#oh and ayato!!

[merminns]

Alright I realize I might be late to the scene and all that but I honestly think ken kaneki is not appreciated enough as a character.

Like really, the complexity of his character keeps increasing the more you get into the story and the so innocent boy we had at the very beginning is getting more and more out of sight yet you can see hints of him with every action he takes.

He was overall portrayed so beautifully and it gives me so many mixed feelings but I just love it all

[rubikor]

5⭐️ sword people my favourite brand

[cor-lapis]

"so you know how my actions ended up being done by some random guy? weirdly the only effect of me retconning the timeline was that his grandson was never born, and-"

[m1d-45]

the corner of 1st and 9th

summary: you've given a little too much information to your favorite barista... not that it matters, when he already knows.

word count: 3k

-> warnings: stalking . he is unwell guys

-> gn reader (you/yours) is a hot drink enjoyer . mb

taglist: @samarill || @sarienic || @valeriele3 || @shizunxie || @boba-is-a-soup || @yuus3n || @esthelily || @turningfrogsgay || @cupandtea24 || @genshin-impacts-me || @chaoticfivesworld || @raaawwwr || @ryuryuryuyurboat || @undrxtxd || @rainswept || @wanderersqt || @rozz-eokkk

< masterlist >

reasons to NOT think that he is stalking you:

you tap your pen on the corner of your paper, eyes glancing between your writing and the clock. there’s no sound but the intermittent ac and the chatter of voices from the common room, a group of your dormmate’s friends that you’re not keen on interacting with. it’s a reminder of the fact that you’re assuredly spending too much time locked up in your room thinking about this, but you can’t stop. you haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, about him.

thoma was a normal barista at an innocuous cafe. and he was definitely, assuredly not stalking you… right?

you go there fairly often

the estate was a dimly unpopular cafe set right near your dorms, perfectly on the way to most of your classes and not too far out of the way if you wanted a quick bite. despite clearly being a family business, it had managed to partner with the university, and accepted the meal plan you were forced to buy. given its proximity to you and the fact that the other options got rather repetitive, you frequented the small shop. it was never too crowded, so it wasn’t impossible to assume that you were one of the few regulars.

there were exactly two consistent baristas that worked there, with the occasional new face only ever showing for a few days. there was no set uniform, as far as you could tell. one was a young girl, likely another student, who constantly yawned and always had to push up her sleeves to work the register. she didn’t talk much; the one time you had complimented her sweater, she looked at you like you were a raccoon that had waltzed in and tried to pay with cash.

the other was the object of your paranoia: thoma, a chatty redhead who always seemed to drag out the conversation longer than he had to. he didn’t wear a name tag, but did introduce himself after you gave your name for your order, like you were meeting as friends and not in a mercantile exchange. when he handed you your receipt, there was a doodle of a dog in a suit at the bottom wishing you a good day.

your schedule was rather uneven, what with waxing and waning stress and assignments and the various misaligned tests you had to take. but still, you had credits to burn and their menu was solid, so you came back whenever you wanted.

2. he’s just being nice

thoma was an occasionally odd guy, but not overtly strange. he smiled and said hello and goodbye in the regular tone someone in customer service would, provided they were either really enthusiastic about their job or desperately trying not to get fired. he wore a plain black tee and jeans and despite the silver tags around his neck, never really screamed ex-military. he seemed rather young to be deployed anyway…

regardless, he was still just a normal guy. it was normal to memorize someone’s order if they came back so often, right? normal. it was normal to ask why you looked tired, or what had happened if you were in a better mood, or to wish you luck if you were about to head to class.

he was a normal, nice guy. he never made a big deal if you came in near closing time—in your defense, their hours seemed to shift from week to week—and still recited your usual back to you in case it had changed.

it never did. his smile was proud whenever you said so.

he was forgiving, from what you could see. whenever another staff member made a mistake, or if a customer dropped something, or if a funny looking bird flew by the window and he spilled whatever he was holding, he was quick to laugh it off. he laughed a lot, actually. rarely was any visit when he was working devoid of it, whether loud and excited or quietly amused. when he wasn’t, he wore an easygoing grin, the kind that implicitly forgave you for tripping over your words or the rug by the front door. he worked quickly and quietly and sometimes you’d find you were given a discount “just because.”

3. you’re probably overthinking things.

the problem had started around the same time midterms did.

the attendees at the tables grew sparser, busy studying or sleeping or praying. there were days when you’d walk in and be the only one there, aside from whoever was at the counter that day. when you walked in, you had just enough time to see the deep frown etched on thoma’s face before it slipped away, customer service smile back on his face.

you debated over whether to ask the entire time you waited. it was the polite thing to do, wasn’t it? it wasn’t as if you were friends, but still. if someone’s sad, you ask why. that’s the normal thing to do..

he still called your name, despite you being the only one there. how did this place stay afloat? surely there was some bigger chain willing to pay the rent. the middle of a college campus was the best spot for a place selling caffeine..

now that you thought about it, why was this place so quiet?

you shook it off and went to pick up your drink, finding a small pastry there instead. you blinked, looking up to correct him, but he was already looking at you with the same smile as always.

“they’re going to go out of date soon,” he explained, “and we over-ordered, anyway. take as many as you want!”

…odd. this didn’t look like a new building. did they not know business slowed around this time?

but not too far out of order. you took the freebie, waited a few minutes longer for your drink, and went on your day.

reasons TO think he is stalking you:

he knows where you are

you, like everyone else, had assignments due, and tests to get to. your free time dwindled to a select few naps, and your, like everyone else’s, trips to the cafe slowed to a stop.

and yet, the next time you visited, he knew.

he knew.

you dragged yourself through the doors on a spur of whim, determined to reward yourself for making it through the past few weeks. god, you were tired. you blinked the exhaustion from your eyes long enough to find the barista on shift; thoma, as usual, greeted you with a smile.

“welcome back! same as usual?”

you nodded, digging through your wallet, but instead of punching in your order as usual, he reached behind him, setting down a to-go cup in front of you.

it was still steaming.

you froze, the sight settling into your exhausted mind, unable to even force your hands to pay.

why the fuck did thoma know you were coming back today?

you didn’t even know you were coming. this was an impulse, an idea you barely thought through.

after what you can only assume is too long, he lets out a laugh. not nervous, or uncomfortable, but the same casual laugh as when he spills something while someone’s watching. your eyes find his, easygoing and bright.

“i hope you’re not too surprised,” he starts, like you’re not keenly aware of every beat of your heart. “i just figured you should get some rest as soon as possible.”

is it worse, you wonder, if he just made the same drink every day until you came back and simply got lucky? that’s the only answer that doesn’t involve you calling student services, but even that makes your skin crawl. you pay as fast as you can and grab the drink, rushing the rest of the trip back to your dorm.

it went cold on your desk, too unnerving to ever take a sip of.

2. he knows your schedule

it took… a lot of mental energy to force yourself back to the estate. you didn’t even want to go, not really, but the other options nearby either didn’t take school credits or simply tasted worse. you didn’t know what it was, but it was always off. too strong, too weak, with an odd aftertaste. it was a different problem every time, one that wore down your resistance.

nothing was better than a (technically not) free pick-me-up. you had all these credits anyway, you might as well use them on something you actually liked, right?

it’s not like you were known for making good decisions, okay? maybe… maybe it was just a fluke? maybe you could ask him about it. there’s even a chance that it’s not him working the counter!

…yeah, not a chance. a quick glance inside shows the same bright copper hair as always… though the girl is at the register this time, and he’s in the back. there’s only a handful of other people inside, so you’re probably fine.

you walked in, the bell ringing, a few patrons looking up on instinct. the girl at the register does the same right as thoma abandoned the order he was working on, tapping her on the shoulder. “sayu, let me handle this one, okay?”

great. sayu, apparently, looks at you with what you can only describe as pity, shrugging and returning to the back counter. you stood a bit further from the counter than normal, but thoma still continued to smile.

“hey there! your usual?”

he looked so normal. you couldn’t ignore how pleasant his smile was, how easily he waved like he wasn’t the reason you stayed up until the sun rose, unable to look away from the cup on your desk. it almost annoyed you, knowing he probably didn’t even think about it. so you grabbed that irritation, twisted it into words, and pushed it through your teeth; “how did you know when i was going to come here?”

for a moment, his smile faltered. his laugh was quieter, nervous, nothing like before. he shrugged, pushing up the bandana around his forehead, green eyes avoiding yours. “ah, lucky guess?”

you’re a lot of things. stupid is.. probably on that list, given your presence here, but you’re not stupid enough to believe him about that. to his credit, he seems to recognize that, shoulders slumping with a sigh.

“okay, that’s a lie. i’m sorry.” he shakes his head, as if chiding himself for trying. “one of my friends happened to see you, and he said you looked upset. i thought you might appreciate the thought…?”

yeah, you might, if that wasn’t a fucking insane thing to do.

he looks sheepish enough, or as much as one can when it’s clear he doesn’t actually feel bad for what he did.

“…don’t do it again. it’s weird.”

it’s comical, how much he brightens, standing straighter like a flower finally put in the sun. “of course! if you don’t mind the wait, then i’m not complaining.”

that should have been it. you paid, you waited, and though sayu is the one that makes your drink it’s thoma that called you up to the counter. it’s a constant, at this point, same as your order and the chipper grin as he handed you your drink instead of leaving it there, a wax bag in his other hand.

“take this as an apology,” he explains, “i really didn’t mean to unnerve you.”

sure. you’re willing to believe that, if only for the sake of normalcy. you took both, the warmth easing your tense hands.

he lingered. he always did. he stood, and waited, and when he had enough of your staring, he spoke. “if there’s anything else i can do, just let me know. i could even give you my notes to study, if you want! i know you’ve got a test coming up.”

you’re learning to hate his smile. it’s so easy, his words soft and fluid with a genuine curiosity that sent chills across your skin.

there’s the possibility that he just also attends school. you’re aware of that. you swallowed your fear and managed the breath to ask what you really, really didn’t want to know. ��do you also have ms yae?”

if you had access to a time machine… well, you’d stop yourself from ever stepping foot in the estate to begin with. but if you couldn’t do that, you’d come back to that instant, and keep yourself from ever asking such a stupid question.

some things were better unsaid. never did you understand that more than when thoma replied, eyes as sharp as a blade of grass.

“of course not. but you do, don’t you?”

you put your pen down, the ink from your anxious tapping now covering most of the upper corner of the page.

you hate it. you hate it. you hate that you wrote his name willingly, you hate that you’re so shaken by something you could have easily avoided, you hate that your life has taken such a turn.

you should have just stayed gone. you’ve stopped now, but now he knew you were stuck here for this semester. leaving mid-term would wreak havoc on your transcript, let alone your grades or schedule or however you were supposed to find another college to attend on such short notice.

you refocus on your list. objectively speaking, there’s more reasons to think this is normal, but the downside of lists like this is that they failed to fully capture the way your heart had dropped that day.

it was a month ago. a month, and you haven’t been able to stop looking over your shoulder whenever you went outside. you should really just call someone…

would student services be open at this hour?

you dig through the school’s website for a bit, but only find an address and a phone number for the department head. what “department” this falls under, you’re not sure, and you’re not keen on making a call less than an hour before midnight, so you don’t ask either. no dice. not for a few hours, at least. it’s just you, not really alone in your dorm, both because of the phantoms in your periphery and the fact that the walls are thin, letting you hear the cheers and disappointment of whatever game they’re playing in the common room.

it’s a bit of an anchor. the world is still going to turn, after all, and you need to be ready to meet it; you need to rest. being on edge for so long is wearing you down, and the weight on your shoulders will only grow if you keep sitting here. after a moment to consider the paper, you rip the list of your worries into short shreds, dumping the remains into the trash. you stand, stretch, and begin to tidy up, plugging in your phone and reaching for your water bottle, only to find it empty. you must have forgotten to refill it in your panic.. you look to the door, mentally weighing the benefits of going out and refilling it. there’s people in the common room, and you’re not too keen on being looked at right now, but it’s not as if they’re the ones plaguing you. it’s a common room for a reason, and filling it now will reduce the number of things to do tomorrow morning.

in search of a blessing for your future self, you unlock and open your door, the voices getting louder. some are familiar, but you shelve the memories. you have a mission. you unscrew the cap as you walk, aiming for the small kitchenette against the wall. archons willing, you won’t even have to interact with anybody. you walk, avoiding their eyes and even doing a rather good job at it, in your opinion. you fill your bottle, lingering just long enough to get the cap on without spilling anything, and turn to leave.

in a moment of weakness, you glance at the tv. there’s some sort of pvp game going on, with both players and bystanders crowded around the lone couch, most watching the ebb and flow of victory in earnest.

most, except one. on the floor, hands neatly in his lap, is the last person you want to see. he’s missing his bandana, but he still has that same smile, one gloved hand raised in a familiar wave.

you don’t think about what he’s said or done. you don’t think about the fact that you definitely should have told your roommates not to let him in. no, all you can think about is the fact that he now knows where you live, right down to the suite number.

it takes a lot of effort to drag your eyes away, pulling your feet into the dorm. you don’t want to think about how much effort it will take to leave tomorrow.

you don’t want to think about what could be waiting for you.

[yuikomorii]

I just noticed how Ayato’s smiles starts fading cover by cover and that’s so saddddd D:

// I believe that from the first to last game, Ayato is the character who had to face the most difficulties in the same timeline, therefore it makes sense why he’s not as cheerful and carefree as he used to be. ;w;

[berry-hwa]

I had to put my heart and soul into this BECAUSE THEYRE MY CHILDREN😭😭😭😭😭😭they were so important to little me and i wanted to do them justice (if i stare at this for one more damn second im gonna lose my mind noticing every imperfection i want to fix but i wouldnt be able to post this for another who knows how long if i got hung up on all the details)

SO here's the promised summer [My Last First Kiss] art from yours truly! :3

[pcktknife]

genshin fans really don't play abt they misogyny or they lack of reading comprehension

[paw-padss]

he hates this. spending countless hours of every day behind his desk, leaving you to fend for yourself elsewhere. he does more than just miss you; he yearns for you, longs for you. his heart aches deeply every second he’s away from you. he sighs. every word of his documents, every bite of his meals, every sway of the wind—it all reminds him of you. but all his emotions of sadness fade the moment he sees you again; they seem like a distant fragment of his consciousness as he embraces you, listening to the honey of your voice, taking in your presence. he doesn’t know how he stands it, being away from you for so long.

[throwaway-yandere]

My fave sprite that i never got to using 😩

[c6jpg]

Just bc I've seen the word everywhere and could rlly figure it out- expy? Could you explain that?

yeah it's short for "exported character" and it's when a character is deliberately and specifically based on a character from another series, hence "exported"

in the context of hoyoverse, they are very much known for exporting their honkai impact 3rd characters into other games, even going as far as having the same VAs in chinese/japanese. so some well known expies from genshin/hsr:

Raiden Mei -> Raiden Shogun, Acheron

Murata Himeko -> Mavuika (Pyro Archon) Himeko (HSR)

Yae Sakura -> Yae Miko

Kiana -> Unknown God

Wendy -> Venti

Otto -> Luocha

Bronya -> Bronya (HSR), Silver Wolf, 99.99% going to be the cryo archon

Seele -> Seele (HSR)

in the case of HSR, they're even more on the nose with it in that Welt is not an expy and actually the same character, so he has very specific reactions towards the HSR expies lol

[dialalagirl]

OH MY GOSH THANK YOU @alcedovoir I've literally felt that way for so long about Ayato. Like I do like him but no matter how much I may like his character I can never view him as a love interest I don't know why 😅😭

He has insane brother energy you just can't look past it 💀

( Same thing with Kanato except I just hate that little purple bustard sorry 😘 # they could never make me like you Kanato)

Ayato- like i was just chillin' eating costco hotdogs and I am getting bombarded with this shit. "brother energy", get out of here

i can dunk on all you hoes for real and don't you forget it!

kanato- ...

no matter, i am sure the rest of the dolls would like to meet you

[ode-to-spring]

˚⊹₊ ⋆ MISC. BOYFRIEND HEADCANONS ...ꜜ

genshin boys as significant others, what are their little quirks that make loving them all the more worth it?

ੈ♡˳ ayato, diluc, gorou, heizou, itto, thoma, venti, xiao, & zhongli x reader (romantic, separate !) yes they're in alphabetical order cause i'm me

ੈ♡˳ category :: fluff :)

ੈ♡˳ warnings :: n/a, please tell me if i missed any !

ੈ♡˳ a/n :: ouuuu emilia's writing again OUUUU

. . . boyfriend! ayato, who always delivers gifts for you when he's on trips abroad. it's a secret he'll never tell his peers, but he hates going on business trips. not because he dislikes the notion of traveling, or that he isn't willing to fulfil his duties as yashiro commissioner, but he doesn't like how it takes him away from you. thus, even when you're an entire ocean away, he sends you little souvenir and delicacies from wherever he visits to let you know that you're remembered. an embroidered fan from liyue, world class pies from mondstadt, delicious sweets from sumeru... nothing is too lavish for his love, who never leaves his mind no matter where in the world he may be.

. . . boyfriend! diluc, who leaves you little notes at the winery for you to find. sometimes, his duties call earlier than he'd want them to (much to his dismay, if he decides he hasn't spent enough tine with you yet). on those days when he'll have to leave at dawn without being able to give you so much as a goodbye, he takes time to scribble down a message for you before he takes off. messages of love, little reminders, a brief on where he's going and why-- anything he can to show you that he still cares no matter where on teyvat he goes.

. . . boyfriend! gorou, who likes laying on your lap after a long day of training. at first, you teased him for it, saying his dog genes were getting the best of him, but after a while you noticed he genuinely seemed comfortable with you that way. more often than not he'd fall asleep, even. kokomi explains it as him seeing you as his comfort person, that he'd be at ease when he was with you despite how tired he'd be from duties as general. you found this phenomenon quite adorable.

. . . boyfriend! heizou, who claims he can think more clearly and work much better when you're by his side. a childish claim from he who claims to be the best detective in the world, but he couldn't care any less. he always manages to make up an excuse for you to come along on his cases. when investigating, sometimes he asks for stupid things under the guise of asking for your help. holding his hand so he can lead the both of you closer to the answer? undoubtedly logic in his eyes! grabbing you by the waist to keep you near him so you won't get lost? don't see the problem with that! kissing his forehead so his genius brain can work better? ...alright, maybe that will take him a bit too out of commission to focus on the case.

. . . boyfriend! itto, who has the ataraki gang help him to set up your dates. knowing him, he won't allow anything involving you to be simple and sweet, no no, he's all about extravagance! only the best for the love of his life, he says! last minute planning and execution with the arataki gang has become a recurring factor when it's his turn to decide on dates and the nature of them. admittedly, they don't quite always go well... maybe a little fire here from burning food they cooked, or a horrible attempt of a live musical performance going south because of the members sheer lack of skill... but it's the thought and effort that counts! and they certainly have a lot of that ♡

. . . boyfriend! thoma, who always makes you handmade and homemade gifts. whether it's a little origami craft he learned how to make, a pastry he got the recipe of recently, or a flower crown with blossoms he picked himself while out to do errands-- he's willing to give anything he can to you. they aren't just random little trinkets either, not for him at least. each one he makes with the intention of giving it to you first and foremost. love and care are carefully put into the craft, and you always get first look when he tries something new. after all, you deserve nothing but the best in his eyes!

. . . boyfriend! venti, who embarrasses you by singing songs he wrote for you in public. as a bard, he considers it his duty to entertain the people of his city, but does he really need to make it obvious who his songs are for specifically? he sings with such a smile on his face that you know he knows what he's doing, annoying bastard. his excuse? well, he wants to proclaim to the whole world his love for you! songs dedicated to you will reach across the seas of teyvat and be sung till the end of time, he promises. for as long as his music lives and his lyrics never die from peoples memory, memoirs of his love for you will live for ages to come.

. . . boyfriend! xiao, who never fails to make time for you. work as a yaksha is terribly busy-- even when there aren't any demons around liyue to eradicate, he spends a great amount of his days patrolling and protecting the nation however he can. but still, he makes sure that his work doesn't keep him away from you for too long. he isn't quite used to this relationship thing, and frankly might not know his way around making you feel loved, but he tries. even the simple moments of rest he has with you he appreciates, he can only hope you feel the same.

. . . boyfriend! zhongli, who takes you out to gorgeous places in liyue. barely anyone would have discovered otherwise. he has governed this land for a great many centuries, and in turn have seen the rise and fall of many beautiful places due to change in geographical landscapes. but still, he's bound to have a few with beauty preserved throughout the years, and he's more than happy to take you to all of them. on top of tourist worthy spots, he sometimes brings a bit of food, wine,  and flowers to present to you on these dates, as well as a great many stories if where you're visiting to keep you both entertained.

[ask-cordelia-sakamaki]

(NSFW implied here sorry AWHYAIAKAHSHS)

Cordelia-sama ur children don't realise how good of a Mommy you are 😉

[tatatatatara]

The other Aogiri Tree executives, probably

[wri0thesley]

corruption kink men who make you come and then make fun of you for being so so sensitive afterwards, even pressing your thighs together makes you sigh and shiver, aren’t you just the cutest most precious little thing? how can they resist touching you more when you whine so sweetly and squirm so adorably?

[yuikomorii]

It's so cute how Ayato's face goes from boyish to mature. Like in some CGs his face looks so cute but in others he looks so handsome and mature. One of my favorites is the one in Vandead Carnival where him and Yui are looking at the different sweets. That's definitely my favorite CG of him it's just so GSHAHXGDHAHA

// Ikr! I like how his design exudes duality, although that makes him kinda hard to accurately draw, lol.

However, it’s funny how Satoi and Rejet (and even fans) sometimes indirectly “slander” him about that. I remember some interviews where they’re like: “I’d rather say that his face is more on the cute side. He might be the cutest of them all”, “Ayato is the one who visually changed the least since he was a child”, and when Satoi was asked about her favorite Ayato cg, she chose the HDB wedding one because: “Ayato and Yui look mature there”. xD

I also really like that VC cg! I literally love everything about his VC route, it was so sweet, especially the ending! 🥺🩷

But to sum it up, Ayato 99% of the time:

THAT 1% 👀: