod and head to where she was pointing. Kazuha, Xiangling, and Xinyan follow Beidou to the medical bay. Would they be a part of whatever conversation Beidou wants to have with you?
Swinging your legs as you sit on the edge of the boat, the calm waves draw your gaze. What will Beidou tell you? What lies will you spin to protect yourself?
It's the thumps of footsteps behind you that alert you to Beidou's arrival. With a friendly smile directed at her, you suppress the urge to laugh at the feeling of eyes on you.
Xiangling is most likely in the kitchen as Guoba is nowhere to be seen. Kazuha and Xinyan on the other hand may have been instructed to watch or listen while hiding.
You already knew your stunt may have bad consequences if you aren't careful but you didn't think Beidou would make your job so easy. After all, the more people that hear this conversation, the farther your reputation will spread.
"Hope you didn't wait too long Y/N," Beidou speaks amiably as she strolls over to sit next to you. Her mood is hard to read with the way she smiles but you can still guess accurately.
"I'm all good, I would even say that the break was appreciated with how tired I was."
"Then let's not waste any more time. I'm not here to interrogate you as much as I'm here to explain myself. I put the Crux and you into a life-threatening situation and although everyone else knows exactly what can happen, you did not. I'm sorry about that."
Your feet hit the boat at a slow pace as you think about her words. Now that the anger and chaos of that situation has calmed down, you aren't nearly as annoyed. Not up to talking just yet, you simply nod.
Taking it in stride Beidou starts explaining.
"For the past few days, monsters and leylines have been unusual. The leylines are spawning in new areas with stronger enemies than usual. The behavior of the monsters is strange too. They wander around as if looking for something and the boss monsters have become less violent. It's worrying and on our way to Inazuma, I saw the ocean change. That's why I had Xinyan perform to draw attention."
Seems Beisht was right to guess that other monsters were becoming aware. Hilichurls may respawn but you aren't sure if another monster species that canonically don't regenerate will still be alive. You need to speak with the enemies most likely to recognize you.
"Seeing Beisht listen to you was shocking. I mean she has always been hostile towards people. I don't wanna push you to speak but I would like to know what happened."
"When I was forced onto the main deck to avoid being crushed by the boxes I saw a part of the battle. That's when I realized that I could understand Beisht and the creator ordered me to speak with her privately. Who am I to disobey? The conversation was enlightening, to say the least, and what you just told me has confirmed it."
Your dramatic and cryptic words confuse your listeners. Standing up and balancing on the edge of the boat you continue speaking.
"I have been granted a prophecy! Well more like a revelation of the current and future events. The creatures of Teyvat are exhibiting new behaviors due to the creator's will. Of course that doesn't mean we'll stop defeating them, just don't take it as some grand evil rising."
The nearly childlike joy you speak with only confuses Beidou further. She stands up and tries to hold your shoulder but you twirl away from the edge.
"When was the last time we saw sudden differences in behavior?" Your words are spoken with a carefree smile as you continue dancing away.
"That would be when the traveler arrived on Teyvat and leading to the awakening of acolytes of course!"
You playfully tug the white ahoge that sticks out from Kazuha's hiding spot. He doesn't even seem glum at being found so quickly.
"And why did that all start happening?"
The feeling of eyes watching you faded as Beidou moves closer to the spot you stood with spread arms. Xinyan wasn't here but that's fine, the story you've spun will be spread either way.
"Because the creator's return was starting to approach! It may be worrisome because the creatures may harm people more than they did before but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate that the creator is a step closer to coming back."
In reality, you just wanted more allies. Paraphrasing everything to fit the narrative that you desire was easy in this situation. Very few people could tell if you were lying or not after all. In fact, some would even-
"Agreed. At the same time this all has been happening, the wind had gotten stronger. It's crisp and clear, it has become more active in communication too."
Between your celebratory smile and Kazuha's serene expression, Beidou had nothing to refute with. Instead, a wide grin crosses her face and you stumble as she drags you and Kazuha down to the main deck.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Everyone's eyes are drawn to Beidou as she yells. "The creator is a step closer to coming back to Teyvat and we all witnessed it! So let's celebrate like we mean it!"
It's impressive how nearly all of them already grabbed a glass of beer and raised it at her words. Cheers were heard all around as they raised the glasses and drank cheerfully.
Beidou had already released you and Kazuha to grab her drinks. Your eyes linger on the bloodied bandage wrapped around her palm. It was still bleeding heavily.
A familiar tug on your clothes brings your attention down to Guoba.
"Lala? Lalala!"
You don't fight the caramel-colored panda as he drags you toward the kitchen. It also doesn't let you notice how Kazuha was reaching out to you before being dragged into a conversation.
Xiangling runs around the kitchen with a tired but bright smile as you are pulled in.
"Thank you Guoba for bringing Y/N here! You can have this spicy cornbread as a treat."
She's quick to place a plate of food on the table and return to cooking. The sight of Guoba's food reminds you of your last conversation with Xiangling.
Yeah, you aren't forgetting that for a long time.
"Sorry for calling you here after so much went on, I just had another favor to ask you. I was curious if you can bless food the same way the creator can."
Wasn't she the one who fought a leviathan, is still somewhat injured, and went straight to cooking??
"I've never tried to bless food before but I would be happy to try! What food exactly do you want me to bless?"
Blessing food the same way the creator does sounds a lot like how you would feed the characters in the game. The most likely method would be cooking the food yourself and seeing if it had any effects.
The only other way you could think of blessing food would be by putting some part of your body into it. Which would be disgusting and a pain to do so, so hopefully you just need to cook it.
"I want it for Beidou to heal her hand. It's bleeding pretty heavily and she needs it to use her weapon. I was thinking something easy like sticky honey roast."
"Then just leave it to me Xiangling, do you have the recipe?"
"Yep! Right here." She hands you a slightly charred paper before scurrying over to a pot that's almost boiling over. Would you need to cook this manually or just use a pot like in the game?
The recipe consisted of 3 meat, 2 carrots, and 2 sugar. Nothing else was written on it... How were you supposed to cook with only this?!
Sighing you take the ingrains as the young chef runs around the kitchen. With a lingering sense of unease, you drop the ingredients into the pot and light the fire.
You turn around to grab something to stir it and look back to see it cooked.
Standing there stunned, you look at the perfect sticky honey roast sitting innocently in the pot. Deciding to count your blessings, you serve it on a plate and confidently call it blessed food as you hand it to Beidou.
It works surprisingly well, the bandage is unwrapped to see the skin sewn back together and most likely repaired. Beidou whistles as she examines her hand.
"Gotta hand it to you kid, this is pretty impressive. I usually have to wait for the creater to come and heal me up or wait ages for it to get healed properly."
"This was all Xianglings idea, she deserves the praise. I'll be sure to tell her the good news." You leave as Beidou begins drinking faster with her healed hand.
So you basically never need to cook again, what luck! Would giving someone a fried egg, bring someone back to life? Or would it wake someone up from a concussion or coma? That would all depend on whether characters are dead or just passed out when their HP reaches 0.
Walking into the kitchen, Xiangling is busy putting the final touches on the feast she prepared.
"Got good news for you Xiangling. The blessed food worked and Beidou's hand doesn't even have a scar."
"That's great to hear! I was pretty worried she would have permanent damage or something. She always brushes her wounds off if they aren't life-threatening."
Xiangling pouts at the memory of Beidou's recklessness as you take the initiative to help her. The silence is nice but your thoughts keep wandering back to the human remains.
"Hey Xiangling, I've got a question for you but this might be the wrong time to ask." The look she sends you is one full of curiosity.
"What happened to the families of those you killed and made into food? Did they not get a burial, casket, or at least an urn?"
The expression she wears is a mixture of guilt and disgust.
"Blasphemous people like them do not deserve a funeral. They die and everyone will scorn them for betraying the creator. Most families disown that person or act like they were never part of their family."
She stays kneeling by the cart of food and Guoba trods over to her with his usual carefree attitude. She holds him close and speaks sadly.
"They do deserve punishment for what they did but I want to believe the creator would want them to perish with some good blooming from it. At least by cooking them, that person can help another life grow, and my cooking skill improve."
Each time you ask something like this whether it's Inazuma or Liyue, the situations are always so much worse than you thought. To think what you thought Xiangling did from some sick sense of worship, which isn't entirely false, was mostly born from her signature kindness.
Do you condemn her, comfort her, or encourage her?
"We may never know exactly what the creator thinks, all we can do is keep moving forward. For what it's worth, I don't think you're in the wrong. Your intentions are pure and it's not like your actions can make the situation any worse than it already is."
You bend down and place your hands on her shoulders. She looks up at you and smiles happier at your caring expression.
"Enough about that. Let's go bring these dishes out so we and everyone else can enjoy them. We should be celebrating after all!"
The prep she usually has comes back and she's pushing the cart as you follow behind her. Everyone cheers as Xiangling hands out food and people sit down.
Picking a plate of F/F, you sit on a crate next to Xinyan and Kazuha. Beidou seemed to disappear somewhere with Xiangling again.
The taste and texture are like nothing you've tasted before. Whatever she did to make your favorite food taste even better needed to be shared with you.
"Real happy with that dish aren't ya?" Xinyan comments as you basically inhaled everything but the plate.
"If this dish was meant to be savored then she shouldn't have made it taste this good."
Xinyan laughs at your words before continuing to eat the spicy food she has on her plate. By the overload of spices you can smell, it must be one of Xiangling's creations that Xinyan is so happy to try.
"Now that things have calmed down, I wanted to tell you that I loved your music! It was a bit worrisome with all the fire but I understand that you needed it for the battle."
"Aw, that's real nice to hear! Most of my performances tend to burn down the stage but rock 'n' roll is all about that kind of fire."
"Must have taken you a long time to learn how to use your instrument and vision without burning down everything."
Your comment is casual as you start eating one of the desserts Xiangling brought out. Alcohol is starting to be passed around, you aren't sure if you should drink or not.
"I practiced loads with people as the 'audience'. They all died during the test runs but it's fine since they were already known for being sacrilegious. Burning them to death as a sacrifice was the best thing they could hope for."
The dessert gets stuck in your throat at her words. Coughing a little, you keep your head down to avoid showing your face. Kazuha rubs your back trying to help you.
Was it a trend for pyro-vision women to tell you horrible things with complete ease?! First Xiangling with the cannabilism to Xinyan sacrificing people...
"That was legal, right? Do you still sacrifice people like that?" You struggle not to stutter and Kazuha is still watching you with that same worried expression.
"It is legal in Liyue with the right certifications. Not long ago you had that private concert with the burning of a few treasure hoarders if I remember correctly."
Xinyan nods in agreement at Kazuha's words.
Maybe you should stop being surprised and just expect everyone to have committed crimes like this. What's next? Brainwashing?
Kazuha and Xinyan continue to chat about whatever burning they may or may not have participated in as Xiangling comes over with some alcohol.
"Sorry to interrupt but I was wondering if any of you guys wanted some beer, rum, or grog. Grog is the lightest since it's just water and alcohol. I might just drink that since I just became old enough to drink."
"I'll just have a glass of beer, I have another concert tomorrow and the last thing I want is a hangover." Xinyan is quick to take a swing of the beer.
"I'll pass on the alcohol today, I drank enough yesterday." Kazuha glances at you as he speaks with a slightly nervous tone, no doubt remembering his behavior when he first met you.
"Could I have some rum? I wanna celebrate a lot after completing the first major mission from the creator." Discarding your previous thought of avoiding alcohol, you decided to drink to congratulate yourself for surviving this long.
Definitely not because you wanted a distraction from what you just heard from Xinyan. Nor of the idea that Liyue may be even harder to live in due to their dependency on Rex Lapis. That may or may not have also pushed them to be even more fanatic for the 'creator'.
The rum was sweet but it burned as it traveled down your throat. The strong liquor made your head spin for a split second. You're quickly coming to regret it.
"Hey, Kazuha? Can you watch over me as I drink? This rum is stronger than the drinks I'm used to."
You ask Kazuha with a flushed face as you rest on his shoulder. The lights shine down on you as everyone else is up enjoying themselves. As sweet as always, Kazuha smiles down at you and nods.
"I promise to watch over you. No harm will come to you especially as I don't plan on drinking a single drop."
Feeling reassured you thank him and continue drinking. The party is getting louder and messier with each drink given around.
Xinyan is singing and strumming her guitar as a good chunk of the crew sings along with her. Xiangling was passed out on a crate as her tolerance for it was still low. Beidou was the only one you couldn't see from your spot on Kazuha's shoulder.
"You're the work hard, play hard type huh?"
You sway a little as you jump in surprise at the voice so close to your ear. Kazuha peers around you at Beidou who was standing firmly despite the amount of liquor she already drank.
A feeling nags you that Beidou is still as sharp as ever. Someone who drinks as much as she does must have a high tolerance. The smell of alcohol is strong as she speaks.
"You didn't strike me like the type to drink rum, I would have thought you would go for a beer or just a single glass."
You follow her gaze to the multiple glasses next to you. It seems you drank a lot more than you initially planned.
"Don't look so disappointed Y/N! It's normal to want to relax with a good drink after such a long day. This is a celebration too. Let all your worries melt away."
She speaks with a cheer and your hazy mind makes you smile up at her. Your worries, anxiety, and general distrust of everything are the farthest thing in your mind.
The sharp smile Beidou sends Kazuha as he tightens his grip around your waist goes unnoticed. The weird tension that occurs is gone just as fast as it came and the liquor seems to hit you full force.
"I think I need to sleep, it's really hitting me now." Your head keeps falling onto his shoulder as you struggle to keep your eyes open.
"I'll escort you to your room Y/N-" "And I'll join you two with Xiangling, poor girl couldn't even handle the grog."
Kazuha's face is frozen in a smile as you drunkenly nod at Beidou. Xinyan who is still pretty sober waves at you all and you wave enthusiastically back.
Giggling as the room spins you let your body rest on Kazuha as he helps you down the stairs. Xiangling is thrown over Beidous shoulder as she follows you both down the stairs.
"If I ever let myself drink after this, I wanna drink with you next time Kazuha. Wouldn't it be fun?"
"That does sound nice, I'm sure the wind will have us meet again after this trip." Kazuha's voice can be barely heard through the fog in your mind. A crooked smile is on your face as you nod sleepily.
Fears of the future seem far away at this moment. The fear of coming across a statue of the seven and Zhongli appearing is like a distant memory. The mental image of saying the wrong thing, getting caught with the wrong group, and getting a torturous death is comparable to a dream.
As the urge to close your eyes gets stronger and harder to resist, you instinctively adjust your mask.
Your fragile and most important defense against a repeat of the Ei situation. Terror squeezes your heart as you realize just how dangerous this situation is.
All it takes is for Kazuha to remove the mask during your drunkenness. Whether it be out of curiosity of your face or kindness thinking it would be uncomfortable to sleep with it on.
Nothing you think, worry, fear, or do will matter after that. Despite the dismay, your eyes close as the urge to sleep overtakes you. With your consciousness drifting away and your body in the ronin's mercy.
I was really excited to post this chapter. Everyone's reaction to Xiangling's cooking was super funny. (Fixed it up on mobile so forgive the mistakes.) On the topic of Beisht, I have to say that my original plan was to have it be a oc. Haishan's ancestor from the Archon War. But after everyone was guessing Beisht, I started thinking if it could work. And surprisingly it did! All the main points I had with the oc worked with Beisht. Plus Haishan was still able to stay as a kid cause a visionless Beidou defeating a whole sea monster god just doesn't make a lot of sense unless he wasn't full-grown. And I honestly don't want to create an oc if I don't have to. I don't trust myself that much. Xiangling's cannibalism was supposed to be just a one-time thing. But a certain person mentioned Hu Tao and I realized I forgot to incorporate the rest of the world into it. So that's what inspired me to think deeper on it. I'm quite happy with how it turned out! It confirms Xianglings kindness, and the cruelty of the cult, and can help excuse any future plot holes I may accidentally create. So thank you certain person that I will not name in case that's uncomfy. I also wanted to ask ya'll a question. Do you guys expect certain sagau tropes from this series? Like I incorporated popular stuff like healing foods, mentions of gold blood, etc. But the only thing that I've really made set in stone in my sagau is the cult au and imposter au (without a true imposter masquerading as Y/N). I'm asking since I don't want people expecting something like a character to recognize us (like Fatui or acolytes from Khanriah -kaeya for example). Then get disappointed when I don't ever do that. Not saying I won't have interactions with those characters! I just don't want to lead anyone on. If you read this far then thank you <3. I really appreciate ya'll support. Just seeing a notification that I got a heart, comment, reblog or message makes my day. 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
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fancyfeathers · 3 months
Text
Rain and Dirt (Yandere Rex Lapis/Zhongli x Goddesses!Reader)
Chapter Five, Not All That Glitters is Gold
Sequel to The Moon Will Sing and Time Alone
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Summary: Stories are told of Rex Lapis the God of Contracts and his darling the Goddess of the Moonlight, but what people do not know is the truth of what their relationship really is. People think at Rex Lapis’s death that his wife would be the first to weep, but what if she is the first to smile.
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When you were young, still a child in the standard of a god, you remember the feeling of the water going up to your ankles as your younger self reached into the waters to pick up shells, sand dollars, and sea glass. You help your skirt out to make a makeshift basket of the bits and bobs you found, but the sand that came with them would be a pain to clean up later. Your sister sat on the sand flying a kite and watching it soar up into the air, one of your older brothers at her side helping her guide it and keep it from flying off if she let go. The sun bore down on the island today, to mortals you suppose it would be far too hot but to you it was a perfect summer’s day.
You could hear the sound of your other older siblings chatting behind you, laughing and enjoying the day. It was rare the days you could see each other like this, most of your siblings had their own duties to tend to and even a few of them made their homes in other nations. You and your sister were still so young and you still had yet to figure out your places in the world, you were not like your siblings, not yet anyway.
“(Name), come here.” You heard the voice of your eldest brother call out to you from where he sat on the sand. You walked over and stood in front of your brother who was sitting by your other siblings. You felt him reach his hand up to brush some sand that you had gotten on your cheek. “Don’t want to get sand in your eyes, now do you?”
“No.” You shook your head and you felt his hand guide you to sit down in the sand, among your family. As you sat down your hand slipped from your skirt and all the hidden gems you found were laid out before you for all your siblings to see. You heard one of your older sisters laugh and grab you and picked you up and sat you on her lap, her hands coming to brush through your sandy hair with her delicate hands. 
“Oh dear, it seems like sand has ruined your hair as well and I spent so much time on it before we came out here.” You heard your older sister give a heavy sigh before it faded into a light laugh. “Well I suppose it can’t be helped.”
You heard your eldest brother hum in thought before he stood up, collecting all your treasures you collected from the sea in his arms. “Well, I think I know just the place to keep these safe and get that sand out of your hair so our dearest sister will stop throwing such a fit.”
“Osial!” She spoke with a gasp while the rest of your sibling laughed at his words and her reaction. Your brother held a hand down to you, his other arm cradling your treasures. You took his hand and he pulled you to your feet and he walked forward, guiding you to the ocean.
You dove down into the salty water of the sea, the refreshing wave of coolness hit your skin. It has been so long since you have roamed freely in Liyue Harbor, let alone the sea. Your husband always hated you stepping into open waters in “fear” that something would attack you or that you would drown, both were physically impossible for you but your husband somehow had the constant belief that you must have been made of glass. Or what you thought was really the case is that you would have attempted to run away. 
You swam to the depths of the sea, the wish coming to rub against your skin, almost like a cat seeking affection. You pushed away the seaweed and the algae that had grown here in your brother’s absence. You remember when your brother used to take you here, a temple hidden under the ocean’s surface. You and your sister used to use this place as your playground before you moved along to find your home, like baby birds leaving the nest, except you didn’t fly forever, your wings were clipped.
You pushed down that thought, he was dead now, he could not hold you down any longer. You swam into the ruins that were once a beautiful spectacle of art, now partially destroyed in your brother’s battle with your husband. You swam past rooms full of gems and gold of all sorts, your siblings’ treasures. Your childhood treasures took a different form, your little cove that your brother made for you was full of your seashells, sand dollars, and other precious little things you adored as a child. You dug through the piles of your treasures, looking for something, something you had left of your family that you had hidden away here as a child so as to not lose it, it was the last thing your father had given you before you and your sister came of age, and your parents disappeared. 
You felt your hand wrap around the hilt of a dagger, you pulled it out from the pile. In your hand was a beautiful dagger made of coral. It seems a silly thing to have, but if you knew what it could do, it was made by a god to kill other gods but you could remember your father’s voice telling you... 
“Be careful with this my dear, while this dagger is powerful it should only be a last resort for it can be used once. You must learn how to lean on your own power and learn how to hone it to protect yourself and others around you.”
It was something you wish you did not hide away because if you had it you might have avoided your fate. Having what you came for, you tucked the dagger away and began to swim back to the surface, trying to avoid looking at anything else, this was a graveyard of memories now, abandoned, forgotten. Some of them you heard stories about, being painted as villains in the history of Teyvat, but they were no such things. You knew who they really were, they were brother and sisters to you, husbands and wives to their spouses, sons and daughters to your parents, wherever they might be. They were your family, and because they did not win, they were painted as villains. That made you thin, you did not win, but Liyue adored you…
Wait…
You forgot…
History is written by the victors.
You returned to the harbor after changing out of your sopping wet dress, into a set of spare clothing you brought with. You heard Lumine and Paimon had returned from the abodes of the Adepti early yesterday but you have not seen them yet. After your encounter with Childe you discussed the terms of your deal with him, this dagger was the first of his requests but you had to remind him of the warning your father gave you, which he only nodded off. Under normal circumstances you would not have given such a thing to him but given recent events and Childe’s end of the deals, the risk was worth the rewards. 
You climbed the stairs of the builds of Liyue Harbor, heading towards the Northland Bank where Childe told you to meet you, but it was later than expected, the swim took far longer than you remembered but perhaps your memory has slipped you in these last few thousand years or perhaps the waters have changed with the appearance of Liyue Harbor and the ships that came with it, far different from your days when much of Teyvat was the wilds. 
As you approached the Northland Bank the attendant outside nodded and opened the door for you. The building of the interior of the back felt off putting as always, but this was something you could shrug off for the most part. You walked up to their counter and the woman behind it. “Excuse me, but is Childe here. I have an item he requested of me.”
“No, I’m afraid not but he did tell me to expect you, so I can give that to him upon his return.” The woman spoke to you politely, and based on her words it seems the Harbinger figured you may be late. “Unless you would like to give it to him personally in which case you may find him at Liuli Pavilion.”
“Oh no, that will not be necessary, just see to it that this gets delivered to him upon his return, and do be careful with it. Whatever you do, do not touch the blade.” You took out the dagger, the blade wrapped up in cloth and you handed it off to her which she seems to place in one of the compartments behind her with the most delicate movements. “Oh and do let Childe know when he wishes to speak with me again he may most likely find me at the docks, down by the water.”
“I will and do take care.” As you were about to give your farewell to her, you heard the door to the bank open and close. You glanced over your shoulder, just to catch a glimpse of who it was and you smiled when you saw who.
“Hello Lumine, Paimon.” You spoke to them so kindly but the moment they saw you, their smiles dropped. It took you a moment to piece together why but when you realized your smile faded as well. “I take it that you went to the place I spoke to you about?”
“…yes.” Lumine pressed her lips together, deep in thought of what to say to you next, and you could understand why. “…what was that place? Those chains?”
“Well…” you glanced over at the Fatui agent behind the counter and then back at Lumine. “Meet me at the docks when you are done with your business, I’ll explain everything to you there.”
“Alright.” Lumine gave you a nod and you turned to make your way outside, ready to spend the day to just relax. “Miss (Name)…”
“Hm?”
“Thank you.”
After what Lumine saw, it was the least she could say after seeing that…
—————————
Lumine and Paimon had just met with the two Adepti on Mount Hulao and Mount Aozang and were ready to head out to the Wangshu Inn to meet the last she was told about. She hiked through the tall grass of the karst. The grass tickled her legs as she traversed the landscape of Liyue. 
“The place Miss (Name) told us about should be around here somewhere.” Lumine’s floating companion spoke in her high pitched voice. Lumine ran her hand along the stone that formed the base of the mountain, feeling past the vines that hid the stone from their eyes. “It has to be- ahh! Lumine!”
Lumine’s hand that was tracing the stone found what they were looking for, her hand met no stone and she fell back, past the vines, finding the entrance of the cave. Lumine fell flat on her ass upon her surprise entry into the cave, her floating friend flying down to join her in the dark place. The cavern was completely deprived of natural sunlight, the only thing lighting the carver were the large crystals of cor lapis that lit up the place. Lumine led them deeper and deeper into the cave, looking around as she did so, being cautious of her surroundings.
“Paimon wonders why Miss (Name) would have us come here, seems creepy.” Paimon was holding onto Lumine’s scarf, almost scared to let go.
“I don’t know, but she wouldn’t send us here if it wasn’t important to see.” Lumine replied as they made their way down the tunnel. Soon they came to the main area of the cave, a massive empty chamber but unlike the rest of the cave there was no cor lapis to light the way, only the light in the distance from the tunnel. It also felt painfully dry in the cave, like all the moisture was being sucked away. The dryness and the dustiness of the cave nearly sent Lumine into a coughing fit, Paimon was a different story with the dust who could not stop coughing after breathing it in. “It’s so dry in here, are you alright Pai- huh what’s that?”
In the center of the cave Lumine spotted something glowing that was thrown on the ground in the center of the chamber. She got closer to it and soon began to make out what it was, chains…
“What is this?” Lumine spoke, looking down at them in confusion. She kneeled down to get a closer look, they were chains of cor lapis, made with shackles that were clearly intended for something or someone. She also noticed how the ends of the chains seemed to meld into the stone so that if someone was locked up in here escape would be impossible. When she reached down to touch them a large pulse of energy spread throughout her body, sending shockwaves that immediately knocked her back onto the ground, flat on her back. Lumine sat up, looking down at the chains with even more confusion, but then it clicked for her. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
You were kept here.
“Are you alright Miss Lumine?” Childe had set up this meeting at Liuili Pavilion with Lumine and “the one who could break this stalemate,” as Childe referred to him as. It was over food since that was apparently common for business meetings in Liyue. “You look quite pale, are you ill?”
“Hm?” Lumine was snapped out of her thoughts by the man’s question, she was thinking about what she saw in that cave. Was that truly for you? If so, what did you do to deserve it? You seemed so kind, so generous to her and Paimon. Was this what you were referring to when you said this place holds too many painful memories for you? Lumine picked up her tea cup, looking down at the hot liquid that reflected her face. “I’m alright, just lightheaded from my travels.”
“That is good, I am glad you have nothing serious.” The man took a sip of his drink, his golden eyes closing slightly as he blew over the sip he was about to take. 
“Yes I’m fine.” Lumine looked up at him and smiled before taking a sip of her own and setting the tea cup down on the table. “But thank you for asking, Mr. Zhongli.”
—————————
You sat at the docks once more, your feet dangling over the edge, your toes dipping into the water below. You hummed, folded your hands on your lap, and closed your eyes, enjoying the setting sunlight that hit your skin. You heard footsteps approaching you, but you recognized these. You opened your eyes and glanced over your shoulder at Lumine, she wore a smile but still looked frazzled probably after what she saw there. You patted the spot next to you, gesturing for her to sit. She sat down next to you but kept her legs pulled up so as to not get her shoes wet. 
“I am guessing you want to know the story of that place?” You asked, watching her expression and you saw her eyes narrow a bit on the waters before the two of you. She nodded but did not say a word, probably not knowing what to say. “Very well, our story begins in ancient Liyue. I had many siblings, but one twin sister and the two of us took to a village, becoming its protectors. We lived there for many years, taking care of it, and avoiding the other gods of Liyue by pure chance. We became forgotten gods but we were content with that. One night when I was looking over the village, I met a man and we talked and he told me that one day Liyue will know who I am even if I was a forgotten goddess. Then one day, my sister left to explore Teyvat and I did not go with her.”
“You told me about that before, so your sister was a goddess?” Lumine asked, politely cutting in.
“Yes, she was or rather is I hope, if she is still alive. I did not wish to leave but without my sister there was no way I could protect the village alone, so without thinking I prayed and asked the god of Liyue to help protect my people, without thinking on the consequences. Many days passed before that came into being, my home was attacked and when I was almost killed he appeared.”
“Rex Lapis?”
“Yes, he defended this village, making good on his side of the contract, then there was mine. He asked…” You paused on your words, asked was not the right word for what happened. “… he said it was my duty on my end of the contract, since I said I would do anything that night when I prayed, to enter a life long contract with him, marriage. I refused, but Rex Lapis once said ones who break their contracts shall suffer the Wrath of the Rock, and that is what happened to me.”
“So that cave…”
“I was there for hundreds of years, five hundred years alone, that was my punishment. I remember the pain of those chains everytime I moved, the pangs of hunger, I may be immortal but one of the downsides of taking a human form is that you can feel the pain you just cannot die from it, and then there was the dryness of the cave making a fitting prison for the goddess of rain and moonlight.” You looked at Lumine’s face to see it one of pure horror, she actually looked like she was going to be sick. “You asked me why I did not mourn him, and to that I say why would I? I will not play the grieving wife and lie saying that I miss him. People praise my marriage to him, saying how devoted w e are to one another, my devotion was out of fear. I did not sit at his side as his equal, I sat at his feet, the equivalent of a pet. The only difference is that I was called wife.” 
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lazyalani · 1 year
Text
| Xiao × [F!Reader]
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| Same old empty feeling
| angst, hurt no comfort, awakening xiao's death issues again, reader just wants him to be happy, character death (reader), xiao does love you, the traveller is clueless and innocent, the traveller gets caught up in your angst, xiao does not like the traveller romantically, go with the flow for the sake of the plot, xiao needs a hug, insecure thoughts, xiao is a bit oblivious, xiao breaks down
| Summary: In which she loved him in every shape despite her insecurities clouding her, and he loved her in every way despite drowning in his.
Alternate Ending
| Genshin Impact Masterlist
| Main Masterlist
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Staring at the bottom of your glass,
"Xiao!" You came rushing to your balcony, holding a tray contaning two plates and two bowls.
Xiao, General Alatus, the Conquerer of Demons, an Adeptus, the honorable Yaksha, a protector of Liyue, one with so many titles, but only Xiao to you.
He stands up straight and turns to you from leaning his elbows on the railings. "How many times have I told you to stop running?" He sighs and sits on his cushion, watching you put down your dinners on the table infront of him.
hoping one day you'll make a dream last
You smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't help him, I'm just really happy to see you." You sat down and grabbed your utensils.
"You see me everyday." He murmurs and grabs his as well.
"Every dinner." You correct him. With his duties that come with his numerous titles, it's impossible for him to visit you in the day, as he says.
"You still see me..." He tries to counter.
You shake your head with a smile. "It's fine though, I'm thankful you can even fit me in your 'busy' schedule, oh mighty Adeptus Xiao."
But dreams come slow
He gives you a pointed look and shoves a tofu in his mouth. "Stop that."
You stuck out your tongue at him. "What are you gonna do about it?"
He's fast when he reaches out and takes two out of three of your favorite food on your meal.
You gasp in offence. "Wha-- How dare you! Giving me one of your scary face thingy look you give to my fellow 'mortals' and 'humans' is one thing but taking my food is another!"
He simply continues to eat, ignoring your 'threats'.
and you go so fast
"You! Me! Right here! Right now!"
Xiao doesn't smile or laugh, but he's happy, you think. If people ask you how you knew, it's simple really.
Because he doesn't have those burdened frowns, because his face is lighter when you talk to him like this. When you talk to him as Xiao. When you talk to him as your friend.
When you talk to him with like you're the only people in the world right now.
You see when you close your eyes,
You wall throught the streets of Liyue with a smile, walking excitedly towards the certain shop you've been eyeing.
You opened the door with a ding, the metal, traditional Liyue ornaments clinking together. "Goodmorning, Mrs. Jiaxu." You greet the middle aged jeweler.
"Goodmorning, [Name] dear, how are you?" She greets back, her voice as gentle as ever. You've known her since you were a child, your parents often bringing you here to play with her children.
maybe one day, you'll understand why
"I'm doing fine, umm... could I possibly have my order today? It's fine if you haven't finished it yet though, I'm sorry for the sudden request." You smiled apologetically.
She waves it off, "It's alright, my dear. Infact, your order is almost done, could you wait for a few more minutes?"
You nodded, eager. "Ofcourse!" You answer and she goes out in the back.
You had ordered a custom made bracelet for you and Xiao. You've been friends for 2 years now, and you think it would be cute to get matching bracelets now, working on the designs for almost a week to fit both you and him. It was a hard pick considering Xiao doesn't really fit the cute type or the overly designed one. You had to make it simple, minimal, but also describing him and you. You made yours simple but descriptive too, since he was going to get yours and you were going to get his.
A bracelet exchange, you liked being sentimental at times.
everything you touch surely dies
You and Xiao only meet during your dinner time in these 2 years, him leaving after eating. And to be honest, it's the reason why you had started to eat more, because you make so much food on purpose so he would stay and you could talk more. You didn't really know how you managed to get him to be friends with you, much less come to you to eat dinner everyday, but you couldn't care less either. As long as you get to meet him, everything's fine.
You admit it was a lot of work trying to get him to talk to you, especially to meet you, but it was worth it, afterall. You were glad you somehow have this stubborn, talkative illness around him.
You can't help but admit you've grown to love him too.
But you only need the light when it's burning low,
You can't help but wonder either, could he possibly return the same?
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow,
Your eyes roamed around everything, trying to entertain yourself while waiting.
Liyue really is beautiful, huh, you thought, staring at the beautiful scenery of people talking and laughing through the glass windows. Whether it'd be customers and vendors, children and parents, they were all happy, and with the sight of Liyue's traditional colors and the sky, you couldn't help but think everything was perfect.
Your eyes widened as you unconciously took a step back.
Only know you love her when you let her go
Was it from shock? From what shock? Seeing Xiao roaming in the streets during the day?
Or seeing him with another person?
You know that person, ofcourse, almost everyone does. The Traveller. The famous traveller who has helped so many people, thousand, millions of people.
The overwhelming thoughts and questions clouded your head, deflating your happy figure as you stare at him so casually talking to the traveller, roaming around the streets in broad daylight.
Your heart hurts, for some reason. Were you too clingy for getting upset over seeing him talking to someone else? Maybe, but you couldn't help it. Seeing him talk so casually to someone that isn't you makes your thoughts race against each other.
It hurts. Seeing him talk to someone casually. Seeing him walking in the streets with them. Seeing him eating street food with them. Seeing him keep his gaze on them. Seeing him without his frown and heavy features he usually gives to everyone. Seeing him have his lighter face with someone that isn't you.
Seeing him having the same things he has with you.
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low,
You forced yourself to lower your head, staring at the ground to avoid seeing them.
How would you even compete with them?
You, who's only a normal civillian, citizen of Liyue. You, who can only talk to him about your day and nothing too interesting for him to relate to. You, who can only give him little things. You, who barely even speaks to other people and only gets talkative around him. You, who only has her parents, and the same friends she has from her childhood, no one, nothing new. You, who despite being friends with him for 2 years, can only even see him at dinner.
You, who he only talks to for no longer than 2 hours.
And the Traveller, who's already been declared as a nation's honorary knight. The traveller, who has many connections. The traveller, who's naturally kind and helpful. The traveller, who has this alluring, natural charisma around them. The traveller, who unknowingly draws people in. The traveller who's brave and strong. The traveller, who can tell Xiao more interesting stories with their adventures.
The traveller, who is intelligent and charming.
Only hate the road when you're missing home,
You go home carrying the two boxes containing both of your custom breacelets, and carrying the dejected and unhappy look on your face.
You stare at the green and white boxes on your table, thinking about whether to prepare dinner for both of you or not. But you shake your head and think you would be too petty if you didn't. You shouldn't be mad.
It's not like you're in a relationship with him anyway.
Night came and you cooked dinner for both of you, still cased in the thoughts of earlier and keep pushing away the unhappy thoughts.
You bring the tray over to the balcony, the usual set up of the table, cushions, the fairy lights, the blankets, and extra pillows still around. It's always been that way since you and Xiao came to this routine. You're thankful to have a bigger than normal sized balcony, extending the roof so that rain wouldn't touch anything when it's in weather.
You stared at the dark sky being illuminated by the stars, waiting for Xiao. He loved your balcony, it was high up because you live in an apartment, apart from your parents because of work, and it had a complete, beautiful view of the sky above and liyue below. It's the reason why you specifically chose this one, honestly. You grew to love it more when Xiao said it was his favorite thing in your home.
You keep waiting for him when you notice a piece of paper trying to escape with the wind under your flower pot.
You take the note and immediately feel something bad upon holding it. You already had an idea what it would say.
You just kept hoping it wasn't it.
"I can't come tonight, busy. Sorry, have
a great dinner.
- Xiao"
Only know you love her when you let her go
Unconciously, a continous stream of tears fall down from your eyes as you let go of the note and lean on your hand, covering your eyes and rubbing your forehead.
You think you're being dramatic and sensitive, but the tears and aching won't stop. Why? Was it because you love him? Yes.
Was is because you were afraid of being replaced? Definitely.
For the first time, Xiao couldn't come.
For the first time, seeing each other during dinner isn't enough anymore.
For the first time, everything you shared because an insecurity.
And the thought of him being 'busy' with another person leaves you defeated and crying on the balcony you both love so much.
You were so caged in your thoughts and insecurities that you didn't notice someone coming from behind.
It all happened so fast, so stealthily.
You felt a very short, sharp pang of pain on your nape and you fell on your table, crashing to the ground unconcious.
Never to wake up again.
Staring at the ceiling in the dark,
=★
Xiao sighs as he walked down the streets with the traveller and Paimon who's running her mouth off again, invisibly awkward.
As Paimon runs over to a food booth, the traveller sighs with him. "So you're telling me, that you approached me, forced yourself to talk and walk with me earlier and now, now, because you didn't know what to give her?"
Xiao sighs again and rubs his neck, feeling a little embarassed. "Didn't know who to ask..."
"So you chose me? Of all people, Xiao." They say, feeling frustrated.
"You have people around you everytime..."
"Bu I don't like like them!"
"...."
The traveller closes their eyes for a second and gives in, knowing this is once in a blue moon. "Fine, fine, but don't blame me if she doesn't like it. I don't know much about these things either."
Xiao only nodded. "Let's hurry." He demands. He wants to give it before midnight, you'll be awake because you always stay up late, but he wants to make it up to you. He knew you probably wouldn't be upset, you're always happy, afterall, but he doesn't want to risk it.
"Hey! You're the one asking for help here!"
Xiao didn't want to ask for help. He swear he didn't at all, but he doesn't know about these type of things. He doesn't know a thing about romance but he isn't stupid to not recognize and acknowledge how happy he is when he is in your presence. He doesn't know if he should call it love but there's no harm in doing so if he wants and needs to be by your side, to listen to your rants, to tolerate your teasing, and have peaceful and comfortable nights with you.
Xiao definitely isn't the type to be affectionate and loving, but who could blame him for wanting and needing the affection of the person who makes him happy. Makes him comfortable, understands him, cares for him, respects his boundaries.
How could he not fall for someone who makes him feel like a worthy person?
How could he not develop such feelings for someone who cares for him like that?
Deep inside, he's always longed for someone's care like this. Deep inside, he's just too afraid of getting hurt and hurting others. Deep inside that unapproachable, brave, strong, and mighty adeptus mask, both the literal and the facade, he just seeks comfort and peace. Physical peace, mental peace, inner peace.
As someone who's been through a lot, Xiao is truly thankful he found you, or rather, you found him.
And he wants to share those lovely thoughts of you to you tonight. So you know how important you are to him. How much happiness you've brought to him, even if he doesn't show it often. He wants to show and share to you the same happiness you taught him. If you would let him.
To be honest, Xiao doesn't know what to do if you don't return his feelings and reject him. Maybe he would cower and stay away, just admiring and protecting you from afar. Or maybe he would remain friends with you and be content with what you want and can give him.
But no matter what your response is, he knows and wants to keep having these feelings for you.
He wants to keep feeling for you.
Because his feelings for you are peaceful and comforting.
He wants this feeling to stay. To keep him at bay when he starts losing it. To keep him from those ugly, drowning thoughts.
So now he stands infront of your apartment, a slightly big box, a gift, the box is colored green, from its body to its lid, in hand, tied with a dark blue ribbon, a white rose symbolizing you slilped into the center along with the ribbon.
However, his feeling of nervousness and excitement were replaced by an unknown dread as he walks closer to your building.
His heart races fast as he sees the flower pots near your side of the cushion broken and almost hanging.
But his heart drops when he sees a hand, your hand, with the makeshift red ring from a yarn on your middle finger you made during dinner a month ago, almost hanging of the balcony beside the pots.
He quickly teleports inside your apartment in panic.
His eyes widened at the sight of your figure before him.
Crashed room, thrashed things, broken plates, bowls, cups, vases, wrecked tables, pierced cushions, sofas, and pillows. The table you onced shared with each broken, spilled food, soup, and drinks with he assumes was supposed to be yours and his dinner.
Your body laying in a pool of your own blood.
same old empty feeling in your heart
He wants to vomit.
His mind in a haze, he's getting dizzy.
He drops the gift.
Everything is spinning, his ears are ringing as he shakily, slowly, carefully moves towards your body, ignoring everything, ignoring your blood seeping into his hands, his feet, his clothes, his everything.
He notices all of the blood came from your nape. He carefully, slowly, shakily carries you inside, leaning his back at the bottom of your couch, hugging your body close.
His eyes are wide, shaking, red, almost bulging out. He keeps releasing heavy, deep, and continous pants, breaths.
He shaky hand brushes your hair from your face, staring at your beautiful face, ignoring your blood that sticked in his hand to your face.
His other hand is still supporting your nape, keeping it still, and covering it, so blood doesn't come out anymore, he thinks.
But then he takes on look at your face again and is hit by an invisible meteor.
You're not breathing.
You're so pale.
You're limp in his arms.
Why?
Oh.
'Cause love comes slow,
Xiao inhales with so much force, letting out a loud noise like he held his breath for a long time.
As air visits his lungs once more, his eyes let outstreams of tears.
He panics and his trembling hand touches your face and hands and feet and---
How did this happen?
When did this happen?
Oh archons,
Why did this happen?
What went wrong? He was supposed to give his gift to you--- his gift. His gift. Where is his gift? He looks around in panic and sees it dropped not too far away.
It was on the ground, the lid was opened and the gift came out.
A diary.
His diary. You told him to write his thoughts and feelings, you said it would help, so he did. So he wanted to confess using his diary. He wanted you to see how much he loved you from his writings.
A sharp pain pricked his brain.
Oh right, he left you alone for hours.
He didn't come to you. Then someone, or people, came in and...
He didn't come and because of that you..
He wasn't there to protect you, and now you're....
Dead?
and it goes so fast
Like his yaksha friends? Like the people he cared about?
Like the people he killed?
He almost screamed at the sharp pain that went throught his heart.
How could he let this happen? How could he let someone precious dies again? How could he not protect you?
It's his fault. It echoes in his mind.
Well, you see her when you fall asleep,
Then he notices something on the table of your couch. There were two boxes and a big note.
"I love you, Xiao. I've loved you for a long time now, I don't want thesd bracelets to be just friendship bracelets, I want these to be a symbol of our feelings, if you'll have me.
- Love, [Name]"
Xiao lets himself break.
But never to touch,
He bawls his eyes out and let out broken noises, his trembling hands touching your face once again, cupping your cheek and kissing your forehead repeatly. He didn't want to let go of you, not yet.
Not ever.
So please don't go. Pleasepleaseplease-
"B-beautiful." He manages to say, forces it out. "Y-you're always beautiful..." He means it, inside out, even if your own blood is now scattered against your face, by his bloodied hands.
and never to keep
Xiao's eyes looses their light once again.
Empty, once again.
Lifeless, once again.
He's so tired, he thinks, he feels.
So he closes his eyes and hopes when he wakes up, you'll be here by his side again, or he'll be at yours.
He wishes he spent more time with you.
He wishes he stayes more than 2 hours.
He wishes he wasn't so caught in his insecurities.
'Cause you loved her too much,
He didn't just see you during dinner, he sees you almost every second, watching you from afar, protecting you, admiring you.
He wishes he wasn't afraid of his own karmic debt.
He wishes he couldn't been stronger to fight away those cowardly thoughts.
He wishes he could've realized everything earlier.
He wishes he wasn't cursed by this chain that binds him to death and loneliness.
He hugs your body as close as it can be, hoping time goes slow. So he could apoogize more. So he could thank you more. So he could say he loves you. So he could feel you more.
So he could hug you for the very last time.
and you dived too deep
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thomacrumbs · 10 months
Text
you're on your own, kid, you always have been.
childe x gn! reader, soulmate au (flowers bloom on your skin where your soulmate got hurt, they fade away when your soulmate touches them). so like....... i was going through my files and realised i never posted this (i think. at least. its been like a year) so i edited it. enjoy 🥳
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“your soulmate flowers-- they’re gone!”
the woman from the docks had pulled your arm towards her and awed, running her fingers over the nicks in your arm, “did you meet them?”
you were notorious for the laurestines that budded upon your arm, seeking to nestle themselves into every crook and cranny of your body. it was worse when you were younger, around 14 was when you first started choking on the white of laurestines, throat erupting in pain as you tried to suppress the bile, terrified at what was happening-- and worse, what was happening to your soulmate?
“i did.”
“what are they like?”
tartaglia-- or sweetheart, as he makes you call him. he clung to you like a drowning man, mouthing at your neck as gloved hands intertwined themselves with yours, the bundle of white dying at his lips and shrinking before turning into nothingness. he presses into you with a chuckle, breathing you in as his hand finds the laurestine that matches the bruise he had gotten in sparring against the traveller, his fingers tracing love hearts around the bud before he strokes his thumb over the flower, finger pressing flat against your skin in a soft smother, idyllic murmurs trailing out of his mouth as he sighs and rubs his cheek against your shoulder.
“he’s… something.”
you had grabbed him by the arm, and with a smile on his face the idea of the perfect soulmate turns to pull you in closer. the snezhnayan breeze cards through his hair. he’s perfect, a reflection of the ideal, tall, handsome, impossibly rich-- not to mention just the right balance of loving & protective. his fingers always found earnestly drawing daisies into your skin and the constant seeking to intertwine his pinkie with yours. his love, delivered & tied so neatly as the bow that adorned the box that accompanied the letter he sent from liyue-- frivolous fancies and trivial dreams spouted across paper in dark ink that had the same highs and rolls as him, with straight lines and stabbed dots.
but under all that is the boy who found himself in the abyss, the one who made you cough up flowers and leave you stroking at your throat and humming pains out years later. the one who does not know the difference between the red on his hands-- whether it is his or someone else’s. but when he sees the red on your hands, and that glassy look you watch him with, he does nothing but kneel at your feet, mumble quiet apologies as he traces the bud, flower not even truly open and in full glory as it dies, silent in its short uneventful life.
“what’s wrong?” he had asked, once, pulling his gloves on as the two of you stand by the door of your house. the world howls outside.
but you can only shake your head, words suddenly stuck in your throat, unable to be coughed out.
“be safe,” is the only thing that slips out, croaked under the veil of moonlight across the cold.
in these plains of broken towers, beyond the cold of the mountains and snow of the loveless land, you found sparking familiarity cradled between your hands and pulled out of your throat.
“its just a fatui meeting,” at your huff, he laughs, pressing a kiss to your forehead as if you were made of glass, his gloved knuckles running up and down your arm in a poor imitation at a will for warmth, “alright, i’ll be careful.”
and you let him go, all that is left of him.
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ereana · 4 months
Note
drabble prompts: zhongven; 2, 36, and/or 50
Zhongven 2 - The thought of losing you scares me
Venti was angry.
He didn’t like being angry. It scraped against his mind like shards of glass turning the very air around him into sharp stinging winds, the sort that left humans chilled to the bone on a cold winter’s day when not even the warmest coat could keep out the cold.
It was a little embarrassing really. He was one of the oldest gods left yet he still was at the mercy of his own emotions unlike a certain blockhead who—
The sound of splintering wood filled his ears as the tree beside him disintegrated into sawdust as the very air around it tore into the bark in a sudden fit of rage. Venti pinched his brow and let out a deep sigh.
Right. This was why he was here sitting on one of the cliffs overlooking the Stone Gate instead of drowning his sorrows at the Angel’s Share. Diluc might actually try to kill him if Venti destroyed the building because of his bad mood. Plus he didn’t want to accidentally hurt any of his people who were completely innocent and had nothing to do with his current displeasure unlike a certain traitorous liar of a lizard that he was determinedly not thinking about. 
A few unlucky birds flying overhead let out chirps of alarm as they were suddenly spent spinning towards the ground, with a flick of his fingers Venti corrected the breeze and sent them gracefully soaring towards Liyue.
He watched them silently for a few moments. While he wasn’t the sort of being to lose himself in melancholic thoughts there were times when taking a minute or two to just think could be helpful. And it wasn't like this was a normal situation either.
If it was normal, whatever normal meant to a wind wisp turned god turned ex-archon turned bard — although he had been a bard for quite some time so maybe the chronology needed some rethinking — then he wouldn’t have any issue controlling his anger. Venti would like it to be noted, probably in one of his own songs, that he was usually pretty good at the whole self control thing. He hadn’t turned his anger on Mondstadt when he’d learned what happened to Dvalin. There were secrets that could shake the world locked safely behind his teeth. Granted there were perhaps a few too many people who knew his true identity but it wasn’t his fault that his people were so perceptive!
With all that compelling evidence in mind, Venti was confident in asserting that had this been a normal issue he would not have had to exile himself to a barren cliff edge because he was a danger to everyone around him due to his fury turning the summer breeze into blades of anemo.
He nodded decisively before groaning at his own inability to deal with the actual problem
Although judging by the footsteps steadily approaching the problem had come to deal with him instead.
Venti closed his eyes and waited until the intruder had reached the top of the cliff, unable to get too close because of the protective vortex which now surrounded him but close enough to hear him.
“I’m mad at you.” Venti stated quietly, his voice devoid of its usual humour.
“I can tell.” Morax — or was it Zhongli now — said calmly. So calm it made the winds whip up into a frenzy sending blades of freshly cut grass spiraling into the sky. 
“Is that all you have to say?” He asked, and now there was a note of anger in his tone. “After what you—” Venti cut himself off, clicking his tongue in frustration at the mix of hurt, relief and sadness which swelled inside his chest.
“No, there is much I would say to you. If you would allow it.”
Venti laughed, a harsh sound that grated against his ears.
“Oh now I’m suddenly someone worth talking to. Now. When the damage has been done and the dust has settled here you come ready to make things right once more. What does the immediate upset matter when it can be fixed with a deal or a contract to replace what has been….” Venti stopped and finally turned to look at the man behind him. “I thought you died Morax.”
Morax stared at him quietly. They’ve known each for far too long to hide anything from the other and Venti can see in an instant that he won’t get an apology for what happened. Morax will offer one for hurting him, for not seeking him out straight away after the matter had concluded, but he won’t apologize for the act itself. 
“You had to, my dear. In case someone was watching the wind had to mourn the loss of the mountain.” Morax stepped forward causing Venti to instantly drop the vortex in case the old fool actually hurt himself.
It only took a few of his husband’s long strides before Morax was lowering himself to sit beside Venti. Venti, who hadn’t seen him since he woke up from his unplanned five hundred year long nap, dropped his head onto one firm shoulder. It was about as comfortable as using a rock for a pillow.
“The thought of losing you scares me more than anything. It almost broke me.” He admitted softly. 
If there really had been a murderer in the world Venti would not have stopped until he’d ripped the air from the culprit’s lungs himself.
Mor— no Zhongli was probably best to use now. Morax had died.
Zhongli wrapped a hesitant hand around Venti’s waist. Venti let him, too tired and too relieved to push away the comfort. His husband wasn’t wearing any gloves so the warmth from the golden veins in his hand seeps through Venti’s shirt to his skin. After five hundred years Venti was back where he belonged.
“Don’t do it again blockhead.”
A press of lips against his head, the stroke of a thumb against his waist, and the first contract made by the man known as Zhongli.
“I promise.”
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kangen-wanshi · 1 year
Note
300 man, that's a lot of followers congrats!!!
For the event, “We should get married.” + Childe and/or Welt would be fantastic (idk if you're allowing two different characters from different series though, if not feel free to pick between them) congrats again!
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A Proposal ft. Childe, Welt Yang
The question in regards of marriage often orbit the two of you - yet, either of you seems to ever took the question to heart. Or at least, that's what the two of you thought.
Tags: Fluff, separate, marriage stuff duh, no gendered pronoun used
A/N: Ty anon!! Here have some marriage stuff with best boys of the series:))
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Childe, He always asks you
He’s naturally a big family man - both of you are aware of this. And ever since he saw how you’re getting along well with his family, his urge to marry you just keeps getting stronger and stronger each day. He likes to propose to you ‘jokingly’. Throwing the question of “Will you marry me?” as a way to compliment you everytime he finds himself falling in love with you, every time he sees you doing something even remotely small. Cooking? “We should get married so I can taste your cooking everyday.” Bandaging his wound? “You’re so careful in taking care of me.. Let’s get married so you can dote on me all you want when I return to you all bloodied and bruised.”  Just walking around enjoying each other’s presence on a date? “You’re so lovely. Marry me?” Maybe you’re just dense, maybe it’s just his way when he delivers those lines, but you often reciprocate his question with a light “Sure” and a fit of giggles that color your cheek red. And he never said anything after! Honestly his fault for being too busy falling head over heels for you.
It was just like any other day. Visiting Liyue Harbor, taking a stroll when the sky slowly turns to the color of red, fading into night every minute as the air grows colder.
You had ended your walk on the piers of the harbor, leaning on the wooden railing, watching ships come and go - merchants resigning for the day, fishermen going into the night sea. And as usual, in his eyes, you’re as stunning as ever.
“Hey,” his gentle voice coaxed you out of your mindless trance. His gloved hand came to hold yours, as he gave you a gentle squeeze, “Let’s get married.”
You laughed - ah, he could drown in your voice of delight over and over, and he would swim back up just to hear it all over again. He looked at you shaking your head lightly at his request, before finally settling your eyes on his smile.
He waited for your usual answer, ‘Sure’, or ‘Of course’, followed with flattering giggles. But it never came. He was then greeted by your look of surprise. Did his question come out a little odd this time? Was it the way he looked at you so carefully, so lovingly - so gentle, an absolute contrast to his bloodthirsty attitude, that you managed to catch your words stuck between your tongue?
When you looked at him again for sure, you spotted an adoration you’ve never seen before. A hopeful gaze, a loving look, a side he preserved just for you, waiting for an answer.
You mirrored his eyes and crinkled on your cheek when you smiled back at him, squeezing his hand in return with as much adoration, leaning closer to him as you placed a chaste kiss to his lips.
“Let’s.”
And this time, you promised him about the true meaning behind your answer.
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Welt Yang, He keeps wondering..
It’s a running joke in the Express Family at this point. As much as March and Caelus like to call Himeko their mom and Welt their dad (or sometimes uncle), they kept encouraging you and Welt to get married already. To the point that even Dan Heng has become part of this cheering squad. You always blushed and waved your hand dismissively at their remarks, followed by Welt who also shares a similar amount of embarrassment, sighing before pinching the bridge of his nose.  All their efforts always ended with the two of you leaving the question hanging in the air. Not an uncomfortable type - but the one where the two of you let the question circle in your brain without explicitly mentioning to one another. Welt have thought of marriage - as obvious as it seems. Perhaps it came with age, perhaps it came with his past experience, perhaps it came from a place within his heart full of his love for you, either way, it’s rare to see a day where he doesn’t think about marrying you. He’s thoughtful about these things. Careful planning, watching your reaction every time he brought up the topic subtly, seeing your view on marriage itself, attempting to answer the questions he’s been asking himself through normal conversation.
Both you and Welt had finally managed to step foot in Jarillo-VI, after much much asking Himeko - who, simply giggled at your request and let you go to explore the land of Everwinter.
Both of you had a curious yet fun expedition together treading through Belobog and the various areas around it. Welt continuing to observe the corrupted areas, while you, enjoying the culture and befriending some of the locals you’ve heard so much about from the trio.
It’s only when Welt returned from exploring the Underground to visit you at the Museum, that he found a rather.. Endearing sight. You were walking through the hallways of the Museum, a blonde little girl and another boy seemingly leading you through the various artifacts on display. 
You seem to be highly invested in what they’re saying, even though Welt swore some of those stories couldn’t have been true. 
Either way, he saw how you entertain the children in their stories and guide, providing the truth of your own (that you already know about), but twisting it so that it’s believable for children with high creativity and much, much spirit like the pair.
He didn’t even realize that he’d been staring at you from a distance, watching your cheek and your eyes lit up and softens at the childrens’ antics. 
It was not until a lady with blue hair in white came to your aid to peel the children off of you that he realized he’d been staring - and that you had spotted him from a distance, gesturing him to come over with a smile and open arms. 
“Why didn’t you come over to me earlier?” You giggled as he sink himself into your embrace, burying his face to the crook of your neck with a chuckle, “Sorry, love. I was just.. A bit in a daze when I saw you and those kids having fun,” he pulled away, “You looked like you had so much fun - I.. Wouldn’t want to ruin that.”
“What nonsense, I’m sure if you were given the chance to tell tales to them, they would be smitten with your every word.” You giggled, kissing his cheek before pulling him along to sit on one of the many benches in the Museum, sitting in front of a painting, with your head leaning on his shoulder, hands still intertwined with each other as Welt traced circles on the back of yours.
In comfortable silence, your eyes are stuck on the painting hanging on the wall, while his eyes have stolen few, if not many adoring gazes towards you. 
“If I were to ask you to..” He inhaled, “.. To marry me, will you?”
You giggled, pulling yourself away from his shoulder as you looked up to him with a grin, “Oh? Where does this bravery come from?”
“Just.. A thought.” He rolled his eyes playfully, now holding your hand within both of his, tips of his fingers found their way to your empty ring finger, “If we could.. I would love to tie it together with you.”
His words weigh many emotions behind it. If he were to stay and bind himself to you - what about his home? What about his planet? His final destination? Dozens of questions flashes through your mind and various reasons to not just because you don’t want to trap him with you, but when he looked at you so softly, when his pursed lips held his words true, you swallowed your questions and smiled up to him.
“If you asked me to marry you..” you leaned your head back on his shoulder as one of his arms wrapped around your shoulder, his head resting atop of yours, “Of course there’s not other answer than ‘yes’.”
Welt speaks true with his eyes. And at that moment, you saw your reflection in his eyes - one that shows how he truly sees you.
As his home.
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chuusposts · 1 year
Text
the reason i live is to die with you
summary: xiao, kazuha, albedo, aether with a suicidal! reader (aka dazai)
warnings: minor angst(?), mention of suicide, double suicide, suicide thoughts, suicide attempts (everything that's related to suicide)
notes: i tried writing for genshin hehe (also if you don't know who dazai is, he's an anime character (and a real person) who has attempted suicide for many times but also failed each time) part 02 :')
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xiao
the first time he met you was when you tried to jump off the wangshu inn balcony. he heard you say something like "the weather is so clear, do you think this world is going to fall apart?" and he was like '???'
when you noticed his presence, you asked him the same question and if he'd like to be your suicide partner, "it feels so lonely to leave this world by myself, so how about you join me instead?" while giving him the most idiotic smile.
when he refused, you immediately pout and started to climb up the rail obviously trying to jump off. but your suicide attempt failed when xiao teleported behind you and held your wrist "what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
he's even more confused when you grimaced and sent him a sharp glare.
later after he got close to you (after he tried to stop your suicide attempt a few times) he learned that attempting for a suicide is your second nature so the next time you ask him for a double suicide he would just shrug it off.
but sometimes he does get worried like what if one day he comes back to you just to find out you're not in this world anymore? he already lost his friends, no way he's gonna lose you next. so he always make sure to check on you from time to time especially if you're out of his sight for too long just to make sure you're safe.
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kazuha
kazuha was at ritou's dock admiring the beauty of narukami island before he departed to liyue in a few hours. but you just had to come up to him and asked him, "kazuha, how long do you think it will take for you to find my body if i drown in the sea?"
he was shocked at first but after he realised it was you, he just laughed it off and smiled, "well, i prefer if you don't drown at all"
you smiled at his words, "then you must wanted to die alongside with me, right?" he then cupped your cheeks with his hands, "dear y/n, why do you wish to die?"
"let me ask you, then. do you really think there's any value in the act of living? i've been living my entire life, and i still can't find a reason for me to live."
kazuha was speechless, he already asked himself the same question many times. does he simply live because of what happened to his friend? because his friend left him prematurely without that of a goodbye? and he figured, the problem is that he loved him. he loved all of his friends so much he's afraid if he leaves this world, other people will feel the exact same way as he did and it pained his heart just thinking about it.
that's why in that instant, kazuha swears to himself; that he'll protect you until you find your reason to live. in this world, and the next, he'll always protect you.
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albedo
it was still dark when albedo arrived at his lab in dragonspine. what he didn't expect was to be met with a panicked sucrose, "mr. albedo, please help us!" she said, pointing at you who looked like you were on cloud nine.
as he made his way to you, albedo realized that you're actually... high? really? early in the morning? "just look, i've finally arrived in the afterlife! to the land of the dead, khaenri'ah!" you laughed hysterically.
albedo was confused, "sucrose, what's going on?" sucrose looked around a bit before picking a half eaten mushroom and a book titled 'complete guide to suicide'. she read and explained to albedo about the method you were using when you suddenly jumped on her, still high.
albedo sighed, seemingly used to your antics, "wait a minute sucrose, let me finish my paperwork first." sucrose was struggling so much, she even tried to fight you off but you still succeeded wrapping her full body and face with crape bandages making her look like a mummy.
you came to sit in front of him, poking and pinching his cheeks, begging him to come with you to the afterlife while he focused on his paperworks.
after it what felt like a good five minutes, albedo put his pen down, cupped your cheeks in his hand and stared straight into your eyes, "strange, most people fear death but at the same time they are drawn to death. yet why are you so different from them? maybe i should spend more time with you so i can learn about you..."
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aether
"you're a man as ephemeral and elegant as a lotus blossom. would you be willing to join me in a double suicide-"
'bbong!' you were proposing aether for a double suicide when paimon suddenly hit you in the head causing you two to bickered.
"at least wait for him to find his sibling first!" paimon shouted. she's not wrong; you should've at least waited for him to reunite with lumine first before you died with him, "but that would take forever!" after all, all you wanted to do was to leave this world as soon as possible.
that's why you offered to accompany him throughout his journey. aether was glad, not because you wanted to commit double suicide with him but because he can always keep his eyes on you.
moreover, he doesn't have to worry about you committing double suicide with other people. though he must admit that he's a bit jealous when you suddenly ask random people to join for your double suicide especially if they're good looking (you're loyal to him so obviously you were joking)
one day, you were explaining to him why living is so useless and why he should join you for your double suicide saying your reason to live is to die with him. aether listened to you attentively when he suddenly sighed and smiled softly, "but y/n, if you think of me as your reason to live, then i'll take it upon myself to keep you alive."
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https-furina · 1 year
Text
✎ 4:47am.
ft. diluc x fem!reader
w.c. 1k words
content: short fluff, mildly angst btw! established relationship, perhaps reader has a little past trauma, they were childhood friends, diluc 100% has anxiety, unedited + not proofread
notes: i promise i’ll get around to editing and adding word counts soon, i’ll slacking a little. this turned out more angsty than i was hoping it would but i just wanted concerned husband!diluc. i’m definitely not proud of this one cries
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when you had first settled down amongst the rows upon rows of vines, hidden by the leaves, the sky was a deep indigo. it had been littered in specks of stars, all different shapes and sizes and all glittering in their all individual ways; a lot like the beautiful ring now settling on your ring finger. the thought sends your gaze down to the jewellery, a smile crossing your face. two days feels like a fever dream now but it had in fact happened.
he had let you choose location above all else - or else you would have been marrying at the winery - and you quickly settled for the waterfall just south of springvale. diluc had no room to disagree when he saw the way your eyes lit up, sparkling in ways that no jewels could ever compare to. it was like he fell in love with you all over again, the exact way he did years ago having watched you spar with his brother.
a sigh escaped your lips at the thought that kaeya brought this together and diluc still couldn’t completely drop his malice towards the cryo vision. your eyes fall back to the sky, fading into a lilac as morning begins to dawn on mondstadt. how long had you been sat out here? you scowled at the thought of your peace coming to an end however that’s not how your better half reacted when he rolled over and felt a lack of presence beside him.
ruby eyes open, squinting momentarily as his large hand wanders the silk bedsheets imported from liyue and finds that his beloved is nowhere to be seen. a feeling akin to fear sends electricity through diluc’s body, his body rushing to sit upright so quick he gives himself whiplash for a moment. where in celestia was you? had you been taken? no, you couldn’t have been - adelaide would have came running by now to wake him.
he still finds himself rushing out of bed, throwing his hair into a messy ponytail as he saunters the halls of his home, checking every room he’s known you to settle in. where could you be so early in the morning, when the light is beginning to filter through large glass windows as the sun awakens. dread is coursing through his veins, careful when he slams open a door as to not disturb the resting souls still within the manor.
diluc is in the vineyard within moments of searching his manor, looking around for your familiar head of hair or your sweet scent - but even then, the thousands of grapes are strong enough to drown it out.
“why do you look so concerned, my love?” your voice draws him out of his mild panic, his eyes landing on you finally. you’re perched between rows of grapes, cross legged as the leaves cover you. it would be a perfect hiding spot, had you both been kids again. diluc sighs out, a little dramatically as he holds a hand out for you to take, raising you to your feet. you’re still wearing your nightshirt, insinuating you was either going to return to him in bed or be back in the manor shortly.
“it’s not every day i wake up and my wife is missing,” diluc mumbles, albeit embarrassed that you caught him looking so flustered, “don’t do that again.”
you giggle, pressing a chaste kiss to his calloused knuckles before leaving one on his lips too. you laugh but you know diluc is right to be worried as such, he has been ever since you were children. it’s what made you two so inseperable at a young age but you were kidnapped as a child. as the daughter of one of the dawn winery’s most beloved ingredient suppliers, you spent a lot of time at the winery with kaeya and diluc. your disappearance threw the brothers into a fit belittled with anguish as they ignored their father and tracked you down.
ever since, they’d never parted you from their sights for any longer than a few hours and diluc had partially developed anxiety if you were missing out of the ordinary or for longer than usual. while he’s working, he usually has - begrudgingly - kaeya or adelaide at your side. diluc makes a soft noise, brushing hair from your face with his spare hand as he takes in the way your lower lip has jutted slightly and your eyes have softened despite your laugh moments prior.
“you’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” he needs not say it very loudly for you catch his words, nodding a little with a exasperated sigh. sometimes you can’t help but think back on it, diluc has even caught you multiple times having nightmares about the memories. the redhead says no more, strong arms wrapping around your shoulders and pulling you into his chest. you had already noticed how he was barely dressed saved for the ponytail he’d thrown his hair into, pulling a frown onto your lips. you truly had worried him that badly again.
moments pass before the two of you are looking up at the sky, adorned in hues of oranges and pinks as the sun begins to peek over the horizon. you shiver and diluc instinctively tightens his arms around you.
“come, let’s go back to bed.”
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
curled up against your husband’s resting form, head laid on his chest as you listen to his steady heartbeat, you realise just how much he cares for you. your legs brush against those familiar silk sheets and you cherish the moment as much as you can before diluc must rise again, going about his work as if he hadn’t shown his most weakened state in the early hours of the morning to anybody awake to witness it.
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© https-heizou 2023.
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1wingedtraveler · 2 years
Text
Good boy♡
🍂Scaramouche x fem reader
🍂SMUT, MDNI
🍂A/N: I posting it again since it good marked as erotica and got completly hidden. If anyone knows how to fix this, please help💀 warnings under the cut, im trying to hide from the mods
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Warnings: Scara's mommy issues, mommy kink, Scara misses raiden, cumming inside, boob sucking, oral(reader receiving) hand job, hickeys, pet names
You ran your hand through your hair as you reached for the towel, quickly rubbing it against your head, drying off dripping water.
A deep purple nightgown was laying next to you. It was made from finest silk from liyue, lace decorating its collar.
You've put it on and headed to the bedroom you shared with your boyfriend. It was inazuma styled, with many expensive antics.
Scaramouche was fond of collecting these things. You weren't sure it it was his way of flauning his wealth or he guenienly was intrested in it.
He was a prideful man who liked when people looked up to him. When you first visited his bedroom and praised his taste in decore, he seemed to get kind of flustred before covering it up with his usual arrogance.
Coming through the bedroom door you found your lover already waiting for you with a sour look on his face. It wasn't anything new, it was pretty much how his face looks like relaxed.
"What took you so long?" He grumbled
"Haha, what have you missed me already?
"Tch, don't flatter yourself. It would be a hassle if you drowned in there"
He would never admit to it but he couldn't sleep well if he wasn't with you. It could be nightmares tormenting him or fear of abandoment. He usually just choose not to sleep in that situation. His puppet body didn't really need it. He treated it more like a bonding time with you
You slipped into the covers. Warmth immediately engulfed your body. Your hand reached for the book that was laying on the night stand. Inazuma's culture and traditions. Ever since you moved into Scaramouche's mansion, you've also wanted to know more about the country he originated from. You thought maybe it would help you understand him better
"What are you reading?" Kunikuzushi said as shifted closer to you, he read the titile out loud
""inazuma' culture and traditions"? you could have just asked me, you know. I probably know way more that this stupid book"
Honestly, it was probably true. He roamed Inazuma for centuries, met all kinds of people. However just agreeing with him would be no fun. You decided to teaser him a little
"Is my darling jealous of this "stupid book"? Or maybe my ears decive me?"
"It seems your mortal age is getting into your head since you spewing such nonsense"
"Are you calling me old now? Its ironic coming from 500 year old accent artifact"
"How dare you!-"
This is how most nights looked between the two of you. Light-hearted bickering like a old married couple. There was no hostilty there. It alwayes made you both laugh at the end of it.
Not even an hour passed and your boyfriend already fell asleep on your chest. It was nothing new. He was a very cuddly when he was sleeping.
Suddenly, in a corner of your eyes you've seen him smile slightly as he hugged you tighter. His palm that was resting on your breast started moving. You thought nothing of it, maybe he was having a good dream. You went back to your book. Scaramouche started shifting more and more in his sleep. Squeeze. You felt his hand squeeze your boob. Well, you weren't a new couple so it wasn't something that shocked you to core
Then again. He was getting more bold straight up massaging it. Focusing on your book was much harder now. He was suprisingly good at it even when he was not aware.
You've let few moans slip your mouth. You started to feel tingling between your legs. Biting your lip your tried your hardest not to wake him up. Not when he seemed to have such a good dream
He started to rub against your other tit moving up towards your nipple. He took it in his mouth and started sucking. Suprised, you jolted, letting out a loud moan. Nightgown's material was very thin so you felt exactly as he wrapped his tounge around it. Drool was starting to stain your gown
His other hand didn't stop either. Now he looked like a cute kitten nursing from its mother. You clenched your teeth and gripped the covers. This was really getting on your nerves. What if he just pretendent to be asleep? Maybe all of this was part of his bratty little plan? He was a pretty mischievious guy.
Not being able to take this thoughts anymore, you tangled your fingers around his head and pulled him away from your breast and made him look at you.
"What do you think you're doing, brat?"
He looked at you shocked and confused. Then he looked down where his hand was still resting. On the other side he could see your hard nipple peaking through material. It looked wet
"Wh-wha?!- I didn't-" He scrambled to find words to explain himself
"Oh you did, you nasty little pervert. Trying to play innocent with me?"
"No! I swear! I wasn't dreaming about anything like that!"
He was getting more and more embarrassed. But it didn't look like he was acting. So it was a dream? Not his ploy to get on your nerves? Hm, now you were curious
"Alright, lets say i belive you. But why don't you tell me about a dream you had? Perhaps we might recreate it "
You whispered seductively in his ear. It caused him to jump away from you slightly.
"AGH! Listen, its... embarrassing for me. Not only that, in the context of what i was doing to you, it makes me look like a weirdo "
"How so? I thought it was an erotic dream? How else would you explain that behavior"
" I DREAMED ABOUT MY CREATOR OKAY?!"
You looked at him baffled
"It was in no way an erotic dream...I've just.. been thinking about her a lot nowdays. You could say i even...miss her a little"
He looked sadly at his hands. Admiting that must have been really hard, after all these years trying to forget about her. He continued
"I was hugging her. Under lavender melon tree. We were both enjoying sweet juice, drinking it from the cup through the straw. Maybe because I was feeling you against my finger it felt so real"
Silence has fallen between you two. It was such a sweet dream. Now you felt bad for suspecting him and waking him up so harshly. But a new idea popped up in your head
"Hmm, how about i make it up to you, for treating you so badly just now? Oh and even better-"
You stopped as you leaned your forhead against his, looking deeply in his eyes
"I will take care of you. Way better than your "mom" ever could"
Your thump caressed his lower lip. You could see his face getting hot. He looked like deer caught in headlights. His head nodded slightly. As soon as he did that you pulled him into a kiss, earning a moan of suprise.
Your lips smashed together quickly. Scara was despretly trying to keep up with you. All the emotions from him sucking your breasts seemed to come back in that moment. When an opportunity came, you shoved your tounge into his mouth.
"Mghm!"
Scaramouche moaned, shutting his eyes closed tightly. He wrapped his arms around your waist. You went on top of him and straddled his slim hips. He looked out of breath so you pulled away, your face still close to his.
You giggled when you looked at his disheveled appearance. Mouth slightly agape, his eyelids halfway closed, hair messy. He was trying panting, trying to catch his breath
"Aww is a small kiss too much for my baby boy? Maybe we should stop?"
"No! M-mommy..Please.." He begged, hugging you tightly
"You're adorable, you know that?"
Your hands traveled all across his body. One going under his black tank. You pinched his nipple between your cold finger. He gritted his teeth, trying to keep down his moans.
"Its okay baby. Let mommy hear your voice"
He let out a high pitched moan.
"That's it baby, just like that"
Your other hand went down his boxers, slipping through the material. Wrapping your palm around his semi hard cock, you started slowly stroking him
"A-ah! Mhm, faster please"
You felt his pre-come started dripping providing natural lube. Squelching noises and whines of pleasure filled the room. You licked your lips as you watched such a powerfull, pridefull man squirm under you. You atteched your lips to his neck, kissing it. Scaramouche's hand shot up to your head, pulling you closer.
"You greedy little thing-" you whispered softly
"How about I mark you as mine, hm? Do you want to be mommy's baby boy forever?
"Yes! Yes, please mommy"
You licked a stripe up his neck, stopping near his jawline then you started sucking it harshly.
"M-mhmm, feels shoo good" He mumbled incohearently
"There you go baby"
you detached yourself from his neck with a pop leaving behind a dark mark
"Now how about you warm mommy up a little?"
You got off him and started off taking off your gown and panties. He was already on his knees in front of your legs. You didn't even notice when he got undressed.
He was such a beautiful sight. Pocelatine, smooth skin now painted red with blush. His body remainded you more of petite woman than a man. Flat chest, slim waist with not too wide round hips. His thighs were quite thick compared to the rest of his body.
His cock was standing straight forward. It was a little below average but very pretty. Pale with red undertons getting a bit darker at the tip.
You opened your legs in from of him, slipping your fingers between your folds spreading them, playing with your clit.
"Come here, you supposed to help mommy, right?
Your voice was hipnotizing to him. He layed down on his stomach, putting his hands on you thighs.
He gave your pussy an experimental lick. He stuck his tounge further the second time, getting more confident. His saliva along with your wetness dripping down on the sheets. His moans sending electric-like pleasure through your body
"Yesss, that's mommy's good boy"
Scaramouche felt encouraged by your praise. He spread your folds apart, kissing around your clit, teasing you gently. You started running your fingers through his hair.
"You're doing so good, mommy's so proud of you"
Finally he started sucking on your clit. You threw your head back with a loud moan
"Ahh-"
He started rubbing your thighs, keeping eye contact with you, getting off on your expressions. Pride filled his chest. He was making his mommy feel good... Then he felt a tug at his hair. He got worried so he asked
"Did i do something wrong mommy?"
You gave him a soft smile
"No, it was perfect my lovely but how about giving your mommy a little more..."
You pulled him on your chest as you whispered in his ear
"I want you inside of me. Does my baby want it too?"
He looked at you as he nodded his head eagerly. You let out a soft giggle. Your hand went to his crotch as you guide his cock inside of you
"There... Now show mommy how much you love her"
He've put his hands on your hips, slowly shething his cock inside of. You felt his body shake as he was bottoming out
"Aww is my baby that sensitive"
"M-mommy feels so good..."
Steadly he started rocking into you, he felt as if your gummy walls were sucking him in
"Mghh-" He let out a breathy moan
You wrapped your legs around him pulling him deeper into your pussy. Sloppy noises were starting to fill the room. Everything felt hot to the both of you. Groans were getting louder by the minute
"So good, so good-"
Scaramouche kept repeating, as waves of bliss were crashing against his body. You pulled him into a kiss, your tounge dancing with his, making a mess out of your faces.
You felt as his cock was hitting your g-spot. You arched your back from the feeling. Mix of both of your fluids was running down your lower body, staining the bed.
Kunikuzushi's rythm was getting more messy, he was clearly determinded to making you come first but it looked like he couldn't hold it much longer
"M-mommy i think im-"
"Shhh little darling just a bit longer, okay?
Sweat was dripping down his face onto your neck. He buried himself into your breast, sucking on your nipple trying to distract himself
"Mhmm, yeah, suck mommy's titts"
That sitmulation was pushing you to the edge as you felt your orgasm approching
"Ah, you can come now sweetie, come inside mommy"
When you spoke these words, he buried himself deep inside of you, shooting his cum into your womb. You followed shortly after him
He pulled out as collapsed on top of you, panting and worn out. Weakly he asked
"H-how did i do?"
"You did great honey, how about getting your reward now?"
"Reward?" You didn't promise him anything
"You think I didn't see you stating at my chest the whole time? But since you've been such a good boy today, go right ahead you can play with them"
He took you up the offer but instead of playing with them, he took one in his mouth and closed his eyes, falling asleep sucking on your boob
1K notes · View notes
niiine · 1 year
Text
𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄
Characters. Kazuha, GN! Reader.
Synopsis. Only when you're invloved that Kaedehara kazuha can show a few things that he's usually not—like possessiveness for example.
Fluff, jealous Kazuha
Inspired by this. (With permission) Check this, it's soo cute.
Mentions of "Beautiful", and Kazu's jealous of a man.
NOT PROOF READ!!!
Saw this pictures from Mei_xxy! on tiktok and thought, I want a whole scenario with jealous Kazuha. Kazuha babyyy be home next patch alrightt? And also, 500+ followers 😳 Thank you for reading my trashes peeps. You make me happy!
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“Ahh, the wind is telling me that we ar—”
“Kazuha if you don’t shut up, I swear I’m going to throw you out in the sea.”
The gentle lad sighed at his crewmate’s outburst—he can’t blame him though; he had been pestering him about just how far more it would take before the Crux reach Liyue for the past three hours now. He can’t help it you know; he misses you so much and for him, it’s nothing but agonizing.
Dragging his feet up the crow’s nest where he plans to spend the rest of the day before he can see you again, his heart sinking even further at the thought that it wouldn’t be any time soon. He drifts into a light slumber, begging for his dreams to about his beloved.
“Kazuhaa!” Beidou’s shout wake him from sleep, eyes fluttering open and somehow, sleepiness’ still vivid in the way he lazily closed them again. That is, until the captain announced their arrival at the land of Geo. A flash of silver plunged as he jumped from the Crow’s nest, his ever-calm face now adorned with giddiness. “Captain! I’m gonna go see (name)!” and he’s gone even before Beidou could wish him a safe trip. The wandering samurai can’t wait to be home.
The streets of Liyue’s still as busy as ever. Usually, he would stay away from rowdy environment. The excitement and chaos clashing in his calm demeanor, but right now, the idea of melting in your hands just seems stronger than any uncomfortable conditions. The image of him planting his face into your presence brought a serene smile into his porcelain face—really, only can bring out this side of him.
His eyes darted forward; he wants to buy something from Wanmin to bring with him for you. And that’s when he sees you, as dazzling and beautiful as ever—and…him. You’re talking with a man so happily, present as you exchange words that is inaudible to his ears. A frown decorates Kazuha’s face as an unfamiliar emotion tugged at his gentle heart. His feet move towards your direction, hoping to gain your attention. Surely you will be more excited and happier to see him than to talk with this guy, right? But his advances are drowned in the noise of the crowd, and probably because you and your companion are facing the restaurant, thus he remained unnoticed.
He cleared his throat, hoping once again trying to snatch your gaze. No avail.
His lips quivered. Come oon, your boyfriend’s here you know!
“Hello, Sir…” He trailed off, eyes drooped and an annoyed expression resting on his face. He wasn’t always like this, but he hadn’t seen you for days and now it looks like you’re not in love with him anymore (I live for dramatic Anemo boys supremacy. Regardless if it’s the ever so collected Kaedehara kazuha).
It even sends him in more turmoil as the man you’re talking to doesn’t listen when he called him out. The guy left him no choice. He huffed exaggeratedly as he caged your form between his strong arms, earning a cute squeak from you.
He looked over your shoulders and glared at the man, “Excuse me. They’re my partner, return them to me now please.” Before burying his red face in the crook of your neck. You understand right away what’s happening, your hands finding its way to your lover’s silver locks. A soft, gentle laugh escapes your lips.
“Kazuha, he’s my brother”
“What?”
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technaart · 2 years
Note
sooooo i saw you wanted requests >:) fear no more, dear tumblr writer, i gotchu covered!
how about this... xiao x reader, angst to fluff, where xiao tries to distance himself from reader because he realized he's in love with her and doesn't want to bring calamity to her life, but she actually loves him too! try to give it a happy ending ><
I won't say I'm in love
Pairing: Xiao x fem! reader
Genre: angst with a happy ending :)
A/N: Thank you for being my first request ever I honestly thought I'd get none!
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With a call of his name, the Yaksha appears before you, standing with perfect balance on the rails of Wangshu Inn. The sight of him made you giddy inside, like when you were a kid on the morning of Christmas.
"Hi, Xiao," you greet him with a bright smile, holding out your usual welcome home gift; almond tofu. "Welcome home!"
His eyes widen at your words, with the sight of you standing there as the light of the moon shined upon you. Absolutely ethereal, you were in his eyes. You had his limbs frozen in place with just a look, your smile, laugh, everything made his heart nearly jump out of his chest. His greatest weakness...
Xiao grew tense with that realization, trying desperately to ignore the worried expression taking over your cute face. There was no way he can ever say that out loud, least of all to you. Just friends, right? Xiao shakes his head, maybe even not that. Not anymore.
"I have to go,"
You frown, confused and so worried for him. "Wait, Xiao. What's wrong -?"
He was gone with the next soft breeze.
What just happened? You think to yourself, holding the plate of food close to you now. The only other thing you can think of is maybe someone called his name? Or he heard something that needed his attention? Hoping it was any of those and not something that you may have done to accidentally offend him, you enter back into the Inn, to the room you always paid for. By now it was practically your home.
You waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Xiao never showed up. Or so you thought.
In the early morning of Liyue, Xiao appeared. You were asleep still, head on the pillow while hugging the extra one you always requested for. It was difficult for you to fall asleep without hugging something. The adorable sight had Xiao's lips tug upward as the thought, I wish that was me instead, filled his mind.
The sudden thought made him jerk away, turning his back towards you. Xiao berated himself for thinking that, feeling that way. He didn't deserve your affection. Didn't deserve this, him.
Deeply rooted inside of him, Xiao believed that he would bring nothing but danger and death to your life if he stayed involved with you. He was a curse. A weapon to be used. Not to love or be loved.
You shift in the sheets behind him, the sound of your sleepy voice startling him so much that he left before you can finish saying his name.
Oh, okay.
That kind of stung you. It was common knowledge that Xiao had his bad days and you understand when he needs his space to think through his thoughts. You also understand when to insert yourself so that he doesn't drown himself in those thoughts.
You hoped that you hadn't missed those signs and now it was too late to help him through it. In your sleepy state, you glance over at the nightstand nearby.
The plate of Almond Tofu still sat there, untouched.
One day passed with no contact with Xiao, and you were okay. You continued on with your daily tasks, taking in any commission Kathrine offered you. You had to pay for your stay at the Inn somehow.
Two, or three days pass and that ball of worry and anxiety grew until there was an uncomfortable pressure in your chest that hasn't been there in a while, since you meet Xiao, actually. He was your comfort, and made you feel safe and cared full when you were with him.
I guess he didn't feel that way about me.
Xiao avoided Zhongli's stare. He'd just been informed about the nonstop work you have been doing instead of resting. You used to call his name out every night around dinnertime, in hopes that he would show up. He did, just not where you can see him. It hurt to see your dejected face each time as you walked tiredly into your room, but not before leaving the plate out on the balcony for him.
"You can't avoid her forever," started Zhongli, blowing softly on his tea before taking a sip. "You care for her as much as she does you. If this continues, she will end up exhausting herself waiting for you."
Xiao turned his head. "She's human. They move on eventually,"
"Not all of them." Zhongli mused, making the Adeptus side glance at him. "It is possible to die of a broken heart."
The thought of you dying, because of him even after he did his best to keep away and avoid that... made him feel, panicked. With the image of you being laid to rest by Zhongli and that one funeral girl burned into his mind made Xiao stand up, knocking the chair to the floor.
There was an expression on his face that Zhongli hasn't seen on Xiao's face since he saved him; desperation. Yet, when Xiao vanished, he couldn't stop the small smirk on his face at his handiwork.
Xiao deserved you.
You weren't standing out on the balcony this time. Instead, you lay in your room, the space dark save for the desk lamp next to the bed. He can see your form under the covers with soft-sounding cries reaching his ears.
He did this.
He hurt you.
Xiao almost left again, but his body moved forward until he was climbing onto the bed, sitting on his knees as his head peaked out from the cover. Your eyes widen at the sight of him, with the sudden touch of his gloved hands cradling your face in them.
"Let me speak," he started, voice strong with emotion. "I can't handle the thought of you getting hurt. I only cause death, Y/N, and staying away from you is the safest option. Or so I thought."
"I feel the safety with you, Xiao. Right by your side is where I belong." You whisper, placing your hands on his to keep him there.
There was a vulnerability in his eyes you have never seen before and it made your heart soar with the thought that he trusted you enough to show it.
His voice breaks. "I don't deserve you, but you, you Y/N, deserve the world."
You sit up properly, wrapping your arms around him tightly. Wanting him to know that you were right there and not planning on going anywhere. His hands splayed out on your back, holding you to his chest, afraid to let you go.
"I love you, Xiao. I understand that you get scared too -" he didn't deny it, though you knew on a normal day he would have. " -but you don't have to worry about hurting me. I know you'll be there whenever I call."
He nodded his head, hiding it in your shoulder.
You kiss the top of his head. "And I don't need the world, I don't need anything, just you."
Hearing your words being said so full of love and devotion caused Xiao to lift his head up enough to look at you. The space between your faces is nonexistent when he kissed you. A kiss that had tears burning behind your eyelids, trying to fall with the love he made you feel.
I love you, his kisses said, finally able to accept it.
455 notes · View notes
shysuccubusstuff · 1 month
Text
obsessed! childe pt. 1
Content: Female anatomy, obssession, dubcon (the reader does love Childe, and Childe loves reader, I just love writing yandere males).
Note: The potion that Childe uses is more like a "tell the truth potion", meaning the person will act/say whatever they actually think abt the person, if they do not say it they will start to feel light/mild effects, these effects vary from each person.
Note 2: I was planning on doing a single part but the text was getting too long and I've been cooking this for way too much time cause i have no time to write...
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I don't think you are able to understand the surprise Childe felt when he arrived to Inazuma, all with the objective of analyzing a little the situation of Inazuma (while also keeping an eye on Scaramouche), just a small and fast trip, then he would be able to go back to Snezhnaya, rest a little while waiting for the next quest given by the Tsaritsa. While at his stay, he found the different posters that talked about the rock festival that was being planned, and despite this did not catch his interest at first, he received some letters from the Tsaritsa, explaining to him how this would be a good opportunity to check how the people of Inazuma actually felt after the whole "now-we-are-mostly-free" situation. So he agreed, waiting patiently until the even finally took place, he decided to take a walk around Inazuma, just checking the different restaurants and small stalls that were sitting around the streets. He was checking some of the newest items added to the menu when he saw something, well, more like someone. There you were, as pretty as he remembered, you hair shinning thanks to the sun rays that were falling on top of your head. You were smiling...maybe more like laughing, which made you even prettier to be honest. While he stood there, menu still in his hand, he noticed another person, a huge man with long white hair, marks all over his body, he seemed to be quite strong, but taking into account that there was a huge ball of some kind of dessert in front of his feet, he did not seem to be the most brilliant persons that you had been able to meet. While analyzing this man, you suddenly hit him on his shoulder, your body being unable to keep still due to the huge laugh that you were trying to contain (this was useless, as you can see). He threw out what was left of the dessert and started to tickle you, making your own dessert fall to the floor. Now, what the heck was up with that? You barely allowed him to touch you, always saying "Childe, I still don't trust you fully" but a completely new man was able to do so? Yeah, he may have tried to drown you (and the whole city of Liyue) but weren't you being unfair? He stated his reasons and tried to be as kind as possible, giving you as much money as you wanted and even talking to his family about you (the pretty traveller with a fierce heart and a great attitute) but while he was doing that you went around meeting new men?
He quickly left the menu somewhere around the stall, going to where you stanted in a fast pace, but just as he was about to snap at the random man he composed himself, his friendly (yet dangerous) smile was back in his lips, he suddenly put one of his hands on your shoulder, causing you to suddenly jump. The other man slowly stopped, his red eyes looking to his blue eyes, even the expression that was in his face made him look like a complete dork, you changed him for some dull white-haired man? He may not be the most sane person, and yes, he may have a little problem with fighting you, but didn't you two have something? God, he was starting to get furious once again, but he kept the act, face as cool as a cucumber and a relaxed body language. "Hey traveller, long time no see, how have you been?" He only kept his eyes fixated on you, ignoring the existance of Itto for a moment. "I've been missing you like crazy, Teucer has been asking me about you and he was so sad that we have not been able to meet for such a long time!" Your expression got a little ankward, you knew Childe was doing it on purpose, turning his back while not allowing him to enter the conversation. "Oh hey... I didn't know you were going to come here to Inazuma, I've been fine, I was able to make some good friends here in Inazuma, this is Itto, he is the best at onikabuto fights!" Itto seemed to pump his chest, probably full of proud as for that... achivement? Childe smiled, the vein at his neck still pumped, cause what did he expect when he left you alone? All those dirty men probably tried to get to your pretty head with their dumb tactics, yeah, this dude may seem more innocent, but of course he was just like all the others.
Once again, he tried to compose himself, carefully getting his hand around your waist, Itto's eyes did notice, and as he felt how the pressure was getting bigger, he suddenly shifted his eyes, looking at some vague point. "Oh uhm... I forgot I just have this meeting... yeah, the one with the gang you know? Oh shoot, how could I forget? I gotta get going, see ya around compadre!" Itto left like the wind, running as fast as possible to get further away from that strange man who kept looking at him like some kind of prey.
"Oh, lady, why did your friend leave? I was about to invite him to some of the most beautiful places I was able to find... But I would first invite you to the great cuisine at some of the restaurants from Inazuma!" Childe smiled brightly, his enemy was no longer at sight, so of course he should try to keep his act of the "good guy". So he did, he invited to Inazuma's cuisine, even being so good as to get up himself and bringing your food to the table, even adding a special potion created in Mondstadt and carefully mixing it between your food. As he did not enjoy some unfair sparring, he did mix that potion with his own food, after all, if it did have some kind of harmful effects he should also be the one facing them. "Sorry for taking so long, I found some issues with the plate, so I had to ask them to change it!" He carefully explained, leaving each of the plates in the sides, together with the rest of plates that had already been served, just when you finally took a bite of all the food was he finally happy, smile shining as bright as the sun. When the dinner finally ended, he carefully took your hand, leading to the residence that you had been staying at, it was quite old for his liking, but he did find it enchanting, it was the place where you slept after all.
It took him some time to get you to bed, as the potion only seemed to make you drunk in some way body hot and tembling hands. He carefully laid you in bed, tucking you in with a lot of care and leaving a soft kiss on your forehead. He was kind of dissapointed with the drink, but he supposed that this was better than having some bad reaction to it. Just as he was about to leave the bedroom and head to his hotel, he felt a soft pull, your hand was around his wrist, your eyes looked just like a puppy, begging for him to not leave. At first he was quite hesitant, you were not in your right mind, and despite how much he would love to give you the thing you begged so much, he did have some moral compass. But your pretty eyes were melting him, and the sweet things that were leaving your lips did not help him either, so he gave in.
His body starting to burn up, was it because of the potion? It seemed that the potion did have a slower effect in him, as he was ok just a few minutes ago. His mind was starting to get a little fuzzy, so he slowly laid on bed, allowing you to get on top of him. "Ojou-chan...never did I think I would be able to have such a beautiful woman on top of me, not only beautiful, but a woman strong enough to defeat me..." His cocky smile on his lip only caused you to feel even stronger the urge to shut him up with a kiss, so you did, lips on top of each other and hands all over his body, playful hands going under his shirt, body hot to the touch due to the hot temperature of Inazuma at that time. "Aren't you been a little too cocky, lady?" You smile, still being completely under the effects of the potion. You pull away from him, looking at his flusthered face and getting closer to him, bitting and kissing his neck and hearing him let some breathy moans out of his pretty lips. "I'm trying to go easy on you, lady... But you have seen to learn some pretty mischiveous tactics while we were far apart..." He still had that cocky expression, even despite the fact that he was in a much worse state than you. He once again smiled, carefully putting his hands around your hips and massaging that place. He slowly kissed your face, peppering soft lips all around your cheeks and nose. "You're so naughty today, traveller..." Despite his lustful eyes, he kept treating you soft, something completely opposite to how he usually acted, all high and confident, being unafraid of being too rough when you fought each other. Childe's hands slowly moved upwards, pulling out the soft clothes that were covering your body, your skin shinning thanks to the moonlight that entered through the window in the room. "You're so pretty... so so pretty... I wish I could just hide you in my pocket,,, I want my family to meet you as soon as possible..." He kept peppering kisses all over your body, from your shoulders to your tummy, what was up with him? "Ajax... what is going on?..." He simply looked at you like a small puppy, kissing your lips and giving no answer to your question. He slowly got rid of his own clothes, leaving both of you completely naked, slowly analyzing all and each of your gaps and pretty features.
"I'm sorry, lady... I am at my limit and I don't think I can keep much longer... didn't think that the stuff that that damn old man gave me would be so strong..." The creepy face of the other member of the Fatuis almost caused him to flinch, but he just chose to focus on the moment, lowkey thanking him for the chance of such a "dashing" encounter with his dear rival (lover as well).
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fandangotales · 2 years
Text
Sticky situation
Childe x Osial
NSFW CONTENT MINORS DNI
TW: Dubious consent, use of aphrodisiacs, bondage, monster fucking, crying, sub Childe… please let me know if I missed anything! <3
Dedicated to a very special someone who “loves tentacle hentai” <3
“If you want to drown together with the people of Liyue, you’re free to stay and enjoy the show!” Childe said, smirking at the alarmed expression on the traveler’s face.
The golden house had tremored from the sheer power emitting from the numerous sigils encircling his body. After that, he was supposed to make his getaway in pursuit of the geo archon, who would surely reveal himself in response to the awakening of Osial, right?
It was dark; so dark that seeing even a few inches in front of him was nearly impossible. The harbinger had no idea where he was, and how he ended up there. He decided to feel around with his hands in order to get some sense of location.
The ground beneath him was cool rock, with small patches of what felt like springy moss. A heavy dampness hung in the air, already beginning to wet Childe’s clothes.
He took a moment to calm himself, breathing in and out. The place reeked of salt water. The same scent that would always waft into Liyue harbor from the Sea of Clouds.
He let out a huff in disbelief. If he was in the golden house, how on Teyvat did he end up in some kind of sea cave?
Something suddenly fell onto his head from above. He reached up and ran his fingers across the expanse of ginger locks. It was cold, with a kind of slimy texture.
“What the…” he muttered to himself, spreading his fingers in front of his face, watching the slime slowly separate.
He was brought out of his thoughts, as the temperature abruptly lowered. More of the substance dropped around him, as he scrambled to his feet. Childe felt his balance wavering, as the floor became more and more filled with slime. Soon enough, the cool liquid reached his knees. He didn’t know if his feet were still on the ground.
“Harbinger.” The word resounded throughout the cave, as Childe whipped his head around, searching for the source. The voice was ancient, and seemed neither feminine or masculine.
“Who are you, and why am I here?” He questioned, trying his best to maintain a confident front. Even though he was in a very, very bad position, he could probably talk his way out of it.
The voice made a strange sound, that reminded him of a rough laugh.
“Do you not recall summoning me, Harbinger?” It inquired, sounding mildly amused. “Do you not remember the offering necessary for summoning a god?”
Childe tensed up, as the voice’s origin became crystal clear. And an offering? He never heard anything about that.
“Offering…” He trailed off, half talking to himself.
The slime around him slowly shifted into what looked like a serpent head. It emitted a faint hue of aqua, and dimly illuminated the cave.
“Indeed.” It stated, continuing to gather up the other liquid in the room. “And it appears to be that you had not prepared one.”
He felt sweat bead across his forehead, as the overbearing aura of the god increased tenfold. It was not pleased. He attempted to materialize his bow, only for his awaiting hands to remain empty.
The rough chuckle returned once more.
“Silly Harbinger.” It mocked, as multiple heads appeared, each suspending his bow, vision, and delusion before him. “One supposes you will have to do.”
“What… do you mean.” He slowly asked, his expression contorting into something desperate, as his eyes flicked around the area in search of an escape.
His question remained unanswered, as the substance on the cave floor began to stir. Multiple stands of slime emerged from the enlarged pool in front of him, and began making their way towards him.
“Hey-“ be began, one last attempt at reasoning with the being. He was cut off by one of the limbs thrusting itself into his open mouth. His eyes flared open, as he struggled claw get the appendage away from his face.
“Don’t worry little one, I’ll make sure you enjoy this too.” The main head reassured him, as the tentacle pulsed in his mouth.
A thick fluid continuously flowed out of it, sliding down his throat, prompting the ginger to choke on the sheer amount of substance entering his mouth. He was getting dizzy from the lack of oxygen, and the constant flow of liquid. His eyes rolled back, and just as Childe was about to pass out, the girthy strand was pulled from his mouth.
“Hah…” he panted, attempting to catch his breath. He was just about to glare at the creature, before he began to feel incredibly warm, and out of breath despite breathing clearly.
“What… ha… did you do… to me…?” He slurred, as he collapsed onto the awaiting mass of slime. Instead of answering him, it instead gently wrapped multiple strands around his limbs, and proceeded to suspend his limp body in the air. When it deemed he was effectively restrained, other tentacles went for his clothes, steadily removing them from him.
As the cool flesh of ancient god gripped onto his arms and thighs, he barely held in a sigh of relief. Whatever it forced into him made him feel extremely hot, and rendered him immobile. It was difficult to even keep his eyes open.
He had almost succumbed to sleep, before the same cool tentacle slithered from the apex of his thigh, to the rim of his hole.
“Ah-” he sharply inhaled, feeling a sense of pleasure from the soft limb pressed onto his entrance. Other tentecles wrapped further around him, slowly squeezing him repeatedly and deliberately making their way to his sensitive areas.
Childe couldn’t help but let out another noise as the tips of multiple tendrils latched onto his nipples, and began to imitate a sucking motion. His thoughts began to grow hazy, as all he could focus on was constant assault on his chest. Childe knew he shouldn’t be getting off to something like this, but the manner in which he was restrained meant that he was entirely at the mercy of the god. The thought of that sent a jolt of pleasure straight down to his cock.
For some reason, the appendages on his upper half retracted themselves back into the main form, leaving him with no stimulation. He let out a whimper, trying to angle himself back towards the limbs, although the tight hold around his body completely prevented him from moving.
“P-please-“ he gasped, still trying to move, only growing more desperate as time went by.
“I-I need it-” he begged, as the lack of stimulation became excruciating.
The head seemed to tilt its head in consideration, before a large limb materialized directly below his body. He didn’t even notice it, still occupied with pleading for its touch.
“Plea-“ he was cut off as the appendage harshly thrust into his hole, and his words ended in loud moan. Childe’s eyes rolled back, as he struggled to get used to the sheer girth inside of him. The stretch was almost unbearable, and the cold temperature only added to the shock.
After what felt like a century, it slowly began to move his body up and down on the limb, using him as if he was a mere toy. He let out a needy moan at the feeling of the tentacle inside of him, still wanting more. Childe’s back arched involuntarily when it suddenly went deeper, the bulbous end pressing flush with his prostate. He came with a shattering cry, entirely limp as he was continuously pistoled up and down onto the tentacle.
His eyelids fluttered, as the constant movement within him shifted from pleasurable to slightly painful. He let out a groan, but before he could close it, the apendage from earlier reentered his mouth, fucking itself down his throat. The tentacle inside of him picked up speed, assaulting his hole at a brutal pace.
Tears from the overstimulation pooled on his ginger lashes, as his body was mercilessly used. The only sounds he could let out were muffled moans, which only seemed to encourage the sticky limb moving in and out of his throat. His chest was heaving, as he was struggling to intake enough air to remain conscious.
Childe could tell that it was close, as the tentacle pulsed against the bundle of nerves deep inside him. He choked on a sob as it’s speed increased once more, this time chasing it’s release. The edges of his vision began to spot out, as the appendages roughly pulled him down to the base of the tentacle.
“MMPh-” he moaned around the limb in his mouth. Childe almost passed out, but the ice cold temperature of the liquid now pumping down his throat and into his hole snapped his eyes open, as his body was wracked with shivers. He was freezing, and the sheer amount of the thick fluid, now running down his thighs, was not helping his situation.
He looked entirely pathetic, the tears streaming down his face falling upon the large appendage forcing his mouth open. His thighs trembled despite the tight hold on them, unused to the feeling of being filled to the brim. The slick substance had over flowed from inside him, leaving the now unmoving tentacle and something that felt like multiple soft balls left deep inside. It was made glaringly apparent by a distinct bulge protruding from his stomach.
Childe’s body shuddered one final time before his vision went entirely black.
An unknown length of time later…
“Lord Harbinger?” Signora mocked, standing over the 11th’s unconscious form. His skin was covered with angry red marks, around his arms and legs. The sheer amount of thick slime lethargically flowing out of his hole didn’t make it hard to guess what happened. Not to mention the fucked out look on his face, and a large puddle of his own fluid.
His body had been placed in the ground haphazardly, as he was not laying in a normal position. Certainly not one that would be deemed appropriate. Signora rolled her eyes, mentally noting to bring this up the next time she meets with the Tsaritsa.
“Childe…” she half sang, in an attempt to wake him up. There was no response. Sighing, she poked his cheek with the tip of her heel. There was no response for a few seconds, and it lead to dead silence.
“Haaa…” he breathed, still out of it. “P-please~”
Signora laughed in disbelief.
She’d let the recruits deal with this.
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favoniuscodex · 1 year
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MYTHOS : LETHE, PART TWO . [ tartaglia, alhaitham, cyno ]
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series : mythos, a mythology au - [ info & series masterlist ] series description : you are fated to save the world by assembling a team of the supposedly dead gods of ancient teyvat to stop the apocalypse. great. sounds easy enough, right? [ previous chapter ] - current: prologue pt. 2 - [ next chapter ] pairings: tartaglia x gn!reader, alhaitham x gn!reader, cyno x gn!reader word count: ~5.1k [ ~1.4k / ~1.9k / ~1.7k ] warnings : dream sequences / surrealism . drowning/thalassophobia . brief instances of claustrophobia . minor violence . mentions of death . author note : it's been a while, hasn't it? please read the first part if you haven't! the three parts within this section are all dream sequences, so they're a bit weird, but don't worry, no real trouble happens. if you need anything else tagged in warnings, please lmk! thanks for reading, this series is my baby <3 parts of the prologue won't make sense but it's intended to be that way because it's dream sequences filled with foreshadowing
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SECTION INTRO ::
the transition to life in liyue harbor is one of ease. it seems as though everything is falling into place, slowly but surely. the city is still daunting, yes, but you know that it is yours for the taking. nights are spent alone, scheming on when you'll find your next piece of furniture and eating takeout out of flimsy cartons.
work is secure. stability is not necessarily guaranteed, but you believe your boss is fond of you enough to keep you on payroll for another few months. your boss has been a tough read since your first day, but you've managed not to step on any toes and, despite your increasingly strange sleeping patterns, you have arrived on time each day.
thus, each evening, when your eyes groan with fatigue from the screens you use to occupy your free time, you finally succumb to the inevitable. the thought of sleep is rather daunting, but you aren't quite sure why. the sense of danger is quickly buried by the flutter of butterflies in your stomach, as if your next adventure awaits you once you finally retire from this own world for the evening.
you cannot remember your dreams, but perhaps that's what makes them all the more alluring.
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IV. GOD OF THE OCEANS - tartaglia
the crashing roar of an ocean wave serves as your alarm. it startles you into consciousness. with little time to react, your body is submerged in water. you instinctively gasp for air just before going under, but it isn't enough, especially as the vicious currents toss you around and pull you further into the murky depths.
you do not know where the shoreline went. after what feels like eons of tumbling through the water, you are unsure if there was ever earth to stand upon. you hold your breath until your lungs scream for air, but there is water up your nose already and very little reason to believe you could ever reach the surface.
when the currents finally release you, you can see nothing but endless blue. knowing that you will die is not the worst part. it is the knowledge that this is your burden to carry alone, for there are no witnesses to your plight. hysterically, you laugh, watching hopelessly as the bubbles of air escape your lips and float upwards, all while you sink in the opposite direction.
before you can close your eyes and embrace the wretched end that awaits you, you feel a tentacle enclose itself around your waist, and suddenly you're being pulled down, down, down into the depths below. your eyes provide you no understanding of the situation, for the monster holding you is too fast, plunging the two of you into the parts of the ocean where no light can reach.
you will not die alone. you'll die as the last meal of this unknown creature. perhaps it is a kind one, who may offer you a swift and merciless death. what does it matter anyways? you think, unable to find it in yourself to struggle as the creature hoists you towards the bottom of the ocean. i was always going to die.
"giving up already? that's not like you."
you are unsure where the words have come from, words familiarly unfamiliar like a distant childhood melody. you are unsure how you have not run out of air. you are unsure where you are going as you torpedo towards the bottom of the ocean. the only certainty in your mind is that death is no longer an option, but even you are unsure of the origin of such an assumption.
the creature holding you reaches the bottom of the ocean. the ground is not earth; it is glass. you realize this as you are unceremoniously slammed against the barrier between ocean and below, feeling it crack under your impact. despite this, no pain shoots throughout your body. an eerie wave of familiarity washes over you, far more soothing than the wave that swept you out into this sea earlier. now calm, you stop writhing in your captor's grasp as you thump into the glass once again.
this time, it shatters.
you and all of the ocean are sent surging into the void of air below. you fall facing upwards, and in the light that shines up from beneath you, you watch as the water suddenly retreats, leaving you to be the only object falling through the air. you greedily gulp in air despite knowing that you will likely face your demise once you hit the ground.
"hold still."
the voice is clearer once again, no longer warped by the waters above. your vision turns the color of seafoam before two arms catch you, breaking your fall with an inhuman ease. you stare up at your savior with wide eyes and parted lips. you focus on his eyes, which match the endless blue that spoke of death for you just moments ago.
"don't look at me like that, i've told you not to arrive up there, but you do anyways," he gently chides. "do you know who i am, princess?"
the corners of his lips peel back in a sharpened grin. you lift a hand up anyways, unafraid of the knife of his inhuman smile as your palm cups around his cheek. the edges of his teeth soften at your actions, snake-like pupils rounding into the familiar circle shape of humanity.
"you're..." you begin, tearing your eyes from his face to inspect the rest of him. you watch his adam's apple bob as he gulps in anticipation, bated breath held. "you are the creature from ocean. the one that saved me."
at your words, your savior's grin drops, and a nearly inaudible sigh of defeat escaping his lips. his teeth sharpen once more, yet you feel no fear. rather, you worry that he'll bite his tongue when he speaks. surely, such an action would hurt with such piercing teeth.
"that's not quite the answer i was looking for," he says, and uncharacteristically strong indignation rises within you, as if you've had this conversation with him thousands of times before. you let muscle memory take over, controlling your tongue to speak with fierce words.
"oh? would you prefer if i call you ■■■■?" you ask, allowing his name to roll off your tongue. your words are a pebble tossed into a still lake, causing emotions ripple across the face of your savior. his intimidating expression gives way to trepidation, and he looks up at the water barrier above the two of you, as if expecting it to suddenly break and ruin your refuge of air.
"you cannot say such things."
all mirth has left his voice as he speaks lowly. light has left his oceanic eyes, reminding you just how far below the depths you are with this strange man holding your life in his hands.
"you are not supposed to know that," he reprimands you. you cannot remember the name that you called him, no matter how hard you try as his gaze pierces you. "and if you do know it, pretend that you don't. if the heavens hear you say that, they'll undo your existence, and even if i drain the oceans, i will be unable to stop them."
"tartaglia." you say. the barrier above you seems to be approaching, walls closing in on the two of you. it is not the name you said earlier, but it is the only name you can bring forth in your mind. he stares at you, expression unreadable.
"tartaglia, where are we?" panicked, you grasp at the flowing gray fabric of his robes. they look as though they are carefreely floating in water, gently sinking down and down despite the two of you being suspended in air. you have not yet reached the bottom of the other side. its as if the two of you are still in the water above, and yet-
"almost home," he says. the statement would normally bring you comfort, but this time, it only leads to your hands frantically scrabbling around his chest, before you hastily fling your arms around his neck, pulling yourself closer to him.
"i- i can feel them," you begin to babble mindlessly, eyes blown wide as you look up at his expression. tartaglia's face begins to contort, smeared in your vision like watercolor pigments haphazardly tossed in a cup of water. despite it all, you can see the worry in his eyes, no matter how unclear they might be. it is a horrid feeling, knowing that he can see your mind slipping out from underneath you.
"wake up," he says, calmly, but there's a faint waver in his voice. "it's okay to wake up. we can see each other some other time."
"i can't," you sob, voice finally cracking as the ceiling of glass above the two of you begins to split. "i'm sorry, i shouldn't have said what i did, i'm sorry."
you feel a hand smooth over your hair, but the soothing attempt proves futile as you feel a drop of water on your forehead.
"it's okay, sweetheart." tartaglia promises, but you can no longer see his lips move. you wonder what expression he wears now.
"everything will be alright," tartaglia has never been one to break a promise, but, for the first time, you doubt the truth of his words. "i promise."
you part your lips to speak, but the glass ceiling above the two of you gives out, thrusting you into darkened waters once more, away from the mysterious savior whose touch felt as familiar as a lover's.
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V. GOD OF KNOWLEDGE - alhaitham
you tumble through water until you are washed ashore, tired body sliding gently onto warm white sands. sand grains refuse to cling to your body, even as you push yourself upright and look around. there's a fading sense of loss in your heart, as if you were torn apart from someone you love dearly, but you can't remember their face or their name. perhaps none of it was true and the only truth is found in the overwhelming sense of fear that still clutches at your heart.
perhaps the only truth is this empty beach you now sit on. the land of dreams that you are stuck in fails to generate any seashells or other signs of life. there's an expanse of green that begins where the sands end, but even it lacks detail, as if purposefully designed for you to remain uninterested in it. rather, the waters that you were once so fearful of allure you, since you know there will be no crabs within it to pinch at your toes, and no floating seaweed to imitate a fish slithering by. perhaps it would appear once you thought of it, and the sea creatures are now greedily pinching their claws at the thought of being able to pull you into the depths once more.
the thought of such creatures sends you stumbling away from the tide, feet struggling to navigate the overly soft sands. when you finally reach the grass, you no longer feel tired, and when you turn around, the beach is gone, replaced by a sprawling expanse of even more grass. but this new area is different from the dull one you currently stand in. perhaps, if your eyes do not deceive you, there is a building of glass that is visible only if you squint, prismatic rainbows faintly shimmering while promising a palace of erudition to those who know enough to pass its entrance exam of invisibility.
to others, the entrance may prove to be a difficult find, but you simply know. its a phenomenon you would not be able to explain if prompted, but you know the way to enter the invisible residence. it beckons you as you walk towards it. the overwhelming dread is not enough to hold you back as your hand wraps around the crystalline door handle, a vast pillar of nothingness, and you tug.
the door opens with a heavy groan, as if unused in millennia, and you hurry in. the door slams closed behind you, sealing shut and preventing your unauthorized departure. now inside the invisible structure, you can see the ornate halls that sprawl out endlessly in front of you in woodsy tones. faint accents of green adorn tan, beige, and wooden structures, while wooden flooring is gently coated with the finest of rugs.
instinctively, you take off your shoes. you'd feel awful if you tracked sand into such a beautiful residence. at least your clothes are no longer wet. the crystalline blue outside has long since left your mind, thus leaving your clothes as well. your socked feet pad against the luxurious floors. despite the intricately carved nature of the building you stand in, there is little physical decoration outside of the base appearance of the walls, floors, and windows, but it takes your breath away nonetheless. you know each and every brick and every stone pillar within the vicinity was crafted by hand, even if the hands that created the domain are ones that only reside in your own mind.
you turn to the left. it is where the scent of incense is strongest, and you follow it down the hall, twisting and turning until you reach a set of doors once more. unlike before, however, these doors are wholly visible, crafted of darkened karmaphala wood, with gilded handles that extend the entire length of the door. your hand reaches out to push open the doors, but they begin to open before your hand can make contact with the door.
"this is not a library, so be sure to put everything back exactly where you found it," a voice commands as you enter. you are unsure where it came from, but you care little for finding it as your breath is taken away by the room in front of you.
shaped like a sphere, the room of knowledge before you has bookshelves that cascade up the walls, defying gravity as they curve up and over, still able to hold their books securely despite facing the ground above. golden light filters in through arched windows, impossibly glowing throughout the entire circumference of the room. you wonder if this room has been miraculously thrust into the heavens, but such a thought only reminds you of words you should not have spoken and the dread returns once more.
"you look nervous," the voice asks from just over your shoulder and you jump in place. "normally i don't concern myself with such things, but it is not often that you visit."
your lips part instinctively to apologize, but all words die on your lips as you turn to look at the god beside you. multicolor irises stare at you, piercing right through you as if he can read your thoughts and panic rises within you. his eyes are all-seeing, all-knowing, but his brow furrows in confusion at your shellshocked expression.
"you do not remember me." his words are matter-of-fact. you know that the man before you only ever speaks the truth, but he is wrong. you remember him. you remember him as a puppet of the heavens, as a stone carving of that with which is burdened with divine knowledge. you remember him dying as his mind fractured in two, for even the inorganic cannot comprehend that which was not meant to be witnessed. you remember him as a king driven to madness, whose kingdom and rule have been forgotten by generations. you remember him as...
"alhaitham. scribe of the heavens," he greets you. "you know enough to find my residence, but not enough to acknowledge my place in your memories. how intriguing. perhaps there are things that i have yet to fully understand, but the likely answer for such a phenomenon could simply just be the natural decay of the human lifeform."
you stare at him, blinking once, then twice. your lips part before closing once more, and the scribe looks rather dismayed by your actions. you aren't sure why he almost seems to have anticipated your arrival. it causes dread to rise within you. forbidden words rest within your mouth, turning your tongue into heavy lead, and you find yourself unable to form the words of which you desire. any interest alhaitham might have had in you dies in the presence of your silence as he only sighs.
"all knowledge that humanity could dream of is found on these shelves, so please hesitate before looking for me if you need help. i can assure you that finding the answer yourself is much more rewarding."
there's a dryness to his words that makes you doubt what he's saying, as if he is moments away from a checkmate despite you never having agreed to this game of chess.
"you know what i know," you say, despite the way your mind screams at you to stop speaking.
"i know all that you have said and all that you will say," the god confirms. "i know you like the back of my hand. at this point, it is all simple calculations to know which words will and won't fall from your lips."
"so you know what i should not know," you say slowly. "are you here to reprimand me for it? is that why you summoned me here?"
you memorize the faint sliver of a knowing smirk that appears on his face as he turns away from you.
"i do not enjoy the presence of others. i typically prefer the company of a book. that should be a great enough indicator that i was not the one who summoned you here."
perplexation surges up within you. perhaps at one point you would have understood his words, but in the muddled fogginess of your dreams, you lack the full context to understand what he truly means with his words. your scholarly nature is failing you. this is an exam that you were never told you had to study for, but you manage to muster a haphazard conclusion anyways.
"you're saying i brought myself here?"
"each time you come here, you forget the time we have spent together. you forget your pursuit of understanding why you show up here, but you seek out the answer to your forgotten questions nonetheless," alhaitham says. he walks over to the infinite bookshelves and plucks a book unceremoniously off the shelf. it is purple, with blinding golden binding and trim. the decals on the cover shift in front of you, cycling through a series of glyphs and letters of languages you have never before witnessed.
"you seek your answers in these books that i have written," alhaitham says, and there is a fond wistfulness in his voice, faint enough that you wonder if you imagined it. "but the answer will always be found within yourself."
you open the book, embracing the smell of aged paper that wafts out as it faintly crackles from the slight bend of its spine. the pages are illegible, but as your fingers trace the text, you understand them anyways.
"you finding the answer is inevitable," alhaitham says. a grandfather clock chimes in the center of the room four times as alhaitham pauses, as if expecting its interruption. "the only question is when."
you stare at him in bafflement, confusion warping your expression briefly, before you return to the pages in front of you. they tell a story of a person whom you do not know, but they feel familiar nonetheless.
"knowledge means nothing if there is no action to follow it," alhaitham says. "but by all means, continue fruitlessly seeking your answers."
"you're not going to help?" you ask. "you taunt me with your words, yet you do not extend any form of guidance?"
"i am the god of knowledge, but i never once claimed to be the god of shared knowledge."
the book in your hand weighs heavy as indignation takes over you. the idiot before you wants action? he wants to speak in mocking, faux platitudes as he weaves riddles around you in unclear words? doesn't he prefer to keep to himself? shouldn't he know to keep to himself?
uncharacteristic anger boils within you, rising up your throat as you snap the book close. the god turns to look at you once more, thoroughly unimpressed with your existence.
"you... you..." you sputter, and the god of knowledge looks at you unimpressed.
"irrational as always," he says. "letting a feeble scholar like me twist your mind into anger because you are unable to reach a conclusion on your ow-"
the scribe's words fall silent as you rear your arm back, hurling the book in your hand as hard as you can at him. but, just as the corner of the spine makes impact with his cheek, the dream shatters, and with it, all of your knowledge does as well, sending you spiraling into nothingness.
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VI. GOD OF JUDGEMENT - cyno
"stand up. anger does not suit you," a voice above you says as you blearily open your eyes. confusion washes over you as you find yourself not in your room, but instead on desert sands, baking slowly to a crisp in the harsh sunlight. you squint as you look up, putting a hand over your eyes to filter out the light. carefully, the man standing over you adjusts his position so that his shadow casts itself over your eyes.
"oh gods," you groan at the sight of another godly figure. "not another."
despite your wretched complaint, the god's intimidating features soften as an amused chuckle escapes his lips.
"i think i know exactly who you were with before me," he extends a hand towards you, helping you up as the other adjusts his hat. "but shed your contempt for the gods, at least for this moment. it weighs down your soul."
as you stand up, you finally meet the god's rubied eyes, which threaten to disappear from view as desert winds ruffle his white hair. his features are sharp, as if perfectly crafted to be ever watchful. there is something threatening about his appearance, but you find comfort in his inherent vigilance. despite the polearm that is sheathed against his back, the god before you does not strike fear into your heart.
"interesting," the god notes. "normally, i have to crack a few jokes before you are this at ease. has my appearance gone soft?"
"perhaps my heart has just gone light," you say. "i am certain the scales of judgement will tip in my favor."
a dry laugh escapes the mahamatra's lips. "it is not yet time for your judgement."
"ah?" you say, tongue far lighter than it should be in the presence of the god who strikes fear into the hearts of those who stand before him. "slacking on your duties to be here in this moment, then?"
"judgement is not something that can be rushed, and one who dedicates themselves solely to their duties will lose sight of proper judgement where it matters most. rather, i-"
"take it easy, cyno," you say softly. "i was just joking."
the god of judgement's gaze widens as you speak his name, and a gentle smile splits across his fierce features. you've never met the man before this moment, but you know him far too well, enough to spout off what his favorite jokes are and exactly when he'll make them.
"you remember my name," cyno whispers, and the bated breath of anticipation that escapes his lungs twists your heart into fluttering somersaults. "maybe this is my dream after all."
you feel your cheeks warm at his words, and you are thankful for the way the summer sun hides your flustered state under the guise of sweat. nervously, you glance away. you do not know this man, but your soul does, and it does not remember him being so forward with his words.
"i must apologize," you say, earlier conversations with the other, less agreeable gods forgotten in the presence of the man who will one day decide your heavenly fate. "that is all i can say i remember."
your gaze shifts from his as you look downwards, but cyno pays your dismay no mind as he shrugs his shoulders.
"you remember me well enough to place us both within the desert. you've never been fond of the heat, but you know i am," the god says, seriousness lacing his words. "perhaps we can go somewhere more agreeable for the both of us."
"would you not like to stay in the desert?" you ask. "the sun is uncomfortable, but it is not scorching."
a rumble in the distance interrupts the both of you, and you turn to look at the sound. a wry smile crosses cyno's expression at the sight of the sandstorm in the distance. within the cloud of sand that quickly approaches, lightning races between individual grains of sand, promising danger. as you watch, enchanted by the dangerous sight, cyno's hand wraps itself around your wrist. the soft scrape of the edge of his gloves draws your attention back to him, but the mirth stored within his expression has long since left.
"close your eyes," cyno gently orders and you oblige. "concentrate on somewhere else. anywhere you want, otherwise the dream will shatter."
you heed his words as a gust of wind breezes past the two of you, ruffling the fabric of your clothes. but, the wind fades as quickly as it came, and you open your eyes to a familiar sight. you have never been here before, at least not in your current sense. it does not exist in the waking world, but a sense of deja vu washes over you. you've been here before, but you also haven't.
"puspa cafe," cyno murmurs. "quite fascinating that you choose to revisit this time and world of all places."
"is there something wrong with it?" you ask, suddenly worried about how he may judge you for such a choice. "i... don't recognize it. i do, but i don't."
"when you pick places like this," cyno says. "it means our time is limited together. it must nearly be sunrise for you."
confusion coats your mind like a sticky syrup. sunrise? end of your time together? what does he mean? your awareness of your situation muddles even further as the two of you sit down at one of the cafe tables. this is how it's always been for the two of you. this is puspa cafe, in the middle of sumeru city. cyno has just returned from one of his missions as the general mahamatra, just after being reinstated, and you invited him to meet you here.
typically, there are others that show up with the two of you, but you can't remember their faces. instead, your mind fixates on cyno. it is as if your mind is occupied by other things, only able to consciously focus on one person at a time. this is how it's always been. what is he talking about?
"sunrise?" you ask. "but, look out the window, it's daytime, cyno. we agreed to meet here yesterday. don't tell me you're bailing now."
the corners of cyno's lips twitch. "of course not. what did we agree to speak of here, again?"
you look up at him, baffled by his sudden lack of memory. his piercing gaze flits over your face, as if grappling to understand the situation. it fills you with an odd sense of sadness. has the time away from sumeru city really scattered his thoughts this badly?
"you wanted to show me your new tcg deck. you picked up some new cards in mondstadt, right?" you ask and cyno nods slowly, as if finally catching up to speed.
"mondstadt. i see."
"yeah?" you ask, smiling wide at him. your ignorance has consumed you, now blissfully unaware of the past moments in your dream with him. moments of lucidity are all too rare for you, and cyno knows this well. one day, your paths will cross outside of the limitations of your dreams, but for now, cyno must abide by their rules, no matter how much he wishes to follow his own code of internal judgement and belief.
not wanting you to awake by insisting on your awareness of the dream, cyno pulls out his familiar deck of cards, with several new and shiny cards. each character card has a warped face, as you cannot remember this moment you once lived. but cyno remembers it precisely, despite not yet having achieved godliness. he feels utterly human, but even so, you are still out of reach.
"you don't just see, cyno," you say, a mischevious giggle escaping your lips. "you t-see-g. get it? tcg?"
the pun is almost as bad as the jokes he makes, and cyno groans at your joke. carefully, you take some of his newest tcg cards in your hand, gently inspecting the intricate art on each card.
"um, i know you just got back to sumeru and all that," you say, unable to make eye contact with him as you look at the drawing of blonde hair of the acting grand master of mondstadt before you. "but would you want to meet up again tomorrow? i can shift some stuff around and make it work, but if you want to see your other friends first, that's ok! i can wait."
cyno remembers this conversation. he remembers how he brushed you off at first, unaware of the dividing fates that would consume the both of you whole the next day. cyno would fall victim to the mausoleum of king deshret, in which he was sent there on a rushed expedition by the akademiya grand sages, and you would fall victim to the greed of misguided eremites. he remembers the human bitterness of regret, something he hasn't felt in a long time.
so, he indulges your dreams and you feel your heart flutter as he does so.
"bring your deck and we can play a tcg matchup," cyno says. "you always were my best rival."
the smile that spreads across your face is more radiant than the desert sun, and the edges of your vision wobble as you look at cyno. a faint blush rises to his cheeks, and just as you notice his slightly flustered state, your dream melts into the sand.
your eyes flutter open. the dull gray ceiling of your apartment is a stark contrast to the bright colors of what you were dreaming of. the air still smells of freshly roasted coffee, but as you try to pinpoint why the aroma is so familiar, it fades. instead, you smell the familiar scent of your bedroom's air freshener as you attempt to hold onto the fleeting scenes of your dream, only to watch as the memories of what never was slip through your fingers like sand.
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