#activities of taos hum

[miyamiwu]

Vein’s Hands

There’s been a lot of emphasis on Vein’s hands, and the fact that he’s ambidextrous is also intriguing. So I thought I’d look into which hand he uses for which activities just in case there’s something there...

YE1 right hand: taking off his coat; grabbing onto CXS’s leg to bring him close for a punch

YE1 left hand: Using the gun; punching CXS when he lost the gun

YE2 right hand: waving his finger while humming; taking out his phone

YE3 hands ft. LG’s nightmare: using the gun (right); grabbing Lu Guang by the mouth (both, but focus is on the left)

YE3 right hand: holding the phone while on the call with Liu Xiao; pulling Xia Fei out of the water; grabbing that football fan by the head before throwing him away

YE3 left hand: We didn’t see him use it, but it’s quite prominent in this frame right after he saved Xia Fei (the right hand he used to save him is also completely obscured)

YE4 right hand: reaching out to CXS; shaking hands with CXS +

grabbing the stone aimed at Xia Fei; pulling out his metal fan +

fighting the hooligans with only his right hand (he never used his left once)

YE4 left hand: flicking Xia Fei on the forehead…and patting him on the head

Okay, I am seeing a pattern over here, but I dare not say anything definitive before we get a Vein-centric episode (if we even get one this season). I’ll just post the conclusion once I’m really sure.

In the meantime, have some hand trivias:

Left-handedness is disadvantageous when writing Chinese characters since the strokes go from top-to-bottom and left–to-right.

Throughout history and across different cultures, being left-handed was considered evil or bad luck (and Vein wears a lucky charm on his left hmmm)

Not sure if the bible would be relevant, but “right hand of God” is a phrase that comes up frequently, while the left is barely mentioned. The right, no doubt, alludes to God’s authority and power.

In contrast, there are mixed interpretations on what the left hand of God means. It was never mentioned who sat on God’s left, so some assume it’s Satan—this interpretation is probably also brought about by the tendency to demonize the left.

Yet, on Chapter 31 of the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu says: “On occasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized position; on occasions of mourning, the right hand.”

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Hi. Can I get a scenario where Hu Tao realizes that she is in love with s/o? Like they've been dating but she finally falls in love with them

(Genshin Impact) Hu Tao realizing she's in love

I've had this pulled up for five actual hours and kept getting distracted by Halo Infinite and watching Dredd. I have the attention span of a squirrel.

To say that Hu Tao was strange would be an understatement.

Her idea of fun is relentlessly pranking her friends and any unfortunate soul who was in her sight.

Not helping matters is the fact she despises doing nothing, which means she always has to be doing something.

There are many she'd call a friend, but there aren't many who were willing to go along with her shenanigans, at least to the rate of where they can catch up.

But, there was one person who managed that feat, much to her delight!

Ever since meeting her S/O, Hu Tao's life was filled with even more enjoyment than before!

Someone she could actively terrorize with her pranks, or get firsthand accounts of her newest poems was a dream come true.

Well, whether or not her S/O enjoyed the pranks, that was up for debate.

But they liked her, so it probably counts.

On the days that S/O was busy, she noticed that the day seemed to crawl slower than usual.

She couldn't put a reason as to why, until she finally got to be by their side again.

At which time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time.

===

(Hu Tao) "BOO!"

Hu Tao leapt from the corner of the streets of Liyue Harbor, hands outwards in an attempt to spook her S/O.

And judging by their smile, it didn't really work.

(S/O) "Hey, Hu."

Hu Tao pouted and crossed her arms.

(Hu Tao) "You didn't have the reaction I wanted!"

S/O rolled their eyes playfully.

(S/O) "Well, when you do that every single week, I kind of just start expecting it."

Hu Tao hummed in acknowledgement, walking by S/O's side as they walked down the street. The lanterns lit the night sky, the Harbor glowing a bright orange and illuminating their way home.

Many people were still out and about or heading home, but this was the time Hu Tao felt the most energetic.

(Hu Tao) "Now that you're off work, how about we grab something to eat?"

(S/O) "Sure. I can cook something for us when we get back home."

(Hu Tao) "Aaaww, are we going straight there? This is the first time I got to see you in a while, we can at least loiter about for a liiiittle longer!-"

(S/O) "It's been two days since you saw me-"

(Hu Tao) "That's forever to me!"

S/O couldn't help but chuckle, finally admitting defeat and indulging her.

(S/O) "Okay okay, we'll take the scenic route back home."

Hu Tao smiled in satisfaction, but her expression softened as she gently took S/O's hand into her own, their brisk walk now slowing down so they could enjoy their time together.

Her hand slightly fidgeted, her thumb idly rubbing the back of S/O's hand as they leaned in a little closer so their arms could be touching. An action that reddened Hu Tao's cheeks.

This was not her first time getting so close to them, but whenever it was just the two of them, her heart seemed to race.

Hu Tao turned her glance over to S/O. Their smile was soft but distinct. No doubt they were tired from getting off work and directly bumping into her. Yet here they were, going along with her.

(Hu Tao) "...Just like always."

(S/O) "Huh?"

(Hu Tao) "O-Oh! Just like always, you never fail to disappoint!"

(S/O) "I think I'll disappoint you by rejecting your next offer of 'hanging out' with Qiqi."

(Hu Tao) "Hey! For your information, I'm not that mean to her! And I resent the fact she wants to hang out with you more than me!"

(S/O) "Well you did try to bury her-"

Hu Tao began pouting once again before her feigned annoyance was shattered hearing their laughter.

Their smile seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, accompanied by an affectionate look, one that was only meant for her.

S/O looked at her for a few moments before their expression changed quickly to concern.

(S/O) "...Hu? You alright? You look like you're staring off into space."

(Hu Tao) "...Nah, just staring at something better!"

(S/O) "Something better?"

Hu Tao shook her head, letting go of their hand for a brief moment and turning around to face them as they approached the rest of the bustling streets of Liyue.

She playfully ran ahead, with S/O lightly jogging to catch up.

Hu Tao wouldn't tell them, but it was also so she could regain her composure. Any more of their smile in the moonlight and she'd probably lose it.

After a few moments of speeding up their return home, Hu Tao turned to S/O and asked a question.

(Hu Tao) "Say, have you heard any of my love poems before, S/O?"

(S/O) "Hm...Can't say those ones you've divulged to me."

(Hu Tao) "Perfect, I can start making one now then!"

===

Bonus Full Image of Hu Tao being cute:

Can't believe I slept on her character for so many years. Gremlin pyro wife my beloved

[kisscara]

O7. manager faruzan [fanboy!scaramouche x drummer!reader] ⎯⎯ heartbeat rhythm series

a/n: each paragraph with the members are a separate intreview. this is a filler chapter fixating on what faruzan is like and what 5O5 thinks about her.

"madam faruzan?"

yun jin, feeling her curiosity peak, repeats back what the person behind the camera said to her. the camera man nods, "yes, what do you think about your manager?" yun jin awkwardly giggles before sighing.

you exclaim at the cameraman, "madam faruzan!? oh, i like her a lot! besides the fact that she's on the eccentric side and tends to follow wherever we go and somehow finds out our private accounts on social media, she's cool! we've known her since high school, so it makes everything much more fun."

yun jin rubs her chin, "she can be privacy invading." the cameraman chuckles, "how so?" yun jin puts a leg over the other and hums. "let me see, how would i explain this..."

yoimiya laughs, "madam faruzan's okay. she's uptight but she always has the best band activities planned out for us! although, she does startle me a lot. this one time i was walking to a cafe and-"

"i literally see her with binoculars, hiding behind a pole!" hu tao frantically gestures, "that girl is on something! not to mention, she's like a super spy. she always knows what we're doing at any given time."

ayaka kindly says, "whenever i'm spending time alone outside, madam always happens to be there. she's looking out for all of us and i appreciate her service."

as you can figure out from what the members have commented about their most lovely manager, faruzan does seem to be a little too interested in the band members' private lives and activites, thus explaining how faruzan found out that you gave scaramouche a private performance. (see chapter five for clear up)

faruzan is strict with the way she works and is frequently seen barking orders at 5O5. across the web and within articles, she wears pencil skirts pairing with a white button up, and her pale teal hair is bunched up into a bun. faruzan is also close friends with the rest of her classmate prodigies that graduated high school early just like her.

those prodigies being alhaitham, tighnari and albedo. they may or may not be featured in this story in the near future...

but faruzan's mean demeanor is a mere exterior for the inner fangirl that proudly lives inside her mind. that's correct, madam manager faruzan is obsessed with the very band she manages.

it started when she was still in high school and her brilliant brain boosted her to her last year as a thirteen-year-old. she stumbled upon your band's practice in the music room when you five weren't doing live performances just yet.

yun jin had asked for her opinion on their performance and faruzan was more than happy to give them her perspective, but she wasn't one to sugarcoat things. during that time, she instantly pointed out all of their flaws and the things they should change to play even better.

yun jin was overjoyed about it; she loves some good constructive criticism. when faruzan graduated that year, she vowed an oath to become their manager and she did, just a year later after applying for a job at Inazuma's TEYVATMUSiC live house.

even though faruzan is the youngest by a year, she leads these six, including yanfei, to a great future in their music career... but she should work more on giving them space rather than following them around 24/7.

tags: @mariusvonhangme @scaramoo @mikismusings @rizakari @akagism2 @sakiimeo @ohmyfinggod @aethersluvrr @scarafrisbee @kaoyamamegami @liliumaraneae @dreamsofminnie @starfart19 @kunisbeloved @luhvashh @makiswrld @kyouzki @mimissubway @loucaroarz @theblueblub @angelunatic @shinjuuz @thenightsflower @coquettemaiden @thefandomcrow @cotton-eee @lovely028 @hrtswinter @duckyyyx @kissingkzuha @dazaisboner @adeptusx @tomotofu @yukiipc @loverhole @star583 @soobasaur @dr8amy @scaraapologist @raideneiari @rvoulte @aaeng121 @pyrrhicgaze @tjjjrsj @enviouspeanut @d4y-dr3am3r @aromaticism @undecidingfate @idontwantoeatspicy

taglist is now closed as i've reached the max tags in a single post. (50/50 tags occupied + officially removed users whose names aren't linked)

what happens when you, a talented and well-known drummer across the web, grow an intense crush for the student council president, who's also your number one fan? from annoying sisters to nosy bandmates, the next event that happens is always more chaotic than the last!

© kisscara

[gh0stchoir]

A week passed. Principal Nezu made a public statement to Tao's and Filo's situation. The majority of reactions was hate to All for One, and sympathy towards the teens. A minority saw them as just as evil, even among the other students, but they were quickly silenced by Class 1-A. Everyone made sure Tao and Filo would still feel welcome among them, and that nothing changed. The Bakusquad still invited Tao to hang out with them, and Filo still had her place among the other girls. Still, their classmates couldn't help but talk about it among themselves. It was a big thing after all, the reveal had been quite shocking. Izuku had asked some questions about the villains, about them personally. Filo's second quirk had proven itself useful once again, as she explained how society had done them dirty. It cam to a surprise, but they found themselves understanding more towards the League. Especially once Filo pointed out how similar Momo could have been to Toga. Had her family not been rich to afford all the nutrients Momo needed because of her quirk, she might have gone insane as well, stuffing whatever down her throat just to make the hunger go away. It was the same for Toga, just with blood instead of food.

"It's so weird", Kirishima said, sitting down next to Sero on the couch, "I know they're the bad guys, but I feel bad for them." Sero hummed. "Well, that's how Tao and Filo lived their whole lives. The quirk made Filo see and realize things others didn't, and Tao grew up with them and knew everything first-hand." Mina joined in, sighing deeply as she leaned back. "They could have been us. We could have been them. Had we been treated as bad as they did, with no support system or such. Had someone as good as All Might showed them kindness, and help and such, then maybe Toga would be our classmate." Denki shivered as he put down the snack bowl he had prepared. "I feel bad. For so long I lived in a bubble were Heroes were pure good and villains were pure bad. Black and White. I feel so", he shrugged, "Ignorant." Kirishima nodded. "Yeah. We all were, to some extend. I mean, of course we'd see the League as evil after they attacked us. But that none of us ever took a moment to think of why they might be evil is super un-manly." He opened his mouth to say more, but was interrupted by the main door flying open. Everyone stopped what they were doing, looking towards the door.

Izuku, Tao and Filo stood there, the girl holding a much younger girl in her arms. The child had white hair and red eyes, a horn growing on her forehead. What shocked most though was the fact that she was covered in bandages. Tao and Izuku looked more than confused, while Filo looked very out of breath. Her eyes locked with Ida's. "Get Mr. Aizawa! We have a situation!"

Iida hurried off to find their teacher, as everyone else stared at the small unknown girl. "What the hell happened?!" Kirishima yelled. Both Tao and Izuku looked to Filo, also greatly confused. Filo took a moment to catch her breath before looking to everyone. "My..other quirk was used on her." She said, hand in hand with the small girl. She looked around at everyone confused. The class looked at her, some starting to understand what was happening, just not the full picture. It was best for Mr. Aizawa to know and handle it all first.

Only seconds later ran in Iida, followed by a confused and worried Aizawa. As soon as the pro hero entered the room, his eyes fell upon the small girl and Filo. "What happened?" He asked. Filo began explaining. How the small girl ran out of the dark alleyway and bumped into them, how her quirk activated and quickly saw what she was going through. She thought quickly, getting all of them out on a cloud. Aizawa thought for a moment, processing the information while looking at the small girl. He knelt in front of her. "Are you alright?" He asked. The girl hesitated before nodding. He sighed and looked to Filo. "This'll be some explaining to do.." He thought. It's not as if it was normal for a student to come back to the school with a small girl wrapped in bandages everyday.

[vishapsking]

The commemoration of one's birth is always an important affair! Tao had racked their brains for adequate inspiration on how to show appreciation for their favourite employee, finally settling upon the commission of a guó huà scroll depicting a gently-blossoming tree in the moonlight. Artistic liberty has been taken with the tree itself, resembling in shape something more akin to the tail of his dragon form rather than Liyue's native flora. On close inspection one can make out the shapes of certain birds resting contently among the branches. A more personal touch is also added in the form of an accompanying poem, an ode to the moon written by the director herself. The items are offered up with little ceremony other than the care with which Hu Tao handles the scroll before putting the items into Azhdaha's hands. "I hope that these... are to your liking."

bode birf. @riteburdened / always accepting !

Since long ago, Azhdaha has always loved this land and all the small lives that have resided here. Learning human customs is something the Dragon King adores. How creative their little minds are, how wonderfully they've grown into their own from millennia ago. To be an active participant in the merriment and celebrations is something new to them though.

Azhdaha's head tilts as Hu Tao offers up the gift. They take in the artwork with a hum of approval. Their employer has never quite pried beyond playful jests but a part of Azhdaha knows the Hu clan's preceptive abilities well enough from their past encounters. Still, nothing is said between them. Instead, a grateful smile lingers upon their lips.

"Your prose is eloquent and beautiful as always, Director. You honor me with this gift," Azhdaha says, full of praise. Their body shifts, leaning into a slight bow before straightening. "I know just the place for it!"

They place the well-crafted scroll back into the box for safe keeping. "That reminds me, an old friend gifted me some lovely tea. Would you care to try some, Director Hu? I assure you, it is delicious as it is fragrant. Time well spent in good company is also a gift in itself, don't you agree?"

[ghazanfaristan]

Un ki zindagi key rujhan ki kahani mein,

Basta hai daleir mardana quwwat ka sabaq,

Very few people over the past 40 years,

Including me, comprehended his struggle,

And understood how he got to where he was.

Even fewer realized and recognized,

That so much of it was/is accessible.

Truly, woh "show nahi martey they,"

Unn key jesa mai ka lal tha to koi nahin,

Lekin unn ki fauqiyat hai dastyab sab ke liye.

While the following had all been inspirations for me,

I never realized that He had always been their manifestation.

Agar in cheezon ki ahmiyat sey hum yahan hein,

To jo auron ney paya unn sey, aur samajh kar,

Uss sey ziyada nahin payein gey?

Unhon ney bohot kuch diya,

Jiss mein sey aur bohot bhi liya jaa sakta hai.

Abbu's story of non self-corruption as a model of:

-Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich

-Napoleon Hill's: Outwitting the Devil

-Ayn Rand's Objectivism

-Minority Mindset's Real Estate, Passive Income, and Intergenerational Wealth Creation

-The Tao of Health Sex and Longevity

-Rian Doris' flow

-Wim Hof's cold water therapy and breath work

-Upright Citizenry via Taxation Diligence

-Bollywood/Hollywood Rags to Riches

-Silva Mind Control Method's Seven Mighty Principles

-Independent Media (Hasan Nissar)

-Gandhi's peaceful disobedience and humility

-Imran Khan's athleticism through swimming

-Political Activism through helping the Pakistan Government, Pakistan Army, American Schools

-Malak Gujjars' investment in Star Cattle

-Scientific/Educational Insight through National Geographic and Readers Digest

[tb3ih]

SUN IN YOUR HAIR. ft. ayaka, ganyu, hu tao, + yoimiya

note(s) "waking up next to them" + other delightful morning activities :) a little suggestion [yes, there is only ONE bed], but completely sfw! hold still darling, there's some sunlight in your hair <3

includes comfort & fluff, just a little kiss good morning/night with the sweetest liyue + inazuma girls and also because i'm trying to cope, don't mind me

tagged <3 @booksandhoneymilktea @ts3mi @rqkuya @luvseos @rinoomi

GANYU is so entranced by the peaceful image of you sound asleep early in the morning that she doesn't register that your once placid lips have now curled in amusement and just a hint of your irises appear from your closed lids as you peek at her. you, of course, could not miss this opportunity to tease her, even just a little, yet in the end, you're always assuring her of your love between laughter and kisses.

"hmm, my love if you take a picture, it'll last longer." your voice is quiet but amused, eyes coming to flutter open fully as they meet the embarrassed complexion of your qilin lover.

ganyu makes a sound that resembles a sort of gasp, and you see her move to divert the direction her body is facing entirely, her complexion resembling the same hue as that of her horns. "i-i'm sorry! i didn't mean to stare, i apologize if it woke you..."

you hum lightly, your arms going to snake around her waist to pull her closer to your form. your lips come to press a chaste kiss against the nape of her neck, and she relaxes a little at this. "no matter, i've been awake for the past half hour."

you hear her gasp and she reddens to an even darker shade, this time truly out of embarrassment for not noticing. the poor adepti turns to face you with a horror-filled expression, "y/n! y-you—"

ganyu doesn't get to finish her sentence, because your lips are on hers before she can scold you for such childish antics and when you smile into the kiss she knows that no matter how immature, she could never be mad.

especially not when when her heart flutters so.

it's no surprise when you awake to find AYAKA setting a small table of tea and warm gohan at the edge of your shared bed. she wears a simple kimono in the early hours of the morning and an adoring smile at your stirring form. there's a 'good morning' when between her lips when they meet yours and you hum in reply as the two of you settle for breakfast, the taste of sakura bloom lingering a little on your mouth.

"did you sleep well, lovely?" you hum in reply at her inquiry, picking up a cup of tea to drink before fully replying to her. "like a log, actually."

the two of you settle for picking up your respective bowls of rice porridge before indulging, and make sure to thank her quietly when you finish, moving to pick up the finished dishes to clean them yourself.

when you finish, the two of you get ready for the day and head out to complete your respective duties, and when the time comes that you'll be settling into bed once more, it's no surprise when it all seems to repeat like clockwork.

which was fine for the both of you, because mundane was alright if the two of you could be mundane together.

odd sleep schedules were a given when your heart decided to fall in love with the highly regarded 77th director of the wangsheng funeral parlor, and it's no surprise the moon is as awake as HU TAO the moment your eyes open to reveal your lover at your bedside.

"oya oya?" you yawn softly, stretching your arms a little as you turn over to face your already-awake lover. "good evening, darling."

you sigh softly at the sight of the moon peeking in from the half-drawn curtains. "good evening, director." sitting up, you rub the sleep from your eyes a little. the clock on the wall reads just a quarter past midnight, which, according to hu tao, is the best time of day. "and what adventures might we be embarking on today?"

hu tao giggles, standing up from your shared bed to her feet, hat in her hands as she waits for you to do the same. you're not in your pajamas, but rather a shortened hanfu, so you settle for grabbing a hairpin and slippers before lacing your fingers with hers.

the brunette brings your joined hands to her mouth, her lips feather light as they meet your knuckles. "hmm, ready?"

"always."

if you're waking up, it's probably because YOIMIYA had completely forgotten you were asleep and had decided to test out some new fireworks she had created. you're not bothered by it though, if anything, you're actually quite amused, especially when she comes running in the next moment smelling a little burnt with a wide grin on her face asking if you'd like to come to see her new 'masterpiece'.

you wake with a startle, your heart nearly jumping out of your chest at the sudden burst of commotion. there's some more noise just outside your bedroom window but before you can get up to get a look, a semi-burnt but giggling figure stumbles into your room.

there's some gunpowders smudged on her cheek and in arbitrary spots on her clothing, but aside from that, yoimiya appears to be nothing short of fine.

"baby! you're up, yay!" she comes skipping over to your side of the bed, and you catch a whiff of—wait, is that burnt hair? "you'll never believe what happened!"

she's holding your hands in her own, the grin on her lips wide and joyous. despite the evident mishap of her appearance, your lover appears to practically glow. you blink hard. twice.

you can't help the laughter that bubbles up from your throat, momentarily confusing yoimiya, your seated figure shaking with amusement. you let out a heartfelt sigh, shaking your head as if to dismiss your silly thoughts. "from the looks of it, i'm going to guess it went splendidly?"

her grin tilts and her irises sparkle, "well i am a genius, am i not? anyway! since you're up, you can help!"

you give your head a little tilt. "darling, i understand the romanticism, but isn't it a little early to be committing arson?"

yoimiya winks and you swear your heart erupted into fireworks right then and there. "never."

© tb3ih mmxxi all rights reserved.

[stargazer-balladeer]

Random Imagines [Genshin Impact - girls]

[ boy edition ]

- qiqi’s, klee’s & diona’s are all platonic

nervously shifting her legs on the ground, amber shyly presents you a plushie version of yourself that looks similar to the design of baron bunny. she bit her lower lip in pure nervousness as she imagines worst-case scenarios if you didn’t like it. gulping mentally, she nervously smiles as she takes a peek of your expression before looking down again. “happy anniversary.” she quietly said, hoping to herself that you’ll like the gift and that her mind finally calms down.

ayaka smiles as she takes a sip of her tea right outside her house with her beloved by her side, the sakura tree’s petals fluttering around them wonderfully, making the atmosphere more romantic. it's been a while since she last spent her time with you, so she makes sure that it’s spent with zero interruptions. turning to you as she started the conversation with a sweet, serene smile on her face. listening to you starting to ramble on about a topic that interests you, with a look of admiration present in her face.

feeling thankful that you saved her from the crowd of fans, barbara guided you to a secluded area where she often visited to have peace and quiet. she lets you rest your head on her lap as she softly hums a tune, which slowly switches to an actual song. a concert exclusively for her biggest fan with no worries of being judged. smiling if you join in on her singing, even if your voice isn’t as good as hers, she considers your voice divine like the anemo archon.

laughing lightly as she noticed her significant other getting tipsy after drinking a bottle, beidou stood up and announced that she and her lover would be going back to the quarters early. as the celebration continued behind her, she carefully picked you up bridal style and brought you to her quarters. her eyes widened when you started to ramble how much you love her before letting out a small smile and ruffling your hair, minding her own flushed cheeks. 

diona hisses at the stranger who was obviously taking advantage of your kindness while screaming how disgraceful they are for trying to use you. wanting to teach them a lesson, she takes a step forward but you stopped her with a reassuring smile. huffing but obliging to your wishes, she only glared at the stranger, mentally memorizing their faces so that when they visit the bar, she would ask the traveler to mix up a horrible drink. after all, no one messes with you and gets away from it. 

her eyes widened as she saw how you got hit from the active ruin guard, with eyes full of vengeance, eula gracefully yet deadly strike it on the core, effectively making it inactive once more. quickly rushing to your side as she eyed the obvious injury that the ruin guard caused, she cursed to herself for letting it happen. she quickly tended your wounds as she said her usual line of vengeance will be mine while coaxing you to not fall asleep. 

fischl excitedly retells the stories she loved to you while being held by you in the bed after a tough day full of commissions. her prinzessin persona dropped completely as she started from the very beginning while playing with your hands. a soft smile present on her face, happy to share something she loved to you, her significant other. 

embarrassed at your request, ganyu shyly looks away while looking down, fully presenting you her horns. a pink dust appeared on her cheeks when she felt your hand softly yet carefully trace the design of her horns. the warmth of your hands against her horns made her at peace as the initial embarrassment went away, replacing it with comfort and tranquility.

smiling mischievously as her eyes landed on your unsuspecting figure, hu tao carefully and quietly navigate herself to you. she tries to conceal her excited giggles behind her hand as she crept up behind you. she stayed there for a while before quickly wrapping her hands around your waist and shouting “boo!” in your ear while giggling madly.

waking up at the sound of the birds chirping, jean slowly opens her eyes as she yawns. she blinked a couple of times to get the sleepiness out, once her vision was clear, her eyes quickly landed on your still-sleeping figure. she smiles as she brushes a strand of hair behind your ear, softly calling your name in hopes to wake you up. hearing you groan in protest, she pressed a quick kiss on your lips, promising to give you more if you wake up right now.

keqing huffing as she loudly makes her side of the argument, her face almost turning red due to the anger she’s feeling. she knew she was right, so why were you insisting you were the one right and she was in the wrong? not wanting to back out from the argument, she accidentally says something she regrets. after the adrenaline of the argument evaporates from her veins, she quickly realizes what she said as she quickly pulls you into a hug while quietly apologizing.

whilst keeping her company while in solitary confinement, klee happily hums a tune she heard from barbara as she draws on a piece of paper you gave her along with some crayons. patting her head while she does her task, she looks up to you expectantly with her huge doe eyes, showing you what she drew. guessing from the color schemes of the two figures, you figured it was you and klee. happily praising her with her drawing, she excitedly grins at you. 

the fatui agent screamed in terror as a cryo attack hit him, hitting him square on the chest. shouting profanities, he looks at who attacked him to give them a piece of his mind only to fear his own life. standing right behind you, in all her glory, was la signora, otherwise known as your lover. she clicks her tongue, staring at the agent with judgement, before turning her attention to you. cooing sweetly at you as she checks for any possible injuries before telling you to stay in her quarters as she deals with a pest. 

lisa blinkes in surprise at the scenery before her, the library now deserted from people is decorated with a festive decoration. the table she used to have her tea time with is filled with food, from cakes to cookies, it even has her favorite tea among it. the scent of her favorite filled her nostrils as her eyes landed back on your figure, who was fidgeting from nervousness. laughing softly when asked if she likes it, she coos at you and brings you into a hug. you really are adorable, too much for her heart. 

her eyes widened when the door leading to her room opened, lumine looked up to see you in the doorway, the light from the outside pouring in the dark room. she looks away while blinking away the tears gathered in her eyes, why did you have to see her like this? hearing the soft thud of a closing door, she felt the bed shifted and warm arms wrapping around her. your hot breath in her eyes as you whisper comforting words in her ears. deciding to finally drop her guard down, she clings to you and starts bawling. why did her brother leave her once again?

surprised at your question of your future, mona coughs in her fist as she decides to fulfill your curiosity, also with a promise of giving her mora even though she declined it at first. she let the chart of the astrology signs appear before her and started doing her fortune-telling stuff. seeing her nod as she stares at the constellation of what appears to be yours, you noticed that her face bursted into red. worried for her, you asked her what’s wrong and she could barely put out a coherent word from her mouth. she huffed as she looks away, hiding you from her view via her hat, her mind racing at the image of you settling down with her. 

ningguang confronts you one day about your distant behavior with her, her eyes scanning your body, picking up your nervous tics along the way. she tilts her head as she looks at you with expecting eyes, even though her face remains stoic, her eyes are practically pleading for you to tell her what happened, did she do something wrong? sighing at your explanation, she stood up from her chair and made her way to you. pulling you into a chaste kiss, she smiled at you, reassuring you that everything would be okay.

gently waking you up from your nap, the face of a worried noelle appeared after you opened your eyes. smiling gently at you while stating that she finished preparing the soup and medicine and it’s time to eat. she frowned when you told her you don’t want to eat, to which she responded “you won’t get better if you won’t.” deciding the best option is to feed you, she scoop up a spoonful of soup and encourage you softly to open your mouth. her eyes lit up when you complied with her wish. after feeding you and making you drink the medicine, she changed your wet towel on your head and gave it a kiss, hoping to barbatos that you’ll get better soon. 

qiqi looks up at you expectantly while raising her arms up, asking for you to carry her. because you can’t physically or mentally decline a sweet child like her, you lifted her up like she wanted and adjusted your hold on her so that she wouldn't fall off. wrapping her arms around you and smiling happily, you continued to traverse liyue harbor while carrying her.

watching you in amusement as you struggled to try to get a kiss from her, rosaria chuckled when even if you were standing on your toes, you still couldn’t reach her. seeing you pout at her, she gave your cheek a pinch while cooing at you. after having a deal with you, a kiss in exchange for a wine in the tavern, she gave you your desired kiss after rolling her eyes at your expecting face.  

while looking through her notes, sucrose heard you hum while doing your daily house chores. looking up to peek at where you stood, washing the dishes while swaying slightly and humming a tune. she smiles as her focus soon shifts to listening to you humming instead of focusing on her notes. noticing that the shy girl was looking at you, the said-girl let out a tiny shriek and quickly looked down to her notes. chuckling at her adorable action, you continued to wash the dishes as she went back to her notes. 

xiangling blushed profusely at the sight of you holding out a bouquet of flowers with a bag of jueyun chili on your other hand. she covered her face with her hands, incoherent words leaving her mouth as she tried to process what she’s seeing. you must’ve flustered her too much. chuckling at her reaction, you set down the bag and the bouquet at a table and wrapped your arms around her, patting her head to calm her down. 

excitedly yet nervously strumming her guitar in front of you, xinyan took a deep breath before starting to strum her guitar for real and began singing her heart out. she hopes you’ll like the song she composed, exclusively for you. the one and only fan she has that endlessly supported her through her rockstar career. she smiles at you brightly as she continues to sing, bobbing her head up and down. this is who she is, and she’s glad she found someone like you. 

feeling someone’s disappointing gaze on you, you look up to meet yanfei’s gaze with a frown plastered on her face. drunkenly greeting her, she shakes her head as she exclaimed she’ll be bringing you home now. it was a bit difficult as you kept wanting to wander off but she somehow managed to bring you home in one piece. plopping you down on your couch, she sighs as she mumbles that she became your babysitter and quickly fetches you some water. after some difficult time once again to make you drink water and the ending being successful, she stares at your sleeping face before letting out a sigh once again. why do you keep choosing someone else when she was right here by your side the entire time? 

[staryuee]

braiding their hair — genshin hcs ⸝⸝

warning[s]: n/a!

synopsis: pretty self explanatory — you braid their hair for them :)

characters: kaeya, zhongli, diluc, aether, beidou

no one will ever understand how this man can live for thousands of years and never get his hair tangled

it’s always just silky and easy to comb your fingers through

he also loves the feeling of you playing with his hair, it’s almost therapeutic and super calming plus it’s a cute bonding activity so it’s a great for both of you

usually he’s too busy with work at wangsheng funeral parlour and trying to deal with hu tao but he will always have time for you

i mean it would be surprising if one of the oldest living archons found it hard to battle with time-

anyway - braiding his hair is literally the best experience since he never fails to bring a hair tie or hairbrush with him (he probably doesn’t even need it because of how nice his hair is)

when you’re this close to him and plaiting his hair you can smell a sort of earthy scent with some hint of glaze lilies, it never fails to put you in a good mood

sometimes he hums when you braid his hair because he gets so lost in the comforting feeling

definitely turns this into a daily activity after work, it distresses him <3

this man demands you braid his hair whenever he’s lounging around the knights of favonius hqs, he has things to do but you’re much more important

if you happen to be passing by he won’t hesitate to plop you on his lap and ask for his hair to be braided

it just makes him feel special <3

his hair is definitely silky, it does at times get tangly but you can easily brush it out and honestly the longer you get to spend playing with his hair the better

though this happens often since he loves the feeling of your fingers combing through his hair so lovingly, he especially enjoys it when he feels glum

whenever he has an off day or just completely is devoid of any willpower, he gently nudges you and places your hand on the top of his head - attempting to suggest a nice braiding session

never moves that much, maybe the occasional kiss on the forehead and some sly comments but other than that he’s very relaxed

has fallen asleep when you braided his hair like once (＞人＜;)

well.

would never allow anyone else to do this so think of yourself as special (because you are)

he’s stiff whenever you braid his hair, but a bit too stiff yk what i mean?

like this man could deadass rival geo bearers with how stiff he is when you give him any sort of physical affection - he’s very much not used to it

extremely fluffy and lush hair it’s extremely fun to braid it tbh, although it’s an actual nightmare to comb through it it’s so knotty and tangled it’s scary

i assume he cares about his outer appearance to a decent amount that isn’t vain (unlike his brother lol) but regarding his hair he definitely can’t care less

he finds it oddly calming whenever you do braid his hair, you can tell he’s much more relaxed

his shoulders are slumped, his breathing slows down significantly and his eyes keep dropping down ever so often

potentially when he gets more comfortable, he’d actually try to ask you about playing with his hair whilst he’s signing off some papers or whtvr the fuck tavern owners do

but for now he’ll stick to you randomly bursting into his office and demanding to braid his hair <3

sorry i love this man and all but considering the fact i’ve never seen him take his hair out of the braid, i’ll assume it’s crusty

i’m kidding. sort of.

LOVESSS it when you braid his hair, it reminds him of when his sister used to do it for him ;(

for a traveler his hair is certainly well kept, not a single knot in sight and it’s extremely soft to the touch

he cried the first time you asked if you could re-braid his hair. like he full on cried in your arms for a solid five minutes before settling down and letting you do it

he told you his sister would be very proud :)

can’t bring himself to budge when you play with his hair, he got another cramp in his leg but he just cant move

most of the time he’s silent, simply smiling and enjoying your company maybe he’d hum you a tune he’s heard from his travels or let you talk about whatever’s on your mind

he trusts you sm, anything you want to do with his hair you can and that’s that

you want to put some glaze lilies or windwheel asters in his hair? go for it! cute pins in the shape of hearts? absolutely! want to see how many ponytails you can create with his hair? i mean why not?

in conclusion, he loves you and will let you do anything with his hair (pls don’t cut it off tho)

now this woman. this woman right here

she smells absolutely divine and whenever she steals you away to sit near her or on her lap it’s like you’ve just won at life

her hair can be a combination of extremely silky and completely rid of any knots, or the complete opposite (usually only happens if she’s out on the sea too long)

first time you proposed the idea of braiding her hair she was blithe, eager to see how she would look like

obviously it turned out great since a. shes literally so pretty nothing could make her look bad, b. you’re amazing.

never hesitated to ask you if you would like to play with her hair for a bit before she goes venture out to sea

considering she can’t keep on land for too long before she’s off to hit the shores, she certainly can’t hold still even if you’re just trying to braid her hair

she tried her best but every once in a while she gets a bit fidgety and starts playing with either your hair or your emotions

deadass she won’t hesitate to make you malfunction for a while by kissing you forcefully whilst you’re focused on the little plait you were making

20/10 would recommend braiding her hair. you get a kiss and a happy beidou ;>

©IHEARTGANYU do not copy, steal or repost <33

[astrxlis-archive]

note – i queued this to 11:30pm my time; it’s my birthday today (oct 8), and xingqiu’s is tomorrow, and i’ve had this idea for a while now. this is mostly self-indulgent because my birthday is a sensitive topic for me. take this in whatever light you wish - i just wanted something soft. i don't care if this doesn't show in the tags. sections in italics are memories. not proof-read.

word count – 1.2k

october nights are always cold in qingce village. the countryside is humid thanks to the nearby bodies of water and waterfalls; the plantation soil is wet, adding to the cold feeling, and the wind is chilly, seeping into your bones.

you cradle your coat closer to your body, shivering as a breeze messes with your hair and clothes. what an unfortunate time to not have a pyro vision, you think, adjusting yourself better on the roof of the village’s community center building.

it was nearing midnight, if the moon’s position in the sky was anything to go by. had you been in liyue harbor, you’d probably be in the same spot as usual; this year, however, you’d been hired by granny ruoxin to keep a lookout for the unusual increase of treasure hoarder activity in the area, and to protect the village if necessary.

maybe you should’ve brought a xiao lantern with you, if only for sentimental value.

when you moved to liyue harbor two years ago, you had, against all odds, struck a weird sort of friendship with the heir of the feiyun commerce guild. your line of work mostly involved odd jobs here and there, fighting for whoever paid you enough mora, and xingqiu had jumped on the opportunity to test his skills against you. being a little older and more experienced than him proved to be an advantage at first, but he’s a fast learner, and soon your matches were ending in draws more often than not.

you also shared a love for books and writing, bonding over plot holes and novel ideas; it didn’t take long for you to be included in his poetry battles against hu tao, quietly sitting beside chongyun as he acted as judge.

finding out you shared close birthdays was a pleasant surprise.

on your first birthday in the city, you bought yourself a treat near sunset and walked up all the way to bubu’s pharmacy so you could sit on the railing and watch the city lights and dwindling movement below. xingqiu had startled you not long after, jokingly asking if there were any special occasions for the treat, ending up with you sheepishly admitting it was your birthday. he looked at you, momentarily stunned, then smiled devilishly, a glint in his amber eyes.

“meet me in the valley of mt. tianheng near midnight - the one that overlooks the harbor.”

he’d been waiting for you with two xiao lanterns. the both of you sat quietly next to each other by the edge of the valley, feet dangling in the air as you lit one of the lanterns and lifted it up, slowly watching it drift away into the night sky.

“happy birthday.”

“thank you.” you smiled, then nodded at the second lantern that sat between you. “what’s this one for?”

“oh, my birthday is on the ninth.”

you hum, gaze tiredly drifting back to your floating lantern, now a mere dot against the starry canvas.

“maybe you should lit it, then. i’m pretty sure it’s past midnight.”

xingqiu laughed quietly beside you, and pretty soon his own lantern was floating away in a similar path yours had taken. you had turned your head to take in the boy beside you; an unexpected friend.

“happy birthday, xingqiu.”

on your second birthday in liyue harbor, xinqiu ran into you as you were walking past the feiyun commerce guild at noon.

“same place, same time?” he’d asked, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d have said he sounded hopeful. you were late to complete your own commision, and xu had been looking at the both of you funny, so all you could do was smile and nod before running off.

in addition to the xiao lanterns, the boy had also brought a small blanket. it had been a chilly day, with an even colder, but the stars were shining brightly, and you sat pressed together, sharing warmth beneath the blanket that hung on both your shoulders.

following last year’s steps, you lit one of the lanterns first, watching it drift away lazily, and then xingqiu lit the remaining one. the silence was comfortable; simply enjoying each others’ presence.

after a while, you had elbowed him softly on the ribs, humor in your voice.

“seventeen, huh?”

he groaned.

“yes, my liege.”

“ew, don’t call me that.” you complained, earning a little laugh from him. “is there anything you wanna do today?”

“i hope i can spend some time with my friends.”

you grew quiet at that. then, gently, intertwined your hand with his and squeezed.

“happy birthday, xingqiu.”

you had broken the news to him two weeks before your birthday.

“sorry – i didn’t want to break our tradition so suddenly, but i can’t–”

xingqiu had called your name, effectively silencing your apology. he smiled, placing a hand on your shoulder, grip comforting and familiar.

“it’s alright, my liege. we can always do a symbolic lantern release later.” he removed his hand, holding both of them behind his back. “when do you leave?”

“tomorrow.”

he nodded.

“well then. shall we spar?”

distant movement catches your eyes and you latch onto it like a hawk. the moon can only provide so much light, and you watch as a figure comes closer and closer by the bridges – only one? is it bait? you can’t tell, but you prepare yourself for a fight nonetheless, ready to jump off the roof in a heartbeat.

what you hadn’t prepared for was xingqiu.

he’s in his usual attire, a backpack slung on one shoulder, with two unlit xiao lanterns in hand. he waves once he’s close enough and tells you to stay where you are, and you’re too stunned to do anything other than nod, still processing the fact that xingqiu came all the way from liyue harbor – just to release lanterns?

next thing you know, he’s sitting next to you, decidedly amused.

“good evening, my liege. beautiful night, isn’t it?”

“please tell me you didn’t walk all the way here from the harbor.”

“perhaps.”

you groan, pressing your face into your hands.

“fucking hell, xingqiu.”

he laughs, scooting closer until your sides are pressed together, and then wraps an arm around you. his cold skin against your barely warm one makes you look up.

“i’m joking. i ran into the traveler earlier today, and they had a commission nearby, so they brought me along through a teleport waypoint. they’ll be waiting for me.”

“oh.” he squeezes your shoulder and moves to rummage through his backpack, revealing the same blanket from last time. “good. but you didn’t have to come all this way, you know?”

he drapes the blanket over both your shoulders, offering a small reprieve from the cold air.

“i know. i wanted to.”

with a sigh, you put your hand in front of him.

“hand me a lantern.”

“gladly!”

you light it up, with xingqiu’s attentive gaze on your movements, but you hesitate before releasing it. you look at the lantern in your hands, then at the boy beside you, amber eyes soft in the muted light.

“let’s release them together.”

“ah– sure. let me–”

he scrambles to light up his own, and you both count down from three before releasing them into the night sky of qingce village; the stars are brighter, and it’s easier to lose sight of them once the float far enough, yellow lights flickering amisdt white.

the silence is peaceful, and you rest your head against xingqiu’s, his arm around the small of your back underneath the blanket, both of you with knees drawn up against your chests. you touch one of his knees with the tip of your fingers.

“happy birthday.”

the fondness in his voice is unmistakable.

“happy birthday.”

[rokutouxei]

a solitary walk

genshin impact | G | 2478 | [ ao3 ]  side hu tao/xiao | hu tao birthday fic!

every year, hu tao lives her life the way she believes it ought to be lived—loud and outright. even if reincarnation was real, and that one day we might die and then return to the earth once again, we will only ever be living this very life once. only once in these special circumstances, with these people, in this environment. it’s not because she fears death—no, it’s exactly because she knows death will come to her in the end that she lives like this.

lives treating the stone lions like they were actual cats.

lives climbing up the treacherous cliffs of huaguang stone forest to write poetry.

lives spooking others, walking late at night along wuwang hill.

hu tao knows death like the back of her hand, which is why life means so much to her. why she lives so much of it.

there is only one year a day when the anxiety is stronger than usual. when hu tao feels like living through these ideals is simply not enough. when she begins to doubt her place among the living, when no funeral pyre of inner demons can clear her head. on this day, on her birthday, it’s the long journey taking her from liyue harbor to the solitary mountains of liyue that truly takes out the storm in her heart, heavy and pounding.

when she can be between the pages of herself, among the voices of people she hopes love her.

  -

   “going out today, director hu?”

zhongli is, as he usually is at this hour, promptly sitting in the study of the wangsheng funeral parlor, likely just having finished some morning lecture to the undertakers. hu tao hums, whizzing around him as she peers at what book he’s holding. a history on rex lapis.

“no business today, maybe we need to rework our advertising strategy,” she says, straightening her back. “with you here, i get free time to take a walk and think of better marketing tricks.”

“please don’t use me as an excuse to skip work.”

“aiya, what do you think of me? that’s not what i’m doing,” she pouts. then, she points at the book in his hands. “what were you reading?”

“the undertakers were interested in something i said about the themes of death in liyue’s history, and i was merely reviewing my history,” zhongli answers, strangely more somber than usual. “it is mortal to fear death, but it is to go beyond what it means to be mortal to try to comprehend death as greater than something to be afraid of. as with rex lapis, who surely has witnessed a great many losses in his long lifespan.”

“what do you think the divine feel about death, zhongli?” hu tao asks, hands behind her back, looking up at the mysterious man who always seem to know more than he let on. “do you think it still means anything to them, when they live across so much time and space?”

“i think, director hu,” zhongli says, “that every death can still leave its mark. the archons were mortal once, after all. to not fear death does not mean to not honor its rightful weight.”

“hmmm,” hu tao nods, deep in thought. “you may be right.” then, a clock down the hall begins to toll, and she is shaken out of her reverie. “aiya, what time is it! i have to go, thank you for entertaining my question. i’ll see you tomorrow!”

hu tao is just about out of the door when he speaks again.

“director hu?”

she blinks. “yes, mister zhongli?”

he gives a smile that feels like it bears too much memory. “happy birthday.”

hu tao only beams at him, and then hops out of the door.

   -

   hu tao still remembers the disdainful stares of some of the older, more conservative people of liyue once the kids caught up to her little “hilichurl song.” something about little children chanting about death and murder in such a joyful manner did not sit right with several of the elders. this reflected poorly on hu tao, but—

did it matter?

the kids were—are—having fun, the song is catchy and she wouldn’t be conceited to say that everyone in liyue knows it at this point…

she remembers the little boy who had run up to her, who had returned fresh from a funeral rite up in wangsheng, holding her still-ashen hand saying, “you’re the big sis with the hilichurl song! teach me! teach it to me big sis!”

she remembers being that young.

she doesn’t quite feel like being this old.

the least she can do is immortalize its transcience; she’d write all the poems on death for the living if she had to.

   -

   she encounters xingqiu, who has obviously just come from his daily perusal of wanwen bookhouse, two books under his arm and another clasped between his fingers. she comes up right up before him and goes—

“xingqiu!”

he doesn’t even flinch, long used to hu tao’s little antics. he finishes reading the paragraph he is on before putting the book down, smiling at her.

“well, what is my liege doing this fine day?”

“oh, i’m off to take an adventurous little walk! what are you up to today, young master?”

the honorifics turned pet names were special little sparkles in their conversation. it had become so normal between them they no longer think about it, but the others who overhear are a little more curious.

“to put a little spice into the lives of a young exorcist and an aspiring cook, would you like to join me?”

were it any other day, hu tao would have said yes. there was nothing quite like getting off work early and messing around with chongyun and xiangling, mixing up the ingredients, activating excess yang energy. but today was not that kind of day, so she shakes her head and gives a little smile at her friend instead.

“not today, unfortunately. but soon, for sure!”

xingqiu nods. but before he leaves, he pulls out a bookmark of pressed silk flowers from behind his back, and hands it to her.

“taken fresh from the wilderness.”

“you mean yujing terrace?”

“where i got it is of no matter—” xingqiu says, stifling a laugh, “but instead what message it brings. may you find good company on this special day of yours, my liege.”

hu tao smiles, the kind that reaches her eyes, the one that so few people see, and then pushes xingqiu lightly down the road toward wanmin.

“go cause trouble!”

    -

  the first half of the journey is a lot less tricky. at a certain hour every day, without fail, there are wagons that begin their trip from liyue to mondstadt. hu tao usually hitches a ride on one of these all the way to wangshu inn, where she stops for lunch.

wangshu inn has become such a common culprit to their little meetings that no one gets surprised to see her anymore, smiling and waving at everyone all the way upstairs to the top floor. (sometimes she even passes by the kitchen for some almond tofu, but, ah, yanxiao doesn’t really want her using the kitchen, if for the sake of the food she makes.)

today, when she gets there, she finds aether and paimon sitting at the tables at the very bottom, waiting for their meals to be served.

“hu taaaaooooo!” paimon calls and waves, to which she waves in response, hopping up the stairs to get to them.

“if it isn’t the mighty traveler and paimon! my offer for a discount coupon for accidents is still available, if you’ve changed your mind!”

aether ignores the joke entirely—wisely—and asks, “not staying at the parlor today?”

“aiya, does that seem like such a strange occurence? is it wrong for the director of a funeral parlor to catch a break?”

“...from offering discount coupons for parlors?” paimon turns to aether. “and why so far out here of all places?”

the traveler knows. “we haven’t seen him today.”

“do not fret! the ever omniscient hu tao knows exactly where he will be,” she teases. “can i join you for lunch?”

"wait!" paimon whines. "who's he?"

hu tao orders nothing festive, just some plain snapdragon salad and some fish, but verr goldet hand-delivers a little assorted tray of desserts anyway—red bean soup, mango pudding, custard—all on a celebratory looking plate. she whispers to hu tao: “from the young gentleman.”

and aether’s eyes go wide as plates in realization, but before he can say anything, hu tao hushes him with a finger, not wanting paimon to make a big deal out of it. the traveler only chuckles, paimon neck-deep into a bowl of noodles, and mouths happy birthday while facing the director.

once lunch is over, they talk a little until their stomachs settle with the food, but then they are on each other’s ways. aether and paimon, headed up to mingyun to clear out a camp of hilichurls that have been causing trouble, as commissioned by the guild. hu tao, to qingyun peak, where the clouds can brush over her cheeks.

“are you gonna walk all the way there?”

“oh, it’ll take me just a few hours. i’ll get on any patrolling millelith carts if there are any. i’ll be fine. thank you, traveler!”

“take care, hu tao!” aether calls out. “and send my regards!”

   -

   “i knew i would find you here,” hu tao says, as she lands ever so gracefully on one of huaguang stone forest’s highest peaks. xiao sits there, cross-legged, with his eyes closed. the exhaustion from the journey sinks into her bones as soon as she sees him, as if knowing she will find rest in him—perhaps the same way the sun has sunk dark blue into the horizon.

“i’m here because i knew you’d be here,” he retorts. not even turning to face her. hu tao sinks wordlessly next to him, her hand on his lap.

she loves the way they fit together like this, two puzzle pieces magnetized to each other.

“thank you for the desserts.”

he places his hand over hers and squeezes.

xiao has never been the type for comforting words. the best he can offer is his understanding silence, the kind that makes hu tao know he can comprehend what is going on in her little, mortal mind--even when she herself is not sure where exactly her thoughts are taking her.

“i wanted to bring you almond tofu, but it would have melted on the way here.”

“you don’t need to worry about me.”

you know i’ll worry about you anyway.

worry about yourself.

i already do, why else do you think i’m here but for rescue?

here in huaguang, the breeze silences everything in her mind that speaks, so that all that remains is this: just her, just xiao, just liyue’s star-dotted night sky.

just good company.

no dead, no ghosts, no demons. just them.

they stay there until time seems like it stops existing.

the thing about xiao and hu tao’s relationship is that somehow they always find each other perfectly as one needs the other. it has always been like that from the beginning. from the very first time hu tao had gotten herself lost around mt. aocang, cornered by a family of geovishaps hell-bent on getting her for disturbing their nap; to when hu tao had found xiao slumped against a tree, bloodied with his mask on his face and near unable to breathe, her presence and stupid humor like exorcising the demons clinging onto him;

they find each other always, as if sensing death on the other, and they come to the rescue.

without even needing to call out each other’s names.

hu tao, leaning against him like deadweight, turns her hand around so they can interlock their fingers together. xiao does so wordlessly, and hu tao memorizes the warmth of him against her skin.

keeps it in the back of her mind for when he isn’t around.

they speak without speaking, passing each other the same old questions like they always do.

what if i die today?

you’re not dying today, hu tao.

what if i die tomorrow?

you’re not dying tomorrow, xiao.

who will take care of you when i am gone?

who will remember huaguang like these, starry nights with our hands clasped together?

who will i come to when i’m in need of aid, when i need someone who sees death as i do?

don’t go, it’s too early to do so.

hu tao only voices out one of many, many thoughts passed between their intertwined hands, when she says, “when death finally comes for me, thousands and thousands of years before yours, adeptus xiao…”

xiao hums.

“remember me?”

he scoffs just the littlest bit and hu tao knows he means always. “rest,” he says, as xiao turns and presses a kiss on the side of her face, tucking a pair of qingxin flowers with braided stalks behind her ear. one he’d made before she’d arrived, prepared to find her in this state.

“for sweet dreams,” he promises.

    -

  while in his arms hu tao dreams of her grandfather.

she is watching her young, 13 year old self host her grandfather’s funeral, incredibly young and small and out of place in the grandeur. her yéyé liked grandeur, and it was hu tao’s mission that day to make sure that everything about his grand goodbye went the way it was planned.

it was hard.

she was calm, and composed, and so unlike the hu tao the rest of liyue knew that day. she was solemn during the entire ceremony, not a twinge of a smile or a frown on her face, just calm and detached like it wasn’t her grandfather she was preparing to set off. like his hat wasn’t sitting on her desk at home drenched in her tears.

the present, older hu tao looks on to spot the little signs of breaking left unnoticed by everyone else, like the little ticks at the corner of her mouth, her hypercontrolled breathing, the way she squeezes the staff she’s inherited specifically for this day, under her grandfather’s request.

and while the younger hu tao does not catch him, the older hu tao spots her grandfather among the trees, standing there with his hat still on, in his usual garb, the kind that reminds her of chanting poetry in the afternoon and—

—he smiles.

at younger hu tao, then, eventually, at her, older, smarter, more mature hu tao, as if saying:

thank you.

you’ve done so well.

before he disappears into a fog of light.

hu tao does not feel the need to follow.

   -

   hu tao wakes up in her room in wangsheng funeral parlor smiling, feeling the clouds still on her face, qingxin still in her hair.

[beardrabbles]

rock solid bonds.       pt. two

characters: zhongli, female reader, gimel ( geo hypostasis )

warnings: none

word count: 2,520

notes: well, this took me too dang long to get to! got caught up writing other things, but i hope it was worth the wait. i’m fleshing out a plot for this along the way, and i’m hoping it makes sense in the end! but for now it’s just fluff. lottsa fluff and semi-slow burn. thank you for reading!! you’re a treasure.

Even if you hadn’t arrived at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor the night before and formally signed your name on the contract Zhongli had meticulously drawn out, you would have kept to your word and arrived at Gimel’s island the next morning as promised. You had little with you, since you were reminded with a rather stony voice that this was meant to be an exercise in understanding and not an opportunity for battle. All you had in your little bag was a tightly wrapped lunch, a book and another vial of the concoction you had brought the day before — just in case.

No weapons. No hostilities.

You felt odd keeping your hulking claymore out of sight, but it was for the best. You weren’t looking to actively sabotage yourself, after all, and the arrangement wasn’t an awful one. All Zhongli had asked of you was to be civil towards the hypostasis and to sincerely make up for the damage you had caused. No matter how unintentional it had been, you knew it was right thing to do.

“Gimel?” You had considered hiding behind one of the walls and calling out, but concealing yourself now seemed like a silly idea. Although, calling out the element’s name to the open air felt just as silly.

The ‘ arena ’ was empty, the domineering shadows of the surrounding outcroppings shifting away as the sun rose higher over the horizon. You couldn’t feel the usual vibrations through your feet, and that only added to your concern. Every hesitant step took you closer to the center of the circle that made up Gimel’s home.

Was it still afraid? Or had it fled knowing you would be visiting more frequently? You wondered if it were possible for it to take up residence elsewhere and if that would, somehow, spoil both of the contrats you had agreed to. Hot panic was on the verge of squeezing you hard around the chest when you heard a sign behind you.

Startled, you let out a little squawk and whipped around.

“Mr. Zhongli!” You were partially relieved to see him, partially irritated that he had approached so quietly. “I didn’t know you were there.”

“I apologize for the fright.” He sounded genuine, but the fact that his gaze was trained on the center of the circle didn’t elude you. “When did you arrive?”

“Not even five minutes ago.” You smiled sheepishly. “Had a rough morning, but I’m here.”

“I can see that.” A fleeting smirk flickered across his features before he pursed his lips and cast his eyes around the arena. “And our friend?”

“Hasn’t shown up.” You shifted uneasily but masked it as adjusting the shoulder straps of your pack. “Can’t really blame it.”

“Time and patience. Sincerity. The wounds you’ve left won’t be healed so soon.” Reminded your companion. You sighed and slipped your pack from your bag.

“I know. I just — I want this to go well.” You huffed and sat down heavily, pack beside you. When you looked up and found you were the only one seated, you patted at the ground beside you. Zhongli blinked once, processed the request, then came to join you. You weren’t sure why, but it was amusing watching a man so tall and proper folding his legs as he settled down. Yet he didn’t look the least bit out of place, his serene expression matching the gentle whisper of the wind. In the growing light of day, he seemed to glow, as if soaking in the blooming heat of the sun like light-starved soil and warming rocks.

“If that is your true desire, then I believe all will go according to plan.” He assured you. You were mesmerized for a moment — was that optimism or confidence? You couldn’t tell, but both were appreciated.

“You’re really sure?”

“I have been around for a long time, and I like to believe that I have become quite adept at reading people. Although.  .  .” He paused for a moment, lips turning down. You leaned in.

“Although?”

“Hu Tao says I can be quite oblivious at times.” Zhongli admitted. You snorted, drawing his attention.

“I wouldn’t have guessed it. Wait, Hu Tao. Isn’t she the director of the funeral parlor? Doesn’t that mean she’s your boss?” You asked. Zhongli nodded once, and you continued. “She doesn’t mind you slacking off and comin’ out here to see Gimel?”

“I am merely a consultant. My services are required only when they are needed. When I have no work to attend to, I tend to wander.”

You hummed and leaned back on your hands, eyes up towards the brightening sky. “Do you wander out here a lot?”

“I’ve found myself visiting Gimel more often as of late.” Zhongli said with a sideways glance. You frowned and refused to peek in his direction purely out of guilt. “I like to check on them every now and again, just to see if they’re recovering properly.”

“I didn’t think they needed to recover.” You grumbled.

“Our world is no different than our mortal forms,” started Zhongli, “it can and will hurt if people aren’t careful. We can leave wounds. Look around you — these islands are proof. Gimel is no exception. While it is acceptable to harvest from a hypostasis, harvesting too frequently can leave it permanently damaged. It needs time to rest, to regrow. Tell me, did you notice anything strange the last time you fought it?”

You thought back for a moment, trying to recall the last battle you engaged the hypostasis in. It had been two days ago, you remembered. It had rained heavily in the area, leaving the ground muddy, the stone slick and the sands clingy. It had been both a blessing as a curse, or you’d thought that then. Thinking back, you did think it strange that the basalt pillars it created weren’t as strong as usual. You wanted to blame the rain, but that had hardly been your first encounter with it in the middle of a drizzle.

 “I saw them crumbling. I thought it was the rain.” You finally answered.

“That is a logical assumption to make, but you are aware of the truth now.”

“Yeah, I am.” You slumped forward, elbows on your knees and chin held in your hands. “What about other people? What are we going to do if someone else comes here expecting to find Gimel?”

“We will give them the chance to change their mind.” Zhongli shut his eyes and took in a deep calming breath. “May I ask you something, Miss Y/N?”

“Sure. Go for it.” You shrugged and fell silent, allowing him the chance.

“Thank you. I hope I’m not being terribly invasive, but what were you doing before your contracts bound you?” The question was asked delicately, leaving you room to deny him an answer if it was one you were unwilling to give. And while it did surprise you, you weren’t sure that you had any reason not to answer.

“Honestly, nothing and everything. I didn’t have an actual job. I just sort of.  .  . did what people asked me to do. I ran errands, I lent a hand where it was needed, I’ve babysat.” You let out a small, bitter laugh. “Now I’m a servant for the damn——!”

You clamped your lips shut and shrank into yourself. Without looking, you knew Zhongli was staring sharply in your direction.

“For whom?”

“Does it matter?” You pulled your knees up and scowled into them. A moment quietly slid past, and you still felt his eyes on you. His piercing gaze bore a hole in the walls you had abruptly thrown up, and you found yourself squirming uncomfortably. “Fine, it’s the Treasure Hoarders.”

“I had ventured a guess, but I wanted to hear you say it.” Zhongli sighed through his nose. “Have they hurt you or your family?”

“No.” You shook your head. “Not yet.”

“You anticipate a change?” He wondered.

“I’ve never known them to be totally honest. They’re a small group with a dumb name, but they’re loyal to their leader. Well, both leaders. The guy in charge thinks that if he can get me to find all these treasures for him, he can present them to whoever’s above him in the ranks and get himself a lovely, safe position in the group.” You scoffed. Zhongli arched a brow.

“You seem to know an awful lot about this mans intentions.” He pursued carefully. At this, you allowed the barest hint of a simper appear.

“He’s an idiot. He talks loud because he thinks it makes him intimidating. It only makes him look like a moron when he tells everyone within hearing distance what his plans are.”

Zhongli couldn’t help but to chuckle. “Am I to assume he is.  .  . how have I heard it phrased before? Ah, right. All brawn and no brains.”

It was your turn to laugh now, but the sound was a surprise when it left you. Despite your first encounter with him being tense and awkward, you realized now just how at ease you were around him. He radiated peace and understanding, calmness and patience. Lately, those were all feelings you had seen a distinct lack of. Where the Treasure Hoarders were brusk and unforgiving, Zhongli aimed to educate and reshape.

You wouldn’t have assumed for a moment that you would find yourself casually talking to him after all that had happened the day before, but you were glad for it.

“He is.” But as you both fell into a comfortable silence, you began to grow curious about the man beside you. You didn’t want to shatter the quiet you two had created, but the realization that you wouldn’t have many days like this with him prompted you to turn towards him and devote all of your attention to him. “When did you meet Gimel?”

Zhongli was taken aback, and you couldn’t help but to wonder if he had become too comfortable simply sitting next to you. His amber eyes fluttered, then grew distant, as if peering at something in the far-flung distance.

“I don’t believe it’s an exaggeration to say I’ve known them my whole life.” He started. “I can’t seem to think of a time when I haven’t known them. The form has changed, but they’re still the same.”

“Sounds like you’ve always been connected. Guess that explains the Geo Vision.” You leaned back to glance at the crystal attached to his coat. He turned his head to look over his shoulder, but realized he couldn’t see it. Instead, he settled for admiring you and the way your eyes shone when you glimpsed his faux Vision.

“Do you have one?” He asked.

“No.” You sighed loudly and fell back, laying across the stone and resting your hands on your stomach. “Visionless! Not worthy. Haven’t done anything in my life that warrants the gods blessing me.”

“I don’t believe that.” Zhongli frowned, his stony expression marred momentarily by disapproval. “Lacking a Vision does not make a person unworthy.”

“But it does make the people that have one super special, right?”

“I.  .  .” Zhongli stopped, made a disgruntled noise in the back of his throat, then rerouted his thoughts. “You don’t believe you’re special?”

“Not at all. Do you?”

“Do I what? Believe I am special because I have a Vision, or do I believe that you are special?” His counter question was sudden and took you aback, like a sudden slap to the face. You gaped, and when you didn’t answer, he dared to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” You huffed.

“Your face. It turned the most interesting shade of red just then.” The smile he passed you was soft and kind with the faintest trace of amusement. You felt your cheeks burn hotter and quickly turned away to hide it, but it was too late. “Don’t be so quick to dismiss yourself. I sense potential in you.”

Your stomach knotted and your lungs were madly aflutter, all thanks to those words. Out of habit, you wanted to deny him, but the tender way he spoke was too reassuring not to latch onto.

“You’d be the first to.” You spared him a quick, embarrassed glance. “Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. It costs nothing to build a person up.” He reminded. You frowned, but not out of unhappiness. There was now a solid, burning determination in your eyes that Zhongli barely glimpsed when you stood. “What are you up to?”

“You just said that it doesn’t cost anything to build a person up. It should be the same for elements, right?” You grinned broadly, then cupped your mouth with your hands. “Gimel! I don’t know if you can hear me, but if you can, I want you to know that I’ve always thought you were really amazing looking!”

You paused, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Looking down your shoulder, you found Zhongli nodding approvingly.

“You, uh.  .  . Actually, if I’m being honest, I’ve seen a few hypostasis! I’ve seen the ones in Mondstadt, and the one in Dragonspine! You were always the one I was the most excited to see, even if it was to come fight you. You’ve been the toughest too. And I’m sorry!” You enthusiastic shouting was met with silence, but you thought for a moment that you felt the ground beginning to vibrate again.

As quickly as the sensation came, it left again, leaving the bottoms of your feet feeling numb. Had the hypostasis acknowledged you, or had you mistaken your quickly beating heart and rushing blood for the thrum of an elemental life force?

Your shoulders drooped, and your chest felt heavy.

“Don’t lose hope. I think what you said was lovely.” Zhongli encouraged. You sat down again and dragged your pack forward, drawstrings loosened.

“Thanks. I know you’re right. I know it’s going to take more than just saying nice things to fix what I did, but I’m going to do it. Even if we hadn’t made that contract, I’d be here.” You pulled out the lunch you had brought with you and carefully unwrapped it. “But all that shouting made me hungry, and we’ll be here for a little while longer. You want some? I made it myself.”

Zhongli made to shake his head, but you gave him a stern glare before he could.

“Don’t even. You need to eat too, you know.” You portioned out your food, placed it in his hand, then giddily began to scarf down your half. Zhongli felt an odd stirring in his chest as he glanced down at the food you’d prepared. You misunderstood the sudden admiration and gratitude for hesitation, so you nudged him gently. “I’m not the best cook in the world, but I’m not bad either! Trust me, it’s decent.”

“It smells wonderful.” Zhongli bowed his head. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it! Quick, eat it up before it gets cold.” You paused your chewed and pocketed the bite in your cheek. “I can bring something tomorrow too if you end up liking that. Sound good?”

Zhongli nodded, and the feeling in his chest grew more agitated. “I look forward to it.”

[xiaomomowrites]

home

Genshin Impact | TartaLi/ZhongChi

Summary:  “Home isn’t always a place,” he taps Zhongli’s chest, “home can mean a lot of things to different people. For me, my home is my family. Wherever they are is where my home is. And maybe that’s in Liyue, maybe it’s in Snezhnaya, or maybe it’s in Inazuma. Either way, wherever my mother is, wherever my siblings are, that’s what I call home.”

As Childe trails off, he’s suddenly aware of how he’s fidgeting with a button on Zhongli’s coat now. The tips of his ears turn red. He meets his gaze abashedly. “Does that answer your question?” 

Zhongli smiles fondly at him. “I believe it does. Thank you for indulging me.”

Or; Zhongli struggles to define what exactly “home” means to him.

Find it on Ao3!

This part takes place between act V and Zhongli, Come Down. I know I posted this series totally out of order, please forgive me for my lack of organization :,D

A/N: First of all, I finally have a beta reader!! She’s helped me through the process of writing this and I’m incredibly thankful for her support. I accidentally made her cry with this fic though, even if it wasn’t necessarily sad?? Regardless I appreciate her feedback haha. 

Oh my, I feel like I’ve been writing these two being really soft for too long. After this, I really need to face the music and write these two fighting. The time has come. They won’t be in the honeymoon phase forever!! I’m gonna vibe check all of you. 

Also, do yourself a favor and listen to the songs Home by Michael Buble and Sparks by Coldplay after or during you read this. You’re welcome.

Lastly, you can find me on Twitter @/xiaoscribbles where I’m extremely active and talk too much about Genshin. I love making friends there!

Enjoy <3 -u.n.

--

Zhongli never had a place to call home. 

Or rather, he never bothered to find one of his own and commit to it.

He was always too mobile, too nomadic. He had places to be, people and adepti to see, contracts to see through. Zhongli never found himself settling into one place for too long. Sure, when he was Rex Lapis, he had nested many times. He was a beast whose presence was too large to be confined into one space, so he would glide to the highest mountain in Liyue with ample space for a dragon like him, and settle. Zhongli remembered how he would make it as comfortable as possible for himself using all kinds of things he would pick up on his travels. A deep purr of satisfaction would rumble through him as his scaled belly would make contact with the coolness of the earth, and Rex Lapis would allow himself to relax against the stone, body sinking as if he were weightless. Although, no matter how he shifted, tossed and turned when he tried to rest, something was always missing. 

Even the familiar feeling of the Liyuan ground was not enough to fill the void in his chest.

It was satisfying, sure, but never completing. 

Hence, his lack of understanding of the human desire to settle down in one home for the rest of their short, yet meaningful lives. 

Were they not itching to get up and go somewhere else? See the world? Appreciate the land beneath their feet in all its entirety? Zhongli failed to comprehend. Even an ancient being like him fell short in understanding the idea of a “home”. 

Well, what consisted of a home, anyway? Four walls and a roof over their heads? A kitchen filled with food? A soft bed with layers and layers of sheets? What was the meaning of all that, when the true beauty of the world was beyond those four walls, high into the sky, and deep beneath the sea? What kind of pleasure could possibly come out of being domesticated? 

Nevertheless, Zhongli did make an old promise to try to understand humans as they were. So sure, Zhongli supposed he could appreciate the art of architecture. He saw how hard people worked to build these beautiful houses with intricate designs to maximize safety for the residents excited to inhabit them. It was endearing, Zhongli thought, how enthusiastic humans got about a house. The idea of settling down with their loved ones would give them so much serotonin, so much drive. It was inspiring to him. Zhongli had always hoped that one day, he could feel the same way about someone.

So why couldn’t bring himself to understand the joy in this “home” everyone spoke of? What was he missing? Was he missing the duvet? The one thousand thread count sheets? Was he missing the fine China he saw peddlers selling on roads far from town? Because he had tried his best, living in his mortal form, to find the simple pleasure in decorating his home. 

But no matter what he did, no matter how many throw pillows he placed on the couch, he simply could not deny the gaping hole in his chest when he went to bed at night. He had reached a point where even cooking for one every night upset him so, and he would go to bed disgruntled and hollow. The vast margins left on the king sized bed in the middle of the night kept Zhongli awake.  Though he did not even need sleep, he had tried his best to form what the humans called a “proper sleeping schedule”. Apparently, according to Hu Tao, sleeping at four in the morning and waking at seven for work was “not suitable”.

But in truth, what was he supposed to do? Pray tell, what could he possibly do to absolve the issue of the chasm growing in his chest with each passing night? 

“Xiansheng!” A jovial voice snaps him out of his reverie. 

Zhongli looks up from his mundane paperwork to see a familiar head of red hair bounding toward him languidly. Oh, what a sight for sore eyes.

“Childe,” he greets, “did you pester Miss Hu Tao into letting you back here again?”

“Pester?” Childe brings a hand to his chest to mock his hurt, “I hardly have to bother her to come back here. A simple ‘you look fantastic today’ is always my ticket in.”

Zhongli scoffs fondly. “How can I help you, Childe?” He sets his pen down and leans back in his chair, amber eyes following the Harbinger curiously.

“Well your break is in ten minutes, so I figured I’d come grab you for lunch at Wanmin?” Childe plants two hands flat on the cherry red oak desk and leans forward into Zhongli’s space. There’s his signature teasing smile spreading slyly across his face, the one he knows Zhongli won’t be able to resist.

Zhongli hums in approval. “Sure, let me just wrap up this last form and I should be ready to go shortly.”

Childe drops down to his elbows in response and rests his face between his palms. “You sure? We could just go now, you know. I got Hu Tao consulting Ying’er about the new fragrance for the next hour or so.”

Zhongli leans forward and meets him in the middle. “I must be responsible, Childe. If my lunch break is at noon, then I will not leave my post until then.”

Childe pouts, jutting his bottom lip out cutely in an attempt to convince him otherwise. Zhongli, immovable as ever, simply leans forward and captures his lips between his own. The Harbinger makes a happy noise in the back of his throat and presses closer, positively humming when the ex-Archon reciprocates. But the older man is quick to get back to work, pulling away as quick as he came, but not before he nips at Childe’s bottom lip. The ginger whines petulantly at the loss of contact. 

“Have a seat, Ajax.” Zhongli speaks, a hair’s width away from kissing him again. Childe grumbles, but agrees regardless. He seats himself in one of the plush armchairs located in the corner of the office and makes himself comfortable for the next ten minutes. 

Zhongli readjusts himself in his seat and picks his pen back up, glancing back down at the form he had already completed. He blinked owlishly at it. He must have finished signing it while Childe was talking without realizing what he had done. Regardless, he moves onto the next document to peruse silently. Mid sentence, he scoffs playfully, shaking his head at the thought of the ginger distracting him so. Is he even surprised at this point? Not even a little bit. The ginger has an incomprehensible hold on his heart, one that he doesn’t really want to shake off.

“Something funny, Xiansheng?” Childe teases from his seat. He’s reclined in his chair, relaxed, head lolling against the cushioned headrest. His eyes are closed and his shoulders are drooping into the leather. He’s relaxed, for once, and the thought of Ajax allowing himself to let his guard down in his presence makes Zhongli’s heart thump happily in his chest.

“Not particularly,” Zhongli pushes himself up with a groan. Goodness, his joints are getting tired. He pads over to where Childe is seated and forcefully makes room for himself on a chair that is clearly made for one person. Childe lets out a surprised yelp at the sudden intrusion but scoots over to make room, anyway. Zhongli makes himself comfortable by angling his body to where it’s being cradled by the junction between the armrest and the back, and opens his arms as a silent invitation.

Childe takes it happily and launches forward to burrow into Zhongli’s chest. He rests a gloved hand over his heart and snuggles closer, inhaling the deep scent of silk flowers and leather. Zhongli’s arms come around to strap him against his chest, gloved hands petting his sides as he presses a kiss to red hair. The contact immediately vanquishes the discourse in his mind. He squeezes him tight for good measure, forcing a grunt out of his Tartaglia. 

“Xiansheng,” he calls. 

“Hm?”

“You’re working too hard again.”

“Am I?” He questions absentmindedly. “And here I thought I was pulling my weight just fine.”

Childe snorts. “Pulling your weight? You know I make enough for the both of us. You could retire and stay at home, relaxing and reading books, or whatever it is you do at home.”

Ah, there it is again.

Home.

For the second time that day, Zhongli is struck with confusion.

“What is home to you, Childe?” He asks, voice soft and far away. Childe frowns against his chest in confusion.

“Home?” He parrots.

“Yes, home. What is ‘home’ to you, Tartaglia?” 

“Hmm,” the Harbinger hums, tapping a gloved finger against the ex-Archon’s chest idly as he speaks. “I suppose home is Snezhnaya. Home is what I grew up in. The unbearable cold and the old cottage house. Ice fishing with my siblings, massaging my mother’s back. Those things are all home to me.”

Zhongli ponders. Of course that is what home means. Familiarity, yes? So, technically, his home was Liyue. The hustle and bustle of trade by the harbor, the loud sizzling woks at the food stands, the loud marketers on the street that work hard day and night, the enthusiastic story tellers spewing exaggerated lies— that was all home to him. 

So why, then, was Zhongli still dissatisfied with this conclusion? Home should obviously be Liyue. He created this land with his own two hands. Gave people the very drive that keeps them alive today; he gave the idea of mora and fair trade and economic prosperity. He’s watched countless faces pass him every day, every year, every century. He’s seen new faces, young faces, old faces, familiar faces, too, the ones he had seen on older souls. Reincarnated souls. Zhongli knew those souls. He’s had dinner with many of them on multiple occasions. 

And it was no secret that Zhongli was well known in his hometown. Every business owner was familiar with his eloquent way of speaking and ambitious ways of buying. With the arrival of Childe, every business owner all but doubled their enthusiasm now that Mister Zhongli finally had a means to pay. People knew Zhongli, they adored him. They admired his amber eyes and long, beautiful hair, the ends of it looking like it had been dipped in melted mora. When he walked, people’s eyes followed. They would stare longingly at his beautifully crafted coat, his single earring, the fine leather gloves that cover his deft hands, and they would admire the way he walked with purpose, and with fire. A confidence so set in stone, it was almost difficult for one to even approach Mister Zhongli. For so long, he was considered Liyue’s most handsome bachelor, until of course Tartaglia came along and swept him off of his feet, capturing his attention in a way no one else could ever imagine imitating.

Yet, despite all the attention his people lavished upon him, there was always a nagging feeling of isolation nipping at him in the back of his mind. Despite creating the very ground beneath their feet, he simply felt like he did not fit in. Only when he was with Tartaglia did he truly feel like he belonged anywhere. It was rather inexplicable. There was something about the way Tartagali’s presence wrapped around him with a level of tenderness he had never experienced. It covered him like a gentle embrace, welcomed him without judgement, and loved him without expecting anything in return. The thought of Ajax himself made Zhongli’s heart swell

Speaking of which, the said man was now pressed tightly against his chest tracing lazy patterns into the fabric of his coat. Their long legs were tangled where they were dangling off the seat, with Tartaglia’s foot rubbing affectionately against the older man’s ankle. 

Oh, how far they have come. 

“But,” Tartaglia suddenly interjects, jolting Zhongli out of his thoughts. “If my family were to come here to Liyue to stay, then I suppose Liyue would be home, too.”

Zhongli hums. “Naturally. I’m sure they would find the variety of houses here in Liyue nice and peaceful, perfect for a new home.”

At that, Childe lets out a light laugh. “Honestly? They could live in a cardboard box in Inazuma, and I would still call that home.”

Zhongli frowns. Well now he’s even more confused than when he started. Since when was a cardboard box a suitable home for a human? It completely lacked all the appliances the houses here in Liyue had. Why would Childe settle for that? He of all people was aware of the love he holds for his family, there simply was no way he would call that a suitable home for his family. 

“I don’t understand,” he says instead, “a cardboard box, Tartaglia? You do not strike me as the type to settle for such an...unbecoming home. Especially for your family.”

“No, no, Xiansheng,” the Harbinger chuckles, sitting up slightly so he can look Zhongli in the eye. “I was just exaggerating. And, home isn’t always supposed to be a house, you know. Those two things can be mutually exclusive. Maybe not all the time, but, definitely most of the time.”

Well this was certainly new. Now he truly did not understand what it meant to have a home.

“Apparently I do not know.”

Childe sits upright to look down at the ex-Archon.

“Home isn’t always a place,” he taps Zhongli’s chest, “home can mean a lot of things to different people. For me, my home is my family. Wherever they are is where my home is. And maybe that’s in Liyue, maybe it’s in Snezhnaya, or maybe it’s in Inazuma. Either way, wherever my mother is, wherever my siblings are, that’s what I call home.”

Childe is aware he’s rambling, but he can’t help it. Once he starts talking about his siblings, he simply cannot stop. “It wouldn’t matter where I was if I couldn’t hear my siblings from the other room. If I didn’t wake up to Tonia’s loud blow dryer every morning, or if I didn’t hear Anthon trying to talk to her over the blowing, then it isn’t home. If I can’t hear Teucer’s footsteps coming toward me asking about a new Mr. Cyclops toy, it isn’t home. Not to me. But like I said, it’s different for everyone.”

As Childe trails off, he’s suddenly aware of how he’s fidgeting with a button on Zhongli’s coat now. The tips of his ears turn red. He meets his gaze abashedly. “Does that answer your question?” 

Zhongli smiles fondly at him. “I believe it does. Thank you for indulging me.”

Childe pushes himself up and off the chair, stretching and yawning obnoxiously. “Great,” he replies once his jaw finishes unhinging itself from that yawn, “let’s eat, I’m starving.”

—

To put it simply, Zhongli rethinks his definition of home all night. After he gets home from his dinner date (Tartaglia tugged on his sleeves until he agreed to leave his shift early in favor of a new restaurant that had popped up recently), he closes the door behind him to take in the composition of his home. Tartaglia had been the one to pick out most of the furniture, so although it lacked many of the traditional Liyuan decor Zhongli would have furnished the place with himself, it had a nice touch of Tartaglia everywhere he went. 

His couch, for example, was a deep mahogany leather that stayed cool to the touch despite the hottest of summers. Zhongli’s dresser was nice and tall, a deep chestnut brown cut from the forests of Snezhnaya to match his bed frame. His bed was elevated by an incredibly grandiose four post frame that hung a beautiful golden translucent curtain all around the bed, draping the perimeter and creating an ethereal atmosphere for when he sleeps at night. 

(“It’s kinda sexy, don’t you think?” Childe had asked one day, while he was pondering which bed frame to buy for his boyfriend. Not that he needed to, considering Zhongli finally has a stable salary, he just wanted to.

“Ajax,” Zhongli had said disapprovingly, “what about it is sexy to you? 

“I don’t knowww,” the Harbinger hums, “maybe it looks like I would feel like I’m on cloud nine when we’re, you know…”

“You can say sex, Ajax, I believe in you.”

“Oh stop that!” Childe whacks him playfully with the catalogue, “I’m being a good boyfriend and getting you a beautiful bed frame cut from the finest oak tree and sheets woven with high quality silk! You could be nicer to me, you know.” He’s pouting, and he knows it. Zhongli’s eyes soften.

Zhongli shakes his head, laughing. “You know you don’t need to do that, you know.”

“I want to,” Ajax persists, “this is your first actual living space as a mortal! I want it to be perfect. I refuse to have my boyfriend, who is a literal god, sleeping on a bed with no bed frame. Unacceptable.”

Zhongli smiles and watches him as he continues to ramble about all the different bed frames he could buy. Oh, his love for this boy knows no end.)

The hints of Ajax everywhere he goes is how he keeps himself sane each night. His possessive urge to be around him every second of every day (courtesy of being a dragon deity his entire six thousand year life span) is soothed with the smell of him on his sheets and the extra toothbrush by the sink. One of Tartaglia’s scarves is folded neatly on the arm of his couch, and during those nights where he truly feels Ajax’s absence, he’ll hold the red fabric close and breathe the scent in deeply. The smell alone is enough to rock him to sleep on some nights, but on others, it simply is not enough. On those nights, he finds himself reading book after book about Snezhnaya culture until he passes out from exhaustion. 

One would think that it would be better for them to just live together. Given that they spent every second outside of work with each other, even going so far as walking the long route home just to avoid saying goodbye, a person would look at the way they held each other close in public and think that they’ve been married for quite some time already. 

But alas, they had agreed to take their relationship slow in the beginning. The both of them had much to adjust to, given that one of them was a notoriously fierce Harbinger, and the other was an ex-Archon adjusting to the world without his gnosis. They both had complex schedules that they were much too familiar and comfortable with to just up and leave for another person. There was a certain period of time that they had agreed to spend apart, well, as “apart” as they could be, before they decided to do anything drastic, like move in together. 

There was too much to consider, anyway, Zhongli reflects as he gets ready for bed. Would their living habits even align? Would Tartaglia even be a good roommate? Would he take out the trash responsibly? As much as he loves the ginger with his entire heart, he doesn’t think he could do it for long if Tartaglia was the type to walk around with shoes on. Such an act should be considered illegal, anyway.

Waiting was the right thing to do. 

Right? 

The nights Tartaglia spent with him were the nights he could sleep a full, uninterrupted eight hours. They were the nights that Zhongli felt himself truly relax into the sheets and sink into a blissful sleep, knowing his beloved was being held impossibly close. And if nighttime was therapeutic for him, mornings felt ethereal. The mornings where he rose with the sun to be met with the sight of Tartaglia next to him were the mornings he felt like he could fly again, and soar through the open Liyue skies in his rawest form forever, so long as Tartaglia was with him. 

In fact, more often than not, Zhongli thought about the way it would feel to have Childe by his side as he explored the skies again. He would think about the way he would have to strap him down, nice and close so he doesn’t fall off his back, and then take off high into the sky. Not too high, lest he accidentally give his boyfriend a heart attack, but high enough to hear those delightful shrieks Childe will let out when he’s excited. He thinks about the way Childe could grasp onto his mane for security, hands threading through golden locks, legs tightening around his torso to avoid falling. Oh, he thinks about this a lot. 

But, waiting was the right thing to do. The last thing he wanted was for Childe to feel uncomfortable with the pace that their relationship was going and make him uneasy. Besides, just because he was a possessive dragon at heart, it didn’t mean Ajax was willing to cater to his needy tendencies. So, he promised himself that he would create a reasonable distance between them for the time being.

Why then, did he hate this distance with every fiber of his being? 

Why is the distance so unbearable, especially at night? 

Why is he so unsettled with the very few miles between them? It’s not like Zhongli is in Liyue and Childe is in Snezhnaya. Tartaglia is literally only at the inn. 

Yet he craves nothing more but to be close to him at all times. Zhongli’s skin itches with the desperate desire to feel him by his side when he goes to bed, when he wakes up, and all the moments in between. Does that make him clingy? Maybe. But old habits die hard. 

Zhongli huffs and looks down at his flattened pillow with disdain. No amount of fluffing will restore it to a state that is suitable for his likes. Even the elegantly woven silk night robe wrapped around his body offers little to no comfort. 

He glances at the clock. 

It’s only half past midnight. If all went well with Tartaglia’s shift, he should be home now, fresh out of the shower. 

Without thinking twice, Zhongli throws together an overnight bag and rushes out the door. 

—

“Coming, I’m coming,” Childe calls to the incessant knocks at his door. The knuckles continue to rap against the barrier, though, and Childe’s fingers itch to summon a water blade in the case that things go south. Considering that there is rarely anyone that would dare to disturb him at this time of night, Childe would say his precautionary measures are reasonable. He had summoned an angry water god, after all. It was only a matter of time before the angry mobs got to him. 

The knocks sound again, and Childe angrily ruffles his hair against the towel. If they could just wait one second, he could answer the door with dry hair, but no. Peace was not an option, apparently, and neither was a perfectly fluffed head of hair.

He stomps toward the door and swings it open, ready to scold whoever had—

“Xiansheng!” He startles when he sees Zhongli standing in the doorway, donning a simple black t-shirt tucked into high waisted pants that were loose and slightly flared at the bottom, and his feet were covered by simple strappy sandals. Childe vaguely remembers purchasing those pants for him when he had mentioned wanting more loose and liberating clothes. The ex-Archon looks good like this. He looks… impossibly soft. Vulnerable, almost. There’s a distant look in his amber eyes that has Childe mildly concerned, though. Childe tries to ignore the sudden urge to protect him to his last dying breath.

“What are you doing here?” He sidesteps and reaches out to drag his boyfriend in. “I thought we had already discussed you sleeping so late! I know you’re an adeptus, you don’t require sleep, blah blah blah, but still, you—“

“I missed you,” Zhongli stated so matter of factly. “I wanted to see you. So I came here.” 

Childe gawks at him and closes the door slowly. So he had just walked all the way here?! At this hour?! Goodness, the audacity—

“Xiansheng,” he whines instead, dragging the older man into an embrace. He wraps his arms around his neck and presses his cheek into his hair. “You can’t just say those things. It’s impossible for me to love you more.”

Zhongli holds him with desperation, welcoming the hug so enthusiastically that Childe knows there’s something to be said. 

“Can I stay the night?” The adeptus asks once they pull apart. 

Childe looks at him, dumbfounded. “You don’t even need to ask! Go, make yourself comfortable. Are you hungry? Have you had dinner?” 

Zhongli drops his bag by his side of the bed and takes a seat, still watching Childe with careful eyes. 

“I’ve eaten,” he answers carefully. “I just couldn’t seem to get comfortable at… home… so I came here.” 

Childe frowns, and joins him on the bed. He flips the covers open and clambers in, resting back against the headboard. “Not comfortable? Is something wrong with your place?” 

“Maybe,” Zhongli tries, “I really don’t know. Frankly I’ve been conflicted about… many things… recently, and I feel as if I have reached an impasse. I don’t know where to go from here.”

“Zhongli,” Tartaglia says, suddenly serious, “how come this is the first time I’m hearing of this?” His voice drops an octave, the worry seeping into his tone. 

Zhongli reclines and rests against the headrest, too. “I did not know how to express my troubles to you, mainly because I’m having trouble defining it myself.” 

Well, that’s fair enough. Tartaglia can’t find it in himself to be mad at that reasoning.

“Well,” Tartaglia begins, reaching for Zhongli’s hand and hugging his arm to his chest. He scoots closer and uses Zhongli’s shoulder as a pillow. “Why don’t you just start rambling and maybe it’ll come to you.”

“I think I have a vague idea, actually,” Zhongli adjusts himself to make himself more comfortable for Ajax. The both of them find themselves staring up at the ceiling as they converse. “Remember when I asked you what ‘home’ means to you?”

“Of course,” Tartaglia answers. Oh, he has an idea of where this is going.

“Well, I’m unsure of what it means to me.”

Bingo.

“What it means to you?” The Harbinger asks, craning his neck to look up at him. Zhongli hums, affirmative. 

“Yes, I’ve been struggling to define the term for myself. I’ve been observing others much more closely and how they define their own home, but I’m afraid it has made me more confused.”

Tartaglia juts out his bottom lip in contemplation. “What do you mean?” 

Zhongli takes a deep breath, a long explanation at the tip of his tongue. Tartaglia braces himself, as he usually does.

“Today you told me home was your family. Miss Xiangling told me home was her father, and the smell of their kitchen. Young Xingqiu told me his home was within whatever book he was reading, even describing it as his safe space. And Miss Ningguang, most peculiar of all, had told me home was when she was out at sea, but only when Captain Beidou was by her side. Mind you, I had fully expected it to be the Jade palace, considering the built it from the ground up.” Zhongli rambles, “and I just found it strange how so many humans find different definitions for the word home. Such a simple word, too, so imagine my surprise when I discover it’s true complexity.”

“I’ve encountered many things in my life, Ajax. I have met so many people in this lifetime and watched them grow, watched them die, and even watched some be reincarnated. But I think…” he trails off, and the warmth in his eyes glimmer as he reaches an epiphany. “I think I am struggling to define the term because I have never been presented with the idea of stability. Things are always changing. The world around me continues to warp and I have noticed, in my time so far, that humans find the need for stability and reassurance because of the nature of their short lives. That is where I am lacking.”

—

Try as he might, Tartaglia takes slight offense to his statement. 

Lacking stability? The thought was bitter on his tongue.

Was… was Childe not enough? 

No, no, he forcefully derailed that train of thought, he came here tonight because you’re the only thing he can rely on in his life right now. Show him that.

“Well,” Childe starts carefully, and thanks the stars that his voice is steady. “What about me?”

Zhongli makes a confused noise. “What about you?” 

“Do you consider me as a stable thing in your life?” Childe prods, digging his cheek deeper into his shoulder.

“Oh, absolutely not,” Zhongli snorts. 

Childe unironically feels an ache in his chest. He stills against Zhongli. Ouch. 

Luckily, Zhongli is at least able to pick up on his sudden discomfort, and he’s quick to follow up his statement. 

“You misunderstand, Ajax, you being wildly chaotic is a beautiful thing in and of itself.” Zhongli gently pries Childe off his arm to look at him directly. As expected, Childe is upset. He’s got the same glassy eyes he always dons when he’s upset, but doesn’t want to admit it, and his bottom lip is red and obviously bitten in an attempt to keep himself from feeling unreasonably angry. 

“Oh,” Zhongli coos at the sight, “I’m sorry my love, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s fine,” Childe blinks hard, “I’m just being dumb.”

“You’re not being dumb,” Zhongli is quick to negate his self-deprecative tendencies, “I must have come off very harsh just now. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Childe thumps a fist against his chest, “it’s fine, really.”

“As I was saying,” the Archon continues, “nothing about my life so far has been stable, Ajax. Things are constantly changing. Time continuously flows, and it simply does not wait for any man. Unfortunately, I have seen many people come and go. And unfortunately, one day you will become one of them--”

“Zhongli stop,” Childe interrupts him. He’s angry, now. His brows are furrowed and there’s an evident frown on his face. There’s a slight scowl across his lips where there used to be a precious smile just moments ago. “What the hell?” He asks angrily. 

“Ajax,” Zhongli scolds softly, “it would be in your best interests if you let me finish.”

“Well, not if you’re just gonna talk about death,” Childe retorts. He’s aware that he sounds childish, but such a topic is not to be taken to lightly. Especially when it revolves around him, and what he would be leaving behind. The thought makes him sick to his stomach.

“Whether or not you’re stable, whether or not you’ll be here forever, you are the most important thing to me, probably ever.” He speaks with a certainty that makes Childe shiver. “You are the first person in a very long time that has made me want to try to grasp at the fleeting seconds I have with you, Ajax. You drive me crazy. And I love you for it, because never in my six thousand years have I had as much fun as when I am with you.”

Dammit, Childe is crying now. Zhongli has such a way with words, how could he not? Dating him is just one, huge, glorified emotional rollercoaster. Zhongli brushes a stray, reluctant tear away with the pad of his ungloved hand. 

“Frankly, stability is overrated,” the ex-Archon smiles at the soft giggle that escapes his beloved’s lips. “I have found, albeit slowly, that I would rather have someone loud and rambunctious than someone slow and settled. That is my role, if anything. There simply cannot be two of us, can there?”

A soft “no” is huffed as laughter from Childe. What a boring relationship that would be, truly.

“But if it is stability you seek, Ajax, let me be that for you. Let me be here, solid as stone and steadfast. Let me be the pillar of strength you need to turn to in times of trouble. Okay?” He brushes a knuckle gently across his skin.

Childe makes a sound that sounds a little broken and a little delirious. “When did this become about me, Xiansheng?” 

“To me, it’s always been about you,” Zhongli smiles fondly. Childe feels as if he’s been shot in the heart.

Childe gives him a shaky smile and nods. He can’t seem to control his heart at the moment, so instead, he says, “You’re my home, Zhongli.”

--

The gears seemed to finally click somewhere in Zhongli’s chest. The hollow feeling inside suddenly swelled with a sense of nostalgia, bringing with it a feeling of peace and serenity. Zhongli’s eyes widen, and the ex-Archon looks down at Childe with a sudden air of solid certainty. Childe almost shrinks at the intensity of his gaze. 

“Of course,” he mutters, mostly to himself. “Of course it’s you.”

“What?” 

“How could I be so blind?” Zhongli cups his face with both hands, and Childe reciprocates by placing both palms on his wrists. Confused, but following along. Cor lapis eyes stare straight into his soul, unforgiving as it digs deeper and deeper into what makes him whole. 

“Xiansheng?” Ajax asks, dazed by the intensity of Zhongli’s stare. God, his eyes are so golden.

“It’s you, Ajax,” for once, his voice cracks and he loses composure, “you… are home. You are home. To me, that is my definition of home. I only ever feel-- I only ever feel like I belong when I am with you. It was so obvious, and I--”

“Zhongli,” Ajax gently pries off the hands cupped around his face. His heart can’t handle this right now. It’s too much. He’s too in love, he needs to do something or he’ll explode. He stares directly into those beautiful, mesmerizing golden eyes. Ajax cradles Zhongli’s hands in his own, petting over his knuckles, when he asks, “Marry me?”

His eyes widen comically, as if they weren’t already the size of saucepans with his first epiphany.

“Oh.”

So that’s what he was missing. 

“I know we said we would take it slow, and I know I’m young, or whatever” Childe begins to ramble, “but fuck going slow, Xiansheng, it’s been months and all I want to do is go to sleep with you next to me. I know what I want and it seems like you do, too, but if I misread that then--”

Zhongli hushes him with an incessant press of his lips against Childe’s. It is a loving kiss, yes, but it is filled with a desperation that only the both of them understand. It is a kiss that is so different from the others; one full of certainty and ambition, a kiss full of overwhelming commitment. The longing behind the contact is an answer in and of itself, but he pulls away to speak regardless. 

“Yes,” he breathes, pressing his forehead against Childe’s, “yes.”

That night, Zhongli finally comes to the conclusion that home does not have to mean four walls and a roof. It doesn’t pertain to any kind of fancy kitchen appliances, or four post bed frames. Zhongli quickly learns that it doesn’t have to be about a place, and all the stories it tells. It’s not even Liyue, the very land he built himself. It has nothing to do with any of that. In fact, the sheer ridiculousness of Zhongli’s inner conflict has him rolling.

Instead, it has everything to do with the red head beneath him. It has to do with the way he calls his name in the middle of the night, claws his hands down his back and juts his hips forward, desperately seeking friction. Home has everything to do with swollen lips, red from being kissed, cheeks hot pink from the heat slowly filling the room, and strong thighs clenching and unclenching around his waist. Home has to do with his precious Snezhnayan soulmate.

Simply, home is Ajax. 

[gh0stchoir]

Filo felt her mind race like it never did before. Her mother, scratch that, her whole family did business with All for One. She had a second quirk her whole life and no one told her. Blinking, she slumped a bit. "I guess that makes sense", she said. "Makes sense?", Toga repeated, "How are you so calm?!" Filo shrugged, her emotions seemingly clicked off. "It just makes sense, you know. Why would my mom be okay with me not being against villains unless she sees them as the ones in the right too? I mean, I always knew that, I just didn't think it would be so big." She didn't look at All for One, just at the corner of the screen. "So, this was all a plan. I may not have noticed, but I did already work for you in the past. The sole fact I'm currently standing here was probably planned by you. My mom told you I was enrolling in UA, but you couldn't tell Aoyoma about me. So you enrolled Tao, knowing from my mom's reports I'd try to befriend him. And then you only had to wait until I'd find his relation to the League and let the whole thing about Dabi click. From then on I'd make an impression with this Sherlock Scan Quirk by proving things, find out Aoyoma, and now were here."

All for One grinned, nodding. "Correct. I see, you've perfected this gift. And I assume you also know what this means." Filo nodded, closing her eyes. It meant she couldn't run. Her opinion on Heroes and Villains had been manipulated since she was a literal toddler. Seemed like she and Tao had way, way more things in common then either of them had thought. She'd focus on him in a moment, on him and his mother. For now, she wanted to be selfish and get answers. If her life was breaking, she might also be the one actively helping in it. She'd stop being the odd teenage girl she thought she was, and her problems would never be that of a normal teen. "What about Oboro Shirakumo? What is the truth about that? Were he and my mom just irresponsible teens and became parents at 15? Or did that quirk giving thing boost me two years of development and I'm actually a fourteen year old in a sixteen year old body?" If it was the later, she could kiss all chances with Amajiki goodbye. All for One hummed. "Oh, don't worry. They were mere irresponsible teens. While your mother had promised to bring her children into my care as well, she didn't expect it to happen so soon. And given Oboro Shirakumo's status as a hero in training, she could not let him know of her affliction to me, so she left. He had no idea you existed, that was not a lie."

Filo hummed. "You're still hiding something about him." The anger on her mother grew. There were just so many lies piling up. All for One chuckled darkly. "Are you sure you can handle the truth?" In all honesty? No, no she could not. She could barely handle the truth about herself, fighting down the urge to throw up. But she still had to know. "I can." All for One hummed. "Well, it occurred that I saw a quirk I was intrigued by. The Erasure Quirk your homeroom teacher has. Yet the plan to abduct him failed, and instead a boy with a cloud quirk was caught. Nearly dead, he was brought to my best scientist. It wasn't who I originally wanted, but I saw potential. So, they started transforming him, and his quirk. Any by now, he's an almost perfect Nomu. Able to think on his own, act on his own, yet unable to disobey me or go against my orders. And so, I made sure he'd always have an eye on my dear Tomura. Just in case they needed to", he smirked, "get out quick." The silence was deafening. Not even Filo's quirk was needed to understand just what All for One had meant with his words. Slowly, all eyes went to Kurogiri, who was starring back at the girl before the laptop. The girl he was just informed of was his daughter.

"Although, he holds no memories of when he was Oboro. As far as I'm aware it's like he's a new man." All of One smiled upon seeing another one of his creations. Filo stared at Kurogiri, trying to come to terms with that was her father. Or rather was her father. Could his consciousness of Oboro come back? Was it even still there? Surely if he had been turned into a Nomu, then there could be a possibility Oboro was still there somewhere. "He wouldn't even know me, even if he remembered as Shirakumo." Filo said. All for One hummed with a smile. "Even better isn't it? I assure you, with all of our tests on him he hasn't remembered anything yet."

Shigaraki stared wide eyed, at what most would call his babysitter. The host was that teenager that died while attending UA? He remembered hearing about it when he was young, at the time paying no mind to it. He didn't know that Kurogiri was technically Shirakumo, up until now. The tense room made everyone uncomfortable, some feeling sick to their stomachs. 'Is this some sick joke?' Tao thought. He was seated down now, legs too wobbly to stand. His stomach felt tight and uncomfortable, as if he was sick. He felt so incredibly bad for Filo. Learning that it was practically impossible for her to not of been in contact with AFO, considering her family and generations of it had been partners with him. Learning that her mother just went along with everything, submitted to the man, instead of running off and facing a possibility of getting experimented on. Learning that her father was now a Nomu, Kurogiri. Meaning that the quiet fatherly type man always in the bar area, was her father. The room was once again silent, of course if anyone was talking it was Filo asking a question or All for One answering. Toga stood with a big frown. All of this upset her, jumbling her mind up. Twice's head was filled with his voices yelling at one another about the situation. Magne's head rested against her hands. She was trying not to cry. Spinner had a scowl on his face. Dabi stood against a wall, deep in thought. Shigaraki itches at his neck, harder by every minute. He was tempted to dust the laptop. He didn't want to hear about this anymore. Tao sat, mind racing and emotions filling. Filo stood, still staring at what was her father. And of course, All for One watched all with a smirk. Oh how he loved this

[floristchangbin]

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Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature~

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🌺Welcome to Seo Changbin Chatbot🌺

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Choose your path~

1) First love (💮)

You got separated from your first love back in primary school. Now just like the promising smell of baby's breath, you'll finally reconcile with him. Will you be able to tell him your feelings? 🌺

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He always was the most attractive of all. No wonder there were so many girls always behind his back but he had his eyes for a certain someone and had no clue that "someone" was actually madly in love with him~🌺

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He always watched you from afar but his heart was always close to you. Oh how he wished you'd turn around and notice the way his heart beats for you🌺

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You've seen him in and around the street. The way he'd hum a random song as he scribbled on his notebook. You realised he was quite shy and mysterious and that was exactly what drawn you to him🌺

5) Love aka your Boyfriend (🌹)

Nothing to state here since we all know it. He is the loving boyfriend you've always dreamed of. Takes care of you the best and spoils you with hugs and kisses🌺

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Reblog

Message admin with your pronouns, preferred plot, triggers and safe word

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Tell Binnie "Binnie I don't want to be with you anymore" and he will leave you behind.

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How to reactive 🌺

Tell him "Binnie I'm wrong. I want you back" and he will gladly come back to you though he would trust you less.

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[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 30 – Wrong Start

“I give you 10 seconds for you to confess, whoever it is.”

Muzaka’s statement resonated in the air, left unanswered by his closest and most trusted warriors.

None of the four warriors could fancy what was in their lord’s head, and they were busy exchanging looks among themselves, until Garda, as the most experienced of all warriors, decided to be the vanguard.

“Pardon me, my lord, but... I am afraid we have no idea what you want to discuss with us.”

“Isn’t it obvious? I mean, can I make it any more obvious?”

Muzaka sighed from the bottom of his guts, as if he just encountered the gravest tragedy he has ever witnessed.

“Don’t you hear that? Our little girl throwing a raging, hissy fit as we speak.”

Oh.

No mouth in the area ever moved, but an identical sound rang in their heads in synchronization.

In fact, questions had been ringing in their heads even before Muzaka summoned them.

‘What on earth had happened to Lunark?’

‘Why is she so mad?’

‘Shouldn’t we stop her? At this rate, she’ll blow up at least 10% of our land.’

By the time damages caused by Union’s biological weapons were almost as good as gone, out of the blue thundered new cacophony undeniably from a work of destruction.

It turned out Lunark was to blame, slashing and trashing like a bull that has spotted a red flag, as reported by two rookie warriors that were dispatched to find out the cause of it.

And she was doing one hell of a job, so vicious that they could not even get close, let alone ask her what was wrong.

“But it seems her reasons are still functioning. She’s wreaking havoc at that infamous forest. But really, does anybody have any idea what’s gotten into the girl? Whether it is condolence or understanding or reprimand that she needs, I’ll be able to choose one only when I find out why she’s doing... All that. Anybody? Please?”

Nobody moved a muscle to Muzaka’s inquiry-slash-request, for they were just as clueless as he was.

That is, all except one.

Garda learned about Lunark’s rampage from new warriors, who were already throwing a talk party of their own regarding the grey-haired warrior’s behavior, and she ran to the spot right away to check what was going on.

And she could pick up Lunark’s voice even before reaching the forest, from which the former usually stays away.

“Aaaaaaaaaagh!!”

She managed to catch a glimpse of the younger warrior from afar, who was screeching an array of unrecognizable vowels and syllables, with her hands shifted into battle stance as she was hurling towards whatever she could reach, air, trees, or leaves afloat.

Garda had no choice but to retreat, partially because she got scared for her own life, and partially because she was beyond puzzled, never having seen Lunark so unbridled.

Luckily, she could spot Lunark’s face right before she turned away, which left a concerning impression in her head.

‘It looks to me she isn’t mad. She’s whipping up embarrassment from the depth of her soul. Just what could mortify and set her off like that?’

*****

Few days later, Frankenstein’s island

‘Just what did he do?’

The white-haired man had been asking himself ever since the lord of the island returned at last.

He did remember that Frankenstein said he would be visiting wolfkind; however, he was wondering whether he ate the Dark Spear on his way.

Because the atmosphere from the blonde human was so dark, so violent.

That was when 3rd Elder’s experience with mind games from Union kicked in, and he attempted to analyze Frankenstein’s mental state based on what he could make out of his islemate’s facial expressions.

As a result, he could identify a number of emotions: extreme irritation, fury just as extreme, remorse greater than either of the two, and, most importantly, self-hate.

Because of which, 3rd got highly conscious of his every breath and step, despite the fact that he was lodging on this island upon Frankenstein’s permission and consent.

On the other hand, unbeknownst to the scientist, he terrified that the former could have noticed his alliance with Helga.

So he ended up asking Frankenstein if there was something troubling him, ready for a lethal slap in the face.

It’s nothing.

Came a reply with a face that THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING, before the speaker fled the scene.

That did not do any good to relieve 3rd Elder of his fear, but at least he was convinced that the reason behind Frankenstein’s foul mood lay not with him.

When he walked away, Frankenstein’s steps were immediate, rushed as if he never wanted to talk about it ever again.

‘That just made it more curious for me, but I guess it’s none of my business, whatever it is. What matters is that Frankenstein knows nothing about my deal. Speaking of which, looks like the recorder and tracker in me really didn’t work.’

He already knew the answer; had they worked properly, upon his return Frankenstein would have cornered him almost as if he were going for a round of a full torture.

So all in all, regardless of what had taken place with the wielder of Dark Spear, 3rd Elder could not deny that it was all good for him.

It was so good to know Helga’s promise came with a reason.

It was very good to find out her accomplice was truly talented.

‘And I’d say she’s also talented, having discovered and won over such competence, especially considering the original alliance of the said competence.’

Though Helga did relay to him the course through which her accomplice had agreed to act as an accomplice, 3rd Elder was still mystified.

‘Anyways, I’d say nobody knows about my ‘betrayal.’ Which means I should focus on my job and do it right, on the day she mentioned.’

*****

Time never stopped its magic, and at last came the day marked on everyone’s calendar.

<I was wondering whether we could make it...>

<But here we are.>

“Haha, amen to both of you.”

Tao, who had found himself in front of computers for once, laughed at the screens hosting virtual conversation with four recipients at once.

Nonetheless, the man’s face held a hint of anxiety, and Adne somehow detected it like an X-ray.

<Mr. Tao, was it...? There’s no need to be so anxious.>

“Haha, was it that obvious? How embarrassing. And I have been calling myself an expert, with tons and variety of experience when it comes to computers.”

Tao laughed, scratching a side of his head, when Adne offered a word of comfort.

<Experiences does not really grow on par with poise. Besides, anxiety is not so bad, although this is from someone who just told you not to be so anxious. It’s a proof that you are responsible and conscious of the weight of your task.>

“My, I’m starting to feel small in your presence. We should be calling you the real expert.”

<An expert? Me? That’s preposterous. I am no expert.>

But I wanted to be one.

Tao blinked, wondering if he had just heard the werewolf doctor whispering.

Before he could ask if he had said something, however, Adne beamed in satisfaction.

<Most importantly, Mr. Frankenstein recommended you. And that’s more than enough reason for me to trust you.>

“Aww, come on, boss! You should really stop being a proud daddy.”

<I dare you to shout that in my face one more time.>

Tao felt his body turning rigid as a biting voice speared his eardrums.

So did Takio and M-21, watching the scene right next to his chair.

Frankenstein’s face, lighting up an entire monitor that was assigned to him, was brimming with annoyance.

<Thanks a lot, Tao. I’m already starting to think that I really shouldn’t have volunteered as an audience.>

“Aww, don’t be so mean, boss. There’s no way we’re leaving you out for the grand premiere of the event.”

<I would like to second that.>

Said Lascrea, who had been listening like a rock until then.

Because she was standing next to Yuhyung, who decided to be the operator for Lukedonia, only part of her face was visible.

The only one who has not spoken was the doctor from KSA.

Or rather, he decided not to speak, overwhelmed by the presence of werewolves, nobles, Frankenstein, and a group of people who had shared with him blood and sweat in battles.

But of course, that did not mean KSA would be left unspoken for the duration of the event, though it was because Tao directed a word to everyone at the scene.

“So, are we all ready? Status report, please.”

<Yep! All set!>

<Uh, same here...>

<...I believe we are ready as well.>

Adne was the last to send an okay, after a bit of delay, to which Tao responded with a nod completely void of a smile.

“So, shall we begin?”

Right on cue, Yuhyung took the invisible mike from Tao.

<Now, please follow the instructions I had left for you. First, run the program I installed for you.>

Tao’s fingers danced across the keyboard, for he had fully memorized Yuhyung’s instruction manual; and Adne and KSA’s doctor followed suit.

The two humans provided feedback whenever things were lost or stuck in the middle, and they reached step by step closer to the initiation of the QuadraNet.

By then M-21, Takio, and even Lascrea were having a hard time hiding their excitement.

“Okay, we’re almost there! Just a little bit more!”

Tao’s encouragement fueled everybody to the last stage.

<Now, once this file is activated, all four servers will be linked. And like I told you a number of times, we must activate the file at the exact same moment.>

“On a count of three. One... Two...”

Three.

Four fingers stabbed the enter key in unison, and not long after they held their breath in waiting, pleasing hum of machines and blue light began their duet.

<...Well? It looks like things went okay here.>

Asked a voice from monitor connected to the KSA’s headquarter, somewhere between anticipation and concern.

<W-w-we’re okay!>

<Uh, same here...>

Came voices wild with wonder, and Tao was about to laugh in reply, when an eerie whirring noise, pitched so high and so ominous, began to bore through everyone’s ears.

The fact that it took place just when they were literally less than an inch away from completion was horrifying enough, but they had yet to realize the real horror was yet to reveal itself.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep-beep-beep-beep.

BEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!

Monitors linking Lukedonia, KSA, and wolfkind also emitted similar noises, and soon Tao found his screens being painted with tiny numbers and alphabets one by one.

“Tao? What is it?”

“What’s going on?”

Barked Takio and M-21 in alarm; they did not define themselves as computer-friendly type, but they had enough knowledge to tell that such phenomenon takes place usually when there is a technical issue or its sort.

Not to mention Tao’s face was all they needed to see that something has gone terribly wrong.

“No, no, no...! Our server...!”

Tao yelled as he was slamming the keyboard with his entire fingers.

And right then Murphy’s Law decided to spit in their faces.

Pzzt...!

Everyone’s face blinked off as if promised, and instead the monitors were refilled with noises that made the RK’s eyes bleed just by staring.

“What the heck is going on...?!”

*****

“Tao? Mr. Jang? Doctor? Dr. Adne?”

Frankenstein was almost wailing for everyone’s name as well.

To no avail, of course.

“What is it? Just tell me what the hell it is!”

Frankenstein’s cry scattered into an echo unreciprocated, as he was clutching onto his monitor.

So he had no idea there was a pair of blue eyes watching him from his back.

‘Stage 1 is complete.’

Cause disturbance with everyone’s server the moment QuadraNet comes alive.

Therefore, make sure no one can pay attention to anything other than the sudden technical chaos, including what he and Helga will stir up in the future.

It was not an easy task, but they made it.

The 3rd Elder silently removed himself from the back of the stage, his mind winding back to the face of their accomplice, who happened to be featuring on one of Frankenstein’s monitors just a while ago.

(next chapter)

Perhaps it would feel a little rushed to bring about trouble so soon, when the previous chapter featured Frankenstein and Lunark’s first kiss, but now things will start taking the wrong turns. I mean, it’s no fun if there are no troubles or challenges in a fic lol. By the way, I started adding links on each chapter that can take you to previous/next chapter (you can find the link to previous chapter at the top, and the link to the next chapter at the bottom). I’ll add the links to all previous chapters very soon!