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covenantofthedeep · 1 year ago

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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.

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aibloomie · 2 years ago

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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.

#genshin headcanons #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #xiao x reader #childe x reader #tartaglia x reader #scaramouche x reader #genshin impact x reader #mystic messenger x reader #mystic messeger headcanon #yoosung x reader

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smilingangel582 · 1 year ago

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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...

#genshin tickle #genshin impact #lee!wanderer #ler!aether #lee!aether #ler!wanderer #ticklish!aether #cute #tickle fic

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lynne-monstr · 1 month ago

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QZGS Fanwork Rec Bingo 2022 (Roundup)

In late 2022, the QZGS fandom had a rec event. I posted each rec in its own post, and now two years later, I finally have a masterlist.

I added some new recs in addition to the original set. These were in my notes at the time, but I didn't get myself in order in time for posting. I'm very glad to be able to include them now.

Rec guidelines: I tried to limit myself to one fic per author. I did not always succeed. This list is heavily biased towards yuhuang and Blue Rain because that's where my fannish interest lies.

NSFW recs or fics with content warnings will be indicated on the rec itself.

Fanworks under the cut

Pre-canon - That Dream, Passing On by kaleidastra

Author’s summary: Fang Shijing celebrated Blue Rain's first championship; along with someone he never expect he'd meet again. Rec notes: This fic makes me so happy!! It’s chaotic and funny and emotional all at once, and manages to have a lovely emotional resolution while still sucker punching you in the face in the best way. I love all of FSJ’s internal narration. And have I mentioned it’s funny! Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters: Fang Shijing, Wei Chen; gen No content warning

A work from before 2020 - they're never hiking ever again please and thank by andthenabanana

Author’s summary: “This,” Zheng Xuan says between heavy breaths, “is not bonding.” Rec notes: Ahhhh this fic is so wonderful. Blue Rain goes on a hike and there are Shenanigans. Full of teasing and team bonding and Huang Shaotian being the best vice captain. This fic brings Blue Rain to life and gives great warm fuzzies. Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters: Blue Rain; gen No content warnings

Rare Relationship focused - One big exhale (never did me no good) by UndeadRobins

Author’s summary: Different players need different incentives to help them improve. It doesn’t take long for Xiao Shiqin to figure out what Sun Xiang needs. Rec notes: The xsq/sx fic of my dreams! Their live action dynamic was begging for a fic like this, and this one delivers!I love how the dynamic between them creeps up slowly until it fills the entire page. Truly a gem of a fic. Adaptation: Live Action/Novel Characters: Xiao Shiqin/Sun Xiang Contains: light D/s, rated m

Glory focused - china's sword and curse by snoflakesun

Author’s summary: It… it could’ve been a fluke, or just a lucky moment. This was what most of the audience thought. Perhaps he had seen Yu Wenzhou’s screen, or maybe the mic didn’t pick up what he had said. But all of the pro players knew, this definitely wasn’t something that happened by chance. Rec notes: They’re partners your honor!!! Um I love everything about this. Fun banter, teamwork, and Huang Shaotian gets to trash talk as much as he wants! So much fun! I am a sucker for yuhuang synergy and fun battles and this delivers on everything. Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters:/Ships: Yu Wenzhou, Huang Shaotuan, Sun Xiang, Zhou Zekai; Yuhuang No content warnings

A fic longer than 10k - Memorable by Saxifactumterritum

Author’s summary: Huang Shaotian’s retirement is announced to the world at the last moment, right at the end of the season, but Blue Rain know about it a long time before that. Huang Shaotian retires, everyone expects him to stick around Blue Rain, but he doesn't. And then it's sad. Rec notes: Sad retirement fic 😭😭😭. My favorite thing about this fic (besides all the feelings and character stuff and friendships and OCs and everything else) is the very realistic look it takes about what happens when people move away. It’s so easy to pretend nothing will change but the truth is that it does, and it takes work to maintain those connections at a distance. The journey Huang Shaotian (and Blue Rain) take when Huang Shaotian leaves is, in turns, sad and sweet and funny and it feels like getting punched in the gut in the best way. Adaptation: Live Action Characters/Pairing: Huang Shaotian, Yu Wenzhou, Blue Rain; background yuhuang No content warnings

One of your favorite tropes - my baby brings heat like a mama does by wolframvonbielefeld

Author’s summary: GLORY FORUM POST #89566: huang shaotian is NOT in love with yu wenzhou. false alarm. Rec notes: A bit “idiots to lovers,” a bit “didn’t know they were dating,” and a whole lot of mutual pining and also friendships! This fic is just so much fun! Bonus for one of my all time favorite visual moments with huang shaotian getting caught (bewildered) holding a massive tub of lube. Brilliant, a masterpiece. The fic is unfinished, but I believe it’s just the epilogue that isn’t posted, and the existing fic delivers on emotional resolution. So even if you avoid WIPs, I still recommend this one. Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters/Ships: Yu Wenzhou/Huang Shaotian, various pros Contains: NSFW (Rated Explicit), sexually explicit, omegaverse

Free Space - Out With the Old and in With the New by smallspace

Author’s summary: Everything is swapped! The avatars are playing a slice of life tabletop roleplaying game where they are the players and the esports pros are the characters. But not everyone wants to play the same character forever. Here is a series of snapshots of avatars changing their characters. Rec notes: What a fun idea! The way the TKA storyline is adapted for the swap is so clever, and the humor is top notch. I laughed all the way through (except for the knife part 😭😭) Adaptation: Donghua/Novel/Live Action Characters: avatar and player ensemble; gen No content warnings

Post-Canon - at the edge of a new leaf by GeniusCactus

Author’s Summary: Wang Jiexi and Yu Wenzhou bond over tactics and good quality tea Rec Notes: The power of teamwork!! This fic is such a lovely quiet moment between Wang Jiexi and Yu Wenzhou, and filled with all the things I love: friendship, introspection, parallels, the occasional pun, and people being stronger together than apart. Also tea metaphors! Bonus for both Tiny Herb and Blue Rain having a very strong presence in the fic despite not appearing in the story. Adaptation: Novel Characters: Yu Wenzhou + Wang Jiexi; gen No content warnings

Missing Scene - The Old Man and the Dream by Dayadhvam

Author’s summary: During Season 10, Wei Chen goes to All-Stars for the first and last time. Or: a brief sojourn down memory lane ft. one Troubling Brat. Rec notes: My heartttttt alksjdlksjfsd. It’s fine I’m fine (that’s a lie I am NOT fine I am drowning in feelings). I love them, I love them, I love them. I have so many emotions about Wei Chen’s conflicted feelings over Blue Rain and Glory and Swoksaar, and where he fits into it all. This fic packs so much of a punch and I love every second. Characters: Wei Chen + Huang Shaotian; gen Adaptation: Novel/Donghua No content warnings

Female character focus - lightning strikes thunder(clap) by afincf_tirwer

Author’s summary: Dai Yanqi knew they were wrong. She knew where Thunderclap’s strengths lay, and it wasn’t solely Xiao Shiqin’s burden to bear. It rested on everyone’s shoulders, everyone who played, to support each other and cover for where others lacked. And right now, they were lacking Xiao Shiqin. Rec notes: Dai Yanqi tactician fic!! Love this glimpse into Thunderclap without Xiao Shiqin, and Dai Yanqi finding herself and her place and growing up. I particularly love the balance between her as a serious player and also having a happy, shiny personality. Get a girl who can do both! Adaptation: Novel Characters: Dai Yanqi, Thunderclap; gen No content warnings

Made you laugh - my captain, my tortoise by Fayah

Author’s summary: “Sun Xiang, don’t you have any pride at all? Even a tortoise is more professional than you are! But saying that is an insult to my cute little pet tortoise!” Huang Shaotian gets a bit too carried away with his trash talk in Blue Rain’s match against Excellent Era and accidentally reveals that he is secretly raising an illegal pet tortoise. Rec notes: this didn’t just make me laugh, it made me howl, it’s so funny omg. Top notch humor, 10/10 amazing. Beautiful. The live action turtle fic of my dreams. RIP Huang Shaotian, he’s trying his best. Blue Rain, best team. Adaptation: Live Action/Novel Characters/Ship: Blue Rain, yuhuang No content warnings

Comic or Fanart - the adventures of tiny swoksaar by saxifactumterritum

Rec notes: This isn’t a traditional comic format, rather a series of art across two tumblr posts depicting a tiny Swoksaar breaking out of his snowglobe to seek a tiny snowglobe Troubling Rain. The art is so rich with details, I really feel like I am getting a glimpse of Huang Shaotian’s living space and all the knickknacks he owns. All the poses are so dynamic and full of motion, and the facial expressions are fun and evocative. And the story it tells is adorable! Bonus for live action-based art, which is particularly rare and brings me endless joy. Adaptation: Live Action Characters/Pairings: Swoksaar/Troubling Rain No content warnings

Art link

Alternate Universe - A Life Given, A Life Restored by NR_Red

Author’s summary: Yu Wenzhou was a cyborg, and sometimes he thought he may have forgotten what it was like to be a ‘complete human’. Rec notes: A yuhuang meet cute AND super cool worldbuilding! All the rich details make me feel like I am getting a glimpse into a much larger world. The contrast between Yu Wenzhou’s matter-of-fact acceptance and Huang Shaotian’s enthusiasm is just as wonderful here as it is in canon. Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters/Pairing: Yu Wenzhou/Huang Shaotian No content warnings

Team focused - Initial Actions (Not Initiations) by Syncogon

Author’s summary: Team Blue Rain welcomes their newest member. It’s a great time! Almost no regrets are had whatsoever. Rec notes: I admit I am biased on this one because this fic was gifted to me for secret santa but also it’s amazing so i am in fact not biased at all. Rec Notes: I love this both for the team dynamics (new player traditions! Spicy noodles! So much teasing! They’re a family!!) and how all the players get distinct personalities, and the individual character moments (Zheng Xuan!! And the tiny hints of Yu Wenzhou and Huang Shaotian’’s history glimpsed around the edges). This gives me such happy warm fuzzy feelings and I love it every time I read it. Lu Hanwen’s outsider POV on the team is a constant delight. Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters: Blue Rain; gen No content warnings

Crossover/Fusion - Lu Hanwen and the Wizard of Oz by SeiryuuSuzaku

Author’s Summary: Lu Hanwen is now the Captain of Blue Rain and trying to do his best to lead his team. But he has his doubts and his impulsive indulgence in chicken is going to give him a very strange dream that night. Gods of Glory are everywhere; Even in your dreams (●'▽'●)ゝ Contains: no content warnings Rec notes: Whimsical and delightful but at the same time, such a lovely character study of Lu Hanwen as captain of Blue Rain. This is exactly the kind of humor/crack I love, with just the right amount of seriousness woven into the shenanigans. And so many hilariously funny visual descriptions! I snorted out loud several times! Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters: Lu Hanwen; ensemble No content warnings

Made You Cry - somebody that i used to know by BlueberryAsh

Author’s Summary: “I’m not him,” she says. “Nobody can ever be him. But I’m here. Ye Xiu, I’m here. Let me help.” Set within the confines of s01e35. Rec notes: I’m starting off my recs with an easy one, because this fic came immediately to mind when I saw the prompt. There’s just so much packed into all 533 words of this fic. I love the vibe of it—so much history and emotion and nearly none of it is said out loud and it doesn’t need to be. One of my favorite parts of this is that Su Mucheng and Ye Xiu are in this together, and there’s such a heavy weight to their history that comes across in the fic. And also it’s sad pegging, which I think is great. Pairing: Su Mucheng/Ye Xiu, past Su Muqiu/Ye Xiu Adaptation: Live Action Contains: pegging, angsty pegging, nsfw, canon character death

A non-english work or translation - 夜莺 by 青山为雪 (Verdancia)

Author’s Summary: L向群星致意。(t/l: Greetings to the stars) Rec notes: i have sadly only read this via machine translation, but even with the clunky “translation” this fic is gorgeous and I love it deeply. A lot of the story is told in flashback,and follows Astronaut/explorer Huang Shaotian and his relationship with Yu Wenzhou over the years. A series of partings and reunions set against the backdrop of a mystery in the current day. There’s some cool funky stuff the author does with time and perception that eventually rips your heart out in the end, but it’s worth it. Adaptation: Novel Pairing: Yu Wenzhou/Huang Shaotian Contains: There is major character death involved but it’s a bit of a twist that unfolds as the fic progresses. If I were to tag it as if it were my own fic, I would use “Choose Not To Warn.”

Prequel Era - This rec is a 2-for-1. Art and fic!

Fic: not yet by saxifactumterritum

Author summary: just a little moment before ywz is captain, before he and hst are in a relationship, before they've quite got to friends. anyway they're dancing in a dark room instead of doing chores. Rec notes: ASLKJSDFLKJS! One of my favorite things about this fic is how it says so much in so little. It’s a tiny slice of life moment but it’s also a silent turning point for Yu Wenzhou and Huang Shaotian, the shift from two people towards a real partnership. It’s quiet and soft, like a liminal moment made real. Characters/Ship: Yu Wenzhou, Huang Shaotian; pre-relationship Adaptation: Live Action No content warnings

Art by bienmoreau

Artist caption: “I’m glad you found me.” “I nearly didn’t.” Rec notes: There is so much life in this art that it blows me away every time I look at it. The poses, the facial expression, the amazing use of light and dark. I feel like this art just reached into my brain and scooped out the fic and brought it to love. It’s so gorgeous and amazing and absolutely stunning.

As an extra tiny bonus, I will link the podfic I did for this fic. Advance apologies for my pronunciation. I can only hope it doesn’t overshadow the vibe of the fic. (Is it tacky to link my own podfic? Perhaps, but this fic is so great that I want people to be able to read it in multiple forms)

A fic shorter than 1k - Curse or gift by UndeadRobins

Author’s Summary: Swoksaar knows curses. After all, he’s a warlock and there’s no one knows curses better than a warlock. Rec Notes: Short and sweet and right in the feels. I love the matter-of-fact tone that gently eases from statements of facts and into feelings. And bonus for avatar fic <3 Adaptation: Novel Characters/Pairings: Swoksaar/Troubling Rain No content warnings

Meta - Raindrops to a Downpour by TheDefenestrator

Author’s Summary: How could two people so different ever make an effective combination? Rec Notes: While not technically meta, this fic gives me cool meta vibes so I'm going with it. Meta in a fanfic hat, perhaps. Anyway, I love the thread of mirroring and parallel that runs through the fic. Under the surface of fast vs slow lies something much deeper and more complex Adaptations: Novel/Donghua Characters/Pairings: Yu Wenzhou + Huang Shaotian; Yu Wenzhou/Huang Shaotian No content warnings

A “Comfort Food” work - What do you want? By Saxifactumterritum

Author’s Summary: Huang Shaotian meets Sun Zheping by accident. He's a little bit overwhelmed by how cool Sun Zheping is. This is going to be very fun. Rec Notes: This fic is so fun! Huang Shaotian swooning over Sun Zheping is so adorable. And huge bonus for all of Huang Shaotian’s other friendships in the background - with Ye Xiu, with Zhang Xinjie, his relationship with Yu Wenzhou that’s mostly in the background but no less strong for it. At it’s heart, this is a getting together fic but all the various friendships breathe so much life into the story. Also, Sun Zheping’s jacket is super cool. Adaptation: Live Action/Donghua Characters/Pairings: Huang Shaotian/Sun Zheping; Yu Wenzhou/Huang Shaotian (polyamorous relationship) No Content Warnings

Minor Character Focused - I (don’t) wanna be the very best by jellysunfish

Author’s Summary: Zheng Xuan's season 8 quest to find Zhang Jiale and make him un-retire himself so Zheng Xuan doesn't have to carry the burden of being the GPA'S #1 Spitfire. How stressful. Rec Notes: Another fic where I’m maybe cheating because this fic was gifted to me. But is it not in the spirit of a gift exchange to love your gift? So perhaps it’s not cheating after all. This fic is such a delight, I reread it all the time and it never fails to make me laugh. Zheng Xuan is so relatable in his search to not work too hard or get too much of the spotlight. And I appreciate him gleefully throwing his teammates under the bus in his efforts. I cackle so much at all the shenanigans! Adaptation: Novel/Donghua Characters: Zheng Xuan, Zhang Jiale No content warnings

And that's a wrap! If you made it this far, please give the fic authors and artists some love <3

#the king's avatar #fanfic rec #qzgs fanwork rec bingo #yuhuang #qzgs #not quite a blackout but i came pretty darn close

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kanonavi · 1 year ago

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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

#genshin impact #xiaoven #venti #xiao #venti genshin impact #xiao genshin impact #fic recs #fic rec list #the ficshelf #Maybe I should make my own rec tag so I stop losing fics I reblog but uhhhh tired :)#I technically cheated with bouquet of lies because I only read the sequel this year #But I feel like it made more sense to rec the first fic in the series instead of the second #Also if anyone I tagged in this doesn't want to be please just let me know and I'll remove you #I don't want to offend anyone's privacy

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none-shall-caricature-me · 10 months ago

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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 ?

#xuexiao #yi city #is this anything #mdzs #xue yang #xiao xingchen #mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #cql #the untamed

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