#;; side muse: paimon

[viatrixtravels-a]

“Somebody help…! The Traveller is dying…!!”

[protect-namine]

two things:

this means setaria's plan to improve the education system for the people in the desert is working

alhaitham's insistence on helping paimon find books to read is like. one of my favorite things ever. I love when paimon has relationships of her own that's not dependent on traveler (and vice versa). I hope she tells him about the detective novels she's been reading in fontaine

[viatrixtravels-a]

"Venti..."

While some of the words coming from the Bard's mouth had to be taken with a grain of salt, Lumine could tell that he was being genuine this time. While she might not agree with his statement about her being the most likeable person in all of Teyvat, she still appreciated his earnest efforts to cheer her up.

"Thank you. I feel honored to have the Anemo Archon speak so highly of me."

"Paimon thinks the Traveller is very likeable too! Especially when she cooks yummy food, hehe~"

"I don't know who told you that nonsense, but in this humble bard's opinion, you're the most likable person in all of Mondstadt. Maybe even all of Teyvat!" Venti moved closer and took her by the hands. "And if I ever find out who made you upset, then they will have the wrath of a God come down upon them as swiftly as the wind~"

[deathbxnny]

So remember that prompt i sent to you? Well here’s the request! Can i request Neuvilette, Zhongli, and Dainsleif meeting the alternate version of their dead lover? Like how would they act around the reader during their respective Archon quest? (Example, Zhongli acting weird around the reader when they were gathering materials for Rex Lapis’s funeral)

Context:

The said character used to have a lover that had died a gruesome death centuries ago. And despite the years passing by, he still hasn't really gotten over their death. He wishes he could see his dead lover again and that wish came true as when he met the traveler, he met them too but it wasn't the one had fallen in love with. It was an alternate version of his dead lover.

The reader is an alternate version of said character's dead lover. They're from another universe (maybe HSR?) and somehow got isekaied to Teyvat. Fortunately, they got dropped at the same beach Traveler and Paimon was resting in the prologue. After talking with the traveler and realizing they are in another universe, the reader decides to join the traveler in traveling Teyvat and try to find a way to go back home. Although the last thing they expect was an ancient man acting strange around them.

(Side note: The characters are not in love with the reader (who’s the alt version of their dead lover) as he did not fall for this version of his lover. Its more of a longing? Like “so close yet so far” kind of case? I hope that makes sense)

- Flower Anon 🌸

Hello Flower anon! I have finally found the time to do your request, so I hope you like this and thank you for your great ask!!<33

(Also, due to the fact that I barely remember most story quests, I've decided to generalize these a little-)

Content: Reader is dead, past romantic relationships, doppelgangers, vague descriptions of readers death, angst, hurt/no comfort, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!!

((Not proofread))

》NEUVILLETTE

Neuvillette took a double take, a really obvious one that made the Traveler and Paimon glance at eachother in confusion at his strong reaction. His usually calm and collected persona slipped, the disbelief spreading across his face before he tried to hide it behind a cough quickly. His heart was beating out of his chest, thousands of questions plaguing his mind at once, until you nervously asked him if he was okay.

It took him only a small moment to collect himself, a deep exhale releasing all the grief, horror, and pain with it. He smiled calmly once more, chuckling as he waved off your concerns. "I felt ill." He'd say, not elaborating any further as he asked you to please continue telling him about your mission to expose the truth behind his own archon. He doesn't react further than that and stays professional to his bestest ability.

He knows it's not really you, after all. And he refuses to hurt himself any further than your death already had. This was a mere coincidence, a cruel joke of the universe that made him want to laugh bitterly.

Instead, however, the rain poured down for a week straight, despite his best efforts to stay strong.

》ZHONGLI

Zhongli doesn't have a visible reaction and strictly keeps it that way when meeting you for the first time whilst you were helping him with the "funeral". This alternative version of you seemed to be the same on the surface. But he could easily tell that you still weren't his lover that he lost so many years ago. And he supposed that it was for the best to let the past go through befriending you at least.

He observes you closely, often finding himself still reminiscing in the small actions you do share with his original muse, whilst he delves into deeper conversations with you. But that's his limit. Whether out of the respect for the dead or his need to distance himself from the tragedy that once befell you, he didn't know. But he just couldn't interact with you further than that.

He simply watches you from afar instead, as you prepare everything for the grimm festivities, his heart secretly yearning for another awfully familiar smile his way despite everything.

》DAINSLEIF

Dainsleif felt breathless at the sight of you, and for a moment, he wondered if he had imagined you. A past he desperately held onto drifted through his mind, your image perfectly clear in his memory, his heart aching desperately with the need to hold you again after the fall of your nation. Unsaid, regret filled words burned on his tongue before he swallowed them as swift as the emotions that overwhelmed him.

He ignored Paimons' inquiry over his somehow even paler face, before turning to the important mission at hand. That wasn't you, he reminded himself grimly. This doppelganger that seemed so much like you was just a pure coincidence, nothing more, nothing less. And yet those reminders did little to quell the uneasiness and ill feeling in his stomach. The memory of your death replayed over and over again endlessly for all eternity to come.

And even if it did happen to be a reincarnation of you after all, Dainsleif would have still refused to reach out to you more than he already has through the unknowing traveler and Paimon. He didn't see himself as deserving to be in your presence. That privilege had been taken from him the moment you took your last breath.

[viatrixtravels-a]

Lumine. Have you tried learning and speaking Fontanian? You can ask Furina or Lyney or Navia for that.

"What do you mean? Paimon and I are obviously fluent already. Listen to this!"

She clears her throat.

"Ahem. Deux croissants, s'il-vous plait!"

"Oui, oui, baguette!"

"Voulez vous une omelette du fromage?"

"Avec une tarte Tatin?"

"Je t'aime les Crêpes Suzette!"

[idkfitememate]

can I request a tiger!creator meeting Paimon or Nahida, and just being so cute with them like tiger!creator just stares at them for a minute and is like: “these babies so adorable must feed” basically the tiger momma senses are being tenfold like these are their Cubs alongside Alhaitham and Kaveh 🥺

Aether & Nahida Encounter

૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა Pairings : GN! Tiger Reader x Sumeru (with Aether & Paimon!!)

૮꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა W.K. : 527

໒꒰ྀིᵔ ᵕ ᵔ ꒱ྀི১ Tags/CW&TW : fluff

The three men stared at you as you curled around Nahida and Paimon.

“Alhaitham what do?-“

“Nothing Traveler. Just let them have this.”

Kaveh had no shame as he slithered into a crack that wasn’t taken up by your new babies.

Now it was only Traveler and Alhaitham who stood.

Aether could hear the muffled cries of Paimon, screaming at him to get her out, but Nahida was quiet. Taking a harder look at her, the blonde realized she had fallen asleep in your fur.

Just like Kaveh, you had just literally passed out as soon as he hit your backside.

You moved around, making sure not to jostle Nahida or Kaveh, and moved Paimon into your front most paws, before gently licking at her head.

“AHHHHH!! GET IT OFF PAIMON!!!” The floating child screeched.

Aether only chuckled.

“They must think your emergency food as well, Paimon.” He mused. The fairy only looked incredulously at her travel buddy.

Then you huffed and also looked up incredulously. You pressed a paw to your chest and stared with the most offended face a Tiger cold make. Aether flinched while Alhaitham smirked a little. He turned away to hide his smile, however.

“They don’t think Paimon is emergency food.” Paimon said smugly. Alhaitham finally spoke up.

“They’re grooming you.”

“Huh?”

“Grooming. Most commonly Rishboland Tigers only ever groom their cubs or other members of their ambushes as shows of affection and care. To be groomed by an our Rishboland Tiger is them essentially welcoming them to our strike. In common terms, they see you as their child, or someone they wish to care for.” As Alhathim finished his monologue, the duo stared at him before Aether made a noise of discontent.

“How come they don’t want to groom me?” He has a childish frown on his face which made Paimon laugh.

“Perhaps if you go up to them, they will take you in as well?” Alhaitham mused.

“Fine then.” Aether then walked towards you, only to be swatted away by a paw.

“WHAT THE-“

“Ah. It seems they’ve taken offense to your claims of Paimon being “emergency food”, Traveler.” Aether just stood in silence as Paimon’s laughed only grew in volume.

Alhaitham simply shook his head at the sight of you immediately going back to grooming Paimon. He walked over and sat down next to you, resting his head on your shoulder.

You stopped grooming the child to look at him, then you looked at Aether. He flinched before you chuffed. Hesitantly he walked over, but you showed no hostility.

He walked to the other side of you and lied his body next to you, curling into your side. After you heard his breaths slow, you lay you head down next to the passed out and snoring Paimon.

You smiled as you closed your eyes with your little strike surrounding you.

…

… Nahida glanced up at you with a small twinkle in her eyes.

“It seems the Irminsul truly was right. It is an honor to have you back, my Creator.”

And with that, she pushed her face into your plush fur, and fell into a well deserved slumber.

໒꒰ྀི˶˙Ⱉ˙˶꒱ྀིა Author’s note : I feel like Nahida would know almost immediately, because if in every other story we act like the original creator and stuff on top of looking like them, all it’d take is a quick look at the Irminsul and this wack ass “iMpOsTeR” to see who’s who. Anyway Tiger!Creator best mother no cap ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱-

[viatrixtravels-a]

"Nice...?"

Paimon raised one brow, wondering whether or not this kid had taken a tumble down the stairs and bumped his head a couple of times along the way.

"If you say so. He had been very rude to Paimon though, so I won't forgive him right away!"

Oh look, all of her dumplings are gone already. She must have really enjoyed them!

"I suppose if he makes me a yummy meal like this, I might consider it."

...Rubedo is the final stage of alchemy. It's a great name, though any name he chooses is great as far as I'm concerned... He's not rude. He's so nice and... he means a lot to me.

["Kazou" smiles fondly as he talks about the homunculus, carefully wrapping the basket of shrimp dumplings once the cover is on... is that the slightest bit of red dusting his cheeks?]

[hydrasra]

Strange encounter

SIDE STORY #1

SYNOPSIS: well, you certainly did not plan on meeting new yet familiar faces.

DISCLAIMER: those in bold could not be tagged. as usual, gn!reader. probably swearing and stuff here and there. also probably ooc. THESE SIDE STORIES ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. read 'NOT FROM THIS WORLD' serie first to better grasp what's going on if you're new :> the latest chapter [before hiatus] is HERE. ME POSTING THESE SIDE STORIES DOES NOT MEAN THAT I WILL BE POSTING AS OFTEN BUT I WILL BE POSTING WHEN I HAVE TIME/BEEN INSPIRED (same with the anecdotes)

TAGGING: [19/30] @bloop-booop @sunsethw4 @neverlandlostchild @ghostlysyntaxed @wolfe02 @valeriele3 @the-dumber-scaramouche @weirdducky17 @esthelily @shroombro @ayanokomu @bamboowritess @reblogs-of-sagau-content @bloopthebat @maybeyourcat @theblueblub @7smexy7diva @shimi-shimi @issy-lol

SHENANIGANS #1

SIDE STORY #2

"halt!" swan and lawrence both said at the same time, seeing an unknown duo approaching the gate of mondstadt.

beidou sighed, not wanting to deal with anything but to get to you and let you know of an impostor impersonating you on the throne the qixing made for you in liyue.

"state your name and the purpose of your visit, strange yet respectable travelers," swan said, back straight and arms behind his back.

kazuha looked at beidou and let out a chuckle at her annoyed face before he diverted his attention to the knights in front of him, "I , kazuha, am simply accompanying the captain of the crux, beidou," he gestured to the captain and beidou only nodded her head in greetings, "to mondstadt to visit the traveler."

upon hearing the word 'traveler', a look of recognition fell on both of the knights faces.

"ah! so you are friends with the honorary knight!" swan said, smiling.

"you should have started with that!" lawrence exclaimed with a chuckle, "please go on ahead. mondstadt welcomes you!"

kazuha threw a bewildered look at beidou who only looked back at him with the same expression as they both, slowly, walk in through the gates of the city.

"well, that was easy, wasn't it?" beidou said, standing at the gate with her hand on her hips and looking around.

"I oftentimes forget that the traveler is quite popular," kazuha mused with a chuckle.

beidou gave a nod at his words then focused back on the short man in front of her, "so, zuha, where to?"

the inazuman closed his eyes to better listen to the wind despite the lively atmosphere the city of freedom.

his eyes shot open mere seconds later, "they're–!"

"captain beidou? kazuha? what are you guys doing here?" paimon asked as she floated towards them.

kazuha's head turned towards her voice as he saw the traveler getting closer.

beidou turned to look at paimon and grinned, "hey there, paimon. how ya doin'?"

"pretty good, what about you guys?"

kazuha's heart was beating way too fast for his liking as his eyes darted everywhere as soon as lumine was close and greeted them.

where were you?

"kazuha? you okay there bud?" beidou asked, a brow raised at her friend who was looking around frantically.

"where's–"

for the second time that night, or morning seeing as the sun was already rising up in the sky, kazuha was interrupted by the sound of running and giggles, "lu! look at what flora gave me!"

and there you were, running towards them, well, specifically towards the traveler, with your arms holding a bouquet of cecilias... followed by a certain bard he knew of.

but his attention was solely on you.

and so was beidou's.

so, when you stopped in front of the blonde traveler, excitedly telling her how cute and adorable flora could be when she wanted to, instinctively, the liyuan and inazuman both bowed at you, feeling a tug and warmth settling in in their chests.

"morning, your grace."

as soon as venti was close enough, he threw an arm around kazuha after making him stand straight. lumine doing the same with beidou but throwing her arm around the crux's captain's waist instead.

"no need to bow in their presence, they hate that," paimon said as she floated next to you instead of lumine.

you stood there, staring at them and assessing whether they were sent by the millelith or they ventured on their way to find you on their own.

the question was, how did they find you?

as soon as that question crossed your mind, you were on your guard and lumine, being the observant friend of yours, quickly was at your side and hugging you, telling you, "these two are my trusted friends," she paused, pulling back to look at you in the eyes, "if they wanted to capture you to send you to the millelith, they would have done so the moment their eyes landed on you and not bow before you."

kazuha, at a loss for words, was quickly nodding along the traveler's words and reasoning. beidou was simply stuck staring at you, feeling in a daze.

lumine's words made sense to you and you relaxed.

"sorry, I'm kind of at war against liyue right now," you half joked but beidou tensed.

it was all thanks to the actions of her friend that you were now avoiding liyue, her home country.

but she understood.

"it's not really your fault anyway," she muttered then pursed her lips.

"what beidou means is that she understands and doesn't hold it against you," kazuha said, gently prying off venti's arm off of him.

then there was a few seconds of silence until a certain bard decided to break it.

"well wasn't that such a warm reunion? or should I say meeting?"

you rolled your eyes at his words, smiling, "shut up."

he lifted his hands up in the air in surrender then brought a hand up to his face before he put a finger on on his lips, showing that he would not talk.

you brought your attention back to lumine, "I don't know why she chose cecilias but she said something along the lines of 'they represent your gentleness' or whatever it's was."

paimon looked at venti who only shrugged with hand finger still on his lips. the floating being looked unimpressed.

"that aside," you looked at beidou then at kazuha, "what brought you two here?"

beidou leaned on kazuha, "this guy followed the direction of the wind."

he nodded, suddenly feeling bashful as pink adorned his cheeks, "I simply f-followed the winds directions..."

"so the wind can truly speak?" paimon asked, frowning.

meanwhile, next to kazuha stood the literal archon of anemo who gave her a 'duh?' stare.

lumine stared at paimon, "did you grow dumber?"

paimon gasped, appalled, "paimon grows smarter each day!"

"doubt," the word left your lips before you could even process it and paimon huffed then looked away with her arms crossed over her chest.

"so," you clapped your hands together once, "is there a reason why you guys showed up in mondstadt of all places?"

══ ❀•°❀°•❀ ══

ehe. don't mind me.

[viatrixtravels-a]

"Paimon, would you like to stick your hand inside my helmet?"

"After I saw you fling Lumine into the air yesterday? No, thank you."

[idkfitememate]

Hihihihihi, I couldn't help myself but write something for the otter!creator its on my mind since the brainrot(yes I am the anon who sent that otter idea, and yes I shall dub myself as the otter!anon in your blog)

Set place in Childe in Court

 

The traveler and Paimon rush out to get out of their seats, seeing childe activing his foul legecy, "Ah! his activing his foul legecy!" Paimon cups her cheeks in shock, while traveler looks around to try and stop Childe from activing his foul legecy.

BOOM.

The traveler blinks, at the sudden slam from the stage, The traveler and Paimon quietly gasp as the dust cleared out, there Neuvillette standing over Childe who appeared knock out at the ground, "I am sorry" Neuvillette voice is loud and echo around the entire court "If you been wronged, we will find the truth" Neuvillette gracefully turn around "But the rules of the court, but be upheld" the clockwork meka rush past Neuvillette to take Childe into the fortress.

Then tiny claps slowly echo around the court, the audience, Paimon, Travelr, and Neuvillette look to the sound, up there next to Furina is an Otter, clapping frequently with their tiny paw pads, the Otter seems be treated well, seeing that the Otter is next to the Hydro Archon and seems to be sitting at the most softest and comfortable pillows known to whole teyert, the clapping continues on, if you look closely you can see tiny stars around the Otter face, seemly amaze by the outcome of this trial.

The Otter finally notice the attention, slowly ease their clapping and let out a tiny embarass "Kyuu..." which silently made Furina 'aww' before coughing loudly and anouncing that the trial is over, and the whisper slowly begin the court room, Neuvillette slighty smirk, perhaps the case wasn't so bad after all, their little friend seemed to enjoy it.

Aether Encounter

૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა Pairings : GN! Otter Reader x Fontaine & Aether

૮꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა W.K. : 532

໒꒰ྀིᵔ ᵕ ᵔ ꒱ྀི১ Tags/CW&TW : Fluff, crack, Paimon’s there too be warned

Following Neuvillette and Furina out after the trial, Paimon and Aether quickly gained on the duo.

“Wait!! WAIT!!!” Called Paimon, an out of breath Aether behind her. The pair stopped their little walk, turning to face them.

“Who’s your little friend?” Aether asked.

“Ah! Mon trésor! Yes yes, me and Monsieur Neuvillette’s darling ˈbābē! Oh, they are but a dear friend to us, isn’t that right, Ma raison d’être? Oh yes it is! Aren’t you so beautiful.~” Furina slowly stopped talking to them, instead cooing at the otter she held in her arms, akin to a baby. She rocked them and booped their nose, giggling throughout.

“Yes, I found ma moitié when I was taking a stroll, traveler. They clung to my leg and then held an amazing opulent shell to me. After taking it they seemed to request to be picked up, and how could I ever say no to ma raison de vivre.” Neuvillette gently took off the hat on the otter, smoothing the fur beneath it before patting the hat back on.

“They have stuck to my side ever since.” He mused.

“AND when they met moi, mon preux chevalier just couldn’t resist!~” Furina exclaimed.

“You guys sure do have a bunch of nicknames for them… jeez…” Paimon muttered.

Aether stared at the blue duo before gently reaching a hand out to pet the otter, only for his hand to get slapped away. When he looked back up, he was met with the glares of both Neuvillette and Furina.

“Do. Not. Touch. Mon. Trésor.” “GET YOUR FILTHY HAND AWAY FROM MON ANGE!” Both Aether and Paimon flinched back in shock.

“You dare try to place you hands of their gleaming coat!? I’ll have you know that it costs more than you’ll EVER SEE IN YOUR LIFE to make it this shiny!!!!” “Keep your tainted flesh to yourself.”

The traveling duo stared on in shock. That was… rather hostile. And now they were just glaring at each other.

Of course, that was until the topic of the discussion began to make noise.

All four of them looked down at the now squirming otter in Furina’s arms. They struggled in her grasp before dropping to the floor. They ran over to Aether before standing on their hind legs, reaching up at Aether to be picked up.

He quickly looked up at the others, noting their shock. Then, he hesitantly picked them up, cradling them in his arms. They began to chirp and chitter in happiness. Aether once again looked up at the other two, Paimon hiding behind him.

Furina and Neuvillette both stared with blank faces, before the hydro archon whipped her hat off her head, shoved it in her face and turned around. She bounced on her heels as she squealed.

“AWEEE!-,” she seemed to immediately regain composure however, “*Ahem* I- I mean, look at our ˈbābē!” She said as she turned back around, still hiding the lower half off her face behind her hat.

Neuvillette turned his head as well, his eyes closed and his hand covering his flushed cheeks and trembling lips.

“S- so adorable..!”

The otter simply snuggled into the man’s arms, continuing to chitter away happily.

໒꒰ྀི˶˙Ⱉ˙˶꒱ྀིა Author’s note : Otter!Creator breathing: 🙂

Furina, Neuvillette, and basically the entirety of Fontaine: 🥹🥹🥹

Otter!Creator is so soft. Literally the difference between them and Boar!Creator is the fact that one was pampered and the other basically spent their first year entirely in the wild lol ૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა˖⁺‧₊˚

They’re probably gonna have their own tag now, and welcome Otter!Creator Anon! When I finally get around to fixing up my blog so it’s neat and tidy, you’re gonna go right on the anon list, first place! (I really feel like people like Otter!Creator over Boar!Creator but it’s fine, it’s cool ૮꒰ ˶꒦ິ꒳꒦ິ˶꒱ა♡)

[lewdmine]

Main blog: @stelliferousduo

RULES

I) Adults muns and muses only! Minors will be blocked on sight!

II) Lumine is NOT a minor. I know there were some discussions about this in the fandom at one point or another but the game has made it very clear that the Traveler is not a normal human and is much older than their youthful appearance leads to assume.

That being said, Paimon will obviously not be present on this blog as she uses the child model.

III) Anons can send in asks to ask nsfw-centric questions, but I will not do any lewd/nsfw RP with anonymous accounts as it would give me no way to verify their age.

IV) Even though this is a NSFW side blog, I usually will not jump straight into smut. I'd prefer there to be some build up and for us to have written together on my main blog.

V) While I portray Lumine as demisexual with a strong male lean on my main, when it comes to NSFW content, I really only feel comfortable writing mxf ships. Please be respectful of this.

VI) Lumine is a sub-leaning switch but I'd be willing to portray her as a soft dom as well.

Vll) No heavy kinks or any of the icky stuff please. I also do not enjoy anything related to foot fetishes. In general I'm just very vanilla and prefer soft smut.

VERSES

MAIN VERSE

Basically standard Genshin universe. Lumine is the Traveler looking for her brother, you know the rest! She soon comes to the realization that Teyvat is filled very handsome men and cute boys for her to simp over. And guess what? No big brother to keep an eye on her.

ABO VERSE

Inspired by the artist nomi_owo on Twitter who has a bunny!Lumine x fox!Childe ABO AU which lives rent-free in my head.

Of course, this verse can be applied to any ship! Lumine is still generally the same person. She may be half-rabbit and an omega but she still likes to kick ass on the battlefield.

She is frustrated by her own omega nature and will often try to hide it. Unfortunately, her hearts make it difficult because the strong scent of pheromones give it away...

[e-m-p-error]

| Indie Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss RP Blog | Semi-Selective | Ships W/Chem | Multiship/Multiverse | Crossover/OC/Duplicate Friendly | 43 Muses | 21+ Please | Minors Will Be Blocked On Sight | Mun 25+

| DNI IF MINOR/ANTI/SWERF/TERF | MAJOR WARNING FOR DARK/DEAD DOVE CONTENT | CANON DIVERGENT | HEAVILY HEADCANON-BASED |

| PLEASE READ RULES BEFORE You Follow | 

| Featured Muse: Valentino |

| Mun | Muses | Mains List | Verses | Tags | Interest Tracker | Blog To Do List | Discord Only Muses | Side Blog: Follows Back/Likes From Here |

| Character Playlist Masterlist |

| Ask/Starter Memes | Headcanon Memes | Munday Memes | 

| Starter Call Masterlist | Starters I Owe | Inbox Call Masterlist | Shipping Calls |

| Angel Type Bingo Masterlist | Hellborn Type Bingo Masterlist | Royalty Type Bingo Masterlist | Sinner Type Bingo Masterlist |

Muses:

ANGELS: Abstemiounessa, Adam, Emily, Archangel Uriel, Valore

FANKIDS: Tonito, Dimas, Eden, Lucero, Marica, Pitaya, Vanemma, Vugguch

HELLBORN: Barbie, Cash, Chazz, Crimson, Glitz, Gretchen, Kitty, Stu

ROYALTY: Andrealphus, Leviathan, Baetyl, Beelzebub, Charlie, Mammon, Ozzie, Paimon

SINNERS: Alastor, Angel Dust, Anya, Legiondario, Magpie, Mimzy, Niffty, Ostello, Rosie, Summer, Travis, Valentino, Velvette, Vick, Vox, Zeezi

Alt Verse Muses (Request Only): Gobblette (Brokenverse!Velvette), Lowell (Brokenverse!Ostello), Mickey (Brokenverse!Chazz's Brother), Bogart (Overlord Travis)

NPC/Guest Muses: Anton (Knife-Thrower at Cash's circus), Ariadne (Andrealphus' Wife), Brick (Bodyguard to Ozzie), Chastity (Close Friend to Ozzie), Fabien (Andrealphus' Son), Miss QuiQui (Replacement Fortune Teller at Cash's Circus), Nikiva (Close Friend to Ozzie), Rock (Fizzarolli's Accountant)

NOTE: Most of my muses are canon divergent, but Velvette and Vox are both not canon compliant at all except in appearance!

Note About Vick VS Vox

M!A'S ACCEPTED: 0/5

None At This Time

PROMO - The Vees

PROMO - Valentino

[viaetor]

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤSTUDY    :    AETHER ( 拼音, kǒng ) .

tagged by :    no one, stole it like a pirate, arrrrk !! tagging :  @13nth , @apocryphis (shenhe, lyney or kazuha) , @predvestnik , @luzofstars (riku or furina) , @iniziare (guizhong or arlecchino) , @snowtombedstar, @taiixuan (allen or yorha) , @theoneandonii and YOU!! tell me all about your muses; this is NOT a request. 🫵

—    basics.

▸       is your muse tall    /    short    /    average ? he's canonically short, around the 165cm (5′4″) mark on his most humanoid form, no more than that.

▸       are they okay with their height ? he's mostly content with his height, yeah! although he does get a tiny bit conscious whenever he realises that lumine is taller by a few centimetres when they're standing side by side, when other people try teasing him for his height, he doesn't mind. or, well... that's what he tells himself, at least. he hides his annoyance behind a perfectly stoic smile if others keep going on and on about his height. welp! "the bigger they are, the harder they fall" is the philosophy he chants to himself.

▸      what’s their hair like ? oh, it's so, so soft to the touch! long, wavy and as yellow as sun rays, it's like a golden waterfall. when he's under the direct midday sun, you can even see his hair glowing with the light it receives. i sometimes tend to describe his hair as a mane whenever it's loose, but aether tends to keep his hair braided most of the time. he's more than open to letting people decorate his hair, though! be it with flowers, another hairstyle or anything of the sort. his only request is that his feather hairclip remains at all times. asking him to cut his hair is unthinkable, too. he'd never.

▸     do they spend a  lot of time on their hair     /    grooming ? it depends if he's in a hurry or not; he doesn't have a beauty routine at all. at the beginning of his journey in teyvat, his hair would be a complete mess, and he wouldn't even blink at the looks he got from the habitants of mondstadt. but as time passed and he realised spending time on this planet was inevitable, he started to slow down. nowadays, every time he wakes up, he likes to take a bath at a lake or river, and he spends a good chunk of his time cleaning and brushing his hair. it's a therapeutic process, really, and he uses it to think of his to-do list for the day. paimon is always there to help him braid his hair as well, but he misses the way lumine would style his hair. something about how she did it always made his head feel... lighter. he misses her a lot. maybe it's why he spends some time grooming his hair when he never used to before.

▸      does your muse care about their appearance   /   what others think ? more than one might think at first glance. aether is very good at keeping his composure and posture, he loathes the idea of losing his cool or letting too much of his thoughts out. he's a traveller, and he knows people pay attention to him because of that, but he doesn't want to stand out when it comes to more personal matters. rumours about his strength and his feats are circling around town squares? that's fine. being a well-known public figure, with friends and foes in the open, is something he's used to after thousands of years of being a traveller across the stars. public display of affection, though? that is something he minds deeply since he tends to be very reserved. he's also very attentive to cultural and local costumes, and he tries his best to blend in as an outsider.

—    preferences.

▸      indoors    or    outdoors ?     outdoors. ▸      rain    or    sunshine ?  sunshine. ▸      forest    or    beach ?      forest. ▸      precious    metals    or    gems ?      metals. ▸      flowers    or    perfumes ?     flowers. ▸      personality    or    appearance ?      personality. ▸      being    alone    or    being    in    a    crowd ?     being alone. ▸      order    or    anarchy ?     order. ▸      painful    truths    or    white    lies ?     painful truths. ▸      science    or    magic ?     magic. ▸      peace    or    conflict ?    peace. ▸      night    or    day ?     day. ▸      dusk    or    dawn ?   dawn. ▸      warmth    or    cold ?     warmth. ▸      many   acquaintances    or    a    few    close    friends ?   many acquaitances. ▸      reading    or    playing    a    game ?      reading.

—    questionnaire.

▸      what are some of your muse’s bad habits ? other than the most glaring; i.e his god complex and his insistence that caelings can not love as purely as humans do (i'll talk more about this in another post), he has a considerable amount of bad habits. he refuses to ask for help even when he needs it, especially from people he considers dear, he tends to catastrophize the future a lot, he's somewhat co-dependent of lumine (a mindset he's having to change through brutal realisation), he refuses/avoids empathy from others and he oft ignores his own body and needs. less grave bad habits include him roughly biting his own lips to the point of injuring them every now and then, impulsive shopping and occasional reckless behaviour when apprehensive.

▸      has your muse lost anyone close to them ? how has it affected them ? he has lost a lot of people. friends, lovers and companions from other worlds, he's seen them all grow grey until their last breathing days. when he was a few hundred years old, he thought he had all the time he could ever want in his hands. and while that is true for himself, others aren't as fortuitous. the clock keeps on ticking, slowing down for no one, and he hates mortality because of that... but he also deeply cherishes it at the same time. a lot of things he took for granted were shaken by his realisation and losing lumine definitely didn't help. he now realises that time is a curse. his ever growing list of sins and regrets will keep on getting longer and longer... that fact haunts him, and at each new dawn, it doesn't get any easier. not without them by his side. he was meant to be an immortal entity to fight in the name of the stars, to represent the soldier will of the cosmos. he was meant to be mercilessless, brutal, devoid of laments. so why did they make him love everything that wither below the skies, so unlike him? is he fated to watch everything rot? for how long? can't he join them?

▸      what are some fond memories your muse has ? the first time that he and lumine watched lunar flowers blooming. how they used to fly across the cosmos, holding hands, and how they played on saturn's rings. he has so many with lumine that it makes him melancholic. when it comes to teyvat specifically, he remembers how well-received he was by amber and the others in mondstadt. i like to imagine that lisa and jean offered him a cup of tea once he said he was lost and looking for his sister. he still remembers the sweet taste, and how kaeya and diluc tried to cheer him up at different times. he loved playing house with klee and albedo, too. that evening that he spent with childe and teucer was so endearing, it made him wonder how his other siblings would be like. maybe albedo and childe would get along. ah, the first time he listened to zhongli's history lessons felt so freeing, as if he finally met someone who understood him. attending to hu tao and xinyan performance was something that made his heart warm. or perhaps it was the amazing jian dui that xiangling cooked that same night. when he helped collei, cyno and tighnari collect mushrooms, he could listen to their banter for hours... when he had his first beetle fight with itto, and how much kazuha laughed when he told him about it. seeing ayaka dance, and watching the fireworks with yoimiya are on the top of his list. sharing old fairy tale stories with nahida while she made him a flower crown, too. hearing al-haitham and layla talk about academic concepts of stars and having to hold a smile because he couldn't correct them... he has so many new fond memories. but he still misses home.

▸     is it easy for your muse to kill ? dangerously so. monsters, enemies, obstacles. he used to be more ruthless a few hundred years ago, but in recent times, he'll opt for the diplomatic version if he can. aether has no qualms in appealing to more brutal ways if persuasion doesn't work, though. when it comes to killing someone who he cherishes, though... that's a different story. he never had to do it. not yet.

▸      what’s it like when your muse breaks down ? if you're talking about a rage breakdown, he's going to get absolutely feral. broken wings, fangs, claws and every other monstrosity he keeps hidden will be exposed, and he'll shred whatever is provoking his anger. he gets eerily quiet once there's silence, though, but his ears are still buzzing, and his hands are still itching with his sword. when it comes to a sorrowful breakdown, he's far less destructive, even if he may punch the floor or a wall. he'll withdraw and... scratch his skin, weirdly enough. as if this humanoid flesh is what causing his sadness. and before he can notice, he'll be crying. he may try to fly off a cliff, too, even with his shattered wings. after a while, his sorrow will die out too, just like his rage: he'll get more reserved than usual, not speak a word, very aloof and apathetic to things around him. it can take him a couple of days for him to come back to his senses.

▸      is your muse capable of trusting someone with their life ? immediate yes if you are lumine. a huge "maybe" leaning towards "no" to everyone else, unfortunately.

▸      what’s your muse like when they’re in love ? aether has a complicated relationship when it comes to 'loving' someone (he doesn't think he, as a caeling, is capable of something so pure as 'to love'). he'll love your muse, but deep down, he'll doubt himself if it's really love even when it's so blatant to others. he tends to look over the person for longer, and his smile lingers for more seconds than it should be appropriate. whenever he can, he's taking the opportunity to not only spend time with them, but to lean in closer, hovering touches of shoulders, hands or anything he can get away with. he writes them more often, and he tries a more neat handwriting despite how weird the pen feels in his hand. he will visit them often and sneakily flirt with them. he'll offer to "hang out" or, depending on where they're standing, ask for "casual dates". he'll memorise important dates, he'll celebrate their victories, he'll feel and hug their griefs. he'll look them over, memorise every little mole, and speak incantations in the language of the stars. he'll tell the moon and the stars about them so that even stardust will remember them. he'll repeat their name like it's honey to his lips. he will love so, so much, and still he will think that is not enough.

[avispatr]

what does your muse think of mine? Meme

Paimon is someone that has been with Lucifer since the very beginning , since before the fall, he always felt he could go to him for anything , when his brothers didn’t get his ideas he knew he had someone who did.

When he felt he was being to restricted he had someone he could vent to and he had grown to rely on and trust his presence with anything he did .

He trusts Paimon to carry out his will but to also let him see a perspective he never considered before . 

He respects the other highly and his thoughts and opinions always have a high weight with him. In a way although he will never admit it , Paimon replaced what Michael was to him after the fall.

A brother whom he could trust who he feels won’t hurt him like Michael did .

Lucifer inspired Paimon a lot. He always cared about things others didn't seem to, even those closest to him. I like to think before Lucifer began talking about free will most angels didn't understand individuality all that much. They could form opinions and think, but they all had the understanding they were an extension of their creator.

When Paimon found himself disagreeing with the creator, and the various people who served him he didn't know what to do with himself. The Lucifer taught him about free will, and Paimon more or less discovered himself. For that he will always be on Lucifer's side, hoping to bring about an ideal utopia one day with him and the many others.

[sickfic-with-kiko]

Worse at Night: Cynonari Sickfic

Tighnari gets poisoned.

(Reposted from my AO3)

Work under the cut:

It’s not often Tighnari comes out into Sumeru city. Preferring the tranquil air of Avidya forest to the bustling atmosphere, his visits to the city are few and far in between. 

But there are exceptions to be made, when he folds his ears and walks through the streets slightly overstimulated. It’s not bad once in a while, he muses. Though by the end of the day, his opinion will certainly have changed. 

“Hey, Tighnari! Over here!” 

Aether and Paimon approach him swiftly once their gazes meet, beckoning him over to Puspa Cafe’s entrance. Tighnari raises a hand as a greeting, following them with a look of relief. 

They secure a table for three, choosing a quiet corner away from any loud groups. The traveller had always been considerate of Tighnari’s sensitivity to noise, which he’s often grateful for. It’s not often he gets to truly enjoy being in the city. 

“We could share a shrimp curry between us,” Aether suggests, pointing to the large portions shown on the menu. “It shouldn’t be too heavy on the spices.” 

Tighnari gives him a thankful smile. “I appreciate the consideration, but I’ve had seafood for the past week. I’m in the mood for some meat.” His ears twitch at the mere thought. 

Aether flips through the menu a little more, deciding on his own main course before choosing some side dishes. “I can get some deep-fried sweet potatoes and chicken rice to share.” 

“Sounds good. I’ll pay for the drinks then.” 

They don’t wait long before the food arrives, piping hot and appetising. Tighnari had ordered some sfiha for himself, while Aether had ended up sharing his curry with Paimon. It’s not long before Paimon begins eyeing up the other portions, long finished her own. 

“What’s that, Tighnari? Is it good?” Paimon asks, flying over to take a peek at his food.

Aether gives her a look, and Paimon huffs. Tighnari’s meal had piqued both her appetite and curiosity. 

“It’s minced lamb on flatbread.” Tighnari explains, taking a large bite out of one. “It’s very good. Why don’t you try it next time?” 

He shivers slightly, noticing the drop in temperature since their arrival. Despite wearing lighter clothing than him, Aether seems unaffected. It must be a byproduct of exploring, he muses. 

“Come on, just one bite!” Paimon begins to bargain with Tighnari, pleading for a mouthful of his food. Aether bites back a sigh as he pulls her back, shoving a sweet potato wedge in her mouth. 

Tighnari lets out a chuckle, feeling another shiver coming on. He almost jolts, the unnerving chill sweeping against his skin. 

Perhaps he’s coming down with something. He slips his jacket back onto himself, taking in the heat between the fabric. 

“Sorry,” Aether chuckles, sipping on the date juice Tighnari had ordered for them. “You might want to eat a little faster, though.” 

Tighnari agrees, bringing up another piece of sfiha to his mouth. 

Before he can take a bite, a violent shudder seizes him. And at the same time, a piercing ache in his gut. 

He freezes, the flatbread slipping from his grasp. The pain is enough to bring intense nausea with it, and he immediately knows he’s not going to make it anywhere. 

Tighnari barely manages to turn to the side before he vomits, the sickness too sudden for him to even gag. Uneven splatters ring in his ears, only just drowned out by the stabbing pain in his lower stomach. 

He can hear Aether calling out his name, and Paimon yelping beside them. He can only grip his stomach through the agonizing pain, bringing up another surge of vomit on top of the spreading puddle. 

“What’s wrong?” Aether is quick by his side, moving their bags away from the mess and laying a hand on his back. “Here, get it up. Don’t worry.” 

There’s something wrong, no doubt. Tighnari knows it’s nothing like a stomach bug or food not sitting well. He barely has time to process the next wave before he’s puking, splattering the front of his clothes. He looks down at his hands, and finds them trembling. 

He’s shuddering against Aether’s hand. He seems to notice it too, pressing a hand onto his forehead. “No fever,” he hears him say, concern-filled. 

The remnants of Tighnari’s lunch are completely out of his system, and his breakfast follows in quick succession. But the nausea doesn’t abate after emptying his stomach. He drools uncontrollably with each dry-heave, bringing up the occasional stream of stomach acid. 

“Tighnari, can you hear me?” Aether is tapping his shoulder with more force, bringing him back from the haze of illness. He can only give him a garbled whimper, throat thick with various liquids. 

Each time he opens his mouth to talk, the pain streaking through his abdomen only worsens. Tighnari cries out with each spike, the pressure of his own hand against his gut too much to bear. 

“We’re taking you to Bimarstan.” 

“Please,” Tighnari murmurs, tears trailing down his face. 

Aether is stern, hoisting him up with surprising strength. He throws a handful of mora onto the table and mutters an apology before exiting the cafe, slinging Tighnari over his shoulder. 

Though the pain is blinding, Tighnari’s mind is clear enough to filter out the causes. The sudden onset of symptoms rule out many viral sicknesses, leaving him with a terrifying possibility.

Poisoning. 

It’s the only explanation he can come up with. The intense urge to throw up is nothing like he’s ever experienced, not even after he’d been too generous on the mushroom sampling portions. Whatever it is, it had to be done with purpose. 

“Someone—someone’s poisoned me,” Tighnari chokes out, ears flattening against his head. The light against his eyes suddenly hurts, burning into his eye sockets. He clenches his eyes shut, bringing up a hand to block out all light. 

“You think they’ve poisoned you,” Aether repeats, holding him steady as they approach the entrance of Bimarstan. “We’re almost there. Just keep the strength in your legs, okay?” 

A nurse immediately recognizes the two of them, ushering them both to an indoor room. While Tighnari appreciates the privacy, he barely makes it to the mattress before all strength leaves him. Aether quickly turns him to his side as he gags. 

“What are the symptoms?” The staff asks, grabbing a wooden basin and some medium-sized towels. She carefully wipes down Tighnari’s skin, examining his eyes and nails. 

Aether moves beside Tighnari, helping him lean over the basin as he hacks up bile. “He’s been vomiting non-stop and shivering,” he explains, brushing away the hair and tears around his face. 

“It’s— ngh— poison,” Tighnari grips the sheets with one hand, the uncontrollable shaking turning closer to convulsions. “It may be something of the bloodgrass variant.” He presses the back of his hand to his eyes, the pain in his head growing worse with each second. 

“We’ll run some tests just in case.” The nurse hastily notes down something in her memo, wincing as a painful retch comes out of Tighnari’s throat. “There should be a toxicologist on duty right now.” 

If Tighnari’s suspicions are correct, vomiting the poison would not be enough. The absorption into the bloodstream would occur quickly, leaving various organs in the body vulnerable. He’s never encountered a case himself, but the treatment had been antidote infusions and pain reduction. He doesn’t recall the survival rate. 

A completely different chill runs down his spine. He could die from this. He could die, not even knowing who did this to him. 

“Aether,” Tighnari reaches out, feeling the traveller’s hand around his own. “Get Cyno. Just—just in case.” 

In case he doesn’t make it through the night. 

“We’ll find him as quick as we can,” Aether assures him, the worry apparent in his voice. 

They leave without saying further, dashing out of the facility and heading back towards the inner city. 

Tighnari is left alone again. He curls further into the blankets, feeling his body shudder against itself. Every wave of pain brings a cold grip of fear with it. 

“We found high concentrations of sterinine in your blood.” 

The toxicologist brings him his test results, confirming the potent poison inside his bloodstream. They’re quick to attach an intravenous infusion into his arm, the needle grazing him a few times as his muscles spasm. 

Tighnari attempts to lay on his side, taking care not to disturb the needle inside him. He feels vulnerable, laid out on the bed to be treated. He vomits onto the towels near his pillow, no longer able to pull the basin towards him. 

“For someone of your age and health, poisonings like this have a high survival rate.” They explain to him, setting down another empty basin and changing the soiled towels. “But due to the large dosage, the recovery process may be painful and long-lasting.” 

“How are the pain levels?” The nurse asks him, prompting him to talk. He groans instead of answering, arms tightly wrapped around his middle. 

Tighnari bites the inside of his cheek, preventing the scream that threatens to escape. “It’s bad,” he almost sobs. “Especially near the navel. I—I really can’t talk—” 

“We’ve administered painkillers and they’ll take effect soon.” They reassure him, rubbing his back in comforting circles. It only makes another tear trickle down his cheek, reminding him that he’s truly alone. “The symptoms will become manageable once you make it through tonight.” 

Tighnari isn’t sure if he’ll make it through the night. 

He tastes blood as he pukes the water he’d been given. He knows it’s not coming from his scraped-up throat, from the way it’s beginning to turn brown. When he does see crimson in the basin, it’s from the burst capillaries in his nose. He’s a mess of excess fluids, sweat and tears sticking to his skin. 

He closes his eyes, attempting to let his exhaustion win. He wakes up with bile gurgling up his throat.

And every single thing his body does to fight against it hurts. There’s a constant cramp stuck in his chest, exacerbated from his stomach wringing itself out. His head hurts, even after shutting out every trace of light. His joints and muscles ache from the constant signals frying his nerves. 

The sky darkens around him, and he notices the near-empty bag of fluids attached to his arm. He shakily reaches for the bell within reach, alerting the staff of his finished infusion. 

“I know it must hurt.” The nurse holds him down as he thrashes, administering the second dose of antidotes. “You’ll feel a little better once it kicks back in, all right?” 

Tighnari becomes increasingly frustrated with the vague promises. He doesn’t want to feel a little better. He wants it all to stop right now. 

He knows that if he were to sob and cry about his pain, one of the nurses would hold his hand and comfort him. He knows they’re taking care of him to the best of their capabilities. But the thorough knowledge of medical care makes nothing better for him, instead isolating him further. 

The hospital is cold, despite the blankets layered onto him. The air is different from the forest, and the silence carries a different weight. He wants nothing more than a shred of familiarity. 

Just as Tighnari closes his eyes, he hears multiple footsteps heading towards him from outside. Though he can’t hear the ensuing conversations, he knows the voices well enough. His eyes widen, amidst the fatigue that chokes him. 

“Tighnari.” 

Cyno marches ahead of Aether, not sparing a moment before throwing the door open. He’s disheveled, without his signature headpiece and a jacket draped over his shoulders. One look at him fills Tighnari’s eyes with tears. 

The traveller and Paimon follow close by, eyes widening at the extent of Tighnari’s pallor. If he had been pale earlier, he’s now nothing short of blanched. 

Tighnari stiffens, coughing up blood-tinted drool into his palm. He hastily wipes it on the towel before either of them can see. 

Sensing Tighnari’s overattentiveness, Cyno steps in front of Tighnari with an extended arm. “Thank you for bringing me here. I can take it from here—rest assured he’s in good hands.” 

Aether nods, knowing the closeness the two share. “Let me know if there’s anything I can help with.” 

Cyno lets out an affirmative hum, giving minimal attention to the pleasantries before turning back to Tighnari. He places a hand in his hair, and Tighnari immediately knows its warmth. It’s miles different from the methodical touches he’d been subject to. 

“No one’s here except us. You can breathe easy.” 

Cyno dips a cloth in cold water, wiping at the sweat on Tighnari’s forehead. It’s far from pleasant or clean, but Tighnari doesn’t mumble an apology for once. He instead leans into him, the lump in his throat rendering him unable to speak. 

It’s not long before another episode of pain hits him full force. He’s surprised at how loud he yelps, gripping Cyno’s hand through the excruciating sensations. His body betrays him all at once, forcing up another wave of dark blood up his throat. 

Tighnari sees Cyno’s eyes, brimming with barely-concealed anger. But the pained grimace he displays immediately softens them, and Cyno brings the basin closer to him. He spits the dark liquid gathering in his mouth. 

“Cyno,” he manages out, no longer able to hold back the sobs. “It—it really hurts. I’ve been throwing up for hours.” 

He’s immediately pulled into Cyno’s arms, hair brushed aside and tail curling around them both. Though Cyno’s worry shows, he doesn’t show any more fear than Tighnari does. For the first time, Tighnari feels comforted. 

“It hurts everywhere when I seize up.” Tighnari talks through tears, drenching his own face and Cyno’s jacket. “I—I’m not going to die. But it feels too close to it.” 

Cyno hums, his hands focused on making him comfortable. He gently rubs circles into Tighnari’s chest, moving to his stomach when it gurgles painfully. “You’ve endured well,” he presses his lips to Tighnari’s head, drawing the curtains to leave the room untouched by moonlight. 

Tighnari closes his eyes, leaning against Cyno’s chest. It’s not easy to get the sleep he desperately needs—he throws up on Cyno on more than one occasion, waking up mid-choking to sharp slaps on his back. Though he mumbles an apology, Cyno only wipes his mouth and suggests he get the rest he needs. 

It’s almost dawn when Tighnari sleeps for an hour, eyes pried open by yet another stab of pain in his gut. He’s paying the price of surviving a poisoning attempt, something completely unwarranted.

Tighnari lets out a frustrated scream, curling away from everything that touches his skin. “It won’t stop,” he sobs, digging his nails into his palm. “It just keeps happening over and over. I want it to stop hurting so fucking much.” 

His words are shaky as he cries, angry tears trailing down his reddened cheeks. Cyno doesn’t touch him until he falls back into his arms, muffling his cries into his chest. 

“I know. And I’m not going to leave until it stops.” Cyno continues to pat his back, slowing down until he matches his heartbeat. “You’re going to be all right.” 

It comes out with such conviction that Tighnari genuinely believes it. He clings onto Cyno, choked sobs becoming sniffles. He realizes how badly he’d wanted the reassurance, however blind. 

“I just don’t know why they did this,” Tighnari cries, this time not from the pain. “Why did they hurt me like this?” 

It’s a question neither know the answer to. Cyno doesn’t intend to figure it out, nor does he need the answer. What matters is that he’ll soon have blood on his hands, under the name of justice and his own blinding anger. 

[viatrixtravels-a]

Lumine and Paimon both gave each other the 'look' ー making it obvious that they were up to no good.

"Ready?"

"...Always."

They each attached themselves to one of Xiao's arms, armed with the best kind of 'puppy eyes' they could pull off.

"Xiao~ Please~?"

"Pleaaaase~~?"

...!

[His face flushes violently red and he looks away.]

Believe what you want, I won't show you.