#i'm a sucker for xiao

[spookykingdomstarlight]

there will be no escaping the urge to listen to 《余年》 on repeat for the rest of the day

[thatonecrypticrobyn]

Just for the hell of it, please take my top 20 favorite Genshin Impact characters.

[viatrixtravels-a]

ROMANTIC GESTURES

bold what applies to your muse, italize if there's potential / it depends. repost, don't reblog !

holding hands · holding onto arm / holding out arm · buying flowers · cooking · cuddles · writing a poem / song · holding door open · tying shoe laces · sharing a milkshake with two straws · offering their jacket when it's cold · kissing in the rain · publicly confessing love · long walks at the beach · doing the titanic pose on a boat · taking cute pictures in a photobooth · sharing a taxi / uber · kissing the back of their hand · slow dancing · getting tickets of their favourite artist / sports team / other · introducing them to their parents · lighting candles · flower petals on bed · love letters · star gazing · brushing / doing their hair · picnics · teaching them to play an instrument / a sport to wield a sword while gently guiding their hands · compliments · late night drives · taking selfies together · drawing them · self-made gifts · massages · proposing with a family heirloom ring · lending them their favourite book to read · paying for dinner / coffee · mixtapes / playlists · surprise birthday parties · feeding them · handing them keys to their apartment teapot · making space in drawer for their clothes when they stay over · sharing a blanket · couple costumes · tucking a hair strand behind their ear · running after them at the airport / keeping them from leaving · moving cities worlds to be together · blowing a kiss · breakfast in bed · defending them in a fight (verbally / physically) · joint bubble baths · dropping the L-bomb ("I love you") · dedicating a song at the karaoke bar to them · wearing their clothes · yawning before putting an arm around them while watching a movie · grant them the last bite (from meal)

[sugarspikesart]

Showing you guys this now that Little Prince Oscar is confirmed tehee

"The Little Prince and his Rose"

I was going to keep this one until RG Kiss day arrived but i couldn't wait and besides, that's in July and we're in June so I have time to make more of these

I thought abt the Little Prince and then I decided to make this. I know Ruby wouldn't wear such a long dress (although she's wearing combat boots underneath) but oh well, this isn't canon so... I wanted to make Ruby Rose as a literal Rose Princess

[yzashaven]

okay but needy mean dom! xiao 🫣

꒰ —♡ fem!reader︰not too mean xiao </3 ✰ implied overstimulation ✰ degradation ✰ slight dacryphilia if you squint ✰ creampie!! ✰ biting ✰ mentions of marking ✰ tiny bit of manhandling (holding you down is all) ✰ not proofread ꒱

i actually wrote this after listening to this

୨୧. hi there ! i've written something similar to your request already but here's some more just for you xiao cock suckers <3 [other fic] + i'm sorry if this one's a bit bad :(( i just got home from practice a while ago and wanted to write something :3

꒰ general﹒taglist ꒱ @yukiitaooo @scara6 @kana-de @ciarchivez + special tag for @peakalatus

"x-xiao!! i can't take it anymore—"

"shut up. you can and you will." the rough snapping of his hips against yours continued, despite your pleas which were accompanied by tears falling due to the overwhelming pleasure. "see how easy it is to simply succumb to the pleasure? just shut your mouth and take my cock." hearing his words made you bury your face into the pillow in front of you, hugging it tightly and muffling your moans through its softness as your tears dampen the silk sheets of it.

if it weren't for his hands gripping onto your hips, you'd definitely be laying flat on the bed right now. "my little slut, you feel so good~" xiao groans out, "such a whore. all for me?" his palm sharply makes contact with your bare ass, eliciting a lewd cry from your drooling lips. "answer." you nod swiftly, "y-yes! mmphf~ all for you!!" after hearing that, it didn't take long before he began to hold you down by the back of your neck as he began fucking you at an intense pace.

soon enough, his pace slows down but the sharpness of his thrusts never left as he began slamming into you. hard. "fuck!! i'm gonna cum—take it all." he leans down to bite on your shoulder in an attempt to silence out the whimpers slipping past his lips as he lets the feeling of ecstasy take full control of his body, desperately thrusting into you. louder moans rip through your throat as the feeling of him filling you up for the umpteenth time get mixed with the pain being given from his teeth digging into the flesh of your shoulder.

he gently lets go of you, catching his breath for a few moments before his fingers find themselves digging into your hips as he slowly starts up a new pace. "hah~ i'm gonna fuck you until i'm satisfied, and you'll be taking it with no complaints like a good girl, mmh?" he whispers huskily directly into your ear, tightening his grip even more, being sure that it'll leave bruises and obvious marks on your skin.

this is gonna be a long night...

[genshin-squabbles-and-wobbles]

Heyy! I would like to request a few headcanons of alhaitham, scaramouche and xiao (separately) with a reader who is like, very nice and sweet but also super impulsive, so they're pretty much always dragging them into dumb shit (kinda like yoimiya but like more chaotic i suppose) if you end up writing this, thanks, and even if you dont, thanks anyway!

Hello my dear, yes I can! Thank you for submitting this cute request. :)

Alhaitham ╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗

At first he would find it annoying or just tiring. He would also nag at you about it and protest. Despite this, it's always your sweet and soft nature he would sign and give in. "A Sumeru Festival? Why? H-Hey wai-"

He would sometimes tell you that he is busy, or have things to do. If you were to get distracted and leave him mid way, he would leave and do his own thing or find a nearby area to sit and read.

Overtime, he would start finding it endearing and cute.

He would do little small experience to see what distracts you and what gets your attention and maybe even use it to his own advantage if needed.

If you were to come back to him with the things you got distracted by, he would sit patiently and listen and even look at the thing you got as you tell him about it. Whether he knows what it is or not, he would let you explain it to him.

"Ah, let me guess, did that stand with food catch your attention by any chance? I thought so. Well, I bought some of their food ahead of time, so here you go."

Eventually he would beat you at your own game, as he can see a pattern on what distracts you or makes you chaotic. Once he understands you and sees why these things catch your attention, he would actually enjoy watching you get distracted.

He will start finding it cute, as you always seem to get so excited and worked up over things.

Overall, he became a sucker for you and will NEVER admit it to you.

Scaramouche╔═.·:·.✧ ✦✧.·:·.═╗╔═.·:·.✧ ✦✧.·:·.═╗╔═.·:·.✧ ✦✧.·:·.═╗

Ah yes

This asshole

He would 100% nag at you, and call you annoying. He might even put a leash on you, so you can drag him as he is flying in the sky when you run around. Haha, nah I'm kidding. Unless...?

He would often call you out on it. "Why are you always going off when I look away for 2 SECONDS?"

However, your kind and loving personality makes him care for you, and worry for you when you go off on your own.

He is in denial of this of course.

At first, he would scold you for being annoying for it. Even leave you behind. However...over time

He would start scolding me by always saying. "Something could have happened to you, and I wouldn’t be able to protect you!"

If you kept doing it, he would stop scolding you and keep holding your hand, so if you went off, you would take him with you. Or he would use his flying powers to search for you.

If he knows some things will trigger your chaoticness, he would inform you about it since your nature grew on him and...

it's pretty nice to see someone so excited about everything in life when he lost that a long time ago. He starts becoming soft and loving to you because of that.

Maybe even spoiling you, and who knows. You might make him enter a new age of himself where he becomes chaotic and kind about everything around him.

Xiao ┌──❀̥˚───❀̥˚─┐┌──❀̥˚───❀̥˚─┐┌──❀̥˚───❀̥˚

He is totally cool with it. He truly does not mind it. In fact, you would catch him flashing a small smile at you as he watches you let your chaotic energy go.

You would often say his name when you go off on your own, so he knows where you are, as he would appear every time you chant his name excitedingly.

He enjoys your sweet and loving nature. As someone who had a rough life, it is very nice to see someone who seems to find interest and happiness in things.

He would often inform you about things that excite you, and would always accompany you to banquets, restaurants, festivals, and even doing quests with you.

It is just refreshing and nice to have someone like you by his side, you have truly become a soft spot for him.

You are someone who he is fiercely over-protective with and would protect you from anything that would crush your excited and chaotic nature.

Overall, he spoils you and makes your chaotic nature 10 times worse.

[veliseraptor]

Top 5 whumps you've put Xue Yang through 🥰

how do I choose, so many of them are so much fun.

1. the boy gets alien'd in Embedded. what can I say? apparently what I wanted was for Xiao Xingchen to go fishing in Xue Yang's body cavity, so I wrote it. and it was a lot of fun! good gory fun.

2. retraumatizing the boy in splinters. I love thematically appropriate whump that digs into a characters' pre-existing issues and that's what this one was all about.

3. just regular traumatizing the boy in Ground Zero. I mentioned this one in a self recs post I did recently but it really is a self-favorite for just...expanding on a thing that actually did happen but doesn't get dwelled on as much as it could. you know. one thing I am about in whump is dwelling on the consequences of injuries that aren't elaborated in canon.

4. impalement in it hurts at first (but it ain't that bad). I'm a sucker for impalement, is the thing. and this one was a lot of fun to write, both for the whump itself and all the surrounding stuff with putting Xiao Xingchen through the moral dilemma wringer in the background.

5. just regular ol' torture in Punitive Measures. sometimes you just gotta get back to basics.

this post makes me sound kind of deranged. oh well

[covenantofthedeep]

to kiss in cars and downtown bars ☆

☆ feat. | kazuha, venti, kunikuzushi, heizou, xiao and aether! ☆ summary | you go out to a bar with them. antics ☆ tw: mentions of alcohol and bars, suggestive - reader is referred to as "pretty", "beautiful" , "handsome" etc ☆ author's note | this is perfectly normal i am perfectly normal for venti i am so n o rmal. im so sorry if this is too suggestive

venti |

you're sitting on one of the high barstools, watching venti out of the corner of your eye. he's singing, gesturing wildly with the hand that's holding a wineglass filled with something that looks like champagne, and his hair's not in its typical two braids; you'd watched a group of girls do it up in a singular loose dutch braid. you wonder, briefly, how it would look loose, cascading around his face and catching on his cheekbones. you wonder how it would look if you ran your hands through it, how it would look sticking up? you wonder how he would look untucked, maybe if you kissed him....

when you snap out of your reverie, he's staring right at you, a knowing smirk ticking up the corner of his lips. as if he knows exactly what you're thinking. a hot flush spreads up from your chest, and you're positive you've turned red. the flashing lights play across his face as he tilts his head, and suddenly the room is far too hot, far too confining, and you're regretting coming out at all. you turn away and flash a smile at the bartender, setting a few bills down on the counter before gathering your purse and shouldering your way through the crowd.

outside, it's started to drizzle, and the air is cool and crisp on your fiery cheeks. you close your eyes and turn your face towards the stars, listening to the sounds of the bar behind you, the wind whistling through your hair. you shiver; it had been warmer when you had left and so you had neglected to bring a jacket, and now goosebumps pop up all over your arms. you sigh, thumbing your phone in your purse, ready to call a taxi to take you home, when someone grabs your arm from behind.

you spin around, muffling a shriek--and realize it's venti. he's smiling at you in that self-satisfied way, the same smirk he was giving you in the bar, the same smirk that has your heart pounding faster than it should be and your cheeks flushing. "venti!" you stutter out, squinting at him. "what are you doing out here? you should be in there." you gesture in the vague direction of the club.

venti's gaze flicks up and down your body, and suddenly, despite the goosebumps, you're far too hot. "well," he says, shifting from foot to foot, and is it your imagination, or does he look nervous? "well, you looked intoxicated. and i thought i should check on you, and help you get home, since you're my friend."

at that word, friend, you deflate. of course. you're just imagining things. you're just friends. you clear your throat. "i appreciate it, but i'm fine, really. i'm just tired, seriously. i think i'll call a cab and go home."

venti quirks an eyebrow, toying with a loose strand of hair that hangs in front of his face. you're seized with the sudden urge to tuck it behind his ear and you entertain the idea. just friends. "do you want me to walk with you?" he asks. "it's such a lovely night, you can see all the stars!"

you can't help yourself; you glance up. raindrops pitter down your face, trickling down the neckline of your top. you shiver. clouds coat the sky, a quilt of puffy gray against a deep navy background. "you can't see any stars, venti," you say, exasperated, still looking up. "and i'm cold. i think i'll just.. call a taxi. thank--" you look at him and cut yourself off, because he's staring at you.

the look in his eyes sends a sucker punch to your gut, knocking the wind out of your lungs and seizing you with the urge to curl into yourself. then he blinks and the moment's gone, and he's holding out his coat. "here," he says gently. "i'll walk with you."

you take it from him, and your fingers graze his, and it feels like you've been dipped into a pot of molten lava.

walking home is almost torture; walking just so apart, close enough that your fingers brush when you step but not enough for you to grab his hand if you wanted. the rain soaks your hair, plastering it to your forehead and droplets collect on his eyelashes like diamonds. when you reach your door, he smiles. "have a good night, yn," he tells you, turning to make his way off of your stoop.

"wait," you call, taking off his jacket. the rain plunges around you in ice-cold sheets, and you miss it already; the smell of champagne and flowers clinging to the warm fabric. he glances over his shoulder. "keep it," he says. "i'll get it next time."

and he winks.

kazuha |

when kazuha calls you, for some reason, you pick up. and, for some reason, when he invites you to the bar downtown (it'll be fun, i promise) you say yes. when he hangs up, you cradle your head in your hands and debate calling him back and cancelling, but then again, it's been a hard week, and maybe a night out is just what you need?

lurking in the corner of the bar, you realize that a night out is not what you need. the bar is hot and stuffy, and everyone reeks of cheap alcohol and cigarettes. you wish desperately for your bed, and you lost track of kazuha an hour ago. you cup your hand around your phone screen, squinting to see the time, and realize that it's almost dead. "shit," you mutter. "shit, shit. shit." you lean your head back against the wall and close your eyes, considering walking home or maybe taking public transport? but at this hour, the buses are notoriously known to be packed full of drunks and junkies, and you have no desire to deal with that, not now.

"hey, yn," slurs a voice near your ear. "yn, yn, yn! yn! can you hear me? yn!"

you jerk your eyes open and squint. "kazuha? are you... are you drunk?"

kazuha laughs; a noise so uncaring and free, so unlike his usual self that you have no choice but to smile. his usually pale cheeks are flushed, whether it be from the drink or the heat, you don't know. his hair hangs around his face, and the top button of his shirt has come undone. you wrench your eyes away from it and search his face instead. "drunk? me?" he asks, so innocent and dubious that you could've believed him if it weren't for the fact that he's leaning heavily against the wall. "i'm not drunk. i haven't drunk anything tonight. i'm just saying hi to my favorite pretty friend. can i not say hi to my favort.. favort... favorite pretty friend?"

you flush, tearing your eyes away from his face. "do you know how you'll get home, kazuha?"

he ignores this question and instead takes your face in his hands. "your eyes," he says, eyebrows furrowing, "are like pools. i could, i could dive in them. and swim. mmm, i love swimming." he lets go of your cheekbones, the skin where his hands were on you burning, almost as if on fire. "hmmm."

"okay, that's enough," you say, taking his elbow and steering him towards the exit. "i'll take you home. do you have a car?"

"yes! yes, i have a car. i drove here. are you going to drive me, favorite pretty friend?" he asks, wrapping an arm around your waist.

and so you wind up in kazuha's shitty red bug, his forehead resting against the dashboard. "kazuha?" you ask worriedly. "are you going to puke?"

he laughs dryly. "maybe. it wouldn't make a difference, not in this shitty car anyway. it's already been ... trashed." he leans back in his seat, finally, and gazes up at the stars. "the sky looks beautiful," he whispers, almost to himself. then he looks at you, the sparkles of the constellations reflected in his eyes causing you to blink and lose your focus for a moment.

the rest of the ride passes in silence, with you occasionally glancing over to check on his state--every single time, he's watching you. you can feel his eyes rake over your body, pausing when he gets to your eyes. you shift uncomfortably in your seat; why is he doing this? after maybe the fifth minute of this, you pull the car over. "okay, what is it?"

"what?" he asks quickly, folding his hands in his lap.

"why do you keep... staring at me? looking at me? do i have food on my face?" nervousness keeps you rambling, keeps you from looking at him.

"oh, i... no," he mutters, and when you finally do look at him, a flush is creeping up his neck.

"then?" you demand, impatient. you hadn't signed up for this, babysitting a drunk kazuha when you could've been tucked into your bed with your book, maybe some ice cream.

"i was just, i was just thinking how much i'd like to... kiss you."

you freeze; opening your mouth, and then closing it. "i'm sorry, what?"

and then he's holding your face, similar to the way he did in the bar, and tipping your chin up. his hair falls into your face, feather-light strands brushing your cheeks. his eyes catch onto yours, intoxicating, filled with the night sky. he brings his lips to yours, and he tastes like sweet champagne and, undeniably, kazuha.

when he pulls away, your hands are shaking on the steering wheel and he settles back with a self-satisfied smirk. "well," he says conversationally, his flushed cheeks and blown pupils shattering his façade of nonchalance. "now that we've got that out of the way, shall we continue?"

kunikuzushi |

you heave a sigh, nursing a coke, scrolling through instagram on your phone. why are you here, at a dinky bar, with kuni nowhere in sight? he had been glued to your side for practically the entire night; sullen, quiet, and holding a bloody mary from which he had taken exactly two sips, and then all of a sudden, he'd vanished.

now, in his place, is a burly boy with his hair combed aggressively away from his face--he's been trying to buy you drinks all night, all of which you had politely refused. now, he's teetering on the edge between tipsy and fully, completely, wasted. "oh, come on, you pretty little thing," he urges. "just one drink? just one drink and one dance, come on."

you fight the urge to get up and leave; that'll make him angry, and in his current state, you don't want to deal with it. "no, thank you," you say again, politely. "i'm the designated driver for my friend, and i have to stay sober."

he rolls his eyes heavily, taking a huge swig from the current drink in his hand. "oh, but fuck that, handsome. you can just come home with me, and your friend can call an uuuuber. come on, i promise i'll make it worthwhile!"

you shove down a retch and flash him a civil smile, turning back to your phone. you jump when he slams a glass down in front of you. "drink!" he shouts, and you cringe away from his flying spittle. "drink, godammit! i said, drink, i don't care about your pathetic little friend!"

you open your mouth, ready to bite back a retort and storm out of here, fuck kuni, when none other than kuni stands between you and the man. all five-foot-four of him. you can't help but feel flattered, his hat clenched in his fist and his hair mussed. he leans close to the man and whispers something in his ear that causes him to jerk back and settle on a stool at the other end of the counter.

"kuni," you breathe, grabbing his shoulder. he spins around, looking at a spot above your right ear. "kuni, thank you. i mean--i could've handled it, but thank you."

"i know you could've handled it," he spits out. "i just. well. i wanted to help. you've been sitting here, and you look so--" he clamps his mouth shut, pointedly looking at your eyebrow. "anyways. are you ready to go?"

you shake your head, confused. "i mean, yes-- i am, but i thought you were having fun? don't you... we can stay here a little longer, i don't mind."

"no," he says stiffly. "no, we're going. i would like to go now, so we are. unless you'd rather stay here with that guy?" he raises an eyebrow and gestures towards the man he'd just run off.

you can't suppress the chuckle that bubbles out of your chest. classic kuni, ditching halfway through and taking everyone with him. although in this case you can't be annoyed, judging how you weren't enjoying yourself anyway.

"okay, no, no, i'm coming," you laugh, grabbing his hand. "c'mon, it's an absolute madhouse. keep ahold of me while we go through, otherwise who knows what would happen?"

kuni has seized up, looking at your hand in his, his hat dangling limply from his other hand. "um," he mutters. "um, i. yeah, sure." and he drags you through the crowd.

kuni's hand in yours, his rough callouses against your smooth palm, sends sparks up your arm. you want to watch his constantly angry face split into a smile--or at least ease up on the frown. you want to watch him laugh. and you want to kiss that bastard.

the two of you emerge from the bar, stepping out of the suffocating heat into cold night air that can't be above freezing. why had you opted to go sleeveless? you shiver, rubbing your hands up and down your arms, casting a glance at kuni's thick jacket. "kuni," you say, smiling at him. "can i borrow your jacket? it's so cold out, and i don't want to walk home...."

kuni scoffs. "who said we were walking home? it's cold, i don't want you to -- i mean, it's too cold for this. my ears are going numb."

you tilt your head. "you don't want me to what?"

his pale cheeks go red. "i mean, i don't want you to catch a cold." you laugh, and he quickly adds, "just because, you know, then you wouldn't be able to drive me anywhere! no other reason, that's it, i promise."

he looks so flustered you almost feel sorry for him, but you can't stop. "you're worried about me, aren't you?"

he crosses his arms. "i'm not. i am not worried about you. stop smiling at me like that! it makes me want to--" he cuts himself off, but this time you don't goad him. you look at him, your heart a butterfly in your chest, your hand warm in his. you step a little bit closer and bend and place a kiss on his cheek. "just for warmth," you tell him, his face beet red and his hand death gripping yours.

xiao |

somehow you've persuaded xiao to let you put his hair up into a ponytail, and archons, you want to kiss him.

you lean against him as he tugs on his hair, scowling at his reflection in his phone camera. "xiao, leave it alone," you tell him, pushing his hands away. "it looks good! it looks good. i promise."

he sighs. "i guess if you say so," he mutters, tucking his phone into his slacks and shouldering his way into the bar. you lag behind, watching the muscles of his arms tense as he reaches up--again--to tighten the ponytail. he turns around and flashes you a small smile, pointing towards the bar. you give him a thumbs-up, grab a coke, and lean against the wall.

it's two hours later, after you've struck up a conversation with a boy--he's awfully cute, you have to admit--that you realize you haven't seen xiao in quite some time and you haven't checked your phone. pulling it out, you see that xiao's blown it up with texts, ranging from yn, where are you? to yn, i'm going to leave without you to yn, coem hep me. you excuse yourself and stand up on your tiptoes, scanning the floor, a furrow creasing between your eyebrows. he didn't really leave without you, did he?

arms wrap around you from behind and you whirl around, coming face-to-face with xiao's chips-of-gold eyes, his nose an inch away from yours. "yn," he says, his voice a deep rumble. "there you are, i've been looking for ages."

you stumble back. his breath smells like wine, and he smells like his cologne--sharp, faintly floral. you inhale deeply, reveling in the smell, and then ask, "xiao, are you drunk?"

he scoffs, shaking his head, but you can tell--he's listing to the side, his hands gripping your shoulders far too tight, his last couple of texts. that explains it. sober xiao would never be this close to you, let alone touch you. and yet, you wonder, staring at his lips, if perhaps...? what other things could drunk xiao do?

you step closer, grabbing onto his forearms. "do we need to leave? are you tired?"

"no," he replies, turning his head. you watch his adam's apple bob and wonder, again, what it would be like to kiss him. "i was just... tired of you flirting with that pretty boy."

you let loose a sharp burst of a laugh, thinking that this must be a joke. it has to be. xiao would never say anything like this, xiao would never act like this, this has to be a fluke. but when you look at him, his eyes are serious, his face unsmiling. "oh, xiao," you say finally. "are you jealous? you shouldn't be. you're awfully pretty as well, you know." and then you clap a hand to your mouth, surprised that you said that. out loud. to xiao.

but he's smiling at you now, his eyes crinkling at the corners, making him look absolutely irresistible. "am i, now?"

and he watches you flounder for words, burying your face in your hands. "no," you reply, your voice muffled. "you're... hideous. ugly. disgusting, even."

"hmm. sure, yn," he says, stooping to pull your hands away from your burning face. "let's get you home. i think you're a little drunk." and with that, he plants a kiss on your mouth.

shikanoin heizou |

you and heizou had planned to meet at the bar, because you lived on opposite sides of the city and catching a taxi together seemed more like a waste of money than anything. he'd called and let you know that he was standing just inside, so you head for the door and let yourself in, shoving yourself past the crush of bodies, desperately scanning the crowd for any glimpse of inazuma's famous detective. finally, you see him, and your heart... stops.

his hair is loose, his usual headband missing, and he's in something so much simpler than what he usually wears--your heart starts up again and stutters, and you wonder briefly how you haven't fainted yet. "heizou!" you shout, gesturing wildly. he turns away from the girl he's talking to, and his smile freezes on his face. his eyes rove up and down your body, taking you in, and his gaze pins you in place. you couldn't move, you think, even if he asked you to. not with those eyes on you.

you curtsy, trying to deflect his attention from you, trying to get him to stop staring at you like that. "yn." he smiles, winking at you. "look at you, all dressed up. i can hardly keep my eyes off you." you blush, knowing he's just a flirt and he says this to everyone, but you can't help but wonder, just a little, what it would be like to have him all to yourself.

"you look not too shabby yourself," you manage to force out, butterflies taking flight in your stomach when he grabs your wrist and yanks you out towards the dance floor.

it's five songs later when you protest against another dance, claiming your feet hurt--you've got blisters on the back of your feet and your toes feel like they're being severed with a chainsaw. you're not drunk, but he's vaguely tipsy, more flirtatious than usual; his hand is on your hip and the other is on the back of your neck, cradling it like you're going to kiss him. which you just might.

"noooo, yn," heizou whines, reaching for you as you peel off your heels and step back. you laugh. "heizou, you'll have no problem finding someone else to dance with. i guarantee it."

he pouts. "but i want you to dance with me! no one else! yn, please, please, please...."

the words send sparks through your chest and a flush rising in your cheeks, but you sit down on a chair. "no," you say firmly. "heizou, seriously. you're a dignified detective, act like it!"

he makes his way over to you and plops down by your feet, resting his cheek on your bare knee. "i am always dignified," he says, his voice muffled by his position. he turns so that his chin digs into your kneecap, and normally you'd push him off, but for some reason, you can't move. the place where his chin is on your knee is burning hot, boiling even, and you wish desperately that you were outside, sitting on the curb in the cool night air.

and that's where you wind up ten minutes later, heizou leaning against you, waiting for a taxi. "i don't understand why you don't have a car," you say, gently trying to shove him off.

"i don't understand why you don't," he retorts, braiding a strand of your hair. you sigh.

"it's just not logical for me. i can take the bus. but you can't, because you have no idea how to take a bus."

heizou rolls his eyes. "i can too take a bus. i'll prove it to you." he makes to stand up, but you grab his arm and pull him down.

"you can prove it to me another time, when you're not so... inebriated."

"inebriated," he repeats. he turns so that he's looking at you, staring right at you, your gaze caught in his, unable to look away. he leans closer, as though he's going to kiss you, and for a moment, you think he might. maybe, if you could just....

a honk blares beside you, and the two of you jump apart as though electrocuted. heizou's flushing, not looking at you, rubbing the back of his neck, and you're sure you look the same.

"a cab?" the driver asks, uncaring of what he's just interrupted. "a cab for ... yn?"

aether |

aether's handsome, and he's been staring at you for the better part of the last fifteen minutes. you and aether are friends; not best friends, not acquaintances. but you're just friends, which is what you keep repeating to yourself when you're seized with the urge to grab his face and kiss him senseless. he's in a loose black top with the upper two buttons undone, his face is flushed with heat, and his hair is escaping its typical braid.

"here," aether says, sliding a drink over to you. you take it from him, raising it in a cheers. you take a sip, closing your eyes. when you open them, aether's making a face at you over your glass, and you choke. as you're about to lower it down, he reaches out a finger and tips the glass up, spilling juice all over you. you cough, gripping the counter for support, frantically fanning the air in front of your face as though it would help.

aether cackles madly, snorting as you gasp for air. a dimple forms in one cheek, the perfect size to press your thumb to it. "oh, that was funny. oh, the look on your face!" he picks up his drink and takes a sip, making a face at the sharp taste.

"it's not funny!" you wheeze, crossing your arms--and then lowering them as you realize that you can't breathe.

"it was so funny," he retorts, setting his drink down. he leans closer. "you have to admit," he says seriously, eyes searching your face, "that it was funny. you're laughing."

you want to slap him, but you also want to grab his hair and pull. would it be soft, you wonder? would it tangle around your fingers....

you shake your head to clear your thoughts, almost as if they're cobwebs. you let loose a final bark of a cough and cast a glare at the glass that sits beside you, pushing it away. aether tilts his head and studies you, sipping his drink slowly. you lean closer and watch his eyes widen a fraction, bracing your elbows on his knees. his face flushes slightly--and you knock the bottom of the glass up, spilling the liquid inside all down the front of his shirt.

aether splutters, jerking his knees up so that your hands slip and you have to right yourself on the stool, laughing. "oh, you should've seen your face!" you tease, handing him a stack of napkins.

aether stops scrubbing at his shirt and sets his napkins down. you can't tell if he's gathering his composure or plotting something back against you, and you study his face, trying to figure out what he's thinking, when he reaches for you and grabs the back of your neck with one hand and your waist with the other, standing right in front of you. his face is so close to yours that you can feel his breath, smelling like alcohol and cherries. his eyes are wide, his pupils blown, and yet his lips never touch yours.

he finally pulls back, and your whole body is hot, and you find that your fingers have found their way to his wrist and your nails dug into his flesh. "you should've seen your face," he says, grabbing the pile of napkins beside him.

[aibloomie]

HOW THEY SHOW JEALOUSY

✧ featuring — childe, scaramouche, xiao, yoosung x gn!reader

→ this was going to be strictly genshin characters but omg yoosung, my love <3 I'm a sucker for him. should I make an nsfw version?

CHILDE

━ whenever he's jealous over you hanging out with anyone, you can bet that he's just going to be third wheeling you the entire time. he can't help it !! and he doesn't do it in a snobby "I want to ruin your fun" kind of way, but he's your boyfriend right? so yeah, he's going to be following behind you and your friend like a puppy and be making small comments, trying to join in on the fun. he'll literally pop out of nowhere and be like "hey what a coincidence!"

━ when the two of you are finally alone you'll hear him sigh in relief. if you point out what he was doing, childe will just pretend to not have a clue of what you're accusing him of. "what? no way! I promise, I just happened to see the two of you walking when I looked out the window. I'm glad I got to say hi to your friend."

"you're glad you got to say hi? childe, you did way more than just that." you playfully hit his arm, finding his jealous side oddly cute. "you were definitely bragging that entire time."

"was not." childe retorted.

"was too!"

"...was not."

then he pulls you close and kisses you sweetly on the lips with a smile <33

SCARAMOUCHE

━ childe doesn't get insecure over the situation that caused him jealousy because he's pretty confident, trusts you completely, and knows his worth, but not in a cocky way. he knows he still needs to put in effort, so without even realizing it, he'll get a lot more touchy and sentimental with you after the situation. he'll keep playfully flirting with you (his specialty), telling you that he loves you, and keep holding you close.

━ he gets really moody !! but he's conflicted because on one hand he wants to be upset at you and make that very clear, but at the same time he just wants to be consoled? and he doesn't quite know how to express his feelings clearly without it looking like he cares TOO much, so he just resorts to making snarky remarks at you, like, "oh? why don't you go talk to them again?" and "I'm surprised you even have time to be here considering how many times they ask you to hang out." OR "back from your little date?"

━ he makes it way too easy to tell he's jealous. he doesn't show it in the nicest way, or in a manner that's a form of healthy communication. he's scared you'll leave him, but he won't tell you because vulnerability still scares him

XIAO

━ the MOMENT you head over to scaramouche and kiss him, he'll immediately melt, with all the jealous thoughts swarming in his head beginning to fade away as he focuses on the present and the affection you're gifting to him. his fear of abandonment is slowly being healed, because you're showing him the concept of trust and loyalty again.

━ xiao himself doesn't quite understand the feeling of jealousy, but he does get it very often. it's mostly because of the way he sees others interact with you oh so perfectly, while he still struggles with communication and building proper relationships. he's scared someone will charm you enough to finally make you leave him.

━ shows his jealousy by becoming more distant, because he doesn't know if he's worthy of fighting for you and he doesn't want to get hurt. so his sentences will get shorter, and his touches will become softer to the touch until you can no longer feel them. it's hard to reach him when he's in an emotional slump, but just the fact that you're with him shows that it isn't an obstacle or deal breaker for you. you just have to accept the fact that he needs time to come around

YOOSUNG

━ in times like these you can comfort him by expressing that you want him to accompany you to town events, or that you want to show him off to people. it sounds silly but it makes him feel so included, because he feels like an outcast </3

━ he doesn't get angry or possessive, just very sad and insecure. he'll need a lot of reassurance in any way possible from you— whether it's comforting him verbally and telling him not to worry, or by latching onto him and smothering him with kisses until he cracks a smile and returns back to his cheerful self

━ he feels dejected whenever he sees you post a picture or any form of media with someone he feels could threaten your relationship. he'll just sulk under some blankets and obsess over the post, sending you some text messages and asking when you're coming back. and yeah, you can definitely tell his change of mood just by his texts because he stops using emojis and cute sentences– he basically makes it really obvious without even trying to

━ it would definitely be for the best if you introduced him to whoever the person was, otherwise he'd have a slight obsession with trying to figure out who they are himself

━ gets very clingy !! like as soon as you're back and have given him proper reassurance, he won't leave you alone for the rest of the day. he just wants to lounge on the sofa while cuddling together and watching something on tv, or maybe sit next to each other under the same blanket while playing a multiplayer video game together.

[smilingangel582]

Hey hey hey... I wanna bully our little scara -oopse I mean wanderer aka I renamed him to "Mochi" ain't that cute!

Thanks to the recent hoyofair someone gave me the idea to name him Mochi

But I'll be calling him wanderer... anyway enjoy hehe

Warning spoilers for Sumeru

A weakness?

Now, Aether likes to team up with many. He even has the audacity to call our all four archons to help him in commisssions and abyss trials.

Heck... Ei and Nahida seemed game too and Aether had no trouble teaming up with anyone.

"Worthless as expected"

Although a certain someone seemed too difficult to handle... more difficult than Xiao supposedly...

"I told you..." Wanderer elevated from the ground now, landing his wind blades perfectly striking the treasure hoarders who now fled from the new threat, "Be direct and don't hesitate... sucker..."

Aether is just sick of him now. At least Xiao opened up to him more as time went by. Wanderer just gets on his nerves a lot.

"Alright, but can you just be a little calm... nicer too, " Aether said, suddenly feeling irritated too. Blue eyes shifted away, and he grumbled, "It's not my fault you are weak"

"Mochi~, please... aren't u being too mean?" He tried to tease him to lighten up the mood, Wanderer seems too bitter to acknowledge that, so he ignored him."Whatever... can't stoop to your level ...let's finish this quickly"

Aether growled "You little..."

Smirking wanderer folded his arms. "What? You would rather have me sugar coat it and mince my words? I apologize. " he rolled his eyes sarcastically."But try and keep up...!"

Muttering Aether rolled his eyes "Rude..."

Of course Katherine as always return them their commission rewards and Wanderer folds his arms saying "Alright if that's all I'll be taking my leave-"

"Hold it, Hat guy," giggling Aether grabs his shoulders. "Let's hang out a little at the teapot... come on, you need to lighten up,"

Growling "No need I'm busy..."

"With...?"

Clearing his throat he looks away "Non of your business... so find someone else to -aaaah!"

Swirling into a sudden shift of atmosphere he knew he's being forced to enter this dumb teapot. Unbelievable, he thought and Aether grins "Come on... let's have some tea as we chat..."

To say Aether is merely annoying isn't enough. He's too troublesome. Wanderer would definitely find his company too energy wasting but also... leaving this guy alone might see wrong too. Especially after helping him ascend a lot.

He kinda felt like he owe to the traveler. Paimon was absent and that's a plus point.

"Anyway... I've been meaning to ask, " Wanderer says," Now sipping yhe tea that's brewed instantly "why do you want to chat with me? After everything we never ended on good terms either"

Aether silently drinks and then sigh "Alright that old charade... you are naive, Mochi..."

Raising an eyebrow he watched Aether scoot closer to him now leaning forward with a smirk "OK who was the guy who asked me to name him?"

Bingo, Aether grins, he blushed at that.

"Then who was the guy who gave me a lovely present on my birthday...?"

"Lesser lord Kusanali bribed me into it-"

"-And yet you didn't leave after knowing you were bribed?" Cutting in fondly and Wanderer tried his best to hide the warmth spreading on his cheeks and looks away with a stubborn huff, folding his arms "Well... think what you may... but there's no way I admit to anything"

"Aw Mochi your blush just gives it away" Aether grins poking his checking making the anemo user let out a pettish immature and yet indignant scoff "It doesnt!"

"It does..." Aether pokes his nose.

"No it didn't" swats his hand now and Aether poles his stomach grinning "It does..."

"Hey..." Yelps as the poke sent an electrifying spread on his stomach, fluttering like multiple wings chaotically dancing in him.

"Oh?" Intrigued, Aether pokes his ribs now "Are you ticklish?"

"No... absurd... why would you consider that possibility?" He backs off regardless of his words and Aether readying himself with two pointer fingers like they are guns "I don't know... but it's a possibility alright..."

"Get away from me... k-knos your place!" He threatens now eyes widening when Aether pounce on him, two fingers wiggling but not touching yet."Tickles will be your place!"

"Hehe wait! Noho!" He already feels giggles slip from his lips and Aether is tranced by it, he only has two wiggling fingers on his sides and its already making Wanderer crazy.

"Cute... I wish i done this sooner" he pokes mercilessly on his ribs and beams at the squeal of indignant protests from the former all mighty god.

"AHAHA Shihit gehehet ahahawaaay!" He curls back "Dohont...! Stahahahap!"

"Don't stop? OK... then, " Aether teases when Wanderer groans through his giggling. He notices its ten fingers wiggling under his robes now and squirms with giggles that are uncharacteristic.

Genuinely Aether grins "Your giggles are adorable... Kittenish and cute... you should laugh more"

Aether feels every attempt of Wanderer's fists trying to punch his way out but its aimless and he can't even concentrate to fly away. This ticklish technique in poking and scribbling is killing him.

"Cuhuhut ihihit out! Hahaha ihihit... stahahap!"

Grinning, an idea as he kneads his hips like a dough "Stop doing what... Mochi?"

"Tihihihickling mehehehe yohohou lohohow lihihife!"

"Oh, you want more? Sure... coming right up" he squeezes his knees, and Wanderer realises how much power tickling has over him. His whines for falling for the oldest trick in the book and shrieks "OK! Ohohok, yohohou idiot! Stahahap ihihit! Seheheheriously!"

Aether hums but pausing his attack to only push him down with his hands. "Hmm, say you like hanging out with me and ill consider..."

Wanderer widened his eyes and hesitated "Ihihi... uh..." but squeaks when Aether latches on to his thighs and giggles without Aether tickling him "Last chance... or I'll tickle you till you go crazy"

"Ahaharchons wahahit... OK ok! Mahahaybe hanging out with yohou isn't bahahad? -ahaha eek!" The shrilled noise from Wanderer when Aether reached to touch his ears made him giggle "Aha hilarious... I can't take you seriously..."

"OK I like hahahangjng out with you!" He scrunched his neck when Aether trails his fingers on his neck and ears "ahaha I said it i said I SAID IT!"

Cruelly but playfully gentle, Aether doesn't stop and hums "Hmm maybe after tickling you a bjt"

"BUHUHUT YOU SAHAHAID YOULL STAHAHAP!

"Bleh" mocking his own raspberry aether snickers "I said consider... so I considered..."

"IHIHI WIHIHILL KILL YOHOHOU!" He shrieked bloody murder and Aether honestly stopped to laugh properly at the sounds Mochi had let out through the tickle session.

"Oh archons... you sounded like being hit by the electro archons lightening there" he laughed till his own cheeks flushed as Wanderer's

The latter gasps now glaring but involuntary giggling to lighten the effect "Yohou ahahre cruhuhuel... I hahate you."

Playfully he shoves his shoulders and Wanderer falls to the side effortlessly. Aether sighing as he had been laughing as hard as Wanderer "OK Mochi...this is why I like going with you... cute and very serious"

Blushes more Wanderer turns away "W-whatever... just admit that I'm strong enough for... uh these things"

"Alright alright... you are" Aether waves his hands in surrender but adds with a playful finger sliding up Wanderer's back "But not strong enough to deal with a little tickling"

"Ah!" He shrieks at the sudden sensation and turns his back away from him glaring at him still blushing "Don't you dare! I'll-I uh I'll chomp you down like a -a shrimp masala curry!"

"Yah yah but I'll tickle you before you could" Aether giggles and takes his hat running off with loud bouncy laughs "Hehe!"

Wanderer smirks now, feeling light and happy. "Oh? Come here, you lowly traveler, and feel the wrath of the former god!"

To say Aether didn't expect revenge is a lie... he wanted things to escalate like this perhaps... although maybe he's more tolerable than before.

"Bow your head!" While tickling Aether's sides.

Or maybe his attitude still stinks, but it's adorable. Despite being an offhand aggressive jerk, he can also display softness and cuteness...

[kanonavi]

2023 XVX Fic Recs!

Hi, all, I hope you're having a lovely holiday season! Around the beginning of this year, just for fun, I decided that I would record all of the fanfics that I read this year, and during the summer I had the idea to take some of the best fics I read in 2023 and compile them at the end of the year into a rec list. Since xiaoven was the ship I read the most fics for, I've decided to just do a rec list for them this year, but maybe in the future I'll branch out more!

As with any rec list, please take note of the ratings and the tags for any given fic! Just because something suited my taste doesn't necessarily mean it will suit yours, please take care of yourselves. Now, here are 10* fics that I read this year and think that other xiaoven fans should read too! (Also uh. Sorry for how much I'm about to talk in the reviews lol)

*Keep an eye out for a few bonuses that I've peppered in ;)

~

We Creatures of Fate, by Wackachu

[Ongoing, Teen, 57.9k, 7/?]

Xiao is a weapon forged from red, carved from the hearts of weeping souls and etched into the memories of grieving mothers. While free under the care of a new God, he finds salvation, yet feels as trapped as the day the chains first clamped down onto his wrists. Venti is a God, one born from the wishes of others as opposed to his own. After losing his loved ones, he can't help but feel lost, high on a throne all alone, built upon all things he despised. The two find each other by chance, yet the rest can only be described as fate. ---------- A telling of Xiao and Venti's story with a hefty load of lore

If there is any fic on this list that should be read, it’s this one. I am an absolute sucker for speculative lore when it comes to Genshin, and the picture that the author has assembled of Archon War-era Liyue is absolutely masterful. Within the threads of that beautiful tapestry, they’ve also been interweaving Xiao and Venti’s developing relationship all the way from when they were a newly-freed Adeptus and young Archon respectively. They have a long journey ahead of them (the burn is slow, folks), and I think that said journey is an absolute must-read.

~

Extra Recs: Wackachu has also written two other xiaoven one-shots, which I highly recommend for more bite-size pieces of their excellent taste!

~

the holy light of your single lantern, by boxofcrows (@miralia)

[Complete, Teen, 34k, 6/6]

“Long divided by river and sea, For years we two have failed to meet – And suddenly to find you seems like a dream.” Thousands of years of silence, broken by a single visit.

This fic wrapped up recently, so it’s a great time to go and show it some love! One of my biggest sorrows is that xiaoven is rather lacking in really good canon universe fics compared to other Genshin ships, but this fic managed to fill that hole in my heart. The author does a fantastic job of capturing the way that Xiao and Venti’s conflicting natures and ideals can cause friction between them, all while maintaining the undeniable magnetism that they feel towards each other.

~

Relax In My Arms, by alphaparrot (@aparrotandaqrow)

[Queerplatonic XiaoVen, General Audiences, 5.9k, One-Shot]

As Lantern Rite arrives, Xiao is found exhausted and spent by Qiqi of Bubu Pharmacy, who brings him back to Liyue. Upon awaking, Xiao quickly makes his exit and returns to Wangshu Inn, where Venti is waiting for him on the balcony. Xiao isn't in the mood to party, but maybe a chill hang-out would help him relax. Venti knows just the thing to help Xiao relax and recuperate, and as they both get comfortable, they begin to reflect....

Author's Original Promo Post!

Queerplatonic xiaoven was a flavor of their relationship that I hadn’t tried before this fic, but it really sold me on it. What I’ve always loved about xiaoven so much is the inherent intimacy that can be achieved between them once all of the emotional barriers between them have been stripped away, and I think that those ideas are explored very beautifully here. Xiao and Venti trust and love each other so deeply here, and it shows in every word and touch that they exchange, and I think that it’s a must-read for anyone whose brain chemistry was altered by the ‘Endless Suffering’ trailer (so basically, every xiaoven fan ever lol)

~

i can not save us (but you can), by anemowisp (@sillygirl19)

[Teen, 19.4k, One-Shot]

two boys figure out what the hell they're doing

In the midst of one of the most turbulent times in my life, one particular line in this fic really hit me where it hurt, and it’s one of the few times that I’ve actually cried reading a fic. In my xiaoven-enjoying friend groups, we sometimes call Xiao and Venti old men with teenager problems, which means they don't always work when turned into actual teenagers/young adults with those problems, but I think this fic pulls it off really well.

~

what queer sins stain thy soul, by Anonymous (@sincerelyandyourstruly)

[Mature, 3.2k, One-Shot]

In which Xiao, long-established asexual, learns that identity is not as stable as he’d like to believe.

As an ace person myself, I feel it’s so rare to find a really good asexual character study where the asexuality is actually one of the central focuses of the intimacy taking place (if anyone has any recs of that variety please hit me up!), but I think that this fic pulled that off really well. It also delves into that particular vibe of when one’s identity might be shifting, which can be a really scary thing, but Xiao in this fic is lucky enough to have someone he loves and trusts to support him as he explores his new desires, which was really comforting to read about.

~

Where Words Fail, by kavvueh (@kavvueh)

[Complete, Teen, 34k, 12/12]

Author's Original Promo Post!

"You're Barbatos," Xiao repeats breathlessly. The young man in front of him nods. "Yep." "But..." Xiao cuts himself off and tries again. "You're the God of songs and poetry." The Anemo Archon nods his head sagely. "More or less." Xiao fixes Lord Barbatos with the most incredulous look he can manage. "... You're failing Music Theory."

As someone who was also suffering through music theory alongside Venti as this fic was publishing, all of the attention to detail in the musical aspects of this fic absolutely tickled me. But all of that was merely a foundation for a lovely story about a pair of souls finding their partner in a new life. The musical connection that xiaoven have is one of the essential tenets of the ship, and this fic did a beautiful job of using that idea to its fullest potential.

~

Extra Rec: kavvueh has recently started publishing a new xiaoven fic with a similar setting, so if you enjoy these kinds of fluffy modern aus, give that one some love as well!

~

The Stars in Teyvat are a Lie, and So Is the Sky, by yueyunn

[Complete, Teen, 148.2k, 13/13]

There were several issues that Xiao immediately took with Ningguang’s proposition for him to produce for Barbatos: his other artists had upcoming comebacks and year-end stages that required his attention, he was overworked enough as it were already, and Ningguang was not exactly someone he was looking to do any favors for. While her persistence to overlook all this was one matter, nothing aggravated him more than Ningguang completely ignoring the obstinate fact that he. doesn’t. work. with. idols.

Perhaps I was a bit like Xiao in this fic at the beginning of this year, because I approached the two idol/celebrity aus on my to-read list with open skepticism, and then ended up absolutely adoring them both. What I loved about this fic the most was how much care was put into actually translating the character’s canon backstories into the modern idol au setting. The author clearly has so much love for the characters, and it really shows through in the way that everyone has their chance to shine, even the side characters. This fic also updated recently with 15k words of extras, so it’s a great time to visit or revisit it!

~

Extra Rec: gold rush, by underthethousandstars was the other idol/celebrity au I read this year and really enjoyed, so if those aus are up your alley, I highly recommend it!

~

low-key (no pressure!), by windrise (Twitter - @/wyndrise)

[Ongoing, Teen, 75.7k, 11/?]

Following his friend’s questionable suggestion, Venti partners with Xiao—the resident grouch of his early morning stats class—for his music project.

If you want to sit down with a fic that will give you the warm fuzzies, this is definitely the one to pick. As alluded to previously, I don’t really go for modern aus as much, but this fic absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. I was getting the ‘squee’s as I read about Xiao and Venti growing closer over the course of working on Venti’s project, as the author has an excellent grasp of the deep inner kindness that the two of them hold, and how that kindness would naturally draw them together.

~

bouquet of lies, by underthethousandstars (Twitter - @/zhongliorder)

[Complete, Mature, 85.9k, 12/12]

In a world where humans can use elemental magic, Xiao uses his to move through the shadows becoming Liyue’s phantom killer. Known to the public as Alatus, he is their most notorious assassin. One day Xiao secures his biggest job yet: kill the Crown Prince of Mondstadt, Venti. Harbouring no love towards any royal family Xiao pulls off his mission with success. Or so he thought.

This fic falls solidly on the darker end of xiaoven stories (the ‘Dark Fantasy’ tag is there for a reason!), so if you happen to like your ships with an enemies to lovers flare, this is definitely one to check out. This is one of those stories that really managed to pull me into the world of assassins and political intrigue that the author has crafted, and on top of that it puts a fun spin on exploring Xiao and Venti’s individual guilt and the way that it affects them as people. The first fic in the series is finished, but the second installment is currently in progress, so I highly recommend checking that one out as well!

~

every morning in the dark, by magicites (Twitter - @/bribird_wings)

[Complete, Mature, 77.1k, 34/34]

Stuck in a time loop where he succumbs to his karmic debt, Xiao struggles to see the point in moving forward. Venti struggles to save him.

While by far the heaviest of any of the fics I’ve recommended so far (mind the warnings and the tags!!), if you can stomach the subject matter, this is one of those fics that I would refer to as XiaoVen Essential Reading. The author has a pitch-perfect grasp of what makes xiaoven, qualities which are pushed to their limits as the two of them struggle to break free of the loop that they’re trapped in. I took severe emotional damage while reading it, but my only regret was that I hadn’t read it sooner. It’s definitely A Lot, but it’s so, so worth it for anyone who really enjoys this pairing.

~

And with that, we reach the end of the list! If you've made it this far, thank you so much, and I hope I've given you some fics to add to your to-read list for the coming year! I tried to incorporate some newer fics with some classics, so hopefully there's something here you haven't heard from before.

With that said, I'll hopefully be back next year with some more xiaoven or other Genshin fic recs! <3

[none-shall-caricature-me]

I've noticed that, probably due to a desire to alleviate the grim nature of the original, many xuexiao fanfic writers opt to focus on (twisted or fluffy) romantic feelings of the characters. The emphasis ends up being on their romantic / platonic / sexual attraction rather than their incredibly juicy ideological contest and the antagonistic tension mixed with intrigue that Xue Yang shows towards Xiao Xingchen. Basically, there is too much 'lovers / froends' and not enough 'enemies' in their enemies - to - lovers / friends story. (I'm not criticising that. I'm a sucker for their mushier side too. But I'm equally a sucker for a good brutal battle of creeds.)

So let me fill this gap by describing how DELICIOUS the exploration of the 'you're my enemy and u SUCK and your worldview is RIDICULOUS but I LOVE rotating you in the microwave testing the limits of your resolve' aspect is or can be. I'll use some moments from the show / novel that I find striking in this regard.

XXC is very kind but lacks the worldly experience to be spot - on empathetic (as others have pointed out). He's also rigid to a fault. This is a VERY unpopular interpretation of mine but I believe he can be selfish / negligent in his goodness - he sheds caution about possible repercussions on his near ones in his mission to fight evil. He was smart enough to figure out the Chang massacre and trace it to XY. He knows XY is incredibly vengeful and creative in his vengeance. He's had experience with powerful people who will obstruct justice. Yet he goes ahead with prosecuting XY even when Jin Guangshan acts shady and uncooperative. Didn't he consider that this might put a target on his well - known partner Song Lan ?

Welp, then the Baixue bloodbath happens and XXC very understandably blames himself. I know we like to say it wasn't his fault, and of course it technically wasn't, but he did commit a grave error in not thinking through the consequences. It could be a miscalculation, negligence or even cavalier tunnel - vision, depending on your opinion. But anyway, XXC's morale is shattered and as others (like ameliarating) have said, he determined to never end up harming others in his quest for righteousness again.

XY wiped out Baixue for revenge, but also to kill XXC's hopes and vision, again also mentioned by others. May be a stretch, but it could be XY's way of saying 'hah, you don't care to understand why the world is as awful as it is, and then blame ME for doing shitty things to live it up in a shitty world. So let me show you how things actually work, and why my existence and lifestyle are valid.' It's like a really fucked up method of self - affirmation for XY. (Just in case - I am neutral on XY's actions. The novel doesn't give us much insight into his thoughts, so I'll withhold judgement on the nature vs. nurture debate about XY. But he's definitely an interesting character).

Then XY starts infiltrating XXC's life in Yi City. Why does he stick around after healing ? I like to think it's initially because he's a) taking advantage of XXC's generous freebies cuz why not and b) wants to torment him, yes, but he's also very very curious about XXC. Maybe it's because XXC's still out here trying to do good when many people would've either quit and hardened their hearts, or been broken irreparably. So XY think's he'll get both schadenfreude and try to find out why this dumbass saved a highly suspicious dying man and continued on his goody goody quest instead of learning his lesson. The lesson XY tried to teach him. Maybe XXC's whole deal makes XY wonder how his life would be if he'd acted nicer and more socially acceptable. Would it have saved him any pain ? Would he have had true allies then ? Did he choose a life of callous crime because he is weak - willed and 'inferior' unlike the seemingly unbreakable superiority of XXC ?

So he makes XXC kill on 'night - hunts'. Perhaps to prove that XXC got manipulated into doing harm cuz he's dumb or full of hubris and refuses to wisen up, refuses to become more cynical and wary of people. This ties back into Baixue too. Also I think the book mentions the victims are residents who mocked / cheated XXC ? If that's true, it's like XY is 'introducing' XXC to taking bloody revenge just like XY did on the Chang clan and others who crossed him / his pals. Like he's enacting teaching XXC 'look, if you keep up the good deeds, eventually you'll meet someone who ruins you so you destroy that hope for humanity and become just like me. Your way will always end in disaster, and therefore I'm justified in living like I do.'

Of course, in the end XY realises that XXC's drive to better society was his way of coping with the harsh reality of humans, especially after being ousted from BSSR's mountain. XXC didn't want to live in a sordid world. Meanwhile XY's coping mechanism was to extort the sordid world for all he wanted.

There's a tiny moment in CQL where, after the fake night hunt slaughter, XXC walks past a smirking XY and his arm brushes XY's sleeve, whose grin grows larger. It's like XY's relishing in XXC so casually touching and hanging about him totally unawares. Also he's horny for XXC's combat skills.

So yeah. Antagonist obsessed with corrupting his enemy, wrapping him around his finger, but not willing to let go. He ended up being totally down to bask in XXC's obstinate kindness despite that being the very thing he wanted to disprove and destroy.

XXC hesitates to kill XY after the reveal. What does he get from XY? Maybe it was reassuring that someone as hard - hearted and self - centred as his friend was willing to stick around in no man's land with him. It's soothing because it makes it seem like the world isn't that cruel, that perhaps the potential for good exists in people, hence helping XXC cope with his existential anxiety. He has to hold on to that hope even as his friend's identity is revealed, else there's nothing left for him since he can't bear to live in a world of evil and exploitation.

Why didn't XY move on after XXC's suicide ? If all he wanted was acceptance and shelter, he could've found so many other options. No, he was obsessed with XXC cuz he thought that if someone perfectly willing to kill him in the past over morals hesitated to kill him in the end, it must be an actual stable love. Where else, he thinks, would be find someone who loved him enough to not kill him despite them being such hostile opposites by character and circumstance ? Lots of people could love him cuz they agreed with his worldview or found it / him expedient. Who would love him even when their entire identity and misery opposed it ?

[this-blurry-photograph]

Had to watch the second episode in two parts so here are my thoughts on the second half:

I know they're giant beetles but 'He directly paralyzed that bug in one blow.' as a statement to show how badass Xiao-ge is is hilarious to me.

Uses blood magic via an ancient sword. Immediately falls into a coma. Goodness I hope this is a regular thing for him. I'm a sucker for badass characters who are also incredibly fragile.

Maybe it's just that most of the Chinese media I've consumed has been Danmei thus far but I'm getting some vibes from Xiao-ge and Wu Xie... Xiao-ge's saved Wu Xie like four times already. Wu Xie seems very facinated with Xiao-ge. And now they've been assigned as roomates at this hotel. Hmm...

Special shoutout to Xiao-ge's wet hair in this episode.

[waffleweirdo]

I finished tbf season 2! It was all around great, and I'd say overall it has been my favorite season by far!

All of the new characters were great, even if I do think Xiao Kuang Juan maybe overstayed his welcome a little bit.

Out of the new cast Lang Wu Yao and Xie Ying Luo were definitely the highlights. Lang is really cool, but also very interesting alongside Shang as his partner. Specifically their different beliefs in violence in service of the greater good. I can totally see how they'd get along and they have interesting differing opinions! Plus I'll be honest I'm a sucker for bard characters, seriously when Lang started singing the theme song it was just really cool.

Xie Ying Luo started off as a fairly simple villain, which there's nothing wrong with. Her plotting nature, and somewhat playful interactions with Shang made her enjoyable right off the bat, and in managing to steal part of the index she really proves herself as being a genuine threat. But what makes her really stand out is her overcoming the Seven Blasphemous Deaths and her search for purpose. I'm not even quite sure how to describe it, but her determination to defy it was just really impressive, and even if she was a villain her resolution with Shang felt really satisfying and was great.

Honestly I don't have a ton to say about Shang other than that he continues to be just so awesome because there are genuinely too many great moments! But the fact that he was so powerful he made crossing the wasteland of spirits easier for everyone on accident only causing himself more trouble is really funny. And my biggest takeaway from this season is his talk with Xie Ying Luo and his definition of strength. The idea that the strongest person out there is someone who can spare all their opponents and never be worried about them seeking revenge is just wonderful.

Lin Xue Ya was about the same for me this season. Getting to see his frenemies relationship with Shang cemented was nice, and seeing his usual antics is always fun (though its a bit funny that two times out of two he's sort of failed in the end when manipulating the villains, and seeing him pout is pretty funny).

The season as a whole really gave a greater focus on the sorcerous sword index which I thought was cool. Now that we've seen first hand the trouble it can cause the whole premise is really interesting to me. Essentially in a world filled with all the legendary swords and magical items that you hear about in stories there's just an insane amount of dangerous artifacts everywhere, and someone needs to make sure they don't destroy the world. Which I think is just really neat. This season did tone down the typical pulp adventure elements a bit, which I did admittedly miss at times, but overall I still really enjoy where the narrative went, and I'm excited for more!

[microtyalm13]

here's the waist beads meanings i found ->

i think that Xiao would give his SO waist beads with red, green, yellow, white, pink, gold and purple beads!!! everything for his dearest.

gavriil? depends on his mood maybe. sometimes he will just throw a waist beads with full red beads at his SO when he feels...you know. but most of time it will be red, yellow, pink, gold, white, silver.

ven probably goes for straight up gold, white, pink, silver. he would add some golden charms, too.

(i am lazy to do others lmaoo)

i am such a sucker for jewellery and shiny stuff 😔😔🙏🙏🙏 and i love your choice hehehehheh

i can see xiao doing smth like this so vividly pleaseee if you're dating him and compliment his rings\chains\bracelets he will thank you and then GIVE THAT PIECE TO YOU. no hesitation. says "it looks even better on you, darling" afterwards. the same goes for clothes too. he loves spoiling his beloved so much 😔😔

gavriil doesn't see the point in jewellery if i'm being honest and doesn't wear it himself. usually he sticks to giving you good food and good night sleep 💪

and ven is an asshole and expects gifts and offerings from YOU.

[tireddemi]

*crashes AGAIN into your asks*

I can ask anything I want??? Hmmm, perfect!

Okay, so, I don't know if this counts as spoilers or not, but ever since Tianlang-Jun brought up the topic of grandchildren, I have been thinking...

Okay, so I don't actually know whether the story will include mpreg or not (and I'm not gonna demand it either way), I usually assume yes in Omegaverse stories, but since the fic didn't feature that tag, I won't, BUT, I have to admit that I have been thinking about the idea, and SPECIFICALLY, because of the last chapter, I have been thinking of the idea of all the new little ducklings (disciples) just crowding around a new baby (I'm a sucker for baby girls). I can already imagine Xu Lian, the youngest baby, immediatly taking the role of big sister and teaching sign language to the baby.

I'm a sucker for baby fics, okay??? Even if it won't be canon, it's fun and cute to think about!

but back to the actual story: We already have the horse, the snake and the ember lion (I only remember the name Huo Qiang, please forgive me), BUT will LQG and LHB truly not give their pretty omega more beasts??? specially with how happy he gets with them and how they all seem to immediatly swear fealty for him??? He needs a celestial dragon, something for the Palace Master to fume over in the corner. He is a natural disney princess and should be treated as such!

Speaking of the Palace Master, fuck that guy! Fuck him straight to hell! Need something to pluck the Little Palace Mistress from there and place her in Ling Shou so she gets dirty and has FUN while doing it, like a normal kid! Before the spoilness sets too deep! SHE'S STILL YOUNG ENOUGH TO BE SAVED.

Also, where the fuck are LQG and LBH??? I have questions and they better have the answers!

Okay, I think I have more things to ask about, but this is all for now, thank you so much for your fic! All your updates make me very happy!

A baby in the future???? Me???? I could never 🤭

(I already have the names picked out. SY might just have to suffer through it a bit for Tianlang-Jun's quadruplets like he wanted)

Shen Yuan definitely deserves as many spiritual beasts as he can get a hold of! And I can promise you, there will be many more to come. He just has that instant Disney princess--wife beam that makes anything potentially dangerous or deadly think

: You know what, we like this guy. This is one cool-as-shit guy.

The recon mission to save the Little Palace Mistress and Gongyi Xiao would be approved by Shen Yuan and all of Ling Shou once they heard about the Old Palace Master (He'd have a hoard of children biting at his ankles within the moment.)

We shall soon see where Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge are! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask away!