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#and he was proud to be a yaksha

rene-darling · 5 months

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EXPLORING- him

In which you find yourself being able to closely touch and see your boyfriend's body..aka body hcs, and you examine their scars...im not sure if this is the original artist but I found the pic on scara.meowing insta

...Wanderer...xiao...kazuha...

Wanderer

The wanderer isn't one to let just anyone see his body,

Even thinking about being so vulnerable in front of someone leaves his head aching and sends a weird feeling up his spine

Letting someone see the scars he has obtained from throughout his life is something he won't ever agree to doing,

So if you wish to be able to see him, you'll have to find a roundabout way to do so,

Luckily for you, for the past few days, he's been complaining about back aches from being hunched over all day trying to complete his assignments from being a vahumana student

You offered a massage which after much pain and annoyance he agreed to.

After he agreed he turned around from you and took off his kimono, slipping it off with ease as he moved to remove the top half of his black body suit as well, cheeks slightly flushed as he was basically stripping in front of you.

He laid on his stomach starting forward, his usual snappy self is a bit quiet, it isn't every day he's laid bare in front of you for you to touch without engaging in promiscuous activities.

"hurry up what are you starin-" Suddenly the boy goes quiet as you run your hand down his spine, chuckling to yourself at his immediate quietness

Imprints of big circles are left on his back, most likely from the tubes that once connected him to his shouki no kami, large red indents are all that's left on his puppet body, and his back tenses once your fingers trace the circle following it's track.

Your fingers trace his skin where forgotten scars lay healed, scars mostly gained by cruel experiments at the hands of the doctor, his face sours when you touch them, constricting in...annoyance? Sadness? Or perhaps at the reminder of bad memories.

And when your hand traces up his spine to a strange purple symbol on the back of his neck, one that represents the electro symbol but not quite.

And as your hand touches it, it's as if a bolt of lightning is sent through his body, his hand immediately reacting to slap away your hand from it, quickly getting up and backing away from your touch his panicked eyes look into yours his breathing ragged for a moment before calming down

"I'm...im sorry" his voice comes out in a whisper, as if that's all he could manage..

Xiao

If you thought getting the wanderer to show himself to you was hard think again.

In no circumstance will he ever allow you to massage him just because his muscles feel sore

He's too proud as an Adeptus and as a Yaksha to allow that.

No matter how many long nights he's fought allowing himself relief in this form is out of the question.

It's not just his pride speaking though, he's far too selfless to allow himself rest.

Only when his karmic dept clings to him and dark miasma swirls in the air that surrounds him does he agree to allow you to touch him, albeit very reluctantly.

Only after being pushed to his physical limit does he allow you to touch his bare body, his bare body that he despises so much.

Your hands, which remain untainted by the dark miasma that surrounds him, untainted by the blood of thousands of innocents, he isn't deserving of your touch.

But he holds his tongue, letting your hands roam over his toned back without arguing, not so much as a pip is heard from the man,

He has a small frame, and an even smaller waist but the muscles he's trained from over a millennia are quite clear and pronounced

Your hands ghost over healed scars that he's long forgotten the stories too, claw marks which indicated a time his very flesh was punctured and bleeding.

Those scars he had gained admits battle, those roughly edged scars that you touched oh so very sweetly. He doesn't deserve this. In his mind he doesn't even deserve you but this especially.

He breathes deeply, it's okay, it's fine, he doesn't mind as you touch the scars he obtained during wartime, a time when he used to fight with his brothers and sisters

But his breath does hitch when you touch a scar that...even after thousands of years is stuck deep into his skin, a scar he received long before being rescued by Rex lapis.

His fists clenched as the memories flashed before his eyes,, the memories of him..his breathing increased almost to the point of him having a mini panic attack..

He only calmed himself once your hand moved away from there and to his arm as you traced the tattoo on it, gently tracing its edges as you reassured him that it would be alright.

Kazuha

Kazuha does not mind one bit if you want to see his body

He'll make a sly remark about your request of course

But he'll never deny nor say no to you

He doesn't have any insecurities regarding his body

He's confident in them and the scars he has obtained over the years of being a samurai

He'll raise an eyebrow at your request and give you a sly smile, yet when you explain your reasoning he'll smile gently and he chuckles nodding to your request set

Taking off his shirt for you and laying on his stomach, you can see his arms wrapped in bandages and some freshly obtained scars on his back are too.

Most though, are healed each one having a story behind it,

Whatever scar you trace he'll have the story behind it, from the smallest of cuts to the deepest of gashes he'll tell you, in depth how, where, and when he got it

Scars trace throughout his body down his arms that are wrapped in bandages, perhaps this day, he'll let you redo them for him,

Other than his scars his skin is soft and smooth, it's quite fair and he definitely has a tan line, his face is a bit darker than the rest of his body due to him always being out in the sun

He sometimes likes going into gruesome details about how he got a specific scar, but when you asked him about one he got on the day tomo was killed, he hesitates.

Going quiet for a moment, thinking deeply about what to say or tell, but unlike the other boys, he's more open with you and he'll tilt his head back as he recounts the story of that scar.

He won't tell you the whole story but...little by little he'll start mentioning little details here and there, leaving you some empty spots for you to figure out.

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opultea · 5 months

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Babe, Look at Me!

Things the Genshin men do to try and impress you. ft. Alhaitham, Lyney, Morax (Zhongli), Itto

Fluff - Romantic - SFW - GN Reader (No Pronouns) - Headcanons

Word Count: 0.8k

Alhaitham

So here’s the thing

Alhaitham ain’t a man to show off

He literally doesn’t care about what anyone thinks of him

Expect for a special someone (¬‿¬)

(That’s you boo)

Alhaitham still doesn’t show off in the classic way. Definitely doesn’t go out of his way to make you view him doing certain things

But if the opportunity presents itself naturally… then why not take it?

I’m talking lifting up the hem off his shirt to wipe sweat off his brow when he’s working out with/near you, changing shirts just a little bit slower than he usually would if you’re around, putting a bit more effort in winning a debate he’s in with another scholar when you’re with him, flexing his bicep when you hold his arm

It’s the little things

But boy do they work

Sports a smug little smile when he sees you affected by him

If you get flustered and smack his chest to tell him to stop, he'll just give you a slight smile and tell you he has no idea what you're talking about

Lyney

As if this guy won't spend ages perfecting that trick where he pulls a bouquet from nowhere so he can gradually pull out bigger and bigger bouquets to give you

He already practices his tricks almost constantly, dead set on perfecting every little thing

But with you on his mind?

That spark to do his best grows into a fervent flame like no other

Lynette doesn't complain about his childish wish to impress you as long as it's improving his performance (and making him happier), but she definitely rolls her eyes at him when she overhears him practising his line delivery for when he gifts you the rainbow roses he bought earlier

He personally invites you to every one of his shows, and though he understands if you can't make it every time, he smiles so wide when you say yes that you're tempted to push aside all your other commitments anyway

After the show, he'll pull you aside and ask what you thought, all while trying to appear as if he isn't nervously awaiting your approval

Morax

I’ve specified Morax here because this is based in the universe of my Zhongli x Cloud God Reader head cannon (from my Where’s My Kiss? drabbles)

Look, he’s a young, proud, powerful god with his eye on the lovely cloud god that he sees roaming above sometimes, and he can’t help but try to do certain things hoping you’ll be watching from your domain

Morax in his dragon form taking more causal flights around Liyue than he used to, certainly not because he knows you can see his magnificent true form from your palace in the heavens when he flies past

Although he doesn’t often involve himself in battle unless necessary, he’s found himself allowing the yaksha to spar with him with the excuse that he believes it will test their limits (and definitely not because he wants you to see how powerful he is)

You agreed to help him train the yaksha, and as you stand at the side of the small battleground Morax locks eyes with you as he does his finishing move in a 'cool guys don't look at explosions' way

Definitely smirks a little when he sees how it affects you

Itto

Actually says the phrase 'Babe, look at me!' all the time

Literally will do anything and then turn to you to receive his head pat and praise

Loves to flex (both literally and figuratively)

Takes extra special care of his horns and hair the night before he's going to see you just to fish for extra compliments

If you don't immediately acknowledge the extra care he took and the extra shine on his horns, he'll clear his throat and place his hand on his head to make you look up at his horns

If you still don't compliment him or act impressed (which you've definitely done just to tease him) he'll get sooo pouty, poor baby :((

But of course, you always act so impressed in the end, often turning it up to eleven jokingly

Itto will take any and all compliments seriously though, no matter how dramatic you're acting with them

"Thanks babe, knew you'd notice."

He acts cool by sweeping back his flowing mane as if he wasn't hunched over pouting two seconds ago

"My horn's are just too cool sometimes, you know? Feels like I gotta reign in my own awesomeness sometimes, otherwise everyone will be all up on me and you'll get lost in the crowd of admirers! And we can't have that, huh? You're the numero uno cheerleader for this numero uno leader!"

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nihilnisiluna · 21 days

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Pitiful

They noticed he was acting out of character again, it can be so weird to see him try and earn their forgiveness. Though, they highly doubt that they would ever forgive him for what he had done. He was immovable as a mountain, strong and could be seen as a protector of Liyue. It's so weird to see him trying to play with kids to make him look meek. Playing with their toys and engaging in their imagination, it was a sight to see.

However, despite what he did, the creator left the scene as quickly as they didn't want to stand next to their murderer.

He craves for forgiveness as he is so full of guilt, but everything he tries is met with an even more disgusted look on his creator's face. Why can't he get them to smile like the others?

They make the creator smile so brightly, it hurts. The ones that have earned the right to stand next to his grace, something he deeply yearns for. To stand tall and proud, as they were the ones that didn't try to hurt the creator when everyone else was trying to hunt to kill them.

They get trinkets made from the creator, whether it was a simple doodle or some arts and crafts. How he yearned for the creator to acknowledge him with a smile and maybe with a gift like that.

He knows it is his punishment, deep down he knows. Yet, he has dreams of the past where the creator had blessed him and used him to their heart's content. He would like to be used like that again. Iit felt like he was loved by his creator even though that was the time where he couldn’t see their face. While he knew that the creator didn't give him his gifts due to the fact they liked him, rather so he can protect someone else. Even if that had irritated him, he would rather take that than the creator avoiding him completely. He knows that there are others that get treated like he does, but even so, he is willing to try to get the creator to look at him with love.

Despite the looks of disgust he gets from the creator, he continues to try. Last week, he tried to show he was harmless by flying a kite with other adepti. He knew that they favored the yaksha, which would increase their chances to stay.

He had brought the idea with Xianyun and she agreed, wanting to help the former geo archon and creator to bond. Bring along her apprentice so they can fly kites close to Wangshu Inn so that she may have fun along the way. Though, Xiao was the one to invite the creator and brought it all together.

Desperate for the creator to look at him in a different light and that this silly plan would work. Yet, when they arrived with a plus one with their hands linked together, he was frozen. This wasn't supposed to happen, he didn't even notice how hard he was holding the spindle. Watching from the distance that they had their bright smile as everyone greeted each other, not noticing him yet.

Making his move, he walked over to their side and held out his spindle. Not realizing that Xianyun was telling him to not engage just yet, he asked the creator with his warmest smile he could give, “would you like to try?”

They released a surprised noise as they backed up onto their partner and he saw their eyes changing as they noticed the situation change. They had slipped and almost fell into their partner. Once they recovered and stood tall, they gave him a reply, “No, Mr. Zhongli. If anything I'll be taking my leave first.”

True to their word, they had left first with their partner, but he just stared as they left. Frustrated that another plan didn't work. He barely notices Xianyun words of comfort or Xiao excusing himself.

He just wants his creator to look at him without disgust, without them trying to leave the second they noticed him.

Though, nothing is working.

#genshin impact #sagau #genshin impact sagau #self aware genshin #genshin sagau #sagau cult au #x reader #sagau x reader #zhongli x reader #Angst #nihil.writes <3

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https-furina · 5 months

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✎ that poor birdy. ft. xiao x gn!reader content. fluff, a little hurt/comfort, naive (?) reader - they don’t know xiao isn’t human :p a little bit of xiao falling in love while being really inexperienced with it. mentions of xiao as a birdy ! not proofread 'm sorry >~< w.c. 1.5k words

notes. uuuuuuuu i loves him so much ;; santa pls can i has him under my nonexistent tree this year taglist. @ryuryuryuyurboat @soleillunne @rainswept

you followed the routine meticulously whenever you needed it, which was usually always when the inspiration runs dry from your veins. it stumps you every time, being in that scenario as a member of the wanwen bookhouse in liyue harbor. you never particularly want xingqiu chasing after you on whether you have any new material to publish.

the idea was first proposed in its early stages by a close friend - at least, that’s what you call him. you had been grumbling over a cup of steaming hot tea, head in your hands as you whined to xiao about an upcoming deadline.

“why don’t you travel for inspiration?” he had suggested and within seconds, your face had lit up. you stared at him with glittering eyes, a hopeful glimpse into your future right before you. xiao shifted nervously under your gaze, his gloved hands cupping his own cup of tea as he glanced away, the tips of ears feeling warm.

suddenly you would start disappearing for days, sometimes even weeks as the birth of your new found routine began. it was the saviour of your writer’s block, filling you to the brim with stories and poetry that everyone at the wanwen bookhouse fawned over. xiao never pondered where you would run off to, in all fairness he assumed you was prancing off to mondstadt, sumeru and even inazuma.

he never chased you up on it. after all, his suggestion had merely been a case of him trying to get the oddly clingy human that appeared from nowhere off his back for more than a day. your presence suffocates him as a yaksha and he takes your absence in his stride yet he leans against the railing of his room at wangshu inn, staring out at the endless stars all clustered together on a backdrop of indigo and he sees how your eyes glittered that day, like you had captured the stars and put them in your eyes. almost like fireflies in a glass jar.

xiao did however presume you was at least obsessed - his words, you simply call it a normal friendship - with him enough to bring back trinkets from your adventures but you come back empty handed each time with only a proud grin on your face as you dump your newest works onto the male. part of him is glad that you don’t, after all gifting on such a level outside of special occasions could come off as mating to the male bird. the other part of him - the humanoid part of him - wishes you would do it at least once to fill the empty void in his heart left from centuries of avoiding contact with people.

the kitchen at the wangshu inn is usually busy around this time of day as workers gather for their lunch break or couples take a leisurely stroll across the guili plains whilst liyue’s weather remains so warm and tender, humid to the touch with a cool breeze. xiao knows this well from how long he’s resided at the very top of the inn, where the breeze catches just right and rustles golden leaves above his head. the noise brought by the mortal world’s lunchtime would soon cease and he’d be left in the solace he craves so desperately to ease his pains; that is disregarding the fact that xiao finds the kitchen too noisy on this day.

someone jogging up the steps is enough for xiao to hide, after all he’s not expecting visitors nor does anyone ever seek him out on purpose now but he catches sight of your familiar head of hair and the waft of almond tofu through the leaves, the plate held carefully in your hands. he tries to make his sudden appearance calm, as if he’d always been there - you’re too innocent to put together myth to reality, even with his mask tucked securely to his hip.

“you’re back again,” he comments, gold eyes watching you carefully as you spin on your heel to face him, your initial look of confusion ebbing away at the sight of him, “almond tofu?”

“i figured i’d come back with a gift, at least,” you chime with a grin, holding out the plate to him. seeing your smile after a few days affects xiao more than he’d care to admit, his stomach filled with the odd sensation of butterflies - and a gift? “i remember you saying you liked almond tofu.”

the pale skin of his cheeks seems to flush with a subtle hue of pink causing the yaksha to flicker his glance away from you as he takes the plate of almond tofu, mumbling his thanks. what was this feeling? his brows almost knit together in confusion; could it be karmic debt? perhaps your presence as a mortal human was finally taking its toll on him. xiao parts his lips to excuse himself from your vicinity, wondering if he could gather some believable lies to get you off his back but he stares at the small details on your face and how you still smell like parchment and ink instead.

xiao moves away from you - albeit a little reluctantly - to the table presented neatly with two chairs by the railing, hidden in the shade of wangshu inn's great auburn tree. he settles in one of the chairs, clearing his throat as he watches you lean against the aforementioned railing.

"so where did you go gallivanting off to this time?" he asks curiously, taking small bites of the almond tofu you'd presented to him. it comes to him that he's never once asked where you go when you disappear from him and apparently the question catches you off guard when he glimpses how your eyes seem to widen a little in surprise, processing his sudden interest in your adventures.

"oh! i was camping out at qingyun peak again!" you lean back against the railing, letting liyue's breeze tickle your skin like a warm breath fanning down your neck. xiao pauses mid-bite, golden eyes blinking in bewilderment as he gazes at you. was that all? he furrows his brows, after all he had truly expected you to be going abroad to new lands for your inspiration - he's even more caught off guard by how you said again… so it wasn't your first time?

"is that all?" he voices aloud, listening to the sound of your sweet laugh on the wind at his response. the strange feeling in his stomach turns again and he almost drops the almond tofu on his spoon, clearing his throat as he looks away from you quickly. these feelings were not painful for him, he begins to realise in turn. the heat of his ears and the way his neck and cheeks soon matched their temperatures, the shake of his gloved hands and how his stomach felt like it was flipping - these were not associated with pain nor karma, confusing the yaksha further.

"eeyup!" you pop the 'p,' grinning over at him before looking up at the roof of wangshu inn, noting the numerous bird nests filled with eggs before you remember something you wished to bring up to him, "but i heard a little birdy calling out during the night, it sounded so sad."

xiao hums in response, turning his focus back to the almond tofu he was finding the most delectable - if you had made it like he assumed, you truly was an amazing cook. he considers voicing that thought out loud before he realises you are mumbling about the small bird you'd heard and xiao begins to ponder what type of bird you must have heard. in the middle of night and at qingyun peak… the more he thinks about it, he soon chokes on the tofu he was chewing. he clears his throat to cover his embarrassment, hiding his face as he waves you off when you rush to his side.

you'd heard him. xiao's heart races, thumping against his ribcage at how he gets himself out of this situation. how would he even begin to explain that the bird is lamenting, calling for its dead friends that will never return? his eyelashes flutter shut for a moment.

"i'm sure the bird is fine." he tries to reassure once he has finished chewing the tofu. you give him a thankful smile at his reassurance, settling in the chair opposite him with a drastic sigh.

"i hope so… that poor birdy," you go quiet for a moment, gaze drifted off into the distance in thought and xiao takes the moment to recollect himself, leaning back in his chair as he admires you subtly. you really was starting to become a pain for him, "you'll have to join me next time so you can hear it! you seem to know a lot about birds, xiao - maybe we can go find it!"

xiao grimaces but he doesn't let it show, a crack of a smile on his face at the sentiment behind you caring so much for this bird; caring for him, without ever realising it. perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to let you a little closer, after all these pains weren't hurting him.

"i'll have to take you up on that offer." he muses, fixing his gloves as a wide beam brightens up your face. oh, what a grave he has dug for himself.

#( sealed letters )#xiao genshin #xiao genshin impact #xiao fluff #xiao x reader fluff #xiao #genshin xiao #xiao x reader #genshin #genshin impact #genshin fluff #genshin impact fluff #genshin x reader #https-furina

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blissfullyapillow · 5 months

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┃If I can’t have you.. (everything means nothing)

₊˚⊹♡ Xiao x fem reader

₊˚⊹♡ wc: 9k~

₊˚⊹♡ Prompt: Xiao finds himself falling for a human despite his better judgment, while said human is hesitant to give their heart to the sweet yaksha who saved them, in fear of becoming a burden.

₊˚⊹♡ warnings: slowburn, fluff, you’re visionless (gasp), tons of mutual pining, Zhongli acts like a parent figure to Xiao here (istg it’s so cute)

₊˚⊹♡ Pillow Talks: GUYS I AM SO PROUD OF THIS DFHUQI, I’ve been slowly writing the the last couple of weeks and I love how it turned out! I, once again, randomly got inspired when listening to a song. This time it was Shawn Mendes’ song, ‘If I Can’t Have You,’ hence the title of this work. I came to the sudden realization that the song would totally fit Xiao, and I realized it’s been a long time since I wrote something for him. I tried to make this as canon compliant as possible, as in Xiao would actually do & feel these things; I hope I did him justice! With much love, please enjoy this fic! Xoxo ♡(੭´͈ ᐜ `͈)੭

₊˚⊹♡ Masterlist

It’s an average night for the Vigilant Yaksha; Adeptus Alatus. Said adeptus is currently carrying out his duty as he watches over Liyue, defeating any man-eating monsters he happens upon.

Tonight there appears to be more of these monsters than usual, but it’s all the same to the mighty illuminated adepti.

He wastes no time in slaying said monsters, and within a moment's time they are all subdued.

At least that’s what he thought.

A sudden cry from afar immediately grabs his attention, and he wastes no time getting to the source. What he finds does not surprise him. A lone girl hesitantly backs away from a group of monsters, creating what distance she can as she inevitably becomes surrounded.

Xiao’s hand grips his spear as he readies himself to eliminate the threat in front of him. He falters when the lone girl emits a battle cry of sorts. He watches as she bends down to grab a..

A stick.

Xiao can’t help but snort at the comical sight.

This girl, all alone and surrounded by monsters, chooses a stick as her last means of survival. Almost as if the monsters can sense her foolishness as well, they emit sounds akin to laughter.

Xiao moves to help the girl, ready to save her, and yet…

He finds his feet glued to the floor when his eyes catch sight of her burning orbs.

Most people he’s happened across in these situations are full of fear as they shout for someone, anyone, to save them.

Not this girl. She straightens herself with her measly yet sturdy stick in hand before she starts to swing.

Xiao guffaws when she accurately lands a hit on one of the monsters. He’s flabbergasted when the small monster actually falls to the ground. He knows her stick won’t amount to much as a means of protection; it already looks like it’s on the verge of breaking. Despite this, she wastes no time in attacking another monster with her stick.

Xiao is rooted to the spot as he watches this girl miraculously handle herself pretty well in this situation. His sharp gaze flicks to the monster that creeps up behind her. He moves now, and in a moment’s breath he appears right behind said monster.

The girl has yet to notice the monster behind her as she swings her stick at another monster in front of her; the monster behind closes in on her from behind.

He’s relieved he’s close enough to stop the monster before it reaches her since she seems all too unaware of her surroundings.

So, imagine his surprise when the girl spins around, kicking the monster to the ground before his spear can deliver a devastating blow.

Their eyes meet, and although all she can see is his mask her expression morphs into one full of wonder and awe. That is, before she swings her stick at him.

Xiao easily catches hold of the stick, and in no time it snaps in two in his firm grasp. He ignores her attempt to hit him once more as he now focuses his attention on the remaining monsters around her.

He makes quick work in slaughtering them all. Once the task is complete he faces her. He expects her to retaliate once more. maybe attempt to hit him again.

His eyes widen in slight surprise when he’s presented with a formal bow. Her head hangs low, and her hands are pressed together as if in prayer.

“Thank you almighty adeptus!” He scoffs at her grateful exclamation. This mortal is quite the handful. He opens his mouth to speak, his face still hidden beneath his mask, when she straightens herself once more and her eyes meet his.

Any response he would’ve had dies in his throat. His mind goes blank as her wide orbs bore into his. How does she even know where his eyes are? Aren’t they hidden behind his mask?

A touch of his fingers against his cheek, not his mask, answers his own question. He must’ve been so consumed with his thoughts that he didn’t notice his mask disappear.

Speaking of said human, she now tentatively takes a step in his direction.

“Stop. Do not come any closer.” His words are harsh and prickly. He crosses his arms across his chest, and he stands firm.

The human takes the hint, but her eyes still stay on his. For some reason this flusters him, and he finally averts his gaze. The human seems to take this as an opportunity to come closer, and a noise of surprise escapes him when a warm pair of arms wrap around him.

Does this mortal have no sense of danger!?

His hands quickly grip your arms to pull you off of him, but he stops himself when he sees your expression.

Your eyelashes house unshed tears and your lips are quivering. He quickly comes to the realization that your tough exterior was just a front. Now, you’re clinging to him as loud sniffles leave you.

He’s as stiff as a board as you cling to him, but he can’t bring himself to pull you off of him. A few moments of awkward silence, save for your sniffles, pass by. Eventually he awkwardly raises his hand to pat your back.

You two stay together in this awkward embrace until you pull away. He wants to scold you and tell you to return to your residence at once, but…

He remains silent.

“Thank you. I did my best to defend myself and remain calm, but I knew there was only so much I could do. I don’t have a vision, so I was feeling pretty desperate haha.” Xiao’s taken aback by your words. How come he didn't notice that before?

He looks over your person. Sure enough, there isn’t a vision in sight. He’s.. a bit impressed by your mental fortitude. You stood your ground and put up a fight despite having no external means of help.

Honestly, he finds that very admirable of you.

“Whatever. Go home. It’s late. There are still monsters around.” The words leave him quickly, and he ushers you away.

You don’t budge despite his pushing, and you turn your head to look at him.

Archons, why do you keep gazing so deeply into his eyes?

He awkwardly coughs as he looks anywhere but in your direction. His hands on your person feel like they’re being lit aflame, so he quickly pulls them away. You turn to face him fully now, only to place a gentle hand on his arm.

He visibly jumps before his hand firmly grips your wrist. “What are you doing?” He grunts. “Can you escort me home? I’m still a bit shaken up...” You murmur the words under breath. You’re so quiet; Xiao wouldn’t have heard you if he weren’t paying such rapt attention to you.

Xiao has no inclination to help you, let alone entertain you any further. He should just disappear from sight like he usually does. You’ll surely be fine. He may have fibbed a bit earlier, there are no more monsters nearby.

His eyes reluctantly meet your orbs once more. Something about the sincerity in your gaze compels him. He finds himself heeding your request despite his better judgment, and soon he falls into stride beside you as he accompanies you home.

“This is foolish.” He mutters under his breath. “It may be to you, but I greatly appreciate your time and generosity.” He didn’t think you heard him, so he’s more than a bit startled by your sincere reply.

He remains silent for the rest of the journey. He doesn’t comment on your close proximity as you walk side by side.

He pays no mind to the occasional brush of your shoulder against his.

He doesn’t notice the way your eyes are curiously drawn to him as you two walk, or the way they rove over his form.

After what feels like a millenia you two arrive at your residence. He should leave now. He’s indulged you more than he needed to. “This is goodby-” You cut him off when you throw your arms around him in a tight, warm hug.

This is the second time you’ve done that tonight.

He hates the way his heart lurches as a result of the unexpected proximity from you.

“Thank you, really. Is there anything I can do to repay you?” Your voice is soft, mesmerizing, and your words are whispered by the shell of his ear and you continue to embrace him.

Honestly he wants you to stop hugging him so his heart can stop pounding in his chest. “You can stop hugging me… and also… stay out of harm's way.” At his request you quickly pry yourself off of him.

He abhors the disappointment he feels now that you aren’t close to him anymore. “I can do that. Thank you…” You trail off, hoping he’ll fill in the blank for you with his name.

This has gone on long enough.

He turns now so his back faces you. He remains silent as he disappears.

You feel a bit disappointed that he didn’t reply, but you’re grateful to him nevertheless.

Little did the both of you know, this encounter was only the beginning of something more.

𓆩♡𓆪

“I thought I told you to stay out of harm's way?” His gruff tone makes you giddy as he holds you in his arms, out of reach from the swarm of monsters.

You truly didn’t expect to see the adeptus that saved you that fateful night ever again, yet here he is.

“I did my best to follow your advice! I just.. Have a bit of a knack for finding myself in crazy situations.” You sound sheepish as you laugh it off, but the yaksha holding you sounds anything but amused.

“You mortals are always such a handful..” He quickly sets you down in a safe area before he gets to work defeating the monsters in front of you.

You cheer him on as if you were his personal cheerleader, and you swear you see the tips of his ears redden.

In no time at all the threat before you vanishes, and the adeptus stands tall in the midst of the aftermath.

Well, as tall as he possibly can. He is quite short after all.

The thought brings a cheeky smile to your lips. The adeptus notices your expression, and a familiar frown presents itself on his pretty features.

“Are you sure you aren’t actively putting yourself in these situations?” He interrogates you. “No! I promise. I really could do without the added stress to my already busy life.” You smile as you make your way over to him.

He doesn’t stop you. He’s clearly contemplating your words.

You don’t blame him. This is your fourth encounter after all. The previous two encounters consisted of him saving you from monsters as well.

Unfortunately he hasn’t walked you home since your last encounter, or told you his name, but you’re determined to learn that information tonight.

“So, mighty adeptus, will you please do me the honor of-” “You can find your own way home. I know you don’t live far from here.” He turns away from you, his telltale sign that he’s about to disappear.

“No, please wait!” You grimace at the desperation in your voice. You notice him flinch slightly at your words.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t leave.

You close the distance between the two of you, and you wrap your arms around him from behind in a hug.

He sighs, a sound you’ve grown quite used to hearing from him. “You are one troublesome human…” He grumbles under his breath. Despite his harsh words he makes no attempt to move away from you. You enjoy this moment as you close your eyes and hold him.

You smile to yourself since he lets you.

“Please escort me home tonight? I’m still figuring out the best way to repay you for saving me so many times; It’s only right that I do something in return.” You fear your words won’t be enough to convince him.

Your fears are promptly quelled. He regretfully moves away from you, but he begins to walk in the direction of your home.

The smile that lights up your face is radiant.

You easily fall into step beside him.

The night air is chilly. You rub your arms with your hands to generate a bit of warmth as you rack your brain for a suitable topic of conversation. From your few encounters with the adeptus you can tell he isn’t the most social individual.

Even so, nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

“Is there really no way I can repay you?” You decide to be blunt and cut to the chase. You’re rewarded by a startled snort. The sound is strangely cute coming from him.

Your head whips in his direction, but his face remains stoic as if he made no sound at all. “If I say there is something you can do, will you stop pestering me?” He grumbles. Your eyes shine with delight at the prospect of doing something for the kind individual beside you.

“Yes, please!” You encourage him. He hums in contemplation before he goes silent once more. You pout as the comforting sight of your abode enters your line of vision.

Once you’re standing in front of your door you turn around to wish the adeptus a monsterless rest of his night. Just as your lips part to say your farewells, he speaks. “You can make a dish of almond tofu. Bring it here tomorrow. After that, your debt will have been repaid. Now go to sleep. It’s late.” With those brisk words, he turns and leaves.

He doesn’t completely disappear on you this time, and the delusional part of you believes it’s progress. Unfortunately you still didn’t catch his name, but you’ve made progress in a different sense!

Too bad you don’t have the slightest idea how to make almond tofu…

𓆩♡𓆪

“I’ve been up since early this morning, scouring multiple sources, and said sources have all referred me to you! So please, pleasseee teach me how you make almond tofu!” You’re on your knees in front of the chef of Wangshu Inn, pathetically begging him to teach you his wonderful ways.

Not too far behind you stands Verr Goldet, hunched over and clutching her sides in laughter. The chef takes one look at the sight of you in front of him before a deep, heavy sigh leaves his lips.

“I just can’t catch a break here, huh..?” Those are the only words you hear from him before you're hoisted on your feet and put to work.

Hours full of failed dishes and disgruntled sighs pass by. At one point the chef looked ready to cry, but hey, everything worked out!

Of course by the time you finally manage to make a successful dish of Almond Tofu it’s late into the night. You bestow your thanks upon the chef, but all he does is shake his head as he shoos you away. He may be far off in his assumptions, but he has an idea of who the intended recipient of that dish is.

You carefully wrap the dish in a pretty carry on before you begin to set off in the direction of your home.

Before you’re able to get far a familiar voice stops you. “Wait! Y/n, was it? Head up to the highest floor of the Inn before you go. It’ll save you a lot of time.” Verr’s words confuse you, but you’d be a fool to deny her request. She was the one who told you to seek out the chef after all. So with a firm nod you quickly make your way to the place she insisted you visit before your departure.

Once you get up there, the ephemeral sight of the full moon greets you. The little balcony is empty. It’s quite a beautiful sight, but you’re still a bit lost. Why did the boss want you to come up here?

You turn to leave since you’re eager to get home and present to the adeptus your hard work. You manage to take only a single step before a hand on your arm stops you. “Where do you think you’re going so late into the night?” You shriek and jump a mile into the air.

Wait, that voice. It can’t be…

Yet sure enough when you turn around the adeptus is there, glowering at you. “Did you make the almond tofu?” You want to scold him for his blunt question. Instead you hold your tongue as you shove the food into his hands.

He’s startled as he scrambles to hold the food properly. “You fool! What if I dropped all your hard work onto the floor?” He scowls deeply, but his words make your heart pound. “How do you know that I worked hard to make this?” You breathe.

His cheeks warm considerably; a light pink hue makes itself visible on his cheeks. The moonlight casts an ethereal glow on his person.

“It’s obvious.. with.. how well it’s presented.” His soft words are surprisingly sweet. You find yourself swooning as he unwraps the food you delicately packed for him. He moves closer to the edge of the balcony before he plops himself down with your dish of Almond Tofu.

You slowly make your way over to him before you sit down comfortably beside him.

A stupid smile stretches your cheeks when your knee bumps against his.

You watch attentively as he slowly takes his first bite. He closes his eyes as he savors the taste. He remains eerily still which causes your heart to drop to your stomach. Did you mess up the recipe again? But the chef sampled it and he said it was the best patch of Almond Tofu you’ve managed to make all day! You tried it too, and it tasted pretty good! You hope the adeptus doesn’t take this as an insult.

Wait- were you supposed to properly make an offering of the Almond Tofu to the adeptus, like, in a traditional sense?

Your spiraling, anxious thoughts are stopped in their tracks when he eagerly takes another bite. Two bites turn into three, and soon the plate is wiped clean.

You’re stunned. You watch in awe as he gracefully sets the plate down at his side before turning to you. “It was okay.” You blink. Glance over at the empty plate again. Look at his deadpan expression.

It takes a moment for the giggles to build, but soon you’re full on laughing as you clutch your stomach, similar to Verr Goldet earlier in the day.

The adeptus huffs in faux annoyance as you laugh. Unbeknownst to you, a small smile is on his lips.

“You don’t need to meet me anymore now. Go home earlier, okay?” His words make your laughter come to an abrupt halt. “Huh?” You splutter out in a confused daze. He says nothing as he moves to stand up.

You clutch his arm.

He takes one look at the expression on your face before he sits down. “Please don’t do that. I mean, I understand if you don’t want to see me anymore. I’m sure I’m just another ‘silly mortal’ to you, and I know you have your own burdens and duties to attend to…” His breath hitches at your words. You wish you could delve deeper into that, but unfortunately you don’t know him well enough. Hell, you don’t even know his name.

“I understand, truly.. But..” You turn to face him. Your knee bumps against his once more, but you pay the electrifying tingles no mind as you gently grasp his hands. He sucks in a breath. You expect him to wrench his hands away, but he doesn’t. Whatever the reason is, you won’t waste this chance.

“I want to get to know you better. Maybe it’s simple curiosity.. Maybe it’s something more..” You subtly imply, “But I want to keep seeing you. On your time, of course. Please…” You’d say his name, but you don’t know it.

You squeeze his hands before your eyes seal themselves shut in anticipation of his rejection. He has no reason to accept. You feel like the fool that you surely are, for even suggesting that he’d want to spend more time with- “Xiao. Adeptus Xiao.”

Your eyes shoot open, and your mouth parts in shock. “Stay at the Inn tonight. I’ll speak to Verr Goldet for you. Get some sleep.” His eyes move down to your hands, still gently gripping his, and the faint color on his cheeks deepen its shade.

He averts his eyes, looking down at his shoes before they trail over to the moon, back down to his shoes.

You find his embarrassment to be absolutely adorable.

You thank the archons for their generosity as you finally let go of his hands. You swear you see a smile on his lips before it disappears just as fast as it appeared.

He stands, offering you his hand to take. You gleefully take it and he hoists you up on your feet. “Have a goodnight…” He trails off expectantly.

Huh? Why is he looking at you like that?

“Your name.” He prompts.

Oh.

Wait.

Your cheeks warm to a dangerous degree as your hand flies to your mouth. You’ve wanted to know his name so badly, you focused so much on it. So much so that you forgot you never told him your own name!

“Y/n.” You whisper, your feelings of embarrassment blatant in your voice.

Xiao smirks at your reaction. “I see. Goodnight, Y/n.”

Then he’s gone.

You take a few minutes to cool down and quell your embarrassment before you go down to talk to Verr. Somehow, she has a room available. You gratefully take the room she offers. She tells you it’s on the house, and no matter how much you insist on paying she refuses to take payment.

Aw well, you’ll leave a generous tip in the room before you leave.

A yawn escapes your lips as your eyes fall shut. As you drift off to sleep, images of the short adeptus- Xiao- occupy your every thought.

Meanwhile, in another location, said adeptus continues to whisper your name into the wind.

Y/n.

Y/n…

....

Huh.

He likes the way your name sounds on his tongue.

𓆩♡𓆪

His heart throbs, and his throat feels dry.

His eyes roam over your figure before he quickly turns around, staring off into the distance. Why does he feel so.. Embarrassed? No, that’s not the right word. It’s more like..

You move to stand a bit closer to him, to make space for the person passing the two of you. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end; he’s acutely aware of your presence.

Ah, self conscious. That’s the word he was looking for.

He can not wrap his head around these newfound feelings he’s having around you. He only told you his name last night, nothing more. Why is he acting like it’s such a big deal to him?

When you move away to create a bit of distance between the two of you he feels oddly disappointed.

Maybe he’s feeling this way because to him, telling you his name and giving you his time is a big deal, whether he’ll admit it to himself or not.

He’s not particularly fond of spending his time with humans. Well, he wouldn’t mind learning more about human culture if it weren’t for his karmic debt.

Speaking of, you seem none the wiser as you two embark on a leisurely stroll. The sun is high in the sky, a stark contrast to the full moon that witnessed the fateful exchange of your names.

Ah, there he goes again.

He scolds himself for thinking of that encounter again. He spent all night thinking of you, enjoying the way your name rolled off his tongue with ease. Even as he fought a few monsters, his thoughts kept drifting to you.

He starts to break out in a cold sweat as he continues to think of you, even as you’re standing right beside him.

Will he be able to perform his duties appropriately? How will he, when’s he’s thinking about you constantly like a lovesick-

Woah.

Where did that word come from? He doesn’t even know you like that.

Xiao’s cheeks redden from his thoughts. He pushes the thought out of his head, refusing to entertain the silly idea any further.

“Thanks for walking me back… even though it’s broad daylight.” You tease. Xiao jerks a bit at your teasing. Why does that lit in your voice sound so alluring to him?

Xiao. Stop.

“It’s nothing. The threat of monsters linger, no matter the hour of the day.” He mentally pats himself on the back for that smooth explanation. He sees the way you nod your head in agreement, but more importantly his eyes zero in on the small upturn of the corner of your lips.

When he catches himself his eyes quickly tear away from you. He awkwardly coughs into his fist before he looks down at the ground.

Is he.. Sick? Why is his heart beating so fast when all he’s doing is walking beside you? Maybe he should ask Zhongli if-

“Earth to Xiao?” You’re in front of him now, your face dangerously close to his as you wave a hand in front of his face.

Oh, Archons.

He abruptly stops walking, and it takes everything in him to avoid leaning further into you.

“Uh, ye- AHEM… yes?” Oh dear. His face burns at the slight crack in his voice. He silently hopes you didn’t catch it.

You most definitely did, but you won’t tell him that.

“Are you alright? It seems like you’ve been zoning out..” Your kind eyes look over him. His palms sweat as he racks his brain for a quick, sensible justification for his wandering thoughts.

“I was.. Just thinking about..” His eyes move every which way as he tries to come up with a new topic of conversation to distract you. He catches sight of a group of fishermen a few feet away, chatting happily amongst themselves as they wait for their lines to lure in their catch.

Ah, perfect.

“What are your hobbies?” You blink owlishly at him before you take a step back.

He releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“My hobbies? Hm… let’s see..” You resume your position beside Xiao as you begin to delve into your pastimes. You unintentionally talk his ear off, but he’s grateful for it. This way, you forget about his rare moment of absent mindedness and he gets to learn more about you.

He doesn’t delve further into why he wants to learn more about you.

“So there you have it. What about you? I’m sure you’re busy, but I find it hard to believe even the adepti don’t have ways to unwind.” Your question is thought provoking, and honestly a bit insightful.

“This may disappoint you, but not all the adepti have the leisure to indulge in moments of frivolity.” He leaves it at that. In another instance, he may have commended you for your bold question and challenged you to a duel of sorts, but you don’t have a vision and you’re not a renowned traveler.

“Ah, I see. Well then, care to indulge me?” Xiao looks at you with a questioning stare, but you don’t elaborate. At this point in your journey the both of you are close to your abode, as well as Liyue Harbor.

You suddenly grasp his hand as you take off in a jog towards what he assumes is Liyue Harbor. Xiao splutters as he effortlessly keeps pace with you.

“Mortal- I- Y/n- What are you…” The rest of the question leaves his lips in a gasp when you turn to face him, an ethereal smile on your lips.

He’s quiet the rest of the way as he allows you to drag him to Liyue Harbor.

Oh, Zhongli.

This human is nothing but trouble.

𓆩♡𓆪

Xiao finds himself being dragged around Liyue Harbor all day, engaging in various activities with you.

Xiao knows the entirety of Liyue like the back of his hand. He doesn’t need a map; he’ll know any location in Liyue based on a vague description alone.

Yet here you are, bringing him around Liyue Harbor as you force him to encourage him to participate in activities with you and the other citizens of Liyue Harbor.

“Hey, Xiao. Do you like kites?” Your delighted voice drifts through the wind until it reaches his ears. “Hmph. I have no need for such a thing.” Is his stern reply. You seem to anticipate said response since all you do is playfully roll your eyes.

“Mhm. Well lucky for you, I got you one! Ta-da!” You swivel around with a newly purchased kite in hand. Xiao audibly sighs. You wish farewell to the kind old lady selling kites before you two head off once more.

Xiao foresees the way you gleefully fall into step beside him as you walk side by side. Xiao even anticipates the way you subtly sneak the kite into his open hand. What Xiao doesn’t expect is to see Iron Tongue Tian narrating a story to Zhongli.

He freezes.

His feet stop moving forward as he’s rooted to the spot. His thoughts spiral as his mind scrambles for what to do. Should he approach him? It’d be rude not to, but then he’ll know about you. Well, not like it matters. You’re just another human to him and-

“Oh, I love Iron Tongue Tian. He tells the best stories. Come, let’s listen!” Before Xiao’s mind can catch up with his actions, he’s being gently pulled along to sit at the same table as Zhongli.

Oh boy.

Zhongli immediately catches his eye. Xiao almost hates the subtle recognition in his eyes, accompanied by what Xiao discerns to be bewilderment.

He knows Zhongli won’t let him talk his way out of this.

Xiao chooses to sit down between the two of you, as a mediator of sorts. Iron Tongue Tian is currently telling a story, so surely-

“That concludes my story. Fret not, I have come prepared with another story to tell. Please give me a moment of respite as I prepare the scene for my next narration.”

Archons, Why?

Xiao is nonplussed to see the subtle upturn of Zhongli’s lips.

“Ah, Xiao. It’s rare to see you in this setting. Who is this young lady accompanying you? Please, spare no details.” Xiao swears he can feel the lone drop of sweat that travels down his face.

“Mo-.. Zhongli… this is.. Y/n.” Xiao internally berates himself for the breathless way your name leaves his lips. If Zhongli wasn’t curious already, he certainly is now.

“Ah, Y/n is it? A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I go by the name of Zhongli.” Zhongli smiles in your direction as he introduces himself. Xiao turns to gauge your reaction; He doesn’t expect the familiar smile on your lips, or the knowing twinkle in your eye.

Why are you smiling at Zhongli like that?

He feels conflicted.

“I know who you are, Mr. Zhongli. I’ve seen you sitting here, listening to Iron Tongue Tian’s stories many times. It’s nice to meet you.” You reach over, extending your hand for something.

Before Xiao can ask what you need assistance with, Zhongli’s hand grasps yours. You both exchange a gentle shake between the two of you before you retract your hand.

Oh, you were shaking Zhongli’s hand.

He wishes you would shake his, too.

“What a delightful young lady. Tell me, what brings you here? How did you manage to accompany Xiao here, of all individuals?” Xiao hears the underlying tease in Zhongli’s words. He turns his head to face Zhongli once more. A small pout forms on Xiao’s lips, and a small shake of his head signals Xiao’s displeasure of Zhongli’s teasing.

You, none the wiser, happily sit beside Xiao as you hum a tune to yourself. Zhongli leans down to whisper to Xiao, “It’s rare to see you interacting with the citizens of Liyue, yet alone to be accompanied by another party. Especially a human. The last individual I saw you spend your time with was the traveler. What is the occasion for this meeting? Did you orchestrate this? Do you feel comfortable?” Zhongli’s incessant questions only give Xiao a headache.

“I’m fine. There’s no need to concern yourself.” Is his gruff, short answer. Zhongli has become an expert at reading between the lines when it comes to Xiao. Based on Xiao’s body language and tone of voice, Zhongli deduced that nothing of immediate concern was occurring. If anything, Zhongli suspected something else to be at play.

Something he would wholeheartedly support, depending on the type of person he determines you to be.

“So, Y/n. Would you care to tell me more about yourself?” Zhongli elegantly picks up the tea resting on the table in front of him. As he softly blows against the cup, Xiao’s attention is brought back to you.

He watches the way your facial muscles twitch as you open and close your mouth. It’s clear you’re not exactly sure how to respond. Xiao’s patient as he waits for your response, enjoying the telltale sign of nerves you express, as your leg bounces up and down under the table.

“Sure, what would you like to know? My hobbies? My favorite food?” You fill the comfortable silence with a tentative question. “All of that and more, if you will.” Xiao’s a bit taken aback by Zhongli’s forward statement, but you don’t miss a beat. “Okay, sure.”

Many hours pass as you soon fall into easy conversation with Zhongli. Xiao occasionally contributes with your insistence, but overall you and Zhongli engage in pleasant conversation between Iron Tongue Tian’s stories.

Xiao would never admit this, but he’s pleased by this turn of events.

Zhongli is evidently intrigued by you as you two converse, and you’re eager to listen to his wisdom. By the time you two wrap up your long winded conversation, the sun is setting. The sky is a beautiful blend of purples, pinks, and orange hues.

“It seems to have gotten quite late. I’ve immensely enjoyed our conversation Y/n, but I must head off. I hope to see you again soon, friend. Also, it was a pleasure to see you again, Xiao. ” With that Zhongli slowly stands to take his leave.

Wait, friend?

Zhongli referred to you as a friend!

Xiao feels an odd sense of elation. If Zhongli has referred to you in that way, that means Zhongli approves of you as an individual.

Xiao abruptly stands up after Zhongli as he sends a pointed look his way. He hopes Zhongli takes the hint.

“Ah, I see. My apologies Y/n, but I must speak to Xiao privately about a certain matter. Please wait here for his return.” You happily nod as you shoo Xiao off to go talk to Zhongli in private.

Xiao’s cheeks burn for a reason unknown.

He follows Zhongli to a quiet corner. Before Zhongli can speak Xiao’s words burst out of him like a waterfall, unable to be held back. “Zhongli, what do you think of that human? Did they annoy you? Do you approve of them? I recently got to know them after saving them from a group of monsters. Through my many encounters with them, my physical symptoms seem to worsen. My heart pounds, my palms feel sweaty, and I find myself compelled to seek their eyes whenever they speak. Is there something wrong with me Zhongli? Do I need medicine?” Xiao’s words leave him so quickly, so fast, he’s sure Zhongli thinks of him as a nutcase.

Xiao would typically refrain from expressing such concerns to Zhongli. He’d rather shoulder his own burdens and have Zhongli remain none the wiser, but this is something new, Xiao’s never felt these things before. He’s a bit worried, to be quite frank. He knows this isn’t normal since he doesn’t feel this way when he’s around the Traveler or Paimon. Is it something you’re doing? Is-

“Hahah!” Xiao’s thoughts come to an abrupt halt.

Xiao’s eyes widen a fraction as he watches Zhongli’s eyes crinkle with mirth.

It takes a few moments before Zhongli is able to collect himself, but once he does he places a firm, reassuring hand on Xiao’s shoulder.

“Young adeptus, please keep the former word in mind. You are young, and there are many thoughts, experiences, and feelings this world has to offer that you have yet to experience. What you’re feeling right now is normal. It does not matter whether I approve of them or not, as what ultimately concerns me is whether you feel happy around them. If you must know, I find them pleasant to be around, albeit from this brief interaction. None can speak for future events yet to unfold, but I believe you should exercise patience as you navigate this new experience. Don’t fret, my young adeptus. You are doing just fine.”

Xiao releases a deep breath. It feels as if an invisible weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Oh, maybe it was Zhongli’s hand.

Xiao notices Zhongli has retracted his hand, and now he stands before Xiao tall and proud.

“It pleases me to see you engaging with others more. Take care. I shall see you again.” Zhongli’s words feel like a warm hug from a loving, doting parent.

All Xiao can do is watch as Zhongli walks away, looking as refined as he does composed.

Xiao takes this opportunity to close his eyes and center himself. He recalls Zhongli’s words as he takes them to heart.

Xiao takes a deep inhale through his nostrils, and out once more. Zhongli’s right. He’s doing just fine. Despite his better judgment, he’s savored each and every interaction between the two of you. He really should keep his distance, as per his karmic debt, but..

For some reason, the thought of being away from you makes his chest feel tight.

How odd.

Xiao decides you’ve waited long enough. He turns, opening his eyes to return to your side. As he slowly approaches you, waiting patiently at the table, you happen to turn around.

Your eyes lock with his, and a slow smile spreads across your face. Your hand is propped to allow your head to rest upon it, and your eyes twinkle and shine with delight.

His chest feels tight once again, but this time it feels good.

𓆩♡𓆪

Xiao has noticed an obvious change in your behavior; it began after you met Zhongli.

It’s not a bad change per se, but he doesn’t know the meaning behind your actions and sweet words.

It makes him a bit flustered in all honesty.

This scenario is just one of many that he’s had to endure this week alone.

"Stay with me tonight. Please." Goosebumps rise along Xiao’s arm as your whispered words caress the shell of his ear.

“You know I can’t do that.” He retorts. His words are firm and strict, as he moves to put some distance between the two of you.

This is the first time he’s been in your abode, the one he often accompanies you to, and now you want him to stay. He stifles a groan when your arm wraps around his, effectively keeping him where you want him.

He made the mistake of accepting your offer to come inside. He’s not someone who typically indulges such requests from others, but with you, he’s found himself doing things he would never do for another.

You successfully lured him to your room, claiming you need his help with something that only he could assist you with, and now you’re trying to fall asleep with him by your side.

Xiao swears it’s not happening.

"I'll keep you warm."

…

Okay, maybe a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.

“Fine, but I’ll only stay until you fall asleep.” Your eyes widen in shock at his acceptance of your proposal. Your soft lips part as your hands squeeze his arm-

Get a hold of yourself.

Xiao scolds himself at his inappropriate, wandering thoughts. Why is he focusing on how soft your lips are? Or the way they curl up into a cheeky grin as you pull him down beside you? Or-

He awkwardly coughs into his fist as he averts his gaze.

You act all too familiar with him as you snuggle up beside him, resting your head on his shoulder.

Archons, his heart is pounding.

“Did I say you could do that?” He grumbles. You only giggle in reply, pressing yourself further into him.

His Adam's apple bops as he swallows any further complaints.

Xiao peers intently at your face, and he notices the faint bags under your eyes.

Ah, no wonder you’re acting so familiar with him.

Xiao picked up on a cute habit of yours, whenever you’re sleepy you act more familiar with him. You also tend to voice things he believes you hold back in fear of making him uncomfortable.

"You feel like home."

Ah, except he secretly wishes you’d say things like this to him all the time,

His cheeks warm at your whispered confession. “D-Don’t be ridiculous…” He spits the words out, false contempt within them, but you only release a blissful sigh as you relax against him.

He finds himself at a loss for words as you slowly drift off to sleep.

He hesitantly raises his hand to place it upon your head, fingers mere centimeters from your hair, before he stops himself.

Honestly, what is he doing?

As an adeptus, he shouldn’t indulge in these things. He has a duty to carry out, and his karmic debt could cause you harm at a moment’s notice.

With such sobering thoughts in mind, he quickly retracts his hand.

He sighs, slowly removing yourself from his person. For some reason the thought of leaving you causes his chest to constrict. He clutches his chest where his heart lay beneath.

Why does he feel this way?

With a huff he turns to leave, before he spots sheets of paper on a desk in your room.

Curiosity piqued his interest, but he refuses to invade your privacy. A blank sheet of paper catches his attention, so he makes his way over.

Deftly, he grabs a writing utensil before scribbling a message to you in neat script.

He leaves the note on your pillow where his head previously lay, before he vanishes in thin air.

His thoughts wander back to your sleeping figure for the rest of the night, and an unfamiliar warmth blossoms in his chest.

𓆩♡𓆪

You awake the next morning, content after finally getting a good night’s rest. You stretch, and something crinkles by your ear.

You look for the source, and a small piece of paper catches your eye.

When you gently lift the paper to read it’s contents, the words bring back a rush of memories from the night before.

When you were being overly clingy with Xiao.

Your entire body burns as you force yourself to read his note. You hope he doesn’t hate you! Gosh, you hope you didn’t make him uncomfortable…

Your worries are quelled when you read his words.

When you are in mortal danger, call out my name. Adeptus Xiao. I will always be here when you call.

Your lips form a goofy smile as you re-read his words over and over again. “Adeptus Xiao…” You murmur his name under your breath, only to cry with a shout when he suddenly appears before you.

“You called?”

“Uhhh..” Your cheeky smile is enough to clue Xiao in; you had accidentally called his name.

He expresses his annoyance with a cross of his arms and a twitch of his eyebrow, yet the corner of his lips twitch upwards as well. You don’t focus on the implications of that since he’s already scolding you, “I’m certain that I wrote, ‘When you are in mortal danger,’ did I not?” A nervous giggle escapes your lips, and once again the corner of his mouth twitches.

“I.. I’m sorry Xiao. Your name just kinda slipped out when I was thinking about you…” Your face flushes with warmth as you glance every which way to avoid looking at his face.

You hear footsteps approach you, and it only heightens your nerves. “Relax. I’m not upset.” His fingers gently lift your chin, forcing you to look at him. His bright amber eyes peer deeply into your orbs.

It takes every ounce of strength in you not to lean into his touch.

“Y/n…” Your eyes flutter close when your whispered name escapes his lips, flowing into your ears like a whispered confession of love.

“Xiao…” Your eyes open once more when his fingers are suddenly gone.

He’s standing on the opposite end of the room, looking a bit uncomfortable now. You’re a bit confused, but you figure it’s nothing personal.

“Xiao, can you meet me at Wangshu Inn tonight? The same place we met when you tried the Almond Tofu I made you?” Your abrupt suggestion catches Xiao off guard. You’re surprised by your own outburst, quite frankly.

You just want to see him again.

“I.. okay. Same time. Don’t be late.” He forces the words out before he vanishes before your eyes.

Yet a smile remains on your lips as you stare at the space he once occupied.

𓆩♡𓆪

You’ve spent a lot of time thinking before you left for Wangshu Inn. Why did you ask to meet up with him today? Why have you gone out of your way to be close to him?

Well, it didn’t take an Archon to figure out the reason behind your actions.

So, with a firm resolve, you’ve decided you won’t tell Xiao how you feel. You highly doubt an adeptus has time for a relationship, yet alone can harbor romantic feelings for a mere mortal like yourself. You think you’re a pretty cool person, but you also don’t want to be a burden to him.

The last thing you’d want to do is make Xiao uncomfortable and destroy this wonderful relationship you’ve developed with him. You’re wise enough to know Xiao doesn’t form friendships easily, let alone dedicating time to people like has with you.

So, with your renowned resolve you make your way to Wangshu Inn, intending to spend quality time with Xiao.

As you make your way up the steps, your eyes light up when you see Xiao already waiting for you. He’s standing with his back to you, his face tilted towards the sky. Your heart squeezes in your chest, you want nothing more than to tell him how you really feel, but you’d hate it if it ruined everything…

Almost as if Xiao can hear your racing thoughts, he turns around. “Why are you just standing there?” You jump slightly, quickly making your way over to stand beside him. “Sorry…” You murmur.

Xiao says nothing, turning back to look up at the sky. “Y/n… this isn’t easy for me to do but… I need to be honest with you.” Your heart races when his words reach your ears. You turn, staring intently at his face. He doesn’t turn to look at you, opting to continue staring at the night sky littered with stars.

Said stars twinkle in anticipation as your conversation unfolds.

“I think it’d be best if I… wasn’t around you so often. My karmic debt isn’t something to be taken lightly, and…” The rest of his words are muffled as your face flushes with intense heat; your ears ring and your world temporarily spins on it’s axis.

You don’t even notice when Xiao gently shakes your shoulders, before he’s shouting your name in panic.

“Y/n!” His voice snaps you out of whatever daze you were in. Your vision clears and suddenly his amber eyes are oh so close to your face.

Your breath hitches.

Is he trying to leave you? …

Honestly, you wanted to keep your feelings buried deep inside, but you won’t let him leave you behind without a fight. With no hesitation you firmly place both of your hands on his cheeks, holding his face in place.

A radiant blush presents itself on his face, but you refuse to acknowledge it if only to tell him the words you desperately need him to hear.

“Xiao, I didn’t plan on telling you this because I’d hate to be a burden to you. You’re an adeptus and I’m a human. You have a longer lifespan than I do, and I honestly would hate to drag you down or give you more problems than you already have, but…” You take a deep breath to slow the rapid beat of your heart.

Emotion swirls in Xiao’s eyes, but you refuse to let go of him as you continue on.

“Even so, I don’t want you to distance yourself from me! These past few weeks have been so much fun, and I’ve been so happy. You know why? Because you were there with me, Xiao.” You hear his sharp intake of breath at your words, but he looks down at your shoes.

His hands place themselves over yours, trying to remove your hands from his face. “I’ve heard enough Y/n, you don’t understand-” “No, you don’t understand!” Your loud exclamation startles the both of you.

Xiao freezes, but he stops trying to pry your hands away from his face. Instead, he closes his eyes, nodding his head to prompt you to continue.

You cough awkwardly, a habit you seemed to pick up from Xiao.

“S-Sorry..” The words quietly leave your lips, but Xiao’s quick to dispel your worries. “Nonsense. Continue speaking.” So, you do.

“I know you’re worried about your.. Karmic debt will result in me being hurt, but.. Honestly Xiao, you may not see it yourself but you have such a kind soul. You continue to fight monsters, watching over Liyue no matter how hard you have to push yourself. I remember the other night, when it seemed the wave of monsters were endless, you still kept fighting not only to protect me, but to protect everyone in Liyue. If by chance something does occur, I promise you we can figure it out when that happens. Xiao, you deserve happiness too. I don’t want to assume being with me makes you happy, but if those little twitches your mouth did earlier are any indication, then you shouldn’t distance yourself from me and cut off our connection before any relationship can even begin.” At your words, his eyebrows furrow and he visibly starts breathing faster.

His eyes slowly pry themselves open, and the pain you see swirling in the depths of his irises makes your heart lurch in empathy.

His lip trembles, and with a steady hand your thumb slowly swipes across his lower lip.

He exhales at your touch, visibly shivering. He’s silent, his brain clearly trying to think of something to say.

You patiently wait for him to collect his thoughts. In the meantime, you admire the teal undertones of his dark hair, tugging lightly on his hair.

You hesitate to do more, but he seems to appreciate your gentle touch. His eyes close once more, so you lean in, pressing soft kisses along his jaw.

He trembles, eyes snapping open, and he moves back to remove himself from your touch.

“These hands have slayed many, you’d be wise to stay away.” The words almost sound foreign coming out of his mouth, and he appears unsure of himself. You get the feeling he’s giving you every opportunity to back out, if only for your protection.

You huff, a soft laugh leaving your lips; it appears the both of you were suppressing your own feelings in hopes of preserving the others’.

“Hm? These hands?” You allow him to remove his face from your touch, but you slowly reach down to grasp his hands.

Some irresponsible, foolhardy part of himself allows you to.

You unhurriedly lift his hands to your lips. Said lips brush along his knuckles, placing well meaning kisses against each one.

He remains silent, but makes no move to pull away.

You smile to yourself, moving to stand closer to him.

He stands in front of you, stiff as a board.

“Do you mind if I touch you, Xiao?” His eyes are teeming with emotion. He gazes deeply into your own, before he slowly nods his consent. “I need to hear you say it, sweetheart.”

That gets a reaction out of him.

Dark cheeks accompany his hurried, “Go ahead.” You press your body to his, placing a tender kiss to the place between his neck and shoulder.

You continue to press kisses along his body in hopes that your actions get your feelings across to him.

Your eyes trail along his body, fingers applying slight pressure below his stomach as they outline his waist. He swallows thickly, mentally telling himself to remove himself from your addicting touch.

Despite his intentions to move away, he’s enraptured; rooted to the spot as your loving touches bring life to his dormant heart.

You suddenly lower yourself, and Xiao swears his heart jumps in his throat when you press a kiss to his hip bone, over the fabric of his clothes. “That’s enough!” His words are harsh, and he roughly lifts you up by your arm, only to pull you in by the waist.

Now your body is pressed firmly against his.

You can feel just how fast his heart is beating, and you’re sure he can feel your speedy heart pace too.

No words are exchanged as you raptly stare into each other’s eyes. Neither of you comment on the lack of distance between the two of you, and you surely don’t object when your lips are soon mere millimeters apart.

Soon, they aren’t apart any more.

The two of you simultaneously groan when your lips press against each other. It’s an innocent kiss, full of emotion. Your arms wrap around his neck as his hands on your waist pull you impossibly closer to him.

It feels like an eternity passes before you pull apart.

As you stare at each other in silence once more, you feel a lopsided smile on your face. Xiao’s cheeks are painted a beautiful shade of pink as his amber eyes zero in on your lips.

Surprisingly, Xiao is the first to break the silence.

"Sorry, that was my first kiss."

You giggle.

"I could tell."

"...."

"I'm kidding!"

He rolls his eyes as you burst into a fit of giggles. He figures the only way to shut you up is to kiss you again.

…

So he does; eagerly.

𓆩♡𓆪

“Zhongli, do you remember Y/n?” Xiao now sits across from Zhongli, as Iron Tongue Tian prepares to share a scene from his new narration.

“Of course I do. It’d be hard to forget a human who has formed such a strong connection with you, Xiao.” Zhongli’s words hint at an underlying meaning, and it makes Xiao bristle.

Zhongli only laughs; he’s fond of teasing Xiao.

“What about them, Xiao? Have you found answers to your previous questions?” Zhongli leans forward, giving Xiao all of his attention as he patiently waits for his response.

Xiao hesitates before giving a slow, deliberate nod of his head. Zhongli’s eyes crease with glee as Xiao’s mouth forms a sweet smile.

“Yes. I have.” Xiao’s simple response earns a hum from Zhongli. “And what is your final answer?” Zhongli leans back as he studies Xiao.

He notices the way Xiao shifts his weight in his seat, and how he fails to hide his shaky hands underneath the table. “My final answer is that I..” Xiao glances up at Zhongli, but all he finds is patience within those amber eyes.

Xiao takes a deep breath before he willingly admits, “I have grown quite fond of this human, and it appears they share similar feelings for me.” Xiao waits with bated breath for Zhongli’s response.

Zhongli closes his eyes as he digests Xiao’s words, yet he can’t contain his smile.

“I see. Do you feel happy when you’re with them?” Zhongli’s question confuses Xiao, and a tilt of his head displays that. “Of course I do. Otherwise, I wouldn’t spend so much time with them.” It appears Xiao doesn’t recall Zhongli’s previous words from their earlier conversation, but that is quite alright with him.

“Then that is all that matters. I am happy for you, Xiao.” Zhongli opens his eyes, leaning across the table to gently grasp Xiao’s hands in his. He gives it a squeeze, before he pulls away. The action visibly flusters Xiao, clearly embarrassed.

“Zhongli…” Xiao groans. Zhongli beams, blithely expressing his delight as he laughs without constraint.

“Ah, there you are.” Xiao immediately turns around at the sound of your voice, and a twinkle Zhongli has never seen before presents itself within his eyes.

That’s all the confirmation he needed.

With a small smile, Zhongli stands. He shares a brief greeting with you before he looks at Xiao once more. Xiao stares at him with a neutral expression, before it slowly morphs into a shy grin.

Zhongli turns to leave without another word, whistling a tune under his breath.

Ah.

He almost forgot how beautiful love can be.

…

Xiao watches Zhongli leave before he turns to you, gently taking your hand in his. You lean your head on his shoulder as you close your eyes, listening to Iron Tongue Tian’s story.

Xiao’s hand squeezes yours as he plays with your fingers.

He fails to suppress his smile when you squeeze back.

#xiao x female reader #xiao x fem reader #Xiao x reader #Xiao x female reader #Xiao x fem reader #Xiao x reader genshin impact #Xiao x you #xiao x y/n #genshin x you #genshin x reader #reader insert #genshin x female reader #genshin x fem reader #genshin reader insert #xiao x you #xiao x reader

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naomeii · 4 months

Text

Shrine of Eternal Sorrow.

—Pairings: Xiao x F!Reader

[a/n: i was scrolling through instagram and got inspired by this, lol, i can see Xiao doing that ngl]

Content : Angst no comfort, tiny spoiler about the archon war, characters' death, obsessive behaviour, drabble.

Synopsis: in the aftermath of the Archon war, Alatus' obsessive devotion to a lost goddess leads to a shrine of shattered memories.

In the ancient times of Teyvat, when the winds whispered secrets and the land bore the weight of divine beings, Y/n, a goddess of serenity, walked alongside Rex Lapis and Guizhong. Despite the disdain from mortals and other Archons alike for the relationship between the Yaksha, Alatus, and an Archon, Y/n's love for him transcended judgment.

Before the Archon War, Y/n shared tender moments with Alatus, weaving dreams that danced with the delicate balance of mortality and divinity. Their connection was a fragile thread woven amidst the chaos that surrounded them. As the war unfolded, tragedy struck when Guizhong perished, leaving a void in their divine trio.

In the climactic moments of the war, as Alatus faced imminent destruction, Y/n, fueled by love, stepped forward to shield him. The fatal blow meant for Alatus claimed her essence, and she dropped dead in an instant, leaving Alatus to grapple with the profound loss.

Millennia passed like fleeting dreams. Rex Lapis, now Zhongli, understanding Alatus', now going by the name of Xiao grief, he witnessed the Yaksha's unwavering dedication. Xiao, like a solitary guardian, erected countless shrines and statues of Y/n, each capturing the essence of his beloved. It was a testament to his love and a haunting reminder of the emptiness that echoed in his heart.

One day, before a statue of Y/n, Xiao crumbled. His stoic facade shattered, and he wept bitterly, his grief echoing through the silent realm. "Why did you leave me?" he cried, his voice a desperate plea. "Was it my karma, the weight of the lives I've taken, that stole you away?"

He traced the delicate features of the statue, as if hoping to conjure her back through sheer will. "I made these for you," he whispered, his voice cracking with sorrow. "Do you see them? Are you proud of my devotion, or do you resent me for the pain I caused?"

In a moment of desperate madness, Xiao pressed his lips to the cold stone of Y/n's statue, as if trying to breathe life back into her memory. The bitter taste of loss lingered on his lips, a cruel reminder of the chasm that separated them.

Falling to his knees before the statue, he clutched at the stone, his fingers trembling with a mix of grief and desperation. "Come back," he pleaded, his voice a broken whisper that echoed through the silent shrine. "Please, don't leave me alone in this endless darkness. I can't bear it."

But the statue remained unmoving, a silent witness to his agony. Xiao's anguished cries filled the shrine, bouncing off the walls like a haunting melody of sorrow. "I would trade my eternity to bring you back," he confessed, his tears mingling with the cold touch of the stone beneath him.

In the solitude of that sacred space, Xiao's heartache became a palpable force. "I can't endure this emptiness," he admitted, his voice raw with emotion. "Without you, the world is a desolate place, and my existence is nothing but an unending nightmare."

The shrine offered no solace, and the statues of Y/n, though carved with meticulous care, remained silent witnesses to his torment. Xiao's devotion had become a prison of his own making, a testament to a love that transcended time but was cruelly severed by the hands of fate.

As Xiao clung to the memory of Y/n, the shrine's hallowed silence swallowed his cries, leaving him to grapple with the abyss of eternity, where his only company was the ghost of a love lost in the sands of time.

#reader insert #genshin imagines #genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin angst #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact angst #genshin impact x you #genshin xiao #xiao angst #xiao x reader #xiao imagines #alatus #genshin impact imagines #xiao x you #xiao x y/n #xiao x reader angst

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ryin-silverfish · 25 days

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Headcanon: Dragons of the Four Seas

(inspired by a recent discussion with @the-monkey-ruler)

-Although Chinese dragons are water deities, there are dragons who control stuff other than water: Cold Dragons under the Dragon King of the North can freeze stuff, and Bailong Ma used to be a Fire Dragon in pre-novel variants of JTTW.

"Wouldn't it be interesting if the four major lineage of dragons all have their unique side-power, apart from water and weather manipulation?"

-It starts off as this, then spins out of control and becomes one giant worldbuilding exercise.

East Sea:

-The eastern direction is traditionally associated with the Wood element. However, I feel like plant manipulation will be too obvious.

-So instead, they are the master of Thunder and Wind——the trigrams that represent these two things, Zhen and Xun, are both Wood-aligned.

-Their lightning has a notable azure hue, and have adapted the force of Thunder specifically for underwater usage, creating highly potent sonic blasts as well as what basically amount to a sonar spell.

-They kinda consider themselves the archetypal dragon, representative of their kind, and certainly have the attitude to match.

-Like, they claim to be descended from the Azure Dragon of the East, even though the idea that a Divine Beast of the Four Directions, stellar guardian of the entire eastern section of the sky, can reproduce is...dubious at best.

-Don't you mention the time Ao Guang got bullied by Wukong. Or Nezha. Or Huaguang. Or the Eight Immortals. They are very touchy about that. Violently touchy.

-They also have close relations with water-dwelling Yakshas, who act as a sort of elite mercenaries in their military campaigns against other seaborn demons and rogue flood dragons.

-Basically, the proud generals of dragonkind, with a vast weapon collection to match. The dragon king's family also name their kids after Celestial Stems and Earthly Branches, much like the ancient Shang dynasty rulers.

-The East Sea dragons are the only lineage who has an official representative of the Celestial Host stationed in their territory, who's only known by his title, the "Water-dividing General of the East Sea".

-He seems to be an older sort of god, the half-man, half-beast ones who look like they walk out of an illustration of the Book of Mountains and Seas.

-Most of the time, he takes the form of a seal, lounging around on rocks and watching sunrises, and has the personality of a sarcastic old man.

-Whether he's here to keep an eye on them, or they are supposed to keep an eye on him, no one can say. Ao Guang certainly treats him like an old acquaintance, though.

West Sea:

-They are a bit tricky. West is associated with Metal, and the two Metal-aligned trigrams, Qian and Dui, represent Heaven and Marsh...which don't neatly map onto weather and natural phenomena.

-Then I had an idea. What if they have a natural affinity for heavenly bodies? In ancient times, the movements of stars are believed to affect weather, after all, not to mention the sun and the moon.

-This affinity can be figurative——their lineage has a strong relationship with the stellar deities of the 28 Lunar Mansion and Dipper Mansion——or literal.

-Like a natural talent for divination and astrology, predicting the future from the patterns of stars. They are no governors of fate, unlike the actual Star Lords, they are just fate's weather forecast guy.

-This puts them in an awkward position, though: the stellar gods act according to the Jade Emperor's orders, some of which are very much secret and beyond their clearance levels, but the best scions of the West Sea can just infer it from the movement of stars alone.

-Which makes them obsessed with proving their loyalty, as well as enforcing a draconian standard of secrecy, just so they wouldn't get into trouble for knowing something they weren't supposed to know.

-Even more rarely, they can harness the power of astral light. Most of the time, such light is of lunar nature——Star Lord Taiyin also holds sway over the ocean's tides, though it is an easily forgotten power.

-But sometimes, that light comes from a fiery, lively, or ominous star, and the power that results is just as temperamental as their stellar origins.

-Enters Ao Lie, Third Prince of the West Sea, who has highly potent fire powers despite not being a South Sea dragon, and became the subject of some rather tasteless gossips about his parentage the moment it awakened.

-All dragons love their pearls: it's kinda like an ordinary yaoguai's "inner core", an orb of solidified Qi that can be spit out and store separately from the body, but much more powerful and culturally significant.

-Well, the West Sea dragons use their pearls in the same way a Feng Shui master uses their geomantic compass, or a Zhou Yi diviner, their turtle shell and copper coins. The ones left behind by venerable ancestors are especially treasured, believed to lead to clearer insights and more reliable readings.

-Through that lens, Ao Lie's burning of one such pearl is the equivalent of descrating the dead + destroying a priceless, irreplacable supercomputer.

-Intentional or not, to a lineage that is so serious about their discipline, taboos, and absolute loyalty to the Celestial Host, it is enough to warrant death.

-To no one's surprise, they are the diplomats, the inter-department coordinators when it comes to weatherly business. Not just between relevant celestial bureaus like the Thunder and Water Bureaus, but also between local dragon kings of rivers and lakes.

-As a result, the West Sea lineage is the most open to marrying non-oceanic dragons, even though these are often out of practical and political needs.

-That's my explanation for why, in JTTW, Ao Run's nine nephews either guard rivers or work for JE/the Buddha. The West Sea lineage has really turned nepotism into an art form.

North Sea:

-In JTTW, we know that they have Cold Dragons that can chill stuff. It is certainly not too much of a stretch to imagine them as the ice-and-snow specialists, the ones you summon when you are sick of the heat or need to insta-freeze something.

-Historically, the "North Sea" in Chinese texts refer to Lake Baikal. However, I think it is cooler if their palace is literally in the arctic zone, under the ice caps.

-Instead of garden-variety shrimp and crab soldiers, they have lots of cultivated marine mammals. And elite legions of belugas and narwhals and bowhead whales.

-The smallest and most isolationist lineage also carries the grimest duty, as border patrols and prison wardens. Not only is the North Sea a hotspot of rifts that lead to the Underworld, it also conceals the portal to the Evil-Vanquishing Mansion of the North Pole——realm of Emperor Zhenwu, Lord of the North.

-Kind of like the Lord Father of the East and Queen Mother of the West, he is the sovereign of the northern direction and the Water element, as well as the direct superior of Xuanwu, one of the Four Divine Beasts.

-And his job? Subduing demons. The Evil-Vanquishing Mansion is basically a fleet of giant, hollowed-out icebergs, packed to the brim with powerful demons, ghosts, and rogue immortals.

-Any prisoners that make an unlikely escape will emerge into the North Sea, where the vigilant army of the dragon king awaits. However, that is not their main duty; it is the Eye of the North Sea that they swear to eternally guard.

-And the prisoner of the Eye is none other than Shen Gongbao, the infamous traitor of the Chan Sect who was behind most major conflicts in the War of Investiture.

-It was said that, though his body was stuffed into the Eye of the North Sea as punishment, in the end, his soul still gets deified as a minor water god.

-However, if there is only a mindless body left in there, why the need for such heavy security? Only the most experienced elders and veterans are allowed to go into the Eye's vicinity to check on Yuanshi Tianzun's seals, and repeated visit by the same people is strictly prohibited.

-Perhaps, instead of a split of soul and body, deification has split the soul itself: one half is exorcised of all the undesirable qualities, the other left to stew and simmer in them until it mutates into something unrecognizable.

-Such is the rumor among the North Sea's younger scions. But folks will make up anything to pass the time in those long, cold arctic nights, and whatever the truth is, it doesn't matter, as long as the seal still holds.

South Sea:

-Their element, Fire, is directly opposite to the North Sea's; much like the Cold Dragons, the Fire Dragons of the South Sea are heat specialists, creators of droughts and wildfires as well as bringers of warm winds.

-And their fire is a peculiar variant of Earthly Fire. Unlike Heavenly Fires, which draw from the blaze of the Three-legged Sun Crow, or the True Fires immortals used in internal alchemy, Fire Dragons channel the power of earth's flaming veins: that is, undersea volcanos and thermal vents.

-Though they usually display their power in less flashy ways——steam clouds, a playful whiff of sulfur, a blast of warm wind on a winter night, a Fire Dragon fully on the offensive is just like a mini live volcano, unleashing streams of magma and scalding smoke clouds.

-When dragons are mentioned as one of the Eight Classes of Demigods in Buddhism, more often than not, they are from the South Sea lineage.

-Like, the most popular Bodhisattva in Asia, Guanyin, resides in the South Sea. It's all but granted that the local dragons would also be heavily influenced by Buddhist teachings, in the same way their northern kins are drawn to the entourage of Zhenwu.

-Fun fact: the imagery of dragons has appeared in Chinese art since the Neolithic period, but the specific worship of dragons as gods of the Four Seas is a result of Buddhist influence.

-Prior to that, the gods of the Four Seas in the Book of Mountains and Seas are all beasts with human faces, wearing snakes as earrings or standing on a snake.

-And in Sui-Tang era works, some variants merged the Four Seas gods with the Four Directions gods of ancient times, and said that the god of the South Sea was Zhurong.

-A.k.a. the fire god that defeated Gonggong (in the most well-known version of the tale), who, being the sore loser he is, went and knocked over the sky support pillar with his head. Thus, Nvwa's patching of the sky.

-Legends of the South Sea lineage claim that the Fire Dragons draw their power from Zhurong's embers, and their king is descended from the two dragon mounts of the primodial fire god.

-To the outrage of more traditionalist dragons, they often intermarry with Nagas, the serpentine water gods of the Western Lands. Guanyin's dragon girl attendant is born of one such union, between the Naga lord Sagara and a princess of the South Sea.

-Their palace is located inside an underwater volcano, said to be the remnant of Zhurong's great forge. Giant tube worm gardening is a popular hobby among the South Sea nobility; however peculiar it may appear to outsiders, these colorful creatures thrive in the union of Fire and Water, much like the lineage itself.

(Pictures of the Four Dragon Kings come from Nezha 1979.)

(The animated film makes the dragon king of the West a black dragon, and the North, a white one, a reversal of the colors traditionally associated with the two directions——West = White, North = Black.）

#journey to the west #investiture of the gods #chinese dragons #worldbuilding #chinese mythology #headcanon

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aestyl · 9 months

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CW: Your favorite places to kiss him - Xiao version. Soft kisses shared, calling Xiao 'My love', helping Xiao destress after a hard day, GN!Reader, blushy Xiao, slight NSFW towards the end, sexual themes implied, fluff, NOT PROOFREAD

Xiao - Face + Neck kisses

You often take the time to shower Xiao with gentle affection, especially after he has had a rough day of battling his karmic debt. This isn’t an action you take lightly due to the toll it usually takes on the Yaksha’s physical and mental health daily.

Depending on the time of day, Xiao is often spotted resting against the railing that lines the top balcony of the Wangshu Inn, his golden eyes settled on the land as he surveys for any form of danger. He has been gone most of the day ‘doing his duty as a Yaksha’ which meant this was the first time you are even seeing him.

Climbing up the stairs to the balcony, you hesitate for a moment seeing your boyfriend leaning against the railing before whipping out your Kamera to capture this moment. Most people thought of Xiao as a cold man with a heart of steel, but that was simply because he never opens up to anyone like he does with you. As his partner, you get to see all of his different moods including a special softness he harbors only for you.

This was probably the most tranquil moment you have ever caught Xiao in by far and while you stare at him, you can’t help but realize just how your heart is hammering in your chest. Behind the Yaksha the last drops of the dying golden sun light up the clouds in perfect shades of amber, pinks, and blues. It provides the perfect backdrop for a candid photo of your boyfriend.

As if on cue, the stair creaks under your weight catching the attention of the Yaksha and he looks at you over his shoulder just as you snap the photo. Grabbing the picture that slowly slides from the kamera, your eyes wander over just how good your boyfriend looks with a grin on your face. This was definitely a keeper.

“Y/N?” Xiao’s calm voice cuts through the quiet atmosphere, causing your eyes to snap up to his face, smile playing on the corner of your lips as you move up a stair to meet his gaze, lips almost brushing together as you lean close.

“My love.” You hum in return, only now catching the tiredness that lingers in the depths of those golden orbs gazing into your own. “How about we lay down for a while?”

“Adepti have no use for slee-”

“Now, Xiao.”

With a final stubborn look at you, Xiao’s resolve breaks and he is scooping you into his arms bridal style with a soft huffing noise. He might not be proud of how wrapped around your finger he is, but he also refuses to bring it up around you all the same. A flash of emerald blinds your vision for a moment, causing your eyes to squeeze shut and your stomach lurches at the quick motion. When you feel the thump of Xiao’s feet against the wooden floor of your bedroom, you loosen the grip you have around his shoulders, legs feeling like jelly as you wiggle from your boyfriend’s grasp.

Kicking off your shoes, you climb into the bed, but not before giving Xiao a warning look about his as well. The moment that your boyfriend is settled in your shared bed, it comes as no surprise to him as you lean up to begin peppering soft kisses over every inch of his face. This is routine for the both of you, especially after your boyfriend has a particularly hard day defending the area around Wangshu Inn. You cover every available inch of his face, lips, cheeks, and forehead before dipping down to begin trailing those kisses to the soft expanse of his neck.

The moment that your lips come into contact with his throat, Xiao’s lips part as a soft noise between a whine and a moan escapes him. Golden eyes flutter shut as the intensity of the kisses increase from gentle pecks to hot, open-mouthed ones, his head tipping back to give you better access to do as you please. You’ve found that this is the quickest way to distract the Yaksha from the stress of his duties. Your mind flashes with lewd images of Xiao underneath you, his back arched and body littered with purple blossoms. What a lovely memory that was, indeed.

Your mind is snapped from those thoughts as Xiao’s hands begin to move, one threading into the soft locks of your hair while the other grips your hip, hot fingers dipping under the material to linger on your skin. Taking this careful affection as well as the way Xiao’s heart was hammering in his chest to be a good sign, you begin nipping the skin of his throat instead. Unsurprisingly, the action causes Xiao to gasp lightly, his cheeks flushing a pretty pink and his lips part to take in heavier gulps of air.

“Y-Y/N...”

“Shh, I’ve got you, okay? Gonna make you feel good and we can sleep afterward.”

Overall, your favorite place to kiss Xiao was his neck, because it always leads to a night of pleasure followed by a well-rested Yaksha.

#genshin imagines #genshin xiao #genshin impact fanfics #xiao x y/n #xiao x you #genshin fluff #xiao x reader #genshin oneshots

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artful-aries · 1 year

Text

Genshin Impact Headcanons: Ways they show affection (Diluc, Zhongli, Xiao, Itto)

I was having some big brain thoughts about these boys. Feel free to request more characters for this prompt! Or any other ideas too I’m dying to write more about genshin. If formatting is weird then just kill me, I forgot mobile sucks for text posts

Diluc

You can summarize Diluc’s emotions in one word; Repressed

Diluc loves with his entire being, the overwhelming ache he gets in his chest when he looks at you burns hotter than any fire he could create

But conveying this passion…isn’t his strong suit.

If words of affirmation are your love language, you’re really going to have a hard time. If you asked him nicely for him to tell you he loves you more he will certainly make an effort, but for a while he will come across as stiff and awkward

He’s much better at showing his affection through subtle means; wrapping you in a blanket when he finds you asleep on a couch at the winery, tucking a stray hair behind your ear, walking you home at night, just general sweet things that could easily be mistaken for platonic actions of you didn’t notice the look of absolute adoration in his eyes.

He would move Dragonspine itself for you if you so much as expressed displeasure at its view, but being able to verbalize his affections isn’t his forte.

When he DOES express his affection, it’s so heart achingly tender

“The Archons themselves could not keep me from loving you with every fiber of my being, my love.”

Zhongli

He’s almost the antithesis of Diluc; this man is ALL about words of affirmation

The man practically spits poetry every time he tells you he loves you, and nearly brings you to tears every time

“For all the ages I have lived, nothing has made me more certain of the beauty of this realm than your existence. You blossom like violet grass in the crevices of my heart.”

He OCCASIONALLY gives you more basic words of affirmation, such as complementing you on your outfit, pointing out how much he enjoys your conversations, etc

He definitely goes on monologues about his love for you if you let him, and is completely unashamed of it

He’s waited millennia for you, why would he hold back his thoughts now while you’re here to listen?

Part of Zhongli is always considering your mortality, so he wants to make sure you know how much you are loved in the short fragment of time your lives collide in the loom of fate

Xiao

He’s more like Diluc in that he’s not going to give you many words of affirmation

Xiao is a mix of quality time and acts of service as a love language

His idea of quality time is…unusual. He’s not used to human customs, so his idea of quality time is literally just hovering around you

He doesn’t even strike up much conversation when he does this, he’s comfortable enough to be silent around you

If you insist on doing some kind of activity, he will go along with it, though depending on the activity you suggest me might get confused or even flustered

As far as acts of service, they aren’t anything grand like giving you massages, buying you flowers, etc

He’s straight up going to make it his job to protect you. If he finds out you’re going ANYWHERE that you might encounter hilichurls or other nefarious creatures, you’re not going without him

Xiao practically appears before you can even finish calling out his name, he’s ready to do anything to make you happy, even if he won’t admit it outright

If you do ever manage to corner him into talking about his feelings, he would answer in a vague way, “As a Yaksha, I shouldn’t interfere with the lives of mortals too much, but I…feel compelled to protect you.”

Itto

He’s loud and proud about his love for you, it’s to the point that the Arataki gang is almost sick of hearing your name come from his mouth

The downside is that he will also process his love to you to complete strangers

“You see that babe over there, that’s my numero uno right there! They’re like the most amazing person you’ll ever meet, which makes them the perfect addition to the Arataki Gang! Don’t get any ideas though since hearing about how awesome they are, they’re waaaay out of your league- hey, where are you going??”

When you try to reign him in he doesn’t get it. You’re dating THE Arataki Itto, why can’t he go around town singing your praises?

He’s very physically affectionate with you too, you won’t be able to walk three feet without him practically hanging off of you

Itto likes doing acts of service too….for better or for worse. He often ropes the boys in to help him with whatever grand plan he’s cooked up, and it always ends in disaster

If Shinobu doesn’t practically wring his neck, then he usually ends up on the run from the Tenryou Comission. He’ll say it’s a testament to how much he loves you, Shinobu says it’s a testament to how little he uses his brain to think things through. The jury (you) is still out on the verdict

#genshin #genshin impact #genshin imagines #genshin x reader #genshin x y/n #xiao x reader #xiao #Diluc x reader #Diluc #diluc ragnvindr #zhongli #zhongli x reader #itto x reader #arataki itto #genshin headcanons #reader insert

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cometrose · 2 months

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Here is your one (1) free pass to yap about the stupid ass adeptus gang and their shenanigans (i love zhongli having been the Tired Responsible One for his entire life... he would 100% buy/have been gifted the 'proud mother of a couple of dumbass kids' shirt)

zhongli and his adepti are like one of my favorite bands of characters alongside itto and his arataki gang they are so funnyy

the adepti appear to be very serious and strict which they are but they are also insane???? Part of the story as a whole is to show that the divine aren't too different from humans and this includes the adepti.

Streetward Rambler and Guizhong arguing about music so Morax had to take away the bell after Cloud Retainer tattled? Cloud Retainer lending Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper her cooking device that they still haven't given back? Or that one time Cloud Retainer built a snowmobile with Guizhong and Ping before Moon Carver crashed it and it took hours to dig him out of the snow? All 3 of the so called elite adepti and even the god of liyue himself trying to help some kid reconcile with his father?

the adepti are all very unserious very much freaks of nature.

I think about the Yakshas as well especially Menogias, poor guy was born to style forced to slay. It's funny how his designs were so intricate that none of the fellow yakshas wanted to wear it but he was so stubborn about it that even Rex Lapis couldn't change his mind. In fact there is not enough Morax and his yakshas lore. Like please i beg every day for Zhongli to talk about people in his past. I know he wont but I want to believe anyway.

A part of me believes that once Zhongli quit being the geo archon and moved to the harbor, cloud retainer, moon carver and mountain shaper had a terrible case of empty nest loneliness. We all know how that turned out for Xianyun but I expect it's only a matter of time before the other 2 come closer to the harbor as well. Perhaps to follow Zhongli around like lost ducklings.

In one of Xianyun's character stories, Zhongli had a commission for consultancy but he was busy and just sent her to do it. I'm gonna tear up but the idea that Zhongli knew this task would be perfect for her and just sent her on her way is just the cutest.

Also in her voiceline for Zhongli, when she told him she was coming to the harbor he basically gave her a shopping list of things to do and how to arrange her home. I love the idea of Zhongli stepping into Cloud Retainer's new house and just instantly moving the furniture to ensure proper Feng Shui. Like the list was so extensive that CR got overwhelmed -like her of all people- getting overwhelmed with knowledge is amusing.

Moon Carver is one of Rex Lapis disciplines so its clear that even amongst the older adepti that Zhongli is a still a teacher and won't hesitate to lecture them. These days I am sure he trying to be a more relaxed person but old habits are hard to break.

I haven't even talked about Zhongli and Xiao which are my favorite dynamic in the entire game I love when they are together. But Zhongli slowly trying to get Xiao to open up and experience the beauties of life and get closer to humanity every lantern rite I might weep. Like lying about stupid sesame seed oil last year and now hes flying kites this year, Zhongli is playing some incredible 5D chess to get Xiao to visit him more without explicitly saying it. BECAUSE he knows if he tells Xiao to see him he will but he doesn't want to force Xiao to come he wants him to come on his own means.

Kind of reminds me how Zhongli keeps birds. Ya know he has like bird cages where he keeps birds which he then takes around but based on his disposition I believe Zhongli is an expert and keeping birds to stay. Just building them homes and cages and of course he lets them come and go freely but some of them find his homes so nice that they decide to stay with him. So yeah I think Zhongli is deliberately treating Xiao like a bird that will return to him by his own means.

Anyway I would love love loveeee to put all the adepti in a room and just watch them work. Like CR, MC and MS are bound to start an argument while Xiao tries to linger in the corner, Ganyu tries to attend to all of them while Ping and Zhongli just laugh in the chaos.

Damn, the fact I haven't seen Ganyu and Zhongli interact since the Liyue archon quest is a crime, they are the only Zhongli relationship that I am craving to see (other than zhongli neuvillette). I want to believe it is just because Ganyu would blow his cover instantly. She would have to bite her tongue to avoid calling him Rex Lapis.

Speaking of Ganyu the fact one of the first thing CR says about her is that she was once so fat she rolled down as hill? Or in Zhongli's voicelines he implies she is stronger or even fiercer than she looks so much so that she would be embarrassed by his lack of delicacy when describing her.

I have mentioned this is another post but it's kind of sweet how much the adepti like Zhongli. He is more than their god but also a very treasured companion and friend. First he always calls them his friends ("a friend approaches" AND THEN XIAO APPEARS). But like god forbid you are rude to him because they would storm off or snap at you (Xiao and Xianyun). Don't disrespect him or they'll hate you for years (Ganyu). But at the same time he is a friend that eats dinner with them during Lantern Rite or a friend they make fun of for making square cups.

Of course I imagine there is a lot of respect in their relationship and a noticeable power imbalance. I kind of imagined that with becoming "Zhongli" Morax not wanted only to become closer to humanity but also bridge the gap between himself and the adepti. Show them not only the beauty of a world led by humans but also to come to them not as their overlord but as a treasured friend. The adepti clearly hold him in very high esteem recognizing his sacrifice, strength and good of heart.

WHICH is why i'll never accept people who call Morax a tyrant because the adepti saw Morax out and about and were like "damn im gonna follow this guy for the rest of eternity he's so cool".

I also think it is hilarious how Zhongli has influenced the adepti and how they just kind of absorbed some of his personality traits. Part of the reason Ganyu is so dedicated and hardworking to the point of exhaustion is because of how much she looks up to Rex Lapis, she even states that her work could never compare to what he has done for Liyue so she pushes herself even harder.

Or Xiao the most loyal of the adepti who still works tirelessly to this day because of his contract. I believe the adepti especially the younger ones were like "he works so hard and sacrifices everything i will do just that!".

Even Yanfei who has never formed a contract with him still maintains that hardworking attitude but without the self-sacrifice so she is like the perfect Liyue citizen in Zhongli's eyes.

anyway I have some thoughts on adepti shenanigans i would love to see

Adepti feast, put them all in a room I expect a very elegant and mature feast but I also expect someone to break something. Maybe they will behave themselves with Zhongli next to them maybe they won't we have to see. In fact put Shenhe and Yaoyao there too lets cause problems

Adepti shopping spree. Xianyun and Zhongli are terrible they will buy anything they set their eyes on. Xianyun falls for marketing scams but then there is Zhongli who won't fall for scams but buys everything at full price anyway. They reek absolute havoc in the shopping district once they get paid.

I am on my knees please please give me a Zhongli and Ganyu interaction i am not so greedy to ask for specifics just please just please (also more Zhongli and Ping interactions hell throw Guoba there too).

I will accept any Xiao and Zhongli interactions like anything i love them together.

Like i said its only a matter of time before MC and MS show up in the harbor and I can't wait to see Zhongli tease them.

Zhongli teasing the adepti!!!!!! Zhongli in disguise "OH NO I am a poor helpless mortal how could I ever compare to the adepti" they are fuming but they can't argue with him. they can only tolerate his teasing until they are alone.

Zhongli gets harassed by the Liyue public for disrespecting Rex Lapis and the adepti had to step in and tell them that it’s alright

Xiao with the strength of the gods: Mr. Zhongli did nothing wrong

Citizens: He called Rex Lapis a bum?

Xiao: He didn’t mean that he’s sorry

Zhongli: No i’m not! I think he was a fraud!

Xiao: Forgive him

Anyway please give us more adepti and please let them interact with Zhongli more. They are always so bashful and sweet in his presence so I must have an interaction I must.

#zhongli #ganyu #xiao #xianyun #adepti #genshin impact #it took me some time to think about this one

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aticklishpercivalwriter · 2 months

Text

A Sleepy, Ticklish Aether

Summary: A sleepy Aether is a very needy, ticklish Aether and Xiao and Lyney take notice.

A/N: This takes place post-cooking for Lyney in the 4.4 cooking event. The animations for Aether and Lumine cooking are so cute! Xiao has softened up in this one and is quite a tease. Wonder where he learned it from 🤔. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one; happy reading!

Word Count: 1615

—

Aether yawned as the fatigue of nonstop cooking at Wangshu Inn started to catch up to him. Paimon had it worse as she was sleep talking, so Aether sent her to their room. Wanting to close his eyes and feel the cool breeze on his cheeks, he made his way up the stairs to the top balcony.

“Yawn. I'm so tired. I wish Xiao was up here. I wonder where Lyney- oof!”

Aether collided with someone making him rub his eyes and start to apologize before his eyes widened when he realized who he bumped into.

“L-Lyney?”

“Oh! It's you, my golden ball of sunshine. Though…” Lyney took a double take at Aether’s facial expression. “You look exhausted.”

“Yeah. Yawn. I am. Yawn. Long day…”

Aether suddenly stumbled forward as his eyes drooped. Lyney caught him with a concerned expression on his face.

“Hey. Let’s get you to bed now, okay?”

Lyney squished Aether’s cheek with his hand before he carried him bridal style.

“Heyyy,” Aether pouted, weakly batting at Lyney’s arms.

Lyney smiled fondly at him and gave him a peck on the forehead.

“You are so cute, you know that?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Ahem.”

Both Lyney and Aether jolted at the sound of another voice as they tightened their grip around each other and looked towards the source of said voice.

“Oh. Sorry for scaring you both.”

Xiao stood before them with a red hue on his ears.

“Xiao! You are here!”

Aether sent Xiao a sleepy grin that made his heart melt and face heat up, the red tinge on his ears intensifying.

“Oh? Is the Yaksha blushing,” Lyney teased.

“Shut up. You can’t tell me that you aren’t affected by that. Even Wanderer isn’t immune to that.”

“What are you guys talking about? I’m just being me,” Aether said, confused.

Xiao and Lyney looked at each other before looking back at him with soft looks in their eyes.

“And that’s why we love you,” they said at the same time.

“You are just so cute for all of us,” Lyney added. “Especially for him.”

Lyney wiggled his eyebrows at Xiao who just rolled his eyes and started lightly tickling Lyney’s sides.

“I believe you were the one that was down bad for Aether when you first laid eyes on him.”

“Xiahohoho!” Lyney giggled, wiggling side to side as Aether tightened his grip around him. “Nohohohot truhuhuhue! Wait! Wahahahait! I’m gohohoing to drop Aehehehether!” He squeaked when Xiao tickled a particularly sensitive spot.

A proud smile crossed Xiao’s face. “That was for your teasing. Now come over here.”

Lyney hesitantly walked over to Xiao, giggling all the way as the tickle sensations lingered. Xiao wiggled his fingers teasingly as a small smirk appeared on his face.

“Hehehey! Whehehen dihihid yohuhu becohohome a tehehehease?!”

“I learn from the best,” Xiao said, looking towards Aether then him.

As the two continued to talk, Aether stared at Xiao's hands, mesmerized by his fingers. Their voices faded away and he imagined being teased into oblivion by both his boyfriends. Fingertips that gently graze against his side as they keep him on edge and giggling as they pepper him with kisses.

“I wanna be tickled so bad now. Please wreck meheheheeeee.”

Aether whined, burying his face into Lyney's chest before he realized that his chest feels more defined than before. He let go of who he was hugging and looked up to find a surprised looking Xiao whose expression was slowly morphing into a smirk.

“X-Xiao!?”

“What got you so whiney, sunshine?~” a deep, teasy voice sounded right against his ear as arms wrapped around him, trapping him.

He let out surprised giggles as the vibrations and breath of who he knows to be Lyney sent ticklish sensations throughout his body.

Being squished in between his boyfriends, in which he knows to be Xiao's room and bed, Aether can't help but feel more ticklish.

Xiao whispered in his other ear. “What were you thinking to not notice me teleport to my room, hmm? Was it this?” he raised his hands again and wiggled them right in front of Aether’s eyes making him shiver and hold back his giggles as he shook his head defiantly and scoot backwards only to bump into Lyney's chest.

“Are you surrree?” Lyney teased, his smirk audible. He tightened his grip around Aether as he made him look on at Xiao's wiggling digits as they slowly descended.

“I-ihihihi hahahave no idehehea whahahat you arehehe tahahalking abohohout,” Aether giggled.

He raised his hands up to prevent Xiao from touching him, but Lyney with surprising ease raised both his arms and hugged his middle tightly.

“Nu uh uh~ Come on. Tell us what you were thinking.”

“Ihihihi hahahave nothihihihng to- hehehehe sahahahay!”

Aether felt vulnerable as his body was stretched taut, his nerves on edge.

“Youhuhuhu wohohohn’t geheheht ihihihit out of mehehe! Eep!”

“Oh? So, you did have something on your mind.”

Xiao's fingers landed on Aether's belly, but never moved, much to his dismay.

“We have all night, baby,” Xiao teased.

In a different situation, Aether would be proud of him for being such a tease but being on the receiving end made him arch into his touch and whine.

Xiao just raised his hands to avoid grazing his stomach, not giving him satisfaction.

“Plehehehease! Xiahohoho!” Aether begged.

Xiao and Lyney hadn’t seen their lover be this needy before, but they had no complaints as they continued, loving this side of him.

“Please what?”

To add to his predicament, Lyney began blowing puffs of air on his ears, making him squirm and scrunch up his shoulders.

“Youhuhuhu guhuhuhuys! Hehehehehe! Thihihis ihihihisn’t fahahahair! Ahahahahaha!”

“All's fair in love and… tickling,” they said in unison.

Aether giggled uncontrollably and whined as he tried to follow their touches, but they didn't bite.

“My lohohoves, plehehehease dohoho ihihihit! Hehehehehe!”

He was losing his mind and could only think about getting his lovers to tickle him.

“Please please please plehehehease!”

Xiao experimentally slid his fingers along his belly causing him to buck up and laugh.

“AHHAHAHA! Yehehehes! Finahahally- Wh-why did you stop?”

Xiao's fingers settled back on to his stomach, not moving.

“Did you think I would just give it to you like that? Tell us what you want,” he growled playfully, blowing a raspberry on Aether's neck.

Lyney did the same, overwhelming him with ticklish sparks.

“GAHAHAHA! WAHAHAHAIT! IT TIHIHICKLES TOO MUHUHUCH! AHAHAHA!

As quick as they started, they stopped.

“But you loved it didn't you?” Lyney whispered into his ear.

Aether nodded, giggles filling the air as Xiao lightly drummed his fingers against his belly.

“Just say the words.”

Aether hesitated on whether he can hold out, but with Xiao tortuously drumming his fingers and Lyney now nuzzling against his neck, he couldn't hold back anymore and needed to get wrecked.

“Plehehease tickle me! I nehehehed it so bahahad! Wreheheck mehehehe!”

Giggles slipped in as Xiao and Lyney exchanged a look.

Did we actually break him? That was more than I thought he would say. Is he really that tickle starved?

Not one to make their lover suffer any longer, they went in.

Lyney moved his hands down to Aether's hips, squeezing rapidly, while Xiao went to town on his tummy.

A look of relief and excitement passed through his eyes before a bright smile appeared and laughter started pouring out of him.

“GAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHA! OH MY ARCHOHONS! IT TICKLEHEHEHES SOHOHOHO MUHUHUHUCH! HAHAHAHA!” He thrashed in Lyney's embrace, as he reflexively tried to curl in on himself.

“Of course it does, silly,” Lyney grinned, planting ticklish kisses along his neck.

Xiao just smiled as he switched to wiggling his fingers against Aether's neck and Lyney started drilling into his ribs.

“AhhHAHAHhaha! Oh maHAHAhahan! Ihiht TIHIHICKLES! NAHAHAahahaHAHA!” Aether spasmed, the mix of light and intense tickling driving him crazy.

Xiao growled, knowing how much it affects Aether and started nibbling the shell of his ear making Aether shake his head.

“Xiahahahao! Dohohon’t- heheheahaha- AHAHAHAHA! LYNEHEHEHEY!”

Lyney slid down and kneaded his thighs catching him off guard and laughing hysterically.

Not to be outdone by the magician, Xiao blew raspberry after raspberry on Aether's navel, causing him to throw his head back in ticklish mirth and tears to run down his face.

“OHOHOHO GOHOHOD! LOHOHOVES! HAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHA! NEHEHEHAHAHA!”

They noticed his energy slowly slipping away and decided to drive him over the edge as a finale.

“Ready Lyney?” The adeptus called over Aether's laughter.

“Yup! Let's finish it.”

Taking their positions along the golden boy's death spots, Xiao at his armpits and Lyney at his hip bones, they went all in.

Massaging, swiping, rubbing, any technique they know, they used, and Aether dissolved into laughter.

“AHHHAHAHHAHA, AHAHAHA! OHOHOHO- NAHAHAHA! GAHAHAHA! EHEHEHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHA-”

His laughter went silent, making them back off and watch as he recovered. With whatever remaining strength, he brought Lyney in front of him with Xiao and hugged them both, giggles filtering in as he relaxed. A blissful look made its way on his face as he cuddled with them.

“Thank you, my babies,” he said softly, giving them each a deep and passionate kiss. “I needed that. I really love you both oh so much.”

“We love you too, sunshine,” they said, returning the kiss with equal fervor.

Aether closed his eyes and fell asleep peacefully, embraced by his lovers.

“Night, Aether.”

“Sweet dreams, sunshine.”

Xiao and Lyney waited to make sure his breathing evened out before going to sleep themselves.

“Love you, Lyney.”

“Love you too, Xiao.”

“Good night.”

“Night.”

They gave each other a night kiss before they snuggled up closer to Aether, his laughter playing in their dreams.

#lee!aether #ler!xiao #ler!lyney #brief lee!lyney and ler!xiao #tickling #tickle fic #genshin impact #genshin impact tickling #percival fics #xiao #lyney #aether

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m1d-45 · 1 year

Note

To my Dear Yaksha, Alatus,

How are you? I see you've been very active lately, even as far out as joining people for dinner! I'm so proud of you! It's fine to go out with friends once in a while, Xiao.

About the stunt you pulled back at the Chasm.. I would've chastised you, but I cannot for the love me just get mad. Please, do not pull that stunt ever again, it would immensely break my heart.

You mention you'd like to dance, right? We should totally go to a festival together next time!

For now, take care of yourself, Xiao. I will see you soon.

(along with the letter fitted inside a pure white envelope was a small bow filled with separately wrapped marshmallows and a qingxin flower, tied together with a green string).

xiao heaved as he sweeped the hilichurl camp for the last time, finally allowing himself to dismiss his polearm. this one had been particularly tough, a samachurl had hidden itself behind some crates and kept healing enemies when he wasn’t looking. still, it was over now. irritating, yes, but impossible, no.

he turned, ready to vanish in a puff of smoke to wherever the next danger in liyue was, but a bright light from above caught his eye. xiao looked up, noticing the stars streaming across the sky for the first time.

notably, he sees the one seeming to come straight for him.

he frowns, well aware of how your regular stars work. but those crossed the sky, confined to the heavens, never… never coming to earth, never landing in his tentative palms, never sharing their heat through the fabric of his gloves.

xiao stares at the star in his hands, and watches it crumble. it’s expected, as anything pure would collapse under his karma, but what isn’t expected is what remains in its ruin.

a sheer pouch, filled with qingxin blossoms and some sort of soft candy, the green ribbon looking blue in the dark of twilight. next to it was a plain white envelope, his name written on it in a similar shade of green.

xiao blinked at his hands. a gift?

…or was it an order?

without another thought he pocketed the pouch and opened the envelope, pulling out a simple letter.

it wasn’t an order.

the closest thing to directions that you came was when you asked he didn’t put his life at risk as he did in the chasm, and that was hardly something he planned on doing again. the chasm… the chasm was an edge case, and one he wasn’t keen on repeating. he could feel your distress across worlds, and even if he didn’t value his own life, your happiness came above all else.

but for now, all you asked was that he took care of himself.

later that night, one of the opened sweets in hand, xiao looked up to the stars and wondered how far away ‘soon’ would be.

#[ meteor showers ]#genshin #genshin impact #genshin sagau #sagau #self aware genshin #genshin self aware au #sagau x reader #genshin x reader #xiao x reader #sagau xiao #sagau fluff #genshin fluff #xiao fluff #sagau headcanons #genshin headcanons #xiao headcanons #this was meant to be out 2-2.5 hours earlier but i got sucked into a pit of pinterest hell #i’d say sorry but like i can’t control the dopamine so. here’s this

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lazulirus · 2 years

Text

Goodbyes II

• A silent goodbye in form of calming them down when they’re dying. feat Diluc, Xiao, Ayato • Genre: Angst • Warnings: major character (implied) death, mention of blood.

• DILUC; The Dark Side of Dawn

He never wanted to lose someone close to him, not again - the only loss he had to witness first hand left him broken, with a permanent scar that had healed but never disappeared. Diluc made sure to never have to go through this again - but why seeing you taking this role hurt even more?

Desperate, fist clenching; fingernails biting the skin, only adding more blood onto his body. Survival instinct was silenced, secondary to his need to see you again; one last time - reasonable side added. Burning desire couldn't always be enough though, especially when it was already small and weak, burning out as Diluc collapses right by the first line of grapevines.

That was how you found him, bleeding and pale, mumbling "I'm home." when you cradled him - head resting on your shoulder, his arms loosely holding your sides, ground dirtying your knees.

Diluc wanted to hold you closer, skin to skin to feel your warmth, so close it would be suffocating as if his breath wasn't shallow already. Despite his fire getting dim, why did it feel like he was the one losing you? Only now it dawned on him how little time he gave you - always making sure you had money to spend, a roof over your head and safety in Mondstadt, in any creek and mountain. His side of the bed was always cold, leaving you night after night just to return at dawn with the softest kisses - you felt his warm lips against your neck, followed by cold tears.

"I'm so proud of you." Your voice soft and gentle just like your embrace - wound on his chest not allowing you two to be as close as you would like to. "You worked so hard, you deserve to have a day off." Diluc doesn't answer, but you feel his lips bending into a smile. "Let's get some grape juice and rest at Windrise." Yes, he would like that. Just one day off, just one more day to spend by your side…

The first rays of the sun sparkle in your tears.

• XIAO; Vigilant Yaksha

Yakshas were fated to suffer, sooner or later, during or after war, alone; with others. There were many ways Xiao expected to die, only unsure for who or what he will sacrifice himself - seeing your tears-stained face brought him solace, knowing he threw away his life for you.

"You should go." His voice was stern as always, but there was no strength left to force you to leave - all Xiao could do was lay on your tights. He loved you, so, so dearly. Your strength, your smile; even when tears flew across it.

"No, no, I… I'll stay with you." There was no more danger, only Xiao's spears filled the field, slowly disintegrating into black-green particles. It was beautiful - playing with the wind, sparkling in the evening air, but for you, it was nothing compared to Xiao. His golden eyes still open, wanting to look at you as long as he could, and many wounds, seeping with mist, hurt body shimmering with deep green.

Your thumb ran across one of them, Xiao doesn't flinch nor groan; only leans into your hand. Your lover was always hard to understand, what he was feeling and needed, but you always knew how to calm him down.

"You really should—" You shush him, and he complies, seeing how your smile wavers, breaking.

"You know your karma can't hurt me, I'll stay with you as long as you need." and Xiao allows himself to fall for this lie, blatant but so sweet. He didn't want to die like his friends - alone, maddened or by a comrade's hand, he wanted his last minutes to be by your side.

Your humming was like that blessed music from years ago - comforting, warm.

• AYATO; Pillar of Fortitude

If the roles were reversed, several heads would fall for the mistakes of Shuumatsuban; incompetence, negligence. You could already imagine seething Ayato, whenever his anger would show as a mad storm or petrifying calmness. You would rather experience this than his tear-filled eyes and desperate grip on your clothes.

"You're safe… you're…" He whispers, his hand grabbing any part of you, moving frantically as if you were the one splattered with blood. As if you were the one that littered the forest's path with bodies of Fatui. His body was a collection of angry red lines, most of them invisible, but eager to show by blooming like red flowers on snow.

"Yes, I… I'm safe." His head falls on yours with a sign of relief as he hugs you closer, blood mixing with your wet clothes; his technique still creating rain and beautiful water flowers. Although you couldn't awe at them like you always do, your face was hidden in Ayato's chest that was moving slowly, heavy.

"Kamisato… the clan and… and… Ayaka…" You could barely hear what he was saying, his speech slashed by deep breaths and the haziness of his mind.

"I'll take care of everything, my love." Caressing his back, brushing his hair; his body becoming heavier and heavier. "Clan is… is strong now, and I'll stand by Ayaka and help her." You sounded confident enough to calm Ayato's nerves. How will you tell Ayaka? How will you help her when others attack? Ayato worries, unsure if he did enough, if he…

"You raised Ayaka well, you deserve to have a bit of rest."

"Just a… just a little…" He mumbles, the same thing he said every time you urged him to bed. Just a bit of sleeping, a moment, just a second - having you by his side enough to lull him to sleep.

The rain stops as Ayato's eyes close.

#•Severed string of fate #genshin impact angst #diluc x reader #xiao x reader #kamisato ayato x reader #ayato x reader #angst #diluc angst #xiao angst #kamisato ayato angst #ayato angst

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