#kaeya: wrong. elzer is there

[kaeyachi]

does everything start making sense when you figure out Diluc is the middle child?

[aromanticasterisms]

do you ev. do you ever. think about. head in hands

[cruel-hiraeth]

so many possibilities with Diluc and younger sister 🥺 Diluc who's so scared of losing you like he lost Keaya, Diluc who returns after years and sees how much you've changed and grown in the time he's been away, Diluc who had to take over in the role of guardian after your father passes away ❤️❤️❤️❤️

your father dies a mere fortnight before your eighth birthday.

crepus doted on you—his sole daughter, the mirror image of the love of his life. looking at you for too long would often steal his breath, though he was careful to bury his sorrow, to shield you from the pain that his grief wrought. his untimely death devastates you, and while your eldest brother immediately assumes the role as your guardian, he is rarely present as he tracks down the fatui.

diluc is a decade older than you, and he largely disappeared from your life until your coming-of-age ceremony. adelinde and elzer were thrilled when the young master returned to take charge of the dawn winery, but you were skeptical; while you had fond memories of both diluc and kaeya from when you were a child, only your adopted brother was around for your formative years. your own flesh and blood feels like a stranger.

it’s hard, getting to know your brother—your guardian—as an adult. you hardly know a thing about him (the sparing letters that adelinde would hand you during his absence never revealed much). and while you think he’s rude at first glance, as you learn his mannerisms and personality, you realize that he’s simply stoic, reserved, and prone to seriousness. but you also discover that he has a dry sense of humor and a surprising sweetness about him.

you don’t quite know when your feelings toward diluc blossom into something more intimate; you share an odd kinship outside of the ragnvindr legacy. it’s the duty of responsibility—tinged with isolation and melancholy. for the first time in your lives, you find true companionship in another person. and as your love for him kindles, you are unaware that his love of you is a blazing bonfire, one that makes the velvet night sky bleed scarlet.

while you know it’s wrong, you were both instilled with the same notion growing up: family is everything. why not, then, be everything to one another?

[wri0thesley]

nat oml this thought has been plaguing me for AGES

ok i dont have a lot of time atm to write a full brainrot for this, but what are your thoughts on the ragnvindrs + the quote "it runs in the family"?

like, adelinde and elzer are implied to have already served the ragnvindrs for a long time, right? what if crepus himself was a yandere, who kept his beautiful wife locked away inside his mansion and hushed the city (and swiftly maneuvered around her powerful friends) when they started looking for her? it's kinda weird that we don't see any keepsakes/paintings or any sign of her in dawn winery or hear anyone talk about her like they sometimes do about crepus, and i don't think diluc had a bad relationship with her. so what if the reason why we don't know what she looks/was like is because crepus (just like diluc in my other yan!diluc ask) hid her away from the world and burned most of her paper trails?

how do you think adelinde and elzer felt when they watched their former master go from a respectable and virtuous man to... that? watching his descent into obsession and madness couldn't have been good for either of them, and maybe it's those years spent doing all they can to keep the lady of the house ("a rumored member of the hexenzirkel, if you could believe it." "well, our master has always been quite ambitious.") from escaping and throwing any interested parties off their master's trail that might have formed some of their shadier hobbies and skills. it's difficult to say if the guilt still lives in them even after all this time, but conflict has become an integral part of their characters now. they know that what they did was wrong, that they were essentially accomplices to multiple crimes, but as servants to the ragnvindr household (as head maid and head butler, respectively), their duty comes before everything.

and what do you think they'd feel once they recognize their old master in the way diluc and kaeya move now?

oh i LOVE this . . . ahh. i actually really love adelinde as a kind of 'enabler' to diluc; you know, the young master really deserves something to call his own, so if the situation calls for it adelinde is more than willing to be a helping hand watching over darling, ensuring they are safe, reminding them that their life could be so much worse and they are lucky to be diluc's - and in a situation like this? where perhaps she has even convinced herself she is in the right? master crepus, after all, was a greatly revered and respected man and diluc does still wish to make him proud, so--

and it also gives an entirely new meaning to diluc's character stories and the way he loved hearing "that's my boy", too. of course he'd follow in his father's footsteps! crepus would be proud. crepus would understand why diluc does what he does, would happily indulge diluc's saviour complex where his darling is concerned--

and though kaeya might make snide comments occasionally, off-the-cuff remarks that only someone who knew everything about the ragnvindr clan would truly understand . . . the fact is, if he were in the same position, he would do exactly the same. kaeya admired his adoptive father just as much as diluc did; and if it worked for crepus . . . well. who is kaeya to deny that the thought of having someone who was just his - who could never abandon him, who would be there for him through everything - is appealing in a thousand different ways.

if he needs to use dawn winery for such purposes in the future . . . better to let diluc get on with it for now. perhaps their darlings might even be friends. who knows if a little companionship might keep them sweet.

[meili-sheep]

Diluc ranking the people in his everyday life.

I wonder who ranks highest (probably his kids)

I was going to do a tier-maker thing, but hunting down all the pictures I needed for that was too much work. Because there are a surprising amount of people in Diluc's daily life, even discount The Kids and the Knights.

As for his house staff, he has - Adelinde, Hillie, and Moco

Winery - Elzer, Connor, Ernest, and Tunner

Angle's Share -Charles and Patton

Then you go into all the bar regulars, and the number keeps going up. And in my opinion, that's a lot of people to interact with on the daily. Looking at it being outside by himself might be the only time Diluc gets to relax a little lolol.

Anyway, for ranking. I think he thinks about it in the sense of people who tire him out the most and people who tire him out the least.

And the most tiring and at the bottom are like Connor and Ernest. They tend to only come to Diluc when something has royally fuck up. When if they had told him beforehand, he could have helped prevent it or at least not gotten it so bad. But Idk I get the vibe. They are just intimidated by their boss.

Now in like D tier, we are looking at like Elzer and Patton. Again they only come to Diluc with troubles but honestly. Ezler, it makes a little more sense, but Patton, my guy, just asked Diluc for time off. He probably doesn't care that you broke his dad's wine.

Moving into C is probably Hillie and Moco. Diluc doesn't deal with them directly a lot, but he tends to make a habit of talking to everyone in the house. And they give him some good gossip which he has used to his advantage more than once. Most of the bar regulars are here too.

Now B Tunner is here, funny enough. I think Diluc made is a personal mission to see to the care of all the older workers. So especially given Tunner's declining health, he makes sure to check up in on him, and that ll his medicine is covered. I don't think they talk much outside of work but they'd got a pretty strong bond silent bond of a son who misses his father and a father who misses his son.

Of course, in A tier is Adelinde. But also, here is Rosaria. Both bring him work, but both also are good seeing the Diluc is taken care of without him really saying anything. They simply can tell what he needs when and are more than happy to help. Mostly because Diluc is someone naturally very gentle and sweet, forced into a position where he has to be strong and go against that compassionate nature at times. Both Adelinde and Rosaria are people who don't share that natural kindness, but they do see it in Diluc, and when they can take something off his conscious, they totally will.

Now you might be thinking! Kai! Where are the kids and Kaeya?

There is the thing that a totally separate tier. Like a secret S rank that's off to the side because while they tired him out, he's never upset, or it's like a wrong kind of exhaustion. It's a good, fulfilling kind of tiring. And Yes, Kaeya is in there, too though Diluc will never admit it.

[not-the-darknight]

🌡️ - A fever dream

Gimme

Diluc found himself standing at the gates of Dawn Winery, but the landscape beyond was all wrong. The lush vineyards, usually so full of life, were overgrown and tangled, as if years had passed without a single hand tending to them. The sky was an eerie shade of twilight, neither day nor night, casting long, unnatural shadows over the grounds.

He stepped forward, the crunch of dry leaves echoing too loudly underfoot. As he reached the courtyard, he noticed a figure standing by the fountain. It was Kaeya, but something was off—his posture was tense, and his usual smirk was gone, replaced by a look of quiet concern.

"Kaeya?" Diluc called out, but his voice felt muffled, as if the air itself resisted his words. Kaeya’s eye flickered towards him, but instead of responding, he merely gestured for Diluc to follow. He turned and began walking down a path that seemed to stretch further than it ever had before, winding through rows of shadowed grapevines. The scent of wine hung thick in the air, sweet but cloying, like it was fermenting too quickly.

The path opened up into Mondstadt's plaza, and suddenly, Diluc was there, in the heart of the city. But it was deserted. The familiar shops and taverns were dark, their windows shattered, and the wind howled through the empty streets. In the center of the square, a solitary figure stood—Jean, her knightly armor gleaming, though the brightness seemed all wrong, too vivid, too sharp. She looked exhausted, her eyes searching for something, someone. “Jean!” he tried to call out, but his voice came out in a whisper. She turned, her expression one of relief, but before she could say anything, the scene shifted again.

He was back at the Winery. This time, Adelinde was there, standing at the entrance with Elzer by her side. They were smiling, as they often did when they welcomed him home, but their smiles seemed strained, stretched. Adelinde’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, and Elzer’s hands trembled as he polished a glass that had already shattered. “Welcome home, Master Diluc,” Adelinde said, her voice echoing unnaturally, like a bell tolling. But the words felt wrong—too heavy, as if they carried a meaning beyond a simple greeting. “You’ve been gone for so long.”

Diluc tried to speak, to ask what she meant, but the world around him began to blur again. He felt himself being pulled deeper, and then there was a sudden burst of light and color. He found himself standing in front of Klee. She was smiling up at him, her bright eyes filled with innocence and mischief. She held a flower in her small hands, and for a moment, everything felt right. But when he reached out to take the flower, it crumbled into ashes. Klee’s smile faltered, and her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him.

“It’s okay, Master Diluc,” she whispered, her voice small and distant. “It’s just a dream.” Suddenly, flames burst around him, the heat intense and suffocating. He turned, and the Winery was ablaze, the vines and barrels catching fire one by one. The flames danced higher and higher, and through the inferno, he saw Kaeya again, standing in the midst of the chaos, his back to Diluc.

“Kaeya!” he shouted, his voice finally breaking through the haze, but Kaeya didn’t turn. The flames swallowed everything, and in the midst of it all, Diluc could see his father’s silhouette, standing by the door of the burning manor.

As the fire grew, the faces of his friends and family flashed before him—Jean, Klee, Adelinde, Elzer—all smiling, all disappearing into the smoke one by one. The heat became unbearable, the weight of loss pressing against his chest.

And then, as suddenly as it began, the fire faded into darkness, and he was alone. And then, just as quickly as it began, the dream dissolves, leaving Diluc gasping awake in the comfort of his own bed, the fading remnants of laughter echoing in his ears and the lingering scent of wine and blossoms in the air. It was a fever dream, one that distorts reality and bends his memories of Mondstadt into something surreal.

[ao3feed-dilucnkaeya]

The Struggles of Who I Am

Read on AO3

by adashofinspiration

After three years away, Diluc finally returns home to Mondstadt. In doing this, he must conquer his fear of telling people who he truly is, in particular telling a particular brother that he’s already thoroughly wronged.

Words: 5204, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen

Characters: Diluc (Genshin Impact), Jean (Genshin Impact), Kaeya (Genshin Impact), Adelinde (Genshin Impact)

Relationships: Diluc & Kaeya (Genshin Impact), Diluc & Jean (Genshin Impact)

Additional Tags: Mentioned Elzer (Genshin Impact), Trans Male Character, Trans Male Diluc (Genshin Impact), Diluc-centric (Genshin Impact), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Coming Out, (mostly unknowingly) deadnaming, a small hint of transphobia, Internalized Transphobia, technically implied/referenced self harm, Diluc might be selectively mute idk man it just happened, Diluc and Kaeya Reconciliation (Genshin Impact)

[dutybcrne]

Okay, I had more thinkings abt Hidden Strife. And lemme tell you, the timeline of Diluc’s departure of the Knights, his fight with Kae and him leaving Mond is WILD to me cuz it goes like:

On Diluc birthday, he and Crepus face Ursa the Drake and Crepus dies, due to, by Kaeya's thoughts in the manga & Vision Story, having been mercy killed by Luc himself

Luc resigns from the Knights after they try to defame Crepus and deny him the proper recognition of what transpired. According to the manga, this is where Diluc also abandons his Vision. Which MEANS

When Kaeya admits to Diluc that he was left in Mond as an agent of Khaenri’ah and they fight, Diluc’s flames that night were in fact the Delusion’s fire, not Vision based

Implied by a staff member of Winery’s letters (see number 14) Kaeya chose to stay at Knights HQ barracks/elsewhere of the Winery after this. At this time, he writes a private letter abt how he supposes he deserved Diluc’s wrath and that doesn’t blame him for anything.

Soon after, Kaeya writes his first letter to Diluc, telling him he doesn’t have to answer back, but even knowing Diluc wouldn’t want to receive anything from him, he still wants Luc to know Eroch ( guy who covered up the Ursa incident to ‘protect’ the Knights’ reputation, stole credit for slaying Ursa, and angered Luc enough to quit the Knights ) is being investigated by Varka’s inner circle. Which is INSANE, giving away such confidential information to an outsider of the knights, even if it IS Diluc, ESP via letter. No answer back from Diluc ( though for good reason in addition to his emotional turmoil/potential resentment, considering the former thought ).

Diluc decides to leave Mondstadt to pursue leads on the Fatui and the Delusion ( maybe prompted to get to the root of the problem? ).

Kaeya writes a second letter detailing that both he and Jean found out his plans. While Jean wanted to write to him to stay, Kaeya encouraged her to not do so and actively encouraged Luc to leave. No one else knows Diluc is leaving otherwise, because Kaeya tells Luc to leave at night and the soonest he can to avoid having to make anyone else sad over him leaving with goodbyes he’d have make. No answer back.

Diluc heckin leaves

Another letter from Kaeya following up tells Diluc Varka gave Jean the power to investigate AND punish Eroch for what he’s done, but he thinks the matter won’t be so simple even after he’s caught. But tells Diluc to wait for the good news. No answer back.

Varka at this time is, implied by his letter to Diluc, already away from Mond, so he wasn't present for Crepus' death nor Kaeya and Diluc's fight. But he is aware of what’s happened thanks to Jean’s letter, and gives his condolences. He reiterates what Kaeya said abt giving Jean authority over this case ( so no one else knows Kaeya is one-sidedly corresponding to Diluc at this point? 🤔 ) and adds he wants Diluc to stay with the Knights.

Diluc replies he has no intentions to stay with them ( if nothing goes wrong, so he MIGHT rejoin if it is extremely needed? 🤔 ), but thanks Varka for the letter anyway and wishes him well.

Alice gets involved bc Klee remarked to her that it’s been ages since she saw Luc, Alice tells Luc to travel aaaall over Teyvat and that she’s sorry what what happened to Crepus. She also reaffirms she believes Diluc is still kind and gentle, in spite of appearances.

Luc says he planned to travel more and tells her Klee is welcome at the Winery while he’s gone.

Implied to be Elzer states Kaeya just came back to Winery after taking leave for a few days and is currently staying in his old bedroom. It is remarked they Know Diluc would have never turned away Kaeya if he were there, and that Kaeya's presence livened up the place for them ( they missed him ;-; ).

Kaeya sends Diluc a letter saying he’s noticed a particular group of men whose employees seem to hang around Angels Share and dangerous places outside Mond’s main city. Tells Luc he thinks they’re associated with Diluc and claims the notes they dropped written in code were hard to see with a blinded eye.

Diluc’s first recorded reply to one of Kae’s letters. Acknowledges Kaeya’s observations and chides him for bringing up his eyes in his letters bc he’s not actually blinded in That eye ( implying not only are those men Indeed keeping an eye on things for him in Mondstadt, but also many MORE cases where Kaeya’s sent letters to Diluc regarding his eyes? )

Kaeya replies he didn’t intentionally mean for Luc to think so, though it WAS scarred ( Notably, Kaeya remarked previously that he was completely okay with Luc thinking he was left blinded by his attack in his private box/see 4 ). Kaeya closes this letter by saying Eroch was punished, and he's going to celebrate for himself and Diluc, bc he knows Diluc isn't the sort to do such things.

The Return of the King ( Diluc comes back to Mond sometime after reading Kae's letter )

[inblazes]

As Kaeya left Zhongli behind beneath the shadows of the windmill, he tried very, very hard to not suddenly break into a sprint. He has dignity, damn it, and Zhongli will see him walk away from him with grace! He doesn’t need him, and he was very adamant in showing that. Or at least, trying to, if he didn’t trip over his feet from his inebriation.

At least he didn’t fall.

Still, once he knew he was no longer in the older man’s line of view, Kaeya booked it.

He ran, climbing over Mondstadt’s walls (somehow without falling and cracking his skull open) so he doesn’t risk running into Zhongli heading out of the city from the front gates at the same time. It’s crazy what pride and heartbreak can do to someone, even in their drunken stupor.

The wind brushed past him as his feet carried him to the one place he needed to be right now: home. Not his cold and empty apartment where he’d drown in his sorrows alone. No, he needs home.

He needs his big brother.

Admittedly, when Kaeya made it to the doors and began knocking on them incessantly, desperately, he was already a bawling mess. Miss Adelinde and Elzer were completely panicked from these wails as though a banshee came to haunt them and rattle the very foundations of the manor. However, what they found outside was no apparition, but Kaeya. A sad, broken, pitiful Kaeya who’s not once ever cried as hard as he was now since he first arrived at the Winery at the tender age of eight.

He was a blubbering mess as he threw himself into their arms when they began to hover around him fretfully, wondering if he had somehow gotten hurt. If something terrible happened to him. However, he couldn’t tell them anything at all, and just kept crying out for Lulu while slumping and growing heavier and heavier in their hold from sheer exhaustion.

Sleep was something that often evaded the Winery's young master, and tonight was hardly any different. For some reason, he'd been unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong, agitated and restless as he tossed and turned in his bed, desperately grasping for just a few mere hours of rest. In the end, he had to compromise with reading a book, hoping that distracting his thoughts might allow his mind to settle.

Eventually, pure exhaustion did the job for him, as it often had to, and he passed out with reading book in hand--

Only to be awoken by the sensation of falling, and the book clatters to the ground, leaving an unsightly dent in its leather-bound spine. Diluc mutters a curse under his breath, swinging his legs out from the covers to retrieve it, and as he reaches down he becomes aware of the front doors of the winery slamming open and shut.

A great, almighty wailing echoes up through the walls of the manor to reach him, and he freezes, chilled by the sound. Was he still dreaming -- having a nightmare? He tries to blink the sleep out of his eyes and stands in favor of picking up the book, taking slow and careful steps through the dimly-lit space to lurk in the doorway.

He peers out into the hall, red eyes straining to adjust to the brightness of the light, and realizes that the racket belonged to...

"...Kaeya?"

He stands at the very top of the staircase, fiery locks spilling loose across his shoulders in a cascade of curls that lay in sharp contrast to the long, pristine white nightgown that swallowed him up.

His body looked comparatively dainty, completely lost among the swathes of fabric and hair -- but it made him no less quick 'pon bare feet as he seemed to glide down the stairs in an instant. It made him no less strong when he plucked his brother up from being half-way off of the ground, hoisting him up in an embrace that was equal parts crushing, yet as certain and as tangible as the ground upon which they stood.

It signified a promise: to be present, always. He wasn't ever about to leave him. Not again.

He didn't ask what was wrong. Didn't need to. Kaeya needed him more than any of that, first and foremost. It was only then, holding him so closely, that he picked up on the smell of alcohol -- and shot a look at both Adelinde and Elzer.

"Addie, Elzer... Could you fetch something to eat and drink for the both of us? Water, preferably."

May as well get himself something to eat, too. He has a feeling that he's going to be awake for a very, very long time.

"I'm here, Kaeya. I'm here."

[galactia]

In your own bed.

As if any other simply wasn't... his.

"Ah-... yes. Yes, I'm sure I will." Kaeya answered, voice tightened around an emotion that he ironed out with a breath. Giving up the warmth of the blanket to stand, he was a bit dizzy and unbalanced, and he might have wobbled on his feet, but he braced a hand on the divan as if there was nothing at all wrong and he was simply occupying the space.

"M-miss Adelinde, may I speak to you?" Barbara asked, packed and ready to depart, but it seemed not before giving some last minute instructions.

"Master Kaeya?" Elzer stepped over, hovering at his elbow in an unspoken offer.

The Captain huffed out a low chuckle, "Not the most graceful tonight, am I?" Despite his humor, he did not wave Elzer away. His concern was touching, "I'll be all right. I know my way well enough to make do."

More than 'well enough', but Elzer nodded, even if he did not move to leave him, just yet.

"Thank you, Acting Grand Master, for coming to see after my health." Kaeya inclined his head to Jean, who fixed him with a mildly furrowed brow but warm eyes.

"I'm glad you're safe, Captain Kaeya."

And he nodded, glancing past her to Diluc. He would not have been, had Diluc not-...

A bath was exactly what he needed, Adelinde was right (she was never wrong).

For what felt like an eternal moment Kaeya simply sank into the water, soaking the tension out of his battered muscles and basking in the light of familiar candles. Though daylight had broken outside, the curtains were drawn here, and he was tired enough to imagine the gentle nights he'd spent just like this, washing clean the bruises of a day of training, hours left still to have a dinner at the family table, and talk with Diluc long into the night.

He was dried (with his own towels.... they'd been kept?) and slipped into a comfortable pair of trousers (his own) when there was a knock at the door.

"Master Kaeya, are you decent?"

"Yes, Addy. Come in." Kaeya answered, looking toward the door as she slipped through it, a bottle of salve and rolls of bandages in her hands.

"Lady Barbara left instruction on how to tend what remains of your wound, and scars. Shall I?"

Kaeya turned a half-smile at her, tilting his head playfully, "And if I said no?"

"Then doing it yourself might prove quite the trial." Adelinde remarked, unconcerned by his teasing as she unrolled the gauze.

He huffed, amused, and then stilled as she began to apply a generous layer of salve onto tender skin, warped by fresh, glossy scarring. It still burned, both in reality and memory, and there was both some sting and relief to the cool of the medication. He must have drifted momentarily, eyes fixed on nothing in particular, because Addy murmured a,

"You look exhausted, Kaeya."

To which his mouth twisted in a weary curve. He felt it, dragging at his limbs, pressing into his temples. A fever still lingered, making his head spin if he moved too quickly, and dulling what appetite he ought to have had.

"So I am, Addy. So I am..."

Kaeya glanced down as she finished, surprised by the touch of a kiss against his forehead when he wasn't looking. He tensed for as long as it took to inhale, and then melted against the arm she held on his shoulder. She didn't have to say I was worried. He knew by the way she lingered. She didn't have to say Foolish boy. Please be more careful. He knew. But the quiet moment passed, and Kaeya almost wept, for the way it felt to be home.

"Diluc."

They were alone in the upstairs hall, Kaeya's hand braced on the railing, when he caught sight of him.

"... I'm off to bed on my own power before Addy orders me. A few winks, and I'll be right as rain." The smile he flashed and maintained, slipped. He knew Diluc would not be interested in any false impressions of sprightly wellness. It wasn't like he'd only just seen him nearly meet his end... except, well, he had. The humor was something they both knew was another mask he wore, to stay safe.

Wasn't he safe, here?

"You could use some rest too, I think." He added, gentler, far more sincere.

He hadn't let go of the railing. He wasn't admitting he needed it, but... the weakness had crept in. He'd nearly died.

Kaeya turned, to head toward the door of the room he hadn't staid in in years. (His room, his room-) He paused, looking back through a gold eye that was hazy and blurred, but still made out Diluc's frame. They'd been just like this so many times it could blur like the clarity of his vision - frozen in the hall, exchanging goodnights and tired remarks, and plans for the next day. Two brothers who as boys had spent nearly every night in each other's bedrooms, staying up too late talking of childish nothings.

"Thank you, 'Luc..." Kaeya said, low and quiet, and real, "for saving my life."

And then he slipped away, into the dark at the end of the hall, into the familiar door of his room, hand braced on the door-frame to keep from falling.

“Very well. I’ll take that into consideration and we can discuss once you’ve rested,” Jean replied, ending the discussion about their protection with a firm look between them that forbade any further debate. What mattered most was Kaeya’s health. Anything else could wait another moment.

Barbara arrived soon after and Diluc made himself busy in his corner of the room, paging through a heavy text about avian care and training without truly reading the words, his senses fully fixed on his brother. How Kaeya sucked in a breath or relaxed his limbs, how the scent in the room changed in response to Barbara’s power, the sharp tang of blood replaced with something gentle and cool, like a forest spring.

In all the chaos, he’d entirely forgotten that he, too, was covered in Kaeya’s blood. He thought, perhaps, that was why Jean kept glancing his way, silently assessing just how much of the blood covering his once-white vest was his own.

While Barbara applied some tonic to Kaeya’s scars, Diluc stood and crossed the room to Adelinde and Elzer, speaking in a low voice, “I think we’ll each need a bath and fresh clothes. And you can let the winery staff know they have the next few days off, as well as half of the house staff. I want as few people around as possible until I have more information about The Knave’s plans.”

They nodded and, as they left to see to his orders, Diluc heard Kaeya mention his name.

While Barbara hurried over to examine his hand, Jean looked at him sharply, though not without concern, as if she might scold him for not mentioning that he was wounded sooner.

“It’s nothing so serious,” Diluc said with a sigh, removing his glove so that Barbara might see the angry, blistered skin beneath. “I’ve burned myself enough by now, I can barely feel it, anyway.”

“A-all the same, these are very serious burns. Please give me a moment,” Barbara said, reaching for her bag of supplies and extracting a bottle of something she’d been applying to Kaeya’s burns earlier. “This will soothe the burn and help with the blistering. If for nothing else, treating it will help prevent an infection from developing. You should leave your glove off for a few days while it heals, to not irritate the skin.”

Diluc didn’t argue, only extended his hand to her so that she might apply the cool balm. It glistened in the lamplight and smelled of mint, making his nose wrinkle.

“You used this hand to cauterize Captain Kaeya’s wounds, correct?” Barbara asked, gently applying a bit of lotion and then a bandage around the burned hand. “It’s a good thing you were there.”

He blinked at the unexpected comment and felt a heat under his blood-soaked collar as he searched for some safe place to look that wasn’t Barbara or Jean or Kaeya or anyone else standing around. “... I suppose,” he replied after a long moment. When she was done, he flexed his fingers under her carefully applied bandages, testing the flexibility. “Thank you.”

Adelinde returned with a gentle knock on the door then, saying, “We’ve drawn the Masters each a bath.” To Kaeya, she added, “I’m sure you’ll rest better once you’re cleaned up and in your own bed.”

[kaeyachi]

Personally, I think it was a spur of the moment kinda thing. Diluc let slip some words he did not completely mean in his fit of rage like "you don't belong here" or "never show your face here again" or something along those lines and Kaeya internalized it to the point he kicked himself out the winery

The staff knows they had a fight and Kaeya left but they don't know the details of it, whether Diluc officially kicked him out or if Kaeya left on his own volition. Diluc doesn't stop them treating Kaeya as they used to but doesn't really encourage them either. So it's more of a don't ask-don't tell typa thing going on

!!! ANON I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS ON MY POST

Diluc must have said something that Kaeya twisted(on purpose or subconsciously). All it would take is for anyone to say the wrong thing once, and Kaeya would take it and run with it (eg. his biological father's parting words to him).

Damn you Kaeya and your wild imagination!! (he just like me fr)

What if Kaeya took Diluc's selling of their original mansion as a sign that Diluc didn't want him to stay there? Thus, the "throw me out" comment that went along with it... and in addition, Diluc's confusion about said comment because that was not what he intended when he sold said mansion.

Also i think that Adelinde and Elzer (if not the senior staff who were already there) must have known of their fight (with or without details) and yet of their own choice choose to treat Kaeya as still another master of the home and call him as such (did Diluc really not talk to them about it? Does he not care for it? Did the staff stand their ground on the matter? Or does he secretly support it and doesn't do any encouraging in front of Kaeya in case Kaeya activates his fight or flight response? We don't know their discussions while we are not around after all hnghh)

So like... the entirety of the senior staff of Dawn Winery are trained to keep their thoughts to themselves maybe?? Same with Crepus, Diluc, and Kaeya (coz wow did Crepus keep his secrets too)

tbh, Kaeya is such an unreliable narrator (due to his lies or misconceptions), while Diluc just doesn't talk at all (not in front of the traveler, to be specific). They're both two sides of the same coin where said coin is there to keep us guessing (coz its technically none of our business as the traveler HAHAHA)

[xzho-writes]

heard ya like angst so here i am to request some

the boys seeing their so getting badly hurt by someone else

which boys? let's go with your top three ;)

seeing you get hurt

pairings: diluc, zhongli, kaeya x gn!reader (separate)

genre: slight angst/comfort

summary: the scene that plays out before them is enough to send their blood boiling as they rush to save you

wc: ~3k: 1k (diluc), 1k (zhongli) 1k (kaeya)

warnings: physical violence, mentions of blood and injury, angry genshin men, use of the term ‘whore’

a/n: sorry for the wait, nonnie! i made a lil quick prompt idea here to get me started, so i hope this is at least decent enough for you—

you can find my masterlist here

diluc

diluc paces up and down the main floor space with an air of irritation surrounding him.

“adelinde, have you seen them around at all?”

the head-maid in question flits a worried glance to elzer at her master’s question, and elzer shoots a look back not too dissimilar to the one she just gave him.

“…i’m afraid i haven’t, sir,” her voice begins slowly. “perhaps they’re still out collecting ingredients?”

at adelinde’s tentative offer, diluc’s lips purse into a thin, downturned line. travelling to the city only took around half an hour by foot and collecting said ingredients shouldn’t have taken that long- two hours at the latest if something managed to catch your eye. at that point it was nearing four since you’ve left the winery and diluc was growing concerned.

perhaps he was overthinking… after all, what could go wrong from a simple grocery trip? mondstadt was relatively safe, too, and he had specifically cleared the path there last night after you excitedly told him of your plans.

but it was only afternoon, and you were more than capable of looking after yourself. so why, then, did he feel so apprehensive?

the young master didn’t have much longer to dwell on his anxieties when the manor doors suddenly burst open, exposing a breathless knight hunched over with his hands on his knees.

…this wasn’t good.

diluc was already making his way towards him-instincts screaming that something was very wrong; the knights never approached him unless a situation directly concerned his attention.

this wasn’t good at all.

“m-master diluc!” the young man huffs, trying to catch his breath. “it’s urgent! t-theres been a fight at the plaza and,” he sputters, “they’ve been injured! they won’t listen to anyo—”

adelinde had already ushered all the maids to begin preparing any medical supplies that might be needed for your return.

not even a split second after hearing those words tumbling out the knight’s mouth, diluc all but shoves his way past the heavy doors and ran towards where he usually kept his claymore. startled workers jumped at his abrupt appearance and elzer was quick to find his place at his master’s side.

“fetch me a horse!” he demanded.

mondtadt was bustling with the ruckus coming from the crowd gathered at the steps towards the main city. from atop his great steed, diluc could make out the figures of the people at the centre of the drama.

and as he feared, in the midst of it all was you.

he could make out your form laying on the ground with numerous vegetables scattered next to your body- hair askew with bruises on your face. a bloody nose.

standing above you was a man whose face didn’t fair much better, a blackened eye and a cut on his cheek.

and diluc saw red.

the atmosphere took a sharp turn as people were stunned by his drastic change in aura. the crowd, promptly silenced, hurriedly made way for the seething man as he all but jumped off his horse and made a beeline towards you.

those who were close enough to the enraged ragnvindr noticed how his fists were clenched tightly at his sides, shaking at the intensity. some gasped in complete awe at the sight for diluc was always one to keep his composure even in the most trying situations.

everyone within the great walls of mondstadt knew better than to further provoke the uncrowned king.

it appeared that your attacker didn’t get the memo, however, as he audaciously lifted his hand in what seemed like another attempt to hurt you.

you raised your arms in self defence for the blow that was seconds away from striking your body, but no such pain befell you.

“get your filthy hands off of my partner.”

jumping at the unsuspected sound, both you and the offending man whipped your heads around to face the new voice, and you were about to breathe out something when you caught sight of diluc’s visage.

his face is all but calm; what is usually an unamused stare is replaced by a deep scowl that mars his features, brows screwed and jaw clenched, and the glare he sends the man who dared to lay his hands on you is nothing short of fatal. what's most frightening, however, is the infamous black and red claymore materialising in his hands.

he was livid.

though the man towering above you was visibly shaken at diluc’s appearance, he still had the gal to shakily huff in his direction.

“o-oh yeah? what’cha gonna do, pretty bo—”

diluc left no time for him to finish his question as he thrust the blade of his claymore to the man’s throat, not powerfully enough to deal significant damage but just enough to draw blood from a shallow cut.

…how in the name of the archons did he move so fast?

“don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to,” was his reply.

and it’s enough to send your attacker reeling back in fear.

“leave,” diluc threatens once more, and everyone knows that he’s not the type of man to pose empty threats.

your jaw hung agape at the scene that just played out before you, and you were ready to scold diluc for being so uncharacteristically violent when he quickly (but carefully) scooped you into his arms and started making his way back to his horse.

“d-diluc! what the hell—”

“we’re going home, and we’re taking care of your injuries.”

“bu—”

the stern look he shoots you tells you that he was not in the mood to listen to your protests. you receded back into his shoulder at this but it only made you acutely aware of how much diluc was shaking, trembling as he clutched you close to his chest.

he was scared, you realised.

you had a lot of explaining to do when you got back home…

zhongli

the breeze is warm as is wafts by liyue harbour and the clouds in the sky help to block out the sheer intensity of the sun, creating a cosy atmosphere for the inhabitants of liyue.

it’s idyllic. beautiful. though zhongli is not a proud man… he would be lying if he said that liyue wasn’t the most gorgeous nation during the summer. but you could always argue that he was biased. after all, he was the very person to father this nation into what it currently was and a creator will always be proud of its creation.

what a shame, he mused, that you weren’t currently by his side to enjoy the lovely summer day together. he could almost feel the ghost of your touch on his arm- the arm that he instinctively holds out for you to wrap your own around. arm in arm is what the two of you should be right now, had it not been for the commission you were taking today.

and it was that very commission that led him to leave your humble abode in search for katheryne, for it had been quite a while since you left his side.

you only had one commission to take care of today for the extra mora- you didn’t even need to take it but you wanted some extra money to save for whatever reason zhongli didn’t know. the man assured you that there was no need for the added work but you had insisted anyway.

and who was he to deny you of anything when you looked up at him in such anticipation, constellations swimming in your irises?

zhongli wished he had been more firm, however, as it was nearing six hours since your departure.

the man was seemingly caught up in his worries when, before he knew it, zhongli’s feet had already guided him to the adventurer’s guild kiosk. he was met with the woman at the desk smiling amiably at him.

“ah! good afternoon, mr. zhongli! how may i help you today?” katheryne greets with a wave.

zhongli gives an easy smile and nods to her before getting straight to the point.

“good afternoon, katheryne. i’m here to ask about y/n, have they turned in yet? i was told that they only had one commission, but it’s been quite a while since they’ve left.”

the lady’s shoulders droop at his question as she shakes her head, a frown growing on her face. “i’m afraid they haven’t… i’ve already sent a few adventurers to search for them, but i can give you their location if you’d like?” she offers.

“please,” is all zhongli replies with before katheryne hands him over your file.

the travel to lingju pass was swift thanks to the help of xiao; zhongli only needed to whisper his name and his loyal adeptus transported them to your nearby location at speeds incomprehensible to human understanding. xiao knelt at zhongli’s side as he nodded to the smaller male, promptly thanking him and dismissing him thereafter.

summoning his vortex vanquisher and securing it onto his back, zhongli silently made his way into the ruins alert for any sound that might draw him to you.

deeper and deeper into the ruins he went until a faint trail of blood caught his attention, causing the man’s face to contort into one of confusion. laying discarded by the red trail was a fatui mask- a sight that wrenched a gasp from his throat, panic taking over his system.

picking up his pace, zhongli followed the trail until it led him to a dimly lit room illuminated only by the sunlight seeping through the cracks of the stone walls.

the view that greets him is enough to make his archaic blood boil- enough to warrant the cracks in the stone where his footsteps used to be.

in the centre of the room was your beaten body being pinned to the floor by a fatui agent’s foot planted on your head. his face was unobscured thanks to the mask laying on the ground and the trail of blood seemed to be caused by the gash on your torso.

you sputtered droplets of red as you struggled to lift the pressure from your head, striking weakly at the agent’s leg when a hum left his throat.

“well, well, well! this a friend of yours, sweetheart?”

with great difficulty, you weakly tilted your face in the direction of the agent’s voice and you were met with none other than your beloved standing by the entrance of the room, familiar pole-arm ready in his clutches.

you’d be overjoyed with his presence if it wasn’t for how utterly vexed he seemed to be.

zhongli looked like the epitome of what it meant to be petrifying; the usual peaceful expression on his face replaced with unadulterated rage. if your head wasn't currently under someone's boot you'd be able to see how his golden pools of amber house slits for pupils, glowing in the dimly lit room.

and was it just you, or did the pressure in the atmosphere become... heavier? more suffocating? it felt as if your lungs were being seized by a pressure so great that they were ready to rupture.

“you never told me you had company with you—” the man starts, but is promptly cut off by the sickening crunch of zhongli’s fist connecting with his jaw.

your attacker is sent staggering to the floor as you sit up and gasp for air, gulping down whatever you could manage.

zhongli is quick to help ease you onto the nearby wall with gentle hands before planting an apologetic kiss to your forehead. he stands, then, and makes his deliberate way to the man still stunned on the stone floor.

in the blink of an eye zhongli grips and hangs the agent by his collar so that his feet are dangling in the air.

tilting his head around enough so that you could hear the words ominously leaving his mouth, but not enough to see his face, he warns,

"look away, dearest. this could become… rather unsightly."

kaeya

“i’m afraid i’m going to have to cut this night short, boys,” kaeya announces as he takes one final swig of the dandelion wine he was nursing.

the tavern erupts into a chorus of disappointed groans coming from the knights who were currently enjoying their friday evening.

a cacophony of “but captain!” and “just another drink!” filled the cosy building and diluc, who unfortunately was manning the bar that night, could only sigh in mild annoyance.

the man who the soldiers call captain chuckles at their obvious despondency as he stands and makes his way towards the tavern’s door.

“got somebody waiting for you, captain?” asks one of the younger knights.

kaeya watches with a small smile on his face as the older knights nudge the younger’s shoulder suggestively, others shaking their head and huffing in lighthearted jealousy.

“you could say something like that,” is all kaeya says before he wades out of the tavern and into the streets of the city.

he makes note of all the people still out enjoying their evening and surmises that he isn’t too late to see you yet. you should be up in your little apartment right about now, reading a book or finishing off paperwork, waiting for him to return home to you.

kaeya’s smile widens at this. it felt so nice, so right, to once again have someone he could come home to. it had been far too long since he’s felt that sense of belonging, and it’s gives him that extra bit of motivation to finish work early so that he’d have more time to spend with you.

on his way, kaeya decides to visit marjorie’s shop to buy you a little gift. there was no special occasion, but kaeya loved to spoil you silly if only to watch emotions paint your face in pretty colours.

he smiles subconsciously at this. what expression would you wear today, he muses as he picks up a little crystal bird attached to a pretty golden chain.

would you be happy? flustered? hit him on the chest and retort that he was spoiling you rotten?

either way, kaeya wanted to see your reaction no matter what it would be.

quickly he payed marjorie a hefty some of mora, leaving the shop before she could even begin to protest that he gave too much, and continued his way home with an extra pep in his step.

the young man began to entertain the idea of running you both a romantic bath when the sudden commotion of people fighting caught his attention.

must be a couple of drunkards, was what he originally thought. after all, it was a friday night which meant that most people would be off their jobs and spending their time at one of the many taverns in mond.

this idea was thrown out the window, however, as soon as he caught sight of a familiar tuft of air in a random lady’s grasp. kaeya’s brows scrunched as he jogged his way over to check what all the fuss was about.

unfortunately, you were not at home reading a book or finishing off paperwork.

you were right in front of him; currently in a heated fist fight with a woman he did not know, trying to fend her off as best as you could. several onlookers fled the scene whilst some others cheered the fight on, and the sight only served to anger the captain.

kaeya ran straight towards your direction in an attempt to save you from whatever situation you were in.

“you ruined everything!” he could hear the woman screeching who was trying beat you to a pulp.

this just confused you further as you tried your best to free your hair from her vice grip.

“what the hell are you talking about—?!” you exclaimed, not knowing where all her rage was coming from.

but this only seemed to edge her on more. “don’t play dumb with me, you little whore!”

and it was at this defilement of your name, coupled with the fact that she was attempting to harm you, did kaeya make a full sprint towards you, jaws clenched and eyes blazing.

as you twisted and turned to free yourself, a flash of blue made it into your peripherals and you let out a sigh of relief seeing the familiar man sprinting towards you.

but something sends a chill straight down your spine.

kaeya wears the same catty smile but his eyes, you barely notice from your position, are sharp as daggers. sharp as the loyal sword strapped to his hip.

if your vision wasn't so blurred from the instinctive tears sitting at your lower lash line, you'd be able to make out the cloud of frost emitting out from kaeya's being.

the air you breathe in feels icy and you can’t tell whether the shiver that just shot through you was due to your fear or the sudden drop in temperature.

it seems that your attacker is just as stunned as you are if the gasp that she just let out meant anything. the pressure from the base of your scalp dissipated as the woman caught sight of none other than kaeya alberich- as if trying to hide the fact that she was just mercilessly beating you.

she stutters immediately, caught red handed.

“s-sir kaeya—!”

a glare fatal enough to kill is cast her way.

"my, my... causing discord within the streets of mondstadt? I'd keep my hands to myself if i were you,” kaeya begins with authority before a threatening lilt finds its way into his tone.

“unless, of course... you have no need for them?”

suffice to say, the woman fled the scene before you could even collect your bearings.

familiar hands tilted your chin up to meet kaeya’s face as he smoothed your hair back in place, inspecting your body for any more signs of injuries.

it was all you could do to slump into his hold like a rag-doll, thoroughly exhausted from the events.

“come,” kaeya coaxes into your hair as he lifts you into his arms, one under your back and one under your knees. he plants several apologetic kisses to your hairline before placing on right in between your brows.

“let’s get back home, okay?”

published on 12/04/22

[hiraya-rawr]

──── ❝ 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 2 ❞ ────

navigation || masterlist 1 || series m.list

*mature content is SFW (but may be have dark or suggestive themes)

M U L T I P L E .

I can go anywhere I want – just not home // fic // diluc, thoma, kaeya, kazuha // you confront someone homesick

lover from another nation // hcs // you're their foreign lover

I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs // multiple // nahida's story quest where they dream of lost loved ones

giving them a seelie pet // diluc, ayato, wanderer, zhongli

to pass the kamisato standards // multiple // kamisato mc introduces their lover to their siblings

Bloodsucker // mature fic // (crack) diluc, (angst) thoma, (horror) zhongli // they're a hungry vampire

Fix me up, lover boy // short fics // they like you and they help fix your appearance // elzer, zhongli, diluc, ayato

Blood Week // HCs // multiple // them on your period

Less than Lovers // mature fic // thoma, diluc // you're more than friends but less than lovers

You were the enemy all along // short // multiple // how they react to you betraying them

I wanna ruin our friendship // mature fic // diluc, kaeya, zhongli, xiao // a little burst of courage is all you need

Outburst // HCs // multiple // when elements reasonate with their emotions

Dragonspine (Playable AU) // fic // diluc + kaeya + klee // your player logs out, leaving the team in dragonspine

D I L U C .

Loyalties 01 // 02 // 03 // mature mini series // you're his lover but he found out you're a fatui spy distributing delusions, now you're chained to his basement (ft. Kaeya) // read more in series m.list

Family Agenda 00 // 01 // 02 // 03 // 04 // 05 // concept series // having more than 8 kids with him // read more in series m.list

Sly Villain 01 // 02 // brainrot+fic // rewrite // you're a harbinger with an obsession

"Hands off! I'm taken!" // fluff fic // in which he gets drunk and you pick him up

Little Star // SAGAU fic // the creator doesn't want diluc, everyone knows this (everyone is wrong)

The painter’s muse // soft fic // where reader comes from a family of painters for the ragnvindr family

Suddenly // mature horror-mystery fic // he's trying to find you (he might be too late)

I love you in every universe // playable reader drabble // diluc never notices you, until your player co-ops with a diluc main

physiologically reactive // brainrot // dendro MC burns every time diluc touches

End game // short // Mondstadt is in ruins but he loves you

diluc gets a new skin // drabble // playable reader

s/o fell first, diluc fell harder // drunk brainrot

diluc's fashion; by the maids // ramble

diluc & attachments // brainrot

Enemies to lovers // brainrot

diluc has a king sized bed

baby fever // ramble

kätzlein mc + tcg

diluc's instagram

K A E Y A .

Stalker // mature fic // you seek his help from a stalker

red flag // brainrot // toxic relationship where he tests you

A Y A T O .

Chess Piece // drabble // you play along in his political game

Change of Pace // drabble // Ragnvindr Reader's attention is on Thoma

Ayato's Routine // brainrot // contract marriage reader

Competition // drabble // sagau, he comes home but childe is there

Z H O N G L I .

Dear Osmanthus // mature fic // you're traumatized and he comforts you // father figure zhongli, slight yandere

Devotion // brainrot // being a Rex Lapis devotee, not knowing it’s him

Platonic Intimacy // drabble // Zhongli is there to comfort you

possessive vs jealous // word vomit

sacrificed to rex lapis // brainrot

mulan au with general zhongli

immovable zhongli

doodles // adepti mc, father figure zhongli

A L H A I T H A M .

everywhere, everything // fic // enemies to lovers / stuck in a broom closet with your rival

glasses // short / he likes you with his glasses on

pros & cons // ramble

alhaitham, what are we? // short

ditzy dumb mc // brainrot

sickly mc // brainrot

T H O M A .

You can't choose who to fall for // brainrot // noble reader falls for a simple housekeeper

G O R O U .

Poly with kazuha x cat!reader x gorou // HCs

does poly gorou kiss cat reader? // ramble

gorou's tragedy // ramble

D A I N S L E I F .

dainsleif royal guard x royalty reader // brainrot

DILUC & KAEYA (RAGBROS) .

dating diluc // brainrot // ft. protective little brother kaeya

ragnvindr reader's first crush // brainrot // crushing on albedo but your brothers are diluc and kaeya

youngest ragnvindr // 02 // brainrot // imagine the exhaustion of being their sibling

reassurance // not xReader brainrot

In Another Life // not xReader drabble

diluc has to choose between reader or kaeya // brainrot

crepus has to choose between kaeya or diluc // not xReader brainrot

diluc's your husband but kaeya is more present // brainrot

melt reactions with kaeya // not xReader brainrot

to appease diluc // not xReader short

M I S C .

secret relationship with albedo (but susbedo is there)

leap of faith from celestia, the final battle

arranged marriage with someone else

being a less intimidating harbinger

nosebleeds from overused visions

sumeru archon quest favorites

happy alternate dimension au

drinking culture + mond girls

modern au and cell phones

dendro/cryo yaksha reader

chongyun appreciation

how childe met zhongli

fake date // diluc, ayato

facts about osmanthus

tighnari fear of electro

lore + modern au

casual tragedies

endgame

[lychniis]

― PINK CAMELLIA.

diluc, kaeya, zhongli x reader.

 “longing for you.” + angst

WARNING(S) : just...pining. a horrific amount of pining. that's it, that's the plot, unrequited but not unrequited love, and a shit load of feelings left unsaid.

#main masterlist | flos anthalogy masterlist

&& . diluc ragnvindr · ( he lies to his heart ; the words stay unsaid )

“IS SOMETHING WRONG?” you ask, nervously shifting away one of the boxes as you look up at him with parted lips and a raised brow. He catches himself staring ( and he was always staring at you, across the street, from the bar, during your little talks and the conversations held during the afterhours; staring but never moving closer left the illusion shattering ) and shakes his head with the tiniest of smiles. It was there, but easily missable save for the sharp eyed and witty.

Your shoulders relax and you nod. “Alright then…” you mumble, carefully placing a tea set wrapped in thick cloth into one of the boxes. “You’re quieter than usual today, ‘Luc…” you add. “But…thank you for helping me pack…”

And there it was, that damned smile, the smile that took away the rationale and sanity and his peace of mind. The smile that invades his thoughts at night and fills them with you and your peace and the comfort you came with.

“It’s no issue for me.” He replies. “I am always happy to help you…” 

That was true, but not for this. Will you be safe? Will you be happy? Was he happy? 

Diluc knew life was filled with the good and the bad. The memories of his youth, the time he and Kaeya once played within the brook just a little ways off the winery, the smile his father passes his way, the inside jokes between him, Elzer and Adelinde and you. You and your small apartment and your silly musings and your walls filled with half finished paintings.

( The smell of it all has long faded. The walls were empty; Diluc feels empty. )

There were the happy things, then the sad. The hours he had left, the minutes that ticked by, the fact that you were leaving. Paths diverged every day, people met then part ways and life sets its course once more, unbothered by it all. Diluc knows that. He knows that.

Why does it hurt?

( His hands were trembling. He wants it to stop. )

You laugh, placing the last of the boxes out and pause by the doorway. He takes you in, one last time. 

Once upon a time, he may have found you a little annoying and strange; a bit of a sore spot, a presence he would have to put up with. Not now. Diluc would take all of you in, every part of you from the tiny peeving parts to the bits he adored ( and the silly nicknames, the ones that were so ridiculous and soft ).

He should tell you. He should, he ought to.

But he cannot. Because you were you, and he was Diluc. You were kind, and you deserved the world and someone safe. Not him. Never him.

So he stays quiet. He watches your belongings ( and the familiarity and the memories ) fill the cart. He watches your last checkup. He breathes in and he knows he should let you go. He should let you go ( even if Kaeya calls him foolish, if he is sick with worry, if he wants to pull you close and beg you to stay. Because Diluc knows this too : to love is to learn to lose. Because love was selfless, and it was cruel and it was pain and euphoria molded into one.

...fuck, he loves you... ) 

“I’ll be off then…” you declare. He snaps his head up. You were standing in front of him now. “I…I hope we see each other soon…” you add. “Shall we write often?”

“We shall.” he agrees and that provides a little bit of comfort. You smile again, but it seems subdued and suddenly, everything smells like you and Diluc buries his nose into your hair and hugs you back, tightly, desperately. Then you pull away ( and there it was again, the absence, the emptiness, the lacking of warmth ). 

“Every week?”

“Twice a week,” he promises and he intends to keep it. You chuckle, tugging at the hem of your sleeves. “I…” the words stay heavy in his mouth. You tilt your head. “I wish you a safe journey, then.”

You board the carriage and Diluc stays and watches it disappear into the distance, till it’s nothing but a speck. His chest feels like it’s torn apart. His lips tremble. Pathetic, he thinks bitterly. Pathetic.

( In the distance, you curl up on your seat. Mondstadt was far behind you.

You wish he asked you to stay. )

&& . kaeya alberich · ( maybe when he was less of a child ; he'll say it )

HE WAS A FOOL, Kaeya thinks. Foolish, utterly insane. 

But there was something in you he longs to touch, something that shone, that was beautiful — and he’d draw his hands back when he catches himself reaching out for it, he’d take a few steps back when he sees how he pursues you. He was a fool, he thinks again, because he was a coward. Because Kaeya does not know how to say he loves you. 

( Why did he love you, another face in the crowd? Why did he think he loved you, him, a runaway child from a nation with no god and no place in this world? Why did he love you, someone who was nothing like him?

Kaeya does not know, because he was a fool. )

It scares him, how you could undo everything with just a touch. You could look his way and everything would stop, and maybe somewhere the flowers bloomed or the rains in Fontaine stilled or a part of Dragonspine thawed over — a part of his traitorous little heart would thaw over. “Pull yourself together now,” he would sigh to himself in the silence of the room, under the noise of the bar. His eyes would immediately find you after. He wants to slap himself.

Kaeya wants to hate you. He wants to revile the smile on your face. He wants to ask you why you’re so easily holding that dagger over his chest with little knowledge of its sharp edge. He wants to listen to you hum under your breath. He wants to kiss your knuckles and laugh at his jokes. He wants you gone. He wants to tell you everything he feels about you, everything and anything.

But the thoughts stay to himself.

He greets you amiably, hiding away the painful thump in his ribs. 

He smiles away, masking the stutter in his voice, the tiny trip in his words, the tremble beneath the syllables.

His feelings stay hidden, another one of his secrets, something he would never disclose. No soul in Mondstadt would know of it, including you. Especially you. ( Because you dare, you dare to love him in return. You dare to light up when he stands in the same room, mirror his feelings in a way that didn’t seem twisted or wrong. )

Kaeya thinks that’s what scares him; his ability or lack thereof to keep those thoughts a secret How it felt so easy to open his mouth and let them come tumbling out into a messy pile that he’d rather not deal with. The feelings will leave, they will fade out and soon you’ll be another face in the crowd again, something of an ire but a fond memory. Kaeya was certain of it.

He still finds himself looking at you.

“Kaeya you fool.” he whispers to himself when his cheeks grow hot as you catch his gaze and you wave back at him. And the feelings stayed and they grew and they festered until it was the undeniable truth. He suffers in his silence, wrenching himself apart over his longing, over his wish to tear these feelings out of his chest with frustrated tears, with wanting to bask under the normalcy of you and the thoughts of something soft and loving.

He wants it to stop.

But Kaeya still pines, he watches from the corner of his eye, he vies for those moments of serendipity, he revels in those coincidental run ins, he takes in your similarities and differences, he wishes to meet your gaze and says he loves, to give you his heart just as you were ready to give yours. Kaeya wants those moments of sincerity in his ocean of lies, to witness you unfiltered.

But his lips stay sealed, the secret stays, hidden away amongst the countless others he holds and the lies he so seamlessly weaves. I love you, a part of him would yell when he says something else. I love you, please, I love you. But it stays muted, a pitiful noise in the background.

Because he was being foolish, because he does not know how to tell you he loves you, because Kaeya wants to touch something he knows he would only tear apart.

So he stays silent, for you.

( And maybe one day, he can smile and whisper those words into your ear beneath a ceiling. He could kiss you on the lips without the lies weighing him down. 

But not today. ) 

&& . zhongli | rex lapis · ( to love is to lose again ; is it worth it? )

ZHONGLI HAS LIVED too long to be capable of love.

The years have washed it away, to leave behind weariness. Grief had watered it down and hardened his heart and loss left behind its silt. Zhongli has lived too long to love anymore, because the grief still remains — it always remains, warping but constant. Because he was the aftermath of burnout, of a man torn by war and too many names crossed away from those who once lived. 

But a heart of stone is a heart nonetheless and the eyes of mortality drag him back down to earth ( because Zhongli never lost it. He never lost Guizhong’s teachings, nor did he lose the softness he once held for her. It simply stayed, waiting, waiting for another face that made him to stop, made him look, made him smile ). And he sees you one day, and something in his mind clicks.

You were meant to be a fond memory, a friend, someone who he cherished but not adored. You were meant to be someone appreciated at a distance, a soul who Zhongli would write into poetry in passing when your mortality takes you away. You were meant to be impermanent and fleeting ( a qingxing in bloom, a butterfly cupped within his hands ).

And then, Zhongli fell in love.

He fell in love with the ephemeral and time finally seemed to slow. The sunsets lasted longer, the moments of silence were drawn out, his hours at work seemed to span millenia. He sees himself facing a man less like Zhongli the rational, the even minded, the patient ( because the seconds feel too long now ) and more like Morax, hot blooded and hasty, who jumped at chances and lays out his contracts and strategies with cold tact ( Morax, who would do everything and anything to pull you to him, to sweep away for himself ).

It was strange and a little amusing and a little perplexing; seeing those years come undone by a single utterance of his name. 

But Zhongli was in love.

( And he was afraid of losing again. )

You were young, ready to face the world, ready for your future. You stood your ground with resolution, with stubbornness, and you were kind and eager and bold. “I think I might be in love with you.” you had admitted one day and Zhongli thinks about it after, over and over, every time his mind wanders, every time he thinks he sees you in the crowd and every time he shuts his eyes in leisure. 

Zhongli has lived a long time. Pain had worn him down, violence had weathered his gaze, blood stained his hands. 

And love taught him grief again. Love taught him the fears of losing a beloved. Love taught him what was soft but painful. Zhongli knows that one day you will be long gone and he will remain. Zhongli knows you would have to live with this knowledge, of his immortality, of him standing beside you as a memento mori.

( He could not hide from you, he could not hide away a secret so vast. Because love needed trust and trust was not hiding away his eternity. )

He looks into your eyes and he sees another face he might lose, the looming call of death, the thought in his head, if it was worth it, worth the heartbreak. Every rational thought telling him to pull away, to stop himself from cupping that butterfly close, to stop himself from taking your hand, from telling you he loves you too. Was it worth it? He asks himself, trying to envision a future without you, should he let himself be further ensnared; to experience a momentary high, this respite after years of battle. 

Should he tell you he loves you?

( Because he does, painfully so, passionately, sincerely, tenderly down to his very being, his very core. )

He looks into your eyes and he thinks it should be, and when you smile at him, he thinks he knows the answer.

❪⠀🎬⠀❫ AINE SPEAKS ;;

requested by : @x-zho

*evil laughter* "die potato." "not today".

taglist — @x-zho, @dustofthedailylife, @deus-lapidis, @silentmoths, @nebulaera, @aestellia, @ofoceansandtombsanew, @meimeimeirin.

AINE © 2022. do no plagiarize, repost or rework this piece.

[strawberrylucv]

hello part 2 is now out! i would like to thank you all for liking part 1 so much! huhu i didn't know it would get that popular. Anyways, I hope you like part 2.

Confession time ( Part 2 for : Genshin HC's when you tell them "I think im in love")

✦ft. Diluc, Zhongli, Childe, Kaeya, Albedo.

✦warnings : mutual pining, fluff!! small fics are included! implied nsfw at the end of every character.

I suggest reading part 1 first since this follows right after.

Part 1 : Genshin HC's when you tell them "I think I'm in love."

.　 *　.　 . 　 ° 　. ● ° ..　 *　.　 . 　 ° 　. ● ° ..　 *

Diluc

so after the whole scene of him telling you to come by the tavern

he starts stress-cleaning.

he never thought the day of him confessing to you would come this early

but he had to act fast because he internally panicked when you said the word love.

and his name was not beside that.

when he went home, he asked Elzer to prepare the most extravagant setting in the tavern ever.

yea, it was like midnight so poor Elzer

so here comes the scary part. the day of the confession.

once you saw angel's share, the windows were all covered.

then you entered the tavern, and hot damn.

it was decorated with beautiful vines and flowers and a carpet leading to a table at the center, the chairs pushed away, with candles being the only source of light.

and then you saw Diluc but he was wearing an all white suit. he was setting up the table with the food you were going to eat.

when you asked him about it he just said

"Just trust me, Y/N"

so you did, you ate with him. you told stories and jokes while Diluc chuckled and listened. then he said :

"Y/N, so about the person you're in love with-"

"Oh yeah!" you wipe the ends of your mouth with tissue "I forgot to tell you-"

"Before you say anything else about them. Can I ask something-"

The mood was so good but it went away after Diluc accidentally broke a glass since it was sitting so close to the edge. He tells you not to worry and to leave it all to him. As he carefully grabs the shards under the table, you tell him "Let me help," he protests and was about to tell you to just to stay calm but he hits his head under the table. And the sound it made was loud. When you sit down at the floor to help him, the wine that was left unopened spilled on the both of you. Diluc covers his face in embarrassment asking himself what he did wrong while you laugh at how bad the situation is. He stops covering his face once he starts seeing you laugh loud, he loved it when you were so open with him, and your smile was something he wanted to keep all to himself.

"Forgive me, Y/N. This...This is highly embarrassing." he stands up and offers his hand to you. You take it and reply with "No, I think its cute.", You run up to the bar and grab tissues in the drawers. You run back up to Diluc and try to wipe off the wine from him.

oh goodness, he wanted to kiss you so badly.

he'd been holding it in for so long but you were so adorable.

so he did. he kissed you.

his lips were softer than you'd imagined.

as you look at his eyes, he hugs you so you wouldn't need to see how red he was getting.

but you could hear his heartbeat,

and he heard yours.

they were both in-sync, both fast, both nervous.

"Y/N, As I was saying, about the person you love." he says with a gentle tone, you could feel the heat he was emitting. "Can't it be me..?"

You push him off and give him a confused look. "What?"

He was so heartbroken with your face, he never realized how love was so painful. "I guess not-" he continues but was cut off by you. "It is YOU??" Now he was the one giving you a questioning look.

what??

so turns out that you've been giving hints but Diluc wasn't getting any.

he asks again if you what you were saying was true

"I thought you knew?"

sheeeeshhhhh

he just melts on to you. and gives the most relieving sigh.

"Thank the archons." he whispers to you.

Venti then knocks on the window and ask "Master Diluc?? are you closed today??"

why was the mood always changing?

either way, he was happy because you were the one in love with him all along.

he showered you with kisses that day. who knows what happened at night ;)

Zhongli

you follow him outside and he offers his arm,

you link arms together and walk to who knows where.

as for zhongli, goodness

the man was sweating buckets,

he didn't know if it was the layers of his clothing or the fact that this was so spontaneous.

where were you even both going???

while you were all smiles and talk about what happened today

he was thinking where he would take you

what was he going to do either way once you both were alone?

confess?

wow?? when was the last time he confessed?

isn't it way different now??

okay, but the main point was. where was he taking you.

after a couple of walks around Liyue and the sun starting to set, you start to question him so you ask about it.

"Zhongli?"

"Hm?"

"Where are we going?"

He holds your hand that was linking his arm. "...I do not know."

when he looked at you, he had puppy eyes.

you really didn't mind though, as long as you were together it's fun.

then, Zhongli finally found a place. it wasn't spectacular but it was the only place he could think of.

"Y/N, follow me." he says as he starts to run while he grabs your hand. You were surprised but you started running along with him. You run to the fish pond, through the stairs, through the garden where you could see Lady Ping. She waves at you both and smile at the sight. Then you reached the place where the Rite of Descension happened. Where he told you that this was the place where Rex Lapis became Zhongli.

You start to breathe heavily but he still hasn't let go of your hand. He looks over at you and leads you to the center.

"What're we doing here, Zhongli?" you say as you're still not over that run. He puts your hand in his. "Y/N, I would like to make it-to make this-to-" he clears his throat, "What I meant to say was.." he stutters some more which resulted his ears turning quite red. You giggle a bit at the sight. "Mr. Zhongli, you are taking a very long time to say what you want to say." you grin.

"Y/N, I would like to...to make a contract with you." the grip that was still holding your hands tightened but it wasn't painful at all. "And that contract would be??" you grin wider.

"To be by your side. To be with you. To be the person who you're in love with." he gulps but he doesn't hesitate to say this to you as he stares into your eyes. You place his hands onto your face as you tell him "Zhongli, look into my eyes. What do you see?"

"...Me?" he replies while he stares more deeply into you. "Exactly, this is the person who I fell in love with. Who I am in love with. You finally met them."

oh, it was him all along.

oh, he didn't know his heart could beat this fast.

this would be a perfect time to kiss you

and you had the same thought,

you place your lips on his and he never felt so alive.

good timing that it was night,

that there weren't any people around you.

since things started to get steamy right after that kiss.

Childe

and evening came, and Childe wasn't feeling it.

when he saw you near the pond, you weren't with anyone.

he hated to be that type of guy but he was so happy you were alone.

he wanted you to be happy

but only if he was the one making you happy.

but wait.

who was this guy approaching you...

...

his brows furrowed and

he was just one inch away from going foul legacy.

but he went away and so did Childe's malicious intent.

okay, so the plan was he was going to confess to you first.

before you could confess to garbage.

he took a deep breathe and forced a smile.

when you saw Childe walking towards you, he looked funny.

like he had two left feet which caught the stares of multiple people.

this made you cover your mouth to suppress your laughter.

"Y/N! I'm here!" he waves to you "Oh, where's the person you were coming with?" he questions. You give him a heavy sigh and look over to the water to see your reflection as the moon shines brightly.

"Childe, do you think they'll like me?" you break the silence. He furrows his brows to your question because who wouldn't like you? If that scum ever thought of that then they better watch their backs. You feel his shoulder by yours, leaving no inch away from you.

"Y/N, if you're doubting your self-worth for that scum then I don't think they're right for you." he states. When you turn your head to him, you were surprised that he was just looking at you, never taking his gaze off of you. You burst out laughing and at first, Childe was super confused but then he started laughing along with you.

how the night looked was amazing,

it was dark but then the moon made it all better.

Childe stopped laughing after a bit,

and then he turned to you very seriously and held your hand.

making you also stop your laughter.

"Childe?" you ask him.

"Don't be with them, Y/N." he caresses your face, tracing your features. He takes you in for a warm embrace, there you could feel his warmth, "Be with me." he whispers gently.

You release yourself from his embrace and he takes it hard, but then you intertwine your hand with his, and you were both trembling. "Take a look in the water." you ask of him. So he did, but he was confused. What about the water? "I don't get it." he turns to you again.

You chuckle a bit by his cluelessness. "What did you see?" you gave him a smile.

"...My reflection?"

"I want you to meet the most stupid and yet most caring person ever-"

'I'm not stupid' he whispered under his breath.

see, he didn't get where you were going with this.

"-and the person who I'm in love with."

wHAT???

the thoughts running through his mind were:

'YOU WERE IN LOVE WITH ME THE WHOLE TIME?'

'WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!!!'

'OH I GUESS YOU ARE NOW!'

He lifts you up from your feet and spins you around. "So it was me all along? It was me?" he asks as he puts you down but his arms were still around your waist.

"It's you. It's always been you." you place your hand on his face. He was so excited, so happy, so damn happy that it was him all along. He kisses the palm of your hand that was on his face, and he continued to smother you with kisses right after.

then he carried you bridal-style.

when you asked him where you were both going

he whispered

"It's a secret."

he ran so fast to anywhere private

so...you know.

the night's long!

Kaeya

okay so Kaeya asked if you wanted to know

but he also didn't know where he was going with this.

you both were just vibing out in Mondstadt,

so how did it come to this

sheeesh how was he gonna confess to you.

it was other people confessing to him

they would always bring flowers and he had no flowers

he had nothing so...uhh

and then you answered his question and

he was panicking more.

"Sure," you stretch you arms. "What would it be like if I was in love with you," you look over to him and how devilish the moon was, because with it, the moonlight made you looked so divine. "-Sir Kaeya?" you playfully tease him. Damn, he should have been using the spare time to think of what to say but he was too busy admiring you.

He pulls your waist closer to him and whispers to your ear "This is what would it be like if you were in love with me."

You gulp at his sudden actions, and whispering in your ear was foul play. He sees how red you were getting and he used this to his advantage. He whispers "I would be holding you so tenderly that you would forget about the person who you were in love with. You would remember only me being in your heart." you could feel the heat of his breath.

on the outside, he looked fine

but sheeesh, he was sweating a bit here.

he just now had you in his grasp but you already had feelings for someone

but he wished he didn't had to let go.

how he was eyeing your lips the whole time you were this close to him.

"Y/N, Don't you want this every day?" he whispers again and he emphasizes this "Don't you want this with me?" and when you looked over to him, his eyes showed so much pain. So you brush the hair that was falling to his face and give him a kiss.

When you pull away from his lips, he doesn't want to break away from you. So he deepens the kiss and you pat his shoulder for a break to breathe. "Why'd you kiss me? I thought that you were in love with someone?" he ask as you try to catch your breath.

"Can't you get it already?" you cover your face with your hands. "I'm in love with you! How is that so hard to understand?"

oh

OH

'SO THATS WHY YOU KISSED ME'

ohhh

'so you're in love with me'

"Y/N, look at me." he cups your cheeks on his palms and kisses your forehead, your nose, your eyelids, and then your lips. "So this is love, huh?" he smiles.

"You better do the things you were saying."

"Oh Y/N, I'll do them way better."

and then you give a peck on his cheek.

and then he whispers something to your ear

and you nod shyly

it involved something

between you two and a room.

Albedo

so after he said "With-"

he stopped talking and just stared at you.

making you blush, just a bit.

you sit back on the chair he had laid out for you and you crossed your arms.

He turned his back to you and he felt his chest thumping

it was thumping really like hard, so he cleared his throat when he went back to you.

you were still watching him, very closely.

you asked him if he was okay and he said

"yes, im fine"

but he was red like he had a fever

you run up to him and check on his temperature but he seemed fine.

so he asks you a question with you so close.

"Y/N, tell me. Who's this person you were in love with?"

"Oh, them? Hm, why? You jealous?" you smirk a bit.

"Jealousy? Is that it?" he locks eyes with you. His calm and clear eyes don't ever leave your gaze. You turn your back and tell him "I don't know what you mean but-" then he grabs your wrist to stop you from going back to your seat.

"Y/N, isn't jealousy linked to love?"

goodness, if the cold won't kill you, it would be Albedo's straightforwardness.

His hand falls from your wrist and to your hand. He kisses your knuckles and asks you "Is this love, Y/N?"

You cover your face with your remaining hand and ask him where he learned that action. He tells you that "I read a storybook to Klee about it." unfazed and not flustered at all. He hands you a drink and tells you to taste it but just before you can, he takes the beaker back and drinks it himself. When you asked about it he said that it was a love potion, that he just ingested.

"Y/N, if I told you that I was in love with you. Would you give me a chance? I'm no knight nor famous businessman, but would you... look at my direction?" again he was unfazed and not flustered one bit.

it was a lie, this guy was breaking on the inside.

his heart was thumping real loud that he was scared it might genuinely explode

You go up to the table and drink the last remains of the love potion and reply to him "You dumb alchemist, I'm in love with you!"

sheeesh

that love potion was working its magic.

You grab a nearby paper to cover how red you looked and Albedo walked towards you. He gave you a kiss with the paper separating your lips. You lost the grip of the paper and it was falling down, exactly how you were falling more for him. You wrap your arms around his neck and you gave him a kiss. "You're not that sharp for an alchemist, you know." you trace his lips with your thumb. "Then I guess, you'll have to teach a student like me." he kisses your thumb and then again to your lips. He whispers again to you that it was never a love potion, just a normal drink.

Dragonspine is cold

good thing that

you guys had each other

for you know...

body heat :))

[kaeyas-beloved]

"What are you eating?" - Diluc, Kaeya, Venti

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Venti (separate)

Genre: Crack, a little fluff and a little general!

Warnings: Wine/drink mention (all), minor violence (Kaeya; fightin' hilichurls), you eat unripe grapes, dirt and a flower - in that order.

a/n: As promised, here's the Genshin version! Reader is gn :) As you all can see I grew... creative when it came to things the reader 'isn't suppose to eat'. In my opinion, two of those aren't too bad.

My Hero Academia (Bakugou) version here!

====================

-- Diluc

Recently Dawn Winery had been severely understaffed, two maids had fallen ill, Mr. Turner is off visiting his son and Elzer is so swamped with paperwork that he’s forced to pass off his other duties to someone else

Quite frankly, it’s nothing short of a disaster.

That’s where you come in! Possibly one of the only people who’s earned so much of Diluc’s trust, you have rightfully earned the honor to refer to him as your friend.

Which is why the man himself had called you to his home, requesting your assistance with a job or two that he knows you can do. Diluc, watchful and aware as ever, has witness first hand how hardworking and trustworthy you are. You've even helped him personally her and there. A job such as grape picking should be easy enough then, right?

Wrong. Incorrect.

"What are you eating?" The shiver that ran up your spine is harsh, eyes widening. You just know you've been caught with no hope of getting out alive.

Pausing mid-chew you glance over your shoulder, meeting eyes with the wine owner himself. Both of you know damn well what's in your mouth but neither of you back down from the semi-intense staring contest going on.

It's silent, suffocating and awkwardly so, as you each wait for the other to continue. You 'sneak' in another chew or two before finally speaking up, voice garbled as you attempt to dig yourself out of the hole you're in, even by just a little.

"Nothing..." it's gross, but a mix of juice and spit flies out your mouth. Quickly you swallow but... that was the last thing Diluc needed to truly confirm his suspicions. The damage has been done and you know you're done for.

However, he's not as harsh, irritated or angry as you thought he'd be.

"Stop eating the grapes," he sighs, pausing as he catches a glimpse of the fruit in your palm. He's unable to mask a mild grimace, nose crinkling as he murmurs "and the unripe ones no less. How can you even eat those?"

Keeps an eye on you for the rest of the work day (after all, that's his income going down your throat!)

If you really want some grapes though he'll get one of the staff to go and buy you some that you can actually eat

View it as repayment for all your help :)

Little bonus but a few days later Diluc goes out to eat an unripe grape himself just because it's been some years since he (probably) has and he wants to know if it's as bad as he remembers

It is and he swears to never do it again.

-- Kaeya

The two of you have been wandering the Whispering Wood for hours in an attempt to location something for a commission. Kaeya, originally, wasn't suppose to come along but seeing it as a way to escape the ever growing mountain of work, the captain took his chance to dip.

"Jean's gonna have your head you know..." you sigh, jumping a fallen log. Without even seeing him you know that he's wearing that signature smile of his.

"My, worried for me are we?" he laughs, falling in step with you after making it over himself. You offered your own closed mouth chuckle, eyes rolling to the side.

"Maybe"

For awhile you both walk comfortably in silence, vigilantly searching for what was described in your commission; making light conversation here and there. Finally, after what seemed like forever the hilichurl camp that you both had been turning Mondstadt upside down for peaked over the horizon.

An idea pops into your head, a devious smile stretching across your lips, "Whoever kills the most owes the other a free round of drinks" you taunt.

"Consider me the winner already then" Kaeya, never one to back down, matches your challenging stare, unsheathing his sword. You both leap into battle right after.

Everything was going smoothly, you'd already cut down about three fourths of the small monsters while your battle partner was stuck fighting a Mitachurl with a shield. In the moment it was crystal clear that you had it in the bag, Kaeya would be struggling to dodge and find openings for some time leaving you to wipe the area clean.

Too easy you smirk, making eye contact with Kaeya. He seemed frustrated, sharing the thought that he might actually lose. All at once though his frown melted into the same devious smirk you had. Now you were confused, what did he have planned?

Turns out you didn't have to ask, if getting body slammed from behind was any indicator. Faintly you hear Kaeya laugh out but you're too caught up in being head first in dirt and grass, flat on your stomach. The mitachurl that assaulted you must've lost interest though, seeing as there was no follow up on it's attack. Good, let that blueberry of a man fight two of 'em at once...

Luck must be with you because as you slowly pick yourself up to your knees you count a total of three small cuts and the beginning of a bruise on your arm (plus that nasty one that'll form on your back).

However, your attention is shifted as you swallow and intake the very earth beneath you. At first you grimace, but as fast as you did you switch your thought process. Surprisingly, it's not that bad.

I haven't ate grass since I was, like, six, did it always taste this... okay?

You're ashamed to say you went back for seconds - just a pinch though!- while tuning out the sounds of battle behind you.

"What are you eating?"

...Maybe you tuned out the world for a little too long because Kaeya is already making his way up to your fallen form, black ash falling to the ground behind him.

Ah shit

Panic over takes you - you've still got a noticeable amount of blades peaking out between your lips.

But no matter how fast you wipe away the green stains or tongue the last little bits away it's too late - Kaeya saw.

Laughs himself to sleep that same night

Uses this as blackmail, you're now wrapped around his finger and uses this to his advantage

NEVER lets you live it down, you're reminded at any possible opening he sees

"Oh? You look hungry, would you like me to bring you some of natures finest offerings?"

Turns out it tasted so good because it was actually some kind of herb that just looked like regular grass.

That doesn't stop Kaeya Alberich though

-- Venti

'The breeze was always crisper on Starsnatch Cliff!' That's what Venti - a bard you bumped into at Angels Share one night and since befriended - told you at least. And, like many things regarding the wind and weather, he was right.

Tossing the guy a bottle of dandelion wine, you can do nothing but groan and roll you eyes. You'd think that after him being right so many times you'd just believe what he says, but noooo you just had to bet otherwise, "Guess you were right again green."

"Ehe~" he laughed, popping the cork and beginning to drink right from the bottle. His carefree nature must've rubbed off on you in that moment because you found yourself chuckling along side him. As the joyful sounds petered out your eye caught the sight of something white and seemingly glowing, gently blowing in the breeze.

A cecilia, native to Mondstadt and found only on the very cliff you lay on.

Compelled by some outside force you rolled over and plucked the pretty little flower from the ground. You were never much of a stop and smell the roses kind of person, content with just viewing them as you walked by, but here, relaxed and bathed in golden sunlight you decided taking a whiff every once in a while never hurt.

Wow... is the first thing that pops into your brain, the second being that you could smell this scent all day if possible. Oddly, it smelled like the desserts you'd catch wind of in town, like freshly baked cake with white icing to top it off.

Before you could even think about it the tip of the petal is between your teeth. It's... sweet?

Overcome by the unexpected sweetness, more of the soft plant found itself being eaten.

"Ehe~ Now, what are you eating?" a teasing voice said, painfully reminding you that you weren't alone. An embarrassed heat crawled up your spine, scorching your skin.

And no matter how much you insisted that it tasted good and that you weren't out of your mind, Venti just smiled, laughing contently as he continued to drink. The wind picked up causing the flower to sway closer to your mouth. Almost like it was urging to keep eating. Figuring you were already one foot in the grave you decided to finish off the petal and call it an evening. As they say: let the wind lead.

Another one that hangs the incident over you until the day you die

Don't look at the cecilia in his hair he'll tease you and ask if you'd like to eat that one too

Knows that the flower is sweet and edible but still makes it out to be a weird thing that only weirdos do (like you apparently)

Probably eats them too so he's a weirdo as well

Not as bad as Kaeya thankfully

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[Masterlist]

[I don't have a Genshin Masterlist just yet (as of writing this) but this is the only other one-shot I've written for this fandom (kaeya x reader) - if any of you are interested :)]