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hiraya-rawr · 2 years

Text

dear osmanthus — zhongli .

synopsis !! after a traumatizing experience with treasure hoarders in your little rural teahouse, you find comfort in your regular customer and dear friend, Zhongli.

contains !! gn reader, preferably minors dni, tw // recovery from s.a., trauma response, intimacy, hurt/comfort!! some brief mature scenes but general sfw. father figure/familial zhongli! "darling" as pet name! protective zhongli out for vengeance. READ WITH CAUTION even if this is milder than other dark contents :>

note !! this is definitely one of the heavier works ill be posting here, but i did try to steer away from descriptive scenes. this has lotsa platonic intimacy tho! enough to make lovers jealous but you can take it as romantic too i guess?

Tossing, turning, the sheets tangled with your form. It's hot. It's cold—

It's closing time in the teahouse. The counters have been wiped and the floors have been swept, you only need to lock up. Perhaps if you had locked the doors first then you could have prevented everything.

You remember this scene. A crash, a bang, a group entering -rowdy and intimidating- pushing you back behind the counter. Then a rope, some laughter (not yours), mora being taken out of the register. It clinks and clanks into their pockets and pouches.

You're compliant— quiet and trying your best to be calm. You knew the odds of you, a rural teahouse owner, winning against a group of treasure hoarders and you didn't want to try your luck. Let them take the mora, the pretty wall decor, your best tea set— and tomorrow, you'll make a report to the Millelith. That was the plan you conjured as you tried not to shake in fear.

Then—

"Hey boss–" A skinny treasure hoarder tugs at the older, larger man. Leaning close to mutter something, "—The owner looks kinda cute."

The boss turns to you, eyes staring you down. Your stomach drops at the grin that spreads on his face.

"Aye, they do, don't they?"

"No!—"

"—No!"

You jolt up from bed, a scream at the tip of your tongue. Breath stuck. You choke from nothing. The dream felt so real. Their gazes, looking down on you.

Your blanket pooled around your waist from when you sat up. It felt heavy, like it was holding you down- holding you down- holding you down- You quickly shoved it away, kicking it off your legs and feet until it hanged on the edge of your bed.

The lost of a blanket made the room feel colder.

You stared at it, for archon's sake! it's just a blanket!

A sob echoed in the room. You realize it's your own noise. It's your despair that has repeatedly climbed up your throat over and over again, causing so much noise in the quiet of your room. Bringing your knees closer to your chest and hiding your eyes behind your palms, you give yourself a moment to cry.

A bird chirps by the window and little rays of morning sun peeks through the blinds. Time to start the day.

•

The teahouse was always busy during brunch. Today was no different— with groups of grandparents huddling in after their morning tai chi, merchants and their goods parked outside, little kids sent to buy some bread and maybe a sweet bao for themselves— the teahouse might as well be blessed by Rex Lapis himself.

It's comforting. You love mornings like these, accustomed to the early rush, but the talking grows noisier, their gazes are on you, you hear footsteps, you feel the crowd, calm down, calm down—

"Good morning, mister Zhongli. The usual?"

You greet the gentleman as he settles in his usual spot. A small table and tall chair by a corner, windows overlooking the mountains of Liyue.

"Good morning, darling. That would be most appreciated." He smiles back, a warm smile and you can't help but think how much it resembles the sweet grandparents on the next table. Honestly, Zhongli should value his youth more. What bachelor would spend his mornings in a rural teahouse with an old traditional book?

You come back with a pot of osmanthus tea and a plate of steamed buns. He's turning the pages of his book.

"Here you are."

"Hm? Is this the usual serving for baozi?"

"The extra baozi is a treat for being a regular customer, but don't tell the other customers that." You grin with a wink and he chuckles deeply.

"Of course, it's only because the tea here is exceptional that I keep coming back."

"Then I'll leave you to enjoy the meal. Ring the bell should you need anything."

•

"Uh three mantou, one congee–"

"Make that two congee."

"—Two congee, the pickled vegetable kind, not the meat, and umm shrimp dumplings—"

You're trying to be polite. You're nodding your head, listing down the orders. There's nothing wrong with the group, really, it's just that the group of men are taking too long. Their orders are repetitive and your list is full of erasures, they're a little robust, a little too loud, but it's nothing new in the service industry.

Then—

"How many pieces of mantou did I order again?" One of them stands up, slightly, from his seat. He's taller than the rest, he looms over you. You're sure he doesn't mean to, he looks kind, but his hand grabs at your upper arm, pulling you towards him, peeking at your list of their orders.

He grabbed you. He's grabbing you. His hand is on you and he pulled you and you went along with the force all too easily, so pliant to a show of strength, and all of a sudden—

"Hey, hey, hold 'em down,"

"Stop struggling–"

There's an arm around you. A hand on you. Another hand. Someone's knee presses on your thigh. You're struggling but you're not moving and it's surreal how futile your efforts are.

"Cutie's a little feisty." One says and it scares you how casually it's said; Like a passing comment on the road; Like a joke, but you're not laughing.

Before you knew it, you've shoved your customer away, his expression a mix of shock and confusion as you turn to the back door of the teahouse.

Some people turn their heads but most continued to eat, unfazed by the odd commotion, with the exception of a pair of amber eyes following your form out the door.

"Did I do something wrong?" The customer mumbles aloud, his friends shrug to themselves, "I think I should go after them-"

"Please allow me." Zhongli approaches the group, "I happen to be a friend of theirs. They haven't been feeling well lately, having a customer check up on them would only make them feel conflicted."

"I suppose you're right. . . I leave it to you, then."

•

You're heaving, hunched over the grass and trying to keep back what you had for breakfast down your throat. It's dizzying and you can't seem to stop the spontaneous shivers wracking through your body.

What have you done? To shove aside a customer over- over this? You have to turn back and apologize— did they notice? Did the whole restaurant have their eyes on you? You can't bare the thought of being so overly exposed.

You hear your name from a familiar voice behind you.

"There, there, it's alright, child."

The voice is grounding, gentle and calm. Not at all like the obnoxious laughter of those men, their disgusting suggestions and—

"You're alright now, there, there."

"Oh, mister Zhongli," You didn't mean to sob his name but it escapes you anyway, your arms reach out to wrap around his middle. His presence grounds you, like an unwavering rock when the water currents try to drown you. He reciprocates your hug, gently laying his arms around you, rubbing your back. "It's– it's not always like this," You stutter out, "Most days, I barely think of it. Most days, I don't mind this."

He nods along in understanding. Nevermind that you could be referring to anything else, he just understands.

"It's alright to feel this way," He holds you with a slight sway to his movements, comforting, calming, "You have every reason to break down, my dear. You didn't deserve what happened to you—"

He continues his soft reassurances, lulling you with his voice, wrapping you in arms that feel safe.

A soft bed, the quiet atmosphere of Bubu Pharmacy surrounds you.

"Are you alright?"

"Mister Zhongli. . .? What happened. . ."

He sits back, worried, "What was the last thing you remember, dear?"

"I was. . . closing the teahouse and then–" the men. You remember the men. You're breathing harder now, holding back the overwhelming feelings of disgust and helplessness and–

Zhongli is calm as he comforts you. He goes over the events carefully, how the Millelith came and apprehended the situation, how he just so happened to be there, lucky enough to accompany you to the Pharmacy Clinic. It's unfortunate but some of the men escaped. He holds your hand as he says this.

You don't remember the whirlwind of events (neither do you wish to remember). A fight happened, perhaps. You can imagine the Millelith storming in, the panic of your assailants, the dark of the night sky as you're whisked away for first aid, and Zhongli staying by your side the entire time.

"Thank you. . . for comforting me." You tell him, finally parting slowly from the embrace, "I think I'm feeling okay now. I have to apologize to the customer."

"I told them that you're feeling unwell today, they would understand if you take a leave for now and let your employees handle the rest."

"Should I?" You glance up worriedly, he nods in assurance.

"Yes, just take a rest for now." He smiles, it's warm and again, grounding.

"It seems you're always here when I need you to, mister Zhongli."

There's a flicker in his eyes. A sad look, almost regretful, "If I had arrived with the Millelith a little sooner. . . "

You sigh quietly, not out of disappointment towards him, but in the face of reality, "You did what you can and I'm more than grateful. After all, we are not gods. . . we are simply humans," Turning your head away from him, you stare up at the sky, "I can only hope that the gods would take care of the rest of them."

"I hope so as well. . ."

note !! *looks at upcoming works* yup, lots of platonic intimacy there. i joined the Zhongli fandom for hot daddy— ended up staying for wholesome grandpa <3

do tell me what you think of this fic! I tried a different writing process for it so :>

masterlist 2 // commissions // ko-fi

bonus scene —

zhongli doesn't mean to worry you. he really didn't plan on it, but he can't exactly explain to the millelith what happened to the remaining treasure hoarders, right? the stone forests of liyue are the perfect hideout for wanted criminals, not even moonlight could filter through the thick trees. mortals would find it difficult to traverse the rocky and rich terrain, hence why the millelith would avoid the place.

It's the geo archon's territory after all.

"Ah, so here's the rest of you." Zhongli says, a calm smile on his face, "I must say, you're rather unlucky compared to your friends who were caught. They must be sitting peacefully in their cells right now."

The group turns to him in confusion, the dark of the night makes it difficult to see the gentleman dressed in brown, but his piercing amber eyes strikes them like a predator watching their prey.

"Hey! Who are you?" One of them calls out, annoyed.

"Unimportant. But I suggest you run."

"What?"

Pupils turn to slits. Amber eyes glow brighter. And for a split second, if you focus really hard, the face of a dragon stares back.

"Run."

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#zhongli #zhongli x reader #genshin zhongli #genshin #genshin impact #zhongli x you #yandere zhongli #genshin impact x reader #genshin familial #genshin found family #father figure zhongli #genshin angst/comfort #genshin angst #genshin hurt/comfort #tw sa #tw

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spinchip · 10 months

Text

BEEN THERE ONCE BEFORE AND I WISH THAT I NEVER DIED

Pairings: none Word count: 6500 Warning: Graphic depictions of violence and death. Gore, murder, Ear trauma and limb loss tw

Summary: Zane would do anything to keep the ninja safe.

There is a pot of tea between you, sitting in Master Wu's private garden right outside the door to his room, and it’s some sort of oolong blend with a sweet smelling screen hanging over it. Osmanthus flowers float in your cup and you trace their pattern, watching them shift idly in what little breeze this summer day has brought you. The tea is too bitter despite the honey you’d added, over-steeped and thick on your tongue.

There is a sword on his lap, a sleek red sheath and neatly wrapped handles. There are no adornments on this blade, it is plain and unassuming, a tool for its master and whatever that may entail. Master Wu had asked you out here, months after the desperate fight for Ninjago at the corridor of elders (even longer after you had been torn apart by a power that was never yours to hold,) and the rattlesnake smile he’d offered as he’d led you out vanished the moment you were hidden from prying eyes. He makes your tea silently, and he burns it.

He looks at you in a way that makes you bristle, with eyes that no longer see you as human. Your silver skin itches, your tea tastes like ash.

“Do you know what a ninja is, historically?” He asks you finally, his voice quiet but clear over the space between you.

You do not, but you could look it up in an instant. You don’t do that either. He does not expect you to answer.

“They were said to be assassins. Hired blades sent to the house of the lands lord to slaughter them- the last recorded deaths by these assassins was years and years ago, but that was not the end of the era of the ninja. They snuck between the shadows, they pulled their hidden weapons, and they eliminated their targets cleanly and efficiently.” He waits, gauging your reaction. You can feel his eyes sit heavy on where your hands are deceptively calm around your tea cup, assessing, searching for something like he had that day he’d first laid eyes upon you in the frozen pond.

A phantom of a red flashes across your HUD that screams DANGER- and despite how there is no real warning clawing its way across your eyes, you know you should be afraid anyway. Tread carefully, you are in dangerous territory. Do not react. Control.

“Is this a history lesson?”

“Perhaps.” Master Wu murmurs, finding something in your expression with those dark eyes.

“The best way to defeat my enemy is to make him my friend.” You can’t help but say, a parrot of his own words, your eyes calculating.

“And if your kindness is rejected?” He does not skip a beat.

You hesitate, the clink of your cup as you set it down on the table too loud on your ears.

“You are no longer a child, Zane. Your innocence died with the Overlord. The others still have that innocence.” You jerk, the reminder of your death bruising on your soul, but he doesn't handle you with kid gloves, “You’ve killed once, to protect them.” Sensei Wu does not touch his tea, and there is a rising sickness in your stomach, “Can you do it again?”

He draws the blade and it’s blood red, holding it out to you, handle first.

To protect them?

His eyes are dark and there’s a danger there, but he has always been kind to you. Like a father when yours had vanished, warm smiles and encouraging words flashing across your eyes. Visions of fire and blood and death color your head along with it, superimposed on top of your friends and family. You’d do anything to protect the people you love, wouldn’t you?

The sword is a healthy weight in your palm.

---

Police tape surrounds a dilapidated old building, great yellow swathes of it wrapped down the sidewalk into the street and officers at each corner standing vigil over the body slumped half in the gutter and covered by a sheet. News vans line the street waiting for the opportunity to film once the coroner has packed away the gore and it’s mostly family-friendly for the afternoon broadcast. Flood lights and lamps are set up around the premise, little yellow evidence markers salting the earth down the doors of the warehouse and up to the body. Apparently deceptively unassuming, the Mechanics home base is filled to the brim with his lackeys and stolen tech- or, it was.

“I guess the Mechanic got tangled up with the wrong guy.” Kai says breathlessly, spooked as the camera pans over the overflowing body bags being loaded into the coroner's van.

The Commissioner taps the remote to his VCR on his leg anxiously, “You heard on the news already, i’m sure, but we suspect the unsub used a long blade of some kind,” He’s visibly shaken, “A sword, perhaps- the evidence was very…” he makes a slashing motion from his throat, miming blood striping the wall behind him.

A blood spattered window, the killing so brutal a heavy streak of gore laced up the glass, is still visible to the probing crime scene photographer.

The graying man slides a manila folder thick with printed pictures across the table and Jay pointedly pushes it away from himself, looking queasy. You reach out and pick it up with hands that seem to float endlessly away from your body, but you’ve felt like this since stumbling home two nights ago when the moon was full and no one else was awake. You don’t hesitate to open it, staring down at the first photo with mild surprise.

Cole jerks away before steeling himself and glancing back over. The picture shouldn’t surprise you, but it does anyway. It looks so messy. The body in the street can barely be recognized in the photo, too mutilated- the only identifying feature being the mechanical hand resistant to the blades of a sword. The mechanic had been reduced to mince meat, blood seeping up through shredded flesh and broken bones. Blood flows in a river down the stairs of the warehouse, down onto the sidewalk, flowing into the gutters.

“This seems… motivated.” Lloyd grimaces at the image but doesn’t look away.

“That’s certainly one word for it,” The commissioner huffs, “We’ve been calling it ‘unhinged.’”

You flip to the next image. Bodies piled on top of each other, strewn across the room, throats slit and bellies gutted and in one particularly horrific scene brain matter and skull fragments rendering a man unrecognizable.

Your memories of that night are fuzzy and nebulous.

Nya takes one of the photos, “Who would do something like this?”

“We were hoping you knew,” A beat- the man sighs, “The mechanic, he’s hard to keep tabs on. We didn’t really know who his enemies were other than those present, and you all had the most contact with him, but it’s too much to hope you have a lead for us, huh?”

He blows out an explosive breath, “Tell me, does the attack itself look familiar in any way? Anyone who comes to mind who has the capability to do something like that?”

You shake your head, blue boring holes into the eyes of a henchman who died trying to hold his intestines inside his gut, “No,” Your voice doesn't waver, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

---

Wu touches your shoulder firm and bruising but your skin cant purple under his nails anymore, “It gets easier.”

---

You stand in the threshold of the jail cell, the body in the room covered by a sheet. You had wondered if that really happened, bodies covered up by the police like in television dramas- this is the second time you’ve seen it. It won’t be the last. It’s interesting to know how fiction gets it right, sometimes. Kai distinctly can’t look, turned away, but you haven't been squeamish in a long time. You crouch low, reaching for the edge of the blanket to see, and Nya makes a disgusted noise in the back of her throat when you lift the sheet to look.

This death is far more refined than the massacre you’d investigated this month- A clean cut across his throat, blood coating his sleep shirt and dried to the corners of his mouth. Droplets of red sprinkle his face where he’d tried to breathe through the ruined hole of his throat, coughing a plume of blood into the air that rained down on him as he died. His skin is waxy and his eyes glazed and clouded, he’s been dead for hours- but you knew that already.

Nya coughs, “Can you cover him up, please?”

You oblige, “I was trying to see what Information I could gather.” the sheet falls back over his face, hiding him away. There’s no reason to cover him up, the other inmates are locked in their cells until the investigation finishes and the body is removed. Privacy is a moot point, but maybe it’s about respect.

Lloyd turns away from where he’s shifting through the inmates belongings, “Well, anything?”

“He was killed hours ago. He’s been dead for a long while.” How much to say? “The murder weapon was a blade.”

“Same as the Mechanic.” Jay says from where he’s outside the cell and out of line of sight, the dead body and blood making him sick, “Did Fugi-Dove and him have any connections?”

“Not that we know of.” Nya frowns, crossing her arms over her chest and trying to convince everyone she’s unaffected by this, “Only us. It just seems so weird- He’s a small fry compared to the mechanic, why kill him? He’s harmless!”

“He broke Jay's elbow last week,” You remind her, “He was not harmless. Perhaps he had more secrets than we thought.”

“Who found him?” Cole murmurs, carefully keeping away from touching the crime scene.

“Eight AM guard round,” You answer him, standing up, “The four AM patrol missed him. Both officers were interrogated, but nothing came of it. It doesn’t appear to have been an inside job.”

“The culprit snuck into kryptarium prison, killed a man, and snuck out with none the wiser?” Nya snorts, “This place has gone to the dogs.”

Jay taps his foot impatiently and it echoes down the hallway, “Well, it’s not like Warden Noble runs a very tight ship around here, despite what he wants you to think. How many escaped convicts do we deal with on a weekly basis?”

“So what do we do about this?” Kai asks, frowning at the lump on the ground.

Fugi-dove was half slumped off his bed, his back flush to the ground and his legs still thrown over his bed and tangled up in his bedsheets. He’d been awake when he was attacked, his cheeks bitten to hell as if he’d attempted to scream through a hand sealed over his mouth that only let go once his vocal cords had been slashed through, and in his desperate attempt to stop from bleeding out or drowning in his own blood he’d thrashed himself right to the floor.

“We’ll look at the tapes and see what we can find.” Lloyd answers casually. Darkleys prepared him for death and gore, it didn’t bother him like it should.

“I thought officer Pey told us we were in a blind spot,” Cole points out, stepping out of the cell followed by Lloyd.

“Warden Noble used to be the principle of Darkleys,” the green ninja waits for you to join them on the other side of the cell. You feel cold all over, “And if there’s one thing I'm certain of, the man has eyes everywhere.”

“Does he?” You ask, fingers going numb.

Lloyd nods and locks the cell door behind you, “There will be tapes. He should be here any minute now, Officer Pey says he comes in at 10:00 on Saturdays.”

As if on cue, the Warden appears in a frenzy, tearing into the hallway and bee lining for the cell. He grimaces at the covered up body, “I leave Pey in charge for one night…” He sighs, pushing his glasses up to rub at his eyes, “Great.”

“Good morning, Warden.” Jay greets cheerfully.

“Says who?” The man replies darkly, “The media is gonna tear me a new one. This is going to lower our reputation even more.”

“Let us help you put the culprit behind these bars,” Lloyd offers, stepping forward with green ninja grace.

“I don’t think that’d do any good, he already got out once.” Kai mutters.

The warden graciously ignored Kai’s comment, “I haven't even had coffee yet.” He complains, running a rough hand over his mouth as he glares at the body.

“You had hidden cameras?” Lloyd pushes and the Warden nods, motioning to an inconspicuous looking fire alarm.

“It’s fake,” He tells him.

You walk towards it. A strange sense of doom washes over you, numbness following it. A camera. Evidence. How clearly would they be able to see the killer's face?

“Let me be of assistance,” You offer, casually making it to the alarm first. The moment you manage to open the glorified nanny cam and your fingers close around the USB, you focus a concentrated pulse of electromagnetic energy and wipe it clean. Anything saved to the storage space will have been obliterated, gone, corrupted and unsalvageable. You can feel your hands again.

“How could this have happened?” The warden asks, clicking through the empty USB over and over looking for footage that no longer exists.

Lloyd glances at you, but there’s no suspicion, “Was there anything weird about the camera? Had it been tampered with?”

You touch your chin and try not to let your hands shake, “No, but it was not a very complex mechanism. It could easily have been opened by someone familiar with this type of surveillance.”

“Someone from Darkleys?” Nya suggests.

Lloyd hums in thought, “I don’t know. It’s worth looking into.”

“When did we become detectives?” Jay complains, “Can’t you guys just call us when you need us to spinjitzu this guy?”

“Don’t be a baby.”

Jay pulls a face at that, “I’m a ninja! I shouldn’t have to put up with all this- this blood!”

“Do you know what a ninja is, historically?” you murmur.

No one hears you.

---

There are four more deaths the following month, both somewhat well-known villains with a penchant for collateral damage. The same slashing wounds as the last. Lloyd is the only person in the group who doesn’t look affected by the barrage of gore he’s being subjected to- other than you, of course. He’s reading over the newest police report that’d come their way with a hum, “He’s getting bolder.” He concludes, flipping through the crime scene pictures at the end.

“Bolder?” Cole questions, “It seems to me like he’s winding down. His first kill was the Mechanic and everyone working under him- 16 deaths on that one alone. Now he’s down to one.”

“The Mechanic was messy,” he examines the pictures, noting just how clean the newest death was. Not a drop of blood out of place other than the pool growing under the body, “He was surprised by all the people- he never intended to kill anyone other than their leader, that’s why that kill was so disorganized. It’s why the mechanic was nearly able to escape, before he caught him in the street. The bank barely needed to mop the floor for this one. He’s refined his skill.”

“He left Reflectras sidekick unharmed.” Kai pointed out, “What’s different between then and now?”

Lloyd flipped a picture his way- it’s a still from a grainy security camera. Reflectra is already dead in the photo, her blood turned black on the monochromatic footage. The teen girl she’d been toting around with her was cowering under the teller counter, and standing just outside the blood was a figure dressed in all black. From the girl's testimony, the gray toned lion's mask he wore was red and gold in person, lips drawn back in a snarl that showed off fangs, a thick head of coarse blonde hair coming out of the mask to hide any other possible identifying features.

“He is wearing a mask.” You say, peering down at the picture.

“He’s hiding his face.” Lloyd clarifies before banging out a few words into the computer's search engine, pulling up a street festival that happened two weeks ago and swiveling the computer screen around so everyone could see it, “And it's a new purchase.”

Staring back at them was a picture of downtown Ninjago filled with people, food stalls and other vendors lining the sidewalks as people milled about. Half the people walking the street were wearing the same exact lion mask as their killer, now in vivid technicolor. You could see the stalls selling them- masks lined wall to wall. It seemed everyone was buying them. It wouldn't have looked out of place at all for the murderer to buy it for himself and squirrel it away for his late night acts.

“He killed the Mechanics goons because they saw his face. He doesn’t want witnesses.” Nya connects, “Aimi was only spared because he has a way to kill anonymously.”

“And with a virtually untraceable origin. That mask is everywhere, now.” Jay continued with a frown.

“It’s not a total dead end. We can still talk to the stall owners, maybe see if they noticed anyone strange buying from them.” He navigates to the festival's website, opening up the vendor list.

There are twelve souvenir stalls in total, and five of them are solely dedicated to masks.

You make a surprised noise in the back of your throat, “Saori Sato. I recognize that name. I believe I taught her son when we were working at the school.” You comment, “I have a rapport with her, I should be able to get her to speak with me easily.”

Lloyd accepts your lie with a nod, “The rest of us will work on the others, then. Hopefully we’ll have some luck.”

You don’t go to see Saori Sato. You sit on the rooftop of her apartment complex and meditate. You try to meditate. There’s a peace that’s absent in you, now, that doesn’t let your mind slip into calm like it used to be able to. There’s always a buzzing under your skin, in your wires.

You brought your sword, the one with the red blade.

You sharpen it until your mind stops racing. It’s like a razor blade now, and you imagine the sting it would cause as you run your metal fingers up the sharp side. You can perfectly imagine how blood would drip down it, now. You go home.

Everyone comes up empty, of course, because Saori Sato sold that mask, and you didn’t speak to her.

---

“You seem unphased with the murders.” You say to Lloyd, after the others have gone to bed and it’s just the two of you up, pouring over the case files. When Lloyd goes to bed, so will you.

He shrugs and sips at his coffee- filled to the brim with cream and sugar, “Darkleys wasn’t just about ruling the world in the big picture. They taught us the small stuff too, including desensitizing us to death.”

There’s nothing to say to that, so you don’t respond. You go back to looking over the papers again, pretending to search for an angle they hadn’t considered yet.

“You want to know something funny?” He says with a little laugh, staring down at the Mechanics' torn up body.

“What is it?” You ask.

A darkness settles over the room, thick and viscous. It seems to flood your mouth and fill your chest. Lloyd looks at you with bright eyes that pin you in place, “I checked your roster. I went through all the kids you taught at the school- and I didn’t find any Satos in the class.” he says with a lopsided smile, eyes burning your skin, assessing, searching for something, “Isn’t that weird?”

Your coolant has turned to ice in your limbs and your body feels numb, “Not at all,” You say cooly, “Sato is her maiden name. Her son has his fathers last name, Maeda.”

He finds something in your expression and- his shoulder slump, “Oh,” He says, blinking. “FSM, i’m sorry- I just-”

“It is alright, Lloyd.” You say graciously, “This has been stressful for us all, and you haven't been sleeping. Perhaps you should get some rest.” rising from your chair, you go to his side and help him to his feet. He allows you to walk him back to his room.

“Let’s start fresh tomorrow.”

“That sounds good.” Lloyd allows with an exhausted yawn. He disappears into his room.

---

Everything hurts.

Your eyes are blurred and blocked by another pop up- WARNING! WARNING! DAMAGE- you dismiss the banner as quickly as it arrives, but that doesn’t stop you from miscounting a step and slamming into the stone staircase, all your weight cracking down on the pointed edges. You scramble to hold onto the steps with your working arm before you can go tumbling back down to the bottom, taking a few breaths that you don’t need to take to help center yourself.

Clambering back to your feet, you check you haven't splattered coolant or oil on the stairwell before you continue up. Clean.

Reaching the monastery, you avoid the main gate. Instead, you shimmy up the courtyard wall and slink silently across the roof until you’re standing above your room. It’s easier with two hands, but you manage to swing yourself off the roof by the tiles and onto the window ledge, barely finessing your way inside without causing a commotion or accidentally falling off the cliff face. You don’t collapse no matter how badly you want to.

First things first- you pry up the loose floorboard under your nightstand and stuff the sword and mask inside, sliding the stand on top of the hiding place. You strip the bloody clothes off and grit your teeth as you peel it away from the mess of your left arm, refusing to scream. Not even allowing a whimper. You’ve had worse- this- this is nothing. Loose pants, loose shirt- long sleeve, of course, just in case anyone was up late getting a glass of water.

It’s late enough that even Jay should be asleep, and the empty garage confirms it.

It takes you two hours to knit the delicate machinery in your arm back together, and another hour fitting a new plate cover so nothing would seem amiss. You take the ravaged pieces of your arm up stairs and pack it under your nightstand too, so there’s no chance of evidence possibly being found.

You collapse now, face first on the bed, and not three hours after that you’re shaken awake.

Nya looks grim, “There’s been another murder.”

In your exhausted, near delirious state, you barely manage to catch yourself before you say I Know.

---

It’s cold this time of year, and it shows. The others are bundled up against the incoming chill of the season, coats and scarves worn on top of their ninja suits. You’re wearing a sweater too, but there’s a cold in you that will never be warm. You’re all behind Laughys Karaoke bar deep in the alley while the police guard the mouth of it, refusing to let reporters or curious civilians get a look.

There’s a detective with you, hanging back and allowing you all to examine the scene.

“Who is this guy?” Cole eventually asks, resisting the urge to nudge his face into view.

The detective steps forward, “His name is Killow. Ninjago PD have had their eye on him for a while- he’s been arrested for petty crimes in the past, but from the intel they’d begun to gather he’d joined an up and coming gang and had climbed pretty high in the ranks. They called him the Big Man.”

‘Big” was an understatement. The man was a brick house, every muscle worked until it bulged. It seems his gym habits had helped a little, even if the end result was still the same.

Lloyd examines his throat, “The first cut didn’t go deep enough.” He comments. There's blood splattered all over the alley, obvious signs of a struggle. Trash was everywhere, torn open bags and the big blue dumpster was dented from Killow slamming the assailant into the metal, more chipped bricks and dented cans revealed just how close Killow had come to walking away from this attempt on his life.

That same dumpster with the largest dent was where Killow had dug his fingers into the murderer's arm and torn through it, spraying metal and wiring across the ground with barely a flick of his wrist. No one knew that but you, and you didn’t share it. The area had been scrupulously cleaned.

“He got him.” Kai commented, “He hurt him pretty bad.”

“How do you know that?” Nya questioned.

Kai gestures to his hands, “Look at his nails. He scratched him, and no one is walking away from that unscathed.” Killows nails were broken and bleeding, torn and snapped off nearly at the cuticle with how hard he’d fought.

“It didn’t help him enough,” Lloyd sighs, standing up, “The second cut was vertical, sliced right through the artery from cheek to chest. He bled out."

“Poor guy.” Jay commented, slowly getting used to the sight of death as he frowned down at the man.

They didn’t know who he was, or what gang he was in- if they did, they’d understand why he had to be put down. The Sons of Garmadon was new and already it was strong, the ranks thick with people who didn’t care about harming others if it furthered their own goals. They were excellent at keeping a low profile while they gained power. It doesn’t escape your notice that the detective avoided naming the gang he was part of. Killow was a bigger cog in that machine, but he wasn’t the only leader the gang members looked to. Your research and surveillance had revealed three of the four ringleaders to you- Killow, Ultraviolet, and, a man you had never seen but had heard referenced several times, Mr. E. They reported to the highest ranking member of the gang, the Quiet One. All you knew about her was that she was a woman.

You stare down at his body and feel no sympathy.

---

“Is there a reason you don’t want me in your head?” Pixal asks bluntly one day, once you’ve gone to visit her at Borg Tower.

Once you’d gotten back to Ninjago City proper, you’d dropped her off with her father with every intention of picking her up later. She’d offered to stick around in your mind for a while, and you’d been happy at the idea- but then Master Wu gave you that sword, and things got more complicated. She hadn’t brought it up for the past few months, but each time you left her without a hint of bringing her along, she had certainly noticed. Now it was her breaking point. She stopped you in the doorway with her words, on your way out.

Your heart had turned numb the moment you took the sword from Wu. In another life, you could have loved her like she deserved.

“My feelings for you…” You turn back to the room, to the screen she's projected her image to so she can look you in the eyes, “…Have changed.” you finish hollowly.

She blinks. She’s perfectly still, “I see.”

“Thank you.” You say softly, “For everything.”

There’s a pause as she studies you, “Is this the end? Will you no longer come to see me?”

The part of you that wants her in your life twinges in pain, the first emotion you’d felt in days, “I believe that is for the best.”

You won’t take her down this path with you.

“Goodbye, Pixal.”

“I will respect your wishes,” She folds her hands in front of her, the perfect picture of poise, “Goodbye, Zane.”

---

Humans are so fragile. Ultraviolet liked to pretend she was tough, like she could take hits others couldn’t- but when it came down to it, her throat sliced just as easily as any others. Her hands were coated in her own blood from where she’s grabbed at her throat, but it was too late, and the slice was too technically perfect. Her knees had hit the ground first and she’d tried to twist, searching for something, eyes wild and mouth gurgling with words that couldn’t form around the blood in her mouth. She fell sideways, skin turning even paler than it already was, and then everything had stopped. The sprinkling rain washed the blood off her lips and diluted the river flowing from her neck. She almost looked like she was sleeping.

You stand over her motionlessly.

“Hey!” A voice cracks across the cool night air, and you turn to the side. You’re on the sidewalk in front of a motorcycle store that Ultraviolet had been intending on robbing, in plain sight. Across the street, up the road, is Nya. She’s not dressed in her ninja suit and her hair is down loose, the wet jeans and soaked hair hindering her sprint as she tears down the road to get to you.

You’re moving before you can think, clambering up the front of the store and up to the roof in record time, purposefully doing something that would be nearly impossible in skinny jeans to deter her. You don’t hesitate to race across the roof and leap to the next, jumping down the fire escape to the next alley and slipping through a thin corridor between two buildings. The sounds of the chase fade to nothing as you outpace her, weaving through back alleys and neighborhoods you’d become intimately familiar with that she didn’t know. After ten more minutes of running, you spin around and head straight for the monastery.

Nya wasn’t expecting to see you, or be witness to the next murder- it was raining- she wouldn't have her phone. That’s your only salvation. She didn’t have her phone.

You take all the shortcuts you know, running until your screen flashes with warnings. You recover from any stumbles in a millisecond. You get home in record time, basically throwing yourself into your room and ripping the mask off. Flinging your mask and sword into your closet and stripping off your wet turtleneck, you close the closet door and dive into bed. The blankets get yanked up to your shoulder and you close your eyes, feigning sleep, and wait.

Android stamina will always outpace humans. You beat Nya home.

She shouts for you all the moment she's through the door, throwing open your doors in her haste to get you up and mobilize after the murderer. She opens your door to you sitting up in bed, clearly woken up from sleep and giving her an openly bewildered expression.

You jump out of bed and throw on your ninja suit, joining the others on the porch as you all gear up.

---

You don’t find the murderer. No one else does either.

Kai looks at you, once you’re all home and exhausted after the all night search. Everyone is soaked and ready to go to bed, dispersing with low spirits and tired eyes. Kai stands in the entryway, dripping wet, and he really looks at you.

You give him a questioning eyebrow raise.

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” He says finally, “I won’t judge you.”

“…I know.”

He stares at you, eyes smoldering. He’s in pain. “There’s blood on your collar.” He says finally.

You look down at it- it’s barely noticeable. There must have been a few droplets on your chin that ran down with the water. If you’d been wearing black, he wouldn’t have been able to tell. Your ninja suit is white.

“It’s oil.” You say softly, the patch is just old and watered down enough that you could pass it off for brown.

“Okay.” Kai says. He looks like he’s going to cry.

He looks like he’s afraid of you.

---

Mr.E vanishes after Ultraviolets assassination. You look for him during SoG meetings and you keep an ear out, but he’s nowhere to be seen or heard. The gang is falling apart, half the newer members jumping ship- chances are Mr.E saw the writing on the wall and got out before his neck was next. You could respect that. You might even thank him for it, because if he hadn’t abandoned his post there’s a chance you would have never found out who the quiet one was.

There’s three totally unqualified people at this meeting so far, the members that had ranked directly below the previous three. Their skills were lacking, but their loyalty was rock solid. That was the Quiet Ones main priority after Mr.E’s Irish goodbye. The three were clearly nervous even though they were trying to appear tough- the taller girl even attempting to do tricks with her butterfly knife to appear cool and intimidating. It might have worked if she didn’t drop the blade every other trick.

A door opens and shuts in the silence, the black night outside offering no clue to the newcomers identity. She doesn’t leave them in suspense, though, striding into the light with a stormy expression. She starts talking immediately, taking their names and offering her own.

“You may call me the Quiet One.” She instructs them.

“You’re really the quiet one?” The man says, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Yes. Is there an issue?”

“None at all, ma’am.” He responds gruffly, dipping his head.

That’s all the confirmation you need. You slide to the edge of the exposed beam you’re sitting on, swinging down by your arms before you drop straight into the middle of the group. Your feet slam onto the table and the things tilts- you hadn’t anticipated it, so you end up going left instead of right. Instead of the single clean kill you came here for, you’re thrown into butterfly knife girl and the scene becomes a lot more grisly. Your stumble gave them time to process your intentions- you relied on surprise. Now this would get messy.

Knife girl stabs you in the chest. Her knife gets stuck. While she’s trying to rip it out of your skin, you sever her hands at the wrist. She screams and doesn’t stop.

The bigger male lunges for your throat and you hold your sword up so it plunges straight through his chest, his own momentum forcing it through muscle and the delicate capillaries in his lungs. That doesn’t stop him and his hands are on your throat- it doesn't do anything, of course, because you don't need to breathe. He keeps squeezing, and your neck strains. He could pop your head off if he tried. Your sword is buried in his chest and you can’t back up enough to get the space to pull it out.

You reach up and fumble for the butterfly knife, ripping it out of your chest and whipping it around to slam it directly into his ear. He howls in pain, releasing your neck to scrabble at his head before you use the knife to slice him from ear to collarbone. He collapses and the sword slides out of his body.

Knife girl has gone silent, bleeding to death from the ruined arteries in her wrists.

The other woman throws something the moment her shot is clear and on reflex you catch it. It’s a throwing knife and dangling from the handle-

You dart it back at her before you can finish understanding the word bomb. She’s not expecting such fast reflexes, so she’s not prepared for the knife to bury itself in her chest.

Then it explodes.

You spin around, preparing for the Quiet One to attack you next-

The door is open, and she’s gone.

The worst part about all of this is that you didn’t recognize her. Running her face through your facial recognition software came up empty too- so did cross checking any and every news outlet, hoping to see her face maybe in the back of a crowd. Nothing.

That could have been your only chance.

---

“I have been in your shoes before, I know this is hard. You must be prepared to do everything to protect them.” Master Wu had said after you had vomited up your dinner the night of the Mechanics murder, “This path will cost you everything.”

“Everything?” You questioned, staring down at the toilet bowl.

“But they will be safe.” He reassures you, gripping your shoulder tightly.

---

You don’t let the two parts of your life overlap. You don’t. The nights you go out, you are a serial killer. The next morning you are Zane, elemental master of ice, the titanium ninja. Zane is not tainted by all the blood and death and gore. Zane is not a murderer. You don’t ever use your sword as Zane, and you never use your shurikens as the serial killer. Everything would fall apart if you couldn’t keep them separate.

As you stand in the palace and the emperor introduces his daughter, your hands twitch for your sword the moment she opens her mouth. The face paint. You weren't able to discover her identity because of the face paint. Caked on so thick that her bare face looked like a completely different woman-

The emperor's daughter Harumi, and the Quiet One. Two parts of her life that aren't supposed to overlap.

“-Zane: The cold and calculating android.” She names you sweetly, voice honey thick. There’s a manic, wild edge to her eyes that the face paint can’t hide.

It makes sense. Her three most trusted advisors were murdered or abandoned her, and their replacements were slaughtered immediately after. The Sons of Garmadon had begun to collapse, fractioning off into smaller gangs with their own leaders. The main faction still had a substantial number of die-hard loyalists who were growing more and more extreme by the day. Robbery, assault, murder- they were wreaking havoc on Ninjago. They even managed to steal the Oni Mask of Vengeance. Now, her eyes slid over to Lloyd and locked onto him. She slipped a new mask on, one that was shy and flirtatious. The Quiet One wanted Lloyd wrapped around her finger.

But Harumi and the Quiet One weren’t supposed to exist at the same time.

Neither were Zane and the serial killer.

Inevitably, though, two worlds will always collide. Maybe the two parts of her and you were never supposed to live separate forever. Maybe you shouldn’t have taken that sword from Wu. Maybe you should have brought it with you so that Zane didn’t have to use his shuriken.

“Thank you for this opportunity,” You say clearly into the cold, cold room. Or maybe you’re the cold one, “I will not let it pass me by.”

There’s blood on your shuriken.

You collect your mask and your sword from underneath the floorboards in your bedroom and run.

They’re safe. They’ll always be safe.

#ninjago #zane julien #spinchip fic #kai ninjago #lloyd garmadon #jay walker #nya ninjago #cole ninjago #death #murder #blood #gore #ear trauma #amputation #limb loss #violence #ninjago harumi #princess harumi

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dragon-ascent · 5 months

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greetings to the fair lady who writes Rex Lapis immaculately 🙇‍♀️, have you been well? I hope you are, for thy existense is one's sunshine.

👉☀️👈

If I may ask, do you ever think Zhongli associates his lover with a specific kind of tea? as a "tea" lover, is there a blend that reminds him of us/reader?

(p.s I bought Osmanthus Tea Bags for him and it smells like a (bad?) sickly sweet honey that came from outer space- 😭 can't describe it well but bcuz of the smell i haven't drank it yet lol.)

Awww!! You're too sweet!

Oh, this one is interesting, because I haven't actually given it much thought before this!

I would have to say Zhongli likens his darling to hibiscus tea - it's one of the more romantic teas, and also has a unique, tangy taste; I think this could be reminiscent of your subtle playfulness or cheekiness when you're with him. The appearance of the tea is quite vivid and vibrant as well, the kind of eye-catching hue paralleling your own aura when you enter a room, making his head turn.

Not to mention, hibiscus itself is a symbol of passion, protection, and devotion, all three of which are feelings Zhongli immediately associates with you!

Ooh, let me know how the osmanthus tea turned out if you did end up drinking it! I've wanted to try it but I mostly find lavender and white rose teas (which are my go-to ones). I love sweet flavors!

#sini answers #zhongli and tea #name a better duo #really want to get osmanthus tea #green teas are my go-to hot drink

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kyuuppi · 1 year

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HEAR ME OUT. Genshin Men as your ex, like what would they do during the healing process? Would they beg for you back, try to get you jealous, etc.

I LOVE UR WRITING AND FORMAT XX YOU'RE LITERALLY AMAZING.

Ft. Zhongli; Xiao; Tighnari; Scaramouche

⚠️tw: manipulation (Scaramouche); bad end/angst (Xiao; Zhongli)

Every cell in my body resisting the urge to make them yandere–

⭐ Zhongli

To be frank, Zhongli is no stranger to the end of relationships.

Having lived through several millennia, Zhongli has watched many friends, enemies, and lovers come and go.

The moment he met you, he already knew you would someday be the same–such is the nature of mortality.

No matter how much he loved you, you would one day become yet another bittersweet memory–the type that makes his chest ache in the latest hours of the night while the rest of the harbor is sleeping.

Zhongli knew your departure from his life was inevitable…

But he didn’t expect to have to say goodbye so soon–let alone voluntarily.

“I love you, Zhongli. I really do but… we’re just too different. A former archon and a human just weren’t meant to be together. I’m sorry.”

Words he had never dreamed of fall from your lips easily. You had rehearsed it for a while.

He is internally distraught - his chest aches in a way he is not quite familiar with and, for once, he does not know what to say.

He politely lets you leave - says that he understands and expresses his desire to remain amicable if you will allow it but will keep his distance if that is what you prefer.

He will always be available to share some advice over a cup of tea or osmanthus wine if you should ever need it. The unwritten contract between the of you – the favor and support of a former archon – is unconditional.

You may find yourself shocked at how easily he lets you go –whether or not you are pleased by it depends on the nature of your true feelings.

Zhongli’s warm smiles and calming words will always remain, albeit now polite rather than intimate.

Outsiders who were unfamiliar with the nature of your previous relationship will not even notice the difference.

It is only a select few - Xiao, a few other adepti, and perhaps the funeral director – who see how the once smoldering embers in Zhongli’s steady gaze have been smothered.

It is only in the darkest hours of night, alone in his study, that Zhongli allows himself to wonder if his divinity is a blessing or a curse.

“It is unfortunate that our journey together must come to an end so soon. I have very much enjoyed our time together and appreciated the honor of witnessing your glory so closely. I will not burden you with my presence but… if you should ever need my assistance or desire my companionship, it is always yours.”

⭐ Xiao

Never in a thousand years would Xiao have imagined he would have someone to call his own.

After centuries of abuse–both inflicted upon him and from him - Xiao had sworn to never put himself in a position that vulnerable again. He will never let someone get close enough to hurt him or be hurt.

Nevertheless, you appeared in his life and shattered every expectation he had ever set.

Through sheer persistence, you smashed your way through his every wall and stole his heart as your own.

You had created an inseverable bond between you two…

...but now you wanted to sever it.

“I don’t think we can be together anymore, Xiao. You have a duty to protect Liyue and that is your top priority. You are tethered to this place. But I want to explore new places… and new people. I’m sorry, Xiao.”

His first reaction is anger, the type that flashed white hot in his gut and burns through his veins.

He did not seek you out – you were the one who forced your way into his life.

No matter how often he rejected you, how much he tried to avoid you, you had repeatedly interjected your way into his routine, bringing him plates of almond tofu and sharing stories of you adventure he had never asked about.

You created the habit for him. You made him expect your presence every day. You gave him new experiences and made him feel things he never knew possible. You made him love you in ways he had never imagined himself capable of–

–only to rip it all away.

He should have known he was not good enough - he was always just a weapon, a tool, wasn’t he? It is only natural that you would use him too–and that he would one day become useless.

He leaves without a word.

For you, it is almost as if you had imagined his whole existence.

He no longer waits for you atop Wangshu Inn. You no longer feel the sense of someone watching–protecting–you while you take commissions around Liyue.

The only indication you have that you had not dreamt the whole thing is the occasional story random citizens, claiming to have been saved from a lawachurl by a ghost with yellow eyes.

You think Xiao has forgotten your entire existence. He disappears from your life so easily.

But to Xiao, it is not easy at all.

His every thought is plagued by you to the point he wonders if you placed a curse upon him.

While the memory of you once eased his karmic debt, now it only seems to fuel it.

The voices taunt him, remind him of how worthless he is, even to his own lover.

You’re only a weapon of destruction – of course no one would want to be with you. You could never make anyone happy. You can only bring pain.

He suffers alone, brushing off the concern of the other adepti and even Zhongli when his karmic debt seems to get worse, his breakdowns more frequent and more intense than ever before/

It is only when you call his name - whether because you miss him or because you are in danger, than he will allow himself to see you again.

But even as he stands before you, he will not make eye contact.

Not because he does not want to see you but because he does not trust himself to act reasonably if he does.

“Even if the… nature of our relationship has changed, our bond still remains… what I mean is, if you are ever in danger, you should still call my name. I will always protect you...”

⭐ Tighnari

Um… this dude mates for life, how could you do this to him???

Similar to Xiao, he initially just gets kind of angry.

He told you how serious this is for him, how much relationships mean to fennec foxes.

He had asked you over and over again if you were sure before making your relationship official and you had assured him that you were. You said forever.

You had known each other for years before - you knew his personality and his habits. You knew being a forest watcher was his top priority and how long he spent on patrols - nothing has changed so why are your feelings changing?

“I’m sorry, Tighnari, I just… I don’t think I can live like this forever. Working in the forest together was a fun way to pass time but I don’t want to do it anymore. I don’t want to be with you anymore.“

He tries to talk it through - he wants to be logical and compromise with you. He asks you to set boundaries and be specific about your needs so that he has the chance to try to meet them - he will do anything to make this work, you just need to tell him what you need.

But you insist there’s nothing he can do, and without a proper explanation, you leave him behind.

It is easy to fall back into old routines and habits. Even if his lover is gone, the forest never rests.

He goes back to his patrols and reports and lectures – everything is the same as before yet it all feels completely wrong.

The days he used to look forward to – eagerly learning more about the forest he loved and sharing his findings with other curious minds – now feel like little more than a waste of time.

His passion is gone, the once burning desires now doused and his mind is only plagued with memories of you.

Quiet moments late at night in his tent are the worst.

His bed feels uncharacteristically cold and empty without you in it. The calm night is much too quiet when your voice is not there to hum a tune you heard at the market.

“You’re being incredibly selfish right now – our relationship may be just a way to pass time for you but for me – it's all or nothing. There was no one before you and there will be no one after you. We made a commitment to each other and we need to stick it out. So tell me exactly what the problem is so we can work on it and fix it. Together. We have a whole lifetime to figure this out so don’t just give up on us so easily.”

⭐ Scaramouche

You have to be insane to leave this man - and not just ‘cause he is hot.

If you made it far enough for Scaramouche to let you into his heart, you already know his past. You know what has happened to him and how he feels about people leaving.

There is absolutely no way this will go well for either of you.

Once his heart is broken his immediate response is vengeance and retaliation.

If you think you are leaving him behind – betraying him like everyone else in his life – you have got another think coming.

“I’m serious, scaramouche. I don’t want this anymore. We’re just not meant for each other.”

“Ha– you think you have a choice? I must not have made myself clear – you are mine and you are not going anywhere without me.”

lol oops I made it yandere

While much less openly accommodating as Tighnari, Scaramouche is still willing to listen to your complaints and try to find a solution.

Although he’s possessive and a bit blinded by his own feelings, Scaramouche truly does love you and will do anything he can to make you happy–but only if you are happy with him.

If you physically leave, he will follow you. If you try to find someone else, he is not above getting rid of them.

Once you enter a relationship with Scaramouch, for as long as the two of you are alive, you will be with each other.

“Do you finally understand? Good. Taking care of those mortal men you wanted to hang around with was starting to become tedious."

#xiao x reader #zhongli x reader #tighnari x reader #scaramouche x reader #genshin x reader #genshin imagines #genshin scenarios #genshin hcs #xiao hcs #tighnari hcs #zhongli hcs #scaramouche hcs #xiao imagine #genshin imagine #tighnari imagine #zhongli imagine #scaramouche imagine #genshin impact x reader #kyuuppi.req

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kanna1garden · 6 months

Text

ೃ࿔ OLDER GUYS

‧₊˚ genre — romantic fluff

‧₊˚ tags — kissing, hand holding, hugging, age gap, pet names (dear) gift receiving

‧₊˚notes — Zhongli is a man who got a small break from his job for once and go on coffee run and happens to run into you a beautiful college student, hopefully you can win the heart of this random man.

‧₊˚word count — 2379

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

The timer goes off from your phone to show when your class was meant to end. You finally got a head start to leave as you chose to sit in the back today. Today was the day you would finally go to that new shop that opened up. You hoped it was a store that finally sold some type of boba. It has been so long since you had boba ever since you started college. You ran so fast out of class. Sure you might have gotten some stares but its whatever fuck them.

Opening the doors to the outside. You felt the air hit your face. It felt nice for a second until you realized it was moving your hair around. On the way there you fighting with your hair to keep it in one place. Luckily you didn’t run into anything or even get hit by a car. But here you are next to the store you have been waiting to go to for a while.

You walk in. It’s so nice and well kept inside. You see the menu on the wall and see they sell boba and coffee. They even sell lychee flavored boba. “Miss is there anything you seem interested in or do you need help picking from our menu?” Says the lady behind the counter. “Oh no its alright I think im ready to make my order sorry for taking a bit.” You say quickly as you didn’t realize you were taking a while to order.

You tell your order to the nice woman. “Miss your order total comes out to be 220 mora, would that be mora or card?” Says the nice lady. You were shocked with the price. Maybe this is why they didn’t have prices on the menu but this better be the best thing I have. “I'm going to pay with a card.” Unsure if you even had that type of mora on your card. You just heard the door open to the store. You look up to see a good looking man with long brown golden hair walking through. “I'm sorry but your card isn’t going through, is there any chance you have a different type of payment?” The sweet lady asks, breaking your thought process again. You were about to say something with shame but the good looking man says “Don’t worry miss, is it alright with you if I pay your order?” You say with SHAME as you couldn’t pay your own things but at least a stranger is willing to pay. “If it’s alright, I'm so sorry for bringing you to this.” The man only smiles at you after handing the cashier his (childe) card.

After paying for your order, he bought something called osmanthus tea. “Sir, I'm so sorry for making you pay so much.” You say trying to be as sorry as you can be. “It’s alright dear, I offered to pay.” He says being nice to you. “Is there anything I can do pay you back maybe?” You say trying to be nice to him even if you might never see him again. “Well maybe we can talk here for a bit as you seem like a lovely woman to talk to if you have the time.” In the back of your mind you knew you were hoping just for a no as you're a broke bitch who couldn’t pay this off, But you were happy to just talk to a fine looking man who was a gentleman. “My name is Zhongli by the way.”

After some talking and maybe some light laughter at a random table in the store by the window. An hour or so has passed. Maybe this guy isn’t expecting anything from me for paying my things. “Shit” he says shocked when he saw the time. “I'm very sorry dear you are a really lovely woman but it seems I overstayed my welcome.” You try saying something by unconsciously holding his hand to ask something but he moved his hand from yours and he quickly wrote his number for you. “This my number call me or text me when you feel like hanging out again or just talking but i have to go im very sorry.” He says quickly grabbing his things and quickly walking out. All you could do is wait a bit and save the number in your phone…

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

It has been 3 days since meeting Zhongli. Strangely even after all that talking it seems you missed him so maybe it’s finally time to text him. You turn on your phone and look for his number in your contacts.

‧₊˚✧[MESSAGES]✧˚₊

You

Heyy its (___)

THAT DUDE🌸

Hello I wasn’t expecting to get a message from you.

You

Haha sorry for taking a while to send anything. I got too shocked to send anything.

THAT DUDE🌸

That’s alright. By chance you might want to meet again?

You

Of course!! It was so great talking to you last time :3

THAT DUDE🌸

That’s great to know.

See you soon.

‧₊˚✧[MESSAGES ENDED]✧˚₊

You are now staring at your roof lying on your bed. Just smiling to yourself, unsure why you just recently met Zhongli, just some guy. Maybe you’re just going insane. Your alarm goes off basically saying you are late to class now as you still have to get ready. Maybe this man might cause you hell or maybe bring some type of peace.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

It was a bit awkward getting ready to see Zhongli as you haven’t seen him in a while after that meeting in that store. You’re getting yourself dressed to meet him at the location he has sent you. In the back of your mind you were unsure if you have heard this place before but it sounds so familiar. Xinyue Kiosk was the place. All that you can remember it was a famous restaurant but you could never guess how famous it was until you got there.

You finished getting ready and just realized what time it was. You just realized Zhongli messaged you a bit ago telling you that he was outside your place to pick you up. You quickly put on your shoes. You try to quickly get to the front area to where he was.

In front of you was a 1966 Porsche 911 coupe that seems to be well kept by Zhongli. Sure you never asked how old he is but you thought you could guess how old he was but what if he was older by the type of car he had. It was obvious he had mora from day one. When he realized you were near he opened the other door for you to get. “Good evening dear, how are you today?” He asks you when you are closer to him. “I have been alright and you?” You reply back to him just to keep the small talk. He gets in the car and starts driving while you two have small talk about what ever is happening in the world.

You and Zhongli have finally made it to Xinyue Kiosk Restaurant just to see a line of people waiting to see if they can even get a table. You started to get nervous if Zhongli was going to wait in this line and he could tell. “We aren’t going to be waiting. I have a reservation for right now so we should be going already .” He says smiling at you hoping maybe it would relax you a bit. “Thats good to know that line these like they have been waiting for days!” You know you wont even last an hour standing in a line like this. But at least now no wait. Zhongli parks the car and opens the door for you. “Thank you Zhongli!”

“It’s not a problem this what every man should do for a beautiful woman like yourself”

All you could do is laugh. It wasn’t to mock him but because you didn’t know how to reply but sweetly laughed at the comment. He joined you but it only lasted for a bit. Both of you started finally walking to the restaurant. “Hello, how may I help you?” Asks a girl with short blonde hair and golden eyes whose name tag says ‘Lumine’ and they were at the hostess stand “I have a reservation under the name of Childe.” Zhongli tells Lumine. You are just standing there, thinking who this other name is and if you should even ask. “Okayy, both of you may follow me now” says Lumine sweetly. :3

When you are walking to your table you decide to slip your hand onto Zhongli’s hand on the way there. When he looks back at you, you just smile at him. When she shows what table the two of you will be waiting at and puts menus down and leaves. “So Zhongli may I ask who's that person's name you used is?” You asked him as it was lingering in your mind still. He replies with “We are just work partners and had a reservation he won’t be able to make.” You guessed it was a good enough answer so this place seems to be packed so it might be hard to even get a reservation. Before you could say something, Lumine comes by again and asks if both of you are ready to order something off the menu. “I will get golden shrimp balls.” You order and Zhongli orders “I would like a slow-cooked Bamboo shoot soup if that's possible.”

“I will get that out as soon as i can” Says Lumine trying to be nice. She walks to the back where you guess where the kitchen is. When you see Lumine start cooking what you both ordered. Does that girl do everything around here and where are the other workers? Well you guess that’s unimportant as you are getting your food no matter what. You and Zhongli talk until both of your food comes.

You try to hold Zhongli’s hand while trying to talk to him when you both finish eating and pay. But this time with the speed he is walking. No holding hands this time. But he opened every door again for you but he drove you home with some talking in the car

You are home again. You feel a bit sad as the day is over now. “You know I hope we get to see each other again.” You say to Zhongli that maybe both of you can see each other one day. “Hopefully we both find time for each other to have something like this again” he says waiting for you to go inside your place, and leaves when you are finally inside…

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

It has been a few months and you guys had grown a routine of hanging out with each other with some now and then hand holding. Maybe it's time to tell him how you feel. He might have the same thought as you. Tomorrow you plan on confessing when both of you plan to meet up again. Maybe it's to get some rest for you as you have been just thinking to yourself for a little too long. You were in your sleep for a long time. It was almost time for you to see him. So it's best to use the time to get ready.

You are finally ready to see Zhongli. You can feel your nerves build up as it has been so long you have even been able to think about if you even like someone. You really hope he would feel the same way. You are finally at the place where you both are meant to be meeting at. And there you see him with his long brown hair flowing with the wind in that low ponytail he always wears everyday. “Hey Zhongli!” You say trying to call out to him. “Hello there dear '' he says smiling to you when he realizes you are nearby. “Dear may i ask you something?” He says slightly nervous. “Yea sure what is it?”

‧₊˚✧[ENDING 1]✧˚

You ask back now getting worried about what he might say. “We should hang out more than we do now. Your presence is comforting.” You were unsure what to say you knew this man was old but now you were unsure how old. “Zhongli would there be any chance you would be interested in a romantic partner?” You ask, getting a bit more worried about what his answer would be. “Yes i would be interested in a partner one day maybe.” You guess maybe it's time to shoot your shot cause this might be the only time you will have the guts to say.``Zhongli will there be a chance you date me?” Both of you are now sitting there in awkward silence and he finally replies. “Yes i would.” You felt such a relief after hearing that. You move closer to him and hug him. Zhongli was unsure what to do but hugged you back after a few seconds. He lifts up your face and kisses you. And pulls out a pair of earrings made out of diamonds…

Maybe yall last for a long time and maybe you will live in his memory for a while now. Hopefully you live long enough to stay in his memories before you die leaving him #foreveralone ❤️

‧₊˚✧[ENDING 2]✧˚

You asked back now, getting worried about what he might say. “I think we should stop seeing each other. It’s just for the best.” He says to you. All you could feel is your heart sink but maybe it is for the best. “I know it might not be my place to ask why but i want to know why?” You ask, hoping maybe it’s for a good reason. “I can tell you may be catching feelings and I would never be able to share these feelings with you.” All you wanted to do is cry but you just said your goodbye and ran away..

Heart break will always happen with an old man like him. #foreveralone ❤️

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

@seraphmeraph

#Spotify #zhongli #zhongli x reader #genshin impact #genshin fluff #older guys #money money money #genshin impact x reader #zhongli x you #zhongli fluff

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mademoiselle-red · 8 months

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Imagining how Lianhua’s household would celebrate Chinese New Year’s Eve…

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, Lianhua announces to Ah Fei and Xiaobao that he’s got their new year’s eve dinner all planned out.

“Trust me,” he says with unfounded confidence.

Ah Fei narrows his eyes. Xiaobao smiles nervously with trepidation.

On Chinese new year’s eve, Lianhua presents his husband and disciple/adopted child with the following dishes:

Vinegar Fish of the Western Lake 西湖醋鱼

Xiaobao’s review: Amazingly, it tastes just as terrible as the version they serve at the famous Hangzhou restaurant Lou Wai Lou.

(Author note: Seriously, don’t order this “regional delicacy” if you find yourself in Hangzhou. Unless you enjoy the taste of unseasoned steamed fish drowning in vinegar sauce. Order any other fish dish. Like squirrel fish 松鼠鳜鱼 or a plain old steamed fish 清蒸鱼. Also, Lou Wai Lou is a tourist trap. Yes it’s got a long history, and was referenced in the Mysterious Lotus Casebook theme song and appears in Grave Robber’s Chronicles, but no, it is no longer good.)

Osmanthus Lotus 桂花莲藕

Xiaobao’s review: All the ingredients are there and assembled correctly. But why is the flower sauce burnt????

Lianhua: I’ve already ruined two pans from trying to make this sauce! The sugar keeps hardening into rock candy and sticking to my pan! (Caramelization is hard 😭)

(Author note: Do order this dish if you travel to the Yangzhou-Nanjing-Hangzhou-Shanghai area. It’s steamed lotus stuffed with sweet sticky rice and covered in sweet osmanthus flower sauce, what’s not to love?)

Bamboo shoot and chicken soup 竹笋炖鸡

Di Feisheng’s review: Even I am finding it hard to ignore the amount of salt that’s in this soup

Xiaobao: This is salvageable. I’m going to boil some water

(Author note: this is a new year staple in my household 😋)

Longjin Shrimp 龙井虾仁

Fang Duobing’s review: This is actually ok. But then again, it’s hard to really mess this dish up. But I don’t taste the tea. At all. It’s just stir-fried shrimp. Where is the Longjin?

Lianhua: Young Master Fang, do you know how much Longjin tea costs???

(Author note: I tried making this dish at home. It is stir-fried shrimp in a sauce that incorporates Longjin tea. It’s hard to get the tea flavor right without it either not coming through or becoming too bitter. The stir-fried shrimp part is pretty easy.)

After dinner, Xiaobao receives a very bulky red envelope from Lianhua and gets very excited. He opens it, revealing eight bank notes, each worth only one silver tael. His face drops and he begins to pout but Lianhua reminds him that he is a broke old man, while Xiaobao stands to inherit one of the largest fortunes in the country.

Di Feisheng reluctantly hands Xiaobao a very thin envelope. “My accountant prepared it for me. I don’t know anyone I’d consider my junior 晚辈, so you can have it.”

It’s one bank note worth 800 silver taels.

Both Xiaobao and Lianhua gasp in shock.

Lianhua: “Do I get one too? You’re a bit older than me, you know.”

Di Feisheng: “Have you got no pride?”

Lianhua: “Ah Fei gege” 🥺

(Note: gege means “older brother” in Chinese)

#莲花楼 #mysterious lotus casebook #can you tell I’m a foodie?

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contentloadingandstuff · 1 year

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Hanging out with them - Platonic!Tall Genshin Men x Male!Reader

A/N: Due to the upsetting lack of platonic requests with the male characters, I have decided to take immediate action. Sorry for how slow things are now, but the heat boils out my very soul daily.

Diluc is an introvert by nature. With most people he is lukewarm, no matter how kind or affectionate they might be. But you are different. You just feel right, or at least that's how he would put it. You're respectful of him and his way of handling social matters. Most of your time will be spent inside, visiting art displays or chilling inside the mansion with a cup of grape juice and a board game, or outside, fighting human scum and monsters in the dead of night. He never rests with his training, so he'll ask you to spar with him fairly often. Seriously, this man needs someone to have his back and teach him to lay back more, else he inevitably burns out.

Hitting the many taverns in Mondstadt in a duo is Kaeya's favorite. There's so much to pick up from the other visitors, aside from the obvious delicacy of alcohol. Sometimes the evening ends in following a shady individual and jailing them, other times you just enjoy a quiet drink, talking about everything and nothing. Maybe you'll even get yourselves hot dates, or even just one-night stands? With Kaeya's silver tongue and both of your charming looks, everything is possible…

Childe loves looking for trouble with you. Outside of Liyue Harbor, of course. Some stray Hilichurls, minding their own business? That's a good excuse to beat them up. You know, for public benefit! Treasure Hoarders in the wilderness? Well, too bad you two were passing by. Sometimes Childe wants to go undercover and have a drink, especially in the shadiest of taverns. The chances of a good old unarmed barfight are very high, and those of a Milelith patrol coming in - very low. Or, if you're not keen on real violence, you can always just spar, maybe even with the new recruits. They could use a good, humbling beating.

"Osmanthus wine tastes the same as I remember, but where are those that share the memory?" just became outdated. With Zhongli you won't be only reliving the memories, but making new ones as well. He sometimes can't believe you're real. It's been so long since he talked to someone of a similar mindset. Over countless pots of tea and bottles of wine you will spend your tireless nights talking about the world, how it changed, how it once was. Most people will find your high-level discussion unintelligible at best, unable to imagine the vast knowledge you two possess. And how about you invite old friends over? Especially Venti - drinking with him is never boring, you two know that best.

Due to his condition, any sort of physical exercise is out of the question with Baizhu. He tends to be very busy as well, so there's few moments where you can enjoy some spare time. Aside from work, he doesn't have many hobbies. Sometimes he'll play cards or board games with you, sometimes you'll down some shots (a reasonable amount of course), or play with Qiqi. The little zombie is such an amusing person to be around.

Beetle fights and messing around are both fun, yes, but those divine muscles don't maintain themselves, do they? As his Numero Dos, you're more welcome to tag along on Arataki Itto's gym trips. He'll spot you and give you any sort of advice you need, as well as keep you as motivated as youkaily possible. His incredible enthusiasm is virally infectious, so you'll get those abs in no time when he's around! He might be a silly oni most of the time, but he has an admirable discipline when it comes to staying in shape. He'll help you along the way as much as he can. But do join Shinobu's efforts to remind him that not every day is leg day.

Thoma is a soft guy, and he enjoys simpler and quieter activities. It would be hard for him to pick a favorite, however. He only does what he likes doing, and you make things hundreds of times better. Tending to the stray animal population is certainly one of his best picks - and it shows! The fluffy guys know you by look, sound, smell and feel by this point, that's for sure. If you've got some spare Mora, why not go out to eat? Or maybe just play some hotpot in the residence? Ayaka and Ayato certainly won't be against him using some leftover food to enjoy with his pal.

Despite engaging in entertainment and social events a lot, in reality Ayato doesn't like them. He needs to watch his every step, keep tabs on all of his fellow partygoers and keep his guard up. Things like chess are fun, sure, but they are quite taxing on the mind. Sometimes, Ayato just wants to get a few drinks in and play card games for money. Unrefined pleasures for sure, but don't judge him. It doesn't require that much focus, and he can devote most of his attention to a pleasant conversation with you. Thoma won't let his baby sister find the bottles or catch you in the act of gambling, don't worry.

Despite Sumeru being the land of wisdom, Alhaitham finds that there’s no shortage of fools and cretins in its society. Aside from the Akademiya, but even within its walls there are certain misplaced ‘individuals’. Hanging out with you brings a breeze of fresh air into his days. You’re not a fool, not by any means, you’re not as up-your-own-ass as the scholars he works along, and you’re not nearly as annoying as his roommate. He doesn’t want to read books with you, since it would be just wasting your time, sitting in silence. Instead, Alhaitham wants to discuss them. Your opinions are always fascinating, and your ability to explain them in depth is truly exceptional in a casual environment. In truth, you’re probably the only person he actively wants to be around.

Arts, literature, music… Kaveh enjoys them, yes, but there is something else - engineering. Not only architecture, but also mechanics. You’re great because you don’t ridicule him for even the craziest ideas he has. You laugh along with him, you help him build his inventions, and you never get tired of sticking new eyebrows on his face. Perhaps one of your designs will one day get popular? You’ll be rich in your thirties, that Kaveh promises every day. It’s also nice to have someone to lend a few thousand Mora when he’s in need… Don’t worry, he always is on point with the deadlines.

Thanks for reading!

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zhongrin · 9 months

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𒆙 ღ

part 8/8 of ⎡∞ / 𝟔 𝟎 𝟎 𝟎 ⁺⎦, a zhongli 2023 birthday event

𖧷 tags ┈ selfship (zhongrin, small hint of zhongwrinth), 3rd person pov from zhongli's side, fluff, bittersweet (like almost all the other chapters are lol), slight soft yandere-ish, slight genshin's canon lore references

𖧷 a/n ┈ happy new year my dear patrons! starting off this year strong with some super indulgent selfship piece :> technically, it can be read as x fem!reader, but you'll find that it was not meant to be one. you'll find a lot of hidden selfship lores in this, and it's very very very self-indulgent and personal (which is why i don't have the usual x reader tags), so keep that in mind and be respectful, please 🙏🏻 you have been warned!

𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒻𝓊𝓁𝓁 𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓊 ❬ masterlist ❭ 𐫱 𝓂𝑒𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅 ❬ taglist ❭

𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 was an intricacy he had been continuously studying over the course of more than six thousand years and counting now.

and still, with every year that passed, he realized there were many sides of love he had not discovered nor experienced himself. things like—

how the peals of someone’s laughter could be comparable to the most melodious bird’s singing, and in its contraposition, how the saddened frown from a beloved person when he forgot an important date due to the many anniversaries which had accumulated over the past few millennia, could cut deeper than the sharpest blades forged by the most proficient masters of the blacksmiths.

how, despite the many losses and reunions he had experienced, he would still have the same nightmare that had been regularly plaguing him from a few millennia back: the vision of her bloodied shell, the rage bubbling from the deepest of his heart. how the mountains tore and the seabed shifted, the anguish as cold as the lifeless body within his hold and as silent as her unmoving crimson-stained lips, the pain hundredfold as he buried her with his own hands in some desolate place ridden by war and placed a single yellow hibiscus as a meagre offering.

how the scent of the sea used to be relatively bearable despite the reflexive scrunch of his nose, and even so, he found himself increasingly becoming averse to them - especially when the scent paired with the minty frost of snezhnaya or the chalky, wintery air of dragonspine.

how, those old times ago, his closest friends had betted on the day he would use his proficiency and skills in the advanced adepti arts to do menial tasks out of love, and though at that time, morax had scoffed and laughed right in front of their face... look at him now, gladly using the ability to maintain adeptal realms to expand his beloved’s teashop or facilitate her travels between the nations of teyvat.

𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒… such an infinitely complex and neverending, yet beautiful affair.

“happy birthday, rex lapis.”

“happy birthday, morax.”

“happy birthday, zhongli.”

“happy birthday, xiànɡ ɡonɡ!”

love tasted like a sweet kiss with a touch of fragrant osmanthus and the bitterness of coffee. love took the form of a bashful and imperfect smile in full bloom against rosy cheeks. love was the way her silken hair felt against his calloused fingers as he tied his treasured golden hair clip around the midnight-colored strands, following her 'coincidental' oversight to bring her own. love was heard in fond wishes and silent gratitudes whispered into the seas of stars, amongst the soft rolls of waves caressing the shores of the harbor of their retirement home.

perhaps his darling won’t be by his side next year. perhaps she would, in a different form than what she was now. perhaps…. he would not survive this year.

but what did it matter?

for even as calamity befell aria, sonnet, and canon, the corpse of a moon still continued its sovereignty in a fixed orbit to encircle teyvat, unchanging — and so he believed the two lovers’ fates would intertwine once again; for she was destined to be his, for he oathed to be bound to her beyond a mortal expiry;

until their souls reunited in a place not even the heavenly principles could reach,

until no more engraved rings could fit in her fingers,

until teyvat's bedrock crumbled into dust.

“the day the rite of parting is recompensed, wife of mine… i promise our 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 will be sealed eternal.”

a contract sealed in souls, befitting of his goetic namesake. this might as well be the most selfish contract he has ever sealed with his blood — yet could one still call him a devil when his victim was most willing?

#genshin impact #zhongli #yandere #rin selfships #zhongrin #zhongwrinth #rin writes #∞ / 𝟔 𝟎 𝟎 𝟎 ⁺

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dxstopiaa · 2 years

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Roommates..

Summary: Moving in was a tough task, thankfully someone will be accompanying you, I wonder what what they’re like?

A collection of my personal headcanons and short scenarios regarding how my favourite genshin boys will be like as roommates! Mainly Platonic and Romantic (depends how you want to interpret it) fluff with some crack!

Characters: Zhongli, Xiao, Wanderer. (I will do a part 2, planning to include: Albedo, Kazuha, Rosaria, Heizou, Childe.)

Zhongli

• Extremely Organised, from when you first entered the dormitory, the senior student had already expected your arrival and was courteous enough to prepare your wardrobe and sleeping quarters. There was no denial that you were pleasantly surprised.

•Even his section of the accommodation was tidy and orderly, various folders stacked into a neat divider, a selection of stationary and a rather comfortable chair parallel to the desk, decorated with a beige throw blanket.

•He greeted you with such formalities you began to question if he was secretly a professor instead of a student. Your visible confusion mixed with delight painted your face unusually, exerting a light, mellow chuckle from Zhongli. God, He already seemed so amiable, precious indeed.

•Over the first couple of days, you could say you adjusted perfectly to his schedule, taking your individual responsibilities up whilst still maintaining a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. Often times when you both sauntered around the campus after your lessons had finished, you would arrive at the dorm and Zhongli would immediately brew any sort of tea.

• Emphasis on Often, He had a huge luxury stash of the finest teas and even coffees, though he didn’t particularly like the former. Spectrums of caffeinated beverages from iced peach tea, to oolong and even osmanthus..? Though you weren’t familiar with the last. Zhongli was quite proud of his collection, understandably. He had told you of his trips to China, expressing his love for his nation, and how he would constantly buy out the stocks of drinks they had.

•This leads you onto your next discovery, it seemed as if Zhongli had not learnt of money management as well as you had expected him to, for instance, you had to pry him away from his observations of new purchasable books at your local stationery shop, pleading how he would go into debt, though that was more for dramatic effect. He would admire the new pens with intense observation, i mean, new stationery right, who wouldn’t? Though you had to remind him of the abundance on his table, overflowing out of his already oversized pencilcase. My, Is he even a real economy student?

•Your slightly different personalities attached you two together like glue, it would be rare for somebody to see one without the other. Like recently, when Hu Tao’s eyebrows rocketed when she saw you alone in the library, bombarding you with questions. ‘Oh my, did the poor guy already pass on? Where is he?’ Was an example, let’s just say that an unimpressed student had his arms folded tightly with an eyebrow raised heard that, initially intending to give the younger girl the caramel waffle he bought. Welp, guess who had two?

•Archons, Your roommate was an outstanding chef, where the hell did he get all these culinary skills? Such delicacies laid upon the table, a surprise given to you from him for excelling your exams, you had to press a hand against your mouth not to shriek with excitement at that instant. Zhongli laughed in appreciation at your unspoken compliment, which were the arms wrapped around his neck, an affectionate embrace.

Xiao

•Xiao couldn’t deny that ever since a notice letter had been left on his doorstep from the institute, which had detailed that he was going to have company in his dorm, he felt nervous.

•Since then, Xiao had attempted to make the accommodation as comfortable and hygienic as possible, which wasn’t a strenuous task as he already kept up to these standards previously. He was even able to replenish the house with consumables, despite the fact he didn’t eat much himself.

•The day you arrived at the college, you made your way to the room number mentioned on your welcome letter, knocking on the door lightly. A student with the most gorgeous aureate eyes opened the door for you, returning your soft gaze with a light smile, gesturing you inside.

•Well, grateful you were seeing how you had been rewarded with an orderly roommate, the space he had arranged for you was embellished with neutral tones, most likely as he didn’t know what colours you preferred. A comforting atmosphere indeed.

•Due to sharing the same course, you had grown closer to him as he warmed up to you. His usual stoic attitude had adapted into one of care and even a hint of sarcasm, to your surprise. Often times, he’d find you in the kitchen before your lecture with the end of a pen tapping against your chin, searching the cabinets.

•’We are a bit low on food, Xiao, why don’t we go shopping after?’ You requested, watching him pack a bottle into his bag for the both of you. He sighed quietly, ‘Your obsession with purchasing reminds me of someone’ He side-eyed you, who was dramatically clasping your hands together in pleads for him to accompany you. Xiao exhaled softly, ‘Okay, though you’re paying this time.’

•So you did as you said, waiting outside Xiao’s lecture hall with two breakfast bars in your hands, grinning to yourself at the thought of him browsing aisles with a basket upon his forearm, scrunching his eyebrows together in confusion. When he had finally finished, Xiao gratefully accepted the snack, rather hungrily tearing the pack open before leaving the building with you closely by his side.

•The grocery shop across the campus was well favoured by all students, large ranges of deserts to instant foods available. You held Xiao’s hand gently, pulling him into the brightly lit store, giving him a basket of his own, challenging him to see what he would purchase for you and vice versa.

•By the end of your shopping, you had met him back at the front of the self-checkout, his basket half-full of his favourite desert, piles of almond tofu, the rest with snacks he knew you enjoyed. You fawned over the kind action, which you returned with other goods you thought he would like, such as cold noodles and some jasmine tea. ‘Thank you..’ Xiao acknowledged, rubbing your cheek lightly with thumb.

•You infact, did not pay this time, as you had claimed to have ‘forgot’ your card at home, sheepishly scratching the back of your head and averting his critical stare, muttering a ‘You’re impossible.’ Although he didn’t mind paying, you’ve helped him so much without even knowing so. Xiao now found it easier to engage with others, especially when around you. It’s like you pulled out the treasure hidden in the depths of his heart.

•Shopping meant stocking the cupboards, your least favourite part, as the college decided to make them the smallest size as inconveniently possible, which either caused items topple onto you when opening cupboards, or to fall onto Xiao, which he usually caught with his swifter reflexes, How does he sense them? Was a question you found yourself asking.

•You lived a very relaxed life with Xiao, and he felt your arrival changed him for the better.

Wanderer

•Kunikuzushi jolted from his sleep when he heard the familiar sound of knocking on his dormitory door, he hit his head and groaned irritably at himself for forgetting such a thing. He was expecting a roommate and he fell asleep?

•He groggily approached the entrance, combing his navy hair with his fingers to look ever more slightly presentable, before hesitantly clutching the handle and greeting you. You couldn’t help but giggle at the state your new roommate was in, his half lidded eyes looking up at you, he donned an oversized inky shirt accompanied with teal shorts and sandals, which were the wrong way round.

•’Don’t laugh, you’re lucky i even let you inside at such an early hour!’ He berated, opening the door fully and letting you in. Apparently, 12 pm was still morning in this guy’s schedule. He was grateful for the darker surroundings, if not, you could of seen how his face burned in embarrassment.

•Kunikuzushi flipped the dim lights on, treading towards the bathroom as he left you to your own devices in the main area. ‘I won’t be long, organise the room as you wish.’ He dismissed with a wave of his hand, slamming the door shut. Despite his quite disoriented impression, he had basic decency to at least make space for your possessions and provide you with some extra snacks in a mini-fridge on your side of the room.

•Kuni may of seemed rude and eccentric, but in reality, he had a playful soft heart, though often shadowed. Over the following weeks, he would give you some of his notes so you could catch up with the content, and in return you would give him random things you bought. Sometimes it would be as simple as a drink, other times a new notebook. You gave him a plush penguin once, to which he insisted he didn’t need and you could keep it, then the following night you saw him hugging it gently in his slumber. Definitely took a picture of that as blackmail material.

•Around a couple of days ago, you had planned to visit the library to revise for your upcoming exam, which went successful until you walked outside and noticed the ridiculous downpour of rain, comparable to a typhoon. Smacking your hand against your forehead, you called Kunikuzushi, begging him to come and give you your umbrella which you had unfortunately left back on campus. His response? ‘No can do.’ Even though this was over mobile, you could see the conceited smirk plastered on his face, as he cut the call abruptly.

•Sighing deeply, you decided to just wait for the rain to pass, sitting down on a nearby bench under a canopy whilst entertaining yourself with your phone. Little did you know, Kuni was already standing a few feet behind you, his arms crossed impatiently. Your device buzzed, signalling a notification. ‘Look behind you, dumbass’ And you did, sheepishly grinning at him, who sarcastically huffed as if he had anything else to do, another floral umbrella in his hand as he held up his own.

• The rain had calmed down in intensity as you continued walking, the ripples upon puddles grew less frequent and more so of a dripping faucet instead of a running waterfall. You lowered your umbrella and kept it to your side, glancing at Kuni to see he did the same. He reciprocated your look, a small smile present as he faced forward again. Why is he smiling?

•You received the answer to that as you tripped over something, upon falling to the ground, you noticed the retracted umbrella which grazed the concrete you once stepped on. Breathless deriding chortles were heard above you, Kunikuzushi hunched over in fits of laughter, covering his mouth. You pouted in irritation, yet you couldn’t deny his joyfulness made your heart flutter, the purity of one’s happiness.

•Once his laughter had subsided slightly, he extended his arm in an attempt to help you up from the floor. Perfect chance, it seemed as though he didn’t doubt you one bit. With all the force you could, you tugged his arm and brought Kuni tumbling to the ground with a yelp, just as you did. Although this didn’t end up as you thought. His hands were either side of your body, knee braced to the cement in-between your own, hovering above you, your faces directly in-front of another. Your own exploded in a furious blush, whilst his only wore a sly smirk, shaking his head lightly.

•’If you were this desperate, you could of just said so.’ He complacently advocated, remaining in said position whilst you sputtered out denials of all sorts, playfully shoving him away from yourself.

•Honestly, he was too much work, but that was a responsibility and chance you were willing to take. <3

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