#I love Zhongli so much that I had to include him in my life in many ways

[genshinluvr]

I officially graduated ☺️ I now have a bachelors degree under my belt next to my four associates degrees ✨ I might go for a masters degree, but not in the near future!

I also put this cap together last minute, so it’s obviously not perfect or pretty like other [Genshin] graduation caps. I also put this together so my family can find me easily 🙂‍↕️

Also Zhongli’s quote is literally perfect for many occasions and I had to put it on my cap :>

Me: graduating

Also me: how do I make this about Zhongli?

[anantaru]

— cute things they do unintentionally

including wriothesley, zhongli, neuvillette, diluc x gn! reader

꒰ genre ꒱ — fluff, established relationship, neck kisses, lots of physical affection

— wriothesley + always walks closest to the street

in the early stages of your relationship, wriothesley has shown the first, out of the many following, indications of his overall protective nature towards you— and do not misunderstand him, because obviously he wasn't making it somewhat overbearing.

he knows you are capable of doing things on your own, but he wants to be the one who does them for you instead. it fills him with joy, and the duke finds himself squeezing his eyes shut, indulging in the memories and thoughts and hope that they would never cease to invade his newfound paradise.

so to speak, it's sort of a way to show you his love in a contrasting kind of sense other than telling you his affection through words or physical touch— with his heart-melting gestures and tender warmth, wriothesley will stop to walk for a split second before softly pulling you farthest from the street as he walks closest.

it was silly— and romantic, and there's a drop of silence before you hear him hum in merriment, his eyes sparkling like the stars.

full of feeling, your cheeks were poignant of a flaming prickle, your whole body burned like fire at his touch as you eagerly listen to what story your boyfriend was telling you about, his smile bringing you the most lustrous light when you entangle your fingers into his arm to press his frame against you.

and suddenly, your lips are tingling with the desire to kiss him, his lips as pink as pink delights. what's the sweetest part about it all was that wriothesley wasn't doing any of this intentionally— in fact, it had always come down to the way he has been all of his life, protective and sheltering, benevolent to the people closest to his heart.

— zhongli + kisses your forehead whenever you meet

"hello, my love," zhongli's face lights up the moment he sees you, and it's a lot more personal by how particularly he smiled at you— because before catching your frame in midst the busy streets of liyue, his facial features were stern and a little frozen, although when he finally finds you, he smiles and it takes away his cold instantly, a slow upturn of his mouth revealing small dimples around his sides.

"i missed you," he admits, and zhongli moves closer before capturing your cheeks in his warm palms, planting a subtle kiss on your forehead as he presses you against his chest firmly— his golden eyes bright enough to make even broken glass glow and shimmer like a treasure on its own again.

you mumble out through a chain of muffled words at the slightly tight embrace of your boyfriend, "i missed you too," and listlessly wrap your arms around his waist, "in fact, i missed you more," you tease as he presses dozen of little kisses on your head.

as much as zhongli would love to hug you for what he sought out to be eternity, he knows he cannot remain like this forever, at least not while being crowded by the people of liyue— although pondering about it more deeply, he figured that theoretically speaking, he could be able to hug you from day to night without letting you go, but people might start looking at you both so that'll be a negative and turn things uncomfortable.

"you know it's impossible for you to miss me more?" he slowly pulls you off his chest before pinching your cheek, "i long for you day and night," as his grin shines in tandem with the dancing joy of his eyes, unable to tear their focus away from you.

— neuvillette + can't stop worshipping you

after a long, arduous day consisting of responsibilities, you plopped onto the giant, comfortable bed you shared with neuvillette before you felt the mattress slightly dip under the added weight of his body as he climbs over to lean one arm around your frame.

as he does this, his face instantly burns into the nook of your neck before he begins to caress it— obviously in those moments he was content with you, starting with a handful of soft, warm kisses until he could feel you smile, or notice your body heat raise.

it's pretty clear his senses were sharp, you cannot hide anything from your boyfriend, even if you tried.

you yawn out, opening your arms for his body to properly nestle in before wrapping your limbs around his frame to keep him close, "what did i do to deserve this?" you whisper sarcastically, squeezing him a little tighter into you, "is something the matter?"

neuvillette hums deeply before smothering one hand from your chest to your hips, his lips stretching into a lazy smile, creating a swirling haven on his handsome face, "nothing at all, everything is fine," he assures you with another kiss, his hot breath fanning over the dampened skin on your neck.

basking into the comfortable engage of your arms around his frame, he continues, "i have simply missed what's mine, that is all,"

"and you deserve this," you hear him mumble, "each and every day to be admired and loved,"

he places a kiss on your shoulder, the softness of his lips compelling, "i want to give you this," as he slowly continues to slide his lips over your collarbone, full of passionate crescendos.

your skin trembles and goosebumps arise on your neck as you unwind to his skilled. tender interludes, precisely in neuvillette taking care of you, shooting you a gentle smile before he searches for your lips next.

— diluc + likes to hold your hand all the time

it doesn't matter where the both of you were or what activity you participated in, because for neither diluc nor you this was something out of the ordinary anymore and began to become a necessity— like breathing, he required your touch, and his heart fluttered every time he felt your energy invade his.

your laugh was his favorite sound and your voice was the last tune he needed to hear before he'd close his eyes, always awaiting the flicker of longing in your caress.

but before you have found each other in this relationship, the master of the dawn winery has never considered himself to be an overly touchy individual, in fact, he was everything else but pleased whenever someone would become way too comfortable with him and overstep any boundaries.

what's funny about love is that how fast it can change things in someone— beyond looks, touches or shared smiles, there were feelings that only you two were able to understand.

diluc hadn't realized how easy and effortless it can be the moment you meet your soulmate, it's transparent and pure and you cannot get enough of them, it's useless to even try and you want to feel them again and again, until their warmth swathes through your skin and intertwines like dancers in a ballet.

in the beginning, it had started with quick and easy placements of his palm on your back or around your shoulders, but after a while, diluc wanted to turn it a little more intimate— he didn't say anything or mention it to you, but one day at a silent night in mondstadt, when he looked at you, really looked at you, he held your hand, his thumb tracing your knuckles in a silent confession of love and affirmation.

to diluc ragnvindr, the act of falling in love was the acknowledgement that he was in the presence of someone so special that it aches his heart, a journey with unexpected twists and turns— for the first time and in that moment, he knew that you were deserving of love to the fullest, without holding back.

©2024 anantaru do not repost, copy, translate, modify, claim as your own

[bedoballoons]

Yandere Tighnari, Venti, lyney, Freminet and Aether finding out Reader isn't really into short guys They're into someone bigger and taller {{Itto For Aether, Alhaitham for Tighnari, Nevillete for both Lyney and Freminet and Zhongli for Venti}}

I READ THIS AND WAS LIKE YESSSSSS!!! (As a short person I find this hilarious and your idea is literally genius!) I hope you enjoy and thank you so much for your request!

─⊰⁠⊹ฺ✿𝔾𝕖𝕟��𝕙𝕚𝕟 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤⊰⁠⊹ฺ✿─

{༻~Just not that into short bois~༺}

CW: Yandere themes!, characters are obsessive to the point of wanting to harm others so they can't take you, unrequited love, intense jealousy, mild angst! Lyney makes Neuvillette disappear! Also this is much longer than I meant it to be...what can I say, I like yanderes!

(Includes: Lyney, Tighnari, Venti, Freminet, and Aether!)

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

𑁍༄Lyney:

Lyney had been told no many times in his life,in fact he couldn't even count how many people said he could never be a famous magician...and yet he'd proved every single one of them wrong. He simply couldn't stand not working towards something everyone else claimed was impossible, because in his eyes anything was possible, so when you confided in him about your feelings towards Neuvillette and stated that you found him more charming because of his height, even going so far as to mention you didn't really like short men as much...he just couldn't give up so easily.

He was madly in love with you, to the point it had become more than obsession, he'd seek you out anytime he'd left his home and any show he'd make sure to wink at you the moment his eyes met yours, he was so head over heels for you that he was physically unable to think about anyone or anything else. This also meant he wouldn't let anyone take you...especially just because they were taller...absolutely not.

So for his next show he planned something extra special, a magic trick truly wonderful in everyway...and as the crowd cheered, watching in awe when the box that had contained the chief of justice disappeared before their very eyes...none of them were aware he wouldn't show back up again...at least not for along while. Not until Lyney had found a way to make you love him, not until you...the most precious beautiful thing in all the world...was his.

𑁍༄Tighnari:

Tighnari stood next to you, his ears drooping with regret as he watched you flirt away with Alhaitham, his tall muscular figure drawing you to him like a moth to a flame...making you completely forget about the one who'd brought you together in the first place. It was like some cruel trick of fate...especially considering Tighnari had planned to confess his feelings for you that same day...and now it seemed like it would do no good..

He tapped your shoulder, not waiting for your response as he intertwined his hand with yours, pulling you away from Alhaitham as quickly as possible...and silently hoping you'd leave the whole situation at that. You on the other hand were not so happy with him, wanting desperately to continue your conversation with the handsome scribe..., "Tighnari what was that about? I was really getting along with-" He put a gloved finger to your lips, making you go quiet, his heart racing as he looked deep into your eyes.

"I love you...so much. I can't even really wrap my head around my feelings because they are so intense...it's like I need you just to keep going...like you're the thing I simply cannot live without. Even the air I breathe isn't as important as you are...." His confession was a bit much to say the least and adding to it was the kiss he placed on your forehead, causing you to jerk away from him.

"I'm sorry...but I don't feel that way for you..." Your words spilled out before you could stop them, your heart racing with fear at the change in his mannerisms...he didn't even respond...he just stood there...like he was plotting something and you...were about to find out just how crazy his love for you actually was.

𑁍༄Venti:

"I actually do have feelings for someone."

The second those words left your lips Ventis heart began to race, his mind clouded over with thoughts of you confessing to him and telling him you loved him...it was all he wanted. No, it was all he needed! He tried his best to calm himself down, taking a sip of wine before responding like someone who was completely clueless of the others feelings would, "Oh ho ho and who would that lucky person be hmm?"

A blush coated your cheeks followed by a sweet flustered smile that could make even Lord Barbatos swoon and boy was he...until you answered, "I like Mr. Zhongli~" You giggled nervously, not noticing how pale Venti went the second he heard the name...how the part of the wine bottle he'd been holding had shattered, much like his heart...you didn't even notice the hurt tone of his voice when he asked, "What does that old blockhead have that I don't?"

The question definitely took you by surprise, but you assumed he wasn't being serious and decided to answer truthfully, "Well he's a bit more refined...and I like his voice, but most of all he's so tall! I'm sorry Venti but I just can't imagine myself with someone...so tiny." The anemo archon was speechless...hatred seeping into his very being and jealousy getting the better of him. He stood up without another word and left, leaving you wondering what had happened...

𑁍༄Freminet:

Freminet was completely silent, his face bright red and burning with a rage he'd never felt before, his hands barely able to keep steady as jealousy ate away at his once calm heart heart. All he wanted was you...your love, that sweet smile that he craved to see everyday, but here you were, sitting Infront of him with this doe eyed look on your face as you fawned all over none other than the chief of justice. Mentioning more than once how tall and handsome he was, how incredible it would to have a man like him around.

"Enough."

You paused mid sentence, caught off guard by the amount of malice in his once kind sweet voice, watching as he stood up from his seat, your mouth slightly agape. You'd never seen him like this before...so angry and confident, it was scary...yet also a little exciting. After a moment of silence you'd worked up the courage to say something...but you didn't even manage to get a single word out as he grabbed the front of your shirt and pulled you harshly towards him, making you let out nothing more than a sharp gasp.

Your face went red, pure shock displaying itself on your features as he leaned in closer, his light purple eyes seemingly staring into your soul as his whispers grazed your ear, sending a shiver down your spine, "Hush now my love...you don't need him...I promise~"

𑁍༄Aether:

Aether was always there to help someone, so reliable in fact, that everyone called on him whenever there was a issue and including you, after all he'd saved you from many close calls...even saving your life a few times in the process and for that you were incredibly grateful, but alas you were still not in love with him. He on the other hand couldn't get enough of you, he just wanted to be near you all the time...be your hero and love you like nobody else ever could.

He...however wasn't the only person who could save someone and when the friendly neighborhood oni stepped in to save you, Aether was anything but pleased... especially when he saw the difference in how you acted. Yes your gratitude was the same...but you'd gotten all flustered at the onis impressive figure, touching the large man's chest while your face heated with such a strong blush and everyone around you cheered him on.

Aether was more than a little upset, suddenly understanding that he clearly wasn't your type and that he probably would never be, he just couldn't stand it! How could you, the person he'd do absolutely anything for...be so enraptured by someone else...just because they were bigger than him. No, he wouldn't let it stand, he'd fight for you, even if it meant doing things he could regret later on...it didn't matter, not anymore. You were all he cared about...all that mattered.

Just. You.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚Have a nice day*⁠.⁠✧

[vsimp]

"glimpse of us"

pairing: zhongli x reader

genre: angst, no comfort

w/c: 850

summary: "glimpse of us" by joji, but you are not her

You have been through everything with him. Through the archon war, through the cataclysm, through the ongoing erosion, and through the “death” of Morax. You wanted to think that you were the closest person to him. You knew all of his likes and dislikes. You knew what all of his hobbies were. You knew how much he cared about his people, the people of Liyue. You understood him more than anyone.

“My dearest and oldest friend…” Zhongli’s deep voice rumbled through the plains of Liyue, like a gentle breeze that could soothe even the most unfortunate of souls. “My y/n… You have truly proved yourself to be my most loyal companion. I was once an archon, and now I am merely a man, yet you love me anyways, and it has taken me this long to realize that. Will you accompany this old soul for the rest of his modest life?”

When he had proposed to you, you felt like the happiest person in the world. The man who you had been in love with over the last thousands of years had finally realized your feelings, and you were ecstatic. But despite his whispers of love to you, despite all of the passionate feelings that he vocalized, there was always a lingering thought in the back of your mind. 

Indeed, you knew everything about Morax. Even his heartaches and troubles. Even his old love who he lost many, many millennials ago.

The death of Guizhong broke your heart as well. She was loved by many, that included the Geo Archon himself. You didn’t think your unrequited love would ever be returned, and yet, you still somehow felt guilty now that you’ve taken the place of your old friend, the one who used to stand by his side.

He had never once looked at you the way that he looked at her. He had never once smiled at you the way he did her. And even at night when he dreams, he dreams of her.

But you smiled on, hoping and wishing that Zhongli would be happy by your side. Minutes passed like hours, as you kissed his lips, and hours passed like seconds as you laughed by his side. But you knew that you were just her replacement. You knew that whenever he looked into your eyes, he was not looking at you, but instead at a glimpse of her. 

“I love you, Guizhong,” Zhongli had let out one day. Whatever you had in your hand had fallen to the ground at the time, leaving a loud thud amidst the silence. “No… No, I meant y/n. I love you, y/n.” Zhongli was flustered, which was unlike him, and also quick to correct his mistake, but it was too late. You had already found out about his true feelings.

He chased you outside as you ran straight into the rain, calling your name and asking you calmly to come back inside. You didn’t know how to feel. You didn’t know how to react. You just knew that you could no longer face him. The thunder roared loud in the sky as your heart ached.

Your fears were confirmed that night. You had never seen Zhongli look so desperate and scared before. It was like he knew what his true feelings were, but he just didn’t want to lose you. The damage, however, had already been done.

He held you in his arms tightly, catching you before you got too far, your back against his chest. 

“Y/n,” he pleaded, “please… come back inside. It’s raining and you’ll get sick.”

“It’s been thousands of years, Morax.” Zhongli’s grip tightened as he heard your firm voice, as if he was afraid he’d lose you like how he had lost everybody else in his life. “I’ve always been yours… but when will you ever be mine?”

“I apologize. I truly am sorry. It was a slip of the tongue.” But he couldn’t deny the truth. You had hoped he would say that you were the only one in his heart right now. That you are the only one he thought about. He remained uncharacteristically silent but still clinging onto you.

It was time you put yourself first for once. Everything you had done had been for him, the man you love. But his silence spoke louder than his actions in this case, and it cracked open your heart even further. 

“I think… we need a break. I’m sorry.”

There was a long pause before Zhongli let you go.

“Very well,” he said hesitantly and cautiously. “I cannot force you to stay. But remember this, I truly love you. And when you would like to speak again, I will be here waiting for you.”

“Unfortunately, I’m tired of doing the chasing,” you said simply. 

“The chasing…? Oh, my dear…” You couldn’t look at his expression, but you could tell he finally understood your feelings. Still, he hesitated to say what he truly wanted to say, a long pause between his words. “It appears I cannot convince you to stay…”

“Yes. Goodbye.”

Zhongli watched as you walked away. The light of his life had faded, and now, he truly was all alone.

[xiaosonlybeloved]

Of Flowers and Death~ -Hanahaki AU

fem! reader x Zhongli, Zhongli x Guizhong, implied Zhongli x Lumine

warnings:- angst, hurt/no comfort, major character death, graphic descriptions of blood and violence. (lemme know if i missed anything) length-2.8k words a/n:- Mmm yes my favorite oneshot till date. stay till the end for that juicy angst haha (i have been writing for over two hours everything hurts but its worth it) Likes comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated, and do check out my childe smau too!

Edit:- there is a sequel now- Regret, Guilt, Anguish

masterlist

“Oh..” you murmured in less than a whisper. You were hidden behind a few rocks; you had come to meet Morax, the god of Liyue, but your dearest friend, Guizhong, was already there with him, and it looked like they were having a moment. You couldn’t help but want to listen in, because after all it was Morax who you had loved for most of your life.

You were a foreigner to Liyue; you came from Inazuma. But you weren’t any ordinary Inazuman. You were the third and youngest of the Raiden sisters, who ruled over Inazuma itself. No one other than the archons knew about your existence, because Ei and Makoto kept you a secret, protected. Although not many knew, there had indeed been a few attempts on the lives of the Raiden sisters, and this was what they wanted to protect you from.

After you had a few centuries of battle experience and training under your bag, you were allowed to explore the world. You were not tied down with the duties of ruling Inazuma. Naturally, you attracted the attention of the gods, each one of them remarking on how you inherited all the characteristic features of the Raidens.

Only the heavens above knew how you managed to become the best friend of one of the major gods, and that too Morax. But he was the reason you chose to settle down in Liyue. As time passed, your feelings for Morax, also called Zhongli by his friends, also grew more than platonic.

Now see, you knew Morax was something of a blockhead when it came to feelings. So you didn’t think much when Morax kept sending you mixed signals. You both were immortal gods after all, you had all the time in the world. You continued to hopelessly fool yourself, thinking that just perhaps, there was a chance of him loving you back.

Then came the goddess of Dust, Guizhong. A minor goddess she was, but a wonderful one. It didn’t take her too long to make her way into everyone’s hearts, including yours and Zhongli’s. While you both quickly grew into fast friends, there was just one thing that constantly irked you. Just one. It was the way she quickly grew so incredibly close to Zhongli.’

You knew that Guizhong fancied Zhongli; she confessed it to you yourself. You were forced to merely plaster a fake smile upon your face and laugh her words off.

That brought you to this day: watching Guizhong confess to Zhongli. And the amount of heartbreaking anguish when Zhongli accepted with a smile, pulling her in close, after having remained oblivious to all your advances over the decades…. It was just… You couldn’t handle it. It was too much.

You quietly sneaked away as soon as possible. And then.. And then came the coughs and the bloodstained petals. Being from Inazuma, you knew all about it of course. Hanahaki. Needless to say, you were horrified. Since that day, you somewhat avoided the duo on the pretext of the ongoing Archon War. It was here that you showed your true battle prowess as a Raiden. You alone decimated entire armies of the enemies, leaving not even ashes.

The war went on for months. You lost many allies in fighting to ensure that Makoto and Morax got seats in the Seven. Till sundown you fought without relent, showing that even a beauty can be dangerous. At night, you gave your fallen comrades the proper, respectful  farewell they deserved. By now, only the last few contenders for the heavenly thrones were left. The last opponent for Morax was the ocean god, Osial, in Guyun Stone Forest, and his followers. Recognising the serious threat he posed, you did agree to team up with Morax to eliminate him. The path for Morax to become an archon would then become clear. Through experience, you both knew that you two together were a formidable force. 

The battle was a long and exhausting one. You both started at sunrise, and barely managed to subdue him by sundown, having understood that even with their combined power, they would not be able to kill Osial. You both went back to your makeshift camp, looking forward to just resting for the night. Thank the gods you had very few coughing fits during the battle.

And yet, the moment you stepped past the protected borders, you felt that familiar eerie chill that crept up your spine. The heavy silence that hung ominously, the one that meant something was dreadfully, terribly wrong. And you were right. You took in the scene. The five Yakshas of Liyue were present, and they seemed to be sealing some sort of hexagonal structure, which was suspended above a figure. And the figure…

Was Guizhong.

Any dislike you harboured towards the Goddess of Dust disappeared as you laid your eyes upon the figure that had been turned to stone. The first and utmost thought in your mind was that something was wrong with your second best friend. Evidently Morax had come to the same conclusion. He let out a strangled sound as you both ran towards what remained of Guizhong. As you both gingerly touched her as if she was made of glass instead of stone, you knew. It was clear- Guizhong was no more.

Despite your stormy emotions, it seemed you were capable of only letting out a few tears. Morax seemed to be physically incapable of crying, yet his emotions were plainly displayed on his face for all to see. 

That night, you stayed with Morax, doing your best to comfort him, despite needing comfort yourself. Neither of you had any more tears to shed. 

That night, Morax has emerged as one of the Seven with your help, but you both lost Guizhong along the way.

~◈~

2 millenia had passed since the Archon War, and it left its scars on everyone. However, you could be lying if you said that you didn’t feel relieved that Guizhong was out of the way. You also felt guilty for feeling like that. But it was rather funny, how you managed to survive with your hanahaki for 2000 years, while most died within a few months. You supposed the reason was that Morax, who now completely lived as the mortal Zhongli in the Harbor, was seriously the absolute master at giving out mixed signals. He often unknowingly did things that lovers did, giving you hope. Yet that hope gets squashed a few days later, and the cycle continues. In all honesty, the hanahaki wasn’t really a big problem, more like a chronic disease that you had come to accept as a part of your life.

You knew that while Zhongli had mostly recovered by now, he still irrationally blamed himself for Guizhong’s death. You often told him to move on, yet he never said anything. You could see how opposed he was to the idea though. That’s why it was a surprise when he invited you to his office in the funeral parlor right after you returned from Inazuma. You could see on his face that there was something that pleased him. He first enquired about your travels and stuff, then said, “[name], do you remember how you’ve always told me to move on?” “Oh yes. Have you been thinking about that?” “Indeed. Although Guizhong will always have a special place in my heart, I believe that I am now ready to mingle again. I realised recently… that I have feelings for someone new.” 

You couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement you felt on hearing those words.Was this finally it? “That’s great Zhongli! Who is it?” “Do you know the Traveler, Lumine? It’s her. I met her a while back, when you were out on your travels. I love her so much.” He proceeded to tell you all about Lumine. He was lovestruck and you could see that. With every word he spoke, you felt your heart drop more into your stomach. You were doomed. Utterly doomed.

All this time, you’d just been deluding yourself, lying to yourself. He had never loved you, and he never would. You were struggling to keep your easy smile glued to your face as yet again, you felt something rise up your throat. You politely managed to excuse yourself, your voice coming out all scratchy and raw. Once you walked out of his cabin, you sprinted towards the confines of your home. By the time you locked yourself in, some petals had already escaped and blood was smeared across your palm. 

You were hunched over the sink, which was already full of flowers and blood within a few minutes. It hurt. Everything did, both your body and your broken heart. You knew your impending death was near, because never had your hanahaki been this severe. You couldn’t undergo the surgery because Zhongli was a massive part of your life, and simply forgetting about him would raise a barrage of questions. Plus, you still loved Zhongli too much to forget about him, despite the fact that somewhere deep down, you always knew that he’d never love you back.

~◈~

Your time was very close. The past few days had been spent isolated into the confines of your home, claiming to be exhausted from your latest journey whenever someone came to visit. Funnily enough, today was the day when Zhongli’s former love, and your former best friend, Guizhong, had died. In short, her death anniversary. Seemed it would be yours too.

You usually avoided visiting Guizhong’s memorial and burial site, which was in an isolated cave near Liyue Harbour. However today you thought it was fitting for you to pay your respects to her for the last time. And so, you dragged yourself out in the early morning, before sunrise. You left before anyone could see you, before he could see you.

By the time you are at your destination, your condition has significantly worsened due to the physical strain. It’s all you can do to respectfully place the flowers beside her memorial and lean against the wall. You began to speak to no one in particular in a cracked voice. “Hey Gui…? I hope.. You are at.. Peace… Just know that… I’ve never… hated you.. You’ve always been my.. Best friend.”

“How lucky you were… to be loved by Zhongli.”

Your throat choked up, not because of emotion, but because of another bout of bloody flowers. Not wanting to die there because he would see you, you got yourself out and into another deserted cave just beside. Not the best, but you had no choice. You had merely left a few petals at the entrance of both caves and a faint trail of blood in between.

By now, you had fallen to the ground in searing agony as flower after bloodstained flower forced its way out of your raw throat. You were lying on a bed of the flowers you yourself had coughed out.

How long it had been, you did not know. Perhaps minutes, perhaps hours. You started coughing again, not a moment’s respite. Your life force was almost completely drained. Any moment now.. You would be free.

It was then that you heard a horrified voice ring through the silence. “[Name]!”

~◈~ 

Zhongli was up at sunrise. Despite his new love, his mood was somber- it was Guizhong’s death anniversary. He had every intention to continue visiting her memorial. As usual, he sought you out. There was a rare chance that if you were in the mood, you would accompany him to pay respects to Guizhong. Yet when he knocked at your door several times and received no response, he chose to leave you alone, despite being slightly worried. You usually did respond at the very least, but he was sure you were alright,

He stopped short in front of the cave which housed Guizhong’s memorial. There was a fresh bouquet of Glaze lilies. But who brought them here? Especially since this place was practically unheard of. He took a few quick steps forward and kneeled down to inspect the bouquet. His heart lurched.

Attached to the bouquet was a small note that said, ‘To my dearest best friend, Guizhong.’ There was no name, but he recognised the handwriting well enough. [name] had already been here. Without him? Was there a reason?

His eyes were drawn to something else too. Relatively new footprints in the soil. And blood.

Blood?

His heavy footsteps echoed in the cave as he quickly walked out, following the faint trail of footprints, blood and petals. They were leading him to a nearby cave. His heart rate accelerated as he heard heavy coughing.  And behold the sight that awaited him- an utterly pretty bed of flowers and petals stained in a blood red, and someone coughing while lying on it.

“[Name]!” He cried out, completely horrified.

You curled into yourself even more on hearing his voice. All you wanted was to die in peace, why did he have to make things more difficult? Why did he have to come here? The flowers started choking and constricting your throat on their way up, ever more unrelenting, fueled by the appearance of the one who caused them. It was so hard to breathe… Just a bit more…

You felt yourself being gently lifted into someone’s strong and warm embrace. You weakly met Zhongli’s eyes, which were full of panic. You’d only seen him lose his composure like this once before, his fear more than evident on his face. “[name]- I- What happened? Please, tell me! I- I can’t lose you too!” He exclaimed frantically, feeling your life ebb away second by second, with each cough that released blood and Glaze lilies.

Your throat constricted even more, making it excessively hard to breathe. You just wanted to rest, It was all you could do to force a few broken words from your raw throat.

“...Hana..haki…” That was all Zhongli needed to know to understand. His pupils dilated in fear even more. “Who.. Who is it who made you suffer this way?” Zhongli whispered, unable to take in your completely broken state. You didn’t respond for a few moments, feeling your eyelids shut. You forced them open, not wanting to leave him hanging. “Always.. Loved you.. Always will… Be happy.. For me.. Okay? That is my last wish.” You weakly tried to reach a hand towards Zhongli, who instantly grasped it tightly in hsi, and pressed it against his face, as the realisation hit him like a truck. “What..?” He whispered softly.

Your eyes started to droop again, and you gave in, feeling nothing but qa soft ringing in your ears as your senses dulled. “[name], no, please don’t leave me!” Zhongli cried out in panic, grief and anguish, seeing you slip away from him. You simply let a small smile rest on his face as you whispered, “Just.. sleeping.. Tired.” Unable to accept your fate, he whispered, “Sleep well then, my dearest.”

But you never lived to hear that.

Because then you moved no more.

Was fate trying to mock him with [name] dying in his arms, in front of him, on the same day as Guizhong’s death? You were always there for him, always there with him, until you weren’t. And never in his immortal life was Zhongli able to forgive himself for this, knowing that he was the reason you were dead.

mm yes now hows that huh? gonna disappear for a few days now haha tags and comments are very much appreciated!

[r0-boat]

May I request Zhongli X fem-reader ?

Because last one you did with Zhongli was fricking amazing!

Hi! Thank you so much I liked doing that one as well I did a lot of experimenting with that one so I thought I would do it again for this post as well

Morax's Wife

'the Dreaded Dragon of Geo and his mate'

Cw: hurt/comfort

Dragon Sovereign!Zhongli x Reader

You gazed down upon the village of Liyue, a small town, a far cry from what it will be in the future. And a place you once called your home, looking out from the mountain where you reside now—a temple-like castle carved from the very rock of the mountains. Eyes red and stinging, lost in your thoughts, your mind repeating the words of the same people you had known just days before, their friendly smiles warming your day as they would greet you with enthusiasm now those same faces twisted with hate, disgust, slinging hurtful words; those people were your friends, people you had known all your life looking at you with such disdain as if i had forgotten how you were.

And all because you had fallen in love with The Sovereign of Geo, a known rival of Celestia.

Having been out there for so long you had momentarily forgotten that time had passed.

"Mate, are you ok?" A deep, rumbling voice Like an earthquake trembled behind you as your husband concerned for how how long you had sat there watching the carts going in and out of the city walls. The Dragon came to join you by your side, changing its form to its human appearance, the wind tosling his hair and white robes as he sat beside you.

" You have been out here for quite a while beloved."

When Morax followed your gaze, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at the tiny Kingdom, his brows furrowing with worry, for he had known how its people betrayed you. Watching them draw their swords that the woman he loves still remembers, your pleads and cries for your loved ones to see reason; all the while, he attempts to protect his mate; his wife grabs your arm to pull you behind him.

The crowd grew as onlookers heard what was happening from a distance. Grabbing on to the robes of your mate, your eyes dart frantically, feeling your chest become tighter and tighter as it becomes harder to breathe. Looking among the crowd your heart practically stops in the very back was the familiar faces of your own family looking at you with worry but they didn't do anything they just stayed there silently refusing when they saw that you've noticed they just turned away their eyes shifting to the floor looking anywhere else but you...

Why?

And that moment your family had to sound you and you knew that, and it hurt clenching your teeth trying to stop the tears not now... not in front of Morax...

But he had already sensed your sadness. Your husband having live with you for a while and being attentive and taking pride in knowing every little piece of you including the little hair on your head noticed those tells immediately to the slight quiver of your lip to the way you would refuse to look at him refuse to look at your husband with those big beautiful eyes of yours. His eyes growing soft and see gently caress your cheek tilting your head to look up at him.

Those amber eyes gaze into your red puffy ones. "Oh, my sweet mate, are you thinking of that day again?"

Your eyes had widened feeling your paper thin facade already tearing in two. Your voice breaks when only his name Falls from your lips. His heart breaks along with it, scooping you up into his arms before getting up onto his feet with you tucked protectively gently against his chest. Morax was as gentle as he was feared, but that gentleness was only reserved for you, his mate. Morax kissed you on the forehead before whispering, "That day they have failed you my beloved you need not think of them anymore. They are nothing but vile creatures worth far less than the dirt on the very ground they stand on. You are nothing like them."

He nuzzled into your neck bringing you back home in his cave as he continued.

" you are far more than that, my sweet beloved, gentle, and beautiful Wife. You are a precious gem sticking out from the rest of the rubble." The dragon knew, but you felt it was something he could not fix, but he could be there to make you smile, that same smile he fell in love with. He couldn't make that whole town disappear, for it would sadden you even more, but he could tell you that you are worth far more to him than the rest of your kin were stupid and vile creatures to do what they've done. He could spoil you like a husband should.

The dragon gently lays you back in his nest with the finest silk sheets and mattresses, along with stuffed toys and anything else he had gotten for you over the years that he had been with you. And Morax not wanting to part from you for a single moment snakes his arm underneath you to pull you closer laying right beside you where he belonged his brown and gold draconic tail wrapping around your leg wanting to be as close to you as possible. His eyes only had a room for one as they were trained and focused taking in every little thing you do even now as you cry and whimper he only saw the beautiful bride he had taken still as beautiful as you were when he had married you. That beautiful white and gold glittering dress to match his robes he made sure to pick out the finest treasures and gems from his horde decking you out in glittering gold and other delicacies from the earth please his little dragon mind greatly. Your family couldn't be there but the other sovereigns were the dragons of the other six elements congratulating him. Despite him marrying a human, they lovingly accepted you as one of them, far more than They could have ever done.

Your smile will shine like gold in his memories just as brightly as the gold and glittering ring he had made for the both of you. He had carved it himself with the raw Elemental energy of Geo. He had even so much as carved the innards of the band with each other's names as if it was a signature on parchment.

Marriage was a human tradition, and he cared little for humans except for, well, you, but the idea of a contract of love and binding two mates as one intrigued him. Now, he was obsessed with the titles that came with husband and wife. He was happy to call himself your husband and was eager to call you his wife.

As he reminisced on the contract ceremony 'Wedding' all the while playing with your delicate human hand, his eyes trained on that glittering band signifying your title as his wife and forever mate, his clawed hand threading through your head of hair, practically purring in delight at the warmth sharing with you, hoping this would have calmed you down from your sadness. Oh, how your husband wished to ease you of your pain forever, but he knows he could not wipe your precious memories as much as he regrets. As much as your memory hurts you, human memory is fragile and precious. Even the moments of hurt will be tied to moments of happiness, and he never wants for you to lose those.

His heart squeezed feeling your hand clench his robes your fingers grazing against his bare chest. He whispered your name only to be met with quiet snoozing. He couldn't help but chuckle you were so cute.

"Good night, my dear. Have good dreams, only for you to wake in my arms again; I love you, my wife."

[yourheart-inmyhands]

Hiya! I'm happy that You enjoyed my idea! And I realy liked how you wrote it! Especialy the Furina part :D

I'm not sure if you are okay with writing this, but if you are: Which of the Genshin characters would handled their lovers death the worst?

- 🐶 anon

oooo this one was really good! i couldn't pick just one so i did five little short ones! I hope you enjoy :D

Warning: this post contains yandere-themes, including lots of talk about death, delusional behavior, childish temper tantrums, making puppets of reader, and other potential topics. Please read at your own risk!

Yandere!Furina would throw an absolute fit, upset at the idea of you dying on her, of you leaving her. She has to be pulled away from your corpse by Neuvillette because she’s screaming as she shakes it in a panicked manner. She’s desperate for you to wake up, screaming and crying as she tries to convince herself that you aren’t really dead. That you haven’t left her. She has to take a leave of absence from the court for a while, grief is a difficult thing and she doesn’t handle it well. 

Yandere!Raiden would be enraged. You promised to spend eternity with her, and now you were trying to back out of it? She won’t let you. She does everything in her power to bring you back, from creating a puppet of you to trapping your soul in the Plane of Euthymia. Nothing is right though, the puppet doesn’t feel the way you used to, it doesn’t behave like it should. Your soul isn’t any better, it can only replay strong memories from when you were alive, leaving Raiden feeling like she’s talking to a movie. She destroys the puppet and hides your soul away in a far corner of the Plane, though she feels equally as awful afterwards. 

Yandere!Wanderer is distraught when he loses you, he had lost so many before and yet, this one hurt the most. He sits on the outskirts of Sumeru City for a while, remaining stock still on a bench as he just feels. While he seems composed on the outside, on the inside he’s in pure agony. He doesn’t want to think or feel or move or do anything at all because everything just reminds him of you. It takes months for him to move from the bench, sitting there day in and day out despite the weather, and when he does move it’s only to sit in front of your grave. There he sits for another month, just staring at the name that once belonged to his loved one, now passed. The lover who left him, just like everyone else did.

Yandere!Xiao blames himself for your death, whether it's an accident, intentional, or simply of something you couldn’t stop like aging or sickness, Xiao will think it’s his fault. It’s always his fault, everything was because he wasn’t strong enough to protect you. The next year is spent with Xiao hardly being seen by anyone, not even food could lure him out. He spends all his time fighting, killing anything and everything in sight that deserves it as he tries to let the burn of his karmic debt distract from the ache in his heart. He refuses to visit your grave, making Zhongli bury you and not even attending your funeral. Not because he doesn’t love you, but because he can’t bring himself to attend. He thinks he’s the reason you’re dead and he didn’t think you’d want him in attendance. He spends the rest of his life span thinking you died hating him, blaming him.

Yandere!Diluc is unsure of how to feel when you pass. He’d felt the pain of losing his father, and while he’s not dead, Diluc had lost his brother for many years in a way. But your death was different, it didn’t make him so upset he was driven to violence like his father, but rather made him want to simply lay there and cry. He spent a week straight just in bed after your funeral, hands idly tracing over the side of the bed you once slept on. He keeps everything exactly how you left it, never touching a thing incase one day, somehow, you came back to him. He wanted you to know that he loved you so much that he left everything just how you liked it.

[hanilessa]

» :、♡  WHEN THEY REALIZE THEY LOVE YOU

` Includes: Childe, Zhongli, Aether, Gorou, Albedo x fem!reader (separate)

` Genre: fluff, romance

` Author’s notes: i just added here all my favorite genshin men lmao. i love them very much <3 i hope you like it, cuties!!! ♡

part two! also my inbox is open for your requests! feel free to text me if you want to request headcanons or drabble. :3

The moment Childe walked into your kitchen and saw you cooking dinner, standing by the stove in your kitchen apron and humming a funny soothing tune, he knew you were the only person he ever saw his future with. His most cherished desire was to see you surrounded by your little children who would have the same beautiful eye color that you had. You're his reason for life. And if you agreed to spend your whole life with him, he would make you the happiest woman in the world, because nothing was more important than family for him and never will be.

Zhongli realized that his stony heart trembled because of you as you listened with undisguised curiosity to the stories of the old narrator. Both of you were sitting at the small table where you and Morax used to meet for dinner. The way you enthusiastically asked the narrator questions and with what interest you built your conjectures and theories about old narrator's stories, made Zhongli's soul, wounded by centuries, tremble like beautiful flowers in the wind. He can give you everything. And if you let him tell you how this world was created, he would become your personal narrator.

There are an infinite quantity of stars in the sky, but they will never be equal to you. What a beautiful light his golden eyes gleamed when Aether looked at you, as you both raced through countless galaxies, running around many worlds in search of his sister. You, so beautiful in the glow of stars and exploding comets, smiled at him, promising that you would always be by his side, preventing him from falling into the abyss of bottomless despair. In the light of the birth of new universes and worlds, he realized that you will always be his favorite star.

Your gentle hands go over Gorou's soft ears as he enjoys your touch and realizes that he would like time to stop forever in this beautiful moment. When you so tenderly whisper words of love to him, stroking his ears and tail, and with sincere happiness you watch how he enjoys your gentle touches. He squints with delight when you scratch his ear and giggle at his cute reaction. He would be happy if your children would have the same ears as his.

Albedo realizes his boundless love for you when he sees your eyes shining in the light of the morning sun on Dragonspine. Your cheeks are red, you're wrapped in a warm jacket, but, nevertheless, you're here now. Just for him. You came to bring him some food. And even though he didn't need it, his fake heart was beating excitedly from the realization of the fact that this was the most important thing for you. It was important to you that he was healthy. And, at that moment, when the sun illuminated your figure with its rays, you smiled at him, and he realized that his heart forever belongs only to you alone.

[naomeii]

I have an angst to fluff request that's pretty long so I apologize.

Zhongli with a human reader who's his former blacksmith back when he was still an archon. The girl was young but her skills in creating weapons were immaculate so her elder sister sent (more like forced) her to assist him.

Unfortunately, Zhongli was very cold and harsh towards reader even when she tried her best to assist him in any way she can, which caused her to distance herself from him.

The relationship between them ended when she found out that Zhongli kept her sister's murder of her mother, best friend and her (the friend's) husband a secret from her (this was after she killed her sister). Exhausted and furious, she tears into Zhongli who tells her that her friends needed to die in order for her to mature. This angers her even more as she destroys the spear she made for him and leaves.

Sometime during the Archon war, reader ended up getting cursed with longevity during a fight with a god. Many, including Zhongli, thought she had died but unbeknownst to them, she was wandering Tevyat under different aliases.

The two meet again after 500 years when the ex-archon finds her in Liyue. Unsurprisingly, she treats him coldly which upsets him.

The two finally reconcile after reader is saved by Zhongli after nearly dying. When she accuses him of only saving her life just to make himself feel better and tells him he should've just let her die because she's useless to him anyways, this breaks his heart. It's his fault she hates him. It was because if him she lost her loved ones. He breaks down in tears as he apologizes to her for his cruel actions which causes her to cry as well and forgive him. As the two lay in bed together while in each other's arms, the silence that was once sullen was now peaceful and welcoming.

Renewed Souls.

—Pairings: Zhongli x F!Reader

Content : Suicidal themes, character deaths, Angst to Fluff.

The cavernous echoes of the smithy resonated with the rhythmic clanging of metal. Young (Y/n), a skilled blacksmith, meticulously forged weapons under the watchful eye of Morax, the Geo Archon. Her elder sister had insisted that she assist him, hoping to further her skills and gain favour with the powerful deity.

Morax, however, was a stern and cold taskmaster. He rarely acknowledged her efforts, and when he did, it was often accompanied by a disapproving scowl. Despite her earnest attempts to please him, (Y/n) found herself on the receiving end of his harsh criticism.

One day, as she carefully handed him a newly crafted spear, Morax's expression remained indifferent. "Mediocre at best," he remarked coldly. "You still have much to learn."

(Y/n) bit her lip, suppressing the frustration that threatened to boil over. She had poured her heart and soul into her craft, only to be met with relentless criticism.

Weeks turned into months, and the tension between them only grew. Morax's stoic demeanor never wavered, and (Y/n) began to distance herself emotionally from the callous Archon.

The breaking point came when (Y/n) discovered the painful truth about her family's demise. In a fit of rage, she confronted Morax, her eyes blazing with fury. "You knew!" she accused, tears streaming down her face. "You knew what happened to my mother, my best friend, and her husband, and you kept it from me!"

Morax's gaze remained unwavering, his voice steady. "Their deaths were a necessary sacrifice. A step on the path to maturity."

Enraged, (Y/n) couldn't contain her emotions any longer. "Sacrifice? Is that what you call it?" She tore into him, expressing the anguish that had festered within her. "You played puppet master with my life, and for what? To mold me into your idea of a mature servant?"

Her hands trembled as she clutched the spear she had painstakingly crafted for Morax. "I won't be a part of this any longer!" With a swift and powerful motion, she shattered the weapon against the cold stone floor.

The once-immaculate spear now lay broken, mirroring the fractured relationship between the blacksmith and the Geo Archon. (Y/n) turned on her heel, leaving the workshop and Morax behind.

Morax just stood there, like a statue, watching (Y/n) storm out of the workshop. His expression remained unmoved, but a flicker of something, perhaps regret, crossed his eyes. He didn't bother to chase after her or offer any words of consolation.

As the door swung shut, Morax was left alone amidst the remnants of shattered metal and fractured trust. The weight of his decisions hung in the air, and for a moment, the stoic facade he always wore seemed to crack ever so slightly. Yet, he made no move to follow her, letting her footsteps fade into the distance.

The workshop, once filled with the sounds of creation, now echoed with the haunting silence of a connection irreparably broken. Morax, the Geo Archon, remained alone, surrounded by the wreckage of a bond he had callously allowed to unravel.

The chaos of the Archon War had gripped Teyvat, and (Y/n) found herself caught in the crossfire during a skirmish with a vengeful god. In the midst of the battle, a malevolent curse was cast upon her, a dark magic that twisted the fabric of time and granted her an unintended boon—immortality.

As the curse took hold, (Y/n) felt a surge of power coursing through her veins, but it came at a cost. The battle raged on, and the once-familiar faces of her comrades blurred into a chaotic maelstrom. Morax, witnessing the apparent demise of his former blacksmith, felt a pang of regret deep within.

In the midst of the chaos, (Y/n) was enveloped in an ethereal glow, her form disappearing from the battlefield. The onlookers, including Morax, believed her to be lost to the cruel grip of the war. Unbeknownst to them, (Y/n) was trapped in a strange state between life and death, her consciousness suspended in an eternal limbo.

The first time she awoke, disoriented and alone, she realized that her surroundings had changed. Teyvat looked both familiar and alien, the passage of time evident in the shifting landscapes. (Y/n) moved through the ages under different aliases, trying to make sense of her cursed existence.

In one era, she roamed as a wandering scholar, sharing her knowledge with those she encountered. In another, she assumed the guise of a skilled artisan, creating masterpieces that would be remembered for centuries. The people she met came and went, their lives fleeting in comparison to her perpetual existence.

Through the ages, Morax continued to mourn the loss of (Y/n), unaware that she still existed in the shadows, watching the world evolve without her. The once-mighty Archon became more introspective, haunted by the memories of the blacksmith he had pushed away during the earlier days of the war.

(Y/n) continued to wander Teyvat, her heart heavy with the weight of the curse that bound her to an unending journey. The war raged on, gods clashed, and nations rose and fell, all while she remained an unseen observer, cursed to witness the passage of time without truly living.

The market in Liyue hummed with activity as (Y/n), now cloaked in a hooded robe, moved through the crowd. Her physical appearance had remained remarkably unchanged over the centuries, but the passage of time had etched a rugged resilience into her features. Her eyes, however, retained a sharpness that betrayed the wisdom and weariness of her immortal existence.

Zhongli, the ex-Archon once known as Morax, had been quietly observing the market, as was his habit in the mortal realm. His keen gaze caught a glimpse of (Y/n) amidst the throng, and for a moment, his heart skipped a beat. He couldn't believe his eyes—could it really be her after all these years?

With a newfound determination, Zhongli trailed her through the market, weaving through the lively vendors and animated chatter. As he approached, (Y/n) couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Her senses, honed by centuries of survival, detected the persistent presence behind her.

Finally, Zhongli caught up, his voice carrying a mix of uncertainty and hope. "Excuse me, miss. Might I have a moment of your time?" he inquired, his tone gentle.

(Y/n) stiffened, recognising the voice that echoed from a distant past. She turned to face him, her hood casting shadows over her features. "I have no time for idle chatter," she replied coldly, her eyes narrowing.

Zhongli persisted, determined to bridge the gap that had grown between them over centuries. "I sense a familiarity in your aura. Have we met before?"

(Y/n) scoffed, her patience wearing thin. "I've met many in my long existence. Your attempts at recognition are futile. Now, leave me be."

Zhongli, undeterred, continued to follow her, his gaze filled with a quiet desperation. He couldn't shake the feeling that she held the key to a past he had long buried. As they neared the Wangshu Inn, (Y/n) sought refuge within its walls, hoping to escape the persistent presence behind her.

Days passed, and Zhongli lingered outside the inn, compelled by an unspoken connection that transcended time. Eventually, he approached her again, hoping for a chance to mend the fractures that had widened between them.

"(Y/n)," he began, using her name from a time when they were closer. "I know you recognize me. Please, let me explain."

(Y/n), her patience exhausted, turned to face him one final time. "Explain? What's there to explain, Morax? You abandoned your godhood, changed your name, and left everything behind. Why should I care about the reasons now? You mean nothing to me."

Zhongli took a breath, ready to speak, but before he could utter a single word, (Y/n) cut him off with a cold and resolute tone.

"I'm not here for apologies, Morax," she interrupted, her gaze unwavering. "I'm here for supplies, nothing more. Once I'm done, I'll be on my way. Don't bother following me or trying to explain. There's nothing left to say."

Zhongli, though pained by her harsh words, nodded in silent acknowledgment. He watched as (Y/n) disappeared into the bustling inn, her figure framed by the doorway. The weight of centuries lingered in the air, and Zhongli remained outside, grappling with the consequences of choices made long ago.

Once alone in the quiet confines of her room at the Wangshu Inn, (Y/n) finally allowed the facade of strength to crumble. The weight of centuries pressed down on her, and the pain she had endured for so long spilled over. The tears, held back for centuries, now flowed freely, each drop carrying the anguish of a life that seemed unending.

She sank to her knees, the room silent except for the soft sobs that wracked her body. The weight of loss, betrayal, and the relentless march of time bore down on her, and for a moment, the eternal wanderer felt the crushing weight of her existence.

"I can't take it anymore," she whispered to the empty room, her voice barely audible through the tears. "I just want it to end."

The memories of her mother, her dear friend, and the life that had been stolen from her replayed in her mind like a haunting melody. The curse of immortality, once a twisted gift, now felt like an unbearable burden.

As the pain intensified, (Y/n) wished for an end to the ceaseless journey, a respite from the loneliness that had become her constant companion. Her cries echoed in the solitude of the room, a desperate plea to a world that seemed indifferent to her suffering.

In the midst of her despair, (Y/n) yearned for reconciliation with those she had lost. The ache for the warmth of a mother's embrace and the laughter of a dear friend intensified. The room, once a sanctuary, now felt like a prison echoing with the tormented cries of a soul burdened by the weight of time.

The next day dawned, and (Y/n) moved through the city as if the emotional tempest of the previous night had never occurred. It was her last day in Liyue, and she wandered to a nearby hill, a silent witness to her internal turmoil.

As she stood on the precipice, contemplating the abyss below, the wind whispered tales of countless moments lost to time. In a moment of despair, she let herself fall, surrendering to the void that beckoned. However, just as the precipice became an inevitability, a strong hand gripped her wrist, halting her descent.

Startled, (Y/n) looked up to see Zhongli, his expression a mix of concern and desperation. Accusations formed on her lips, and she spat them out with venom.

"You saved me just to make yourself feel better, didn't you?" she accused, her eyes reflecting the pain that lingered from centuries past. "You should've just let me die. I'm useless to you, just like back then."

Zhongli's grip tightened, but not in restraint. It was a desperate attempt to anchor her to the present. "No, (Y/n), it's not like that. I never meant—"

"Meant? You never appreciated anything I did. You hid the truth about the demise of my loved one just in the name of 'maturity'!" Her words cut through the air, a bitter reminder of the scars he had left on her soul.

Zhongli's eyes welled with tears, the weight of his past actions crashing down on him. "I… I'm sorry," he choked out, the words heavy with regret.

Her anger gave way to a profound sadness, and she felt the tears welling up again. "You should've just let me die in peace," she whispered, her voice a fragile echo of the pain etched into her being.

Zhongli's facade crumbled, and tears streamed down his face. "I never should've treated you that way. It's my fault you hate me. My fault you went through so muc."

As the truth hung heavy in the air, (Y/n) felt a profound exhaustion. The anger, the pain, the centuries of carrying the weight of betrayal—it all seemed too much. Zhongli fell to his knees beside her, reaching out to her in a desperate plea for forgiveness.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, his voice breaking. "I never realized the pain I caused you."

(Y/n) hesitated, her heart torn between the desire for retribution and the weariness of carrying the burden of hatred. Finally, she sighed, the weight of centuries evident in her eyes.

"I'm tired," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. As she finally leaned on him, Zhongli wrapped his arms around her, offering the solace of a shared pain.

"I know, (Y/n)," he murmured, his own tears mingling with hers. "I know."

Days turned into nights, and (Y/n) found herself lingering in Liyue, the city that had been both the stage for her past pain and the unexpected chapter of reconciliation. The wounds of centuries slowly began to heal, stitched together by a newfound understanding and a shared vulnerability.

One evening, as the moon cast a gentle glow through the window, (Y/n) and Zhongli lay side by side, their bodies close yet hearts still mending. The silence that had once been sullen and heavy was now transformed into a peaceful and welcoming embrace.

Zhongli spoke first, his voice carrying the weight of remorse and sincerity. "I never imagined it would come to this," he admitted, his fingers gently tracing patterns on her hand.

(Y/n) sighed, her eyes fixed on the moonlit sky beyond the window. "Neither did I. Centuries of pain and resentment, and now... it feels like a weight has been lifted."

Zhongli nodded, his gaze lingering on her. "I never wanted to be the cause of your suffering. I can't change the past, but I can be better in the present."

(Y/n) turned to face him, her eyes meeting his with a mix of vulnerability and forgiveness. "Maybe we can find a way to move forward together. A new beginning, of sorts."

[actiniumwrites]

SO WE NEVER SAW THE START

synopsis: love just isn’t always permanent. or, in other words, the reason why you and them broke up.

characters: diluc, beidou, kujou sara, kazuha, ayaka, dehya, dottore, and childe x gn!reader (separately)

warnings: angst, hurt (no comfort), breakups

notes: this is like my second full angst piece which i’m writing because a lot of people don’t like that i rarely do full angst 👍 also i was gonna include zhongli since i haven’t written for him since july, but it was his birthday recently so i spared him.

(part two)

diluc:

he’s too caught up in himself

not necessarily in a selfish or egotistical way, but more in a too independent way. it’s like he has no room for you in his life

between bar tending, running the winery, acting as the dark knight, and just his overall distant personality, there just isn’t much love to give

he loves you. he really does. it’s just he can’t express it in a sufficient enough way to make you feel loved

he doesn’t realize it either until it’s too late

it hurts him when you come to him one night crying silent tears with a broken expression on your face

“i’m so sorry, diluc.”

“why? what’s wrong? are you okay?”

“i just can’t do this anymore.”

beidou:

you two were just too different

you lead different lives. she loved the sea, you didn’t.

while you enjoyed the occasional boat ride, you couldn’t stand to actually live on it

and because she was away so often, it put distance between the two of you. distance far too great for your heart to handle

letters weren’t enough. souvenirs from different nations weren’t enough. only seeing her every few weeks wasn’t enough

and it hurt you to have to always kiss her goodbye at the docks or have to constantly ask when you would see her again

the next time she showed up at the docks, you weren’t there. the only thing she would ever see from of you again, was one final letter

if she wanted distance, she could have it

kujou sara:

her obsession with the raiden shogun was too much for you to handle

at first, it was fine. you actually admired her dedication to her and found it quite honorable

but over time, it was becoming more and more unbearable

raiden shogun this and raiden shogun that

it began to seem like she cared more about the shogun than you

honestly, did she love you or did she love the shogun?

it put distance between you two, something you had hoped would never happen. but deep down you knew it was inevitable

someone with admiration so deep, you knew she was bound to lose herself within it

and in doing so, she lost you too

kazuha:

like beidou, his life was far too different from yours

he couldn’t settle for just one thing, one place, one life

he always seemed to want more

it was just so irritating sometimes

he loved you, truly. he loved being with you all the time. loved every detail about you. but it always meant that you had to follow him on his adventures

sometimes it felt selfish

couldn’t he realize you had a life too? one that you couldn’t just drop and leave behind at any moment?

you were bound to what you had built for yourself and he was seemingly bound to nothing

a genuinely free soul

if only your relationship could’ve been bound to something too

ayaka:

it was mutual

ayaka was often busy. and when she wasn’t busy, she was spending needed time by herself

and whether by herself or with others, she had an important image to keep up — one that didn’t quite fit you

she just wasn’t ready for a relationship, and you understood that

you also had things going on in your life

luckily it wasn’t too far into the relationship, so it wasn’t awkward, emotional, or even painful

she was also one of the only lovers you had stayed friends with afterward

dehya:

there was a mix of reasons why it had ended

for one, work seemed to get in the way of your relationship quite frequently

it didn’t help that you were from the rainforest and she was from the desert

with you being an akademiya worker and her being a mercenary, you hardly saw each other at all

the nighttime was the only time you ever really got to see each other

having to spend all your time at night wasn’t fun for either of you

not to mention, she hated the rainforest’s humidity and overall climate. and you couldn’t stand the dry wind and constant heat of the desert

in the end, you both preferred your days as just being friends. and thus, the breakup was entirely mutual

dottore:

it was a difficult breakup for sure

as a fellow harbinger, you saw him all the time. so distance was never a problem.

you were surprised he was even interested in you at all, but much to your surprise, even the doctor had a soft side

but alas, you were never number one in his life. that spot was reserved for his experiments

dealing with his lies, his clones, his experiments…even for another harbinger it was far too much to handle. as powerful as you were, you were still only human

when you had finally voiced all of this to him and told him you wanted to breakup, you hadn’t gotten the reaction you wanted

in fact, he hadn’t given you a reaction at all

deep down, he was actually very upset over it. but his personality was far too much of a mask to ever reveal his true emotions to the world

childe:

he was too playful, too reckless, too selfish

but even through all of that, he was still someone you loved

that’s why it was hard to let him go. but day after day, you felt yourself worrying too much

stress would eat away at your skin and your thoughts. eventually, the cons outweighed the pros

your love for him was not as great as your stress was — at least, it became this way by the end of it all

dealing with his injuries was too frequent. not to mention the constant arguments and his provocative personality

what if he comes home too injured one night? god, what if he didn’t come back at all?

you didn’t know what you would do with yourself. and even worse, he didn’t seem to care. countless times you would tell him all of this, ask him to be more careful, but he just wouldn’t listen

“i’m done, childe. i can’t take it anymore. you’re hurting me as much as you’re hurting yourself, and i’m not even a harbinger.”

[anantaru]

DAY 27 — PRAISING

kinktober 2023. — masterlist | ao3

𖧡 — including — neuvillette, dainsleif, xiao, zhongli

𖧡 — warnings — fem! reader, praise kink, i missed writing lovey dovey stuff, love sick characters, slow sex and very cute, petnames used: love, darling

𖧡 — NEUVILLETTE

the desire emanating out of neuvillette whenever he made love to you never caused this much of an arising storm deep inside of him, it has never been this violent either— because listen closely now, when he took in your hot heaves that lingered over his rosy cheeks, the want for you consumed him in one quick bite, it transformed him.

at this moment in time, when becoming one with you, when feeling your warmth radiate across his skin had created an almost unbearable emotion totally unique and new to him, stubbornly manifested itself innermost his heart and lungs where it cannot, for even a second, be cast aside or the man will simply fall apart.

"ah— you're beautiful," he whispers into your skin, his fingers admiring the curves of your body, "you're incomparable," and it was welcomed, when neuvillette slid his mouth over your jaw and mouths the wet spots, his hips falling in tandem with your core jolting up to meet him halfway, "—you're spectacular, my love, my darling," as he slowly, curves one palm against your cheek, eyes slowly meeting big and bright, looking empty but revealing so much when he held you close.

"you are breathtaking."

his eyes devoured you again, you can feel it, taste it and sense it when his hips increased, and so did the buzzing slaps of skin colliding against skin— while unsurprisingly, eliciting a sweet noise from you when he surges his body against yours more passionately, his hips working in a steady, slow rhythm so that he was sure he could indulge in all of you, his cock snugly pinned inside of your warm body with the mass of muscle in your walls engulfing him entirely as neuvillette groans into your lips in trembling.

your passionate love— it could set the world aflame, burning like an uncontrollable wildfire, consuming everything in its path and whenever he found himself in your innocent embrace, your spine arching up at him when your frame holds onto the twitches of overstimulation, he found solace and a dwelling haven from the entanglement of his past in the purest, most innocent kinds of loves.

𖧡 — DAINSLEIF

"i love you today, tomorrow, and i will love you forever,"

"—and your heart is mine, mine, mine," dainsleif's mind blanks and for the very first time in his life he could say that he had madly fallen in love with another human being— and he flips back and forth between astonishment, nervousness on not knowing on how to tackle those new emotions and then playfulness, before running back to astonishment again.

but the man loved the view in front of him right now, he would love to capture it with a camera or visualize it before storing it into the deepest parts of his brain. dainsleif cannot stop himself from placing pleasure on you, to say the least, and how your spine bend ever so sinfully when he had you on all fours and smoothly guided his length in so you could feel and taste him— with your ass perked up until his fingers roll over the skin to rest against the hot flesh to keep you close.

for a moment, he drapes himself over your body, his tongue warm and slick against your shoulder, "i wish i could look at you right now," he admits, and everything he did felt good on your body, nothing could compare to the sensation whenever he made love to you.

forevermore, it would always overwhelm your body and guide you towards a sweet rhythm of his hips leisurely rocking back and forth against your plush ass.

but he couldn't stop, so he utters, yet not before nibbling on your skin once more, "—watch how your face changes," and granted, dainsleif could fulfill his own wish in the blink of an eye, yet he prefers to stay in this position for now, for some reason he had become utterly obsessed with it, or how well you clenched down on him or your squealing hiccups that fell on deaf ears every time he shoot his dripping erection back inside.

dainsleif just needed it all, yearned for you his entire life, because the love between you had manifested itself into nothing short but eternal tenderness and warmth, even transcending through space and time.

𖧡 — XIAO

"you're welcome to always stay here, if you so wish,"

xiao whispers to you in a frail note that a swirl shudders down your spine, his voice remaining soft and encouraging with his warm kisses all planted on top of your forehead as he slowly grinds himself into your heat— this time, not upraising the tempo but rather focusing on nudging his tip over the smarting segments battered on your walls.

"and when you call my name," he pauses, "it is you and me."

as you saw it, this moment in time seemed to have stopped rotating, entirely held back to a stand still, the dimly lid bedroom adept with hot, shielding air that accompanied every action like that of being trapped inside of a hot summer day inside a loop, with the difference being that the humidity was surprisingly comforting, soul touching and the transition in your traces had become almost unbearable— with xiao taking his good time with you, your palms reaching over to cup his face while his mouth parts, subtle grunts and breathless moans lingering around him.

xiao would always cherish the bittersweet moments with you, his beautiful princess, thinking that your laughs and kisses together were limited, and it frankly wouldn't even matter on how many times you would attempt to make him aware that you'd never leave him in a million years— a darkness had still continuously altered his mind.

regardless of such, in under a dime xiao had you breathless under him, the air feeling stubbornly hot when he gyrates his hips into your cunt with his body pressed tightly against yours, guiding his cock skillfully in and out as he slants forward and breathes in the little sobs and cries that spill from your pouty lips.

𖧡 — ZHONGLI

"speak to me, love,"  zhongli voices his unwavering need against your pouty lips as his warm pants wrap around your skin with ease, "tell me how it feels," and his voice was so unbelievably reassuring that you're instantly convinced to cry out his name with pleading eyes, his warmth heavy and suffocating between your thighs and making you feel so good.

"i love you," you hiccup sweetly, taking his face in your hands as you squeal a little at his obvious, quite sizable shaft reaching in and out of your ribbed walls, the sound of your pussy splitting apart was deafening as his length was beginning to shine with your arousal, the position providing enough relief to leave you vulnerable and speechless.

"my love," zhongli breaks his words over two broken groans, "my heart will always call out your name, you're beautiful," and something about this current situation was so sensual, so personal and erotic that you felt as if someone squeezed your lungs together, your mind solely focused on what was going on where you were lining up together, namely that sweet and punctuated pressure between your legs, how deliciously good it felt the more he filled you up.

your love was so soulful, intertwining your spirits in an unbreakable bond, it's crazy and zhongli cannot even fathom on how lucky he was to experience this after all of his suffering. he went on, nudging his erection around the walls of skin and branding himself on it— your thighs, as a result, closing around him as he fastens his sensual grinds.

©2023 anantaru's kinktober do not repost, copy, translate, modify

[bedoballoons]

Genshin Mens with an S/o that always so happy and bubbly from the outside/public but at home they are actually tired and secretly crying in the bathroom while the shower is on so hoping that They wont hear the reader crying

I have been waiting to write this oh my gosh!! Love this idea, but just in case you're feeling like the reader, know it's okay to cry and if you ever need to talk to someone you're welcome to talk to me and I'll do the best I can to comfort you <3

─⊰⁠⊹ฺ🎃𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤⊰⁠⊹ฺ🎃

{༻~All alone~༺}

CW: Angsty: Hidden emotions, crying, depression, some slight yelling in Xiaos and worried characters! Modern AU! (Pet names: Lyney: My love, Zhongli: Darling, Xiao: Flower, Kazuha: Honey, Neuvillette: Mon amour)

(Includes: Lyney, Zhongli, Xiao, and Kazuha!)

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

𑁍༄Lyney:

Lyneys knuckles gently tapped against the wooden door of the bathroom, his voice sweet and filled with love "Mon amour, you alright? You've been in the shower awhile" ...although if you listened closely, you could hear the undertone of worries in his words. No matter how well you hid it in public, he could always sense you were off, he knew when smiles were genuine and yours rarely was anymore and no amount hiding in the bathroom could make your pain less noticeable to him.

Meanwhile you were on the other side of the door, knees pulled close to your chest and tears rolling down your cheeks as you tried to breath in the mist filled room, the sound of the shower drowning out your soft sobs to the best of its abilities. You sniffled, trying to make your voice sound normal despite the emotions that were tugging at your throat, "Yeah honey! I'm fine! Just wanted to pamper myself a little!"

The magician sighed, slowly sinking to the floor... he wished so desperately you'd just let him in, let him lighten the burdens you were carrying, " Mon amour...I know that's not true. Please, let's talk.." You could barely hear him over your own mind screaming at you...worries and images of your issues dragging him down with you, drowning any ideas of actually accepting his offer to the bottom of your heart.

"I'm fine."

𑁍༄Zhongli:

You laughed out loud, others laughing along with you like everything was absolutely perfect...while Zhonglis yellow eyes saw otherwise, his gaze never leaving your sweet face. He could see it in your eyes, the way your laughter no longer sounded the same....the way you held yourself differently when others were around compare to when you were home alone with him. He just didn't understand why you weren't talking with him...why you were hiding your feelings.

Of course he wouldn't pressure you, he'd do his best to encourage you to lean on him...rest when you looked tired, do his best to show you how much he loved you, but it didn't seem to stop. You'd still disappear into the bathroom, shower running while he paced back and forth outside the door, wishing he knew more about human emotions, wishing he could just do...something.

"Darling, I'm here if you need me...I love you."

"Just taking a shower!....love you too!"

𑁍༄Xiao:

Xiao was panicking, all his life he'd never found love till he met you and now you were hurting in a way he didn't know how to solve. He thought you were happy, smiling and laughing like usual...but overtime he would notice that something had changed. You no longer laughed till you cried anymore and even when you seemed at your highest...you still had dark bags under your eyes, sadness clinging to your words.

Now he'd caught you crying behind a closed door, sobs barely audible over the sound of the shower running and breathing messy...uneven, you sounded like your heart was shattering. He couldn't stand hearing you sound so broken, standing there doing nothing to help you when one of the things he loved most was protecting you, so he teleported into the room..hoping you'd forgive the intrusion.

He was shocked at first, to see you curled up by the door crying, barely able to breath as you rocked back and fourth...he wanted to run to you, pull you into a tight hug, tell you he'd make it all okay if you asked, but he didn't want to startle you and make the situation worse, "Flower...I'm here...can I help?"

"Xiao?!? What a-are you doing in here!? G-get out!"

"I'm worried about you, you're hiding your emotions and pretending like your okay when you aren't...I just want to help you."

"You're not one t-to talk! You hide what you're f-feeling all the time! Just leave me alone!!"

"No, I'm not leaving here until I figure out what's going on. I haven't waited thousands of years to find love and let it slip away because I didn't offer comfort when I should have!"

You covered your ears and opened the door, "THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE WAITED L-LONGER!"

𑁍༄Kazuha:

Kazuha sighed, humming against the doorframe while he thought of your wonderful smile that always made his heart race...and your bubbly personality that contrasted so well with his calm collected one, but lately things hadn't had the same magical loving feeling they used to, even his poems barely made a glint in your eyes, you just seemed so put out. Even after sleeping, when he'd try to hold you close and make sure you rested comfortably in the morning, you'd almost instantly pull away...leave to take a shower.

"Hey honey, you doing okay in there? I don't want to bother you...I've just noticed you seemed to be feeling down more often. I guess I just...worry about you. I love you and I want to make sure you're happy..." The shower flicked off as he finished his sentence and for a split second he had hope you would talk with him, but when the door opened, you stood in front of him wrapped in a towel...eyes red and puffy, and that same fake daunting smile on your lips.

"Kazuha honey, what're you doing outside of the door? Were you talking to me? I didn't hear anything..."

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

◥(•̀￦•́)◤☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 ☾𖤓~Have a nice day~*⁠.⁠✧

[cakers-2000]

Alright, I can't help but ask this: What would be Venti's and Zhongli's reaction to, after getting their Gnosis taken, their s/o disappears for about a week or so. Then they show back up, covered in blood and bruises, holding their Gnosis, and say "Am I not the best s/o ever, or what?" before passing out.

This request was put in before Raiden Shogun had been released so I really hope you don’t mind but I wanted to include her in the mix! She’s my favorite archon!

It's not exactly what you requested, I had some fun playing around with the idea but I hope the outcome is still enjoyed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You get their Gnosis back

Beginning: When they lost their Gnosis, you were crushed. Whether they would admit it or not you knew that it brought them great pain not having a part of them anymore. You couldn’t bear seeing your lover in such mental anguish and so you set out. It took you a long while and you had covered your tracks, you were going out for a week at least to ‘complete a commission’ you had told them. But that was a lie. You were going to find their Gnosis and bring it back to them if it’s the last thing you do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Venti:

When you first left, he was overcome by the feeling of immense fear. Where had you gone? Were you lost somewhere? Had you decided to leave him? Or the worst thought yet, had you died from heinous injuries? He couldn’t handle losing someone so precious and dear to him, not again.

With those thoughts in the forefront of his mind, he set off to search the vast expanse of Mondstadt, with the help of Dvalin of course.

When he didn’t find you there he took to the streets of Liyue. He asked anyone he locked eyes with if they had seen you, checked every nook and cranny and even paid Zhongli a visit but his attempts always came up empty.

He was at a loss. With no idea what else to do, he went back home to Mondstadt.

And spent his days in Stormterror’s Lair with Dvalin at his side. His lyre no longer played the same tune, the strings no longer harmonized so perfectly and his voice no longer belted out the same jolious tone.

He was completely and utterly lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day you came back to him, it was as if color had flooded back into his life.

You were hurt, battered and bruised, but you were okay. And you were back to him. The poor boy nearly knocked you to the ground when he lunged at you, wanting nothing more than to feel you in his embrace.

His hands fell to your face, frantically searching across your cheeks, gently rubbing his thumb across your bloodied and swollen lip.

“(Y/N)... What did you do?!”

His immense worry for you was clear as day in his voice and the way his eyes surveyed every inch of you.

You tried to give him the biggest smile you could muster and held your hands out to him, the smile on your face only growing.

“I got it back.”

He was full of so many emotions, they were swirling all around his mind. You were alive, but you were hurt something fierce. You were beaming such a bright smile towards him, but you were in so much pain, you couldn’t hide that fact from him.

The Gnosis in your hand was stained, a dull brown color took over the once vibrant features and there were a few stained splotches of blood, a much darker hue then the rest of the item.

“M-My Gnosis?... (Y/N) are you crazy!?”

Neither you nor himself expected such an outburst and he quickly placed a hand over his quivering lips. A frown fell to your lips and you slowly dropped your arms to your side, tightly squeezing onto the Gnosis he still hadn’t taken from your grasp. “I thought you’d be happy…”

He wrapped his arms around you tightly, pulling you to his chest as his tears stained his cheeks. “N-No I am happy! But you didn’t have to do that! I was so worried about you! I didn’t know where you went, if you were okay, I was so scared.” He was fighting for breath as he stuttered and stammered through the waterfall of tears escaping his eyes. “I love you so much please please please don’t ever do anything that dangerous again.”

Finally you understood. He was grateful, but putting yourself in his shoes, you would’ve been worried sick as well. Slowly you wrapped your arms around him and buried your face in his chest. “I love you Venti. I’m sorry… I’ll be careful from now on.” “P-Promise?”

You smiled and nuzzled his chest with your nose, gently pulling on the hem of his cape as a yes. “I swear on my life.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zhongli

When you first disappeared he had of course been worried but he tried not to work himself up. Perhaps you were just busy. You had your own life, your own little world that didn’t revolve around him and he respected that. But as time dragged on, and you still hadn’t graced him with your presence, a panic began to slowly overtake him. He tried everything to console himself but his mind kept running wild and he finally had had enough. Without a single word of goodbye to anyone Zhongli vanished practically into thin air.

He searched everywhere, used every last one of his connections through his numerous contracts and those that he called ‘friend’.

Xiao and all of the Adeptus.

All of his fellow archons (at least those he could get a hold of).

And even going so far as to ask the Fatui, or more Harbinger Childe to be exact. (Though the man wasn’t too pleased to see him after the ‘betrayal’ he had put him through’).

But all of his searches led nowhere. He left no stone unturned, no mountain unscaled. Yet despite all his efforts you were still nowhere to be seen.

He had almost given up hope. He had done everything he could think, searched every corner and exhausted all of his connections but he always came up empty handed. Perhaps this was his fate. Everyone he loved always left him eventually.

You were mortal and he was a god, he knew that you wouldn’t be with him forever and he would eventually have to say goodbye but he didn’t think he would have to say it so soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had lost track of how long it had been since you went missing. Probably about a month, but he couldn’t be too sure. All of his days seemed to merge into one, spending all of his time holed up in the mountains, sitting atop the high mountain tops and reflecting, reminiscing and of course, trying to wash away the guilt that threatened to consume him. It was his fault you had gone. He wasn’t sure what he had done, but what other answer could there be? Perhaps you had been angry with him for giving away his gnosis, or perhaps you were angry about all of the secrets he had kept from you.

Whatever the case, he was convinced that it was his fault.

He had tried to immerse himself into his work during his free time (when he wasn’t finding solitary comfort on the mountains) and it was while walking through Liyue Harbor, on his way back to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor that his eyes caught a familiar sight.

That hair… and that figure… Could it be?

His thoughts were all but confirmed when you turned around, somehow seemingly aware of his presence and sprinted your way over to him. You wasted no time in crashing into him for a hug, squeezing him as tightly as your weak arms could manage.

He wasted no timing in wrapping you up in his embrace, resisting the urge to let a few tears spill. It was so unlike him to cry. He finally pushed you away when he was satisfied and gently grabbed your face in his hands.

Now that he could get a good look at you, his stomach churned. You were covered in scratches and bruises. Your clothes tattered in most places and a noticeable limp.

“(Y/N)... what happened?”

You gave him a smile, resting one hand atop his and used your other hand to reach into the pouch at your side, gently pulling out a small item. His gnosis. “Pretty good right?”

He grabbed the item from between your fingertips, evaluating the small little almost chess like piece. It was indeed his Gnosis, the real, genuine item.

“(Y-Y/N) why did you…?”

“Why? Because it’s yours. I know what you were thinking, I really do. But something this precious,” You slowly reached and and used your hands to clasp his together, slowly moving them to touch his chest as he clutched the Gnosis. “Something that’s a part of you, shouldn’t be given away so easily.” You tried to give him a playful smile, though your pain and fatigue was clearly showing through. “And I worked really hard to get this back so please.”

He knew you were right. His head was spinning. He was relieved, yet he was angry, yet he was also in a way… proud. He loved you so much, you meant the world to him and clearly that was why you had his head reeling like this.

He once again wrapped you in his embrace, slowly kissing the top of your head as his grip tightened around you even more, terrified that he would lose you again if he let go.

“I love you. Please… don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I won’t… I love you too. Now can you please help me get to Baizhu? It’s a long way to walk with these battle scars.”

He smiled a bit at your continuous teasing tone and easily swept you off the ground and into his arms. “I’d be honored Angel.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raiden Shogun:

She honestly wasn’t all that concerned with her missing Gnosis. She had never really needed it before, why would she need it now. Though you understood where she was coming from you couldn’t just let things stand like this and so you packed up your things, preparing yourself for a long journey before leaving the place you called home and searching for the Gnosis.

When you didn’t return to Ei the next day (like you had promised) she practically turned the entire region upside down. Enlisting the help of her entire regimen, sending her puppet into the depths of Inazuma in an attempt to find you, even asking Miko (though it was more demanding with how frantic she was) help find you as well.

But none of these searches ever turned up anything. No evidence, no leads. It was as if you simply just vanished.

And she became lost. She had already lost so many loved ones. It took a lot for her to bring herself to accept her feelings for you, and now what? She was just too accept the fact that people enter and leave your life just like that? This pain… It was why she had been searching for a way to keep eternity in Inazuma.

It hurt.

So bad.

And she hated herself for allowing herself to fall victim to these foolish emotions once again. But she couldn’t shake you off her mind. Perhaps it would be best if she stayed in the Plane of Euthymia forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She hadn’t expected to see you again. Trying her best to rid her mind of you in an attempt to free herself from this crushing agony, but it never worked.

What with her staying in the Plane of Euthymia, never to come out again you had to enlist the help of Miko when you came back.

And she did. Not only for you, but for Ei as well.

She was sitting on the ground, seeming to be meditating(?) but she snapped her eyes open as soon as she sensed the presence of another being. Slowly she raised her head, a rather angry look on her features but it instantly softened when she saw that it was you standing in front of her.

She slowly got to her feet, hesitant to even believe what was right in front of her. Was it… really you? “(Y/N)?”

“Hi Ei… I guess I made you worry huh?”

You were covered in wounds from head to toe, your hair a messy, knotted mess. She quickly strutted her way towards you, starting to run as she got closer and engulfed you in her arms. It was rare for Ei to initiate any kind of affection and you took a moment to stand in shock. When you didn’t hug her back her grip on you tightened. There was an almost, scared feeling in her tight grip and so you hugged her back.

“I got your gnosis.”

She refused to move her head from your chest, both out of embarrassment to show you the tears streaking her face and out of fear that you would simply vanish again if she did. “You idiot.”

“Well that’s not very nice to call your hero.”

“Stop joking around!”

Her sudden shout surprised you and your body tensed a bit. She nuzzled her face into you, trying to get closer (though it wasn’t possible). “You selfish fool! I don’t need a gnosis! I never did before and I don’t now! How could you just put yourself in danger like that!? I was worried sick about you! I thought you were dead!”

You could finally hear the tiny sniffles that escaped her and for the first time, you truly understood how much you meant to her. Slowly you wrapped your arms around her a little tighter and ran your hands through her hair, trying to bring her any sense of comfort with your presence.

“I’m sorry Ei… I… I wasn’t thinking. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Please… don’t ever leave me again… please.”

Her voice sounded so broken and you felt a pang of guilt in your chest. You hadn’t expected this kind of reaction from her. You placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head before continuing to play with her hair. “I won’t Ei… I love you.”

[mikwaa]

Hi!

May I request what Heizou and characters of your choice will react when being asked by their lovers what makes them fell in love with readers? And asking them what moment they realized readers are the one? (kind of like soulmate or something)

Thank you very much! I love your works!

A/n: Hi hi dear! Thank you very much for the compliment, I appreciate it! Thanks for the request, and I hope you like it!<3

Featuring: Childe, Heizou, Zhongli, Diluc

Warnings: Sfw, but suggestive on Diluc and Childe's part.

Childe:

You were preparing the food in the kitchen, anxiously waiting for your partner, all because you wanted to ask him a rather important question. What was it? Well, you wanted to know what had made him fall in love with you. The fatuus who was crazy about battle and family, who was always fighting with every being he met. Who was very unconcerned with those around him, including those he worked with, besides that he traveled a lot and met a lot of people. So what had made him fall in love with you? While you were deep in thought, a pair of strong arms grabbed you around the waist, "My sweetheart, are you doing something for us?" "I'm making us something to eat." He nuzzled into your neck, kissing it lightly. "You know, I was thinking about something." You murmured, and just by saying it he was already curious. "What?" He rests his chin on your shoulder, turning his attention to you. You turned to him, glaring, "What made you like me?" His face wrinkled, somehow he was confused by the question. Wasn't it obvious? "What can I say? You're different, I've been interested in you since the first time I saw you." He still frowned, still a little puzzled by you asking these things out of the blue. "I'm not satisfied, elaborate more." You said playfully, but you really wanted to know what had made him love you. "God, you're pushy." Running his hand through his hair and smiling he tells you. He rested his forehead on yours, holding you as close as he could, "I never had a perspective on life, always wanted to give my family a good quality of life and that was it. But when you came along, I started to see a better future, things started to make sense." His eyes that always reminded you of the deepest parts of the ocean, that blue that made you immerse yourself in the beauty that they possessed. But now you could tell they sparkled, whenever he talked about you his eyes sparkled in pure ecstasy. And you couldn't have been more surprised, that the cold fighter, one of the most feared harbingers had a soft side for you. Not only that but you meant a lot to him, more than he could ever imagine. He didn't like to say that things didn't make sense to him, he always liked to look right in everything he did. But there was no sense in keeping this pride with you, after all you were the reason he looked to the future with confidence. "You never fail to leave me speechless." With a brief smile you say, gently caressing his face. He chuckled, "Sometimes I think I don't tell you enough how much I love you." "The way you look at me is enough." And you grinned like a fool. "Maybe I have better ways to show it." And he kissed you passionately without hesitation, squeezing you tight and holding you close to him. There are many ways to show love for someone, and Childe had many ways, whether physical or in words, but certainly today, he would use physical means to show you how important you were.

Heizou:

You got some time off today, and decided to go to the office where your boyfriend Heizou worked, to bring him some snacks. "Oh? What do I owe the surprise?" That was the first thing you heard as soon as you entered his office. "I came to bring you a lunch, I made it myself." You cheerfully give him the package with the food. "You're the best." He says and seals your lips with a gentle peck. And you silently sat down on one of the chairs and waited for him to finish eating, though there was one question that was pounding in your head. And Heizou apparently had realized that you wanted to know something. "I know that look on your face, what do you want to ask?" He knew you so well that you didn't even need to speak, he would know from your every expression. "What made you realize that you loved me?" Suddenly you ask, just like that. "That's a good question, but I'm not sure I have an accurate answer." And he took the detective's posture, placing his hand on his chin thoughtfully. "You always have an answer for everything!" You protest playfully. He chuckled, "I just don't want it to be a simple answer." He thought for about two or three minutes, and in the meantime he gently stroked your hand with his thumb. Then he looked up at you, with a furtive smile on his lips, "You're like a mystery case that I want to unlock all the secrets of. Maybe it sounds cliche, but you're a box of surprises to me. Which makes me more and more interested." From the way he spoke you had no doubt, the way his eyes glittered in pure joy as he spoke of you, was more than enough of an answer even. "So I'm the most interesting case you've ever had?" It sounded strange to be compared to a case, but it was strangely comforting. "It was just a comparison, but you are the most important thing to me. You're too special, I can't tell you how important you are with words alone." He whispers to you as tenderly as possible. His eyes were filled with all the love possible, and yours were too. "You're sweet when you talk like that." You say with a wide smile. He was always careful with his words, especially with you. "You'll embarrass me if you keep looking at me like that." With a slight pink tinge to his cheeks he says. And then you squeezed his cheeks, "You'll be even cuter." "You just can't help yourself, can you?" He returns the smile and gives you a quick, tender kiss. Slowly running his fingers through your hair, while gently holding you close. You smiled quietly, and he gave you another long, passionate kiss, this time more intense. This was just one of the ways he showed you how he felt, apart from all the pampering he gave you. You can be sure that he would come up with a better answer to your question, and leave you even more surprised.

Diluc:

It was very late, but you were waiting for Diluc to get home. It was common for him to arrive late like this, because besides the tavern he spent a lot of time defending the city of Mondstadt. No matter what time it was, you always waited for him before going to bed, and today you also added the fact that you wanted to ask him a question. Diluc was always very closed and direct, but with you he was a bit more relaxed. But since you started to be together, he had never told you what made him fall in love with you, and today you, for some reason, have this doubt in your mind. And as soon as you heard the door open you ran to greet him. "Are you awake at this hour?" He murmurs low, as if he were grumbling at you. "Waiting for you!" You quickly answer him, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. He grunts in disapproval at your being up until this hour, but would gladly accept all the affection you can give. "I asked Adelinde to leave some food for you, you always come hungry." You say as you take his hand and begin to guide him into the kitchen. "Knowing you, you're pretty electric. Did something happen?" It wasn't too hard to notice, since he always came home late and you were very tired. But today you were having a little trouble feeling any sleep. "I think it's just insomnia." You say, but it still doesn't seem to convince him. "Luc…" You call him once more, "What made you fall in love with me?" And you sounded so interested. He swallowed hard, looking at you a little confused. In fact he hadn't even thought about it himself. "Why this question all of a sudden?" And you could hear the reluctance in his voice. "I just wanted to know, you never told me about it." You say it with a pout. "You're different, I can't quite explain it." And you could see his cheeks starting to turn red. "Different how?" You were impulsive, now that he had started to talk you wanted to know everything. "You're just adorable, and you've been occupying all my thoughts. You're all I can think about." The blush on his face growing even more, you could tell it was already almost the same shade as his hair. But how could he explain it? He only knew that he loved you very much, didn't know when or how it started, all he could say was that he was crazy in love with you. "You're so cute with that reddish face." You tease as you squeeze his cheeks. "You're to blame for that." He says as he tries to hide his face. You grab him by the chin and give him a sweet, passionate kiss. He pulled you close, bringing your bodies together. From the firmness of his hold, you could already tell what he was getting at. You could already tell that it wouldn't be long before he took you to his room upstairs, where he would show you all his love for you. He might not be the best with words, but he would find an even better way to show you how much he loved you.

Zhongli:

Now you were heading towards where Zhongli worked, he had asked you to go to your shared house and get some papers to give him, and so you did. But on the way you overheard a cute conversation between a couple talking about how and when they fell in love, and you were curious to ask Zhongli the same question. And as soon as you arrived you went straight to his office, which as usual was stuck reading those seemingly endless contracts. "Here are the papers you asked for." You gently put everything on the table where he was working. "Oh yes, thank you, my dear." Briefly taking his attention off the papers and giving you a sympathetic smile. "May I ask you something?" You sneak a question, hoping you're not in the way. And then he turned his body toward you, now you had his full attention, "Do it." "So, I heard a couple talking about how they fell in love, and it made me curious. When did you realize that you loved me?" You were incredibly anxious for an answer since this was something he had never told you. He straightened his posture, placing his hand thoughtfully on his chin, "Oh? I never really stopped to think about it, there are several aspects of you that have always caught my attention. Hard to decide on just one." "But what struck you most about me, like, what made you think I was the one." Your curiosity was blatant. And he was silent, thinking, thinking, and thinking. Then answering, "Everything." Then he added, "Everything about you is special, I don't know what in particular." He looked at you with a gentle smile growing on his lips. You were flattered by the answer, but it still wasn't enough to satisfy your gigantic curiosity. "All I am…" You murmur softly. He takes your hands, gently caressing them, "If my answer wasn't enough, perhaps I should be clearer." He brought you closer, so that only you could hear what he would say next, "You bring me peace, soothe my soul and my heart. You're the one who makes this simple life worth living." Your heart seemed to skip a beat, as you squeezed his hand even harder. "I don't know what else to say." Your voice was filled with emotion, hearing these things made your heart warm. He chuckled, "Your expression is already a great answer." You smiled, smiling like a fool at him. "You're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, my beloved." That was his last sentence before he pecked you, and then affectionately placed his forehead against yours. You didn't need to hear anything else, his sincere words were already more than enough to make you understand how important you were to him. How much he loved you, and would do anything to show it.

[thesparklingwriter]

a technological affair

" And thus, his email was lost to the grips of hackers."

tags: modern au, pet names, gn!reader (use of wife), established relationship, zhongli cannot use a phone for the life of him, reader is an Apple enjoyer,

ao3 link | taglist | masterlist | next

As far as you’re concerned, Zhongli is the closest thing to perfection a man could ever be. Except for one very minor detail. He cannot, for the life of him, use a phone.

Which could be blamed on his 30,000 year old android, with a screen that barely functions and a cracked camera, and you really can't let him go out like that. So one day, as an advance on your anniversary gift for him, you decide to welcome him to the wonderful world of the iPhone.

“What’s this?” Zhongli says, opening the box carefully. “What have I done to warrant such a gift?” he holds the phone in his hands as if it’s a baby chick—you bought him one of the bigger phones, knowing his hands are large, and even still he could do with something bigger.

“You dropped your phone in the toilet and I can’t allow you to continue using it. You have to understand.” You grin. “So I got you a new one that actually works and when you tap the screen, it actually registers it.”

Zhongli looks at you with gratitude but also an inkling of confusion. What’s he going to do with this fancy, characterless lump of metal that he couldn't do with his old phone? “I appreciate this, my love, I really do. But I don’t know if this is going to be as good of an idea as you think it is.”

You scoff, pulling him into a hug. “Zhongli, I would like to actually hear my husband when I call him. I would like to understand the texts he sends to me. And I would also like to send him pictures of cute cats on Instagram.”

And of course, Zhongli couldn’t possibly deny you anything you ask of him, so he agrees to try to navigate this new phone with as much positivity and faith as he can possibly muster.

In the few weeks since you bought him the phone, he has managed to:

(1) Lock himself out of it. For a whole week. You asked him how he managed to do that and he didn’t seem too sure as to what he’d done. So you asked him if you could know his password and promised only to use it in situations like this. (And promptly cried when you realised his password was your birthday.)

(2) Get his email hacked. He’d approached you with excitement, saying: “Dear, look. I got an email saying I’ve won a Macbook.” To which you replied: “You can barely use your phone, we might need to leave the macbook on the back burner for a while. Who sent the email?”. The email was sent by vnweifgq@dfugf.com and contained a link, which Zhongli had happily pressed. And thus, his email was lost to the grips of hackers.

(3) Find the dictation and voice note feature, which is great. He gives you encyclopaedic updates to his day, which you read or listen to with genuine enthusiasm. This was what you bought him the phone for at the end of the day, right? The extra chance to connect with your husband?

(4) Get into the habit of sending you pictures of things that make him happy or that remind him of you. Which is essentially the same thing as far as he is concerned. You’ve also got used to sending them back.

(5) Make an Instagram account. He’s not great at it, but with some guidance, he manages to post some of the pictures he sends you.

(6) Accidentally message the group chat (you, Xiao, Ganyu, Madame Ping and some others use it to invite each other to dignified tea parties and movie marathons) his shopping list. The shopping list included all the things he was getting for you as part of your anniversary gift, so Xiao had to teach him how to delete the message so you wouldn’t see it.

But by the time your next anniversary comes around, he’s actually really good with it—he can use instagram better than you can (though he read the terms and conditions from start to finish and became very careful about how he uses it), orders things from amazon at least three times a week, and has a facebook group for fellow birdwatchers with about two hundred people in it.

Yes, he has all of his icons and text at the largest size possible, and yes, he refuses to use TikTok and favours Instagram reels, but when he’s on work trips or you’re visiting friends elsewhere in the world, it’s nice to be able to video call him and not feel as distant as you used to.

“I think this phone might have been the best gift you’ve ever gotten me, dearest.” he says one night, after discovering the kindle app, where he can find all the classic novels he loves so much without having to clear out bookshelf space.

You sit in bed together, simply talking about your respective days, both your phones banished to charge in another room. Of course, being able to use a phone doesn’t mean that you should at all times—the phone banishment rule had initially just existed for you, but the rules had to accommodate the new technical whiz in the house.

“What about the gift that is me?” you counter, nuzzling into his chest gleefully. He kisses you deeply, a smile on his lips as he pulls away.

“Nothing on this earth is better than the gift that is you.”

“Not even your group of birdwatchers?”

“I did get to see a wonderful example of a nearly extinct sparrow with beautiful colouring last week,” he teases. “But no, they could never be better than my beloved.”

© 2023, thesparklingwriter. please do not copy, edit, repost, or translate.

notes: you all have cael to thank for this hilarious prompt idea. this is why you should always make friends with people on tumblr they always slay.

taglist: @medusuu @aixaingela @thelonelyarchon @ainescribe

[jitzlemonade]

UNNAMED PART 4

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3

Good news is, I'm not dead and I'm finally back. Sorry for the long hiatus, hehe. Life and procrastination got in the way. Anyway, Mima anon, I really appreciate you and your comments >< It really lets me know what people like about my work. This would have taken much longer if it wasn't for your ask that really motivate me to finally crunch it out. I bloody adore you, as a writer towards their reader. For the other anon, I did include Childe, so hope that partially satisfy your request. As for the second half? Haha, we'll see...

Hope you guys enjoy this, and as always, let me know what you think. Contains: Slight angst, fluff, happy, overcoming past love until whoops Pairing: Zhongli x Reader; Childe x Reader (featured)

Summary:

What was life meant for without Zhongli? Another person that stepped into your life seems to have the answer. ----------------------------------------------------------------

What are you without Zhongli?

The stone pavement feels cold against your back, and you could feel unknown liquid seeping into the fabric of your clothing. You would've been disgusted and immediately gotten up, but for now, you find that you don't care enough to bother getting up. 

You gaze at the skies vacantly. It's sunny and bright and so full of life, but even as sunlight falls upon your motionless body splaying on the floor, you felt cold and tired. There's only one thing left to do now, you tell yourself, sleep. Your eyes closed, and you were gone from the conscious world.

It was unknown how long you remained there, but you awoke when you felt your body shaking. You opened your eyes again, blinking a few times to shake off the drowsiness. Ah, the skies were dyed with shades of orange and blue. Sun set, your brain supplemented.

Then, a tuff of reddish-orange hair entered your vision, followed by a grinning face. "You're awake," Judging by the way you can see even the pores on his skin clearly, he was probably squatting while his body hunched over you, and at an uncomfortably close distance.

You remained still, making no movements in response to his sudden appearance. You were startled, but it just happened so suddenly you didn't even have time to react. When you fully comprehended the situation along with the shock, it was already too late to react at all. However, he interpreted your inaction differently, "Hah? You even lost the spirit to live?"

That's one hell of a misunderstanding, you thought to yourself. He seemed to have lost interest, pulling back from your face. You could see more of him now. Ginger-red hair, with a red mask attached on his head. A ruby crystal hangs from his earlobe, which against his fair skin, glints with a shade so similar to blood that you were reminded of a chevalier rose that grows in the midst of winter.

Originally, you didn't want to care, but when you look him in the eyes, it was like something had you in a vice grip. Those ocean blue eyes of him seemed to stir something deep inside you, and before you knew it, you had already gotten up into a sitting position. For some reason, his eyes remind you of Zhongli, for a reason you can't quite determine yet.

You stared at him, and even though he had every chance to break the eye contact, he didn't. He merely looked at you with an amused expression, gazing upon you as he awaits your reaction. The cogs in your brain started rotating, slowly at first, but the longer you stared at him, the faster they turned.

His eyes were ocean blue, the type of blue you see when you're out in the open sea when the clouds obscure the blazing sun just right. It was the same shade of blue that you see when you stared at the skies while you were lying down on the floor. The same shade of blue in which a field of glaze lilies brushes gently against your legs as you run through them, with petals that dances with the wind.

Yes, his eyes were ocean blue. The type of blue that calms and soothes the soul as you embraced it, the type of blue in which you would confide your deepest and darkest secrets in. Yet, it also bears resemblance to the shade of the lost civilization Enkanomiya. A deep, dark blue that's closer to black.

Something else lies within those eyes. A bottomless depth, in which even the strongest light can never reach. Even as the evening sun dyes him in a warm, golden hue, there's a darkness that's ever present even as a smile lightly shows itself on his lips. An abyss that beckons unknowing travelers to explore its depths, unaware it will be their undoing.

His eyes were different from his outspoken and friendly demeanor, they were cold, frigid like frosty hails in the harsh winters of Snezhnaya. You had never been there, but if all the authors that had written about the country were right, the coldness in his eyes would be the personification of Snezhnaya.

However, even then, those eyes of his are breathtaking all the same.

Like Noctilucous Jade in the dark, his eyes shines so brilliantly that one can't help but to reach out, in hopes they'll be the salvation that saves him from the darkness that plagues his eyes.

Suddenly, everything clicked together in place.

Ah, so that's why he reminded you of Zhongli.

While blue and amber couldn't be any more different, his eyes are similar to Zhongli's.

Both tell a tale, a tale of someone who has lived far too long, a tale of someone who has seen too many miseries in a lifetime.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He pulls you onto your feet, and your body effortlessly follows the pull of his arm. A fleeting thought passed your mind, he’s strong. The silk of his gloves feels smooth against your skin. It reminds you of Zhongli, even though the silky texture differs from velvet. Sorrow rears its head within you once more; but for now, you really appreciate the body warmth of another human being.

He drags you to somewhere with a firm grip of his hand on your wrist. You can tell he has a clear destination in mind judging by his decisive steps. Logic and reason tell you to shake his hand off and head home, that you shouldn’t let him bring you to an unknown place, yet like a puppet pulled by its puppeteer, you let him. Perhaps, even if it’s just for today, you wanted to stop thinking so much.

You zoned out, your feet automatically walked in whatever direction you feel him pull. Your brain faintly registered the passing sceneries, enough to tell you’re moving, but still unable to predict where exactly you’re going. You felt the pull stopped, and like it’s a signal, you snapped out of your trance. You paused, scanning your surroundings. Huh, he brought you to Liyue Harbour.

At this time, the sun had already set, leaving nightfall in its leave. The stars glitter in the night sky like countless tiny diamonds, when the only light source bright enough to illuminate your surroundings was the moon. Your ears can pick up the clash of the waves against the rocks and the quiet rocking of boat along with the waves. A familiar scenery, but with someone new and different by your side.

This serene moment was interrupted by an abrupt shout. “Here!” You looked towards the source, only to be greeted by the sight of an object getting larger and larger–– wait a minute, it’s actually coming towards you!!!! To say you panicked was an understatement, any passerby would immediately label your series of actions aimed towards trying to catch the object as some form of demonic possession.

When you do finally catch it, you released a sigh of relief. You were too caught up with the feel of the item against your hand to think of admonishing the culprit that was the cause of your mini-panic attack on the streets. You gave yourself a pat on the back for catching it without breaking it. A boisterous laughter filled the street, when you looked at him, the ginger was holding his stomach due to laughing too hard.

Your eyes narrowed and you could feel your eye twitching in anger. “Glad one of us can laugh at my expense,” you say sarcastically as you rolled your eyes. “Oh, no problem. It was the funniest thing I’ve seen since coming to Liyue.” For dramatic purpose, he even mimicked wiping off a tear from the corner of his eye. Your eye twitched even harder, and you swear you can feel a blood vessel or two in your blood stream burst.

You were speechless, so you examined the object which you painstakingly caught after spending more than half of your sweat and spirit. “A fishing rod?” You questioned, because you did not spend all that effort for a fishing rod. He nodded his head, “Yes, and it’s just so happened to be a full moon, perfect for night fishing!”, his eyes were bright as he pointed to the moon.

You paused, waiting for the anger to fill your body so you can do what needs to be done. Contrary to your expectations, you mysteriously felt a sense of calmness enveloping you. Instead of flaring up, you sat down beside him and copied his actions as he set things up for fishing. When it comes to hooking the worm through the fishhook, you grimaced at the slimy texture against your fingertips.

It didn’t take long before a fish took bite, and it took a lot of effort to reel your line back in. However, all come to naught when all that’s left was a single hook, no bait in sight, and no fish either. You looked towards him, and he was trying his best to not fall over from laughter as he stifled his giggles. You glanced back at your hook, how in teyvat did the fish get the worm and not get caught on the hook when you clearly used the hook to stab the worm?

Honestly, the end result came as no surprise to you. You peered down at your basket, only for it to be empty. There was nary a worm, much less any fishes, as if a supernova had occurred in your basket and vanquished all the fishes into oblivion. The man besides you, had 2 baskets overwhelmed with fishes, to the point some escaped from the basket and was hopping their way back into the sea. 

Your eyes met his, and he smirked smugly at you. As an honorable citizen of Liyue, you respond childishness with reason and logic. Just kidding, you retaliated by swatting his arm. All he did was chuckled even more. This mystery man indeed gets on your nerves, but you must admit that if it wasn’t for him, you would have still been lying on the ground in some alleyway, wallowing in self-pity.

“Thank you, weird ginger-haired stranger,” you told him before you stood up. You didn’t leave immediately, instead you glanced at the moon once more, and for this once, you took your time. Out of the corner of your eye, you see him looking at you, seemingly contemplating something. Then, he tilts both the buckets towards the sea, releasing all the fish he had caught back to their homes.

“Call me Childe,” he said as he watched the fish swim away from the shoreline until they completely disappear from sight. “Childe,” You tried copying his pronunciation, with zero idea on how do you spell that. You waited, and he didn’t say anything. Okay, since he didn’t correct you, you must have the sound of his name right then. “Thanks for the company, Childe.” You nodded at him and left.

When you reached the doorsteps of your accommodation, you paused. You suddenly remembered something, you didn’t tell him your name… It completely and utterly slipped your mind. No matter, you shrugged. It wasn’t like you’ll see him again anyway.

You were wrong.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------

You began running into him at a frequency higher than the time you spent sleeping on your bed, and taking into account that you do in fact sleep every day, this alarmingly high rate is appalling. 

Though you do admit you were familiar with the ginger man, to the point that he managed to wrangle your name from your lips regardless of the tight reins you had on yourself.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------

You didn't know why Childe had asked you to meet him at the bridge at this god forsaken hour. It's 4 am, and you wondered why you bothered humoring him. Though you can already see a few merchants buzzing about to set up their stalls, you remain insistent that it's too early. You could've been at home and sleeping.

“Hey!” He called your name out loud and his booming voice sounded through the streets, causing everyone to look at the both of you. You sighed, might as get used to it by now. 

“Hello to you too, Childe,” you whispered, too tired to deal with him this early. He slaps you on your back, causing you to stumble and almost fall, which naturally lead you to glare at him “Lighten up, we got things to do!”

“Oh yeah,” you muttered before asking, “What exactly do we have to do?” He flashed the brightest grin you had ever seen, “Crab hunting,” You nodded before the words finally sink in, you stared at him as you repeated “..crab..hunting?” His grin did not falter, “Yup, crab hunting,”

You closed your eyes as you wondered what you have gotten yourself into.

You should've left him when you had the chance, you thought, yet here you are leaping towards a crab before it slips past your fingers and burrow itself in the sand.

You gave up, letting your body hit the sand without trying to soften your fall. Luckily, there wasn't any rocks or sharp objects. You sighed, this is why you have a desk job.

Suddenly, your sight turned dim, a shadow was charged over you. Turning your head slightly up, you see Childe bent over at the waist chuckling at you. “You look like a worm,”

You didn't even bother retorting with words, instead cupping a handful of wet sand to throw at his clothes. “Hey!” he laughed in protest, “not fair! I wasn’t ready!”

You quickly got up as he started scooping up wet sand to throw at you, he threatened you “Don't you move!”. In turn, you hollered, “Never! And you suck at aiming!” To finish him off, you stuck your tongue at him.

You had a strong start, but not even 10 minutes later, you were left panting on the ground again. Your clothes were stained all over with mud because while Childe has shitty aim, you have shitty stamina.

Both of you looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. You were terrible to look at, but he didn't get off easy either, the mud even stained his hair and face.

“How many more crabs we need again?” you questioned once you regained your bearings. “4 more,” you looked at him, and he looked at you. Damn it, he wasn't kidding.

Though thankfully, by a stroke of pure, sheer luck, you managed to catch 1 more crab, which makes a grand total of 2 crabs captured by you.

When you looked over to Childe's side, you saw 6 crabs in his basket. You decided you should just be proud of yourself and not boast in any way, shape, or form.

“Why do you want so many crabs anyway?” you looked at Childe as he tied the crabs' pinchers using strings. He grinned, “I'm gonna treat you to a feast,”

“.... with these crabs?” He nodded, “Exactly with these crabs,” All the effort may have been worth it, scratch that, not all, but most of the effort. Seafood was a luxury, and if he's treating you? You are indeed, going to have a feast.

On the way, he kept selling his cooking skills. Giving details how he honed his craft by learning to make 'dishes filled with love' for his family, and how you would definitely find his food delicious.

You didn't even mind when he says he was the one going to cook it. After all, he must be confident if he's offering, right? You paused, could you actually trust his cooking skills? Ultimately you shrugged it off, there's no point in doubting him now.

That was until you saw the dish served in front of you.

You had a million things to say, and none of them are nice, not even remotely. You glanced at him, ready to give him a piece of your mind.

However, the moment you looked at Childe's puppy eyes, the harsh words that were originally going to come out of your mouth stopped. You pursed your lips, contemplating on how to word it to not hurt his feelings.

“Is this... still alive?” you mutter as you poke at the tentacle at the very top. The fact that it trembled from the poke makes you die slightly inside. Dang, it still has its muscle memory.

You put down the chopsticks next to the dish, suddenly finding your originally ravenous stomach to be extremely quiet now.

“Dont be shy, comrade! Go ahead and dig in,” Even with Childe's cheerful voice ringing beside you, you can't possibly stomach this in any universe.

Where in the world did the octopus' tentacales and the reddish hue of the soup come from? In fact, why did it look like a kraken drowning in its own blood?

You blinked once more, trying to see if you were mistaken. Nope, it's gotten even worse. The Kraken seemed to be screaming now, though you can't hear physically, your soul felt its torment and suffering deeply.

Were you just not getting enough sleep, or did the hot sun cause you to hallucinate? You gazed up at the ceiling, pondering all your life's choices that had lead you to this exact moment.

“...How exactly did you.... make this?” You questioned, because you were extremely sure all you did was spend half of your lifespan trying to catch some crabs, and buying Calla Lilies and mint from a merchant. 

How exactly did this abomination come about with such limited choice of ingredients? Perhaps Childe had a hidden talent for making something out of nothing, which is a talent that you desperately pray he should not have at this moment when you’re the guinea pig.

He smiles, though it comes out a little weak and weird in a way you can't quite pinpoint, “This is something I fished out of the sea, along with some products from my homeland on the side,”

Though that weirdness faded as quickly as it came, which makes you dismiss it as your imagination. Or is it really? It was pointless, you won’t breach this subject when you’re not even close to him.

“I assure you, it's delicious! My family are always scrambling for more when I cook,” You closed your eyes, they were probably scrambling for their lives instead.

Nevermind, you lived long enough. Bracing yourself, you took your first bite. You thought you would faint or at least choke from horrible and indescribable flavours, but none of that happen.

“It's... edible,” you muttered in surprise, as your mouth keep chewing. It's actually tasty, you realized. “Not bad, right?” He grinned as he sat down opposite you with his own bowl. “It'll taste even better since you worked for it,”

You stared at him, and ended up with the decision of keeping your mouth shut. The last thing you'll do is admit his cooking is delicious. It was necessary to avoid feeding his already enlarged ego.

Though the moment he held up the chopsticks and failed miserably, you flexed by clicking your chopsticks together multiple times in front of his face. Your Liyue ancestors would have denounced you for your chopsticks etiquette, in this case, the lack of it; but you were too gleeful on this victory over him. Like a crab, you continue to clink the chopsticks.

He put his chopsticks down, complaining, “It's because I'm new to Liyue, I never had any experience with chopsticks. Just give me some time and I'll be adept with them in no time!”

You simply nodded, “Yup, anything you say goes,” Though, you stand up and went to the cupboard immediately after, which cause Childe to look at you with a curious gaze.

Without saying anything, you place a spoon and a fork next to him before you went back to your seat. Specifically, a baby spoon and fork with cartoon images on them. You do have a normal set, but you choose this particular set just to piss him off.

Seeing his dumbfounded face was definitely worth all the effort you've exerted today. This debt is cleared, ginger man, you thought to yourself.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------

As you walked along the shoreline of Yaoguang Shoal with Childe, you couldn’t help but reminisce of a past where you shared such walks with a different person. Not one with auburn hair and ocean blue eyes, but rather one with hazel locks and amber eyes. You smiled wistfully at your thoughts, regardless of your wishes, your mind will always recall him, a ghost of your past that you can’t quite get rid of, even when there is another person accompanying you.

“Come here!” Childe’s voice pulled you away from your trip down memory lane. Before you realized, he was distant from you and you chastised yourself for losing track of your surroundings. You hurried, lengthening your strides into a semi-jog before finally catching up to him. He was already sitting, upon your arrival, he patted the spot next to him. Thus, you sat down at where he motioned.

Both of you watched in silence as the sun slowly sets below the horizon, dyeing the skies and seas an orange-gold hue. You can never get tired of watching this, there was always something mythical about this phenomenon that leaves you mesmerized. “You know, back in Snezhnaya, we were too busy trying to keep moving and stay warm that we never really has the chance to stop and really take the time to watch the sun set.”

You watched him as he narrates his homeland in a gentle tone. His features now had a soft touch on them, losing the sharpness of a hunter. The frigid winter in his eyes has melted, revealing the first sprout of spring, with a gaze that contains affection. The golden hue of the sun gave him a warm glow, paints him with a ethereal beauty, highlighting the love he has for his family. 

You stared at him, transfixed upon the radiance in his eyes, with a light so strong that it banished the dark and brightens the abyss within. His eyes curved into crescents, his lips formed a gentle smile. Ah, you realized, it wasn’t that no light can ever reach the bottom of the abyss, all it requires was the right person, or people.

All of the sudden, his hands reached out towards you, covering your ears. You wondered what was going through his head, but came up blank when he looks upon you with such soft eyes and smile. Then, you heard it, the longing calls of the ocean singing in your ears. He senses the epiphany in your eyes and grinned.

His hands moved away, and he revealed what was in the palm of his hand. A starconch, you observed. “Take this as a token of our friendship,” he smiled, pulling your hand and eveloping it with his own. You felt the press of the shell against your palm. “Now everytime you hear the ocean or see a starconch, you’ll think of me,” He smirked like he had gotten one over you.

You carefully etched his visage in your memories, soaking in the way he looked at this moment in time. His hair sways in the breeze, following its every motion. His smile that bares all his teeth, jubilant and proud. His countenance framed with the stray rays of sunlight. His ocean blue eyes that encompasses the beauty and divinity of the sea itself.

You weren’t ready to love someone else.

However, you can trust him.

For the first time in a while, you smiled. 

Yeah, you can trust him.

.

.

.

.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------

You started at Wangshu Inn situated at the top of the tree before you sighed. The elevator was currently used, and as a certified introvert, you knew you would use the stairs to avoid any chances of a conversation happening, even standing near strangers creeps you out.

You patted your legs, in hoping just like countless times before, they will not fail you now. Another deep breath in, you started your way up the stairs, one at a time. Luckily, you had plenty of time left before your appointment with Childe.

Normally, you wouldn't have come here. After all, it's too far away from Liyue city that coming here was really going out of your way. However, Childe was insistent on getting you to try out their latest dish, claiming it to be a once-in-a-century opportunity.

Halfway up the stairs, you were already panting. Looking at the third elevator to pass you since the start of your journey, you regretted succumbing to your social anxiety. Oh well, no can do. You were already halfway there, might as well finish it.

You sigh once more, actually, since there's no one around to judge you, you will just rest here for a while. Once more, you thank Sevens that you came here 1 hour early. At first, you thought you were too paranoid about being late, but in the end you did need all the extra time.

Speaking about Sevens, the thought of Zhongli once again popped up in your mind. “To think that he was Rex Lapis,” you muttered as you gaze vacantly at the surrounding scenery. You wonder the state he's in now, especially since it's been weeks since you last saw him.

Is he heartbroken over the way you just left? Or did he got over it and was secretly glad that you left him and spared him from the effort of breaking up with you? Maybe you were overestimating your significance to him, and he had already moved on.

You caught yourself thinking about him; on reflex, your hand immediately went to slap your cheek. Right, there's no point thinking about it too much, you told yourself. This is the best scenario for you and him. Although at this rate, you weren't sure if it wasn't just you trying to convince yourself that it was.

When you finally reached the top, you felt the tension melting from your shoulders. Finally, you released a sigh of relief. Surprisingly, you had around a quarter of an hour left before you were supposed to meet with Childe. You thought you were stuck on those staircases much longer from all the suffering and aching you felt.

Stepping in, you noticed that the proprietress seems to have been informed of your arrival. She motioned to a room, stating “Mr. Childe is waiting for you,” You paused, wondering how did she know you were supposed to be meeting with Childe.

Perhaps Childe has just given a very detailed explanation of you so she recognised you at first glance, so you shrugged it off. You smiled at her, your own form of greeting and thanks for her service. She nodded towards you, acknowledging your smile, in a way. Or was she smiling at the customer behing him? You paused, but decided it wasn't worth musing over it.

Thus, you made your way up the stairs to the private room. While you weren't sure what Childe had planned, you were sure your legs will be crying by the time you get home. When you got closer to the door, you realized it wasn't completely closed, instead it was left slightly ajar. You mused, was he implying that you could just come in?

You were about to knock, but then the sight that enters your eyes through the crack of the door froze you in your steps. You could see Childe was facing the door, the red shade of his hair certainly stood out. However, there's someone whose back was facing you.

You could never mistaken him for anyone else. Even if he was thrown into a sea of the masses, you can pin point him out before one could even blink. He was also someone who has been monopolizing your thoughts for years.

His back was hunched, his hand was halfway threaded through his brown locks and rested on his head, he seemed to be deeply gazing upon the cup of wine he had in his other hand. Signs that showed his not very well concealed frustration.

His throat was sore, his deep voice cracking as he iterates his thoughts and emotions, “I want to be there, I want to give them the best, but how could I when they no longer trust me?”

He had always been prim and proper with a posture as straight as a bamboo. He had always held himself with confidence and elegance, coming to him as natural as breathing air. He had almost been the epitome of manners, the prime example of an accomplished and cultured gentleman.

It was the first time you saw tears falling from his eyes. The first time you saw him revealed such weakness. The first time a splotch of stain appeared upon his profile. It was a side to him that you never got to know or understand.

He lets out a shaky breath, his voice trembling, barely steady as he asked “Tartaglia, tell me, what can I do when their gaze is devoid of the love I used to see? What can I do when all I can tell is that they want to leave me?”

All the sudden, you were reminded of bittersweet memories. The chuckles he gives off as he listens to your narrations. The warmth of his hand that calms you as he holds your hand during late night walks. The photos of stunning landscapes as he narrates his adventures. The steady beats of his heart luring you to sleep as you lay upon his chest during slumber. The little trinkets that filled your drawer from all the letters he had sent you.

Everything that he has shown and given you comes crashing all at once. Suddenly, you found yourself tearing up. How could you be so wrapped up in yourself that you disregarded all the times he had told and shown you he loves you in the little things he does?

You had always told him for you, actions mean louder than words. How could you be so selfish that you let your insecurities get the better of you, and render everything you and him had so painstakingly built together into nothing?

“Tartaglia, what did I do wrong?”

A moment of silence before he spoke once more.

“Am I not enough?”

You can't believe it took the love of your life to break down and become a mess for you to finally wake up and realize the truth. All your previous concerns were irrevalant and ridiculous. It didn't matter if he's a god, hell, it didn't matter if you weren't good enough.

All that matters is him, and if he feels you are enough, then who are you to go against his decree?

It was time you seek for his forgiveness, to kneel before him and confess your sins and how he was everything you ever needed and more. That he deserves the glow of the Sun to the tiniest sparkle in the universe, that he deserves so much more than you.

  The part of you that's riddled with insecurities thinks, he loves you this much, and maybe, there was an unknown part of you that deserves all this love, that deserves to call him your own.

Your hand pushed against the door a little more, widening the crack just a little more.

Your lips parted slightly, about to call his name.

Then, you watched as Childe pull Zhongli into his embrace. You stood there in the crack of the door as you watched Zhongli didn't struggle away, but proceeded to cry in his arms. Perhaps this is for the best, you thought to yourself as your hand fell back to your side once more.

Someone like Tartaglia would certainly be better for Zhongli than you. It feels like someone had taken a sharp knife and gouge the flesh of your heart piece by piece. You couldn't bear it, so without turning back, you left.

You knew the problem had never been him, but you.

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3