#genshin impact musings

[witch-hazels-musings]

a gesture

Warning -> fluff | reader gets a blister on their foot, genshin men notice and provide respite from the discomfort | pre-relationship (it's silly, and dumb, but let me have this)

Includes: Diluc, Xiao

Character X GN Reader (adventure guild reader*) | Anthology

A-N: I was planning on writing for a few more characters, but I'm a bit slow in my genshin right now, plus I *should* be resting ... 人(_ _*)

Diluc

"Be right there!" you shouted over the calls echoing in the hall. Your hand dropped from your lips and back to the stack of rolled papers in your arms. The guild was busier than normal. Perhaps it was because of the snow fading from the streets, or the warmer wind blowing in from the south. Being surrounded by the lake meant damper and colder winters, but you didn't mind.

You loved the snow.

What you didn't love was returning to restrictive shoes now that the cobblestone streets were less barred by ice. You missed your warm fur-lined boots.

"Hey, got a few more requests for you to review," you told one of the auditors as you leaned onto the polished wood counter that separated you from the workers just inside. You tapped the toe of your shoe on the floor to force room between your heel and the leather rubbing against it. "Oh, and this came from Alfry." You reached into your pocket and handed a folded, sealed letter to the attendant.

After waiting for several minutes, and shifting from one foot to the other - relief waning and waxing - you made your way outside toward the Kiosk near the front of Mondstadt. It took a while, you were particularly slow on the stone steps of the city since each one put added pressure on your heels. You could feel a blister on the horizon.

Katheryne greeted you with a wave when she saw you.

She was, without a doubt, one of your favorite people. She didn't lock you in long, uninteresting conversations about her life outside of work. She just thanked you for the updated commissions and let you be on your way. You wished everyone was like Katheryne.

It wasn't that you hated talking to people. You just preferred to get your work done and found it distracting to get lost in small talk about the weather. But you learned to be pleasant and control your drifting eyes that willed your soul to be anywhere but there.

When you approached the Guild, someone called you over and explained you were being requested in one of the assessment rooms. A room used by evaluators and requestors to work out the details of a commission. You weren't an evaluator - so who could possibly be asking for you?

You imagined several scenarios except for this one. The one where Diluc Ragnvindr was standing on the other side of the door, waiting for - you. In fact, you were so unprepared, taken aback, that you rechecked the room number.

It was odd to see Diluc outside of his normal patterns. The man was routine. Days spent at Angels Share, days absent from the city while he tended to his estate at the Dawn Winery. You had several run-ins with him over the years since his reappearance, but they were always in public spaces. Fleeting, nervous moments when you'd gather the courage to ask him for a drink while he worked or make polite - short - conversation when he dropped it off. You didn't even know he knew you worked at the Adventurers Guild.

"Sir Ragnvindr, is something - how can I help you?" you asked as you stepped inside the room and let the heavy door close behind you.

"Have I pulled you away from your work?"

"Yes," you said but caught yourself, "No. I mean, yes, but it's alright. Are you alright?" The thought crossed your mind that perhaps something had happened. An issue at the Winery or the tavern, maybe he thought you were the best person to help him? Not sure why. But you did know a lot of adventurers.

"I am well. Please," he gestured to the table and chairs beside him. Crossing the room, you noticed a tall, decorative bag on the corner of the table. The top was knotted by someone with experience. Diluc placed his hand on the table, and you stopped a few feet from him. He looked -- odd. Out of sorts even.

"Did you need something from the Guild? I'm not sure if anyone told you, but I'm not an evaluator, but I can find someone who can assist you in building a commission report."

"I do not require one. I am ..." he clenched his jaw and fumbled. "Please, sit," he repeated, gesturing to the chair slightly pulled out beside you.

Confused, you took a seat.

You considered yourself a rational person, a relatively calm person. One that could keep their head in most situations, but when the man you could hardly look at long enough to breathe knelt in front of you, lifted your calf, and began to untie your shoe, you yelped so loud it startled him.

"Dilu- I mean, Sir Ragnvindr, what are you doing!?" You reached for his arm but pulled back at the last second. A war raged inside your mind - one billowing urge shouted to push him away so you could steady your fluttering heart, and the other shrieked, terrified of making contact out of fear he'd know the truths of your unsettled heart.

"These are uncomfortable, are they not?"

You glanced at your shoes. "I mean - yes, but you don't have to worry about it. Please," you begged, fingers hovering above his hand, body fighting the will to rip free from his grasp. "Sir Ragn-"

"Diluc," he interrupted and looked up at you, "I much prefer when you call me Diluc."

You didn't know how to respond, didn't know how to react, so you just sat frozen while he carefully removed your shoes and tended to the wounds they had caused.

His touch was warm. Violently warm. It was like heat seeped from every bit of him. Tendrils of flames licked across his brow, his cheeks, his jawline. You were so close you could smell the earth and trapped dust from the melting snow trapped in his clothes.

He placed the bandage across your foot and carefully wrapped it until it was secure.

"T-Thank you," you mumbled. You were stuck between being embarrassed by what was happening and being smitten by it. You were in a haze. Your eyes could barely focus on his hands as he worked, barely noticing the stick he placed beside your right foot. The medicine he applied had soothed the soft burn of the blister.

He stood and a wave of his scent washed over you. It took a moment for you to catch your breath, but when you did, you reached for your shoes that he had placed on the table.

"I'll repay you for the treatment."

"No need," he replied as he tugged at the decorative cloth bag. His back blocked you from what was inside. You worked on stretching the laces of your shoes so you could slip them over your foot. Just as you were about to place them on, Diluc returned and stalled your actions, taking the shoe from you and returning it to the table. He easily held your calf and slipped on another shoe. A flat, wide one that wouldn't rub against you the way your own had. "How does it fit?" he asked as he carefully slid it over your heel and adjusted it until it was on completely.

The shoe was elegant, beautiful. Something you would only dream of buying - most of your clothes were from sales and take-bins of neighbors doing their yearly cleaning. These were --

"Wait - did you buy these?"

"I did. But I was unaware of your size. If these are not satisfactory, I purchased several others which may be more suitable for you," he explained and that's when you noticed the stack of boxes now exposed from the cloth bag. Two boxes were placed to the side, another still in it, while the last was open, the lid placed at an angle as if forgotten.

"You bought," you paused, disbelief pulling in your brows, "multiple pairs?"

"It seemed better to purchase multiple than to guess. Though I could have inquired from you directly," he trailed off as if the thought had only just crossed his mind.

But only one crossed yours, "Why?"

He looked up at you, still kneeling and preparing your other foot to accept your new shoes' partner, "I notice you. You would be unable to work in this state."

"Noticed me?"

"Yes. Besides, I couldn't rightfully ... never mind."

"What," you blurted, hanging on his every word.

He glanced at you and then looked back at your feet. There was a pause, a heavy pause in the air. "To see you in discomfort. It - It did not sit well with me."

You sat in silence as he ensured the shoes fit, as he laced them, and made sure they wouldn't irritate the bandage. You held your tongue and swallowed the pounding pressure in your chest when he lifted you from the chair and made sure you could stand before he let go.

You breathed him in while he stood before you.

"I will be at Angel's Share tonight. I can set aside some time for you, should you find yourself-"

"Okay," you blurted again, followed it up with an embarrassed sorry. It made him laugh, and you snatch the lurching urge to jump on him.

"Until then," he hummed, a smile tugging at his lips. "Do not rush in the meantime. I have already given my recommendations to the guild to allow you rest, though I do not imagine you'll heed it."

Diluc packed up the bag and bid you farewell, lingering his voice on the sound of your name, his eyes on your warm face. He slipped out of the room and left you in disbelief in a pair of beautiful crimson shoes.

--

Xiao

Why did you decide to wear these shoes?

You thought at least twenty times as you trudged down the path. As you hiked over the mountain passes that had seen better days in their time. A giant bolder blocked you a few paces back and you were still brushing yourself off from the unprepared scramble; you found a tear in your clothes and groaned.

For an adventurer, you got off pretty lucky. Only taking the low-priced requests. Ones left for running between towns, helping clear out someone's back room, or helping with a shipment. You weren't interested in the daring adventures that some in the guild would take, snatch up before you even had a chance to read the whole thing. And you certainly weren't about to follow in the footsteps of that strange traveler who - for a while - was accused of killing the Liyue Archon. (You still had your suspicions).

Nope, you were complacent, content with the simple jobs that helped you keep the lights on and splurge on the things that caught your eye. One of which was currently on your feet and digging into the skin uncomfortably. You hopped on one foot and shoved your finger inside the edge of the shoe in the hopes of stretching out the tight leather.

The top of the path crept over the horizon and you picked up the pace to reach it. You adored cresting the hill and seeing the harbor stretch across the bay, how the tall mountainside loomed above her - a watchful guardian, a shield and protector. You sighed and adjusted the pack on your back. The road into the harbor wasn't long, but it was steep, and you prepared yourself for a rough descent with your aching feet.

Every step slowed you down. Each one more uncomfortable than the last. You thought about taking off your shoes but didn't want to catch the disapproving glares that came from Liyue's citizens. So, you pushed forward.

A plume of green and black smoke enveloped you. You would have shouted but you were used to the sensation and how it obscured your view. Months ago you stumbled upon the smoke's owner in a field. He seemed injured so you went to check on him only to learn he was fine, and rather unappreciative of your concern - actually, he was irritatingly annoyed that you had distracted him from his lay-about.

"Hello, little Xia--woah!" Instead of appearing near you like he had before, you were suddenly floating in the green smoke. It whipped through your hair, tugged at your loose clothes, and bit at your skin. You felt like you were falling, and then you were - into the arms of the Adeptus who normally kept his respectful distance from you.

When your eyes adjusted to the return of light, you twisted to look at him, one arm draped over his shoulders as if he had placed it there.

"What are you-?" The words caught in your throat. Confusion, surprise, and bashful bewilderment tickled your cheeks and stole your ability to speak. Your face was inches from him. Closer than it ever had been before.

"You're injured," he spoke softly, matter-of-factly, his eyes drifting to your feet. You could already see the broken skin around your heel.

"It's nothing. Just my shoes," you explained as you stared at your own feet as if that explanation meant anything to him.

"Hold on," he said as he held you to him and the two of you disappeared into a puff of ethereal phthalo.

--

Xiao placed you on the small stool you had left out on the balcony the night before. He was careful to not let you crash into it. His strength - despite his size - was easy to sense as he eased you onto it and waited for you to settle.

"Thanks," you hummed, stealing a peek at his eyes. Eyes the shade of ginkgo trees in fall, eyes that held eons of history and centuries of sadness. Xiao didn't speak much, but his searching and timid eyes quenched your thirst for his voice.

He lifted your leg and you covered your mouth to avoid making a noise. Before you could ask him a question, he withdrew into his haze and was gone. You sat motionless for only a few seconds, and contemplated entering your house as you, in a daze, took off your shoes but when you rose to leave, Xiao reappeared holding a small container.

"For your injury. It's important to - take care of yourself," he mumbled the last part of his sentence as he held the container out to you. Averting eyes, open fingers unmoving, waiting for you to take it.

Your fingertips brushed his skin. "Did you get this for me?" He crossed his arms and didn't answer but his actions still made your chest warm and lips pull into a giddy smile.

"Don't dally," he scolded and threw you a sharp stare, "Or you'll be left with a scar."

"Oh right." You nodded and uncapped the container. The salve held a potent medicinal scent. "You don't have to stay," you added, a little sad at the thought of him leaving but recognizing that he didn't enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. His avoidance one of the many secrets locked in the amber of his soul.

"I'll wait."

You opened your mouth to protest but he turned his back to you, crossed his arms. Watched, observed. Protective.

"Thank you, Xiao," you whispered and chuckled at the grunt that floated toward you from the Adeptus statue standing near the corner of your balcony.

--

[hyacinthian-chateau]

hi there! congrats on 200, you surely deserved them all, and it's amazing you got that far doing something you like :) for the match-up event; i'm an esfj and my enneagram type is 6w5, my hobbies include reading fantasy and romance, playing music (singing, guitar, ukulele, a bit of the piano and a bit of the drums too), writing poems/songs or stories, and sketching stuff. i like the nature but mostly anything relates to the sea or beach, as well as forests and mountains (such are the places i grew up in), cats, and fashion. i strongly dislike waking up early lol and being with too much people too much time, people who can't take important things seriously or who are too impulsive to make decisions correctly.

if you ran out of slots or simply don't want to do this request that's fine for me, do whatever you find most comfortable and easy for you :) congrats again and have a nice day!

Jean, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Jean has formed an irreplaceable bond with you.

Hardworking and resilient are some words that best describe the Acting Grand Master. From dealing with paperwork, overseeing preparations for upcoming festivals, and keeping an eye on the energetic young Klee, Jean is always hard at work. And yet, despite your differing occupations, fate seems determined to finally have you two reunited after being apart for a long time. Thanks to the young woman's leadership and efforts, Mondstandt remains in order despite only having half the number of knights.

Both you and Jean had known each other when she was still a recruit for the knights, and you were a novice adventurer. In the past, the two of you would repeatedly come across each other with a handful of her assignments and your commissions corresponding with one another. Maybe it was the time you had spent in each other's presence that the young woman had grown quite fond of you. Even though you two hadn't seen each other, the Anemo-user always tries to maintain communications with you through letters. The day you return to Mondstand, the meticulous knight can't help but stare when you appear in front of her desk with a small folder of documents from the Adventurer's Guild in one hand and a souvenir from your travels in the other.

As the assistant to Cyrus, Mondstadt's Branch Master of the Adventurer's Guild, you are mostly found within the vicinity of the guild's establishment dealing with administrative work. Thus, you were considered a constant visitor to the Headquarters and a friendly face to the knights. Initially, your meetings consisted of overlooking the applications for this year's Windblume Festival. But it quickly changed into you trying to convince her to partner certain knights together during their daily training. You're sick of watching Dame Lizzie and Sir Swan making goo-goo eyes at each other for the past six months! The Dandelion knight can only sigh good-naturedly when you let out a soft cheer upon agreeing to have the two said knights paired up.

The Dandelion Knight always welcomes your presence. Recently, she has noticed her tendency to be drawn by your company even when other people would be in attendance. She doesn't seem to realize, but a few people close to her had--Kaeya, Lisa, and even Albedo exchange knowing glances when they watch the Acting Grand Master's gray-blue eyes shine brightly when you invite her for a brief walk outside of the Headquarters. The trio can only speak in hushed tones as they place bets on how long it would take for you and the Acting Grand Master to come to a realization.

On her rare days off, the young woman finds herself tagging along with you as you browse the trendiest clothing at Marjorie's then, followed by trying the newest drinks at the Cat's Tail. Ah, It's been a long time since the blonde has enjoyed herself like this immensely, and she has you to thank for that. Usually, she is the poised and reliable figurehead of the Knights. But with you, she has no need to uphold her imperative image and allows herself to be…well, herself. The Dandelion knight can't help but laugh as you gape at her when she expresses her fondness for the second male lead instead of the main lead in the newest novel you had recommended.

The said knight treasures your friendship and considers you to be one of her closest confidants. Despite being the intellectual and organized person you are, Jean knows you are always eager to help your fellow adventurers in the field--And yes, that even included Bennett, who was known to run into unfortunate circumstances. She has learned too much about you: From your aversion to dealing with counterproductive and fickle individuals to your inclination to work late into the night and innate ability to coerce her into a few of your antics--She finds herself smiling at the memory of how soaked her pants were when as you two attempted to catch some crabs along Falcon Coast.

Honestly, the swordswoman is well aware of her developing feelings for you. However, she is still hesitant to pursue anything further. From a young age, there had been expectations from the eldest daughter of the Gunnhildr clan, and Jean has never shunned her responsibilities. But like everyone else, she was human and had hopes and desires. Jean is well-read and has heard of love. Some say it's a mysterious entity that influences a person's emotions and behaviours to a certain extent. In the past, she hasn't had the chance to entertain such a thought, but when a warm spring-like feeling bursts into bright-coloured fireworks in her chest upon laying eyes on you once more, she finally understands it.

Hmm, Maybe she'll be brave enough to tell you one day, but for now, she is satisfied to watch how your face lights up like the break of dawn upon meeting each other once again…

[moshaeu]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAVEH

[kisakis-boyfriend]

Genshin Impact Masterlist

🎃 = Halloween specials

❄️ = Winter specials

✨ = Not smut; SFW

Headcannons

Trans sub Aether

Bennett's first time – (Sub Bennett)

Hit with sex pollen – (Sub Kaveh, Bennett, Freminet)

Catboy Freminet – (Sub Freminet)

Sub Diluc

Scaredy Cat! – (Sub Tighnari, Gorou; Ghost reader) 🎃

Halloween costume headcannons – (Wanderer, Kaveh, Alhaitham, Layla, Heizou, Kaeya) 🎃✨

Dragon Freminet 🎃✨

Making trans demons cum/squirt on command – (Sub Scaramouche, Freminet, Albedo; Witch reader) 🎃

Diluc in a slutty Halloween dress 🎃

Diluc x Soft demon reader – (Sub Diluc) 🎃

Freminet x vampire reader – (Sub Freminet) 🎃

Camboy Freminet

An Oni's Beloved – (Sub Yae Miko; Oni reader)

Xiao courting headcannons ✨

Spicy Gaming headcannons

Neuvillette x tall reader HCs ✨

Stripper Kinich HCs

Scenarios

Wet dream in your lap pt. 1 – (Sub Wanderer, Xiao, Venti, Aether)

Wet dream pt. 2 – (Sub Lyney, Lynette, Freminet)

Kissing Chongyun – (Sub Chongyun)

Submissive Genshin Darlings – (Sub Wanderer, Heizou, Kaeya, Alhaitham)

More ghost reader – (Sub Tighnari, Gorou) 🎃

Oops, all catboys + catgirl! – (Sub Lyney, Lynette, Freminet) 🎃

I Warned You About Those Woods, Bro! – (Sub Lyney, Lynette; Werewolf reader) 🎃

I Heart Subs pt. 1 – (Multifandom scenario; Sub Freminet, Scaramouche, Xiao, Bennett)

Wet Dream pt. 3 – (Sub Dottore, Childe)

I Heart Subs pt. 2 – (Sub Diluc, Childe, Kazuha, Neuvillete)

Teasing Furina – (Sub Furina)

Whiny, drunk Kaveh – (Sub Kaveh)

Spoiling Freminet

Receiving Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet as a present – (Sub Lyney, Lynette, Freminet) ❄️

Freminet's first snow ❄️✨

I Heart Subs pt. 3 – (Sub Scaramouche, Furina, Freminet)

I Heart Subs pt. 4 – (Sub Xiao)

I Heart Subs pt. 5 – (Sub Neuvillette, Wriothesley Alhaitham)

Pure Yang Spirit – (Sub Chongyun)

Railing them – (Sub Freminet, Lyney)

Stuck in a hole – (Sub Bennett)

Sensory deprivation – (Sub Aether, Kaveh)

I Heart Subs pt. 6 – (Sub Zhongli)

I Heart Subs pt. 7 – (Sub Scaramouche, Xiao, Lyney) 🎃

Oneshots/Drabbles

Eating out trans Freminet

Public phone sex – (Sub Freminet)

Furriendly Competition – (Trans sub Lyney)

Deep Dark Waters – (Sub Freminet; Sea monster reader) 🎃

Sleeping Benny – (Sub Bennett; Sleep paralysis demon reader) 🎃

Beware the Big Bad Wolf – (Sub Bennett; Wolfboy reader) 🎃

Trade Off – (Sub Xiao; Monster reader) 🎃

Sacrificial Lamb – (Sub Bennett; Incubus reader) 🎃

Oh, To Be A Harbinger – (Various sub Fatui grunts)

Rimming Freminet – (Sub Freminet)

Teaching Freminet How To Masturbate

Soft sex with Ayaka – (Sub Ayaka) ❄️

Kaveh x monster reader – (Sub Kaveh; Plant monster reader)

Soft noncon – (Sub Scaramouche)

Albedo's Experiment – (Sub Albedo)

Gaming x monster reader – (Sub Gaming) 🎃

Scaramouche + Kinich wearing a sexy Halloween costume – (Sub Scaramouche, Kinich) 🎃

[cattlemons]

hi, if you're okay with writing for him, wanderer x reader hcs? (it can be short and brief!!) /nf

The Archivist and The Stubborn Scholar

TW: Not proofread and the punctuations on this might be kinda yikes (tried my best tho), this particular big boy is 1,7k words big (very short and super brief (❁´◡`❁))

Hope you like this, my first ever nonnie! (I wanna frame you like a first dollar)

I feel like the Wanderer is kind of a tough nut to crack because his trauma wall is 100 inches thick.

At the beginning, he’s really just huffing and puffing and being a total jerk to you (and everyone else). To be honest, you’re just trying your best to tough it out and not cuss him out every chance you get.

Technically, he isn’t a permanent student of the Vahumana; he only comes in to borrow research papers he needs for his own paper and then he’s off again. So, there's no reason for you to see him all that much.

But aside from being a student, you’re also the Akedemiya’s archivist, so you do meet him fairly often. Not that you enjoyed his prickly presence at first. It was quite the nuisance, if anything.

Every time he comes in to borrow something, it feels like he’s purposefully trying to get a rise out of you.

He’s also frustratingly accurate in pressing your buttons; like he knows exactly what makes you tick and explode.

You want to chop his head off.

Luckily for him, you’re closer to Celestia than he is because your patience for him is on par with that of a saint.

“I need a paper on Tatarasuna, but I want it as recent as possible. The closer to ‘yesterday’ it is published, the better.”

Looking away from your own paper, you looked at him like he grew five heads, each wearing a big ‘ol hat. To your defense, you’re only four beats off.

“Look, I know you’re an honored guest of the Archon and only recently started joining in on this research writing business, but you’ve got to learn how we do things here,” you huffed as you searched for a written guideline you have not needed for a while now.

Pulling the paper out of your bag, you pointed and explained the graphic drawn on it.

“First, you go and find out which collection of research papers you need and ask me politely if we have it here in the archives. Then, I tell you if we have it or not before asking if you want it copied and if you need more assistance—”

“Okay, fine. I want Tatarasuna papers and assistance.”

“Please let me finish.”

“Why’d you stop talking if you weren’t finished?”

“You interrupted me?!”

That’s basically how an average conversation with him goes.

But as time goes on, the hate turns into dislike and then into pretend hate and finally into secret like.

At the start of his research, the visits are few and far between, but as the research starts getting heavier, his visits get more frequent too.

He also likes to work on the tables right outside the archival building for “quicker access to papers.”

This is not for the public, but he also kind of maybe perhaps secretly likes looking at the archivist.

He just likes looking at you when you’re confused about why the journal you’re reading is spewing lies. He also likes looking at you when you huff at your paper because the wording is all messed up.

Yeah, his sadistic tendencies were not wiped away when he pulled his stunt on the Irminsul. You can’t win them all, I guess.

Anyway, it’s all totally because he likes seeing you suffer. You’re on top of his “pain in the ass” list, after all!

Not because you look adorable when you scrunch your eyebrows in confusion.

Definitely not because he knows you didn’t get enough sleep last night (he heard your friend chastise you about it) and you made a bunch of mistake on your paper.

He DEFINITELY DOES NOT find your tired eyes and sleepy yawns cute (like a very angry cat he DOES NOT want to take care of).

But really, he actually believes in this reasoning. He simply thinks it's schadenfreude.

Man’s smart when scheming but dumb bum when anything else.

He does not catch on to his feelings all that quick. In fact, it took him embarrassingly long.

He had to do a lot of soul searching and experience a ton of jealousy to finally realize that maybe he likes you more than he hates you.

Or rather, he likes you more than he originally allowed himself to like you.

Oh no! It’s the consequences of having a heart because a heart isn’t an object but the accumulation of interactions that build the psyche and emotion! Darn, life lesson! (Wanderer, probably)

The Wanderer decided that he’s going to work on his paper in the archive building today. He’s not in the mood to sit in some shitty cafe and listen to incessant chatter.

Wow, he wished he had chosen the cafe instead.

“Hey! Who told you, you can just take a paper out of the archive and waltz your merry way home? Give that back. Right now!”

“I thought we were friends,” Kaveh mumbled in faux hurt as he stretched his hands out to return the paper to you.

“Archivist first. Friend second,” you huffed out, snatching the scroll of paper out of his hands.

The blond proceeded to clutch his chest and make a scene.

Sometimes you wish you weren’t such good friends with the man. At least then, he’d act civil.

Meanwhile, the Wanderer was watching all this from the front row seat; absolutely soaked with friendly-banter-that-he-misunderstood-as-lovey-dovey-affection. Your interaction with Kaveh spilled over into the splash zone of his seat in the archival building and he hated it.

In his mind, he came up with the conclusion that the heat in his heart is coming from a place of annoyance.

Why are you so loud at 7 in the fucking morning?

Why is the blond one also so loud at 7 in the fucking morning?

Why are you even entertaining guests this early in the morning? Didn’t you refuse him any service when he came this early a few weeks ago?

Why is this guy any special?

Somewhere much deeper in his mind, he thought differently.

I thought you were only grumpy with me.

You said ‘friend’ to him, right?

Why does that ease me slightly?

But you treat me like that too… Am I a ‘friend’ as well?

Why does that hurt even more?

After that moment, his visits get less frequent. When he does visit, though, he keeps things brief and… polite?

You even tried to start up a banter; mentioning something you know (on a normal day) would get his veins popping and kick-start a back-and-forth and then some.

To no avail, he stayed silent and just looked mildly inconvenienced.

This confused you to Celestia and back and then to Celestia again and then back again.

He’s honestly not too sure why he distanced himself from you in the first place.

But hindsight is 20/20 because after a much-needed self-evaluation session (by ‘self’ I mean himself and Nahida) he knows it’s because he doesn’t want a fourth addition to his list of major betrayals.

Not that he’ll actually agree with that statement out loud. But inside, he gets it.

Of course, this understanding is between his own person. You, unfortunately, were completely out of the loop.

You thought you had somehow pissed him off beyond forgiveness or crossed some kind of line.

At one point, you thought that the banter was, in a very weird way, flirting.

But maybe you got it wrong. What if he never saw you as a friend at all, let alone someone he might like.

You decided that if a relationship(?) friendship(?) has to die, then it’s going out with a bang.

*(bang = mutual understanding on what went wrong and peacefully going back to being strangers).

So, you visited him one day. Out of work hours too (mmmm how bold).

The knock on his door broke the puppet out of his cluttered thoughts; thoughts of a certain archivist he misses. Grunting as he stood, he closed the book he pretended to read in favor of opening the door.

“Who is it?”

He opened the door just as the ‘intruder’ reached to knock on the door again. He doesn’t know why you thought that knocking needed that much force but he’s certain it’s way too much.

Anger poked at him as he yelled, “That’s going to bruise, idiot.”

It won’t.

“I’m sorry, okay?”

“You should be! That hurts.”

It did not.

“Not about that! I’m sorry for whatever happened between you and me to make you hate me…”

The fuck?

“You don’t have to forgive me or anything. I get that you have some sort of past to make you that way and I probably overstepped somewhere but… I thought we were friends. I thought if you were to revert back to us being enemies again, at least you’d tell me why…”

The Fuck?

“Is it because you know I like you? If that’s the case, you’re not fully wrong but I can just throw that away because I know you’re probably not looking for something like that and that’s probably the bit where I overstepped and you know I’m not even fully invested in it so really I can just stop!”

The FUCK?

So much for mutual understanding. With how things are going, it’s more of an individual understanding.

You got way too nervous and now things are spilling left and right and he’s not even saying anything?! He’s just staring at you like you grew five heads, each wearing a big ol' hat. You took a breath to continue your long-winded mess of a rant when he clutched your shoulders.

“Stop for a second, will you, motor-mouth.”

You clammed up right away, tears leaking out of your eyes.

“Listen, I’m not going to ever say this again but I like you too. It’s shit and I hate feeling it because… because I’ve never felt before, okay? So, stop talking all that crap about throwing important things away, it's pissing me off.”

You fully started sobbing now. He panicked and pulled you in for a very awkward, very stiff, but very loving hug. Snot got on his robe and cape as you cried your emotions out on him.

He found he didn’t quite mind. He could use less snot, sure, but he was glad you cared this much over him. He's never had anyone worry over him, let alone to the point of crying.

Soon, tears prickled his eyes but it's alright because relief found his heart.

By the way, he did say it again. He said it 1,000 times before your eventual marriage and 5,000 more times but with ‘love’ as a substitute for ‘like’.

What a liar.

a.n. My first ever request and I’m so incredibly chill about it (lies I jumped and screamed slightly). Anyway, I’m not sure what you’d like to see so I made this about how you came to be the wanderer's partner. Send in another one if you want something more specific (I’ll literally smile and break my cheek muscles if you do).

[euniveve]

"𝐈'𝐦 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲, 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤" - zhongli

pairings: zhongli x gn!reader tags: HURT/COMFORT (like major major comfort), glasses wearing!reader, insecure!reader, reader has self-worth issues, fluffy fluff fluff, reader is implied to have depression w.c: 1480 a.n: ngl i wrote this one shot a while ago, it helped me back then, hopefully it'll help some of you guys as well, i think this is beta read (again i wrote this a while back, i forgot) remember that you are loved my dears <3

Another tear hits the cold hardwood floor of your apartment; your glasses have long been housing the pools of your sadness before you finally take them off to bury your face into your knees, choked sobs wrangle out of your throat as your chest burns from the hurt.

What was it again that triggered this? You couldn’t remember… Crying sure does affect you; it drives your mind deeper into its sadness, an inescapable hole of helplessness with darkness surrounding you, not an oil lamp in sight.

A series of knocks fell upon your door– making you jolt in your uncomfortable position, your heart beating out of your chest as you feel the pit in your stomach grow. You don’t want to meet people now, you don’t want to pretend to be fine.

For once, saving face stood second before your needs.

“Qin ai de?” the familiar warm baritone from the other side of the door said, “It’s me, are you alright?”

You open your lips, tears still freely flowing down your cheeks but you stop yourself– deciding to close them again. Maybe anyone is fine, anyone else. But not Zhongli. You cleared your mucus-filled throat, trying to force a clear stable voice, gulping your saliva thickly before closing your eyes and taking a deep breath in preparation.

With a shaky breath out you fake a smile, trying your best to sound how you normally do. “Y-yeah! I just wanna be in silence and think; don’t worry about me!”

A few seconds of silence pass by and you hold your breath, waiting for the sound of his feet walking away to grace your ears but you hear none. Instead, what little light the gaps at the bottom of the door provided was blocked before Zhongli spoke again.

“Forgive me, my dear, for I have to do this.”

You couldn’t even take a second to process the words he uttered before the door flew open, revealing the silhouette of your very handsome, very tall former-archon-boyfriend. Almost out of instinct– you cover your face, your trembling hand making out a very poor mask as you try your best to get away from his sight.

“Love, my dear heart,” he cooed, his footsteps dawning closer and closer before it stopped in front of you. The melodious rustle of his fabric as he bends down to meet your face, his amber eyes unmistakable in their sadness as his brows furrow in slight frustration at the sight of your visibly distraught figure. 

Zhongli reaches out; out of instinct, it seems, to comfort you, to hold you at least, his long slender finger wanting to touch your hand to move them yet you flinch when his hand hovers; afraid and unsure.

“My love?”

“Pl-please go away..” you whisper meekly, “I- I don’t want to– I don’t want you to see me like this…”

“,,,”

You quickly and harshly wipe the tears off your face, trying your best to give him a smile while your hand is still covering your puffy eyes. “I’m okay! I think…”

“But you are not,” he said matter-of-factly, his brow furrowed in confusion before his hand finally reached yours, warmth blooming on your skin with his comforting touch. “You are not okay.”

“I will be,” you muttered, “Please? I’m a mess now– I–”

Your hand was moved away, and even with your lids covering your eyes, you can imagine those brilliant eyes; so full of warmth and love you almost want to run away and hide again.

“My love please look at me.”

His voice is but a whisper and there’s care lacing between those strings of sound. Archons do you even deserve this? You are certain that you don’t but it feels so right. 

It feels like you aren’t worthless.

It feels like you matter.

You finally open your eyes, and another waterfall of tears threatens to escape but you can see his gentle smile, the softness of his lips, the curvature of his cheeks; whatever is happening now, it feels like love.

Are you worthy of love?

“You are scared,” you hear him say softly, “you are scared and that is okay, I’m here for you.”

“I’m sorry,” you find yourself whispering.

“What for?”

‘Everything.’ you wanted to say, ‘for being me, for stealing you away from someone better, for being selfish.’

Ah– there it is.

“For being selfish,” you repeat your mind, your eyes shifting to the wooden floor, his gaze tho comforting, feels so real. Like he could see through your walls; like he could tear them down with the slightest of touch. “For being selfish enough to get your love, to be so imperfect yet accepting of it– I’m so sorry.”

You wince at yourself. That sounds more pathetic than you intended. Gods; why does it have to be him? You wouldn’t mind if it's anyone else. Anyone else can call you self-absorbed or pitiable or even entitled. 

But please, archons please, let it not be him. 

“I’m not worthy of it,” you end your sentence with a defeated whisper, “I know I'm not worthy of it; I keep pushing you away, I’m difficult, I’m a horrible person.”

You bit your lip, you can hear him breathing steadily, his hand still grasping yours with that signature comfort, that loving warmth. It feels so good that you want to run away; so good that it feels like knives as the back of your mind keeps shouting at your words. 

Ugly, untrue, you know this, but when those words are repeated thousands – no – millions of times it starts to sound honestly beneath useless praises.

“I’m irreparably broken.”

Silence is between the two of you and it feels deafening. You are ready for this, for him to leave, and how could you not? You have to imagine it time and time again, with every step apart from him, every second without his presence, you imagine it over and over and over again; hoping, praying, that when it eventually happens, it would hurt even less. 

Because you are ready.

“I used to forge weapons as an archon,” Zhongli whispered, his thumb starting to trace the back of your hand. Slowly but surely, you feel his body getting closer to you, that golden touch of his cupping your cheek, those citrine gazes that inspect your very being and you can’t help but lean into his touch.

Archons, you are horrible.

“I forge new weapons for my adepti. Ones made of jade, of black steel, of unbreakable stone, cor lapises, agates, and carnelians.” he took a deep breath, the chilly autumn air filling his lungs before he continued. “But I always prefer to reforge my old weapons.”

“Huh?”

He laughs, that signature rumbling laughter that makes you shiver, that fills you with ease and serenity; it has you longing for a home only he can make, only he can fulfil. “Yes, I prefer my old weapons; one that has my hand moulded on its handle, one that has been broken time and time again.” 

You feel his fingers on your cheek, your cold, tearstained cheek– you want to flinch away but you can’t. Zhongli is your home, you couldn’t hide away any longer.

“So my love, if you are broken then allow me to reforge you.” His voice, archons, his voice resonates deep within your heart, filling its cracks and smoothing its surface. His and completely his, he once noted and each and every time he breathes he reminds you of it. “if you prefer for your pieces to bask in the sun then allow me to carry you, every chuck and dust.”

“I’ll cut you,” you whisper, trying desperately to deny him of the pain you know you would bring. “I'll hurt you; I have jagged edges and–”

“Then do it.”

His arm wraps around you, his hand tugging your head underneath his chin. He places a kiss on the top of your head, feeling the way your body fits with his; longing for the sound of your laughter and accompanying smile.

But Morax knows better; perhaps that person is gone, perhaps they are buried underneath the rubble. And yet he smiled to himself, gripping you tighter, not letting you go. He is pained, it is true. But a god can afford pain. 

Let him afford the pain, as long as you wouldn’t have to feel it.

“I’ll hold you until you feel full, I’ll love you until the last stone crumbles, I’ll be by your side until your soul turns to dust.”

He let go of a breath. It sounds heavy; and perhaps for Morax, it is. His lover it seems has been at war. What sort of warrior god lets their spouse fight a battle all alone?

“I love you,” he whispered, “and that’s nothing your thoughts can change no matter how hard they try.”

[glassrowboat]

Not me thinking about Dottore first experimenting with leylines, with learning how they flow, how the store memories in Irmunsal and one day seeing his parents. They're the same as they always were, his mother with a wide smile and that one curl right behind her ear she would always fiddle with, his father who would laze around in the sun only to come back in later complaining about getting burnt from accidently falling asleep. Even his skin seemed a little darker right now.

What are they doing here? They left him. They abandoned him along with everyone in that village. So why are they here now?

And it keeps happening. Every time he tinkers and pulls at those stupid branches that peak out of the soil there's someone 'new'.

His childhood pet.

The roommate Dottore had at the academia.

Soreh.

And lastly? You.

Bright eyes the same as ever as you smile at him, poke fun at him, call him an over excited nerd when the pencil in his hand snaps at just the mere sight of you.

Your name comes easily to him, just like it always did, and it hangs in the air as you turn away. Just like all these remnants of the past did. Back to him and no words spoken on your end before that spot he was watching like a hawk is empty.

Gone.

Gone again.

And he couldn't help but tug at the leyline branch again, hoping to force it into submission to allow one last glance at the person he still loved with all his heart.

[romaritimeharbor]

dude i think we all need to talk about baizhu's utter humanity more often. because what the fuck. Hoyoverse what did you put into this man??? your souls??????? why is he so human. why is he so real. why is he so akin to a tragic poem telling the tales of a yearning human soul, longing for something that cannot easily be attained or cannot be attained period, both for selfish reasons and for selfless reasons because two things can be true at once and one can be both selfish and selfless?????? it is perhaps the most human state of being??????? why does baizhu so beautifully represent the nuances of being human??????? What did you all put into this man and why does he have a permanent rent-free residence in my head.

[witch-hazels-musings]

i'd know the difference

warning -> none, sfw, fluff <3 | happy birthday Diluc

diluc x gn reader | Anthology

His back was tired. Tense muscles ignited by the sunlight pouring through the window. Diluc rolled his shoulder, dug his fingers into his trapezius muscle, and squinted at the sharp pain that ran down his arm.

The forms on his desk hardly dwindled since this morning. He swore they multiplied each time he placed one neatly into an envelope and pressed his seal into the ruby wax.

A knock at his study drew his gaze. "Sir, Diluc, the barrels are ready for inspection." A muffled voice slipped under the doorframe, their movements silenced by the heavy wood.

"I will be there momentarily," Diluc responded as his father's fountain pen glided across the final page of a contract. Another seller from Inazuma. Requests from the sealed-away nation had increased substantially after the Raiden Shogun opened trade routes. While it meant the Winery was bound to see a profitable quarter, he was bound to see many more sleepless nights.

Diluc filed the contract away into a water-sealed container and dropped it into a small, wooden box meant for outgoing correspondence. Three other letters softened the container's fall. He hadn't even made it halfway through.

---

The halls of the Winery were filled with still light, the decorated walls made everything compact but he had grown used to the opulent clutter. As a child, he spent many hours staring at the picture frames. Distant lands he hoped one day to traverse; he did and found that each depiction served little justice to the actual thing. The ornate rug muffled his steps and he moved swiftly toward the stairs. He fussed with his vest until something soft grazed his arm.

A fresh bouquet of flowers was placed on a tall, rounded table near the balcony overlooking the lower floor. A rich, sweet, earthy aroma filled his nose. Shades of royal blue, amber, and honey mixed with lush green. He rubbed a petal with his thumb and index finger, the satin texture unaffected by the roughness of his hand.

The corner of his lips lifted.

---

"There you are," Diluc said from the garden's edge. He had a feeling you'd be out here. Hard at work preparing beautiful arrangements you'd later place in the Winery. If he wasn't careful, he'd be trapped here forever watching you weave through the swaying flowers. He thought to ask a painter to capture the scene, but, in the end, he decided against it - there were some things he preferred to keep to himself.

"Morning," you called out, rising from the flower bed. With the back of your hand, you pushed up your sun hat.

The metal click of the gate rang out as Diluc made his way into the garden, narrow paths made it difficult for him to see where his feet landed while you moved through them with practiced grace. "How long have you been out here?" he asked.

"About as long as you've been cooped up in your study. I figured once you'd ultimately emerged, you'd appreciate being greeted by something lovely," you explained as you shooed a bug away from the ends of his hair.

"So why were you not waiting for me then?" he asked, teasingly, but in his heart he was serious. Your face was the thing he enjoyed most.

You shook your head and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I'll remember that for next time." With ease, you turned down the path and made your way to a sun-bleached table holding several bundles of partially trimmed flowers. He followed after you.

Diluc watched you work. Skilled fingers stripping the stems of their leaves, the soft clipping of prunes as you, one by one, measured the height of each flower. He moved in, drawn to you like the bees to the flowers.

"You smell divine," he professed and reached to steal your hat so he could kiss your head. The sun clung to every strand of your hair and warmed his desperate lips.

"Are you sure it's not just the flowers?" you asked, chuckling softly, your hands busy with bundling a fresh bouquet.

"I'm sure." Diluc stepped closer to you, his chest pressing against your back, his fingers trailing down your arm and fixing the shawl that had fallen off while you worked. He kissed the space below your ear and breathed you in. "I'd know the difference anywhere."

You turned just enough to look into his eyes and the sight of your face made his heart beat wildly. He shielded you with your hat and, with a gentle hand he cupped your throat, his thumb held your chin so he could keep you still and let his lips linger against your own until he was satisfied.

Even in a field of flowers, none of them compared to you - none could ever compare to his favorite.

[hyacinthian-chateau]

Hello!

Congratulations on 200 followers!!! ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎ ♡

Can I request a matchup please?

I’m gemini, ISFP and i can describe myself as a person who have trust issues, so it’s hard for me to open up to people at first. Despite of this i love affections in various expressions. Compliments, hugs, smooches - I really like to show attachment to my family and friends! Even if it seems so clingy tbh.

Sometimes i'm overwhelmed by emotions and i became rude and harsh in communication, for which I later regret. Let's says my mood always changes by unexplained reasons, yeah…

I'm a bit sarcastic and also unconsciously criticize myself by making self-destructive jokes, thanks to my past, but however my small circle of closed friends says that I mostly looks like a chihuahua - just as small, chaotic and bitey in a good way tho. Even if i more on introverted side i'm eccentric and active in some ways. I mean who one day came to work with invoices mustache and beard just because wanted to? Yep, me. A little weird me.

I have specific tastes in everything from eating french fries with ice cream as sauce to non-standard combination of clothes and colors. It maybe sounds oddly but i like strange and absurd memes, dumb puns and black humour, and i quite often use them in conversations.

I adore astrology and mysticism. Some kind of mystery of the world attracts me, gives me ground for reflection, thereby forcing me to spend almost all my free time on it, and I find it really interesting. I also like everything related to maritime culture and mythology. Warm rainy days, autumn season and evening time of day when the sun slowly sets over the horizon. And I also really like such simple little things as cute pebbles that can be found not only on the beach, but also on an ordinary street, key rings and other seemingly unnecessary trinkets.

What about dislikes? Well, at first it’s wasps. Thank God that I didn't have to come into close contact with them. In my opinion, it's better to run from a flock of geese than from a gang of wasps. The second is acute. I can't and don't like too spicy food and dishes. One day I ate very spicy noodles and my lips cried from burning for half an hour. Not a very good feeling, especially when they are cracked...

When I was a little girl, I attended every school circle, but I didn't stay in any of them due to my frequent variability in both character and interests, and it's a little difficult for me to understand which hobby has sunk into my soul more, heh. I knitted, drew, and excelled in sports - everything in a row, but a little. If singing in the bathroom is considered a hobby, then this is one of them that stayed with me throughout my growing up, ha ha. I will give preference to drawing and writing more, perhaps.

I'm sorry, if it came out quite a lot, but I was happy to share! Thank you for your work, I hope you have a lovely day! ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝)

Kaeya, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

You and Kaeya unintentionally become entangled with each other.

The Cavalry Captain is an admired figure within the City of Freedom. People who have had the pleasure of either meeting or working with him would describe him as a charismatic and skillful man who could charm anyone. And yet behind the handsome face and flirtatious smile lies much more once when you dig deeper.

Kaeya would have mistaken you for an adventurer when you first met as you dressed so differently--stylishly, if he says so himself--compared to your scholarly counterparts. In the beginning, the eye-patched man barely had the opportunity to speak to you as you were mainly either conducting an experiment, assisting both Albedo and Sucrose in the lab, or busy collecting data in the field.

At first, you've remained cautious of the eye-patched man and maintained a cordial relationship with him like everyone else, that is, until you finally snapped one day. The said man enjoyed stretching your patience as he constantly pokes fun at your shorter stature, which earns him a sarcastic response. At the same time, you attempt to avoid his attempt to use your head as an armrest. From there on, Kaeya decides that you are someone he wishes to banter with more often; He's found another person to annoy, next to Diluc.

Despite all your ribbing, the two of you get along quite well, and the navy-blue-haired male has taken the initiative to become your close associate. He is mindful and learns of your tendency to be moody, leading you to become agitated. He exercises patience and tries to cheer you up in various ways: From treating you to some Sticky Honey Roast, to telling an outlandish story that leaves you doubting the credibility of it all, or inviting you to go for a walk along Cider Lake when twilight approaches. At some point, you had suspected that he had left the Windwheel Asters on your workbench after a hectic work week.

It's sooner rather than later that Kaeya becomes a kindred soul and dubs you a 'Genius' when he gets to taste the mix of alcohol you had been concocting. The two of you also tend to frequent the various taverns with either Rosaria or Venti within the city walls. Despite his relatively high tolerance for alcohol, the sword wielder tries his best to listen when you go on a tangent about Ancient Maritime countries within Teyvat. Still, he can't seem to concentrate on your words when you look so animated under the dim tavern lights; He can't help but think you're absolutely striking as he shoots you a cheeky smile.

The slight change in the Cavalry Captain doesn't go unnoticed. Jean has caught her subordinate staring at you from a distance while you were busy speaking to Mona, a frequent visitor who became your fast friend. She's glad he's taken a liking to you but gently reprimands him when he takes too long to focus back on the task at hand. The resident librarian is also well aware of the fondness Kaeya has for you. Lisa, being the prodigy that she is, has roped several female members of the knights, which even included Outrider Amber and even Captain Eula, into creating a secret couple name if you two ever decide to get together.

The tanned man always offers to let you work within his office when he discerns the first signs of exhaustion on your pretty face. You've always been a lively person, but it's during this time that he doesn't talk much but instead lets you share what's on your mind--Whatever the circumstances are, the said man is more than happy to receive you if you ever decide to visit. By the end of your visit, he finds himself enveloped in a brief hug and a light peck on his cheek as you give him your thanks….If you ever bothered to look back, you would have been greeted by the sight of the usually confident Cavalry Captain's ruddy cheeks as he attempts to process what exactly had just happened.

It is somewhere along the line that Kaeya can't help but feel an odd sensation bubbling in his chest when he thinks about you; He's been experiencing it constantly nowadays. He's observant and calm, but he can't help but dive head first when it concerns you. He knows that despite building a façade, he unconsciously drifts toward you and doesn't understand why exactly. He's also somewhat changed as he allows himself to be genuine with his words and actions while wishing to be the closest to you. Slowly but surely, he's unsure when exactly you started to become a part of him.

There are a lot of hurdles to overcome, but your slight air-headedness whenever he tries to flirt with you somewhat dampens his spirits. Maybe he'll invite you to watch the stars at Starsnatch Cliff tonight. And perhaps even adopt a more direct approach this time around?

Huh? You say he's been acting a bit odd lately? Oho~!☆ Then you should speak to him about it if you're so worried.

Oh, but don't worry. You don't need to search too hard…

╰ ☆☆☆☆╮

[shiningsunlighthalation]

Among the descriptions the Tsaritsa (speaking through Pierro) uses for Arlecchino when she first became the Knave, she calls her "mad", like crazy.

I had this theory for a while and this new animation makes it stronger for me, but could the reason behind what Wanderer said about Arlecchino in his voiceline about her be because she killed his colleague as a teenager and ended up getting her position? And even though it was never elaborated on, Arlecchino has some kind of curse, so is that why Wanderer said she has a "true, crazy self"? And Childe never knew the previous Knave, but he likely heard how Arlecchino killed her predecessor who was her mother figure. Given that Childe is a family man, I imagine that once he learned about that, he saw her as a two-faced lunatic who would betray anyone if it benefited her. After all, if someone could kill family, then they'd turn on anyone, right? The Harbingers don't really talk and don't know much about each other (Wanderer knew Pierro for hundreds of years and only knows that he's a survivor of Khaenri'ah) and the previous Knave's cruelty probably wouldn't be very well known, Childe likely wouldn't know how the previous Knave was terrible to her wards. Back to Arlecchino killing her predecessor, that's probably something unique to her. In artifact lore, we know Pierro approached some of them and offered them positions as Harbingers, and Childe had been enlisted in the Fatui by his dad and became a Harbinger after rising through the ranks. Arlecchino is likely the only Harbinger who killed the one before her to get her position as the Fourth Harbinger, a position that outranks all the other Harbingers who were present when she became the Knave, barring Pierro (and Capitano as well, assuming he's the First ranked Harbinger). With that in mind, it's easy to imagine the other Harbingers looking at her sideways for this.

[meropidas]

" do not . run . no one leaves the fortress . "

[lonelylunarlongings]

the tragedy of wriothesley is that even long after his sentence has been served, even after he fought and clawed his way to the top, after he reformed the fortress' inner workings- it is still an iron ball chained to his ankle. a cage of his own choosing- because he must have not been able to imagine a life for himself in which meropide was not only prison but also home, in the way it had held and sheltered him in its cold and damp innards for years- once he'd driven the previous head warden out like a dog chasing a rat. so he took his seat in the warden's chair and began governing the place that had raised him.

he takes his rare days of leave above the surface knowing he'll make the endless elevator ride down again when the day is done. The motto of meropide greets him from the walls every time the doors finally slide open, and he reads the words even though he knows them not in his heart but in his soul.

if i were especially unfair i could accuse him of being afraid of what true freedom would do to him. he'd have to shatter the pot he'd sat in for so long that his roots had molded themselves to the shape and i think he would wilt a little with nowhere to fit himself into among regular fontanians.

so he holds freedom at an arm's length. he gives it lopsided smiles and playful winks over the edge of his hulking work desk, might take its hand and dance a small circle through his office, but never lets it lean in close enough to kiss.

maybe, through a haze of memories of blood seeping into floorboards, running out of him and staining the wood a deep red, he still thinks he isn't deserving of its gentle touch.

meropide holds its jaws around him and he keeps living with its wet breath at his neck, because no other place ever cared to house him quite as possessively- as if it needed him to continue living, not the other way around.

[cattlemons]

heyy, it’s the anon that sent in the request about wanderer with a reader who has a bad relationship with their father :) if it’s alright maybe i can just go by 💿 anon? i have another kinda personal request, and again if you don’t feel comfortable writing it please let me know. 

I have a control freak mother, who is obsessed with our family looking perfect from the outside. for example, about a year ago i had plans to k!ll myself, and i broke down and told my mom, and her response was taking away my phone, computer, everything that i could communicate to people with. She called me an attention seeker and told me that i wasn’t allowed to tell anyone else about it.  

It can either be new or a continuation of my first request, whatever you feel like writing :) thanks so much, lovely <3

The Weight of A Memory

TW: Suicidal ideation, emotional distress, pretty sure there's a cuss somewhere, 1,7k words

a.n. can be read as a continuation to this but fine as a stand alone. More below for you, 💿anon

“So, you’re saying it can work? Erasing a memory from the Irminsul, I mean,” you prodded the man beside you for what felt like the fiftieth time after his prior admission.

The wanderer’s eyebrows twitched in annoyance as he scoffed at your question; a desperate one he suffixes. 

“I only told you that because it seems plausible but even I don’t know the complexity behind the damn tree,” he hissed before adding a quiet “yet” to the back of his remark. 

“Honestly, I don’t think we can progress anymore on this topic,” the aloof puppet gruffed out, “the best we can do at this point is to abandon the title entirely and find an object much easier to study than the Irminsul. It’s a massive retrospective joke that we thought ‘Selective Memory Alteration via Mental Connection to Irminsul’ would be a good research title. We can’t even get access to the tree, much less experiment on it.”

He’s definitely right, but you can’t bring yourself to agree, not when he just alluded to the possibility. 

“We don’t have to gain direct access, we can just connect through the meditational route, you know, incense and the likes?”

The Wanderer let out a mocking snort as he looked at you like you’d said the most absurd thing he’d ever had the privilege to hear. 

“The ‘meditational route’ you throw around so easily takes years to hone, idiot, it’s not just smelling salts and candles. You’re a researcher of the esteemed Akademiya and this is your idea? I don’t want to be that person but it looks like you’re desperately clinging onto a failed idea.”

On a normal day, you would know well enough that he’s only trying to dissuade you from wasting your time on something pointless but, unfortunately, for both you and him, today has been an absolute shitfest for you. Where you’d normally sigh at his crass way of speaking, today you decide to one-up him and say some rather nasty things as well. 

You suppose it’s only fair that monkeys see, monkeys do. 

But what started off as annoyance quickly turned into genuine anger as more ugly words and defined poison spewed out of what was supposed to be a discussion session on your research. He said some painful things and, admittedly, you did too. It, soon, spiraled out of both of your control as things started getting painful especially when he asked what all this insistence was for. 

“Why are you so hellbent on going through with this title–and don’t you dare tell me it’s just because it interests you! You’re much too smart to make such a lame excuse.”

You were silent as embarrassment leaked from the corner of your eyes because truly you did not know. 

Or, rather, you did. You just didn't want to admit it to him. 

Taking what you hope are your things, you rush out of the grand hall, passing by the walls of books and scrolls. You need to get out of there before it suffocates you alive, whatever ‘it’ may be.

The Avidya Forest is a good ways away from the main city of Sumeru but The Wanderer took it all one stride at a time, all in the name of tracking you down. 

Truthfully, in the empty echoes of the cavity he calls his heart, he feels bad for the things he’s said. He knows he shouldn’t have questioned you too harshly, not when you seemed so unsure of it in the first place, but he needed to know why you wanted this so badly; partially because of the intuition he spent millennials sharpening told him to and the other half because he’s seen this desperation before, back when he donned red, black, and gold. 

He followed the path he’s sure you must’ve taken and started guessing when the beaten path petered off. 

He was right to place his bets on the left fork because he found what he was looking for, albeit not in the condition he was hoping for. 

You were hunched over under a tree, clearly sobbing.

The Wanderer almost scoffs at how pathetic this all was, more so his insistence to come find you than your evident sadness. 

Making sure to step a little louder, he made his presence known. He hopes you’ll extend an olive branch of sorts and start the conversation but he supposes it’s too much to expect such mercy after how the situation unfolded. 

He sat beside you but you made no effort to acknowledge his existence, much less be forgiving. He’s fine with it. If you won’t talk, he’ll just have to talk for the both of you. He’s not particularly good at discerning human emotions but you mirror a certain grief he’s experienced three times too much. So, even though he’s probably extremely behind the curve in expressing human sympathy, he can, at least, offer the empathy of a hurt soul. 

“I don’t know what the fuck happened to you but the divine can’t fix it for you, you know. It’s stupid and damn near fruitless to place your hard-earned hopes on a tree. I don’t know what you’re trying to fix but whatever it is you’re trying to erase, I guarantee it'll bite you back in the end if you do it this way.”

He expected at least another hour-long silence but you took the bait and he’s grateful that you did; even if it did hurt him a bit to see the effects his words had on you. 

“You know what’s stupid? Not telling me how you know all of this. How do you know I'm trying to erase something? How do you know it won’t work? How do you know it can’t fix the hurt I’ve been through? How in all Teyvat do you know forgetting won’t make things better because I am about 99% sure I’d be much happier if I don’t remember the attempts I cry about at night,” you heaved as a wave of heaviness you did not know you carried wracked through you. 

You’re not quite sure how he’s got you to open up about your father once before but, damn it, he’s going for another record by digging deep into your personal hardships. 

He stayed silent in what you assumed to be stunned silence but by the time you turned your head to look at him, his eyes carried no surprise, they carried a shared sorrow instead. That’s when you knew that this whole debacle was a mirrored event for him. Something he witnessed himself go through and is now witnessing in you. Epiphany struck like thunder because now you know that's probably how he knew what you were planning; he's done it once before.

If you had any piece left to break in your heart, you’re sure it’d break for him too.

“You’ve tried it before, haven’t you? Erasing a memory in the Irminsul?”

Your question was met with a mocking scoff but unlike the last time he did it, this one was targeted towards himself.

“I’ll do you one better, I tried erasing myself off of it.”

You greeted his admission with silence, you’re not quite sure if it’s some sort of absurd understanding or profound shock. The man beside you has not only tempered with the Irminsul by erasing himself but lived to tell the tale. You have no clue what would drive someone to do such a drastic measure but you realize, in a way, you were not much different. 

“I was abandoned by my creator, by the people I ate and drank with, by a god and by its maker and the pain made me bitter so I tried it yet I’m still here. I know that the whole research is just a facade for your true goal.”

You can’t help but avert your gaze, caught red-handed. 

As you let his words sink in, your realize the hope you once carried were diminishing by the second. A weight dropped onto your shoulder making you curl into yourself even more. You held yourself in a shoddy attempt at mimicking some comfort.

“So, there’s no end to this, is there? Not even the Irminsul can help me,” you asked, sullen and all of a sudden so tired of everything. 

He let the quiet fester just long enough to have you break down again. He did not mean for more tears to fall from your eyes but he’s not sure how to tell you that there was no hope in the Irminsul to fix your hurt. How should he phrase what he thinks you need to hear?

“There is no way for the Irminsul to help you, us. Even if you forget, there’s no assurance it won’t come back to your mind and make things feel ten times worse,” he tells you in a tone so close to a whisper. 

He watched as you sobbed at how futile everything was, how hard it all was. 

He let you grief for your loss of an easy way to happiness.

“But I won’t say there’s no way out.”

You looked at him, your tear-filled human eyes meeting his glass puppet ones.

“It’s a lot of effort, much more than I’d like to give sometimes. Hell, it took a god and some otherworldly intervention to get me back to the baseline of a decent human,” he laughed pitifully, “but it’s possible. If it is for me, I don’t doubt for a second it is for you too.”

His words did little to ease the barrage of tears streaming past your cheeks but amidst the throes of emotion, it comforted you, much like the weight of a blanket on top of a sore body, a heaviness that seeks to drown out the sorrow instead of crush the happiness. 

You looked away to wipe the snot and waterworks away. You wanted to thank him and maybe say your fair share of apologetic lines but when you turned back around to face him, he was gone. 

The tree branches swayed as the wind rustled the leaves off of their seat on the bark. On the space that he occupied just a few seconds ago were some of the stuff you must’ve left back when you rushed out of the Akademiya and amongst it was a small note. It wasn’t the neatest of handwriting and it was a crude, almost cold letter (if it even counted as one considering it consisted of only a few words) but it brought a tiny spark of warmth into your heart.

I’ve done it before. I believe in you.

To 💿anon, I'm so sorry this took so long. My exams drained my energy and I did not want to write you something half-assed so I waited until my schedule cooled down a bit to continue where I left off. Just like last time I hope this brings you some comfort and if you need to share please feel free. Much love <3

[wriothesleysgf]

cw p*ssy inspections, perv alhaitham, afab reader, petname 'bunny'

thinking about alhaitham who's secretly a massive pervert. every time that he's away on a business trip for the akademiya, he informs you that you're not to touch yourself no matter what. if you did, he would know and there would be consequences.

the very moment that he got home, as soon as he stepped over the threshold, your clothes were gone. alhaitham wanted you spread on all fours, with your ass up and wearing something pretty. he pulled your panties away before beginning to inspect your cunt, asking whether or not your been a good girl in his absence. of course, you lied through your teeth, nodding and promising that you'd been on your best behaviour.

however, you were dumb to think that he wouldn't notice how your cunt was practically leaking at this point. you couldn't help yourself, you didn't know when alhaitham would be home and you convinced yourself that he would never know if you came just once ! but then that turned into two. . . three. . . orgasms as you grew distracted.

"bunny? what's this. . ." the questions were always rhetorical when he interrogated you. alhaitham then leaned over so that his face was level with your bare cunt. he spread your folds with his index finger and thumb, revealing your puffy clit. in that moment he knew that you'd disobeyed his orders, and very recently at that.

deciding to toy with you, he blew a breath of hot air against the sensitive nub, watching as you tried to maintain composure despite the very clear overstimulation. your boyfriend only took it further so as to test the true strength of your facade. he spat on his fingers before easing two of them into your hole, digits instinctively curling in pursuit of your sweet spot.

fortunately for him, you were positioned just across from your vanity, which allowed for him to see the cracks in your expression begin to form. your lip quivered, tears welling in your eyes. a few more pumps of his wrist and you were mumbling how it was too much, to which he only bent down to whisper in your ear.

"you broke the rules, bunny. since your whore pussy is dripping onto the sheets already, maybe i'll opt for a kinder punishment."

[romaritimeharbor]

the genshin fandom will fr be like "furina doesn't deserve to be called an archon 😒🙄 she's NOT focalors!!!" meanwhile she appears in every official art with the other archons and the other archons recognize her as fontaine's god, not focalors.

of course the point of fontaine's aq was to destroy the throne, but the title of 'archon' seems largely symbolic anyway. if she's "not fontaine's archon" then she's the archon of my HEART!!!!!!!!

(she's not, actually, because that's venti i'm afraid... 😔🙏)