#but you get the picture. i miss sumeru and fontaine so so so so so bad you don't even know

[licorishh]

sobbing incoherently I WANNA GO HOME

(ignore lvl 20 kaveh)

cries.

[violet-eng]

fem!reader studies Neuviotter! | Fluff 🧸 with Otter Neuvillette… 🔞with Human Neuvillette.

Summary: You're a Sumeru's researcher obsessed with Fontaine otters. So you basically adopt one... unfortunately it looks like that isn't an otter at all...

Warning: 🔞 MDNI. ALL SMUT IS WITH HUMAN NEUVILLETTE! Somnophilia, oral (fem! Receiving), p i v. Unprotected sex.

1.8k words.

Not edited.

⏜︵⊹︵⊹︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜⊹︵⏜︵⊹︵⏜

The prestige of your research precedes you. A diligent student with a flamboyant gait, brilliant ideals and precise knowledge. You arrive at Fontaine from the Sumeru Academy with a precedent never seen before, with your lively, attentive eyes and your notebooks covered in leather the same color as your eyes.

Word spreads immediately that the wise y/n, scholar of the Academia, has come to Fontaine to study a creature that has captured your attention to leave the green land for that of the primordial sea. Could it be that you want to study a mythical creature that lives in underwater caves? Or perhaps a glorious bird has captured your thirst for knowledge?

How surprised your guides were when you shouted with excitement, unable to contain your joy like a little girl, when you spotted a little otter poking its head out of the crystal clear water. You jumped up and down, unable to contain your happiness, exclaiming how amazed you were to see one so close.

Alone, you photograph the otter and go so far as to dive underwater with it, surprised more by how clever it is than by your new curious ability to breathe underwater. What a joy it is to find a group of creatures frolicking with a clam in their midst, spinning in the water and turning to look at you. You may have been down there for an hour.

Back on the surface, sitting on a rock with your feet in the water, you jot down the details in your notebook, tracing with the vague lines of a sketch the elusive shape of the little animals. Concentrating on your task, on defining the details of its snout, you notice on the other bank an otter, different from the others, grooming its head with its small hands.

You watch it carefully, the creature seems a little larger than the others, slender and almost like a gentleman...

"A gentleman otter," you whisper, enraptured by the delicate and magnificent figure grooming itself in front of you. 

The otter makes sounds as he wipes his own face, lying on the surface of the water, carving his features and nose, while his two gnawing teeth peek through his pearly fur. Its small hands wash its own belly, almost ironing its fur as if it were the robe of a great lord. Deeply adorable. You hastily sketch the picture in front of you, not missing a tender detail of the cuddly toy floating carefree on the calm current.

The otter watches you with a lost look, black eyes that seem not to contain a single thought. The bliss of the ignorant. And you wave at him from your rock with a smile.

The otter swims toward you, and when he's within striking distance, he watches you, as if studying you. 

"How smart you look," you say, clutching your notebook to your chest, "and very adorable. Look at you," you show him the drawing.

The otter stares at the paper with a certain analysis, but his unmistakable expression doesn't change. Then he seems to comb an invisible curl out of his furry head and approves your sketch with a formal nod.

"What a gentleman," you squeal, climbing down from your rock and returning to get your things. The otter emerges from the water, shaking his body to dry himself from the water, though he remains fluffy.

"I thought you were waterproof," you laugh at the sight of the expressionless furball, seemingly oblivious to his adorable embarrassment, "you're different, aren't you?" you approach him with a rag, trying to dry him.

You pull him onto your lap, paws up and his belly exposed as you dry his chest with your cloth, as if he were a baby. Then you wipe his little hands and then his paws. His face is now dry. The otter played with your bracelets, making funny noises and showing his little pearly teeth.

"Do you like it?" you ask, putting it down. The Otter nods enthusiastically. "It would look very cute on you," you add, taking off one of your bracelets and placing it around his neck.

The elastic of the bracelet is lost in his white fur, and the pendant stands out as if it were the clasp of a breastplate. 

"You're missing a hat, and you could pass for another Fontaine gentleman," you exclaim, pleased with the result, as the otter poses like an elegant gentleman, his small chest puffed out, almost proud of how adorable he looks.

"It's getting dark, I should get back now. See you another day, Mr. Otter," you say, slinging your bag over your shoulder and waving your hand.

The otter hurries to follow in your footsteps, prancing subtly near you, his wet nose brushing against your ankle.

"You want to come with me, huh?" you kneel before him, and he touches your nose with his paw. "Fine, fine. We'll have a sleepover."

The place you're staying in is small but cozy, and it gets even cozier when you turn on the heat and put food on the table. The otter sits in a chair across from you, on a mountain of books, and tastes several of the snacks you've served him, though you see him going crazy over some consomme purete and the big glass of pure spring water you've served him.

"You like that, I noticed," you say.

"Burp," the otter replies with a burp that he seems to regret immediately.

"You have more manners than many people," you tell him, wiping his whiskers with a napkin.

"Okay, I'll brush your teeth and then off to bed," you say happily, with the idea of reading to the little animal before bedtime.

You sit him on your sink in front of the mirror, lift his jaw and brush his teeth with your toothbrush and toothpaste, first one side and then the other, make him drink some water and then spit it out, although he swallows it.

"Not your thing to waste water, apparently."

The otter nods.

Then you brush his head, chest, back, and tail, letting him groom himself, and when you try to remove the pin, he hides it in his small hands.

"Okay, okay... I'll leave it to you," you smile.

And then you lie in bed with him in your arms, illuminated by the dim light of your lamp, holding a book with an adventure story in it. You read aloud to him, stopping when you hear him whistling and snoring. 

"Good night, Gentleman Otter," you kiss him on the forehead before turning off the light and going to sleep. ....

You're not one to dream, not at all, but ever since you came to Fontaine, you couldn't help but have these nightly fantasies about Iudex Neuvillette. That stoic and serious man, how good his face would look contorted with pleasure as you sucked his cock.

You had dreamed of a similar situation many times, you had dreamed of him against you as he pinned your frail figure against his desk and thrust into you, biting your lower lip. You had had your first fantasy after a trial, thinking how manly he would look behind you, his cock buried in your ass....

All those dreams had been vivid fantasies, and tonight's took the prize.

You lay on your bed, him biting your neck as he rests behind you, his hands playing with your breasts at his whim, his tongue sliding over your skin, enjoying the nectar of your pure complexion, his cock swollen against your clothed ass.

"Mmmmhhhh, Monsieur~" you moan, writhing in his grip.

The wonderful thing about these dreams is that you don't know how you get into these situations, but you know how to enjoy them. Because from one moment to the next, the oh so taciturn Iudex Neuvillette has his face buried between your legs, tasting your folds and your clit with his trained tongue.

"Right there~" you moan, arching your back as you feel the desire well up from his mouth, his tongue drawing lustful strokes across your sex, his deep sighs stoking the fires of your passion.

His hands wrap around your legs, and for a moment you swear it's real, the way his nails dig into your skin, leaving reddened marks in their wake, and his thumbs sink into your thighs, anchored to you with no intention of letting go.

Then you feel him thrust into you, opening your silken walls in his wake, his thick cock making its way to your center, molding your walls to his erect, large form. You feel him rub against you as your insides embrace him with little restraint.

You hear him moan and feel your legs rise up over his shoulders, his cool hands at your ankles pressing down on you, thrusting slowly but deliciously, almost as if you were made for him. 

"Monsieur Neuvillette~" you moan, clutching the pillows, your hips bucking at the growing warmth in your belly, your hands seeking your own pleasure.

"Warmer than I thought," he whispers, "

it is almost like n your dreams... though this time it feels so real...

You look at him for the first time, his face sweaty, his cheeks flushed as his locks of white hair fall down your legs. His strong arms hugging you, his pecs rising and falling, holding breath... lower down, his chiseled abdomen twitching as his cock buries itself relentlessly inside you.

The sound of his balls against your skin blows your mind and makes you realize that it's not a dream, that Iudex Neuvillette is really fucking you (and very well, much better than you expected).

"Monsieur..." you try to sit up, but he has touched your cervix with his cock, and you do nothing but collapse under him, filled with the pleasure of his gentle thrusts.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asks you reverently, in a tone of sublime courtesy and lofty superiority, as if he were not mercilessly fucking you at his whim while you sleep.

"Don't stop," you whimper between words, not wanting to waste the opportunity you've been dreaming of since the first time you saw him, "damn it," you exclaim at the wave of heat surging through your chest and legs as you hear him chuckle under his breath, quite pleased with what he's managing to make of your body.

The orgasm hits you warm and rough, just as Neuvillette did with his cock, careful not to leave his seed inside of you. And your breath comes back as you feel him caress your back as if to reward you.

You feel his lips on your forehead, and the way his arms hold you beside him as your eyelids droop at the inevitable.

"How did you get here?" you babble, half asleep, caressing his chest as he draws soft circles on your arm. 

"You invited me," he whispers as he brings your hand to his neck where your bracelet encircles his skin and the charm falls to his chest.

"You'll explain it properly tomorrow," you murmur between confused shuffles...

[trashcanwithsprinkles]

hii i recently started reading your work, cyanide narwhal, and am honestly really hooked! i love your characterization so much and find the story you built around the lore really, really interesting!

i’m not deeply familiar with the intricacies of the lore in genshin impact, but i’ve been fascinated by it for a while—and reading your story made me realize how much depth i was missing out on…is there any sources or ways you can reccomend as a primer/introductory to genshin lore? i really want to learn more and understand the theories better! thank youuu

aaa thank you! and this is actually a really interesting question

obviously my first thought was just play the world quests and pay attention, but not only is the info in the world quests sometimes incomplete, but i understand perfectly that some people just skimmed the dialogue at best and now cannot replay them but the fact of the matter is that the best way to get into some parts of the lore is via the world quests

still, there's plenty of people on youtube who do timeline and lore recaps without theories - as in, just telling you the lore that one can learn from the quests in a more streamlined manner. they're always a great choice!

there's also the artifact and material lore, which does usually contain a lot of info, but is usually kinda cryptic. the good thing about those is that you're not locked out of reading them, so as long as you have the necesary pieces, you can just go into the in-game archives and read up there. as with the world quests, though, there's also plenty of people on youtube doing full analyses on the lore of those

i think once you have a rough idea of some of the relevant names and lorebits, that while daunting at first, the wiki's timeline page is rather helpful when it comes to trying to get the bigger picture of when exactly everything happened in relation to other things. reading the little annotations and notes they put on where they got their info and when they've had to make extra calculations for some things' placements also goes a long way.

once you've started to understand more of the out-of-the-way lore, going to theorists is also a great way to catch the more interesting ways this game is built. as in- real-world references and inspirations.

because telling you 'oh you can find it on youtube' still sort of leaves you having to figure out how to even look for it, here's a little list of the youtubers whose videos i've watched at least once for these things. not a comprehensive list of course, but from there some of them shout each other out and you can navigate the recommended section for more videos, so!

as with all things lore-related in this game, keep in mind when the videos were made in relation to the game's patch version. the ones that are more just strict lore read-throughs are less vulnerable to later patches sort of- changing some of the context? (looking at you remuria) but still. and obviously theory videos are even more dependant on that. so:

for lore analysis (most of these are strictly just the lore with little speculation, but there's probably some extrapolation here anyway): - Ashikai has a great beginner's guide series on region lore, but it only covers up to sumeru so far. still, might be a great place to start! there's also some quest recaps and lore details here and here - Francis Lee Arthur has a great series of very concise videos of world quest recaps, though they sadly don't have mondstadt and liyue quests, and only a handful of inazuma quests. still, they're great videos, and there's a ton of sumeru and fontaine quests (and one chenyu vale quest i think) - SiliconOneFour has a bunch of videos on artifact and weapon lore, and some recent ones on stuff like the remuria timeline, mondstadt's aristocracy, the history of the temple of silence, etc - KlemenTime has a bunch of videos on pieces of lore that aren't really laid out explicitly on world quests, but that you sort of learn through exploration? idk how to describe it. they also have artifact lore, and while not in the playlist, if you go to their profile they also have some more borad sumeru and natlan timeline videos - Minsleif has archon quest and world quest recaps, along with other lorebits. there's also their massive 1-min reel lorebit video collection on much shorter things

for theories (some of these have a mix of lore+theory videos so i'm putting them here bc i wanted ot keep the 'just the facts' videos to the section above): - Ashikai is my favorite theory nerd in the community so forgive the bias, but there's the incredible project:teyvat series and the world structure series, which are two massive theories about the way teyvat as a world functions. i think you might want to save these ones for after you've familiarized yourself with the lore. other than that, there's plenty of other theories to sift through (though bear in mind these are ALL the theories, so there's project:teyvat and world structure stuff here? but the titles will help you know which they are if you want to save them for later) - The Laughing Man has a ton of videos on lore and theory/speculation on like- a ton of stuff, along with character analyses - roozevelt has a bunch of videos on lore and theories, mostly revolving around the traveler and khaenri'ah, but there's plenty of other stuff there also - My Name For Now has a very interesting massive khaenri'ah theory, theories on the descenders, on the elemental system, and a bunch of other lore theory videos - Minsleif does have theories also (but i personally can't remeber if i've ever watched one. still, they're there if you want to check them out!) - Wei has theory videos that look like shitposts and sometimes feel like shitposts, but god, there's some interesting stuff there. i wouldn't know how to even describe it though, most of it is traveler related but still (also this is a general theories playlist, but like all their theories are from genshin with the exception of one jjk theory so like- i mean yeah, just letting you know why that's there lmao)

And here's the wiki's timeline page

so uhhhh yeah! hope you have fun if you decide to watch any of the videos from anyone there. of course there's probably a lot of other theorists and recap channels, but these are the ones i've watched at least once, so, pick and choose which ones you like best. have fun!

TL;DR: you can still access a bunch of lore in-game via the artifacts, weapons, and weapon materials, and any world quests you might not have played yet. but since i recognize that's a daunting task and the info is scattered and incomplete and confusing, watching video recaps might be the way to go. Ashikai's beginners guides are great introductions and refreshers, and there's plenty of videos to catch up on world quests or to have someone explain artifact and weapon lore to you

[otomiyaa]

Hiii Ginny! I just re-read your "Lyney's trick" fanfiction and it was honestly a masterpiece! You crafted the story very well... but I'm curious... how would you imagine "childe, itto, thoma, kaveh, aether" if they were actually being choosen... will the scenario be the exact same with the gaming one? or different? because the gaming one really relates to his personality and that what makes it special (this is definitely not a fic request though, just wanna hear your thought/headcanon as the author, about how you'll imagine each scenario if the subject chosen were different) Have a nice day by the way! You're a true inspiration!

Hi hi!!! ^^ Aww I'm honored you would re-read my fic! And thank you for asking. My 2-part fics are actually all written in a way that I really see different outcomes depending on the winning option, so not just same plot different lee, or same scenario but with a different quote.

So in this case with the Lyney's Trick fic, I think what I had slightly in mind for each option was:

Childe: Ofc I don't know their exact canon relationship yet and if it's gonna be revealed in the new update (have yet to play) but since they're both fatui I imagined them more to have a brotherly rivalry, so Lyney would've been very smug while getting Childe in the trick position, and maybe they would've been able to tickle him a little until Childe breaks free and just... retaliates. So it would've probably been more lee Lyney and very much Lyney VS Childe focused with the happy ending that Lyney's predicament equally cheered up his siblings.

Itto: Could've been a really fun one with Ayato making some funny remarks while Itto is screeching. I pictured Itto to be as naive and fun as Gaming but then in a sillier way, shamelessly enjoying himself and making funny remarks.

Thoma: Also in this case Ayato (and Itto) would've gotten involved since I grouped them together. Knowing myself I'd have thrown in some flirty thomato stuff, as well as some very cute remarks about how gentle and humble Thoma is even when he's getting tricked into a tickly situation like that. He would've been very blushy, very confused, very cute hehe, getting tickled like that in front of the eyes of Ayato.

Kaveh: Since Kaveh was at the Sumeru table this would've gotten Alhaitham, Cyno and Tighnari involved as well (more than in the eventual outcome where Fontaine gang- Neuvillette and Wriothesley were the main audience). Kaveh would've been a little harder to break, and also to convince in the first place for cooperating, but with some motivation from the others he's more like okay sure why not. And I definitely wouldn't have missed the chance to throw in some bad bad Cyno-jokes.

Aether: Aether would've been a lovely lovely looovely lee, but as the premise already hinted, it was Aether's party with many of his friends there after all. So even if Aether would've been the winning option, I still would've juggled 2 options: his friends either all love to tease and bully him so they help Lyney inc. to wreck him, OR I would've let it turn out into a scenario where they come to Aether's aid which would've turned Lyney into the main lee again. Depending on my mood I would've picked a few main characters to involve, probably Childe, Kaeya and Venti.

Gaming:

That wasn't all btw.

It was already hard to pick between all the lovely characters to put in the poll for this fic. Others I had in mind were:

Chongyun: ofc with some Xingqiu, duuuhh, also involving Xiangling, Gaming and maybe even Shenhe as audience/side characters and maybe even fellow ticklers and teasers. Ending with yang Chongyun ofc and a very confused and surprised Lyney & siblings like omfg what have we done to him.

Xiao: Precious Xiao would've been the perfect person to ask, sitting awkwardly to the side. Might have needed some Aether influence to be convinced into joining. His own polearm could've been used to spread his arms and *wiggle fingers* poor thing. I would've let Venti join in for sure.

Tighnari: Very curious to try the trick. Definitely a lot of Cyno in it as well. Also very flustered and having some adorable reactions.

Scaramouche: What trick? He is above this. This would've been very funny now that I recall this option, oof.

Bennett: Unlucky boy would've been a great target. Razor would've been in this version.

Albedo: Would also have been curious but a little sceptical. Still cooperative. Aether and Kaeya would've been some others to be mainly involved.

[sgcairo]

My Dearest Darling (Irnes/Fatui!Reader Part Five)

Just to avoid confusion: The first two sections (Sumeru & Land of Dreams) are flashbacks! Beyond that it's back to the present day timeline.

This took forever to write out and articulate, for absolutely no reason. But I can say that I'm very happy with the result, and it's mostly setup this chapter, and a little bit of sadness along the way. If you were expecting Irnes to be happy this time around... lower your expectations to zero. I'm sorry, it hurts me too, but it gets worse before it gets better, my friends. Enjoy this context and Omega getting what he deserves!

Sumeru

"They are merely pawns in a greater game. Why should I care what comes of them? The dendro gnosis is in my possession, the other a consolation prize, if you will. It is pointless, worrying about vermin that will eradicate themselves."

A letter rested in your hands, the flaps of your small tent on the outskirts of Port Ormos lazily drifting on tender breezes. Sumeru was oddly peaceful compared to the frigid cold of the motherland, warm and as humid as Irnes warned you it would be. You'd been taking his advice and drinking enough water, especially after the near catastrophe that happened on patrol. Passing out in the street and waking up a few hours later had not only caused an uproar within your squad, but had also managed to screw with you for the next few days, your body still struggling with the dizziness that had crept up on you so easily.

While the work was tiring, seeing a new letter from Irnes resting on the small makeshift table by your bed was enough to invigorate you again, especially seeing how long it was. Irnes had a tendency to ramble, even in his letters, which you found incredibly endearing. His pages of speculation about the stars, new ruin guard pieces, and sappy visions of the future with you by his side had made themselves at home in your heart, to the point that you would stay up late just to read his words again.

This time, however, there was a picture with his words. The kamera was a new invention from Fontaine, incredibly expensive to acquire and even more difficult to use properly. However, Irnes and the segments had somehow gotten their hands on one, and had been sending you the strangest images as of late- you'd gotten a concerning amount of half naked Irnes pictures, blurry and clearly accidental, plenty of segment group photos with fire water and betting on poker matches in the dark, and many photos of Anastasiy sleeping in awkward positions or staring straight at the kamera. Those always served to make you chuckle in amusement.

But this one... this one was different.

It was a simple portrait image, nothing to lose your head over. But its quality was... astounding. Irnes stood in front of a plain background, smiling at the camera softly. His mask was gone, suit ironed and mended, buttons embossed with flowers catching your eye. The detail of the image was so clear that it almost felt as if he were standing right in front of you, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with his smile, hands clasped around an ivory cane that you remembered all too well. It was a picture that one would keep in a locket, that they would treasure and hold the day they died.

He was beautiful.

Just seeing him made you long to be home again, where you could collapse into his arms and be scolded for not taking care of yourself again. He would make you tea, let you rest your feet and tell you about everything you missed as the other segments gathered nearby, still watching you with wide and uncertain eyes. You ached for his gentle touches, for the feeling of his lips against your forehead, for the weight of his arms around you.

The writing on the back was a host unto itself, his illegible scrawl reading:

For my darling, to keep you company until we are together again.

Archons, if you had the choice you would already be sailing back already. But you still had (begrudging) work to do before you could return, the gnosis must be secured. The people were beginning to become restless as well, unsettled by the oppressive nature of the Fatui camps around the port. While the Second Harbinger made his escape, it was your duty to keep the people at bay, and you'd be damned if you didn't show.

"Ah, comrade! There you are, we were looking all over!"

Looking up from the photo, you found Iosif standing over you, his gun humming with pyro from where it was slung over his shoulder.

"Oh? Who's this?"

Oh no. He'd seen the photo. Not that it was anything scandalous, but knowing your squad... they'd harass you for being all moony-eyed over this man. They knew by now that he was rather fond of you, but it was even worse being caught out in the open staring at the photo sappily.

"You know who it is, Iosif." You grumbled, raising an eyebrow. "Let me wallow in my desires in peace."

Iosif chuckled, leaning over to get a better look.

"I mean, he is quite the looker. No wonder you're so enamored with him. He looks like se-"

"Don't you fucking dare finish that sentence."

"Fine! Just come on, don't want to get knocked for having to drag you out..."

Tucking the photo into your interior pocket, you patted it gently. The warmth from his smile still hadn't faded, the beauty of your lover remained fresh in your mind. Oh, how you couldn't wait to sweep him up into your arms and see that ever-bright grin-

...This was going to be a long patrol.

Land of Dreams

Warning for descriptions of blood and violence ahead!

Everything hurt.

You hadn't expected an armed uprising, much less one on a peaceful boulevard as the sun settled in the cradle of the distant seas.

But the people had decided otherwise, namely their "resistance".

You didn't remember much of what had happened. You'd called upon your vision, charging into battle without a second thought. Dragging one of the many men off Olga's back, you made sure to settle him deeply in the cobblestones where he belonged, his ribs cracking under the force of your blow.

"On my flank!" Olga had cried back, beckoning you after her. Hydro gathered around her gauntlets as she lunged at the next assailant, the din and chaos whirling around the two of you so riveting and familiar. It flowed through your veins, satisfying this deep ache in your gut.

"GET DOWN!"

After that, everything was blurry. Olga had slammed into the ground with a sickening crunch, having not dropped in time, blood splattering across stone. You suspected that you'd been hit too, but your vision was spinning too much to tell. You struggled to drag yourself back towards some sort of cover, but something grabbed your boot, your ankle flaring up in burning pain as whatever it was yanked.

A hoarse cry tore itself from your throat as you scrabbled at stone, the shouting nearby muted by the ringing in your ears. Your fingernails aching as you dug them into the earth beneath you, likely bleeding and breaking, but there was too much blood to tell. You couldn't see, couldn't hear-

You panic only mounted as the force of the pulling increased, your hands finally slipping. Your jacket protected you from the brunt of the scrapes, but your palms were practically raw, more open cuts joining the blood that dripped steadily from your hands.

"We got one!"

You tried to kick at your captor, but your body felt too heavy, your leg jerking as the sensation of excruciating tearing surged up your side, your vision blanking for a moment.

The next thing you knew, you were being hauled to your feet by your hair, faced with two faces. Identical, but fading in and out of each other as you swayed, unable to keep yourself upright.

"------!"

Someone shouted. Shots rang out in the night. The next thing you knew, you were back on the ground, the platoon medic hunched over you.

"-lost too much blood, they might not make the trip..."

All that you could force out was a gurgle, your lungs feeling heavy. The world was muffled, distant.

"-up. We've got to move."

More pain. You were vaguely aware of hot tears running down your face and someone hoisted you up, whispering reassurances that you couldn't understand.

Why did it hurt so much? It burned... why did it burn?

The tearing and scorching feeling in your bones didn't subside, even as you were urgently carried away. You just wanted to sleep, to not hurt like this anymore... You wanted Irnes. Where was he, why wasn't he here? It was childish, in hindsight, to want him to hold you and make the pain go away. Maybe if he kissed it better it wouldn't hurt so much.

"'nes..."

A single, charred picture remained in your pocket.

His smile was gone.

Regret

Irnes is quiet as you clean his bruised knuckles, a cloth held to his nose as you calmly wipe away the mixture of Omega's blood and his own.

There's nothing to say. He occasionally opens his mouth, as if he wants to say something, only to close it seconds later. You don't know the situation, and you're not sure if you want to, especially hearing the distant cursing of Omega as the other clones patch him up, all watching you and Irnes with wide eyes when they pass by. You would say that it's disrespectful, if it weren't warranted by the whole "Irnes beat Omega's ass as he deserves while crying uncontrollably" situation. Sergei lingers nearby regardless, watching you with those wide and terrified eyes from behind the doorframe.

You're not sure if you should speak, you really don't want to hurt Irnes. Especially while he's upset, saying the wrong thing could make everything worse.

But seeing him cry, hiccuping quietly as you bandage his wound and place gentle kisses upon them... You'd be lying if you said the temptation wasn't there.

No, you have better self restraint than this.

"My dear..."

The rasp surprises you, Irnes coughing lightly as he finally draws the handkerchief away from his nose. It's stained a bright red, definitely ruined, the embroidery soaked through.

"Yes?"

You can't bring yourself to say anything else, instead tying off his bandages gently, careful not to jostle his wounds too much.

"Are you... upset with me?"

Honestly? Not really, Omega was a little bitch and deserved it. Besides, Irnes beating the living daylights out of him was kind of hot, thinking back on it. Blood running down his face, eyes wild- yeah, that was really hot. You'd pay to see him do it again. Maybe not to Omega, because there's a good chance that he'd get his ass handed to him if the stakes were level. But seeing the sheer, unadulterated rage in his eyes... It was scary, but also made you want to know more.

Irnes watches you like a kicked puppy as you mull it over, face stained and bruised, eyes full of tears that shine in the dim light. He looks handsome as ever, but so distraught. You hate the way his shoulders slump, how his usual facade of brilliance and happiness has fallen, leaving behind a sinking pit of anxiety and sorrow that practically radiates off him. His anger is gone, replaced by exhaustion as he looks up at you pleadingly.

"No, I'm not. I'm just worried, you know? You're pretty banged up... and I did not expect to see you so-"

You think for a moment, before chuckling to yourself.

"-feral. But I like it."

Irnes stares at you for a moment, his own watery laughter filling the air a moment later at the absurdity of your answer. He laughs until he's sobbing again, his tears finally spilling down his cheeks, his mouth contorted into a grimace as he wipes at his cheeks in vain.

You're speechless for a moment, watching his body tremble with the force of his gasping and crying, before grabbing a fresh washcloth. Pulling his shaking hands away from his face, you gently dab at his red cheeks, raw from his scrubbing.

"It's okay, Irnes... I swear I'm not mad. Pinky swear. I'm just glad you're okay."

Irnes continues to cry, but you can see the hint of a smile showing through.

"Now, let's get you some better clothes. I don't want you sleeping in bloody clothes..."

An Omega Shaped Problem

You knew Omega was trouble from the beginning.

As soon as you arrived in Sumeru, he'd been there, watching you with that terrifying grin. Compared to Irnes' pointy smile, that was the grin of a killer, a man who would throw everything away just to watch the world burn. You didn't hate him, per se, but he definitely creeped you out. He would show up in your tent regularly for a "progress report" and pester you endlessly about Irnes- which you grew to appreciate, he did have quite a bit of useful information. But it was also very annoying after a long day of fighting pointlessly to defend the so-called "god" he was building, and you had grown to have a love-hate relationship with him.

However, you would not let him upset your lover to the point of losing his temper. Not without consequences.

"Ow! Fucking hell, did that bastard knock a tooth loose? If he did, I'm going to shove that thing he calls a ruin guard so far up his-"

You didn't feel the slightest bit guilty for the cries of pain that came from around the corner. Having a nice talk with Omega would definitely make him forget about those small pains. You were a soldier, first and foremost, years of training until you felt like you were going to pass out from exhaustion behind your fists. You weren't known for your smooth tongue, no. If anything, you were known for being efficient.

"Be careful! This face is getting us funds, dipshit!"

"Watch your mouth, you pathetic piece of shit! I'll kick your ass!"

The snarky return was definitely familiar, though you didn't have a face for the voice.

"I'd like to see you try!"

"Listen, do you want that tooth out or not? Because I'll fucking leave if you don't stop talking!"

"Oh, fuck you!"

"...No thanks, that's called self-cest and it's heavily frowned upon by society."

"Just shut the fuck up and do your job!"

Well now you're convinced that Omega deserves a good punch in the gut, clearly Irnes was holding back. If Omega could still bitch about getting beat up, he wasn't hurting enough.

You would remedy that quickly.

Emerging from your hiding spot behind the corner, you found Omega sitting on a rickety old bed, another familiar looking clone standing over him. Well, all of them were familiar, you saw dozens of the same face every day-

"Ah, it's you."

You didn't like that tone. Especially coming from the bloodied lips of the man who'd pissed Irnes off to the point of violence. Your lover was not easily angered, you knew from experience. Even in the face of cruelty, he was not angered. He worked himself to the bone, to the point of utter exhaustion, and did not raise his voice to complain. Irnes was patient. You were considerably less so.

"Yes, it's me. Are you done screaming like a little bitch?"

Omega's face was eerily neutral for a moment, eyes watching you from behind a blood stained mask. That was, until he started to laugh. Genuine, bone chilling laughter, his sharp teeth on display as his shoulders shook with the force of his guffaws.

"What, your little 'boyfriend' couldn't make the trip? Did he collapse on the way here? Maybe crawled across the floor after you like a dog?"

Omega continued to giggle, lifting a bloody hand and shutting his fist to look like the mouth of a puppet.

"Oh my darling! Wait for me, I'm too crippled to walk!"

Mocking. He was mocking Irnes. His high pitched tone touched a nerve, especially as he got up from the table, walking over too you with a grossly exaggerated limp.

"Oh help me, darling! I'll fall!"

Disgusting. His hands scratched at your shoulders, scraping against your skin painfully. You could feel the warmth of his hands through the heavy linens Irnes had so lovingly dressed you in, now slightly stained with smears of red from Irnes' clinging. This... bastard had the gall to insult your lover after spilling his blood. You'd felt the urge to kill before, but never this strong.

"Shut your fucking mouth."

The monotone scolding came from behind, the clone scowling as he approached.

"Unhand them. Now. Prime won't be pleased when I reveal this little scuffle, especially when I tell him you attacked Irnes first."

"Oh shut your filthy little mouth, maggot. The adults are talking."

It really was taking all your power not to punch him straight in the mouth.

"And what if I don't?"

Omega's face contorted into something of a semblance of outrage, his cape (it looked terribly silly on him) flipping as he turned to face the smaller clone.

"Then I'll take care of you myself."

"Oooo, so spooky..."

The other clone rolled his eyes, raising his needle and thread menacingly.

"I'll sew your lips together, motherfucker. Sleep with one eye open tonight."

The boys were fighting now, leaving you behind.

Should you fall back and make a tactful retreat? Probably. Were you going to do something against your husba- lover's strict moral code anyways? Abso-fucking-lutely.

You weren't usually this confrontational. But Omega mocking Irnes and pretending to be all high and mighty afterwards... It made your guts feel disgusting and sticky, the back of your throat soured as you watched the two bicker.

"Hey piss boy, think fast."

You hadn't trained under Capitano for years for nothing.

Crunch.

That's Enough

Irnes was dead asleep.

He'd fallen asleep in his clothes no less, sprawled across the bed like a morbidly large daddy long legs, pillows propping him up as he laid on his good side.

That punch to Omega's jaw had been incredibly satisfying, and freshening up afterwards had added a whole other layer to the warmth that surrounded you. The bounce in your step only added to the feeling in your gut, fuzzy and fulfilling like a warm cup of tea after a long day.

Your chest felt so much lighter as you crawled into bed, positioning yourself before him. His face was so peaceful when he was asleep, the wrinkle between his brows was gone and his cheeks seemed to have the slightest bit more color. You couldn't help but watch him, reaching out and tenderly tracing along his jaw. He'd said when the two of you first met that he couldn't feel anything on that side, but that didn't stop you from wanting to smother it in kisses, to show him how much you adored those scars, how much you adored him.

Cupping his face, you gently stroked under his eye, feeling the weight beneath it. Had he not been sleeping well while you were gone? Maybe it was the stress of taking care of you all this time... that thought only served to stoke the fires of your guilt, Irnes' skin warm under your fingers as you moved to caress his cheek.

Oh, how you missed this.

"...dear?"

A crimson eye blinked open slowly, Irnes' shoulders tensing up slightly at the sudden awakening- only to relax as he met eyes with you.

"'m sorry... It seems I feel asleep..."

Irnes sounded... guilty?

"It's okay. You deserve to rest after taking such good care of me. Go back to sleep... I won't move an inch, pinky swear."

"I've slept plenty, my darling."

Your glare begs to differ.

"Alright... perhaps not as much as I should."

At least he's self aware, which is more concerning than you care to admit.

"More of a reason to go back to sleep, then. Though... I can't say that those shoes look comfortable to sleep in."

Irnes chuckled humorlessly, waggling his good foot.

"They are somewhat comfortable. However, I can't say you're wrong. Feet cramps in these are awful."

You love him, but you don't really need to know that much about his feet.

"Should I take them off then?"

"Already thinking about stripping me? My, my, we haven't even been on an official date yet, at least buy me flowers first..."

"You know that's not what I meant."

Irnes smiles at your joking tone, relaxing and leaning back against the heap of pillows beneath him.

"I know, my dear. You're simply too cute when I tease you, I can't help myself..."

The lilt of sadness in his tone was... sobering. While you'd been focusing on recovery, he'd been slaving away and worrying, undoubtedly having lost sleep with you occupying the bed. Those rickety metal bunks the clones were given would hurt his back, you were almost certain, not to mention the cold that the meager amount of blankets couldn't stave off. But even then, you had a suspicion that the armchair pulled up beside the bed had gotten more use than the empty bunk across from you.

A peaceful silence settled over the two of you, Irnes' tired eyes watching you fondly. His exhaustion seemed to wash over every crevice of his body, swallowing his usually cheerful demeanor with bone-deep weariness.

"I'm sorry. I haven't been as... good as I'd like to be, lately."

Irnes' words startled you a little, his smile struggling to stand against whatever tide of misery plagued him.

"I feel as if I've neglected you, my dear. I know that's wrong, but my clinical view of things... I feel as if I haven't cared for you. I may have cared for your person, but-"

Pausing, he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I feel as if I've forgotten to love you along the way. I'm so sorry, my dear..."

You hated seeing Irnes cry. It wasn't ugly, no, never in your eyes. But the way his usually grinning face split apart into a miserable twist of his lips, eyes averted and looking down as if he was expecting punishment... Your heart ached like someone was twisting a knife into it.

"Don't apologize... You've cared for me this whole time, don't discredit yourself like this."

Cradling his cheek with your hand, you gently leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his scarred cheek.

"I know we're still trying to figure things out, but I really like you... Love might be too strong for you right now, especially while you're crying... But I care for you. I know you would never see me as an experiment or something to pick apart. Give yourself more credit, love. I will never ask you to be perfect, only to do your best. And you did with what you had on hand. That's enough for me."

Irnes leans into your touch, his tears wetting your hand. You can feel his chest shake, hear the cries stifled in his chest.

"Please believe me. I thought about you every day while I was gone, I held that picture in my coat pocket hoping I'd get to see you again. Please believe me, just this once."

It's as if you're begging him, you can see how much it pains him on his face as he rests his hand over yours, shaky and wounded beyond repair.

"I- I don't know if I can."

"Then try it, love. Just try, as you always do."

He hesitates. You watch him, waiting for the outburst, something to indicate how hard it is to keep him from shaking apart.

Instead, you get a small nod.

That's enough for you.

An Experiment

Irnes rarely gets a moment apart from you, now that you're recovered and still on leave. You follow him through his daily routine, watching in fascination as Irnes works so easily, even if he's dealing with life and death. He moves from pod to pod, checking the segments inside and scribbling on his clipboard, his cane slung over his arm as he limps along. You keep your distance, allowing him to gather his thoughts and keep his focus, instead taking time to think about what comes next. Will the two of you start "dating" officially? Or will you consider marriage, per the customs of this land?

You don't know, and that's the part that scares you.

"My dear, can I steal you for a moment?"

You hadn't even realized you were staring into one of the pods nearby, watching the undeveloped clone move. This one looked particularly close to adulthood already, his features closer to that of a teenager than an actual adult. Tearing you gaze away, you looked up at Irnes, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing really. Just something I've been waiting to show you."

You nod along, your mind struggling to comprehend what it could possibly be.

"Lead the way, then."

Irnes smiles gratefully, offering an arm. You take it, though it's a bit awkward considering your height difference.

"I considered what you said last night. While I'm not sure if my subconsciousness would welcome thoughts like that, after so long with him in my head, I've decided that I would like to "try" as you put it."

You listen carefully, noticing how Irnes says him. As if he dreads whoever it is he speaks of.

"The first step to that is honesty, I believe. I should be honest with you first and foremost, and that is what I intend to do."

It sounds almost as if he's going to show you something terrible.

"I must tell you that what you are going to see is... negotiable, and fully up to you. I will not proceed with this without you telling me that you want it as well, do you understand me?"

You nod.

"I need a vocal confirmation, dear."

"I do. It can't be that bad, can it?"

Irnes purses his lips at the statement, but doesn't answer. At least, not directly.

"I suppose you'll just have to see for yourself."

The room he leads you into his dark, surprisingly clean compared to the rest of the lab. The tables are clear, papers sorted neatly- but that's not what draws your attention.

A single pod inhabits the center of the room, Irnes relinquishing your hold as he drifts over to touch it, laying a shaky hand on the cold glass.

"Well?"

Oh dear.

[guhamun]

@dnangelic said (inbox):

' ah, neuvillette --- sir! mister! m-monsier? ' abstaining from any regular inazuman honorific, it's a brief puzzle over what he should use in order to show his respects. for just a moment, he had mulled about outside the other's office, fretting over whether or not the other was in, then whether or not they would soon return. imagine his delight witnessing the other appear from down the hallway, the boy eagerly hurrying to meet the judge halfway. ' i'm ... here again! um, in fontaine! i've brought a gift for you, i'm sorry, i hope i'm not taking up too much of your time, but, um, i thought you might really like it --- ' small hands hold and spread out a number of photographs. from mondstadt to sumeru, he's captured all sorts of sceneries, and the daily lives of ordinary people, too. ' i thought about how you mentioned that you don't get to travel much, so i thought ... i'd show you some of the world. on the backs, there are all sorts of things written from some of the people i've met. i've brought an ema, too! ' the wooden plaque is eagerly displayed, the niwa's cheeks flushed as he bashfully smiles. ' i guess there aren't really any shrines to hang it up or burn it around here, but i hope that's okay. b-because, for a lot of people, just having a wish is still really important ... ! you don't have to tell me yours, but if i ever get another one back at home, um ... ' shy, awkward laughter. ' then i --- i hope it's okay if i wish for a thing like your happiness. '

     AS HE HAD LEFT his office to with the hope of stretching his legs a little, imagine his surprise to see a very familiar face waiting for him at the very end of the hallway. What in the world was Daisuke doing here? Of all the individuals he did expect to visit him, they certainly had not fallen into that list. ❝Niwa,❞ Neuvillette greeted politely. ❝To what do I owe this visit?❞  Coming to a stop, he met them halfway with the most curious tilt of his head. At the mention of a ‘gift’, he blinked, taken off guard once again for the day. Truth be told, despite Daisuke’s words about promising to return again, he thought in time, they would forget as they traveled this vast world – off on whatever adventures they could think of…even if he was still quite uncertain about allowing a child to travel all alone. As photos were spread out for him, he found his lips curling into a small smile, his gaze softening a little in a way that could be so easily missed by the unaware. ❝You really did go and take pictures…❞ Reaching out, he paused, a quiet, ‘may I?’ slipping from him before he took a photo in hand.

     Shifting through each one, he found his fascination rising. These were sights that he would have loved to see for himself – to experience, but he knew such wasn’t in his cards for the time being. Adult responsibilities could be so stifling, more so when you were in a position where you missing would most definitely be felt by the majority of Fontaine who had become far too used to him over the many, many years. ❝These are quite good. I believe in the newspapers would have enjoyed having some of these.❞ They certainly held promise as a little photographer. When the ema was pulled out and displayed as well, that too was picked up and examined. So, this was what this ‘ema’ from Inazuma looked like. Daisuke… This child held such a good heart. These gifts they had brought him, as simple as they were, warmed him. Turning the back of a photo, he read what was written and left for him.

      Ah, he was touched.

     ❝Thank you…for all this, Niwa.❞ They would be treasured. Each and every photo, this ema… He would keep them even when Daisuke faded from this world like so many others and he remained. He smiled; rare, gentle, and though it wasn’t bright and vibrant like the sun itself, all his feelings were conveyed in that simple gesture.

     These would be his treasures.

     He’d remember Daisuke.

[satorugojooo]

Ok hear me out Tartaglia with his s/o being able to like investigate crime scenes and all that so the fatui are just like hey uh come investigate this traitor thing and s/o is just really smart

A/n: okay hear me out, I can totally see Y/N being a fellow fatui who is always traveling with Tartaglia as his "assistant"! Thank you for requesting and please enjoy this!

Pairings: tartaglia x gn!reader

Warnings: mentions of death (not the main characters so its not angst)

So how did you and Tartaglia meet? Easy, you were working for the fatui in the Zapolyarny Palace. You two met occasionally but he couldn't forget you

You were different from the other fatui, you were very smart and very kind, you didn't like to kill anyone, no you were trying to save the innocent people trough your powers, having a cryo vision

You two started dating once you had a mission with him and got to meet the true "Ajax"

What Tartaglia loved the most was the way you saw how he truly was, not just the mask he put in front of everyone

You were busy most of the time in the Zapolyarny Palace but whenever you had free time you would hang out with your dear harbinger

"Miss L/n could you help us with investigating this? We still don't know who killed Igor..." à fatui mage asked and you nodded.

"Hmm well judging by the pictures you sent me I would say that the cause of his death was sheer cold, he wasn't injured anywhere so we can't say that he was murdered, perhaps he injured his leg and then he just couldn't get in time to heat, taking the temperatures from Snezhnaya it's not stupid to admit that staying 1 hour in very light equipment here it's a deadly experience. "you said and she nodded.

As she left you saw Viktor come to you.

"Miss here are the reports that you should sign, it's about the fatui that were sent in Sumeru." he said and you nodded.

"Hm okay there you go. If something comes up you can find me in my office." you said as he nodded.

"So what is my favorite fatui doing hm?" a very known voice said and you looked with bright eyes over the direction that it came from seeing Tartaglia approach you two.

"Oh sir Childe! I'll leave you both, have a good evening!" Viktor said and left quickly. You smiled as you felt your boyfriend put a hand over your lower back. You looked over to him just to see him give you a warm smile.

"So what brings you here Mr Harbinger?" you said and he scoffed at your nickname.

"Oh I just came to see what my darling is doing but I guess she's doing very fine without me too." he said and you just rolled your eyes.

"Fine fine you silly boy don't get upset now okay?" you said as you leaned in his chest and muzzled your face in his red scarf.

"Okay jokes aside, I've been wondering if you had time right now?" he asked and you nodded.

"Yes in fact I do, I just finished my work." you said and he smiled.

"Okay time to enjoy our time together then, I saw that some inventors from Fontaine created a 'cinema' and I was curious about it, what about we both go and see it for ourselves Hm?" he said and you laughed.

"Sounds amazing as long as it's with you Ajax~" you said and he quickly put an arm around your shoulder covering you with his big coat.

As you made your way out of the palace you saw how beautiful the snow was falling over the place, even if it was cold you loved Snezhnaya for the Christmas vibe that it gave to you. As you got in the building where the movie was about to be shown you took a seat next to Tartaglia.

You quickly snuggled closer to him and he wrapped his arms around you snuggling his face in your hair.

As the movie went on you felt your eyes slowly close. As Tartaglia looked at the screen seeing the traveler fight in inazuma made him laugh but then he felt a pressure on his arm. He looked down only to see his sweet little Y/N asleep.

He called one of his fatui agents to bring a carriage so he could take Y/N to his home without waking her up.

As the carriage came he took Y/N bridal style and sat in the carriage.

After a short time they arrived at his house and he quickly pulled them inside. Once they were in the warmth of his home he placed them on the couch and went to change.

As you opened your eyes you saw that you were no longer in that theatre. You looked up only to see Tartaglia's living room, so you fell asleep and he brought you to his home.

"Oh your awake?" he asked as he came down only in his Burgundy colored shirt and his usual grey pants.

"Mhm, thanks for bringing me here without waking me up, but you should have waken me up." you said and he smiled sitting down next to you.

"Ah c'mon I can be nice to my girlfriend/boyfriend once in a while right?" he said and you smiled.

"Yes I guess so" you said giggling as he pulled you on his lap. You looked down at him only to see him kiss you. You looked a little surprised at him but closed your eyes and kissed him back. After breaking from the kiss he smiled at you.

"I love you Y/n~" he said and you smiled.

"I love you too Ajax!" you said and he hugged you tightly.

[zhonglis-wifey]

epilogue

you’re what i’ve been waiting for

this is the last chapter!! i had a great time writing this series omg

series masterlist

tw: n/a

word count: 916

Your first commissions with the Adventurers’ Guild were refreshing. It was nice to have an excuse to go out and explore the world without carrying the weight of the continent on your shoulders. They were simple requests too, meaning that gave you more time to relax. The most difficult thing you did today was climb a tiny mountain to get some violetgrass for Herbalist Gui. Compared to your previous endeavors, your new tasks were impossibly small. But you liked it that way.

As you bade farewell to Katheryne and left the kiosk in Chihu Rock, the sun was beginning to set. You breathed in the final moments of solar warmth you’d receive for the day, happy to have successfully made it through your first day at your new job. After graduating from the Sumeru Academia, you worried that you may feel purposeless. You dedicated so much time and effort to your studies that you had a hard time picturing yourself doing anything else. But now, right where you were, you felt happier than you ever were before.

You’d have to write to your family about working for the Adventurers’ Guild. You saw them pretty recently after your graduated, but you missed them already. The apocalypse made you realize how emotionally dependent on them you were. You couldn’t fathom the thought of something bad happening to them because of you. You were more than relieved to see them safe and sound once everything had settled down. Of course, they would’ve liked it if you stayed a little longer with them in Fontaine, but you had other business to attend to. They weren’t the only ones who had affected your heart so intensely in these past events.

Returning to your newly-shared home, you weren’t greeted with a chaste kiss from Zhongli and the stray black cat you adopted nuzzling against your ankles. (Lily, you and Zhongli named her. There were plenty of strays around Liyue Harbor, but she stood out to you. She would follow you around everywhere and basically force you to give her affection. You did so without any further convincing, though, because she was just too cute to say no to. You didn’t have to convince Zhongli to take her in, either. Lily loved to be around both of you; how could you just leave her out there alone?) Curious and confused, you investigated the rest of the cozy apartment before finally discovering Zhongli on the small balcony off of your bedroom, gazing wistfully at the sunset with Lily resting drowsily in their arms. You opened the door to join them.

“Hey,” you said as you closed the door behind you, “I’m back home.”

Zhongli turned to you. He leaned down to gently kiss your forehead as Lily moved in his arms. She stretched her paws out to you, silently asking you to hold her now that you were home. Zhongli reluctantly passed the cat to you. You cradled her carefully, admiring how adorable and soft she was.

“Finally,” Zhongli remarked. “It felt strange to come home from work and not have you here already.”

You began to watch the sunset with them. “Get used to it,” you snarked jokingly. “I like working for the Adventurers’ Guild. Might take a few more commissions than other people do.”

Zhongli sighed. That was just so you. “Whatever makes you happy, dearest.”

That made you feel flustered. You weren’t sure if you would ever get used to receiving loving nicknames from an Archon. Kusanali called you that too sometimes, but it was different with Zhongli. They weren’t just your friend anymore.

You leaned your head against his shoulder and closed your eyes in contentment. “What were you thinking about out here before I got back?” you asked.

Zhongli waited for a few seconds before answering. You knew they were pondering something important before you interrupted, and since you did interrupt, you thought it was fair to know what was on their mind.

“I just… have a lot to think about lately,” he settled on, unsure of how to voice his emotions. You remained silent in order to coax them to say more.

“With Celestia gone and you by my side, I feel happier than I ever could have imagined,” Zhongli explained, more to himself than to you. “These feelings are overwhelming at times. They’re not bad, but I just don’t know how to handle them.”

“I think that’s a nice problem to have,” you chuckled. “If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way. I never thought I could be this happy and it’s kinda weird now that I am.”

“I guess that’s not a bad thing, then,” Zhongli reasoned. You nodded wordlessly.

Until night fell, you and Zhongli stood in comfortable silence, watching the sun fall behind the horizon. Lily had fallen asleep in your arms, quietly snoring as she dreamt of whatever cats dreamed about. You were right when you thought that home wasn’t a place, but people. Right now, you felt more at home than you ever had before. You were calm, free, overjoyed, and most importantly, loved. It was everything you could ever ask for. And you didn’t have to ask to know that Zhongli felt the same way. You looked forward to your peaceful life together, away from the chaos and darkness that brought you to one another. You finally felt like everything was okay and that it always would be.

You both finally found what you were looking for.

[ehe-ttenandayo]

Genshin Impact is, at the time, a game around 6 (soon to be 7) elements and 5 weapon types. After doing a quick math, we realize we can only get 30 (35) combinations of weapons and elements for us to play and, honestly, that number looks quite small compared to how big the game is. This realization is mitigated by a couple of factors: there are several playstyles to focus a character on like healing, shields, burst damage, consistent damage and crowd control; and the fact we can play up to 4 characters at the same time, making the possible combinations grow bigger than I can think of.

However, for someone like me that’s into weapons and elements combinations, the number 30 keeps coming back. I wanna see every single one these 30 imaginary guys in the game already, despite knowing some of the missing ones would break the game if made incorrectly (looking at you, cryo catalyst), or not having the right setting to exist. This waiting time and previous studies on visions and weapons is what made me think: “what background and (or) setting do we need for the missing combinations to appear?”

And so, let’s dive in a little series to find out one by one what’s missing and, possibly, make us wish for them.

The actual unseen Razor: A Hydro Spear character theory.

First, let’s remember that a spear user is someone that has connections to people, they want to make everybody understand and enjoy their ambitions as much as them. Spear users are not the kind to talk about them, but more about showing. In other words, they’re quite a social-driven class.

Second, the element of hydro is related to lineages, inherited duties, families, secrets, schemes, assistance, intelligence. Hydro users are rivers, followers of the path made for them, never going against its current; and, even if you’re careful, you may end up going their course.

Mixing these two get us someone that at surface level was born to help people, probably behind the scenes. A hydro spear reminds me of those secondary characters that some end up ignoring completely and some will never forget, and this is quite the challenging profile for a game that wants to keep selling and selling characters. Despite all of it, I’m sure there are some roles and personalities a hydro spear can have to make some of us want him.

The first one that comes to mind is the Teacher. Sumeru Academy is getting closer and closer and we’ve seen a lot of its students, why not get to know the academy from the point of view of their teachers? A Hydro spear teacher would be someone from a family that has generations instructing Sumeru students. Someone with great social skills and perfect lectures, too perfect even. I picture them having a permanently tired look, with all of his hard work done in secret but results talking by themselves.

Or what about a Butler? Gameplay-wise we’ve had dedicated supports like Gorou and Kujou Sara so it would be possible to have a character that’s always sticking to his master. Spears have a tendency to social services, so a person dedicated to serve another would work for the hydro one. Thoma parallels come to mind (despite Thoma not being a full dedicated butler), so the main difference between them should come from our hydro spear’s family, serving from generations. There are lots of important families in the Teyvat world, and more to know, so an exceptional butler would be easy to mix in the cast (not to mention we have a maid already).

Some hydro characters like Kokomi and Barbara have connections with religion and every region has at least one temple temple. A Rosaria parallel, that actually gets along with people and introduces us not only to the institution but the whole region, would make a nice simple hydro spear. Maybe too simple, so there should be some shady secret in their life to spice it up.

And last, but not least, I would enjoy having a Fontaine reporter as a hydro spear user. Carrying their kamera everywhere, he would have no secrets of them to protect, but would be great at finding what everyone else is hiding. Words would be their main weapon, honoring their duty of shedding light on the information.

The hydro spear would be swift, never getting into direct action but definitely helping, secretive as a comic relief or not, it would deepen their character to make them, at least, an interesting person to meet in our travels around Teyvat. This is the weapon-element combo I’m excited to see the most and I hope it gets released soon.