#Qilin Peaks

[midautumngame]

Here's an early mockup of the Qilin Peaks biome. It's come a long way since then and is currently getting bug fixes and improvements based on the feedback we've received!

[tcfactory]

I'm revising part of my outline for In Tune and wouldn't it be funny if the current MBJ and SQH's boyfriend the future MBJ were both called Xuěbào - the father 雪暴 for blizzard and the son 雪豹 for snow leopard.

[wild-joker-out-pleasures]

When Morning Dew becomes Frost

Joker Out Soul Creature AU (1/6)

(A/n: The snippets for the other boys are not necessarily sequential and depict key moments. Some concepts in this work are taken from an animesque C-drama and novel titled “Douluo Continent” or “Soul Land”, although I added my own touches and took several liberties and used other inspirations based on other anime and video games.)

Kris Guštin | 17 | Silver Fawn, Divine Qilin

“I asked you a simple question, Kris Guštin. Is Bojan Cvjetićanin who he says he is? One simply doesn’t waltz into this academy, take up residence in the dormitories and just show everyone up without ulterior motives.”

Kris glared back at the girl - her smug expression, and the shining white unicorn - that terrible soul creature - that stood by her side, power filling not merely his right hand, but also his left. He balled his hands into fists and dug his fingernails into his palms, in an attempt to hold back his impulses. He was all too familiar with Gregorja’s games. Bullies were predictable, and she was no different.

This, however, was something he could admit that he did not see coming.

“Bojan is my friend, and it is no fault of his that you’re a sore loser and a coward. Ever recall what you told me on my first day? About weakness? Do remind yourself next time,” he murmured as he smirked not-so-subtly.

Months earlier, before their parting, his father had reminded him that the high road always existed, and that he should not go looking for trouble. Yet, at the end of the day, he was still a boy of seventeen.

A sudden shove, and Kris’ back met the wall as the girl pinned him, her perfectly done lips twisted into a snarl. Though she only came up to Kris’ shoulders - high heels included - her powerful soul creature added to her strength. Strength that Kris’ own silver fawn could not lend him.

“Final warning, Guštin. Who exactly is Bojan Cvjetićanin?!”

That was the last straw. For a moment, he forgot what his father had told him. Forgot the secret he promised never to reveal. He grabbed Gregorja’s wrist, caring little that her unicorn was close by and ready to impale him. His left hand grew heavy with power - a beautiful and forbidden power he kept close to his chest until today.

Why should he sell out his first friend, undocumented or not? Bojan, quirks aside, had been nothing but kind and compassionate towards him. He could not say the same for the girl in front of him.

“Fuck off, Gregorja,” he snapped, gripping her wrist tightly, then twisting her arm. He threw her off, and unleashed the soul creature from his left hand, his promise forgotten.

Not the little silver fawn, but rather, the majestic creature of mountain peaks and clouds.

The unicorn reared, before charging at Kris. However, it was stopped almost effortlessly in its tracks by the qilin, who headbutted it, as well as Gregorja, with a swing of its head and ebony antlers.

Kris threw out his hands, and the qilin followed up by conjuring up several large, seemingly fragile-looking fractals of energy, which it then unleashed, dropping them directly on both girl and unicorn, an explosion ensuing.

When the cold smoke cleared, Gregorja lay lifeless on the floor, her body encrusted with frigid rime, and her soul creature no more. The qilin had dissipated, its energy humming comfortingly in Kris’ left hand once more.

For several moments, Kris knelt on the floor in silence, trying to take in what he just did. How he broke not one but two promises, all in the span of a few minutes.

“Kris! Kris! We have to go. Now. Before anyone finds out!” Maks’ and Bojan’s voices brought him back to the present - and the dire situation he had just put them in.

He nodded and without a second thought, picked himself up.

(TL;DR: In a world where one gains and manifests a soul creature during their teenage years - some strong, others weak, 17-year-old Kris has a terrible secret. He has not just one, but two soul creatures - the weak and near-worthless silver fawn, residing in his right hand, and the powerful qilin, which resides in his left. The latter is a secret he must keep and never reveal to others, as it could spell trouble for him and his family. While studying at an academy to hone the soul creature he IS allowed to use - the silver fawn, that is - Kris becomes a murderer and fugitive overnight while protecting his best friend, the mysterious and powerful yet quirky and playful Bojan. Thankfully they manage to escape with their lives… As for the academy situation, that’s a story for a different time…)

Unicorn soul creature reference: Here (Imagine it with one horn. It’s my AU, and a unicorn can have as ugly a mug as I want it to have, especially given who wields it.)

Ask me anything about this AU! (I am NOT a writer, so if you want to know more, I'll gladly answer)

——————————————————————————————————

[yin-shimo]

—OCS as OBSCURE ASSOCIATIONS

tagged by @occultradio & @invisiblequeen <3

i’ll be doing these two idiots ofc

Ivris Aetos & Ying Báthory

[list below]

ANIMAL: Great Pyrenees | Holland Lop bunny

COLORS: blue jadeite | dark red carnelian

MONTH: January | November

SONGS: Lauv - Never Not | Chase Atlantic - Escort (or Ashnikko - Panic Attacks in Paradise)

NUMBER: 2 & 15 | 8 (saturn lol)

PLANTS: violet & haitang｜hyacinth

SMELLS: sandalwood & lavender | vanilla, rose, & cigarettes

GEMSTONE: onyx | iolite & moonstone

TIME OF DAY: dawn | dusk

SEASON: Aquarius (heart of winter) | Scorpio (peak state of dying/autumn)

PLACES: museums & aquariums | back alleys & red-light districts

FOOD: squirrel fish | tangbao

DRINKS: hot (unsweetened) teas | long island iced tea & rum in general

ELEMENT: silver | mercury

ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS: Aquarius | Scorpio

SEASONINGS: thyme | saffron

SKY: asperitas clouds & sky pillars | heavy rain

WEATHER: snow days & sweater weather | hurricane season & droughts

MAGICAL POWER: the gift of prophecy | fast healing/ regeneration

WEAPONS: knife (he can shank like the british ig) | his body (in every sense)

SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn & tikok (cos of xuehe) | twitter & 0nlyf4ns

MAKEUP PRODUCT: facial cleanser | eyeliner

CANDY: chocolate [pretzels] | sour gummies

METHOD OF LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL: plane | hitchhiking

ART STYLE: music & poetry | pencil sketches

FEAR: abandonment & helplessness | pregnancy & cleithrophobia

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES: qilin | huli jing

PIECE OF STATIONARY: calligraphy pen | sticky notes

THREE EMOJIS: 🌨🍵🌌 | 🍆💳🥴

CELESTIAL BODY: nebula | black hole (his bussy sucks all)

[lunanoc]

PART II: KING MU OF ZHOU AND THE QUEEN MOTHER OF THE WEST

(to see previous disclaimers and context here’s part I of this madness)

blanket spoiler warning for the books once again

fair warning, some of the bold connect-the-dots crack theories are going to start creeping in here, but more meta here we gooo

continuing where we left off with the various versions of the story of king shang of lu dmbj gives us, the wang family powerpoint lesson, besides giving us the third account of those, also introduces new key players, both one we know but did not know of their potential connection to king shang of lu, and a new one that offers an entirely new perspective on this subplot of dmbj lore: king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west

what the wang powerpoint and the subsequent discussions between li cu and members of the wang family tell us about king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west is not only interesting in itself, but also ties closely into both king shang’s and iron mask’s story, as well as the overall dmbj lore. i try not to go too far in trying to see possible connections with later books, notably here queen mother’s ghost banquet, because i don’t have the full context for those, so i won’t go into too much detail on what’s essentially a tenuous crack theory. however, for the record, the queen mother of the west as she’s described in sand sea part III could potentially tie into what we learn about the zhang family’s origins at the tail end of queen mother’s ghost banquet, namely that the zhang family are descended from a group of people millennia old (think xia dynasty or older, which makes sense given they were likely also the ones who built the original heavenly palace and the bronze gate in the shang dynasty c. 1600 BC, but that’s a tangent for another time) who ventured beneath the kunlun mountains, ate from the qilin fruit tree (aka the equivalent of the queen mother of the west of chinese myth’s peach tree), and rather than immediately turning into monsters like many who tried did, were special enough for some reason that they gained longevity instead at the cost of eventually, after maybe initially millenia, then progressively centuries, turning into monsters. some of those people then eventually ventured out from beneath the mountains into the vast world, later to form what would be known as the zhang family. but that’s all i’ll say on that

but back to king mu and the queen of the west

to start off, i feel it’s important to be aware that king mu of zhou isn’t a fictional character created by npss, rather he’s a real historical figure who actually existed and was an emperor of the western zhou dynasty (1046-770 BC) while it was at its peak (he himself probably reigned somewhere between 976 and 918 BC). as it happens, his connection to the queen mother of the west also isn’t something created by npss. references to the queen mother of the west go very far back (think shang dynasty mentioned earlier) and she’s one of the more prominent mythological figures in chinese tradition, who among other descriptors, is said to possess the secret of immortality in her garden of magical peaches that grant longevity in the kunlun mountains. either the queen of the west herself or her peaches make several appearances in chinese literature, maybe more famously for a western audience in journey to the west where sun wukong eats some of them and is punished for it

even the story of king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west meeting is a retelling of another piece of fiction called the tale of king mu, son of heaven, dating back to at earliest the warring states period (since the original copy of it was found in a tomb dating back to the tail end of it). like in sand sea’s rendition of his story, historically king mu of zhou did travel a lot because he enjoyed making territorial conquests, to the extent that king mu of zhou is the one who ultimately expanded china’s territory both east and west beyond the central plains. in the fictional story of the tale of king mu, son of heaven however, king mu of zhou specifically seeks out the queen mother of the west in the kunlun mountains to gain her secret of immortality, and while she ultimately invites him to her jade pool for a banquet where they exchange gifts, she doesn’t give him one of her peaches

in the wang family’s version of this story, it’s explained to li cu that king mu of zhou didn’t care much for politics and preferred running around china as he pleased, ultimately seeking out the queen mother of the west for her famed elixir of immortality. where this version of the story diverges from the myth is that they supposedly ended up falling in love (Sand Sea Part III, Ch. 133, King Mu of Zhou)

king mu of zhou sought out the queen mother of the west because there had been legends even during king mu’s time of her having had this elixir of immortality for a very long time, which tells us at the very least that according to this story, the queen mother he met with was likely the queen mother of legend, or the one chinese mythology equates with a deity to some extent. she’s even further described as having dominion over all the kingdoms of the west, and that her great kingdom spanned from the kunlun mountains to even the qaidam basin, which is where tamutuo is located. i feel this tells us that the queen of the west of tamutuo and the queen mother of the west from king mu’s legend are one and the same. the fact she’s even referred to as “young” despite the breadth of her legacy reinforces the idea that there might be something unnatural about her

you could argue that maybe “queen mother of the west” was an inherited title, and that her kingdom of tamutuo was a matriarchal society that had had many queen mothers, but the fact is there’s no real supporting evidence of that any more than there is of the opposite despite the arguments put forward, so really, you could argue in favor of both. i like to think she was the queen mother of legend, if only because it creates, thanks to the inclusion of the kunlun mountains in her territory, a strong connection in some capacity with the first people cursed with intolerable longevity mentioned in queen mother’s banquet, but once again, take with a grain of salt

slight tangent, i will say however while i’m on this topic that i strongly feel that the zhang family are meant to be depicted as one more of many human corruption motifs that are rampant in dmbj. this is something for another meta, but i would argue that beneath the tomb raiding and the conspiracies, the core theme of dmbj is that “humans are more terrible than monsters”, and so the narrative provides ample examples of human corruption causing others far more misery than any tomb creature ever could. as per their origins talked about in queen mother’s ghost banquet, it’s possible that alongside their knowledge of whatever secrets of the universe they’re privy to, and their subsequent need for control over china’s destiny through the ages, the ancestors of the zhang family had initially ventured out from under the mountains to seek a cure for the side effects of their terrible curse, and gradually discovered that the bronze and jade of the meteorites could potentially provide that. maybe the queen mother of the west was one of their descendants, and perhaps one of the rare people who stand to succeed in that quest (that we know of at least considering she’s presumably still alive in some capacity down there along with chen wenjin and other members of the xisha expedition). just food for thought, but anyone who’s read that far feel free to give your thoughts on queen’s banquet related ideas!

the wang in charge of instructing li cu admits in the course of his tale that they had to make some assumptions (so this means you have to consider this bit to be a little handwavy admittedly) about what exactly the nature of the relationship between king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west was, and settles on them having fallen in love despite king mu having “invaded” her kingdom and he did  invade it, because we conveniently have a single reference to this man outside of sand sea in book 5, when wu xie and xiaoge find murals in the ruins around wu sanxing’s abandoned camp that depict king mu’s invasion of tamutuo that was clearly hostile and was met with responding hostility (Book 5, Ch. 25-26, The Third Night: Relief / The Third Night: Déjà-vu)

it doesn’t mean that these narratives are mutually exclusive and can’t both be true, and that after having been defeated, either party asked for a truce that led to something else, but it does already suggest there might be more to this story than what we’re told of it. this idea somewhat confirms itself, again hinging on believing that the wang’s narrative is one close enough to the truth to be reliable, when li cu calls the romance spin on king mu’s and the queen mother’s story into question (Sand Sea Part III, Ch. 145, The Truth of the World). li cu suggests that the poem she supposedly gifted king mu (which i’ll get into in a little bit), as well as maybe the queen mother of the west herself and her secret of immortality, are all concepts fashioned and embellished by king mu of zhou to facilitate his grand plan which i’ll touch on later, all because he saw “the truth of this world” in the queen mother of the west’s kingdom, and sought not to reveal it to the world, but to conceal it, and build an entire nebulous plan with it at its core

i don’t feel like the queen of the west herself is a fabrication considering both the multiple references to her interspersed throughout various dmbj books, as well as tangible proof of her existence re: tamutuo, but the idea that king mu of zhou might have been the author of the tale of king mu, son of heaven and the subsequent romance plot derived from it in dmbj universe is something i can believe so long as you assume he believed it was one more component in his masterplan. i’m hesitant to call dmbj magical realism because magical realism is very much a western genre of literature and people would do well to remember that western constructs aren’t universally applicable, but dmbj does use a number of structural and thematic elements that magical realism also uses, and this subplot is no exception. contrary to what some might think, npss actually does a significant amount of research when he writes these books, and a lot of the supernatural or fictional tomb elements aren’t so much explained through handwavy science as they are derived from well-documented real historical events or figures, much like magical realism is heavily grounded in reality despite slightly deviating from it in believable ways. dmbj is deeply informed by chinese culture and history, more so than just using it as the backdrop to a fantasy adventure story: they’re integral parts of the plot, which i think is part of what makes dmbj so difficult to navigate without extensive knowledge of that backdrop (which i by the way don’t pretend to have either, my own knowledge is very much surface level all things considered)

in light of this, as far as the queen mother of the west goes, considering the relatively reliable outside account of a hostile invasion we get from the ruins of tamutuo itself, and then li cu’s own take on king mu’s and the queen mother’s relationship, while the romance spin isn’t necessarily entirely false, it does leave a lot of question marks as to what exactly king mu saw in the queen of the west’s kingdom. that he was given the gift of longevity is highly likely given he’s still alive centuries later, along with other key elements of the wang family’s story i’ll get to in a bit. however, the uncertainty in the nature of their relationship does potentially make the queen of the west’s motivations for offering king mu longevity if not just as uncertain, then potentially a little more sinister, since while she might have offered out of love, if we assume all her experimentations weren’t geared at gaining immortality for herself, but rather curbing the side effects of it, then her gift was very much a poisoned one as she knew full well what would happen to him if he used it. for all we know, king mu might have, on defeating the queen mother’s kingdom, inflicted the “truth of the world” and the curse of longevity on himself, and none of it was never a gift at all, but the consequences of his own actions. but all of this is just speculation in the end as there’s no solid evidence pointing in any one direction. in any case, the only potential insight we get into the queen mother of the west’s thoughts come from maybe the vaguest source yet, a poem she supposedly composed for king mu that she gifted him when they parted, and that merebear translates as follows:

White clouds in the sky, the hills emerge. The road is far away, between mountains and rivers. The child who is not dead, can still come back.

knowing how many layers of meaning can be crammed into classical chinese poetry, i had to go find the original text and investigate further, so let me also provide that:

白云在天，山陵自出。 道里悠远，山川间之。 将子无死，尚能复来。

full disclaimer before i continue, poetry and its nuances are notoriously difficult to translate in any language, and i’m not at all claiming to be proficient enough at the chinese language without outside resources to help me to ever claim to be an expert, but while merebear’s translation isn’t technically incorrect, it has a few possible double meanings missing and some word choices i’m not quite sure i understand, but this is only my own humble contribution (with some creative license in the english rendition) that anyone with better knowledge than mine is welcome to correct or add on to as this isn’t so much an attempt at retranslating as it is pointing out a few possible added implications:

白云在天，山陵自出。

the white clouds are in the sky/the heavens, the lofty mountains/the great tombs emerge of their own accord. 山陵 can also be used, and has been in chinese literature, to refer to tombs of people of significant importance as usually big tombs tend to form burial mounds, hence why it can also refer to ‘hills’

道里悠远，山川间之。

the way forth is distant, it winds amid the mountains and rivers ‘mountains and rivers’, mountains especially, are commonly associated with the chinese concept of immortals called 仙 xian that even has the radical for mountain in it, in part due to their reclusive nature. i would link the interesting study i have on that but it’s unfortunately not in english, though feel free to ask for it anyway if anyone is interested

将子无死，尚能复来。

one who leads does not die, he may yet return 将子 in this context technically means ‘general’ and 将 can even refer to the chief piece in chinese chess which you know. keeping that in my book of crazy convenient zhang parallels re: the qipan zhang

make of this what you will, but if nothing else, it does suggest a bit more explicitly that the double meanings are indeed referring to immortality and potentially tombs, though what nature of tomb is the real question in that case

we then go on to learn from the wang powerpoint presentation that king mu never returned to visit the queen of the west once he returned home, but that contrary to how things may seem, despite having being recorded as having died at the age of 105, king mu in fact did not died, meaning at some point after he’d taken the queen of the west’s immortality elixir, he faked his own death and disappeared somewhere. both the wang instructor and wang xiaoyuan (the girl who peeks at li cu out the window) confirm that according to the third and  final account of king shang of lu’s story, king mu wasn’t dead at the time of those events, as he worked together with king shang and iron mask to find the jade burial armor (Sand Sea Part III, Ch. 134, Deception)

this means he was spectacularly old by this point considering the warring states period starts at earliest in 476 BC. and king mu supposedly died around 918 BC. you do the math, but he was very very old. and to be honest this also somewhat feeds into the idea that the longevity curse (because it very much is a curse) used to last much longer before the side effects started to pop up, because if we’re to believe the wang family’s version of these events, then king mu was clearly still sane and not (or at least not entirely) a monster if he was still actively enacting the things he had planned

and so king mu, now long-lived because he took whatever immortality elixir the queen mother of the west gave him, had to face the consequences of that choice, yet rather than seek her out to find a way to quell the side effects of longevity (which he could have done and would have just ended up in the meteorite with her, although if he didn’t go to her, it gives a bit more weight to the idea that their story wasn’t necessarily a romance and/or that ulterior motives were involved), he went his own way to find something to save himself from turning into a monster, and eventually settled on finding a jade burial armor, which according to the wang family also came from the queen mother of the west’s kingdom. besides implying it’s likely that the jade armor is in fact made from the meteorite jade, it’s just one more thing to add to the long list of things tied to the heart of dmbj’s lore that end up having some form of association with the queen mother of the west. fun tidbit regarding this that’s not entirely relevant to anything (but it just adds more fuel to the crack theory), there’s an inscription on the belt of the green-eyed fox corpse where the qilin blood clot that wu xie accidentally swallows in book 1, and that merebear translates as “ruler of yinxi”, that reads as follows (Book 1, Ch. 21, Green-Eyed Fox Corpse):

阴西宝帝 or yinxi baodi

once again, take this with a grain of salt because this is an inscription that wu xie sees while he’s presumably under the influence of the green-eyed fox’s illusion, and instantly recognizes it as “a spell to ward off evil spirits”, so it might not mean anything, but if you had to find some kind of sense in it, while the characters together don’t really mean much of anything, separately they can mean:

阴 yin

opposite of 阳 yang, one of the two opposing energies in taoism and representative of many things, but namely of the feminine

西 xi

the west as cardinal direction

宝 bao

treasure, precious

帝 di

supreme being, often used in the titles and names of emperors such as huangdi (the yellow emperor) or qin shi huangdi (the first emperor of china). fun fact, wu xie during sand sea is often referred to as 邪帝 or emperor xie by the chinese fanbase in reference to how powerful he was during that time

i’m not saying this is meant to translate into a reference to the queen mother of the west because the association of characters is a bit strange, but again. food for thought (and a lot of creative license)

the wang powerpoint then goes on to explain that king mu’s objective, once he’d secured the jade armor, was to ensure both that he would be able to come back to the world fully rid of the side effects of immortality, and be able to do so safely, secure in the knowledge that the legacy of his findings would remain intact for him to find again. and so to do that, he essentially makes certain that chinese tradition incorporates the necessity of entombing people with a number of valuable things, and supposedly instigates this during the spring and autumn period (which is the period that precedes the warring states period and is generally considered to be one of extensive intellectual prosperity, confucius was a contemporary of that time for example) by, as the wang instructor implies, at least partially pushing to prominence things like the classic of rites (or lijing) that among other things promotes rich burials. while li cu calls into question the idea that king mu’s plan solely aimed at disseminating information for the sake of keeping his own acquired knowledge in circulation, since king mu’s further objective was also to use grave robbing to spread whatever information best served concealing “the truth of the world”, it’s clear that his plan was meticulously thought-out

the wang instructor himself admits this, though he quickly adds that king mu’s plan, crafty as it was if desperate, failed to take into account the possibility that he’d one day meet his match in the person of wang zanghai, who essentially hijacked his plan for his own purposes. i feel this seems to imply that things were going pretty smoothly for king mu of zhou until then, which would then call into question the first two versions of king shang of lu’s story if we assume king mu was the original wearer of the jade armor, albeit more recently than those stories presented it, but this is also where i start veering into big wild assumptions and crack theory territory. i won’t be get into the box with the baby or the particulars of the feud between the zhang family and wang zanghai/the wang family because while it’s tied to this, it also branches off into something else that’s probably a whole other meta and this is long enough as it is

it’s also worth noting that king mu of zhou, as well as instigating his masterplan, not only hid an elaborate map leading to the queen mother of the west’s kingdom only perceivable if you soak the stone slab it’s on “with a certain liquid” (which if you remember what happens in both book 8 in siguniang when wu xie and xiao hua gut a pig, and in tibetan sea flower where it’s wu xie who bleeds his special blood to reveal the secrets inside the bronze gate in tibet, gives you a hint at what the nature of that liquid might be), but wrote the details of his plan down on what’s called the yellow lu silkbook, not to be confused with the silkbook that wu xie pulls from “king shang of lu”’s coffin in book 1. merebear speculates it might be the silkbook that the photocopy jin wantang brings to him to kickstart the entire plot belongs to, and in my opinion that’s a good guess. it might also be one of the many silkbooks the lao jiumen pulled out of siguniang during the greatest joint tomb robbery in the 1960s. who knows really

all i can say about this particular part of the wang’s powerpoint lesson and the connection it shares with the multiple versions of the story of king shang of lu is that assuming the wang family’s version is both the most complete and the most accurate, then “king shang of lu” has a direct connection not only to king mu of zhou, but to the entirety of dmbj’s overarching plot. and while knowing who’s who at the end of the day doesn’t amount to much when much of dmbj’s story deals with the present day cast bearing the brunt of the consequences of their elders’ and older generations’ choices, i want to go further and say that this story potentially further cements connections and solidifies dmbj lore rather than complicate it

(wild conclusions tbc in part III of this madness)

[sunny-fox]

"Pardon, but do I know you?" (part 6)

Soft Flowerfell SAGAU! Genshin with Creator! reader

Inspiration: @/hornibot ‘s Flower Imposter AU! SAGAU (Flowerfell AU by Siviosanei)

Reader's pronouns: they/them

Warnings: graphic mentions of death, blood, angst

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"I have to head back to the harbor, Y/N," Ganyu said, swallowing the last petal of her Qingxin. "Are you sure that you don't want to go there?"

You shook your head adamantly. The half-Qilin nodded in understanding, bid you farewell and left quickly. You waved at her till she was out of sight, then turned and started to climb the mountain behind you.

Halfway to the peak, you saw a little girl climbing up the steep mountain as well. She had a basket filled with herbs on her back, and her movements were slow and a little unsteady. You watched her for a while, deciding to follow her in case she needed help.

Hand over hand, foot over foot, the both of you moved slowly. Your fingers ached from grabbing onto barely visible ledges in the rock to pull yourself upward. The girl didn't seem to be aware of your presence as she mumbled, "One, two...one, two..."

The girl reached for a herb with violet flowers to her right. It was just out of reach. She moved her right foot to the side, then her left. She reached out again, grabbing the stalk of the herb.

Her foot slipped.

Your body reacted before your mind did.

You lunged to your side desperately.

Now you were the girl, she was the herb in her grasp.

You managed to catch the girl in one arm and grab onto a wider ledge nearby, but you could feel your hurting fingers throbbing, protesting the heavy weight of two.

Just like what you had expected, your fingers gave way.

All hope severed - you knew what would happen next.

Sighing in relief, you held the girl tightly, tucking her into your arms as your braced yourself for the impact.

The fall seemed to take all eternity as the beautiful scenery flashed by your eyes. The blue gadget that glittered in the sun had you mesmerised, making you forget your certain demise for an instant.

But as soon as it had started, it was over.

You felt your body slam into the ground. Your vision immediately became hazy and you coughed wetly, blood streaming out of your mouth. You caught a glimpse of your blood splattered on the rocks. A horribly beautiful crimson that shimmered like the gadget - did Ganyu call that a Waypoint? - as if someone had made your blood out of sunlight then mixed it with red paint.

You tried to make yourself move, but your limbs refused to react. You were frozen in place - by fear, shock, or the endless oblivion you knew you were going to face in a matter of minutes, you didn't know.

What about the girl? You gritted your teeth and tried moving your head. You stopped as pain seared through your neck. Hopefully she's okay. You sighed as you felt her move out of your hold.

"You're...okay..." you managed weakly, coughing up more blood. You knew the girl was looking at you, so you forced a smile onto your face before closing your eyes.

------------------------------

Qiqi knew she could do it.

She moved to her right, reaching out for the Violetgrass. Just a little more, and she could continue on her way -

- and her foot slipped.

Qiqi fell backward, holding onto the straps of the basket desperately. This felt familiar - but why? She didn't remember falling from mountains, or even someplace very high up.

Someone caught her. Said person jerked to a stop as they grabbed the rocky surface of the mountain. They lost their grip, and she fell down again, but the person curled themselves around her tiny self, trying their best to shield her body.

This didn't feel familiar at all.

The next thing Qiqi knew, she was on the ground. She could hear the person coughing, and judging by the noise, they were coughing blood.

Qiqi rolled off of the person's body. They looked alright on the outside, just some cuts and scratches probably caused by branches and rocks, but the little zombie knew their insides were severely damaged. Blood stained the ground and rocks and the person's clothing, and the occasionally shimmering crimson liquid was still streaming from their mouth.

The scene in front of her brought a familiar feeling. A memory attempted to resurface in her mind, tried to escape the seal which kept her memories locked away.

"You're...okay..." the person whispered before coughing. Blood kept trickling out of their mouth and nose. They smiled at her weakly, then closed their eyes.

Qiqi knew she could do it.

She activated her Cryo vision, pressing her palms onto their torso. Pale blue light shone in her palms as she tried her best to heal the person. Their outer wounds healed, but their eyes stayed closed. Their breathing slowed, and their heart stopped.

Qiqi pressed her fingers against their wrist, still expecting a pulse. She felt nothing.

"Wait..." Qiqi whispered. "... don't go."

She took a Glaze Lily from her basket. The little girl in green had gifted her the flower that morning, said she had planted it herself.

Qiqi laid it on the person's torso.

"Please...this is for you."

Suddenly, their body glimmered slightly. Flakes of light escaped their skin. Qiqi watched as their body and blood disintegrated into white petals similar to Qingxin flowers. A gentle breeze blew them away, leaving a single petal in the zombie's hand.

"...bye bye," Qiqi waved slowly and sadly, holding the petal.

------------------------------

First (?) angst of the AU (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

[69misato69]

Qilin's Allure Prance (Childe and Ganyu) ✦ 6k, fluff and angst, getting to know each other

archive of our own ✦ twitter

masterlist pinned on my profile !

childe sets off to liyue and is excited to spar with the mighty adeptus ganyu, he deviates from the plan slightly and instead falls in love with her

this doesnt have much of a form and is just chronological instances of their interactions in liyue. trigger warnings for eating disorders, body image issues and body dysmorphia, please read at your own risk. though there is no smut it still touches upon mature subjects.

please don't talk to me about that comic. i have moved on and i think they could maybe be sweet together. if you don't like chilyu or aren't curious about it no need to read, i have seen a lot of people get harassed over chilyu and they handle it gracefully but i won't <3

“Hey there, comrade. Are you busy?” Childe asks from the opposite side of the bookshop. Ganyu raises her gaze from the paperback she’s holding in her hand and with the sight of the harbinger, a cheerful smile forms on her lips. “Hey Childe. Not at all. I’m not working today.” she answered. Truth is she was forcefully discharged for the day. She had spent the past few weeks almost without any sleep, chasing after the never-ending extra commissions. 

So, with everyone’s consensus, except for her own, she had taken the day off. “Good to hear. Care for a rematch?” Childe asks with enthusiasm. Getting the chance to spar with Ganyu has so far been the highlight of his trip, the moment he set foot in Liyue, his first question was “Who’s the strongest around these parts?” 

With their archon long gone and the other adepti living in the mountains fully isolated, the most frequent answer he heard was Ganyu . Though many Liyue citizens never witnessed her powers in person, her reputation preceded herself, and Childe couldn’t help but approach her on a sunny afternoon, asking to spar. 

Ganyu was calm and good-natured, and she certainly didn’t enjoy the act of fighting in itself as much as Childe did. She kindly declined the offer and took him out to lunch instead. They sat for hours, Ganyu had more fun than she had in ages. Childe was charming and funny, he loved talking about himself but also placed great importance on finding out more about her. 

Everyone that passed by their table that night was frozen in shock, seeing their calm and collected secretary laugh so hard that she almost choked on air. Ganyu felt careless for once, being brought up with the realization that she was destined for great things, the circumstances had always been harsh on her. She had lived a long life and mastered many arts, relaxing was not among those, sadly. 

But Ganyu felt different that night, she said things she normally wouldn’t, she formed a bond with a complete stranger and let down her guard even if it was for a few hours. She even allowed the harbinger to walk her home. “You know what, I’ll think I’ll take you up on the offer.” she said before going in. Childe’s eyes beamed with happiness, “Ready when you are, comrade. Have a good night.” 

Ganyu watched him walk away and disappear into the darkness. A few days after their first meeting, they walked up the peak to find a quiet and balanced space for their friendly brawl. Childe, of course, was no match for Ganyu but he still put up a good fight. Though he could yield two elements, the half-Qilin effortlessly took him down. Ganyu’s style perplexed Childe, she was so graceful and flowy, yet held immense strength and power, not to mention the endless stamina she had. 

She was fast and strong, but ethereal and light-weight at the same time. Childe on the other hand, was covered in dirt from being thrown around, breathing heavily as drops of sweat trickled down his forehead. Ganyu could see the bloodlust and amusement in his eyes, so joyful even while he got his ass kicked. 

When it was over they laid down on the grass as Childe’s breathing returned to normal. “I can see that you’re going easy on me, but that’s probably for the best.” he laughed. He expected Ganyu to be powerful, but it wasn’t like anything he had seen before. 

So, following that intense session, Childe approaches her once again in hopes that Ganyu will accept. The secretary agrees and they make their way out of the city. Childe stops by the restaurant to pick up some Tianshu Meat and Almond Tofu, in case they get hungry. Walking up to the same spot, Childe talks about his first impressions of Liyue as Ganyu keeps thinking back to the first night they met. She hasn’t been able to think of anything else ever since, and it was partly the reason why she was taking so much time at work, due to the distraction of a certain harbinger. 

They stretch for a bit and begin slowly, exchanging non-threatening moves to set the tone. Ganyu remembers Childe talk about an alternative form, a different realm of power that he could yield, she was curious to see it the first time they fought but Childe, no matter how dire his situation was, never resorted to it even once.

But Ganyu really wants to see it this time, and luckily she has something to offer in exchange. A blue hue radiates from her skin as she grows taller and wider, her arms and legs disappear and a cloud-like substance molds them into goat-like limbs. Childe watches her, mesmerized by the sight of a Qilin appearing right in front of his eyes. 

Ganyu is now about ten times his size, but she still looks as calm as ever. Childe dissolves his weapons and approaches her unarmed. He places his palm, slowly and softly on the Qilin’s forehead. “What a gentle creature.” he whispers in awe. Ganyu stands, resilient and expectant but she closes her eyes at his affectionate touch. 

Childe pulls away, “I apologize for not being as easy on the eye as you, milady.” he jests while transforming into Foul Legacy. Ganyu wants to disagree, she finds the iridescent gradient of his cape stunning, small stars glowing all along his back. They study each other’s forms attentively, the illuminated beast and the legacy of evil, until they strike simultaneously, evading, blocking and countering each other while swinging new blows in harmony. 

It feels less like a fight and more like a performance, but regardless it is slowly draining both of them. Ganyu summons the power of an Adepti Art she never revealed to Childe before, freezing all the waves and blades he has charging towards the Qilin. Childe laughs under the mask, but it fades away almost instantly when he sees Ganyu tremble, the form gets stuck somewhere between his world and hers as she begins to shrink.

Childe transforms back immediately, riding on a wave rapidly to close the gap between them and barely catches Ganyu before she falls down. He places one hand on her nape and lays her down on the grass. “Ganyu?” Childe calls out, but she seems too exhausted, he reaches for the bag, snapping a piece of tofu to feed her hurriedly. Ganyu’s eyes are only half open, the last thing she does before passing out is to angrily slap the food out of Childe’s hand. 

He looks down at the adeptus, confused that she spent the last bit of her strength trying to block his attempt of keeping her conscious. He forms light, cooling streams of water and flows it around Ganyu’s temples and wrists. Nearly an hour passes by before the adeptus is awake again, Childe hasn’t moved an inch, still trying to cool her off and bring back her consciousness. His eyes widen when Ganyu opens hers. “What happened?” she asks weakly. Childe exhales in relief, “I… I don’t know, you collapsed so suddenly.”

Ganyu instinctively reaches out to check her head. “I caught you before you fell.” Childe eases her worries. Ganyu hums and utters a “thank you” before turning her head. It rests on Childe’s leg, he prays to the archons that Ganyu doesn’t hear how loud his heart is beating. She gathers her energy after a few minutes and gets up with the harbinger’s help. 

Childe wants to ask about the tofu, but he decides against it, Ganyu doesn’t seem to remember anything from right before she fainted, likely she was already out of it and didn’t even know what she was doing so he lets it go and instead offers his arm for the way back. Ganyu holds onto his forearm for support as they descend from the peak. 

“It’s already getting dark, I’ll take you home, okay?” he asks to make sure Ganyu doesn’t have anything to do before night falls. Ganyu nods in exhaustion and lets Childe lead the way. He comes up to the doorway and pulls away his arm. Ganyu pouts at the loss of warmth, she still feels ice cold. Childe opens his mouth to say good night but Ganyu cuts her off, “Would you like to come inside?” 

Childe freezes, he stutters an incomprehensible response. “It’s alright if you don’t want to.” Ganyu reassures, she is bolder than usual, and very well-articulated no matter how tired she looks. Childe collects his thoughts, “No, it’s okay. I’ll worry less if I’m with you.” he smiles, the warm smile that Ganyu finds adorable. 

They make their way inside, Ganyu leaves to wash up and Childe takes off his jacket and the straps wrapped around his leg and chest. It isn’t a huge space, a separate bathroom and kitchen, and other than that just one bedroom with a desk, a wardrobe and a bed. As little as the furnishings are in number, they seem beautifully crafted, golden platings and engravings all over the wooden surfaces.

Childe sits on the edge of the bed for a bit, when he hears the water running he moves to the kitchen and heats up the leftovers over the stove. He sets up two plates on the small table, Ganyu must not have a lot of visitors, he thinks to himself. The water stops running, footsteps lead to the bedroom and Ganyu comes out moments later, looking a lot livelier in fresh, baggy clothes and wet, dark blue, wavy locks. 

“Better?” Childe asks. Ganyu sits down at the table with a smile, “A lot better.” she chirps. Childe hums happily and digs in, noticing how Ganyu isn’t touching the plate only after he is done. 

“Hey, you’re not eating?”

“Uh… I’m not that hungry, but thank you.”

“You can’t recover if you don’t eat.” 

“Can we please drop it?”

Childe feels his heart sink when he realizes how stupid he sounds, as if he is anyone to Ganyu, as if he’s in a position to say what she should or shouldn’t do. He silently apologizes and looks down in embarrassment. But he really wants her to feel better, and she should really wrap a towel around her hair or else she’ll catch a cold. Regardless, he keeps his mouth shut. 

When he looks up he finds Ganyu with her head resting on her palm, almost drifting off to sleep. “Do you want to go to bed?” he asks, Ganyu is too sleepy to notice his voice crack, she nods, feeling her body get heavier on the chair. Childe tries to help her up but Ganyu is already asleep, he lifts the adeptus and carries her to the bed in his arms. 

Childe lays her down and covers the blanket over her drained body, but just as he tries to pull away, Ganyu tugs on his shirt. Childe feels a shockwave pulsating throughout his body, rooting from the spot where Ganyu just touched. Still, he moves back and Ganyu’s grip only gets tighter. When the harbinger tries to pull away a third time she mumbles: “Stay.” 

And stay he does. He curls up into a ball while facing Ganyu, her hand still lingering on Childe’s chest. It takes hours for him to calm his racing heart, and with the first beaming lights of dawn, he finally falls asleep. 

“Ganyu! I got it. You home?” 

Ganyu rushes to the door to find Childe smiling ear to ear while rattling the small paper bag in his hand. Her face lights up as she welcomes the harbinger in.

“Show me!” she exclaims. Childe opens the bag and takes out the small, glass bottle. Ganyu snatches it off his hand and stares at the ice-blue, shiny liquid. “It’s even prettier than you made it out to be.” 

Childe settles down at the kitchen table, “Yeah, like your hair.” he says, distracted. A moment of silence passes before a rosy blush spreads across Ganyu’s face and Childe retracts sloppily, “I—I mean the color is…it looks like your hair, you know? Like it’s the same shade.” Ganyu looks down at the bottle in hopes of hiding her smile and nods in agreement. 

“Let’s try it.” 

“Oh, sure. I’ll wait here.”

“Wait for what?”

“Well you need the mirror to put it on, don’t you?”

“Uh… I never really put on eyeliner before.”

Childe laughs and takes the bottle away from the adeptus, “Sit, I’ll do it.” Ganyu sits expectantly as Childe drags the other chair across from her. She sticks her knees together, allowing the harbinger to spread his and lean over her face. Childe shakes the bottle and slides out the thin brush, dipping it a few times before taking it out fully. 

He seems confident, and from the way he prepares the product, it looks like he actually knows what he’s doing. “Who taught you how to put on make-up?” Ganyu asks as she closes her eyes. After almost two weeks they spent together, it has now become normal to ask random questions without it feeling intrusive. 

“You can keep them open. Back home, Tonia does our mom’s hair while I handle the make-up. She hates getting ready for big events.” Childe says with a light chuckle and drags the brush along Ganyu’s eyelid. She struggles trying to decide where to look. When she looks straight ahead, they make eye contact, from a distance so close that she can feel Childe’s warm breath. Is it weird for him? 

“Do you ever do your own?” 

“Of course I do. Look up for me.”

Ganyu is thankful for the direction. “I don’t like anything that covers my skin though. For myself, I think it’s nice to enhance the nice features, but I don’t really care about ‘covering up’ imperfections, you know?” Childe elaborates while matching the blue shade with Ganyu’s lower lash line. 

She likes the way Childe talks about his appearance. He seems to like himself but in a very humble way. He doesn’t bloat but is content with how he presents, and even gets a little sassy sometimes, like now, how he bashes the term “imperfection”. Ganyu tries not to talk so much to prevent her face from moving as Childe keeps giving her directions and talking about their mishaps with Tonia. 

“I think you’re good to go. Oh, wait.” he looks at Ganyu from a little further and notices a slight smudge at the last minute. He fights the urge to lick his finger and instead summons a small drop of water to dissolve around Ganyu’s eye. He cups her cheek and wipes away the tiny dot with his thumb. Ganyu musters up all her strength not to give in to the shiver that just traveled down her spine. 

“Hold on, I'll do mine and come back.” Childe rushes to the bathroom. Ganyu waits in silence, still able to feel the warm grasp that the harbinger had on her face. A few minutes later Childe calls her to the bathroom so they can both get a good look. Ganyu is amazed at the precision, her wing is sharper with an upward slope while Childe’s only circles around his eye, he even drew little blue hearts in their inner corners to match. 

Ganyu spends about five seconds looking at herself and the rest of her time staring at Childe’s reflection. He’s blabbering about the intricacies of putting on make-up while they stand side by side in front of the bathroom mirror.  

“You…look pretty.” Ganyu spurts out. Childe stops talking, his hands assisting the conversation with gestures get suspended in the air, and for the first time, Ganyu sees a light blush on his freckled cheeks. It is subtle, but not subtle enough to escape the bright lighting of the bathroom. He looks at Ganyu from the mirror, without turning his head, that might just fluster him even more.

“You more.” he says with a smile, it is now Ganyu’s turn to be embarrassed. She silently voices her gratitude before leaving for work, hoping that Childe will still be there when she gets back.

Luckily, he is. After an entire day of everyone complimenting her make-up, Ganyu walks back into the apartment to find Childe humming and dancing around in the kitchen. Plates of chopped up vegetables and chunks of meat are scattered all over the counter. Ganyu watches him with a soft gaze, thinking of how much livelier the house is with the harbinger in it. Childe is so immersed in his activities that he doesn’t even notice Ganyu walk in until she drops her keys on the small bench right in the entrance. 

“Ganyu?”

“I’m home.”

“Dinner?”

“I don’t think so.”

Childe can’t look up from the cutting board in front of him, so he just nods. He still doesn’t really understand how Ganyu can go for so long without eating, but he assumes it has something to do with her being half-adeptus, possibly she doesn’t even need the same sustenance that full-humans do. 

“I can help, though?” Ganyu offers. Childe chuckles, “I’d like that.” She leaves to change and wash-up and comes back with her hair in a low ponytail. 

“Okay, I’m ready. What do you want me to do?”

“Do you know how to peel and chop up carrots?”

“Um, of course I do.”

She doesn’t.

“Alright then, I just need two and then we can start sauteing all of it.”

“Sure, leave it to me.”

Ganyu stares at the carrots. They do look a little dirty on the outside, is that why Childe asks her to “peel” them, or is she supposed to wash away the dirt? When Childe finishes up and turns back to get the carrots he sees Ganyu still looking down in confusion. 

He chuckles and approaches her from behind, leaving just a mere inch between her back and his chest. “Here, I’ll show you.” He cups Ganyu’s hands that hold the knife and the carrot. With ease, he guides the adeptus to peel the harsh skin outside and remove the two ends that have remains of brown roots. 

“And then you lay it down and chop it up. Not too small though, it’s just garniture for the meat, so it’ll be more filling like this.” Childe explains and chops up a slice while still holding Ganyu’s hands. Her mind is drifting off, though their bodies aren’t touching, Childe’s warm breath hovers over her neck. 

Ganyu empties her hands and turns away to face the harbinger. “Something wrong?” he asks with a soft expression. Nothing is wrong, except for the fact that Ganyu wants to reach up and kiss him. She thinks about it all day, trying to imagine how it would feel, how soft Childe’s lips would be, whether he would hold her face like he did this morning. 

Would he even enjoy it, did he like Ganyu the way she liked him? He had already made a lot of friends in Liyue, and it wasn’t surprising considering how fun he is to be around. Yet he is spending all of his time with Ganyu, rejecting invitations left and right to be with her every night. Still, Childe could prefer the two of them to be friends. There seems to be only one way to find out. 

So, Ganyu raises her head and leans forward for a kiss. Just a peck, simply making contact with the harbinger’s lips. Childe freezes in surprise, he can’t even bring himself to close his eyes like Ganyu does. The adeptus maintains her position, Childe’s lips warming up hers gradually. 

And Childe kisses her back. He nibbles on Ganyu’s bottom lip as she gains the confidence to slide her tongue into Childe’s mouth. The harbinger holds in a gasp, enjoying the sudden intrusion a little too much. He holds Ganyu’s forearm, thumb brushing over her wrist soothingly, and eventually his fingers slide down to grab her waist. 

Childe yearns for more, but Ganyu abruptly pulls away with a disturbed look. There’s nothing to back up against but the counter, so she fails to put a substantial distance between their bodies. Childe steps back with an anxious look, “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I thought—” Ganyu cuts her off, interestingly she seems as apologetic as Childe. 

“It’s not that. I… I’m sorry, Childe.” 

Ganyu has an expression that Childe can’t read properly. It doesn’t look like she feels violated, and instead, ashamed. Instinctively she covers her waist, as if she doesn’t want Childe to perceive her at all. He gets the hint and turns to face the stove, away from Ganyu, apologizing again even though she tells the harbinger that it isn’t his fault.

Because she can’t really explain it. How she wants Childe but is deathly afraid of him finding her to be disgusting under all the layers of clothing and shapewear she uses strategically to cover all that is hideous about herself. Ganyu finds all of it deplorable and beyond repair, and keeping herself on the verge of total collapse feels like a deserved punishment. 

It drives her insane, thinking back on how gluttonous and overindulgent she had been for years, when she didn’t even deserve to eat. Everytime she is offered food all she can imagine is how it will turn her even more disgusting, to the point where people will look at her with pity. She imagines it running along her stomach, filling out her thighs and tummy even more, her becoming unable to keep it in shape even with the layers and layers of cinchers and corsets she binds underneath her dress. 

A secret that Ganyu must keep hidden at all costs. No one can know how nauseating her body is, so she has to restrain herself, because it’s not fair to Childe either. He must feel terrible, thinking that he contravened Ganyu’s trust and made her feel unsafe. Ganyu can’t find the words to tell him the truth and ease his mind. Worst of all is, despite everything, she really craves his touch even though it terrifies her. 

For once, she wants to feel his skin on her own as his warm hands trail down her back, around her waist and over her hips. She wants to kiss Childe again, but this time with their bodies tangled around each other. 

But she can’t. All she can do is soak in this tasteless moment, the bitter aftertaste of a ruined kiss. Childe wraps up the kitchen and leaves the pot on the stove. His stomach is already filled to the brim with terrible feelings that begin to consume the rest of his body. He puts on his jacket and heads for the door.

“I think I’ll head back, Ganyu. Take care, okay?” he tries to keep his voice from cracking, Ganyu probably feels bad enough and he really doesn’t want to add his state to her list of worries. He doesn’t expect an answer, the door shuts shortly after. All that remains is a pot of warm, delicious food that she’ll never get to enjoy.

“What the—” Ganyu curses under her breath on her way to work, she is pretty certain that she heard a snap right from under her dress. Without drawing much attention she hides in an empty street, sticking one hand under her dress to check. Two buttons of her corset are loosened while another one is completely snapped off. She has a skin tight layer all over her midsection on top of it, but it would be a miracle for it to hold all day.

She evaluates her choices, going back to the house to sew it back on is out of the question, getting a new one is impossible at this hour, the shopkeepers haven’t even opened their stores yet. She checks her bag, looking for something to mend it at least temporarily, but the situation seems hopeless. That leaves only one option: going into work as she is right now. 

Ganyu already feels her stomach fill out the dress, she finishes the rest of the walk feeling light-headed and nauseous, barely gathering the energy to climb the stairs to her office. Her team walks in for the briefing and she gets up to use the board, the question that follows makes her blood boil.

“Oh, Ganyu, is that a new dress?” 

Ganyu’s back is turned to the rest of them, she grits her teeth, “No, it isn’t.” 

“Really? I just thought the fit was a little different than usual. Sorry for prying.” her fellow secretary chuckles. She…chuckles? It’s funny to them, Ganyu finishes the briefing, fighting the urge to snap their heads off. The rest of the day isn’t any better. 

“Did you gain weight, Ganyu?”

“Oh you look great, Ganyu.”

“It’s the curse of working an office job, really. It’s so hard to stay in shape.” 

Childe finds himself wandering around Ganyu’s office, almost out of instinct. It doesn’t feel right to face her at the moment, but he can’t fight against the urge to check on her. He doesn’t even know if she went into work, so he hangs around the cafeteria, eavesdropping on conversations. After two boring ones, he finally overhears two people mention her name. 

“Ganyu’s not back? We only have a few minutes left.”

“It’s not like her at all to show up this close to a meeting.”

“I’ll look for her downstairs.”

Childe pretends to stroll around before leaving the building. It really isn’t like her to be late to a work obligation. He spends the rest of his day looking for the adeptus. He knocks on her door and visits every shop and restaurant in Liyue, he even takes off to the mountains, worried that something might have happened to her. 

When he finds his way back into the city it is already dark outside, and there is not a single trace of Ganyu anywhere. Childe sits on the bridge and sways his legs off the edge, racking his brain for places she could have run off to. Then, suddenly, he hears a hiccup, followed by almost-silent weeping. It’s hard to hear over the noise and chatter around him, yet he hears it echo from right below.

He looks down to see nothing but the water, then walks to the side of the bridge and makes his way down. And there she is, right under the bridge so that no one can see her, sitting on an icicle that looks like a pretty flower. Childe hops onto the cold stone directly across from Ganyu. She lifts her puffy, red face from her palms and notices Childe.  

“Don’t look at me.” she says nasally, tears rolling down from her chin. ��Ganyu, I just want to ta—” Childe gets cut off by the same command, but now more aggressive, “I said, look away.” 

Childe summons a tide right in front of Ganyu, “Okay, freeze it.” 

The adeptus snivels, freezing the thin layer of water in front of her and summoning a Cryo flower on the other side. Childe hums and surfs on the water as he settles down on it, the frozen tide separating them like a wall. “Do you want to talk about it?” Childe asks, and with that Ganyu finally snaps, too broken to worry about what the harbinger would think of her. 

“What is there to talk about, Childe? Do you want to talk about how I want to rip my limbs off everytime I look in the mirror? Or maybe we can talk about how I haven’t had a decent meal in years, how I’m dizzy all the fucking time, how I can’t even breathe properly because I have to live with these stupid layers strangling my body? Or better yet, how I have to ruin everything with you, just because I can’t let it go? You touch my waist and a few people at work ask me if I’ve gained weight and I get on the verge of tearing myself apart, does that sound normal to you? Does it sound like something a thousands-year-old adeptus would do?” 

Ganyu rants for as long as she can before drowning in tears and hiccups again. Every new sentence she forms pierces through Childe’s chest like a knife. Hearing the hurt and hate in Ganyu’s voice brings tears to his eyes as well. “It doesn’t, but you’re also… human.” Childe pauses and stares at the wall between them. 

“And we’re unfortunately too caught up in our looks. But that’s because we don’t have anything else. Even the luckiest of us only witness a little less than a century and… we have to be caught up in superficial things. We don’t have time to seek more. But, you’re different, you’re so much more than this—flesh.”

He summons a small blade and breaks a hole in the wall big enough to stick his wrist through, and he extends his palm to the other side.

“You know, I dream of you almost every night, as a Qilin, because it’s more breath-taking than anything else that my mind can come up with. And even as a human, you’re the most beautiful person I ever met, inside and out.”  

Ganyu hesitantly places her hand inside Childe’s palm, his fingers wrap around to warm her up, traces of Cryo still emitting from her ice-cold hands. 

“I know it doesn’t change the way you see yourself, but I adore everything about you.”

Ganyu squeezes his hand tight without realizing. “Don’t hold it in. It’s just us.” Childe reassures as she begins bawling her eyes out again. Crying, mumbling incoherent apologies and venting as Childe listens, not letting go of her hand even for a moment. 

When Ganyu settles down a little, Childe sees an ice trail forming, from his flower, around the wall and over to Ganyu’s. He stands up and walks over, Ganyu’s reddened eyes glisten beautifully under the moonlight. He sits on his knees as they share the flower, Ganyu rests her forehead on Childe’s shoulder. He takes off his jacket and wraps it around the adeptus, to ease the cold and the embarrassment. 

Ganyu snuggles closer while Childe runs his fingers through her wavy blue locks, pressing kisses on her forehead and temples, whispering sweet nothings as a small sense of relief washes over the two. 

Childe spends the next few weeks reading up on the issue, he orders his subordinates to roam the libraries in Liyue and in his motherland and comes home everyday with his arms full with books. He also comes across an interesting ongoing fantasy series during his research, Ganyu finds it interesting as well. They settle down on the bed every night and take turns reading out loud. 

The story is so gripping that they keep telling each other to read faster during the climactic sections, Childe is on the edge of his seat and Ganyu gasps every time a beloved character dies. When he’s alone he reads up on the other material he has gathered, studying reward mechanisms, human biology and occasionally writes letters to Dottore. He isn’t exactly an expert of human psychology and mental well-being but after all, he is a scientist. 

Unfortunately, before his title as the Doctor he is first and foremost an asshole, so Childe has a hard time getting useful answers from him. 

During that period, Ganyu’s state fluctuates severely from day to day, and Childe begins to realize that the line of healing is going to be far from linear. Still, they both try, and that’s what matters to him. They go shopping and try on ridiculous outfits whenever they get the chance, Childe prancing on the runway with utmost pride and sass while Ganyu claps and pretends to seriously critique the clothes.

“I’m definitely a fan of the green pants, Mr. Tartaglia and it goes well with the hot pink shirt. But what about that hideous hat? That is so last year.” 

Childe breaks into laughter as he keeps trying to convince the fashion expert of his superior, avant-garde taste. 

They take a trip outside the city on Ganyu’s off-day, to the same spot where they first tested each other’s skills. This time they trade it for a calmer activity and have a nice, quiet picnic. Childe makes a flower crown for Ganyu as she lays her head on the harbinger’s lap, resting peacefully. 

Slowly yet surely, color returns to Ganyu’s cheeks. Some days she can’t even wipe herself off the bathroom floor and other days she chirps joyfully and walks the streets with her hand inside Childe’s palm. 

Until one day, the harbinger wakes up with the first rays of the sun for an early meeting. He presses a kiss onto Ganyu’s forehead and scrapes his body off the warm bed to make his way into the kitchen, still half asleep. He cracks a few eggs into the bowl for a simple omelet and gets ready while it cooks over the fire. 

Ganyu wakes up shortly after for her shift, dragging her feet all the way to the kitchen table. “Morning.” Childe sings happily, now fully awake and ready to take on the day. Ganyu hums and mumbles, still exhausted, until she takes in the amazing smell. She looks over to see Childe cooking in an apron and her stomach growls. She’s…hungry? Childe turns to find Ganyu’s eyes locked onto him and he chuckles, “Why are you staring at me?” 

“Can I have a piece?” 

Childe tuts, “That’s extremely rude, Ganyu. I’m not an object, you know.” Ganyu lets out a laugh so loud that it wakes her up. “I meant a piece of your breakfast.” 

The harbinger nods with a light chuckle and cuts off a section neatly. He’s joking to release the pressure but he can’t help but get excited that Ganyu asked for it herself. He sets the plates and quickly dives in while checking the clock. By the time he’s done Ganyu is still looking down at the plate. Childe puts on his jacket and kisses her on the head, “If you don't want to finish it just put it back and I’ll eat it tomorrow.” 

Ganyu smiles and thanks him for preparing it. Childe heads for the door in a hurry, but before stepping out to the garden he glances through the kitchen window. He sees Ganyu bring a piece of the omelet to her mouth and chew slowly, right before he leaves with a huge smile on his face. 

“Good night, Ganyu.” 

Childe closes his eyes, he hears no answer and instead the sheets rustling as Ganyu moves closer to him. His eyelids lift up again, they’re face to face, moonlight seeping inside to illuminate the adeptus’ face. She looks at the harbinger’s lips before pressing onto them lightly yet confidently. Childe kisses her back but doesn’t attempt to hold her or pull her closer. The kiss deepens, both of them moaning softly into each other’s mouths. Ganyu holds his hand, intertwining their fingers in a comfortable grip until she has to pull away for air.

Childe keeps kissing her, gentle pecks on her forehead, the inner corners of her eyes, her cheeks and nose. His breath tickles Ganyu’s face as she sinks into the harbinger’s affection. She leads Childe’s hand and places it on her waist. He smiles, tightening his hold and feeling her warm skin under the thin fabric. He’s used to Ganyu being cold all the time, but ever since she began to eat, she radiates warmth all night, turning the bed into a cozy nest for the two of them as they snuggle like a couple of stray cats. 

Childe now pulls her closer, breaking the kiss and placing gentle kisses on Ganyu’s neck. Her fingers get tangled in Childe’s soft hair while her heart thumps loudly on her ribcage. “You’re beautiful.” the harbinger breaths against her ear. Ganyu fights to keep herself from making a high-pitched, excited noise. 

“The prettiest.” Childe continues as his kisses trail up and down, lips outlining her collarbones and shoulders. “No one compares to you, my dear Ganyu.”

Ganyu yawns as she stands beside the bed, playing with Childe’s ginger locks as the harbinger rests. Childe pats on the pillow next to him, “Come here, I missed you.” Ganyu smiles but doesn’t move an inch. Childe raises his brows, “Why? Do you want this side?” he prepares to roll over but the adeptus nods her head left and right. 

Childe looks at her carefully before finally figuring it out, “Oh, on my lap?” he fails to mask the excitement and Ganyu can’t help but chuckle, “If that’s okay?” she asks. Childe opens his arms, tired but happy, “Of course it’s okay. Come, I’m the most comfortable bed in all of Liyue.” Ganyu sinks down on her hips and leans to rest on Childe’s chest. 

“You really are. Am I heavy?”

“Light as a feather. Also I’m very strong.”

Ganyu pulls away and looks at him with a fake smug expression, “Well, you can’t take me.” Childe gasps, placing his hands on Ganyu’s waist and pressing a kiss onto her lips. 

“How dare you? Name the time and place and I will gladly end you.” 

“Hmm, how about here and now?”

“Here? We’d trash the apartment.”

This time, Ganyu leans in for a kiss, a more heated one. It feels different, but Childe can’t quite put his finger on it. It’s less pristine and innocent, the adeptus pulls away and whispers, “Oh, I didn’t mean a fight.” 

[qilyns]

@mingji said ... take your coat, don't get cold .

temperate evenings turn to frigid nights across the plains. the cold doesn't reach past their doorstep though – the warmth emanates from within, all things aglow. when guizhong stops her on the way out, ganyu only smiles. the lord of dust is far more vigilant than her station would imply, all – seeing and all – considerate in a way that's markedly different from the other adepti within the assembly.

even their common dwellings in the clouded and solitary peaks of juyeun karst could not compare to the familiar hum of life moving in all directions around them, all throughout the city. just as cloud retainer had pointed out, the human side of her always longs for more.

" oh, good idea. " she all but chirps in response, idling along the stone – laden hallways, tracing fingertips along the subtle grooves in the walls. she's grateful to have been invited in the first place, to dine and listen along with her seniors .. even when the conversations become noticeably heated, the ruckus does more to still her heart than cause genuine upset. the halls are quieter now, in the smaller hours – details of their exploits and friendly competition fondly committed to memory until next time. ganyu sighs at the thought.

" well ... i don't actually know that i – uh, brought one. " sheepish in a way that would cause cloud retainer to roll her eyes at her, but she really can't help it. guizhong seems so effortless in comparison, even in the dim half – light, draped in the fineries befitting a true lord. a stark contrast to the young half – qilin, looking around as if she's expecting something, anything, to appear out of thin air and smooth over this mishap. " or maybe cloud retainer took mine earlier. don't tell her i said that though, please. "

[solaaresque]

teyvat, support, delusion, & glaze lilies !!

teyvat: which released region do you prefer and which unreleased nation are you most looking forward to visiting?

i mentioned this b4 but my fave nation is mond !! idk it was the first one nd it’ll always feel more homey. to me anyways. but im rlly looking forward to fontaine!!

support: who is/are your favorite and least favorite character(s)?

i answered this one here !!

delusion: what are your genshin unpopular opinions?

OOF r u tryna get me hated lee 😭 i have quite a few so i’ll just say 2-3. ok here goes.

no genshin character is “canon” lgbtq. most of these are hcs made by ppl. hyv doesn’t confirm or deny them so it’s rlly up to interpretation.

also m/f genshin ships aren’t “lesbian/gay” erasure. newsflash! bi ppl exist! diluc/jean, kaeya/rosaria nd itto/sara are all good ships w lots of content, lore nd backstory!! and they would be more popular imo if ppl didn’t hate m/f ships just for existing !!

last one. idk if this is “unpopular” per se but i think dragonspine is fun ^^ i love it i have nearly 90% exploration there but i still go to roam around for fun. peak design 11/10 tbh

glaze lilies: what is/are your favorite ost(s)?

OOH yeah ok i have a lot but my top 5 are.

let the living beware

devestation and redemption

master of ingenious devices (faruzan’s demo)

rex incognito

qilin’s prance

[midautumngame]

It's been really satisfying adding details, such as this Monkey King statue to Qilin Peaks that bring it to life! Befitting since Sun Wukong is one of the bosses you can fight in this biome!

[tcfactory]

i am. so excited for lgj to show up. im imagining a half sect affair with human passing mobeis sitting at a table looking VERY chastised as their uncle gives them the patented 'im not mad im just disappointed' look. meanwhile sqq is wondering what miracle ass excuse sqh is about to pull out of nowhere and also wondering when he started having faith in the mans ability to bullshit. knowing dun and also two very shamefaced nephews, id put money on a 'forgive us pretty pretty please' working tho

Okay, you see, I was planning on making LGJ close to age to MBW (like, maybe 10 years older at most) with MBE being the senior relative by far, but I kinda love this scenario. Might consider aging LGJ up to fit it.

Also, my draft as to how to solve this going forward is kinda like:

LGJ: barges in to see two peak lords, his two favorite most troublesome nephews and a baby qilin "Clearly this is a backroom sale. Are you at least asking the price the qilin is worth?? Of course you are not!" sits down to negotiate with SQH because if the old MBJ hears about it, then they'd had to hand it over and he'd sooner see the qilin sold off to a cultivator sect than to let his brother have it.

SQH & MBW: never got past the 'wtf are we going to do' panic stage of their planning, so they will just pretend that LGJ is right and play along

At least he won't even entertain the idea of MBW and MBE stealing Asagi, because if they wanted to do something stupid like that, then there were a bunch they could have chosen from that are not super rare colors that would be immediately traced back to LGJ.

[alterblue8]

First character is here!

Cuphead x Genshin Impact

YinYang (AU name)

Yin really look alike Ganyu lol.

Yin is half Cup half Qilin.(adepti cup lmao)

She often watch the clouds from Qingyun peak, Peaceful and quiet that’s her favorite place.

Assistant of Liyue Qixings.

[dcviated]

@staryskied sent: The audacity. Even in self-imposed exile, the Qilin cannot get a moment's respite. Not here, not there. And...Yan? A place where Leizi hadn't set foot in months. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, nothing seemed skewed. Save for the occasional static discharge of electricity here and there. Someone scoffs in disbelief, their hair frazzled as the Caster bypasses the pedestrian, on her merry way to seek a certain Lung. Well, it was stated that he shouldn't be deployed without strong supervision. Whatever that meant. Did it make her the unofficial babysitter? The thought ruffles her tail, as it swishes beneath her scarlet cloak.

"Oh. It must be you. Why did we even have to meet here of all places?" This place was... How does she put it politely? Unnerving? Off-putting? No, it was too perfect of a setting. She doesn't like it. ( @Hong Lu )

The Lung, meanwhile, seems quite at home, don't they? Well ... if one is to utilize the definition of comfortable. This part of the eastern country was a step and a half away from the grandeur of his family's estate. Ah, but it felt familiar in some way, did it not? He recalls a tale that his grandmother had told him. Of some of these distant peaks and the spiraling trails that ascended one up into the heavens. There was something in there about getting lost in the mists too, but Operator Baoyu found himself intrigued by everything else.

It's at a tea shop that the Qilin finds the dragon, a tense conversation with another patron ended as a tea cup is settled. Several decorated canisters sit next to him. It can be surmised then that he had done some shopping while waiting. How much money was available to him... best not ask!

"Huhu, yes I am indeed myself, miss~ though I have wondered what it would be like to be someone else some days. I've yet to try acting but it seems so freeing. I do envy that sort of life.... ah... hmm? Is there something wrong about this place?"

He's not catching on, of course. Neither to Leizi's discomfort nor to her reservations towards anything on this mission. He seems to sparkle in spite of her glowering.

"You should sit and have some tea! It's not the best but I think the cheapness of the flavor helps to connect to these peasant-like surroundings. We're so far down on the hills here, after all!"

[linglynz]

#third-wheeling like a pro