#ZHONGLI || interactions

[inanthesis]

it was a rare occasion for diluc to take time away from mondstadt, especially when the winery was bustling and abuzz with business from all nations during this time of year, but for this, he made an exception without hesitation. naturally, upon begrudgingly asking a certain captain to look after dawn winery for him, all necessary preparations had been made for his departure. the journey to liyue had been long, but the thought of seeing zhongli again, of being able to celebrate both his beloved’s birthday and the vibrant lantern rite together, made every step worthwhile.

the rolling hills of mondstadt eventually gave way to the towering peaks and lush landscapes of liyue, a change in scenery that diluc had always found both striking and comforting. as he neared the harbor, the air grew alive with the telltale sounds of lantern rite preparations— vendors calling out their wares, the chatter of families selecting their sky lanterns, and the distant hum of music drifting through the streets. it was a celebration unlike any in mondstadt, steeped in tradition and reverence, and it carried with it a beauty that diluc had come to appreciate all the more in recent years.

it was well past sunset when diluc finally made his way through the streets of liyue to zhongli’s apartment. the building was modest compared to the grandeur of the city’s other structures, yet its understated elegance suited zhongli perfectly. the warm light spilling from the windows was a beacon against the dark, and as diluc ascended the steps, he found himself pausing at the door, somehow still preparing himself as if this was their first outing. it wasn’t hesitation that stilled him but rather a brief moment to take in the quiet anticipation, to ground himself in the fact that he was here, and mondstadt was long behind him while the love of his life was somewhere behind this door.

so he knocked, and when the door opened, diluc’s breath hitched at just how quickly the door had opened to him. if diluc was staring, it was simply because zhongli was beautiful— softened in the lamplight, his amber gaze alight with a warmth that felt reserved only for moments like this.

' i made good time, ' —words that seemed to have spilled out despite his attempt at saying something even remotely endearing, but his travels had left him weary, and all he'd really wanted was to spend time with his beloved, and celebrate what was left of the day with him, followed by the lantern rite. ' ...what i meant to say was; happy birthday. i couldn't wait to see you. ' & after letting his bags fall to zhongli's doorstep, diluc raised a hand to hold his tie, gently tugging him down so he could both congratulate him on another year, and prove the depths of his longing in a single kiss.

' i brought a few bottles of this year's harvest, and there is no one i would love more to sample them with. '

True, genuine anticipation was not something Zhongli felt often, but for days on end he'd found himself willing time itself to bend to his whims so that the fateful day his beloved would arrive would come sooner. After thousands of years of experiences under his belt, one could think that there was nothing else left to excite an old fossil like the ex Lord of Geo, but once that feisty, fiery wine-monger from Mondstadt had so thoroughly warmed his heart he was as giddy as a young man experiencing his first love at every opportunity they had to meet.

So, as the time finally arrived after Zhongli had to fight himself not to meet Diluc at Stone Gate or Wangshu Inn or the entrance to Liyue Harbor or at any point along Diluc's journey where he so easily could have intercepted him and pushed his less important consulting duties aside, there wasn't a moment's hesitation in how he'd quickly swung open the door to catch a glimpse of beauty that rivaled the sun itself.

"Thank you, Xingan. I have eagerly awaited your arrival." How easy it was to be pulled into his orbit, arms gladly finding their home wrapped around his dearest as he met him in a kiss and not a care was given to how Diluc's dirty boots were still on his feet when Zhongli tugged him further into the apartment as the door was shut with a mere thought put to adeptal magic.

"That you continue to show an interest in drinking alongside me is an honor I will cherish every time, but wine can surely wait a while longer still. Long journeys must end with a hearty meal and thorough rest, but as I believe the stew I have been preparing will take more time for the meat to become truly tender, I know how I would like to spend our time until then if you find yourself in agreement." The whole of the time he spoke he kept carefully walking Diluc further into the apartment toward his spacious chaise lounge, not allowing so much as an inch worth's of space between them as his arms would tighten and every slight break in his words would be punctuated with a kiss.

"As with the wine, other activities may wait a while longer still, but there is much to catch up on in the time we have been apart and I would like to make the most of this quiet evening."

[spoopyium]

I don't know why but when he said he sampled the water of Qiaoying Village I just imagined him lapping it up on all fours when no one was looking so I doodled this up 💀💀

[inanthesis]

"There is no need for spoiling when you have only just arrived. A meal at Wanmin is more than enough, and Ms. Xiangling is likely to have new concoctions for you to try since last you were here." Zhongli began as he let the water come to temperature and stepped to the side to peruse his tea collection until he found the proper tin he'd sought out. For the time being, he didn't interfere with Childe's ministrations, but as nimble fingers found themselves halfway down unbuttonin his shirt, a gloved hand would reach to still them, making it quite clear the Harbinger wasn't allowed more than that just yet.

"She becomes more and more creative with her dishes every day, but there are some ingredients I do not find myself so open-minded toward when i consider the texture they are likely to add. Perhaps you would feel differently so as to offer her more insight into her latest experiments? She would certainly appreciate it."

For now, the only thing Childe took off was his boots to leave by the door; he wanted the fun of undressing further to be saved for when he finally got to savor ridding Zhongli of more of his clothes and vice versa. His desire for the adeptus was not something he would ever shy away from. Childe followed beside Zhongli to the kitchen, happy to at least have the mans hand in his again if nothing else.

The unspoken himt about what he was allowed to do didn't go unnoticed, and Zhongli would shortly after find himself being embraced exactly as he envisioned. The only difference was Childe was helping himself to pressing kisses along the side of Zhongli's neck now that more of it was exposed for the Harbinger to access. Zhongli never said he couldn't kiss him, so Childe was taking that inch given and seeing how far it could be stretched with hands unbuttoning the bottom fastener of the consultants shirt. Just one at a time slowly while tea was brewing to see how long until his hands were stopped.

"I think for tonight it'd be best to let someone else do the cooking and use some of that saved time for us. I'll gladly cook for you any of the other nights, but tonight I want to have as much time for things as we can." Zhongli may not know the full weight of Childe's words, but the Harbinger sure did. "Wherever you want to eat, anything you want to eat is yours tonight. I haven't spoiled you since the last time I was here after all."

[osmanthus-wine-addiction]

17 Cum Inflation

Zhongli x Reader / NSFW / Reader and Zhongli are basically married / Reader is described as small compared to half-dragon form Zhongli / Mentions of pregnancy and breeding / This is degenerate smut featuring an unrealistic kink so don't expect it to make any biological sense!

Aside from the visual stimulation, there was one rather specific reason why you preferred your lover fuck you in his illuminated form. In an effort to preserve what little shame you had while having your insides tastefully rearranged by his cock, you only ever gave him the first reason and that was good enough for him.

Zhongli was already tall in his human form, but once his more draconic features make an appearance, his cock swells into an absolute monstrosity. It's not unusual for him to slip into his more primal form when he's balls-deep inside your sweet little hole. He can't help it when you fit so perfectly around him, squeezing him so deliciously that his control crumbles. You'd be sobbing and crying like the helpless cum dump you devolve into whenever he's got you wrapped around his cock, but since you never beg him to stop, he doesn't.

He's so careful with you, or at least he tries to be. With his claws digging into your plush thighs as he hold you in place, he can see just how tiny and delicate your body is compared to his, especially in this form. Your tight hole stretches obscenely around his cock. The sounds coming from your drooling lips were just as shameless as the loud, wet squelching around his base. Your mind was completely empty, all coherent thoughts forced out as if his cock was pumping air straight into your head. You wouldn't be surprised if you started to float with the way his thrusts were lifting your back off the bed.

"Z-Zhongli..." You choked on his name.

It felt so good, you wanted to say, but all you could muster were cries of ecstasy as he fucked you even harder. Loud grunts punctuated his every stroke. The air pulsated with Geo energy, vibrating in sync with the part of him that was buried deep inside you. Your ears rung as your body trembled. You could feel his every throb, hear his labored breaths. Even your hearts beat in unison, strung together in a desperate frenzy.

You stole a glance at your lover. If you had the mental capacity, perhaps you'd reach for his horns. They looked so pretty, glowing faintly in the dimmed bedroom. His striking amber eyes were also fixed on you, gaze raking down your body. The intensity in them culminated when he saw the way the tip of his cock formed a visible bump underneath your otherwise flat stomach. A furrow appeared between Zhongli's brows as he took in the erotic sight. His cock seemed to be growing in size, stretching your poor pussy beyond its capacity.

"My dear..." He swallowed thickly. "Am I hurting you?"

You shook your head, teary eyes falling on his concerned face. "I-I can take it, all of it..." You panted, gaze dropping to eye the rest of his cock.

The girth should give you second thoughts, but the rational part of your brain had been bullied into oblivion and would not be working properly while your legs were shamelessly spread for him. Although he was the one who asked, he did not anticipate the way your answer would affect him. The way you said it, like a whispered prayer, he could not deny you. He should've, but he was just as aroused as you were, far too eager to indulge your whim against his better judgment.

"Very well, you shall have all of it then." He utters into your ear as he resumed the treacherous task of attempting to fit the entirety of his cock inside of you.

You wailed as Zhongli sheathes himself deep, each thrust more urgent than the last. You could feel the tip of his cock grinding against the inside of your belly, along with the seams of your unraveling sanity. If someone where to peer down at you right now, they'd be able to see his monstrous cock moving inside of you with the way your belly heaved and sunk with his rapid movements. Every time he pulled out, you deflated. The moment he stuffed himself back inside, you were full again. He had reduced you into such a simple creature, satisfying you in the most basic way.

"Darling... oh..." He groans, unable to find words to describe how incredible you feel wrapped around him.

Your precious hole had been stretched beyond his wildest imagination. He was so afraid he'd hurt you at first, but when it was clear you could handle it, the last layer of his self restraint shed away. The sight of his tip bulging out of your belly whenever he bottomed out had him overflowing with lust. The primal urge to breed, the thought of stuffing you so full of his seed that your belly rounded gripped him in an instant.

"Ah! Zh-Zhongli!" You gasped as you felt his cock swell even more. "I'm close!"

A prominent knot had formed around his cock near the base. Your lips parted to release a decadent whine as he managed to lodge himself inside your hole just before you fell apart. Zhongli shuttered as his climax chased yours. He exploded into your womb from the sheer intensity. His seed rushed in and filled you to the brim in a matter of seconds, but there was still so much more coming.

Your eyes snapped open as your lips parted in shock. With his cock plugged up in you, the unending rope of cum shooting out of his tip had only one outlet, you. Not a drop of it could escape the seal his knot created. You whimpered as he held you still, ensuring that you received everything he was giving you.

The unmistakable sensation of bloatedness made you look down to find your belly inflated like there was already life inside it. Your lover had come so hard, emptied so much cum into you that you had inflated like a water balloon.

"Apologies, love." He panted against your ear. "It appears I have gone overboard."

You gave a feeble whimper as you struggled to adjust to the massive load Zhongli had just deposited inside you. It took a good two minutes for you to come down from the weightless euphoria your lover had sent you to.

"I did it, see?" You grinned weakly at him, a rosy flush still clinging to your cheeks. "I kept my word."

Zhongli chuckled, his deep rumble vibrating against your ear as he nuzzled against your neck. "Indeed you did, my love. You took me very well."

He let go of your thighs to tenderly stroke your raised belly, filled with his seed. Was this what you'd look like, belly swollen with his brood? The image ignited something deep inside of him. He had laid with you countless times, but this was the first time he allowed himself to indulge so unreservedly. It wasn't that you wouldn't allow him to before. He had thoroughly enjoyed himself every time he made love to you, but there was always a part of him that he had to hold back.

It was for your own good. You were human afterall and your body wasn't meant to take everything he longed to give you, including children. He would never knowingly risk you, groveling at the mere thought of putting you in harm's way. A thousand thoughts fluttered through his mind at that instant, but at this one crystalline moment, he only focused on one. Unless you ask him for children, he would not burden you with them.

With a pained groan he tugged his knot free and released the flood of cum that had been held captive inside you. Your belly deflated as his warm load seeped out from between your legs. Your eyes met his in curiosity as his palm slid down from your belly, resting against your womb. A tingling sensation bloomed underneath his hand. When he lifted it, a faint shimmering mark adorned your skin briefly before fading away. You didn't bother to ask him what it was, trusting him completely.

"What's on your mind?" You asked him instead.

He gave you a gentle smile. "How beautiful you looked just now, my dear."

"You like how I look knocked up?" You teased him. "Maybe you should bree—"

"Tut tut!" He pressed a palm against your lips, sealing them before you could finish the sentence. "I said no such thing."

"But you were definitely thinking about it, weren't you?" You said as soon as he withdrew his hand.

"That can be a discussion for another day. We should get ourselves as well as this mess cleaned up." He suggested, clearing his throat as his eyes fell on the ungodly amount of cum glazing your thighs and soaking into his silken sheets.

[salmon4dinner]

another meme redraw

[caramel-flan]

A little doodle! the new event is so sweet! 🍃⭐

[by-saiyuri]

sometimes you just need to draw a retired god being a grandpa to his nation's children

[baeshijima]

u know what would be a cool genshin fic idea? isekai/transmigrated reader, but instead of appearing within the general timeline, you come into the genshin world 500 years prior to the start of the storyline in khaenri'ah.

honestly it could be either a little before the cataclysm, giving enough time to delve into some relationship building + explore some world building with characters like dainsleif, traveller's sibling (which would probably be lumine bc i actually do like her as abyss sibling & aether as traveller), and npcs like halfdan (still crying over him to this day ;w;) and possibly the khaenri'ahn royal guards (assuming you either join them or have a good enough relationship with them), OR it could be you appear during the crisis, completely and utterly lost as to why you were brought amidst the chaos and bloodshed as you watch everything you barely knew about this nation crumble before your very eyes.

either route will still result in reader's existential crises and constant "why am i here? just to suffer?" monologues because really, who would be fine after going through that after coming from /our/ world? and not to mention you've had to endure the next 500 years wandering with no real set path because you don't know this world— this era of teyvat or of genshin. you're merely stuck, unable to die, and forced to live a life of uncertainty with no clear direction for you to go to.

despite it all, you've at least been able to see dain during this course. while your meetings pass far too quickly for your lonesome, and his solemn demeanour is something you're yet to be accustomed to after having been with him before the fall of khaenri'ah (assuming it's the route where you appear before the cataclysm), you're glad to see a familiar face every now and then. after the messy departure with the lumine who left for the abyss order, you've come to appreciate his quiet presence more and more each time.

and then you decide it might be time to settle. you soon realise it's difficult to do so when your lifespan has become far more than that of a human's — of a mortal's — and so you find yourself becoming used to staying in one place for a few years before setting off for the next. rinse and repeat. over and over. it's come to a point where you've witnessed the nations undergo various changes each time you visit. you know change is inevitable, and yet your heart stings each time you witness it; a testament to how the world is ever-changing, yet you're stuck in place as a bystander.

one thing you're grateful for, however, are the bonds you've established amid your back-and-forth over the centuries. from archons like zhongli and venti to long-life beings such as neuvillette and the adepti to regular mortals who have showed you kindness as if one of their own... you've grown to cherish those memories, often reminiscing them when the nights get too long and surroundings too quiet. it was difficult at first, and still is, but you've become used to the inevitable change and the passing of those you once knew.

and after 500 years, you find yourself face-to-face with one you haven't seen since before you appeared in this world; the protagonist of this world, and the one you eventually join in hopes of finally finding a means to an end, aether.

little side notes/extras:

from /our/ world, you would probably know the storyline from up to around current (5.0) or maybe a little after the fontaine aq conclusion. it gives a lot to work with, but you definitely won't remember a lot of the lore after so long other than some main events, especially since most of your knowledge is pretty irrelevant for the next 500 years,,,

i think it would be cool if you had an inteyvat on your person as a little homage of khaenri'ah, which may or may not invoke some opinions from certain characters (*cough* aether immediately being reminded of lumine and having an existential crisis *cough*)

post-cataclysm you would go through a, uhm, long phase of helplessness, wondering why you were even brought to this world so far back if you couldn't even make any contributions. it does eventually morph into a resolution to do what you can to help those you come across if it's within your capabilities, but the nightmares and helplessness come back every now and then as a reminder for what you can't do :D yippee :D

honestly i'm on the fence whether you would have a vision or some other type of abilities (think on the similar lines of aether/lumine's and dain's), but i think having some type of purification mechanic would be a must in your arsenal !! would definitely lead to some moments between you and characters like dain or zhongli who suffer from the erosion as you give them a slight reprieve from what rages within and corrodes them

a little self indulgent, but i'd like to think your first /proper/ meeting with zhongli happens during a lantern rite festival, wherein you're admiring the lanterns in the sky after making a wish of your own and he comes up from behind with "they're beautiful, wouldn't you say so?" and !!

also as for love interests, as much as i would love for human/mortal characters, a part of me feels like this story would be better suited for the immortal/long-life characters as love interests?? idk i feel like considering that 500 years is, well, a long time, the bonds you would have with them compared to characters like, say, alhaitham or diluc would be way too different ?? though i would definitely still add them as love interest bc i am a sucker for so many of the human characters ;w; it would also add to the angst and hurt/comfort ahahha...

anyway thank you for reading this massive brain dump of a fic bc i absolutely would put this as a long term project, and if u made it this far then i would like to say that dain solos—

[inanthesis]

anonymous : Zhongli, if you could go back in time to not make the same mistakes you did with Neuvillette, even if it meant you'd lose what you have with Childe, would you still do it and go back?

"If a mistake was all that came between myself and Monsieur Neuvillette, such a thing could have been remedied without centuries having passed since our parting. No God, Dragon, or any being in the whole of Teyvat and beyond is perfect, mistakes are simply a part of living, but that which has Neuvillette upset with me to this day is something that was unavoidable." The old god would sigh, the burden of this knowledge still weighing heavily despite all of the time that has passed. He has been able to move on, he is content in his current relationship, but it was a true shame there simply was no choice in the matter when it came to Neuvillette.

The simple and unfortunate fact of the hierarchy of this world was that no one being can go against the will of Celestia, not even himself in his prime.

"Whether or not the future holds a chance for us to reconcile is uncertain, but for the moment... I do believe we have both found lives we are content with and company which we can cherish."

[inanthesis]

"I highly appreciate your preparedness for entering the world of Liyuen gastronomy, most likely would not consider studying the ways of locals in that particular area, but it is perfectly alright with me that you would avoid certain foods. To have preferences is natural, and even I avoid nearly an entire style of cuisine due to my own despite my appreciation for all of the work which goes into preparing any dish." Zhongli began to explain, smiling and bowing his head politely as a pot of tea was brought to their table and taking it upon himself to pour them each a cup.

"Personally, I am quite averse to seafood. The thought of ingesting those slippery, slimy creatures-..." He trailed off with a frown, quickly shaking his head of the intrusive line of thought. "If the fish happens to be chopped finely enough so that I cannot detect the texture and it lacks that particular fishy scent I can stomach it, but otherwise I would far prefer other options such as chicken, pork, or even tofu and outright refuse to even look at anything involving tentacles."

Even with the man's admission, Kaveh couldn't really see Zhongli being so set in his ways. "But your words prove you're able to bend a bit. I think that matters more, and definitely puts you in a different league from those old men."

A quick thank you is said as he takes a seat. The talk of food did make him a little anxious. As he had researched, some Liyue's best known foods were spicy. Spicy food and Kaveh's stomach didn't mix very well. Perhaps he was an old fart as well. In his own way. With a somewhat pained smile he speaks. "Truthfully I can't handle spicy foods. But don't worry about chopsticks! I've practiced." Now that he could be proud of. 

His stomach was weak but not his fingers. Kaveh practiced weeks before taking the trip over to master the utensils. He wasn't anywhere near a local's level but the architect felt he was capable of feeding himself with them. "I should've said something sooner though. You'd think since I'm from Sumeru I'd be accustomed to our spices and be able to eat it just fine."

A soft, embarrassed laugh leaves his lips. "Instead I eat like a child's never gotten over his picky eater phase. I hope it doesn't discourage you from eating with me."

[hoyoconfessions]

the only reason zhongxiao is considered “problematic” is because xiao is short istg, i was gonna send a confession about them until i realized they’re literally one of the least toxic dynamics in this game besides the literal fluff ships

“they’re father-son coded” WHAT does that mean, if they had the same model everything “fatherly” about zhongli would suddenly be queercoding

“it’s slave x master!” i hate this excuse because its proof people who hate it dont read either of their lores, because zhongli was the one to kill xiao’s old master and free him which is the whole reason xiao admires him so much

“xiao’s not interested in dating!” this could be said about all xiao ships, but it’s specifically NOT true in this case because the only two people xiao openly favors and shows admiration for are traveller and zhongli/morax, those are legit the ONLY times he shows interest in someone enough for it to be considered shipbait

this was my rant about the unwarranted hate towards zhongxiao, i’ll go now before i get started on the unwarranted hate towards shenyu/ganhe

[osmanthus-wine-addiction]

23 Voyeurism

Zhongli x Reader / NSFW / Modern AU / Reader is a camgirl / Consensual Voyeurism and Exhibitionism / Zhongli is reader's landlord and sort of her roommate / Power imbalance / Ambiguous age gap / Emotional avoidance and fear of attachment / Mentions of manipulation, blackmail, and parasocial dynamics / Don't worry, it's sweet at the end! / Word count 12K

You would've noticed someone standing at your door had you been less occupied with your chat. When you finally turned at the knock on your door, your eyes landed on the unexpected face of your landlord, whom you hadn't seen in almost half a year. Your heart might as well have stopped.

"Ahem… I did not mean to intrude." A deep voice pierced the silence.

Your chat went crazy. How could it not? The expression on your face changed three times in the span of a second. First was pleasant surprise, then panic, finally settling on a furious blush. Your chat was going a million miles an hour, demanding to know who had interrupted your stream. Wild guesses were thrown around. Some were close, others way off. Nobody got it right.

"Perhaps it would be best if you closed your door." The man at your doorway reminds you.

"Thanks. Can you please shut it for me?" You asked sheepishly.

The door clicked and you tried to resume the stream, but no matter what you tried, you were unable to get back into the right state of mind. Zhongli's sudden appearance had completely thrown you off your boat. All you could think about was him now.

You bit your lip in frustration as Zhongli's devastatingly handsome face resurfaced in your mind. When you first met your landlord in person, you instantly developed a crush on him. With the eloquent way he talked, you had expected someone well put together, but you didn't expect him to be this good-looking. It was just a pity he only graced your eyes once every few months, each stay limited to a fleeting week or so. He came and went, leaving you both thankful and disappointed. He would usually send you a short notice by text just before he lands, but you were streaming today and had been ignoring all your calls and messages.

You end the stream and drag your anxious self out of your room. To your horror, Zhongli steps out of his own room at the same time. His hair was still slightly wet, indicating he had just taken a shower. You awkwardly follow him into the living room, taking a seat as he fetches a pot of tea that had been brewing. He set down two cups and filled them, one for you and one for himself. Finally, he lowers himself into the adjacent seat, amber eyes falling on your flustered face while crossing his legs elegantly. He raised his cup to his lips, taking an unhurried sip. You felt like you had returned to your highschool days, sitting in the dean's office.

Zhongli was significantly older than you, so even if he doesn't intentionally intimidate you, you felt small in his presence. It didn't help that he had accidentally witnessed you doing such a scandalous act. The memory would probably scar him forever if you did not alleviate the tension right away.

"I'm sorry you had to see that!" You said all in one breath.

"Are you perhaps in need of money?"

"No!" You answered too quickly. "I mean yes, I originally started doing it for the money. This place isn't exactly cheap haha…" You laughed nervously. "I'm okay now."

Working a job like yours, you wouldn't normally be able to afford to rent a place like this alone, especially not with the rampant price hikes in the market right now. It was perfect, close to your workplace and located in a safe, guarded community. Best of all, your only roommate, who also happened to be the owner of the property, was never around. He only needed to keep one of the two rooms locked for when he happened to be in the city during business trips. To say you got used to his absence was an understatement. You often left doors wide open and walked around the house half-naked. Only during his brief stays did you behave yourself and keep up some semblance of decency.

"I apologize if I came off judgemental. That was not my intention. What you do to earn a living is not my concern, as long as you don't miss any of your monthly payments."

"So I'm not going to get evicted?"

Zhongli chuckled. "I do not believe you are breaching any of the terms stipulated in our lease, so why would you be?"

You let out a breath of relief.

"So how long have you been home?" You asked, not realizing how the question could imply other things.

He cleared his throat. "Half an hour."

Your eyes widened as a flush rose in your cheeks. He definitely heard more than he could stomach, or he wouldn't have come knocking.

If it weren't for your voice, he might've thought there was a stranger in his house. All those flirtatious interactions with your chat was a persona you put on for the camera. The person you presented yourself as was much bolder than how you were in real life, how Zhongli remembers you. You imagined how shocked he was, standing in front of your bedroom door, catching you shamelessly touching yourself while entertaining your audience. How long did he endure the sounds coming from your room before he got up to see what you were up to? Just how long had he been standing in front of your open door before he knocked?

Did he perhaps get a bit excited watching you entertain your thirsty viewers? Was that why he had to go get a shower? The poor gentleman. Maybe if it were anyone else, you'd take offense if they peeped, but him? If he gave you the chance to show him, you'd try to make all of his closeted fantasies come true too, no tips required.

You couldn't help but let your eyes wander. Zhongli had on a simple buttoned shirt and a pair of slacks. With that handsome face, tall frame, and lithe body, he was already blessed in looks, but now you wondered if he was well endowed down there too. How could you not?

"I…I don't mind that you saw me. It was my fault for forgetting to close the door. Tell me if there's anything I can do to make things more comfortable while you're here. I only stream three days a week and for about two hours a time, but I can always adjust that if you need me to be quiet while you work. If you want, I can give you my schedule." You rambled on, unaware of how your words seem to encourage him to be present for those times rather than avoid them.

Zhongli smiled appreciatively at your efforts to accommodate him. This was not the first time he had seen you frazzled. The more flustered you were, the more you talked. The thought conjured up another sinful image in his head. He imagined you trying to talk, blabbering incoherently in between moans as he fingered your dripping cunt. How adorable would you look, spread out underneath him as he teased you?

Your sweet moans and sighs were what had drawn him to your door, but the pretty flush of your skin and the tantalizing curves of your naked body was what had rooted him there, staring like some depraved creep. He was not proud of his lapse in self-control, but at that moment, he was no different from anyone in your audience.

You sounded so eager to please, working so hard to satisfy those needy viewers of yours, but at the same time so overcome with need yourself. He felt sorry for you, but he had to reign in his presumptions. If you didn't enjoy the attention, you wouldn't have been so engrossed that you failed to notice him at your door earlier. How lucky it must be to be one of your viewers, to be able to see you up front and center, to be addressed so affectionately while you pleasured yourself to their demands.

"I would love to know your schedule." Zhongli's voice was deep and velvety as always. There was a heavy tinge of suggestiveness though, his reply twisting your words into an invitation that he was simply responding to.

Your face burned as you blurted out your schedule. In your head, it certainly sounds like you were now making plans for him to join you next stream.

Zhongli made a mental note of the hours you mentioned. He had no business to attend to during those times, so he would undoubtedly be home. There was no need to deliberately leave his own house just to avoid your streaming schedule. He was not some unrestrained teenager who couldn't handle a bit of temptation. Perhaps with repeated exposure, the both of you would find some way of dealing with the blushing elephant in the room.

"How is work treating you lately?" He asked you, genuine care emanating from his voice.

"I'm surviving." You replied vaguely at first, but realized that he's probably asking because he thinks you're struggling to come up with rent. "They gave me a small raise when I got promoted so I don't need to rely on this side hustle as much."

"That's wonderful." He nodded, his guilt dissipating a bit at your words.

If he had known just how much financial strain you were in, he would've kept the rent the same as the previous year when you renewed the lease with him. He doubted your family and friends knew what you did to make ends meet. As your landlord, he was directly responsible for the additional sum that lead you to take on this extra work. Perhaps you learned to derive some form of joy from it, but if the demand for money were not there, would you have even considered it?

"I have a proposal for you, one that you may very well refuse if it toes your boundaries too much. This is simply something I'm offering as an addition to what you're already doing, a means to lessen your financial burdens if you will." Zhongli begins, stern eyes locking with your curious ones. He sounded so pragmatic, it was like he was ready to whip out a printed contract and have you sign it right then and there.

"Let's hear it."

Zhongli was not someone who relished in squeezing every last drop of interest out of others simply because he could. As high as prices were in this neighborhood, the room you rented from him was a steal for all the perks included. You smiled, trusting him to come up with something that made sense and benefited both parties simultaneously.

"Allow me to sit in while you stream and I will pay you a fixed sum which I can either issue to you as a bank deposit or deduct from your payment this month. I will not speak nor make demands of you. Neither will I touch you or interact with you in any physical capacity as that would disrupt your work. Merely treat me as if I am not there. I will refrain from making any inappropriate actions without your explicit consent, including touching myself. If it comes to that, I will leave the room so as to not affect you."

Your brow went up, mostly from shock but also from pleasant surprise. His proposal was almost too good to be true. Sure, it was a bit out of your comfort, having a living breathing spectator in the room while you cam, but something about that person being Zhongli specifically made your heart race. An image of him sitting in that armchair at the corner of your room that was just out of your camera's frame surfaced in your mind. If it were someone else proposing this, you'd shoot them down immediately.

Drawing in a deep breath to give the impression of hesitation, you held his gaze. Inside, you had already made up your mind. He was giving you a blatant chance to seduce him, clueless to the unholy thoughts he effortlessly plants into your head. It was your chance to show him what he had gotten himself into, reel him in with your well-practiced charm and charisma, or fail miserably and end up begging him to fuck you instead. Would it really be a loss? Dignity be damned, at least you'll have crossed one thing off your do-or-die-regretting list. He just didn't know it yet and you were determined to keep that mask on until it melts off your face from the heat.

"How much exactly and how long?"

"However much you usually charge for private sessions. Are they usually priced by bid?" He asked you, obviously unfamiliar with the unspoken rules of the trade. "As for the duration of this proposal, I will only be here for two weeks this time, so we can set it to that."

You nodded. "My price differs from stream to stream. Sometimes it's a few hundred and sometimes it's a few thousand depending on the length of the call. It's not really comparable since I'm not actively interacting with you."

"I see." He stroked his chin in thought. "How about this instead."

He quickly calculated the difference between your monthly rent before and after the lease renewal, rounded it up and presented it to you. Six sessions total, it would help you out immensely in the next few months he'd be gone and he receives a front row seat to an indulgent performance that all your viewers would probably kill for.

"That works…" You agreed, voice going soft like a whisper as you wrapped your head around the fact that he'd be watching you the next time you streamed. "The price is a bit higher than I expected. I can throw in another perk for you."

Zhongli chuckled, smiling at how considerate you were being with him. He wondered if this was how you treated all your viewers who tipped you. Seeing how hard you pushed yourself earlier, he hoped the earnings you made were at least proportional to the demands you received, or else he would be inclined to sponsor you himself and save you from all the trouble dealing with hordes of entitled men who didn't even bother to pay you well for bending over backwards. He could easily imagine what kinds of disrespect you must tolerate everytime you streamed, needy viewers ordering you around like they owned you just because they tipped, the thoughts tugged at his protective nature. It was silly, he knew. You weren't some damsel crying for his help, so it was unwarranted of him to feel the need to shield you from that imagined harm.

Perhaps it had been too long since he had last been in a relationship. Why he was feeling these sentiments towards you, his tenant of all people? He had always found you attractive, drawn in by your subtle charms rather than your physical looks, but now his mind could no longer hold off those more illicit forms of admiration. Was it simply just the sight of you streaming earlier? Things had changed in that instant, like the ringing strike of a hammer against a chisel, cracking the smooth surface of the rock. He could no longer go back. The wall that stood between the two of you had already crumbled.

"You're not going to ask what that perk is?"

"I'm sure it would be worthwhile." Zhongli smiled.

"How about I let you pick out what I'm going to wear on stream? Unless someone tips and overrides it, of course. I have to honor tip redemptions…" You thought aloud.

"I look forward to perusing your wardrobe when the time comes."

"It's settled then?" You asked.

He nodded, smiling fondly at you. "I'll leave you be now. There's still some unpacking to be done." He excused himself, dragging his suitcase into his room with him.

That suitcase had been sitting in the living room this whole time, as if reminding you that he would only be here for a while before disappearing from your life yet again. Perhaps that was why you should keep your distance from him, especially your heart. It was fine being attracted to Zhongli, but anything deeper would be emotional recklessness. You'd be no more than a fling if things got out of hand, even if he never struck you as a player. It was just the inevitability of his departure, like clockwork every time. You knew better, at least that's what you wanted to believe.

When the next stream day came around, you sat at your desk adjusting your mic and lighting. You even printed out a silly little sign to place on the armchair in the corner. It read 'VIP GUEST' in big bold letters. Soon enough, you heard a soft knock on your door. Your special viewer arrived. He had just gotten home from lunch with his client. You had to admit, Zhongli looked absolutely ravishable in formal wear. Your thoughts drained down a predictable gutter. How satisfying would it be to remove all those layers one by one? Would he start tugging them off if you managed to get him hot and bothered enough? Alas, you were the one stripping for the camera, not him.

Zhongli took a seat in the chair, an amused smile on his lips as he picked up the place card. You went off to gather your outfit candidates for the stream. As promised, this was his choice to make.

"This one, this one, or this one for the lingerie?" You asked, holding them up against your chest in succession. "I'll be honest, sometimes my choices are misses rather than hits. Maybe your taste aligns better with my chat's."

"Is that so?" His brow raised in surprise. "Let's go with this one today, but I can imagine you'd look lovely in all three."

"I want to try different styles, but I think the majority of my viewers prefer a consistent look. I can tell with the viewer count and tips."

"Hmm…" He leaned back and stroked his chin in contemplation. "Perhaps there's an element of successful branding working against you in this. Once consumers of a product come to expect a certain thing from you, it would be hard to branch out. Straying from what's already been established can certainly be met with repulsion."

"Well, if they don't appreciate your taste, I guess they're out of luck." You laughed, putting away the two sets that were passed up.

Even though Zhongli had technically seen you naked already, you didn't want to kill the suspense by stripping and changing into the lingerie right in front of him.

Every stream, you had to dangle yourself like a carrot in front of viewers, drag it out until the tips start pouring in. You had it down to an art, teasing and toying with their imagination, making them work just as hard for their own satisfaction as you did for their wallets. It was a twisted game you played with your admirers, because you were simultaneously the prey and the predator. You fed them exactly what they wanted, but they only wanted what they can't easily get. They wanted to toy with you, make you jump through hoops for them, roll over and beg for treats like a circus animal, but if you catered to their every whim, the magic is instantly lost. They enjoyed competing over you, having you fluster over their shows of dedication as they out-tip each other for your attention. Sometimes you felt like an inanimate bystander, as if you were a covetted painting at an auction. Other times, you were the knockoff purse laying on a dirty tarp at a flea market. It all depended on how much these disembodied usernames were willing to throw at you. Even as your numbers climbed and the algorithm pushed you in front of more and more viewers, you never forgot how awful it felt to be the latter. It reminded you every stream to not lose yourself to the illusion of being that painting. You could go from one to the other at the blink of a viewer's eye.

It was just for the money, you tell yourself. You had to do what you had to do to keep this roof over your own head. It worked out in your favor and you didn't have to pack your bags even after the market phased this place out of your budget.

For the longest time, you had nobody to rely on but yourself. You couldn't reach out and ask your parents for money. They were already struggling to make ends meet themselves and never once asked you for help. You couldn't ask your friends for money, because you hated to taint your relationships with such worldly troubles. They gave you all the emotional support you could ever ask for so you could have the strength to deal with these pesky problems.

When Zhongli asked you if you were in need of money, your knee-jerk response was to deny it, but the relationship between the two of you was transactional to begin with, so you accepted his proposal without much hesitation.

As you greeted your excited chat, you couldn't help but steal a glance at him. How did things evolve into this strange arrangement? It feels like an absurd fever dream. Blaring alarms and obnoxious carnival music went off in your head. Buried underneath all that commotion was your own heartbeat, racing with anticipation.

Were you a friend to Zhongli? You didn't know him well enough, at least you didn't think so. Was he just your landlord? Not quite, since he was also your roommate from time to time and he definitely cared more for you than the usual landlord does their tenant. Could you trust him? It probably wasn't wise to since you weren't in the sanest mindset. He could easily turn this situation into blackmail and demand things you didn't initially agree on from you. Wasn't that how it usually goes down?

Too much hinged on Zhongli's character and you weren't dumb enough to expect altruism from him. He was a businessman and money flows where there is plenty of shade. Opportunists would always try to turn a profit at every chance. Could you really expect him to be the sole exception?

What does he gain from this exactly? You get money from him, a very practical thing. He doesn't even get to talk to you during your live, something that you indulged your viewers in for the entire duration of the stream. If he were an exhibitionist, maybe whipping out his cock and having you react to it would stroke his ego, but he explicitly cut out all possibility of that.

Your chat was starting to get impatient. An entire hour had passed and that lingerie set that Zhongli picked had not yet made an appearance. The viewer count fluctuated, but it didn't faze you. Your tip bar was the true indicator of how thirsty your viewers were. Once they started trickling in, you knew it was time to start the actual stream. All of the friendly banter was just a lengthy intro.

"Truth or Bare? You guys are really nosy today, aren't you?" You read the redeem that had just popped up on the screen.

The questions started rolling in, each one attached to a tip. A timer went off and you read the highest tipper's question aloud.

"Am I a virgin?" You sighed. The amount of times you had gotten this question was exhausting. You had to fight the urge to roll your eyes and pull on a puppy dog face instead. "How many times do I have to tell you guys? That question will never be answered. Unless you already know that and just want me to take something off…"

Your hand reached up to tug at your hair tie. This was a popular strip game you played with your viewers. It doesn't end until you're completely naked, so you always prepared for it. Jewelry and hair accessories counted, but you tried not to be too overt with it. You would always get a flood of compliments when you let your hair down, so starting the stream with your hair up created a little something for your viewers to look forward to, an appetizer of sorts.

"Am I single?" You read the next highest bidder's question after the timer went off again.

It was one of your regulars, who obviously already knew the answer to that question.

"I know you're just trying to give me an easy pass, so thanks."

Someone brought up the voice that interrupted you last stream and consequently ended it. Apparently your chat were not goldfishes, to your detriment. Once one person bit, they were all biting, all wanting answers. You watched in horror as your chat became consumed with theories again.

"I'm not lying! He's not my sugar daddy either okay? I'm not into that."

You had to fight the urge to turn and look at Zhongli, who you knew could hear every word that comes out of your lips.

"No, for the last time, I don't have a boyfriend. If you're so curious, you can bid for the next question."

You quickly shut down the overflowing questions before they got out of hand. Your mods also began timing people out for being annoying. The game went on.

"Do I like being eaten out?" You scrunched your nose. "I want to say it depends on the person and if they're good at it, but would you really say no to a blowjob? Not everyone has a giant cock, but everyone can eat pussy well. They just need to be willing to learn. If they're willing to do it, I think I'll enjoy it. Now if they're confident about it…" You giggled at the thought. "That's hot."

Who were you kidding? Everyone apparently. You talked as if you've sampled peak oral before and had a wealth of experience to draw from. In reality, you probably had as much as the dude in your chat who asked that question. It was all about the bluff.

"Pain tolerance?" You read the next tip winner's question after the timer went off. "I'm a chicken. No pain, at all. I'll bite you if you make it hurt. I like the gentle ones."

You received a few questions here and there that you refused to answer, so after removing your necklace, earrings, and socks, you finally had to take off some actual clothes. Your chat was high as a kite and the viewer count shot up.

"What was my first guy like? As in boyfriend, or like the first guy that managed to get me naked?" You tapped your chin as if you were really going to answer the question.

It could just be another angle at the first question you started the game off with, but you wanted to get confirmation first since the asker tipped quite a lot to win the bid. A sigh left your chest when it turned out your suspicions were right.

"That's for me know and for you to keep wondering." You tried to be sweet about it, giving the camera a wink. "Since you were so generous with the tip, you can decide if you want me to take off my shirt or my shorts."

You got your answer, shorts. Getting up off the bed, you stood up to unbutton the denim shorts you had on, making sure everything was in frame. Slowly, you unzipped it, making a little twirl for the camera before taking it off. At the corner of your eyes, you caught Zhongli with a smile on his lips, jaw resting against his hand. His posture was relaxed, legs crossed elegantly as if he were admiring something much more demure. The way he was looking at you made you feel like a ballerina on stage as opposed to a streamer playing a stripping game with her chat.

The next question was an easy one, but the one after, you couldn't answer. You grabbed the bottom of your shirt and pulled it over your head, removing it in one fluid movement. Finally, you were in just your underwear.

Zhongli's eyes raked over your figure, smooth skin adorned in nothing but a few pieces of lacy fabric. The color suited you, contrasted nicely against your skin, just as he envisioned when you had him choose between the three sets. He could only see you from an angle, the best view reserved for your viewers. You couldn't even meet his eyes, but he enjoyed the discretion, being able to take you in as he pleased, watching you smile and laugh without sparing him a single glance.

You got up to grab something from your desk, finally rewarding his patience with a view that your entire chat had already been spoiled with. It was a fleeting glimpse, but it was enough to satiate that growing itch. You posessed an undeniably tantalizing figure, one that he never had the chance to properly admire until now. Watching that adorable, unassuming shell of yours stripped all the way down to lingerie like this was a delightful treat.

Last time, Zhongli had walked in on a stranger with your face and voice. This time, he saw your transformation. He could never have imagined you in this way before. Ever since two days ago, he could not get that racy image out of his mind. Those two conflicting versions of you overlapping in his mind did something to his body.

He was not the only one whose attention you commanded, cock straining against the fabric of his pants. Countless nameless, faceless strangers were also lusting after you, some he could imagine already desperately stroking themselves at the sight of your pretty tits encased in lace.

More questions came. You reached behind your back to unhook your bra. Zhongli drew in a breath. The lacy garment was discarded on your bed. Next went your panties, which you took your time removing. You climbed off the bed, getting up close to the camera so that it could capture what you needed it to. As requested by your chat, you did a spin, catching Zhongli's eyes as you turned your back to the screen. A flush rose in your cheeks as he drank in the view, caressing your luscious mounds from afar with nothing more than his smoldering gaze. His amber eyes seemed to melt you with their intensity as they glided down your body, settling on the remaining piece of fabric. No words were exchanged as agreed, but you didn't need them. Your fingers hooked underneath the waistband, sliding your panties over your hips.

You broke eye contact, turning to face the camera again, but then immediately bent over to pick up the lace garment dangling around your ankles. Zhongli shifted in his chair, fingers sinking into the plush armrest. His bulge was painfully visible now.

You had just presented your VIP guest with a gratuitous view of your unadorned ass, before all your other viewers. Were you feeling sorry for making him wait until last? He could tell it was intentional. His mind was instantly clouded by wanton thoughts of squeezing and groping those soft globes, perhaps adding a pink handprint or two to them even. Had you always been this cheeky?

At last, thoughts were only thoughts. He couldn't act on them. The tie around his neck was starting to feel tight, so he tugged it loose and unfastened the first two buttons. It helped, but only barely. This was all the relief he'd be getting while sitting in your room. Touching himself was strictly against the terms laid down.

You began playing with your tits, probably a request by your chat. Even from the side, he could see the way they almost spilled between your fingers as you kneaded them. Your lips parted to let out soft moans as you pinched and rolled your nipples between your fingers. The sweet sounds sent shivers down his spine. His cock twitched as you let out another moan, this time louder. One of your hands were now buried between your legs while the other continued massaging you breast. Zhongli couldn't see what you were doing, but he could imagine it. Your finger sunk between your pink folds, stroking your sensitive walls as your lips parted to let out those wispy moans. Your camera gave everyone in your stream an indulgent view of your pussy, getting wetter and messier everytime you pulled your slick-coated finger out. One finger was hardly enough, so you added another, fingertips curling and dragging along your sensitive walls. The moans drifting from your lips turned into soft whines, then whimpers. The expression on your face must be divine, if only he could see it. That was reserved for your stream.

He watched as you reached for the object you had grabbed from your desk earlier, a toy apparently. He couldn't tell what it was initially, because it didn't look like one at first glance. He had to admit, it was rather tastefully designed, discreet like you were. You pulled off the cap, holding the silicone tip flush against your dripping heat. You pressed the button and the vibrations started, immediately making you jolt with pleasure. Gently, you pushed it in.

Zhongli's clenched his fist, adverting his gaze. Your decadent moans still reached his ears, causing his breath to grow shallow. His jaw was taunt, muscles tensed. You sounded almost tortured, probably looked the part too. Your camera captured everything, but he could only imagine your pretty face, contorted with ecstasy as you chased your orgasm. His cock was so unbearably hard, the leaking tip dug into the seams of his dress pants.

You came undone, walls fluttering around the toy as your orgasm finally came and swept you away. Sweat coated your neck and your chest heaved, heart still racing as the ripples subsided. You laid there, back against your sheets and legs parted so that the camera could catch the mess you made of yourself. When your senses returned, you glanced over at the corner of the room where your armchair sat. It was now empty. You didn't even notice when Zhongli had gotten up and left the room.

After cleaning yourself up and winding down with your chat, you finally ended the stream. Everybody got what they showed up for, but at the same time nobody was satisfied. You managed to get yourself off, but what about Zhongli? If he was fine, he wouldn't have walked off before the stream ended. Did you really manage to make him lose his patience?

Zhongli had no doubt gone to take a shower. You could hear the water hitting the bathroom tiles from the hallway. You wondered what he thought about the arrangement now that he had a taste of it. What could be going through his mind right now? Would he still want to continue?

You didn't get to see the state he was in before he left. Did he leave because he got uncomfortable, or did he get that turned on? The possibility of it being the latter gave you an unexpected headache. This was technically his proposal. If he couldn't handle the very terms he came up with, he'd have to persuade you to loosen them up. While your rational side would shoot that thought down immediately, your impulsive side welcomed it too eagerly.

You liked this house a lot, but nobody could deny you had the hots for its owner too. If you sleep with him, chances were, you'd probably have to leave as soon as your lease ends. There's just no way you're getting into a relationship with your landlord, especially one that involves a lot of fucking around and not much of anything else. He'd be leaving in less than two weeks, leaving you scrambling to make sense of whatever loose ends he leaves in his wake. Repeat that every time he comes back and any sane person would become an emotional wreck. You wanted to fuck him badly, but it would literally ruin your life if you did. There's no way you'd let those intrusive thoughts be anything more than a self-indulgent joke.

When you joined Zhongli in the living room later that evening, the two of you pretended nothing ever happened. Nobody brought it up like the two of you had mutually decided to get amnesia about those two hours in your room today. You asked him if he was hungry. He offered to cook so you let him.

An amused smile crept into your lips as you rested your arms on the backrest of the couch, watching Zhongli chop and dice vegetables. This was pretty much your house, since he was only around a couple weeks in the year. The apron around his neck was yours, but you couldn't help but find it adorable on him too, in a mismatched way. This was not the first time he's cooked for you. You were already aware that he was a good cook when you first moved in. He had treated you to a homecooked meal, complete with soup and side dishes.

If your mom found out you know a handsome, single guy who cooks good food, she'd order you to seduce him and lock him down. If she knew he owned the house you lived in, she'd already be banging down your door. You couldn't possibly tell her.

Zhongli was the kind of gentleman old people always want to introduce their daughters and granddaughters to. Honestly, it could all just be a front. You can't exactly say you knew him well enough to vouch for him. All you really know about him was that he's unmarried, owns the house you live in, does business all over Liyue, is a good cook, loves reading, hates seafood, gets along with birds and little animals, and is very old-fashioned when it comes to certain things.

You only go into Zhongli's room once in a while to help him dust off his shelves when he's gone. As curious as you are about him, you respected him way too much to go snooping around. Likewise, he doesn't overstep boundaries and seemed to operate on a strict set of self-inflicted rules, on top of being away for most of the year, so you never really had to deal with the usual roommate drama that your coworkers always seem to be complaining about. Life was good, aside from the rising rent, but that wasn't really Zhongli's fault. Was it too much to wish for life to go on like this forever?

Once dinner was ready, you helped set the table and sat down opposite of him. It always felt more like a home when Zhongli was around. You ate alone most of the time, consuming mostly takeout on workdays whenever you didn't have the time nor energy to cook yourself a decent meal.

"This reminds me of my mom's bamboo shoot soup."

Zhongli chuckles. "Perhaps there's similarities in our recipes."

"It's not really the taste." You shook your head.

"I see. It must be nostalgia then."

"Yes! I swear, there's a taste to it." You beamed at him while enthusiastically helping yourself to the yummy stuff.

There's nothing quite like the satisfaction you feel when the person you're talking to puts what you're struggling to say into words.

"You should invite her to come visit you."

"She's too comfortable in Qingce Village. The big city isn't for her. She says all the honking cars give her a headache."

Besides, it wasn't like this was your house. You just rent a room in it. Where would she sleep and keep the mountain of stuff she'd most likely show up with? Better to pay her a visit when you get time off from work than have her visit you.

"A pity. It would be nice to meet her."

"Zhongli!" You almost spat out the mouthful of soup in your mouth. "You can't say things like that! I know you're good with the old ladies, but if my mom sees you, she'll think we're an item."

"Hmm…" He hummed, his expression unreadable. "You could just tell her the truth. Surely she can't be as unreasonable as you say."

"You don't know her like I do. I'm just protecting you." You said with a full chest.

He laughed heartily, his amusement infecting you and causing you to break out in laughter as well. Since you had just swallowed a spoonful of soup, it went down the wrong pipe. You coughed repeatedly while Zhongli got up to get you tissues and pat your back.

"There there. I should not have laughed." He said while patting your lips dry with a napkin. You tried to snatch it from him but failed.

"You know, I wouldn't get nostalgia from your cooking if you're just around more. It's been too long since I've had soup this good."

"Would you mind if I stayed?" Zhongli asked you.

Your brow went up as you glanced over at him.

"This is your house, Zhongli, not mines. Why are you asking me? You can stay for as long as you want." You said with a laugh, obviously not following his train of thought.

Zhongli's sighed, amber eyes studying your face. Were you really this oblivious or were you just pretending to not understand his intentions?

"Would you like for me to stay?"

You froze upon hearing Zhongli repeat the question. Something was off about the way he worded it this time. Why does it sound so… suggestive? Like something a one-night-stand would only ask if they were entertaining the possibility of becoming something more. You swallowed, face heating up all of a sudden. Were you overthinking? The last time you checked, you haven't slept with Zhongli yet. Why was he talking like the two of you have already crossed some invisible line?

"If I say yes, could you?" You asked cautiously.

"I can make it happen, if that's what you want." He replied, equally as carefully.

"Then stay."

As soon as you let those two words roll off your tongue, you held your breath. Your heart felt like it was going to burst with how hard and fast it was beating.

A glimmer of something faint in his eyes grew brighter the instant your words met his ear. It almost gave you the impression that he had been waiting to hear them.

"I will make arrangements to extend my stay here for another two weeks."

"Wait!" You quickly blurted before your head grew so big and light, it floats away. "You're really going to stay longer, just for me?"

You pinched yourself underneath the table. Nope, this wasn't you hallucinating or daydreaming. On the surface, you were all smiles, but inside, you were a nervous pile of knots.

He nodded, a reassuring smile on his lips. "My calendar is more flexible than you may think. Another two weeks will not disrupt my work."

Zhongli explained to you once that an operating partner was just a fancy title for a business consultant. He spends anywhere from weeks to a month in a single place, monitoring various companies he's contracted with. From what he just disclosed, apparently it was entirely up to him to decide how much time to allocate to each venture he oversees. Most of the correspondence, reports and whatnot, could be done without his physical presence. He did not even require an office, but a place to stay was still needed. The house you lived in served as one of his many footholds. You wondered if he had tenants renting his other properties. Did he treat them all to slow-cooked bamboo shoot soup, or were you the only one with that perk?

You were still reeling from the fact that Zhongli had just rearranged his entire schedule this month, all because you told him you wanted to see him around more often. Since when did you hold so much influence over him? Even if your viewers regularly shower you with attention, you never let their thirst get to your head. Likewise, you had always kept a conscious distance from your landlord, as irresistible as you found him.

Now that you think about it, Zhongli certainly seemed to be the one making any effort to bridge this deliberate gap you had put in place. He was always sharing interesting stories about the places he's been and bringing you little souvenirs. You've always found him to be odd in that regard. Most landlords wouldn't even bother to get to know their tenants, since the only thing that truly mattered was getting paid on time. Getting too acquainted opened up the possibility of exceptions to that, which Zhongli had already shown he did not mind when it comes to you. You had paid your rent late multiple times in the past. He never threatened to evict you nor did you receive any stern warnings from him. It's almost like it was an afterthought to him. Still, the transactional premise of your relationship always managed to hold a firm grip on you. Now, that grip was slipping and so was your rationality.

The next streaming day, Zhongli took his seat on your armchair while you set up your equipment. Like before, you let him pick your outfit. There was something so undeniably wrong with this whole situation, this debauched contract that you had somehow agreed to. So many alarms should be going off, but they were all muted.

This was something you would never have seen yourself agreeing to when you first signed that lease with him. It was bizarre beyond anything you had the audacity to imagine. This was someone whose belongings you wouldn't even dare peek into while he was away. This someone was now watching you shamelessly touch yourself in front of a camera.

You tried your best to ignore how Zhongli's mere presence in the room affected you. Even if he didn't say a word, you couldn't help the tingle that ghosts over your skin everytime you catch his gaze. Did he find the sight of you in the bra and panties he chose arousing? When your hands glide over your skin, carressing your body, does he wish they were his instead?

Like the last time, you see him get up and leave. He doesn't make eye contact and you try to act natural in front of the camera even though your mind was no longer in the room with your chat. Slick dripped down your thigh, mixing with the lubricant you had coated your toy with. You bit your lip, riding the pitiful thing, whimpers and sealed moans captured by your microphone.

This time, you managed to catch a glimpse of Zhongli as he stood up. You got an answer to that burning question that had been eating you up inside since the last stream. The tent in his pants ruined his facade. It told you everything you had been dying to know.

You ended the live shortly, mind filled to the brim with Zhongli. So this attraction you've always felt was not unique to you anymore. Do you pretend you don't know how hard you could make him, ignore how badly he wants to fuck you after seeing you touch yourself?

Unlike the last two streams, there was no sound of water coming from his room. You imagined Zhongli barely making it to the privacy of his own room without yanking his belt off. What if he couldn't hold himself back, instead giving into the impulse? You envisioned him palming himself desperately to the thought of you, thighs clenching at the self-indulgent images clouding your mind.

"Zhongli?" Your voice drifted through the gap, barely above a whisper.

Despite your better judgement, you pushed the door open some more. It was dimmed inside so you couldn't make out where Zhongli was.

Had he been in so much of a hurry, he forgot to close it, or did he leave his door open like this on purpose? Suddenly, the door flung open all the way. Your eyes shot upward, meeting Zhongli's as he came to the door.

"You ought to get some rest, dear. What are you doing here instead?" He asked you, amusement threading his voice.

"You left before I finished streaming, so I just…"

Like he asked, just what exactly are you doing here? Were you here to confront him about that raging hard-on you saw him leave your room with? Your gaze discreetly fell to his crouch. It seemed he had yet to resolve his dilemma.

The indecent thoughts running amok inside your head made for a very curious expression. His eyes swept over your face, then down your body. Upon ending the stream, you had put all your clothes back on, but under Zhongli's smoldering gaze, it was like he had you undressed again with a mere glance.

"My apologies for the sudden exit. Was there something you needed from me?" He smiled at you harmlessly, but the effects were anything but. Either he really didn't notice the blush on your face or he was pretending.

"That's what I came here to ask." You deflected, growing increasingly frustrated with his unyielding demeanor. Even with an obvious tent in his pants, this man wasn't making a single move on you. "Are you sure you want to keep playing the gentleman?"

"Ah, so you do see the affect you have on me." He chuckled.

"I'd be blind if I didn't."

"Ignorance can often be a blissful disposition. At least for you, I believe it to be so."

"Sit down." You ordered him in a tone far too intimate than what you ought to sound like with him. "I'll help you get it down."

"I assure you, there's no need to do any favors for me that are not included in our agreement." He immediately turned down your scandalous offer, a rare tremble in his voice.

"Was cooking for me and bringing me gifts part of our lease?" I asked as I took a step forward, forcing Zhongli to take a step back.

If he continued, you'd have him sitting at the edge of his bed anyways, so you just kept walking, unhurried and intentional. His body was not rejecting your offer the way his lips were. Dealing with a well-intentioned hypocrite like Zhongli, you just had to give him what he wanted and his front would crumble under the weight of his own contradicting desire.

"Ever since you saw me the first time, you've wanted me, haven't you?" You began your lewd accusations, raising your hand to his chest to prod him with a haughty finger. "You couldn't resist making that proposal, knowing exactly how inappropriate it'd be. Now look at yourself. You can barely keep it together. Sit before I change my mind and leave you high and dry."

"Hmm." He hummed, not sounding at all offended. "It seems you have me all figured out already."

Something glinted in Zhongli's eyes before he wrapped his hands around your wrist, gently tugging you into his lap as he sat down at the edge of his bed. This was what you demanded. Except why did it feel like the roles had suddenly reversed? The moment he admitted you were right and he was entirely at your mercy, Zhongli had successfully coaxed you into a false sense of control, an illusion of power.

You sucked in a sharp breath as his hardened length slotted between your legs. The fabric of his pants did little to mask the swollen girth of his cock and neither was it enough to keep the wetness clinging to your heat from seeping through.

"May I remove your clothes?" He asked, still hesitant to discard his manners. You appreciated this immensely, found it unbelievably hot. Or probably it was just him. Everything he did and said seemed to effortlessly turn you on.

His hands reached out to lift your shirt from your body as soon as you gave him permission. Then it was your skirt. You climbed off his lap to allow him to undress you. Soon, you were in nothing but the set of lingerie he had picked before your stream. His eyes raked over you form unabashed, silently marveling at how well the material and color complimented you.

"You like it, don't you? Dressing me up and stripping me down like your personal plaything…" You whispered into Zhongli's ear as you lowered yourself back into his lap. "They have no idea that you're in the room, sitting there just outside of the camera. Neither will they ever know what we're doing right now, after the stream. They can only see, but you…" You smirked at him. "I'll let you touch me if you promise to be good."

"How unfair of you. Though I'm not complaining since I do enjoy watching you pleasure yourself. What better than to inflict such sensations on you myself?" He mused, hands unapologetically gliding over your soft skin, which he had previously been unable to touch. It was as silky as the imagined it to be. He drew in a breath, taking note of your every minute reaction to his touch.

How long had he been yearning for this? He couldn't even recall anymore. Perhaps it was a good thing, being away so often. He would've been that much more tormented by your enticing presence had he been around as often as you would've liked. How he managed to keep his hands off you this entire time and his gentlemanly impression intact, he couldn't fathom, but he was glad you were finally ready to accept the possibility that he might want more from you than your monthly rent.

There was also so much more he wanted to give you, but he never found a suitable excuse, nor possessed the appropriate role to approach you in that manner. The last thing he would want was to scare you and have you scurrying off like a spooked mouse. Zhongli was your landlord afterall. By default, you had so little power. He wanted desperately to even out this imbalance, but as long as this dynamic existed, he was powerless to change anything. That was the reality of your relationship with him, until that day he came home to find you camming.

That catalytic moment had altered something within him, along with his perception of you. He suddenly found himself spiraling. The proposal, though not entirely thought out at the time he offered it to you, was a desperate attempt to ground himself again amidst the bizarre circumstances. Just when he thought he was regaining his bearings, you come into his room to offer an even more preposterous proposal, sending him on yet another unpredictable tangent. Perhaps that was what you've always been to him, an agent of chaos, but he could only welcome it, along with everything you came with.

"Zhongli…" You called out his name breathlessly. "I know you like seeing me in these, since you picked them out, but don't you—"

"Shh.. " He silenced you. "You're much too impatient, dear. If I can wait this long for you to come to me, I can spare a couple minutes to admire you in such tasteful lingerie."

You blushed at his words, failing to catch the veiled confession he slipped in due to the pink fog clouding your mind. He let out a sigh as his lips feathered along your shoulder, igniting goosebumps in his wake. Finally his fingers reached behind your back for the clasp of your bra, unhooking it. You drew in an anxious breath, knowing where his hands were going to venture next.

His fingers splayed over your breast, cupping it gently in his large hand. Soft moans drifted from your lips as he proceeded to knead it, squeezing the supple flesh between his fingers and playing with the sensitive peak.

"Can I kiss you?" You asked him, arms draping over his shoulders.

Zhongli chuckled. "I thought you didn't want to."

"You think too much." You scrunched your nose playfully, pulling him in to press your lips against his.

You couldn't blame him for assuming though. If you wanted to kiss, it would've happened before he ever asked to take off your clothes and it'd have to be initiated by you, according to his exasperating list of unspoken rules. A kiss was something he had not yet been given access to, so you'd have to lead him to it. This was something you'd gradually realize as the two of you become increasingly entangled with each other. It was not a subconscious habit, but a deliberate one. He was a patient man, you've always known this. It's just sometimes, that patience can get a little inconvenient for you.

"I don't get it." You pulled away from his lips to catch your breath.

"What is it, dear?" He asked you calmly.

It wasn't that you were unsatisfied with the kiss. You just couldn't understand why Zhongli was taking his time like this when you were mentally prepared to take all the shortcuts the moment you made the offer to get him off.

"How are you so hard, but kissing me like you can wait another hour? Don't you want to fuck me?"

He smiled, reaching up to stroke your cheek. "Well, you're already in my lap. There's no need for urgency since we both have no reservations this evening. I do in fact have an hour to spare."

"If you want to hold it in, then hold it in. As long as you don't burst before I get a chance to put it in, I won't punish you." You teased him.

He swallowed thickly. "That I can promise."

You went in for another kiss, tongue pressing against his lips for entry. Zhongli gave it, enthusiastically meeting your demand for more. He welcomed your pillage, your curiosity, and all your audacity. It was an immeasurable delight, experiencing just how much you wanted him. You weren't putting on a performance nor trying to appease an audience to earn a living.

"I can't take it anymore." You tore away from the kiss again, panting from how turned on you were.

Zhongli's smoldering gaze followed your hands as you frantically unbuckled his belt and unfastened his dress pants. He didn't seem fazed by how rough you were being with the expensive material. Anticipation brimmed in his eyes as well. You finally pulled down his pants, freeing his erection. It sprung upright, tall and rigid. The daunting size of it instantly sobered your lust-ridden mind.

You swallowed at the sight as you wrapped your mind around his girth, wondering how it was going to even fit. The sight made you involuntarily clench your legs. Now that the fabric was out of his way, every drop of slick seeping out of your eager cunt landed directly on his shaft.

Were you really going to fuck Zhongli? No matter how unreal it feels, you could never really help the way your body reacts to him. Even while streaming to hundreds of thirsty strangers, you didn't feel like half the slut the sight of Zhongli's cock had you reduced to. If he told you to get on your knees right now and suck him off, you'd do it without a second thought.

You heard Zhongli's shuttered intake as you wrapped your hands around him. A feverish tint was beginning to take hold on his face and a haze fell over his eyes as you began to stroke him, your movements slow and unsure. He let out a soft groan, hand enveloping yours in encouragement as he moved your hands at a faster pace. His hands also caused you to place more pressure in your grip. You bit your lip in concentration, focusing on making him feel good. His cock throbbed under your sweet torment and his breath grew heavy. Beads of precum slid down from his tip.

"Need me to touch you?" He breathed, voice gravelly with arousal.

"Please…" You answered breathlessly.

It must be obvious how needy you were getting, with your soaked pussy rubbing against his thigh. The moment Zhongli's hand cupped your drenched entrance, you shuttered. His fingertips traced your slit, barely sinking in between the soft folds. You whimpered softly, grinding yourself against his hand. As deep chuckle caressed your ear as he finally plunged a finger into your cunt. Your slippery walls immediately clenched around it as he pumped in and out of your eager hole. He added a second finger, scissoring them inside the narrow space, stretching you in preparation for his cock.

"I think I'm ready." You panted against his neck. "Can I put it inside?"

"Be my guest, sweetheart." He replied, withdrawing his slick-coated fingers.

You lifted yourself up on your knees. Zhongli’s hands rested on your waist to help you align yourself with his tip. The second your warmth enveloped the head of his cock, he let out shuttered gasp. It felt way too good, the way your tight heat immediately clenched around him, drawing him in like a fever dream. Indeed, having you in his lap like this, taking his cock inch by greedy inch, it certainly resembles a dream he was guilty of having from time to time. He wrapped his arms around you tightly, as if afraid you'd suddenly run off and end it all too soon.

Zhongli thrusted upwards, his patience finally crumbling as he buried himself to the hilt inside your fluttering walls. You had never felt so full, so satisfied. Those toys you played with during stream? How were you ever going to get off on them after having a taste of this? It was no longer just your imagination, but the memory. The pleasure Zhongli was giving you was something you could see yourself coming back time and time again for, like some depraved cock addict. He fucked you so well, your mind was turning into mush. You didn't even register when he had flipped you underneath him or when the rest of his clothes disappeared. He pressed your knees against your sides, pausing only momentarily to admire your blissed out expression and your hair splayed messily over his silk sheets.

Soft squelching filled the air, intermingling with your gasps and moans and Zhongli's occasional grunt. The way his thick girth dragged against your stretched and sensitive walls was downright unfair. His tip grazed your cervix as he bottomed out, hitting all those places that made your toes curl in one smooth stroke.

"Enjoying it so far?" He asked you as he drove into your slippery hole.

Over and over, he rammed himself into you, tearing a needy moan from your lips each time he pulled away. You could barely catch a breath, much less answer him in any degree of coherence.

"Zhongli… Zhongli…" Was all you could say.

At least you knew who was fucking you so good. Zhongli groaned as you neared your limit. The way you trembled in his grasp, your lips latching onto his in desperation as your nails dug into his skin, it was all too sweet. The feeling of being inside you like this, holding you so closely and hearing your unbroken moans of pleasure, it was worth all the wait in the world.

You couldn't tell who caved first. Maybe it'll happened at the same exact time. Zhongli barely managed to pull out last minute, his thick cum splattering all over your stomach and thighs. It was a filthy mess, but you were too lightheaded to care. Your body still tingled from the intensity of the sensations that had coursed through it moments ago. Zhongli panted, focus gradually returning to his eyes. The first thing he saw was your beautifully flushed face. He reached down to stroke your cheek, earning him a silly grin from you.

"That…" You drew in a breath. "That was insane…"

"Are you alright?" He asked you.

The concern in Zhongli's voice was like a drop of warm honey dissolving amidst a swirling mass of emotions. You were only now coming down from the high.

"Better than ever." You replied, still breathless. Your eyes dropped to his spent cock. A smug grin overtook the dazed expression on your face. "I did good, didn't I?"

"You were amazing, dear." He whispered after pressing a kiss to your forehead, a tender gesture that caught you off guard. Were you and Zhongli this close now?

"So what happens now?" You murmured against Zhongli's chest as he settled beside you. "You pretty much just ruined it for me."

"Have I?" He raised a brow. "You were the one who came to my door to solicit your help. How exactly have I made matters worse for you?"

You smiled, satisfied with his reaction. Zhongli was more amused than offended by your accusation, an indication that he was not someone who immediately withdraws at the first sign of complications.

"I still have to stream, you know." You reminded him.

"And I still have plenty of work to do, but now I have this utterly enticing distraction to fend off my mind. I'd say the ruin goes both ways." He chuckled as he twirled your hair between his fingers. "Wouldn't you agree?"

You nodded. "So how do you propose we go about this?"

"Well, for one…" Zhongli let go of the strand, tucking it behind your ear. "I am rather fond of you. Would you be adverse to being with me in a more exclusive capacity?"

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" You squinted at his oddly worded question.

Zhongli had always been a precise person. In certain instances however, he also becomes overbearingly formal. The more uneasy he feels, the longer his sentences. You couldn't hear it in his voice, but if he wanted to get a certain answer from you, he would ask it in a way that would make it unreasonable for you to answer in any other way.

"I was hoping to ask you that before I leave three and a half weeks from now." He chuckled, relieved that this discussion was happening much sooner than anticipated. "But if you have an answer now, I will take it."

"I think I need some time to think about it. You should too, Zhongli." You paused to draw a deep breath. "I don't want to be with someone that I'm only going to see once every few months. If this doesn't work out…"

"If things do not work out, nothing between us needs to change. I will not force you to be with me if you do not wish to be." He replied. "Matters of the heart cannot be dealt with by deliberation. If you do not like me, you can tell me. I will not hold it against you."

"I do like you though!" You corrected him, earning yourself an amused chuckle. "You're good-looking, polite, caring, plus you make really good soup. What's there not to like?"

"I suppose I have a fair chance then."

There was nothing fair about Zhongli. From the moment you met him, he already checked off all the boxes needed to sweep you off your feet. Everything afterwards only served to make sure you'd never be able to keep your eyes off him. Now, after you've had a bite of him, you wouldn't be able to keep your lips or hands off him either.

"Ngh…Zhongli!" You cried out his name in a pitiful sound between a whine and a sob.

Every evening after a stream, this would predictably happen. You'd find yourself at Zhongli's door or he'd be at yours. Usually you'd be the one impatiently throwing yourself at him simply due to his patience surpassing yours, but he'd understand your urgency nonetheless. It was impossible for him to not get riled up watching you cam. Something about your eyes not being on him while you pleasured yourself gets him really on edge, like a tiny piece of gravel grating against his sole. Only when you're wrapped seamlessly around his cock did this irritation go away.

You took him so well, your wet haven so warm and tight, he was slowly losing it, loathed to imagine leaving you all by yourself once he had to go. With the way you begged, driven delirious by your own toys, who would you go to once his door was locked? He hated to imagine you seeking relief in any other way that didn't involve his cock repeatedly pounding into your needy cunt. Who else could fill you so perfectly, make you unravel so completely?

This was Zhongli's last day in town before he leaves for his contract in another city. After mulling over it all night, you canceled your stream, something you rarely did. You sent out the notice without any hesitation. There would alway be a next stream, but everyday with Zhongli was precious. When he finally found out he had you all to himself, he insisted on taking you out to a nice restaurant and even got you a bouquet of qingxins, maybe as a reminder for you to not overthink. How could you not though? His question from two weeks ago still lingered in the back of your mind.

You had enjoyed every aspect of Zhongli's company, despite how short his stay was. You could tell he was not holding anything back from you. No matter how he conveyed it, whether through his meals or in bed, his care and attentiveness covered you like a thick blanket. Even if you knew he was about to board a plane and disappear from your sight for months on end, your heart was still grounded, as if it had taken root.

"I will miss you dearly." He sighed as you bid him goodbye that evening at the airport.

"Well, if you can't stand the loneliness, I don't mind taking a quick vacation." You joked. "I have a lot of PTO saved up so I might as well use it."

"You still haven't given me an answer." He brought up the question that had been eating at your brain ever since he asked it.

"Zhongli…"

He stood there quietly, waiting for your reply.

All the people around you faded into a blur. You could almost hear the beat of your heart quicken ever so slightly. Looking up into Zhongli's gorgeous amber eyes, you wondered how you ever managed to resist him for so long.

"Do you think I can still say no?" A faint but hopeful smile spread over your lips. "Just don't break my heart. I don't want to be wrong about you."

A relieved smile took hold on Zhongli's face as your words reached his ears. You've never seen him smile so unrestrained before and it melted you into a puddle of shared joy.

"I would never wish to. How could I bear to break something I've been waiting to cherish for so long?"

You furrowed your brows. "What do you mean for so long? Don't tell me you've been crushing on me this whole time."

He chuckled, gathering you into a tight parting hug. "I won't refute that."

"You're such a loser. Couldn't you tell I liked you?"

"It was not apparent to me. I would hate to assume incorrectly and make things uncomfortable between us."

"Fine. I should've made a move sooner." You replied with a heavy dash of sarcasm. "Or dropped more obvious hints."

"Indeed you should've." He had the galls to agree!

"Are we really going to debate this right now? Right here? If you don't get on that plane, you're going to be stuck here with me."

"Is that not what you'd want?"

"No, go away. I can only take so much of you."

"You take me just fine, if I dare say."

"Zhongli!" You fumed, blushing at the reminder.

The shameless man laughs heartily at your expense. Lord help you. Even when he's teasing you, your heart flutters.

Finally he rushes off to the gates. As soon as he turns his back, a sigh leaves your chest. This time was harder than all the previous times you've said goodbye to him. You were no longer the same person you were four weeks ago. Your crush on Zhongli was no longer just a crush.

A fond smile graced your lips at the thought of the man who had just departed. He left you with a warm and safe feeling, nothing at all like what you imagined you'd face everytime you convinced yourself to not let him into your heart. It was about time. Not like you could casually hand it to someone else with his name etched all over it. It was in good hands now, you assured yourself.

"Do take care of yourself and try not to eat too much take-out. Send me photos so I can see that you are eating well. Nevertheless, don't miss me too much, darling."

You scrunched your nose at the text message Zhongli sent just as you got into your car.

"Are you my dad or my boyfriend?" You texted back. A silly grin was plastered on your face the entire ride back.

Sure, he was a bit old-fashioned and treated you like a rebellious teenager despite your age, but you liked the thought of constantly being on Zhongli's mind. As long as the person was right, what bad could a bit of distance and time apart do? If anything, it'd make you yearn for each other a little more intensely.

Maybe you'd even consider sending him the link to your streams.

----

I swear these oneshots are getting longer and longer. I don't know how I keep typing up so much context for kink prompts. Anyways, this one was inspired by fanart of Zhongli sitting in an armchair. Mainly this and this. You have these two artists to thank for the brainworms that infected me and forced me to write this longass smut!

[stardustdiiving]

i would LOVE to know your headcanons on how the archons interact with each other!! (if u want to share ofc)

I HAVE. SO MANY THOUGHTS on this topic and have attempted to organize them the best I can. Here’s like, the layout of how I decided to do this

The context I imagine these headcanons take place in

A little section for each archon and my individual thoughts on how they interact with everyone else

Enjoy the multiple thousand words under the cut

Context these headcanons take place in

So obviously, there’s a lot of different contexts I can imagine the Archons interacting in. Two of them could cameo in a light hearted event like we’ve seen happen with Zhongli & Venti, or…of course, something more serious and plot heavy, because I do feel it’s inevitable Genshin will give us some Avengers Assemble moment with the Seven late into the game JISNXIXJS. When it comes to headcanon stuff, though, when I think of Genshin character interactions I find it most intuitive to put the characters in a casual and lighthearted sort of setting because this is likely what’s needed for the characters’ charm to be on full display.

So for the sake of this post, I’m going to pretend that all the Archons have basically decided to restart the original 7’s tradition of meeting up with each other to hang out—in Liyue or otherwise. I like to imagine that these meetings start as a way for all of Archons to get to know each other, instead of something they all decide to start doing after they become friends because…I don’t know, Traveler or someone suddenly decided it would be great if they all finally met and had a dinner party together or something.

Additionally…just for full indulgence here, I want to imagine that in this situation the Archons are allowed to bring friends to these meetings—especially notable immortals from their immediate social circles who would probably be allowed to see Venti and Zhongli walking around as their real identities and such. This is honestly how I kinda imagine original 7 meetings went too—if they’re gathering in Liyue it doesn’t feel beyond me to imagine maybe some Jueyun Karst adepti are allowed to hang out every so often. I want the setup here to feel casual, therefore I’m allowing like Ei to bring her wife Yae Miko with her because Miko wanted to see Ganyu + also Ei isn’t very social and is relying on Miko to buffer for her SJSICJCDN

Venti

friendly & used to interacting with other archons—presence probably really helps set the vibe. this is great bc like 1/3 of the group has social anxiety

Zhongli — #oldmanyaoiwins

Ei — he’s like “oh it’s Makoto's more introverted sister who seems scary but toootally has a soft spot haha :)". Based off what we know about Makoto I feel he probably got along a bit better with her, but I think he’s fine being civil/friendly with Ei…she’s just probably not the archon he gets along with the most yk

Nahida — you know Venti would love Nahida. What makes this even better is its canon: he says in his voice line for her he “gets along very well with the dendro archon”. This is incredibly endearing to think about and I’m desperate to see them interact bc it would be so cute. But im also kind of haunted by the implications of venti being friends with Rukkhadevata. I feel the idea of just completely forgetting a friend would Venti in particular pretty sad…I like the idea he gets a vague, unnerving sense of Deja vu when he’s around Nahida sometimes but is like hm. Don’t like that. (Though i wouldn’t put it past Venti to be suspiciously knowledgeable about Irminsul things)

Furina —has a very cute voiceline about wanting her invited to windsblume. I feel Venti would have a very specific kind of empathy for Furina’s relationship w/ facade & performance and make an effort to be very nice to her

Mavuika — Wants to go drinking with her. That's great Venti I'm glad you found another Archon who loves alcohol and war trauma repression. (I think they’d get along just fine in casual settings!)

Zhongli

similar to Venti, he's chill & used to interacting w/ other archons. Wouldn't feel unsure of his place there whatsoever. Knows exactly what’s up

Venti — #oldmanyaoiwins

Ei — I dont think he minds Ei, & would be cordial with her in his usual Zhongli way, but there's probably not much chemistry here. Eyebrow raise at some of her life choices

Nahida — would enjoy talking to Nahida because they both love philosophically pondering things. there's a charm to this when you compare Zhongli's extensive lived experience as the eldest Archon with Nahida's eagerness to experience the world as the youngest Archon being notable elements of their characters. (old post I made about this here)

Furina — Canonically goes out of his way to make his respect for her known in voice lines + few interactions in 2024 Lantern Rite, which is very charming. I imagine Zhongli would especially respect Furina’s resolve & commitment to save Fontaine as the God of Contracts, you know? Old Man Rex Lapis wants you to know he thinks you're cool & that you should practice self confidence

Mavuika —??? There would be something so funny about this. Zhongli's civility born out of old man autism & Mavuika's civility born out of her being overly emotionally stable would give their hypothetical interactions such an unintentionally funny awkwardness in my mind. They'd vibe

Ei

Overwhelmingly I imagine Ei would feel Really Awkward about interacting w/ other gods. I think she'd learn to have a good time but would struggle to form really close bonds with any of them individually, at least at first. I’ve always imagined she maybe shadowed Makoto whenever she attended Archon meetups in the past, so in the back of her mind trying to socialize as the Archon feels awkward and more like “Makoto’s thing”. She’s trying her best

Venti — canonically doesnt like him which is so funny to me, & also makes complete sense because i think Venti’s whimsy would just baffle and confuse her. Yae Miko, however, canonically does get along with Venti, which gives me this fantastic mental image of Ei being very sad her wife says she can't blow Barbados up with lightning for being overstimulating to be around because she finds him funny and says it would "totally kill the vibe” of the archon meetup. I really enjoy this coexisting with my earlier note that Makoto probably also got along with Venti. Someone help her

Zhongli — again there’s probably not much going on here but I like to imagine she just thinks Zhongli is kind of weird & needing to exist in physical proximity to him and Venti bantering with each other is a deeply harrowing experience for her

Nahida — I Really love that her voiceline abt Nahida is "aw :) she seems like a very gentle god. I like how she's capable of psychological warfare but chooses not to" it's really funny. I enjoy the idea she finds Nahida easier to talk to than some of the other archons and likes sharing desserts with her. Just generally thinks Nahida is 2 apples tall and very polite/pleasant to be around

Furina — Has a very sweet voiceline where she really empathizes with furina over the 500 years she spent fighting the Shogun. I like to imagine Ei is able to pick up on Furina's nervousness at being around other Archons & kinda tries to connect with her/be welcoming to her, even though that isn’t something that Ei’s very used to doing. Which would be kind of sweet

Mavuika — Similarly to Zhongli there would be something unintentionally funny with this. Ei I feel would be torn between resonating with Mavuika’s experience handling the burden of a War and kind of fascinated by Mavuika’s ability to be charismatic in a leadership position. She’s like I have no idea how you’re doing that but that is okay 💜 are you interested in having 20 friendly spars in a row I think it would be fun :) (honestly? Mavuika is probably the individual Archon Ei would have the easiest time getting along with)

Nahida

strongly believe she’d have social anxiety about meeting the other gods for the first time. Her voicelines about the Seven kinda suggest she’d be worried about fitting in & getting a bad grade in Archon Socializing. She probably warms up fast once she gets to know everyone, especially when she realizes everyone already really likes her and is looking forward to meeting her (which I don’t think she’d expect…cute)

Venti — Has a voiceline wondering if she should ask the other archons to play hopscotch w/ her in an attempt to get to know them. I think if she did this alot of them would ne like “uhh…” & Nahida would get so nervous she’s totally killing the vibe until suddenly Venti mows everyone else down to grab her shoulders and go well BUER MY BFF OF COURSE I'LL PLAY HOPSCOTCH WITH YOU!!!!! and she'd be like :D !!!!! and latch onto Venti immediately. As I said in Venti’s section there is no debating that Nahida and Venti would get along they would both be ecstatic to have someone matching them in Whimsy

Zhongli — To Nahida Zhongli is probably just like this funny old man who will happily infodump to her about the wide range of things he's knowledgeable about for 6 hours straight anytime she asks. Like she knows he's Rex Lapis. She’s just very glad Rex Lapis is autism grandpa 9000 as a person

Ei — I think Nahida would get along fine with Ei but i also think it would be extremely funny if Ei's like, tendency for emotional unawareness just stresses Nahida out conceptually. I want a situation where Nahida understands Ei as a person and doesn’t dislike her per se but she’s cursed with getting exactly why Wanderer and Ei’s relationship is Like That. In my mind this is paired with Ei being very friendly and nice to Nahida specifically because i think it would make Wanderer feel like this

Furina — She’d love Furina tbh. Both of them are smart/sensitive/have spent alot of their lives anxious about meeting the expectations of their people and I think it would be cute to see them hang out :) Nahida probably just finds Furina's presence fun and enjoys hanging out with her

Mavuika — Nahida would think Mavuika is cool & nice and be happy to have her visit Sumeru but also probably feel kind of compelled to study her under a petri dish for her quirky millennial wine aunt demeanor

Furina

So I imagine the other archons view Furina as like, "fellow member of the Seven whos also a human" but not "another archon"—I think Furina would find it stressful to ne treated as an Archon after everything so everyone else would probably like, happily welcome her as part of the group but treat her as a human w/ that in mind. I think this would help Furina be a lot more comfortable interacting w them, but I think she'd also just be frazzled to be considered "one of them" and very nervous/intimidated by everyone & what they think of her at first. I can see her being worried they'd be offended by the "faking being a god" thing too. This would stop once she realizes all of them feel entirely positively and respectful of her but I think even that would be a bit overwhelming at first. I think she’d warm up eventually but just inherently has a lot of baggage with the idea of being “one of the Seven” that would probably inevitably come up in a situation like this…like, I imagine pre-MoTG Furina was probably terrified of the idea of interacting with an actual Archon in fear of them seeing through her act

Venti — I think she'd almost be like…overwhelmed (positively) by Venti, who would probably be being very friendly/welcoming of her as a fellow archon. Once she processes he's entirely sincere in his friendliness & theyre able to connect over their talents in performance arts I think they got along great though! This is assuming a situation she gets to know Venti’s identity…more plausibly I imagine she gets the vibe something about this very nice mondstadt bard she just met is Off (like she kinda sensed something odd about Zhongli) but not be fully let in on the secret.

Zhongli — "THAT'S Rex Lapis? Oh o__o ;; explains why Neuvilette was trying so hard to find him…aha…”

Ei — I’m so sorry but I think it would be really funny if Furina was just a little scared of Ei. Like as I said in Ei’s section I imagine Ei trying to be nice to Furina & connect with her while being just completely oblivious to the fact Furina is kinda worried Ei will strike her down with divine lightning. JJDNDJJDNDJDJDHD. She doesn’t dislike Ei or anything Ei just strikes me as someone easy to find intimidating even when she’s not trying to be

Nahida — I think if Nahida reached out to connect with her over their shared experiences of being rejected/alienated by their people for being too humanly vulnerable it would genuinely mean a lot to Furina & they'd hit it off. I think she’d generally like Nahida but also..I will not lie. I think it would be funny if Furina was also kind of conceptually freaked out by Nahida. Like I think in practice it’s mostly fine but Nahida is probably a little too uncomfortably good at reading Furina so Furina is like okay as someone with deep rooted intimacy issues I am a little stressed out by the conditionally omnipotent mind-reading baby present in this establishment

Mavuika — I think she'd find Mavuika's presence grounding to be around but maybe struggle a bit to start conversation with her, at least at first. I imagine Furina would feel a sense of anxious camaraderie with Mavuika as another human archon but at the same time I feel like if they met pre-MoTG it would've been a bit of a mindfuck for Furina to encounter another human archon, especially one who just seems to have a lot more genuine self-assurance about it than her

Mavuika

Mavuika interacting with the other archons amuses me because I think she's just like disproportionately normal and well adjusted compared to everyone else. I think she engages the others pretty confidently and casually. If you wanted to do something fun with this I think it would be interesting if she gets this weird sense she almost fits in a little too well with the other archons, despite being human. Almost like an inverse of how I think Furina would always feel a bit weird about being considered one of the Seven, even by the other archons

Venti — Would probably rock with Venti's whimsy and enjoy drinking with him. Just thinks he's a solid (if not sort of strange) guy but I think Venti's potiental to mess with Mavuika outmatches Mavuika's capacity to mess with Venti…which would result in her being the target of hijinks. I think she needs this though

Zhongli — I want to say she'd be like "fuck yeah grandpa explain those rock facts in excruciating detail" about Zhongli but I think her saying this to Zhongli's face directly is a bit outside the bounds of Mavuika's flavor of quirkiness. I do feel it's the correct sentiment but she'd probably be a bit more eloquent about it. I feel she'd enjoy his sense of humor and the way he messes with people

Ei — I think they vibe over shared backgrounds in war/combat and Mavuika would have a fun time sparring with her but Ei leaves a very “huh! Interesting" kind impression on Mavuika. Their main common bond is both of them are kind of awkward to socialize with because they're too used to being entirely focused on The War

Nahida — This would be cute. Mavuika is probably just like "awwww haha little guy" and would likely enjoy hoisting Nahida up on her shoulders so she can feel tall. “Cool smart kid who’s nice to talk to” kind of situation. Tbh of this depends on the specifics of how Mavuika interacts with children because while I think she’d obviously be diplomatic and respectful of Nahida as a fellow Archon (tm) i feel you could do something interesting with how Mavuika being human and having very human bonds may impact how she views “peers” even in like an Archon setting, especially as someone who had younger siblings…hmmm

Furina — Would also be cute, I think Mavuika would be pretty thrilled there's another human Archon in the vicinity and intuitively really empathize with Furina. Probably prioritizes approaching Furina because she just really wants to see if they hit it off

I think that’s most of it…there’s like a perpetual archons sitcom happening in my mind. Im less interested in them being this like tightknit established friend group and more this funny opportunity for a lot of different genshin social circles to interact. The fact they’d all have varying levels of chemistry with each other but have an incentive to like, get along/be cordial is really amusing to me

[dragon-ascent]

Sometimes I venture out into genshin fandom spaces, see Zhongli blatantly mischaracterised as usual, and sigh. Lemme just say an angel loses its wings every time someone says he abandoned his nation/doesn’t care for his people, is broke, used to be a cruel brute, and so on.

This is why I don’t really engage with genshin content outside of Zhongli-focused circles lmao, or else I’d have to see the 1927th post about how “Zhongli used to be a wild god who was tamed into being the man we know now.”

(If anyone still holds any of these misconceptions, I’ll be happy to debunk them!)

[inanthesis]

@suffearable ❤️ diluc

"Baobei, I am afraid it is time that you wake." With a gentle voice and soft brush of unruly bangs from Diluc's head, Zhongli would begin to stir him from his peaceful slumber with a peppering of kisses over his cheek and jaw. It was a true shame to disturb him when he'd looked so comfortable and knowing that this day brought him many complicated thoughts, but the old god had made it his goal to show Diluc that this was a day still worth celebrating, starting with plenty of warm affection in the form of kisses and how Zhongli would then lead Diluc to a bath and dote over him every step of his morning routine as his wild mane of crimson was washed and brushed and tamed into a handsome updo where another kiss would find itself at the nape of the young master's neck.

"Today, more than most, I find myself exceedingly fortunate to have you at my side." Arms were wound around Diluc from behind, hugging the shorter man firmly to Zhongli's chest so that his head may rest upon Diluc's shoulder. This day may be a source of complication in Diluc's life, but as far as Zhongli was concerned it was the greatest gift the world could have given him. To love and be loved by Diluc was something he very much enjoyed every day that he could and that would not be possible if not for this very day all those years ago that he was born.

"I do have quite the gift for you, and I leave it to you to decide whether you receive it now or later in the day. The only necessity is that it be given to you in private for I am quite certain that would be your preference. Truthfully I have wanted to give it to you for months, but I felt today was most appropriate so I waited patiently."

[inanthesis]

"I consider myself very lucky, indeed." Luckier than perhaps any other being has ever felt in the history of Teyvat for there was no better way Zhongli would want to spend his time than at Diluc's side where he could ease his worries and draw out the most beautiful smiles that would steal his breath away every single time. So, naturally, once they'd arrived at their scenic destination and he allowed himself a moment to take it all in his gaze would find itself settling not on the view of the land or ocean but that of his beloved where it so often lingered.

"There is much appeal to be found in this view which encompasses nearly all of Mondstadt in the distance, but it pales in comparison to the beauty of Dawn Winery's finest treasure which I can state with confidence leaves the moon itself hiding away in shame knowing it could never hope to compete." And finally- finally- the old god allowed himself to take that which he had coveted since stepping foot in the land of freedom's borders, tugging Diluc closer by his hand so that Zhongli's other could snake around his waist and they could meet in a far-too-long-awaited kiss.

"Would it be inappropriate of me to state that I find holding onto propriety far more difficult every time I see you? I find myself envying the careless youth we come across in the city who seek approval from none but each other, but we are not quite naive children with the luxury of living in our own world apart from others, are we?"

it couldn't be helped; this wasn't the first time that diluc had considered bringing up the topic of marriage, but to have his lover address it in such a smooth, yet indirect way left him jarred and struggling to recover, no matter the state of his outward composure. fortunately, it didn't take too long, especially not when he'd been given the perfect opportunity to rebut zhongli in the way of which his employment was most useful. ' should i? a lowly mortal such as myself will tire if i'm left to endure such strenuous tasks all alone. besides; you're more than welcome to tell your stories and discuss with me whatever you'd like while your hands are otherwise put to good use. ' & while the statement remained as serious and unmoving as he'd meant it, it's punctuated by a cheeky grin as if to say nice try. zhongli would not be let off the hook so easily.

' luckily for you, i'm inclined to agree— proceeding without you would make for an unpleasant trip, and would i would wholly forgo. perhaps i will include your future toil in the vineyard for another time. ' today, it's diluc's pleasure to tease his most favored company, even if he would never allow such a thing to transpire unless he was thoroughly displeased with the consultant.

as they pressed onward toward their destination, diluc ensured their stop in springvale, where provisions were acquired for their journey's end, which lay at the peak of cape oath, where the sky met the sea and the air was crisp and refreshing. while the journey was long and riddled with obstacles, diluc was certain that it was worth the lack of propriety they both would need to show, as not a single soul save for the pair seemed to be present. with a basket of simple ingredients in hand, the young master tugged the old god in the direction of the cliff's edge, but not close enough to worry whether or not the ground would give way and send them both tumbling over.

' i'm certain the view here was worth the wait, no? '