#he'd rather put distance from Kaeya

[reginrokkr]

‘  stop punishing yourself. please. you don’t deserve it.  ’

Should I proceed down this path, will that still make me a sinner? Unlike many others whom strove to make amends for those who had fallen into insanity in bygone times where astral pupils were a more common sight —albeit still rare in their uniqueness— and wondered if their deeds would make them heroes instead, Dáinsleif has no interest in being one. He never was nor intended to be one. In essence, he is just a man who wanted to do his best to protect a nation that had more reasons than one to conceal themselves from the divine, who wanted to do the damnedest to fix that which could no longer be fixed, for millennia of wounds and proximity to the Abyss can't ever go well.

The Twilight Sword of old could have abandoned everything as an immortal, forget about everything that will not return and rot in his misery until his mind faded to nothingness as many other fellow Black Knight Serpent and only a husk remained of him, roaming the wilderness until someone attune enough with the workings of this world would mercy-finish him. He could've fallen to madness as many others, wish for the darkness come to engulf everything under the sun and make the rest of humanity pay for some reason he cannot understand yet.

So many things could have happened, if only he wished so.

In rare and fleeting moments when his mind would drift to himself for once, he wondered: is following the Abyss Order, trample their schemes and end them not another form of self-punishment? Dáinsleif had many centuries to think, only to come to the same conclusion over and over again.

If he whom has the ability to do so doesn't, who will?

This line of thought is what made him push forward and persist through the countless of adversities and trepidations, paying little regard to his own suffering in the process or the thousands of ways the Abyss Order has to get under his skin and strike where it hurts the most. For in the end, they have known him in his best days but also in his worst after divine's wrath descended to Khaenri'ah. They call him a murderer and he silently agrees. They call him a traitor and he would still buy it in uttermost quiescence. His own name translates into bearing the legacy of death and he dons it like a mantle on his back to serve as a reminder and a channel to make others who know a iota of the truth of this world realize the wrongs of this dying world. He takes more blames than what belong to him and hurtful as they may be, they are also his strength and reminder that he has many reasons to press forward. For human's tomorrow.

Imagine when someone whom by norm should not know any of his doings shows a smidgen of understanding of his mind. Dáinsleif cannot help but pause and stare, the wear and tear of the passage of years evident in the way his features daren't move in the slightest. But the eyes— it's those same stellar pupils that tremble within icy sapphires that gives him away, that reflect the impact those words have. A tremble of a loose hand and the rigid posture of a man struck by words more harmful than any insult the Abyss Order may throw his way, albeit unintended to be that way.

❝I am a far cry home from being a person undeserving of retribution.❞ Albescent lashes flutter to a close to conceal that which his mouth won't speak through his eyes and he looks away. Were he stare much longer into sorrow-ridden eyes that match his own, he's uncertain about his endurance to hold the persistent negative emotions that permeate his existence. For all the self-convincing that he is doing this for a better cause that transcends the borders of home, it hurts to hear himself say that he saw it on himself to be punished so— it hurts even more to hear that he's wrong, it makes his heart bleed because deep down, he agrees with Kaeya.

Lingering further in his presence takes a bigger toll on Dáinsleif than he anticipated it to be, thus he turns on his heels with the intent to leave, to recompose himself and his resolve to press forward and not falter. ❝You Alberich are good people, dare not consider treading the same path I do.❞ That is the Twilight Sword's duty, to be a beacon of light but also to be the one whose hands are bloodied. He turns his head some to look at the steel blue-haired over his shoulder. ❝Perhaps you should apply that line of thinking to yourself, instead.❞ Words that perhaps may sound harmful are meant to be a show of acknowledgement of Kaeya's struggles and self-sabotaging demeanor he had noticed over the years, a gentle nudge to make him know that what he sees in others may be just a reflection to himself.

Save your energy to tend to your wounds. I will be fine.

...I have to.

@aalberich ✦

[dawndelion-winery]

For Worse or For Better

Arranged Marriages

Ft. Diluc, Itto, Childe, Kaeya, Zhongli

Diluc:

Your parents were wonderfully close to Crepus, so you knew Diluc from young

He'd always been well-mannered and lovely

That much didn't change even after his trauma

It did hurt when he started shutting you out though

And yes, you did try to call off the engagement that had been set up before Crepus died because you felt he wanted to distance himself from you

You'd only kept it to honour the man's wishes and because Diluc seemed adamant about you

Like, he actually said he would not have anyone else

Not that he pressured you into it though

More of letting you know you didn't have to end it because he most definitely did want you

"Make no mistake, you will be the only person I recite my vows to at the altar. If you long for another, then so be it, but if you want me, then it shall be so."

Itto:

How did this happen?

No, like, fr, how??? Itto doesn't seem like the type to have any thoughts for social climbing and you...well what do you gain from marrying Itto?

Apparently your mother had heard Kujou Sara speak highly of Kuki Shinobu, and since Shinobu worked for Itto, surely he must be a man of even greater talent and character

Now you were having dinner with an extremely boisterous man who ate for three

By the shogun you hoped the bill wouldn't amount to too much

When he suggested a dine and dash? Boy, you were about to just walk right into a cell yourself

It was truly some grace of God that Shinobu came by with Sara and covered your tab (only for you, they made sure to tell Itto off for putting you in such a situation)

"Real sorry about that, honey," the oni said sheepishly. You wanted to hmgive him a piece of your mind, really, when you were certain you'd never hear the end of it at home of you'd gotten a criminal record, but when he slipped his hand in yours, a sheepish grin as he looked at you hopefully, as though pleasing for forgiveness, you found it rather difficult to stay mad.

Childe:

People would kill to be you

The dashing young harbinger?? Who's great with kids??? And very much a family man????

There was only one issue: he hadn't met you yet

His family had written to him about you, eagerly telling him how they were sure they'd found him the perfect match

And he wasn't about to shoot them down when they were so hopeful he'd finally have someone when he was travelling and doing the Fatui's dirty work all the time

So when they'd warmly welcomed you into their home for a simple dinner, you hadn't expected to walk in and see a feast prepared with an empty seat beside yours

You waited for a bit with everyone, wondering who the extra seat was for

And when Childe walked in with a sack full of gifts for all his family members, you sat there awkwardly

Was it an endearing sight? Definitely. But you felt out of place as he pulled out one item after another for everyone

You were certain you wouldn't receive anything, hence the surprise when he sat beside you and handed you a small box

"A little engagement gift for you," he winked. Your mouth hung open, thoughts racing through your mind full of things you wanted to say but weren't sure how - especially not in front of such a crowd, all of whom aww'ed at his gesture. It was after dinner when you'd gotten him alone in the kitchen washing the dishes that you addressed it.

"Engaged? We've only just met Tartaglia."

He tsked at you, playfully leaning in as though he was going to kiss your cheek. When you froze, he grinned by your ear.

"My whole family likes you well enough, and from everything they've told me, I like you well enough too. But if you insist, ice a week before I have to head off. I'm sure I could sweep you off your feet by then, unless you'd like to come with."

Kaeya:

Oh you thought you got lucky when your childhood betrothed grew up to be the charming cavalry captain

Until you realised that charm would never be extended to you because he was just a goofball with you

It was cute though, him picking flower petals with you to determine how your relationship will go

He had a habit of leaving the plucked flower and its final petal with the result on your pillow

(it was always "forever in love" because if it wasn't, he'd just pluck another flower)

You sighed with a laugh at the familiar sight of the plucked flower when you felt arms around your waist as Kaeya embraced you from behind.

You wondered bitterly if there was something wrong between the two of you; you never had that flutter of butterflies in your gut when he was around. Not once did he make your heart leap out of your chest, or cause your lungs to constrict in a way you were sure would suffocate you. Was it a mistake? Yet it didn't feel wrong. There was a frost to his touch that cooled you, calmed you, and almost (most ironically) warmed you.

Zhongli:

Under no circumstances would you ever meet someone who quite commanded the respect and attention of those around him like Rex Lapis did

So when the hooded figure stood before the citizens who so worshiped him, some overly devoted follower enthusiastically proposed a raffle to offer the god a spouse to serve and dote upon him on behalf of the nation

Before he'd even had the chance to decline the offer, the crowd erupted in cheers of agreement, and the flustered god was ushered into a seat as eligible spouses presented themselves before him

You truly had not anticipated the glint that flashed across his eyes as he ever so slightly raised his hood to make eye contact with you

It had been less than a second, and yet all too long as your lungs failed you, the startling amber glow leaving you winded

"I quite like you," he drawled in a low, rumbling hum as he rose from his seat. You looked around, ascertaining that no one else had seen his face, but he didn't seem to like that, as he tilted your chin to have you look at him. Once again, you were faced with the startling gleam of his eyes, so reptilian and sharp. You screwed your eyes shut as he leaned in, the sunlight reflected off his canines. His lips were warm, surprisingly, as they pressed against your forehead.

Taglist: @myluvkeiji @aqui-soba @favonius-captain @tiredsleep @raincxtter @gensimping-for-all @irethepotato @almond-adeptus @mx-kamisato @chaosinanutshell @heizours @haliyamori @callmemeelah @sadlonelybagel @plinkuro @thevictoriousmoon @mastering-procrastinating @cxlrose @astrequa @eowinthetraveler @ajaxstar @boundedbyfate @the-lost-anime-dad @moonbyunniee @greyrain23 @heavenlyfloof

[vellichxrr6782]

CHAPTER FOUR, shiny toy with a price.

SYNOPSIS: an encounter with your supposed "enemy" leaves you questioning his motives. a drive with your closest friend gives you insight on your new relationship, which could be your biggest break or your biggest problem.

CHARACTERS (in this chapter): ayato, diluc, kaeya, jean.

CW/TW: cussing, kaeya and diluc almost arguing (the epitome of brotherly love).

WORD COUNT: 2k words.

<- previous chapter | cruel summer masterlist | next chapter ->

it had been a few days since the incident at the party. you were honestly rather exhausted from everyone’s endless questions. the news of childe’s girlfriend cheating on him was overpowered completely by the news of you and childe dating. 

your fans were clearly ecstatic, and many fan pages had been opened for you both. you, however, were definitely not ecstatic, considering your life was taking another route entirely. 

jean and zhongli were definitely the happiest, though. maybe because they’re getting their raise soon. 

childe was doing a splendid job of adhering to the rules of the contract. in fact, you’d say he was more dedicated than you were, considering you were the one who agreed to the contract in the first place. 

he put a cheesy, romantic quote in his bio, and asked you to go on a “date” with him, so you could prove the credibility of your relationship, and get some pictures. 

you weren’t looking forward to the date, that’s for sure. for now, you just needed to rest, away from everyone who was trying to leech on you. 

although, coming to rest at komore teahouse was probably not such a good idea. 

you had just ended a meeting with a producer, and you were looking for a place to get something to drink. you entered the komore teahouse, since it was pretty popular nowadays. 

how were you supposed to know that a man you should most certainly avoid, was also there?

kamisato ayato was sitting cross-legged on the chair, sipping boba tea. you found it quite… unusual, a man whose entire atmosphere and mannerisms fell nothing short of ‘elegant’ and ‘refined’, was drinking bubble tea with sparkles in his eyes. 

you immediately covered your face, attempting to sneak by to the cashier to place your order, but lady luck was not on your side, since ayato had immediately noticed you. 

“miss y/n l/n?” he called out, and you froze. you’d barely heard his voice before, but wow, was it a soothing one. “what brings you here?” 

you forced a smile, fiddling with your fingers as you looked at ayato. “oh, ayato, right? what a pleasure to meet you. i’m here to…drink tea? i guess? what about you?” 

“same as you, haha. my manager, thoma, owns this place.” 

“your manager…owns a cafe too?” well, that was certainly new. 

you excused yourself, scurrying over to the register. you placed your order for what you guessed would take the least amount of time to make, and gleefully accepted and paid when you got it. 

attempting once more to sneak past unnoticed, and failing once more to sneak past unnoticed, you found yourself seated across ayato. 

this was sure to end badly if you weren’t careful.

"how enthralling," ayato whispered, after a few seconds of observing you, "the movies fail to capture your beauty, l/n."

"ah, thank you. you’re the new rising star of teyvat’s film industry, aren’t you?" you asked, keeping your distance. god knows what controversy would awaken if you were seen getting buddy-buddy with your "boyfriend"s rival. 

"the one and only," ayato chuckled, "i've heard a lot about you from my sister. my curiosity did not allow me to sit still, i simply had to see you in person."

you laughed awkwardly, your discomfort quite obvious in your tone. ayato was certainly a perceptive individual, so this didn't go unnoticed. 

still, it did nothing to quell his antics. 

"and i must say, i have no regrets." he narrowed his eyes, smiling. he was like a sly fox. and you thought director yae was the fox.

you had to admit, he was very attractive. you could see why he'd instantly shot to popularity, and his acting was commendable too. he was talented and gifted. 

but gods, it would be amazing if he wouldn't get so incredibly close to you right now.

"so, um, how's work?" you asked, internally praying for ajax, jean, zhongli, anyone to come and interrupt. 

"i wouldn't call it work, honestly. it's quite enjoyable to be surrounded by my fans and do what i enjoy all the time." classic response.

wish you could say the same. you loved your fans, yeah. but it was a bit tiring, when the reason people approached you nowadays was to know about the "hot scoop" of your relationship (the term "hot scoop" should be banned, honestly).

"that's nice.. haha." you replied. "um, well, i should certainly get going- "

"oh, so quick?" ayato raised a brow. "my apologies if i made you uncomfortable, haha. i tend to come off as such."

'it's okay', you thought, but said, "no, no! not at all. i'm just busy." you stood up, patting invisible dust off your clothes. 

"well, can i get your number?"

"excuse me?"

unbelievable. he's making moves on his enemy's girlfriend. 

you didn't really wanna be a card he could use against childe, so naturally, you would've declined. but...

"i won't be a bother, don't worry. it's rather lonely for me since i'm new to the film industry." he frowned a little, "still, i'm glad we spoke, though."

how, how could you say no? he's lonely. you would feel so bad. he wants a friend. 

"yeah... sure, i'll enter it." you gave in rather quick, feeling a bit remorseful for acting a tad bit stand-offish earlier.

god, he's ... incredibly two-faced. just a few minutes ago, he was eyeing you up and down suggestively, and now he was acting all cute to get your number?

it's tough being in demand.

you handed his phone back to him, and ayato grinned like the fox he was. a cute one. alright, shut up. ajax would be disappointed if he could hear your thoughts. 

you waved a quick goodbye to ayato, putting on your mask as a disguise, and immediately calling jean to ask where she was. 

"i'm being held up with something right now, y/n. would you mind if i sent eula or lisa to come and pick you up?" 

"please send anyone but eula. her driving skills are gonna get me arrested and i'm too tired right now." you replied, recalling the last time eula almost crashed the car and swore vengeance upon a tree. 

jean laughed, and replied, "yeah, yeah, i'll send lisa." before hanging up. 

you waited on the sidewalk, since that seemed preferable to you instead of talking to ayato who was inside the cafe. you took off your mask, letting out a huge breath. 

you needed to get to the studio to film a scene. the director thought the weather was splendid today, and scheduled a shooting on short notice. 

all of a sudden, a fancy car stopped in front of you. you immediately froze, your thoughts rising to kidnapping. 

the windows rolled down to show a familiar face. there he was, in all his glory, 

diluc ragnvindr. 

not who you were expecting, huh? i mean, ajax, lisa and diluc all owned fancy expensive cars. it was tough to differentiate sometimes. 

"hey, y/n." diluc smiled, which was a first for others, but pretty usual for you. "waiting for someone?" 

"nope, what brings you here?" you replied, leaning against his door. 

"i'm your chauffeur for the day, it seems." diluc opened the door for the passenger seat, and you leaned against the door. "jean sent me."

"she said she was sending lisa though?" you raised a brow, getting in. 

"it's a tuesday, which means it's spa day for lisa. i offered to pick you up instead." diluc sighed, starting the car. "to the studio?"

"ah, of course, typical lisa. yeah, to the studio." you thanked diluc, and he started driving. 

you had known diluc for years, since you went to high school with him and kaeya. he was always silent, but he was caring and reliable. he was quite the gentleman, offering you his coat, bringing you coffee, helping you study, and cautioning you from trying daring things for your own safety. he was also the one who urged you to try out acting as a career choice, and look where that had brought you.

if anything, you owed diluc quite a bit for being an important person in your life. 

"so, what's up?" you asked, leaning back, "it's been a while since we last caught up. it was when we were doing that movie together, no? god, that was years ago." 

"mhm," diluc nodded, "nothing much from my end. kaeya's gotten a modelling gig and he won't shut up about it." 

"i heard about it from childe, apparently it's for a pretty big modelling company, so kaeya's basically a celebrity now." you chuckled, remembering how badly kaeya wanted to model when he was young.

"oh yeah, speaking about childe." you noticed how diluc's expression twisted into a sour frown when he took ajax's name. "i heard you're dating him now?"

diluc had never liked childe. you didn't exactly know why, maybe it was because of childe's... rambunctious personality. or maybe because he was kaeya's best friend? you didn't really bother to ask, since you weren't a big fan of the tartaglia either.

"o-oh, um, yeah-" you stammered, preferring to completely avoid this topic. god forbid you let it slip to diluc that it was all an elaborate lie. "it just happened, i guess."

"i'm surprised, i thought you hated him?" 

"hate is a rather strong word. i just didn't like him much. he's not all that bad though." you smiled, "what about you diluc? you've never dated anyone, right?"

"no, i have not." he replied, looking away. "i did like someone, though."

you gasped, "why'd you never tell me?! i'm your friend for a damn reason, diluc!" this was news to you, and you took offence at yourself for never noticing. 

but then again, diluc was like a closed book that was wrapped and tied tightly, no one could open it. he was unreadable with his emotions, especially ones that related to love.

diluc chuckled, "i didn't realise it back then, there was too much going on in my life. besides, i deemed it pointless to like someone who wouldn't really look at me the way i look at them."

that sounds... quite poetic actually. it was surprising to hear diluc had feelings for someone, or perhaps used to. you wondered what happened, but the topic seemed to make diluc a little uncomfortable by looking at how he was sweating. so you decided not to pursue further. 

"i'm probably in no position to give you advice, y/n. but," diluc started, a bittersweet expression on his face. "our hearts are fragile and naive. they trust easily in times of desperation and convince themselves of lies to seek solace. they break and shatter, crumble and fall."

"still, our hearts are capable of healing. it takes time, don't rush. the same hearts that are naive and easily-distraught can be incredibly cunning and ruthless too." diluc breathed out, as if he’d let go of something that was on the tip of his tongue, a hefty burden on his shoulders lifted. 

"thank you, diluc." you smiled, looking at him. “i appreciate it.”

diluc gazed away from you, "be careful around childe, is what i want to say. he's quite unpredictable, and i don't want you getting hurt."

still caring for you, nonetheless. 

his car came to an abrupt stop, and a bang on your window snapped you out of your train of thought. you met eyes with kaeya, who looked ecstatic. diluc’s smile twisted into a frown of distaste. 

“you?” diluc deadpanned, glaring at kaeya, rolling his windows down. 

“sup, diluc! y/n!” kaeya grinned, getting in the car uninvited. “it’s amazing i ran into you two right now, i could really use a lift to the mondstadt modelling agency.” he threw his shopping bags onto diluc’s backseat, as if he had come from a shopping spree. 

“well?” he urged, when diluc didn’t start the car, choosing to glare at kaeya. 

“what the fuck, kaeya?” diluc said, “where the hell did you come from?” 

“well, i’m sorry i interrupted your lovey-dovey moment with y/n, but i’m getting very late for my photo shoot.” kaeya pulled out a bottle of black nail-polish. he started painting his nails nonchalantly. “start driving, dipshit.”

“what did you just call me-?!” diluc nearly jumped at kaeya, who was unfazed. you put a hand on diluc’s chest to stop him from nearly murdering his little brother. 

“just drive, ‘luc.” 

diluc obliged with no further argument.

published on; 19th may, 2023. writing belongs to @/vellichxrr6782 on tumblr

[dandelion-wings]

:0 If I'm allowed to ask, what's the general timeline in the torture whump? You've said Kaeya was gone for four days when Jean got home, as Mond assumed he was with Jean, but in the past, I assumed that meant he got caught on his way back to Mondstadt after communicating where to go to Jean, who assumed he made it back after she left, while Mondstadt assumed he'd opted to stay with Jean once she arrived and return with her. The new clips give the impression he told her in person after reaching Mondstadt, but left again while she was still away after the fake note (with Jean not knowing he left the second time, and Mond thinking that he went *to* Jean) and got caught then. Am I correct, this time?

You're correct with that second one! Though I can see how the first one would make sense. The full timeline in my head is:

well beforehand (this is pre-story), he has discreet contact with the Ordo defectors in Sumeru (I want him to have been doing something more than wine-tasting during the start of Caribert so badly and that's my explanation here), but runs against the obstacle of their mistrust;

he comes home and makes arrangements, both in-person with Jean and long-distance with them, for Jean to meet them on neutral territory to prove Mondstadt would be acting in good faith;

Jean leaves him in charge while she departs to meet with them (I haven't worked out exactly how long she was gone total, but probably somewhere around a week, putting the fake note around halfway through);

four days before her intended return, Kaeya gets the fake note and is lured into attempting to ride to her rescue, at which point he is captured (and the day he gets the fake note is the point where, as it stands right now, the first scene actually starts, because I didn't want to frontload the clandestine politics when they're not the point of the story for me);

Jean gets home and finds out that he left and told everyone that he was going to join her, so everyone assumed he'd met up with her and were, if anything, worried about her rather than him;

it takes two more days for the Knights + certain other people to track down where he's being held and get in to rescue him;

and then I don't have a timeline exactly for the recovery/aftermath yet because even if I can fudge it with healing Visions I should probably at least look up how long it takes to recover from the shit I'm doing to him so that I have a maximum outer bound and I don't waaaaaant to do medical research. >>;; But I will, eventually!

Technically it's like four and a half days between his capture and Jean's return, and then a day and a half of searching for him, specifically because the Abyss Order doesn't realize until the last day they have him that the meeting is over and they've completely missed their window to capture the defectors in one fell swoop. But that mostly matters for Whump Logistics (e.g. how to get him to the brink of death but not actually kill him before Jean gets there) and how many fingers Kaeya ultimately loses. :>

[mortaltravailed]

puts his hand on kaeya's shoulder. this is diluc ragnvindr, a grown man, not knowing how to verbalize that he would like to give his baby brother a hug ...

the hand on the shoulder is never a good thing.

usually, it's his signal to give up on the drink -- the cue to stop just before he gets too wasted to think straight.

yet this time, drink wasn't even on the cards. in its place upon the table sat one of adelinde's delicious dinners, which he'd gratefully demolished... albeit a bit quicker than would probably be considered socially acceptable.

and with dinner polished off, it was time to go.

"what did i do this time? did i forget my table manners?"

usually, diluc is keen to maintain his personal space, to ensure that kaeya stays as far from him as possible, but the grasp upon his shoulder seems as though it's meant to keep him from leaving rather than to usher him out any faster.

an uncomfortable silence follows.

once, it had been natural to see the two ragnvindr boys joined at the hip. whether squeezed into rib-breaking hugs, or linked arm-in-arm as they socialised with friends and family, the two of them practically came as a unit.

only rarely, they'd have a brief spat and suddenly part from one another like feuding cats, but never had they been apart like this. not for this long.

they always drifted back together eventually.

and that's exactly what people said, following the death of their father. but too much stood between them, now. too many years. too much distance. too much said -- and then too much unsaid.

so it comes as a surprise even to kaeya himself when his arms suddenly fold themselves around diluc's frame, squeezing him tight. his face disappears into a broad shoulder, and he doesn't even think to breathe for a couple of seconds, too distracted by the comforting familiarity of his scent.

and then it hits, like a pile of bricks. a long, grievous wail escapes his chest -- one that he'd held onto for years, because there had been no shoulder for him to cry on. no justice for their family. no home to return to. no brother to celebrate the rest of his milestones with.

diluc must have hated him. diluc must still hate him, if he had the strength to keep his little brother at arms length when the other could no longer bear it.

kaeya would hate himself, too, if he were in his shoes.

"i'm sorry, 'luc. i-- i don't know why i'm like this."

but even now, spluttering out his apologies, he just can't bring himself to let go.

[falryllghts]

Genshin Impact characters and why they would reject you

---

characters featured: albedo, venti, xiao, diluc, amber, lumine, aether, barbara, kaeya

pt.2 pt.3

this has probably been done before but all of these are in my own opinion also please don't take offense by this. this will obviously not be nice since it's rejection so read with that in mind.

---

Albedo

he has nothing to learn from you

put bluntly, he's bored of you

you offer nothing that he doesn't already know

would much rather focus on work than speak to you

Venti

would never let himself fall for someone he knows he'd lose

essentially doesn't want to deal with another death of someone he cares about so he just refuses to let anyone get close

forces himself to not fall for anyone and keep everyone at a distance

Xiao

would never open up to you

similar to venti, he'd push you away and keep you at a distance

would never want to talk (about his past or just in general)

even if you give him almond tofu, don't expect that to magically change everything because he won't fall for it

Diluc

too busy and wouldn't allow himself to get close to someone

works 24/7 and has alot to do, doesn't want someone to slow him down

would also never open up or want to get close to someone

and if you're friends with the knights? oh he'd hate you

Amber

not looking for a relationship

would friendzone you

working on becoming a better outrider and doesn't really want to be in a relationship at the moment

Lumine and Aether

busy looking for their sibling, not looking for a relationship

their main goal is finding their sibling so getting into a relationship is not on their list of things to do

has to do commissions and help people alot so also probably wouldn't even have time to spend with you

Barbara

probably just has 0 interest in you

type of girl to be like "oh I like someone else sorry.." (she doesn't) or "it's not you, it's me"

would try to be nice about it but genuinely doesn't see you that way

Kaeya

commitment issues, doesn't actually want a relationship

he'll flirt with you but the instance you actually like him, he's gone

nowhere to be seen

man likes to flirt but doesn't want to be in a real relationship right now not to mention his work and how busy he'll be

[the-dream-pawners-canvas]

[ Genshin Impact Imagines ]

Imagine #1 : Of Bargains and Contracts - That which is the most precious shade of gold

Vago Mundo - Zhongli

Imagine having doubts about the fairness of your contract with Zhongli.

After a long day of adventuring for one of Zhongli's rare botanical requests (that ofc, you obtained through your own expenses as per your contract- you felt robbed due to that, truly you did, in which universe was it fair to make the adventurer pay for expenses spent on obtaining your requests? However, you do not find yourself complaining -at least not directly to the person involved- any time soon. Not when he so easily smiles so handsomely -so happily- whenever you provide him with what he requested).

His smiles are going to run me dry of mora, I just know it, you tell yourself. One of these days it would and when you'd need to have a weapon refined but is too damned broke for it -or worse, go starving in the midst of one of your many journeys, Paimon would have your ass for it.

Maybe, just maybe, all of those supposed adventurers that Zhongli had once mentioned in one of his more factual tales to have often decided on staying in Liyue was because of him. Maybe he flashed a great many of them his polished smile and gentlemanly attitude and had just gotten them reeled in- hook, line, and sinker.

Putting it that way, he doesn't sound any more than a con-man, Paimon had blatantly stated so the other day,

'A well-mannered one but a con nevertheless! Who even forgets to bring their wallet nowadays, huh, (Y/N)? Think about it!'

And a part of you do consider it, do boil with the thought. That perhaps you were just being used, that maybe The Mysterious Guest of Wangshu Inn was no more than a conniving, sly, inconveniently comely-

To your surprise, you reach your destination, your thoughts quite a distracting orchestra dedicated to the funeral director. Thoughts that made you steel your nerves as you glared at the polished wooden doors that served as an entrance to Zhongli's study, your mind made up to hand a piece of it to the man who resided just beyond.

'Zhongli, I feel as if the contract we have is rather unfair. You cannot honestly expect me to continue on with this without going broke. We need to make amends to make this transactional relationship work. Paimon is already being a pain since they needed to cut off on food, I do not want to imagine how Kaeya would react once he learns that these commissions from you is funded by our joint expenses and with no reimbursement whatsoever.'

Okay, that sounds good, you think. Civil, proper and not watering down the gravity your true monetary concerns. He'd understand, you hope and place your bets on the proper man that you believe him to be. The concept of mora may just be entirely insignificant to him, only too inconveniently that he forgets he'd need those to make purchases and obtain basic necessities in between his more luxurious wants, which you find ironic.

Taking in a deep breath, you turn the knob of the door and pry it open only to be met by a sight that had might as well called dibs on your future funds down to the last mora.

There stood Zhongli, tall and elegant as always but with far lesser clothes than what he usually has on himself. His coat was nowhere to be seen and instead all there was is his cream undershirt and well-tailored trousers- too damned tight, shirt folded to his elbows, untucked, unbuttoned and deshriveled as his tie was. The longer strands of his luscious locks were out of their usual ponytail and instead pooled about his shoulders and down past his waist.

The backs of his thighs were flush against his mahogany office desk as he leaned back on it, body turned away from you as he concentrated on the energy that was quite literally pulsating as it hovered above the palm of his gloved hand.

The very object that casted such a rich and ethereal golden glow inside the darkened room, painting shadows and lights upon his already sculpted face as if oil on pristine canvas. It was a collection of the palettes that defined Liyue- the dawnbreaks mirrored by cor lapis that littered the ground and the sunsets and high noons radiated by the cryptic shrines and towers that stood as mighty pillars and age-old sentries over the entire island.

On his hand, and with eyes that glimmered with utmost concentration, Zhongli holds a manifesting geoculus-

-traces of the geo archon, the memories and legacy of Rex Lapis.

The implication of it all coaxed a sharp breath out of you and it was this that had snapped the man out of his trance-like preoccupation. He turns towards your general vicinity and his amber eyes widens in surprise for a fraction of a second, the entirety of him taking in the appearance of a deer that had just been caught underneath a street light,

"Ah! Traveler, you arrived far sooner than I had expected!" the distinct light rumble of an uncertain laugh colored his words, his elegant brows furrowing ever so slightly at the astounded look that seemed to have taken an enduring residence on your face before a dawning realization occurred to him- the geoculus he held on his hands.

In flagrante delicto.

"Far sooner, indeed." he chuckles, a fond look swimming in his eyes, a look that heated them into molten gold, gold that traveled unto your throat and spread through your chest like rare colored crystalflies, "It seems that the cat is finally out of the bag," he pushes himself off the table after dismissing the completed geoculus with a wave of his hand and takes languid -albeit, almost coy- steps towards you, those amber gems of his relentless on their search for the placement of your emotions regarding the matter at hand, "Tell me, dear traveler, what do you make of it?" his voice was deep, too deep, as if all intentions were drawn from wanting to drown you in every syllable that left his enticingly thin lips.

You gulp, your limbs suddenly at war as to whether it may find solace in seeking purchase on the ground or in running, "Y-you're... You're the geo archon." you stammered as you looked up at the man who now stood but a mere respectable distance in front of you. It was now you who quaked in front of him instead of the ground or a foe as would always whenever he would display his skill in battle or as portrayed in tales whenever a god would make itself known to mortals. Zhongli had no direct hand on your reaction however, it is the least of his intentions as he willed his presence to remain as it had been before- steady and strong, perhaps a bit intimidating but only to those who did wrong and with an enduring grace reminiscent of willow trees.

He hums in thought and bestows upon you a tender shake of the head, "I was meaning to ask about the feasibility of such unorthodox compensation for your troubles," he asks with the faintest hint of qualms.

You stood there in disbelief.

It just occurred to you then that on the course of your little commissions for him, with every flower he asked you to pick from the most perilous peaks there had always been a geoculus time and again- always a mere reach from where you ought to be, always without fail- a piece of his soul, an essence of Liyue, his memories, his very being and he asks you this as if they were worth so little.

You were getting more than you bargained for and here Zhongli was doing as you had done before- not for himself but on your behalf.

"I- your- a geoculus, an oculus, it's a region's very essence, did I get that right?" You ask even though you know that is the gist of it and a nod from Zhongli provides a seal of confirmation. Venti took the time to explain it to you and then some during one of his once-in-a-blue-moon somber days (when he had one too many drinks, and was in an oddly reminiscent mood), "Venti, he also said an oculus is thus a collection of the reigning archon's memories and a part of the whole that makes them. Is that also true?"

Delight brightens up his already pleasant lips, "I see you are well educated, traveler. Perhaps the bard is not as less as his drinking habits tend to make of him."

"Then why must you still ask me if it is worth my troubles? Of course it would be!" you suddenly find yourself indignant much to Zhongli's surprise, "You'd think such a significant part of you is worth so little, you'd have a heartattack once you skirt beyond the high walls blocking your emotional awareness and see just how many people are throwing themselves on your path just for a chance to pick at the crumbs underneath the soles of your boots!"

And then Zhongli's lips part, eyes glittering and pale cheeks paying homage to budding roses and he just stays like that for a couple of seconds and you realize that you may have run your mouth far too much.

You suddenly want to throw yourself off of one of Liyue's many gorges, good luck to anyone who might want to bother with finding your corpse.

Kaeya might just find that oddly amusing, Paimon not much so.

Zhongli clears his throat and holds his hands behind his back, an eyebrow raised in benevolent scrutiny, "Perhaps the bard may have taught you more than I initially expected. That, or you are -quite unexpectedly- a naturally smooth fellow who knows your way with words, traveler."

"Did you just call me a smooth-talker?" you don't know just where exactly this conversation would be leading you both but he's now making his way back to his desk with a sort of almost imperceptible perk on his steps and sway on his hips and you're now certain that you are compensated well above the usual pay grade by this suddenly too evasive, too temptingly slinky geo archon.

"Perhaps," Zhongli chuckles in amusement at your obvious verbal efforts to pin him back, "A flatterer indeed."

So here's a little fanart I did of our broke Geo daddei/archon, Zhongli! Along with a little imagine to spice things up!

I can't emphasize enough the amount of time, energy, positivity and irl mora this event had sucked out of me and I'm still yet to get him. I know my luck sucks at the highest possible level so would y'all be a jolly lot by helping this wee simp out of her depressed gacha dug hell hole and re-blog for a chance to have this penniless connoisseur come home to me pls

I'm desperate, truly.

Art, Imagine © Yours Truly (pls do credit me when you do re-blog or redistribute, otherwise don't bother)

Zhongli, Genshin Impact © miHoYo

[nottoxicfr]

I talked about Kaeya earlier but I have actual art of Diluc (Genshin) so...I guess I will talk about that. He starts as a Dark Knight, followed by Gunbreaker then he changes to a Reaper.

Although, I should say he actually starts as a Paladin in the backstory, just like Jean in the present day. However, he threw aside his shield on the day Kaeya told him the truth of his origins, attacking him with a ferocity that could melt swords.

During his travels, he probably went through odd jobs in his attempts to become stronger. He trained as a Warrior, Monk, and Ninja in an attempt to control his inner struggles, but that ultimately was a practice in vain. He learned the ways of the Machinist as well, but I think he probably didn't enjoy the gun.

When he returns to Mondstadt and starts using his Vision again, he uses it in the manner of a Dark Knight. That is to say, he burns his inner turmoil and malice to create a charred black fire. As inherently self-destructive as it is, a well-practiced Dark Knight knows how to burn without giving into the damage. The Black Flames are also 'karmically heavy' because of the negative emotions fueling them, which makes them particularly effective in battling allogens.

I think he'd become a Gunbreaker after that, simply because he seems like the kind of person to hone his body to the max if he felt he was relying on his Vision too much. He can charge the bullets with his fire (of either kind) but his style as a Gunbreaker depends strongly on his normal flames. If the switch in job was caused by anything, I think it would be from overusing the Black Fire. Either that or he fought a Blue Mage Kaeya (or otherwise Abyssal entities) with Black Fire, burning himself in the process.

He ends up as a Reaper because I thought it would suit his character arc. In the same way that the first Reapers took up their tools as weapons out of an obligation to protect themselves, Diluc finds himself fighting out of an obligation to protect the world rather than any burning desire. He could have taken up the mantle of Dark Knight once more, but I think he came to realize that would only damage him further.

Diluc finds himself needing a power that lay outside Delusion or Vision, the power of the Void (both in the FFXIV-sense and the Genshin-sense). Also, I think becoming a Reaper is his way of putting himself both on equal footing with Kaeya, as well as in opposition. It's his way of splitting himself between monster and man, or maybe just a sort of abyss and the world they live in. A Blue Mage wields the magic of monsters they've fought, whereas a Reaper uses the power of a Voidsent to empower themselves.

ALSO, also, I think Diluc wants to secretly be a Summoner, but he's honestly not very good at controlling his magic like that. Until he has proper control, he'll just watch Carbuncles from a distance.