#when all three of them meet diluc is like when i said you should meet him i didnt mean in prison

[what-aboutno]

Wriochiluc but it's Wirothesley patching Childe's injuries in prison after foul legacy because he knows Diluc cares about him. So by extension he does too in a way. Meanwhile Childe is trying his best to convince him to a fight because he heard how strong he is from Diluc

#zara rambles #childe after being rejected :(( but why Wriothesley who is literally patching him up 😐 your boyfriend would kill me #this would spiral into childe asking how they actually know each other #while childe is stuck in prison they would get to know each other better and maybe childe realises that Wriothesley may still have feelings #for diluc but its a weird complicated relationship they had #when all three of them meet diluc is like when i said you should meet him i didnt mean in prison #i need to write about this when i get the time honestly #wriochiluc #wrioluc #chiluc #ig? idk im just rambling #wriochi

[drowsynyu]

🔞 Visiting Diluc At Work! ミ★

cw: afab reader, gendered terms (wife, good girl) alcohol consumption, rough sex, kinda overstim, oral (diluc receives), mouth fucking, hair pulling

a/n: i can’t make any promises that this is a good oneshot i wrote it like three months ago 🧍🏻

masterlist!!

nsfw under the cut!!!

"Come in." Diluc said as he heard a knock on his office's door.

The door opened, and Diluc's gorgeous wife walked in (aka you) Diluc wasn't the type to casually smile, but he couldn't help it when the one he loved most walked in.

"Hello darling.. What do you have there?" He asked as he noticed the tray in your arms.

"I know you don't drink often.. But I got a bottle of wine I wanted to share with you." You said as you set the tray on the desk, two wine glasses next to a bottle of wine.

Diluc held your hand and left a gentle kiss on it. "I'm on the clock. I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

You smiled. "It'll be fine as long as you don't get drunk, right?"

Diluc raised an eyebrow as a slight smile appeared on his face. "I guess a few small glasses won't hurt." He spoke, making you cheer.

You poured a little wine into both glasses before handing Diluc one of them.

Diluc gently pat his lap, signaling for you to sit. You sat on Diluc's lap and you two enjoyed your wine, chatting a little.

After a while, you began leaving gentle kisses on Diluc's jaw. "This is nice.. Don't you agree?" You asked as you set your glass down.

Diluc lifted his jaw a little for you, humming in agreement. "I enjoy spending time with you. I wish I could have you to myself like this more." He spoke softly. "Did I mention that I think you look absolutely beautiful in that outfit?" He muttered as his hands rested on your hips.

You sighed as you kissed tiny, not-so-noticeable marks on Diluc's skin. "I miss you so much.. I know work tires you, but it doesn't feel good sometimes when we don't get a night to ourselves alone."

"I understand.. I'm sorry. Hey.. I believe no one should be coming here any time soon.. Why don't we spend some time making up for all those nights? And then when I come home I can make you feel even better in the comfort of our bed." Diluc suggested.

"I'd like that." You said before Diluc kissed you.

You kissed back, wrapping your arms around Diluc's neck.

"Did you lock my door when you came in?" Diluc asked in the kiss.

"Mhm." You mumbled before slowly unbuttoning Diluc's vest and shirt and removing them.

You broke the kiss before getting under the desk, between Diluc's legs. Diluc watched as you unbuttoned his pants and unzipped them before removing them as well, leaving his underwear on.

You gently stroked Diluc's dick, smirking as you heard his pretty moans.

You lowered Diluc's underwear before gently licking the base of Diluc's cock. You looked up to meet eyes with him and watched him let out little huffs as you teased him with just your tongue.

Just as you took him into your mouth, his fingers ran through your hair before almost roughly pushing his dick inside your mouth, nearly into your throat. You let out a muffled yelp before letting Diluc fuck your mouth. This was new, but You couldn't say you weren't enjoying it.

"You feel so good, darling." Diluc moaned, yelping as every sound you made vibrated around his dick.

You looked up at Diluc as you took his cock in like it was nothing. Your hand snuck down your body and you began to mess with your clit.

Diluc whimpered as he felt your moans vibrating on his cock. "Fuck-I'm go. gonna cum!" He moaned.

You yelped after a moment as Diluc fucked his cum down your throat. Diluc finally let go before he relaxed in his seat, his eyes closed as he was trying to take a moment to gain his energy back.

You backed away and licked your lips, swallowing any of the cum that spilled out.

Diluc opened his eyes as he heard shuffling and saw you undressing. He nearly groaned as he saw you lean on his desk, your ass out and facing him.

Diluc stood up and teased your pussy with his dick. He smirked as he watched you go weak in the knees.

"Put it in already." You whined.

Diluc chuckled. "Alright, alright." He said before gently leading his cock inside you. Diluc listened to your whimpers as he bottomed out.

You moaned out as Diluc began giving you slow thrusts, you moving your hips to get his dick a little deeper.

Diluc grabbed your thighs and groaned as he fucked you a little deeper.

You bit your lip and grabbed onto the desk, feeling Diluc run his fingers through your hair before slightly gripping it, pulling your head back a little. You moaned at the slight pain.

"Diluc.. I can't handle it.. S-So deep..!" You moaned. "Don't stop~.."

Diluc groaned, feeling himself get more turned on by the sound of skin slapping and the sounds your pussy made as he fucked you.

You yelped as you could feel yourself on the verge of an orgasm already. You felt your legs go weak and could only let out pathetic whimpers.

"C-Coming.. I'm~ I'm coming.!" You whimpered.

"Fuck.. Do it~" Diluc moaned, his hips struggling to move as he felt your pussy squeezing his cock the closer you got to coming.

You grasped the table and whimpered as you suddenly came, feeling Diluc help you ride out your orgasm.

"There you go.. Good girl." He muttered. He smirked as he felt you react to his words. "Did you like that?" He asked. He of course knew the answer, but he wanted to feel the satisfaction of hearing you say so.

You nodded. Diluc held onto your hips as he began thrusting his hips again, hearing your moans from the sudden movement.

"A-Ah!.. Wait! I-Ijust c-came..!" You whimpered.

"Do you need to say our safe word?" Diluc asked as he gently rubbed your skin. You shook your head, and Diluc smiled a little. "Please say it if it's too much. I don't want to hurt my lovely wife." He muttered before moving his hips a little faster.

"Mm..! Fuck! Just like that." You moaned out as Diluc only got his thrusts deeper.

"I'm gonna cum." Diluc groaned as his thrusts only got rougher.

You whimpered as Diluc pulled you up by your hair before sloppily kissing you, your minds only focused on fucking each other.

You could feel your legs getting weak as you felt another release start building up, so you held onto Diluc nearly scratching his skin.

Diluc groaned as he broke the kiss. "C-Cum.. I need you-Please- Oh my." He whimpered as he could feel your pussy squeeze on him as you were getting closer to coming.

You could barely keep your eyes open as you moved your hips against Diluc's, only little whimpers leaving your mouth at this point.

"Mm... C-Coming.. I'm gonna cum~.. So close~" You managed to whimper out.

Diluc continued fucking you until you two moaned out as you came. Diluc quickly pulled out and stroked his cock until his cum spilled out onto your back.

bonus~

"I'm leaving early to take Y/n home. She fell asleep while we were hanging out in my office." Diluc said as he had you in his arms.

"Okay, sir. Have a good day." One of the workers said as Diluc headed out.

"I heard them going at it earlier when I passed his office." Another worker sighed.

"Oh my.. I never took Mr. Ragnvindr as a slacker!"

The two chuckled to themselves before continuing their conversation like normal.

#i actually kinda hate this 😟 #diluc ragnvindr #diluc x reader #diluc smut #genshin impact smut #genshin impact

[augustinewrites]

autumn tends to be dawn winery’s busiest season.

because the harvest season heralds weinlesefest, which brings people from all over to mondstadt to celebrate, well, wine. so, it goes without saying that dawn winery not only has their own booth set up, but also supplies bars all over the city, hosts more wine tours and tastings, and works hard to accommodate the rise in exports to all over teyvat.

and if dawn winery is busy, that means diluc is busy. he’s got less free time, frequently going over budgets with elzer, meeting with potential vendors, and overseeing the winery’s increased day to day activity.

but weinlesefest is special, and while most of the ragnvindr’s family traditions died with his father, this one was much too precious to let go. especially now that diluc had a family of his own.

your two children hold wicker baskets as they walk through the orchard, each clutching one of their father’s hands. they love this little tradition as much as he does, listening intently as he lectures them in the art of picking the finest grapes.

he teaches them the textures to feel for, the scents. it’s a little much for a three and four year old to understand, but they get the point when he gives them ideal grapes to munch on.

tonight, they’ll even get to crush what they’ve harvested themselves. though most of the winery’s products are crushed in a press, the age-old maceration method of grape-treading is part of the fun and messy ragnvindr tradition.

there’s a soft smile gracing his face as he follows them around the orchard, lifting your little daughter in his arms to help her reach the grapes at the top of the vine. it’s a sight that pulls the words right out of your mouth and instead resonates deep within your chest.

you’re content to watch from your spot on the picnic blanket, humming as you unpack the lunch adelinde had prepared.

“do you think we picked enough grapes for aunt jean?” you hear him ask, to which they both nod fervently.

“well, you definitely didn’t pick enough for uncle kaeya.”

your daughter’s little face lights up as said uncle strolls into the vineyard, eyeing the rows of unpicked grapes like a cat that got the canary. “uncle kaeya!”

diluc rolls his eyes as his kids run toward the cavalry captain, but the smile on his face is fond as his brother (who is, much to his chagrin, his children’s favourite at the moment) kneels down to wrap them up in his arms. your husband makes his way back to your side, groaning as he sits beside you on the blanket.

“of all the people,” he muses, shaking his head slightly, watching as kaeya leads your children in harvesting more than the required bunches of grapes, giggling together as they do so. “the grandmaster of the knights, the chief alchemist, literally anyone else. even that bard.”

“he’s the cavalry captain,” you remind him, leaning into his side. “and he’s decent enough at watching the kids.”

he replies with a noncommittal hum, wrapping an arms around you and pressing a kiss to your temple. “we should have him babysit more often then. say…tomorrow night?”

“it has been a while since we’ve gone out,” you agree. a night out is just what the two of you need after how busy the both of you have been preparing for the festival.

“i know. i’ll make us a reservation and you…you can put on that black dress i like.”

you shake your head, face suddenly hot with embarrassment when you remember what’d happened the last time you’d worn the dress. “oh no. the black dress is retired, diluc.”

“since when?”

“since i had two children!”

“then i bet it’ll fit even better now because of—” he gestures vaguely at your chest.

you’re about to offer him a witty retort when you see kaeya appears before the both of you, your daughter clutching his hand and rubbing at her eyes. “looks like someone’s feeling the effect of missing her nap.”

you move to take her, but diluc beats you to it. “i’ve got her.”

of course, your little girl relaxes at the sight of her father, holding her arms out to him. diluc hoists her up, pressing his lips to her forehead and murmuring something only she can hear, her little face scrunching with laughter as he nudges her nose with his. “come on, let’s go get your brother so we can crush some grapes.”

“it’s like they get cuter everyday,” kaeya sighs, joining you in watching your little family in the vineyard. “you guys did good.”

“we ‘did good?’” you chuckle, sending him a strange look.

“yeah,” he shrugs. “it’s good to have proof that my straight-laced brother’s had sex more than once in his life.”

you roll your eyes, but are unable to hold back a smile. "what about you?"

“oh, i’ve had way more se—”

“i meant kids, kaeya.”

he hangs his head between his legs, shoulders trembling as he laughs. "ah, my lifestyle isn't exactly conducive to kids right now," he tells you.

then, after a moment, "someday, though. definitely someday."

you watch as diluc shifts his daughter into one arm, scooping your son up with the other. you’re graced with one of his rare, soft smiles when they both cuddle into him, clinging to his neck.

"hey, kaeya?" you ask. "do you feel like babysitting tomorrow?"

#diluc x reader #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #diluc fluff #genshin drabbles #diluc x you

[glazesunflower]

Them Snapping At Their SO And The Apologies That Come After. Pt. 2

Characters: Kaeya & Yae Miko (separate).

Warnings: Mentions of alcohol, verbal fighting and heavy emotions. With comfort after!

Notes: This is my first time writing for Kaeya, and all I have to say is that he’s very hot and he desperately needs therapy.

Part 1, in case you’re interested, is in (this link!)

To say Kaeya was having a bad day would be an understatement.

He’s a professional man, so he can handle whatever problems he encounters in his line of work quite well, always ready to manage the situation before any problem escalates enough to be a bother for him later on, all the more so before Jean even hears of it.

So after a long (and exceptionally tiring) day of being the renowned Cavalry Captain, he thought he deserved a proper rest, so he headed to Angel’s Share with Rosaria to unwind, like he usually did.

Make it a quick drink, Rosaria had said, and Kaeya nodded. He had a date with you, after all.

It wasn’t a rare occurrence for the both of you to have dates, even after your honeymoon phase had long since ended, but you still enjoyed each other’s company and Kaeya insisted on adding his special touch to all of your meetings, so the two of you always ended up calling it a date and having a wonderful time together.

This one was special, of course. It was your anniversary. So Kaeya promised himself he’d have a quick drink and he’d head home to you.

It had started as a simple discussion, as it often happened whenever Kaeya walked in Angel’s Share and Diluc was behind the counter, serving for another night. To say the two of them had a complicated history would be another understatement, and Kaeya has never been too open about his emotions towards his brother to you, if at all. He liked to keep his secrets.

But the argument with Diluc grew, and soon they were throwing spiteful words at each other over the counter, Kaeya’s drink spilling and Diluc’s face getting redder in anger by the minute. Rosaria was too used to the situation to try and intervene, so she stood aside and let the storm rage and pass on its own, as it often did.

Let’s go to the Cat’s Tail. I’m yet to enjoy having a drink today, Kaeya told Rosaria as he stormed off Angel’s Share, Rosaria following closely behind.

It’s late. You should go home, Rosaria tried to argue back to no use.

Let’s go, Kaeya insisted, and Rosaria wasn’t one to engage in pointless confrontations.

It was well past midnight when you heard the door creak open. At that exact moment you learned three things. One, Kaeya was home very late. Two, by the careless way of him opening the door, he was clearly drunk. And third, he had stood you up on your anniversary to get drunk and arrive home late.

So you walk up to the corridor and switch on the lights, your arms crossed on your chest and resentment boiling inside your chest.

“I hope you have a good excuse.” Your voice is cold as ice.

“I’ve had a terrible day, okay? I apologize for the state I’m in, but— Can we talk about this in the morning?”

“No. We absolutely can’t, Kaeya.” You block his way, feeling every nerve and inch of your skin light on fire. “What were you even doing? Did the thought of me waiting here for you even crossed your mind?”

“You’re always on my mind, my love.” He tries to flirt his way out of the situation, but your stern expression doesn’t flinch even a little, so he sighs. “If you must know, I had an unpleasant encounter with my brother. It’s him you should be blaming, really. He kept me at his bar sputtering nonsense.”

“Kaeya—” You take a deep breath. “You can’t keep doing this. You can’t possibly keep blaming your brother for everything that’s wrong in your life. At some point you’re going to have to take responsibility—”

Kaeya freezes, his eyes growing darker as he frowns, looking down at you with his eyes overflowing with disgust. 

“What do you even know about us, huh? You have no idea of what he did, no idea of what I went through. So don’t talk as if you knew anything!” He raises his voice, sending chills down your spine. He walks up to you with big steps, and somehow he looks bigger, like the anger bubbling in his chest is making him larger, the smell of alcohol stronger the closer he is to you. And for a moment, you’re scared. “You’re too privileged to even phandom what kind of horrors I’ve had to witness, how much pain I’ve had to bear. But then again, you’re not that interested in knowing, are you? After all, your world revolves around you, doesn’t it, darling?” The twist in his voice, from anger to sweet and frivolous makes you sick to your stomach. He’s too close to you, leaning over your face like a predator, and you’re shivering. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

He says, and he stomps to the bedroom, closing the door behind him. You’re left in the corridor, your blood frozen inside your veins. You run past the front door, not looking back.

Kaeya wakes up the next morning with the worst of headaches. He makes it to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast when it hits him. Everything he said last night to you, the look of utter terror written all over your eyes, and he feels positively terrible. He knew he wasn’t a good person, he’s always been painfully aware. But whenever he brought it up half jokingly, you’d hold his face in your hands, fingers in his hair as you tell him, No. You have a good heart, Kaeya. And he never wanted to believe anyone’s words until you arrived.

And now, he’s been a terrible person to you. He’s hurt you deeply, and the worst part is, he can’t excuse his actions and promise he won’t do it again.

So he waits for you to come back, his chest heavy as he cleans the house, scattering his brain to find some words of comfort, of absolution, anything to make you stay. That is, if you ever come back to him. A small, cowardly part of him would understand if you didn’t, though it’d crush his soul into a million pieces.

It’s not until the seventh day that you decide to return. 

Kaeya finds you on the couch, waiting for him. It’s late at night, and Kaeya is afraid of approaching you. Or hurting you again with his words.

So he watches in silence as you turn around, your eyes big and sad all over him.

“You didn’t mean what you said.” 

It’s what leaves your lips, and Kaeya takes a second to gather his thoughts. He takes a big breath.

“I could agree with that. In fact, I should. I should say that I didn’t mean what I said, and that I’m sorry. Would that make us even?” He lets out a weak chuckle, too embarrassed of himself to even look at you as he speaks. “The thing is, I believed myself to be more chivalrous than that. I owe you the truth, at the very least. The ugly truth, if I may add.”

“And what is that ugly truth you fight so hard to always keep to yourself?”

You don’t even sound mad anymore, and that’s what breaks Kaeya’s heart the most. Maybe that’s what pushes him to make his way to you, one step at a time, until he’s right in front of you.

“There are many things I haven’t told you. Some of them because I’m ashamed of them. Most of them because they don’t represent the man that I am anymore.” He says. “All of them because I don’t want you to change the way you look at me. But I supposed I ruined that on my own, didn’t I?”

“Kaeya.” He closes his eyes, his name sounding so achingly familiar coming from your lips. He can almost hear you say, You have a good heart, Kaeya. He feels his fingers trembling. “I love you for who you are. Not for who you’ve been, or for who you are with somebody else that isn’t me. I love you. In the good days and on the bad ones. But you have to stop pushing me away. Please.”

Kaeya sits on the couch by your side, and he swears he might just crumble down when you place your hands on his cheeks, softly brushing the skin that meets you under.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Kaeya says, melts into your touch, his frozen heart melting in your hands, a thousand flowers blooming where you’ve touched him last. “I will tell you everything, but do something for me as well. Don’t change the way you look at me after. It’s a promise.”

I know it’s selfish, but don’t leave me. 

Don’t change the affection in your eyes when you look at me. 

Don’t stop holding me with your small hands. 

Don’t stop smiling like you’re the sun, and all I’ve ever been is the moon that circles you until the end of the universe.

“I won’t. I promise, I won’t.”

You say, and that night, Kaeya discloses all of his demons for you. His monsters and all their angles and shapes, their scars and their hidden memories. You help him through it, your hands gentle on him, leaving butterfly kisses over his cheeks. 

Despite the sorry state of his heart, Kaeya would swear he has never felt happier.

The rain was pouring over the Grand Narukami Shrine. Miko watched the raindrops rush from the heavens to the soil beneath their feet, crashing to the ground and dissolving into tiny puddles of water. How pitiful.

The other Shrine maidens knew better than to speak to the Guuji when she was angry. And she was, oh, she was angry.

They were planning a huge festival, one to lighten up the town and bring joy to the residents of Inazuma. But of course, it had to rain. And of course, they had to leave all the decorations outside of the Shrine, right where the rain is pouring right now. Miko doesn’t think there’s anything useful in those boxes. Not anymore, at least. We’ll have to start over.

It’s no one’s fault it started raining, Miko knows this. Still, she can’t help but feel her blood boiling down her veins. She was looking forward to that festival.

She makes it home to a delicious smell tickling her nose. She finds you in the kitchen, cooking her favorite meal - Fried Tofu, just the way she had taught you how to make it. You can’t really explain why, but you felt the urge to make something today that Miko would especially enjoy. How fortunate of her.

Miko walks up to you, slowly wrapping her arms around your waist, hiding her face in your hair. It smells like home.

“Had a long day, my love?” Your voice comes out gentle, soothing her heart at the sound. 

She nods to your hair, “Unfortunately so. Incredibly gifted as I am, I still happen to not be able to control the weather. This devilish rain has undermined everything I’ve worked for for the past weeks.”

“Hm, if it’s the weather you’re having trouble with, why don’t you ask the Raiden Shogun to dismiss of it?” You say, innocent and gentle in your demeanor. “You’re friends with her, aren’t you? It shouldn’t be too hard for her to do this one thing for you.”

There’s a silence.

Maybe it’s the simple-mindedness in which you said it, maybe it’s the rain drilling on the kitchen window reminding her of her useless efforts, or maybe it’s the fact that yes, she’s friends with the Raiden Shogun, the same Raiden Shogun that hasn’t left her plane of Euthymia for eons, the same friend that didn’t bother to say her goodbyes before disappearing without a word, to this day.

It shouldn’t be too hard for her to do this one thing for you, Miko can almost laugh at the thought. What has the Raiden Shogun done for her, besides push her away with not so much as a word of apology, an explanation?

Maybe it’s the rain outside, or maybe it’s her own kind of storm raging on inside what bites back at you.

“You think it’s that simple, little one? Hah, you must be right.” Miko lets go of you, taking a step back. There’s something in her voice that sounds almost dangerous. You feel your fingers shivering. “Now I have complete certainty that, were I to have a word with my dearest Ei, all the things I worked so hard for won’t be rotting under the rain anymore, isn’t that right? You must think I’m a complete moron for not thinking of this before. Am I wrong, little one?”

You turn to her, and you’re met with lilac eyes sharpening around their edges, piercing you with her stare. You feel a shiver run down your spine.

“I don’t think I understand…” You try, your throat dry. “Did I say something wrong?”

“You must think I’m some kind of fool. And maybe you’re right, hm? Sharing my precious time with lowly humans who can’t even begin to comprehend the endeavor us Yokais must go through in order to live, our efforts often easily discarded. How utterly disheartening.” Miko goes on, her gaze sharp and threatening on yours, her blood boiling with too many unsaid things, things she knows you’re not even a part of. But you’re here, and it’s just so easy to let the words fall down her lips, one after the other. “You speak of the Raiden Shogun as if you knew anything. Your very existence in the first place is but a fleeting moment in our presence. Do yourself a favor, little one, and never speak again if all you have to share are witless words. Ugh, why am I even wasting my time here.”

Miko turns on her heels and leaves the house, leaving you there shaking, tears running down your face, wondering why in the world she would treat you like that.

By the time Miko returns home, her hair and clothes drenched in the rain, her raging heart much calmer now, you’re nowhere to be found.

Miko knows she overstepped and went too far. She dragged you along with her rushing emotions and half-assed accusations, knowing full-well you’re the only one who has been by her side through thick and thin, through her sunny days and her storms inside.

That’s why she’s confident that you’ll return. You’ll cool off and come back home, like she has. And then, she’ll wrap her arms around you, she’ll kiss the shell of your ear and, well, you’ll get the apology, won’t you?

Miko is not surprised when she doesn’t see you on the next day, either. A little annoyed, perhaps. She’s gone over the situation in her head all over again, and again. Every time she remembers her mean words to you, she feels a small stab pain in her chest.

She would apologize, if only you came home to her!

You’re just making this harder for yourself than it needs to be, really.

On the third day, Miko starts growing annoyed. How can she possibly wish to repair things with you if you just won’t come home to her?

And it’s not like she’s going to go out there looking for you. She’s the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, and as such, she has a great deal of responsibilities to attend to. She can’t just leave all of that and go after you, and you know this. 

She just can’t be that irresponsible.

Or can she?

It’s the fifth day and her bed is starting to feel a little too big for her liking. She once liked to have space for herself, but now it just feels suffocating. 

Why aren’t you coming back? You’re trying to punish her, surely.

Well, Miko won’t play along with your games. She can be just as mad as you are. Let’s see who breaks in first.

On the seventh day, Miko isn’t able to sleep. She’s tossing and turning in her all too big bed, the thought of you plaguing her mind in a way she won’t ever admit out loud. 

When she hears the front door opening, her fox ears fling up. She follows your steps down the corridor, but she makes no move when you sit on the other side of the bed, the mattress sinking under your weight in the darkness of the room.

Miko waits. And waits. And waits for you to say something.

The silence grows deafening in her beautiful pink fox ears. So she swallows her courage and opens her mouth, only a little,

“You’re late.”

Your response came after a big pause, so long that Miko thought you’d never say anything to her again, her heart clenching at the thought.

“I thought of never coming back, actually. I was mad at you.” You sound so tired, Miko feels something small stir inside her chest. “Then, I wasn’t anymore. But I thought you’d be better off without me. As you said, I’m a human. I can’t understand you to the extent that I’d like.” Miko frowns at your words. She almost opens her mouth again to fight you back, when you speak again. “But then I thought of you. I thought of the way you smiled when you dressed me up as a Shrine maiden. I thought of the spark in your eyes when you tell me about the new light novel you’re publishing. And I thought of how you’d probably think that this bed is too big for you alone, if I’m gone.”

That’s why I came back, it’s what you don’t voice, but Miko hears it loud and clear. For you.

There’s a silence that follows, one that Miko doesn’t know how to fill. She’s never been good at apologies.

“I am mad at you.” She says, her back turned to you in the darkness of the room, but she doesn’t sound mad at all in your ears.

You don’t say anything, and Miko feels the bed dipping when you lay next to her. She lets you wrap your arms around her, doesn’t voice how good it feels to be back in your arms. She feels a strange tightness in her chest, her vision growing blurry at the corners; like a kid that’s been lost for too long and is finally able to return home.

How utterly close she’s been to losing that home forever.

Miko turns in your arms, and you let her find her favorite place in the world - tucked under your chin, in the gap between your jaw and your clavicle, all too close to the beating of your heart underneath your skin.

Miko stays there, her ear pressed to your chest, and she’d swear she can hear the sound of windflowers blooming.

“I must apologize, little one. My words came rooted in despair, a fate that I’ve been carrying for longer than I dare to voice.” Her voice comes out muffled by your skin, and you let your fingers lose their way into her silky pink hair, listening to her words. “Still, nothing in me is as deeply rooted as the affection that I hold for you. I trust that you know of this, of course.”

“Of course.” You leave a kiss on the crown of her head, closing your eyes in the motion. “I wouldn’t leave you, Miko. Not now, and probably not ever. I love you too much to let you go.”

“Is that so?” You can hear the smile in her voice. “Hm, then I suppose I shall grant you my love as well. Make good use of it, little one. After all, it’s meant for you only.”

If you enjoyed this, please consider liking or reblogging it <3!

You can check more of my writing on (this link!). Thank you!

#genshin impact #genshin #genshin x reader #genshin imagines #genshin headcanons #kaeya #kaeya x you #kaeya x gender neutral reader #kaeya x reader #yae miko #yae miko x reader #yae miko x you #yae miko x y/n #kaeya x y/n

[a-yarn-of-purple-prose]

rare pair game: Diluc/Navia or Wanderer/Furina

Both are extremely cute, though I'll have to go with Diluc/Navia because I was 100% run over by a stray fic just from thinking about it.

There are over 1k words of silliness under the cut.

*

Diluc and Navia met at work. Well at least he was working, trying to secure the distribution rights to Fonta in Mondstadt territory, and perhaps find a foothold in the elusive Fontaine wine market through those fascinating Fonta vending machines. So far, he had only managed to negotiate half of the deal, well three quarters if you counted convincing Mr. Heinry to give Dawn Winery Special Edition grape-flavored Fonta a shot.

“As much as I'd like our contract to be mutually beneficial, Master Diluc, I must inform you our lawyers are still working out some potential complications on the distribution method we discussed.”

“Potential complications?”

And then the she barreled into their meeting. Miss Navia Caspar, the Demoiselle of the Spina di Rosula, tall and gracious and oh so golden in her fine dress and ribboned hair. It almost made him overlook the fact that she was accompanied by two armed men with the heft of bruisers, or that the umbrella in her hands smelled of gunpowder.

“Dawn Winery has no place in Fontaine,” she said, her voice level, her eyes on Diluc, locking him in place. “Our wineries are family-owned and Spina di Rosula won't have them out of business because the big shots at the Institute decided to make a backroom deal with some foreign mogul!”

“Miss Caspar--” Mr. Heinry started, his tone clearly exasperated.

Diluc stopped him with a gesture, said, “No, let her speak.” Then, turning to her, he smiled and said, “Mr. Heinry was just telling me there were obstacles to our strategy. Care to join us and discuss this in more depth?”

A look at the table and the seat he had offered her, then she turned her face from it. “I'm not here to negotiate, just to inform.”

She refused to sit, thus politeness meant Diluc had to stand. “I understand you care deeply about this matter, but neither Dawn Winery nor myself have any interest in taking anyone out of business, this is not what this strategy is about.”

For some reason she took those words as a challenge, closing the space between them, umbrella clutched in both hands, her men spreading around the room like wings.

“Oh, so you mean to say Master Diluc Ragnvindr isn't aware that his fast-moving, things-breaking ways of doing business aren't exactly following the letter of the law in Fontaine?”

If he was to bottle the energy in those bright blue eyes, Diluc could possibly rule the world. But admiring her meant he hadn't answered, which probably made him look guilty. And, when Mr. Heinry spoke he just made it all worse.

“Nonsense, we have consulted with our lawyers and they said there were no laws against the introduction of foreign products regardless of method or breadth of distribution,” he said. “If you disagree, you should raise a formal challenge with the courts and see if they give you reason. Which won't happen unless there's chance of societal disruption. And, truly, how can wine sales disrupt society?”

That was something Diluc was very ready to answer, but he had no need. He saw how Miss Caspar smiled before she turned the full strength of that gaze upon Mr. Heinry.

“Well then it's good that our people have already organized to mail Maison Gestion and Maison Cardinalice requesting a review of the practices regarding the vending machines. We even organized a little protest to make sure they pay attention.”

“Protest?” he scoffed, gesturing at the open window, “I see no protest!”

At this, Diluc noticed the voices outside had grown in volume. They also had a rhythm, like they were chanting something.

She giggled, waving his comment away with a flick of the wrist. “Small thing, you know, placards and chants. No fires or anything like that. It would look bad on the cover of the Steambird.”

Diluc wasn't really thinking when he looked out the window to check, so the flashes that almost blinded him took him by foolish surprise. He flinched back, blinking away the afterimages, and bumped into the Demoiselle, soft and silky and scented like a rose by the sea. The sort of perfume you could track through a forest, he thought.

She didn't move away. In fact, she pushed closer, whispering next to his ear, “And would you look at that, I think that over there is Charlotte. Won't you smile to the camera, Master Diluc? You do smile very pretty.”

It was to his utter disgrace that he lost all capacity to speak. Frozen and tongue-tied, it was perhaps easier to notice the movement of the suspicious person that threw the bottle. Danger was easier to understand than whatever Navia got out of him, after all.

“Look out!” he said, before turning to push her out of the way of the incoming projectile. The bottle exploded into a small fire in the place he had been standing. He watched one of the men that had come in with Miss Caspar jump in to put it out, while the other crossed the room to pull her out of Diluc's arms. Thankfully, she was about as embarrassed about it as he was.

“Oh,” she said, “I guess not everyone got that memo about no fires.”

Then she looked from him to Mr. Heinry-- who had thrown himself under a table and was whimpering softly-- before stepping back to the room's entrance. At this, her men filed around her, one keeping her company while the other checked the corridor. Like they expected something. Had been, the whole time.

Considering what he had just witnessed, it made sense, but he couldn't help being curious. Was this common in her life? What sort of life did she live to react to a firebomb with a simple 'oh'? Could he just ask? Perhaps over dinner?

But before he organized his thoughts enough to consider acting, she was gone out the door, head held high and not one lock of golden hair out of place. Absolutely stunning.

*

When she saw who had sent the letter, Navia frowned. What would Diluc Ragvindr want with her after all that in the morning? Is he suing for damages? But if it was that, the letter would have come from his lawyers, right? Right?

Overcome by curiosity, she just ripped the letter open, being greeted by a fresh, early summer type of smell. Navia was still wondering where she, too, could buy deep red ink that smelled of berries when she got to the meat of the letter. Then she had to put it down, cover her face with her hands, and give the tiniest of the screams so no one would show up with a gun.

What does he mean by asking permission to court her? Is he a vampire or something?

“Just ask me on a date you pretty idiot!” she muttered.

And that stopped her cold. Was she into him? Him? Oh, this called for some emergency girl time. Clorinde better be free for lunch.

#fanfic #diluc #navia #diluc/navia #dilavia #is this a thing? #rarepair asks #I love writing Diluc in general so thank you ^^

[noodles-n-soba]

Drunkard bard

You work at The Angel's share and meet a well known person there, of course drinking all the liquor (Like always)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Masterlist

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

'Eh.. The night shift again! But I'm for delivering supplies Master Diluc..' You replied sad, giving the man a puppy eyed look.

'Look, (y/n), we're running out of people since they're all catching that weird cold that has struck over Mondstadt recently. But, business continues..  You know I would rather not have you run the night shifts..' Diluc answered painfully, crossing his arms as he stood across you. '... If there's no choice left..' You sighed and placed your index finger against her your, pouting. 'Alright.. I'll do it since there's no other option.' You eventually brought out and looked back at Diluc. 'Thank you, I appreciate it. I have full trust that you can handle the tavern by yourself.'

As guests strolled into the pub, you made a note of their appearances. 'What would it be for tonight?' You asked, already grabbed a bottle of liquor as three men arrived at the bar. 'Osmanthus wine! Your finest..' One notified with a smile on his face, you nodded. 'On your order sir..' With a fancy swirl you poured the drink in the cup, 3 of them to be exact. Once you were done you handed it over to them, including the bottle itself. 'Enjoy your stay at Angels Share.' You said with a playful wink, a smile on your gleaming face. 'Drinks drinks drinks!' The men chanted as they journeyed to a table in the back, you sighed deeply and tiresome. So this was gonna continue the whole night till 5 in the morning? You better prepared yourself for the worst. If it escalated too much, for example some dudes fighting, you wouldn't even hesitate and straight up pull them away.. Kick them out of the tavern and have the peace return instantly.

The reason why you was always on the deliveries was because you, and also Master Diluc ofcourse, carried a Vision. It was just easier to deal with slimes and hilichurls for you than the rest of the staff. With the (choice of weapon) you always carried and the (element) vision you achieved through your ambitions, you could easily eliminate enemies.

'HEYYYY! Mrs pointy personality! Don't just ignore us!' Surprised you broke out of your personal bubble, seeing the small floating.. What do you even call her? And the traveler. 'Hey, Honorary Knight.. Paimon. Also, (y/n) is the name.. But what can I do for you?' Even YOU got an ugly nickname from Paimon, but you didn't really take it that personal. In fact, Paimon called you by your regular name quite often, only if you did something the floating fairy didn't appreciate, you would hear something with 'pointy this pointy that'.

'Did you see Dainsleif entering the tavern?' Lumine asked, you hummed softly and thought.

'Now that you say it! I think he went upstairs. He did told me that he had some business to attend to. Probably you, now that I think about it heh.' You scratched the back of your head with a smile on your face. 'And now that you're here.. Wanna have a drink. It's on the house. Master Diluc told me if I came across you, I was allowed to tell you that you deserved one.. Don't know the exact reason, but I'm sure you do.' Paimon excitingly kicked her legs around and held her fists against her chest. 'Ooh! Ooh! Traveler.. We can't deny this offer! Is there also free food?' She said, a hopeful spark in her eyes. 'Ah.. I'm afraid not..' You painfully answered.

'Paimon.. We didn't came here to eat remember...' Lumine said and looked at her companion. '.. Uuugh! Fine.. But! When we have the chance, you should treat Paimon to something nice..' With that they headed to the first floor, you could breathe for a second.

...

'Now that you're not busy...' Startled your entire body jolted, looking at the guy who sat on a stool at the bar. 'WhAt ThE- BARBAT- I MEAN VENTI?' You said, receiving a 'hehe' from the guy.

'Since when are you actually there..? You startled the crap out of me..' You pouted and grabbed a recently washed glass to dry it. 'Eh! Since a few seconds.. I heard you were running the night shift, so I felt like coming here..~!' He said smiling, you squinted.. Having your suspicions already on the spot. 'Rightttt...' Venti straightened his back and winked at you. 'Soo! Now that I'm heree.. Wanna hear a ballad I wrote for such a fine (lady/sir) as you!' He already grabbed his lyre out of nowhere, but you already cut him off before he could play. 'No, you can't just buy off your drinks with a few songs, apple cider as always?' You replied dryly. Venti let out a giggle as he shrugged his shoulders. 'Heh.. Whoopsie! Well, if you insist..~'

'I'm not insisting Venti, but that's what you're for here.. Not for me, but for the alcohol.. ' You replied and raised an eyebrow, pouring a glass of cider for him. 'To be honest, both! I can look hours at your astonishing face, concentrated on pouring drinks for the folk.. Ambitious and excited and all! Well, maybe I am here for you.. Who knows! Hehe..' A blush painted your cheeks pink, flustered you looked to the side and placed the glass in front of Venti's nose. 'Ergh.. Drink up you... You silly little bard.'

.....

'Venti.. Get up.. I need to clean the place.' You poked the guy, a hint of irritation found in your face expression. He reeked of alcohol, but to be honest... The whole tavern reeked off that stuff. 'Ventiiii!' You said, this time a bit louder, also pushing him a tad more aggressive. 'Mmhmmm..' He softly mumbled, his head still laying on the bartop. 'Wake up.. I have to get this place clean before Master Diluc returns..' You pleaded once again and tried pushing the guy aside, he was laying there as steady as a rock. '(Y/nnnn(..' He mumbled, slowly raising his head to look at you. '... What.' You replied dry. 'Heh.. You're beautiful.' He said before his head dropped back on the bartop with a tud.. You rolled your eyes tiresome and decided to give the guy a nice splash in the face with a cup you just filled with water.. That before the door creaked open. Surprised you turned your head around, only to see Diluc there. 'Oh! Hello Master Diluc. Eh.. Dont mind me trying to get this drunkard out of the pub..' You said before concentrating back on getting the guy from his place.

'Ah, that guy..  He comes here often when you work the shifts..' Diluc commented and walked towards the bar. 'Venti? Well, now that you say it.  I see him every time I'm here..' You answered and shrugged your shoulders. 'Hmm, well.. You did quite a nice job, it's all clean.. Except the place where the bard is sitting.. Please be sure to take your rest once home.' Diluc nodded steadily at you, you returned the nod. 'Alrighty. Don't hesitate to tell me when you need me again. I'll be heading ho-'. Venti stood up out of nowhere and clung around your body. It kind of startled you, but after a few seconds you dryly stared ahead of yourself. 'Really.' You muttered to yourself. '... Good luck..' Diluc said before finding his place behind the bar. 'Thanks..' You answered and left the tavern. 'It must be around 4:50 right now.. Hmm.' You mumled to yourself, looking at the dark night sky.. All the stars aligned in it.

'Venti, can you.. Like.. get off or something.' You asked, his warm breath tickling you neck. The guy didn't respond, making you face palm yourself. How the hell is he fast asleep while clinging to you like that!? '...' You sighed deeply.

....

With a stretch he yawned, opening his eyes and realized he was in a strangers bed. '...' With an element of surprise he looked around him, seeing you laying a few inches away from him with your back turned to him.

'OhoHOh! Was I lucky enough to-'

'No you didn't got laid.' He screeched startled as youturned around. 'Its that I'm nice enough that I let you stay for the night.. You were totally gone..' You pursed your lips, again a hint of irritation on your face. 'Even so.. I'm in the same bed as the prettiest person in Tevyat.. That's an honor!' He brought out excited, embarrassed you stared at him as a rosey tint appeared on your cheeks. '... You're embarrassing me. Geez.' You averted yourgaze away from the Archon, your head soonly after disappearing under the blankets. Venti laughed softly, sitting up straight and smiled broadly. 'Well.. A bard must continue his work huh?' With an easy 'swoosh' He stood back on two legs. You uncovered your head to observe what just happened, seeing the guy was already about to take his leave. '.. Right.' You answered, a hidden tone of disappointment to your voice. 'But, my little songbird! I'm sure we'll meet again soon..' He giggled once more and leaned over the bed to reach your face, pressing a soft kiss on your forehead before standing back up.

'.. Until then.. Barbatos..'

#genshin #genshin men #genshin fanfics #genshin venti #venti fanfic #venti x reader #angels share #Genshin impact #Genshin fluff #Fluff #venti fluff #cUTE ASF #I wanna squish Venti's cheeks #fanfic #venti fic #venti x y/n

[glazelilyy]

you, yourself (diluc)

pairing - diluc ragnvindr x gender neutral reader

word count - 2552

genre - angst with comfort

format - fic

warnings - changing yourself for the sake of others, crying, one sided discourse

summary - after a long day of work and fueled by exhaustion, diluc impulsively says some things he doesn't mean to you, his lover, and is confused when the next day you aren't acting like yourself and more like him.

a/n - yeah this is heavy. changing yourself to please others really sucks. additional note, the reader is a bit stylized for plot purposes meaning they have a bit of a personality to them but i still hope it makes for a good angsty experience. there'll be more of this topic with the other characters i write for which is why diluc's name is in brackets :)

content under the cut!

if master diluc were to embody wispy shadows and the darkness of night, you were a basket of sunshine and embodied warm, fuzzy bumble bees.

diluc himself wasn't exactly sure how he'd managed to fall at your feet, heart on his sleeve instead of locked away behind his chest. for someone who lives in the dark, you were the end of the tunnel, his bright light. he'd managed to stumble his way into love and yet you welcomed him with open arms, took his hands and said "we'll do it together."

you were no different, always the bubbly and cheerful one you'd found yourself at a loss for words when one day you realized the elusive and mysterious master diluc had captured your heart. in a way his liking to the shadows and quiet demeanor drew you in not unlike a moth to a flame.

you weren't total opposites though, after all a relationship needs to have some middle ground. you both loved chess, private time, and a good book in the early moments of evening when the crickets in the bushes that surrounded dawn winery had yet to come out.

a bit of an "oddball couple" (as kaeya affectionately referred to the pair of you), it wasn't uncommon for many locals to see your hand intertwined with the wine tycoon's as you walked towards angel's share—you rambling on about a pretty butterfly or the like you'd seen during your commissions today, while diluc simply nodded and listened along with a loving smile on his face.

diluc at first was hesitant to reach out to someone so luminous like yourself. where you thrived in light he lurked in shadows and he wasn't all that sure that his affections would manifest into anything meaningful. he can still fondly recall your comment on his perception: "to hell with opposites! i like you, you like me, that's all that matters!" you had said with the biggest grin you had to offer.

and you were right, despite your differences the only fact that mattered was that you loved each other. you both believed so at least.

but as of late, diluc's patience had been running thin. the lack of sleep combined with hours upon hours of work both for his business and for the protection of mondstat left him weary and lethargic. by the end of the week he felt little more than a shell of a man.

today, he'd woken up with a glorious three hours of sleep to his name, left in a hurry without the breakfast you carefully prepared (to which he deeply apologized with a kiss on your cheek), sat through countless boring meetings, and sifted through mountains of transportation and quality check documents.

by the time he was to bartend at angel's share for the night, the exhaustion was visible on his sullen face. the shot glasses in his palms felt as heavy as lead, and though drink orders came in through one end of his ear, they always exited out the other side like the faintest of winds. and something else brewed quietly within the confinements of his mind: anger fueled by exhaustion and frustration. he'd almost snapped at a nearby drunkard but managed to reign himself in, though he didn't know how long he could keep it up.

"maybe you should take a break boss..." diluc was brought back from his thoughts into reality when charles placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"...i'm fine," he meant to mumble, but it emerged from his lips more like a sour grumble.

he turned to resume mixing drinks when your hand came to rest upon his knuckles, stilling his movements.

"actually charles, he'll take you up on that suggestion. come on diluc." you gently pried the glass away from him.

"(y/n)." from his stern eyes and warning tone alone you could tell he wasn't happy with your interjection.

"i'm sorry, but you need some rest, even for just a few minutes." you smiled apologetically and took him by the arm, pushing the back entrance door open in the process.

the cool night air did little to calm the simmering anger and frustration that had been swimming in the deepest pits of his stomach for the past few days. in an attempt to get a grip on himself, he leaned his forearms on the wooden beams and massaged his burning temples with the tips of his fingers.

"feeling better?" with a gentle smile you placed your palm on his shoulder.

"...quite." he grunted, though his grainy voice betrayed his response.

"you don't really think i'd believe that right?" your teasing smile fell when he made no move to reciprocate or validate your comment. "you've been working so hard lately," you paused to collect your thoughts, and tried to pick up the mood with your signature brightness, "but on the bright side at least you've accomplished so much! i'm very proud of you and you should be proud of yourself too." still, no answer from your lover.

heaving a heavy sigh, you spoke up once again. "you're doing your best no matter what, i hope you realize tha-"

"must you always be like this?" the atmosphere suddenly grew cold and bitter, as did his voice.

"be...be like what?" your smile grew confused and began to feel out of place on your face.

"you drag me out here in the middle of a shift and for what- for me to listen to your rambles again?" he sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth and met your puzzled eyes, the ends of his fingers dug into the polished wooden banister in front of him.

"di-"

"there's no end to it is there? you simply ramble on and on and expect me to listen but there's only so much i can take. archons forbid you ever shut your mouth for once." the eyes that had looked at you so fondly this morning now burned with quiet passion, as if the gentle flips of a fan over cooling embers had begun to rapidly move up and down. you stood in utter bewilderment and hurt, each syllable of his words slapping you across the face like a whip.

diluc however, seemed not to notice the utter look of pain on your face. the rims of your eyes began to pool with tears as you desperately looked at him for any sense of rationality.

"diluc could we talk-"

i simply do not have time for this, please excuse me." he scoffed and brushed past you back in through the doors of the tavern.

and all you could do was stand there, watching as his figure retreated past the wooden door, and let his words ferment in your mind as tears cascaded down your face.

the words you so badly wanted to speak got caught in your throat and coagulated in place.

***

diluc doesn't remember how he managed to fumble through his last shift at angel's share, nor does he remember exactly how he somehow stumbled home and flopped into bed still wearing his day clothes. what he does remember is the feel of your hand on his knuckles, and nothing else. everything was a blur mixed in with exhaustion and frustration.

the morning greeted him with an aching spine that sent shoots of pain down towards his legs. unconsciously, his hands stretched out seeking the warmth of your body...

...only to find your side of the bed cold. his eyes snapped open and, though blearily, he scanned the room in search of your figure. perhaps you'd simply gotten up to use the restroom or change clothes. but much to his bewilderment, you were nowhere in sight. your side of the bed had been neatly made. the satchel you usually carried everywhere hung from a nearby rack in the entrance to the bedroom.

confused, he managed to clamber off of his awkward sleeping position from the bed and went about his morning routine. the feeling of going through the motions of his morning felt off without you by his side, reminding him to brush in circles instead of straight lines, or adjusting the broach on his chest while he fumbled with the buttons of your shirt.

he finished up and pulled open his bedroom door, only to jump in surprise when you stood there, fist raised as if you were about to knock.

"good morning." you politely smiled, looking at him with loving eyes.

the minute you opened your mouth, diluc felt a sick feeling crawl up his spine. your voice, it was odd, something he couldn't place his finger on.

"good morning, my love." he pressed a swift kiss to your forehead.

"i've made breakfast." there it was again, your voice. something was wrong, despite the fact that you looked perfectly normal, even your signature smile was on full display.

as if to silently ask you if something had happened, he placed one of his large, warm hands on your shoulder, the other finding solace on your cheek.

"you could have woken me up. i thought you loved my pancakes?" he spared a teasing smile, just for you, but it fell flat quickly. usually you'd make a witty remark or tease him just the same. but instead you simply stood there, that same smile on your face, and took his hand.

"the food will get cold." you spoke quietly, tugging him towards the stairs.

he obliged and followed but the nauseating feeling eating away at diluc's skin hadn't ceased. something was wrong, he could feel it. and yet as you sat down in front of him at the dining table and cut into your waffles, you appeared perfectly normal.

diluc mimicked your actions and stuck his fork into a strawberry. he looked at you expectantly, knowing that during the morning at breakfast, this was where you'd eagerly talk about the activities you had planned for the day. and yet you sat, munching on your waffles surrounded by a thick fog of silence.

he cleared his throat and met your eyes. "darling, what do you have planned for the day?" instead of going on an animated rollercoaster of dialogue like you usually did, you merely shrugged your shoulders and stuck another bite of waffles into your mouth. diluc frowned, now he knew something was up.

when breakfast had finished, he tried to pull you aside from the hustle and bustle around the winery but you took off with the excuse of needing to get to the guild early.

while he went through the motions of his day, he couldn't get his interactions with you out of his head. diluc hadn't feel the presence of that spark you held that he loved so much. what remained felt cold, and empty. it was quite unlike you to hold your tongue and keep your voice down, it bothered him to no end.

while he sat through meetings, the only face he saw was your eerily calm one. while signing documents, he could only remember the unusual quietness of your voice. these thoughts taunted him all throughout the day, he ended up abandoning what little work he had done in order to catch you before you scurried off towards another commission.

luckily for him, he caught you just as you were cashing in your last commission as dusk began to fall.

"(y/n) i'd really like to have a word with you." he panted, having run all the way from the winery to mondstat. one of his hands perched itself his knee and the other softly gripped your elbow. you nodded and let him lead you to the lake behind mondstat's walls.

"is something the matter my love? you've barely spoken a word." with both hands he took your face into his palms and thumbed your cheeks. his brows furrowed, creasing in the middle, the worry no longer held closed behind the cages of his mind.

you heaved a deep sigh and cast your gaze towards the grassy floor coated in the last remaining rays of sunlight, in favor of staring into his searing red eyes.

"i'm just a bit scared." you mumbled, reaching up to grip his charcoal coat. "scared? of what? have you been threatened?" you couldn't help but silently laugh to yourself and shook your head rapidly.

"no, none of that. i just...wish not to upset you." dumbfounded, diluc could only look at you with confused eyes.

and suddenly he felt his heart drop to the deepest pits of his stomach. the words he'd spouted towards you out of pure frustration and exhaustion hit him like a ton of bricks as he looked through the fog that clouded his memory. concern and worry replaced themselves with an enormous wave of guilt as his horrified face looked towards you.

"(y/n) i- i can't believe i said that i-..." his grip from your shoulder slackened as he stepped back, raising a hand to his mouth as the guilt in his stomach swished and swayed like a torrential stormy sea. you fumbled with your hands, a bit at a loss for words.

"i just wanted to make sure you were okay...i didn't mean to make it worse...i'm sor-"

"no, no. do not apologize, i'm the one who should be groveling at your feet for forgiveness." he interrupted you, running his gloved hand through his frazzled locks.

"diluc..." you took his hand that had been gripping his mouth and held it in both of yours. "i won't lie, what you said hurt me deeply. but i know you were just exhausted and-"

"no, please. don't make excuses for me. i've made a mistake (y/n), but i promise you," his burning hands found their way into yours, gripping them with a passion you'd never seen in him before, "i meant none of those words. i love listening to you, i love your voice- archons you have the most lovely voice. please, even if you are to leave me i ask that you never hold your tongue-" he opened his mouth to speak more but you cut him off by slinging your arms around his neck and pulling him close to you in a comforting hug.

"i won't leave you diluc." you mumbled into his shirt.

diluc's hands hovered in the air before holding you to his body in a desperate grip. "i deeply apologize, no words could ever describe how sorry i am that you heard those vile words from me, my love." you felt his trembling lips fall upon your temple, then your cheek. you pulled your face back to look him in the eye only to find tears running down his burning face. with a smile—a genuine smile—you rose your hands up and wiped away the streaks from his face.

"thank you, i really appreciate the apology." you pressed your forehead against his and brushed your noses.

he buried his face in the crook of you neck and breathed words you only rarely ever heard from him: "i love you." of course, you never needed to hear him say it to know how he felt, but whenever he did say it, he made sure to save it for just the right moment.

"i love you too diluc, thank you." you planted a kiss in his hair and buried yourself deeper into his embrace.

date published: june 25th, 2021

#gender neutral reader #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #diluc ragnvindr x reader #diluc #diluc ragnvindr #diluc x reader #genshin diluc #diluc angst #diluc x y/n #diluc x you

[honey-milk-depresso]

That Flower Shop in Mondstadt (Various Mondstadt Characters)

“Oh! Mr. Diluc!” Diluc comes to your flower boutique every morning to pick up new flowers to replace to freshen up his winery which was just next door to your boutique. You always wonder why such a wealthy man would wanna buy flowers from your plain, humble shop. He had all the money in the world to buy much more beautiful flowers from much more famous and luxurious flower boutiques, so why buy here? Well, you weren’t one to question him, and you didn’t mind him.

“Good morning,” he simply stated as he went back to looking at the flowers.

“Those windwheel asters....did they come in yesterday?”

“Yeah! My family is constantly harvesting flowers, and I’m trying my best to help them!”

Your family run a farm all the way back in Liyue where they not just sell flowers, but fruits and vegetables too. 

“Are you perhaps preparing for the Windblume Festival to take place? You sure have a loaded amount of it, as well as cecilias.”

“Well, I told them that and asked if they can import more of those flowers to, you know..”

“Economics.”

You giggled at his statement.

Your shop was at hot topic during the Windblume Festival. Not only were your flowers good quality, but they were cheap too, something you prided over your shop.

“Anyways, I would like to buy these windwheel asters.”

“Alright!”

After paying for his flowers, you greeted him.

“Hope you have a nice Windblume Festival, Diluc!”

It wasn’t visible, but his face was printed with a small smile on his delicate features.

“You too.”

=================================

“Good afternoon, y/n!”

“Hi, y/n!”

“Jean! Barbara! Welcome!”

Jean and Barbara, the two beautiful sisters, would always come here to visit your boutique to check out new flowers and, of course check up on their best friend, you. Always in the early afternoon.

“So, y/n. What tea have you brewed today?”

“Some osmanthus tea.”

Your family love delivering herbs to you, just so you won’t miss the taste of home. You found that really sweet, and also a great opportunity to share this earthy tea to others not from Liyue.

“Ooh! Nice!”

You poured the tea into three teacups as the smell of the osmanthus tea wafted through the air which helped calm the atmosphere of the tranquil boutique.

“One for you and one for you.”

“Thanks y/n!”

“Thank you very much, y/n.”

“Hope you have a wonderful Windblume Festival!”

“You too!”

“Yeah!”

You three giggled.

“Cheers!”

=================================

“See you got super excited over the Windblume decorations of your store, y/n!”

“Yes, hello Venti.”

The bard would come to your boutique randomly, but always in the afternoon. He likes coming to your boutique to talk about many things and he even offered to play some music for some “boutique jazz” is what he liked to call.

“Say, I like those turquoise and gold banners you have this year!”

“You don’t say?”

“Mhm! Anyways, do you still have some of that, ahem, osmanthus wine of yours your family is also well known for?~” he raised his eyebrows with that, oh so, suggestive smirk. He might be cute, but he was very much a mischievous bard.

“Yes, yes, I do,” you smiled and rolled your eyes, taking out the auburn bottle with a yellow gold and white label on it.

“Ahahahaha! Wonderful! As thanks, I’d like to invite you to be one of my pupils!”

Oh, you know this. He always does it every Windblume Festival where he would get people and teach people on how to write a good poem. Looks like you made pre-payment for a class you haven’t attend yet.

“Oh, no, I really shouldn’t! Ahehe...”

“Oh where’s the fun, y/n? It’ll be way more fun than last year! Promise!”

You sighed. That’s what he said every year. But you couldn’t resist thos adorable puppy eyes he was giving you. Ah, he’s lucky he’s cute.

“Alright, fine.”

“That’s the spirit, y/n! Meet you at five in the evening! Have a wonderful Windblume Festival!”

=================================

“Albedo.”

“Y/n”

Albedo came here to buy your flowers and use them for experiements.

Sometimes he came with Sucrose but it looks like today he came alone.

“Any flowers you would like to buy?”

“Hmmm, yes. Those qinxings and wolfhooks over there.”

“Alright.”

As he finished paying, he asked you, “So, y/n. Have any plans for today’s Windblume Festival?”

“Oh, eh, yeah. Just recently. Venti asked me to participate in his poetry class,” you sighed.

He simply chuckled. “Well, that’s nice.”

He gave you an amber stone, on it, or more like inside it, was a cecilia.

“I was experimenting with minerals and in the process I made this. I found it quite beautiful, so I thought maybe I should give it to you for the Windblume Festival.”

You smiled softly. “Yeah, it really is beautiful. Thank you so much, Albedo!”

“You too!”

“Oh yeah, tell Sucrose I said hi!”

=================================

“K-Kaeya??”

“Why if it isn’t the Lady Silk Flower herself, y/n!”

“Please stop calling me that...”

Kaeya was that flirtatious knight, as well as Diluc’s brother. He would always be at Diluc’s winery to drink together with Venti and Rosaria. He’s not really there to buy flowers, more so of your osmanthus wine you sold, but he’s not really a regular customer, nor was he a rare visitor. Usually in the evening. But as charming as he is, why did he want to learn poetry when he’s a natural at being a poetic and constructive flirter?

“Well, Venti, what do you say?”

“Deal!”

You groaned internally. Great, now there’s homework.

“So, Silk Flower, what are you going to be writing about?” Kaeya asked as he gave you a playful smirk.

As much as this guy was pulling at your nerves, you couldn’t help but swoon internally of how fine he looks. That damn knight.

“Love,” you said as your facial features remain stoic.

“Ahahaha! Oh you!”

There was a comfortable silence between the both of you.

“Why not tomorrow at seven in the evening I invite you over to the Dawn Winery? Hm?~ Don’t worry, the drinks are on me.”

“I don’t really drink, but, if you want, I can bring a bottle of my family’s osmanthus wine?” you offered.

He simply let out a soft chuckle before he used his hand and gently grab your chin and tilted you up to face him.

“I just want you, though.~”

You blushed a crimson red before you pushed him away. “Oh shush! You want my wine or not?!”

“Of course , of course!” he laughed

Geez.

=================================

“Hm?”

“Surprise!”

Dawn Winery was filled with all the familiar faces. From Diluc to Sucrose and even Albedo was there, smiling.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s a thank you party of course!”

“Thank you party?”

“Yes,” now Diluc got your attention, “Before Windblume, I saw you working day in and out to import and export flowers, and of course your family wine. We just wanted to thank you and that we appreciate your hard work, y/n. You’re flowers and presence really freshen and lighten our day.”

“Mhm! Now come sit down and be merry with us, y/n!” Venti exclaimed with that drunk smile of his.

“You-you guys...you really didn’t have to do this.”

“Of course we had to, y/n,” Jean smiled warmly.

Barbara nodded. “Yeah! You deserve it!”

Albedo simply nodded.

“But-”

Diluc cut you off as he pat your head to which you instantly shut up and looked at him with a slightly red face.

“Yes. Yes you do, y/n. Now, let us enjoy this moment together. All of us.”

Now he really smiled.

#genshin impact #genshin #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #diluc x reader #kaeya x reader #venti x reader #jean x reader #barbara x reader #albedo x reader #genshin diluc #genshin kaeya #genshin jean #genshin barbara #genshin albedo #genshin venti #genshin albedo x reader #genshin kaeya x reader #genshin diluc x reader #genshin jean x reader #genshin barbara x reader #genshin venti x reader #genshin impact venti x reader #genshin impact kaeya x reader #genshin impact jean x reader #genshin impact barbara x reader #genshin impact diluc x reader #genshin impact albedo x reader #genshin oneshots #genshin impact oneshots

[stargazer-balladeer]

S/o’s birthday but locks themselves in their rooms because they don’t feel special [Genshin Impact]

Characters Included: Aether, Childe, Diluc, Kaeya & Venti.

Notes: Ayeeee! Since it’s my birthday today, why not make this? :))) I actually got carried away 🥲 this is around 3.5k words in total. Hope ya’ll like this!

Reader’s Gender: Neutral (tho i think there’s a slight implied female hehe…)

Warning: probably some swear words here and there knowing me- and mild suggestive themes in kaeya’s part 

[albedo, scaramouche, xiao]

Aether remembers your birthday more than he knows his- like srsly, he’s the kind that remembers his s/o’s bday more than his. He’s also the kind that celebrates it privately unless you want to celebrate it with others, which he doesn’t mind. He might have a hard time deciding what kind of gift you want, but sooner or later, he already has one (or multiples bc he can’t decide-). 

Imagine his confusion when your day finally arrives but he can’t find you anywhere, even Paimon, who was excited to celebrate your bday (“oohh~ I can’t wait to eat the cake!” - Paimon), seems confused. Probably the culprit in planting worry in the travellers head as she jumps to conclusion that you might’ve been kidnapped. 

Luckily, he checked your house before he could report it to the knights of Favonius or the Qixing (like any normal person should do really-). When he received no reply, he takes out the spare key you gave him and entered your house, an invasion of privacy he knows but it's an emergency- 

Knowing that you’re in your room when he can’t find you downstairs, he knocks on your bedroom door softly while calling your name. Imagine his (and Paimon’s) relief when the door cracked open. Immediately engulfing you into a hug, he lets out a sigh of relief. He then proceeds to ask you what you were doing inside your room when it’s your birthday. His heart literally broke when you stated your reason. Tightening his hold around your figure, he smiles bitterly, knowing that feeling all too well..

“That’s not true. None of that stuff is true. Everyone deserves to feel special on their birthday, most especially you. We’ve brought some food, and cake of course. Also some gifts from other people. If you want, do you want to celebrate it with just the two, or rather three, of us?”

You, who was a literal angel in his eyes deserve the world. He honestly wants to find whoever put that idea in your head but that was reserved for another moment. For now, his main priority is your happiness. Guiding you downstairs where Paimon was (she left when aether hugged you, knowing you two needed privacy. also the cAKE-), he watches as your eyes sparkle at the sight of the cake. 

Grinning softly he made sure you had fun with your birthday. Even though it would be more fun with more people, it feels more special if it’s celebrated with just the two of you. Staring you with pure adoration as you laughed merrily at the sight of Paimon stuffing herself with food. He couldn’t help himself but lean forward to place a kiss on your forehead and then on your lips, leaning back with a smile on his face. 

“Happy birthday, my love. May many more to come. Maybe next time, we can invite other people. Though I don’t mind if we’ll celebrate it with just the two of us only-” And Paimon! Don’t forget about Paimon!” “Yes yes. And Paimon.”

Similar to Aether, he would most definitely remember your birthday. After all, it holds a special place in his heart, alongside his family. And since this boi is rich af, he would most definitely try to spoil you on your birthday. Piles of expensive (or just cheap yet meaningful) gifts, reservation to a high-class restaurant in Liyue Harbor, and all that glamour. 

Actually, he didn’t find it odd that he didn’t see you immediately, thinking that you overslept or just relaxing in your house. But he soon finds it weird when it’s already around 3 in the afternoon and no sign of your face in the crowd, something he raised a brow at but shrugged it off. It isn’t until it’s almost the time of the reservation he made when he finally realized what’s going on. 

When he arrived at your house, dressed in a suit similar to Zhongli except it’s entirely black and white, waiting for you to come out. After a couple of minutes, he soon got concerned and decided to enter your bedroom through the window (pls do not do this at home). Startled at the sudden appearance of your handsome yet cheeky boyfriend, he stares at you with eyes asking the questions he didn’t dare to tell. 

Knowing he will get his answer one way or another, you decided to tell him about your dilemma. After you finished explaining yourself, silence surrounds you, which is quite worrisome since your boyfriend is known for his rather talkative behavior. Blinking in surprise at the sudden embrace of the 11th Harbinger, his hug was rather tight but not too tight that it cuts your oxygen. Speaking in a low, faint voice, a surprising feat for him, you can make out what he said as clear as day. 

“I’m sorry. I should’ve noticed it sooner. I was trying to be a perfect boyfriend for you but I guess I failed in that aspect. You know, if you feel like you aren’t special enough to celebrate your birthday, then what about me? Me who stained his hands with the red blood of his enemies, always engaging in a fight, clashing with other blades. Insecurity is really an asshole huh? Let me make it up to you now. Let’s not anymore go to that stupid high-class restaurant, c’mon, up you go. You better dressed comfortably when I come back or else…”

Leaving you quickly before coming back immediately, this time in more comfortable clothing rather than the stiff suit he wore earlier. This time as well, he entered your house normally through the door. In his arms, he was holding a bunch of stuff and proceeded to dump it on the living room table. It was different kinds of movies in different genres, you spotted some of your favorite movies in them (makes you also wonder where he got these from since you don’t remember seeing these in the room he stays-).

He would suggest making a pillow fort, and while making the pillow fort, he proceeded to smack you with one. Which ensued a pillow fight between you two. It successfully made the both of you a laughing mess by the end, filled with feathers. Childe then carries you bridal style to the incomplete pillow fort and starts the movie you chose. Placing you in his lap and placing his head either on your shoulder or head depending on your height, cuddling you from behind tightly with a contented smile on his face. 

“You know what? This might not be how I envisioned how your birthday would go, but I’m not complaining. Happy birthday, comrade. My most adorable and most cutest and only love. I love you so much that you’ll be the very reason why I die so suddenly. So stop being so cute okay?” 

(You two are living together in this one.)

Diluc has the probability of forgetting your birthday due to his busy schedule, especially if it’s starting to rise when your birthday draws near. He might neglect you for a couple of days, too engrossed in his work. When the day finally arrives, it completely leaves his mind. Like he’ll think of it as a completely ordinary working day. It isn’t until one of your friends told him to send you their birthday greetings that he remembered. And oh boy does he feel guilty, like srsly, he literally froze when he realizes what day it is today. And you know what that means? ✨Panicc✨

Honestly, I can see him buying the whole store XD. In the state of panic, his common sense just leaves him completely that he ends us buying practically the whole store. It would be sent to the Dawn Winery immediately as he buys some flowers from Flora, who also sent you her birthday greetings, which made him more guilty-

When Diluc steps foot inside the manor, he tries to search for you outside the gardens where he usually finds you but when he doesn't, he gets worried. Asking the head maid immediately about your whereabouts, and his concern and worry (and guilt) grew even more when he finds out that you haven’t gone out of your room. He quickly went to your shared room, with the flowers still in his hands, and knocked on your door. Calling your name softly and asking for permission to enter, when granted he entered the room as quickly as possible. But seeing the sight of you bundled up in your blanket made his heart crack.

Placing the flowers at the bedside table, he quickly made his way in front of you and kneeled down to meet your eye level. You can tell he was very worried about you with how frantic his eyes seem and the concern underlying it. With the way he was staring at you, you can’t help but spill your insecurity to him. The reason why you were hiding in his room rather than go out to celebrate your day of birth. Every word you spill made his heart break even more. Seeing tears started to leak from your eyes, he placed his two hands on your face wiping away the tears with his thumbs. Smiling at you gently and placing a kiss on your eyelids and on your nose.

“I completely understand, my love. Even I sometimes feel that way. Also to the point where I don’t want to celebrate my birthday even, but that won’t do my love. You are so special, you deserve your special day to be well special. If you want to simply lay here and sleep, then so be it. If you want to go out and do something, then I’ll happily oblige. Let’s obliterate those awful thoughts, and if those keep persisting, I’ll slice them up for you. I’ll keep picking you up when you fall. So, what is your command, my love?” (i'm so tempted for him to say master-)

Whatever your answer may be, one thing for sure, Diluc is seen smiling adoringly at you. Even the maids noted how soft the master is around you, particularly today. Whether curled up together in the bed, with him embracing you tightly to his chest and placing a kiss on top of your head. And if you listen carefully, you can hear him quietly humming a tune that his father (or mother) sang to him. Or you two outside in the garden, simply admiring the view with his hand around your waist. 

Either way, at the end of the day, he would wake you up or make you go inside for dinner. You haven’t eaten breakfast or lunch yet so you’re probably hungry by now. If you don’t want to leave your room or want to return to your room, he would understand and make the maids bring the food to you. When the maid(s) finally arrives with the food, you notice the cake on the tray. Looking at him as he chuckles, taking the trays from the maids. Humming a light tune, he scoops a spoonful of cake and holds it to your mouth, with a slight smirk on his face, eyes twinkling with mischief. 

“Stop staring at me like that, did you really think I would let the day go by for you to not celebrate your birthday properly? From what I know, birthdays have cakes in them, whether a huge cake or a cupcake. Say ‘ahh’~... Happy birthday my love. May next year be more enjoyable than now.”

Kaeya remembers your birthday like the back of his hand, I think he’s even more excited than you really. Eagerly awaiting your birthday as he counts down the days, dropping hints and stuff to you birthday-related, and probably plans a birthday party for you. The knights immediately agreed on it, including a certain bard, traveler, and wine master (albeit more hesitantly). He made sure that this party would be successful, constantly checking on the plans and such. To the point that everyone was practically fed up with his constant questions. But they understand that he wants this to be a successful and enjoyable party for you. It got to the point where Diluc kicked him out of his Tavern after asking for the umpteenth time. 

When your day finally arrives, he was practically beaming with joy and excitement. To the point where he can’t hide it behind the cool and suave facade he wears. He quickly made his way to you, going along with the plan of distracting you as they started to prepare for the party. In his total excitement, he didn’t notice the rather gloomy atmosphere around the house. But when he arrived at your door, that is when he noticed how quiet your house is.

Now albeit worried, his excited smile slipping from his face and now replaced with a worried frown, he knocked on your door, calling you in his usual teasing voice. When he didn’t hear your response, the bubble of anxiety appeared in his body. Twisting the knob and finding it unlocked, he quietly and carefully opened the door. Seeing your back immediately, seeing your side rise and fall making him sigh in relief that you were still alive. Closing the door gently but made a noise to alert you of his presence. Taking a seat behind you, he ran his cold fingers on your back, watching you arching at the sudden coldness of his fingers. Smiling slightly, he asked what’s wrong. 

Turning around to face him, you buried your face on his chest, inhaling his strong masculine scent. Instinctively wrapping his arms around you, he played with your hair with one of his hands. Tapping on your head slightly, beckoning for you to answer his question. With no way out, you decided to come clean. You explain how you feel like you don’t feel like you deserve to be treated as special on your birthday and all that sort. His face was void of emotion as he stared at the ceiling with his unique pair of blue eyes. Outside he might seem emotionless. But inside, he was on the brink of insanity. Who dares to put such an idea on his s/o’s mind? Why would you think of that? Was this insecurity of yours also his fault?

“That must be the most stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You’re not special? Please. Don’t try to make me laugh with that joke ‘cause it’s not funny. You are a jewel, a star, a constellation. As rare as the gems, or rather visions. You can even rival the very sun with your smile. I know those demons in your head keep saying those words to you, the temptation is so tempting, right? Just succumbing to them to make them quiet. But that’s why I’m here, my dearest snowflake. I’m here for you. You’re so special to everyone, most especially to me. You mean the world to me. Anyway, enough of this tear-jerking stuff, we have a party to celebrate. And we can’t celebrate it without the birthday gal/guy now can we?”

Despite your protests, he lifted you effortlessly and carried you outside and into the dawn winery where the party was held. Placing you on the ground and pushing you forward where people from Mondstadt came and greeted you with happy birthdays. Smiling at the sight of you being overwhelmed at the warm greetings, and then chuckling at how bright your face became. Diluc nudges him to you, beckoning him to help you before returning to what he was previously doing (most likely trying to force a bard to not finish all the wines in the vicinity).

After a while in the party, Kaeya brings you to a secluded place with no people for air. Being in a party filled with people could be suffocating at times, especially if you’re not used to it. He intertwined his hands with yours and bends down to meet your eye level (or leans down if you have the same height as him-). He gives you a cheeky smile and proceeds to place a peck on your lips. Chuckling when you pouted and glared at him, wanting more kisses.

“My my, what a greedy vixen~ But it is indeed your birthday so I guess I have no choice but to oblige to whatever my birthday vixen wants me to do. Would you like me to strip as well? Haha. Kidding kidding. Happy birthday, princess/prince. May many more to come. Oh! I forgot. I heard from a certain birdie that you ordered for a personal performance from me~ would you like to get it now?” 

Since we all know that Venti practically doesn’t do anything like every day, I would safely say that he would remember your birthday. Probably save some mora to buy you a gift for your birthday, even though it’s not as fancy as the people in Liyue (they all rich kids-), it’s still meaningful. He probably made a bracelet all by himself with the beads he either bought or also made by himself. Nevertheless, he was as excited as Kaeya for your birthday. Already prepared songs to sing for you when that day comes. 

Venti immediately searches for you when the day finally arrives, but his excited and bright smile vanishes when he can’t find you in the crowd of people. Raising a brow at your sudden disappearance, he searched for you everywhere, the tavern, the church, the headquarters, everywhere but your house. So when he finally arrives at your house, he was filled with worry and concern. Entering your room through the window like usual, he sees your figure sitting on the floor while reading a book.

He pouted at the sight as he made his presence known by asking you why you were here and reading a book on your birthday. He watches as you jump from where you are and turns to look at him, sighing at the sight of him. He slowly made his way to you and sat next to you, his legs sprawled across the floor. He takes note of the food around you, which was non-birthday festive, it was just ordinary food. Not understanding why you’re sulking in your room, he asked you what’s wrong. 

Venti’s eyes widened at your explanation, feeling the sadness leaking at the words you said. They weave themselves around his heart, squeezing it, making him have a hard time breathing. He shares your pain. He was your soulmate after all. He immediately engulfed you in a hug, stuffing his face on the crook of your neck. You were so vulnerable in his eyes. You were so fragile. He desperately wants to protect you from the pain. But looks like he can’t protect you from your own demons. 

“Even though I promised myself to not say or do anything that’ll make you sad, I just need to get it off my chest. I’m sorry you had to suffer through that, those demons that a simple bard that weaves stories into songs can’t erase. Alright, no more feeling sorry for yourself. It’s time to get out and spend the rest of the day enjoyable, perfect for my precious Cecilia.” 

Without any warnings, he picked you up and jumped out of your window. Shrieking at the sudden fast pace, you instinctively wrapped your hands around him as he landed on the ground. Giving you a smug smile while saying “didn’t think i’d let you fall now?” Please slap him. Anyway, he laughed at your aggression and continued to run. Even if you ask where you’re going, he just says it's a secret. So might as well enjoy being in his arms as he continues to run (you swear you can feel the wind adding to his speed but that was just maybe your imagination-).

After a while, he placed you down and you realized where you are. It was Starsnatch Cliff, surrounding you were Cecilia flowers. Venti jumped on you, making you fall to the ground as he giggles. His hat flown back from the force of his sudden attack, he still has that stupid big smile on his face. Since his laughter is contagious, you couldn’t help but laugh alongside him. His eyes glistened with delight at the sight of your smile finally. Grabbing your hand and placing the bracelet he made, he pressed a kiss on your knuckle.

“This bracelet shall be a promise from me to you, a fellow bard to the fairest queen/king. I shall love you for eternity, this heart will only beat for you, and this body belongs to you. If you’re in dire need of assistance, don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll be there, forever and always. Happy birthday, my sweet flower.”

[x] Main Page || [x] Mondstadt Page || [x] Fatui Harbingers Page 

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact headcanons #aether #aether x reader #childe #childe x reader #diluc #diluc x reader #kaeya #kaeya x reader #venti #venti x reader #aether headcanons #childe headcanons #diluc headcanons #kaeya headcanons #venti headcanons

[chocoenvy]

Hi, I really love your works, they make me so soft(and cry). I really did get a brain wyrm with your last work, the council of gods, and I hope you don't mind me sharing. Just, you know how in imposter aus, there will be at least 1 or 2 characters that will be on readers side? How about for Imp, that's Kazuha (who has never felt comfortable with the imposter!God, the wind so cold and quiet around them) and Tomo(who is still alive because Imp might or might not have accidentally done something through teyvat). Just, these two having Imp's back whenever possible. (And maybe when Mari asks if anyone wants to phone home, everyone gets a shock seeing an alive Tomo.) ty for reading this blurb, I hope you have a good day!

Shameless plug for @fuwon but if you want more imposter au + kazoo and tomo read their story (here) pls it's amazingly yummy and deserves the world.

unsure if i can count this as a part two but who cares lol. This isn't edited and it was highkey rushed but alsdfkjsd;flkasdjfsdl writing is hard <3 (o h, that's why it took so long, it's almost as long as the first part-)

A Council of Gods: Part Two

warnings: Cult behaviors, fluff :>

"Oh, hey Mari? Can I- like - tell my acolytes where I am?" Emi scratched their head with an embarrassed grin, "They're probably freaking out right now."

The four gods, and the puppet, were in a lounging area. The puppet and Imp were playing miscellaneous games by the fire, Mari was sprawled across the rocking chair, Arte was reading a book they'd found about the Fatui.

Mari nodded with a soft smile, "Of course, Arte, would you like to do the same?"

"Huh? Oh," Arte startled from their book, "Yeah I need to." They smiled, "I'm sure they're ready to tear the archons apart."

Imp looked up from their game with the puppet, "Uh..." They fumbled with their new clothes, "Can I... call someone from my world?"

All eyes turned to them and Imp's breath caught in their throat.

Mari noticed how they froze and softened their gaze and tone, "You have someone from your world you'd like to talk to?"

Imp paused but nodded, "Mhm." They hummed.

Mari sighed, "As long as they don't hurt you, then of course you can." They said with a motherly smile.

Arte shut their book with a snap, "If they hurt you I'll hurt them ten times worse." They spat with a strained grin.

Emi giggled and pat Imp's head softly, "They won't even be able to touch you with us around."

Imp frowned, "Well, I like them, and they helped me run away from the fake god and the archons." A faraway look overcame their eyes and a frown tugged down at their lips, "They were ready to do anything for me."

"Well, I can bring your acolytes here now if you wish." Mari stood with a smile, "I'd prefer for you to not go back to your world to meet them. Acolytes can be overbearing, especially after you've been reincarnated." Mari chuckled, "If you went back home I doubt they'd let you come back."

"I'm fine with that." Emi beamed and Arte agreed.

"Now," Mari clapped and four of their realm dispatches appeared in their hands, "Who would you like to send these to?"

Emi had a hard time choosing, though eventually settled on Diluc (they wanted to choose Zhongli but Imp was barely able to stop shaking with one Zhongli around). Arte didn't struggle at all, immediately asking if they could see the Tsaritsa (their cheeks were dusted with a faint pink when they thought about her. It was hilariously cute). And Imp, surprisingly, didn't struggle either. They asked for Kazuha.

Mari nodded with a bright golden smile and the dispatches disappeared, "They should be here soon, they'll appear in the throne room so let's go there to wait for them."

The three others agreed, the puppet followed, casually holding Imp's hand as they walked through the halls. Imp got easily afraid of the acolytes walking around, but holding the puppet's hand made them feel grounded and the puppet never minded.

The five of them waited excitedly for their acolytes to arrive, Imp in particular was silently vibrating in anticipation. They were no longer able to focus on anything but tightly holding the puppet's hands and quietly flicking their eyes to the spot where they had first arrived.

A small white-ish blue light flickered in the spot and two guys appeared. A slightly taller blond holding onto the other's shoulder, who was holding the dispatch in his (unbandaged?) hand.

"Kazuha! Tomo!" Imp shouted, scrambling up and flinging themself onto them, "I missed you two! I'm glad you're both okay."

"Ah! Your grace!" Tomo shouted, "You're okay?"

Tears pricked Kazuha's eyes and Tomo's looked near watery.

"We were so worried about you!" Kazuha sniffled, "We thought- we thought the crow had gotten you."

Imp shook their head with a wide grin, "No, they didn't get me." They turned to the other three gods and the puppet, "Mari," They gestured to them, "Brought me here. They are a god of a different Teyvat, the one we're in right now..." Imp faltered as they looked between the three other gods, "Why do you guys look so..." Imp trailed off, nervousness gripping their veins. Even the puppet looked shocked.

"Tomo's..." Emi approached, staring at him. Their gaze flicked over to Imp, "How is he..."

"Oh!" Imp shouted, panicked, "I- uh- I don't know how I just kinda... accidentally, uhm... interrupted his duel... with the shogun..."

"You what?" Emi and the Puppet shouted, their eyes wide and mouths agape.

Imp flinched back and Kazuha steadied them, "I arrived to Teyvat at the starting area but I had my map and I wanted to go to Inazuma 'cause it had just come out and- and I saw Tomo about to get executed so I- I just- I didn't think and just ran forwards and the Shogun immediately stopped when she saw me!" Imp's hands were shaking, all of the words had tumbled out without any thought or breaks from their panic.

"Your grace," Tomo grabbed their face with his hands and squeezed lightly, "Calm down."

When he tugged on their cheeks they couldn't help but smile, "There ya go," Tomo grinned, "You're alright your grace. I've always told you that you'll be alright."

"I never thought that..." Mari hummed, standing from their throne, "I'm surprised Tomo is alive. It's nice to formally meet you both Tomo and Kazuha. I am grateful to the both of you for treating my friend here so."

Tomo and Kazuha could feel their godly presence. It wasn’t the same as their god, who had touched them with their Divine Gaze, but this world cherished the being in front of them. That much they could tell, so the two bowed.

“We are merely doing what loyal acolytes should.” Kazuha said, rising from his bowing, “The others in our world are fools for following the first sign of godhood, and they hold too tightly to the fake god.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Mari nodded, “One day we shall deal with that, but now is not the time.”

There was another flash of white-blue-ish light and the room temperature dropped significantly. The Tsaritsa stood tall in all her terrifying and blood-filled glory.

Though, as soon as they saw her, Arte launched themselves into her arms with no fear, giggling like a madman.

“Tsaritsa! Here you are! Haha! I’ve missed you.” They clung onto her tightly, and the poor Tsaritsa looked so confused as she glanced around at everyone in the room, but she held onto Arte just as tightly.

“I’m so glad you’re alright, your grace.” She held their face in her hands, though the gesture was far more intimate, “I was so worried for you, we all were.”

Emi leaned in towards Imp and Mari, muttering, “If they start making out I’m gonna throw my shoe at them.”

Imp chuckled, “I’ll burst into tears.”

Mari raised a brow but grinned all the same, “I’ll kick them out of my throne room if they do.”

Emi giggled and Arte looked over suspiciously. To which Emi and Imp looked away, and Mari merely smiled innocently.

Arte introduced the Tsaritsa to everyone in the room, including Kazuha and Tomo. The Tsaritsa bowed to the gods and thanked them for taking care of Arte.

“Thanks to you as well,” Mari said with a warm smile, “I’ve heard of Arte’s situation and I am glad that in their world they have a home to call their own.”

The Tsaritsa nodded, holding onto Arte’s hands, “As am I.”

Somehow, Mari and the Tsaritsa immediately dove into conversation pertaining to the harbingers and Mari’s puppet. Which the Puppet was very embarrassed about, hiding their face in their hands and leaning against Imp with a groan. Imp merely giggled at their suffering.

Emi, though, was getting antsy. Where was their acolyte? Their world was the most “normal” but at the same time the entirety of their Teyvat probably went insane when Emi went missing. In the short time Emi was gone, did they already destroy Teyvat trying to find them? Emi nervously bit their nail as the possibilities ran through their mind.

Luckily, the thoughts dissipated as a white-blue-ish light flickered in the room. But instead of Diluc, it was Kaeya holding a small pink bundle of fur in his arms. A… ticked off pink bundle of fur in his arms.

The little thing hopped out of his arms and Yae Miko appeared with an indignant puff, “Apologies, your graces,” She bowed, “For not getting Diluc. He is an unnecessarily suspicious and stubborn individual.”

Kaeya blinked at the once-fox-now-woman but shook himself out of his stupor at the sight of his god (and more?)

“Your grace!” He approached them and bowed lowly, grabbing their hand with a relieved sigh, “It relieves me to know that you are alright. The entirety of Teyvat was so worried for you.” He lifts himself up and grins brightly at Emi.

Emi smiles back, “Aha, is everything alright back at home? I was worried that you would all freak out because of this.”

Kaeya hummed, “It’s… well, we were all worried for you and… okay, the archons - not naming names but the electro and hydro archons - are trying to start up another archon war because they think one of the other archons have taken you-” Kaeya sighed, “It’s a whole, awful, completely unnecessary situation.”

Emi sighed loudly and smacked their forehead, “It hasn’t even been a full day yet,” They groaned.

“I’ve tried to get Ei to calm down,” Yae Miko frowned, “But whenever it comes to you, your grace, it seems as though all sense of reasoning just disappears from the archons.”

Emi huffed, and turned to the three other gods and the puppet with an apologetic smile, “I should probably go back home for a bit, or else I’ll come back to no Teyvat at all.” They smiled but their worried eyes told that they didn’t think it was a joke, “I had a nice time and will come back when I can. I just have to use the realm dispatch to come back?”

Mari nodded, “The same way you first came here. You can leave by tapping the dispatch again, it’ll automatically return you home.”

Emi nodded and grabbed Kaeya and Yae Miko’s hands, “Alright, thank you so much for all of this, and see you all soon!”

“Thank you for taking care of our grace, your highness,” Yae Miko bowed and Kaeya followed suit, also thanking Mari.

“See you Emi!” They all called after her, waving as they and their acolytes disappeared.

Arte and the Tsaritsa immediately lost themselves in conversation with one another. Arte worrying over the harbingers as though they were their children, and the Tsaritsa revealing how Tartaglia threw a tantrum when Arte went missing (the Tsaritsa also threw a tantrum but that’s besides the point).

Imp, on the other hand, yawned.

“Are you tired, your grace?” Kazuha asked, “I assume it’s been a long day for you, hasn’t it?”

Imp nodded and hummed in agreement.

“Here, I can show them to their room,” Puppet offered, “You two are free to come with..?” They trailed off, glancing at Mari for permission.

Mari nodded, “I’ll come as well, it’s about time to go to bed anyways.” They looked back at Arte and the Tsaritsa and called out, “You hear that lovebirds? We’re going to bed!”

Arte and the Tsaritsa turned. Arte giggled and pulled the Tsaritsa along by the hand.

When Arte and the Tsaritsa went into their room, the Puppet practically pleaded with them to “Be quiet, these walls are thin.”

To which Mari giggled and looked away but didn’t say anything. Arte’s face heated up a bit but they nodded in agreement.

Imp eagerly entered their room, Tomo splayed across the couch with a tired sigh and Kazuha carefully sat next to him. Imp paused and sat in between Tomo and Kazuha.

“I don’t wanna sleep alone, if that’s okay with you two?” They asked.

“Of course your grace.” Tomo patted their head, “It’s no different from camping outside. Well, other than this is a lot fancier than that.” He chuckled.

Imp hummed. After much emotional stress, they finally had a moment to rest in comfort and familiarity with their head leaning against Tomo's shoulder and Kazuha's head leaning against theirs. They were out like a light, snoring lightly.

Mari, who was leaning against the doorframe, hummed quietly, "Tomo's not your actual name, is it?"

Tomo chuckled and whispered, "No, it's not. But they called out to me on that day with so much panic and yet so happy to see me. And they called me friend I just..." He looked at them with an affectionate smile, "couldn't tell them my actual name.

I want them to call me that, always."

#choco.asks #sagau #cult genshin impact #genshin cult au #genshin self aware #cult genshin au #genshin sagau #genshin x reader #genshin impact #i hope this isn't that bad #cause writing this felt really hard for some reason #i had the inspiration and i knew what i wanted to do but it felt hard for whatever reason :< #whatever i just can't wait till the twins/child gods come in the next part (?( #i kinda wanna finish two gods before i continue this tho-

[bumbleklee]

just read your unplanned pregnancy hcs and first of wow second could you maybe write a continuation to them like maybe during the pregnancy or once the baby (or babies they could have twins) are born. Albedo's had me appdiisodhs like i need answers and i need some closure lmao

sorry this has taken so long anon, been a crazy couple of weeks lol. part 2 to this

diluc's is kinda short bc his ended on a happy note (o´∀`o)

before reading: reader is written as afab and goes by they/them pronouns but feel free to change it to whatever you want in your head, pregnancy, babies

diluc

he adjusted the best he could when you decided to keep the baby

neither of you were expecting a child anytime soon but like you said before, maybe it was a sign

and with diluc's status in mondstadt, no one even batted an eye wrong in his direction

in fact, you were showered daily with gifts or food from the townspeople of mondstadt (there was a rumor that some thought you were bearing an heir to the invisible throne of mondstadt)

in the rare occasion someone said something negative about the pregnancy, usually someone drunk at the tavern, diluc was quick to shut them down

After you gave birth to your babies (yes, you had twins), you thought the overwhelming support from the people of Mondstadt would stop. Instead, it only increased.

When you and Diluc entered the city, each holding a baby, you were always crowded right away. Elderly woman would knit your babies clothes and the young teenagers offered babysitting services. It should have been overwhelming but since your pregnancy was unexpected (having twins was even more unexpected) the extra help was greatly appreciated.

Woodworkers built you cribs for free and shop owners happily donated extra stock for your children.

After a long day in Mondstadt, that was supposed to be a quick trip, Diluc collapsed on the couch. He had both babies in his arms, cuddling them to this chest, while you carried multiple bags full of goods.

"People are so generous," You huffed out, putting the bags down and falling back next to Diluc, "Almost too generous."

He laughed tiredly and readjusted himself so you could snuggle into his side. "It's better than them being hateful, right?"

You nodded in agreement, "Much better."

zhongli

he was right about no one crossing him during your pregnancy

when you went for walks around liyue around, people turned their heads and paid no attention to you

to zhongli, that was delightful - no one cared

to you, it was uncomfortable

you had mortal friends in liyue who had gotten pregnant after marriage and they were praised from strangers on the streets and given free food or wisdom from elders

but not you

You were almost to term when Zhongli wanted to take you out to dinner at the Liyue Pavilion. Childe had given him a hefty check as a Christmas gift and Zhongli wanted to spend it on you and your unborn baby.

The restaurant was packed for a weeknight and Zhongli left for a moment to use the restroom. You sat at the table, absentmindedly rubbing your belly and shoveling noodles into your mouth.

"Isn't that the town whore?"

The words made you freeze. You heard the voices behind you and refrained from spinning around and glaring at the young women.

"It is! I heard this is the third time she's gotten knocked up and her boyfriend wouldn't let her kill it this time!"

"Boyfriend? She's not even married? I would be so ashamed to have her as my daughter - her poor family."

You stopped eating then. The women giggled and their voices faltered away. Your hand stopped rubbing your belly and laid there, your other hand clenching your chopsticks.

You didn't even realize you were crying until Zhongli came back to the table and alerted you.

"Oh, um, hormones," You lied, dropping your chopsticks to roughly push away your tears. Your sniffled and looked up, dabbing at the corners of your eyes to try and stop the tears. "I'm really not hungry anymore. I'll meet you outside, okay?"

You struggled to stand up and once you did, you waddled outside of the restaurant. You tried to pull your cardigan over your belly but since you were so far along, there was no way to hide it. It felt like the world was caving in on you. People could be so cruel.

Suddenly, you felt two arms wrap around you, pulling you into warmth. You smelled Zhongli's scent and clutched onto his shirt, letting even more tears fall.

"A worker told me what happened after you rushed out," He whispered into your ear, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" You sniffled.

"I wasn't there to protect you from them."

You looked up at Zhongli and he wiped away your tears. "Can we go on a vacation?"

When you said vacation, you didn't mean a week away to the beach. Honestly, you didn't feel safe in Liyue and you certainly didn't want to raise a baby in a city this strict.

"Of course we can," Zhongli said, immediately knowing what you meant, "Have you even been to Mondstadt?"

albedo

the minute you returned home on that eventful day, albedo began packing your bags

he knew what the knights were capable of and frankly, he didn't fully trust them right now

you were on the road by night and within two weeks (horses and carriages did wonders to help you), you had safely arrived in fontaine

you stayed in the country for your entire pregnancy and when your son turned a year old, the three of you started your journey back to mondstadt

When you stepped inside the gates of Mondstadt, you swore you could hear every hushed whisper rush into your head. Albedo stood firmly by your side, his hand on the small of your back as he urged you to continue walking towards the headquarters.

Your son wiggled in your arms but you didn't put him down. Until you knew exactly what was going to happen with the Knights, you weren't going to let your son out of your sight.

Fortunately, both Kaeya and Jean were doing paperwork in her office when Albedo knocked. He walked in first and they jumped up, extremely concerned with his absence.

You hesitantly walked in after Albedo and your coworkers stared for a moment.

"Wow," Kaeya said, "You did have the baby."

"We did," You confirm.

There's an awkward silence. No one knows what to say since the last encounter with each other ended so horribly. Jean is the one to finally speak up, "I think we owe you two an apology."

Kaeya nods in agreement. "After you two left, we realized we may have been too harsh on you both. We are getting to that age, after all."

Albedo glances at you from behind his shoulder and you smile softly to him. He turns back to Kaeya and Jean, "We'd like our positions back in the Knights of Favonius."

"You never lost them," Kaeya cheekily says. Albedo nods his head again, not wanting to say the wrong thing. You step forward and rub your son's back, getting his attention. You introduce him and Kaeya bends down towards the baby, "Why, hello there."

Your boyfriend cautiously watches from a distance as his friend dotes on his son. Eventually, Jean comes over to meet the child too.

If you thought about the situation hard enough, you still got upset. But seeing Kaeya and Jean love on your son instead of exiling him made you feel a lot better. Of course, you wished it didn't go down the way it did but the past was the past.

And as Albedo reached out to squeeze your free hand, you knew he felt the same way.

#genshin parenting #genshin baby #genshin #genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin self insert #genshin headcanons #genshin hcs #genshin writing #genshin diluc #diluc #diluc x reader #genshin zhongli #zhongli x reader #zhongli #genshin albedo #albedo #albedo x reader

[clarissalance]

Who has the upper hand?

Pairing: Kaeya x G/N!Reader, mention of Varka and Diluc.

Warning: Slight swearing, Kaeya is a lil shit, reader being stubborn and scheming, immense tension

Summary: You’re so terrible at swordsmanship that you can’t withstand 2 strikes from Kaeya or, are you? 

Word count: 3k5

Disclaimer: What is written in here is based on my imagination, nothing from this fic should be taken seriously. Most of the fact I put in this fic does not follow the lore of the game so it should only be taken as a grain of salt. For example: section 8 in Knight of Favonius codebook.

A/N: I struggle so much when I wrote this piece. This was suppose to be angstier but I tone down a little bit (because Kaeya was very OOC in my draft, I think he’s still a bit OOC in this fic but I tried my best ;-;, pls don’t bite me.) 

How did author write a 50k+ oneshot? I can’t write something more than 5k properly ;-; Anyhow, please enjoy this fic. I’m going to have a good rest for 2 weeks before release a comeback. Please shower Kaeya and our new MC with a lot of loves!!!! 

As a strategist of the knight of Favonius, you don't usually have enough time to finish the towers of reports, the never-ending meetings and dealing with cheap tricks Fatui diplomats. Often, you have to skip your daily sword training session, which results in a rather miserable situation. The whole practice ground is staring holes at your defeated posture. You are sitting on the hard soil ground, and the Calvary captain is towering you, his sharp blade just a few inches away from your throat. 

It is not a strange scene for any knights to lose a spar against the Calvary captain, he should be one with the best swordsmanship after Grand Master, and maybe Acting-Grand Master, too. However, as knight, they can usually withstand him at least more than 2 blows. 

Whispers and talks start to circulate around as soon as you stepped your foot in the training ground. It’s very uncommon to see people from that department wandering around this area. The strategy department is famous inside the Knight of Favonius to be the weakling-cunning-mouthy-jerks, who always find excuses after excuses to skip the monthly knight evaluation. 

So, who gives them the right to be exempt from the test? Of course, it’s from the ultimate high chief of strategy department. Rumours say before the strategy chief works for the Favonius knight, the man was once a legendary attorney. That person can flip words from black to white, turns the defendant from guilty to innocent.  With a profound convincing skillset coming from the chief, persuading the Grand Master Varka is easy as a piece of cake. The whole department of 10 people is easily off-hook for 3 years, never participate in the monthly evaluation before the man suddenly dropped the bomb 2 days ago.  

“ I’m tired from coming with excuses to cover for your lazy asses.” The man waved his hand, his eyes staring outside the window. His nails scratching the messy shaved chin.“ Varka seems to get used to navigating my thoughts-”

“Maybe time is wearing away your skill-” At the corner, someone accidentally blurted out, and the whole table gave him a sharp look. Did he have a death wish or something? If so, everyone here can happily dig him a hole, free charge for the coffin.

The chief cleared his voice again, blue eyes melancholy drifted to the table. “So, you guys have tried your best on this monthly evaluation. I hope to see you all again next month.” 

The meeting was dismissed afterwards, and everything spiralled into chaos. The whole department hasn’t touched anything aside from the parchment papers and the quills in the last 3 years. How are they going to master the swordman-ship in 2 weeks? 

But, the worst thing is,

Your well-respected, talented, and tactful chief has run away. 

The next morning, you received the news that a foxy old man is on a business trip to Fontaine with the Grand Master. The expedition is 2 weeks long.

You should have known what he meant when the deceitful man ambiguously ended his sentence like that. Nothing goes well when the chief said:  ‘Farewell, my comrades’. 

 For the last 2 days, you have been starting to familiarize yourself again with how to hold a sword and how to swing the sword. 

As you trail along with the long-forgotten memories, trying to look through the familiar feeling when swinging the sword, you hear footsteps coming in your direction. It is familiar, with the way the person is walking, the beat, the sudden burst of noise in the air, you can only conclude it’s the Calvary Captain. The practice ground seems livelier as soon as the man steps inside, people rushing to his side to give their greetings. Maybe today is one of his practice days.

 “ Never thought I would see you here.” The young man calls out, successfully jostle you up from your thoughts. You give him a complex look and turn away, focusing on the tattered dummies. Your wrist is screaming in protest, legs wobbling. You remember those golden days when you were young when you were flexible, and your bones didn't crack as much. Oh, where the golden days have gone? 

“What do I own the honour of seeing you here, captain?” You fold your arm defensively, voice monotonously. Kaeya despites the most when you start talking in an emotionless tone. Oh, how you love riling him up in the middle of the practice ground! 

“ I come here for my weekly practice, but-” He shrugs, eyes glinting with mischief. “ look like the rumour about the abolishment of special permission for the strategy department is true.” 

So he has heard the rumours. You roll your eyes, face blanks. You know Kaeya has his own way to obtain his information, but you never thought it’d be this fast. Words don’t easily leak from the strategy department. 

“What do you need? Make it short, so I can practice for the upcoming evaluation.” Tired of his long introduction, you ask him directly. If you are going to ignore him any longer, the man will continue poking you. 

Starting an argument only wastes your time, and asserting dominance in the middle of the training ground won’t boost your ego. You’re a strategist, your weapons are detailed plans and sharp word, not sword and bow. Showing off your strength in front of those ruthless knights don't improve your relationship with them. 

“ Straight the point eh?” You give him an impatiently look, tempting to ignore him again before he flashes you a smug grin. “How bout sparing with me?”  

The whole training ground falls in silence, and you direct at the captain a confusing look. Is he serious? No one in the knight except the Grand Master can go against him, not to mention someone who hasn’t touched a sword for three years. 

“I can help you with your training, and you can help with mine” Kaeya speaks with utmost confidence that you almost nod and agree. That man is really deceitful, he knows how well your skill has gone dull, yet he still wants to practice with you? What is this man plotting?  

“ Do you realize how absurd your offer is? ” You give him a complicated gaze, voice unwavering. Everyone takes in a deep breath, tension crackling. It's not everyday scenery you often encounter. A heated argument between the mischievous cavalry captain and the tactful strategist. Nosy people gather around the pair, internally hoping for the war the breaks out. 

“ You know well that I can’t properly block your first strike.” Light-hearted, you joke, but there is no hint of amusement in your voice. Sharpe eyes glaring at the blue figure, you notice the man remains unfazed. 

" Shouldn't you choose a more competent opponent?" 

The sound whispers and talking about the reasons why Kaeya picked such an easy opponent start to circulate, and you can’t help to curl your lips up. Within a  few seconds, you have effortlessly turned the gossiping direction toward your desired path. Flashing Kaeya a victorious grin, you tap your foot impatiently, waiting for his reaction.

You should have worked at PR damage control or marketing instead! The diplomat would have been fine too! At least, you wouldn’t need to practice swordman-ship.

As you mulling on your terrible choice of career, a chill runs down your spine. Tilting up, Kaeya is beaming sweetly at you, the frost slowly creeping up and nipping your shoes. Look like you just pressed the wrong button. 

The man narrows his eyes, and you gulp nervously, avoiding his calculating gaze. Kaeya chuckles, his voice laced with worry, wavering and hurtful. 

“I just want to help you improve as fast as possible. The test is coming in two weeks isn't it?” 

The whole table has turned, and people start to say how considerate and thoughtful the cavalry captain is. The crowd starts to criticize you and tell you to be more grateful and stop suspicious of his unconditional help. Oh, you wish he wasting it on you, many knights in this training ground would love getting advice and improvements from him. 

Applause for our dear Calvary captain, smoothly seeking empathy from the crowd and turning the favour back to him. No wonder how fast he climbed up the rank. 

Bantering and arguing with a person like him is meaningless, so you accept his offer and drag your sword toward his direction. Let finish this within 2 strikes. 

Moving to the centre of the field, both of you face each other, his eyes scanning you sceptically. What is this man plotting again? Bowing, you finally give him a warning look before standing at your ready position. Kaeya holds his sword, analyzing your starting posture. 

As soon as the whistle blows, you charge at the man, opening the spar with a direct hit. Kaeya quickly raises his word up to block the first blow, the sound of steel clashing loudly. He then forcefully diverts the sword to the left, a classic way to counter the strike. 

Knowing your limited strength against him, you take a step back and swiftly angle the blade downward, aiming for a weak spot at his waist. This move would create a noticeable weakness on your right, and only the idiot doesn't use this as his advantage to disarm you. 

You’re right, he uses the loophole you planned, successfully disarm you within 2 strikes. The sword slips from your hand clanging loudly behind as your foot slips and fall on the ground. 

His sharp blade is just a few inches away from your neck. The calvary captain wears a solemn look, his cerulean eyes imbued with irritation. Seems like he figures out you purposefully planed to end the match in 2 strikes. 

Quickly raising your hand in defeat, you shoot him a taunting grin. The referee declares Kaeya is the winner, and people start to clap and cheer loudly, but overall no one is surprised. As the match end, audiences start to disperse, return back to their tasks. 

Kaeya put his sword away and offers you his hand. You stare idly at the gloved hand a moment before putting yours on. The man effortlessly pulls you up, your body flush against his. With Kaeya so close to you, your first reaction is to push the man away, but his firm grip says otherwise. He inches closer, dark blue locks brush your cheek, tall figure towering you intimidating. 

“Why end it so early?” He leans down and whispers, your body tenses up visibly. “Surely, you could handle more than 2 strikes of mine.” The young man in blue hums, his voice sultry. 

“ What are you saying? I haven’t touched the sword more than 3 years.” You remind him, hands pushing his chest away, trying to create some distance. The man doesn’t budge an inch. 

“Your strikes doesn’t say so. The first strike was not bad.” Noticing your effort to push him away, Kaeya stands straight, heels dig into the ground. His lips curl up at the helplessness flashing in your eyes. He loves seeing you struggle, seeing how anxiety and desperation rising in your sparkling orbs. “I think you could at least have a decent fight with me.”  

“ Quit spouting non-sense Kaeya, let me go. We are in public.” You let out an annoyed hiss, punching his toned chest. He still wears the uniform improperly like that, the exposed tan chest can be under many layers. Sometimes you don't even know the reason why doesn't he just button the shirt up properly. Finger grazing at the bared skin on his chest, you turn your head away, cheeks heat up. 

The man loves seeing you squirming in his trap, and you’re not going to let him see that. Anything, but satisfying his masochist hobby. 

“You don’t like skin-ship?” The man fakes a gasp, his orb sparkles with mirth. “But you were being touchy with your friend. Why can't we be a bit touchy? ”  His tone suggestively, the tall man snickers at your blushing mess. Out of everything, why would he mention that? You give him stinky eyes, brows furrow deeply.  

“I’m not touchy with you.” You deny dreadfully. Archon, how long have you wasted your time here with this slithering serpent? 

Kaeya arms wrap tightly around you, your body moulds perfectly into his embrace. You hate how perfectly you fit into his hug like this, but you can’t deny how warm he is, despite the fact he wields cryo. 

“ When will you let me go?” Your voice starts to grow weak, dragging slightly in discomfort.  Kaeya curiously looks down, noticing your pouting. Sensing his gaze, you turn your head away but his fingers have quickly grabbed your cheek, forcing you to look at his deep blue eye.  

“Give me a kiss, then I'd let you go.” His voice serious, but what he just said is not. You look at the cryo wielder horrendously, mouth gaping. His face is composed and relax, like what he just ask is like asking about the weather, asking about your health, not for a kiss. Is he being serious? What in the world did he just ask? A kiss? Excuse me, a what? 

“You...you are not being serious.” You wriggle your way out, escaping from his fingers, but his embrace tightens, caging you inside. Damn it, Kaeya. He’s messing with you. 

When you flash him a furious look, the man shrugs nonchalantly, his cerulean lock fluttering gently in the wind. Suddenly, you have an urge to wipe off that calm demeanour. He can’t be serious. Why does he have to go all the way to annoy the shit out of you? 

The smug grin hanging on his face, the mischief in his blue eyes, the arching brows, everything about him screams a flirt, yet you feel so mesmerized. Blinking a few times, you have to constantly remind yourself this man is not trustworthy. From the attitude to the way he looks at you, to the way he acts around you. Nothing from his action is truthful. Like Diluc’s warning, you can only believe half of his word and action. 

“ Of course I’m being serious.” His voice solemn, but you can see the amusement in his eyes. If he doesn’t like you, why would he spend so much effort bothering you this much? What reaction is he expecting from you?  

“ I really like you, Y/N” Kaeya confesses cheerfully, and you can faintly hear a few gasps around. Not this again...

Archon, you’re going to die early at this rate. You just want to practice for the upcoming evaluation, not becoming a hot topic for all Mondstadt citizen to gossip about. 

And this man too, how can he easily slip out those words when you just heard him flirting with another woman the other day?  You already told him numerous times that you’re not interested in dating him, or anyone right now! 

Hung your head down in exhaustion, you tap his shoulder, mumbling quietly. “ Fine, fine.” You finally open your mouth, too exhausted and bothered by his stubbornness. He only wants a kiss, and you won’t hurt giving him one. Just a kiss then you can get back to your practice.  

“Just don’t confess your love to me in a crowd like this again.” Before closing the deal, you weakly add a bargain, nudging him.  

The calvary captain looks surprised, his eye widens little, not expecting you to agree. Normally, it takes another argument or two before you comply with his request. Kaeya timidly raises his gloved hand to your face, gently caresses your cheek. This time, you lean into his touch, nuzzling your face into his palm, eyes glimmering softly. Despite a cryo wielder, his hand is surprisingly warm. 

The man in blue curiously peeks at you, he feels like a feather tickling the itchy spot. Are you plotting an escape route? Since when did you become so obedient? He has never seen the soft fur under the spiky façade you set up to face with the world, but strangely, he likes this version of you more. 

Noticing his relaxed stance, you carefully gently wrap your fingers around his wrist while keeping eye contact with him. Kaeya eye widens, startles at your sudden touching. Trying your best to not break the unspoken connection, you bring his hand away from your cheek. In those cerulean eyes, you see a hint of disappointment, but it quickly dissolves. Slowly, you draw closer toward the hand hanging in the air, lips fluttering on the smooth skin on his wrist. 

The calvary captain instinctively moves back, trying to escape from your sudden contact. Ironic, he is the one who innates the hug and demands a kiss from you. Tightening your grip, you press your wet lips on the exposed part of his wrist dedicatedly while maintaining eye contact with him, eyes drown with submission.

Kaeya stares at you in awe, maybe not expecting the passionate look in your eyes. His azure eye fills with mischief, now replaces with confusion and hesitation. You notice how his ears have dusted with pink despite the winds blowing in the practice ground. The man avoids your eyes, flustering. 

Whispers and gasps start to remind you of the crushing reality, so you let his hand down while grinning cheekily at the cryo wielder. Poking and breaking Kaeya meticulously façade is always something you want to try. The man is a living devil, so it’s extremely unusual to see him losing his composure. 

Sneakily, you untangle his other arm wrapping around your waist, plotting an escape route. 

However, Barbatos doesn’t let you slip away that easily. Quickly regaining his composure, Kaeya snakes his hand around your hip again, tightening his hold. Unlike the first time, the sneaky bastard lifts you up and has the audacity to throw your body on his shoulder, carry you like a sack. 

“ Yah! What are you doing?” You exclaim, fluster at his sudden antic. Kicking and punching on his shoulder, you try as many as you can, but somehow, Kaeya manages to dodge all of them.   

“ You said you will let me go when I give you a kiss!” The crowd uproars, stares and gossips poke pointedly at your back. You don’t want to hear those comments from those knights again. They're not going to let this live down, aren't they? Bury your face in the Kaeya's furry collar, you let out a frustrating sigh, punching his shoulder as hard as you can. 

“ You give me a kiss on my wrist. That doesn’t count.” Kaeya nonchalantly strides away from the practice ground, unfazed by your attempt to escape. This man is a beast, how can he not budge an inch with all of your kickings on his shoulder? 

“ You didn’t specify the place. A kiss is a kiss!” You emphasize, and you can feel his shoulder shaking. Is he laughing? “You didn’t keep your promise.” Fuels by the rising anger, you kick your leg aggressively, struggling to free yourself from the iron-clad grip. This time, his strong arm wraps around your calves like a chain.  

As soon as you raise your head up, the familiar pathway hits your memories. Shit, he is heading toward the headquarter, likely to his office. You can’t let anyone in there see you in this state. Punching his back profusely, you shot back. 

“Not fulfilling the contract is breaking the Knight of Favonius's code of cond-.” Before you can finish your sentence, the man smacks your calves loudly, successfully shutting your mouth. Speechless by his sudden punishment, you let out a disbelief breath.    

“ There are no such a section states about fulfilling contract inside the code of conduct, so stop making the rule up.” Kaeya smugly grins, and you can already picture his blue eyes glinting with mischief, the signature shit-eating grin on his handsome face.

" There is, it's in section eight-" Before you can finish your sentence, Kaeya cuts in, waving his hand dismissively. 

" Section eight is about interaction with your co-worker, there is none about keeping contracts." The calvary captain humming, trying to recalling the content of the book. Speechless by the detailed memories of his, you can only close your mouth, quietly waiting for him to drop you down. If you stay still on his shoulder, will he let you go? 

" You know, not everyone reads and memories the knight of Favonius handbook, you are just unlucky that I know the book by heart." Seeing you deflate weakly on his shoulder, Kaeya lets out a chuckle, patting your head comforting.       

Before heading inside the HQ, the man doesn't drop your down but leans in closely, his whisper tickling your ear. “But at least I had fun seeing you squirming in my grasp.” 

And then it hits you, the bastard purposely falls for of your antic. 

#kaeya alberich #genshin kaeya #kaeya x reader #no beta we kayak like tim #genshin impact #clarissalance #who has the upper hand ? #argument #fluff #tension #smart reader #strategist #genshin varka #diluc ragnvindr #genshin diluc

[favoniuscodex]

inheritance . act one [diluc x reader]

inheritance act one of five: denial arranged marriage royalty au prince!diluc x f!knight!reader

fic summary: you're the heir apparent's key to obtaining the throne you've sworn to protect since you were a child. but in barbatos' domain, where freedom reigns, you must first answer a question: is freedom found in the ability to spread your wings and take flight on mondstadt's winds or is freedom found in the ability to choose to remain flightless?

word count: 19.6k

warnings: alcohol, minor descriptions of wounds and violence, bleeding, pining, oblivious characters, no explicit nsfw, enemies(?) to lovers

fic masterlist

a/n: i’m happy it’s finally done! i’m so excited to share this with you all! i hope you like it. please post here to be on the taglist! characters may be ooc at first but they’ll grow into their rightful personalities, dw! <3

You first met Diluc when you were eight, the boy being two years older than you. It was an accidental meeting. Commoners like you weren’t supposed to be in the palace, but your father was one of the palace’s Royal Knights, assigned to protect the king and his royal family, even at the cost of his life. You were far too young to grasp the political implications of what “serving the throne” actually meant, just believing that it meant you got to run around in cool armor while slaying dragons.

At least, that’s what the colorful storybooks that littered the floor of your childhood room had told you.

The boy had seemed nervous. Much like you at that age, he was a true introvert at heart. His princely duties extended past such nerves as he was forced to cast human consternation and worries aside and extend his hand to you.

“I am Prince Diluc of Mond,” He proudly stated, mustering as much righteousness into his words that a ten-year-old was capable of doing.

You were too young to notice it yet, but such an act was false bravado on the prince’s behalf.

You shook his hand limply, unfamiliar with such formal gestures. A nudge from your father enforced the power dynamic that would persist between you and the prince for years to come, as your father reminded you to bow in respect. After bowing, you stayed quiet for a few more moments before being nudged gently by your father again. A confused look passed over your face before you remembered what you needed to do.

“Oh, I’m (Y/N)!” you giggled. “It’s nice to meet you!”

Diluc stared at you for a moment before a grin broke out onto his face. “My father wanted me to ask if you wanted to come play with my brother and I?”

You looked at Diluc before glancing up at your father for permission, who simply smiled and nodded his goodwill in return. In response, Diluc latched his hand around your wrist and the two of you ran down the hallway to go play pirates.

---

When you were fourteen, Diluc appeared in your life once more.

It’s amusing as to how quickly a mere second encounter can shatter fond memories developed prior.

“This is Knight (Y/L/N),” a fellow knight had introduced you to the prince. “Her duties will consist of protecting the royal family, with a focus on you, my prince.”

The redhead had simply scoffed, looking you up and down with distaste. If he remembered your brief childhood rendezvous, he failed to show it. His eyes glinted with annoyance and his lips curled slightly downwards, yet you bowed in respect, for you had sworn an oath of fealty to the kingdom. Whether the people you watched over agreed or disagreed with your methods mattered not to you, for you had been assigned to this position by the king himself. Anyone who ranked below him could not waver such undying loyalty, even if they were his son.

“She’s my bodyguard?” Diluc’s tone was one of disdain as he folded his arms. “She’s a child. I’d be better off protecting myself, especially since she doesn’t have a vision. I don’t want her.”

Your stoic expression matches Diluc’s slight frown, unshaken by his words. However, you couldn’t say the same for the knight that had re-introduced the two of you. Despite being much older and of higher rank than you, the poor man was shaking in his boots from being reprimanded by the king’s tempestuous son.

“My prince, with all due respect, she is the most promising knight out of the academy in many years. She’s an excellent fighter and chivalrous at heart. I can assure the king has picked only the best knight for you,” your fellow knight insisted as you remained steady.

“My father picked her?” Diluc’s voice softens almost imperceptibly, not having expected such information. “Very well then. Even if I do not believe she is of assistance, I have no capability to argue with one of my father’s orders.”

A wave of relief washes over your superior’s face upon Diluc’s concession. “Thank you, my liege,” He says, genuflecting in the prince’s direction before standing tall and saluting. Diluc’s crimson gaze turns to yours and presses his lips together in a slight frown.

“Well?” The prince snaps, seemingly expecting something of you as he folds his arms. Your stoic expression shatters as you raise an eyebrow. “Do you not have something to say to me as well?”

Oh. You finally understand. He’s not just having a bad day. He’s just an asshat.

“With all due respect, my prince,” You respond, finally breaking your silence. “I am not aware of any words of yours that deserve my gratitude. All three of us are merely following orders.”

You feign innocence at your contemptuous words, biting back a smirk as the haughty redhead glowers at you. The knight next to you looks as if he wants to run away. Sensing his discomfort, Diluc wordlessly waves him off and your eyes flicker away from Diluc’s vermillion gaze to watch the knight salute before marching off, leaving you and your new assignment alone together. Diluc looks you up and down once more, his eyes ablaze with ire at your mere presence.

“What is your name?” Diluc queries. His harsh tone contracts with the societal politeness embedded into his question. “Royal Knight (Y/L/N), sir.” You respond with a quick salute. Diluc stares at you with a mixture of confusion and disgust.

“That is not what I meant. What is your first name?” He clarifies, his vocal inflection making it clear that such a notion should have been obvious to you from the beginning. “You are not a dog, I do not wish to refer to you in such a manner.”

Your lips remain neutral, but you can’t help the confused look that shows in your eyes. It was far too late for him to say such things. He had already treated both you and your superior with disrespect. Nonetheless, as he is a higher rank than you, you answered him. “(Y/N), sir.”

“Well, (Y/N), it appears that we are stuck together. It would be in your best interest not to slow me down,” His words are cavalier and cautionary, yet you discern a faint hint of hollowness in his words, as if he’s not exactly sure what to say or do with you.

You nod in response and give a slight smirk in hopes of easing the tension between the two of you. Diluc doesn’t smile back.

---

A year of being Diluc’s bodyguard (a position akin to being a glorified babysitter, except you have authorization to use lethal force) passes and you find a friend in the most unlikely of places: Diluc’s own brother, Kaeya. The blue-haired boy is a cheerful, charming spirit who took an immediate interest in you upon your first meeting.

“My older brother probably hates you,” He had said and you were unsure as to how to respond until he let out a laugh. “That’s okay. He hates almost everyone. I’m Prince Kaeya!”

Kaeya’s ability to find you on the castle grounds whenever your services are not needed for the elder prince is almost troubling. Any brief moment of peace you have often results in the persistent prince appearing at your side, excited to speak with you about whatever was going on in his life. Kaeya’s determination to become your friend, you soon realized, is rooted in the fact that the prince has little to no interaction with others of his age, something you had also noticed in Diluc’s own life upon your time watching him. Kaeya was not allowed the privilege to have friends his age, something you had taken for granted back in your hometown of Springvale.

“What are you thinking about?” Kaeya asks, the two of you sitting on a bench outside of the knight’s quarters. He bites into one of the apples he had brought along with him, soft crunching noises filling the the silence between you as you attempt to formulate a response.

“Well,” Your eyes flicker to the clusters of windwheel asters planted by the entrance to your residence building. “I am afraid my thoughts are not of much value at the moment.” You draw your words out in order to give yourself time to think of how to phrase your words. “At the moment, my thoughts are not very… kind.” Upon your words, Kaeya’s blue eyes gleam with delight as he leans over closer to you. The boy has pestered you enough to know what such words mean, as they are not a slight to him, but rather disdainful of his older brother.

“Do share them,” Kaeya pleads, his tone eager to hear what complaints you may have about Diluc.

You flatten your hands on the flat surface of the stone bench behind you and look up into the cloudless blue sky, enjoying the feeling of the warm spring sun on your skin as you utter your next words, “Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“Yes, yes!” Kaeya laughs, excitedly. “Share your vile thoughts so the world may cast their judgement upon the wicked sinfulness that reverberates in your mind!”

You snap your head to the boy next to you and stare at him with wide eyes at his words. The second your eyes meet his playful ones, the both of you break out into raucous laughter at his theatrics. His tone was haughty, mimicking many of the stuffy elites the two of you were surrounded by, including Diluc. At times like these, you were reminded that Kaeya was an outsider to the palace, just like you were, yet the hierarchy of the two of your duties separated you from him.

“Okay, okay,” You huff, trying to catch your breath from laughing. Kaeya simmers down upon realizing you are about to talk and looks at you expectantly, leaning slightly in your direction. “Yes, it’s about him.” The two of you burst into laughter once more.

“When is it not?” Kaeya giggles. “He’s so weird with you compared to how he acts with me.”

“That’s because you’re his brother. Of course he’s going to be nicer to you.” You explain before shaking your head slightly and swatting your hand through the air to signal that such a topic of conversation is something you did not wish to focus upon. “Anyways, today we were in another one of those stuffy formality meetings with some Inazuman diplomates. Y’know, those ones. And I’m standing by the door, keeping watch, like… it’s the usual kind of stuff I’m supposed to do. The meeting was supposed to be two hours, but Diluc’s refusal to compromise made the meeting run over it’s designated time by an hour. I swear, if not for the fact that it would cause an international scandal, Diluc and the diplomat guy would’ve started fighting each other.”

Kaeya’s eyebrows raise at your last statement and he laughs once more. “That’s Diluc for you. He means well but is awful at showing it to most people. He just… really believes in himself.”

“He shouldn’t,” You respond before clapping a hand over your mouth in shock as Kaeya roars with joy at your words, relishing in your loss of respect for the redheaded prince in your words. “I… I don’t mean it like that! I just mean… he’s still young. Such an unshakable perspective on international relations will only lead to foreign envoys viewing him poorly.”

“Yes, I wholeheartedly agree, but neither of us want to tell him this. He’d just scream at you and would give me the cold shoulder,” Kaeya muses as he outstretches a hand to you, offering one of the untouched apples he had brought along to you. You nod your appreciation and take the apple, piercing through its skin with your teeth as you bite into the red fruit.

“Prince Diluc does like to lecture his subordinates,” You agree after swallowing. “Especially me.”

“Don’t take it personally,” Kaeya advises with an optimistic smile. “If he’s willingly speaking to you at all, it means he likes you. He just does a piss poor job at showing it to anyone outside of the family.”

“Because he’s entitled.” You respond and Kaeya winks at you, gesturing his approval in your direction.

“Precisely! Now you’re getting it!”

---

On your sixteenth birthday, Diluc provides no well-wishes, but manages to give you the best present of all: a better attitude. His words are no longer infused with the disdain he once held for you, but rather coated with only a slight annoyance. With Diluc, you’ll take any improvement you can get. The change in his demeanor had left you reeling after a mere ten-word question, the whiplash from the complete upheaval of his attitude stunning you into silence.

“Would you care to go to the market with me?” Diluc had asked absentmindedly, focused on his paperwork at hand.

You had stood by the entrance to his personal study, warding off any unwanted visitors with your daunting presence and stoic demeanor. Despite how intimidating the other maids found you, Diluc had paid this unapproachable disposition of yours no mind, much to your gratitude. But as the rather innocent question fell from the prince’s lips, you couldn’t help but to look around and reassure that no one else had slipped into the room and evaded your watchful eye.

Diluc had given you a choice with his question -- an action he had never performed before.

Irked by your silence, Diluc set his pen down and looked up at you expectantly, folding his hands together and resting them on the desk in front of him. “Well?” He scoffed.

“Visiting Mondstadt’s main street would be nice,” You responded, unsure of your words. With Diluc, you were always unsure of your words. “Would you like me to assemble a party of knights to accompany us?”

Diluc let out a sigh and shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “I do not wish to attract unwanted attention with such procedures. I simply wish to get a breath of fresh air. Only your presence is requested, unless you believe it is unwise for me to leave with so few men by my side.” The boy’s words were inquisitive, holding an unfamiliar softness to him. The realization that the prince is genuinely seeking your approval of his plan caused you to bite back a smile in fear of spoiling his uncharacteristically pleasant mood.

Therefore, rather than rushing an answer to his response, you mulled it over. You had no reservations about your own fighting skills, having been chosen for your current position due to your highly proficient swordsmanship. Additionally, you knew of Diluc’s training with both his Pyro vision and his claymore, so you had few worries for the prince being able to handle his own. Both of these factors combined meant that you only had one issue to worry about.

“Well, according to protocol, a departure from the palace grounds would require multiple guards to be at your side,” You speculated, watching as Diluc’s shoulders fell slightly as he let out a huff of contempt. He lifted up his pen and prepared to work once more, but your additional words caused him to cease this motion. “But… I believe there is a way we can bypass these regulations, but I am not quite sure if you will enjoy it.”

Your plan leads to you standing in the main square of Mondstadt, hands clasped together as you watch a group of children run around the fountain. You are standing in your typical Royal Knight uniform with your weapon strapped to your back. At your side stands Prince Diluc, disguised as a fellow Royal Knight, much to his behest. His claymore rests upon his back, ready for him to wield should any evil-doers elected to make their presences known.

For Diluc, his cherry-colored hair and matching eyes do little to disguise him, but his typical introversion aids him, as the average Mondstadtian is unlikely to recognize their prince and, for those that do, are unlikely to believe that their prince is dressed up in Royal Knight attire and perusing the shops of Mondstadt with only one knight by his side. Your illicit plan, which involved smuggling a spare uniform into the castle then proceeding to sneak the prince wearing said uniform out of the castle, relies now upon one thing: the stupidity of your fellow citizens.

For your job’s sake, you pray to Barbatos that it works.

“I do not enjoy this outfit,” Diluc grumbles next to you, causing your attention to snap from watching the commoners of Mondstadt and instead to the prince of said kingdom. He pinches at some of the fabric on his leg, stretching it around in hopes of making the outfit more comfortable. You have never had any issues with said uniform, but then again, you aren’t a prince who has all of his clothes custom tailored to his build.

“To achieve true happiness, we all have to do things we don’t exactly like to do.” You chirp. Diluc’s aloof visage is now marred by furrowed eyebrows as he tries to decipher any potential hidden meanings behind your potentially parabolic words. However, you fail to give him proper time to ruminate, instead deciding to speak once more. “Where were you hoping to visit, sir?”

Diluc returns to his usual silence, but a faint flush that appears on his cheeks notifies you of his bashfulness.

“I’m… not sure,” He admits. If you did not have a code of conduct to follow, you would be screeching in delight at Diluc, the arrogant prince of Mond, finally admitting he does not know something. “I do not often have the chance to visit the heart of the city, especially in such a leisurely manner. However, you are from here, are you not?”

“I am from Springvale, sir.” You respond, forgoing your typical formality of my prince. After all, such a title would immediately blow Diluc’s cover. The redhead looks crestfallen at your words. “But… I resided in Mondstadt with my father while training to be a knight. I won’t be as good of a tour guide as a local, but I should be decent.”

“Do you know of any… eating establishments?” Diluc asks. You narrowly avoid sending a judgemental look his way at his wording. Did he not know they were called restaurants? Had Diluc never been to a restaurant? You were baffled.

“Do you prefer a to-go restaurant or a sit-down restaurant, sir?” You question and Diluc’s relaxed expression turns into one of befuddlement. Well, that answered the question if Diluc had ever experienced the basic societal activity that was eating at a restaurant. You knew royals were detached from society, but you never would have thought it to be this bad.

“Alright,” You say after a few beats of silence, smart enough to know that Diluc isn’t going to respond. The redhead’s expression returns to his typical indifferent one. “We’ll go to a sit-down restaurant, if that’s okay. A bit more expensive, but it’s probably the most immersive experience for eating at a restaurant for the first time.”

“I have been to a restaurant before,” Diluc lies, trying to save face as his cheeks begin to tint with pink upon realizing that you’ve seen right through him. You look at him blankly and his eyebrows twitch in annoyance upon his revelation that you weren’t buying his protests. “Fine, then. Lead the way.”

His typical annoyed tone is back. Well, kind Diluc was nice while it lasted, you think, rolling your shoulders slightly in preparation for his typical attitude. You nod in response and begin to walk. The prince matches your pace, determined to not fall behind someone of a lower rank than him.

---

You start to wonder if everyone in Mondstadt is pretending to be oblivious to the prince in their presence or if they’re actually just that stupid.

It’s a miracle that you managed to corral the prince’s confident attitude long enough to get him to sit down and order some food at The Good Hunter. Upon your arrival, Diluc managed to ignore the politely worded “Please wait to be seated” sign and started to walk past the hostess table, determined to seat himself. You had to pull him back to you by yanking his arm, an action that surely would have made Diluc lecture you for fifteen minutes, if not for the fact that he was still undercover. Instead, he settled for a scathing glare which only worsened as you gestured at the sign in front of the two of you.

Additionally, the prince was baffled by the entire ordering process, especially upon you informing him that it would take upwards of thirty minutes to receive your food. He was put off by the fact the chefs wouldn’t drop everything just to serve him first, to which you had simply taken a sip of your drink and not responded to such opinions. Now, the two of you were sitting in silence as your gaze fluttered around the restaurant and any passerbys, analyzing for potential threats. You found comfort in the silence as you were used to standing vigilant and quiet through your duty as Diluc’s personal Royal Knight.

“You are quiet,” Diluc states, his words almost an accusation. You look at him inquisitively, your gaze moving from the entrance to his red hues. You tilt your head slightly at his statement, signalling your confusion at his words. Diluc lets out a huff, bothered by your petulant, purposefully silent response. “You never speak unless if spoken to.”

“Would you prefer if I talk more, sir?” You ask. After all, you served the throne, which extended to Diluc. Any wish of his was your command, even if you thought he was generally an uppity, self-absorbed jerk. His eyes narrow slightly.

“I typically appreciate your silence,” Diluc confesses. It doesn’t feel like a compliment. “But now? It is quite irritating.” The prince stares you down, awaiting your reply.

“If I may ask, sir, why is such a thing irritating?” You question, turning your gaze back to the entrance as you speak. “I am merely observing the building for any potential threats to your life.”

“Look around, (Y/N),” Diluc says exasperatedly, as if his answer should be obvious. Yeah, that’s what I’ve been doing, you think bitterly, but elect to keep such thoughts to yourself. “Everyone here is speaking with someone else. Such social interactions are a simplicity of life commoners take for granted. The ability to speak freely with a non-familial companion is something I envy.”

Your gaze snaps back to the prince and you raise your eyebrows. “Is a wish for such companionship why you wished to go to the market, sir? To be a part of the lower citizenry?”

The prince breaks from staring at you, instead electing to study his hands in his lap, flustered by such a straightforward question. “I wish to better understand my subjects, yes. But I also wish to have the same liberties as them. I long for the freedom for platonic association with others of my age.”

“So…” You trail off for a second, lost in thought. “You want friends?”

The prince smiles bitterly at his friends. “Yes,” He answers truthfully. The single word is imbued with intense envy. “Everyone in my life, apart from my father and my brother, is placed in my life to placate me, rather than to accompany me.”

Your eyebrows raise briefly at his confession, perplexed as to why the prince is being so forthright and honest with you. For a split second, you wonder if the prince is swallowing his pride and asking to be your friend, but you quickly shoo such a childish thought out of your brain. You quickly determine that the prince isn’t interested in friendship, but rather wishes to use his subordinates, such as yourself, to fill the void in his heart. You decide to placate him nonetheless with a soft smile.

“Companionship is what you make of it,” You suggest, leaving your words vague as you lean back against your seat, crossing your arms and returning to watching the interest. The two of you fall into a silence once more, before Diluc speaks once more.

“I do not know much about you.” The redhead states. “Where are you from?”

For a man who wanted friends, he’s awfully bad at remembering information about his companions, you think. But you’ll gladly take the forced conversation with Diluc over him barking orders and insults at you all the time. You are well aware that you’ve sworn to protect the throne, even at the cost of your life, but you can’t help the desire for freedom from such burdens that swims in the depths of your mind.

“Springvale,” You echo absentmindedly. You barely hold yourself back from asking where he’s from, even if it would be funny to see his face twist in frustration at your teasing. “I was born there, but moved away at the age of ten to begin training to be a Knight of Favonius. Things changed and I ended up as a Royal Knight instead.”

Diluc’s interest is piqued at your words. You can’t help the feeling of discomfort that washes over you upon the sudden realization that you’re having a friendly conversation with your superior, a man who can barely tolerate your presence on a good day. He seems to be trying, though, and you can’t help but sympathize with his loneliness. As his personal guard, you’d be the first to say that Prince Diluc has very few friends.

“Why did you elect to become a Royal Knight rather than a Knight of Favonius?” Diluc asks, his crimson eyes staring at you.

“Permission to speak freely?” You requested, the words feeling foreign on your tongue. The question that you constantly asked his younger brother was now difficult to get out. Diluc’s eyes widen slightly, startled at your request, but his relaxed visage quickly returns, disguising his emotions once more.

“Permission granted.” Diluc says. The words feel jarring coming from him and you can tell he feels the same discomfort you do at this sudden change in professionalism between the two of you, yet he makes no move to change the topic of conversation or to stop you from speaking.

“My personal view on the Knights of Favonius is that…” Your words sound distant as you try to find the proper way of phrasing what you need to say. “They’re inefficient. Most of the Knights within Ordo Favonius prefer to serve themselves rather than the community of Mondstadt as a whole. They’re there because it’s a well-paying job. They dislike anything that threatens their reputation and job security.”

At that moment, you had no idea how seriously Diluc would take your words and the lasting impact such a confession would have on him.

---

You’re seventeen when you encounter the worst threat to the palace yet. You had been alone, forced to fight an Abyss Mage who had breached Mondstadt’s walls and headed in the direction of the palace. You had destroyed its shield by throwing a rock at a nearby exploding barrel on the wall. The resulting explosion had alerted nearby knights of the Abyss Mage’s presence, but the creature’s Cryo magic had severely frostbitten your arm before any help could arrive. In return, you had wielded your sword with a single hand and delivered the killing blow to the creature.

The Knights of Favonius weren’t happy with your decision to kill the creature, stating that having an abyss mage in their possession could have been a valuable resource. Helping the Knights of Favonius with their research wasn’t your job -- protecting the throne was. Therefore, you had no regrets about your decision to kill the gremlin who had almost taken your arm.

You sit on a bed in the Cathedral’s infirmary as a healer frets over your arm, using the power of their Anemo vision to speed up the healing process. The frostbite was recoverable, they had told you, but it would likely result in permanent scarring. To ensure full use of your arm would return, you were recommended to take a leave of absence from your protective duties in the palace for the following month.

While you were happy to be alive, you were irritated that such a situation would put you out of work for the next month. Sure, your position wasn’t the greatest, but it was a stepping stone to a better position within the Royal Knights, such as becoming one of the king’s personal knights or one of the organizers of palace operations. The organization itself focused on palace operations, which meant there wasn’t much room for growth as compared to the Knights of Favonius, who protected Mondstadt’s citizenry.

A month out of work meant a month less of progress in your career and, more importantly, a month less of protecting the throne you had sworn your life to protect. Your fate of becoming a knight was a decision you had made at a young age, clueless and starry-eyed, as you watched your father perform his duties around the palace. He had been a high-ranking Royal Knight, one of King Crepus’s personal entourage. He had wholeheartedly believed in everything the throne of Mond stood for, declaring that the throne protected the freedom of Mond’s people and fulfilled Barbatos’s wishes. As you trusted and idolized your father, you also inherited his same ideologies, locking you into a permanent life of duty as you swore to help defend Mond’s royal family from harm.

You had made that promise when you were ten and had yet to doubt it, seven years later.

The door to your infirmary room swings open and you watch the healer, still fussing over your arm as he applies new bandages, jump slightly at the unexpected intrusion. Despite the pain medications that the Sisters had given you before the healer began his work, your arm still throbs in pain, causing you to let out a hiss as the healer moves your arm in the midst of his surprise. He mutters a slight apology, but you’re more distracted by the intruder.

Your eyes widen in surprise, not having expected the intruder to be none other than Prince Diluc. His eyes flicker to your arm and, despite how the pain medication swirls your vision and jumbles your thoughts, you can see the irked disappointment in his eyes at your injury. Such a wound only results in inconvenience for him as he now needs to have a temporary replacement knight, who is unfamiliar with his typical protocols and routines. The prince lets out a long sigh.

“What? My supposed best knight is unable to handle some cryo slimes?” Diluc scoffs derisively.

Since your birthday last year, your relationship with Diluc has improved somewhat. Speaking to him often resulted in stiff, awkward conversation, but it is an upgrade from before, where talking to the prince in an amicable manner wasn’t even an option. More often than not, it would be the prince initiating awkward conversation between the two of you, not quite sure how to interact with someone his age outside without the use of diplomatic charm. The prince, just under two years older than you, didn’t seem interested in being your friend, but you also weren’t sure what to make of his platonic advances.

But now, as you sat in the Cathedral’s infirmary, you realized Diluc wasn’t here to provide friendship. He was just here to lecture you about your mistake of choosing to fight an Abyss Mage, about how you should’ve just let another knight deal with him, and about how you should have sacrificed the potential safety of the throne for his immediate comfort.

“Wasn’t any slimes,” Your lips are heavy as you struggle to form the words without slurring them together. “Was an Abyss Mage. Cryo one.” Your mind churns as you try your absolute hardest to focus on the situation at hand. Diluc’s in the room, you remind yourself as you fight the urge to slump back and fall asleep. You stare at Diluc, eyelids drooping with fatigue. You notice your fresh bandages turning red once more, causing the healer to sigh and apply more to your arm.

The prince is silent, but you see a quick flash of fear pass over his face, followed by an expression of concern. Both emotions are short-lived as he readjusts his posture and presses his lips into a frown, crosses his arms, and shifts his weight onto one leg.

“You should not have fought an Abyss Ma-,” He begins, but a loud bark of a laugh erupts from your system, interrupting him.

“H… Have you ever fought anything?” Your words are accusatory and borderline incoherent, but the narrowing of Diluc’s eyes lets you know that he understood what you had just said. “All… all you do is sit around! And… and… and you waste your vision! Everyone does everything… for you… I fight to protect you… your family… I don’t want to get injured, but here I am…”

The healer, upon realizing that you’re disrespecting the crown prince of Mond, wordlessly excuses himself from the situation and slips past Diluc to exit the room. Diluc parts his lips, ready to speak again, as a scowl crosses his face at your disrespectful words. However, before the redhead can speak once more, you raise a shaky hand, holding up your middle finger to the prince.

“If you’re… if you’re just gonna lecture me for… risking my life… for you… eat shit.” You manage to say, words garbled. You relish in the widening of Diluc’s eyes as he opens his mouth to yell before closing your eyes and promptly falling asleep, slumping over on the infirmary bed.

---

You awoke the next day with no recollection of the prior day’s events, except an innate sense of satisfaction, as if you had gotten something off your chest. Nervous that you had potentially said something foul to someone you shouldn’t have, you awaited a formal reprimanding of your unknown actions, but never received one.

Now, two weeks in, you’re finally getting back to normal as you water the plants outside of the knight’s quarters, having been assigned to take care of the landscaping today. Despite the tasks being relatively easy, they took you a while to complete due to one of your arms being stuck in a sling. You crouch over, trying to balance as you lean forward to water one of the red flowers stuck in the back of the arrangement.

“Hey!” A voice calls, causing you to drop the watering can in surprise, the water sloshing over your feet and onto the cobblestone around you. You lose your balance and fall backwards, landing on your butt, but before you can lecture the person who scared you, you feel two hands place themselves on each side of your waist.

“Up we go!” A familiar voice sings before hoisting you up to stand back on your own two feet. You turn around and narrow your eyes at him, placing the hand holding the empty watering can on your hip. The blue-haired boy before you smiles unabashedly, utterly pleased with himself. “Anything to save a damsel in distress!” “Yeah, I’m definitely defenseless,” You grumble sarcastically as the boy takes the watering can from you. His physique has changed over the years due to his interest in becoming a high ranking Knight of Favonius, but both his azure eyes still gleam with childlike mischief. He nudges your uninjured arm playfully.

“Aw, cheer up! You’re the toughest one-armed fighter I know!” Kaeya jests. You roll your eyes in response, biting back a smirk at his antics.

“I’m the only one-armed fighter you know.” You respond as Kaeya gently grabs your wrist and guides you to the bench where the two of you typically sit.

“Two weeks ago. What happened?” Kaeya asks, gesturing to your arm. You tilt your head, confused at his question. Surely he’s heard about it by now..? You think to yourself.

“An Abyss Mage got past Mondstadt’s outer walls, I was on break when I saw it, and I had to fight it, sir.” You explain quickly, but Kaeya simply shakes his head in response.

“No, not that! What happened in the infirmary?” His voice is teasing, but your blood can’t help but run cold at his words. Your intuition that something had happened between the time you arrived at the infirmary and before you fell asleep was correct. Much to your chagrin, you hadn’t been able to remember your actions, but apparently they were remarkable enough for the younger prince to have heard about them.

You let out a groan and rub your free hand over your face, already mortified by your actions that you had no recollection of. Kaeya lets out a laugh.

“Diluc visited you,” He explains, causing you to let out an even louder, more obnoxious groan. You lean forward on the bench, resting your elbow in your knee and cradling your forehead in your uninjured hand.

“Oh gods, what did I say?” You whined. After years of friendship with the younger prince, he had insisted you no longer be so formal with him. Honorifics slipped into your speech on rare occasions, but you generally spoke to Kaeya in the same way you would speak to your friends back home in Springvale.

Kaeya laughs at your theatrics. “Well, you weren’t very nice. You told him to, and I quote, ‘eat shit’ if he wanted to yell at you.”

You let out a noise of horror and Kaeya’s laughter at your embarrassment shakes his whole body. Glancing at him out of the corner of your eye, the younger prince is absolutely delighted in your misery at the situation at hand.

“That’s not all! You also gave him the middle finger!” Kaeya giggles, nudging you as you continue your woeful theatrics. “You didn’t even use the right finger. You were trying to give him the middle finger but you used your pointer finger!”

You want to die. Heat is rising to your face so quickly that you swear you are going to faint. Kaeya pauses as your theatrics die down as you begin to hyperventilate, panicked at the situation at hand. Not only did you tell the crown prince to eat shit, you had also attempted to give him an inflammatory gesture and managed to mess up said gesture. Your career was over, you would become a disgrace to the nation, and, at the worst, you could be thrown in jail for such disrespect to the royal family.

You were a disgrace to the royal throne you swore your life to serve.

Heaving air in and out, you sit up, trying to keep your balance and not pass out from stress. Your eyes brim with tears and Kaeya looks at you in alarm. His hand finds your back, rubbing soothing circles that do little to placate your panic.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay!” He tries to soothe over your worries. “Someone had to tell Diluc that at some point!”

You let out a choked sob, leaning over once more. “T… that doesn’t help,” You whimpered. Kaeya’s blue eyes stare at your hunched over form, his blue irises swimming with regret and distress at your current state.

“Um… my dad found it funny?” Kaeya tries once more. Your sobs only worsen, causing Kaeya to clench his teeth at his own words.

“The king even knows about my irreverent actions?” You cry and Kaeya’s stress upon seeing your own stress only worsens. He wraps an arm around your shoulders and pulls you in for a side-hug, rubbing his hand up and down on your shoulder in a calming manner. “You’re not in trouble, Diluc’s not mad… anymore, at least.”

Your crying turns into soft sniffles and Kaeya thanks Barbatos that he was able to calm you down. Wiping your tears away with the back of your hand, you let out a shaky sigh.

“I can’t believe I did that,” You breathe and Kaeya lets out a soft, reassuring chuckle.

“We all make mistakes, plus you were on some heavy medication!” He pauses as you look over at him and bites his lip slightly, as if he wants to say something more. You look at him expectantly and he lets out a soft sigh of defeat at your watery eyes pleading for him to continue. “Plus… I think Diluc kinda likes it when you yell at him.”

“You’re gross,” You whine, voice still wet with tears, but you manage out a soft laugh after your words. “No, he doesn’t.” “You’d be surprised about how he feels about you,” Kaeya teases, but you detect faint traces of sincerity and, if you focus hard enough, jealousy. Rather than dwelling on hidden meanings, you elect to take the blue-haired boy’s words at face value, nudging him back and giving him a look of faux disgust before letting out a soft giggle. He laughs and squeezes your shoulder reassuringly. “You’re so much prettier when you laugh, (Y/N)!”

You let out a soft laugh at his words, “Yeah, I’m sure I look spectacular right now.”

---

Diluc spots you from afar, recognizing your familiar figure crouched over windwheel asters in front of the knight’s chambers. He’s perusing the grounds on a routine walk as his bumbling replacement Royal Knight clambers after him in your absence. The replacement knight is lanky and nervous, filling comfortable silence with nervous chatter, despite Diluc’s best attempts to dissuade him from such actions. He’s an archer with barely enough arm strength to pull the bowstring back.

The red-eyed prince would never admit it to anyone, but he missed you. Not only did you make Diluc feel far more secure than the inept oaf that could barely keep up with him, but Diluc also missed your presence. He missed how you would speak with a slight edge to your tone, adding a dual meaning to your respectful words. Diluc missed the challenge you would provide him.

Even if he was on his deathbed, Diluc would never admit how his heart rate quickened and how heat rose to his face when you yelled at him with the disdain he always showed you. He would never admit how worried he was when you immediately passed out after doing so, blood seeping past your haphazardly applied bandages and spilling onto the floor. No, Diluc would never admit how his thoughts over the last two weeks had primarily consisted of you, even though the two of you had not yet spoken.

Diluc wasn’t sure what to make of his thoughts, nor his altered emotions when you were around. Despite the fact that his tempestuous attitude made him detest the way you were constantly on his mind, a larger part of him wished to keep you close and have you serving the throne at his side once again.

The blundering knight catches up to Diluc as the redhead’s brisk pace slows to a halt as he observes you. After an unknown amount of time, the knight clears his throat, snapping Diluc out of his reverie. The redhead watches you for a moment more. His stomach churns as he watches his younger brother approach you, hold you close, and make you laugh.

Diluc isn’t sure what this feeling that’s gnawing away at his stomach is. A part of his brain tells him that it’s obvious, but Diluc denies such obvious truths, knowing he, one of royal blood, would feel such an emotion over a mere commoner and subordinate of his. Watching you with Kaeya, however, brings an immense frustration to the forefront of Diluc’s thoughts. A scowl forms on the crown prince’s face as he whips his head to the direction of the inept fool that’s been assigned to protect him.

“Let’s go,” He snaps. The knight shakily salutes in response, his composure shaken yet again by Diluc’s sour temperament.

---

Two more weeks pass and you’re officially freed from the restrictions placed upon your duties. After passing a clearance test at the Cathedral which resulted in the destruction of multiple training dummies, you were cleared for full duty as a Royal Knight once more. You were thrilled to be free from the chains of the menial labor you had been assigned for the last month and excited to get back to work, but such feelings were also accompanied with unease. You had a pit in your stomach at the thought of going back to serve the prince that you had so blatantly deprecated.

But, nonetheless, you enter Diluc’s chambers, your typical neutral expression adorning your face. The prince looks up from his desk, slightly startled by the intrusion, but a brief smirk crosses over his face at your presence before returning to a stoic expression, almost as if he was mimicking your own. He parts his lips to speak, but before he can, you drop yourself down on one knee, genuflecting in his direction. You don’t make eye contact, electing to stare down at your knee instead.

“Please forgive my spiteful words I uttered upon our last meeting, my liege,” You request, uttering the words you had practiced many times in the mirror this morning while getting ready. “I was not in the right frame of mind.”

Diluc stares down at you, expression unreadable. The silence is nearly unbearable, suffocating you as the tendrils of embarrassment and shame swirl up your legs, around your torso, and settle on your throat before pressing down, choking you of air. You feel a flush of heat rise to your face as the seconds tick on. You’re unsure if the prince is going to speak at all, let alone forgive you, but your doubts are quelled as he clears his throat.

You look up at him to see narrowed crimson hues staring down at you sternly.

“Very well. Do not say such things ever again,” Diluc warns. You jump to your feet and salute in his direction.

“Yes, sir!” You respond and the prince lets out a huff before returning his attention to the papers on his desk once more. You move to stand watch by the door, but the prince clearing his throat once more has you turning around to look at him again.

“Oh, and (Y/N)?” Diluc questions and you brace yourself, ready for him to unload his anger upon you. However, he does no such thing. “I have a meeting at nine with some Sumerian scholars interested in Mondstadt’s alchemic discoveries. Don’t let me be late.” The redhead doesn’t look up, already having begun moving his pen across the papers in front of him once more.

“Understood, sir.” You respond as you reach your typical spot by the door. You bite back a smile as you stand guard.

---

Over the next several months, you notice major changes in Diluc’s demeanor and attitude towards you. The prince is more confident, but in a less suffocating, arrogant manner, but rather a more charming manner. He remains an introvert, but his diplomatic meetings end up with far better results due to him learning to navigate the rough tides of foreign relationships and his mastering of hollow platitudes to placate any overseas dignitaries. He’s no longer a brash and tempestuous presence in the field of international relations, but one made of falsified smiles and foreign appeasement.

For once, you look at Diluc and see not only a prince, but the rightful heir to the throne.

The change isn’t instantaneous, but for Diluc’s personality to have made such a massive change in such a short time, you realize that there must be something the prince is trying to work toward or someone he desires to impress. Despite being at his side for almost his entire day, from when he starts work in the morning to when he retires to his chambers at night, you aren’t entirely sure what his motivation is.

You figure it’s likely something his father said to him, due to their frequent meetings you aren’t present for. Even from your earliest days working as Diluc’s bodyguard, you could tell he valued his familial relationships above all else. While he often remained hot-tempered with Kaeya, his relationship with his father was amicable and one Diluc cherished. From the few times you had been in King Crepus’s presence, the king had showcased what the throne of Mond should stand for; he put the freedom of his constituents first and reigned only to ensure order and protection for the people within Mond.

Your few interactions with the king had such a positive impact on you that they, along with your father’s actions, spurred you to join the Royal Knights. You could only imagine what type of influence the king’s constant presence had on Diluc.

Most noticeably of all, however, was Diluc’s attitude towards you. He was no Kaeya in terms of charm nor friendliness, but silences between the two of you were no longer forced and neither was conversation. The crown prince was more attentive to which types of conversation seemed to genuinely interest you, as compared to forced small talk. He also understood that silence wasn’t a form of punishment, nor did it signal that he was angry.

You wonder if he changed due to your conversation at the infirmary. Diluc lectured you less, sent less scornful looks your way, and insulted your skills less frequently. The changes had been so subtle that you hadn’t noticed how Diluc had blurred the lines between being a person whom you guard only due to obligation to someone you would protect without hesitation until the two of you browse Mondstadt’s yearly winter market together.

Diluc’s carmine irises glint with the reflection of the white Christmas lights adorning the square as he peered into the windows of a bakery. He seems quietly enraptured by a miniature palace that sat in the center of the cakes and other delicacies, made out of gingerbread. As you turn to look around at everyone else, ever vigilant, you notice the prince suddenly snap his gaze away from the display and look around wide-eyed.

You begin to reach for the hilt of your sword that rests on your back, but you freeze when Diluc’s vision stabilizes on you. His stance relaxes and the redhead offers you a small smile before waving for you to come over. You drop your hand that now rests on the hilt of your blade to your side and begin to walk over, watching as Diluc stares at you in slight confusion before letting out a soft laugh.

At that moment, you realize something that fourteen-year-old you would have loathed you for saying: you would call Prince Diluc a friend.

“Have you ever had gingerbread before?” Diluc asks, turning his gaze from you to read the label underneath the castle.

You nod your head. “It’s made with um… cinnamon… cloves… not sure what else, but the gingerbread in the window’s probably crunchy and… not really sweet? It relies on the taste of the spices within it, not sugar.”

The prince looks thoughtfully at the gingerbread palace once more. “I know what gingerbread is, but do people really eat these… ornate structures?” His tone is confused, but sincere. You let out a soft laugh of amusement. The old Diluc would have interpreted it as an act of derision, but current Diluc simply awaits your answer.

“Oh, that’s a tradition to put them into houses and buildings and such, but you can also shape it into little gingerbread men. Those are my favorite! Typically the smaller decorations are eaten first, but people don’t really eat the big houses,” You elaborate, excited to talk about the desserts as you also ogle the gingerbread display. Diluc looks at you halfway through your speech and smiles softly at your warm tone, pleased to have evoked such a reaction from you.

“Wait out here,” Diluc orders and, before you can protest, the crown prince slips into the shop, the bells on its door chiming softly as he enters. You stand by the door, your gaze moving from peering through the glass at Diluc to watching the commoners walk by. Only a few moments later, the bells chime once again as Diluc exits. A small paper bag is in his hand and he opens it up.

“Hold out your hand,” He orders in a sharp tone while looking into the bag. You comply, flattening your hand and holding it in front of you. Diluc plops a small gingerbread man in your hand. “It reminded me of you.”

The cookie is a traditional knight dressed in armor and is decorated with royal purple frosting and a white sword in its left hand. You stare at it for a moment, before a wide grin breaks out on your face, shattering your aloof expression.

“Thank you,” You murmur softly. Diluc’s cheeks flush red at your praise, but you attribute such a change in his appearance to be caused by the temperature change from exiting the warm building.

---

Diluc, you have come to find, is easily distracted by storefronts. Even his stoic demeanor cannot hide the childlike awe in his eyes when he sees something interesting in a window display. He’s dragged you in and out of numerous stores after being enraptured by objects in the windows. It’s bad enough that the both of you are now carrying bags of various trinkets he’s purchased with his seemingly limitless funds. Diluc, you note, doesn’t seem to get out much.

While you enjoy the chance to shop and explore Mondstadt’s seasonal festivities, you do not enjoy the snowfall that coats your hair and uniform as you wait outside each shop, standing watch. Despite being bundled up in layers, you’re still cold from standing still for so long.

Diluc exits yet another shop and stifles a yawn. “I believe I should head back now. It’s getting late,” He mutters and you simply nod in response, following his lead as he begins to walk back to the castle. The two of you walk in silence as the chatter of Mondstadt’s civilians and the crunching of your shoes on freshly fallen snow fill the gaps.

After a few minutes of trying to hold it in, you can’t help but shiver at the cold. You feel a bit of heat rise to your face, embarrassed that a knight of your stature is shivering due to cold, and it only multiplies as Diluc suddenly stops next to you.

“Are you cold?” The redhead asks, his gaze intense.

“No,” You lie, shaking your head. His eyes narrow.

“Take my scarf,” He orders, but you shake your head once more.

“I couldn’t possibly do such a thing,” You refuse politely, but Diluc isn’t having any of it.

“You’re cold, therefore take the scarf,” His explanation is rough and laced with the typical tone of annoyance you’re all too familiar with. He begins to unwind his scarf from around his neck.

“It’s my duty to ensure your comfort,” You protest. “Therefore, you keep the scarf as you should stay warm.”

“It would make me more comfortable if you wore the scarf instead.” Diluc argues and you swear you see his eye twitch slightly. “Plus, what kind of prince would I be if I let my constituents suffer on my behalf?”

Bullseye. He knew right where to hit you, despite his irate and annoyed tone. That bastard knew to appeal to your sense of honor in order to get you to do something. Begrudgingly, you hold out your hand to take the scarf, but before you can stop him, Diluc’s stepping close to you and wrapping the scarf around your neck for you. He forms two loose loops around your neck and you can feel his breath on your face as he looks at your neck. The prince’s leather-gloved fingertips brush against your neck as he adjusts the scarf and you watch his eyes narrow slightly in concentration as he fixes the scarf.

“There,” He almost sneers upon deciding that the scarf’s placement was adequate enough. “Now was that so hard?” Without waiting for your response, the prince turns and continues walking back to the castle. You pause for a moment, flustered, before jogging after him slightly to catch up.

The two of you continue your walk in silence, but the warmth of the scarf does nothing to eliminate the chill of the blade strapped to your back, reminding you that your and Diluc’s relationship is no more than one of contractual obligation.

---

Diluc’s kind behavior lasts for about two more years. The prince, now twenty, departs Mondstadt’s capital for three weeks, without you by his side. Diluc is now under protection of the king’s guards and a squadron of the Knights of Favonius as his father accompanies him on the journey to Fontaine, meaning that you get an extended vacation from your royal duties. You visit your home in Springvale during this break, aching to get back to work as the lack of activities slowly begins to drive you mad.

Your birthday occurs within this break period and, much to your surprise, a bouquet of red carnations is delivered to your doorstep as a gift from the prince himself. Diluc had never done such a gesture before and you ignore the way your heart beats a tad bit faster as you read the note settled amidst the beautiful, deep carmine blossoms. You recognize Diluc’s penmanship instantly as you spot the words ‘Happy birthday, (Y/N).’ sprawled across the card.

You smile softly to yourself and tuck the card back into the bouquet before admiring the blossoms. Brushing your fingers over the petals with a featherlight touch, you opt to set the vase on your dining room table rather than admire it for much longer. You’re certain a bouquet such flowers, considered exotic in Mondstadt, costs more than double your paycheck. You do not wish to dwell on such a thought for too long.

When your mother arrives home later that night, she pops her head into your room to say hello, a knowing smirk gracing her features.

“Who sent the flowers?” She asks in an amused tone as you bookmark the page of the book in your hands and close it in order to pay full attention to her. “Are you dating someone that I don’t know about?”

“Yuck, that’s weird,” You let out a soft laugh. “No, they were sent by the prince for my birthday.”

“Prince Diluc or Prince Kaeya?” Your mother asks, a mixture of surprise and concern in her voice.

“Prince Diluc,” You clarify, raising your eyebrows at her tone. “Why?”

“Red carnations have an… interesting meaning,” Your mother, a florist, explains. “...Interesting birthday gift.” You shrug off her implication and open up your book again, not wanting to hear your mother’s crazy theories about meanings of the flower bouquet.

“He probably just picked them because he likes the color red. Don’t sweat it too much,” You say absentmindedly, the pages of your book already drawing you back into reading. Your mother giggles, excusing herself from the conversation as she trots down the hallway.

For your own sanity, you choose not to dwell on her words. You planned to thank Diluc for his kindness

---

The nation is in mourning.

Diluc had returned last night, bloodied and traumatized, from his trip to Fontaine. Alongside of him, only half of the Royal Knight and Knight of Favonius combined unit that accompanied the royal family returned as well. The most notable absence, however, was King Crepus himself. Rumors immediately spread like wildfire, ranging from the idea of Diluc having killed the king to seize the throne all the way to a Fatui attack on the royal family. You’re doubtful that such outlandish notions are true.

The official declaration the following day proves you to be correct; the palace announces that the royal caravan had been attacked by a dragon, resulting in King Crepus’ death, the death of seven Royal Knights, and the death of three Knights of Favonius. Even the typically lively center of Springvale is no louder than a quiet whisper the following day as the nation grieves the loss of its leader and loyal knights.

Your heart hurts for both of the princes, knowing how difficult it is to lose a parent. You can only imagine how much harder it is when their next moves and responses to their father’s death will only become fodder for royal gossip. The throne, which you had sworn to protect, was now vacant, but such an event had been out of your hands. You hadn’t been allowed to accompany the royal family on their journey and, without a vision, you would have likely been killed if you had gone anyways.

However, upon the palace’s announcement of the king’s death, it was also announced that Prince Diluc would not immediately be crowned due to “unforeseen stipulations” King Crepus had left behind in his will. This information, of course, immediately became gossip amongst the townsfolk, ranging from Diluc needing to find a bride before marrying to ideas that Diluc needed to obtain an Anemo vision before being allowed to lead the nation. You were wary about such ideas and figured Diluc had prepared for whatever requirements his father had left for him.

Three days after the death of King Crepus, each Royal Knight, including yourself, receives orders that they no longer work at the palace. Ordo Favonius takes over these claims, allowing any Royal Knight to join their ranks. You want to believe that Diluc wouldn’t just shut you out like this, but you know better. Diluc never wanted any Royal Knights by his side and, after his father’s death due to a lack of adequate knights, certainly wouldn’t want a visionless personal guard. You had almost died fighting an Abyss Mage, for archon’s sake. How would you be able to protect Diluc from a dragon?

The death of his father meant the end of your contract with the prince. You knew this would happen one day. You ignore the feelings of sadness that blossom in your chest at such a thought, contributing them to the (hopefully) temporary end of the Royal Knights as an organization. Your sadness is not over your lack of connection with the elder prince, you tell yourself, but rather grief over the career path you had sworn to follow upon finishing training.

Once Diluc sets his mind to something, it’s almost impossible to sway him from such thoughts. Therefore, ignoring the clenching of your heart, you sign away your future to the Knights of Favonius and agree to participate in a training assessment in order to determine your new title and which sector you would join the ranks of within Ordo Favonius.

Your only regret about the time with the Knights is that you did not have a chance to say goodbye to either prince.

---

A week later, you receive your placement within the Knights of Favonius. Despite your lack of expertise in such an area, you had been appointed to the Cavalry Unit within the Knights of Favonius ranks. You weren’t unfamiliar with a horse; you had scored highly on your cavalry usage exams in training. However, you hadn’t ridden one since your appointment to the Royal Knights.

Upon your arrival to your first day of your new position, you learned you weren’t the only new face within the unit. Five other Royal Knights had been placed within the Cavalry Unit as well. Most shocking of all, however, was the the appointment of a new Cavalry Captain, especially since the knight chosen for the position was none other than Prince Kaeya himself.

The blue-haired prince, now sporting an eyepatch and a cryo vision, looked equally as confused to see you as you were to see him. Rather than sporting his typical jovial attitude, he simply nodded his acknowledgement of your presence. Kaeya was your superior now, after all, meaning he couldn’t showcase favoritism. The prince announced a few changes to the cavalry unit. First, you were to address Kaeya as ‘captain’ and not ‘prince’. Second, the cavalry unit would focus on securing Mondstadt’s perimeter, along with the perimeter of any outer villages as needed. Thirdly, the point Kaeya elaborated the least on, there was to be no talk of the royal family unless essential to the tasks at hand.

As he finishes his speech, you salute and chant your understanding with your new comrades. You can’t help but wonder why Kaeya now wears said eyepatch and why he has a new vision. Despite you having seen him a month ago, the blue-eyed boy now seems lightyears away from you, as if he was sand falling through the cracks of your hands without you even realizing.

---

Two years pass and, due to your work ethic in comparison to other Cavalry Unit members, you ascend in the ranks of your unit. Being one of the top five members of the thirty member unit meant that you and Kaeya spent more time together. You slowly watched as the blue-haired man began to revert to the boy he once was, but he never fully regressed to his childlike state. For starters, Kaeya is far more secretive than he used to be, electing to use little white lies to avoid conflict and any deep, meaningful conversations. There is a profound sadness that mars his powerful stature that wasn’t there before.

In the words he does exchange with you, his brother is never mentioned. The thought of bringing such a topic up to Kaeya makes your tongue heavy, the words remaining unspoken. Instead, Kaeya elects to talk about easily digestible topics in brief phases, such as small talk about the weather, unimportant chatter about military gossip, and hushed conversations about current trends in Mondstadt.

Kaeya has plunged himself into a self-imposed exile within the icy waters of his mind and you lack the proper equipment to save him. You can only watch as he disappears into the salty blue depths of anguish from the safety of the shore, unsure how to lend a helping hand. You are crafted from the sharp blades of swords, untrained in the studies of alchemical healing.

The blue-haired prince’s spirits only rise in the spirits of others, namely the ones sold by Angel’s Share. Every Friday night, as a mandatory “team bonding” activity, Kaeya and the four other highest ranking members of the Cavalry Unit, which unfortunately includes you, collectively go to Angel’s Share and get absolutely wasted, making blubbering fools of themselves. Tonight, just like every other Friday night, you can tell when Kaeya’s on his third drink as he begins to ramble about the history of Angel’s Share. He noisily explains how Angel’s Share is the legendary bar founded by the first King of Mondstadt before he had obtained the throne. During this time period, you slip a few spare mora to the poor waitress having to deal with your rowdy group who will inevitably throw the bill of tonight’s drunken activities on the backs of taxpayers.

You spend your evening nursing a glass of grape juice, wary eyes darting around the room in an analytical habit you had picked up from your job years prior. Old habits die hard after all. You watch as the first two fellow unit members excuse themselves the bar, deciding to stumble out before they could completely disgrace themselves.

It isn’t until Kaeya’s sixth glass of Death After Noon that the rest of the unit calls it quits, wobbling their way back home. One glance at the prince has you signaling to the bartender to cut the prince’s supply off. You stand up and walk over to Kaeya, who suddenly looks elated that you’re here.

“(Y/N)! My favorite!” Kaeya exclaims from his seat, pulling you into a bone-crushing hug and forcing you to rest your hand on the table for balance. “You came for my birthday party!”

“It’s not your birthday, Captain,” You respond. Your heart clenches at his carefree tone, reminded of your teenage years with the boy. The smell of his alcohol-laden breath dispels such naively hopeful notions and you push yourself out of his loosened grip. “Alright, it’s time to go home.”

“Home?” Kaeya asks, his revealed iris glistening with confusion. “Why? It’s not fun there… the party’s here!” The prince is pliable as you hoist him up and swing his arm around your shoulder, clutching onto his waist for support. Archons, the prince was heavy. You take a small step and, despite the alcohol fuzzing his brain, Kaeya seems to understand and stumbles alongside of you.

Once again, you are no more than a glorified babysitter.

You fish the bag of mora Kaeya brought with him out of his back pocket and the prince giggles as you unceremoniously toss the bag out on the table and drag him out of the bar. The two of you walk in silence for a few minutes before Kaeya begins to chant your name over and over. Despite your annoyance, you decide to indulge him.

“What.” Your words lack any form of sincerity, embittered with the situation at hand. Kaeya reaches over and pokes your cheek with a free hand.

“I miss you, y’know?” Kaeya croons, before he smiles with watery eyes. “All the time. You’re always on my mind.”

Oh Barbatos, here we go, you think. You had encountered the prince while intoxicated numerous times before, but never before this had he directed his sappiness in your direction.

“Y’know why?” He teases, slurring his words slightly. You continue to trudge on in silence, shifting him slightly to try to make it easier to carry him along. Kaeya frowns at your silence. “Guess why!” His words are a demand and you have to stop yourself from rolling your eyes. Any chivalrous respect you had for Prince Kaeya was now absolutely demolished, due to both his public intoxication and the comforting fact that he wouldn’t remember any of this conversation in the morning.

“Why?” You ask unenthusiastically, knowing he won’t leave you alone until you do so.

“Because I’m in love with you, silly! I’ve been in love with you since we were sixteen,” At his confession, you almost drop him. Your blood runs cold, but you trudge on nonetheless. An oath to protect the royal family persists even if one drunkenly confesses their love to you. Your heart clenches with pain for Kaeya, wishing you could have realized his feelings sooner. Maybe it would have alleviated some of the pain he carries each day and tries to wash away through copious amounts of liquor.

He burps loudly and lets out a bitter laugh. “You’re so… so pretty. And strong! But… he fancied you first! I can’t compete…” The man trails off, seemingly losing track of what he’s saying, stumbling through his words. “I can’t compete with royal blood.”

Your hand slips off his waist and the two of you are sent tumbling into the ground as Kaeya’s arm around your shoulder drags you down with him.

---

Your legs are shaking from exertion as you guide Kaeya through the darkened hallways of the castle, softly shushing him and pulling him closer to you each time he tries to twist away from your grip to cause drunken havoc on the hallway decorations. His free hand trails across the stone walls as he giggles at their texture, having forgotten all about his woeful, self-pitying cries from earlier. As you round the corner to enter the hallway consisting of the chambers of both princes, Kaeya’s quiet amusement with the ornate tapestries that adorn the walls stops.

“We’re home!” Kaeya yells and you immediately shush him, absolutely terrified of waking up a certain redhead.

The corridor reeks of familiarity, nearly suffocating you with nostalgia for simpler, happier times. The decorations have barely changed, aside from a new vase by the door to Kaeya’s room.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you around here, (Y/N)!” Kaeya cheers and you shush him once more, silently pleading with Barbatos to shut the blue-haired prince up. If anyone nearby was unaware of your disgraceful return to the palace grounds, they certainly knew now. His voice drops in volume a bit, still far too loud for this time of night, but better than his raucous hollering as the two of you approach his door. "Would you like to come in, my fair lady? I know many ways to pleasure a woman."

You’ve sacrificed every Friday night for far too long for Prince Kaeya. You love him while he’s sober, but now? You absolutely despise his drunken antics.

"The only pleasure I'll get tonight is finally being able to get rid of your drunken ass," you finally snap, nearly dropping Kaeya once more in mortification at your own words. You couldn't speak to a prince so callously, especially when you were stone-cold sober.

Kaeya pauses before throwing himself into a fit of drunken laughter. "You're so cute but you're so mean, (Y/N)!"

You ignore his antics, realizing the best course of action is to get the rowdy prince in his room where he can scream to his heart’s content. You turn the knob of the door and shove Kaeya into the room, causing him to let out a nervous giggle.

“You’re coming in?” He exclaims and lets out a gasp of surprise. “But wait, I’m shy!” He throws his hand dramatically to his forehead, pretending to faint as the back of his palm lightly brushes it. You let out a loud grunt as the dumb bastard son of a bitch motherfucker drops the entirety of his weight on you. Unable to support him any longer, the prince falls to the ground next to you and laughs. You finally understand why the young bartender at Cat’s Tail hates drunk people so much.

“Captain, get up,” You order, exhaustion creeping into your tone. You prod his stomach lightly with your foot as the drunken prince lets out a groan in response. He closes his eye, ready to fall asleep on the ground, but you manage to muster the last of your strength to pick him up bridal-style. After you rush over to his bed, you unceremoniously drop him on his plush mattress.

Your job is now done. You could strip his clothing down to make him more comfortable while sleeping, but you’re not sure if you can muster the energy to do so. Such an action is beyond the new jurisdiction of your duties as a Knight of Favonius. Plus, you’re fairly sure you’d never be able to look Kaeya in the eye again if you did do such a thing.

“Wait, my loyal knight,” Kaeya drunkenly slurs as you turn to leave his chambers. You bite back a sigh of defeat and turn to look at him with a blank expression. Internally, you’re trying to calm yourself down, utterly frustrated with the situation at hand. “Come here.”

When a prince calls for you, you unfortunately have to listen. You trudge over to Kaeya and place a hand on your hip, looking down at him. The prince shuffles around on his bed as he clumsily sits up, leaning on the headboard for support. You open your mouth to ask him what he needs, but before you can utter the words, Kaeya heaves forward and disperses the contents of his stomach all over your uniform before falling back into his pillows, passed out.

You are speechless as you look down at your clothing, now stained with the deep red-purple hues of the copious amounts of wine Kaeya had ingested earlier in the evening. Biting back the urge to throw up in return, especially as you feel the fabric of your clothes begin to dampen against your skin. You quickly ensure the prince is asleep before quite literally tearing off your soiled pants in disgust.

Despite the oath of fealty that bound you to your job, you briefly considered threatening to quit after tonight unless you got a raise. Now, you were pantless and soon-to-be shirtless due to the sheer incapability of being able to handle somebody else’s body fluids against your skin. Your eyes darted over to Kaeya’s closet and a lightbulb went off in your head.

---

You had taken one of the younger prince’s spare uniforms in his closet and left him a nicely written note explaining the situation. Rather than saying that he threw up on you, you simply wrote that your outfit had been torn while carrying him back to the palace. Some facts, you believed, were best left as secrets. The fabric bunched over your shoulders as you adjusted it to the best of your capabilities, trying to get the odd size to fit your figure properly as you silently cursed Kaeya for having such broad shoulders.

Wrapping your now shredded and sullied uniform into a ball and tucking it under your arm, you made sure Kaeya was asleep once more before stealthily sneaking your way to the door. In a way, you felt like Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, except the poor only consisted of yourself. It is not stealing if you give the uniform back upon request, you tell yourself as you quietly creak open the door. As you make your escape, you turn to face the door as you close it, gently pulling it towards you and holding onto the doorknob to ensure that the noise of the door settling into place would be quiet as possible.

The last thing you wanted was for a drunken Kaeya to wake back up and force you to read him a bedtime story. As the door settles into place, you let out a sigh of relief, only to hear someone clear their throat behind you. Your eyes widen in humiliation and fear and your shoulders cringe upwards as you stare at the door in front of you. Scratch that, this was the last thing you wanted. Rather than let it become any more awkward, you let out a soft breath and settle your expression into your typical stoic one before whirling around to face your fate.

In this instance, your fate is for your eyes to meet the familiar crimson-hued ones that you had not seen in years. Dressed in an ornate, stealthy black and white outfit, the man looks far older than when you had last seen him, as if the last two years had been incredibly hard on him. You had no doubt that they were. You watch as his eyes widen in both recognition and surprise as you fix your posture. A flash of hurt crosses his expression before his expression mimics your own neutral one and the two of you simply stare at each other for a few moments, unsure of what to make of the conversation.

You notice Diluc’s claymore is strapped to his back and he has a fresh bruise forming on his cheekbone. You don’t dare ask what happened to him. It’s no longer your place to worry over him, but you can’t help it as his irises glimmer with sadness upon seeing you. Despite his neutral face, his eyes shine with emotion, as if he’s heartbroken to see you.

“Uh, hello, sir,” You greet, breaking the silence as you try to gather your composure. You offer him a salute, trying your best to keep your arm from shaking in both anxiety and exhaustion.

“Hello..” Diluc echoes absentmindedly, as if his mind is elsewhere. He quickly seems to recollect his bearings as his eyes scan you up and down. “Did you two have a fun night?”

His tone is unreadable and, if coming from anyone else, you would assume his words to be a joke. You let out a nervous laugh and Diluc’s eyebrows raise slightly at the uncharacteristic noise. A gut feeling tells you to choose your next words carefully. Upon your silence, Diluc’s eyes narrow slightly.

“You are wearing his garments. It does not take a genius to figure out what the two of you were doing together,” He explains, his voice devoid of emotion. A wave of heat rises to your cheeks and you are thankful for the low hallway lighting as it helps hide your embarrassment.

“Oh, um…” You trail off, breaking eye contact with the redhead as you look down at your outfit. “It’s not like that. He… he threw up on me.” Your words are unconvincing. Despite you knowing the truth, your nerves make it sound as if you’re pulling lies out of thin air to cover yourself. Diluc, of course, notices such a thing as he echoes your words.

“...He threw up on you?” The elder prince repeats, disbelief coating his words as he narrows his eyes at you.

“Yes, my prince,” You confirm. Diluc seems unsettled by your verbal formalities, but you carry on nonetheless. “He indulged in a few… too many drinks at Angel’s Share. As his subordinate, I felt as if it was in my duties to bring him back to the palace. He then proceeded to… release the contents of his stomach onto my uniform. If you do not believe my words, sir, you can… look at the uniform…” You hold out the balled up uniform in front of you and the stench alone is enough to make Prince Diluc’s nose scrunch up.

“I believe you, (Y/N).” He responds after a moment of contemplation. Diluc goes quiet once more, but you still stand at the ready, not having been dismissed from the conversation. “How… how often does this happen?”

Diluc’s gaze tears away from you. He looks nervous to be asking such a question. You’re not quite sure what he’s implying with his seemingly loaded question. “If I may request for you to do so, could you please clarify your query, my prince?” You ask as his stoic expression returns and he stands up straight, having collected his thoughts.

“How often does Kaeya inconvenience you with his immature drunkenness?” Diluc asks, rubbing his hand over his jaw in exasperation. It’s unclear as to whether he’s exasperated with Kaeya or with you. Diluc’s eyebrows furrow in thought as he awaits your answer.

You think your answer over. Lying to the king-to-be definitely wouldn’t be ideal, but it would help Kaeya. You weren’t sure what was going on with Kaeya, but you knew he was hurting. The blue-haired boy you once knew would have turned his nose up at alcohol. Now, he was damaged enough to have turned to it as a coping mechanism. You are no fool; you see the way Kaeya cringes if there are too many candles lighting up the room each morning.

However, Diluc clearly cared enough about the situation to ask and a part of you was chanting to throw Kaeya under the bus for throwing up on you. You would just be issued another uniform and it was not as if you did not have a spare one in your closet. Plus, Kaeya’s problem was spiraling out of control.

“Once a week,” You answer. “Every Friday. Normally, the prince can make it back by himself, but I am typically relegated to being the sober official of the Knights of Favonius in fear that they’ll trash the place without any supervision.”

Diluc lets out a sigh. He turns around and begins to move back around. “I’ll see to it that such behavior of his is fixed. Dismissed.” The prince waves you off with a dismissive hand and you watch as he enters his chambers, the door closing softly behind him. In return, you walk out of the palace with your head held high, rather pleased with the way the conversation went considering the circumstances Diluc had found you in.

A small part of your heart twists at such an uneventful reunion, as if you had expected something more. You shake your head to try to eliminate such thoughts. You had merely been Prince Diluc’s subordinate, nothing more. Taking the compromising position Diluc had found you in, he had been more than fair to hear your explanation out and to even go so far as to offer to assist you with your troubles. It was your duty to serve the throne and not his duty to serve you, so why did part of you want more?

---

Diluc's definition of fixing Kaeya's behavior is, in fact, not to speak to kaeya about his behavior. Kaeya is none the wiser about his own actions as well, simply issuing a new uniform and a muttered apology about how you had to deal with his behavior. Unfortunately, you aren’t off the hook for the typical Friday night rendezvous at Angel’s Share. You begin to wonder if Diluc had forgotten his words to you as everything seems to be returning to normal. In fact, he probably didn’t care. He just said that to get you off his back, you tell yourself. It was probably too much of a nuisance to readjust Kaeya’s behavior, especially when Kaeya was so far up in the Ordo Favonius’s hierarchy of soldiers.

A visionless soldier like you was dispensable, but a strong prince with a cryo vision was not. Therefore, it only made sense for the Knights and Diluc to prioritize Kaeya’s comfort over your own.

The following Friday rolls around and you finally encounter your first change. As you arrive to early morning training, Kaeya tells you that the Acting Grand Master, Jean, wishes to speak with you. Having given up on Diluc enacting any possible changes to your regiment, you’re baffled as Jean hands you a set of new orders. Confusion is written on her face as well.

“You’re the only one with new orders,” Jean had told you. You weren’t sure if she was supposed to tell you that, but you figured she hoped you would have some explanation. “Especially orders as… odd as these.”

Her words make you actually read the piece of paper in your hands, rather than respectfully waiting until you left to do so.

“Oh,” The word tumbles out of your lips before you can stop it as you gape at the paper like a fish. You have been ordered, directly from the desk of King-to-be Diluc Ragnvindr, to return to the palace to be the elder prince’s royal bodyguard once more. You meet Jean’s expectant gaze with a look of confusion.

“If I may be so brave as to ask, do you know why you have been given such orders? Prince Diluc has been kind of… avoidant when it comes to the Knights as of late.” Jean asks. Her voice is kind like always, but you note a hint of curiosity within it. You can’t help her for being nosy.

“I was his bodyguard once before but..?” You shrug, not really knowing the answer. “He found me last week after Prince Kaeya threw up on me, but I doubt such a thing would have led to such a drastic change.”

Jean’s eyes light up in faint recognition and she softly smiles. “Oh, you were the bodyguard? That makes a bit more sense…” She trails off, lost in thought. “Hm, but such a rearrangement would only happen if he was preparing to… Never mind that, you said Prince Kaeya vomited? On you?”

You feel heat rise up to your cheeks as you nod. “Prince Kaeya is… not quite aware that he performed such… actions while intoxicated, so I would appreciate it if you could keep this a secret between us.”

The Acting Grand Master’s eyes shine with amusement and she lets out a soft, chime-like laugh. “Of course. Your secret is safe with me.”

You begin to walk out of Jean’s office, but freeze in your tracks. “I have one more question, if you don’t mind me asking,” You say. Jean nods for you to continue. “Why did Diluc choose me to be his bodyguard and not somebody with a vision?”

Jean lets out a melodic giggle, her blonde ponytail shaking as she does so. “I have my guesses, but I believe that’s only something the prince himself can answer.”

You nod in response, looking back down at your orders. “Thank you, Acting Grand Master.”

---

“You’re late,” A familiar voice admonishes you as you enter the throne room of the palace. It is a familiar room you had long since given up hope on ever seeing again, with gleaming gold and green accents adorning its stained glass windows. The room holds an intimidating yet freeing aura, but in your eyes, the most threatening thing in the ornate hall is not the gilded throne nor the massive marble statue of Barbatos, but rather Prince Diluc, who stands at the bottom of the steps that lead up to the throne.

Diluc adjusts his black gloves, ones you hadn’t seen him wear before, as he awaits for you to meet him in the center of the room. The click of your uniform’s boots against the tile and the soft clinking of your sheathed sword against your belt fills the room, reverberating through the open space as the sounds fill the silent void between you and Diluc.

“My apologies, my prince,” You state, bowing in respect. Diluc stares at you with an unreadable expression.

“You always were the type for formalities,” He muses almost wistfully, but catches himself and clears his throat. “Nonetheless, such impropriety will not be viewed upon well in the future.”

You stand up straight and salute him. “Understood, sir.”

Amusement dances in Diluc’s carmine irises as your gesture. “Welcome back, (Y/N).” He says, holding out a hand for you to shake. You shake his hand firmly, appreciative to see his amiability had not disappeared in your absence. As you drop his hand, Diluc seems to sense the unspoken question that rests on your tongue.

“There are no other Royal Knights yet. I do not trust any other knights to be capable of doing their jobs,” Diluc explains briefly before moving past you and out of the throne room, beckoning for you to follow. You fall in line alongside him, listening as he details your duties. For a moment, you’re seventeen and naive again, wondering what happened to the previous impression you had of the prince.

---

Two months pass and, in many ways, it's as if you had never left. Yet, the man you are designated to guard is more reserved with those around him, but the bluntness with his emotions remains. If Diluc isn’t happy with a situation, he’s not one to hide it, except for the sake of diplomacy. Despite not sharing blood with his brother, the two of them hold the same sadness in their shoulders when no one is watching, burdened by the secrets of the world. You stare at Diluc far more often than you do his younger brother, justifying such actions with your duties in an attempt to ignore the fact that you find the elder prince easy on the eyes.

Diluc looks at you too. When your duty is to observe, you tend to pick up on things quickly, especially the long glances Diluc sends your way when your attention is elsewhere. Your thoughts often consist of the secrets Kaeya had divulged to you in his drunken state, but you shove such nonsense out of your head. Kaeya had no place to speak on Diluc’s behalf and you determined that he was likely only projecting his own insecurities on Diluc. A selfish part of you still yearned for Kaeya’s words to be true each time you would notice the elder prince’s gaze to be upon you, but your duty prevailed over all. Unable to pinpoint why you felt this way, you would simply stare straight ahead, acting oblivious to Diluc’s gaze.

The distance between the two of you closes, both physically and emotionally. Diluc stays close enough to you that your elbows brush against each other while walking and you contribute such actions to Diluc being nervous after his father’s death. He’s much more touchy, reaching out to you with subtle gestures to make sure you’re near, rather than verbally reassuring your distance. If the two of you are outside the palace grounds and the prince is distracted by something, he’ll reach out to ensure that you’re still close.

If you aren’t nearby, Diluc will snap out of whatever daze he’s in and look around frantically for you, as if you had disappeared into thin air. The sheer panic in his eyes has taught you to stay close to him.

Diluc values your opinion. Previously, when he would have suffered in silence, the two of you have small conversations about issues he may be facing in his life, such as how to deal with a petulant Fontaine diplomat who doesn’t know how to take the word “no” as an answer. Diluc enjoys the new perspective you bring to the table, but he doesn’t let you in much farther. For his heaviest burdens, Diluc elects to keep to himself.

For that reason, you do not ask about his brother. You only provide your condolences on the day of his father’s death and make yourself available if he needs you.

---

Six months into your new appointment under Diluc, you finally gather the courage to ask a question you have desired to ask since your first day. You bite your lip slightly as you drop your gaze from guarding the door and instead flicker your gaze over to Diluc, who is sitting in a red velvet armchair by the crackling fireplace. The two of you are within the spacious area of his father’s study, soon to be his own, but such a room is still rather unfamiliar to you. The unknown territory of the room pushes you to move the unknown territory of the question you desire to ask.

“Um, sir?” You ask, uncharacteristically nervous. Diluc’s eyes immediately break away from the pages of his book, startled by you speaking. Normally, Diluc was the one to initiate conversation.

“Yes, (Y/N)?” He asks patiently and you feel heat rise to your face once more. Why are you flustered? you ask yourself as Diluc gazes at you intensely, awaiting your words with earnest.

“Apologies if I’m… overstepping by asking,” You begin and a flash of worry briefly crosses the prince’s face before he raises his eyebrows in intrigue. “But… why have you not ascended to the throne yet?”

The prince flushes a deep scarlet. He fumbles slightly with the book in his hands and looks down at it nervously. Such bashfulness is uncharacteristic of him, but then again, being so forthright was abnormal for you. Had you overstepped boundaries? Nervousness begins to claw at your stomach and climb up your throat, but the feelings are quickly quelled as Diluc clears his throat and smiles softly down at his book, trying to gather his bearings before responding.

The prince looks at you, but fails to make eye contact. “My father was a bit… peculiar in the guidelines I must follow in order to become king.” His fingers tap lightly on the cover of his book as he lets out a soft sigh, clearly unnerved by your question, but not wanting to make much of it. The prince is now twenty-three. Surely you could not have been the first person to ask him such a question?

“Oh,” You respond quickly. “I apologize if I overstepped any boundaries. Thank you for your answer, my prince.” A stoic expression quickly plasters itself on your face as you retreat back into yourself and Diluc’s eyebrows furrow at your reaction.

“It was not a bothersome question, just one I… had not been expecting, that’s all,” Diluc says, reading directly into the way you had closed yourself off. He notices the way your posture relaxes at such a statement and his eyes soften. “A few others are aware of the stipulations, so there is no such way I can circumvent them.”

“Ah,” You murmur before speaking once more. “Are the conditions to become king difficult?”

Diluc finally meets your eyes, a wistful look on his face. “They aren’t. I am just… not quite sure if the timing is right or how to broach the subject of them.” His voice is barely above a low rumble, but you hear him perfectly.

Your heart clenches at his words. You don’t know why.

---

Diluc’s twenty-fourth birthday rolls around and, when compared to every prior birthday of his in the past, the palace is ablaze with life. Mond’s economy had taken a slight downturn in its luxury goods market and Diluc had agreed to help bolster the industry by hosting a diplomatic birthday of sorts. Invite the richest people within Teyvat to explore Mondstadt and all its palace has to offer, conveniently place luxury goods within the vicinity, and the markets for said items are guaranteed to increase in demand. Diluc had explained all of this to you, including going in depth on the economics, and ordered you to put together a temporary unit of knights to serve as security at the party.

Such merriment and festivities would not lead to joy for you, but rather more work hours and stress. Assembling a team of competent enough fighters was difficult enough. Many within the Knights of Favonius were kind, but easily influenced, meaning that they were untrustworthy to leave within the realms of foreign dignitaries and prying eyes. Ultimately, you had settled on a trustworthy team of twenty core knights, all assigned to different positions within the ballroom. Some were framed as servers, some were framed as partygoers, and others would simply be required to wear their knight uniforms and guard the entrances and exits.

Despite security being a massive event, the biggest outlier was not the people who would be attending the party, but outsiders wishing to take advantage of such important people congregated in a single event. For that reason, all other knights were stationed within other parts of the palace and around its perimeter, in order to secure the area for the party. You weren’t too worried about the people inside as any foul moves would lead to massive geopolitical repercussions against any evildoers.

As for you, you were assigned to be Diluc’s right-hand knight, guarding his side at the party. While you were always ready to perform your assigned duty, you couldn’t help but wish you had door duty, as such a position would not require the diplomatic ass-kissing you were obligated to perform.

Now, as you stood at Diluc’s side near the center of the room, you weren’t sure what to make of the situation. The prince was effortlessly calming and smooth in his conversations with potentially hostile foreign dignitaries. Hell, he was even being respectful to the Fatui, even though you knew he likely wanted to ram his head through a wall speaking to the sleazy minions of the Tsaritsa.

What you hadn’t expected, however, were the wine trays floating throughout the room. You and Diluc were both aware to only take appetizers and drinks alike from a specific server, not wanting the elder prince or you, the head of security for the event, to have contaminated food. However, as Diluc drank his third glass of wine, you were beginning to wonder if you would be able to keep up. Finishing off your second, you smiled politely at the server and politely declined a second glass, ignoring the look of confusion Diluc sent your way. You already felt tipsy. The last thing you wanted was to be unable to do your job.

“Ah, Prince Diluc!” A vaguely familiar voice calls from behind you and Diluc the moment Diluc finishes speaking with a diplomat from Natlan. How do I know that voice? You ask yourself before feeling your thoughts swim a bit due to the alcohol. You silently cursed yourself for accepting the drinks at all, but when the first round of drinks had appeared, Diluc himself had taken one for you. How could you have said no to a request from your prince?

You and Diluc both turn around to see the intruder and you recognize him immediately. Dottore, one of the eleven Fatui Harbingers, stood before you and Diluc, a wide grin on his face. Immediately suppressing a groan and forcing your expression to stay neutral, you silently curse the fact that Harbingers made it on the guest list, especially one as irritating as Dottore. At his best, the man was an arrogant asshat. At his worst, Dottore was downright psychopathic with little regard for the people around him. You knew Diluc was aware of such things, but the prince had to stomach such disdain for the harbinger and at least attempt for a polite conversation.

“This is quite a lovely party,” Dottore compliments, but such praise from him is only worth about as far as you can throw it. “Mond is quite a prosperous nation.”

Your gaze flickers between Dottore and Diluc as they exchange meaningless pleasantries. You lose track of their conversation, electing to scan the room (and watch Dottore) for any potential threats or foul moves. However, you’re quickly snapped back to the conversation as Dottore’s attention turns to you, his masked red eyes boring into yours.

“You are the prince’s security detail?” Dottore’s words are less of a question and more of a statement, as if he already knows the answer. You avoid glancing at Diluc and instead meet Dottore’s gaze straight on and hold out your hand.

“Knight (Y/N), sir.” You respond and Dottore laughs crookedly while shaking your hand with a grip far too aggressive for your liking.

“Ah, aren’t you an… interesting specimen,” Much to your behest, Dottore takes your hand in his own gloved one and looks at it, as if he’s inspecting you. “You are his only personal knight at this event yet you are visionless… Quite an intriguing move for a prince who flaunts his so proudly.”

Your eyes instinctively move to look at Diluc, whose brows are furrowed and eyes glistening with anger at the situation unfolding. Diluc clears his throat and immediately returns his expression to one of neutrality as he realizes your gaze is now upon him. “Dottore, are you not one to believe that humanity is more than their visions?”

Dottore drops your hand unceremoniously and you quickly retract it to your side in fear that such an event happens again. He chuckles at Diluc’s words and turns to look at the prince once more. “Of course. I just simply never took you as the type to share my beliefs.”

Despite neither of them owning an Electro vision, the air between the two men crackles with energy. Dottore grins as Diluc glowers, eager to see if the refined prince’s composure shatters. The Harbinger knows he’s pinpointed Diluc’s weak spot, so rather than continuing the rather unamusing staring contest, Dottore’s gaze returns to you once more. He casts you a saccharine smile, dripping with insecurity, as he leans in close to you.

“I must believe you have some tricks up your sleeve. I look forward to seeing what they are,” The Harbinger’s tone drops to a low, sultry one as Dottore’s hot breath fans over your face, reeking of the odd combination of mint and wine. His words are not an expectation, but rather a promise. After a second more of leering at you, Dottore is sensible enough to realize Diluc’s limited patience is waning, so he takes a step back and stands up straight. “Nonetheless, I must make my exit now. Prince Diluc, as nice as it was to speak with you, I understand your wish not to share your toys.”

Just as quickly as he had appeared, the Harbinger disappears into the crowd. You look over at the prince standing near you. He takes a sidestep closer to you and for a split second, you’re reminded of the Prince Diluc you once knew, the one who could barely contain his anger and derision and took such feelings out on his subordinates verbally. The contempt Diluc feels for the situation that just unfolded is written all over his face, but he quickly gathers his composure. Knowing him well enough, you can sense the irritation radiating off him in waves, but you dare not comment on it.

Before another diplomat can intervene, Diluc leans in close to you, voice no more than a low whisper. “Dottore is up to something.”

---

Diluc, in his typical stubborn nature, refuses to let the Dottore situation go. Two hours afterwards, long after his mood had returned to normal, Diluc is excusing himself to use the bathroom, signaling for you to follow him. However, the elder prince remains silent as the two of you walk past the bathroom and into the chambers that had been converted to house foreign dignitaries who would stay the night and leave in the morning. The prince glances up and down the hallway frantically, making sure nobody is following. His pace is hurried, as if he’s looking for something.

You’re smart enough to realize Diluc’s only silent when he desires for others to be as well, but the two of you have been walking long enough that you part your lips to speak. Before you can utter the words, Diluc is opening the door closest to the two of you.

“Here,” He mutters and before you can follow, the prince grabs your arm and pulls you in after him, immediately letting you go afterwards. You were utterly baffled as to what room the two of you were even in, considering you had barely been in this part of the palace before. “Dottore’s room.” Diluc explains.

That’s a shitty explanation, you think. With the alcohol in your system, you are spurred to question his decisions, something you never would dare to do sober.

“With all due respect, sir, why are we raiding Dottore’s room?” You state as Diluc crouches down to look underneath Dottore’s bed. You silently question why that’s the first place the prince bothers looking, rather than looking in a more normal place, such as Dottore’s desk drawers or the suitcases lined against the wall.

Diluc lets out a huff of air at your words, but doesn’t admonish you for them. “He’s up to something,” Diluc mutters absentmindedly.

“I know he’s a suspicious character and he’s Fatui, but all he did was disrespect you with his words. Does that really mean he’s up to something?” You ask and Diluc pauses through rifling through the limited possessions the Harbinger had brought to Mondstadt. Still crouched down, the prince turns to look at you with an expression of confusion at your words.

“You aren’t normally like this,” Diluc states plainly and you feel your face heat up in embarrassment. He squints his eyes in an attempt to read your stoic expression in the dark. He lets out a sigh, unable to come to a conclusion, and returns back to looking through Dottore’s stuff. “He was clearly challenging me. He’s hiding something and wants me to find it.”

With Diluc’s back turned to you, you roll your eyes. Why are men always like this?

“Maybe he was just flirting,” You suggest, your tone annoyed.

“I was n-” Diluc pauses and clears his throat. “I mean, he was not flirting with you.” He sounds outraged that you would even discuss such a thing.

“Sir, his words had that weird kind of aura to them. With all due respect, I believe I’m not ugly enough that he wouldn’t flirt with me. He just sounded kind of horny,” You say, as if such a thing should be obvious. Diluc freezes completely and stands up, turning to look at you. His eyes are blown wide at your words and, in your alcoholic stupor, you’re unaware of the egregious unprofessionalism of your words. The prince steps closer to you, his crimson gaze boring into yours.

“Archons,” He mutters after a few seconds. “They didn’t serve you grape juice, did they?”

“Nope,” You respond in a gleeful voice, popping your mouth at the end of the word. “Were they supposed to?” You ask cluelessly, leaning on the wall behind you.

Diluc lets out a frustrated huff, but it doesn’t seem directed at you. “Barbatos, they had one job,” He mutters to himself before walking over to Dottore’s desk and bending over to look at the contents of the desk drawers. “Anyways, just watch the door. That’s an order.”

Even in your tipsiness, you are aware enough to sense Diluc’s frustration at the situation, so you bite your tongue and watch the door. Your gaze flutters between the elder prince and the door, unable to focus on your assigned duty as the alcohol swirls through your system. The elder prince’s noisy actions of rifling through files draws your attention and you look over at him, eyebrows raised. However, what catches your attention is a glint of white in his back pocket.

“What’s in your pocket?” You ask, causing Diluc to let out a frustrated huff.

“I said to watch the door,” Diluc reminds you in a harsh tone, but by now, you know the prince is all bark and no bite.

“I have two eyes,” You respond combatively. Diluc sighs, knowing this is a fight he won’t win. “One to watch you and one to watch the door.”

“That is quite literally not how vision works, (Y/N),” Diluc tries to explain, but knows there’s no reasoning with alcohol. He’s encountered his brother enough times after his drunken escapades to know when to give up. “Just… use both to watch the door.”

“Tell me what’s in your pocket and I will,” Your words are dangerous and if Diluc wasn’t fond of you, he could easily have thrown you in prison for saying such things.

“We’re done in here,” Diluc states after a few moments of ignoring you, placing the final file back into its rightful position and dusting himself off. He walks over to you and pulls the white object out of his pocket, holding it out to you. “It’s a mask, by the way.”

“Okay,” You say, taking the mask in your hand. You’re not far enough gone to try putting it on, so you simply slip it into your own pocket. “What’s in the other pocket, then, sir?” You ask, a sly smirk appearing on your face. Diluc flusters at your mischievous expression as he brushes past you to exit the room.

“Nothing.” He responds, but you know otherwise. As the two of you exit into the hallway, you take advantage of the fact that the prince had exited Dottore’s room before you and you quickly snatch the object in his other pocket. You had only seen the outline of it, but now that it rests in your hands, you’re utterly baffled as to why he would hide such a thing.

“What is this?” You ask, holding the object away from Diluc as he whirls around, trying to grab the object from your hand.

“Stop acting like a child, (Y/N),” Diluc warns, but there’s a faint desperation in his voice. “It’s my Vision.”

“This isn’t your Vision,” You state, staring at him with furrowed brows. “Your Vision looks different from this.”

Before you can theorize any more about what the faux-Vision in your hands is, Diluc opens the door closest to the two of you and pulls you in rather roughly by the arm. You only tighten your grip on the object in response.

“Could you be any louder, (Y/N)? Barbatos, it’s just a Vision, but it’s not mine. Give it back.” Diluc orders, but you simply smirk at him as the two of you stand in the dark of the supply closet he had cornered you in. The light filtering from underneath the door allows him to barely see your expression, despite the overall darkness of the room. His hand fumbles against the wall before the room is lit in a soft orange light as his hand finds an unlit candle near the door.

“Hm,” You say upon seeing his glowering expression. He looks absolutely furious, but for once you aren’t living in fear of such an expression. In fact, he looks rather delicio- “Make me, Diluc.” The words tumble out of your lips, sultry and sweet, before you can even finish processing your own thoughts. Right now, for once in your life, you have the chance to make Prince Diluc beg and you are relishing in the moment, in all of its unprofessional glory.

Diluc’s eyes flash with anger and as he angrily grips your wrist and shoves you back into the shelf behind you. The wood juts into your back and you let out a soft cry of both surprise and pain as objects begin to clatter off the shelf around the two of you. Taking advantage of your surprise at his forcefulness, Diluc manages to wrangle the object out of your hand and he fastens it securely in within his breast pocket, away from your prying, tipsy hands. As Diluc’s harsh grip on your wrist fails to falter, you feel tears bubble up in your eyes, unable to hold them back. Okay, maybe you had more than two drinks, you tell yourself.

Before you can stop them, more words are spilling out of your mouth, but they’re no longer the empowered ones you wish you could say.

“I do everything for you,” you blubber pathetically and watch as Diluc’s eyes widen at your tone. “And the one time i want something in return, just to know something about you, you’re mean to me.” Before you can stop them, you’ve activated the waterworks, tears freefalling down your cheeks. The only word to describe Diluc’s expression is terrified.

“N... no, don’t cry.” Diluc’s grip on your wrist loosens, but he still holds it close, his other free arm pulling you in by your waist into a comforting hug. His gestures and words are stiff as if he’s not sure how to do this. You’re fairly sure the two of you are breaking each and every code of conduct at this moment, but for now, you don’t care. His hand rubs the small of your back in a comforting motion, his thumb trailing up and down the part of your wrist that he likely bruised. “You’re my best knight, the only one I can trust, it’s… okay. Please don’t cry.”

The prince’s words are frantic and softly spoken, as if he’s trying his best to pull compliments out of thin air to stop your tears. Despite him not being very good at comforting you, your sobs start to subside into small hiccups as you bury your head into the spot between his shoulder and neck. You feel him stiffen at the gesture. Nonetheless, he pulls you into a tighter one armed hug.

After you manage to get your tipsy tears under control, you let out a shaky sigh before continuing with your words. “Why do you never let me in? I swore my life to protect you. I’d do anything for you. but you just shut me out every time,” You whisper, voice still stained with the tears you had just cried out. In the morning, you’d be mortified with your words, but for now, you brain is encouraging you to continue. Diluc pulls away from you and cups his hands on the side of your face, using his thumbs to wipe away your tear stains.

“You’re too valuable to waste your tears on someone like me.” Diluc mutters as the pads of his fingers soak up the salty tears. His tone is saddened from your actions.

“Answer the question, Diluc, please,” you beg, dropping the honorifics once more. You stare into his eyes, searching for an answer. You watch him inhale, as if he’s trying to muster up the courage to say something.

“Okay,” He breathes, eyes looking into yours for reassurance. “Okay.” His voice is more resolute as he repeats the words. “I don’t know how to keep you close without making you uncomfortable. I don’t know how much I should let you in without scaring you off. I feel this way because for the last six years, I’ve been in-”

Before he can finish his words, the door to the supply closet swings open. The bright light causes the both of you to flinch as a third voice gasps dramatically. You blink rapidly, trying to adjust your eyes to the bright lights from the hallway in order to understand what’s happening, your hand reaching up to the hilt of your sword.

“My, my, what a scandalous sight,” the voice (Dottore, you identify) croons and the two of you look on in mortification. “A prince and his knight having an illicit rendezvous in the janitorial closet.”

The two of you look out to see a small crowd of five people having gathered -- Dottore, his assistant, Kaeya, Jean, and another Fatui agent. You’re not sure why they’re all gathered outside, but what matters is that they’re now viewing you after having been caught in a broom closet with the king-to-be’s hands cupping your face and him staring into your eyes.

Fuck, you think as Diluc’s hands rescind from your face quickly, as if the water of your tears had scalded him.

#diluc x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact headcanons #diluc headcanons #diluc scenarios #genshin impact scenarios #diluc #genshin impact #*writing #*inheritance #*diluc #*fic #AAAAAAAAAAAAA ITS HERE

[celestialarchon]

The Celestial Archon

Chapter Two: The Moonlight Phenomenon

Genshin Impact x F! Reader

Warnings: major Genshin Impact Spoilers! Possible grammar errors.

Tag list: To Be Added. (sorry it needed to be published!)

With the return of a mysterious archon, celebrations began! The night was filled with laughter, food, and memories being made. One person was amiss during the celebration, Mona still found herself unsettled and unable to be as excited as the others. An eerie feeling of unrest and anxiety has settled over our esteemed astrologist as our beloved heroes celebrate.

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“I’ve finally found you,” Mona’s intense astrology session was interrupted by a cheery high pitched voice.

“Hello, Seraphim.” Mona turned to greet the beautiful woman.

She nearly gasped as the woman walked in, her hair now styled and her eyes shining brighter than before, the mysterious tattoos seemed to have faded and though she was still striking she looked far more human than before. The Celestial Archon merely smiled at the woman’s surprise and stepped towards her, hand out.

“We should talk, my child. Fate had brought us together, an astrologist with a water vision instead of a celestial vision is strange enough.” The woman was calm but not cold as Mona took her hand.

Mona was warm as the gentle archon interlocked their fingers and led her to the corner of the room, sinking down into a comfy chair and pointing at the one next to her. Disappointment creeped up in the astrologist as her idol released her hand. It was quickly replaced with embarrassment and a soft flush across her cheeks. Mona was wholeheartedly captured by the mystery goddess.

“I’m sure you’re aware,” The bright eyes goddess sighed, “That my arrival in Teyvat has stirred up some trouble.”

Mona frowned slightly, “There was already trouble, your sudden appearance is not the cause of it.”

“That’s good, but I still feel that my presence is going to stir the pot a bit. I am connected to all the stars and spaces of this world, I can feel and see things so deeply and I am well aware that there are challenges coming. It’s annoying in some ways.” Her eyes were distant again.

Words were lost on Mona for a moment. She couldn’t begin to imagine how stressful it was to feel so deeply, to constantly be overwhelmed by information and one’s connection to the world. Every piece of text written about the Celestial Archon was very vague. Information on the god of stars was hard to find and many details had been lost, yet one thing seemed to stay the same in ever piece of information Mona had consumed.

Even when the world was teeming with elemental energy and gods were far more common, the goddess of the sky, Seraphim, was an oddity. Before the Archon war, Seraphim was a lone wolf being without many ties. The last god of stars kept to herself and had no desire to interfere with the other’s problems, despite knowing so much of them. It was incredibly lonely and sad.

“You said it’s strange that I have a water vision,” Mona finally spoke.

“Yes,” The archon clicked her tongue, “Had I been around, somebody like you would’ve received a vision from me. However, you did not receive one of my visions and ultimately that should’ve impacted your abilities over astrology but it did not. You are quite the gifted character, aren’t you Miss Mona?”

Mona’s face was tomato red at the words of the beloved celestial archon, “I am honored to be complimented by the goddess of stars.”

“You’re very formal,” The starry eyed goddess laughed.

“Excuse me,” the two were interrupted by none other than the acting grandmaster, “I would like a word with the Lady of the Stars.”

Mona was hesitant, not wanting her idol to slip away but nodded and escorted the woman to the door. She was a bit dissatisfied with the conversation they’d had, wanting to know more and more of her long awaited god. The woman turned back to Mona, eyes twinkling, and embraced her. The normally level headed and somewhat haughty astrologist stiffened in shock but returned the warm hug. A sigh escaped Mona’s mouth, but she didn’t mind. The goddess was warm and something about her affection put Mona at peace.

“I am so lucky that somebody as beautiful and gifted as you awaited my return, Mona Megistus. Until we meet again, my darling.” The woman’s grasp around Mona tightened as she whispered in her ear.

The water mage watched as the strange goddess gracefully glided away with Jean. She was ethereal with the moonlight filtering in from tall windows, her skin illuminated as she hung on to every word Jean said. Even the confident and ever busy acting grandmaster found butterflies swarming her abdomen at the sight of the goddess. Jean felt as if she could be swept away by the young woman.

A part of Jean felt guilty for several reasons. As acting grand master, it was her duty to know about the citizens of Mond, it was her duty to work without personal emotions interfering, and her duty to oversee the safety of all the wind borne citizens. The Celestial Archon was challenging all of these duties. It was only natural for an astrologist to be obsessed with a god of stars, and Jean had interrupted the conversation. The Dandelion Knight couldn’t help but feel an innocent sort of crush on the goddess, she was kind and beautiful and she really seemed to want to get to know everyone. Ultimately, Jean was also aware of the danger a new archon posed.

Even so, the beautiful knight couldn’t help but want to push all those thoughts aside and capture the attention of the goddess for hours. She shook off that thought, attempting to focus on her duty as Mondstat’s respected Grand Master. Jean explained the general politics of the city of freedom and the individual jobs of the knights of favonious. She even went as far as to explain the adventurer’s guild and the recent trouble with Storm Terror. The Celestial Archon hung on to every word, nodding and asking occasional questions.

Jean took the time to explain the place they were in, a place between Mondstat and Liyue, and the teleport points that marked both countries. She was diligent and had already prepared some documents for the 8th Archon, maps and other things needed in the world. Jean had even communicated with others to ensure each safe place for the archon was marked. The allied domain was the middle ground, but Mondstat welcomed the new Archon with a living place and much to do. Liyue had also prepared a small home in the city for her.

The archon stared in wonder at the map. The knights of Favonious had prepared a room for her in their own head quarters, even the esteemed Tycoon had set aside a room. Wangshuu Inn welcomed her and Liyue Harbor gave her quarters close to Rex Lapis. Small notes were written for her, both Xiao and Diluc noted the stars were best seen from where they were while the traveler and Paimon had starred their favorite places to eat.

“Ah, Master Jean.” The Goddess spoke slowly, bowing.

“Please, Seraphim, there’s no reason to be so formal!” Jean’s voice rose nervously, “You are an archon after all.”

“Yes, that’s true. You do not serve me though, please refer to me as my chosen name. Formalities aren’t my taste much.” The Archon remarked bashfully.

Jean nodded, rose dusting her cheeks.

“I,” The Archon sighed, “Really need an open space so I can, uh, deal with my weapon situation.”

“Oh, oh!” Realization hit Jean.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” Jean babbled nervously, “Here let us go out to the cliffs, it should be okay, right?”

“Mhm,” The goddess followed the knight to the exit.

Aether and Paimon were also by the exit, turning at the sound of approaching foot steps. Aether grinned and waved at the Celestial Archon, she waved back and beamed. Paimon immediately took off, throwing herself into the Archons arms as the woman giggled. Jean’s face was priceless, attempting to process how this small otherworldly creature could just tackle and archon without shame.

Aether and his companion followed the two women, curious about the weapon another archon would wield. The group made their way to the edge of the cliff, the stars seeming extra bright and the moon full. The goddess lowered herself, feet on the lush grass and put her hand forth, palm out. Swiftly, she struck the air in front of her with her pointer finger, an unfamiliar constellation connecting at each point.

“Return to your master, Destroyer of Divinity.” Her words were clear and calm.

The constellation burst into a ray of white light, Aether covered his eyes as Paimon whined. Darkness fell again and he opened his eyes, gasping at the sight in front of him. The goddess held a long weapon close to her body, above her shoulder was a large opalescent curved blade, below the hip on the opposite side, another shimmering curved blade could be seen. No weapon in Teyvat was even similar.

“I-Is is that a scythe?!” Jean sputtered.

“Aha, well yes,” The goddess blushed at their reactions, “Destroyer of Divinity is an unusual weapon, meant to slice through dimensional and spatial barriers. I didn’t mean to shock you.”

Aether stood, mouth agape, “Even its name is terrifying! What the hell?”

“Ahahaha,” the archon continued to laugh nervously, “Well, its existence is basically to bring judgement from the heavens upon those deserving so yeah it’s a bit intimidating.”

Aether nearly screamed. How could she say something so casually?

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The traveler was feeling a bit nervous, as anybody would if an Archon decided to tag along for their daily commissions. Paimon and the Celestial Archon chattered away as Aether spoke to the Katheryne in Liyue. It did not help that the three had left before the others awoke and the Celestial Archon had left a note declaring it as a “friendly date.”

The last thing Aether wanted was to piss off literally any of the adepti, the Geo Archon himself, and even Jean who had taken a very noticeable interest in the goddess. A cloud seemed to look over the blonde but Paimon didn’t notice. The eighth Archon gave the teenager a sympathetic smile and put her hand on his shoulder, attempting to ease his nerves. Only one thing could make the situation worse, and unfortunately that particular thing was heading straight towards Aether.

“Let’s run,” Aether grabbed the startled archon’s wrist and dragged her to the teleport point nearby, ignoring the calls of a certain troublesome individual.

The archon chuckled, “I didn’t know daily commissions would be so exciting!”

Aether smiled sheepishly and let go of her wrist, trying to focus on which commission to start with. He was distracted by a sudden commotion, people yelled out as a hooded figure darted past the trio. Liyue Harbor’s guards thundered after the thief, knocking the poor panicked goddess off her feet.

The eight archon shut her eyes and prepared for the impact of the fall, but was yanked back by a pair of strong arms.

“Hey, girlie. Hold still.” A charming voice said.

The goddess watched as the lanky ginger haired man moved forward and shot an arrow, narrowly missing all the guard and hitting the suspicious character in the back. Aether’s eyes were filled with shock and panic at the sight of the man. Immediately, the goddess side stepped away from her hero, on high alert.

“Now,” He turned to her beaming, “What exactly is such a beautiful young lady doing with this kiddo?”

Her starry eyes met his azure eyes, “I’m just a new adventurer from Mondstat, learning the ropes from the best.”

“Hmm?” His gaze was questioning, “Well then, I’m Childe. Number 11 of the Fatui Harbingers. We should definitely get to know each other.”

The goddess moved to Aether in a quick swift movement. Suddenly, she wanted very much to escape Liyue Harbor. The Fatui were trouble, the goddess was new to the era but even she knew that they were dangerous. It was one of the first matters addressed at her arrival. She no longer knew the Cryo Archon, and this Tsarita sounded troubling.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” an annoyed voice chimed in, averting the red head’s attention.

A shorter man with a large hat and ominous aura stood behind the tall harbinger. Aether tensed up and the goddess wrapped her arm around his shoulder. Slowly, the trio made their escape at the expense of Childe. The older harbinger was chewing the younger man out for flirting and wasting time, both harbingers bickered as the traveler and his companions fled.

“You shouldn’t be wasting time on trying to get laid you, fool.” Scaramouche scowled, still ripping into his subordinate. “Especially not that woman, even from a mile away I can tell she’s trouble. You’re a harbinger not a host, get your shit together, Tartaglia.”

Childe smirked, looking down on his superior, “So you noticed her, too. I wonder what someone like that is doing with my favorite traveler.”

“We should alert the Tsarita of that girl,” Scaramouche mumbled, avoiding the earlier comment.

“I actually agree,” Childe’s eyes narrowed, “I was hoping to see for myself what she is, but that kid stopped me of course. There’s something strange about her but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe I can charm it out of her?”

Scaramouche slapped his comrades back, “Let’s go you useless fucking playboy.”

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Wangshuu Inn looked beautiful and the aroma of food was far too enticing. Aether sighed as he watched his small, chubby companion chase after the eighth archon. The woman was supposed to be divine, yet in some ways he reminded her of a puppy or a kitten. She was somewhat moody with her affections and spacey like a kitten may be, and still somehow clingy and energetic like a puppy.

Luckily for the two, Aether had a commission from Verr Goldet. The blonde tried to maintain composure as he saw a familiar dark haired yaksha speaking with the Inn Keeper, not wanting to admit he’d accidentally led the Fatui straight to the Archon. The traveler watched in fascination and amusement as Verr’s face twisted from composed to horrified when Xiao was knocked over by the goddess. The conqueror of demons merely grunted and stood back up, clutching the ethereal woman to his chest.

Xiao’s eyes were cold as they met Aether’s, clearly annoyed with the boy, but his expression softened at the yawning goddess in his arms. Once again, the traveler was overcome with curiosity at her behavior. Only moments ago the woman was bubbly and hyper, now her eyes were fluttering and she was snuggling up to one of the most dangerous beings in Teyvat. Without a word, the tattooed man spun around and carried the goddess upstairs.

“I’m here for your com-“ Aether began.

“Who was that?!” Verr Goldet burst out, “I’ve never seen Adeptus Xiao so damn agreeable. What just happened? Is this a dream?”

Paimon giggled, “He loooooves her! That person is the one we told you about before! Even Xiao can’t be in a bad mood around her, it’s amazing!”

“Oh,” Verr blushed at Paimon’s words, “She’s that person? No wonder he’s been so restless.”

“Wait, restless?” Aether questioned.

Verr Sighed and beckoned the two to a guest free area. The two followed her into a small back room, exchanging glances. The boss lady pulled out an old book and brushed the dust away. Aether and Paimon peered down at the book, puzzled by its appearance. It was a dark leather with carvings of the moon and clouds on the front.

Carefully, Verr flipped the book open and turned it to the two. Paimon shot up, shrieking. The book looked like a book you’d find in a library but was strange. Instead of ongoing text, the pages had scraps and pieces stuck on the pages with various notes scribbled around. Verr turned to the first page, placing her middle finger at the beginning text and giving Aether and expectant look. The traveler leaned down and began to read the text.

“The moonlight phenomenon: Legend of Liyue.

It is said that there was once a ruler of the stars, one who ruled over the sky as the Gods rule over our land. When tides of war overcame Liyue, Rex Lapis sought out the monarch of the sky to form a contract.

Seraphim granted Rex Lapis the moonlight phenomenon. Liyue’s skies were never to dim even on the darkest of nights, the moon and stars would remain as guides for Liyue always. It is said that this contract assisted in bringing the evil gods to their doom, the sky illuminating the way to victory for Liyue and all of Teyvat.”

Verr flipped the page as Aether exhaled trying to wrap his mind around the strange passage.

“The Contract: Seraphim and Rex Lapis.

The circumstances of the moonlight phenomenon still remain unknown. It is an ancient mystery that many still attempt to solve, what exactly did the Geo Archon barter for his people?

Nobody knows, still. However, the most common theories are that the contract has not been fulfilled or that there was no contract to begin with. Many believe that Rex Lapis and Seraphim were secret lovers, and this was Seraphim’s gift to her beloved. Others hypothesize that Seraphim’s wish was never fulfilled, as her death sealed the victory for The Seven Archons.”

Aether shuddered. People in Liyue believe that The Celestial Archon died in the Archon war? Verr flipped to a page in the middle of the book.

“Liyue’s Priestess Seraphim

It is said that a woman with eyes vast like the galaxy beyond and mysterious astrological powers once enchanted all of Liyue.

Seraphim, the last Celestial wielder was Liyue’s last hope. Though she is not honored as an archon, she is known vaguely as a priestess. The woman who captured the attention of the archon’s themselves and was adored by the Adepti. Few remain, but Liyue’s legends claim that the priestess of the stars was the lover of Rex Lapis, the lover of the Vigilant Yaksha, or the lover another adepti.

Even fewer discuss the devastation that occurred when she fell from grace. Her death was the catalyst of the only known battle between Liyue’s very own Archon, The Anemo Archon and his people, and the Adepti. A lesser known battle that almost forced both Mondstat and Liyue into Civil Wars.

When the dust settled, all that stood was the full moon. Many Adepti still honor the priestess under the moonlight by fighting evil spirits and demons.”

Aether’s eyes widened at Verr. She solemnly shook her head as the traveler’s face fell. Xiao, Ganyu, Zhongli, Venti, all of them suffered so terribly. It was confusing to the boy that every text described the Celestial Archon as deceased. His head began to hurt from the information. Verr sighed and led him back out.

“Once you finish commissions, why don’t you two stay here? I’ll prepare a room for you,” The boss was sympathetic.

Aether grimaced but nodded, leading Paimon out to finish their duties.

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Somewhere in the shadows of Wangshuu Inn crept a Fatui agent, slipping away as the traveler set out. The shadowy figure grinned at the piece of paper in their hand.

“Protected by the traveler and the Adepti. Master Childe will be interested in this,” His eyes were dark as he approached his fellow Fatui agents, “She could be very useful to us, this (Y/N).”

The suspicious shadows began to slink away, overcome with desire to inform their boss of the new information. Only a few feet away, a strange creature ducked down to avoid being seen by the agents, fidgeting.

“The angel is here!” The creature shrieked as the cult like group left it’s sight, “(Y/N) will be ours.”

#genshin impact #genshin impact xiao #genshin x reader #xiao x reader #albedo x reader #genshin impact albedo #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact smut #genshin impact zhongli #genshin liyue #Celestial Archon Series #genshin jean #master diluc #genshin kaeya #genshin childe #scaramouche x reader #genshin impact signora #genshin impact fatui

[malleux]

☆ introduction ☆ masterlist ☆

-> various characters x fem!reader | royalty au!

-> warnings: cursing, arranged marriage, arguing, typical princess gender roles and expectations

a/n: hi everyone! we’ve officially hit 2k, so welcome to “pick a prince”! please enjoy your stay as these seven princes try their best to win your hand.

When a princess is born, the first story she is ever told is a tale of another princess finding true love, marrying said love, and living happily ever after.

Nearly every princess story follows this plot, save for the wicked witch messing things up. You were read the stories of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White more times than you could count. Because you were a princess, and one day you would find your very own true love.

These ideals had been drilled into your head- when you were older, you were to find a sweet prince, or princess, and settle down. So why was it such a surprise when your mother came knocking one day, claiming that it was time? That you were old enough to be consider such things?

“Your mother and I are getting older.”

It was your father’s favorite explanation. He claimed that it was time for you to make big decisions such as these to prepare you for the throne.

“Decisions, such as marrying a man I don’t love?”

“You’re lucky we’re giving you a choice at all.” He’d respond, “Your mother and I didn’t choose each other at first. We fell in love years later.”

And who was to say you’d fall in love with your prince at all? You could be miserable, just like hundreds of other royals who were in your exact same situation. Those who have had the exact conversation with their parents that you’re having with yours in this moment.

“I don’t know any princes. How will I choose like that?”

“I have written letters to 7 kingdoms. They have respectable princes and rulers your age, all of whom your mother and I would approve of. They will arrive Sunday, and you will spend time with each of them. You will make your decision two weeks from then. Or else we will choose for you.”

Your eyebrows furrowed. “Sunday-? That’s only a few days away.”

“So I suggest you prepare yourself. Freshen up on your manners and customs. I’ll give you a list of the kingdoms the princes are coming from, and I expect you to go to the library and read up on them. No prince wants a clueless wife.”

“No wife wants a degrading, judgemental, shitty husband.” You scoffed.

“Language.” Your mother snapped. “Go prepare. We’ll see you at dinner.”

☆ ☆ ☆

It’s not fair.

You smoothed out your outfit in front of your mirror, shuddering when the tight material restricted your movements.

It’s not fair.

Your shoes were too tight. So was your chest. Were you really this nervous?

Mother always said princesses needed to keep their heads high during trying times.

It’s not fair.

The walk from your room to the large dining room seemed eternal. Did the halls always echo this loudly? What terror did you cause in your past life to be born as a princess- a pawn in a game played only by heartless conquerors called kings?

Mother always said to put the good of the kingdom first. Think about the greater good. To be selfish is to deprive your country.

No, it’s not fair. But life isn’t fair, is it?

“Ah, Y/N!” Your father laughed jovially, greeting you from the head of the table.

Around him, sat seven men. They all had drinks in their hand- alcoholic or not, you couldn’t tell. You knew that you’d like yours to be. You smiled shyly at them and sat down beside your father, on the row that had only three men. You didn’t see your mother anywhere.

Food was served, and awkward was not the word to describe the meal. You picked at your plate in silence, save for your father’s small whispers for you to initiate small talk. You didn’t.

“Now, gentlemen.” The King coughed, getting all of their attention. “Starting tomorrow, you have seven days to gain the approval of my daughter, Princess Y/N. I expect you all to be polite, courteous, and respectful to her. If I hear a single complaint that you weren’t, you will go home. Now, I believe we should start with a few introductions. Dear, you start.”

Your father gazed at you expectantly, and you flushed, avoiding his eyes. “Uh, hi. I’m Y/N.”

Another silence followed. The princes were probably expecting more. Unfortunately for them, you only moved your hands towards them, gesturing for someone to pick up the ball that you had so-ungracefully dropped.

Suddenly, a gloved hand was held out in front of you. You looked up, only to gaze into one icy eye. “Hello, my dear. I am Prince Kaeya.”

You took his hand and he lifted it up to his lips, pressing a kiss against the knuckle before sending you a smile and sitting back down in his seat in front of you.

“I’m Diluc.” The red-headed man beside him said. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here almost as much as you did.

“My name is Albedo.” A shorter, blonde boy grinned at you from beside Diluc.

“I’m Xiao.”

“I am Zhongli.” The proper man beside you piped up, giving you a sweet smile. You flushed a little, definitely not used to being in the presence of a man whose attractiveness rivaled that of a god.

“Scaramouche.”

“And I, my dear, am Prince Childe. It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I cannot wait until I get to spend time with you and get to know you better-“

“Alright.” You felt bad for cutting him off, but you weren’t one for grandiose gestures. “Thank you.”

Kaeya snickered in front of you, and Diluc elbowed him. You raised an eyebrow, concluding that they must know each other already. You’d have to get the inside scoop when you talked to them.

Looking across the table, you felt sick. You were staring into the eyes of men you would have to choose between, and spend the rest of your life with. You didn’t even know them- how were you going to marry one?

Mother always said that princesses get happily ever afters. But this story doesn’t seem too happy yet.

Your vision was blurry. Your head felt like it was underwater. With ears muffled to the sounds of people calling your name, you stood up and rushed to the library, where you knew your mother would be waiting.

These boys have a lot of work cut out for them.

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[anzanity]

Snowflake

14 Years old

Kaeya always remembered you coming and going in their childhood, and he never questioned it. After all your family wasn't living at the winery, just close friends with his adoptive father. He also remembered always having one of the parents keeping a close eye on you three of you.

Today your parents were speaking with their father in private while you sat outside and watched the boys spar with their weapons.

Kaeya looks over to you and smirks, "Would our princess like to learn to wield a sword?"

"Kaeya, don't force her-" Diluc starts, but is cut off by you.

"I doubt a sword is my style. Plus it's more fun watching you boys play." You call out from the tree you are sat under.

"Oh, what happened to that little girl antsy to keep up with me~" Kaeya teases.

Just then your mother calls out for you all, so the boys sheeth their weapons. Kaeya helps you off the ground and the three of you head over to your parents.

Your mother is the first to speak, "Y/N, your father and I are headed to Liyue. We will be leaving you under Crepus's care for the week we are gone."

"Alright, please be careful." You say and look to the boys who are thrilled.

With that they get on their horses and head off.

Crepus smiles at you three, "Lunch will be in an hour, why don't you three keep busy until then."

The three of you agree and head over to tables to sit.

Kaeya speaks up first, with curiosity, "So why are they headed to Liyue?"

"Oh, well, to look for something for me. Nothing too big. Just something they'd been planing for a while now." You shrug it off then smile, "How about the Knights? How is that going for you?"

The boys share a look before accepting the topic change.

The first three days turn out to be uneventful. A routine is quickly found and the boys are completely amused with how their father seems to dote over you. They are convinced that if he had a daughter, she would be spoiled just like this. They never once pick up on the slight discomfort you have when up for too long or the fact that every day you've taken a nap half way through the day. Then again, you've always been one to hide your pain with a smile.

The afternoon of the third day, you had awoke from your nap to the sound of Diluc and Kaeya coming home.

Diluc smiles to you, "Where did father go?"

"He said he had a meeting and would be back for dinner." You relay the information and sit up.

"And just when we were hoping to bother him. Shame." Kaeya says with a playful smirk.

You roll your eyes at him with a smile, "It's a nice day out. I was thinking we could go for a walk?"

Diluc nods, "Sounds like a good idea. Though you didn't have to wait for us to do that."

You feign shock, "How could I ever go out without you two?"

Kaeya smirks, "A damsel always needs her Knights in shinning armor; is that it?"

Diluc rolls his eyes, "She is hardly a damsel. Too witty."

You giggle and get up from your spot on the couch, sliding on your flats, and heading to the door. A short while later and the three of you have made your way farther out than you had ment to go and are at the riverbank. Diluc looks around skeptically, "This area is normal not watched by the Knights. We should be cautious."

Kaeya only shrugs, "We are Knights. It will be fine."

You look between them and sigh, "We can start heading back. I'm just happy to have been out and about. Not often that I see the land."

"Why is that?" Kaeya raises a brow at you.

"Well I do live in the city." You offer up the excuse and turn to start walking back to the manor.

"That doesn't mean you couldn't go for walks on your own." He comments as they follow behind you.

You shrug with a sigh, not noticing the glance the boys share with eachother. You do notice how your legs are starting to feel numb and your head is starting to hurt. This would be why you never went on walks alone. You crave to see the world like they do, but this unusual disease that is griping your fragile body won't let you. And today you just had to loose track of how far you'd gone. The last thing you wanted was for your best friend and your crush to see you as weak. Feeling weak is one thing, but to be looks upon as weak is a whole other feeling. And lately you've only been feeling weaker by the day. It's why your parents left for Liyue. To bring the new doctor they have here to look you over.

Suddenly your legs shake and give way from under you. Kaeya is quick to jump to you, catching you in his arms. "Y/n... are you alright?"

"I am... just need to rest..." You mutter, clutching to his clothing weakly.

Diluc looks worried at you, "Please don't hide anything from us. What's going on?"

You look at the ground, "I have a rare disease of sorts... the church isn't able to do anything except help ease the pain and slow its progress... that's why my parents went to Liyue. To find that new doctor in hopes he can help me..."

Kaeya carefully moves to sit on the ground and hold you on his lap, Diluc following suit and moving to sit as well. Kaeya then asks softly, "You say to slow it... do you mean this could be a fatal disease or...?"

"It seems to be that way... I'm sorry..." You mutter out without looking up.

Kaeya seems to hold you a little tighter as Diluc speaks up, "Don't be sorry. We are here to help in any way. Your still our friend that we grew up with."

You look to him and only see sincerity and comfort. When you look to Kaeya you see see sincerity as well. You can tell they don't see you any differently, but at the same time seem worried.

Kaeya finally speaks up, "Lets get you back to the manor. I'll carry you."

After that, the boys didn't treat you any differently but did understand why their father was always checking on you.

The next day, you end up curled up on the couch and sore. Kaeya sits by your side, helping the maids in caring for you. Unexpectedly, there's a knock at the door. Diluc and Crepus come out of the study and answer it while you and Kaeya watch from the couch. After a brief exchange with the stranger, the two shut the door and come in looking solemn.

Crepus speaks first, "There's been an incident. Your parents never made it to the Harbor."

"What do you mean? Are they back home?" You sit up straighter, your world suddenly feeling smaller.

"Some adventurers in Liyue found them too late... the church is already making preparations for the services..." He starts to explain delicately.

You however lose focus, your world shattering. Kaeya pulls you to him gently as sobs wrack your body.

17 years old

You and Kaeya had moved into your parents home not long after Crepus had passed. He and Diluc were on the worst of terms and you had no idea as to why. Kaeya wouldn't even speak of what happened to you. All you knew is that they had a really bad fight and he managed to get a vision.

Today was one of your better days, as your health had become worryingly worse over the years, and Kaeya was greatful for that. Today was also the day Diluc was supposed to be returning from finding a doctor to bring back to see you.

It worried you sick to see your friend go on the journey that stole your parents from you, but you knew Diluc was more adept to the hardships the world could throw at him.

Kaeya sits down beside you and holds your hands in his, "Y/n?"

"Kaeya?" You look to him questioningly.

He smiles gently, "Whatever happens today, whatever the doctor says, I won't leave your side. You know that right?"

You smile gently at him, "Why would you ever leave me?"

"Why indeed, my snowflake." He smiles charmingly at you.

You can't help the blush that raises to your cheeks.

The knock at the door interrupts the moment, and Kaeya answers it.

Soon you are being looked over by a doctor with a dendro vision and before you know it Diluc, Kaeya, and you are sat down to hear what he has to say.

"Well, the good news is I've seen this once before. And I can treat it." He explains.

Diluc skeptically leans forward, "You say that as if there is a downside."

The doctor merely nods, "I cannot restore you to the full health you were once in."

You nod, understanding what he means. You had been relying on Kaeya to walk for a few months now.

Kaeya speaks up, "What is this treatment exactly?"

"I'll provide you with the recipe, its a daily supplement she will need to take. Give it a week to see improvements. After two weeks you will be at the healthiest we can achieve." He explains moreso to you than the boys.

"So my strength should come back some..?" You ask nervously. You just don't want to be a burden to Kaeya or Diluc any longer.

"To an extent, yes." He confirms.

Kaeya and Diluc share a smile for the first time in a long time and look to you. You sigh in relief, "Then I'd like to start it."

"Of course." He says and hands over a detailed recipe that is shockingly all locally sourced, "Your lucky to be here, the last patient had to have the ingredients sent all the way to Fontine from here."

Kaeya smiles, "Thank you. This is great news."

Diluc nods in agreement and looks to you, "I'm glad this was a good resolution. I'll be back in three days, I agreed to ensure the doctors return home was safe."

"Be safe yourself Diluc." You smile up at him as he stands, "And thank you for this."

"Anything for you." He says gently before taking his leave.

Kaeya wraps his arms around you happily nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck, "I'm glad we could get you what you need..."

You hold to him and giggle softly, "I always knew I could count on you two... and thank you for taking care of me all this time."

He kisses your cheek, "of course my snowflake"

#kaeya x reader #kaeya #kaeya fluff #genshin kaeya #kaeya alberich #kaeya imagines #genshin impact #genshin impact imagine #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact mondstadt #genshin x reader