#kaeya soulmate au

[intothegenshinworld]

1k event post || 1k event masterlist

Original ask: HERE

Note: Thank you so much for requesting Kaeya! Don’t really know if it’s hurt/comfort cause there’s no real ‘happy’ ending but no ‘bad’ one either. I guess both reader and Kaeya never get that full feeling of closure here. But I hope you still enjoy this!!

A few months before your 17th birthday your neighbour Draff had found your unconscious body near the lake of Springvale.

Your body had been in bad shape when he found you. 

You were covered with burn marks and there was a slash covering your right eye. Without wasting time Draff carefully brought your injured body to a healer, but unfortunately the damage had already been done. 

You lost your sight in your right eye and the burn scars would remain as well. 

Many people had been worried, not only for you, but your soulmate too.

When Draff found you there’d been no sign of fire or danger. The only reasonable explanation for you accident would be linked to your soulmate, the one you hadn’t met yet.

Whatever happened to you, it had happened to your soulmate first.

Were they an adventurer? Did someone attack them?

In all honesty, you’d be lying if you never blamed your soulmate for your scars. The burn marks weren’t big, if you dressed well they’d go unnoticed. But the scar across your right eye?

You tried to hide it, but when you used an eyepatch it only attracted more questions from strangers.  So you decided you were better off without one.

Springvale was a small place. Everyone knew your story and you’d only get stares from outsiders, people you wouldn’t speak to anyways.

And so,

after a few months of recovery,

you decided you could live with this.

The first Weinlesefest after your accident a knight similar to your own age approached you for help.

You take a moment to take in his appearance.

He was a tall young man with a lean build and a tanned complexion. He has navy-blue hair and it has a streak of lighter blue in it. There’s also a lock of hair longer than any others, falling over his shoulders and onto his chest.

As a knight, he wears the same armour as the others. He has a sword strapped to his waist, interestingly there’s a cryo vision hanging from the belt. What’s most noticeable about him is the black eyepatch covering his right eye.

Wait. Eyepatch?

Immediately you were drawn in, looking for more information. Could he be your soulmate?

But with his rolled up sleeves you got a good view of his arms.

No burn marks in sight.

Your hands move over to your own arms, ghosting over the area where your skin was scarred. And although he wasn’t your soulmate, he’d been the first person to treat you normally.

It’s a nice change of pace from the pitiful looks you received after your accident.

So, you helped him.

You drew the general layout of Springvale onto a piece of paper, and with his problem resolved – he thanked you before he left towards his destination with your map in his hands.

The following days his blob of navy blue hair stood out between the crowd.

You wanted to say you’d been surprised, but you somehow anticipated the knight showing up again.

But instead of asking for a map, he asked for help with navigating the boar areas near Springvale. As usual, the animals had sensed the harvest season and appeared to come closer and closer to civilisation.

As you circled the parts on his map (he finally got a good one) he introduced himself as Kaeya, a knight in training. He’d been tasked to help with the organisation of the festival, along with the general task of safety, including fighting off boars.

You teased him about his lack of knowledge of Mondstadt’s layout as a knight, but he shrugged it off.

“Aren’t you glad to be helping out a knight like me?”

You’d smile before rolling your eyes at him. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around, Kaeya? Knights are supposed to help civilians.”

You marked the areas with boars on his map and had suggested he’d take Draff, your neighbour and a popular hunter, with him.

Similar to last time, he’d thank you before scurrying off to his destination.

Only this time, right before he disappeared into the crowd, he’d yell out a promise. Next time he’d act like a proper knight and chat with you instead of asking for help.

You’d have a hard time hiding your smile for the rest of the day.

Before the Weinlesefest would end, you saw Kaeya again.

He had pushed through the crowds to say hi, and as promised, he chatted with you instead of asking for help and then running off again.

He asked you to join him for a drink.

“I don’t know… There are a lot of people here.”

The people in Springvale didn’t stare, but the masses from Mondstadt city coming to the Weinlesefest would.

“Oh? And here I assumed you were avoiding me for these past days. If you want we could always search a quiet place.”

“I’d like that.”

The whole evening you’d wait for Kaeya to ask you why you avoided the crowd.

He never did.

There’s a knock on your door. You don’t expect anyone but a nagging feeling in the back of your mind screams; Kaeya.

You abandon your previous task of folding your laundry and walk over to the door, and surely, the familiar blue haired Knight stood in front of you.

In the last few months it’d become a routine for Kaeya to show up at least once a week, but never like this.

His head hangs low, eyes evading yours. He doesn’t seem upset, but he doesn’t seem alright either.

When you ask him what’s wrong he seems to have trouble gathering the right words. He opens his mouth only to close it right after.

Without further questions you’d open the door wider, inviting him in.

That day would be the first time when Kaeya opened up to you. Perhaps because of your silent understanding for whatever he was going through.

You’d later find out that he’d been one of the Ragnvindr sons, and although he’d been adopted, you couldn’t imagine the pain he felt.

You had heard the news of Crepus Ragnvindr dying. It had been around the time where you got into your own accident, so you’d been in recovery when you first heard it.

Kaeya had told you he became the Cavalry Captain earlier that day. It should’ve been something to be proud of, he knows, but apparently his brother had been the Cavalry Captain before him.

When you’d ask about Diluc Ragnvindr, Kaeya would fall silent once again.

At first, it seemed that Kaeya took some distance from you after opening up.

You wondered if you’d pushed too much, maybe your question about his brother had been insensitive.

But alas, after a few weeks he knocked on your door once more.

In his hands had been a wine bottle, in his other he’d have chocolates.

“I thought we’d spend Valentine together.”

“Valentine?” You laugh shortly. “Are you okay with that? – Most people tend to save these days for their soulmate, whether they found them or not. You definitely seem like one of those people.”

He’d hesitate for a moment,

“You don’t have a soulmate?”

You’d joke about your soulmate ruining your life and for the first time you’d show Kaeya the scars the burn wounds left behind.

His hands would gently graze over your arms, tracing the spots you’d been carefully hiding under coats and sleeves.

For the full duration of his visit he’d talk about his new job – being the cavalry captain. And although he never apologized for the few weeks he’d been absent from your life, you understood his way of making it up to you.

Once again, his visits became a routine.

Kaeya would drop by after work. Depending on his free time to spend, it’d be a quick check-up, helping you prepare dinner, or spending the whole afternoon with you.

You’d gotten to know his favourite songs, food, colour, topics, and more.

Previously you’d felt like an outcast ever since your accident. You were unable to leave Springvale without anxiety taking over, you couldn’t do any more exploration quests, and you had started to isolate yourself without knowing you did.

Kaeya brought out the best out of you.

There was a time where you hoped he’d be your soulmate. But whoever your soulmate was, they’d be covered with the same burn marks and scars you have.

Maybe if you never had a soulmate at all you wouldn’t have these wounds.

And maybe if you didn’t have a soulmate, you’d be able to say the words ‘I love you’ to Kaeya.

He’d be the first person to take you outside of Springvale after the accident.

You’d drink a few glasses of wine before he’d walk you back home.

You now know why the staff of Angel Share seems to know him so well.

And as routine continued for a few years, the day came for Diluc Ragnvindr to return to Mondstadt again.

Kaeya showed up less often after that. He’d still send letters, saying his job was occupying him more than before, but you knew better.

He’d never told you what happened between him and his brother, but you assumed both became distant from each other after the death of their father.

You’d walk to Mondstadt alone to search for Kaeya.

Two weeks had passed since his brothers return and you hadn’t seen him since. It had been the longest time you hadn’t seen him in years.

While searching in familiar spots you walk into Angels Share, but instead of the blue haired Ragnvindr brother, you found the redheaded one.

The tavern had been busy, but you still rushed out when you made eye contact with Diluc Ragnvindr.

“I heard you met Diluc.” Kaeya smirks and you turn your head away.

“Hmm. Not exactly what happened.” You roll your eyes. “I ran away when I first made eye contact with him. I doubt that counts as ‘meeting someone’.”

You hear Kaeya chuckle and you can’t help but smile. He’s on your right side. You have to fully turn your head for him to be visible.

The both of you had decided to plop down in the grass near the lake of Springvale. His sword is somewhere next to him and his horse is tied to a tree a bit further away.

He came straight from the Favonius Headquarters after he ran into his brother. While he wouldn’t share what the redhead told him you assumed it had something to do with either their fight or your awkward introduction.

“I was worried about you.”

Kaeya sighs dramatically, easing the tension in the air. “I’m fine. Diluc can be a bit dramatic but I can handle it.”

“Are you sure?”

He hums.

Earlier that day Diluc had approached Kaeya. And as the person who’d given Kaeya the scar across his right eye, he had easily recognised the same one on your face.

Kaeya doesn’t have any burn marks. Somehow the gods decided to give him a cryo vision to save his life and to save his body from the flames Diluc casted so long ago.

But you hadn’t been as lucky.

Days – or rather years – Kaeya had wondered why he’d been the one to receive the cryo vision.

You hadn’t known him at that point, you’d been a bystander, and yet the gods decided to save him and to leave you behind.

They rejected a beautiful person like you and favoured the filthy person he was.

He initially thought you knew he was your soulmate, until you confirmed you didn’t.

You thought your soulmate had to have the exact same wounds. A scar on your right eye and burn marks covering your arms, but he didn’t. And so you never realised the person closest to you was your soulmate.

For years Kaeya had decided to enjoy your company as much as you’d let him.

He didn’t deserve you after all that had happened. How could he ever tell you the truth?

But with Diluc back in Mondstadt it’s bound to be a ticking time bomb.

Kaeya moves his head to face you. You’re both still laying in the grass. Your eyes are closed and your hair moves with the soft breeze that flows across the meadow.

Maybe he’d tell you next time.

But for now he’d enjoy these last moments of peace with the only person that can ever understand him.

His soulmate.

You.

© intothegenshinworld. Do not copy, repost, translate or take heavy inspiration from my content. Thanks for reading.

#1k event #Kaeya #kaeya x reader #kaeya x y/n #kaeya genshin impact #Genshin #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #soulmate au #genshin angst #nct angst #is it angst? #a little bit #but a little bit wholesome as well

[ricedsq]

Kaeya in a band

#genshin impact #genshin fanart #genshin impact kaeya #kaeya alberich #kaeya #chaeya #childe #childe x kaeya #genshin impact childe #tartagalicious #tartagalia genshin impact #kaeya x childe #band au #kaeya fanart #kaeya in a band #they are in love #they are soulmates

[qwanhei]

[ Imprints ] 

HC that when the full force of an elemental burst hits you, it forever engraves its constellation on your body 🌟

#genshin impact #diluc #diluc ragnvindr #Kaeya #kaeya alberich #kaeluc #Luckae #pavo ocellus #noctua #constellations #headcanon #soulmates au but make it angsty as fuck #by making them engrave their OWN soulmark on the other through violence #idk #my brain has idea and I'm just going along with it

[angstcorp]

If requests are open can I get a soulmate HCs? Ty

Hmmmm, you know what? Why not. I like the idea so let's go. I put some worldbuilding first, and as you didn't specify any character, I'll go with my usual ones.

SOULMATE AU - PART I

Summary: Just some headcanons and a bit of worldbuilding about a Soulmate AU. Here is part II.

Author's note: ... Eheheh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to develop this worldbuilding so much BUT REALLY, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. It's long so I haven't reread it yet so please forgive any mistake I made! I will correct them later... eventually.

Characters: Ayaka, Ayato, Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli

Warnings: Gender neutral reader, soulmates, mention of injuries in Diluc's (not described, Diluc is the one injured).

WORLDBUILDING

Everyone is born with a small mark somewhere on their body that will grow and take a specific shape as they grow older until reaching adulthood.

Each mark is unique. It can be of any size, shape, place, or even colour. It can represent something or nothing at all. However, it always has the same "dots" as the person's constellation even if it doesn't represent the same thing or animal. Example: your constellation might be a dog, each star will get a dot on your skin, but the soul mark could represent a flame, or nothing at all.

Your soulmate won't have the same mark, however upon meeting, his mark will appear next to yours on your body. Some parts can overlap or mix, and the size and colour might change a little bit, but it's unmistakable.

The feeling of receiving your soulmate's mark depends from people to people.

The place of a soulmate in society depends from region to region. In Mondstadt, it's both seen as a very romantic thing and as a unnecessary hindrance depending on who you ask. In Liyue it is seen as an "ultimate contract", one you can't break and is held in very high regard. In Inazuma, it is seen as a form of social recognition, so the higher in the social ladder your soulmate is, the better.

A soulmate is not necessarily romantic (though fair warning, it'll all be romantic partners in the following headcanons).

You need to be ready to get your soulmate. You could know someone for years, and suddenly one day they're your soulmate because one of you wasn't ready to fully commit, or wasn't mentally in a good place enough for that.

A soulmate is more than just a mark on your skin. Your souls get bonded together. It allows you some limited connection, like feeling the general direction your soulmate is, if they are in danger, in distress, or hurt, and also sharing very basic feelings.

When your soulmate dies, their mark will leave a scar on your skin. Some people die at the same time as their soulmate, some people become like an empty shell, some people survive but lose something deep inside them, some people lose a sense. It depends on the person.

Now that the worldbuilding is done, the characters are under the read more (Ayaka, Ayato, Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli).

AYAKA absolutely loves the idea of getting her very own soulmate. She is loved by everyone, but she lacks any kind of meaningful connection with other people, except maybe for her brother and Thoma. So the idea that someday, sharing a bond so strong and so deep with someone else? Yes, that's the dream. However, she doesn't really delude herself and keep it to herself. She knows that depending on who her soulmate is, there might be some backlash against it.

And then one day, she meets you. It's a completely normal day for the both of you, Thoma is the one who introduces you as someone important for the next festival and suddenly, there's this cooling breeze sensation on where your soulmark is. You don't even need to check to know what happened, because Ayaka's expression is a mix of disbelief, excitement, and confusion. Thoma is looking back and forth between you two, completely confused, and Ayaka has to hide her blush behind her fan. "I'm... looking forward getting to know you better."

At first, you keep your relationship between the two of you, just so you have time to get to know each other and building your bond on a solid base. Only Thoma is aware of it, and he is forbidden to even tell Ayato (because she knows her brother and how ruthless he is going to be to make sure you're a good match for his baby sister). So for maybe the first weeks, it's only the two of you sharing sweet moments together, taking things slow. You have the rest of your lives after all.

AYATO... absolutely hates the whole thing. Not really the soulmate, but everything that comes around it: how much pressure he is under because he is a noble and how his worth will be partly determined by who his soulmate is, how he will be expected to have a "proper spouse" beside his soulmate if they don't fit high standards, how he had to meet so many people in his life because they were hoping to form that special connection with him. He hasn't met his soulmate and it has given his so many headaches already. And he is so busy anyway! And he would have to add his soulmate to his schedule? That's way too much of a hassle. Also, it's just another weakness he would have to protect, because of course they would target them instead of him.

But also, in a deep part of his heart, he longs to meet someone that would be his match, someone he could connect to such a deep level. He feels... lonely. And thinking about a soulmate just makes that hole in his chest a lot more present, so he just brushes all those thoughts off and focuses on all the negative instead. And then, one day, he meets you, and he feels like he is in the middle of a waterspout. He stays there, staring at you with eyes wide open, completely silent. His mark feels like rain drops on your skin, and when you call out gently to him, it feels like he finally found the eye of the storm. A genuine smile appears on his lips, and he introduces himself properly to his soulmate.

I won't lie, there will be many challenge in your new relationship, but Ayato will face them all gladly with you by his side. He feels... at peace, knowing you'll be there with him as he'll be there with you. He is not alone anymore. There won't be an official announcement at first, but Ayato won't try to hide either. He just wants to enjoy being with you, without caring much about anything else around him. Ayaka will be happy to welcome you in their family and to see her brother so happy. Maybe having a soulmate wasn't so bad after all.

DILUC's feelings on the subject changed during his life. He is a very romantic man at heart no matter how awkward he can be with actual romance. Growing up, he dreamt of meeting his soulmate and spending his life with them, knowing deep in his heart they would be perfect for each other and could only be happy, facing the world together. And then, his father died and it changed his life in so many ways, including this one. Now Diluc is more... reserved. Like Ayato, he is worried his position will put them in danger, but also... he knows he is not good with relationship and romance. What if he fucks it up? What if he somehow lacks something and can't provide his soulmate?

So yes, the man is kind of a ball of anxiety over the whole ordeal, and to be honest, as long as the Abyss Order is around, he would rather be free and not have to worry about an additional soulmate on top of everything. However, well, you just don't decide when or where you meet your soulmate. And, because apparently fate is a bitch, you are the one who saves his ass, just as he was injured after a skirmish with the Abyss Order. It wasn't a life-threatening injury, but still something that needed to be treated so you invited him to rest somewhere while you got some medical supplies to take care of them before they got infected.

The moment your hand touched his, there was a warmth, like a beating heart, on your soulmark. The heat lasted for a moment, and when you looked at Diluc, he was staring back at you with red cheeks. Of course. Of course the moment he would meet his soulmate was during a moment of weakness, oh no, what were you going to say, he was strong, he could promise you he was strong, this was but a flesh wound, he could protect you, he could be a good soulmate- And then, a gentle smile was on your lips, and his world felt complete. His wound needed treatment first of course, but then, how about a drink or two to talk about stuff? Diluc could only nod at that, trying to say "yes" but only a squeak escaped his lips and he swears he could die.

Oh, KAEYA is absolutely, completely, utterly TERRIFIED of that. He is scared shitless down to his very bones. Everything screams at him that this is a terrible idea. He comes from Khaenri'ah, a land cursed by the gods from Celestia themselves, his own father abandoned him, his adoptive brother rejected him when he learned the truth, and worse, he himself was unable to connect to his adoptive father's death no matter how devastated he felt inside. So really, he is so, so afraid. He doesn't know what is worse, no having a soulmate at all, or having one but they are what he sees in the mirror.

He'll joke and brush any comment of meeting his soulmate, saying he would break too many hearts if he did, or that nothing could be strong enough to make him settle down. Yes, the poor man is scared. So when he finally meets you, when he feels a curious sensation on his soulmark at the same time you feel a tickling cold on yours, he knows. He knows, and he actually runs away and pretends nothing happened, because you're the most gorgeous, perfect, sweetest being in all of creation in his eyes and if he stays with you, if he gets close to you, he is going to taint you and you don't deserve that. He leaves you alone, wondering what just happened and whose soulmark did you get and he doesn't look back.

Don't worry though, it won't last. The man is going to get drunk a couple of times and several days will pass, letting you think that maybe your soulmate was one that rejected the very idea of a soulmate, or maybe it was because it was you, and all those horrible things. And Kaeya just can't let you think that, you deserve the truth. So he'll come and find you with a bunch of flowers, ready to explain everything to you, how he is sorry but he can't do this... but only after a few minutes he is at your feet grovelling and begging you to forgive him and to give him a chance. Poor man is a mess but now he is your mess. He'll apologize over and over for what he did, and for a long time, but once he gets over it, he is the most loyal and caring soulmate you could hope for. He has this one chance, and he is NOT going to fuck it up, and that's a promise he makes to both you and himself.

ZHONGLI has waited for you for a very, very long time. He is a patient man, but he wasn't really expecting he would have to wait that long and had kind of... accepted it wasn't meant to be. Maybe his purpose was Liyue and nothing else. He tried to tell himself it was for the best, after all he was too busy with wars and protecting his people to give his soulmate the proper attention they deserve but deep down, he longed to have someone by his side. He had a huge part in how important soulbonds were in Liyue's culture. It was, in a way, the ultimate contract, one he was so ready to cherish above everything else.

So he waited, and waited, and waited. He never directly sought you out, but rather kept living his life, century after century, simply telling himself that if it was meant to be, then it would eventually happen. And then, one day, he met you. He knew, even before the soulmark appeared on his skin, he knew at the sound of your laugh in the street. He turned around, looking for the source of such beautiful song, his heart suddenly beating faster. It feels as if time itself stayed still for this moment, and it feels forever until Zhongli joins you.

You're very confused at first about this man walking to you? Then he politely salutes you and introduces himself, but you don't hear his exact word because a very strong yet gentle pulse appears on your soulmark, and you instinctively know what's happening. You smile back at him, and he tells you with the softest voice that he has waited for you a long time. After that, he'll take you with him somewhere you can talk in private (unless you have prior obligation, but you're not escaping him). He'll tell you everything then, and if you allow it, he'll always keep you close, basking in your presence. Your relationship will evolve at your own pace, but in his eyes, there's no doubt, you're the one for him and he'll love you for the rest of eternity.

#angsty ask #request #genshin impact #ayaka x reader #ayato x reader #diluc x reader #kaeya x reader #zhongli x reader #headcanons #Soulmate AU

[tamerofdarkstars]

fic: out of sight (out of mind)

Soulmates share injuries and when Diluc collapses abruptly behind the bar at the Angel's Share, it doesn't take Kaeya long to figure out exactly what's happened.

The only question, then, is what to do with that information?

READ IT ON AO3

#chiluc #genshin diluc #genshin childe #diluc x childe #kaeya pov #sometimes i fic #soulmate au

[shatteredeternity]

in stamina nimiam implicitus - fatalis occursus

a/n // i greatly apologize if i mischaracterize any of the characters, as i'm unable to replicate the characters' purple prosed(?) dialogue. also, just before i anger anyone with my character pairings, most of them are put together not because i ship them or anything like that.

alberich, kaeya - mondstadt (khaenri'ah, perhaps?)

╸every once in a while, you'd treat yourself to bars or fine dining despite the little mora you have. a little tradition you picked up from a light novel you've read before.

╸having used up most of your remaining coinage on poor choices (and do it once more this night), you stumble your way to angel's share as you try to adjust your coat to hide the ripped and stained parts of your blouse done by one of your 'client's' spouses.

╸you stepped into the tavern and took in the alcohol-tinted air, a hint of familiarity pricking at your nose.

╸taking a seat on an empty barstool by the counter, you notice a blue-haired man clothed in shades of navy and alike seated next to you, talking about light-hearted gossip with the bartender.

╸'it's always a treat to see fresh meat in this tavern, isn't it?' he asked rhetorically, catching you off-guard as you wondered if it was directed to you or the person he was talking to.

╸"what would make you say that?" the man turned to you, a slender champagne glass in hand while he used his other to lean his cheek on. "a set of eyes boring into the back of your skull is a feeling that can't be mistaken for no other, don't you think?" his words brought a slight flush of embarrassment to your cheeks.

╸"tell me your name, stranger." there was something about his suave voice that sent shivers down your spine. "it's the least you could spare me after the eyeful you got from me. i'd hate to get off the wrong foot with someone i have yet to know about." he uttered, suave voice spreading throughout your brain like butter.

╸it took you a brief moment to think of a name to introduce yourself as. you've already used aster (windwheel aster), dandy (dandelion) was unfitting for the persona you portrayed, which led to your last option.

╸"cecilia. i must apologize for the rudeness. i'm afraid i presented myself in an improper light different from the one i hoped to." the man remained silent, taking a quick sip from his glass before averting his attention back to you once more.

╸"pray tell, what is this light?" he asked curiously, voice glinting with interest. "an eye for an eye, captain. can't say til' you state your own name in return." he let out a hearty laugh at the joke and your unintentional pun.

╸"kaeya, cavalry captain of the knights of the favonius." he paused. "though, i'm just a captain without any cavalry to lead."

#kaeya x gender neutral reader #yandere kaeya #yandere x you #tw yandere #yandere genshin impact #male yandere #gender neutral reader #yanshin soulmate au

[avidgrapejuicelover]

mark me with your words - ch. 7

pairing: diluc x childe

genre: angst & fluff/ au-soulmate

warnings: none

word count: 4.3k

summary: “Blue.”

His Fated’s favorite color was blue. They had matching favorite colors. 

Diluc laughed, staring at the badly written word.

also on ao3 under the user playfuldreams

ch.1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4 | ch. 5 | ch. 6 | ch. 7 | ch. 8

enjoy!~

The night of his birthday, Diluc could barely fall asleep. After finally receiving an answer back, Diluc did not know what to do. 

He wanted to write back, but felt if he held the quill, he wouldn’t be able to stop writing and have another “ink incident” like when he was little. He was older now, ten years old in fact. He was more mature. 

With that mindset, he went to bed and told himself he would respond the next day.

After eating breakfast the next morning, Diluc ran back to his room. He grabbed the ink bottle and his quill out from his drawer and set them on his table. Dipping the quill tip in the ink, he positioned it over his arm. 

Diluc hesitated, keeping the tip in the air. What if he didn’t get a response back? He wasn’t expecting an immediate response, but what if Diluc didn’t hear back even after a few days? Or a week? Or even a whole year? 

Diluc didn’t think he would be able to handle that. Not after he had learned that he in fact did have a Fated.

While contemplating whether to write or wait to see if his Fated sent another message, a drop of silver ink fell onto Diluc’s arm. Now that his skin had been marked, Diluc made up his mind. He had already sent thousands of messages even when he thought he didn’t have a Fated. Waiting a bit longer for a reply knowing someone was reading his message wouldn’t be so bad. 

So, Diluc began writing. He wrote a simple, short message, not wanting to overwhelm his Fated. And from the way his Fated had written his name, Diluc assumed he was still learning how to write. 

Thank you for replying. I hope to talk more. Do you have a favorite color? 

Diluc reread his message dozens of times before finally getting on with his day. 

Now that he had gotten a reply, Diluc was even more paranoid about how his messages sounded. What if his Fated thought it was weird he asked about his favorite color? And he didn’t respond because of it?

Diluc did his best to push aside his concerns and focus on his training. He had done everything he could do. He just needed to trust that Ajax would respond. 

After finishing his morning training, Diluc washed up, being careful not to erase the message he wrote, and sat back at his desk to review his notes. 

Diluc had his ink and quill out ready, but got distracted and stared at his arm. He waited to see other words appear, but so far, nothing showed. 

He pulled his sleeve down and read through his lecture notes, hoping the physical barrier would take the issue off his mind. However, the letters burned on his skin, keeping his mind preoccupied. Unable to focus, Diluc rolled his sleeve back up and stared at it. 

He didn’t know how long he stayed like that. He had almost dozed off when he noticed silver lines drawing themselves on his arm. 

The sleepiness was blown away as Diluc trained his eyes on the ink. 

It looked like a picture, or rather a doodle. The line curved before crossing back over the beginning point. It appeared to be a drawing of a fish, or at least that’s what Diluc thought. 

He scratched his head. 

Diluc had asked what his favorite color was, not his favorite food. However, he couldn’t find himself to be upset since he had still gotten a reply. Diluc was about to write a new message when more lines appeared beneath the drawing. 

Diluc squinted his eyes trying to figure out what letters said. 

“B… lll… oow…?” Diluc sounded out. That didn’t sound right, so he tried again.

“B…lll… ooo..” Dilue tried again. 

He said it a couple more times before figuring out the meaning. 

“Blue.”

His Fated’s favorite color was blue. They had matching favorite colors. 

Diluc laughed, staring at the badly written word. His heart fluttered as fast as the wings of a hummingbird. 

He did wonder what the fish had to do with the color blue. Maybe to represent the ocean?

Diluc didn’t care. He was just happy he received an answer. 

He drew an arrow to the fish doodle and wrote next to it. 

Do you like fish?

Diluc heard his heartbeat as he waited. He hoped he would get another reply. 

The Anemo Archon must have been on his side since more marks appeared under his new message.

Yes. 

It was a short answer, but it didn’t stop Diluc from grinning when he read it. 

Me too. But I like meat more.

Diluc waited to see how his Fated would respond. 

After a few seconds, a smiley face was drawn next to his message. 

Diluc decided to continue his mini interrogation. He wanted to learn as much as he could about Ajax. 

How old are you? I just turned 10.

8.

‘So he was two years younger,’ Diluc thought. 

Diluc wanted to ask why he hadn’t answered any of his past messages, but he was afraid Ajax would stop responding altogether. He decided to ask another time, when they had gotten to know each other better.

Diluc continued chatting with Ajax. It was mostly him asking short questions and Ajax responding with one word answers or a drawing. Diluc didn’t know if that was because his Fated was shy or because he was still learning how to write. 

Diluc had gotten so caught up in their conversation that he didn’t realize his door had been opened until he heard Kaeya call out to him.

“What are you doing? You’re not coming down for snacks?” Kaeya asked. 

Diluc jumped, nearly spilling the ink bottle. 

“You know you should at least knock before coming in,” Diluc said as he steadied the ink.

“I did, but you didn’t answer. So I let myself in.” Kaeya smirked.

Diluc huffed. 

“I’m busy. I’ll just have some later.” Diluc waved his hand to shoo his brother away. However, Kaeya only walked further into the room.

“What are you so busy with? You even seemed distracted at breakfast.”

Diluc had been distracted. So distracted that he had forgotten to let his family know his Fated had contacted him.

Diluc blinked. He looked down to see if there was any new marking on his arm. When he didn’t see any, he put his quill down and faced Kaeya. 

“I got a reply from my Fated.” Diluc stood and walked to Kaeya. 

Kaeya’s eye widened.

“R-really?”

Diluc nodded. He grabbed Kaeya’s arm, turning him around, and then pushed on his back, leading him to the open bedroom door. 

“If you know that then you should leave me alone,” Diluc said.

“What. You won’t even tell me about them?” Kaeya struggled to stay in the room by holding onto the door edges. 

“I’m still getting to know them.” Diluc pushed harder. “And you are getting in the way of that.” He put more strength into his legs allowing him to push Kaeya out of the room. 

“I’m hurt. To think you would choose your Fated over your brother.” Kaeya lamented with a hand over his chest. 

Diluc rolled his eyes at his dramatics. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll make it up to you later,” Diluc said. He started to close the door before pausing to say one last thing.

“Don’t tell anyone yet. I… I want to tell Father first myself,” Diluc said quietly, staring at the door.

Kaeya gave a soft smile. “Okay. But you better tell him as soon as he gets back or my mouth might just slip.” Kaeya warned. He giggled as he dodged Diluc’s fist and ran downstairs to eat his snacks. 

Finally alone, Diluc closed the door and sat back at the desk. He checked his arm to see a new picture had appeared. It was a square next to a fish. Diluc had no idea what that could possibly mean. As he continued to think, a new image of what looked like a line appeared next to the fish. This only stumped Diluc even more. After trying to make sense of the drawings for a couple minutes, Diluc gave up and sent a question mark back. 

They were discussing each other’s hobbies. But no matter which hobby Diluc thought of, he could not think of any that matched a square, a fish, and a line. Or perhaps it was a stick?

‘Oh, maybe he likes cooking fish? The stick was what he put the fish on and the square was a plate?’ Diluc thought. ‘He must really like fish.’

Underneath the three drawings, letters appeared. His Fated must have taken pity on him and decided to spell it out.

Diluc sounded the letters out. “I..ce f..fff…ii..sh..ing. Ohhh. Ice fishing.”

‘What in Teyvat is ice fishing?’ Diluc thought. He asked the question to Ajax. 

After the explanation, Diluc felt he understood a bit more about Ajax. His Fated lived in a cold place with a warm family. A father who would take him and his siblings ice fishing to spend time while telling stories of adventures from far and wide. 

Diluc felt a smile creep onto his face. He wanted to go ice fishing with Ajax. Diluc wondered what kind of stories Ajax would tell him. 

After exchanging a few more words, Ajax said he had some chores to do, so Diluc said goodbye. Diluc didn’t really want to stop talking, but now that he knew his Fated would respond, it didn’t feel so bad to say bye. That just meant he could look forward to their next conversation.

It was a little past noon meaning Diluc had missed lunch. He wondered why no one called him down. 

‘Kaeya must have had something to do with it,’ Diluc thought. 

Adelinde always made sure Diluc had his meals on time since he was a “growing boy,” as she put it.

Diluc skipped down the stairs. He smelled moon pie as he got closer to the dining room. 

Kaeya was already eating when Diluc entered the room. He sat beside his brother and waited for his share of the food. 

“Are you finished talking to them?” Kaeya asked, chewing on his food.

Diluc grimaced. “You’re supposed to finish chewing your food before talking, Kaeya.”

Kaeya stuck his tongue out before munching obnoxiously big and loud. Diluc tried to close his mouth by holding the top of Kaeya’s head and pushing his jaw up. Unfortunately, Kaeya put up a fight, so it devolved into a scuffle. 

A throat cleared calling their attention. Adelinde looked at them with her “I'm-disappointed-in-your-lack-of-manners-at-the-table” face. Both the boys quickly settled down. 

Kaeya went back to eating his food with proper table manners, and Diluc began eating his. 

“Young Master Diluc, I hope the extra studying helped you understand the material better. But I do hope you don’t push yourself too hard. It’s important to eat on time and take breaks,” Adelinde said. 

“Huh?” Diluc looked up from his food. Studying?

He felt a jab at his side. He glanced in the direction to see Kaeya glance back at him and clear his throat before continuing to eat. 

Diluc caught on and quickly answered. “Oh, yes. It did help. Thank you for allowing me to focus a little longer on my studies. I will be sure to keep my health in mind next time.” 

Diluc ended with his best innocent smile. It seemed to do the trick since Adelinde gave her own smile before leaving the room. 

“I told them you wanted to get some more studying done since the test was right around the corner.” Kaeya whispered, as if there was a chance Adelinde was still listening. 

“Thanks.” Diluc smiled, once again feeling gratitude for having a brother who had his back.

“Soooo…. Are you gonna tell me about them?” 

Diluc quickly retracted his last thought.

“I’ll tell you when Father comes home.”

“But Father is coming back in another four days! That’s too long!” Kaeya whined.

“That just gives me more time to get to know him.” 

“So it’s a boy?”

Diluc glared at his brother.

“What? You’re the one who slipped up. I’m just using my observation skills to the best of my abilities.”

Diluc rolled his eyes as his brother’s response. 

“What’s his name?”

“Ajax.” 

“Woah, sounds like a warrior.”

Diluc giggled. “He likes ice fishing.”

“Ice fishing?” 

“Yeah, it’s when- wait, I said I would tell you together with Father!” Diluc’s eyes widened. His brother had gotten much better with conversing. 

“You already started, you might as well finish.” Kaeya smirked as he put another piece of the pie in his mouth.

Diluc wanted to wipe the look off his face. “No. I’ll tell you the rest once Father gets back.”

“And that’s final.” Diluc added when he saw Kaeya start to protest. 

“Fine.” Kaeya munched begrudgingly on his food. 

The night his father returned home, Diluc followed up on his promise to Kaeya. 

It was dinner time. The chefs had cooked a feast to welcome the Master back from his long trip. All the Mondstadt favorites were on the table allowing Master Crepus to truly feel the comfort of returning home.

As they ate dinner, his father recounted various events that happened on his trip and described the different sights he experienced in great detail leaving Diluc and Kaeya on the edge of their seats.

Halfway through dinner, Kaeya brought up what Diluc had been anxious about. 

“So Diluc… Didn’t you have something to tell us?” Kaeya blinked his eye with an air of innocence. 

Diluc scowled weakly at him. 

His father turned to look at him. He put down his cutlery and swallowed the rest of the food in his mouth. “Was there something you wanted to say?” 

Diluc glanced at the two before taking a breath. 

“I… I finally heard back from my Fated,” He said softly.

Diluc watched a smile spread over his father’s face. He swallowed, letting the rush of warmth run over him.

“Congrats son. I am happy for you.” 

“Thank you, Father.” Diluc blushed.

“So… what’s his name?” Kaeya asked slyly.

Diluc shot him a glare. When he saw his father looking expectantly, he sighed.

“Ajax. He is two years younger than me.”

“That must be why he had not responded until now.” His father picked his utensils back up and continued eating.

Diluc nodded.

“Where is he from?” 

“I am not sure. He said he lives in a cold place, so I think it is either Fontaine or Snezhnaya.”

His father chewed his food thoughtfully. 

“And? And? What else?” Kaeya urged.

“We have a lot in common. His favorite color is blue, and he enjoys outdoor activities. Oh, but I don’t think he knows any swordsmanship. He likes to go ice fishing with his father and siblings. Do you know what ice fishing is Father?”

“I have heard about it from my contacts in Snezhnaya. Ajax must be from there if his family goes ice fishing often. Fontaine is not nearly cold enough to have ice fishing year round”

“He has a lot of siblings too. Six in fact!”

“That’s a lot of kids. Adelinde can barely handle the two of us. Imagine if there were four more,” Kaeya said, eyes wide.

“Ajax said it’s always loud in the house and they get in a lot of fights, but they always make up.” Diluc laughed.

“I am glad to hear you are getting along.” His father paused before continuing, “Did you want to meet him?”

Diluc looked at his father. “Can I?”

“I do not see why not. I have been looking into doing business there, so I should be able to get a travel permit. Of course, we will first have to find out where Ajax lives in Snezhnaya before departing.”

“I’ll ask!” Diluc exclaimed. Noticing he stood up in his excitement, Diluc cleared his throat and sat back down. 

His father chuckled.

“The exam is coming up soon. Do you feel prepared?” His father looked at him.

Diluc swallowed his food before answering. “I think I am prepared enough to pass.”

“If you need more time, I can talk to-”

“No! There is no need. I will take the test on the day given.” 

“Alright. If that is what you want.”

Diluc nodded.

“Make sure you focus on your training and review. I know you just contacted your Fated, but with your exam coming up soon, try not to get too distracted. You will be able to talk to him after the exam too.”

“Yes Father.” Diluc straightened his back.

“Good.” His father nodded before taking a bite of the pie. 

Kaeya broke following silence with a story of one of his adventures he had with the neighboring kids. 

At night, Diluc had a bunch of thoughts racing through his head about his upcoming exam and his Fated. He only managed to fall asleep once the moon peaked. 

Since there was a week left before Diluc was to take the test to join the Knights, his schedule was rearranged so that he could spend most of his time preparing for it. A little more than half of the day was dedicated to swordsmanship and the remaining was for reviewing the rules and regulations of the Knight Order. 

His father would be staying until his exam was over. This made Diluc both happy and anxious. While he was glad to have his father by his side, he also worried that if he failed, his father would hear about it immediately. 

Diluc tried to not dwell on the negative thoughts as much and solely focus on his training. Of course, his mind didn’t always listen to him.

The nights were the worst of it. Diluc would have the small malicious voice whisper to him in the darkness of his room. It reminded him of all his failures in training, running them on a loop to taunt him. 

Kaeya seemed to catch on to Diluc’s weariness and decided to sleep beside Diluc in hopes of chasing the dark voice away. The amount of times Diluc thanked Barbatos for giving him such a kind-hearted brother didn’t seem nearly enough. 

On the day of the exam, Diluc could barely sit still. Everyone was very supportive. The cooks had made a special breakfast and even packed some snacks and a bottle of grape juice. Both Kaeya and his father would be coming with him to the city.

When Diluc had written to Ajax about how he would be busy the next few days due to the exam, Ajax sent numerous drawings of smiley faces and what appeared to be thumbs up. They helped lift Diluc’s spirits. 

And this morning, Ajax had even written a whole sentence. 

Good luck Diluc! Hope to call you Sir Diluc soon!

Diluc was sure Ajax had help from his parents, but that only made him smile more when he read the message. It was as if those words were branded onto his skin, warming his body down to his very soul. 

Diluc felt as if he could ace any exam. Who knew simple words could have such an impact. 

When they arrived at the city, Diluc went into the knight’s headquarters to complete the test. His father and Kaeya chose to roam around the city while they waited for Diluc to finish. 

The exam was exactly what Diluc had been expecting. There was a basic written test to cover the rules of the Order as well as an oral exam where he was given certain situations and asked how he would handle them.  

From the looks on the examiner, Diluc was sure he passed those with flying colors. 

The combat test was a bit harder. Diluc knew he had been well-prepared. However, it seemed the opponent he was assigned was determined to bring out all of Diluc’s potential.

After what seemed like forever, the match was concluded as a draw.

Diluc wiped the sweat on his brow. “Did I pass?” 

He panted as he waited for a response. His heart fell when he heard it.

“We have to calculate all of your scores together before answering. You can wait in the lobby and we’ll call you once we have an outcome,” The examiner said.

Diluc licked his lips. He was hoping to get a yes or no, or at least an indication of whether he was accepted. Unfortunately, the examiner stayed stone faced leaving Diluc no choice but to follow their instructions. 

While he waited in the lobby, Kaeya and his father met up with him. Their expectant faces didn’t help the rock in his heart. 

The negative thoughts began to swirl in his mind like a storm. All he could think about was what to say to everyone if he failed. Everyone had helped him so much, and if he failed to follow through, all their expectations would crumble.

He jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see his father gazing at him.

“You gave your best. No matter what happens, we still care for you all the same,” his father said.

“Yeah! And besides, there’s always next time!” Kaeya beamed.

Diluc felt the whirlwind inside his mind calm and took a breath to clear his thoughts. 

“Thanks,” Diluc said softly.

They waited for another ten minutes before the examiner finally returned. Except they weren’t alone. A tall middle-aged man bearing the knight’s crest walked in front of the examiner. 

“Oh! Who’s this?” The man asked. 

“Varka.” His father nodded. 

“I’m surprised to see you here, Master Crepus. I thought you’d be too busy to come.”

“Well, it is an important day for my son. Of course, I would set aside some time for him.”

“Hmm… I see. From what I’ve heard, Dawn Winery has been quite popular these days. And  Mondstadt certainly has been doing better because of it.”

“It’s only thanks to the knights for keeping our city safe that the winery has been able to grow so well.” 

Diluc glanced between his father and the Grand Master as they exchanged looks.

He was surprised when they both laughed and hugged each other.

“It’s good to see you again. You should try to show your face more often,” Varka said.

“I spend plenty of time in the city. It is you who is always galavanting about on expeditions.” his father retorted. 

Varka laughed. He turned to face Diluc.

“I must say, the Ragnvindr bloodline runs strong. You must be Diluc.” He turned to look at Kaeya. “And you must be the one Master Crepus took in.”

“My name is Kaeya, sir.” Kaeya introduced himself, following the etiquette perfectly. 

Varka opened his mouth to say something else, but his father cleared his throat. 

“I am sure you did not come down to simply chat, Varka. Do you have the results of Diluc’s exam?” 

“Of course, how could I forget.” Varka lightly tapped his head. Looking back at Diluc, he smiled.

Diluc’s heart beat faster, and he felt cold sweat drip down his back. He took a deep breath to prepare for the Grand Master’s next words. 

“Congratulations Sir Diluc. You are officially a part of the Knights of Favonious.”

Diluc stopped breathing.

His blood rushed through him as his heart began to beat wildly. He did it. 

He did it.

He… did it! He made it into the knights!

Diluc looked back and forth between his father, Kaeya, and the Grand Master, beaming.

Kaeya tackled him into a hug, while his father patted him on the back.

“I was honestly shocked by young Diluc’s results. He managed to answer all the questions on the written and oral exams perfectly, and his swordsmanship was on par with some of our intermediate knights. It looks like the Order’s future is bright.” 

“As expected of my son,” his father said proudly.

Diluc felt his eyes sting and quickly blinked away any forthcoming tears. 

“Is Kaeya interested in joining as well? We are always looking to accept new members,” the Grand Master said.

“That is up to him. Kaeya is still young and has time to decide.” His father looked down at both the boys. “But I am sure he would also make an excellent knight just like Diluc.”

Varka laughed. 

“Well, I simply wanted to meet our promising knight in person. I still have some more work I have to attend to, so you’ll have to excuse me.” Varka turned to Diluc, “Congratulations again, Sir Diluc. I look forward to seeing how far you go.”

And with that, the Grand Master walked off leaving the three alone with the examiner. 

“Sir Diluc, congratulations on passing. Here is your official copy of the Knights handbook as well as some paperwork. Also, if you could come in next week to get measured for your uniform that would be most helpful. You will be given your weapon along with your uniform, so you can pick it out when you come to get fitted. That is all for now. Enjoy your celebrations.” The examiner swiftly handed everything to Diluc and walked back in the direction of the training arena. 

Kaeya grabbed Diluc’s shoulders. “Well, Sir Diluc, what do you want to do now?”

Diluc looked between his brother and father. He licked his lips, going over his options. There was probably going to be a congratulatory party at his home, but he wanted to spend a little more time with just his father and Kaeya. 

He turned to face them. “Can we get a pie from Good Hunter before going back?”

“Sure. Did you want the mixed berry pie?” His father asked.

Diluc nodded.

“Ooh, can we get whipped cream on top?” Kaeya asked.

“Oh yeah! That will taste good!” Diluc agreed.

“Okay, we can get the pie with whipped cream,” Crepus said.

Both boys cheered. Diluc could not wait to tell Ajax all about today when they got back. 

A smile spread across his face just thinking about the smiley faces he would get in response.

#chiluc #diluc #childe #ajax #kaeya #crepus #varka #genshin impact fanfic #fanfiction #soulmate au #chiluc fic #fluff #mmwyw

[aconfusedkitten]

shine like my petals once shone

so! soulmates!

everyone has a flower that represents them, and when they get injured, their soulmates get a drawing of the flower where the injury is.

if the injury heals, the flowers disappear. if it scars, the flowers are permanently, basically like a tattoo.

multiple soulmates? yup! they can be romantic, platonic, etc.

anyways!

diluc grows up with his left eye covered in hydrangeas, and a dozen other places where he's seen flowers appear and fade away.

he doesn't know what the flowers are and what type they are, but he knows what they mean, so he cherishes them.

he's six when the boy arrives.

he's quiet and small, and his eye is pretty, and it even has a constellation in it and-

oh.

his left eye is hidden, his hair falling to cover it and even behind the blue strands, there's a eyepatch.

he says his name is kaeya.

diluc has never heard anything like it, but he smiles and tells him it's a pretty name.

he says that kaeya is gonna be important to him no matter what because that's what 'soulmates' mean, isn't it?

( theres something to be said about the optimism of children, and maybe of the timelessness of fairy tales, but that's for another day. )

tell me, diluc? kaeya asks him, twelve years later. still think we're meant to be together?

and-

the world around them is falling apart, and diluc remembers when he was small, when adelinde told him that sometimes, a soulmate is just someone that matters.

something that you can't live without, just like the sun in the sky.

but important doesn't always mean good.

diluc is eighteen now, and he thinks he knows better.

why, he wants to scream, why.

raise your sword, kaeya says, practically demands. raise it.

and-

the world-

shatters-

#cheshire writes #genshin impact #genshin kaeya #genshin diluc #kaeya #diluc #kaeluc #shine like my petals once shone #soulmate au #soulflowers #let me know if yall wanna see more of this :D

[glassrowboat]

Daydream in a Nightmare

Authors note: I read a soulmate au where with dream sharing. Everytime you fall asleep you and your SM would meet in a world that would reflect your consciousness and who you were. So down below are the boys and what I think the places their dreams would depict.

Mondstadt

Diluc: The cathedral. His mom, back when she was alive, used to play during service and afterwards Diluc ran over greeting her with the biggest smile, asking her to play him one more song. She never failed to. Maybe that's why there's always a gentle melody playing whenever you see him as he rests his fingers over the same white tiles, simply trying to remember how to play.

Kaeya: The Dawn Winery. Or at least parts of it. Behind closed doors there's the scent of grass, of dirt, and the faintest smell of ash. He says it's simply the vineyard that in the real world would be right outside, but he knows well as he pulls your hand from the doorknob that it's ruins of a fallen nation haunting him right on the other side.

Albedo: Glass walls. A maze of mirrors and reflections. If you ever have stopped to bother to count between Albedo’s musings as he shares with you the secrets of the world, you'd notice that for some reason he always has more reflections in the walls around you than of your own figure. Like there's more of him than there is of you.

Venti: Old Mondstadt. Back before the revolution, back when there were people in the streets wishing their God weren't so unjust, but in his dreams that wall of spiraling wind is never there. A warped perception of a life he wished to have lived as he sits in your lap not as Venti the bard, but a wind sprite trying to bury into your clothes for warmth. Just don't call him pipsqueek or he'll try and bite your fingers. Playfully. You think.

Liyue

Zhongli: A place that no longer exists, one torn away by this world during the archon war. It's unlike him not to comment on a place, a trinket, an item, as you pick something up and fiddle with it, but this place he never goes into full detail on. However, he will tell you all about the artisanship of the table you two are sharing tea over.

Baizhu: His home back in Chenyu Vale, back before the illness hit his village, back before his parents passed away. Just a modest home that shows signs of being truly well lived in and loved. Mindlessly while you two talk he'll be cleaning the place, just the way he always does at the pharmacy. Though it does help give him something to fill the silence. It turns out he's a lot more used to Changsheng chiming in with comments than he thought. He just hopes you two get along when the time to meet in person finally comes about.

Ga ming: A festival. There's water kicking up at everyone's feet, up to everyones ankles as people with their face covered in all manner of masks walk you both by. Ga ming would pull you along from booth to booth, trying his best to win prizes despite the fact you both know they'll be gone by the time you wake.

Xiao: A Chinese pavilion in the sky. You walk among the clouds as you follow the path of the street, looking over the accents that seem somehow both rich in color and dull, muddied all at the same time. Something you've noticed from his dreams compared to yours, his always have a lingering black fog creeping in at the corner of your eyes. It makes you feel like someone else is in this world with you, like there's eyes waiting to do more than just watch.

Inazuma

Kazooha: A meadow. The wind passes you both by, stirring up pages of books you two sit reading in silence. You can't help but wonder if these are all books he's read before, especially the ones that wax poetry or something else. His thoughts, perhaps? Maybe Kazuha's very own writings? But that matters little as his head is resting on your shoulder as you try to catch words between the fluttering sheets of paper.

Itto: A kabuki play. It always ends up in you two hiding away in the back room where the performers would get ready before getting back out on stage for the next act. You would see the brightest of colors, richest of fabrics, and practiced movements so fine tuned that you can't understand why Itto is so focused on taking the makeup on the vanity in the back simply so he can paint your face with red marks just like his. To each their own you suppose, and who are you to complain when it means drawing hearts on his arm when Itto isn't paying attention?

Gorou: A tea house. It's a small place, simple, but certainly not lacking charm as Gorou pours you a cup. At first the fact you could actually taste the rich herbs on your tongue in this dreamscape threw you off, but now it's just another part of this odd reality. But saying that, the first time you spat out the drink he offered as soon as the bitter taste hit you. Apparently he never expected you to not already be used to green tea. The poor fella was apologizing for the rest of the night, ears laid flat on his head and tail tucked between his legs. It's okay though, you made it even by trying to give him dog treats. It was you having to beg for forgiveness then.

Thoma: It was different this time. No glowing blue flowers and a forest that you two would stroll through mindlessly while chatting for hours. No, this time Thoma was sitting on a wooden platform below a giant stone statue. Intriguing, yes, but mattered little compared to the rope burns around his wrist. He tried to tell you not to worry about it. That it was an accident. But that mattered little as your lips pressed to the red, irritated skin and he gave you a strained smile. You knew better than to ask about it more from there.

Ayato: It's ever changing. It's like he is constantly thinking of something whenever He falls asleep and it reflects in his dreams. Once it was a Japanese styled room the next it was some room in Fontaine's architecture. But it's always a bedroom. A place of relaxation as Ayato buries his head in your lap like it was a pillow. He'll whine about being overworked until you're tempted to pull on his hair just to make the man shut up for once, but last time you did that it led to the bed being used for a lot more than just rest. For now just pat his head and let him vent, the man needs it.

Sumeru

Kaveh: A sketch brought to life from his mothers blueprints. One he saw his mother sketching back when Kaveh was a boy and she would let him sit on her lap, let him comment on the drawings. She would always find some way to incorporate his addictions into the sketch. Nowadays he knows the building that was actually constructed in the end to be simpler, duller than the one his mother wanted, but in his dreams with you it stands tall and proud.

Al Haitham: An attic. It's dusty and it clearly had a hole in the roof that was covered over by some wooden planks and nails. A patch work job that needs to be fixed but if you ever take the time to bother with it while Al Haitham sits in an old rocking chair covered by a quilt reading the night away it will only be there the next dream cycle. It pisses you off. He pisses you off. All nonchalance and an apathetic look even as you plop yourself in his lap and take that book away. And what pisses you off even more? How he dares to call you needy as he holds you close. It's best to ignore the fact he started reading over your shoulder.

Tighnari: Pardis Dhyai. He'll sit on the walkway watching you kick the water of the ponds around, paying no mind to when you splash at him. Not anymore at least. He's learned quickly if he makes a snarky comment you'll give one back and it'll go on and on until somehow it ends in him getting dragged into the pond with you. Both dripping algae filled water as he wondered what gods made this numbskull his mate.

Cyno: Lambad's Tavern. Everytime he would come back from treks in the desert he would go there, get a drink, and play a round of cards with whoever was willing. It was a pattern. Work, work, rest, and more work. But now he didn't have to constantly be on work mode as he sat with you in the old booth shuffling cards as he tried to explain to you how TCG works. So far everytime you lose you've thrown those elemental dice and him, and with a smile he lets them hit him in the head despite being fully able to dodge them. His soulmate is such a sore loser.

Wanderer: Shakkei Pavilion. He hates it. Hates that this is the place his unconscious has chosen to sink onto so stubbornly. His wooden fingers would slide over the paintings depicting Scaramouche’s past that has now been severed from him in everyone's eyes but Nahida and the Traveler. If you knew, would you still hold his hand? Would you still trace the details of his joints and comment that you find his pretty face such a stark contrast to his sharp words? He's afraid to find out, the idea that you might be his fourth betrayal always lingering in the back of his mind.

Fontaine

Neuvillette: Under the water where the currents would carry stray bits of seaweed and fish swimming past. The first time you shared a dream with him here he had to calm you down as instinctively you held your breath, taking your hands in his and assuring you if he can talk like this, you can suck in air just as well. It took some time getting used to, but now he watches as you grab starfish off the ocean floor and bring them over to him like a prize to be presented. This is what humans must be like Neuvillette tells himself as you braid them into his hair.

Worcestershire sauce: A home. A nice one at that. Big, had decent furnishings, pictures of kids hung up on the wall. If you listened closely enough you could even hear children playing outside from the cracked open windows that showed the brightest sky outside. Wriothesly would walk behind you as you would watch the grass blowing in the wind, not saying a word as he rested his chin on top of your head. He never thought he'd be back here again. The very place made him feel sick to his stomach, but with you? It was bearable. Even as you tried to grab his handcuffs from him.

Snezhnaya

Childe: His childhood home. Back before the renovations he bought for the place with his money as a harbinger, back before the redecorating of rooms to fit more children, and back to what the house was like when he was just a boy yet to fall into the abyss. Back when everything was simpler. He would pick up toys that have gone missing, never to be seen again and stare in wonder how it all is exactly how he remembers it. It makes it so much easier to be Ajax with you, rather than Tartaglia.

Dottore: The hospital he was working in when trying to help Eleazar patients. For the life of him does he hate it, being back in the desert always having to tip his shoes out of sand that never seems to fully clear off. It doesn't help you try and pour sand down his shirt, but in a way he supposes it's better you two stay out here under that blistering sun than you going inside to be met with the smell of death. No, you don't need to know about that side of him just yet.

Pantalone: His office. It always makes it hard to tell at first if he's awake, not when the same scene greets him either way. You always joke about him being married to his work and you're the mistress in this relationship. At this point he counts on the comment as soon as his eyes flutter open and he's greeted with the sight of you sitting on the desk he's been using as a pillow. Still, he can never help the genuine smile at seeing you once again.

Captain: A flower field. The snowdrops peek out from under the fluffy blanket of white powder, crunching under every step he takes. Even in his dreams the cold of Snezhnaya is ever present, ever biting. It only makes sense you are shivering behind him even as he lets you steal his cloak that is more of a blanket on you than anything. This field, he knows it well, knows that what waters these flowers is more blood than anything else, but that matters little as he wraps his arms around you. Maybe he can find a way to dream you a proper jacket.

Pierro: A grand hall. It reminds you of the way ballrooms are described in romance stories as the couple depicted would dance the night away. Columns so high you have to tilt your head back just to see where they meet the ceiling covered in paintings you've never seen before. That is until Pierro steps into your view. He always offered his hand to you before you could ask, and as your fingers interlocked he would tell you about them. Always ready to answer your questions. It meant someone was curious about a part of his long lost nation. So, of course, he was always happy to share.

Scaramouche: A never ending fire. It's a small shack, engulfed by flames that never seem to dwindle or burn out the wood it feeds on. Like this place was stuck in time in his mind. He doesn't talk to you, not any more than a sharp shut up. The only time that glare he showed you disappeared is when you pulled your hand back from the curious fire with a hiss, not expecting it to actually hurt in this fake reality. For a moment you could have sworn he took a step towards you, but he never came any closer than that as he hissed at you to be careful. Dumb mortals should at least know not to burn themselves.

#diluc x reader #kaeya x reader #venti x reader #albedo x reader #genshin x reader #zhongli x reader #xiao x reader #baizhu x reader #gaming x reader #itto x reader #gorou x reader #ayato x reader #thoma x reader #kaveh x reader #al haitam x reader #tighnari x reader #cyno x reader #Neuvilette x reader #wriothesely x reader #dottore x reader #pantalone x reader #capitano x reader #peirro x reader #scaramouche x reader #gn reader #kazuha x reader #hoyoverse #x reader #genshin impact x reader #banner by cafekitsune

[calqlate]

RE: LOVE & LIFE

❝ I LOVE HIM, BUT SOMEONE ELSE LOVES ME INSTEAD. ❞

— In which a contract wife is loved by someone else.

SUMMARY: As the wife of the famous big shot in the wine industry, you have everything you could ever ask for — a beautiful mansion, endless wealth, servants at your beck and call... However, you lack the one thing you yearn for: love. With your beloved husband neglecting you and being stuck in a loveless marriage, you decide to end it all, only to be stopped by a man whom you have never met before, and who also coincidentally happens to be your soulmate. In addition, there just might seem to be more than what meets the eye in regards to your peculiar soulmate, and you just might have to find that out for yourself.

PAIRING(S): zhongli x f! reader + diluc x f! wife! reader

FEATURING: childe + hu tao + jean gunnhildr + kaeya alberich + lumine

GENRE(S): arranged/contract marriage au + modern au + soulmate au (you have a timer on your wrist which counts down to the moment you meet your soulmate) + angst (with a happy ending)

CW(S)/TW(S): (possible) canon divergence (creative liberties are taken) + character death + contains depictions/mentions of blood, gore, suicide attempts, and violence + (possible) spoilers from the canon/official lore + use of childe's real name

WC: 3.3k and counting

STATUS: ongoing (slow updates)

NOTE(S): reader is not the traveller + visions do not apply/exist + inspired by the manhwa onsaemiro

A/N: reblogs are greatly appreciated! also, if you'd like to be added to the taglist, notify me by completing this form!

INDEX

zero | you, your beloved husband, and a pretty stranger

one | someone who cares

two | your saviour, your soulmate, the man accented in gold

three | he who carries distant memories

four | tba

© 2023 CALQLATE. all rights reserved. please do not copy, modify, repost, or translate my works on any platform.

#💫—qq's works #💫—re: love & life #writeblr #writing #zhongli x reader #zhongli x reader fluff #zhongli x reader angst #zhongli #diluc ragnvindr x reader #diluc ragnvindr x reader fluff #diluc ragnvindr x reader angst #diluc ragnvindr #diluc x reader #diluc x reader fluff #diluc x reader angst #diluc #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x reader fluff #genshin impact x reader angst #genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin x reader fluff #genshin x reader angst #genshin

[catnipplot]

Sagau Genshin -but the characters can't agree what God you are

So just about every Sagau AU for Genshin agrees that every character and/or country/faction just accept the player as the Creator (or at least eventually, in the cases of the Imposter AUs). Yes, sometimes the different countries have conflicting lore connecting you to their archon, but that is as far as it goes. Which does not account for the different perspectives cultures from vastly different environments and traditions have.

So instead I porpose; Sagau where nobody agrees on who the player really is aside from a higher being. Either because of them not realizing their all controlled by the same person or they realize you are the same person, but disagrees on who you are.

To start lets address a character everyone skips over: The Heavenly Principles. There is nearly no canon-knowledge about her, so it is free reign. She is more aware than any other character, having not just awareness of this being a game, but having awareness since Gun Girls. She remembers Gun Girls and Honkai Impact, during which she was crushed by her awareness. She knows you are a player, but that doesn't matter. You are her Constant, whether you played the other games or not. Her Constant, her companion, her last anchor -when she feels you play genshin that first second, she attacks the twins to keep you connected to this world. While she doesn't share the truth with the rest of the world, Kiana might become the number one reason you isekai -and gain powers after arrival.

Now everyone else is just aware of you're influence, not the game.

Moonstadt has at first a few people actually thinking you are Venti -what with him being their god and not havin' been seen for so long-, but said archon quickly spread the word that this was not actually the case. Since then theories are running wild here, but at least they all agree you are one god. Some like Barbara, Kaeya, and Venti do think you are in fact the creator god. Lisa accidently started a rumor that you were started a rumor that you were basically an archon that was sealed away during the Archon War and Barbatos' soulmate as a joke, but the rumor mutated and now there are proofs to the point she believes it(Which makes a certain bard blush and stutter). Bennett is part of the group that thinks you are a Adventurer Archon, as you always use them as vessel when adventuring. Meanwhile Razor thinks you are the Guardian Spirit that was his childhood hero, a human raised by wolves like him, who ascended and returns to guide them during difficult times. And there are at least 50 other possible godhoods.(Think wall with strings If you 'descend' you will find a loyal fellowship regardless, but if you try to deny your godhood then that can only mean somebody erased your memories. So no worries, the theories will continue as a attempt to help you regain your 'true' past and punish whoever attacked you.

Liyue is much more structured; they all agree that you are the God of the Beginning. Not so much a Creator as a bringer of change who only appears at new beginnings -may it be their world, a new era or to fight the End of Days. Which of course makes everyone silently panic when your present gets known. They want to belief it's just a new era coming, but you use them to fight... Zhongli, just as his people, quietly spreads his network, searching for your 'true' enemy -the Abyss or the Fatui. They are ready to fight on your side regardless. Given this, Liyue might end up special when you isekai, as some characters will tread you as equal. But never forget that they see you as their last defense against Armageddon -they might speak to you like a friend, but you are so much more important.

Inazuma actually do not welcome you right away. They are seeking eternity, you bring change. But after the Traveler, who is recognized as your champion, saves them, they accept you. But the Traveler only tells them that you are 'his/her god'. So they consult the old books. They find a old, practically burned text on the Archon of Hope and Dreams. Beelzebul is devastated that she had apparently forgotten her childhood crush that died centuries before the Archon War, but had you returned? If so, you were clearly still reforming. If you descend, they welcome you at first open to you either staying or leaving to create your own city. But what is eternity without hope? Won't you reconnect with your old childhood friend?

Snezhnaya thinks you are a god connected to Visions, as you can use all Elements (even if through different vessels). Still there are pretty split at who you are. Most think you are either the Archon of Power or the Archon of Souls. Interestingly enough those two ideas give you vastly different backgrounds; The Archon of Power (Childe believes this) supposly was banished to the abyss after placing mortals over their fellow archons, while the Archon of Souls was imprisoned in Celestia and hidden from the other Archons since Creation. Either way you escaped. The Tsarista keeps quiet on the tropic, but would waste no efforts to bring you to her if you were to ever descend. She might even come to pick you up herself.

Sumeru meanwhile thinks you a Overseer to the Archons, meant to protect the balance between them in the world. You always did so from Celestia, with the Heavenly Principles as your Executer. But something happened. Members of Akademiya tend to think the Archons had fallen to the point you had to intervene yourself, while everyone else thinks there was a traitor in Celestia that forced you to flee and is responsible for the chaos appearing across the Teyvat. Still, to them you are the Judge of the Gods. Someone to be obeyed without questions. If you ever isekai, you might end up getting pressured to play the act, or they might think you have been corrupted and must be protected till your divinity restores.

Last, but not least, we have Aether and Lumine. Now regardless to which you chose, they hold the same option and loyalty to you. But they also look at the Teyvaters with pity; for a god you might be, you were not of this world. You were of their home world. Their beloved god who crossed worlds to save them when they were attacked at the beginning. Alas, this was not your world, which was why your powers are limited so much. If you descend they will conclude that Teyvat attacked you, caged you like the twins, forced you in a mortal form and messed with your memories -which neither sibling will ever forgive. You are their god after all, Teyvat had no right to you.

#genshin sagau #sagau x reader #sagau aether #sagau lumine #sagau brainrot #sagau zhongli #sagau ei #sagau venti

[villain-byteniwoha]

ships i like and why i ship them: a small, affectionate rant before bed

zhongchi: probably the first ship i ever interacted with. i may have started playing genshin for them. I specifically remember reading modern, non canon au fics on ao3 when i was still low AR and did not have liyue unlocked yet just to enjoy content of them without spoiling the story too much. those were good times

love the betrayal, the reciprocated manipulations, their individual bloody pasts and their juxtaposing love for humanity/family. the marriage chopsticks. god, the amount of threads I've read explaining those... and ofc you can't forget the official art with them by the harbor with the gingko leaves falling cinematically. i think that's the art that drew me to them lol

there's also something so deliciously tragic about a near-immortal being who's fated to succumb to erosion in due time, falling in love with a mortal man who's always within death's cold embrace. not to mention the subtext of their themes and principles. geo and hydro, stability and turbulence, land and sea, they crystallize when they meet in the middle, etc etc

kaeluc: another pairing I enjoyed the absolute shit out of, way back when I wasn't even playing the game yet. I remember learning about them while I was deep in my mxtx phase, specifically tgcf, and I'm pretty sure I dipped my toes in after I learned that they used to be sworn brothers. keywords here being used to. hook, line, and sinker. before I knew it, I was also reading fanfics about them, but only modern, non canon au ones because genshin terms made no sense to me and i didn't want spoilers. then I played the game. and then—we get Kaeya for free. I mained the shit out of that man for months.

and then. I fully entered the fandom, only to be immediately slapped in the face with the mistranslation issue.

and I get it, honestly, if you like ragbros good for you, I'm happy for you, but me personally, I will scorn hyv until the day I fucking die because had they not messed this up? kaeluc would've have been so powerful. KAELUC WOULD HAVE BEEN SO FUCKING POWERFUL

how could they not be? they're childhood friends but they're also forbidden romance coded, and rivals/enemies coded, but they're also soulmates. they don't just know each other, they're two halves of a whole, they know each other.

and the themes, don't even get me started on their themes. fire and ice, red and blue... paimon's line about them being similar (i.e. kaeya's a shady mf who fights in the day/diluc's a bright fire in the night) is one of the most romantic lines ever. they're sun and moon but only because they complete each other. also, lamp grass and calla lily? that's them as flowers, but they're the other person's ascension material like hello???????? fucking wild.

and ofc this kaeluc section can't end without me mentioning arundolyn and rostam. for those who don't know or have read/heard of those names but never really dug deep into it, arundolyn and rostam were knights of favonius around the same time as the cataclysm, and you can read about them in artifact sets such as brave heart, defender's will; and partially from the elegy bow

the reason they're here is because there are too many damn parallels between them and kaeluc to just be a coincidence.

arundolyn was a claymore user (see: ferrous shadow), he was the "lion of light,"; he was naturally gifted in strength but still trained hard and would later become the grand master of the knights; he'd push rostam to drink wine and tell him to have a little fun; he gives up his title and weapon after rostam dies

on the flip side, rostam was the swordsman who created the art of favonius bladework (see: favonius sword), his title was, "wolf pup,"; when he and arundolyn played as children, he was the stand-in for the champion knight of aristocracy; he "ruled the shadows," by protecting mond with ways the knights did not approve; rostam dies in an expedition to expunge the evils poured forth from the cataclysm...

I'll let you connect the dots there. I just also wanna point out, as a final note, that in the favonius sword's description, it says, "the childhood friend and spiritual counterpart of Arundolyn, the Lion of Light, whose name was Rostam, the Wolf Pup." ok. yeah. moving on

xiaoven: i very quickly realized after reading the genshin webtoon that venti was gonna be one of, if not my most favorite character. and i was curious as to who the people wanted to pair him with. keep in mind, this was around 2.0~2.2 I believe, so when I searched them up, the only canon backing I could find was the music scene

and boy, was that scene enough because holy shit, the brain rot these two gave me??? of a god who embodies freedom, and the last remaining yaksha chained to his duty????? they were so thematically opposed and beautiful, it wasn't hard to fall in love with them

by the time 3.0 came rolling in, I've already stopped playing, but that didn't mean i wasn't aware of how we were well fed by canon. from the trailer to venti full on attending the lantern rite and sitting down with the liyue gang; it was one of those interactions that transcended everything

and of course, OF COURSE, they also canonically addressed the fact that venti's music soothes xiao's soul. that's intimate. that's deep. that's so fucking romantic and nice and beautiful in the most tragic way...

also, we can't forget the depictions of god and servant here. the holy themes, the worship. the promise of immortality and foreverness, but also the threat of it. i just think xiao doomed with karmic debt and venti vowed to divine erosion is such a soulmate connection, and I'm also delusional

that's all for now but there's so much more...

#I'll probably make a proper arundostam/kaeluc parallel analysis when I can lol #this got away from me FAST lmao #genshin impact #genshin impact ship #zhongchi #tartali #kaeluc #luckae #xiaoven #zhongli #tartaglia #childe #kaeya #diluc #kaeya alberich #diluc ragnivindr #xiao #venti #bee.texts #gi.texts #rants

[harukaprism]

Soulmate AU

Pairing: Cyno xGN!Reader

Warnings: Potential violence against reader, fighting, soulmate au, that is all.

Word Count: 1,534

Dawn's notes: Howl has been on my brain and this is the result. Have fun!

In all of Teyvat soulmates surrounded you, everyone had their soulmate, everyone had someone for them.You had yet to find yours in your beautiful home of Mondstadt, which was fine; you were happy actually happy yours wasn’t in your home country. You wanted to explore and travel the world to find them, even though you had no hints as to who it could be. 

You did have something of your soulmate, everyone gets something to wear from their beloved that way when you two met you knew who it would be.They had gifted you a very beautiful necklace, plated in gold was a eye made out of beautiful amethyst with the pupil as a gold dot in the middle. You gave a set of simple gold earrings; it wasn’t much like the gifts you had seen your friends get but they were a treasured possession of yours that you would be able to spot miles away. 

You wore the necklace everyday, taking very good care of it just in case they had come to visit to find you, but as the years had passed you gave up hope that you would find them in your home or even Liyue. With that you made a decision. 

“You really want to visit Sumeru?” Lisa asked as she went through her book in the library. 

“Yes, Inazuma is too far away right now so I figured I would visit Sumeru to see if I could find them there.” You were determined to do what it took to see the world to find them and the one person in Mond that knows the country was your favorite bookworm. “Come on Miss Lisa, you are the only one that I know that has been there and I want to know what to prepare for. I have always wanted to travel Teyvat and looking for my soulmate is the perfect excuse to do that!” 

With a sigh she stood up grabbing a book from behind her desk. “If you really are serious, make sure you are prepared.” Handing you a stack of books her eyes fell to the necklace that she had seen for many years now. “You have to be careful and don’t worry too much if you do not find them right away.” 

Excitement shot through your body as you held the books to your chest. “Thank you Miss Lisa, really, I appreciate it.” 

The look on her face did not escape you as you watched her sit down, a mix of joy and also sadness, though for why you weren’t sure. “Just doing my job. Those books are to be returned in 2 weeks, cutie, I mean it.” 

With that you ran out of the library and into your little apartment and cracked open the old books, they had everything you could ever know about the country of wisdom and all of its deserts. You had no idea how much time had passed before you had finished every book, writing notes of what not to do in situations and what you would want to see. 

After reading the books multiple times you returned the books and packed everything you would need. Lisa still had contacts in Sumeru City so she set up some lodging for your stay. With everything packed and someone to keep an eye on your house and mail you left Mondstadt and

started your travels. As you traveled on foot to Liyue you followed all the notes that Lisa and even Kaeya had put together for you, there was many things listed that you should go see and ways to travel, the second you crossed the border into Sumeru your felt the cool rush of the wind hit you as your eyes were met with the most beautiful sight that you had ever seen. 

The lush landscape of Sumeru City was beautiful but the most intriguing part was what laid behind that huge tree, the vast land of sand. Something was pulling you there so you decided to make that your final destination. 

Following Lisa’s advice you made your way to Gandharva Ville to rest for the night, as you laid down for the night in a hut you heard the distinct jingling of jewelry, something that you knew well. With your heart pounding you rushed to your window and looked out searching all over for the glimpse of gold reflecting in the moonlight but you were only able to see the forest. 

You were disappointed for sure but you had to move on, you would find them sooner or later. In the morning you were greeted by the lead forest ranger Tighnari. “Thank you for letting me stay the night, I hope it didn’t cause too much trouble.” 

The man shook his head with a pleasant smile on his face.”Oh no need to thank me, I was happy to let an adventure stay the night. Where is your destination for this trip?” 

“Ultimately the desert! Ever since I stepped foot into Sumeru it has been calling for me.” You could see his eyes drifting to your necklace. “Ah, this is from my soulmate so I was hoping that I would find them here, if not my next step is Fontaine.” 

The look he gave was one of recognition and solace. “I doubt that you would need to travel that far. Be careful in the desert and make sure to bring plenty of water and supplies.” With that interaction over with you made your way to the city and got your room secured and set up. 

Your next few days passed pleasantly. The connections that Lisa had in the city were wonderful and you got really good advice as to how best to get to the desert. After a two day trip you had finally made it to Caravan Ribat, the second you stepped into the city heat rushed from beyond the wall and basked you in the amazing feeling. 

After getting a room for the day you made your way to the gate that separated the city and the vast ocean of sand. The gusts of wind surrounded you like a warm hug, every aspect of life drew your attention and you deviated from your path to Aaru Village to look at the flora and fauna. 

You weren’t keeping track of the time but soon the sun had started to set and the cool breeze filled your ears. “Well well well, what do we have here?” The unknown voice brought you out of your studies of the flower in front of you to the group of mercenaries slowly surrounding you. “You’re not from the desert are you?”

You were no stranger to fighting, you were part of the Adventures Guild, you were experienced with defending yourself. You held your hands behind your back not wavering. “Just leave me alone, I have no interest in fighting some low life scum.” 

“Oh looks like you have quite the mouth. I can fix that.” The leader, you guessed, cracked his neck as he walked up to you. Just as your hand gripped the hilt of your sword the air cracked around you and stilled. In a flash of light the men were on the ground and a tan man stood before you enveloped in a purple glow. 

As he turned you heard the noise that you were very familiar with, the gold earrings that he wore upon his hat shone brightly in the setting desert sun. Stunning red eyes like rubies pulled you into his gaze as his white hair settled down and he came to a standstill. 

His eyes glanced down to your necklace as you kept your eyes trained on those earrings. “There you are sweetheart, sorry I’m late. I was looking everywhere for you.” 

With your heart fluttering you dropped your sword into the sand. “Not how I intended to meet you and I am impressed at how you have utilized the earrings. I see you have kept good care of them after all these years.” 

With that he approached you and took the pendant between his fingers. “I never thought I would meet you. Tighnari told me that he suspected you were my soulmate when you stayed in Gandharva Ville. He said you were coming to the desert.” 

With a huff you crossed your arms. “No wonder he made that comment. He knew I would run into you.” Your bottom lip jutted out just a bit in a pout, this seemed to cause him to lose focus on the jewelry he gave you and his calloused thumb came up and danced across your lip. 

“Call it divine intervention, he was looking out for the both of us.” Suddenly your vision was covered in darkness as you felt the hat that he wore was placed upon your head. “You have been out here too long, let’s go to Aaru Village for some rest and shade.” 

Lifting the hat with one hand you pushed the tuft of hair covering his eye out of the way. “You are more handsome than I thought you would be.” 

His chuckle was low as he laced his fingers with yours and started to guide you.

#cyno #cyno x reader #cyno x you #soulmates #soulmate au #genshin #gi #genshin fanfic #genshin fanfiction #gi fanfiction #gi fanfic #genshin impact fanfiction #genshin impact fanfic #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #genshin impact x you #genshin impact x y/n #genshin x reader #genshin x you #genshin x y/n

[angstcorp]

The soulmate au was so good. Can I get a follow up?

I'm going to admit, at first I was a bit confused about what you wanted exactly. Other characters? Or simply more about the previous ones??? In doubt, I went with the second one.

SOULMATE AU - PART II

Summary: Some more headcanons about that Soulmate AU. Here's a link to part I.

Author's note: THE PEOPLE HAVE ASKED FOR MORE SOULMATES AND I AM HERE TO DELIVER.

Characters: Ayaka, Ayato, Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli

Warnings: Gender neutral reader, soulmates.

AYAKA will take your relationship slow, no matter if you're soulmates or not. She wants to enjoy every step of the way as much as possible, so expect a lot of dates and spending time together in general. She wants to know everything (or as much as you're comfortable sharing) about you. She is in love with all those new feelings blooming in her chest and she savours all of them.

If you're open to it, she is one that would very much like deepening your bond by letting each other feel the other's emotions. She'll respect it if you don't want the same or if you need more time, but it's something that is really important to her. She has a very good control of her own emotions, so her side of the bond is almost all the time very peaceful and gentle. Her joy feels like warmth when she is laughing or having a good time with you, and it's easy to know when she is having a bad day because she feels more "distant", in a way. Luckily, just your presence is enough to make her feel better.

Once your relationship gets a bit more serious though, is when things start to get more complicated too. Ayaka is someone very important in Inazuma and she has an image to keep (and a difficult one at that). As her soulmate, you are also expected to be perfect and to do nothing to tarnish her reputation or the Kamisato's clan. It won't be easy, and even though Ayaka will be there to help you and support you every step of the way, finding your place will take time and a lot of effort. You'll probably have many fights about it, and you'll have to work together to overcome all the obstacles coming your way.

AYATO is all in all, a good soulmate. He is already very good at reading people and acting accordingly, so with your bond on top of that, the man is really good at going with whatever pace you need. He does his best to build a strong bond and a trusting relationship, because he knows you'll eventually get tangled in all the political mess of Inazuma no matter how hard he tries to protect you from it. He'll give you both a couple of months to properly enjoy your blooming relationship, doing his very best to prepare you to what is to come.

However, the man struggles to keep his end of the bond open. He is so used to control his emotions and to not let anything show, it takes him a long time to learn how to open himself to you and to let you read him. On the other end, he gets quite huffy and anxious when your side of the bond isn't open, hypocrite as he is. When you point it out to him, he promises you that he tries very hard and it's not easy for him to open up, but he does his best so please, please let him feel you? Only hearing silence from your bond turn him into a ball of nerves. He'll try to compensate his failings with gestures of love and sweet words for your ears only, but he knows he has to do better for you.

He'll manage eventually, when your relationship is stronger and your complicity and trust had time to develop properly. He just needs some time. However, he is mean enough to close your bond from time to time to tease you. Just do the same thing on your end and he'll come back to you running and asking forgiveness, he was just being playful that's all, he loves you so much, please don't be mad at him?

DILUC will try to prove to you he can be the best soulmate that ever was in Teyvat. He doesn't really know where this need to prove himself comes from, as he is usually a very confident and accomplished man. Maybe because he knows he isn't the best at feelings and being very social in general? He has always been excellent at everything he wanted to be (a knight, a hero, a business man, a protector) but this? This is harder than he thought and he is scared of fucking it up. Even though, he is very happy with your bond and wants to keep it open, but out of practicality rather than romanticism.

It's easier to let you feel his emotions rather than saying them, to feel yours rather than recognizing them, and also being able to always find you comes in handy considering how protective this man is. He will rush at your rescue when he feels the slightest tension coming your way (yes, even if you just got spooked because your cat touched your foot when you didn't expect it). He'll work very hard to court you and do everything the "proper" way. He wants it to be perfect.

His instincts also get crazy at first, and he gets very protective of you, he is nervous when you're not in his sight. He knows it's not rational so he does his best to act normal but he stays very close to you whenever you're together. After a while he will grow more confident in your relationship, both thanks to the strength of your bond, but also simply thanks to the experience he slowly gets being with you. He'll still be as protective as ever, but his romantic gestures will come from a more genuine place rather than just doing them out of tradition or obligation. He'll learn all your favourite things and do his best to gift them to you regularly.

KAEYA is... It is hard for him. He wants this relationship, he really does, but he also struggles accepting it. So with him, the hardest part will be the beginning. He doesn't even want to take things slow. With you, he is charming and caring, a very good boyfriend! Yes, he can be playful and teasing at times, but it's always in good fun and never to hurt you. Your relationship evolves smoothly and it's very easy to fall under his charm. And yet, his side of the bond is completely silent, and he doesn't even seem to listen to your side. It's like you're not even soulmates!

Give him some time, but don't let him get away with it like that. He'll maybe try to find excuses, he is from Mondstadt after all and he likes his freedom, it's just a lot to take for him you know? But it's also a lot to take for you, and you're supposed to face it together, that's the whole point of the thing! Truth is, Kaeya is scared. Scared you won't like what you feel, scared he is lacking somehow, scared the bond could doom you with the curse of Khaenri'ah, scared you'll reject him when you see who he truly is, scared of tainting you somehow. Wearing him down until he breaks is going to take a while, but it's necessary if you two want to build something together.

Once you do though, it's a much smoother sail. It's going to be slow, but steady, and Kaeya will learn to open up to you, and when you don't recoil or scream in anguish, it's like the weight of the world is disappearing from his chest. A flood of mixed emotions is going to flood your bond - relief, love, joy, it's a mess. He'll kiss you until you're breathless and whisper how much he loves you against your lips. Those walls broken, there's not much that stand in your way. Kaeya will stay the same, but with the promise he'll never ever close his side of your bond again.

ZHONGLI will go at your pace, but in his eyes, you're already married and he is ready to share everything with you. What's his is now yours too, and if you're alright with this, he wants to keep your bond open to each other. He absolutely loves feeling you through it, no matter what kind of emotions you're experiencing, and from time to time he just takes a little break during his day to close his eyes and bask in the small crumbs he can feel through your bond. He knows you're not as experienced as he is so he is ready to give you as much time as you need until you get closer to him step by step. He is waiting for you with open arms.

He told you everything about him as soon as you seemed ready to hear it. He doesn't want any secret between you (except the ones he is bound by contract to keep), but he knows it is a lot to take in so he'll tell you little by little. One of the biggest thing you'll have to take is that you're now immortal thanks to your bond to him, or at the very least you're going to live for a very, very long time. It's... a lot to take, and he knows that. He would love if you would let him be there for you while you wrap your mind around the idea, but he'll give you space if you ask for it.

Once you both feel more confident in your relationship though, this man is living on cloud nine. He is simply content to have you by his side and sharing his life with you. He is a creature of habits so he enjoys the simplest things in your routine, but somehow, everything feel so new. He loves exploring your bond together, and making you happy, it satisfies a deep instinctual part of his dragon self. However, he really, really, really doesn't handle distance between you very well, especially in the beginning but also in general. He can deal with you being somewhere in the Harbor away from him, but go further than that without warning? Yeah, no, this man comes running and has a hard time not tackling you to the ground. He gets incredibly nervous when you're too far away, and turns insanely possessive as soon as you return to him. You're his, as he is yours. How dare you.

#angsty ask #genshin impact #ayaka x reader #ayato x reader #diluc x reader #kaeya x reader #zhongli x reader #Fluff #headcanons #Soulmate AU

[xiaosonlybeloved]

Forever Together~ Kaeya

featuring:- Kaeya tags:-fluff, a teeny bit of angst if you squint, semi-modern au(?), soulmate au where you get a golden band on your 18th birthday which changes into a silver bracelet like thingy when you properly meet your soulmate, kaeya calls you princess once a/n:- this is my entry for the summer santa event by @solarisfortuneia , thanks for letting me take part and sorry for being so late! this one is dedicated to @satoruxx i hope both you and mika like this :)

word count:- 1.3k

masterlist

You grow more excited as the clock nears midnight. “Only five more minutes, Kaeya!” You exclaim, tugging his hand and pointing at the clock. Your childhood best friend shakes his head, amused at your unusual excitement. “You’re really that excited just for your soulmate band? How funny. I mean, you’ve always been a soft romantic, so I’m not really surprised.” He chuckled, the sound filling your room. Both of you glance towards the golden band already present on Kaeya’s wrist, showing that he hadn’t met his soulmate yet. It had appeared, as it always does for everyone, on his 18th birthday. 

None of you said it, none of you knew the other was thinking the same thing. But both of you wondered, if… If you two could possibly be each other’s soulmates.

Both of you had harboured feelings for each other since you were children. It was cute at first. But then as time passed, as you two started to notice each other more, grow up side by side, saw all sides of each other, that harmless puppy love started growing into ‘small’ crushes, even as you two were content to remain best friends. Best friends who were practically attached at the hip, frequently did sleepovers and study sessions, hung out a lot, and always took advantage of the couples discount system. Deep down, both of you wondered if you could ever be more.

The chance of Kaeya being your soulmate was a one in a thousand. So, what harm did it do to imagine the what-ifs of a nearly impossible situation, you both thought, allowing your minds to wander.

The thought of being Kaeya’s soulmate excited you. But it scared Kaeya. 

It wouldn’t be easy to love you officially. It’s not because he couldn’t or didn’t want to. He had no idea what the future would bring, but for now, he really did love you, the way you did. But he was terrified what a relationship would bring, not just to you, but to any possible partner of his, which is why he wanted to avoid meeting his soulmate. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to maintain a relationship with his ways. And he was scared of his past.

Kaeya and his dad had fled from their home nation, Khaenriah, when it was on the brink of utter ruin because of the wars that had ravaged the world. Fled to Mondstadt, a stable country with abundant beauty, one that had already risen up after the war. There, his father had disappeared, leaving him with a caring adoptive family. 

It had been hard for him to adjust and adapt to this new life, especially since he had just been a mere child when all this happened. And he wouldn’t have been able to, if not for you.

You were his neighbour- still are, in fact. He remembered when he’d timidly ventured out into the gardens of his new house a few days after his life had been uprooted. You had noticed him wandering alone very quickly from your own garden, tugging at your mom’s hand to point at him. He’d been scared then, but then you ran ever to him, eyes sparkling, asking him if he was new here, and if he wanted to play with them, adding that their family were very good friends with his new family.

That was the beginning of their friendship, the one that had led them here, staring at the clock at night, waiting for it to strike twelve. And Kaeya was scared, scared because he’d heard many rumours of whatever remained of the Khaenri’ans searching. Searching for what, he didn’t know. Maybe it wasn’t even real. 

But he was still afraid of the possibilities.

And yet, a part of him wished to love you freely, without fear, be with you, be your soulmate. 

The internal conflict was tearing him apart.

The clock struck twelve, signifying the start of your birthday.

You grinned excitedly, holding up your hand, on which a golden band had materialised. But then both your eyes widened, as it turned silver, before reshaping into a swirling silver pattern, almost like a bracelet, with a half heart in the middle. 

The same happened to Kaeya’s band, the formerly gold band having changed into a silver bracelet, same as yours, with the other half of the heart.

It was confirmed- you two were soulmates.

You two stared at each other, eyes wide and confused. It was silent in the room for a while, as you two let the fact sink in.

I suppose it was to be expected, after all, you two had stuck with each other from the moment you met.

A part of you was incredibly happy, now that you didn’t have to hide your feelings any more. However, another part of you was worried for Kaeya and how he’d take this. I mean, what sort of best friends- soulmates- would you two be, if you didn’t know each others’ deepest fears? You knew what he was afraid of. And you didn’t blame him for it in any way whatsoever.

You were the first to speak up, gently taking both his hands in yours. Something you had done a thousand times before, and yet, it felt different this time. “You alright, Kaeya?”

He slowly nodded, eyes staring off. You understood his internal turmoil and the fact that he’d need time, and didn’t press him. “Do you need space?” you asked softly. “To process this? I don’t mind if you do.” Finally he looked at you. There were a multitude of emotions swirling in those beautiful periwinkle eyes of his- confusion, surprise, shock, fear, and more, as they met yours. “You won’t be upset?” He asked quietly. You shook your head almost immediately. “No, Kae, I won’t. I understand why.” You said reassuringly, squeezing his hands with yours to reaffirm your statement. 

“I’ll see you later then..?Once I’ve sorted everything out?” “Sure, take as much time as you want, don’t rush, I’m always here for you, ‘kay? Now let me drop you off home.” You smiled at him.

The next evening, Kaeya texts you to meet him in your regular meeting spot- the swings in the park next to your houses. On text, he sounded like he’d made up his mind, causing you to be a bit nervous as you headed over, albeit a bit early.

You were just swinging gently, lost in your thoughts, when Kaeya walks up to you. He seems to be holding something behind his back, as you look at him curiously. “You alright now?” You question. “Yup.” he grinned back, that easygoing, charming smile that was reserved specifically for you back on his pretty face. “Got everything figured out now, and I have something for you too.” He smiles, bringing out the gift-wrapped package he had been holding behind his back. You chuckle, relieved, as you quickly open it. You stop short when you see what it is that he has given you.

“Forgot to say this, but happy birthday, [Y/N].” He said softly, bending down a bit to take the beautiful silver necklace that had your engraved to put it around your neck. “There.” he said, leaning back to admire you. “Now it matched with our bracelets.” He added, his words meaningful.

This was his way of giving you confirmation. “Let’s give this thing a try, huh? After all, if anything ever happens, I’ll be here to protect my beloved princess, won’t I?” He smirked at his successful attempt to make you flustered as he pulled you up from the swing, holding one of your hands gently in his.

#— summer santa. #skylia's works #event works #kaeya #kaeya alberich #genshin #genshin impact #genshin impact fanfics #genshin impact oneshots #kaeya fanfics #kaeya oneshots #kaeya x reader #genshin fanfic #genshin angst #genshin fluff #genshin hurt/comfort

[honeydewsblue]

#ao3moirecs. moirae’s ao3 fic recommendations.

a masterlist for all my favorite ao3 fics; fics i think should get more love, in no particular order. send the authors some love 🤍!!

disclaimer : most of these are reader inserts… sorry i need my dopamine fix. also read the tags!! read!! the!! tags!!!! my review will not be sufficient!!

includes … jjk (9), atla (2), genshin (1), misc. (1)

jujutsu kaisen

kintsugi, by kirketeer (21.3k wc) || toge inumaki / reader

sign language fic, looove how it deals with the hypothetical aftermath of shibuya arc! super funny too, overall a heartfelt and lighter, happier read :-)

ask me to bleed (for you i will), by kirketeer (3.2k wc) || geto suguru / reader

non-sorcerer reader. ‘you will die just as every other non-sorcerer dies: alone and afraid. and suguru will let it happen, because he knows his ideals are unflawed. they must be.’ ao3 author kirketeer you never miss

the color yellow, by rhydonium (29.9k wc) || gojo satoru / reader

hanahaki au. haven’t read in a couple years but i remember being utterly heartbroken. i also remember the concept of gojo and having everything and yet being unable to do anything in the face of something that can’t be helped sticking with me. (also read as: gojo and reader with a terminal illness.)

ariadne’s thread, by hawnks (3.8k wc) || gojo satoru / reader

‘he loses himself. he finds you instead.’ gojo dealing with losing and living. i can’t get enough of their characterization for him!! it’s too good. so much written in under 4k words—it made me appreciate how much storytelling you can do even without a higher wc. fell in love with the portrayal of falling in love.

let your hand become a blade so i may take it, by pantao (~10k wc, ongoing) || gojo satoru / f!reader

knight & princess au. ohhh my God. The writing is so good i’m sick. gojo in this… Phew. started my obsession with royalty aus. i crave the pining in loyalty and trust

doctor, coroner, mourner, by deadpooled (2.3k wc) || shoko ieiri

— and her companionship with death. character study. beautifully written :-( oh how i miss her so. i love her so much, i neeeed to read more works of her :-(

lover’s vigil, by nariveri (24.6k wc) || gojo satoru / f!reader

she fell first, he fell harder. gojo and taking care of ill readers pt2. love the characterization of gojo in this too!! gojo helplessly in love… gojo dealing with the repercussions (guilt) of being rude…

the natural movement of particles, by goldenlake (2k wc) || nobara & gojo

nobara has a talk with her teacher. what we could have had… love little stories that expand on things we don’t see in the original :’-)

the eightfold path, by hawnks (~16k wc, ongoing) || geto suguru / reader

soulmate au. ‘in the great scheme of things, you’re no one special. you are, however, the key to bringing suguru getou back down to earth.’ so! good! geto suguru is the people’s man… Ugh

avatar the last airbender

☆ measure each step into infinity, by paxbanana (200k wc) || azula / katara

azula’s growth from war and love. This is my Roman Empire. i can’t do this fic justice through a summary, but it altered the entirety of my chemistry. i appreciate and adore their exploration of azula’s character so, so much. this is my standard now. i want a physical copy ** since it doesn’t have additional tags, cw for nsfw/sex, descriptions of torture, heed the depictions of violence warning

make a meal of you, by thatweirdguyinthebushes (4.6k wc) || sokka

character study, ‘[his relationship] with the concept of war’. ‘the first time he kills someone, sokka is fifteen years old.’ so very beautifully written

genshin impact

what the wind brought, by jupiterism (38k wc) || kaeya alberich / reader

bookshop keeper reader. also haven’t read this one in a while, but i remember loving the storytelling and characterization :-)

miscellaneous

translations, by bignostalgias (~18k wc, ongoing) — hiccup haddock / jack frost

crossover. language barrier fic. did not know this ship was a thing until i found this fic one day when i got obsessed with the guardians movie… (there’s a whole crossover with tangled, brave, httyd, and guardians????) so, so well written. executes such a creative idea so, so well. worldbuilding is amazing. god i love writers

#moirecs #m.list #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jjk x reader #gojo satoru x reader #avatar the last airbender #atla