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whispereons · 6 months

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Oracle!Reader Part 20

Masterlist - Part 1, Part 19, Part 21

1K special

Warning! This is yandere, sagau imposter au so expect lots of gore in the series. This chapter is tame in comparison to the others.

The moon glimmers in the starlit sky as a hand brushes against your newly scarred skin. Eyelashes fluttering, your vision begins to focus on the plain ceiling above you.

A coarse groan leaves your cracked lips as you flinch from the sudden pressure on your stomach. The hand quickly retreats as a pale green blob comes into view.

"...are…eeling?" The voice is barely picked up as your ears ring. Squinting your eyes, you swallow the dried saliva tasting faintly of blood.

"W-Who?" The word is coughed out as your throat struggles to form the words. Before you can ask for water, a cup is brought to your lips. The cold water brings sweet relief to your parched body.

Your senses begin to sharpen and clarity is brought back to your vision. Baizhu stands next to your bed helping you drink from the cup, though Changsheng isn't wrapped around his neck like she normally would be.

The water runs out and he draws the cup away. "How are you feeling? Your body is technically healed of its major injuries but it's still trying to adjust. The pain will continue to persist for a long while."

"I feel better than before." The reply is automatic as your hand twitches in an effort to move your muscles. The recollection of what had even brought you to Baizhu's care is a slow trickle as you process his words.

Shenhe, Yelan, the treasure hoarders, the fall and Qiqi are slotted into your memory like perfect puzzle pieces. The small pitter-patter of footsteps coming closer to you and the sound of metal being set down goes unheard by you as you focus on sitting up.

Soreness and exhaustion are impossibly heavy weights as you struggle to lift your body a few inches away from the mattress. Gentle hands support your body, along with much smaller ones on your other side.

"Thank you…" Your words are choked out between your bitten lips as a dull ache plagues your body. Clenching the blanket in your fists, you sigh in relief as a cold compress is applied to your bare back.

Wait, your bare back?

The strangeness is not lost on you as you look down at yourself. A thin hospital-like gown is all that you seem to be wearing with the blanket pooled around your waist. It takes a second for you to properly process what this means for you before you’re frantically reaching up to your face.

“No need to fret, your mask was left untouched during the treatment.”

It seems to be the truth, as your fingertips are met with cool porcelain and flaking blood. Not to mention the casual way Baizhu is speaking to you and the lack of Millelith guards swarming you.

Licking your chapped lips, you eventually arrive at the question: where do you go now? Ningguang would surely kill you if she finds out you’re still alive. Zhongli is still expecting an answer, god knows what Yelan would do and Shenhe is a wild card-

The thoughts racing in your mind are abruptly cut off as a metal tray is plopped onto your lap. A warm bowl of soup and yogurt with a soft pastel color greeted you. The refilled cup of water placed on your bedside is ignored as your mouth waters at the sight of the meal.

“Clear chicken carrot soup and fruit-flavored yogurt.” A child-like, monotonous voice comments with a deeper melodic voice following up. “I would have had food suited to your taste, but you hadn’t awoken until now. Are you allergic to anything?”

“Nope.” You replied by popping the ‘p’ before pulling the tray closer and picking up the utensils. Allergies didn’t concern your ravenous mind, as your dormant stomach awakened painfully at the smell of food. Who knows, maybe your creator buff will also prevent any allergic reactions.

An upside to being the creator was something you desperately needed after the saga of pure bullshit you’ve been through.

Baizhu gently directs Qiqi out of the room after instructing her a message you couldn’t bother to hear as you gulp down the food. When he returns, he sits next to you as the moonlight shines down from the window.

“Let me explain your previous and current state while you eat. Qiqi brought you in with multiple minor injuries, a few stab wounds, head trauma, elemental damage, with fractured and broken bones. That’s not even mentioning the severe blood loss and infections beginning to manifest on your poorly healed past injuries.” Each description is like a stab to the heart, with the visualization of your passed out body arriving to Baizhu on death's doorstep crystal clear.

“Thankfully your body reacted well with my elemental healing so the life-threatening wounds were healed, without infections, and your critical condition was toned down. That doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet.”

The soup and yogurt is picked clean, leading you to gulp down the water next. Looking at him, you open your mouth to ask for more food when he cuts you off firmly. “Don’t bother asking for food, the arrows didn’t hit your lungs or heart, but your abdominal organs weren’t spared. You’ll be stuck with light meals until I’m positive it’s safe.”

Resisting a scoff, you ask him. “So what’s my current condition? Will I have to stay here overnight? Hold on, can I even afford that? How much did this treatment even cost?!”

“Please calm down, Y/N.”

“How did you-”

“Your name was etched onto the bag that Qiqi brought along. As for payment, there’s no need to worry. You had a rather generous benefactor that has given us more then enough mora to cover your total cost in every possible scenario.”

That was suspicious beyond belief, but you didn’t have a reason not to believe Baizhu either. Baizhu would have healed you even without payment, but not being in debt was ideal.

This benefactor either wants something from you, wants to kill you themselves, or knows you personally.

A few people come to mind that could fit your suspicions but with so little knowledge you couldn’t confirm anything. Instead, you asked. “Isn’t doctor-patient confidentiality a thing? Did they leave any message for me?”

If Baizhu was surprised, then he hid it well. “She knew your name and appearance, though I never confirmed that you were here. She simply left the money and a verbal message asking you to have dinner with her tomorrow at 1800 in Xinyue Kiosk. But please be aware that I’m not forcing this, whether you would like me to refund the money so you can avoid interacting with her or not is completely up to you.”

Shaking your head, you declined it. “I’ll go. Since everything is paid for by her, does that also include any medicine I have to take for whatever current injuries I still have?”

“That’s right. I’m mostly prescribing supplements for the blood loss and fluid imbalance. Some are for the bones that broke, even repaired they might cause problems, so calcium intake is also important. A simple drug for your immune system, as your body's defenses are relatively low from the wounds. As well as per needed fever and pain medications.”

… You didn’t want to imagine the cost of those medications, let alone the treatment. A dinner in the most expensive restaurant in Liyue within the city with an unknown woman isn't that bad.

You've met people in worst locations and survived this long.

Pushing back the lingering worry, you focused on Baizhu’s explanation over what condition your body is in, what time to take the medicine and any other problems that could arise. It was boring, but you weren’t looking to get sick from your own stupidity.

The conversation had gone as you expected for a while until he brought up a strange topic. Flipping through a few papers, Baizhu steered the topic onto your- “Scars. Many of what you suffered from will leave new scars on your body. It’s the old scars that were peculiar.”

Knowing your luck, your scars must also be known to them. But you weren’t going to bring it up if he didn’t.

“They are imbued and cultivated with a power that is strikingly familiar, yet foreign. It actually perfectly correlates with my researched point of interest. I wanted to ask your permission on getting a sample of it before your discharge.”

That was a risky request. Your face stayed neutral as you thought to yourself. The consequences could be minor, but what if it became another situation of an accidental connection to the Creator again?

Looking back at the smiling snaked eye man, you opened your mouth to respond when he suddenly gave the fakest gasp.

“I almost forgot to mention that your old scar formations are the exact locations of the Creator’s real scars! This along with everything else I’ve seen is almost enough for me to report this to the Mille-”

“For fuck's sake just take it.” You could be excused for not playing mind games this time, being nearly dead should be enough reason for a day off.

“I want some form of compensation, though!” Being stupidly tired is a different matter then being just plain stupid.

“That’s not a problem. I’ll most likely take the sample sometime tomorrow before your discharge. So please, tell me what you have in mind by noon tomorrow so I can fetch it in time.”

In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising that Baizhu would ask this of you. Your body has clearly undergone some changes as you lived in Teyvat and Baizhu is dead set on finding a way to be immortal.

There was a time you had wondered if you might be immortal due to being the creator, so maybe Baizhu can figure it out with your sample.

“The last thing I want to address before you rest is-” Baizhu is cut off by a knock on the door. He glances at you, asking permission to open the door with his eyes before you nod firmly. Qiqi walked in earlier without knocking, so maybe it’s a visitor? But considering how late it is, maybe you were wrong…

“Come in Qiqi and bring the visitor in too.”

The door opens slowly as you watch Qiqi walk in stiffly with a yawning girl following her in at a similar height. Long light brown hair is loose as the girl rubs her eyes tiredly.

“Hello Dr. Baizhu, I came back to check one last time if the oracle- Oh!” Caramel colored eyes widen at the sight of you sitting on the bed, and the girl hurriedly gives a polite bow. A yellow plush bunny is smooshed in her arms in the process.

“Hello, pardon my rudeness. My name is Yaoyao and I was sent by my master to check on you! It’s my honor to make your acquaintance, Y/N, or would you rather me call you by the oracle title?”

The ‘little adult’ looks different without the decorative bells she usually wears in her tied up hair, but the bunny was a dead give away. You smile at the nervous girl while wondering just who told her about you being an oracle.

Baizhu was giving you a look that basically screamed suspicion.

“You can just call me Y/N. By master, you mean Madame Ping, right?” Yaoyao beams at that as she steps closer.

“That’s correct, we learned about you from the other Adepti and Xiangling.” You should have known. “When we heard that you were here, I was sent on my Master's orders and Ganyu’s concern. Visitors weren’t allowed earlier, but I wanted to check one last time.”

Ganyu too? That basically guarantees Ningguang, Keqing, Zhongli and even more knowing that you’re here. But more importantly was the fact that Baizhu investigated anything connected to the Adepti for his immortality quest.

You could only hope that Baizhu would be happy with a basic explanation and the sample of your scar tissue as promised.

“Visitors was the last topic I wanted to address.” Baizhu smoothly joins as he gets up from his seat and heads toward a desk on the far side of the room. A small pile of letters and a pile of gifts sit on the table next to your bag. How didn’t you notice it before?

“After a patient here noticed you before she was discharged, she and her guardian left you a letter with a present. I believe she may have been the one to spread it, but I ask you to kindly not hold anger against her. She’s rather young.”

So the little leaker was a child? It could be one of the kids you saved, but none of them could really afford to go to Baizhu. Not that he would have denied them but most children in that situation don’t go unless on the verge of death or pushed by an adult.

“It’s okay, I’ll look through the stuff in the morning.” As if on cue, Yaoyao fails to hide a yawn as she walks to stand next to your bed.

“Auntie Cloud Retainer and the rest of the Adepti told Master what happened on Mt. Aocang. Master really wants to meet you, so if you have any time to spare, please pay her a visit here at the Yujing Terrace near the Yiyan temple.”

Nodding absentmindedly, you make a mental note of that before asking Yaoyao a question in return.

“Just how many people in general know that I’m here? I know quite a few people and Qiqi being here must have been quite a spectacle… But surely it must not have been too much considering that it was the middle of the night.”

The nervous expression on Yaoyao face dashes away any hopes you had.

“Sorry Y/N but a lot of the city was speaking about you. Even nature and the animals kept mentioning you! Though they were a little more vague. If it helps, most people know you as a masked person rather than your name.”

Sighing, you don’t even bother hiding the distaste on your face. Changing masks wouldn’t do much and you sure as hell can’t remove it either, leaving you with the sole option of leaving.

Leaving before anyone else can attack you in this fast-pace city filled with greed and ambition. If you stayed here any longer, you’ll surely be pulled into whatever new situation happens and only get more attention.

The dinner you had first worried about is almost miniscule compared to the threat of Yelan and Shenhe knowing your location. More so, Yelan as she has an obligation to get rid of you due to her job rather than Shenhe’s emotional motive.

Your mind replays the last bit of your fight where you had touched the waypoint and- Oh fuck. Groaning, you dumped your face into your hands as Yaoyao watched you worriedly. Her worried calls rolled off you like waves as you remember how the teleport waypoint glowed in front of everyone.

That’s a complete group of people, treasure hoarders nonetheless, that saw you activate it. Yelan could use that information and the witnesses in whatever stupidly clever way she wants!

Yaoyao looks back at Baizhu confused as he shakes his head silently. Qiqi picks up a glass of coconut milk and begins to walk towards you with it before Baizhu blocks her way.

Fingers digging into your scalp, you resist the urge to pull your hair as you bite your still slightly bruised lips. The realization of what kind of ammo you gave Yelan was killing you.

Baizhu takes the glass from Qiqi and puts it back down before handing her a glass of water. Qiqi stares blankly at Baizhu before switching the glasses again. As the two continuously switch cups, Yaoyao rummages in her bag.

A sting of pain begins to grow as you get dangerously closer to the recently healed head wound. The smell of something sweet yet earthy snaps you out of your stress-fueled self depreciation as small hands pry your rough ones away.

“Please be careful Y/N, Dr. Baizhu is a great doctor but you shouldn’t hurt yourself like this. Have a candied date, it's golden honey flavored and works great to get rid of the bitter medicinal taste that he prescribes.”

It didn’t smell too bad, so you hesitantly took it from her hands and glanced back at Baizhu in case he tries to confiscate it. With his back safely turned, you pop the candied date into your mouth.

It’s a nice taste and it does work well as a distraction from your worries. “Thank you Yaoyao.” Your hand reaches out instinctively and pats her head. “The Creator views you fondly and one day your fate will intersect with the creator’s just like it did with the Adepti.”

The lie flows smoothly from your mouth as she smiles brightly up at you. Her eyes move down to the blanket as she responds. “I still don’t quite know what that means, but I’m sure I’ll be able to properly appreciate it once I’m older.”

Qiqi joins you both and hands you a glass of water that you take from her gratefully. Your hand leaves Yaoyao’s head to rest on the bed, making Qiqi look away with a pout. Before you can question the unexpected reaction, Baizhu redirects the conversation.

“I understand that you hold some valid concerns over your safety, Y/N. This situation isn’t one we deal with frequently, but we do have measures in place.”

The look you send him speaks a thousand words as he sighs and adds. “Free of charge, of course, as it counts as patient confidentiality.”

“Bubu’s Pharmacy has tight security measures and Millelith frequent the area due to it being near the Yiyan Temple and the Welkin Temple.” You were 100% sure that the second temple did not exist before you came here. “Me and Qiqi both reside here and as experienced vision holders, you’ll be in safe hands.”

Nodding in understanding, you can’t deny that it felt safer knowing you weren’t going to be left alone. Your body was still exhausted and in the midst of healing so you didn’t have much energy to defend yourself with if Ningguang were to send another person after you.

“Qiqi doesn’t sleep much, so she’ll keep an eye out for anything amiss.” And you were right back to feeling anxious. Baizhu was relaxed as he tidied up the room, while Yaoyao spoke softly to Qiqi.

Glancing at the zombie child, you repeated the mantra to yourself that anyone could be a DPS in Genshin. You just needed to check her equipment before bed.

Yaoyao turns back to you with a sleepy smile. “I’ll be taking my leave now. I wish you a swift recovery, and I look forward to seeing you again with my Master.” With a casual wave, you let that be your only farewell as you drink the glass of water Qiqi handed you earlier.

Baizhu pats his clothing down as he calls out to Yaoyao right as she opens the door.

“Oh Yaoyao, since you’ll be relaying the message to Madam Ping and Ganyu, please have Ganyu tell Ningguang about Y/N’s acceptance to dinner for me as well.”

The water you were drinking goes down the wrong way at those words.

Coughing, you yank the glass away as you look back up to the surprised Baizhu. “Did you say Ningguang? Was she the one who paid for everything and asked for the dinner?”

Baizhu smiles pleasantly with little regard for your shaky tone as he nods. There goes every flicker of hope you had that Ningguang wasn’t your benefactor.

Every drop of blood your body synthesized to restore you back to normal is drained as you pale at the confirmation. Just how the hell did you manage to meet Zhongli, Yelan, and Ningguang!?

They are all people you wanted to avoid, and you definitely shouldn’t have met, considering the fact that people pay to even get an hour with Ningguang, let along a whole ass dinner invite!

Was there some stupid rule that goes along with being the creator making you meet nearly every acolyte that exists?

So busy cursing yourself and the entirety of Teyvat out, you don’t notice how Baizhu corrals Yaoyao out of the room before heading to you, as Qiqi watches from the sidelines.

“My, my you’ve gone pale at the news Y/N.” Baizhu’s glasses glint a little from the flickering lantern illuminating the room. He smiles down at you with half-lidded eyes that stare at you strangely.

“I didn’t realize that I forgot to tell you who it was. If you decide to, we can always cancel it and send a priority letter before discussing a payment plan.”

Squinting your eyes, you shake your head ‘no’ as you try to read the simultaneously shady yet reckless doctor. It didn’t seem like he had any malicious intentions, as he very much did mean to hide it. But you can’t be sure that he had any good intentions either.

“That’s a shame, I was looking forward to discussing alternate ways of paying that don’t require mora.” …Yeah, no matter what way you put it or how clean Baizhu keeps his reputation. One can not simply not be seen as shady while going around saying stuff like that.

So not only is Baizhu showing signs of that strange attachment in a matter of hours, but Ningguang decided to suddenly switch her tactics. From ‘investigate and kill if deemed a threat’ to ‘generous wealthy person that totally isn’t covering up a crime’.

Could you possibly get Yanfei to sue Ningguang if you aren’t poisoned at the dinner?

Maybe, but that’s all riding on the chance that you aren’t killed in some coincidental accident before then. Waving away the pessimistic and slightly comical thoughts, you look up at Baizhu as he dims the lantern.

“The pharmacy opens at 0900 in the morning. Are you willing to take visitors from that point on till your discharge at 1300?” Briefly looking at the letters and gifts, you nod silently.

Baizhu’s smile doesn’t waver as he responds casually. “Many people will be happy to hear that Y/N, you seem quite popular.”

He opens the door before kneeling to Qiqi’s height. “The last order I have for you tonight is to keep watch over Y/N and protect them if need be. Understand?”

Qiqi tilts her head at that and blandly states. “Order received. Order cannot be processed. Original intended function still active and in place.”

Baizhu frowns at that as you look at Qiqi curiously. His expression quickly smooths back to a calm smile as he stands up. “As long as the ending is the same, then I don’t mind.”

He glances at you one last time as the door creaks open to show the dark hallway. Slitted eyes meet yours, full of curiosity and intrigue. They almost glow as he steps into the hallway with Qiqi in tow before the door closes softly.

Sighing in relief, you flop back onto the bed and roll in the covers for a position that won’t put pressure on your aching muscles. Baizhu’s increasingly strange behavior slithers back into your mind as you close your eyes.

Just why didn’t he ask you about being an oracle yet? Is he planning on getting the Millelith? No, he would have done so much earlier. Maybe he’s trying to gather some blackmail on you?

The possibilities torment your exhausted mind as you finally settle on just explaining yourself tomorrow when you get the scar sample from you. When you open your eyes, the flame has already burned away, leaving your only light as the moon.

Staring at it, you think back to the waypoints. Are they finally fixed? Can you use them again? You couldn’t test it out now, but you could do so when you leave after the dinner with Ningguang.

Which region should you travel to next? There was no may you could stay or go back to Inazuma, so it’s either Mondstadt or Sumeru as they are the closest.

Closing your eyes, you try to imagine what traveling through the terrain would be like to arrive in the city. Frowning, you continue by imagining what it would be like traveling in that region for the weekly commissions.

It’s a simple decision really as Sumeru had a wide range of animals and poisonous plants to fight past. While Mondstadt had that sweet peaceful greenery from being the starter city with the lowest amount of treasure hoarders thanks to a certain Cryo user.

Deciding that you’ve picked your brain enough on the topic, you shut your eyes for some actual rest.

A moment passes, and then another, as the wind rustles the leaves on the tree outside the window. The faint sound of a sweet croon reaches your ears as you stubbornly keep your eyes closed.

As your mind is slowly consumed by the heavy exhaustion and the dimness of the room, two thoughts come to mind.

One, you forgot to check Qiqi’s equipment. Two, just what made you be locked out from the teleport waypoints if it counts as a game mechanic from Genshin Impact itself?

—---------------

“The moon is quite beautiful at this time of night.” A kind and knowing voice says as wrinkled hands pick out the bits of leaves from long white hair. The moonlight illuminates the silvery strands as it gradually is picked clean to its former glory.

“Child, just what has happened that you come to me out of all the Adepti for assistance?” A red rope is cut into perfect portions and tied to form the perfect braid. A Cryo vision sits innocently as the centerpiece, while a monochrome ornament adorns the top.

“I cannot advise you on the matter that troubles you if you do not speak, Shenhe.” Iridescent eyes finally move up from the ground to meet the elderly woman’s warm ones. Shenhe struggles to speak as her head dips forward.

“I… I hurt someone badly. But they hurt me too.” Shenhe holds her hands together in a prayer like motion as her eyes flutter close. “But at the end, they showed me something I couldn’t believe. No. That I refused to believe and even helped me.”

With a hunched back and patience learned over thousands of years, the old woman stays quiet. Giving the oh-so apathetic disciple time to put her thoughts into words.

“I don’t know what to do, and master isn’t the most adept when it comes to humans. But you, Streetward Rambler are, in more than one way. You constitute as a human more than me.”

Shenhe closes her eyes as she thinks back to her encounter with you. The truth you didn’t hesitate to spit in her face, the raw anger you expressed at her delusions and denial.

“I just want to understand these emotions. Are they a witch’s, an Adepti’s or a human’s emotions? Not even these ropes are stopping them!” Shenhe tugs at the newly bound rope in frustration but stops at the touch of light fingertips.

Madam Ping smiles warmly down at Shenhe. “None of those answers are correct child. They are simply your emotions. And I believe deep down, you already know what you feel. You just don’t know what to do with them.”

Shenhe looks at the ground with a mixture of guilt and self-loathing swarming inside her. It was true, wasn’t it? That day you spoke her feelings in the bluntest way possible, but here she was, still trying to deny it.

“Then what do I do? Is it really okay to love someone that hurt you? I don’t want a repeat of my childhood… I just want to treasure and use this new chance at connecting with my entire self that the Creator has graced me with.”

The hand that pats her head is familiar and warm. Childhood memories of her shedding those human emotions she once thought weak come to mind before Madam Ping’s voice brings her back.

“Trusting in the Creator and following the path they opened for you, no matter how scary or concerning, is always the right path. Follow me Shenhe.”

Madam Ping is quick to walk away toward the two temples, as Shenhe follows her swiftly. The Yiyan Temple for the Geo Archon is laughably small in comparison to the huge Welkin Temple behind it.

They climb the stairs past the Yiyan Temple and enter the luxurious archway leading into the Welkin Temple. Decorations laced with jewels, paintings of the highest caliber, and statues of the rarest minerals are a common sight in it.

As Liyue Harbors sole temple, the city and its citizens spared no expanse in making sure it was top-notch. That included the deceased Geo Archon who left it in the care of the Liyue Qixing before his passing.

The pair walked through the halls as many people prayed and worshiped within the dead of the night without care for the passing onlookers.

Everyone gathered here at this time of night is here to do the same thing after all.

A couple of people amble past the determined Adeptus and disciple into the barren clinic as physicians begin to care for them. The blood, bone, and missing parts of skin are applauded before quickly being catered to.

Madam Ping enters the hallway where many citizens wait outside the rooms for their turn. Yet instead of stopping like Shenhe expected, the old woman brings her to a hidden staircase around the corner.

The two climb up and up, till they reach the rooftop where an alter sits. Shenhe is well aware what she must do for the answers she desires. Kneeling before it, Shenhe gratefully takes the ceremonial spear handed to her by Madame Ping.

“You have matured enough to earn the privilege of giving a piece of yourself to the Holy One. I can only excitedly wait for the day my own disciples can have this honor.” With a calm yet cheery chuckle, Madame Ping moves away from the grave faced Shenhe.

“Oh Holy Creator, God of all that has lived, lives, and lives on. Listen to this acolytes prayer and grant me but a crumb of your wisdom. Though I am foolish and mortal, your mercy shines down on in the form of that person.”

The spear is raised into the air as Shenhe stays kneeling and points the spear down.

“Please, Divine One, show this wretched girl just how I’m supposed to make it up to Y/N.”

The spear drives down and the crimson droplets stain the altar like a dazzling flourish of rose petals.

Well this took a long while. This time it wasn't school but just personal stuff. Between house hunting, family feud, car problems, and just trying to keep up with school. I haven't got much of a break. But things have finally calmed down somewhat so I used it to get this done. What also helped was making the outline for the 1k special. I think I should have it done for the next update instead of the regular chapter. But I did notice that a good chunk wanted regular chapters instead so I got a compromise. The special features Mondstadt (as most sagau start in Mond so I thought it would be fun) and it'll be a teaser to what Mondstadt has in store for you all. I'm not sure how many of you have noticed but each region has a certain theme when it comes to worship. Inazuma with sacrificing, Liyue with self mutilation, and Mondstadt will be hinted at in the special. My editor, @serpent-benediction, did this super late last night so props for once. But if there are claims to being anything more than an editor then don't listen. I keep basically everybody in the dark. Kinda feel like death so if you have any questions or comments I will answer them as soon as I can read again. Taglist: is open for anyone so just comment if you want to join <3

@vvyeislazzy, @nikqi, @the-dumber-scaramouche, @etherisy, @yourlocalstranger123, @ra404, @iruiji, @goldenglow149, @haru-tofuu, @lsleepysimpl, @bebobeboben, @yuyuzi-ling, @amidst-the-tempest, @resident-cryptid, @mxd1zzy, @mochicurls21, @nervouseaglelover, @thedevioussmirk, @yumuramma, @kwqsla, @undecidingfate, @ehjane, @game-savvy, @akiramirae, @liansh3ng, @fluffy-koalala, @formacoon, @sxftiebee, @khxii-i, @ursinaw, @chuuya-brainrot, @sweetbills, @kazuchaos, @snowfoxnix, @bluebelony, @shellofthewell, @pencil-of-ashes, @ghostlyintervention, @taiformaifoe, @goaudduck, @carminerin, @maddysflowers, @zenith-of-all-zenith, @crazydreamcat, @leafanonsforest, @grimreapersscythe, @leylanx, @sapphireknown, @help-whatdoimakemyusername, @zhonglisfruityass, @mer0n37, @victoria1676, @mochinessss, @sinnful-darling, @emilymikado, @pix-stuff, @esthelily, @luxie963, @emmbny, @millienolife @kbar1013, @xxblackroses623xx, @chxrlxtteee, @aludicpoet, @yandematic, @atrcclovsxoxo, @0lshadyl0, @esthelily, @t-rex-red, @ck123, @steadybreadbluebird, @118gremlin, @stratonia, @time-shardz, @farelady-fate, @valeriele3, @francisnyx, @byakuren100, @waveto-earth, @flyingpansaurus, @silverstarred, @iamapotatoe

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bladesandstars · 6 months

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Tell me more about your favorite Genshin ships. Tell me more about your favorite dynamics. Tell me about your favorite characters. Tell me about the stories you've got stuck in your head, waiting for an outlet. TELL ME. 0u0

Okay, this got so INCREDIBLY long. Thank you so much for asking! I'm gonna keep this post to everyone's favorite rock grandpa, though I do love many other characters and ships. Here we go:

Zhongli

I am probably the most excited about him as a character. He's sweet and funny and angsty and complex and potentially terrifying based on his past. I love him. I want to write him all the things. Details below. Spoilers abound, up through Fontaine and including Zhongli's character quest.

- the concept of erosion is so good from a writing perspective. I particularly like this juxtaposed with Neuvillette, who is supposed to be gaining information and serving as a memory for humanity. But I also love it with Baizhu, who is eroding in his own way and presumably much faster.

- war god Zhongli is wonderful. I envision writing him with Xiao here, because their canon interactions are so good. There's also Azhdaha, who breaks my heart every time I think about it. The flavor of writing that ship before and up until Zhongli does what he needs to do? Delicious. But also Guizhong? Canon is ambiguous but I do hc him as smitten and in love with her - the plains bear their ship name and I'm emo about it. (She tops. Lmao. I'm still getting used to the fierce t/b tagging in this fandom - I do my best to be polite, but my brain loves to switch everyone so it's hard.)

- flashes of former war god with Childe is sucha delicious concept as well. Something about their contrasts - I can see why they have the fandom in a chokehold. I'm there too. Zhongli's ancient presence, having experienced so many things, slow to anger but so powerful in his anger - next to young hothead Childe who wants to Fight Everyone but still has that "what happened to you in the Abyss, son" mystery and Foul Legacy complexity to him. And he's a good af fighter and I love an ancient being surprised by a relative newcomer.

- Ningguang. My favorite ship for her is Beidou, but Zhongli having a deep, quiet respect for her that grows into something more is so good. He thanks her for taking such good care of the city, she shows him around his human body a lil....it's good. If the Jade Chamber is a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'.

- this doesn't even include the age-old Venti shenanigans or how I think the old man would deal with someone like Kaeya or Alhaitham, both very funny in different ways.

#genshin impact #genshin spoilers #genshin impact spoilers #zhongli #zhongchili #zhongzhu #guili #zhongguang #zhongxiao #zhongneuv #tagging all these mostly so people who don't wanna see em aren't bothered and can filter #hope talks #answered asks #thank you again! lordy i love to ramble #azhdaha

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ikebo-simp · 11 months

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A little ask for you~

What do you think the Liyue characters favorite boba orders are? Or do they get something else?

- 👓

Beidou- Prefers alcohol than boba, gets some whenever Kazuha gets a craving, probably likes plum or something

Chongyun- Thinks it's nice and cool, I think he likes strawberry, little bit traumatized from the time Xiangling made ghost pepper boba

Ningguang- Has better drinks and probably prefers coffee or tea, but will get something like a royal jelly boba

Xiangling- Constantly makes her own, her favorite so far has candied slime condensate on top

Xinqiu- Gets cheese foam, no explanation, cheese foam

Yaoyao- I think she would like Red Bean Milk Tea, sweet and tasty

Xingyan- Passionfruit/hj she probably would like passionfruit or pineapple

Yanfei- Prefer warms things like hot cocoa or something, like coffee milk tea

Yunjin- Prefers tea, likes matcha and red bean

Keqing- Knows how to treat herself and gets a mango boba, with popping boba, and some pudding on top

Qiqi- Like coconut flavor, refuses anything else, not as good as coconut milk but a decent alternative

Zhongli- Prefers his tea normal, like a regular black tea boba

Shenhe- Has no real preference, but likes strawberry a little bit more because Chongyun likes it

Baizhu- Can only have teas and medicine/hj the milk is probably bad for his system and causes him to cough more often, like grass jelly though

Ganyu- I think she would like oolong tea as a base and some grass on top

Xiao- Probably prefers Bingsoo over boba, but likes almond boba

Hu Tao- Asks Xiangling to make more ghost pepper boba, vibes like she would like Hokkaido

Yelan- Likes it, not her go-to-drink, but she likes it, gets the lychee jelly instead of the boba

A/N Bestie, this ain't little TT-TT

Thanks for Reading

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stellas-starry-stove13 · 10 days

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♥︎ • Stella's Menu~! • ♥︎

Kinds of foods..

• Project Sekai

• Genshin Impact

• Bluelock(anime only)

Cuisines...

• Headcannons

• Oneshots

• Alphabets(coming soon...)

• Bonus fics

What ingredients I will use...

• Marshmallows (fluff)

• Dark chocolate (mentions of violence or minor violence)

• Milk chocolate (hurt/comfort)

• Hot chocolate (romantic)

• White chocolate (platonic)

• Black coffee (suicidal thoughts or mentions (as long as they dont go through with it))

• Unsweetened coffee (angst)

• Bitter coffee (side characters as yandere)

• Blueberries (male x fem! reader (I write boys x reader only unless platonic))

• White chocolate covered blueberries (familial)

• White chocolate covered strawberries (only platonic character x character and can't be of the opposite gender)

• Bread crumbs (aus (no vampire au or anything like that though))

What ingredients I will not use...

• Mold (NSFW)

• Overripe fruit (character or reader as a yandere )

• Junk food (incest)

• Cats (anythingLGBTQ related)

• Three year old McDonald's burger (pedophillia)

• Avacado (male reader)

• Dirty water (sad endings)

• Guacamole (romantic poly (platonic is fine)

Drinks...

• Sour wine (enemies to lovers)

• Strawberry smoothie (childhood friends)

• Frappuccino (strangers to lovers)

• Grape juice ((reader) bullied at school)

• Apple cider ((reader) rich kid)

• Bitter juice ((reader) masked facade)

• Sour lemonade (grumpy x sunshine)

• Grape and mango juice (opposites attract)

• Sparkling strawberry & orange smoothie (eccentric x eccentric)

• Avacado smoothie (tsundere x tsundere)

• Pink drink (married to reader)

• Strawberry sundae (dating)

• Orange fanta (friends)

• Lemonade (strangers)

• Mango smoothie (siblings)

• Custom

Have a beverage idea swimming your mind? Submissions have now opened! If you have a romance (or platonic) trope idea (you have to make a beverage too) just send me an ask and I'll add it to the menu if I approve! (and with credit ofc)

Dishes and deserts...

⚠ Any dish that does not appear on the list is either because I don't care for the dish or I don't know how to cook it ⚠

Project Sekai

Vivid BAD SQUAD

• Pancake (Shinonme Akito)

• Peach buns (Azusawa Kohane)

• Coffee cookies (Aoyagi Toya)

• Rum raisin ice cream (Shiraishi An)

Wonderlandxshowtime

• Soda candy (Kamishiro Rui)

• Taiyaki (Otori Emu)

• Ginger pork (Tenma Tsukasa)

• Grapefruit (Kusanagi Nene)

Bluelock

• Canned pineapple (Bachira Meguru)

• Kintsuba (Yoichi Isagi)

• Karinto manjuu (Chigiri Hyoma)

• Ichibo steak (Mikage Reo)

• Lemon tea (not a desert or a dish but it's expectional) (Nagi Seishiro)

• Ochazuke (Itoshi Rin)

Genshin Impact

Mondstadt

• Woodland dream (Albedo)

• Outrider's champion steak (Amber)

• Spicy stew (Barbara)

• Once upon a time in Mondstadt (Diluc)

• Definitely not bar food (Diona)

• Stormcrest pie (Eula)

• Die heilige sinfonie (Fischl)

• Invigorating pizza (Jean)

• Fruity skewers (Kaeya)

• Fish flavored toast (Klee)

• Mysterious bolognese (Lisa)

• Surveyor's breakfast sandwhich (Mika)

• Der Weisheit Letzter Schluss (Life) (Mona)

• Lighter-than-air pancake (Noelle)

• Nutritious meal (Sucrose)

• A buoyant breeze (Venti)

Liyue

• Flash-fried fillet (Beidou)

• Cold noodles with mountain delicacies (Chongyun)

• Prosperous peace (Ganyu)

• Ghostly march (Hu tao)

• Survival grilled fish (Keqing)

• Qiankun mora meat (Ningguang)

• No tomorrow (Qiqi)

• Heartsring noodles (Shenhe)

• Wanmin restaurant's boiled fish (Xiangling)

• Sweet dream (Xiao)

• All-delicacy parcels (Xingqiu)

Inazuma

• “Snow on the hearth” (Ayaka)

• All weather beauty (Kazuha)

• A stunning stratagem (Kokomi)

• Nonexistent dish (Ei)

• The only truth (Heizou)

• “Warmth” (Thoma)

• Fukuuchi udon (Miko)

• Summer festival fish (Yoimiya)

Fontaine

• Exclusive scoop: gourmet column (Charlotte)

• Seaborn sourjun (Freminet)

• A leisurely sip (Lynette)

• Cubic tricks (Lyney)

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welcometoteyvat · 4 months

Note

xiangling / yanfei for 25 and 2

MY GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

prompts

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

xiangling: people sleep on how she gets the friendship of gods and immortals just by offering them her cooking. first guoba then xiao who’s next. is xianyun’s “coming down to the mortal world” 下凡 arc gonna be her mechanical cooking pots and xiangling having a cooking competition? place your bets now. I liked her spotlight in moonchase (her scenes w keqing, madame ping, and the food survey we did around liyue) that was incredibly cute <3 this is also really random but I like that she has a dad to whom we can talk in game, and who isn’t a shitty father

yanfei: how she fits into liyue's theme of adepti adjusting to a mortal world, and more broadly, the differences or similarities between the godly and the human. also the interesting parallels between her and ganyu. also her relationships! you can reasonably connect her to a lot of characters—the chasm gang, ganyu, ningguang, keqing, zhongli, eula, etc. and they’re all fun dynamics!! I think her relationships with her father and madame ping are neat, and the concept of signing a contract to live happily is an interesting one and it fits her storyline!! i like that she's a cool side character who presents an interesting continuation of liyue's themes <33333

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

xiangling: hard to remember but I thought her story quest was really random bc I accidentally triggered it and had no idea who she was. I also was peeved that I had to pass the abyss to get her bc my team was Not well built at that time lmao. now,,, i like her! she’s incredibly cool idk.i feel like she’s still written as just a passionate chef obsessed w food in game but i will give her character depth in my head because she’s sweet and deserves it

yanfei: "thank god I got her I finally have another pyro unit besides amber!!!!! i love you thanks for saving my life random character" <- my first reaction as a New Player pulling on the standard banner, sick and tired of baron bunny's cooldown. I didn't meet her in game until the teapot quest so for a while she was just there carrying my team even tho I didn’t know much about her. now I cherish her w all my heart as a little deer lawyer w hypercompetence and flavor :) hanfu skin when

#ty for the ask <3333 #teyvat thoughts #yanfei #xiangling #i should really read more fic of them but I don’t want to filter through a million ship fics in ao3 #just to find ones where they’re only side characters or smth #like I’m sure people have written all my thoughts before I just can’t be assed to filter rip….#asks #anon ask #ask game #no shade to amber lovers im just atrocious at playing bow characters LOL yanyans auto target saved me #genshin impact

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feeblescholarmyass · 1 year

Text

Sweet or Sour

Headcanons of genshin characters as flavors/food (largely desserts)

a/n: I feel like some of these are mean but that's just what I think them as a flavor or food would be 😣

divider by milkweb

Aether: plain lemon cheesecake

Alhaitham: on the outside, tempered coffee chocolate. On the inside, a bitter hot chocolate infused with mint

Amber: strawberry

Beidou: a dry red wine with hints of floral flavors

Candace: blueberry muffin

Collei: a side salad

Cyno: dragonfruit

Dehya: hot cinnamon

Diluc: grape juice (derogatory)

Fischl: carbonated grape soda

Hu Tao: candied plums

Kamisato Ayaka: buttercream frosting

Kamisato Ayato: cream cheese frosting

Klee: apple blossom

Layla: blue raspberry smoothie

Lumine: also lemon cheesecake but with berries on top

Nahida: marble cake

Ningguang: a lightly glazed pastry

Sayu: mint

Shikanoin Heizou: fresh cherries

Tighnari: spinach

Yae Miko: cherry blossom (if you've never had, it's a mix or cherry, almond, and floral flavors when done well)

Zhongli: dirt and grandpa smell (affectionate)

Yaoyao: green tea with lemon

Yelan: blue raspberry

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kingofakinglessworldpdf · 11 months

Text

- # ; salt and pepper

I don't know I just wrote whatever and whoever came to mind. Also this is not proofread if there are any mistakes there aren't, you're seeing wrong. Btw i moved blogs and deleted the old post teehee written pre-sumeru

Eula swear vengeance on me hot lady coming from an old noble houshold, didn't know how to cook. I hc that it was after she met amber(lets go lesbians) that she finally learnt the arts of culinary. Definitely practiced alot at Good Hunters with Sara. But but but she already knew how to make desserts (look at her trailer video justice for Eula 2k23) and she decorates them in a manner that's very aesthetically pleasing too. She also has a habit of cooking in a very neat and organised manner. Once again Sara taught her about the necessity of a sanitary kitchen and she had taken it to heart so don't fuck up her kitchen. She will swear vengeance and kick you out(lmaooo skill issue Euladontkickmeoutpls )

The great priestess of Watatsumi Island, Sangonomiya Kokomi unfortunately cannot handle seafood [koko is like half fish so would her having seafood be considered cannibalism???] so don't even think about bringing any living creature that has even been near a water body to your kitchen when shes with you. If you make my wife sad I'm coming to throw hands. Kokomi prefers food with mild flavors like her specialty, bird egg sushi, and foods that are easily portable because she is often (see: always) in a hurry. Although if you don't know how to cook, she will gladly teach you. Cooking with kokomi is very fun and cooking dates are how a great majority of your dates are spent. [oh no, what's this, suddenly I have forgotten how to even chop an onion wha- How unfortunate seems like I'll have to take cooking classes on watatsumi Island now:)]

Adeptus Xiao, the mighty yakha who has defended Liyue for centuries, the Golden Winged King who has served the geo archon as his sole master after being saved from the clutches of the evil god is rendered completely helpless infront of a chopping board. This angsty teen cannot cook anything other than almond tofu so cooking dates are a no-go :( Although he can't cook he'll sit on the kitchen counter and watch while you bake. He won't take a bite if it's anything savoury or spicy but mild tasting desserts that don't come off as strong (like cheesecake or kheer) will definitely not be refused

The ever busy secretary Ganyu (my dear overworked coconut please take a break.) somewhat knows her way around the kitchen. Being an half-qilin eating isn't the same for her as it is for mortals. She can go on for day's without any nutritional intake due to the divinity running through her veins therefore she hasn't had much chances to be in the kitchen. If need be, she could always order something from Wanmin's or perhaps the boquet of qingxin that Yaoyao dropped by for her. Ganyu is as good as any amatuer who can cook basic meals but is very willing to learn, that is if she can get past her busy schedule. (Also pls stop eating glaze lilies, half divine or not, I don't think that's good for your health.) She doesn't cook often because of work but when does take a break forced to by ningguang and Keqing. I also think modern au ganyu would be vegan. And candies Hawthorn or tanghulu would be a guilty pleasure.

When it comes to cooking, it is safe to say that culinary is not the electro archon, Raiden Ei's area of expertise. Sticking to honing her skills in martial arts would do better. (Read: my mother would smack you with her slipper and kick you out of the gouse if you dared enter her kitchen). Say if Ms. Ei does try her hand at cooking... your house burnt down because she tried to thaw the chicken w the musou no hitotachi. Now you're homeless and broke. Later you both agree to order takeout and then freeload off of the budget from Narukami shrine courtesy of the gūji, yae miko, who is just surprised you managed to bring this hikkikomori out of her hole. It's fine ei's the archon anyway it's more or less her property.

The handsome consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Zhongli has lived for 9000 years. He has picked up as many skills as the friends he's lost. Maybe this is why the all knowing rex lapis cannot find those who share the memories. However for the sake of your wallet, who already has one foot in the coffin, please keep this man away from the kitchen. Reason being, the groceries you bought for a month have been used in a week. While I am quite proud of how much food i can stuff in my stomach, servings for 8 people might be a little too much even for me. bestie have mercy. Its me and your sugar daddy who has to pay for the groceries and because you so kindly decided to step down as rex lapis and give away your gnosis, the change in minting of mora is going to bring a global financial crisis woohoo. Also nobody can wait 85648 hours for dinner. please be finished before my retirement. Not everybody has the luxury of faking their death and then having a sugar daddy to live rich. (Yes i am bitter.)

This was a repost from my main acc. because i moved blog here. Also genshin has been a little boring (read: cheated on genshin with hsr bc dan heng my beloved) so what better way to return than come back by writing

Make sure to rb bc I want clout (read: human interactionbc i dont have a life)

#genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin scenarios #genshin headcanons #genshin x you #zhongli x reader #xiao x reader #eula x reader #kokomi x reader #sangonomiya lokomi x reader #ei x reader #ganyu x reader #-> teyvat #-> teyvat multi

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barbielani · 1 year

Text

𝐃𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐋𝐔𝐕.

𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒: 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄, 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑, 𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐙𝐎𝐔, 𝐊𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐇𝐀, 𝐗𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐃𝐎𝐔, 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐍𝐆, 𝐊𝐄𝐐𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐃𝐈𝐋𝐔𝐂, 𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐎, 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐄

𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐒: 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄, 𝐃𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐊 𝐒𝐄𝐗.

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 𝟏.𝟕𝐤

a text message went through your phone, it was from childe, saying “diluc is having a party, wanna come?” you stared at the message, wondering if you wanted to go or not. eventually, you texted him back. “sure, what time does it start?” “at 6, come at 6:30 tho I don’t think anyone’s gonna come at 6” a light sigh left from between your lips as you placed your phone on your nightstand, venturing into your closet to find out what to wear.

eventually, you found a nice and simple black dress, it wasn’t fancy or anything, perfect for a party though. you checked the time on your phone before connecting your phone to the speaker in your bathroom and blasting “Pretty Little Bird” by SZA. you got into the shower for about 15 minutes, mostly singing your heart out but you washed majority of the time in there. when you got out of the shower, you immediately went to check the time on your phone. the time read 6:02 pm. great! you had perfectly enough time to get dressed and do everything you needed to do. you made sure to put on a nicely scented perfume, like mrs dior or some versace. if there was anything you cared about, it was how you smelled.

6:23. you were preparing to leave the house. the winery wasn’t super far away but it still took awhile. by the time you arrived, at 6:28 just about everyone was there, conversing and talking as they normally would. “oh, there she is! what’s up y/n!” itto yelled from across the room. you wondered why they let him in anyways. “hello, everyone, how are you guys doing?” you asked, most of them just continued their conversations. childe and itto walked up to you, smiles plastered across their faces. “what’re you up to? should we grab a drink?” childe asked, walking up to the bar and sitting down, signaling you over in the seat next to him.

you saw scaramouche sitting in a corner, ningguang and beidou talking (probably flirting with eachother), keqing and xiangling talking about food, and heizou and kazuha just talking about whatever. you saw diluc making drinks for ningguang and beidou, taking this as your chance to get yourself a drink. “hello diluc! how are you doing today?” you exclaimed, a smile plastered across your face. “I’m.. okay.” he responded, looking away from you to give ningguang her drinks.

after a civil and composed conversation with diluc, “dilucc.. could I maybe get something to drink for tonight? I wanna wake up with no memory of what happened today.” he glared at you almost hesitating to say no. “ugh. whatever. just done take too much please, I don’t think anyone wants to walk you home.” he firmly stated, turning away to grab two glasses from under a cabinet, placing them infront of you and childe. “so.. what would you two like to drink?” “do you have something like.. vodka? like ciroc?” you asked, wanting something strong but not too strong. “flavor?” “mango, please.” you answered as he poured the vodka into your cup, not signaling him to stop so he didn’t, it was almost filled to the brim.

after multiple drinks, drinking contests and kazuha losing every time because he’s such a lightweight. it was now 9:35 pm, and you’ve had a lot of fun but, every step you took, you were wobbling because of the amount of alcohol you’ve consumed in three hours. “are you ready to go?” childe asked, on the edge of being sober, he was stumbling too, just not as much as you were. you were on his back, drunk as a mf. you craved attention and were touch deprived, alcohol really did something to you when it was alot of it.

there you were, sprawled across childes bed in his apartment, you don’t know what happened for you to get here but you knew what you were in for. “you good? you’re quiet.” childe said at the foot of the bed, leaning off of the side scrolling on his phone. “umm not sureeee.. are you okayyyy??..” you speech was slurred, you definitely were drunk. you sat up on the bed, crawling over to where childe was and laying on his back, your face in his back and your hands in his hair. “I guess you are.” childe said, turning over on his back so you were laying in his chest instead, he sat up, putting your legs on either side of his body. he stood up, placing you on the edge of the bed as he took his shirt off and walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open, (just in case..) of course you followed him into the bathroom just peeking in to see what he was doing. he was getting ready for a shower, you thought you should get ready aswell, so you stepped inside of the bathroom, closed the door, and started undressing yourself.

after a few minutes in the shower, you started to sober up, but you weren’t completely sober. “this is nice, isn’t it?” childe said, washing your back and your arms off. “mmmmhhhhmm..” you replied, still hanging onto the wall for support. “I wanna sit downnn..” you said, leaning back against childes body, you could feel his abs on your back. your face grew hot, turning around to face him and giving him a soft kiss on the lips, your eyes closed as your lips touched. childe leaned into it, the kiss soon turning into a makeout session, his tongue in your mouth, fighting yours away as the kiss got deeper. but this definitely wasn’t the end of it. childe turned the water off in the shower, picked you up and put you on the counter. the mirror foggy, you couldn’t even see yourself. you didn’t know if it was because you were drunk or because you just took a steaming hot shower.

suddenly, his lips were on your neck, placing kisses from the base of your neck all the way to your lips. he made small hickies on your next, his teeth sinking into your soft skin. you grabbed childes chin, kissing him on the lips, your chest touched his as you leaned into him, still on the counter and hanging onto his shoulder for support. “do you mind if I do something?.” childe asked with caution, you knew what he was hinting at. “nope, not at all.” you replied. childe began to separate your legs a bit more, going in between them to get closer to you. his throbbing cock at your entrance, it wasnt inside yet, but one push and it would be. he pushed his cock in, your heat engulfing him whole. childe began to move inside and outside of you, his pace was gentle and slow, you kissed him once more, moaning into his mouth as he continued to slowly thrust into you. he groaned with every thrust, his head falling back from the pleasure you gave him, “mm.. you’re doing so well for me..” childe moaned, picking up his pace and thrusting harder aswell.

as he sped up more, your climax crept up on you, your walls tightening around him everytime he hit your cervix. the bathroom was flooded with your moans, every thrust had the outcome of an loud moan. his toned abs against your chest didnt make you feel any worse, it just made you want more of his, wanting to touch every single inch of his body “mm ah.. childe.. im gonna- cum..” and you did, your walls hugging his dick when he tried to pull out, “you’re squeezing me.” childe said with a low tone in his voice. “sssorryyy..” you said, hopping off of the counter so you could bend over it instead. he complied, sliding his member between your pussy lips, and be immediately started at a hard, slow place, working his way up faster. his tip hitting your cervix over and over drove you crazy, your forehead on the counter as he continued to thrust into you.

you were looking at yourself in the mirror, letting yourself be bent over a bathroom counter and thrusted into at such a pace, you were almost at your peak again. your legs shaking from the alcohol and the pleasure coursing through your system. sweat was rolling down childes forehead, almost at his peak aswell, but he had alot of stamina. you bet he could cum over and over again without getting tired at all. you felt his cock twitch, he continues to thrust though, he suddenly stopped right before you were going to cum this time, burying his cock deep in insides and cumming inside of you, you came from that though, your legs gave out, the only the supporting you was his dick, deep inside of you. “well, that was quite nice. don’t you think so too?” childe sighed, pulling out of you to pick you up and put you back into the shower. “mmmhhm..” you mumbled, reaching for the shower handle to turn the water on.

the two of you took another shower, him washing you and washing you off. passionate kisses from your lips all the way down to your neck, the hickeys still visible from the feral creature that just violated you. (with consent.) after the shower, you struggled to walk and put on one of childes t-shirts and cuddled up in the bed next to him, your head on his chest. he planted a soft kiss on your forehead before resting his hands in your hair. “goodnight, my love. sleep well.” he whispered softly, wrapping his arms around your body and drifting off to sleep.

the next morning, you were suffering from an obvious hangover, your head was hurting and your legs ached. you attempted to get up and off of the bed, but fell on the ground and weren’t able to get back up. “mm.. childeee! help me up!” you yelled, hitting your fists on the bed trying to make noise to wake him up. you knew he was a heavy sleeper, so it would take some work to wake him up. you also wondered if he had some pedialyte so make you feel better, your mother told you it was good for hangovers, and your mother was somehow always right. you tried to climb back onto the bed with weak arms and legs, wobbling with every action. you couldn’t even reach your phone down here. suddenly, you heard a giggle from under the sheets, childe bursting into laughter as he looked at your weak state, struggling on the floor.

“𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐢 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?” childe said, looking down at you with a kind smile, coming down on the floor with you, and hugging you while rolling over on the floor.

#tartagalia smut #genshin impact #genshin smut #childe #ningguang #beidou #kunikuzushi #genshin scara #scaramouche #diluc genshin impact #xiangling

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teyvattwriter · 2 years

Text

Genshin Characters as Quotes me and my bsf have said

❧ Genre: crack

❧ Warnings:

❧ A/N: I’ve done this on my kpop blog and still think we’re hilarious so time to share it here

~※ Main Masterlist ※~

Thoma: “What’s a spooky flavor?”

Ayato, very matter of factly: “Ghost Pringles.”

Diluc: “Ew they’re bonding.”

Zhongli: “I don’t think I can handle capitalism right now.”

Xinyan: “Our Girlboss who art in heaven hallow be your gatekeep.”

Xiao: “I need to ask my mom when my birthday is again.”

Kaeya: “I stan him so hard.”

Diluc: “God?”

Gorou: “I didn’t know the bottom of boats looked like that-”

Itto, full yelling: “wHAT A FREAK”

Beidou: “She has feelings.”

Ningguang: “She has trauma.”

Zhongli pointing at Xiao: “This is my goose child.”

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soverane · 9 months

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hii, i really loved "to sell the moon" and wanted to ask some questions about it!! what inspired you to write it? and are there any media (ex: books, tv shows, etc) that heavily influenced the themes + scenes in ur fic?

hi! i'm glad you love it so far! <3

when yelan's character stories and voice lines (including ningguang's voice lines about her) first came out i already knew i had to know their history and unpack all that baggage. there's just so much to explore, and the intricacies and dynamics of their relationship scratch an itch in my brain. something something devotion something something loyalty. i wanted to tap into themes of childhood friends, coming of age, chasing dreams, and the bittersweetness of it all. hence i decided to go for a non-linear narration and pre-canon premise :D

some other stuff that inspired the flavors i use to write ninglan~

ahrilynn. yes ahri and evelynn from kda league of legends. they were the blueprint. peak soulmatism that i wish to encapsulate in ninglan: their shared traumas, their shared (or shattered) dreams, their coming of age, their steadfast loyalty and protectiveness for each other, them knowing each other so well and so intimately.

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo — this book!!!!! inspired!!!!! the Vibes for this fic!!! i especially just think that evelyn hugo's whole character arc could align with my interpretation of ningguang's character. rags-to-riches, ambitious, driven, capable, successful. this book broke me. pls read.

i also made a playlist for this fic! these songs are ninglancore to me, will still add more songs :)

#ninglan #ningguang #yelan #all dove cameron songs are yelancore btw #loveholic by lin bao practically screams ninglan you'll get it once you listen to it

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ventisweetheart · 2 years

Text

Welcome to the cafe, how may I take your order? (100 follower event)

Instructions: In your order make sure you include the number of your ONE base, ONE flavor, and if wanted please specify your topping~ (Event will end 7/20/22)𑁍𑁍𑁍

♡︎𝔹𝕒𝕤𝕖♡︎

0.Scaramouche

1.Albedo

2.Chongyun

3.Heizou

4.Kazuha

5.Thoma

6.Ayato

7.Diluc

8.Itto

9.Razor

10.Venti

11.Bennett

12.Gorou

13.Kaeya

14.Childe

15.Xiao

16.Xingqiu

17.Zhongli

18.Beidou

19.Eula

20.Ayaka

21.Ningguang

22.Raiden

23.Fischl

24.Yoimiya

25.Rosaria

26.Keqing

27.Sucrose

28.Yun Jin

29.Yae Miko

30.Jean

31.Shenhe

32.Yelan

33.Mona

34.Lisa

35.La Singora

♡︎𝔽𝕝𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣♡︎

1.Angst

2.Fluff

3.Hurt/Comfort

4.Enemies to Lovers

5.Lovers to Enemies

6.Friends to Lovers

7.Modern

8.Royal

9.Dystopian

10.Light smut

♡︎𝕋𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤♡︎

If you would like to specify or add on anything please say so in your order, or it can be waiters choice

Order up! Please enjoy♡´･ᴗ･`♡

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aidemint · 2 years

Text

Lather in the Saltless Sea

Synopsis:

Outside’s cold is forgotten, melted away by her flame—what remains beads on my chest and she too, kisses it away.

I did not know I could be loved like this. I utter her name, and she stills.

Say it again, she tells me. I do. Again. I follow. Once more. I am a simple woman.

Tell me what you want.

You, Lady Ningguang.

In Liyue Harbor, the tale of a Dragon King reaches the curious ears of a woman in gold.

Pairing: Beidou/Ningguang

Word Count: 7.4k

Warnings: None!

I made a promise with the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing.

It was years ago when we shook hands. She invited me into her office, then, having heard of me from tales floating around the harbor, offered me a proposition—my service in exchange for something I wanted.

Anything, she told me, she would grant me anything.

I was not capable of doubting her, but I was tempted to decline. What did she have to offer me? I was content with the life I had. Liyue Harbor was not subject to change anytime soon. The death of Rex Lapis was the most exciting thing that had happened in millennia. Well within my lifetime and hers, I did not expect any irregularities, save for the occasional windless afternoon or starless night.

So certain was I that I would have no complaints in the view of every yolk of dawn, some half-caught half-sun peering over the water’s edge. The tide would ebb and flow and I would ride with it, like I had done all my life.

I was simple. I did not tire of a repeating day.

She must have sensed my hesitancy—she asked me what was wrong—I gave her the truth in full.

As I talked, she listened intently, a jeweled finger upon her cheek, motionless. Her mannerisms were unlike those of an ordinary citizen. I believed her to be something entirely else when I met her gaze.

The more I said the less I knew. She was alluring. What notion of nothing did I speak of? Something that felt like desire burned in the depths of my gut. I wanted to believe that it was not by my own doing, but I did not stop. I could not stop.

This and this and this, I said. This and this and that. I asked her about where she had heard me from. Was it the merchant and his apprentices? They traded fragrant fruit with explosive flavor and thin skin. The jade master? He once offered me his best harvested gem.

I knew everyone quite well, so I was no stranger to such stories. Some folk were even bold enough to tell me directly. But I wondered which tellings piqued her interest; I wondered what went on in that mind of hers.

Was it that she liked how people compared me to a dragon? I assumed that she wanted me for labor, so she needed someone strong. Perhaps it was this one maid’s tale that children liked retelling, though I don’t know the appeal of being portrayed as a swash-buckling mermaid. I think I hoped that she’d overheard a romantic’s spiel. Maybe she wanted me (for my smile).

There was a pause as she waited to give her answer when my rambling stopped. Silence gave way to thought, and my eyes drifted to my surroundings.

I remember that the walls were hung with tapestries and fine art. It was as much a shame as it was an honor to witness it.

My attention returned to her when she shifted in her seat, legs crossed. Expectant, I awaited the parting of her lips, the utterance of a response.

Nothing came immediately—she just smiled, a glint of mischief in her eyes—and I felt my face flush. She seemed to delight in my embarrassment, for she prodded more.

I find you are a woman of many extremities, Crux Fleet Captain Beidou, she said. First you claim to want nothing from me, and now this. She placed both elbows on her desk and leaned in. I swallowed thickly at the sight of her.

Is my answer so important to you, that you would put it adjacent to “anything?”

She might as well have pressed my skin into cherry wine.

Our relationship got more complex, from there.

Feelings were slow to boil, but we both knew what we wanted. Through the months we’d hint at it, either too shy or too unwilling to commit fully—sometimes it was a mix of both. We still wanted our freedom, so we kept it at child’s play.

Of course it wasn’t enough, as more time slipped through our fingers. We were listless.

A heightened sense of tension had already grown between us, told in full by the lingering glances thrown so carelessly at one another, the unnecessary chess matches, the silly requests she’d mail me so I would stay at her office for a bit longer.

She kept me close; I kept her closer.

It worked like this for a while. We were both content with it, dangling our feet off of the cliff of possibility. I felt like a child around her. The memory of young love and idealistic crushes stricken with naivete became a close friend to me once more.

More months flew by, and then the push-pull of whatever we had shot upwards, smashing through its glass ceiling during Lantern Rite.

Sometimes I still think back to the day—in the pagoda at the heart of Liyue, our hands resting on the railing, just close enough so that the tips of our fingers touched. It was there where she whispered her secrets to me, where she laughed when I responded with foolish sailing stories, where she regarded me as if I was the finest treasure in all of Teyvat. My eyes shined so passionately then, teary from reminiscence, alive with all the love in the world centered on one thing.

Perhaps our attention was somewhere else other than the thin veil my tales provided. She asked me what was so special about the moon, gesturing to it with a pale hand. I answered simply. It reflects the sun, I’d said. I knew it was nonsense, I didn’t need the quirk of her brow to tell me that.

I think I just wanted to get the conversation over with—admittedly, I don’t remember much of it.

But Polaris sat on her shoulder, and Venus laid just beyond her white hair. Her dress shimmered with moonshine and blended into the background. Smoke curled from her lips when she exhaled after a drag from her pipe.

I watched her, her figure outlined by the stars.

She asked me again, what was so special about the moon. A similar reply came from my lungs, and I still stared at her. Ningguang trusted me too much—she relented after this time.

Following that night she had to have thought I adored everything because of the sun.

In reality, I just liked the way she looked in the moonlight.

Somewhere along the line we (inevitably) went from business partners to girlfriends.

The details are blurred, but in the end we just realized we wanted similar things from the transaction—if it could even be called that, anymore. We’d already crossed the fine line between a trade and a relationship when I touched my lips to hers.

Gods, I’ll never forget the way she pulled me in, the softness of her skin. She slung her arms on my shoulders, eager to receive me when I wanted more, kissed her harder. It was her way of saying thank you, happy to follow when I took the leap to bridge the gap between us.

But I digress. I have no need for a fanciful description—we’re resting side-by-side now, in each other’s arms. What more could I ever want?

She’s leaning on the curve of my bicep, ungloved fingers curled around a scarred forearm. White hair spills endlessly down the length of my body, such locks undone in the privacy of trusted company. Parts of it mingle with black tresses, a small braid conveniently formed right where the bend of her elbow begins.

The edges of my lips curl upwards when she shifts closer, an ear on my chest, her limbs looped around me, tangled with my own. Warmth blossoms in my stomach. It wasn’t carnal in any way, my desire—I want nothing more than to just hold her, feel her.

In this, I recognize how the weight of her rises and falls with every slow breath I take. Her heart beats metronomically with mine, this steady rhythm that falls out of line at some parts, then rejoins at others. I wonder if she can hear me, my thoughts—she pushes further into me, like a child seeking warmth.

I wonder if that is what we are right now—children.

My smile falters for a moment when I spot the smeared makeup underneath her eyes. Splotches of unkind darkness lie right below, bags of toil and work carried in their existence. I want to ask, to abate the itch at the back of my throat that grows like wildfire.

Maybe I don’t know who Lady Ningguang really is. I don’t move, I don’t dare to. The only reaction the notion elicits is the furrowing of my brow. Did I always assume I knew her?

Does she know me?

A curious fellow, Zhongli, told me of you when I consulted him. He said you proved your loyalty to the Liyuean people through your efforts. I found that I was in need of a figure like you.

Perhaps.

But for once I do not want to be simple, easily sated—I feel selfish. But I pretend I do not, for her sake.

My grip tightens around her shoulders.

Ignorance is a kind of mercy the gods give us.

I follow my routine in the days after. It’s the last bit of normalcy I seem to have other than my occupation, so I relish my time.

Ningguang and I sit quietly by a crackling fire, blankets twisting around us. She’d been gone for most of the day so the burning wood is clean, ample pine just set aflame, quick to blacken. Embers jump and burst in anticipation of decay with an eagerness I don’t believe I could have emulated.

Minutes blow by, easy, until we’re left tired of staring at the simple fashion in which the fire flickers. It’s dimmer, now, fed by tired charcoal and unspiked by young logs.

Ningguang sighs with a soft rise of her shoulders and a slow breath, then peels the blankets off of both of us.

My throat tightens.

The absence of the cover reveals the thin satin dressage she hadn’t previously been in. When I greeted her, when we had slipped under the covers together, she wore a robe.

That article had been shucked off with our sheets—a loosely worn nightdress took its place, hanging far from her collarbone, barely covering the surface of her torso, leaving even less room for imagination below.

I watch her hands grip the blankets. Long and slender digits press the material, neatly manicured with a special sheen to her nails. Golden rings shine at the base of her fingers, one embellished with the symbol of the Liyue Qixing.

I watch her, next. There is not enough time to take in everything.

My breath hitches when her gaze meets mine.

The lady in gold hums into the silken comforter, face half-buried in the fabric, and looks at me with a mischievous glint in her ruby eyes. I swallow slowly; I ask for confirmation.

She blinks—the light in her eyes changes. I dare to inch closer when she beckons me forward with that one look.

There is no time for hesitancy—time slips through the gaps of my fingers as I sink deeper into the bed. Her hands come up, tuliping into two stems that caress each side of my face, petal-light on my cheeks. I do not protest when she lifts my eyepatch. She touches the spot underneath with her lips first and I tremble at her softness.

Then it’s a gentle swipe of her tongue on her bottom lip that sends me reeling. She tells me her affection, our fingers now intertwined; she laughs into the crook of my shoulder at my expression; she traces all my scars and meets every one of them with a kiss and a look of sorrow.

Outside’s cold is forgotten, melted away by her flame—what remains beads on my chest and she too, kisses it away.

I did not know I could be loved like this.

I utter her name, and she stills.

Say it again, she tells me. I do. Again. I follow. Once more. I am a simple woman.

Tell me what you want.

You, Lady Ningguang.

She swallows me entirely, as if I were the last bit of light in Liyue. Her hands travel up and down my sides, daring to touch me, to love me—electricity crackles in the wake of her fingers but she doesn’t care. I tremble in her hold as the warmth of her throat pours into mine, mouths open in fervor.

It all seems so different every time we do this together. The same motions repeat again and again yet I still find myself craving more as if it was something new. A hunger burns in my gut. She tastes like dark plum and lemongrass. She smells like the sweetness of summer.

I hold her, take her into the bend of my arms—it is all I can do. Her heart thrums against mine and I feel alive. She gasps into the air when I kiss the column of her neck, gripping tight onto my shoulders. I’ve memorized her every crater and dip, I know where to grip so that she doesn’t slip from my grasp. The sensation of salt on my tongue is maddening.

The rest of the evening blurs into a stream of passion. It flows like smoke through us, supple, letting. Her skin slides against mine as we give into one another. Something excites me about getting to see her like this—vulnerable, yet willing. I would always know her white locks, like silk as they pool in my hands, her crimson irises, burning with the will of Morax, her tenderness, what physicality that I loved dearly.

But the fire in my belly lights alive when I see her in her fullest. It’s the way her nails dig into my flesh, when she breathes words that sound like she’s calling me. Her lips crush my calluses under sweet nothings and I am reborn. She drowns my mortality in amber, the thickness of geode barely enough to contain it.

I wish to set myself on fire by the burning of her gut, by the oil of her skin.

In the morning, we have no regrets. Though our faces are puffy and the room has a strange air to it, we giggle and laugh like little girls anyways. Is that what we are? I ask myself this at the moment.

I know that I could be whatever she wants me to be.

When I go to look at her, she tells me that all she wants me to be is nothing more than myself. It is enough for her, so it is enough for me.

We stay like this for a little longer, beautiful and in love.

Weeks pass like a clap of thunder and suddenly we are thrown into the stark winter.

Liyue gets snow for the first time in three years. The air is bitingly cold—frost nips at my nose whenever the wind is too harsh. A forever-red makes a home on the surface of my knees, the outside edges of my elbows, the tops of my shoulders. My skin loses its tan, drained of all reminder of sun, cast into white in the new-scrubbed atmosphere.

The look of scarred flesh on such a pale background is unfamiliar, still, to me. It doesn’t prickle when I touch it, nerve endings having been shattered ages ago. My fingers push craters in my skin, milk velvet against worn edges, nails brushing past lines of blisters, giving.

Some semblance of discomfort boils in my stomach when I realize I don’t recognize this outlaid organ as my own.

Luckily, the breeze distracts me from the notion, whistling in the empty air. Scents of the bay, muddy and stale, flush against my face, a crash of the slushy tide echoing in the background.

The salt of the ocean tastes more acrid in this weather.

Months come, months go, and the world still spins. Celestia plunges Liyue into spring, then the cusp of summer. The breeze turns crisper, the harbor teems with new life. Rigid waves crash along the shoreline, gleaming blue shells dotting the coast; merchants, nurtured by the dormancy the coldness brought, flock to the harbor in search of prospective business.

In delegation of said business, I find myself spending more and more time on the waters. The increased commerce has been doing me well, having regained a natural tan and exposure to newer faces in the area. Though the occupation has significantly lessened the amount of time I spend with Ningguang, it’s to be expected by both of our ends—a woman such as she wouldn’t forget the increase in revenue during this time of year.

Despite our lack of presence, I still have reason to believe that we’re making it work. Yes, we’re making it work. We have chess meetings every other evening, no shared bedroom this time, but lantern-lit dinners every two weeks during the afterhours of Liyue Harbor. Sometimes she’s late, the backs of her ankles red from running in three-inch heels from her office to our spot, but I wait.

I’d wait however long it takes for her to arrive.

If you’d told me that I would end up like this years ago, I would have laughed.

The sound would have shook my very bones, how deeply I believed I would stand to gain nothing more complicated than the tasks Lady Ningguang sent to me. My self, younger by a few ages, had no intention of soiling the relationship we had. Business was business and I thought I could best my curiosity.

Now, admiring the way the golden light frames her features, I think I’d have been a fool.

There was never a moment in which I didn’t love her. To deny myself that in the pursuit of formality was unbecoming.

We both had dreams, in engaging with one another. Hers was simple, I imagined, despite not knowing what it was. Perhaps it was reflected in the way she took upon the subject of us.

“Is it a choice to love me?” My attention snaps upwards at the sudden sound of her voice. “Or do you simply do it out of necessity?” I can never tell what she’s thinking upon receiving my response, even when I change it on some occasions.

“Of course it’s out of necessity,” is what I say this time. She gives a little giggle and squeezes my hand tighter, so I think I made the right decision. “I tend to follow my heart more than my mind.” This comment earns a kiss to my forehead, and I think that maybe I would like to hear her reason for doing so.

Her dream is an enigma, but I would go after it anywhere if it means being with her a little while longer.

Ningguang’s eyes are on me now. Impenetrable ruby. But I don’t look at her, lasered-in on her gold rings.

She doesn’t say anything until I’m forced to raise my gaze.

“Would you like one?”

“You know, you’ve never really told me how you got all this.”

It’s seven on a Sunday night and we’re right next to each other on the shaded terrace of the Jade Palace. Ningguang’s head tilts in curiosity, the pair of glasses atop it shifting a little from the movement.

“What do you mean?”

I gesture around us. “Like the whole… place and stuff. Paintings and jewelry, I guess. I’ve always been wondering.”

She huffs, seemingly amused at the comment. “A woman has her ways,” she replies, taking her specs out of her hair to lay them on the bridge of her nose. “Within the web of artisans, I have my fair share of connections.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I snort lightheartedly. “C’mon, Guang. I’ve always been wondering about your rise to fame. What’s the big secret?”

The air changes, suddenly—there’s a redness lingering somewhere in the atmosphere. Something that doesn’t wish to be touched. Dusk greets us with its familiar half-sun and leaky horizon, blurry darkness giving way to ribbons of crimson.

Pandora’s box opens.

“I’d rather not talk about it, Doudou,” she replies sheepishly, looking away. Something moves in the corner of my eye but I pay it no attention.

Some feeling churns in my stomach. Is it guilt? “That’s okay,” I say. My insides twist even more. “Sorry for asking.” Or is it irritation?

I press a soft peck to her cheek to get her to look at me again. She does, smiles softly, and touches her lips to mine. It doesn’t help the swirling in my gut.

The day is July 13th and it has been 1264 days since our first Lantern Rite together.

Then what’s your favorite color? I want to ask. Easier question—surely she’d be able to answer that if not the previous. Doubt burns like acid in my core amongst the other emotions. My hands flex, once, twice, and I think about whether she’d respond with purple or yellow.

That’s okay.

It’s the question of the night why I admitted that it all was alright despite thoroughly believing the latter.

It doesn’t take long for the crew to catch on to the fact that something’s wrong. I can hear the whispers of concern, but barely pay them any attention. I’ve been discontent more often than not, and it’s starting to affect the way I usually go about my days. Jobs were always well done—it’s hard to think out in action in the waters—but my brows knit together when my soles hit the land.

“Captain Beidou!” Furong exclaims. She slings an arm around my shoulders. “How about a drink? We did pretty good out there today, no?” The other sailors nod eagerly. I can’t bring myself to smile at her attempt to cheer me up.

“Yeah! Only the best for our Dragon King!”

The phrase makes the crease near my eye deepen. I never knew why I had so many epitheticals. Or rather, I was now beginning to find them difficult to manage.

Where had my simpleness gone? Years ago were the hours in which I had no memory of ever feeling so uncomfortable because I didn't want to be anything more than myself. The air was always lax, easy to breathe in, with no pressure to bear it down.

Now I question who I am. And it always feels worse when I remember that everything seems to come back to Ningguang. What brought her closer to me? Prevented her from keeping away, maintaining her pace as a governess to a citizen?

My boots connect with the ground, heavy, as we navigate to the nearest pub, with Huixing promising the prospect of a round on him. Everyone cheers—including me, but it’s empty, somehow.

We arrive, sit, and drink. Shandies are spread around, rims fresh with curt lemon.

Conversation is quick to strike up, a natural bud of flame kindled by friendship. Talk of adventure, treasure, family, and friends is alive with the energy of the group. Sea Drake goes on a long tangent about a supposed siren sighting and we roll our eyes and nod; Mora-Grubber discloses information about an ancient book series they’ve taken from a smuggler.

The topic jumps from person to person—everyone’s dying to get their story in. Perhaps I should have expected that, in the end, attention would fall on the one person who wished not to reveal anything about their occupations.

Juza’s peering from the end of the table at me. “Captain Beidou, is everything okay?” he asks. “You’ve been awfully quiet tonight.”

“Ah, you know sometimes work gets us a little worse for wear,” I mumble, attempting a smile. “Happens to the best of us.”

Silence. Then, “Well, you know you can trust us, right? We’re here for ya. We’ve got your back through everything.”

I can feel the mood die, writhing as its liveliness sputters out like an old, creaking mast. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Well—” My throat tightens. For a moment, I actually considered saying it all. “—my… my cat died yesterday. I loved her a lot. She meant the world to me.”

Are you fucking serious? A cat? Archons, you are pathetic.

“Aw, I’m so sorry,” Furong gasps, hands cupped over her mouth. “Losing a pet is hard, I really get the feeling.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Captain Beidou. What was her name?”

“... Light.” I wince. You’re digging yourself a deeper hole right now, I hope you know that.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful cat.” My crew give each other nods of sympathy. “Well, let’s raise a toast to honor Captain Beidou’s late cat. I bet she was a soldier, just like her mother.”

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. “To Light.” I lie, my drink in the air. “To the best cat of all of us.” The alcohol burns in my throat as I chug it down.

I can’t do this to them.

Soon, the crew busies themselves with other matters, fully believing that my strife had come to an end. I watch as the bubbles in my alcohol fizz out as the night rolls on.

Somewhere along the line my hand comes up, feels the necklace with a golden ring Ningguang gave me after my “sudden interest in hers” hung on it. It glitters with opulence in the light, the gem in the middle the same color as her irises.

I can’t do this to myself.

_____

There’s that familiar roundness again, coming back to haunt the pads of my fingers when Ningguang walks to the kitchen island. It’s smooth, expertly crafted, fine and sheen. The only bump comes when I loop to its insides, thumb above the chain it hangs by. Even then I know, by the symmetry of its hoops, what was demanded of its maker.

It feels like a promise, somehow.

“What do you think of your necklace?” The question comes suddenly, catches me by surprise. My eyes light up and flicker to Ningguang’s—they peer over a handleless tea cup as she drinks quietly.

I try to smile. “It reminds me of you.” I love it, I want to say next, but I bite my tongue. I have to stop lying.

“Well that’s good.” The slightest incline of her chin. Then she swallows and sets her cup down. “I was thinking that a ring worn on your finger might obstruct your duties. I see you use your hands a lot—didn’t want it to dig into anywhere and leave a bruise.”

“Thank you,” I hum, “that’s thoughtful.”

She chuckles and makes her way back to me. “I hope it was.” A small pause. “Also, I saw you eyeing a certain jade ship’s plate yesterday—”

“No. No, no, no.” It’s a protest, half-playful, half-serious. “You’ve already gotten me plenty of gifts, Guangguang. I know your pockets run deep, but I don’t need you to buy me that jade plate.”

“Why?” she asks, frowning. “I can get you it. I’m able to. Why shouldn’t I?” At this, I take her by the hand and press a kiss to her knuckles.

“I promise I can manage myself.”

“But—”

“No ‘buts.’ I got this. I could probably trade all the gifts you’ve gotten me for all of Sumeru and half of Snezhnaya. Probably a good chunk of Mondstadtian land, too.”

She considers the thought for a moment, then smiles. “Alright.” I return the expression, and let go of her fingers. Our digits come to a rest atop the counter, though some are less content than others—a faint scratching can be heard from my right.

One look down, and I can see, in plain view, the scraping of one of Ningguang’s claws on the marble. The thought of not being able to provide brings her a sense of urgency, it seems.

I don’t wish for her to have to so discreetly suffer like this. But I hesitate upon recognizing the other alternative—there is only one thing she has yet to give me, but I’m sure it will spell the end of what we have now. For that reason I’ve been avoiding it for the last few days, keeping myself from confrontation.

Sssskt, shhhr, sssskt, shhhr, sssskt, shhhr. The sound persists. I imagine the steadiness of metal underneath my hands, what it must be like to feel it always, stable between my fingers, ever-present; I remember the gleam of that ruby-red gem, think about the forever contrast of it against the rough darkness of my skin.

Sssskt, shhhr, sssskt, shhhr, sssskt, shhhr. A tightness wraps around my throat in seconds. I want this. I want this. My hand clenches easily, having already memorized the weight, texture, and shape of the article that hangs by my throat. The nape of my neck numbs, its chain dies—all that exists is the ring.

Sssskt, shhhr, sssskt, shhhr, sssskt, shhhr. Where there’s a promise, there’s a future.

“There… there is something you can do for me, though.” The scratching stops.

Ningguang’s eyes light up—she stares at me like a kid on Christmas day. “Of course,” she says gleefully. “What do you want?”

“I…” I almost falter, almost misspeak. It’s pitiful, as if I hadn’t been quietly dreaming of this day ever since I told myself what was wrong. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Depends on the question,” she muses, “and what answer you’re expecting.” A smile plays on her lips—I think that she thinks it’ll be something harmless.

“Why are you getting me these gifts?”

She blinks. “Is it not customary to give your lover gifts?

“No, it’s just that— I just don’t think it’s… normal to give this much.”

“Is it? Hm. Perhaps my standards are higher material-wise. But if you insist on not receiving presents, I’d be happy to.”

“Guang, it’s not just that.”

“What is it, then?” She lays a hand over mine. “Tell me and I’ll do anything to supply it to you.”

I take a deep breath to save myself from faltering. “Another question, then.” She nods intently. “Why did you bring me into your office those years ago?”

Ningguang raises a brow. “Have I not told you this before? I heard about your feats from the locals on the harbor.”

“That’s not it, is it?”

The whisper blows through us like a torrent. It’s sudden. Chilling. Winter waves at us from the corridor, giggling. The air stills, free of the lax atmosphere it once housed—tension now binds it in coils that threaten to snap and suddenly the room we’re in feels less comforting. Less like a home.

Was it ever a home?

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that the statement isn’t the truth, is it?” I say. I remember the days in which I desperately searched for her in the jewel-toned threads of the carpet, in the blurry reflection of a jade dragon statue while in bitter regard of all those gifted riches strewn across my living quarters. “It’s what you said before. But it’s not— it’s not true.”

“What?” she echoes, in clear confusion. “What isn’t the truth, Beidou? I don’t understand.”

A pregnant pause. “Why did you pursue a further relationship if all you wanted was my services?” It comes faintly, a lick above a whisper. “Is that… is that all I am to you?”

“Beidou, where is this coming from?” She withdraws her hand. Shit. “I thought we were having a good night.”

“Ningguang, I—” I might have said ten thousand things at that moment, overcome by emotion; how I yearned for affection that extended beyond physical intimacy or material wealth; how I longed for her genuine love behind the doors of empty bedrooms, cuddled into comforters that smelled of her; how I wanted to feel like I have not spent these last years wondering whether or not she was truly there because too much of her time was spent on not knowing me. “Ningguang, what do you want out of this relationship?”

“What anyone wants out of a relationship, Beidou. Where is this coming from?”

“You’re not answering my question.”

“You’re not answering mine.”

“If you wanted me for my services alone, why did you become my girlfriend, Ningguang?”

“Your company? Your person? I truly don’t know what you want me to say,” she huffs, standing straight.

I take a few steps back. “I’m not expecting any response, just the truth.”

“Well I’ve told you my truth and it seems it isn’t enough. What is it you want from me?” There’s an edge in her voice, a swipe of sharp amber lodged within her words. “Where are you even going with this?”

“What I’m trying to say is that you can’t start this and act like— act like what we have right now is enough.” My palms are clammy and damp, red and strangely sweaty. Perhaps there was an answer that I was expecting and I just didn’t want to say it.

She’s stumbling over her words. “Well then what do you want, Beidou?” she pleads. “What do you want from this? I can— I can give you—” The confusion on her face is imminent, but I push forward, frustration pressing on my chest like a hot iron.

“I don’t want any material!” I shout. “I have never wanted anything like gold or silver or jewels, Ningguang!”

“Well then what do you want?” The noise she makes is like something breaking. “Tell me! Tell me so I can give it to you!”

In my frenzy I hadn’t realized the state we’ve inhabited. We’re both shaking, hair sticking to our necks with the sweat that drips in beads down our skin. The room is hot, tight with tension and a feeling I never wanted to feel again—it’s unbearable. And yet somehow I can ignore it.

Archons bless.

“All I’ve ever wanted was you!”

Silence—the only sounds, our slight pants and thick swallows. We let the break hang like cobwebs.

Then, she murmurs, “Do you not have me already?”

I don’t know what to say; I start to wonder why we’re even fighting in the first place. The words are present, in the back of my throat, but some spark of will, a flicker of grief, flushes it down. How long had we played at this with one another? Years, precious time, squandered, spent in the arms of a stranger. I’d been so foolish, then; I am still so foolish.

“Do I have you?” It is a question to myself. She knows. “Do I have you?”

Ningguang responds anyway, “Yes, yes you have me Beidou.” It comes as a gasp, something desperate that I can feel radiating off her in waves. Guilt seeps into my nerves.

I can’t look at her. “Tell me you know what my favorite color is, Ningguang. Tell me.” Silence sounds out louder than it ever has before. The dissonance gives way to the memory of her flushed cheeks and thin, rosy lips—I’d never seen them cracked and creased with bitterness, but I hate that I could imagine it.

“Tell me you know where my favorite place to sail is, or where I like to go when I’m bored.” There are no tears that I can muster. Only a face of disappointment. “Tell me you know who I am, other than the ‘help,’ or the ‘Dragon King,’ or the ‘Pirate Captain of the Crux Fleet Crew.’”

There are still so many things I want to say, scraping the edges of my larynx. How could she be so naive? I want to condemn her for not knowing what she’d gotten into when engaging with me, for so foolishly letting herself come in contact with someone that wanted more than she could give—someone that wanted her to take.

Never once have I wanted to shout like this.

But I can’t. I don’t. I just stand and stare, dry-mouthed, at her gossamer dress and her hands, bright ivory and adorned with gold. They’re red on the insides from being clenched, with deep, crescent-shaped welts on her palms.

Ningguang takes my silence as an opportunity in fervor. “You could have said something,” she breathes, voice quaking. “And don’t you dare say that I have not been as invested in this as you have. I just don’t know how to love like you, Beidou.”

Another wave of quiet. She sucks in her bottom lip and breathes in deep. “I don’t know how to love like you. But I’m not going to apologize for that. Affection in your language isn’t universal. And how am I supposed to know anything if you don’t tell me? I can’t read minds. You accepted my gifts so I assumed— I assumed that you liked them. That you liked me enough.”

Despair strikes my gut and plunges it to my feet. “Ningguang, I never said I didn’t like you.”

“Well it seems now that I… that somehow I didn’t like you enough.” Ningguang laughs and it’s more of a gasp for air. “I don’t know how to spend affection, I admit it. I never had any to spare until I met you. I did hear about you in the harbor. Zhongli-xiansheng did tell me about you—this strong Crux Fleet Captain who took out dragons—and I wondered why you still lingered on the shores. I employed you because of your prowess and your will, but I wondered why you were still here when you could’ve been chasing something greater.”

All the words that swirled in the back of my throat are suddenly gone; the frustration has forfeited my core, fleeing the emptiness. Now instead of trying to hold something back, I am left instead with entirely nothing.

Ningguang pales, her knuckles white. “You are as much of an enigma to me as I am to you, Beidou,” she says. “And you say that I should tell you that I know who you are. But if even you can’t answer that question, then how am I supposed to?” Shame embodies every word of the phrase and it feeds the crawling guilt inside of me.

Then we’re quiet again—we let the silence sweep over us like a riptide, our tongues dry and eyelids heavy. Ningguang’s words run through my mind, unrelenting.

I did hear about you in the harbor. Zhongli-xiansheng did tell me about you—this strong Crux Fleet Captain who took out dragons—and I wondered why you still lingered on the shores.

It is a miracle that there is no tale of Captain Beidou acting like a child.

The thought numbs me. I don’t like this feeling, this affliction. My gaze drags upwards to fight the exhaustion that riddles my limbs. I get a glimpse of the collar of the evening dress Ningguang wears tonight, gold lace and a curve just short of her chest, and now it’s her neck, her jaw, her cheek, stained with emotion. I look upwards still.

Something shifts in me, then, some semblance of rationale trickling into the cracks in my resolve.

“Why are we fighting?”

Is it the way her lips curve downwards, the manner in which she furrows her eyebrows? Maybe it is the fact that I’d never witnessed displeasure so imminently plastered on her features, the agony of her flushed cheeks, those remorseful eyes. Ningguang had always kept her appearance in order, tidy even in informal events. There was always an air of refinement, an intricate delicacy about her.

But that had long been washed away from the moment she told me she was mine and I denied her. I ask myself now, what exactly it was that I wanted from her.

“I don’t know.”

Ningguang had never known the life which I expected of her—she’d never known the kind of living in which she was free to take. Too much of her person was spent giving to her friends, to associates, to her people. It was a part of her, just as her hair was, or her moontouched skin.

And we both wanted the same thing from this—to be loved—the only difference being that she would not let herself be.

Tears edge at the corners of my eye. “I’m sorry.” My throat closes, fills with the beginnings of a sob. “I’m sorry, Ningguang.”

At this, she steps closer to me, gingerly, saying nothing, taking in the air closest to me. The curve of her undereye and the crinkle that connects her lids deepens. Some shine returns to her iris. She moves in, still, her dress blowing lightly by her ankles.

We blend together like steady hands pushing into the earth.

She cups my cheek with her palm and closes her eyes. I shift my head to touch my lips with the base of it and breathe in her faded perfume. It smells like grace. My hand finds hers as she rubs over the thick fabric of my eyepatch with a thumb.

“Perhaps I should have known.” she whispers.

“You didn’t need to.” Words bubble up and out from the thickness of my throat. It’s natural, freeing. “I shouldn’t have acted so rashly. I was being selfish and stupid and idiotic—we could have talked.”

“We should have.” There’s a sadness to her smile she wears when she looks at me. “We can do it now, if you’d like.”

I swallow thickly, allow for the silence to seep into us. “Yeah.”

“Alright.”

She kisses the tip of my nose then guides me to the nearest couch. Down we sit, and there we think—I have no idea if she’s already got her thoughts sorted, but she gives me time. When I’m done ruminating, I leave five minutes just in case she needs it.

“Can I talk?” I finally ask, uncertainty bleeding through every syllable. Ningguang nods with an earnest look, stance open and turned towards me, hands folded neatly in her lap. A half-smile curves my lips upwards.

“Look, I know I already said this, but I’m— I’m sorry for the way I acted. I don’t ever want you to feel like I’m too demanding or brash or impatient. I was… I was acting out of impulse. There’s no excuse for it and I apologize.”

Ningguang hums. Her eyes study my face with such focus, flitting here and there, down the tired lines that streak my cheeks, curving with the sag of my under eye. She must’ve come across something that said I wasn’t done just yet—she’s waiting, silent, understanding, soft.

Then I speak my part for a while, rambling, asking her questions, to which she responds patiently to. The tension in the air eases, I feel the tears abate, and wonder why we didn’t do this earlier.

When I finish, she starts, voice level. She tells me little things about her, the reason why she never opened up, the lingering shame that lasted when confronted about her past, that same shame she felt when she thought I would resent her for it. The more she goes, the more things I notice about her—the way she twists her rings around her fingers when she’s nervous, the quirk of her brow in moments of tenseness, how tightly she holds herself, guarded, though she’s spilling all the secrets of her little, compacted world.

It takes time, like things do. She pauses sometimes, unsure, and I can only put my hand on her back for reassurance. The lines in her forehead deepen like she’s searching for something. Her grip on her arm tightens, tips of her fingers flushed yellow, palms red. Tears come slowly, leaking out, dripping down, lines etched in the fine divots of her features.

I don’t stop them.

She grasps the empty air like there’s something to hold, wearing an expression of longing as she does. I fill the gap with what I can, scarred fingers and bound muscle, trying not to think about what goes on inside that head of hers.

I never wanted to see vulnerability alive in her eyes again, pupils blown out in fright.

The rest of the night rolls through us without trouble. We talk until our throats run dry and succumb to slumber when the conversation naturally comes to a close.

When she pulls me to bed, our fingers intertwined, this is perhaps a mark of the first peaceful night for both of us in a long time.

a/n: hello! my first writing post in a couple of months... a LOT of months, actually. i hope you enjoyed it. this was probably one of the first times i went into depth for a ship without prior material that extended this deep. it was fun!

but it took three months to make and i kinda struggled through it at times. BUT in the end it all turned out fine and was only achievable with the help of my darlingest best friendest sunnie (@/sunshii on ao3) as a beta <3 i love you sunnie mwamwamwamwamwa <3 and i love you guys! thank you for reading and liking my works :)

#beiguang #genshin #genshin impact #beidou #ningguang #my favorite sapphics fr #aidemint's fics #i love you all! so much #thank you for loving and supporting me #longfic #beidou x ningguang #beidou/ningguang #oneshot

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