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#diluc paved the way for them
hiraya-rawr · 1 year
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WAIT OMG! How would Diluc react to Lucas wanting to be a knight???
for family agenda
i think lucas would be the type to keep it a secret for a really long time, even as a young child. he admires the knights not only because he loves his uncle kaeya, but mostly because he heard of the stories of his dad being "the youngest ever prodigy captain" and that just amazes him. when lucas finally finds out the truth on why diluc quit the knights, he becomes even more secretive until...
well, until diluc finds out because it cant stay a secret forever. honestly, diluc would be against it at first, but if lucas starts showing his determination to join the knights then diluc would allow it.
in fact, diluc firmly starts believeing that his son is going to be the greatest knight there ever was. even greater than him, greater than all of them, and it makes him so proud.
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pearlywritings · 7 months
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Don't let your worry reach your eyes
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synopsis: waking up you don't find your husband next to you. Yet he is not that far - but what is he doing sitting in front of a mirror?
prompt: 17
requested by: a lovely anon
pairing: Diluc x fem!reader
tw: fluff, domestic moment, established relationship (you are married), talk about kids
word count: 1.3k+ words
a/n: check my Token of appreciation writing event!
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It’s hard to grasp the line where the dream ends and reality starts when the evening is serenely quiet. You are sure that the winery staff has long but departed home and now are sharing  your fortune of basking in the sweet embrace of sleep, while nature, surrounding your tranquil home, is slowing  down too, saving the beautiful sounds and blooming colors for the next day.
All that was paving you a road to the dreamland, drawing you further and further in its everlasting fields and high above the fluffy clouds. You’ve almost reached your destination, a castle full of enchanting adventures, but a flicker of a candle and the barely heard heavy sighs are firmly holding you onto the earthly ground. Or bed, more specifically.
Carefully, not yet ready to open your eyes and chase the sweet drowsiness away, you glide your palm over the sheets to the side, ready to bump into the warm body of your beloved and ignore the candle completely. Yet there is no body, no warmth and no wrinkles left, which rings a little bell. It appears that sleep has come only to you, and now you forcefully push it away.
Sitting up is not a hard task, though blinking away the haziness is, but soon you manage to focus your sight. A quick look around the room doesn’t give any indication of something being odd, until your eyes land on the broad back of your husband. You stare at it a second, then another, tilting your head to the side once noticing his position - sitting on a padded stool in front of a mirror, the previously mysterious candle clearly put in a place to cast a light onto his face. Well, that’s new.
Slowly you push the blanket off, baring your legs and throwing them over the edge of the bed. Diluc has heard you from the first rustle of the sheets, but turns around to glance at you only when you are almost at his side.
“You know you shouldn’t walk barefoot?” He softly murmurs, when you stop behind his back and bend down to wrap your arms around his middle.
“You know you shouldn’t stay up so late?” Beating his question with one of your own, you bury your face in his hair - untied and streaming down his shoulders they remind you of those fluffiest clouds from your dreams. “Since we are on topic of that, why are you still up, love?”
You decide against commenting on the way he is sitting in front of a huge mirror, which is now reflecting the two of you. The man in your arms sighs - like you heard through your sleep - and puts a firm hand on the lock of yours resting on his stomach. Two wedding bands catch the candle’s flame.
“I was…thinking.”
‘I noticed,’ you almost say when he directs his gaze back to the smooth surface.
“What about?” You start playing with his fingers, putting your chin on his shoulder and trying to follow his eyes to understand what in his appearance - at that point you are sure it’s something close - got him so silently worked up.
“Do I look mean to you?”
You blink. Then blink again. Then move forward to look into his face to see if he is joking. But by the lack of a hint of a smile and trembling flames in the depths of his crimson eyes tell you he is definitely not.
“To me - never. You are the biggest, gentliest, loveliest and most handsome sweetheart of a husband to me,” the softness of your words paints his palish cheeks lightly pink and the corner of his lip twitches in a restrained smile. “But when you do try to give me a glare if I am being insufferable - I find it hot, not vile.”
The scoff he gives makes you giggle, and you hurry to press a gentle kiss to his nose.
“It’s just…” he sighs again, carefully tugging on your ring, sliding it half off and back up. “I am often told I have a mean glare...”
“Definitely not. Anywho says that has never truly looked at you,” your tone is soothing and you press another kiss to his skin, this time to the cheek. 
“I never truly cared,” he confesses what you are already aware off, “but today a patron at the tavern, whom I was in the middle of throwing away,” you quietly snort, hiding your face in his shoulder again, “told me that with such mean eyes I’ll never be loved by my children if I ever have any.”
“Hell no he didn’t,” you gasp, staring at Diluc again. “If I were you I would’ve punched him.”
“As amusing as it sounds, please don’t,” the man ushers you and in a moment you are in his lap, with your arms wrapped around his neck, and his tightening their hold on your waist. “But it did get me thinking - what if our baby will find me scary? What if my gaze won’t be soft or loving enough?”
“If you are worried about that, then that’s already an indicator that you’ll do great,” lately you’ve been having occasional conversations about extending your little family, but you weren’t aware to this day just how seriously Diluc considered that. There is no denial that it makes your heart soften and love him even more. “Though I don't think you should be concerned, dear. Don’t you notice? Klee, Benny, Fischl, Razor and many other kids and teens look at you in awe and adoration - and they always look into your eyes. Would they look into them if they were mean?”
Diluc is silent for a mere couple of seconds, but that’s enough for you to see the extend of his worry.
“...I suppose they wouldn’t.”
“They definitely wouldn’t. Diluc, my love, you have the most vibrant eyes I’ve ever seen a person possess. So many shades of crimson affection whenever you look at someone you love or care for - I am the direct recipient of those feelings,” there is a smile finally and you nearly attack him with kisses, but you should finish your thought first. “And I have no doubt that our future child will become one as well.”
There is a long sigh, but the defeated hang of his head tells you that once again the victory is yours - it’s always been easy to convince your lover of something you believed were right, and you internally cheer for yourself and then physically pat the top of his head. 
“Thank you, my flame,” oh, and those very same eyes shine brightly and it’s not the candle’s fault- it’s yours. “I’ll remind myself of this conversation whenever I’ll be questioning myself,” it’s only you in the crimson pools of his gaze, the mirror is finally completely forgotten and it breaks the atmosphere of lingering brooding. 
“And I’ll be happy to have this conversation again. Maybe from now on I should carry a Kamera with me to capture every moment you give me a lovesick look to prove my point.”
When he gives you what he thinks is a ‘mean’ look, you only chuckle and move closer to capture his lips in a fleeting kiss.
“Nope, it sure looks sexy.”
“That’s it, you need sleep,” with a wave of his fingers the candle goes out.
“Ehe, WAIT..!”
With a soft squeal you are hoisted up when your husband stands up and are carried to the bed, where two bodies end up falling onto with laughter and many sweet kisses shared. As you settle under the blanket, with his warm body pressed closely to yours, Diluc can’t stop thinking of what you said earlier. Back then, in front of the mirror, he tried to imagine what he’d look like, gazing at his child, what kind of eyes he’d have when interacting with them. But he couldn’t see that clearly.
Now he can. And he is content.
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chococolte · 2 years
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can i have "you only belong to me, right?" with heizou, kazuha, diluc and xiao?? also congrats on your 400+ followers! 🎉🥳
event closed!
word count. 894
୨୧ — ꒰ cw. yandere, unhealthy relationships, possessive & obsessive thoughts/behaviors, g/n reader. i do not condone yanderes irl.
୨୧ — ꒰ a/n. finally working on my event shit xbuxbfbg im sorry
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heizou
"You only belong to me, right?"
Heizou’s heart, almost shamefully, stutters in his chest. It beats a thousand times before it finally calms. His eyes drink in the small, playful smile tugging at your lips with a ravenous thirst.
He shouldn't find your words this appealing. He shouldn't find his knees trembling, neither should he find himself unable to muster a response. It's unlike him; unlike Heizou, unlike the great detective; he should be playful, coy, and a bit mischievous. His response should leave you flustered, heat enveloping your cheeks— but instead, Heizou only finds himself speechless.
You probably said the words as a joke. It's the only reasonable deduction. Yet, they still make their mark on his mind, searing his flesh; he ingrains them into his memory, repeating them over and over like a lovesick fool.
Maybe, if he does it enough times, the novelty will wear off on him. He'll go back to his normal self, once more your teasing companion.
But it doesn't. It only makes it worse. His mind struggles to come up with a comeback, a one-liner to leave you unable to look him in the eyes. He comes up with nothing, only a weak, small smile; vulnerable and desperate, a sight only for your eyes.
"Of course," he says finally. The words feel unnatural on his tongue, a moment of weakness he's already regretting. "Only if you belong to me, too."
kazuha
Kazuha's smile is as bright as the matutinal sun.
A faint pink dusts his porcelain skin. With light filtering through his sooty eyelashes, casting shadows on his cheeks, he really does look like a doll. Small and delicate hands, calloused and wrapped with gauze, grab your own.
Kazuha directs one of your hands to his chest, keeping the other intertwined with his fingers. From the thin fabric covering his most important organ, you can feel his heartbeat, skittering like a stone skipping on a lake. He pushes your hand further until it's slipping past his clothing, warm palm touching the heat of his skin.
You can feel how fast blood pumps to his heart, how quickly it runs as if rushing with adrenaline. In all the ways that matter, it is.
Before you came, Kazuha was merely a wanderer. A stage with its curtains closed. His story had already ended long ago with the fall of his clan. You are like a bright star; you illuminate the way forward. With your every step, Kazuha basks in the light you pave.
"I am already yours," he says softly. There's a certain edge to his voice, an assuredness you don't seem to notice. "I always will be."
diluc
From underneath Diluc's hair, you think you can glimpse the red tips of his ears.
Diluc can't bear to look you in the eyes. It's almost painful. Shame pools at his stomach, eating through his gut. He shouldn't be flustered by you, at least not this easily.
He can't deny the euphoria coursing through his veins at this moment, however. Like the light flaps of a crystalfly's wings, his heart flutters in his chest. Diluc feels almost dazed with happiness. If only you weren't in the room— he can't stand the thought of you witnessing him in such a weak state.
What would you think of him, then? To know how easily he caves, how quickly he crumbles in on himself— only for you, and perhaps, you would like that. But would you like his dark, nasty thoughts; the ones he keeps buried deep within himself, who float to the murky surface of his mind whenever you breathe in his vicinity?
What would you think of him, then, if you knew how horrible of a person he really was? Undeserving of you in every way, barely able to keep himself collected in your presence.
"I've always been yours," he whispers under his breath, eyes soft and fond as he finally looks up at you.
xiao
Xiao's grip on his polearm falters, knuckles trembling with every passing wind.
His face softens for a brief moment before it returns to form; lips pulled tight into a frown, teeth clenched, and jaw tense. Xiao's eyes are sharp as they look over you, narrowing into a fine point when met with your expression.
There's a smile playing on your lips. The kind that makes Xiao weak, the kind that makes him unable to think of anything else other than you. His grip tightens, and then he tears his gaze away from you.
A deep red paints his cheeks, his usual pallor bursting with color.
Xiao tries not to get caught in the implication of your words. The idea of his feelings returned in kind. He wants nothing more than to ask you for clarification, but he's aware of his social ineptitude. He knows next to nothing of human customs, and has only barely come to understand your emotions.
He is already frighteningly lost when it comes to the surge of ecstasy in his veins whenever you brush against him, even more so concerning whether your words are genuine, or just a playful jest.
Still, his heart sings from where it perches in his chest, the fool that it is.
Xiao gulps before he can bring himself to say anything. "Yes," he says simply, when the weight of your eyes is too much for him to handle. "Always."
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seraphiism · 1 year
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❀ ゚. ༄ ┊ 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 ( 𝐩𝐭. 𝐢𝐢 ) ;
( AT THE END AS AT THE START, & THROUGH ALL THE IN-BETWEENS, I LOVE YOU )
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characters : kaveh / dehya / cyno / ayato / diluc fandom : genshin impact quote cr : amal el-mohtar and max gladstone a/n : part 2 of 4! each character is limited to 150 words.
pt. i
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↬ kaveh ࿐ ࿔
"of all the creations i've made, none can compare to your beauty."
kaveh has always been a romantic, love language born from touch and fervor. you blink, disoriented expression meeting your lover's through the mirror. it is barely morning. you've just woken up, head out of sorts as you brush your teeth. you wouldn't say you're the epitome of beauty at this moment, but he thinks otherwise.
how can someone be so radiant in the most mundane of things? he leans against the doorway, watches as you get ready for the day. you toss a reluctant glance in his direction, but he simply smiles.
"already hitting on me, huh?"
he hums, beckons you closer.
"what can i say? i'm an honest man."
his hands rest on your hips as if that's where they have always belonged and he presses a gentle kiss to your temple in greeting.
"good morning, dearest."
↬ dehya ࿐ ࿔
"sunshine, you're not blushing, are you?"
dehya is not one to be trifled with, strength and skill in combat unmatched. she is not as intimidating as she lets on, altruism in her nature.
no, dehya isn't one to be messed with, but you do it anyway. with one hand in hers, the other pressed against her cheek, you grin, almost think it might have grown warmer after your words. she has yet to become accustomed to these nicknames, and in truth, she does not think she ever will.
"sunshine? you..."
she sighs, knows this is already defeat. she has fought many battles, none of them this difficult.
"not a fan? should i call you something else?"
she blinks furiously, tries to hide her flustered visage. she clears her throat, fails to maintain eye contact, but squeezes your hand all the more.
"i'll only let you call me that, you know."
↬ cyno ࿐ ࿔
the first time cyno made you laugh is the most memorable, he decides. his jokes, while quite humorous, often miss the mark, so he vividly recalls that moment, knows it to be one he cherishes ever so dearly.
the flow of time is one that cannot be changed, days gone by as he seeks out those who taunt justice. it is an arduous role, but one he carries with pride.
it's when he finally comes home to you that he feels at ease, heart lightened, and so he is once more reminded that the passage of time is not one to be taken for granted.
"did you know," cyno begins, "that your laughter is one of my favorite things to hear?"
"are you saying that because i laugh at your jokes?"
cyno grins, loves the way you naturally place your hand in his when he reaches out for you.
"maybe."
↬ ayato ࿐ ࿔
the role as the head of the kamisato clan is seldom easy, ayato's past filled with hardships paving the road to a masterful deception, fabricated smiles shown with ease despite a quiet suffering.
how warm you are, he thinks, so he relaxes in your hold, allows a rare vulnerability in the presence of the one he's sworn devotion to.
"what a special occasion." he comments, wavering between consciousness. "you're hardly this kind to me."
you've always been used to his banter, but there is something dispiriting in his teasing tone, so your fingertips lightly trace circles into his skin, your lips against his forehead in reverie.
"what can i do for you, ayato?"
he leans into your touch, and you know the smile that blossoms on his lips is one of genuine happiness.
"you've done enough. so long as you remain by my side, i could ask for nothing more."
↬ diluc ࿐ ࿔
diluc does not know when the right moment is for declarations of adoration; although you've already exchanged confessions, it has always been a challenge.
maybe it's the way you weave cecilias into crimson locks, tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear. maybe it's how you smile, look at him wordlessly yet announce your love for him. diluc is uncertain, but he recognizes this feeling that takes over and makes the echoes of a heartbeat terribly known.
it is instinct, the way he draws closer to you when your fingers trace his jawline with utmost reverence. you still at the little space that exists between two lovers, and perhaps the silence is louder than ever.
i love you is spoken in the way diluc kisses you, and in the way he pulls you closer, there is a i love you, i will gladly give all of myself to you.
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lunarfied · 1 year
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WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP ME ? ; friends
introducing the skittle squad ☆
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characters ;
y/n: you are a social work major, wanting to better the lives of those in need. you are on your second year of studying your degree. after your particularly rough breakup, you went through a phase where you decided to stream online to find people similar to you, landing you to your current day semi content creator friend group. you’re also a faceless streamer! mostly streaming hand cams or having venti sit behind the camera for you.
lumine: she is a marketing business major, a real saving grace for when you started to get sponsored and needed help with deciding what brands to show off. they love traveling with their twin brother, aether, and sends you postcards everytime they are out of town (which is often). she also loves dancing, and takes classes for ballroom dance on the side. she doesn't stream, but will crash their brothers streams to dump water on him.
kaeya: a cosmetology major, he will critcize your split ends and dry skin as his way of showing how much he loves you. kaeya was the first friend you made in college that paved the way to get to know everyone else in your group. while he doesn't stream, he has a lot of followers throughout various social media sites for his creative hair and makeup looks.
diluc: kaeya's older sibling. he graduated with a business degree in accounting where you two met prior to your friend group expanding. she was always the leader in group projects the two of you did, so it wasn't a surprise when she told you she inherited his father's wine company. while kaeya and diluc butt heads everytime you force them to be in the same room together, they care about you and have shown their support throughout your growing online career. oh, and you always make sure to bribe diluc to let you take some alcohol home when you visit.
keqing: studying political science as well as minoring in history, keqing is no stranger to blowing her friends off to cram in a last minute study session. while she doesn't mean to come off as rude doing so, she may have lost a few friends over the years because her degree comes before everything else. thankfully, you didn't give up and have continued to stick by her side. she won't admit it, but she's glad to have you as a friend and be the main reason she is dating her childhood crush. while her social media presence is limited, keqing will gladly post pictures and videos about her girlfriend.
ganyu: they study international business as their major, but also communications as a minor. a busy woman indeed, ganyu believes she doesn't have enough time on her hands to study everything she needs to. in comes you, who has helped ganyu to relax and find the joy in the small things of life. not only that but you single-handedly helped ganyu to confess her longterm crush on her current girlfriend, keqing. so you get extra pats on the back for that. she likes to stream cooking, baking, anything related to her side passion about making food for others. you often asked her why she didn't become a professional chef with how well she could cook, but ganyu doesn't budge, and decided to go down the workaholic route.
tighnari: he is a botany plant biology major and a dedicated father of many, many plants. unlikely friends, it seemed at first, with his sarcasm outweighing your desire to get to know him any further until you found him in the back of one of the school buildings crying over his dead plant. he's very sweet and caring at heart, but likes to annoy everyone with his knowledge and wits, which, by now, you're used to. he accidentally got famous online when his boyfriend turned on his stream and told a string of shitty jokes that went viral and now streams usually with his boyfriend or younger sister in the background.
ayaka: marine biology major, though on the side she is not only famous online but in the real world too. she debuted as a figure skater when she was younger and has garnered a fanbase ever since, a passion she has never discarded. the kamisato company is big in maintaining international business affairs and while she'll eventually run the company, her older brother ayato has taken the stress off her shoulders for now to allow her some freedom to do what she wants. the two of you met at a mutual club meeting you had, and her smile was infectious - how could you not be her friend?
venti: ah, him. a musical theater major who dropped out by his third year, why? because they were spending all their money on alcohol and useless nonsense, if it weren't for you taking him in, venti would probably be out on the streets. while it's technically not allowed for her to be roommates with you... nobody needs to find out! venti is your best friend and your ride or die, wherever you go, he's closely following. either that or they're drunk somewhere in diluc's home.
masterlist | playlist
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notes: idk if it is obvious but ive never gone to college so if the majors dont make sense im sorry pookies i researched i swear it also doesn't really matter in this au what their majors are lol jus making them more human if you're confused about me using diff pronouns for certain characters check their locations these are headcanons esp on diluc bc i told my bestie i'd make diluc transfem in this au giggles plus all the archons have like no gender anyways so genderfluid venti supremacy childe will be in scara's friend group list because they're bff's (reluctantly)!! just know that the roommates are - y/n, venti, childe and soon to be scara teehee
🏷️: @machiroll
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ownedbythescribe · 1 year
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Diluc R. | Scorching Fears
ıllı Synopsis: "You can always feel scared to take the next step, but don’t let that hinder you from moving forward." Pyrophobia was not the easiest thing to overcome, but with an aid by your side, there might be a chance to utilize the vision gifted to you. And may be something more?
ıllı Genre: Romance, Fluff
ıllı Notes: None, Female Reader
ıllı A/N: This is a bit out of character I think. But, it’s also a bit cute! Ahhh! Diluc is gorgeous, but please let me have Tighnari when I lose my 50-50!
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Pyro is an element often characterized by its destructive nature. It burns its path to victory, leaving ashes on its trail. It is a symbol of power, courage, and ferocity. Bards claim it is a sign of leadership and patriotism, while others contest for love and passion. However, pyro is not all about strength and power. It also possesses a gentle warmth that heals wounds, dispels fear, and mends the broken. It softly dances across the skin, eliciting a smile from its intended receiver.
Wielding a pyro vision sounded like a fairytale come true, as it was deemed a gift from the gods. An acknowledgment for the better lack of term. It would have been the same case for you if it was not for the fact that you feared the flames. It stemmed from the incident years ago when you were trapped in the storage room after saving a friend from flammable chemicals that he wished to play with. The heat that scorched your skin and the suffocating blast of the wind terrified your whole being. Even now, your body would tremble at the sight of fire.
'Five years had passed, and yet I still can't use my vision. Will... will I ever be able to get over my phobia?' You begrudgingly thought, holding tightly to the glass orb in your hand. The pyro element flickered in line with your distress. As much as you wished to use it during your commissions as an adventurer, you knew you would only freeze in panic.
“Hmm? If it isn’t, (Y/N). What are you doing here, doll?” A familiar honeyed voice asked. You turned around to see Kaeya, who gave a small wave before sitting beside you. The exhaustion from his tasks as the Cavalry Captain was evident on his face and body.
“I was… just taking a break. The last commission I got from Marjorie took me all over to Old Mondstadt.” You replied. Kaeya could not fault you. The winds bellowing under the old tree in Windrise calmed both the body and mind, only a few of the blessings he would thank the Anemo Archon for.
You shifted in your seat to lean further into the tree. That was when Kaeya noticed the tight hold on your vision. He put two and two together and realized that something must have happened again. It was no secret that you could not wield your vision. People may revere those blessed by the gods, but it was also a source of contempt and jealousy for others to hold. When a few adventurers in the Guild discovered that you could not use your vision because of your fear of flames, they called you names for being useless.
'You're so useless!'
'This would have been faster if you could use your vision. Tch!'
'Why did the gods even bless you?'
They could see how their words brought you down, but Rosaria chastised them, leaving a threat anybody knew she would fulfill. Truly unbefitting for a nun, but she did not care. The maroon-haired woman glanced at you and voiced her opinion.
“So what if you can’t use your vision? Your experience and tenacity are enough to survive as an adventurer. The gods gifted them yada yada. Enough of that crap. Pave your own path with or without the vision.” Her words brought you back to your senses.
Silence, a not-so-comforting one, fell between you and Kaeya. The Cavalry Captain was lost in his thoughts, hoping to find a way he could help you utilize your power while also overcoming your fear. Then, a lightbulb lit up, and a grin made its way to his face.
"(Y/N), I know a way you can practice using your vision, but we require somebody to help you. I know just the right person." He uttered, glee and excitement evident in his tone. You squinted your eyes in confusion, but he merely sighed and pulled you up.
"Come on, you'll love it."
In an instant, you found yourself in the tavern. The boisterous laughter and chide of drunkards filled your ears. Rosaria merely smiled and pulled you next to her to sit. Kaeya sat down on the other side and called for the bartender who just happened to be Diluc.
'Huh...? Why here?' You groaned internally. No offense to Kaeya and Diluc, but this was the last place you expected to learn how to use your vision correctly.
Suddenly, a drink slid in front of you. The lustrous blue sparkled against the light, reminding you of the waters in Liyue. You gave Diluc a questioning look, to which he replied, ‘It’s on the house’. Kaeya had a grin plastered on his face while Rosaria raised her glass. You clinked yours with hers and thanked them.
Once you were distracted, Kaeya turned to Diluc. He did not miss the fond look present in the red-head’s eyes. Coughing, he gave him a sheepish look, one that Diluc returned with a deadpan face.
“So, mind telling me what’s with this?” He inquired. Kaeya proudly huffed that he pulled you here to get a drink and forget about the harsh words from the entitled adventurers in the Guild.
Diluc’s interest was piqued. He was also aware of your predicament, the inability to use your pyro vision because of pyrophobia. He once heard those cowards judge you when you did all the work for the commission. It irked him to no end just how prideful they were, but you just gave them an apology and smile. You were too good for them.
“I’m sure you did not just do that for a drink. What’s your plan, Kaeya?” Diluc pushed. The Calvary Captain smirked and informed him of his plan. The red-haired tycoon paled at each word that escaped his brother’s lips. There was no way it would work.
“Oh, come on! You’ve done this before with the knights. Plus, (Y/N) is not incompetent. I’m sure you’ve seen her train every now and then outside of the city walls. You also get to spend time with her~” He teased, the tycoon’s ears turning red at the insinuation.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Despite his reluctance, Diluc asked you to meet him by the winery the next day after your commission. You asked him what for, and he replied flatly, “Training”. You blinked in confusion before he explained Kaeya’s request to help you wield your vision. He was blessed with one, after all. It worried you that you would probably waste his time, but he countered it.
“You can always feel scared to take the next step, but don’t let that hinder you from moving forward. Haven’t you always wondered if you could get over your phobia? Or at least keep it at bay enough to utilize your vision?” His tantalizing crimson eyes pierced right through your worried ones. Biting your lip, you gave him a determined look.
“I’ll be in your care, Master Diluc.”
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Diluc was a spartan. Relentless in every way possible. Your first day with him ended with scorches around his porch and a bit in his garden, which you profusely apologized for. He assured you it was natural, considering how you trembled at the sight of fire in your hands. True to his words, you faltered at the blazing element in your hand. Your throat was closing up, but Diluc tried calming you down with his instructions.
Mishaps caused you to feel a little down, but you did gain one valuable information about your power. The flames you created were a beautiful shade of blue, similar to that sparkling drink your master gave you. It made you smile.
The following days were filled with envisioning the flames in your hands. Diluc said that mental training was necessary for your body and mind to get used to the pyro energy. He made you endure the searing flames and their different shades. It amazed you that it could vary along with its temperature accordingly. Blisters would appear on your fingers, but the tycoon was always ready with ointments and bandages. You even got taken care of by Adelinde after accidentally setting a part of your hair on fire. Hence, you had to get a new haircut. You liked it, though.
“All right, now take your weapon and infuse the fire there. Imagine it as a coating, then keep the shape as long as possible.” He instructed. Taking a deep breath, you held your weapon before you and activated your vision. It was a slow process, but Diluc remained patient. You could keep it for two minutes, but it was not enough.
“Again, try for five minutes this time.”
It took a week to get hold of elemental infusion, but the battle was another thing. Diluc sparred with you, but it always ended up with your weapon being thrown out of your hands. It frustrated you that you could not concentrate enough to keep its shape while dodging and thinking of a way to hit the redhead.
“Focus! The flames are going out again.”
“Your footing is off, you’ll get hit from the sides if you keep that! Balance yourself.”
“Stand up. We’re not yet done. You—“ Diluc was stopped by your piercing eyes and vision flaring up. Silently, you dashed towards him, raised your sword and aimed it at him. He internally smirked before shielding his body with his claymore. His crimson eyes pierced yours, but you had enough of the frustration deep within you.
You trained your eyes on him while keeping the blue flames. There was a plan in your mind that you wished to try. Whether it would fail or not was up to your execution. You ran towards him and were about to parry with him again, but you jumped on his claymore and used it to maneuver yourself. You got behind and set your sword ablaze. Diluc was caught off-guard. Luckily, he deflected it in time, but not unscathed. He got minor burns from the flare.
“So you can do it after all.” He voiced, proud of your accomplishment. You were pulled out of your stupor by his praise, eyes suddenly glazing at the sight of your sword still alight.
“I did… Look, Master! I could do it! This is amazing! I—“ You suddenly fell, exhaustion finally catching up to your body. Diluc hurried to your side and asked if you were all right. Laughter emerged from your lips. You assured him that you were just tired. The smile present on your face and the gleam of your eyes froze him. You were ethereal.
“Thank you so much, Diluc. Although I still have some fear in my heart, you helped me overcome it bit by bit. This flame is so beautiful.” You muttered, willing the same blue flame to appear in your hand. The way it danced before you was mesmerizing. It gave you courage and confidence.
Diluc sat down beside you and materialized a flame of his own. He placed it near you, and they swirled around before dissipating in the wind. It was beautiful. Silence soon overcame you two, but this was a comforting one.
The redhead watched the sunset. After days of paperwork and training, this was the first time he saw how beautiful Mondstadt was. However, this time, he had someone precious beside him. He knew he had to act soon.
“You learned a lot from me, and I honestly don’t want our meetings to end once you fully grasp your vision. Will you… I mean not to bother you, but will you allow me to spend more time with you after?” He asked, cheeks and ears reddened at his request.
“What…?” You saw his embarrassed visage, and it made you shy all of a sudden. This was an unexpected outcome, but not one you were unwilling to take.
“I mean, visit here and—“
“I’d love to. But take me out for a proper dinner after this, okay, Diluc?” You teased. He blinked owlishly before erupting in chuckles. His smile was captivating, and you could not help your hands but touch his cheeks. He stopped and gave you a warm smile. It was right here that you realized you had fallen in love with the only flame in your life.
‘Why is he so beautiful!?’
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Please do not copy or repost my stories, but notes and reblogs are always appreciated!
124 notes · View notes
anadorablekiwi · 3 months
Note
Pirate au?
Pirate au.
(Sadly no Inazuma crews in this one but. Maybe next time?)
“No way,” Kaeya said, staring at the paper.
Behind him, looking over the maps, Diluc smirked.
“You got us. A meeting. With the crew of the Surusthana!?!”
“We needed more alliances. The Traveler isn’t anywhere close to here for another three days, and one of their kids is friends with Amber.”
Kaeya stared back at him.
“Amber as in Knights Amber. As in the group Jean runs that you can hardly stand Amber.”
“It’s not that I can’t stand them, they just don’t have the ability to do things as well as I’d like. Which is why they’re run by Jean, and not by me.”
“Technically—“
“They’re only run by me on paper, Kaeya. You know this.”
Kaeya snorted, leaning again the doorframe.
“Maybe, but it’s fun to tease you about.”
Diluc side-eyed him, and Kaeya wisely scurried away.
___________
“I hate you for this. You know that, right?” Kaveh said, scrambling to keep up.
“I told you you could have waited on the ship.” Alhaitham scoffed.
“It’s not my fault you don’t know how to check boot sizes! I would’ve—“
“Just because you thought my work boots were ugly—“
“They are! You have no sense of taste!!”
Alhaitham gave Kaveh a blank glare, then turned away.
“Alhaitham! Don’t just ignore me, get back here!”
“We’re going to be late if you don’t hurry.”
Kaveh pouted, but ran after him anyways, bare feet slapping against the stone.
After a moment, Alhaitham sighed and picked him up. Kaveh, predictably, screeched.
“What are you—“
“The road isn’t paved after this.”
Kaveh’s silence lasted for only a moment.
“You could have warned me!!!”
“And where would be the fun in that?”
—————
“Scribe.”
“Dark Knight.”
Kaeya and Kaveh shared an eye roll.
“No Kusanali?” Diluc asked.
Alhaitham shook his head.
“This one needed some shoes. Accessories to stolen goods, and all that.”
Kaveh glared.
“I am not “stolen goods”--”
“You were kidnapped from a slave ship, it describes you perfectly.”
“I hate you.”
“You already said that.”
Kaveh huffed, and Kaeya smirked.
“Well, now that that’s out of the way–”
____________
“Everything went well?” Venti asked, hanging on the the rope ladder that led to the crow’s nest.
“Swimmingly.” Kaeya said, chuckling as he went to update Jean.
“Kusanali is well?” Diluc asked. Venti chuckled nervously.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Diluc huffed a breath, as close as he’d get to a laugh, and moved on.
“Venti!” He called after a moment, “Next time, move the wind while you’re in the nest.”
PIRATE AU PIRATE AU
AAAAAAAAAAAAA I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS OH MY WORD—
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myballsyourballs · 2 years
Note
(Fluff/Angst) Could i request a fic where reader has mental health issues and is depressed about something that has happened, and wants to go out to drink but doesnt go to dilucs bar because they know he wont let them have more then one shot, so they go to a different bar to get wasted, and at the end of dilucs shift past midnight he returns to the dawn winery and realizes his s/o isnt there, and goes and gets them from the bar, piss drunk, perhaps laying on the floor not exactly passed out, and diluc carries them back?
a sip
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diluc x gn! reader
warnings: drinking
genre: only slight angst, but mainly fluff
masterlist | make a request
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Diluc frowned when he saw the empty living room of the winery.
The dusty, wooden expanse had no trace of you in sight. You were supposed to meet him here. He thought because you were so upset that-- ah.
Brows furrowing further, he rubs gloved fingertips along his temple in a weak attempt to satiate his oncoming headache. Diluc cycled through the possible bars you could be at in his head. He really hoped he didn't have to search the whole of Mondstadt for you.
As your slumped body came into view, Diluc's jaw clenched. Your eyes were slightly sunken, eyebags dark and a bottle weakly held in your palm. The bar seemed to have closed -- given you were leant against the wall, and the windows displayed nothing but darkness. No hustle and bustle of customers. He knelt before you, carefully taking the half empty bottle out of your loose grasp.
"How much did you drink?"
"Mmm..." your head lolled to the side. "...just a s--...sip." Your eyes fluttered closed again, nearly too tired to hold his intense gaze.
Diluc called out your name gently, voice only a whisper in the empty streets. Carefully, he caressed your cheek. "Come on," he murmured, eyes softening at the way your head leant into his hand. "Let's go home."
The wind blew, a cool air whipping through Diluc's ponytail and kicking up the dust left on the paved stone nearby. His eyes searched yours, a silent plea. The worried furrow in his brows deepened.
You stayed silent.
His hand was slowly covered by yours, gentle fingers brushing against the man's lightly bruised knuckles. Diluc's lips quirked up the slightest amount -- it was difficult to be upset with you. He didn't blame you for doing this, but it was unsafe. He was just glad you were alright. He took away his hand, taking a small step back and turning before crouching on the ground. "Get on."
When you didn't respond, he sighed. Diluc really didn't want to have to carry you bridal style all the way to Dawn Winery, but it seemed there wasn't any other option. He snaked his arms around you, lifting you with ease. Your head lolled, eyes fluttering. He pushed back the lump in his throat when he felt how cold you were.
The journey didn't take long. At least, it didn't feel like it. Using his foot to kick open the door, he brought you inside carefully. The warmth of the winery welcomed him. Diluc hoped it was enough to make you at least a little warmer. He glanced down at you, sighing at your now sleeping face. He let his eyelids slip shut for a moment before steadily walking towards your shared bedroom. He slipped you out of his arms, a flicker of warmth heating his chest when you clung to him harder.
Unravelling your grip from the back of his neck, he laid you down. Your face contorted, a small huff escaping your lips. Diluc removed his gloves from his calloused hands, bringing his palm down to gently rest on your forehead.
You were still cold.
"...It's alright now."
He wasn't sure who he was saying it to.
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i23kazu · 2 years
Note
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I bring cookies and a request
May i please have platonic! Hcs of Zhongli and Diluc (seperate) with a friend who's to nervous to talk yo anyone but them ? :D
HACHACHA this fine?!! This is my first time requesting i think lol
don't be shy, my friend. (for i am here with you.)
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warnings – none. characters – zhongli, diluc & friend!reader. genre – platonic fluff. a/n – wahh hi artem!! thank u for the cookies and of course you can hehe <3 i'm not too sure what you were looking for but i hope you enjoy!!! —
[zhongli. | 钟离]
• he understands your worries and troubles >< he knows how hard socialising can be, and he tries – but he'd admit, he has a soft spot for you. • you've known him for eons now, and nothing has changed since then! he's built up quite a fondness for your presence • even though your attempts at socialising with others usually end up with you slinking to a corner, he is quick to comfort and reassure you of your job well done • i don't think zhongli is a person who relies heavily on physical affection to get his point across, but be prepared for hugs and stuff if he thinks you need it xD • i'm not going to make this very long (my brain just pssshhed) but overall zhongli is your no. 1 supporter!!!! always backing you up with wise words and assurance and affirmations
[diluc r.]
• diluc understands what you mean • he's not one to talk a lot as well, preferring to fill in the gaps when he wants to • but he'll always pave a way to let you join the conversation >< • for example – during parties he'd ask about people's day and look at you when there's an opening for you to speak • i'm not sure if i make a lot of sense but i feel like this is a thing us "extroverts" tend to do a lot; inverted commas for introverts-forced-to-be-extroverts-by-their-more-introverty-friends • he's good at reading between the lines and looking out for telltale signs that you might be getting stressed out/uncomfortable • and he'll be quick to divert the situation away from you • quick (p-to-the-l-to-the-atonic, platonic) cuddles in a corner as he runs his fingers through your hair to calm you down • overall: very good friend. 10/10 friend for introverts especially <3
aaaaa hope u enjoyed ^u^ mwah <3
*reblogs appreciated since i'm a new blog ><*
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sohyuki · 2 years
Text
with love, [diluc]
dear : @yinyinggie​ 
prompt : diluc + comfort 
cws : none, kaeya being a snitch 
notes : hi hi ying! thank you for requesting!! this took ages to post (pt .2) and i’m pretty sure you don’t even remember it but here is diluc trying not to turn everything into a lecture!! 
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to my dear friend,
the cavalry captain has recently informed me of your hardships at the knights academy. while i cannot think of any reason why one such as yourself would even want to be there, i sympathise with your struggles.   
being a former knight myself, i understand all too well how arduous the journey to knighthood is. there will be nights that turn into mornings before you can make it back to your rooms; days that are filled with bruises and aches and not to mention, the hours you will have to spend being of service to the people of mondstadt. looking back, i do not know if i miss my days in the academy or if i am relieved that they are over. i hope your conclusion differs from mine when all is over. 
your life now will be difficult – there is no denying that. but what cannot be cured must be endured. failure will find its way into your life but do not let that discourage you. gather courage, believe in yourself and all will be overcome. do not wait for someone to carve a path for you – you are strong enough to pave your own journey. 
one failure does not mean a lifetime of failures. it is only when you give up that all becomes meaningless. please do not let the frustrations fester and do not take them to heart. instead, explore your weaknesses, for no one is truly without them. improve on them, and on what you know you excel at; pride is unbecoming of a knight and you should never assume that your current skills are adequate. there is always room for refinement. 
even if you do not believe in yourself, know that i believe in you. 
i shall bore you no further. the manor will always have a place for you, should you need to rest. do come visit when you find the time, we have yet to finish our “breeze amidst the forest” discussion and i’m sure adelinde is just itching for you to sample her new apple pie recipe. 
until then, my friend.
diluc ragnvindr. 
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ruleofvee · 4 months
Text
Title: i am on fire, a crying, burning liar (seeing nothing, nothing but myself, and i'm the one with the lighter)
Fandom: Genshin Impact
Part: 1/7
Tags/Warnings: Blood and Violence, Suicidal Tendencies, Diluc-centric, Diluc and Kaeya Reconciliation (eventually), Fatui Harbinger Diluc (but in the double crossing kind of way)
Summary:
Diluc Ragnvindr entered Snezhnaya with a Delusion clipped to his glove and blood between his teeth, with rage burning him from the inside out and obsession dancing in his gaze. He does not leave Snezhnaya alive. At least, not in the same form. He is chewed up and spat out again, molding into something greater. Something more dangerous. Diluc Ragnvindr dies in Snezhnaya to the sounds of his own screams. Brighella, the twelfth of the twelve Fatui Harbingers, is reborn from the ashes of his cries.
[Also on AO3]
~=~
Diluc Ragnvindr enters Snezhnaya with a Delusion clipped to his glove and blood between his teeth, with rage burning him from the inside out and obsession dancing in his gaze.
From Mondstadt, with love. He signs his own death warrant with reckless abandon, stamps and seals it with the blood of Fatui underlings. Burning, burning, tearing them apart with the same chains that bind him, staining the monochrome snow with blood and viscera. Anything to make the screaming in his mind stop, anything to try and fill the gaping hole in his heart. He drowns himself in blood and pretends that he never needed to breathe.
(Somehow, it never ever feels better)
Revenge is too noble a word. Revenge implies some form of purpose. Some goal to accomplish. Some relief after the deed is done, some closing of a terrible, tainted chapter. Closure. 
There can be no closure for someone like him, a man who killed his father and nearly killed his brother. Monsters like him can only find comfort in death - be it their own, or that of others. Diluc intends to seek out both.
One could call it madness. Diluc prefers to call it self-condemnation. Sins mounting on his back, one by one, suffocating him. Hands stained red that will never be clean again. He is a slate of agony and rage that can never be wiped clean, and so must be destroyed to remove its influence from this world.
Perhaps that is why killing is so easy - because his own life is already forfeit.
The frost burns through his skin and the blood soaks his fingers. The wind scrapes him raw and his footsteps are paved with red. He is dying, dying - the last flickers of life spent on dragging as many down with him as possible.
Delusion Thief, they call him. It’s not the worst thing he’s ever stolen.
~=~
The end comes in the form of a letter.
They are coming for you, it says. His informant’s handwriting is more shaky than usual. They are coming for you. As soon as you receive this message, leave everything behind. Run as fast and far as you can. They are coming for you, and they will not rest until you are dead.
The snowstorms have been particularly harsh, these past few days. The messenger falcons haven’t been able to safely land until the skies cleared this morning. His gaze flicks to the date - three days ago. Three days ago, they began to search for him.
It’s more than long enough.
There is a crash from downstairs, the sound of a door breaking in, that breaks his concentration. Diluc tosses the letter into the fireplace and tugs at the Delusion’s power, already knowing that it is the end.
(Part of him is relieved)
~=~
Except it isn’t the end. Not by far. That would be too merciful. They keep him alive, for some reason, instead of putting him down, and they drag him into the center of Snezhnaya, into the Tsaritsa’s Court, it’s cold, it’s so cold - 
A Delusion, a dispassionate, regal voice says. And he’s experienced at using it. He nearly cut Columbina’s arm off. Not many can claim that honor.
My Lady - 
Silence. A hand, under his chin, raising his head from where he was staring at the floor. He looks into the Tsaritsa’s eyes, and does his best to convey every ounce of hatred he has in that glare alone.
And the Tsaritsa laughs.
Very good, she says. He has that fire. That obsession. I think, with some training, with a heavy hand to guide him, he will be more than suitable. 
Her eyes flicker with wicked irony. What do you think of the name Brighella?
~=~
The candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long.
Diluc’s first mistake is giving in to rage. Trying to attack the Harbingers, to doom himself if not them, I will never turn against Mondstadt, he screams, never, never - 
They evade his swinging fists, take his Delusion away - stop, it’s all I have left of my father - subdue him, hurt him, laugh at him -
He thought his rage could last forever. Burning, consuming, a bright star that would never go out. Oh, how wrong he was.
It turns out, pain is the easiest way to cull anger, so long as it is consistent. 
They are careful, of course. Breaking him would render him useless. He needs that obsession, that drive - it just needs to be bent to their own ends. Bent, but not broken, just warped out of shape until he is just as rotten as they are - 
He hates that it works. It shouldn’t. He was supposed to die, first.
(The rage dims to a quiet ember - ready to burst into flame the moment it has fuel again. He clings to it with the fervor of a doomed man, even though he knows redemption will never be an option)
~=~
Diluc’s second mistake is refusing to die. 
It is natural, that animal desire to remain living no matter the cost - and yet ‘natural’ and ‘good’ are such wildly different things. Good people, truly good people, not creatures of muck and ruin like him, are supposed to suppress their natural desires for the sake of doing the right thing. Are not meant to give in to temptation. 
If he had the courage, he would have died before now. It would have been the right thing. Better to die here than to allow the Fatui to use him as a well-trained puppet - 
( - it's not as if he has anything to come back to -) 
He doesn't want to die. Not here, not like this. He wants to die on his own terms, laughing in his captors’ faces, going out with a mocking word and blood between his teeth, feral and vengeful. 
He doesn't want to die like this, and so he cannot die. Not yet. 
Not yet - curse his poor heart, for being so weak, so pitiful. 
~=~
Diluc’s last mistake is in clinging to hope. 
Somehow, one way or another, it never manages to die. Somehow, no matter how they hurt him, no matter how he screams, it flutters inside his ribcage like a trapped bird, screaming, endless - save me, save me, father, save me, Kaeya - 
He stomps on it, again and again, like a weed he's trying to kill. It always grows back, weaker, but there all the same, dim, but present. 
( Save me, save me, save me ) 
They rip his humanity away with careful, surgical slices. They bare him open for them to witness and to consume. They devour him from the inside out and spit him out again, bleeding and ruined but theirs. 
Diluc Ragnvindr dies, but his hope never manages to. 
~=~
Diluc Ragnvindr entered Snezhnaya with a Delusion clipped to his glove and blood between his teeth, with rage burning him from the inside out and obsession dancing in his gaze. 
He does not leave Snezhnaya alive. At least, not in the same form. He is chewed up and spat out again, molding into something greater. Something more dangerous. 
Diluc Ragnvindr dies in Snezhnaya to the sounds of his own screams. 
Brighella, the twelfth of the twelve Fatui Harbingers, is reborn from the ashes of his cries.
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intangibly-here · 3 years
Text
it’s a fact (that i want you in my life)
various (diluc, kaeya, xiao, zhongli)
- scenarios; 6.8k words - gn!reader - fluff & angst - hurt/comfort - warning: description of injuries/blood, mild cursing
————————————————————
is it really so hard to be understood?
[argument & reconciliation scenarios]
title from mckay, jeff bernat - angel 2 me.
requested by @nanana-kashi
————————————————————
❥ diluc
it’s a chilly evening, as always. 
you trod down the dusty path, steps kicking up clouds of dirt and sending pebbles skidding as you walk. the dim glow of street lamps illuminate the edges of your figure, passing under them on your stroll returning home. you take carefully measured steps past the countless rows of grapevines, past the stone walls of the building’s perimeter, and arrive at the polished front doors. 
the dawn winery is quiet in the evening, only the chirping of crickets filling the silence, whereas servants would fill the air with talk and work during the day. fishing out a key from your pocket, you unlock the door with a click. 
all that meets you when you enter is more silence. empty again.
diluc has always been a busy man. he’s a hard worker, as are all of the people that surround the two of you are, and he carries the heavy weight of an entire legacy on his shoulders. recently, however, he’s been especially illusive, managing the angel’s share during waking hours and working undercover as the “darknight hero” so to speak throughout the evenings. 
while it’s not out of the ordinary for diluc to work nights on end, it is unusual that you haven’t caught a glimpse of him at all, between visiting the angel’s share during his usual shift or roaming the paved streets of mondstadt. even asking charles himself remained fruitless. 
“my sincerest apologies, but i haven’t seen him. i’d thought he was with you.”
it’s even more unusual that he hadn’t told you a word of what he’s been up to. were you that untrustworthy?
you close the door with a resigned sigh, removing the bow that’s been strapped to your back and resting it against the wall across from the entrance. your pull your gloves off, the mahogany leather of it reminding you of ruby eyes and stiff clothing. they drop into a box rested on a nearby shelf. the unsettling silence closes in around you, and for a moment, you breathe in a strikingly painful loneliness. it fills your chest uncomfortably, like it’s carving out a hollow space in-between your ribs, gnawing at your heart. then, you breathe out, and the discomfort dissipates. no, he trusts you. you know you both do.
even so, something shifts wrong inside you without diluc here. 
you’re not sure how to feel about it.  
you minutely fiddle with your ring, cool silver pressed against warm skin, finger tracing the simple engravings carved into it with care. it’d been your request for something subtle, away from the flashiness of blinging jewels and rare stones. 
he’ll be back soon. 
you say this, turn the words over and over in your head just as you turn the ring on your finger, but you know better than that. you had truly believed it the first day, but then the first day bled into a second, a third day into a fourth, a fifth, sixth, seventh—
and now you stand here on the eighth day by the arching doors, inside the enormous mansion, cold and disappointed and alone. 
you shake your head, chastising yourself internally. it’s no use worrying yourself down over it. dropping the rest of your belongings in a pile by the foot of the bed, you scratch the back of your head and turn to the bathroom. best to run yourself a shower and get to bed quickly. the whirring of crickets and fireflies keep you company ‘till the sound of splashing water erases the quiet. 
you’re toweling your hair off, foggy wisps of steam trailing behind you as you leave the bathroom, when you hear the resounding click of the front door. 
diluc?
leaving the towel hanging around your neck, you walk to the entrance room where the man you’ve been waiting for stands upright, glancing at you when you enter. it only lingers for a second, before darting back to his own hands.
“welcome home.”
“thanks.”
the clock ticks in the heavy silence. 
“not going to say anything?”
he lifts his head up to face you properly for the first time in a week, confused. fiery red hair shuffles with his movements, and he releases it from the confines of his hairtie. “what is there to say?”
you take a deep breath, shoulders rising, then falling again. you fiddle with your ring again. “we haven’t seen each other for days, and there’s nothing you want to say?”
“...” he purses his lips. 
“i’ve been looking for you.”
diluc looks away. “..i’ve been busy.”
your stare turns frostier by the second, the beginnings of a bonfire starting inside you. oh really now? just an ‘i’ve been busy’? “busy enough that you couldn’t spare even a second to let me know that you were doing okay?”
he bristles at your chilly tone, hackles rising, and body turning sharply away, apparently preoccupied with hanging his coat up. “i don’t need you to fret over me like— like this.” 
the words have you suddenly losing all your temper, leaving behind only the dredges of a deep-seated sorrow.
“am i not allowed to worry about my husband?”
his untold frustration seems to only grow at the dimming fire flickering out in your eyes, and his eyes narrow. still, he stays silent, a brooding look on his face. it wars with the thinning desperation you unconsciously let yourself show tonight. 
“ —even if you won’t tell me what you’re up to, why won’t you see me at all?”
the loosening hold on your emotions is gripped tight once more at the deafening silence not unalike how it were even without him. your face is drawn neutral once more, and you turn to make your way back to bed. 
“..alright, diluc. goodnight then.”
seems like tonight was a lost cause as well. you trail through the hallways, pausing before the door to the study. you enter against your better judgement, something pulling at you to not do this— but really, did you have to listen to that voice? something curls inside you, hurt and tired. that voice never helped with anything anyway. diluc’s still drifting, far, farther away from you and you’re still alone. 
(you know your emotions are getting the better of you, but you just can’t help it. how are you supposed to handle something you’d never dealt with before?)
standing before a relatively smaller bookcase, you reach up to pull out a book rather carelessly—
diluc opens the door, a regretful nervousness on his face and brow furrowed, to see the heavy wooden shelf tumble onto you. his eyes widen, and he lunges forward. 
thud.
you blearily blink your eyes open a couple times to dim spots floating across your vision. two distinct voices murmur somewhere in the vicinity of the room. last you remember, you’d left diluc at the front door... and went to pick out a book for the study.. and oh.
so you’re recovering now, you’d assume. 
you trace the bandages on your head with sublime caution. the door clicks shut, bringing you out of your thoughts, and you tilt your head on the pillow. red. it’s diluc. he’s in his casual attire, plain white top and black slacks, but is still so stunning. maybe even more so than his regular clothing. 
diluc whips where he was staring at the door towards you, eyes wide and hand flying to his face. it’s flushed a brilliant crimson pink. 
oops. 
snapping out of his daze, diluc rushes to your side and kneels by the bedside. your mouth opens to protest his actions, then pauses, and closes again. it’s about time you receive an explanation. you two are past unnecessarily polite formalities. he grasps your hands in his calloused ones like a lifeline. 
“i’m so, so sorry, my love.” he stumbles over his words, almost like he’s choking them up from the bottom of his heart. maybe he is. “i didn’t want to get you caught up in the— the incompetence of the knights, and all the troubles that come with cleaning up after them.”
he glances away at the floor, gazing somewhere you can’t reach him. 
“...all it brings is sorrow.”
he takes a shaky breath, and his eyes glisten from underneath his mussed bangs. his hands tremble in yours, and your eyes soften. you run a hand through his hair in a silent gesture. continue when you’re ready. it’s alright. 
“a-and so i didn’t tell you, didn’t go to find you. there was a really— really unexpected gathering of abyss mages, and i didn’t want you to get involved. but you’re right— i shouldn’t need to hide it or avoid you because of it. i’m—” 
he chokes back a sob, wiping furiously at his eyes, and for a moment, it reminds you of how he was before everything happened. how bright he was. how open. but it’s of no importance any longer, and you brush the stray thoughts aside. mature or not, cheery or not, he is still diluc. he is still the man you love. 
“it’s okay, love. it’s okay.” you shush his sobbing gently, cupping his face in the palm of your hands. “i forgive you. i always will.”
you nudge him up from the floor and into downy bedsheets, nestling him in front of you. encircled in your embrace, diluc huddles closer to you, sniffling all the while. 
“when the bookcase fell on you, i was so scared. i— i thought you’d...” 
he trails off, face buried in the crook of your neck. you can feel him pressing his cheek into it, nuzzling closer. you lean your head against his in a comforting manner, i’m here love, and the heavy conversation peters into a soothing silence. you both move in tandem with your breathing, intertwined and floating in the newfound peace. 
“..’m love you...” 
but a whisper in the (welcomed, for once) silence, diluc drags out the mumbled syllables childishly, probably embarrassed from the entire ordeal. you press a warm kiss to the top of his head and smile for once, affectionately, softly, sweetly—  
“love you too, diluc.”
❥ kaeya
sometimes, just sometimes, the personality of kaeya alberich, mister cavalry captain of the knights of favonius, gets on your nerves.
kaeya is sly and sweet-talking, words sharp and lined with double meanings left and right. even at night, tucked into each other and settling into the quiet of drowsiness, teasing words will slip out of his lips and leave you either furiously blushing, firing back at him, or cracking up in full blown laughter— most of the time.
his joking manner is what drew you to him, the way he’s the spark in the room and how he brightens up your life with every passing moment.
it is also what is pushing you away now.
you know you’re being stupid. his joking and teasing is just one of the many parts of the man you fell in love with, inseparable and intertwined. it’s just kaeya being— well, kaeya. and it’s a wonderful part of him that you’d never want him to give up on.
the thought itself doesn’t exactly help when you’re spiraling into a pit of unwanted emotions.
lately, you’ve been heading home late, exhausted and worn out from putting everything into your job during the day. you hadn’t anticipated the rain to come down so hard and in turn didn’t bring an umbrella, resulting in absolutely waterlogged clothes and soggy shoes as you neared the pathway up to your home. today, you’d just like a little soft peace and quiet.
the thought stings like a sharp slap to the face when you open the door to kaeya’s unusually boisterous laughter (usually it’s less... annoying than this...), the room smelling thickly of wine. you can hear the clink of glass against glass from where you’re standing in the doorway.
whenever kaeya happens to consume alcohol, he becomes rowdier than ever; this incident is no exception. you shake your head and sigh. apparently kaeya is sober enough to notice you, because he looks over at you and grins in a telltale sign of mischief.
(not sober enough to recognize your breaking point it seems.)
“kept me waiting long enough, sweetheart! look at poor lil’ lonely me, sitting here with only this wine to keep me company.” he shakes the bottle in his hand, pouring another glass, taking another sip. “don’t you think i deserve a little something? maybe—”
the rest of his words are drowned out in the buzz of your mind, piling on your strained emotions. it’s so much. too much. (it’s unreasonable, you know you know you know, but you can’t stop, won’t stop, it won’t stop—)
does he not see you?
the words fly out of your mouth before you can reign in your haywire thoughts—
“would you just shut up? asshole...”
—anddd you didn’t mean to say that.
the rainwater drips from your clothes and pools onto the floor in a miserable puddle. the shocked look on his face and the thump of the wine botte falling to the floor says enough to send you turning on your heels back into the pouring rain. the door slams shut behind you almost achingly as you run wherever your feet will take you.
stupid stupid stupid! why did you say that! your head throbs in a mixture of hurt, guilt, and confusion. you stumble on rain-sodden ground and stray pebbles as your feet rapidly grow sore, unable to keep up with you anymore. 
your legs give up from under you, and you collapse to the ground, face buried in your hands. even if you were tired, you shouldn’t have just shouted at him like that — he didn’t even know what you were upset over! you didn’t tell him!
picking the pieces of your thoughts back together as the adrenaline wears off, you unsteadily rise to your feet once more, knees shaky and weak. it’s as you’re preparing the walk home from who knows where you ran to, you hear a loud grunt from the vicinity behind you. 
oh no.
just as you feared, when you turn around you’re greeted face-to-face by a shield-bearing mitachurl that’s likely strayed from its camp. its shadow looms in front of you, crawling forward as it slowly makes its way to you. you scramble for your sword, fingers digging at the buckles of your belt, then realize you had left it hanging on the sword rack at home. 
(kaeya...)
the stomping grows closer, like an ominous sign, and you curse under your breath. as much as you’d like to believe you can survive this relatively unharmed, your wobbling legs and unarmed hands say otherwise.
without another moment to spare, the mitachurl dashes forward, swinging its shield as if it were weightless. you put all your effort into dodging its sweeping blows, the embedded stones whistling by your face as you scan the area in another attempt to run—
as you turn your head, the mitachurl charges in from your blindspot, slamming straight into the side of your head. 
fuck. 
the impact sends you falling backwards in a tangle of uncoordinated limbs and stinging scratches. the throbbing at your temple doubles over, and when you tentatively reach up to touch it, you feel it’s sickeningly sticky. blood. a lot of it. 
black spots swim across your vision, and hazily, you think you hear a voice call your name in the distance. whatever it was, it’s soon drowned out by the sound of the creature stomping towards you impendingly. 
hallucinating already? you bark out a hysterical laugh in spite of it all, then hunch over in a fit of hacking coughs. red streaks across the dry grass. it burns. you rub at your throat. any further efforts would be futile. you know a hopeless situation when you see one— or in this case, are in one. 
thump.
another bruise blooms on your leg, and you wince. closing your eyes, your fuzzy conscious awaits its silence. there’s a swoosh, the raising of the mitachurl’s shield, and you brace your body for the impact—
“love, you— what— i—“
something, someone, lifts you up, up, up. and you’re drifting, carried in gentle arms and smooth fabric. the air grows heavier, the whistling of finely honed swordsmanship hanging in the wind, and the thundering steps draw to an abrupt stop. a familiar voice trickles into your ears, but your mind is sinking sinking...
(it trembles.)
on the edge of your sopor, just before you fall into its depths, you feel a clammy hand clutch yours. it’s warm. 
mind empty, the bone-deep exhaustion swallows you, vision fading to black. 
-
you awaken to soft white sheets and bandages looped round your arms. your muscles scream at you when you try to rise, flames of pain crawling up your torso and singing your nerves. a grimace paints itself across your face, and you slump back against the pillows. what had happened again...?
the lock clicks, door swinging open, and you turn your head to face it. kaeya steps in, a tray in hand as he closes the door with a twist of his hand. when he raises his head, his eye widens, and you can see the faint bags under it, red rimmed at the edge. you purse your lips, heart panging in your chest. 
neither of you speak when he shuffles to the bedside, setting the tray down on the nightstand and picking up a stray pillow that had fallen to the ground. it must’ve been when you’d just woken up; you hadn’t noticed. he tucks in back into its spot behind your back, propping it to help you sit a bit more upright. he doesn’t retrieve his hands from where they rest on top of yours. 
you start, “kaeya, i’m so—”
he doesn’t let you continue, pressing a finger to your lips. 
“sweetheart, i should be the one saying that.” he ruffles your hair endearingly, expression both relieved and pained at the same time. “i was drunk and just let you run out there—” he pauses. “i pushed it too far.”
you can feel the start of tears welling at the corners of your eyes, hands trembling and teeth wearing at your bottom lip. “...i still should’ve spoken up. you wouldn’t have known otherwise.”
he smiles warmly, genuinely, the cheerful glint in his eye sparkling at you through glossy eyes. “then next time, speak up, alright darling? we both can learn from this.” you nod, and he cups your face, thumbing the rims of your eyes and the side of your cheeks where rivulets of tears paint transparent rivers.
“may i kiss you?”
there’s a lot more to unpack to your actions, both your physical injuries and mending the worn strings of your minds, but for now—
you nod wordlessly once more and lean in, meeting him in a soft, sweet kiss. he wraps his arms around you in a familiar hug that you’ve sorely missed and pulls back, pressing more small, but equally as sweet kisses across your face. 
—for now, this is enough. 
❥ xiao
“you need to take better care of yourself!”
xiao rolls his eyes, crossing his arms in protest like a child. he sure is acting like one right now. why is it that he’s only like this when it comes to medicine? every time... you grimace at him, glaring threateningly and shaking the porcelain bottle in your hand. the round pills roll over each other, rattling in the container. 
“xiao...”
xiao just huffs and snarks back, turning his face away as if it’d do anything. 
“i’m doing fine. adepti don’t need medicine.”
it’s a weak argument, and he knows it. why is he fighting this so much? it’s just taking painkillers. no matter; it’s time to put in the finishing argument. 
“it’s from zhongli.”
the statement has him freezing in place, chewing his bottom lip nervously. of course it’s the mention of zhongli that has him finally seriously considering listening to you. petulant kid. can’t believe you’re really dating this thousand-year-old child. 
“i—”
he cuts himself off and goes silent for a beat, another argument on the tip of his tongue, but accepts the medicine in defeat anyway. you drop the little jar into his outstretched hand, and he pockets it in a flash. now if it were only that easy from the beginning...
“fine. but you have to stop nagging me so much.”
you can agree with that one. 
“alright, it’s a compromise.”
unconsciously, his mouth draws into a pout, and you chuckle, dipping down and kissing his cheek. his face shifts from awkward confusion to sudden realization, immediately stiffening up and stalking off in a mere shadow of his usual cool. 
if you spy the pink flushed tips of his ears and the prominent blush on his cheeks as he leaps off the balcony, you keep it to yourself. 
-
so much for taking care of yourself.
“and you were saying?” 
the door slides open, frame rattling as the illustrations of one panel swallows the other. xiao in all his midget glory strides in, footsteps careful as he closes the door behind him. a tray is balanced in one hand as he does it, somehow steadier than you’ve ever actually held a tray before. even with two hands. is this an adeptus thing too? expert, perfect, unbelievably infallible tray holding? you can tell from the expression on his face as he makes his way over that something’s tipping him off. he’s definitely grimacing, like he would when you said something unbearably stupid— in his terms of course. not yours. 
is he a mind reader too? wasn’t that only a rex lapis thing? like with the prayers?
“you look like shit.”
even worse than earlier goes unsaid. his face is typical frosty-xiao, but his brows are furrowed and disbelief shines in his eyes. guess it wasn’t your thoughts after all. but actually, did you really look that bad?
“yes, it’s that bad. now sit up so you can eat.”
whoops. 
holding yourself from making any snide comebacks, you move to touch your cheek as you sit up, a little shocked when it actually makes contact with the back of your hand; it feels as though your face was set in front of an open fireplace. a damp towel drops off your forehead, plopping on the blankets. it’s lukewarm. huh, didn’t notice that before. 
removing the used towel, xiao sets the tray down on your lap meticulously. now closer, you can see the plates of cold noodles and steaming bowls of jewelry soup sitting on the wooden tray. the smell is incredibly appetizing, as expected of smiley yanxiao, and you take care in preparing to eat the sumptuous meal. 
“aw, thanks xiao.” 
he turns his head away habitually, too shy to meet your eyes. you can, however, see his fingers subconsciously fiddling with the edge of his sleeve. the sun takes that moment to peek out of the clouds and through the window, outlining the contours of xiao’s face and soften his sharp features. it makes him look almost luminescent, like an angel descended from the skies, and you’re drowning in his being. he’s stunning. 
feeling your stare, xiao whips his head back around, narrowing his eyes and nearly growling. like a cat, your mind supplies. your cat. 
(and then you laugh at your thoughts, because xiao isn’t anyone’s. you just happen to be by his side for as long as wants you here.
and yours, him.)
“don’t stare,” he hisses, and then you can’t hold your laughter any longer, hacking out laughter at his defensive demeanor. “you- !”
he hastily picks up the pair of chopsticks on the tray, taking a mouthful of mushroom-topped noodles between them and stuffing it into your mouth. you immediately cease your chortling to chew, else you shove yourself into a choking fit. 
floating bits of dust fade in and out of the sunbeams falling on the floorboards, as if playing peekaboo with the air. the noodles are perfectly seasoned, mixed with just the right amount of sesame and savory sauce to not be bland, but not taste overpowering. they’re light and easy to swallow, and xiao hands you a cup of tea as you finish your bite; his fingers brush against yours, soft and warm. you sniffle. your runny nose hinders your senses, but you can still smell the faint scent of qingxin blossoms, and a relaxed smile makes it’s way to your face as you take a sip. 
this is nice.
❥ zhongli
you’d first seen morax in the midst of a fierce battle. 
jueyun karst was as empty as always, save for the presence of several adepti crouching in the shadows, more than the darkness would usually hide. then, as you sat high in the branches of one of the many golden trees in the valley, feet swinging over spikes of climbing amber protruding from the ground, you sensed a change in the atmosphere. the wind whistling through the treetops and over your head shifted sharply, soft gusts transforming into howling gales that had you falling backwards. 
cursing under your breath, you gripped the branch tightly, face scrunched in a grimace. by the time the turbulent winds had stopped, your hair blown astray in a hilarious mess and your back rebalanced against the trunk of the tree, a squirming, inky mass of something had appeared, hovering in the air just above the ground. it steadily grew in both physical size and energy, the air humming and pulsing with it’s indiscernible movements, until it towered at the height of the larger trees, far larger than any human could. 
you could feel the surrounding adepti grow increasingly concerned, their energy fluctuating wildly, but they showed no signs of movement. why? shouldn’t they be neutralizing this threat? your feet pick up their movement again from where they’d stilled during the storm, swinging back and forth. forwards. the lump of dark energy steps towards the harbor. backwards. another step. forwards. it pauses in its steps, unfurling its wings. back-
thump. 
so that would be why they hadn’t moved. almost as if heaving a sigh of relief, the chaotic energy of the adepti lurking nearby immediately deflate, retreating back into a neutral state. oh hoh, a big shot? when a gold-pattern embellished white robe emerges from a tear in empty space, you nearly topple over from your spot in the tree. bingo. 
the storm clouds in the sky poured as they fought, the sound of pattering raindrops both filling your ears and serving as a backdrop to the clashing of metal and vicious growls. as you watched him fight, the prime adeptus rex lapis, lithe form crossing blows with the distorted form of an abyssal beast, you knew from somewhere deep in your soul that something was bound to change. 
(it was when you were leaping down from the tree to leave, silently thanking him with a glance in his direction, that your gazes interlocked. morax made for an awfully odd sight when he had both a curious spark gleaming in his eyes and a dissolving corpse at his feet. and well, if it got even odder when he invited you to tea, that would be his problem, not yours— even if you had accepted the offer.) 
soon after, in the days following that first “meeting”, you’d seen zhongli (as he preferred to be called) in town, lingering indecisively around various stalls both big and small. noticing his dilemma, as a good friend (if you could be considered that; you’d only watched him slaughter a demonic monster and talked over tea once after all) you walked over and helped him out. 
multiple tea outings, three bags of mora and several weeks later, zhongli is looking into your eyes— and wow, this is really reminding you of your first meeting, where he was beating the shit out of that thing while you all just sat around and waited for him to be done and— he’s getting closer? please say this is going where you hope it’s going—
evidently you win this time, because zhongli moves forward and presses his (soft, soft, soft—) lips to yours in a breathtakingly warm kiss. 
he tastes faintly like the sweet syrup of the almond tofu you’d shared earlier, and the moment he draws his head back to allow you a breath, you pull him back in for another. 
-
your shoes step soundly against polished flooring as you enter the doorway of liuli pavilion, soft chatter drifting between the rhythmic click-clacking of your stride. the waitress greets you politely as you walk in, taking a glance at the clipboard she’s holding, then gesturing for you to follow her. 
“based on your attire and the time, you must be the one mister zhongli is waiting for, no?” 
to the assenting dip of your head she gives her own in return, leading you through the back doors and to a secluded table out in the open. settled by the railing overlooking the harbor is zhongli, pristine as always, sipping a steaming cup of tea. 
he doesn't notice you at first, attention trained on the book lain out on the table, but then you're sliding into your seat with a quiet thank you to the waitress, chair audibly scraping against the pavement, and he looks up. remarkably deep amber eyes meet yours, but then again, you’re not meeting a random passerby now, are you? 
(you’re not wooing just anyone.)
or at least, that’s what you’d thought. however, by the time he’s mentioned guizhong for the— what, 5th time tonight? you can’t say you’re completely unfazed. guizhong was his partner in war, best friend, closest companion; of course he would talk about her. it’s only natural now that you’re getting to know each other more. 
yeah. natural. 
you rest your head on the palm of your hand, leaning forward onto the table. the glass of wine in your other sloshes against its confines. your eyes follow it as the liquid tips and turns over itself, deep mahogany flowing into semi-opaque purples and vibrant reds. 
guizhong. she’s an inarguably important part of his very, very long past. you understand this— but really, did he have to talk about her regarding every single thing? it’s as if— as if you were just— just there. you’re missing something. there’s a label for this feeling, you know there is, but it’s only escaping your mind the more you think about it. just what is it...?
“the leaves of this tea have been harvested from wild glaze lilies themselves, then additionally infused with the purified essence of glaze lily blossoms. countless meticulous steps and tremendous efforts must have been taken to execute this brew as splendidly as it was. it is most definitely an exquisite tea befitting of guizhong’s legacy.”
zhongli pauses, then sighs wistfully, a reminiscent expression painted on his face. 
“an... unfortunate end she had. time never stops, neither for gods nor mortals alike.” 
ah, yes. irreversible, unalterable, set in stone. you’ve heard these words so many times over, no matter how eloquently they’d been reshaped and rephrased. no matter how different they’d sounded every time. no matter how much you wished you could stop overthinking it. 
looking less like a new romantic interest and more like a replacement, you chuckle inwardly to yourself as zhongli stares out over the harbor, a new mortal friend to chat with. the thought hits a little too close to home, and oh that was the word you were looking for. 
you are just a replacement. 
how could you not be? you see how zhongli looks when he talks about her. though he doesn’t say it outright, you know he loved her.
still loves her. 
and so, who— no, what are you but just another someone? 
and here you were thinking you were someone special. of course you just had to stick your nose somewhere it didn’t belong. 
you’d really thought you could keep your head cool in all situations; no, before all this you really had—  but suddenly when emotions and love are involved, everything spirals out of your control. vile thoughts crawl up from the depths of your soul, clawing at your rationality and eating away at your want want want. 
and so when zhongli turns to look into your eyes again, mixed emotions rise in your heart like bile would up your throat. the wine you’d been drinking all night loosens your tongue, and the words are slipping out of your mouth before you can take them back. 
“are you really going to talk about her all night?“
fuck.
zhongli frowns for a fraction of a second, his head tilting to the side in contemplation, then parts his lips and replies:
“is there a problem with it?”
his answer makes you want to throw your head back in hysterical laughter. his energy is completely placid, which actually might make it even worse. he’s genuinely asking. genuinely fucking asking. here your head is, overrun with thoughts left and right, mind fraying at the seams, and that’s what he’s asking? is there a problem? your hand clenches and unclenches, nails digging crescents into the palm of your hand. he has to be joking. 
a waiter arrives to change and refill the empty pot of tea, but immediately stiffens at the silent atmosphere. once the new tea leaves have been added and begun to steep, he immediately hightails it out of there, nearly slipping in his haste.
clink. 
you set your wine glass on the tabletop. need to sober up after that one. zhongli still looks faintly puzzled, but allows you to do as you wish, and you both watch as steam floats up from the spout of the teapot. pouring a cup of glaze lily tea, your mind taunts, you take a sip to clear your head. 
huh. that’s odd.
you pull the porcelain rim away from your mouth, tilting the cup to stare at its contents. nothing is out of the ordinary, and the tea smells as fragrant as ever, but there’s a particular... sweetness to it? if it were any more bitter you wouldn’t have payed it attention, but the brew shouldn’t be.. sweet?
“zhongli, did you add anything to the tea?”
the bewilderment on his face only grows. 
“i don’t believe so? nothing other than the tea itself should be present...”
the corner of your mouth quirks down, eyes still inspecting the tea dredges in the cup. then why was the tea... was it really just your taste buds? a foreboding feeling sends shivers down your spine, and it’s building building building—
zhongli’s eyes suddenly widen, and he startles back from the table like a frightened colt. his head whips to the side, spear immediately appearing in his hand, and he draws his shoulder back at a speed you hadn’t seen before. the tip slices through air and hits its mark instantaneously, pinning the waiter from earlier to the wall he was lurking behind. zhongli rises from his seat, the tips of his hair glowing amber, and promptly knocks the man out with a blow to his neck. the waiter lets out a choked sound, then slumps unconscious. a crumpled piece of paper falls from his pocket. 
instructions. zhongli understands what’s happened the moment he picks up the piece of parchment. most likely sent because of the swindling incident yesterday. a desperate last-resort attempt at ridding the millelith of a witness. 
dexterous fingers begin to unfold the note. 
but why implement such an unskilled assassin? they barely had any killing intent whatsoever, else they would have been noticed sooner. there are no weapons other than this dagger on them either... his eyes swiftly scan the contents of the note, and all at once, everything falls into place.
the tea. he should’ve realized it sooner. 
the clatter of rattling dishes sounds from behind him, and he spins on his heels, staring wide-eyed—
red red red stains your hand and drips through your fingers, spilling out of your mouth and splattering the ground. red. your throat makes a garbled noise, not unalike the one made by the waiter just moments before, and your eyes dilate out of focus, rapidly glazing over. red.
you collapse in your chair, and all he can see is red. 
picking you up carefully in his arms, he closes his eyes (from the red red—) and teleports to the pharmacy. 
a single plead hangs in the air. 
you jolt awake, hand flying to your mouth and chest heaving anxiously. you can still taste the metallic tang of blood. your blood. 
then, as you’re trembling from what could have been a brush with death, firm arms wrap themselves around you, tucking you securely into a warm chest. 
“shh... it’s okay. it’s okay.”
a low voice murmurs reassurances to you, cradling you in safety and tranquility. zhongli runs his hand through your hair soothingly, bringing you down from the frantic state you’d awoke to, and now you can recognize where you are. zhongli’s living room. you’re settled on his lap, gathered in his hold, and you can feel his steady breathing against you, a stark contrast to your own labored breaths. it’s when he’s sensed that you’ve regained rationality that he begins to explain. 
“you were out for a few hours and collapsed due to the poisoning that was originally intended for my consumption. i sincerely apologize for that. it was an unfortunate mishap.”
his voice is smooth and saccharine sweet as he talks, a deep rumble that you can feel as you lay your face on his chest. he takes it on himself to explain a little further of what happened while you were unconscious, which you are grateful for so you can sort your... thoughts out, from before the interruption.
(while he brushes over the matter of carrying you in his arms rather perfunctorily, it still lights a warm flame in your heart. you want this to work out. desperately.)
when his narration peters out to a natural quiet, the muffled hum of early morning workers bustling about outside, you ask the question that’s been on your mind since the very beginning of your outing. 
“is this,” you gesture to him, to you, to the comfort, the hugs, the love, “because of guizhong too?”
understanding finally washes over zhongli’s face in subtle waves, and he gives the most mesmerizingly fond smile to your doubting question. a rich chuckle bubbles up from his chest, the endearing tinge to it only pushing your slight confusion forward. 
“ah, so this is what your previous question was mentioning.”
his eyes soften, the smudge of red under them only making the gold of his irises bloom even further. the hazy look in his eyes makes you feel like he’s drifting. you can recognize that well enough.
(drifting away from you, a faint bite of a bitter voice whispers.)
“yes, i did love guizhong. she’d departed from this land all too soon for me to convey it, and it is one of the few things i still regret to this day.”
the words spark a pang in your chest, the sharp, tingling-sour kind that reminds you of unripe sunsettias and overly spiced mint, but you take a deep breath and it fades. you should hear him out. you need to. you want to.
“i retold my memories with her to you because they were... my happiest memories. they were all i had to speak of, other than the redundant miscellaneous knowledge i’ve retained over the years. i’d thought you’d rather hear of happy experiences rather than the long tangents i can run myself off of. i’ve been properly chastised by this incident nevertheless.”
he gently tilts your head up from where it’s buried in the front of his silk shirt, wiping away the stray tears that roll down your cheeks. you sniffle and wait for him to finish speaking, chest already lightening. 
“however, remember this— while i did love guizhong, you are not a mere semblance of her for me to retain by my side.”
he calls your name softly, reverently.
“my love, you are not a replacement. the one i’m in love with now is you.”
relief, warmth, and love love love surges in your chest altogether as he smiles gingerly, and you cup his face with your own hands, feeling the heat of his flushed cheeks against your palms. 
his lips are plush, soft against your own chapped ones as you draw him into a kiss spelling all the things you couldn’t say out loud. that you were frustrated at the thought of being a rebound for him. that you were terrified at the thought of dying with regrets. that you were unimaginably relieved at his explanation. 
that you love him too. 
zhongli takes it all into stride, leading your hands to rest on his waist as his own cup the back of your head and nape of your neck. he kisses fully, wholeheartedly, lips moving tenderly against yours, giving back what you’re bringing forward to him, for him, in equal measure. it feels right. 
thank you, zhongli.
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sealpup9 · 3 years
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Chiluc dynamic is definitely a great thing to explore but I want to also point out the fact that Diluc and Childe can totally be seen as foils of eachother.
I'll point out the obvious first, just. The stark contrast of the way they behave (Tartaglia being a very smiley carefree-sounding villain with dark undertones, and Diluc being a very stoic, refined man with dark undertones), their visions, the fact that they both have used delusions and lived just fine. (And the thought process that delusions, being made from the energy/hatred of a long dead god could pave way for a headcanon of "delusions can be controlled if the user has a lot of hate in them/learns to use that hate to feed the delusion's power")
The fact that at 14 they'd accomplished ridiculous feats- Diluc being the youngest Cavalry Captain, and Childe pulling himself Out of the abyss and being shipped off to Fatui Boot Camp™, to become a Harbinger)
The fact that Diluc had no issue going out and slaughtering Fatui, the fact that Childe has no issue just wrecking random treasure hoarders. (Stress relief, baby!)
The fact that Diluc has alienated his family despite being a very formal rich man and Childe is a family man despite being a literal Fatui Harbinger.
I can go on about combat, I can go on about Diluc and Childe using various weapons in combat, etc etc.
But it all kindof comes down to the fact that they're very similar- and its wild to me.
Thats why I think this dynamic is so interesting. ESP when you delve into Darknight Hero Diluc, and the concept of masks---
Not to mention in the manga Diluc's Darknight Hero mask literally has a fatui logo on it. Like. Holy hell.
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nyashykyunnie · 3 years
Note
Hello hello can I request first date and first kiss with xiao and diluc? both of them need sum love, especially xiao his angst potential is too much QwQ anyway thank you have a great day!!
A/N: Hi Hi Chirumiii!! Tysm for the request </3!! And I really agree with u that these bbs need more love hnnn!! I hope u enjoy this hc:D Have a great day too hnnn!!
𝕏𝕚𝕒𝕠, 𝔻𝕚𝕝𝕦𝕔 x 𝙶𝙽! ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣: Fɪʀsᴛ Dᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ Kɪss
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ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚𝕏𝕚𝕒𝕠˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ
﹢ ˖     ✦      ¸ . ﹢  °  ¸.    ° ˖ ・ ·̩   。 ☆.      ﹢ ˖     ✦      ¸ .
I tell you, Xiao was very serious when it comes to this. Well, of course he is, this is for you after all. He doesn’t want your first date with him to be very...Disheartening.
The adeptus did his research thoroughly, he even went so far as to ask Verr Goldett for help.
She was very pleased seeing him like this, for once- He wasn’t thinking about his dark memories or his job. He was thinking of someone very dear to him, seeing him like this made her hear sigh in relief.
When she gave her suggestions, Xiao managed to come up with a good plan.
Xiao was very stiff in your date, appearing at some point nervous. His mind constantly trailed with thoughts like ‘Am I doing this right?’ ‘Are They Enjoying this?’ ‘Is this how mortals do it?’ ‘Am I missing on something?’
Give your boy a comforting pat in the back, it’ll really help him feel a little more assured. 
When you’re both walking, Xiao matches your pace. He’s not a beat slow or fast. He is with you and Xiao wants you to know that.
 Don’t expect him to be too into skinship, it seems...Too awkward for him and he’s afraid of exerting the wrong strength and might end up with you being hurt because of his carelessness.
However, if your eyes are very sharp- You’ll see him trying to reach for your hand but ends up retracting it and clenches his fist.
He wants to hold you, as close as you can possibly be- But the fear of just hurting you haunts him ceaselessly. 
But it’s alright, it doesn’t mean he wont hold you. He’ll eventually build up the confidence and he’ll softly take yours with his.  Xiao’s grip was firm, it’s obvious in his hold that he is someone who has fought numerous battles and wields his spear alone. Maybe his touch will feel a little sad no matter how loving and careful it is.
He wasn’t used to this, walking peacefully with someone beside him. It felt unreal.
Years of never-ending bloodbath, years of always being on high guard- It changed him drastically to the anguish he now suffers alone with.
Xiao was used to being able to not call someone his own, the walls around built up to the point he is trapped in the tight space of darkness of his own grief. Entangled by the karmic binds, forever cursed in the ways of always on the hunt- Xiao walks alone in a path he paved himself, nothing but suffering awaits him.
But when you came into his life? He felt like he wanted to lay down everything of him and just offer it all to you. His heart swore a silent oath to protect and love you in discreet ways.
Xiao takes you to Qingyun Peak and brings you further up the the floating island. He softly pushes your shoulders down to have you sit and he follows beside you.
“Wait a bit” He says, his amber eyes trailing off to the scenery ahead.
You look ahead to see the sky painted in amber and gold, the traces of the blue sky slowly disappearing as the sun takes it’s rest. Your eyes glistened, gsping at how stunning it was.
But Xiao’s eyes weren’t looking at where your gaze wanders, his orbs only looked towards you. 
To him, this sunset doesn’t compare to the beauty that is sitting beside right now. With you, the Golden Winged King didn’t feel like he lived in eons of slaughter. 
It was as if you broke down the walls around him and removed the binds that tortured him, you presence felt like it was the sun itself to him. Your ascension in his life gave him a new light.
You were his flame, without you, Xiao won’t have his light. Where you are, is his guide to peace.
“Xiao this is-” He cuts you off, immediately locking his lips with yours. 
His eyes carefully shut as he brings you in closer, softly circling around your waist and maybe pulling you to his lap. 
His lips were warm, it was soft and it nibbled on yours lovingly.
When he realized what he had done, Xiao immediately pulled out- his face burning to the point even his ears were pinkish.
“I-I” He fumbled in his words, not knowing what to say. “I-I! I!”
Xiao tripped, humiliation flooding him and now he wanted to bang his head somehwere. HE EVEN PULLED YOU TO HIS LAP, HOW DID HE JUST LOSE CONTROL NOW?!
“Xiao?”
“I-I...”
No doubt Xiao won’t be able to look at you straight in the eyes after his -ahem- fail in restraining himself
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ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚𝔻𝕚𝕝𝕦𝕔 ˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ
﹢ ˖     ✦      ¸ . ﹢  °  ¸.    ° ˖ ・ ·̩   。 ☆.      ﹢ ˖     ✦      ¸ .
Who would have thought that the Head Of The Ragnivndr, who tirelessly rejected the proposals of many wealthy nobles who offered their beautiful daughters- Would eventually fall for someone and ask them out on a date.
A date with Diluc will no doubt be very luxurious (Well duh, this man is a walking wallet). This man might even dress nice, probably in a suit. 
Diluc isn’t used to something like this so expect him to be a little awkward at some point. But he’ll make ways to make this outing for the both of you entertaining. No one wants a date that is just bland, right?
He’ll take you to the wonderful sight in Monstadt. But expect him to avoid going inside as much as he can, Diluc doesnt want to deal with his annoying step-brother after all. He wants to save himself from the Cryo user who will probably wont let him hear the end of it.
He want’s this date to be perfect, he made a lot of efforts for this after all. When was the last time he fully devoted himself to something that isn’t about work or his nightly Darknight Hero agendas?
Who knows, but he doesn’t care. All that matters now is that he will please you, the person who he is willing to give his all to. 
He was always blinded by work, he never batted an eye towards anything else. He wasn’t interested a tad bit in romance, he believed he didn’t need it. He just needs to do what he needs to do. No need for that.
But when you came? Boy did he want to open his own head and check how much water had gone in. Maybe he wanted to smack himself and say ‘So, love is insignificant?’
When he fell for you, his heart burned with to desire to be wanted. He wanted to get your attention. 
The peaceful walk with you felt unreal since he was too used to being in front of piled papers or a blade in hand to slice down. Something serene like this.... Just felt like omething that he’ll only experience inside a dream.
His crimson orbs will always wander to you. Looking at you makes him feel cozy and his heart roared out bbecause he just wants to protect you. 
If he’s confident enough, he’ll softly interlace his fingers with you. He’ll even rub his thumb at the back of yours to have you know that he’s there and he wont be leaving you anytime soon.
Well, in fact... Diluc doesn’t even want to leave you alone ever. He wants to keep you by his side if you also want to.
Moments like this, precious time spent like this, he’ll cherish it closely in his heart.
After all, this might be the last time he’ll get to experience something as soothing as this. 
“Close your eyes” He softly says and you obey him, Diluc then takes your hand and leads you softly.
His touch, full of adoration. He steps were slow and steady, he even has his hand at your back to catch you incase you trip. 
“You can open them now”
The moment your eyes opened, the night sky painted with stars took your breath away. The wind softly blew, brushing against your hair and your strands now softly flew against the breeze. 
Diluc smiled at how you bright your face was now, seeing you this radiant made him feel as if he had been granted a wish of a lifetime.
This is all he wants. He knows this moment will eventually fade into a distant memory that he will no longer be able to ever reach, but it doesn’t matter. He’ll hold this as close as it can. It will now become a piece of his heart.
“Did you enjoy?” He broke the silence between you both.
“Yeah!” You cheered, turning your face that glistened it delight towards him. “This is too stunning, I want to see this every night!”
“That won’t be too hard to grant, I’ll bring you here anyti-”
His words were cut off when you suddenly pounced on him, bringing your lips together.
Diluc frozen in his spot, his orbs blinking in utter disbelief on the sudden move you made. He gulped, unable to function but he eventually returned the affection you were giving him, his arms snaked around your waist, pulling it closer to his figure. 
His heart raced at the contact your lips made, he locked it in for a second before lovingly kissing you even deeper.
Under the moonlight, two souls have united. The wind blew a soft breeze, as if announcing the fuse of two who were made for eachother. 
A/N: Aiyaaa, I’m beat. I’m sleepy and tired, I still have homeworks to do tomorrow so I’m taking a rest now jasjsksg. Have a great day/night everyone! Hope you enjoy this headcanon! **IMMEDIATELY PASSES OUT AND SLEEPS**
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min-jpg · 3 years
Note
Hi!! Can you do they boys getting kidnapped but its Diluc, Childe, and Kazuha? Thank you!!💗💗
Note: I just want to point out that there's no actual reason on how I choose for the reader to beat up the kidnappers since part 1,, it's totally random as long as I'm trying out different ideas whatever fits ehe. Enjoy! 💖
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Kidnapped Genshin Boys x Fem Rich!reader pt.2
Part 1 (Kaeya, Zhongli, Xiao)
Characters: Childe, Diluc, Kazuha
Genre: fluff, established relationship, some woman kicking ass action, (TW: mentions of blood and violence)
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CHILDE
Your boyfriend would definitely try to go head-to-head against the shady group of people who abducted him. The gang accountable must be living under the rock for even considering one of the most dangerous Harbingers as their prey to carry out their schemes.
However, Childe learned that there would be ramifications if he tries to be rash without gathering solid intel first. Having no knowledge of your current circumstances and whereabouts troubled him to the core. They could have already sent out a corresponding group towards you and endanger you if he failed to listen.
Being wealthy is not a foreign concept to Childe as he is also a wealthy man himself. That said, the premonition of being a target for a ransom would not be unrealistic to him. For now, he is glad that he is the victim here instead of having to witness you kidnapped.
"You know, you could've asked me nicely for some money. I might just give it to you, instead of doing all this for my girlfriend's money." Despite being in a position far from desirable, Childe leisurely sat on the chair that he was bound to, crossing his legs. He was making small talks to push away the worst scenarios happening to you. Are you safe? Are you crying? Did they hurt you?
"I don't know who you are to be running your mouth, but you should value your life a little more." Their leader emerged from the group.
Childe's ocean eyes squinted as menace casts upon his pupils, his voice lowered, "Is that so? Ironic, because you guys seem to value money more than your lives."
The head stepped back slightly, "Enough with your empty threats! You should be aware of the current situation you're in. We're not fooling around here."
"I'm not fooling around either."
As sparks were thrown back and forth, you made your way in through the main entrance. Tapping the shoulder that belongs to one of the men, "Excuse me, I need to get to my boyfriend." Your fist sunk into the side of his face when he turned towards you. He collapsed on the ground with a few broken teeth and blood spewing out of his mouth. Moving on to the next adversary in your path, you fought with full faith in your abilities no matter how intimidating they were.
Soon, the leader and people further ahead finally took notice of it. You pave your way towards your boyfriend and eventually, both your eyes meet each other. Childe puffed out a breath of relief when he finally saw you, but also registering the fact that you just took down most of the men with your bare hands.
Kicking away the men who tried to grab you, you then waved enthusiastically at Childe, "Hey girlie, hold still." Rushing right ahead to the leader, you brought your arm near your face, elbow pointing outwards. The sharp edge from your elbow jabbed his throat, causing him to choke and lose balance.
As his reaction dulled, it was your chance to strike again. Thus, you gallantly overthrew their leader and the entire gang by yourself.
After helping Childe, he stood up abruptly and placed his hands on your shoulder with eagerness written all over the face, "I never knew you could fight so well! How about a spar with me right now?" Expect your boyfriend to continuously bug you to indulge in his rampant itch to fight anyone that comes across as a worthy opponent. Though, the real takeaway from this experience was the way your hair clings to your face with sweat as the adhesive and the triumph look in your eyes. It was a rather attractive sight to relish in his taste.
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DILUC
Your boyfriend would be infuriated that crooked people like these exist, much less target him to extort money from you. Just another validation to add up on how incompetent the Knights of Favonious is, he thought. Someone will have to clean up their mess, that someone being him. What better way to do that than to follow them to their hideout to seek out the whole organization?
Diluc is renowned for being one of the richest men in Teyvat. Naturally, the group thought they hit the jackpot on not only holding him for ransom, but potentially garnering some money from him as well.
The only concern he carries is your wellbeing. Diluc fears that this incident will affect you mentally. His head started filling up with formulations on ways to resolve this matter without causing any uproar to guarantee your safety.
When the head was introduced to him, he gritted his teeth to suppress every ounce of his might to not reach for his claymore. Diluc still has to prioritize gathering information first regarding the gang. His patrons at Angel's Share are usually the ones providing him with promising intel of any evildoers, but some things are just meant to be obtained by himself.
"Is this the only hideout you have? Quite in a shambles, don't you think?" Diluc's eyes shifted around the dilapidated building, observing the surroundings to know his enemies better.
The leader rolled his eyes, "It wouldn't be so bad once we get some funding from you and your girlfriend." Diluc hummed. Judging from his answer, it is safe to assume that the organization is rather a small scaling one. Defeating them right now will result in uprooting the source once and for all.
As Diluc was about to do so, a lackey of the gang ran frantically towards them, panting labored when he reached and trying to catch his breath. "What is it?" The leader question.
"T-there's... there's someone." He pointed towards a direction with fear layering his voice.
"What? Why are you so scared?" They all glanced towards the spot.
"I swear there was a woman! I don't know who it is, but she took out some of our guys on guard outside."
In disbelief that a woman could have done anything so reckless, the leader trudged to said location. As it is a spot lacking light, the darkness and shadow made it challenging for him to pinpoint if anyone is there. When he moved closer, you crept out behind from his blind spot and kicked the back of his head, causing his head to spin. Your arm lunged forward, gaining a tight hold onto his nape. You put everything into pushing him, his forehead hammered down to the floor. Creating a loud thud, it gave him a concussion.
"Looking for me?" Your foot stamped onto his back, just making sure he stays down.
Everyone, including your boyfriend, had their pupils dilated at the scene. You sighed at the silence, "All of you just messed with the wrong couple." Lifting your foot away, you stomped forward without giving them a second thought. Your arms and legs are all warmed up for many rounds against your foes.
Diluc watched you from afar as you drove your way towards victory. Although he could step in to help, he admits silently to himself that he would like to observe you a little longer. Putting his trust in your calibers to carry you far, his eyes never left your brave figure.
Once you cleared the group, the next thing to do is checking on Diluc. Already unfastening the restrains himself, he walked to you, "That was well executed. Your abilities shouldn't be underestimated. Don't join the Knights though." He stressed the last remark, scoffing. You chuckled and held his hand to guide him out of here, "Thanks. Glad to impress you, Master Diluc. Let's go home."
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KAZUHA
Your boyfriend is a rather hard target to impose on for their plans of kidnapping him. His senses are just too refined for an ordinary person to challenge. Basic tactics, such as overthrowing him with the element of surprise have proven to be futile. Thus, Kazuha will always be able to evade falling prey into their hands.
The only way Kazuha could have been kidnapped is through falsifying evidence of you being in a life-threatening situation. Although he has successfully saved his own skin, not the same could be applied to you. Feeling his resolve shaken, what other choices could he have? Prioritizing your safety is the most important thing right now.
Kazuha may have faced similar situations in the past when out in the sea, encountering pirates of other crew aiming for the Crux Fleet's fortune. Being in the position as a captive for ransom is new. He actually found it amusing, rather than having thoughts of blaming you. It is not your fault that you are blessed with wealth. It is the fault of the criminals.
"Ain't you that the kid who's with Beidou? You're part of her crew." The leader questioned his target, to which he was greeted by Kazuha's silence. "Tell you what. You're just like the rest of us. We want to be rich. How about you ask your girlfriend to bring some more money and we'll give you a share as well?"
Kazuha's face darkened, "I don't know what you've heard, but it must be really valiant of you to assume to worst out of the Crux Fleet and myself. I'd appreciate it if you cease lumping me together with criminals like you."
The Crux Fleet does put up with an infamous reputation amongst the Qixing. Perhaps the abductors concluded that Kazuha has a negative conscience just like them, as in upholding a relationship with you to have a taste of your assets. Still, if he tried to talk his way out of it, barbarians like them will never reach a mutual understanding with him. Kazuha shut his eyes, ignoring any further confrontations to preserve his energy as he contemplates a plan.
He was interrupted when he thought he heard your voice nearby, carried by the wind. The others around him did not hear it since it was just something only Kazuha could pick up. Applying full concentration, he managed to form what he heard, "Get out of my way, please, while I'm asking nicely."
Opening his eyes, he turned to stare at the entrance. As if on cue, the door swung open when you kicked it down, announcing your presence. Some men fainted below your feet.
The others instantly reacted by storming towards your direction to stop your advancement. You stood still in your position, taking a mindful deep breath. One thing you learned from Kazuha is to always remain cold-headed before engaging in a fight.
Kazuha wanted to get out of the restraints to rescue you, but instead, you started dishing out few moves against the men.
When you thought you finished with the remaining numbers, their leader was about to declare his victory, "I got you!" Encircling his arm around your neck in an attempt to strangle you, you huffed and grinned towards Kazuha to signal him you have it under control.
You elbowed his stomach and felt him loosen his grip when he winced. Making enough gap between his arm and your neck, you slipped away and swiftly kicked in between his groins. The color drained from his face and tumbled to the ground, passing out in pain, "Hmph, this is what happens when you touch a lady without her permission." You brushed away the hair from your face after an arduous fight.
Jogging towards your boyfriend, "Kazuha!" He brisked towards you as well and held you in his embrace, softly rubbed your nape, "You're giving me plenty of inspirations for a haiku after such a wonderful performance." Kazuha would appreciate you refraining from such a heedless approach next time. He was comforted to see you safe and knowing the threats were nothing more than to use you, his weakness, against him. After witnessing that, Kazuha will be slightly ashamed he even doubted you in the first place, so he trusts that you can watch out for yourself next time.
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monodipita · 3 years
Text
an icy stroll with the cavalry captain
words: 1,600
warning(s): general dark themes ahead, yandere themes
A/N: part 1/?? --do send in requests for content if you have any, my request box is open.
"Disobeying curfew, are we, [Y/N]? Naughty, naughty!"
His snooty, heartless tone produced shivers to roll down your spine. You swallowed thickly and turned your head to view none other than Kaeya, which caused you to freeze in place--to be expected of the cryo user. What a devilishly handsome man!
"How did you know?" You asked. And here you thought you disguised your tracks so well...
"Every night for the past twelve nights, you leave your home and stroll leisurely through this area before you take a right around the shrub and head in that direction. What's it mean to you?" He dodged your question with another one, making you bite the inside of your cheek nervously. "Is it that partner of yours?" He pressed, "not enough time to see them in the day? It must be nice to be with the one you love, it's not something I get to experience often." He chuckled, "lucky you."
"You can relax around me, you know. It's only my duty as a Knight to watch over the citizens of Mondstadt," He purred at you to possibly ease your mind, but you felt uncomfortable with the situation. Kaeya was a shady man, no questions asked. . .who knew what he was thinking at any given time? The only predictable thing about him was his drinking habits.
"I-I should go home." You spoke quietly, barely above the lull of an inside voice. How amusing, given the hurt in your heart. You wanted to see your partner so badly. Tonight was a special night for you both, and you didn't want to miss it for anything in Teyvat.
"Mm, now, where's the fun in that? I'm not opposed to the idea of you meeting up with your partner, if that's what you're thinking," Kaeya responded coolly, walking up to you and wrapping an arm around your shoulder. You immediately tensed, causing him to chuckle and lean in close to you. He smelled faintly of alcohol, a scent he could've worn naturally by this point. "If it's because you want to see your beloved, by all means, I wouldn't want to be a buzzkill. I'll keep you company while you walk, aye?"
...could you really say no?
"Sure, I guess," you flash a nervous smile at him. "Ah!" He exclaimed with a grin formed on his handsome lips, "then let's not waste time! I know you want to get to your partner's home."
And so, the two of you shared the cobblestone-paved road while he "escorted" you to your destination. The silence between you created a tension so thick that it could've been pierced with a weapon. In your mind, you were trying to make sense of things, but nothing seemed to come up. Just why would Kaeya be out so late at night? You just couldn't think of anything.
"You know, your partner has a pretty sharp eye in the Knights. How do you feel about them becoming an outrider?" Kaeya casually asked. Again, about your partner. You were beginning to notice a pattern, but to keep up appearances, you played along. "I had a feeling they were going to excel. I'm very proud of them, they're usually way too hard on themselves."
"It's because you were training them, weren't you?"
...
Again on the reminder that you could've gone into the knights yourself. He must've been scarred by that day. "Kaeya," you sighed exasperatedly and eyed him with a vexed expression, "please. I'm not, and won't be ready to enter into the knights. You know this, and yet you still find the heart to guilt trip me every time you bring it up?" You jabbed at him. "Have you any way of considering me at all?"
"I am considering you. By pressuring you, of course. Tough love never hurt anyone. Diluc and I practice that type of behavior all the time." If holding weapons at each other's throats was considered "tough love", then you didn't know what to think. "As long as I can pressure you enough to join the knights, then I know you'll thank me later."
"Why?!" You suddenly snapped, bringing your "leisurely" (if stepping so aggressively you could shake little baby teeny pebbles was leisurely, then sure) pace to a complete stop. You turned to face him and glared into his one, piercing azure eye. "I've told you time and time again that I don't want to be in the knights!"
"You don't mean that." Kaeya's eyes hooded, his tone eerily casual. "You wouldn't possibly spend out on spending time with some of the best-skilled people in Mondstadt, would you? I don't think you've even considered the opportunity that's been given to you. Constantly, mind you. I've practically gifted it to you on a silver platter. Are you proud that your...partner..." he seemed to hold back from saying anything rude, "has assumed your position?"
"..." you glared at him.
"Because I'm not," he purred. Even when things were so heated, he didn't even seem to break a sweat. He gently gripped your chin with minimal resistance on your end, and his chilled fingers braced your throat. Your body tensed, while your eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you doing?"
"It should've been you as my partner, not them. They're nowhere near you, who you are, and what you could be. In fact, your partner is holding you back. I don't think we have to see eye-to-eye to see such an obvious fact, yes?" Kaeya's voice dropped lower, to that of a mumble. "If only you accepted just how skilled you are, then we wouldn't be in this situation. I wouldn't have to see them every day, I could see you instead. I could be--" he stopped, while you remained silent. The duality of him saying 'partner' started to really fuck with your head. The air was so thin, coupled with no one being around to see or hear what was going on, that he was even able to get away with this.
"But alas, you want to continue wasting your breath on an unfortunate human being. I'm certainly not the one to meddle in other people's business, so I'll escort you to your partner's home, and I'll be well on my way..." He trailed off then, putting a pause in his unsettling dialogue. You furrowed your brows as he dropped his hold on your chin, releasing it from the icy grip he maintained on it. How utterly terrifying.
"...I don't want to walk with you anymore." It was all you could muster. Your lip trembled, possibly from a mix of the encroaching cold, Kaeya's words, and a blend of anger and fear. "I want you to get away from me."
"Let's relax," Kaeya hummed as he draped his hands over your shoulders. He turned you into the direction of your partner's home and gave you the gentle push to resume walking. "I'm harmless. Please? Just this one night. I can take you there, and we don't have to say a single word to anyone. We'll just keep my drunken ramblings between us, yes?" He drank so much that his breath permeated alcohol, no matter what time of the day. You must've gotten used to smelling it on him.
And foolishly, you believed his words. You took a deep breath and channeled your anger into a deep exhale, which expelled some of the negative feeling out of your body. He wanted to remain friendly, right? That was totally fine. Sure. Friendly.
As the two of you continued on your venture, the setting of Mondstadt began to rapidly change. The two of you ventured away from the live atmosphere that carried on, even this late at night, despite the curfew arranged for this city of freedom. These homes and buildings that surrounded you weren't lit up at all, and to tell the truth, it didn't seem like anyone was in them. The post lamps served as the only light to guide your way through the wide streets. It was very creepy...
But as you realized that you'd been walking for far too long to have reached your partner's home, your footsteps came to a stop. This was their street, right? "Why... why did we walk all the way out here? Kaeya, where the hell did you take me?" You worriedly looked over at Kaeya, but noticed that he was missing.
"The only way I could make you mine was if I isolated you, of course. I was so moved by your performance that I felt the need to act. I feel bad for lying to you, but not enough to apologize." Kaeya hovered over your half-conscious body. "I've waited far too long for this opportunity. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Someone in their right mind would've stopped... no, someone in their right mind wouldn't have even done what I've done in the first place, but I'm a patient man, and I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want done."
"What... what do... you..." You couldn't even speak, he must've hit you too hard. Oops.
"What do I want? I want you, silly. I wouldn't go through all this trouble if I didn't. You're so special to me that I'd resort to committing unspeakable acts,"
He lifted your half-conscious body up into his arms. "I'm so excited! I've been waiting for this opportunity ever since you got with your partner! And now I can have you to myself. Don't ever question my method of doing things; just know that I get them done." His voice carried into the air.
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